Chapter 2102 Leaving
The maid led them around the main courtyard and to the back. When they reached the courtyard outside the study, they happened to see a young lady turning around with a look of disappointment. Seeing Zhou Man and the other two, she couldn't help but stop and asked, "Xiuhong, who are these three?"
Xiuhong smiled and stopped, saying, "Cousin, this is Master's guest."
She hesitated for a moment, then introduced herself to Zhou Man and the other two, "This is our cousin."
Seeing that she seemed a little older than her, Manbao smiled and bowed first, "So it's my cousin."
Seeing that she was performing the Confucian etiquette, the cousin hesitated for a moment before squatting down to perform her own etiquette. However, when she saw that Xiuhong had no intention of introducing herself, she felt a little embarrassed for a moment.
Manbao also glanced at Xiuhong, then introduced himself with a smile: "My name is Zhou Man, and these are my two junior brothers."
Bai Shan and Bai Erlang also bowed, then paused awkwardly and looked at each other.
Seeing that they seemed to have nothing to say, Xiuhong reminded them, "Miss Man, Master Bai, my master is still waiting."
The three of them nodded to their cousin, then smiled and went into the yard with Xiuhong.
Xiuhong only sent the person to the gate of the courtyard, and someone came out to greet him.
The three of them breathed a sigh of relief when they entered the study, and couldn't help laughing when they looked at each other.
County Magistrate Tang, who was sitting by the stove refilling his tea, asked, "What funny thing happened to you? Tell us about it."
"No," Bai Shan naturally wouldn't say anything bad about the master's servants in front of the master, not to mention it wasn't a big deal. He pulled Man Bao to sit on a low stool next to the stove and said with a smile, "Why are you only drinking tea and not eating anything?"
Tang He turned around and said to Yang Heshu, "Why are you all so greedy after your trip to Xiazhou?"
Yang Heshu smiled and said, "Before, Xiazhou was short of meat and vegetables. Now that I'm back in the capital, I naturally want to replenish my energy."
Tang He asked, "Will it be difficult for you to take over Xiazhou now?"
Yang Heshu smiled softly, "We've already gotten through the hardest times. No matter how hard things get in the future, how can they be more difficult than those four months of being inappropriate and unreasonable?"
Bai Shan and Bai Erlang, who had experienced Xiazhou, nodded together. Yes, no matter how difficult it is, can it be more difficult than when an epidemic is rampant?
County Magistrate Tang asked, "Those people in Xiazhou hate you..."
"Niu Kang will be released in a few days," he said. "He didn't introduce smallpox maliciously, so the law can't hold him guilty. With him around, and the Niu family around, it won't be difficult to divert the hatred from me."
Tang He then reminded him, "Know when to stop."
Yang Heshu: "When I get to Xiazhou, I will persuade the Niu family to leave Xiazhou and return to their hometown to live."
Governor Niu will definitely not be able to go back. His dereliction of duty this time is serious and is considered a felony. He will most likely be sentenced and may even be exiled.
Originally, the Niu family had in-laws in Xiazhou, and Governor Niu had been doing business in Xiazhou for many years. Even if he retired, the family could continue to operate in Xiazhou. However, with the current reputation of the Niu family, there would be no good results for them if they stayed in Xiazhou.
In fact, the public opinion in Xiazhou had been misled before, and Yang Heshu was not unaware of it. However, the whole city was in grief at that time, and he knew that everyone needed an outlet. If he fought with them immediately, not to mention the harm to the survivors, it would also be a blasphemy to the dead, and he might not win.
But he had left Xiazhou now, and even his wife and children had taken refuge in a farm outside the city. If people continued to talk about him at this time, it would be more beneficial than harmful to him.
People always naturally tend to favor the weak, especially when they haven't done anything wrong and everything is within the righteousness of the cause.
In front of the four people, he did not hide his scheming, and even taught the still ignorant Bai Shan and the other two: "Sometimes showing weakness can actually bring greater gains."
County Magistrate Tang tutted his tongue and said, "You are not teaching them like a gentleman at all. Be careful not to teach them bad things or Mr. Zhuang will come after you."
Yang Heshu burst into laughter and said happily, "You are right."
So I didn't mention it again.
Bai Shan and the others were still a little disappointed.
Manbao has to see Doctor Xiao in the afternoon and is not very free. He came here today because he was worried about Yang Heshu.
So they had lunch at Yang's house and then said goodbye and left.
The meal was served in the study. Yang Heshu did not let them go to pay their respects to the elders in his family. He directly sent the four people to the side yard, watched them get on the carriage, and nodded as they left.
After the two carriages had left, the smile on his face faded. He turned his head and said to the servant at his side, "Go ask Wan Tian who led Miss Man and the others to the study this morning. Did they meet anyone along the way or what happened?"
The servant agreed and waited on the master back to his study before going to find Wantian.
In just two quarters of an hour, Wan Tian came over and told Zhou Man and the others everything from the moment they got off the carriage to the study, detailing every detail.
Yang Heshu is practicing calligraphy to calm his mind.
Wan Tian then said, "Master, do you want to speak to the housekeeper? That girl is so unruly that she even lets Miss Man and the others speak for themselves."
Yang Heshu said, "She's just not smart enough. Zhou Man and the others haven't taken it to heart, so why should we make a big fuss? But the maids in the mansion are not as good as they used to be."
He didn't even teach well.
Wan Tian lowered his eyes and thought: It's not that I'm not as good as before, it's that I'm not even as good as the little girl next to the young lady. I don't know how the marquis's wife manages the household...
Yang Heshu looked at the words he had written and frowned slightly. He said, "Pack your things. I'm a little sick. It's not easy to recuperate in the busy mansion lately. Let's stay at the manor for a few days. We'll leave after the official document from the Ministry of Personnel arrives."
Wan Tian was stunned for a moment and then asked, "Master, don't you still want to know whether Miss Man and the others are going to the Western Regions?"
"Manbao said that His Majesty has sent a letter to Anxi. It will take quite some time to go back and forth. I'm afraid there won't be any results for a while. Let's go back to Xiazhou and wait. If they want to go to the Western Regions, they have to pass through Xiazhou anyway."
Wan Tian thought so too, so he turned around to clean up.
They had only been home for two days and had very little luggage, so they didn't have to pack much; they could just roll up their things and leave.
Lord Yang was not at home. When he returned home that afternoon, he learned that his sons had all left the city and were living at the farm. The housekeeper, sweating, said, "Your servant sees that you are very unwell. It would be good to go soak in the hot springs. It's only February, and the cold wind from the north will chill you to the bone."
Lord Yang glanced at him and said, "You don't need to make excuses for him. He must be annoyed by the number of guests in the house."
Lord Yang was a little angry at first. How could he move into a villa outside the city as soon as he came back, and without even telling him, his father.
But after calming down, he felt sorry for his son who had lost so much weight, so he waved his hand and said, "Forget it, if he wants to go, go. Have someone send him some things. Xiazhou is desolate and there are not many good things. Now that he is in the capital, he should take this opportunity to eat more."
Look how thin he is. He wasn't that miserable when he was the magistrate of Luojiang County. Xiazhou was still the provincial capital. Humph.
See you tomorrow
(End of this chapter)
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