Watching Ye Ming leave, Cui Xian couldn't help but sigh. Ye Ming truly was a talent.
It was just a shame he came from a farming family and lacked ambition.
"He still needs someone to push him forward."
As soon as Ye Ming left, Zhang Hang approached.
"Sir, have you found a solution?"
"Yes. Ye Ming is truly a talent worth cultivating."
"By the way, has the court sent anyone?"
He had accomplished such a significant feat, saving Qingshui County from its difficult times with just a tiny bit of disaster relief grain.
Surely the court would reward him?
Zhang Hang, his face grieved, replied, "No, sir."
"Not only that, the court hasn't expressed any interest in Gaoba County and Hongye County, which followed your example."
"What? How is that possible?"
"I took the lead in raising grain prices to attract grain merchants to help with the disaster relief efforts, and the court hasn't expressed any appreciation at all for such a significant contribution?"
Zhang Hang was silent, because it was indeed the truth. For so many days, the court hadn't sent a single person.
"Sir, perhaps the information was delayed on route, and the court hasn't heard of it yet."
This was essentially a consolation.
The county magistrate alone took the lead in raising grain prices, and this was enough to make Shatou say nothing.
This was not normal at all.
"Forget it, the court didn't say anything, we can't just sit there and wait."
"Old Zhang, send someone to report the news here to the court later."
Zhang Hang couldn't give up, otherwise wouldn't he have been scolded for nothing?
Moreover, this was his chance to return to the court.
He was confident that if he could meet the emperor, he would be able to save Dayun from collapse.
...
"Husband, is the matter settled?"
"Well, nothing, he just asked me two questions."
It was a pity that the time wasted was only enough for the two of them to stroll around Qingshui County.
"Xiaorong, it's getting late, I'm afraid we can't stroll around the county today."
"It's okay, husband, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
Su Xiaorong's understanding made Ye Ming feel very unreal when he first traveled here.
Now he just felt very lucky that Su Xiaorong was not a rogue like Wang Dajiao.
An hour later, Qingshi Village.
"Ming'er, bad news! Your house's been surrounded."
"I, along with Li's sister, argued with them, but they refused to leave. They said they had to see you."
"Aunt Huang, who is that?"
"Your sister-in-law, Ye Qingshan's wife!"
That tank? Her
name seemed to be Wang Zhaodi.
"Why is she at my house?"
"She said you hit her and she wants an explanation."
"Those five brothers are at your house, betting on you."
"It's too early for us to intervene. Just give the order and have Wang Cheng and the others drive them out."
Qingshi Village, aside from Liu Qiang and Wang Cheng's sons, was almost entirely old, weak, and disabled.
The younger men were either missing limbs or had chronic illnesses.
They were fine for work, but not for fighting.
There weren't many young men capable of fighting, and Wang Daya's brothers were all as strong as bulls.
And since they hadn't taken the initiative, they didn't dare to act rashly.
"Husband, it must be because you beat her on the day of the family separation."
"How about we hide?"
There was no way they were hiding from Ye Ming; he must be brought to heel.
"No, let's go meet them."
If they weren't afraid of four or five knife-wielding bandits, how could they be afraid of a few reckless men?
"Why hasn't that little bastard Ye Ming come back yet?"
"Wang Zhaodi, how can you talk like that!"
"Liu Dahai, you old fool, did I tell you off?"
"Why are you so talkative?"
"Don't think you can control me just because you're a village chief. Even if I marry into Qingshi Village, I'm still from Dawang Village."
"Don't talk if you don't want to get beaten!"
Liu Dahai was so enraged by Wang Zhaodi's taunting words that he couldn't even hold his cane steady.
If Qingshi Village hadn't been so sparsely populated by men, how could he have been subjected to such taunting and unreasonable abuse from this shrew?
"Wang Zhaodi, aren't you afraid that Chun Geng won't help your in-laws?"
Wang Zhaodi paid no heed to Liu Dahai's threats.
Will she still need Chun Geng after she's scammed Ye Ming out of his money?
Besides, spring plowing was the job of that old man and that loser.
It was a blessing that Wang Zhaodi had kindly married that loser; how could she possibly work?
"Whether you help me or not, I have to see Ye Ming today, or I'll destroy this place!"
"Hahaha, daughter-in-law, you're finally back!"
"Wife, I missed you so much!"
Upon learning that Wang Zhaodi had returned with her men, Wang Dajiao and her son rushed over immediately.
They were planning to use Wang Zhaodi's brothers to gang up on Ye Ming.
"What are you doing here?"
"Today's a feud between me and Ye Ming."
Wang Dajiao's face froze, deeply dissatisfied with Wang Zhaodi's words.
But he still needed to use her influence to trick Ye Ming, so he put on a smile.
"Daughter-in-law, what are you saying? You and my daughter-in-law are family."
"Your business is our business, and we're here to help you."
"Yes, daughter-in-law, I'm your husband. If I don't help you, who will?"
Wang Zhaodi was speechless at the useless mother and son, and she sneered.
"Hehe, help me?"
"Damn you, this old, toothless old woman, or your useless son who is as good as a rootless eunuch?"
Wang Zhaodi said, and she also noticed that Ye Qingshan had two missing front teeth.
"Oh, this loser, his front teeth were even knocked out."
Ye Qingshan could not stand Wang Zhaodi's repeated humiliation, no matter how cowardly he was.
"Wang Zhaodi, I am your man after all, aren't these words a bit too harsh!"
"Haha, a waste like you, if I hadn't considered you a scholar."
"Would I, Wang Zhaodi, marry you?"
"If you know what's good for you, get out of here right now, or don't force me to divorce!"
Wang Zhaodi would not let Wang Dajiao and her son share her money.
She knew that Wang Dajiao and her son had asked Ye Ming for eleven taels of silver.
Not a penny of this silver was given to her.
This made her very angry.
"What divorce? No, we can't divorce, my dear daughter-in-law!"
Wang Dajiao panicked. This was the daughter-in-law she had spent so much effort to talk to her son about.
How could she divorce?
Besides, it was reasonable for a man to be proposed by a woman, but it was a very shameful thing in many villages in Dayun.
If they really divorced, she would not be able to hold her head up.
She could only leave with her tail between her legs.
"Son, let's go and not disturb your daughter-in-law."
Seeing his mother's face full of embarrassment, Ye Qingshan hardened up for a rare time.
"Mom, give her some face and let's get a divorce."
"She doesn't do any work, but when she comes home, she's worshipped by us like an ancestor."
"She goes back to her parents' home every few days, maybe she's cheating again!"
"Why would a woman like this come here? Even if she doesn't say it today, I'll divorce her!"
Wang Zhaodi, whose truth was exposed by Ye Qingshan, looked at her two brothers with a guilty conscience, and then became angry.
"Ye Qingshan, you loser, how dare you tarnish my innocence!"