Lin Yue and Feng Laotou walked out of the study.
He didn’t seem to notice the strange atmosphere in the hall and said to Lin Yue, “I have to go to work now, so I won’t see you off.”
Lin Yue remained calm and cupped his hands, “Feng Laotou, you’re too kind.”
Gu Jun wrapped up the items in Lin Yue’s outer clothing and followed Lin Yue’s steps.
Just as the two of them stepped out of the Feng family, Madam Feng’s face fell. She asked Feng Laotou, “Couldn’t you handle Lin Yue?”
Feng Laotou replied irritably, “It seems like I did, but also like I didn’t.”
Madam Feng asked, “Why do you say that? What did Lin Yue say? Tell me.”
Feng Laotou said, “What else could he have said? Just that they have nothing to do with Zhao Shuilai’s disappearance…”
Again with the claim that they have nothing to do with Zhao Shuilai’s disappearance.
Madam Feng was tired of hearing Gu Jun say this.
Feng Laotou continued, “He also said that regarding Zhao Jia Niangzi’s matter, they will keep their mouths shut and ask our people to do the same. Although with my abilities, even if someone finds out, they can’t do anything to me, it would still cause some trouble.”
He snorted, but that wasn’t the main point.
“As for the matter with the advisor, the other side said they have no solution for now. In my opinion, it’s because they want to manipulate him, so they don’t want to do anything, using this matter to provoke me. Little brat, do they really think I don’t understand?”
Madam Feng asked, “Did you give him the money?”
Feng Laotou replied, “The matter of substituting one thing for another has been resolved for you, how could I not give the money? If I don’t give the money, what if this little brat harbors ill intentions and stabs me in the back? Why block my own path for two taels of silver?”
Madam Feng looked into his slightly guilty eyes and immediately understood. It wasn’t that he had suddenly become wise and knew the importance of things, but rather that he had been coaxed and coerced by Lin Yue into giving the money. In front of her, he felt it would be embarrassing, so he made up this story.
Madam Feng almost laughed in anger.
Feng Laotou said, “I have to go to work now. Hmm, think carefully about what to do next and tell me when I get back.”
Madam Feng showed a bit of fatigue. When she turned around, she saw the concubine timidly sticking to the side of the main hall door. She said irritably, “Didn’t I tell you to go rest? What are you doing here? Eavesdropping on secrets?”
The concubine twisted her handkerchief and said, “I couldn’t sleep…”
Madam Feng said, “Close your eyes. Such a simple thing, can’t you do it? Let yesterday’s matter rot in your stomach, don’t make me say it again.”
The concubine replied, “Yes, Madam.”
Madam Feng walked away, and the concubine watched her back, finally letting go of the worry that had been rising since last night. Her tense shoulders slowly relaxed and returned to normal.
.
“Husband, have a pear.”
Gu Jun noticed that Lin Yue left the Feng family without saying a word, which made him anxious. He held the food and took out a rather large autumn pear, handing it to Lin Yue.
On both sides of the road, food stalls had opened for business, and amidst the steaming heat, diners found a bit of joy in their mundane lives.
Walking on the road, Lin Yue felt a sense of detachment from the world, out of place with everyone else. Hearing this, he said, “We’re almost at the work site, I won’t eat.”
Gu Jun glanced up at him, sneaking a look, then slowly put the pear away.
“What did Feng Laotou say to you?”
Lin Yue replied, “What do you think?”
Gu Jun said softly, “I believe you absolutely didn’t do anything to Zhao Shuilai.”
Lin Yue stopped, curved his lips into a smile, bent down, and looked into his eyes. Gu Jun smelled the clean scent on him, took a step back, and lowered his eyes, saying, “Why are you getting so close?”
“Let’s have a good chat tonight when we’re free,” Lin Yue said.
Gu Jun forced a smile. The other had already straightened up and walked a few meters ahead, and he absentmindedly followed.
.
After work, Lin Yue caught the old craftsman who was about to leave and asked him where in the county town he could rent a cheap house.
Now that he had money, after setting aside the amount needed to redeem Gu Jun’s clothes and the necessary expenses for the next month, he still had a large sum left. Lin Yue thought about finding a place to settle down.
The bridge hole was really not a good place to live, especially when it rained, it would be even worse. Fortunately, the weather had been good these days.
As for buying new clothes, ink, and paper, those weren’t urgent. He had more income coming in, so he wasn’t worried about not being able to afford them.
The old craftsman’s family had been in the county town for three generations, so he knew the area like the back of his hand. Compared to unknown middlemen, he was more reliable.
Hearing this, the old craftsman stroked his beard and said, “Why are you thinking of living in the county town?” He didn’t know that Lin Yue and Gu Jun had no place to live and assumed they lived in a nearby village.
Lin Yue replied, “Who doesn’t yearn for a better place?”
“That’s true.” The old craftsman thought for a moment and said, “Besides the area around the yamen and both sides of the main street, other rental houses in the county town are relatively cheap. The more remote the house, the lower the rent.”
Lin Yue asked, “About how much?”
“How much can you afford to pay for rent each month? The cheapest house is only fifty wen a month. For houses rented out by commoners, besides having a room to sleep in, the kitchen, well, and front yard are shared by everyone. If the house comes with furniture, it costs a few more wen each month.
“If you want to rent a house with a separate kitchen and main hall, it will be much more expensive. The cheapest is at least one hundred wen, but it comes with some basic furniture.”
Lin Yue asked, “Is there a house with a piece of land for growing vegetables?”
“Then you need to rent a courtyard. Only courtyards come with land, and it might not be just one piece, but several. However, even the smallest courtyard isn’t cheap. As far as I know, it costs at least one hundred and fifty wen. The money you save on buying vegetables won’t make up for the rent, which is almost twice as much as a regular house. Young man, spend wisely, life is long.”
Lin Yue thanked the old craftsman and decided what kind of house to rent. He asked the old craftsman when he would be free, hoping he could help look at houses.
The old craftsman said the day after tomorrow.
“The whole day?”
The old craftsman smiled and said, “Yes.”
From this, Lin Yue deduced that the day after tomorrow, the master would let everyone take a day off. He bid farewell to the old craftsman and left the construction site.
Gu Jun waited for Lin Yue, and neither of them said much. After dinner, they went to the bookstore together.
Bi Laosan was sitting lazily on a chair in the bookstore, with his bookboy standing behind him with a book box. Seeing Lin Yue, Bi Laosan told the bookboy to quickly give the book box to Lin Yue.
“Finally, you’re here. I’ve been waiting forever.”
Lin Yue took the book box and asked, “Is everything complete?” Lin Yue had told Bi Laosan that he didn’t have ink, paper, or brushes.
“Of course.” Bi Laosan repeatedly reminded Lin Yue, “Don’t write the assignments too well. They should be about the same level as my usual work, or else if the teacher tests me, I’ll be exposed.”
Lin Yue said, “Don’t worry.”
Bi Laosan said, “Once you’re done, bring it here. My bookboy will come to pick it up. The payment for ghostwriting the assignments will be settled monthly, a total of one tael of silver, as we agreed before.”
Lin Yue said, “Alright.” Lin Yue slung the book box over his shoulder and left amidst Bi Laosan’s cheers of finally not having to borrow good students’ assignments to copy.
The two returned to the bridge hole, completed their cleaning tasks, and Gu Jun squatted on the ground, grabbing a handful of dry wood to start a fire with a flint. Lin Yue placed the book box on the grass mat, took out ink, paper, and brushes, and prepared to write assignments for Bi Laosan.
“Tell me, did you kill Zhao Shuilai?”
Gu Jun struggled a bit to light the dry wood, then smiled and moved aside. Just at that moment, a voice came from behind.
He turned to look at Lin Yue.
Lin Yue had already prepared to write the assignments. He held the brush and was writing, not even looking up, as if discussing what to eat for dinner, he asked lightly.
.
The sky was pitch black, and there was a slight sense of oppression all around.
On the official road, two people were galloping on horseback towards Zhuyang County. The yellowing leaves were swept by the wind, falling miserably from the branches.
The two arrived at the county yamen in one go.
The county yamen’s front and back residences, the county magistrate’s residence was just behind the yamen.
At this moment, the county magistrate was lounging on a couch, listening to a singer. Upon learning that the two had arrived, he ordered the singer to leave and went to the study, pulling out a case file to pretend to read.
A servant came to report, and the county magistrate put down the case file, asking them to be invited in.
The two entered and greeted respectfully.
The county magistrate remained seated and said, “No need for formalities. Wen Chengchai, have you come because the prefect has something important for me to do?”
Among the two, the middle-aged man in black was Wen Chengchai, and the one following him was his attendant. He sat down below, took a sip of the hot tea just served, and said, “Master Gu, our lord wants you to help find someone.”
County Magistrate Gu asked, “Find someone?”
So it was just about finding someone. He should really have a word with the person who delivered the message. They couldn’t even find out such a small matter, making him worry for two days for nothing.
County Magistrate Gu said, “No problem.”
Wen Chengchai said, “Please invite County Magistrate Wang from Yanlin County here. The prefect said that finding this person requires County Magistrate Wang’s help.”
Hearing this, County Magistrate Gu was startled. He pondered for a moment and tentatively asked, “Is it a relative or friend of the prefect?”
Wen Chengchai said, “The specifics of who to find will be discussed when County Magistrate Wang arrives.”
With the prefect’s order, County Magistrate Wang rode his horse and rushed over.
County Magistrate Wang was older than County Magistrate Gu, but he wasn’t as prosperous-looking. He wore a blue casual outfit, had little hair, a sparse beard, and an ordinary appearance with no distinctive features. His face was crisscrossed with several lines.
When he arrived at the county yamen gate, he dismounted, but his clothes got caught on the saddle, causing him to fall off the horse, landing flat on his back.
The accompanying yamen runners quickly went to help him.
He pushed them away, got up on his own, cursing under his breath, and had someone dust him off.
Once he was tidied up, he still wasn’t satisfied. With the help of the county yamen servants, he washed his face before stepping into the study.
Wen Chengchai greeted him.
County Magistrate Gu stood up, walked to the door to welcome him, and said, “County Magistrate Wang.”
County Magistrate Wang said, “County Magistrate Gu.” He then asked Wen Chengchai to discuss the main matter.
Wen Chengchai took out a scroll from his sleeve, spread it on the tea table, and said, “The prefect asks the two of you to find this person. This person is surnamed Huang, and by age, he is twenty-one this year, the orphan of Chancellor Meng’s old friend…”
The orphan of Chancellor Meng’s old friend? So this request wasn’t from the prefect but from Chancellor Meng.
County Magistrate Wang and County Magistrate Gu looked eagerly at the portrait.
On the portrait was a young man with outstanding temperament, handsome and with phoenix eyes.
.