Zhan Feiyu's reply, however, absolved Zhao Tongzhi, Chief Constable Hu, and the others. She had entered the study using the token of the Forbidden Dragon Guard. Let alone Zhao Tongzhi not being present at the time, even if he had been, he would have been unable to stop her. Much less constables like Chief Constable Hu, who held no official rank.
Upon hearing Zhan Feiyu's words, Zhao Tongzhi's expression remained unchanged, but a fleeting look of gratitude flashed in his eyes.
The constables and minor officials gathered outside the main hall were even more overwhelmed with gratitude. Previously, Inspector Chu had directly confronted Zhao Tongzhi. If an investigation were to ensue, these constables and minor officials would face dismissal at best, and imprisonment at worst.
A disdainful scoff echoed, and Inspector Chu spoke with a somber expression, "Miss Zhan, though young, is adept at managing people. This official is impressed!"
This was tantamount to accusing Zhan Feiyu of winning over people's hearts. As a scholar, instead of focusing on learning, she was dabbling in the art of political maneuvering. Especially since Zhan Feiyu was a young lady, such talk would at least tarnish her reputation. If it were further embellished and spread, it might even implicate Scholar Gu, who was far away in the capital.
Looking at the malicious Inspector Chu, Zhan Feiyu smiled and replied, "When I was learning couplets in my early studies, my teacher once presented an upper line: 'The sound of wind, the sound of rain, the sound of reading, every sound enters the ear.'"
Zhan Feiyu did not need to explicitly state the lower line. Among the officials present, except for Inspector Chu, who was a military man, the rest were scholars who had achieved office through the imperial examinations. But even for a military man, he would likely be familiar with this famous couplet.
Zhan Feiyu smiled faintly, a hint of undisguised contempt on her fair, plump face, "May I ask if Inspector Chu knows the lower line: 'Family matters, national affairs, world affairs, every matter concerns us.'"
This was a jab at Inspector Chu, calling him an unlettered brute. Although the death of Prefect Zhang was an affair of the Suzhou Prefecture yamen, it was not unreasonable for Zhan Feiyu, as a scholar, to be concerned about the case.
Ignoring Inspector Chu's ashen face, Zhan Feiyu cupped her hands towards the north and continued, "My teacher once taught me that reading and studying is for understanding principles, that excellence in learning leads to officialdom, and that those who reside in the high courts should worry for their people, while those who dwell in distant lands should worry for their sovereign..."
Even if Inspector Chu only half-understood Zhan Feiyu's scholarly discourse, he certainly had no patience to listen to her pedantic pronouncements.
However, a glance around revealed that not only was Lord Yao stroking his beard and listening intently, but even Lord Zheng was nodding occasionally. This caused Inspector Chu's anger to surge. This young girl was indeed skilled with her words.
A quarter of an hour later, Zhan Feiyu, her throat dry from speaking, finally paused. She glanced at the fuming Inspector Chu and bowed apologetically to Lord Yao, "This student has been impolite. I beg for your understanding."
"Lord Gu worries for the nation and its people, truly a model for all officials." Lord Yao.