Jiang Ling was very busy during this period. Every day before dawn, she would go to the fields to observe the growth of the cotton. When she returned, Jiang Yaojie and Jiang Suihe had already fed their ducklings.
After Jiang Ling quickly ate a simple breakfast, she took Jiang Yaojie and boarded Uncle Lu's oxcart to head to Pingxi County.
After arriving in Pingxi County, Jiang Ling started setting up a stall. Since Wang Er and Zhao San were detained, the small vendors in Pingxi County have been living a peaceful life and no longer have to live in fear every day.
Jiang Yaojie went to deliver the stir-fried hot pot base, and then rushed back to help Jiang Ling take care of the mala tang stall. Since learning to read and write from his uncle, Jiang Yaojie has shown a high talent in arithmetic. Now, his error rate in the mala tang business is almost non-existent.
After selling out of spicy hot pot, Jiang Ling was about to pack up and go home when she realized that her afternoon work was quite tedious. She had to clean up the vegetables that had been collected from various places, stir-fry the base ingredients, and check on the progress at her new house. At this moment, Jiang Ling wished she could split herself in two.
Today was no different. However, before Jiang Ling could finish clearing away the dishes, the yamen runner Zhao Liu came over. Jiang Ling thought that he also wanted to try the food, so she quickly put on an apologetic expression and said to Zhao Liu, "Sixth Master, I'm so sorry, we're sold out today. If you want to eat, you'll have to wait until tomorrow!"
"Oh, Jiang, what are you saying! I've come to see you today!" Zhao Liu waved his hand and said to Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling was a little puzzled. She put down her hands, which were tidying up the pots and pans, wiped them with a towel, and then asked, "Looking for me? Is there something you need?"
“My parents told me to come find you, but I don’t know the specific reason!” Zhao Liu’s answer was straightforward.
Jiang Ling knew that Magistrate Duan couldn't be looking for anything bad, so she turned to Jiang Yaojie beside her and said, "Yaojie, help me clean up the rest. I'm going to see Magistrate Duan!"
Upon hearing the words "Magistrate Duan," Jiang Yaojie immediately became wary, but he refrained from speaking due to the presence of the constable Zhao Liu. Jiang Ling, observing Jiang Yaojie's expression, had already guessed what he was thinking.
She gently patted Jiang Yaojie's shoulder and said softly, "Yaojie, it's alright!"
As he spoke, he followed Zhao Liu toward the yamen (government office).
Magistrate Duan seemed to have been waiting at the yamen for a long time. Before Jiang Ling even entered the yamen, she saw Magistrate Duan looking around.
Seeing himself behind Zhao Liu, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
After bowing to Magistrate Duan, Zhao Liu tactfully left.
"Come in, I have good news to tell you!" Magistrate Duan said with a slight smile in his eyes.
Judging from Magistrate Duan's expression, Jiang Ling guessed that it was probably related to the trouble caused by Wang Er and Zhao San earlier.
As expected, as soon as Jiang Ling sat down in the inner hall, Magistrate Duan said, "The prefect has already approved the compensation! As for Wang Er and Zhao San..."
The magistrate paused suddenly as he spoke, his expression conflicted, as if he was worried that Jiang Ling would be frightened if he told the story.
This was the first time Jiang Ling had seen Magistrate Duan look so conflicted. Somewhat puzzled, Jiang Ling asked, "As for Wang Er and Zhao San, what about them?"
“They are utterly wicked, and the prefect has already ordered them to be exiled to the frontier!” said Magistrate Duan.
"Exiled to the frontier?" Jiang Ling was speechless.
Jiang Ling had seen this kind of plot on TV before, but basically, these exiles were to cold and harsh areas or malaria-ridden southern regions. Once someone went to these places, they would never return.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ling couldn't help but shudder. Although they were utterly wicked and deserved their fate, the thought that she was the cause of it all cast a shadow over her heart.
Jiang Ling isn't a saint; she just doesn't want to have anything to do with anyone.
Magistrate Duan secretly observed Jiang Ling's expression, and when he sensed something was wrong, he quickly asked, "Little sister, are you alright? Did something frighten you just now?"
Jiang Ling snapped out of her daze, shook her head, and said to Magistrate Duan, "Brother... you're overthinking it. I'm not that timid!"
"That's good, that's good! Oh, right!" Magistrate Duan seemed to have thought of something.
He immediately pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and placed it in front of Jiang Ling, saying, "There just happened to be a vacant stall in Fireworks Alley right now. The storefront isn't very big, but I thought it was pretty good, so I had Zhao Liu rent it temporarily. This place is perfect for you to do business! After all, it's autumn now, and there will be more rain!"
Jiang Ling was taken aback by Magistrate Duan's words. She quickly waved her hand and refused, saying, "Brother, you're too kind. This is too precious; I can't accept it!"
As she spoke, Jiang Ling pushed the paper back in front of Magistrate Duan.
Seeing this, Magistrate Duan became somewhat anxious and raised his voice, saying, "Sister, do you even consider me your elder brother? If you feel uneasy accepting this, then you can pay me one tael of silver as rent every month!"
“It’s not like summer now. If it really rains or the wind blows, how will you set up your stall? Besides, this place is right in Fireworks Alley, where there are more people than at the docks!”
Seeing that Magistrate Duan was somewhat anxious, Jiang Ling quickly explained, "Brother, don't misunderstand. I... I just feel that I shouldn't accept something for nothing, and this place must be very expensive!"
“What do you mean by ‘no reward without merit’? You discovered the water source, successfully controlled the locusts, and properly managed the displaced people. For these three things, it’s not normal for me to help you rent a stall, but even to help you buy a piece of land here!” Magistrate Duan’s expression was very serious.
Jiang Ling looked at Magistrate Duan's serious expression and didn't know what to say. In fact, the reason why Magistrate Duan was helping so much was not only because of his own selfish motives, but also because these three things had indeed increased his performance record a lot. In particular, he was determined to get promoted in a while.
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