Chapter 61 of 100
Chapter 61
6 min read1,450 words
Yang Shouwen understood Yang Chenglie's thoughts: he was preparing to completely let go of the case!
In his previous life, the friend who later solved the case and was promoted had come to visit Yang Shouwen after the case was solved. They talked a lot, but what Yang Shouwen remembered most was the last thing his friend said before leaving.
In this world, there is no unsolvable case; it all depends on whether one is willing, able, and daring enough...
Willing or not, Yang Shouwen understood what it meant; daring or not, it came down to whether one could bear the consequences; as for ability, it had many implications. But what Yang Shouwen understood was whether one had the capability.
The case at hand was complicated.
Now it seemed that the involvement was also widespread.
For a county magistrate, this was already beyond Yang Chenglie's capabilities. After all, this was not a rule-of-law society of the future. In this era, when the higher-ups gave an order, the lower-levels had to follow. If things went wrong, Yang Chenglie's entire family could be implicated, and they might even be killed... Yang Chenglie had once gone into hiding in Changping to avoid his enemies. After more than a decade, it was not worth paying such a price.
Outside the window, the moon was full.
Yang Shouwen sat quietly on the meditation bed, looking at the oil paper package in front of him under the moonlight.
He hesitated for a long time, reaching out to open the oil paper package, but each time he placed his hand on it, he immediately pulled back.
The oil paper package was like a Pandora's box.
No one knew what consequences would follow once it was opened.
Yang Shouwen was very curious but also had to be cautious. He knew very well that once the oil paper package was opened, it could bring extremely serious consequences, which he and Yang Chenglie might not be able to bear...
Since his father had decided to let go, the next step was to stay out of it as much as possible.
Yang Shouwen rubbed his numb face and looked up, only to find that the window paper had turned white without him noticing.
He had sat there all night, and it was almost dawn.
Yang Shouwen finally made up his mind to not open the oil paper package for now.
Perhaps after the storm had passed, he would open it. But for now, it was best not to touch it.
Thinking of this, he suddenly felt a sense of relief.
He stuffed the oil paper package into his bag, lay down on the bed, and felt an inexplicable fatigue.
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However, Yang Shouwen didn't sleep for long before he was woken up by You Niang.
Under the urging of You Niang and Qing Nu, he went to the square to practice boxing and martial arts. By the time he finished, it was already fully light.
Perhaps due to the rain and lack of sleep, Yang Shouwen was not in good spirits.
He didn't force himself and, after practicing for a while, felt uncomfortable and sat on the threshold of the Great Hero Hall to rest, while You Niang and Qing Nu continued to practice and watch Yang Molie practicing the Golden Toad Guiding Technique on the ground.
His head felt heavy, and Yang Shouwen closed his eyes.
At that moment, he felt someone approach and sit down next to him.
"Mr. Chen!"
Chen Ziang, dressed in a green robe, still looked as refined and gentle as the day before, making people feel close to him.
"Xizi, you don't look well?"
"Oh, I didn't sleep well last night, so I feel a bit uncomfortable."
Yang Shouwen didn't hide it and smiled as he explained.
Chen Ziang nodded and said softly, "Yes, I can tell from your appearance that you didn't sleep well last night."
Yang Shouwen's heart skipped a beat, and he turned to look.
"Look at those dark circles under your eyes; they are too obvious."
Chen Ziang pointed at Yang Shouwen's eyes, a strange smile on his face.
Yang Shouwen forced a laugh and turned his head. Chen Ziang seemed to have a hidden meaning, which made him instantly wary. Could it be that Chen Ziang had noticed Yang Shouwen's surveillance the previous day? Or had he discovered something?
"By the way, I heard that there was a murder here a few days ago?"
"Yes."
Chen Ziang smiled, "I heard from Er Lang that you killed an assassin that night. Truly a young hero."
Yang Shouwen's vigilance grew stronger, and he said softly, "Mr. Chen, you are joking. I am no hero; I just acted out of necessity in a dangerous situation. I was lucky; otherwise, I would have died in this Maitreya Temple."
As he spoke, Yang Shouwen showed a look of fear.
Chen Ziang's smile grew wider, "Indeed, the world fears nothing more than overstepping. Some things can be avoided, and if you overstep, you might bring disaster upon yourself. Xizi, don't be so rash in the future."
He definitely had a hidden meaning!
If Yang Shouwen couldn't understand Chen Ziang's implications, he wouldn't deserve the name of a穿越者 (time traveler).
His eyes narrowed, and he was about to speak when he saw Chen Ziang stand up.
Chen Ziang looked around the temple, his gaze finally landing on You Niang and Qing Nu, who were laughing on the square. His gaze softened, and he sighed, "Trouble comes from overstepping. Sometimes, once you step forward, there is no turning back. Sometimes, I wish your mother were still alive; at least she could have given me some warnings."
With that, Chen Ziang left as if nothing had happened.
Yang Shouwen could tell that Chen Ziang was warning him, or perhaps trying to warn Yang Chenglie through him... Trouble comes from overstepping? Yang Shouwen watched Chen Ziang's back disappear, feeling immense pressure.
Could it be that Chen Ziang had noticed something?
He thought for a moment and suddenly stood up.
"Brother Xizi, where are you going?"
You Niang called from the square. Yang Shouwen waved at You Niang and Qing Nu, "You Niang, you play. I need to talk to Father."
You Niang looked a bit disappointed.
Such a beautiful sunny day, perfect for playing.
You Niang suddenly felt a bit uneasy... Before, when Brother Xizi was not fully awake, he often played with her. But now that he was awake, he played with her less often. You Niang couldn't say whether Brother Xizi being awake was good or bad, but she felt uncomfortable inside.
But it doesn't matter, Brother Xizi and I have a secret that no one else knows!
Thinking of this, You Niang became happy again! She clapped her hands and started practicing her martial arts.
Yang Shouwen didn't know about You Niang's thoughts.
He hurriedly found Yang Chenglie, who had just woken up and was washing his face in the corridor.
Yang Shouwen walked over and whispered a few words in Yang Chenglie's ear.
Yang Chenglie was taken aback, wiped his face with a towel, and then took a deep breath, "If that's the case, it's best... Let's pretend this never happened. Xizi, don't continue investigating. We should focus on the Sume Mohe people. As for those murders, let others handle them."
"Father, what do you mean?"
"Bo Yu is indeed a talented man. After ten years in the bureaucracy, he has truly developed his skills. This time, he might not be here to investigate the case but rather to warn us not to continue."
"Is that so?"
Yang Shouwen looked surprised and lowered his head in thought.
Thinking about it, it was indeed very likely!
If not, why would he have shown his hand so quickly and asked Yang Rui about the case?
He probably wanted to warn Yang Chenglie through Yang Rui and then through Yang Shouwen.
Since he woke up, Yang Shouwen always had a sense of superiority.
But after this incident, he realized that he had underestimated the ancients.
Yes, these ancients might not have his foresight, but who among them was easy to deal with? Chen Ziang was more known in the future for his poem "Ascending the Youzhou Tower," but few people talked about his political skills and wisdom. So Yang Shouwen had assumed Chen Ziang was a bookworm. But now, it was clear that Chen Ziang was no bookworm, and his mind was not light.
Not just Chen Ziang, but also Yang Chenglie!
Yang Shouwen felt he needed to adjust his mindset to avoid making mistakes when dealing with these people in the future.
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