Chapter 78

After Fu Wei was ambushed by Luo Dianshi, he still went to the yamen to report for duty as usual.

But Luo Dianshi took a day off.

After two days, whenever they met the four yamen runners in the back alley, they would respectfully call Fu Wei "Mr. Fu", which surprised everyone else.

When someone asked them why they changed their address, they simply said that Mr. Fu was a magnanimous man, calm and composed at a young age, and was highly valued by the adults, so they naturally respected him.

…

What others said was confusing, but at least the stone slab at the side door had not been moved in the past two days.

Fu Wei was worried about the matter of the Wen family that Yu Ying had asked him to investigate before returning to the village, so after finishing his chores over the past two days, he went to check the files about Gu'ao Village.

After searching through the archives, he did not find any files related to the Wen family. He frowned slightly and was about to turn around to ask someone when he saw Luo Dianshi walking in.

Seeing Fu Wei, Luo Dianshi was stunned and didn't know how to face him for a moment.

Fu Wei glanced at Luo Dianshi's clenched palms, then calmly looked away and asked the clerk in charge of the file storage, "Why are the household registration files for Gu'ao Village missing from three years ago?"

The clerk looked quietly at Luo Dianshi, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I'm not sure either."

Fu Wei knew that the petty official was afraid of Luo Dianshi, so he didn't expose him. He just said, "Then please push me out."

The clerk hurried forward to push the carriage.

After passing Luo Dianshi and about to exit the warehouse, he suddenly heard Luo Dianshi's voice behind him: "This was reorganized after the magistrate took office. The previous files are all stored in the old warehouse."

The clerk who was about to push the new staff member out of the warehouse was stunned and turned to look at Luo Dianshi in surprise.

When Luo Dianshi met Fu Muliao a few days ago, his face was gloomy. Moreover, Luo Dianshi had a close relationship with Sun Muliao. Shouldn't he be on Sun Muliao's side?

Then why did you suddenly take the initiative to remind me today?

Fu Wei raised his hand, signaling the clerk to stop for a moment, then turned to look at Luo Dianshi.

Luo Dianshi lowered his eyes and said uncomfortably, "I am more familiar with the old files. If Mr. Fu is looking for something, just tell me."

Hearing the word "Mr. Fu", the clerk looked surprised.

Fu Wei didn't bother to be polite and said directly, "The files of all the people who moved out of Gu'ao Village between May and August three years ago."

Luo Dianshi thought for a moment, then said, "I'll deliver it to Mr. Fu in two and a half minutes."

Fu Wei nodded: "Thank you."

When Luo Dianshi heard the "thank you", he was slightly stunned.

After Fu Wei turned around and the clerk escorted him out of the storeroom, Luo Dianshi looked at his receding figure and spoke softly, "Why are you thanking me? I'm the one who should be thanked the most..."

In less than two and a half minutes, Luo Dianshi took the file and gave it to Fu Wei.

After finding the file, Luo Dianshi also roughly read the above records.

According to the above records, he remembered the file he had shown to Fu Wei's wife, Yu, when she was going to bring her brother and sister-in-law back.

Her sister-in-law was recorded as a woman from the Fu family in Lingshui Village, but she actually served the Wen family in Daigu'ao Village.

But it was a bit strange, but he didn't look into it in detail. Now that he thought about it, Luo Dianshi roughly guessed who Fu Wei was looking for.

Fu Wei opened the bamboo slips, checked the address, and frowned slightly.

The address of the Wen family was the place Fang Yazi first took Fu Wei and Yu Ying to Yu County when they went there to look for a house.

It seems that the Wen family used their niece's betrothal money to move to Yu County, but perhaps they spent a lot of money on bribing the yamen runners, so now they live in the poorest area of ​​Yu County.

There was no one around in the corridor at this time. Luo Dianshi was silent for a while before speaking: "Thank you, Mr. Fu, for what happened yesterday."

Fu Wei raised his eyes from the file and looked at him: "Have you figured it out?"

Luo Dianshi nodded. "I've figured it out. I've hit a dead end and taken the wrong path. If it weren't for Mr. Fu's generosity, I'm afraid I'd be in jail now."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "My elder brother owes Mr. Fu's wife an apology. I must persuade him to come and apologize. I also owe Mr. Fu a favor. If he needs my help in the future, I will be happy to help him."

Fu Wei rolled up the bamboo slips and placed them on his lap, saying indifferently, "Neither my wife nor I will forgive what your brother has done, but I won't take my anger out on you either. We can talk about other things later."

After saying that, Fu Wei looked at the person behind Luo Dianshi: "Mr. Sun."

Sun's staff saw Fu Wei and Luo Dianshi talking to each other in a friendly manner under the same roof from a distance, and his brows furrowed.

Suddenly, a voice called "Mr. Sun" made him suppress his displeasure. He smiled and walked over. "That's strange. I've never seen Luo Dianshi and Fu Xiaolangjun chatting together. Why are they together today?"

Fu Wei said, "Just some official business. Now that I'm done, I'll go back and get busy."

Sun Muliao smiled, watched Fu Wei leave, then looked at Luo Dianshi beside him and said comfortingly, "Luo Dianshi is lucky to have come to his senses early and admitted his mistake to that young Master Fu. Once your relationship is established, flatter him for a while, and I'm sure he'll be able to say a few good words about you in front of the adults."

Luo Dianshi frowned slightly.

Why didn't he find what Sun Muliao said strange before? Why does he find it a bit harsh now?

Luo Dianshi suppressed the suspicion in his eyes, raised his gaze to the smiling Sun Muliu, and replied, "I think I've figured it out. After thinking it through, I found that Mr. Fu is not difficult to get along with. Although his legs are disabled, his every move and gesture is the demeanor of a noble young man from a wealthy family. No wonder he joined the government as a staff member."

Sun's staff originally thought that they would see shame and anger on Luo Dianshi's face, but they never expected to hear words full of praise for Fu Wei?

Why did this person who was angry with Fu Wei a few days ago suddenly change his attitude today?

What happened between the two of them that he didn't know about? !

Luo Dianshi caught the fleeting surprise on Sun's staff's face, and his doubts deepened.

He couldn't help but wonder whether Sun's staff really wanted him to reconcile with Fu Wei, or... was just adding fuel to the fire.

If it weren't for what happened the day before, his hatred for Fu Wei would only increase after hearing these words.

Sun's staff...may be using him.

Thinking of this, Luo Dianshi's heart sank gradually.

*

After Fu Wei got the address of the Wen family, he found Wu Xiaoyacha, who was specially cared for by Huo Yacha, and asked him to go with him to search for the address.

The Wen family's residence was the place where Fang Yazi first took Fu Wei and Yu Ying when they went to Yu County to look for a house a month ago.

——The poorest place in Yu County.

The alley was dirty and filled with all kinds of unpleasant smells. After entering the alley, we stopped in front of a dilapidated thatched house.

In the yard, there was a middle-aged woman who was washing clothes while cursing.

Most of the time, people are complaining about their unfilial children, who sleep until noon every day and don’t go out to work, making it difficult for the family to make ends meet!

After cursing for a while, an impatient male voice came from the room: "Nian, Nian Nian, if you can't make ends meet, won't you marry your younger sister off and get the betrothal gift?"

The woman glared and cursed, "Do you think your little sister is that bitch Ah Xing?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Wei was sure that this was the Wen family that Aying had asked him to find.

After confirming that it was the Wen family's location, Fu Wei went to seek the county magistrate's consent to arrest everyone in the Wen family.

County Magistrate Zhou looked at him in surprise, as if asking him why he came in just for such a trivial matter?

Fu Wei then explained the whole story. The magistrate laughed and said, "I thought you had lived in Wuling County for over twenty years and didn't have any deep feelings for the Fu family, whom you had only known for half a year. It seems that's not the case."

Fu Wei replied, "Even when I was at my lowest point, they never gave up on me. My biological mother even gave everything she had for me, and in the end, she had only wild vegetables to fill her stomach. Even though we are not related by blood, I must repay this kindness."

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Zhou smiled and said, "You are a man of integrity and righteousness. Okay, after all, you have broken the law. Take him back, give him a few beatings, and lock him up for a while. Then make them compensate your sister-in-law for her labor service."

Fu Wei thought about living in such a terrible place in the Wen family, and there was no need to think about Yi Yin. The most important thing now was to make them suffer, instead of feeling no guilt at all like he did now, and instead thinking it was their due.

After talking about the Wen family, Fu Wei talked about something else.

"This time, the farmers' planting of herbs will inevitably cause opposition from several medical clinics in Yu County."

County Magistrate Zhou had also given this matter some thought. He looked at Fu Wei and asked, "Have you come up with any solution?"

Fu Wei said: "Let the clinic collect the medicinal materials from the beginning."

County Magistrate Zhou frowned. "They take it in at a low price and then hand it over to the government office at a high price?"

Fu Wei shook his head. "The people in the government office don't know how to use herbs, and they're short-staffed. Most importantly, blatantly purchasing herbs from farmers could lead to various problems. But the clinic collects herbs quickly and can identify them, which saves a lot of manpower and time."

County Magistrate Zhou thought about what he said for a moment, and it seemed to be true.

"But as far as I know, the price the clinic buys from the common people for medicinal materials is extremely low. So how can the common people make any profit?"

Fu Wei responded, "Prices are arbitrarily set in the lower-tier medicine market, with no clear price. Why not, as previously suggested, establish a medicine merchant association? Those who join the association will receive government assistance in exporting their medicinal materials, and there will be regulations on how much money they can purchase from the people. This will not only protect the interests of the people, but also curb the arbitrary pricing of medical clinics."

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Zhou pondered for a while.

"I don't think they will agree."

"I'm willing to give it a try. As long as one family agrees, the others will agree as well."

County Magistrate Zhou looked up at him and asked, "Are you going to persuade them?"

Fu Weiwei bowed slightly and said, "My Lord, just let Luo Dianshi and I work together on this matter, and it will be twice as effective with half the effort."

Hearing Luo Dianshi's name, County Magistrate Zhou frowned slightly: "Luo Dianshi and Luoji Medical Clinic are brothers. Luoji Medical Clinic is probably the most difficult to deal with among the several medical clinics, but if Luo Dianshi can persuade us, it will be easier."

After pondering for a moment, he agreed to Fu Wei: "I will let Luo Dianshi go with you. As for whether Luo Dianshi is willing to cooperate, that is your consideration."

Fu Wei bowed in agreement, and then County Magistrate Zhou called the yamen runner Huo into the study and asked him to escort the Luo family to the county yamen first, and then go to Lingshui Village to inform Wen Shi of the Fu family to come to the yamen tomorrow to open a court hearing on the incident of being forced to serve three years ago.

Fu Wei, who was about to leave, hesitated for a moment before saying, "Sir, since this is my family's business, why don't you let me go to Lingshui Village and let me know."

Magistrate Zhou looked him up and down, his gaze settling on his carriage. "Are you sure?"

Fu Weiying said, "There should be ox carts heading towards Lingshui Village this afternoon."

If he paid a few more coins, he could naturally ask the coachman to take him to Lingshui Village.

County Magistrate Zhou stared at Fu Wei and seemed to have the answer in his mind.

"Your wife still lives in Lingshui Village, right?"

Fu Wei lowered his eyes, avoiding the magistrate's gaze, and replied, "Indeed, I still live in Lingshui Village."

County Magistrate Zhou chuckled, reading Fu Wei's thoughts clearly: "Young couples miss each other so much after just one day of absence."

Fu Wei didn't say anything, but Huo Yacha, who was still in the study, couldn't help but laugh.

Both County Magistrate Zhou and Yachai Huo had been young couples before, so how could they not understand what it meant to be newlyweds?

County Magistrate Zhou waved his hand and said, "Forget it. If you want to go back, go now. Come back tomorrow morning with your sister-in-law and the others. Consider it a half-day leave from me. It won't delay anything anyway."

Fu Wei nodded and thanked him.

After leaving the study, Fu Wei first went back to Xikou Lane to pack some clothes, and told Luo and Fu An that he was going back to Lingshui Village.

Luo was originally worried and wanted to go back with them, but when she thought that there were not enough beddings in the village, she gave up.

But in order to allow Fu Wei, who was riding in a plain carriage, to reach the city gate faster, the grandfather and grandson sent him there.

*

In mid-November, the weather in Lingnan is constantly changing. A few days ago, it was so cold that people were shivering, but after a few days, it became as warm as March. However, this weather is extremely dry.

In weather like this, it is the best time to buy facial cream.

But Yu Ying had no time to think about facial cream. She seemed unable to stop. On the third day after returning to Lingshui Village, she rented ten acres of sloping land and prepared to hire someone to cultivate it.

Fortunately, all the expenses for the trip to the county government were recovered, and Yu Ying had about 5,000 coins in savings.

She roughly calculated that renting the land and hiring someone to cultivate it would cost about 3,500 coins, which was acceptable.

It was almost dusk when I finished inspecting the slope with my elder brother, his wife and the village head.

As they walked towards home, Yu Ying was thinking about hiring someone to reclaim the land. When she looked up inadvertently, she felt that she was hallucinating.

She actually saw Fu Wei sitting in a wheelchair, dressed in light cloth, smiling at her in the afterglow of the setting sun.

A layer of dim and bright outline covered his body, making him look not like a real person, but a three-dimensional projection from later generations.

Yu Ying paused, rubbed her eyes and looked again, and the person was still there.

At this moment, the eldest sister-in-law beside him suddenly asked in surprise: "Why is my uncle back?"

After hearing this, Yu Ying realized that Fu Wei was not an illusion.

——Fu Wei is really back.