Chapter 501

After Li Xuancheng returned to the capital, he was greeted by a pile of impeachment memorials. They covered the sky and covered the earth like snowflakes, burying Li Xuancheng.

Li Xuancheng was extremely vexed. "I traveled day and night and just rushed back from Jinling. You Imperial Censors are all stuck in the capital and have never been to Jinling. Do you know what happened there? Why do all of you make it sound so real? "

But … there was no other way! This was the power given to the censors by the court. The censors could "hear rumors": If I hear something, I can use it to sue you. As for whether the news I hear is true or false, it's not up to me and I'm not responsible. If you want to prove your innocence, you have to prove it.

Where could poor Li Guoshu find evidence? This kind of thing always made things worse. Most of it was shameful "privacy" and there was no evidence to find. Moreover, the relationship between the civil officials and the imperial family was innately antagonistic. They had long disliked each other. Now that there was a chance, they would take advantage of it.

Li Xuancheng couldn't defend himself and could only hide in his mansion to sulk. In any case, these people could scold him but they couldn't do anything to him. During this period, even Empress Dowager Li and Emperor Wanli had summoned him one after another and questioned him doubtfully. Li Xuancheng wanted to cry but no tears came out. He could only swear to explain to them but still couldn't make them feel at ease.

Ever since Empress Dowager Li entered the palace, he was the one she interacted with the most. She trusted his character and didn't believe most of the unbearable rumors. However, there were some rumors that made Empress Dowager Li vigilant. For example, men!

Li Xuancheng should have many wives and concubines with his character, appearance, and status. However, he was still single. Empress Dowager Li originally thought that he was only focused on Dao and didn't like women. But now that she had heard the rumor that he was interested in men, she started to believe it.

There were many high officials and nobles who liked men. In high society, this was a kind of elegant thing and not something that could not be seen. There were also many aristocratic families who kept catamites in their mansions. The previous emperor died early and Empress Dowager Li had been in charge of politics at a young age. She had interacted with many foreign officials and had heard of this.

Under the influence of what she saw and heard, she was already used to this and didn't have much resistance or disgust. If Li Xuancheng was really gay, she wouldn't have minded too much. However, those aristocrats who kept catamites and played with male prostitutes were open to both men and women. Her younger brother wasn't the same. He couldn't possibly not marry and have children just because he was gay, right?

Therefore, Empress Dowager Li began to prepare for a rainy day. She began to look for daughters of the right age from aristocratic families of equal status, wanting to marry her younger brother. Li Xuancheng couldn't bear the harassment, but he couldn't escape. Just as he was suffering, he heard that the Deputy Magistrate of Gourd County, Xu Boyi, had written to the imperial court, suggesting that the Hu people of Gourd County should change their surnames and names according to Han customs.

Seeing Xu Boyi's memorial was exactly what he wanted, Emperor Wanli was very happy. He immediately forwarded it to the Cabinet and the Ministry of Rites to discuss the feasibility. The high-ranking officials of the Cabinet and the Ministry of Rites discussed it seriously and then happily agreed. They felt that this matter was feasible because Xu Boyi was only a small county magistrate. Since he dared to submit a proposal, bypassing the magistrate, it meant that he had great confidence in this matter.

But the Emperor and the Cabinet Elders underestimated the low-level officials' adventurous spirit of seeking wealth in danger. At their level, every single one of them had an enormous interest group behind them, and the slightest move would affect the entire group. They naturally couldn't act rashly and stake everything on a single throw. But who was Xu Boyi? Did he have so many ties and scruples?

Because the Imperial Court felt that this matter was feasible, the news spread in advance. This was the atmosphere after the Emperor took over the government. The people were harmonious. Imperial Uncle Li knew about this. He had always thought that Xia Yingying was from Gourd. When he heard that the proposal came from Gourd, Li Xuancheng couldn't help but have an idea.

Li Xuancheng immediately found Empress Dowager Li and volunteered. Empress Dowager Li knew that her younger brother liked to travel, so she didn't suspect anything. She took the opportunity to make use of it. After Li Xuancheng agreed to accept his sister's arrangement and go on a blind date after he returned from this trip, Empress Dowager Li mentioned it to Emperor Wanli.

Emperor Wanli didn't know that there were so many grudges between his uncle and Ye Xiaotian. Even though Jinling Prefecture reported Ye Xiaotian's transfer back to Hulu County to the imperial court, Emperor Wanli didn't care about it at all. For such a low-level official's transfer, all he needed to do was write a simple "Understood". He didn't take it to heart.

So even though he knew that there were grudges between Li Xuancheng and Ye Xiaotian, he didn't remember that Ye Xiaotian had returned to Gourd. Since Empress Dowager Li had spoken, it wasn't a big deal to send one more person as an imperial envoy. It would show the Emperor's importance to this matter, so Emperor Wanli agreed.

In fact, Li Xuancheng didn't know that Ye Xiaotian had returned to Gourd. When he hurriedly fled Nanjing, Ye Xiaotian was still an ambassador at the Ministry of Rites. He didn't know that this jinx had returned to Gourd. As the saying goes, enemies often cross each other's path.

That night, the imperial envoys were in the middle of nowhere, and they spent the night in the desolate countryside. Li Xuancheng lay in his tent, tossing and turning the entire night. He couldn't sleep, and his mind was filled with Yingying's beautiful figure. He thought about how to find her in Gourd and how to get close to her, confess his love, and win her heart.

… …

At the city gate of Gourd, the team to welcome the imperial envoy was lined up in several square formations. Standing at the very front was the team of officials from Gourd.

At the intersection in front of them was a colorful canopy. In front of the canopy was an incense table and wine. Hua Qingfeng wore a new official's robe and stood at the very front. However, he wasn't alone. Xu Boyi stood side by side with him. There wasn't even half a step between the two of them.

Xu Boyi was the County Magistrate. Logically speaking, he should stand behind Hua Qingfeng. However, the person who submitted the petition to the imperial court was Xu Boyi, and the imperial court's reply was also directed to Xu Boyi. Therefore, the person who was supposed to welcome the imperial envoy today was actually the County Magistrate Xu. Hua Qingfeng only had the title of the County Magistrate, so he was able to stand at the very front with Xu Boyi.

This situation meant that the first and second in command of Gourd had completely fallen out. Therefore, Hua Qingfeng stood at the front with a straight face. He didn't even look at Xu Boyi. His expression was extremely unfriendly.

On the other hand, Xu Boyi was beaming with joy. He didn't care what Hua Qingfeng thought at the moment. He had already entered the eyes of the Emperor and the Cabinet Elders. As long as this matter was done in a dignified manner, he would be able to achieve meteoric success in the near future. Why would he care about Hua Qingfeng's expression?

Standing behind Xu Boyi and Hua Qingfeng were Patrol Inspector Luo and Director Gu. These two officials didn't really get involved in the government affairs of Gourd County. However, one of them was the highest military official in Gourd County, and the other was the highest academic official in Gourd County. Their ranks weren't low, so they stood behind the County Magistrate.

On the third row were Register Wang and Yeh Dianshi. Register Wang came to greet the imperial envoy with a 'sick' expression. His complexion didn't look good, as if he was really sick. Because when Xu Boyi secretly submitted the letter, he had cast him aside, so he would not be able to get any benefit out of this.

Hua Qingfeng, Ye Xiaotian, and Xu Boyi were enemies. Being excluded by Xu Boyi wasn't a big deal, but Wang Ning and Xu Boyi were on the same side. He could have gotten some benefits, but now, all of them fell into Xu Boyi's pocket. Register Wang's hatred for Xu Boyi was even greater than his hatred for Hua Qingfeng.

However, Xu Boyi didn't care. He really didn't care. How could a lousy chicken coop like Gourd County be a place to lock a golden phoenix like him? He should have jumped out a long time ago, and he was about to jump out now. He didn't care what those people thought.

On both sides of the road were the representatives of the local gentry and the common people. The gentry's representatives were divided into two groups. One group wore scholarly robes, which were obviously the Han people. The other group wore all kinds of strange clothes, which were the same for the common people.

Judging from the number of people, those wearing strange clothes made up more than two-thirds of the welcoming party. This was the current situation of the county. Most of the people here were ethnic minorities, and these people were the representatives of the various races in the county.

They had been waiting here since early in the morning. The gentry had benches to sit and rest, but the common people had been standing under the scorching sun the whole time. Every one of them was starting to feel listless. It wasn't until late in the morning that a scout came to report that the imperial envoy's guards of honor were about to arrive.

Everyone's spirits were lifted, and they started to get serious. Rousing his spirits, he awaited the arrival of the imperial envoy. After a while, he could see from afar a banner fluttering in the wind. There was an orderly procession marching in their direction.

Seeing that the procession was getting closer, they could already see the apricot yellow flag representing the Son of Heaven. Xu Boyi dusted his robe, smiled, and walked forward. Today, he was the main character!

When Hua Qingfeng saw this, he was secretly annoyed. As long as you don't leave Gourd County, you are still my subordinate! The imperial envoy is about to arrive, and you dare to beat me to it? In front of the county's officials and common people, you really don't give this county any face!

If it was the previous Hua Qingfeng, he might have pinched his nose and endured it. But the current Hua Qingfeng was different. He didn't know where he got the courage from, but he immediately chased after them.

Xu Boyi swayed with each step, walking very steadily. He enjoyed the gazes of the county's gentry and officials, and felt a little smug. Huh? Magistrate Hua … Magistrate Hua actually surpassed me!

Xu Boyi was secretly angry. Everything that happened today was led by me. You're just a useless county magistrate. What right do you have to walk in front of me and be the first to see the imperial envoy!

Xu Boyi snorted coldly and immediately chased after Hua Qingfeng. Xu Boyi overtook Hua Qingfeng. Hua Qingfeng quickened his pace and immediately overtook Xu Boyi. Xu Boyi sped up again and overtook Hua Qingfeng. Hua Qingfeng took big strides as if he was flying. They were now neck and neck!

Overtook! Overtook! Just as Magistrate Hua overtook him, he was immediately overtaken by County Magistrate Xu. The two of them chased each other, not giving way at all. At first, they only took slightly bigger steps, and their pace was slightly faster. But later on, it was obvious that they were competing. They were … "Walking race!"

Ye Xiaotian stood there leisurely, watching as the two of them walked faster and faster, eventually turning into a 'foot race'. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Ye Xiaotian shook his head and said, "It's good to be an official. It's wonderful to be an official. An official wears a black hat. When he goes out, there are eight sedan chairs, which are three feet high from the ground. This is not a small fortune. Suddenly one day, a high-ranking official comes. He jumps out of the sedan chair and runs forward. You run, I run. Unknowingly, my knees are short and my feet are full of blisters. Don't you think it's funny … "

Ye Xiaotian's words were read in the manner of an opera. Although his voice was not loud, Register Wang who was standing next to him heard it clearly. Register Wang chuckled and said, "Dianshi Envoy Ye, your mouth is a little too harsh."

Ye Xiaotian glanced at him and said with a faint smile, "I see that Lord Registrar looks gloomy. It seems that you feel unfair. I'm just trying to make you laugh."

Register Wang sighed and looked forward while stroking his beard. He said enviously, "Being an official, isn't it just climbing on the top and stepping on the bottom? You think it's funny, but you don't know how many people want this ridiculous opportunity but can't get it. "