Measuring a Gentleman's Heart with a Petty Man's Mind

Song Ankang had thought it was Jiang Yunhe from next door, but when he opened the door, the person standing outside came as quite a surprise.

"Steward Wang, please come in. The Son-in-law is eating; please wait a moment," Qiushi said with a smile.

The one who had suddenly come looking for Song Ankang that evening was Wang Yuliang, the steward of Chaoyun Manor and its second-in-command. He had essentially sidelined Song Ankang completely.

Had it not been for The Case of the Stolen Warehouse, which had greatly boosted Song Ankang's prestige in Chaoyun Manor and allowed him to seize the crucial position of warehouse manager, Song Ankang probably would still have had no chance to involve himself in Chaoyun Manor's affairs. Wang Yuliang would not have come to see him that night, either.

"Greetings, Manor Lord. I have come uninvited and disturbed you during your meal. I hope the Manor Lord will forgive me."

Wang Yuliang had a square face, a broad forehead, and a somewhat slender build. His eyes shone brightly, his expression was calm as still water, and his etiquette was impeccable.

Song Ankang pointed at a stone stool nearby. "Steward Wang, have a seat for a moment. We can discuss other matters after I finish eating."

"Alright." Wang Yuliang nodded and quietly waited for Song Ankang to finish his meal, without the slightest trace of impatience on his face.

Song Ankang was equally composed. Unhurriedly, he enjoyed the dishes Qiushi had prepared, nodding in praise from time to time.

Qiushi's cooking was exceptionally good. Calling her the finest cook in Chaoyun Manor would not be an exaggeration in the least. Even on Earth, her culinary skill would have reached the highest tier.

Noticing that Song Ankang had suddenly slowed his pace of eating, Qiushi blinked her bright eyes and quickly understood his intentions. With a radiant smile, she slowed down as well.

Wang Yuliang should have paid Song Ankang a visit long ago, yet he had delayed until now. The reason was self-evident.

He did not think highly of Song Ankang as the Manor Lord, yet Song Ankang had saved everyone in The Case of the Stolen Warehouse and decisively taken the important position of warehouse manager.

That had left Wang Yuliang somewhat astonished, and he had begun to take this new Manor Lord seriously. Still, he was far from being wholeheartedly convinced. What worried him now was whether Song Ankang would agree to his upcoming request.

If Song Ankang made an issue out of his previous attitude, Wang Yuliang would be in a difficult position. And from Song Ankang's current conduct, it was clear that he was quite dissatisfied with him.

At long last, Song Ankang finished his meal. Wang Yuliang lowered his stance and looked at him. "Manor Lord, I have come so abruptly tonight because there is an extremely important matter for which I hope to receive your approval."

"Go ahead." Song Ankang did not ask Qiushi to make tea, but Qiushi still brewed him a cup—while conveniently not making one for Wang Yuliang.

Song Ankang had already expressed his dissatisfaction with Wang Yuliang through his actions. Naturally, Wang Yuliang understood that.

After considering it for a moment, however, Wang Yuliang still said solemnly, "There has been a severe drought this year. It has not rained to this day, and a drastic reduction in the manor's harvest is already inevitable. Without the grain and medicinal herbs left over from last year, I fear we will not even be able to pay the taxes."

"Even if we can pay the taxes, after setting aside what the manor needs to keep, less than half a tenth will likely remain. It will definitely not be enough for the tenant farmers of the manor to survive on."

"Therefore, I would like to ask the Manor Lord to permit all tenant farmers to spend half of every day gathering tree leaves and wild vegetables outside, storing them away for the winter. That way, a few fewer people in our manor may die this year."

"Is it already this serious?" Song Ankang frowned and looked at Wang Yuliang.

Wang Yuliang nodded. "It is even worse than we imagined. Our manor still has the foundation left by last year's bumper harvest, so we are comparatively better off. The surrounding villages are in an even more miserable state."

"Moreover, this drought has affected a vast area. The Merman Race has also been heavily impacted. In order to weather this crisis, the Merfolk War Front may become even more brutal this year. To win the war at the front lines, there may even be additional taxes. We must make preparations early."

"If that is the case, then do as you suggested." Song Ankang nodded, then added, "There are also plenty of trees, weeds, and the like within the manor. See which ones are edible, and gather them together for storage as well."

"Although Chaoyun Manor is safer than some villages, demons, monsters, and ghosts still lurk nearby. For safety's sake, when the tenant farmers leave the manor to gather leaves, weeds, and wild vegetables, we can send a number of manor guards to protect them."

"This..." Song Ankang's words left Wang Yuliang stunned. He apparently had not expected Song Ankang to agree so readily, much less be willing to send manor guards to protect those tenant farmers.

Wang Yuliang had already prepared himself to argue his case with reason, so he found it hard to adjust for a moment. He simply stared blankly at Song Ankang.

Song Ankang smiled. "Could it be that Steward Wang thought I would refuse? Or did you think me narrow-minded, that because you acted improperly in certain matters, I would disregard the lives of the manor's tenant farmers?"

"I would not dare." Wang Yuliang lowered his head in shame and bowed to Song Ankang. "I measured a gentleman's heart with a petty man's mind. Please forgive my previous neglect, Manor Lord. Nothing like this will happen again in the future. And thank you as well for caring for the tenant farmers."

Song Ankang waved his hand. "You should not be thanking me. I am the Manor Lord of Chaoyun Manor; taking care of these tenant farmers is what I ought to do. Leave this matter to you. Make certain that nothing happens to those tenant farmers."

"Rest assured, Manor Lord. I will handle this matter properly." Wang Yuliang nodded earnestly.

After Wang Yuliang left, Qiushi looked at Song Ankang with sparkling eyes. "Son-in-law, they all say that you do not understand farming or medicinal herbs, and that you certainly cannot manage such a large manor well."

"But in my eyes, you are the wisest person in the manor. Under your leadership, Chaoyun Manor will surely weather this crisis."

Song Ankang pinched her tender, fair cheek. "Stop flattering me. Go prepare some silver for me. Tomorrow, we are making a trip to Tongxin Town to handle some important business."

"Important business? What is it?" Qiushi asked curiously.

Song Ankang smiled. "You will find out tomorrow. No need to be so anxious. I am going to cultivate first."

"Son-in-law, be careful. Do not take too many pills, or they will damage the foundation of your cultivation and harm your body as well." Seeing Song Ankang once again hurry eagerly toward the Training Room, Qiushi could not help reminding him from behind.

Song Ankang waved his hand. "Don't worry. I know. There is no need to worry."

With the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance on him, why would Song Ankang worry about such minor side effects? On the contrary, the greater the side effects, the more he liked them. That way, he could absorb more of those side effects and use them to raise his overall strength.

Upon arriving at the Training Room, Song Ankang first threw two Viscera Injury Fists, then endured the pain and began cultivating, while waiting for the backlash of the side effects. This way, he could welcome another surging tide of advancement.