Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 183 Is this how you repay a debt of gratitude? You're clearly just lusting after her!

"Did Liang Jinglun leave any survivors?"

In the main hall of the Yan family, after a brief silence, Yan Song did not express a direct opinion on the matter, but instead changed the subject and returned to the kidnapping case itself.

"We spared them!"

Yan Shifan was somewhat disappointed, but also relieved, at least his father hadn't directly refused. He quickly said, "Lu Bing personally took him down. This guy is crazy, and even after he's been arrested, he's still yelling about killing me! Humph, let's see how he dies!"

When Yan Shifan was humiliated by the guards, he secretly vowed to make them suffer a terrible death. He didn't expect that when Haiyue and Lu Bing led the Imperial Guards in, they basically fulfilled their wish.

Only the chief culprit, Liang Jinglun, remains.

Hmm, maybe not the ringleader.

Yan Shifan gritted his teeth: "Father, have you found those scoundrels who slandered me for cheating in the imperial examination? They must have been instigated by Liang Jinglun. If they hadn't first tarnished my reputation, how dare they lay a hand on me at the Deer Cry Banquet?"

Yan Shifan knew that Liang Jinglun's crazy actions were not necessarily instigated by those people, but he also harbored deep hatred for those who slandered his achievements.

Was it easy for him to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar? What happened to the last-place candidate?
I still vividly remember the lapse in performance during the exam, the anxiety before the results were released, and the disillusionment when I saw the results. I really didn't want to experience that kind of emotional rollercoaster a second time. Failing the exam would be incredibly disheartening, but if I did pass, there would be rumors that I had cheated. It was enough to drive anyone crazy!

"The mastermind behind it all..."

Yan Song glanced at his son, and instead of answering, asked, "Whom does my current position threaten? Don't you understand?"

"Zhang Cong! Huo Tao! The new elites of the Great Rites Controversy!"

Yan Shifan's expression changed drastically: "Is it really them? When have my son and I ever been disrespectful to them all these years? I was the one who cleared Gui Deyu's name. These people are too heartless!"

After all, he had served as Gui Zai's follower for three years. When Gui Zai got into trouble last year, he stepped forward and helped him resolve the crisis. In addition, Yan Song had shown Zhang Cong and Gui E various favors over the years. The father and son had been sucking up to the new elites of the Great Rites Controversy for so long, and the other party had not given them any help in their careers. In the end, they even used such vicious methods.

Yan Song said calmly, "There are gods watching over us. We should fear not what others know, but what we know ourselves. Some people will eventually face retribution!"

Yan Shifan, however, was not so calm. He clenched his fists fiercely and said, "Father, we can't just wait for God to give them their punishment. You must enter the cabinet as the Grand Secretary and seize power from the new elites of the Great Rites Controversy!"

"how about you?"

Yan Song continued, "Qing'er, do you know that His Majesty has instructed you to prepare well for the exam? If you pass this time, you will surely become a pillar of the court in the future. Do you know that only by passing the imperial examination can you completely wash away the stigma of cheating in the provincial examination and leave others speechless?"

"Yes! I understand!"

Yan Shifan's spirits lifted, and he stood up and vowed: "Your son will certainly live up to Your Majesty's and Father's high expectations, pass the imperial examination with flying colors, and bring glory to our ancestors!"

Yan Song shook his head: "Passing the imperial examination is not something you can just talk about, it's something you can do. You haven't even come of age yet, and you've already passed the provincial examination, which is no easy feat. As your father, I don't expect you to pass this year. Just accumulate experience, and if you can pass within two years, that will already bring glory to our family!"

Zhang Cong took the provincial examination eight times, and Xia Yan took it six times, including the provincial examination. In history, those like Hai Rui who gave up after taking the exam once were actually a minority. Most scholars had to take the exam multiple times to pass and even spend their entire lives taking exams.

But Yan Shifan clearly didn't have the mental fortitude for that. If he failed the provincial examination this time, he might give up and try to enter officialdom through the Imperial Academy or his father's influence. Of course, he couldn't say that, but he muttered to himself, "I can't wait that long! Once Mingwei and the others pass the exam and enter officialdom, will I be left alone to suffer in the Imperial Academy?"

"You also think they can get into high school?"

Yan Song's voice deepened: "You all lived in the same dormitory and went in and out together, so why were they able to rank at the top while you barely made the list? Have you ever thought about the reason?"

Yan Shifan's mind conjured up images of Haiyue and others spending their free time studying, and he fell silent.

Yan Song earnestly instructed: "There is no shortcut to advancement. Only through diligent study and hard work can you succeed. If you do not want to be talked about behind your back for the rest of your life, you must guard against arrogance and impatience before the imperial examination. Study hard with your classmates and one day stand in the imperial court to repay today's humiliation!"

"I will heed Father's teachings!"

Yan Shifan quickly agreed, but his eyes flickered as he whispered, "Father, you wouldn't be thinking of using this method to make me give up on Yunshao and Churou, would you?"

Yan Song's face darkened.

He understood his son's temperament; if he got stubborn, it was hard to persuade him. So he would lure him with the promise of success in the imperial examinations, making him focus on the upcoming exams. After three or four months, all feelings would have faded, and the courtesan and the maid would be easy to get rid of.

Unexpectedly, this boy was too clever. After seeing through it at a glance, he pleaded bitterly, "Father, I will definitely study hard for the imperial examination and will not be distracted. Can you find a house for them first and then bring them into the manor later?"

"You really want to accept? What about the reputation of the Yan family?!"

Yan Song's cheek muscles twitched slightly, but he forcibly suppressed his anger, stood up, and flicked his sleeve, saying, "I'm tired, I'll go rest first. If you still have the strength, wait for your mother to wake up and serve her by her bedside!" "Yes!"

Yan Shifan responded listlessly, his eyes darting around.

Compared to his stern father, he was always more loved by his mother, Madam Ouyang, since childhood. Having survived this ordeal, it shouldn't be a problem for him to make that small request...

"Say it again? Say what you just said again?"

Half an hour later, Yan Shifan leaned back, dodging his mother's finger that was almost pointing at his face: "Mother! I'm doing this to repay a debt of gratitude!"

"fart!!"

Madam Ouyang flew into a rage, ending her sophistry with a single sentence: "If she were as ugly as Wu Yan, would you have brought her home? Is that to repay a debt of gratitude? You're clearly just lusting after her body! Get back to the Imperial Academy! Don't ever mention such nonsense again!"

……

At the Imperial College.

After taking a nap, Haiyue was full of energy. Upon entering Yixintang, Hai Rui, Lin Daqin, and Su Zhigao all gathered around her.

They had learned that Yan Shifan had been successfully rescued, but they didn't know the specific details. Now that Haiyue had rested, she was naturally curious about who had the audacity to do such a thing at the Deer Cry Banquet.

"Wantong Shipping Company... a dominant force in the canal transport industry... all passing ships have to pay a 20% 'water fee'?"

"Hiss! How much money and goods must have been transported through this canal in our Great Ming Dynasty every year? Even if that's an exaggeration, this private shipping company probably embezzled an unknown amount of silver every year!"

"Damn it! Why weren't these parasites dug out sooner?"

Everyone was indignant, but Su Zhigao sighed and said, "I have heard of this shipping company before, and I even know a scholar named Shen who came to the capital to take the imperial examination. He was driven to desperation by this group of people and is now wandering the streets of the capital. This is only because I have lived in the Imperial Academy for a long time and rarely go out, so I know very little... I imagine how many people in the countryside have been driven to ruin and death by them!"

Lin Daqin said angrily, "Now that we've caught them red-handed, shouldn't we wipe out this group of thieves in one fell swoop?"

"Wantong Shipping's headquarters are in Jiangnan..."

Su Zhigao paused for a moment: "It's not that easy!"

Haiyue was also aware that the confrontation between the Jiangnan region and the central government during the Ming and Qing dynasties was an important historical phenomenon that spanned both dynasties. There were core contradictions in economic taxation, cultural identity, and political power, which led to many games of power.

The reason why Wantong Shipping was able to exploit the Grand Canal of the Ming Dynasty was fundamentally because Jiangnan provided nearly one-third of the country's tax revenue and one-quarter of its grain. There were many intricate relationships involved, which could not be simply summarized as collusion between officials and merchants.

Even if the incident happens now and Wantong Shipping may collapse under the iron fist, other shipping companies will still be born, just with different names but the same substance.

As Su Zhigao spoke, he felt a pang of sympathy. Lin Daqin struggled to understand why it was so difficult. Hai Rui's gaze was calm and resolute. Just as Hai Yue was about to speak, she turned her gaze outside and smiled, "Let us welcome the return of Donglou."

A figure walked into the hall, and the crowd surrounded him again, saying with concern, "Donglou! You're alright! That's great!"

Yan Shifan, who had been brutally murdered by the Ouyang family and then sent back to the Imperial Academy to reflect on his actions, was somewhat dejected. However, seeing the genuine smiles on everyone's faces, he felt much better and patted his chest, saying, "Those villains did indeed have a well-thought-out plan, but I am no ordinary person. Even when I am imprisoned, I am constantly devising ways to survive!"

Haiyue added at the opportune moment, "When I entered the room, Donglou had already untied his ropes, presumably preparing for a counterattack..."

Everyone showed expressions of admiration, greatly satisfying Yan Shifan's pride. He waved his hand nonchalantly, saying, "It's nothing! It's only natural! It's only natural!"

Next, everyone vehemently condemned Wantong Shipping and Liang Jinglun for their utter depravity, then discussed how to celebrate Yan Shifan's departure, before finally settling into study mode.

After the provincial examination, the next step was the metropolitan examination. Everyone present was a successful candidate in the provincial examination, but whether it was Su Zhigao, who had failed the examination many times, or Hai Rui and Lin Daqin, who had taken the first examination, none of them dared to slack off in the slightest for the most crucial examination of their lives.

It may seem like there are still a few months left, but every day is the final sprint!
Haiyue was the same; she also wanted Yan Shifan to take notice of her.

If this person hadn't thought he was a shoo-in for the provincial examination, and hadn't even dared to daydream while the Hanlin Academy scholars were lecturing, he would have had no problem getting a middle score. In that case, there wouldn't have been any scandal of cheating or kidnapping.

But Yan Shifan sat down, his mind entirely on his body... entirely on his benefactor. He hesitated, but finally said, "Mingwei, can I ask you for a favor?"

Haiyue asked, "What is it?"

Yan Shifan said in a low voice, "Could you help me find a secluded house in the capital?"

(End of this chapter)