Ling Ye listened carefully, and once Zhou Wu finished speaking, a moment of silence followed. Ling Ye sat quietly, processing everything he had just heard.
"That mostly confirms what was written in the notebook Ling Bai gave me… but the fact that the village has stagnated, that's new."
Zhou Wu's words helped Ling Ye gain a clearer perspective on the village. Even though Zhou Wu hadn't gone into much detail about what each family did, just knowing that they were causing issues was already more than enough. After all, Ling Ye had already mentally prepared himself for the internal conflicts between the three families.
Without much else to add, Ling Ye simply nodded and said, "Thanks."
Zhou Wu responded with a wry smile, and they continued eating in a more relaxed atmosphere. As they ate, Zhou Wu began discussing the broader state of the village, not about the three families, but the general issues affecting everyone.
He spoke of several problems that needed urgent attention. First, the condition of the village roads was poor. Then there was the issue of the water supply, since the river only flowed near one of the family's peaks, that family controlled access to it and charged the villagers for water.
Aside from that, Zhou Wu mentioned some smaller but still significant concerns, like the lack of food variety and insufficient meat for the villagers. Most people in the village lived on simple meals: a loaf of bread, soup with potatoes, and perhaps some meat soup once or twice a week.
When speaking about the food situation, Zhou Wu appeared especially passionate and motivated to make a change. Ling Ye, on the other hand, listened silently, carefully absorbing everything being shared.
Eventually, Ling Ye finished his meal first, followed shortly by Zhou Wu. After wrapping up the conversation about the village's issues, Zhou Wu stood up, gathered the empty plates, and brought them to the kitchen. He began washing them with just a little water, mindful not to waste any.
After finishing their meal, Ling Ye and Zhou Wu left the house and began walking together through the village.
As they strolled, Zhou Wu started explaining the layout of the village paths. There was one main road that wound near three of the mountain peaks, with the Lifeng family's peak being the most frequently visited by villagers. According to Zhou Wu, the Lifeng family held the strongest presence in terms of food, shops, and taverns. In fact, one of their peaks was used as both a tavern and an inn for visiting guests.
He went on to say that this same peak also served as the gathering place for an annual village festival, one held every year on the first day of spring, celebrating the founding of Spring Village.
As Zhou Wu continued talking, time passed quickly. He hadn't even finished describing all the paths before they arrived in front of a large pavilion, something that stood out starkly from the rest of the buildings in the village.
Unlike the smaller wooden homes, this pavilion had three stories and a grand presence.
Standing before it, Ling Ye felt a brief wave of nostalgia. The structure reminded him of the ones built near the Library Courtyard back in the Ling Clan's inner territory. The resemblance stirred a faint feeling of familiarity, of home, but as quickly as the feeling came, it faded.
Turning his gaze from the pavilion, Ling Ye looked at Zhou Wu, who had now turned to face him and offered a respectful salute.
"Village Head Ye, welcome to the Red Pavilion of Spring," he said with a smile. "This is where all administrative matters are handled and where problems concerning the villagers are brought and resolved. This will be your place of work, sir."
Ling Ye turned his eyes back toward the building. True to its name, the Red Pavilion of Spring was painted a rich, deep red. Its roof was covered in black stone tiles, designed in the traditional architectural style of classic pavilions, simple, yet dignified.
With nothing more to say, Ling Ye smiled at Zhou Wu. "Then, Vice Village Head Zhou, please lead the way."
"A pleasure, Village Head!" Zhou Wu responded cheerfully, giving a final salute and small bow before they both entered the pavilion.
Inside, they were greeted by a modest reception area, complete with a few tables where people could enjoy a cup of tea. There were five people present, all wearing robes similar in style to Zhou Wu's daopao, though clearly of simpler make and lesser quality than Ling Ye's own. His higher-grade fabric and distinct color made him stand out immediately.
As they entered, the receptionist instantly recognized Zhou Wu and stood to greet him with a respectful bow. "Greetings, Vice Village Head Zhou!"
Zhou Wu smiled warmly and nodded. "Haha, Receptionist Lu! Good morning, good morning. Let me introduce the gentleman beside me, this is Village Head Ling Ye. I'd like to show him around the pavilion. In the meantime, could you inform the others to gather and formally meet the new Village Head shortly?"
"Yes, Vice Village Head Zhou!" Receptionist Lu responded promptly with another bow. Then, turning to Ling Ye, he gave an even deeper bow of respect before quietly walking off to relay the message.
"Alright," Zhou Wu said with a smile, turning back to Ling Ye. "Village Head Ye, please follow me. I'll take you to your office."
Ling Ye nodded without a word, his eyes scanning the surroundings with quiet curiosity. As they made their way up the stairs to the second floor, Ling Ye glanced briefly at the people working there, around ten individuals seated at desks, all focused on their tasks. He couldn't observe much more, however, as Zhou Wu was already ascending to the third floor.
Without delay, Ling Ye followed him up.
As they finally arrived on the third floor, Zhou Wu came to a stop and began explaining the purpose of each floor.
"Village Head Ye, the first floor is where we receive villagers who come with complaints or issues. They fill out forms to describe their problems in detail. The second floor is where these issues are reviewed. If the matter is simple, it is handled directly by the staff there, but if the issue is more complex, it is passed on to the Village Head, you, to decide how to proceed."
Zhou Wu had explained the roles of the first and second floors, but had not yet mentioned the third. Then he continued, "As for the third floor, it isn't just for you and me. There is one more person who shares this floor, the village enforcer."
Surprised, Ling Ye was about to ask more, but before he could speak, Zhou Wu gently interrupted him.
"Village Head, let's speak about that in more detail once we're inside your office."
Ling Ye nodded and followed. There were three doors on the floor: one near the staircase on the left wall, another on the right side a bit farther down, and a third door at the very end of the hallway. It was this final door that Zhou Wu led him to.
"Village Head Ye, this is your office. Welcome to the Red Pavilion of Spring!"