Union

Chapter 96 Entrusted with important tasks
Yunying walked out of the Second Master's courtyard in a daze, as if she were floating in the clouds.

Sui'er waited outside for less than an hour before the girl finally came out. Instead of showing any surprise, she looked dejected.

She also looked behind Yunying, but there was no one there.

Sui'er then subtly scanned Yunying from head to toe.

The girl's clothes were neat and clean, without a single wrinkle; they were exactly as they had been when she went in. She walked without any discomfort, and her lips were not swollen or red…

Even more disappointed!

Are they really overthinking things?
Second Master called the young lady over; is it really because he has something important to discuss?

Sui'er opened her mouth and called out, "Miss."

Her maid was still lost in thought and didn't hear her call, so Sui'er had to call out again, "Miss, what are you thinking about?"

This time, Yunying came to her senses and understood what Sui'er was saying.

She muttered to herself, "I think I've been tricked by Second Master."

"What kind of trick is this? What are you saying, young lady?"

I'm saying, I've been tricked by Second Master!
I feel that today's performance was a conspiracy from beginning to end.

However, she needed to figure out exactly how Second Master plotted against her, and how he managed to make that book fall right in front of her and then be picked up by her.

Yunying said, "I didn't say anything. Alright, it's getting late, let's go back and rest early."

As they talked, they actually walked towards the backyard.

When they were still some distance from the gate, they could faintly hear the two old women guarding it whispering to each other: "It's been an hour."

"It's only been an hour. With Second Master's high and straight nose, he could easily last two hours."

"If that's the case, then Miss Yunying will definitely be so exhausted tonight that she won't be able to get out of bed, and she might not come back at all."

"Can we go and rest now?"

"Let's wait a little longer... Oh, Miss Yunying, you're back."

The two old women exchanged glances, then warmly came forward to help Yunying back to the backyard.

Yunying listened to their gossip and saw their behavior; she was so angry she almost laughed out loud.

However, these old women were bored while guarding the gate. She was strict in managing the backyard and didn't allow them to drink or eat snacks while on duty, so it's understandable that they chattered aimlessly out of boredom.

Yunying was too lazy to argue with the two old ladies. She nodded slightly in acknowledgment and then took Sui'er back to the backyard.

The whispers behind them only resumed after they turned past a hibiscus tree, "You're back so early."

"His back doesn't ache, and his legs aren't weak. Could Second Master be just a pretty face?"

"You old fool, you even brought up Second Master! Be careful someone finds out and reports you to him."

"It's like you didn't say anything..."

The two voices gradually faded from hearing, but Yunying's cheeks couldn't help but turn red.

She decided that tomorrow, she would thoroughly clean up the foul talk in the manor. Anyone who dared to whisper behind their mistress's back would be expelled from the manor.

The night passed uneventfully.

The next day, sure enough, many rumors were circulating in the backyard.

Even Qiu Ning came over to ask her for information. She even subtly asked her how good the Second Master was in that area.

Yunying pushed Qiu Ning out and then decisively ordered Sui'er and Liu'er to notify the local stewards to come to a meeting.

But when Sui'er and Liu'er reached the door, Yunying changed her mind and called them back.

Sui'er asked, puzzled, "Miss, shouldn't we go and call them?"

"Stop calling out, it's boring."

The key point is that those are all rumors. Since the two parties involved haven't spoken out, those rumors will dissipate in a couple of days. If she were to specifically establish rules for the servants in the manor because of this, just wait and see, this matter definitely won't be over in less than a year and a half.

Whether the rumor lasts for three to five days or a year and a half depends entirely on her subsequent actions.

Yunying decisively chose the first one.

Therefore, she said, "It's easier to prevent people from talking than to prevent a river from overflowing. Let them talk if they want. Eventually, they'll be too busy to gossip."

Yes, she can keep people busy!
Yunying said, "It's been raining for so long, and it's finally cleared up these past two days. Have the servants check all the houses, windows, and pillars to see if there are any leaks or mold. Also, the flowers and plants in the yard need to be trimmed, and the drains need to be cleared; and the window screens and summer clothes, seeing that the weather is getting hotter every day, these should be prepared. Also, send a message to the kitchen to say that Second Master has been feeling a bit feverish these past few days, and have them make a new meal plan for me to see..."

Once Yunying's order is passed down, the backyard will probably be in a complete mess.

At that time, the servants will be too busy to even get enough sleep, let alone gossip.

Sui'er and Liu'er exchanged a glance, and for a moment they truly felt that no wonder Aunt Ding promoted the young lady to be the manager; the young lady's methods were indeed brilliant.

Sure enough, after giving these orders, the entire backyard sprang into action.

Nowadays, walking through the county government office, no matter when or where, you can always see many servants busily working.

It could be replacing roof tiles, cleaning mold and moss from walls, unclogging drains, or trimming plants...

In short, everyone was so busy that they really didn't have time to gossip.

Sui Yun and the others naturally saw this scene as well. Recalling the gossip that had reached their ears in the past few days, they immediately understood that Yun Ying had made her move.

I must say, this method is really good.

Yun Ying's methods were quite remarkable; she silently destroyed the breeding ground for rumors.

Yunying had no idea that Suiyun and the others secretly held her in even higher regard.

She is very busy right now.

We need to both verify the accuracy of the data on the area of ​​those fields and prepare for the construction of terraced fields.

The data on acreage is relatively easy to calculate; it's a mechanical task. As long as you can do arithmetic and are careful and attentive, you're unlikely to make mistakes.

Yunying wanted to find two helpers, but Sui'er and Liu'er couldn't even read.

In the backyard, Qiu Ning and Mu Jin were literate, but Qiu Ning was completely clueless about arithmetic, while Mu Jin knew a little bit, but Yun Ying disliked her from the bottom of her heart.

Perhaps out of her own selfish motives, Yunying did not want Mujin to enter the Second Master's study or get any closer to him. Therefore, Yunying also gave up the idea of ​​teaching Mujin.

Then we can only wait until this busy period is over, and then have the slave trader send over a few literate maids to teach them carefully, so that they can be used next time.

Leaving aside these distant matters, let's just talk about how Yunying calculates data during the day and then spends her evenings in the Second Master's study, browsing through the books that his senior brother and he had sent her.

She stayed in the Second Master's courtyard all day and didn't return until around midnight, which further confirmed the rumors that she was "serving the Second Master".

As a result, the rumors that had been suppressed resurfaced and became rampant once again.

Of course, Yunying was unaware of these things; she was too busy to attend to anything else.

The Second Master's study contained many books, some of which he brought from the capital, and a large portion of which were gifts from his senior fellow apprentices and mentors.

It can be said that the books in this study have all been carefully selected.

There are indeed a few books related to "terraced fields," but they only mention them briefly, without providing any more detailed information.

This is precisely what puts Yunying in a difficult position.

She had seen different types of terraced fields, but she couldn't explain in detail how they were built.

Are all mountains suitable for terraced fields, or only mountains with a certain slope? How should drainage and pathways be designed for the terraces? What crops should be selected? Should the width of the terraces be as wide as possible, or should they ideally not exceed a certain range? Furthermore, how should terraced fields be planned for optimal efficiency? And how should they be protected after completion?
The last question isn't too important; we can improve it as we use it after the terraces are built.

However, Yunying was completely confused about the previous questions and couldn't figure them out at all.

She rubbed her cheeks in frustration, unable to help but let out muffled sobs.

The second master pushed open the door and walked in at some point. He stared at her for a long time before finally asking, "What's wrong? What's the problem?"

Yunying lifted her head from her hands and turned to look at him. Her eyes held a grievance she herself was unaware of, and her voice was filled with a coquettish murmur.

She said in frustration, "There are too many problems, there are problems everywhere, I can't solve a single one."

Tell me in detail.

The second master sat opposite Yunying, and Yunying rested her chin on her hand and talked about the issues she had been considering.

Finally, she looked at the Second Master expectantly, "Can you tell me the answer?"

Second Master wanted to tell her the answer, but, "I can't."

Yunying revealed a look of "I knew it".

The second master then said, "But I can grant you the use of all the unclaimed mountains around the county government office. You can use those barren mountains to conduct experiments according to your own ideas."

Upon hearing this, Yunying immediately perked up. "Give me all the barren mountains surrounding the county government office?"

"Give you all."

"How many would that be? A dozen or twenty, right?"

"Not only that. There are already hundreds registered, and you can take it if you feel you need it."

"That's wonderful!" Yunying cheered excitedly, but as soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but frown. "You trust me so much, if I don't produce good results in the end, it will be hard to silence the public."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" the Second Master asked her leisurely.

Yunying's mind raced, and another idea came to mind. She asked a seemingly unrelated question, "Is the rent for the barren mountain expensive?"

As soon as she said that, the Second Master knew what she meant.

He couldn't help but laugh, "It's not expensive, only three taels of silver a year."

Three taels of silver?

Three taels of silver isn't expensive, but she needs more than just one or two barren mountains; she needs a dozen, or even dozens or hundreds. That adds up to a considerable sum of silver. Yunying counted on her fingers, trying to figure out how many barren mountains she would need to rent.

But then again, should she or the second master pay the rent?

Yunying: "Second Master, you will pay the rent for me, right?"

"What do you mean by paying your rent? Aren't I paying my own rent? Don't worry, I won't make you pay."

Yunying revealed a joyful expression, and her bright almond-shaped eyes became even more shimmering with moisture.

Second Master's voice was hoarse for a moment, "Not only will I not make you spend any money, but I will also give you an extra monthly salary, comparable to the salaries of Suiyun and the others. If you really complete the terraced fields, I will even submit a memorial to recommend you for credit."

Yunying quickly waved her hand, "No need for praise." If it really works, just give her more silver.

She valued money more than official rank.

As if already envisioning a future day when terraced fields stretch as far as the eye can see, a bountiful harvest is in sight, and money is rolling in, Yunying's usually cool and aloof face now showed a hint of a smile and a touch of glamour.

It was already very late, and Yunying was getting ready to go back to rest.

Second Master also needed to wash up and go to bed, so he walked with her out of the study.

As they walked, the second uncle asked, "Let's put the matter of calculating the acreage aside for now. Tomorrow I'll take you for a tour of the surrounding area."

"Want to go see the barren mountains?"

"Yes." The Second Master opened the door, letting Yunying go out first. Yunying was so focused on talking to him that she didn't pay attention to these formalities. After she went out, she belatedly realized that the Second Master had opened the door for her, and that she had walked ahead of him.

But at this point, she could only pretend not to notice the situation to avoid making things more awkward for both of them.

Second Master said, "Tomorrow I'll take you to select the barren mountains you think are useful. After that, I'll have Suiyun help you recruit some laborers, and then you can start building terraced fields."

"So rushed?"

"There's no rush. By the time you've finished building the terraces and repairing the drainage ditches, the early rice will most likely have been harvested. If you hurry up, you might be able to grow another crop on the terraces before winter."

This first crop is unlikely to yield much. Because the barren mountain is extremely poor, lacking both fertilizer and water, this crop may even be completely lost.

But planting them is the first step. After that, we can improve the terraced fields based on the various situations encountered during the first planting, and strive to make them into fertile fields as quickly as possible, and then make them common throughout Yungui County.

Second Master said, "You can put your work aside for now. If you really can't handle it, I can find someone else to take over."

Upon hearing this, Yunying stopped in her tracks.

She couldn't help but wonder, so the Second Master could find someone to verify the data. If that's the case, why did he still choose to use her?

The answer was within reach, but Yunying refused to break through the thin membrane standing in front of it.

She nodded in agreement to tomorrow's itinerary, then bid farewell to the Second Master and returned to the backyard with a heavy heart.

The next day, Yunying naturally got up early, put on simple and neat clothes, and took Sui'er out.

Not long after they left, Qiu Ning came to visit.

Upon learning that Yunying was going out with the Second Master today and had already set off, Qiu Ning touched her black hair that fell to her chest and sighed deeply, "Yunying is really favored! The Second Master really can't be without Yunying for a while now!"

Liu'er, who knew the whole truth, was speechless and just smiled.

Qiu Ning asked a crucial question, "By the way, when is Yun Ying planning to move to Second Master's courtyard? As things stand, Yun Ying still has to run around every day, which is quite troublesome."

Liu'er gave a stiff smile. "I don't know the answer to that question either."

"Then I'll wait for Yunying to come back and ask her. Tsk, if Second Master doesn't agree to her moving in, then he's really a scumbag. Why is Yunying still going out of her way to serve him? If Yunying herself doesn't want to move in... Sigh, Liu'er, could it be that Yunying can't stand Second Master's torment and that's why she doesn't want to move in?"

Thinking of this, Qiu Ning chuckled, her expression particularly meaningful.

Liu'er choked again.

Unable to handle Qiu Ning any longer, she could only say, "If the young lady doesn't say anything, we shouldn't ask too much. If you really want to know, you can ask her yourself when she returns."

Qiu Ning nodded, "Then wait until she comes back, and have her come to my courtyard to look for me."

"Okay, I'll take note of this."

……

Before we set out, the sky was clear and blue. But as soon as the carriage left the city gate, the weather changed.

The weather quickly turned gloomy, and before long, a light drizzle began to fall.

Sitting inside the green-curtained carriage, Yunying couldn't help but lift the curtain to look outside.

In the light drizzle, Second Master, Lei Ting, and Sui Yu rode ahead on horseback.

The drizzle wasn't heavy, but it still left water droplets on everyone's hair.

Especially the Second Master, who was wearing a brocade robe. The robe was thin and light, but it was easy for water to show through. Now the Second Master's shoulders were soaked.

Yunying poked her head out and called out cheerfully, "Second Master."

The second master reined in his horse and turned around.

Seeing that it was indeed Yunying calling him, and not that he was hallucinating, the Second Master rode his horse to the carriage window. "What's wrong?"

Through the misty rain, Yunying gazed at the Second Master's handsome features. A thin layer of mist clung to his cheeks, making his features appear even more refined and his face more angular, truly a gentleman as fine as jade.

"Second Master, it's raining. Although it's light now, I don't know if it will get heavy later. How about we skip it today and head back to the county office instead?"

"Not very good," Sui Yu muttered. "Second Master only managed to spare one day out of his busy schedule. Do you think he'll still have time to go out with you after this?"

Yunying was stunned.

She had no idea that today's outing was a special trip arranged by the Second Master.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. These past few days, Second Master has been busy inspecting the land reclamation, checking on the progress of pearl harvesting, handling cases at the county government, approving official documents, and dealing with potential summonses from superiors...

Second Master is truly very, very busy. It's really not easy for him to take a day to accompany her out.

But she doesn't necessarily need Second Master to accompany her to come out, does she?

Yunying tentatively said, "Let's go back first today. I can come by myself next time. Second Master, the rain isn't heavy, but it's quite chilly. It wouldn't be good if you caught a cold."

As they were talking, the rain suddenly intensified, soaking them from head to toe before they could finish speaking.

……

Yunying looked at the Second Master sitting with her in the carriage and wondered how he had ended up like this.

It was she who suggested returning to the mansion, but now, instead of returning, they headed straight for their destination as originally planned.

However, to prevent the Second Master from falling ill, he boarded a carriage, while Sui Yu and Lei Ting each wore a raincoat.

As she poured tea for the Second Master, Yunying wondered where their raincoats came from, and whether they really only had three.
Two raincoats were given to Leiting and Suiyu, and the other one was on the coachman. So, is there really no fourth one?
The carriage was quiet. The Second Master didn't try to start a conversation, and Yunying didn't know what to say for a moment. The only sounds were the clatter of horses' hooves outside the window and the patter of raindrops.

Suddenly, the carriage wheels veered off course, and the entire carriage tilted violently.

"Ah!" Yun Ying cried out in surprise, her body nearly slamming against the carriage wall as she was thrown around.

At that moment, the second master grabbed her hand, brought her close, and tightly gripped her slender waist.

The coachman's apologetic voice came from ahead, "Second Master, the road was too slippery, I didn't drive the carriage well..."

"It's alright, keep going, but be careful from now on."

"Ah, ah, this servant will certainly pay attention."

Second Master let go of her hand, and Yunying sat down on the other side as if nothing had happened.

Her position was the furthest from the Second Master, right by the window on the other side.

Yunying felt extremely uncomfortable. Her waist was still aching slightly, and the intense heat seemed to have penetrated her clothes and burned her skin, making it difficult for her to sit or lie down comfortably.

Yunying's face was also burning hot. She couldn't wait to lift the curtain of the carriage to let in some fresh air.

A cold wind swept over her, and her cheeks did feel less hot, but her heart was still burning intensely.

She had clearly decided to keep her distance from the Second Master, but just a word or a gesture from him would make her unable to resist walking towards him again.

She would also feel her heart flutter again, unable to suppress it, because of his approach.

After a while, the cool breeze calmed Yunying's chaotic thoughts. She lowered the curtain and casually started talking to the Second Master about the road repair.

"The roads here are all dirt roads. It rained for several days in a row before, and there were mud puddles of all sizes on the road as pedestrians walked back and forth."

Not only were there mud pits, but also numerous muddy footprints of all sizes, as well as wheelbarrow tracks.

The road was already difficult to travel, and now that it's raining, it's become slippery.

It was only because the driver was skilled that the ride was slightly bumpy; otherwise, if someone had accidentally fallen into a mud pit, the cart would have overturned at best, and someone would have been seriously injured, with their head bleeding.

"Second Master, when are you going to fix the road? This road is so bumpy it hurts my whole body."

The second master tossed the wet handkerchief aside, and only then did Yunying notice that both of them had spilled their tea.

Not only did it spill, but her teacup rolled onto the couch, while the Second Master's teacup remained in his hand, though the tea inside had soaked half of his sleeve.

The second master just used a handkerchief to clean his clothes and pick up the tea leaves that had spilled on the couch. As for the damp bedding, there was no way to clean it up; he could only wash it after returning to the manor.

Yunying noticed this and panicked. "I forgot all about that. You...you're not burned, are you?"

Yunying looked at the Second Master's lowered sleeves and her fingers twitched.

Finally, she couldn't resist her instincts and grabbed the Second Master's arm.

The tea she had just poured for the Second Master wasn't scalding hot, but it was still warm. If it burned his arm, she would be held responsible to the death.

This past month is finally over! Posting 6,000 words a day almost killed me. Seriously, I'd rather post 8,000 a day, then 4,000 the next, than a fixed 6,000 every day. Being so restricted, I couldn't even muster the motivation to add extra chapters. So, next month, 4,000 words a day, with occasional extra chapters—that's the decision! La la la la…

(End of this chapter)