Chapter 422 - 422: Wang Familly Village

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Aunt, planting vaccines can indeed prevent smallpox, but you also know that there are risks in everything. I can’t guarantee that it will be foolproof. It depends on whether her family is willing to take this risk.”

“Actually, she doesn’t have to look for my Old Master. Back then, after he found a way to treat the vaccine in Qingchuan, he reported the prescription to the Imperial Court. The Imperial Hospital must have a prescription too. Wouldn’t it be better for her to hire an imperial doctor?”

When Madam Gong heard this, she nodded and said, “Yes, that’s for the best. Let her go to the imperial hospital to find the imperial physician to plant the vaccine, lest something happens and your Old Master suffers.”

“I think so too.” Li Yu smiled.

Madam Gong sighed. “That’s one thing about my cousin. She likes to worm her way into things. Don’t lower yourself to her level.”

Li Yu smiled and said, “I think Aunt is very good. She’s straightforward and interesting.”

At this moment, Lin Yi and Lin Jia returned with Qiao’er. They took off their hats, revealing their red faces and sweaty hair.

Lin Jia pouted and said, “I’m so angry. My eagle was pestered by a big centipede. Its string was broken and the kite flew away.”

“It’s fine if it’s broken! Look at how sweaty you are.” Madam Gong lovingly wiped their sweat with a handkerchief.

Lin Yi smiled and said to Lin Jia, ‘You’re first today. Tell me! What do you want? I’ll buy it for you!”

Qiao’er also smiled and asked her, “Tell me quickly. If you don’t say it today, it won’t count.”

Li Yu also nodded and smiled. “That’s right! The first place should have a prize. Tell me, what do you want?”

Lin Jia smiled and thought for a moment. She looked at Lin Yi and Qiao’er. “I want the two of you to serve me.”

Lin Yi and Qiao’er laughed when they heard that. “Little girl, that’s all you’ve got. Just wait. I’ll serve you personally.”

Li Yu and Madam Gong watched the three of them run out laughing.

Li Yu looked at Lin Jia and Lin Yi and said with a smile, “The two of them are really close. Jia’er is lively and playful, and Yi’er is gentle and considerate. Aunt, you’re so lucky.”

“Isn’t that so! Everyone says that about me.” Madam Gong looked at her two daughters and smiled at Li Yu. “We women! We’re still the happiest as daughters.”

“Ah Yu, we are considered blessed. Jiahe is devoted to you. Although your uncle doesn’t say it, he has been considerate to me all these years.”

“Sigh! Men are afraid of entering the wrong profession, and women are afraid of marrying the wrong man. As parents, we are afraid of their daughters marrying into the wrong family and watching her suffer.”

Li Yu was deep in thought as she touched her belly. Baby, are you brothers or sisters?

The group played outside the East Lake until noon before leaving. The Lin family’s mother and daughter sent Li Yu to the door before bidding farewell and leaving.

Li Yu went home and found Mr. Wen. She told him what Mrs. Lin had said. Mr. Wen shook his head and said, “There are still people who use such methods to harm others nowadays! These women in the inner residence only know how to fight for love when they have nothing to do. They’re not satisfied with living well. I really should let them see what kind of lives those women who have to fret about three meals a day are living.”

Li Yu laughed when she heard that. “Don’t be angry. Those people have nothing to do with us. I’m just afraid that she’ll come looking for you. I’m afraid that it’ll be difficult for you.”

Mr. Wen nodded. “That’s why I’m unwilling to go to those rich families to consult. I’d rather help those commoners.”

Li Yu smiled and said, “It’s because you’re noble and unyielding that you’re unwilling to see those people’s faces.”

Mr. Wen smiled. “You’ve learned to be glib, too.”

At night, Zhou Jia returned from the government office. Ji Xiang reported to Zhou Jia, “Master, the Han family is indeed living in Copper Lane in the west of the city. They have an old mother and two children. Their wife and mother help people wash their clothes. Han San is doing idle work on the streets to earn a living. He’s also a famous filial son in Copper Lane.”

Zhou Jia pondered for a moment. “Alright, pay attention to him and see what kind of character he has. Don’t let him lie to us.”

Ji Xiang thought about it and felt that it made sense. ‘Master is right. There are many unorthodox ideas with this type of people!”

Zhou Jia suddenly remembered that Chu Fu had come to him yesterday to tell him about the mountain ridge that His Majesty had given him. He said to Ji

Xiang, “The family is almost settled. Go to the farm and mountain ridge that His Majesty had given Madam to take a look.

Chu Fu said that he had sent a young steward from the manor to manage it and asked us to send him back after taking over.

“Go and see if there’s anything you need to repair in the manor. Renovate it a little. When the weather gets hot in a few days, send Madam to the manor to escape the heat.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll go this afternoon,” Ji Xiang replied.

The manor that the emperor had given Li Yu was in Wang Family Village in Hengshan Town, Linjing County, outside the city. Ji Xiang arrived in less than two hours on a horse. He asked around in town and followed a river called Henghe to Wang Family Village.

Ji Xiang saw that the villagers’ houses had been built not far from both sides of the river. Two arch bridges were built on the river, a stone arch bridge and a wooden porch bridge. The families leaving near the river looked to be doing well. He could see many tiled houses.

The villagers were pulling water weeds from the fields. There were also some seven or eight-year-old boys holding bamboo poles and letting ducks by the river.

Ji Xiang asked a boy who kept ducks by the river, “Little brother, do you know how to get to the Zhu family’s farmstead?”

The child glanced at the big horse led by Ji Xiang and pointed at a wooden porch bridge in front of him. He said crisply, “Uncle, after crossing the porch bridge and walking for a while, you’ll reach the Zhu family’s manor. Look for the Zhu family! I heard from my father that the Zhu family has been imprisoned. You’ll have made a wasted trip.”

Ji Xiang smiled and cupped his fists at the little boy. “Thank you, little brother.” The little boy blushed and smiled before going to chase the ducks.

Ji Xiang rode over the porch bridge. There was a yellow mud and gravel road that could cross a carriage. After a quarter of an hour, he saw a large house with green bricks and gray tiles in the distance.

When Ji Xiang arrived at the house, he saw that the door was closed. He dismounted and knocked on the door. A man in his thirties or forties opened the courtyard door. He frowned at Ji Xiang and said arrogantly, “Please go.

There’s no Zhu family here anymore.”

Ji Xiang looked at his arrogant appearance and frowned. He smiled and cupped his hands. “Big Brother, I’m not here to look for the Zhu family. I was sent by the owner of the manor to take over. I wonder if Steward Chu has greeted you?”

The man looked a little unhappy when he heard that. “The steward hasn’t come to greet us yet. Are you taking over today?”

Ji Xiang’s heart sank when he saw him. He simply said, “Yes, my master asked me to see if there’s anything that needs repairing.”

“Why were you gone for so long? Who is it?” At this moment, a young woman’s voice sounded in the courtyard.

The man smiled awkwardly at Ji Xiang and said, “It’s from my family. Sir, wait a moment. I’ll come back after packing.”

Ji Xiang smiled readily. “Alright, I’m also a little thirsty. I’ll go in and drink some water. You and your wife can clean up.”

The man reluctantly pulled open the door and let Ji Xiang in. A slightly plump woman stood in the courtyard. The man went forward and pulled her in.

When Ji Xiang saw him enter the main room, he wondered how there could be such an unruly servant.

The man pulled the woman into the house and said to her, “Clean up, clean up this manor. It’s already taken.”

The woman shouted in surprise, “Didn’t you say that His Majesty left this farmstead? Steward Chu asked you to be the farmstead. We’ve already rented those fields to those tenants. What about the lease?”

The man said with a dark expression, “Return the lease. Hurry up and take out the account book and hand it to him. Let’s go back and report to Steward Chu.”

The woman took the ledger out of the box with a dark expression and handed it to him.. “Here! Take it!”