Chapter 47

"Xiang Shaolong, you big fool, now you know what it's like when scholars turn against you, right? These intellectuals who occupy the highest point of public opinion, once they start to play dirty, are no less ruthless than bandits!"

Xiao Letian put down the intelligence brought by the homing pigeon, the words written by Sima Yun on the silk scroll still vivid in his mind. The Xiang Family Manor was attacked by the local Green Standard Army on the night of Sima Yun's warning. The commander was actually a battalion commander. That night, the Xiang Family Manor was filled with gunfire and flames. When the ferocious Green Standard soldiers stormed into the manor, they found that all the hundreds of people in the Xiang Family Manor had vanished.

Xiang Shaolong was no fool; he was the renowned Dragon Sir of the North, with countless friends in the underworld. Especially in Yanqing, there was a trade route to Zhangjiakou, and over the years, Dragon Sir had developed friendships with bandits and horse thieves outside the pass. When he learned that the Qing army was going to attack the Xiang Family Manor, he immediately dispersed the entire manor into dozens of small teams, breaking up the large group to hide in the deep mountains, heading straight for his properties outside the pass.

Even a cunning rabbit has three dens, let alone Dragon Sir.

When the news of the Xiang Family Manor's disappearance reached Beijing, the leader of the Qingliu faction, Weng Tonghe, who usually showed no emotion, rarely frowned and paced back and forth in the room. The butler, standing beside him, was puzzled. His master was always composed, even in front of the Emperor and Empress Dowager, so why was he acting out of character today?

After the butler cautiously offered a few words of advice, Weng Tonghe shook his head and said, "You don't understand, you really don't understand. Since Xiao Letian appeared, I suddenly have a premonition. I feel that the sky is about to change, I feel that the atmosphere around me is different..."

"Assassinating a collaborator, and the assassin even defected? He actually let him go? This was unimaginable before. I had promised to recommend a juren (imperial scholar) position for his family, which was the hope for the Xiang Family Manor to turn over a new leaf... But, but he let him go halfway? Does Xiao Letian have some kind of mind-controlling evil magic?"

Weng Tonghe paced back and forth in the study, agitated. "Now, someone even leaked information halfway? Over a thousand Green Standard soldiers with firearms couldn't catch a single live person? The entire manor escaped. If there wasn't an inside man, that would be a miracle... Why does everything become so complicated when it involves Xiao Letian?"

In the end, Weng Tonghe was so angry that he was trembling. "This is an evil demon, a great enemy of our Confucianism, a mortal enemy..."

The butler was stunned by his master's words. He never thought that the master, a leader of the literati, would have such a high opinion of a collaborator. Could one person really challenge the Confucianism that has been passed down for thousands of years? Isn't that overestimating him?

"Master, if that's the case, I'll look for better assassins in the underworld. I don't believe I can't kill him!" the butler said angrily.

"Stupid! Assassination can only be done once, not twice. On one hand, Xiao Letian is now on high alert, and on the other hand, his reputation has already risen. A famous figure in Beijing being assassinated repeatedly, do you think the court is just for show?"

"Furthermore, I am a respected imperial tutor, not a mad killer. Killing for the sake of Confucianism is a righteous cause, and I have never regretted it. However, when the enemy is ready to fight me openly, I will never back down..."

At that moment, Weng Tonghe's face was filled with sanctity. He was brimming with confidence, the thousands of years of Confucianism giving him countless connections and resources. He would never believe that this collaborator could win, never.

"Grind the ink! I need to write a memorial to recommend Xiao Letian to the Hanlin Academy!"

"Ah?" The butler's jaw almost dropped. This was the master's strategy, to recommend him for an official position?

Weng Tonghe smiled slightly, a clever plan in his mind. He picked up the brush and began to recommend Xiao Letian as a fourth-rank Hanlin scholar. As he wrote, a figure had been on the roof of the study for an hour, listening to every word inside. The figure held a bone-piercing nail, hesitating whether to act.

The only person who wanted to assassinate Weng Tonghe besides Xiang Shaolong was no one else. However, the reverence for scholars that had been ingrained in the Chinese people for thousands of years made him hesitate. Weng Tonghe was a second-rank official and the leader of the Qingliu faction, and there had never been any reports of him being corrupt.

Is it right to kill such a clean official? But why did this clean official want to assassinate Xiao Letian? And why did he try to silence the Xiang Family Manor after the plan failed? Is this what a clean official should do?

Xiang Shaolong had been puzzled for days until today, when he finally got the answer from Weng Tonghe. It turned out that Weng Tonghe was making a choice for the survival of Confucianism, and killing Xiao Letian was a last resort.

Look at Weng Tonghe now, personally recommending Xiao Letian for an official position. Is this to turn an enemy into a friend, or to engage in a fair competition? Xiang Shaolong couldn't understand, but he vaguely associated it with the struggle between the Donglin Party and the Eunuch Party at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

But upon closer reflection, something seemed off. Xiao Letian hadn't done anything to anger the heavens. Even if he was a heinous criminal, he had just returned to the country and hadn't had the chance to do anything bad. At that moment, Xiang Shaolong was confused.

Weng Tonghe's memorial was placed before the two Empresses Dowager the next day. Cixi and Cian smiled when they saw it. This Weng Tonghe, always full of tricks, wanted to pull Xiao Letian into the Hanlin Academy? That's the Qingliu faction's territory, and he can't control it.

"Weng Shuping, Weng Shuping! Don't you think about it? Xiao Letian didn't even want a second-rank position, would he want a fourth-rank one? Forget it, let's keep this memorial and not issue it..."

Three days later, the news of Weng Tonghe's farce reached Xiao Letian's ears, and he frowned. He understood that Weng Tonghe was trying to show off. This memorial had no chance of passing; he just wanted to send a signal to society that he, Weng Shuping, was magnanimous and loved talent, even recommending talent from Western studies.

"Shameless! These Qingliu people just want to paint a rosy picture of themselves, taking advantage of the ignorance of the common people..." Xiao Letian didn't take it to heart and continued to write his "Journey to the West." But soon, Fan Lian came in with a strange look on his face.

"Ah, Mr. Fan, why are you so leisurely today? How's the progress on acquiring the silver?"

"Mr. Xiao... I'm not here for that today. I have a letter for you to read..." Fan Lian took a letter from his chest and handed it to Xiao Letian.

Upon opening the letter, Xiao Letian found that it was written by Fan Ru, the elder brother, to his younger brother. The beginning was formal, expressing some nostalgic words. Then he expressed regret over the family split and hoped that his brother would return to the family. Finally, Fan Ru told his brother some good news: although the Inner Court had not restored the Fan family's status as imperial merchants, it had given them the business of furs and salt outside the pass, indicating that the restoration of their status as imperial merchants was hopeful.

After Xiao Letian finished reading, Fan Lian said with a bitter smile, "The letter is all about showing off, but... but the person who brought the letter also brought a message from my brother. He said that if I tell him everything about you, he will guarantee my return to the family, and the Fan family will be restored to the status of first-rank imperial merchants..."

Ah! Xiao Letian understood. Some forces in Beijing had already targeted Fan Lian, wanting him to be a spy. Perhaps they thought that offering the status of a first-rank imperial merchant was a great favor, and a group of lowly merchants would pounce like dogs fighting over a bone.

"What do you think?" Xiao Letian asked with a smile.

"Hmph! This is just trying to fool a fool. Even if it were a guaranteed imperial merchant, I wouldn't care. From your books, I have seen the power of merchants. In the West, merchants are considered pillars of the state, not slaves like in the Qing Dynasty."

"A first-rank imperial merchant might earn two to three million taels a year, but the bribes would take up 90% of that. Only a fool would work for them. My brother is a thoroughly brainwashed fool..."

Xiao Letian waved his hand. "Alright, old Mr. Fan, don't be angry. Since your brother wrote the letter, you can temporarily agree. If you refuse outright, it will raise suspicion. Just send some useless information back, and maybe one day your double-agent status will be useful."

At this point, Xiao Letian suddenly stood up and took out his pocket watch to check the time. "It's almost eleven, time for lunch. Today, I'll treat you to a drink at the building. The owner said he wanted to treat me three days ago..."

Now, Xiao Letian was no longer the destitute man he once was. When he left the residence of Qing San, he was accompanied by eighteen burly men, their fierce demeanor evident from the street corner to the end of the street. Xiao Letian was very averse to such a grand display, but Shi Dakai had given a strict order: no protection, no going out.

This was just the visible security; there were three times as many guards secretly protecting him. At first, Xiao Letian was uncomfortable, but then he learned that even a low-ranking scholar in the countryside would have seven or eight attendants. As a famous overseas traveler in Beijing, having a few attendants was not excessive.

The building was in the center of Yixian County, a three-story building with a unique design. When Xiao Letian and his group arrived at the entrance, the owner was already waiting. It turned out that a servant had already ordered the best private room in advance.

"Greetings, Mr. Xiao... Mr. Xiao, you are welcome... Please, honored guest, to the private room upstairs..." Xiao Letian's appearance caused a stir. At this point, Xiao Letian was like a local king in Yixian County. From County Magistrate Liu down, every official in the county had received money from Mr. Xiao.

The head of the constables, the chief clerk, the registrar... since the building was not far from the county office, these officials, who had signed blood oaths and pressed blood handprints, all smiled and greeted Xiao Letian.

The surrounding civilians were amazed. The county officials, who usually acted like lords, were now smiling like fools, especially Wang Hu, who not only smiled respectfully but also showed a hint of fear in his eyes.

He had personally witnessed Xiao Letian burning Tai Ling, and he was thoroughly intimidated by this bold and reckless collaborator. Now, even if Xiao Letian forced him to rebel, he couldn't refuse.

During this time, County Magistrate Liu and Wang Hu had been using Xiao Letian's silver to gradually buy off their subordinates. After killing a blind-eyed treasury official and a clerk who tried to report to Baoding, the entire officialdom of Yixian County became obedient.

"Look, that gentleman is Xiao Letian, the author of 'Journey to the West,' the great master of Western studies, the famous overseas traveler..."

"Oh, I'm so lucky today to see the great master, to absorb some literary aura. My ancestors must be smiling in their graves..."

"Sir, what position does the great master hold? How important is he?"

"Tsk! You're a fool. The great master is a founder of a school, not comparable to Confucius and Mencius, but certainly more than Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming!"

Amidst the crowd's chatter, Xiao Letian was escorted to the third floor like a star surrounded by the moon and stars.