Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 751: Naturally Think What You Think

In the restaurant,
The fragrance of flowers is pleasant, and there is a small pond on the west side of the first-floor hall, surrounded by flower beds unique to the south of the Yangtze River, just like a scene of spring by a lake.

at this time,

In the hall,

Everything is quiet.
Shen Wanhe took the package without knowing why, and asked with confusion,

The package in his hand naturally attracted other people. Jia Yucun's eyes lit up. Could there be something strange here? Only the Tongzhi Hu Wenxuan followed at the back, lowered his head and said nothing. He was still a little uneasy. What the prefectural office had done had offended most of the officials in Jiangnan. How should he respond if Lord Jing or Lord Zhuang asked about it? Another Tongpan Ma Guangcheng did not show up either. Did he have other intentions?

Eunuch Yang smiled, touched the wide belt around his waist, and replied with a meaningful tone;
"I came from the capital and have been thinking about what gift to bring to Mr. Shen. After some guesswork, it is naturally what Mr. Shen has been thinking about."

Eunuch Yang stared at Shen Wanhe's face with a half-smile, trying to see his reaction.
But Shen Wanhe's expression remained unchanged. Then he bowed and
"Thank you, Grand Eunuch, for caring about me so much. As long as it is given by you, I will definitely keep it in your house, offer sacrifices day and night, and pray for your blessing."

These words were beautiful. It was raining outside, and the journey was tiring. Eunuch Yang was feeling a little depressed, but he immediately felt much better. He grinned and let out a long sigh.
"Look at it all, Master Shen's words are more convincing."

When Xiao Guizi saw her godfather's bright smile, she knew that he was in a much better mood, so she interjected,

"Mr. Shen should be well served. You know that the package in your hand is the sixth-rank official status that godfather brought to Mr. Shen. Mr. Shen, no, Mr. Shen, you must remember godfather's kindness in the future."

After these words came out, not only Shen Wanhe's face turned pale, but even Jia Yucun's eyes widened, looking over in disbelief. Eunuch Yang was really planning to win over Shen Wanhe. If Shen Wanhe became an official, the Weaving Bureau would fall into his hands legitimately, and the Zhen family and other aristocratic families would no longer have a chance to intervene.
Shen Wanhe stopped there, with a huge wave of emotion in his heart. He didn't expect that the official position he had been seeking would be brought back by Eunuch Yang in this way. The favor was so great that his hands tightened as if they weighed a thousand pounds. His face flushed, and he quickly opened the package, only to see a set of official uniform, a waist badge, and appointment documents were all there. With the three words "Shen Wanhe" clearly written on it, it couldn't be fake. Although the sixth-rank official was an idle official, he was in charge of the weaving bureau, which was a real vacancy.

He immediately knelt down and kowtowed.

"I, Shen Wanhe, thank you for your grace, Lord. From now on, I will reward you generously for what you have done for me."

"Alas, Lord Shen, what a commoner, I said wrong,"

Eunuch Yang could see through the person in front of him. He thought that this person was extremely difficult to deal with, but he didn't expect that he could change his face. He could be used by him and was considered one of his own. The weaving bureau was now stable.

Shen Wanhe hesitated, opened his mouth, bowed,
"I thank you, eunuch."

"Haha, that's right. I was in a hurry last time. I followed the Marquis to handle a case and didn't take a good look. I left in a hurry. They say that Jiangnan Restaurant is like a paradise on earth. After seeing it today, I found that it is indeed wonderful."

Eunuch Yang smiled heartily, stretched out his hand for support, and looked at the scenery inside the building. It was as warm as spring water, worthy of being the scenery of Jiangnan. The last time he came, he was in a hurry and only talked about silver with Marquis Luo Yun. He didn't have time to look at other things. Now he finally got to take a good look.

Shen Wanhe followed behind with a slight bend in his waist, smiling;

"If the eunuch likes it, I will offer this place to him as a villa."

"Lord Shen's words are still pleasant to the ears. However, I like what the Marquis said the most. Sometimes, good things are enough to just look at, and you don't have to own them. Although this place is good, I don't want everything."

It was not known whether Eunuch Yang really did not want it or was pretending not to want it, so he waved his hand. Xiao Guizi followed closely beside him. As for Captain Li and the Imperial City Guards, they followed behind in armor and with blades. Their imposing manner made no one in the restaurant dare to act rashly.

"Grand Eunuch, please come this way. I have already prepared a banquet upstairs to welcome you. However, the Marquis you just mentioned is the Marquis Luo Yun from outside the Great Wall?"

"Yes, it's the Marquis. He has been to Jiangnan before. How come Lord Shen hasn't seen him?"

The group went up the stairs.

Entering the lobby on the second floor,
Just arrived at the second floor,

What comes into view is the extremely spacious flower hall. There are almost no other decorations, only a few tables and some curtains hanging around. The entire flower hall has been carefully cleaned, and a high platform has been set up on the west side. There is also a terrace at the staircase in front of you, from which you can overlook the situation in the attic. It is very grand.

"Eunuch, please walk slowly this way. I will arrange for the best chef in Jiangnan to cook for you today. You can enjoy delicious food tonight. How could I not know the majesty of Marquis Luo Yun? However, when the Marquis was in Jiangnan, I was busy in the weaving bureau preparing the batch of brocade tribute from the palace, so I did not leave the city. It is quite a pity."

Following Shen Wanhe's instructions, everyone took their seats one after another, even Jia Yucun and Hu Wenxuan came along.

This arrangement really suited Eunuch Yang's wishes. Ever since he followed Marquis Luo Yun to do some things, he didn't know whether he was influenced by the Marquis or he just liked these things, he liked to have a quiet place with few people, especially when eating. If there were too many people, no matter how good the food was, it would be difficult to eat. Therefore, when he was in the capital, he always ate alone, and only Eunuch Gui who served him knew about it.

"Master Shen is thoughtful."

"As long as the eunuch likes it, I'm really afraid that this arrangement may not suit your wishes."

Shen Wanhe raised his hands and clapped them, as if he had received an order. Then, a maid came over from the other side of the attic and first brought a set of fine blue and white porcelain and brewed tea on the spot.
These maids were not only beautiful, but also had smooth and flowing skills, which was pleasing to the eye. They were obviously well versed in the tea ceremony and must have studied it carefully.
"Sir Shen's place is really special. When I go to other places, tea is always brewed. I never thought that when I come to Sir Shen's place, drinking tea is actually a kind of enjoyment."

Eunuch Yang praised a lot, but he didn't really mean it. Thinking back to the time in the capital, it was full of worries and fears, and there was no fun at all. Of course, it was also a good deal of money.

"If you like, these tea girls will be given to you to serve you."

Shen Wanhe didn't care about these things at all. As long as Eunuch Yang liked something, he would just give it to him. It was just a matter of spending more money to make Eunuch Yang happy with his service. When they were discussing the matter of the Weaving Bureau, it would naturally be a piece of cake.

"Sir Shen is really polite. In that case, I will accept it. By the way, in the prefectural government, Sir Jia, you and Hu Tongzhi are here. Who is the Tongpan now?"

After talking for so long, Eunuch Yang was already suspicious. Since the Jinling prefect's people came to greet him, it stands to reason that the prefect, the associate prefect, and the magistrate should be there. But now there are only two of them. He thought that the magistrate should be waiting here, but now he went upstairs and didn't see him. So, the prefect's office was not a monolithic entity.

Eunuch Yang's question came suddenly and was ambiguous. It was very irritating to Jia Yucun's ears. He complained in his heart, "Ma Guangcheng, oh Ma Guangcheng, why did you have to come today? If you don't want to come, just say so." He felt a little guilty, so he smiled awkwardly and replied;

"My Lord, unfortunately, Judge Ma is staying at the government office to guard it. After all, tonight is different from the past. Lord Jing is still in the attic of the west city gate. Shouldn't we leave someone to guard the government office?"

Hu Tongzhi even wiped the sweat from his forehead. Lord Jia really dared to say anything, so he followed suit.
"Yes, eunuch, it's raining hard outside, and the water levels are rising everywhere. We can't leave them alone."

The conversation between the two made Shen Wanhe think a lot. Lord Jing at the west gate should be leading many officials from Jiangnan, waiting for the eunuch. Earlier, it was Lord Jing who sent someone to inform him and arrange the reception agenda. Just now downstairs, he was wondering why Lord Jing came only accompanied by the prefectural government. Now it seems that Prefect Jia is not simple.

"I'm overthinking that. Judge Ma is actually a responsible and good official. It's really rare."

He praised them verbally, but seeing the expressions on their faces, he could tell that his words were not sincere.

The prefect’s Yamen,

Ma Guangcheng, the magistrate of Jinling, had actually arrived at the prefectural yamen from his home long ago. When he entered the yamen, he did not see the two masters, so he pulled the clerk over and asked,

"Do you know where the two adults went?" "My Lord, the prefect and the deputy prefect took their men to the dock to welcome the eunuch. They said they were in a hurry to leave, so if the eunuch came, we could just go to the restaurant where Shen Wanhe was. The adults also said that now that the opportunity has come, it's not a bad idea to give it a try."

The clerk was a little frightened, but he still passed on the prefect's words to the magistrate. The political arena in Jiangnan was strange now, and even these small clerks felt a little uneasy.

Ma Guangcheng's face was gloomy. The prefect was too bold. However, thinking of Mr. Zhuang's attitude, it was obviously impossible to stop the court's policy of changing farmland to mulberry.

But Lord Jing arrived in Jiangnan alone. Although he had power, he did not have many people he could use. He thought that he could just go to the prefectural government to seek refuge, but unexpectedly, no one from the prefectural army came to visit him. So they had to keep their troops in place for the time being. Without soldiers, how could they convert the land? Those untouchables would not listen.

"How long has the prefect been gone?"

"Your Excellency, it has been about two hours, and I haven't seen the prefect's motorcade at the dock. I guess he has arrived. I also heard that Lord Jing and his people are having a big banquet in the attic of the west city, but I haven't seen Lord Jia's carriage, so I think the prefect has gone through another city gate."

The clerk calculated the time and found out that the prefect had been gone for a long time. When he sent someone to inquire, he unexpectedly encountered a convoy coming out of the restaurant, right on the attic of the west city gate. The people who had gone there didn't understand what was going on, and when they came back from the dock, they said they had not seen the prefect, guessing that the prefect had other plans.

"What, are you sure?"

"Master Ma, I dare not lie to you."

Ma Guangcheng was shocked. He had never thought that Lord Zhuang and Lord Jing were fighting, but Lord Jia actually found an opportunity and took the person away. Since he had taken the person away and did not go through the west gate, he must have gone around the west gate, otherwise he would have been stopped by Lord Jing. Thinking of Lord Jia's words before, how could Ma Guangcheng still sit still? He immediately stood up and shouted;

"Quick, prepare the horses and go directly to the South City Restaurant, hurry up."

"Yes, sir."

There was a commotion in the yamen, and then several people wearing straw raincoats and riding horses rushed out of the yamen and headed towards the south city.

In the restaurant,
The atmosphere was a little gloomy for a while.

The eunuch's questioning made Jia Yucun a little overwhelmed. When the prefect was in a dilemma, he was still thinking about how to smooth things over.

Hearing a commotion downstairs, he saw Ma Tongpan, whose official robes were already soaking wet, rushing up to the attic alone. He was stopped at the stairs by the imperial guards.
"Who is coming?"

"Your humble servant Ma Guangcheng, the magistrate of Jinling, requests to see the eunuch."

He did not even bother to wipe the rain off his face and was almost soaked through. The straw raincoat on his body could only cover his clothes a little and was almost useless. The bamboo hat on his head was blown away by the wind because he was riding too fast, or maybe he did it on purpose, but it had disappeared long ago. Everyone could see how miserable he looked.

Eunuch Yang and others saw the whole commotion, but only Jia Yucun and Ma Wenxuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"As the saying goes, it's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early. The water for making tea is just right and Master Ma is here. Come over."

Eunuch Yang looked at the figure at the stairs. The man was not strong, but rather thin. His raincoat had been soaked through, his face was pale, and the rain on his hair was not fake. It seemed that he was in a hurry.

"Yes, Grand Eunuch."

Captain Li clasped his fists in response, and raised his hand. The guards at the stairs let Ma Guangcheng in.
As soon as I entered,

Without even bothering to wipe the water off his face, he quickly walked up to Eunuch Yang, and his knees suddenly weakened, and he fell to the ground.
"I, Ma Guangcheng, the magistrate of Jinling, greet the eunuch and apologize to him."

This kneeling made Jia Yucun and Hu Wenxuan change their expressions and look a little ugly. The original plan was over.

Only Shen Wanhe kept smiling, but his heart was filled with turmoil. As the magistrate of a county, he could actually be so humble. He had to be extremely careful about the majesty of Eunuch Yang. The wealth of Jiangnan would eventually belong to the Shen family, and the past deficits could be made up. Thinking of the huge deficit at the Weaving Bureau, he was always worried about it.

"Oh, what crime has Judge Ma committed? It's good that he can come. Someone, let Master Ma change into clean clothes."

Eunuch Yang smiled. It seemed that Ma Guangcheng was a useful person.
When Shen Wanhe saw the eunuch speaking, he waved his hand and asked the servant to take Master Ma to the side room to change clothes. Then, another group of maids came over and placed plates of cakes, some of which were still steaming, and the fragrance was fragrant.

"Eunuch Yang, these cakes are a specialty of Jiangnan. They were all made on my orders, so they were served a little later. It's said in Jiangnan that Marquis Luo Yun doesn't like cold food. I don't know when this rule started, but in Jiangnan, even small vendors can't sell things that were left overnight."

Shen Wanhe was not really saying flattering words. Ever since Jiangnan was killed by Luo Yunhou, Jiangnan officials have changed color when they heard of Luo Yunhou. Moreover, some of Luo Yunhou's preferences were spread by many civil servants and students from academies. Gradually, some people among the people also imitated him, and it became a rule. Even restaurants and inns were no exception.

Jia Yucun and Hu Wenxuan were both silent. Thinking back to the time when they met Luo Yunhou, they saw that he was so young, but had such an imposing manner that they had never seen anyone in their lives. Who in the whole of Jiangnan would dare to disobey him? Even if there was, the grass on his grave would be half a person tall.

Eunuch Yang was obviously in a good mood.
"Haha, let alone Jiangnan. Even if there are such rules, the Marquis has unique hobbies. I am happiest when I am with him. Unfortunately, I came to Jiangnan alone and could not see the Marquis. What can I do, ah."

He sighed, thinking about the appointment he had made with the Marquis to have fun at Yanchun Tower, and how he had broken it. He felt guilty. If this got out, it would be the fault of the Za family.

However, Eunuch Yang's words made everyone present pause. It was unbelievable that the eunuch in front of them had such a good relationship with Marquis Luo Yun. Marquis Luo Yun's power was too powerful. Shen Wanhe suddenly laughed;
"Don't mind, sir. I just said it casually. There are many good things in Jiangnan. I didn't give you anything to honor you at that time. This time, I will definitely give you enough. When the time comes, please help me."

Shen Wanhe was trying to climb up the ladder, and even gave a gift to Luo Yunhou in the capital, which made Jia Yucun and Hu Wenxuan look at him sideways. This was a powerful move.

"Of course, there are also the three gentlemen from the prefectural government. Shen will never forget them."

I looked at the table and saw the two officials from the prefectural government looking at me. I immediately said, "How can I forget these 'parents'?"

"Okay, Lord Shen is thoughtful. In this case, I will accept it on your behalf."

Eunuch Yang refused the gift several times before, but this time it involved Marquis Luo Yun, and Yang Chi actually accepted it. I don't know if it was because Marquis Luo Yun had a lot of face, or if Shen Wanhe's three offers and three declines were just empty courtesy. While everyone was talking,
The magistrate Ma Guangcheng came out from the side room after changing his clothes.

He was wearing a loose robe and had wiped his hair clean. Seeing the laughter and joy here, he walked over quickly and bowed to the eunuch again;
"My Lord, I am sorry for my impoliteness. Please forgive me."

"Master Ma, you are so polite. Please take a seat. Since you are here, I know what you mean to me. But why are you so late?"

Yang Chi extended his hand and asked Ma Tongpan to take a seat. He asked a question that made Jia Yucun and the other two startled. They looked at Ma Guangcheng worriedly, determined not to let him get caught.

Ma Guangcheng bowed and took a seat. He also caught a glimpse of the faces of the prefect and the deputy prefect. He knew something was wrong, so he calmed down and replied;
"Reporting to Eunuch Yang, I was on duty at the government office and heard something strange happening in the attic of the west city gate, so I came a little late."

"Oh? What do you say?"

(End of this chapter)