Chapter 76 Control (2)
Looking at Zhang Xingjian’s back as he disappeared through the door, Xu Shaomu sneered.
In fact, Zhang Xingjian’s thought had been right. Xu Shaomu had already disliked him. This time, he wanted to suppress Zhang Xingjian in the name of respecting Li Ye, letting him know how to behave and showing him the real lord of the Chang’an Office.
In fact, Lu Yan hadn’t said that the Chang’an Office would be dominated by Li Ye in the future. He just told Xu Shaomu to support Li Ye’s work. But, this didn’t stop Xu Shaomu from making use of the topic and doing something beneficial for himself.
At 9 o’clock, Wang Li was called by Li Ye again.
“The fight between Li Yao and Li Chongde in the Xiangling Pavilion yesterday must reach a conclusion. You and I will go to interrogate Li Yao.” Li Ye ordered Wang Li.
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Listening to this, Wang Li opened his mouth to say something but decided not to in the end. Zhang Xingjian had told others to put obstacles in his way. Li Ye could not even get a brush pen from the Warehouse Institution. Would the Judiciary Institution cooperate with them in interrogating Li Yao? Obviously, it wouldn’t! Knowing he can’t do it, but still trying to do it. Li Ye was going to be unhappy again.
If Li Ye’s words had made Wang Li feel that Li Ye was too simple to understand the situation, then Li Ye’s next words made him feel that Li Ye was simply digging a hole for himself.
“By the way, call Vice Magistrate Zhang together.” Li Ye went on to say, he paused and then added, “If Vice Magistrate Zhang is not here, please go and invite our Magistrate to go with us.”
“Vice Magistrate, this thing...” Wang Li could not help but try to persuade Li Ye.
“Needless to say. Do it quickly. I’ll go to the Judiciary Institution first.” Li Ye stood up and ignored Wang Li’s persuasion.
“Yes...” Wang Li answered helplessly, feeling depressed to the extreme. Li Ye asked Wang Li to invite Zhang Xingjian, how would Zhang Xingjian receive him? Would he abuse or ridicule him? Or even beat him? Maybe he wouldn’t suffer all.
With grievances, Wang Li came to the place where Zhang Xingjian handled his business and asked to see him.
“Vice Magistrate Zhang suddenly felt ill and has gone home.” Zhang Xingjian’s trusted beadle said.
“He’s ill?” Wang Li said confused. Zhang Xingjian was well when Wang Li saw him this morning, how could he have suddenly become ill? Yesterday, he had been heavily beaten by Li Ye. Today, he was able to still come on duty. But, now he was ill. “How is this possible?”
“I don’t know the details.” The beadle was also confused. When Zhang Xingjian came here today, he had still been in a good mood and was wanting to deal with Li Ye. All of the arrangements had been made and it was time for harvesting the good news, but he suddenly slipped away. They also felt this to be strange. This was too strange.
“How could a Level 4 Qi-refining cultivator suddenly become ill?” Wang Li shook his head. If it weren’t for the beadle’s confused look, he would feel that Zhang Xingjian intentionally didn’t want to see him. At this time, Wang Li suddenly remembered Li Ye’s words that he should invite the Magistrate if Zhang Xingjian was not available.
“Had His Highness anticipated that? How was this possible? His Highness isn’t a mind reader of Vice Magistrate Zhang!” Wang Li was still confused after thinking.
He arrived at Xu Shaomu, still confused. Wang Li conveyed Li Ye’s words.
Wang Li thought that Xu Shaomu would certainly not go to the Judiciary Institution. It was obvious that Zhang Xingjian wanted to deal with Li Ye. As the man behind Zhang Xingjian, how could Xu Shaomu help Li Ye at this time?
But, to Wang Li’s surprise, Xu Shaomu came out soon and said to him gently. “Let’s go.”
Wang Li was stunned. ‘What’s the situation?’ He thought.
‘Li Ye hit Zhang Xingjian yesterday, and you just ignored it. Today Zhang Xingjian was going to deal with Li Ye. As Zhang Xingjian’s solid backing, shouldn’t you be helping Zhang Xingjian at this time? You should scold me and tell me that you are not free or find an excuse. How can you cooperate with Li Ye?’ Wang Li thought in his mind.
On the way to the Judiciary Institution with Xu Shaomu, Wang Li recalled Li Ye’s words and deeds today. The more he thought about them, the more he felt strange. Li Ye was too calm. In the face of the difficulties of the Warehouse Institution and the alienation by all of the officials, Li Ye was too calm.
Wang Li was not a fool. At this moment, he began to think about it. “Why is His Highness so calm? Why doesn’t he take this difficulty and alienation seriously?”
At the Judiciary, when the Chief Advisor of Judiciary Institution met Li Ye, he asked with an unaffectionate smile, “Vice Magistrate Li, why are you here?”
Li Ye answered with a smile, “To interrogate Li Yao.”
The Chief Advisor of the Judiciary Institution pretended to be suddenly enlightened, then he gave a sigh and said, “Vice Magistrate Li, it’s a coincidence. When I went to see Childe Yao today, I found that he was seriously ill. I’m afraid he not suitable for interrogation... Moreover, there’s no one to help us. The scribe who is in charge of record keeping is out on business and can’t get away from it. So...”
Li Ye just smiled and said, “I will not say it a third time. I’m going to interrogate Li Yao. Arrange related matters immediately.”
The Chief Advisor of the Judiciary Institution shook his head. “You are embarrassing me...”
As he was talking, a scribe came in and whispered to him hurriedly.
The Chief Advisor of the Judiciary Institution changed his look suddenly. He lowered his voice and asked, “Has Vice Magistrate Zhang really gone home because of an illness? How can this be possible? How could he leave at such a critical juncture? Is he not going to do it?”
The scribe shook his head, knowing nothing.
After a moment of silence, the Chief Advisor of the Judiciary Institution forced himself to calm down. He turned to Li Ye and laughed, “Vice Magistrate Li, there is really no one to help you today... Why don’t you go and borrow some subordinates from the Magistrate?”
He was clever and he decided to throw this problem onto Li Ye. He thought, ‘Li Ye will not go and ask for help from Xu Shaomu. It must be by the Magistrate’s order that Vice Magistrate Zhang has targeted Li Ye. If Li Ye does not go to ask for help from the Magistrate, it means he has no courage. So, there is no need to continue embarrassing me, right?’
But, at that moment, an authoritative voice was heard. “You need me to find people to help you interrogate Li Yao? What work is done at the Judiciary? Am I working for you?”
Hearing this voice the Chief Advisor of the Judiciary trembled and his face changed greatly.
Then, Xu Shaomu walked in accompanied by Wang Li.
Seeing Xu Shaomu, the Chief Advisor of the Judiciary Institution panicked and greeted him with a big smile. “Magistrate...”
Xu Shaomu ignored him and greeted Li Ye. “Vice Magistrate Li, working hard on official business and coming to interrogate the rioters so early. You’re a good example for the Chang’an Office.”
“Thanks” Li Ye laughed and said, “I want to work hard, but somebody seems unwilling to cooperate.”
“Who dares not cooperate? I’ll drive him out of the Chang’an Office!” Xu Shaomu spoke righteously and looked at the Chief Advisor of the Judiciary Institution and shouted, “Is it you?”
“Not me, I wouldn’t dare!” The Chief Advisor of the Judiciary Institution was confused at first. He couldn’t understand why Xu Shaomu supported Li Ye and he was frightened to hear Xu Shaomu’s reprimands. Although he did not understand the reasoning for this, the attitude of Xu Shaomu was obvious and he understood clearly. He quickly worshiped Li Ye and said, “Vice Magistrate Li, please forgive me. I’ll arrange it immediately!”
Li Ye did not speak. Xu Shaomu looked around the house and solemnly declared, “Vice Magistrate Li comes to the Chang’an Office to serve. You should cooperate with him well. If there are people who have not fulfilled their duties, I will teach him a lesson!”
“Yes!” Everyone quickly promised.
Witnessing this scene, Wang Li finally understood. Li Ye had complete control over the situation.
He couldn’t help looking at Li Ye. At the moment, the young Vice Magistrate was so tall and unpredictable in his eyes. He suddenly realized that all of this had already been predicted by Li Ye! Prince An’s power had been beyond his imagination.
The incident that happened in the Judiciary Institution soon spread all over the Office, making the whole Chang’an Office fall into temporary chaos.
People were originally instructed by Zhang Xingjian to isolate Li Ye and crush him, but nobody thought that the Magistrate would personally come out and destroy Zhang Xingjian’s plan in less than two hours. Where was Zhang Xingjian? He had already gone home because of being sick!
He went home not because of illness, but because he was afraid of Li Ye’s power!
After a short period of confusion, all of the officials in the Chang’an Office suddenly realized that Li Ye had overwhelmed Zhang Xingjian and became the second most powerful in the Chang’an Office!
Zhang Xingjian was over!
Li Ye deserved to be a grand prince. There must be someone else in the court to help him. If not, how could he have overwhelmed Zhang Xingjian so easily?
Even Xu Shaomu accompanied him personally to interrogate Li Yao in the Judiciary Institution to show his respect for him.
How dare Zhang Xingjian fight with the Grand Prince of the dynasty? He was looking for death!
As a result, when Li Ye came back from the Judiciary Institution, he met the Chief Advisor of the Warehouse Institution who had been waiting in front of his door. He, together with a group of scribes, brought the best writing materials and many other articles, waiting to hand them over. Seeing Li Ye from afar, he rushed over and kept bowing his head and asking for forgiveness.
As soon as Li Ye sat down in the room, officials at all levels of the Chang’an Office rushed to visit him. They showed their enthusiasm with words as if Li Ye was their long-lost brother. They were more cordial than they were yesterday. They also rushed to ask Li Ye to have dinner at their house after work.