"Were you the ones who killed the wolves in that ruined temple?" the young official Yan asked, looking at Jiang and his men with interest. He scrutinized them from head to toe, finding them unlikely wolf slayers.
It wasn't his fault for looking down on the constables; it was simply that their reputations were abysmal. Catching a petty thief was already a struggle for these incompetent fools. Four large, starving wolves? He truly didn't believe Jiang and his men could have accomplished that.
"Replying to Official Yan, it was us who killed the wolves at the mountain god temple."
Upon mentioning the wolf incident, Jiang's demeanor immediately changed. He puffed out his chest, a proud smile gracing his face, and eloquently recounted the events of that day. Jiang was sharp; he knew better than to hold back from these powerful figures. He spoke of how Fu Yu and his daughter had first outsmarted the wolves, then how they had all united to bravely fight them off, also emphasizing the help provided by Wu Laoda and his men.
"At that time, our group charged forward one after another. Even the young children weren't afraid and rushed out to fight the starving wolves."
Jiang wasn't lying about this. Qi He and the others had indeed acted bravely.
As Jiang spoke with spittle flying, Official Yan remained unconvinced. Seeing the man's spit soar through the air, he subtly pulled his horse back a step, not wanting to be showered with it. However, he was very interested in the father and daughter who had first rushed out of the temple. "Fu Yu and his daughter, are they present?"
Hearing the official address him, Fu Yu hesitantly stepped forward and replied, "This student, Fu Yu, greets Your Excellency."
Fu Xinci, seeing her adoptive father step forward, emerged from behind her grandfather. She looked at the man before her. Though travel-worn, his once fair face now tanned to a wheat color, the resolve in his eyes remained unchanged. Beside him, following closely behind, was a tanned little girl with dark, starry eyes.
Fu Xinci thought: *Since sticking my head out is a death sentence, and pulling it back is also a death sentence, then this young lady has nothing to fear. At worst, I'll fight again. I don't believe that after one sweep of my weapon, anyone on the other side will still be standing.*
*At that point, our family will find the best vantage point on a mountain, and I'll teach my cheap father to sing: "My glorious unit is open for business today..."*
Observing the father and daughter, Yan Yi's expression shifted. "Good, very good. Truly worthy descendants taught by the second master Meng."
Meng Qingping hadn't expected this Jin Yi Wei official to mention him. He hurried forward a few steps and cupped his hands, "This commoner, Meng Qingping, greets Your Excellency."
"Unacceptable." Yan Yi, who had been speaking from his horse, finally changed his expression upon seeing Meng Qingping bow. He leaped from his horse and personally helped Meng Qingping to his feet.
The kneeling members of the Meng clan did not witness Yan Yi's actions, but Jiang and the other constables saw it clearly. *What is this...?*
Meng Qingping was also astonished. He had not expected the fearsome Jin Yi Wei Commander to treat him with such respect.
Sensing Meng Qingping's confusion, Yan Yi helped him stand upright before solemnly cupping his hands again. "Yan Yi proclaims the Emperor's oral decree..."
Upon hearing the words "Emperor's oral decree," Meng Qingping and his family knelt, exclaiming, "This commoner Meng Qingping greets the Imperial Edict."
Fu Xinci, utterly bewildered, knelt with her parents. *In our current state, what more does the Emperor want?* she wondered.
However, after hearing Official Yan read the Emperor's oral decree, she found it ironic. *If that foolish emperor thinks my grandfather is upright and honorable, why not reinstate him to his position, or as compensation, promote him three ranks?*
*They sent a contingent of Jin Yi Wei to chase us for half a month just to compensate our family for property, totaling ten thousand taels of silver.*
*Good heavens, if it weren't for the safety of my family, Fu Xinci would have rolled her eyes.*
Meng Qingping was so startled by the amount that he quickly waved his hands. "This commoner's assets are less than a thousand taels. I implore Your Excellency to report to His Majesty to investigate the origin of the excess silver. Otherwise, I cannot sleep or eat in peace."
"Master Meng, do not fear. Allow me to explain."
It turned out that from the confiscated documents, the Emperor had seen that Meng Qingping's assets were less than a thousand taels. He had immediately struck his dragon table in anger, exclaiming, "Meng Qingping has been incorruptible his entire life, a model for all officials."
"Yes, Meng Qingping is our model official."
The Emperor: *Is that all?*
The civil and military officials: *That's all.*
*Why would it be more? If they followed the Emperor's lead, someone would have given him an out, suggesting Meng Qingping be recalled to court.*
They had all just seen Meng Qingping's assets. He wasn't even as wealthy as the favored servants in their own households. How could they dare suggest Meng Qingping return? To put it bluntly, if Meng Qingping were to return, they would all be like meat on the Emperor's chopping block, subject to his cleaver at any moment.
Thinking that the Emperor wanted their wealth to match Meng Qingping's, they would be more likely to eliminate Meng Qingping than welcome him back. It was a pipe dream.
It was said that at that time, the Emperor and the civil and military officials were at an impasse in the imperial court. For the first time, the Emperor saw such unanimous agreement from his officials, with no one speaking.
The Emperor was so enraged he almost took off his dragon boots to throw them and kill these useless wretches.
The Marquis of Jinxiang dared not look up. He felt he had failed Meng Qingping, but he couldn't oppose the entire court alone, even with the Emperor's backing.
After a moment's thought, he proposed again that Meng Qingping's property be returned. Otherwise, sending someone all the way to deliver an oral decree and only returning a thousand taels of silver would be utterly disgraceful. If this matter were handled poorly, not only would the Emperor lose face, but the entire court would be embarrassed.
Finally, everyone seconded the proposal to compensate Meng Qingping with ten thousand taels of silver for his property.
Once the compensation amount was decided, a few corpulent officials stepped forward, eager to chase after Meng Qingping to deliver the Emperor's oral decree. The Marquis of Jinxiang knew without looking back which shameless individuals these were. To skim oil from such funds, were they even human?
Not wanting the ten thousand taels to be significantly reduced by certain hands, he recommended the Commander of the Jin Yi Wei, Yan Yi, for this mission. It was widely known that Yan Yi, the Commander of the Jin Yi Wei, was a sharp blade in the Emperor's hand. Not only was he loyal to the Emperor, but he was also highly skilled in martial arts. Whoever the Emperor ordered him to apprehend, he would. This left those who wished to bribe him with no avenue to do so.