Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Magistrate’s Secret Residence

“Player Chen Baxian, congratulations on completing the learning task ‘Blue-and-White Porcelain Vase.’ You may now begin studying ‘The Great Learning’ under the guidance of Li Pisen.”

Chen Hao returned the copy of ‘The Analects’ he had just finished reading. Li Pisen handed him a new book, ‘The Great Learning,’ which, as another of the Four Books, shared similar attributes with ‘The Analects.’

Item Name: The Great Learning
Item Description: One of the Four Books, annotated by the great scholar Li Pisen
Item Attributes: Culture +2; if read thoroughly, Culture attribute +2; if mastered, Culture attribute +3.

After placing ‘The Great Learning’ into his satchel, Chen Hao was about to leave when Li Pisen called out to him, smiling. “Baxian, my family heirloom, the blue-and-white porcelain vase, was stolen. I am going to the county office to seek justice from the newly appointed magistrate, Lord Ma Wencai. Come with me to serve as a witness.”

Chen Hao accompanied Li Pisen to the county office, where the new magistrate Ma Wencai received Li Pisen with great respect. Ma owed his appointment to the recommendation of Wang Mingyuan, the city’s assistant magistrate and a prized student of Li Pisen, who had instructed Ma to look after his old teacher.

Upon hearing that Li Pisen’s ancestral porcelain vase had been stolen, Ma Wencai grew furious. “These thieves are despicable. Rest assured, sir, I will see that the culprit is apprehended and the vase recovered.”

Li Pisen gave a slight smile. “I already have a lead. This is the unusual man, Chen Baxian, who worked as a hired hand at Huang Batian’s estate and saw the porcelain vase in Huang’s possession.”

Ma Wencai stood up at once. “I have heard Huang Batian is a local tyrant. Since the vase is in his hands, it is likely his doing. I will bring my men and accompany you there at once.”

With his constables and officers in tow, Ma Wencai arrived at Huang Batian’s manor. Huang greeted them at the gate. “My lord, what brings you here today?”

Ma Wencai shouted, “Huang Batian, Master Li has accused you of stealing his blue-and-white porcelain vase. Confess at once!”

With a false smile, Huang replied, “Lord Magistrate, I have always upheld the law. To accuse me of theft without proof or evidence—I cannot accept such slander.”

Ma Wencai turned to Chen Hao. “This man worked in your house and saw you with the vase. The witness is present; there is no escaping this.”

At the sight of Chen Hao, Huang Batian was clearly startled. A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes as he protested, “My lord, this troublemaker only stayed in my house for a day—clearly someone is trying to frame me. If you interrogate him under torture you will surely find the mastermind.”

Ma Wencai replied coldly, “If this is a false accusation, a search will make that clear. Stand aside!”

Though Chen Hao’s appearance had surprised Huang Batian, he reasoned that the servant might have seen him with the vase but would not know where it was hidden. Hoping luck was on his side, he allowed Ma Wencai and his men into the estate, sneering, “If you do not find the vase in my house, I will demand justice from the county prefect myself.”

Ignoring him, Ma Wencai asked Chen Hao, “Chen Baxian, do you know where the vase is hidden?”

Chen Hao nodded. “I do, my lord. Please follow me.”

Leading the officials through the corridors, Chen Hao strode directly to Huang Batian’s bedchamber, making Huang’s face change color drastically. When Chen Hao lifted the landscape painting on the wall and revealed the porcelain vase, Huang turned deathly pale.

Ma Wencai examined the vase before handing it to Li Pisen. “Master Li, is this the vase you lost?”

Li Pisen nodded. “Indeed, it is my family’s blue-and-white porcelain vase.”

Ma Wencai turned and shouted, “Seize Huang Batian and bring him to the county office!”

“Wait!” Huang roared. “My lord, this vase was sold to me by Li Pisen’s younger son, Li Liang. It was not stolen.”

Ma Wencai sneered. “Such clever excuses. Earlier you denied having the vase, but now both witness and evidence are present. Still you wish to deny it? Men, take him away!”

Two constables stepped forward and locked Huang in chains. He had always been the one to frame others, but now he was the one accused. As Ma Wencai had said, with both witness and evidence, there was no escape. Even if someone managed to bail him out, his authority would be greatly diminished.

Seeing no other way, Huang Batian tried to bargain. “Master Li, your vase has been returned. For the sake of my brother-in-law, could you spare me this time?”

Feigning ignorance, Li Pisen replied, “And who might your brother-in-law be?”

Huang ground his teeth but forced himself to answer, “My sister is the county prefect’s concubine.”

Li Pisen looked shocked. “So Prefect Liu is your brother-in-law? If that is truly the case, I will not pursue the matter further. What do you think, Lord Ma?”

Learning that Huang’s sister was the county prefect Liu Ziyuan’s concubine, Ma Wencai lost all interest in bringing Huang in. Seeing that Li Pisen was willing to let him go, he smiled, “Master Li is indeed magnanimous. Let us do as you say.”

Huang Batian was thoroughly humiliated. Once freed from his shackles, he shot Chen Hao a venomous glare, which Chen Hao ignored. Chen Hao knew that, thanks to the introduction of the group known as ‘Shuanghui Harmony,’ he had been able to enter Huang’s house. Now that he was leaving, those four would surely suffer Huang’s wrath.

He whispered to Li Pisen, “Teacher, I was able to find the vase only with the help of four unusual friends. After we leave, I fear they will face Huang’s vengeance. I hope you can save them from misery.”

Li Pisen nodded slightly, then approached Huang Batian. “Huang Batian, you have four unusual men working as servants in your manor. They are acquaintances of mine. Today, I will take them with me.”

Huang hated Chen Hao and the four who had brought him into the house, but had no choice but to agree. The ‘Shuanghui Harmony’ group had completed most of their tasks in Huang’s manor and were delighted to be able to leave.

Once outside, Chen Hao began considering the possibility of assassinating Liu Ziyuan. From the constables’ interrogation, he had learned that Liu kept a concubine in the eastern part of the city, but had never found a lead. This time, while helping Li Pisen recover the porcelain vase, he unexpectedly discovered that Li Pisen’s concubine was Huang’s sister.

Prefect Liu Ziyuan was notoriously henpecked and kept his affair extremely secret, never allowing his wife to learn of it. In the past, obsessed with Zhang Yuanyuan, he would sneak to the ‘Spring Fragrance Pavilion’ only after long intervals. As for his concubine in the east of the city, he visited her only every ten days or so.

To avoid being found out, Liu forbade Huang from using his name recklessly, but quietly instructed his own men to protect Huang. With such backing, Huang became a local tyrant. Had he not been desperate, he would not have revealed his connection to Liu Ziyuan.

Assassinating Liu Ziyuan in the county office was nearly impossible; approaching him through his concubine would be much easier. To kill Liu without attracting official suspicion would require careful planning and attention to every detail.