Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 18 Don’t dare
Tong Chen was lost in thought when he felt a gaze fall on him. He felt a chill run down his spine and snapped back to reality.

As if the young master knew what he was thinking, Tong Chen cleared his throat, about to speak.

Yang Qin, who was standing next to him, bowed to Tong Chen first and said, "Greetings, sir."

“His name is Yang Qin, the ninth in his family, and he lives in Yong'an Ward in Daming Prefecture,” Wang Hechun said. “His elder brother was a fallen soldier.”

Yang Qin felt a surge of nervousness, fearing that Mr. Tong would ask him what his family did for a living.

Last year, my mother went to a scholar in the neighboring village to ask him to be her tutor. When the scholar heard that the Yang family were merchants, he immediately refused.

Yang Qin was lost in thought when Mr. Tong's voice came: "Can you read?"

Yang Qin said, "My mother taught me some things."

Since he was to be a teacher, he naturally needed to have some authority. Tong Chen said, "Starting tomorrow, come here to listen in every two days."

"Although I am only auditing the class, I must complete all the assignments I have given you, otherwise you don't need to come back."

Before formally becoming an apprentice, there must be an examination. If one cannot satisfy the teacher, the teacher will naturally stop teaching him. Yang Qin had finally gotten the opportunity to study, so he could handle any amount of homework, let alone anything else.

Yang Qin bowed again: "Yes, sir."

Tong Chen looked at the servant: "Take him around and show him around."

The servant responded and led Yang Qin away. Tong Chen's stern face immediately relaxed: "Young master, let's go inside and talk."

The two entered the room, and before Wang Hechun could speak, Tong Chen bowed deeply to the ground: "Please forgive my rudeness in front of others, young master."

Wang Hechun sat down and said, "I was the one who informed you to conceal your identity. You don't need to overthink it."

Tong Chen respectfully served tea to Wang Hechun: "Young master, have you come to Daming Prefecture for something important?" Otherwise, he wouldn't have concealed his name and hidden in the patrol office.

Wang Hechun nodded: "I can't tell you the reason yet."

Tong Chen understood: "I only hope to have the opportunity to serve you, young master."

Wang Hechun nodded and said, "Once the situation becomes clearer, I will naturally inform you."

Tong Chen was overjoyed. In fact, he had worked with Wang Hechun before, but he didn't know what he had done wrong, so suddenly the young master no longer needed him.

He still hasn't figured it out.

"Please have a seat, young master. I have something else to give you."

Tong Chen hurriedly left the house, and returned a moment later with a book in his hand.

“Young master, look, this is the newly printed ‘Prodigy Poems’,” Tong Chen sighed with regret. “Many of your poems from your youth have not been passed down, otherwise…”

"How many were printed?"

Whether it was my imagination or not, Wang Hechun's gaze seemed to slowly become deep and unfathomable.

Tong Chen was startled and said nervously, "Two hundred copies."

"How much?" Wang Hechun asked again.

Tong Chen said cautiously, "There are two merchants in Huainan who are particularly fond of your poems, young master. Each of them printed two hundred copies, saying that they would only be shown to the children of their clans."

Wang Hechun remained silent, but Tong Chen sensed the atmosphere growing increasingly somber, and cold sweat poured down his forehead. Without waiting for Wang Hechun to ask again, he spilled the beans.

"There are also people from Fujian... This time they are scholars who bought 150 books for the academy, and there is also a wealthy man from Chengdu who wants to use them for the children of his clan to begin their education."

As Tong Chen spoke, he took out an account book from the side and handed it to Wang Hechun: "The money from the sales was all used to buy writing materials for the children in Xicun. Please take a look, young master."

“We’ve made a lot of money,” Tong Chen said. “If we print a few hundred more copies, we can sell them all.”

"Is that enough?" Wang Hechun suddenly asked calmly.

After reviewing the accounts, the young master seemed to feel better. Thinking of this, Tong Chen mustered his courage and said, "It's not quite enough."

"Actually, the owner of that bookstore told me that they prefer to read about the young master's childhood. If it could be printed, it would definitely sell a lot."

"You want to write it and sell it?"

A calm voice came from behind him, and Tong Chen was about to nod subconsciously. After all, they were poor, and if they could earn more money, writing some interesting stories wouldn't be a big deal. However, he quickly came to his senses and swallowed the words that were about to come out.

Tong Chen hurriedly changed his tune: "I didn't intend to write about it. How could I possibly know about your childhood, young master?"

Wang Hechun took a sip of tea, his gentle demeanor completely gone from that of the yamen, replaced by an exceptionally cold and stern expression, his gaze growing increasingly calm: "It's better not to know. Those who know too much usually don't end up well."

Think about all those books circulating outside; most of them are related to the person in front of you.

"I don't want to get into danger while playing with a group of children." "Nor do I want to be the one to wake up from a dream when the older generation and colleagues are at a loss."

"I don't want to talk to chickens and ducks, or play music to cows."

Tong Chen couldn't help but swallow.

Wang Hechun put down his cup, stood up, and walked to Tong Chen.

Tong Chen stared at the black boot surface.

"I didn't leave home to look for any immortals."

"No, I'm fasting for seven days to meet that immortal."

Tong Chen shook his head: "No."

Wang Hechun continued, "There was no agreement with that immortal that he would marry no one but you."

Tong Chen waved his hand: "No, no." This must be true. He would never tell anyone that many years ago, he found Wang Hechun, who was starving and on the verge of death, in the mountains. If this were true, wouldn't it be telling everyone that Young Master Wang was deceived?
How could the famous child prodigy of Daliang be deceived?
Wang Hechun walked to the door, and suddenly pointed outside: "That child and his family have nothing to do with me, and they are not my offspring left outside."

"If I could see even a single word I exchanged with that Yang family member..."

Wang Hechun didn't continue speaking, but the window next to Tong Chen suddenly opened silently, and a gust of cool wind blew into Tong Chen's collar, like a sharp blade being inserted into his throat.

"No, no." Tong Chen shook his head desperately; he dared not entertain such thoughts again.

“Study hard,” Wang Hechun said, “and lead your disciples to pass the imperial examination as soon as possible.”

Without all those messy thoughts, with Tong Chen's talent, he would have passed the exam long ago.

As Wang Hechun stepped out of the house, he saw Yang Qin waiting outside.

Without lingering any longer, Wang Hechun reached the door, mounted his horse, and extended his hand to Yang Qin again. This time, however, Yang Qin simply bowed and thanked him.

Wang Hechun asked, "Aren't you coming back with me?"

Yang Qin shook his head: "My sister-in-law also told me to bring back some things, so I won't trouble Clerk Wang."

Watching Yang Qin's small figure disappear into the distance, Wang Hechun's lips curved into a smile, and then he and his servant rode away.

……

Yong'anfang, Yang Family.

Old Mrs. Yang was so angry yesterday that she didn't even eat dinner and went to bed early. She still had no appetite when she woke up this morning. It took Mrs. He a long time to persuade her before she finally agreed to eat some cheese.

After eating the cheese sprinkled with hawthorn berries, the two old ladies felt a little better. Just as they were about to ask Madam He to bring them a bowl of meat soup, they saw the steward rushing in.

The two old ladies felt a sudden jolt in their hearts.

The old man's words of reprimand from yesterday still echoed in her ears, warning her not to cause any more trouble, otherwise her beloved youngest son might not be able to come back.

Trafficking in people was a serious crime in Daliang, punishable by death. The buyer would at least be caned, and in severe cases, be exiled for three years. Yang Mingshan could not bear any of these punishments.

Therefore, yesterday, Madam He suggested giving the key to the small storeroom to the third branch of the family. The second old lady agreed without hesitation, firstly to keep the third branch of the family in check, and secondly to deal with the third branch of the family once this storm had passed.

But only one night has passed, could it be that trouble has already broken out again?
The steward hurriedly said, "Madam, the third branch of the family has invited two lawyers. The gatekeeper couldn't stop them, and now... they've already entered the courtyard."

The two old ladies' ears were ringing. Had the Xie family really hired a lawyer? Were they really going to sue the Xie family?
"Where's the second son?" The second old lady waved her hand. "Quickly, send someone to call him. Didn't he come up with a plan? Why didn't it work?"

Hiring one lawyer wasn't enough; they actually called two to come to their door.

The two old ladies' eyes widened: "Hurry up...think of something." If they let Xie Shi make such a fuss, she might be so angry that she would die before the fourth son even came home.

……

The main gate of the Yang family.

Xie Yuyan stood there, watching the two lawyers follow Zhang to the third wife's residence.

The commotion at the entrance just now attracted a lot of neighbors to watch.

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Sixth Brother's daughter-in-law, why did you hire a lawyer? Didn't you inform the Xie clan? Why is this causing such a commotion?"

Xie Yuyan glanced at the steward not far away: "Neighbors, please don't misunderstand. There are some situations that the steward may not know, which is why he is interfering."

“Yesterday, the clan chief agreed to help me seek justice from the Xie family, and these lawyers came to my door to write the legal documents for me.”

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(End of this chapter)