The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 97 The County Magistrate's Emergency

The official watched as Li Ping'er's almond-shaped eyes, brimming with desire, stared intently at him. Her gaze was both eager and thirsty, as if she wished she could devour him whole immediately.

Seeing that half of her body had gone limp, the wealthy man quickly excused himself: "Please tell Brother Hua that the three hundred taels of silver, with a seven-day grace period, must be gathered and delivered. It's not that I'm being unreasonable, it's just... if it's not returned by the deadline, it won't look good for either of us. Hehe." Ignoring her expression, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and left.
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Li Ping'er's burning lust! She was full of plans for how to seduce this Mr. Ximen tonight and make things work out, but she never expected him to bring up this spoilsport debt.

Li Ping'er's charming smile froze instantly, her heart sinking into an ice cave. All her hopes and calculations vanished. She dared not hate Ximen Qing, but instead placed all her immense resentment on that good-for-nothing Hua Zixu!
It won't be long.

Hua Zixu returned reeking of alcohol, humming a little tune. He had just stepped across the threshold of the second gate, and before he could even see anyone clearly, he heard two loud "whoosh" sounds!
Two basins of ice-cold water, freshly drawn from the well, were poured over his head and face, giving him a thorough chill!
It was early winter, not yet bitterly cold, but the well water felt like a thousand steel needles piercing his flesh. Hua Zixu let out a strange howl, instantly sobering up. He trembled violently from the cold, his teeth chattering.
"Ouch...ouch! You little slut, you're asking for it! Are you blind? You're freezing...freezing me to death!"

Li Ping'er, wearing a bright red coat and hands on her hips, stood on the veranda, her eyebrows raised, her almond eyes wide open, pointing at Hua Zixu's nose and cursing in a shrill voice:
"Bah! You spineless bastard! You still have the nerve to howl? Open your dog eyes and look around! I'm not even going to throw cold water on you! Master Ximen just came in person and said—you only have seven days to pay back those three hundred taels of silver! If you don't pay it back within seven days, you'll be in deep trouble, and we'll all be humiliated and fed to the dogs! Now get your ass to figure something out! Are you waiting for silver to fall from the sky and kill you?!"

Hanako's lips were purple from the cold, and she was soaked to the bone. The cold wind made her feel even colder. Hugging her arms and hunching her neck, she shivered like a drowned rat and scrambled into her room, wanting to change out of her icy clothes as soon as possible.

He finally changed into dry clothes and wrapped himself in the blanket, but he was still so cold that his teeth chattered, and he couldn't warm up the chill in his chest. He remembered that he had made an appointment with Ximen Qing tonight, intending to take advantage of the banquet to say some nice words and ask Ximen Qing to give him some more time. Who knew that before he could even say the words, that incident would happen.

Three hundred taels of silver! For Hua Zixu, this amount was an insurmountable mountain, an sum he might not be able to scrape together even if he sold everything he owned. But for Master Ximen… it was nothing more than a hair on his head thicker than his waist!

Thinking of this, Hua Zixu felt both hatred and fear. He hated that Ximen Qing was too pushy, showing no mercy for such a small amount of money.

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became, hating Ximen Qing to the core, yet he also felt a sense of fear when he thought of his good brother's methods. Then, recalling how he had beaten Wang Sanguan that evening, his thoughts turned to the public silver in the ancestral hall.

When Ximen Qing returned to the mansion, he had just pushed open the door of Pan Jinlian's warm chamber when he heard a creak. Pan Jinlian, who was lying on the bed pretending to be asleep, immediately sat up as if she had received a command.

She wore only a loosely draped, light red silk bodice and a pair of gossamer-thin gauze trousers. The bodice barely covered her, but half of her snow-white, slender waist was exposed, and her two jade-like legs were faintly visible beneath the gauze trousers.

Ignoring her disheveled appearance, she pounced on him with her bare, white feet, her body coiling around Ximen Qing's waist like a snake, calling out to him sweetly:

"My dear Daddy! I've missed you so much!" As she spoke, she snuggled her soft, fragrant body into Ximen Qing's arms.

Ximen Da Guanren had just returned from a social engagement, reeking of alcohol and sweat, so he nudged her and pinched her smooth cheek.

He chuckled, "You little rascal. You're all covered in sweat and grime, you just rolled back from outside. Don't let the smell bother your delicate self."

To everyone's surprise, Pan Jinlian hugged him even tighter, burying her face in the crook of his neck, her delicate nose twitching as she coquettishly scolded, "Oh, my dear father! Don't go to wash! I just love smelling your scent! It's the heroic spirit of a real man, the indomitable spirit of you who commands the world! Just smelling it makes my heart melt and my whole body warm..."

The next day, just as dawn broke, the official suddenly woke up and realized that there were some things he hadn't done. He then remembered that Jin Lian'er had distracted him during his evening lessons the previous night, and he was startled.

Pan Jinlian's hair was disheveled, her breath was slightly ragged, and her fragrant sweat was still wet. She was fast asleep, and one of her fair arms was still wrapped around Ximen Qing's neck.

As soon as Ximen Qing gently moved away, she murmured indistinctly from her cherry lips, "Mmm...Daddy...Don't go...Hold me...Hold me again..." Her voice was so sweet and seductive that it made people's hearts itch.

The official got up and tiptoed, afraid of disturbing the person beside him.

Slipping on his shoes and hastily throwing on an outer robe, he rushed into the courtyard, hoping to catch up on his training while the morning dew was still fresh. But as soon as he stepped through the gate, he heard the howling wind!

Upon closer inspection, he saw his master, Zhou Tong, who was in high spirits, meticulously instructing a young boy, Yue Fei, on how to practice spear fighting.

In his hands, the iron spear moved like a dragon emerging from the sea, or a silver python turning over. He thrust, stabbed, parried, and flicked, each move carrying the wind. The spear tassel danced, stirring up the fallen leaves on the ground, making a truly magnificent display!

Ximen Qing stared in disbelief, his steps faltering. Zhou Tong had already spotted him and roared in a booming voice, "Your steps are unsteady, your eyes are clouded, and I didn't see you practice your staff breathing exercises in the courtyard last night. Your foundation is weak; even with mountains of gold and seas of silver, you're like a tree without roots or water without a source! Get over here now!"

Ximen Da Guanren laughed and said, "Master, please calm down... This disciple knows he was wrong and will quickly get up and make amends." Zhou Tong's expression softened a bit, and he nodded. After finishing his practice, he didn't go to Pan Jinlian's room again, but went back to his own room for a nap.

In a daze, he felt someone gently nudging him. Opening his eyes, he saw Wu Yueniang enter. Yueniang frowned, sniffed the air, and scolded, "My lord! You reek of alcohol and sweat! It's suffocating! You must have been drinking and causing trouble again last night! I smelled it as soon as I got up this morning, and worried that you would get dirty, I hurriedly had a big pot of hot, fragrant bath boiled. You should get up and take a bath to relax!"

As she spoke, she deftly helped Ximen Qing find a change of clothes, and added, "In the main hall, Li, the clerk from the yamen, has been waiting for quite some time. He says that the county magistrate has something to discuss and is eagerly awaiting your reply!"

After being lovingly scolded by Yue Niang, Ximen Qing lazily got up and, with her help, slipped on his shoes and yawned repeatedly as he made his way to the back bathhouse. Soaking in the steaming, scented bathwater, his pores opened up, and he felt as comfortable as if he were in heaven.

After he finished bathing, he changed into a bright silk robe, fastened a jade belt, and swaggered into the front hall. He played with the jade lion in his hand, practicing his wrist strength and technique with the featherless arrow. Sure enough, he saw Li, the errand boy from the yamen, hunched over, wringing his hands, pacing anxiously in the hall.

"This humble servant kowtows to Your Excellency!" Li Zaoli kowtowed, and before he could catch his breath, he said urgently, "I apologize for disturbing Your Excellency's peace and quiet, but I have an important matter to report! The yamen has just received confirmation that the Imperial Censor Wang, who was originally scheduled to come on inspection, has changed his itinerary and will not be coming to our Qinghe County!"

Master Ximen lazily lifted his eyelids, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Oh? If you're not coming, then you're not coming. Such ordinary news could have been easily conveyed by sending a servant boy with a note. Why bother you, Chief Li, to come all this way yourself?"

Li Zaoli bowed again, his face showing utmost seriousness, and lowered his voice: "What you say is true, sir! But the important thing about my visit is what's to come later! My father-in-law received a secret letter from the provincial governor, saying that this person is a hundred times more important than that Governor Wang, and that he will be anchoring at our Qinghe County dock for the night in a few days! My father-in-law immediately summoned me and repeatedly instructed me that this matter is of utmost importance, and that you must be informed that this matter is of utmost importance and cannot be taken lightly!"

Ximen Qing then sat up slightly, the jade lion he had been playing with in his hand now resting in his palm. The casualness in his eyes faded, replaced by a cautious glint: "Oh? A hundred times more important than Wang Xiantai? Which noble person wishes to grace our humble town with their presence? Li, tell me in detail."

Seeing that Ximen Qing had taken it to heart, Li Zaoli perked up and quickly stepped forward, his voice filled with awe and caution: "Reporting to Your Excellency, it is Lin Ruhai, Master Lin!"

"Lin Ruhai?" Ximen Qing frowned slightly.

“Exactly!” Li Zaoli spoke quickly, his tone reminiscent of relaying official jargon. “This Master Lin is a former third-place scholar in the imperial examinations, a Grand Master of the Imperial Library appointed by the Emperor, and now he holds the seal of the Salt Administration of Lianghuai! And that’s not even the most important thing…”

He lowered his voice even further: "He is the son-in-law of Old Madam Shi! He is also a member of a noble family, a descendant of a high-ranking official! This time, he has come to the capital to report to the Emperor on imperial orders!"
The old master himself said that this Master Lin is a man deeply favored by the Emperor, of immeasurably noble status! Even Wang Xiantai wouldn't be worthy to serve him, let alone carry his boots and inkstone! The old master repeatedly emphasized that the reception of this gentleman must be conducted with utmost care and precision, without the slightest error in etiquette! The reputation of Qinghe County, and the connections of all the gentry in the county, rest on the shoulders of this esteemed official!

Perhaps they were worried about the county magistrate's official position.

Ximen Da Guanren sneered inwardly, his casual demeanor completely vanishing. He slowly placed the jade lion in his hand on the lacquered and gilded kang table beside him. He picked up the warm cup of Lu'an tea, took a small sip, his eyes calm as still water, clearly pondering the sudden news.

"So it's Salt Commissioner Lin..." Ximen Qing pondered, then nodded slightly, his face now solemn and serious. "Chief Li, go back and report to the county magistrate. Tell him that Ximen Qing knows and asks him not to worry. I am well aware of the significance of such a distinguished guest passing through our county. We will do our utmost to ensure that all matters concerning the reception, accommodation, and hospitality are handled properly and thoroughly. We will certainly not let Lord Lin feel that Qinghe County has been disrespectful!"

Seeing that Ximen Qing agreed so readily and solemnly, Li Zaoli felt a great weight lifted from his heart and replied repeatedly, "With your golden promise, sir, I will go back and inform the master. The master will surely be pleased! I will take my leave now!"

"Wait a minute," Ximen Qing suddenly spoke up, a hint of doubt on his face. "Li, you just mentioned that this Lord Lin is going to 'moor his boat for the night' in Qinghe? He is ordered to have an audience with the Emperor, so he should be heading straight to the capital overnight. Why is he deliberately delaying in our Qinghe County? Has the county magistrate heard any reason for this?"

Upon hearing this, Li Zaoli also showed some confusion on his face, and shook his head repeatedly, saying, "Replying to your question, sir, this... I am also truly puzzled. The magistrate only received a document from the Censorate, saying that Lord Lin's official ship will stop at our dock for one night, but the specific reasons are not detailed in the document."

"My grandfather is also wondering why this place was chosen out of the blue. That's why he specifically instructed that no matter the reason, we must not skimp on the hospitality!"

Ximen Qing nodded thoughtfully: "Hmm... I understand. Thank you for making this trip, Chief Li."

Once Li Zaoli's figure disappeared outside the door, the hall returned to silence. Ximen Qing did not get up, but remained leaning against the Maitreya couch, only picking up the pair of jade lions again and slowly rubbing and turning them in his palm.

Lin Ruhai is favored by the emperor and is a leading figure in the Qingliu faction. He is no ordinary person. If one can get his help, it is almost equivalent to being immune to the Qingliu's impeachment.

(End of this chapter)