Chapter 183: Watch Me Break the Linked Camp

Fang Yan's thoughts turned, and he said: "The young master's female guard is not a noble, right."

Wang Yang stopped and looked at Fang Yan.

Fang Yan seemed to have grabbed some weakness, with a sinister and triumphant smile: "If the young master is unwilling to cooperate, I can only ask her."

Wang Yang looked at Fang Yan for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed.

"Does the young master not believe that I will extract things from her mouth?"

Wang Yang pointed at the two clerks: "You go out first, I will chat with the Governor alone."

The two clerks didn't want to stay here at all! They couldn't afford to offend the Langya Wang family, and they couldn't disobey their superior's words, so they looked at Fang Yan, waiting for his instructions.

Fang Yan waved his hand, and the two clerks hurriedly exited the room.

Wang Yang sat down and asked with a smile: "You are surnamed Fang, a local?"

Fang Yan felt that Wang Yang wanted to talk about surnames and family status, and snorted coldly: "So what?"

Wang Yang scratched his temples with two fingers casually: "How many people are in your family?"

"My family..." Fang Yan stopped abruptly, vigilant: "What are you doing?"

"Married? How old are the children? Are your parents still healthy?" Wang Yang smiled gently.

Fang Yan looked at Wang Yang's smile and felt cold all over: "Wang Yang, you..."

Wang Yang looked at Fang Yan and said with a puzzled expression: "You say you have so little salary every month, why are you risking your life?"

Fang Yan turned pale!

"You dare to threaten a court official?!"

Wang Yang's expression was indifferent: "I'm just chatting with you, how did it become a threat? Don't slander me! You understand criminal law, everything must be based on evidence. Could it be that if something happens to your family in a few days, you will also say it was me without any evidence?"

Fang Yan's face was iron-blue, thinking about it several times.

Noble children, acting without scruples; Langya Wang family, the foundation is difficult to fathom. Although this person is young, and seems arrogant, he is actually not lacking in cunning and depth, otherwise, before saying this threat, how could he remember to send the two clerks away? How could he not reveal a single gap in repeated questioning? Looking at his appearance, he might really be a ruthless character, taking risks for this matter is extremely unwise...

Thinking of this, Fang Yan bowed: "I have offended you just now, I am also doing my duty, I hope the

Wang Yang revealed a smile: "That's right. In all things, leave some room for maneuver. You are still young; don't charge in too recklessly, or you'll easily find yourself at a dead end."

Listening to this youth lecture him with the tone of someone who had seen it all, Fang Yan felt extremely stifled, yet he could only grit his teeth and say: "Many thanks for the Young Master's instruction. I have noted it. However, until the order from the Chief Clerk's office arrives, you cannot leave this room."

"What if I insist on leaving?"

"I am acting under orders, so I must offend you. Once the Chief Clerk's order arrives, I will apologize to the Young Master." Fang Yan bowed, then shouted loudly: "Come!"

The carved wooden doors opened in response!

Four cold-faced guards walked into the room, hands on their sword hilts.

Wang Yang swept a glance over the four of them, waved his fan, and sneered: "What, you still want to tie me up?"

"I wouldn't dare. I only ask the Young Master to sit quietly."

Wang Yang snapped his fan shut and barked: "According to the Qi Code, for a subordinate to struggle against a superior is to be a thief. I am a son of the Langya Wang clan. I am leaving now; whoever blocks me shall be treated as a thief!"

Wang Yang took a step forward, and Fang Yan's expression changed: "Young Master, do not force me!"

At this moment, a soldier ran in, looking slightly flustered. He whispered to Fang Yan, and after only a few words, Fang Yan's brow furrowed into a deep crease, and he snapped irritably: "I said! No one is allowed!"

"Commandant Fang, you have quite a temper." Lady Le's expression was cold and stern. Chen Qingshan followed by her side, and behind them, over a dozen sword-wielding Le family guards surged into the main hall.

Chen Qingshan looked Wang Yang up and down with concern. Wang Yang smiled and mouthed the words, "I'm fine."

Xiao Shan walked quickly to Wang Yang's side, watching Fang Yan and the four soldiers vigilantly.

Fang Yan kept a sullen face, bowed first to Lady Le, and then said: "This room is where I am conducting an investigation. Is it appropriate for you to just barge in like this, Madam?"

"What a joke! This is my home! Where is there that I cannot go?"

"Even if you didn't look at them one by one, you looked at a general idea."

Lady Le interrupted coldly: "The Chief Clerk let you station yourself here for protection! Not for you to act as the master of the house! My Yuyang Le family has had this mountain villa for a hundred years; if I were to give it to you, Fang, would you dare to take it?"

The noble clans are bullying people too much!!!

Fang Yan swallowed his anger, cupped his hands, and said: "Madam is joking."

Lady Le looked at Wang Yang and smiled: "I have prepared some wine and food. Please, Young Master Wang, follow me to the front hall to dine."

Wang Yang smiled: "Many thanks, Madam."

"Who—dares—move!"

Fang Yan waved his hand, the four soldiers drew their blades, and Chen Qingshan drew her sword.

Lady Le said: "Qi Huan."

The Le family guards all drew their swords! They quickly spread out, surrounding Fang Yan and the other four men.

Fang Yan felt a rush of blood to his head and roared: "Lady—Le!"

Lady Le said calmly: "Someone is looking for trouble, brandishing weapons without authorization, intending to use official business as a pretext to abuse the gentry and assassinate the elite. Anyone present who acts rashly—kill them!"

Having finished, she stopped looking at him and smiled at Wang Yang: "Young Master Wang, please."

Fang Yan was furious, but surrounded by over a dozen swords, he dared not move recklessly and could only watch helplessly as Lady Le and Wang Yang left.

After leaving the room, Wang Yang bowed: "I have caused you trouble, Madam!"

"What trouble? It is all a matter of our own family; Young Master, do not be a stranger! Since Liu Yin wants to make things difficult, he likely will not stop here. Young Master should return to the city as soon as possible and make preparations early."

Lady Le had hit upon Wang Yang's true concern. Wang Yang's previous forceful departure, besides wanting to escape being held under someone else's control, was also to rush back to Jingzhou City to make arrangements to deal with Liu Yin's threat.

"I have exactly that intention. I bid you farewell now, Madam."

"The road is chaotic; I will send men to escort you."

The night was vast and dim. Just as the group was about to descend the mountain, a general riding a horse took the lead, clad in armor and holding a large halberd, bringing a large group of soldiers to surround them.

More than forty Le family guards revealed their weapons. Wang Yang wanted to step forward, but Lady Le blocked him behind her and shouted: "Does the incoming general intend to take advantage of the darkness to waylay the gentry and plunder their property!"

The general was so frightened he quickly dismounted, bowed, and cupped his hands: "How could I dare! This humble general is Cao Yong, a Captain of the Nanchun Garrison. I am acting under the Chief Clerk's order to ask Young Master Wang to return."

Lady Le said coldly: "Young Master Wang is a guest invited by my family. I am now escorting him out with courtesy; this is a matter of private friendship and does not violate the law! Never mind the Chief Clerk, even the Inspector cannot stop us!"

"Young Master Wang is a person involved in a case. If I let him go, this humble general will have no way to answer for it!"

"Young Master Wang is not a person involved in a case, but a victim! Without evidence, who dares to slander a son of the Langya Wang clan as guilty? Even Chief Clerk Liu would not dare to do so. Since there is no guilt, he has freedom of movement. You must move aside immediately and not delay Young Master Wang's journey!"

"This is the order of Chief Clerk Liu; I ask Lady Le not to make things difficult for this humble general!"

"Cao Yong, do you only know of the Chief Clerk, and do you not hold the Vice Governor's office in your eyes?"

Cao Yong only said he dared not and maintained a very humble attitude, yet he refused to yield the road. Just as they were in a stalemate, a group of people arrived, totaling over thirty riders, among whom was actually the figure of Xie Xinghan!

Xie Xinghan was dressed in a magnificent riding outfit, covered by a blue satin cloak, bright and beautiful as snow. She pulled the reins and stood on her horse, appearing even more heroic and spirited than usual.

A military officer dismounted and handed Cao Yong a bamboo tube: "The Sima of the Secretariat has set up a field camp at the foot of the mountain, and all soldiers are under the unified command of the Sima. You are now ordered to withdraw your unit from the mountain villa and report to the front of the tent for assignment."

Cao Yong opened the bamboo tube to read the transfer order and hesitated: "But what about Chief Clerk Liu..."

Xie Xinghan said: "The Southern Barbarians have suddenly arrived, and the eastern route is already under martial law. Xi Gongmu is the Jingzhou Sima, and his duty is to command the military; even the Chief Clerk cannot override this. The military order is as it is; what is there for General Cao to doubt? Furthermore, does Chief Clerk Liu's order have a written document? On one hand, there is no written document, and you are privately intercepting the gentry, which is neither righteous nor justified; on the other hand, military orders are like mountains, and the responsibility of defense is heavy—to violate the order is to face the law. Is it not very clear where the General should go?"

Cao Yong looked at Xie Xinghan, not daring to underestimate her, and asked with a respectful tone: "May I ask who this is?"

The military officer said: "This is the daughter of the Secretariat Director."

Cao Yong hurriedly bowed, his voice filled with awe and fear: "Many thanks to the young lady for pointing out the way! Since there is a military order here, this humble general will naturally comply and would never dare to disobey!"

Xie Xinghan smiled: "General, you have worked hard!"

"I dare not, I dare not!"

Cao Yong led his troops away.

Wang Yang smiled: "Lady Xie, with just a few words you forced the troops to retreat. You are truly a heroine among women; I admire you immensely!"

Xie Xinghan said with a smile: "If the Young Master recites a poem for this scene, this heroine will escort the Young Master back to Jingzhou."

Wang Yang had encountered danger twice in one day and had seen soldiers in the middle of the night. At this moment, seeing the moonlight like water and the cavalry looking solemn, his heart was stirred with heroic spirit. He laughed loudly: "What is difficult about that?"

A Le family guard led his horse over. Wang Yang straightened his clothes, mounted the horse, pulled the reins, and recited casually: "

On a cold night I meet injustice, a fair lady wields the armor and blades.

A thousand troops gather at the camp gate, a few words leave the old general startled.

I am no peerless warrior, but I admire you as a heroic spirit.

You just sit quietly for a moment, and watch me break through the linked camps!"

Wang Yang flicked his riding whip: "Return to the city!"

Xie Xinghan's starry eyes were bright, the corners of her lips curled up uncontrollably, and her smile was radiant. She followed, flicking her whip and shouting: "Everyone, follow Young Master Wang closely! Return to the city!"

Lady Le watched the cavalry roll away in the dust, and she couldn't help but reveal a motherly smile...

——————

Note: Mr. Yan Gengwang stated in the historical materials cited in the "Author's Note": "During military periods, the heavy responsibility of defense lies with the Sima, and the Chief Clerk is conversely not important. Therefore, Yu Dengzhi yielded the Sima position to serve as Chief Clerk; this is particularly clear evidence." (Chapter 3, "Local Administrative System of the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties"). Yan's statement is very correct. Therefore, although Liu Yin's rank was higher than the Sima, under the military situation of the Southern Barbarian invasion, the Chief Clerk's order had to yield to the Sima's military order.