Chapter 16: Dissolving the Crisis (Part 2)

  The official hat, the official clothes, Du Hong ordered the bailiffs to take out the county magistrate's insignia, everything was ready, just waiting to step out of the door, turned his head and saw Du Yan standing in the public house, with a hesitant look on her face.

  Du Hong furrowed his brow: "Yan'er, go back to the inner courtyard and help your mother sort out the family's valuables. Shi Lu has come with grievances this time, and it's certain that he won't say anything good in his evaluation. Tomorrow, I'll submit my resignation and we'll return to our hometown."

  Du Yan hastily said: "Father, this matter can still be done..."

  "What's wrong?"

  "Do you still remember that bookworm named Qin Kan? He came up with a plan for his daughter..."

  The words were not yet out of his mouth when Du Hong abruptly interrupted him: "Nonsense! Young people are too ignorant, you're being reckless and bringing others into this, do you think the officialdom is a place where you can act recklessly?"

  "Dad, he really has a way..."

  "Shut up! A woman of your status, a scholar who has lost his honor, what can you achieve? Yan'er, my Du family is a respectable family. You, an unmarried girl, are always running around outside and entangling yourself with strange men. What kind of behavior is this?! Hurry back to the inner courtyard, I'll punish you by confining you to your room. From now on, you're not allowed to go out!"

  Du Hong said and then angrily stormed off with a flick of his sleeve.

  Du Yan gazed blankly at her father's aged back, and tears fell inexplicably.

  Dad is a good official, his heart has always been filled with the people, and he has always adhered to the belief of bringing benefits to the local area. Such a good official should not end up being forced by petty men to return home in disappointment.

  After standing still for a long time, Du Yan suddenly wiped away her tears and became resolute.

  Qin Kan, I hope you won't let me down.

  Shaoxing City West Gate.

  Du Hong stood quietly on the right side of the city gate, with the county lieutenant, registrar, chief clerk, and catcher standing behind him in order of rank. Originally, a secretary should have been standing there too, but unfortunately, that secretary was too clever. After learning that County Magistrate Du had offended the touring censor, he wisely submitted his resignation to Du Hong yesterday and left Shanyin County overnight to find another Bole.

  On the left side of the path stood two military officers and a row of soldiers, the military officers were Liu Yang, the inspector of Yinxian County Patrol Department, and his deputy Ding Xiong. In the Ming Dynasty, there was a saying that "wen" (civil officials) and "wu" (military officials) were two separate paths, and civil officials looked down on military officials. When they met, their positions were always clearly defined.

  Inspector Liu Yang was a man in his thirties, with a rough appearance. He wore a green military uniform with a ninth-rank sea horse emblem embroidered on the chest, standing in front of the soldiers like a tiger crouching, his eyes occasionally sweeping over Du Hong on the right side of the corridor, with a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

  The Da Ming Dynasty often looked down on military officials, but there were exceptions. Du Hong was one such exception; since taking office, he had gotten along well with Liu Yang, the patrol inspector. The Patrol Inspector's Office was responsible for investigating crimes within the city, capturing thieves and smugglers, as well as cooperating with the yamen to capture fugitives and patrol the city. Du Hong had never looked down on these rough military men, which made Liu Yang very grateful; whenever there were matters within the city, he would always respond promptly.

  The grudges between the Circuit Intendant and Du Hong had long been circulating within the city, and Liu Yang had naturally also heard about it. Seeing that his good superior was about to be dismissed, Liu Yang felt anxious in his heart, with a belly full of resentment but not knowing how to vent it.

  If Master Du is dismissed, will the next magistrate still be so kind to this martial artist?

  The city gate's corridor was lined with officials and soldiers on both sides, everyone maintaining an eerie silence, yet each harboring different thoughts.

  After the two incense sticks had passed, the official carriage of Circuit Intendant Shi Lu approached from afar. Du Hong expressionlessly watched Shi Lu's carriage, silently sighing in his heart, "He has finally come..."

  Shi Ruo's official carriage was not extravagant, with only one horse-drawn carriage, a coachman, four or five attending soldiers, and a house servant.

  The touring censor was responsible for investigating the style of governance, impeaching and dismissing officials, and naturally had to set an example himself. Therefore, he was especially cautious in terms of ceremonial attire and personal expenses. Some censors, in order to gain a reputation for being clean and honest, would even deliberately sew a few patches on their new official robes. The atmosphere in the official circles was so absurd and laughable.

  The official carriage moved at a moderate pace, and soon arrived at the west city gate. The county officials were all prepared to take a few steps forward to show their respect, but they saw that Du, the county magistrate, was silent and motionless, his feet not moving an inch, like a clay or wooden statue. The officials looked at each other in dismay, and none of them took a step forward.

  The superior officers remain still, and the inferior ones naturally dare not move; this is the rule.

  The carriage stopped at the city gate, the curtain opened, and Shi Lu, dressed in formal official robes, was helped down from the carriage by a family servant.

  Shi Lu was about forty years old, slender in build, with an ordinary appearance but a somewhat dignified demeanor. His black beard fluttered in the wind, looking quite proper.

  He adjusted his clothes and hat, saw the county officials standing far away across the long city gate, but no one came forward to greet him. Shi Lu furrowed his brow, looked closely, and saw a figure standing proudly at the front, tall and upright, yet so piercingly eye-catching.

  Shi Ruo's face suddenly turned gloomy, but soon he put on a smile again, hahaha laughed twice, and proactively walked over to the corridor, bowing his hands to Du Hong.

  "Du Zhixian met face to face, after parting in Nanjing for two years, are you well?"

  Shi Lu was arranged to live in the government hostel.

  Two days passed and the county government of Shanyin remained as calm as a dead water, with Shi Lu's arrival seemingly not causing any ripples.

  The atmosphere inside the yamen became increasingly tense day by day, from the county lieutenant to the lowest-ranking servants, no one dared to breathe loudly.

  Calmness does not represent nothing, on the contrary, the calmer it is, the more it represents that a storm is about to arrive.

  A storm is brewing, wind fills the tower.

  …………

  …………

  Du Yan couldn't stay in the inner courtyard of the government office any longer.

  She really couldn't stand the low air pressure in the government office, which made her feel suffocated and depressed. At the same time, she was also very angry. Qin Kan had promised to help her get out of this predicament, but two days had passed since Shi Lu arrived, yet there was no news from Qin Kan's side.

  What is this guy doing? Doesn't he know that Father's official position is in danger at any moment?

  Du Yan wrapped herself in a whirlwind of momentum and ran to the inn with a burst of energy.

  Still the familiar vigorous kicking-the-door method, the inn's fellow only saw a young woman rushing into Qin Gongzi's room, then inside came a burst of crackling and crashing sounds, as well as Qin Gongzi's sorrowful and anxious shouting: "Surnamed Du, are you going to take someone's life...?", after which the room fell silent.

  In the room, Du Yan was rubbing her wrist with a pleased expression, but her mood had relaxed a lot, and even a few smiles appeared at the corner of her mouth.

  Qin Kan lay on the edge of the table, half his body numb with pain.

  Du Yan looked at Qin Kan's appearance, with a hint of apology on her face: "Sorry, Master Qin. Just now, I felt a surge of anger and frustration in my heart, so when I kicked open your door and saw you looking so smug, especially when you smiled, it was as if you were asking to be beaten. So, this young woman didn't need to be polite..."

  Qin Kan: "......"

  P.S: Sorry... Those who haven't voted yet, hurry up and vote now...