Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 335: Master Zhao.

“Father? What are you saying?” Zhao Ru Jun realized that she was overeager and smiled: “Why are you here so late?”

“Ha!” Master Zhao sat down angrily, shaking his sleeves as he stared at her coldly: “What did you send Zhao San to do tonight?”

“Father!” Zhao Ru Jun’s face changed slight: “Why is father asking about this? Who said something in front of Father?”

“You still dare to hide it from me!” Master Zhao was furious.
He slapped a palm on the table, shaking the set of fine porcelain tea cups.
He glared at Zhao Ru Jun and said: “Steward Qin of the Lian family has come and is now sitting in the flower hall! Zhao San and the others have been arrested, falling into the hands of others! And you still won’t tell me the truth!”

His daughter’s face now changed drastically, shocked: “Impossible!” She looked at Master Zhao and asked nervously: “So Zhao San and the others failed?”

“You–!” Master Zhao didn’t know how to respond.
He held a deep breath in his chest, unable to get up or down.
After a moment, he patted his chest, gasped and said: “Jun’er, Jun’er! What have you done! Tell me honestly, what the hell is going on?! What did you ask Zhao San to do?”

Zhao Ru Jun bit her lip, looking stubborn, as if to say that she would not speak unless her father gave her a clear answer.

Heart full of pain, anger, and disappointment, Master Zhao clutched his chest.
All kinds of emotions were mixed together.
In the end, even he didn’t know what he was feeling.

“Alright, don’t tell me!” Master Zhao finally shouted: “Steward Qin is still waiting in the flower hall, so I will go and sit with him immediately.
If you don’t tell me, I won’t know what the situation is or how to deal with it!”

Zhao Ru Jun widened her eyes abruptly, shouting: “Lian Fang Zhou dares to be arrogant! Did she really send her steward to speak to Father? She really considers herself highly!”

Zhao Ru Jun was not a fool.
Since Steward Qin was able to force her Father to speak to him, he must have some sort of handle or support in his hands.
In all likelihood, Er Gou Zi and the others had not succeeded in setting the fire…

When she realized this, Zhao Ru Jun’s heart was full of a rush of unwillingness and disappointment.

Master Zhao was so angry, he couldn’t speak.
Enduring the rush of blood that almost sprayed out of his mouth, he forced himself to say patiently: “Do you think I want to go? But they said that if I don’t, tomorrow they will send Zhao San and the others to the yamen!”

“So what?” Zhao Ru Jun sneered disdainfully.
Arrogantly, she said: “Isn’t it good to send them to the yamen?”

If Lian Fang Zhou really did send them, she could just buy them back.
Wasn’t it just spending some money? The Zhao family did not lack money!

Master Zhao sighed heavily.
“Nevermind.
If I don’t tell you clearly, you won’t understand.” Then he told her everything Qin Feng had said to him.

Zhao Ru Jun’s expression changed dramatically.
Biting her lip, she cursed: “Despicable, shameless bitch! That bitch, Lian Fang Zhou, is really brazen!”

The elders of the Dafang village and two scholars had seen and heard Zhao San with their own eyes and were willing to testify.
Zhao San and the others had also been arrested.
This was enough to discredit the Zhao family and ruin Zhao Ru Jun for a lifetime!

Was for what Lian Fang Zhou threatened, if her father didn’t go, she would beat the gong and drums and send people to the yamen.
The purpose of beating the gong and drums was, of course, not literal, but to publicize the matter along the way.
In this way, even if the magistrate didn’t want to deal with it impartially, his hands would be tied.

This wild country girl! Such a ruthless strategy and a poisonous mind!

Zhao Ru Jun’s face was white with anger, her eyes dazed as she cursed.

“Tell me quickly!” Master Zhao shouted angrily, “Time is running out!”

Zhao Ru Jun bit her lip again.
Even though she didn’t want to mention this shameful failure to him, she knew that if she didn’t, it would harm her father.

She had no choice but to reluctantly tell him everything.

Even before he finished listening, Master Zhao’s lips were trembling with rage and his fists opened and closed at his side.

When she was finished, Master Zhao stared at her and moved his lips.
In the end, however, he didn’t say a word, not even to scold her.
He just sighed weakly.
“Alright, it’s late, go to sleep!” He walked out tiredly.

Zhao Ru Jun was shocked.
The sight of her father’s back gave her a feeling of despair but she couldn’t understand why.

~

Qin Feng had expected that Master Zhao would talk to Zhao Ru Jun before speaking to him, so he wasn’t worried and waited calmly in the flower hall.

Seeing Master Zhao come out, he stood up and smiled, saying: “Is Master Zhao alright? Let’s go now!”

“I’m old and useless! It took me a long time to clean up, letting Steward Qin wait a long time!” Master Zhao’s face was pale as he squeezed out a smile and arched his hands slightly.

“Haha, it’s okay! It’s okay! There is still enough time! Please, Master Zhao!” Qin Feng smiled broadly and raised his hands, neither humble or overbearing, just polite and friendly.

“Please!” Master Zhao nodded, his eyes a little complicated.

Glancing at Qin Feng, he thought: This Steward Qin had a calm and steady manner, spoke generously, and had superb demeanor and temperament.
He was better than his own big steward! That the Lian family could have such a steward meant that they must be good.

Jun’er was really stupid! Why did she need to compete with others? They had never offended the Zhao family!

Alas, it seemed that even though she was capable, she was still just a woman…

Master Zhao was startled by his own thoughts, wondering if his plan to hand over the family property to his daughter had actually harmed her…

Qin Feng let Master Zhao to the Lian compound in Dafang village.
Entering, he saw the group of eight Zhao family servants kneeling in the corridor.
Zhang Li Zheng, the village elders, and the two scholars, Sun Ming and Lian Hai, were sitting with Lian Fang Zhou and the others in the house.
The old man blushed, feeling complacent.

He was a sophisticated person and was much more experienced than Zhao Ru Jun in handling matters.

Unlike his daughter, he wasn’t as stubborn.
Coming up to the others, he met them politely.
Saying hello, he bowed his hands to thank Lian Fang Zhou for keeping the face of the Zhao family instead of just sending the matter straight to the yamen.

Lian Fang Zhou had originally planned to fight a tough battle.
With someone like Zhao Ru Jun, wouldn’t her father also be the same? Maybe he would even be worse!

However, seeing Master Zhao lower his posture, she was greatly relieved.
She followed his words without being humble or over-flattering.
The implication was to reassure him.
Since he had been invited over, the matter would be private and they would not involve the yamen.

Of course, this was on the premise that they successfully reached a conclusion.

Seeing her attitude, Master Zhao was relieved.

Now it was just a question of negotiation.