Chapter 119: The Stepmother Dare Not Speak (Fourth Update)

After arranging the matters, Ma Tianshou said to Xu Yuan again: "This official returns to the Southern Office tomorrow. Settle your household and return with me."

"As you command."

"You have achieved great merit this time. This official will write a memorial requesting rewards tonight. I estimate that within a month or two, the court's grace and rewards will arrive. If there is anything you desire, this official can hint at it in the memorial. As long as it is not particularly difficult, the superiors will approve it."

Xu Yuan shook his head: "I have no special needs. I leave it entirely to the old lord and the court to decide."

Ma Tianshou nodded, thinking silently that he would mention the matter of pardoning the criminal status of the people in River Work Alley.

When those below work with full effort, those above naturally must think of their desires and seek their wishes.

Ma Tianshou was indeed quite different from his other colleagues.

After discussing other miscellaneous matters, in the end, Fu Jingyu voluntarily brought up the matter of establishing an office in Qihe Tai Town.

Ma Tianshou frowned: "Adding an office is not a major matter, but once established, the court must spend a fixed sum of silver annually."

"It can be earned back." Xu Yuan stated affirmatively: "I just brought back some mountain goods. Old lord, please take a look."

Xu Yuan opened the cloth bundle; inside were the mountain goods buried under the crooked-neck tree of Mr. Piaodang.

Ma Tianshou examined them while asking the price of each item in the mountains.

Xu Yuan still remembered the prices clearly and answered one by one. Yan Lao compared them with prices outside the mountains, his abacus beads flying rapidly: "I dare not say it yields a profit of ten thousand for one, but transporting them out yields a tenfold profit. Moreover, the office can also monitor Ghost Wushan from nearby."

Ma Tianshou pondered briefly: "Very well, then let us add one office."

Xu Yuan and Fu Jingyu both breathed a sigh of relief.

After this matter was discussed, everyone dispersed.

Xu Yuan went out the door and down the stairs, only to be surrounded by a group of Captains: "Lord Xu, we previously said we would host the meal together."

Everyone had already changed their form of address.

Xu Yuan remembered telling his stepmother he would return for dinner and felt somewhat troubled, but everyone was very enthusiastic. Having just entered the Filth-Quelling Bureau, he did not wish to spoil the face of so many people, so he smiled and said: "Very well, but which elder brother will take the trouble to go to my home and inform them?"

"I will go." A Captain with two stripes volunteered.

It was precisely the one who had first questioned Xu Yuan in the town earlier and was later slapped in the face by Dead Man's Money, named Yu Yunhang.

Everyone invited Yan Lao and others; in the end, only Fu Jingyu accompanied them.

A large group, highly enthusiastic, did not know who shouted: "To Chunxiang Hall!" Everyone then cheered loudly.

The Filth-Quelling Bureau's salary was not low, and there were often extra earnings. In Luocheng Prefecture, they could not afford such top-tier pleasure houses, but in Shanhe County, everyone felt no pressure.

Xu Yuan verbally declined: "Oh, this is inappropriate." Yet he was surrounded by the crowd and walked along involuntarily.

As soon as they stepped out of the inn's main door, Song Lu chased up: "Senior Brother, where are you going?"

"To eat. Junior Sister, will you come with us?"

"Very well."

Everyone immediately ceased their boisterousness and obediently found a decent restaurant.

Xu Yuan was nearly drunk, but fortunately Song Lu was on the side; while protecting Fu Jingyu, she also dissuaded him a few times, allowing Xu Yuan to escape the final rounds of toasts.

Before dark, everyone dispersed. Many Captains were drunk, and colleagues supported each other on their way back.

Fu Jingyu was still somewhat worried about Xu Yuan, but Xu Yuan smiled: "This is my hometown. I can walk back with my eyes closed."

Then Xu Yuan waved his hand and walked away unsteadily: "You all return."

After avoiding everyone's sight, Xu Yuan forced the fire in his abdomen, and the alcohol scent steamed out from every pore of his body.

When drinking with everyone, Xu Yuan truly drank and did not fake it, but returning in such a state would not do; Lin Wanmo would nag him to death.

On the way back, he went to check on Grandma Ying, asked if there was anything else needing help, and promised to handle it tomorrow morning.

Grandma Ying smiled: "It is very good here. Old Man Zhang next door even invited me to play Leaf Cards with him tomorrow."

Xu Yuan then took his leave, entered River Work Alley, and went home.

When passing the doorway of Uncle Mao Si's house, Xu Yuan clearly felt Uncle Mao Si leaning against the door behind it listening. He smiled mischievously but deliberately did not greet him and walked straight on.

Uncle Mao Si scratched his head and ears inside the house but felt too embarrassed to go out and call him directly.

Back home, Dafu pounced on him, hungry and honking loudly, complaining to Xu Yuan: "That old woman only cut me some vegetable roots, mixed with bran to feed me. Is that food for geese?"

Xu Yuan took a look; Lin Wanmo had found a broken wooden basin from somewhere and put a small half-basin of it in.

Not a single bite had been touched.

Lin Wanmo wouldn't even cook her own meal, let alone cook for a goose—turning this goose into a meal was something she might have interest in.

Xu Yuan went to the kitchen, found some cured meat, sliced it thinly, and fed it to Dafu. Dafu ate it reluctantly, his heart becoming even more determined to carry out some necessary renovations on the courtyard soon, otherwise there would be no insects to eat in the future.

Thus, he began planning various renovations for the courtyard in his mind.

After feeding Dafu, Xu Yuan entered the room to tell his stepmother: "Tomorrow I must go to Luocheng Prefecture with the Filth-Quelling Bureau. Regarding household matters, you must explain everything clearly to me so I have a baseline in my heart."

Lin Wanmo sighed: "The Xu family's inherited Craftsmanship Sect, Master Dao has never taught you, nor allowed other elders in the alley to teach you other paths, simply out of selfishness, not wanting you to get dragged back in.

For several generations of the Xu family, once one accepts this Craftsmanship inheritance, one is trapped forever in this alley.

Yet Master still held a sliver of hope. Before taking his last breath, he asked me to find the Old Year Grain and send you to Qihe Tai, but I never expected... we still ended up at this step."

Xu Yuan became even more puzzled: "Does our family, or rather our alley, guard something?"

"You are thinking too simply." Lin Wanmo shook her head, weighed her words, and said: "If you can reach the rank of Commander in the Filth-Quelling Bureau, or if your Life Cultivation level reaches Fourth Grade, come back and find me then.

Only then will I dare to tell you everything."

Xu Yuan: "Every time you speak unclearly. Can you not be straightforward?"

Lin Wanmo waved her hand, her attitude very firm: "If I cannot say it, I cannot say it! Enough, bring the War Chariot to me."

Xu Yuan brought it out; the great spear of this Craft Object was damaged, and his stepmother wanted to repair it.

"Bring all other materials as well."

Xu Yuan gave them all to her. There were two fine materials: the Ghost Temple Statue and the belly skin of the Haikou Toad.

Lin Wanmo's eyes sparkled, just like a normal woman seeing beautiful head ornaments: "Good things. Hand them over to me. Go to sleep quickly."

She rubbed her jade hands, eager to rush into the room, and slammed the door shut with a bang.

Xu Yuan gave a bitter smile, helplessly returned to his room, and found himself unable to fall asleep for a while.

Lying in bed, he tried hard to recall the past, hoping to find some clues from his father's few scattered words back then, but had no leads whatsoever.

When night fell, Dafu squeezed the door open and darted inside.

Xu Yuan couldn't help but smile.

"Don't you like the nest I built for you?"

Xu Yuan got up and closed the door properly; Dafu then lay down beside the bed, tucked its head under its neck, and went to sleep.

Xu Yuan cultivated the Five Cauldrons Boiling Art for two double-hours, then went to sleep himself.

A bolt from the blue! This Zhou Ben book has no recommendation anymore...

We can only rely on everyone's monthly tickets to see if we can secure a spot on the rankings.

I still wanted to push for five chapters today, but... I failed.

I wrote until eleven at night; my brain just wouldn't work anymore...

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(End of this chapter)