In the pouring rain, Zhao Hao snuggled up on Ma Xianglan's soft shoulders. The elegant orchid fragrance was refreshing and greatly soothed his soul.

The unsettling feeling of detachment finally gradually disappeared, and Master Zhao, who had regained his composure, finally fell into a deep sleep under Ma Xianglan's gentle patting.

Seeing that Zhao Hao was lying straight with his head tilted in a very uncomfortable posture, Sister Ma carefully held his head, let him lie on her thighs, then reached out and hooked the blanket to cover him.

After doing all this, Ma Xianglan let out a sigh of relief, then lowered her head to look at the young master's sleeping profile.

Well, without her usual pretense of maturity, she still looks very fresh and pleasant.

Secretary Ma then gently traced the lines of his facial features with his fingers, thinking that the young master was indeed hiding a big secret.

Sister Xianglan, who is very thoughtful, has long noticed that Zhao Hao's words and actions are different from those of ordinary people.

But Sister Xianglan, who is meticulous, did not delve into the reasons behind this.

Who doesn’t have their own little secret?

Well, mysterious boys are the most attractive.

~~

When Mr. Zhao came in, he saw his son sleeping soundly on Ma Xianglan's lap...

Secretary Ma leaned back in his chair, also dozing with his head down.

Mr. Zhao gave a typical satisfied smile of an old father and tiptoed out.

Secretary Ma didn't open her eyes until Zhao Shouzheng's footsteps faded away. She was just pretending to sleep to cover up her embarrassment.

After she calmed down from her embarrassment, she gently woke Zhao Hao up.

"Sir, wake up."

"Yeah." Zhao Hao rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked, "What's wrong? Is it time?"

"The master just came and seemed to have something to talk to you about." Ma Xianglan's voice was as soft as a mosquito and she couldn't understand what he was saying.

"Oh." Zhao Hao sat up, stretched comfortably and said, "It seems that my father has fallen into a trap."

Ma Xianglan noticed that his robe was wrinkled and wanted to get up to help him smooth it out, but she let out a cry and sat back on the recliner.

"Sister Xianglan, what's wrong with you?" Master Zhao blinked.

"Still asking." Ma Xianglan said angrily and amusedly, "Aren't they all suppressed by someone?"

After saying that, her face turned red again.

"Then I'll give it back to you some other day." Zhao Hao said apologetically, "Then we'll be even."

Ma Xianglan's face turned even redder, thinking that the young master was still young, it would be better to understand it literally...

When Ma Xianglan recovered, she stood up to help Zhao Hao put his clothes in order, and then she heard him say calmly:

"Two things. One is that I will move to the East Courtyard tonight. I can't sleep well in this room."

"Okay." Seeing his abnormal behavior today, even if Zhao Hao didn't say it, Ma Xianglan would have brought it up.

"Then ask uncle to find out where the four young ladies who used to serve me are now." Zhao Hao ordered again: "See if you can find them?"

"Yes, sir." Ma Xianglan asked softly, "If the master asks what you want them for, how should you answer? Invite them back?"

In fact, she wanted to ask...

Zhao Hao shook his head and said, "Let the past be the past. When the time comes, you can help them and make their lives better."

"Young Master is really kind." Ma Xianglan tied the silk ribbon for Zhao Hao.

"No, it's just to make myself feel at ease." Young Master Zhao looked at himself in the silver mirror, and the feeling that he was not himself finally disappeared completely.

There is no other than me, I am me, unique in the world!

~~

When Zhao Hao arrived at the study in the main courtyard, he saw his father, uncle, and Jin Xueceng looking worried.

"Hey, what do you say we should do? This is so unlucky."

"How about you learn from me? We can just stay as patients. Can they carry you to the levee?"

"If it really doesn't work, Master, let's switch. You go to the island for me, and I'll fight the flood for you!"

"What's going on?" Young Master Zhao walked in and asked, "Is the situation not ideal?"

"It's not ideal." Zhao Shouye sighed depressedly: "Your father was sent to act as the governor of Kunshan County and can't take up the post in Wu County..."

"Son, you are right. They have made up their minds not to let your father enter Suzhou City." When Zhao Shouzheng saw his son, he felt like he had found his backbone and quickly asked him to come and sit down.

Jin Xuezeng stood up and gave his master a seat. Zhao Hao walked over and sat down. He took the teacup offered by his disciple and asked, "What's the reason for letting you go to Kunshan?"

"The magistrate of Kunshan is in mourning, and the overall flood control situation requires it." Zhao Shouzheng said helplessly, "If I don't agree, it will be disobedience, and the governor of Yingtian will ask the king to chop off my head with a flag."

"They are just trying to scare you." Zhao Hao smiled bitterly and consoled him, "But in the overall situation of flood control, there is really no room for bargaining."

"That's right. If I disobey orders now, people will criticize me." Zhao Shouye nodded in agreement, and then said depressedly: "Alas, everyone says Suzhou is a paradise on earth, but Kunshan is an exception. It's a living hell..."

Jin Xuezeng thought to himself, Chongming is not much better. But this is the test arranged for me by my master, I am honored and proud, and I am happy to accept it!

"When I was in Beijing, I heard Lu Quancao talk about the official vacancies in Suzhou's counties." Zhao Hao smiled as he drank tea, "It seems to be called something like 'Gold Taicang, Silver Jiading, Copper Changshu, Iron Chongming, Tofu Wujiang, Beggar Kunshan, Paper Changzhou, Hollow Wu County.'"

"That's right. There are only wrong names, but no wrong nicknames. Listen, 'Beggar Kunshan', is that a place people can go to?" Zhao Shouye said with a frown.

"Why is it so tragic?" Jin Xuezeng has been focusing on studying Chongming recently and doesn't know much about the situation in other counties.

"There's only one reason, it's a depression." Zhao Shouye turned the lid of the teacup over and placed it on the coffee table. Pointing to the depression in the center of the lid, he said, "Kunshan is right here."

As he spoke, he picked up the teacup and said, "This is Taihu Lake."

Then Zhao Shouye slowly poured the tea into the edge of the cup lid. The tea naturally flowed along the tilted cup lid into the depression in the center, and soon it was full.

"Taihu Lake will flood every year from the beginning of the plum rain season to September. The counties along the coast are on higher ground and suffer less damage. However, Kunshan County, which is not adjacent to Taihu Lake, has become a place for Taihu Lake to discharge flood water because of its low terrain." Then he said with a serious expression:

"As a result, from May to September, two-thirds of Kunshan County was submerged in water. Mulberry trees and cotton could not survive, and rice could only be planted for one season. If the plum rain season came early, the harvest would be completely lost... The common people would starve to death if they stayed at home, and could only go to Suzhou City, Taicang, Huating and other places to work for others. There were also many people who made a living by singing operas and begging, which is why Kunshan got the bad name of Beggar Kunshan."

"Uncle really knows a lot." Zhao Shouye's eloquent manner made Zhao Hao look at him with new eyes.

"Don't look at your uncle like this. I also worked as a director in the Water Conservancy Department of the Nanjing Ministry of Works." Zhao Shouye was very proud. This was the first time he was praised by his nephew.

Cool!

ps. Chapter 4, the next chapter is not finished yet...