Chapter 123

Hu Xiaotian knew he had misunderstood himself, thinking that being beaten into prison by the constables that day was merely a deliberate performance of a bitter meat stratagem; he smiled and shook his head, saying, "I don't even know you, why would I act?" He pointed to the opposite chair and said, "Sit!"

Zhou Batian sat down in the chair in a carefree manner; Hu Xiaotian gave Murong Feiyan a glance and whispered, "Go wait outside for me."

Murong Feiyan couldn't help but worry; looking at Zhou Batian's tall and sturdy build, even with shackles, if he really went berserk, Hu Xiaotian probably couldn't restrain him. Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Don't worry, I and Brother Zhou are very good friends."

Hearing him call him 'Brother Zhou,' Zhou Batian grew increasingly puzzled.

Murong Feiyan finally went out, whispering, "I'll wait for you just outside the door."

After the iron door was shut, only Hu Xiaotian and Zhou Batian remained in the interrogation room.

Zhou Batian narrowed his eyes, full of doubt, looking at Hu Xiaotian and said, "Sir, if you have anything to say, just speak plainly."

Hu Xiaotian said, "I am the newly appointed County Secretary of Qingyun Xian, Hu Xiaotian; today is my first day in office."

Zhou Batian said, "Excuse my poor eyesight; I can't recall where I've seen you before, Sir." His expression was arrogant and indifferent, as if he didn't take this newly appointed County Secretary to heart at all.

Hu Xiaotian said, "The night before last, thank you, Brother Zhou, for helping me out of trouble."

Zhou Batian snorted, thinking, "You brat, don't try to play tricks on me; I don't know what evil scheme you're hatching."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Today Jia Dehuang and Jia Liu came to the hall again to sue; what is their intention? I suppose you know better than I do."

Zhou Batian's heart gave a start; being in prison, he didn't know that Jia Dehuang and Jia Liu had been locked up again.

Hu Xiaotian said, "I just looked at your file; actually, if you paid a fine of twenty taels of silver, you wouldn't need to go to prison, but you declared you had not a penny, so you ended up as a prisoner. From what I saw in one night in jail, you are not a rash person, yet your conduct in prison completely exceeded my expectations—you stretched a one-month sentence into three months by sitting it out. What exactly are you trying to accomplish in this prison?"

Zhou Batian said, "Everyone has different hobbies; I was born to like staying in prison—what's it to you?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "The lawsuit between Jia Dehuang and Jia Liu is purely an act; Jia Liu is on close terms with the Red Willow Manor outside the city. With Red Willow Manor's wealth, producing twenty taels of silver is effortless. Since Jia Dehuang calls you big brother, Jia Liu's relationship with you must also be extraordinary. Their purpose in suing is to get imprisoned; if I'm not mistaken, they are using the opportunity of incarceration to report the situation to you, and you will decide whether to stay or leave based on their report."

Zhou Batian burst out laughing: "Sir, your imagination truly impresses me; it deserves the four words 'fantastical and unfounded.'"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Even if it's wild speculation or grasping at shadows, as long as I can catch a clue, I can follow the thread to uncover the truth. Finding out who has entered and left the prison over the past three months is not difficult. If I arrested all those people, do you think someone among them would spill the truth?"

Zhou Batian gave Hu Xiaotian a sideways glance; a chilling killing intent rose from his body, quickly spreading outward, instantly enveloping the interrogation room. Hu Xiaotian inexplicably felt an invisible pressure, yet his expression remained calm and composed as he said lightly, "Did you provoke some formidable enemy? That's why you came up with such a clumsy plan, hiding in the county office's prison?"

Zhou Batian said, "Smart people in this world often don't live long." This statement indirectly confirmed Hu Xiaotian's inference.

Hu Xiaotian said, "I originally didn't want to meddle in your affairs, but as the County Secretary of Qingyun Xian, I absolutely will not allow anyone to cause trouble under my nose."

Zhou Batian said, "If I wanted to leave, do you think a few constables could stop me?" He lightly stomped his right foot, and a cracking sound of stone was heard; the blue stone slab beneath his feet actually split open.

Although Hu Xiaotian had been mentally prepared, he couldn't help but be startled now; Zhou Batian's martial prowess was astonishing—if he truly harbored murderous intent toward him, Hu Xiaotian feared he could not escape death. Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but regret not having kept Murong Feiyan from leaving just moments before.

Zhou Batian said, "You do your duty as county official, I'll do my time as prisoner; let's keep to our own wells and rivers, and live peacefully." He rose and walked toward the outside.

Hu Xiaotian called out to him, "Stop!"

Zhou Batian halted his steps; Hu Xiaotian came to his side and whispered, "If you want no one to know, don't do it. Since I can see your flaw, others can as well—I bear you no ill will."

Zhou Batian slowly turned to Hu Xiaotian and said, "When one shows courtesy to another, there is always an ulterior motive; you're being so courteous to me, a prisoner—surely you want me to help with something?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head and said, "I merely admire Brother Zhou's heroic spirit, so I want to be friends with you."

Zhou Batian laughed loudly, "Believe you? Not a chance!" He flung open the door and strode straight out.

Murong Feiyan returned to the room at once; seeing Hu Xiaotian safe and sound, she finally relaxed. Although she was very curious about the conversation between Hu Xiaotian and Zhou Batian, she did not inquire in detail.

In the afternoon, Wan Boping of the Wan mansion specially sent his steward Wan Changchun over to deliver a greeting card, inviting Hu Xiaotian to attend a banquet at the Wan mansion that evening. Hu Xiaotian knew Wan Boping must have learned of today's events; surely his invitation was for that reason, so he gladly accepted.

The two servants of the Wan mansion were temporarily detained by Hu Xiaotian in prison, and he ordered that no one release them without his command. As for Jia Dehuang and Jia Liu, each received ten heavy blows, a fine of ten taels of silver, and were allowed to go their separate ways.

County Magistrate Xu Qinglian never showed his face that day; Hu Xiaotian, on his first day in office, gleefully acted as the big boss inside the county Government Office.

That evening, after Hu Xiaotian adjourned court, he went as invited to the Wan mansion. By then he no longer needed to conceal his identity; he rode in a carriage with Liang Da Zhuang to the Wan mansion. Wan Boping, hearing of his arrival, hurried to the gate to greet him, clasping his hands from afar and saying, "Sir Hu, you've kept me in the dark!" Wan Boping wore a spring-breeze smile and made no mention of what had happened in the hall that day.

Hu Xiaotian chuckled heartily; although he had just entered officialdom, his skill of smiling while hiding a knife had already been honed to considerable effect: "If I had revealed my identity earlier, would Wan Yuanwai still believe I could treat illness?"

Wan Boping's mind was in turmoil; ever since he learned that the two servants had pointed out in court that his eldest son was the culprit behind his second son's serious injury, he had been restless. Yet Wan Boping also knew he must not act rashly now, lest he throw his own plans into disarray. He still hadn't figured out the intentions of this newly appointed County Secretary. Although the two servants had already been jailed by him, no constables had been sent to his mansion to arrest anyone. Wan Boping sensed there must be something behind this; recalling Hu Xiaotian's earlier extortion of him, he vaguely guessed that this time someone had gotten hold of a leverage over him, fearing he would have to spend a lot again, and he felt a pang of distress.

Hu Xiaotian made no mention of today's trial; he first proposed to visit Wan Ting Sheng to check on his injury. Incidentally, he changed Wan Ting Sheng's medicine—setting aside his official post, his medical skill alone had already earned him the status of an honored guest in the Wan household. Wan Ting Sheng had awakened by then, but his body was weak and he lacked the energy to speak.

Wan Boping and his wife were also overjoyed at their son's improving condition. After Hu Xiaotian finished changing the medicine, he handed over the Skull that had been chipped from Wan Ting Sheng's head; it had been specially boiled beforehand, yet even so, Wan Boping felt a jolt in his heart as he took the Skull.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Keep it as a memento."

Wan Boping couldn't help but wryly smile; what memorial value does a stark white Skull have? He turned the Skull over and saw three small characters written with a brush—"Wan Ting Sheng"—with a red circle drawn around them. According to Hu Xiaotian, it was used to pacify the soul. Wan Boping handed the Skull to Wan Changchun for safekeeping, then invited Hu Xiaotian to dine in the flower hall, while Liang Da Zhuang was accompanied by Wan Changchun to another place for drinking and eating. Hu Xiaotian immediately understood that Wan Boping wanted to speak with him privately.

The two sat down in the flower hall; Wan Boping, a wily old fox, did not bring up today's case on his own, but asked about his son's condition: "Sir Hu, in your opinion, how many days will Wan Ting Sheng need to fully recover?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "In six days the stitches can be removed; afterward he needs some rest, I think at most two months to return to normal."

Upon hearing that his son was fine, Wan Boping also let his worries go completely; he deliberately sighed and said, "These two unfilial sons really give me a headache!"

Hu Xiaotian raised his cup and took a sip, saying, "Every family has its own difficult scripture; alas, the hearts of parents everywhere. Eh, Wan Yuanwai, why don't I see your eldest son?"

Wan Boping silently cursed, "You're obviously asking knowingly; today in the hall you pointed your spear at my son, frightening him so much he didn't dare return home and fled to Xiezhou. Now you're putting on airs." Wan Boping said, "I had him send a batch of goods to the southern Yue border; he won't be back for a short time."

Hu Xiaotian slowly lowered his cup, took a bite of food, and returned to the subject: "Wan Yuanwai, you surely know what happened in the hall today."

Wan Boping no longer needed to conceal anything; he nodded and said, "I've heard a bit about this; the two servants are named Zhao Liang and Guo Biao."

Hu Xiaotian said: "They spoke some words unfavorable to the eldest son publicly in the main hall." He took out two confessions from his bosom, slowly placed them in front of Wan Boping, actually Hu Xiaotian's current practice already violates the rules.

Wan Boping picked up the confession and looked at it, he couldn't help but feel a jolt of shock; for the Wan Family, this could be called a huge scandal. Although Wan Boping had already understood the whole matter beforehand, seeing the servant's confession with his own eyes still made him somewhat shocked. He pressed his lips, then slapped the confession onto the table with a bang, angrily saying: "How outrageous! These slaves dare to frame and slander, tarnishing my son's innocence!" Only Wan Boping himself knows how insufficient his confidence is.

Thanks to the brother-in-law like the wind for gaining popularity again, thanks to all brothers who tipped! Thanks to each of my allies, your popularity, Zhangyu will release extra chapters in the future to show gratitude! Your support, Zhangyu will keep in mind.