Chapter 585: Chapter 585: Another Trap
Lord Lin, who came to announce the appointment, looked at County Magistrate Xu’s nearly crying face and furrowed his brows, asking: "What’s the matter with Lord Xu? Are you dissatisfied with the appointment?"
County Magistrate Xu hastened to smile and said: "Not at all, not at all. Being able to serve as an official in the Capital is Xu’s lifelong wish. It’s just that I’m overwhelmed."
Overwhelmed to the point of tears!
Lord Lin chuckled upon hearing this: "I see. This is indeed a rare joyful event. It’s only natural for Lord Xu to feel overwhelmed."
County Magistrate Xu: "..."
Don’t speak, allow me to grieve for a while.
But reality is cruel, County Magistrate Xu simply had no time for sorrow; he still had to grin from ear to ear, happily hosting a banquet for Lord Lin and his entourage.
During the feast, County Magistrate Xu was downing his drink, only mustering up forced laughter and making polite small talk when Lord Lin cast worried glances his way, which at one point made Lord Lin think: Xu Chongfeng has been promoted two grades and must be so elated that he’s become delirious, confusing joy with misery. Also, can you stop smiling? Your smile is uglier than crying, I came here to announce a promotion, not to send you to jail!
Fortunately, there were people like County Captain Jiang, Lord Zheng, Master Tian, Steward Yu around; otherwise, Lord Lin’s meal would have been completely spoiled.
County Magistrate Xu endured agonizing torment. After finally seeing off the banquet, he sent Lord Lin to rest at the guesthouse, and after dispatching Lord Zheng as well, he couldn’t hold back his tears any longer.
He truly wept.
With resignation Master Tian asked: "My lord, what is this about? You’ve been promoted, you should be happy."
Is this appropriate, like you’ve lost your parents?
County Magistrate Xu grew angry: "What am I doing? Don’t you know exactly what I’m made of? Am I made for those broken cases? And what cases does the Da Li Temple deal with? Those are all major cases, every case not only involves human lives but also entangles high-ranking officials, nobility, even secrets of the Imperial Family... Seeing that I’ll likely die once I take the position, how can I not cry?"
Even though he wanted to achieve merits and get promoted, he didn’t want to lose his life.
"I thought it was a steamed bun stuffed with a big piece of meat, but who would have known, the bun did drop, but what it wrapped inside was a knife—I’m finished!"
Initially happy about County Magistrate Xu’s promotion, Master Tian began to worry upon hearing these words.
Right, how much capability does Brother Xu really have, don’t they know? He is just someone who wanted to muddle through, retire and return to his hometown, but now, truthfully speaking, ah...
After weeping for a while, County Magistrate Xu grabbed Master Tian’s hand and asked: "How about if I resign and return home now?"
Master Tian replied: "That won’t do. You’ve just been granted the promotion, and if you submit a petition for resignation now, that would be a slap in the face of the Capital Officials and the Emperor. Do you think you’ll still be able to return home?"
You wouldn’t even make it on the road, they would snap you up for refusing the honor given.
After hearing this, County Magistrate Xu cried again.
County Magistrate Xu’s son, Xu Dexian, was holding a bowl of hangover soup, intending to bring it to his father, but seeing his father in such a tearful state made him somewhat frightened.
County Captain Jiang was sipping his hangover soup and seeing Xu Dexian’s fearful look, smiled at him, softly uttering the word "Jiang."
Xu Dexian was startled, his eyes lit up, and he quickly said to County Magistrate Xu: "Dad, we can ask Grandpa Jiang for help."
This Grandpa Jiang is none other than Zou Jiang.
County Magistrate Xu hesitated, then picked up a scroll and hit his son with it: "Have you sided with that old man after just a few days with him? What help can you expect from him? Day in, day out he just lazes around the government office, eating and drinking without a care. He’s already consumed no less than ten taels of Silver from the office, and we still have to provide him with paper and ink for writing. Just look at him, an old man shamelessly scribbling sour verses on white paper that no one cares to read."
Whenever County Magistrate Xu mentioned Zou Jiang, he would get irritated.
That old man was truly shameless; County Magistrate Xu had hinted several times that he had avenged his great grievances and could return to his ancestral home in Luchang County. There was no need to live in the county government office all the time. How appropriate is it for an outsider to stay there for months on end, eating and drinking for free?
County Captain Jiang shook his head, realizing that hints wouldn’t work, he bluntly said, "My lord, you come from a scholarly background and aren’t skilled at resolving cases, but Zou Jiang is capable. He has both strategy and courage, along with meticulous thought. Both the Zou Youlian Case and the Water Bandit Case were cracked thanks to him. A case from the Da Li Temple surely won’t stump him. If you could employ him as your staff officer and take him with you to your new post, solving cases will surely be worry-free."
County Magistrate Xu was taken aback, finding County Captain Jiang’s words quite reasonable, but still...
County Captain Jiang continued: "My lord, I am aware that you do not completely trust him due to Zou Jiang’s past assistance to County Magistrate Zou..."
In truth, he was afraid of Zou Jiang, fearing that getting too close to the old fox could prove deadly.
"But now, the only one who can help you is Zou Jiang."
Actually, that too was a trap—a pit dug jointly by Ming Shaoqing and Zou Jiang, waiting for County Magistrate Xu to fall into.
Zou Jiang was indeed a loyal and righteous man, acutely aware that due to the Water Bandit Case, County Magistrate Xu was destined for a promotion to the Capital. Given County Magistrate Xu’s intellect, taking office in the Capital would be a dead end without a strategist to protect him, and Zou Jiang was the perfect candidate. Therefore, when Ming Shaoqing invited him to the Capital, he refused, saying instead he preferred to work alongside County Magistrate Xu.
Ming Shaoqing caught on immediately and changed tactics, pleading directly with Elder Shangguan to allow County Magistrate Xu to become a Capital Official directly and to bring Zou Jiang with him into the Capital.
Thus, Zou Jiang hadn’t returned to his hometown but stayed in the county government office, waiting for County Magistrate Xu to summon him. However, the obtuse County Magistrate Xu still resented Zou Jiang’s extended stay in the office.
Master Tian was very pleased, urging, "Right, my lord, Zou Jiang can help us. Hurry and invite him now, he could well be the one to save your life."
County Magistrate Xu was quite tempted, but he didn’t want to lose face in front of Zou Jiang. Wiping away a tear, he sat by the fire and said, "No rush. Since that old man is staying in the government office, we can deal with this matter after finishing tomorrow’s duties. I reckon an old man with no attachments would be willing to accompany me to the Capital."
County Captain Jiang looked at County Magistrate Xu and kindly suggested, "My lord, this matter must be dealt with sooner or later. Why not invite Zou Jiang now?"
If you wait until tomorrow, you might have to kneel to solicit him.
As expected, the next day, just after County Magistrate Xu finished his morning meal with Mrs. Xu and was holding a hand warmer on his way to the front office, Master Tian came running, calling out: "My lord, Zou Jiang has gone back to his hometown!"
With a thud, County Magistrate Xu slipped and theatrically fell over, and the two servants hastily helped him up. Barely managing to don his official hat, County Magistrate Xu urgently asked, "What did you say? Old Zou Jiang went back home?"
Master Tian nodded: "Yes, the miscellaneous soldier who attended to him said that seeing the weather turn cold, and feeling desolate living alone, he was deeply saddened and thought to return home to spend his final years."
County Magistrate Xu was exasperated: "Has he gone mad? He didn’t return before, but now he chooses to go back. What a troublesome fellow!"
As if he wouldn’t stop until he drove him to his grave.
Master Tian said, "Now is not the time to discuss this. My lord, you must hurry and chase after him. Once Zou Jiang is back home and entangled in local affairs, I fear he will no longer accompany us to the Capital. The perilous Jingmen Road, where bones rest in scarlet coffins at Liang Chen Tomb, my lord, if you don’t wish to die, you must beseech this old fox."
Master Tian was also very afraid of death. He was well aware that the three stewards, including himself, as well as those few staff members, were no match for others in the Capital. Without a fierce protector, they were all doomed.