Chapter 7

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As the cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

***

Qin Mu returned to the upstairs room, thinking he might have entered the wrong one. He hesitated for a moment at the door. The young beauty before him had rosy lips and white teeth, a delicate and graceful figure, and a faint red mole between her eyebrows. Her hair, still damp, fell softly over her shoulders. Though young, her natural beauty was striking, and she would likely grow up to be a beauty of the highest caliber...

Qin Mu couldn't help but shake his head to dispel his wandering thoughts. He walked to the bed, sat down, and then fiercely intimidated her, "Speak, where are you from?" He thought that even if the little beggar—uh, little beauty—said "Jade Pool," he would believe her.

"I..."

"Even a half-lie, and I'll roast and eat you!"

The little beauty's bright eyes quickly glanced at him, then she hurriedly lowered her head. Perhaps it had been too long since she had shown her true face, her cheeks were flushed, and she nervously fiddled with the hem of her clothes, stammering, "I... I..."

"Don't 'I' me, speak, say it!" Qin Mu was like the King of Hell interrogating a suspect, only lacking a few little devils to stand by his side.

"My hometown is in Yueyang."

Hmm, a product of Hunan, with a slender waist, no wonder. But the King of Hell wasn't so easily fooled: "How old are you this year?"

The little beauty glanced at him again, hesitantly answering, "Fourteen."

"Why didn't you say forty?"

"Thir... thirteen."

"Still lying, and I'll really roast and eat you."

"Twelve."

Could it be that she was squeezing out her age like toothpaste?

The King of Hell almost fainted. Actually, the little girl's thoughts were easy to understand. She probably thought that making herself older would make her seem more useful.

"Are you sure you're really twelve? This is your last warning. If you don't tell the truth, don't blame me."

"Really, I'm twelve. I'm not lying this time, I really am not lying." The little girl finally showed her urgency.

Hmm, so-called twelve was actually eleven. In those days, people counted age in nominal years. If she was actually eleven, Qin Mu found it barely believable.

"What's your name?"

"Surname Yun, name... the name you already know."

"Yun Qiao? 'Fleeting Clouds and Clever Hands,' the name is passable. How long have you been away from home, and who else is in your family?" The King of Hell regretted asking as soon as the words left his mouth. Indeed, the little girl's eyes instantly misted over, and tears began to fall.

It was clear that if she had family, a young girl of eleven or twelve wouldn't be out begging on her own. In recent years, bandits and corrupt officials had ravaged the land, leaving countless people homeless. From the way she had learned to protect herself in many details, it was evident that she had been begging for a long time.

The little girl cried harder, her tears falling like broken pearls, her whole body trembling. It was hard to imagine how much she had suffered before meeting Qin Mu, living in constant fear and uncertainty.

Qin Mu stood up, gently stroking her head to comfort her, "Qiao'er, don't be too sad. Let it all go. Remember this: sometimes life throws us into the abyss not to crush us, but to teach us how to fly!"

***

After leaving the inn, Hou Fangyu and Mao Xiang decided to visit the Nanjing town supervisor, Han Zan Zhou, under the cover of night. Huichang, located at the intersection of Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces, was a lawless area. The small county, plagued by bandits, had seen two consecutive magistrates die in office. With the Ming Dynasty in turmoil, the government was powerless to manage such a small county. The Ministry of Personnel had assigned several officials, but each one preferred to return home and farm rather than take the post.

Now, the court was increasingly relying on the south, and Han Zan Zhou's power as the Nanjing town supervisor had grown. With his recommendation, appointing Qin Mu as the magistrate of Huichang should not be difficult.

Hou Fangyu even prepared some gifts before visiting Han Zan Zhou with Mao Xiang.

In the Ming Dynasty, the relationship between civil officials and eunuchs appeared to be clearly defined, often leading to bitter conflicts.

However, the situation was far more complex. The outer court held the power of administration, while the inner court held the power of red-batching and significant oversight. Both sides checked each other, and conflicts of interest inevitably led to intense struggles.

But when neither side could overpower the other, compromises and exchanges of interests were inevitable.

Many civil officials sought to form alliances with eunuchs to achieve their goals. Notably, the Inner Book Hall, where young eunuchs learned to read and write, was staffed by civil officials from the Hanlin Academy. These officials and the eunuchs who graduated from the Inner Book Hall naturally formed teacher-student relationships, laying the groundwork for future collaboration.

Mao Xiang's father, Mao Qizong, had a good relationship with Han Zan Zhou. Therefore, Hou Fangyu asked Mao Xiang for help, hoping to use Han Zan Zhou as an "inside man" to achieve their goal quickly.

Out of respect for Mao Qizong, Han Zan Zhou did not act too arrogantly and soon received the two. When Hou Fangyu bowed, he showed none of the arrogance he had displayed at the Peach Leaf Ferry, where he had criticized the eunuchs. In front of Han Zan Zhou, he smiled humbly, like a meek grandson. It was no wonder he would later shave his head and serve the Qing Dynasty as a slave; his character was evident.

Han Zan Zhou, in his forties, had a slightly round face and a warm smile. Seeing the two visit him unannounced and bring many gifts, he thought, with the dismissal of Zhou Yanru from the cabinet, the officials of the Fusha Society had been demoted or exiled, and their arrogance had diminished. They now knew how to show respect.

Han Zan Zhou smiled and offered them tea, then cleared his throat and said, "As the saying goes, 'No one visits the temple without a reason.' You two must have a reason for coming to see me. What is it? I have a banquet to attend."

Mao Xiang hesitated, but Hou Fangyu couldn't wait. They had already given the gifts; they couldn't let them go to waste.

He forced a bright smile and said, "Since Lord Han has matters to attend to, I won't keep you. I'll be direct. Have you heard of Qin Mu?"

"Hmm, 'A good man has extraordinary talent, why is he sent back year after year? Ha ha ha... Now, my face is ashamed of his, if he comes, it will be late at night.' Who in Nanjing hasn't heard of Qin Mu?"

Lord Han rarely showed his literary side. He genuinely liked Qian Wan's poem and always smiled when he thought of it.

Hou Fangyu laughed along, "Lord Han, although Qin Mu has failed the exams three times, he is indeed talented. Today, he composed over twenty excellent poems, effortlessly and without form. More importantly, Qin Mu has a sincere desire to serve the country and possesses the talent to govern. When we discussed the bandit troubles in Huichang, Jiangxi, and the Ministry of Personnel's inability to find officials willing to take the post, Qin Mu was indignant and declared that if he had passed the exams, he would have volunteered to serve in Huichang and eliminate the bandits, bringing peace to the region..."

Han Zan Zhou interrupted Hou Fangyu dismissively, "Just empty words. He failed the exams, so he says this. If he had passed, he might not have wanted to go."

Hou Fangyu replied, "Lord Han, we spoke with Qin Mu for a long time. In military and political matters, he spoke with substance and clarity, not like someone who speaks in empty words. We came today to ask for your support for Qin Mu. He has already registered with the Ministry of Personnel. With your influence, appointing him to Huichang should be a simple matter. Think about it: the court is in a time of turmoil. If Qin Mu is truly capable, your recommendation will be recognized by the emperor, and you will receive credit. Even if he fails, the situation in Huichang won't get worse, and you won't suffer any loss. This is a win-win situation for you, and we hope you will support him."

Han Zan Zhou nodded slightly. As the Nanjing town supervisor, he knew the situation in Huichang. It was indeed a lawless area where no one wanted to go. Letting Qin Mu try wouldn't hurt. If he was truly capable, Han Zan Zhou would benefit from his recommendation.

He asked, "Why didn't Qin Mu come with you?"

"Well... Lord Han, Qin Mu suffered a head injury ten days ago and has not fully recovered. It would be disrespectful to come with a bandaged head."

Han Zan Zhou, having received the gifts and considering the matter a simple favor, agreed, "Alright, then. Tell Qin Mu to prepare. The appointment will come soon. Don't cause any trouble. If he, like others, is afraid to take the post, don't blame me."

"Thank you, Lord Han, thank you. Rest assured, I will convey your instructions to Qin Mu."

Hou Fangyu had expected to have to argue to persuade Han Zan Zhou, but the matter was resolved so smoothly, which was a pleasant surprise.

Huichang is a good place. With bandits rampant, sending Qin Mu to the bandit-infested area, he wouldn't believe Qin Mu would return alive.

***

PS: A gentle reminder: Have you added this to your favorites? Have you recommended it?

A sudden shout: Why haven't you added it to your favorites? Why haven't you recommended it? Am I not pitiful enough? Hehe...

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