Union

Chapter 97 The Monkey King's Dream Game
Fortunately, the skin on Second Master's arm was only red, without any blisters.

Yunying breathed a sigh of relief, and the tension in her heart eased.

She took out a small, white porcelain bottle from her purse. The bottle was very small, about the size of a finger. Yunying had three or five other porcelain bottles of similar size but different colors in her purse, each containing different medicines.

Yunying opened the lid of the white porcelain bottle, looking for cotton swabs to apply the medicine, but why would there be any in the car?

With no other option, she could only pour the ointment onto her fingertips and then, with a heavy heart, evenly spread the ointment from her fingers onto Second Master's arm.

Second Master's arms were long, fair, firm, and powerful. His muscles were burning hot, so hot that Yunying's ears turned slightly red.

Her fingers finally landed on his arm, and the Second Master's arm tensed up suddenly, even his body stiffened.

Yunying thought she had hurt the Second Master, so she said, "I'll be gentler, please don't flinch. Your arm is already red, I don't want it to ulcerate or develop blisters later."

"Ah."

Second Master responded and stopped struggling, but he subtly shifted his body to the side. His voice was terribly hoarse, and an uninformed person would think he had a severe cold.

Yunying noticed this as well, and while applying the medicine, she looked at the Second Master and asked, "Have you caught a cold? Your voice sounds terribly hoarse."

Second Master coughed lightly, "No... I'm just not feeling well."

"The cold weather has probably passed. When we get back to the manor, I'll have someone send you some ginger soup. Drink some ginger soup and take a hot bath, and you might feel better."

"It's your arrangement."

The ointment was finally applied, and Second Master's arm now had a moisturized patch.

Yunying said, "Don't rush to put your sleeves down. Let them air dry first, so you don't get them dirty."

"it is good."

Yunying then folded up the mattress on the small couch and put it aside. Then she lifted the wooden board of the couch to reveal the cabinet underneath and took out a new mattress from it.

The soiled mattress was naturally placed in the cabinet for now, to be washed when we returned home.

She was constantly busy, never letting herself stop.

Second Master suddenly spoke up, "The road repairs won't be completed until the end of this year at the earliest."

"Huh? What did you say?" Yunying stopped what she was doing and looked over.

“I was talking about road repairs. Didn’t you just ask me when the road repairs could be done? It should be possible by the end of the year. I’ll try to finish repairing the roads around the county town before the New Year, and then repair the roads from the county town to the surrounding towns after the New Year.”

Yunying perked up, "Are you sure it can be fixed by the end of the year?"

"it should be OK."

"That would be great. Then I wouldn't be afraid of traveling by carriage anymore. To be honest, Second Master, it's quite a hardship to come out on business with you these days."

Upon hearing this, the Second Master couldn't help but chuckle.

He said, "That's really unfair to you."

Yunying smiled and said, "I'm not wronged."

She spoke from the heart, "It's good to be able to come out with you. We can see the everyday life of the people and enjoy the scenery. In any case, it's better than being locked up in the backyard all day long."

"Do you spend all day in the backyard? Can't you just go out whenever you want?"

"What do you mean? Okay, I've only gone out without permission once or twice, and you caught me red-handed every time."

The two talked for a while and soon arrived at their destination.

This is the closest barren mountain to the county seat. It takes only half an hour to get here by horse-drawn carriage from the county seat.

Because of the rain outside, the Second Master wouldn't let Yunying get out of the carriage. He had the driver circle the barren mountain once, and then asked Yunying, "Is this one alright?"

“It seems…not really going to work,” Yunying said. “It’s too steep; I don’t think we can build terraced fields.”

Yunying said she had no idea how to build terraced fields, and that was the truth. But when she was asked to choose a barren mountain, she couldn't help but think of the terraced fields from her previous life.

Those images remained in Yunying's mind. She initially thought they were useless, but upon closer reflection, they proved to be helpful in many ways.

The slopes of the hillsides where those terraced fields are located don't seem to exceed 30 degrees, but the one in front of us is probably over 60 degrees.

On barren mountains that are too steep, the engineering work required to carve terraces is extensive, the resulting farmland area is small, and cultivation is difficult. Moreover, when heavy rains come, the destruction of native vegetation can cause serious secondary disasters.

Yunying gestured to indicate the slope, "I think it can't be any steeper than this, otherwise it will not only be less effective, but it may also lead to landslides and mudslides."

When Yunying mentioned landslides and mudslides, Second Master's expression became much more serious. Recalling the points Yunying had considered earlier, Second Master nodded slightly after thinking for a moment, "In this way, many barren mountains can be filtered out."

"How much needs to be filtered out? How much of it will be useful left?"

"It's not certain yet. We'll know once we have Sui Yu and the others run it over."

As the two were talking, the second master instructed the coachman to prepare to return to the city.

Yunying asked, "Aren't you going to see the other mountain ranges?"

"Let's not go for now. I'll have Suiyu find out which ones meet your requirements first, and then you can go and see for yourself if they're suitable."

Yunying nodded, "That would definitely be the best way."

But wouldn't that make it seem like they came out today for nothing?

Yunying said apologetically, "I just remembered that we can't use a slope that's too steep. I hadn't thought of that before."

“It’s alright, it’s not too late to think about it now. You see, going out for a walk has its benefits. At the very least, you now have a better idea of ​​which mountain range to choose for building terraced fields.”

"That's true."

Yunying smiled, and the Second Master smiled too.

On the way back to the city, Yunying asked Second Master how the pearl-raising project was going and whether it was progressing smoothly.
The question about Yunying mainly pertains to Qiantang Village.

When Wang He and Second Master talked about pearl farming, the first thing they mentioned was their desire to occupy the crescent-shaped pond between Qiantang Village and Houtang Village.

However, the Crescent Pond belongs not only to Houtang Village but also to Qiantang Village. The people of Qiantang Village were unwilling to be taken advantage of, which is why the matter has not been resolved.

However, the county government hadn't intervened before because they weren't optimistic. Now that Second Uncle has high hopes for artificial pearl cultivation, he'll naturally work with the village head of Qiantang Village. With his mediation, the matter must be settled by now, right?
Sure enough, the Second Master nodded. "It has been preliminarily decided that we will raise pearls in Crescent Pond."

Is the water quality in Crescent Pond suitable?

“I don’t know much about these things, but Mr. Lu said we could give it a try.”

What is Mr. Lu doing right now?

"He selected several young men from Houtang Village and they set off together to purchase pearl oysters."

This time, Yunying was genuinely surprised. "Buying pearl shells?"

Second Master nodded, "To be precise, it's about selecting mother-of-pearl."

Next, Second Master carefully explained to Yunying the feasibility of cultured pearls and the diversity of mother-of-pearl selection.

However, Yungui County does not have many shellfish, and the existing shellfish do not meet Mr. Lu's requirements. Therefore, Mr. Lu personally led a group of people on a long journey.

"Did they go to those coastal states?"

"Yes. Mr. Lu is not sure exactly where they will go. But if everything goes smoothly, they should be back in about half a month; if not, it may take one or two months."

When the Second Master spoke of this matter, his expression remained calm.

Yunying couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid that Mr. Lu will run away with the money you gave him?" The investment needed for artificial pearl cultivation was all allocated by the Second Master.

Second Master glanced at her and smiled, “Don’t worry, his family is still in Houtang Village. Besides, I trust Mr. Lu’s character. He is a virtuous and benevolent man raised with Confucian values. He would never break his promise and run away.”

Yunying nodded, "What you said makes sense. My thinking was narrow-minded. I'm sorry, Mr. Lu."

Second Master laughed again, but this time it was unclear why he was laughing, and once he started, he couldn't stop.

Yunying pouted, "Did I say something funny?"

"No." Second Master thought to himself: It's just that your dejected appearance is both funny and pitiful, which makes people feel sorry for you.

The two chatted idly, and soon the carriage returned to the county government office.

The rain has been drizzling and hasn't stopped yet.

As they got out of the car, an umbrella appeared out of nowhere in the rain.

Yunying reached out to take it, but Second Master had already taken it first and held the oil-paper umbrella over their heads.

Yunying said, "Second Master, let me do it. There are so many people watching."

"It's alright, I'll take it." The second master seemed to chuckle again. "You're too short, and I'd have to accommodate you if you held the umbrella. I'd rather do it."

Yunying: "..."

How did this turn into a personal attack?
That said, is she very short?
Compared to the Second Master, she was indeed short, with her head only reaching his shoulder, but that was because the Second Master was too tall.

Yunying's current height is roughly estimated at 1.65 meters. This is considered average for a woman from the north, but certainly not short. However, she's currently in Lingnan Prefecture. People in Lingnan Prefecture are generally not very tall, so she already stands out like a crane among chickens among the women.

Yunying was furious and wanted to argue with the Second Master, but just then, the sound of the drum being struck suddenly rang out.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The sound was deafening, spreading outwards and making everyone's heart beat faster.

Mixed with the sound of drums, the rain suddenly intensified, making one feel for no reason that it was a huge miscarriage of justice!
Yunying looked at the Second Master and saw that his expression had become extremely solemn.

Yunying then said, "Second Master, would you like to come over?"

Second Master nodded, "We have to go."

Second Master quickened his pace, and Yunying dared not lag behind.

As soon as the drum sounded, everything seemed to be put on fast-forward.

Yunying was led to the study by the Second Master. He only had time to say, "You rest here for now," before he hurriedly went to his room, quickly changed into his official robes, and then, accompanied by Suiyun and Moxue, quickly left the courtyard and headed to the county government office.

The drumbeats had stopped, but the rain outside was pouring down.

Yunying sat in the armchair in the study, resting her chin on her hand, looking at the continuous rain outside the window, but her mind was already on the courtroom.

The case in court couldn't be concluded in a short time, and with the rain pouring down, Yunying, no matter how curious, couldn't go over to eavesdrop. She could only refocus her attention and continue working on her calculations in her notebook.

Yunying was overly focused, but because she was so curious about who would come to complain on a rainy day, she also kept an eye on the sounds outside.

The moment the study door was pushed open, Yunying turned her head to look.

Sure enough, it was Second Master who came in.

The second master was dressed in a black official robe, holding an official hat in his hand.

This wasn't the first time Yunying had seen the Second Master in official robes, but she was still amazed by his appearance each time.

He was already handsome and dashing, and when he put on his official robes, his eyes became solemn and dignified, and his demeanor was elegant and noble. He was so captivating that one glance could make one's heart flutter.

Yunying steadied her rapidly beating heart before asking Second Master, "What's wrong? Has some case happened?"

"See? I guessed right. I knew that the first thing Yunying would ask when Second Master came back would be this question."

Suiyu and Suiyun followed closely behind Second Master into the room. Suiyu even gave Suiyu a big, carefree smile, saying, "You really are something, I figured you out perfectly."

Suiyun pulled her younger brother back, telling him to stop courting death, since the Second Master's gaze was sweeping over them.

Fortunately, Suiyu wasn't stupid; she was just too excited after winning against her older brother, which led her to say the wrong thing.

After regaining her senses, Sui Yu spoke before the Second Master could speak, "Second Master, shall I go and bring your change of clothes here, or would you like to come with me to your room to change?"

Sui Yun said directly, "Take it here, don't make Second Master run back and forth."

The two brothers made their decision without even asking if their master was willing, and then disappeared in a moment.

Yunying stood up and looked at the Second Master suspiciously, "You... you made a bet with me?"

"I didn't," the Second Master shook his head. "Suiyun wouldn't have either; it must be Suiyu talking to herself."

"Is that so?"

"if not?"

Yunying took the official hat from the Second Master and placed it on the cabinet beside her. Still unwilling to give up, she asked him, "It's raining outside, who could have such a great injustice that they would come to the county office to file a complaint at this hour?"

"Coming here at this time is naturally because we've been forced into a corner."

"So, Second Master, what exactly happened?"

Yunying's eyes sparkled with curiosity. Hoping to get an answer from the Second Master, she leaned forward slightly, her body resting on the table.

The Second Master's eyes darkened slightly as he looked at Yun Ying.

She didn't realize that in this position, her upper body was almost entirely resting on the desk. Her soft, snow-white breasts, plump and conspicuous, were right under his nose.

Second Master's throat was slightly itchy, so he coughed lightly and looked away.

When he spoke again, his voice was even hoarseer, "Pour me a cup of tea."

"Tea? Oh, okay." Yunying hurriedly poured tea for the Second Master and handed it over, saying, "Second Master, you must have caught a cold. You sound really strange. I'll have someone bring you ginger soup later. You can also take a cold medicine pill before you go to bed tonight, just in case."

The second master replied "okay" and picked up the cup of tea to drink.

"Be careful, Second Master, it'll be hot."

"It's not hot, the water's almost cold."

Yunying: "..." Really? She didn't notice it just now.

Just then, Suiyun and Suiyu arrived together.

The two brothers each held an oil-paper umbrella, while Sui Yu held the second master's clothes in his arms.

Upon entering the study, Sui Yu shoved the outer garment directly into Yun Ying's arms, saying, "Help Second Master change his clothes."

He then greeted the Second Master, "Second Master, let's investigate again how many businesses that man surnamed Chang actually owns."

Second Master waved his hand, "Go."

Suiyun and Suiyu went down together. Before leaving, Suiyu reminded Yunying, "Don't forget to help Second Master change his clothes. Second Master hates wearing official robes the most, he finds them restrictive."

"Oh, okay, I understand."

Satisfied, Sui Yu closed the door and left, humming a carefree tune.

Inside the study, Yunying looked at the clothes in her hands. "Second Master, would you like to change your clothes now?"

Second Master put down his teacup. "Change it."

The two of them got up at the same time and walked to an open space on the side.

The Second Master took off his official robes and tossed them to Yunying, who in turn handed her outer garment to him.

This outer robe is ivory white, with a round collar and a traditional Chinese landscape painting of pavilions. It's about 90% new. The Second Master wore it a few times when he was in the mansion.

The clothes fit the Second Master's figure perfectly, making him appear even more broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, noble and composed, and adding a touch of youthful vigor.

Looking again at the snow-white collar of the round-necked robe, and above that, a prominent Adam's apple, the Second Master was fastening the top button and gently rubbing his hands across his throat.

Yunying turned around, carefully folded the official robe that still held the warmth of the Second Master's body, and placed it under the official hat.

After she finished doing these things, when she turned around, she saw that the Second Master had already dressed and sat back down in the armchair.

"The aggrieved party who came to file a complaint today is a poor man surnamed Chang," the Second Master suddenly said.

Yunying realized that the Second Master was trying to satisfy her curiosity by telling her about the case they had just discussed. She quickly sat back down and eagerly asked, "What did he accuse me of?"

"They sue the yamen for a wrongful conviction that was overturned ten years ago. They sue their master, Changshun, for exploiting and deceiving them, and now he is forcing them to sign documents to pay the master's annual taxes."

This was too difficult to understand, so Yunying gave her a fawning smile and said, "Please explain in more detail, I don't quite understand."

Second Master looked at Yunying and couldn't help but smile.

But he didn't deliberately keep her in suspense; as she wished, he then proceeded to explain the case in detail.

This case dates back ten years.

Ten years ago, Changshun hired local people to help with land reclamation. However, Yungui County has been known as a barbarian land since ancient times, and there is a reason for that.

The people accepted Chang Shun's employment and asked for a certain amount of silver as a deposit beforehand. However, the employed people were lazy and did not work hard. When Chang Shun came to inspect the land, only a small portion of the wasteland had been cleared. The gap between the target of 100 acres of farmland and the actual land was still very large.

Chang Shun was dissatisfied and wanted to get his deposit back. The people were even more dissatisfied, saying that the construction period was over and Chang Shun would give them the other part of the payment.

The two sides were locked in a dispute, and eventually took the matter to court.

The government naturally didn't bother with these trivial matters, letting them resolve them privately.

In the end, Chang Shun didn't get his deposit back, and the people didn't get their other half of the payment back either.

The matter is far from over.

Just a few days later, Chang Shun personally cleared the wasteland and dug up three gold nuggets.

The news spread like wildfire, and soon the wasteland that Changshun had bought was filled with people.

Some people unearthed silver ingots, others copper coins… For those who were idle and lazy, this was a windfall. This kind of silver was too good to pass up; if they picked it up, it would be theirs.

People from all around flocked to the area, digging the land day and night. During that time, the wasteland was as bright as day even at night.

"But the people who came after didn't find any silver, or even copper coins, right?"

Second Master nodded slightly, "You guessed right."

Yunying continued, "They dug up silver from Changshun's wasteland. Changshun can't drive them away, but he'll definitely sue them and make them return what they found on the wasteland to him, right?"

Second Master gave an approving smile, "You guessed right again."

Yunying smiled, "I not only know that Chang Shun filed a lawsuit, but I also know that this time, Chang Shun is sure to win."

Second Master clapped his hands, "I really shouldn't underestimate you; you even guessed that."

Second Master was all smiles, but Yunying had to try her best to hold back so as not to roll her eyes at him.

"Second Master, your acting is too fake. Isn't Chang Shun using the 'Dreaming of a Monkey' trick? You're the top scholar in the imperial examination, I don't believe you don't know such a simple story."

What is meant by "playing with monkeys in a lewd dream"?

The story goes that in ancient times there was a man named Ding Feng who wanted to cultivate land for tea, but he was short of money and could not afford to hire people to do so. So, he came up with a solution.

He had buried gold in the wasteland beforehand and dug it up in front of everyone. The people were astonished and gathered to dig for the gold, and thus the barren mountain was opened up.

The matter is not over yet.

After the barren mountain was cleared, Ding Feng filed a lawsuit against the people who had found gold.

The government ruled that the people should return the gold as it was, or else they would have to work for Ding Feng to repay the gold they had dug up.

In fact, all those who eventually found gold ended up working for Ding Feng. Even though they repaid all the gold they found, Ding Feng exposed it as gold-plated copper.

The county magistrate felt that the people were unrepentant, so he sentenced them severely. As a result, Ding Feng not only cleared the barren mountain without spending a single copper coin, but also gained many free farmers to use it.

This is the ancient story of the erotic dream of playing with monkeys.

This scheme preyed on people's greed, but unfortunately, the people didn't understand it, or perhaps even if they did, they all harbored wishful thinking, and thus, in the end, they fell into the trap.

Having discussed the "Monkey Plaything in a Dream" scheme, let's now turn to the case of Chang Shun.

At first, Yunying didn't realize there was anything wrong with the case, but upon closer listening, wasn't it just a real-life version of "The Monkey King's Dream"?
Therefore, she could not only guess that Chang Shun sued the authorities and won the case, but she could also guess that the silver the people had to repay in the end would definitely be exposed by Chang Shun as being made of copper plated with silver. As a result, those people had no choice but to work for Chang Shun for free to pay off their debts.

Thinking of this, Yunying couldn't help but sigh, "The people are wrong, but Chang Shun's use of this trick is too vicious."

"That's not all," the Second Master said.

"That's not all? Is there more to come?"

Second Master nodded slightly, "If there had been no follow-up, no one would have braved the rain to beat the drum today."

I haven't corrected the typos yet, I'll fix them tomorrow. Going out for dinner, everyone.

(End of this chapter)