Chapter 4: The Fool in the Eyes of Others

Wang Bing, bearing the weight of his crimes and having been expelled from Tangzhou, did not dare to accept the grand courtesy of the esteemed warriors! Upon seeing Xu Wujiang and others approaching to pay their respects, Wang Bing hurriedly returned the gesture.

I just heard Deng Gui say that Xu Wujiang was recommended as a military officer by the local Xu clan. That young man might even be a descendant of your old friend Xu Wuxuan. However, now that this matter has implicated you, it cannot be remedied, and we must not involve more people," Wang Bing said in a low voice. "After you take me and Xuan'er to Biyang, you should leave Biyang directly and do not seek out Xu Wuxuan...

The horse bandits are swift, and perhaps you have heard of the renowned Lord Deng. We chased after them, but they had already vanished without a trace; how could we possibly catch up? Xu Wujiang said, "I never expected that such a small group of horse bandits would actually provoke Lord Deng to take action personally!"

Before his mind had fully recovered, Xu Huai lived in a daze for over ten years, appearing to others as a clumsy "fool".

... ...

The girl Wang Xuan, lacking the depth and reservations of Wang Bing and Lu Xiong, lifted the car curtain to glance at Xu Huai and could not help but argue

Xu Huai watched as the inspection officer Deng Gui quickly led his team into the distant wilderness, pondering whether he had discerned that the matter of Wang Bing encountering bandits was not simple

In broad daylight, there are actually bandits blocking the road to rob, truly audacious and reckless. Do they regard my Huaiyuan Inspection Office as nothing? Xu Wujiang, have you managed to capture these brazen miscreants?

However, he also knows that Wang Bingsheng has a very high reputation and may not be without the possibility of making a comeback. What he just said was to avoid leaving any incriminating evidence.

Xu Wujiang said that the young man has been coming and going at dawn and dusk, staying at the Eagle's Mouth Cliff. They speculate that the young man's "big brother" has long anticipated that they would pass through here in the recent days

Wang Bing and Lu Xiong exchanged a glance, both able to see the shock and confusion reflected in each other's eyes

Apart from Xu Wujiang and Xu Xinan, eight or nine out of this group of soldiers are either members of the Xu clan or unrelated tenants from Lutai Village. They have watched Xu Huai grow up since childhood—when the girl Wang Xuan saw them, she couldn't help but feel that it was truly bizarre. However, she was not willing to easily concede, and said:

At this moment, he glanced at Wang Bing, who was dressed in a blue robe with patches on the collar and sleeves, and thought to himself, how could this man, accompanied only by a maid and an elderly escort with graying temples, possibly be the Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, Wang Bing?

It is well said that today's encounter is fate, yet I still do not know this young man's name... Since Wang Bing has decided not to involve unrelated individuals, many matters will not be made explicit

Thank you, Lord Wang, for the message Xu Huai pretended to be foolish and stepped forward to express his gratitude

There is nothing to deny about this

His subordinates include Xu Wujiang, and besides low-ranking military officers such as the captain and the section chief, there are also clerks and tax officials under his command. He holds considerable authority, overseeing matters such as theft prevention, bandit capture, and smuggling in the rural areas and mountains beyond Biyang County.

"With his foolish demeanor, how dare he call himself a tiger enthusiast? Those blind bandits, who do not know where they came from, are merely intimidated by this simpleton's ox-like bulk. However, if it comes to a confrontation, it would soon be evident that this fool is nothing but a decorative pillow. During the usual competitions within the clan, those young novices learning martial arts, as long as they are a bit clever, can easily toy with him. Just look at him, he doesn't even have a proper knife, yet he picks up a chopping knife to pretend to be some kind of swordsman. Speaking of which, those bandits are truly foolish as well, to be scared off by this simpleton is simply laughable!"

"Brother Lu's kindness, Wang Bing has no way to repay." Wang Bing saw Lu Xiong's resolute determination, and at that moment noticed Xu Wujiang approaching them. He sighed and cupped his hands towards Lu Xiong, choosing not to press the matter further.

Xu Wujiang reluctantly accepted this assignment

... ...

Xu Huai speculated that the three assassins probably did not see his appearance clearly. He thought that as long as Wang Bing did not reveal his identity, even if the assassins were to return, it would be unlikely for them to find him. However, despite these thoughts, he felt an inexplicable emotion rising within him, believing that he should not truly stand by and do nothing.

The bandits have offended the Deputy Minister Wang Bing, how could I dare to be negligent? It is you fellows who have actually been sneaky and cunning, unwilling to exert effort to catch the bandits, easily letting them go. Do you really think I would not dare to punish you?" Deng Gui fixed his gaze on Xu Wujiang and asked, his voice suddenly becoming stern.

Xu Wujiang then realized that Wang Bingyuan was originally the Deputy Censor who had been demoted from the capital, standing by with a knife in hand

Are you trying to deceive us with your words

During the inspection, Deng Gui noticed that Xu Wujiang and others returned empty-handed, which made him realize that these sly individuals were unwilling to put in any effort

Today, in front of Wang Bing, Deng Gui still pretended to ask a question in a pompous manner:

However, the Tongbai Mountain stretches for two to three hundred miles and borders the three states of Sui, Guang, and Ying. Countless bandits and thieves roam in between, and Deng Gui has only a little over one hundred cunning local soldiers under his command, who may secretly collude with the private thieves. How could he manage such a large area and so many books?

Xu Wuxuan has long since passed away, and the young man before us is none other than Xu Wuxuan's son

Seeing Wang Bing and the "coachman" with puzzled expressions, Xu Huai smiled in a very "simple-minded" manner

Xu Wujiang just rushed to rescue Xu Huai from his predicament, without inquiring in detail about the origins of Wang Bing and others, and assumed they were merely ordinary travelers

He single-handedly drove back those bandits, how could he possibly be foolish

The renowned general Xu Zhu of the late Han dynasty, known for his ferocity and foolishness, is referred to as the "Tiger Fool"—a fierce general akin to a tiger. Even if he is somewhat dull-witted, how could he not drive away three to five bandits?

Xu Xinian had feelings for her but did not know how to please the girl, and instinctively argued:

Lord Wang, you need not be polite with this fool—Xu Huai has been a bit slow to understand things, and he is quite clumsy in his actions. His father, Xu Wuxuan, was my cousin and passed away early; his mother struggled to raise him until he was fourteen, and she too fell ill and passed away last year. For the past two years, he has been hanging around with me. This fool has been acting strangely these past few days, going out early and returning late, always lurking around Eagle's Mouth. No matter how much I scold him, he does not listen. Today, fortunately, he encountered Lord Wang; otherwise, he would have fallen into the hands of bandits, and I would not know how to explain it to his deceased parents..." Xu Wujiang said. This fool has been acting strangely these past few days, going out early and returning late, always lurking around Eagle's Mouth. No matter how much I scold him, he does not listen. Today, fortunately, he encountered Lord Wang; otherwise, he would have fallen into the hands of bandits, and I would not know how to explain it to his deceased parents..." Xu Wujiang said.

Although he holds the position of a ninth-rank military officer, this inspector is officially appointed by the Privy Council and has entered the ranks of the civil service. He is not a mere clerk, and usually resides in a military garrison located right next to the market of Huaiyuan Town

The girl Wang Xuan did not like Xu Xinan constantly contradicting her, turning her little face away and no longer looking at him.

Wang Bingnian, whose eyesight had deteriorated with age, could not see Xu Huai's features clearly while standing at the foot of the cliff. After Deng Gui left with a group of armed soldiers and books, he quietly asked Lu Xiong: "Who was the young man who stopped the assassin at the top of the cliff just now"

Another one, with such a prominent figure arriving at Tongbai Mountain, where are the officials from Lushi Prefecture who are bowing and scraping?

Xu Wujiang chuckled, clearly it was they who had arrived at Eagle's Mouth and frightened the bandits away, yet he would not engage in a war of words with a young girl

At this moment, it is already a great fortune to escape safely; how could he possibly complicate matters by mentioning the assassination?

He couldn't help but smile wryly: Who does he think he is?

This fool, does he really think he can fend off the bandits? He has trained in martial arts with us since childhood, his muscles are strong, and he can easily lift a stone mill weighing three to four hundred pounds, but that's just brute strength...

Xu Xinian found the girl extraordinarily beautiful, unmatched by anyone in the three hundred miles of Tongbai Mountain, and could not help but speak out:

Regardless of Deng Kui as a person, Xu Huai was more preoccupied with the appearance of the assassins when they left, thinking that they would not easily give up, or rather, that the mastermind behind them would not let Wang Bing off easily

At this moment, Wang Bing was making excuses for Xu Wujiang and the others. Deng Gui, seeing the situation was favorable, reprimanded Xu Wujiang: "Lord Wang is understanding and does not pursue your dereliction of duty. Why are you not quickly coming over to thank Lord Wang?"

Xu Wujiang stood there in a daze, unable to comprehend the meaning of Deng Gui's words

You fool, come quickly to thank Lord Wang for delivering the message!" Xu Wujiang called Xu Huai to walk over and express their gratitude to Wang.

Xu Wujiang remains in the dark, but Deng Gui is indeed an official of the established ranks. He has heard from colleagues that Wang Bing must have offended someone to be demoted to Tangzhou.

Deng Gui sternly admonished Xu Wujiang, who was looking for excuses to evade responsibility: "Do not let Wang Xiang be disturbed by bandits and * maps * again. If there is any negligence, I will come back and deal with you!"

This dynasty has significant differences in local governance compared to the previous dynasty, establishing towns in important markets without setting up counties. Therefore, Deng Gui also concurrently serves as the supervisor of Huaiyuan Town.

Lu Xiong nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "This young man seems to be acquainted with this rank officer under Deng Gui, and appears to be from the same clan..."

However, reflecting on the composure of the young man standing at the cliff facing the assassin, they could not comprehend that, in the eyes of Xu Wujiang and his associates, this young man was merely a clumsy fool, an idiot

Deng Gui reported to Wang: "The subordinate is required to inspect the southern countryside today as per the usual practice. With military duties at hand, I cannot remain in Huaiyuan Town. Therefore, today Xu Wujiang will host you, Wang Xiang, and tomorrow Xu Wujiang will select a team of soldiers to escort you to Biyang..."

I will not seek Xu Wuxuan, but I will remain in Biyang. From now on, there will be an unnamed old servant by your side to tend the horse and drive the carriage," Lu Xiong said in a hushed voice. "My lord, please do not drive Lu Xiong away—if all of this is merely my overthinking, after escorting you to Biyang, I had planned to visit the grasslands of the northern desert to see just how formidable the cavalry of the Chihu people truly is. However, given the situation today, Cai Ting will certainly not let this matter rest easily. How could I possibly let go and leave? My lord, just consider me as living in seclusion in Biyang; being able to accompany you every day is indeed a great joy in life.

At this moment, Wang Bing defended Xu Wujiang and others by saying: "As long as we can drive away these bandits and return safely, that is all that matters"

Previously involved, one could say it was unintentional, as I was solely focused on verifying the fragment of text that flashed in my mind. But now, if I do not quickly extricate myself from this situation, am I simply tired of living?