Chapter 96

Hu Xiaotian watched that lone light boat disappear from sight before continuing his journey. The walls of Qingyun Xian were low and dilapidated; although it was noon, the traffic before the city gate was sparse, and the two old guards on duty were chatting idly there, too lazy to even glance at passersby, more lax than the guards of Xiezhou City. Such morale and appearance spread throughout every corner of Dakang, and after more than five hundred years of glorious history, the Dakang dynasty, like all dynasties in history, was gradually declining.

Upon entering the city, most passersby wore tattered clothes, houses were low and dilapidated, and the narrow streets exuded an atmosphere of desolation and decay.

All three were visiting for the first time, so they found the surroundings quite astonishing, looking left and right. Liang Da Zhuang swallowed and said, "This place can't compare to the capital, and it's even inferior to Xiezhou."

Hu Xiaotian thought, "You idiot, that's nonsense!" Qingyun is just a small county town—how can it be mentioned alongside Dakang's capital and the famed city of Xichuan? It's like comparing a county-level post with vice-provincial and ministerial-level ranks.

Liang Da Zhuang said, "In Qingyun Xian there isn't even a decent house—it's utterly impoverished."

Hu Xiaotian felt the same way—his father was harsh enough to exile him to this godforsaken backwater where even birds won't defecate and chickens won't lay eggs. What's more frustrating is that, upon arriving in Qingyun Xian, he isn't the top official but merely a county secretary, with a magistrate still above him. Looking around, everything looks bleak; this damned place likely offers nothing to profit from. Still, having come, he must make the best of it and take things one step at a time.

Turning ahead, a grand mansion suddenly appeared, its emergence so abrupt that it struck each of them with a powerful visual impact: vermilion-lacquered main door, gilt door nails, and before it stood two imposing stone lions, larger than those guarding the Hu family's mansion in the capital's Ministry of Personnel; the entire complex was even more magnificent than the Hu family's residence.

If such a building appeared in the capital, it would be nothing unusual, for the capital is a place where hidden talents abound and nobles are countless; but here it is in the southwestern border town of Qingyun Xian, making this estate stand out strikingly.

Hu Xiaotian fixed his gaze on the plaque above the gate: black background with gold characters reading "Wan Fu" in shining gold letters. His first impression was of a local tycoon—appearances can be deceiving—and he never imagined that this dilapidated Qingyun Xian concealed such an impressive wealthy family.

The two servants in front were stalwart and broad-shouldered with thick waists, dressed in bright black martial attire, their waists bound with wide red silk sashes two inches across, wearing black thin-soled boots and black octagonal servant caps. Standing on the steps, they looked down on everyone. Perhaps because Hu Xiaotian and his companions kept glancing at the gate, the two servants instantly took offense, simultaneously widening their bull-like eyes and snapping, "What are you staring at? What's there to see?"

Hu Xiaotian, newly arrived in Qingyun, saw no need to quarrel with the Wanfu servants; Murong Feiyan also prepared to leave, following the principle of less is more. But Liang Da Zhuang refused to back down—those two are servants, and so is he. In terms of status, he believed his position as a servant in the Ministry of Personnel mansion could instantly outrank those two; they're merely the gate dogs of a country squire, yet they dare to act all mighty and overbearing. Liang Da Zhuang snorted, "What's with the airs? You're just a gatekeeper."

Upon hearing this, the two Wanfu servants flew into a rage: "Scram, or I'll set my dogs on you!"

Liang Da Zhuang still wanted to say something, but Hu Xiaotian called out, "Come on, let's go—you've traveled south and north, you've seen all kinds of grand mansions; don't act like a country bumpkin."

Liang Da Zhuang swallowed, feeling resentful yet still not daring to defy the young master's order. He couldn't understand why Hu Xiaotian had suddenly become so low-key—in the capital he was the son of the Minister of Revenue, Hu Buwei, the eldest son of the Hu family; he had come to Qingyun Xian to serve as an appointed county secretary, the parent official of this land, yet he could tolerate being ordered around by the Wanfu servants.

At that moment, faint barking came from within the mansion; Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan had already gone ahead. Liang Da Zhuang turned and saw the two Wanfu servants standing with hands on hips, chests puffed out, arrogant and rude. He silently cursed, "What the hell's so great about that dog?" Though they were both servants, he considered himself nobility among servants, while they were merely a country bumpkin's gate dog, acting as if their master's little wealth made them something special—from now on, they'd better not cross him.

Hu Xiaotian isn't one to swallow his anger; seeing those two Wanfu servants so arrogant, he also felt some fire rise. But when it comes to self-cultivation, he is far deeper than Liang Da Zhuang—he simply hides it better. As the saying goes, a gentleman may wait ten years to take revenge. I've just arrived and am not yet familiar with Qingyun Xian's situation; given my status, there's no need to quarrel with two servants. But after these two days… hehe…

Hu Xiaotian, thinking of his satisfaction, inadvertently let a sinister flicker cross his lips—he never expected that fleeting sinister smile to be caught by Murong Feiyan. She said, "Are you thinking of the gentleman's revenge that can wait ten years, waiting until you've secured your footing to settle accounts later?"

Hu Xiaotian burst out laughing, fixing his gaze on Murong Feiyan's clear, watery starry eyes and said, "Feiyan, I find you understand me more and more—when I'm with you, I feel completely exposed."

For someone like you, there's no need to try to understand you—it's easy to change the landscape, but hard to change one's nature.

Transmission and Transformation Arch (from Transmission and Transformation Workshop)

"What dare you do?" Murong Feiyan's phoenix eyes widened, ready to cross swords with him.

Hu Xiaotian suddenly changed his expression: "That's for others; we're different—we've shared life and death, and in my heart I've long regarded you as my confidante of the red beauty."

Hey! Murong Feiyan was clearly sneering, although she felt a bit embarrassed by those words in her heart, she realized that after staying with Hu Xiaotian for a long time, even she had learned to put on an act—one thing on the surface, another in her mind. The Government Office of Qingyun Xian is located on East Main Street of Qingyun Xian, facing south with its back to the north, situated in the central part of the county seat, of medium size, covering about ten mu, with a total of twenty-seven rooms built along the central axis and the east‑west lines. Although the number of rooms is not large compared with other county offices of the same rank, it still has all the essential halls: the main hall, second hall, third hall, prison, kitchen, the County Magistrate's residence, stables, and the Great Immortal Shrine. Between the County Magistrate's residence and the third hall lies a Back Garden covering half a mu; to the Government Office it is a back garden, to the County Magistrate it is a front garden—an example of shared resources. The whole office could be called fully equipped, but years of neglect have left it dilapidated. North of East Main Street stands a wooden memorial archway with four pillars and three gates in a hip‑and‑gable style, four zhang wide. The central column and the side columns of the secondary bays each have two diagonal braces, their bases set on embracing‑stone foundations; the upper parts of the secondary bays all feature four‑upturned nine‑step dougong brackets. The plaque on the central bay, facing south, bears the four large characters "Qing Tian Lang Lang", while the north side bears the two characters "Chuan Hua". On the first and fifteenth of each lunar month, the County Magistrate comes here to proclaim the imperial edicts and educate the populace; thus the archway earned its name and is called the Chuan Hua Arch. On a Sumeru pedestal south of the Chuan Hua Arch stands a screen wall seven zhang long and two zhang high; its northern face depicts a strange beast resembling a qilin. Hu Xiaotian stared at the creature for a long while, shaking his head and bobbing his brain, saying, "This qilin is painted well!" Murong Feiyan gave him a strange look and said, "This is not a qilin; it is called Greed. Look: its hooves are like an ox's, it has horns on its head, scales on its body, its tail is cocked high, its mouth is wide open, its eyes bulge, as if it wants to swallow the rising sun on the horizon. Legend says that beneath Greed's feet lie endless riches, yet its heart can never be satisfied. One day it went to the seaside to drink water, saw the sun's reflection floating on the sea, mistook it for the real sun, leapt into the ocean hoping to swallow it, and was drowned by the raging waves. The Government Office has painted Greed on the screen wall chiefly to admonish officials to be self‑disciplined and serve the public, to be honest and clean, and not to engage in corruption; otherwise they will meet the same doom as Greed. Murong Feiyan's words were heavy with meaning; using the occasion of answering questions and dispelling doubts, she seemed to be giving Hu Xiaotian a veiled warning. For some reason, she always felt that Hu Xiaotian would not be an honest official.

Hu Xiaotian, reminded by her, recalled the anecdote, nodded and said, "As the saying goes, 'Human hearts are never satisfied, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant; greed is never satisfied, like trying to swallow the sun; one must not be too greedy in life.' Yet in his heart he disagreed, thinking, 'In this world, who among officials is not greedy? Greed also has its levels.'

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