Chapter 148: The Governor of He County is in the Shade

Chapter 148

Chang Yan was looking for a house for Wen Zhiyun.

The Hairpin courtyard that they rented for 25 taels back then was mainly because the courtyard was very shabby and required a lot of maintenance. Also, because Wang Fufeng was not interested in managing it at the time and had a casual attitude.

The other houses nearby did not have these problems. They were all clean and new, with red walls and green tiles, very spacious inside.

Similarly, the prices were also very good.

Just looking at the two-room courtyard to the left of Hairpin courtyard, it was only one-fifth the size of Hairpin courtyard, yet cost eighty taels a year.

The one-room courtyard behind cost fifty taels a year.

Although there were some savings in the family, expenses were also high. They couldn't waste money like this.

Chang Yan's face darkened slightly. When he returned to Hairpin courtyard, he saw a servant from the Wang family waiting for him.

Seeing the master, the servant took out a land deed from his arms after greeting him, "The Liu family has sent a gift of thanks. Young Master took a look and left this land deed, hoping Young Master will like it."

Chang Yan took it. It was the one-room courtyard he had seen before, sharing a wall with Hairpin courtyard. Although not big, it was exquisite and elegant. He didn't expect it belonged to the Liu family.

He was even more surprised that Wang Fufeng had sent it to him.

For the first time, Chang Yan felt what it meant by "the heart being as intricate as a seven-holed crystal". Young Master Wang was so smart, it was really hard not to admire him.

He kept the land deed with a sigh, sincerely said, "Thank you, Brother Fufeng."

No more words were needed, but their relationship had progressed one step further. If he needed help in the future, it would just take one sentence.

"Young Master Chang is too kind." The servant bowed and took his leave, "Don't worry about our Young Master's matters. But do pay more attention to the Sun family."

The reason why Young Master Wang Fufeng could be plotted against by Third Master Wang was fundamentally the prefect He's retaliation against the Wang family.

In Prefect He's mind: the Wang family had ideas, the Sun family carried them out.

The former displeased him, the latter angered him.

Therefore, the ones who really bore the brunt of Prefect He's emotions were the Sun family, Sun Yu's brother, Sun Ning.

What trouble could he cause?

Could it be that he had discovered the truth about the Wang family plotting against the Sun family?

Back then, everyone thought Prefect He came to support the Sun family, and was the mainstay of the Wang family's first wife.

But after coming for months, he only targeted Hairpin courtyard, and did not give any extra favor to the Sun family, or even met the Wang family's first wife surnamed Sun.

This Prefect seemed like a lonely big radish, standing tall in the field, mighty, but not grouping with the other radishes.

While Chang Yan was puzzled, he kept his mind on it, waiting to ask Zheng Ruqian about Shopkeeper Hao of You Ran House when he returned.

Some said the prefect's residence was robbed, and the thieves took the prefect’s wife’s intimate belongings.

Others said it seemed to be a theft on the surface, but it was possible the prefect’s wife did something improper, discovered by the prefect, who had no choice but to cover it up to save face.

Some even outright slandered the prefect’s wife’s conduct.

He Chengzhang stopped all these before they could reach the madam’s ears.

But what others said outside, he could not cover up.

In Hairpin courtyard, the six siblings were also discussing this matter.

Although they were in opposition with Prefect He, and he had schemed against them before, none of them could laugh seeing the prefect’s wife being slandered like this.

Xu Mo said solemnly, "Using a woman's reputation for sinister purposes, the person behind this has despicable and contemptible means."

Wen Zhiyun also nodded, "Sister Xiaozhu told me the prefect's wife is an extremely good person."

Jiang Sheng was eating her meal.

Today’s dishes could be considered abundant, with chicken, duck, fish and meat, as well as the preserved pork ribs freshly made by their aunt, very tasty.

But after a few bites, Jiang Sheng stopped eating and quietly asked, "Why do men drag women into their fights?"

Because women cared more about reputation, because women were more fragile, because women were easier to deal with.

The system and customs of the Dayu Dynasty left behind by their ancestors were full of restraints on women, yet had few requirements for men.

For example, in the Wang family scandal, Wang Haoran was only talked about a little, while Zhou Wan's reputation was completely ruined.

Men could have concubines, being romantic could be seen as a merit, yet women had to teach their husbands, had to be faithful.

In short, the tolerance in this world towards women was too low, so a woman's reputation was as fragile as glass, easily shattered by those with malice.

The people behind this had vicious thoughts, slandering the prefect's wife, and stealing her intimate apparel.

If the underwear fell into the wrong hands, the prefect's wife’s reputation would be tainted, impossible to clear even if you scrubbed hard.

"If I were the people behind this, I would make good use of the underwear." Chang Yan said slowly, "I would certainly put it in the home of the person I hate most."

That way, the Prefect would stop at nothing to avenge his wife, just like how he dealt with the Sun and Wang families before.

As Chang Yan finished speaking, everyone in the courtyard froze.

Then, they all stood up without finishing their meals, urgently searching the entire courtyard.

Not in the bedrooms, not in the workshop, not in the yard either.

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, Zheng Ruqian pulled two pieces of cloth from the donkey cart he just brought back, "Huh, what are these?"