Chapter 574 - Horse Plague at the North Borders (I)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The storekeeper of the treasure house deserves a commendation indeed, he not only finished his task perfectly, even when faced with thousands of riches, he did not succumb to greed and he took nothing. If Jiang Pengji doesn’t reward him generously and give him what he deserves, who will labour so heartily for her?

Even if she knows the storekeeper in the treasure house can do it, it must have been Gu Xin who secretly left behind some underhand means. Nonetheless, she will not be stingy and rewards that are rightful will be given.

Thus, other than rewarding the business group who transported the goods 200,000 string of coins, she also retrieved from her private warehouse 20,000 string of coins for the storekeeper.

Xu Ke has been the one helping Jiang Pengji to manage the warehouse. Whenever a sum is given or received, he will meticulously record it. Seeing that these two transactions were made, even though he is used to his lord’s generous style, he was still unbearably speechless in astonishment...A gulping 220,000 string of coins, not 22 strings of coins.

Do you have any idea what 220,000 strings of coins is like?

With just 10,000 strings of coins, one can buy a magistrate title or district magistrate position at Dongqing. If one donates 10,000 string of coins, he can become a legitimate county chief. If that isn’t called a large stroke, then what is a large-scale occurrence? Xu Ke looked at these two transactions and sighed, then he saw another record of credits, which left him dropping his brush.@@novelbin@@

The national treasury’s yearly income is 90 to 150 million string of coins. His lord is but a district magistrate and she is occupying Fengyi county without official orders, yet her income in these few months has reached 20 million string of coins... after holding it in for a second, he managed to control his urge to scream.

Because of this, his mental state was in a daze, he can almost be described as floating into Xiangyang district’s government office.

Feng Jin lifted his head and looked at Xu Ke whom he hasn’t seen for many days. He was much thinner than he last remembered and with much concern he said, “Seeing Xiaoyu’s state, I suppose the workload in Maolin district is extremely heavy. If you’re exhausted, why not discuss with the lord if you can take some time off?”

Xu Ke was stumped, then he regained his senses, “Ke is fine...”

Maolin district’s government office is indeed busy. When they first started, they worked all day and night and never got to see the daylight. Xu Ke almost forgot what sleeping felt like... Luckily, he successfully persevered through this phase and now that things are on track, the subsequent steps will be followed up by his subordinates according to protocol. He only needs to settle some miscellaneous affairs and improve the patrolling then supervision of the area will suffice.

Feng Jin was stunned, then he observed Xu Ke intently.

Xu Ke was wearing the clothing his aunt and Xun Mei made for him years ago. It originally fitted him but now it looked baggy.

“You should eat more nutritious food, look at how skinny you are.”

Feng Jin’s workload the past half a year was also intense, by right it should have decreased by 20%. Yet the food at the government office is so sumptuous, and moreover he has his demure, virtuous and meticulous wife to take care of him. He is in the pink of health, likened to a fresh flower that is well-taken care of.

Xu Ke nodded, though he was still distracted.

Before they both spoke extensively, unfamiliar footsteps were heard from outside, it was accompanied by a tune that was out of tune. Xu Ke frowned.

Feng Jin remarked, “Zi Shi is here.”

“Zi Shi?”

Xu Ke was working non-stop, all night and day at Maolin district, once a while when he finds time, he’ll show concern for what’s happening in Xiangyang district. This is where Feng Zhen comes in. He heard that this man is addicted to Hanshi powder, his ways are unrestrained and just based on this, Xu Ke’s first impression of Feng Zhen is below a passing grade.

Xu Ke said, “Feng Zi Shi?”

Feng Jin nodded.

Their conversation just ended; a shadow adorned with pale coloured, scholarly clothes literally floated in. He smelled of alcohol from head to toe, his eyes were narrow, and he was humming an unknown tune. He greeted Feng Jin “good afternoon” robotically then turned his head to mind his own business.

Xu Ke who is such a big man, must have been side-stepped by Feng Zhen.

“You drank alcohol?” Xu Ke was stunned.

The lord seriously allows Feng Zhen to indulge as such, she permits him to drink while working at the government office?

Feng Jin sighed briefly. “The lord got Dian Yan to supervise him, to ensure he doesn’t consume Hanshi powder or drink excessively. It’s a wonder where this guy hides his alcohol, every afternoon during lunch break, it is imperative that he then drinks till he’s drunk. But he has never messed up his official work and his output is impressive.”

From Jiang Pengji’s perspective, if her subordinates don’t overstep her boundaries, she is happy to allow them to indulge. They may have their own personal preferences. Feng Zhen can drink half a pot of wine daily even under Dian Yan’s constant vigilance but without Jiang Pengji’s permission, this is completely impossible.

Feng Jin and Xu Ke lead upright, personal lives, they are models who practice high standards of discipline. With regards to Feng Zhen who is their direct opposite, they surely cannot relate to him. Nevertheless, since Jiang Pengji didn’t confront him, they have no right to control Feng Zhen. They could only pretend all is well.

They didn’t purposely lower their voices, Feng Zhen also listened to their conversation without restraint. He mocked and laughed at them both.

Dian Yan’s strategy to encircle and intercept is ingenious, but above there are political laws and on the ground level there are counter strategies. To hide a few glasses of alcohol and secretly drink is a small issue.

Let alone his drinking buddy is her lord, Jiang Pengji. If Dian Yan can discover this, that would be weird.

He delightfully thought to himself. When he bent down, he discovered two letters on the table which haven’t been opened.

Did someone write to him? Feng Zhen opened and saw; he awoke from his drunken stupor immediately.

“Aiyaya — this is bad!”

Feng Jin heard a commotion then asked, “What happened?”

Feng Zhen pinched his lower chin saying, “I never knew I am indeed so popular, everyone wants me on their side.”

Feng Jin and Xu Ke looked strangely at each other, someone wrote to Feng Zhen and intended to poach him over?

“The sender’s name is indeed interesting, Shangyang’s Feng Huaijie. Yi — why is this name like Huaiyu’s name?”

When he read the date the letter was sent, it was shockingly earlier than Wei Ci’s by half a month. However, because the geography was far apart, he received Wei Ci’s letter first.

Feng Huaijie? Isn’t that Feng Jin’s younger brother, Feng Jue?

Xu Ke turned his head, expectedly Feng Jin’s face turned black, as if a thick layer of black paint was brushed across his face.

“That’s my younger brother.” Feng Jin remarked.

Feng Zhen looked at the letter in shock, then at Feng Jin.

Feng Jue and Feng Jin are really brothers? Are they certain they’re brothers from the same womb? Their personalities are so different.

Compared to the somewhat rebellious, unrestrained Feng Jue, Feng Jin bears the aura of a legitimate son from a wealthy, aristocratic family. His every move requires maximum precision, he is neither distant nor close, he does things rigidly... No wonder Feng Zhen did not associate the brothers with each other.

After a while, he laughed. “The person that Huaijie is serving has great ambitions, it is impossible for the lord to submit under another. If both fight with each other, there’ll surely be one, in future...the scenario where both of you have to battle each other is inevitable.”

Feng Jin’s face turned a shade darker. He hated Huang Song! Honestly, he didn’t know what Huang Song did to mesmerise Feng Jue. How does a mere descendent of a eunuch deserve Feng Jue’s help?

“Hmph, each submits to their own master. If such a day comes, Jin will surely rid him of the family.”

Feng Jin sneered briefly, with that his impression of Feng Zhen also became worse by a notch. Feng Zhen didn’t bother in contrast. His personality isn’t suitable to be friends with such an upright gentleman.

Tearing the other letter, Feng Zhen said with disdain, “Seems like Huang Song indeed has his ways.”

Feng Jin raised his brows, “What happened?”

Feng Zhen explained, “I have a good friend, you may also know him. His surname is Cheng and his name is Jing, his courtesy name is You Mo, one of Master Yuanjing’s disciples. He is presently in Huang Song’s Diyang district and he has high praise for him. He even wrote to me a letter on Huang Song’s behalf... If Huang Song has no ambitions, even ghosts refuse to believe! I propose, do we want to make the first move? To prevent subsequent troubles?”