Chapter 48: The Mighty Name of He He Dachuan and the Anxiety of Dog Egg

Shangmu County, the He family residence.

Before the towering red-lacquered gates of the He family residence stood a pair of stone lions taller than a man, their ferocious expressions seeming to issue a challenge.

Passing through the vermilion gate, one was greeted by a grand courtyard, its area large enough to accommodate roughly ten ordinary houses.

The entire courtyard was paved not with dust, but with expensive red bricks from the distant south.

Rare imperial garden flowers and trees were planted around the courtyard, and even in winter, traces of lush green could still be seen.

White stone steps connected to a three-story mansion, with exquisite patterns of flowers and birds carved on the window lattice of every room.

In comparison, Shangmu County town was like another world.

The streets were narrow and filthy, the houses dilapidated and crude.

Signs of years of patchwork were everywhere; moss crawled over the corners, and the paint on the door frames was peeling.

Passersby wore tattered clothes, their expressions dim.

The entire county town was shrouded in a gloomy, grayish hue, utterly different from the golden and brilliant grandeur of the He family.

Through the He family's high walls, it seemed as though a boundary line between two worlds existed.

Yet at this moment, the liver-colored face of He He Dachuan, the head of the He household, was crammed with ugly wrinkles, like an old pig kidney dried under the scorching sun, wearing a look of irritable displeasure.

"Hey! Hurry up and serve Laozi some tea! You have no eye for things at all; you're all a bunch of useless trash!"

Just now, having been thoroughly taught a lesson by Jiang Jiang Mingyu at the county yamen, his temper was already foul.

Back home, he had just grunted and sat on a hard wooden chair, able only to vent his dissatisfaction by abusing the servants.

Just as he was berating the servants for lacking eyesight and failing to serve tea, He He Muchen, whose face was swollen and bruised from the beating, was dragged in by several retainers.

He He Muchen limped over to He He Dachuan, his face smeared with a mess of snot and tears.

With a mournful face, he recounted the misfortune he had just suffered to He He Dachuan.

Looking at He He Dachuan with a face full of grievance, he sniffled and said, "Father, just now on the street I was beaten by two thugs for no reason; you must stand up for me!"

His moist eyes were filled with grievance and accusing glances, looking exactly like a bullied little pig whining to its master.

After hearing He He Muchen's weeping complaint, He He Dachuan's face turned even uglier.

His brows were knitted tightly, his eyes wide open, veins bulging; his expression of angry shame was as if dark clouds had covered the sun, extremely gloomy and terrifying.

He He Dachuan's eyes blazed with rage: "Who dares to be so bold as to hit my son?! Speak, what do they look like?"

He He Muchen wiped his snot and tears onto his sleeve and choked out, "One looked like a weak scholar, the other was a huge, burly man. I told them I was your son, but they wouldn't let me go and hit me even harder!"

He He Dachuan flew into a rage, sparks of anger shooting from his eyes, and shouted furiously, "How outrageous!!! They hit you even after you said you were my son?!"

He He Muchen, with tear-filled eyes, pleaded, "Yes, yes, yes, they are simply looking down on you! Father, you must avenge me and break their dog legs!"

He He Dachuan instantly flew into a rage: "Too presumptuous! Bullying me, He He Dachuan! I'll break their dog legs and make them know the mighty name of He He Dachuan!"

He He Dachuan's rough brows were tightly furrowed, his expression one of uncontainable fury. He ground his teeth and said, "Chen'er, you stay home and rest your wounds properly! Father will kill those two blind fools for you, and then capture that little woman to serve you properly."

He He Muchen shook his head, a flash of cold light passing through his eyes, and insisted, "No, Father, I must see you kill them with my own eyes!"

Although He He Dachuan was reluctant in his heart, doting on his son as he was, he nodded and agreed.

More than thirty retainers gathered silently, their expressions solemn, as if facing a great enemy, ready for a major trial.

He He Dachuan's face was gloomy, his brows tightly furrowed; without a word, he waved his hand to signal everyone to set out.

This sudden display aroused the curiosity of passersby.

They chattered among themselves, trying to guess He He Dachuan's intentions.

Someone whispered, "Look, what is Master He up to?"

Another person said puzzledly, "The last time the He family made such a huge commotion, it was when outsiders came; could there be another enemy?"

Many felt confused: "Sigh, enough, stop guessing blindly; follow them and see, we'll find out eventually."

"..."

Seeing He He Dachuan's face full of coldness, his son He He Muchen being supported by others, with blue and purple bruises on his face and blood not yet dried.

This scene made the passersby even more curious, and the chatter grew more heated.

Everyone began to speculate whether there was a connection between this sudden gathering and He He Muchen's injury.

Although their guesses could not reveal the truth, under the coldness enveloping He He Dachuan, people felt an unusual atmosphere of tension.

The common people walking on the street, one after another, quickened their pace, a vague sense of unease rising in their hearts.

The crowd of onlookers grew larger and larger; He He Muchen, who had just been beaten, said hatefully to He He Dachuan, "Father, you must absolutely not hold back; let them bleed on the spot!"

He He Muchen suddenly grew worried: "Father, they are very powerful, especially that big man; in three or four moves he knocked down all my men. Do we have enough people?"

His worried appearance clearly showed he had been psychologically scarred by Tu Tu Kesiluo.

He He Dachuan's face was cold, his tone chilling: "Daring to bully my son, not one of them will leave alive today!"

He He Dachuan, covered in frost, said in a deep voice: "Rest assured, I've brought the best hands from the manor; even twenty of them could be dealt with."

He He Dachuan, his face cold, said: "Daring to bully my son, He He Dachuan's son, not one of them will leave alive today!"

Seeing his great revenge at hand, He He Muchen suddenly changed his mind: "Father, we cannot let them off so easily; we must make that leader suffer unbearably!"

"I can tell that son of a bitch has some interest in that little woman."

"Later, after beating that strong man to death, bring the leader back to the manor; I want to make that little woman serve me properly right in front of him."

"Let him watch with his own eyes as that little woman begs for mercy beneath my crotch; just thinking of that scene makes one happy; I'll make him unable to die."

He He Dachuan didn't even blink: "Good, as long as you are happy, Father will do whatever you say!"

He He Dachuan then waved his large hand: "Speed up, don't let them escape!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not run at all; instead, he stood quietly by the street, waiting for the appearance of the He father and son.

Tu Tu Kesiluo sheathed his precious sword and said mockingly, "My lord, I wonder how splendid He He Dachuan's expression will be later?"

He lowered his voice, afraid the woman nearby might hear, and said carefully, "That pig-like He He Muchen, if he knew you were the Imperial Envoy, would immediately headbutt himself to death!"

Originally, Jiang Jiang Mingyu had urged the woman to leave many times, but the woman, worried about the former's safety, refused to leave.

A cold sneer curled Jiang Jiang Mingyu's lips, his voice icy: "Best to scare these father and son bullies of the common people to death right here, thus ridding Shangmu County of this pair of evildoers!"

Just then, Tuke Tuke Siluo twitched his ears keenly, then lowered his voice to tell Jiang Jiang Mingyu: "My lord, they are coming!"

At this moment, before the Shangmu County yamen, heads surged together in a clamor.

Li Dog-Egg anxiously paced back and forth at the entrance, beads of sweat the size of beans breaking out on his forehead.

"Big Sister, why won't you believe me? My lord truly is not here."

He had only taken office a few days before encountering such a thorny matter, and he was already so nervous he felt ready to explode.

Seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu, who wholeheartedly sought to bring prosperity to the people, inexplicably become a defendant accused of murder, Li Dog-Egg nearly dropped his jaw.

What was to be done? While he, paralyzed with panic, had yet to devise a plan, the female plaintiff, clad in patched clothing, spoke again.

"Why are you still standing there? Hurry and make that murderer Jiang Jiang Mingyu roll out here! Do not think that by acting like a turtle hiding its head, this matter will pass. My husband was killed by him; if no explanation is given today, I shall go to Jingcheng to lodge an imperial complaint."

The ragged woman's eyes were red-rimmed, venomous tears swirling within them as she shrieked curses.

"I refuse to believe that in this vast Great Feng Kingdom, there is no place to seek justice!"

Li Dog-Egg helplessly rubbed his temples, thinking that he was truly caught between a rock and a hard place now.

"What justice do you wish to speak of?"

Just then, the woman slowly uttered four words in a chilling tone: "A life for a life."

Her tone was like a blade of ice, each word ringing clear, her intense grief and rage nearly freezing everyone present.

The onlookers were overwhelmed by her imposing aura and began discussing the matter in a hubbub of voices.

"What exactly is going on?"

"You ask me? Who should I ask? What this woman says seems true enough."

"If not for the coal, we might have frozen to death long ago; My lord is a rare and good official. To say he killed someone? I would never believe it even if beaten to death."

"Old Brother, do not speak so absolutely; hearts are separated by bellies. Who knows what sort of goods this Lord Jiang truly is?"

"..."

Li Dog-Egg's head felt as large as a bucket; helplessly, he told the woman: "Big Sister, please explain the matter clearly first, only then can I report back to my lord."

The woman's eyes were bloodshot as she asked in a shrill voice: "Explain what? How should I explain it?"

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu told us to burn coal at home for warmth as he instructed, saying we would absolutely not be poisoned. My husband listened to him and burned some coal in the room; when I returned, he was already gone!"

With tear-blurred eyes and a choking voice, the woman sobbed: "Neighbor Physician Zhao examined him and immediately declared it death by poisoning. Yet the fire pan in the room had gone out; clearly, it was not coal smoke poisoning, so how does this make sense?"

Wiping away her tears in heart-wrenching sorrow, she cried: "We strictly followed Jiang Jiang Mingyu's method for burning coal without any negligence. Yet my old man died for no reason; if this was not caused by the coal, then what could have caused it?"

Her eyes filled with grief, the woman lamented: "This batch of coal was distributed to us by Jiang Jiang Mingyu; if I do not confront him and demand an explanation, could I possibly go seek the Jade Emperor in the heavens?"

Her eyes red, she spoke viciously: "I have said it: he must be held responsible for my husband's death! Even if he is an Imperial Envoy, murder still demands a life in return!" As soon as the woman finished speaking, a clamor erupted before the county yamen.

"Heavens! So coal can truly take lives; I dare not burn it anymore!" a middle-aged man said, his face pale with worry.

"It is better for us to chop and burn firewood; preserving our lives is what matters most," an elderly man with graying hair remarked, shaking his head in sigh.

"I said earlier that this matter could not be separated from Lord Jiang; it seems he is not so noble after all," a robust man interjected.

The onlookers eagerly discussed the matter...

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's image in the hearts of the people thus completely collapsed in mere moments.

Finally understanding what had happened, Li Dog-Egg tentatively asked: "Big Sister, could it be that your husband used it incorrectly, leading to this result?"

The woman forced a bitter smile, her eyes filled with torrential grief: "I knew it! Officials protect officials; there is no fairness or justice to be found here!"

Her eyes red, her voice extremely sorrowful yet resolute, she declared: "Listen well: I am taking my husband's corpse to Jingcheng immediately to accuse Jiang Jiang Mingyu, vowing that he shall pay with his life!"

Seeing the woman clutching the corpse and preparing to leave, Li Dog-Egg hurriedly blocked her path, his tone earnest: "Big Sister, calm your anger; I was wrong! I will go invite my lord at once; he will surely give you a satisfactory explanation."

Li Dog-Egg was frantic with anxiety; if this matter reached the Emperor's ears, Lord Jiang, an official entrusted by the people's hearts, would be utterly ruined.

Ignoring the strange looks of others, he lowered his head to wipe away a cold sweat, then sprinted outward, muttering to himself as he ran: "Oh, my lord, where have you gone? Come back quickly; a great disaster is about to strike!"

With eyes red-rimmed, Li Dog-Egg rushed through the streets in the fading glow of the sunset, his heart filled with concern for Lord Jiang's safety.

His shoes kicked up clouds of dust from the ground, yet he felt no fatigue, hoping only to find my lord quickly and return to resolve this crisis.

Dark clouds gathered over the windows; within the Prince of Qi's palace garden in the northern city of Shangmu County, the Prince of Qi sat leisurely before a table, sipping tea, his beard thick and long.

He raised his eyes to gaze at the gray, hazy sky outside the window and asked in a deep voice: "How has that matter proceeded?"

Ma Ma Defake, protruding his obese belly, stood smiling broadly opposite the Prince of Qi; nodding repeatedly, he spoke with utmost respect: "Your Highness, please rest assured; I have personally handled it, and everything has been properly arranged. News just arrived from the city: the plaintiff has already carried the deceased's corpse to the county yamen to file a complaint. Jiang Jiang Mingyu remains completely unaware, understanding nothing of what has occurred."

Ma Ma Defake spoke excitedly: "Once there is any movement at the county yamen, Your Highness can immediately dispatch troops to clean up the aftermath; we need only pin this charge of murder directly onto Jiang Jiang Mingyu's head. At that time, even the Emperor will have no choice but to believe he committed the killing. After Jiang Jiang Mingyu dies, this place will still be our world!" Speaking thus, Ma Ma Defake's eyes sparkled, his face full of anticipation.

His jumping up and down manner was as if he could already see the day Jiang Jiang Mingyu would be sent to the guillotine.

Hearing this, the Prince of Qi's expression turned cautious; setting down his teacup, he said slowly: "Are you certain there are no oversights? Jiang Jiang Mingyu is not someone to be trifled with; if he seizes upon even a single flaw, the consequences will be unimaginable. We only need to eliminate him alone; if this implicates this Prince, it will become troublesome."

Ma Ma Defake spoke with full confidence: "Your Highness, please rest assured; I guarantee it with my head that there will absolutely be no errors."

Habitually stroking the beard on his face, the Prince of Qi said indifferently: "That is very good."

At a crossroads where the cold wind howled.

The He family procession turned the street corner; He He Dachuan's eyes were bloodshot, his face as gloomy as winter clouds.

He He Muchen, whom he had ordered to be carried, spotted Tuke Tuke Siluo's back immediately and, like a venomous snake, pointed at him while sneering viciously at He He Dachuan: "Father, it is this beast who publicly humiliated me on the street!"

Without another word, He He Dachuan's gaze turned fierce, and he immediately roared cruelly at his subordinates: "Men, surround these two things that do not know their own death!"

At He He Dachuan's command, the retainers immediately surrounded Tuke Tuke Siluo tightly.

He He Dachuan strode forward with cold steps, his eyes like sharp blades: "Was it you who beat my son?"

Without even turning his head, Tuke Tuke Siluo replied calmly: "I was the one who beat him; if you have the guts, come seek revenge from me!"

"Giving birth to such a fat-headed, big-eared waste is truly a misfortune for the family; I am disciplining him on your behalf, so you ought to thank me properly."

As a noble with many concerns, He He Dachuan naturally would not remember the voice of a minor figure like Tuke Tuke Siluo, who merely followed beside Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

Hearing this, He He Dachuan flew into a rage, his eyes bulging round like an enraged bull: "You beast! You dare beat my son and act so arrogantly! Have you grown tired of living, damn you!"

He shouted viciously: "I, He He Dachuan, have not shown my face for a long time, and you have all forgotten who is the boss here! Today, I will make your blood splash on the spot to comfort my son's grievance!"

"Rest assured, I will not let you die so quickly; I will torture you slowly!"

The fierce-looking He He Dachuan smiled sinisterly, his cruel and bloodthirsty nature fully exposed.

He leered lustfully at the beautiful woman beside Jiang Jiang Mingyu, revealing his perverted desire to defile virtuous women: "And you, little wench, everything started because of you. You will return with me and serve my son properly!"

He He Dachuan's eyes, blazing with fire, glared viciously at the two, and intense killing intent erupted from him as he said: "You two beasts, why do you not kneel down and accept death immediately? What time are you still waiting for!"

The steady and calm Tu Tu Kesiluo showed no fear at all, retorting: "Boss He, you truly dare to speak such nonsense?"

"You are the boss of Shangmu County, but what does the newly arrived Imperial Envoy count as?"

He, who was smart and clear-sighted, pinpointed He He Dachuan's true position in this locality in a single sentence.

Upon mentioning Jiang Jiang Mingyu, He He Dachuan's face turned red with rage, and he shouted angrily: "A mere outsider, what sort of thing can he be!"

He He Dachuan smiled sinisterly: "Just wait. Perhaps one day when external enemies come, he will become a head on the chopping block, just like the previous county magistrate."

He then shouted loudly: "Remember this: he, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, is merely a passerby; I am the iron-clad master of this place!"

Tu Tu Kesiluo sneered mockingly and said: "If my lord hears such nonsense, I fear he will be quite displeased?"

He He Dachuan, upon hearing this, dismissed it with a scoff, saying: "What can he do to me? Just a mere outsider with temporary power, does he dare to rush out of the county yamen and challenge me, He He Dachuan? It is simply ridiculous!"

Seeing that the two still showed no fear, He He Dachuan's forehead veins bulged, and he shouted impatiently: "Enough, enough! This great master is too lazy to waste more words on you. Why do you not kneel down and accept death immediately? Wait until I act with my own hands, and you will know the severity!"

He glared viciously at the two again and said, enunciating every word: "I advise you, if you truly have a next life, remember to grow a pair of eyes! In this world, there are many people whom ants like you cannot afford to offend!"

Seeing that the two still stood motionless, He He Dachuan burned with rage and roared: "Damn it, what are you still staring at? Kneel down immediately!"