IDWBE -Chapter 183 Let Him Be Strong if He Will

“My son, Shan Tu… he died so miserably,”

The elderly lady suddenly burst into tears. “Who framed him? You must avenge him! My poor boy!”

Everyone’s expressions darkened.

Shan Tu had actually died of illness; the one who truly died wronged was Shan Kuo, who had been harmed by Prince Jin.

Fortunately, everyone had long since gotten used to this. The old lady grew more forgetful with each passing year, so there was no point in explaining—it only made things more confusing.

Better to just feign ignorance.

Normally, the big ship had only a thin gangplank, wobbly and shaky; one had to step carefully to reach the shore.

But Shan Yin, being meticulous and mindful of the many female relatives and the elderly ancestor who had difficulty moving, added over a dozen gangplanks from the ship to the shore. Four servants carried the ancestral chair, delivering her directly to the Administration Office.

Shan Qi, having no time to personally greet his elderly mother, rushed to the rear hall after finishing a case. Seeing the elderly lady with graying hair, he immediately knelt.

“Your unfilial son greets mother!”

“Shan Kuo, come over so your mother can see you,” the elderly lady beckoned to Shan Qi. “You look a bit thinner—make sure to eat well from now on.”

Tears streamed down Shan Qi’s face.

Though his mother had grown old and confused, she still remembered a son named Shan Kuo.

Yet she refused to accept that her own son had died wronged.

“Mother, your child is here,” Shan Qi stood and knelt at her side, allowing her to stroke his head. “I haven’t lost weight at all, even put on some.”

With the elderly lady already like this, there was no need to expose the lie.

“Since childhood, my Shan Kuo has been the most filial,” the old lady murmured, rubbing Shan Qi’s head full of white hair. “Whatever good things there are, he always let me have first. Your second brother—he can’t do that. He stuffs everything into his own mouth. And because he’s good at studying, your father spoiled him. Honestly, studying is useless. All that Confucian nonsense, books crammed into his dog’s belly, like your father. Speaks nothing but formal words, a bookworm, not a word of common sense.”

Shan Qi laughed through his tears. Was he really that useless in his mother’s eyes?

Still, he didn’t argue. Better not to say more and risk bringing back her grief over her lost son.

By calculation, his younger brother Shan Kuo had been dead wronged for eight years!

After settling his mother in the rear room to rest, he instructed his wife, daughters-in-law, granddaughters-in-law, and nieces-in-law to occasionally remind her that she had another daughter—Yan Shiqi.

Even if the performance was fake, it had to be convincing.

With his family arranged, he returned to handle official business.

Thousands of refugees from Hongzhou, Nanzhou, and Yuezhou arrived daily.

Most did not understand Sanhe’s regulations, testing the law to their benefit and to the detriment of Shan Qi and his constables.

Common villagers were easy to deal with; the constables simply arrested them with no hesitation.

The real trouble came from two prominent families among the refugees, whose members had long been officials with complicated connections to the court, and who were also friendly with the Shan family.

These people, used to arrogance and impunity locally, continued to act as they pleased after arriving in Sanhe.

At first, Shan Qi tried gentle persuasion.

But, as His Highness He would say, these people were “uncooperative.”

There was no choice but to strike hard.

The Fang family, a renowned clan from Hongzhou, had an elder who served as a third-rank provincial transport official before retiring due to illness. Many nephews and sons served in the court, and they were relatives of the Shan family.

Technically, Shan Qi had to give them some face.

But this old man repeatedly violated Sanhe regulations.

Previously, when locals clashed with the Fang family’s sedan chair, Shan Qi let them hire two servants to compensate, covering the incident.

After all, he moved in official circles and had to follow certain rules.

But within a month, this old man’s son forced a woman to become his concubine!

They clearly didn’t respect the Administration Office or Shan Qi.

Sitting idle in prison was out of the question!

Hard labor!

It had to be hard labor!

After being refused entry to the Administration Office, the elderly Fang Ze went to His Highness He’s mansion to complain in his sedan chair.

His Highness He immediately ordered dogs set on him.

Truly satisfying!

Lin Yi hated people like this.

“White clouds and grey dogs thousands of times, the world’s affairs are ever-changing.”

Watching Ye Qiu behave like a grandson before the blind man, Lin Yi couldn’t help but feel deep emotion.

Ye Qiu had never been this obedient before. Those few days he was, it was only due to Hong Ying’s pressure.

“All martial arts in the world are defeated only by speed,” the blind man said, holding his bamboo staff, expressionless as the crowd gathered. “This is what His Highness He said.”

“That’s what Ye Liangchen said,” Ah Dai shouted. “The opponent’s moves are predictable, so speed alone prevails!”

Lin Yi’s face darkened.

He had clearly said it first, copying lines from Jin Yong’s novels into Proud War God!

“You understand nothing!”

Lin Yi snorted coldly. “Do you not know that the greatest martial skill is to foresee the enemy and control a thousand changes without moving!”

He was a born contrarian, a disciple of Archimedes!

No one could argue with him! Everything he said was correct—truth of the world, justice of mankind!

Everyone fell silent.

Including Hong Ying.

Finally, only the blind man said, “Thank you for the instruction, Your Highness. I understand.”

“What exactly do you understand?”

Lin Yi was puzzled instead. Who were these people?

The blind man smiled, “Let him be strong if he will be strong, the gentle breeze caresses the hills. Let him be arrogant if he is arrogant, the bright moon illuminates the river.”

“Hm?”

Lin Yi frowned.

Hong Ying sighed. “This is also from Your Highness’s novel. Wang Dong, starting tomorrow, you need not attend morning lessons.”

There was a subtle note of melancholy in his tone.

“Brains fried to bits,” Lin Yi muttered words no one could understand, and turned to leave.

Xiao Xizi followed closely behind.

Only after Lin Yi exited the courtyard did Hong Ying turn to the blind man and say seriously, “You may make your move.”

The blind man shook his head, “Not a match for the chief. I will not humiliate myself.”

Everyone stared, shocked, as his figure slowly faded.

This was the second person in His Highness He’s mansion, after Consort Wen, to dare refuse the chief’s request.

And looking at Chief Hong, usually stern, he was smiling so happily.

Everyone was puzzled.

Only Ye Qiu understood.

It was natural to feel a little frustrated when a disciple surpassed you.

But compared to the safety of His Highness He, it was insignificant.

After all, he was His Highness He’s top-ranked loyalist.

Everything was for His Highness He.

Fang Pi asked, “Chief, what about the blind man?”

“If you can’t reach fourth rank, our house will flay you!”

Hong Ying not only ignored the question but also scolded him.

Fang Pi shrank his neck, not daring to speak again.