Chapter 27: Hopeless
Chapter 27: Hopeless
The poor Yang Xin finally understood that even though his case had been almost erased due to a series of internal maneuvers…
It had little to do with him.
In the end, he could not avoid having his head chopped off.
The Great Ming Code did not have a crime of fleeing from justice. If you ran, it was resisting arrest. However, simply fleeing added two degrees to the original crime. For example, a sentence of eighty lashes would become strangulation, but one could pay a fine for redemption. But if the original sentence was already strangulation, then it became beheading. Using force to resist arrest always resulted in beheading. If, like he did back in Tianjin, one took up a carrying pole to resist arrest with a weapon and even injured people, then it was immediate execution without trial. So, his intentional killing being reduced to manslaughter merely solved the troubles for the officials and those involved. For him, it made no difference; it was all the same – he would be dragged to the execution ground for beheading.
Clearly, those scoundrels had not considered him either.
The Liu Family likely readily accepted because, no matter what, he was going to lose his head.
Looking at it this way, Huang Zhen had been far-sighted. He knew from the beginning that the simplest and most effective solution was to run away and change his identity.
Yang Xin sorrowfully looked up at the sky at a forty-five degree angle…
“Do you want some candy?”
Wang Wanqing came closer, holding a piece of crystal sugar.
“Thank you. Has this wanted poster already been posted by the city gate?”
Yang Xin asked.
As he spoke, he picked up a piece of the crystal sugar.
“It’s fine. You can ride in my carriage!”
Wang Wanqing said.
This young girl was still quite kind-hearted.
“You should learn to restrain yourself in the future!”
Fang Tinglan said from the side.
“If it were you, when being harassed by others, would you want the man beside you to remain restrained and just watch you being harassed? Or do you think a man, when being whipped by someone else, should stay restrained and not grab the whip to strike back?”
Yang Xin said.
“Even Han Xin could endure the humiliation of crawling between someone’s legs!”
Fang Tinglan said.
“But I only like swift vengeance and settling scores!”
Yang Xin said.
Fang Tinglan gave him a resentful look…
“Hopeless!”
Then she stomped her foot and left.
Yang Xin watched her retreating figure with a complicated look in his eyes.
Clearly, they were ultimately not the same kind of people. In such a situation, Huang Ying would silently hand him a knife, but someone like her, from a family of scholars and poets, would only urge him to learn from Han Xin. Who was right and who was wrong? This question was somewhat complicated. But at least Yang Xin admitted to himself that he could not endure the humiliation of crawling between someone’s legs. He would only knock the other person down, step on their face, and preferably twist his foot for good measure. A person who kneels for too long finds it hard to stand up again. Han Xin was an exception. Most people just used his exception to numb themselves, and through repeated numbing, made crawling between legs a habit. By then, it would be very difficult for them to stand up again.
“Actually, it’s not hard to solve. As long as Brother Yang has a new legal identity.”
Chen Yujie said.
This was also Yang Xin’s only current option.
Based on this wanted poster, recognizing him was still not that easy. It wasn’t a photograph; it just roughly sketched his outline. At least with Yang Xin’s current attire, as long as he didn’t arrogantly go to look at the wanted poster like before, the chance of being recognized on the street was practically zero. But he had no travel pass, which was the most troublesome part. Not having a travel pass was not hard to solve by itself, but if he was discovered without one and sent to the authorities, then it was highly likely he would be identified.
“Why not come with me to Huguang? My grandfather submitted another resignation memorial. He wanted to resign and return home last year, but His Majesty did not permit it. This time, if His Majesty graciously approves, he will return home to recuperate. You come back with us. No one in Huguang knows you. You can be my bodyguard. Our Wang family can certainly ensure you have no worries about food and clothing.”
Wang Wanqing said expectantly.
“If your grandfather wanted to resign last year, then why did you travel thousands of miles here this year?”
Yang Xin asked, puzzled.
“That’s none of your business!”
Wang Wanqing’s face turned slightly red as she said.
“Ah, he sent you here for matchmaking! Your grandfather wanted to find you a noble and wealthy match in the Capital City before resigning and returning home. Come on, tell me, which young masters have you met these past few days!”
Yang Xin said.
“I’m not talking to you anymore!”
Wang Wanqing said angrily and left as well.
“Brother Yang, are you already prepared for this?”
Chen Yujie said.
“Huang Ying has probably returned to her hometown. They will get me a new identity there and send it over in a few days. I just need to ensure nothing happens before then. Once they handle it, I’ll use the new identity. Probably no one will recognize me unless I go to Gegu again.”
Yang Xin said.
“That’s best. From now on, try not to enter or exit city gates if possible. The wanted posters won’t be sent to Xianyi Neighborhood. The Five City Military Inspectorate isn’t that keen on making extra work. The Tianjin Military Defense Circuit sent the wanted notice to the Ministry of Justice, which sent it to the Five City Military Inspectorate. The latter posting it counts as fulfilling their duty. But as for making a batch themselves and distributing them to the neighborhood chiefs of each quarter, such a large-scale, laborious search operation – they definitely won’t do that. Officials don’t like extra trouble. This is a Tianjin case, not a Capital City one.”
Chen Yujie said.
Yang Xin was quite sure about this point.
He then put this matter aside. By now, his work was basically complete, and this was already his fifth day at the Fang family. He decided to directly take his leave from Fang Xizhe. As for whether to present it to Wanli, that was for Fang Congzhe to decide. Yang Xin was only responsible for making it. Other matters were not for him to manage. If needed in the future, he could just go find him again. After all, he lived in Xianyi Neighborhood. Fang Tinglan did not come out again, probably still angry. Yang Xin did not look for her either. He immediately got into Wang Wanqing’s carriage and returned to the city along with Xu Guangqi and the other two. His wanted notice was indeed pasted next to the city gate, side by side with the previous one, but no one was looking at it, and the guarding soldiers paid no attention.
As for searching them, that was even more impossible.
Xu Guangqi was wearing official robes!
Which gate guard would be so foolish as to search a sixth-rank official? Their own Metropolitan Police Office commander was only sixth-rank.
The four of them soon entered Xuanwu Gate. Xu Guangqi first returned to Mingshi Quarter.
“You don’t need to see me back, right?”
Yang Xin said to Wang Wanqing.
“Hmph, I have to keep an eye on you for Elder Sister Huang. Who knows if you living in Xianyi Neighborhood has ulterior motives?”
Wang Wanqing said.
“How is me living in Xianyi Neighborhood having ulterior motives?”
Yang Xin said discontentedly.
“Brother Yang, the Western Courtyard of the Imperial Music Bureau is in Xianyi Neighborhood.”
Chen Yujie said with a smile.
“Just how many courtyards does this Imperial Music Bureau have?”
Yang Xin said helplessly.
“Three. The Eastern Courtyard is in Huanghua Neighborhood, the Western Courtyard in Xianyi Neighborhood, and the Southern Courtyard in Mingshi Neighborhood. But few go to the Southern Courtyard. The most famous in the Capital City are the Eastern and Western Courtyards. Of course, I have never been there myself, only heard of them. I’m not very clear on exactly which lanes they are in either.”
Chen Yujie said.
Clearly, this honest man also had a bit of wit.
“One must absolutely not go to such places!”
Yang Xin declared righteously.
Beside him, Wang Wanqing, with her sharp gaze, snorted coldly.
Whether she believed such nonsense was another matter.
Just then, a flash of white light appeared in Yang Xin’s field of vision. He immediately looked up, but there was only a half-closed window there. He didn’t think much of it and watched the roadside scenery as the carriage continued forward, bumping along. Shortly after he passed, that half-closed window opened. The guy he had taught a lesson to last time stood at the window, putting down his telescope, and watched the departing carriage with a hateful gaze.
“Young Master Wang, is this the man?”
A middle-aged scholar beside him asked with a smile.
“He changed his clothes and looks halfway decent now, almost didn’t recognize him. Who knows what kind of sorcery this dog has, but the women around him are each as beautiful as flowers!”
Young Master Wang said hatefully.
Clearly, this was the main reason for his fury.
“Forget it, it’s not a big deal. Just a verbal quarrel. That should be the carriage of Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of War. Inside should be Vice Minister Wang’s granddaughter. For her to publicly share a carriage with a man in broad daylight is truly puzzling regarding the Wang family’s upbringing. The man riding beside the carriage is the nephew of Junior Advisor of the Left Xu Guangqi. They came from the southern part of the city. The young lady Miss Wang associates with in the Capital City is the daughter of the esteemed Master Fang. If I’m not mistaken, they probably returned together from Fang Village.”
The middle-aged scholar said with a smile.
He was hinting to Young Master Wang that if it wasn’t necessary, he should just swallow this anger. It wasn’t worth the risk for such a small matter; their connections seemed quite solid.
“If my father hadn’t been harmed by treacherous factions, how could I be insulted by such a lowly person!”
Young Master Wang said.
“Your father has only been temporarily removed from his post. There will be a day of reinstatement in the future. You must understand, your father lost his position for the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince will not forget your father. And His Majesty will one day pass, and the Crown Prince will eventually ascend the throne. Be patient. Wait until the Crown Prince becomes Emperor, will your father lack for soaring success?”
The middle-aged scholar said.
Only then did Young Master Wang sit down resentfully. The middle-aged scholar poured him a cup of wine. Young Master Wang, looking gloomy, picked it up and was about to drink when a household servant suddenly ran up, directly to his side. Because he ran too fast, he accidentally knocked over the wine cup, spilling all the wine on Young Master Wang…
“You dog of a slave!”
Young Master Wang angrily kicked him, knocking him to the ground.
The servant dared not resist. Only after Young Master Wang had finished kicking did he get up. Not even wiping the blood from his face, he leaned close again and said, “Master, this humble one saw a wanted notice at the city gate. The person drawn on it looks quite a bit like the one who was disrespectful to you that day.”
“Really?”
Young Master Wang instantly stood up, surprised and delighted.
“This humble one dare not be certain. The drawing on the notice just bears some resemblance.”
The servant said.
“Resemblance is enough. Didn’t you say he has no travel pass? Resemblance is enough to report to the Five City Military Inspectorate. The Five City Military Inspectorate goes to check. As long as he has no travel pass, he can be thrown in jail. Even if someone helps him avoid the lashes, once he enters the yamen, he won’t escape some hardship. And see which neighborhood he lives in. If you have acquaintances in the Western City Metropolitan Police Office, slip them some silver to have him beaten severely after they catch him. At least we can vent this anger!”
The middle-aged scholar said.
“Let’s go! Why drink now? First, let’s go see if it really is that dog or not!”
Young Master Wang said excitedly.