CH 4

Ch4 - Culprit

“What? Yan Sheng’s been caned?!” Li Lang paled and sprang to his feet, “Has he confessed to anything?”

“No!” Jianjia hurriedly replied, “I was there right by him; he only said that he sold the cold-food powder, but nothing else.”

“That’s good, that’s good….” Li Lang breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately tensed again, “No, I’ve got to make sure his mouth is sealed!”

Not daring to dawdle, Li Lang, along with Jianjia and a few servants, rushed over to the guest courtyard. As soon as they entered, they saw a man being held on the ground while a coarse rod bashed against his bloody, battered back. He’d screamed his voice hoarse and his senses were muddled by pain. When he saw Li Lang, he yelled, “Young master! Young master! Save….”

“Wretched slave! Shut him up!” Li Lang shouted. The entourage behind him pounced like wolves, striking Yan Sheng across the face with paddles nearly a foot wide. Teeth arced through the air, blood splattered the ground. Words that could never see the light of day were beaten back into his throat.

Yan Sheng would die for certain under such a heavy hand. Li Lang entered the room, his agitation finally eased. The smell of medicine was even more pungent than the last time he’d visited. The person slumped on the bed was coughing incessantly, trembling like a branch of plum ravaged by heavy rain; one gust of wind, and the ground would be littered with frayed petals.

A surge of indescribable glee overcame Li Lang as he walked forward and said gently, “Brother, be calm. Just kill that foul slave, it’s not worth damaging your health over.”

“No…. he must’ve stolen other valuables as well, make him confess….” Liang Feng coughed. It really wasn’t an act, his body’s condition was just that bad; he couldn’t stop.

Li Lang frowned, his cousin had never been so concerned about things as vulgar as money before, could it be that his illness had addled him? He gave Jianjia a meaningful glance and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll send someone to search his quarters, we’ll find the money for sure.”

Jianjia understood his intent and issued instructions to the servants. Several of them hastily exited. It looked like they were cleaning up their trail, Liang Feng coldly sneered. They were killing witnesses and wiping their asses as soon as they arrived. It was obvious that they were behind the curtain. Only, the original “Liang Feng” had had a rather positive opinion of his cousin. Why the sudden treachery then?

After mulling it over, Liang Feng wheezed, “I couldn’t have imagined… that that slave dared to deceive me so … cough cough! Brother, the upcoming evaluation…. cough cough cough”

The most vivid memory in that shell of his was the upcoming Nine-Grade Officials’ Evaluation. So vivid, it was almost an obsession. Liang Feng figured he may as well toss it out there.

Li Lang’s expression twitched upon hearing the word “evaluation.” He patted Liang Feng’s back in a show of concern and said, “Fret not, brother. There’s an evaluation every three years, even if you miss this one, there’ll be more chances in the future. Don’t force yourself to go if your body can’t handle it; you’ll be looked down on by the controller. After all, the person who’s been sent this time is Controller Wang. If you’re ranked as low-grade by the Wang Clan of Jinyang County, your career will be very difficult. It’s best to let it go, your recovery is more important.”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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Li Lang’s eyebrows almost leaped off his forehead, “Brother, if your body gives out, what’s the use of having titles? Don’t forget, Rong-er is still waiting for you back home.”

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Having found out his bottom line, Liang Feng closed his eyes in seeming defeat.

Upon seeing that dejected look, Li Lang silently let out the breath he’d been holding. “I’ll send some servants to clean up the courtyard. Just focus on getting well, brother. If you need anything at all, Jianjia will….”

“Send her away.” Liang Feng said quietly, his eyes still closed.

Li Lang choked on his words, but soon realized that perhaps Liang Feng was ashamed that his family’s dirty laundry had been exposed. Now that the matter was settled already, there wasn’t any need to argue with him, so he immediately grinned and replied, “In that case, make sure Lüzhu takes care of you properly. If anything comes up, you can send her to come find me.”

Liang Feng didn’t reply. The crease between his brows deepened. Sparing a glance for his half-dead cousin, Li Lang felt that everything had fallen into place. He stood up leisurely, “Get some rest then. Lüzhu, look after your master.”

Very quickly, the irrelevant extras all left, leaving only Lüzhu standing in waiting by the side. After the room quietened down, even the pain seemed more bearable. Liang Feng, laying on the bed, silently reviewed Li Lang’s behavior. He could already confirm who the perpetrator was, but he still couldn’t figure out the motive. Li Lang didn’t want him to attend the evaluation? Was there something at stake for him? Was it to say that if he attended, it would affect Li Lang negatively?

After a moment of thought, Liang Feng asked, “Lüzhu, could I be classified as upper-grade?”

Lüzhu was only a preteen, no matter how clever she was, she probably didn’t know much about matters concerning the officialdom. Liang Feng was only asking offhandedly, but who could’ve known that after biting her lips, she’d respond quietly, “Of course! Master, your beauty and grace is surely upper-grade!” She sniffled, “It’s all because I didn’t serve you well. If you hadn’t fallen sick, master, you wouldn’t have to miss the scholars’ assembly. If you went, master, everyone else would be low-grade in comparison! ”

Liang Feng was bemused, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Girl, you know they judge based on family background and personal skill right? What did it have to do with whether he was handsome or not?

Wait a moment; he opened his eyes suddenly, “Go bring me a mirror.”

Lüzhu hesitated before retrieving a bronze mirror from the outer room. Her expression was distressed as she passed it to Liang Feng and reassured, “Master, it’s only that you’re under the weather. Once you’re better, your appearance will naturally improve…”

Liang Feng stared at the polished bronze surface, stunned speechless. This counted as being under the weather? What did he look like when he was healthy then?! The clarity of the bronze mirror was lacking and blurred his reflection, but even so, his face wasn’t something mere words like “handsome” or “pretty” could describe, it was honest to god “beautiful.” Just a bit more, and it’d be garish; just a bit less, and it’d be plain. However, that refined, almost feminine, beauty didn’t detract from his masculine features, but rather combined to form a magnetic charisma that crossed the border between sexes. With the ridiculously sickly and frail mien on top of that, he was even more striking.

So this was what it meant to look “beautiful as a woman.” Liang Feng felt like he’d been struck half-dead by a bolt of lightning. Not only was his gorgeous eight-pack gone, he now had a face that could launch a thousand ships. When would it end?! Yet, regardless of the shock, he finally had an answer to the question of motive.

Lüzhu was absolutely right. If it were any other dynasty, prospective officials might be judged on literary or oratory talent or even judged on whose dad was more impressive, but it wasn’t any other dynasty, it was the Jin Dynasty that had etched the names Pan An and Wei Jie into the annals of history! It was the eccentric, outlandish dynasty that would gush about pretty boys in official historical documentation, and even record how fangirls would toss fruits at them and crowd the streets to catch a glimpse of them. He’d dated a few history nerds before, of course he knew what girls thought about the famous scholars of the Wei and Jin dynasties.

With a face like that and the title of “fifth-order marquess,” as long as “Liang Feng” wasn’t completely useless, he’d be looked at favorably by the controller. Li Lang, on the other hand, didn’t inherit his mother’s good looks. His average appearance was a right tragedy when compared to his cousin’s.

But wait? Liang Feng frowned, that still wasn’t quite enough to motivate someone to murder. He thought for a second before wheezing lightly, “If anything happens to me, then Rong-er….”

Lüzhu had been secretly observing her master’s expression the whole while, watching him go from shocked to dismayed, then worried. She thought he was reacting to his reflection. Her heart ached for him as she quickly assuaged, “Everything will be alright, master, it’s just that the powder wasn’t walked off right, it’ll get better. You’re young master’s only relative, even if just for the young master’s sake you must recover.”

Alright, there was the last puzzle piece. Liang Feng couldn’t help but laugh bitterly in his heart, what an absurd motive. Originally, the conflict between “Liang Feng’s” and Li Lang’s interests wasn’t irreconcilable, but his decision to suddenly attend the Nine-Grade Officials’ Evaluation this year had aroused Li Lang’s ill will. More importantly, Li Lang took “Liang Feng’s” concern towards the evaluation, which was brought about by the fear of losing his title, as a personal provocation.

Unwilling to be outcompeted by his cousin, and without any way to prevent him from attending, poisoning was an unavoidable tactic. Going deeper, if “Liang Feng” was poisoned to death, then his child, Liang Rong, would inherit all his property. After “Liang Feng” died, whether or not the title had been rescinded, Liang Shu, as “Liang Feng’s” aunt, could stick her hands into the Liang family’s business under the guise of fostering her nephew. She could gain money, land, and a reputation for being caring and familial; not a bad bargain at all.

Every crime had something to do with money or sex, but to nearly die because of his overly pretty face was almost cruelly comical. The hilarity of the situation ebbed away. Liang Feng looked out the window. The crying in the yard had stopped earlier, Yan Sheng must have been dragged out. Whether he died from the caning or something else, he’d be carrying his secrets to the grave. Now that the accomplice had paid with his life already, what would he do about the main culprit, Li Lang? Let him get away with it?

Liang Feng’s pale white lips curled into a mirthless smile as he said, “Send for ah-Liang, there’s a few things that need to be done.”

※

“You had Yan Sheng caned to death?” Liang Shu frowned at her son, slightly caught off guard.

“Liang Zixi suddenly made a fuss about wanting to sell cold-food powder. I was afraid Yan Sheng would let something slip, so I had him removed,” Li Lang explained quietly. “Mother, do you think he’s noticed anything?”

The idea had crossed Liang Shu’s mind as well. After a moment, she laughed coldly, “It doesn’t matter. He won’t be getting up anytime soon, there’s no way he’ll be able to attend the evaluation. It doesn’t matter how much assets the Liang family has if Liang Feng doesn’t show his face. There isn’t anyone else as outstanding as he is. It shouldn’t be too hard for you to be judged as ‘second-rank talent,’ Then, you’ll be a sixth-rank official and have the qualifications to take up a post amongst the general’s staff.”

The general she was referring to was the Ningbei General, provincial governor of Bing Province, Sima Teng. Due to the various princes’ power struggles, the country had been battered by fierce wars for the last decade. Liang Shu saw the situation clearly. While the other princes were busy tearing each other to pieces, Sima Teng, in the remote Bing Province, had stayed out of the mess and conserved his strength. In addition, Sima Teng had a reputation for being humble, affable, and for promoting people based on merit. Regardless of how things developed in the future, latching onto him was surely the right move.

It was only a pity that the Li family wasn’t powerful or influential enough to be graded second-rank based on status alone. If he didn’t become a “second-rank talent,” he wouldn’t even be qualified to sweep the general’s floor. Right now, Sima Teng hadn’t yet risen to prominence, he was in crucial need of able subjects. If Li Lang missed this assessment and waited three years, it’d be too late.

Li Lang’s eyes shone, “As long as Liang Zixi isn’t there, I’ll definitely be judged as upper-grade. I won’t disappoint your efforts, mother!”

Liang Shu was gratified upon seeing her son brimming with confidence. Li Lang was much more dependable than his manwhore of a father or his useless older brother. The Li family could not be allowed to continue declining. If they didn’t manage to produce an upstanding official, then in a few generations, forget aristocracy, they wouldn’t even count as a highborn family anymore. She, the lofty daughter of a fifth-order marquess, did not marry down in order to become a peasant’s wife!

It wouldn’t be too late to take care of Liang Feng after the evaluation had passed. She wouldn’t let the Liang family’s legacy go to waste in that invalid’s hands! Liang Shu subtly clenched her hand, and exhorted, “Controller Wang is fond of Buddhism and is skilled in music. Don’t go out carousing for the next few days, stay at home, study scripture and music. The scholars’ assembly is in two days, you must take it seriously.”

Li Lang was well aware that the Li family had spent a lot of effort preparing for the evaluation. He solemnly nodded, “Don’t worry, mother!”

Without Liang Feng interfering, he wasn’t concerned at all about the rest of the mediocre lot. As long as Liang Feng wasn’t there, everything would go well!

The author has something to say:

Although it’s called the nine-rank system, in practice there were only two ranks. Because of the imperial family, there’s no first rank. Upper-rank means second-rank. Only by being judged second-rank can one obtain a “清流” (pure) position and become one of the Jin dynasty’s elites. Lower ranks can only become a “浊官” (impure official), very rarely are they able to climb up to a post among the three lords and nine ministers. This is the origin of the saying “there are no peasants among the upper ranks and no nobles among the lower ranks.”

Within the second rank, they are divided between three levels: “second-rank exceptional,” “second-rank esteem,” and “second-rank talent”

“Second-rank exceptional” is typically monopolized by imperial relatives and the most powerful/esteemed noble families. “Second-rank esteem” is where the average aristocrat, relying on their grandaddy’s titles, gets sorted. They count as plain second-rank. As for “second-rank talent,” it’s composed of those from the lower level gentry who must also rely on their own talent to enter the upper-rank.

The Li family is nearly wasted away, so they can only aim for “second-rank talent.” On the other hand, the Liang family once had a Minister of Finance (one of the nine ministers), and they also have a marquess title. According to reason, they should count as “second-rank esteem,” or “second-rank talent” at worst. Because of this, Li Lang feels threatened by Liang Feng.

As for the chaotic fighting between the Sima princes, everyone will be fine just knowing the outline. All in all, Sima Yan’s brain was malfunctioning, and he thought that only his relatives could be counted on, so he split all the military power between his brothers and nephews. And then, after he kicked the bucket, he left a mentally handicapped son as emperor (that “why don’t they eat meat?” Emperor Hui, Sima Zhong). Emperor Hui’s wife, Jia Nanfeng, held the actual power. In order to get rid of her opposition, she used the Prince of Runan, Sima Liang, as a shield and killed him after she was done with him. In the end, it got out of control. A few Sima princes started to fight for the throne, known in history as the “War of the Eight Princes.”

Although, you can just treat it as background. Our Liang Feng isn’t an expert in Jin history, you can just see it unfold alongside him xD