Zhang Lanlan was given twenty large planks and thrown out of the county magistrate's mansion, half dead.
Many people gathered around, pointing and discussing Zhang Lanlan, finding the incident quite peculiar.
Lu Dagang, who had been waiting outside the mansion, saw someone being thrown out, and it was a woman wearing the same clothes as Zhang Lanlan. Curious, he rushed over to take a look.
Upon seeing her, he was so terrified that he almost lost his soul. The woman on the ground, her skin torn and bloody from the beating, was none other than Zhang Lanlan!
"Lanlan? Lanlan?"
Lu Dagang called out anxiously, but Zhang Lanlan did not respond, her eyes still tightly shut.
She dared not respond or open her eyes. The crowd was watching her, discussing her. She had never been so humiliated in her life!
Lu Dagang felt for Zhang Lanlan's breath and found that she was still alive. He immediately picked her up and ran back to the inn. He couldn't go to a medical clinic because he was penniless. He would wait for Supervisor Xue to return and ask him for some money to buy wound medicine.
At the birthday banquet.
The onlookers were finally satisfied and sat down to enjoy the feast.
As they ate, they chatted animatedly about what had just happened.
"I never expected that the Zhang Lanlan, a peasant girl brought from some remote village, would be so arrogant while being a guest in someone else's home. In the end, she dug her own grave. Isn't that hilarious?"
"She's a fool. She thought that by flattering the county deputy and the magistrate's daughter, she would become the mistress of the house. How stupid! They merely treated her like an obedient dog. Did you hear the county deputy's or the magistrate's daughters say a single word in her defense just now?"
"But, didn't you notice? Given Prince Yu's temper, Zhang Lanlan surely wouldn't have survived today. Why do I feel like Prince Yu showed mercy?"
"Alas, I heard that the county magistrate's daughter secretly admires Prince Yu. Perhaps Prince Yu didn't want to appear too ruthless in front of her?"
"How could that be? I think Prince Yu didn't even glance at the county magistrate's daughter the entire time. Instead, he kept looking at the young lady at the same table."
"Ah? Isn't that young lady the wife of that handsome man? Oh, my heavens..."
After Prince Yu took his seat, he did not let the magistrate and others serve him. He directly called Ji Chenghe to his side, and the two of them discussed many governance plans and strategies regarding the current situation and conditions of Tashajun.
Guo Kexin looked at Prince Yu expectantly, wanting to offer him a cup of wine as an apology. However, seeing Prince Yu's stern face, she did not dare to take the first step.
The county magistrate sat at another table, and he felt uneasy at the sight of Prince Yu conversing happily with the young official Ji. He regretted chasing Ji Facao out of his mansion yesterday.
As for Bai Sheng and Lu Ye, they were oblivious to the surrounding events, wholeheartedly focused on eating.
Before the birthday banquet concluded, Prince Yu left the county magistrate's mansion with Bai Sheng and the other two. Bai Sheng and Lu Ye returned home, while Ji Chenghe went to Prince Yu's mansion to continue discussing matters with Prince Yu.
The county magistrate also lost the mood to drink and celebrate with the guests. He summoned County Deputy Shen Tuhong and Supervisor Xue of Tianshui Town to his study.
Before even entering, the county magistrate lost his temper. "What are you two doing? Who are you bringing into my mansion? Is this county magistrate's mansion a marketplace? Supervisor Xue, you first, what is going on with that Zhang Lanlan?!"
Supervisor Xue touched the cold sweat on his forehead. "Reporting to the county magistrate, Zhang Lanlan is the daughter of my cousin. As she has reached marriageable age, my cousin wanted me to find a good family for her in the county town.
It was for this reason that this subordinate... that this subordinate dared to bring her to your birthday banquet, and also to broaden her horizons. Who would have thought she would be so unmanageable? I beg the county magistrate for forgiveness. Such a thing will never happen again."
The county magistrate snorted coldly, with a hint of mockery on his lips. "With her kind of quality, she still dreams of marrying an official's son in the county town? I think even if she were to be a concubine, no one would look at her! Supervisor Xue, don't blame me for not warning you. If you associate with these unsophisticated country bumpkins again, don't blame me for turning a blind eye!"
Supervisor Xue kowtowed repeatedly. "This subordinate will definitely keep the county magistrate's teachings in mind and will completely sever ties with that family when I return."
The county magistrate then looked at the silently bowing County Deputy Shen. "And you, go home and properly educate your daughter. Don't associate with just any kind of woman. And you even introduced that Zhang girl to my daughter. She's not worthy either!"
"Yes, yes, yes, the county magistrate is absolutely right. This subordinate will definitely punish my disobedient daughter properly when I return today." The county deputy bowed and replied.
The county magistrate picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and continued, "Although we have the backing of the Rongguo Mansion and the Crown Prince, Biangzhou is Prince Yu's fiefdom. You should both be aware of Prince Yu's temper. Before I am transferred from Biangzhou, you must all keep a low profile. If I discover anything that offends Prince Yu again, your official positions might come to an end."
"Your Excellency, rest assured, we will certainly remember your teachings." The two replied obediently.
In the afternoon, Prince Yu's mansion sent someone to Xinghua Street with a message. It said that Official Ji had asked Bai Sheng and Lu Ye to return to Tianshui Town first, as he and Prince Yu would be working for several days to discuss the matter of the various towns raising funds to explore and dig wells.
Lu Ye planned to visit some of his "friends" in the county town and give them a cartload of grain. Since the places where his "friends" lived were not convenient for women to enter, Lu Ye decided not to bring Bai Sheng, telling her to rest well at home.
When Bai Sheng heard that he was going to visit friends, she took out a lot of vegetables, fruits, and two large water vats filled with water from her space.
One cart was not enough to carry everything, so she rented another one.
Bai Sheng had only met Lu Ye's friends once, and she did not know their backgrounds. However, since Lu Ye did not volunteer the information, she did not ask. As long as Lu Ye was not out looking for other women, he could do as he pleased.
After Bai Sheng cleaned the courtyard and every room, she closed the door and entered her space.
She first inspected the fields to check the growth of the crops, storing the mature grain in the granary. The cotton plants in the cotton fields had all survived and had already produced many green cotton bolls. In a few more days, the cotton seeds could be harvested.
After inspecting the fields, she put the manure from the chicken coop and the rabbit hutch into the septic tank. After finishing all this, she picked some fresh fruits and vegetables, washed them clean, and then lay on the lounge chair in the bamboo forest to enjoy them slowly.
Bai Sheng appeared very leisurely at this moment, but in her mind, she was planning how to plant trees on Red Mangrove Slope.
How to plant these trees needed careful consideration. If they were planted in large blocks like a forest, there would not be enough arable land left. Furthermore, the area for wind and sand prevention would be too small.
Bai Sheng planned to plant the trees in a "belt" formation, planting a long, narrow forest belt every three to four miles. This way, the effect of preventing wind and sand would be enhanced, while also reserving enough land for cultivation and pasture.
In addition to planting trees for wind and sand prevention, Bai Sheng also planned to plant some fruit trees, such as peach trees, mango trees, pear trees, orange trees, and even durian trees. However, these trees were rarely found in the entire Tashajun. Perhaps the annihilated Qinghuang Kingdom might have them.
Based on Lu Ye's description, Bai Sheng felt that the Qinghuang Kingdom was very much like the Jiangnan region in the present world, with mountains, water, fertile fields, producing abundant fish and rice, and rich in resources.
Such a good place would inevitably attract the covetous eyes of the Great Xia Kingdom and the Northern Qiang Kingdom.
In a few days, Bai Sheng planned to go and see the former Qinghuang Kingdom with Lu Ye.