Going to the Countryside
"What? You're going to inspect the countryside?" Lady Zhu looked at Zhao Ruxi in surprise.
Zhao Ruxi nodded. "As the local official, I can't just sit in the yamen and send people to do things. I have to contact the village chiefs in various places and get a firsthand understanding of Nanyang's grain cultivation, water conservancy, and land reclamation."
Lady Zhu's lips moved as if she wanted to speak, but after glancing at Kang Shilin and the others, she swallowed the words that were about to come out.
"Mother, since I have chosen to become an official, this is what I should do." Zhao Ruxi knew that Lady Zhu had received the education of a lady from a prestigious family since childhood, and she might have some reservations about her going to the countryside to deal with all kinds of people. She was even more worried that she would suffer and encounter danger.
"Alright, go ahead." If Kang Shilin and the others weren't here, Lady Zhu might have tried to stop Zhao Ruxi from going down herself, suggesting that sending Zhou Chun and others would have been just as good.
But with everyone here, Gan Lun is still a retired official. If she were to say such things, it would not be good if it reached the ears of the emperor or others.
Even if Zhao Ruxi were a woman, since she chose to become an official, she had to act like other male officials. She couldn't just sit at home all day without ever going out, could she?
Kang Shilin also felt sorry for his young apprentice, but he was, after all, a man and knew Zhao Ruxi's ambitions. He only instructed her, "Take more people with you and be careful."
Zhao Ruxi's eyes curved into a smile, "Master, don't worry." She said apologetically, "It's just that I haven't had time to accompany you on your sightseeing."
Kang Shilin waved his hand. "You don't need to accompany me. But since your third senior brother can't come, we plan to visit him in Linjiang Prefecture Linjiang Prefecture in a few days. We'll stay there for ten or fifteen days before heading back to the capital."
Originally, with Zhao Ruxi newly appointed Kang Shilin visiting Nanyang, Wu Zong should have used the pretext of his inspection tour to support Zhao Ruxi and also visit Kang Shilin.
However, some things have happened in Linjiang recently, and as the newly appointed prefect, he needs to stay there to handle the situation and cannot leave for the time being. He wrote to inquire and, after learning that Zhao Ruxi had resolved the interpersonal issues in Nanyang with her own abilities, apologized and said that she could not come to Nanyang for the time being.
With June fast approaching and the weather getting hot, Kang Shilin decided to visit his three apprentices before returning to the capital.
Although Zhao Ruxi was reluctant to leave, she couldn't keep her master and the others here indefinitely.
The three elderly people are getting on in years, and their families are worried about them staying out too long.
She said reluctantly, "You're leaving so soon?"
She looked at Xiao Ruotong and said, "Sister Ruotong, why don't you come to Linjiang with my master for some fun?"
Xiao Ruotong pursed her lips and nodded, a barely perceptible blush on her face. "I came with the gentlemen, so naturally I should go back with them. Otherwise, it wouldn't be safe for me to travel alone."
Kang Shilin said, "Yes, Ruotong came with us. I made a promise to her father before we left. I brought her out, so naturally I have to bring her back with me, otherwise the Prince of Zhennan won't let this old man off the hook."
Xiao Ruotong smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble Mister Kumu."
Zhao Ruxi glanced at her and didn't continue the conversation. Instead, she brought up the local gifts they had brought back to the capital.
She said, "I've prepared some things; please take them to my third senior brother for me. I'll have your portions loaded onto a cart and transported to the capital directly, so you don't have to bring them back to the capital from Linjiang, which would be too much trouble."
After everyone had returned to their courtyards to rest, Lady Zhu stopped Zhao Ruxi and whispered, "Regarding the matter between the County Princess of Qingyang and your third senior brother, I think it would be better to talk to your master. With his involvement, perhaps things will work out."
Zhao Ruxi shook her head and said, "Let's forget about it. These things are all about mutual consent. If my third senior brother isn't willing, it would be bad for my master to get involved. If things go well, that's fine; but if they don't, the elders of the Prince of Zhennan's Residence will be furious with my master and third senior brother. It's better to let Sister Ruotong and my third senior brother resolve this themselves. If they're meant to be, they'll naturally be together; if not, there's no need to force it."
Lady Zhu glanced at her daughter, sighed, and remained silent.
She has another person in her family who's causing her headaches, so she simply doesn't have the energy to worry about other people's affairs.
After seeing Kang Shilin and the others off, Zhao Ruxi changed into a men's blue robe and set off on horseback with Xiang Ming, Yang Jie, Lu Yun, and Zhou Chun.
She didn't plan to go to the county; she only intended to visit the surrounding villages. To get in touch with the village chiefs, she would need an introduction from Chen Kang, a local bigwig. Otherwise, even if she said she was the Assistant Magistrate of Nanyang, they probably wouldn't even bother with her.
Therefore, she brought Chen Kang and his entourage along as well.
Chen Kang was naturally very Gao Xing, and he was very attentive to Zhao Ruxi throughout the journey.
"Uncle, how are the rice seedlings growing this year? It looks like it will be another bumper harvest in the fall. How many people are in your family? How are you doing?"
Chen Kang watched as Zhao Ruxi greeted the old men working in the fields with practiced ease, speaking in the manner of a villager, and felt something was very strange about it.
This Lord Zhao, isn't she a noble lady? But the way she greets this old farmer, she seems far more respectable than he is!
He couldn't help but ask Zhou Chun.
In recent years, Zhou Chun has gradually become a braggart. Now, when Chen Kang asked him, he bragged to Chen Kang about how Zhao Ruxi made the people of the Egret Manor live a good life.
Upon hearing this, Chen Kang's gaze towards Zhao Ruxi changed.
"Are all the noble ladies in the capital like your daughter?" he asked again in a low voice.
"Where?" Zhou Chun chuckled.
He described the typical appearance of a noblewoman in the capital, and proudly said, "There's only one like my daughter."
Over there, Zhao Ruxi chatted with the old man for a while, then looked at the neat rows of green rice seedlings and asked, "How's your water usage in the fields? Have you had any disputes with other villages?"
"Sigh, don't say anymore." The old man sighed.
The old man initially didn't want to bother with this man, who had fair skin and delicate features, and looked like a young nobleman who hadn't yet come of age.
But Zhao Ruxi's questions were all spot-on, so he couldn't help but open up. "Actually, we don't lack water here. But the question of who uses water first and who uses it last is a matter of face for the villagers. If we're always the last to use water every year, people will look down on us and say we have no backbone. It will even cause problems for the young men and women in the village to get married. So every year everyone has to fight over it. Most of the time we just argue, and sometimes it gets so heated that we even fight."
Zhao Ruxi frowned. "Have there been any cases of people being killed over the years?"
"Yes, there are. Our village is alright; one person had their leg broken and became lame, but no one died. But in Wang Family Village up there, someone was beaten to death last year, wasn't there?"
"Doesn't the village headman come out and do anything about it?" Zhao Ruxi said. "Several villages are under the same village headman, right? Couldn't he just allocate the water to you all in turns?"