The beginning of the story of the Tang Dynasty's Imperial Son-in-Law: A rhinoceros comes knocki

Chapter 111 Yao Jin is cunning and shrewd.

Chang'an, the residence of Duke Lu.

Inside the front hall, Cheng Chumo sat upright at his desk, intently checking the beverage accounts.

A thick stack of orders covered half of the stone table. The reservations for three types of fine wines—Songlao, Yunmenchun, and Tianlu—were densely packed, each entry meticulously written down.

The deposits alone accumulated to nearly 500 strings of cash, bringing in a steady stream of wealth.

Five hundred strings of cash is no small sum.

The pampered sons of dukes and marquises in Chang'an now all consider it an honor to drink Wang Zhihuan's pine wine.

This wine is not only delicious, but also prestigious.

Cheng Chumo thrived in the elite circles of Chang'an thanks to this exclusive sales agent business.

But he knew perfectly well that the root of this business lay with his brother, Wang.

Without Wang Zhihuan's wine, Cheng Chumo wouldn't be enjoying his current success.

The young man held a wolf-hair brush, checking the order stroke by stroke with a focused and steady expression.

His usual flamboyant face, typical of the eldest son of the Duke's mansion, now showed a composure beyond his years.

"Young Master!"

Around noon, a servant rushed into the front hall, his steps hurried and his expression anxious: "There is a young man surnamed Zhou outside the mansion requesting an audience."

He claimed to be the apprentice of the owner of Lantian Manor, covered in mud and looking anxious, saying he had something extremely urgent to attend to!

Cheng Chumo's fingers, which were holding the pen, suddenly paused.

A drop of ink fell from the tip of the pen, spreading a dot on the ledger.

His heart sank.

"Please come in quickly!" He put down his pen and stood up.

A moment later, Zhou Xia was led into the front hall.

The boy sped along, covered in sweat and breathing heavily.

His clothes were splattered with mud, and his trousers were covered with bits of grass and dust.

His still somewhat childish face was filled with embarrassment and anxiety.

As soon as he entered, he bowed deeply to Cheng Chumo.

When he looked up, his eyes were already red-rimmed, and his voice trembled uncontrollably: "Young Master Cheng, something terrible has happened! My master has been taken away by the people from Lantian County!"

Cheng Chumo suddenly stood up, his expression instantly becoming serious.

He walked around the table, strode up to Zhou Xia, and grabbed the boy's shoulder: "Don't rush, speak slowly. Tell me everything clearly, from beginning to end, without missing a single word!"

Zhou Xia took a few deep breaths, forced herself to calm down, and recounted everything that had happened that morning.

Three bailiffs summoned him politely. There was no binding or violence. They simply said that County Magistrate Yuwen Ren wanted to conduct a routine interrogation.

He recounted all the details, and then poured out his speculations: "Young Master Cheng, I have examined this repeatedly, and the only flaw is that my three younger siblings are not registered with the government."

My master was simply doing good deeds, taking in orphaned children. He was by no means harboring or abducting innocent people! He was just new to Lantian and unaware of the rules, so he hadn't registered!

The boy's voice was urgent and rapid, as if afraid that if he spoke too slowly, the other party would refuse to help: "This matter can be resolved simply by completing the formalities and accepting the punishment. But I'm afraid that Lord Yuwen is deliberately making things difficult for my master!"

After listening to the whole story, Cheng Chumo frowned deeply and his face darkened.

He did not respond immediately, but remained silent for a moment.

"You mean—" He spoke slowly, as if carefully choosing each word, "that Yuwen Ren summoned my elder brother under the pretext of the orphan's lack of registration?"

"That's probably true in most cases!"

Cheng Chumo fell silent for a moment.

Then he raised his hand and patted Zhou Xia on the shoulder.

The hand was heavy and strong, carrying a reassuring tone: "Wait here patiently and don't wander off. I'll handle this."

His tone was firm and left no room for argument: "I will go and ask my father."

After saying that, he turned around and strode towards the backyard.

The back garden of the Duke of Lu's mansion is quite different from the gardens of other noble residences in Chang'an.

There were no artificial hills or flowing water, no rare flowers or exotic plants. There was only a large vegetable garden, warmed by the sun.

Cheng Yaojin was bending over in the field, watering and weeding.

This Duke of Lu, who had made great military achievements and spent half his life in the court, had taken off his official robes and was now wearing only a worn-out short tunic.

The sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, revealing two strong and muscular arms.

He carried a gourd ladle in one hand and parted the vegetable leaves with the other, carefully watering the roots of the vegetables.

The rustling sound of water seeping into the soil, mixed with the chirping of birds from afar, is the most ordinary sound in the backyard of this Duke's mansion.

Cheng Yaojin had a fondness for rural farming. Every day after court, he would come to this vegetable garden to tend to it himself.

Getting his hands dirty with mud and soil, watering and weeding, is the best way to calm his mind and cultivate his character. This is a bit of peace he sought for himself after a lifetime of military service.

"father!"

Cheng Chumo strode into the vegetable garden, stepping into a furrow that had just been watered, splashing mud all over his boots.

Cheng Yaojin didn't look up, steadily scooping up another ladle of water with his gourd ladle: "Remain calm in the face of adversity. What kind of behavior is this, rushing around like this?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

Cheng Chumo took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his rapid breathing, and recounted the events at Lantian Farm and the circumstances of Wang Zhihuan's summons.

Zhou Xia repeated his guess in detail.

Cheng Yaojin suddenly stopped holding the gourd ladle.

Water spilled from the rim of the ladle, wetting his shoes. But he seemed oblivious.

A moment later, he continued watering calmly, his movements still unhurried.

Then he whispered the name.

"Yuwen Ren".

The three words uttered carried a hint of playfulness and a touch of insight.

"A Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the first year of the Zhenguan era."

Cheng Yaojin's voice was calm, as if he were talking about something insignificant, "He served as the county magistrate of Lantian for six years. He remained in a low position for a long time without being promoted. He was the most scheming and ambitious, but his abilities were mediocre."

He paused, then placed the gourd ladle into the bucket with a muffled thud.

"A classic case of virtue not matching virtue."

Cheng Chumo's heart tightened, and he asked urgently, "Father, will Brother Wang be in trouble this time?"

Cheng Yaojin did not answer immediately.

He slowly straightened up, patted the dirt off his knees, and walked to the stone table to sit down.

There was a pot of chilled tea on the table, its rough earthenware body warm from the sun. He poured himself a cup and drank it all in one gulp.

"He took in orphans without registering." He put down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly on the stone table. "It's a small matter."

"But in officialdom, the importance of trivial matters is never determined by the matter itself."

His gaze deepened, revealing the insight and shrewdness cultivated over decades of navigating the treacherous waters of the court: "It all depends on the mind of the person in charge, whether it's big or small."

"Handle it according to the rules, complete the formalities, fine him a few strings of cash, and release him immediately. It's no big deal."

"But what if he intends to use this as an excuse to pester me—"

—

Cheng Yaojin's voice deepened, "They can then use this as an excuse to repeatedly summon and investigate, making things difficult for each other in every way."

Delaying things exhausts people and throws them into chaos. In the end, even small problems can escalate into major ones.

Cheng Chumo's heart tightened: "Then Yuwen Ren must be deliberately making things difficult for me?"

"not necessarily."

Cheng Yaojin shook his head, his gaze distant.

"He might be testing us."

Cheng Chumo was taken aback.

"Wang Zhihuan was an ordinary farmer with no official position or post."

Cheng Yaojin's voice was calm and unhurried, each word like water drawn from a deep well, deep and cold: "He is not worth the trouble of a dignified county magistrate."

As a local strongman, Yuwen Ren couldn't possibly be unaware of Wang Zhihuan's relationship with us.

What he really wants to test is probably the attitude of our Duke Lu's mansion, and the connections behind Wang Zhihuan.

Cheng Chumo suddenly understood.

My back felt slightly cold.

This routine summons was never intended for Wang Zhihuan. It was a trial balloon in a power struggle within the bureaucracy!

Yuwen Ren threw out Wang Zhihuan as a pebble to see what kind of ripples would appear on the water's surface!

"You shall depart for Lantian immediately."

Cheng Yaojin immediately gave the order, his tone calm and measured, every step calculated: "Go find Zheng Tong, the magistrate of Lantian County. He is a trusted subordinate of mine and has influence in Lantian."

He paused, then continued, "Let him step forward and negotiate with Yuwen Ren properly."

This reveals the truth that Wang Zhihuan did good deeds by taking in orphans and that he unintentionally overlooked the fact.

We only ask for lenient treatment, completion of the necessary filings, acceptance of the penalty, immediate release of the person.

"Put aside your arrogance, and remember this: there's no need for confrontation or conflict. Peace is the most important thing."

Cheng Chumo breathed a slight sigh of relief: "In that case, will Brother Wang be able to return today?"

"not necessarily."

Cheng Yaojin's eyes were sharp.

He looked at his son and instructed him slowly and deliberately, "When you arrive in Lantian, don't rush to the county government office to plead for help. Just stand in front of the county government office for a moment. Just show yourself openly."

"Let Yuwen Ren see with his own eyes that Wang Zhi still has someone backing him up, and that this matter is attracting attention."

"It's not about putting pressure on others, nor is it about bullying them."

Cheng Yaojin's lips twitched slightly, revealing a meaningful smile. "Just tell him—we've accepted this test. And we'll know and watch the whole thing."

This short sentence contains endless wisdom in strategic maneuvering.

It avoids escalating the conflict, prevents the other party from finding fault, and eliminates the possibility of them resorting to underhanded tactics. The balance is perfectly struck.

Cheng Chumo suddenly felt enlightened.

"My son understands!"

He solemnly agreed, accepted the short note handwritten by his father, and strode away.

His mount was already prepared in the stable.

It was a plump, strong chestnut-colored steed, with the bronze emblem of the Duke of Lu's mansion hanging on its saddle, gleaming darkly in the sunlight.

Cheng Chumo mounted his horse and gave it a shake of the reins.

The horse's hooves shattered the bluestone slabs in front of the Duke's mansion, and it galloped away towards the outside of the city.

Zhou Xia sat anxiously in the front hall of the Cheng residence for more than an hour.

The servants brought him tea, but he had no appetite for it; they brought him a stool, but he couldn't sit still.

The boy paced back and forth on the corridor, his gaze constantly fixed on the doorway.

With the sun past noon, there was still no definite news from Cheng Chumo.

He was anxious and worried about his three younger siblings at the farm, so he bid farewell to the servants of the Cheng family, mounted the gray donkey, and returned to Lantian to await news.

The donkey's hooves trod the path they had come from, and the boy's heart was heavier than when he arrived.

Meanwhile, at this moment, in the signing room of the Lantian County Government Office.

Wang Zhihuan sat quietly on a wooden chair in the outer room.

There was a cup of hot tea in front of me, which had long since cooled. The tea leaves had sunk to the bottom of the cup, and a thin layer of oil had condensed on the surface of the tea.

Since being brought to the county government office, most of the day has passed.

No one asked him anything, no one paid him any attention.

All that remains is long neglect and waiting.

Inside the inner room, the rustling sounds of turning over files and writing could be heard continuously.

Some people are busy, while others are deliberately left out.

This is the most commonly used psychological warfare tactic in government offices.

They left you there alone without questioning, ignoring you, or even greeting you.

Let time gradually erode your composure, and let silence slowly erode your calmness.

Ordinary people, having been deliberately neglected by the government for most of the day, were already restless and anxious.

My mind raced, trying to recall if I had done something wrong. The more I thought about it, the more scared I became, and the more confused I got.

Wang Zhihuan remained calm throughout.

He sat upright, his back straight. He neither anxiously looked around nor deliberately acted indifferent.

He simply sat quietly, gazing peacefully ahead.

Like a deep pool of water. The wind passes by without leaving a trace.

Inside the study, Yuwen Ren slowly closed the thick stack of files in his hand.

That's all the information about Wang Zhihuan.

From Taiyuan to Lantian, from practicing medicine to brewing wine, from reclaiming wasteland to taking on apprentices. Everything he found was in this stack of papers.

A faint, cold smile curved at the corners of his lips.

What he wanted was never a conviction or a fine.

What he wanted was this psychological advantage.

Intentionally ignoring someone and waiting a long time is meant to wear down their composure and disrupt their state of mind.

This caused the commoner, a local gentry, to feel intimidated and panic under the official's authority.

When people's hearts are in turmoil, their words and actions will inevitably reveal their flaws.

At that point, questioning can delve deeper and deeper, allowing us to explore all the connections behind the scenes.

Yuwen Ren put down his teacup and raised his hand to straighten his official robes and hat.

He straightened his turban, smoothed the wrinkles on his robe sleeves, and then took out a handkerchief from his sleeve to carefully wipe his fingers.

Then he picked up an official document from the table.

That was a pre-prepared interrogation document, which specified the reasons for the interrogation, the legal provisions on which it was based, and the matters that needed to be verified.

The words on the paper are in black and white, neat and tidy, without a single flaw.

The time has come.

Yuwen Ren pushed open the door and went out.

The light in the outer room of the signing room was much brighter than that in the inner room.

The afternoon sunlight streamed in through the window, casting neat patches of light on the floor tiles.

His gaze fell on Wang Zhihuan, who sat calmly and remained expressionless.

He was dressed in plain clothes, sat upright, and had a calm expression. He showed neither the anxiety of being ignored for most of the day nor the fear of seeing the county magistrate appear.

A hint of surprise flickered in Yuwen Ren's eyes.

He had seen many people summoned, but few were as truly calm as the one before him.

The surprise vanished in an instant, transforming into a deeper scrutiny.

He slowly sat down, placed the official documents on the table, and clasped his hands in front of him.

Then he raised his head and met Wang Zhihuan's gaze.

Two pairs of eyes met in the signing room. One was deep and sharp, the other calm and composed.

"Master Wang," Yuwen Ren said, his voice gentle as if he were having a casual conversation, "I have invited you here today because I have some official business to discuss with you in person."

He opened the official document in front of him, his fingertip tapping on the paper.

"Someone reported that you took in three children, but you have not registered them with the authorities."

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping back and forth across Wang Zhihuan's face, not missing a single subtle change in expression.

Do you acknowledge this matter?

After he finished speaking, the signing room fell silent.

Wang Zhihuan remained seated and motionless.

He met Yuwen Ren's gaze without flinching or avoiding it.

This undercurrent of power struggle has finally begun.