“Young Master, who are you looking for?”
Standing at the door, a freckled young girl blinked as she asked.
She looked at the young man before her, finding him somewhat familiar, though she couldn’t quite place him.
But she was certain she had seen him before.
“I am Xu Ming. Greetings, Miss,” Xu Ming said with a smile. “Might I ask if Lord Yu is at home?”
“Xu Ming… Xu Ming—ah! I remember now! No wonder you look familiar! So you’re the Xu Ming who took the top spot in the imperial exam alongside my Brother Yu a few years ago!”
The freckled girl’s eyes lit up.
“He’s here, he’s here! That guy is still sleeping. Please, Young Master Xu, come in first.”
Saying this, she led Xu Ming into the courtyard.
“Not at all. It was I who came unannounced and disturbed your rest,” Xu Ming replied, shaking his head. His tone was exceedingly polite.
The freckled girl simply smiled. After pouring Xu Ming a cup of hot tea, she went into one of the rooms in the courtyard.
Soon, Xu Ming heard her voice calling out from within:
“Yu Ping’an! Get up! The sun’s already shining on your backside! Hurry and wake up!”
A lazy voice responded from inside:
“What’s the rush? Let me sleep a little longer—it’s my day off today.”
“Get up now! Young Master Xu is here to see you!” The girl sounded exasperated.
“Young Master Xu? Which Young Master Xu?” Yu Ping’an asked in confusion.
The girl huffed, “Who else? Xu Ming, the top scholar!”
“Eh? In that case, I must get up at once.”
Not long after, Xu Ming saw Yu Ping’an stepping out of his room, still wearing his blue scholar’s robe and carrying his shoes in one hand.
As he stepped down from the threshold, he nearly tripped over himself.
“Yu Ping’an greets the Commander.”
Yu Ping’an stood before Xu Ming and bowed deeply.
Xu Ming smiled, returning the courtesy with a bow of his own.
“Brother Yu, it has been a long time.”
“Indeed, it has been years since we last met, Commander Xu.”
The first time they had encountered each other was during the imperial exam, when they had learned each other’s names while standing before the golden list.
Their last meeting had been at a banquet.
Xu Ming shook his head.
“We are of the same cohort. ‘Brother’ will suffice—you need not be so formal.”
“Very well, then I shall take the liberty of calling you ‘Brother Xu,'” Yu Ping’an said with a smile.
“Please, Brother Xu, have a seat. Pingping, go fetch the finest tea leaves from my room.”
Yu Ping’an led Xu Ming to a seat in the courtyard, then instructed the freckled girl, Chen Ping, to bring out his prized tea leaves.
Despite the way she had been rather blunt with Yu Ping’an earlier—calling him by name without any honorifics—she still knew how to maintain his dignity in front of a guest.
After preparing the tea, Chen Ping quietly returned to her room, leaving the two men to talk in private.
Just as Chen Ping disappeared into her room, Yu Ping’an suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Xu Ming.
“I, Yu Ping’an, give my deepest thanks to my benefactor for avenging my family’s blood feud!”
“You are too kind, Brother Yu. Please, rise,” Xu Ming said hurriedly, standing up to help him.
Yu Ping’an looked at Xu Ming, his eyes full of gratitude.
“Back in Baihe Town, my family was ruined by those wretched clans, and I was left crippled. After earning my title, I had planned to endure for a few more years, letting those scoundrels enjoy their lives a little longer until I climbed high enough to take my revenge.
But I never expected that it would be Brother Xu who would settle the score on my behalf.
For this, I owe you a debt I can never repay!”
“You mustn’t say that, Brother Yu,” Xu Ming shook his head.
“The families in Baihe County were notorious for their misdeeds—anyone would have wanted to eliminate them. When I acted in Baihe County, it was, first, to rid the people of a scourge, and second, because my third brother was about to take office there. If those families weren’t removed, I couldn’t imagine how he would have governed the county.
So, Brother Yu, this so-called gratitude—I truly do not deserve it.”
This matter traced back to the time Xu Ming spent in Baihe County.
When Xu Pangda was appointed as the county magistrate, Baihe County was under the control of a few entrenched family factions.
These families had a firm grip on most of the county’s industries, and the majority of the officials and clerks in the yamen were either their people or under their influence.
Any magistrate who took office there was essentially a lone commander.
You either cooperated with them and became corrupt, or you got nothing done at all.
In a way, those families were the true rulers of Baihe County.
Yu Ping’an’s ancestral home was in Baihe County. He came from a well-off family, but those same families had ruined him, destroyed his household, and even crippled his leg.
At the time, Xu Ming’s primary motivation was indeed to rid the county of its corruption. But it was also to ensure Xu Pangda could govern smoothly.
So, without hesitation, he eradicated those families.
In doing so, he had inadvertently avenged Yu Ping’an.
From Xu Ming’s perspective, given Yu Ping’an’s capabilities, those families would have fallen eventually—it was only a matter of time.
“That may be true,” Yu Ping’an said, “but no matter what, you helped me. That is a fact, and your kindness is something I will never forget.
Besides, if I had sought revenge on my own, who knows how many more years it would have taken? In those years, the people of Baihe County would have continued suffering under their tyranny. Who knows how many innocents would have died unjustly?
It was you, Brother Xu, who saved my fellow countrymen.
For such a great kindness, I truly have no way to repay you!”
Yu Ping’an’s tone was resolute, carrying a hint of stubbornness.
But it was precisely because of his deep sense of gratitude and righteousness that Xu Ming felt even more at ease.
“It was nothing, truly. But enough of that,” Xu Ming said, helping Yu Ping’an back into his seat. “The reason I came to find you today is because I have a favor to ask.”
“Speak freely, Brother Xu. If it is within my ability, I will certainly help,” Yu Ping’an replied earnestly.
Xu Ming shook his head.
“What I am about to ask of you is something you must decide for yourself. You cannot let personal emotions influence your choice.”
Hearing this, Yu Ping’an paused, as if realizing something.
“You want me to join the Jinyiwei, don’t you?” he asked directly.
Seeing the man before him grasp the situation so quickly, Xu Ming nodded.