Fu Xiaoguan went straight back to the mansion and found his father Fu Daguan and went to the backyard.
"Dad, where is the deed to the land on West Mountain?"
Official Fu was startled. "In my study... do you want it?"
"Well, I have something urgent to do and need to go to the capital. I need to take those deeds with me. I'll give them to you when I get back."
Fu Daguan frowned. It was not because he was reluctant to give Fu Xiaoguan the land deeds, but because he felt that his son was a little weird.
Without asking, he got up and went back to get a box.
"The contracts for all of Xishan's properties are in here."
"What's the fastest way to get to Shangjing?"
"By boat."
"Why don't you ask me what I'm doing?"
Official Fu then asked with a smile, "So what are you going to do?"
"Let's go to Confucius Temple and pick some dates for you."
“…”
"I'm leaving now. Dad, you have to hurry up. Remember, August 15th next year is the final deadline."
…
In the evening of September 20th, the eighth year of the Xuanli calendar.
Shangjing Imperial City, Dieyi Palace, and the back garden.
Concubine Shang was wearing a linen dress and holding a hoe, carefully weeding in the garden.
This is a chrysanthemum garden, where several kinds of precious chrysanthemums from Qizhou are planted.
The chrysanthemums are in full bloom at this time, and the colorful flowers are very beautiful.
Yu Wenjun squatted beside the garden, watching his mother weeding, and said, "I still prefer this cinnabar red frost. Look, mother, these crimson petals are so lovely."
Imperial Concubine Shang straightened up, took a cotton towel from her sleeve, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and said with a smile, "I am old, but I love the Jade Phoenix on the Jade Terrace even more. Its petals are pure white, and its flowers are closed but not open."
"Mom is not old at all. If we go out together, people who don't know you might think you are my sister."
Concubine Shang laughed and said, "You little girl, you have no respect for your elders."
She walked out of the garden carrying a hoe. A maid took the hoe and brought her warm water. After washing her hands and face, she and Yu Wenjun came to the Xiuchun Pavilion in the garden and sat down.
Servants brought tea, cakes, fruits and vegetables. Concubine Shang waved her hand and all the servants moved away. Only an old man stood behind Concubine Shang with a hunched back, respectfully.
Yu Wenjun poured tea for Concubine Shang and asked with a smile, "Mother, which of the two perfumes do you prefer?"
After leaving Xishan, she and Dong Shulan both brought some perfume back to Beijing, and had already given some to Concubine Shang.
Concubine Shang smiled calmly, "If there are only these two, I prefer jasmine. It's quiet and elegant, unlike the sweet-scented osmanthus, which is a bit stronger."
Yu Wenjun pouted, "I prefer the sweet-scented osmanthus scent. He said that when the roses are in full bloom, the scent of rose perfume will be rich and mellow, even better than this sweet-scented osmanthus scent."
"What you saw in Xishan...was it really as you said?"
"How dare my daughter be false in the slightest."
"Mother is afraid that you are blinded and think that whatever he does is good. Does he really get along well with those farmers? Does he really produce seeds that can double the grain yield?" Concubine Shang looked at Yu Wenjun and asked seriously.
"Yes, he often goes to the fields, with his trouser legs rolled up, just like a farmer. As for the seeds, he said that it will take until the year after next for small-scale planting to see the results. If it is to be promoted nationwide, it will take at least three to five years."
Concubine Shang pondered for a moment, then turned her head to look outside. After a few breaths, she said, "Do you know that you have caused him great trouble?"
Yu Wenjun was shocked and asked in astonishment, "How did I cause him any trouble?"
"You guys are still too young after all!"
"Mom, please tell me something!" Yu Wenjun was anxious. She felt that she had always been well-behaved in Xishan and had not done anything out of the ordinary.
"He went to accept those 30,000-plus refugees. This was originally a good thing. If it had been kept in Yao County, not many people would have known about it. But you and Shulan brought this matter to the attention of the government."
"Your Majesty hates corruption the most. This was originally a trivial matter, but now it has become a huge case."
"Since His Majesty has issued an order and sent an imperial envoy, he must be determined to investigate."
Concubine Shang sighed, "Do you know how many heads will fall from this investigation?"
Yu Wenjun said anxiously, "But these people deserved to die. Mother, don't you see how pitiful those disaster victims are?"
"I know all this, but have you ever thought that this incident was caused by him accepting those refugees? Although it was you and Shulan who exposed it, the blame should be placed on Fu Xiaoguan. Do you understand?"
Yu Wenjun was suddenly speechless, with his mouth open for a long time and unable to close it.
Of course she understood. This was an unintentional act that had caused a fire that had burned Fu Xiaoguan.
What should I do now?
Yu Wenjun panicked and said quickly, "Then, could mother ask father to revoke his decision?"
"How is this possible? The emperor's words are binding, and everyone in the world knows this. You're not unaware of your father's temper. Who would dare to offend him?"
"What should we do? He's innocent. Besides, his family is just a landlord. If a minister harbors a grudge against him, wouldn't his family be destroyed?"
Concubine Shang looked at her anxious daughter and understood that her daughter's heart was tied to Fu Xiaoguan.
Ever since she met Fu Xiaoguan once at Shanglinzhou in Linjiang when she returned to Qizhou to visit her relatives, Concubine Shang has been paying attention to Fu Xiaoguan. Firstly, because of her daughter's thoughts, and secondly, because she admired Fu Xiaoguan's talent, she knew everything about Yu Wenjun and Dong Shulan's trip to Xishan.
She even knew about Fu Xiaoguan's going to receive refugees at the first time.
But she didn't stop it, she just wanted to take a look.
Then she also knew why Fu Xiaoguan took in these refugees. She felt quite relieved and secretly admired what the young man did.
He was not a frivolous person; despite his immense talent, he was able to find peace in a corner of the country and find joy in it. Nowadays, there are more and more so-called scholars with high aspirations, and young men like Fu Xiaoguan, who can get along well with farmers and refugees, are becoming increasingly valuable.
Therefore, Concubine Shang would definitely save Fu Xiaoguan, and she had even made a plan, but Yu Wenjun and Fu Xiaoguan were not aware of it.
"You just can't keep your temper."
Concubine Shang stood up and turned to the eunuch behind her, saying, "Eunuch Nian, please help me pass a message to Yan Beixi. Tell him that... I like Yan Xiwen very much and that he should be released to serve as an official. Let him start as the magistrate of Yao County in Linjiang Prefecture."
"I'll go right away."
"Wait, there's one more thing. I'm sending a message to Grand Tutor Fei in my name, inviting him to the palace to admire the flowers tomorrow morning."
Eunuch Nian was startled and bowed, "I obey your orders."
Eunuch Nian turned and left. Yu Wenyun was confused, "Mother, please help me think of a solution."
"Don't worry, go check on your brother. Last night, he was grounded by your father again."
Concubine Shang went to the chrysanthemum garden again, took a pair of scissors, and carefully trimmed the branches of the chrysanthemums.
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