Chapter 84 Raid [VIP]
Yang Jizong told everyone that Magistrate Li would come tomorrow, but he didn't know the exact time.
Chen Yao was suddenly enlightened when she heard this, as it meant that the official was coming in disguise to conduct a surprise attack.
After all, I still don't believe that she can really harvest two wheat harvests a year.
"We don't know when he will come, so how are we going to welcome him? And should we tell Captain Xue about this?" Huang Xing was a little afraid. She knew that the official was coming for her family, but she could do nothing.
Chen Yao slammed her fist on the table and ended the meeting: "What reception? Reception? Let's just do what we have to do and pretend we don't know anything."
"Zi'an, is this okay?" Huang Xing and Shen Qingshan looked at Yang Jizong at the same time.
Yang Jizong nodded. "Ayao is right. Since Magistrate Li is on a secret visit, he certainly doesn't want others to know. Let's do as Ayao says and do what we need to do tomorrow."
Shen Qingshan immediately asked his daughter for permission: "Ayao, Dad has to go to Wanhe Township tomorrow. If you want Dad to stay home with you, Dad will definitely stay."
"Mom and Dad, just do what you should do. Don't mention this to my aunt and my uncle's family, so that they won't be worried." Chen Yao felt that since Magistrate Li wanted to keep a low profile, that was exactly what she wanted.
At the same time, the prefectural government office.
Li Menghong, as the prefect of Fang County, has been here for decades without any promotion. He is already 45 years old. If he does not move, he will probably have to take off his official uniform.
This time, the emperor held a special imperial examination, but he did not expect that there would be nearly twenty students in his jurisdiction. Although half of them were from poor families, they might not even have the money to take the subsequent imperial examinations.
But this is also his political achievement, and it is in line with the will of the new emperor, isn't it?
Especially when Zhao Xiaofu, the top student among these students, recommended a farming method that could produce two wheat harvests a year, he felt that his chance for transfer had come.
If he fails to seize this opportunity, he will probably have to stay in Fang County for the rest of his life.
But there was only one thing that worried him, that was that this memorial was written by Yang Jizong. If others found out that he and Yang Jizong had joined forces, he was afraid that—
An old official who had been with Li Menghong for many years came over to light the lamp for him. Seeing his master's worried face, he couldn't help but whispered a reminder: "It's late. Aren't you going on a secret visit tomorrow? You'd better go to bed early."
Li Menghong put the letter in his arms, took it back to the backyard, and hid it in a secret box.
Li Menghong did not sleep all night, and neither did everyone in the Shen family.
Only Chen Yao slept soundly.
The next day, it was dawn.
The family sat around the table eating boxes filled with leeks and eggs with tofu pudding. Shen Qingshan and Huang Xing both looked at their daughter with dark circles under their eyes.
"Don't you really need parents to stay at home?"
"Really." Chen Yao scooped up the tender and smooth tofu pudding in the bowl with a spoon and mixed it with the braised pork sauce. She took a bite of tofu pudding and a bite of crispy chive box, and she was sweating profusely after eating.
Yang Jizong handed her his handkerchief to wipe the grease from the corners of her mouth: "Ayao, there is one more thing I forgot to tell everyone last night."
"What's the matter?" Everyone looked at him with their bowls in hand, afraid that he would reveal some shocking news again.
Before Yang Jizong could speak, he heard Luo Dunzi's shouting coming from outside.
"Teacher, teacher, our school, school--" Luo Dunzi ran into the yard, holding his knees with his hands and panting.
Chen Yao came out holding a bowl and a spoon and asked him, "Dunzi, come here and speak slowly. What's going on in school?"
"Two students who are good friends with Brother Xiaofu brought four people to sleep in our school." Luo Dunzi said truthfully with his head tilted back.
The first school he entered was startled by a stranger who was resting on a desk. If he hadn't known two of the students, he would have shouted, "A thief!"
The spoon in Chen Yao's hand fell into the bowl with a snap, and she turned to look at Yang Jizong: Is this what you want to tell us?
Yang Jizong told everyone that these students had arrived last night and wanted to study with him. He was afraid of disturbing his family, so he temporarily placed them in the school.
"So they really stayed in the school for the whole night?" Chen Yao found it unbelievable.
Yang Jizong put down the bowl and spoon in his hand, stood up and walked out, standing side by side with Shen Yao: "Probably, Yao, don't worry about this matter, I will send them away."
Yang Jizong, who was in pain from Chen Yao's elbow, covered his chest and looked at her with a wronged look.
"Ayao, what did I do wrong?"
Chen Yao waved at Luo Dunzi and gave him a hot boiled egg: "Dunzi, go and call all the brothers who are studying as students to come to my house for breakfast."
Luo Dunzi sighed and immediately ran to the school.
"Mom, let's make some more pancakes. I'm afraid the tofu pudding in the pot isn't enough for them."
Huang Xing finished her breakfast immediately and went back into the kitchen with her daughter.
Yang Wenying cleared the dishes from the table and whispered to her brother as she passed by, "It's your fault for not telling me about this last night."
Yang Jizong wanted to explain, but
Last night, Zhao Xiaoyou, Lin Zhenyu and Hu Shijie were all a little at a loss when they heard from the little boy that they should go home for dinner.
After staying overnight in the school, their minds became much clearer. They were no longer as excited as they were yesterday and felt that it was too rude to come here.
Even if they wanted Mr. Yang to give them some guidance, they shouldn't come and disturb him rashly.
"Dunzi, can you stay home first? We want to wash up first before going to Madam Shen's house. Is that okay?" Hu Shijie squatted down and raised his hand to touch Luo Dunzi's head.
The well: "Why go to Brother Xiaofu's house? There is well water there, just go and get it for yourselves."
So the six students immediately went to the well, drew water, smeared it on their faces, and broke willow branches to pick their teeth. Luo Dunzi sat on the threshold of the school, holding a hot egg, and watched in amazement.
These scholars are really not polite at all. He must not be like that in the future.
When the six young men followed the village boy to the door, each of them had wet faces and temples, and looked very embarrassed. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that they had already washed up.
"Sir, we were inconsiderate and rude."
"Hu Shijie, come with me into the house and move the table out of the yard. Lin Zhenyu, go to the kitchen to get the dishes and chopsticks." Yang Jizon gave an order and the two of them immediately started moving.
As for the others, they were still standing in the yard at a loss, not daring to look up at the woman embroidering in the corridor.
Luo Dunzi greeted Yang Wenying, and then moved a bench out from the teacher's room as if he knew the place well, and invited these students to sit down like a little host.
"Ayao, Dad has gone to Wanhe Township!" Shen Qingshan came out of the main house carrying a backpack. Seeing the boys in the yard standing up in unison and bowing to him, he was shocked. Then he nodded calmly and fled the scene.
After Huang Xing helped her daughter bring out the fried egg pancakes and tofu pudding, she also went to her third brother's house in the village. Like her husband, she was not used to such scenes.
Chen Yao and Yang Wenying sat in the corridor, signaling Luo Dunzi to hurry to the school. Then they watched Yang Jizong and the six students sitting there have breakfast again, and then they understood why Yang Jizong did not tell them last night.
Although these students were wearing long gowns, their clothes had long been starched and turned white. Although they ate breakfast in a restrained and polite manner, it was still obvious that they were amazed by the simple food.
Yang Jizong was trying to preserve their dignity.
After the six of them finished their breakfast, they all stood up and saluted Yang Jizong and Shen Yao, "Thank you Madam Shen for hosting us. We came here rashly today and offended you all. Next time we will bring--"
Before the leader Hu Shijie could finish his words, Chen Yao stood up and interrupted him, "I have two acres of fertile land that needs to be plowed, and Mr. Yang has to teach the children. Since you are here, why don't you help me plow the land first?"
The students were worried about how to repay the favor for the breakfast, and Chen Yao's words really made it happen. The students tried their best to ignore the mule's braying next to them.
“Madam Shen, please take us there.”
"What about your clothes?" Chen Yao moved the basket of farm tools in front of everyone.
"It's okay, just wash the clothes when they are dirty. Don't worry, we often do farm work at home." Hu Shijie glanced at Yang Jizong's face, and seeing that he did not object, he stepped forward and took the hoe from the basket.
Everyone took out their farm tools one by one.
"Zi'an, I'll take them to the fields. These dishes and chopsticks at home—"
"I'll clean it up." Yang Jizong rolled up his sleeves and put the dishes on the table into a wooden basin amid the astonishment of the other students. Then he fetched some water and squatted in the yard to wash the dishes.
Chen Yao led a group of stunned students back to their own land.
When Tian Baolai came home with his mule to collect today's food, he couldn't help but ask Yang Wenying, "Sister Wenying, why do I see so many more people on our farm? Who are they helping A Yao till the soil?"
"They are the students who came to study with my brother." Yang Wenying replied.
Tian Baolai pulled the mule cart and said goodbye to Yang Wenying.
As soon as he drove the mule cart onto the stone bridge, he met two old men who asked him if Xiahe Village was in this direction.
Tian Baolai, wary, not only did not answer but instead asked the two, "Who are you? Where are you from? What are you doing in Xiahe Village?"
"How dare you talk to our master? Our master is..." The old official was interrupted by Li Menghong.
"We are from the city. We heard that the wheat in Xiahe Village can be harvested twice a year, so we came here to learn. I would like to ask you to show us the way."
Tian Baolai glanced at the two of them again, then pointed to Chen Yao and the others who were busy in the fields. "See that piece of land? You'll find the answer there. I'm warning you, don't mess around. We have a student in our village. If you dare mess around, we'll arrest you and bring you to justice."
Li Menghong hurriedly bowed in thanks and took the old official to the fertile land rented by the Shen family.
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