Early the next morning, Yang Ge led fifty fully armed brocade guards from Luting County eighteen miles out of the city to welcome the imperial envoy.
But they weren’t the earliest to arrive; a large group of local soldiers and government officials had rushed to the post station last night to set up.
Once again, they adorned the place with reds and greens.
Once again, they pretended it was a season of bountiful harvest.
Over a hundred local soldiers and officials had, overnight, amidst the vast expanse of snow, created a garden landscape vibrant with bright purples and brilliant reds.
When Yang Ge saw this, he felt sorry for the local soldiers and officials who had given up sleep on a cold night to engage in such activities...
Not long after their arrival at the post station, the officials and gentry from Luting arrived.
A large crowd rushed into the post station, immediately making a mess of the scenic decoration that the local soldiers and officials had arranged all night. Yang Ge found the sight quite displeasing.
Oddly enough, these officials and gentry, upon seeing Yang Ge, who wore a half-mask resembling an evil spirit, gathered around him and respectfully greeted him.
Each of them spouted dense and pedantic flattery, seemingly using the same old tricks.
They would start by subtly, or sometimes openly, mentioning various high-ranking officials from the imperial court, then invite Yang Ge to various convoluted banquets, insinuating bribes with phrases like "We must make sure the Lord enjoys himself to the fullest"...
Yang Ge was annoyed, yet he unfortunately couldn’t bring himself to harshly dismiss these annoying people.
If you were truly a direct relative of some important court official and came to show off or curry favor, that would be somewhat reasonable.
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But to dare use the connections of a nephew’s cousin who had taken refuge with a powerful individual, or an uncle who had once studied under a sage alongside that official—connections so tenuous they could barely be traced—and then have the gall to flaunt such thin relations to deceive others? Aren’t you afraid the word will get back to those big shots and they’ll ride over in the middle of the night to beat you to death?
Fang Ke, standing aside, sneaked glances at his immediate superior’s increasingly darkened face and held back his laughter so hard that he dared not step forward for fear of giving himself away.
Yang Ge wasn’t fond of socializing; in the past, it was Fang Ke who dealt with these officials and gentry.
Finally, Yang Ge got a taste of it for himself...
In the midst of a sea of sycophantic voices, a calm and steady male voice captured Yang Ge’s attention.
"I am Pei Yu from the Southern Pacification Commission, at your service, Lord Yang!"
Yang Ge turned his head to look and saw a handsome young man with rosy lips and shiny teeth, dressed in a valiant brocade guard uniform that somehow accentuated his slender waist, standing on the outskirts of the crowd, giving a casual salute.
He narrowed his eyes and pushed through the group of old men in front of him, looking directly at the handsome youth with a smile: "So you are Pei Yu of the Pei banner, I’ve long admired your reputation!"
Upon hearing this, Pei Yu, with a complacent demeanor, bowed slightly and smiled, "I dare not, my humble name isn’t worth mentioning!"
"Dare not?"
Yang Ge chuckled, "It seems to me you dare quite a bit. Without even a greeting, you’ve reached your hand from Kaifeng to my Lu Ting. Is this how your Southern Pacification Commission does things without any rules?"
As soon as these words came out, the surrounding flattery ceased abruptly, and the crowd of Luting officials covertly took a few steps back.
Pei Yu, however, remained unfazed, responding, "Lord Yang jests. Our Southern Pacification Commission has its own set of regulations. But Lord Yang’s actions are arrogant and contemptuous of the rules. If you persist, I’m afraid it won’t lead to fortune but to disaster!"
"Arrogant? Contemptuous?"
Yang Ge, with his silver-patterned bullwhip knife in hand, walked up slowly, smiling as he gently poked Pei Yu’s chest: "In what capacity are you speaking to me? As a banner leader? Or as the person in charge in Kaifeng?"
Pei Yu’s face slightly changed, but then he lightly laughed and said, "If I recall correctly, Lord Yang, your commission hasn’t passed through our Southern Pacification Commission, has it?"
"You want to investigate me?"
Yang Ge’s eyes gleamed more mirthfully, "Well then, go ahead. I’d like to see whether it’s you who loses your brocade guard status first, or me who has to relinquish my silver knife!"
Pei Yu gnashed his molars in secret, his smile becoming a bit stiff as he said, "Then I must really learn from Lord Yang’s ingenuity!"
Yang Ge nodded with a smile, "Sure... But before that, you’d better retract your claws from Lu Ting. I’m a stingy man who doesn’t like others meddling in my affairs or freeloaders!"
Pei Yu clenched his teeth, "If I recall correctly, Lord Yang, you don’t have the authority to order our Southern Pacification Commission around, right?"
Yang Ge, "True, but I also don’t need your Southern Pacification Commission’s approval to do what I must on my own turf, do I?"
Pei Yu burst out laughing, dropping all pretense, "Well then, Lord Yang, you’d better always act so lawfully, lest you fall into our hands at the Southern Pacification Commission, otherwise... heh!"
He sneered, his handsome face turning cold.
Yang Ge’s eyes widened, "Why the threat? We were having a pleasant chat. If you go on like this, I might just have to send the record of what you’ve been up to in Lu Ting back to the Northern Pacification Commission to seek justice from Shen!"
Pei Yu’s expression changed, and he became all humble and respectful, "There’s no need for that, my lord. I was merely jesting with Lord Yang; please don’t take offense!"
Yang Ge nodded, "As a young man, it’s not a big deal to misspeak, but if you pick up the wrong bowl, that can be a serious problem. There’s an old saying: ’Eat according to the size of your bowl.’ Trying to eat everything will only harm you."
Pei Yu humbly accepted the lesson, "I will keep Lord Yang’s advice in mind!"
Turning his head, Yang Ge called out loudly to one of his subordinates, "Gu, you heard that? Pei won’t bother you anymore. You stick to your duties and don’t waste Pei’s goodwill!"
Pei Yu: ...
Gu Tong: ...
Fang Ke, who was about to step forward and mediate, instantly clammed up, feeling utterly exhausted as he retracted his extended foot.
Even the officials and gentry watching the excitement were shocked, thinking to themselves, "Do your Brocade Guards always play by their own rules like this?"
After this, no one dared to try to connect with or curry favor with Yang Ge anymore, for fear that as soon as they gave silver to Yang Ge with one foot, they would be caught with both people and goods with the other.
Yang Ge, of course, was pleased with the peace and quiet.
Soon, they heard the county soldiers scouting the path returning at a jog to report, "The imperial envoy has arrived!"
The resting County Magistrate of Luting County, hearing this, quickly stood up and waved his hand, saying, "Blow the trumpets, strike the strings..."
In an instant, the sides of the official road were filled with the sound of gongs and drums, and the air was filled with the crackling of firecrackers.
Even more surprising was a group of attractive young women, who seemingly emerged from nowhere, wearing revealing and bright clothes, and began to dance in the middle of the official road.
This scene made Yang Ge somewhat question his life, "Isn’t a eunuch supposed to be coming? Do eunuchs also enjoy this sort of thing?"
The officials and gentlemen at the moment naturally had no time to pay attention to the strangely faced Yang Ge, as they straightened their clothes and stood in neat rows behind the dancers, craning their necks in anticipation.
After waiting for a full quarter of an hour, a large group of imperial guards in gleaming armor and riding tall horses finally appeared at the end of the official road. They were holding aloft plaques with inscriptions like "Representing Heaven on Inspection," "Respect the Silence," "Clear the Path," and so forth, as they charged forward on their horses.
Upon seeing this, the officials and gentlemen hurried forward to meet them.
Seeing this, Yang Ge waved his hand, and Gu Tong immediately commanded his forty strong men to follow and clear a path with vigilance...
As the imperial envoy’s procession came to a stop before the many officials of Luting County, it slowly halted, and a portly eunuch, riding a magnificent chestnut stallion, emerged from the lineup. He wore a black gauze cap, a red python robe inside, and a dark ceremonial cloak outside, his face white and beardless.
All the officials immediately bowed with clasped hands, uniformly crying out, "The humble officials (commoners) greets the Heavenly Messenger!"
The portly eunuch did not put on airs. After dismounting, he smile and helped the officials to their feet, and although it was unclear what he said, a wave of exaggerated laughter soon spread through the crowd.
Yang Ge had already retreated to the side of the official road, gripping his silver knife tightly, his eyes fixed ahead.
After a prolonged exchange of pleasantries, the officials then surrounded the portly eunuch like stars encircling the moon, as they proceeded in the direction of the inn.
Upon seeing this, Yang Ge clasped his fist and bowed, quietly waiting for the crowd to pass him by...
Unexpectedly, as the portly eunuch passed in front of him, he suddenly stopped his stride and turned his head towards Yang Ge, "Are you the Brocade Guard Hundred Households of Luting County?"
Yang Ge replied with the utmost respect, "Replying to the imperial envoy, this humble official is indeed the Brocade Guard Hundred Households of Luting County."
The portly eunuch squinted his eyes and sized him up from head to toe, "Why do you hide your face from others?"
Yang Ge replied respectfully, "It’s a part of my duty, please forgive me, my lord."
The portly eunuch snorted with laughter, speaking with contempt, "You sure don’t lack authority, it’s just that your capabilities are lackluster. A mere bandit, Zhang Mazi, has been able to commit repeated crimes and remain at large. Are the government’s rations feeding a bunch of good-for-nothings like you?"
Yang Ge maintained his respectful demeanor, "This humble official acknowledges the fault. Please, my lord, punish me as you see fit!"
The portly eunuch said in a teasingly light tone, "This servant’s status is low, and my words carry little weight; I cannot punish people of the Northern Town Prefectural Commissioner. Let your Shen deal with it himself and teach you how to serve with all your heart and share the emperor’s concerns!"
Yang Ge, "Thank you for your graciousness, my lord!"
The portly eunuch gave him a deep look, then turned his head and smiled, "Where is Pei Yu from the Southern Pacification Commission?"
Pei Yu stepped forward from the crowd, bowing with hands clasped in a submissive manner, as gentle as a kitten, "This humble Pei Yu, greets Eunuch Wang!"
"Very good, very good!"
The portly eunuch stepped forward, personally helping Pei Yu to his feet, holding his arm with a friendly face, "Before leaving Kaifeng, your father entrusted me to take a good look at you to see if working tirelessly for the country every day has made you lean. Now that I see you, it is indeed so!"
Pei Yu, "Eunuch Wang, thank you for your concern, I have not lived up to my father’s great love!"
"It’s nothing, it’s nothing!"
The portly eunuch held onto his arm fondly, "Come with me to the house. I want to ask you in detail about the great affairs you have handled over these years!"
He led Pei Yu towards the inn, while the officials crowded around them, entering together. They were overflowing with praise for Pei Yu, each trying to outdo the others.
No one spared Yang Ge another look.
Even a fool could see the stark difference in treatment, and knew the purpose of Eunuch Wang’s journey here!
Yang Ge stood still, waiting until the throng of people swarmed into the inn, before he stood up, glanced at the inn, and muttered under his breath, "Eunuchs indeed give off such an odor... What are you doing?"
The face of Fang Ke suddenly appeared before him, startling him.
Fang Ke stared intently at him, "My lord, what are you looking at?"
Yang Ge, baffled, "Why shouldn’t I look over there?"
Fang Ke, upon hearing that, thought to himself, ’It’s over, it’s over, something big is going to happen...’
He annoyingly slapped himself back and forth across the mouth, "Loose lips, loose lips, shooting off your mouth again!"
Yang Ge, completely mystified, "What are you going crazy for?"
Fang Ke turned his head, still fixing his unblinking gaze on him.
Yang Ge felt a bit of a chill under that unwavering stare and quickly said, "Why are you looking at me like that? I’m straight, I like women, I’m not into that sort of thing!"