Chapter 75: Hidden Tricks

Night had fallen, and two fine horses galloped swiftly through the heavy darkness, soon entering the urban area of Shangmu County. The two riders reined in their horses and stopped, looking both exhausted and excited.

The middle-aged man in the lead brushed the dust off his clothes and said to his companion, "Damn it, we've ridden all day just to reach this place; I'm utterly worn out."

His companion was a young lad who, upon hearing the middle-aged man's words, clenched his fist excitedly and said, "We've finally reached Shangmu County. Now that we've settled that Jiang Jiang Mingyu, our good days will begin."

Back in the magnificent and spacious study of the county yamen, Jiang Jiang Mingyu immediately picked up the large wolf-hair brush neatly arranged on the desk, dipped it in ink, and began writing with swift strokes.

One could see his eyes fixed on the paper as the brush tip in his hand slid across the Xuan paper, leaving behind characters that were neat, fluid, and smooth.

Zhu Ge Yu, standing to the side, watched with unblinking eyes, his mouth hanging open in astonishment as he muttered to himself, "Master is too strong; his technique for writing articles is so skilled, truly unparalleled in history!"

"With our master-disciple duo joining forces, we are sure to carve out a place in the literary world of Great Feng. How about it?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu casually tossed the finished article into Zhu Ge Yu's arms; the manuscript fluttered through the air before Zhu Ge Yu caught it. "Take it," Jiang Jiang Mingyu said, his tone laced with disdain.

"Just go make a name for yourself; I have no interest in such empty fame. Remember what I told you before? Under no circumstances are you to say these articles were written by me!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu instructed solemnly.

Zhu Ge Yu nodded repeatedly, a smile plastered on his face. "I remember, I remember. Rest assured, I will absolutely not say you wrote them. I want to become famous through these articles myself; you are overthinking it!"

After receiving the article, Zhu Ge Yu immediately took his leave. "Then this student takes his leave!" Having spoken, he was eager to depart.

Zhu Ge Yu's eagerness made Jiang Jiang Mingyu chuckle. "Why not stay in Shangmu for a few more days and look around a bit?"

Zhu Ge Yu snorted and rolled his eyes. "Forget it. Look at how dilapidated your Shangmu City has become; what is there to see?"

"With this time, I might as well return to the provincial capital and expand my reputation as a talented scholar several times over."

Seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu's helpless expression, Zhu Ge Yu chuckled and said, "Master, rest assured. I will definitely produce that poetry collection as soon as possible, and I won't forget to help you promote the coal. I'm taking my leave now!"

Just as Zhu Ge Yu was preparing to turn and leave, Jiang Jiang Mingyu called out to stop him. "Wait a moment."

Zhu Ge Yu asked, puzzled, "Is there something else?"

As he turned back, he met Jiang Jiang Mingyu's cunning gaze. "Well... after you pretend to be a talented scholar in the provincial capital, you can travel to other counties in the commandery. Strive to use your reputation for talent to help me promote this coal further."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu spoke with deep earnestness. "This matter must not be delayed. Once spring arrives, the coal will be unsellable."

Zhu Ge Yu looked out the window at the swirling heavy snow and said wordlessly, "Master, you really intend to work me to death."

Then he grinned widely. "Alright, alright. To let more people admire my brilliance as a talented scholar, I'll take this deal." When he spoke the words "talented scholar," he showed not a shred of embarrassment.

After Zhu Ge Yu left, Jiang Jiang Mingyu returned to the streets to continue supervising the common people in repairing their houses.

Seeing more and more damaged folk houses restored to new condition, Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded repeatedly in satisfaction. "This winter, at least, we can finally survive it."

"Once spring warms the flowers and we withstand the major offensive by the foreign tribes, everything will be fine." Thinking of this, he smiled self-mockingly and shook his head. "To withstand an offensive by foreign tribes, how easy is that? Relying solely on the Prince of Qi? Nonsense!"

A faint smile appeared on Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face as he muttered to himself, "It seems it is also time to pay a visit to this Prince of Qi."

His tone was calm, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, as if he was already plotting some strategy.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu turned and strode with great steps toward the direction of the county yamen...

In a dilapidated inn in Shangmu City, inside the innermost small room, two men dressed in black sat silently beneath the flickering candlelight.

The man on the left, a middle-aged figure with a sinister face and a messy handlebar mustache, seemed unable to sit still any longer. He lightly tapped the table and spoke. "Hey, have you come up with an idea yet? We have been sitting here for several hours!"

The thin, tall man opposite him raised his head somewhat blankly, snapping out of his deep thought, and slowly said, "Well... killing Jiang Jiang Mingyu, it seems, is not a simple matter."

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu is, after all, an Imperial Envoy. Killing him in broad daylight is simply impossible."

After entering the city, the two had first asked around about Jiang Jiang Mingyu's situation, only to learn that he was not only alive but had also revitalized Shangmu, which had become a ruin, earning deep support from the common people.

Killing him under the eyes of the masses was simply impossible.

The man with the handlebar mustache furrowed his sparse, thick eyebrows, his expression grim. "Then what shall we do? The Chief Clerk has already ordered that we must kill Jiang Jiang Mingyu this time; we cannot delay."

"If we return this time with nothing to show for it, the heads that will be lost will be ours, two brothers."

The bamboo-pole man, after beating around the bush for a while, finally spoke. "Attacking during the day is too risky; we should act at night."

"When we asked around earlier, some common people said the Shangmu County Yamen has only a few Yamen Runners guarding the gate. For us two brothers, that is as easy as pie."

"Today we rest well. Tomorrow night, we will quietly infiltrate the county yamen and strike while Jiang Jiang Mingyu is fast asleep, eliminating him directly."

"If necessary, we will eliminate those few Yamen Runners as well. After all, they are just a few lives that are dispensable; it is a pity to waste them."

"Completing the task assigned by the Chief Clerk and then immediately returning to the provincial capital to report is what matters most."

"This Shangmu County, desolate and devoid of human life, I cannot endure staying here for even another quarter-hour. The weather is so cold my chin is about to freeze off."

A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the man with the handlebar mustache. "Good, let us proceed according to this plan!"

Inside the Shangmu County Yamen, night had fallen. When Tu Tu Kesiluo returned, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, by the light of the lamp, noticed his complexion did not look very good.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled. "What is wrong with you? You look so worried."

Tu Tu Kesiluo brushed the snowflakes from his clothes and let out a long sigh. "Those common people participating in the training are too clumsy. No matter how I teach them to use weapons, they cannot learn. It truly makes me furious."

Seeing his impatient expression, he looked more like a young lady throwing a tantrum without reason.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled bitterly and advised, "They are all farming common people who have never touched a sword or spear in their lives. The fact that they can follow you in training despite the wind and snow is already not easy. Do not demand too much of them."

"In the future, guarding Shangmu will rely on them. Be more patient and take it slowly."

Tu Tu Kesiluo let out another long sigh. "My lord speaks the truth; I was too impatient."

"By the way, my lord, there is also good news. Those training with me have grown from thirty people to fifty-eight."

"These people are all very grateful to my lord for helping them repair their houses and secure their livelihoods, so they have joined the training team."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded. "Very good. In just a few days, the number has nearly doubled. If this continues, it won't be long before we can establish our own armed force. At that time, the guarding of Shangmu will be secured."

Tu Tu Kesiluo spoke with some worry. "That is true, but what if the matter of privately recruiting soldiers is exposed?"

"Especially the Prince of Qi. You have already formed a grudge with him; he will surely seize this opportunity and not let go. This is a capital crime punishable by immediate execution!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled. "Rest assured, I have a countermeasure ready."

"I can claim these people are all civilian laborers, and only organize them into an armed force when the enemy attacks."

"Even if the Prince of Qi wants to make an issue of it, what can he do to me? Which law in Great Feng stipulates that common people cannot practice martial arts?"

Seeing Tu Tu Kesiluo nod, Jiang Jiang Mingyu continued, "Speaking of the Prince of Qi, this official intends to go meet him tomorrow."

"Since the matter of the coal mine that day, this official has always felt that there is still some cat-napping hidden within this border army."

Tu Tu Kesiluo recalled the situation that day and asked, "My lord means the number of soldiers reported for military rations is incorrect?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded: "Exactly. I suspect Prince Qi has been falsely reporting troop numbers to embezzle military rations from the court."

"The military ration ledger at the county yamen states the border army numbers eleven thousand two hundred and thirty-eight, and the city defense garrison Shangmu County is responsible for comprises eight hundred and seventy-two men; that is also the number receiving pay."

"But think of the scene that day. Prince Qi was clearly desperate to obtain the coal mine. If he truly had that many men under his command, how could he have handed over the mine pit to me simply because there were no miners? That is very suspicious, is it not?"

"Coincidentally, the silver for rations is distributed tomorrow. Let us go and see what is actually happening."

"If he truly is such a person, this official can only deal with this parasite. This would be no bad thing for us, nor for Shangmu."

Tu Tu Kesiluo chimed in: "That's right. He fails at everything, but when it comes to scooping up silver and throwing obstacles in others' paths, he is undoubtedly number one."

"Once we resolve this trouble as soon as possible, we can act freely and fight the foreigners with real swords and spears."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu chuckled: "As for the truth, tomorrow will reveal all."