ATFCM ~ 10

Chapter ~ 10

Shen Zheng Encounters a Thief at Night

Several porters worked in pairs, taking turns carrying the sacks between them along the way. By the time they reached Wang’s western suburban estate, a full hour had already passed.

Even Shen Zheng felt tired from the walk, let alone the porters who had been carrying the heavy sacks.

The trip to Huai hua Village that day had been the same—such a long distance, and she had made it there purely on willpower.

She thought to herself that once the county office had some silver, she would definitely buy a few fine horses. It would make traveling and hauling things much more convenient.

The porters set the sacks of rice grain on the ground. Shen Zheng paid them their wages and added an extra ten wen for them to buy some tea.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

After the porters left, she rapped on the door of Wang’s estate.

“Coming!”

That voice belonged to Wang Wanying. Shen Zheng figured that since Wang Guangjin had been holed up at the estate germinating seedlings these past few days, Lady Lü and Wang Wanying had come along to keep him company.

When Wang Wanying opened the door and saw who it was, her eyes lit up like a delighted young deer.

She turned back and called into the courtyard: “Mother! Come quickly! Magistrate Shen is here!”

Then she noticed the large sacks at Shen Zheng’s feet, walked over, and reached out to drag one.

Shen Zheng stopped her. Each sack weighed at least a hundred catties—she doubted Wang Wanying could move it.

Seeing that Shen Zheng wouldn’t let her carry it, Wang Wanying immediately called out to the servant in the yard: “Laixi! Come over here!”

Shen Zheng couldn’t help but chuckle at Wang Wanying. The girl had completely abandoned any pretense of ladylike decorum—but that was fine. It was better to live happily and freely.

The servant Laixi poked his head out from the backyard. When he saw Shen Zheng at the gate, he hurried over at a run.

“Magistrate! Let me carry those! If the young master finds out I didn’t greet you properly again, I’ll get another earful for sure.” Laixi wore a pained expression.

Shen Zheng chuckled lightly and reassured him: “I suddenly remembered something today and came on a whim. If your young master scolds you, I’ll put in a good word for you.”

Laixi’s worry immediately turned to delight. He made an exaggerated bow toward Shen Zheng: “This humble servant thanks you in advance, Magistrate.”

“Oh my, Magistrate Shen is here!”

At that moment, Lady Lü emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron as she hurried over.

“Today this girl Wanying insisted on pestering me to teach her how to make Hundred-Flower Cakes. She said that once she learns, she’ll send some to you!”

“Mother!”

Wang Wanying stamped her foot. Her mother had already told Magistrate Shen before she’d even mastered it—if she ended up failing, where would she put her face?

“This girl! Can’t even let anyone mention it!” Lady Lü teased.

“Wanying is clever—I’m sure she’ll learn it well,” Shen Zheng said, helping Wang Wanying out of her embarrassment.

Seeing everyone still standing at the gate, Lady Lü quickly urged them to come inside and talk.

But Shen Zheng had business with Wang Guangjin, so she declined.

“No, thank you. Is Mr. Wang at the seedling nursery? I’ll go find him and take a look at the seedlings while I’m at it.”

“My elder brother went over early this morning. I’ll accompany Magistrate Shen!” Wang Wanying tugged at Shen Zheng’s sleeve—she wanted to go with her.

Seeing the expectant look on Wang Wanying’s face, Shen Zheng could only nod in agreement.

But after only two steps, Wang Wanying stopped and turned back to call out to Lady Lü:

“Mother, please finish making the Hundred-Flower Cakes—half of them are my handiwork too. Let Magistrate Shen take some back to the county office to try later!”

“All right!” Lady Lü replied with a smile from the doorway.

After walking for just over a quarter of an hour, Shen Zheng and Wang Wanying arrived at the seedling nursery.

Shen Zheng observed that the seedlings, which had been just tiny sprouts during her last visit, were now already an inch tall. In all likelihood, they would be ready for transplanting in a little while.

The transplanting fields she and Wang Guangjin had selected were well-field plots—that is, fields surrounding the wells, which would make irrigation more convenient later on.

“Magistrate Shen, you’re here!”

Wang Guangjin, who had been tending the seedlings in the field, looked up and spotted Shen Zheng and his sister. He trotted over.

By now, the seedling nursery no longer required someone to watch it day and night, but he just couldn’t bring himself to leave.

Partly, he was afraid some troublemaker might damage the seedlings. Partly, he felt a sense of accomplishment watching them grow a little more each day.

The task Magistrate Shen had given him—he was seeing it through properly!

“I brought the remaining rice seeds. I’ll have to trouble you again,” Shen Zheng said, a hint of apology in her voice as she noticed how much darker Wang Guangjin had gotten in just a few days.

“What’s the trouble? We’ve got plenty of land—we can plant as many as we’ve got! I’ll get all those seeds germinated in the next couple of days, and then into the nursery beds after that!”

Wang Guangjin was absolutely delighted. Magistrate Shen always thought of him first when something came up.

Shen Zheng explained her reasoning—that she wanted the county residents to plant some rice this year, so that by next year no one would go hungry again.

When she mentioned that she had already registered the dozens of refugees into the county rolls, the admiration and affection in the siblings’ eyes for Shen Zheng nearly overflowed.

Shen Zheng smiled and touched the lush green seedlings in the field, then said:

“The canal-digging starts tomorrow. We’re estimating that we’ll finish in time for spring planting, which should align closely with your seedling transplanting schedule.”

“If you trust me, plant more of this rice on your land this year. You’ve helped me greatly, and I certainly won’t let you come out at a loss.”

Wang Guangjin had absolute faith in Shen Zheng’s words. Besides, he had been watching these seedlings day after day—judging by their germination and sprouting rates, this batch of rice was already exceptional.

Even if Shen Zheng hadn’t said anything, he would have planted them anyway. Anything Magistrate Shen strongly recommended was bound to be good.

And the irrigation canals would pass right through their fields, making large-scale watering no problem at all—so why wouldn’t he plant?

“Magistrate, what are you saying? Even if you hadn’t brought it up today, I was already planning to plant as many seedlings as you’d give me when the time came!”

After that, Shen Zheng strolled through the nursery with the Wang siblings, carefully inspecting the seedlings’ growth.

Seeing that there was nothing left for her to do, she figured she should head back to the county office.

But as soon as she said her goodbyes, Wang Wanying pouted in displeasure: “Magistrate, aren’t you forgetting something?”

Shen Zheng slapped her forehead—she had genuinely forgotten.

She could only smile and pat Wang Wanying on the head: “I’ll definitely be taking Wanying’s handiwork back to savor properly.”

The three of them walked back toward the estate together under the setting sun, with Wang Wanying chattering away in the middle, her words making the other two burst into laughter. The evening sun stretched their shadows long across the ground.

…

When they returned to the estate, Shen Zheng had to politely but firmly decline the family’s insistence that she stay the night. In the end, she left carrying a large bundle of Hundred-Flower Cakes and headed back toward the county office.

By the time Shen Zheng reached the town, night had already fallen, with a bright crescent moon hanging high in the sky.

To get back to the county office faster, she chose a small alley. It was perfectly silent—only the sound of her own footsteps.

Half a minute later, Shen Zheng stopped.

*No. The footsteps were wrong.*

Someone was following her.

They had been trailing her ever since the last turn.

The realization sent a chill down Shen Zheng’s spine. She couldn’t help cursing inwardly that in any era, a woman walking alone at night was never truly safe.

She rarely showed her face in public on ordinary days, so there were plenty of county residents who didn’t recognize her.

And today she wasn’t wearing her official robes, so she had no deterrent effect on any would-be wrongdoer.

Shen Zheng quickened her pace, but the footsteps behind her also grew faster. Then she caught a strong smell of alcohol.

Watching the shadow on the ground draw closer and closer, Shen Zheng raised her left hand and pretended to touch the hairpin she had tucked into her hair during the day—ready to pull it out for self-defense at any moment. With her right hand, she let the bundle of Hundred-Flower Cakes fall to the ground, then reached into her robe and pulled out her county magistrate’s token.