Chapter 159 A chance encounter with a minor official while serving as a county magistrate.
That day, Zhang Ting finally had some free time to organize her packages.
Zong Suyi always reported good news and never bad, telling her that everything was fine at home and there was nothing wrong. But Zhang Ting, considering her pregnant husband's hardship, specially prepared many novelties from the prefectural city for him, including local delicacies, brightly colored and beautiful fabrics, simple and elegant ornaments, and even children's rattles and windmills.
Just then, Gu Qing, the magistrate of Fengxian County, came to report on her work. Zhang Ting let her in without even looking up.
While she was busy tying up the bundle, she listened intently to Gu Qing's words.
Seeing that she was still moving, Gu Qing paused for a moment, then stepped forward and said, "My lord, let me help you."
Zhang Ting stopped her, "No need, I'll be done soon. You can continue." The packaging materials were readily available, and she quickly wrapped one after another.
Gu Qing had no choice but to back down and continue, "The crops in the county are growing steadily. Occasionally one or two people fall ill with stomach aches, but the economy has fully recovered... You've successfully reformed those petty thugs, and they haven't caused any trouble since..."
Zhang Ting packed her bag, nodded slightly, and said, "Not bad." After saying that, she praised the other person a few times.
Gu Qing looked embarrassed and said modestly, "It is all thanks to your perfect strategy, sir, that I was able to govern Fengxian smoothly. I am of limited talent and ability, far inferior to you."
Zhang Ting laughed and said she was being too modest.
A sweet joy welled up in Gu Qing's heart, even more so than when the maid had given birth to three daughters for her. She bowed again and said, "You flatter me, sir. I am nothing special."
After exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Ting noticed that her face looked tired and sallow, a typical symptom of kidney deficiency. Considering her health, he couldn't help but grumble a few words.
As Gu Qing bowed and was about to leave, she heard a soft voice above her head, "Although harmony in the family brings prosperity, we officials serving the people need to be more cautious and considerate of ourselves." The words were meant to be caring, but Gu Qing vaguely felt as if they were subtly reminding her.
Gu Qing looked up at her in surprise, "My lady..." The other woman was stacking her bundles one by one with her head down, looking relaxed and serene. It was as if those words had not come from her mouth.
Gu Qing suddenly recalled a recent rumor, her expression hardening as she solemnly replied, "This humble official will obey your instructions, sir." She inwardly wiped away a bead of sweat. Was it true that her husband was gossiping about her husband and sir? That gossipy man! He's always causing trouble!
The adult is indeed very powerful and influential; nothing can be hidden from Fengxian.
Zhang Ting was completely unaware of where her subordinate's wild imagination had wandered off to. She stretched her aching neck, pointed to the bundle on the table, and smiled, "You're coming back to Fengxian? Please take this back to my residence for me." It even saved her the postage cost—brilliant!
Gu Qing breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly realizing! The master hadn't let her help earlier, but now he was letting her bring Fengxian back. This was to show how much he valued her husband, and it was also a final warning to her!
Gu Qing suddenly hated herself for being so slow to react; she should have realized the problem when the adults told her not to help!
That scoundrel, that troublemaker, just wait until she gets back and teaches him a lesson!
Zhang Ting saw Gu Qing standing in front of him after receiving the package. He frowned and thought for a long time before suddenly realizing something. He walked up to her and offered a few words of comfort and encouragement to show his regard for her and his high expectations for her.
Gu Qing was deeply moved again. Her husband was a burden at home, yet the adults still valued her so much. She could never repay their kindness!
After successfully seeing off her overly enthusiastic subordinate, Zhang Ting shook her head helplessly. She heard that her child was almost sixteen years old and still wanted to brag about him in front of her... Sigh!
After finishing this matter, other administrative affairs still awaited her favor. Shaking off the distracting thoughts in her mind, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to government affairs.
After she finishes dealing with the disaster in the prefecture, she will return to Fengxian, which is her true home turf.
What can Fengxian offer to attract wealthy clients...? Well, its beautiful mountains and clear waters make it a scenic spot; tourism can be developed there. Its fruits are sweet and delicious, already arranged for sale, just waiting to hit the market this year to establish its reputation, after which there will be no shortage of orders. The fruits are ready for harvest, but we can't be idle after the harvest season; there are still brick and tile kilns, so let's use Fengxian as a center to wholesale building materials to the entire Zhangzhou prefecture...
As the blazing sun gradually sank in the west, a lone crescent moon rose, once again casting its bright light across the earth.
Night fell silently, and the next day arrived in the blink of an eye.
As dawn broke with the crowing of roosters, a white hue slowly spread across the horizon in the distance.
A maid pushed open the door to the backyard of the county government office. "Please come in, sir."
Zong Suyi pulled up his veil and came out, followed closely by a servant carrying a trunk.
He was too far along in his pregnancy to go out, but today was the academy's opening day, and as the dean, what would it look like if he didn't show up?
"Young master, please slow down." The servant was panting, almost unable to keep up. Heaven knows, he couldn't even keep up with a pregnant man?
The accompanying maid wiped her sweat and hurried after him. This wasn't a pregnant man at all; he was clearly a tiger carrying puppies!
The academy was quite a distance from his home, and Zong Suyi walked very fast because he was in a hurry.
His veil swayed with his movements, vaguely revealing the dark circles under his eyes. He had stayed up all night under the lamp, thinking about his speech today.
Through his tireless efforts, Fengyi Academy enrolled a total of 666 students. Among them were young children, those who were about to pass the county-level examination, veteran students and scholars who had failed the examination many times, and a few candidates who worked part-time while studying.
Someone asked, "Didn't Fengxian have no successful candidates in the imperial examinations, or even two successful candidates in the county-level examinations? How come so many have suddenly appeared?"
Fengxian didn't actually have that many scholars with official titles, but wasn't Zong Suyi the headmaster of the academy? He boasted to Zhang Ting that he would show her his prowess, but Fengxian had too few students to send out. If he only sent a tiny number, how could he save face? How could he maintain his authority as a husband?
So, he came up with a plan.
By spreading the news that "the wife of the top scholar who achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations will teach at the academy," and by using Zhang Ting's name, it must be said that this name was very useful. Overnight, not only did people of all ages in the county rush to sign up, but even candidates from neighboring counties came over.
The academy was indeed too large to accommodate so many talents, otherwise, if the news had been circulating for a while longer, the number of people could have increased several times over.
With so many students from out of town arriving, mostly scholars and those who had passed the imperial examinations, it was natural to make good use of them. Zong Suyi waived their accommodation and tuition fees, with only one condition: that they teach at the academy, instructing children or scholars. The academy would subsidize them three taels of silver and a certain amount of rice and flour each year. The local scholars and students were also given the same arrangement.
In this way, without incurring huge expenses, the selection of teachers can be easily resolved, and the entire academy can be self-sufficient!
He really is a genius!
You damned Zhang, just wait until you bow down to my wisdom!
The master of the house stopped, and the servants and maids behind him also stopped. They stared blankly at the people laughing so hard they were shaking, completely baffled as to why they were suddenly laughing like this.
As the hour of Chen (7-9 AM) approached, the three continued their journey toward the academy.
We've covered three-quarters of the journey; another half a quarter of an hour and we'll arrive.
Just as Zong Suyi turned a corner, a rough, dark hand suddenly pulled him inside.
servants: !!
In broad daylight, they dared to abduct a pregnant man!
This is outrageous!
Enraged, the two grabbed brooms from the corner and chased after the figure inside. However, just as they stepped halfway into the darkness, a figure 'whooshed' out and slammed hard against the opposite wall.
Zong Suyi walked out calmly, clapped his hands, and kept his veil on his head intact.
He snorted coldly, "Trash."
The maids and servants were dumbfounded, and the brooms in their hands slipped from their hands.
The man seemed to have been knocked unconscious and lay motionless on the ground.
Zong Suyi lazily took out a handkerchief to wipe his wrists, then suddenly lifted his eyelids and said to the two dumbfounded people, "You two, drag that nobody over here."
"Yes, yes, yes!" the two replied in unison, fearing that if they were too slow, they would suffer the same fate as the small fry on the other side.
I rushed over in a panic and almost tripped over the broom.
Zong Suyi curled her lip in disdain. "How long have you been coming to our house to 'train' us? And you're still so reckless."
The servants each grabbed one of his hands and dragged the unconscious fish to the master of the house.
Zayu was a filthy, crazy old woman, dressed in tattered clothes, her hair a mess, her face bruised and swollen, and two tubes of blood gushing from her nose.
He said, "Go and fetch a bucket of water."
The servant handed the man over to the maid, brought over a bucket of water, and viciously splashed it on the miscellaneous fish.
Before long, the old woman slowly woke up, looking around in a daze. "Huh, how come it's already dawn..."
The servant stood aggressively next to Zong Suyi and shouted, "You audacious woman, how dare you offend the family of the county magistrate!"
The maidservant also scolded, "What's your name? Tell me your name right now!"
Zong Suyi pulled an iron rod from a corner at the back, played with it in his hand, and it occasionally made a dull trembling sound.
His face was sinister. "You shameless old bastard, how dare you kidnap your grandfather! What is your purpose? Confess now!"
The old woman suddenly began to struggle violently, and the maid almost couldn't hold her down.
Zong Suyi narrowed her eyes, about to give her a good whack to teach her a lesson, when she heard the person cry out, "Your Highness... Waaah, I've finally seen you..." A mournful howl, like that of a wild beast, erupted from the deepest part of her chest.
Zong Suyi, puzzled, put away the iron rod. Did this person know him? He waved his hand to dismiss the servants.
"Who are you, old woman?" He had no recollection of such a filthy person. He clenched his fists inwardly, thinking that if she dared to deceive him, he would make her taste the pain of having her head blown off.
The old woman wiped the blood from her nose, crawled over crying, and knelt upright. "This old minister, Xu Qiushui, formerly the Junior Tutor to the Crown Princess, pays respects to the Duke."
Who? Xu Qiushui?
Zong Suyi lifted his veil and craned his neck to look at her face. Upon closer inspection, she did look quite similar... Wait, he hit the wrong person! His eyes widened, and the iron rod slipped from his hand, then slammed heavily onto the other person's leg.
Xu Qiushui groaned in pain, her hand trembling as she touched her thigh.
Zong Suyi took a deep breath, guiltily picked up the iron rod and threw it behind him, forcing a dry laugh as he said, "Lord Xu, please don't be offended, I didn't mean it." Then, realizing the other person was still kneeling, he said, "Please rise!"
Xu Qiushui stood up shakily, her legs trembling. Two more streams of blood flowed from her nose. Her face was bruised and swollen. "Four years have passed, and you haven't changed at all... You're still as energetic as ever."
Zong Suyi twitched the corners of his mouth and gave an awkward laugh.
"It's alright, it's alright..."
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