200 Planning the Street

The repair of the walls of Qingchuan County was completed, and work on rebuilding the county office began. The wasteland that Li Yu had bought had been sown with wheat seeds, and the farmstead had been built. Li Yu went to the brokerage to buy a few servants to take care of the fields, and then went to the village to buy some piglets and chickens. Madam Li and her daughter moved to the farmstead and helped Li Yu cook for the servants, feeding the pigs and raising chickens.

Little Peach, whose actual name was Yu Niang, sold the house on West Street. After staying at home for half a month, she returned to the city and asked to see Li Yu. After seeing Li Yu, she said, “Madam, I want to sell myself to you.”

Li Yu looked at Yu Niang in shock. “Why do you want to sell yourself?”

“I don’t want to get married. I want to serve you.” Yu Niang knelt in front of Li Yu. “Madam, please accept me! It’s fine even if I don’t get paid!”

Li Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she pulled up Yu Niang, who was kneeling on the ground. “What happened? Why do you want to sell yourself!”

Yu Niang clasped her hands together and begged, “Madam, please accept me! I’ve thought about it. I’ve sold the house on West Street. When I go home, I’ll give the money from selling the house and the money I’ve saved all these years to my brother and sister-in-law. I’ll ask them to buy fields for me to serve you! I’ll even go to the farm to feed the pigs!”

Li Yu looked at the determined Yu Niang and nodded. “I’ll accept you. Let’s not rush to write the contract first. Can you try it for a few days?”

Xiaoyu smiled happily and said, “As long as you use me, I’ll do anything! I’m going to work.”

“Alright, help me get a doctor first. Xiaoyu has been so listless these days that she can fall asleep sitting down.”

“Yes!” Yu Niang agreed and went out.

Zhou Jia and Mr. Qian came back from outside covered in dust. Zhou Jia said to Li Yu, “Yu’er, many areas of the river in Qingchuan have been blocked. I want to take advantage of the dry water season to organize people to clear the river and strengthen the dam. Otherwise, it will be troublesome when the river floods in the next rainy season.”

“We should take precautions as soon as possible. It will be too late when the rainy season comes. I think the county office and streets should be completed in the winter month. This place is on the right track. Our fields in Qingshui Town have been occupied by someone, and we haven’t had the time to go back and deal with it!”

“That’s right! I wonder if Ah Qing and the others received our letter. We don’t even know how Ah Qing did in the exam?”

As the two of them spoke, Yu Niang brought the doctor into the courtyard. Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu worriedly. “Yu’er, are you feeling unwell?”

Li Yu looked at him strangely. “Xiaoyu has been listless these past few days. Ruyi is busy with the construction site, so I asked Yu Niang to get a doctor to take a look. Look, Yu Niang brought it to Xiaoyu.”

Zhou Jia held Li Yu’s hand and walked into the room. “You scared me. I have to change my clothes and go back to the government office.”

Li Yu took out the clothes that Zhou Jia wanted to change into and said to him, “Xiao Xi, after the county city is renovated, there will slowly be more vendors in the city. You should plan carefully and arrange for them to be in a fixed position. You should also build a few public toilets in the city and hire those disabled and lonely old people to clean them. They can earn a certain amount of money and have a source of income. Once the city is clean, we can keep illnesses at bay!”

When Zhou Jia heard this, he thought for a while and looked at Li Yu in surprise. “Yu’er, your thoughts are very good, but where do those people get their wages?”

Li Yu smiled and said, “You can set up fixed stalls and ask the stall owner for some sanitation fees! Send some bailiffs to patrol every day to prevent those hooligans from collecting protection fees. If you charge dozens of copper coins a month, those stall owners will be willing to pay.”

Zhou Jia hugged Li Yu and smiled. “Alright, your idea is not bad. When I come back, we’ll plan it out!”

In Phoenix Town, Tongzhou, Phoenix Village, Li Qing had just gotten out of the carriage with Ah Lei. He held Li Yu’s letter in his hand and ran towards Li Mei’s house. Li Mei held Brother Pig’s hand and saw Li Qing’s happy expression. She smiled and said, “Ah Qing! Why are you home from the academy today?”

Li Qing shouted happily, “Aunt! My sister has been conferred the title of First-grade Country Madam Protector, and my brother-in-law has been promoted to the Sixth-grade. He has already gone to Qingzhou’s Qingchuan County to take on the job!”

Li Mei clapped her hands in surprise and smiled. “First-grade madam, sixth-grade official. Young master is still the best. You’re five levels higher than Yu’er!”

When Li Qing heard this, he laughed out loud. “Aunt! The First-Grade Madam is the highest rank among the concubines. It was even conferred by His Majesty. Brother-in-law is far inferior to Sister, but only Brother-in-law has power.”

Li Mei covered her mouth and laughed. “Oh! I thought the higher the number, the higher the official position! Hurry up and tell Uncle Zhou that we have to celebrate! Celebrate!”

“Okay.” Li Qing looked at Brother Pig, who was hiding behind Li Mei. “Brother Pig, have you finished your homework?”

Brother Pig pouted and looked at Li Qing. “I’m done with my homework. Brother, it’s not fun to do homework. Brother Pig doesn’t like it! Let’s play soldiers catching bandits, okay?”

Laidi walked in from outside and said to Li Qing, “Ah Qing! Brother Pig’s homework is a mess. Hurry up and teach him a lesson!”

Brother Pig turned around and ran. “Second Sister is bad. I’m not playing with you anymore. I’ll go find Big Sister!”

Laidi looked at Li Qing strangely. “Ah Qing, why did you leave and come back? What’s the matter?”

Li Mei looked at Laidi and smiled proudly. “Your cousin has been conferred the title of First-grade Madam Protector. Ah Qing said that she is the highest-ranking official, even higher than your brother-in-law’s sixth-grade official status. We have to celebrate!”

Li Qing took the letter to the Zhou family and handed the letter to Uncle Zhou. He told Uncle Zhou about Li Yu and Zhou Jia being conferred the titles and said to Uncle Zhou, “Uncle Zhou, my aunt said that we have to celebrate. I’ll go arrange it.”

Uncle Zhou smiled happily and said, “Young Master Ah Qing, go do your homework. Let me do it!”

“Alright! Read the letter first!”

Uncle Zhou saw that Zhou Jia had said in the letter that he had already taken revenge for his mother and Li Yu was even given a title. He had told Uncle Zhou that they had already set off for Qingchuan to take over. Uncle Zhou had gone to the small ancestral hall and knelt in front of the memorial tablet. Tears streamed down his face. “Old Master, Madam, Young Master has made a name for himself. Young Madam has even been conferred the title of First-grade Madam. You can reincarnate in peace!”

The news of Li Yu and Zhou Jia returning to Qingzhou to become officials spread throughout Phoenix Village. Everyone gathered together happily and celebrated. The old village chief said to Chen Yaozu, “When are you going back to take a look? It’s time for our fields and ancestral graves to go back and rest.”

Chen Yaozu smiled and said, “Dad! It’s peaceful today. Why don’t I go back and take a look after the new year?”

The old village chief clapped his hands and smiled. “Alright, let’s go back and take a look.”

Liu Changmin looked at everyone’s happy expressions and smiled. “Uncle Village Chief, do you know who I saw when I delivered the goods to Tongzhou a few days ago?”

Chen Yaohui said anxiously, “Who is it? Don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me quickly!”

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