The tray was covered with a red cloth, sparking endless imagination for the Yun family elders and youngsters, as well as the villagers.
Prefect Qin scooped up the little Xi Ti and smiled, "Sweetie, guess what this is?"
Little Xi Ti felt helpless.
What was on the tray was either silver or gold.
She saw through it but didn't say, instead giggling, "It's scallion pancakes!"
Her crisp, childish voice made everyone burst into laughter.
Prefect Qin was both amused and exasperated, instructing his guards to lift the red cloth.
As expected, two trays were laden with dozens of gold and silver ingots.
The villagers had never seen so much gold and silver in their lives.
For a moment, their eyes were glued to it...
"Oh my goodness, with this gold and silver, the Yun family will be rich!"
"Of course, now that the Prefect and the Governor favor little Sweetie, their family will never have to worry."
"It's like a golden phoenix falling into a chicken coop; their family struck it rich."
"..."
Madam Gu and Old Man Yun were also surprised.
They hadn't expected Prefect Qin to offer such a generous gift.
Although their daughter had rendered outstanding service, accepting so much gold and silver would inevitably invite jealousy.
They wouldn't mind the cloth and pastries, but such valuable items were something they dared not accept.
Madam Gu took her daughter from Prefect Qin's arms and smiled, "We appreciate the Prefect's kind intentions."
"But we absolutely cannot accept this gold and silver. Please take it back, Prefect!"
"Yes, yes, we can't accept it, can't accept it!" Old Man Yun echoed.
If anyone with ill intentions took notice, their family would be in danger.
Seeing this, Liu Cuirong's eyes darted around, and she quickly pulled Madam Gu aside.
"Mother, those gold and silver ingots are all the Prefect's heartfelt gift."
"Little Sweetie saved his daughter and helped them solve a tragic case; it's not unreasonable to accept some gold and silver, is it?"
Sigh, what was her mother-in-law thinking?
That was gleaming, shining money!
Even though their family's life had improved, they probably wouldn't be able to save this much gold and silver in a lifetime!
If it's free, why not take it? Why be so polite?
Madam Gu frowned and nudged her, "Second daughter-in-law, what did I tell you before?"
"Has the family starved you or frozen you?"
"We've already accepted the Prefect's cloth and other gifts; we shouldn't take their money."
"If you feel wronged here, then move out and live on your own sooner rather than later. Don't bother me every day!"
This troublesome daughter-in-law, if she didn't scold her for a day, she'd feel itchy all over.
Useless at everything, but first in causing trouble.
Liu Cuirong: "..."
What, why are you so anxious?
If you don't want it, you don't want it, but do you have to scold and insult me like this?
She felt her mother-in-law was too unreasonable.
Impenetrable, purely a block of wood.
Little Xi Ti glanced deeply at her second sister-in-law, looking speechless.
Anything she got involved in was bound to go wrong.
Prefect Qin felt a bit awkward seeing the Yun family refuse the gold and silver.
He instructed his guards to send the gold and silver back to the carriage and looked at Old Man Yun with a wry smile.
"It was my presumption, Brother Yun. Please don't take offense."
Prefect Qin cupped his hands in a bow.
Old Man Yun chuckled heartily, "Oh, why must Your Excellency be so formal? My daughter is just a child, after all. She can't handle so much gold and silver."
In simpler terms, he didn't want his daughter to be tainted by the smell of money at such a young age...
The villagers were all surprised to see the Yun family refuse the gold and silver.
What was going on? Did Old Man Yun have a vendetta against money?
Everyone's thoughts differed, and their perspectives on the matter varied.
The village chief felt that the Yun family was right not to accept the gold and silver.
Reward for merit.
No reward without merit.
Prefect Qin's gold and silver not being delivered would surely be compensated in other ways.
Either he would remember the favor and repay it slowly later,
Or he would repay the kindness on the spot by finding a solution acceptable to everyone.
The Qin sisters, holding Little Xi Ti's hands, were in tears.
Their father had finished his business here and would take them back to Shuo'an City tomorrow.
During their stay at the Yun family's, the sisters had fallen in love with Dashui Village.
The farmhouse, corn stalks, steamed sweet potatoes, steamed eggplant, roasted frogs.
Every experience had become a memorable and warm memory.
Especially Qin Yiyi, who always stole glances at Yun Jinshan, her heart filled with reluctance...
Prefect Qin pondered for a moment and suddenly looked at Yun Daman and Yun Erman, "Among you two, who knows how to read and write?"
He knew that Daman and Erman were Old Man Yun's two sons.
Since the Yun family insisted on not accepting money, he could only focus on their sons.
Little Xi Ti smiled and said, "Prefect Uncle, Eldest Brother and Second Brother both know how to read and write!"
"Both know how to read and write?"
Prefect Qin was quite surprised.
In such a poor and remote village, there were few people who could read and write.
He hadn't expected both of Yun's sons to be literate.
That made things easier.
Prefect Qin pursed his lips and smiled, "It's like this, I'll be returning to Shuo'an City tomorrow and I'm short of a personal attendant."
"You can help me organize documents, run errands, do odd jobs, or handle matters in the countryside, etc."
"You two discuss it, and whoever is willing to come back with me?"
Little Xi Ti chuckled inwardly upon hearing this, wasn't this just an assistant!
However, they would be assistants to a 'governor,' stepping into an official career, with boundless prospects...
Even Prefect Chen looked envious.
He had wanted to arrange for his nephew to work under Prefect Qin for a long time.
But Prefect Qin had ignored him.
Now, he was eagerly seeking someone at the Yun family's doorstep.
What incredible luck and honor this was!
The villagers were also overjoyed, beaming with happiness.
Dashui Village finally had someone in officialdom.
In the future, if any family needed to file a complaint or seek justice, or handle a lawsuit, they would have a connection.
It was expected that Yun Daman and Yun Erman would vie to go with Prefect Qin.
Who knew that the two brothers exchanged a glance and then looked at their parents with troubled expressions.
Old Man Yun sighed slightly, "It's good, but... it's a bit far from home!"
Shuo'an City was about seven or eight days' journey from Dashui Village.
A round trip would take half a month.
It would be inconvenient to visit relatives or see his wife and children.
But if they settled down in Shuo'an City, he feared they would be too far from his parents.
And he didn't have the means to bring them all along.
Yun Daman and Yun Erman found themselves in a dilemma.
Having lived in the village for so long, they felt reluctant to leave their families and wives and children suddenly.
Yun Erman glanced at Liu Cuirong, who was jumping for joy and beside herself with excitement, and sighed.
Such a thoughtless creature.
Madam Gu was silent for a moment, then looked at her two sons, "You decide for yourselves. If you want to go, Mother won't stop you. If you want to stay, don't have regrets later!"
She couldn't make the decision for her sons.
This kind of matter required respecting their own choices.
As the sun set in the west, Prefect Qin was still waiting for their reply.
In the end, the two brothers unanimously decided that neither would go...