Within five days, civil servants and military officials from the capital took the place over. Prefect Wu was promoted to Magistrate and cooperated with the new officials to reorganize things. Those victims returned to the civilian population and the news quickly spread so that the common people completely understood the truth about the Heaven’s Blessing Sect. When the prisoners were transported away in the prison cart, how much the Heaven’s Blessing Sect had been supported before was now how much rubbish and cursing they received. 

Huo Fenglie also emphasized to the new officials that the so-called bandits outside should be given the chance to reform. As long as they had not killed anyone, they could return and become good citizens. This could be regarded as fulfilling his original promise to One Eye.

Matters in Yanqiu Prefecture ended here, and the five of them set out on the road together. The next stop was Tongmao Prefecture, the location of the Southern Imperial Examination. And as for Huo Fenglie, there was the other tax money issue the emperor had spoken of that must be investigated. 

This time, they traveled directly by boat on the river.

Liu Zhenqing and Bai Su were studying the small mechanism Huo Fenglie had just bought, taking it apart and playing with it, when they suddenly heard He Lan on the front deck call to Huo Fenglie, “Er-gou!”

This call made Liu Zhenqing and Bai Su’s hands shake. Liu Zhenqing’s mouth twitched, and Bai Su looked at He Lan in astonishment.

As a result, He Lan was kicked into the table by Huo Fenglie in the next second.

“Don’t hit me, don’t hit me.” He Lan quickly got up and sat in a chair, drinking tea with trembling hands to indicate that he wouldn’t fight.

Qin Yu, who was sitting on the boat’s canopy, looked down and scoffed quietly.

Huo Fenglie stepped forward with a bad expression. “You can’t call me this.”

He Lan said shamelessly: “Why can’t I call you this? Isn’t it your nickname?”

Huo Fenglie sat down and looked at He Lan with a warning in his eyes.

Bai Su finally recovered from his shock and asked, “How do you know that?”

“You know too?” He Lan responded immediately, “Then why didn’t you tell us, ah?”

“That’s what the elders of Zhanyuan’s family called him. No one has called him that for a long time. Are you saying it to tease him?” Bai Su said with a smile, “I’ve never called him that either, ah.”

He Lan chuckled and pointed at the embarrassed Liu Zhenqing, saying: “I heard him shout it.”

Liu Zhenqing could only give a dry smile and say: “That was an accident. I overheard it while staying in the General’s Manor. I don’t dare to address General Huo that way.”

Liu Zhenqing looked at Huo Fenglie with apologetic eyes. Blame him for not keeping his mouth shut and shouting out his nickname. It was such an embarrassing name that Huo Fenglie probably wanted to forget all about it.

He Lan blinked and said: “We really can’t call you that? It’s so fun.”

“No,” Huo Fenglie said firmly.

Seeing that Huo Fenglie was unhappy, He Lan stopped feeling itchy and asked curiously: “Be honest, who gave you this nickname? It doesn’t seem like the General’s Manor’s style.”

Huo Fenglie’s lips curled up almost imperceptibly. “It wasn’t given by my family.”

“Then who was it, ah? How could anyone give such a rustic nickname to the dignified general who protects the country, ah! They have quite the nerve. Your family actually accepted this?”

Huo Fenglie calmly drank his tea and said: “It’s a secret.”

He Lan instantly became more curious, but even Bai Su didn’t know the origin of the name, so He Lan asked Liu Zhenqing instead.

Liu Zhenqing said awkwardly: “How would I know?”

Yes, it was him!

Er-gou nearly died but was saved by his own hands. After Mrs. Huo woke up, she was naturally grateful to him. There was still an old lady in the Huo Family at that time, and when she heard about this, she immediately made the decision to ask Liu Zhenqing to give Er-gou a nickname for luck. She had heard that giving a child a humble animal nickname would make their life easier, so she had Liu Zhenqing learn how to do so from the countryside. Although Liu Zhenqing didn’t believe in this tradition, for the sake of the old lady’s peace of mind, he could only help her.

It was because of these naming rights and feeling the birth of a new life that Liu Zhenqing suddenly felt connected to the world, and no longer like an outsider. 

He Lan still wouldn’t give up, and couldn’t help but complain: “Then this person must be uneducated. Maybe it was…..Uncle Tian.”

Bai Su chuckled and shook his head: “Uncle Tian has read no fewer books than you.”

He Lan choked for a moment, then looked at Huo Fenglie and said: “You didn’t complain?”

When he asked this, Liu Zhenqing looked at Huo Fenglie nervously.

Huo Fenglie raised his head and thought for a moment. “In fact, I must thank the person who named me, because my family later told me that my elder brother originally wanted to call me Gou Dan.^[1] He changed it.”

When these words were spoken, He Lan and Bai Su spurted out tea and laughed non-stop. Even Qin Yu’s eyes widened upon hearing it.

Liu Zhenqing blinked. This was indeed the truth. He couldn’t think of anything good at first, so Huo Feihan directly gave him one, saying that he had heard others use it so that the child would grow up to be strong. 

The second eldest son of the Huo family being nicknamed Gou Dan? Sorry, he couldn’t say it out loud. Forget it, since he was the second eldest son, he should be called Er-gou. Thus, “Er-gou” was born.

But now, Liu Zhenqing decided not to call him that. After all, he had grown up, and it would be too embarrassing to be called that.

Therefore, he decided to call him Brother Huo or General Huo to his face and when away from him. According to the superficial relationship between them, these titles were just right.

But when the two were in the cabin and Liu Zhenqing called out “Brother Huo,” Huo Fenglie suddenly turned around to look at him with a dark and unclear expression. He seemed unhappy, and hesitated for a bit before responding. 

But then, Huo Fenglie still called him Qing-ge in the cabin when there were no outsiders.

Liu Zhenqing had a sharp mind, and when he noticed this, he tried calling out Er-gou again. He saw the young fellow’s eyes light up, and he responded right away.

Liu Zhenqing really had to sigh. This child grew up to be cold and tough, but he still had a cute side.

After two days of sailing, they finally arrived at their destination. They boarded a carriage and began to talk about the Imperial Examinations.

They all knew that Yuan Jue would certainly deal with it in a drastic way this time. The north was fine because it was close to the Imperial City, so even if the First Princess had a protective umbrella, it could be removed in one day.

But in the south, which was far from the central government, the court’s control over the local area would be very weak. There may be invisible local emperors everywhere, with officials protecting each other and all kinds of transfers of responsibility. It could be imagined how difficult it was to conduct a thorough investigation. Even if the source was the First Princess and Rong Shiming, there were only one or two people responsible for liaising between them, and the big fish knew how to hide.

“Before we set off, the news from below was that the main culprit has been captured,” Qin Yu said. 

“Whether it is the real main culprit or not, we will only know after we investigate.” He Lan was lying on his side with his legs crossed, and could touch Qin Yu’s sleeve with a single hook of his foot. “Hey, why don’t we talk to the public first, so we’re not led around by the nose when we go to the government office.”

Qin Yu glanced to the side and moved his arm away. “In the matter of the Imperial Examination, folk rumors are of little use, and confessions are simply extracted through torture.”

“Ya, Qin-daren is so cold-blooded,” He Lan called delicately, and received another eye roll. “But when tortured to extort a confession, not many are willing to sell out high officials. In the end, what doesn’t have its own weaknesses?”

Qin Yu looked over and He Lan raised his eyebrows, saying with a smile: “Let’s give play to our respective strengths and act separately? You take the inside and I take the outside?”

Qin Yu had no objections.

“Actually, one of the local officials cooperating with the case this time is my brother’s friend, Cheng Xi, Cheng-daren.” Bai Su said, “I’ve never met him. I only heard him mentioned in my brother’s letters before.”

“What do you think? Is he trustworthy?” He Lan immediately became interested. If there were trustworthy officials in the local area, it would definitely be more convenient to get things done.

“My elder brother said that he was a son from a poor family, and had the talent to win the Imperial Examination. Because the Imperial Examination was held in the north at that time and he had a sick mother at home, he could not travel far away and could only regretfully miss it. His only future was to be recommended by an official as a candidate. At that time, his good brother recommended him and he became a local official. Now, it should be that he was promoted to Prefect.” Bai Su explained according to memory: “Although I believe in my brother’s judgment, whether he is trustworthy or not depends on us meeting in person. I will go feel him out first and then discuss it with you in detail.”

The three of them had arranged their own affairs, and after talking, they looked at Liu Zhenqing and Huo Fenglie.

“Eh, the Liu family is involved in the Imperial Examinations, so I plan to go and investigate the Liu family’s property here.” Liu Zhenqing found an excuse.

Huo Fenglie said without hesitation: “I will go with him.”

The three glanced at Huo Fenglie in surprise, their eyes wandering uncontrollably between the two of them. They had thought the atmosphere between them was too strange before. Not only had they become much closer, but they stayed in the same tent at the camp and in the same cabin on the ship. Qin Yu and Bai Su had stayed together, but He Lan thought something was very wrong. Why was he the only one who ended up staying alone?

Ai, this wasn’t right, how could Huo Fenglie get along with others so well, ah? It should be said that none of the three of them had the opportunity to get along with Huo Fenglie like this.

And now they were inseparable.

“You two…..” He Lan’s gossipy expression was about to come out.

Qin Yu was looking at the sky, but his ears were constantly paying close attention. Bai Su drank tea to cover up his awkwardness, his eyes brightening a bit. Even he felt that Huo Fenglie’s treatment of Liu Zhenqing was a little unusual. Could it really be that Huo Fenglie had a change of heart? 

Although Huo Fenglie had expressed that he didn’t care about other people’s misunderstandings, Liu Zhenqing couldn’t let them go astray, ah.

“General Huo has vouched for me in front of the emperor, so he naturally must keep an eye on me. Regardless of whether he trusts me or not, he can rest assured if we act together. And isn’t it enough to have a few people in charge of the government office? Unless troops and horses are needed to suppress it, there is no need for General Huo.”

Huo Fenglie nodded.

He Lan didn’t fall for this trick. He narrowed his eyes and said bluntly: “I think you just want to leave us so you can act alone.”

Although He Lan meant going on a date alone, in a sense, he was right. They intended to investigate the tax money, so how could they not act alone?

Thus, when they arrived at the government office, Huo Fenglie didn’t plan to show his face to the officials. He just went to the courtyard they were assigned under the guidance of a junior government servant, where he dropped them off and saluted. 

“What other instructions do the two gentlemen have?” The junior was pretty good-looking, youthful and energetic. Although he couldn’t figure out their identities, he knew they had come with the investigation team and treated them very warmly, his attitude neither humble nor overbearing.

Liu Zhenqing looked at him and asked directly, “Little brother, can you tell us how the case is progressing?”

“Aiya, the progress is so slow. Every once in a while, someone comes to the government office gate crying and complaining that so-and-so of their family had been wronged, elders, pregnant women and children all kneeling on the ground, making it so noisy that not a single morning is quiet. The prison is overcrowded. Previously, only Prefect Cheng was conducting serious investigations, while others were just messing around. In the end, when the officials from the investigation team arrived a few days ago, they took action quickly, but it is said that the overall progress is still rather slow.” The junior lamented: “There are quite a lot of academies, candidates, and officials involved in this case. But fortunately they were discovered. I saw some candidates who were famous for their talents but failed to succeed, and many of them died in depression.”

“What about the magistrate of Tongmao Prefecture?” Liu Zhenqing asked.

The junior’s face changed slightly. “Magistrate Yao is old, and has been bedridden for a long time. He is ready to retire and return to his hometown. He doesn’t interfere much in these matters now and basically leaves them to the people below.”

Liu Zhenqing blinked, then suddenly said with a smile: “Little brother, you don’t look as if you’ve never read a book. Why did you end up working as a government servant, ah?

The junior likely hadn’t expected that Liu Zhenqing would suddenly turn to this topic. How could he, a little government servant, be noticed? When he reacted, he didn’t feel excited about being favored by a high official, and only said with a smile: “There are elders in the family who need to be taken care of. The work of a government servant is very leisurely most of the time, which is suitable for this humble one to take care of his family.”

“Such a filial person. What are you called?” Liu Zhenqing asked.

There was a flash of defensiveness in the eyes of the junior. “This one’s name is Du Dongfeng.”

Liu Zhenqing smiled and changed the topic: “I wonder where the best fish in the area is?”

Du Dongfeng’s brow furrowed slightly. Concealing his disdain, he still answered respectfully: “Of course it is Wan Zhao Tower, the best restaurant here. It’s just on Dongmen Street.”

Liu Zhenqing nodded and the junior retreated. When he turned around, he saw that Huo Fenglie was looking at him silently. 

Liu Zhenqing tilted his head with a smile: “What do you think?”

“He knows martial arts and has a good mind.”

Regarding his evaluation of Du Dongfeng, Liu Zhenqing nodded in agreement. The reason for sounding him out was not because he suspected something, but because he wondered why this small government servant had hidden such a good mind. 

“Magistrate Yao?” Huo Fenglie looked at Liu Zhenqing with a frown.

Liu Zhenqing shook his head: “I’m not familiar with him. When I was in office, there was indeed a tax money issue here, but he should not have been among the main culprits. Although…..I didn’t have a chance to solve it, but according to Yuan Jue’s nature, he should have solved it later. That the problem has arisen again only proves that it is not an issue that can be entirely eradicated, or that the protective umbrella over some people is too large and Yuan Jue couldn’t solve it for the time being, so he could only wait for the opportunity to take action again. I’m partial toward the latter. But now it is related to the rebels…..Bai Su’s brother, Bai Yu, was also sent by me to investigate the tax money matter.”

As he was thinking, Liu Zhenqing turned and was about to go out, but Huo Fenglie grabbed his arm.

Liu Zhenqing glanced back at him and saw the serious look on Huo Fenglie’s face: “How about I check on this matter and you rest.”

Liu Zhenqing was taken aback for a moment. He understood in his heart and couldn’t help but tease: “What? Do you feel sorry for Gege? Are you afraid I’ll feel unhappy thinking about the past while I investigate?”

Huo Fenglie looked at the smile on Liu Zhenqing’s lips and only felt discomfited.

Liu Zhenqing just wanted to tease Er-gou again. After all, Er-gou didn’t know the truth at that time. It was hearsay at most, all those rumors about his eagerness to rapidly levy harsh taxes. How could the treacherous minister be “unhappy?”

As a result, he heard a low voice: “En, I feel sorry.”

Liu Zhenqing was stunned. He felt as if he could hear a drumbeat vibrating deep in his soul. Somewhat dumbfoundedly, he raised his head and fell into two deep black pools. Every bit of light in those dark pools spoke of distress, and Liu Zhenqing could clearly see it.

Er-gou felt sorry?

This unfamiliar feeling caused Liu Zhenqing to give a dry cough. He had walked the difficult road of officialdom alone, and no one had ever been distressed for him. This feeling was so strange that Liu Zhenqing became inexplicably amused, stretching out his hand to rub Er-gou’s head. “Brat, you’ve really grown up, knowing how to feel sorry for others.”

Huo Fenglie was not bothered about his hair being messed up. He just grabbed Liu Zhenqing’s wrist and raised his eyes to look at him earnestly, only to see that Liu Zhenqing was smiling happily at this moment.

“Your Qing-ge isn’t going to feel bad, little fellow.” Liu Zhenqing smiled easily and took Huo Fenglie’s arm, walking out: “Let’s go shopping…..ah, go to work.”

They wandered around inquiring about news during the day, so it really felt like the two of them were taking a leisurely stroll.

Stopping here, looking there, joining the fun, and browsing the shops.

After some time, Huo Fenglie was holding a bunch of things to play with and eat in his hands. Since his identity was exposed, Liu Zhenqing spent Huo Fenglie’s money without any embarrassment at all.

Seeing Liu Zhenqing holding tanghulu in one hand and a sesame seed cake in the other, Huo Fenglie could only remind him: “We’re going to have lunch.”

As a result, Liu Zhenqing held a tanghulu in his mouth and looked back at him with a pair of innocent eyes. Huo Fenglie’s eyebrows twitched: “We can…..eat later.”

Liu Zhenqing grinned and reached out to hand over the tanghulu: “Here, eat one.”

The tall and mighty General Huo obediently leaned his head over on the crowded street and bit one off. Very sweet.

He Lan, who had also come to the street to search for news, happened to witness this scene.

The accompanying subordinate also saw it and exclaimed in shock: “Isn’t…..i-isn’t that General Huo?”

He Lan quickly reached over to cover his subordinate’s eyes and pushed him away: “No, no, you saw wrong.”

Heavens, he said their relationship was unusual, but they still wouldn’t admit it. This lovey-dovey behavior as if there was no one around, if others saw it, the great general who guards the country would lose his reputation, ah!

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[1] Gou Dan (狗蛋) can either refer to an unreliable person or dog testicles. ⮐

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Chapter Forty-Three << Table of Contents >> Chapter Forty-Five