The night is as dark as ink, with wind and rain.
Jiang Yushu stayed overnight in a village at the foot of Sangshan Mountain. After taking a bath, she put on the clothes of the village head's granddaughter. Although they were made of coarse cloth, they were very clean. The blue background was embroidered with orchids, and the embroidery was quite delicate.
This time when she went out of the city for inspection, she did not bring any maids with her, but only a few trusted guards. She had planned to return on the same day, but a sudden heavy rain disrupted her schedule.
She sat alone on the kang in the side room, leaning against the windowsill. The window was ajar. There were yamen runners and guards at the door and outside the windows, closely protecting the magistrate.
"Hiss~," she gasped softly, pounded her aching waist with her backhand, then picked up a handkerchief, dried her freshly washed hair, listened to the sound of wind and rain, and thought to herself:
The wind and rain at the frontier are completely different from those in the south of the Yangtze River.
I recall that I grew up in a water town in the south in my previous life. When I was a girl, I would occasionally become sentimental during the rainy season and was fond of poems like "The sound of rain hitting banana leaves makes me cry."
But since arriving in Dagan, the moment I opened my eyes, I was greeted by chaos: the end of the marquisate, the loss of title and confiscation of property, exile to the frontier, forced labor to cultivate land... I have struggled through countless hardships, ups and downs, and have gotten to where I am today. I rarely have the leisure to listen to the sound of wind and rain.
Sitting alone by the window on a rainy night, countless memories flooded into her mind, and the past events were vivid in her mind. Jiang Yushu couldn't help but feel a lot of emotion, and inexplicably became a little sentimental. She held her chin and sighed, "Alas."
As a result, the candlelight on the kang table flickered, and several figures immediately appeared on the window paper. The trusted guards became suspicious and asked with concern: "Madam? What's wrong with you?"
"fine?"
Jiang Yushu came back to her senses, took a deep breath, and quickly dispelled the inexplicable sadness. She answered loudly, "It's okay! I was just wondering when the rain will stop."
Through the window, the confidants believed the magistrate's words and thought he was worried about his schedule. They all replied in unison, "It should stop soon. Tuning isn't a place where it rains a lot. Maybe it will be sunny tomorrow."
"If it rains a little tomorrow, we can just get a carriage and go back to the city slowly."
"right!"
"You can take the bus then. A little rain won't be a problem."
Jiang Yushu thought for a moment and said, "Let's see tomorrow. I hope it will be sunny."
The next moment, Li Qigong, accompanied by the headman's daughter-in-law and granddaughter, came through the window, carrying several food boxes and announcing, "Sir, dinner is ready. Is it ready in the house?"
Jiang Yushu calmed down and said, "Okay."
Li Qigong glanced at the village woman and her daughter with a cold look in his eyes, "Follow me."
"Oh!" The village woman and her daughter were terrified, fearing that they would offend any official.
However, Zou Gui, the leader of the Guo Mansion's guards, stopped them at the door and said, "Wait a minute."
Li Qigong was secretly displeased, but he asked politely, "Brother Zou, what's wrong?"
"As usual, we have to take a look. Please understand." Zou Gui smiled and without waiting for a reply, he called his companions, opened the food boxes, and carefully checked the food. After a while, he closed the lids one by one and took the initiative to open the door: "Go in and take good care of Master Jiang."
"Yes." The village woman hurriedly led her daughter into the house.
Li Qigong raised his right foot and tried to step over the threshold, but was stopped again.
"Hey, Dianshi, it's not convenient for you to go in. The village head's daughter-in-law and granddaughter are more than enough to serve the county magistrate." Zou Gui looked attentively, bent down, and brushed the stool by the door with his sleeve. "Sit down, please sit down."
Humph, you think I'm a gatekeeper? Li Qigong was secretly even more displeased, but his expression remained calm. He shook his head and said, "No, you can patrol here. The magistrate is worried about official business and is anxious to return to the city. I have to talk to the head of the village to see if we can borrow a carriage and get some straw raincoats and hats. If that's not possible, we'll just have to brave the rain and continue on our journey."
Zou Gui was disdainful in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. "Okay! I understand. I will definitely stay by your side. You can go about your business without worry."
"Hmm." Li Qigong couldn't find a reason to stay, and he felt regretful. He glanced at the window through which the candlelight came, and left unwillingly.
At the same time, the wing room
Jiang Yushu's hair was half dry and she simply tied it into a bun. She washed her hands and turned around to look:
The square kang table was not big, and it was filled with braised rabbit meat, pheasant and hazel mushroom soup, roe deer stewed with potatoes, eggplant with sauce, and cold vegetables. The staple food was noodles, which were steaming hot and fragrant.
"Madam—ah, sir, please, please sit down." The village woman was extremely restrained. She put the dishes and bowls neatly in order and urged her daughter, "Girl, hurry up and serve the magistrate some soup."
The girl nodded and trotted off to serve her soup, not daring to look directly at the tall, dignified female official. To the villagers, the magistrate was aloof and the most respected person in the county, unattainable and someone they absolutely could not afford to offend.
Jiang Yushu sat down and said with a pleasant expression, "Have you eaten?"
The village woman and her daughter stood by the table and bowed, "My family had dinner before the rain in the evening. This is specially made for you, my Lord. It's been kept clean, so you can eat without worry!"
Jiang Yushu had been farming in Liu Village for several years and was familiar with village life. Observing the dishes, she said gently, "We hurriedly sought shelter from the rain and stayed overnight. We're sorry to bother you. It's late at night, and we've prepared a table of game for you."
The village woman tied an apron and rubbed it nervously with her hands. "It's not difficult, it's not a big deal! My nephew is a hunter. He's been staying with us recently, helping us weed the fields. In his free time, he goes up to the mountains and wanders around. That's why we often have game at home."
"I see. Sit down, no need to stand. This is your home, don't be more polite than the guests." Jiang Yushu said amiably, drinking her soup slowly. She looked at the potatoes in the bowl and asked, "How many potatoes did you plant? How are they growing?"
The village woman pulled her daughter to sit on the edge of the kang, her voice filled with worry. "We planted three more acres this year, for a total of sixteen acres, to feed our family of more than twenty. It was growing well, but it's been raining a lot lately. The potatoes are blooming now, and too much rain might affect the harvest."
Jiang Yushu seemed lost in thought for a moment before admonishing, "Do your best and leave the rest to fate. It's true that there's been a lot of rain recently, but don't worry. The northwest border has never experienced a flood since ancient times. Even if the harvest is affected, it shouldn't be too serious. You must work the fields diligently and keep the ridges clear of drainage. Make sure the potato vines don't get soaked in water."
"Oh, yes, I understand." The woman nodded enthusiastically. "The whole family depends on potatoes for food, so how could we not take good care of them? Rain or shine, we go to the fields every day, afraid that the ridges and ditches will be damaged by heavy rain."
The pheasant and hazel mushroom soup was delicious. Jiang Yushu drank half a bowl and was deeply impressed by its flavor. She casually asked, "During the busy farming season, your nephew has time to visit relatives and hunt. Doesn't he have any farm work to do at home?"
"Uh, this..." The village woman and her daughter looked at each other and hesitated.
Jiang Yushu looked up in surprise and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief. "Why are you hesitating?"
"Alas," the village woman said, a look of sorrow on her face. "My nephew has a miserable life. During the years of war and chaos, he lost his parents and only has a younger sister left. The two of them depended on each other for survival and were bullied by their uncles. When the family was divided, they were only given four acres of remote, sloping land. It has been lying idle ever since and can only be cultivated during the summer planting season."
Jiang Yushu frowned disapprovingly. "Why leave the land uncultivated? Are you lazy? Lazy people deserve to starve."
"No, that's not it!" the village woman blurted out, "My cousin is very hardworking. He's been running around seeking justice for my cousin's case, so busy that he has no time to farm."
Jiang Yushu's eyes flashed, "Case? What case?"
The village woman hurriedly signaled her daughter to shut up and answered vaguely: "Alas, my niece has an even more miserable life. She, she was abused by a beast. Her brother felt sorry for his sister and vowed to teach the beast a lesson, but the beast has connections in the yamen--" She shrank back and stopped, full of concerns.
Jiang Yushu thought, "Could your nephew be called Li Chang? Is the man who raped your niece called Li Qifan?"
"right!"
The village woman and her daughter nodded vigorously, stood up, and bowed respectfully. "The beast's name is Li Qifan. If it weren't for you to uphold justice, Chang'er would most likely be sued instead. Thank you for standing up for the people."
Jiang Yushu smiled with emotion, "What a coincidence! Tuning is so big and has so many people. I didn't expect to meet Li Chang's relatives. Your nephew is a good one, strong-willed and not afraid of power. The case has been settled. His family has little land, so why not go and reclaim it? If you work hard, you won't starve."
"Your Excellency is right. His relatives also urged him in this way."
"Actually," the village woman mustered her courage and said nervously, "My cousin is very grateful to the adults for their kindness. He wants to join the militia and fight in times of war to repay the government's kindness, but -"
The village woman was afraid of causing trouble, so she angrily pulled her daughter and said, "Silly girl, stop talking so much!"
Jiang Yushu's expression was calm, and she asked dignifiedly, "But what? The rape case has been under investigation for six months. I remember Li Chang. He meets the requirements in terms of age and physique. If he wants to join the militia, he can just register with the government office. The court has always encouraged this, and will give him appropriate tax reductions as a reward."
The girl glanced at her mother, gritted her teeth, and timidly said, "Yes, my cousin is obviously suitable, but the government won't accept him."
"oh?"
Jiang Yushu drank a mouthful of soup and guessed: Li Qigong was the Dianshi, and since his cousin was beheaded, he must have hated Li Chang. He secretly gave orders, and it is possible that the petty officials under him were afraid of trouble and helped to make things difficult for Li Chang.
"I think he's suitable. He volunteered to be a militiaman. His courage is commendable." She made a prompt decision and smiled as she ordered, "Tell him to go to the government office and try again."
The village woman and her daughter were stunned for a moment, then they understood. The girl was overjoyed and knelt excitedly, kowtowed and said, "Thank you very much, sir, for your permission!"
"I will tell my nephew to kowtow to you."
Jiang Yushu handled the matter casually, intending to give a warning. She has always been disgusted with officials who take revenge on personal grudges, abuse their power for personal gain, and bend the law, which is not decent.
When the magistrate speaks impartially, it is a blessing to the common people.
Late Night Stable
"cousin!"
The village head's granddaughter, wearing a bamboo hat, quietly slipped out of the house and said happily, "Hahaha, Lord Jiang has spoken. You can go to the government office another day. Those villains will definitely not dare to make things difficult for you!"
Li Chang was happily carrying fodder. "My aunt has already told me. I've decided to follow the magistrate back to the city and get the paperwork done as soon as possible to avoid any further complications."
"When?"
"I'm not sure. However, the magistrate is very busy with official duties. I guess she will set off as soon as the rain stops." Li Chang was sweating profusely. He picked up a large bundle of hay and bent down to feed the horse.
The girl followed and pointed, "Hey, give it more. This is Master Jiang's horse. Its ear is injured. It's so pitiful."
"Okay!" Li Chang laughed happily and gave it an extra handful. "Eat."
It was drizzling, and suddenly there was a noise from the dog hole beside the courtyard gate. Then, two hunting dogs came running over and circled around their owner's legs affectionately.
Li Chang pulled his legs out and busied himself with feeding the horses, cursing angrily, "You still remember to come back? Where have you been running off to in the rain at night? I should have known not to take you out to get fodder."
"Woof woof woof~" the hunting dog wagged its tail happily.
The girl looked around and said, "Huh? Why are there only two of them? There's still one?"
Li Chang helplessly replied, "Dahei is the most playful. He, well, he's become acquainted with a female dog at the east end of the village recently. He's probably gone out looking for a companion."
The girl blushed, lowered her head and stopped talking.
At this time, a hunting dog named "Dahei", with its fur all over its body and a quiver in its mouth, trotted into the village and ran towards the headman's house.
And now Qinzhou
Late at night, when everyone was asleep, Tian Susu was restless, with a gloomy face, pacing anxiously.
With a "creak", the maid pushed the door open and came in.
"How is it?" Tian Susu hurried over and asked impatiently, "Have you found out everything? What is her background?"
The maid replied cautiously, "I asked, and her name is Yang Lian'er, she's sixteen years old, from a poor family, and she sold herself to bury her father. Alas, our young master is kind-hearted and said that the little bitch was 'pitiable,' so out of pity, he bought her."
Tian Susu frowned and looked coldly, "Why buy her?"
"This... I just bought it this afternoon. It's too late today. I'll go and ask about it tomorrow morning."
Tian Susu's face turned ashen, and she raised her hand to her heart, gasping for breath. She was filled with worry and anger, and she cursed with gritted teeth, "Hongxuan is such a pushover! Just because a pretty girl cries, he's moved to pity her and acts like a hero saving the beauty. He just bought someone without even consulting me. I'm so angry!"
"Do I really have him in his heart?"
The author has something to say: Guo Hongxuan: I can’t bear not to save all the beautiful girls with tragic life stories o（╥﹏╥）o
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