Top-notch Little Horseman

Now that Ye Chen has an official position and the identity of the Envoy of Huangchen Pass, it will be much easier for him to act.

The right to cultivate the land belongs to the Livestock Bureau, and no one may seize it.

The document was stamped with the official seal of the Beiping Prefecture and was accompanied by a signed and sealed transfer contract.

The Beiping Prefecture used the term "requisition" rather than "purchase" to refer to you, which means that this land is no longer related to those landlords and gentry, and now belongs entirely to Huangchen Pass.

Unless the Desolate Dust Pass is destroyed again and no one is left to guard it, no one can take any more land from it.

Ye Chen folded the official document and paperwork, put them back into the oil paper package, and tucked them into his pocket.

Curious, the crowd gathered around, and the monkey asked, "What is this thing?"

"The official documents that have been passed down." Ye Chen smiled and didn't say anything more.

......

Dingyuan County, Zhang Family Mansion.

Zhang Bapi lay sprawled on the couch, half his head wrapped in a blood-soaked cloth, wincing in pain.

The cloth strips have been changed three or four times, and each time they are removed, he screams in pain.

On the table was a bowl of ginseng soup, half-finished and no longer warm.

The Zhang family's house in Dingyuan County was quite large, with three courtyards, paved with blue bricks, and the mahogany tables and chairs in the main hall were carved with the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea.

But at this moment the whole courtyard was gloomy, and the servants walked on tiptoe, afraid of offending the master.

A servant hurried in and whispered from outside the door, "Master, the message has been delivered to the Beiping Prefecture."

"Speak!" Zhang Bapi shouted, his eyes widening.

"Master Lin said...you stole someone else's woman, so they cut off your ear, and that evens things out!"

The servants kept their voices very low, afraid of offending the master.

"Master Lin also said that the horseman named Ye Chen has now been registered in Beiping Prefecture. The recommender is the border governor, Cao Bucun, Lord Cao."

"He was just issued an official document in Beiping yesterday; he is now a member of the Livestock Bureau of Yan'an Prefecture."

"Moreover...moreover, the Beiping Prefecture has already issued requisition documents for the land in the five villages surrounding Huangchen Pass, and Master Lin has also signed the document. Now, the land in Chenjia Village has nothing to do with our Zhang family!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Bapi suddenly sat up from the couch, which aggravated the wound on his ear, causing him to gasp in pain.

He covered his ears, his face a mixture of shock and anger, muttering, "How could this be... how did that stable boy become a man of Beiping Prefecture?"

His mind raced, and suddenly he remembered something, roaring, "Requisition documents? How could this be? My cousin actually sold out the Zhang family! Does he even consider me his brother?"

His cousin Lin Junhai, who was a sub-prefect in Beiping Prefecture, was the actual owner of these lands, while Zhang Bapi only had the right to use them.

His chest heaved violently as he recalled the day Ye Chen stopped him on the dirt road, showing no sign of panic whatsoever.

A mere horse herder dared to lay a hand on him and even cut off his ear!

He felt something was wrong back then, and now it all makes sense.

This kid isn't just putting on airs; he has powerful backers who are actually connected to Governor Cao!

"Go, go to Zhenbeibao!"

Zhang the Skinflint gritted his teeth, swept the ginseng soup bowl off the table, and shouted, "Tell the young master to come back! Tell him his father was bullied!"

……

Zhang Shaojie, the centurion of Zhenbeibao, immediately asked for leave and went home after receiving the message. By the time he arrived home, it was already dark.

Two lanterns at the entrance of the Zhang family mansion swayed in the wind, their light casting flickering shadows on the faces of the stone lions at the gate.

He tossed the reins to his guards and strode into the courtyard.

The butler was already waiting at the door, jogging alongside and muttering to himself.

"Young Master, you're finally back! The Master has been in so much pain every night that he can't sleep at night, and his dressings have been changed seven or eight times..."

"Every time I peel it off, it hurts so much I scream... My ear is beyond saving..."

Zhang Shaojie didn't reply and walked straight inside.

The main room was brightly lit. Zhang Bapi was leaning against the couch, his head wrapped in a medicated cloth with a small patch of pale yellow medicine stain seeping through it.

The ginseng soup on the table had long since gone cold, and next to it was a plate of untouched pastries.

Hearing footsteps, he opened his eyes and saw his son enter. His first words were, "Son, you're finally back! Your father has lost his ears!"

Zhang Shaojie sat down by the bed, looked at the bandage on his father's head, and remained silent for a while.

"Father, I've heard about it. Please don't rush, tell me slowly!"

"What are you still talking about!" Zhang Bapi struggled to sit up, pulling at his wound and wincing in pain.

"That damned Ye Chen, he had his men cut off your father's ear with a knife!"

"Your father has been working in Dingyuan County for over fifty years. When has he ever suffered such a humiliating disgrace!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, spitting everywhere.

"Son, quickly take the soldiers and bring him back! Cut off both his ears! No, chop off his head!"

"Father!" Zhang Shaojie pressed down on his father's shoulder, his gaze sharpening. "Tell me first, what exactly did you do when you went to Chenjia Village that day?"

"Collecting rent!" Zhang the Skinflint said matter-of-factly.

"Wasn't the rent for Chenjia Village already paid?" Zhang Shaojie asked, frowning slightly.

Zhang Bapi's eyes darted around for a moment before he said, "This year there's been a drought, and the government is pressuring us, so I'm thinking of increasing the harvest by 30%..."

Zhang Shaojie waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Alright, I don't want to get involved in your mess. What's the deal with that woman?"

"What woman?" Zhang Bapi asked, looking puzzled.

"Dad, what time is it? You still won't tell me the truth!" Zhang Shaojie's face darkened even more.

Zhang Bapi opened his mouth, but remained silent for a long time.

Zhang Shaojie sighed; he finally understood everything.

He stood up, took a couple of steps around the room, then turned to Zhang the Skinflint and said, "Father, what can I say about you?"

"You stole someone else's woman first, and then they cut off your ear. No matter where you go with this, you're in the wrong from the start!"

"You little beast, are you helping him or your father!" Zhang Bapi's face turned bright red.

Zhang Shaojie pulled out the piece of paper the servant had inquired about from his pocket, flicked it with his finger, and said, "This Ye Chen is no ordinary horse herder. He's currently a veterinarian on temporary assignment at the Livestock Bureau of Beiping Prefecture, and he was recommended by Cao Bucun, the border governor, and the person in charge of handling the matter is Chen Baiquan, a centurion at Yanmen Pass!"

"Leaving aside how much power Governor Cao Bucun has, this Chen Baiquan, the centurion, is my equal!"

"Why did you go and provoke him?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Bapi's face immediately froze.

"And that piece of land in Chenjia Village..." Zhang Shaojie paused for a moment before continuing.

"The Beiping government has already issued the requisition document, and that land has nothing to do with our Zhang family anymore."

"If I lead troops to Huangchen Pass to arrest people, it will be a slap in the face to Beiping Prefecture. If someone there stands up for him, not only will I lose my position as a centurion, but our entire Zhang family may also face annihilation!"