It was already quite late, but Zhù Ying patiently spent a little more time talking with Lin Weng and his son. The two resembled each other greatly — but as for their intentions and character, they were hardly recognizable as father and son.

Lin Weng, hearing that Zhù Ying had arranged such a path for Lin Balang, had his entire face light up. His mind was already turning over schemes. Zhù Ying, watching the expression on his face, could see something was not right. She cautioned Lin Balang: “Attend well to the task at hand, and do not let your thoughts stray elsewhere.”

Lin Balang honestly agreed.

Zhù Ying then added some words of encouragement. She made no mention of Gu Tong, nor of anything else, but reminded Lin Balang to consult Prefect Lu in all things. “Even if he has designated a person to be in charge, do not on that account stop keeping Prefect Lu informed.”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying said: “Go and rest. Go home, pack your things, and then set out.”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying saw father and son off, glanced at the sky, and judged it was time to go home and eat the evening meal. She went around to the rear of the building, heading directly for Zhang Xiangu’s small courtyard. The longer a family lived together, the more their habits quietly changed. Zhù Ying rarely ate alone anymore — if she had no other arrangement, she ate with Zhang Xiangu.

Su Zhe and Lang Rui sometimes came as well. Today, they were both here. Zhù Lian was also called over by Zhù Ying.

Before even sitting down, Zhù Ying noticed that one more person had appeared at Huajie’s side for the meal — Wu Ren.

Wu Ren saw Zhù Ying and instinctively shrank back slightly behind Huajie, lowering her head and hastily paying her respects.

Huajie said: “Spring plowing meant her family was busy. Wang Niangzi also took a holiday, and since Wu Ren had come back early to help me, there was no point in her lighting the stove and cooking for just herself. I brought her along.”

Zhù Ying nodded and asked: “Is there no one else at home to keep her company?”

Huajie smiled: “She will stay the night with me for company.”

“That is fine. You arrange it.” Zhù Ying said.

Zhang Xiangu smiled: “Then let us all eat together. Come — the dishes will go cold if we wait any longer.”

The whole family settled at the table. Zhù Ying did not say anything to dampen the mood over dinner, but she did tell her parents about the plan to distribute grain to the elderly disabled people of Wuzhou. Zhang Xiangu was delighted: “Now this is the kind of thing an official should be doing! We accumulate good merit by doing this, rather than scraping the ground bare and bringing ruin upon one’s soul.”

Wu Ren listened quietly and calculated in her head: fifty catties per person per month — for an old person who was not very active, that might not quite be enough to eat on alone. If the family was reasonably comfortable, supplemented by a bit of greens and tofu, the old person would not need to eat quite as much grain. But for those with very little — few vegetables and almost no meat — they would need more grain to feel full. Even so, one catty and more a day would count as enough to eat.

Better to sell the grain for a bit of cash and buy rougher grain — whether beans or something else — to get more volume. That way a little rice might be squeezed out, enough to swap for a bit of oil and salt. Vegetables — plant a small patch in the family plot. By such means, the old person would no longer be a pure burden on the family and would not drag the whole household down. The prefect truly understood — she had judged the amount with precision.

Sitting at the table, Wu Ren was beside Huajie, and next to her was Ling Dang. Ling Dang did not sit especially at ease. When she first arrived, she had eaten with Sister Hu or Du Dajie. Later, Huajie found her endearing and had her and Du Dajie eat together at the table in her own small courtyard. After that she was brought along to eat at Zhang Xiangu’s table. Du Dajie still maintained the manner of a head housekeeper; Ling Dang, in the capacity of Huajie’s student, took a seat at the table.

Zhù Ying glanced at her and did not chase her away from the table, so she sat properly.

Zhù Ying did not quiz them on their studies at the dinner table — Huajie had already told her that Ling Dang had considerable talent. Having finished speaking about the grain distribution to the elderly, she told her parents that she would be somewhat busier for the next few days.

Zhang Xiangu said: “That is natural — you only just returned, and there is certainly a backlog of things that needs sorting.”

Zhù Da also asked about Fulu County: “When does the county magistrate and deputy magistrate arrive? The county cannot be without someone in charge. Day before yesterday I heard them saying…”

“Who said?”

“The guild hall.”

Zhù Da liked to wander about. There was nowhere in the front courtyard or on the street he did not go. His current favorite was the Fulu Guild Hall. He knew the Fulu dialect, and like Zhù Ying, he had a deep affection for Fulu County. He never accepted gifts when people offered them at the guild hall, but he was very happy to be invited to sit, drink tea, chat, and eat snacks.

Between sips of tea and rounds of conversation, the Fulu folk were naturally concerned about this. Zhù Ying said: “Almost there. The deputy magistrate arrives first, then the magistrate. Would you like to take a look?”

“Just a peek from behind the screen — that would be enough.”

“That is fine.”

The meal was lively with talk and laughter. Zhang Xiangu said Zhù Lian was eating too little: “A boy half-grown is at the age when he eats the most — you are not going hungry here in my quarters, are you? Come!” She had the large plate of braised pork knuckle moved to sit in front of him.

Zhù Ying said: “What about mine?”

Zhù Da pushed his own dish of red-braised pork toward her, sighing: “Old age. I cannot manage it anymore.”

They ate and laughed together. Zhù Ying casually asked Ling Dang whether she was settling in comfortably. Ling Dang nodded earnestly and smiled: “Very much so. And I can still go to school.”

Huajie said: “She is learning very well. She has already been able to assist me.”

Wu Ren was a young girl and not very familiar with the household, so Zhù Ying did not engage her in much conversation.

Wu Ren ate quietly. Zhang Xiangu, seeing how shy she was, did not trouble her either.

Wu Ren ate this meal in great contentment.

Toward the end of the meal, Zhù Ying asked: “Where is Qiao Er today?”

Zhang Xiangu said: “Qiao Er’s mother came by today.”

Zhù Ying set down her chopsticks: “She came to take her home?”

“Did you know about it?”

Zhù Ying said: “She came here in the first place to earn a bit of extra money to add to her dowry.”

Since it was a matter of the inner household, Qiao Er’s family would not have reported it directly to her. She had established a convention in the household — matters like Qiao Er’s would be reported by Du Dajie to Huajie and Zhang Xiangu, who would then settle them.

Zhang Xiangu said: “There was real reluctance to part. But now that spring planting is over, there is a bit of breathing room — a good time for a wedding. When she left, she asked if she could come back and keep working after the marriage. I said yes. Is that all right?”

“You have already said yes — how could it not be all right?” Zhù Ying said. Having her come back to work after the wedding was a good thing. Qiao Er would still have an income, and her skill in the Zhù household was genuinely good.

Zhù Ying also said: “Tomorrow, have Xiao Liu go and ask what date it will be. Give her father a day off so he can go home and help with the arrangements. If she comes to ask Lin Niangzi to go help, or to invite familiar friends and household staff to eat at the wedding feast — once the house affairs are in order, everyone is free to go. No one is to be held back.”

The servants standing nearby — Jiang Guafu and the others — showed pleased expressions. Du Dajie said: “Then we will go in two shifts, taking turns so the household still has someone on duty. I will remind Lin Niangzi to prepare the residence’s meals in advance. When we go to the feast, we just heat them up and they are ready.”

Zhù Ying nodded.

After the meal, she went first to the study, then had someone go and invite Huajie to bring Wu Ren to the study to discuss the manuscript.

——

At that moment Wu Ren was by candlelight doing a final check on the manuscript and the printing arrangements.

Now that Zhù Ying was back, she had been helping Huajie with this task for these past two days: how many pages in total, what the cost would be, how many copies to print. Woodblock carving was expensive — the more copies printed, the lower the cost per copy. Then there was the price of paper, which she had looked into. Although the printing was being commissioned outside, the prefectural office was still overseeing it. She had made a detailed plan of her own, for Huajie to cross-check.

Huajie was searching for a braided cord by lamplight. Zhù Ying’s favorite folding fan — one she had used for a dozen or more years — had been repaired over and over, and many parts had broken. When the weather grew warm and she had gone to bring it out, she remembered that the braided cord she had added to decorate it last year had broken and been thrown away. She was thinking of finding a new one to add.

Xiao Liu did not dare to enter. She called out at the inner gate. The gate of the inner residence now also had a gatekeeper — two of the female guards from the estate were on shift at a time. Hearing her voice, they passed along the message. Huajie said to Wu Ren: “Let us go then.”

Wu Ren followed Huajie to the study. She was a little nervous and unconsciously leaned slightly closer to Huajie. When she was about to bow in greeting, her hand was caught in Huajie’s. She pulled her hand back. Huajie gave her a slightly puzzled look.

Then Huajie also understood, and deliberately made a bow to Zhù Ying as well. Wu Ren, half a beat behind, followed suit.

Zhù Ying smiled: “Sit.”

The two sat down. Zhù Ying wasted no time on pleasantries and asked Huajie: “Is the manuscript finalized?”

“Yes.”

Wu Ren quickly produced the manuscript and presented it on the desk. Zhù Ying leafed through it and said: “I do not know much about medicine. With you having checked it thoroughly, we can take it to the woodblock cutters tomorrow.”

She read quickly. Seeing that the medical terminology was correctly written without errors, she made no further objection. Huajie had been practicing medicine for over ten years. In the area of women’s medicine, she was far more knowledgeable than any ordinary physician — even the imperial physicians at court, she suspected, did not understand these matters as well as Huajie did.

She set the manuscript aside, glanced at Wu Ren, and asked: “Everyone has been busy with spring planting — did it hold you up at home?”

Wu Ren said: “In reply to my lord — it was manageable. I took a few days off and went back.”

Zhù Ying asked: “How many people in your household help with the work?” Zhù Ying probably knew the Bai family’s situation better than Wu Ren herself — someone who was constantly at Huajie’s side was someone she could not possibly not look into.

Wu Ren said: “Four in the family, plus the household maids who can help with cooking. The landholdings are not large — there are two tenant households, and day laborers are hired when it is busiest…”

Zhù Ying listened attentively, then asked: “What is the annual harvest?”

Wu Ren said: “The matter of collecting rents is not something I manage much…”

Zhù Ying asked a question and Wu Ren answered each one, giving Zhù Ying a clearer picture of the circumstances of a small comfortable household in Wuzhou.

The Wang family owned some land. For most of the year, they did not need to go into the fields themselves. Day-to-day, Wu Yi or Wu Da would go and check on things and supervise the tenants. During spring planting and autumn harvest, the Wu family members also had to pitch in — not doing heavy labor, but managing and coordinating. Even the maids and servants hired at home were called upon to help with meal preparations.

Zhù Ying said: “That must be tiring too.” As she spoke, she glanced at Huajie. Huajie had also been a comfortable household’s daughter in Zhu Family Village — her life at that time was similar to Wu Ren’s now. Busy times required pitching in with some of the work, and also keeping accounts and such.

Huajie said: “Yes. Having her, I have been spared so much.”

Wu Ren said nothing.

Zhù Ying asked Wu Ren: “Have you studied bookkeeping?”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying did not test her immediately. Instead she said: “Do you want to keep on helping your teacher?”

“Yes.” This time Wu Ren’s answer came with firm conviction, and a trace of eagerness in her voice. She summoned her courage and lifted her head to look at Zhù Ying for a moment.

Their eyes met. Wu Ren’s mind went completely blank. She could read not the faintest trace of emotion from Zhù Ying’s gaze, and did not know how to continue. The two of them just stared at each other.

Zhù Ying said: “Continue helping indefinitely?”

“Yes!” Wu Ren wanted to say it loudly, but could not tell whether the volume she actually produced was large or small. She reinforced it with a vigorous nod.

Zhù Ying said: “I understand. Your teacher says you are good at everything. Tomorrow, come and meet Scholar Qi. Let him test you on some accounting matters. If you pass, you will take charge of the medical department’s accounts.”

“Yes!” This time Wu Ren’s voice came out a bit louder.

Zhù Ying nodded to the two of them, and Huajie led Wu Ren away.

Wu Ren’s heart was beating rapidly. She thought: have I taken my first step?

She had her own calculation. Marriage prospects were difficult for her. She truly could become a burden on her brother’s family. So why not take a different path? There were ready-made examples before her eyes. Her examples were only two — and they had landed her right in the academy. Then she would simply perform well at the academy! If she could follow a path like her teacher’s, that would not be bad at all.

She had long since spoken her wishes to her family. They were not particularly enthusiastic, but they did not object either.

It was Wang Fuqu who had first proposed it.

Wang Fuqu, seeing that Huajie was very fond of her daughter, and noting that the work her daughter was helping Huajie do had still not been finished, consulted with the family and suggested letting the daughter stay on to help Huajie. The excuse was that the field work was important, but what Huajie was currently doing seemed to be something very significant. If it came to something, the daughter might gain some other opportunity from it. Better for the family to work a little harder, while the daughter remained safely with a female teacher.

Wang Fuqu’s anxiety was her daughter’s future. She spoke of “trusting fate to bring the right match” but had already given up inwardly. If her daughter truly never found a husband she could be with, what then? Depend on brothers and nephews? Wang Fuqu was not at ease with that.

The academy had a touch of officialdom about it. Huajie was an official of sorts. Getting close to that world and seeing what came of it — striking out whether there was fruit or not. Finding a suitable match for a daughter was tiring; letting her apply herself to something else instead was also tiring. Both were tiring; both were for the daughter’s sake. Both the same.

So Wang Fuqu had taken a leave of absence for the entire busy farming season. Wu Ren was absent only for the few busiest days in the middle, when she went home out of concern. Now that Wang Fuqu was not yet back, Wu Ren had returned to the city first, and Huajie had brought her along.

Now that Zhù Ying had spoken, she could see a small glimmer of dawn ahead.

Wu Ren thought to herself: the lord is not one of those odious officials who might as well be carved into gravestones — all stiff propriety, as if everything worth saying about them had been chiseled into stone at birth, and they spend the rest of their lives being exactly that, unchanged even if a tomb-raider digs them up, tramples them to rubble, and puts the pieces back together. And what was carved on those stones was never anything good.

The lord is a living person — and she wishes others to be living too. I need only give all I have. Whether it succeeds or not — I will have no regrets. An opportunity like this, if I fail to seize it, the only thing left to carve on my tombstone would be the word “regret”!

——

“An opportunity like this, if you fail to seize it, you will regret it for the rest of your life!” Lin Weng paced back and forth in the Fulu Guild Hall, repeating and pressing the point endlessly. He was on the verge of grabbing Lin Balang by the ear and pouring the words in directly.

When Zhù Ying had been cultivating county school students in the past, Lin Balang had “followed his own counsel” and let the chance pass — costing Lin Weng his chance to become the father of an official. For this, Lin Weng had on multiple occasions urged Lin Balang to take the initiative and go to the prefectural office to express regret and get in the queue for a post. The harder Lin Weng pushed, the more stubbornly Lin Balang refused.

This time an opportunity had arisen, and Lin Balang had already agreed. Lin Weng’s spirits revived: “Last time’s business — forget it, forget it, say no more. There being no promotion for now, if there is some financial compensation it is still something. On this trip you will take some people with you — I will give you the Zhang household steward. He is a capable man, knows his way around accounts, can read and write them too…”

“We have not even set out yet, and you are already thinking about getting a share of the gains for our own family. If I follow what you say, how could I face the lord? Back when dealing with my brother-in-law, it was the same…”

“Silence!” Lin Weng raised a hand.

Lin Balang kept his neck stiff and said: “If it were not for the fact that our family took things from my brother-in-law, then he had committed such a great crime, died for it, and deserved it! I do not grieve for him! He was not wronged! If it happened again, I would still help the lord investigate him! But his things we took, and we never returned them to my sister. I have no face to take the credit for helping the lord and then on top of that become an official. And my sister passed away too — what is the point?”

Lin Weng clutched his chest, speaking with heartfelt earnestness: “How many times have I explained this to you — was that greed on your father’s part? Was it not for all of you? Eight of you brothers! If I were to break this old body apart and sell it piece by piece, I still could not make sure each and every one of you could live this way! Your brother-in-law? Our whole family bowed low before him — what did we ever owe him? He committed that great crime — if we had not taken the property, it all would have been confiscated by the government! In our hands, it could still support your sister and her children. Do not mention your sister. I have no such daughter! “

Speaking of his daughter brought him anger. Remembering that she was his own flesh and blood, he could not keep scolding too much without it reflecting back on himself, so he reasoned carefully with his son instead: “Your father appealed to the lord, and managed to preserve her children and a few fields of rental income for her. And what did she do? She nearly caused your father’s ruin! An unfilial daughter!”

Lin Balang listened and grew increasingly unsettled. He thought: thank goodness I never became an official. If I had, goodness knows what corrupt acts he would have pushed me into.

This time, however, it was a real opportunity. The reasoning his father spoke was not wrong, and he knew that once the property was divided, the family income would be strained. He needed a livelihood. But that would only come after completing the work for the lord properly!

Lin Balang’s temper also rose. He said: “If you try to have me use public resources for private gain again, I will go to the lord tomorrow and turn down this assignment. If I take this post, not one of the servants you are used to will I bring — not a single one!”

Lin Weng was stunned. He wanted to make a scene but felt too ashamed. He wanted to shout and scold, but knew his son’s character well enough to know it would not work. He could only say: “Fine, fine — do whatever you like! When you are old and you have eight sons of your own, then think back on me!”

Lin Balang also said stubbornly: “I will absolutely not be like you! If the rice is not cooked properly, do not steal the rice raw in the first place — what household could tolerate a cook like that?”

Father and son sulked and quarreled through the night. The next morning they were still up early and heading back home to pack. Lin Balang did as he said — the capable household steward Zhang, whom Lin Weng had recommended, was left behind. Lin Balang selected a few people he himself had observed and trusted, then set out again, intending to visit the prefectural office once more to see Zhù Ying and hear any final guidance. In his father’s presence, many questions he wanted to ask could not be spoken.

While father and son were at loggerheads in the guild hall, Zhù Ying had finished arranging the day’s affairs and kept Scholar Qi, Huajie, and Commissioner Peng back.

Commissioner Peng’s task was to have Huajie’s manuscript sent to the printers.

He asked: “How many copies does the lord wish to print?”

“First cut the woodblocks. Print five proof copies, and once those are confirmed error-free, print one hundred.”

Commissioner Peng said: “Perfect timing — the printing house has been printing the reading primers, and the woodblock cutters have just finished and have no work to keep them busy. If there were not something for them to do, they would be demanding to leave for better-paying work elsewhere, and I would still have to feel bad about paying them their wages.”

Zhù Ying laughed: “There will be plenty of work to keep them busy in the future. Go make the arrangements.”

“Yes.” Commissioner Peng answered and, before leaving, did not forget to offer Huajie a word of congratulations. Huajie’s face flushed with pleased color, and she thanked him.

After Commissioner Peng left, Scholar Qi became more talkative: “My lord, you do not need me to do anything about the printing, do you? Allocating funds falls under the granary supervisor — with Xiao Wu gone, there are still the deputy granary supervisors. Is it to check over the cost calculations?”

“The costs have already been calculated. You do not need to recalculate — just verify whether they have been calculated correctly.”

Huajie produced the sheet for Scholar Qi to look at. He scanned it once — the accounting was very simple, something he could do in his head. He said: “It is acceptable. Quite thorough.”

Zhù Ying said: “Sister Hu, if you would be so kind — please bring Wu Ren over. Scholar — I have a student for you. In a moment, please give her a test and see what she is capable of.”

Scholar Qi asked in surprise: “There is still something for me to do?”

“Yes.”

Before long, Wu Ren was brought to the signing room in some bewilderment. She saw Scholar Qi and tensed slightly, thinking: what is this for?

Huajie gave her a reassuring smile and said: “There are some matters of accounting to ask about.”

Wu Ren did not speak. She gave a small bow and lowered her head a little.

Zhù Ying said: “Your account work is solid. This is Scholar Qi. I am having him test you — are you willing?”

Wu Ren nodded.

Zhù Ying said: “Begin.”

She and Huajie listened. Huajie understood something of accounting, but not deeply. Zhù Ying was different — she understood it far more deeply than Huajie. Zheng Xi had specifically found someone to teach her in those early years. She listened as Scholar Qi tested Wu Ren: first arithmetic, then questions on the principles of bookkeeping. Wu Ren had attended school, but her learning had not reached a very advanced level — in Wuzhou, a girl could not expect instruction in deeply sophisticated subjects.

But from listening, Zhù Ying could tell that Wu Ren had a very orderly mind.

After Scholar Qi finished his examination, Zhù Ying asked Wu Ren several questions of her own. For instance: given a certain number of female students at the academy, along with a certain number of patients needing treatment, how would she make the arrangements?

Wu Ren said: “First I would look at the patients’ situations — where they live, how easily they can move about…”

Zhù Ying tested a few more planning and organizational questions and was fairly satisfied with Wu Ren. She then asked Scholar Qi: “In Scholar’s opinion — if she were to study under you for a time, would you be willing?”

Wu Ren’s heart was beating frantically with anxiety. On the surface she only showed a slight flush, and she stood her ground steadily.

Scholar Qi considered for a moment, then glanced at Huajie, and said: “It is acceptable.”

Wu Ren asked softly: “Then — the studies at the academy, may this young woman continue to attend?”

Huajie said: “Of course.”

Wu Ren let out a quiet breath. Her mother and Niang Zi were getting on in years and learned somewhat more slowly — their brush notes were not as quick as the younger girls who were growing comfortable with official speech and the written characters. Holding up the class for them would be out of the question. Better for her to watch and help take notes on their behalf. Between her own work and her mother’s studies, she found it impossible to choose — fortunately, no choice was necessary.

Zhù Ying said: “Today the academy has not let out for the day, has it?”

Huajie said at once: “Goodness! A’Ren, let us go quickly!”

Zhù Ying watched them leave, then asked Scholar Qi one question: “How does she compare to Xiao Wu?”

Scholar Qi also spoke seriously: “The roundabout maneuvers — I do not follow those. But as for learning things and taking care of accounts, she is better than Xiao Wu. You are not thinking of having her take Xiao Wu’s position, are you? I assumed you were just having her help the Madam.”

“Of course her first task is to help Elder Sister. As for granary supervisor — I never said anything of the sort.”

The people she intended to use had to be reliable and also capable. Reliability took time to verify. One could not spend years confirming someone’s loyalty only to find, in the end, that they lacked the ability. For her, screening for ability was now actually simpler than testing for loyalty.

Wu Ren had been placed right before her. She would do.

Scholar Qi said: “My lord, if there is nothing else, I will go back to my quarters.”

“Go.”

——

That day, Lin Balang arrived again just as evening fell and entered the city. He lodged at the guild hall that night, then asked for an audience early the next morning.

Lin Balang had written out notes for himself in advance, organizing various questions. But the moment he entered and saw her, his mind went blank. He could not help but pull out his notes.

Zhù Ying said: “Bring them over and let me look.”

Lin Balang, face reddened, handed the notes to Zhù Ying. Beside the headings “Sugar Workshop Arrangements,” “Prefect Lu,” and “Local Guild Hall” were several questions — and at the very last entry, clearly written: “Father.”

Zhù Ying answered each question in turn: “You need not depart immediately. I will first arrange for you to observe at the official workshop, and I will give you a set of blueprints — these you may keep only for yourself. Before you depart, I will give you a calling card. Take it to present yourself to Prefect Lu. You already know who is serving at the local guild hall this rotation — go and lodge there first. You are a traveling student, not a merchant. Remember that.”

Finally, she asked: “Is Lin Weng in good health?”

Lin Balang said: “My father…” There was too much to say and he locked up.

Zhù Ying asked slowly: “He is a little… eager, is he?”

Lin Balang finally opened up: “This student… this student…” A son does not speak of a father’s faults. In front of the ranking official of an entire prefecture, one absolutely could not speak ill of one’s own father. Even less could one ask the prefect — why did you protect my father back then, and allow some of my brother-in-law’s property to pass to him? That would be a dog biting the very hand that fed it. And yet Lin Weng had indeed received real benefits! So he could only speak in roundabout terms, saying his father was truly “eager” — well! Even “eager” was a word the lord had offered; no wonder she was the lord!

He also said: “Parents always want their children to do well — when children prosper they can also care better for their parents. It is just that…”

Zhù Ying smiled: “When you get to Prefect Lu’s territory, ask the guild hall there about an old classmate.”

“Oh?”

“Gu Tong.”

Gu Tong — that classmate who had climbed over the wall and fled his home to burden himself on the county office, begging shamelessly to become the county magistrate’s student, going head-to-head against his grandfather for it…

Lin Balang said: “Yes.” He had not originally intended to see Gu Tong, but he suddenly changed his mind.

Zhù Ying said: “Xiao Liu, take him to see Xiang An.”

“Yes.”

While Lin Balang was observing the sugar-making process at the workshop, Ding Gui and the others arrived with a great load of goods from the relay station. Zhù Ying had everything brought around to the rear, and asked Zhang Xiangu and Huajie to put things away.

She gave a set of directions: the items were to be divided into three portions. One portion for the mountain estate in the fourth month; one portion to remain at the residence below; the last portion for the officials of the prefectural office — Deputy Administrator Zhang would receive the largest share, and the county magistrates of the various counties would also receive some. A final portion was set aside as a dowry gift for Qiao Er.

The inner household was busy for three days before things were more or less sorted.

By that time, the county heads from the five counties in the mountain had also arrived.

They came in two groups — Su Mingluan with Lu Guo, and Lang Kunwu with Mountain Sparrow and Xijin. After receiving word, both groups came down the mountain separately. The two groups had not informed each other and ran into one another outside Wuzhou city. Each inwardly cursed the other: You scheming wretch — sneaking out to see the lord / godfather without a word! What a shameless flatterer.

The five “flatterers” turned to each other and said: “The lord / godfather is finally back! It seems we thought of it at the same time!”

Su Mingluan also exchanged remarks with Lang Kunwu on the subject of children: “Do men also miss their children?”

Lang Kunwu said: “My son is still very young.”

“Children grow up in the blink of an eye.”

“They do!”

“Ha ha.”

“Ha ha ha ha.”

Su Mingluan thought to herself: my daughter has grown quite a bit!

Lang Kunwu thought to himself: A’Fa can spend a few more years at the godfather’s side being raised properly.