Chapter 125
Zhan Lao San was a scoundrel. He crossed his legs and poured cold water on the excited Madam Ma, "Shut up, what does Xiao Yu's workshop have to do with you?"
"I am Xiao Yu's third aunt!" Madam Ma retorted, her neck stiff, glaring angrily at Zhan Lao San. If it weren't for her husband, she would have scratched his face long ago!
Nowadays, in Jinlin Village, the eldest sister-in-law, Madam Li, was the most admired, and she, Madam Ma, could rank second!
"Come on, you used to scold Xiao Yu quite a bit." Zhan Lao San returned a white eye and looked at Zhan Lao Tou, who was smoking a pipe, "Dad, the old clan elder privately told me that after the workshop is built, if possible, he wants you to be the cook at the workshop."
Zhan Lao Tou suddenly sat up straight, stopped smoking his pipe, and his wrinkled old face in the swirling smoke showed a mixture of emotions, including relief and regret, which finally settled into calmness.
"Alright, are you still working at the dock?" Zhan Lao Tou nodded, and couldn't help but look at his second son, who was lowering his head. He had valued his second son the most, but now...
Zhan Lao San didn't want to be managed in the workshop, so he said lazily, "I'm a manager now, and the ship captains and shopkeepers at the dock are all respectful to me. I'm not coming back."
When one person achieves success, all their relatives benefit! The dock was originally a place of mixed characters, but Zhan Fei Yu was favored by Magistrate Chen, and Zhan Lao San, her uncle, also benefited.
The patrolling constables treated Zhan Lao San as a brother, and the boatmen dared not offend him. The shop assistants who came to the dock to pick up and deliver goods were naturally polite.
Although Zhan Lao San was lazy, he was not inherently bad and was righteous. Now, as a small manager arranging the delivery and pickup of ox carts, he just needed to shout and direct, and he could go out for a drink at noon. His life was as blissful as a god.
"Then it's fine, second son, you'll manage the fields from now on, and hire people to help during the busy farming season." Zhan Lao Tou no longer dared to make trouble. Xiao Yu, his granddaughter, had been adopted and had no relation to the old Zhan family, but their life now was much better than in previous years.
After leaving the main hall, Madam Ma still wanted to persuade Zhan Lao San to go to the workshop, "I heard that the managers of the shops get five or six taels of silver a month!"
Zhan Lao San, who was being nagged, lost his temper. After returning to his bedroom, he lay down on the bed, "If you nag any more, I won't even go to the dock tomorrow!"
"I..." Madam Ma glared angrily at the scoundrel Zhan Lao San, but she was also afraid that he would really quit, so she could only suppress her anger.
In the main hall, seeing Zhan Lao Er leave, Zhan Lao Tou sighed, "Old woman, why don't you ask old second again? I think He Hua has changed a lot, and she manages the vegetable patch very well."
Although Madam Yao had a limp, she didn't need to do any heavy work. Moreover, she was the biological mother of Da Lang and San Lang.
Zhan Lao Tou could afford to give Zhan Lao Er money to remarry, "Old second has offended Xiao Yu to death. Good families will definitely not marry old second. If he marries a widow or a divorced woman, it's no better than He Hua."
Zhan Lao Tai bit off the cotton thread she was using to mend clothes and shook her head, looking at Zhan Lao Tou smoking his pipe. As for Zhan Lao Er's affairs, Zhan Lao Tai, as his mother, could not manage it if she didn't.
...
Still waking up before dawn, Zhan Fei Yu read through five exemplary essays and then recited twenty poems from her weak area.
"I'll bring you bathwater when I get back." Seeing Zhan Fei Yu waiting to practice boxing in the courtyard, Madam Li gently reminded her before picking up her basket to go to the vegetable patch to cut some chives, planning to make韭菜鸡蛋饼子 (chive and egg pancakes) for Zhan Fei Yu's breakfast.
Zhan Fei Yu nodded obediently, but her movements when punching were crisp and clean, coupled with her cold little eyes, she looked quite imposing.
By Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Zhan Fei Yu had finished breakfast, "Mother, Teacher will be returning to the capital soon. I might be back a little later these few days."
Although reluctant, Madam Li would never delay Zhan Fei Yu's studies, "Mother knows, you must listen to your teacher and don't overexert yourself."
As the mother and daughter just stepped out of the courtyard, they saw the village chief leading a middle-aged man walking quickly towards them.
"Uncle Dong?" Zhan Fei Yu was startled.
Dong Fang, in his forties, wore a cotton long gown, but his demeanor showed that he was no ordinary person.
"Miss." After bowing respectfully, Dong Fang continued, "The Lord has sent his subordinate to handle the workshop matters. The carriage is parked at the village entrance."
Zhan Fei Yu was a hands-off manager. After informing the village chief and the old clan elder about the workshop matters, she would no longer interfere. She then said, "Then Uncle Dong, you and the village chief can be busy. I'm going to see Teacher. Mother, you go back."
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the farm, and Zhan Fei Yu jumped off. The sound of horse hooves came from behind.
Chong Guang dismounted with a flourish, "Fat girl, are your legs all better?"
With a glare, Zhan Fei Yu ignored Chong Guang and smiled at Yin Wu Yan, who was dismounting, "Big brother, are you here to see Teacher?"
"Mmm." Yin Wu Yan replied indifferently and took the book box from the carriage, "Let's go."
Zhan Fei Yu obediently followed beside Yin Wu Yan, and the two figures, one tall and one short, entered the courtyard together.
Chong Guang, who fell behind, tutted. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, who would have believed that Seventh Master could be so considerate?
Passing through the courtyard, there were two paths. The right side was the main courtyard, and the left corridor led to the back courtyard, which was also the small courtyard where Zhan Fei Yu was temporarily staying.
"Big brother, I'm going to the study." Zhan Fei Yu said. Although Teacher came from the Gu clan of Nanling, he didn't pay much attention to such formalities. He didn't need Zhan Fei Yu to greet him first in the morning. With this time, she might as well go to the study and write another character.
"I'll take you there." Yin Wu Yan turned left without stopping and didn't leave until he entered the study and put down the book box.
Looking at the dense page of today's homework on the desk, Zhan Fei Yu quickly opened her book box to start studying. With this amount of homework from Teacher, he was definitely pushing people to their limits.
In the front courtyard living room, Prince Yu looked out the door, "Didn't they say Wu Yan is here?"
Gu Qing Zhou, who was woken up by Prince Yu early in the morning, leaned lazily on the wooden couch. A breeze blew in from the window, carrying bursts of floral fragrance. Behind him was a square soft pillow, made of sapphire blue satin, filled with cotton, which was just the right firmness and very comfortable.
"You really should let those pedantic scholars in the Hanlin Academy see you like this!" Prince Yu looked at the boneless Gu Qing Zhou with disdain.
Looking at Prince Yu, who sat up straight and was upright and rigid, Gu Qing Zhou asked with a smile, "Your Highness, I heard you were shot in the waist years ago. Doesn't sitting like this hurt?"
"When you reach my age, you probably won't be able to walk without a cane." Prince Yu sneered a few times, then suddenly got up and walked over quickly. Before Gu Qing Zhou could react, he snatched the cushion from behind him.
When Yin Wu Yan entered, he saw Prince Yu sitting on the chair with an expression of enjoyment.
Gu Qing Zhou didn't bother with Prince Yu and said to Yin Wu Yan, "Are there any movements from Liu Jian?"
"I've sent all the guards from Prince Yu's mansion. If Liu Jian dares to silence him, he'll have an additional charge of murder!" Prince Yu sneered. Liu Jian was now in a dilemma.
The advisor Zhou Wen Quan could not be kept; he was a major hidden danger. The best solution was to kill him to silence him, but the trouble was that Prince Yu's mansion guards had surrounded the separate courtyard where Liu Jian was staying so tightly that not even a fly could get in.
Killing was easy, but disposing of the body was troublesome. Burying it in the separate courtyard would definitely be discovered; but if he took it out of the separate courtyard, such a large corpse could only be packed in a box. But Liu Jian was afraid that Prince Yu would go mad, and if the corpse was discovered, it would be irrefutable evidence!
Of course, Liu Jian had also considered letting Zhou Wen Quan disguise himself and leave the separate courtyard with him, and then silence him after leaving Shangsi County.
But if Prince Yu's mansion or the Imperial Guards discovered that Zhou Wen Quan had captured him alive, not only would the case of Wan Yun Hao being poisoned to death be involved, but Liu Jian had done many shady things over the years, all of which Zhou Wen Quan knew. Once he was captured alive, Liu Jian would not be far from being executed along with his entire family.
"Liu Jian should silence him in the separate courtyard." The Imperial Guards had investigated all the officials in the court. Yin Wu Yan, judging by Liu Jian's personality, would not risk Zhou Wen Quan being captured alive.
When Prince Yu thought that he would soon be able to avenge himself, his ruddy old face even had fewer wrinkles, and he said in a loud voice, "Killing alone is not enough. That old scoundrel Liu Jian must chop off Zhou Wen Quan's hands and destroy the corpse!"
Without hands, fingerprints could not be extracted, which could at least clear him of the charge of poisoning Wan Yun Hao to death. Of course, this step was also a bad move, because with the corpse missing hands, everyone would know the reason. The scholars in Nanxuan Prefecture were not stupid, nor were the officials in the court. As for the Emperor, it goes without saying.
"Your Highness, a big fire would suffice." Gu Qing Zhou interrupted Prince Yu. Chopping off hands was not as convenient as a fire. Once the person died and the corpse was burned, the hands would naturally be gone.
Prince Yu glared with his tiger-like eyes, "It's fine, I'll immediately have someone sneak into the separate courtyard and steal all the lard and sesame oil from the kitchen. Let's see how this fire can be started!"
Arson could destroy the corpse, but as soon as thick smoke rose, it would give the mansion guards and the Imperial Guards a reason to rush into the separate courtyard. Therefore, Liu Jian had to ensure that the fire could start quickly and burn Zhou Wen Quan's corpse before the Imperial Guards broke in.
...
When it was time for lunch, Zhan Fei Yu, who had been sitting at the desk for two hours, heard Prince Yu say "deep-fried human hands," and the chicken piece she had just picked up fell into her bowl with a plop.
"Haha, little girl, you're still too timid. When you go to the capital in the future, come to Prince Yu's mansion, and I'll train you myself." Prince Yu was amused by Zhan Fei Yu's stunned expression.
Unfortunately, the two young girls in the mansion were taught by their mothers to be polite and dignified. At the age of seven or eight, they only knew how to follow rules and had no spirit at all.
"Your Highness, did you really have someone steal all the oil?" Zhan Fei Yu was so shocked that her jaw almost dropped again.
Looking at the smug Prince Yu, Zhan Fei Yu's expression twitched, and she couldn't help but say, "But if you use fire to burn off the fingerprints on the right hand, and then set a fire, you don't need to destroy the corpse at all."
At least creating a false impression of a fire was possible. For example, Zhou Wen Quan got up at night, tripped and fell, knocked himself unconscious, and accidentally knocked over an oil lamp. His right hand happened to be stained with spilled lamp oil, so the destruction of his fingerprints could be considered reasonable.
"With Wu Yan here, if Liu Jian sets up a murder scene, Wu Yan will find the flaw." Prince Yu was completely unconcerned. As long as it was a murder, it would never escape Wu Yan's eyes.
Uh... Zhan Fei Yu was stunned for a moment, could it be like this?
"Little girl, are you not trusting Wu Yan's investigative abilities?" Prince Yu teased and laughed.
No! Zhan Fei Yu quickly looked at Yin Wu Yan, trying her best to widen her eyes, almost writing the word "trust" in them!
"Don't talk while eating." Yin Wu Yan said in a deep voice and used his serving chopsticks to put food on Zhan Fei Yu's plate.
...
Although Zhan Fei Yu really wanted to stay at the farm and wait for the results that night, she also knew that her mother was waiting for her at home, so she could only take the homework assigned by Gu Qing Zhou and get into the carriage to return to the village.
As the sky darkened, a carriage stopped on a small road not far from Jinlin Village. A luminous pearl was hung on the roof of the carriage, and its pure white light illuminated the interior of the carriage. However, from a distance, it was completely dark with no light at all, and no one knew that a carriage was parked there.
In the darkness, Zhan Lao Er secretly glanced at the woman dressed in black. She looked very young and had a beautiful face, sitting in the carriage like a scroll painting of a beauty.
But Zhan Lao Er dared not have any lewd thoughts. Not to mention the priceless luminous pearl hanging on the roof of the carriage, just the noble aura emanating from the woman made him dare not have any disrespect.
"Are you Zhan Fei Yu's second uncle?" Madam Qin's voice was soft, but her posture exuded the arrogance of a noble daughter, as if speaking to a country bumpkin like Zhan Lao Er had lowered her status.
"It is I, but I don't know who the noble person is?" Zhan Lao Er lowered his head, thinking quickly.
During the day, he was working in the fields when a servant suddenly walked over. Zhan Lao Er thought he was just asking for directions, but who knew that the servant handed him a five-tael silver ingot and told him to come here at midnight tonight.
Money moves people's hearts! And Zhan Lao Er didn't want to be a dirt-digging peasant for his whole life, so he secretly left, avoiding the people from the old house.
"You don't need to know who I am. Just tell me about Zhan Fei Yu, everything from her childhood to the present." Madam Qin picked up her teacup and took a sip of tea, while her maid placed two ten-tael silver ingots in front of Zhan Lao Er.
"You've heard what my young lady said. If you speak well, let alone twenty taels, even two hundred taels is just a hairpin on my young lady's head." The little maid, seventeen or eighteen years old, held her chin high. Her arrogant demeanor clearly showed that she looked down on Zhan Lao Er, so she spoke bluntly.
Twenty taels of silver was not a lot for Zhan Lao Er, but he could not refuse two hundred taels. Moreover, he guessed that this noble person had enmity with that贱丫头 (bitchy girl) Zhan Fei Yu. Thinking that Zhan Fei Yu would have terrible luck, a flash of excited and crazy light quickly appeared in Zhan Lao Er's eyes.
Zhan Lao Er didn't know much about Zhan Fei Yu. Before she entered the Lin family's private school, Zhan Lao Er only knew that this niece was sensible and filial, never arguing or fighting with the children in the family. She was like a little adult, so everyone in the old house and the village liked Zhan Fei Yu.
"So Zhan Fei Yu has a good reputation?" Madam Qin narrowed her eyes. She didn't expect a country girl to have such cunning, knowing how to manage her reputation.
...