Chapter 188: The Wonton Stall

As soon as the wonton stall owner spoke, the diners at the surrounding tables immediately chimed in, saying one after another, "Exactly, exactly!"

"Without Lord Ming, there would be no Jingzhou today!"

The man in the blue shirt at the same table put down his spoon and said loudly, "When the disaster struck a few years ago, Lord Ming didn't hesitate to face the pressure and distribute grain to us commoners in Jingzhou!"

"If it weren't for Lord Ming, I fear I would have starved to death long ago..."

When mentioning the "disaster" and the "grain distribution," the man in the blue shirt was filled with gratitude in every word.

That was a drought rarely seen in Jingzhou in decades!

The crops in the fields were almost completely wiped out...

The common people were on the verge of death, nearly reaching the point of trading children to eat...

Yet the imperial court turned a blind eye...

It was Inspector Ming who defied all opinions, withstood that immense pressure, opened the granaries to distribute grain, and saved the people of Jingzhou!

Their lives might be lowly, but they always remembered the kindness.

A middle-aged man in a white robe at another table took up the conversation and added, "Under Lord Ming's governance, there are even fewer of the harsh taxes and levies found in other prefectures!"

"Every year, every household can have quite a bit left over..."

As far as the middle-aged man in the white robe knew, the corrupt officials in the neighboring prefectures often invented various excuses to exploit the people.

They were determined to squeeze out the very last drop of oil from the commoners.

In contrast, their Inspector Ming, Lord Ming, was upright and incorruptible, lived a simple life, loved the people like his own children, was selfless, possessed high moral character, and was dedicated to his duties...

Who could not cherish such a benevolent official?

"Every year during the spring plowing, Lord Ming even personally takes officials down to the fields to farm!"

The surrounding diners and merchants became more and more enthusiastic, speaking one after another, excitedly expounding on the "political achievements" of their Inspector.

Ming Shaoxia's reputation in Jingzhou is truly quite good... Chen Yan blinked, evaluated this in his heart, pursed his lips with a faint smile, and said, "I have heard that Lord Ming was ineffective in suppressing the bandits, allowing the Jinghong Society to grow and endanger the local people..."

But before he could finish, he was refuted by the man in the blue shirt: "How can this be blamed on Lord Ming?"

"It is clearly because those thieves are too cunning!"

The man in the blue shirt spoke with conviction, defending Ming Shaoxia in every word...

He even went so far as to attribute the responsibility to the bandit Jinghong Society itself!

"That's right!"

The middle-aged man in the white robe also defended him spontaneously, chiming in, "Every time Lord Ming leads troops to surround and suppress the Jinghong Society..."

"That group of thieves slips away like slippery loaches into the deep mountains, forcing Lord Ming to return empty-handed!"

These people had all witnessed the Inspector's efforts with their own eyes.

They would never allow anyone to slander him!

Chen Yan took in this scene, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint, ambiguous smile. Looking at these surprisingly unanimous commoners before him, he couldn't help but think of a certain group from the future...

Fanatical celebrity-chasing fans.

In their eyes, there was only their 'brother,' and they would never allow anyone to slander him...

It was just too similar!

A man who looked like a scholar at the side suddenly shook his head and said, "I heard that the imperial court has sent a large army to Jingzhou to assist Lord Ming in suppressing the bandits!"

"Moreover, the person leading the army this time is that young military god who pacified Qinzhou!"

His words were half-worship and half-showing off.

"Are you talking about that Great Zhou Poetry Immortal who is skilled in both literature and martial arts?!" The wonton stall owner was startled upon hearing this and asked in surprise.

The title of Great Zhou Poetry Immortal, coupled with the popular story of him getting drunk at a poetry gathering and outdoing the Wang and Xie families, had already spread across the land under the deliberate promotion of the Heavenly Office.

Added to that was the illustrious reputation he built pacifying Qinzhou...

Chen Yan had already been molded into a "hero," his fame reaching its zenith, to the point that even peddlers and porters knew his anecdotes.

And the "person involved" who was on the scene couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth.

He never expected that probing the evaluation of Ming Shaoxia in the hearts of the people would actually lead back to himself.

"It is indeed that young talent, Lord Chen Yan!"

The scholar was beaming and held his head high, saying, "Today I even saw Chief Clerk Xiao and the others go out of the city to welcome him..."

When Xiao Lin led the civil and military officials of Jingzhou to welcome them, this scholar was just joining in the fun on the side.

It was just that he was too far away and didn't see Chen Yan's true appearance.

But that didn't affect his boasting...

"With Lord Chen Yan's help, those mere bandits will surely be wiped out!" The wonton stall owner clapped his hands and said loudly.

The surrounding diners and merchants who were discussing this nodded repeatedly, full of confidence in that "Great Zhou Poetry Immortal" and "young military god"...

"A Xiong is truly famous far and wide; who in the world does not know you!" Yuwen Ze saw this, his peripheral vision glancing at Chen Yan, who had fallen into deep thought at some unknown time, and he sighed in his heart.

His eyes were full of worship.

Yuwen Ze also hoped that one day he could be as famous throughout the world as his A Xiong...

"Hahahaha!"

Just as the crowd around him was chattering, a burst of unrestrained laughter suddenly rang out.

The wonton stall owner, who was closest, was startled by Chen Yan's sudden action, took a half-step back, and asked, "Guest, why are you laughing?"

"This little brother, what has happened to you?"

The man in the blue shirt saw this and also carefully observed Chen Yan, who was laughing up at the sky, cautiously probing.

That gaze was as if he were guarding against someone possessed by evil...

"I understand!"

"This move is truly brilliant!"

"If anyone else had come, they really wouldn't have known how to deal with it..."

Chen Yan ignored the people around him, and had even less interest in their strange gazes, just talking to himself.

At that moment, he suddenly saw the light...

Just as his old man said, only magic can defeat magic!

The method to break the deadlock was already in his chest!

Yuwen Ze saw this, and especially upon hearing Chen Yan's words, he keenly realized something, leaned forward, lowered his voice, and asked, "A Xiong, could it be that you have already thought of a countermeasure?!"

"Exactly!"

Chen Yan responded softly, then stood up, "Let's go!"

As he spoke, he fished an ingot of silver from his robes and tossed it casually to the wonton stall owner.

"Yes."

The three of them nodded and followed closely behind.

"Why is this young man acting so strangely..."

The wonton stall owner looked at Chen Yan's departing back, puzzled, and muttered to himself.

After a pause, he stared at the silver in his hand, changed his tone, and continued, "But he is truly generous!"

He had weighed that silver; it was a full ten taels...

It could buy two thousand bowls of wontons!

He didn't understand, but he was very excited!

The scholar smacked his lips and discussed, "He gave so much silver just like that; what is that young man's background?"

The Post House.

Inside the room.

"Brother Chen, you summoned us here in such a hurry at this hour..."

Liu Yuanjing, who had just entered the door, couldn't wait to ask, "Is it that you have found a clue to properly deal with Inspector Ming's death?"

It wasn't just him who came; Wang Xiong, Dou Lu Ling, and others were also gathered, their gazes all cast toward the same person.

"Indeed!" Chen Yan smiled ambiguously and tapped the table lightly.

"I wonder what countermeasure Brother Chen has?" Dou Lu Ling couldn't suppress his curiosity and asked.

"Yes, Brother Chen, stop keeping us in suspense, tell us quickly!" He Ruodun chimed in.

"Return to our old profession!"

Chen Yan pursed his lips and spat out the four meaningful words.

After a pause, he changed the subject and continued, "However, before that, there is one extremely urgent matter that requires you, Brother Wang, and the others to handle..."

"It not only concerns the success or failure of suppressing the bandits, but also concerns the safety of us all here in Jingzhou!"