"Treacherous ministers and traitors—when caught, they must be executed."
"Pity that the Yan family of Jiangnan, a household of pure integrity, should be framed and brought down here. How tragic, how infuriating!"
"These treacherous ministers will be struck down by heaven sooner or later."
…
To make it easier to eavesdrop on the gossip, Song Jin simply let go of Little Black and crept over to the group of Wenyuan Academy students quickly and quietly. She listened with great relish as they indignantly denounced the treacherous minister, nodding along enthusiastically and occasionally clapping in agreement.
When it came to joining in on a commotion, she was a professional—she would never let the atmosphere fall flat.
It was just that she was being a bit too obvious about it.
After the group of furious students had vented their righteous anger, they gradually calmed down and noticed the streak of indigo amidst the pale blue.
That slender, graceful figure, that bright and striking face, that bold and unrestrained demeanor…
"Hey, why did you all stop talking?" Song Jin was enjoying herself and felt a bit put out when they fell silent. She clapped her hands, blinked, and egged them on. "I haven't heard enough yet. Keep going—where were you? Oh right, start from when that great treacherous minister suddenly had his household raided recently. You've been cursing him for ages, but you still haven't said why he was raided in the first place."
These people were professionals when it came to studying, but when it came to telling stories, they still fell short of the storytellers at the teahouse.
Song Jin thought this, and her face showed it too. The faint disdain and reproach in her expression left the group of students choking on their words, unable to find anything to say. In the end, they could only fall back on one question:
"Why are you here again?"
They looked at Song Jin warily.
These students were all around twenty years old, dressed in blue-and-white academy robes. Each of them was tall and well-proportioned, with regular features, and their scholarly cultivation lent them an air of refinement.
Yes, Wenyuan Academy also considered appearance and height when admitting students. Every year during enrollment, they would invite physicians from Huichun Hall to sit in and measure bone age and height—those who didn't meet the requirements were turned away.
Although the county and provincial examinations didn't consider physical appearance, the palace examination did take it into account. Leaving aside those so ugly they hurt the eyes—and those were truly rare—the main considerations were whether one was too short, had any disabilities in the hands or feet, or had any facial defects.
After all that screening, everyone who entered Wenyuan Academy stood at least five chi tall, placing them in the upper-middle range among ordinary people. Their features, if not handsome, were at least regular, and they had learning, talent, and family wealth to boot. For this reason, Song Jin had given the academy a nickname:
Turtle Academy, also known as Tortoise Academy.
Golden turtle son-in-laws, after all.
These students were constantly watched by the ladies and gentlemen of the county and even the prefectural city, all hoping to snatch one as a son-in-law. Wherever they went, they were the center of attention. Even if they didn't show it on their faces, each of them was secretly quite pleased with themselves.
And now, this group of outwardly composed, inwardly proud darlings of heaven had all turned their attention to Song Jin, this utterly unremarkable village girl before them.
Unremarkable, her ass.
There wasn't a single thing about her that had anything to do with being unremarkable.
She stood out like a crane among chickens in height, had a face that was bright and dazzling, a temperament that was arrogant and domineering, and a sharp tongue that could curse like nothing you'd ever heard.
The saying "Only women and petty people are difficult to deal with" was embodied in her to the fullest.
A group of people who had suffered losses at Song Jin's hands once, twice, and many times over all took several steps back, eyeing her smiling face warily.
This shrew was a master of changing expressions—one second she'd be laughing out loud, and the next that long leg of hers would sweep out and trip someone before they could react. They had no desire to lose face in front of their fellow students and the common folk.
Song Jin, stared at by all of them, felt she was completely innocent: "What's with that look? Just because the academy won't let girls in doesn't mean you can't let us take a look, right? What, I can't even come over here? If you're so disgusted by women, then don't come out of a woman's belly and don't get married either."
Wherever there are people, there are circles; wherever there are circles, there are leaders. This group of students often gathered together, and Tao Zhiyi was their leader.
His father was the county magistrate's assistant in Si'an County. As the magistrate's right-hand man, his family had been entrenched in the county yamen since his great-great-grandfather's time. You could say that magistrates came and went, but the county assistant remained—they were the true local powers. As someone of his generation who had earned his way into Wenyuan Academy through merit, and a young man who could contend for the provincial degree at just twenty, he held considerable standing in the Tao family. He was a clever man.
Tao Zhiyi said: "We never said any of that. You can go wherever you like—no one's stopping you. But eavesdropping on our conversation is hardly the behavior of a gentleman."
Song Jin feigned surprise: "You mean to say that if I don't eavesdrop, I'd be a gentleman?"
What high praise.
Tao Zhiyi was choked: "Only women and petty people are difficult to deal with."
Song Jin crossed her arms and clicked her tongue: "Can't win the argument, so you resort to personal attacks? I'm indeed not a gentleman, but you lot—is talking behind people's backs the behavior of gentlemen?"
Tao Zhiyi sneered: "Long hair, short wisdom. Go play somewhere else. Don't meddle in us men discussing matters of state. When treacherous ministers hold sway and scholars suffer, we men of letters should unite and write words of admonition. Only then will the court take the matter seriously, reopen the investigation, and protect the Yan family."
The others chimed in one after another.
"Exactly, exactly—we must let those above see our opinions."
"The Yan family has been upright for generations—they are a model for all scholars."
"Severely punish the treacherous minister. We cannot let the hearts of scholars grow cold."
…
Each and every one of them was filled with righteous indignation—anyone watching would have thought it was their own family that had been wronged. These scholars, whatever else you might say about them, were certainly united when it came to collective interests.
But when it came to individuals…
Song Jin smiled amiably. "Impressive, impressive. Well then, hurry up and write it—put your names on it too. When you're done, I'll deliver it to the magistrate for you. No need to thank me; I'm just being kind."
Tao Zhiyi and the others flushed red and said nothing.
Everyone knew that although their magistrate had been upright and incorruptible all these years, working himself to the bone for the people's livelihood, a capable and loyal official with both courage and wisdom, he was overly devoted to personal debts of gratitude. Having been saved by a treacherous minister in his early years, he had never forgotten that favor and simply would not entertain this matter.
If they submitted a joint petition today, they'd be disciplined by their families tomorrow.
"Absurd—utterly absurd! Matters of state—what business is it of a woman like you to speak on them?" Tao Zhiyi's face was red as he fumed. "Don't think that just because the magistrate regards you favorably, you can—"
Song Jin shook her fist. "I can what?"
"…You can leave," Tao Zhiyi abruptly shut his mouth. What was he even arguing with this woman about? It was like playing the lute to a cow. He set his jaw, nodded to the others, and said, "Let's go. The academy examinations are imminent—we should return to the academy to review."
The others nodded in agreement.
Watching the group flee because they couldn't win an argument against her, Song Jin rolled her eyes and grabbed Tao Zhiyi by the collar.
Tao Zhiyi gritted his teeth. "M-men and women should not touch! What are you doing? Don't think that just because Lord Xiao has exchanged a few words with you, you can run wild. Let go of me this instant, or I'll file a complaint against you!"
"File a complaint, my foot. You're a commoner with no rank—come talk to me after you've passed the imperial examinations," Song Jin released his collar, clapped her hands, and said leisurely, "Besides, I haven't done anything. Go inside and call Yan Sheng out for me—I have business with him."
Tao Zhiyi didn't respond, only glared at her, his face red with fury. He flicked his robes and stormed back into the academy.
Song Jin didn't mind in the least. She shrugged, waved toward one side, and Xiao Hei trotted over of his own accord.
The woman and her black mule waited there.
**
Wenyuan Academy was famous far and wide, driving up property prices in the surrounding area. But it was still a secluded place, surrounded by families of substance—their dress and bearing ranging from lavish to understated.
Song Jin stood there with her black mule, utterly at ease, cracking sunflower seeds in her hand and idly bouncing one long leg. Her rustic, wild manner was far too conspicuous—everyone passing by couldn't help but take a second look.
Behind her, on the third floor of the inn, a window of an expensive private room was cracked open. A figure stood there, taking in the entire scene from above.
A middle-aged man nearing fifty wore a gray robe. His hair was faintly streaked with white, and crow's feet lined the corners of his eyes, but he was spirited and sharp-eyed, with a keen, shrewd look about his brow. At this moment, he nodded slightly—neither humble nor overbearing, yet with a hint of partiality—and said,
"That woman is a girl from a town down below. She's usually bold in temperament, but she's righteous at heart and skilled in martial arts. She once shot and killed a starving wolf to rescue villagers, and a few months ago she captured a vicious criminal for the county office. She truly embodies great righteousness."
He was Xiao Shi, the magistrate of Si'an County—a former second-place graduate of the imperial examinations in the previous dynasty. But his life had been one of disappointment, demoted time and again, his circumstances difficult. It wasn't until recent years that things improved, and he came to Si'an County to put his talents to use. Two terms had passed, and barring any surprises, he would be transferred back to the capital next year.
He looked respectfully at the man in black robes before him and said, "Si'an County is too small after all. These young people haven't seen much of the world—they don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth, and they're blinded by surface appearances. I'll be sure to have the academy educate them properly later. I hope Your Highness will not take offense."
The man in black robes had handsome features and a tall, robust build. Dressed in a dark long robe, he was cold, hard, and imposing—standing in the room like a wall, radiating an overwhelming sense of pressure. He lowered his gaze to look below, his eyes sweeping past the book basket slung on the mule's back before settling on the bright, striking face of its owner. He spoke slowly,
"Lacking ability is one thing—but lacking ability and still being arrogant, that is what makes it impossible to achieve great things."
Xiao Shi's heart tightened. Though he too felt these young men deserved a lesson, that lesson absolutely could not come from this man's mouth. He hurriedly said,
"Your Highness speaks truly. When I return, I'll have their elders discipline them. The Yan family clearly got what they deserved—those boys don't know their place, repeating hearsay and daring to spout nonsense. They're badly in need of a good lesson."
The man turned his gaze sideways to Xiao Shi and asked, "The evidence in the Yan case is conclusive. Why, then, do so many people still speak in his defense?"
During his time away, he had heard similar words from many mouths.
If only a few people had spoken up for the Yan family, one might suspect them of ulterior motives. But when so many held this view, surely they couldn't all harbor treacherous intentions?
Yet this case had been handled by his own hand—the evidence was conclusive, with no possibility of error.
Thus, though the man was somewhat irritated, he was more puzzled. He had a vague suspicion, but felt it couldn't possibly come down to that.
"It may be because… this case was personally executed by Lord Song."
Xiao Shi was silent for a long moment, then closed his eyes, reluctantly voicing the thought in the man's mind. Following that, he spoke with great pain and indignation,
"The common folk have quite a misunderstanding of Lord Song. It's all because Lord Song acts so straightforwardly, and is too indifferent to fame and fortune, seeking no renown, only the well-being of the people, which has allowed their misconceptions of him to deepen day by day…"
This time, it was the handsome man's turn to fall silent.
Straightforward? Indifferent to fame and fortune?
Who exactly were they talking about?