Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 782

Regarding their actions, Chen Xuan could only say that they were being rather delusional, probably because they had read too many storybooks.

They think they're some kind of gigolo, that stealing someone's personal clothing and spreading rumors will force them to marry into a lower social class, thus achieving a shortcut to upward mobility. They're dreaming. The other person will only teach them a lesson and kill them to preserve their reputation.

But considering their age, it's not too outrageous. What stupid things can't a few ordinary young people do when they get together and get carried away?

As an observer, Chen Xuan was truly speechless. He never considered himself a good person, yet he couldn't bring himself to do such a despicable thing.

Chen Xuan glanced at the panicked fellows, then looked away, too lazy to look any longer. If such behavior were to spread, the reputation of Liuyu Academy would be in jeopardy.

Now look what's happened. Several promising young talents have turned into people with no future. How could Lao Gao or Mr. Pei tolerate such a morally corrupt fellow?

The matter was crystal clear. Old Gao was too lazy to waste words with them, nor did he give them a chance to argue. He shook his head in disappointment, sighed, and waved his hand, saying, "Take these bastards away and keep them under guard. General Wang and Constable Qian, you can go back now. Remember, don't make a fuss about this."

"Yes, Your subordinates take their leave," General Wang and Constable Qian bowed and then led away Zhang Wei and the others, who were pale-faced and distraught.

Perhaps Lao Gao was just telling them not to make a fuss about it; they understood that this was a gag order, and they knew what they should and shouldn't say.

At the same time, it was clear that this matter was not just the misdeeds of a few young people, but also involved officials of considerable status and even the reputation of the academy, so it was not appropriate to handle it through formal procedures in a high-profile manner.

After everyone left, Old Gao looked at Mr. Pei with a complicated expression and asked, "What are your plans regarding those young men, Mr. Pei?"

At this moment, Mr. Pei felt a surge of unease and said with shame, "As the headmaster of the academy, I have failed in my duty of discipline and have utterly disgraced myself. How could I have taught such a wicked person, making Master Gao a laughingstock?"

"What are you saying, Elder Pei? This isn't your fault. Tell me first how you're going to deal with them," Old Gao said, waving his hand.

Although this matter was just a bunch of young people fooling around, it also concerns the reputation of the academy. They all have the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), so it needs to be handled properly. We must give Mr. Pei face no matter what, so let's hear his opinion first before making any plans.

With a flicker of thought, Mr. Pei, a decisive man, shook his head and sighed, saying, "Although they are still young and their foolish actions did not cause serious consequences, their misconduct is a fact. I cannot tolerate a few bad apples spoiling the whole bunch. For the sake of the academy's reputation, and to prevent the students who have already graduated and those who will graduate in the future from being ridiculed, I have no choice but to harden my heart and arrange for them to be expelled from the academy privately. I will also report the matter truthfully and suggest that their academic titles be revoked. Otherwise, if such people become officials in the future, they will only bring disaster to the region. This low-key approach is not only to protect their reputation, but also because I really do not want the academy to be disgraced. What do you think, Lord Gao?"

Old Gao understood his difficulties and his decisiveness. Mr. Pei had said that the students he had high hopes for had done this much, which showed that he had made a tough decision and had no intention of protecting or giving them a chance.

Nodding, Old Gao said with emotion, "Alright, let's do as Elder Pei says. I'll also submit an official document, and once the court approves it, there won't be any public announcement."

These were, after all, a few scholars with the title of Xiucai, already in the line of official positions. Revoking their titles was not something even Lao Gao could do with a single word; it required verification and approval from the imperial court before it could be truly implemented. Of course, with Lao Gao and Mr. Pei reporting it together, the outcome was already predetermined, but the necessary procedures still had to be followed.

"Thank you," Mr. Pei said with some shame. Knowing that Lao Gao was trying to protect the reputation of the academy, the very responsible Mr. Pei felt that this was because he had not taught his students well.

The decision regarding the students who committed the foolish act was finalized after their discussion. After all, it was just the beginning and had not yet caused serious consequences. Their crimes did not warrant death, and expelling them from the academy was the most severe punishment. For scholars, losing their future and having a stain on their record was worse than killing them.

They're not children anymore; they have to take responsibility for their actions. They've reaped what they sowed.

After a moment's consideration, Lao Gao said, "This concerns the chastity and reputation of young women. We won't question the girls whose personal clothing was stolen. Otherwise, how could they face anyone? We'll inform them privately of the outcome regarding those lecherous men. That will be enough to give them some closure."

After a pause, Old Gao frowned and said seriously, "Secondly, the official who instigated the fake robbers must also be punished accordingly. He was foolish; couldn't he have handled things properly instead of resorting to such a blunder? To put it nicely, it's fighting evil with evil; to put it bluntly, it's colluding with evildoers. Such behavior cannot be tolerated. Suspend him from his post for investigation, and report all the details to the court for a decision. The outcome depends on the court's will. If they were just momentarily confused, it's not a big problem; a few light reprimands might suffice. But if they're not clean to begin with… well, let the higher-ups worry about it."

As he spoke, Lao Gao shook his head in frustration. He was quite helpless to have such an official under his command.

After all, it involves a prefectural official, and it's not something he can decide with just a few words. At most, he can suspend the person from his post, investigate, and report to the imperial court for handling. Let alone an official like a prefectural governor, even the dismissal of a seventh-rank county magistrate requires discussion in the imperial court and even the emperor's personal intervention. That's how the officialdom is. A higher-ranking official can crush a lower-ranking one, but within the rules, local officials have no right to pronounce judgments on the dismissal or even the conviction of registered officials. It has to be decided by the capital.

"Let's do it the way Lord Gao wants. This matter should not be publicized and must be handled discreetly. Alas, I almost ruined my reputation in my later years and caused trouble for Lord Gao as well," Mr. Pei said with a shake of his head and a sigh.

Waving his hand, Old Gao said helplessly, "Mr. Pei, what are you saying? Nobody wants this to happen. Since it has, we'll handle it according to the rules. Isn't this what we do to share your burdens?"

After discussing it, the two of them set the general tone for the incident: the students who did something stupid would only be able to live as ordinary citizens in the future, and the official who instigated the fake robbers, if he was clean, would at most be reprimanded or have his salary reduced but then be reinstated. If he was not clean, he would be in big trouble. The final result would not exceed this range. After all, Lao Gao and Mr. Pei had considerable influence, and reporting to the capital for a decision was probably just a formality.

It's fair that Lao Gao is fair in his dealings; if he were to include his own agenda in the official documents, it would be easy for him to take the opportunity to punish certain people.

Of course, Lao Gao wouldn't do that. He has come this far by following the principles of integrity and uprightness. Petty behavior will never take you far.

Moreover, because of his son-in-law, Prince Qing, his current situation is very sensitive and awkward; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as walking on thin ice. He can't afford to make the slightest mistake, and if someone finds fault with him, who knows what the new emperor, Zhou Chen, might do. After they finished discussing, Mr. Pei felt something was missing. He turned around and saw Chen Xuan enjoying a melon seed meal, with the little girl even serving him half a plate of melon seed shells.

Seeing this, Mr. Pei's mood inexplicably improved, and he said with a wry smile, "Little Chen, you know the whole story now. Do you think there's anything wrong with how your uncle and I handled it?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan paused in his sunflower seed-eating motion and quickly waved his hand, saying, "Huh? Forget it, please don't ask me. I don't know anything. I think Uncle and Mr. Pei handled it perfectly. I give you a thumbs up!"

"You're always up to no good, you little rascal," Old Gao said, shaking his head. He knew that Chen Xuan, despite his usual unreliability, was actually quite shrewd. He always avoided getting involved in things that weren't his business. Of course, if he got serious about something, he could cause a huge uproar.

With a smile, Mr. Pei glanced at the sky and said, "Very well, let it be. I've troubled Lord Gao these past two days; it was truly inappropriate. I'll arrange a feast to apologize when I have time. There are still many students outside, and I must go and keep an eye on them to prevent similar situations from happening again. Otherwise, how can I face anyone remaining at the academy? Go and rest. Little Chen, remember to visit me sometime. Oh, and Lord Gao, remember to have someone send me the local specialties Little Chen gave me."

After leaving behind these words, Mr. Pei decisively ran away, disappearing in a flash with his cultivation level.

Old Gao was stunned for a moment before he reacted, cursing, "You old bastard, you dumped this mess on me and are trying to wash your hands of it, huh? Just wait and see how I deal with you!"

Seeing his exasperated state, Chen Xuan stepped forward and urged, "Uncle, if you're still angry, don't wait until later. Mr. Pei hasn't gone far yet. How about I go and invite him back for you? It'll be quick."

With a twitch at the corner of his mouth, Old Gao extended Er Kang's hand and coughed, saying, "There's no need for that. Let him be. Don't trouble his old bones like this."

That's what he said, but he was speechless inside. He thought to himself, "Nephew, can't you be a little more discerning? The other person just left, and you're already bringing him back. Aren't you afraid? I can't beat him. I'll be the one who suffers."

I was just dropping by for a visit, and I've done my part. I even had some melon with him. Given the age difference, Chen Xuan and Lao Gao didn't really click. So, he took his leave, saying, "Uncle, you're so busy, I've already taken up a lot of your time. I won't bother you any longer. I'll come see you again when I have time, so please don't find it troublesome then."

When the two old men were bickering before, Chen Xuan was worried that they might really get angry and not be able to see it, so he was still a little unsatisfied.

Upon hearing this, Old Gao immediately said unhappily, "You child, it's rare for you to come all this way, why are you talking about disturbing us? You might as well stay, we don't need you to have a place to stay. If your aunt finds out you're only staying for a short while, she'll probably give you a good scolding. You and Ming'er are both children in our eyes."

"You're too kind, we're all family, I won't stand on ceremony. It's just that you're busy with official duties, and I wanted to take Qian Ning and the others sightseeing, so I can only apologize for not being able to accept your kind offer. Please don't mind. By the way, we won't be staying for more than a few days. We'll be staying at the same little courtyard we lived in a few years ago, as you should know, Uncle. We'll be going back in a couple of days, so we won't say goodbye then. If there's anything you need to take back, please let me know in advance, so as not to forget anything," Chen Xuan politely declined.

Old Gao was truly reluctant to see Chen Xuan and the others leave, but no matter how many times he tried to persuade them to stay, he was helpless. Then someone came to report that there was something waiting for him to deal with, so he could only let them go. However, he personally saw Chen Xuan and the others off at the gate and gave them a considerable amount of travel money, which Chen Xuan accepted without any hesitation.

"This child, carefree and always traveling and having fun with beautiful women, is quite enviable. It's just that his luck with women is a bit too strong. That's not bad, though; there aren't so many troubles and intrigues. Actually, this is the kind of life parents hope their children will live. I wonder how things are going on tomorrow. They grew up together, but they've led completely different lives."

Watching Chen Xuan and the others leave, Lao Gao felt a little melancholy for a moment, but he quickly forgot about it, as there were still a lot of things waiting for him to deal with.

When they were with Lao Gao, the little princesses didn't say much. In their minds, women should speak less when men are talking, especially in front of elders like Lao Gao and Mr. Pei. Interrupting is considered impolite and makes their men lose face. It's not a matter of whether anyone minds or not, but that they should know their limits.

However, after they left, they kept chattering on the street.

"Master, is it really possible for someone to obtain a girl's personal belongings for various reasons, and then, in order to preserve their reputation, have to marry her and be won over by someone else?" the maid asked curiously.

Chen Xuan immediately chuckled, "I wouldn't say it's impossible, but the probability of it happening is extremely low. It usually only appears in storybooks, just fantasies made up by people who can't have what they want. Do you really think the phrase 'marrying someone of equal social standing' is just for show? Take myself for example, if I didn't have this level of cultivation, I could only dream of marrying a princess like my wife. So-called mutual affection is romantic, but it's nothing more than a momentary impulse of youthful ignorance. If you have nothing, who will even glance at you? Life isn't child's play. If the gap between the man and woman is too large, conflicts are inevitable over time, and there won't be happiness."

"No...no, that's not how you described, sir," the little maid tried her best to refute, but couldn't come up with a coherent explanation.

Du Juan said earnestly, "Master, I don't know about others, but for myself, once I've made up my mind about you, no matter what you are like, I will be loyal to you until death."

The little princess nodded and said, "Speaking objectively, as long as I like it, nothing else matters."

He didn't argue with them, nor did he offer any grand principles, because it was pointless. It was just a chat, why take it seriously? Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Back to the question Roujia asked earlier, maybe you should read less fiction and opera. Take Zhang Wei and his ilk, for example. They think they can change their lives, but frankly, they're just maliciously trying to ruin a girl's life. 'Extremely wicked' doesn't even begin to describe their actions. Usually, you'd just slap them to death. But the best punishment for these kinds of people is to destroy everything they dream of. Without the halo of fame and fortune, their fate is predictable."

"Alright, let's not talk about that. Those villains were just delusional and deserved what they got... Hey, husbands, look! Isn't that Xiao Miao and Fu Gui, brother and sister...?" (End of Chapter)