Chapter 732: Vibrant with Life

When returning to the county town, they rode slowly, just trotting gently on horseback.

Miao He walked far ahead before suddenly remembering, "Oh no!" he cried out, "Little Master Shu, we forgot to make Old Tian swear an oath—won't the farmers tilling his land have to pay seventy percent rent forever?"

Pan Yun smiled lightly: "If he demands seventy percent rent, the villagers simply won't lease his land."

Yu Qian explained gently: "As long as the Wan family charges only fifty percent rent, Old Tian, living in the same village, can only charge the same. Two butchers: one sells meat at five cash per jin, the other at seven. Which one will you buy from?"

Miao He's eyes darted, retorting: "What if the butcher selling meat at five cash doesn't have enough? What if others can't buy any?"

Yu Qian laughed: "The people have their own ways—buy less so more can get some; take turns—today you buy, tomorrow I buy; or simply stop eating meat altogether."

Pan Yun said: "Old Tian is an ambitious man—he won't let his land lie fallow. Fortunately, his fields are fewer than Old Wan's, or we'd truly have made him swear an oath."

Yu Qian cleared his throat: "One must not force others, and… a son does not speak of the strange, the violent, or the supernatural…"

Pan Yun pretended not to hear.

Miao He immediately blanked his expression, gazing blankly up at the sky.

By the time they returned to the government office, the sun had set.

One after another, the Brocade Uniform Guards, soldiers, and government office runners returned; Pan Yun acted as if she didn't notice their gazes fixed on Yu Qian, and bowed to him before taking leave.

"County Magistrate Cai, can my eldest brother return to Mount Sanqing now?"

Cai Cheng had long lost interest in holding Wang Feiyin captive; he waved his hand impatiently.

Pan Yun happily went to find Wang Feiyin: "Big Brother, we can go home!"

Yu Qian watched her enter the Yi Courtyard, then turned his head toward the man waiting nearby.

The Brocade Uniform Guards, soldiers, and government office runners stepped forward in turn to report: "Along East Road One, seventy-eight people passed, divided into twelve groups; from their conversations and accents, they appear to be from the same village or neighboring ones."

"Along East Road Three, one hundred nine people passed, divided into fifteen waves; after passing, the road branched, and they scattered—clearly returning to their hometowns, with no signs of regrouping."

"Along West Road Two, sixty-two people passed, divided into fourteen waves…"

Yu Qian nodded slightly, turned to look, and saw Pan Yun and the others loading bundles onto the ox cart.

Cai Cheng turned his head and the first thing he saw was the Wang family, who had been missing all this time; his eyes widened, pointing at them in shock: "This is…"

Yu Qian pressed down his arm, warning: "County Magistrate Cai, Wang Xiaojing is now a law-abiding citizen."

Cai Cheng was deeply frustrated: "My lord, I have no memory of that day at all—I don't know how I got drunk—but now it's clear this is tied to Pan Yun."

Yu Qian had guessed this several days earlier, upon realizing Wu the Clerk was sharp and capable, and connecting it to the Wang family kept in the back courtyard of the Yi Courtyard.

But different paths lead to the same destination.

If the Wang family had still been in Cai Cheng's hands, he would never have spent his entire fortune to notify the Prefect and push so hard for this amnesty.

People only dare to fight fiercely when they have no retreat.

Yu Qian instructed the County Commandant to keep watch on Song Dalin and Wang Xiaojing's movements during this period: "Confirm they have no intention of rebelling again."

The County Commandant bowed respectfully in reply.

Pan Yun and the others had already loaded everything onto the ox cart; she looped the rope twice around, tied it tight, then lifted Wang Xiaomei and Xiao Shiyi onto it.

Beneath them were the quilts and bedding she had bought for the Wang family—several thick, soft ones; Wang Xiaomei and Xiao Shiyi sat on them, lifting their little bottoms to bounce happily: "Grandpa, Grandma, come up quickly!"

Old Wang waved at her, his eyes crinkled with smiles: "Hold your sister steady, don't let her fall off."

Wang Feiyin couldn't let such elderly people walk back, so he had Old Wang drive the cart and helped the two elders sit on the shaft.

The rest of them, one by one, walked behind the ox cart.

The Yi Courtyard had always been a derelict mansion; once Wang Feiyin left, the gate was shut. He turned back to look, sighing: "I lived here so long—I'm truly reluctant to leave."

Pan Yun: "You're reluctant for the free air here, aren't you?"

Indeed, for Wang Feiyin, those days confined in the county town were free.

Wang Feiyin walked ahead with his hands behind his back, muttering: "So what if I like bustle?"

Cai Cheng and the others had gone inside; only Yu Qian remained at the government office gate, watching them fade into the distance.

Pan Yun glanced back at him, giving a slight nod.

Yu Qian returned the nod.

Once they were far away, Yu Qian finally lowered his gaze.

Lu Yuan asked, puzzled: "My lord, if you're reluctant to let them go, why not see them off?"

Yu Qian: "She doesn't want me disturbing Mount Sanqing's tranquility. We must learn to help others achieve their wishes."

"It's already dark—my lord could have asked them to stay one more night. I see you two get along well, almost like how you did with Censor Xue."

Yu Qian paid no mind to Lu Yuan's probing, smiling faintly: "She wants the Wang family reunited as soon as possible—how could I keep them for my own selfish desires? She's still young; she'll go to Jingcheng someday. We'll meet again, and then we can talk."

Yu Qian turned and entered the government office: "Pack your things. We depart tomorrow."

When Pan Yun and the others left the city, daylight still lingered; less than half an hour later, they could only make out blurred figures.

Tao Yan Bai led Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He into the woods, returning shortly with armfuls of broken branches, dry leaves, and withered grass, which they bundled into torches and lit to walk ahead and light their path.

They weren't as durable as tung oil-made torches, but they held.

Mostly, there were enough of them—one burning out, another was lit.

Seeing the three run into the woods twice in under half an hour, each time emerging with three torches, Pan Yun chuckled, pulled out a fire talisman, slapped it onto one torch, snapped her fingers—and the torch ignited.

That torch burned steadily all the way until they reached Fen Shui Village.

Towering Mount Sanqing lay swallowed in darkness, but Fen Shui Village at its foot glowed brightly with lanterns; faint sobs could be heard, but the scent of food carried farther than the crying.

Pan Yun smelled the rice aroma—and her ever-reliable stomach betrayed her with a loud gurgle.

One gurgle triggered a whole string of gurgles…

Pan Yun was slightly embarrassed, but hearing the chorus of gurgles, she immediately turned to look.

Miao He blushed: "It wasn't me who started it."

Pan Yun burst out laughing: "It was me."

Miao He joined in the laughter.

Seeing Miao Zhen's stomach growl too, she defended herself: "We didn't eat lunch…"

Wang Feiyin was already standing at the village entrance with his hands on his hips, shouting inward: "Folks, this Wang Feiyin has come back!"

The village went quiet for a beat, then came the sounds of a basin hitting the ground, doors being pushed open, footsteps, and startled cries, one after another.

The villagers came running out with torches to welcome them. Seeing Wang Feiyin had brought back Pan Yun, Seeing Miao Zhen, and Tao Yanbai, and had also escorted Old Man Wang's whole family home, they were overjoyed at once, and happily crowded around them, heading into the village: "Quick, quick, quick, let's go, let's go, there's rice cooked at home…"

"Come to my house, come to my house, the chickens I raise are still alive, I'll slaughter one tonight."

A scene full of life and bustle. (End of chapter)