Zhu Huaizhang watched this scene with rage. He walked to Jin Shanyao's side and warned, "You've only gotten away with it this once. If I catch you harming the people, I'll throw you in jail..." After saying that, he turned and left.
Jin Shanyao chuckled... "Why is this person so stubborn... Even the ox is standing up, and she still says she's a liar."
Meng Anzhi looked at her with concern, "Auntie..."
Jin Shanyao her head reassuringly, "It's alright... Let's go, we still have herbs to plant."
As he spoke, he got into the oxcart, and the old ox galloped away, quickly catching up with Zhu Huaizhang's carriage.
His eyes widened, and he looked disdainfully at Zhu Huaizhang's horse. "You little brat! Even the emperor's horse is nothing special! And you dare to hiss at it..."
Come on... let's see who runs the fastest!
The two cars drove side by side, Jin Shanyao waved a smile as she greeted Zhu Huaizhang.
" Lord Zhu, your horse looks quite old; it must be struggling to run! Oh, look at my ox..."
As she spoke, she slapped the ox's rump. The old ox mooed and leaped forward, leaving the carriage far behind.
Then came the sound of Jin Shanyao his hand and laughing loudly.
Li Xiao's face turned ashen with anger. "Too arrogant... Sir, this is provocation."
Zhu Huaizhang remained unmoved. "It's alright... as long as she pays her taxes on time and doesn't cheat the people... the rest is up to her."
Li Xiao swallowed back his complaints, and after a while, remembering the invitation from the government office, he asked, "The local gentry are hosting a banquet tonight. Are you really not going? If you offend them on your first day here, it will be difficult to implement your policies in the future."
Zhu Huaizhang said coldly, "I'm not going..."
Seeing Zhu Huaizhang's resolute attitude, Li Xiao said nothing more.
On his way back to the government office, Zhu Huaizhang noticed that many families were growing the same crops.
He stopped the car and walked to the edge of the field. "Brother... I see that every family in your family grows millet. Don't you grow any other crops?"
The old farmer looked at him suspiciously when he asked, "Are you from out of town?"
Zhu Huaizhang smiled and said, "I haven't been here long..."
The old farmer had a knowing look on his face. "The government office posted a notice saying there's been little rain this year... so they want us to plant more drought-resistant crops."
Li Xiao asked doubtfully, "We didn't post any notices, did we? Besides, what to plant and what not to plant is a matter of great importance to the people's livelihood. Why would the government interfere?"
Zhu Huaizhang with a stern face, "It must have been Su Wenqian who put it up."
Li Xiao said unhappily, "Isn't this ridiculous? If there's enough rain this year and it affects the people's harvest, he can just walk away... and you, sir, will be the one who suffers!"
Zhu Huaizhang interrupted him, "Go back and ask the people in the government office first, see where Su Wenqian got this information from."
Li Xiao drove his carriage straight to the government office, and as soon as he entered, he bumped into Constable Wang, who was on his way to patrol.
Zhu Huaizhang stopped him, and the two went to the second hall together. After they were seated, Constable Wang, you are a veteran of Qingzhou Prefecture. I would like to ask... why do the people of Qingzhou Prefecture all grow millet?"
Constable Wang thought for a moment and then truthfully replied, " Shopkeeper Jin said there would be a drought this year, which is why Lord Su issued the announcement."
Upon hearing Zhu Huaizhang felt a surge of anger rising to his head, his face turning ashen. He exclaimed, "Utterly absurd... How could a dignified fourth-rank official listen to a fortune teller and treat the people's livelihood like a joke? I will definitely submit a memorial to report him!"
Constable Wang realized he'd made a huge mistake and hurriedly explained, "No... Jin Shanyao isn't a fraud. Lord Su lost the tribute in his first year in office."
"It was she who calculated the exact location, which led to the capture of the culprit..." He added, fearing Zhu Huaizhang wouldn't believe him, "I was there from the divination to the arrest, there's no mistake."
The following year, a plague broke out, and it was Jin Shanyao who warned Qingzhou Prefecture in advance, allowing it to escape disaster. She also...
Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Huaizhang angrily interrupted him, " Wang Zhongming! As the head constable of the prefectural government, how dare you speak up for a charlatan! If the people plant the wrong crops and famine strikes the prefectural city, can you bear the responsibility?"
Constable Wang with fright, hanging his head and not daring to breathe.
Zhu Huaizhang was furious. Not a single person in Qingzhou Prefecture, from top to bottom, was thinking straight. They were all completely bewildered by that Jin Shanyao.
He's not afraid of anything now, except that a heavy rain might flood all the people's crops.
Zhu Huaizhang paced anxiously back and forth in the room, his brows furrowed in worry. The seed had already been planted; it was too late to say anything now.
He abruptly stopped and loudly summoned the magistrate, "Go, withdraw half of the silver from the government treasury, and immediately send someone to purchase grain from other places."
The magistrate looked bewildered. "Sir, the grain is all old now. Buying so much will only leave us with unsold grain."
"Enough with the nonsense, go now!" Zhu Huaizhang's tone was full of anxiety.
All he can do now is try to prevent a large number of people from starving to death when the famine comes.
After a busy month, Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi finally had some free time.
The two lay side by side on rocking chairs in the courtyard, their faces covered with thick whitening cream, only their eyes visible. The sun was shining brightly, its warmth bathing their bodies, making them feel lazy to the bone.
Meng Anzhi, with her eyes closed, suddenly coughed softly and said in a low voice, "Water..."
Meng Anci quickly put down the palm-leaf fan, picked up the cup with the reed stem inserted, and fed it to Meng Anzhi's lips. Meng Anzhi closed her eyes and slightly opened her mouth.
Meng Anci then placed the reed stalk near his sister's lips, and Meng Anzhi took a big gulp before opening her mouth again.
Meng Anci down her water glass, picked up a palm-leaf fan, and continued to fan her. "Sister... when is it my turn? Didn't we agree on two quarters of an hour each? The time has already passed."
Meng Anzhi gave a soft "Mmm," and said, "Go fetch some water..."
"Hey..." Meng Anci ran off to the kitchen, all excited.
Jin Shanyao couldn't help but laugh out loud, her face cream cracking completely. She chuckled as she steadied herself, "You're just teasing him..."
Meng Anzhi sat up, her lips trembling as she mumbled, "You have to teach your younger brother a lesson early, otherwise he'll become disobedient when he gets older."
As they were talking, Meng Anci had already brought over a basin of water and placed it next to Jin Shanyao.
"Auntie, you wash first... I'll go get a basin for my sister," he said, running off to the kitchen. His eager and ingratiating manner was nothing like that of a scholar.
The two of them washed their faces.
Meng Anci lay back in Meng Anzhi's rocking chair, arching her back slightly, and said with her face upturned, "Sister... let's begin, I'm ready."
Meng Anzhi pinched his face and asked, "Have you washed it?"
I already washed it.
Meng Anzhi picked up the face cream, scooped out a large piece, and applied it little by little to his entire face. After applying it, she sat down next to him, fanning him while reading a book.
After a moment, Meng Anci cleared his throat, "Water..."
Meng Anzhi put down her fan, picked up her water cup, and turned to see him with his eyes closed and mouth open, looking very content. Meng Anzhi suppressed a laugh and stuffed the reed stalk into his mouth.
After he finished drinking, he continued reading. Meng Anci secretly opened her eyes to peek and saw that the title on the book was " Postpartum Care of Sows ".
"Sis, you've become a veterinarian?"
Meng Anzhi stared at the page and replied, "My aunt gave it to me... I need to learn it."
Meng Anci chuckled inwardly, thankful he didn't have to study... He lay down and continued basking in the sun, feeling warm and comfortable... Just as he was enjoying himself, a book suddenly hit him.
He looked down at the book " The Washing Away of Wrongs," while Meng Anci turned to look at Jin Shanyao, "Auntie? I'm off today."
Jin Shanyao, reclining in her chair, gave a very soft "hmm," and said, "So, I wanted you to relax?"
Relax and watch " The Washing Away of Wrongs"
Meng Anci put the book aside, tilted his head, and moved closer to Jin Shanyao. "Auntie, I heard from Shiyan that Lord Zhu bought a lot of grain. With so much grain stored up, won't it be stuck with him?"