Chapter 4

As Ding Yi stood silently, Peng Zhang got up, shook his robe, and said to Ding Yi, "Brother, think carefully. If your companion, who has agreed to go to the capital with you tomorrow, can't find you by noon, the truth might come to light. If you, like Brother Jin, are willing to serve the country and the people by infiltrating the eunuch's household, then as promised, anyone who dares to tarnish the reputation of the Ding family in Rongcheng will be condemned by all!" With that, he walked away, but as he reached the door, he winced in pain, likely from his rib injury, and let out a comical "ah!"

Ding Yi watched Peng Zhang walk to the door coldly and asked the maid, Yurui, who was serving him, "Get me some charcoal ash, and some rouge and powder. Bring some over... Do you have any glue to fix things?"

Yurui, the young maid, was startled. She clung to Ding Yi's arm and pleaded, "Young Master, please, think it over. I've served you since I was young, and wherever you go, I will follow... Uncle Zhong! Uncle Zhong! Come quickly!" She thought Ding Yi had decided to become a monk, and she used all her strength, fearing that her young master would announce his intention to become a monk at any moment, which made Ding Yi feel her soft chest.

Uncle Zhong always appeared at the right time, which surprised Ding Yi. He wondered why the old butler's hearing hadn't declined with age. He even suspected that Uncle Zhong might be a ghost, as he always appeared silently. Ding Yi, with his past training and combat experience, knew it wasn't easy to sneak past him.

A box was placed on the table, and Uncle Zhong shook his head, sighing, "Young Master, let the old servant handle this."

Ding Yi refused without hesitation.

Stalking was not a task that could be accomplished by loyalty alone. If discovered, it could lead to fights or attacks. Although the old butler might have had a heroic past, he was no longer young.

Ding Yi opened the small box and listened as Uncle Zhong explained, "This is fish glue, and this powder can darken your skin..." Ding Yi was more convinced that the old fox must have been a significant figure in his youth. Ordinary households wouldn't have such items.

Moreover, while the young maid thought Ding Yi was becoming a monk, Uncle Zhong clearly knew what Ding Yi was up to.

But he didn't have time to ask, as he needed to act quickly to avoid losing track of Peng Zhang.

"Young Master is truly the son of the master, born for the world of intrigue!" Uncle Zhong stroked his gray beard and whispered to the young maid, "You've been out on a few errands and seen blood, but the young master, who I've watched grow up reading and writing poetry, once he decides to do something, he's much more experienced than you."

The young maid blinked her big eyes and pouted, "Our young master? Uncle Zhong, stop flattering him! If you say he's a literary star, I believe it, but to say he's more experienced in the ways of the world than me? Ha! Last year, he saw a pig being slaughtered and was scared sick for days!"

Uncle Zhong smiled and shook his head, saying nothing more.

What's the point of talking so much? When Ding Yi was applying the glue and the mixed medicine to his face, Uncle Zhong was shocked. Ding Yi didn't just apply the medicine evenly but added extra layers to his cheeks and chin, making his face look different. This was a high-level disguise technique. Even more impressive was that after applying the medicine to his face, Ding Yi also applied it to his hands and rubbed dirt into his nails, a detail that often led to the capture of many skilled thieves.

Peng Zhang walked down the street, fanning himself with a sense of pride. He didn't know who was behind the plan, and he didn't dare to find out. He only knew that the person who gave him orders was so powerful that even the magistrate and the younger brother of the educational commissioner had to stand before him. Peng Zhang felt he had finally climbed to a higher branch. He was sure he would pass the next provincial examination.

For a verbal promise of passing the examination, Peng Zhang betrayed his longtime friend, Ding Yi, without a hint of guilt. He felt no psychological pressure, even if he had to force all his classmates to become spies. Passing the examination was a significant step; failing meant being a mediocre scholar, while passing meant having the qualifications to become an official.

Moreover, Peng Zhang thought Ding Yi should thank him for such an opportunity to serve the country and the people, which was rare.

When Peng Zhang entered a silver shop on Silver Alley and picked up a few pieces of silverware, he didn't notice the ragged, dirty man with a yellowish face and a scruffy beard, who was squatting in the corner of the shop, eating fennel seeds and basking in the sun. This man was none other than Ding Yi, who had just elbowed him.

Peng Zhang chose a few pieces of jewelry and instructed the shop assistant, "Wrap them carefully for me." After the assistant wrapped them, to Ding Yi's surprise, Peng Zhang didn't pay! Was this a scholar or a thug?

The assistant held Peng Zhang and smiled, "Scholar Peng, the cost is..."

Peng Zhang got angry and coldly said, "Let go. Try pulling my sleeve again, and I'll have you beaten with thirty strokes! That's disrespectful!" The assistant didn't dare to hold him anymore but smiled and blocked his way. Peng Zhang, with a stern face, said, "Just put it on the account. As a scholar, would I ever default on a debt?"

Ding Yi was speechless. Could a scholar's status be used like a credit card?

He couldn't help but wonder how his predecessor could have such a close friend. Did the previous Ding Yi also act like Peng Zhang, which is why they were friends? But from the reactions of the butler and the servants, the Ding family seemed decent. How did Scholar Ding and Peng Zhang become friends?

At that moment, the shopkeeper rushed out, dragging the assistant by the ear and apologizing to Peng Zhang, "Scholar Peng, please don't mind this blind little brat! I'm truly sorry! I'll discipline him later..." Peng Zhang coldly hummed and walked away, holding his fan and not even saying a polite word.

The shopkeeper then scolded the assistant, "Are you blind? Do you know whose house Scholar Peng is going to?"

The assistant, with a stubborn nature, his veins bulging, said, "Bah, a scholar? Paying for what he buys is normal. He wants to put it on the account, but he won't sign it. When we go to his house to collect, he'll deny it and call the dogs on me, damn it!"

The shopkeeper sighed and said, "The boss said if he doesn't pay, let it be. The next provincial examination is coming, and Scholar Peng is close to the Huang family. Our boss also needs to pass the examination, so we can't offend him. Forget it, just serve the customers well..."

Seeing the shopkeeper go back inside, Ding Yi, squatting in the corner, handed a paper bag to the assistant at the door, "That damn scholar, I can't stand him either. If you don't like him, wait until it's dark, put a bag over his head, and throw him into the graveyard..."

The assistant, already frustrated, felt a sense of camaraderie and started eating the fennel seeds from Ding Yi's paper bag, saying, "That scoundrel is hard to deal with. He has a degree, and if something happens, the authorities will investigate. It's all fate. If I had a better family, I would have studied and wouldn't have to endure this filth..."

"Is the Hu family's mansion that powerful? I heard your boss can't offend them," Ding Yi asked casually, "I saw the pawnshop on East Gate Street has the same mark as this gold shop. Is it also your boss's business? Why would he fear a mere scholar?"

The assistant, seeing no customers, squatted down and chatted with Ding Yi, "Just Scholar Peng? He's nothing. But our boss is also a scholar, and the Hu family mansion belongs to the younger brother of the educational commissioner of Guangxi. Even though he's not in charge here, he can still ruin you with a word to his colleagues in the North China region. Do you dare to offend him? Scholar Peng is a scoundrel, full of bad intentions. He might not be good at doing things, but he's great at spreading rumors and causing trouble..."

What kind of official is the educational commissioner? Ding Yi wasn't sure, but it seemed to be Peng Zhang's superior. With this information, Ding Yi chatted a bit more, then walked around the street to ensure no one was following him before heading home. He entered the house through the back door when he was sure no one was around.

After changing out of his disguise and putting on a scholar's robe, he heard Er Gouzi, who had wanted to quit that morning, shouting, "Young Master, something's wrong! Something's wrong!" He ran from the front yard, out of breath, "That guy is trying to take someone... Uncle Zhong can't hold him off... Young Master..."

"Lead the way," Ding Yi said, shaking out his robe.

Before reaching the front hall, he heard a cold voice, "Uncle Zhong, to be honest, Yurui has to come with us today. Our young master knows you're loyal, and he understands. How about this, you come with Yurui to our house, and we'll make you a manager. It's better than staying with the Ding family, right? The servants are all going back to their hometowns. Who will you manage then?"

Another voice said sarcastically, "What does your young master want with Yurui? He's going to serve the eunuchs, and he'll be castrated sooner or later. He won't have anything down there!" This was followed by a group of people laughing.

——— Votes and favorites are requested! Seeing the votes increase is like seeing readers urging me with whips, which speeds up my writing... The votes aren't strong enough, guys!

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