Chapter 29 An Ant Shakes the Thunder

Chapter 29: An Ant Shakes the Heavens

Feng Lan had top-notch martial arts skills and was an expert at tailing people, but Jiang Yanzhou was not.

Young Master Jiang held onto his veil, struggling to track the beggar as the man was quickly swallowed up by the crowd. Fortunately, Feng Lan was guiding him.

Besides, they were already quite close to the Shuntian Prefecture.

Near the Shuntian Prefecture office, the crowd thinned out. With no vendors hawking goods here, the congestion eased. In these sparser areas, it was easier to spot people deliberately steering clear of the beggar.

So, Jiang Yanzhou could spot him at a glance.

Feng Lan kept a perfect distance; the hunched beggar hadn't noticed them.

Yet strangely, while the man had been quite vigilant at the meat pie stall, he now seemed to pay little attention to his surroundings.

He walked faster and faster, with increasing urgency, like a dying man in the desert finally catching sight of an oasis.

His bent spine straightened, becoming more and more erect. By the time he reached the front of the Shuntian Prefecture, the stooped beggar had transformed into a straight rod.

He discarded the tattered bamboo pole that had supported him, trembling as he reached for the drum mallet. He appeared like a spent lamp, a picture of utter ruin, yet summoning all his strength, he swung the mallet in a strike that seemed to shake the heavens.

Passersby were startled, stopping in their tracks to look over.

The sound of the Grievance Drum meant injustice was being laid bare.

The others wondered, what grievance did this beggar have to present?

The beggar struck the drum again and again. He opened his mouth, his hoarse voice cracking from the strain, each word seeming to weep blood.

"This student, Xu Wenzhi of Congzhou Prefecture, accuses the Vice-Prefect of Congzhou Prefecture and the County Magistrate of Xishan County of accepting bribes, conspiring to leak examination questions during the provincial exams, and perpetrating fraud in the imperial examinations!"

The gathered crowd erupted in an uproar!

Imperial examination fraud!

After shouting this out in one breath, Xu Wenzhi's emaciated chest heaved violently. The drum mallet fell from his hand, trembling too much to hold. He simply began beating the drum with his arms.

"This student, Xu Wenzhi—"

His worn hands, caked in mud and scabbed with blood, left deep palm prints on the drum. From his withered body erupted a cry of relentless, life-or-death defiance that sent a chill through all who heard it.

Including Jiang Yanzhou.

At the first strike of the drum, he knew he had found the right person. But this nameless figure from the history books—his lament was so earth-shattering, so soul-stirring.

The morning mushroom, the ephemeral cicada, the lowly commoner—they too could shake the annals of history.

Feng Lan also stood rooted to the spot. For a moment, he desperately wanted to turn and look at Jiang Yanzhou, but he fought the impulse.

Initially, when Jiang Yanzhou ordered them to follow the beggar—no, to follow Xu Wenzhi—Feng Lan could rationalize it as Jiang Yanzhou having nothing better to do lately, acting on a whim to pass the time by following to see what happened.

After all, even if the beggar had once been a scholar and his identity was unusual, it had nothing to do with them.

But the situation had unfolded beyond his expectations.

Was Jiang Yanzhou just incredibly lucky, or...

Thinking carefully, they had walked the streets near Shuntian Prefecture many times recently, yet no shop had particularly captivated Jiang Yanzhou.

It was as if he had been specifically waiting for someone to appear.

Feng Lan dared not think further.

The thunderous sound of the Grievance Drum drew a large crowd. The patrolling Imperial Guards were also alerted. Among them, one soldier, upon hearing Xu Wenzhi's accusation, immediately turned and ran off, clearly going to deliver the message.

The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture hurried out from inside, holding up his robes, looking as if he wanted to cry but had no tears.

He had just been lamenting that these days, the high-ranking officials above were busy carving out their own territories, unlikely to affect their humble Shuntian Prefecture, finally allowing for a period of peace.

The very next moment, that peace was shattered by the strike of a mallet on a drum.

Coming to the capital to appeal to the Emperor! Accusing imperial examination fraud! Involving a Vice-Prefect of a prefecture and a County Magistrate!

The Prefect's vision darkened repeatedly. Though he harbored no grand ambitions, he had never done anything harmful. He just wanted to serve out his term in peace, pack up and leave when he got old. Why was it so difficult!

Burying his dismay, the Prefect, being in his position, still had to follow procedures. Even though he had already heard Xu Wenzhi's name, he had to ask first: "Who beats the drum to proclaim injustice!"

Xu Wenzhi gasped for breath. His hands, weakened from slapping, trembled as he staggered to turn around. He was utterly disheveled, only his eyes shining with startling intensity. "I... this student..."

"Imperial Guards on duty, make way!"

A squad of about ten Imperial Guards hurried over. The leader was a Company Commander, likely stationed nearby, who had come upon hearing the news.

This Company Commander was, of course, not the one related to Consort Li. There was more than one Company Commander; Consort Li's brother had long been demoted to a Squad Leader.

The Company Commander felt things were amiss upon hearing the situation.

They all knew who the Commander of the Imperial Guard relied on. Whether this fraud case was related to the noble families was unknown for now, but what if it was?

The so-called initiative, once missed, wouldn't come again. Taking control first to ascertain the situation was always the right move.

This Company Commander was also quick-witted, declaring pompously: "This man's words are shocking and may incite the crowd to stir up trouble, disrupting the capital's patrols. Whether what he says is true or false should first be determined at the Imperial Guard station!"

With that, he ordered his men to seize him.

Xu Wenzhi retreated in terror. The Prefect hesitated, and the Imperial Guards had already stepped onto the office's front steps.

At that moment, a figure sprang forward, placing himself between the Imperial Guards and Xu Wenzhi. The sword in his hand remained sheathed, but his movements clearly marked him as a trained fighter.

A young master wearing a veil also stepped out from the crowd, his voice like sweet spring water.

"The Imperial Guards talk such a good game, yet are clearly not acting according to regulations."

The Company Commander narrowed his eyes, looking at the guard-like figure shielding Xu Wenzhi, then turned to the veiled man. "Special circumstances call for special measures. Who are you, to interfere with the Imperial Guards in their duty?"

The capital was full of high officials and nobles, but not everyone had the right to meddle.

After all, you have your background, I have mine. Setting aside private squabbles, on the surface, everyone had to follow the rules.

Though his rank was low, the Company Commander was still part of the Imperial Guards.

He had decided: if this was some idle young master from a family without an official post, he would send him packing and have the Imperial Guards escort him back home.

But the person before him, though without a specific office, held an official rank.

Jiang Yanzhou stood firm beneath his veil. "According to regulations, one who beats the Grievance Drum must first enter the office to state the details. No matter where the case goes later, it must first go through the Shuntian Prefecture office now."

Facing the Company Commander's aggressive stance, Jiang Yanzhou's voice remained utterly unruffled, even bordering on serene.

But the words spoken sent a jolt through the Chief Banner's heart.

"The Imperial Guard was previously punished for incompetence during the Spring Hunt," Jiang Yanzhou said, as if genuinely curious. "Are you looking to make more trouble for your commanding officer?"

Spring hunt? The Chief Banner exclaimed, "You!"

Following Jiang Yanzhou's order, Feng Lan, who stood in front of Xu Wenzhi, displayed the East Palace waist token and declared loudly, "Guards of the East Palace! Who dares act outside the law here!?"

The East Palace?

The East Palace's arrival being so swift further indicated the importance of the accuser. Could this be a trap laid by the Crown Prince's faction?

Just as this thought crossed the Chief Banner's mind, Jiang Yanzhou parted the curtain, revealing half of his face.

"Jiang Yanzhou, a subordinate official of the East Palace," he said. "Sir, was anything I said earlier incorrect?"

Jiang Yanzhou??

The Chief Banner's previously clear mind instantly went blank.

There was only one Jiang Yanzhou in the East Palace, from the Jiang family.

He wasn't in the Crown Prince's faction.

What was going on? The Chief Banner was thrown into confusion: Was this the East Palace's intention, or the Jiang family's? Would the Imperial Guard's unauthorized action spoil some superior's scheme?

As it turned out, overthinking wasn't always beneficial. The Chief Banner's bewilderment and indecision left his men uncertain whether to proceed or not.

The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture looked from one to the other. The crowd of onlookers outside was growing larger, and remaining deadlocked at the entrance wasn't a solution.

The Chief Banner had already missed the best opportunity to arrest the man.

So the Prefect said, "Someone has sounded the drum; a court session must be held. I have already sent someone to summon the Ministry of Justice." He bowed to Jiang Yanzhou. "My Lord, you hold an official rank. Would you care to observe the proceedings?"

The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture was an old fox. He had no desire to bear this responsibility alone; the more officials observing, the safer he felt.

Jiang Yanzhou nodded. "Much obliged."

Xu Wenzhi went from panic to bewilderment. Only when carefully assisted inside by the yamen runners did he regain his senses, staring in disbelief at Jiang Yanzhou's back as he was led ahead.

He had taken off his veiled hat. His sleeves were light and graceful, like a banished immortal—not only referring to his appearance but also to his actions.

The aristocratic families were a mountain pressing down on students of humble origins. They studied hard for decades, and even if fortunate enough to enter officialdom, they still struggled immensely.

Even with real talent, getting ahead was nearly impossible.

Especially for Xu Wenzhi, who had come this far through countless life-and-death situations, already nursing a deep-seated hatred for people from aristocratic families. So why was Jiang Yanzhou helping him?

He didn't understand.

But since he had come this far, no matter what, he must win justice for them all!

Jiang Yanzhou didn't know that his actions had saved Xu Wenzhi's life.

In the original course of events, without Jiang Yanzhou, Xu Wenzhi died not long after sounding the drum, which is why such a sensational case left little trace of him in the historical records.

The Imperial Guard arrested him and were about to drag him away. Xu Wenzhi resisted. During the struggle, he fell on the steps of the Shuntian Prefecture yamen, the back of his head striking the ground directly.

He had disguised himself as a beggar, escaped pursuit, and arrived in the capital through countless perils. His body was already severely depleted, a spent force. After that fall, he never woke up again.

Later, based on letters found on his body, the investigation into this case continued. All that remained of Xu Wenzhi was the epitaph "the loyal and righteous student Xu from Congzhou Prefecture" before he was buried in the yellow earth.

The meat pie had fortified him, and Feng Lan had stopped the Imperial Guard.

Jiang Yanzhou had saved him twice.

Not long after, officials from the Ministry of Justice also hurriedly arrived.

Xu Wenzhi kowtowed and produced a thin bundle, wrapped tightly in cloth, from his tattered clothes.

He himself was in tatters, yet only the contents of this cloth bundle remained intact.

Inside were a joint blood petition from eight students and a handwritten letter from the Deputy Magistrate of Xishan County exposing the County Magistrate and the Vice-Prefect of Congzhou.

Among the eight students, including Xu Wenzhi, five were provincial graduates who had passed the provincial examinations. The other three had failed the exams.

They packed their belongings and left their hometown discreetly. The five provincial graduates gave preparing for the capital examinations as their pretext. The other three said they were accompanying them to see the sights of the capital.

But they were found out nonetheless.

The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture abruptly stood up from his high seat. "You... you mean the other seven were all intercepted and killed..." He suddenly realized he had spoken incorrectly—the crime wasn't yet determined. He hastily corrected himself, "...all died on the journey?"

Xu Wenzhi was already in tears, choking on his sobs. "It was them, it must have been them! Otherwise, why would they pursue us relentlessly? It wasn't for robbery; they were solely intent on killing us!"

The Prefect's legs gave way, and he collapsed back into his chair.

In the Qi Dynasty, mere examination fraud might not necessarily be a capital offense. But daring to intercept and kill students? Several heads wouldn't be enough to pay for that!

The Ministry of Justice official broke into a cold sweat.

Ancient investigative methods weren't advanced. For imperial examination cheating, aside from things like smuggling notes or leaving marks on exam papers that could be caught on the spot, cases like leaking exam questions were actually difficult to investigate.

They usually relied on officials reporting each other to be discovered.

Xu Wenzhi brought the Deputy Magistrate's handwritten letter, stamped and signed with his seal. This was an official accusation, proving Xu Wenzhi wasn't speaking nonsense. The case had to be investigated.

For cases where solid evidence was hard to obtain, it depended on how and to what extent the higher-ups wanted to investigate.

This truly wasn't something the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture could decide alone. His role was indeed just to initiate the paperwork.

By the time Xu Wenzhi finished speaking in detail, quite some time had passed.

The Ministry of Justice official finished recording and wiped his sweat. He looked up at Xu Wenzhi, then at Jiang Yanzhou, who was supposedly just passing by, and hesitantly said, "He is a key witness and must be available for summons at any time. This..."

He paused here, waiting for Jiang Yanzhou to speak up. But suddenly, the unmistakably orderly tread of well-trained soldiers came from outside.

Everyone turned to look. A column of guards, armed and uniformed just like Feng Lan, marched in, led by Feng Yi holding a command token.

"By order of His Highness the Crown Prince!"

The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture and the Ministry of Justice official hurriedly rose from their seats.

"The matter of the Congzhou student's accusation has reached the Emperor's ears! You are to prepare the documents and case files immediately for submission to the Minghui Hall!"

Some matters now seemed like they should go through the Grand Secretariat, but the Emperor wanted the files taken directly to the Minghui Hall?

The Ministry of Justice official bowed his head deeply.

"As for this student, he is to be placed under the East Palace's protection. To summon him, bring the official documents to the Crown Prince's residence."

Feng Yi finished speaking and put away his waist token. He bowed to Jiang Yanzhou, his voice flat and emotionless: "Crown Princess, it's time you returned to the residence."

The Prefect of Shuntian and the Ministry of Justice official exchanged a meaningful glance.

They didn't know why Jiang Yanzhou had insisted on protecting Xu Wenzhi earlier, but the tone of this Crown Prince's bodyguard telling him to go back sounded unmistakably like a threat.

The relationship between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess remained as strained as ever.

But they couldn't quite figure out the intentions of the Jiang family and the Emperor.

Their confusion was understandable, because someone was putting on an act.

The "threatened" Crown Princess showed no sign of anger, remaining perfectly calm. She stood up, seemingly with no choice but to follow as she was surrounded by the menacing bodyguards.

Xu Wenzhi could barely stand. Outside the yamen, two carriages from the Crown Prince's residence were waiting. A bodyguard helped Xu Wenzhi board the rear carriage, while Jiang Yanzhou took the one in front.

When the entourage returned to the Crown Prince's residence, the carriages entered directly through a side gate. As Xu Wenzhi was carefully helped down, his feet barely touching the ground, he sensed a sudden shift in the atmosphere around him.

Feng Yi, who moments ago had worn an expressionless face as if he barely knew Jiang Yanzhou, now changed his demeanor as easily as flipping a page. He helped Jiang Yanzhou down from the carriage and let out a long sigh.

"You really scared me when I heard you confronted the Imperial Guards directly," Feng Yi said with lingering fear. "Young Master, next time you go out, please take a few more people with you."

Feng Lan nodded in deep agreement.

Although he was a superb fighter, sometimes one person simply wasn't enough.

He had rushed back to the residence to deliver the message during Xu Wenzhi's testimony. Since Jiang Yanzhou was already inside the Shuntian Prefecture and no one would dare harm him there, Feng Lan felt it was safe to leave temporarily.

Xiao Yunlang was not at the residence, and a messenger had immediately been sent to him. Fortunately, nothing had gone wrong.

"I merely exchanged a few words with them," Jiang Yanzhou blinked. "In that situation, they wouldn't dare do anything."

Feng Yi disagreed: "You shouldn't stake your safety on others' restraint."

Feng Lan nodded again.

The sincerity of all the bodyguards in the courtyard was palpable, leaving Xu Wenzhi utterly stunned.

Initially, like the Prefect of Shuntian and the others, he hadn't understood the Jiang family's true intentions and had been on edge. He only dared to relax a little after hearing the Crown Prince's direct order.

He too had assumed the Crown Prince intended to keep Jiang Yanzhou at a distance. But judging by the scene before him...

Xu Wenzhi recalled Jiang Yanzhou's act of kindness when they first met—giving him six meat pies.

He fell silent, a vague realization dawning on him. Perhaps the relationship between the Eastern Palace and Jiang Yanzhou wasn't what outsiders believed?

Jiang Yanzhou hurriedly waved off the bodyguards surrounding him. "See, nothing happened... Ah, quickly, have the residence's physician examine Young Master Xu. Prepare some hot water and find him a clean set of clothes. He needs proper rest. Let him stay in the guest room in the west courtyard."

Feng Yi bowed. "Yes."

These Crown Prince bodyguards clearly also obeyed Jiang Yanzhou's commands.

Upon hearing about the hot water and clothes, Xu Wenzhi's eyes welled up again. Although he had wept bitterly earlier in the yamen, the grief and indignation in his heart had not subsided.

After such extreme emotional swings, it wasn't easy to find calm.

With reddened eyes, he bowed deeply to Jiang Yanzhou.

Jiang Yanzhou's fair fingers were clean, yet he showed no disdain for the mud on Xu Wenzhi's person, reaching out personally to help him up.

"Young Master, your great righteousness," Jiang Yanzhou said softly, yet with compelling conviction. "Countless scholars will be grateful to you."

Xu Wenzhi could no longer hold back, breaking down into heart-wrenching sobs once more—for himself, for his comrades who had died on the road and would never return, and for the faint glimmer of dawn he had finally glimpsed after traversing the long night.

Xu Wenzhi cried until he was exhausted and was then carefully escorted to the guest room.

Having witnessed his state, Jiang Yanzhou also felt heavy-hearted.

"Though ten thousand stand against me, I will go forth"—this was never an empty saying.

Jiang Yanzhou looked at the slight smudge of dirt on his fingertips, mixed with Xu Wenzhi's dried blood.

Xiao Yunlang had once thanked Jiang Yanzhou on behalf of the disaster victims in the north, but Jiang Yanzhou had never met those victims. What he had done was for Xiao Yunlang, and also to create opportunities to see more of Xiao Yunlang.

Therefore, he felt he didn't deserve Xiao Yunlang's gratitude at all.

But after seeing Xu Wenzhi with his own eyes, seeing him struggle with his frail body for the sake of justice in the world, Jiang Yanzhou suddenly felt a genuine, heart-felt desire to help him.

When he first transmigrated to Daqi, even when looking at Xiao Yunlang, it was as if through a mist, viewing him as Emperor Wu, not as a person close at hand.

Later, Xiao Yunlang gradually became more vivid, drawing Jiang Yanzhou truly into the life of the Crown Prince's residence. Thus, Jiang Yanzhou's world expanded slightly.

But the Crown Prince's residence was just the Crown Prince's residence. The wider Daqi outside remained the Daqi of history.

He had never truly experienced Daqi firsthand. Jiang Yanzhou stared fixedly at his dirt-stained fingertip: No matter how much he reminded himself, was he, in fact, still maintaining a modern person's sense of superiority, keeping this world at a distance?

He stood silently in place. Others, seeing him seemingly deep in thought—having experienced Little Young Master Jiang's strategic mind—did not dare interrupt his contemplation.

Until dark clouds drifted across the sky, and it began to rain.

Jiang Yanzhou heard the soft patter of raindrops on the eaves and stone slabs, snapping back to attention. Yet not a single drop of rain touched him—someone was holding an umbrella, sheltering him from above.

Jiang Yanzhou stared blankly at the person holding the umbrella.

Xiao Yunlang held the umbrella, having arrived at some unknown time. "What are you thinking about out here?"

The rain wasn't heavy, but as it fell on the tiles and plants, it created a lingering, echoing melody. Jiang Yanzhou seemed to hear again Xu Wenzhi's low, drum-like roar. His voice was somewhat hoarse: "Your Highness, I feel as if, for Daqi, I..."

"I once hated the Jiang family immensely for forcing me into this marriage," the Crown Prince cut in. "I still do not feel grateful to the Jiang family."

"But I am very grateful to you."

Xiao Yunlang continued: "What you have done is a blessing for Daqi. And to have met you is also the greatest fortune of my life."

Jiang Yanzhou's eyelashes and lips trembled, unable to utter a single word.

Because although he wanted to protest, Xiao Yunlang's gaze clearly stopped him, not allowing him to speak.

Xiao Yunlang was half a head taller than Jiang Yanzhou. While holding the umbrella, to prevent the light rain from being blown by the wind and dampening Jiang Yanzhou's clothes, he had to tilt the umbrella toward Jiang Yanzhou.

Xiao Yunlang realized that Jiang Yanzhou might truly be unsuited to being an advisor.

Not because of ability, but because he took everything upon himself.

Even when it wasn't his fault, he would overthink, quietly burying himself under a mountain of pressure until he could barely breathe.

As the Crown Prince, Xiao Yunlang understood the principle of each person fulfilling their role, making clear distinctions and knowing what to accept and what to reject. Those with greater ability could shoulder more, but there was no logic in blaming oneself for everything.

Jiang Yanzhou, however, was not like that.

He was a man perpetually adrift who never stopped moving forward, the weight on his heart only growing heavier—perhaps without even realizing it himself.

After the relief efforts in Jiangbei, Xiao Yunlang had given him a choice: if Jiang Yanzhou wished only to live as a carefree man of leisure, Xiao Yunlang would provide for him.

But Jiang Yanzhou could not indulge in comfort with a clear conscience; he was not one who could simply stop.

Xiao Yunlang was determined not to let him walk alone. Otherwise, he might wander to a place from which no one could pull him back.

Raindrops drummed against the umbrella. Holding it with one hand, Xiao Yunlang took out a handkerchief with the other and wiped the stain from Jiang Yanzhou’s fingertips.

“I’m heading to the study. Ziyu will be arriving secretly at the residence later,” Xiao Yunlang said, looking at the fingertips, now clean and pale once more. “Care to join me, Young Teacher?”

The Crown Prince had never learned what tenderness meant, yet the way he looked down at Jiang Yanzhou now was nothing short of tender.

That hint of softness, carved out from the edge of a blade, was most precious.

For the first time, the words “Young Teacher” did not make Jiang Yanzhou feel bashful, but rather, they sent a tremor through his heart.

He rubbed his fingertips, his eyes stinging with emotion, and replied, “Mm.”

A fine, pearl-like rain fell, dotting the mist that hung like a curtain. Two figures walked side by side through the thin veil of rain, with only the faint glow of the pearl in Jiang Yanzhou’s hair shimmering softly.

He still wanted to say: Your Highness, you are mistaken.

Meeting you—that is my true fortune.