Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 129

Chapter 129 Unparalleled Affection And Righteousness
Chen Yan glared at Qin Mubai angrily, “Can you not be so frivolous and casual? Can you give me a definite answer?”

“There are some people in the world who are strange. They clearly mean their promises, but they don’t believe them. They are obviously fake and perfunctory, so they have to take them seriously.” Qin Mubai said, “I thought you were such a person, so I deliberately tried to perfunctory you a little.”

“Men, don’t be so petty!” Chen Yan knew that she was a bit wrong, so she glared at Qin Mubai and walked back. She leaned against the pillar and said, “Now it’s my turn to ask you a few questions. If you answer well, I’ll trust you and naturally tell you everything you want to know. If you don’t answer well, I won’t easily spit out a single word today even if I’m a corpse.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Ask!”

Chen Yan said, “Are you guys going to investigate Zhang Tianci’s case?”

“Naturally.” Qin Mubai said, “To tell you the truth, King Wu and I were ordered by the Emperor to thoroughly investigate the Jishan case.” Originally, we did not know that things would be so complicated, let alone that the county magistrate of Jishan would suddenly die violently, leading to a series of major cases. From the very beginning, we were innocently involved, and we couldn’t help but sink deeper and deeper into it. Actually, we don’t want to chase after anyone or deliberately target anyone, let alone more people who will suffer as a result. Everything we are doing now is to minimize the danger brought about by this case. Apart from those villains who have committed heinous crimes, the others should try their best not to get involved. Of course, that includes ourselves. Therefore, all we are doing is to save people, save ourselves, and try to make the imperial court and the country less shaken. ”

“Seeing how sincere and logical you are, I’ll trust you for now.” Chen Yan said, “Second question, what will you do with Zhang Tianci?”

“He must not die now.” Qin Mubai said succinctly, “It’s because his death date must be after all the dust has settled.”

“Does that mean Zhang Tianci will die?” Chen Yan nodded, “I also believe that.” Actually, I know more about the case than you do. I lied to you. In my correspondence with my husband, he poured out a lot of bitter water on me, especially when the construction of the Jishan Lake Flood Defense Levee began. He and I have always talked about everything. He was a person who valued affection and righteousness. Many times, he would take into account the interests and face of others and would rather pay and sacrifice himself. Therefore, he was in great pain and helplessness, not knowing what to do. He had said countless times that he wanted to resign and return to his field with me, but he really couldn’t let go of the fame and official position that he had painstakingly earned after ten years of hard work. That’s when I hated officialdom and officials. ”

“You finally told me the truth.” Qin Mubai smiled. “The truth sounds different.”

“I haven’t finished asking.” Chen Yan gave Qin Mubai a cold sidelong glance and said, “If you continue to investigate this case and find some big shots that you didn’t expect … to you, big shots are naturally extraordinary-what would you do?”

‘”You mean” Qin Mubai smiled strangely and thought to himself, “Why don’t I cheat her?”

Qin Mubai deliberately pulled back his tone and said, “Are you referring to someone who is’bigger ‘than the Prince of Wu?”

“Answer the question first,” Chen Yan said calmly.

“Do as you please.” Qin Mubai said, “That’s the only answer I can give. It’s too fake to say that we will handle it fairly or make a promise now.”

“That means we’ll see who the other party is before deciding how to deal with him, right?” Chen Yan said.

“Right.”

Chen Yan fell silent and didn’t say anything else.

After a while, Qin Mubai said, “Are you done asking? Can you start telling me the truth and tell me your secret now?”

Chen Yanxing raised her eyes to look at Qin Mubai with a hesitant and hesitant expression at the corner of her eyes.

“I won’t force you.” Qin Mubai said, “Actually, just because you don’t tell me many things doesn’t mean I don’t know. It’s just that I don’t have conclusive evidence that I can’t implement it, but I can make a bold guess.”

“Guess what.” Chen Yan said indifferently, “Anyway, it’s not from my mouth. It doesn’t prove anything.”

“That makes sense. Then I’ll guess.” Qin Mubai said, “Actually, Zhu Chengwen did write down a confidential ledger. Furthermore, he may have realized that he would be in danger, so he sent this ledger to you in advance, in case he needed it in the future.” This ledger records the whereabouts and uses of many of the imperial appropriations, some of which must be shameful and analogous to paying bribes to certain people. ”

Chen Yan listened quietly without saying anything, not even changing her expression.

Qin Mubai smiled and continued, “Later, Zhu Chengwen died, so you immediately thought that he was being retaliated or killed, and then you came to take revenge.” But you have a lot of misgivings, because this book involves some people, making you feel very embarrassed. He might be grateful to Zhu Chengwen, or he might be grateful to you, or he might have a myriad of connections with both of you, causing you to be in a dilemma. At the same time, you know that King Wu and I have come to Jishan to relieve the disaster and are investigating the case. So you’re curious to know how far we’ve come. Next, you think of a way to sneak in with us. ”

Chen Yan remained silent.

“Just yesterday afternoon, you saw Zhang Tianci arrive at the military camp. King Wu also received him and gave him a reward.” Qin Mubai said, “Perhaps because of this, you think that we are the same as Zhang Tianci, which makes you very angry and anxious.” First, you feel like you’ve been used and deceived by me. Second, you’re eager for revenge. Third, you really want to kill Zhang Tianci and silence him immediately. The purpose is to cover up the person recorded in the ledger-that person. “Am I right?”

“It’s all speculation. There’s not a single bit of evidence.” Chen Yan said indifferently.

“Indeed, I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find out.” Qin Mubai said, “Just because I can’t do anything to you doesn’t mean I can’t do anything to Zhang Tianci. You are a good person who scrupulously abides by the path of chivalry, but he is a complete villain. If a villain is afraid of death, he can betray anything.”

“Therefore, I must kill him in advance!” Chen Yan shouted angrily.

Qin Mubai heaved a sigh of relief and smiled, “You finally admit it!”

Chen Yan knitted her eyebrows and glared at Qin Mubai with anger and resentment. She turned her head and remained silent.

“Actually … the person you want to cover is probably the one we want to help as well.” Qin Mubai said, “Perhaps he is innocent as well. He just took some money from the other party and was used by others.” Even if there was a small mistake, he shouldn’t be affected by such a great sin. Chen Yan, you know it, but you don’t know why. You think that person is the same person as Zhang Tianci, the mastermind or the accomplice. If this case is investigated, it will definitely not yield good results. Thus, you wishfully eradicated the insider for him. You’re not helping him, you’re hurting him–I’ve said so much, you know what I’m saying, don’t you? ”

At this moment, Chen Yan was shocked, “You … actually know everything?”

“Guess, there is no evidence at all.” Qin Mubai smiled faintly. “But my guess is not empty. It makes sense. You won’t understand this. You definitely won’t be able to imagine it. How could I guess all of this, right?”

“That’s right … you’re too scary! How could you think of so many things? Although you don’t have any evidence, the reality is almost the same as what you guessed!” Chen Yan looked at Qin Mubai in astonishment. For the first time, a look of fear appeared in her beautiful big eyes.

“Perhaps this is why you look down on the officials!” Qin Mubai smiled self-deprecatingly. “Officials are full of crappy ideas. They think about everything before they do it, and they think about the causes and consequences. If they do too much of this, they will develop some unpredictable abilities,” Qin Mubai said with a self-deprecating smile.

“Bullshit!” Chen Yan was still very surprised, but at the same time, she was a little confused. “How did you think of it?”

“Think about it-the Jiang Xia King, Li Dao Sect?” Qin Mubai smiled and said.

“Uh!” Chen Yan was shocked, “You really know?!”

“As expected.” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “Actually, we should have told the truth long ago.” Because both King Wu and I admire and respect Jiang Xia Wang Sulai very much. King Wu knew him even better. He once told me that his royal uncle can be called perfect. There is only one eccentricity, and that is greed for money. Moreover, he is simply greedy for money. He will never take advantage of the law, because it is always very easy for him to obtain wealth. Therefore, we have been guessing that behind Zhang Tianci, there should be some big shots to provide him with convenience. This important figure was most likely the current Governor of Jin Province, the King of Jiangxia, Li Daozong. Zhang Tianci borrowed the Crown Prince’s relationship to get to know the Li Daoist Sect and bribe him as much as he liked. Afterwards, under his banner, they began to sell dog meat on the outside, and began to engage in male-funded female prostitution. Jiang Xia King was definitely in the dark about this. Otherwise, with his personality, he would never allow a little Marquis to ruin his reputation and cause trouble for him. ”

“Is that so?” Chen Yan said in surprise, “I always thought that the Jiang Xia King was also with Zhang Tianci!”

“Did Zhu Chengwen tell you?” Qin Mubai smiled. “After all, officials like him don’t know much about official matters. Or maybe Zhang Tianci, Cheng Songnian, and the others tricked Zhu Chengwen into believing that it was true. Chen Yan, there’s actually something I didn’t say about the dead. Now I want to ask you, so I beg your forgiveness first.”

“Yes, tell me.”

“Zhu Chengwen was actually with Zhang Tianci and the others when he was alive, right?” Qin Mubai said, “Otherwise, he wouldn’t have known so many secrets and wouldn’t have been killed.” My guess is that he had no choice but to join Zhang Tianci and the others and become one of them because he was helpless or trapped by some kind of emotion. At the same time, he had his own bottom line and conscience to repay, so he had been struggling in his heart. He had nowhere to pour out his pain, so he told you all about it. And the reason why he suffered so much, I think, should be the Jiang Xia King, Li Dao Sect. Chen Yan, can you tell me what relationship Zhu Chengwen has with the King of Jiangxia? ”

Chen Yan’s face turned a little pale. Silver Fang clenched her teeth and avoided Qin Mubai’s gaze. She slowly nodded her head, “Looks like I really underestimated you … You’re so scary, you can guess it!”

“Tell me! Believe me, I will keep this secret so that the dead Zhu Chengwen will retain his last bit of dignity!” Qin Mubai said.

Chen Yan nodded and said, “The King of Jiangxia is my husband’s great benefactor.” When I entered the capital for the exam, my husband, a poor bureaucrat, couldn’t even afford to stay in an inn. He nest in the streets of Chang’an every day and borrowed the night lights to read. He met the King of Jiangxia by chance. The king of Jiangxia was touched to see a scholar who was so poor but still worked hard. He immediately gave him some money so that he could live in the official inn and prepare for the exam. Afterwards, King Jiangxia, who had the intention, even specially greeted the people from the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Officials, saying that he had a disciple who wanted to participate in this year’s exam.

“In that case, the King of Jiangxia is indeed very grateful to Zhu Chengwen.” Qin Mubai said, “If I have a good background in the Imperial Examination, I will be able to vote for a good position in the Imperial Examination. If I can get a recommendation from a noble minister, I will be able to vote for a” Travel Paper “. This will greatly increase my chances of entering the Imperial Examination. Furthermore, even if he is a disciple of the King of Jiangxia, wherever he goes, he will still be a golden signboard.”

“Yes.” Chen Yan said, “But my husband didn’t know anything about this, and even confusedly handed over the official papers to the Ministry of Rites (meaning that he took the exam as a commoner and didn’t take advantage of the relationship between the Jiangxia King’s’disciples’).” Only after he was accepted did he hear the officials of the Ministry of Rites mention the matter of the Jiangxia King recommending him to help him. He regretted it and became grateful to the Jiangxia King as if he was a reincarnated parent. ”

“That is indeed a pity.” Qin Mubai said, “If he were to enter the official profession by investing in a bank paper, he would have a very high starting point in his official career. He might even become an official in the capital as an official of a poor family, and his future prospects would be boundless.” It was precisely because he had cast the official roll of the Ministry of Rites that he was only an ordinary Jinshi. Being able to become a rank seven magistrate was already considered quite good. The king of Jiangxia was the minister of the Ministry of Rites. Although he would not personally preside over the affairs of the Ministry of Rites, he still had authority there. With just a simple move, he had completely changed Zhu Chengwen’s fate. No wonder Zhu Chengwen is grateful to him. ”

“Actually, before meeting the King of Jiangxia, my husband treated him like a god in his heart.” Chen Yan said, “I’ve heard him mention the Jiang Xia King more than once. I’ve heard of his great achievements back then, saying that he was a young hero and a lofty person who loved his people like a son. He was a perfect person.” If I could see him once in my life, I wouldn’t be in vain in this life. “I never thought that his group would actually meet the King of Jiangxia and receive his great kindness … No wonder my husband would be in such pain and struggle after meeting those things in Jishan.”

Qin Mubai nodded, “I see.” Looks like that ledger really exists, and it must have recorded the whereabouts of a portion of the money for the construction of the embankment. It was probably given to the King of Jiangxia. Seeing the king of Jiangxia taking bribes and greedy for money, Zhu Chengwen must be in extreme pain. At the same time, Zhang Tianci and Cheng Songnian took advantage of Zhu Chengwen’s psychological weakness to coerce and entice him to join them. Helplessly, in order not to betray the king of Jiangxia, Zhu Chengwen had no choice but to secretly agree to them and help them do something harmful to the heavens. Struggling between kindness and morality, I can imagine Zhu Chengwen’s pain. But in the end, the eruption of the lake flood broke the balance in his heart. He decided to expose it. Even if he was scolded for being ungrateful, he would still reveal the true face of the flood to the public. Is that so? ”

“That’s right. It was precisely because of this that Liao Lirong killed him to silence him.” Chen Yan said, “Actually, I can imagine how relieved my husband was when he died. If he lived like that, it would be even more painful than death. Unfortunately, if he could live longer and see you, and hear you say that the King of Jiangxia was only deceived and used by others, he wouldn’t be so painful!”

At this point, Chen Yan’s eyes turned red and her voice choked up. She hurriedly covered her mouth and forced herself not to cry.

“Did he tell you in the letter that if he died, he would not betray the King of Jiangxia no matter what?” Qin Mubai said.

“Yes. This is the last and only last wish he left me.” Chen Yan said, “I don’t know why he is so stupid. In the end, he decided to use the name of being scolded for being ungrateful to reveal the truth of this case to the public, but in the end, he left me with such a last wish?”

Qin Mubai sighed and leisurely sighed, “Love and righteousness are hard to come by.” Zhu Chengwen is a good person. He has a grateful heart, but also a heart of justice for the public. However, these two hearts were unable to merge, making him unable to survive, unable to beg for death. At the end of his life, I suppose, he had already anticipated that he might face the scourge of death, and he was suddenly enlightened. As a county magistrate, he had the responsibility to uphold the justice of the law. However, after he died, he would no longer be the county magistrate of Jishan. There would be someone else to handle this palm case, and someone to take over the position of county magistrate from him. At this time, there was finally only one gratitude left in his heart. He hoped that the Jiang Xia King would be safe … although he did not know if the Jiang Xia King was really innocently being used by others. He’s just … grateful! ”

“That’s his only last wish. No matter what he says, I will do it without care.” Chen Yan said, “Just like that, I came to Mount Ji. You will know everything that happened next.”

Qin Mubai fell silent.

Zhu Chengwen, an ordinary member of the Tang Dynasty, lived a painful life under the test of love and blood, kindness and righteousness. As Chen Yan had said, death was a relief to him.

His pain came from his unparalleled affection!

If it was a heartless and unrighteous person, could An Neng suffer so much, or even lose her life recently?

As for Chen Yan, she was a simple and straightforward hero. The matter of being entrusted with loyalty, for a word and not hesitate to die, regardless of success or failure and right or wrong, go forward.

The same emphasis on love and righteousness.

Love and righteousness, why are there so many versions in this world? Which is right and which is wrong?

Or should we use simple and absolute “right” and “wrong” to weigh feelings and righteousness?

…