Chapter 285 Love gained through scheming doesn't last long.
Magistrate Shen suddenly stood up.
During yesterday's talent competition, he kept trying to find an opportunity to speak with Mrs. Sui, but he didn't get the chance.
He was also thinking of taking some time these next few days to visit Dahe Village, ostensibly to see his son, but actually to have a chat with Mrs. Sui.
He was really too busy. He had been thinking about letting Lady Sui see his true feelings, but he just hadn't had the time.
It's normal that Lady Sui wouldn't approve of someone whose words and actions don't match.
After making a self-deprecating remark, Magistrate Shen went back to his room to change into a youthful blue outfit before heading to the side hall for receiving guests.
"Greetings, Your Excellency."
Cheng Wanwan stood up and bowed.
Magistrate Shen said somewhat awkwardly, "From now on, Madam Sui need not perform the formalities. Please sit down, please sit down quickly."
The two sat down and each picked up a cup of tea to drink.
Cheng Wanwan took a sip to moisten her lips and went straight to the point: "I heard that Huzhou is besieged by refugees?"
"Refugees started entering the city half a month ago. The prefect set up soup kitchens in the city, providing two meals a day, which temporarily calmed the refugees down. Who would have thought that several thousand refugees would suddenly appear yesterday? If so many people were to enter the city, it would definitely cause a huge mess. So the prefect closed the city gates and only set up soup kitchens outside the city, reducing it to one meal a day." Magistrate Shen sighed. "The number of refugees is increasing. If we wait a few more days, Huzhou's food supply will run out, and we don't know how many people will die."
Cheng Wanwan also sighed.
In dynasties that relied on agriculture, if there were problems with the harvest, large numbers of people at the bottom of society would starve or freeze to death...
She said slowly, "Among the counties in Huzhou, Ping'an County pays the most taxes and grain. Has Lord Shen ever considered that those refugees might wander here?"
Magistrate Shen nodded: "The Prefect has already given the order that if any refugees come, soup kitchens should be set up outside the city. Under no circumstances should refugees be allowed into the city. There is still a lot of grain in Ping'an County's granary. We should save as many people as we can. We can't just stand by and watch these poor people die outside the city."
Cheng Wanwan pursed her lips and said, "The government has yamen runners on duty, so the refugees dare not cause trouble. But if the refugees come to the village, the villagers may suffer undeserved disaster. May I ask, Your Excellency, if the refugees break into Dahe Village and cause trouble, does the village head have the authority to deal with these refugees?"
Huzhou is the place with the most grain in the country this year. Among the counties in Huzhou, Ping'an County is the most outstanding, and Dahe Village in Ping'an County is the granary.
Those refugees are very likely to come to Dahe Village to steal food.
It wasn't that she was making malicious speculations, but when a person is starving to the point of death, they are capable of anything. When a group of people are in dire straits, their destructive power is even more formidable.
The county town is protected by walls, preventing refugees from entering. However, in addition to the two main roads, the villages have countless small paths. Even without these paths, refugees with nowhere else to go will carve out a way to survive in the deep mountains and dense forests.
Once Dahe Village was invaded by refugees, there was never a peaceful day again.
Cheng Wanwan prides herself on not being a selfish person, and since coming to this era, she has been doing her best to help everyone get rich together.
But now, she dares not rashly help the refugees, because the risks are simply too great.
“Madam Sui, there’s no need to worry,” Magistrate Shen reassured her. “The post station has tallied the numbers. This year, about three to four thousand refugees came from the south. Six or seven hundred froze or starved to death on the way, and another thousand or so went elsewhere. About two thousand refugees came to Huzhou, and these people are scattered throughout Huzhou. It’s estimated that about four or five hundred refugees have wandered into Ping’an County. There won’t be any major trouble. In addition, the Prefect has already written a memorial to the court, requesting that the court release grain for disaster relief…”
Cheng Wanwan nodded.
Four or five hundred people, which is roughly half the population of Dahe Village, should not cause too much turmoil in a county if managed properly.
Moreover, judging from the appearance of Magistrate Shen, things are unlikely to be that bad.
After finishing their business, Cheng Wanwan got up to say goodbye.
"Wait a moment." Magistrate Shen scratched his ear. "The county kitchen is preparing lunch. Why don't you stay for a meal before you leave, Madam Sui?"
When he was talking about official business, he was organized, articulate, and spoke fluently.
Now that his own selfish desires were involved, he suddenly didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.
Cheng Wanwan is also balding.
She made herself so clear last time, so why hasn't this magistrate given up yet?
She smiled and said, "If the old lady were here, I would certainly have a meal with her. Since she's not here, I won't stay any longer."
The meaning of this is quite obvious; anyone who isn't a fool can understand it.
Magistrate Shen looked dejected, his face drooping. He said in a low voice, "Then could you please trouble Madam Sui to take something to Xiao Zheng?"
Cheng Wanwan naturally wouldn't refuse such a small favor.
Magistrate Shen hurriedly went to prepare things, and soon returned with two large bundles: "This bundle contains Xiao Zheng's winter clothes, and this bundle contains some essay questions for the provincial examination that I bought in Huzhou. Xiao Zheng and Cheng Zhao both have some..."
Cheng Wanwan took the things and said, "Lord Shen, I'll take my leave now."
She turned and left the county government office.
Magistrate Shen sighed silently; he really didn't know what to do... He had a headache.
Master Yuan observed this scene closely, walked over, and said, "A wealthy merchant has recently come to our Ping'an County. I heard he's here for the soap business. Other merchants come to place orders for soap, but this Manager Gao, according to his servant, is here for the soap formula. The Sui family has built a workshop; how could they possibly sell their formula?"
Magistrate Shen frowned: "A mere merchant dares to covet the business formula of a ninth-rank lady?"
"The Gao family is no ordinary family," Master Yuan said in a low voice. "The Gao family produced a fifth-rank official, and the entire Gao family has risen to prominence. This Manager Gao is from a collateral branch of the Gao family, and he uses the main family's name to flaunt his power everywhere... Lady Sui is only a ninth-rank official, and she is indeed nothing in front of a fifth-rank official. If you, sir, help Lady Sui resolve such a major matter, Lady Sui will be grateful and will definitely..."
"Ridiculous!" Magistrate Shen slammed his fist on the table. "A shopkeeper from a collateral branch of the family, whom even Lord Gao probably doesn't recognize, dares to use Lord Gao's name to cause trouble in my Ping'an County! Clerk Yuan, you must immediately arrange for someone to investigate whether this Shopkeeper Gao has been bullying men or women during his stay in Ping'an County these past few days. If it is true, arrest him immediately and bring him in for trial!"
Master Yuan quickly stopped him, saying, "Sir, we're not in a hurry. Let's wait a bit longer."
Magistrate Shen asked, puzzled, "Why must we wait?"
"We have to wait until Manager Gao goes to Lady Sui in a huff, wait until Manager Gao is bullying her, wait until Lady Sui is powerless and desperate, then the sir will descend like a god." Master Yuan narrated like a storyteller, "Lady Sui's family is cornered by Manager Gao, just about to take out the soap recipe, when the sir suddenly appears, that's when the hero saves the damsel in distress effect will be achieved, and that's why Lady Sui will never forget him..."
“If that’s the case, how am I any different from those who abduct women?” Magistrate Shen said slowly. “The affection and lingering feelings gained through scheming are the most despicable and short-lived. Besides, I don’t want her to fall into a situation with no way out… Master Yuan, don’t just stand there, arrange for someone to investigate that manager surnamed Gao!”
Master Yuan opened his lips, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he uttered only one word: "Yes!"
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