Though the officer’s words were impolite, everyone present understood what they meant.
The indifferent expressions of the officials on the high platform changed slightly. They hadn’t expected these capital soldiers would come forward to intervene.
It was truly perplexing.
“Lin Kun!” Director Zhu called out the officer’s name. Although he was just a commander, being in the capital, Lin Kun was also from a noble family, and they all knew each other. “For your matter, the Capital Garrison will punish you.”
Lin Kun wasn’t afraid of him and said with a smile: “What matter do we have? We just had a verbal dispute and pushed each other a bit. This is very common. Last month, several soldiers from the Southern and Northern Armies also pushed each other around, and it reached the Director-General. The Director-General said it wasn’t a big deal.”
Invoking the Director-General now—these officers and soldiers in the Capital Garrison were all quite shrewd in navigating the capital. Director Zhu looked at him: “A verbal dispute? Just pushing each other a bit? That’s not what was said earlier, is it?”
Lin Kun widened his eyes, playing dumb: “It was just a verbal dispute, arguing about whether the food was good or not.” He turned to look at the soldiers. “Isn’t that right?”
Several soldiers stepped forward from the group, their clothes in disarray, faces bruised and noses swollen. These were the five mess soldiers from earlier. As the instigators, they naturally had participated in the competition between the two sides.
When questioned now, all five rushed to speak: “Yes.” “That’s right.” “Our cooking isn’t good.” “They said so, and we didn’t want to hear it, so we cursed at them.”
This was different from what was said earlier.
Director Zhu looked at these people and sneered: “You’ve been beaten and now you’re afraid?”
Lin Kun said: “Sir, you’re diminishing your authority. We’re all soldiers of Great Xia, how could we be frightened by a beating? Who have we ever feared? When the Prince of Zhongshan’s troops came, didn’t we meet them in battle?” Before Director Zhu could speak again, he continued, “We’ve long admired the border army’s reputation. Now that we’ve met, we had to compare skills. We’re all brothers, what’s the big deal about a little exchange?”
As he spoke, he saluted again.
“It’s our fault for disturbing the officials at court.”
“So if there must be punishment, punish us all together, for fairness and justice.”
The surrounding capital soldiers all followed suit, requesting to “punish us all together.”
Amid the commotion, Xie Yanlai turned his head to examine Lin Kun and said: “I didn’t expect you to have such courage.”
“Xie Yanlai,” Lin Kun said, “just for that remark, we could fight you again.”
Xie Yanlai snorted: “Come on then.”
This area suddenly went quiet, then suddenly became noisy again. People watching from a distance didn’t know what had happened, but Zhang Gu and the soldiers standing nearby could see and hear roughly what was going on.
“I didn’t expect Commander Lin to be so reasonable,” a soldier said in a low voice, then sighed with relief. “Last time I went to his place to deliver a post message, I saw him lose his temper and smash the table. After smashing it, he even chased after someone to beat them. It was terrifying.”
Zhang Gu laughed: “He’s not being reasonable. It’s just that A-Jiu is the kind of person who is especially likable.”
Another soldier nodded: “Speaking of likability, this A-Jiu doesn’t qualify. His words can make people furious, but actually, he doesn’t bully people. He’s very fair—you hit me, I hit you; I hit you, you can hit me back. Whether you can win or not, that depends on your ability.”
Zhang Gu shook his head: “Actually, this time he’s not doing it for himself. If it were just for himself, he wouldn’t bother tussling with these people.”
A-Jiu was quite lazy.
“That’s true,” the previous soldier nodded. “They’ve already said it started over food and drink. Even if he were taken away by the officials from the Ministry of War, could they convict him for that? At most, they’d reprimand him a couple of times and let it go.”
“Then why did he fight like this?” another soldier still didn’t quite understand. “To show off his might?” He also seemed a bit nervous. “And now with him causing such a disturbance, he could be convicted for inciting military confrontation.”
Zhang Gu looked at the soldiers gathered in front, all dusty and disheveled. They no longer maintained clear boundaries, distinctly separate, but now stood mixed, talking to each other.
“He is doing it for the border army,” Zhang Gu said. “He doesn’t care about himself, but he doesn’t want the border army to be resented by the capital troops, nor does he want the border army’s reputation to be damaged.”
So, how to resolve it? By fighting fiercely, letting everyone fight out their frustrations, and making them submit through combat. Beginning with a fight, ending with a fight, only then would the matter truly be finished.
…
…
“Sir, you can’t take them all away,” an official said to Director Zhu in a low voice. “If the Capital Garrison gets involved, the matter will become too big.”
As Director Zhu was about to speak, the spectators outside, not knowing what was happening, raised a commotion.
“Are you going to fight or not?”
“We’ve already placed bets, fight quickly!”
Director Zhu’s face darkened. What kind of situation was this!
“The common people are treating it as entertainment,” another official said in a low voice. “If we take away so many soldiers, rumors will spread.”
Director Zhu looked at Xie Yanlai below the platform. The young man was already arm in arm with Lin Kun, talking, as if the matter had been put behind them, completely disregarding the officials on the platform.
“But we can’t let the matter end like this!” he said coldly. “As the commander of the border army, no matter what, he cannot escape blame. He must be taken away!”
This was indeed the case. The officials fell silent.
But then someone else spoke.
“Director Zhu, since it was just a military competition, let this matter end here.”
Director Zhu’s face darkened. Who? Who dared to order him like this!
He first looked at the red-robed eunuch standing nearby. The old eunuch had kindly features and indicated with his eyes that he hadn’t spoken, even kindly pointing toward the area below the platform.
Seventh Master Xie had already come up.
“Director Zhu, although it caused a misunderstanding, a military competition hardly constitutes a violation of military law,” he continued. “So let’s set aside talk of crimes and punishment.”
Director Zhu looked at Seventh Master Xie and said: “Is the Seventh Master trying to interfere in state affairs? This matter is for the Grand Tutor—”
Seventh Master Xie wasn’t as gentle as Xie Yanfang and interrupted directly: “Don’t try to bring up such things. Both sides have said it was a competition, not even a brawl. What state affairs am I interfering with? At most, it’s mischief. Don’t worry, we’re not going to indulge him. The child is mischievous. Bring him back, and we’ll discipline him properly. Just tell the Grand Tutor this. If the Grand Tutor disagrees, let him talk to Yanfang. Let the Imperial Guard come to arrest him if needed.”
Although the Grand Tutor had confiscated many households’ property, he still couldn’t easily touch the Xie family’s gate.
The Grand Tutor could argue with Xie Yanfang, but Director Zhu didn’t dare to truly argue with Seventh Master Xie. After all, Seventh Master Xie was the Emperor’s elder.
“I will convey this to the Grand Tutor,” he said coldly.
Seventh Master Xie then turned to look below the platform and shouted angrily: “Xie Yanlai.”
Xie Yanlai, who had been chatting animatedly with Lin Kun, looked up.
Lin Kun also looked at this man and said in a low voice: “That’s your uncle? My uncle entertained him at a banquet last time.”
Xie Yanlai made a sound of acknowledgment, answering both men with this one sound.
“You are incorrigibly mischievous, acting willfully in the military. Although the military might not take it seriously, the family cannot ignore it,” Seventh Master Xie shouted, then commanded, “Bind him and take him back to kneel in the ancestral hall.”
Xie Yanlai laughed: “Seventh Uncle, isn’t the ancestral hall in Dongyang?”
Seventh Master Xie said coldly: “If the ancestral hall is in your heart, you can kneel anywhere. Of course, you can also go back to Dongyang to kneel in the ancestral hall. Your suggestion is quite good.”
Return to Dongyang? After that, he would never be allowed out again, like an eagle with its wings broken. Xie Yanlai fell silent, looking at Seventh Master Xie.
The Xie family’s servants had already walked up to Xie Yanlai and respectfully said: “Ninth Young Master, please come with us.”
Xie Xiao hid behind the servants, covering his face and saying vehemently: “If he doesn’t go, bind him. Our Xie family’s good name has been completely lost because of him! If we don’t discipline him, what kind of example are we setting?”
The officials on the high platform, seeing Seventh Master Xie binding someone according to family rules, only sneered. Their family had monopolized the good reputation, without suffering any loss yet.
Lin Kun couldn’t say anything more either. This was a family matter, and he had no reason to say he would go along too.
But at least there was no conviction. Going home, so be it.
He looked at Xie Yanlai’s wooden face and said in a low voice: “I understand, family is always troublesome.”
But there was no way around it. That was family, impossible to escape. He patted Xie Yanlai’s shoulder.
“Go back and admit your mistake properly, act like a good grandson for a few days, then come out to play with me again.”
With his pat, Xie Yanlai stepped forward a few paces and was surrounded by several servants.
Officer Niu from the border army blurted out “No” and pushed away the servants to grab Xie Yanlai: “You can’t go home. You’re supposed to have an audience. You’re the military envoy.”
Seventh Master Xie glanced at this officer. So many officials didn’t intervene, yet he dared to say no.
“Don’t worry,” Seventh Master Xie said with an ambiguous smile, jesting with this brute, “It won’t delay his duties. Even if it does, his brother is in court and can speak for him.”
Officer Niu didn’t know why he was trying to stop this. As the military envoy having an audience was also the Xie family’s glory. Would the Xie family delay that?
But for some unknown reason, perhaps because looking at these Xie family members, both old and young, it seemed that as soon as they opened their mouths, they would swallow Xie Yanlai and never spit him out again.
“Why not wait until after the audience returns home?” he said again.
Seventh Master Xie’s face darkened. Before he could speak, Xie Yanlai put his hand on Officer Niu’s shoulder.
“Old Niu, why are you so talkative?” he said. “Do you miss me? Didn’t you find me annoying all the way here? Before leaving, I heard you complaining to Zhong Changrong, saying you didn’t want to accompany me. Now that we’ve entered the capital, are you afraid? Do you need to rely on me?”
Officer Niu glared and said: “What nonsense are you talking! I’m concerned about the border army’s mission. You’re not reliable at all. Don’t delay Commander Zhong’s important matters.”
Xie Yanlai smiled: “Don’t worry. I am me, and the border army is the border army. It won’t be delayed because of me.” With that, he pushed him away.
What did he mean by “I am me, and the border army is the border army”? Officer Niu wanted to ask more, but Xie Yanlai’s push was forceful, making him step back several paces. Several officers and soldiers from the border army surrounded him, indicating that he shouldn’t say more.
“His brother is Xie Yanfang, no less than the Grand Tutor in court. Don’t worry unnecessarily.”
“Xie Yanlai can speak freely, with a powerful family background, whatever he says doesn’t matter. Who are you? Say less, this is the capital.”
Seeing that the officer had quieted and was no longer speaking, Seventh Master Xie smiled and flicked his sleeve. No matter what commander you are, no matter how many troops you command, and regardless of what military envoy you are, the Xie family’s people are the Xie family’s business; who else could interfere?
“Alright, let’s go—” he began.
But just as he spoke, someone else interrupted: “Seventh Master, please wait a moment.”
Who was this ignorant person now? How was it that taking away one Xie Yanlai, such a small matter, was dragging on endlessly?
Seventh Master Xie turned around with an annoyed expression, only to see the red-robed eunuch smiling and bowing to him.
“Eunuch Qi,” Seventh Master Xie put away his irritation and said warmly with a smile, “What instructions do you have?”
Eunuch Qi said, “Young Master Yanlai cannot go back yet. The Empress wishes to see him.”