In the afternoon, the sky was bright.
It was still far from summer and the weather was not hot, but County Magistrate Huang Yichun's official robe was soaked with sweat.
He was sweating profusely, and hurried to the side yard beside the corner gate. He wiped the sweat off his face as he walked, and called out with a sense of relief:
"grown ups!"
"You're finally back!" Huang Yichun approached and bowed, apologetically saying, "I received the news that the county lord has returned to the yamen. I was just about to greet you when I received the news, but urgent matters got in the way and I've only just now come to pay my respects."
Jiang Yushu had no time to rest. As soon as she returned to the county office, she set to work. She straightened her back, her hands stained with dirt, clapped them, and replied with a smile, "We're all familiar with each other. No need to be so formal. I'm sorry for all the hard work you've put in while I'm home visiting my family. Please sit down for a moment while I wash my hands, and then we can talk business."
"As I should, I'm just doing my duty." Huang Yichun's forehead was sweating. He calmed down and looked around:
Dozens of large bamboo baskets were piled in the open space, their bottoms covered with hay and filled with saplings over a foot tall. At their bases lay a ball of mud, wrapped in banana leaves.
Jiang Yushu instructed, "There's no time to make arrangements today. Move the mulberry saplings into a cool place and sprinkle a little water on the roots. Not too much, not too little, just keep them moist."
"Yes!" Several servants received the order and called a group of yamen runners to busy themselves with moving the saplings.
Huang Yichun squatted down to take a closer look. "It's indeed a mulberry sapling! This one looks a little different from the one the government bought last time."
The servants fetched some well water and brought it over. Jiang Yushu lowered her head to wash her hands and explained, "Yes, they're different varieties. I asked someone to buy these 1,000 trees from the Central Plains. They're said to be quite cold-resistant. Winters in Tuning are long, with ice and snow everywhere. If the mulberry trees can't survive the winter, all our work will be in vain."
"If it survives and grows big, I can keep breaking off branches and cuttings, and a thousand can become a hundred million!"
"I hope so." Jiang Yushu washed her hands and took the handkerchief to wipe them.
Huang Yichun asked casually: "Then, where do you plan to plant them?"
Jiang Yushu had a plan in mind. "Let's pick a suitable hillside on the south bank of the Run River!" She walked out and called out, "Let's go to the hall and talk. Tell me, what big things happened while I was away from the government office?"
Soon, the two of them sat down and the old woman served them tea.
Huang Yichun was the first to report, "The grain workshop that Wen Zhubu is in charge of is about halfway done, and it's expected to be completed around the time of summer harvest."
Jiang Yushu nodded in satisfaction, "Good! It's much faster than I expected."
"Once we have enough money, it will be quick."
Jiang Yushu smiled faintly, "Wen Xi is not only good at flattery, but also capable of handling affairs, otherwise he wouldn't be able to mediate all the complicated issues. Unfortunately, he is greedy and has evil intentions."
Huang Yichun nodded in agreement. "Without any talent, you wouldn't be a chief clerk." He added, "As for the textile workshop, they're still selecting a site and haven't started construction yet. According to your suggestion, the site is set in the southern part of the city. The Wen and Mei families are hiring people to plant trees while discussing the construction of the workshop. I don't know their specific plans yet."
Jiang Yushu waved her hand. "Let them discuss it slowly. There's no need to rush. How many of their saplings survived?"
"It's about the same as the government building, about 60%, and it's growing quite well." Huang Yichun continued, "As for the county school, I've already recruited a group of craftsmen and have prepared the stone and wood materials. Unlike the workshop, the county school has been scheduled to begin construction on the 28th of this month. At that time, I invite you to come and meet with the enthusiastic donors and preside over the ceremony of engraving the merit stele."
Jiang Yushu understood, "I understand." She took a sip of tea and asked solemnly, "I heard right after I came back that Teacher Jing had passed away?"
"well!"
"I was just about to report this," Huang Yichun sighed regretfully, his brow furrowed. "Since you've heard, I'm sure you already understand. Ever since Li Chang testified, the old master's students have been extremely angry. They've approached me several times, pleading with the authorities to arrest the murderer as soon as possible. The authorities are willing to do so, but... where can they catch him? Although Li Chang insists that the teacher was murdered, he can't provide any evidence, only testimony, so there's no way to investigate."
Jiang Yushu's expression was serious. "Li Chang is a man of integrity and gratitude. If he hadn't spontaneously decided to go fishing with the old man, everyone would have mistakenly believed the deceased had fallen into the water after drinking."
"In the Li Qifan rape case, it was the magistrate who instructed Li Chang to focus on the 'internal strife.' Therefore, the witness, out of gratitude, insisted that the magistrate was murdered." The magistrate had been away for nearly two weeks, and Huang Yichun was incredibly busy. Furious, he lamented, "According to the witness, he was on a high slope in the distance when he saw a man carrying a wooden stick fleeing from the riverbank, but he didn't see him push the magistrate into the water. This, this is difficult."
Jiang Yushu thought thoughtfully, "Li Chang is just making assumptions."
Huang Yichun nodded. "It's said that he didn't take it seriously at first, until he discovered the books, the wine jug, and the fishing rod floating on the shore. Only then did he realize that the teacher might have drowned. In the panic, by the time they pulled the body out, the man holding the stick had disappeared."
"I heard," Jiang Yushu stared at the blue and white porcelain teacup in a daze, "that most people now believe the teacher was murdered, a small number believe it was an accident, and some still suspect Li Chang is the murderer?"
"Yes." Huang Yichun shook his head. "Some people do suspect Li Chang, but they're not accusing him of ingratitude. Instead, they suspect that Li Chang accidentally caused his benefactor to fall into the water while fishing and was unable to rescue him, leading to his drowning. Fearing repercussions, they panicked and fabricated the story of the 'man with a stick.'"
Jiang Yushu took a sip of tea. "This situation is not impossible. But investigations require evidence. Speculations can only be discussed, not used as evidence. Have the family of the deceased reported the case?"
"It has been reported. The family of the deceased said they dare not bury the deceased until the truth is known."
Jiang Yushu lowered her eyes in thought. "Each government office has its own division of labor. The Dianshi is responsible for patrolling, arresting thieves, and investigating cases. How is Li Qigong's investigation going?"
"As soon as the Jing family reported it to the authorities, we heard the teacher had been murdered and rushed to investigate. Li Qigong led the detectives and called on Li Chang to search for the suspect overnight. We searched the entire city but couldn't find the 'man with the wooden stick.'"
Jiang Yushu pondered for a moment. "I understand. Go back to the front hall and give orders to arrange for people to plant the mulberry seedlings as soon as possible. If it's too late, they won't survive. I'll think about the rest. I'll gather everyone tomorrow morning to discuss it together, pool our wisdom, and do it one by one."
With the magistrate in charge, Huang Yichun seemed to have found a backbone and was no longer anxious. He stood up and said, "You just got back and you must be tired from the journey. Please rest up and we will discuss it in the morning."
"good."
Night Study
In the evening, Jiang Yushu took a hot bath for 15 minutes, partly to relieve fatigue and partly to allow for quiet reflection. Then, she pulled herself together and quietly sent a message to the secret guards.
"Madam, you didn't eat much for dinner. The bird's nest soup has been cooked. It is very nourishing to eat a bowl before going to bed." Cuimei took out a thin cloak and put it on the female official.
Jiang Yushu came back to her senses from her meditation, gathered her cloak, and said with a smile: "Nourish? Eating a midnight snack before bed is the easiest way to gain weight."
"Being fat means being plump and wealthy."
Jiang Yushu decisively refused, "I'm still young and don't want to get fat! You're pregnant, don't stay up with me, go to bed early."
"Thank you for your concern, Madam. However, I've been staying in the back office all day, with nothing to do. I slept too much during the day, so I'm not sleepy at night." Cuimei picked up the scissors, snipped the wick, and lit the candle. She said reluctantly, "Alas, the young lady has gone home. The back office is much quieter without her. Before, everyone gathered around the child, talking and laughing, so happy that the whole day would pass in a flash."
Jiang Yushu thought of her children, her smile faded, and she sighed, "Alas, when Xiaoyan was here, I didn't have much time to take care of her on weekdays. The house was lively, and she was happier with her brothers!" Then she joked, "If you like children, why not have more? It will be lively then, but I'm afraid you won't like the noise. When children act up, they can really give their parents a headache."
Cuimei bit her lip and subconsciously touched her belly, her face flushed. She couldn't help but feel hopeful, "Brother Rong also told me to have more children... Let nature take its course. Alas, my own children, no matter how naughty they are, I can only tolerate them and can't throw them away."
"Hahaha~" Jiang Yushu couldn't help laughing and nodded in agreement.
The next moment, the trusted servant Zou Gui reported: "Madam, the old marquis is here."
Jiang Yushu put away her smile and said, "Please let him in!"
In a flash, a man hired as the magistrate's secret guard entered. The old marquis, dressed in a menial uniform, was in his forties and looked unremarkable. He clasped his fists in greeting and asked, "Your Excellency has summoned me. What are your instructions?"
"sit."
"Thank you for the seat, sir." The old marquis sat down respectfully, his eyes shining.
Jiang Yushu gestured for tea to be served.
Old Hou thanked him politely, but his actions were neither humble nor arrogant. He took the tea and sniffed its fragrance.
Jiang Yushu asked softly, "How are you doing with the two things I asked you to do?"
"Please take a look." Lao Hou came prepared and presented a paper tube.
Zou Gui took it and unfolded it. Finding nothing wrong with it, he handed it to the county magistrate.
Jiang Yushu read the whole thing quickly, and after finishing it, she was shocked. She asked in confusion, "You say Li Qigong has many wives and concubines, but he's always flirting with married women. What's wrong with him?"
Cuimei curled her lips in disdain, "He falls in love with every girl he meets. He's just a playboy."
"Home flowers are not as fragrant as wild flowers." Zou Gui muttered softly.
Jiang Yushu remained calm. Cuimei glanced at her companions, "Wild flowers are fragrant? Be careful or I'll tell your wife!"
"No, no, please don't, I was just joking." Zou Gui shrank his neck and smiled awkwardly.
The old marquis dutifully reported, "Thank you for your appreciation and trust. I have been secretly monitoring Li Qigong for the past six months and have discovered that he has four mistresses, all married women, with whom he occasionally meets and has affairs. As for those he has abandoned after growing tired of them, I don't know. Furthermore, he and Wen Xi are uncles-in-law and have a close personal relationship. They often drink together and host banquets every now and then, frequently entertaining businessmen."
"They have received quite a bit of tribute recently. I've noted down all the ones I've been able to get close to and confirm, but I don't know the details of the rest I can't get close to."
Jiang Yushu nodded in satisfaction. "Well done. I hired the right person. The person recommended by Lao Luo is indeed a reliable and capable person."
"It is my great honor to be able to serve you." Old Hou asked, "How is Lao Luo doing in your house?"
Jiang Yushu smiled. "He's the head guard in my house, teaching the servants how to fight and kick. It's a stable and leisurely life. If you're interested, you can change your career and join your sworn brothers. But before you do, I have something I need you to do."
"When Captain Guo picked me up, Lao Luo wanted to take me along. Alas, I was born to work hard and can't enjoy a peaceful life. I'm not qualified for the job, so I declined. If you don't mind, I'm willing to serve you wholeheartedly!" Lao Hou leaned forward and asked, "What can I do for you? Just tell me!"
Jiang Yushu said seriously, "I need your help to find out the whereabouts of someone."
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