Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 71 The earthworm shakes the tree
Gao Jingming listened attentively as Chen Xuan and the others were discussing the issue. When they paused, he looked at Mr. Yushan eagerly and asked, "Master, are you going to take down the traffickers and rescue the kidnapped people? Can you take me with you?"

Mr. Yushan immediately shook his head and laughed, "What are you thinking about at such a young age? These are not issues you should consider or get involved in. Just study hard. I will be satisfied if you can improve your studies and become my teacher."

It can be seen that his attitude towards Gao Jingming and Chen Xuan is completely different, after all, they are master and disciple.

"Oh, okay then," Gao Jingming said a little disappointedly. He also wanted to do something with his master Mr. Yushan. He didn't have any specific purpose, he just wanted to have some common experiences with his master.

After being rejected, he asked again: "Then Master, if you want to deal with the human traffickers, do you want me to ask my family for help?"

The children just acted on impulse without thinking anything over. They thought it was okay to ask their family for help with whatever the master wanted to do.

"No," Mr. Yushan immediately declared, and then added earnestly, "Tomorrow, I won't bother your family with such a trivial matter. Besides, I'm not so incompetent as to handle such a small matter. Also, you may not understand now, but many people in your Gao family are watching you. Any action will affect people's hearts, and those with ulterior motives will carefully speculate, thus giving people a false impression. The reasons are very complicated. In short, you and Ah Xuan should just ignore this matter and pretend it doesn't exist."

"Okay," Gao Jingming said indifferently. Since the master doesn't need help, just listen to him.

Then Mr. Yushan looked at Chen Xuan again and said thoughtfully, "Xuan, before you only talked about waking up in the hands of human traffickers. How did you fall into their hands before that? Can you tell me? If you don't want to, forget it. Just pretend I didn't ask."

For him, it was no wonder that he didn't notice this little detail. He just wasn't sure whether Chen Xuan had forgotten it or was deliberately avoiding it. After all, it wasn't a big deal. When asked this time, Chen Xuan could say what he wanted to say, and it wouldn't be a big deal if he didn't want to say it.

As the saying goes, "A passing goose leaves traces behind." No one appears out of thin air, just like the Gao family. If one really wants to investigate Chen Xuan's past, one can always find some clues to understand the situation. The reason why one doesn't do so is that there is no need to do so at the moment.

Mr. Yushan's question at this time was just a casual mention in conjunction with what happened before.

"I knew I couldn't escape this..."

This had already been anticipated in his mind. The reason why Chen Xuan hadn't mentioned it before was not because he was worried that people would misunderstand that he had wrongly accused the old boatman without any evidence, nor was it because he didn't want to make the old boatman's actions public, but because it would involve his own origins, which was difficult to explain.

Others may not know, but he himself is clear that he has no past before that and cannot withstand investigation, especially in front of Mr. Yushan. I am afraid that any lie will not escape his eyes.

But now that things had come to this, he decided to tell the truth: "Sir, before I fell into the hands of the human traffickers, I fell into the water for some unknown reason and nearly drowned. An old boatman rescued me and saved my life. I don't remember anything before that, but I do remember my own name."

"After the old boatman rescued me, I asked him where he pulled me out. He said it was from Xiaoqing River in Meiliu Village, which is under the jurisdiction of Daniu Township. He also said that I spoke with an accent from another place. I didn't understand what place he was talking about at the time. Fortunately, I was able to survive at that time. I fell asleep out of exhaustion. When I woke up halfway, I found that he had tied me up. I couldn't move or speak. I fell asleep again, and when I woke up, I was in the basement where the human traffickers were."

While speaking, he subconsciously touched the short hair around his ears under the hat.

Chen Xuan was speaking the truth when he said this, and he was very frank. It was not that he was pretending to have amnesia, but he really had no past before that. If he made up a story on the spur of the moment, he wouldn't be able to fool himself, let alone Mr. Yushan. Anyway, he had already told the truth, so let him do whatever he wanted.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Yushan frowned slightly and pondered, "Anything else? You seem to have something else to say?"

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Xuan continued, "Sir, after being rescued by the old boatman that day, I didn't know where I was. Later, I wandered around and ended up at the young master's house. Yesterday, when I came to the academy, I was on the mountain and noticed that the Yu Shui River below the mountain was quite similar to the river I was in that day. This afternoon, before I saw the human traffickers, I had a brief conversation with a student named Shu Yao. He said there was a Yangliu Ferry downstream of the Yu Shui River, where an old boatman ferries people year-round. I was wondering if the old boatman he mentioned was the old man who rescued me and then kidnapped me and sent me to the human traffickers."

He still spoke the truth and did not exaggerate.

After hearing his words, Mr. Yushan's eyes flashed with astonishment. Was all this too coincidental? Yet, it also made sense.

With his ability to judge people, he really didn't feel that Chen Xuan was lying.

"Xiaoqing River in Meiliu Village, Daniu Township? Haha, there is no place that matches these three names within hundreds of miles. The old man who saved you is lying," he shook his head.

Then he looked at Chen Xuan and said, "I think you should have realized that you were kidnapped by that old boatman and sold to human traffickers. You didn't mention it before. Is it because he saved your life that you hesitated?"

"No, I just think that if Shu Yao is talking about the old boatman who kidnapped me, he's been making a living on the river for decades, so I'm afraid no one will believe me," Chen Xuan said, shaking his head. Upon hearing this, Mr. Yushan paused for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't know if you're talking about the same person, but there's indeed an old man who ferrys people year-round at Yangliu Ferry on the Yushui River. I've been on his boat before. If he's truly a kidnapper, I've been wrong. Once I understand the situation and have solid evidence, I'll bring him to justice!"

Chen Xuan was stunned. If it was really as Mr. Yushan said, wouldn't both of his worries be solved at the same time?

At this time, Mr. Yushan looked at Chen Xuan, his eyes lingering on his head for a moment, and said, "You fell into the water for no reason, and after waking up, you lost all your past. Never mind, you are still young. If you really forgot, that's your luck. If you pretend to have forgotten, then just treat it as if you really forgot. Replace your head with your hair, and cut off the past. Your life has just begun. The past has nothing to do with you, so don't make mistakes. No matter whether you understand what I say now or not, I have said it all here."

Are you not going to pursue this matter?

Soon Chen Xuan understood. He was treating himself as a criminal, then cutting off his head with his hair, thus absolving himself of any implicated "crime." He told himself not to make the mistake of thinking about revenge. He had been reduced to this state because of the imperial laws. Did he intend to overthrow the court in the future? That would be suicidal. He didn't even warn that such thoughts would implicate the Gao family, because even such a suggestion would lead to a bad outcome.

After understanding the situation, Mr. Yushan waved his hand and said, "Whether it's the human traffickers, the old boatman using the ferry as a tool to commit evil, or even someone who pulls out the mud from the radish, I will investigate thoroughly and bring them to justice. You don't need to worry about this matter. Go ahead, studying is the most important thing for you right now."

"Then Master, let's go," Gao Jingming nodded.

Chen Xuan hesitated and said, "Sir, if the old boatman's evidence is irrefutable, what will he do?"

"He's been ferrying people across the Yushui River for decades. If he's really involved in kidnapping and abduction, you're definitely not the only one. His crimes are confirmed, and he'll inevitably be punished in Caishikou." Having said that, he asked Chen Xuan, "So, what else do you want to say?"

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Xuan mustered up the courage to speak: "Sir, after all, that old boatman saved my life. I cannot forgive him on behalf of others. He sold me out, but that is not enough to erase the debt of gratitude he owed me. So, if he is beheaded, I would like to ask you to give me a chance to collect his body as a reward for saving my life. Please allow me to do so."

As he said this, Chen Xuan bowed deeply. He really meant it.

Mr. Yushan was genuinely surprised at this moment, a trace of regret flashed in his eyes, and he smiled and said, "It's truly rare that you have such a heart. I can promise you here that if the situation is true, on the day he is beheaded, I will take you to help collect his body, and fulfill your innocent heart."

"Thank you, Mr.," Chen Xuan said from the bottom of his heart.

He didn't like owing anyone anything. It was true that the old boatman sold him, but it was also true that he saved him. Since he couldn't forgive him on behalf of others, he would help collect his body to repay his life-saving grace.

The most frightening thing in life is to be left alone in old age. Chen Xuan’s ability to help him collect the body is already the greatest reward, and the favor of saving his life can also be repaid!

"Well, go ahead and study hard. It will take some time for this matter to have results. I will inform you as soon as possible," Mr. Yushan nodded with satisfaction.

Then Chen Xuan and the others left. Looking at Chen Xuan's back, Mr. Yushan's eyes flashed with regret again.

Chen Xuan is a good kid. Although his words are a little vague, his pure heart alone is precious. What a pity...

Mr. Yushan soon put all this behind him. When he was alone, his expression became extremely serious, not as nonchalant as before. However, his seriousness seemed to have little to do with what Chen Xuan said.

He pondered for a long time alone, a trace of reminiscence and helplessness flashing in his eyes. Finally, he went to the desk, spread out paper and ground ink, and then slowly wrote: "Brother Runze, ten cycles of spring and autumn have passed. Please forgive me for not saying a word in all these years. In fact, I was discouraged by the incident at that time. I originally wanted to live a simple life and enjoy educating people. Unfortunately, some trivial things today brought back the past, and I really can't let it go. Aristocratic families, are the principles they uphold as unshakable as mountains? I, a scholar, just for pointing out that servility is against human ethics, my future was ruined and I almost lost my life..."

Having written this, Mr. Yushan paused his pen, his eyes dimmed, and his whole body was shrouded in a deep sense of powerlessness.

Immediately he put down the pen, blew gently, and the unfinished letter turned into powder.

Sitting alone by the window, he stared out with a lifeless gaze. Soon, a hint of spirit returned to his eyes, and he murmured sharply, "Even if we can't move the mountains, there's still meaning in doing what we can. The tide of humanity is rolling forward. One day, outdated conventions and bad habits will be swept away into dust, and those unreasonable maintainers will crumble like clay statues!"

If Chen Xuan were here, he would understand that what Mr. Yushan cares about is not the human traffickers, but the systems that involve the human traffickers!
In every era, there are always some people whose ideas are ahead of the times, but such trends have affected the interests of too many people...

(End of this chapter)