IDWBE -Chapter 464 Purpose

Since Liang Yuanzhi did not elaborate, Sang An did not dare to ask further. Watching Liang Yuanzhi’s gradually receding figure, he called out, “Safe travels, Mr. Liang.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Wang Xiaoshuan step out from the shadows.

Sang An smiled and said, “Lord Wang, you’re not asleep yet?”

“Don’t call me that.”

Wang Xiaoshuan waved his hands repeatedly. “I’m just a ninth-rank sesame official. What kind of ‘lord’ am I? Just call me by my name. Don’t put a tall hat on me for no reason.”

Sang An replied curiously, “No matter how small the official, he’s still an official. I’m just a commoner. Calling you ‘lord’ is perfectly natural.”

“Maybe in a few days I won’t even be anything at all,” Wang Xiaoshuan suddenly sighed.

Sang An asked in confusion, “What do you mean by that?”

Wang Xiaoshuan plopped down heavily onto a chair, picked up a teacup, and gulped it down before saying irritably, “What do I mean? I mean this job at the Imperial Stud Office isn’t easy. That Sun Chongde is no good. I’m done serving him! From now on, he walks his sunny broad road, I’ll cross my single-plank bridge.”

Sang An hesitated before saying, “Lord Sun is a fourth-rank high official—worlds apart from an old gatekeeper like me. But there’s one thing: he and I both started out as horse handlers. Back in Sanhe, I knew his whole family well. Even after we followed the army to Ankang City, I looked after them quite a bit. I’m old now and can’t drive carriages anymore. It was Lord Sun who recommended me for this gatekeeper job. He’s treated me well. I trust his character.”

Wang Xiaoshuan rolled his eyes. “Old man, what kind of look is that? You think I can’t be trusted?”

Sang An shook his head. “That’s not what I mean. You, Liu Kan, and Jiang Zhen—I watched you all grow up. You may be a bit impulsive, but your heart isn’t bad. It’s just that…”

He trailed off, ultimately not finishing his sentence.

“You old man,” Wang Xiaoshuan said impatiently. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Don’t hem and haw like I’m going to eat you.”

Sang An sat down opposite him and said slowly, “To be honest, if you had even half of Liu Kan’s steadiness, you wouldn’t still be a ninth-rank official. If Lord Sun pushed a little, you should have been promoted by now.”

“Hmph.”

Wang Xiaoshuan flushed red. “That’s because I never cared about an official career before. All I wanted was to make money. Who knew I’d end up with neither money nor a respectable post?”

Sang An sighed. “Back then, when Lord Sun captured Jiang Chong and earned merit, he gained full authority over the Imperial Stud Office. The people lining up to deliver gifts to the Sun family could stretch two li long. Some wanted their old posts back; others sought an official identity. Think about it—what did you give? If Lord Sun weren’t a decent man, getting your ninth-rank post wouldn’t have been so easy.”

Wang Xiaoshuan protested, “I have an elementary school graduation certificate!”

“Times have changed,” Sang An shook his head. “From Sanhe to Ankang City, new-style schools are everywhere now. You’re not the only one with an elementary diploma. I’ve even heard that many old xiucai and juren have enrolled in the new schools. The clever ones can earn a diploma in less than a year. They say the new top scholar, Chen Kai, only took one month.”

“I know, I know.”

Wang Xiaoshuan slumped dejectedly. “Then tell me, old man—what should I do?”

He had been a stable chief for quite some time. Dealing with horses and livestock every day left him miserable. Yet promotion seemed hopeless. Too many people were better than him.

Sang An hesitated, then changed the subject. “Did Mr. Liang notice you just now?”

“Of course he did! He’s ninth-rank too—how could he not? He just pretended not to see me!”

Wang Xiaoshuan fumed. “He’s a first-class secretary now. His eyes are higher than the sky. Why would he look at a nobody like me?”

He and Liang Yuanzhi, along with Wei Yishan and others, had grown up on the same street. They had entered the new-style school together and practiced martial arts together.

But now he was embarrassed to tell anyone that he and Liang Yuanzhi had grown up together from childhood. Saying it wasn’t a badge of honor—it was humiliating. The gap between them was simply too large.

He was still a mere ninth-rank official, and in martial arts had only barely entered seventh rank.

Sang An chuckled. “Perhaps Mr. Liang was just sleepy and didn’t pay attention.”

“You old man…”

Wang Xiaoshuan felt helpless. He and Liang Yuanzhi were the same age and had the same education. Yet because of the disparity in rank, Sang An’s attitude toward them was completely different.

Calling him “Lord” was likely mockery, teasing, even disdain. Calling Liang Yuanzhi “Mr.” was sincere respect.

“You heard what Mr. Liang said?” Sang An continued.

“I’m not deaf. Of course I heard it,” Wang Xiaoshuan snorted. “Don’t worry—I’ll keep your secret. Whatever you said, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear.”

“Thank you.”

After personally refilling his tea, Sang An asked, “And about the Xue family…”

“You’re still digging into this mess?” Wang Xiaoshuan grew more irritated.

Sang An said sheepishly, “I’m known as a know-it-all. If I run into something like this and don’t figure it out, I won’t sleep well.”

Wang Xiaoshuan glared at him. “Fine, I’ll tell you. Do you know where the Old Madam of the Yuan family is from?”

“Of course—the Xue family of Jinling City. ‘In good years heavy snow, pearls like dirt and gold like iron’—everyone in Great Liang knows that saying…”

Sang An froze at his own words, suddenly stunned.

A vague realization dawned on him. “Then this Xue Dawu and the Xue family are…”

“Heh. The clan leader of Jinling City, Xue Yiduo, is Old Madam Xue’s own nephew. Back then, the Xue family colluded with the Shi family and other powerful households of Jinling to kidnap Li Sanniang,” Wang Xiaoshuan said with a grim smile. “Prince He was furious and ordered the execution of the ringleaders. Xue Yiduo’s son, Xue Tongji, and great-grandson, Xue Bin, were beheaded. Xue Yiduo and the rest of the clan kept their lives, but their property was confiscated. All of them, men and women alike, were sent to labor reform.”

“And this Xue Dawu and Xue Yiner…”

Sang An felt increasingly uneasy.

“Xue Dawu is Xue Tongji’s eldest son,” Wang Xiaoshuan said, lifting his teacup again and gazing at the snow still swirling outside. “Xue Yiner is Xue Tongji’s youngest daughter.”

Why had Consort Yuan in the palace named Xue Dawu the number one martial performer under heaven? What was her intention?

And Xue Yiner—an imperial relative reduced to a courtesan—whose face did that disgrace?

Sang An had already guessed, but he was still so shocked that he stood there dumbfounded, no longer daring to speak.