Bai Suzhen, I really need to punish you properly.

Wang Xuan's expression was indifferent, his gaze deep, as he slowly swept over the noisy group of students in front of him.

A strange light suddenly flashed in his eyes.

Within sight, a unique notification belonging solely to [Bai Mei Lu] suddenly appeared.

He paused slightly, his gaze fixed on the slender, thin figure in the crowd.

This man was dressed in a blue cloth scholar's robe, with a plain belt around his waist. He had delicate features and clean lips.

Standing among the students, she appeared exceptionally petite, with slender shoulders and dressed in scholar's attire, exuding a gentle and refined elegance while also displaying a touch of sharp and heroic spirit.

Name: Zhu Yingtai

Age: 17

[Realm: Mortal]

[Note: Zhu Yingtai, born into the Zhu family of Shangyu, was gentle on the outside but strong on the inside, and unconventional in her ways. Unwilling to be confined to the inner quarters, she persuaded her parents and, disguised as a man, traveled to Wansong Academy to study under a teacher.]

Wang Xuan suddenly realized that it was Zhu Yingtai disguised as a man.

Wang Xuan was so frightened that she thought there was some kind of bug in [Bai Mei Lu].

No wonder he had felt that Wansong Academy sounded familiar before; it turned out to be the place where Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai studied together.

One after another, these girls from the "Beauty Record" appeared before him, giving him a subtle feeling of being overwhelmed by their presence.

Zhu Yingtai, dressed in men's clothing, was elegant and spirited, gentle and refined. If she were to shed her scholar's robes and don a silk skirt, regaining her feminine figure, one wonders what captivating charm she would possess.

Zhu Yingtai is seventeen years old now, so she must have just entered Wansong Academy.

Remembering the tragic fate of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, he felt it was necessary to save Zhu Yingtai.

He was absolutely certain that he wasn't simply after Zhu Yingtai's looks.

Wang Xuan's mind was racing, but his face remained impassive.

He glanced at Zhu Yingtai indifferently, his voice calm and authoritative, carrying a hint of official arrogance: "Who are you? Why are you causing trouble at the county government office?"

The leader bowed and said, "Lord Wang, we are students of the academy, and we are here today to..."

Wang Xuan frowned slightly, sighing to himself, thinking back to when he had no opportunity to study at the academy.

These teenagers, who have the opportunity to study, should be knowledgeable and able to distinguish right from wrong. Instead, they are gathering in front of the county government office to confront and question us.

He raised his hand to interrupt, looking at the leader of the group: "Which academy do you all belong to? And what are your family backgrounds?"

The posting of notices offering high prices for grain did indeed cause dissatisfaction among local residents.

They were unaware of Wang Xuan's deeper meaning, and only felt that the government not only failed to sympathize with the disaster victims, but also went along with the grain merchants to raise prices. They blindly believed that the government and the wealthy merchants who hoarded grain were colluding and working together.

However, ordinary people dare not be the first to speak out; the only ones who dare to speak out, or rather, dare to cause trouble, are these students.

They were scholarly and idealistic, impulsive and full of passion.

Perhaps their intentions were good.

It is truly from the bottom of their hearts and from their very souls, but if they are allowed to continue like this, it will only spread panic, increase the risk of riots, and make people even more divided.

A bad person's elaborate schemes are no match for a fool's quick thinking.

If this were placed on the battlefield, it would be a disruptive force to the morale of the troops.

He was to be dragged out and dealt with according to military law.

"My name is Ma Wencai, a student of Wansong Academy. My father is currently the magistrate of Kuaiji County."

Ma Wencai was the first to introduce himself.

Wang Xuan's gaze slowly moved, scrutinizing each person. The scholars bowed and introduced themselves in turn.

"I am Liang Shanbo, a student of Wansong Academy, from a rural background."

"My name is Lu Bang, a student of Chongwen Academy..."

"My name is Xu Gang..."

"My name is Zhou Wencong..."

Wang Xuan glanced indifferently at the group, his gaze finally settling on the slender Zhu Yingtai.

Zhu Yingtai also bowed and looked at the handsome young magistrate, her voice clear and bright: "I am Zhu Yingtai, from Shangyu, and a student of Wansong Academy."

The two were close in age, only two years apart, but the other was already the third-ranked scholar on the imperial examination and the magistrate of Qiantang County.

She has always been proud and believed that women are not necessarily inferior to men, but at this moment she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Wang Xuan's official robes were still stained with mud, suggesting he had been busy with disaster relief along the riverbank. He should have been a good official who cared for the people, so why did he issue a notice to raise grain prices?

She was filled with confusion and bewilderment.

Wang Xuan nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to a certain student from before, his eyes sharp and his tone cold: "Was it you who just now publicly accused me of colluding with unscrupulous merchants and aiding and abetting evil? Do you have any evidence?"

The student, intimidated by Wang Xuan's imposing presence, trembled and stammered, "I...no...no."

"Without any evidence, you have publicly slandered an official of the imperial court." Wang Xuan's eyes were cold, and his tone was firm. "According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, anyone who slanders or insults a county magistrate shall be punished with one hundred strokes of the cane. If the person is a student, he should be stripped of his academic title and demoted to a commoner, and shall never be allowed to enter the examination hall again."

What does it mean to "make trouble out of your mouth"?

This is what is meant by "trouble comes from the mouth."

He was already annoyed by the flooding of Qiantang River and had a lot of things to deal with, but these students actually came to cause trouble under the guise of righteousness.

Do you really think he has no temper?

He loved the people like his own children, but he didn't like troublemakers.

The student turned pale with fright, his face ashen, and hurriedly pleaded, "Your Honor, please have mercy! I was confused for a moment and used the wrong words. Please forgive me!"

If one is stripped of their academic title, not only will all the hard work they have put into their studies in the first half of their life be wasted, but they will also be unable to take the imperial examinations again in the future.

Seeing this, most of the other students also fell silent, not daring to speak recklessly anymore.

"You don't need to call yourself a student anymore; you're not anymore."

Students who had achieved official rank could refer to themselves as students when they visited local officials.

Wang Xuan then said coldly, "I still prefer the way you made unwarranted accusations and slanders at the beginning."

As the leading figure of Wansong Academy, Ma Wencai quickly said, "Sir, we have come here today only to persuade you to withdraw the decree to raise grain prices. We have absolutely no intention of slandering you."

Wang Xuan spoke calmly: "According to imperial regulations, students are not allowed to interfere in local affairs or discuss the rights and wrongs of officials. Didn't your teachers teach you this? You're so enthusiastic; I suppose you're the one who initiated this?"

Ma Wencai's heart tightened, and he quickly changed his tone, explaining, "Lord Wang, you misunderstand. It wasn't me. We simply failed to understand your profound meaning, so we came together to seek your guidance."

His father was also a county magistrate, and the punishment for gathering a crowd to obstruct the government office could be serious or minor, depending entirely on the magistrate's decision.

His lifelong pursuit was to pass the imperial examinations and continue the family's official career. If he angered the county magistrate, not only would his path to the imperial examinations be cut off, but his father might also be branded as a poor father.

Therefore, he behaved extremely submissively at this time.

Wang Xuan remained expressionless, then turned to Liang Shanbo: "So, you were the one who started this?"

Liang Shanbo, however, remained resolute, replying in a deep voice, "Lord Wang, if you insist on arresting an instigator, then let it be this student. We have studied the classics and practiced benevolence and righteousness; we should naturally care for the people's livelihood and act on their behalf. As the official in charge of Qiantang, you should be even more so..."

He came from a modest family and felt compassion for the displaced people he saw growing up. He had a simple mindset: even if he was punished, he wanted to fight for the people and bring them some hope.

Wang Xuan was too lazy to say more; this was truly a case of having the mindset of a county magistrate but not the life of one.

He coldly ordered, "Li Gongfu, go and take him to receive twenty strokes of the cane, so he'll learn his lesson."

Li Gongfu sighed inwardly and waved for the two constables to come forward and arrest the man.

As an official speaking his mind, he couldn't and wouldn't dare to openly contradict Wang Xuan at this critical juncture.

Liang Shanbo trembled slightly, but did not flinch. His tone was stubborn as he said to himself, "Lord Wang, if I could help you today..."

Just then, Zhu Yingtai stepped forward, cupped her hands in a respectful bow to Wang Xuan, her posture upright and neither humble nor arrogant.

Her voice was clear and gentle as she took the blame: "Your Honor, I came here today with all of you classmates. A devastating flood has destroyed countless homes and left many people homeless. Grain prices have skyrocketed, and many people simply cannot afford to buy it. If this continues, it will inevitably lead to chaos. Your Honor has always been honest and just; you should be aware of the potential dangers."

She was originally a woman, and she disguised herself as a man to study in order to make up for the regret that women could not study.

She knew from the beginning that she would eventually return to her boudoir.

For her, the worst that could happen was being stripped of her student status.

Rather than letting these classmates lose the opportunity to pass the imperial examinations, it's better to let her bear it alone. After all, after half a year, there's still some friendship left.

"If people truly cannot afford to buy, there are soup kitchens outside the city. Although the supplies are meager, no one will starve," Wang Xuan explained calmly. "Now, let me ask you, why do you think food prices shouldn't rise?"

Zhu Yingtai said in a low voice, "If prices continue like this, many ordinary people will not be able to afford them."

Wang Xuan asked, "Then why do you think I should raise prices?"

Zhu Yingtai was speechless for a moment: "This student does not know."

"Do you genuinely not know, or do you believe I'm in cahoots with the grain merchants?"

Seeing that Wang Xuan's tone had become less aggressive, Zhu Yingtai relaxed a bit and remained respectful: "This student really doesn't know, so I came here to ask for your guidance, sir."

Wang Xuan looked at the growing crowd of people gathering in front of the county government office and said in a cold voice, "If grain prices don't rise, there's no profit for grain merchants from other places. Why should they go through all the trouble of transporting grain to Hangzhou?"

How long can the city sustain itself with the meager amount of food it has left? By then, food prices will only skyrocket, and even money won't buy half a bushel of rice. The number of starving and displaced people will only increase exponentially.

Only by raising grain prices can I ensure a continuous influx of grain from various regions, thus stabilizing the livelihoods of the entire city.

Tell me, which is more important, money or life?

The government granaries had limited grain reserves, so Wang Xuan had begun purchasing grain at high prices.

If they don't actually buy some, how can they attract grain merchants from other places to Hangzhou?

As for his real purpose—to swindle grain merchants from other regions—Wang Xuan naturally wouldn't reveal it.

As the saying goes, things are accomplished in secrecy.

If this matter is leaked now, it will become common knowledge.

At that point, his plans would come to nothing.

Zhu Yingtai was speechless after being rebuked, but suddenly realized that it made a lot of sense.

The other students also looked ashamed.

Wang Xuan's gaze sharpened as he looked at Liang Shanbo, his voice stern: "And you, do you think that just because you've read the classics, you can act recklessly? That you can interfere with the government's decisions at will?"

"Look me in the eyes and answer me!"

"You dare to talk to me about serving the people?"

"The hundreds of thousands of people in Qiantang County need to eat, survive, and develop. I am the person primarily responsible for this, not you!"

"What good are empty slogans of benevolence and righteousness?"

"If you truly want to alleviate the people's burdens, why not do what you can to help?"

"Why not go to disaster relief? Why not provide aid? Why not donate money?"

"I am working tirelessly day and night at the breached dike, carrying out flood relief and disaster relief efforts. What are you students, who claim to be petitioning on behalf of the people, doing?"

"You're standing in front of the county government office, inciting people and spouting empty rhetoric. Is this what you call reading the classics?"

"In the end, you just enjoy the sense of accomplishment of speaking up for the people and crave the empty reputation of caring for the common people."

"It may seem like you're showing compassion for the people, but in reality, it will only disrupt the overall disaster relief efforts. In the end, it's the ordinary people you're talking about who will suffer the most."

The students were speechless.

Liang Shanbo's face turned pale and then red. He wanted to refute, but he couldn't think of any points to make.

At this point, the other people looked at them with increasing contempt.

Wang Xuan changed the subject and looked at Zhu Yingtai: "Also, what you said earlier is wrong. This time it's not a natural disaster, but a demonic calamity."

He then ordered Li Gongfu: "Push the fish monster over here."

The crowd parted to the sides, making way for a passage.

The enormous carcass of the fish monster was slowly pushed out from behind.

The group of students were shocked to see the enormous and terrifying fish body, its ferocious appearance making them tremble with fear.

This monster was bigger than a small house.

"Gentlemen, the reason the dam was breached is all due to the sinister work of this fish monster. Li Gongfu, set up more than a dozen large pots in front of the county government office. I will treat the whole city to fish and meat."

He then looked at the group of students in front of him who were powerless to even kill a chicken, and sneered, "Besides, isn't the county short-handed? There are plenty of people here. Let them all deal with the carcass of this fish monster. You keep a close eye on things. Anyone who doesn't do their part will be severely punished."

Li Gongfu laughed heartily: "Gentlemen, now is the perfect time for you to put your concerns into practice and share the burdens of the people."

Ma Wencai was the first to respond: "Your Excellency is right. It is because we are narrow-minded and cannot understand your profound meaning. Everyone, come quickly and help us."

Wang Xuan then looked at one of the students from before: "You have already been stripped of your academic honors, so you are no longer needed here."

He doesn't consider himself a petty person, but if he doesn't take action, others might really think he's easy to bully.

The student repeatedly protested, "My lord, I was truly bewitched for a moment."

"Perhaps." He then looked at Zhu Yingtai and said coldly, "You, come in with me. I'm going to teach you a lesson."

Next, he will teach this little girl properly.

Spending all day with these bookish scholars who only talk about morality, how can their brains not get damaged?

"My lord, wait a moment!" Liang Shanbo hurriedly called out. "This matter was discussed and decided by all of us. Everyone shares the blame. We shouldn't have summoned only Brother Zhu. All the mistakes should be borne by us together."

"Oh?" Wang Xuan frowned slightly. "You mean everyone here should be punished, everyone should be stripped of their academic titles?"

All the students looked shocked, and their eyes were filled with resentment as they looked at Liang Shanbo.

"Don't put on this act of being sentimental and righteous. If you really are, you should do more for the people you care about, instead of shouting cheap slogans."

Wang Xuan led Ao Jin into the county government office first.

Zhu Yingtai had no choice but to follow.

I just fixed it, and there may still be oversights. Sorry.