Song Jiyun laughed out loud.
Yuan Yunzhong knew he had been teased by her again.
She was always like that, as if she enjoyed teasing him.
But he liked Song Jiyun like this very much, she seemed especially cheerful, especially lively, especially spirited.
He couldn’t help but join in the laughter, and couldn’t resist hugging Song Jiyun again, whispering warmly, "After I return, I will come back within three months at most. Wait for me."
Song Jiyun laughed and said, "Come back for what? To push out Magistrate Jiang and take over as the County Magistrate of Liang County?"
Yuan Yunzhong raised an eyebrow; his handsome face animated.
Song Jiyun chuckled and said, "You don’t think I don’t know anything, do you?"
Yuan Yunzhong said, "Did Brother Jiang tell you?"
Song Jiyun nodded and said, "When you went missing, he told me a lot."
Yuan Yunzhong frowned and said, "Don’t listen to his nonsense. Things aren’t as complicated as he imagines. The Emperor has always been dissatisfied with the officials here in Jiangxi, feeling that they have been too indulgent with Prince Ning. Before I came, he was still choosing the Left and Right Administrative Commissioners and the Inspector General for Jiangxi. It just so happened that I was willing to come to Jiangxi, which helped him out of a predicament."
"That’s still taking a post in Nanchang Prefecture, isn’t it?" Song Jiyun smiled and said, "It’s a big leap to go from fifth rank to fourth rank, and from fourth rank to third rank is practically a chasm. You, on the other hand, easily give up one post for another, so it’s no wonder Magistrate Jiang worries about you."
Yuan Yunzhong still wouldn’t admit it and said, "The Capital is also very complicated. The officials are unhappy with the Emperor’s favoritism of Noble Consort Wan and keep fixating on minor issues in the Imperial Harem to lodge complaints. I was forced to take sides; it’s better to be an official elsewhere for a few years, just to avoid these messy matters."
"Don’t even try it!" Song Jiyun didn’t believe him at all and joked with a cunning smile, "If I go to the Capital to set up a stall, would you go?"
Yuan Yunzhong looked at her suspiciously.
She laughed and said, "I told you to give me ten years and I meant it. I will use these ten years to properly manage the Song Family Kiln Factory, and then hand it over to someone capable. Don’t think I’ll just say I want to take care of the family business, and end up following you to the Capital."
Clearly, Yuan Yunzhong didn’t believe her.
Song Jiyun said, "Since the incident at the Temple of the Wind God, I’ve been thinking about what to do with the Song Family Kiln Factory. If we don’t want to be choked by the Imperial Kiln Factory, we must find a way to connect with the Manufacturing Office in the Capital. Even if you don’t return to the Capital, I will need to make a trip there after a while, to see if we can set up a branch in the Capital. Whether or not they buy the Song Family’s porcelain is a minor issue; the important thing is to network with the people from the Manufacturing Office."
Moreover, in her memory, there were several kiln factories that had made a name for themselves historically, and they were all located in the West Mountains. She wanted to go there and see if it was feasible; if so, she could also produce some pieces there to maintain the reputation of the Song Family Kiln Factory.
The two of them talked about their future plans, and before they knew it, the drum for the midnight watches had been beaten. Yuan Yunzhong still couldn’t bear to part with Song Jiyun and insisted on escorting her home. On the way, they encountered the night patrol, and Yuan Yunzhong showed his waist token, causing the patrollers to tiptoe curiously and peek into the carriage.
Song Jiyun didn’t shy away, but it was Yuan Yunzhong who stood in front of her. After the patrollers left, Song Jiyun burst into laughter again.
Yuan Yunzhong, embarrassed and angered, turned around to pinch her nose.
Song Jiyun dodged and ducked, and a journey that should have taken less than an hour took nearly two.
By now, the drum for the four night watches had been struck, and the gatekeeper of the Song family, who opened the door, saw Song Jiyun and Yuan Yunzhong returning from outside. He thought something serious had happened and asked anxiously whether they should call for Zheng Quan.
"No need, no need!" Neither of them had slept all night, and surprisingly, they didn’t feel tired. Song Jiyun asked Yuan Yunzhong, "Is it okay for you to send me back like this? Do you want to stay here for the night before going back?"
Yuan Yunzhong hesitated unusually for a moment and said, "I’d better return to the County Yamen."
Song Jiyun winked at him and said, "Isn’t it that your little sincerity ploy can’t continue any longer?"
Yuan Yunzhong was a bit flustered and, feeling irritated, rubbed her hair roughly and said, "Don’t think you’ll have it easy. Don’t go out these next few days. Wait until I’ve sorted out Prince Ning’s matter."
The child of wealth sits not under a leaking roof.
Song Jiyun, who feared death, and Yuan Yunzhong stood at the doorway saying goodbye for another half an hour, until they saw the Song Family’s doorman yawn and peek at them from a distance. Only then did she, somewhat embarrassedly, push Yuan Yunzhong onto the carriage, saying, "Be careful on your way. If anything happens, just tell me. Don’t treat me like a fool. In Jingde Town, I am the local boss."
"Understood!" Yuan Yunzhong never dared to underestimate her, quietly pulled her hand, and whispered, "I’ll come see you again tomorrow."
Song Jiyun nodded, and only then did they go their separate ways.
But the very next morning, before Song Jiyun even got out of bed, she was awoken by Xiang Zhan, who said, "Miss, Lord Yuan sent someone with a basket of soup buns, a bowl of honeyed bean jelly, and a dish of wine-marinated fish for you, saying the taste is great and inviting you to try them."
Was this meant to be her breakfast?
Had Yuan Yunzhong so quickly gotten into character?
Song Jiyun lingered in bed for a while before finally getting up.
Song Jixue ran over happily and said, "Big sister, brother-in-law said he will come over to teach me in a few days. He asked me to review the lessons he taught before, and he also left a lot of homework, saying he will test me when he teaches. Can I continue to study arithmetic with brother-in-law?"
Song Jiyun looked at the thick stack of papers in Song Jixue’s hands and suspected that Yuan Yunzhong had not slept at all.
Zheng Quan, too, was instructed by Yuan Yunzhong to keep an eye on her, not to let her go out, to watch the door, and to relay to her, "It will be over soon."
Song Jiyun wanted to see how those people who got the new blue and white porcelain formula were doing with their firing, so she stayed at home for a few days to evaluate the samples they brought over.
In less than a couple of days, Zheng Quan, who was keeping an eye on the Hong Family’s case, told her, "Hong Xi, Hong Zhao, and Miss Tao have all been released. However, the illegal gains must be confiscated."
Song Jiyun was very surprised.
Zheng Quan said, "The Hong Family’s entire fortune has been appropriated by the state, and Miss Tao has been fined fifty thousand taels of silver. It was Song Ren who posted the silver for Miss Tao’s bail."
As for what to do with the Hong Family’s confiscated property, there was still no procedure in place.
Song Jiyun instructed Zheng Quan to keep watching, "If it goes to the governmental authorities, fine, but if they decide to sell it, we should try to get our hands on those hill groves."
Zheng Quan nodded, hesitating to speak.
Song Jiyun, seeing this, couldn’t help but laugh and said, "Has someone been saying unkind things about Young Master Yuan?"
Zheng Quan, feeling embarrassed, scratched his head and said, "Those implicated in Prince Ning’s smuggling case are either having their property confiscated or posting silver for bail. So, people are gossiping behind the scenes that Young Master Yuan only wants money..."
Song Jiyun laughed and said, "Do you think silver is so easy to get? Think about it, even Song Tao was fined fifty thousand taels, not to mention the others?"
Zheng Quan, puzzled, said, "Those who worked for Prince Ning are most afraid of losing their lives now. Now that they have a chance to use money to buy their way out, who wouldn’t jump at it?"
"But they have to be able to take it out!" Song Jiyun laughed, "Those who did things for Prince Ning are not all like the Hong Family, merchant families. Many of them are from official families. You see them living without worries on the surface, but very few can actually come up with fifty thousand taels of silver."
Who would they turn to if they couldn’t take it out?
Of course, they would go beg Prince Ning!
Thinking about that scene made Song Jiyun want to laugh.
Prince Ning would have no time to bother Yuan Yunzhong again.
She figured this was also a strategy Yuan Yunzhong devised to deal with Prince Ning.
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