Chapter 712

Wang Feiyin gave him acupuncture and left two doses of medicine; as they left the posthouse with Pan Yun, he said, "If nothing unexpected happens, he'll live."

Wang Feiyin still couldn't believe it, stroking his beard: "He actually took the medicine…"

When I saw him yesterday, his face was full of deathly pallor—clearly a sign he wouldn't last three days.

Plus, at first he refused to see a doctor; I thought he'd refuse the medicine and die from a recurrence of appendicitis.

But he actually took the medicine.

Pan Yun: "It's all thanks to Senior Brother's medical skill."

She beamed: "Look, even fate can be changed, can't it?"

Wang Feiyin: "That's because he listened. Another person might not have."

As they returned to Yushan County, before even entering the gate, they heard Miao He's voice: "I've told you all—my uncle and aunt are asleep and won't receive visitors!"

Wu the Clerk's irritable voice rang out: "The County Magistrate has urgent business! Such noise—do you really think Master Wang and Mistress Pan can still sleep? Or are they even here at all?"

Wang Feiyin was still under guard, so Miao He couldn't admit they were present; she was about to shout back, fists on hips, when Miao Zhen suddenly said: "My uncle and aunt are awake."

Wang Feiyin and Pan Yun stepped out from behind the screen, curiously asking: "Why has the County Magistrate come so late at night?"

Cai Cheng, standing nearby with a dark face, immediately stepped forward: "Both of you—something major has happened!"

Cai Cheng paused.

Pan Yun waited for him to continue.

Wang Feiyin sighed and played along: "What's happened to make County Magistrate Cai so frantic?"

Cai Cheng groaned: "The rebels must have heard rumors of relief grain in the city—they've sent men down the mountain."

Pan Yun blinked: "They've besieged the city?"

"No, but they've raided Sanhu Village!" Cai Cheng paced anxiously: "The worst part is—the imperial relief envoy arrives in Yushan County the day after tomorrow. Why now? Why not earlier or later?"

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow: "Who is the relief envoy?"

"Vice Minister Yu Qian," Cai Cheng paced frantically: "This Lord Yu is famously uncompromising—he's only been in the south for three days and has already executed three officials."

One every day on average.

Pan Yun couldn't suppress her smile: "Wow," she exclaimed, "Looks like the south has gotten itself a righteous magistrate."

Cai Cheng whirled on her, glaring: "Mistress Pan, I know your Mount Sanqing has ties of deep friendship with the Wang family and with Wang Xiaojing—go tell them to surrender, or retreat back into the mountains, and for now, cause no trouble. Otherwise, even if I release the people of Fen Shui Village, I'll arrest them again."

"Surrender?" Pan Yun tilted her head. "Does that mean the county office is offering amnesty? What terms are you offering them?"

"The rebel leaders go to jail; the rest of the followers I'll pardon and let them return home."

Pan Yun shook her head: "You're not being sincere. They're not defeated—why would they surrender?"

"I have two thousand troops stationed in Yushan County. The Prefect will send more troops, and perhaps even the imperial court will dispatch an army to crush them. Now is their chance to save their men's lives—if they don't surrender, they'll die for nothing!"

Pan Yun: "They rebelled because they knew they'd die anyway. You don't mention the miners' wages, you don't raise the silver tax, you don't speak of the skyrocketing corvée labor this year—how could they possibly surrender?"

Cai Cheng's face darkened: "So you're saying they're determined to rebel, regardless of their families?"

This was a blatant threat!

Pan Yun's fingers curled into claws—she was about to strike when Wang Feiyin grabbed her wrist.

Wang Feiyin smiled: "County Magistrate Cai, don't rush. Whether this works or not, we must try first."

He pulled Pan Yun behind him and lowered his tone: "How about this—tomorrow, my disciple and I will go to Sanhu Village and speak with the rebel leader?"

Cai Cheng: "I need a definite answer before sunset tomorrow. Delay even a single minute, and I'll kill one person in the Earth God Temple."

Pan Yun sneered: "You don't act like an official—you act like a bandit!"

Cai Cheng shouted: "You've forced me to this! Pan Yun, don't threaten me—times have changed. I'm no longer afraid of you. If I'm caught by Yu Qian, I die. If I die by your hand, I die. But dying by your hand, at least I'll be remembered as a loyal minister and brave hero!"

Pan Yun was so furious her head smoked. After he and Wu the Clerk left, she crushed the corner of the table, teeth gritted: "If not for that one thing, I'd have struck already."

Once a man dies, all his sins are washed away—especially if he dies in a peasant rebellion.

Even if he committed crimes in life, after death he might be posthumously honored by the court as a model of loyalty, a martyr who died suppressing rebellion.

Just thinking of it made Pan Yun furious.

She wanted him dead—but she wanted him judged, so the world would know Wang Xiaojing and the others weren't rebels, but ordinary people driven to revolt by corrupt officials!

Since Wang Xiaojing's uprising began, some officials died in the attack on the county office—but the County Magistrate himself was unharmed. There's still room for negotiation.

Wang Feiyin patted her shoulder, urging her not to be so angry.

He summoned Tao Yanbai and ordered: "Tomorrow morning, you and Miao Zhen head straight for the Suzhou region to meet the imperial envoy. Miao He stays here. My disciple and I will go to Sanhu Village."

Pan Yun: "No—I'll go find Wang Xiaojing tonight."

Wang Feiyin: "And what will you say when you find him?"

"I'll decide when I see him," Pan Yun said. "It's been a long time—I'll just say it's catching up."

Wang Feiyin thought a moment, then pointed at Miao He: "Then take her with you."

Of all people, Wang Xiaojing had the deepest bond with Miao He. He might ignore Pan Yun's reasoning, but he might listen to Miao He's advice.

Pan Yun took Miao He with her.

Sanhu Village was some distance from Yushan County's town, but the two flew directly there.

The Sanbao Cauldron landed on a nearby hill; they stood high above, looking down at the village ahead, lit by fires.

Pan Yun: "Why did they choose this place?"

Miao He: "Sanhu Village is rich!"

Pan Yun looked at her.

Miao He: "There are two very wealthy landlords in the village. We once came here with Senior Brother to perform rituals for both families—and each time, we got delicious pastries. I once brought some to Xiaojing and told him those two families were rich."

Pan Yun understood. "And their reputations weren't good, were they?"

Miao He chuckled: "Both are stingy. They own plenty of land and collect the same rent as other landlords—but their measuring buckets are just a little taller. Every time they measure grain, it's this much more."

Miao He pinched half a finger to show the difference.

This amount isn't much, but if every dou has a little extra like this, then it adds up to quite a lot.

Pan Yun roughly understood.

She pulled Miao He into the village.

The two had just approached the village entrance, not yet inside, when the rebel troops guarding outside the village spotted them. One person sprinted back to report, while two others leaped out from the grass to block their path, demanding, "What are you doing here?" (End of chapter)