Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 221 Prefect Deng is a kind man

Every ten miles the dialect changes, and every hundred miles the customs change.

However, the tones and customs of the original Wu Kingdom's heartland were basically very similar.

Looking around, Suzhou is remarkably similar to the Qiantang River.

The students didn't really feel like they were traveling far from home; some even felt like they were home as soon as they arrived in Suzhou.

The original plan was to disembark and rest for a while before organizing a small gathering so that prominent scholars could see the strength of these two academies.

As a result, He Shusheng intervened, and everyone became more interested in this strange event.

Study abroad is an experience that broadens one's horizons.

New material was presented to Xu Xuan as soon as he left Qiantang, and he naturally wouldn't let it pass.

He Shusheng had already staggered home. As for his home address, Ji Rui had already found out and could go and investigate at any time.

Despite their great curiosity, the first step was to wait for the local education commissioner to arrive.

The joint venture of the two major academies is no small matter in Jiangnan.

Although the Qiantang authorities stated that it was just a normal study tour, the various places still treated it as a grand imperial pilgrimage to the heavens, showcasing their strength, giving it a feel of a western tour.

The other students were already utterly defeated at the literary gathering, and now they're coming after them. How can such a place for academic pursuits be so domineering?

Therefore, the locals are also eager to compete. This time, they have the home advantage and if they can win over a few students from the three major academies, it will be a great success.

Just as everyone's thoughts were wavering, a resolute official with a large number of clerks behind him stepped forward to greet them.

Suzhou is the leading county of Wu Commandery, and its jurisdiction includes several counties such as Lou County, Wuxi County, Yangxian County, Piling County, Haiyan County, Qiantang County, Yuhang County, and Yangguan County.

The official in charge of this area was naturally one level higher in status than Magistrate Song and others.

The person who arrived at this time was the Prefect of Wu Commandery, who paid homage to the Prefect with the respect due to a disciple.

At this moment, Xu Xuan only had a position as an academic administrator and no official post. He squatted behind and watched the old man laugh heartily while patting the middle-aged official.

The other person seemed uncomfortable with such unrestrained behavior, and even bared their teeth and took a few steps back.

That helpless look is quite amusing.

At this moment, Xie Yu walked behind Master Xu and whispered.

"This man's surname is Deng, given name You, courtesy name Bodao, and he is from Xiangling. He comes from a northern gentry family, and his ancestors were Deng Yu, a meritorious official of the founding of the Han Dynasty, and the branch of Empress Xi."

He was recommended as an outstanding official in his early years and successively served as the Crown Prince's tutor, the Minister of Personnel, and the Governor of Hedong. He was known for his integrity and was highly praised for his exceptional clarity in both criminal justice and government affairs.

Several years ago, he transported rice and flour to Wu County to take up his post, refusing to accept a salary and only drinking the water from Wu County.

He was humble and treated everyone equally, regardless of their social status. He lived frugally and frequently helped the poor and those in distress.

In her youth, while fleeing Shi Le's army, she resolutely decided to abandon her own son to preserve her younger brother's only bloodline.

Xu Xuan nodded. As expected of a prominent family, anyone who knew their name could trace their lineage back to their ancestors and relatives in the court.

Hearing the first half of the story of this prefect was quite moving. I never expected there to be such a capable person here. The heart of Jiangnan really needs some formidable figures to keep things under control.

His integrity in bringing his own food is even more exaggerated than that of my brother Song Xian.

It's understandable that scions of wealthy families don't care about their salaries, but it's quite remarkable that they would proactively help those in need regardless of social status.

Yes, she's incredibly kind.

But he became wary after hearing about the story of sacrificing his son to save his nephew.

"Duke Shao had his son die in place of King Xuan."

"Duke Wen's Appointment of the Virtuous and Duke Zhao's Recommendation of the Virtuous"

Duke Ling sent Chu Ni to kill Zhao Xuanzi.

Such acts of substitution have always existed, and "The Orphan of Zhao" is a Yuan dynasty drama based on historical records.

Those who have done this are no ordinary people.

Xu Xuan himself was a very kind person, so he was extremely wary of people who were that kind. Even if such a person was truly a good person, he still had to be careful.

A person who can abandon even their own child must possess a terrifying conviction and awareness. Such a person with a firm moral bottom line is admirable, but in times of crisis, they may also face enormous obstacles.

You need to carefully manage your public image to avoid offending others, otherwise you will find it very difficult to get by in Suzhou.

Xie Yu's initiative in revealing this person's past was also intended to warn his teacher. Opinions about this person varied among the aristocratic families, but they all acknowledged his determination to achieve great things.

Next came the welcoming banquet. As Yu Gongzheng was about to head over, he suddenly looked behind him.

"Teacher Xu will come with me. The rest of you should go to the prepared accommodations. Do not cause trouble or go to places you should not go."

These words of advice were extremely crucial, indicating that he had also discovered a few unsettling elements.

Ji lowered his head naturally, looking down at his nose and inward, as if he couldn't hear what was said.

This wasn't his first time visiting Suzhou, and he'd most likely met that Ruiyun guy before.

snort!
After the professors left, I decisively took my friends to explore the city, and we definitely wouldn't go to the He family's house.

Without a powerful figure by his side, he wouldn't watch such a dangerous spectacle.

The other students also had their own things to do, such as inspecting the family business or visiting their uncles and elders.

The banquet was filled with the clinking of glasses and toasts.

Professor Shi and Yu Gong sat at the top, while Xu Xuan sat at the bottom.

Everyone seemed to be having a great time eating and drinking together.

Xu Xuan liked this spot very much, as it allowed him to easily observe everyone present.

Besides studying, my main motivation for this trip was to learn more about the world.

Monsters and spirits alone are not enough; humans are the mainstream of this world.

It was both a study tour and a survey.

It seems feasible to produce a survey report on Wu County.

The cause and effect of Bai Lian must eventually be resolved. If the world cannot accept her, then perhaps she can find a way to slightly change the world.

Mr. Xu's bold idea is progressing steadily.

At this moment, Yu Gongzheng on the stage was pointing out the state of the country with great pride, recounting events from decades ago.

There was something about demons causing trouble in this place. The prefect at the time seemed to be surnamed Wu, and he was later imprisoned by the governor of Yangzhou.

The officials present were sweating profusely as they listened. The man reminisced about the past, describing it as a time of romance, literary talent, poetry, and remembrance of friends.

When you reminisce about the past, it's always about beating people or arresting and imprisoning them.
At this moment, the old man suddenly spoke up and asked.

"Bo Dao, have you ever heard of the Five Gods?"

The room fell silent. Logically, Yu Dingguo, being without official rank, shouldn't have interfered, but no one dared to directly rebuke him, putting pressure on the prefect.

After pondering for a while, Prefect Deng looked somewhat ashamed.

"But are those five evil creatures that people talk about?"

"Recently, someone has been impersonating the Five Gods to abduct women. This matter has been reported to me, and an official decree has been issued to prepare for submission to the Ministry of Justice."

"Unexpectedly, all the missing people have returned home in the past few days. Because it involves women's reputation, it has not been announced to the public."

Yu Gong nodded, agreeing that there was nothing wrong with this approach.

"And what about the Golden Dragon King?"

"The students have already demolished several temples built spontaneously by the people in the Taihu Lake area due to the appearance of wild gods."

No problem, Yu Gong nodded in satisfaction.

(End of this chapter)