Chapter 330: Chapter 166: Inspection Bureau
"When you return the food box later, tell Mrs. Gao not to trouble herself anymore and not to send anything in the future."
Gu Chengyu and Mrs. Gaoâs master are of similar age, and if rumors of private exchanges spread, it wouldnât be good. Although she wanted to repay a life-saving debt, still, between men and women, itâs always better to avoid suspicion.
"Yes!" Ming Mo replied solemnly.
The dishes sent the day before were indeed delicious, but the young master didnât eat much; Ming Yan and Ming Mo split the rest. Young lads tend to eat a lot as they grow, naturally increasing their appetite. The food on the ship wasnât particularly tasty, and it had been several days since they had a good meal.
Though regrettable they couldnât enjoy the delicacies, they understood what weighed more. Their young master aimed to pass the imperial exams and become an official; they couldnât ruin his reputation.
This time the ship sailed quickly and was about to reach the dock.
Early in the morning, the steward came to see Gu Chengyu, requesting him to go to the shipâs bow. Gu Chengyu couldnât refuse anymore and had to go. The scholar wasnât seriously injured; the wound was on his leg, requiring bed rest.
In fact, that scholar was the young man who had stood with an inkstone at the shipâs side initially. Gu Chengyu felt that such bravery from a scholar was commendable.
Thus, he didnât ask for any silver for standing by the ship, and whether the steward was tactful wasnât his concern. If he specified giving silver, wouldnât it be charity? Theyâre all scholars, wouldnât such an act be degrading?
Gu Chengyu held his scholar certificate at the shipâs bow, waiting for it to dock. There was a checkpoint here, perfectly suited to report the River Bandits incident to the government.
"Pay up! What are you looking at?" An officer saw Gu Chengyu and the steward at the front and couldnât guess that such a young lad would be a scholar.
"Chief! Look, this is Mr. Scholar!" The steward was surprised that Gu Chengyu turned out to be a scholar; he was thrilled.
"What? This young lad is a scholar? Really?" Passengers at the back, some of whom had reached their destinations, others wanting to go ashore for supplies, initially thought Gu Chengyu was eager to disembark early but were surprised he was a scholar.
"I think itâs true; otherwise, why would he stand out? Whose young master is he? Truly both scholarly and brave!" Someone sighed.
Who wouldnât want such a bearer of honor in their family? Yet, all they could do was envy.
"Mr. Scholar?" The officer was somewhat skeptical, took Gu Chengyuâs scholar certificate, scrutinized it several times, and only returned it respectfully upon confirming it was genuinely his.
"I truly didnât see clearly! He is indeed Mr. Scholar!" The officer immediately brightened with a smile, bending over and saluting.
The steward, witnessing this, straightened his back, as if the title âMr. Scholarâ was his. These officers usually put on airs, yet now theyâre nodding and bowing, acting much like how theyâre treated daily.
The steward felt secretly pleased as he had harbored long-standing resentment.
Throughout history, those in entertainment and low-ranking officials were always considered inferior, and these officers, although acting important, couldnât even sit for the imperial exams.
In front of a scholar like Gu Chengyu, they naturally had to be respectful.
"Chief! Our ship encountered disaster!" The steward remembered the River Banditsâ incident and felt as if the world was collapsing.
The officer, due to Gu Chengyuâs presence, showed more patience towards the steward and asked amicably, "Did something happen?"
The officer glanced at the ship behind them; everything seemed fine except for the chaotic deck and numerous scratches. Hmm? Thereâs definitely something unusual!
Actually, this officer was observant; these scratches generally wouldnât catch peopleâs attention.
"Chief! We ran into River Bandits!" The steward immediately shouted, fearing for his position. Despite hiding earlier, he was terrified; seeing the officers now, he felt relieved.
"What? How is it possible? Encountering River Bandits and surviving?" The officer was incredulous, arguing that given the banditsâ ferocity, if they truly robbed the ship, would they allow anyone to return alive? Besides, donât think he didnât know; the ship owners usually appease the bandits. No way could it be possible!
Gu Chengyu knew the stewardâs words lacked credibility, so he quickly echoed, feeling this incident concerned him.
"This matter is no hoax; there are five River Bandits captured on the ship. Should Brother Chai report to the higher-ups?"
The two constables exchanged glances, sensing Gu Chengyuâs words were genuine. Though puzzled by how they survived without apparent casualties, they knew reporting was essential.
"Wait a moment; Iâll go report!" One constable hurried off to report.
"No one leave the ship until our superiors arrive!" The other constable blocked passengers trying to disembark, shouting.
Gu Chengyu frowned, unsure how long the delay would be.
Inspectors held minor positions. After such an incident, reports would have to follow the hierarchy, consequently wasting their time.
Soon, two officials wearing hats and green narrow-sleeved robes hurried over. The Inspector Bureau consisted of two Ninth Grade officials. They couldnât make decisions themselves.
"Where are the River Bandits?" An official adjusted his hat, jogging to the shipâs side, feeling a storm of emotions; surely this was a solid political achievement!
He heard some bandits were captured; through them, he might uncover the banditsâ den, leading to promotion. His excitement was palpable.
"Sir, itâs this ship!" The constable pulled the steward forward, eager to earn merit.
"Sir, Iâm the steward, and thatâs the captain; this is Mr. Scholar Gu!" The steward introduced the key players.
In fact, he was unaware of the presence of more scholars on board. Sun Xian and Ye Zhiqiu stood on the deck, observing Gu Chengyu, while Ming Yan and Ming Mo stood nearby.
"Oh? Are there more scholars?" Another official, just arriving, overheard and intervened.
This official was a Deputy Inspector, alongside another of Ninth Grade rank. Gu Chengyu, a scholar, had eligibility to become an official in the Dayan Dynasty. If someone pulled strings, he could secure a Ninth Grade position, though advancing to county magistrate would require stronger connections, with limited upward mobility.
Thus, both were courteous.
Gu Chengyu stepped forward, offering a hand salute, "The student greets the officials!"
Currently not an official, he could only refer to himself as a student.