Chapter 49

Hu Buwei thought his son really didn't want to leave his side and said softly, "Tian'er, everyone has to grow up one day. If you stay in the capital and by my side, you will always be like a flower in a greenhouse, unable to truly grow. I also find it hard to let you go, my son! Although your father is old, I am not confused. I know that only by letting you go can you truly fly!"

Hu Xiaotian was inwardly moved. He suddenly realized that his father's educational philosophy was not at all feudal and was absolutely in line with modern educational methods. Yes, only by letting go can one fly; a flower in a greenhouse cannot withstand the storms. Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, "Father, I understand!"

Hu Buwei didn't know if this kid really understood or was just fooling around, but hearing him say this made him feel greatly comforted. He sighed and said, "I've heard about what happened with the Shi family's boy."

Hu Xiaotian said, "The matter has been resolved, and we've even sworn to be brothers!"

Hu Buwei said, "Emotions cannot be measured by whether or not you swear to be brothers. Loyalty and righteousness are not fixed. Even if you are blood brothers, what can you do? I have been an official for many years and have seen countless cases of blood brothers turning against each other. In life, one must first consider oneself!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Father, I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble this time."

Hu Buwei smiled and said, "A loss may turn out to be a gain. Everything has two sides. You are my son, and we should never speak in formalities."

When it was truly time to leave, Hu Xiaotian realized he wasn't familiar with the capital. He had never really toured it properly, and the few times he did go out, something always happened.

He had originally planned to tour the capital thoroughly during these three days, but the weather didn't cooperate, with continuous rain. The best choice in such weather was to stay at home.

He didn't need to worry about the travel arrangements. He didn't even need to go to the Ministry of Personnel to collect his documents and official seal. However, he still took the time to browse through the documents to understand his future benefits. According to the Ministry of Personnel, an official's salary was typically divided into three parts: grain, land, and cash. For a ninth-rank official like Hu Xiaotian, only grain was provided. His grain allowance was thirty shi (120 jin per shi, 10 dou per shi, which is 3,600 jin in total). This amount of grain, converted to daily consumption, was about ten jin per day, enough to avoid starvation but not enough to eat extravagantly. The surplus grain could be exchanged for some silver, which would just about cover daily expenses. In contrast, his father's grain allowance was four hundred shi, or 48,000 jin, which is why they say a higher rank can crush a person. Just the extra grain allowance alone could crush someone.

The official system of Dakan was divided into nine ranks and thirty levels. Each rank from first to ninth was further divided into principal and secondary. From principal fourth rank to secondary ninth rank, each was further divided into upper and lower levels. If Hu Xiaotian counted from the top, it would be hard to determine his exact rank, but if he counted from the bottom, it was very clear. He was a secondary ninth-rank official, and the ranks below him were the upper and lower secondary ninth-rank officials. He was third from the bottom. If the thirty levels were viewed as steps, he still had twenty-seven steps to climb to the top. Thinking about it made his head hurt.

Fortunately, Hu Xiaotian wasn't obsessed with being an official. His greatest wish after being reborn was to enjoy life, not to pursue fame and fortune. Although his marriage was not satisfactory, the wedding would be postponed for two years, and there was still a lot of uncertainty. His biggest advantage now was his youth; he was not yet seventeen years old, which meant he had plenty of time to waste. His appointment to Qingyun was equivalent to grassroots training. In ancient times, just like today, it was important to gain experience. His father sent him to this small county on the southwestern frontier for two reasons: to keep him away from the political storms that might arise due to the imperial succession and to help him gain political achievements and experience. It seemed his father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and embark on a long political career.

Even though Hu Xiaotian was the son of the Minister of Revenue and had recently done a few things that could be considered significant, few people in the capital knew about him. The capital was too large, and most people's attention was focused on the imperial palace. Few noticed that the son of the Minister of Revenue was about to leave the capital for an official post. This was partly due to Hu Buwei's deliberate low profile. He didn't want too many people to know about his son's departure. The more secretive, the better, especially since he had offended many people during his long career. His son was his weakest link and also his greatest concern. He didn't want his enemies to target his son.

Although the capital was not Hu Xiaotian's hometown, he still felt a bit of nostalgia when leaving. The continuous rain affected his mood. Hu Xiaotian remembered some things and forgot others. Because there were so many things, he even forgot to give the Fang family their gold.

Some people forget, and some remember. Hu Xiaotian didn't expect Murong Feiyang to come to his residence, and he certainly didn't expect her to come to collect a debt.

When he heard that Murong Feiyang had come to see him, Hu Xiaotian immediately had Liang Dazhuang invite her in. As he was about to leave, Hu Xiaotian realized he had no friends in the capital. Although Murong Feiyang wasn't really his friend, she was at least an old acquaintance. It was good to have someone to chat with before leaving.

Murong Feiyang was dressed in a deep blue martial outfit. In fact, Hu Xiaotian had known her for some time, and the only time he saw her in women's clothing was when they were attacked on Tu Street.

Murong Feiyang had a spirit and vigor that was rare for women of her time. The red folding umbrella she held was extremely bright, like a blooming flower in the rain. Raindrops trickled down the edge of the red umbrella, forming a curtain that obscured her figure.

Hu Xiaotian sat in the waterside pavilion, smiling as he watched Murong Feiyang walk through the rain. Her appearance added a touch of brightness to the gloomy sky.

Murong Feiyang walked into the corridor, put away her umbrella, and leaned it against a pillar. Her clear and deep eyes found Hu Xiaotian in the pavilion.

Hu Xiaotian lay on the long bench, half reclining against the back wall. His expression was lazy, as if he had just woken up, with his eyes half open and half closed, lacking energy. To Murong Feiyang, this expression was full of laziness and fatigue, something only a carefree young master would have.

Murong Feiyang walked slowly toward Hu Xiaotian. Hu Xiaotian watched her, his gaze and body unmoving. When she reached him, he said, "Inspector Murong, what can I do for you?"

Murong Feiyang held up two slender fingers in front of Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Two! I know. Inspector Murong, why are you insulting me as soon as we meet? Do we have a grudge from a past life?"

Murong Feiyang glared at him and said, "Stop pretending. Who promised to give five taels of gold?"

Hu Xiaotian suddenly remembered. In the past two days, with the preparations for his departure to Xichuan, he had completely forgotten about giving the Fang family their gold. He patted his head and sat up straight on the bench. "Oh, I really did forget!"

Murong Feiyang stood there, looking down at him with a look of disdain. She didn't believe that Hu Xiaotian had forgotten by accident. This guy was too cunning.

Hu Xiaotian waved to Liang Dazhuang, who quickly nodded and bowed to approach.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Dazhuang, go to the accounting office and withdraw five taels of gold. Send it to Mr. Yuan at Yiyuan Hall and have him deliver it to the Fang family."

Liang Dazhuang said, "Young Master, five taels of gold is a large sum. The accounting office might not give it to me."

Hu Xiaotian angrily said, "Stop making excuses. If they don't give it to you, bring them to me, and I'll talk to them directly!"

Liang Dazhuang nodded and left.

Hearing the conversation between master and servant, Murong Feiyang believed that Hu Xiaotian might have really forgotten. Since Hu Xiaotian helped her remove the dog-tooth arrow, her impression of him had changed significantly. She no longer thought he was as bad as she initially believed. At Yan Yun Lou, if Hu Xiaotian hadn't intervened, the Fang family would have been in serious trouble. Thinking about it later, she felt some guilt. Seeing that Hu Xiaotian had fulfilled his promise, Murong Feiyang said, "I'm leaving!"

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