Chapter 125: The First Day

In the inner courtyard study, there was only a single desk.

There was also a couch and three rush mats, every single piece tattered and worn beyond description. Fortunately, they had already been given a wash, making them barely passable.

Pushing open the small door leading to the inner archive room, a wave of damp, stale air rushed against their faces. Standing against the walls were rows of bookshelves laden with stacks of bamboo slips, all covered in a layer of white mold.

Deng Ji shook his head, wearing an expression of utter speechlessness.

Cao Peng hoisted a torch and walked into the archive room. After making a full circle, he stepped back out.

"Brother-in-law, in my view, this is not something that can be sorted out in a short moment. Everyone has been traveling the entire day and is already quite exhausted. Rather than pushing through, we might as well do a simple cleanup and rest first. Once day breaks, the two of us can thoroughly clean this place inside and out..."

Deng Ji thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

Throughout this entire day, fatigue, panic, anger, astonishment...

Various emotions had intertwined, leaving him feeling rather tired.

Never had he imagined that his very first night in Haixi would be spent in such an environment.

A sense of disillusionment lingered within him, though only slightly. But in the next instant, he galvanized his spirits once more, walking out of the study alongside Puyang Kai, Cao Peng, and the others.

Fengxiao had once reminded me that Haixi County was by no means a benign place.

The fact that he had appointed me to serve as the Magistrate of Haixi was proof enough of how highly he regarded me. If I were to shrink back now at the very first hurdle, wouldn't that be a betrayal of Fengxiao's faith in me? Have I not left behind my wife, who had just given birth, and my infant child who is still nursing, precisely to achieve something momentous? Chaotic though Haixi may be, it is precisely the kind of place where men of our generation can establish merits and display our talents... I must not fail everyone's expectations.

At this thought, Deng Ji could not help but clench his fists tightly!

After midnight, a light, drizzling rain began to fall.

The winter rain was chillingly cold, causing the temperature to plummet sharply. Fortunately, everyone gathered together, so it did not feel excessively cold. They first cleared out a few side chambers: Deng Ji, Puyang Kai, and Cao Peng shared one room; Dian Man, Xu Yi, Deng Fan, and Wang Mai shared another; while Zhou Cang, Xiahou Lan, and the rest divided the remaining side chambers among themselves. Meanwhile, Cao Peng arranged for sentries to keep watch, positioning everyone within the inner courtyard of the county office so there was no need for excessive worry.

After all, there were several dozen people here!

If anyone wished to stir up trouble, there was truly no need to fret.

Outside, the rain pattered incessantly.

A rainy night by the sea imbued the surroundings with an unusual atmosphere.

The air was thick with a damp, fishy odor, carrying a faint trace of saltiness...

Was this Haixi?

Cao Peng collapsed onto the couch and slowly closed his eyes.

The rain lasted for less than two hours. As dawn approached, a thick fog rolled over Haixi. His disciplined biological clock caused Cao Peng's eyes to snap open precisely on time. He got off the couch and stepped out the door. A piercingly cold wind blew against his face, sending a shiver through his entire body.

The wind in Haixi lacked the fierce, biting gale of the north.

Yet this kind of cold could penetrate deeply, sinking straight into the marrow of one's bones.

Subconsciously pulling his collar tight, Cao Peng stepped out of the room and saw Xiahou Lan leaning against a wind-sheltered corner under the eaves, dozing off.

"Xiahou! Xiahou!"

"Ah, Young Master..."

"Have everyone go rest." Cao Peng glanced at the sky. "It will be daybreak soon, and there shouldn't be any mishaps now... There is much to be done today. Go and rest first; once you've recovered your energy, we will still need to repair the prefectural office and sort through those archives."

"Understood!"

Xiahou Lan stood on no ceremony, cupping his fists to acknowledge the order.

He knew Cao Peng was entirely right. Haixi was currently a wasteland waiting to be rebuilt, and there were simply far too many things that needed attention! Without proper rest, their energy would flag. Xiahou Lan stepped out of the corridor and called out to the retainers who had been keeping watch in the drafts and sheltered spots, telling them to stand down and rest.

On a foggy day, strenuous activity was ill-advised.

Therefore, Cao Peng merely performed a few simple stretches to limber up his body, picked up a wooden staff from the pile of miscellaneous luggage stacked beneath the eaves, and strode into the back residence. The tall wall he had seen the previous night was indeed the perimeter wall of the rear quarters. The compound was quite spacious, complete with all its structures, and featured two side courtyards on the left and right. Two towering ancient trees stood in the yard, their leaves already withered.

Cao Peng made a careful mental count: there were over forty rooms in total.

If the side chambers of the front courtyard were included, there were more than sixty rooms—more than enough to accommodate all the accompanying retainers.

Though the buildings appeared somewhat dilapidated, they were fundamentally structurally sound. A simple sweeping would make them habitable, and the workload would not be overly demanding.

The two side courtyards were tranquil and secluded, being both independent from the main prefectural office yet connected by winding, serene pathways.

It was evident that considerable thought had gone into the initial design of this county office. Yet surely its original designer could never have imagined that one day, this building representing the authority of the Han Dynasty would decay to such an extent.

"Wild grass and flowers bloom by the Vermilion Bird Bridge,
The setting sun slants gently over Black-Clothes Lane.
The swallows that once nested in the halls of the Wang and Xie clans,
Now fly into the homes of ordinary commoners."

Cao Peng could not help but softly recite this poem, "Black-Clothes Lane." Though it did not entirely fit the current context, the mood and imagery matched with astonishing perfection.

"A fine chant!"

"Huh?"

Cao Peng turned around to see Puyang Kai standing not far behind him.

He had been too absorbed in his thoughts just now, to the extent that...

Cao Peng inwardly reproached himself for letting down his guard in such an environment.

Fortunately, it was only Puyang Kai. If it had been someone else harboring hostile intentions, wouldn't that have been dangerous? Although this was the inner courtyard of the county office, it was tantamount to having the doors wide open. That crumbling courtyard wall made entering and exiting far too easy. Even if someone had sneaked in, it would not have been easily noticed at this hour.

Puyang Kai walked over with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Yuxue, what was that piece you were just chanting?"

Poetry of the Han Dynasty primarily consisted of *Yuefu* ballads.

Five-character verse was just beginning to rise in popularity, while seven-character verse was not yet widespread. Traditional elders like Puyang Kai could not yet readily accept seven-character poetry. Thus, he used the word "chant" in place of reciting poetry, implying by his tone that this seven-character quatrain was hardly refined enough for high society.

"Er... Mr. Puyang, you're up so early."

"It is not early!" Puyang Kai said, "Had I not been so fatigued yesterday, I would have been up long before this hour."

As he spoke, his somewhat stern face broke into a gentle smile. "Ah-Fu, what was the verse you were reciting just now?"

"Oh, the boy was merely struck by the scenery before him and felt a sudden stirring of emotion, chanting it offhand."

Puyang Kai nodded. "I am familiar with the Vermilion Bird Bridge, but where is this Black-Clothes Lane?"

"This..." Cao Peng was nearly choked to death by Puyang Kai's question. How was he supposed to answer? Black-Clothes Lane was a scenic spot in Nanjing... Oh, in this era, it should be called Jiankang. Heaven knew if Jiankang had even been established yet! In his memory, the city of Jiankang seemed to have been commissioned by Sun Quan.

His eyes darted around, and Cao Peng pointed toward the winding path of the side courtyard.

"Sir, look at this. The ancient trees tower on both sides of this path, their branches lush and dense... Blending with this fog, doesn't it look as though they are draped in a layer of black gauze?"

Puyang Kai looked startled and examined the scene earnestly.

"Now that you mention it, there is indeed a resemblance."

"Looking at the layout of this county office, its original owner must have spent a great deal of effort on it. Yet he could never have imagined that one day, the prefectural office he painstakingly designed would fall into such disrepair. I was merely moved by the moment and recited it on a whim, making a fool of myself before you, sir."

"Hmm... It does indeed carry a certain flavor."

Puyang Kai stroked his beard. "The swallows that once nested in the halls of the Wang and Xie clans... By the way, what is the meaning of this 'Wang and Xie'?"

Good heavens!

The Wang and Xie clans were not even people of this era.

Cao Peng had managed to invent an explanation for Black-Clothes Lane, but he genuinely could not come up with a justification for the "Wang and Xie" reference.

Then he heard Puyang Kai muttering to himself, "Could it be that Haixi once had magistrates surnamed Wang or Xie in the past?"

With that, he shook his head and dropped the inquiry.

He preferred classical poetry over seven-character quatrains. When Cao Peng had softly recited it earlier, Puyang Kai had merely found it somewhat interesting and had not truly paid it much mind.

Cao Peng took a deep breath and raised a hand to wipe away a bead of non-existent cold sweat from his forehead.

Phew, thank goodness this old fossil didn't press for details. If he had kept questioning me, I truly wouldn't have known how to reply.

"Yuxue!"

"Ah, your student is here."

"What are your thoughts on the Three Scourges of Haixi?"

"Me?"

Puyang Kai stopped in his tracks, reached out to snap a withered vine from the gateway of the side courtyard, and twirled it in his hands.

"Indeed. Previously, we envisioned many different scenarios, but now that we have arrived in Haixi County, we realize there are so many twists and turns hidden within."

He turned around, looked at Cao Peng, and said, "Shusun wishes to gain a firm footing here, but I fear it will be no easy task."

"Indeed, that is so."

Cao Peng muttered inwardly: I know it won't be easy either, but you don't have to come asking me about it.

Puyang Kai said, "Then where do you think we should begin?"

"Well... I believe we should first repair the courtyard walls, so that people standing outside won't be able to see everything that goes on in here so clearly."

With that, Cao Peng fixed his gaze outside the courtyard wall.

"Sir, I imagine there are countless people hiding right outside that wall this very moment, watching the two of us."

Following Cao Peng's line of sight, Puyang Kai looked out and saw indistinct figures shifting within the light fog.

His thick eyebrows knitted together slightly, and a flash of anger instantly appeared on his face. Raising his voice, he rebuked sternly: "Petty scoundrels, not worth fretting over. We have come under the Son of Heaven's decree to pacify and govern Haixi... This land is still under the rule of the Han, this territory still belongs to the Han. We shall see just how much longer they can act so flagrantly!"

Outside the wall, the figures shifted and instantly vanished from sight.

Cao Peng chuckled as well!

"Sir possesses an awe-inspiring righteousness within your breast; no evil can invade!"

"Hmph."

Puyang Kai emitted a cold snort and turned as if to leave.

"Yuxue, it seems our first step toward establishing a foothold in Haixi must indeed begin with this courtyard wall."

The county office represented the majesty of the imperial court.

If it could be pried into so easily by others, what dignity would remain?

Puyang Kai had originally believed that gaining a foothold in Haixi required resolving the "Three Scourges" as swiftly as possible.

But now it appeared that perhaps they needed to establish the authority of the imperial court first. How to establish it? Naturally, it had to begin with the walls of this county office.

However, Cao Peng did not notice that as Puyang Kai stepped out of the back courtyard's moon gate, the corners of his mouth curved upward slightly.

Though Cao Peng had not directly answered his question, he had actually provided the best possible answer... Shusun was still somewhat too impetuous!

Early in the morning, Chen Deng walked in a hurried pace, crossing the path to arrive by the pond.

"Father, you summoned me. Is something the matter?"

Chen Chen turned his back to him without spinning around. "Calculate the days; the Magistrate of Haixi appointed by Lord Cao should have arrived by now."

"Father, it should be within a day or two."

"Send someone to keep an eye on that side."

Chen Deng asked, "Does Father mean..."

"Let's observe first and see what happens." Chen Chen gave a gentle cough. "This Deng Ji—I had never heard his name before, yet he was suddenly entrusted with such an important post by Lord Cao; he is certainly no ordinary person. Keep a close watch on Haixi, and if there is the slightest disturbance, you must report it to me immediately."

"Understood!"

Chen Deng cupped his fists in compliance.

[Recommendation for a similar work: *The Great Navigation of the Three Kingdoms*, authored by Zhuang Buzhou.]

Li Zongwu once said: Liu Bei is thick-skinned, Cao Cao is black-hearted, and Sun Quan is both thick-skinned and black-hearted.

Facing this thick-skinned and black-hearted uncle, Sun Shao—the only son of Sun Ce—felt immense pressure.

He endured; he hid his brilliance. Yet countless attachments made it impossible for him to stand aloof, and a vision transcending the era prevented him from concealing his radiance. Without strength, there was no dignity. Facing the relentless pressure of his black-hearted uncle, Sun Shao slammed the table and rose, vowing to fight the black-hearted uncle to the very end.

The east wind blows, the battle drums beat; when it comes to being thick and black, who fears whom?

Watertight compartments, propellers—the Yangtze River fleet, already leading the world, gained wings like a tiger, soaring across the four seas.

When the time comes to ride the wind and cleave the waves, we shall set our sails straight and conquer the vast sea!