txolops Chapter 47 Attending the Banquet
Chapter 47 Attending the Banquet
He learned to read and write on the mountain, learned martial arts, and learned to write his own name. He had a lot to say to his mother.
But in the end, he simply took off his bundle, took out the resettlement document stamped with the county government's seal and a bag of loose silver, and presented them to his mother.
"Mother, this is the resettlement money issued by the county magistrate and the clan leader. The clan leader said that our family is in many difficulties and asked his son to bring it back to buy some charcoal for you to get through the winter."
He paused, then lowered his voice, "Mother, the sect leader is a good person."
The old woman took the silver coins, looked at him for a while, and then asked, "You didn't cause any trouble for anyone on the mountain, did you?"
Zhang Dayou shook his head, and his mother nodded. She slowly sat back down on the stool, wrapped up the loose silver, placed it on her lap, and after a long while said, "That's good."
Meanwhile, the Huang family mansion in the south of the city was brightly lit, with two large red lanterns already hung in front of the gate, new couplets pasted on the vermilion gate, and servants busy everywhere inside and outside the courtyard.
Huang Dehou stood by the study window, gazing at the brightly lit courtyard, his fingers gently tapping on the window frame.
Huang Wenyuan stood behind him, holding a newly drafted guest list.
"Brother, the invitations have all been sent out. They've been sent to the county government, the military affairs office, the household registration office, and all the major businesses—everyone with a bit of standing in Qinghe has received them. Qingyun Sect has also received one."
Huang Dehou nodded: "Did Shen Qing accept it?"
Huang Wenyuan said, "I've accepted it. Uncle Zhou received the invitation, saying that Sect Leader Shen will be there at that time."
Huang Dehou's lips curled slightly. He didn't ask any further questions about Shen Qing, but instead asked, "What's the latest news from Father's side?"
"I just received the letter today. My father has already passed through Fenglin County and will be returning home soon."
Huang Wenyuan opened the letter in his hand and quickly scanned it. "If you travel fast, you can arrive within three days."
Huang Dehou stopped pointing. He walked to his desk, spread out a map of Qinghe County, paused for a moment at the location of Qingyun Mountain, and then looked away.
"If Father arrives within three days, there's no need to postpone the welcome banquet. Let him come back directly; he'll be there in time."
He paused, then lowered his voice, "Send a message to Father, telling him not to go around in circles or avoid Zhao Yuanlang. This time, our Huang family wants everyone to see that Father has returned."
Huang Wenyuan was slightly taken aback, but then he understood what his elder brother meant.
"Also," Huang Dehou lightly tapped his finger on the map, "has there been any progress on the matter I asked you to investigate?"
Zhao Yuanlang sent Li You with a group of yamen runners up the mountain.
Huang Dehou tapped his finger lightly on the arm of the chair. He wasn't surprised; he would have found it strange if Zhao Yuanlang hadn't kept a backup plan.
"Keep an eye on it. Report any unusual activity immediately."
Huang Wenyuan acknowledged and withdrew, leaving Huang Dehou alone in the study. He gazed at the red glow of the lanterns outside the window and remained silent for a long time.
He had been to Qingyun Mountain once and had personally witnessed the group of peasant disciples harvesting crops in the fields and practicing martial arts in the training ground.
Those people were indeed just ordinary people. He didn't believe that Shen Qing could pull any tricks on them. What waves could a group of mediocre ordinary disciples make?
Why did Zhao Yuanlang still inscribe words on Qingyun Mountain? Why did he still place those people one by one in the county government, the military headquarters, the docks, and major businesses?
Huang Dehou was not afraid that Shen Qing still had other methods, after all, a dying man with no background was not worth fearing.
As for Mo Wentian's existence, Huang Dehou couldn't care less. In his view, there was no better time to take action against Qingyun Mountain than now.
However, Zhao Yuanlang's cultivation level and background make him worthy of extreme caution.
This county magistrate is backed by the Heavenly God Sect. Even if he can't stay in Qinghe for more than a few days, the move he makes before leaving is not to be underestimated.
He returned to his desk, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote a few lines on the paper.
After finishing writing, he put down his pen, folded the letter, put it in an envelope, sealed it with wax, and then summoned his trusted confidant.
"Send this letter to the direction of Fenglin County City to welcome the old master. Tell him that the welcoming banquet is scheduled for three days from now, all the guests in the city have been invited, everything is ready, and we are just waiting for his return to take the seat."
The confidant took the letter and withdrew.
Three days later, the Huang family in the south of the city was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers.
The vermilion gate was wide open, with two large red lanterns hanging high above the lintel, and the gilded character "Huang" gleaming in the autumn sun.
The alleyway leading to the mansion gate was paved with bluestone slabs and sprinkled with water, with gifts from relatives and friends displayed on both sides.
Dozens of tables were set up in the courtyard for a continuous feast. The smoke from the kitchen had been rising since early morning. Several cooks, shirtless, were busy at the stove, sweating profusely. The sounds of pots and pans clashing, along with the aroma of cured meat sizzling in oil, wafted all the way to the outside of the alley.
The Huang family members dressed in their finest clothes and greeted guests inside and outside the mansion gates. Each of them wore a smile, behaved impeccably, and radiated joy.
Almost all the prominent families in Qinghe County came. The county magistrate and the county constable arrived with a group of officials, the managers of major businesses brought their families, and several major ship owners from the dock also arrived.
Even the local bullies who usually act arrogantly on the streets were all dressed properly in long gowns to show their support today.
Zhao Yuanlang was the only one who didn't come. Xuanji sent him a gift on his behalf, saying that the county magistrate was busy with official duties and couldn't attend the banquet because he had to return to his sect to report on his duties.
Huang Dehou accepted the gift with a smile, without saying anything.
When Shen Qing went down the mountain, he met Li You, who was inspecting the academy. He chatted with him for a while and arrived a little late.
The squad of constables that Zhao Yuanlang had previously assigned arrived yesterday, led by Qinghe Inspector Li You.
Shen Qing had a rather favorable impression of this young man who was said to be Zhao Yuanlang's disciple.
He was efficient in his work and not very talkative. He would patrol the mountain twice a day with his yamen runners and never set foot outside the academy.
In the past two days, Shen Qing and Li You have met several times, and both have maintained a respectful distance.
Li You never inquired about the Qingyun Sect, and Shen Qing never asked him why he came; the two maintained a tacit distance.
The servants in front of the Huang residence saw the Qingyun Sect Master, dressed in white robes with silver patterns and a blue belt, from afar and recognized him. They shouted, "Sect Master Shen of the Qingyun Sect has arrived!"
The noisy chatter in the courtyard paused for a moment. Although Shen Qing had dismissed his disciples, his reputation in Qinghe County had become unprecedentedly good because of Qingyun Academy.
This is of course thanks to Ma Wenzhong's repeated public praise of his "education for all" and Zhou Shi'an's repeated praise of Qingyun Academy's educational achievements.
Shen Qing's story of accepting disciples and running schools without charging money has long been known among the common people. Although Qingyun Sect looks like it has fallen apart, the people below have more genuine respect for Shen Qing.
Huang Wenyuan, who had taken over the task of entertaining guests from the servants, led Shen Qing to a table in the eastern corner.
This location is neither too close nor too far from the main seat, which is just right for his current status, neither illustrious nor completely defeated.
There were seven or eight people sitting at the table, all of whom were owners of small to medium-sized businesses in Qinghe County.
As soon as Shen Qing sat down, Manager Liu, who ran a grain and oil business, came over and said, "Sect Leader Shen, I heard that the academy has changed to a boarding system, and the daily consumption of grain and oil must be quite high. I would like to discuss this grain and oil business with you, Sect Leader. Is that feasible?"
Shen Qing nodded: "If Manager Liu is interested, we can discuss this in detail another day when we come up the mountain."
Manager Liu nodded repeatedly, and the other owners at the table also chimed in.
Some people asked if the academy was still accepting students, some asked if their children could enroll, and others directly asked how much the tuition fee was.
Shen Qing dealt with each person individually. Although he sat in the corner and did not show off, he had become the center of attention at the table.