Twenty-ninth section versus (China)

  Silently returning home, Shen Jing had been waiting there for a long time, and was standing with Shen He, looking up at the sky.

  As soon as he entered the door, Shen Jing suddenly jumped up and searched Shen Mo's body: "Was he beaten? Was he hurt? Ah... why is it so hard?"

  Shen Mo slowly pushed him away and said to Shen He, "Dad, I'm back. The county magistrate didn't give me a hard time and even gave me a reward of silver." As he spoke, he took out an ingot from his bosom and placed it on Shen He's bedside.

  "Back is good, back is good."

  Shen Jing was surprised and said, "Is this really a good thing?" After finishing speaking, he snatched the ingot and exclaimed, "Wow, it's a five-tael Snowflake Official Silver, who dares to stop me? I'm going to surrender myself."

  "No one's stopping you." Shen Mo rolled his eyes and said, "Maybe I'll even get a golden ingot out of it."

  "Never mind." Shen Jing smiled and said, "I don't have your talent for pretending to be something you're not. Eating another plate of stir-fried pork wouldn't be worth it anymore." He handed the silver coins to Shen He and said, "Uncle, take a look."

  "You can keep the money, or give it to your father." Shen He declined: "My father and I have been troubling you for a long time, consider this money as payment for our meals."

  "How can that be?" Shen Jing shook his head and said: "It's just a small effort, how can I ask for money?" As he spoke, he put the ingot on the table.

  "Fourth Master won't take it." Shen He coughed and said, "Chao Sheng, you can take this money to rent a small courtyard on the street, and we two will move out."

  Shen Mo gave Shen Jing a look, and Shen Jing burst out laughing: "As Uncle said, just accept it." His expression turned serious as he asked: "How's the eldest son?"

  "I don't know." Shen Mo said in a low voice, "I asked Li Zhi County and Ma Dianshi, both of them said they were negotiating with Shanyin. If Shanyin doesn't agree, it's not easy for the officials from Kuaiji to go over there."

  "We can't wait like this anymore!" Shen Jing suddenly stood up and said: "I'll go ask my dad and second uncle to help think of a solution."

  "This is for the best." Shen Mo nodded silently and sent Shen Jing to the door.

  Shen Jing wanted to give him that silver again, but Shen Mo shook his head and said softly, "You keep it, this is just one room, where can I hide?"

  Shen Jing then put away the ingot and chuckled: "I don't dare guarantee that I won't spend it carelessly."

  "It's spent, so it's spent." Shen Mo rolled his eyes: "From now on, I'll go to your place every day to freeload meals."

  "You'd better keep that to yourself." Shen Jing walked down, looking worried and said: "It's easy to say now, but in the future when you have a wife and kids, even if I had a mountain of gold, it would all be spent by you." When he reached the stairs, he turned back and asked seriously: "Will anything happen to my eldest son?"

  "It's okay," Shen Mo said in a low voice: "Definitely."

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  After seeing Shen Jing off, Shen Mo returned to the house and examined his father's wound. He asked softly, "Haven't eaten yet?"

  Shen He nodded and said: "Yes, Seventh Girl had a bowl of braised pork with preserved mustard greens sent up, I was worried about you, and you couldn't eat it either, it's all cold now?"

  She silently lifted the bowl covered on the table and said softly: "It's really cold, I'll heat it up for you?"

  "You eat it yourself, this thing is too greasy, just looking at it makes me feel a bit nauseous." Shen He shook his head and said: "Give me some more noodles instead."

  "Are you tired of eating noodles?" Shen Mo frowned and said: "Or should I cook some plain porridge?"

  "I'd rather eat your hand-pulled noodles." Shen He insisted like a spoiled child: "They're even better than your mom's cooking."

  Shenmo had to redo the process from yesterday, and when preparing to cook noodles, he suddenly remembered what his father said yesterday: "Your mother adds scallions when cooking noodles." So he found a small scallion from the basket, washed it clean, chopped it into fine pieces, and sprinkled it in the noodle soup. The white and green colors mixed together, which indeed elevated the dish by several levels.

  He brought the rice bowl to the bedside, Shen He picked up his chopsticks with his left hand and used them with ease. After eating for a while, he suddenly looked up and said: "Every time your mother puts scallions in the noodles, I pick them out." Because last time there were no scallions, he felt that it was even more delicious than what his wife made... The word 'delicious' can also be understood as 'quick and convenient'.

  Looking at the finely chopped scallions in the bowl, Shen Mo had a sudden urge to go crazy for the first time, and it took him a long time to calm down. He muttered: "Just make do with eating."

  Shen He let out a sigh and looked very wronged.

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  The next morning, Shen Mo had just finished serving his father breakfast when he heard a knock at the door.

  As soon as the door opened, it was Ma Dian Shi from yesterday. He was very polite and said to him: "Shen Gongzi, our master has invited you."

  He silently wasn't surprised, he knew this matter wasn't over yet. He turned back to tell his father, then went downstairs to say hello to Seventh Sister and asked her husband to help take care of Old Dad. If he couldn't come back by noon, please help cook a meal or something.

  The Seventh Young Lady readily agreed and told him to go ahead, guaranteeing that Mr. Shen would not be wronged.

  Shen Mo finally felt at ease after leaving the mansion, and today's treatment was slightly better than yesterday's. An official carriage was waiting at the gate. Following Ma Dian Shi onto the carriage, it took less than half of yesterday's time for Shen Mo to arrive at the county government office, where he was led by a servant to the rear garden.

  It's almost June, not yet noon, and the sun is already scorching. The big dog under the tree is panting with its tongue hanging out, while the cicadas in the trees are chirping non-stop.

  But in the backyard of the county government, it is quite cool and pleasant. More than half of the credit goes to a small lake in the garden, where the water is crystal clear, the lotus leaves are dense, and the reflection of the small pavilion in the center of the lake is mottled.

  The pavilion was named "Si Tui", with a flying eave and four views, green tiles and red railings. Inside the hall, there was a reclining chair, a round stool, and a small table, on which were placed slices of watermelon to quench thirst and turtle jelly to nourish dryness, making Shen Mo, who had rushed along the road with sweat dripping from his brow, swallow involuntarily.

  But he didn't dare to be slightly presumptuous, because the magistrate of Li County, who was wearing a wide robe made of lake silk, was leaning on the recliner, smiling at him.

  Chen Mo hastily stepped forward and paid his respects. County Magistrate Li waved his hand, saying "No need, no need." He chuckled and said, "You must be exhausted from the heat?"

  "He nodded silently with a bitter smile and said, 'Heaven won't tolerate human beings'."

  "There are some cool and refreshing foods here, would you like to eat?" said Li County Magistrate with a smile.

  This question is really annoying, can't you just invite someone to eat directly? Why do you have to ask if they want to or not. Don't look at the simple answer, but most people can't answer it well... On such a hot day, and being all sweaty, if you say you want to eat, it seems a bit shameless; but if you say you don't want to, it seems hypocritical, and you have to endure hunger and thirst, or even the other person's continued teasing.

  This is obviously a prank by Magistrate Li to test Shen's ability to think on his feet. If he answers poorly, he'll be left looking foolish.

  But Shen Mo was obviously a quick-witted person. He smiled and said, "What do you think, sir?"

  "I suppose you don't want to eat." said Magistrate Li with a chuckle.

  "You didn't guess it this time." Shen Mo said with a smile.

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