Chapter 106: Grand Tutor, I’m Here To Humiliate You—go Ahead And Do Your Worst
When you ride the wind and rise, no one will accuse you of recklessness or arrogance.
Lin Fan felt this completely at this moment.
The civil and military officials present were all shrewd individuals. Who couldn’t see that this Chief Lin was clearly a favored person close to the Emperor? Throughout history, when one’s talent and ability are valued by the Emperor, they become invincible during that period of favor.
The Second Prince enthusiastically conveyed his goodwill to Lin Fan.
He even performed a sword dance for him in front of everyone.
The officials present all knew that the Second Prince wanted to gain Lin Fan’s favor. The sword dance earned him thunderous applause.
“Your Majesty, your humble servant would also like to perform a staff technique.” Lin Fan volunteered.
All the officials in the Imperial Capital are present today. It’s rare for everyone to gather so completely. My idea is simple: I want to perform with a staff to open their eyes and let them understand that from now on, they need to be mindful when they see me, Lin Fan.
Don’t come looking for death for no reason.
“Good, your boxing skills are already invincible under heaven. Is it possible that your staff technique is even more formidable?” the Emperor asked, surprised.
Lin Fan smiled, and the observant eunuch immediately went to retrieve the iron rod Lin Fan had placed in a corner. However, as the eunuch tried to lift it, his expression changed slightly; he couldn’t move it. It was very heavy.
This scene was naturally witnessed by everyone.
Lin Fan walked to the iron rod and said to the eunuch, “Esteemed Eunuch, this iron rod of mine weighs sixty jin and was forged by a master craftsman from the Big Ox Blacksmith Shop in Yong’an County Town.”
*Hiss~*
The civil and military officials present gasped.
Lin Fan then twirled the iron rod a few times, making it seem as if it had no weight.
Lin Fan moved to the center of the banquet hall, holding the rod with one hand, exerting force from his waist, and swung the rod out. The muffled sound of the staff technique whistled through the air, as if tearing it apart.
Officials standing nearby seemed to flinch back in fear, yet they could still feel the biting wind from the staff technique.
Even without having witnessed it before.
They could tell that if this staff strike landed on someone, the consequences would be dire.
Suddenly.
Lin Fan let out a furious roar and slammed the staff fiercely onto the ground. With a thunderous boom, like a clap of thunder, the ground caved in, forming a deep pit. The high-quality stone bricks instantly shattered. Officials nearby were struck by the flying debris, crying out in pain as they scrambled to get away.
When they saw the deep pit created by the strike, they all gasped.
How much power would it take to create this?
“Good,” the Emperor exclaimed, “My beloved minister truly possesses astonishing strength.”
Even the Emperor was praising him.
How could the officials dare to say otherwise?
Ning Yu, sitting there, proudly held her head high, like a proud white swan.
My master, this is my master.
A moment later.
Lin Fan stopped his movements and exhaled lightly. He cupped his fists towards the Emperor and said, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have damaged this place.”
“It’s nothing. As long as my beloved minister is happy,” the Emperor said with great pleasure.
In the past, he thought Qin Li was already invincible under heaven. He never expected that in his twilight years, he would encounter such a world-shaking and talented individual.
Lin Fan returned to his seat. Ning Yu poked her little head over and said, “Master, you scared them all to death.”
Lin Fan smiled without speaking.
His gaze swept over the officials. Some had flattering smiles on their faces, while others lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. Especially the officials from the Censorate, who wished they could dig a hole and bury themselves.
Under the Grand Tutor’s orders, they had the most direct conflicts with Lin Fan, which were openly known.
Now that the incident had occurred.
The Emperor had not taken action against the Censorate, but everyone knew in their hearts that the Emperor’s inaction was not due to unwillingness, but a lack of time. Wait until these matters are concluded, and then see if the Emperor takes action against the Censorate.
After a long while.
The imperial banquet concluded.
Lin Fan was invited to stay overnight in the Imperial Palace. This was an immense honor for any official; very few had achieved it, and only a handful were truly allowed to stay in the palace.
At night, the full moon hung high.
The Grand Tutor’s mansion was still brightly lit. In the study room, several pillars of the court were meeting with the Grand Tutor, all appearing worried.
The Grand Tutor sat there, his eyes slightly lowered, fiddling with walnuts in his hand. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke, “Your Majesty, how will he be rewarded?”
The Censor-in-Chief said, “Grand Tutor, Your Majesty has not yet drafted an imperial decree for rewards. However, it is evident to all how much favor Your Majesty bestows upon Lin Fan. He is even being kept overnight in the Imperial Palace. I believe the rewards will be substantial.”
The Deputy Censor-in-Chief said, “Your Majesty has called him the foremost under heaven and even bestowed a Gold Token, which is as if Your Majesty himself is present. If he is to be rewarded further, wouldn’t that mean another individual in the court will emerge who even we cannot shake?”
The Minister of War said, “What we worry about most is that Your Majesty, seeing his personal strength, will assign him to the Ministry of War. After all, we are all from the First Prince’s faction. If the power of the Ministry of War is weakened, it will not be good for us.”
They all looked to the Grand Tutor as their leader.
Who would have thought that a mere Chief of the Anzhou Public Security Bureau would catch the Emperor’s eye? Moreover, the current trend is quite unfavorable to them.
The Grand Tutor said gravely, “In three days, those who need to know will know.”
Three days.
This was the rule for the current morning court; morning court was held every three days. During this period, the Emperor would surely ponder how to bestow rewards. Even now, he didn’t know who the Emperor was willing to appoint as his successor.
It seemed he had always been letting them fight amongst themselves.
If there were a rule of primogeniture, there wouldn’t be so many issues.
…
The next day.
The Imperial Capital, street.
“Master, this is the Grand Tutor’s mansion.” Ning Yu led the way. She knew her master would definitely come to find the Grand Tutor. As soon as it was dawn, her master eagerly asked her to lead the way.
Lin Fan looked at the Grand Tutor’s mansion. “As expected of the Grand Tutor; the place he lives in is truly extravagant.”
Ning Yu said, “The Grand Tutor is the head of all officials. Many people flatter him, so it’s normal for him to live in such a mansion. Moreover, this mansion was formerly a prince’s residence, which His Majesty bestowed upon the Grand Tutor.”
“Let’s go, we’ll go in and pay our respects to the Grand Tutor.” Lin Fan walked towards the main entrance.
As soon as they reached the entrance, the servant guarding the Grand Tutor’s mansion shouted angrily, “How dare you! This is the Grand Tutor’s mansion. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to approach.”
The servants who guard the Grand Tutor’s mansion are elites among servants. He recognized local officials and didn’t need to recognize officials from other regions; he didn’t need to show them any respect.
As Lin Fan and Ning Yu approached, he had carefully observed them.
Strangers, unfamiliar.
No need to show any courtesy.
“Impudent! This is Lord Lin, personally appointed as the foremost under heaven by His Majesty! You blind fool, get out of the way immediately!” Ning Yu shouted angrily. When acting in the Imperial Capital, one must be assertive. Speaking politely would only make these servants more arrogant.
The servant was stunned upon hearing this. It seemed he had recalled something. His expression changed completely, and he said with a smile, bowing and scraping, “It is my fault for being blind; I did not recognize Lord Lin. I will go and inform the Grand Tutor immediately. Please wait a moment, Lord Lin.”
“How dare you!!!” Ning Yu exclaimed, “Lord Lin holds a Gold Token bestowed by His Majesty. With this token, it is as if His Majesty himself is present. You presumptuous fool, how dare you make His Majesty wait at the entrance? I think you have the gall of a bear and the heart of a leopard! Do you want to die?”
*Plop!*
The servant was so scared that he knelt down.
“I absolutely had no such intention. Please enter, Lord, and wait in the living room.” The servant was sweating profusely from fear.
“Presumptuous!” Ning Yu said, “His Majesty himself is present, and you ask His Majesty to wait in the living room? Does the Grand Tutor not even consider His Majesty worthy of attention?”
The kneeling servant looked at Ning Yu with a pale face.
If there were a piece of tofu nearby, he would definitely smash his head against it and die on the spot.
Waiting is not allowed, and waiting inside is also not allowed. What should be done?
“Alright, Ning Yu, don’t make things difficult for him. We will wait in the hall,” Lin Fan said.
“Yes, Master,” Ning Yu replied.
The servant looked at Lin Fan with tearful gratitude, thinking this person was truly his reborn parent.
Entering the mansion.
Lin Fan said, “Ning Yu, why are you making things difficult for him?”
He knew Ning Yu was not an unreasonable or ill-tempered person.
Ning Yu said, “Master, you don’t know. The servants in the Grand Tutor’s mansion are very arrogant. Don’t underestimate them just because they guard the gate; each of them is wealthy and knows more officials than anyone else. Not to mention, if Prefect Zhao were to come to the Imperial Capital and wish to see the Grand Tutor, he would have to treat them like ancestors.”
“When I was in the Imperial Capital before, I heard that the servants guarding the Grand Tutor’s mansion were notorious for their evil deeds, but no one dared to touch them because of their status. It was only when things escalated too much that they had to be dealt with.”
Upon hearing this.
Lin Fan finally understood the meaning behind Ning Yu’s actions.
…
“What did you say? Lin Fan is here?”
Upon hearing that Lin Fan had personally come to visit, the Grand Tutor’s expression turned serious, but he didn’t say much. He merely waved his hand, signaling the servant to leave.
His attitude towards Lin Fan was to observe first, without initiating any conflict with him, especially as he wanted to wait for the Emperor’s reward to see how much importance the Emperor placed on Lin Fan.
Of course, he could not sit idly by.
He would definitely have the old officials in the court intervene. If the rewards were too high, it would be detrimental to them.
This was not the first time they had employed such tactics.
In the past, when the Emperor wanted to reward someone, old officials would step forward, threatening their lives, saying such rewards must not be granted, etc., to dissuade him. Unless the Emperor was truly resolute, this tactic was always effective.
As he neared the living room.
The Grand Tutor adjusted his expression and then walked in with a smile, “Chief Lin, what breeze brings you here? His Majesty bestows such great favor upon you, Chief Lin, why not spend more time by His Majesty’s side?”
Facing such an enthusiastic Grand Tutor, Lin Fan stared at him intently without speaking or showing any expression.
This made the Grand Tutor inwardly stunned.
What did this brat intend?
I, the dignified Grand Tutor, am willing to greet you with a smile, and you can’t even put on a pretense?
“Grand Tutor, you haven’t eaten, have you?” Lin Fan asked.
The Grand Tutor smiled, “I have.”
Lin Fan took the packaged flatbreads from Ning Yu and threw them directly at the Grand Tutor. The Grand Tutor caught them, felt their warmth, and smelled them. They seemed to be flatbreads.
He looked puzzled, completely bewildered.
“Chief Lin, what is the meaning of this?” the Grand Tutor asked, confused.
Lin Fan said, “On the way here, I thought you might not have eaten, so I bought you some flatbreads. You don’t dislike them, do you?”
“Haha, how could I? Chief Lin personally bought them. I, this Grand Tutor, must try one no matter what.”
The Grand Tutor smiled and opened the oil paper. Just as he was about to pick up a piece and bring it to his lips, he discovered that the flatbreads were covered in dust and even excrement.
This made the Grand Tutor’s smiling face stiffen. He slowly closed the oil paper, placed it on the tea table beside him, and looked calmly at Lin Fan.
“Chief Lin, what is the meaning of this?”
Upon uttering these words.
Lin Fan unleashed his full power, “What meaning? You old dog deserve to eat shit.”
“You are insolent!” the Grand Tutor roared in fury, “Chief Lin, I am the Grand Tutor of the current court. Even if you have earned His Majesty’s favor, you cannot speak to me disrespectfully.”
“Speak of what? You old dog, you supported the Mingwang Cult, sent an Imperial Censor to try and kill me. Now that I’ve encountered you, you’re as good as dead. And now, I’ve come to the Imperial Capital and met you. Do you really think a smile and moving on will make me let you go?”
“Dream on.”
Lin Fan slammed his hand on the tea table. The valuable tea table instantly shattered, scattering pieces all over the floor.
“You… you, guards, guards!” the Grand Tutor shouted loudly. Soon, armed guards rushed in, “Escort them out! This Grand Tutor’s mansion does not welcome them.”
The armed guards looked at Lin Fan and were about to take action.
Just then, Lin Fan slammed the Gold Token onto the nearby tea table. “This is a Gold Token personally bestowed by His Majesty. With this token, it is as if His Majesty himself is present. How dare you commit insubordination? Do you want your family to be exterminated and all your descendants to die?”
The armed guards were stunned and froze in place, not daring to move.
The Grand Tutor looked at Lin Fan, “Chief Lin, His Majesty bestowed this Gold Token upon you, and you use it like this against an old official of the court?”
“Oh, you guessed right. I came to deal with you,” Lin Fan said with a smile.
The Grand Tutor had encountered all sorts of people in his life.
But he had never met anyone as shameless as Lin Fan.
“Chief Lin, what exactly do you want? Between you and me, it’s all a misunderstanding.” The Grand Tutor was reluctant to have an open conflict with Lin Fan, mainly because of the extent of his current favor, which was beyond imagination, and also because Lin Fan was too formidable.
The guards he had summoned were completely useless.
If they were to fight.
They would be killed in an instant.
Lin Fan said, “If anyone else said it was a misunderstanding, I might believe it. But you, old dog, from the inside out, you are nothing but a bad person. I, Lin Fan, as the Chief of the Anzhou Public Security Bureau, arrest people like you, you son of a bitch.”
The guards were dumbfounded, stunned.
So fierce, truly so fierce.
This was the first time they had ever seen someone dare to insult the Grand Tutor.
They even doubted if their ears were malfunctioning.
“You…” The Grand Tutor was so enraged that his chest heaved like a bellows.
Lin Fan got up and walked towards the Grand Tutor. The Grand Tutor took a step back, and when he could retreat no further, he slumped onto his chair, staring up at Lin Fan with wide eyes.
“What are you looking at?” Lin Fan grabbed the Grand Tutor’s head. “Do you know, when you sent an Imperial Censor to try and kill me, my only thought was to come to the Imperial Capital and twist your head off.”
“You dare.” The Grand Tutor, with his head held, felt immense humiliation.
Lin Fan smiled, “Dare or not? The grass on the graves of the last person who dared to ask me that is already quite tall. But don’t worry, I don’t want to kill you for now. I heard you have high power and authority, holding great power in the court, and no one under heaven fears you.”
The Grand Tutor did not reply.
Lin Fan continued, “I’m thinking of something. I’ll drag you out of the Grand Tutor’s mansion, humiliate you in the street, curse you, and maybe even beat you up, making you lose all face. I think that would be very satisfying.”
“You dare…”
“Heh, I really dare.”
Without another word, Lin Fan slung the Grand Tutor over his shoulder and strode out of the hall, laughing as he went.
“Grand Tutor, since we’ve met, let’s have some fun.”
“Hahahaha…”
Arrogant.
Insolent.
Disregardful of others.
The guards didn’t even dare to move.
The commotion here naturally alerted the servants inside the mansion. When they saw the Grand Tutor being carried on someone’s shoulder, they were completely stunned and dumbfounded.
It felt as if the sky had fallen.
“Put me down, put me down!” the Grand Tutor roared, hitting Lin Fan’s back repeatedly, but his strength was not even enough to tickle Lin Fan.
Ning Yu followed behind, only able to exclaim about her master’s actions, “Master is indeed master. No matter where he is, he is always so domineering.”
On the street, the common people were setting up stalls and living their lives as usual, especially around the Grand Tutor’s mansion where there were more stalls. This was because officials from other regions often visited the Grand Tutor and would pay them high prices to inquire about the situation at the Grand Tutor’s mansion.
For them, this was a considerable income.
Suddenly.
When they looked towards the Grand Tutor’s mansion.
They were all stunned by the scene before them.
They saw the Grand Tutor being carried out and then roughly thrown to the ground, causing the Grand Tutor to groan in pain.
Everyone’s mind went blank.
They didn’t understand what had happened.
As Lin Fan’s devoted disciple, Ning Yu’s role at this moment was very important. She raised her voice and shouted, “Fellow villagers, I am Ning Yu, and this is my master, Lin Fan, who defeated the barbarians of Mengye Country yesterday and was proclaimed the foremost under heaven by His Majesty.”
First, an introduction to let the common people understand that the one who would be bullying the Grand Tutor was their country’s hero.
As expected, the common people suddenly understood and began to cheer.
Ning Yu raised her hand to signal for quiet and continued, “As you can see, my master is teaching the current Grand Tutor a lesson. Why is he teaching him a lesson? It’s mainly because my master is upright and just. If anyone has been to Anzhou, they will know how good the public security is there.”
“My master heard long ago that the Grand Tutor was tyrannical and allowed his servants to oppress the common people. What’s even more infuriating is that the Grand Tutor supported the evil Mingwang Cult, bringing disaster to the common people of Anzhou. When my master discovered this, he eradicated it completely, which led to the Grand Tutor’s revenge, sending an Imperial Censor to frame and attempt to kill my master.”
Ning Yu had inherited some of Lin Fan’s true teachings.
That is, to tell the truth, even if it was exaggerated, it was still normal.
Hearing this.
The common people were astonished and whispered to each other.
As ordinary commoners, they naturally knew how powerful the Grand Tutor was, and that he condoned his servants’ oppression. They had personally witnessed scenes of the Grand Tutor’s servants bullying people.
Local officials dared not intervene or ask questions.
Even if they arrested someone, upon learning they were the Grand Tutor’s servant, they would respectfully release them.
“You are slandering me,” the Grand Tutor roared.
Lin Fan stepped forward, grabbed the Grand Tutor by the collar, and slapped him twice with his bare hands. “My disciple speaks the truth. You dare to say she is slandering? You are truly audacious.”
These two slaps left the Grand Tutor stunned on the spot.
The conversing common people also stared with wide eyes, unable to believe what they were seeing.
Huh!?
He actually beat up the Grand Tutor.
This is simply too audacious.
At this moment, the Grand Tutor recovered his senses and let out a heart-wrenching roar, “Villain, you villain! I am the First Rank Grand Tutor of the current court! How dare you hit me! Do you know what an unforgivable grave crime you have committed?”
The Grand Tutor went berserk, enraged.
Having reached the pinnacle of power, when had he ever encountered such a situation? No one could withstand it.
“A First Rank high official? As Grand Tutor, you don’t care for the common people, yet you engage in corruption and factionalism. If I were you, and I wasn’t doing practical work for the people, I would have resigned long ago and gone home to grow potatoes,” Lin Fan retorted angrily.
This move instantly won the favor of the common people.
In the eyes of the common people, there were too few officials who truly cared about them.
At this time.
As Lin Fan dragged the Grand Tutor out to humiliate him, informants had already quickly spread the news.
The Imperial Palace.
The Emperor had summoned the Duke and was discussing what rewards to bestow upon Lin Fan when suddenly, the Emperor’s confidant stood hastily at the door, “Your Majesty.”
“Enter.”
The confidant respectfully entered.
“What is it?”
“Lord Lin went to the Grand Tutor’s mansion, dragged the Grand Tutor out to the street, and publicly humiliated and beat him. The scene was chaotic.”
Upon hearing this.
The Emperor and the Duke were both dumbfounded and stunned.
The Emperor said, “Did the Grand Tutor provoke Lin Fan?”
“No, it was Lord Lin who actively provoked the Grand Tutor.” The confidant was so shocked by the news that he was speechless, only able to say that he was truly formidable, worthy of being someone who could make Mengye Country helpless.
The Emperor sighed, “My beloved minister is indeed capable of even beating an Imperial Censor. Now that he has arrived in the Imperial Capital, he even beats the Grand Tutor. Duke, how should this matter be handled?”
The Duke said, “Your Majesty, the Grand Tutor was in the wrong first. Without distinguishing right from wrong, he sent an Imperial Censor to frame him, leading to this incident. If we are to identify the main culprit, it would be Imperial Inspector Wang who was sent. In my opinion, Imperial Inspector Wang must be executed to resolve the conflict between the Grand Tutor and Lin Fan.”
Imperial Inspector Wang: What does this have to do with me? I was just following orders.
The Emperor pondered for a moment, “Hmm, the Duke’s words have merit.”
The Duke quickly said, “Everything is up to Your Majesty’s decision.”
The Emperor waved his hand, “This incident harms the court’s image. I request the Duke to personally mediate this matter. We must absolutely not allow this conflict to escalate and become unmanageable.”
“Yes, I accept the order.” The Duke rose and left. He was also impressed with Ning Yu’s master, thinking that young people are indeed full of vigor and never consider the consequences of their actions.
After leaving.
The confidant said, “Duke, I will go prepare a horse carriage now.”
“No need,” the Duke waved his hand, “The distance is not far, let’s go on foot.”
“Yes.”
The confidant’s expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he understood that this was simply to let the Grand Tutor be beaten for a longer period. How tragic, truly tragic.
After the Duke left.
The Emperor continued to calmly ponder how to bestow official titles and rewards upon Lin Fan. The Grand Tutor being troubled was also within his expectations. When Lin Fan appeared, he had already utilized his strongest intelligence network to gather all information about Lin Fan.
The intelligence he obtained.
This person is loyal and righteous, and after rising from the bottom, he has not forgotten his former comrades.
He is also upright and just, always considering the common people in his actions.
Local ruffians and hooligans see him as if they’ve seen a ghost, terrified and wetting themselves.
However, what is even more important is… Lin Fan has truly memorized the law like the back of his hand, and in handling matters, he always abides by the law.
What does this indicate?
It indicates Lin Fan’s recognition of the court’s laws, and thus his recognition of the court. He is a loyal and reliable person.
This is also why the Emperor is willing to promote him.
…
At this time.
The news that the Grand Tutor, personally proclaimed the foremost under heaven by His Majesty, Lin Fan, had been humiliated in the street, spread throughout the Imperial Capital like a storm.
When the civil and military officials heard about it, they were all greatly shocked. Some were even extremely angry on the spot, as they were from the Grand Tutor’s faction.
Now that the Grand Tutor was insulted, it was as if they were insulted.
They began to gather, intending to go to the Grand Tutor’s mansion to support him.
The Second Prince, upon hearing the news, burst into laughter, finding it exhilarating.
…
Outside the Grand Tutor’s mansion.
The surrounding common people were silent, not a single person speaking, all staring dumbfounded at the scene before them. All they could hear were the Grand Tutor’s roars and Lin Fan’s curses.
Suddenly.
From not far away, a group of civil officials in official robes hurried over.
When they arrived at the scene and saw the Grand Tutor’s pathetic state, a Fourth Rank civil official was overcome with grief. He then bravely stepped forward in anger.
“Stop! Lin Fan, how dare you! How dare you be so disrespectful to the Grand Tutor? Are you humiliating all of us civil officials?”
This Fourth Rank civil official walked up to Lin Fan, glaring at him, while simultaneously hoping to show his loyalty to the Grand Tutor and let the Grand Tutor know not to fear, that he was there to confront Lin Fan, hoping that the Grand Tutor would remember his favor afterwards and allow him to advance slightly.
*Slap—!*
A crisp slapping sound was heard.
The Fourth Rank civil official who bravely stepped forward was slapped to the ground, losing a tooth.
“Get lost! Don’t get in the way.”
This slap instantly sobered up the approaching officials.
They then remembered.
If this person dared to beat the Grand Tutor with such impunity, would he have any reservations about beating them?
Clearly not.
The beaten Fourth Rank civil official wailed, “Colleagues, why are you still standing there? Where is our integrity? This madman is publicly humiliating the Grand Tutor, which is trampling our integrity as civil officials underfoot. Let’s fight him! Even if he’s skilled, can he kill all of us?”
The arriving officials exchanged glances.
The words made sense.
But no one was willing to step forward.
Lin Fan pointed at all the officials present, “All of you, stop causing trouble. I may not be able to kill you, but I can definitely beat you until you hurt and cry.”
After speaking, he ignored these pedantic scholars and looked at the Grand Tutor lying on the ground, wailing, and muttering something about His Majesty. He placed a foot on the Grand Tutor’s chest.
“Grand Tutor, our business is not over yet. Everyone says you have immense power, but I, Lin Fan, enjoy confronting those with immense power head-on. Let’s take our time, play slowly. From now on, whatever tricks you have, just bring them on. I’ll take it all.”
Lin Fan was thoroughly humiliating the Grand Tutor.
The Grand Tutor was so overwhelmed by Lin Fan that he didn’t know what to do.
He truly had no way to counter.
Who could defeat him?
Therefore, no one could stop him. He still held the Gold Token bestowed by His Majesty. A constable on patrol happened to pass by and intended to intervene, but upon seeing the Gold Token, he quietly disappeared somewhere, acting as if he hadn’t seen anything.
“Stop!!!”
Just then, the Duke arrived in a hurry. When his gaze fell upon the Grand Tutor, even the experienced Duke was inwardly amazed.
The Grand Tutor had truly lost all face this time.
“Lord Lin, quickly stop. Whatever the conflict, let’s talk it through slowly. Why resort to violence?” the Duke said, then looked at his granddaughter Ning Yu.
Ning Yu turned her head away, pretending not to see her maternal grandfather.
Lin Fan smiled and nodded at the Duke.
The Duke quickly helped the Grand Tutor up and, looking at the Grand Tutor’s wretched state, suppressed a smile. “Grand Tutor, why is this happening? You are already of this age, why can’t you control your temper and get into conflict with the young and impetuous Lord Lin?”
Hearing this, the Grand Tutor almost couldn’t catch his breath.
I can’t control my temper?
I got into conflict?
Shouldn’t you ask the person named Lin how he bullied and acted unreasonably?
I’m already this old, can I really swing my fists and fight someone who can defeat the strongest expert of Mengye Country?
Unless I’m completely out of my mind.
“Ning Yu, I asked you to accompany Lord Lin, and this is how you accompany him?” the Duke asked.
Ning Yu said helplessly, “Grandfather, it has nothing to do with us. The Grand Tutor provoked it himself. My master is friendly and never provokes others. How can you blame us?”
The Duke didn’t want to speak.
The Grand Tutor flung off the Duke’s supporting hand, looked at Lin Fan deeply with extreme anger in his eyes, and was about to turn to leave when Lin Fan’s angry roar reached his ears.
“Old dog, what are you looking at? If you’re not satisfied, let’s have a match. Use all your connections and network. I, Lin Fan, am alone. Whoever cowers is a dog.”
The Grand Tutor: …!?
Fine.
You bully me, humiliate me, and I don’t want to argue with you. As I’m leaving, I give you a fierce glare, and you can’t help but curse me and threaten me.
The Duke looked at Ning Yu. Is this what you call your master being friendly?
Alas!
“Lord Lin, please calm your anger. We are all subjects of His Majesty. If there are any issues, communicate properly. There’s no need for such strong emotions,” the Duke advised.
Lin Fan said, “Duke, it’s not that I have a temper. It’s that the Grand Tutor deserves a beating. If he’s not beaten, he always thinks the world belongs to him.”
These words made the Grand Tutor tremble all over, and he quickly sped up his pace back into the mansion.
He knew he had lost all face.
It could be said that not a shred remained.
It wouldn’t even be tomorrow; the news would spread like wildfire within hours.
The Duke smiled without speaking and looked at the civil officials who had arrived. “What are you all doing here? Go back where you came from immediately. If His Majesty learns that you came to provoke Lord Lin, none of you will fare well.”
“Duke, won’t Your Majesty do anything about this? This person is so arrogant and overbearing, daring to insult and beat even the Grand Tutor. Does he have any laws or the court or His Majesty?” an old official said, heartbroken.
“Go back, stop crowding around, all of you leave.” The Duke couldn’t be bothered with these old officials from the Grand Tutor [Truncated: Max tokens]
Let them present their strategies for governing the country; they are all wildly imaginative and full of unrealistic ideas.
Let them write a memorial, and I must say, the writing was indeed exceptional.
The civil officials were helpless and could only leave.
After everyone had left.
The Duke proactively invited Lin Fan, “Lord Lin, I wonder if you would be willing to visit the Duke’s Mansion for a chat.”
“Alright, then I’ll be bothering you, Duke.” Lin Fan said with a smile.
“Haha, please.”
“Please.”
Lin Fan followed the Duke away, while Ning Yu, with her hands behind her back, happily followed behind. To her, what had just happened was incredibly stimulating.
And at this moment.
The events that transpired in front of the Grand Tutor’s mansion have spread throughout the Imperial Capital.
The common people all know of this matter.
The Grand Tutor is a person of great standing, yet he was actually bullied. And that Lord Lin was completely unharmed. This news reveals crucial information to many people.
That is, it appears this Lord Lin is deeply favored by His Majesty.
He even beat the Grand Tutor, yet suffered no consequences.
…
The Duke’s Mansion.
In the hall.
“Lord Lin, what are your plans from now on?” the Duke asked.
Lin Fan said, “I don’t have any specific plans. I’ll take it one step at a time. However, since the Duke is Ning Yu’s maternal grandfather, we are family. I do have a matter I’d like to ask about.”
“Speak.”
“The Grand Tutor is a scoundrel, supporting the evil Mingwang Cult. The harm it causes is considerable. If this evil cult is allowed to develop and spread, deceiving the common people, it will not only have a very negative impact on the local area but will also affect the Imperial Court and the nation.” Lin Fan said.
The Duke said, “Regarding the matter of the Mingwang Cult, we truly were unaware.”
“That’s true, I can understand. The Mingwang Cult’s headquarters are in Anzhou, so it’s reasonable that it hasn’t spread to the Imperial Capital.” Lin Fan said.
The Duke chuckled, “However, now that Lord Lin has intervened, the potential trouble has been resolved.”
Lin Fan looked at the Duke and recalled a matter: the illegal sale of iron ingots that he handled in Yong’an. At the time, he couldn’t speak about it, as it involved extremely significant implications.
But now, he no longer had to worry about such things.
“Duke, I have a matter I need to discuss with you.”
Seeing Lin Fan’s serious expression, the Duke also stopped smiling. “Speak.”
Lin Fan said, “When I was serving in Yong’an, officials at the local Tie Ye Office privately sold iron ingots to Cao Liang of the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce. And Cao Liang then resold the iron ingots to sea bandits on Tianxian Island.”
As soon as he said this,
The Duke’s expression tightened. “Lord Lin, are you certain about this?”
“Yes, I am certain. I arrested all of them, and those who deserved to be executed have been executed. To be honest, at the time, this matter was of great importance. If I had reported it to the Imperial Court, the consequences would have implicated even myself and those around me. But now, I am informing the Duke because I hope you can investigate further along this line.”
“At that time, the sea bandits on Tianxian Island had received strict military training. When I annihilated them, one person on the island claimed to be Commander Qin from Anzhou.”
What Lin Fan said was undoubtedly major news for the Duke.
His son-in-law was responsible for investigating this matter.
He had sent many people to investigate in secret.
But they had found very few clues.
The Duke said, “To be frank, the Imperial Court is also secretly investigating this matter, but we haven’t found any useful clues. Did Lord Lin discover any instances of private armor manufacturing?”
“Yes, the sea bandits on Tianxian Island were privately manufacturing armor, but I threw all of it into the sea.”
The Duke nodded, admitting that Lin Fan was indeed adept at self-preservation.
Lin Fan said, “Duke, the private manufacturing of armor clearly indicates someone is preparing for rebellion. The only remaining target for investigation is Commander Qin. He is still alive, and he gives me a very strange feeling. While I was serving in Anzhou, I had significant conflicts with Prefect Zhao, but this individual consistently avoided involvement, clearly not wanting to get entangled in any matters. Yet, he seemed to want to put me to death at every turn, indicating that my actions have affected him.”
The Duke pondered, the current state of the nation was indeed dire.
They could feel it.
But they were unable to find any leads.
Now, what Lin Fan had said had completely opened a path for them.
Commander Qin in Anzhou was the sole target for investigation.
They then chatted briefly about other topics until it was time for lunch.
“Lord Lin, please join us for a meal. It is Ning Yu’s fortune to be able to take you as her master. I hope you will look after her in the future,” the Duke said with a smile.
“Of course, she is my disciple. If I don’t look after her, who will?”
“Hahaha…”
Lin Fan and the Duke exchanged smiles.
The next day!
Morning court.
Normally, it would be tomorrow, but yesterday the incident of the Grand Tutor being beaten occurred, and the civil officials could not tolerate it. Naturally, they would impeach Lin Fan. As for the Emperor, he had also considered how to reward Lin Fan.
Since everyone was in such a hurry,
Holding morning court a day early was perfectly acceptable.
At this moment,
The civil and military officials stood in their respective places honestly. The civil officials lowered their heads, while the expressions of the military officials were somewhat complex. Although the Minister of War was part of the Grand Tutor’s faction, not all military officials followed the Grand Tutor.
Therefore, when they saw the Grand Tutor’s current state, they all struggled to suppress their laughter.
It must be said, the Grand Tutor was indeed quite pitiful at the moment.
His face was somewhat swollen, and the palm print could still be clearly seen.
Especially his bandaged arm; could it truly be broken?
No one could say for sure.
Perhaps the Grand Tutor was trying to appear more pitiful to gain sympathy.
“His Majesty, arrives.”
As the eunuch’s sharp voice echoed, the civil and military officials perked up and respectfully welcomed the Emperor.
The Emperor sat on the dragon throne and, upon seeing the Grand Tutor’s appearance, sighed inwardly. The blow was indeed severe. Since his ascension, he had never seen the Grand Tutor in such a pathetic state.
He naturally wanted to laugh.
But as the Emperor, laughing at such a moment would have a negative impact and easily discourage officials. He suppressed it; he had to suppress it.
Suddenly,
An official stepped forward to the center and, with a thud, knelt on both knees, crying out in a mournful and desolate voice, “Your Majesty, this minister wishes to impeach someone.”
“Whom do you wish to impeach?”
The official said, “This minister wishes to impeach Lin Fan, the Head of the Anzhou Public Security Bureau.”
“Oh? What do you accuse him of?”
“This minister wishes to impeach him for disregarding the law. Yesterday, he forcibly entered the Grand Tutor’s mansion in public, dragged the Grand Tutor out of his residence, and publicly humiliated him, causing the Grand Tutor to suffer severe injuries. I implore Your Majesty to uphold justice for the Grand Tutor and severely punish such a villain!”
As he spoke, the civil official could not help but sob.
The Emperor looked at the Grand Tutor, his face etched with astonishment. “Grand Tutor, your face…”
