Just as Jing Zhe was about to close the door after watching the madam walk back, a group of soldiers emerged from the other end of the street, their broadswords at their waists, their hands still gripping the hilts, their faces grave.

This is…

Just as Jing Zhe was wondering what was going on, a dark figure suddenly appeared in front of him, shoved him inside the door, and then closed it.

"Huh? What are you doing here?"

Upon seeing who it was, Jing Zhe looked on with curiosity.

The dark figure was Fatty Ball, who was leaning against the door, panting heavily.

“Last night, the young chieftain told us all to go back, but the more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt. So I sent Lao Wu and the others back up the mountain first, and I'll wait to escort the young chieftain up the mountain today!”

"Escort me?"

Jing Zhe raised an eyebrow and glanced at Fatty, who lowered his head somewhat embarrassed by the stare.

Where did you stay last night?

"Well... I just found an inn to stay at for the night. It's okay if I don't get a good night's sleep, it's all for the sake of the young master."

Fatty thought for a moment before answering, but his voice lacked confidence.

Jing Zhe looked him over again and saw that the fat man had a rosy complexion, was in good spirits, and was full of energy. He didn't look like he hadn't slept well at all.

Jing Zhe narrowed his eyes and smirked: "Did you go to Chunshui Pavilion?"

"..."

Fatty's eyes widened; he couldn't understand how Jing Zhe had figured it out.

"Not only did you go to Chunshui Tower, you also spent the night there—that's impressive, Fatty!"

"that…"

Fatty wiped the cold sweat from his brow and gave an awkward smile: "It's all just an act, just an act!"

Damn it, I'm stuck here getting beaten up and humiliated, while you're out having a good time. If I'd known—I would have gone with him…

Seeing that Jing Zhe was no longer pressing the matter, Fatty immediately said seriously, "Young Chieftain, it's fortunate that I didn't go back to the mountain with them, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to come and inform you!"

Reminded by him, Jing Zhe also remembered the group of soldiers outside wielding broadswords and hurriedly asked, "By the way, what's going on outside?"

"They've come looking for us!"

Fatty said, then looked at Jing Zhe with great admiration: "Young Chieftain, you are truly amazing! You said you would teach them a lesson, and you really did!"

"Oh? It exploded?"

After Jing Zhe asked the question, Fatty's expression froze.

A moment later, he gave Jing Zhe a thumbs up, "You know what's happening outside without even leaving the house. It really was the young chieftain who did it!"

If you put quicklime and water in a jar and seal the lid tightly, it's bound to explode. You don't even need to think about it to know.

When Jing Zhe was a child, he used this traditional method to fry fish, and it always worked.

"Where was it blown up? In the front hall or the backyard of the Lin residence? I'd guess it was most likely the woodshed. If they were greedy and did a lot of it, they could probably have leveled it."

But Fatty shook his head, "Young Master, you're wrong this time! It wasn't blown up at the Lin residence!"

"Not at the Lin residence?"

Jing Zhe looked completely bewildered. "Where is that?"

"In the side room of the government office's backyard!"

"..."

"It was in the room where that corrupt official Lin was sleeping! I heard that he was blown up on the spot, and by the time the doctor arrived, he was already dead!"

"..."

"What's even more amazing is that not only was Lin the dog official dug out from under the wall, but also the wife of the head constable in the yamen. Tsk tsk, I heard that when the head constable dug up his naked wife, his face turned green!"

"..."

Jing Zhe was completely dumbfounded.

"What... exactly is going on?"

Fatty then recounted the information he had gathered, and Jing Zhe finally managed to sort things out.

Recently, Lin Gouguan has been staying in the backyard of the government office under the pretext of being busy with official business. Lin Wenyao, who has obtained the "method of making ice", wanted to show his filial piety, so he transported a large vat and a cart of quicklime to the government office and arranged them in Lin Gouguan's bedroom, preparing to give him a surprise and let him enjoy the coolness brought by ice in the middle of summer.

The result was surprising, but not a pleasant surprise; rather, it was a shock.

Last night, a loud bang suddenly came from the government office. When the constables on duty arrived, the entire bedroom had collapsed, with flying tiles and stones everywhere. Then, they found the disheveled official Lin and the head constable's wife under the rubble...

According to an anonymous bystander, the scene was quite awkward, especially the position of the two people, which was truly indescribable.

After listening, Jing Zhe clicked his tongue in amazement.

"This Lin Wenyao is indeed filial, so filial that he sent his father away. He's really something."

Fatty Ball nodded with a smile, "He originally wanted to fulfill his filial duty, but who knew he'd end up wearing mourning clothes! Also, I heard that when his mother saw what happened, she slapped that corrupt official Lin a lot!"

"They don't even spare the dead, impressive!"

Jing Zhe sighed.

...

"Who died, and how serious is it?"

At this moment, Chen Mo came out of the house, yawning with his hand covering his mouth, perhaps because he hadn't slept well.

Guizhi followed closely behind and, upon seeing Jingzhe, said, "Young Master Kun, you woke up so early—by the way, the noodles you made were really delicious! Our young lady didn't get enough and wants to eat more tonight! But she was afraid of disturbing you while you were asleep, so she didn't come to find you!"

Chen Mo blushed, lowered her head, and didn't forget to pinch a handful of osmanthus branches.

Guizhi giggled and dodged away, then said, "Young master, what Guizhi said is true! Why don't we eat it for breakfast too!"

Fatty: "..."

Chen Mo was shy, Gui Zhi was bold, Jing Zhe was enjoying himself, and then there were the lewd words coming out of Gui Zhi's mouth, causing the fat man's brain to freeze...

Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? Did I come at the wrong time?

Guizhi glanced at the dazed Fatty and added, "Fatty's here too, let's eat together!"

"No, no, no, I won't eat it, you guys eat it!"

Upon hearing this, Fatty Ball was so frightened that he waved his hands repeatedly.

Eating the young chieftain's noodles...who could resist that?

Jing Zhe saw Fatty's reaction and kicked him in the butt: "What are you thinking? Cook noodles and eat, don't you understand?"

Fatty glanced at Chen Mo, whose cheeks were flushed, and said with a very obsequious smile, "I understand, I understand everything!"

"You don't know anything!"

Jing Zhe lifted his leg and kicked again.

Fatty quickly said, "Young Master, I don't understand!"

"You don't understand, yet you're laughing like a fool?"

After he finished speaking, the third kick arrived as expected.

Fatty was stunned by the kick, clutching his backside and taking a few steps back, staring at Jing Zhe, on the verge of tears.

Should I understand this, or should I not understand it?

————