Chapter 31

In the south of Qingyun City, within an exquisitely designed courtyard.

Under a plum tree.

Zhang Qing, with a dignified appearance and a sense of righteousness in his eyes, sat on a chair, reading a chess manual. Beside him on a stone table was a game of Go and a cup of clear tea, from which steam rose gently.

"Master." A servant walked in and called softly.

Zhang Qing frowned. He disliked being disturbed when he was reading, and the servants in the house knew this. However, Zhang Qing did not fly into a rage. He glanced at the servant and asked, "What is it?"

The servant cautiously replied, "Master, there is a scholar outside the house who says he is looking for you. He is holding your jade pendant."

"Scholar?" Zhang Qing's frown deepened. The county examination was approaching, and indeed, many students had come under the guise of visiting to curry favor with him, but he had driven them all away. The servants should know his temper.

"Master, he says his name is Ning Zhongyuan... Here is the jade pendant." The servant took out a jade pendant and handed it to Zhang Qing.

Zhang Qing took the jade pendant and immediately recalled the young scholar he had met at Baiyun Temple. His frown relaxed, and a smile appeared on his face. "It's him. Let him in..."

Seeing the smile on Zhang Qing's usually stern face, the servant breathed a sigh of relief and respectfully said, "Yes, Master..."

"Wait..." Before the servant could leave, Zhang Qing called out again, looking at him. "Does he have anything in his hands, like gifts?"

"No... Apart from a book chest on his back, he has nothing in his hands."

Hearing this, Zhang Qing smiled in satisfaction and waved his hand. "Go, bring him to me..."

The servant turned and left.

Zhang Qing stopped reading the chess manual, closed the book, and played with the jade pendant, stroking his beard and smiling. "Indeed, he is a fine talent and a beautiful jade. If he had brought gifts, he might have been a sycophant. Now it seems he is a good seedling..."

"Master, Young Master Ning has arrived..."

Behind the servant who had just left, Ning Wuxue, who was covered in dust, followed. After calming down, Ning Wuxue had been thinking about how to save Ning Bo Wu and Ning Wushuang. Sometimes, force could not solve problems. Ning Wuxue tried to think and remembered Zhang Qing.

"Zhang Qing is an examiner sent from the state, with a higher position than the county magistrate. Only Zhang Qing has the power to help me now. However, I only have a passing acquaintance with him, and I don't know if he will help."

Ning Wuxue was anxious.

"Zhongyuan has come?" Zhang Qing smiled at Ning Wuxue, who, even covered in dust, could not hide his refined demeanor.

"Zhongyuan pays respects to Master Zhang."

Ning Wuxue bowed respectfully, then looked up at Zhang Qing. Before coming, he had thought about what to say to Zhang Qing. From his impression of Zhang Qing at Baiyun Temple, he knew Zhang Qing was upright, meticulous, and open-minded. It might be better to speak directly.

"Master Zhang, Zhongyuan has come to seek your assistance."

Zhang Qing, with many years of experience in office, was perceptive and could see that Ning Wuxue had something on his mind. He remained calm, picked up his teacup, and took a sip of tea.

Seeing this, Ning Wuxue recounted the entire story, then stood there, waiting quietly for Zhang Qing to speak.

"Hmph..."

At first, Zhang Qing thought Ning Wuxue was asking for help with a trivial matter, but he did not expect it to involve the county magistrate. This was not a simple matter, and the power behind the county magistrate also gave Zhang Qing a headache.

What kind of person was Zhang Qing? He knew the ins and outs of the bureaucracy and understood that Ning Wuxue and his brother were just scapegoats. However, the situation was not as simple as that.

"Do you know the surname of the county magistrate?"

Ning Wuxue shook his head, his eyes fixed on Zhang Qing.

"He is surnamed Yang. Although it is now the Li Tang dynasty, the power of the Yang Sui clan is still very strong, and even the emperor is cautious."

Zhang Qing did not say more, but he had made it clear that the person Ning Wuxue wanted to deal with had significant backing. Due to the three hundred years of Sui rule, the Tang dynasty's rule was still unstable, and the power of the Yang clan was still strong, much like how the Liu clan was still respected in the late Han and Three Kingdoms period.

The aristocratic families controlled the government.

The transition of power from the Sui to the Tang was more like a power transaction among the aristocratic families. The major families and clans could influence the emperor's decisions, and with their support, the Li Tang dynasty could quickly replace the Sui.

The imperial examinations had shattered some of the aristocratic families and clans, but new forces had emerged, and these forces were in constant conflict, which Zhang Qing did not want to get involved in.

Looking at Zhang Qing, Ning Wuxue took a deep breath and bowed. "They are my brothers. Even if the path ahead is full of knives, fire, and thorns, I will still go. Thank you for your warning, Master Zhang. I will take my leave..."

Seeing Ning Wuxue turn and leave without hesitation, Zhang Qing sighed softly. He saw a younger version of himself, equally stubborn and young.

"Wait..."

Ning Wuxue stopped, turned to look at Zhang Qing, feeling anxious but also a glimmer of hope.

Zhang Qing stood up, like a towering pine tree, exuding a sense of righteousness and authority.

"Fine, I will help you once. Follow me..."

Ning Wuxue let out a breath. He had been taking a gamble, but Zhang Qing still had principles and had not been corrupted by the bureaucracy. He bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Master Zhang..."

He followed Zhang Qing to the study in the house. Zhang Qing sat down at the desk and glanced at Ning Wuxue, who was still carrying his book chest. He said calmly, "Sit down. Being anxious won't help."

Ning Wuxue's tense heart relaxed slightly. He untied his book chest and sat down on a chair.

"Tell me the story again..."

Ning Wuxue nodded and recounted the story in detail, without exaggeration. Zhang Qing needed to think of a solution and could not be influenced by personal feelings.

Zhang Qing closed his eyes, tapping the table. After a long time, he said softly, "It's Yang Wenqing who is using Zhang Yuantai as a warning to others, and Zhao Lian is the mastermind. He is avenging the loss of his son's title four years ago and has embezzled ten thousand taels of gold. It's a good plan. Once the authorities make a decision, ordinary people won't say much."

Ning Wuxue listened carefully. Zhang Qing's analysis was indeed much clearer than his own.

Zhang Qing opened his eyes and said slowly, "To save your brother, it's not difficult, but it's not easy either. We just need to find evidence against Yang Wenqing and Zhao Lian, something that can threaten their positions. Then we can solve this problem."

"Although my position is higher than Yang Wenqing's, I am only a county examination examiner and have no authority to interfere with the county office. At most, I can ensure justice for you. Do you understand? As for your concern that Zhao Lian might come for you, don't worry. Yang Wenqing is not that foolish. With me here, he won't make a big fuss. Even if Zhao Lian comes, he won't dare to take you in my house!"

Zhang Qing snorted coldly, clearly dissatisfied with Zhao Lian's actions.

"Thank you, Master Zhang..."

After hearing Zhang Qing's analysis, Ning Wuxue finally calmed down and had a clear plan in his mind, no longer feeling so anxious.