Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 161 Inspection
If Xie Chonghai had heard these words on a normal day, he would have frowned and ordered the woman to be thrown out.

Is it something a woman can get involved in, like working in a pottery kiln?

But when he turned his head, he saw the county magistrate in his official robes, and then his eyes glanced around and he spotted a monk in a kasaya.

Xie Chonghai had no choice but to compose himself and step forward to bow to the county magistrate.

The county magistrate of Daming Prefecture is very busy with official duties. How can he repeatedly concern himself with this matter?

Even the county magistrate didn't expect this to happen.

He was busy at the yamen when he heard a bailiff report, "The abbot of Baode Temple has arrived."

This Master Zhiyuan is currently enjoying great fame, and the county magistrate cannot ignore him.

Zhiyuan came to the county government office to distribute porridge in front of the temple. This was a good deed, but he knew that the abbot must have something in mind... However, he simply hoped that the government office would allocate some rice so that the porridge could be made more plentiful and thicker.

This kind of thing wasn't difficult to handle. Even if the imperial court couldn't afford it, he could ask wealthy families in the city to donate some money, and that would be enough. However, when he discovered that Lady Xie was also with Zhiyuan, the county magistrate's mind went blank for a moment, and the words "It's over" inexplicably popped into his head. Things were starting to get complicated.

As expected, Madam Xie suggested going with Abbot Zhiyuan to see the clay kiln made by the Xie family.

The county magistrate was both nervous and relieved.

He was nervous because something was bound to happen today, but relieved because he had already anticipated this.

Ever since Madam Xie handed over the recipe for the clay stove to the government office, he has been uneasy.

Logically speaking, once the decision was made, as long as he followed the procedure step by step, even if something went wrong, he wouldn't be held responsible. Besides, Madam Xie agreed readily, as if she had no reluctance whatsoever.

But he just felt that this matter was not over.

Last time at the coal mine in Sanhe Village, Madam Xie was just as easy to talk to, but later... not only did his men dig in Sanhe Village for several days, but suddenly the situation reversed. The person who reported Xie Chongjun suddenly became the one who framed her, and the people from the Salt and Iron Bureau suddenly surrounded Sanhe Village. Xie Chongjun urged the government to dig open the coal mine shaft in order to bury Madam Xie, but who knew that he would bury himself instead.

If he had accepted money from Xie Chongjun, he would have been imprisoned along with Xie Chongjun.

He didn't want to experience digging his own grave.

It was precisely because of the lessons learned from the past that he was so uneasy.

Now everything is settled, and he no longer needs to worry about it day and night.

Anyway, whether you stick your neck out or not, you'll get stabbed anyway...

The county magistrate was taken aback. When did Madam Xie start to seem so terrifying to him? It didn't make sense, nor did it conform to the rules.

But some things are just like that, beyond human control.

The county magistrate introduced Xie Chonghai to the abbot of Baode Temple.

Abbot Zhiyuan stepped forward to perform the Buddhist ritual. Actually... he came down the mountain to collect rice and porridge, and he didn't know how he ended up here in a daze.

Yan Sui, however, remained completely calm. He quickly searched every inch of the area he could see. After a rough assessment, he concluded that they were not in any danger.

“We heard you’ve successfully fired a clay furnace,” the county magistrate said first. “We’ve come to take a look… so that the master can be at ease.”

Xie Chonghai's expression darkened slightly. After hearing the county magistrate's words, he could no longer object.

"How was the first firing?" the county magistrate continued. "Was it successful?"

Xie Chonghai quickly replied, "It's inevitable that a few pieces won't be fired well, but the rest are quite good. Our Xie family has been firing porcelain kilns for many years, and the craftsmen at the kilns are the best in Daming Prefecture. Moreover, clay kilns aren't difficult to make. After all, similar objects existed before, only they were used to burn charcoal instead of Buddhist charcoal. They only require slight modifications."

The implication is that no one in Daming Prefecture can question the Xie family's expertise in porcelain making.

That makes perfect sense. The county magistrate nodded and looked at Xie Yuyan. Xie Yuyan looked at Xie Chonghai: "What did the Xie family use for firing the kiln this time?"

Xie Chonghai frowned: "Coal."

Isn't this a rhetorical question? If they weren't using coal to fire the kiln, why would they go to such lengths to rebuild it?

Xie Yuyan continued, "Then what did the Xie family use to fire kilns in the past?"

"Of course it's firewood..." Xie Chonghai knew he had made a mistake as soon as he said it, but it was too late to take it back.

Xie Yuyan said calmly, "Master Xie, you've remembered?"

"The first family in Daming Prefecture to use a coal-fired kiln was the Yang family's porcelain kiln, not your Xie family."

Xie Chonghai's face tightened, realizing he was at a disadvantage, and he immediately said, "Whether it's firewood or coal, it's a minor matter for the craftsmen."

"That's not up to Master Xie to decide."

The faint voice came, and Xie Chonghai had the illusion that he had to bow down and submit.

"Then who decides? Madam Xie?" Xie Chonghai dismissed the thought in his mind and said loudly, "My family's pottery kiln has its own craftsmen to inspect these things, so Madam Xie doesn't need to worry about it."

"This is not up to Master Xie to decide."

Xie Yuyan looked at Madam Yu, who immediately took out the documents and unfolded them.

Xie Yuyan said, "I gave the method for making pottery kilns to the government so that more clay kilns could be fired. If the clay kilns are not made well and problems arise after they are sold, wouldn't it be my fault?"

"Furthermore," Xie Yuyan continued, "I handed over the method of making clay stoves so that the people could buy suitable stoves as soon as possible to get through the winter. The government office also made the same arrangement, which is why they posted the notice."

"However, many things are well-intentioned, but inevitably some people have ulterior motives."

Upon hearing this, Xie Chonghai's expression changed. Xie Yuyan's mention of "others" clearly referred to him. He finally understood why his elder brother resented this woman so much.

"Master Xie won't agree?" Xie Yuyan said calmly, "Since the Xie family is so confident in their ability to fire a clay stove, why ask me for the method of making a clay stove?"

Xie Chonghai said, "This is my family's pottery kiln, and there are many things about it that cannot be revealed to others." He couldn't think of a better excuse to stop him for a moment, but he knew that he absolutely could not let Xie Yuyan see the clay kiln.

Once a breach is made, disaster is bound to follow.

Xie Yuyan couldn't help but smile: "That's not what you said when you asked me for the clay stove making method."

After saying this, Xie Yuyan didn't look at Xie Chonghai, but instead looked at the county magistrate.

“My lord,” Xie Yuyan said, “does everything we write in the documents mean nothing? I made it clear beforehand that whether it’s Buddhist charcoal or clay stove, everything must be done as I say.”

"The Xie family has only fired the first kiln before backing out. May I ask, Your Excellency, what should be done about this?"

The county magistrate broke out in a cold sweat, and Madam Xie's slightly deep gaze seemed to say four words: collusion between officials and merchants.

"Since you say the clay stove is all fired," the county magistrate looked at Xie Chonghai, "why not let Madam Xie take a look?"

Before Xie Chonghai could speak, the county magistrate waved his sleeve and said, "Where is the clay stove? Take us there." She was just a woman, yet the Xie family was so frightened; they were truly useless.

Xie Yuyan didn't move: "I don't know anything about pottery kilns."

The county magistrate was taken aback, wondering what Xie Yuyan meant by those words.

“There are other ways to examine items fired at the Yang Family Kiln,” Xie Yuyan said. “Would you dare to try, Master Xie?”

(End of this chapter)