Chapter 926 - 768: The War of Public Opinion

Chen Ji sat on Zhaolei’s back, looking down at the graying Fang Zhongqing, with a sincere expression tinged with a hint of worry and anxiety about the future.

All the villages and towns around Guangling County were dominated by the Fang, Li, and Wang families, either as clan relatives or by marriage ties.

The grievances among the three families had a long history. Jiang Chai didn’t even need to deliberately inquire upon arriving in Guangling County. Just sitting in a teahouse for half a day, he could hear a lot: "There are only a few scholars in the county school who can receive grain, and every time the Imperial Examination year comes, the three families fight fiercely for them."

"The year before last, during the great drought, the Wang family blocked the dam upstream, and the Li family drew lots for life and death in the ancestral hall to open the dam. In one month, the two families killed more than forty people."

"The Fang Family cut down trees on the Wang Family’s ancestral grave mountain and even defecated dozens of times on the mountain. That year, both families claimed that the feng shui of that mountain was good, leading to a fight that killed more than a dozen people, and even the county magistrate couldn’t persuade them to stop."

"A bastard of the Li family eloped with a legitimate daughter of the Fang family. It’s said that the Liang Family chased them to Jinling before bringing them back."

The grievances among these Jiangnan gentry, if traced back a hundred years, couldn’t be told in just a few days and nights. If only the Fang family’s troops were taken away, the Fang family might struggle in this county town.

At this moment, Jiang Chai approached Chen Ji and said, "Godfather, I haven’t figured out the hiding places of the Li and Fang family’s troops yet. Today I’ve already startled them, and I’m afraid we can’t find them now. Why not head to Qu Xia first, and I’ll come back once I have a clearer understanding?"

Fang Zhongqing said solemnly, "The troops recruited by the Li family are hidden in the manor outside the city. I will have someone lead you there, it will not be wrong."

Jiang Chai then asked, "What about the Wang family?"

The eldest son of the Fang family whispered, "The troops recruited by the Wang family are hidden next to the River God Temple outside the city, which is the Wang family’s private land."

Chen Ji said calmly, "Two thousand silver taels are not enough. Send ten pigs and ten sheep to Jingjiang County every month."

Fang Zhongqing hesitated for a moment and said, "If the Li and Wang families also give that much, our Fang family will be willing."

Chen Ji smiled, "What they give will only be more, not less."

Fang Zhongqing signaled his son to bring over a string of Buddhist Treasure coins, tremblingly stuffing them into Chen Ji’s sleeve, "It’s a deal."

Chen Ji secured the Buddhist Treasure coins, "Find someone to lead the way."

Fang Zhongqing returned inside his residence, "Where is Fang He, summon him to see me?"

After a moment, a young man came before Fang Zhongqing and cupped his hands, "Grandfather."

Fang Zhongqing sized up Fang He for a moment and instructed, "Take five Boxers, and lead those soldiers to the Li family manor. The Li family is fierce, and Li Youze is also the Assistant Governor of Jinling. Their family might not submit easily. If a fight breaks out on both sides, seize the chance to rescue Jingzhong and escort him to Jinling... Once the task is accomplished, you’ll be allowed entry into the genealogy."

Fang He cupped his hands, "Yes."

Just as Fang He was about to leave, Fang Zhongqing said solemnly, "If Jingzhong cannot make it back, you also need not return."

Fang He paused in his steps, then continued to walk out.

...

...

Fang He led the Anti-Japanese Army toward the manor outside the city, and upon reaching the manor, he turned to Chen Ji and the others, cupping his hands, "Gentlemen, up ahead is the Li family manor. Inside are Li Yubi of the Li family and the recruited troops. As far as I know, the Li family has bought more than ten hard bows, so be careful, gentlemen."

Li Si rode over to Chen Ji and whispered a few words. After Chen Ji nodded, Li Si looked towards Fang He, "Take your Fang family thugs and surround the manor, drive the people inside out."

Fang He was stunned, "Our Fang family will go?"

Li Si didn’t waste words with him, took the hard bow from his saddle, drew the bow and nocked an arrow, coldly saying to Fang He, "Go."

As he spoke, Yuan Xing and others drew their Japanese Swords from their waists, looking at him with malice.

Fang He’s expression changed, he gritted his teeth and led the Fang family troops to charge into the manor.

The Anti-Japanese Army remained still, Yuan Xing chuckled and said to Chen Ji, "Godfather, Ah Xi is mature and stable, Jiang Chai is cunning, Zhou Chang is ruthless, and Li Si is heartless. Assigning these self-serving tasks to him is definitely right."

Jiang Chai said coldly, "I’m well-versed in military strategies. How did it turn into me being cunning in your words?"

Chen Ji remained silent, quietly waiting for the sound of fighting to come from inside.

The enmity between the Fang and Li families was intense; Yuan Xing, after waiting inside for ten minutes, curiously asked, "Should we go in now?"

Li Si shook his head, "No rush, since they can still scream, it means they have strength left. Let them fight a while longer."

Yuan Xing cursed with a laugh, "You’re truly vicious."

After another ten minutes, as the shouting and killing became fainter, Li Si turned to Chen Ji, "Godfather, it’s almost time."

Chen Ji held Wu Yun in his arms, his palm slowly stroking Wu Yun’s head: "There’s not much wailing yet, let’s wait a little longer."

Li Si and Yuan Xing were filled with admiration.

After another ten minutes, when the wailing sounds filled the manor, Chen Ji finally raised his hand to signal, and the Anti-Japanese Army rushed into the manor, separating the two factions.

They drove them, limping, towards the place where the Wang Family hid their soldiers. Upon reaching the entrance of the River God Temple, Li Si ordered the remaining troops of the Li Family and the Fang Family to bring out the Wang Family soldiers. The two factions exchanged glances and charged into the temple, hitting anyone they encountered.

Yuan Xing listened to the commotion and remarked, "You sly dog, making them fight like this, even without a deep-seated enmity, one would be created."

Li Si shook his head: "This was the intention of my foster father, otherwise why would he drag those scholars into this mess."

Yuan Xing raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"

Li Si spoke slowly: "My foster father reads the newspaper every day. Aside from the seventh and eighth pages, he’s most concerned with the new policies, the most important of which is the clear measurement of land acres... Yesterday, Ah Xi took the Fish Scale Book from the county government archives and surveyed the fields outside the county. He did the math, and just in this one county, thirty percent of the land is unreported. In Jingjiang County, the registered land is over three thousand six hundred hectares, which means thirty-six thousand acres on the register, but there are over ten thousand acres of hidden fields."

After he finished, he observed Chen Ji’s expression, seeing that Chen Ji didn’t refute, he knew he was right, and immediately continued: "The term of a county magistrate is only three years. The local clerks and clans are intertwined. Even if a magistrate wants to measure it clearly, the helpers and clerks are locals, relying on them it’s hard to thoroughly check all the hidden fields along the river banks. But if we let them fight each other, then let the Fang Family soldiers check the Li Family’s fields, the Li Family check the Wang Family’s, and finally the Wang Family check the Fang Family’s, everything will be clear. As for how many people they kill in the process, what’s that got to do with us..."

Li Si looked at Chen Ji: "Foster father, did I guess correctly?"

Chen Ji didn’t answer, he looked up at the sky: "We can’t make it back to Jingjiang County tonight, set up camp here, make a fire, and cook. We’ll head to Qu Xia tomorrow."

Jiang Chai pondered: "Foster father, I’m afraid these three families won’t let it go easily, they should be on their way to Jinling overnight. The Minister of the Ministry of War in the Capital has the power to appoint or dismiss the Anti-Japanese Army’s leaders; if they strip Zheng Jiye of his position overnight, all our efforts will be in vain."

Chen Ji dismounted: "No problem."

Yuan Xing curiously asked: "Is the Minister of the Ministry of War in the Capital one of your people, foster father?"

Chen Ji glanced at him: "I don’t have that kind of influence yet."

Yuan Xing murmured: "I’ve heard that the Chief of Staff, Wang Daosheng, was your mentor."

Jiang Chai shook his head: "The Imperial Capital is too far, by the time the news reaches there, Zheng Jiye’s position would be gone. Besides, Wang Daosheng doesn’t know that foster father is still alive."

Yuan Xing walked up to Chen Ji, whispering: "Foster father, how about I chase after the old man from the Fang Family on the main road and take his head for you. Don’t worry, if I can’t take his head, I’ll take my own."

Jiang Chai scolded: "Can’t you use your brain, why are you always thinking about fighting and killing?"

Yuan Xing sneered: "Using your brain is for those who haven’t reached the Seeking Dao Realm yet. Once you reach the Seeking Dao Realm, you’ll understand that many things don’t require much thought anymore... Foster father, what do you say?"

Everyone looked at Chen Ji, but Chen Ji unhurriedly removed the saddle from Zhaolei and put Wu Yun on Zhaolei’s head: "Go play, don’t run too far."

As Zhaolei happily ran off, Chen Ji turned and threw the saddle into Jiang Chai’s arms: "Don’t worry, there are people in Jinling who will support us. Dealing with these scholars doesn’t require the Chief of Staff from the Imperial Capital."

Yuan Xing was surprised: "I’ve never seen you send anyone to Jinling, how are you in contact with them?"

"No need for contact, just mutual understanding," Chen Ji smiled: "You take a trip to Guangling County and buy back the Wuxiang Morning News brought by the ferry today."

...

...

For safety, Fang Zhongqing didn’t take the land route but opted for a fast boat going upstream, departing in the morning, arriving in Jinling by the next dawn.

The Fang Family’s servant hired a sedan chair at the dock to quickly take him to the government office in Jinling.

But before they reached the office, a young man approached, carrying a satchel, and smiled as he came up to the sedan chair: "This gentleman just arrived in Jinling today, haven’t heard of our Wuxiang Morning News yet, have you? Buy a copy to take a look, only twenty cents."

The Fang Family’s servant impatiently waved him off: "Get out of the way, where did this idle person come from daring to crash into my master’s sedan?"

The young man wasn’t angered, he just kept smiling: "Get your master a copy to see, this newspaper has both Jinling news and humanitarian stories, a single issue knows everything. Today’s front page headline is about the victorious triumph of the Anti-Japanese Army, you wouldn’t know, we in Jiangnan have long suffered from those pirates, and the Anti-Japanese Army’s leader Zheng Jiye beheaded 261 pirate heads in Jingjiang County, raising the prestige of our great Daning state..."

Before he finished speaking, the servant was about to chase the newspaper vendor away when Fang Zhongqing suddenly lifted the curtain, urgently saying: "Quick, give me a copy to see."

The servant was stunned, quickly fetching twenty Copper Coin to the young man, in exchange for a copy of the Wuxiang Morning News.

Fang Zhongqing sat in the sedan, trembling hands looking at the article praising Zheng Jiye in the newspaper.

The paper first praised Zheng Jiye’s valor, stating he could single-handedly block thousands, then said he saved the people from disaster, and finally mentioned Zheng Jiye weeping for the disaster in Jingjiang County, donating his vast wealth to the people there.

"Where did he get such wealth? Nonsense!" Fang Zhongqing looked out the sedan window, seeing among the roadside pedestrians, three out of ten held the Wuxiang Morning News, and among those passing the sedan, six out of ten praised Zheng Jiye’s genius in warfare, calling him a man of great honor.

He leaned back powerlessly, muttering to himself: "It’s over, can’t touch this guy now..."