vrcanaries Chapter 422 Is he really not coming back?
Chapter 422 Is he really not coming back?
The next morning, in the council hall of the government office.
Prefect Xu sat at the head of the table, surrounded by officials of all ranks in charge of commerce and agriculture.
The purpose was solely to discuss the establishment of tea gardens in Qingtian County.
Prefect Xu glanced around, and seeing that everyone had arrived, he cleared his throat.
"You have all seen Mr. Gu's proposal and the documents submitted by the Qingtian County Government."
"Feel free to speak your mind."
He glanced at the teacup beside him, picked it up gently, and said, “I acquired some fine tea yesterday. Why don’t you all drink and chat?”
When your superior invites you to tea, how can you refuse?
Everyone offered tea.
Ren Quan, the clerk, also spread out paper, dipped his pen in ink, and prepared to make a record.
Just then, a figure appeared outside the council chamber.
"I have nothing better to do than listen in on this."
All the officials stood up in a flurry, and the hall fell silent.
Most of them did not know Mu Nanzhao.
I only heard that a high-ranking and powerful figure had come to the capital, so he stayed in the backyard of the government office.
Prefect Xu was the first to come to his senses. He hurriedly put down his teacup and stepped forward to greet him.
"Your Highness, please take a seat!"
"If we could receive guidance from the Regent, it would be the greatest fortune of our lives!"
The entire hall was filled with astonishment.
The Regent?!
Today is sunny and cloudless, with the sun blazing overhead.
The carriage sped through the bustling streets, quickening its pace when it reached quieter areas.
Lu Jing felt hot, so she pulled the curtains open halfway to let the breeze blow through, which made her feel a little better.
She gently fanned her face with one hand, saying, "This place may be bustling, but it's much hotter than our village."
Gu Xixi handed over the water bag.
Lu Jing grabbed a few sips and frowned, "The cold boiled water I drank this morning has turned lukewarm."
Gu Xixi laughed and said, "Just drink this for now, I'll cut you a slice of melon when we get home."
She raised her hand and lifted the curtain on her side, asking loudly, "Brother Zichu, would you like some water? Be careful not to get heatstroke."
Jiang Mingyuan rode his horse to the window and said with a smile, "No need, I brought a water bag."
"Besides, there's the Snow Melting Pill you gave me. I always carry it with me, so I'm not afraid of getting heatstroke."
Lü Jing smiled and turned to the side, "Lord Jiang didn't expect this trip to go so smoothly, did he?"
Jiang Mingyuan smiled.
It went surprisingly smoothly.
I arrived in Jing'an City last night and met with Prefect Xu.
This morning, just after 9:00 AM, the prefectural government sent someone to summon Magistrate Jiang.
Gu Xixi and Lü Jing stayed at the post station to wait for news.
Jiang Mingyuan returned in just half an hour.
He brought good news, along with the official document from the government office seconding his opinion.
It was only past noon, and their carriage had already left the city center.
Jiang Mingyuan said, "Each county has important official business awaiting instructions from the prefectural government."
"I originally thought I would stay at the post station for at least three to five days, but I didn't expect the government office to be so efficient."
"Perhaps..."
He paused, then smiled and said, "In short, all the problems that arose before we started preparations have been resolved."
"The rest depends on our own abilities."
A faint smile appeared on Jiang Mingyuan's face. In his bright eyes, there was hope for the future of the tea garden, as well as his own ambition in the officialdom.
As a new official, and returning to his hometown to serve as a county magistrate, he naturally needed to demonstrate his abilities and prove his worth.
They rested for one night at an official post station along the way.
The next morning, they finally returned to Qingtian County.
Jiang Mingyuan wanted to continue escorting the girls back to Huachidu Village, but Gu Xixi politely declined.
“You must have accumulated a lot of official business while you were away.”
"And the documents that were just brought back will probably be very complicated to implement."
Jiang Mingyuan sighed, nodded, and joked, "Don't worry, Sister Xixi. To build the number one tea garden in the Northwest as soon as possible, I will definitely get up at dawn and work late into the night."
Gu Xixi chuckled softly, "Then I'll wait for the magistrate's further instructions."
Jiang Mingyuan bowed respectfully, saying, "I only hope to live up to your expectations."
He instructed the driver to continue towards Huachidu Village and make sure to take the person home.
Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, Jiang Mingyuan stepped over the threshold of the county government office.
Suddenly, she subconsciously turned around and looked at the road she had taken back.
No.
As expected, Mu Nanzhao did not come back this time.
When Jiang Mingyuan went to the government office in the morning, he didn't even see the Regent.
But he could still guess that the Regent's role was more or less responsible for the smooth and quick trip.
Jiang Mingyuan didn't mention it to Gu Xixi.
Firstly, he believed that Gu Xixi had already thought of what he could think of.
Secondly, he didn't want to erase Gu Xixi's efforts.
The Regent's official authority was one thing, but what ultimately got the government to approve it was Gu Xixi's tea garden plan.
On the way back to the village, Lü Jing whispered something to Gu Xixi.
"We're so close, I thought he would go home with you."
Gu Xixi glanced sideways, having already seen through Lü Jing's little scheme, "You just want to watch the show?"
"I should have borrowed some of the books that Jinglan had read from the common bookstores for you."
"Whatever type you want to see, we have it, no matter how melodramatic."
Lu Jing chuckled, "Doesn't your aunt know who he is?"
“Jinglan said that he once ran away from home, not only revealing his identity but also proposing to you.”
Gu Xixi sighed, "He did say his name, but it was too complicated, and Aunt Zhang didn't remember it."
"They may only know that his surname is Mu (but they don't know which Mu he is), that he comes from a wealthy family, that he is a rich young master, and that he may even be an official in the capital."
Lu Jing looked at him in disbelief and said with a frown, "Gone?"
Gu Xixi shrugged, "No, that's all."
Lü Jing leaned back, exhausted, and said in a daze, "Oh..."
"I was wondering why Auntie seemed to know everything, yet also seemed to know nothing."
"No wonder she, like everyone else, thought the Regent's announcement was just good news for someone else."
"You still have the energy to tell me this as a joke."
After clarifying things, Lü Jing smiled and said, "It's better this way, even if it's unclear."
Anyway, you don't plan to get married anytime soon.
Gu Xixi smiled.
Would Mu Nanzhao really be so obedient as to pass by the door without entering?
I doubt it.
A few days after returning to the village, the wheat harvest began in Huachidu Village.
Summer is rainy, so wheat harvesting must be done as quickly as possible when the weather is sunny.
So everyone in the village, young and old, got busy.
Even lunch was prepared by the housewives and delivered to the fields for them to eat.
Since returning home last time, Gu Xixi has rarely gone out and has started tinkering with those bottles and jars behind closed doors again.
She needs to formulate pesticides and fertilizers suitable for the tea garden soil and existing tea tree varieties.
These things will gradually come in handy as the land is prepared for the tea plantations.
Lu Jing and Aunt Zhang went to inspect their own wheat field and came back.
Lu Jing knocked on the door. "Xixi, can I come in?"
After receiving permission, she pushed open the door and went in. "When I came back, I saw many people delivering food."
“Our employees are also served meals, but they all get up early and come with us, bringing their own dry food, water, salted vegetables, dried meat, and the like.”
“I see it’s all their wives and children. They not only bring them food, but they also help with the wheat harvest. Don’t they need to take care of them?”