6 Chapter 6
◎Agricultural officials leave the city◎
Although Puyang City was small, the Prince of Yanyun's Palace, which guarded Yanbei, lay to the northeast. It was the most prosperous center of the entire Yanbei region. Because of its proximity, merchants traveling north and south often stopped here. Puyang City was also very prosperous, and housing was not cheap. A two-story house like the one she lived in would cost two hundred and thirty taels.
She had spent twenty taels on Mu Yun's apprenticeship, and now she only had eighty taels left of the one hundred taels given by Gao. Cheng Mu asked Jiang to keep an eye out for her, as she planned to save up enough to buy a few rooms, preferably ones with courtyards.
Jiang found a way for Cheng Mu to earn money by having her draw patterns. Cheng Mu drew patterns based on the wheat ears, potato flowers, and bean pods in the space. Their designs were simple and beautiful. Jiang was a good businessman. Combining Cheng Mu's patterns with Yu's needlework, her handkerchiefs, purses, and other small items were more unique and novel than those of the peddlers. Many people liked them. She divided the profits into ten parts, with Cheng Mu getting 20%.
This income is dispensable and is a drop in the bucket compared to the money needed to buy a house.
If she found a house she liked, she would have to sell the food in the space.
When she walked out of the second door and into the front room, she would occasionally run into Gui'er and Yu in the kitchen or behind the screen wall. Unlike Jiang, they didn't like to come up to her and ask questions, but mostly they would just greet her indifferently.
Nine times out of ten, she saw Gui'er sharpening knives. The girl was sturdy, dark-skinned, and wore two buns. She was very focused on sharpening knives. Cheng Mu couldn't help but ask Jiang if Gui'er was doing knife sharpening for a living.
Anyone in the neighborhood who needed scissors or knives sharpened would come to her. Jiang lamented, "She doesn't sharpen knives, she sharpens her spirit."
Jiang told Cheng Mu that a year ago, Gui'er's father and brother came to the city and encountered a bully on the way. After a brief argument, he beat him to death. After taking care of their funeral, Gui'er and her mother returned to the city. Gui'er said that she would kill the bully when she saw him. Jiang always thought she was just angry. "Revenge is not that simple. She is a ten-year-old girl who does nothing but sharpen knives every day. Not to mention that she has never seen the bully, even if the bully stood right in front of her, she would not be able to kill him."
In Jiang's eyes, Gui'er was stunned and stubborn.
Cheng Mu remembered something. She moved 50 kilograms of rice out of the space and asked Mu Yun to put it in a bag and run with the weight. Once, at the inner door, Mu Yun's bag of rice slipped and Gui'er picked it up for him with one hand.
That girl was born with supernatural powers.
Cheng Xi was impressed by her strength.
Mu Yun is thin, with sharp eyes and eyebrows. His stubbornness is a kind of rebellion; Gui'er is strong and has a dull look on her face. This kind of person will move forward courageously once they set their minds on something. Her stubbornness is a kind of persistence.
Jiang said, "Guier is really Madam Yu's daughter. Both mother and daughter have stubborn tempers. Even though life is hard, they have to go on. Captain Lin is such a good man, but Madam Yu just won't agree. This opportunity will never come back again after this opportunity is missed." This matter worried Jiang very much.
Cheng Mu guessed, "Maybe she's keeping her chastity for her husband. After all, her husband and son are gone, and it's only been a little over a year."
Jiang was indignant about this and raised her voice, "One year is enough. Are you going to make him wait for three or five years?"
This kind of thing is always like this in this era, Cheng Mu said, "There are still people in the south who will guard it for a lifetime."
Jiang was suspicious of what Madam Cheng was thinking, and fearing that she might become too extreme, she turned the conversation back to Cheng Mu, "Don't follow the example of the southerners and give birth to this child for the Mu family. You should also think about your own future. You have such a good life, and it's not like you haven't enjoyed the goodness of men before."
The conversation went off track, and Jiang, as someone who had experienced it, said, "In another ten or eight years, when you're older, you won't be able to stand being alone anymore. Don't you see that spring has arrived, and the cats inside and outside the walls are meowing, making you feel anxious..."
Cheng Mu was still a virgin who had never tasted a man. When she heard what Jiang said, she couldn't help blushing and hurried away. Jiang laughed so hard that the sound of her laughter could be heard from the sky.
The snow stops in Qingming and the frost stops in Guyu. The weather gradually becomes warmer and the wind blowing on the face also becomes warm.
Mu Yun had grown taller visibly, and his body had become much stronger after being beaten so many times.
Cheng Mu's flower arrangement earned her forty copper coins. When Jiang divided the money among her, she told her the truth that she had asked around and found that no one in the neighborhood wanted to sell their house. She also asked around among her relatives and found that none of them wanted to sell their house for the time being.
Despite this, Cheng Mu still thanked her and gave her a few pounds of white flour as a thank you gift.
Mrs. Jiang advised her to live here peacefully and she could help her when she had children in the future.
It would have been fine if this had not been mentioned, but when she remembered this incident, Cheng Mu decided to avoid Jiang as soon as possible and go out to cast a wider net.
Cheng Mu took Mu Yun out to find Guan Ya.
Guanya's information was wider than Jiang's, and he was more professional in real estate valuations. If Jiang heard that someone was selling a house, she would still go to Guanya.
The houses that Guan Ya had in his hands were all three-story houses, which were the most common style in the city. Cheng Xi refused after only hearing the price, which was more than three hundred taels. He decided to talk about it later.
After leaving a message, Mr. Liu said he would let her know when there was a suitable match.
On the way back, I visited several grain stores and then went to a bookstore to buy an agricultural book. In the previous dynasty, there was a county magistrate named Huimin Youwei. This agricultural book was compiled by him based on the rich experience he accumulated in teaching people farming, weaving, planting, and raising livestock, as well as the information from predecessors. It is divided into several major categories, including agriculture, mulberry, grain, and agricultural tools. It is very practical.
There was a teahouse in the city that only accepted female customers, and she spent a cup of tea there.
There was a noise outside.
"What's that sound?" the women nearby asked each other.
"Let's go to the window and take a look." Many people moved towards the windows on the second floor, and Cheng Xi also followed to join in the fun.
A number of people had already gathered on both sides of the street outside. The young lady beside him said, "It's the agricultural official leaving the city."
Cheng Mu's eyes fell on the man in official uniform riding the leading horse. In this dynasty, each county has a county magistrate to manage agriculture and supervise the people in planting and farming.
In rural villages, during the planting season, drums are beaten at the fifth watch, prompting everyone to head to the fields. Around the time of Grain Rain, melon and bean planting and rice seedling transplanting take place some time later, but this is also the time to soak the seeds, germinate them, and prepare the soil. Farming depends on the weather, and delay is essential. Those who are lazy and don't work in the fields, those whose village officials fail to supervise their work, and those whose county magistrates fail to manage their work properly can all be convicted, with minor punishments ranging from thirty lashes of the cane to a year in prison.
A well-informed young lady said, "A new official's first move is to make a big move. He said that there will be a distribution of grain seeds this year, and the selected grain is from Jin."
I heard from the owner of the grain store that Jingu is rice grown in the Jinshui River basin. Due to the water quality and the fields, it grows better than in other places and is the best variety in Yanbei.
Cheng Mu couldn't help but look at the two grain carts at the back of the team. They were surrounded by tall wooden boards in a circle and filled with grain seeds. There was no cover. Looking down from the second floor of the teahouse, one could just see the golden color of the full warehouse.
When the grain cart passed right below the teahouse, Cheng Mu took a bucket of grain with her mind, which she wanted to study in the experimental field.
When Cheng Mu was looking downstairs, Mu Yun was also looking at the crowd. He suddenly saw a familiar figure in the crowd. He concentrated for a moment, but couldn't find it anymore.
Cheng Mu called out, "Mu Yun, you're back."
The two went downstairs and just as they reached the street, a man rushed out from somewhere and ran straight towards Cheng Mu.
Mu Yun was quick-witted and quick-handed. He pulled the person behind him and stood in front of Cheng Mu.
The man stopped when he was about to touch Mu Yun's body.
"Oh, I'm sorry, young master."
A familiar voice, the man looked up, and Mu Yun's whole body stiffened.
Cheng Xi leaned out from behind and asked, "Old man, are you okay?"
"It's my fault for being rude, young lady, please forgive me." The old man had a round head and square face, unshaven beard, red skin, and black and bright eyes. Because of these eyes, he looked extremely energetic. After standing up straight, his left leg was a little unsteady.
Cheng Mu nodded and was about to leave, but when she noticed Mu Yun hadn't moved, she called out, "Mu Yun?"
Why does he lose consciousness so often?
The old man asked them, "Have you seen my grandson? We went into the city on some business and asked him to wait for me at Qushui Bridge, but he's gone missing."
Cheng Mu kindly asked, "We were upstairs the whole time and didn't see him. How old is your grandson? Does he know the way to Qushui Bridge?"
"About ten years old."
When she was about ten years old, she was already sensible, so the chances of her being kidnapped were slim. Cheng Mu said, "When the agricultural official left the city just now, many people came to watch the excitement. Perhaps the crowd dispersed. Don't worry, go wait near the bridge. If you look for him and he looks for you, it will be difficult for you to meet."
The old man murmured, "Thank you for your advice, young lady. I'll go and wait. I hope I can go. I hope I can go."
Mu Yun moved only after the person walked away.
Cheng Mu looked at him strangely. If he had hair all over his body, it would have stood up just now.
Cheng Mu asked, "What's wrong with you? Why are you so alert?"
"Be careful of others hurting my sister-in-law."
Cheng Mu burst out laughing. Has she become tamed?
After returning home, Cheng Xi continued to study the agricultural books she had bought.
Mu Yun felt uneasy after returning to his room. After a while, he couldn't help it and went out.
At Qushui Bridge, the old man was really waiting for someone.
When Mu Yun arrived, he saw him from a distance and came forward with his unsteady left leg, "Mr. Yun."
Mu Yun asked coldly, "Why did Qi Bo come to see me?"
"Sir, you have been away from home for a long time. It is time to go back."
Mu Yun asked him with a resentful tone, "Where is my home?"
Qi Song sighed, "Mr. Yun, although you are not the head of the family's biological child, you were brought up by your father to acknowledge the clan. She is the head of the family and also your mother."
Mu Yun said unconvincedly, "I am my father's son and my mother's son, but I have no relationship with her Wu family. Wu Zhi is the descendant of her Wu family."
Wu Tao, the head of the Wu family, had been married to her husband for many years without having any children. She had originally planned to adopt her nephew Wu Zhi, but she had never expected her husband to have a mistress outside, and the son was already eight or nine years old. After Wu Tao agreed to let him take the child back home, there had been constant discord between Master Zhi and Master Yun. Everyone in the Wu family knew about their feud over the years, and it had only gotten worse. Qi Song said helplessly, "Young Master, you broke Master Zhi's leg."
Mu Yun secretly felt relieved. "If I hadn't escaped quickly, I would have lost my life at Wu Zhi's hands. He asked for it."
"Young Master, the grudge between you and Master Zhi should be decided by the head of the family."
Mu Yun was annoyed, "Wu Zhi is always the one who flatters and flatters. Your master has never been on my side. Now he wants to trick me into going back and taking me away to vent his anger on Wu Zhi, or he has no choice but to come to me since Wu Zhi lost his leg?" As he said this, he realized that Qi Song was also unable to escort the escort because of his broken leg and was only doing clerical work in the mansion. Mu Yun looked a little awkward.
Qi Song knew he was angry, and seeing that he was still a little concerned about his reputation, he couldn't help but talk about the past, "When your father first went on the expedition, several of us brothers followed him. Although your father was frail, he wore a blue shirt, hemp shoes and a broadsword tied around his waist. He looked very respectable. He got up at five in the morning every day to go out in the cool air. He was very determined. But there was no peace on Taiping Hill. Thieves and thieves robbed goods. That was when I broke my leg."
Mu Yun continued, "My father told me that I was saved by Qi Bo, and I will never forget his kindness."
"I'm not forcing anyone by force. The master of the family has already given what he deserved. Even though I've lost a leg, I won't have to worry about the rest of my life. Your father was overjoyed when you were born. He hoped you would become a man of great stature. It's a pity he passed away before he could raise you to adulthood."
Mu Yun said bitterly, "She must have been unable to tolerate my mother and held a grudge against my father, so she acted so cruelly."
Yun Gongzi's parents died in an accident after he entered the mansion. Qi Song said cautiously, "I don't know the details of this matter, but although the head of the family is a woman, she is not inferior to men in any way, including her tolerance and generosity."
Based on Qi Song's personal understanding of Wu Tao, she would not do such a thing.
Mu Yun was firm in his judgment. He was certain that she was the one who had done the cruel thing. "Uncle Qi worked for her. If it weren't for Uncle Qi's kindness to my father, I wouldn't have come to see him. Now that things have come to this, there's nothing more to say to Uncle Qi. Uncle Qi, please go back and report. But please don't reveal my whereabouts. If I disturb others because of this, don't blame me for being rude."
Mu Yun's face changed as he tried to leave. Qi Song tried to stop him. Mu Yun threw a punch in anger and exchanged two moves with Qi Song. Qi Song quickly caught him. Mu Yun's face flushed red as he shouted, "Let go! Are you going to tie me back?"
"Let's test the young master's skills." Qi Song suppressed the struggling person tightly, and after a few breaths, he suddenly let go.
Mu Yun attacked again unexpectedly and the two fought again.
Captain Lin's method of training him was through combat. How to attack, defend, and break a move all relied on his subconscious reactions. Although it hadn't been long, his combat acumen had increased considerably. This time, he held out against Qi Bo for a while longer before being captured again. Blaming himself for his lack of skill, Mu Yun angrily said, "Knowing that I respect you as my father's benefactor, she sent you to arrest me. How despicable!"
"Young Master, you are wrong." Qi Song let him go again. "When I was out escorting you, I promised your father that I would teach him martial arts in the future. I never thought that this would go wrong. You have been learning for at least two or three years, but you are still so vulnerable."
Mentioning this, Mu Yun became even more furious. "Who did she ask to teach me a lesson? She either beat me to death or humiliated me! Don't try to be a cat playing with a mouse!"
Mu Yun knew that he could not escape his tricks, so he stopped struggling like a trapped beast and looked like he was ready to be killed or cut into pieces at his will.
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