In the early morning, the autumn wind was brisk and the sweet fragrance of osmanthus filled the air in the corner of the courtyard. Jiang Yushu, without any makeup on and dressed in simple and elegant clothes, walked steadily into the living room.
As soon as the new magistrate appeared, the three people who were sitting and drinking tea immediately stood up, bowed respectfully, and introduced themselves:
"Your humble servant, Huang Yichun, pays respects to Lord Jiang."
"I, your humble servant, would like to greet Lord Jiang."
"My humble servant, Li Qigong," Li Qigong, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, half-new and half-worn, looked like a refined scholar at first glance. He bowed and said, "Greetings to the County Master."
Jiang Yushu was full of energy, her eyes fixed on the other side. While the other side was bowing, she quickly glanced at him: Lü Yichun was over forty years old, of medium build. His eyes met with the female magistrate's and he quickly looked away, quite reserved.
Wen Xi is obese, with a big belly, and he looks down at the tip of his shoes, very well behaved;
Li Qigong was tall, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, thin lips, aquiline nose, and a dignified appearance. His eyes also met the female magistrate's. He was stunned for a moment, showing a look of surprise, then came back to his senses, lowered his head, and looked embarrassed.
Jiang Yushu calmed herself down and slowly walked to the seat of honor. She smiled and said, "County Magistrate Huang, Chief Clerk Wen, and Dianshi Li, please take a seat, no need to be so polite."
"Your Excellency, please take a seat first."
"Please take a seat."
After the magistrate sat down, his subordinates returned to their original seats and the maid served them freshly brewed hot tea.
Jiang Yushu sat at the head of the table, her expression calm, and she said with a smile, "I was just about to go to the county government office, but unexpectedly, you three arrived first."
In accordance with his rank, County Magistrate Huang Yichun leaned over, bowed, and said in a serious tone, "Lord Liu has been transferred elsewhere. He told me you will arrive before September. Therefore, I and others are looking forward to the new magistrate taking office and commanding the government office."
Wen Xi smiled apologetically and asked, "Your Excellency has arrived. Your appointment letter has been delivered to the yamen, but you haven't yet moved into the back hall. I'm sorry to bother you, but I'd like to ask: Is there anything I can do for you?"
"If you have any errands, please let me know." Li Qigong was affable and polite, and asked with concern, "You've come all this way here. Are you adapting to the local climate, soil, and food?"
"I lived in Tunin for a while and got used to everything."
Jiang Yushu's eyes were bright as she spoke gently, "Previously, I only served as a special envoy to Xipingcang. I have very little experience and mediocre abilities. I'm new here and completely clueless. I don't have the confidence to 'sit in charge of the government office and command the overall situation.' The county officials share honor and disgrace. From now on, if I'm negligent in my duties, please point them out promptly."
Huang Yichun sat upright, responded cautiously, and complimented, "You are too modest. The court has its own considerations when selecting talented people. Madam, ahem, you must have something extraordinary. I am willing to serve you at my utmost."
"I am stupid and a mere soldier. How can I have the ability to advise the county magistrate? I would appreciate your guidance on my future official duties." Li Qigong smiled and behaved very appropriately.
Wen Xi agreed: "Yes, that's right."
After a brief greeting and some small talk, Jiang Yushu got down to business. She began by asking, "The evening I arrived in Tuning, I sent someone with the relevant documents to register at the yamen. I also instructed that the ceremony of receiving the seal, arranging the office, and the meeting be kept simple. I wonder how everything is going now?"
"Thankfully, I have fulfilled my mission and have completed everything." Huang Yichun reported in detail, "According to your instructions, the official inauguration ceremony will be held the day after tomorrow. The three classes and six offices, the county students, some of the gentry and elders, and so on will be waiting for your arrival on time."
Jiang Yushu nodded and advised, "Although I'm new here, I understand that after the war, the entire Yongzhou is in ruins and needs to be rebuilt. Tu Ning is still not wealthy. Red tape should be avoided if possible. If it cannot be avoided, it must be kept simple and extravagant."
"I understand." Huang Yichun secretly admired and observed the calm female magistrate, who gradually became less restrained and tense.
Wen Xi took the opportunity to flatter him, "Your Excellency is so pragmatic and frugal, it is really a blessing for the people of Tuning. I admire you!"
Jiang Yushu has been through years of hard work, rising from a fugitive to a county magistrate. He is humble and composed, saying, "This is what an official should be like."
"To facilitate official business and for safety reasons, all previous magistrates and their families lived in the rear yamen." Li Qigong, looking conscientious, asked, "Of course, you can also live in your private residence. I will select a few yamen runners to guard it. What do you think?"
Jiang Yushu took the opportunity to look at him and found that his eyes were full of brilliance. She shook her head and said, "No need. This place is a bit far from the county government office. It's very troublesome to go back and forth. I will move into the back government office later."
"Okay." Li Qigong's lips were thin, and when he smiled, they formed a straight line. "Wait a moment, I will return to the yamen and bring a few people to help you move your luggage."
Jiang Yushu shook her head again. "We don't have much luggage, so there's no need to mobilize a large force." After a pause, she asked seriously, "Have you sorted out the documents and files related to the County Magistrate's office?"
Huang Yichun replied, "Lord Liu sorted it out after he left office and has placed it in the study in the back office, waiting for your review."
Jiang Yushu nodded in satisfaction, "I'll take a look at it as soon as possible!" After she finished speaking, she looked at the sky, stood up and said apologetically, "I wanted to talk for a while, but it's getting late. Please allow me to move to the back hall first, and we can discuss the details another day."
Li Qigong then stood up and said, "Then, I will take my leave."
"Goodbye."
"You are busy, you are busy. I will greet you again tomorrow morning."
As Jiang Yushu watched her three subordinates leave, the servant was busy stuffing the luggage into the carriage, preparing to transport it to the county government office.
Night · Back Court
The study was spacious and tidy. Three candles were burning on the candlesticks. The flickering candlelight illuminated the piles of documents and files on the table.
Jiang Yushu concentrated and reviewed it carefully.
There was a soft knock, and Cuimei called out from outside the half-open door, "Madam?"
Jiang Yushu didn't even raise her head, "Come in."
Cuimei pushed the door open and walked in, her steps brisk. She shook out the clothes hanging from her elbows and reminded him, "It's a cold autumn night. Put on some clothes. Be careful not to catch a cold."
"Yes." Jiang Yushu responded. Cuimei bent down to put it on her, glanced at it, and advised: "There is still a lot left to read. It's late, Madam, go to bed early, it won't be too late to continue reading tomorrow morning."
Jiang Yushu's expression was solemn. She pointed at the account with her index finger, frowned and muttered, "No, something is wrong."
"What's wrong?" Cuimei stopped tidying up her desk, leaned closer, and whispered, "Is there something wrong with the account?"
Jiang Yushu pressed down the account book with both hands, staring at the candlelight, thinking for a moment, and then replied doubtfully, "The account book I dared to show the magistrate must have the correct figures, but the more I look at it, the more strange it seems. There seems to be something wrong with Tu Ning's grain account."
"What's the problem?"
"I've always felt that Tuning's grain harvest shouldn't be so low." Master and servant had been together for several years, and Cuimei was loyal but tight-lipped. Jiang Yushu frankly admitted, "Actually, I suspected it long before the previous magistrate and Lord Liu mentioned it. Look, during the first trial planting season, the potato yield per mu was only 500 to 600 kilograms? It's shockingly low!"
"When Lord Sun said '100,000 jin of seeds and 150,000 jin of grain,' I couldn't believe it. But when I returned to the Xiping Warehouse Office to review the account books, I found that Tu Ning had reported that 'due to drought, the county has had poor harvests for two consecutive years.'"
Cuimei, who was not accompanying us at the time, was shocked and asked, "One hundred thousand kilograms of seeds, and only one hundred and fifty thousand kilograms of potatoes? Tsk, how on earth do the locals grow them? Do they just blindly do it? Or do they plant the potatoes whole without cutting them into pieces?"
Jiang Yushu shook her head. "I just arrived. How would I know what happened before?"
"Well, please forgive me for speaking frankly: even if there really is something wrong with the accounts, what can we do?" Cuimei said frankly, worriedly trying to dissuade him. "Right or wrong, it's the former magistrate's fault, not the successor's. Lord Liu has already been successfully transferred. You're new in office and haven't found your feet yet, so why bother looking for trouble?"
"Don't worry, I won't be reckless."
Jiang Yushu was filled with doubts. She sighed, closed the account book, leaned back in her chair, and said calmly, "I don't have any evidence. I'm just guessing based on experience and intuition. I'm a young official, but I do have experience in agriculture. Although there's little rain in Tuning, it's not drought-resistant enough to cause a serious crop failure for potatoes."
“Also, as far as I know, there has been no drought in the Northwest in the past two years.”
Cuimei asked quietly, "Could it be that...someone has pocketed the food?"
"Hush." Jiang Yushu raised her index finger. "Be careful with your words."
Cuimei's neck shrank, "Yes."
After looking down for too long, Jiang Yushu's neck and eyes ached. She stood up to stretch her muscles, kneaded the back of her neck with her backhand, and said sleepily, "Forget it, let's take a rest. I'll continue watching tomorrow morning!"
"Oh." Cuimei quickly cleaned up the desk, blew out the candle, locked the door and left.
In a moment, the bedroom
Two young maids, one handed over a hot towel and the other made the bed. They were quick and skillful.
Cuimei, who had already been promoted to housekeeper, whispered, "Xiaoshuang, Xiaoxia, Madam usually gets up around 4:45 AM. You should estimate the time to prepare breakfast and tell the kitchen to make something light."
"Hey!" The two maids nodded rapidly, closed the door quietly, and rested next door.
Cuimei said briskly, "Madam, I am just outside, ready to serve you."
Jiang Yushu was exhausted. She glanced at the bed in the outer room, walked to the inner room, and said with a smile: "Go to sleep, why are you waiting for your fate? I said, you don't need to accompany me."
"How can that be? We are unfamiliar with the place. You are not afraid, but I am. Second Master is also afraid that you will be afraid, so he ordered me to stay by your side and serve you attentively." Cuimei smiled and insisted on helping her lie down and carefully tidying up the curtains.
"Scared, scared, scared, tongue twister?" Jiang Yushu smiled and yawned, "Just stay with me, sleep."
The next morning
After dinner, Jiang Yushu stepped into the study and continued to read the many official documents left by the previous county magistrate.
After flipping through a few copies, Cuimei came in and reported, "Madam, I heard that the Chief Clerk and Li Dianshi want to see you."
"Oh?" Jiang Yushu asked distractedly, "What's the matter?"
"They said they came specially to pay their respects to you."
Jiang Yushu waved her hand and said, "I understand, but I'm busy."
"Did this slave find a reason to return to them?"
"Um."
Cuimei suppressed a smile and said, "In addition, they sent a few cakes and fruits, saying that they wanted you to taste the local products."
Jiang Yushu heard the laughter and looked up, wondering, "Giving some cakes and fruits is a normal etiquette. Why are you laughing?"
"Ahem!" Cuimei suppressed a laugh. "Master Wen was really a bit too fat. When he was going up the stairs, he was so bloated that he couldn't see the road. He accidentally stepped on empty air and rolled down the stairs. He wasn't hurt, but he fell in a very embarrassing way. I and the others wanted to laugh but didn't dare."
Jiang Yushu almost laughed when she heard this and urged, "Okay, don't keep them waiting. Go and tell them to get back to their work."
"Yes." Cuimei agreed crisply and hurriedly passed on the message.
After a while, Wen Xi and Li Qigong left the back court and walked towards the front hall.
"Oh, oh, my foot—"
"Hiss, it seems to be sprained."
"Brother, give me a hand!" There was no one around, Wen Xi stopped pretending, limped and grimaced in pain.
Li Qigong said with a stern face, his hands behind his back, without even turning his head, "It's embarrassing."
"Hey you—" Wen Xi straightened the hem of his robe and said angrily, "Do I really want to fall and make a fool of myself? It's all because of a stone on the step. My shoes slipped and I accidentally fell."
"Nothing's broken at all, stop yelling."
The corridor was straight. Li Qigong looked around, waited a moment, and then walked side by side with his companion. He whispered, "Tomorrow morning's seal-receiving ceremony is a rare opportunity, and we must not let anything go wrong. I've already made all the arrangements, what about you?"
"It's all settled." Wen Xi revealed a sinister look and whispered, "That old bastard Jing Yuanshan thinks he's so noble and has caused us so much trouble. We'll make sure he gets what he deserves tomorrow morning!"
Li Qigong was inexplicably excited. He narrowed his eyes and smiled playfully, "Let's use the old scholar to give Lady Jiang a warning in front of hundreds of people. Do you think she will get angry? Or even cry out of anger?"
The author has something to say: Jiang Yushu: Just wait and see (*￣︶￣)
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