“A popular uprising occurred in Fudong?” After hearing Qiao Zhao’s account, Shao Mingyuan’s expression grew slightly grave.
“Yes, a popular uprising, yet the capital received not a single piece of news about it. Xing Wuyang is quite a remarkable figure.” Qiao Zhao sneered.
Shao Mingyuan raised his eyebrows: “A remarkable figure?”
Qiao Zhao pushed him and chided: “Don’t start talking about other things when we’ve barely said two serious sentences.”
Thinking about that person’s inappropriate behavior just now, Miss Qiao quietly blushed.
This audacious scoundrel was becoming increasingly brazen.
Shao Mingyuan looked aggrieved: “I’ve always been a very proper person.”
His tone changed, turning cold: “It seems Xing Wuyang has truly been in Fudong too long—so long he’s forgotten his duties. Calling such a person a parasite of the nation would be letting him off easy. I just didn’t expect that the two girls we brought back would be the daughters of the Fudong Censorate Inspector.”
“Perhaps even Heaven couldn’t stand it and gave us a helping hand. Tingquan, if we rescue Zhen Niang’s father and bring him before the Emperor, we should be able to bring down Xing Wuyang, right?”
Shao Mingyuan pondered: “Normally, there shouldn’t be any problem, but I’ve been in the Northern Territories for years and know little about the current Son of Heaven’s thoughts. Perhaps we should ask Shixi’s opinion on this matter.”
“That’s a good idea.”
Shao Mingyuan turned toward the door, about to instruct Chen Guang, who was waiting outside, when Qiao Zhao suddenly thought of something. She tugged at his sleeve and asked embarrassedly: “Do I look alright?”
The man’s gaze slowly swept over the girl’s rosy lips, and he chuckled softly: “Quite good.”
Qiao Zhao pressed her lips together and shot him a withering look.
Shao Mingyuan called out, “Chen Guang, please invite Young Master Chi and Young Master Yang here.”
Soon Chi Can and Yang Houcheng arrived one after the other.
Upon hearing that Shao Mingyuan’s eyes had recovered, Yang Houcheng was overjoyed: “Wonderful! Divine Physician Li is truly a living immortal. Thank goodness he didn’t die!”
Qiao Zhao: “…”
Chi Can kicked his friend: “Can’t you speak properly?”
What was this fool spouting such blunt truths for? Third Miss Li would take offense.
Yang Houcheng grinned sheepishly: “I was just so happy I spoke without thinking. Miss Li, please don’t mind.”
Qiao Zhao smiled helplessly.
Chi Can looked at Shao Mingyuan and asked with a smile: “Your eyes are better?”
“They’re better.”
“When did they recover?”
“Just recently. After Divine Physician Li applied medicine and acupuncture, I suddenly discovered I could see.”
“That’s truly wonderful.” Chi Can nodded, then suddenly pounced forward: “Then we need to settle accounts properly!”
“What accounts?” Shao Mingyuan blocked Chi Can with one hand, looking somewhat puzzled.
Chi Can’s face darkened as he ground his teeth: “Who permitted you to grab my ear? If I don’t grab yours back today, Yang Er won’t be surnamed Yang!”
Yang Houcheng had been watching the excitement as if it had nothing to do with him, but his smile froze at these words: Wait, what did this have to do with him?
“Chi Can, you clearly know you can’t beat Tingquan, so you’re making me the scapegoat?”
Chi Can sneered: “If I don’t make you the scapegoat, who else? That day, Shao Mingyuan grabbed your ear too, but now you don’t dare make a peep. You’re swallowing your anger because you know you can’t win? Are you even a man?”
Yang Houcheng sat upright without moving, looking completely unconcerned: “I’m a real man who knows when to bend and when to stand firm!”
Qiao Zhao couldn’t bear it any longer and spoke up: “Stop fooling around, you three. We have serious matters to discuss.”
Shao Mingyuan blinked.
When had he been fooling around? These two companions were just there to hold him back.
Shao Mingyuan raised his hand to press Chi Can into a chair and said flatly: “Stop fooling around. After we finish discussing serious matters, you can grab my ear back.”
Chi Can leaned back lazily in his chair: “That’s more like it. So what’s this serious matter?”
Shao Mingyuan then told the two of them what Qiao Zhao had related, finally asking: “Can the Fudong Censorate Inspector bring down Xing Wuyang?”
Chi Can had unconsciously straightened in his seat, his expression serious. Hearing Shao Mingyuan’s question, he thought briefly before saying: “Of course he can. Although a Censorate Inspector is only a seventh-rank official, he performs the duty of touring on behalf of the Son of Heaven. All Censorate Inspectors are selected after being recommended by the Chief Censor and various subordinate officials, then transferred to the Ministry of Personnel for strict examination, and finally require the Emperor’s approval. Censorate Inspectors can memorialize major matters and decide minor ones independently—the Emperor trusts them considerably.”
Shao Mingyuan lightly tapped the table with his finger: “In that case, we have a clear objective for going to Fudong—rescue the Fudong Censorate Inspector and safely escort him back to the capital.”
Yang Houcheng smiled: “This is good news—much better than going to Fudong completely blind as before. Should we change course now?”
Shao Mingyuan shook his head: “No, we’ll still go through Haimen Ferry. When the time comes, you’ll take the water route directly back to Jia Feng, while Zhaozhao and I will take the land route and quietly enter Fudong.”
Chi Can didn’t object, saying flatly: “Waiting for you in Jia Feng is fine too. The Jinlin Guards and garrison there are on our side, so there’s no need to worry about safety. But what do you plan to do with those rescued girls? You can’t expect them to follow us to Jia Feng, too, can you?”
“About that—” Shao Mingyuan looked toward Qiao Zhao. “Zhaozhao, why don’t you go ask what those girls plan to do?”
“Alright, I’ll go ask right now.”
As soon as Qiao Zhao left, Yang Houcheng immediately jumped up: “Tingquan, I’m not going back to Jia Feng—I want to go to Fudong with you!”
Seeing Shao Mingyuan raise his eyebrows, Yang Houcheng hurriedly said: “I know my martial arts are far inferior to yours, but I could fight twenty people like Miss Li. If you’re taking Miss Li with you, why can’t you take one more person like me?”
Chi Can scoffed: “Being able to fight twenty people like Third Miss Li—what an achievement.”
“I was just making a comparison.” I could fight several like you, too.
To avoid another fight breaking out, Yang Houcheng kept this thought to himself.
Shao Mingyuan glanced at him: “Don’t forget, my cold poison hasn’t been completely cleared yet. I need Zhaozhao to perform acupuncture for me.”
Yang Houcheng deflated immediately, pleading pitifully: “Tingquan, please let me come. I’m a man, too, and I have no interest in scholarly pursuits. In times like these, if I continue wallowing in the capital living a dissolute life, what would it matter even if I lived to seventy or eighty? I’d despise myself.”
Shao Mingyuan was silent for a moment, then nodded: “Alright.”
Yang Houcheng was overjoyed and threw his arm around Shao Mingyuan’s shoulder: “Tingquan, I knew you were kind-hearted!”
Chi Can tapped the table: “You can save the brotherly affection for later. Tingquan, now that we’ve finished discussing serious matters, shouldn’t you extend your ear over here?”
Shao Mingyuan asked with an unchanged expression: “Why should I extend my ear?”
Chi Can rubbed his hands together: “You just said that after we finished discussing serious matters, I could grab it back!”
Shao Mingyuan smiled leisurely: “I said you could grab it back, provided you’re able to grab it back.”
Chi Can’s face darkened with anger as he pointed at Shao Mingyuan: “Shao Mingyuan, does Third Miss Li know you’re this shameless?”