Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

Chapter 329 14 Recruiting an Accountant, The Current Situation in Taiping County

Zhang Shuyuan was chewing on chicken, his cheeks puffed out, and he mumbled, "Ahem, this matter is a long story."

Shen Qing's tone was calm and amiable, "No rush, you can take your time to speak."

"Um, um..." Zhang Shuyuan nodded like a little chicken pecking at grain.

He swallowed the food in his mouth, and suddenly his face changed, frantically pounding his chest.

In his haste, he grabbed the teacup on the table, gulped down a large mouthful of water, and seemed to feel a bit more comfortable, showing not the slightest decorum of a scholar.

Zhang Shuyuan kept rubbing his chest, regulating his breathing, and couldn't help but burp.

He let out an embarrassed smile.

After a while, once he calmed down, Zhang Shuyuan's expression became grave, and as he recalled, he said, "Taiping County... ever since you all left two years ago, everyone's days there have been getting harder and harder. Last month, for some unknown reason, many demons suddenly surged in, cutting off the trade routes outside the city. The current situation, in general, is not very good."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qing frowned deeply, gently setting down the teacup in hand, which made a slight sound, "Demons? I remember Taiping County was taken over by the Huang Tian Sect, right? While in their hands, the government forces couldn't breach it for a long time. Facing demons, do they not care?"

Zhang Shuyuan sighed, "Sigh... don't mention it. Huang Tian Sect left before the demons arrived, and they took many people with them when they left. Now, to put it bluntly, Taiping County is a no-man's-land."

Uncle Shen the Second, Aunt, Xiao Shan, and others felt fortunate hearing Zhang Shuyuan's account.

They were also lucky not to have stayed there; otherwise, who knows, they might have ended up like Zhang Shuyuan.

The wrinkles on Uncle Shen the Second's face furrowed together, and he couldn't help but take out a smoking pipe, skillfully filling it with tobacco.

The servants behind him, with a keen sense of propriety, handed over the fire.

With a soft "click," the spark ignited the tobacco, and wisps of blue smoke rose slowly, swirling around Shen the Second's face.

Uncle Shen the Second took a deep breath, the smoke swirling in his chest, then slowly exhaled, asking, "What about the folks in the village?"

Zhang Shuyuan glanced at Shen the Second, surprisingly seeing traces of dignity leaking through, quite different from the Shen the Second he remembered.

He recalled that in Hongshan Village, this Shen the Second would split even a copper coin in half to spend, not even knowing what tobacco was.

Now he had learned to smoke, which seemed unbelievable to him.

Thinking of this, Zhang Shuyuan accidentally glanced at Shen Qing, feeling a secret envy in his heart.

The Shen Family had produced someone formidable.

This Old Shen er had some luck, having a good nephew.

Back in the days at Hongshan Village, Shen Qing even sought him to learn reading and writing.

When going to the county town later, he followed as an accountant, maintaining a close relationship.

It's just a pity that at the time, he was short-sighted, unable to foresee everything that happened later, making him miss all this.

Regret.

He truly regretted.

But in this world, there is no medicine for regret.

No use regretting.

Zhang Shuyuan murmured in his heart, 'Repenting past wrongs, knowing what can be pursued in the future; perhaps I still have a chance now.'

He quickly adjusted his mood and thoughts, trying his best to recall and speak out everything he knew, "Most Chen family members, Tian Family members went with Huang Tian Sect, and the remaining were partially eaten by demons, leaving the old, weak, sick, and disabled to struggle in the city."

"What about the government? After all, Taiping County is still under the court, surely someone cares?" Uncle Shen the Second pursued.

"Some of us contacted the court, but the court said they were busy quelling the Jinzhou and Dan Zhou traitors alongside the Huang Tian Sect and couldn't spare any attention, only considering that small place of Taiping County after the rebel army there is exterminated."

Upon hearing this, everyone present fell silent.

What Zhang Shuyuan said sounded like court behavior.

Uncle Shen the Second couldn't help but sigh, "Sigh... the world is getting more and more chaotic."

A moment later, Shen Qing asked, "What thoughts do you have next, sir? Yongzhou, though slightly bigger than Taiping County, also isn't necessarily any safer, with frequent demon invasions, many people unable to see past tomorrow, and without a reliable place to be, life won't be easy."

Zhang Shuyuan sighed, wiped the grease at the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and said, "I originally planned to find a job in Yongzhou City, settle down first, and then talk about other things."

"Sir, do you not plan to find someone in the county office and report the situation in Taiping County to save the folks there?"

Facing Shen Qing's questioning, Zhang Shuyuan felt no shame, and rightfully said, "A nobleman doesn't save, and a saint doesn't hesitate to help. When I'm reduced to such a state, unable to see beyond tomorrow, how can I still have the ability to care for others?"

After hearing this, Shen Qing's eyes flashed with an indescribable color, "I, Shen, have also settled down in Yongzhou, if sir does not mind, you can be a bookkeeper in my house. As for the Silver Tael, about one tael a month, though not much, it should be enough for sir to live on, what do you think?"

The daily income of the Hongshan Gang he founded outside Taiping County was managed by Zhang Shuyuan.

In his impression, Zhang Shuyuan's bookkeeping was quite adequate.

"No, no, no." Zhang Shuyuan waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "You see, I'm no more than a down-and-out scholar, coming to seek refuge with you is already shameless, how can I still take your Silver Tael? Just need you to give me a meal and a place to rest, that would be more than enough gratitude."

"Then how about this, you handle some household accounts and help manage the city's businesses for me, be an accountant. My house also temporarily lacks reliable people, handing over to others makes me feel somewhat uneasy. Sir, please don't decline."