Chapter 11 Du Yunse

Chapter 11 Du Yunse

On the eve of Qingming Festival, a fine drizzle fell, and the fertile black soil of the northeast had already sprouted patches of green. The weather was warming, and pedestrians on the road had changed into lighter clothing. In Zhang County, incense stalls selling items for ancestral worship and tomb-sweeping could be seen everywhere.

After noon, a man and a horse entered the city. The young man leading the horse had long arms and a narrow waist, his movements exuding vigor and spirit, clearly marking him as a martial artist.

Trailing half a step behind was a young man with a book box slung over his shoulder, his hair as black as ink, his appearance handsome, exuding the demeanor of a noble gentleman. Though dressed in shabby clothes, he radiated a pure and elegant aura like an orchid or jade tree.

"Yun Se, is this your hometown? How do we proceed from here?" Wu Shen gently stroked the horse's nose and asked the man beside him.

Du Yunse gazed at the streets of Zhang County, both familiar and unfamiliar, his heart brimming with myriad thoughts. After a moment, he replied, "I haven't been back in six years, and my home is in the countryside. I'm not familiar with the roads in the county town."

Wu Shen clapped Du Yunse on the shoulder with a hearty thump, "You'll be staying here for a long time this time. Your late mother would surely be pleased in the afterlife."

Du Yunse did not respond. When the letter about his mother's sudden illness reached the capital, Du Yunse was trapped at the residence of his mentor, Wen Huiyang. By the time he finally got the letter held at the gate, the news of his mother's death had already reached him.

That day, he gazed at the sky for a long time, then returned to change into mourning clothes. He prostrated himself nine times towards Du Village and knelt inside the heavily guarded gates of Wen's residence for three days, until the Emperor issued a decree commending his filial devotion and allowing him to return home to mourn his mother.

Du Yunse felt he did not deserve the title of "pure filial piety." If he had truly been filial, he would not have been absent when his parents passed away. He had managed to return for his father's funeral, but for his mother's death, he couldn't even attend the funeral.

Every time he thought of this, Du Yunse felt deeply ashamed and remorseful. No matter the circumstances, failing to be there was failing to be there.

Seeing this, Wu Shen realized he had stirred up Du Yunse's sorrow and quickly tried to console him, "Your mother would not blame you for coming back safely. Tomorrow is Qingming, so I'll stay an extra day, buy some incense and offerings, and go with you to pay respects to your mother. I'll put in a good word for you."

Du Yunse had already regained his composure, "The Emperor has ordered you to report to your post within fifteen days, not a day can be delayed. Rest in the city tonight, and you must continue your journey."

Wu Shen's displeasure was evident, "What exactly does the Emperor mean? He confiscated my family's property, exiled my entire family to the south, and yet appointed me as a commander at the northeastern border."

Wu Shen was the only son of the great general Wu Dingshan. A few months ago, the shocking case of corruption and factionalism in the south erupted, directly implicating the Crown Prince. The Emperor was furious and punished a large number of court officials. Wen Huiyang, a great scholar who had spoken in favor of the Crown Prince, was imprisoned, and Wu Dingshan, who had marital ties with the Crown Prince's maternal family, was dismissed and had his property confiscated, with his family exiled.

The Emperor's wrath was thunderous, and no one dared to cross him again.

"The Emperor spared the Wu family and made special arrangements for you. It seems he hasn't completely abandoned the Wu family. Follow the decree and ensure no further mistakes."

"That's what I think too, but a commander—" Wu Shen shook his head. As the son of a great general, being demoted to a border post as a seventh-rank commander with only fifty men under him was a significant fall from grace.

"Before I left the capital, I briefly saw my father. He told me to be loyal to my duties, fight bravely, and not to worry about them. The south is humid and full of miasma. After the confiscation, they didn't have much left, and I don't know if they can adapt." Wu Shen sighed.

Du Yunse's eyes flickered. Wu Dingshan was a veteran general who had accompanied the Emperor on many campaigns and knew the current Emperor well. His instructions to his son suggested that there was more to this case than met the eye.

A few days after Du Yunse was allowed to leave the capital, the Crown Prince, who had been under house arrest in the Eastern Palace, suddenly fell seriously ill. The Emperor, moved by paternal love, released a group of high-ranking officials connected to the Crown Prince from prison. Some were demoted and exiled, others had their property confiscated, and some were placed under house arrest, but all managed to keep their lives.

Wu Shen, upon receiving the decree, did not dare to delay. After seeing his father, he immediately set off at full speed for his post. On the way, he encountered Du Yunse and gave him a ride, allowing Du Yunse to arrive a few days earlier than expected.

"Master Wen is under house arrest at his residence. Apart from not being able to travel or communicate with the outside world, everything else is the same as before. You can rest assured." Wu Shen said, glancing at the items on a roadside incense stall covered by a rain shelter.

"Even if I can't go in person, let me buy some offerings to express my feelings."

Wu Shen, used to finer things, found the crude incense and paper offerings on Zhang County's stalls unimpressive. His eyes scanned the area, and only the hand-painted joss papers placed in the center caught his attention.

"These joss papers—" Wu Shen suddenly paused.

After the Wu family's property was confiscated, they were left in poverty. When Wu Shen was appointed as a commander, along with the appointment letter, he received ten taels of silver as a settling-in allowance. Fearing his family would suffer, he gave it all to his father before leaving the capital. Now, he only had a little over three hundred coins left, intended for travel expenses.

Based on the prices in the capital, Wu Shen estimated that such hand-painted joss papers would cost at least seventy coins each. Adding some paper money and fruits, it would take at least a hundred coins.

Du Yunse knew his situation, "You're strapped for cash now, no need to buy these. Your intentions are enough."

Wu Shen felt embarrassed and insisted on calling the stall owner to ask. To his surprise, the joss papers he had his eye on were only fifteen coins each.

"This is the best-selling sacrificial paper this year; over three hundred sheets were sold in just two or three days. Tomorrow is the main day of Qingming, and we expect to sell even more. Our boss has been overseeing the artist to ensure more paintings are produced these days. If you don't decide soon, the remaining stock today will be sold out!"

While the stall owner was speaking, a middle-aged man dressed as a wealthy shopkeeper came and bought six sheets of sacrificial paper at once, saying he wanted to burn one for each of his ancestors.

Wu Shen asked Du Yunse in surprise, "Yun Se, why are the prices in your hometown so low?"

Du Yunse shook his head. The price for hiring someone to paint in Zhang County was around fifty coins, and he also couldn't understand why this sacrificial paper was so cheap.

"Give me two sheets, and pick out some good paper money and fruits to pack a bundle. Where are your brushes and ink?"

Wu Shen borrowed the brush and ink from the stall, wrote on the sacrificial paper, and then handed the packed items to Du Yunse, sighing in relief as if he had completed a significant task.

He and Du Yunse had known each other for several years and had a good relationship. Now that both of them were implicated in the Crown Prince's faction case, they felt a sense of camaraderie.

Wu Shen was a man who valued loyalty above all. He felt that even if he was financially strapped, it was both emotionally and logically right for him to buy some sacrificial offerings to express his feelings.

"By the way, Yun Se, who is still in your family now?" Du Yunse had always been reticent, and Wu Shen had never had the chance to ask about these things before.

"My father is an only child, my mother came here from another province fleeing famine, my grandparents passed away many years ago, and at home there are only my younger brother and sister, and my fiancé."

"You're already engaged?" Wu Shen raised his eyebrows.

Du Yunse said calmly, "My mother arranged it for me six years ago, and he has been living in my home."

Wu Shen laughed, "I didn't know about this. I really want to see the expressions of those families who wanted to recruit you as a son-in-law when they hear about it."

Du Yunse shook his head, "I have never concealed this, yet some families refuse to give up."

Wu Shen understood the thoughts of those families. After all, it was just a rural betrothed, and a letter to break off the engagement would suffice, causing no trouble. But Du Yunse just wouldn't agree.

"I say, is your future wife good-looking? How is her education? Can she compose poetry?" Wu Shen teased.

Du Yunse remained expressionless, "I have never seen him. Life in the countryside is hard, and he probably hasn't had the chance to learn to read."

Wu Shen clicked his tongue twice, "I thought you literary talents all loved well-educated and beautiful women. You, on the other hand, are like a Taoist priest, never showing interest in beauty."

Du Yunse glanced at Wu Shen, "Marriage should follow the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. The most important things are character and health. You place too much emphasis on appearances and risk missing a good match."

"Alright, alright, I get it. I shouldn't have talked about your fiancé." Wu Shen, having failed to tease, was instead lectured by Du Yunse and had to raise his hands in surrender.

Wu Shen, leading the horse, walked alongside Du Yunse towards the county town, planning to find an inn to rest for half a day, eat something, and then continue their journey. As they walked, Wu Shen suddenly stopped, his sword-like eyebrows furrowed.

"That mule cart that just passed by is suspicious."

Although Wu Shen was the only son of Wu Dingshan, Wu Dingshan had never spoiled him. His rigorous training from a young age not only made him highly skilled in martial arts but also gave him keen senses.

Du Yunse glanced sideways at the mule cart that had stopped about ten meters behind them and also noticed something unusual.

In the drizzling weather, the mule cart loaded with large boxes was not covered with oilcloth. Upon closer inspection, some boxes had inconspicuous holes the size of copper coins, seemingly designed to allow air for living creatures.

"There are living people in those boxes," Wu Shen whispered to Du Yunse, "They must be traffickers."

Some human traffickers, unwilling to spend money or unable to get good merchandise, would secretly abduct children from good families and transport them thousands of miles away to sell. The laws of the Yu Dynasty imposed severe penalties for this, yet it continued unabated.

Seeing the mule cart stop, the door of an inconspicuous small courtyard by the roadside suddenly opened, and several strong men came out to unload the boxes and carry them into the yard. Du Yunse pulled Wu Shen and continued walking as if nothing had happened.

"They have the numbers. Take your appointment document to the county office to gather officers and arrest them."

Wu Shen was not reckless and did not insist on charging in alone to play the hero, "Let's hurry and make sure these traffickers don't escape."

The county magistrate, like the commander, holds the rank of a seventh-grade official, but in the Yu Dynasty, civil officials hold a higher status than military officers. Therefore, when Wu Shen met the magistrate of Zhang County, he first paid his respects before urgently reporting the matter of the traffickers.

Magistrate Wang Chuci, who had served in Zhang County for many years, had a deep-seated hatred for traffickers. Recognizing the urgency, he skipped formalities and sent over a dozen bailiffs with Wu Shen to arrest the criminals.

In less than half an hour, the traffickers, who had no idea how they had been caught, were brought to the court. The victims inside the boxes were also released—a seventeen-year-old boy who had been drugged unconscious, and in the courtyard, there was another fifteen-year-old boy, both strikingly handsome.

Upon interrogation by Wang Chuci, it was revealed that these traffickers were not only active in Zhang County but also had connections in several neighboring counties. The fifteen-year-old boy had been abducted from a neighboring county, while the seventeen-year-old was the son of a wealthy family in Zhang County.

"You had already succeeded, so why didn’t you flee immediately as you usually do, but instead lingered in the city?" Wang Chuci did not overlook the details.

Beaten with a punishment rod, the trafficker leader was terrified and answered every question. "Your Honor, we originally planned to leave immediately after kidnapping the boy from the county. However, yesterday, an acquaintance mentioned a lucrative opportunity in the countryside during the Qingming Festival, so we decided to take the risk and stay one more day. Who would have thought we’d be caught so quickly..."

Recalling the impressive skills of the young man who had led the capture, the trafficker was consumed by regret and bitterness. He shouldn’t have been so greedy!

Hearing that this case was connected to another, Wang Chuci angrily slammed the gavel. "Where in the countryside were you planning to go during Qingming? Whose family were you targeting? Speak clearly from the beginning!"

The trafficker shrank in fear and hastily replied, "It was a young man named Qiu Huanian from Du Village! His maternal cousin and younger brother had set him up!"

Standing to the side, Wu Shen was listening intently when he suddenly raised an eyebrow. He noticed Du Yunse beside him suddenly tense up.