Chapter Ten

  After getting drunk and full, the crowd began to cheer and applaud. Leng Wuwei, however, slowly understood the situation in Ganzhou through the conversations of the people, realizing that a fifth-rank civil official was not as good as a sixth-rank military officer...

  Duan Fu. Official A: "Sir, what do you think is the background of this new official?" Duan Xingguo said with a deep and calculating tone: "This person is not simple, everyone knows that this is also Li Xiang's place, officials above the fifth rank are all appointed by Li Xiang, we insignificant idle officials have no influence on the current court, and it is well-known that the Left Chancellor and Right Chancellor do not get along, yet the Right Chancellor has sent Lord Leng to take office here, don't you think it's strange?" Official B: "Could it be that the Right Chancellor wants to deal with the Left Chancellor?"

  Li Hua: "I'm afraid things aren't that simple. The Li Lin dispute hasn't been clarified yet, and it's not clear who has the upper hand. A discerning person can see at a glance that Li Xiang is superior, but Right Minister still sent him here, there are only two reasons for this, either he is not Right Minister's man, or he is Right Minister's most trusted person, only then can he do so."

  Duan Xingguo: "What's the point of going through so much trouble? Why don't we just try to probe a bit tomorrow?"

  All the officials burst out laughing and said: "Right, let's probe a bit..."

  Inside the prefecture's yamen, Tian Da said with a worried heart: "Leng Shao, what are you planning to do? The situation here is not as we initially estimated, I'm getting a bit anxious." Leng Wuwei cleared his throat and said: "What's there to be anxious about? Just now I tested those pig-headed officials, they're all just pretending to be clever. Tomorrow, watch me create some confusion, make them risk their lives for me, perhaps even die, this account won't fall on my head." Tian Da: "I knew you'd have a plan..."

  The next day, Duan Xingguo brought those officials to the government office, while Wu Wei was having breakfast in the back hall. When the bailiff reported the arrival of guests, Wu Wei calmly walked into the front hall, thinking that these people were too impatient.

  "Ho, Lord Duan, Lord Li and all the lords, you've arrived quite early! Come on in, would you like some tea?" Cold Wuyi smiled as he greeted them.

  "Lord Leng, you're really diligent. You don't get up any later than us. Back in Tianyang County, the common people praised you as a good official who loves his people like his own children. When you left, they even gave you the 'Umbrella of Ten Thousand People'."

  "Cold: 'Ah, I'm just doing my part. Compared to all of you esteemed gentlemen, I still have a long way to go.'"

  "Sir, in a few days it will be Lin Xiang's birthday, I wonder what gift you plan to give him?"

  "Cold: 'Actually, I haven't thought it through either. Based on my understanding of Lin Xiang, if I can make a name for myself here, I think that would be the best gift for Master Lin. I also hope you can help me fulfill this wish, and at that time, none of you will lose out.'"

  Everyone agrees with it.

  Li Hua: "Lord Leng doesn't know what you understand about Prime Minister Xiang, can you tell us a bit? What are his hobbies? If we want to send him gifts, we should know what to send and what not to send."

  Leng: "I'm not quite sure what Master Xiang's hobbies are, but I'm all too familiar with Miss's hobbies. However, I suppose you two shouldn't be interested in this, should you?"

  "Sir, you're joking, what is it that you need us to do?"

  Leng: "I don't know yet, in the capital... oh, never mind. In a few days, I think I'll figure out what to do." Leng Wuwei took a sip of tea and continued: "I hope you all can take advantage of these few days to carefully consider your future, so as not to regret it later. I've just arrived, there are many official matters that need attending to, so I won't keep you any longer."

  "Sir, we are grateful for your imperial favor and will not disturb you further. This small token is a gesture of our collective goodwill; please accept it as a humble expression of our sincerity."

  "Alas, Lord Li, this is really improper, how can I possibly agree?"

  Both sides pushed each other, and finally coldly said "I'll reluctantly accept": "Then I won't be polite, but I want to remind you all that even birds have times when they rely on trees. No need to send me off..."

  Outside the government office. Official A: "Lord Duan, have you heard any hidden meaning?" Duan Xingguo: "This is not a straightforward matter, it seems that Lord Leng has some special relationship with Lin Shang's family? Especially his last sentence, it was telling us to choose between Left Minister and Right Minister. If he wasn't on the side of the Right Minister, why would he say such things?" Li Hua: "What should we do now?" Duan Xingguo: "Let's go back to my residence and discuss this slowly."

  Tian Da: "Leng Shao, how much silver did you take from them? Did they discover any weaknesses?"

  Leng Wuwei: "I counted it, there are one thousand two silver coins. This time we can get rich."

  Tian Da: "Leng Shao, don't you forget that Li Yi is also here. You'd better be careful and not capsize in a ditch."

  Leng Wuwei: "I'm very clear about this, you go help me investigate something..."

  "General Huangfu, that county magistrate has fled here, please give me a troop to capture him and vent my anger." Li Yi shouted with an evil face. The commander of Gan Zhou was General Huangfu Yuan, who was promoted by Prime Minister Li. He was calm and cautious in battle, never suffered any major defeats, and thus held the second-grade official position. He commanded 200,000 soldiers, who were loyal to him as he had trained them himself. Although he was over 50 years old this year, he was still very astute in handling matters, so Prime Minister Li valued his opinion and often sought it on major military and national affairs.