Descendant of an Old Friend

County Office.

Household Affairs Office.

Steward Sun was discussing the buying and selling of prisoners with Zhou Yi in front of all the clerks and colleagues, obviously a well-known secret in Barren City.

Those who live near the mountain live off the mountain; those who live near the water live off the water.

The Barren City government lives by selling prisoners.

Twelve hundred taels could fake the deaths of exiled prisoners in the mines, change their names and register them in Barren City. After a few years, with some connections, they could be moved to other prefectures, completely washing them clean as commoners.

"Don't think it's expensive, Mr. Zhou, this money doesn't go into our pockets."

Steward Sun pointed upwards, "The magistrate is a jinshi from twelve years ago, do you understand?"

"So he's a student of Minister Zhang!"

Zhou Yi showed respect and whispered, "That year's palace examination was quite turbulent. All eyes were on the announcement of the results, and Minister Zhang took the opportunity to remove the Minister of War..."

As he spoke, he made a grasping gesture, glanced at everyone in the Household Affairs Office, and said, "Do you know why?"

Steward Sun cupped his hands, "Please enlighten us, sir!"

The clerks in the Household Affairs Office pricked up their ears, recording such secrets of the dynasty. Telling them to colleagues over drinks would be top-notch gossip, as enjoyable as discussing international politics at a barbecue stall.

"That year, the Duke Who Pacifies the Nation won a great victory at the Northern Frontier, taking the opportunity to invade Great Yong with great momentum!"

Zhou Yi slowly said, "The then Minister of War was originally a great general, who had joined forces with the Duke Who Pacifies the Nation to defeat the Cang Huang rebels in Jiangnan. The two of them, one inside and one outside the court, were unstoppable."

"Minister Zhang took this opportunity to take him down, breaking the dynasty's convention of appointing a civil official as Minister of War..."

"Hiss!"

Steward Sun no longer doubted that this Mr. Zhou was definitely from Shenjing, and respectfully said, "Sir, please sit down, I'll go urge those lazy fellows to get things done!"

"Thank you, Steward."

Zhou Yi's manners were polite and restrained, with both demeanor and momentum, yet not condescending, making people feel like a spring breeze.

In a short while, he was chatting happily with the clerks of the Household Affairs Office.

Casually mentioning some Shenjing secrets, such as a certain high official retiring to his hometown, only to find out he didn't pay his bill at the Spring Breeze Pavilion, owing tens of thousands of taels of silver. As a result, the girl whispered sweet nothings to the censor.

After a dozen impeachments, the high official lost all face and had to beg to retire.

Such things were just street rumors and not to be taken seriously. The real reason for retirement could not be known by ordinary people, but people preferred to hear these scandalous stories.

Steward Sun was surprised, "What kind of place is the Spring Breeze Pavilion that it can persuade a censor to impeach someone?"

"Ordinary people who go to Shenjing only know that the Department of Music and Entertainment is a good place, but that's not the case. The Department of Music and Entertainment is only for minor officials and clerks. The real gold-digging cave in Shenjing is the Spring Breeze Pavilion..."

As soon as Zhou Yi mentioned this, everyone became excited.

Originally, he was just chatting with the clerks in the Household Affairs Office, but after Zhou Yi commented on three or five courtesans, the others from the six offices all gathered around.

Zhou Yi was most familiar with three places in Shenjing.

Home, the Heavenly Prison, and the Spring Breeze Pavilion.

Having spent over twenty years in the Spring Breeze Pavilion, Zhou Yi had in-depth exchanges with the twenty-odd courtesans selected during that time, and his comments were insightful and to the point.

Among a group of men, talking about women is the best way to build relationships, and it has been so since ancient times!

Zhou Yi sighed, "The courtesan Su Xiaoxiao, who was selected the year before last, can be considered the best in the last ten years. Unfortunately, before she could even be initiated, she caught the eye of Duke Wei, who spent money to buy her into the Duke's mansion as a concubine."

"A woman of the dust can also enter the Duke's mansion?"

"Duke Wei, that's a top-notch big shot!"

"She really has a good life!"

"..."

Everyone discussed animatedly. The endings of the previous courtesans were not very good. Those who retired quickly married merchants as concubines, and most of them became ordinary prostitutes after they aged and lost their beauty.

"You're all wrong, the one with the worst life is this Su Xiaoxiao!"

Zhou Yi changed his tone, piquing everyone's curiosity, and slowly sipped his tea, "That Duke is also afraid of his wife. Not long after Su Xiaoxiao entered the mansion, she accidentally fell into a well and died."

"Alas..."

"What a pity!"

"The best in the last ten years, I had no chance to see her!"

"Heaven is jealous of beauty!"

"I said, how could a mere prostitute have such a good life?"

No one condemned the Duke's wife for killing someone, and even despised Su Xiaoxiao for deserving it. A prostitute trying to climb the Duke's mansion was simply asking for trouble.

The lecherous Duke Wei, on the other hand, aroused everyone's goodwill because he was afraid of his wife.

Even a dignified Duke is afraid of his wife, and I'm also afraid of my wife, so doesn't that mean I'm equal to the Duke?

Such is the way of the world, and no one can change it.

As they were talking, a sound of footsteps came, and a constable led seven prisoners in prison clothes into the room.

The mine was a dozen or so miles from Barren City, and with the time needed to verify identities, the round trip would take at least four or five hours. As dusk approached, the officials finally brought the people back.

Of the Wei family, over a hundred were exiled, and after more than twenty years, only seven remained, clinging to life.

Zhou Yi scanned the faces of the prisoners and asked the oldest-looking man, "Are you a descendant of the Wei hero?"

"Reporting to you, benefactor, I am Wei Jun, the third son of Wei Chang."

Wei Jun had already heard from the officials on the way that this gentleman was an old friend of the Wei family and had come to Barren City to spend money to save them.

After rescuing Li Hong, Zhou Yi changed his appearance from when he was in the Heavenly Prison, becoming a slightly aged forty-five-year-old.

He deliberately used this appearance to reveal that he had received kindness from Wei Chang, which could explain the origin of his internal energy. If others knew about this, it wouldn't cause much trouble; on the contrary, they would admire Zhou Yi for repaying kindness.

Zhou Yi asked, "The Wei hero was kind to me in the past, and today I am here to repay that kindness. Think carefully, do you want to return to your old home or stay in the Northern Frontier?"

"Benefactor, we have already discussed it on the way. We will not return to Yu Province and will stay in the Northern Frontier to make a living."

Wei Jun replied, "We will wait a few decades before returning to offer incense and pay respects to our ancestors."

Only twenty years had passed since the Wei Chang case, and there were still many enemies of the Wei family in Yu Province. Even if they changed their names, if someone recognized and reported them, the court would send people to verify their identities.

"Mm."

Zhou Yi agreed and took out a stack of silver notes from his sleeve. "I must trouble Steward Sun. I see that there are many empty houses in Barren City. Can we buy one for the Wei family to live in?"

"You jest, sir. There's no need to buy abandoned houses and dilapidated courtyards; just pick one and transfer the ownership."

Steward Sun took the silver notes, at least fifteen or sixteen, and said with a beaming smile, "If the Wei family is willing to stay in the city, they can all be arranged to work in the household department. They can guard the granary on weekdays, and they will never lack food and drink."

When Wei Jun saw Zhou Yi looking over, he quickly agreed, "Thank you, benefactor! Thank you, Steward Sun!"

The Wei family was endlessly grateful to Zhou Yi. Only after their family was destroyed did they realize the truth of friendships. In the past, the Wei family had a considerable reputation in Yu Province, and the Flying Rainbow Swordsman had extensive connections, but when disaster struck, not a single person offered a helping hand.

Most friendships in the martial world are based on wining and dining. Occasionally, there are one or two heroes, and they become widely circulated stories, but one must not assume that this is always the case.

"Old Sun, the strongman squad is short of people. Why not come and work for us? Patrolling the mines is quite carefree."

"The military department is also short of people. Guarding the city gate is lucrative."

"Nothing is easier than my etiquette department. We don't even need to clock in every day, after all, there isn't even a scholar in the city!"

"..."

The stewards of the three departments and six ministries spoke up one after another, partly because they saw that Zhou Yi had an extraordinary background, and partly for the sake of the silver.

Zhou Yi cupped his hands and said with a smile.

"Thank you, everyone. Please take care of the Wei family in the future. When I go to Shenjing, I can't guarantee the Spring Breeze Pavilion courtesan, but anything else is at your disposal!"

There was a burst of laughter.