After lunch, Li Yao saw that the family of the county magistrate Song still had no intention of leaving. She told Du Xiao Hui to boil some water.
“Young Miss Li, there’s no need to trouble yourself,” said the wife of the county magistrate. “I’d like to take a walk in the hills to aid my digestion. Would you accompany me?”
The wife of the county magistrate going on an inspection of the hills?
Li Yao thought this was rather odd. As the host, she didn’t want to refuse a small request from her guests either.
So the two of them slowly made their way up the small hill behind the house along the mountain path.
The wife of the county magistrate was quite talkative, but Li Yao could also tell that she didn’t really want to come inspect the hills. Rather, she had something to say.
“Madam, there’s no one else here. Please just speak your mind.”
Seeing her be so direct, the wife of the county magistrate also stopped beating around the bush with a light sigh, “You must have realized what kind of man my husband is.”
Li Yao nodded.
Compared to the legendary ancient officials, County Magistrate Song was indeed a rare good official. At the very least, he always kept the livelihood of the common people in mind when carrying out his duties, unlike those greedy officials who scraped the ground bare.
To have a county magistrate like this was a blessing for the common people of Baichuan County.
“Lately, in order to resolve the livelihood issues of the people of Baichuan County, he’s been fretting with furrowed brows every day,” the wife of the county magistrate continued. “But as you know, he’s just a lowly county magistrate. There’s little he can do about many matters.”
“As long as he does his best.”
The wife of the county magistrate took Li Yao’s hand and said, “Young Miss Li, I know you’re very resourceful. Can you think of a way to help my husband out of his current predicament? If you can resolve the present difficulties, I’m sure all the common people of Baichuan County will be grateful to you.”
Now Li Yao understood.
All this talk of coming to taste sweet potatoes was just an excuse. What County Magistrate Song really wanted was her wisdom.
At least he had some discernment.
But it was a bit unmanly to not come himself and instead send his wife.
So she replied, “I do have some ideas.”
“Really?” The wife of the county magistrate was overjoyed. “Wonderful, I just knew there’d be no mistake in coming to you!”
“However, Madam,” said Li Yao, “this matter is rather tricky. It’s best if the county magistrate comes himself. Otherwise, things might get lost in transmission.”
Upon hearing this, the wife of the county magistrate was taken aback, but soon understood the implication behind those words. Somewhat embarrassed, she explained, “Oh, my husband is just shy. Don’t take it to heart. I’ll have him properly consult you later.”
“You flatter me, Madam. Shall we return now?”
“Let’s just stay here. I’ll have someone fetch him over,” said the wife of the county magistrate. “There are no such hills in the capital. Come winter, it’s just a barren wasteland without a blade of grass in sight. The scenery here is much better.”
It will be even better in the future, Li Yao thought to herself.
Since the wife of the county magistrate had such elegant tastes, Li Yao had Du Xiao Hui bring over a kettle from home, as well as some grass mats. They would brew water and discuss matters right here on the hilltop.
...
Li Yao was accompanying the wife of the county magistrate on her hill inspection. County Magistrate Song had nowhere else to go, so he leisurely made his way into Scholar Wang’s bamboo hut.
Scholar Lv hadn’t come up for meals today either. Seeing the county magistrate arrive, he quickly stepped forward to greet him.
“Greetings to you, County Magistrate.”
County Magistrate Song also returned the gesture with cupped fists. “Please, no need to stand on ceremony, Sir. I’m just here to casually sit for a bit. Treat me as one of your students.”
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare!”
“Sir Lv,” said County Magistrate Song as he sat down, full of interest, “I’ve heard your lectures are most astute. Might I ask which year you passed the imperial examinations?”
“I...”
Scholar Lv was filled with shame.
The man before him used to be a third-rank official, at least having passed the imperial examinations.
While he was still just a tongsheng student.
“I’m afraid this is rather mortifying,” said Scholar Lv. “This student has yet to even pass the county examinations.”
County Magistrate Song’s brows furrowed slightly. That couldn’t be right.
A lecturer of such skill should have easily passed at least the provincial examinations.
For him to still be a tongsheng even now could only mean one thing—someone had pulled strings at the examinations, taking his spot year after year.
And this had gone on for over twenty years!
Such a thing would have been unthinkable in the capital, but here in this remote Baichuan County, there really could be someone powerful enough to cover the skies with one hand.
As a scholar himself, he understood the struggles of scholars.
Things would have to be thoroughly investigated for next year’s examinations.
“County Magistrate,” said Captain Zhang, coming down from the back hills, “your wife and Miss Li invite you to join them atop the hill. They said it was to discuss plans to resolve the current difficulties.”
County Magistrate Song was elated to hear this. It was precisely what he had come for today.
Just as he was about to head over, he suddenly noticed his son Song Zhe was missing.
“Where is Song Zhe?”
“Oh, the young master was bored and wanted to look around the area,” said Captain Zhang. “I had Liu Kun follow him, so there’s no need to worry.”
County Magistrate Song wasn’t worried about Song Zhe getting into trouble, but rather about him causing trouble.
He knew his own son best.
Ever since coming to Baichuan County, this ne’er-do-well son had done nothing but fool around with the sons of yamen underlings instead of studying properly. His behavior had become increasingly unseemly.
If he didn’t discipline the boy soon, he really might turn into a wastrel.
Just look at Li Yao’s children, especially Wang Er who was the same age as Song Zhe. They were simply incomparable!
“Go fetch him back here and have him obediently wait.”
...
At the top of the back hills, County Magistrate Song was huffing and puffing by the time he arrived.
By the time he got there, Li Yao and the county magistrate's wife had already lit a pile of firewood. Du Xiao Hui was placing an old kettle over the fire to boil water.
On a relatively flat large rock nearby were set a few rough clay bowls, surrounded by three grass mats. Li Yao and the county magistrate's wife were already seated.
“County Magistrate, please excuse the simple surroundings. We have no fine tea, so I hope you won’t be offended.”
“Miss Li is too kind.”
How could County Magistrate Song take offense?
As long as Li Yao had a solution for their plight, he would gladly sit here blowing in the cold wind atop this hill for a month in a makeshift tent if need be.
The water soon boiled. No tea leaves was no problem. Li Yao placed some dried flower petals into the bowls to steep, adding some rock sugar to the county magistrate’s, while she and the county magistrate’s wife had brown sugar in theirs.
Looking at the three pleasingly colored bowls of floral tea, County Magistrate Song and his wife showered praise once more.
After the pleasantries, County Magistrate Song got down to business.
“Miss Li, I’ve heard you have a way to resolve the current difficulties of the commoners being able to afford the five grains. Could it be you’ve discovered even more sweet potatoes deep in these mountains?”
“No, I haven't. Besides, it’s not so easy to go deep into the mountains.”
“Then what other methods do you have?”
Li Yao took a sip of her flower tea and calmly gave a three character answer.
“Invest in infrastructure.”
