Farming to Defy My Fate 33

Chapter 33: Stealing Credit

Hu Sheng had dark circles under his eyes and stubble on his chin. This haggard appearance somewhat detracted from his good looks. But when Zhao An saw him appear, he only felt heartache and pity. When Zhao An became aware of his own emotions, he once again confirmed that he had truly fallen.

Feng Shaoping stood next to Hu Sheng, watching Zhao An fuss over him, bustling about to get water for him to wash his face, and then inviting him to eat. Meanwhile, he himself felt like a third wheel, not even receiving a single glance.

After the three of them had breakfast together, Zhao An was about to push Hu Sheng to his room to rest when Hu Sheng pointed at Feng Shaoping and said, “Didn’t you send someone to find him, saying you wanted him to escort the bandits who plundered Wangjia Village?”

In fact, last night when Hu Sheng and Feng Shaoping had encountered the group of people from Banpo Village who had dared to rob them, they had learned that they had previously intended to plunder Zhaojia Village but had been defeated and forced to retreat.

According to the captives’ confessions, they hadn’t even entered Zhaojia Village before being defeated by the patrol. But Hu Sheng had still settled the several thousand people he had brought back overnight and had come down the mountain without stopping to find Zhao An, wanting to confirm his safety. Then he and Feng Shaoping had arrived outside the village and happened to meet Liu Hu, who was about to go to the city to find someone.

Hearing from Liu Hu that Zhao An was indeed safe, Hu Sheng had calmly come to Zhao An’s door and knocked.

Zhao An fed Hu Sheng chicken congee with fried small fish and firmly arranged for him to go to his room to sleep. “Get some good rest. Don’t worry about anything else for now.” Only then did he say to the slightly haggard but clearly more energetic Feng Shaoping, “Since you haven’t gone into the city yet, Young Master Feng, why don’t I take those bandits with you to the county town?”

At this moment, although Feng Shaoping was very envious of Hu Sheng having someone to care for him, he also knew that escorting these captives back to the county town was a serious matter. He could only cast a resentful glance at Hu Sheng before leaving, only to be met with a cheerful smile, which made him even angrier.

To transport more than a dozen people, both living and dead, to the county town, Liu Hu alone driving an ox-cart was not enough. Fortunately, Scholar Zhao’s family was willing to contribute a donkey cart, but he only allowed the living to ride in it. So the seven dead bodies could only be stacked and tied onto the ox-cart like logs. The four living captives were squeezed into the small donkey cart, with Zhao An personally driving it. Only then did they slowly leave the village.

Along the way, some people saw the dead bodies and kept their distance, but others came forward to watch and ask questions.

Zhao An said nothing, but Feng Shaoping was very happy to tell the onlookers that these were the people who had robbed Wangjia Village and had now been captured. Feng Shaoping had been patrolling the various villages with the yamen runners recently, so everyone was quite familiar with him. Hearing this, they all expressed great admiration for him.

Zhao An watched Feng Shaoping boast in front of these uninformed people, claiming that he had led his men to drive this group of bandits to Zhaojia Village and had captured them with the help of the villagers. He also boasted of his formidable martial arts, saying he could fight three at a time when facing the bandits, and that the bandit leader was so scared of him that he had wet himself.

Hearing these fabrications, Zhao An understood that he was not trying to steal credit, but to legitimize the matter of Zhaojia Village training a militia. Otherwise, although Zhao An’s actions were out of self-preservation, if it were to be investigated strictly, he would not get off lightly.

Liu Hu, who had come with Zhao An, couldn’t sense Feng Shaoping’s good intentions and only felt that he was trying to steal credit. With a cold face, he repeatedly shot hostile glances at Feng Shaoping, who was riding on his horse. It was only because of the other’s status as the county magistrate’s son that he dared to be angry but not to speak.

Zhao An saw all of this and decided that he must conduct an ideological education for the villagers after he returned. At the very least, he couldn’t let them swagger around the surrounding villages and challenge the authorities just because they had some martial strength. He had to make them understand that martial strength could only be used for self-preservation. To live a good life, they still had to work hard to develop the economy.

The journey, which should have taken only half a shichen by ox-cart, took them a full shichen. Feng Shaoping, just as when Zhao An had first met him and he had displayed his qinggong in public, acted like a frivolous and impetuous young man who liked to show off in everything he did.

Especially after meeting County Magistrate Feng, Feng Shaoping seemed to have lost his mind, completely oblivious to the pained yet excited expression on his father’s face. He repeated what he had told the onlookers on the way, but in a more exaggerated manner, to County Magistrate Feng.

But Zhao An had to thank Feng Shaoping for his protection. At least, when County Magistrate Feng saw him, the scrutinizing look in his eyes quickly disappeared. Because he had already started to calculate, following Feng Shaoping’s description, how to describe his own merits after handing these bandits over to the prefectural city. Even if he couldn’t get any benefits, it could at least offset the impact of the Wangjia Village massacre on his political career.

Also, the city had been restless recently, and the price of grain had doubled. He could also take the opportunity of executing the bandits to invite a few gentry to watch the execution, to make them understand that they shouldn’t push people too hard, or they would suffer the consequences.

When it was noon, County Magistrate Feng insisted on having Zhao An stay for a meal. After taking their seats, he raised his wine cup with a smile. “This old man must toast Young Master Zhao. You truly never forget to share the nation’s worries. Even in the countryside, you can train the local militia to help the government and pursue bandits.”

Seeing County Magistrate Feng’s shrewd gaze and highly suggestive expression, Zhao An immediately understood his intention. He quickly stood up and raised his wine cup. “This junior does not deserve your praise, Your Excellency. It is all because Your Excellency loves the people as if they were your own children. The villagers are grateful for your kindness, and that is why they have learned to hate evil and dare to fight the bandits with their lives.”

It seemed this was the one who really wanted to steal the credit, or perhaps he had been prompted by Feng Shaoping. Regardless of his starting point, Zhao An still needed to thank him. He drained the wine in his cup in one gulp.

County Magistrate Feng got the words he wanted. After eating a few bites of food with him, he made an excuse that he had other matters to attend to, asked Feng Shaoping to accompany Zhao An for the meal, and left in high spirits.

Only then did Feng Shaoping drop the smug expression on his face. He pushed away his wine cup and said with dissatisfaction, “The old man is really stingy. He invites someone for a drink but only brings out this unsellable weak wine.”

Zhao An also put down his wine cup and picked up a piece of bamboo shoot from the braised ham. “I’m not much of a drinker anyway. At least His Excellency the County Magistrate has promised to give our village fifty liang of silver as a reward. That’s the most tangible thing.”

“Are you still short of this little bit of silver?” Feng Shaoping sneered, then clapped his hands and called out, “Wang Fu, quickly bring that jar of fine wine for the Young Master.”

Zhao An wanted to refuse, but Feng Shaoping smiled and said in a low voice, “Let me borrow your name for a moment. I’ve been wanting to drink it for a long time.”

Zhao An also started to smile, because he suddenly thought that he had been lending his name to others all day.

After the wine was brought, Feng Shaoping said, “This was made from the grapes bought from your family. Brother Hu also likes it very much. Why don’t you make a bottle of wine for him yourself? I guarantee he’ll be so happy that he’ll be willing to marry you right away.”

Since Hu Sheng liked it, Zhao An was naturally willing to give him the wine he had made. But Zhao An had to emphasize one point. “Even if I don”t give him wine to drink, he’s still willing to marry me.”

There shouldn’t be a problem, Zhao An thought, clenching his fists under the table.