Chapter 249: Chapter 249: I’m Just Back to Pack My Things

“Qinghe is here, have a seat and let’s talk.”

When Hu Kaicheng saw Liu Qinghe, a smile immediately appeared on his face, and he even proactively invited him to sit down and talk.

This left Liu Qinghe feeling flattered and he repeatedly expressed his gratitude before finally sitting down on the edge of the chair.

Hu Kaicheng didn’t beat around the bush and directly inquired about the matters of Yongping Village.

Liu Qinghe didn’t hold back and explained candidly that he had taken a day off yesterday, first taking a trip to Yongping Village, and then bringing his family there for a visit.

Hu Kaicheng was taken aback upon hearing this and asked, “Your entire family went to Yongping Village?”

“Yes, my lord, that’s correct.”

Liu Qinghe said a bit embarrassedly, “I wouldn’t dare to deceive you, my lord. My family of a dozen people is cramped in a small courtyard. When the children were young, it didn’t feel crowded. But now, each of them is growing up and ready to get married.”

“I saw that Yongping Village has plenty of space, so I discussed with my family about buying a plot of land there, building a courtyard so that the family can live separately for some relief.”

These matters were not secrets.

Although they hadn’t been publicized, it wouldn’t be something that could be concealed forever.

If the county magistrate wasn’t concerned with matters regarding Yongping Village, Liu Qinghe naturally wouldn’t elaborate. But since it was brought up, it was best to explain early on to avoid any misunderstanding later about having ulterior motives.

Hu Kaicheng nodded in agreement, “Quite sensible, your elders are wise to understand. It’s indeed inconvenient for a large family to be cramped in one courtyard. Besides, from an official perspective, Yongping Village looks promising, and with the Qi Family’s character, they’d certainly look after you.”

“Yes, yes, the lord is entirely correct.”

Liu Qinghe hurriedly flattered him.

Hu Kaicheng waved his hand and continued, “So, have you decided how much land you’ll buy? When will you start the construction?”

Originally it was about inquiring about Yongping Village, so Liu Qinghe was merely explaining his own plans in passing. He didn’t expect the county magistrate to actually take an interest in his family matters.

Liu Qinghe did not conceal and revealed his family’s plans.

After listening, Hu Kaicheng thought for a moment and said, “Recently, the city has been relatively peaceful. For the time being, Qinghe, you should focus on your family’s matters. Of course, while you’re at it, keep an eye on the people from other villages who are going to Yongping Village for work too on behalf of the Qi Family.”

“Although Yongping Village is now under the jurisdiction of Concord City, it is ultimately composed of outsiders, and there’s no guarantee they won’t be bullied by the local old households.”

“Go over and watch over them; everything else can be considered secondary, but make sure nothing happens to the plaque of Yongping Village. Do you understand?”

Hu Kaicheng spoke with particular seriousness, showing how much he valued that imperial plaque.

Liu Qinghe quickly stood up and offered a salute, “Yes, my lord, I will certainly keep it safe.”

After a brief pause, Liu Qinghe cautiously asked, “My lord, only that if I am to do this, I won’t be able to fulfill my duties as a government official. If this takes too long, what about my position…?”

“Of course, it will still be yours. You’re not on vacation, but assigned by the official to safeguard the people’s security. How is this different from patrolling within the city?”

Upon hearing this, Liu Qinghe felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.

With the county magistrate’s assurance, he could focus on guarding Yongping Village without concern.

On one hand, to ensure the safety of Yongping Village, and on the other, to personally oversee the construction of his new courtyard.

A win-win situation!

Liu Qinghe naturally wouldn’t say this was an abuse of power for personal gain, after all, he wasn’t personally going to build the house himself.

Hu Kaicheng glanced at the steward and said, “Deliver a message to the back courtyard, ask the madam to send twenty taels of silver over.”

“Yes!”

The steward quickly retreated.

Liu Qinghe was puzzled.

Why did the county magistrate suddenly need twenty taels of silver? Could it be that he, like his own family, wanted to buy land and build a courtyard in Yongping Village?

Just as he was feeling uncertain, Hu Kaicheng said, “When you head to Yongping Village, you’ll need to eat and live there. Although the Qi Family is generous, it wouldn’t be right for us officials to keep taking advantage of them.”

“I’m giving you these twenty taels of silver for your daily expenses. But every few days, you should return and report how the situation there has developed. Do you understand?”

Hu Kaicheng spoke with a sincere demeanor, truly embodying the image of an honest and caring official.

Liu Qinghe felt extremely honored and immediately knelt down, thanking him earnestly, and vowed to remember everything clearly and report back.

With twenty taels of silver, he couldn’t possibly spend it all on extravagance!

Moreover, he wasn’t one to indulge in extravagance. If he saved some, the remaining silver could be used to buy more land!

The steward soon returned with the twenty taels of silver.

Hu Kaicheng personally placed the silver in Liu Qinghe’s hands. After a few more reminders, he instructed him to pack up today and set off for Yongping Village in the afternoon.

When Liu Qinghe stepped out of the government office, he still felt a bit lightheaded.

If it weren’t for the heavy twenty taels of silver in his pocket, he would have questioned whether he had just experienced an unrealistic dream.

In the Liu Family courtyard, Cheng Huihui was washing clothes and cleaning with her two sisters-in-law.

The three sisters-in-law chatted while working, not feeling the laboriousness at all.

Mrs. Liu Sr. was inside the house mending clothes and was not outside when she suddenly heard her eldest daughter-in-law exclaim, startling her. She pricked her finger with the needle, causing her to gasp in pain.

“His father, why are you back at this time?”

As Cheng Huihui saw Liu Qinghe appearing at the door, her heart skipped a beat, and her face turned a few shades paler.

Could it be that the leave he took yesterday led to him being reprimanded by the office?

Liu Qinghe was also startled by the exclamation and quickly waved his hand, “Don’t shout, I’m just back to pack some things.”

“Pack some things? Pack what?”

Cheng Huihui’s face turned even paler.

This doesn’t just mean reprimand; this sounds like being exiled!

Though Concord City is just a county town and doesn’t have many major cases annually, there have been a few instances over the years where officials needed to escort exiled criminals elsewhere.

Liu Qinghe had encountered this before, though the places weren’t far. He didn’t even need to pack things or bring much silver, as he could return within ten days or so.

But this time, they needed to pack things; how far could this possibly be?

In just an instant, Cheng Huihui thought of all these things, frightening herself enough to falter in her stance, almost collapsing to the ground.

Her quicker-reacting sister-in-law beside her quickly grasped her arm to steady her.

Liu Qinghe was also frightened and hurriedly stepped forward to grab Cheng Huihui’s other arm, saying in an exasperated tone, “What are you doing? I’m just packing to go to Yongping Village, the lord assigned me work there to keep an eye on things for a while.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep