Chapter 004: Revisit the Role of the Wife of Feng

Feng Jianxiao saw that he answered every question with great cleverness, and couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. He picked up a document that An Yuanwai had just written and threw it down, saying: "Xia Xun, come and take a look at this. What is it?"

Xia Xun did not accept the summons; he merely bowed his head and said: "In response to the esteemed lord's words, the commoner is illiterate."

Xia Xun clenched her teeth and nodded emphatically, saying: "Alright! I will sign!"

22 years old

Once General Hu has passed, all that remains in this world is a patch of yellow earth in the wilderness. After paying his respects to Uncle Hu, Xia Xun did not return to the village but directly embarked on his journey, just as he had come before, disappearing without a sound.

Zhang Shisan smiled faintly, bent down to pick up the document, and said, "Since you have agreed, let's sign and seal it."

Feng Jianxiao said lightly: "You are not clear? Perhaps once you have seen the corpse of his master, you will understand."

Xia Xun timidly said: "Yes, but... I do not understand what it means for you, my lord, to show this document to a commoner..."

Liu Xu, who had long been prepared, called out and immediately removed his outer robe, carelessly discarding it to the side. What was revealed underneath was a striking red official robe, adorned with patterns of coiling dragons and flying fish, and a phoenix belt at the waist. Hanging from the belt was a waist plaque. He took out a black gauze cap from his bosom, opened it, and placed it squarely on his head. In an instant, the ordinary, unremarkable shopkeeper transformed into a figure of imposing authority, exuding an air of dominance.

Zhang Shisan and Feng Xihui exchanged a glance, pursing their lips in silence. Xia Xun was cautiously responding while secretly speculating about the purpose of these four individuals bringing him to a small hotel: "This combination of four people is rather peculiar. One is an official from the government, one is a wealthy merchant, one is a shopkeeper with a face full of hardship, and the last is a young servant in a blue outfit and cap. Such a group cannot possibly be highway robbers, and I am currently penniless, worse off than a beggar. What could they want with me? There must be something unusual at play..."

Injustice! The common people are wronged!

The closer he got to his destination, the more these thoughts inevitably surfaced in his mind. Xia Xun, burdened with worries, was deep in thought when he suddenly heard a sound of footsteps. He opened his eyes in surprise and immediately saw four people standing in front of him: an official, a servant, a wealthy man, and a vendor

Uncle Hu is a lonely elderly man, his savior, and his only family in this world. At such a time, Xia Xun could not abandon him under any circumstances. He stayed behind to take care of Uncle Hu's life until six months later when Uncle Hu suddenly passed away. Xia Xun, in the capacity of a filial son, arranged the funeral for Uncle Hu

He could not recall how many more years Zhu Yuanzhang had to live, nor could he remember when Zhu Di raised his army. He understood that if he arrived in Beiping too early, he would not be able to enlist; would he have to remain a beggar in Beiping waiting for an opportunity? Heaven knows whether he would freeze to death on the streets one winter before Zhu Di even raised his army. Even if he managed to survive until Zhu Di raised his army, would he necessarily be able to enlist? After enlisting, would he be able to live to see the day of victory in the Jingnan campaign? The Jingnan campaign led by the Prince of Yan was not an easy battle; there were many times when Zhu Di himself nearly died on the battlefield. Zhang Yu, the valiant general under the Prince of Yan, died in battle, not to mention those soldiers who were merely cannon fodder. What merit or capability did he, Xia Xun, possess that would guarantee him a turn of fortune?

Feng Jianxiao did not believe that he should know how to read, so he chuckled and said: "This is a petition, filed by this young man on behalf of his master to seek justice."

In the dimly lit shop, a moment of tranquility settled in. After a long while, Xia Xun finally spoke: "Yes, the commoner agrees, the commoner is willing to serve you, my lord"

In Xiaoye'er Village, Xia Xun took two months to recover from his injuries

Such emperors are few and far between throughout history, with only three notable figures: Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng, Tang Taizong Li Shimin, and the Yongle Emperor Zhu Di. Even the benevolent Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, who did not stain his hands with the blood of his own loyal subjects, pales in comparison to the grandeur and spirit of these three individuals. Given this, why not support the Prince of Yan?

Xia Xun exclaimed in astonishment: "An imperial command?"

Xia Xun honestly replied: "It is indeed suitable to grow rice in Nanxun, but cultivating mulberry trees for silkworms, as well as producing cloth and silk, yields profits that are more than ten times higher than farming. Therefore, in our area, every household grows mulberry and raises silkworms, while the amount of grain we actually cultivate is quite limited"

He traveled northward, enduring hardships and facing the elements, inquiring about the road to Beiping, for there resided a prince of Yan named Zhu Di. Xia Xun knew that one day this prince would raise an army under the banner of the Jingnan campaign and ultimately become the Yongle Emperor

To his enemies, Zhu Di was as ruthless and merciless as autumn winds sweeping away fallen leaves; however, to his own people, he was generous and benevolent, bestowing endless favors. Even if you had died before he achieved great success, he would still remember your contributions and reward your family and descendants. The families of the meritorious officials from the Jingnan campaign, such as Wang Zhang of Hejian, Wang Zhu Neng of Dongping, Marquis Wang Zhen of Jinxing, and Duke Yao Guangxiao of Rongguo, are numerous. Through their great contributions, they were able to enjoy the imperial temple's favor, and their descendants continued to receive honors and privileges in the Ming dynasty.

Feng Jianxiao said in a deep voice: "Regarding this person's identity, I have not deceived you. This individual is indeed a wealthy gentry from my Qingzhou Prefecture, named Yang Xu, courtesy name Wenxuan. He was unexpectedly assassinated, and he was of great use to me. I see that you bear a striking resemblance to him, and I intend to have you impersonate him to carry out tasks for me. Do you agree?"

Xia Xun glanced at the corpse with some trepidation, and Feng Jianjiao smiled, saying: "You need not worry; I am not a villain and will not compel you to engage in any criminal activities. To speak frankly, the four of us, including the deceased Young Master Yang Wenxuan, are actually on a special imperial mission!"

Feng Jianjiao said: "If you agree, you will henceforth be one of my Jinyiwei. Not only can you hold an official position, but you can also enjoy the vast wealth of the Yang family. These two paths, one leads to life and the other to death, one to nobility and the other to poverty, how will you choose?"

Feng Jianxiao said in a deep voice: "This gentleman is Young Master Yang Wenxuan from Qingzhou, a scholar of notable achievements. You, a vile commoner, seeing that he resembles you, have harbored malicious intent, intending to kill him and impersonate him to fraudulently obtain money. This young man is the victim, and Mr. An and Manager Liu are the eyewitnesses. Now that both the witnesses and physical evidence are present, what else do you have to say?"

**********

Commoners, being of lowly status, would occasionally assist their fathers in catching frogs and fish, and sometimes also engage in idle labor

He also knows that although the Yongle Emperor, like his father the Hongwu Emperor, was ruthless and not an easy boss to serve, this particular boss had a notable strength that surpassed many historical founding monarchs, including his father Zhu Yuanzhang: he did not engage in the practice of abandoning the bow after the birds were gone or cooking the dog after the rabbits were dead

What profession do you engage in

Liu Xu and Zhang Shisan temporarily played the role of constables, lifting Yang Wenxuan's corpse out. When Xia Xun saw Yang Wenxuan, he was truly taken aback. In that era, the dissemination of information was far less advanced than in later times, and encountering two individuals who looked exactly alike was a rare experience. It was indeed astonishing to witness. However, Xia Xun felt differently; although meeting someone who looked exactly like him would evoke a sense of novelty, it would not cause him to be overly surprised. Yet, if the person who resembled him were a corpse, it would be impossible for him not to be shocked.

Feng Jianxiao smiled and said: "The morning assembly, the royal procession, the ceremonial guards, the attendants accompanying the emperor, and the division of the palace guards on duty—all of these are managed by the General of Tianwu (the General of Tianwu is the Great Han General, whose main responsibility is to guard the Wumen and serve as the palace guards, mostly composed of the offspring of meritorious officials. It was only during the Yongle period that it was renamed the Great Han General), the Captain, and the strongmen. All of these duties are performed by the General of Tianwu, the Captain, and the strongmen, who are all subordinate to the Jinyiwei. Are we to abolish the guards accompanying the emperor during the morning assembly, the evening moon, the farming, and the livestock inspection? Does the emperor no longer require ceremonial guards or attendants on duty?"

Zhang Shisan coldly snorted and said: "Once you accomplish this task, General Feng will commend you to the higher-ups and request a reward for you, then you will truly be one of my Jinyiwei. If you waver and harbor ulterior motives, this document will serve as your death warrant. Do you understand?"

Once the flames of war ignite and the armies march through, local governments will be in disarray. At that time, who will bother to verify his identity and background? If he can enlist in the military during this period, he will naturally be able to whitewash his identity, and he will no longer need to worry about fabricating a respectable identity for himself that could be exposed. However, whether this opportunity can be seized, and whether seizing it will truly change his fate, he is uncertain.

Xiaoye'er Village, Nanxun, Huzhou

Feng Xihui, dressed in official attire and being the leader among the four, naturally took on the role of chief examiner. Although this was merely a small hotel, when Inspector Feng took his seat there, it indeed exuded the grandeur of a high official presiding over a case.

Xia Xun's abdominal muscles suddenly tightened, wanting to leap up like a carp, but he immediately saw four people spreading out and surrounding him with their movements. Except for the plump gentleman, the other three were agile and steady on their feet, all possessing excellent martial arts skills. Xia Xun quickly became alert and relaxed his strength, his expression and bodily reactions completely resembling those of an ordinary rural strongman

Deep down, he was secretly taken aback: "The Jinyiwei? Didn't Uncle Hu say that the Jinyiwei had already been disbanded by Emperor Hongwu?"

Xia Xun stammered out a question, and Feng Jianjiao scoffed: "That is merely the ignorant common people spreading rumors."

Zhang Shisan said: "Do you understand? If it weren't for Yang Wenxuan's unexpected death, how could such a tremendous benefit fall upon you? President Feng has taken a liking to you and intends to offer you a prosperous future. Why are you not happily agreeing and instead rambling on?"

Xia Xun returned to Xiaoye Village, assisting Uncle Hu in fishing and catching frogs to make a living, with the old and the young relying on each other. Uncle Hu had no relatives and treated him like a son. From Hu Jiuliu, Xia Xun not only learned exceptional skills in water but also the combat techniques that Hu Jiuliu had mastered on the battlefield. Xia Xun was not willing to spend his life here; he finally found a way out from some historical events that only he understood were about to happen. For this, he patiently prepared for a long time. When he was ready to bid farewell to Uncle Hu and venture out into the world again, the ailing Hu Jiuliu fell ill.

Zhang Shisan once again revealed that gentle and amiable smile, as warm and radiant as the sun, when facing Miss Tingxiang: "Of course, Lord Zongqi personally promised you, how could there be any doubt?"

The common people of Xiaoye Village have largely become numb to their status as lowly subjects, yet there are some who refuse to accept this identity. Uncle Hu, who saved his life, is one of them. His name is Hu Jiuliu, and he was once a general under Zhang Shicheng. He could not bear the thought of an unchanging, lowly status passed down through generations, nor could he accept that even he and his descendants could only aspire to be farmers. Instead, they were relegated to small trades such as fishing, frog-catching, selling soup, and making sugar figurines. His wife and daughters were limited to being matchmakers, servants, or even engaging in a life of debauchery. Thus, he chose to remain unmarried throughout his life, preferring that the Hu family die out.

Zhang Shisan stated: "The reason is that the civil and military officials have considerable apprehension towards my Jinyiwei. To reassure the officials, we, the Jinyiwei, have been ordered by the Emperor to operate in secrecy. In fact, the investigation of rebellion remains one of the important responsibilities of my Jinyiwei. We have been dispatched to Qingzhou because we received some information regarding suspected treason, which involves certain individuals from the Qi Wangfu. The Emperor has commanded my Jinyiwei to take charge of this case. Yang Xu is one of our operatives who has been close to the Qi Wangfu; he secretly joined my Jinyiwei three years ago. It is precisely because of the covert assistance from my Jinyiwei that his business has flourished, thus gaining the favor of the Qi Wang and managing affairs for the Qi Wangfu."

Xia Xun was both shocked and angry, loudly proclaiming his innocence, but Feng Jianxiao laughed heartily: "Xia Xun, even if you refuse to acknowledge it, this matter is as solid as iron evidence. Once reported to the authorities, you will face certain death! Even ants cling to life; I expect you do not wish to take this path to your demise. I have arranged a way for you to survive; would you like to know what it is?"

Zhang Shisan further remarked: "I heard that the Iron Buddha Tower in Huzhou was struck by lightning a few days ago, resulting in the destruction of more than half of it. Is this true?"

Feng Jianxiao said: "There are indeed such rumors among the people. The reason for this is that in the 20th year of the Hongwu era, the Emperor publicly burned the torture instruments of my Jinyiwei and forbade us from using cruel methods for interrogation. In the 26th year of Hongwu, the Emperor issued another edict stating that criminal cases, both internal and external, were not to be handled by the Jinyiwei, and all matters were to be dealt with by the judicial authorities. Thus, my Jinyiwei no longer possessed the privilege of the edict prison. On the surface, it appears that the original powers of the Jinyiwei, including guarding, capturing, and handling criminal cases, have been reduced to merely the ceremonial duty of guarding the Emperor. One could say that we exist in name only. In reality... heh heh!

Xia Xun exclaimed, "The commoner has already pledged to serve you, why... why must I still sign... sign this document?"

Xia Xun said hesitantly: "Yes, yes, the common people... the common people are what I heard from my father..."

The characters are in traditional form; in fact, Xia Xun recognizes most traditional characters. Occasionally, there are a few characters he does not know, but he can infer their meanings from the context. However, given his current identity, he should not be able to read. Therefore, he did not hesitate for even a moment or make any gestures to take the paper. The first clause of the self-protection section of the undercover training regulations, Article 8: Your behavior and demeanor must align with the identity you are assuming. Merely changing your appearance is not enough; you must transform from within into the role you are to play. If you can deceive yourself, you can deceive others. Xia Xun has long memorized these regulations by heart. The bloody experience of his last undercover failure has further etched all of this deeply into his mind. The first clause of the self-protection section of the undercover training regulations, Article 8: Your behavior and demeanor must align with the identity you are assuming. Merely changing your appearance is not enough; you must transform from within into the role you are to play. If you can deceive yourself, you can deceive others. Xia Xun has long memorized these regulations by heart. The bloody experience of his last undercover failure has further etched all of this deeply into his mind

Xia Xun asked in confusion: "I do not know which official from which yamen this master is..."

Xia Xun couldn't help but hesitate a little upon hearing this, and Zhang Shisan ominously said: "What? Are you perhaps choosing the path of death?"

Xia Xun

Zhang Shisan suddenly interjected, asking: "Nanxun Town? I have heard that the soil there is fertile, the waterways are extensive, and the rice grows exceptionally well. The local families all cultivate rice, is that correct?"

Xia Xun quietly lifted her knee, which then subtly returned to its original position, while her arms still held a latent strength. She asked in confusion, "I wonder what the esteemed master means by... what path to survival?"

This is what Xia Xun has thought of, the only way to truly integrate into this world and live a flavorful life

Age

Feng Jianxiao said: "Indeed, Liu Xu, show your official identity and badge, let him see clearly!"

Xia Xun expressed some confusion, saying: "Commoners have only heard of the Iron Buddha Temple and the Feiying Pagoda in Huzhou, but... but have never heard of any Iron Buddha Pagoda. Whether it has been struck by lightning, the commoners are even less aware. Although I have lived in Huzhou since childhood, I have never actually entered the city of Huzhou."

Zhang Shisan said: "This is indeed a windfall; as long as you nod your head, not only will you avoid the calamity of death, but you will also enjoy endless wealth and honor, rise to great heights, and become a person of distinction. With such a great opportunity, what is there to hesitate about?"

I ... ... I ... ...

As he watched Xia Xun bow his head to sign, the strange smiles on Feng Xihui and Zhang Shisan's faces vanished in an instant

Feng Jianxiao noticed that Xia Xun looked bewildered and explained: "Engaging in commerce is considered a lowly profession. Individuals of status and rank must first possess land to establish their identity as respectable citizens; commerce can only be regarded as a secondary occupation. Otherwise, they would be classified as commoners. Moreover, the descendants of noble families and royal bloodlines must never be involved in such trades. If a prince were to engage in commerce, would it not bring disgrace to the royal family? Therefore, it is necessary to have someone who appears completely unrelated to the royal household to manage the business on behalf of the prince. The prince's shops and workshops must be registered under this person's name, and the operations must be conducted in his name. Yang Wenxuan possesses this identity, allowing him to access many secrets of the Qi Prince's residence. Unfortunately... we have invested three years of effort to ensure that Yang Wenxuan successfully becomes a trusted confidant of the Qi Prince's residence, gaining the opportunity to access certain confidential matters..."

Xia Xun hesitated for a moment and asked, "Commoner... if a commoner were to serve Your Excellency, would it truly be possible to shed the status of a lowly person and join the Jinyiwei?"

Will he believe it? Liu Zhanggui and An Yuanwai exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves: Even if there are flaws in this statement, it is unlikely that a naive country bumpkin like him would be able to uncover them

This is a placeholder text and does not contain any translatable content.

During this period, he made every effort to gather information about this era from Uncle Hu, who had rescued him, and the villagers, including aspects of sitting, standing, walking, and speaking. When his injuries had healed and his every action was not too different from that of the people of this time, he bid farewell to his benefactors and confidently entered the city.

Place of origin

Commoners ... ... The commoner heard the elder say ... ...

Name

The outcome left him greatly disappointed; he had no identity. In the early Ming period, individuals like him, who were without official status, faced even greater difficulties than those in our country during the 1960s and 1970s, when finding a job without a household registration or traveling without a letter of introduction was nearly impossible. He found himself unable to make any progress, and on several occasions, due to his suspicious behavior, he narrowly escaped being captured by patrolling officials and thrown into prison as a vagrant or fugitive. In utter helplessness, he returned to Xiaoye Village.