latelenovela Chapter 129
Chapter 129
Chapter 129
Li Yuanying didn’t know that many eyes were watching as they traveled to various villages. News spread rapidly through traders and their route was leak from Xu Jingzong’s men. As they reach a new place, people were already ready to welcome them.
On the morning of the third day, the party set off to their next destination. Midway through the journey the crowd gradually decrease until there was no one left. Unexpectedly when they were passing through a forest, someone suddenly jumped out. The escorts accompanying the group had receive Xu Jingzong’s order to protect the noble guests and as soon as they heard movement, they quickly defended and shouted vigilantly: “Who is there?!”
It was a frail-looking scholar, extremely thin and his clothes were full of patches. Seeing the guard’s protective posture, his hopeful eyes dimmed instantly.
“This commoner encountered a poisonous snake, he runs a little hastily. Apologies for startling the noble man.” After saying this, he dejectedly turn around to leave back to his original path.
Yuanying saw that he did not look like a villain and told the guards to step down.
“Didn’t you say there are poisonous snakes? Why are you going back the same route? Snakes and beast are throughout the path in this forest. You look like a scholar not a military man, isn’t it better to take the proper path?” (Li Yuanying)
Not sure which sentence touched on the scholar’s sadness but he sat on the ground crying, showing no elegance of an educated person.
Yuanying was stunned and turned back asking if he said anything wrong.
Seeing that the others didn’t have a clue, Yuanying asked directly: “What’s wrong with you? Are you in trouble? A man shouldn’t shed tears so easily!”
The scholar cried: “The right path is easy to walk but not everyone can on walk it.”
Di Renjie and Wu Mei looked at each other and realized that this scholar was probably here to air his grievances. When he saw government servants accompanying the group and that they were all teenagers and girls, he backed down.
Looks like it’s a rather serious issue. Perhaps he filed a complaint with the county officials but got no result!
Di Renjie was thinking if he should hint Li Yuanying but the boy didn’t look back but instead stepped forward.
“Hey, stop crying. Where do you live? Is there anything delicious and fun nearby? If your introduction is good, I will give you a reward! If you have money what can’t be solved?”
Although the scholar was despairing, he did not dare to ignore the nobleman that even Xu Jingzong had to please.
He has a frail and sick mother to support – if not for this, he would not be alive!
The scholar cheered up and talked about the mountains and rivers around his home. As for delicious food, melons are the most delicious. Now go ask for a ripe one and you can taste them.
Yuanying nodded and asked the scholar to lead the way. He wants to try melons with his friends.
Although the accompanying officials find Wu Zhiyuan’s crying senseless, they didn’t take it to heart. After all, aren’t all scholars strange?
They were relieved to hear that the prince is finally looking for good food and good fun. They have been working hard for 2 days and it was tiring following them around.
The villagers’ attitude were drastically different towards the group, but this was because Li Yuanying exchange hospitality with money. In the future when they had to run errands, things will return to status quo. Let’s just do as little work as possible!
The group followed the scholar home. When Yuanying saw that he had stopped crying, he started chatting with him like how he did with the locals.
The scholar’s name is Wu Zhiyuan and he studied in a county school and was the hope of his family. He had an older brother, a younger sister, and a frail sick old mother. Yuanying didn’t manage to get any info beyond that. The scholar’s village was not far from the mountain forest and Yuanying tried identifying it on his route map but could not find it. He asked the scholar what his village is called.
“Everyone’s surname is Wu, so we call it Wu Family Village.”
Li Yuanying wasn’t expecting such a tragic story.
The Yin family was not on his route but when the scholar mentioned Yin family in Hu County, Yuanying remembered. Didn’t he just saw a picture of the 24 Heroes? Among them was someone named Yin, the Duke of Xun Guo named Yin Kaishan. Yin Kaishan had no biological son and so his successor was his nephew Yin Yuan. Although he had not heard about Yin Yuan being particularly outstanding, he was someone that the Emperor remembers and so is somewhat favoured by the Emperor.
Is the Yin family village mentioned by Wu Zhiyuan related to the Xun Guo family?
Thinking about how Xu Jingzong treated him with such attentiveness, Yuanying knew that even if Duke Xun Guo never asked for it, Xu Jingzong would have taken the initiative to “handle” the situation cleanly and properly.
“Do you have evidence in your hands?”
Wu Zhiyuan was speechless.
Li Yuanying understood that he didn’t.
“You two, mother and son, come with me to Taihe Palace. I will ask someone to wait there. After we say goodbye, I will take you to my house to stay temporarily. I will ask someone to investigate. If it is true, and I will definitely give you justice; but if it turns out that’s not the case, just live your life well, support your mother, and stop thinking about this anymore.”
When people are sad, they may blame unrelated people. Li Yuanying feels that it is better to investigate thoroughly.
Hearing Li Yuanying say that he will keep mother and son safe, Wu Zhiyuan’s eyes ignited with hope and said hesitantly: “I have a younger sister...”
“Bring her along.”
Wu Zhiyuan called his sister out. She was about 13 or 14, quite smart but a little shy. After she came out, she held onto the corner of mother’s clothes and timidly follow mother’s instructions to say hello to Li Yuanying.
Li Yuanying nodded and said no more. He discussed a few words with Di Renjie and the others and whistle to call his white-headed bird. He asked for paper and pen to deliver a message to Dong Xiaoyi.
After finishing, he did not linger any longer but continued with their work.
The county officer in-charged were informed about everything that had happened and he very cooperatively brought the group around homes securing data for the census study, He also probe about how Li Yuanying met Wu Zhiyuan.
Yuanying shared Wu Zhiyuan’s encounter with a poisonous snake and then ask the county officer why did the youth stopped studying. Did he meet any difficulty at home? It’s not easy to become a scholar in a rural area so he shouldn’t give up just because his family is poor!
Believing that Yuanying wasn’t aware about anything, the officer just replied that Wu Zhiyuan had just lost his mother and had to observe filial piety for 3 years. He cannot study for the time being but he promised to persuade him to do so in the future.
Li Yuanying didn’t seem interested in whether Wu Zhiyuan continued his study so he didn’t continue the conversation. Instead, Yuanying mentioned about Wu Zhiyuan’s sister: “The sister is really pretty.”
There was a surge of excitement in the room. Earlier, when he saw the prince travelling with 3 beautiful young ladies, he felt that the young prince was lucky. Now that he has said something like this, the county officer naturally thought that Prince Teng might have fallen in love with the young Wu lady!
Is Wu Zhiyuan’s luck going to change?
The officer found an opportunity to excuse himself and whispered a few words to a trusted nephew to quickly inform Magistrate Xu about the Prince’s contact with Wu Family Village and Wu Zhiyuan’s family. If Wu Zhiyuan’s luck really changes, those responsible for taking action against him will definitely suffer!
Notes from the author:
Little Prince: The world outside is so dangerous!
References
↑1A famous politician in the Song Dynasty known for his upright character and upholding justice