However, Qiu Yizi still didn't want to talk to him any more, and only replied coldly: "I didn't expect that Lord Xu had such talent. He sorted out the land in the county in just a few days. It is also a great achievement. I will definitely reward you handsomely one day."
Without waiting for Xu Rong to reply, he changed the subject and asked Zhao Chengxiao, "I heard from 'Iron Head Jiao' that there is another person from the county who wants to meet me. Is this true, Brother Zhao?"
Zhao Chengxiao's expression became visibly uglier after hearing this, and he said, "Yes. But this man is not a good person. I advise you not to meet him."
Qiu Yizhi was a little curious after hearing this, and immediately said: "Brother Zhao has always been generous, could it be that this person has offended Brother Zhao in some way?"
Zhao Chengxiao still had a sullen face and said, "That's right, this man not only offended me, Zhao Heizi, but also offended you. It's more than just an offense, there is a huge grudge. This man is your ruthless and ungrateful uncle, Zhao Fuyi!"
After hearing this, Qiu Yizi suddenly realized that he had rescued Zhao Fuyi by accident in Mingzhou City. Later, thinking that Zhao Fuyi was his only relative alive in the world, he did not make things difficult for him, but instead asked him to come to Shanyin County to find him.
So Qiu Yizi said, "Zhao Fuyi is not a good person. I know how much Zhao brother suffered from him. But think about it, Zhao brother, no matter how bad Zhao Fuyi is, he is still my relative, and he is still your elder. In the past few years, the Central Plains region first suffered from famine, then the Tianzun Rebellion, and then the emperor's campaign against rebellion. We Zhaojiadai have never escaped these disasters. How many people are left now? As the saying goes, 'You can't turn your elbow outward', and you can't write two 'Zhao' characters with one stroke. We can't be too heartless, right? Otherwise, what's the difference between us and Zhao Fuyi?"
Zhao Chengxiao was easily persuaded by Qiu Yizhi, who was eloquent, after a few words. He struggled for a while before gritting his teeth and said, "Your Excellency is right. I am too stingy..."
Qiu Yizhi was delighted when he heard this, and then he said, "Zhao Fuyi was indeed a worthless person back then. Since he has come to our house, why don't we go and see what he has to say."
Having said that, Qiu Yizi urged Zhao Chengxiao to lead the way and go find Zhao Fuyi, while the others went back to their rooms to pack up and rest.
Zhao Chengxiao was, after all, a down-to-earth man. Even though Zhao Fuyi had offended him in his early years and he still had a grudge against him, he still found a clean yard for Zhao Fuyi's family to live in. When Qiu Yizi pushed the door open, Zhao Fuyi's family of seven or eight people, young and old, were chatting and enjoying the cool in the middle of the yard.
Zhao Fuyi was fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan to drive away mosquitoes when he saw the courtyard door pushed open. In the dimming sunlight, he saw that the person coming was his nephew Qiu Yizi. He hurriedly ran up to him to greet him.
However, he moved too hastily and did not notice a sunken step in the ground. He stepped on it and immediately stumbled. He could not keep up with the next few steps. He had to throw away the palm-leaf fan and support himself on the ground with his hands, just in time to kneel in front of Qiu Yizi.
Even if Zhao Fuyi was wrong in many ways, he was still Qiu Yizhi's uncle and his elder. Qiu Yizhi wanted to reach out to help him, but he remembered that Zhao Chengxiao behind him was still quite dissatisfied with him. If he showed too much enthusiasm, it would inevitably hurt his feelings.
After weighing the two options, Qiu Yizhi decided to stand by Zhao Chengxiao, his capable assistant who had gone through life and death with him. He did not reach out to support him, but straightened his body and asked coldly, "Isn't this my uncle Zhao Fuyi? Why did you think of coming to me?"
Zhao Fuyi was stunned: Didn't you, Qiu Yizi, ask me to come to Shanyin County? Why are you asking me about it now
However, Zhao Fuyi's current status and position were in line with the saying "When you are under a low roof, you have to bow your head." He just swallowed his anger and said, "This... The Japanese pirates are causing chaos, and I can't stay in Mingzhou anymore. I have nowhere else to go, so I thought of coming to Yizhi for help. At least there is a place where my family can sleep peacefully..."
Qiu Yizi said with a wooden face: "I call you 'uncle', I wonder if you can bear it? When we were an orphan and a widow, I wonder how your uncle treated us?"
Zhao Fuyi was sweating all over after hearing this. No one in the world knew the ins and outs of this better than him. Qiu Yizi's mother was actually forced to death by him, Zhao Fuyi himself. When Qiu Yizi was helpless and living in a dilapidated temple, she relied on neighbors and fellow villagers for help. As her uncle, he had never paid a penny. Qiu Yizi was already giving her a lot of face by saying this now.
He also understood in his heart: the nephew in front of him was no longer the same as before. Not to mention the official hat of a seventh-rank county magistrate, he was also the adopted son of the former Prince of Youyan and current Emperor Zheng Rong. Even a strand of his hair was thicker than his waist. If he wanted to take the opportunity to take revenge on him, he could just raise his foot and crush him.
Zhao Fuyi recalled that the King of Youyan originally intended to execute him to vent Qiu Yizhi's anger, but it was Qiu Yizhi who came forward to save his life until today. Therefore, he guessed that his nephew was not a heartless person, so he said with a flattering face: "It's all my fault that my uncle was bewildered in the past. Now I have to repent every day. Today, since I have lost my face and surrendered to Yizhi, I will kowtow to Yizhi to apologize!"
Zhao Fuyi actually did it. He immediately bent his knees, knelt on the dusty muddy ground, and kowtowed his head repeatedly.
Qiu Yizi did not help him, but accepted the gift calmly and said coldly: "It is your business whether to plead guilty or not, and it is my business whether to forgive or not. Please don't get confused, uncle."
Zhao Fuyi's heart suddenly sank when he heard this. He wanted to beg for mercy but didn't know how to start. He wanted to be tough but was afraid of angering Qiu Yizi. After thinking it over for a long time, he sighed and said, "I was obsessed with money and did something wrong. I have nothing to say about how Yizi punishes me. I just ask Yizi to spare my two children for the sake of our kinship. After all, they are Yizi's cousins..."
As he spoke, Zhao Fuyi extended his hand and beckoned the two men to come forward, saying, "This gentleman is your lifesaver and also your cousin from all over the Xiongnu. Why don't you come over and kowtow to him and pay your respects?"
After hearing this, Zhao Fuyi's son and daughter quickly knelt down beside their father and kowtowed to Qiu Yizi.
Seeing that there were many people around, Qiu Yizi looked at her two cousins carefully. She saw that they had dark eyebrows, black eyes and dull faces, and were obviously not smart people. She guessed that they were just ordinary children from wealthy families.
Sure enough, Zhao Fuyi said, "I have doted on my two children since they were young. Even when I was in poverty, I never let them suffer. Whether I kill them or cut them up is entirely up to Yizhi. I just hope that Yizhi can follow the example of the emperor and not kill them all, but leave a way for you two siblings to live..." At the end, Zhao Fuyi was choking with sobs.
Qiu Yizhi turned his head and looked at Zhao Chengxiao beside him, and asked him in a low voice: "Brother Zhao, how do you think we should deal with these people?"
Zhao Chengxiao was originally determined to avenge himself for what happened back then, but when he saw Zhao Fuyi's current miserable state, he softened his heart.
While he was hesitating, he suddenly heard a woman's clear voice coming from outside the door: "So the master is back? Chengxiao, why didn't you tell me so that I could go to the city gate to greet the master?"
Qiu Yizi looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yang Qiaoer walking up to him quickly. She stopped in front of him, bowed, and said with a smile, "My Lord, you have been gone for more than half a month. How come you have lost so much weight? But your complexion is still good. Oh, how come you are injured here and bandaged? It really makes me sad."
She turned to Zhao Chengxiao and said, "You damned bastard, the master went out to do things, but you stayed in your comfort zone and didn't know how to do things for the master? Look, the master is now injured, and you are the master's personal bodyguard, don't you know how to blush?"
Qiu Yizi knew that Zhao Chengxiao's new wife, Yang Qiaoer, was bold and outspoken, and her straightforward way of speaking was just in line with his personality - unfortunately, although Zhao Chengxiao was born a military general, he had a rather gentle temper - she found it amusing and funny to think that Zhao Chengxiao would now be labeled as "henpecked".
Unexpectedly, Zhao Chengxiao's face darkened and he said, "The adults will naturally make the decisions on the deployment of troops and the execution of tasks. Even I can only follow the rules. How can a woman like you have the right to interrupt? Don't say such things in front of me in the future."
Yang Qiaoer was stunned when she heard this.
Qiu Yizi was also stunned, but secretly admired in his heart: It turns out that Zhao Chengxiao is just polite to Yang Qiaoer on weekdays, but when it comes to urgent matters, Zhao Chengxiao is still the one who makes the decision at home.
However, Yang Qiaoer had lost her spirit after being interrupted by Zhao Chengxiao's retort. Fortunately, she had a strong character, otherwise, if it were another woman, she might have burst into tears on the spot.
Just when the atmosphere was a little awkward, a woman walked in gracefully from outside the courtyard gate. It was Yang Qiaoer's sister Yang Yinger. She walked a little slower and came a little later. When she entered the door, she didn't speak. She first knelt in front of Qiu Yizi and bowed. Then she stood to one side and said softly: "I just knew that the adults were here. I came late. Please forgive me for coming late."
Qiu Yizi saw that Yang Ying'er's face looked rosier than when he left, and she looked even more charming. As for the haggard look she had when she was in prison, there was no trace of it at all.
Therefore, Qiu Yizi looked happy and said with a smile: "What's wrong with you all? We used to see each other every day, but today you have to go through so many formalities. Instead of doing these empty formalities, you might as well prepare a few tables of delicious food to welcome me!"
Yang Qiaoer had just hit a snag in front of her husband, so she quickly took over the conversation and said, "We sisters have already told Sister Wu Ruofei about this matter. We have already set up a banquet in the back hall of the county government office. We are afraid that if the dishes are cooked too early, they will be cold when you go to eat. That's why we didn't light the stove. Whenever you are hungry, just go. With Sister Wu's cooking skills, are you afraid that you won't have a good meal today?"
After saying that, Yang Qiaoer added, "These men only know how to fight and kill all day long. When will they ever consider these things?" She was speaking to Zhao Chengxiao.
Qiu Yizhi heard that Yang Qiaoer and Zhao Chengxiao's conversation seemed tense, but it showed that they had a very harmonious relationship. He was just thinking it was interesting, and suddenly remembered that his uncle's family was kneeling in front of him, so he calmed down and asked Zhao Chengxiao: "Brother Zhao, what do you think should be done with Zhao Fuyi's family?"
Zhao Chengxiao was originally immersed in the atmosphere of husband and wife following each other, but when Qiu Yizi asked him this question, he finally reacted. Seeing Zhao Fuyi's family kneeling on the ground with a pitiful look of dishevelled hair and dirty faces, he finally couldn't bear it anymore, and said with a long sigh of relief: "Forget it, after all, they are from our Zhaojiadai, and the past grudges... Let it go with the wind..." (To be continued)