Chapter 597 Points Out a Clear Path

As the sun sets, everyone in the village is busy at work.

Hundreds of tables were set up in the square, each table was filled with food, the aroma of food and rice spread everywhere, attracting all the cats and dogs in the village. Children played with the cats and dogs, women gathered around and talked and laughed, and men smoked and chatted. Everything was so beautiful.

Now is the time when the lotus pond is in full bloom. There are a group of tourists in the village who have been kept by the village head to attend the autumn harvest banquet. When these tourists heard that the people from Sui'an have returned from the capital, they naturally wanted to stay so that they could hear what the people from Sui'an have experienced in the capital. This would give them something to talk about when they talk to their friends.

Cheng Wanwan led her family to the square, where the village head immediately led her to the main seat.

Eight people were seated in the main seat: Cheng Wanwan, Lord Wu, Master Yu, the village head, Old Man Zhao, Clan Chief Xu, Zhao Dashan, and Shopkeeper Yan.

Manager Yan was able to sit at this table because he was eloquent and never afraid of awkward silences.

The reason why Chief Xu is here is because his family is in charge of the village's finances. As the village's wealth increases, the Xu family's status also rises.

The reason why Zhao Dashan sat at the main table was because after Cheng Wanwan went to the capital, he became the backbone of the Zhao family. Whenever the villagers had any problems, they would come to Zhao Dashan for advice, especially regarding cotton, which he basically knew everything about. They also asked him for advice on growing peppers and melons. Gradually, he had more and more say.

After a few rounds of drinks, everyone became more talkative, eager to know what was happening in the capital.

"Isn't this trip to the capital for Zhao'er's wedding? He's marrying the third young lady of the Hanlin Academy's lecturer family. They're a perfect match, both talented and beautiful," Cheng Wanwan said with a smile. "As you all probably know, Zhao'er came in third in this year's imperial examination, making him the third-ranked scholar. He's currently a seventh-ranked editor in the Hanlin Academy."

She spoke at the main table, and many people gathered around with bowls in their hands to listen to her.

Old Mrs. Zhu couldn't help but say, "A seventh-rank editor? That means you're a whole grade below even Aunt Dashan, aren't you?"

“That’s not how it works,” Cheng Wanwan said. “I am a court lady with no real power, while Zhao’er works for the Emperor and has a limitless future.”

Aunt Wang asked gossipily, "How much dowry did Zhao'er's wife have? Tell me about it."

A group of women immediately nodded: "Yes, yes, let us also hear about the grandeur of wealthy people in the capital when they marry off their daughters."

Cheng Wanwan was both amused and exasperated: "You'll have to ask Cheng Ding about this. He's always lived in the same courtyard as Zhao'er, so he knows more than I do."

The women in the village were like this. Although they didn't understand official affairs, it didn't stop them from going to the brothel. They found out about the dowry and had a basic understanding of the position of Lecturer in the Hanlin Academy.

While Master Yu continued to inquire about Cheng Zhao's situation, Cheng Ding was already surrounded by women.

Cheng Ding, a young man of eighteen or nineteen, was usually quiet and reserved. But now, being interrogated by a group of women, and with Cheng Wanwan's tacit approval, he naturally said whatever came to mind.

"My goodness, with so many land deeds, farmland and shops as dowry, Zhao'er has married a rich wife."

"You can't call him Zhao'er anymore. Didn't you hear Cheng Ding always address him respectfully as Lord Cheng? It's not easy for a great person to emerge from our surrounding villages. Remember that, from now on, call him Lord Cheng."

"Now that Lord Cheng is rich, our Da Shan's mother no longer needs to subsidize her family. That's wonderful."

"By the way, Cheng Ding, tell me quickly, did Aunt Dashan see the Emperor in the capital? What does the Emperor look like?"

Cheng Ding nodded: "His Majesty personally invited Lady An to a banquet in the palace, and the Empress also received Lady An and bestowed upon her many gold and silver treasures."

"Good heavens! Old Lady Dashan actually met the Emperor!"

"Wow, the Zhao family's ancestral graves are really emitting auspicious smoke! Our Dahe Village has such good feng shui."

"The Empress bestowed gold and silver treasures, so the Emperor must have also bestowed good things. Tell us quickly, don't wait until we ask to give us an answer."

Cheng Ding scratched his chin: "The Emperor has bestowed an official title upon Lady An: the sixth-rank official of the Court of State Ceremonial, the Minister of Personnel. When people in court see Lady An, they must address her as 'Minister of Personnel.'"

The villagers didn't know what the Honglu Temple did, but the visiting scholars knew very well, and they were all astonished.

“The position of Director of the Court of State Ceremonies is a proper court official; how could it be given to a woman?”

"If something this big happened in the court, we should have heard about it by now."

"News from the capital wouldn't reach Huzhou so quickly, so there's no need for people around Sui'an to tell this lie."

These scholars were skeptical, so they simply went over and asked Cheng Wanwan directly.

Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "The Court of State Ceremonial is short of talented people, so I was appointed as a sixth-rank official, but it's just a nominal position and doesn't count for much. I brought back some foreign books from the capital, which will be placed in the reading room for everyone to read. If I pass the imperial examination and become a Juren, I may be able to find a job in the Court of State Ceremonial."

The Juren degree was difficult to obtain, but it was still easier than the Jinshi degree. Once you became a Juren, you were qualified to become an official. In the past, you could only find a position as an academic official in a remote area, but if you had a skill, you might be able to enter the Court of State Ceremonial, which was a way out.

The scholars present were overjoyed.

The people from Sui'an pointed them in the right direction, which must be the right one. They already had memberships in the reading room and would come several times a month. Now, the people from Sui'an must have brought back a large number of books from the capital, and they would be happy to stay in the reading room every day...

The autumn harvest feast in Dahe Village revolved around Cheng Wanwan from beginning to end, and the feast finally had to end after the moon rose.

After everyone helped clean up the mess, they went home.

Because some time had been wasted in the afternoon, after lunch, some villagers would go to the fields to work, and many torches were lit in the fields.

As Cheng Wanwan walked along the village road, she saw the increasingly large market, the neat and orderly school, and the small courtyards with blue bricks and tiles that had been built recently. The village was growing stronger and stronger, and she would not allow all of this to be destroyed.

She turned around and said, "Dashan, ask your uncle Wang to come over."

Uncle Wang, also known as Mudfish's father Wang Yongcheng, was in charge of managing the village's patrol team after He Xiao left.

When he heard that Cheng Wanwan wanted to see him, he assumed she wanted to ask about the progress of the village patrol team. He immediately put down what he was doing, grabbed the patrol team's roster, and hurried to Cheng Wanwan's yard.

"Mudfish Dad, please sit down," Cheng Wanwan said with a smile. "I called you here to ask if anything unusual has happened in the village recently."

Wang Yongcheng thought for a moment before saying, "More than a month ago, people kept coming to inquire about Master He, but you had already instructed us beforehand, so the whole village had the same story: they all said they had never seen him. The person came several times, but couldn't find out anything, so he left."

Cheng Wanwan thought to herself that the people sent by the He family wouldn't leave so easily; they must have found a way to sneak into the village and get accurate information before leaving.

She continued to ask: "What happens after that?"

Wang Yongcheng shook his head: "The village has been peaceful for the past four months. It's normal for there to be some trivial matters. What exactly does Aunt Dashan want to ask?"

"I returned to the village early this time because something bad might happen there." Cheng Wanwan said seriously. "Starting tonight, the number of patrols in the village will be increased fourfold. We need to be on guard at both ends of the village. If there is any disturbance, please notify me immediately."

"yes!"

Wang Yongcheng immediately went down to make arrangements.

Cheng Wanwan dared not relax for a moment. She calculated the time. It would take He Ling at least eighteen days to get to Huzhou. He Ling set off two days earlier than her, which meant that He Ling would arrive at Dahe Village in about six days. She had to make arrangements in these six days.