MLMD -Chapter 34 A Late-Night Visitor

Amid the cheers and welcome of the city’s civilians and soldiers, Yue Yang led five hundred battle-hardened troops into the city. Once inside, he was escorted to the main hall of the Prefect’s Office, where he was seated in the place of honor next to Prefect Zheng Fakui. Yue Yang had tried to decline several times, but he could not resist Zheng’s insistence and was firmly placed in the top seat. Such treatment was no small matter. After all, Zheng Fakui was a bona fide jinshi, a fourth-rank official appointed by the court. Yue Yang, by contrast, was merely a lowly scholar. In the past, meeting the Prefect would have required kowtowing, yet now he could sit side by side with a provincial prefect—a privilege that Wang Shoucheng and Lin Yuanteng had never enjoyed. Naturally, the two men could barely hide their resentment.

The hall was filled with civil and military officials, along with the local gentry. Seeing so many people packed inside, Zheng Fakui felt a pang of disdain. He wondered where all these people had come from—none had appeared when the bandits attacked the city, yet now, with the bandits gone, they all seemed to crawl out of the woodwork. Honestly, Zheng Fakui looked down on them from the bottom of his heart. In his eyes, these officials were not even as competent as Wang Shoucheng, Lin Yuanteng, or Li Yuan. While those three sometimes behaved unsightly in daily life, at least when the bandits came, they were willing to risk their lives to defend the city.

Ignoring these cowardly officials, Zheng Fakui turned to Yue Yang with a beaming smile: “Nephew Yue, this city of Yingzhou was saved from falling into the hands of the bandits entirely thanks to your timely arrival with troops. Only because of you were tens of thousands of citizens spared from the bandits’ cruelty. Your merit is truly unparalleled!”

Yue Yang remained calm in response to the praise. “Sir Zheng, you flatter me. I merely happened to arrive at the right moment. Moreover, I was following orders—I dare not claim merit in front of such distinguished officials.”

Zheng Fakui was delighted to see Yue Yang so modest despite his achievement. “Nephew, you are far too humble. Merit is merit. This city owes its salvation to you, and you are its greatest contributor. I will surely report this to the court and petition for your merit to be recognized!”

“I am most grateful, sir,” Yue Yang said, bowing his thanks once again.

Seeing a mere scholar treated with such respect by Zheng Fakui, the onlookers in the hall all had their thoughts. This world was like that—some would be grateful, some disdainful, and some jealous. Yet, in any era, those who could hold office were no fools. Yue Yang was riding a wave of prominence; no one dared to make a reckless move, though many quietly took note of him. From this day forward, the scholar once looked down upon by all had officially entered the eyes of Yingzhou’s gentry and officials.

After the formalities, a banquet was held. As the city’s greatest hero of the day, Yue Yang was again seated in the place of honor beside Zheng Fakui. He had no opportunity to decline and was firmly seated.

Truthfully, Yue Yang had never felt so proud in his life. A dignified prefect sat right beside him—a fourth-rank official. In modern terms, this was like dining alongside the mayor and party secretary of a mid-sized city. In a modern timeline, even a minor bureau clerk wouldn’t glance at him, let alone share a table with a mayor.

Yue Yang felt a rush of exhilaration, yet he did not let the surface glory cloud his judgment. Having read countless novels and biographies, he knew well: the officials fawning over him were not impressed by his scholar’s aura but by the fact that he commanded the city’s most crucial military force. Without it, why would these officials lower themselves to flatter a humble scholar? Thinking this, Yue Yang’s heart became remarkably calm.

What Yue Yang did not know was that, since his arrival in the hall, dozens of eyes had been quietly scrutinizing him. They watched every move, and when they noticed how quickly Yue Yang’s gaze regained clarity after moments of reflection, many were silently impressed. It seemed the scholar previously thought to be timid and bookish had been hiding his true abilities. Yue Yang’s rise promised a resurgence of the Yue family estate.

Many who knew the enmity between the Yue family and Wang Shoucheng, Li Yuan, and Lin Yuanteng watched with interest, each reading the others’ expressions. The hall was filled with subtle calculations and schemes.

Unlike most spectators, Wang Shoucheng, Li Yuan, and Lin Yuanteng were filled with complex emotions. Watching Yue Yang seated in the place of honor, chatting with Zheng Fakui, Li Yuan felt melancholy, Wang Shoucheng’s expression flickered unpredictably, and Lin Yuanteng’s eyes flashed with a hint of malice.

Lin Yuanteng sipped his wine and muttered bitterly, “Sigh… that Yue kid has finally shown his strength. Now we’re truly at a disadvantage. Wang old brother, Li younger brother, what do you think we should do?”

Wang Shoucheng snorted coldly. “What can we do? Yue’s just a scholar. He only commands five hundred trained men. Our work on the Sanggan River wasn’t free—we paid for it. What can he do to us?”

Li Yuan shook his head. “Don’t be so sure. The bandits may have retreated, but there’s no guarantee they won’t return. Yue has troops now, which gives him leverage. If the bandits come back, we may need his help to survive. What if he gives us trouble then?”

Hearing this, Wang Shoucheng and Lin Yuanteng fell silent. True—the bandits had withdrawn, but withdrawal is not eradication. If they return, what then? Should they grovel to Yue Yang for aid? Neither Wang nor Lin could bear that.

Seeing their silence, Li Yuan became anxious and turned to Lin Yuanteng. “Lin, you always brag about having two thousand outlaws under you—surely you’re not afraid of Yue?”

Lin Yuanteng, hot-tempered but shrewd, glared at Li Yuan. “Afraid of him? That Yue kid only has the advantage of armor and weapons. Otherwise, I wouldn’t fear such a small mouthy brat!”

Hearing this, Li Yuan realized the truth—though Lin Yuanteng verbally belittled Yue Yang, he was indeed intimidated. Li Yuan quietly made an important decision in his heart.

The banquet continued until the moon hung high over the willows. Only at midnight did the crowd begin to disperse. Yue Yang was invited to stay at the Prefect’s Office, while his five hundred soldiers were stationed nearby.

Slightly intoxicated, Yue Yang entered the guest room with the help of two attractive maidservants sent by Zheng Fakui. As he began removing his heavy armor in preparation for a bath, Shunbao reported outside, “Young Master, the head of the Li family requests an audience!”

“The head of the Li family?”

Yue Yang froze, surprised that Li Yuan would come to see him so late. Without hesitation, he asked, “Is he alone?”

Shunbao shook his head. “Yes, only him.”

“What is this guy up to?” Yue Yang wondered. He never expected an old adversary to seek a private meeting in the dead of night.

“Master, if you don’t want to see him, I can turn him away immediately,” Shunbao suggested, still wary of Li Yuan.

Yue Yang waved him off. “No, let him in. I want to see what he has to say.”

Shunbao hesitated. “Master, are you sure? Don’t forget—he’s…”

“Enough. I know the limits. Bring him in,” Yue Yang said sharply, his piercing gaze silencing Shunbao, who quickly scurried off. Soon, Li Yuan was led into the room.