Chapter 721

"I would like to meet Wang Xiaojing's family."

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow, glanced at Lu Yuan, then stood and said, "Please follow me."

Pan Yun led the two to the back courtyard.

They were playing mahjong in the back courtyard; Wang Xiaomei dragged a broom around the yard, sweeping loudly.

Seeing Pan Yun, she dropped the broom and ran over, hugging her leg, looking up with the brightest smile: "Little Master Shu—"

Pan Yun smiled and patted her head, introducing Yu Qian to the Wang family: "This is our guest from Mount Sanqing."

The Wang family did not show any strange expression at their tattered clothes; they did not even ask where Yu Qian came from or what he did, but warmly invited them to sit.

Pan Yun excused herself, saying she had matters in the front courtyard, and gave them space.

Yu Qian rolled up his sleeves, sat down, and began twisting rope with them, asking slowly: "How old are you, sir?"

Old Wang's wrinkles piled around his eyes as he smiled: "I can't remember if I'm sixty-two or sixty-one—time sometimes flies too fast, sometimes drags too slow; even I'm confused."

Pan Yun returned to the front courtyard to prepare medicine when a government office Runner came banging a gong: "New order from the county office: everyone who entered the city today must leave before sunset—no lingering allowed!"

Before the townsfolk could protest, the government office Runner shouted loudly: "Choose between leaving the city or going to jail—you have your orders from the Magistrate!"

The crowd dared not speak out, only stared silently at the government office Runner.

The government office Runner turned to Pan Yun and changed his expression entirely: "Priestess Pan, can you possibly see all these people before sunset?"

Pan Yun nodded: "It should be possible."

The government office Runner sighed in relief and muttered low: "I'm not being cruel—orders from above are absolute. Leaving the city is better than being locked up."

Pan Yun asked: "Is this Wu Shiyeh's idea?"

After drinking peach wine, she didn't think Cai Cheng would be sober today.

"Exactly—thankfully the city gates are sealed; since an hour ago, only exits are allowed, no entries. Otherwise, forcing out so many people would've been a nightmare—could've sparked a major riot."

Pan Yun asked calmly: "Why are they being driven out? Are the rebels coming?"

"No, the rebels are still at Sanhu Village," the government office Runner glanced left and right, then leaned close to Pan Yun and whispered: "The Imperial Envoy is coming—the higher-ups want to make a good impression."

That's it—you county office threw the Imperial Envoy out of your compound today.

Pan Yun smiled at the government office Runner: "I understand."

After the government office Runner left, Pan Yun and her team gave out medicine and urged everyone to leave the city quickly.

The villagers all agreed, dared not defy the county office, took their medicine, and left.

The area gradually grew quiet; by the time Yu Qian emerged from the back courtyard, eyes slightly red, few people remained in the courtyard.

Yu Qian stood silently by the gate, having heard the gong and shouts earlier.

Pan Yun asked him: "Will Lord Yu be staying here tonight, or do you have other arrangements?"

Before Lu Yuan could speak, Yu Qian said at once: "I'll trouble you for the night."

Pan Yun gave a slight nod and allowed him to stay.

Lu Yuan could only temporarily leave Yu Qian in Pan Yun's care, then went out and returned twenty minutes later carrying a bundle.

Meanwhile, Pan Yun sensed several pairs of eyes fixed on her.

She swept her gaze across the rooftops, corners, and tree branches—she knew this feeling well; during her journey to Japan, Chen Liutao and Qu Zhixing had stared at her like this at first, until she glared back several times and they stopped, realizing they couldn't hide.

Pan Yun smiled faintly—apparently Chen Liutao and the others hadn't warned their colleagues.

Miao He had finished treating her patient, packing her needle bag and pulse pillow, while tilting her head to look around.

Tao Yan Bai tapped her head: "Focus—what are you doing?"

Miao He whispered: "Something feels off—I feel like someone's watching me."

Tao Yan Bai heard this and turned his neck, joining her in scanning the surroundings.

Pan Yun saw them from afar but said nothing until the hidden observers finally lowered their gazes and stopped staring, then called out: "Come here."

The two ran over happily.

Pan Yun pointed at Yu Qian and Lu Yuan: "These are honored guests—find them a guest room and prepare a good dinner tonight."

Miao He happily agreed and led Yu Qian and the others to the guest room.

It was another courtyard in the back; Yu Qian had just washed and changed clothes when he saw a little girl hiding behind the gate, staring at him.

Yu Qian smiled and stepped forward, reaching out—she turned and ran.

She hadn't run far when Wang Feiyin scooped her up: "Little Eleven, watch your step!"

Yu Qian bowed to Wang Feiyin, studying the child in his arms curiously: "This child seems… unusual."

Wang Feiyin: "She refuses to speak, and is still quite timid."

Yu Qian: "Why won't she speak?"

"When the rebels stormed the city, chaos broke out—some took advantage, kidnapping children and women. The siblings who cared for her scattered that day, nowhere to be found. She was left alone at home, nearly starved to death. Though saved, she refuses to speak and never leaves anyone's side."

She used to follow Pan Yun and Miao He, but when they left to deliver aid, she naturally began following Wang Feiyin.

Now she no longer begs to follow Pan Yun—she only stays with Wang Feiyin.

The phase of caring for children.

At this moment, Wang Feiyin missed his second son endlessly.

Yu Qian felt sorrowful and asked: "How do the local villagers view the rebels?"

"They hate them, yet pity them too—over half of those two thousand came from Yushan County, related by blood or marriage. Everyone knows why they rebelled. After the city assault, Magistrate Cai Cheng arrested many rebel families; the whole town wept, and the streets filled with people pleading for mercy."

In other words, the villagers' sympathy outweighed their hatred toward the rebels.

They likely hate Cai Cheng more than the rebels—the ones who directly brought disaster.

Yu Qian's face turned grim.

That night, Yu Qian wrote a memorial and gave it to Lu Yuan, ordering him to send it immediately to Jingcheng.

The next morning, the Embroidered Uniform Guard waited outside the door; as soon as Yu Qian stepped out, they followed him to the county office.

At this moment, Cai Cheng, who rarely rose early, was waiting at the city gate with his men.

Yu Qian strode into the county government office and said to the stunned clerk: "Bring Cai Cheng here."

Lu Yuan added: "The Imperial Envoy has arrived—why aren't you bowing yet?"

The clerk hurriedly knelt down, glancing involuntarily at his suspended arm: I wonder if he'd pay me medical fees if I asked the Imperial Envoy now…

Upon hearing the government office runner's report, Cai Cheng's eyes flew wide open; he hurriedly asked the deputy commander: "When did the Imperial Envoy arrive?"

The deputy commander looked puzzled: "I don't know. I strictly followed your orders as county magistrate—I only opened the gate after you arrived. No one entered the city this morning."

Cai Cheng grew frantic, stomping his foot: "Then what about yesterday? Did the Imperial Envoy enter the city yesterday?"

"I don't know," the deputy commander said, bewildered. "Many people entered yesterday, but I didn't see any unfamiliar officials coming or going."

"Oh no, he must be on a secret inspection—how could you not have kept watch?"

The deputy commander's face turned cold: "County Magistrate Cai, though I'm a military officer, my rank is higher than yours. Though I've been ordered to guard this city and must cooperate with you, you have no authority to give me orders. I've been here guarding all day—where were you yesterday, County Magistrate Cai?"

Cai Cheng opened his mouth, then closed it. He had only woken up this dawn—and the world had shattered.

He remembered every detail of his dream!

It felt as if he'd lived an entire lifetime in that dream—the vision was as real as truth—so when he woke and found himself still the magistrate of Yushan County, he'd carelessly let Wang Xiaojing's family escape. The emotional drop was crushing; he nearly fainted this morning.

It was Wu the secretary who pinched his finger repeatedly, stressing: "If you leave a bad impression on the Imperial Envoy, and he reports you to Your Majesty, even your brother-in-law Zhou Xuan won't save you."

Having already lived a lifetime of high office and wealth in his dream, Cai Cheng barely pulled himself together, changed his clothes, and went to the city gate to receive the envoy.

Now, hearing a mere sixth-rank deputy commander dare to order him around, Cai Cheng told himself to endure—this wasn't the dream—but anger still surged. In his dream, he'd been Chief Grand Secretary; even Your Majesty had treated him with deference!

Cai Cheng rushed back to the government office to meet Yu Qian, carrying this fractured emotion.

Yu Qian's demeanor was unknown to the deputy commander—but the deputy commander nearly exploded from Cai Cheng's contemptuous glance.

He refused to follow Cai's lead, directly ordered the gate opened to let civilians in, then stormed off to see the Imperial Envoy himself.

Hmph—he'd report the rebel situation to the Imperial Envoy.

Just before coming here, even two days ago, he'd still been for war!

After all, victory meant military merit.

As a deputy commander stationed at the Jiangnan garrison, opportunities for military merit were rare.

Daily life meant garrisoning, farming, patrolling, drilling—occasionally being borrowed to suppress bandits.

So this opportunity was precious.

But two days ago, he received word: the suppression in Fujian was going poorly. Not only had the rebels not been contained, but two deputy commanders and two county magistrates had been killed, and two more cities captured.

If even the imperial army sent by the court had failed, what chance did these local garrison troops—who spent their days wielding hoes instead of swords—stand?

The deputy commander had briefly clashed with Song Dalin.

When they arrived, Song Dalin had already ransacked Yushan County, found no Cai Cheng, seized the government office's treasury, and fled through another gate. They'd exchanged a few quick blows, then completed the city's capture.

Later, he surrounded the mountain; Song Dalin held the high ground and counterattacked. Both sides suffered losses. Though the deputy commander reported heavier rebel casualties, he knew his own losses were greater.

So what if Song Dalin, like the Fujian rebels, grew stronger with each battle, expanded his territory, and grew more powerful?

Then not only would merit be out of reach—he feared he'd lose his life.

So Cai Cheng wanted to offer amnesty—and so did he.

Now it depended on whether Yu Qian would agree.

Cai Cheng hurried toward the government office, but when he saw the government office gate, he stopped, turned, and went to the charity clinic.

The deputy commander: …

He clenched his teeth, then followed behind to the charity clinic.

Because yesterday the government office had announced the city gates were closed to civilians, Wang Feiyin had ordered Pan Yun and others to cut and prepare herbs that morning, while he himself lay on a reclining chair, fanning himself leisurely.

Xiao Shiyi nestled beside him, occasionally opening her mouth; Wang Feiyin would peel a sunflower seed and slip it in.

Cai Cheng burst in. Everyone looked up at him, then silently lowered their heads and kept working, not rising to bow.

Pan Yun was the most polite—she waved her knife in greeting: "Magistrate Cai, a noble foot treads upon humble ground—this humble place is honored."

Then she returned to cutting herbs, asking casually: "What brings you here, Magistrate Cai?"

Cai Cheng rushed forward and whispered: "The night before last, I sent you to find Song Dalin and Wang Xiaojing—what did they say?"

Pan Yun looked surprised: "I waited all day yesterday and you didn't come—I thought you'd forgotten about this matter?"

"Enough talk—did Song Dalin and Wang Xiaojing agree to surrender?" Cai Cheng demanded.

Pan Yun looked troubled: "They're willing to consider it—but they have conditions, and they're harsh. I thought you wouldn't accept them, so…"

Cai Cheng's eyes widened: "You refused?"

"No, no," Pan Yun hurriedly said. "This is a major matter—I'm just a commoner; how could I make decisions for you?"

Cai Cheng exhaled in relief, his face darkening: "What are their conditions?"

Pan Yun listed ten demands: "One, abolish all extra corvée labor in Yushan County—palanquin carrying, night watch, street sweeping, express courier posts; two, waive this year's additional two tael silver tax, and guarantee no new taxes for three years…"

Each demand struck Cai Cheng's sore point. Before she finished, he leapt up, shouting: "Impossible! Villains! Villains! Utterly despicable!"

Pan Yun paused her cutting, looked at him, and sighed: "I also think these conditions are beyond your ability to fulfill. It seems amnesty won't work—but the Imperial Envoy seems to have arrived. I heard he came yesterday, disguised among the refugees. No one knows what he heard—or how much he believed."

A cold sweat broke out on Cai Cheng's back; he shivered. He regretted and raged: "I shouldn't have let Wang Xiaojing's family go…"

If they'd still been in custody, even without amnesty, I could've used them as hostages—perhaps captured the entire rebel force without surrender. Wouldn't that merit be greater?

Then I could cover up some of my mistakes.

Pan Yun saw his eyes darting and knew he was scheming.

She smiled faintly, stepped past him, and spoke to the deputy commander behind him: "Deputy Commander Fang, I heard the Fujian suppression is going poorly—even the imperial army suffered defeats."

Deputy Commander Fang nodded.

Pan Yun sighed: "I wonder if the court will punish the Fujian Provincial Administration Commissioner. I heard he was corrupt—this rebellion by Deng Maoqi happened because he neglected his duties, allowed gentry and landlords to impose extra taxes, and let mine overseers abuse miners. Isn't this official oppression forcing the people to rebel?"

Before Deputy Commander Fang could speak, Cai Cheng shouted: "What nonsense! This is merely villainous rebellion!"

Pan Yun smiled and said: "Although the imperial court is currently focused on suppressing the rebellion, if the battles continue to fail and Your Majesty grows angry, won't the court still have to investigate the reasons? Even if Song Zhang is Wang Zhen's man, he probably won't be able to keep his position as Provincial Administration Commissioner~~" (End of chapter)