The Glory After Rebirth [ɇÇ”Ÿä¹‹Å°Šè£] Chapter 10- 12

Chapter 10: Do You Want to Rebel?

Looking at Tao Feng’s expression, Ling Zhang knew that he had won half the battle today.

Tan Yang was a very special place where the Prefecture Guards had more power to hold down the civil servant group headed by Tao Feng. In Ling Zhang’s last life, the reason the government officials had been directed against Ling Family was because Zhang Chong, the commander of Prefecture Guards, put pressure on the government behind the scenes. Besides, it was also because of the support of Zhang Chong that Jia Family dared to act so presumptuously.

The Prefecture Guards almost laid down the law in Tan Yang. The Prefecture Guards commander, Zhang Chong, was actually the local tyrant.

However, Tao Feng extremely hated to obey Zhang Chong’s order when he wanted to do something. What Fang shi said was like a knife poked on Tao Feng’s heart.

Fang shi bit her lips. She also knew that she had deeply offended Tao Feng. It would be more difficult to restore the relationship with Tao Feng in the future. But Jia Yuanling was crying for help, which stimulated her again and again. Therefore, even if she would offend Tao Feng openly, she had to delay the time to wait for Zhang Chong to save her son.

Fang shi said, “Your honor, Commander Zhang always appreciates Yuanling and treats him as his own nephew. Now, you don’t tell Commander Zhang before arresting Yuanling. Isn’t it too much?”

After her words were finished, Ling Zhang sneered.

Fang shi’s eyes, with animosity and coldness, immediately turned to Ling Zhang. Her tone was also as cold as frost, “What are you laughing at?”

“I’m laughing at you. You are truly an ignorant and stupid woman.” Ling Zhang sneered.

“How dare you! You not only interrupt when elders are speaking, but also dare to calumniate me. How arrogant of you!” Fang shi blamed with anger. She said maliciously, “It’s definitely true that people would lack refinement without parents to teach.”

Ling Zhang’s eyes quickly became cold. “If my parents are like you, I would rather have no parents. Having a stupid mother like you, Jia Yuanling is so unlucky. Having a hostess like you, Jia Family’s deceased ancestors must be infuriated to the extent of even climbing out of their graves.”

“According to the law, Prefecture Guards can’t intervene in local government affairs, and military and political affairs mustn’t be mixed. But now you want the Prefecture Guards to prevent the chief executive of Tan Yang to handle the case, and to threaten him by using the military power to oppress the government. Mrs. Jia, does it follow that your Jia family override all laws? Does it follow that Commander Zhang Chong has been with you to slight the law and ignore the warnings of His Majesty? Does it follow that the whole Tan Yang belongs to Zhang Chong and your Jia Family, and that you have already nursed the treacherous intention to rebel?”

Ling Zhang’s just and severe statement shocked others, and everyone’s face changed slightly.

Fang shi turned ghastly pale immediately. Under the doubtful eyes of Tao Feng and others, she defended urgently, “No. Your honor, please make a judicious judgement. I never have such an intention.”

Although Fang shi was always calm, as a woman, she was inevitably panicked when Ling Zhang charged treason against her.

Tao Feng became more serious. He looked at Ling Zhang with satisfaction before he said to Fang shi strictly, “Save your breath. You can save your defense to the court!”

Fang shi stepped back with her tight lips trembling. She was frightened by Ling Zhang and her chest heaved with suppressed rage. But she could not find anything to refute.

“Ah. Young master!”

“Boom!”

Five young men, including Jia Yuanling, had been tied up. But one of them suddenly broke free from the bondage and started to kick and smash things. What he broke were the pot plants that had been moved by Ling Zhang to make illusive trap, including the pot of strongly-scented flower.

Ling Zhang first wrinkled his brow, and then he was happy.

He had achieved his goal. The illusive trap was no longer needed, he thought. So it was great to be destroyed, in case other people recognized it.

Chapter 11: Uncle Appeared

“Second Master, bad news! Young Master met some trouble at Jia family!”

In the Prefecture Yamen, the servant of Ling family ran straight towards the Tongzhi Office to find the second master of Ling family, Ling Zhaowen, who was on duty at that time.

T/N note: Tongzhi, a fifth ranked official, is a deputy of Zhifu, the highest magistrate of a prefecture.

Ling Zhaowen said with a disapproving frown, “Why did you come here shouting so loud along the way? That’s so rude.”

Quickly swallowing, the servant hurried to report the matter after regaining his breath, “Second Master, young master is in trouble. Lord Tao’s attendant, Wang Ke, who took the token of Lord Tao back, urgently dispatched ten yamen runners to Jia family. Seeing me, he told me to inform you that young master got trouble at Jia family. Jia Yuanling of Jia family tried to frame young master for committing adultery with Jia Yin’s new concubine.”

Ling Zhaowen’s face changed greatly, and he suddenly stood up that made the chair bang heavily on the ground with a loud noise. “What did you say?”

The servant quickly breathed again, and continued, “…But it was penetrated by other people. Now young master has sued Jia Yuanling to court. And Lord Tao arranged yamen runners to Jia family to arrest Jia Yuanling!”

Ling Zhaowen breathed with ease, and because of enormous mood swings, his back was full of cold sweat. “Now hurry up! Let’s go to Jia family!”

Rushing to Jia family with the servant, Ling Zhaowen met a bunch of people halfway with Tao Feng and Ling Zhang in the lead.

The coldness and fierceness on Ling Zhang’s face was quickly replaced by surprise, and his eyes brightened up upon seeing Ling Zhaowen. “Uncle!”

Even though he had turned the situation of the previous life around and successfully captured Jia Yuanling and the other conspirators, the joy could not be compared with meeting his uncle at this moment.

It was his uncle who was still alive, safe and sound.

Ling Zhang’s heart grew heavy, and his throat felt tight as if being blocked by something. And his eyes quickly reddened. Looking at Ling Zhaowen with those innocent eyes, it seemed that Ling Zhang would burst into cry when he said a word.

With a quick glance, Ling Zhaowen saw his nephew who wore a look of being severely wronged, and that made he so distressed. Walking towards Ling Zhang quickly, Ling Zhaowen raised his hands and pressed them on Ling Zhang’s shoulder steadily before calming his nephew with a soothing wink. When he turned his head, Ling Zhaowen changed into an angry face to look at Tao Feng, “Lord Tao, what happened?”

“Zhaowen, Ling Zhang was wronged in this case, and I will do him justice.” Tao Feng said.

“My nephew is the most self-disciplined and well-behaved. How dare the Jia family frame my nephew? What a beastly bully!” Ling Zhaowen fumed.

Tao Feng appeased him, “All of us saw everything clearly. You can rest assured that Jia Yuanling and other people who actually committed adultery with Jia Yin’s concubine, have been caught up. And this magistrate will not let Ling Zhang be treated unfairly.”

Ling Zhaowen was shocked, what? He only thought that Jia Yuanling just framed Ling Zhang, but he did not expect that Jia Yuanling had done such an outrageous thing!

Ling Zhang raised his hand and tugged at Ling Zhaowen’s sleeve. He pulled it gently, and said with a hoarse voice, “Uncle.”

Although Ling Zhang had fought hard to keep his cool, his voice was still somewhat hoarse.

“Let’s not block the road of Lord Tao. It’s urgent for him to go back to the Prefecture Yamen.”

Looking at his nephew’s eyes, Ling Zhaowen realized something all of a sudden, and he immediately made the way for Tao Feng. “Lord Tao, please.”

Nodding his head and looking at Ling Zhang cryptically with appreciation in eyes, Tao Feng led the crowd to the Prefecture Yamen.

Walking side by side with Ling Zhang, Ling Zhaowen whispered, “What was all that about? Tell me about it.”

Telling Ling Zhaowen everything that had happened in Jia family, Ling Zhang later said to Ling Zhaowen, “Uncle, please invite Tongpan to Yamen as soon as possible.”

T/N: Tongpan, a sixth ranked official assisting Zhifu.

Ling Zhaowen had already known the whole matter. After listening to Ling Zhang’s words, he frowned as he weighed his words, “Zhang’er, you should know that Tongzhi has already been bribed by Zhang Chong. Even if he came, there is no way that he would help with the case.”

Maybe he didn’t want to upset Ling Zhang, Ling Zhaowen said in a tone of hesitation and embarrassment.

“Uncle, I know that. I don’t expect him to uphold justice, but…” Ling Zhang then leaned closer to whisper by Ling Zhaowen’s ear, “What if Zhang Chong wants to revolt? Tongpan will leave office and return to the capital a month later. After he learns of the case at this subtle time, do you think that the alignment of interest between him and Zhang Chong can still be so stable? Tongpan will have some suspicions and concerns, so is the case with Zhang Chong.”

“Revolt?” Ling Zhaowen was shocked.

Ling Zhang held his uncle’s hands tightly to calm him down, “Uncle, Zhang Chong would certainly not revolt.”

“Well, why…”

“We only guide in words.” Ling Zhang fixed his eyes upon him, “Then we have to face the big difficulty that Zhang Chong will definitely come here to save Jia Yuanling. We must make Zhang Chong have scruples so that we can hold him back. Otherwise, everything I did today is in vain.”

Ling Zhaowen was not stupid, of course he soon understood, “Would it work?”

“We’ve got the advantage in this case. All people who were present at that time are all my witnesses, and I have already made a foreshadowing.” Ling Zhang told Ling Zhaowen what he said to Fang shi at the time.

Ling Zhaowen was shocked because he didn’t expect Ling Zhang to say those words. Looking at the sharp light shining in Ling Zhang’s eyes, Ling Zhaowen could not help but change his view towards his nephew.

“Uncle, we don’t have much time, you have to hurry up.” Ling Zhang told him.

Ling Zhaowen rushed over here to shelter his nephew at first, but he didn’t expect that his nephew had already arranged everything. And unexpectedly, he was actually convinced.

“All right.”

Chapter 12: Don’t Let Me Down

After his Second Uncle left, Ling Zhang glanced the people around him in secret.

What Tao Feng had answered to Ling Zhang’s Second Uncle sounded quite interesting. In fact, their procession passed through many streets, which easily drew many people’s attention. Tao Feng’s words directly spread the news that Jia Yuanling fornicated with Jia Yin’s concubine. It would be disseminated throughout the whole Tanyang soon.

Ling Zhang walked close to Tao Feng and looked at him. “Your honor, according to the common practice, this kind of case should be heard in open court, right?” Ling Zhang asked.

Tao Feng looked at him with cunningness flashing in his eyes. The way he looked at Ling Zhang became more different and contained deep meanings. Tao Feng answered, “Yes. It can warn people not to do that.”

After hearing that Tao Feng agreed with him, Ling Zhang knew that Tao Feng had already understood what he meant.

Today, before Zhang Chong came to save Jia Yuanling, they must prepare well to let him have scruples in many aspects. And under the watchful eyes of the people, they would achieve what they wanted to do next more easily.

Both of them knew it well. So Ling Zhang just mentioned it without further elaboration.

At the same time, Ling Zhang also noticed Tao Yi watching him, but he did not look back. He just paid his attention on the whispers of the people around him.

“I really can’t think about that. Mr. Jia dares to fornicate with his father’s concubine.”

“Is it the dancer who Master Jia just got? I’ve said that woman was a tease. She doesn’t only make Master Jia be interested in her, but also seduces his son.”

“Look at Mr. Jia. It seems that he is out of his mind. He must have been totally enchanted by that woman!”

“That’s true. He isn’t like an intellectual at all now.”

“Pah, what a shame!”

“Jia Family loses its face totally this time.”

“Those young men’s faces seem familiar. They are probably the cousins of Jia Family. Do they also commit something?”

“Were they also caught when fornicating with that coquettish woman?”

“Alas, it’s impossible to judge a man’s heart from his face. They usually look good. But they dare to do such shameless things secretly!”

……

At first, people just talked about it in a low voice. Later, the sound of discussion became louder and louder. The whole street was talking about this.

Someone in the crowd began to throw out a stinky egg, which smashed Jia Yuanling’s back. The stench immediately spread out, which nauseated the people around him.

Jia Yuanling almost fainted because of anger at that time. His face turned deathly pale. His usual elegant appearance was replaced by his ferocious features. Jia Yuanling stared at the back of Ling Zhang who stood in front of him. His eyes were full of hate and panic.

Jia Yuanling knew that his name had been mudded today. If he was convicted of adultery with concubine in the court, he would definitely have a unsavory reputation!

“Disperse the people watching in front of us. Let’s go back to yamen quickly!” Tao Feng shouted.

Yamen runners quickly separated the people on both sides before they quickened their steps to the state’s yamen.

As they left, people curious about the drama also followed them. So when they arrived at the state’s yamen, its door had already been surrounded by the people of Tanyang.

Before Tao Feng went to change the official uniform, he had a look at Ling Zhang. Normal as the glance may seem, Ling Zhang read a lot of things from it. He calmly looked back at Tao Feng.

“Mr. Ling, don’t let me down.”

Ling Zhang curled the corner of his lips and said, “Your honor, please don’t worry.”

From now on, Ling Zhang and Tao Feng were on the same boat. However, he was also very clear that in Tao Feng’s view, he was still not someone eligible for cooperation. It was merely mutual backscratching. Ling Zhang must win this time so that Tao Feng would acknowledge his ability and think highly of him.