It was such a beautiful day, and Wen Ye didn't want to be affected by irrelevant things, so she signaled Liu Ya not to say anything for the time being.
Then he said to the people not far behind him, "You go to the house to rest and drink some tea. I'll go see how the lunch is prepared."
Xue Jingyao, who didn't think much of anything, said quickly, "Sister Ye, I'll go with you!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xue Jingxian stopped him and said, "Don't go. Look at the mud on your sleeves. Come with me into the house and change."
It was obvious that Mrs. Xu was busy, Xue Jingxian winked at her sister.
Xue Jingyao was pulled into the house by her sister.
After everyone else entered the house, Wen Ye asked, "Do you know who this person is?"
Liu Ya shook her head: "That person didn't say anything specific, but from what I saw, his clothes and appearance are indeed like what he said, a poor scholar."
Wen Ye's eyes flickered: "Scholar? What is a scholar doing here, barging into my manor?"
Liu Ya didn't know either, so she relayed what the man said: "He said he just wanted to hide from his creditors on the farm..."
For a full half a minute, Wen Ye heard the miserable image of a scholar who "copied books for a bookstore to make a living, but was tragically framed and forced to owe a hundred taels of silver."
Wen Ye: “…”
Such a familiar plot.
It's her fault for reading too many novels. She really can't empathize with a man with such a background.
Liu Ya couldn't catch the man either, so she asked the farm owner and several tenants to keep the man under guard in a small warehouse, and she came to ask Wen Ye what to do next.
Wen Ye made a decision quickly and ordered decisively: "Have Chen Zhuangtou tie up the man with two thick hemp ropes, send a few young and strong men to keep a close eye on him, and then send a servant to quietly return to the city to report to the authorities."
Based on her years of experience in reading novels, she knew that one should never pick up a strange man on the street.
Liu Ya was shocked: "Report to the police? Is it so serious?"
Wen Ye: "Only a guilty person would hide his identity. Besides, he was the one who escaped to the farm without caring about anything. Let me ask you, did he destroy a lot of crops?"
Now is the sowing season. If there is no stranger in the farmland, he should be driven out. Why keep him under surveillance?
Liuya nodded: "Mr. Chen said that the scholar did destroy a bag of seeds."
For farmers, the most important thing is food and seeds, which are their hope for survival in the coming year.
Although the farm here mainly grows fruit trees, there are still more than 30 acres of fertile land for growing crops. The scholar rushed into the fields and directly trampled over a bag of seeds.
If there hadn't been a brother and sister from a tenant family catching insects nearby, the scholar would have probably escaped.
After listening to Liu Ya's narration, Wen Ye still did not change his previous decision: "Scholars are indeed useless. Let Qiu Shi return to the city to report to the authorities."
Liu Ya bowed: "Yes."
Wen Ye added: "If the real person has no problem, remember to let him compensate the tenants for their grain. Otherwise, he should compensate them even more. Not only should he compensate the tenants for their grain, but he should also give them some compensation for delaying their spring planting for half a day."
A manor is half a home. If a strange man suddenly breaks into the house, it is normal to report to the police.
Wen Ye didn't think there was anything wrong with his decision.
After Chen Zhuangtou and others tied the man to the pillar as instructed, Wen Ye took a look. It was unclear whether the other party was afraid or annoyed. His forehead was covered with sweat, his blue gown was dirty and messy, and a piece of black cloth was stuffed in his mouth.
At first, Chen Zhuangtou was a little worried that he and his subordinates had gone too far, but fortunately, the lady of the host family did not care.
After Wen Ye finished looking at the people, he looked at Chen Zhuangtou and said, "I have asked the servant to go back to the city to report to the authorities. He will make you pay for all the grain he destroyed."
No one noticed the panic that flashed across the scholar's eyes when Wen Ye mentioned the word "report to the authorities".
After receiving this assurance, Chen Zhuangtou breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, Madam."
Chen Zhuangtou is an honest man. His mother was the nanny of the old Duke's wife and passed away many years ago. He used to be in charge of the shop for the Duke's Mansion, but he was short-sighted and often suffered losses, so the shop began to run out of money.
Later, the Duke's wife realized that he was not cut out to manage a shop, so she changed his job.
He has been in charge of this farm for six or seven years, and facts have proved that he is suitable for farming.
The tenants on the farm are all honest and hardworking. Over the years, Mr. Chen has come into contact with them and has developed some feelings for them. He knows that their lives are difficult and they cannot withstand any unexpected events.
Wen Ye turned around and looked at the tied person, and asked Chen Zhuangtou to take the cloth out of his mouth first.
In front of the farmers present, he asked him, "What is your name?"
The scholar looked miserable, and when he saw that it was a woman, he immediately began to explain.
Wen Ye already knew all this from Tao Zhi. He didn't even try to answer her question. Instead, he just kept describing how miserable his life was, trying to arouse Wen Ye's sympathy.
Wen Ye had an indifferent look on his face, and even thought to himself that this man's storytelling skills were far worse than those of the storytellers in the teahouse.
Seeing that he couldn't get any truth out of him, Wen Ye explained a few words briefly and let Chen Zhuangtou shut his mouth again. It was really noisy.
In order to know the situation first, Wen Ye left the peach branch and turned away.
When Wen Ye came back, Yao had already changed her clothes and was sitting down drinking tea.
Seeing Wen Ye coming back, she put down her teacup and asked, "But what happened on the farm?"
Wen Ye simply explained: "It's not a big deal, it's almost resolved."
Seeing that she looked relieved, Yao thought it was a trivial matter and stopped asking any more questions.
Lunch was a table full of authentic farm-style dishes, but in case some people were not used to it, a few exquisite dishes were also served.
No matter what, everyone can eat their favorite dishes.
There was also a small plate of small fish that Wen Ye had picked up. They were coated with a mixed egg batter, thrown into the hot oil, and fried until golden and crispy. Ground scallions, ginger, garlic, and salt were added to the egg batter, so it was tasty enough to eat it alone.
And it doesn't smell fishy at all.
If you like a stronger taste, there is a small dish of chili powder on the side.
The chili powder was brought by the eldest aunt from Lingcheng. This time when going out for spring outing, Wen Ye asked Taozhi to add some.
I kept a few handfuls of wild vegetables I dug and blanched them to make cold wild vegetable salad.
I plan to take the remaining warm leaves back home and make dumplings or buns with shepherd's purse and pork filling.
Sesame oil is indispensable for cold mixed wild vegetables. Just add a few drops and mix them together, and they will be super fragrant.
Xue Jingyao saw Wen Ye picking up small fish, so she tried one out of curiosity. After eating it, she thought it was good, so she picked up a piece for Xue Jingxian and said, "Sister, you try it too."
Xue Jingyao didn't dip the food she ate into chili powder, but she did dip the food she gave to Xue Jingxian in chili powder.
Xue Jingxian took a small bite of the dish her sister picked for her and said after tasting it carefully, "It tastes good, but a little spicy."
Wen Ye explained: "This pepper is produced in Lingcheng, and it is much hotter than Shengjing."
Xue Jingxian suddenly realized: "No wonder."
Wen Ye smiled, then whispered to Yunzhi to bring a plate of chili noodles that was not too spicy.
I thought she was the only one at the table who liked spicy food, so there was only a plate of chili noodles on the table that was only spicy enough for her.
Now it seems that Xue Jingxian also likes spicy food, but the level of spiciness she can tolerate is limited.
If she didn't like it, Xue Jingyao wouldn't have done such a thing.
After lunch, it was still early, so there was no rush to go back. There was a fruit orchard on the farm, and now was the blooming season, so it was a good time to go and enjoy the fruits.
A small pavilion was built in the orchard, with a stone table and stone benches, perfect for sitting down to drink tea, enjoy the scenery and chat.
Yao exclaimed: "This place is so beautiful!"
I finally understood my mother-in-law's fun.
Wen and Xue Jingxian both agreed: "Yes."
Although there is not much you can do when you go out for fun, such as wandering around, picking some wild flowers and vegetables, or fishing a few fish, it is still much more relaxed and unrestrained than staying at home or going out for social events.
The scenery is leisurely and the mountains are covered with white.
Xue Jingxian hadn't been away from home for a long time, and she hadn't felt as relaxed as she did today for a long time. She looked at her sister who was picking up petals blown down by the wind with a small basket not far away, and a smile appeared on her face.
Wen, who was standing by, said, "Jinghua will be coming of age next year, right?"
Xue Jingxian sighed: "Yes, she has grown so big in the blink of an eye."
Mrs. Wen turned her head and asked, "Does Mrs. Xue have any idea?"
She asked politely.
Xue Jingxian shook her head: "I'm worried about that. Jinghua has an unstable temper. If she goes there... I'm afraid she will be wronged."
Without outsiders present, Xue Jingxian revealed a little, "My family wants to choose a family with a simple family tradition and whose children are well educated, so that they can give my younger sister more dowry."
Don't be like her and think that you can live a comfortable life by marrying into a noble family.
Wen also sighed: "There's still one or two years left, there's no need to rush."
After saying that, she glanced outside the pavilion and saw Wen Ye lying motionless on a long bamboo chair.
Xue Jingxian followed Wen's line of sight and suddenly realized that Wen Ye seemed to be a few years older than them.
Wen coughed and said, "You understand what I mean, right?"
Xue Jingxian: “…”
To be honest, she didn't dare to understand too much.
Not everyone is so lucky.
Wen Ye lay down on the bamboo reclining chair and closed her eyes. The spring breeze was blowing gently on her, and she felt a little sleepy after a while.
The bamboo chair was woven by Chen Zhuangtou's eldest son. It is strong and sturdy.
Boss Chen is good at making bamboo strips. Apart from the monthly salary from the Duke's Mansion, most of the family's income comes from these bamboo strip tools.
In addition to this bamboo chair, Wen Ye also bought some small tables, small stools, small bamboo horses, etc.
Wen Ye had a storybook covering his face and a light green cloak covering his body. There was a small bamboo table next to him with snacks and tea available.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, Taozhi suddenly came to report, "Madam, Qiushi is back."
Wen Ye's reaction was slow. After a while, he took off the script covering his face and raised his head and said, "Explain the reason and hand the person over."
Taozhi bent down and said in a low voice, "Madam is right. The scholar looked weak, but he turned out to be not a good person at all."
Wen Ye sat up and said, "Tell me about it in detail."
Taozhi started the story from when Qiushi returned to the city. Before Qiushi returned to the city, he met a team of constables from the government office who were leaving the city.
Qiushi felt something was wrong, so he took out the badge of the Duke's Mansion and went to inquire, only to find out that they had arrested a male prisoner.
Based on the other party's description, Qiushi felt that he was very similar to the strange man who suddenly appeared in the manor, so he briefly told the leader about the manor.
Taozhi finished her speech and said, "The detectives Qiushi brought are still in the warehouse."
Wen Ye stood up and said, "Now that you mention it, I have to go there."
The warehouse is some distance away from the orchard, so what happens there won’t disturb the people who are enjoying the view and chatting.
Wen Ye quickly arrived at the warehouse. At this moment, the scholar had been untied from the pillar, but his hands and feet were still tied tightly.
The one who led the team out of the city to hunt down the criminal was a subordinate of the prefect, Lord Wang, whose surname was Liao.
Captain Liao saluted Wen Ye and said, "Thank you, Madam Xu, for helping us catch this man."
Wen Ye said, "I also noticed that his behavior was strange, so I asked the village head to tie him up and let the servants go to the city to report to the police. I hope it doesn't interfere with Captain Liao's investigation."
Captain Liao quickly said, "Of course not."
He had already gotten the relevant details out of the servant named Qiushi, and after arriving at the farm, he verified them with the farmhand and the tenants.
If it weren't for Madam Xu's decisiveness, this person might have escaped, and it would have taken a long time to catch him.
Captain Liao was so grateful that it was not enough for him to have any other emotions.
Wen Ye saw that his eyes were clear and had a hint of majesty, so he should be someone who was easy to talk to.
So she pretended not to know and asked him, "What crime did this man commit?"
"Uh..." Captain Liao thought for a moment and replied, "I only know that this man is a son who failed the imperial examination two years ago. Yesterday, he used food to poison his family members. The details will be revealed after he is brought back to Beijing for trial."
That was inconvenient to say. Wen Ye knew when to stop and did not continue to ask: "In this case, Captain Liao, please take this man back."
Captain Liao heaved a sigh of relief and bowed again, "Thank you, Madam Xu."
A team of detectives came up from the manor, but the news could not be kept secret; it spread like the wind into the ears of the people who were sitting in the pavilion admiring the flowers.
As soon as Wen Ye came back, Yao grabbed her hand and said, "Didn't you say it wasn't a big deal? Why did the police come?"
Wen Ye explained softly, "It's really not a big deal. A prisoner from the government office escaped to the vicinity of the manor. Chen Zhuangtou thought he was a thief and tied him up. He was about to report him to the authorities when he happened to run into a team of constables who were out of town chasing the criminals."
Wen Ye didn't say that the prisoner had actually already run into the manor, and now that the prisoner has been taken away, there is no need to let everyone worry anymore.
"So that's how it is." Yao believed it and said, "Luckily the village head found it."
Wen asked, "Are those detectives still at the manor?"
Wen Ye: "He's gone."
Xue Jingyao asked curiously, "Sister Ye, do you know what crime that person committed?"
Xue Jingxian pulled her and gently scolded her, "You are a girl, what are you asking about?"
Xue Jingyao curled her lips helplessly, and behind Xue Jingxian's back, she gave Wen Ye a look that said "Tell me quickly".
Wen Ye smiled and said, "Captain Liao didn't say much, he just said that the man was suspected of poisoning a family member, was discovered, and the family member reported it to the authorities."
Wen couldn't help but wonder, "What kind of hatred would cause you to do such a wicked act?"
Wen Ye said leisurely: "That scholar looks like a decent person. Who would have thought that he is a wolf in sheep's clothing?"
Yao nodded in agreement: "So they say 'you can't judge a book by its cover'. Just because someone looks good doesn't necessarily mean he's a good person."
Wen Ye added: "I heard that he was a failed candidate in the imperial examination."
Everyone: "......"
Fortunately, I didn’t pass the exam.
After this happened, no one wanted to continue enjoying the scenery, and it was almost time to return to the city.
Captain Liao and his men rode back to the city on horseback more than half an hour earlier than Wen Ye and his companions.
The carriage led by Deng Wenye and several others entered the city. There were already some rumors on the street about the prisoner.
Wen Ye asked someone to inquire about it, and only then did they learn some of the truth.
The person who was poisoned was the son's wife, who was said to be nearly six months pregnant. She almost lost two lives, but luckily she was treated in time and her life was saved.
Yao was riding in the same carriage with her, so naturally she heard it as well.
She couldn't believe it and said, "His wife gave birth to his children, why would he be so cruel?"
Such a person could actually pass the imperial examination. When Yao thought of this, she became even more angry: "How can such a person be qualified to be an official in the future?"
Wen Ye's focus was on the identity of the scholar's wife. He heard that she was the only daughter of a merchant family. Her family was quite wealthy and she was definitely a rich girl.
An only daughter, with family property.
It's hard not to make the association.
Unfortunately, that's all we can find out; outsiders have no way of knowing the specific details.
After returning to the Duke's Mansion, Wen Ye had just walked into the west courtyard when he ran into Xu Yuejia who was about to go out.
Judging from his steps, he seemed a little hurried.
Wen Ye raised her eyebrows slightly, walked closer and asked, "My dear, is this about the 'poisoning case'?"
Xu Yuejia herself was just about to learn the details, how did she know?
When Wen Ye received the man's inquiring gaze, she told him everything that happened on the farm.
After listening to this, Xu Yuejia understood what was going on and said, "The case is a bit complicated, so it's not convenient to tell you at this moment."
If it hadn't involved other people, Jingzhao Yin Wang Sheng wouldn't have had to invite him over to discuss the matter.
Wen Ye: "Complicated? Then I won't delay your investigation."
If it was just her guess, then there was no reason why she couldn't say it.
Xu Yuejia hummed, thought for a moment and said, "If you really want to know, I'll tell you some of the things I can say after the case is over."
Wen Ye: “…”
She didn't really want to know, well, a little bit.
At this moment, a childish voice faintly came from behind him, as if calling father or something.
Xu Yuejia immediately said: "I'm leaving first."
He hurriedly walked out of the west courtyard.
Wen Ye caught a glimpse of the little dumpling appearing in the distance, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
Xu Yuxuan caught up with her, and when he saw Wen Ye, his eyes lit up and he shouted, "Is mother back?"
Then she looked around for a while, pouted and said, "Father is missing again~"
Wen Ye asked with a smile: "What did you do to your father today?"
The first time I saw Xu Yuejia walk so fast when she heard Xu Yuxuan calling her "Father".
Xu Yuxuan shook his head and said innocently: "No~no~"
He didn't do anything.
Seeing that Xu Yuxuan couldn't get the answer, Wen Ye looked at Nanny Ji beside her.
Nanny Ji explained, "It's nothing. The young master didn't see the second lady when he woke up in the morning, and the young master happened to be there, so the young master stuck to him for a while."
"Really?"
Wen Ye didn't quite believe that things were that simple. Something else must have happened during this period.
Nanny Ji said hesitantly, "Yes, the young master drew a map once."
Wen Ye asked tentatively: "And it happened to be painted on you, my dear?"
Nanny Ji nodded silently.
Wen Ye held back his smile and touched Xu Yuxuan's head: "You are really brave."
No wonder Xu Yuejia not only walked in a hurry, but also looked like she was about to escape.
Thinking that Wen Ye was complimenting him, Xu Yuxuan's belly bulged: "Xuan'er is awesome!"
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