Chapter 4: Encountering a Ridiculous Young Lady

Gao Fangping shook off her hand and intended to run away

There is no need to ask, once again I was slapped by the young master, and the young master is about to show off again. Thus, I covered my head and obediently stepped back

The ox cart came to a stop in front of me, the curtain was lifted, revealing a scholarly face with a square jaw, around forty years of age, with three strands of beard that exuded an air of elegance and refinement. It was none other than Zhang Shuye.

"Hey! Do you intend to kill him with one blow? Don't involve me in such a wicked act; you can do it secretly on your own, and at most, I won't tell on you." Gao Fangping was thinking of running away again

The young lady, frightened, turned pale and timidly said: "I, as a humble woman, dare not blame the young master, nor do I wish to entangle myself in this matter. It is just... it is just that my husband is ill and can only lie helplessly in bed. Therefore, please come tonight."

The lackeys noticed that the young master had lost interest in her, yet she continued to cling on. Consequently, one eager to show off his prowess became infuriated and kicked the young lady hard in the waist. She winced in pain and fell to the ground, tears welling in her eyes, but she still refused to let go of Gao Fangping's clothing.

Come to Bianjing for a visit, and while being a dandy is not without its merits, it is not what I desire the most; what I truly want is far more than that

Gao Fangping shouted: "Come back! This matter does not concern you."

Upon hearing the mention of the deceased Imperial Guard's family, Lu Qian's expression turned cold as he grasped the hilt of his knife and walked out, saying: "Rest assured, my lord, I will immediately go and comfort the families of my subordinates."

The young lady, with a slight blush on her face, softly said: "Why has the young master not come to meet recently? What is the reason?"

Old Zhang remarked: Causing fewer major troubles and not putting the Kaifeng Prefecture and the General's Office in a difficult position is already a contribution

A young woman from a rural household approached with a strange smile

"Come to the yamen tonight. My husband has already taken a very indifferent view of this matter after the lesson he learned last time at the yamen." The young lady tugged at Gao Fangping's clothes

I always feel as if someone is watching the official's son; the high-ranking general must have sent me for a reason

To refer to oneself as a "student" is to exhibit a certain cleverness. For if one wishes to consider oneself a scholar, one cannot avoid the provincial and metropolitan examinations, which are presided over by the governor. Thus, the candidates can barely be considered students of Zhang Shuye. However, the astute and cunning Zhang could simply say, "You are not my student," a statement that carries a double meaning, subtly suggesting a hindrance to the progress of the wealthy and idle youth.

Gao Fangping felt a wave of frustration. The reputation of his previous master was too poor, and as he aspired to enter the ranks of the gentry in the future, he needed to present himself at Donghua Gate. However, he could not get past this hurdle with Old Zhang, making it impossible for him to take the examination.

Gao Fangping turned to Lu Qian and angrily rebuked: "Lu Qian, what are you doing! I instructed you to bring people to seek guidance and spar with Old Zhang, and I told you to be careful and not to use real weapons. What do you take my orders for?"

This will be easy to handle

Xu Ning felt beads of cold sweat trickling down his forehead. Everyone understands the saying "to possess a treasure is to invite trouble." The commanders of the Imperial Guard's infantry and cavalry are all martial men, who cherish their weapons as if they were their own lives. This...

Gao Fangping called out to Dao: "Do you have any intention of taking on a task on behalf of my Gao family?"

After Xu Ning turned around and followed Gao Fangping, a pair of beautiful eyes hidden in the crowd continued to watch...

Given the circumstances, even though Xu Ning found it hard to accept, he could only acknowledge that this was the best outcome. Thus, he said: "There is no need for excessive self-blame within the yamen. Among military personnel, it is not uncommon for injuries to occur during competitions and skill exchanges. I believe everyone can understand this. It is just unfortunate for the brothers of the Imperial Guard who died unexpectedly. I wonder what their families must be thinking?"

This is Xu Ning's unspeakable secret, something dear to his heart. Upon hearing the mention from the young master, his expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "How did the young master come to know?"

The constables, upon seeing Huahua Taisui like this, let out a sigh of relief and secretly felt that this young man had truly become more sensible

I can't believe it

Gao Fangping, newly arrived, could not quite understand the ceremonial regalia and flags. He leaned closer to a sycophant beside him and asked, "Which deity is ahead?"

Unable to speak, I was struck on the head by Gao Fangping with a slap

Yamen

Having spoken, he lowered the curtain and drove the convoy away

Xu Ning was taken aback, furrowed his brow slightly, and found it somewhat difficult to respond

Xu Ning, who remained silent beside him, watched this scene with great interest. However, Xu Ning soon became somewhat alert and turned around to search for something in the crowd, but found nothing at all

The corpse is undeniably here. Although the death of the imperial guard is suspicious, it is undoubtedly a scheme orchestrated by Lu Qian. During the fight, when the guard stepped back to avoid the iron rod, Lu Qian secretly pushed him from behind, resulting in his death. But how can such a situation be clarified? With this thought, Master Zhang nodded with tears streaming down his face.

Last night, the treacherous father made it clear: the old foxes in the court do not wish for talents to emerge from the Gao family; on the contrary, as long as the rascals and debauchees do not rebel, they can be accepted. This is also the reason why Lin Chong's reputation is very poor, yet none of the gentlemen in the court dared to question Gao Qiu.

Did you not see the words "Silence" and "Yield" on their sign

This sycophant, in order to enhance the authority of the official, raised his head and declared loudly: "It is merely Zhang Shuye from the Kaifeng Prefecture, no need to be concerned... Oh!"

Gao Fangping said: "To covet treasures is the nature of those who seek good fortune, and those who are particularly adept at coveting treasures of this caliber are usually individuals of considerable influence. I have never been fond of brandishing weapons or engaging in robbery. However... I cannot guarantee whether General Bu or General Ma has cast their eyes upon it. Xu Jiaotou, do you understand the principle of 'having a jewel brings guilt'?"

Gao Fangping shouted to the military leader outside: "Have the constables from Kaifeng Prefecture arrived?"

Gao Fangping helped her up, steeling herself, and asked in an extremely awkward manner: "Do you want me to compensate you for some medical expenses? I find it a bit difficult to say sorry."

Xu Ning did not wish to associate with such a disreputable scion, and with cupped fists, he said: "The orders of Commander Gao have been fulfilled, and I shall take my leave from the yamen to atone for my sins"

Frankly speaking, the position of a coach is quite low; it is not an official role, and the salary is rather average. There is neither a future nor any opportunity for additional benefits, and it is even less advantageous than being a headman. The suggestion from Gao Yanei was originally a good thing, as it could be considered a form of promotion, but... After glancing at this young scion, I felt that the affairs of the Gao family are very complicated, and getting involved could lead to unpredictable consequences in the future

Yes. Lu Qian could only wait by his side

With a wave of his hand, the four imperial guards restraining Zhang Jiaotou immediately stepped back. Gao Fangping said, "Old Zhang, although this matter was not my intention, there are indeed imperial guards who have died at your hands. Do you acknowledge this point?"

"Reporting to the official, three individuals came earlier, but they did not dare to approach us due to the imposing presence of our imperial guards. Only two remained at a distance to observe, while one seemed to have left to seek someone with authority to make decisions." said the military leader from outside.

The necessary courtesy must be observed, and Gao Fangping quickly led the people to the side, bowing their heads and maintaining silence

Deep in thought, Gao Fangping continued to adopt a dandy demeanor, walking through the market amidst the shouts of the thugs and sycophants. Wherever he went, even in the absence of Old Zhang's imposing sign, people would still fall silent and make way for him

Gao Fangping was at a loss for words. She asked the sycophants around her for a bag of copper coins, which felt quite heavy, probably more than a guan. She handed it to her, then left with a dark expression without saying a word

Today I have witnessed what is known as flattery leading to downfall, and what it means to lack intelligence. This is how a reckless individual, who is manipulated step by step in their arrogance, ultimately finds themselves in a deadlock.

Finally home, this is where I find a sense of security

At present, it is impossible to obstruct the decision of the official, and Lu Qian can only kneel on the ground and say: "I, a humble servant, was careless for a moment, which led to an accident during the discussion and consultation between my subordinates and Master Zhang. As a superior, I cannot escape responsibility; please punish me, official!"

I heard that Master Xu has a set of ancestral armor at home, impervious to swords and spears. Is this true? High Fangping suddenly asked

Those sycophants seemed to recognize this lady, and with an understanding nod, they turned their backs, encircling the young master and the young lady at the center, blocking the gaze of passersby

The young lady's tears flowed down: "In the days you have not been here, our family has lost a source of income. My father-in-law is ill, and my husband is also unwell, both are waiting for money to buy medicine."

Do not make things difficult for them, please invite them in to investigate, just say that someone has died here, it was an accident. Gao Fangping then turned to Lin Niangzi's father and said: "Old Zhang, perhaps Lu Qian was too forceful, but your uncalm resistance against the Imperial Guard, after all, someone has died, both emotionally and logically, you must go to the Kaifeng Prefecture's main hall to face some consequences. With everyone as witnesses, it was merely a sparring accident, I believe it won't be too serious. As for whether you will be exiled or not, I am illiterate and do not understand, but I will do my best to help you. The incident has already occurred, do not think too negatively, it is as it is."

In the blink of an eye, the convoy of Kaifeng Prefecture arrived nearby

The Prefect of Kaifeng, the esteemed civil officials, the high-ranking ministers of the court, the foremost regional officials under the Son of Heaven—are these individuals suggesting that the old man need not be concerned? Gao Fangping felt extremely disheartened by this

Student Gao Fangping, pays his respects to the esteemed lord. Gao Fangping himself is unsure why he is currently in charge of the Kaifeng Prefecture, but he has made sure to observe the proper etiquette as seen on television.

Gao Fangping awkwardly asked: "Do I know you?"

It is sufficient to have them testify for the Kaifeng Prefecture, as Gao Fangping, being a debauched young master, is unwilling to go to the main hall of the Kaifeng Prefecture

Having finished speaking, he left with Xu Ning and a group of sycophants.

It cannot be described as anger, nor can it be called amusing; however, such an absurd event has indeed occurred.

Gao Fangping smiled slightly and said, "I will not force you, but I will observe. Here, I predict that Xu Jiaotou will eventually encounter a great disaster because of this family heirloom that he dares not reveal."

The dog leg encountered such an unamusing woman for the first time, and was about to greet her with a wooden stick, when suddenly he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head

Uh... I've been a bit busy lately, I ordered some soy sauce and need to go pick it up. Gao Fangping felt a bit dizzy

At the mouth of the alley, Gao Fang felt a tingling sensation on his scalp as a large group of constables gathered around the ox cart ahead.

Despite some dissatisfaction, to a certain extent, I am still somewhat pleased with the awareness shown by this young scion. Therefore, Zhang Shuye said lightly: "You speak too heavily. I am not of your kind, nor will I ever have a 'good student' like you. If you could just show me a little favor in Kaifeng Prefecture and refrain from causing disturbances in this important place of Bianjing, I would be immensely grateful."