Miao Chu

Chapter 141 Grace Period
Lying on the ground was Xiang Lin, the youngest son of the Xiang family who had recently caused chaos in Huazhou City.

He was fast asleep and was called several times, but he didn't respond at all.

The steward hurriedly squatted down to push him, then turned and shouted, "Go find Master Xiang!! Go find Master Xiang!!!"

Several servants who were still inside the house, lifting the licorice-covered headscarves, rushed out in a frenzy. Luckily, they got stuck at the door and scrambled out.

Song Miao turned her head and saw Liang Yan staring intently at the area under the table in the room, his fists clenched tightly, his face flushed red, as if he had lost his soul and didn't know how to dodge. She quickly pulled him away.

Under the table, the steward nudged him for a while before Xiang Lin finally woke up, still half asleep. Seeing someone in front of him, but not quite recognizing them, he complained, "Why are you coming later and later these past two days?"

"Young Master, it's me!" the steward had no choice but to say.

Hearing the voice was off, Xiang Lin opened his eyes and was immediately startled, whispering, "Uncle Sheng, is that you?"

As he spoke, he kept peeking outside.

The steward said helplessly, "Master Xiang is not here!"

He continued, "What are you doing hiding here, young master? Do you know how many people are looking for you? They've neglected the family business and other matters. Master Xiang has used all his connections and resources to search for you everywhere. He's searched every county in Huazhou and even went to other prefectures—they thought you'd been kidnapped!"

Xiang Lin hurriedly tugged at the steward's sleeve and said, "Uncle Sheng, I know you've always looked after me, don't let my father know! Please don't let my father know I'm here!"

But it was too late to say that.

It was the time for Xiang Yuan to return, accompanied by the head of the Xie family. The two were extremely agitated, their mouths blistered from the stress. As soon as they entered, several servants rushed up to them.

The fastest servant saw Xiang Yuan and immediately exclaimed, "Master Xiang, we've found the young master!"

Xiang Yuan was stunned for a moment, almost unable to react. He didn't even bother to correct the order of "big" and "small," and hurriedly asked, "Where is he? How is he? Is he still alive?"

Another servant chimed in, "Good, good, not a single hair was lost—the young master is currently in the back room!"

Xiang Yuan was in the prime of his life, strong and steady, but upon hearing this, his legs went weak as he descended the steps, and he almost missed a step.

Fortunately, the head of the Xie family grabbed him and comforted him, saying, "Brother, don't panic. The person has been found and is alright, which is better than anything else. Let's check if the child is frightened or has suffered any injustice!"

He added, "We'll have to coax him a bit!"

The two practically ran all the way in, with the servants having to run as fast as they could to get ahead and lead the way.

But unexpectedly, they hadn't run far when the servants turned around and led them towards a nearby storeroom.

Upon seeing that they were heading towards the storeroom, Xiang Yuan was taken aback. Just as he was about to ask a question, he saw Song Miao and Liang Yan standing outside, along with several servants. The storeroom door was wide open.

He had already sensed something was wrong. He didn't care about this place anymore. He glanced at the table where the steward was squatting on the ground, strode in, and went up to him. Before he saw anyone, he could hear voices.

"Uncle Sheng, I really didn't mean it. It was Xiao San'er and the others who said that if I hid and worried Father, and let him know that I was wronged and scared, he wouldn't want to change Liang Yan's surname to Xiang!"

"I haven't gone anywhere, I'm just staying here. You have to help cover for me, don't let Father find out and beat or scold me!"

Although it was a nonsensical sentence, Xiang Yuan immediately understood what had happened from those two sentences.

He felt a surge of anger rising from his heart and lungs, rushing up to the top of his head, almost making his hair stand on end.

Seeing that things were not going well, the head of the Xie family hurriedly stepped forward to pull him away.

Xiang Yuan waved his hand, suppressing his anger, and took a few steps forward. Looking down, he saw that under the table where the steward was blocking the way, there was a mat, a pillow, and a thin blanket.

Further to the side, there was a copper kettle, a pair of chopsticks, and several lotus leaves. On the lotus leaves were leftover dried pancakes and side dishes—the dishes were the same ones he had eaten the night before: stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with shredded pork and pickled quail with cucumber. He had eaten the shredded pork and quail, leaving only the wood ear mushrooms and cucumber, which were greasy and stuck together.

As for her own son, half of his face was clearly red with mat marks, his hair was messy, and he hadn't wiped his eye boogers, looking like he had just woken up.

—Even at this point, they're still trying to distance themselves, claiming it was all instigated by others!
—Even at this point, they still know to only eat meat and not vegetables!

Xiang Yuan, enraged, laughed coldly and called out in a sinister tone, "Xiang Lin!"

This phrase, rather than calling out a name, is more like calling out a destiny.

Xiang Lin was still trying to reason with the manager when he heard the noise. Startled, he sat up abruptly, kicked his foot, and bumped his head on the table. A cry of "Ouch!" and a loud crash rang out at the same time.

With a "bang," a copper kettle placed at the end of the mat was kicked over by him.

A strong smell of urine immediately filled the air.

Xiang Yuan's anger intensified.

—They even brought the chamber pot!
He looked around and saw that the licorice root beside him was small and short, completely unsuitable for his hand. He had no other sticks either. He was both anxious and angry, and shouted, "Xiang Lin, get out here!"

Xiang Lin refused to move, shrinking into a corner against the wall, holding onto the manager to block him.

Xiang Yuan called to him but he didn't move. He couldn't wait to call him again, so he stepped forward, pulled aside the steward, and dragged Xiang Lin outside.

Xiang Lin grabbed the table leg and wouldn't let go, repeatedly calling out "Father!" and shouting, "I know I was wrong! Please forgive me!!"

Xiang Yuan wasn't going to waste any more words with him. He grabbed the man's leg and, without even looking for a stick or club, slapped his son's buttocks several times.

These slaps, delivered with his rage, though somewhat restrained, still used about 70-80% of his strength.

Before the slap even landed, Xiang Lin let out a sharp, piercing cry, but once the slap actually landed, the crying finally became more real, almost a scream or wail.

Seeing the situation was turning bad, the head of the Xie family rushed forward to stop him, shouting, "Brother! Brother! You only have this one son. Do you still want him? What if you really hurt or cripple him?"

Xiang Yuan sneered, "I'll support him even if I cripple or injure him! It's better for him to die in bed than to cause this kind of trouble—I work myself to the bone every day to earn a living for him, and he does this! I'd rather not have a son like that!"

"The child is a bit naughty, but it's not that serious! Just teach him properly and that'll be fine. Were you always obedient when you were a child?" The head of the Xie family hurriedly advised, while giving a wink to the steward beside him.

The steward also grabbed Xiang Yuan's hand tightly and hurriedly said, "Master Xiang, even if you don't want your son, at least think of your wife in the afterlife..."

Xiang Lin's face was already covered in snot and tears. When he heard the steward say "Madam," he opened his mouth and burst into tears. He stopped calling for his father and started calling for his mother.

He continued, "Go ahead and kill me! Are you earning your food and drink for me?? You're earning it all for that Liang Yan! Everyone's said he's your bastard son, brought back specifically to divide the spoils!!" Xiang Yuan's eyes widened in fury, and he roared, "You wretch, say that again!"

Xiang Lin, however, went all out, sobbing and hiccuping as he said, "Fine, I'll tell you! My maternal grandparents and uncles all told me before that if it weren't for my mother's dowry, how could you have made it in business! Now that my mother, my mother... my mother is gone, and you want to change the surname of that bastard child born outside and divide the family property, you're ungrateful! You Xiang bastard!"

Xie, the head of the household, wished he could leave immediately, and even wished he were deaf. He was caught in a dilemma: letting go was one thing, but not letting go was another.

Xiang Yuan broke free from the hands holding him on both sides and rushed forward, giving his son a severe beating while yelling, "Where did you hear such nonsense! I'll teach you to go astray! I'll teach you to talk nonsense! I'll teach you to cause such a mess! You wretched child, did I give birth to you to collect a debt?!"

The room was filled with the sound of wailing, and people around them went up to try to comfort her.

Outside, when Liang Yan heard Xiang Lin say that he was Xiang Yuan's bastard son, he was so angry that his eyes went blank. He wanted to rush up, but after a few steps, he stopped and stumbled back out, standing there in a daze.

Seeing his appearance and noticing the commotion inside, Song Miao sighed inwardly, pulled him aside, called out to him, and asked, "How old are you?"

After a few moments, Liang Yan regained his senses and said, "He turned eight a month ago."

Song Miao then said, "Do you remember that Young Master Han from yesterday? The one who was at the same table with us."

Liang Yanmu nodded blankly.

Song Miao then said, “Young Master Han used to help me make tables and chairs at my house. His skills are very solid. He started as an apprentice to an old carpenter when he was six years old. Later, he made a living by making tables, chairs, cabinets and benches for people in the countryside. He also earned money for paper and ink. Now he is studying at the Imperial Academy. He is very knowledgeable and can support himself with the government’s subsidies. He still has a lot of money left over. It will only be a year or two before he gets an official position.”

"You're eight years old this year. It's not good to compare yourself to others, but have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"

"Which profession do you belong to: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants? As long as you work hard, you can be self-sufficient. Do you want to study, farm, do business, or learn a skill?"

Liang Yan seemed to come alive, tilting his head back and saying, "Sister, I want to join the army! I've wanted to join the army since I was a child!"

He clenched his fist and said, "I will make sure that no bandit in the world can beat me! I will capture them and be rewarded for my merit!"

Song Miao did not comment on Liang Yan's "I want".

An eight-year-old child has countless opportunities to try and make mistakes, let alone the path he himself has chosen.

She said, "Then you need to be very skilled in martial arts so that no bandit in the world can beat you. Can you endure that hardship?"

"I can," Liang Yan said earnestly.

Song Miao then said, "Don't worry. Wait a couple of days and then find an opportunity to talk to your Uncle Xiang and ask him to pick out the best martial arts school in the world for you to learn martial arts."

He then asked, "Are you willing to change your surname to Xiang? And then change it back later?"

Liang Yan said, "I won't change. I don't want his family's share of the silver and money, nor his property. I have hands and feet. If I learn a skill, I can support myself in the future."

***
Leaving aside how Xiang Yuan beat his son in the Xie family mansion and how Liang Yan made up his mind, the scene in the Huazhou prefectural government office a few streets away was quite different.

When Han Li led a group of students to the prefectural government office to report for duty, Cen Dezhang, the prefectural magistrate of Huazhou, not only personally greeted them but also specially hosted a banquet for them at noon.

Naturally, it wasn't just the servants responsible for setting up the table who learned of this news.

In the back office, Qian Zhongming, the chief clerk, was sitting and flipping through a stack of documents from various counties. As he flipped through them, he asked, "Are you saying that when Magistrate Cen entertained that group of people from the capital today, he didn't use any singing girls?"

"Yes, we had already prepared it, but it was sent out again after only a short time inside."

Qian Zhongming chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Students are still a bit particular; they can't be shameless."

Seeing that he was in a good mood, his subordinates hurriedly said, "Mr. Qian, several counties have sent people to deliver messages, saying that they can't gather enough laborers to repair the dikes and want to ask the prefectural government to extend the deadline. Since the floodwaters have not completely receded, many places still need manpower to clean up. A little later will be just in time to avoid harming the people's livelihood!"

Qian Zhongming snorted coldly and said, "They keep talking about the people's welfare, and anyone who doesn't know better would think they're all surnamed Zhao—do they think I'm stupid! Last month, when Magistrate Cen mentioned it, the prefectural government issued an order, and I reminded them about it. But it's been so long, and they still can't gather enough people!"

He added, "Don't assume I don't know. It must be that their subordinates are thinking of taking advantage of this opportunity to make enough money before they can settle down and come back."

The subordinate said with a fawning smile, "I knew nothing could escape the sharp eyes of the clerk Kong—I heard they have already prepared generous gifts and sent them to your residence. I just ask that you put in a good word for us so that the prefect won't catch us."

Before Qian Zhongming could ask any more questions, another servant came to deliver a message, saying, "Qian Kongmu, the magistrate requests your presence."

Qian Zhongming calmly tidied up the documents in his hand, locked the door, and then slowly headed towards the side hall.

***
When Qian Zhongming entered, Han Li was talking to Cen Dezhang. Upon seeing someone arrive, he stopped talking.

Cen Dezhang said, "I was just about to introduce him—this is Qian Zhongming, a clerk in the prefectural government who has been in office for many years. He is very capable. If you need anything in the future, you can ask him to help you arrange it."

Han Li nodded, stood up and bowed before saying, "Qian Kongmu."

The full name of the Kongmu is Du Kongmu Guan, who is the chief clerk of the state government office. He is in charge of archives, documents, financial accounts, criminal records, etc. He is named after the fact that "every document in the office is handled by him".

Although he was just a clerk, as the saying goes, "officials have no feudal system, but clerks do." For someone like Cen Dezhang, who had only been in office for half a year and was serving as a prefectural judge for the first time, even ten of them combined might not be as familiar with the situation of the prefectural government as Qian Zhongming.

Then Cen Dezhang introduced Han Li.

Upon hearing this, Qian Zhongming quickly replied, "I have long admired your reputation; this gentleman is a renowned scholar from the Imperial Academy!"

He showered him with compliments several times.

Han Li waved his hand, but said, "This time time is tight, so we really need to trouble Clerk Qian for help. Magistrate Cen said that last time he arranged for each of the four counties to recruit one thousand laborers. I would like to ask how the progress is?"

Qian Zhongming sighed and said, "I have already given instructions. But right now, the counties are suffering from severe disasters and they have all come to plead for more time. I thought that if I were to summon people urgently, there would be a shortage of manpower in various places, and they would not have the time to verify the situation. They might just send people to complete the task haphazardly, which would only make things worse for the disaster-stricken people. So I decided to grant them a few more days."

As he spoke, he looked at Cen Dezhang and asked, "If you are in a hurry, I will arrange for someone to urge you. What do you think, Prefect?"

Upon hearing this, Cen Dezhang shook his head and sighed, "Fine, let's grant two more days."

Then he turned to Han Li and said, "Zhengyan, you still need to make some preparations for the matter at hand. Why don't you go ahead and deal with the other matters first, and have the laborers wait here?"

Thank you so much, lamiar, for the sachet! :)

Thank you to Agent Cat for sending me three amulets, and thank you to kelp, reader 154564240894328, and reader 20250317204555854 for sending me one amulet each =3=