128 They’ve Colluded
The last time this doorkeeper saw that Old Madam w.a.n.g had a close relationship with their Lord Zhang. He naturally did not dare to offend her now. He changed his previous arrogant att.i.tude and was so amiable that he looked like he was welcoming his own relative.
“Has Lord Zhang left the county office?”
Old Madam w.a.n.g and the others had been traveling for eight hours. It was already late at night. There were not many lights on the streets, but the county office was lit with lanterns.
“This… Lord Zhang is probably resting.” The guard’s eyes darted around. “Why don’t you come back tomorrow morning?”
Old Madam w.a.n.g did not think that Zhang Zhan was already asleep. Although their Hu Family Village had already recovered their vitality and was working hard, there were still many villages around that were still in the midst of a disaster.
This year’s farming work had been delayed. Zhang Zhan was now the official in the county office with the highest authority. All the matters that should have been under the jurisdiction of the county magistrate had fallen into his hands.
He should still be busy at this time.
Zhang Zhan was indeed busy. As soon as he finished reading a dossier, a servant brought in a bowl of chicken soup.
“My Lord, it’s late. Please rest.”
“I keep feeling that my ears are a little hot. Go outside and take a look. Did someone come to look for me?” Zhang Zhan rubbed his ears and said casually to the servant.
For some reason, in the past few days, whenever there was anything that he had to deal with, his ears would feel hot.
The servant replied, “My Lord, there are a few people who claim to be from Hu Family Village outside the second door. They want to see you.”
As soon as he heard the words “Hu Family Village”, Zhang Zhan’s eyelids twitched.
Thinking of this village, Zhang Zhan always had bad memories. Moreover, the little ancestor was still there.
Speaking of which, it had been so long, but the little ancestor had not returned. He must be living well there.
“Bring them to the side hall and see if there are any more refreshments in the kitchen. Call them over first. I’ll go later.”
“Yes.”
w.a.n.g Chuanfu and the others felt that their mother was too rash to bring them to the county office directly.
The officials in the county office were already resting. Even if they were not resting, how could they receive them?
One had to know that those officials were all arrogant. Even if they were amiable, it was impossible for them to entertain them so late at night.
As he was thinking, he saw a person dressed as a servant walking over with a faint smile.
Even if he was just a servant, the clothes he was wearing were much better than theirs.
“Everyone, the Lord invites you in.”
Old Madam w.a.n.g said to the servant, “My disappointing son can’t get up. Please take the donkey cart somewhere first and let him stay on it.”
w.a.n.g Chuangui: “…” My dear biological mother!
The smile on the servant’s face froze.
What was wrong with this person? She came to visit the Lord and even brought a cripple with her.
If he pushed him to the livestock shed, wouldn’t it be a problem?
“I’ll send someone to take care of it. Don’t worry,” the servant could only say.
Old Madam w.a.n.g brought w.a.n.g Chuanfu and w.a.n.g Chuanman into the county office. Her two sons were a little nervous. Although the buildings in the county office were not magnificent, they were much better than the small houses in their village. They were not on the same level as the tall buildings on the street.
The servant brought them to a side hall and served them refreshments. Then, he went to get someone to arrange for w.a.n.g Chuangui.
“Wait here for a moment, the Lord will come over later.”
Old Madam w.a.n.g said, “Go ahead. Don’t worry about us.”
Coincidentally, she was tired from traveling. She could rest now.
The servant smiled and turned to leave.
“Mother, why don’t we go back? We’ll find a few people ourselves and teach those matchmakers a lesson.” w.a.n.g Chuanfu was a little afraid and whispered to Old Madam w.a.n.g.
Old Madam w.a.n.g ignored him.
w.a.n.g Chuanman was curious as to why Old Madam w.a.n.g was in the county office. It was as if she was at home.
“Mother, do you know Lord Zhang?”
Old Madam w.a.n.g said, “I met him no earlier than you.”
The villagers already knew that Zhang Zhan was the person they had saved previously, but they only thought that he was an ordinary official.
They had no idea how powerful Zhang Zhan was.
Actually, Old Madam w.a.n.g did not know either, but she could roughly guess. At the very least, he could speak and make the decisions now.
“What are we going to say when we see Lord Zhang? Are we going to tell him the entire story? But the matchmaker only spreaded a rumor. What can we do?” This was also what the brothers had been thinking.
In their opinion, other than talking nonsense, those matchmakers did not seem to have done anything else. Would the officials care what they said?
If they went to report to the officials and said that the matchmakers had ruined their reputation outside, it would seem like they were making a mountain out of a molehill.
Old Madam w.a.n.g smiled faintly. “Don’t underestimate the power of a rumor. How many people have been defeated by the power of a tongue?”
w.a.n.g Chuanman wanted to ask more, but Old Madam w.a.n.g had already lowered her head and was drinking tea. The tea in the county office was at least much better than the ones they had casually brewed with honeysuckle. It was also better than mint leaf tea.
w.a.n.g Chuanfu and w.a.n.g Chuanman were still thinking when Old Madam w.a.n.g had already finished half of the refreshments.
They did not bring much food with them when they went out. The old lady was already hungry.
An hour later, Zhang Zhan finally finished what he was doing. Only then did he remember that there were still people waiting, so he hurriedly went to the side hall.
In the end, he saw two people sitting straight on a chair, and an old woman with white hair. She actually tilted her body and head, and fell asleep in the chair.
At a glance, Zhang Zhan thought that she had died there. He was so frightened that his heart almost fell out.
“Mother, the Lord is here.” When w.a.n.g Chuanfu saw Zhang Zhan, he quickly woke Old Madam w.a.n.g up.
Zhang Zhan originally thought that it was probably someone from the w.a.n.g family. As expected.
“Auntie w.a.n.g, why are you here so late at night?”
Old Madam w.a.n.g stood up with an especially serious expression. “Lord Zhang, I actually shouldn’t have troubled you, but I think this matter is very important. I still have to let you know.
Recently, many people have been spreading evil rumors in our Nanhe Town. After asking around, I found out that the other party is actually a group of matchmakers colluding with Daoists of unknown origin.”
Zhang Zhan looked surprised. Matchmakers colluding with Daoist priests?
What was this?
Even w.a.n.g Chuanfu and w.a.n.g Chuanman could not help but open their mouths wide. What was their mother talking about?
Old Madam w.a.n.g continued, “The matchmakers are not officially certified. They are made up of independent matchmakers. Of course, the Daoists are also wild Daoists. They are not officially registered. Now, even the official martial sects have to report to the Imperial Court, but these matchmakers and Daoists are outside the law.
Everyone is respectful to the officials, but they trust the matchmakers very much. After all, the matchmakers have a lot of power. The marital matters of every family depends on the matchmakers. In addition, everyone’s respect for the Daoist priests comes from their reverence for the G.o.ds. If the Daoist priests commit crimes outside, won’t that slander the G.o.ds?
The commoners don’t have any ability to differentiate this. I’ve heard about it when our family was in the wild in the past. If the local matchmakers and Daoists are really colluding, they’ll really be able to cover the sky with one hand!”
w.a.n.g Chuanfu and w.a.n.g Chuanman could still understand a few words at first, but the rest were too confusing.
But Zhang Zhan understood.
“Aunt w.a.n.g, do you mean that someone is using the people’s emotions to fool the people? How audacious!”