The Ming Dynasty: The opening scene features Zhu Di angrily accusing him of illegitimate succession.

Chapter 106 The Bartender's Happiness (Please Subscribe)

With his eyes closed, the image of the bartender clearly appeared in Lin Yue's mind.

She wasn't a stunning beauty; she looked to be in her late thirties or early forties, with fine lines around her eyes, but her gentle and graceful features made her stand out.

Lin Yue's photographic memory allowed him to clearly remember every detail of that day.

That day at Zuixianlou, she wore a neat blue cloth dress without a single crease, clearly carefully ironed. Her hair was combed meticulously and adorned with a small, plain wooden hairpin, which, though not expensive, was polished to a shine, presumably a gift from the scholar.

The red silk double happiness character on her chest was embroidered with fine silk thread; perhaps she embroidered it herself?

Lin Yueng recalled the smile on her face at that time, the happiness shining in her eyes, and the undisguised joy on her lips when she talked about marrying the scholar.

That scholar treated me extremely well...

'

If the scholar treated you so well, how could your ornaments have ended up there?

Lin Yue slowly took out the stained double happiness character from his bosom. Looking at the layers of silk threads on it, he thought that the character must have been embroidered stitch by stitch in a state of great joy.

Such genuine happiness, such joy after hardship, even though I'm middle-aged, I feel as excited as a little girl.

She was really happy.

For the first time, Lin Yue thought that having a photographic memory might not be such a good ability. His memory had become too good after his serious illness, and he had seen the bartender's happiness all too clearly.

Lin Yue let out a long sigh, and the bartender's words began to echo in his ears again and again.

"Fate is cruel," he murmured.

She had longed for a peaceful life for half her life, finally escaped her illness, and met a good man. How could she end up like this?

Why was that double happiness character next to the manhole? There seems to be dirt on the character; did it fall off accidentally while she was struggling? She had finally survived the strange edema and escaped her lonely and helpless days, so why did she have to suffer this calamity?

Was it because of that scholar? Was the bartender abducted by accident? Or was it all a scam from the beginning? Could the scholar have been colluding with bandits, and the so-called marriage agreement just a pretext to lure her into a trap?

But when she mentioned Xiucai, her eyes were filled with happiness, trust, and even the youthful exuberance of a young woman in her late teens.

Inside the house, Lin Yue paced anxiously back and forth.

The bartender's happy smile and the tragic plight of the women and children underground gradually merged in his mind, causing him immense pain.

Humans are such strange and hypocritical creatures. They are often heartless and indifferent to the insults and attacks of others, but when they encounter the genuine happiness of others, they are like mice, feeling both joy and sorrow.

Seemingly compassionate, yet indifferent to the life and death of those far away, until those around them feel the same way, only then do they realize their indifference and feel inexplicable grief.

The happier a moment in life is, the more powerful it is at breaking down one's defenses.

Completely broken down, Lin Yue chose not to engage in excessive internal strife, but instead channeled her emotions into anger and released them all.

So he immediately ordered Zhao Hu: "Go to Zuixianlou immediately and bring the manager to the court for questioning. Do not delay!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Upon hearing this, Zhao Hu turned and went into the house. Seeing Lin Yue's angry expression, he dared not delay for a moment and turned to leave.

In a short while, Zhao Hu brought the manager of Zuixianlou to the restaurant.

The steward, who was about fifty years old and dressed in a worn blue cloth robe, bowed deeply to Lin Yue, his head almost touching his chest, and said, "This humble servant greets Lord Lin. May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

"Your Drunken Immortal Pavilion has a female bartender who said a few days ago that she was going to marry a scholar. Is that true?" Lin Yue asked bluntly, staring intently at the manager.

The steward's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied, "Are you referring to Sun Erniang, sir? Yes, she is!"

Sun Erniang is gentle and hardworking in the brothel. A few days ago, she came to see me, saying that there was a happy occasion at home and she wanted to ask for a few days off. I knew she was always well-behaved, so I granted her request.

"When she asked for leave, did she say where she was going? Did she seem unusual?" Lin Yue pressed.

"No, no," the manager quickly waved his hand. "She only said she was preparing for the wedding, and she seemed quite happy. She even said that after the wedding, she would give wedding candy to the staff in the building."

Lin Yue fell silent upon hearing this.

"Do you know where she lives? And do you know the background of the scholar she mentioned?"

The steward dared not be negligent and pondered for a moment before saying, "Sun Erniang is reserved and never talks about family matters with anyone. I have only heard her mention in casual conversation that she lives near Willow Alley in the southwest corner of the inner city, but I really don't know the exact location."

As for the scholar, she didn't elaborate, only saying that his surname was Zhou, he was a learned man, and he treated her very well.

Lin Yue immediately ordered, "Send two teams of constables. One team should search Willow Alley and the surrounding streets and alleys to find Sun Erniang's residence. The other team should search the entire city to find the whereabouts of that scholar surnamed Zhou. Be quick!"

The constables scattered, and Lin Yue paced back and forth in the courtroom, anxious and restless. He hoped to find Sun Erniang as soon as possible, but he was also afraid of hearing the worst news.

The investigation went both smoothly and not smoothly; the bartender was still nowhere to be found, but the scholar was.

Zhao Hu strode back and said, "Sir, we've found Sun Erniang's residence. It's a small courtyard deep in Willow Tree Alley. However, the house is empty, the bedding is neatly folded, and there's a half-filled basin of unfinished wedding handkerchiefs on the table, as if she left in a hurry."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue fell even more silent; the expected situation had still occurred.

Zhao Hu added, "However, we've caught that scholar surnamed Zhou!"

"Where is he?" Lin Yue's eyes widened.

"He's right outside!" Zhao Hu said. "This pedantic scholar was caught at a brothel. He even said he wanted to marry that brothel, but it's obviously a lie. He just wanted to get away with it for free."

When I led my men in, he was haggling with that prostitute.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue's anger intensified, and he roared, "Bring them up!"

A moment later, two constables brought in a man in a scholar's robe.

Lin Yue slowly stepped down from the desk and walked around the scholar twice.

She wanted to take a closer look at the man the bartender had described as being so kind to her. She could only say he was quite ordinary-looking, with a very average appearance, and looked to be about forty years old.

This seemingly ordinary, even somewhat sleazy, man made Sun Erniang feel like a little girl, filled with fantasies, joy, and longing, and prompting her to carefully dress herself up.

Thinking of this, Lin Yue felt another surge of anger.

"Zhou Xiucai, why did you harm her?" Lin Yue asked softly. "Do you know that Sun Erniang really likes you?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiucai's face turned deathly pale, his eyes darting around in a panic as he tried to remain calm and make a desperate attempt to defend himself.

"My lord... I don't understand what you're talking about. What happened to Sun Erniang? Why do you say I harmed her?"

Lin Yue walked around to stand in front of him, looking down into the scholar's eyes, and asked, word by word, "You sold the bartender to the Green Gang, didn't you?"

"No!" the scholar exclaimed in shock, his voice rising abruptly, his eyes filled with horror. "Your Honor, please investigate! I have never done such a thing! You cannot make false accusations!"

A hint of sadness flashed in Lin Yue's eyes.

How could an ordinary person react like this to such accusations? This attempt to cover up the truth is truly laughable.

"Is Sun Erniang still alive?" Lin Yue continued to ask, his tone calm.

Zhou Xiucai's face grew increasingly grim, his lips trembled, and his gaze drifted towards the outside of the courtroom, changing the subject.

"My lord, I truly did nothing wrong. What does what happened to Sun Erniang have to do with me? I am a scholar, a virtuous man, well-versed in the classics. How could I possibly commit such a heinous act?"

Lin Yue looked at his foolish sophistry and completely lost all desire to communicate.

He turned and shouted, "Guards, seize this heartless wretch..."

'

Lin Yue was about to torture Zhou Xiucai to extract a confession when he suddenly heard the clanging of armor plates outside the government office, coming from afar.

"Don't move! The Right Guard of the Imperial Guards are acting on imperial orders!"

Before he could finish speaking, the door was kicked open, and several Imperial Guards soldiers dressed in black armor filed in, holding long swords and standing as still as pines.

Immediately afterward, a tall, stern-faced military officer stepped in. He was also an old acquaintance of Lin Yue's, Liu Zhong, who had been promoted to Commander of the Right Guard of the Imperial Guard.

According to the regulations of the Ming Dynasty, the Commander of the Right Guard of the Imperial Guard was in charge of patrolling the Imperial City and rarely left the Imperial City on ordinary days.

In other words, Lin Yue's actions of locking down the entire city, gathering constables and archers from the two counties, and mobilizing the patrol army were too outrageous; otherwise, Zhu Di would not have sent the palace guards to take him away.

Liu Zhong's gaze fell on Lin Yue, and his deep voice came from beneath his mask: "Lord Lin, His Majesty summons you. Please come to the palace with me immediately."

Lin Yue nodded upon hearing this, then turned to Zhao Hu beside him and whispered, "Interrogate that scholar Zhou severely and execute him by slow slicing. Also, send more people to search for Sun Erniang's whereabouts. We must find her alive or dead."

Zhao Hu felt a chill run down his spine and slowly nodded.

Seeing this, Lin Yue withdrew his gaze, slowly straightened his filthy official robe, and silently followed Liu Zhong outside.

The sunlight outside the courtyard was blinding. The Yingtian Prefecture government office was completely surrounded by layers of Imperial Guards, with swords and spears standing like a forest and armor clashing together.

The officials of Yingtian Prefecture were held down on both sides by soldiers. When they saw Lin Yue come out, they hesitated to speak, but the Imperial Guards pressed their shoulders hard with their sword sheaths, and dared not move.

Lin Yue kept his eyes straight ahead, his heavy steps treading on the blue brick floor as he slowly walked through the dense encirclement.

As they approached the gate of the government office and were about to board the carriage, Lin Yue suddenly stopped, turned to look at Liu Zhong beside him, and asked a question.

"Commander Liu, tell me, would you feel sad for someone you've only met once?"

Liu Zhong paused, his expression shifting slightly beneath his mask.

Lin Yue's question suddenly reminded him of the events in Jiangnan, the child who choked to death, and the mother who starved to death by the roadside.

He had never met them before, only once, but he still remembered the look in his mother's eyes before she died, those eyes full of hope.

Liu Zhong said in a low voice, "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue stared blankly at the Qinhuai River in the distance. The river surface shimmered with light, layers of green waves, and painted boats swayed gently, creating a beautiful scene of midsummer.

He suddenly felt inspired and wrote: "The Qinhuai River is swollen with summer heat and lotus leaves are swaying in the breeze, and painted boats rock on the waves into the painted railings."

Half a lifetime spent drinking wine in the tower, a moment of joy and happiness.

The red wedding dress fell into a muddy well, while the white-faced scholar in his scholar's cap carried a white phoenix.

The most hateful thing in the world is to have one's foolish heart misplaced, leaving one heartbroken and devastated.

After saying this, Lin Yue said no more, turned around and boarded the carriage. The curtain fell, blocking the view from the outside world.

Liu Zhong waved his hand and said, "Let's go."

The Fengtian Hall was brightly lit with candles, and Lin Yue was led into the hall by the guards.

Zhu Di on the throne frowned suddenly. He noticed that the official robe was still covered in mud, dark red bloodstains, and dirt. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by anger.

The Yongle Emperor slammed his fist on the table and roared, "You, Lin Yue! You are truly audacious!"

"I have granted you the power to govern Yingtian Prefecture, so that you may govern the capital region, not so that you may abuse your power!" Zhu Di shouted.

"Who gave you the audacity to lock down the entire city and arbitrarily mobilize the Five City Patrol Troops? Those are the personal troops directly under the Ministry of War. How dare you, a mere prefect with the power to preside over their movements?"

"Tell me, what exactly are you going to do?"

Whose capital is this anyway? And the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, do you perhaps also wish to usurp it?

Lin Yue stood in the hall with his eyes lowered, listening to Zhu Di's angry scolding. For once, he did not refute, but simply sighed and apologized.

"Your Majesty, the capital is the most virtuous place in the world and a model for all, but now it has become a den of iniquity."

Beneath the capital city, gangs have taken up residence underground, abducting women and children and running casinos. The people, born in the capital, are subjected to such calamity—how unbearable!

He looked up at Zhu Di and said, "All my actions were for the purpose of eliminating evil and saving the people. Even if I am suspected of acting arbitrarily, I have a clear conscience and am willing to accept punishment."

"You have a clear conscience?" Zhu Di sneered. "Do you even still consider me, the emperor, to be your father?"

Such a major matter as mobilizing troops to besiege a city was accomplished with just a memorial to the throne, and the matter was resolved with a simple statement of "I have a clear conscience"?

"I see you've become arrogant because of your achievements and forgotten your duty as a subject!"

Although Zhu Di's words were stern, they did not imply any real punishment.

If a real punishment was to be imposed, the Embroidered Uniform Guard should have come to arrest him as soon as Lin Yue locked down the city, instead of waiting until he had finished his purge before summoning him to the palace.

Zhu Di made several more sarcastic remarks, sometimes saying that he "had no respect for the emperor" and sometimes scolding him for "acting rashly," but Lin Yue always stood with his eyes lowered and never argued with him, looking somber.

Seeing Lin Yue's appearance, Zhu Di's anger gradually subsided, and a sense of surprise welled up in his heart.

As we all know, debates and arguments are only interesting when there is a back-and-forth exchange. If you only criticize without the other party responding, you will quickly lose the motivation to criticize.

Lin Yue used to be extremely short-tempered and couldn't stand the slightest grievance, but now he doesn't retaliate when insulted. Why is he so depressed?

Zhu Di glanced at Lin Yue, his tone softening considerably. Instead of scolding him, he changed the subject and praised the protagonist.

"Enough. I know you care about the people and are loyal to the country. This crackdown on the Green Gang can be considered as eliminating a scourge for the capital."

He paused, then said in a deep voice, "But the crime of arbitrarily deploying troops must be guarded against. From today onwards, your duties as the acting prefect of Yingtian Prefecture will be temporarily relinquished. It is getting late, so go and rest in the side hall."

Lin Yue bowed and accepted the decree: "Your subject obeys."

Lin Yue turned and walked away, his back looking forlorn, completely devoid of his former high spirits.

After his figure disappeared outside the hall, Zhu Di called out to the hall door in a deep voice, "Liu Zhong, come in!"

Liu Zhong entered in response: "Your subordinate is here."

"Besides cracking down on local bullies, what else did Lin Yue do during this city lockdown?" Zhu Di asked. "What was wrong with his distraught appearance just now?"