CHAPTER 132: CHAPTER 130: HEARTACHE

Xie Liangchen carefully looked at the document in her hand. The matter Qin Maoxing had told Song Xian, including Lv Yanzhi, was clearly remembered and could be directly reported to the court.

It also involved Lin Xu’s use of the Su Family’s medicinal herbs and pretending it was from Chen Family Village.

Xie Liangchen was reading the document while not forgetting to serve Song Xian more soup.

She filled his bowl in front of him, and he ate, making Xie Liangchen secretly pleased. She didn’t find it unpleasant to eat; it’s just that her grandmother had been watching her eat, and her brother had been stuffing food into her mouth, as had Hei Dan and the others...

She had eaten too much and, combined with the large soup pot Song Xian brought, a big bowl could hold five or six servings, requiring at least two people to finish.

Thankfully, Xie Liangchen stole another glance and was quietly relieved to have cleverly defused the crisis.

Song Xian was so focused on handling official business that he didn’t notice he hadn’t put down the spoon.

Song Xian came back to his senses and realized he had eaten most of the pork stomach soup. He frowned slightly, glancing at the nonchalant Xie Liangchen opposite him.

Feeding him bowl by bowl, did she really think he was foolish?

Song Xian blamed the chef in his heart.

He had clearly instructed that it shouldn’t be too good or too bad, but this soup was better than usual, no wonder he hadn’t put down the spoon.

When Xie Liangchen served more soup, Song Xian looked over: "Shall I finish it for you?"

Xie Liangchen had no choice but to serve herself half a bowl.

In the end, with each person sharing half a bowl, that should be enough, right?

Song Xian looked at the two bowls placed together and said nothing more, begrudgingly letting her off the hook.

The room was very quiet.

Xie Liangchen finished the document, folded it, and placed it on the table, finishing the pork stomach soup in front of her.

Song Xian was still flipping through the paper in his hand, so she reached out to take a bamboo stick and prodded the burning lamp wick to make the light a bit brighter.

After a while, without completing the document, Song Xian continued reading, and Xie Liangchen got up to brew tea.

Upon entering with the tea, her gaze fell on Song Xian’s formidable stature, momentarily feeling sorry for the small stool beneath him. She decided she should ask her Fourth Uncle to help repair it tomorrow to prevent it from collapsing under Song Xian someday.

Finally, Song Xian put away the paper in front of him.

Xie Liangchen took a sip of dried orange peel tea: "Sir, do you want to investigate the Henghai Jiedu Envoy with Qin Maoxing?"

She didn’t mention Lin Xu; Lin Xu was merely a pawn. The important thing was to expose the Henghai Jiedu Envoy.

Song Xian said, "Involving military preparations, the Henghai Jiedu Envoy has planted personnel in the court. Capturing evidence will allow the court to investigate thoroughly. Even if they can’t apprehend him directly, at least they can cast suspicion on him."

Xie Liangchen looked at the light and pondered for a moment: "I’m going to the blacksmith shop, firstly to forge a medicine knife, and secondly, to ask if other tools can be forged. Spring planting will soon begin, and the North has been ravaged by years of war from the Liao people, leaving them with crude tools for farming.

With few men in the village, even if they manage to cultivate well, there are large areas of wasteland, and the soil is quite good there. Leaving them unutilized would be a waste. I’m also thinking of bringing along people to plant medicinal herbs in the mountains."

The Henghai Jiedu Envoy earns silver coin by colluding with the Liao people, alluding to recruiting soldiers, saying it’s all shady conspiracies. He extorts and plunders, sacrificing lives of the common people, enraging the heavens and the people.

In contrast, only when people are stable and prosperous will they be willing to serve the country.

But these last words she would not say to Song Xian, just like she was intervening and pointing fingers, Song Xian would have his own considerations.

Song Xian finished the tea in front of him, and as the person opposite got up again to help pour tea, he said, "No need, I should be heading back."

Song Xian was about to stand up briskly, his legs slightly numb, reminding him of the unwelcome feeling his long legs endured, but naturally, he couldn’t reveal it before Xie Liangchen. He gritted his teeth to keep his posture gracefully poised.

He dusted his long robe, "There’s still time until spring planting."

Xie Liangchen was pleased: "I’ll try to get the wind box done as early as possible."

Xie Liangchen at this moment appeared innocent and sincere, genuinely joyful. Over the next two days, discussing with Mr. Li, even if he didn’t want Qi State, he would choose Zhaozhou. Zhaozhou is close to Xingzhou, which supplies the most iron tribute to the court, conveniently operating a blacksmith shop in Zhaozhou.

Song Xian walked swiftly out of the kitchen and quickly left Old Mrs. Chen’s yard with his long legs.

Waiting outside, Chang An reached out to take the basket from Song Xian’s hands.

Only when Xie Liangchen was out of sight did Song Xian bend down, stretch his hand to rub his almost cramping calves, then stamp his feet before taking the reins from Chang An’s hand.

Chang An quietly watched without saying a word, while beside him, Chang Yue suggested, "Should we buy a chair to put in the East room for next time..."

Before Chang Yue finished his sentence, Chang An glared at him.

With his lips moving silently, Chang An said: You talk too much.

For their master whose legs seldom get numb, even buying a chair should be left to Miss Xie, but their master had a sense of pride. When would Miss Xie soften her heart?

After washing up, Xie Liangchen climbed into bed. Chen Zigeng turned over and suddenly sat up, rubbing his eyes. Seeing it was Xie Liangchen, he lay down again: "Sister, where did you go?"

Xie Liangchen replied: "I went to the nether room."

Chen Zigeng muttered: "Be careful... be careful... of the yellow fox."

Xie Liangchen said softly: "Sleep, the yellow fox steals chickens, not you, Sister."

After speaking, Xie Liangchen closed her eyes and went to dreamland.

...

While some people sleep soundly, others need to travel by the starry night.

Madam Su received word that Su Huaiqing filed a lawsuit against their family’s pharmacy at the Zhenzhou Prefecture government office. Shocked and furious, she hurriedly sent someone to drive a cart to Zhenzhou.

Madam Su clutched her chest firmly. She had just managed to balance the accounts, but what do you know, before outsiders came to investigate, it fell apart through her son’s actions.

"Sinful acts," Madam Su muttered multiple times. Her son not being of one mind with her was one thing, but he even struck secretly behind her back.

"Who could have bewitched him?" Madam Su murmured, with Xie Liangchen’s image flashing in her mind.

Could it be Chen Family Village knew everything, and Xie Liangchen sought out Huaiqing? Otherwise, how could Huaiqing investigate so quickly?

Even she, being privy to the inside story, had only suspected those expensive prepared medicines sold were used by Song Min to frame Chen Family Village.

Madam Su cursed Su Huaiqing and Xie Liangchen in her heart, leaning against the carriage and drifting off. Once awakened, she heard Nanny Lv beside her say: "Madam, we’ve arrived at the inn, and you should rest awhile; we’ll continue our journey tomorrow."

Madam Su nodded, allowing Nanny Lv to assist her off the cart.

Nanny Lv supported Madam Su as they walked towards the inn.

The inns on the official roads were inherently simple; under normal circumstances, Madam Su wouldn’t agree to stay overnight, but now, she had to disregard many concerns.

Nanny Lv assisted Madam Su in freshening up before extinguishing the lamps and leaving.

Madam Su lay on the narrow bed, her mind in turmoil.

While half-asleep with closed eyes, Madam Su sensed something unusual. It was indescribable, a bit cold, a bit alarming.

Madam Su opened her eyes to see the same simple inn, no abnormalities. She exhaled deeply, intending to close her eyes again, when suddenly a shadow flashed before her eyes, followed swiftly by a tightening around her neck, a rope pulling tautly.