kvmb Chapter 777 I'll pay for it!
Chapter 777 I'll pay for it!
"Fifth Uncle, it's me." Lu Yangyang looked at the village chief in front of her, also very excited.
Fifth Uncle had studied for two years and could read, so he took over the position of village chief early on. He was a good person, fair and just, and always thought of the villagers. He would do his best to help anyone in need.
Qinghe Village is a village with many different surnames, but the villagers all respect Uncle Wu and are very united, so there are far fewer dirty tricks.
Looking at her fifth uncle's familiar face, Lu Yangyang felt an extraordinary sense of warmth.
She hurriedly asked, "Fifth Uncle, are the villagers alright? Has anyone been injured? Has the fire been extinguished? How badly was it burned?"
The village chief knew that she was going to the capital to become the daughter of a high-ranking official. In the past few years, he had received money from her through intermediaries, which she asked him to use for the village children's education. He knew that she was a sentimental person.
I thought I would never see her again in this lifetime, but I never expected her to come back.
He kept nodding: "It's all good, it's all good, it's not a big deal. Everyone's smart. When they heard the fighting outside, they all hid, some even in the cellar. They only came out when people outside called for them to be caught. No one was hurt! A few thatched huts were burned, but it's nothing serious. No one is hurt. The autumn harvest is over, and it will be repaired in a few days. Don't worry, don't worry!"
As he spoke, he looked at Lu Yangyang with loving eyes: "Everyone will be so happy to know you're back! Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, let's slaughter a pig to celebrate, I'll pay for it!"
Lu Yangyang smiled.
It felt like I was back in the busy days of Qinghe Village, especially during festivals or when there were big celebrations in the village. Just thinking about it made me incredibly happy!
She glanced at Huo Lin following behind her, thought for a moment, then turned her head and stretched out her hand to Sheng Junyi: "Give me the money."
Sheng Junyi took out a silver note and placed it in her hand.
Lu Yangyang stuffed the silver notes into the village chief's hand: "Fifth Uncle, Lord Huo and his brothers came to help today, so they definitely won't be able to go back tonight. You should call a few people to go with Uncle Zhou to find Butcher Liu early in the morning and bring a few more pigs. We've survived this ordeal, so we should have a big feast tomorrow. I'll slaughter the pigs and call all the villagers to come!"
The village chief initially wanted to decline, but with so many people, the village truly couldn't afford to entertain them all. Looking into Lu Yangyang's ever-bright eyes, he felt a surge of warmth and comfort. This girl, from a young age, had always been considerate and would never let anyone suffer. She was incredibly capable; she had learned to butcher pigs and even bone setting, and she had also learned acupuncture from the doctor at the clinic. She never charged for her treatments, and she used all the herbs she gathered from the mountains to help people. She was overjoyed when people gave her a few steamed buns. Such a straightforward and kind girl was simply irresistible; who wouldn't like her?
Knowing her temperament, the village chief stopped refusing and happily accepted the gift. "Alright, alright, let's all get together tomorrow and have a good reunion festival!"
After saying that, he looked at the others, then pulled her aside and whispered to her, "We've arranged a simple funeral for your aunt and buried her in the back mountain. If you have time tomorrow, go and visit her. I'll have Lao San bring you some paper money and ingots."
Everyone in the village knew that Lu Yangyang and that crazy woman depended on each other for survival, but only the village chief, Uncle Zhou, and Lu Wei knew that Lu Yangyang privately called her aunt and treated her with the respect due to an elder.
The village chief had spent most of his life in Qinghe Village. Even if he couldn't guess what was going on, he had a general idea. He suspected that Lu Yangyang's crazy aunt had also fallen on hard times here. After she died, someone secretly came to visit. He didn't dare to make a fuss, pretending not to know, and didn't dare to tell anyone else. That's why he only pulled Lu Yangyang aside and whispered to her, so as not to let outsiders hear what they shouldn't hear.
Lu Yangyang knew that her aunt's grave was fake, but that didn't stop her from being grateful for the village chief's kindness. He truly treated her and her aunt as family, which was why he was so devoted. So she didn't refuse and quickly nodded, "I know, thank you for thinking of me, Fifth Uncle."
After giving his instructions, the village chief didn't linger. It was getting late, and he needed to rest early so he could get up early the next morning to call the villagers to work together.
After the village chief left, Huo Lin arranged for his brothers to find a place to camp in the village. This would provide them with a place to rest and also serve as a form of protection, letting anyone secretly watching know that government officials were guarding the area, thus making them more cautious.
After he finished making the arrangements, Lu Yangyang handed the few remaining snacks to Huo Lin: "Brother-in-law, have some to tide you over. I'll treat you to a good meal tomorrow morning."
Sheng Junyi, standing to the side, looked at Huo Lin and also called out, "Brother-in-law."
Huo Lin merely glanced at him indifferently, gave a soft hum in response, took the pastry from Lu Yangyang's hand but didn't put it in his mouth, instead asking her, "What are your plans for this matter? I will leave a team in town to patrol every few days, but the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, which is not a long-term solution."
Lu Yangyang only knows that the other party's silencing involved Lu Jibai, a confidant of Crown Prince Chongwen, but she doesn't know why Lu Jibai was in Qinghe Village, whether he is alive or dead, or why he was silenced. Therefore, she will have to make a decision about this matter after returning to the capital.
“Brother-in-law has made excellent arrangements. Thank you for your trouble. I have already spoken with Aunt Lu and asked you to find her a secluded place in Qingzhou City for temporary accommodation. After we return to the capital, I will find a way to completely resolve the crisis in Qinghe Village.”
Huo Lin only wanted Qingzhou to remain safe and sound. Seeing that she had already made arrangements, he nodded, "That's good."
But after a moment's hesitation, considering Lu Yangyang's status, he couldn't help but ask another question, "Is it appropriate for you to return to the capital now?"
Lu Yangyang has the title of princess, and the emperor has not deposed her as a princess, but in addition, she is also the deposed crown princess. If she goes to the capital, she will definitely not be safe.
Sensing his concern, Lu Yangyang felt grateful. "Thank you for your concern, brother-in-law. I will be careful as I secretly go to the capital."
Therefore, Huo Lin said no more, nodded to her, and turned to leave.
After everyone had walked away, Lu Yangyang looked up and glanced at Sheng Junyi: "See? My brother-in-law really doesn't like you."
Sheng Junyi gave a soft chuckle and turned to walk towards the courtyard.
Lu Yangyang caught up with her: "You didn't offend Big Sister, did you? No way! You even bullied Big Sister?"
Sheng Junyi stopped, and Lu Yangyang, caught off guard, bumped her nose directly into his back, making her eyes water: "Why did you suddenly stop? Did I guess right?"
Sheng Junyi was speechless: "I'm not that bored. I moved out of the backyard when I was three years old. But I do remember that my eldest sister had a white cat named Pearl. It died not long after Sheng Yunzhu went back. I don't know anything else."