Chapter 5, A Gathering of Heroes
After dealing with the county magistrate and the county deputy, Tan Lingyin broke into a sweat. She strolled out the main gate and saw two groups arguing at the Shenming Pavilion
The Shenging Pavilion is a place specifically designated for mediating disputes. In a county of considerable size, numerous incidents occur daily; if every trivial matter were to be brought before the county magistrate for resolution, the magistrate would likely be overwhelmed with work. Therefore, some civil disputes are first mediated at the Shenging Pavilion
Tan Lingyin woke up in the middle of the night, and it took her a while to realize what was happening. She stood up, rubbed her somewhat dizzy head, and felt a sharp pain on her forehead; turning her head back, she saw that the moon gate was tightly closed in the moonlight
This Tang Feilong, could it be that he is here to cause trouble
Tan Lingyin pondered carefully over the words that Tang Feilong had once said to her. Although he spoke of admiration, there seemed to be no hint of envy or longing in his tone
When someone leaves, someone else arrives. Tang Tianyuan glanced at the two people present; Zhou Zhengdao was someone to be wary of, that goes without saying; Tan Lingyin, however, was perplexing. Even the phrase "mentally ill" could not explain her actions from last night. Tang Tianyuan felt that she either intended to make an advance on him or was also after the gold. In any case, neither was what he had hoped for
Tang Tianyuan is neither Liu Xiahui nor does he have any hidden ailments, nor is he like Long Yang. The reason for his behavior stems from an incident that occurred eight years ago
After a moment of exclamation, she decided to head back. Just as she took a step, she felt something was wrong with her left foot. Squatting down to take a look, she discovered that her shoe was missing
We are the maids of the county magistrate's family. The young lady answered her question.
Just as she was engrossed, a line of horse-drawn carriages passed by outside. The wheels creaked on the bluestone pavement, accompanied by the soft clopping of hooves. Tan Lingyin had excellent hearing; upon hearing the commotion outside, she ran out to take a look and saw a convoy of four or five carriages stopped at the entrance of the county office.
In summary, those who have read her book all know that Tang Feilong is Tang Tianyuan
This matter does not fall under Tan Lingyin's jurisdiction, so she refrains from intervening and simply enjoys her cold tea while watching the commotion. Writing a script should draw from real life; for instance, arguments provide a readily available example that can be observed and learned from.
She became famous and made a considerable amount of money relying on these three words, thus she is quite familiar with them. However, the "Tang Feilong" she wrote is not the same "Tang Feilong" but rather the renowned scholar Tang Tianyuan. Over two years ago, Tang Tianyuan gained fame across the world, becoming the dream lover of countless young ladies and a role model for many scholars. Seeing this business opportunity, Tan Lingyin could not let it slip by, so she wrote a book based on Tang Tianyuan under the pen name "Miaomiao Sheng," which subsequently gained widespread acclaim. If she were to use the name "Tang Tianyuan" directly in the book, she feared that he might come looking for her, so she chose another name, "Tang Feilong," implying "the dragon soaring in the sky." Tan Lingyin saw this business opportunity, and how could she let it pass? Thus, she wrote a book based on Tang Tianyuan under the pen name "Miaomiao Sheng," which subsequently gained widespread acclaim. If she were to use the name "Tang Tianyuan" directly in the book, she feared that he might come looking for her, so she chose another name, "Tang Feilong," implying "the dragon soaring in the sky."
Little did one know that over the years, Tang Tianyuan was surrounded by so many charming women, yet he remained focused and untouched by any worldly desires
Tan Lingyin lowered her head and searched in place for a while, but did not find anything, so she had no choice but to give up and hopped back to the Southern Study.
Goat Beard is the newly appointed county magistrate from Chizhou Prefecture. The county magistrate serves as the deputy of a county, holding a position and authority second only to that of the county chief. The county chief does not have the authority to privately appoint a county magistrate; even if he has someone in mind, he must submit a request to his superior for formal approval. Tang Tianyuan, however, bypassed this layer of trouble, as he could not even recruit a clerk, let alone a county magistrate, and thus directly requested one from Chizhou Prefecture.
In fact, when a mother chooses these two maidservants for her son, there is certainly another intention behind it. Tang Tianyuan is already quite grown up; although he has not yet married, there should be a few people in the house.
Tang Tianyuan saw Tan Lingyin and recalled the farce from last night. He maintained his composure; although he felt displeased internally, he did not show any sign of it on the surface, leading Tan Lingyin to meet with that person, and the three of them appeared to be in harmony.
Tang Tianyuan was puzzled, and Zhou Zhengdao was even more perplexed. He had never heard of any county office hiring a female clerk; this county magistrate was truly outrageous. Looking at this female clerk, the young girl was exceptionally charming. Could it be that the magistrate had taken a liking to her? It is normal for men to be a bit flirtatious, but how could he entrust the position of clerk to a woman? This is simply absurd
Thus, Tang Feilong is most likely here to seek revenge
On that day, Tang Tianyuan left home accompanied only by a young servant and did not bring any maidservants. Upon learning that her son would be staying in Tongling for an indefinite period, his mother, concerned that the young servants might not be attentive enough, sent a maidservant with a considerable amount of supplies to travel a long distance. Elder Tang repeatedly instructed that they should not be too ostentatious, so Madam Tang streamlined the arrangements, allowing only the two most reliable maidservants to bring the most essential items.
In the morning, Tan Lingyin, having nothing to do, chatted and drank tea with several constables. One of them had her fortune told, and all the constables praised Tan Lingyin for her accurate predictions, collectively pooling money to treat her to a good meal. During this time, Tan Lingyin learned an astonishing piece of news: the notorious county magistrate, known for his lecherous behavior, was actually named "Tang Feilong".
It turned out that when Tang Tianyuan casually dragged Tan Lingyin earlier, it caused Tan Lingyin to be unaware of where she had dropped her shoes
In this light, it is understandable why he previously prevented her from writing the Longyang novel. Unless there is a particular inclination, no man would willingly allow his name to be associated with another man, appearing together in a romantic novel.
That person had a sallow complexion, a goat-like beard, and two small eyes that sparkled with intelligence, making it clear that he was not someone to be underestimated
The woman lowered her eyes, concealing the disdain within them, and said, "We are not here to complain."
Tan Lingyin touched her nose and thought to herself, what else could two girls do at the county office besides filing a complaint
Another girl, more beautiful than the rest, straightforwardly remarked, "You are really foolish, why do you always ask others to complain?"
She then sighed deeply, lamenting the ill-fated expedition. Who could have imagined that this lecherous county magistrate would run naked in his own courtyard at night? What kind of perversion must one possess to engage in such behavior? Tan Lingyin shook her head, unable to suppress her concern for the fate of the people in this place
Now, the real "Tang Feilong" has come knocking at the door
In recent days, Tang Tianyuan has not been idle. He carefully studied the situation at the county office and discovered that all those who might know about the case of the gold have disappeared, either dead, fled, or replaced. The remaining individuals are merely insignificant lackeys who are unaware of the truth
What should I do? The county magistrate must absolutely despise her. Tan Lingyin felt a bit melancholic
Due to the awkwardness between the two, the next morning, Tan Lingyin did not go to see Tang Tianyuan, who was quite pleased to have some peace and quiet
If Tan Lingyin could think of this, then Tang Tianyuan would certainly not be mistaken. However, probing is a two-way street; just as others can probe him, he can naturally probe others as well. When he first met Zhou Zhengdao, he could not determine which faction the other belonged to, so he decided to proceed with caution and observe.
The two maidservants were carefully selected by Madam Tang from those who usually attended to Tang Tianyuan, both of whom were born into the household. One was named Xianggua (Melon), and the other Xueli (Snow Pear). Tang Tianyuan had a peculiar trait. While most literati and refined gentlemen preferred to give their maidservants and young servants elegant names, such as "Saoxue" (Sweeping Snow) or "Siqi" (Master of Chess), Tang Tianyuan, despite being well-versed in literature, found such names superfluous. He only assigned names based on food; the maidservants were named after fruits, and the young servants after vegetables, which was both convenient and easy to remember.
It is understandable to some extent; he and Tang Tianyuan were both successful candidates in the same imperial examination, but undoubtedly, Tang Tianyuan's prominence overshadowed him. Moreover, there are those who have written books using his name, yet every line points to Tang Tianyuan, having nothing to do with him at all. As the true Tang Feilong, how could he possibly accept this? Furthermore, if his friends and family were to read those books, they would likely compare him to Tang Tianyuan, which would only serve to further hurt his self-esteem
Xianggua and Xueli initially served the lady, but later, out of concern for her son, the lady gave these two maids to him. Xianggua's appearance is not particularly striking, but she excels in her meticulous thinking and steady demeanor. Xueli is beautiful, yet lacks the cunning typical of most seductresses, possessing a very straightforward character, which reassures the lady.
After lunch, Tan Lingyin wanted to take a short nap, but unexpectedly, Li Dawang came to find her, saying that the county magistrate wanted her to go over. Tan Lingyin then went to Tuisitang, where the county magistrate was talking to another person.
The new county magistrate is named Zhou Zhengdao. Tan Lingyin thought to herself that men named "Handsome" and women named "Beautiful" are often neither handsome nor beautiful. This man with a goatee named Zhengdao is likely not on the right path either
The maidservants are all quite attractive, which indicates that the county magistrate is indeed a lecherous man. Just as Tan Lingyin was about to speak, she saw two young attendants come out of the county office to greet the two young ladies.
This question should be asked by me, Tan Lingyin thought, and said, "Are you here to complain?"
Two young ladies, both around seventeen or eighteen years of age and possessing charming appearances, descended from the horse-drawn carriage. The taller girl, with a dignified expression, noticed Tan Lingyin looking at them and, drawing closer, frowned and asked, "Do you need something?"
Her thoughts are not based on superficial judgments, but rather on sound reasoning. The county magistrate is an ordinary scholar from Sichuan, lacking significant connections, and he is a naive new official who has arrived in Tongling, a place fraught with conflict. The governor of Chizhou is a seasoned bureaucrat and is unlikely to extend a helping hand right away. Therefore, the people assigned to him are either the leftover dregs chosen by others or individuals sent to test and win him over.
It is truly strange, so many people, could it be that they have come together to lodge a complaint? Tan Lingyin found it odd and leaned forward a bit more, wanting to see more clearly.
Regardless of the circumstances, the new leadership team of the county government has officially been established. On the surface, the three individuals appear amicable, yet each harbors ulterior motives within.