Chapter 21: Trouble at the Door

"Lord Thousand-Household, someone outside is holding your name card; it is said to be your fellow villager."

Hearing this news, Li Mu, who was discussing the two parties' fighting with his colleagues, frowned slightly.

After entering the capital, he did indeed submit quite a few name cards to fellow villagers.

A normal meeting should be sending the card to the Marquis's mansion to make an appointment, not holding his name card to find him at the Wucheng Military Commission.

"Invite the person to the back office; I will be there shortly."

In a society of human relationships, even if one knows there is trouble, some things cannot be avoided.

I just hope the matter is not too troublesome; otherwise, with his small arms and legs, he can't bear it.

"Chen Jichuan, when did you enter the capital?"

After seeing the person clearly, Li Mu asked with slight surprise.

Military families also need to study; Chen Jichuan was his classmate in the private school.

After the mourning period ended, this person visited the mansion.

In the blink of an eye, three months had passed, and he didn't expect that they would meet again in the capital.

"This is a long story.

Not long after Li brother entered the capital, I received a letter from Master Xiang, inviting me to the capital to study.

I didn't expect that just after arriving in the capital, I would receive the bad news that Master Xiang had been arrested and imprisoned.

In order to inquire about the news, I visited many fellow villagers, but they were all turned away.

I really had no choice, so I could only come to Li brother for help!"

Chen Jichuan said slightly awkwardly.

Although the two had studied together at the Guanzhong Academy, he was an indoor disciple of Xiang Shihai, and Li Mu had only listened to lectures under his door for a period of time.

There was a bit of incense-burning friendship, but it was truly not much.

After entering the capital, Li Mu didn't even think about visiting Xiang Shihai.

It wasn't that he didn't understand the ways of the world, but purely because the relationship between the two wasn't enough.

They didn't interact when they were in the academy, and when the name card was submitted, the other party might not even know who it was.

"Master Xiang is in prison.

When did this happen?

Do you know what he is guilty of?"

Li Mu asked with feigned surprise.

Xiang Shihai came from a large Guanzhong clan, and under normal circumstances, he should be closer to the Qin Party.

The Pure Stream party currently fighting the Eunuch faction has members mainly distributed in the southeast coast and the two lakes regions.

Including the Qin Party, the northern civil officials are closer to the Eunuch faction politically because of their personal interests and are not within the scope of the strike.

Being implicated can only mean one possibility: this guy didn't see the situation clearly and went to mix with the Pure Stream party.

Political standing requires a price, and Xiang Shihai's choice to join the Pure Stream party is in itself a betrayal to the Qin Party.

Not following up with kicking him while he's down is because everyone remembers the old friendship.

Expecting everyone to reach out and pull him, that's thinking too much.

"Master Xiang served in the Censorate; it should be the impeachment of the previous days that brought disaster upon himself."

Chen Jichuan said with trepidation.

Now he doesn't dare to mention anti-Eunuch faction; the Depot and Guard are arresting people everywhere.

The arrested imperial court officials number in the hundreds, and he, a provincial graduate in the capital, simply doesn't count for anything.

"Brother Chen, don't worry, Master Xiang has his own heaven-sent luck.

The Eastern Depot arrested so many people; they can't kill them all.

Perhaps after scaring them, they will release them later.

Now that the matter has made such a big stir, the several Grand Secretaries will not sit idly by; just wait patiently for now.

Later, I will find someone to inquire about the news first to see where Master Xiang is being held.

As long as the person is not in the imperial prison, we can arrange for someone to take care of him."

Seeing Li Mu picking only good things to say and never mentioning the rescue, Chen Jichuan was also helpless.

Officialdom is the most realistic place; that bit of incense-burning friendship from back then is enough to inquire about news, but one cannot expect more.

The Eunuch faction is in full swing now; without enough benefits, who dares to offend them!

Deep down, Chen Jichuan felt for the first time that his mentor's apprenticeship strategy was problematic.

To inherit the mantle, academic achievement is indeed the primary factor, but human connections are equally important.

"Then I will trouble Li brother!"

Just as he finished speaking, Clerk Yan broke in.

"Lord Thousand-Household, something big is bad; the Eastern Depot's agents are here.

They claim that a remnant of a criminal official just entered the Thousand-Household Office and asked us to hand the person over!"

Hearing this, Chen Jichuan was scared half to death.

He had only been here for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and the Eastern Depot people came to the door.

It was obvious that his actions of submitting visiting cards everywhere and trying to rescue Xiang Shihai in the past two days had been exposed.

Thinking of the terrifying legends of the imperial prison, his body couldn't help but tremble.

"Looking for remnants of criminal officials, let them go to the prison; it's full of them.

How could my Wucheng Military Commission have remnants of criminal officials!

Forget it, let them wait in the main hall; I will be there shortly."

As a good leader, Li Mu is not prepared to make things difficult for his subordinates.

Expecting a clerk to withstand the pressure of the Eastern Depot is really too difficult for people.

"Li brother, this..."

Chen Jichuan was very uneasy.

He was worried about implicating Li Mu and afraid that Li Mu wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure and hand him over.

"Don't worry, the Eastern Depot must also be reasonable and cannot arrest people at will!"

Li Mu's comfort not only didn't make Chen Jichuan feel at ease but made him feel even more bottomless.

The Eastern Depot's reputation among the literati is too ugly; Chen Jichuan simply doesn't believe these people will be reasonable.

"Eunuch Mai, what wind blew you here?

What are you stunned for? Hurry up and serve tea to Eunuch Mai.

The people below don't understand things; Eunuch Mai, please forgive me."

Li Mu said with a smile.

Since he met an acquaintance, things were easy to handle.

Being able to cooperate once, one can cooperate twice; eunuchs also understand human relationships.

"Lord Li, let's skip the politeness.

There is always time for tea; let's handle the official business first!

I think you also know the purpose of my visit.

You are not Xiang Shihai's student; there is no need for you to stand up for him. Hand Chen Jichuan over to me to take away, and the matter will be over."

After Mai Qinghu finished speaking, the atmosphere in the main hall instantly became heavy.

"The Eastern Depot's intelligence is truly powerful; in such a short time, they have investigated the relationship context clearly.

It's not that I don't give you face, Eunuch, but my fellow villager just entered, and you broke in right after; it's too coincidental.

Whether this is arresting remnants of criminal officials or targeting my Wucheng Military Commission, I'm afraid it remains to be verified.

As far as I know, last night your people clashed with the Xicheng Thousand-Household Office and injured two brothers.

The Marquis of Wuyang is very dissatisfied with this!

He gave us a strict order that anything involving the Eastern Depot must have his order.

We are all handling errands; Eunuch, don't make things difficult for this little brother."

Li Mu skillfully used the upward blame-shifting method.

The Marquis of Wuyang did indeed give an order, but the content reached Li Mu here and changed slightly.

"Thousand-Household Li, are you trying to use the Imperial Relative to pressure me!"

Mai Qinghu said indignantly.

Imperial relatives in the Great Dayu Dynasty cannot scare civil officials, nor can they deter military generals, but they can only cause trouble for them.

"Eunuch, these words are too much.

We are all handling errands for His Majesty; where does the pressure come from? Spreading it out and making people laugh is small, but if the people above feel that your ability is problematic, that would be a big trouble.

Some things don't need to be taken seriously; giving convenience to others is also giving convenience to oneself."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 22 =====