Chapter 77: Reversals Are Always Quick

  Mao Tianning's position in the Ministry of War was that of a chief official, which was a sixth-grade official rank. In terms of ranking, it was not much different from that of the Commander-in-Chief of the Five Cities Military Command. However, in reality, there was still a big difference between the two. Mao Tianning's position as Chief Official was under the Ministry of War's Armory and Ordnance Department, with primary responsibilities including recording the quantity of weapons and equipment, without much actual power. In contrast, the Commander-in-Chief of the Five Cities Military Command was equivalent to the Director-General of Public Security in the capital city, wielding great power that surpassed even that of a typical fourth-grade official.

  If Mao Tianning were just a patrol leader, the team leader would not have taken him seriously, but Mao Tianning also had an identity as the son of the Minister of War, Mao Wenhui. This identity is probably one that can be counted on one hand in the Ming Dynasty.

  "Hurry! Hurry up." Mao Tianning led the group to rush towards Tianxiang Building, this team of twenty people were all equipped with swords, and those little rascals in Tianxiang Building didn't dare to resist.

  Rushing into the Tianxiang Building, Mao Tianning immediately saw his younger brother Mao Tijing with a bright red and swollen head doing frog jumps in an empty space in the hall. It was clear that he had been jumping for a long time and was now covered in sweat and panting heavily. As for the other guards, they were all knocked to the ground, not one of them able to get up.

  Seeing Mao Tianning lead people over, Mao Tianjing immediately shouted: "Third Brother!" and then ran over.

  "It's them, take them down, take them all down!" Mao Tianning pulled Mao Tianjing behind him and pointed at Jiang Xia, shouting loudly.

  Liang Wenhuan suddenly jumped out and shouted loudly: "My grandfather is the Minister of the Board of War, Liang Chu. Who dares to touch a single hair on me?"

  "My grandfather was Wang Wen, the Minister of Revenue. If you dare, try to move me." Wang Wenbo also jumped out and said.

  Of course, Xia Fengchou was not willing to be left behind either, and immediately shouted loudly: "My grandfather is the Left Vice Director of the Ducha Yamen!"

  Then others also started shouting one after another, each loudly calling out "My grandfather is..." or "My father is..."

  It is undeniable that the family background of each member of Tianban is not to be underestimated, and every single one of them can intimidate a large group of people. However, everything in this world is either too much or too little. If it were said that among these people, there was only one or two whose parents were high-ranking officials in the imperial court, perhaps the patrol team and Mao Tianning would still believe it. But how could it be possible for every single one of them to have a parent who is a third-rank official?

  Of course, it's possible, but Mao Tianning didn't believe it. He sneered and said, "You can't even tell a lie properly, if you put it that way, all the high-ranking officials in the imperial court would be your grandfathers or fathers."

  "That's right!" The people on duty almost replied in unison.

  Mao Tianning smiled slightly and turned to look at the patrol team leader beside him, asking: "Captain, do you believe it?"

  The team was still half-believing and half-doubting, but at this moment, seeing Mao Tianning's determined appearance, the team suddenly had a plan. He said in a low voice: "Come on, take them all down!"

  As soon as the squad leader said that, everyone in the Tianxiang Building was stunned. What kind of situation is this? A small squad leader from the Wucheng Army actually dared to lay hands on them?

  "Who dares to move me!" Liang Wenhuan shouted loudly, grabbing a bench.

  "Clang!" All twenty patrol soldiers drew their sabers from their waists.

  "The team leader shouted loudly: 'Who dares to move rashly will be charged with resisting arrest!'"

  "Slow!" Jiang Xia shouted, taking a step forward. "One person does something and one person takes responsibility. There are so many people here, not everyone has beaten someone up. It's not necessary to take everyone away." After finishing speaking, Jiang Xia looked at the team leader coldly and said: "Even if you don't believe our identities, at least you can feel that our family background is not bad. Catching a few main culprits would be enough, why bother offending everyone? Some people may not be able to protect you for a lifetime."

  Dui Zheng listened and also weighed in his heart, he glanced at Mao Tianning beside him. Mao Tianning thought for a moment and pointed to several people: "Those who just took action include these few, let's catch them first and punish them."

  Mao Tianning roughly pointed out six people including Wang Wenbo, Liang Wenhuan and Xia Fengchou, of course, Jiang Xia was among them.

  Jiang Xia turned around and said to the crowd of Tianban: "You go first, return to rescue the soldiers and come back to Wucheng Bingmashi to save us."

  "Alright! Brother Jiang, rest assured that we won't let you suffer any losses." The people on night shift also didn't hesitate and those who weren't pointed out by Mao Tianning left one after another.

  Jiang Xia glanced at the six people including Liang Wenhuan, smiled and said: "Let's go, we'll first go to the Wu Chengbingmashi Yamen to take a look, after coming out we'll come back here to have a good drink."

  "Alright! Let's listen to Big Brother." Liang Wenhuan and Wang Wenbo suddenly felt a surge of heroic spirit in their hearts, and they burst out laughing loudly.

  Jiang Xia and others followed the Wucheng Bingma Si people out. When Mao Tianjing saw Liang Wennan, he suddenly became furious. He lifted one foot and kicked it towards Liang Wennan. Who knew that Jiang Xia's speed was faster? He lifted one foot and kicked Mao Tianjing flying out.

  "What are you doing?" Ma Tianning bellowed.

  The rest of the patrol team also took out their knives and surrounded Jiang Xia.

  Jiang Xia coldly said to the team: "The Five Cities Military Office is a government office, not someone's private property. Moreover, the Five Cities Military Office only has the responsibility of capturing, but no right to punish. Without going through the trial of Shuntian Prefecture Government Office, I'll see who dares to touch our hair!"

  The leader of the patrol team was also secretly wondering, although it was a bit unusual for so many nobles to gather together, but Jiang Xia and his group seemed so confident, looking like they had nothing to fear, could it be that what they said about their identities were all true?

  Thinking of this, Qi made a bow to Mao Tianning and said: "Sir, if there's nothing else, let's talk about it at the yamen later. Please don't make things difficult for me in front of so many people."

  Ma Tianning glared at Jiang Xia fiercely and then nodded: "Alright! Wait until we get to the yamen, I'll have a good play with them."

  Jiang Xia and his group followed Mao Tianning to the Wucheng Military Governor's Mansion, where Mao Tianning went straight to the inner hall to meet with Commander Jiang Feng.

  Jiang Feng and Mao Tianning were already acquainted, and as soon as they met, he warmly entertained them.

  Soon, Mao Tianning told Jiang Feng about what had just happened at the Tianxiang Building. After listening, Jiang Feng immediately patted his chest and promised to help Mao Tianning get revenge. He then changed into official attire and walked to the main hall of the government office with great fanfare.

  The yamen of the Wucheng Military Command is different from that of Shuntian Prefecture. It is mainly used for interrogating prisoners, so the main hall is closed and no civilians are allowed to enter. Moreover, several wooden crosses have been erected on the drill ground outside the hall, indicating that corporal punishment is frequently meted out here.

  Jiang Feng walked out, and the seven people including Jiang Xia were standing upright with their heads held high. Seeing that the seven people didn't react at all when they saw him, as if he didn't exist. Jiang Feng was furious, and immediately slapped the long table in front of him, shouting: "You dare not to kneel when you see me? Are you a reckless rebel?"

  Wang Wenbo glanced at Jiang Feng and said calmly: "Are you sure you want us to kneel? I hope you won't regret it later."

  "Little one, your tone isn't small at all! Come on, give me ten slaps in the face before we talk!" Jiang Feng said lightly.

  To know that the slap in the yamen is not used with hands, but with a half-foot long wooden block, and there is an iron plate inside the wooden block. If you are slapped ten times, your face will probably be completely rotten.

  Jiang heard Jiang Feng wanting to slap his own mouth, and Wang Wenbo was also startled. Jiang Xia suddenly took a step forward and said, "Wait a minute."

  Jiang Feng was taken aback, and Jiang Xia stepped forward with a bow: "Sir, the matter of hitting someone just now was entirely my doing. If you want to punish me, I am willing to accept it. However, I think it would be better if I signed the statement first before being punished. That way, no one can say that you are abusing your authority."

  "Heh heh." Jiang Feng smiled slightly and nodded, "You're quite sensible. Alright, let's put the punishment on hold for now, Master will go prepare the indictment papers."

  "Yes!" A government official-like person walked over and began to ask Jiang Xia and the others about what had happened, of course every question asked by the official was very leading.

  Just at this moment, there was a great commotion in the capital.

  Everyone in the Heavenly Group returned home, and as soon as they entered the house, they found their own old men at home and began to cry out about their grievances. They spoke with great skill, first talking about today's Guozi Jian and Xun Literary Society, and then talking about going to Tianxiang Lou to celebrate.

  But the first person to receive the news was not the old masters of the Tianban monitoring households, but Li Dongyang who lived in the Li Mansion.

  As for Jiang Xia, Li Dongyang was very tense, so although he knew that Zhong Bin would secretly protect him, he also sent Jun Yang to secretly protect him. In the afternoon, Jun Yang returned first and told Li Dongyang about Jiang Xia's solitary retreat in the Guzi Jian, where five university students were studying literature, and Li Dongyang nodded repeatedly after hearing it. Then at night, Jun Yang rushed back hastily and directly reported the matter of Tian Xiang Lou.

  Li Dongyang heard the surname Mao, he immediately slapped the table and said in a low voice: "It must be the third and sixth of the Mao Wenju's family who are not competitive. Prepare the horse carriage for me and go to the Five Armies Military Office immediately!"

  Outside the gate of the Five Armies Military Command, Zhong Bin thought for a moment and still didn't directly rush in. It wasn't that he was afraid, but rather he worried that if he rushed in like this, Jiang Xia would guess his identity, and then deduce Zhu Houzhao's identity from there.

  Zhuge Liang had given strict orders, forbidding anyone from revealing his identity.

  Zhong Bin thought for a moment and decided to go to Jin Yiwei immediately to gather his men and let the people of Jin Yiwei handle this matter.

  Inside the Wucheng Military Command's yamen, Jiang Xia was still deliberately dragging out the time, but Jiang Feng had finally become impatient. He let out a loud roar: "Alright! Stop quibbling over trivial details and just get him to sign and affix his seal for now."

  The master nodded and pointed to a blank space on the indictment, letting Jiang Xia sign his name.

  Jiang Xia picked up his brush, hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly wrote a few big characters on it - "Let your mother fart!"

  The master was furious at once, he took out the indictment paper and showed it to Jiang Fengdao: "Sir, look at this..."

  Jiang Fengyi looked and suddenly became angry, shouting loudly: "Rebelled! Come on!"

  "Your Honor!" A soldier suddenly ran in from outside the yamen, trembling with fear as he said: "Li... Li Taifu has arrived. He says we've arrested his... his disciple."

  "What?" Jiang Feng was taken aback for a moment, and he looked at Jiang Xia in surprise.

  "Great, Master is here!" Jiang Xia exclaimed excitedly, clapping his hands together.

  "Oh no! The Minister of Justice, Right Servitor-in-attendance Liang Chu, the Left Servitor-in-attendance of the Ministry of Revenue Wang Wen-zhi, and the Left Vice Censor-in-chief Xia Yuan-ming have all arrived together, saying that we've arrested his grandson..."

  "What?" Jiang Feng was stunned on the spot and subconsciously took a few steps back.

  Wang Wenbo, Liang Wenhuan and Xia Fengchao also clapped their hands excitedly and said in unison: "Great, Grandpa is here too."

  "Senior official... Dalisi Temple Minister, Left Servicing Official of the Ministry of Justice, Honglusi Temple Minister..."

  Upon hearing the names, Jiang Feng was directly frightened into a daze. Meanwhile, Mao Tianning and Mao Tianjing, who were hiding in the side hall to observe the situation, were directly stunned. The two exchanged a glance, and Mao Tianjing asked Mao Tianning: "Third Brother, what do we do now?"

  "Go! Hurry back home and find your father..." Mao Tianning said.

  The two of them agreed to leave from the back door, but as soon as they opened it, they ran into Zhong Bin leading the Brocade Guards. Zhong Bin looked up at Mao Tianning and Mao Tianjing and said: "Two young masters, where are you planning on going?"

  Mao Tianning did not expect that Jin Yiwei would also intervene, so he forced himself to say: "I... where is the young master going, what does it have to do with you?"

  "Take them down!" Zhong Bin shouted sternly, and the Brocade Guards behind him immediately rushed forward to capture Mao Tianning and Mao Tianjing. Zhong Bin smiled and whispered to Mao Tianning, "You're quite bold, daring to provoke someone whom the Emperor has entrusted me to protect."

  Outside the gate of the Five Cities Military Command, horse-drawn carriages gathered one after another. After getting off the carriage, people greeted each other, and suddenly everyone saw Li Dongyang. Although he had already retired, the remaining prestige of being the former head of the civil officials was still there, and everyone came to pay their respects to Li Dongyang.

  Li Dongyang smiled and asked the crowd why they came, and the officials each said that their own children were doing well. Then everyone asked Li Dongyang in unison why he had come, and Li Dongyang smiled and said: "My beloved disciple Jiang Xia is inside, after he entered the Imperial Academy, your wise grandsons are classmates, don't forget to let them get along well."

  "That's natural, that's natural..." said a group of ministers with a smile.

  Not long after, Jiang Xia and the other seven were released. The Tianban crowd waiting outside the Wucheng Army Department immediately went forward to ask about the situation. Seeing this, Liang Chu couldn't help but smile and say: "It seems that we don't need to explain anything, they are already very close."

  "Hahaha……" The group of old ministers in the court suddenly burst out laughing.

  Right after that, someone suggested continuing to Tianxiang Building for a drink, and the crowd immediately agreed. The old ministers did not object either; didn't they often linger in such places when they were young? Everyone bid farewell and left, but before leaving, they all said don't forget tomorrow morning at the early court meeting to report to the Five Cities Military Commander and Minister of War Mao Wenju.

  One is abuse of power, and the other is dereliction of duty.

  Tianxiang Building, the pillar of the country, and the future of the Great Ming Dynasty has arrived again. Seeing these people walking in with such arrogance, how could the old madam of Tianxiang Building not guess what had happened?

  Jiang Xia directly took out a silver ingot to buy the entire Tianxiang Building. In the grand hall of Tianxiang Building, everyone raised their cups to celebrate together. Someone suggested: "Why don't we unite and form some kind of faction? From now on, who in the capital would dare to be arrogant with us?"

  "This idea is good, everyone unite together, just in case we enter officialdom in the future, it's also good to have mutual support."

  Jiang Xia looked at the excited and echoing crowd, his heart was deeply moved. This group of young people did not understand what this proposal meant.