Chapter 134 The County Magistrate's Naughty Child

"Your Excellency, as you can see, it is the autumn harvest season, and everyone is busy in the fields. This woman doesn't even have time to drink water, let alone take care of Young Master Shen. I beg Your Excellency to think of another way."

Cheng Wanwan refused indirectly.

She has four sons and a nephew at home, and there is no place for them to live. It would be a trouble to invite a little ancestor back.

“If Cheng Zhao can do farm work, my son certainly can too,” Magistrate Shen insisted. “The autumn harvest is a busy time, and we need manpower right now. My son and his page will stay here to help your family harvest and store the rice.”

Cheng Wanwan: "..."

Even a well-behaved child like Cheng Zhao, who works hard and diligently, can't accomplish much. How can she expect anything from a second-generation official?

She took a deep breath, preparing to speak, when Magistrate Shen unexpectedly threw a money bag into her arms: "Zhao Chengshi, I entrust my son to you. This is his food and lodging expenses in Dahe Village. I have other matters to attend to at the county office, so I will take my leave now."

Magistrate Shen turned and left.

Shen Zheng stared in disbelief, then rushed after him, asking, "Father, why didn't you discuss such a big matter with me?"

Magistrate Shen glared at him: "If I were to discuss this with you, would you agree to come to Dahe Village?"

Shen Zheng shook his head. He could come and take a look around, but he absolutely couldn't stay here. He didn't even want to go into that mud-brick and thatched hut.

Magistrate Shen said coldly, "You can stay here for ten days or half a month. Do whatever Cheng Zhao does. If you dare to bully others in the village because you are the son of the magistrate, I will send you back to the Shen family's old house to observe mourning for your mother."

Magistrate Shen was not from Huzhou; he was exiled here. The Shen family ancestors were old farmers, and their ancestral home there was already dilapidated. There were few clansmen left, and if they went back, they wouldn't even have a place to live. Shen Zheng didn't have much of an impression of his mother, so he was unwilling to travel thousands of miles back to observe mourning for her.

"Father, am I really your biological son?" Shen Zheng grabbed Magistrate Shen's sleeve. "I'm going to find Grandmother."

“I sent your grandmother to a temple to worship Buddha, so you can’t find her.” Magistrate Shen was determined this time. “I originally wanted you to stay for ten days or half a month, but you insisted on arguing with me, so let’s wait until you stay for a full month.”

Shen Zheng was completely petrified.

He murmured, "Dad, I will study hard in the future. Please don't be so heartless. I have been in poor health since I was a child. I will get sick if I stay in this shabby place..."

Magistrate Shen had already boarded his carriage when he waved again: "Come here."

Shen Zheng was overjoyed; his father was indeed soft-hearted after all.

Cheng Wanwan breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that the magistrate couldn't bear to see his son suffer, so she should take him away quickly. She had a lot of trouble to deal with and really didn't have time to take care of the magistrate's son!

Shen Zheng walked to the front of the carriage, and Magistrate Shen immediately reached out and touched him, pulling off Shen Zheng's money bag, the gold and jade lock around his neck, the jade pendant and sachet at his waist, the pretentious paper fan in his arms, the jade thumb ring on his thumb... he confiscated everything.

Under Shen Zheng's incredulous gaze, Magistrate Shen got into his carriage and rode away.

"father--!"

Shen Zheng screamed and gave chase.

The servant Ah Fu hurriedly grabbed him and said, "Master, now that we are here, we should make the best of it. Once the master is determined, no one can change him. Let's behave well and try to get back to town in ten days or half a month."

Cheng Wanwan closed her eyes in despair.

Although the magistrate was a good official, he also had a penchant for abusing his power, and this was clearly an attempt to force her to help take care of the child.

If we don't give this brat a hard time from the start, it might be difficult to deal with him later.

Cheng Wanwan opened her eyes and said calmly, "If Young Master Shen wants to go back to town, I will find an oxcart right now and get him home within an hour."

Shen Zheng did not respond.

If he dared to go back, his father would definitely be even angrier. His father just didn't have time to take care of him, not that he didn't care about him.

He used to be protected by his grandmother, and he was locked in a dark room for a month. Now that his grandmother is gone, he might be hung up and beaten, the kind of beating with a whip.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Cheng Wanwan said, "So what this means is that you want to stay in Dahe Village. If you stay, you have to obey my rules."

Shen Zheng snorted: "How could I, the dignified Young Master Shen, listen to the rules of a woman like you? Listen, I'll be staying in your house for ten days or half a month, and you must..."

Cheng Wanwan smiled. Just then, Zhao Sanniu returned carrying rice. She clapped her hands and said, "Sanniu, hold him down."

Zhao Sanniu obeyed his mother unconditionally, immediately put down what he was doing, rushed to Shen Zheng's side, grabbed Shen Zheng's arm, and pressed him down onto the rice.

"What are you doing? Let go of our young master!"

The pageboy, Afu, rushed over.

Cheng Wanwan continued, "The magistrate has said that we should scold and beat as needed. Young Master Shen is so hot-tempered, so why not beat him first and then we can talk? San Niu, make your move."

Zhao Sanniu raised his fist.

"Stop!" Shen Zheng clutched his head. "Tell me...tell me your rules!"

He was really going crazy. A group of unruly people actually dared to beat him up. When he returned to the city, he would bring a group of people to turn this place upside down!

“My family’s rules are very simple. First, do your own work. Second, only those who do the work are entitled to eat.” Cheng Wanwan looked at the pageboy. “In my family, you two are of the same status, not much different from my son. If you want to show off your status as the son of the county magistrate, then I will arrange for someone to send you back immediately.”

Shen Zheng did not raise any objections. First, he believed in doing his own work, and since he had a pageboy, the pageboy would naturally help him. Second, only those who worked deserved to eat. Heh, he had money, so he would use his money to buy food and didn't need to eat handouts.

As soon as this thought came to his mind, he sadly remembered that all his valuables had been taken away by his father.

But it doesn't matter. He is the son of the county magistrate. In his father's jurisdiction, surely he can borrow money. He can borrow one tael and pay back double in the future. There will definitely be plenty of people coming to give him money.

"Okay, I agree to everything!"

After Shen Zheng said this, Cheng Wanwan signaled Zhao Sanniu to let go.

She said calmly, "It's afternoon now, so I won't assign you too much work. Just thresh the rice, five pounds each."

After she finished speaking, she took the carrying pole and went out.

As soon as I reached the door, I ran into the village head, who was covered in sweat.

The village head wiped the sweat from his brow: "I heard that the county magistrate came by, left his son behind, and then left. Aunt Dashan, where is Young Master Chen?"

Cheng Wanwan pointed to the yard.

At this moment, Shen was learning how to thresh rice from Cheng Zhao. He thought the flail was fun and he did the job in a very professional manner.

The village headman was anxious: "Auntie Dashan, how can you let Young Master Shen do the work? The magistrate has reduced taxes for our Dahe Village, he's like a second parent to us. Young Master Shen is the magistrate's only son, he must be treated well..."

"Uncle Village Head, the magistrate specially sent his son here for reformation," Cheng Wanwan whispered. "The magistrate said that anyone who dares to help Young Master Shen, dares to give him money, dares to feed and drink him, or dares to indulge him in his arrogance, is the magistrate's enemy. Uncle Village Head told everyone this in private, and everyone should just work honestly and not treat him like a young master. Calling him Young Master Shen is already giving him face."

Li Zheng was a frequent visitor to town, so he had naturally heard rumors about Young Master Shen. He was indeed unruly and undisciplined.

The county magistrate is a good official, how could he have such an ignorant son?

The village head didn't greet Shen Zheng; he turned around and went to the fields, walking along the ridges and greeting each household.

Even if the village head didn't make an invitation, the villagers, busy with the autumn harvest, wouldn't have time to fuss over this young master; nothing was more important than the grain...