The Slender Waist-Chapter 75 - 61: The Imperial Cavalry

Feng Yun didn’t know when he had fallen asleep last night, but he seemed to be in much better spirits than she was.

"Is the Estate Master returning to the capital today? Won’t you stay a couple more days?"

Ao Zheng stood up to return the courtesy and said some polite words, such as "returning to the capital to report and thanks for the hospitality".

Then, he moved the items that his wife had sent with him for their son down from the carriage, some of which he gave to Feng Yun.

His son was in the military camp, where most things were unnecessary, mainly food and daily necessities, all delicate and precious items used by the nobles in the capital. Feng Yun thanked him, and when Ao Zheng was about to leave, she stuffed some washed lotus roots into his carriage...

Ao Qi saw this scene and his mind filled with many enchanting images.

If only they were a family, how nice that would be.

He kept winking at Ao Zheng, who pretended not to see, glared at his son, then smiled and saluted Pei Jue, whispering a request.

"Xiaoqi is young and inexperienced. If he causes any outrageous scandal that damages our family’s reputation, Wangzhi can certainly punish him, but I ask that you leave him and his mother... a way to live."

This was because he feared that after he left, Ao Qi would do something foolish and offend Pei Jue.

To others it may have sounded like a joke, but Ao Qi felt so annoyed that he turned his head away, refusing to look at him.

Pei Jue responded noncommittally, cupping his fist in return, "Safe travels to the Estate Master. I won’t see you off far."

"No need, no need. On my way to the Central Capital, I will handle all matters, so Wangzhi needn’t worry about this."

Ao Zheng said his cordial farewells with empty pleasantries, then seeing his son’s indifferent expression, as if a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, felt a headache coming on, sighed heavily, and entered the carriage.

—

After sending off Ao Zheng, Pei Jue left Changmen Village with his attendants.

Feng Yun breathed a sigh of relief, went back to her room to rest until noon, then had a solid nap before getting up to eat.

Even after the start of autumn, the weather had not turned cool but remained hot and dry.

With nothing else to do, Feng Yun wanted to "check on" Wei Zheng and his Imperial Guards.

Now that Ao Zheng had returned to the capital to report, unless the Imperial Court issued new orders, these people would have to work in Huaxi Village.

What Feng Yun needed to do now was to figure out how to maximize the use of this labor force to create more value for Huaxi Village...

As Feng Yun walked out of the estate, someone greeted her.

It was Doctor Yao’s new wife, Mrs. Wang, who seemed to be around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, very warm and generous. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Feng Yun saw her watering the newly planted vegetables outside her house and walked over with interest.

"Have you planted them?"

"I have," Mrs. Wang replied in a good mood, holding a watering dipper in one hand and pointing with the other at the rows of crops, "This is turnip sown here, and this side is mallow. They say these two vegetables sprout quickly. I thought I would plant a few rows to bring some cheer. It gives us something to look forward to, and the family can have some fresh greens to chew on."

Feng Yun smiled at the crooked rows of vegetables that Mrs. Wang had planted, not saying much.

Mrs. Wang’s skin was fairer and more delicate than that of most farmers, and her family didn’t quite seem like peasant folk, especially with Doctor Yao’s medical skills, which were beyond any ordinary town doctor.

Mrs. Wang’s parents-in-law rarely went out, and the family, despite wearing simple cloth clothes, seemed like they came from an educated family.

But this was not unusual.

In times like these, a single battle or disaster could send commoners into instant poverty, refugees in a foreign land. Unless one belonged to the top-tier noble families, they were no more than ants.

Feng Yun said with a smile, "If there’s anything you lack, Mrs. Wang, just let Changmen Village know."

"Will do," Mrs. Wang replied cheerfully, happy to have such an amicable neighbor.

As they talked, farmers working in the fields from time to time cast curious glances their way.

Most farmers led a meager existence, skinny and timid. They looked at Feng Yun with curiosity and when she looked back, they would quickly avert their gaze with nervous or fearful expressions.

Everyone in Huaxi Village knew that the place with the "Changmen" plaque was the Li Family’s estate, and the noblewoman living there was the Great General’s concubine.

Normally, they wouldn’t come too close to Changmen, and if they had any requests, they’d go to Alou or seek out Mrs. Xu, Xing Bing’s wife, rather than deal directly with Feng Yun.

Mrs. Wang said, "Mostly, the village lacks farming tools. This household has no hoe, that one no sickle. In the past few days, a lot of people have been coming to borrow ours, but we have only one of each type and it’s really not enough. Winter wheat planting is coming up, and I’m afraid it’s going to be delayed."

The scarcity of farming tools was not only a problem for Huaxi Village but also a headache for Feng Yun.

Andu County needed rebuilding, and although there were a few tool shops, their inventory had been looted during the war. What little was left Feng Yun had exchanged for food, which was still not sufficient. Other farming households were even worse off, lacking everything they needed...

With Huaxi Village’s population growing every day as new people were registered, many were refugees who had come to cultivate wasteland. Without even proper living quarters, they had to build temporary shelters, let alone have farming tools.

Moreover, land left fallow for too long degraded in quality, so the harvest would not be good.

Watching the farmers till the poor soil with their hands, Feng Yun pondered thoughtfully.

"I will think of a way."

"Miss—"

A retainer quickly approached from the direction of the manor.

His voice arrived before he did.

Every day, Meiling’s retainers would send someone to patrol around the village.

Feng Yun nodded toward the Wang family and walked back, "What happened?"

The retainer, called Lun Dashan, had recently been closely following Xing Bing and was highly valued by him. Today, it was his turn to lead the patrol.

Approaching, he said, "That surname Wei, he’s setting fire to the fields."

"Setting fire?" Feng Yun’s eyebrows rose.

The wasteland that Wei Zheng and his people were reclaiming was very close to Jieqiu Mountain. The soil was rather hard, and she thought that the surnamed Wei, in a fit of rage, was burning the mountain.

Unexpectedly, Lun Dashan wiped the sweat from his forehead, gasping for air as he continued, "The fallow land is overgrown with weeds, and they find pulling them too troublesome. Wei gave the order, saying they should burn them all down at once. But most of the weeds are not dried enough to ignite easily, so they went to get firewood from the Zhao and Sun families and spread it on the ground to start the fire..."

How outrageous.

How hard is it for farmers to gather bundles of firewood?

Feng Yun snorted coldly, "They really know how to scheme."

Lun Dashan was also furious, his speech as if spewing fire.

"The Zhao family has only two elderly people at home. They suffered losses and didn’t dare to speak up. The Sun family lad has been coming to the estate lately to play with Xing’s second son and has more courage. He went up to scold them, only to be pushed into a ditch by those bandit soldiers. He fell and got his nose and face bruised, and even broke his elbow..."

Lun Dashan spoke very quickly.

Feng Yun quickly grasped the situation.

She should take some responsibility for this situation because Wei was left behind by her.

"Sister Wang," Feng Yun turned her head to Mrs. Wang, "is Doctor Yao at home?"

Mrs. Wang had seen her change of expression and guessed something was wrong. She was frequently looking around when she heard Feng Yun and sighed, "Yes, yes, I’ll go call him."

She didn’t even ask Feng Yun what had happened.

With gratitude, Feng Yun smiled and asked Lun Dashan to take Doctor Yao to the home of the young Sun to look at his injuries. She herself returned to the estate to call for Xing Bing and a group of retainers, ready to confront the surnamed Wei.

But halfway there, she suddenly stopped.

"No, this won’t do."

Xing Bing asked, "What does the Lady think?"

Feng Yun said, "Wei’s men are numerous and in a confrontational mood. Provoking him now might put us at a disadvantage."

The favored one before the Empress Dowager, his ambitions had inflated beyond recognition. Now, ordered by her to farm in the village, Wei Zheng must be about to explode. Wouldn’t going there now just be asking to vent his fury on us?

Xing Bing, puzzled like a monk who couldn’t touch his head, said, "I don’t quite understand what the Lady means."

Feng Yun said, "A wise man does not stand under a collapsing wall. With their strength in numbers, and Wei’s penchant for violence and brashness, if a frenzy starts, we cannot overpower them. Let’s not hit a stone with an egg for now."

Xing Bing was confused, "So what do we do right now?"

Feng Yun: "When the enemy is strong, and we are weak, it is better to lure them with benefits, let the enemy delve deeply, and then expose their shortcomings, dividing and conquering them..."

Xing Bing’s eyes widened more than a pair of bronze bells.

He heard every word the Lady said clearly.

But when put together, it was all a fog.

Feng Yun kept a stern face and turned back toward the estate, her mind already formulating a plan.

This Wei Zheng was actually a ruthless character.

Don’t be fooled by his youthful arrogance or his ignorance of the way the world works. Later on, his actions would be meticulous and comprehensive, with a complete set of methods to deal with others. A little more growth, and he would become a major disaster.

In the not-too-distant future, Northern Jin would establish an institution called the Imperial Cavalry Division, separate from the Censorate, the Ministries, and other departments with jurisdiction. It would focus on investigating, apprehending, and conducting covert inquiries into officials, constructing charges, and reporting only to the Emperor.

Wei Zheng would be the head of the Imperial Cavalry Division, a man of sinister and ruthless nature, a top henchman for the Empress Dowager and Prime Minister Li Zongxun.

With the help of the Imperial Cavalry Division, the Li family father and daughter were able to supervise and control the officials. Within just two years, they became incredibly influential in the Imperial Court, causing officials to tremble in fear...

Feng Yun remembered that in her previous life, after she returned to the Central Capital with Pei Jue, she had never seen Wei Zheng, but at that time, Wei Zheng had a notorious reputation. The Imperial Cavalry had become a feared and despised force. Even ministers were afraid to be caught by them with any leverage, and even Pei Jue was very cautious in his own household, avoiding direct confrontation...

Such a person...

What’s the use of beating him?

Rather than waiting for him to grow powerful, it was better to uproot him early.

Even if there would still be Li Zheng, Xie Zheng, and Wang Zheng in the future, it wouldn’t be this Wei Zheng.