Chapter 60: Trip to Yi Town (Part 3) Update
However, under Liu Jian's piercing gaze, Liu Ziling only allowed himself to show just the right amount of surprise.
"Father..."
Liu Jian looked at his prince and snorted softly in response.
Liu Ziling kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, I obey your command."
He knew that by bowing, he was accepting the criticism of the court and the curses of the common people.
However, the issue of stripping the central armies of various places of their military power and enfeoffing them as kings to lead the troops may be delayed for another two to three years.
·
Because Yi Town is located in a remote area and has a small population, the Xiguan Governor's Office did not even send a single official or clerk to be stationed there.
There are no large clans like the Fu clan of Yucheng and the Fuyu clan of Qingcheng here. Everyone comes from different places and gathers together. On weekdays, the person who presides over and discusses the affairs of the town is the town chief elected by the townspeople themselves.
That was the Jin Qi that everyone was talking about looking for.
Jin Qi is over 50 years old. His son and daughter-in-law have all gone out to work. He has to take care of the house and the elderly, weak, women and children who stay in the town. Although he has the ability to earn a salary, he still chooses to stay in the town.
As soon as he arrived outside the wall of Jin Sier's house, he saw the young Marquis of Xiguan sitting in the yard like a moon surrounded by stars. He pinched his legs to cheer himself up.
"I, Jin Laoqi, greet the young Marquis of Xiguan!"
On his way here, he had seen the townspeople making a fuss and running away in all directions. Of course, Jin Laoqi had to make up for this lack of courtesy as soon as possible.
Liu Ziye glanced at the man who had made his way through the bustling crowd and knelt before him to pay his respects. "Stand up, my Lord Marquis, I'm just here to sit down casually. No need to be so polite."
"Yes, young marquis."
Jin Laoqi stood up and said, "I wonder if the young marquis has any requests so that I can prepare them."
"Nothing, I'm just passing by here, visiting Jin Jie's home. I'll stay for three or five days and then leave. Please don't overwork the people in the town."
"Okay. I understand. Little Si'er's family usually consists of just his grandfather and Si'er, so their food and necessities are bound to be incomplete. Since the young marquis has come to Yi Town, we have no right to let him go without food and necessities. It's no trouble at all! If the young marquis had stopped us from entertaining him properly, it would have been embarrassing for us later!"
Liu Ziye knew that she was just talking empty words. Looking at the situation in the whole town, she knew that she could not stop it at all.
He had no choice but to say, "Then I'll trouble Chief Jin."
Jin Laoqi did not bother Liu Ziye any more. He said goodbye and walked around the yard of Jin Jie's house. Jin's grandfather gestured and told him something. He just listened roughly and then followed Jin Jie back and forth. The two discussed how to arrange and prepare.
The whole town of Yi was once again in turmoil because of Liu Ziye's arrival.
By the evening, not only were the people Liu Ziye brought with him arranged to live in their respective households, but a banquet was also set up in Jin Jie's yard.
Liu Ziye naturally had to take the seat, and she sat down in the main seat awkwardly.
She looked at Jin Lao Si and the three members of the Jin family who were still standing, and invited them several times. Only then did the four of them move another stool over and sit down.
Jin Laoqi is the mayor of Yi Town, so he is naturally one of the main guests today and sits on Liu Ziye’s left.
Jin Jie, being the host and his most trusted confidant, sat to his right. Jin Jie had been following him around for so long, not just casually sitting around a bonfire in the wild, but this was the first time they had sat at the same table at such a formal banquet.
Liu Ziye was the first to pick up the chopsticks and listen to Jin Laoqi talk about what kind of work each household in the town did in Liu Ziye's mining workshops, and the daily life of each household.
Especially Jin Jie's family. Ever since Jin Jie came to the town with Liu Ziye last time and demolished the roof of his house, the people in the town initially criticized Jin Jie's family for following the young Marquis of Xiguan to do such an unreasonable thing.
Now.
It's different now. Grandpa Jin and Little Fourth Jin are very popular in the village! When they have nothing to do, everyone will ask about Jin Jie's recent situation with the young Marquis of Xiguan.
Jin Si'er also followed his grandfather to the table, but refused to say a word the whole time.
But every time when he thought Liu Ziye didn't notice him, he would secretly stare at Liu Ziye's every move, especially that shocking face.
In the evening, Jin Laoqi returned to his home.
Jin Jie took Liu Ziye to the bedroom in the yard to rest. As soon as he entered the room, Liu Ziye smelled the freshness of water sprinkled on the dirt ground, washing away the dust in the air.
There were not many flowers this season, but Liu Ziye could smell the scent of cloves and dried spikenard in the air.
These materials are not difficult to find in Xiguan, and do not require complicated processes. Just take them out and put them out, and the air will be refreshed.
The interior furnishings were still simple, but after an afternoon of cleaning and replacement, the old furniture was polished to a shine, and the tables and chairs that could be covered with tablecloths and mats were all covered with new tablecloths.
The bedding was also replaced inside and out.
Liu Ziye couldn't help but say to Jin Jie who brought her in, "Thank you for your hard work."
She thought for a moment and then said, "I originally wanted to ask you to come home and reunite with us for a few days, but I didn't expect to cause you and your family so much trouble."
"They are all very happy that the young marquis can come. How could they feel disturbed?" Jin Jie said.
Liu Ziye also felt this enthusiasm firsthand and asked, "How will your grandfather and Si'er live?"
"They're just across the street. Si'er usually shares a room with Grandpa, so this room has always been reserved for me. But I rarely go home, so it's vacant most of the time."
"So, I came to your house and robbed your bedroom? Captain Jin, when he was sleeping on the floor outside at night, you wouldn't be cursing me in your heart, right?" Liu Ziye said to Jin Jie teasingly.
Jin Jie smiled slightly and said briefly, "Young Marquis knows, but of course I won't."
Liu Ziye nodded: "Yes, I know."
At this point, Jin Jie knew it was time to let Liu Ziye rest: "There's always hot water on the stove. Go and bring the hot water and the wooden bucket so the young marquis can wash up and rest."
Liu Ziye didn't refuse: "Okay."
They are out and about all day long, and it's rare for them to be in a crowded place, so naturally they have to wash off the dust.
During this time, Jin Jie followed him closely and took on the responsibility of Xiying's personal guard.
He doesn't talk much, but his mind is definitely top-notch. Even if hundreds of Xiying were stacked together, their brains wouldn't compare to his.
In the past, Chao Zhao rarely had to take care of the original owner's daily life all the time, so naturally he didn't notice any clues.
Liu Ziye could understand from some clues that Jin Jie had discovered something on his own.
But he was very smart and tactful and didn't show it at all, and Liu Ziye also tacitly pretended not to know.
The night is dark.
In a room filled with steam, Liu Ziye tied up her hair and sat in front of a desk with an oil lamp and a new grass-green tablecloth.
The door was wide open.
Jin Jie went in and out several times, cleaned out the wooden barrel and remaining water, and tidied the floor again.
Seeing someone busy around like this right in front of her made her, a modern time traveler, feel a little uneasy. But after all, the original owner's personality and identity were there, and if she actively stood up to do these cleaning chores, she would actually attract attention.
Finally, he said, "Young Marquis, I will be on duty in the main hall to rest at night. Call me if you need anything."
Liu Ziye raised his head from the light, looked at Jin Jie and thanked him sincerely: "Okay, I understand. Thank you, go and rest."
The wooden door is closed.
Liu Ziye was left alone in the room again. She naturally lowered her head again and immersed herself in the papers on the table.
On the table were the books and drawings she brought with her. She began to read and write attentively again, doing her daily homework as usual.
However, when Liu Ziye finished his homework and began to count the points he had earned that day, he unexpectedly discovered that—
The increase in points earned today is much higher than yesterday!
But she herself, including Du Hui, had not made any significant progress today! It was impossible for Fu Zhener's coal mining to have any results.
If a coal mine is discovered, there must be a separate prompt pointing to the clear crediting of points.
In this situation, there is only one possibility -
That was her opponent. Her control group, the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Liu Ziling, had run into a major mess. The control group's grades were declining, one after another, and yet, her score coefficient had increased!
Liu Ziye was in a good mood.
At the hour of Hai, she climbed onto the kang with easy steps and fell into a sound sleep.
Outside, Jin Jie made a bed on the open space in the main hall.
After tidying himself up simply, Jin Jie only took off his outer shirt and lay on the floor with his arms folded.
The old wooden door could no longer be closed tightly. In the dim main room, one could clearly see the orange light streaming out from the cracks between the door and the wood.
Jin Jie lowered his eyes and waited.
During the hour of Hai, light and shadows dimmed, and both indoors and outdoors merged into a single darkness. After the rustling of clothes and quilts, the quiet night was filled only with the occasional chirping of insects and the rustling of fallen leaves in the autumn wind.
Jin Jie closed his eyes.
The moon sets and the sun rises, and the night ends.
When Liu Ziye's biological clock urged her to open her eyes, the touch of the spacious, soft bed and the warmth of the bedding made her so comfortable that she didn't want to sit up.
She turned over in her bed and closed her eyes again. She took a deep breath of the cool air and counted to ten in her mind.
"Ten, nine, eight... two, one."
alright.
End of staying in bed.
Liu Ziye lifted the quilt and sat up from the couch. He put on his clothes and boots and opened the door.
There was no sign of anyone resting in the main room, and the door of the bedroom opposite where Grandpa Jin and Xiao Si'er lived was wide open. It was obvious that the whole family had already gotten up.
Liu Ziye walked out of the main room. The autumn morning light was bright, and the air and view were open and clear.
Smoke was already rising from the kitchen in Jin Jie's courtyard. Hearing the noise, Jin Jie, who had just returned from fetching water and was unloading it in the kitchen, put down the bucket for a moment and walked out to ask, "Young Marquis, are you awake? Do you want some water to wash your face?"
"Hurrah."
After a good night's sleep and the good situation of a big increase in points yesterday, Liu Ziye is in a good mood today.
After breakfast was ready, the four of them sat at the table again, looking at each other in silence, spending the time listening to grandpa's one-sided chatter: "Eat." "Eat this." "Eat quickly, don't be polite!" "The baby still needs to grow, eat more!"
However, after breakfast, Liu Ziye found himself in an embarrassing situation.
She seems to have nothing to do!
You can't just go to someone's house as a guest and lock yourself in the house all day, poring over a pile of books and drawings!
However, if she didn't do these "real things", she had no idea what else she could do.
Are you going to sit face to face with the old and the young in Jin Jie's family for a whole day?
Liu Ziye frowned unconsciously and fell into serious thought.
At this moment, Jin Jie went to open the courtyard gate, and Jin Laoqi walked in. When he saw Liu Ziye, he said, "Good morning, young marquis. Are you used to the place you stayed in yesterday?"
Liu Ziye nodded: "Excellent, thank you very much."
Upon hearing this, Jin Laoqi's face immediately wrinkled with joy. He smiled and said, "I'd like to ask, Young Marquis, is there anything you need to do today?"
"This..." Liu Ziye hesitated for a moment, then unconsciously glanced at Jin Jie who was standing to the side, and said, "No."
Upon hearing this, Jin Laoqi's smile deepened. "That's great! I wonder if the young marquis would be willing to attend our Yi Town Fire Gathering?"
"Fire Gathering?"
Liu Ziye was puzzled.
"Yes. This is a common gathering in Yi Town to welcome distinguished guests. Although there are only a group of women, children, and the elderly left in the town now, it is still no problem for us, the old and the young, to organize a fire party for the young marquis. We were worried that the young marquis would be too busy and have no time to attend! Now, that's all! I don't know how happy these boys must be!"
"Forehead……"
When Liu Ziye heard that the whole town was going to hold a welcome party for her, she immediately wanted to refuse.
But Jin Laoqi was so enthusiastic, and it seemed that many people were looking forward to his going. Liu Ziye's words of refusal were stuck in his throat for a moment, and he couldn't get them out.
Jin Jie realized her reluctance.
He handed a pot of wine to Jin Laoqi and said to him, "Seventh Uncle, the young marquis has been leading our team through the deserted area of Xiguan for more than ten days. I'm afraid even a day or two of rest won't give us enough strength to recover. It's better to wait a little longer and tell everyone not to rush."
After listening to Jin Jie's words, Jin Laoqi also understood what Jin Jie meant.
He wasn't completely disappointed. After all, Liu Ziye was of royal blood, the youngest grandson of the Holy Ancestor, and his status was high. The fact that he was able to stay in Yizhen for a few days was entirely due to Jin Jie.
It is indeed not a good idea to deal with these old, weak, women and children when you are obviously tired.
"well!"
Jin Laoqi said cheerfully, "That's right. The young marquis just landed yesterday. He needs to have a good rest today. If there's anything, we can talk about it after he's rested."
He spoke in a roundabout way and didn't look disappointed at all.
However, Liu Ziye clearly saw that the row of little heads that were climbing the wall of Jin Jie's house hid away one by one.
There was only one brave man left, and that was the boy who had given him the stone yesterday. He looked at him with eager and lost eyes.
Liu Ziye: ...
Why did she look for trouble in the first place? Why did she have to come to Jin Jie's house as if she had lost her mind?
Wouldn't it be better to give Jin Jie a few days off and ask him to come back on his own?
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