Chapter 208: Ambush from All Sides (Part 5)

The trotters are thick and beautiful, and the goose breast is tasty.

Braised oxtail in the pot, sea shells fished in tender chicken soup.

Wang Yang is three parts drunk.

The young legal official stood in the corner, his figure half-hidden by shadows, watching Wang Yang and others pushing cups and changing lamps, delicious food; while mechanically gnawing on the big cake in his hand, the dry cake crumbs rubbed between his teeth, only feeling like sand and wax, difficult to swallow. And his colleagues were rewarded with wine and food by Wang Yang, although they could not sit at the same table with Wang Yang, they also ate with joy and relish.

A commandery official clicked his tongue: "Fragrant Snow Pavilion actually has oxtail for sale, which is strange."

Another official said:

"Fragrant Snow Pavilion sends special people to visit every month. Whenever a cow dies due to old age or accident, they send heavy gifts to the cow owner's house, and then go to the government office to report on behalf of the cow owner. After the government verifies that it is correct, they issue documents, pay taxes, and then sign a contract to buy the cow, ask a guarantor to provide a guarantee, slaughter and take the meat, and then file a record at the government office and open a certificate.

The layers of procedures and various expenses in between are not something that can be done just by being willing to spend money. Ordinary restaurants don't have this kind of door. I heard that the shopkeeper's surname is Cao, and behind him is Dao Tan. The Dao family has a lot of wealth and power, and they also seem to like opening restaurants very much. The 'Drunken Moon Building' in the capital was opened by Dao Tan's brother, Dao Hui."

"So that's it. No wonder Fragrant Snow Pavilion ranks first among the three buildings and two kitchens in Jingzhou. I was lucky enough to eat it once five years ago, and eating it again today is truly a blessing from Young Master Wang."

"Come, come, let's toast Young Master together!"

All the commandery officials toasted together.

There is a widely accepted theory in anthropology—that the progress of Homo sapiens is closely related to gossip. Humans rely on unique gossip abilities to build complex and close cooperative relationships. Even today, most social topics cannot bypass gossip, and gossip is not entirely useless. Especially for time travelers, many contents in gossip cannot be found in books.

Part of the reason why Wang Yang has been pretending to be a noble young master since he traveled through time and hasn't been exposed is that he is very good at absorbing information from idle chat and gossip. Especially since the circles he contacts are mostly gentry children and gentry officials, sometimes a few words are secrets, and a few words are inside stories. Whether it is to understand the society of the era he is in, or to fill in more details for his persona, it is very helpful.

At this time, seeing that this gossip topic about the "owner of Fragrant Snow Pavilion" had a tendency to stop, after drinking, he "added fuel" and said:

"The Dao family is the Dao family of Peng Cheng, right? The family status seems to be not very high."

A commandery official smiled: "That depends on who you compare with. If you compare with Young Master, then no one's family status is high."

Wang Yang waved his hand and smiled.

Another commandery official said: "The Dao family's status is indeed not high. Among the gentry, they barely reach the third class. However, the family assets are very rich, and they had titles in the previous dynasty, so they can be considered a big tycoon in the capital. In the early years, when the Emperor and the Prince of Yuzhang were in their infancy, the Dao family brothers often took care of them. Dao Hui got a green melon and shared it with the Emperor. The Emperor ascended the throne and remembered his old virtues, so Dao Hui was promoted three times a year. Dao Tan is now under the Prince of Yuzhang, doing the Grand Marshal's consultant (military high advisor), and his official career is also smooth. I think he will enter the Secretariat sooner or later."

Wang Yang said: "With the background of the Prince of Yuzhang, no wonder Fragrant Snow Pavilion is open in Jingzhou."

"Dao Tan seems to have been following the Prince of Yuzhang all along? At the beginning of the Cavalry Mansion, he was a consultant."

Wang Yang picked up a piece of honey-colored roast suckling pig skin, and casually answered: "Is that so? Then the qualifications are old enough."

"Yes, the qualifications are no worse than Cui Wenzhong's."

"Cui of Qinghe?" Wang Yang dipped the crispy roast suckling pig skin with a touch of rose sauce, and then sent the skin and meat into his mouth, which was truly melting in the mouth.

"Right, but the family status cannot be compared with Cui. If Cui Wenzhong lived to this day, being a provincial governor would be no problem."

"Actually, there is one person whose qualifications are older than both of them. He followed the Grand Ancestor High Emperor at the beginning, and later followed the Prince of Yuzhang as a consultant."

"Who?"

"Surname Xun."

"Drink, drink."

Talking about the taboo topic of Xun Boyu, everyone stopped very tacitly, and then turned the topic to the good crucian carp coming out in August.

Zong Rui didn't talk much, and like Wang Yang, he mostly listened. But Wang Yang occasionally picked up a sentence or two, both inheriting the top and starting the bottom, sometimes finishing the point, sometimes helping the conversation, giving people the impression that Wang Yang didn't put on airs and chatted enthusiastically with everyone, while Zong Rui felt a bit distant.

Zong Rui was not used to idle talk, and secondly, he was worried about Liu Zhao's affairs. He caught the gap where Wang Yang was a listener and asked in a low voice: "You say, Liu Zhao was hit by you and Liu Tan, these two strange soldiers, what will he do?"

Wang Yang pondered slightly: "If I didn't guess wrong, he is going to retreat."

"Retreat?"

Wang Yang rubbed the wine glass and said leisurely: "It is to escape. The so-called 'Golden Cicada Sheds its Shell'!"

In the prison office, eight legal officials sat on both sides, either writing documents or flipping through case files, their expressions solemn. Another eight small officials or holding scrolls or holding law slips, running back and forth in the corridor.

Liu Zhao paced, sometimes dictating, sometimes giving orders, his speed of speech was fast.

"... Yin is the Commandery Prefect, in charge of one side, diligent day and night, only seeking peace for the territory. Suddenly encountered the report of the Five Officials Merit Officer Zhao Jie and the Prohibition Defense Consultant Qiu Ying, the words are solid, the verification has traces, how can Yin sit idly by? So I investigated according to the law to correct the national law. Now that the evidence is clear, I know that this case is nonsense. It is all fabricated by Zhao and Qiu—"

Liu Zhao stopped when he said this and asked: "In the sixth year of Yongming, Zhao Jie reported Qiu Ying's document, and the side evidence of Qiu Ying's slander, have they been found?"

A legal official raised his hand and said: "Commandant, it's here!"

Liu Zhao ordered: "Pack it in a box with the barbarian report of the border commandery and the case file of the barbarian communication case three years ago."

"Yes!"

Another official said: "Commandant, the report of wrong arrest is finished."

"Let Guo Bei sign and seal."

That official hurried away.

Another official said: "Commandant, the settlement document is finished."

"Present it."

Liu Zhao read it quickly and said: "Change 'evidence not covered' to 'no evidence to assist.' Delete the last few sentences saying that I checked carefully and tried to eliminate the disaster! Delete the sentence about connecting the gentry, just say that there are treacherous people taking the opportunity to incite students, so for the sake of stability, close the case quickly."

"Yes."

Liu Zhao looked back at an official: "Continue..."

That official immediately wrote.

"... Although this case was caused by the competition and exaggeration of Zhao and Qiu, and the connection and creation, Yin could not detect it early, and lost the clarity of employing people, so I dare not shirk the responsibility. The Jiangling families are deeply rooted, and the power is intertwined. Although Yin tried his best to reconcile, he was powerless, and thinking that Liu and Wang were at odds with Yin because of this case, this is really not Yin's original intention..."

Although Zong Rui didn't know the word "Golden Cicada Sheds its Shell," he knew what it meant, and asked worriedly: "Then what to do?"

Wang Yang's eyes carried a point of drunkenness and three points of cold murderous intent, his two fingers probed like a sword, and he said in a deep voice: "Pursue!"

A military officer walked into the hall quickly, his forehead sweating, his expression panicked:

"Commandant, we were one step late. Zhao Jie and Qiu Ying have been arrested. I heard that the Prince of Badong gave the order himself!"

Liu Zhao was shocked and asked hurriedly: "Where are they locked up? What is the crime?"

"This subordinate didn't find out."

At this time, a legal official said: "Commandant, the inspection document and the release document are finished, you need to sign and seal."

Liu Zhao raised his hand, signaling his subordinates to be silent, his brows locked.

All the officials stopped their work and looked at Liu Zhao.

Zong Rui asked after Wang Yang explained "pursue": "Then what will Liu Zhao do?"

Wang Yang smiled and drank the wine in the cup: "I don't know what he will do, but the harm of using soldiers is the greatest hesitation; the disaster of the three armies is nothing more than suspicion. Liu Zhao is now hesitant and cannot decide. So... I have to help him make a decision."

Zong Rui was surprised and confused: "Help him make a decision?"

Wang Yang put the wine glass down casually, the bottom of the cup collided with the table, making a crisp sound. Then his drunken eyes suddenly turned cold, smiling but not smiling, spitting out two words: "Encircle!"

Just as Liu Zhao was thinking, a loud shout suddenly came from outside the door: "The Jingzhou Assistant is here!"

Le Zhan wore an official uniform, followed by the assistant officials and guards of the Assistant's Mansion, grandly entering the hall.

At this moment, Liu Zhao didn't be polite with Le Zhan. He knew that Le Zhan came for Wang Yang, and his tone was sarcastic: "Is the Assistant Commandant also going to intervene in the criminal case?"

Le Zhan's eyes were like torches, and he shouted loudly:

"This official is not asking about the criminal case, but about the state affairs!

Doesn't the Commandant know yet?

All the silk merchants in the city have gone on strike, and the Ever-Normal Granary has stopped operating!

Grain prices have risen again! Public grievances are boiling!

Now Jingzhou's civil administration is both bad, and both the gentry and the commoners are in chaos!

You are the Jingzhou Commandant and Nanjun Prefect, causing Jingzhou to be in turmoil because of a case that cannot be established! What is your crime?!"

Liu Zhao only felt a "boom" in his ears, like a heavy hammer hitting his head! Thunder added to his body! Even the scene in front of him became blurry...

——————

Note: ① *Beitang Shuchao* cites *Jingzhou Land Records*: "Seven counties in Wuling produce tea, which is the best."

② *Commentary on the Water Classic, Mian River 1*: "The Han River then gets the Du mouth on the left. The water comes out of the north mountain of Yangping. The water has two sources: one is called Qingjian, producing Jiahu; the other is called Zhuojian, producing good crucian carp. They are often taken in February and August, which is a beautiful and precious taste."

③ The busy Spring Festival is over, and updates will resume the day after tomorrow. To be honest, fighting on multiple fronts and finding time to insert needles, I really can't bear it. I am a person who loves to make plans and execute them according to the plan. Old readers know that my original plan was to stop for two to three months after the first volume was finished before writing the second volume. As a result, I didn't stop, and the original rhythm of life was messed up. Since the second volume, I don't know how many times I have stayed up late and got up early to edit and code. My body also has problems. So for sustainable development, I have to tell everyone that I cannot guarantee daily updates. If there is no update between 9:50 and 10:30, there will be no update that day, and no further explanation will be given. If there is no update that day, there is a 90% chance that there will be one the next day. The specific situation depends on the busyness of that stage and my state efficiency.

First ensure health and do the right thing, and then write the novel well on this basis, but the core of writing is based on quality, which is the first place that cannot be shaken. While ensuring quality, strive for more updates. This is my New Year's expectation for myself!!! In addition, today is my birthday, make a wish, I wish I write this book well, I wish the readers who read this book (including myself!) are healthy and happy, and this life is smooth! ===== CHAPTER 209 =====