He Zifeng went to the county government office to report for duty. After taking leave, he went back to the office, and the yamen runners were very polite to him.
"Brother He."
Are you feeling better?
"Hey bro, wanna join us for a drinking party today?"
He Zifeng greeted them one by one. He was now a small leader among the constables, in charge of about ten people. They were all in the same group as him during the last mission.
Everyone thought he would make a big splash as a new official, but he didn't say anything and just continued as before.
He Zifeng knew that his rapid promotion this time would easily attract envy. It was best to keep a low profile.
Besides, he was a newcomer here not long ago. Although Brother Xiong was there to guide him, Brother Xiong himself was a marginalized figure in the government.
The county government office is a place where hidden talents abound. Even the youngest son of the Xie family could be placed there. Who knows what other wealthy young masters might be there that are not to be trifled with?
It's best to keep things as they are.
Officer Zhu has a deputy managing things here. The deputy doesn't come here to report for duty on weekdays, and he is informed of everything that happens every day by the deputy.
When Zhu, the head constable, heard about He Zifeng's reaction upon his arrival, he smiled and said, "I told you he was good." There was a hint of appreciation in his eyes.
This way, there's less chance of conflict. Even though he was promoted to a leader, several people have already fallen because of him.
The more someone tries to perform well, the more annoyed others become! Putting aside everything else, including Constable Zhu, if he manages this place exceptionally well, it makes it seem like he's incompetent. Nobody likes a subordinate who's full of ulterior motives.
He deserves credit for capturing the duo of male and female assassins; the higher-ups will remember that. A good knife should only be used when necessary. Otherwise, it's best to keep it sheathed.
He Zifeng no longer needs to patrol the streets. He comes from a poor background, so it's more comfortable for him to do some work.
He went out to patrol the streets again, with Xie Rui by his side. He was timid, and nobody liked to play with him. Only He Zifeng paid attention to him, and now he liked to stay by He Zifeng's side.
He Zifeng let him be, unlike others who would have driven him away.
A moment later, Xu Li was seen hurrying out of the mansion. He paused slightly when he saw He Zifeng, but didn't greet him. He lowered his head and quickly left.
Xie Rui, unaware of He Zifeng's past relationship with Xu Li, was now excitedly gossiping.
Xie Rui said, "Boss, do you know who he is?" Before He Zifeng could speak, he said from the side, "Everyone in the county town has heard about it. He's the wife of the illegitimate son of the Gong family."
He Zifeng raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are people in the county saying?"
Xie Rui said, "What else could it be? They say he's over fifty and still has such a grown son, so the household isn't very strict! Before, regarding the government silver issue, they even sued the Gong family, and the Gong family is itching to get rid of them. It's said they only recognized their grandson. These two are now neither masters nor servants. All they have is a small, run-down teahouse, which hasn't opened for half a year. The manager is the mistress of the house." He sounded somewhat gloating.
The Xie family and the Gong family were never on good terms. To not kick them while they were down, but only to mock them behind their backs, was already quite magnanimous.
He Zifeng knew that they must be having a tough time. When he met Xu Li just now, he looked much more haggard.
Previously, Xu Li's father was the village chief, and Wan Hai was the most promising young man in the village; they were incredibly successful. Their move to the county was also their choice.
They've had a series of mishaps in the village, so they probably don't want to stay there anymore.
Although life was tough in the county, at least the villagers didn't know, which allowed them to maintain their former dignity.
Now that they're both living their own lives, He Zifeng won't deliberately mock him. Let bygones be bygones, that's just how it is.
...
When Xu Li saw He Zifeng dressed as a yamen runner, a fleeting look of embarrassment crossed his face.
Upon arriving at his own tea shop, he immediately saw Wan Hai settling accounts.
Wan Hai was quite capable; he naturally noticed the huge deficit in the accounts. Since he hadn't officially returned to his family, he couldn't receive the young master's monthly stipend of ten taels of silver. His own father had said that all expenses would have to come from this shop, adding that his son wasn't a coward. It was as if he were a coward if he didn't manage the shop well.
However, Wan Hai's three sons were included in the family genealogy. Each child received two taels of silver per month, totaling six taels for the three sons. The couple collected this money on their behalf. They were ridiculed by the maids and servants, who said that since they even wanted money for their children, they were incompetent. There were all sorts of other unpleasant things said about them.
Wan Hai thought that disciplining a servant was nothing, but the mistress of the house found out and said that he was vicious and a barbarian who came from who-knows-where, and made him kneel in the ancestral hall all night.
It wasn't hard for a grown man like him to kneel in the ancestral hall, but the humiliation was intense.
Wan Hai didn't have a single close confidant by his side, only Xu Li. He said, "This is really too much. They're buying this old tea at the price of new tea, saying they'll give you a shop, but it's just an empty shell. It's even worse than an empty shell. At least I could make a new plan with an empty shell, but who would have thought that there are two shopkeepers who have become like bosses. I can't even get them to do anything!"
He was so damn frustrated being this young master; he regretted it. If he'd known it would turn out like this, he would have preferred not to acknowledge the relationship at all. Now their positions were awkward.
Some people even said to Wan Hai's face that Xiao Wan Shi was not even proper when she was a foot-washing maid. It was embarrassing to hear such words, let alone that they were talking about his own mother.
I can't even describe how I feel; just thinking about it makes me furious.
Wan Hai wanted to offer his share, but as soon as he uttered the word, he was scolded for being unruly. In wealthy families, the rules were incredibly strict, and he couldn't possibly break free. Moreover, gifts were expected for holidays, festivals, and birthdays—even older women had to give gifts. His six taels of silver were simply a drop in the ocean.
Wan Hai's biological father had eight sons, and each of these eight sons had children of their own. They also had to give rewards to the younger generation, and this alone was painful for them.
Moreover, those little beasts are no good either. Once they find that what he gives them is not good, they will throw it on the ground and refuse it, making him feel embarrassed.
Xu Li spent his days in tears. When he left the village, some people envied him. They had no idea what kind of life he was living. The day before yesterday, Xu Li's father wanted to come and meet his in-laws, but not only did he enter through the back door, but an old woman there said that the Gong family wasn't some shady bunch who could claim kinship with anyone. This angered Xu Li's father so much that he left on the spot.
Xu Li felt suffocated every day, as if he had a breath he couldn't exhale.
Wan Hai now understood what his mother had truly meant by planning for him. If his son could pass the imperial examinations and be recognized by the Gong family, his life would be completely different. At the very least, he would bring honor to his ancestors, instead of being treated like a rat in the street as he was now.
Since presenting the jade to the Gong family last time, Xu Li had also learned about the three thousand taels of silver notes. He said, "Can we separate our family? Just like He Zifeng did back then, with money, we can definitely live well in the county."
Wan Hai, however, was still frightened by the previous incident involving official silver, and said, "Let's be patient for a few more days. There are countless people watching us now. If we are discovered, there might be trouble!" He finally knew to keep his abilities hidden.
Xu Li said, "When will this ever end?" He couldn't bear to live like this for even a day longer.
Just then, an old woman came in and started crying when she saw Wan Hai.
Wan Hai took a closer look and was immediately alarmed. Fearing that others might see them, he quickly led him to a deserted alley nearby. Xu Li had just glanced at it and thought he was seeing things, but seeing Wan Hai's expression, he knew it wasn't that simple, so he followed.
The sound of crying from afar sent a shiver down his spine; it was none other than Wan Hai's biological mother, Madam Wan.
Xu Li wanted to know what had happened. As soon as he entered, he heard Xiao Wan crying, saying that her little money had been robbed. She had begged her way back. Xiao Wan was somewhat pretty and had hoped to find a family like He Donglai's. But she had misjudged her current appearance, and no one was interested in her anymore.
Xiao Wan had previously given her son a fake address, fearing he might come looking for her. However, the hardships outside far exceeded her expectations, so she sought help.
Wan Hai then recounted his own experience. The mother and son embraced and wept bitterly. But after crying, little Wan asked him for money. No matter what, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; they still received six taels of silver a month without fail.
These past few days, the Gong family had been squeezing money from Wan Hai in turn, and he had more than an ounce of silver in his pocket, which was enough for them to live on until the end of the month. But seeing his mother's condition, he gritted his teeth and gave her an ounce of silver.
When Xiao Wan heard that He Donglai had sold the soy sauce shop, she took twenty taels of silver from the Gong family, and then had another eighty taels of silver.
She used to think she was in high demand, but after going out, she realized she was now old and faded, and she increasingly felt that He Donglai was a decent guy. Besides, the two of them still had their two sons, He Fan and He Tong; a few kind words would definitely work.
Wan Hai simply said to Madam Wan, "Mother, I don't care what you want to do, but I'm already struggling to take care of myself. Please have pity on your son and don't come looking for me again."
Of Xiao Wan's three sons, she always doted on Wan Hai the most, and although she understood Wan Hai's difficulties, hearing his words still saddened her. This man was truly heartless; he didn't want his own mother anymore.
Xiao Wan didn't say anything more and turned to leave.
Just as Wan Hai was about to leave, he saw Xu Li standing by the alley. Xu Li's eyes held a hint of disappointment as he asked, "How many things are you still hiding from me?" He used to trust Wan Hai completely, but he hadn't told his wife about the hidden silver notes or the jade, and even the supposed death of his mother-in-law was a lie. He suddenly realized that although he had three children with Wan Hai, he knew absolutely nothing about him.
Xu Li was waiting for Wan Hai's answer when Wan Hai, having been suppressed for so long, suddenly lost his temper and slapped Xu Li across the face, saying, "Everyone is forcing me, and you're forcing me too."
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