Chapter 2693: The Capital (Part 49)

"This person has considerable backing?"

"Deep and unfathomable." Wang Yehao unconsciously lowered his voice. "Not to mention anyone else—even with the Slave Chieftain himself, he can exchange words."

"To think such a person exists!" Mr. Zhou was greatly surprised.

"Li Luoyou's ancestors were originally wealthy merchants dealing in Liaodong trade," Wang Yehao said with evident interest. "With the Mongol tribes beyond the pass and the Old Slave of Jianzhou, they've maintained generational friendships. So their business in Mongolia and Liaodong has never been interrupted. Nowadays he's even making eyes at the Kun—it's said the Kun purchase vast quantities of cattle and sheep hides from him every year. Within the Court, he also has powerful backers; several Grand Secretaries past and present, along with Eunuchs inside the Palace, all maintain connections with him. Ordinarily, no one dares touch him."

"If we could obtain his assistance, wouldn't the matter of opposing the Thieves proceed more smoothly?"

"I thought the same. It's just that this Master Li's scheming heart runs deep and unfathomable. I can't read him, can't figure him out!"

"If not a friend, then an enemy..."

Master Wang and Zhou Lezhi were both greatly startled; they hadn't expected the Teacher to speak such decisive words. Looking at his expression, this was clearly no jest.

"Teacher, please be cautious in your speech. If this Master Li truly becomes our enemy, I fear the Kun will be like tigers given wings." Wang Yehao said, "He is currently wavering and undecided; though unwilling to openly oppose the Thieves, he can still be counted as loyal and devoted to the Court..."

Returning to his own courtyard, Mr. Zhou had no patience for teasing Curie and Newton, instead plunging headlong into his study, busying himself with unknown matters.

Zhou Lezhi had been ordered to meet Li Luoyou and gained much from the conversation. Upon returning to the Teacher's side, he reported the process from beginning to end.

"What do you feel is this person's true attitude toward the Kun?"

"As Teacher suggested—it's 'conflicted.'"

"Conflicted? Haha, well said!" Mr. Zhou laughed. "Though I haven't seen him myself, hearing others speak of this person's deeds, I can roughly guess his mindset."

"Indeed. He is incomparably disappointed with the government and Court; yet asking him to assist the Kun and become a meritorious official of a new dynasty—that he cannot accept either." Zhou Lezhi recalled the entire meeting process. "If there's any true conviction in him, it's his unwillingness to see barbarians like the Kun and the Eastern Captives enter and master Hua Xia..."

"Barbarians? The Kun are also barbarians?" Mr. Zhou seemed startled for a moment, then laughed loudly. "Correct, correct—they are indeed barbarians!"

Zhou Lezhi didn't understand what exactly the Teacher found so amusing. These Kun came from overseas; even if they called themselves descendants of the Great Song, they had entered barbarian lands and transformed from Xia. If not barbarians, what were they?

"So then, as long as a Hua Xia hero becomes Emperor, regardless of who, he doesn't care?"

"He wouldn't dare speak such words openly. But I believe his true heart is probably just so."

"Of course he wouldn't dare say it." The Teacher nodded slightly. "He differs from the Liang family."

Despite the Liang family earning money from the Australians, inwardly they remained irreconcilable with the Kun. If matters truly reached a critical moment, destroying their family fortune to relieve national disaster wasn't beyond them. The Li family was different.

"Regarding the matter of making guns and cannons—does he still have intention to pursue it?"

"This Li Luoyou cares most about improving firearms. The Court originally commissioned Guangdong to cast cannons, but the labor payment was too meager. Moreover, he feels the cannons currently being cast are too poor in quality—better to acquire the Kun's cannon-making techniques..."

"Damn, what logic is that?" Mr. Zhou cursed, then asked, "What else did he say about the Kun?"

"He said the Kun treat common people like their own children, and their Yamen keeps its word... Anyway, he spoke many flattering words."

"Nonsense!" Mr. Zhou sniffed disdainfully. "Killing so many people in Guangdong, casually hanging people from street lamps—yet treating common people like children!"

"Please calm your anger, Teacher. Master Li also said the Kun lack Great Righteousness, blindly using petty favors to tempt ignorant common people. Matters like shaving heads and changing dress, contrary to ethics and proper conduct—such things they've done countless times."

Hearing this, Mr. Zhou grew surprisingly calm. He paced several circles around the room before speaking: "When you next visit him, tell him you possess a Kun gunnery pamphlet. Though it primarily discusses gunnery techniques, it also contains some cannon-making methods. If he's interested, you may gift it to him."

"Yes, this student understands." Zhou Lezhi knew this small pamphlet was likely written by the Teacher himself. Speaking of which, the Teacher was truly a man of all talents—he understood everything, knew everything.

"He will certainly be interested. Reel him in slowly. I have a few more books here; wait until the timing is ripe before giving them to him."

"This student understands."

"You may go." The Teacher paused. "Did you finish reading the books I assigned you?"

"I've finished them all."

"Bring your reading notes tonight. I will review them."

The Teacher maintained a tight grip on Zhou Lezhi's studies. Not only did he frequently give him books to read, but he also required written notes based on his insights, then lectured the following day based on both the book's content and the notes. Though the study regimen was demanding, Zhou Lezhi found great satisfaction in it.

After eating dinner that evening, he took his notes to the Teacher's courtyard. Unexpectedly, before even stepping through the courtyard gate, he heard a burst of clamor from the main room. Mixed within was the Teacher's furious shouting.

This was strange indeed. Zhou Lezhi had followed the Teacher for many years and rarely saw him lose his temper; scolding maids and servants was even rarer. How had it come to this—cursing at people?

He hurried inside and saw a servant woman clutching Zhou Curie as she fled from the main room in a panic. The little girl still had tears in her eyes, sobbing in the servant woman's arms. Looking further, Yourong stood beneath the West Wing's corridor wearing a smug expression, a servant woman holding Zhou Newton at her side.

Wang Zhi stood under the main room's corridor. Seeing Zhou Lezhi arrive, he hurriedly approached and whispered: "You've come at just the right time! Quickly go in and calm things..."

"What happened inside?"

"It's Miss Jieyi..." Wang Zhi trailed off. "The Master values you most. Please, go and reason with him."

"Hmph, I fear this sort of rebellious matter cannot be reasoned away," Yourong remarked in a strange, needling tone from beneath the corridor. "Better to quickly fetch the Family Law and beat the truth out of her!"

Zhou Lezhi frowned. Honestly speaking, he held no particular impression of the Teacher's two concubines—toward the Teacher's women, he was consistently cautious. Whether Jieyi, Yourong, or the vanished Zhiling, all were kept at a respectful distance.

However, compared to Jieyi and Zhiling, he felt some distaste for women of brothel origin like Yourong, feeling they "knew too much." After Yourong gave birth to a son, her arrogance had grown even more rampant, her speech and conduct quite immodest.

He pretended not to hear Yourong's words, saying only to Wang Zhi: "Close the courtyard gate and post guards. Don't alarm anyone else in the General's Office."

"Should we immediately send someone to report to the Master?"

"Not yet. Wait until the matter subsides before deciding." Zhou Lezhi felt this was likely the Master's "family ugliness"—better not to spread it abroad.

Approaching the main room's corridor, he found the partition doors thrown wide open. On the square brick floor lay the shattered remains of teapots and cups. Jieyi knelt prostrate on the ground, weeping blindly. The Teacher's face had flushed crimson, so furious his speech came out incoherent.

"You... you... you—dare to dose me?! Speak! Who ordered you to do this?!"

With a crash, another flower vase shattered on the ground.

Zhou Lezhi's scalp went numb. Dosing! This was terrible. He had intended to speak up and calm things, but now he dared not even open his mouth.

Jieyi kowtowed against the floor like a chicken pecking at scattered grain: "Master, please examine this clearly! What this bondmaid gave was tonic medicine! Master is this bondmaid's very sky—how would this bondmaid dare deceive heaven? This bondmaid is wronged! Wronged!"

"If it's merely tonic medicine, why couldn't you tell me directly? Sneaking it into my tea—no wonder the taste has been off these past few days! What is your true motive?!" The Teacher's expression had grown distorted as he roared, "Someone! Summon Liu Sha! Isn't he from the Town-soothing Division? Beat and question her for me!"

"Master, spare my life!"

Seeing that Jieyi's forehead was already swollen and the skin broken, and that no one around dared make a sound, Zhou Lezhi steeled himself to speak: "Teacher..."

Mr. Zhou glanced at him once, and Zhou Lezhi instantly understood what it meant to kill with one's eyes. He had never seen the Teacher this furious. But for the sake of the Teacher's dignity and family harmony, he forced himself to continue.

"Teacher, please do not be so furious. Didn't you teach me in the past never to make decisions when emotionally impulsive? You also said, 'No investigation, no right to speak.' Even if Miss Jieyi has committed some fault, the matter must first be clarified before dealing with it..."

"I saw it with my own eyes! What else is there to discuss?" Though the Teacher's voice remained loud, his imposing momentum had begun to subside. Zhou Lezhi sensed hope and hurriedly pressed on:

"Though seeing is believing, Miss Jieyi has served Teacher for many years and shares an emotional bond with you. Teacher and she also have Curie together. What motive could she possibly have to harm you? Hasn't Teacher always taught me that everything must follow logic and examine motive—that we must investigate and study before acting..."

These words seemed to move the Teacher. Zhou Lezhi quickly signaled Wang Zhi at the door with his eyes. Wang Zhi understood at once and immediately nudged the servant woman holding Curie.

The servant woman grasped the meaning instantly. She rushed into the room carrying Curie, knelt, and cried out: "Master! Master! Miss Jieyi may have a thousand faults and ten thousand wrongs, but we beg you—for Curie's sake, spare her..."

Curie, already frightened pale, now wailed even louder. A look of helplessness crossed the Teacher's face. He let out a rough breath and said: "Fine! Since you put it that way—we shall investigate first!"

The servants, seeing the Master relent, hurried forward. Some swept the floor and tidied the room; others quickly helped Jieyi away; still others prepared fresh tea...

Zhou Lezhi had just exhaled in relief when he heard the Teacher say: "Jieyi is not to leave. I have questions for her!"

Zhou Lezhi knew that if today's matter wasn't pursued until every detail was exposed, the Teacher wouldn't be able to sleep. He immediately instructed the others: "Everyone go attend to your duties. What spectacle is there to watch?"

At his words, the servants hurriedly withdrew. But then Yourong's voice drifted once more from beneath the West Wing corridor: "Hmph, even if she speaks, it will still be..."

The Teacher seized a teapot and hurled it out the door, water and vessel together. There came a crisp shattering sound, followed by a few startled cries in the courtyard—then silence.

Zhou Lezhi quickly signaled Wang Zhi to close all the partition doors. Turning back, he offered further counsel: "Teacher, please don't torment yourself with anger. Even if Miss Jieyi bears some fault, it won't be too late to deal with her after we've asked everything clearly."

(End of Chapter)