At the government office, Zhang Qingyu's family, along with Zhuyu and Liu Mei, were unaware that the others had left and gone elsewhere. They spent the night peacefully at the government office.
It wasn't until the next morning, when Zhong Qingyi and Song Zhuiyan came in from outside, that they realized they weren't staying at the government office. No one else had come that day, not even Ye Moxun.
Zhang Qingyu and Fang Ziyue shared the same thought: they believed Zhong Qingyi had powerful backers and did not think he was capable of taking over Xifeng and controlling it.
However, what these women think is not important. Ye Moxun's intention is simply to let Liu Chengyu know that they only want to develop Xifeng, let the people of Xifeng live a peaceful life, and prevent war from ravaging the area again. That's all.
Hopefully, Liu Chengyu understands all this and then informs the wise prince of the situation. After dealing with the forces of the Duke of Zhenguo and others, he should not think about attacking Xifeng, since Xifeng can no longer withstand any more turmoil.
Liu Chengyu and his three guards stayed up all night, on guard, but nothing happened by dawn.
The four were exhausted, both physically and mentally. They had been traveling for more than a month without a proper rest. They thought they could finally get a good night's sleep last night, but they were even more tired than when they were traveling. On the road, they could take turns keeping watch at night and get a few hours of sleep, but last night they truly did not sleep at all.
As he squinted at the sunrise in the east, he felt dizzy and drowsy. However, he could not relax at all. Without knowing what Zhong Qingyi and the others were up to, he had to stay alert and deal with them.
The three guards wanted to suggest that they find an inn to stay at for a few days, but since Liu Chengyu hadn't spoken, they didn't dare to say anything.
In the morning, someone delivered breakfast. It was a woman in her forties, dressed in drab gray, but very clean. She walked with a brisk pace, and you could tell she was a capable worker.
"Auntie, how long have you been working here? I didn't see you yesterday," Chen Ming asked tentatively, hoping to get some clues from her.
The woman glanced at him and said with a smile, "After Constable Zhang was dismissed yesterday, he came to see me. Oh, my house is next door to Constable Zhang's house. I have a good relationship with his wife. His wife is pregnant again and can't take this job, so it was a good opportunity for me."
After listening to a bunch of nonsense, only one sentence was important: "So you only started working at the government office today?"
"Yes, it's two taels of silver a month. This month's pay is the same as that of a head maid in a wealthy family. Constable Zhang said that I only need to serve some guests staying at the government office. When there are no guests, I'll be responsible for cleaning. This job is rare, so I have to do my best. I won't talk to you anymore, I have to go chop wood." The woman seemed to value this job very much and worked very diligently.
"There isn't a single maid or servant, just a rough old woman. Is this a deliberate attempt to embarrass us?" Wang Wen guessed with the most malicious intent.
"You're overthinking it. Zhong Qingyi and the others were very capable along the way, relying on themselves for everything. They were also very friendly and easygoing. Perhaps they never even thought of maids and servants." Liu Chengyu's expression was indifferent, but his complexion was not good. He hadn't slept all night, and his mind was tense. How could he look good?
Seeing that he was about to pick up his chopsticks and take some food from the plate, Chen Ming quickly reminded him, "Young master, don't eat yet." Then he took out a silver needle to test for poison.
Perhaps it was because he had spent too much time with Ah Zhu and Shui Sheng, who both knew medicine. At that time, he was seriously injured, and for a period of time, the two of them would wait in his room day and night to watch over him. When they were bored, they would discuss how to prepare medicine and test each other.
Liu Chengyu heard quite a lot. Although he was unconscious at the time, he was conscious and could hear everything others were saying clearly.
He remembered this passage and then recited it: "There is a kind of poison that is colorless and odorless, and you can't detect it even with a silver needle. If you eat it, you will die instantly. There are also some foods that are harmless when eaten alone, but can be fatal when eaten together."
Chen Ming: "..." What should we do then? That's right, Songlin Village is surrounded by medicinal herbs, and there are many people who know medicine. Who knows, there might be some kind of deadly poison in the food that no one can see.
Liu Chengyu smiled and said, "Don't worry, if Zhong Qingyi really wanted to poison us, she wouldn't have waited until now. Wouldn't it have been more convenient to do it in Songlin Village, saving a lot of trouble?"
"Then, according to this logic, they shouldn't have attacked us last night. We were on guard all night, weren't we..." Weren't we just being nervous for nothing? He didn't dare say the last sentence, as that would be too disrespectful to the young master.
"...Let's eat." Liu Chengyu was a little annoyed. He had been too petty and suspicious. Being too suspicious was definitely not a good thing. He should reflect on himself.
"Young master, please don't be impatient, please wait a moment." Chen Ming picked up his chopsticks and ate all the rice and dishes, testing the poison on himself. His loyalty was truly touching.
Seeing this, Liu Chengyu sighed softly, "Actually, poison doesn't necessarily have to be put in food; it can also be applied to chopsticks, bowls, plates, and so on."
Chen Ming: "..." The poison testing was a complete waste of time. Is the young master a contrarian who only argues with him?
Liu Chengyu realized that what he said was quite hurtful, so he touched the tip of his nose and chuckled, "Let's sit down and eat together."
Normally, the guards wouldn't dare to eat at the same table with him. They were servants, while the young master was the master. Their statuses were different, so naturally they couldn't eat at the same table.
"Don't be so formal. The situation is what it is now. If you don't eat, you'll have to go out to eat. The kitchen won't leave you any extra food."
Since things had come to this point, the guards had no choice but to sit down and eat, but they ate very awkwardly, not daring to pick up any food, acting like shy, timid young wives.
At the market, two handsome young men dressed in brocade were seen leisurely strolling around with a group of young men and women.
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