Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 232 Tenderness
Sang Dian brought in warm water, but he didn't dare look at the bed. He just glanced at his husband.

The young man sat on the stool, staring at Madam Xie in a daze, seemingly lost in thought.

Sang Dian stepped forward and whispered, "My lord, here is water, medicine for external injuries, and a clean cloth."

Wang Yan then came to his senses: "You may leave!"

All the officials from the county government were waiting in the front hall, but Sang Dian wouldn't urge his young master. Official business was important, but if it weren't for Madam Xie, how could he expect those officials to go into the mountains to rescue people? That was impossible.

This time, Sang Dian was truly impressed. Madam Xie, all by herself, was able to manipulate those demon cultists. Who could match her wisdom and resourcefulness? No wonder her husband was so devoted to her.

However, he was also worried that if Madam Xie was the immortal that his husband had met back then, the paths of humans and immortals were different, and it would be difficult for things to end well.

The door was closed again.

Wang Yan got up, walked to the foot of the bed, and gently took off Xie Yuyan's shoes.

She was wearing soldiers' boots, which were obviously ill-fitting and easily removed.

The boots were taken off, revealing the long socks underneath.

Fresh blood seeped through the socks.

Wang Yan had anticipated this, and he had been running around non-stop; how could his feet not be worn out?
Cleaning the wound as soon as possible will help it heal faster.

Wash your feet with warm water, pop a few blisters, apply medicated powder, and then wrap them with a cloth.

Wang Yan carefully placed her feet back into the bedding, then watched as her furrowed brows slowly relaxed. He did it meticulously, as if he had never been so patient before.

After washing his hands, he tidied the blankets around her and touched her hands.

He just wanted to test if she was cold, but once he held those soft, warm fingers, he couldn't bear to let go. There were cuts on her palm, he wondered if they were from climbing and rushing along the way.

There were still bloodstains on her fingertips. He gently stroked them with his fingers, afraid that there might be foreign objects left in the wounds, but he didn't dare to use too much force, because he was even more afraid of hurting her.

Wang Yan clearly felt that something was growing wildly in his heart. That thing had always been there, but he had carefully hidden it away in a box because he knew that it was just a delusion that existed in the past.

After meeting Xie Yuyan, he opened the box, wanting to see it more clearly. Some things were protected too well, and if exposed, they would not withstand the wind and rain and would soon dissipate.

He hadn't anticipated another possibility: without restraint, it would spread uncontrollably...

It gradually filled his entire heart, and there was no way to hide it anymore.

This only fueled their panic, fearing that just as they had finally seen clearly, the object would suddenly disappear again, just like last time.

After all, she has a criminal record.

"Get up when you've had enough sleep," Wang Yan said softly. "I'll be waiting for you."

After sitting in the room for quite a while, Wang Yan finally put Xie Yuyan's hand back under the covers, got up, and slowly left the room.

As soon as the door was closed, Wang family guards stood watch in front of the house.

Wang Yan took a few steps forward, and as he moved away from the house, the warmth he had felt in his palm gradually dissipated, and his expression became increasingly solemn and stern.

Sang Dian brought over the official robes.

Wang Yan did not change immediately, but instead took the clothes with him to the front hall.

Upon hearing footsteps, the county magistrate, the county assistant, and others immediately looked over and saw that Wang Yan's robe was covered in bloodstains, and his whole body exuded a murderous aura that was no less than that of a military general.

The county magistrate and Wang Yan were in the same examination. Back then, when the emperor announced the names in the Chongzheng Hall, what a magnificent figure Wang Yan, the top scholar, was! He's completely different now. They thought Wang Yan was still getting ready in the inner hall after lingering there for so long; why did he come out like this?

The front hall was completely silent; everyone was simply watching Wang Yan, waiting for his instructions.

Wang Yan looked at Sang Dian, who immediately stepped forward, and the two of them changed into their official robes right in front of everyone.

Normally, people would question his lack of civility, but now they don't care about that.

The turmoil in Daming Prefecture meant that no official serving there could escape responsibility.

After getting dressed, Wang Yan looked up and asked, "Are all the officials in the yamen (government office) present?"

The magistrate hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Everyone's here." He then looked at Wang Yan tentatively, wondering what he would say next.

Wang Yan nodded: "Did you see it clearly just now?"

Everyone was confused and looked bewildered.

The magistrate asked, "Please, Your Majesty, tell us... what should we look at?"

Wang Yan pointed to the official hat on his head: "Is this fake?"

Everyone immediately panicked.

Wang Yan sat in the main seat, looking down at the officials in front of him from a high position.

The officials immediately bowed their heads, and the county magistrate said, "The angel is joking. How could this be fake? If anyone questions the angel's identity, then that means... ulterior motives."

Wang Yan remained silent.

The magistrate, sweating profusely, continued, "That Inspector Zheng deliberately blocked the news; we officials were indeed unaware that the one besieged in the mountains was an angel."

"If I had known... even if the government office only had a few dozen people, I would have led them to the mountains to rescue them."

"Yes, we will certainly go."

Wang Yanhuan looked at the crowd and suddenly smiled, as if an iceberg had melted, but the officials still felt a chill to the bone.

“Then I am relieved,” Wang Yan said. “The rest will depend on everyone.”

After Wang Yan finished speaking, he took some account books from Sang Dian: "These are the accounts found in the armory. Under the leadership of Prefect Liu, Daming Prefecture used the armory to smuggle goods and sell them to Western Xia and Northern Qi."

"They also treated the soldiers as merchants. When soldiers collected evidence to file a complaint, they would smear them as bandits and kill them to cover it up. Every single one of these cases has solid evidence."

At this point, Wang Yan deliberately paused for a moment: "Is there anyone here who knows about this? Is he in cahoots with Prefect Liu and the others?"

Upon hearing this, the officials' expressions changed drastically.

The magistrate's voice trembled: "There is absolutely no such thing."

“We are civil officials, and we are usually ostracized and guarded against. Last year, there were many defective products in the military equipment workshop. I went to Prefect Liu, but I was threatened and given perfunctory treatment.”

“Feng Chuan said that the military funds were insufficient and that I had to make up all the military funds within the month. Where would I get these things? The imperial court can only provide 60% at most. How can a county like mine bear the remaining 40%? I was even reprimanded for this, and I failed to be rated as excellent in the assessment. I was almost demoted.”

"It's not just me; the magistrate of Daming Prefecture is in the same situation. This is their usual tactic. After several repetitions, who would dare to have any objections? Even if you have thorns, they'll smooth them out."

Looking at the officials complaining, Wang Yan showed no pity. Instead, he said, "Whether it's true or false, no one knows. But now we have a good opportunity. It's up to you to decide what to do. A few days ago, an eunuch brought evidence and my secret letter to the capital. After His Majesty reads it, he will surely send more people."

The county magistrate and the county assistant looked at each other. Could it be that the news of the arrival of the Dragon Guard was false?