Nightfall
chapter-604

Chen Pipi entered as the voice trailed off. He looked thinner than usual. However, no matter how thinner he had gotten, he was still fat. This was made evident when comparing to Tang Xiaotang, who was beside him.

Cui Xiu heard and could not help but freeze. Just as he was prepared to quickly greet Chen Pipi before leaving, Chen Pipi cut him off and grabbed his collar, yelling “Leave!”

Cui Xiu was very surprised, then realized something very odd. There wasn’t much pressure exerted on his neck, yet the fatty was struggling with difficulty and his face was completely red. It was obvious that he had used all his strength.

Was he just a scholar with limp arms? If so, he was definitely not from the legendary Second floor, but an ordinary student of the Academy. Cui Xiu was a bigwig from the Cui Family of Qinghe County. How would he be afraid of an ordinary student of the Academy? He grew ashamed thinking of how he had lost his color in shock earlier and bellowed, “How dare you! You dare to attack me? Come in!”

Chen Pipi and Tang Xiao had entered through the front doors of the scholar’s mansion. The doors had yet to close behind them when the stewards and servants of the Cui Family who were waiting on the streets outside rushed in, hearing the yells of their master.

Chen Pipi realized that he could not even make the other man budge and could not help but feel ashamed. He let go awkwardly and turned around to say to Tang Xiaotang, “I do not wish to stoop down to the level of these people.”

Tang Xiaotang sighed and turned around to rush at the steward and servants fiercely. She rolled up her sleeves while saying, “You mustn’t be expecting me to do all the physical chores in the future, are you?”

There was a series of crisp sounds. The Cui steward and servants who had rushed into the scholar’s mansion had no time to react before they were all slammed to the ground, wheezing in pain.

The Devil’s Doctrine girl’s aim was to become the most powerful woman in the world. It didn’t take much effort for her to tackle the steward and servants. It was as easy as pie for her.

Cui Xiu looked at his servants who had their legs broken and were bleeding and groaning in pain. His expression changed as he realized what situation he was in. He was about to announce who he was, but had not expected Tang Xiaotang to be even quicker than Chen Pipi, and that she’d be more proactive. She caught him by his throat and threw him out of the mansion’s walls like a chick.

Cui Xiu’s body flew above and beyond the mansion’s wall before landing. There was a loud crash. One of his legs had been broken and he almost passed out from the pain.

Following that, Tang Xiaotang tossed those who had rushed into the scholar’s mansion out. However, the steward and servants did not garner the same treatment as Cui Xiu. She did not throw them out, but kicked them over the walls like stones. There were several loud cracks and groans.

Chen Pipi watched on enviously as Tang Xiaotang kicked those people like she was kicking rocks. He wanted to cultivate in the arts of the Devil’s Doctrine too. He began to fear for his future as conflicting thoughts streaked across his mind.

Mr. and Mrs. Zeng watched on and could not help but shake their heads and smile bitterly. They knew that their daughter and Ning Que had extraordinary friends. However, they had not expected the slender and adorable girl to be so strong and that she would be so straightforward.

“Mr. Twelve, thank you for your care in the past year.”

Zeng Jing said to Chen Pipi gratefully.

Chen Pipi was still feeling rather ashamed. When he heard Zeng Jing’s words, he did not dare to answer him as brashly as he usually would. He waved and said, “I took care of Sangsang when Ning Que was in the Wilderness. Now that they have gone somewhere to have fun, I should naturally take care of you too. However, I have to leave Chang’an for some time. So I brought… my niece. She’ll help you if you encounter any trouble in the future. As you have seen, she is much more capable than I am, and she is a close friend of Sangsang, so don’t stand on ceremony.”

Zeng Jing was rather surprised. The sublime beings of the Second floor of the Academy rarely left the mountain. Why was Mr. Twelve leaving? Zeng Jing asked Chen Pipi, who only answered perfunctorily without elaborations.

Those from the Cui Family of Qinghe County had been kicked out of the scholar’s mansion by Tang Xiaotang. Logically speaking, they should have helped each other onto a carriage and rush home to seek treatment. However, how could Tang Xiaotang be that simple? The usually brave guards tried many times, but were unable to get up. Their faces were unusually pale from the pain.

The scholar’s mansion was in an expensive area in the north of the city. Those living on both sides of the mansions were either senior officials or nobility. They were usually quiet and solemn. Many were surprised when several groaning wounded people suddenly appeared on the streets. Someone sent word to the Chang’an Local Government to send someone to see what had happened.

Had this been an ordinary street fight, the Chang’an Local Government would have just sent a manager. However, when they heard that the incident involved the home of the Grand Secretary, Shangguan Yangyu’s triangular eyes squinted.

As the prefectural magistrate of Chang’an City, he knew which bigwig lived there. The Imperial Library Grand Secretary might have retired more than six months ago, but he was not someone to take lightly. As such, he had to visit personally.

At the gates of the scholar’s mansion, Shangguan Yangyu felt very regretful when he found out that the wounded were from the Cui Family of Qinghe County. Had he found out earlier, he would have made up excuses such as he was gravely ill, or his mother had died. He would not have turned up and become stuck between the Families of Qinghe and Grand Secretary Zeng Jing.

The position as prefectural magistrate of Chang’an City was an important and difficult one. Shangguan Yangyu had managed to sit on the position securely for years and saved up plenty of taels of silver. He was extraordinarily sly and slippery. Just when it looked as if he could not extricate himself out of the situation, he began to quickly think of how to resolve the situation. First, he got his subordinates to help Cui Xiu into a horse carriage to seek treatment. Then, he went to ask the Grand Secretary some questions.

Just then, Zeng Jing happened to be sending Chen Pipi and Tang Xiaotang out. The two met outside the mansion. Shangguan Yangyu looked at the clean-shaven fatty, feeling a shiver going up his spine. He thought of how he had dealt with the handmaiden from Old Brush Pen Shop two years ago when she was charged with harboring a fugitive.

He used his illness as an excuse and knocked himself out with a rod before he could extricate himself from the situation. He had only discovered a long time after that that the handmaiden of Mr. Thirteen from the Academy was Grand Secretary Zeng Jing’s long-lost daughter. It was the same fatty who had brought the handmaiden away before Zhuge Wuren and Wang Jinglue from the Imperial Center Administration that day in the Chang’an Local Government. The fatty was from the Academy…

Shangguan Yangyu felt extremely cold, and thought that he was very lucky to have come before he was involved in the situation. He first bowed to Grand Secretary Zeng Jing, and then turned to yell at his subordinate sharply, “What are you all waiting for? Bring those villains back!”

The local government runner and constables were all stunned. When had their subordinate been so righteous? Even if the Grand Secretary was not to be offended, but the other party was the Cui Family of Qinghe county. Shangguan Yangyu had been so gentle to them earlier.

While they might despise Shanggan Yangyu secretly, there was no reason for them not to follow him. A local government runner went up to drag Cui Xiu off the horse carriage and prepared to cuff the man.

Cui Xiu was shocked speechless. The prefectural magistrate had been extremely kind earlier when he told him who he was. Why had he suddenly make such a complete turnaround?

Chen Pipi might seem simple, but he was intelligent and could read between the lines. He understood Shangguan Yangyu’s intentions and nodded with satisfaction. He said, ” Lock them up. They’re not allowed to be released until I return to Chang’an.”

Tang Xiaotang glanced at him. She thought to herself that Chen Pipi might not return until two or three years later. Was the Chang’an Local Government going to lock them up for two or three years then?

Cui Xiu realized then that he had encountered a true bigwig. He might be looking at a certain disciple of the Second floor of the Academy. However, he did not wish to be at a disadvantage, and he muttered, “It’s a misunderstanding, misunderstanding. I think Sir, you do not know that I am…”

Cui Xiu had thought that even if the person was from the Second floor of the Academy, he would not dare to shame the Families of Qinghe County, who had an illustrious history, when Cui Xiu told him who he was in front of so many people.

However, Chen Pipi did not even bother to hear what he had to say. Chen Pipi waved his hand and said, “Youngest Brother once told me in a letter that Qinghe County is full of idiots. Do you think I’m interested in knowing who you are?”

Cui Xiu felt as if he had been struck in the chest. The pain in his leg multiplied and he paled.

Shangguan Yangyu stood beside Chen Pipi, touching his short mustache. He said awkwardly, “The laws of the Tang Empire cannot be violated, how can the Academy be an exception? The Chang’an Local Government cannot lock up anyone as it pleases.”

Chen Pipi knew that the man was a smart one, but did not have time for games like this. He said, “They have barged into private property and attempted to hurt an official of the imperial court. You can just find a law to lock them up. Don’t tell me you don’t know how.”

Shangguan Yangyu almost tugged his own mustache off. He smiled bitterly and said, “If we continue down this path, we might find ten different crimes to charge them with. But which should we use?”

Chen Pipi asked, “How severe are they?”

Shangguan Yangyu was a scoundrel and vulgar, but he did have a few talents. He said casually, “Even a failed attempt at trying to murder a court official would result in beheading or exilement of at least 3000 miles. If we charge them with trespassing, the heaviest punishment would be imprisonment in the mines for 3 years. If we charge them with framing others…”

Chen Pipi’s eyes brightened when he heard that they could be imprisoned in the mines for three years. He said, “This is good.”

Shangguan Yangyu said resignedly, “However, the Grand Secretary’s mansion is not private property.”

Grand Secretary Zeng Jing who had been listening quietly looked at the pale Cui Xiu who was sitting beside the horse carriage. While he felt satisfied, he did not show it on his face. He suddenly asked, “I have already resigned from my position in court. So this is definitely private property.”

Shangguan Yangyu’s expression did not change, but his heart beat frantically. He thought to himself that the Grand Secretary was known for his simple living and warm character. However, who would have expected him to get a man into trouble with just a sentence. The man was indeed impressive. Shangguan Yangyu felt that he was not mean enough, and that he was too stereotypical and stiff in his own acts. If he wanted to climb into a higher position, he had a lot to learn a lot from these old officials.

Disregarding the prefectural magistrate’s lack of impartiality, Cui Xiu knew when he heard them that anything the three said even casually would be sufficient to pin him with the nastiest of crimes. He could not help but turn even more pale. He knew that they would not really send him to the mines because of who he was, but his subordinates might not be able to escape this fate.