45. The New Plague God

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After one night, Xia Lin, the newly appointed plague god of Xinping Township, gained fame that spread at the speed of light—second only to the speed of light itself, with nothing faster. Leping and Xinping, two neighboring townships sharing the same homeland and bloodline, were traditionally united yet fiercely competitive. Leping was known for its ruthless solidarity, but this time, it was the newcomer from Xinping who managed to subdue them completely, without a single trace of resentment.

Following this ordeal, Xia Lin’s reputation in Xinping soared to its peak. The village elders often lamented how Leping had bullied Xinping for generations, but this time, the scales finally tipped. Xia Lin’s courage and fame naturally spread, and the stories told of him standing unshaken before a thousand foes, his expression unchanging.

In truth, Xia Lin’s courage stemmed from the more than a thousand burly men behind him. Without those rowdy fellows, Xia Lin would have been just as cowardly—he valued his own life more than anyone. Yet outside, he was lauded as an invincible general, which made him feel rather embarrassed.

Still, Xia Lin was righteous in his deeds. By morning, after a sleepless night and a journey of several dozen miles, exhausted as if he had spent the day wandering with a one-year-old child, he summoned those men to the township office. He called Chun Tao and used the township’s funds to distribute five taels of silver to each of them.

Originally, they were only defending their own territory, and now they were being paid for it—naturally, these men were grateful. Wherever they went afterward, they praised Xia Lin to the skies, elevating him beyond all comparison.

But poor Xia Lin had to register and pay each one individually. By the time it was done, it was midday. Looking at Chun Tao, who, despite her many desires, couldn’t resist hunger and fatigue, he hastily ate a bowl of noodles. Thus, his first day of the new year was spent in this way. Wiping the dust and sweat from his body with a damp towel, he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

After washing the basin, Chun Tao returned and sat by Xia Lin’s bedside. He was already fast asleep, but she did not rush away. Instead, she gently wiped the water stains still lingering on his face with a dry towel.

Recalling how this young man had once alternated between being scholarly and mischievous, Chun Tao couldn’t help but smile. Yet seeing how, in nearly two years here, the youthful innocence on his face faded and was replaced by a mature, resolute demeanor, she sighed deeply.

Everyone saw his glorious side, but only Chun Tao knew the hardships he had endured: mediating village disputes, dealing with corrupt merchants, managing the personal affairs of the townsfolk, and handling external troubles. He had hardly slept well in all these days, and it truly stirred her sympathy.

At that moment, Xia Lin was dreaming. In his dream, he had returned to his job at the bureau, where he was assigned to root out traitors in Baga. Due to a mistake, he was about to be arrested. To prevent intelligence leakage, he chose to take his own life before capture...

Because of this dream, Xia Lin trembled violently. Outside, Chun Tao didn’t understand the cause but thought the sudden shaking was due to the cold night air weakening his body. Worried, she bit her lip, removed her heavy clothes, leaving only light, close-fitting garments, and slipped into bed beside him...

Two blossoms bloom, each revealing its own form. While Xia Lin slept here with Haitang Chun, far away in the capital city, the young princess sat sullenly in the most famous pleasure quarters, listlessly watching a dull performance.

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Beside her were two elder clan sisters and three princely brothers, including the young prince Tuoba Jing. They chatted happily, yet the young princess kept yawning, utterly uninterested. Her thoughts were fixed on Xia Lin, the scoundrel she hadn’t seen for a whole year. Though they exchanged letters, letters could never compare to the joy of meeting face to face.

Now fifteen, the young princess felt that although she was still younger than her clan sisters, she had grown taller and more mature—no longer a child craning her neck to look up at others. She had planned to secretly visit Xinping Township during her father’s ancestral rites in the capital, to surprise that rascal. But unexpectedly, her father gave her an even greater surprise.

He wanted her, a lively, slippery little creature, to always follow these pretentious people and behave properly. She was deeply unhappy and displeased...

Just then, Princess Xunyang arrived, accompanied by a remarkably handsome man. The princess stepped forward and greeted, “Greetings, elder brothers and sisters.”

Everyone stood to return her greeting, except the young prince who remained seated, ignoring her completely. Instead, he turned to the young princess and said, “If you find this boring, you may leave early.”

“That won’t do. If I leave, who will be your backing?” The young princess answered firmly. “We princes and princesses of the vassal states must support each other in the capital.”

“Ha! You little slippery eel... who taught you that? My big brother again?” the prince teased.

“Of course, it was big brother,” she replied.

“Very well. Then stay here, but don’t come crying later.”

Princess Xunyang had finished greeting the other princes and princesses. Seeing the young prince and princess, her lips moved slightly, reluctant to greet the young princess yet unwilling to offend the young prince, who was, despite his nominal title, effectively the regent crown prince. The emperor had not named a crown prince but had entrusted the regent seal to the son of a vassal prince—just the thought made her shudder.

After some hesitation, she stepped forward to greet them and introduced the man behind her: “Your Highness... this is the new top scholar of this year’s imperial examinations, who achieved first place in all three stages. He is quite formidable, a true genius of the realm.”

The handsome man quickly bowed, “Ye Ji of Suzhou, styled Liangchen. Greetings, Your Highness.”

The young prince raised an eyebrow and smiled lightly. “I’ve heard of you—first place in all three imperial exams, a scholar of top talent. But is it true that you are the best in the world?”

These words made Ye Liangchen’s heart skip a beat. Though he hadn’t heard from that person for a year or two, that figure still loomed like a mountain on his mind. It was easier not to mention him, for even breathing became difficult when he did.

“I do not dare claim to be the best in the world… I was simply fortunate to become a top scholar,” Ye Liangchen modestly replied.

The young prince chuckled, but the young princess was dissatisfied. Sitting upright, she declared, “Xia Lin is the best in the world! Everyone agrees!”

This statement struck a nerve for both men. The princess was embarrassed, and Ye Liangchen even more so. They exchanged glances, but the young prince raised his hand to silence the princess and then spoke: “Governing a nation requires more than literary talent. Since my sister endorses you, it would be unfair not to give you a chance. After the new year, you will go to the Ministry of Revenue to receive a position as a county magistrate. You will have two years to prove your talent and governance.”

Hearing that it was only a county magistrate position, Princess Xunyang exclaimed, clearly displeased: “Only a county magistrate?”

“What else do you expect?” The young prince frowned. “Should I give you a prime minister’s post instead?”

At this, Ye Liangchen quickly tugged Princess Xunyang aside and then kowtowed deeply: “Thank you, Your Highness, for your favor. Liangchen will not disappoint.”

Princess Xunyang wanted to say more but was decisively pulled away by Ye Liangchen. He knew she was foolish but hadn’t expected her to be this naïve. Her relationship with the crown prince was not close, yet she still tried to use their sibling bond to her advantage—this only made things uncomfortable for him.

A county magistrate? It was a small post, but better than being a scholar in the Hongwen Academy. There were many top scholars, and he was a rootless one without a foundation. Though a county magistrate was a minor role, it wielded real power. The world was vast, and soon he would have free rein.

Having realized this, he accepted the appointment without further qualms.

Yet whenever he heard Xia Lin’s name here, he felt unbearably uncomfortable, itching all over as if everyone was close to Xia Lin, making him restless.

Very well. When the time came and he gained influence, he would find every way possible to get rid of Xia Lin.

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