inspire-indiana Chapter 42 is too risky, take more points.
Chapter 42 is too risky, take more points.
The commotion outside reached the house, and Meng Bochang, who came out, interrupted the debt collection.
"Qing'er is here." After a hurried greeting, Meng Bochang looked at Xie Jin and the other man, "Young masters, Young Master Mu has woken up and his high fever has temporarily subsided, so you can rest assured."
Xie Jin suppressed his smile and said seriously, "Thank you, Village Chief. May we go in and take a look?"
From inside came Doctor Zheng's voice, "Young master, please come in. There aren't so many rules in the countryside."
Meng Bochang nodded in agreement, “That’s right. In the future, if the two young masters have any needs, just tell me, the village chief. Treat me like family, there’s no need to be too polite.”
The two men clasped their hands in a gesture of respect and said, "Thank you, Village Chief."
Startled, Meng Bochang waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no."
After the two entered the house, Meng Bochang looked at the three girls and asked, "Why is Wan'er here too?"
Meng Wan'er hid behind Meng Fuqing and said, "I came out to play with Qingqing and the others."
Meng Bochang didn't ask any more questions, but frowned and looked at Meng Fuqing, "It just so happens that I was also looking for you, let's go outside to talk."
Standing outside the courtyard, Meng Bochang said, "Master Lin has a daughter who is the county magistrate's concubine. Yesterday, I saw the Lin family at the county government office. They came and went as if they were at home. It's clear that the Lin family's daughter is very influential with the county magistrate. I've told them about your situation in detail. I don't know if they'll believe me. Anyway, you should keep a low profile lately and avoid going out if you can..."
He rambled on and on, and Meng Fuqing listened carefully and agreed earnestly.
Without the village chief's reminder, she'll behave herself for now, unless someone comes knocking on her door first.
Thinking of Xie Jin and the other two, she asked the village chief, "Grandpa Village Chief, are those people going to stay in our village?"
When this was mentioned, Meng Bochang frowned again. He shouldn't have been talking about this with Meng Fuqing, a young girl, but for some reason, Meng Fuqing knew Xie Jin. After thinking about it, he mentioned the Xie family's plight as well.
Meng Bochang didn't realize that what he was about to say was likely incomprehensible to a naive young girl. But he said it anyway.
"Not long ago, the capital summoned the Xie family to the capital. On the day of their return, there was turmoil in the palace. The Xie family thought that someone was trying to usurp the throne, so they went into the city to help. Unexpectedly, after entering the city, they became the traitors and were all imprisoned. The benevolent ruler above only sentenced the Xie family to exile three thousand miles to Yunnan."
"On the day of the exile, the Xie family was attacked as soon as they left the capital. One of the three people in the courtyard was the eldest son of the third branch of the Xie family. He was escorted by his subordinates and escaped in the chaos."
Meng Fuqing listened quietly. This whole thing was a series of interconnected events. It was either that the Xie family had blocked someone's path and were framed and driven to extinction, or that the benevolent emperor had planned this whole thing because he was worried that the Xie family's achievements would overshadow his own.
However, Meng Fuqing had no interest in these things. She just didn't expect Meng Bochang to be so bold. In ancient times, anything related to treason was a serious matter that could cost one's head. If it were discovered, their entire village would be in trouble.
"Did you hear all this from the village chiefs?" Meng Fuqing asked calmly. "What if the Xie family really wants to rebel?"
Meng Bochang choked, "This wasn't said by Young Master Xie and his companions, but by someone I heard it from at the county government. The three of them changed their appearances and even carried their household registration documents. When others asked, they simply said they were ordinary merchants who encountered bandits on the road, were robbed, and ended up here. They never attracted the attention of the government."
"Putting aside the Xie family, Young Master Xie once saved Doctor Zheng's life. You know that old man is very stubborn; how can we not bring him back? Young Master Xie also said that they will leave in three days at most, once the injured Young Master Mu's condition has stabilized."
They returned late last night, and Xie Jin and his companions' appearance in Mengjia Village didn't attract much attention. In the past, it was common for outsiders to seek medical help from Doctor Zheng and stay for several days. Therefore, the villagers weren't surprised to see unfamiliar faces in the village.
Meng Fuqing nodded and asked no further questions.
Meng Bochang did have a question he wanted to ask, "I heard from Wan'er that you were the one who helped Young Master Xie deliver a message to Doctor Zheng. How do you know him?"
"I don't know him, he just owes me money."
The risk is too great; she needs to ask for more.
When the two entered the courtyard again, Xie Jin and the other person had not yet come out of the house. Doctor Zheng was sitting in the courtyard, basking in the sun and drinking tea. Meng Ranran was being questioned by him like a quail, while Meng Wan'er listened with great interest.
"What herbs do you recognize?"
Meng Ranran racked her brains and described all the wild vegetables she knew and the herbs her sister had collected.
Dr. Zheng smacked his lips. "That's all?"
Meng Ranran buried her head almost in her chest, her face flushed red. "If you teach me, I will recognize it."
"Then let me ask you, what was your sister doing with the ginseng she dug up before?"
"...Save people?" Meng Ranran said hesitantly. She was too nervous. Now, the thought of ginseng reminded her of a cesspool, and she couldn't think of anything else.
Doctor Zheng banged his cane loudly, angrily saying, "Which medicine isn't used to save lives?!"
Meng Ranran thought this was also a test from her master, and whispered, "Poison...poison?"
Dr. Zheng was so angry that he threw away his walking stick.
Are these people trying to annoy him?
Meng Fuqing walked over to the anxious Meng Ranran and said to Doctor Zheng, "Doctor Zheng, your face is so dark that it could scare even ghosts at night. My sister is so scared that she can hardly speak."
"What? You expect me, as her master, to apologize to this little girl?"
Meng Fuqing grabbed Meng Ranran by the collar and pressed his knee against the back of her knees, forcing her to kneel on the ground. "Hurry up and kowtow to your master."
Meng Ranran understood immediately, kowtowed three times, and when she raised her head, her eyes shone brightly as she stared at Doctor Zheng, and she shouted loudly, "Greetings, Master!"
Dr. Zheng: ...
Meng Wan'er's barely suppressed laughter came from the side, and Meng Bochang stroked his beard, watching with amusement.
Zheng Yi took a deep breath, feeling as if he had been rescued from a pit on the mountain by Meng Fuqing, only to fall into another pit by Meng Fuqing.
Meng Ranran is a bit silly, but compared to Meng Fuqing, she is indeed obedient and sensible.
"From now on, if I tell you to go east, you can't go west; if I tell you to beat a dog, you can't chase a chicken. Are you willing?"
“Yes! Master, I’m strong, hardworking, and obedient!” Meng Ranran responded quickly.
Zheng Yi handed her the teacup in his hand, saying, "Please offer this tea as a gesture of respect to your master."
After drinking the tea offered by his disciple as a formal apprenticeship ceremony, he waved his hand and said, "Stop kneeling. From today onwards, whenever you're not busy at home, come to my place. How much you learn depends entirely on how diligent you are. Observe more, listen more, and ask more questions, understand?"
Meng Ranran smiled so broadly her eyes disappeared, "I understand, Master!"
Having just accepted a fairly satisfactory apprentice, Zheng Yi no longer felt angry at Meng Fuqing. "I've already accepted your sister, what are you still standing here for?"
Hurry up and leave!
"To collect debts."
Zheng Yi was taken aback: "Who are you asking for a debt from?"
The debt-ridden boy stood by the window, taking in the commotion in the courtyard. When he was mentioned, he casually walked out of the house. "Me? Miss, may I have a word with you in private?"