551 Was he here to pick them up?
Not long after the new year, Xi Rui, Xi Rong, and Liang Youxiao set off for the northern border.
Fei Yuzhe was supposed to return to the capital to celebrate the new year, but the emperor appointed him to replace Xiao Hanzheng as the county magistrate of Heyang County.
Because he still had many things to do, he had to spend the new year with the Xiao family in Heyang County, so he didn’t follow the group who was going back.
Qi Yiyang had specially returned to the capital for the new year, and after a few days, he went back with the three of them.
This time, there was even the fifth prince who was shamelessly following them.
It was also because of the fifth prince’s presence that the descendants in the public administration house who had been dumped at the northern border were dumped by their elders again to join the group of people going to the northern border.
This group of people left the capital in a grandiose manner, and Xiao Hanzheng handed over all his work to Fei Yuzhe.
This was a better option.
After all, Fei Yuzhe had been in charge of Heyang County for a long time and was familiar with it.
There would not be a harsh or corrupt county magistrate who would suddenly come to prey on its people.
Fei Yuzhe was also preparing to become an official, and this was a good opportunity for him.
Xiao Hanzheng and Shi Qingluo had already laid out the road ahead for him.
He only needed to maintain and progress further from the foundation he had, and his achievements would not be bad.
Especially after the cement road leading to the capital and Northern City was completed, it would connect other trade routes and make Heyang County the only way from the Western Region to the capital and Northern City.
It would certainly drive the county’s development.
The news of Xiao Hanzheng and Shi Qingluo’s departure also spread quickly.
The commoners couldn’t feel happy, and some even cried.
“If Mr Xiao and Madam leave, what will we do?”
“That’s right, it wasn’t easy for our days to become better, so why did Mr Xiao and Madam leave?”
“I really can’t bear to see Mr Xiao and Madam leave. Ever since they came here, Heyang County has changed a lot.”
“Exactly. A few days ago, my relative came from a neighboring county to visit. He was surprised to see us here and said that he had never seen such a lively county before.
“There’s also Dumby and that flock of geese. After Madam left, I wouldn’t be able to see that flock of geese patrolling anymore.
“Can Mr Xiao and Madam not leave? Why don’t we file a petition among the locals and ask the emperor to let Mr Xiao stay in Heyang County?”
“Although we don’t want Mr Xiao to leave, we’ll be harming Mr Xiao if we send tens of thousands of people there. I heard that he’s going to be a magistrate in Northern City.”
“You’re right. If that’s the case, we’ll be dragging Mr Xiao down. I really hope that he and his wife can stay in Heyang County!”
“I wonder who will take over Heyang County in the future. If he turns out to be like the previous county magistrate, won’t our days go back to how it was before?”
“I’ve heard about the next county magistrate. Mr Fei was promoted to take over as the county magistrate.
“If it’s Mr Fei, then it’s fine.”
“Right, if Mr Fei becomes the county magistrate, it would be a good thing for us. After all, he and Mr Xiao are good friends.”
Mr Xiao was so righteous and cared for the people, his friends would definitely not be bad.
When Xiao Hanzheng and Shi Qingluo left, not only did all the people in the county come to see them off, the villagers who had heard the news also came to see them off.
One person sent a basket of eggs, the others sent a basket of vegetables and fruits, as well as marinated pork, mutton, and chicken. No matter what, they asked Xiao Hanzheng and Shi Qingluo to accept them.
These were gifts, and Xiao Hanzheng did not want to disappoint his fellow villagers, so he accepted them.
He then instructed his servant boy accordingly.
Seeing so many people coming to send them off and many of them even cried, Xiao Hanzheng was touched.
His efforts in Heyang County weren’t in vain.
He smiled and waved to everyone. “Don’t worry, everyone. In the future, Mr Fei will take care of all of you so that you can continue to lead a good life.”
“Mr Xiao, Madam, have a safe journey!”
“I wish Mr Xiao a steady rise in your career.”
“Mr Xiao, Madam, in the future, when you have time, remember to bring Dumby and the rest back to visit us!”
Xiao Hanzheng and Shi Qingluo both agreed.
Dumby, who was following beside Shi Qingluo, also called out to the people in Heyang County with a human-like sense of reluctance.
It made many people’s eyes turn red, and the children cried.
“Sob sob, Dumby is leaving. I still want to play with it.”
“Sob sob, I don’t want to leave Dumby.”
Back in Heyang County, it had listened to Shi Qingluo’s instructions to bring the geese to keep an eye on the children.
So, Dumby led a flock of geese and mingled with the children.
At first, they even saved a few children who were taken away by kidnappers.
If anyone bullied a child, it would bring a group of geese to chase and bite them.
It would also bring the children to play everywhere.
Because Dumby and its flock of geese were with them, the parents were very assured.
Therefore, the children in the county town were the most reluctant to leave with this flock of geese.
There were also children crying on the ground, wanting them to stay and not leave.
However, no matter how reluctant they were to part with them, they still had to leave.
After it got on the carriage, Dumby lay lazily by Shi Qingluo’s feet.
It was obviously not very happy.
Shi Qingluo stretched out her hand and patted its head. “Little goose, don’t be sad. Mommy will bring you to see them in the future.
“When we reach Northern City, you can continue to patrol with your geese and make sure that the children in Northern City don’t get kidnapped.”
After hearing its mother’s words, Dumby perked up a little and called out to her, rubbing her hand.
Xiao Hanzheng’s mood, which had been a little unsettling, was also eased by Dumby.
He was even more determined that as long as he was at the northern border, he would do things for the people wholeheartedly and make the people at the northern border rich.
Shi Qingluo had similar thoughts.
There were so many people sending them off and stuffing things to them.
They kept saying words of gratitude and reluctance.
Her eyes were red.
She also wanted to do more practical and good things for the people.
Mother Xiao, Xiao Baili, and Xiao Erlang were also a little sad and reluctant to part with them.
Their family sat in the carriage for two days before they recovered from their sadness.
Prince Yi didn’t go with them this time.
He went to a small town on the border and handed over the matters at hand to his designate that the emperor appointed.
After the handover, he was going to chase his wife at Northern City.
The Xiao family set off towards Northern city.
In the second prince’s manor in the capital, Liang Hengshao brought his personal attendants and the coachman to the side courtyard.
Ge Chunying was warming herself by the fire in the inner room.
The nanny was carrying the child and sitting next to him.
Because she was no longer favored, the servants began to add salt to her wound.
Not only was there no iron coal stove, but she could only use a brazier, and the charcoal given was of poor quality and caused her to choke from the smoke.
For the sake of herself and her son, Ge Chunying could only use her personal cash to buy good charcoal every month to burn.
She had to spend money to reward the kitchen staff every day, otherwise, not only would they provide cold soup and cold water, but they would also be of poor quality.
As a result, she spent her money like flowing water.
Fortunately, her sister had sent over tens of thousands of taels of silver.
Otherwise, she didn’t even dare to imagine how she would live in this side courtyard.
She looked at her son in the nanny’s arms and couldn’t help but feel a little hopeful.
She hoped that the second prince would remember his son and come to see them.
Just as she was thinking this, she heard the servant girl’s respectful voice. “Greetings, Your Highness!”
Ge Chunying’s eyes lit up. The second prince had finally come to see her. Was he here to pick them up?
It must be. She believed that he cared about her and her son. He must have come to pick them up.