132 Ruyilou Food Box
"You're going to give all your wealth to County Magistrate Ye?"
Ye Yunzhao hadn't figured out a good way to increase the hatching rate of the fish eggs yet, but seeing Dongxiang Lizheng's expectant eyes, he was afraid that telling the truth would hurt his young heart, so he pretended to be profound and said, "The secret cannot be revealed~"
He was quite good at self-consolation. It must be a very important method, so County Magistrate Ye was so mysterious. He quickly smiled and said, "I understand, I understand. I won't ask any more questions. I'll go down to the fishing nest right away."
Before she could react, the man had already slipped five meters away.
Ye Yunzhao shook her head helplessly and found a clean rock. She slowly sat down on it, stretching her legs high. The warm sunlight warmed her body. She couldn't help but look at the green mountains in the distance, and sighed in a moment of leisure: "Spring is so beautiful~"
After drying her feet, she put on her shoes and socks neatly, lowered her trouser legs that had been rolled up to her knees, and stretched out while standing there.
"County Magistrate Ye—" someone called her from a distance. Seeing her respond, he waved his hands repeatedly, "Come and see the position I chose."
The thirty or so people chosen by Dongxiangli were indeed reliable; not a single one was dishonest or cunning. Ye Yunzhao strode toward the man and, as he approached, recognized him as his sixth aunt's cousin, known only by the nickname "Dog Sheng."
Gousheng was a very clever boy, not very tall, and looked to be about twelve or thirteen years old. Children from poor families had to grow up early, so Ye Yunzhao didn't say anything much because of his young age.
"Where is the fish nest? Let me take a look." As she spoke, she leaned over to look into the river.
Gousheng immediately picked up the fish nest behind him and hurriedly explained: "County Magistrate Ye, I wanted to let you see if the location is okay. If it is, I will put down the fish nest. Otherwise, I am afraid of wasting it." As he spoke, he shook the bundle of wicker in his hand.
Ye Yunzhao smiled lightly and nodded with satisfaction: "Not bad, you are a smart child. No wonder the headman called so many people, but you are the only one."
Gousheng, who was praised, showed a shy smile and stood there shaking his head, as if he was embarrassed.
Until Ye Yunzhao asked him: "Where exactly is the location you chose?"
He finally came to his senses, took two steps forward, pointed to a spot in the stream and said, "It's here."
Ye Yunzhao looked in the direction he pointed. The water quality and the fish schools all met the requirements she had just mentioned.
Seeing her looking solemnly at a spot she was quite satisfied with, Gou Sheng was afraid there might be a problem, so he stammered, "County Magistrate Ye, is this okay?"
She gave him an affirmative smile and gave him a thumbs up: "Okay!"
Hearing this answer, Gou Sheng jumped for joy, rolled up his sleeves and trouser legs, and rubbed his hands together, "County Magistrate Ye, I'll lay another fish nest, and see if it works."
"Okay."
He must have loved swimming. The river here looked quite deep, but Gousheng didn't show the slightest fear. Instead, he dove in like a fish in water, quite content. His movements were a little awkward, but it was his first time, so it was understandable.
After Ye Yunzhao pointed out a few details, Gou Sheng's fish nest was successfully lowered into the riverbed. She then checked the two nearby rivers one by one. Although there were occasional small mistakes, everyone had a strong understanding. After a whole day, they had reached the level of a master.
She had been running all day and was somewhat exhausted. Her legs were weak from fatigue, while everyone else was still full of energy. It was really impossible to compare with them.
Ye Yunzhao handed the remaining matters to the Dongxiang village chief, and she left first, bathed in the setting sun, dragging her weak legs. The Dongxiang village chief gathered everyone together and carefully explained to them the teaching plan for the other people in the next two days.
*
The next morning.
Ye Yunzhao was rarely free. As soon as he opened the door, he saw a familiar food box on the small wooden table under the eaves.
She opened it gently, and inside was a translucent white porcelain plate with delicate and small foods on it. She picked up a small bun with red oil on it, which was still warm to the touch. She took a light bite and it was extremely salty and fragrant, and was even slightly steaming.
Ye Yunzhao took a look in surprise, then opened the three-layer food box and touched it carefully, only to find that all the food was still hot.
The food box would appear every morning. She had privately asked several yamen runners about it, and they all said that no strangers had entered. This thing that appeared every day seemed to tell Ye Yunzhao that the security work of the county government was not in place!
Besides, she couldn't help but feel curious. Chen Jingshan lived in Yuezhou City. Even if someone was sent to deliver the food as quickly as possible, the food in the food box would have already gone cold. Suddenly, she seemed to think of something: Could it be that he was still in Lingnan County?
However, Ye Yunzhao quickly denied her guess. The business in Yuezhou City was so big that it could not do without him as the boss. Besides, she had seen Chen Yuechuan, the second boss of Ruyi Tower, before. Although he was tall and strong, he did not look like a smart person. It seemed that a smart person like Chen Jingshan would never hand over the business to him.
Contrary to her suspicions, Chen Jingshan was currently sitting at his home in Lingnan County, brewing a pot of Tianshan Silver Bud tea. He then gently poured it into the teacup and carefully asked the person who had delivered the food box, "How is it? Does she have any suspicions?"
The man took off his straw hat, revealing a face that Ye Yunzhao was very familiar with - Zhuang Xue.
Zhuang Xue took the teacup and patted her chest a few times. "I was so scared just now! I just entered the courtyard when I heard some noise in the house. I hurriedly put down the lunch box and ran away. I almost got caught by County Magistrate Ye."
Chen Jingshan looked apologetic: "I'm sorry to bother you every day."
He moved a silver ingot in front of her and said, "Thank you, Xueniang, for helping me. This is just a small token of my appreciation."
Seeing the silver ingot, Zhuang Xue's face changed immediately, and she slammed the teacup in her hand onto the table: "Brother Jingshan, what do you mean? Do you think I, Zhuang Xue, help you deliver things every day just for money!?" As she spoke, she suddenly stood up, with anger on her brows.
"That's not the case." Chen Jingshan stood up bewilderedly and hurriedly explained, "I really feel bad for bothering you every day."
A trace of worry and self-mockery crossed his face as he murmured softly, "After all, if this matter comes to light someday, I'm afraid the two of you will... harbor resentment. But I really can't find anyone else to help me, and every time I have to deal with it, I feel really bad."
Seeing him like this, Zhuang Xue let out seven out of ten points of her anger. If she hadn't felt that County Magistrate Ye seemed to have feelings for her, why would she have agreed to help him deliver the things? She said, "Even though you say that, I have something to ask. I'm a straightforward person, so if I say something unpleasant, please don't take it to heart."
Chen Jingshan nodded in agreement: "I can't thank you enough, how can I blame you? I beg for your guidance, Chen is all ears."
When he had gone to Zhuang Xue to ask for help, he had naturally explained the reason clearly. Adhering to her principle of always doing things for the good of County Magistrate Ye, she asked, "You told me before that you would only marry County Magistrate Ye in this lifetime. Was that true?"
He immediately replied: "Of course it's true! I only love her in this life."
Zhuang Xue raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "If County Magistrate Ye wasn't a county magistrate and could only be an ordinary woman, would you still only love her?"
"certainly!"
Chen Jingshan looked dejected. If the two of them were really together, many people would probably think that his affection for her was due to Ah Zhao's status. Thinking of this, he felt a surge of sadness: "I love her, not her position."
After saying this, he laughed at himself and said, "Even if Ah Zhao is willing to give me a chance, I'm afraid many people will think that I love her because of her official position. Among the four classes of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, I am the lowest class of merchants.
Xueniang, to be honest, I actually thought about giving up when I went to the capital. My status as a merchant is really not worthy of someone as good as her."
Zhuang Xue saw him lost in endless contemplation. Whenever he mentioned Ye Yunzhao, a hint of love would appear on his face that could not be ignored. He suddenly looked at her and said with a bit of madness, "But she told me that everyone is equal, and that the class system of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans is all fake! Because of her, I am willing to believe it for once, regardless of life or death..."
Zhuang Xue had also experienced this situation. She had thought that escaping from that home and living in the county government office was a great blessing in this lifetime, but she had never expected to meet Li Xianjiang.
He came from a wealthy family and possessed exceptional medical skills. Doctors were highly respected, a world apart from her, a country woman with a child. Furthermore, Li Xianjiang had never been married, and Zhuang Xue had long struggled with agreeing to be with him. Even now that they were married, she still occasionally heard unkind speculation from others.
So, when Chen Jingshan asked her for help, she softened her heart and agreed to help.
"Then..." Zhuang Xue's thoughts returned, and she continued, "What if you don't keep your word and take a concubine after marriage?"
Chen Jingshan immediately stood up, put three fingers together, and raised them above his head as if swearing an oath: "I, Chen Jingshan, swear that I will only love Ye Yunzhao in this life. Heaven and earth are my witnesses. If I, Chen Jingshan, break this oath, I will be punished by heaven and earth and die an unpleasant death!"
Zhuang Xue was shocked by the poison in her oath. She stammered, "You, you... this, this, this..."
She simply said, "I will help deliver the food boxes every day, as long as you are truly kind to County Magistrate Ye."
Chen Jingshan nodded gratefully. Whether it was an oath or a promise, it was all from the heart. But he knew in his heart that Ye Yunzhao was not someone who would be moved and compromised by these words.
He looked at Zhuang Xue who was sitting across from him, and spoke with a sense of desperation: "But what can I do to make her believe me?"
Zhuang Xue was stunned and said in astonishment, "This won't work?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she had the answer in her heart: I'm afraid not.
For no other reason than that County Magistrate Ye had established a county school, led the people in mushroom cultivation, and even traveled to the capital specifically for the people... all of this had been truly shocking. She had never been an ordinary woman, so her thoughts, concerns, and anxieties were naturally different from those of others.
Zhuang Xue shook her head. Even Chen Jingshan couldn't think of a solution, so how could she have any other good ideas?
"Brother Jingshan, my clinic needs to collect herbs today, so I'll be leaving first." She stood up, "I'll help you deliver the food box tomorrow."
Chen Jingshan immediately stood up to see her off. The two of them walked towards the courtyard gate, one in front and the other behind. A light bulb went off in his mind, and he came up with a very ridiculous idea based on what she said about "my family clinic".
He suddenly smiled, revealing an expression of both ease and joy, and said with determination, "I figured it out!"
Zhuang Xue was confused by his incoherent words. She looked at him in bewilderment, "What did you think of?"
"I decided to go to the prefectural government and change the owner of Ruyi Tower's deed to Ah Zhao. That way, she will definitely believe me."
"What?" Zhuang Xue looked at him as if he were a fool and said simply, "You want to give all your wealth to County Magistrate Ye?"
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