Chapter 117

Hu Xiaotian heard it was Su Guangju's voice, shook his head, before getting up he lowered his head and looked, confirming his body had no abnormality, then he went over and opened the door. Su Guangju and the head of the Hall of Returning Spring, Liu Danggui, stood outside the door. Su Guangju wore a smile, while Liu Danggui had a pitiful expression; Hu Xiaotian immediately understood why the two had come. No need to ask; it's definitely related to this morning's arrest of Liu Kuohai.

Su Guangju smiled and said, "Sorry to disturb Young Master Hu's noon rest, but Shopkeeper Liu has some urgent matter he wishes to discuss with you."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and smiled, saying, "It's fine; I just happened to wake up." He thought to himself, If these two hadn't come, I'd probably have wet my pants by now; one should always look on the bright side—at least I don't need to change my underwear.

Su Guangju and Liu Danggui entered the room; Hu Xiaotian invited them to sit and said softly, "Shopkeeper Liu, what brings you to see me?"

Liu Danggui's tears came streaming down; he raised one hand to pull up his sleeve, covering his face, and said, "My life is so bitter……"

Hu Xiaotian had only seen people cry like that on theatrical stages; seeing Liu Danggui cry so exaggeratedly, this guy not only felt no sympathy, he actually felt like laughing—not out of schadenfreude, but because Liu Danggui's way of seeking sympathy seemed a bit ridiculous; just say what you need to say, why are you crying? We're strangers; your tears won't move me; your hard life isn't society's fault, and it's none of my business.

Liu Danggui let out a sob, realizing Hu Xiaotian showed no reaction and feeling he'd been a bit over the top, he sheepishly wiped his tears—ancient people kept wide sleeves for a reason: they're useful for wiping tears, blowing noses, even dipping in saliva, and on hot days they can double as fans. Liu Danggui gave a dry cough and said, "Master Hu, Liu dares to intrude, but I actually have a request."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Shopkeeper Liu, please speak freely."

Liu Danggui's eyes reddened, and he said glumly, "It's really hard to bring up, but Master Hu, you should have seen this morning my unworthy son causing a ruckus at the Wan residence."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, "How did this come about?"

Liu Danggui heaved a deep sigh and said, "This still has to be told from yesterday. The Wan family's second young master, Wan Ting Sheng, suddenly fell into a coma; local physicians were summoned, and I too was invited to the Wan residence to treat him, but my medical skill is shallow, and I frankly admitted I could do nothing—yet for speaking that truth I provoked Wan Yuanwai, who had his servants throw me out. Master Hu, you saw it then: when I was expelled from the Wan residence I accidentally twisted my ankle. My son is hot-tempered; I most feared he'd learn of this, but I never expected that man's plans would fail before heaven's—ultimately he learned the truth, and this morning he went to the Wan household to demand justice. A disagreement led to a fight with those servants. Master Hu, you witnessed what followed: the Wan family is wealthy and powerful, not something we can provoke; now my poor son has been taken by the authorities and locked in a jail cell, my poor child……" Liu Danggui wiped his tears again.

Hu Xiaotian comforted him, saying, "Shopkeeper Liu, don't worry; even if the authorities charge him with provoking trouble, fighting and brawling at most earn a beating and a small fine—it's not a serious crime." Hu Xiaotian had also been perusing Dakang's statutes in his spare time, so he knew how such matters are handled.

Liu Danggui said, "Master Hu, you don't know that the Wan family always leaves no room for maneuver; the authorities only speak for them and would never settle things fairly. To be frank with you, I've gone to the Wan residence twice, hoping to see Wan Yuanwai and merely ask him to show leniency and spare my son, but he flatly refused to meet me and had someone tell me that my son will either be exiled to the frontier or, worse, lose his head." Saying this, Liu Danggui burst into tears again.

Hu Xiaotian didn't believe the matter could become so serious; in his view it was merely an ordinary brawl, whether or not there were casualties—if transferred to modern society, at worst it would result in detention and a fine; how could it lead to execution? He said softly, "Is there anything I can do to help Shopkeeper Liu?"

Liu Danggui said, "I've heard that Master Hu saved Wan Ting Sheng's life?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "I didn't expect this news to spread so quickly—Shopkeeper Liu, who told you?"

Su Guangju beside them said, "Master Hu, the word is out now—someone saw you personally tear down the Wan family's wanted notice; last night you went to the Wan residence, and today Wan Ting Sheng is out of danger."

Hu Xiaotian laughed, saying, "It seems they've just guessed it; although I owe the Wan family a favor, they wouldn't go so far as to loudly publicize this. Hu Xiaotian said, 'I originally didn't want to say it, but since you both think that, I'll be frank: I'm actually a ghost‑catcher, and the Wan family invited me over to draw talismans and exorcise ghosts.'"

"Ghost‑catching?" the two exclaimed in unison.

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, "The Wan residence is haunted—don't you know?" This guy is scheming; he intends to spread this story through their mouths, slander accumulating until bones rot—within days everyone in Qingyun Xian will hear it, and the outside rumors will surely worsen the Wan family's psychological pressure; by then Wan Boping, to resolve the matter, will surely spare no expense, and I'll stand to make a killing.

Liu Danggui had no interest in the Wan family's haunting; his true concern was his son. He gathered his courage and said, "Master Hu, I know coming to you like this is presumptuous, but I truly can't think of any other way—I have only one son, Kuohai; if anything happens to him, I couldn't go on living."

Hu Xiaotian said, "You want me to go before Wan Boping and plead for you?"

Liu Danggui nodded repeatedly, took out twenty taels of gold from his bosom, placed them before Hu Xiaotian, and said, "These twenty taels of gold are practically all I've saved in my lifetime."

If it were yesterday, Hu Xiaotian might have brightened at the sight of twenty taels of gold, but times have changed—he now carries three hundred taels of wealth, so naturally he wouldn't be moved by this bit of gold, and he pushed the twenty taels back toward Liu Danggui in full.

Liu Danggui looked at him with a lost expression, thinking Hu Xiaotian unwilling to help, he bit his lip and said, "Master Hu, this is all I have; if you can rescue my son, I will surely repay your great kindness with the utmost devotion."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Shopkeeper Liu, it's not that I think the money is too little; I'm just an ordinary ghost‑catcher. Even if I wanted to help, the Wan family might not grant me this favor. Good steel should be used where it's needed, and money must be spent where it belongs—I think you'd be better off using this money to grease the palms at the government office; as long as you smooth relations inside and out, your son will naturally be fine."

Liu Danggui sighed, hearing Hu Xiaotian speak so candidly—actually he too would like to go to the government office to smooth things, but his little bit of money isn't even enough to stuff between the teeth of County Magistrate Xu Qinglian; compared financially, even if he sold his pharmacy he couldn't match the Wan family. He fears that even if the magistrate took the money, he'd still side with the Wan family—like throwing a meat‑filled bun at a dog, gone for good.

Hu Xiaotian insisted on not accepting it, so Liu Danggui could only leave with the gold; Su Guangju didn't accompany him, deliberately lagging a few steps behind, and after Liu Danggui left he apologetically said to Hu Xiaotian, "Master Hu, Shopkeeper Liu's visit wasn't my idea."

Hu Xiaotian thought, "No wonder—it's not strange; I'm staying at your inn, my every move under your watch—if you didn't say anything, how would Shopkeeper Liu know?" He also knew Su Guangju meant no harm, merely trying to help an old neighbor, so he smiled and said, "Shopkeeper Su, I actually want to help him too, but I fear I'd have no say with Wan Yuanwai; if possible, I'll certainly do my best."

Su Guangju laughed and said, "Then I'll thank Master Hu on Shopkeeper Liu's behalf first."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Shopkeeper Su, I have a favor to ask of you."

Su Guangju said, "Don't say that—Master Hu, just tell me whatever you need."

Hu Xiaotian said, "I may have to stay in Qingyun Xian for a long time; constantly living at the inn isn't very convenient."

Su Guangju would love for him to stay at his shop forever; he hurriedly said, "What's inconvenient? Just treat this place as your own home—long‑term stay, rent is negotiable." But deep down he vaguely guessed Hu Xiaotian's decision to leave stemmed from the unpleasantness of the earlier incident.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Shopkeeper Su, you haven't grasped my meaning—I plan to reside in Qingyun Xian for three to five years, so I want to rent a house here." He had already inquired earlier: aside from County Magistrate Xu Qinglian, everyone in the government office lives outside; he had been worried about this, but now that he has money on hand, the matter resolves itself naturally.

Su Guangju nodded and said, "Master Hu, lay out your conditions."

Hu Xiaotian briefly stated his conditions, and Su Guangju readily agreed.

The next morning, Hu Xiaotian set out early for the Qingyun Xian government office; he was still in casual attire, with Liang Da Zhuang on his left and Murong Feiyan on his right, all three dressed in bright clothes. For today's assumption of office, Hu Xiaotian had dressed up specially, thinking himself graceful and elegant like a jade tree in the wind, but in Murong Feiyan's eyes he looked like a oily‑haired, powdered‑faced spoiled rich kid.

As the saying goes, a person needs clothes, a horse needs saddle—maintaining one's outward image is important in any society. When Hu Xiaotian arrived today, the two gatekeepers at the government office entrance immediately sensed that this young master bore an extraordinary aura; though low‑ranked, they also possessed the skill to read faces and judge character, seeing his proper attire and dignified bearing. The hostility they usually showed toward ordinary folk vanished from their faces, and the Water Fire Staff in their hands rested firmly on the ground. Still, it was Li Er on the right who spoke up: "What business does this young master have?" Moreover, it wasn't just Hu Xiaotian and company's splendid attire that had an effect; County Magistrate Xu Qinglian had already given the order that today, as the newly appointed county secretary assumes office, all three shifts of bailiffs should be on high alert.

The bailiffs, knowing this, were therefore extremely courteous to everyone today; in fact they hadn't linked Hu Xiaotian with the newly appointed county secretary, because Hu Xiaotian is too young—in their memory Qingyun Xian has never had an official this young.

By now Hu Xiaotian no longer needed to conceal his identity; he gave Liang Da Zhuang a look, and Liang Da Zhuang straightened up and declared, "What's the matter? You don't even recognize Magistrate Hu?"

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