Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 378 Announcement

Yang Xiaoshan didn't ask any further questions. As long as he knew what he was looking for, he could handle the rest.

"Don't worry, Madam," Yang Xiaoshan said, "If the remains are there, we will surely find them."

At worst, we can search inch by inch.

Xie Yuyan nodded and said, "We need to be more careful. The more we do, the more likely we are to be suspected."

Xie Chengrang hasn't gained much influence yet, otherwise she would have to be even more discreet in her actions.

With everything settled, Yang Xiaoshan quickly walked out of the house.

A gust of wind blew... Yang Xiaoshan suddenly realized that he was very different from when he was in Daming Prefecture. If it were before, when the eldest daughter-in-law told him that she was looking for a corpse, he might have been shocked, but just now he was only surprised, without the slightest fear, and he didn't even wonder how the eldest daughter-in-law knew these things.

Whose body was that?
Even now, he only thinks about it briefly; he won't hesitate for a second when it comes to what his wife asks him to do.

Yang Xiaoshan took a deep breath. Having seen so much, he was no longer surprised. He had watched with his own eyes as the lady of the house went in and out of that gambling den, easily sending everyone there to jail.

As Yang Xiaoshan was thinking this, he heard a commotion ahead. He quickly walked over and saw Duan Dalang surrounded by several men who looked like hired laborers. An old man with gray hair was kneeling on the ground and kowtowing to Duan Dalang.

Duan Dalang hurriedly helped the man up.

“Thank you, sir,” the old man said. “If I hadn’t overheard people talking about how the imperial law forbids the arbitrary beating of hired workers, my son would have been beaten to death this time.”

“Those damned Zhou family members withheld the wages of their employees for no reason. My son was in a hurry to get money to treat my old man’s illness, and after arguing with the Zhou family’s manager, he was beaten to the ground by those people from the Zhou family.”

“My son was no match for them, and in his desperation, he could only shout ‘The imperial court does not allow beatings of hired workers’ in an attempt to scare the Zhou family away.”

At this point, the old man's eyes reddened slightly: "The Zhou family ignored him, but fortunately the nearby laborers heard my son's cries and rushed forward to rescue him from the Zhou family."

In the past, no employee would dare to argue with their employer, but recently, after hearing so many disputes at the South City Wharf, everyone has become bolder.

The Zhou family wasn't afraid of one hired worker, but when several hired workers came forward together, the Zhou family's servants could only give way.

This was their first act of resistance, and it resulted in saving a life.

The hired workers who were helping out have finally come to their senses and, upon reflection, realized that they had inexplicably acted impulsively and rushed forward without thinking.

Perhaps it was because I heard and saw so much at the dock that a seed was unknowingly planted in my heart.

"What are you going to do next?" Duan Dalang asked the old man.

The old man gritted his teeth and said, "We're going to file a complaint with the authorities. We met a scholar at the post station earlier, and we came to him to ask him to write our complaint."

The scholar, Duan Dalang, was unaware of this, but Master Zheng knew his background. He had come to Bianjing to take the imperial examination, but he fainted in the examination hall and had to be carried out. Seeing that he had no chance of passing the exam this year and had run out of money, he came to the dock with his servant to find work. The two of them stayed in the inn and listened to the laborers talking about their master's affairs, occasionally chiming in. When someone jokingly asked the scholar if he could pay to write a petition if he were to sue his employer, the scholar readily agreed.

The casual conversation has now become a reality; I wonder if that scholar will still dare to pick up his pen.

Duan Dalang pondered for a moment: "I'll go with you to ask. If that scholar refuses, I'll send someone to inquire in the city and find you a lawyer who can write legal documents."

No sooner had Duan Dalang finished speaking than a voice from the crowd said, "How could I not dare? I said I would do it, so there's no reason why I wouldn't dare."

A scholar in his thirties squeezed through the crowd; his face was somewhat pale, but he was remarkably energetic.

"I'll help you write the legal document, and I won't charge you any money."

The scholar straightened his back as he spoke, revealing a hint of righteousness, but... immediately a "gurgling" sound came from his stomach, and the scholar immediately blushed.

In such a tense atmosphere, this sudden action made everyone burst into laughter.

"Let's go to the post station."

The old man was surrounded and led forward.

Duan Dalang watched the crowd gradually disappear into the distance. The scene that Madam wanted to see had happened so quickly.

……

The four-day, four-session imperial examination finally came to an end. The gates of the examination hall opened, and one by one, pale-faced students, their feet seemingly floating on air, emerged from within. The servants of the Liu family found Liu Erlang in the crowd and immediately stepped forward to help him. Seeing that their young master looked as if he might faint at any moment, the servants hurriedly tried to put him on a carriage.

Liu Erlang reached out to stop him: "Quickly find... Zuo Shangying, take him with you."

After the imperial examination, one must take good care of one's health and not be careless. Some students passed away before the results were released, which is truly regrettable.

Upon hearing this, the servants of the Liu family hurriedly continued their search, and with great difficulty managed to get the young master of the Zuo family onto the carriage.

The two leaned against the carriage, too exhausted to say a word.

It was really cold this year, not to mention inside the examination hall. It was already quite an achievement to be able to finish the exam.

However, Zuo Shangying still made some discoveries.

"On the last day, the charcoal brazier that was delivered contained Buddhist charcoal."

After resting for a moment, Zuo Shangying spoke first.

Liu Erlang didn't notice: "This...is it real?"

Zuo Shangying said, "I've looked at it carefully, there's no mistake." The two of them were preparing to help recommend Buddhist charcoal and Buddhist porcelain in Bianjing after the imperial examinations, but now it seems they may not need to.

Liu Erlang said, "I'll ask for news once we get home." Before the imperial examination, they were so focused on preparing for the exam that they didn't know anything about the outside world, including whether Lady Xie had come to Bianjing.

Thinking about what Madam Xie had done in Daming Prefecture, the two of them felt much more energetic.

Zuo Shangying closed her eyes to rest, wondering if she would ever have another chance to work for Madam Xie.

……

The provincial examination was over, and the emperor needed to discuss the palace examination questions with the Ministry of Rites. Wang Yan was finally able to return home.

Mrs. Lin prepared a table full of food, intending for the family to have a peaceful meal together.

Wang Bingchen looked at Wang Yan, about to speak, but was stopped by Madam Lin's gaze.

“Let me make this clear beforehand,” Madam Lin said, “you and your son have been busy for so long, neither of you is allowed to mention politics tonight. Just eat quietly.”

The father and son had no choice but to agree.

The meal was quite enjoyable, especially for Madam Lin, who was overjoyed to see the smile on Wang Yan's face. Ever since her son found someone he loved, he had changed.

She liked him the way he was now, with emotions visible on his face, rather than the indifferent top scholar she knew at that moment.

However, the meal ultimately did not go as planned.

When the prefect of Kaifeng arrived, Wang Bingchen had no choice but to put down his bowl to greet the guest.

Watching the departing figure, Madam Lin pursed her lips and said, "Let him go. You eat more."

Wang Yan accepted the soup his mother brought. The prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture had come, presumably to report to his father on recent events in the city.

I wonder how they will mention the South City Wharf.

……

"Today, a hired worker submitted a lawsuit against his employer."

In the study, the prefect of Kaifeng reported.

Such things are rarely seen in Bianjing, and...

"We received five lawsuits at once."

Wang Bingchen raised his head with slight surprise: "Was this something you planned in private, to come and sue together?"

The prefect of Kaifeng nodded: "However, these people all met at the South Wharf of the city."