Chapter 396: Once and Twice

“Your Highness, Magistrate Tian’s student, that Yan Lao’er, stuffed some silver into this old servant’s hands.” Eunuch Wang displayed the silver nugget in his palm.

Prince Ying glanced at it. “Is it even an ounce? I find it strange. Why did you accept it?”

“Exactly one ounce,” Eunuch Wang said in a thin voice. “Originally, I didn’t want it. Those other officials don’t know how to share Your Highness’s burdens. Every day, they just think about how to pry silver from your hands. When they come to pay their respects, they don’t have a single auspicious word to say, all of them wearing miserable faces. They take advantage of your kind heart to pick your pockets. How could I give them a good face? I don’t care for their flattery silver.

But that Yan Lao’er’s method of giving silver was quite clever, much better than those officials who just shove it at you bluntly. This old servant couldn’t help himself for a moment and took it.”

“Haha! Listen to you, making them sound like greenhorns. Actually, these officials in Guanzhou aren’t bad. I know they’re crying poverty to get silver from the Prince’s Manor, but it’s better they take mine than the commoners’. That Magistrate Tian, did you see him? Behind his official robes…” Prince Ying pointed and sighed. “I know I shouldn’t take my anger out on him, but the casualty figures he reported were truly unbearable.”

“Deshan, Magistrate Tian said the permits used to trick the border defenses came from the Prefectural City. Tell me, who do you think did it?” Prince Ying suddenly asked.

He seemed genuinely puzzled, his eyes showing confusion.

Wang Deshan lowered his eyelids and said softly, “This old servant thinks it might be a forgery. Since the people involved are dead… it won’t be easy to investigate.”

Prince Ying gave a hum of acknowledgement. Suddenly remembering something, he instructed, “Go to the Consort and tell her this: when the Heir Apparent left in a hurry last time, the reward silver he gave to Crouching Tiger was mostly the Consort of the Heir Apparent’s private funds. Have the Consort send someone to reimburse her. This money will come from the manor’s official accounts.”

Eunuch Wang took his orders and left.

Prince Ying flipped over the seat cushion beneath him and looked again and again at a damaged piece of paper. Striking bloodstains spread across the surface, blurring more than half of it. Only a small portion of an official seal was vaguely visible.

Expressionless, he held the scrap of paper over a candle flame, watching the fire consume it until it turned to ash.

…

“Thank you for making the trip yourself, Eunuch Wang.” A woman in green smiled broadly. “The Consort says she understands. She will have someone send it to the Heir Apparent’s courtyard later.”

Wang Deshan was not surprised that the Consort did not show her face. He smiled and said, “Then I shall not disturb you further.”

“Eunuch Wang, stay for some tea.” The woman handed over a pouch.

Wang Deshan accepted it with a smile, performed a proper salute outside the door, and withdrew with a bow.

As he straightened up, he saw the woman hurriedly enter the room.

He weighed the pouch in his hand.

He thought to himself: The way that Yan Lao’er handed it over was still more interesting.

…

“Consort, Eunuch Wang has left,” the woman said respectfully.

“Mhm. Did he say anything else?” Prince Ying’s Consort asked.

“No, he only mentioned the matter of the reward silver.” She glanced imperceptibly at a woman in blue standing nearby. The other woman seemed to sense it, her gaze shifting over from the corner of her eye. The woman in green shook her head subtly.

“His Highness likely knows…”

Prince Ying’s Consort narrowed her eyes, her voice carrying a hint of thin rage. “You people are certainly bold, issuing permits under the banner of the Prince’s Manor. Fortunately, everyone is dead and no evidence was left behind. Otherwise, if this got out, where would it leave the Prince’s Manor? How would I, the Consort, face anyone?”

The woman in blue fell to her knees with a thud. “Consort, we were also deceived! Who could have imagined the Northern Rong would be so audacious as to come to the Prefectural City? Those people looked like they were from within the pass^[1], and their speech didn’t give them away…

Gufeng had an outbreak of plague, and those people wanted to take a detour through Crouching Tiger. My husband thought it was reasonable. It’s not like such things haven’t happened in previous years. People have gone through Crouching Tiger and Fengming without anything going wrong. Who would have thought…

He was muddled, only thinking of sharing the Consort’s burdens. He saw how generous they were and his head started spinning. He was even smug when he brought the silver back, saying the accounts could finally breathe a little… Boohoo…” The woman tried her best to swallow her sobs and bowed respectfully three times. “Consort, we as a couple failed in our duties. We accept any beating or punishment. We only beg you to take care of your health. Please do not let anger harm your body!”

The previous sobbing seemed like an illusion; the room was now dead silent.

“You were once by my side, so you should know my rules. I allow it once, I allow it twice, but never a third time^[2].” Prince Ying’s Consort’s voice was cold. “Leave. Tell your man that if he cannot find the chest, he shouldn’t come to see me again.”

The woman in blue trembled, backing out of the room.

Once outside, she realized her back was completely soaked. A gust of wind blew past, chilling her to the bone.

…

“Teacher, Dashi Bridge is very close to Xiao’an Village. Why don’t we just find people in our village to transport the grain back? It saves the trouble of going back to Crouching Tiger to find people and coming all the way back here. Going back and forth would just waste time.”

Magistrate Tian replied, “That works.”

The carriage finally drove out of Yongning City. All the officials who knew of Magistrate Tian’s departure breathed a sigh of relief.

He had gone directly to the government office, and after work, he went to their private residences. Over the past two days, they had been cornered by Magistrate Tian until they had no choice but to “open their purses generously.”

When an official stops caring about his reputation, he is truly terrifying!

Magistrate Tian had been exhausted these past two days. Upon entering the Yan family home, he fell into a deep sleep until his stomach growled with hunger. When he opened his eyes, it was already the next morning.

Yan Lao’er had risen early and was wrapping small wontons in the kitchen.

Learning that his teacher was awake, he hurried to hand his work over to Granny Rong.

He prepared warm water and brought over a clean cloth, scented soap, tooth powder^[3], and other items.

By the time Magistrate Tian finished washing up and the two of them entered the kitchen, Granny Rong’s wontons were already cooked. Poured into the prepared broth, they were small and lovely, looking mouth-watering.

Magistrate Tian ate four or five in a row before slowing down. He narrowed his eyes contentedly and took a sip of the soup. A warm current reached his vitals, and his hungry stomach was instantly soothed and satisfied.

“Wow! Uncle!” A surprised cheer from Xiao Er came from outside.

Then came Yan Huaiwen’s voice, weary but filled with warmth. “Xiao Er, stay back for a moment. Let me wash up first, then we’ll talk.”

Magistrate Tian looked at his student.

He saw Tianyou put down his bowl, stand up, and bolt outside in one fluid motion.

“Big Brother! You’re back!”

“Tianyou, don’t rush. I’m going to wash up and will be there shortly.” Yan Huaiwen hadn’t expected his brother to be home. He was pleasantly surprised, and his pace quickened.

“How is Magistrate Tian’s health? Who is looking after him?” Yan Huaiwen asked as he walked.

Hearing this, Magistrate Tian felt a sense of comfort in his heart. His appetite improved even further, and his bowl of wontons was nearly empty.

“Teacher is right here at our house. We went to the Prefectural City a few days ago and just got back yesterday,” Yan Lao’er called out from a distance.

Yan Huaiwen led his horse to the backyard and saw Magistrate Tian’s carriage.

“Apologize to the Magistrate on my behalf. I will be there in a moment.” Yan Huaiwen tied up the horse, drew water from the vat, and carried it into the house.

Granny Rong was about to bring the heated water over when she ran into Daya halfway.

Smiling, she handed the kettle to the girl and turned back.

Daya carried the hot water to the outside of the room.

“Dad, there’s hot water at the door,” Daya called out cheerfully.

(End of Chapter)