The Lucky Farmgirl

Manbao got into the carriage that came to pick her up, took the hand warmer that Bai Shan casually handed over, and let out a long breath.

Bai Shan also had one in his hand, hugging it to his chest, he looked at Manbao curiously, "I heard that you and Minister Liu were fined a month’s salary for negligence in duties? You would be negligent?"

Minister Liu wouldn’t be either, he was known for being diligent.

Manbao felt a bit guilty and asked in a low voice, "How did you find out, do many people know?"

Bai Shan could tell that it was true at a glance, so he said, "Well... not that many," he said with some uncertainty, "When the Ministry of Personnel was sending a list over to the Ministry of Revenue, it passed by our Hanlin Academy and someone asked about it, so we found out."

Manbao: "... Your Hanlin Academy is behind the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue is right next to the Ministry of Personnel, why would they detour to your Hanlin Academy just to deliver a list?"

The Hanlin Academy is a place for book and history revision, full of scholars, with two library buildings’ worth of books and materials, so it requires quiet. Therefore, the Hanlin Academy is behind the Six Ministries with a very, very large courtyard of its own.

This is also one of the reasons why the people at Hanlin consider themselves rather refined and noble.

Bai Shan looked at Manbao quietly and asked, "What do you think?"

Of course, it was to let him know.

Manbao deflated, muttered about how gossipy they were, and then briefly described the morning’s events. She said, "Minister Liu is busy. If he’s not at the Ministry of Revenue when he’s free, he’s going to see His Majesty in the palace. How would he have time to idle talk with me?"

"I’m busy too. I still have to go to the Chongwen Pavilion to revise books this afternoon, so I waited for him after the Grand Court Assembly, and we talked briefly. Who knew our luck was so bad that it happened to get caught by His Majesty."

She said, "If it was only His Majesty, it would have been fine. He’s reasonable. Minister Liu already pleaded for us, but Lord Tang was there too. He’s in charge of supervising officials, so we ran right into him."

Bai Shan understood, this punishment probably wasn’t for discussing private matters during work hours, but because the two of them spoke ill of the emperor and Lord Wei, otherwise, with His Majesty’s lenient nature, even without Lord Wei pleading, it would’ve likely been brushed over, and they wouldn’t really be punished.

However, Bai Shan didn’t point it out but nodded and said, "Understood, next time, if you have business, wait until after you get off work to talk to Minister Liu."

Manbao nodded in agreement, a month’s salary is quite a lot.

Bai Shan found it amusing and couldn’t help but ask, "So do you really know why you lost this month’s salary?"

Manbao had thought about it too, and sighed, "I didn’t speak ill of Lord Wei and His Majesty. I even shared a sense of sympathy with Lord Wei."

Unfortunately, in that situation, even listeners belonged to a kind of gossiping.

Manbao only felt pained for a moment, but soon she put it temporarily out of her mind, because there was something more important at the moment.

"Liru and Liu Huan’s matter is half settled." Manbao shared the sincere words between Minister Liu and herself.

Bai Shan vaguely felt something was wrong, "Minister Liu is so open-minded."

Manbao didn’t expect it either and sighed pretentiously, "We used to misunderstand Minister Liu."

Zhou Liru didn’t expect Liu’s family to be so open-minded either, so when she received a gift from Liu Huan on an errand, she didn’t return it but accepted it, which shocked Liu Huan, who had often failed. He couldn’t help but ask, "Why didn’t you reject me?"

Zhou Liru looked up at him, "... Do you want me to reject you?"

Liu Huan quickly came to his senses, shaking his hands repeatedly, "No, it’s not..."

Liu Huan scratched his head, as he was used to being rejected, and when the other suddenly accepted his gift, he was a bit caught off guard.

Zhou Liru’s eyes wandered a little, and on tiptoes, her cheeks slightly red, she said, "By the way, my aunt said she wants to go to the Guardian of the Nation Temple to enjoy the plum blossoms after the seal by the court. Are you going?"

Liu Huan didn’t know it was an arrangement between the two families, and as soon as he heard about going out for fun, he immediately nodded and said, "Yes, I’ll go."

He even asked, "Who else? Should I invite a few more friends?"

He was now working at the Ministry of Public Works, had met a few friends, and got along well, so everyone could have fun together.

Zhou Liru looked up at him and said after a moment, "Go back and ask your grandfather."

Why ask his grandfather to go out for fun?

The Guardian of the Nation Temple is in the city; his grandfather wouldn’t obstruct him from going such a short distance, and now that he had a job, his grandfather didn’t control him as much.

Liu Huan didn’t really want to ask, but when he got home, saw his grandfather coming back after working overtime, he couldn’t help asking, and then he got beaten.

Liu Huan felt extremely wronged, not knowing why he got beaten. Even if he didn’t give a reason, pinning a groundless crime on him, saying it was he who caused him to be fined a month’s salary.

Heaven and earth as witnesses, he has been behaving lately, hasn’t caused any trouble, and hadn’t heard his grandfather being impeached for mishandling family affairs and having unworthy offspring.

Although Liu Huan was working in the Ministry of Public Works, his position was small, mainly because people often didn’t discuss such matters in front of the concerned family, so he still didn’t know that his grandfather was fined for gossiping with Zhou Man in the palace.

By the time he found out the reason, he was already at the Guardian of the Nation Temple.

Manbao felt that for something like matchmaking, it should naturally be left to the elders, while the juniors find somewhere else to play, so it wouldn’t be awkward.

So she dragged Bai Shan and Bai Erlang along.

At the Guardian of the Nation Temple, Minister Liu’s wife took Ms. Qian’s hand and smiled, "I’ve been wanting to invite the Countess to visit the Guardian of the Nation Temple for a while, but there hadn’t been a good opportunity. Meeting today shows it’s fate."

Ms. Qian also expressed the same sentiment, and with Ms. Feng, met her. The elders from both families went to offer their prayers, while the children went to enjoy the plum blossoms.

Ms. Qian rarely worshipped, and was unfamiliar with a lot, so Minister Liu’s wife taught her, and the two quickly became familiar.

Manbao and the others entered the plum grove, immediately feeling free, "The plum grove at the Guardian of the Nation Temple is really beautiful, not worse than ours."

Jiechen, disturbed from his peace, thought as he turned and left, since their mansion’s plum grove was so nice, why did they still come to the Guardian of the Nation Temple to admire plum blossoms?

Jiechen walked very quietly, and no one noticed he’d been there. Keke swept over and felt he hadn’t triggered the system’s auto-report line, so remained silently quiet.

Jiechen returned to his master’s courtyard, pressed his hands together, and said, "Master, Benefactor Zhou and Benefactor Bai have come."

Zhi Ren opened his eyes, seeing his hands empty, and asked, "Where are the plum blossoms I asked you to pick?"

Jiechen paused, then replied unfazed, "Master, flowers and plants all have life; the plum branches are growing so well, why break them?"

Zhi Ren said, "Because, I, your master, haven’t fully transcended worldly desires. Benefactor Mei from Jiangnan rarely visits, and I hoped he’d leave a calligraphy piece. When there’s a request, there must be a contribution; I asked you to pick the plum blossoms to gift to Benefactor Mei. Jiechen, did you really refrain from picking the plum branches because you believe flowers and plants have life?"

Jiechen quickly admitted his mistake, saying he would go pick them right away.

He didn’t really want to run into Zhou Man and Bai Shan, especially Bai Shan, who had been practicing martial arts with him recently. Jiechen was quite annoyed by him.