Peaceful Farm Life

Chapter 783: Chapter 784: Is this an old acquaintance?_1

Official Liu’s smile froze once more, and he then forced a laugh, ”Surely you worry too much, Lord An. How could a lowly Third-ranking official such as myself know of the decisions made from above ahead of time?”

”Is that so...” An Jing’s smile was resplendent.

Official Liu felt a tingling on his scalp, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

It was at this moment that a junior official guarding the entrance of the Agricultural Institute hurried in, announcing loudly, ”Official Liu, Master Zhou, Lord An, the manager from the state Agricultural Institute—Lord Zhang has arrived!”

An Jing and Xiao Changyi kept their composure.

Master Zhou and Official Liu, on the other hand, gave a start.

One must understand that Lord Zhang, the manager of the state Agricultural Institute, was the highest-ranking official there, a Third Class Agricultural Official, Third Rank, a full Third Rank. If he were serving in the Imperial Capital, such a high-ranking official could attend the morning court sessions to discuss affairs every day.

Now, such a high-ranking official had suddenly come to their Agricultural Institute?!

No sooner had the junior official finished speaking than before Official Liu and Master Zhou could react, Lord Zhang, dressed in the attire of a Third Class Agricultural Official, entered the room.

Official Liu, taken aback, quickly vacated the seat of honor and, together with Zhou, offered their salutations to Lord Zhang, ”The subordinates pay their respects to Lord Zhang.”

Lord Zhang did not head straight for the seat of honor to take his place, nor did he acknowledge Official Liu and Master Zhou. Instead, he walked up to An Jing and Xiao Changyi and greeted with neither arrogance nor servility, ”Lord An, Xiao Bio Gong.”

Lord Zhang had originally served in the Imperial Capital and naturally recognized Prince Yi, Xiao Changyi. But Meng Zhuqing had told him the other day not to reveal the identities of Xiao Changyi and An Jing, which is why he greeted them in such a manner.

An Jing immediately returned the gesture with a smile, ”Lord Zhang.”

Xiao Changyi did not reciprocate, continuing to stand emotionless by An Jing’s side.

Official Liu and Master Zhou, witnessing Lord Zhang go straight to greet An Jing and Xiao Changyi, felt their hearts skip a beat. Could they be acquaintances from the past?

And seeing Xiao Changyi, a mere farmer, not only refraining from kneeling to salute Lord Zhang, a Third-ranking official, but also not responding with a simple handshake, and yet Lord Zhang was not angry... This made Official Liu and Master Zhou even more nervous.

Could it be that Xiao Changyi and An Jing had the backing of someone whose rank was even higher than Lord Zhang’s?

Thinking this, Official Liu and Master Zhou broke out in a cold sweat.

Official Liu feared that the trouble he had caused for An Jing would be exposed.

Master Zhou was afraid that his habitual rebuke of An Jing had been taken to heart, and An Jing held a grudge against him.

They truly had not anticipated that the person above An Jing and Xiao Changyi held a higher rank than a Third-ranking official!

Regaining his composure, Official Liu asked tentatively, ”Lord Zhang, to what do we owe the honor of your sudden visit?”

”There is indeed a matter,” replied Lord Zhang. He did not take any seat, not even the seat of honor. The Prince had not sat down; how dared he?

And with Lord Zhang standing, Official Liu and Master Zhou dared not sit either. They were even more trepidatious, feeling that Lord Zhang’s sudden visit did not bode well.

At this moment, other high-ranking officials of the Agricultural Institute hurriedly arrived. They had come as soon as they heard of Lord Zhang’s visit.

Upon arrival, Officials Zhao, Qian, Sun, and Li all paid their respects to Lord Zhang, ”Your subordinates have the honor of meeting Lord Zhang.”

Lord Zhang glanced at Officials Zhao, Qian, Sun, and Li before turning back to Official Liu, saying, ”I’ve heard from someone that Lord An has devised another beneficial invention, the ’tube cart.’ I thought you had reported it, so I instructed the staff to keep an eye out for all your dispatches.”