Chapter 27: The Hypocrite

"Yiniang."
"I am here."
"Where have you been these past years?" Yang Xuan asked.
Yiniang replied, "I have been staying at a Taoist temple."
Yang Xuan asked a very practical question. "Did Father leave any money for me?"
Yiniang was taken aback, then burst out laughing. "No! The Master was a great scholar—great scholars care little for money."
Yang Xuan asked, "Can you earn money?"
Yiniang thought for a moment. "I could go to the brothel; I imagine I could become their top courtesan."
Ah!
Yang Xuan realized that he had to support another person now.
Yiniang angrily went off to write a letter to Yang Lue.
"Old dog, you didn't prepare any funds for the young master?"
She rested her chin on her hand, sitting by the window.
"Life here is as lonely as the incense smoke in the temple."
She began her letter.

— The young master treats his subordinates with extraordinary kindness, which is good, but it also makes him vulnerable to ambitious followers. Yang Lue, you taught him for years, so why didn't you teach him the way of kingship and power? I see, you simply don't know it. But can’t you learn? Can’t you ask others?
— The moment I entered Chang’an, I sensed the undercurrents; the Emperor and the five great families are stirring things up. The Left Chancellor once opposed factions fiercely, but now he’s aligned himself with the Wang family and the Imperial Academy...
— Alas! My wisdom is vast as the sea, but this world never allows a woman to stand out. The young master needs a strategist by his side. Perhaps it’s time to employ that hypocrite?

...

Outside the county office of Wannian County.

The gatekeeper looked at Yang Xuan. "Who are you looking for?"
Yang Xuan squinted. "I’ve shown you respect before."
A hint of mockery appeared in the gatekeeper's eyes.
"I’ve seen the magistrate."
Huang Wenzun arrived, and the gatekeeper quickly stood straight.
Once a bodyguard, now grown fat and prosperous.
Huang Wenzun glanced at Yang Xuan. "From the Imperial Academy?"
"Yes," Yang Xuan replied calmly.
Huang Wenzun nodded and, upon reaching the office, sent someone to speak.
"Someone from the Imperial Academy has arrived."
"Yes."
A while later, as Yang Xuan and Tang Xiaonian were discussing matters, he was called outside.
"There are a few documents to copy."
The clerk who came was quite arrogant.
He looked down on Yang Xuan with an expression that begged for a beating.
Yang Xuan was puzzled. "Isn't that unrelated to me?"
"Just do it because you’re told," the clerk’s eyelid twitched as Yang Xuan turned and went back into the office.
"Hey! Don’t you want a good evaluation?"
It was both a provocation and a threat.
The clerk was quite pleased with himself, as this tactic worked wonders on Imperial Academy students; they usually just take leave when pressured.
Yang Xuan looked at him. "I’m here to work, not to play games. Now get lost!"
Out!
The clerk: "..."
Most teachers and students of the Imperial Academy like to be carefree, indifferent, and nonchalant. When faced with such trouble and pressure, they have only one response—take leave.
But Yang Xuan simply told the clerk to get lost.
"Magistrate, Yang Xuan said he’s here to work," the clerk reported with a gloomy face.
Huang Wenzun replied indifferently, "Just observe."
Since he doesn’t want promotion and doesn’t mind trouble, he’s tough as nails.
The clerk withdrew, while Huang Wenzun knelt and sat, his gaze deep and reflective.
"Chen Shen, the Wang family, the Imperial Academy... Three dogs, old dog!"
Inside the office, Tang Xiaonian complained, "Whenever students from the Imperial Academy arrive, they use these tricks to drive them away. I don’t understand why the magistrate dislikes Imperial Academy people."
Zhao Guolin hugged his horse lance, coldly saying, "Empty."
Wen Xinshu, always talkative, asked, "What do you mean by empty?"
Zhao Guolin pointed to his left chest.
Tang Xiaonian waved his hand, "Don’t mention those old stories."

...

"The spies from Southern Zhou have suddenly quieted down these days," Tang Xiaonian said with a grave face. "This has never happened before."
"Tang Commander, brilliant as always," Wen Xinshu flattered his ‘future father-in-law’. "Whenever they come to Chang’an, it’s never quiet—citizens often report holes dug in their homes or things moved around, one after another. But nothing lately. Have they gone back?"
"Gone back?" Tang Xiaonian looked at Zhao Guolin. "Old Zhao?"
Zhao Guolin shook his head. "Impossible."
"So where are they? Squatting in Chang’an for a rest?" Wen Xinshu was confused, reaching for Zhao Guolin’s horse lance, only to get slapped away.
"Tang Commander, should we..." Zhao Guolin caressed his lance like stroking a lover’s skin, gentle and tender, "should we mobilize the ruffians and knights?"
Tang Xiaonian shook his head. "If those ruffians and knights are given permission, they’ll be more eager to search for treasure than the Southern Zhou spies."

A clerk came in. "Tang Commander, someone is here to report."
It was an aunt, who entered waving her hands and slapping her thighs, shouting.
"Something terrible! My home was robbed..."
"What property was lost?" Wen Xinshu asked.
The aunt replied, "Nothing was lost."
Wen Xinshu was puzzled. "Then why are you here?"
The aunt said angrily, "I am a good citizen of Tang, so naturally I must report."
Wen Xinshu, lacking awareness, was speechless.
"Wait."
Tang Xiaonian stopped the aunt who was about to leave. "Madam, where in your home was disturbed?"
"The privy."

...

A quarter of an hour later.

The aunt stood outside her own privy, pinching her nose, shouting heroically, "Just scoop!"
Yang Xuan stood at a distance, quietly asking Tang Xiaonian beside him, "Tang Commander, surely there’s nothing in the privy? Even if there is, it would stink unbearably."
"Money is inherently filthy," Zhao Guolin said, leaning on his horse lance.
"I like the smell of copper," Wen Xinshu glanced at his ‘father-in-law’, but Tang Xiaonian didn’t even raise an eyelid.
After a while, buckets went back and forth.
"Any more?"
The professionals doing this dirty work were steady and skilled.
"There are still some."
Later, it was clean.
"They poked around in the privy with rods," the aunt swore it was true.
"Should be outside," Wen Xinshu felt the wording was off.
"Dig!"
An hour later.

"Nothing found."
The group was rather disappointed.
"Let’s go."
Everyone left, leaving behind a huge pit.
Behind them, the aunt’s husband came out. "There was nothing, so why are you smiling?"
The aunt said triumphantly, "Weren’t you always complaining the pit was too shallow?"

Outside the aunt’s house, Wen Xinshu turned to speak.
Suddenly, Yang Xuan’s scalp tingled.
He drew his sword and strode forward, swinging it.
Clang!
A gray shadow appeared in front of Wen Xinshu, then vanished.
Whoosh!
The horse lance swung fiercely from the side.
Tang Xiaonian drew his sword and flew in.
Wen Xinshu turned, bow and arrow in hand, eyes sharp as he watched ahead.
"What now?" Tang Xiaonian landed, oddly asking Yang Xuan.
Unconsciously, he had come to trust Yang Lue’s vigilance deeply.
Yang Xuan rested his sword, squinting to sense.
He had long felt there was no threat.
He opened his eyes. "They’ve likely left."
Wen Xinshu, still shaken, said, "That attack earlier nearly took my head off, Yang Xuan..." He bowed solemnly.
Was he thanking me for saving his life?

...

Give me money!

There was another mouth to feed at Yang Xuan’s home. He had no choice but to earn money.
"I’ll invite you to the brothel," Wen Xinshu said, glancing at Tang Xiaonian. "You go, we’ll pay outside."
Yang Xuan squinted.
Tang Xiaonian squinted.
Yang Xuan looked left.
Tang Xiaonian looked right.
"Check the neighbors!"

Over an hour later, the neighbor on the left erupted in cheers.
"Found it!"
The treasure had been discovered—over ten chests.
Opening the chests revealed gems and glittering gold and silver.
"Don’t touch anything!" Tang Xiaonian warned. "We must seek the Emperor’s approval before moving anything. Close the lids and send them to the Guards."
He walked up to Yang Xuan. "Well done!"
"Tang Commander found it too," Yang Xuan didn’t claim credit, making Tang Xiaonian appreciate him more.
Seeing Tang Xiaonian pat Yang Xuan’s shoulder, Wen Xinshu suddenly felt a sense of crisis.
"We’ll seek reward later," Tang Xiaonian said.
Yang Xuan walked to the chests, looking at their contents. "Best if they give some money."
He was truly poor.
One chest of jewelry—Yang Xuan thought just a single piece would lift him from poverty.
His gaze swept over a string of beads, and outside Wen Xinshu called, "Let’s go."
Two carts of treasure were hauled away, as crowds surged in.
"Want to dig a pit at your house?"
"No money needed."
"Get lost!" A squad of Guards arrived, patrolling the neighborhood; then the ward officials took over, forbidding any digging.
"No one dig on your own, or else..."
But who could control it? That day, the sound of digging filled the neighborhood.
Tomorrow, rewards would be given. Yang Xuan was secretly delighted, and bought some good food on his way home.
Carrying an oil-paper package and humming a tune, Yang Xuan entered his house.

In the courtyard, beneath the big tree,
A man in white stood there, the breeze fluttering his beard and hair, and he turned with a smile that could not conceal his righteousness.
"Cao Ying greets the young master."
Another person! Yang Xuan: "..."
Yiniang stepped forward to introduce him. "Young master, Cao Ying is a scholar."
Yang Xuan asked, "Whose scholar?"
Yiniang’s brows arched slightly. "He was once the Master’s student. After Mistress sacrificed herself to honor the Emperor, Cao Ying was grief-stricken and wandered these years. I informed him you came to Chang’an, and he abandoned his livelihood to serve you."
"Livelihood?" Yang Xuan asked, "He doesn’t live here, does he?"
Yiniang and Cao Ying nodded together. Yiniang said, "Naturally, he should live here to advise the young master."
I’m just a student—what needs advising?
Yang Xuan asked, "What’s his livelihood?"
Cao Ying stroked his beard and smiled. "Teaching."
"Teaching whom?"
"Children."
Yang Xuan went inside.
He felt a bit hopeless.
Three people to support—he needed to earn money!

Outside.
Yiniang frowned. "Did you not save any money these years?"
Cao Ying sighed. "That time I mocked my employer—he actually tried to attack me. You know me: I set a trap and had him fall from the roof, breaking both legs."
Yiniang’s face went stiff. "He didn’t catch you?"
Cao Ying, with a look of compassion, said, "Though I was the only one there, no one could find evidence, not even the employer himself. They knew it was me, but couldn’t catch me. But I forgot one thing."
"What?"
"I forgot I hadn’t been paid for that year’s wages."