Chapter 5, Godfather

"It's nothing." Jiang Qingyun smiled and waved his hand, "Since you are also fine, I will take my leave now?" He then quickly turned and left.

Liu Xie hesitated upon hearing this: "I see, the matter of land transactions falls under the jurisdiction of the household registration office. I... I am from the workshop, so it would not be appropriate for me to interfere..." He struggled with his thoughts for quite a while before saying, "If the guest truly wishes to inquire about someone, I can introduce you to a person who is well-connected."

Where is Zhou Kang going to the county office to handle affairs? However, in order to deceive and pass through, he fabricated a reason: "Some time ago, I purchased a piece of land from someone else, located within the boundaries of Qinghe County, but I heard from others that there are issues regarding the ownership of this land. Therefore, I thought of going to the county office to check the fish scale map. If I have indeed been deceived, I will hold the seller accountable."

"You child!" Liu Xie’s face immediately turned red, "Don’t talk nonsense, those are just others’ polite words, what ability does my godfather have..." He rubbed his hands together, feeling somewhat embarrassed as he looked towards Zhou Kang, "Please don’t laugh, esteemed guest, the child doesn’t understand and speaks recklessly. What am I capable of? I am merely a minor official..."

The butcher uncle chuckled and said, "Sister Qing, you have become increasingly charming; even the notoriously shabby goods cannot do anything to you." He took out a bundle of large bones tied with straw rope from under the counter, "This is the large bone you wanted yesterday"

Aunt Gao was indeed angry. She had no children of her own, and with a little girl keeping her company, she treated Qingyun as if she were her own granddaughter. The girl had not informed her family and stayed out overnight, which was, in her view, an unforgivable act. Fortunately, Qingyun was still young and had not yet reached the age where she would attract gossip. However, Aunt Gao could not help but scold her for a long time. In the end, it was Liu Xie who spoke some kind words, and Qingyun humbly apologized for quite a while before she finally calmed down. This kind of behavior was, in her eyes, unforgivable. Fortunately, Qingyun was still young and had not yet reached the age where she would attract gossip. However, Aunt Gao could not help but scold her for a long time. In the end, it was Liu Xie who spoke some kind words, and Qingyun humbly apologized for quite a while before she finally calmed down.

Qingyun furrowed his brows, tilted his head in deep thought, when suddenly someone exclaimed: "Madam Chen has arrived! She resides in the county office; why not ask her?"

Liu Xie has gone to work at the government office, and Qingyun stayed by the side of Aunt Gao, eagerly seeking her guidance on needlework techniques—this was Aunt Gao's favorite activity. The old lady was soon charmed into a beaming smile. Initially, she had said that Qingyun was not allowed to go out freely, but as noon approached, she said she wanted to go buy groceries, and the old lady still agreed.

So she raised her innocent and naive smile and sweetly said: "Yes, my godfather has been working as a clerk in the county office for ten years, responsible for copying documents. Everyone says my godfather has good handwriting and writes well. Sir, isn't my godfather quite impressive?"

Madam Chen disdainfully curled her lips: "That is merely a concubine, not even worthy of being called an aunt, how could she be considered a lady? You do not know, our newly arrived master’s wife is said to be the legitimate daughter of a prestigious marquis family! How could you possibly meet her so easily?"

A woman buying vegetables at the stall across the way also chimed in: "Isn't that so? I just passed by the county office and saw several large carts arriving from who knows where. I heard it's the new county magistrate coming into office. My goodness! The luggage, big bundles and small, even brought along a bed and a toilet, just like moving house! They also brought over a dozen maids and about ten young servants, all of them with neat haircuts and dignified attire, looking nothing like servants. I thought to myself, they seem even more affluent than the wife of Magistrate Huang!"

Madam Chen finished her shopping and left quickly, while people continued to discuss: "Oh dear, the new county magistrate has such a background, I wonder what kind of person he is?"

Qingyun had no intention of arguing with her; she simply smiled sweetly at her. However, the little girl was already quite charming, and when she smiled, her eyes squinted, making her all the more adorable. The lady, upon seeing this, felt somewhat embarrassed and hurriedly bought a piece of pork before leaving.

Jiang Qingyun appeared somewhat hesitant: "I didn't say anything... This gentleman is going to the county office to handle some matters, and I was just worried that he might encounter difficulties, so I informed him about who in the county office is easy to talk to..."

Qingyun inquired: "What is the matter?"

It is truly unfortunate that County Magistrate Zhong is still out and has not returned yet

Zhou Kang raised an eyebrow and said with a tentative smile, "There is no need to make it too complicated; all I need is for someone to check the fish scale atlas and then inform me who the true owner of that piece of land is. Can't Liu the clerk take care of it?"

Liu Xie watched as his master and the group disappeared into the crowd, then turned back to Jiang Qingyun and sighed: "Qing Jie'er, although you often advise my godfather that it's fine to accept some trivial money as long as it doesn't go against one's conscience, my godfather truly lacks ability. Others look down on me and are unwilling to give money, and I also feel embarrassed to ask for it!"

As she approached the county office, she hurriedly turned a corner, but momentarily failed to notice that someone was coming from the other direction, resulting in a loud thud as they collided. She was knocked down to the ground and, looking up, discovered that the other party was a stranger, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old. He was dressed in a clean blue cloth robe, with delicate features and strikingly dark eyebrows above a pair of very spirited eyes, and he was carrying a wooden box in his hand.

Doctor Xiao Cao smiled faintly, silently squinting his eyes. He took out a silver phoenix hairpin from his bosom, the phoenix beak at the top of the pin hanging a string of pearls, serving as a pendant, with a red gemstone the size of a lotus seed, dazzling as if stained with blood

Qingyun nodded emphatically, taking his hand and playfully leading him towards the home of the tall lady.

Liu Xie was delighted, leading a donkey with one hand and pulling up Qingyun with the other: "Good child, let me take you back. I will also speak a few good words for you to Aunt Gao. I will come over to have dinner with you later."

She left the market, walking swiftly beneath her feet. Although she was uncertain whether the person guarding the door of the Zhong family was a follower of the new county magistrate, if they were indeed a villain, it would not bode well. Although County Magistrate Zhong had some minor flaws, he was still a decent person. If it were not for him, after the previous county magistrate was convicted, Qinghe County would have long been in utter chaos.

She pushed through the crowd and asked the vegetable seller, "Auntie, have you seen the new county magistrate? What does he look like?"

Jiang Qingyun turned around and squeezed through the crowd, only to see the vendor selling bean sprouts and tofu approaching with a shoulder pole. She then bought a handful of yellow bean sprouts. At this time of year, there were no fresh vegetables, and bean sprouts could supplement vitamin C. After making her purchase, she was about to leave when she heard the bean sprout vendor call out to her: "Qing Jie'er, don't be in such a hurry to leave, I have something to ask you to do."

Jiang Qingyun thought to himself that this person looked frail, yet his build was sturdy. At the same time, he quickly got up and apologized to the other party: "I sincerely apologize, I didn't notice you for a moment. Are you hurt?"

The young man was momentarily taken aback and then burst into silent laughter. A middle-aged man dressed in a coarse short brown robe ran over from behind him and said, "Doctor Xiao Cao, are you alright?"

Then the aunt hesitated: "I do not recognize who the new county magistrate is, but I have seen a few wealthy gentlemen dressed in fine clothes; perhaps one of them is. They all appear very imposing, as if they are officials."

Zhou Kang let out a sigh of relief; if it were just a minor clerk from a workshop, it would not be a big deal. However, for the sake of caution, he still forced a smile and said, "This child holds you in great esteem; I believe she is not speaking nonsense. Just now, along the way, she shared with me quite a few rumors about the county office, which truly opened my eyes."

Liu Xie hurriedly mentioned a name, which Qingyun also recognized; it belonged to one of the most effective officials in the Ministry of Revenue. Zhou Kang instructed Qiu Da to note down the name, then expressed his gratitude to Liu Xie, casually exchanged a few words, and took his leave.

Qingyun thanked him hurriedly, paid the money, and placed the bones into the basket. The butcher uncle laughed and said: "This is prepared for making soup, right? Liu Sili used to be so frugal that he wouldn't buy a few pounds of meat all year round. Now that he has recognized you as his goddaughter, he treats you to meat every few days. I really don't know where he got such good fortune. Why don't you just forget about him and be my daughter instead?" Qingyun smiled and remained silent.

This statement is difficult to articulate, as one may know a person's appearance but not their true intentions

Everyone woke up and hurriedly asked in unison: "Yes, yes, what does the new county magistrate look like?"

An elderly woman couldn't help but complain: "What are you fighting for? Are you fighting to be born?"

The market was bustling with activity, featuring numerous vegetable and meat stalls selling fresh goods that had just arrived that morning. Qingyun observed while calculating in her mind: her godfather had just received his salary, and after paying Aunt Gao's rent, there was still a considerable surplus. She had also brought back some gourd strips and mountain goods from the Tongfu Inn, so she decided to buy some meat to make a stew, which would be both warm and delicious. If cooked until tender, Aunt Gao would also enjoy it. She immediately set her sights on a piece of high-quality pork with skin, skillfully squeezing through a crowd of women to snatch it up.

Thinking of this, he looked at Liu Xie with a gentler gaze: "In that case, may I ask which official in the county office is someone I can speak to? After I visit my friends in the city, I will seek his assistance."

This remark immediately piqued the interest of everyone present: "Really? It is said that we have a new county magistrate, who is this person? With such wealth and status, they surely cannot be more ruthless than Magistrate Huang, can they?"

Liu Xie redirected the conversation back to the main point: "Esteemed guest, what business do you have at the county office?"

The vendor leaned closer and lowered his voice: "Just now, as I was passing by, I walked past the door of the Zhong County Magistrate's house and saw a tall man with a beard pacing back and forth in front of his door, staring at the Zhong family's gate for quite a while."

The old man selling fish next door, with a pipe in his mouth, mumbled his complaints: "Liu the clerk is indeed a rare find. Who in the county office isn't living a life of luxury? Some time ago, County Magistrate Huang caused a stir, and they toned it down a bit, but that was only on the surface. As for what they eat and drink, it remains the same as before. Nowadays, it is not easy to find honest people like Liu the clerk."

He was referring to the wife of the county constable Chen. Everyone looked up and indeed saw Madam Chen coming this way with a basket of vegetables, accompanied by a young maid. They hurriedly surrounded her, all talking at once, inquiring about the new county magistrate.

I do not know either. I glanced at him a few more times, and he glared at me, looking fierce and menacing, not like a good person. The vendor said with a worried expression, "Zhong County Magistrate is not at home, and his wife and daughter are only accompanied by a few family members. It would not be good if something were to happen. You should go to the county office shortly and inform Captain Chen. If you can persuade Mrs. Zhong and her family to move back to the county office, that would be great"

When Magistrate Huang came to Qinghe, he only rode in two carriages. It was only after he arrived and plundered extensively that he became wealthy. If this new magistrate is already affluent, he might not value our meager wealth

"Doctor Xiao, rest assured, our county's inn has never been fully booked!" said the middle-aged man with a broad smile, "If you could endure a little inconvenience for the time being, it would truly be a blessing for us if you decide to open a clinic in our county!" As he spoke, he carried two large bundles and walked towards the inn not far ahead.

The crowd began to discuss animatedly, while Qingyun listened nearby, recalling the generous old gentleman. He wondered if it was possible that his entourage had arrived. Indeed, given his lavish attire, it was evident that he came from a prominent family; how could he possibly have only brought along a few people upon taking office

Everyone exclaimed "Oh," but the lady who was buying vegetables seemed somewhat unconvinced: "Isn't there family? I saw a distinguished lady adorned in gold and silver, surely she must be the wife of the county magistrate who has also arrived"

Qingyun nodded solemnly: "Understood, I will go and deliver the message right away"

Zhou Kang understood that this person indeed held little weight in the county office, and perhaps did not have a good reputation; otherwise, how could he be so hesitant to commit to such a trivial matter? However, from another perspective, this individual is likely of good character and not overly fond of wealth. The clerks in the county office can profit by taking money from outsiders for their services, yet this person does not engage in such practices, which makes him a gentleman. It would be worthwhile to further assess his talents; if he proves to be capable, he could be promoted to serve as a valuable assistant.

Qingyun was seen through in her clever schemes, yet she remained calm and unhurried. Her current appearance still had the ability to deceive others, and Liu Xie was also an honest person; it would not be difficult to get by.

The young man had a good temper: "I'm fine, but what about the little girl? Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

Jiang Qingyun was about to inform Liu Xie of Zhou Kang's possible identity, but hesitated at the last moment. Zhou Kang would eventually take office, and Liu Xie was an honest man. If he were to learn the other party's identity too early, it might lead to a slip-up later on, which would only provoke Zhou Kang's resentment. It would be better to let him remain in ignorance; perhaps there would be unexpected gains. Thus, she smiled and said to Liu Xie: "Godfather, you haven't been of much help today. If they don't give money, then they don't give it. While I hope you can gain more benefits, I also don't want you to accept money that you shouldn't. No merit, no reward; even if that gentleman truly offers money, you wouldn't feel at ease accepting it, so it's better not to take it. I know your character well enough, don't I?"

The tall man with a beard? Jiang Qingyun recalled the two he had seen before and continued to ask, "Who could it be?"

Liu Xie felt somewhat awkward: "This... the six offices of the county government, each has its own duties, and I cannot overstep my bounds... However, rest assured, the personnel in the household department will certainly be able to assist you, whether I am here or not..." He felt embarrassed to continue speaking.

Jiang Qingyun's expression was somewhat strange. If the new county magistrate is indeed the person she encountered, looking so serious, how could he possibly bring a concubine to his post? Wasn't it said that in ancient times, officials were expected to bring their legitimate wives, or at the very least, a more respectable concubine, to socialize with the wives of superiors, subordinates, or colleagues? Why is the new county magistrate accompanied by a mere bed warmer?

"It's nothing, you need not worry." The young man looked up ahead, took a deep breath, and said, "Let's go. I have heard that merchants often stop in Qinghe County, and the inns may not have any vacant rooms."

Liu Xie was taken aback, her face turned even redder, and she lightly scolded Qingyun: "You child, how can you spread the affairs of the yamen everywhere? I was just idly chatting with you for a moment, and you went and spread it!"

Liu Xie sighed in relief, yet still shot a glare at her goddaughter: "That will do, but from now on, you must not speak carelessly! If the gentlemen hear it, I, your godfather, will also face consequences!" Jiang Qingyun obediently responded and sweetly smiled at him, soothing this old softie with just a few words.

Everyone couldn't help but exclaim, is she actually the daughter of the marquis's family? Isn't she the legendary figure? The newly appointed county magistrate truly has an extraordinary background

Madam Chen indeed knows some inside information: "The new master has not yet arrived; it is said that he went to visit a friend. The ones who came are the accompanying servants. Those two who appear quite imposing and seem like officials should be the aides beside the master."

Zhou Kang felt somewhat more at ease upon seeing this. Liu Xie was clearly an honest person, not someone of prominence in the county office, and the little girl Qing Jie was even more innocent and carefree. No matter how clever she was, the fact that she had just put on a serious face to ask questions indicated that if an ordinary child were feeling guilty, they would not be able to remain so composed. This shows that she had no ulterior motives. However, what she said may not be entirely trustworthy; since she heard it from Liu Xie, and someone as honest as Liu Xie is unlikely to speak ill of his colleagues. The character of future subordinates will still need to be observed gradually by oneself.