Chapter 135: Jealous
Su Yaoguang turned her head and looked at Wangshu, whose handsome face was full of unhappiness.
“That pair of brothers is quite pitiful.”
“There’s an old beggar at the corner, both legs broken, but I didn’t see you picking him up. Could it be that he’s not pitiful enough?” Wangshu raised his eyebrows. “Oh, he’s not good-looking.”
Su Yaoguang: “……Who did you learn this sarcastic habit from?”
“Exactly, my temper is smelly and hard, how could I compare to someone who is cultured and refined, saying ‘this one offers greetings’ at every turn.”
Su Yaoguang: “……”
Seeing that she didn’t respond, with an expression of endless headache, Wangshu became even angrier.
She had been so gentle when speaking to that ‘Zi Zhan Young Master’ just now! He had never seen her use such a tone with him.
What’s wrong, because he’s her ‘younger brother’, he’s not worthy of her speaking to him like that?
And that Zhen Yuanfang, the way she looked at him was like she wanted to stick to him.
That guy is at best human-looking, with all his features complete, but not as good-looking as him, right?
What does it mean for her to look at him with that kind of gaze?
Su Yaoguang felt that Wangshu’s temper was a bit big today.
“Wait, how do you know I gave Zi Zhan Young Master one hundred taels of silver?” Su Yaoguang reacted, twisting his ear and saying, “Oh, you, you eavesdropped on our conversation.”
Wangshu felt that his momentary guilt just now was like a joke.
“Alright, no more fooling around. What do you want to eat? Sis will make it for you.” Su Yaoguang hugged Wangshu’s arm.
“Excuse me, are you Miss Su?” A bailiff walked over.
Su Yaoguang let go of Wangshu and looked at the bailiff in front of her, nodding. “I’m Su Yaoguang of Peach Blossom Workshop.”
“The County Magistrate requests your presence.” The bailiff said.
“Alright, I’ll go with you.” Su Yaoguang said, then said to Wangshu, “You’ve been following me for so long and must be tired. Go back first and wait for me; I’ll be back soon.”
It was Su Yaoguang’s first time meeting the County Magistrate. Before seeing him, she thought he would be a very dignified old lord, but after meeting him, she discovered he was actually a mild-mannered middle-aged scholar-official.
She was about to kneel and pay respects when he stopped her.
“Sit and talk!”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“I invited you here this time still for the matter of the epidemic. In this great disaster, Peach Blossom Workshop was the first to propose a solution, whether prescriptions or disaster relief grain; Peach Blossom Workshop took the largest share. After this matter ends, I will surely submit a memorial to report your righteous deeds upward.”
“Does my lord need Peach Blossom Workshop to do anything more?”
“Now refugees are increasing, and the city can no longer accommodate them. If we let it spread unchecked, even if the city survives the natural disaster and epidemic, I’m afraid internal chaos will occur. We must properly settle those refugees.”
“Since the city can’t accommodate them, and leaving them unchecked will cause internal chaos, we can only count the quantity of these refugees, register their household registration origins, and then arrange them to various villages. As far as I know, each village has many unclaimed houses, which are generally occupied by the village people. This is a good opportunity to collect those unclaimed houses to settle those refugees.”
“When counting the refugees, ask clearly if they plan to stay long-term or short-term. If long-term, note if they have any special skills, so it’s convenient to arrange work for them later. As for those staying short-term, ask how long. Whether long-term or short-term, they can’t stay for free. The refugees fled the disaster and must have brought some things, right? Those with money pay money; those without must contribute labor.”
“This rain has lasted so long, damaging many places, and the river embankments likely need people to repair as well. Additionally, dredging waterways, repairing rooftops, reinforcing walls—all those need manpower.”
“Our city under my lord’s governance still allows the people to have a bite to eat. But as long as the epidemic isn’t resolved and grain can’t be transported in, relying only on the city’s grain will eventually consume all savings. The crops here might as well be harvested early rather than drowned. Those vegetables, grains, fruits—even the fish and shrimp in the river, wild things and wild vegetables in the mountains—as long as it’s edible, use it for emergency first.”
“The vegetables, fruits, fish and shrimp, and wild things you mentioned are easy to handle. But asking the people to harvest crops early now is asking for their lives.” Magistrate Chen, as the parents’ official, knew too well what the people valued.
“What if my lord promises to exempt this year’s tax revenue?” Su Yaoguang asked. “They fear not being able to pay taxes, and not paying taxes would mean death, so of course they won’t touch the crops in the fields. But without taxes, they won’t watch their families starve to death either. My lord, what Peach Blossom Workshop has done is just what a conscientious merchant should do; it’s not worth my lord writing it in a memorial to the Imperial Court. The people here need my lord to use your jade brush to write a memorial to fight for a way to survive for them.”
“Miss Su, your thoughts have given this official great inspiration. Thank you for today.” Magistrate Chen said. “After all, you’re just a young lady; I shouldn’t keep you for a meal. Once things are over, I’ll have my wife properly entertain you.”
“My lord is too polite. My lord worries for the country and the people—that’s the real hardship. For this young lady to share my lord’s worries is this young lady’s honor.”
The bailiff from earlier escorted Su Yaoguang out and directly took her to the academy. When the bailiff escorted Su Yaoguang to the academy, they happened to encounter Yihuan pacing at the courtyard entrance of the academy.
“What trouble did you get into that even a bailiff elder brother had to personally escort you back?” Yihuan gloated.
Su Yaoguang rolled her eyes. “Sorry to disappoint you. The County Magistrate called me over to praise Peach Blossom Workshop’s righteous deeds; there was no trouble for me at all.”
Yihuan pursed her lips, her smile very fake. “Is that so? Congratulations.”
A strange light flashed in her eyes.
Where on earth did Peach Blossom Workshop get the grain from?
She had begged so many men with tears, barely maintaining Fenghua Pavilion’s life. During this time, Peach Blossom Workshop gave out porridge and medicine daily, spending money like running water, making her suspect if Peach Blossom Workshop had a treasure basin.
“However, instead of having the spare energy to watch my jokes, you might as well properly look after that Xiao Scholar of yours. After all, with you gone, others have opportunities to take advantage.”
“What do you mean by that?” Yihuan became wary. “You have Wangshu; are you still eyeing Xiao Gege?”
“Pah, he’s not worthy.” Su Yaoguang said angrily. “You’re so stupid; telling you is a waste of time. I won’t bother with you.”
Yihuan must now be itching with curiosity and discomfort, dying to know what she meant. Once she goes in and sees, there’ll be a good show.
After all, from her observations, that Wen Dasao is no pushover either; I’m afraid Xiao Yanci has encountered another wolf in sheep’s clothing this time.
