CHAPTER 321: CHAPTER 313 LUO ZIKUN WAS SCARED (1)

Is this true or false?

The Pavilion Chief bowed again toward Luo Zikun with a look of apology and said, "I am ashamed. As a humble Pavilion Chief, I have been unable to meet the Lord County Magistrate. I can only rely on Mr. Luo and Landlord Li."

This time, Luo Zikun ignored the County Magistrate’s ingratiation and asked again, "Pavilion Chief, is it true or false that the Li Family is related to the Lord County Magistrate? I’ve never heard anyone mention it before."

The Pavilion Chief replied, "True as can be! When Li Family’s eldest son married, the Lord County Magistrate sent his son with personally inscribed gifts to offer congratulations. During the wedding procession, the Lord County Magistrate’s son also accompanied them to Chai Family’s old residence."

"..."

"Oh, Mr. Luo, when you were not in the county town at that time, you missed such a grand wedding banquet. It was the most lively wedding banquet in our village for years, with the Lord County Magistrate sending gifts, and the County Magistrate’s son representing him to attend and witness the ceremony, an unparalleled honor for our village indeed."

The Pavilion Chief recalled the grandeur of the banquet, still savoring the memory.

He learned about the Li Family being related to the County Magistrate only the next day, regretting that he couldn’t attend the banquet.

Meanwhile, Luo Zikun’s face grew increasingly pale, cold sweat forming on his forehead.

The coachman standing beside him showed an even more worried expression.

His young master had been beaten by Li Family’s eldest son and came here hoping the Pavilion Chief would punish Li Family’s eldest son.

But who knew, the Li Family is related to the County Magistrate?

The Pavilion Chief might want to ingratiate himself with the Li Family, would he dare to cause trouble for them?

The coachman sighed inwardly, realizing his young master’s beating was in vain.

They couldn’t speak of it, for it would offend the Li Family.

Seeing Luo Zikun’s grim silence, the Pavilion Chief asked about the earlier topic again, "By the way, Mr. Luo, why did you suddenly ask about the Li Family?"

"Oh, just entering the market, I heard someone chatting about the Li Family. I thought the Pavilion Chief might not recognize them, so I asked casually," Luo Zikun said awkwardly.

He stood up, feeling there was no need to sit any longer.

But the Pavilion Chief grasped him again, "Oh, Mr. Luo, forgive this old man’s memory. Truly old and muddled, talking and forgetting important matters. Mr. Luo, I see your condition, were you beaten by someone? Tell this old man quickly, and I will lead the villagers to vent your anger! Certainly, beat them until they lose their teeth."

The coachman chuckled bitterly, urging the Pavilion Chief to speak less.

Clearly, he was rubbing salt in his young master’s wounds!

Beaten and unable to speak, much less report it.

Truly unfortunate.

"No, I just rode my horse too fast and fell over, thinking of borrowing some water from the Pavilion Chief to wash my face, so my mother and grandmother wouldn’t worry upon seeing me at home." Luo Zikun found an excuse.

The Pavilion Chief scrutinized him, "Ah, so you fell over? Alas, look at me worrying for nothing! I thought some rascal with the courage of a dog dared hit you! Mr. Luo, you must be cautious next time on horseback. If harm falls, it would certainly worry Mrs. Luo and Mrs. Luo."

He rambled endlessly.

Luo Zikun contemplated silencing the Pavilion Chief with a cloth.

"The Pavilion Chief is very considerate," Luo Zikun forced a smile, while internally growing more depressed.

Silently cursing, he wished the old Pavilion Chief would shut up! If not, he’d sew his mouth shut!

Luo Zikun took an opportunity to leave. He borrowed water at the Pavilion Chief’s home, tidying up his appearance, daring not to mention the beating by Li Xingmao, then hurriedly left, taking the carriage back home.

The coachman parked the carriage, followed him into the yard, and quietly asked, "Master, is this matter settled like this?"

Luo Zikun was internally seething, wondering which inappropriate question the coachman might ask next?

"What do you think we should do?" he hissed.

The coachman frowned, "What about discussing it with the old lady? The old lady has plenty of ideas."

"What ideas can there be? Summon someone with a higher rank than the County Magistrate to beat a rural Li?" Luo Zikun sneered.

The coachman quietly continued, "Such people, the young master has met before; hasn’t Marquis Zhongyi’s legitimate second son, Young Master Zan, sought you out? You could find him?"

Luo Zikun squinted, Yu Wen Zan?

If the servant hadn’t mentioned, he might have forgotten him.

That’s a big official from the Capital, fourth-ranked, indeed higher than the County Magistrate. He stayed in a courtyard in the county town, and a month ago suddenly found and requested to see him.

But it was just one meeting, and then he never appeared again.

He said he was staying at an inn, but it’s been so long; would he still be there?

Besides, how can we know whether he is truly Marquis Zhongyi’s son, or a fake?

The servant’s suggestion was merely an imaginary consolation; utterly useless.

"Where to find him now? He said he would stay a while in the county town, but I’ve lived here for three months and haven’t seen him again. That person is probably a fraud! Best not mentioned," Luo Zikun waved, signaling the servant not to bring up Yu Wen Zan.

He had never been to the Capital, so who knows if that fallen-from-the-sky young man was truly Yu Wen Zan?

Probably a fake!

The coachman was scolded and dared not mention it again.

Luo Zikun went inside to change clothes before seeing his grandmother.

Mrs. Luo was very pleased upon his return, repeatedly instructing the nanny to notify the kitchen, "Cook a few more good dishes today."

The old lady was happy, and the servants were happy, the nanny gladly went to tell the kitchen.

"Kuner, your face..." Mrs. Luo pointed at Luo Zikun’s face, surprised and asking, "What happened?"

Facial bruises would take several days to heal fully. As Luo Zikun returned to do something, he couldn’t avoid meeting the old lady, and since she’d seen him, he had to say, "On the way back, I rode a horse for a while. The horse threw a tantrum; I accidentally fell off and my face scraped against the dirt on the road. But rest assured, Granny, it will heal in a few days; it’s not a major concern."

He forced a nonchalant smile as he spoke.

"Did you apply medicine?" Mrs. Luo asked worriedly.

"I did," Luo Zikun replied with a strained smile.

"That’s good," Mrs. Luo sighed, "Oh, your child is really—if that horse is unruly, just get another one. Falling like this truly makes one distressed." Speaking, she noticed her grandson’s wife wasn’t there and displeasedly told the maid beside her, "Go invite the young mistress back from the Chai Family. Staying at her parents’ all day, who knows what she’s doing? Her husband is back, and yet she doesn’t hurry back to take care of him."

The maid noticed her frown and cautiously agreed, going to find someone.

Thinking of Chai Eying, Luo Zikun commented, "Grandson just ran into someone at the market, unexpectedly it was Xingniang’s sister Chai Eying. Her coachman drove so fast it nearly hit and flipped grandson’s carriage."

"Such uncultivated people! Thankfully we canceled the marriage." Mentioning Chai Eying, Mrs. Luo’s face soured, jealously saying, "That girl is truly fortunate, about to die from illness, suddenly recovered, and even married into the County Magistrate’s relative."

Luo Zikun feigned ignorance, "Grandmother, wasn’t it said she married into a farming family? How did she suddenly become a County Magistrate’s relative?"

"Yes, the early news said the Li Family was farmers, having fled from the Northern Land for survival, opened barren land to farm, the family impoverished and emaciated, rumored to have lived in caves, borrowed food and old clothes from the village. Who knew they were the County Magistrate’s kin." Mrs. Luo shook her head.

She continued, "Anyway, the County Magistrate’s son stayed at the Li Family, County Magistrate’s wife also visited them, and during their wedding banquet, the County Magistrate’s son brought officials to attend, gifting them good presents, with a screen bearing the County Magistrate’s signature hanging in the Li Family’s central hall. This should not be false."

Luo Zikun’s eyes deepened, so the Li Family truly was the County Magistrate’s relative?

Villagers do not recognize the County Magistrate’s son or wife, nor discern the officials’ authenticity, but the County Magistrate’s name, several village chiefs, and Pavilion Chiefs indeed know, and they certainly recognize the County Magistrate’s handwriting.

Throughout the year, every month or two, the county government sends documents to towns or villages, it’s impossible that Pavilion Chiefs and village chiefs don’t recognize the County Magistrate’s handwriting.

Luo Zikun bitterly thought, it’s unfortunate that he harbored animosity with Li Xingmao and couldn’t visit the Li Family.

And resentful of why Chai Eying married into the Li Family, otherwise he could have visited them.

"Xingniang ever visited her sister’s marriage? Grandmother?" Reflecting that his wife, Miss Chai, was still Chai Eying’s second sister, thus Li Xingmao’s aunt, Luo Zikun devised a plan.