Chapter 41

It was not difficult to guess.

Since the magistrate of Yunshui County dared to imprison the county clerk in the prison of Yunshui County, it showed that he was not afraid to compete with the magistrate of Xieyang County. He also implicitly protected them.

Naturally, the magistrate of Yunshui County was their backer.

It's just not very reliable.

But smart people always have countless ways to strengthen this rope.

Xu Mo was thinking when he suddenly heard, "Find out, ask what's the surname of the magistrate of Yunshui County."

He looked up and collided with Chang Yan's cunning eyes.

Xu Mo was a little puzzled, but still got up to ask.

Soon he returned and whispered, "I found out, the magistrate of Yunshui County is surnamed Pang."

Pang Dashan's Pang.

Chang Yan pursed her lips and smiled.

Xu Mo vaguely understood.

Just then the children who went to buy candied haws came back. Jiang Sheng and Zheng Ruqian were in front, Fang Heng was pulling Wen Zhiyun in the middle, and Pang Dashan was holding a candied haw in one hand and walking behind.

When he realized Xu Mo and Chang Yan were both looking at him, he looked up and smiled foolishly.

On this trip to Yunshui County, they fortunately had two carts.

Zheng Ruqian found the village where they had collected vegetables last time. With a "Good auntie" to the left and a "Beautiful lady" to the right, he charmed the middle-aged women until they enthusiastically contributed the extra vegetables from their homes. There were no more eggplants and peppers, so they collected more jicama. A lady even took out a new vegetable called burdock that could be wrapped in dough and steamed for great flavor.

Zheng Ruqian's eyes lit up as he asked eagerly for a long time before finding out this was the lady's maiden family's specialty product. It was grown in every household of a county further south of Yunshui, and had just had a bumper harvest earlier this year.

The lady had brought back two bundles when she returned to her maiden home, and now she had eaten half a bundle, leaving only one and a half bundles.

Zheng Ruqian pestered the lady until she agreed to sell him all of it for 5 copper coins per jin.

To put it in perspective, pork was only 8 copper coins per jin.

Holding the burdock like a precious treasure, Zheng Ruqian was no longer as concerned about the other vegetables.

On the third day after the county clerk was jailed, the group of children headed home.

On the road, Jiang Sheng was still worried, "Is the donkey okay? What if someone took it away?"

Although it was a remote path, what if someone passed by?

The brothers didn't know how to reassure her.

Rushing back to where the two counties met, the donkey was indeed gone. Jiang Sheng's eyes turned red.

The donkey was more than just three or five taels of silver to them, it was family, it was the companion that carried them with nothing back and forth between the county town and the dilapidated temple.

And the root cause of all this was that they didn't know how to drive a cart.

"Third brother," Jiang Sheng gritted her teeth and suddenly looked at Fang Heng, "Teach me to drive a donkey cart."

Fang Heng was stunned for a moment, then nodded quickly.

There was still a day and a half journey from here back to Xieyang County. The two siblings walked stumblingly, and by the time they arrived back in Xieyang County, Jiang Sheng could basically direct the donkey cart.

Compared to horse carts, donkeys were less clever than horses. Anyone proficient in driving a donkey cart would have no problem handling a horse cart.

Jiang Sheng was very satisfied, but her mood was still low.

Until they arrived at the dilapidated temple.

From afar at the entrance of the dilapidated temple she saw a donkey prancing about, as well as a rather dirty flatbed cart.

Perhaps from hunger, the donkey was even chewing on the straw at the door, and drinking the dirty water from the rubble hill.

Jiang Sheng's eyes turned red again.

But this time it was not guilt and sadness, but excitement and regained loss.

"Historical records say that old horses know the way, but who would have thought a donkey could also find its way home." Xu Mo lamented.

"Donkey!" Jiang Sheng shouted.

The donkey kicking up dust at the door snorted as if responding to its owner's delight.

Getting off the cart.

Jiang Sheng brought Wen Zhiyun and Chang Yan to feed the donkey and clean up the house.

Fang Heng and Zheng Ruqian went to deliver vegetables, and after delivery they had to return the borrowed donkey cart.

The only thorny issue was the horse cart the county clerk had ridden in, which had become a hot potato.

If they threw it away, it would be a pity.

If they didn't throw it away, they were afraid they couldn't explain it clearly later.

"Why don't we just dismantle the carriage," Chang Yan said slowly. "A horse is worth ten taels of silver, this carriage is worth two taels of silver at most."

The key was there were too many traces of the county clerk on the horse cart that could easily identify it as evidence.

Fortunately, Shili Pu Village was backed by a mountain. They could easily toss it off a cliff on the mountain and it would be completely destroyed.

"No need to toss it, chop it into firewood for warmth," Pang Dashan volunteered. Hanging one arm didn't affect his agility as he briskly chopped it into pieces.

The carriage was taken down and dragged aside. Before long it was chopped into four or five sections.

Leaving the horse standing blankly in place, snorting.

Even the donkey had Jiang Sheng's delight, what about it?

Fang Heng's heart softened. He went up and stroked the horse's red-brown fur, sighing softly.

Once upon a time, he too had a warhorse that belonged to him alone.

Later, it was all snatched away. "Horsey, if you're willing to follow me, then come over."

He got on the donkey cart, one hand holding the whip, the other whistling.

The moment the donkey cart started, without any hesitation the horse flicked its tail and followed.

Zheng Ruqian's eyes even turned red. "Third brother, I didn't know you had this ability. How could the horse understand your words when I can't."

Fang Heng just laughed loudly without answering.

Zheng Ruqian resentfully curled his lips, but soon regained his confidence.

Everyone had their own strengths. Fang Heng could control horses while he could make money.

The burdock on the donkey cart was Zheng Ruqian's silver and gold treasure.

It was also the opportunity for him to make a fortune in the future.

In the future, he, Zheng Ruqian, would definitely become the richest man in the Great Yu Dynasty!

In the dilapidated temple.

Jiang Sheng watched her two brothers leave in the distance, and suddenly felt somewhat worried. "Do you think the county magistrate will make things difficult for second and third brother? What if they get detained in the county seat?"

She regretfully slapped her forehead. "We should have gone to deliver vegetables together."

That way, even if they were detained in the county seat, at least the family would be together.

Xu Mo reassured her, "That won't happen. The magistrate of Xieyang County is a very cautious man."

After careful observation, whether it was persecuting Doctor Wen and his wife, snatching the tiger skin and whip, or plotting against Zheng Ruqian, it was all carried out by the county clerk.

At most, the magistrate was just covering up for his wife's little nephew, and hadn't actually done anything evil himself.

This showed that he was a man who cared about his reputation.

And men who cared about their reputation, no matter what they did, would definitely act overtly.

At the very least they needed "evidence" of a "crime" before making arrests.

"But after all, our side is weak." Jiang Sheng was worried. "A county magistrate who wants to target us can do so very easily."

Chang Yan cocked her lips, feeling helpless about her sister's extremely long train of thought.

This kind of thing should have been considered when they took action against the county clerk.

But who could blame her, she was his little sister after all.

Chang Yan could only try his best to reassure her. "Don't worry, we have a backer too."

"We do?" Jiang Sheng was surprised. "Who is it?"

"The nephew of the magistrate of Yunshui County," Chang Yan said solemnly. "We get along well with the nephew of the magistrate of Yunshui County. With him around, we'll be safe and sound."

"The nephew of the magistrate of Yunshui County?" Jiang Sheng was even more confused. "Who's that?"

Just then Pang Dashan came back after chopping firewood.

Chang Yan casually pointed to him. "It's him, the nephew of Magistrate Pang of Yunshui County, Young Master Pang Dashan."

Pang Dashan suddenly widened his eyes in shock.