Xie Jue’s initial intention in seeking out this group of bandits was to find his lost Jade Pendant. He did not expect to uncover the deceit of the County Magistrate of Ping’an County. Now he has to handle matters in Pingnan County, but the Jade Pendant remains a cherished relic for Xie Jue.
Fang Chuning’s Jade Pendant was also not found. Both turned to look at Zhou Bao, and Gao Bao’s heart sank, "That Jade Pendant looked unique to us, so... we... presented it as a tribute to County Magistrate Zhou!"
Xie Jue, "..."
Fang Chuning, "..."
Xie Jue’s expression was no longer just foreboding; it was visibly angry. Fang Chuning pulled Xie Jue away before he could act, "It’s alright, knowing its whereabouts is enough, we can retrieve the Jade Pendant!"
Upon hearing this, Gao Bao beca more certain of the high status of these two gentlen. Speaking so casually about retrieving sothing from the County Magistrate made him even more cautious, and lessened the amount of Silver. The bandits had squandered the Silver they had stolen, indulging in debauchery, so naturally, they wouldn’t return it all. Fang Chuning did not care much for such worldly possessions, as Zhou Buyan had given him plenty of Silver, enough for their travels. Had he known they could recover the Silver, he wouldn’t have resorted to performing.
Xie Jue took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. He genuinely disliked others using his belongings. This Zhou Bao sure lived up to his na, having the courage of a leopard, daring to give away his possessions.
"Please spare , Master. I didn’t know that item was so important to you. Had I known, I wouldn’t dare give it away even with eight tis the courage. I was wrong, truly wrong. Please forgive this once. I will repay Master even as an ox or a horse." Gao Bao thought, prioritizing his life, he had no desire to offend Xie Jue and Fang Chuning.
"Write down everything you’ve confessed and sign it." Xie Jue no longer paid him any attention, waving his sleeve as he left.
In the dical clinic, Gao Bao painfully wrote his confession. He was barely literate and needed his brother’s help to jot it down. It was an excruciating process, and the sll of dicine wafting through the clinic’s courtyard helped quell Xie Jue’s anger.
Fang Chuning followed him out, "We are strangers here in Pingnan County, and you have no one to rely on. How will you handle this matter? If you go directly to court, the County Magistrate will surely silence you, preventing you from making a scene."
"I’ve already sent soone to Yun City to report. In two days at most, there will be people from Pingnan County. This is sothing the governor of Yun City should have been overseeing," said Xie Jue. "With the Beiman entering the borders, I anticipated various problems; most are due to animosity between the Beiman and the people. I didn’t expect there to be soone in Pingnan County who dared to defy the emperor’s orders and mistreat them."
"Have you considered that getting the people to calmly accept the Beiman is inherently difficult? I’ve heard that there are many disturbances over in the Twelve Prefectures, and the reasons are varied, hatred being one of them. When foreigners assimilate into native lands, conflicts are inevitable. The people all harbor hatred for the Beiman; even without any personal agenda from the County Magistrate, the Beiman would be ostracized by the locals. Given a chance for profit, people will naturally act on it," Fang Chuning stated from a neutral perspective. "What the County Magistrate has done is undoubtedly wrong, but it’s also true that the people fear the Beiman. If I were an ordinary citizen, with the Beiman in the neighboring village and family elders and children to protect, I too would be scared and might relocate, leaving behind my ancestral ho."
Xie Jue knew it would be difficult, "The Beiman can only be dispersed across different towns and villages within the Twelve Prefectures; they cannot be concentrated in just one or two city-states. If they gather in a large city, they beco even harder to manage."
Handling disputes between the two groups is an ongoing process of trial and error, learning from mistakes, and making improvents. He is no deity and couldn’t perfectly plan everything from the start. After all, it involves millions of people, impacting the livelihood of millions and the stability of Beining. It’s impossible to achieve perfection. Situations like this make Xie Jue feel unsettled. With the Beiman’s surrender, they had promised them a peaceful, prosperous life. Yet now, there are groups of Beiman in Pingnan County suffering from hunger and the threat of starvation and death.
"Xie Tingfeng, none of this is your fault. The Beiman entering the borders is a fact now, as are the inevitable conflicts and oppression they face at the hands of the local people. Our power alone can’t change these truths. Only ti can slowly dissolve the hatred. If you hope for peace and smooth resolution right from the beginning, that’s impossible. Human hearts are unpredictable, and everyone thinks differently," Fang Chuning tried to console Xie Jue, seeing his self-reproach.
How could Xie Jue not understand these principles!
The governor of Yun City is from the Lin Family, and Xie Jue could mobilize forces with just a letter. Also, Yun City is currently garrisoned by the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry. A round trip would take three days, so Xie Jue was in no rush to settle scores with the County Magistrate. He was no longer the impulsive youth of fifteen or sixteen, and he had to ensure his safety no matter what he did.
The two planned to visit the Lin Family’s Manor and Gao Liang Village. Fang Chuning instructed Gao Bao and his group of brothers to recuperate in Pingnan County and to keep the matter discreet; then he and Xie Jue set off for Gao Liang Village.
Gao Liang Village indeed had fertile land, surrounded by four large villages that depended on this rich soil for survival. The land primarily grew sorghum and millet, and water was scarce, relying mostly on wells for supply. This was Pingnan County’s main agricultural area. Originally, all of it belonged to County Magistrate Zhou and was rented to the nearby villagers. Most of it still belonged to County Magistrate Zhou, with only a small portion belonging to the villagers.
When Xie Jue and Fang Chuning arrived at the fields, they saw the people working hard, with a few elderly n resting in the shade. Xie Jue and Fang Chuning approached them to ask for directions to Lin Village!
One elderly man’s expression changed dramatically, eyeing them warily. Xie Jue and Fang Chuning had tall and slender physiques, handso features, not resembling Beiman, and they weren’t dressed like Beiman either, so the old man relaxed his guard, "Why are you going to Lin Village?"
Fang Chuning, holding a basket of fruits and vegetables, had already prepared an excuse, "My brother and I are from Jiangnan, and this ti we ca at our grandmother’s behest to visit her birth ho and see her siblings. She is advanced in years and unable to travel, so we are here to pay respects to our ancestors on her behalf, as a gesture of filial piety."
"Young man, the Lin Family has long since moved away. Presently, only the Beiman reside there; your grandmother’s family probably left long ago," the old man replied, his accent thick with local dialect that Fang Chuning could barely understand.
Fang Chuning showed a look of regret and asked, "Where did the Lin Family move to?"
"So moved to Pingnan County, others to Shiling Town. You can inquire there; maybe you’ll find your relatives. A few who didn’t leave relocated to the mountains," the old man explained.
"Our grandmother ntioned that the ancestral tomb is located at the foot of the hill. We intend to pay our respects first. Where would be the best way to go?" The mountains surrounded the area, leaving Fang Chuning uncertain of which to visit.
The old man advised, "I suggest you don’t bother. The Beiman are ferocious and hostile to outsiders. As strangers, you’d certainly be beaten up there. Your lives might be at risk!"
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