Chapter 482

Pan Yue and Pan Yu didn't know Yin Song; seeing his smile wasn't friendly, they both stepped back two paces and hid behind Xue Shao.

Xue Shao: …

He had to introduce himself: "This is Xia Guanzheng Yin Song, a disciple of Mount Sanqing, and Pan Yun's second senior brother."

Pan Yue and Pan Yu's eyes lit up; they immediately stepped out from behind Xue Shao and bowed to him with tears in their eyes: "So you're the second senior brother."

Yin Song nodded slightly. "After Lord Pan arrived in Jingcheng, I've been looking for you. I even stationed people at the city gates, but I never caught sight of either of you."

Pan Yue and Pan Yu exchanged glances and said apologetically: "We came in after dark, just before the gates closed."

Refugees were barred from entering Jingcheng; they bribed connections to get back in, had no travel permits, wore tattered clothes, and couldn't afford new attire—so they slipped in during the gate-closing rush when inspections were lax.

Many refugees sneak into the city this way to become beggars.

This was Pan Yue's learned experience on his journey back to the capital.

After entering the city, since they knew nothing of the case's progress, they went straight to the Court of Judicial Review, learned their father had been imprisoned in the Zhao Prison the moment he returned, and immediately dared not linger—they began searching the city for a safe place to stay.

If the case favored their father, then upon his return to Jingcheng, he would be confined to the city, awaiting summons at any time;

At worst, even if held in the Court of Judicial Review's prison would be acceptable—but held in the Zhao Prison…

Who in the realm didn't know that Ma Shun, Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was Wang Zhen's right hand?

The moment Pan Yue heard "Zhao Yu," he judged the case unfavorable to his father; to prevent himself and his younger brother from becoming their father's weakness, he had to find a safe place first.

Yin Song led them back to Yin Zhai: "Though searching for you was a hassle, your running about worked out well—I couldn't find you, and neither could anyone else."

Pan Yue: "Anyone else?"

"Yes," Yin Song told Feng Yan to boil water for their bath, sent Yin Qingjun to the kitchen to cook, and poured tea for them himself: "The Nan Zhenfu's Embroidered Uniform Guards, and several other my lords, have all sent Retainers to scour the city for you."

Pan Yu: "So we were right to run?"

Yin Song nodded: "Though it was troublesome, you were absolutely right to run."

He looked at Xue Shao and smiled: "Come to think of it, Young Master Xue was lucky—you didn't even seek them out, yet you ended up meeting them."

Xue Shao smiled: "I didn't expect you two would return to Jingcheng. Pan Yun said you were serving in the military and had earned military merit—right now, staying in Datong and earning more merit could earn you military registration, which is a promising path."

"If the wrongful case is overturned, you can return naturally; if not, you're already enlisted in the military—it can't get worse. Why come back?"

Pan Yue: "I can't let my father face the storm alone."

He asked: "Second senior brother, what's this about my little sister going to Yunnan?"

Yin Song explained the entire matter in detail.

Learning that Pan Yun had participated in overturning the case, and that she'd even spent over ten days imprisoned in the Zhao Yu to restrain Wang Zhen, Pan Yue and Pan Yu were heartbroken.

Yin Song said: "The Long Hushan people should have picked her up by now—she's safe from now on."

Pan Yue: "Did the Emperor send my little sister to Yunnan to protect her?"

Yin Song nodded.

Pan Yue was puzzled: "Why? Does the Emperor have feelings for my little sister?"

Yin Song: "His Majesty values talent. Little sister has exceptional talent in Daoist studies—she's a genius."

Pan Yue immediately felt proud: "I knew it! Since she was old enough to understand, she's spent every day meditating and cultivating, saying she wants to become an immortal—this must be early wisdom."

Pan Yu: "Maybe Little Sister was an immortal in her past life, descended to cultivate through suffering, but didn't drink the Meng Po Soup clean—so she remembers fragments of her past life, which is why she's been disciplined since childhood."

Yin Song: "... You really are siblings. Little sister said exactly that."

Pan Yue and Pan Yu wore expressions of "I knew it all along."

Pan Yu had once scoffed at ghost and spirit tales; Pan Yue was half-skeptical—but since receiving Little Sister's protective talisman, both had changed their minds. No, they'd changed their minds together with their father.

Pan Yue hurriedly asked: "Second senior brother, Young Master Xue, what can my brother and I do?"

Yin Song: "You have too much you can do."

Pan Yue and Pan Yu looked expectant.

Yin Song said: "You earn money. Figure out how to earn more."

Pan Yue asked eagerly: "And then?"

"And then wait."

"Wait?" Pan Yue frowned: "Don't we need to bribe the Zhao Yu?"

Yin Song smiled: "Don't worry—I'll handle the bribes."

Pan Yue fell silent for a moment, then asked: "What about the court officials?"

Yin Song shook his head: "They don't need bribing."

!. Read

Pan Yue hesitated, then said: "Last time, my father said the same thing—and then our family was seized. If bribing helps, we're willing to pay more. If this isn't enough, we've already written to our family—they'll send money."

Three years ago, Pan Hong was suddenly arrested; Pan Tao went to see him and asked if he wanted to bribe officials.

Pan Hong refused. His exact words were: "When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer. No amount of gold can fill the moat. Rather than bankrupting ourselves for an impossible task, better to save the money—so at least one branch survives."

So at the time, the Pan family didn't bribe much—and later, Pan Hong received the harshest sentence among all officials except Xue Xuan.

Xue Xuan was sentenced to immediate beheading; Pan Hong was sentenced to exile with his entire family to Datong.

But the cruel twist was, after Xue Xuan was escorted to the execution ground, the Emperor regretted it and pardoned him at the last moment.

Then Xue Xuan was expelled from Jingcheng, forbidden ever to return, and his descendants barred from imperial examinations.

In the end, the Pan family suffered the worst.

Now, the same scenario is repeating—Pan Yue wants to try a different path: what if they bribe this time?

"Even if we can't overturn the case, if someone pleads for mercy, if His Majesty shows even a little pity, maybe he'll spare us exile," Pan Yue said softly. "You don't know how harsh Datong is. My brother and I are young and strong, but my father is ancient—he's withered. The winter wind cuts through clothes and flesh like it's trying to snap your bones."

Yin Song pinched his fingers, calculated, and said expressionlessly: "If I calculated right, your father is thirty-eight this year—he's still in his prime."

Pan Yue sighed: "He's barely forty, but looks like a man of seventy. Isn't that what 'withered and ancient' means?"

Yin Song: "... I saw your father in the Zhao Yu just yesterday."

Pan Yue immediately asked: "Second Senior Brother, did my father send any message to us?"

"Yes," Yin Song said: "My Lord Pan has ordered you both to obey me entirely."

He turned to Pan Yu: "My Lord Pan has ordered you to obey your elder brother and me entirely."

Then he turned to Pan Yue: "My Lord Pan has ordered you to remain calm and self-controlled, never forget the Pan family's ancestral teachings; if you cannot attain something in this world, do not force it—and above all, obey me and Young Master Xue."

Pan Yue glanced at Xue Shao, frowning.

Xue Shao is even younger than him—why should he obey Xue Shao?

Yin Song seemed to know what he was thinking: "Talent does not depend on age. He is not only talented, but better than you at knowing when to take and when to let go."

"What do you mean?"

Yin Song said: "Do you know who your enemy is right now?"

(End of Chapter)