Chapter 87 First Release "Sir Song, this is..."
But even though he insisted on coming, Song Linsheng couldn't ignore his wound. The wound was on his neck, which was no small matter.
"I'm fine, cough... Master, I'll go with you." Xiyan said with pain. Every time he spoke, his throat was in great pain, but he still held on so as not to worry his master.
Madam Wen and Young Master suffered this misfortune because of him. He could not just sit back and watch and stay in the mansion in peace and leisure.
In such a situation, it is not a gentleman's behavior to stay out of it.
Seeing that he was unwilling to give in, Song Linsheng did not force him to stay. He decided to keep Xiyan with him so that they could take care of each other.
As he spoke, the carriage slowed down until it came to a steady stop.
"Sir, we have arrived at the government office." The voice of Mu Tong's personal attendant came from outside.
The three of them looked at each other, and then Xiyan took the lead and got off the car first.
As soon as Song Linsheng landed and stood still, the yamen runner on duty at the government office gate came to greet him. When he saw Song Linsheng and Mu Tong, he greeted them one by one in a very polite manner.
"Master Song, Master Mu." The man spoke briefly, not one for words. However, upon seeing Mu Tong, he quickly added, "You two masters arrived a little late today. Master Jia has been waiting at the mansion for a long time."
Song Linsheng paused after hearing this, as if he noticed something unusual. He looked at Mu Tong for a moment, then quickly looked away.
Mu Tong wore his usual gentle smile and said to the errand boy, "I see. Where is Lord Jia now?"
"In the meeting room." The man answered quickly.
The meeting room? The meeting room hadn't been used for a long time. Mu Tong glanced at Lord Song beside him. It was not surprising that this meeting room was renovated for Lord Song.
"Take Lord Song in and go to the conference room to see Lord Jia first." Mu Tong instructed the official, then turned around and nodded to Song Linsheng.
Song Linsheng immediately understood and did as they had discussed before.
He also nodded in response to Mu Tong, and then he and Xiyan followed the guide in.
Lord Song's handsome and heroic figure stepped over the threshold, and the corners of his fluttering clothes followed him farther and farther away until he could no longer be seen after turning around the courtyard.
Mu Tong breathed a sigh of relief. He could only wish Lord Song all the best.
He stopped where he was and remained silent for a moment. His slightly drooping eyebrows made his expression difficult to discern, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Until the coachman asked softly: "Sir, let's..."
Mu Tong stood with his hands behind his back, his tall and slender figure standing proudly in the courtyard like a cedar.
"Go to the government office."
His words were forceful, steady and resolute, completely different from the gentle tone he had used when talking to the yamen runner earlier. Now he sounded even more convincing and reliable.
…
The Jiangyang government office seemed to have been expanded, with traces of renovation visible everywhere.
The walls are pink, the tiles are black, the eaves are black and the flowers are upside down. The crabapple trees at the corners are in full bloom, covering the entire branch.
The entire Jiangyang Mansion seemed to have been washed by spring rain, bathing in a fresh and elegant atmosphere. Song Linsheng did not feel a little wet as he walked along.
Just like his damp and long heart, there was no sunlight at all at this moment.
Song Linsheng raised his brows, remembering the day he first took office, when Mu Jingli took him around the mansion. At that time, the front yard seemed to have no such flowers and plants and rock landscapes.
"Sir Song, Sir Jia was already in the meeting room early this morning. He is truly diligent and a role model for the family."
The yamen runner walked half a step behind Song Linsheng, leading the way for him. He didn't say much along the way, but when they entered the courtyard and the number of yamen runners passing by on the road gradually decreased, he suddenly said this.
Song Linsheng frowned. On the surface, this person's words seemed to be a compliment to Lord Jia, but in reality, he seemed to have other motives.
For example, Lord Jia arrived at the conference room early in the morning, or Lord Jia had been in the conference room all the time.
It was almost the same as he expected. Lord Jia seemed to know his movements very clearly, which was consistent with his expectations. Lord Jia must have known the news about him last night.
It’s just that what we know and how much we know is still uncertain.
"Hmm... I guess Lord Jia is very busy with his work, so he probably doesn't get tired even at night." Song Linsheng glanced at the yamen runner beside him and responded casually.
"That's right. The candles in the meeting room burned until late last night."
The man lowered his brows, placed one hand on the sword at his waist, and stretched the other hand forward to lead the way for Song Linsheng.
Song Linsheng glanced to his side calmly, then walked forward.
This person's facial features are ordinary, making it difficult to remember him at first glance. If he were thrown into a crowd, it would be difficult to find him for a while.
Thinking of his expression and actions when he replied to Lord Mu at the gate of the government office just now, Song Linsheng understood.
Mu Jinli... is really good at picking people.
Song Linsheng's lips curled slightly, and his depressed mood finally had a moment of relief, allowing him to breathe in the torment that had lasted all night.
"What's your name?" Song Linsheng asked in a low voice without looking away. If you didn't look closely, it would be difficult to tell who he was talking to.
The man bowed slightly and buried his face very low. There was no ripple on his face, and even his tone did not change.
"Your Excellency, I am just an ordinary servant in the government office. I am not worthy of your concern."
Song Linsheng raised his eyebrows. This guy... is very tight-lipped.
Seeing that he didn't say anything more, Song Linsheng had no choice but to give up and stop talking.
For a moment, Song Linsheng, Xiyan and the yamen runner who led the way walked back and forth on the path in the courtyard, bypassing the rocks in the courtyard and the birds on the road. Soon, they arrived at the meeting room.
Song Linsheng had just stepped into the courtyard where the meeting room was located. He had just stepped over the threshold when he could see the dark figure sitting on one side of the hall from a distance.
The man was wearing a long black gown and was sitting on a low couch. There were some wrinkles on his knees. Looking up, his temples were still straight but a little loose, with some gray mixed in his hair. His slightly bent back made him look less energetic than before.
It turns out that Lord Jia's back can also bend?
Song Linsheng recalled the day when he first arrived at the Jiangyang government office to take up his post. At that time, Lord Jia came back from outside, riding a tall horse and leading a group of yamen runners. He looked so dignified and proud.
He looked at the inky figure and was about to raise his foot when he suddenly stopped.
It would be inappropriate to go in like this now. Even if he had doubts in his heart, things that could not be verified could only be called speculations. He should not put others in an embarrassing situation because of one person's opinion.
Song Linsheng started learning at the age of three and began to study calligraphy at the age of five. He naturally understood what a gentleman should and should not do.
Song Linsheng turned his head to signal the yamen runner who had led the way to leave first. The man didn't want to stay any longer, so he quickly took the order and left.
Now, only Xiyan was left beside Song Linsheng.
Xiyan held the portrait that Song Linsheng had drawn earlier in his arms. He touched his chest. The stacked papers were slightly warm in his arms, and it seemed as if he could touch them through the clothes. After he confirmed it, he turned and nodded to Song Linsheng.
Their eyes met, they glanced at each other, then turned and walked into the yard, straight to the entrance of the main hall.
Song Linsheng's eyes flickered, completely different from his usual calm and composed demeanor. Suddenly, for some reason, he seemed like a different person.
"Master Jia, Master Jia——"
His steps were unsteady and his body was swaying as he rushed into the house in a hurry, as if he had encountered some catastrophic event that was difficult to deal with.
Xiyan, who was standing beside Song Linsheng, was even more exaggerated. He supported the wound on his neck while raising one hand to catch up with his master's pace, hurriedly following behind, and did not forget to shout: "Master! Master, wait for me."
Song Lin was born with a fair complexion, and his jade-like face was flushed as he ran quickly, as if the rays of light from the sky were shining on it.
He was panting, as if the journey from the courtyard gate to the main hall had exhausted all his strength.
When he finally reached the house, Lord Jia also stood up upon hearing the noise. When he turned around, he saw Song Linsheng with a worried look on his face and Xiyan in great pain.
"Master Song, this is..."
Jia Ren seemed to have just come out of his own thoughts, and was suddenly stunned when he saw Song Linsheng and Xi Yan's posture. He didn't know how to react.
Song Linsheng's expression remained unchanged, as if he didn't realize that he was a little out of control at the moment. He took three or two steps to Lord Jia, with a panicked and uncontrollable expression. He even raised his hand to grab Lord Jia's sleeve, as if he had grabbed the last straw.
"Master Jia, I have something important to discuss with you."
Song Linsheng bowed to Lord Jia. His words were sincere and his eyes were full of sincerity, without any trace of falsehood.
His words and actions were quite unexpected to Jia Ren.
Since taking office, Lord Song has been diligent every day. Whenever he is reading books and classics in the main hall, he is often by his side. In his opinion, Lord Song has a particularly calm nature and is a very magnanimous person.
I was also amazed at how young he was, yet he could sit still so well. He seemed completely unperturbed by the boring ancestral volumes and books, and could calmly read them one by one.
But today... Lord Song first slacked off for half a day for no reason, and then when he appeared, he was so... unusual...
Jia Ren stretched out his hands and gave Song Linsheng a light support.
Although Lord Song is young, he is the current prefect. When meeting with him, the deputy prefect, he only needs to show some courtesy. He does not deserve it.
"Sir Song, what are you talking about?" Jia Ren stepped aside, revealing the seat at the head of the table behind him, and gestured to Song Linsheng, "Sir Song, please take a seat first."
Then Jia Ren habitually wanted to call Yang Sheng over to serve tea, but just as he was about to say that, he remembered that he had sent Yang Sheng to the front yard to clean up early in the morning, and Yang Sheng was not in the conference room at the moment, so he had to give up.
Song Linsheng looked sad, as if he was always uneasy. Even when Jia Ren invited him to sit down, he was slow to move and took a long time to sit down.
It was not until Xi Yanxu beside him helped him over that Song Linsheng seemed to come to his senses and sat down.
"Master Jia, you don't know..." Song Linsheng just sat down on the couch and couldn't help but say, "I just arrived in Jiangyang and I'm not in charge of the affairs of the whole prefecture yet..."
Jia Ren asked Xiyan to sit down. When he saw Xiyan's injuries, he became even more confused.
Last night, the man came to report that Lord Song and his group were injured, but no one knew why.
Now that I have seen it with my own eyes, Lord Song... I don't see any superficial injuries, but the person washing inkstone beside him is seriously injured.
"How could Lord Song say such a thing? Lord Song is the prefect of Jiangyang, appointed by the emperor and appointed by the court. He is the legitimate person in charge. How could he not be in charge of the affairs of the prefecture?"
Jia Ren frowned and looked terrified, as if he was afraid that Song Linsheng would blame him if they disagreed with him.
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