Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 843 - 430: Guest Meal
Second watch, asking for pink.
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After Lian Manman and the others finished eating, Lady He called Aunt Ping and another slightly older maid over to clean up the dining table and dishes.
Manman originally wanted to chat more with Lady He, but she saw Aunt Ping secretly signaling Lady He with her eyes, and Lady He said she had something to do and followed Aunt Ping out.
Lian Manman sat on the kang bed and looked out the window. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
Lady He followed Aunt Ping to the kitchen, while Old Master Lian was pacing in circles in the courtyard.
"The Old Master says living inside the Yamen involves many rules; even leaving this courtyard is not allowed at will. When he can’t stay still inside the room, he can only walk around in the courtyard," Wu Lang said.
"The Old Master said that as well?" Manman said, "I didn’t take it seriously when I heard Lady Zhang mention it just now. How come we can’t even leave the courtyard freely after coming here?"
"There were originally two side gates at the back, but the Magistrate had them locked and forbade us from using them. To leave this courtyard, one must pass through the front ceremonial gate," Wu Lang whispered, "Behind the ceremonial gate is the Magistrate’s main hall... Xiao Qi and I were just chatting with our Old Master, and he said that this Magistrate is particularly overbearing. There are watchers at the ceremonial gate. They interrogate anyone coming in and out, suspicious of everything. The entire County Yamen is filled with the Magistrate’s people..."
Manman then understood that this was the Magistrate’s way of isolating and oppressing Lian Shouren.
"Is this Magistrate really so domineering?" Lady Zhang also understood a bit and said, "...Back home, with such large front and back courtyards, and your grandfather being used to being busy, it must be really suffocating now that suddenly he can’t leave this small courtyard."
No wonder Old Master Lian was pacing back and forth in the courtyard at this time.
"The Old Master also said that the job my uncle is doing is quite tough," Wu Lang continued, "He said that as the County Magistrate, my uncle has no real authority except to count the military household population in this county... He also said the Magistrate always assigns my uncle difficult tasks. It hasn’t even been a month since he arrived, and he was ordered to escort goods. After that trip, my uncle lost a lot of weight."
Hearing Wu Lang say this, Manman couldn’t help but recall some of the governmental affairs Wu Yugui had mentioned about the County Yamen. Counting the military households was an undesirable job with no perks, and the task of escorting supplies was particularly arduous. If there were problems with the escorted goods, such as shortages or failing to meet quality standards, the person in charge of the escort had to compensate. Moreover, escorting goods required timely delivery; traveling at dawn and setting out in the early hours, and if one missed the deadline, they would be punished. It was the most thankless and exhausting task.
Not to mention the aspect of compensation, just the task of setting out at dawn and traveling through the night was something Lian Shouren had never experienced at home, so it was naturally unbearable for him and he complained endlessly.
Old Master Lian must certainly be heartbroken.
"Brother, Xiao Qi, have you conveyed everything you needed to our Old Master?" Taking advantage of the absence of others in the room, Manman quickly asked.
"We’ve said everything," Wu Lang nodded.
"And what did your grandfather say?" Lady Zhang asked.
"...Regarding the marriage proposal mentioned by my aunt, our Old Master said he had seen my aunt’s letter and wrote his letter for the good of both families, not knowing that our family had already turned down my aunt. He said it’s a matter of mutual consent, and if we don’t agree, then there’s nothing more to say. He said when he finds time, he will try to persuade my aunt, and he wants us not to let this matter cause any estrangement between us. We are all flesh and blood, and even if my aunt did something wrong, it wasn’t with bad intentions, so we should continue our relationship as usual," Wu Lang explained.
"Ah... This must mean that your aunt has been complaining to your grandfather and grandmother after arriving here," Lady Zhang deduced after some thought.
"As the eldest, our Old Master is just encouraging peace. As for specific matters, we should stick to our own principles," Wu Lang said calmly.
Manman nodded, Wu Lang was right.
"Right, we should just do as we see fit," Lady Zhang agreed.
"Anything else?" Manman asked further.
"About the rent collection, the Old Master is aware that Jizu sent the bailiffs to lock up the people of the Old Woo Family, and he got really angry. The Old Master said he has already reprimanded Jizu, criticizing his handling of the matter," Xiao Qi said.
"And about Jizu selling grains and tobacco, did the Old Master say anything?" Manman inquired.
Wu Lang and Xiao Qi both shook their heads.
After all, being his beloved eldest grandson, even if Old Master Lian had some dissatisfaction, he would most likely hold it back and not say anything in front of Wu Lang and Xiao Qi.
Wu Lang and Xiao Qi then spoke to Lady Zhang and Manman in turn, summarizing the content of their chat with Old Master Lian.
