Chapter 724

"You, you, you—what nonsense are you talking about? What Hongmen Banquet? I invited them in all sincerity."

Pan Yun said, "I believe Lord Cai invited them sincerely, but they don't. And I can't very well force their necks down and make them nod, can I?"

Cai Sheng fell silent. After a long while, he said, "I can only agree to reduce their labor service. As for the rest..."

"Not enough." Pan Yun shook her head, cutting him off, then smiled softly. "If you can't make the decision, my lord, go find someone who can."

Yu Qian could make the decision too, but how could Cai Sheng dare go looking for him?

Gritting his teeth, Cai Sheng turned and left, bringing lavish gifts with him to Guangxin Prefecture.

Pan Yun and Yu Qian waited quietly and continued the disaster relief efforts.

Collapsed houses needed rebuilding. Flooded farmland needed to be remeasured, its ridges rebuilt and boundaries divided anew.

In less than two days, Yu Qian's already dark face had darkened another two shades.

He came to find her at night, and Pan Yun nearly could not see his face.

Yu Qian had come to tell Pan Yun some good news: Cai Sheng had returned.

Since it was good news, he had naturally settled matters at the Prefectural Yamen and secured the three most important conditions.

Sure enough, early the next morning, Cai Sheng—thin as a rake and utterly exhausted—came to see Pan Yun and told her, "I can agree to their three conditions. First, their crimes will be pardoned, their families will not be implicated, and the disaster will not be passed down to future generations. Second, labor service throughout the county will follow precedent: for long-term service, one household out of thirty; for short-term service, one household out of ten.