Chapter 010: The Reconstruction of the Plank Road

"Greetings to the esteemed county magistrate during the Mid-Autumn Festival!" Xi Zhongqiu approached the couch and bowed respectfully.

The inkstone produced in She County is one of the four famous inkstones, and the one in Miao An's study is among the finest, valued at no less than a thousand strings of cash. Xi Zhongqiu did not decline it; he stood up, bowed, and said: "Thank you for the kindness of the county magistrate. Rest assured, this matter is clean and straightforward. There were witnesses present during the transaction, and the price was fair. Even if the Zeng family has other intentions in the future, they will not be able to do anything to us!"

When he returned home, Mrs. Yang was still sitting under the eaves doing needlework, her demeanor as leisurely and elegant as a water lily in a lotus pond. Upon seeing him carrying a large bundle, Mrs. Yang paused her sewing and curiously asked, "Didn’t my son go to Mo Yun Studio to fetch books? What is this for?"

Then Mr. Xi should go and find out, this official believes that Mr. Xi will handle it well, hahaha! Mr. Xi may not have considered that there is another benefit to handling this matter regarding Li Yi!

The next day, Yang Yi began to wander around the city and found a relatively secluded courtyard. It was not far from the Lake Qingfang where Han Bi lived, making it quite suitable. After negotiating a price with the owner, Yang Yi immediately returned to his lacquerware shop to get the money

The profession of a staff officer has existed since ancient times, with some high-ranking officials even having several or more. These individuals not only provide strategic advice to the officials but are also responsible for handling some less reputable matters. Xi Zhongqiu had followed Miao An for six years and was always regarded as a trusted confidant by Miao An. Upon seeing him enter, Miao An gently gestured with his hand, prompting the two young maidservants to retreat at a distance.

Tomorrow night, at the latest by tomorrow night! Miao An seemed to have already heard Han's soft moans of pleasure beneath him, and his heart couldn't help but heat up again. He quickly dismissed Xi Zhongqiu and returned to his room, summoning his two concubines to relieve his pent-up desires first.

As soon as Yang Yi entered the door, the three individuals came up to greet him. He responded with a couple of remarks, then took a pen from the counter and wrote out a grocery list, which included over twenty items such as soda ash, alum, turmeric, yellow paper, mountain tomato flowers, and goat's beard flowers among others

My son has grown up. Since that old gentleman holds you in high regard and was once a scholar in the court, you can go study with peace of mind. Your mother can take care of herself, and besides, there are still Aunt Li and the others at home. However, my son, you are going alone to Dongxiao Palace. Remember to respect your elders and do not be reckless as you are at home. Also, take good care of yourself; do not let yourself go hungry or exhausted

After exchanging a few words with Zhang Long, and completing this 'chance encounter', Yang Yicai turned and walked towards the dock at Yanqiao River. He truly boarded a boat and left Hangzhou along the canal under the watchful eyes of the crowd

Indeed, this woman has now been expelled from the Zeng family, left all alone and without support. Given my status, to show her favor would be a blessing she has earned over several lifetimes. Yet, she remains unmoved. If her heart were not already taken, how could it come to this? Therefore, Li Yi must deal with her to sever her lingering thoughts

Today, he finally found a Lin family in Yanqiao Fang. The Lin family has two sons and two daughters. The eldest daughter, Lin Han, has an ambiguous relationship with Li Yi. Xi Zhongping pressured and tempted the Lin family's second son, Lin Yuwei, and finally got him to agree to come forward and accuse Li Yi of seducing virtuous women, thus clearing the villain's name

Xi Zhongqiu returned to the county office with a sense of ease and reported this matter to Miao An. Still under the grape trellis in front of the study, Miao An, dressed in loose formal attire, leaned against the low couch. Xi Zhongqiu bowed slightly and said: "Your Excellency, the matter has made progress! We just need to wait for Lin Yu to report to the county office tomorrow, and then we can go and take the person."

Miao An slightly shifted her body, gesturing for Xi Zhongqiu to sit down, and softly asked: "Mr. Xi, there is no need for excessive formalities. Has the matter been taken care of?"

On the street, Yang Yi coincidentally encountered several constables led by Zhang Long. Zhang Long asked in surprise, "Mr. Li, it seems you are about to embark on a long journey?"

Miao An chuckled twice and said, "Indeed, I have heard that Yang Yi fainted the Right Censorate Grand Minister Zhu Guangting at the state academy that day, and even uttered outrageous words insulting Sima Wenhe - the esteemed official of the Book of Maps. On that day, Zhu Guangting intended to have the academic administrator Qian Dan revoke Yang Yi's status as a scholar, but was stopped by Lu Xiyu. As the saying goes, having someone in the court makes it easier to hold office. Once we deal with Li Yi, Mr. Xi can then come to the capital and pay a visit to Zhu Daifu's residence, hehe!"

At noon, after attending to some daily matters, Miao An had someone bring out a low couch and place it under the grape trellis in front of the study. In the May weather, the cicadas in the high branches buzzed intermittently. Miao An lay on the low couch, his corpulent figure resembling that of a fat pig. A young girl stood behind him, fanning him, while another held a bowl of chilled sour plum soup, carefully feeding it to Miao An

As Li Gui has not yet returned from Weixian, the shop is currently being overseen by Aunt Li, along with two young assistants aged around fifteen or sixteen, one named Song Xiaoan and the other named Tang Guizi

However, Yang Yi no longer felt this way. Although he was eager to leave, he patiently listened to every word of Yang's admonitions, so as not to arouse any suspicion from Yang.

Yang gently caressed his forehead and smiled, saying: "My son, are you worried about your mother being home alone, unable to set your mind at ease?"

Miao An extended his plump right hand, touched his own chin that had been folded several times, and said: "To be honest, Mr. Xi, the Han family official is a must-have. This woman is charming and beautiful, truly unforgettable at first sight. The other day, she came to the county office to plead for Zeng Renxing. If she were unaware of my interest in her, why would she come to seek my favor? However, when I tested the waters, Han seemed to deliberately decline!"

The county magistrate is indeed thoughtful, and I feel ashamed of my inadequacies! I will promptly plan this matter, so please rest assured, county magistrate. By the way, I have already inquired about the current residence of the Han family; it is located in Huqingfang

Rest assured, Your Excellency, the seventy percent of the Zeng family's assets have been transferred to your cousin's name. This is the contract signed by Zeng Yixuan, the eldest son of the Zeng family. Please review it, Your Excellency

Yang Yi smiled amiably and said, "Brother Zhang, I didn't expect to meet you here again. You are absolutely right; I am indeed planning to go out for further studies!"

After Miao An arrived in Qiantang to take up the position of county magistrate, he first had the rear office renovated, making it appear clean and elegant

Xi Zhongqiu hesitated slightly and said: "That Li Yi is merely a scholar; he should not hinder the affairs of the county magistrate. Why should the county magistrate trouble himself over this matter?"

Why do we have to wait until tomorrow? Why not have Lin Yu come today to deliver the petition? Thinking of the Han family, Miao An truly felt a sense of impatience

Yang Yi decided to employ a strategy of familial affection. He approached, knelt down, and took his mother's hand, saying: "Mother! There is something I have been wanting to discuss with you! I feel that studying alone at home is not a viable solution. The lack of guidance from esteemed teachers and the absence of distinguished individuals to engage with are quite detrimental to my studies. Yesterday, I encountered an elderly gentleman living in Hangzhou, who was once a grand minister in the court. We had a delightful conversation, and I wish to visit Dongxiaogong to seek his advice for a few days!"

Xi Zhongqiu said as he took out several contracts from his sleeve, Miao An took them and glanced at them briefly, saying: "Very good, this matter is largely thanks to Mr. Xi's efforts. Mr. Xi has worked hard. It would be a pity for that piece of Xuan inkstone in my study to go unused, so please take it for your use, Mr. Xi"

Such charges lack novelty, yet they are sufficient; as long as they can use this as an excuse to imprison Li Yi, other charges can be fabricated as needed later.

Throughout history, officials have generally been averse to constructing government offices, with the exception of the Song Dynasty. Officials in the Song Dynasty enjoyed relatively high salaries and benefits, which fostered a habit of extravagance among them. Consequently, government offices were typically well-maintained, especially in prosperous counties like Qiantang, located in a fertile region abundant in fish and rice.

Yang Yi took some money from the counter and returned to the small courtyard. After paying the rent to the owner and giving it a rough cleaning, he was satisfied and went back to the lacquer shop to retrieve the items he had purchased for Song Xiaoan, including books and illustrations.

Miao An felt a stir in his heart, and before him, the enchanting allure of the Han family suddenly resurfaced, making him feel an undeniable sense of impatience

After finishing, call the clever Song Xiaoan aside and have him procure the items according to the list, but each item must be purchased from different stores. Although Song Xiaoan was repeatedly reminded by Yang Yi and did not understand the reason for this, he still proceeded as instructed.

The Yang Family Lacquerware Shop is located near the riverbank, in a relatively prosperous area. The shop is not very large, but the business is doing reasonably well. When Yang Yi entered, there were already seven or eight customers selecting lacquerware.

Yang gently touched his forehead, giving careful instructions; this reminded Yang Yi of his childhood, when his mother would often do the same, and he would always find it very annoying and distasteful

This... I have been negligent. I will immediately send someone to ask Lin Yu to come and submit the petition! Xi Zhongqiu did not expect Miao An to be so anxious, unable to wait even a single day. As the day was drawing to a close and the yamen was about to dismiss for the day, he decided to have Lin Yu come tomorrow instead.

His shop does not engage in the processing of lacquerware, but rather sources products from various regions for sale. The main supply comes from places such as Yangzhou and Yichun, featuring different types of lacquerware including gold decoration, filled lacquer, mother-of-pearl inlay, spotted lacquer, and carved lacquer. Most of the items are daily necessities, such as bowls, boxes, tables, stands, pillows, chests, rulers, combs, hairpins, containers, boxes, and screens

Yang Yi carried a book box on his back, bidding farewell to the Yang family. The Yang family had tears wetting their sleeves, yet they still tried their utmost to show a smile on their faces. Amidst their countless reminders, Yang Yi entered the city alone.

Xi Zhongqiu gently stroked his goatee and pondered for a moment before saying, "Are you referring to the matters of the provincial academy, my esteemed county magistrate?"

Xi Zhongqiu emerged from Yanqiao Fang accompanied by several attendants, a faint smile gracing his face. After some inquiries, it became apparent that aside from his notorious flirtatiousness, there were no other faults to be found with Li Yi. Thus, Xi Zhongqiu had no choice but to devise a strategy based on this aspect.

The transfer fee written in the contract for the Zeng family's property is over 30,000 guan, but in reality, the Zeng family only received a fraction of that amount, with the initial digit '3' remaining merely a figure on paper

Although the Zeng family is wealthy, they lack any significant background. Coupled with the fact that they have been accused of slander, Xi Zhongqiu and his associates can manipulate the situation as they please, which is not a major issue. However, Li Yi is a scholar, and he has classmates and mentors; the backgrounds of these individuals are unknown. If baseless accusations are made against him, it could inadvertently offend someone. Xi Zhongqiu, having navigated the officialdom alongside Miao An for six years, is naturally aware of these intricacies.

The matters concerning the Zeng family have been resolved; in a few days, let Zeng Renxing be released! As for that Li Yi, what does the gentleman think would be the best course of action?

The county magistrate suspects that she is truly having an affair with Li Yi

Well, since the county magistrate has given the order, I shall comply. However, although Li Yi has no substantial background, he is, after all, a scholar who passed the provincial examination at the age of fourteen. To prevent any unforeseen complications, it is necessary to find a suitable reason.

Forget it, forget it, tomorrow is another day! Miao An also felt that his tone was somewhat excessive, and then waved his hand, saying that the reason he was so eager to deal with Yang Yizhi was that he suspected the Han family was having an affair with Yang Yizhi. By imprisoning Yang Yizhi, he could use this as a reason to make the Han family willingly serve him.

At this moment, Yang Yi couldn't help but silently scold himself, for he could see tears glistening in his mother's eyes, and he truly felt reluctant to deceive this kind mother

At this moment, a lean man in his fifties walked into the courtyard, occasionally waving a folding fan in his hand. He had a goatee under his chin and appeared quite astute. He was none other than Xizhongqiu, the aide to Miao An.

Yang Yi nodded: "Confucius said, when parents are alive, one should not travel far. My dear mother, I am both worried about leaving you alone at home and afraid of disappointing your earnest expectations for me. I feel quite conflicted, which is why I have not dared to mention the matter of going out to pursue my studies."