Chapter 83 Grain Transport
Lin Changqing has been admitted to the academy through Lord Miao's invitation for some time now. Lord Miao saw his potential and gave him the opportunity. He can still live in the prefect's mansion now, but it's a pity that his sister died.
Lin Changqing sat at the table in the guest room, his eyes dark. Lord Miao had led him to search for the children they had found, but unfortunately, they had not found his sister. Later, he took him to the prison to question a few damned human traffickers, and only then did he learn that Fu Bao had drowned in the Huai River while trying to escape that day.
Thinking of this, Lin Changqing felt an intense hatred for Lin Changping. If it weren't for this, if it weren't for this, Lin Changqing closed his eyes to hide the coldness in his gaze.
Fortunately, there's always a way out.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Miao Sangsang, dressed in a pink jacket and skirt with a rabbit fur collar around her neck and a bright red cloak, peeked out from the doorway, holding a hot water bottle. Her bright face carried an innocent and naive look: "Young Master Lin, it's already winter. My mother made two robes for my brother and you. I brought them for you to try on. If the size doesn't fit, my mother will have them altered."
Lin Changqing put on a gentle and warm smile as he looked at Miao Sangsang: "Thank you for your kindness, Madam and Miss, but I have already troubled your family a lot, so it is not appropriate to accept your gifts."
Miao Sangsang entered the room with her maid, placed her robe on the table, and said with a smile, "Young Master Lin, there's no need to be so polite. My mother said that you have been teaching my brother and he has made great progress. It is only right. I hope that you will give my brother and me more guidance at this year's winter poetry gathering."
Lin Changqing cupped his hands in greeting: "Changqing will do his best."
Miao Sangsang looked at that handsome face and her face turned red again: "Well, my father is busy today. If you want to ask about your studies, you will probably have to go to my grandfather's place with my brother."
Lin Changqing nodded, gently rubbing his hands together the silky outer robe lined with fur: "Lord Miao seems to be very busy lately. Brother Miao often can't find Lord Miao at home."
Miao Sangsang nodded in agreement: "It's all because of those people in the Ministry of Revenue. The grain supplies to the border have been delayed time and time again in recent years. This year, the grain supplies in Daxing have been running out for quite some time. The grain transport officials who were sent back to the capital with the account books caused a huge uproar between the Censorate and the Ministry of Revenue. Only now have the grain supplies been replenished and are being transported there. It's definitely not possible to transport them by land. By the time they reach the border, they will have already run out of supplies. So, they had no choice but to send people here to transport the grain by canal."
Lin Changqing suddenly looked up, his sharp gaze fixed on Miao Sangsang: "You mean Lord Miao has been busy with this matter lately? The military rations sent to Daxingwei are to be transported via our canal?"
Miao Sangsang was startled by Lin Changqing's direct gaze and stammered, "Ah? Um, what's wrong, Mr. Lin?"
Lin Changqing shook his head, his expression softening again, and stared at Miao Sangsang with affection in his eyes: "It's nothing, Miss Miao, your beaded hairpin is crooked."
As he spoke, he reached out his slender hand and straightened the beaded flower in Miao Sangsang's hair, despite Yu Tao's surprised gaze.
"Alright, Miss Miao."
Miao Sangsang's face turned bright red, almost dripping blood: "Young Master Lin, there's a poetry competition at Huangmi Temple the day after tomorrow. Would you like to go?"
Lin Changqing hesitated for a moment before nodding: "It is indeed boring to stay cooped up in the house for a long time. If Miss Miao is going, I can go with Brother Miao."
Miao Sangsang suddenly loosened her grip on the hem of her clothes: "Then it's settled. Let's go together the day after tomorrow."
Two days later—
The carriage from the Miao family was parked at the gate early in the morning. Miao Sangsang, dressed in a bright red dress with a fur collar, stepped onto the carriage as joyfully as a butterfly.
Behind them, Miao Zhengyan, the eldest son of the Miao family, dressed in a blue brocade fur coat and a green robe, chatted and laughed as he boarded the carriage.
The eldest brother of the Miao family dotes on his youngest sister the most, and he also develops a good impression of Lin Changqing after discovering that Lin Changqing is quite knowledgeable and that he shielded his sister from the board.
Therefore, whether it was a poetry gathering of large or small scale or a literary gathering of officials' families, they were all willing to include Lin Changqing, because Lin Changqing's poetic talent had caught the eye of many people. After entering the academy, coupled with his always being at the forefront of his studies, he also made many friends.
Lord Miao was pleased to see his son becoming more motivated and encouraged the two to date. As for Madam Xie, although marrying into a noble family was a good thing, given Sang Sang's personality, she might not be able to make it big. In addition, Lord Miao had examined Lin Changqing's studies and found that he was indeed very talented, so he decided to grant his daughter's wish.
During her stay at the Miao residence, Madam Xie carefully observed Lin Changqing and had her son subtly test him. She found that Lin Changqing was indeed a good person. He was always humble and polite to servants and dignitaries, and he was upright, not lustful or greedy. In addition, he was quite talented, so she was already considering marrying her daughter to him.
However, there was one thing she had discovered: the people she sent out had investigated and found that Lin Changqing's father was the kind of person who harmed his own brothers. On the one hand, she felt that a bad bamboo could produce a good shoot, but on the other hand, she was afraid that Lin Changqing might also be a treacherous person. That's why she was always on guard. But as things stand, Lin Changqing is indeed a good shoot, and since he is just a poor scholar, he is not a threat.
Her Xie family was a distinguished and noble family. Her husband was a prefectural governor, and her son was also a good student. Even if Lin Changqing wanted to take advantage of her, it wouldn't be impossible. It would be hypocritical to have no ambition at all. He was ambitious and talented, and he was interested in his daughter. In addition, his daughter had helped him many times. No matter how you look at it, if Sangsang were to marry him, she wouldn't have a bad life.
If Lin Changqing can achieve success in the imperial examinations three years from now, then Sangsang's wish will be fulfilled. It's too early to talk about these things now.
Miao Sangsang, who had just arrived at Huangmi Temple, was facing a life-or-death crisis. Several human traffickers that Lord Miao had captured last time had escaped. Today, having learned that the Miao family was here, they had laid an ambush. The poetry gathering had not even started before it was thrown into chaos.
In the elegant bamboo grove, the thug held a knife tightly to Miao Sangsang's slender neck. Miao Sangsang's bright face was now streaked with tears as she looked at Lin Changqing and her brother, crying out for help: "Brother! Save me!"
The thug's blade slowly sliced across Miao Sangsang's neck, drawing a line of blood on her fair and delicate skin: "Go find the prefect and tell him to release our boss, then I'll release his daughter, otherwise!"
Lin Changqing suddenly stepped forward, and the thug glared at him fiercely: "If you come any closer, I'll slit this little girl's throat!"
Lin Changqing's face showed a hint of worry: "Release my sister, and I'll be your hostage!"
The thugs looked Lin Changqing up and down. Seeing Lin Changqing's distinguished demeanor in his brocade robes, they began to hesitate. Lin Changqing coaxed them, saying, "I am Miao Zhengyan, the son of the prefect. Everyone here can testify to this. You should release my sister. I am the only son in the family. If you want to threaten my father, you should use me as a bargaining chip. My father may not agree to use my sister."
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