GBP Chapter 513 The Scholar's Revenge
Chapter 513 The Scholar's Revenge
Before leaving, Xu Hongji reminded him, "Those scholars from the Fushe Society will definitely not let this go easily, brother, you must be careful."
Liu Ye smiled slightly: "Duke of Wei, there's no need to worry. It's said that 'a scholar's rebellion will never succeed in ten years,' so why would I be afraid of these weak and powerless scholars?"
Xu Hongji hesitated, thinking that the connections and abilities behind them were considerable and should not be underestimated. However, the man in front of him was ruthless in fighting, so he probably wouldn't be afraid of the Fuxing Society's retaliatory methods. So he took his leave.
His prediction was correct. The Fushe Society had suffered such a huge loss, how could Zhang Pu and his men accept it? After being routed that night, Zhang Pu summoned Chen Zilong, Wu Changshi, Hou Fangyu and others to discuss countermeasures overnight, deciding to turn the tide on the official front.
The next day, the group split into two groups. Zhang Pu led his men to the Yingtian Prefecture government office to accuse the Earl of Pingnan of leading his troops to beat up scholars, while Wu Changshi and others went to the education commissioner of Southern Zhili to ask him to speak on behalf of the Fushe scholars and put pressure on the government.
As the highest educational administrator in a province, the Provincial Education Commissioner always valued the scholars of the Fushe Society. Upon hearing that a military general from Guangdong had actually ordered his troops to beat unarmed scholars, he was furious. He immediately sent a letter to the Yingtian Prefecture and requested the Ministry of Rites to send a letter to the Nanjing Garrison Commander and the Ministry of War, expounding on the great principle that "all other professions are inferior, only studying is superior." He expressed "close attention" to the Qionghai Army's violent act and urged the relevant departments to investigate the matter thoroughly, otherwise he would report it to the Ministry of Rites in the capital.
The education department is academically inclined and oblivious to what's happening around them, but that doesn't mean other departments are the same.
The Yingtian Prefecture government knew about the conflict before the Fushe Society came to file a complaint, since it happened on their own territory, and in the bustling Qinhuai River area. But knowing this didn't mean they dared to get involved.
Like the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture was also a tragic figure. Although his administrative rank was higher than that of other prefectural officials, the constraints he faced were also far greater. Nanjing was a hub for powerful figures, and he had to be extremely careful in everything he did, lest he inadvertently offend some influential person. Although the Earl of Pingnan was a rising star, and his official rank and title were not among the highest in Nanjing—there were plenty of hereditary dukes, marquises, and earls with far more seniority—he couldn't compete with them because they had troops!
The scene of the Qionghai Army and the Shenji Battalion engaging in battle at Hongwu Gate shocked the entire Nanjing officialdom. No one expected that there were such arrogant military generals in the Ming Dynasty. Afterwards, not only were they not punished, but they were also promoted. The burning of the garrison eunuch's mansion further made the Nanjing officials realize the consequences of offending the Earl of Pingnan—one of the three powerful figures in Nanjing, the garrison eunuch, was wiped out overnight. Who else would dare to provoke this ferocious tiger?
Upon receiving the letter, the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture made up his mind. Although the Fushe Society could not be offended casually, the Earl of Pingnan and the Qionghai Army were even more untouchable. The Yingtian Prefecture government was not yet capable of handling this matter, and the only solution was to delay. The Education Commissioner's lengthy letter of several thousand words was thus shelved.
Wang Lin, the Minister of War, also received the document from the Ministry of Rites in Nanjing and found the matter somewhat troublesome. The Ministry of Rites was the highest authority in charge of the imperial examinations, holding a prestigious position as the head of the Six Ministries. Since the Ministry of Rites had officially issued a document inquiring about the conflict between the Qionghai Army and the Fushe scholars, a satisfactory explanation was expected. However, the Ministry of War nominally only governed the garrisons in Southern Zhili, and the garrisons in Guangdong were not under its jurisdiction. After much deliberation, he was unsure of a course of action and went to the Five Military Commissions to consult with Xu Hongji, the Duke of Wei.
As the garrison commander of Nanjing, Xu Hongji also received the document from the Ministry of Rites. He had anticipated that the scholars of the Fushe Society would mobilize various forces to retaliate, but he hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. Thinking of the arrogant attitude of Hou Fangyu and others that night, he wished he could tear the document from the Ministry of Rites to shreds.
After Wang Lin visited, he discussed with him how to handle the matter. He said helplessly, "Lord Wang, I was also involved in the conflict that night and was scolded by these scholars. Even if it's to avoid suspicion, I shouldn't get involved in this matter, right?"
Wang Lin was unaware of the details. He exclaimed in surprise, "Even the Duke of Wei is involved, and he even insulted you? These scholars are far too impulsive. What exactly caused the conflict?"
Xu Hongji said casually, "I was drinking with Ping Nanbo and invited a few courtesans to accompany me. I didn't expect that some of them were lovers of certain members of the Fushe Society. It was just a case of jealousy and rivalry!"
Although Wang Lin was a civil official, he also harbored many complaints about the Fushe Society, which was not focused on the imperial examinations and always tried to manipulate public opinion to influence the government. Upon hearing this, he frowned and said, "These people are not preparing for next year's imperial examinations in a proper manner, but instead they are indulging in pleasure, fighting over courtesans, and even taking their affairs to the Ministry of Rites. This trend cannot be allowed to continue..."
Xu Hongji realized that he wasn't on the side of the Fushe Society either, so he seized the opportunity to say, "It's not a glorious matter to begin with, and making a big fuss about it won't be good for the reputation of scholars. How about this, let the Earl of Pingnan pay some medical expenses to settle this matter? What do you think, Lord Wang?"
Wang Lin said with difficulty, "I also hope to resolve this matter by turning a big issue into a small one and a small one into nothing, but Zhang Pu and his men are not to be trifled with... I will send someone to summon Zhang Pu to the Ministry of War tomorrow to have a talk and see their attitude."
Under the operation of the Fushe Society, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, and the Five Military Commissions were all involved in the matter, but Liu Ye, as one of the parties involved, didn't care about the development of events at all. While Wang Lin and Xu Hongji were racking their brains over how to handle the matter, he was on his way to Meixiang Tower with Liang Xiaoming.
That evening, after releasing Li Xiangjun and the others, Liu Ye asked Liang Xiaoming about his plans: whether to take Li Xiangjun back to Lingao or let her go. Although Liang Xiaoming had been in the Ming Dynasty for several years, he still had a modern mindset. He couldn't get over the hurdle of "bullying men and women" in his heart, and hesitated for a long time without making a decision.
Liu Ye said irritably, "This isn't an era for gentlemanly manners. You have to understand, this is a feudal society where women were merely appendages of men, unable to hold up half the sky. You want to respect women? You're thinking the wrong way. We have soldiers and money now; taking Li Xiangjun away is just a matter of lifting a finger. I'll only ask you one question: since you can't let go of your girlfriend from your past life, will you regret it if you let Li Xiangjun go and never see her again?"
The thought of his girlfriend sacrificing years of college romance for a better life, only to end up in a luxury car and married someone else, filled Liang Xiaoming with unbearable pain. But then he imagined himself transmigrated to ancient times, a nobody turned tycoon into a millionaire, and it seemed there was no need to suppress or restrain himself anymore. After a moment of internal struggle, he gritted his teeth and said, "I'll listen to you. Even if she doesn't come with me, consider it an act of charity, rescuing a poor woman."