Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 699 Attention
The woman carrying the child came out of Xie Yuyan's courtyard.

Nannan was still holding the rattle drum that Xie Niangzi had given her. As she waved it wildly, the rattle drum made a crisp sound. The woman was somewhat lost in thought. When she was giving birth, there was a flood that almost swept her and her baby away. When Nannan was rescued, her face was already blue and she had a hard time recovering. Perhaps because of that experience, Nannan was particularly difficult to coax, especially when she saw unfamiliar faces, she would cry and make a fuss.

But today, it's really strange. Nannan actually likes Lady Xie so much. Not only does she let Lady Xie get close to her, but she also wants anything Lady Xie gives her.

Could this be fate?

After sitting in the house for a while, there were fewer people at the yamen gate, but there were still a dozen or so men gathered there. They were unwilling to go back so late, clinging to a sliver of hope that they could hear some news soon.

The woman was lost in thought when she heard someone call her: "Madam Zhou, I've finally found you! I saw you in the crowd just now, but you disappeared in the blink of an eye."

The woman turned her head and saw five or six people walking quickly toward her, clearly looking for her.

Zhou Lanqi said, "My daughter wasn't feeling well just now, and the lady in that courtyard invited me to sit down for a while, so I went along and chatted for a bit." She hadn't intended to stay that long, but she couldn't refuse such a kind invitation.

Once they found the people, they all headed to their lodgings. It was true that they came from Quanzhou, but they had found a place to stay in a village not far from the city. They rented a few houses in the village, and although the houses were a bit dilapidated, they could at least keep out the wind and rain.

The men hadn't returned yet, so the women prepared some food. Zhou Lanqi wanted to help, but was stopped and told to keep a close eye on the baby in her arms.

While everyone was busy, a figure silently climbed up the earthen wall and hid in the shade of an old tree beside it. Su Man kept an eye on these people.

At first glance, this group of people seemed to be just acquaintances, but upon closer inspection, it would be discovered that they had a clear division of labor and worked together very smoothly, obviously because they often spent time together.

Furthermore, they treated Zhou Niangzi, who was holding the baby, with great care, even showing her a touch of respect.

This week, my wife is not so simple; she is at least not an ordinary village woman.

Is that why Madam sent him to investigate Madam Zhou's background?
After a while, a series of chaotic footsteps came. Su Man was not alarmed. He remained leaning against the tree trunk, not moving an inch, and waited quietly. Soon he saw a group of men enter the yard.

After the men returned, the courtyard became lively.

The person walking at the front was slightly taller than the others. He glanced around and saw Zhou Niangzi and her daughter sitting on a stool, so he quickly walked a few steps forward.

As if sensing something, the man suddenly raised his head and looked in Su Man's direction. Su Man remained motionless, her gaze fixed on him, as if she were meeting his eyes.

The man quickly looked away, wiped his forehead, and said, "It's raining; it might start raining again soon."

Zhou Lanqi immediately showed a worried expression. She was most afraid of rain. Heavy rain would kill people, and perhaps a plague would follow. In short, it would be a disaster.

“Then…” Zhou Lanqi looked at her husband, “what should we do?”

Cao Yu said, "Don't worry, it won't be a big problem. It's just that this house needs some repairs. Everyone, let's eat later and go up to the roof to fill it with straw first."

Upon hearing Cao Yu's words, the men immediately got up and began making arrangements.

After everyone finished their work, the dense raindrops indeed began to fall.

The house doesn't leak, so there's nothing to be afraid of, except that we can't gather in the yard to talk anymore.

Cao Yu told everyone to go back and rest, and he also went inside with his wife and daughter.

After a hasty meal, Zhou Lanqi eagerly asked, "How's it at sea?"

Cao Yu held Nannan in his arms and coaxed her, "The angels from Bianjing are very powerful. They have arrested a lot of people. They have almost wiped out the members of the Demon Cult, and many officials from Fujian have also been arrested."

Zhou Lanqi pursed her lips: "It's all thanks to us getting the news early and hiding the ship." Cao Yu replied: "We should also thank you, young master, for bringing the news."

Zhou Lanqi said, "In the past two years, we have received a lot of care from the young master. We originally thought... we would have the opportunity to repay him in the future, but..."

At this point, she raised her head, a hint of eagerness in her eyes: "Do you think it will implicate the young master?"

Cao Yu didn't want to upset his wife, but he had to tell the truth: "If the young master had done a good job in this matter, he might have been given a lighter punishment, but... this matter was investigated by someone else and has nothing to do with the young master, so even if the young master didn't get involved... it will be difficult to resolve this peacefully."

Zhou Lanqi's eyes were a little red: "We can't sentence him to death, can we?"

Cao Yu remained silent; he was unwilling to accept this outcome.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became much more somber.

A crisp rattle drum sound brought the couple back to their senses. Cao Yu's daughter, in his arms, waved her little hands incessantly, and especially when she heard the drum, she smiled happily.

Looking at his daughter's rosy cheeks, Cao Yu couldn't help but smile as well: "I thought you forgot to bring it."

“I forgot,” Zhou Lanqi said. “This was a gift from someone else to Nannan.”

Cao Yu was taken aback and looked up: "Did the villagers buy it for you?"

Zhou Lanqi shook her head and recounted her encounter with Lady Xie. Cao Yu listened attentively, lost in thought: "You said they lived in the courtyard next to the government office?"

Zhou Lanqi responded.

Cao Yu asked, "Are they the wives of officials?"

“No,” Zhou Lanqi said, then seemed unsure. “It shouldn’t be. She said she was a merchant who came here because her caravan was robbed by the demon cult. She probably came to report it to the authorities.”

This statement seems reasonable at first glance, but upon closer examination, can a merchant live next to a government office? They know best what kind of people those officials are like on a daily basis.

Cao Yu was once a scholar. Back then, the officials in the government would give him a friendly look when they heard he was a scholar. But when they found out he had started a business, their attitude changed immediately.

“The lady also said,” Zhou Lanqi said, “that if we want the court to pardon us, we can’t escape it. We might as well take this opportunity to tell the angels the truth about our grievances and hardships.”

Cao Yu frowned: "You agreed?"

“How could I?” Zhou Lanqi shook her head. “Although she guessed that we were smuggling goods to make a living, I didn’t dare to go into details and just stammered.” This wasn’t just a matter for their family, but for several villages. If she really told them, it would implicate everyone.

Everyone followed them to see what was going on; how could she possibly turn around and sell them all?

After Zhou Lanqi finished speaking, she took a deep breath: "However, what she said makes some sense. Even if people are desperate, not everyone only sells smuggled goods. Some people rob merchants at sea, commit murder and arson. They may have temporarily escaped by hiding it now, but as long as the court investigates carefully and finds out that in addition to the demon cult and officials, villagers have also committed serious crimes, the court may launch a large-scale arrest operation, and it will be difficult to get a lenient punishment."

"Furthermore, in order to escape punishment, we all resist the court together. Those who have committed serious crimes might stir up trouble and cause even greater trouble. It would be better to turn ourselves in now, explain the cause and effect, and help the court arrest those who are plundering at sea. This way, we can make amends for our crimes."

Cao Yu had also considered this, but he hadn't made a decision because... he was afraid the court would punish them as members of a heretical sect.

Those officials, for the sake of political achievements, can turn black into white.

“I was originally planning to ask around and gather more information,” Cao Yu said, “Perhaps… that woman is a good candidate.”

(End of this chapter)