Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Young Master Jing

Xia Wenjin, with a half-smile, said, “Didn’t you not believe it when it was reported to you?”

“I… didn’t say I didn’t believe it, just that it needed to be investigated. Yes, I said it needed investigation! I was just fooled by that scoundrel Zhang Jiantang.”

She glanced at the embarrassed Mayor Wang, “I wonder if the County Magistrate will believe it when it’s reported to him? I think a County Magistrate is more familiar with matters of the Capital City, so he might believe it? If the County Magistrate doesn’t believe it, then there’s still the Prefect. If the Prefect doesn’t believe it, there’s also the Lord Governor!”

Mayor Wang wiped his sweat.

How could he have ever met the Prefect or the Lord Governor? Even the County Magistrate, he had only seen from afar three years ago. They were figures he could only admire from a distance, lofty and unattainable. Yet, the young man before him mentioned them with such ease.

He questioned with confusion, “For such a small matter in our town, would the Prefect or the Lord Governor care?”

Xia Wenjin gave him a glance, her eyes carrying a hint of coldness, “Does Mayor Wang consider the epidemic a small matter? A village has three to four hundred people, a town two to three thousand, and now the epidemic is just beginning. If left unchecked until it spirals out of control, spreading widely, will it still be just a village or town matter?”

The mayor wiped his sweat again.

Xia Wenjin said, “That’s why I’m asking you to prepare in advance. When those from above arrive and see you have already set up disposal points and everything is underway, what will they think? If they arrive and find you unprepared, letting the disease spread unchecked, what will they think then?”

Mayor Wang imagined that scenario for a moment, then immediately declared righteously, “Young Master, rest assured. The quarantine point must be set up, immediately, at once! I’ll go gather the village chiefs right away!”

Xia Wenjin smiled, “Now, do you know whom I’m helping, Mayor Wang?”

Mayor Wang chuckled, nodded, and said, “Thank you, Young Master!”

Regarding the matter that concerned him, Mayor Wang was truly attentive. He immediately dispatched people to notify the village chiefs, gathering them to issue commands.

Worried that Mayor Wang might say one thing and think another, Xia Wenjin stayed at his residence. As for those household servants she had beaten, they had long since retreated.

Mayor Wang pointed out Xia Wenjin to the village chiefs, instructing them to follow her recommendations for inspecting and setting up quarantine points.

Xia Wenjin understood that Mayor Wang, the old fox, was using her.

However, it worked out well, as she intended to stay and didn’t mind these matters. The village chiefs listening to her made things more convenient.

After leaving Mayor Wang’s place, Xia Wenjin swiftly went to check the situation in various areas.

With the mayor’s command, the village chiefs promptly acted. Seeing some substantial progress within a day, Xia Wenjin felt slightly relieved.

Of course, it was just a slight relief.

After all, this was an epidemic that led the Lord Governor to order two to three thousand people to be burned alive. Although her early arrival exposed the epidemic sooner, she still wasn’t sure if it would be effective.

She might not even be able to change the course of her previous life’s events, meaning she could be among those burned alive.

For now, she could only hope Huangfu Jingchen would bring some good news from his side.

Riding swiftly, Huangfu Jingchen reached the county town that afternoon. However, since he didn’t reveal his identity, the County Magistrate hardly took him seriously and disregarded his words.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to reveal his identity.

Still, as a son of a Vassal King, although he was a Crown Prince’s grandson, sometimes keeping a low profile was best. Otherwise, with a Crown Prince in the court, if a Vassal King’s son is parading under his role as an Imperial Grandson elsewhere, it could cause significant misgivings. He couldn’t bring trouble to his father and mother.

Kicked out by the County Magistrate, Huangfu Jingchen was furious, his handsome face dark with anger. The County Magistrate didn’t care, so he naturally went to seek the Prefecture. Fortunately, the Northern County Huainan Prefecture was not far from this Yanglu County. After hitting a wall with the County Magistrate, Huangfu Jingchen knew that if he continued to speak the truth, the Prefect’s response would likely be the same.

After all, he lacked evidence and couldn’t present any. Everything relied merely on his word, making it hard to convince anyone.

Upon reaching the prefecture city, Huangfu Jingchen planned to hire an escort by offering silver. Just as he was inquiring about prices, a voice drifted by, “Young Master, are you abandoning me?”

Turning his head, Huangfu Jingchen saw Jiang Ning, who appeared out of nowhere.

Curious, he asked, “What are you doing here?”

Jiang Ning replied cheerily, “Young Master, you tasked me with an errand, which I completed. I was just on my way to report back to you, didn’t expect to meet you here!”

Huangfu Jingchen said, “I told you to return to Yunzhou!”

Jiang Ning said, “Yes, yes, I was on my way back to Yunzhou, just happened to pass by here!”

Huangfu Jingchen coolly remarked, “Looks like I need to consider sending you to the Southern Camp. Your vision isn’t great, nor is your sense of direction. The Southern Camp should suit you just fine!”

With that, Jiang Ning’s face changed dramatically, nearly hugging Huangfu Jingchen’s leg, he flattered, “Young Master, my vision’s just fine, I’m perfectly okay! No need to go to the Southern Camp!”

“No, I think you do need it. Go train for three to five years, and you might be able to continue following me!”

Jiang Ning pleaded with a woeful face, “I was wrong, Young Master. Didn’t you tell me to send someone to investigate Haotian Village after returning? I thought I could handle it, so I went myself and was about to report back to you. Just as I was about to look for your signal, I ran into you here.”

Upon hearing the words Haotian Village, Huangfu Jingchen acknowledged with a nod.

Indeed, he had instructed Jiang Ning to send someone to investigate. The village forcibly took young men as grooms, and the people were fierce, making random sacrificial victims of passersby. It might be an evil organization, and since Xia Wenjin had caught their attention, this matter was far from over. He had to be prepared to lend Wenjin a helping hand in the future.

But now wasn’t the time for inquiries, so he said, “We’ll discuss this later. Accompany me to the government office!”

Jiang Ning was puzzled, “Why the government office? Didn’t you say not to reveal your identity unnecessarily to avoid trouble?”

“Who said I was going to reveal my identity?” Huangfu Jingchen retorted.

Jiang Ning became even more puzzled.

Huangfu Jingchen motioned for him to lean closer.

Leaning in, Jiang Ning listened as Huangfu Jingchen whispered a few words in his ear.

Jiang Ning’s eyes immediately lit up, “This can work, Young Master. This is amusing.”

The two, master and servant, leisurely strolled, richly dressed, astride a tall and majestic horse, drawing many gazes as they headed towards the government office.

Upon reaching a nearby street, Huangfu Jingchen found an inn while Jiang Ning took a letter directly to the government office.

This letter quickly reached the hands of the Prefect, who sent for Jiang Ning to be brought inside.

Jiang Ning swaggered into the government office, where Prefect Shang Jingwang personally met him, greeting him with a smile, “Could this be Young Master Jing from Prince Kang Mansion?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep