Seeing this, Xiao Luobei, the son of the prefect, asked, "Auntie, may I pick one?"
"You can pick as many as you want, as long as you can eat them." They have plenty of tomatoes in their field, but not many are red yet. Once they have more, they can pick some to sell.
With permission, Xiao Luobei jumped down, picked three, and handed them to his mother and sister. The two didn't refuse, but they just held them without eating them.
"Mom, can I go there and play with them?" Xiao Luobei asked.
Looking into the distance, there were Sanwa and his friends. Since they didn't have to work in the workshop, they went up the mountain to herd cattle and horses.
"Go by yourself, just be careful." Prefect Xiao nodded without refusing, and his wife didn't say anything either.
An Shuyi looked at Xiao Wanning, who kept glancing towards the workshop. Knowing that Xiao Wanning wanted to go, she said, "Madam Prefect, did you like the things from last time? Our workshop has many new products now. Why don't you and your daughter go and take a look?"
The prefect's wife looked at her daughter and said, "No need, I'll just stay with my husband."
Seeing her gaze shift back and forth between herself and the prefect, Xia Hua rolled her eyes. Although the prefect looked to be only forty years old, she really didn't think much of him, let alone treat him like a thief.
"Wood, come here for a second."
Village Chief Lin stood beside the workshop, watching the people who came to buy things. There were many horse-drawn carriages now, so they had to queue up. Although it was afternoon, there were still quite a lot of people.
Hearing his sister-in-law call him, he hurried over, "Sister-in-law, what's wrong?"
"Find a little niece and take the prefect's daughter to the workshop. We have things to discuss, and she'll be bored if she comes along." She's just a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl; what's the point of her following them?
Village Chief Lin turned to look at Prefect Xiao, then at his wife. After a moment of silence, he nodded and said, "Understood, sister-in-law."
"This way, Miss... Wenyao, this is the prefect's daughter. Please take her to the workshop and see what she likes. Have it wrapped up."
Wenyao nodded, "Understood, Uncle Village Chief."
Watching them leave, An Shuyi said, "Prefect, Prefect's wife, this way."
An Shuyi led them into the house and guided them to sit down in the hall.
"Madam An, your village moves so fast! When I came yesterday, you hadn't even moved in yet, and you've already moved today. Congratulations!" After saying this, Prefect Xiao looked around. The house was really nice, a two-courtyard house, but there were no flowers or plants inside yet.
"We bought the things yesterday and moved in. Our villagers have been living outdoors for more than a year, enduring wind and rain. Now that the house is built, we are naturally busy moving in. Please have a seat here."
Prefect Xiao and his wife sat down. "Madam An, is there something you want to say?"
An Shuyi and Xia Hua sat down and nodded. "I do have something I'd like to ask the Prefect for help with."
"If there's anything you need, Madam An, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll do my best to help if I can."
"I just wanted to ask if the Prefect has any connections in the military camp. I have two sons and a nephew who want to join the army. I'm not worried about them, I just hope to know about them from time to time."
When Prefect Xiao heard her say that, he thought it was something serious, but he didn't expect it to be this. "Madam An is talking about this? No problem. I have a friend's son who is in the army. He is just a captain. You can send Madam An's two sons and nephews to help out."
“It’s just that the military camp is in the north, which is quite far from here. There is a garrison in Jinnan City, but I’m sure Madam wouldn’t let them go. However, if Madam is willing, I can let them work as yamen runners in the government office.”
"Thank you for your kindness, Prefect, but I still want them to go to the military camp. I wonder if you could help me send them there?"
“Alright,” Prefect Xiao nodded. “It’s quite a coincidence that a group of civilians will be joining the army in three days. We can let them go with us. I’ll write another letter and give it to my friend’s child. But is Madam willing to do that? You’re living quite well now; you don’t need to join the army.” He didn’t quite understand Madam An’s idea.
An Shuyi smiled and said, "If the child wants to go, I can only grant his wish. Besides, boys should go out and explore. Otherwise, staying in the village will only lead to nothing."
"Alright then, Madam, please prepare in the next few days. You can go to the yamen three days from now. As for the letter, Madam, do you have any paper here? I'll write it now."
“Yes,” Xia Hua stood up, went to her room and brought out a stack of paper, as well as a writing brush, ink, and inkstone. She kept these in the storeroom in case she needed them.
Prefect Xiao looked at the paper on the table and went over to write, "Madam Xia, is this Xuan paper from your village? It's very good." After saying that, he turned to her, "Madams, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should?"
"Go ahead and say it. There's nothing you can't say." Xia Hua glanced at the prefect's wife.
Looking at his wife, Prefect Xiao said, "Madam An, Madam Xia, although you have already obtained the status of a lady, you should know that money is a powerful motivator, and the profits from Xuan paper are too great. I'm afraid you won't be able to protect it."
"Although no one knows yet that this Xuan paper comes from your village, once you are granted the title of Ruren (a high-ranking official title), people will start paying attention to you, and then..."
He paused here, as if others only knew about this because of him. He glanced at the two ladies; their eyes showed no emotion, but when he looked at them, they gave him a meaningful look.
“Madam An, Madam Xia, this time I acted on my own initiative. If I had told you in advance and not reported to the Emperor that the prescription was yours, you would not have been conferred titles, and others would not have found out so quickly. The Xuan paper came from your village. It is all my fault.”
Xia Hua sneered, "You only realize this now? I told you long ago not to report the prescription to the Emperor. You could do whatever you wanted with the prescription, but you wouldn't listen."
"Hua Hua!" An Shuyi tugged at her. "Don't worry, sir. It doesn't matter if others find out. We'll figure out how to deal with it."
When others try to take advantage of them, she finds ways to deter them. The prefect only knows that their Xuan paper is good, but he doesn't know that any other workshop can earn just as much as Xuan paper.
Especially the crops planted haphazardly by the roadside, which are more valuable than Xuan paper.
Prefect Xiao looked at her. "Madam An, do you really have a way? Don't lie to me. You should know that if others find out, this matter will be huge." It's possible that those greedy people will slaughter an entire village just for the secret formula of Xuan paper.
An Shuyi nodded, "Don't worry, if I say nothing will happen, then nothing will happen. Write the letter and take the prefect's wife to the workshop. Our workshop is producing quite a few new products now."
Hearing her say that, although he still didn't believe her, Prefect Xiao had no choice but to write a letter, but he couldn't help but worry.
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