Refusal
"Lord Zhao, it's getting late, almost lunchtime. I'll have my wife prepare lunch. You and Administrative Clerk Chen can have a simple meal at my house," Wang Houde said with a smile.
Wang's wife quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes! Although our food in the countryside is simple, the ingredients are fresh, and the taste is quite good. We happen to have a small river fish, a local specialty, which makes an exceptionally delicious soup. Because it lives in the crevices of large rocks, it requires people to swim down to catch it, making it very difficult to obtain. Luckily, my eldest son's in-laws sent over a pound. I'll personally prepare it for you, sir, making sure it's spotless. That way, you'll know that our countryside has good things too!"
Chen Kang chuckled from the side, "My lord, you may not know, but Madam Wang Houde's ancestors were renowned chefs in the capital. She learned excellent culinary skills from a young age and is extremely meticulous about cleanliness. In the past, whether it was officials from Linjiang Prefecture or Nanyang Prefecture coming down here for inspection, they would always make a special detour to her house for a meal. Madam Wang's cousin-in-law is the prefectural magistrate of Linjiang Prefecture, so Madam Wang's superb culinary skills are well-known throughout the Linjiang Prefecture government."
After Zhao Ruxi arrived in Nanyang, she often did things that were unexpected.
This trip to the countryside was unexpected, as it turned out to involve Wang Dazhu. Chen Kang was unsure of her attitude and couldn't help but reveal the secrets of Wang Houde's family.
During these past few days, Zhao Ruxi has been in the countryside and never eats at the homes of the village head or others. Instead, she eats dry rations in her own carriage, and her attendants do the same. Chen Kang doesn't know if she thinks the food is bad or unclean, but no matter how much the village head tries to offer her food, she refuses it.
If she's willing to eat here, Chen Kang feels he can finally relax.
Although the prefectural magistrate was only a low-ranking official of the Ninth Rank, he was still part of the prefectural government, and the Wang family had connections in the government.
Zhao Ruxi's senior apprentice Wu Zong, is a newcomer and needs to rely on local officials for favors. Perhaps Zhao Ruxi will be willing to give the Wang family some face because of this.
Thinking about this, Chen Kang felt a headache coming on.
This aunt has incredibly powerful backing; if she doesn't give the Wang family face, neither he nor Cai Yaozong can do anything about it.
"No, thank you." Zhao Ruxi waved her hand in refusal. "We're here on inspection to act impartially. If we eat at your house, even if I handle this matter fairly later, the villagers will think I'm biased towards you. That's not good."
Hearing what Zhao Ruxi said next, Wang Houde and his wife, who had felt disheartened because Zhao Ruxi refused to eat, felt a glimmer of hope again.
Perhaps this newly arrived Lord Zhao is particularly concerned about his official reputation, and even if it's just going through the motions, he wants to do it in a way that leaves no room for criticism?
After Zhao Ruxi finished speaking, she stood up and said, "I'll go back to the carriage first. If Administrative Clerk Chen wants to eat here, please make yourself at home." With that, she cupped her hands in a gesture of respect to Wang Houde and walked outside.
Lu Yun quickly followed.
Chen Kang, who already knew Zhao Ruxi somewhat, was not as optimistic as Wang Houde and his wife. Just as he was thinking about how to plead for her, he saw Zhao Ruxi leave him and go out. He quickly followed her out, saying, "No, no, adults eat dry rations, how can a lowly person eat here?"
Zhao Ruxi ignored him, left the Wang family's house, and went straight to the village entrance.
Their carriage was parked in an open space at the edge of the village.
Chen Kang wanted to catch up with Wang Houde and plead his case, but firstly, he didn't know what was going on with Wang Houde, and secondly, he wasn't sure if Zhao Ruxi's anger would spill over onto him after he pleaded his case.
Although he valued Wang Houde highly because of his relationship with Mrs. Madam Wang's cousin-in-law, Zhao Ruxi had too much influence, a bad temper, and acted solely on his own whims, disregarding all the rules of the underworld. He really didn't dare risk his future.
Just imagine, if he displeased Zhao Ruxi, and this auntie threw a tantrum and wanted to dismiss him from his post, from the prefectural city to the state government, who could stop her?
He said he was a local strongman with deep roots. But Zhao Ruxi removed him and replaced him with someone from the local area. Any village head who was dissatisfied could be removed. He guaranteed that the people under him would be better at changing their allegiance than anyone else.
He thought about it over and over, and didn't dare to utter a sound until Zhao Ruxi reached the village entrance and got into the carriage.
When Zhao Ruxi went out, she not only brought the three guards that Xiao Lingyan had given her, but also Lady Luo. However, Lady Luo did not go with her, but stayed at the carriage to wait.
Zhao Ruxi's carriage was the same one she used when traveling between the capital and Beining.
At that time, Zhao Ruxi traveled a lot every day, so she modified the carriage inside and out for comfort.
In ancient times, there was no urban heat island effect, and it was only May, so the weather was neither too hot nor too cold. When they set off in the morning, Lady Zhu specially asked the kitchen to make some small pies, a few pastries, and some cold dishes for Lady Luo to take with her.
By this time Lady Luo had already brewed tea using a small stove in the carriage. Eating these pies and pastries with the hot tea was also extremely delicious.
As usual, Zhao Ruxi asked Lady Luo to send a portion to Chen Kang, while she sat in the car and ate it with relish.
While eating, she wondered if she should make a knock-off of instant noodles. Aren't there those time-travel novel heroines who win the emperor's or prince's love by making knock-off instant noodles, leading their soldiers to victory? For the sake of a title, she could certainly make a knock-off, right?
During this time, the King's wife brought a maid to deliver food to Zhao Ruxi, but Lady Luo stopped her and sent her away.
After Zhao Ruxi finished eating and took a short rest, the guards who had gone to gather information returned and reported all the information they had collected to Zhao Ruxi.
Because of the difference between men and women, Chen Kang did not dare to park his carriage next to Zhao Ruxi's carriage, but kept it more than ten meters away. Now that he saw Zhao Ruxi's guards returning one after another, he was not too anxious because he had made up his mind to ignore Wang Houde.
After listening to the last guard's words, Zhao Ruxi instructed him, "Take a gong and go into the village to bang it, so they'll come here."
Upon hearing the gong, Wang Houde, who had been keeping a close eye on the situation, finally couldn't hold back any longer. Avoiding Zhao Ruxi's gaze, he went to Chen Kang to inquire about the situation.
Unable to bear his persistent pestering, Chen Kang approached Zhao Ruxi and asked, "Lord Zhao, what are you going to do with Wang Houde?"
Zhao Ruxi glanced at Wang Houde, who was standing in the distance, then looked at Chen Kang and asked, "Are you aware of what he's been doing in the village?"
Chen Kang's heart skipped a beat.
Although everyone in Wang Family Village shares the surname Wang, they are not from the same clan; the village is divided into two or three factions. Since gaining power, Wang Houde has committed many unethical acts. For example, he wanted to consolidate his fields and used various means to force villagers to sell their land; he also used force to suppress other factions. Many villagers were extremely dissatisfied with him. However, because of his wife's cousin-in-law, Cai Yaozong and he turned a blind eye to these matters, and the villagers had no choice but to swallow their anger.