The Slender Waist-Chapter 91 - 72 Feng Yun Conferred a Title

As Feng Yun had speculated, it didn’t take more than three days before someone from the Central Capital arrived.

The decree was delivered by an unfamiliar little eunuch, who passed through Huaxi Village and attracted quite a bit of attention.

The little eunuch took Wei Zheng and a group of Imperial Guards away with him, without specifying how they would be dealt with, saying that it would be decided upon their return to the capital.

Wei Zheng took Shao Xueqing and Luo Yue away with him.

Concubines rewarded by the Great General, no matter if others gossiped, had to swallow their words and keep them close by obediently.

Especially Luo Yue, these days, she secretly brought him food and drink, accompanied him in the hardships of working in the fields, took him to play in the waters of Huaxi catching fish, told him anecdotes he had never heard before, and played some "wild fun" he wouldn’t even dare to imagine, which greatly comforted him during the difficult "farming years."

Feng Yun personally saw Shao Xueqing and Luo Yue out the door.

It wasn’t until she saw that long, winding procession slowly disappear from Huaxi Village that she let out a long sigh of relief.

"Finally gone."

Xing Bing said, "I still don’t understand, miss, why you did this?"

Feng Yun asked, "What don’t you understand?"

Xing Bing replied, "Wei Zheng is vicious, wouldn’t it be better to kill him?"

Feng Yun smiled, "At first, that’s what I thought too."

If Wei Zheng were killed, there would no longer be a sinister master of the Imperial Cavalry Division.

But after careful thought, let’s not talk about whether killing Wei Zheng would bring trouble to Pei Jue or cause others to criticize; just consider Wei Zheng’s future, which is actually created by his identity as the master of the Imperial Cavalry Division, a case of circumstances shaping the man.

"But without Wei Zheng, there would be a Wang Zheng, Xie Zheng, Liu Zheng... perhaps even crueler and more shameless than Wei Zheng."

It would still be a master of the Imperial Cavalry Division with ruthless methods, changing nothing.

But this Wei Zheng would no longer be the same Wei Zheng as before.

The conflict between Wei Zheng and Fang Fucai would escalate, resulting in a palace intrigue.

Li Sangruo would also become suspicious of Wei Zheng.

And Wei Zheng...

Once he believed that Empress Dowager Li, under the instigation of Eunuch Fang, had once intended to kill him and that it was only by the Great General’s intercession that his life was spared, his emotions would change.

The human heart is very sensitive, once the seed of doubt is planted, it will never trust as completely as before. Li Sangruo is like this towards Wei Zheng, and after Wei Zheng has Luo Yue, it will be even more so...

Without complete trust, there can’t be complete loyalty.

Xing Bing sighed, "Would Empress Dowager Li kill Wei Zheng?"

Feng Yun replied, "Of course not."

The crimes Wei Zheng committed, after all, boil down to only the beating of Alou, and he has already compensated for it with hard labor.

Sleeping with concubines is a private morality issue, the Great General didn’t even blame him, and instead gave two concubines to him—it’s not considered a sin.

As for spreading rumors about the Empress Dowager...

Not to mention the lack of evidence, what would it change even if there were? Unless the Empress Dowager acknowledged those things as true.

Otherwise, if Wei Zheng were punished for this, it would be tantamount to confirming the truth of the rumors. Otherwise, how could they so easily take action against a left guard general?

"Even if the Empress Dowager is angry and resentful, she can only keep it in her heart. On the surface, not only will she not blame him, she might even have to offer some words of comfort to General Wei Zheng for his hard work in farming."

Ah, Li Sangruo, you can only grit your teeth and swallow it.

Feng Yun couldn’t help but find it amusing as she thought about it.

Li Sangruo probably never imagined that her carefully prepared "capture plan" would turn into a farce, with the biggest victim being herself.

Just thinking about Li Sangruo’s furious and powerless appearance in Jiade Hall made Feng Yun very pleased.

She called for Xiaoman, changed into a set of brightly colored clothes, picked up an umbrella, and went out to look at her vegetable patch.

Xiaoman and Daman didn’t understand why Feng Yun liked looking at the vegetable seedlings so much.

Checking them two or three times a day was the least she would do. She’d come to look at the vegetables whether she was in a good mood or not, sometimes making seven or eight visits without getting tired of it.

"You don’t understand," she would say.

It wasn’t just a hobby.

The green vegetables and sunflower seedlings had sprouted, tiny and tenderly green, brimming with the hope of new life...

Looking at her Tianzhuang was like looking at the territory she had fought for.

However, the land on the farm wasn’t fully planted yet; there weren’t enough seeds, and there wasn’t enough manpower. But Feng Yun wasn’t in a hurry; she had the fields fertilized and let them cultivate slowly.

She had many plans in mind, just waiting to take shape slowly...

While harboring her little schemes, she stood on the ridge of the field talking with the neighbor’s sister-in-law, when she turned her head to hear a retainer reporting with glee.

"Shi’er Niang, here comes Secretary He, with great news..."

He Qia had come from Andu City, covered in dust, his face full of smiles.

As he entered Huaxi Village, many of the farmers greeted him warmly, a sign that he was much beloved by the villagers.

He Qia also bowed back to each one, his smile radiant as he returned their greetings.

Seeing him headed to Feng Yun’s house, a crowd followed him, eager to hear the news.

He Qia dismounted from the carriage, straightened his clothing, and approached Feng Yun.

"Miss, I’ve come to bring you good news."

Feng Yun asked with a smile, "What good news do you have?"

He Qia cleared his throat and took a scroll from the scribe’s hand with great care, announcing loudly,

"By the order of the Great General, Feng Yun of the Feng Family is named as the Village Chief of Huaxi Village, effective immediately."

Village Chief? A female Village Chief?

This was something unheard of, unseen before.

Since when could young ladies become Village Chiefs?

The surrounding villagers were initially stunned.

Once they confirmed the news, warm congratulations erupted spontaneously.

"Congratulations, Miss, our best wishes to you, Miss."

In recent days, Feng Yun had deliberately had her subordinates help the newly arrived farmers with small favors, such as building thatched cottages, repairing roofs, digging and providing labor, and whatever else they could carry along...

Feng Yun did these things, not to be a good person.

In times of chaos, people were as insignificant as ants; no one could solely look after themselves.

To revitalize Huaxi, to revitalize Andu, she had to live a better life here...

However, the help Feng Yun provided had a very positive effect.

In a time of chaos, nobody cared about her gender; they only knew that with her as the Village Chief, life had more promise.

The sounds of congratulations did not cease, and it took Feng Yun a good while to come to her senses.

What she wanted to be was a strategist, to assist Pei Jue with his plans and strategies and incidentally draw out his wolfish nature and ambition, then wait for him to storm forts and defeat Xiao San in a complete rout before turning back to overthrow the regime of Empress Dowager Li and her son...

Afterwards, she would rely on this merit from the Dragon’s Merit to establish her own power.

Under the shadow of a big tree, life is easy; from then on she would eat well, drink well, enjoy the pleasures of life, living peacefully until old age, and it would be a life well lived upon closing her eyes.

But she had never thought about becoming an official.

Of course, being a Village Chief didn’t count as a formal official.

In an era of frequent wars, the neighborhood system was in a constant cycle of disintegration and rebuilding.

Clan politics, local community, and defensive fortress systems all coexisted in this era, with varying systems in each county. Many places even functioned independently of one another.

The regulations in the paperwork issued by He Qia decreed that every five households formed a neighborhood with a neighborhood head, every ten households a tithing with a tithing head, and every hundred households a village with a Village Chief.

In clan-based settlements, the clan was dominant, and in villages like Huaxi without a clan elder, the Village Chief was usually a local person respected for their virtue and reputation...

Feng Yun felt she was up to the task.

And moreover, this was Pei Jue’s authority to appoint officials, designating her as a member of his staff, without the need for Imperial Court approval. From now on, she would be an official of the General’s Residence.

With this position, her status was fundamentally altered.

Feng Yun received the scroll and bowed slightly.

"Please convey my thanks to the General for me, Chief Clerk He."

_

With a Village Chief now in place, Huaxi Village immediately became lively.

The local farmers came to offer their congratulations, and Feng Yun immediately ordered her estate to start cooking and gave each visitor two steamed buns as a return gift.

The steamed buns made from white flour were fragrant and mouthwatering, making those who did not initially intend to pay a visit come over, dragging their children along.

The jubilant people seemed to have forgotten the war looming close by.

Huaxi Village was just over a hundred miles from Huaishui Bay...

Immersed in the joy of taking office and eager to make a difference, Feng Yun immediately sent Xing Bing to Shiguan County personally.

The village soil needed large-scale cultivation, lacking seeds and farming tools. Waiting for the Imperial Court to send supplies to Andu County, or for Andu County to recover on their own, would be too slow.

Besides, with Andu on the frontline of the war, whether Jin Country’s Imperial Court would do something practical for the recovery of civilian life was still uncertain...

Xing Bing set off before dawn, driving an ox cart and taking along two villagers who were preparing to go to the city to buy household items; when he returned to Huaxi Village, it was already dusk.

The ox cart brought back two familiar faces.

One Ge Guang, the other Ge Yi.

As the ox cart drove through the gates of the estate, the two men jumped down from the cart shaft and bowed from afar toward Feng Yun.

"Miss..."

Feng Yun was slightly taken aback, "Where have you been?"

Ge Guang lifted his head, "We..."

He hesitated, glancing behind him, "We encountered some trouble and were rescued by Mr. Ren."

"Mr. Ren?" Feng Yun raised her eyebrow.

"Mr. Ren is the owner of a tea house in Andu County..." Ge Yi hurried to speak.

However, before he could continue, the sound of horseshoes approached from outside.

Usually, the only ones who came here on horseback were from Pei Jue’s men. Feng Yun was stunned and turned around to look, only to see an unexpected arrival—a swordsman dressed in a douli with most of his face hidden under the veil of his hat, shadowy and indistinct...