A Good Country Wife-Chapter 642 - 635 - 1

In the Capital City, Ceng Lu’s behavior was truly unfathomable; outrageously wild to the extreme. Although many feared the power of the Ceng Family and Empress Ceng and dared not voice their dissatisfaction openly, only whispering in private, the roots of a family like the Cengs were not all that deep; they relied solely on the favor of the Emperor. True major households and aristocratic families were not afraid of them. And since Empress Ceng and the Ceng Family were merely pawns the Emperor used to counter the aristocratic families and balance the Imperial harem, a multitude took the opportunity to trample and criticize Ceng Lu once he slipped up.

Furthermore, not everyone on the Court was a spineless flatterer who only dared to simmer in silent anger; there were also upright officials courageous enough to speak their minds. After news of Ceng Lu’s conduct spread, quite a few officials filed reports against him. The Emperor, however, reacted in a way that puzzled many. After reading the petitions, he was visibly enraged, which led everyone to think he would lash out at Empress Ceng and the Ceng Household. Some even thought he would punish Ceng Lu. But afterwards, there was no action as if the event never occurred. Even as more and more petitions reached him, the Emperor dismissed them, leaving them unanswered, and the issue remained indefinitely on hold.

For the Ceng Family, the Emperor’s lack of outburst was a relief, but the absence of a clear outcome or stance left them feeling extremely anxious, fearing a severe punishment might be imposed at any moment. Even Empress Ceng, who had always been haughty within the palace walls, was now significantly more subdued. As time passed, the impact of the incident seemed to slowly fade away.

After Zheng Qin sent a message to the Ceng Family, they dispatched someone to reprimand Ceng Lu. This time, however, it wasn’t just any household servant but a member of the immediate family, someone who was twice Ceng Lu’s senior and bore the commands of the head of the household. This person not only scolded Ceng Lu but also sold off many of the servants he had brought along, blaming them for failing in their duty to advise their master. Only Ceng Lu’s butler and tutor escaped this fate, thanks to the earnest pleas of Zheng Qin, thus avoiding being sold or executed. Nevertheless, they were still severely reprimanded and beaten with wooden planks, though their lives were spared, and with proper care, they would recover and be able to continue serving Ceng Lu.

"Uncle, I’ve learned my lesson this time. I will fulfill my duties and ensure there are no further mistakes. Please reassure Grandfather, my Great-Uncles, and Father," Ceng Lu said cautiously, while handing a silver note worth a thousand taels to Ceng Hai from within his sleeve.

Ceng Hai took the silver note with a still unhappy look on his face, but his tone softened somewhat, thinking to himself that this youngster knew how to act appropriately, handing over as much as a thousand taels at once; he must have taken a tidy sum while in office.

"Hmph, this time I spared these two troublesome servants for your sake, letting them off with just a beating. If it had been father or your eldest brother, they would not have been so fortunate. Don’t make me any worthless promises; just consider the consequences if there is another incident. If it weren’t for the fact that the Court appointed you and our family dare not interfere, I would have taken you back with me this time instead of allowing you to cause trouble out here. Grandfather has declared that if even the slightest bit of bad news comes from your side again, you’ll no longer be his descendant, and our ties will be severed," Ceng Hai said sternly.

"Yes, yes, I remember," Ceng Lu hurriedly assured him, cursing inwardly, but not daring to show the slightest dissatisfaction on his face.

Seeing that Ceng Lu was sensible, Ceng Hai stayed in Xin’an City for one more night, filling his belly and collecting enough benefits before returning to the Capital City to report back.

Lin Yue, well-informed as always, had heard about the events in the Government Office. She was indifferent to the outcome; the Ceng Family was too optimistic. As long as a bungler like Ceng Lu remained in office, avoiding blunders would be difficult, especially since the butler and tutor were the main instigators behind his actions. With these two not being dealt with, Xin’an City would never be at peace. At most, their methods of extortion would shift from overt to covert actions, making life for the common people even more difficult.

Lin Yue could not understand what the Emperor was thinking. Although she had only seen the Emperor twice, she did not regard him as an incompetent ruler. Yet, he had given Ceng Lu the position of Magistrate in Xin’an City because of Empress Ceng and did not punish him even after he had caused trouble. Perhaps there was some other reason she was unaware of; however, these were not matters a mere commoner like her should worry about. All she hoped for now was Zhao Erhu’s swift return.

"Madam, Master Xue has come to see you; he wishes to speak with you," a servant announced.

"Let him in," Lin Yue said after a pause, aware that Master Xue’s visit must be in regard to the matter of him returning to his hometown to fetch his family. However, after a deep conversation with Matron Xu previously, she felt somewhat apprehensive and indecisive.

"Master Xue, have you come regarding the matter of you returning to your hometown to bring back your family? Have you decided when you will start your journey? I see that you have finished crafting the glassware from the designs, and we had agreed that you would leave after that. Are you here to bid me farewell?" Lin Yue inquired.

"Responding to Madam, indeed, I have come because of this matter. However, I am not only here to bid you farewell but also to ask a favor. My hometown is quite a distance from here, and the round trip is likely a fifteen-day journey. There are no guarantees of safety on the road, so I humbly request to borrow a few guards for the journey back home, and I hope Madam will grant this request," Master Xue explained.

After considerable thought, Master Xue had settled on this request, knowing the importance of the formulas he possessed. He thus made the audacious plea, which might seem presumptuous, but Master Xue was confident that with Madam’s intelligence, she would understand his reasons, or perhaps she had already had similar concerns but had not expressed them.

Lin Yue indeed had the same thoughts, but bringing it up herself could imply mistrust towards Master Xue, so she had not raised the issue. Now that Master Xue had expressed it himself, Lin Yue could see no reason to refuse.

"This is a small matter. After all, we have plenty of guards at home, and you can take some with you without a problem. Besides, with such a long journey, it is indeed safer to have more people. I’ll also assign two carriages to you. Make the trip quickly and come back soon; the Glaze Workshop still relies heavily on you," Lin Yue agreed.

Master Xue was eager to set out and return quickly. While his skills were the best at the Glaze Workshop, they were not irreplaceable. With the formulas in hand, the products could eventually be produced by others. Moreover, as the Manager, the share of the profits he received each month was enormously tempting, so much so that he would not lightly let anyone have the chance to replace him, however slight. Any risk, no matter how small, best not be taken—old habits and traits cultivated during his time in the Imperial Palace were hard to shake off.

Having secured the help he needed, Master Xue set off the next day, accompanied by a few unassuming guards for his return home, a fact known only to a handful of people. Yet, those with ulterior motives quickly spread the news after his departure.