Chapter 86: Jiangling Prefecture Magistrate

Following the voice, they saw Patriarch Ren stepping out of the small pavilion beside the courtyard.

Judging by his tired expression, it was clear he had been reclining there for quite a while.

“Ah…” He yawned and said lazily, “Finally, you’ve come out. If you stayed any longer, I might’ve fallen asleep.”

The old beggar frowned. “Patriarch Ren, what are you up to?”

“Me?” Patriarch Ren pointed to himself and chuckled wryly. “I was worried that Old Master Wen might sneak out in the middle of the night in search of some so-called opportunity and end up in trouble.”

The old beggar’s frown deepened. “What exactly do you mean, Patriarch Ren?”

“Sigh…” Patriarch Ren glanced at Gu Ning’an and hesitated before saying, “Mr. Gu, what I’m about to reveal is a matter that could cost me my head. Are you sure you want to hear it?”

Hearing this, Gu Ning’an responded with interest, “Since the Sun family is already watching me, I might as well hear this too, don’t you think?”

Patriarch Ren’s unease grew as he realized he couldn’t quite figure out this man in green robes. He gestured for them to sit, indicating that it was better to discuss the matter while seated.

Soon, the three of them were gathered around the stone table in the courtyard.

After sitting down, Patriarch Ren, still wanting to add some suspense, pointed to the old beggar, looked at Gu Ning’an, and asked with a smile, “Mr. Gu, do you know the true identity of Old Master Wen?”

The old beggar rolled his eyes. “A beggar, what else?”

Patriarch Ren didn’t respond to the old beggar’s quip, instead keeping his amused gaze fixed on Gu Ning’an.

Gu Ning’an paused before saying, “Old Master Wen was likely an official… more precisely, he once held an official position.”

“Oh?” Patriarch Ren’s eyes lit up, and he pressed further, “Do you know what rank he held and what his position was?”

At this point, the old beggar could already tell that Patriarch Ren had uncovered his true identity.

Gu Ning’an smiled. “He was a 4th rank official and held the position of Jiangling Prefecture Magistrate.”

“Mr. Gu!”

“Old Master Wen, you told him?”

Both the old beggar and Patriarch Ren were equally astonished.

Gu Ning’an raised a hand to calm them. “Gentlemen, keep your voices down. I was merely guessing. But judging by your reactions, it seems I guessed correctly.”

The old beggar’s expression shifted. He chuckled awkwardly, “What nonsense are you spouting? How could a lowly beggar like me possibly have been a magistrate? Have you ever seen a beggar who was a magistrate?”

Patriarch Ren stroked his beard and frowned. “Enough, Old Master Wen… or should I say Magistrate Wen. There’s no need to keep pretending. Mr. Gu, it’s not too hard to deduce that Old Master Wen was once an official. But how did you figure out he was the Magistrate of Jiangling Prefecture?”

Gu Ning’an replied with a calm smile, “When we entered the city, I noticed a notice on the street with a portrait of the Jiangling Prefecture Magistrate. It included some words of praise.”

“At a glance, I recognized the portrait as a slightly younger version of Old Master Wen.”

“I didn’t see that!” Old Master Wen’s eyes widened in surprise, his tone shifting from astonishment to resignation. “Since you’ve already figured it out, I won’t keep up the act… I was indeed once the Magistrate of Jiangling Prefecture.”

Gu Ning’an nodded. “In fact, you still are, aren’t you? Only now, the one sitting in the official seat is merely someone who has taken over your identity and position.”

Patriarch Ren’s eyes widened. “Mr. Gu, you truly hide your brilliance well. How could you deduce such a secret?”

Gu Ning’an replied calmly, “The notice included a date, and it was posted just a few days ago. But Old Master Wen has been a beggar in Gucheng County for over twenty years. Considering these details, it wasn’t hard to piece things together.”

Patriarch Ren cupped his hands in admiration. “I am truly impressed!”

Clang!

The sound of something heavy breaking came from one of the nearby guest rooms.

Patriarch Ren frowned. “Someone’s still awake?”

Gu Ning’an gestured with his hand and called out, “Since you’ve all already heard, come out. There’s no need to hide.”

“Why did Mr. Gu use the word ‘all’?” Patriarch Ren’s words had barely landed when the doors of two adjacent guest rooms opened simultaneously.

Li Xunshan and Wei Hai stepped out together.

The two exchanged a glance before Li Xunshan rolled his eyes. “Brother Wei, you exposed me too!”

Wei Hai scratched his head with an awkward laugh. “Ah, I heard that Old Man Wen was a magistrate, got startled, and gulped down a pot of wine. My hand slipped, and the wine pot shattered.”

As they casually conversed, completely unbothered, they walked to Gu Ning’an’s table and sat down as if nothing had happened.

“You two, staying up at this hour—were you also, like Mr. Gu, guessing Old Master Wen’s identity?” Patriarch Ren asked curiously.

Wei Hai shook his head. “I never would’ve dreamed that this old beggar was a high-ranking official! I stayed awake to keep watch and ensure no thieves climbed over the walls.”

“I… I couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning because I missed Yue’er,” Li Xunshan muttered.

His words caused Patriarch Ren’s mouth to twitch uncontrollably. Watching everyone, one by one, gather in the courtyard from the dining hall gave him an inexplicable sense of absurdity.

He had recognized the old beggar’s identity earlier and had intentionally kept it to himself. After dismissing the group, he had hidden alone in the pavilion near the courtyard, hoping that fewer people would discover Old Master Wen’s secret.

After all, the matters involving Old Master Wen were tied to the imperial family—a situation where “losing one’s head” wasn’t an exaggeration!

Patriarch Ren was willing to confront the Sun family, but the imperial court? Even if he had nine lives, he wouldn’t dare meddle!

Preventing Old Master Wen from venturing out was also to avoid dragging himself and his family into disaster.

And yet, here they were—a group of people who seemed to have no intention of sleeping, all wide-eyed and waiting in their rooms.

“I should’ve just told you all in the dining hall earlier…” Patriarch Ren sighed deeply, then glanced at the old beggar and said gravely, “Old Master Wen, for now, I’ll continue calling you that. But your story should come from you. Anything you don’t know, I’ll fill in.”

With the situation exposed and everyone now in the same boat, the old beggar no longer hesitated. He carefully recounted the key points of his story:

Twenty years ago, Old Master Wen had achieved top honors in the imperial examinations, earning the emperor’s favor and securing the position of Jiangling Prefecture Magistrate.

At the start of his tenure, numerous local officials attempted to bribe him with money, servants, and estates. He refused all their gifts and spared none of the bribers.

Within a year, he had thoroughly investigated all those who had tried to bribe him. Those with lighter offenses lost their positions and were imprisoned, while those with heavier crimes… well, their graves likely had grass growing three meters high by now.

Jiangling was a remote region, far from the emperor’s reach, where the relationships between the “black path” (criminals) and “white path” (officials) were deeply intertwined.

Despite offending so many people, Old Master Wen avoided assassination. This was partly because he was the emperor’s favored scholar and partly because, while he caught and punished many people, they were ultimately minor figures.

The true “big fish” remained entrenched, their roots untouched.

However, Old Master Wen didn’t intend to be one of those “new officials who burn hot for three days and then fade away.”

During his first year in office, he meticulously collected evidence against the “big fish,” intending to present it to the emperor when the time was right and eliminate them in one decisive blow.

But word of his evidence collection leaked. His wife and children were captured by the forces behind the scenes…