Chapter 42: Dividing Land and Building Houses

There are many refugees gathered in the north of the city, and there are also many within the city. However, those who can enter the city are mostly either wealthy or well-connected individuals, so it's not difficult for them to settle and establish themselves within the city.

Ordinary rural households can only obediently follow the arrangements of the government, being relocated to villages under the jurisdiction of the capital region. Those with money can purchase some good farmland, while those without have to put more effort into cultivating the allocated barren land provided by the government, which can still sustain their livelihood.

Currently, the Mo family has over a thousand taels of silver, which is quite a considerable sum. With luck, they could find suitable houses and shops within the city to settle down, and their funds would be sufficient for that. However, neither Mo Yan nor Mo Qingze wants to pursue that path.

Mo Yan feels that with her ability to manipulate space, becoming prosperous would be much easier compared to others. However, she needs to conceal the secret of her space, which requires buying land and farming to provide a cover.

On the other hand, Mo Qingze believes that human nature is too complex, and it's easy to fall into traps set by others. He is not adept at business, and it's impossible for his daughter to expose herself. Therefore, he prefers to settle in the countryside and farm.

As for Li Zhong, with three hundred taels of silver in hand, he plans to purchase some land for cultivation. If he can't cultivate it himself, he can rent it out to others or hire people to farm it. Life should not be too difficult as long as he stays within the city limits. He would prefer to live a simple and peaceful life in the countryside, especially since he can search for his daughter there.

After both families made plans for their new lives, Mo Qingze and Li Zhong decided to go to the government office together to register. This way, there would be a higher chance of being allocated to the same place, and they could also provide mutual support for each other in the future.

Upon learning about this, Mo Yan had a thought. With her ability and funds, life wouldn't be difficult no matter where they were allocated. However, it might not be the same for Lin Yong and his group. Since it was winter and the land hadn't yielded any produce yet, their situation would undoubtedly be tough. If they could be allocated to the same place, she could also provide some support. Lin Yong had helped their family tremendously, and it wouldn't be right not to reciprocate the favor.

But before she could act on her thoughts, Lin Yong and the others took the initiative to visit them.

"Big Brother Lin, come in quickly!" Mo Yan warmly greeted them, sensing the purpose of their visit.

Sure enough, after they sat down and had some tea, Lin Yong quickly explained their intention to move closer to Mo Yan's family, just as Mo Yan had suspected.

"That's great! I was just thinking about this. I was planning to come find you!" Mo Yan exclaimed happily, as Lin Yong and his group were the linchpin of their village. They had known about the troubles Mo Yan's family had faced previously and understood their vulnerability. With them being allocated to the same place, Mo Yan wouldn't have to worry about this issue anymore.

Lin Yong had deeper thoughts. Over the past couple of months, Mo Yan had been supplying them with so much food and eggs every day. Initially, he thought she was a city dweller disposing of excess produce from her relatives' fields. He had no idea that they were also refugees like them. Realizing this, he felt indebted to her and worried about her safety. He knew the world was full of unscrupulous people, which was why he had immediately helped them without hesitation and sought out someone he never thought he'd ever need to contact to help resolve Mo Yan's family's troubles. He believed that everything was worthwhile!

Unaware of his thoughts, Mo Yan urged her father and them to go to the government office to register, so they could return for lunch sooner. 

With Lin Yong and his group being ten or more people, and all having large appetites as young adults, they felt embarrassed to eat at Mo's house. They initially declined but eventually agreed after Mo Yan became upset. However, they secretly planned to control their appetite and eat less.

Mo Yan paid no attention to their thoughts. When they left, she went to the market and bought a large piece of high-quality pork belly, seven or eight pounds of spare ribs, a pair of pig livers, and seven or eight large crucian carp. She also bought three blocks of tofu. With these ingredients and the vegetables and fruits in her space, she could prepare a good meal.

Thinking that they were all young adults in their twenties or thirties who probably enjoyed drinking, she also went to the liquor store and bought several jin of good wine.

Seeing her return shortly with so many items, the three children didn't find it strange. In fact, the Mo family's living standards were quite good. They had almost never lacked pork, and they had eggs every day. Coupled with Mo Yan's excellent cooking skills, they always had hearty meals, and everyone had gained weight, especially Zhen'er, whose baby fat was quite noticeable. He had round cheeks now, and Mo Yan liked to pinch them whenever she had the chance, as they felt so good!

After washing and cutting the ingredients, with the help of Xin'er and Li Yan, the meal was quickly prepared. Although there were only eight dishes, each one was substantial, served in earthenware pots because there weren't enough plates and bowls for everyone.

An hour later, when Lin Da and the others returned from registering at the government office, they were astounded to see a table full of delicious dishes awaiting them. Red-cooked pork, steamed ribs, stir-fried pork liver with green peppers, crucian carp and tofu soup, potato and chicken stew... My goodness, they hadn't eaten so well even during Chinese New Year!

Seeing them staring at the dishes with widened eyes, as if they hadn't eaten for eight hundred years, Lin Yong felt guilty and regretted staying for the meal. However, as the aroma of the food became stronger, he couldn't help but salivate.

At Mo Qingze's invitation, everyone sat around the table. Although they initially intended to eat less to avoid finishing all the food, after taking the first bite, they couldn't stop themselves. Even Lin Yong couldn't resist and ended up eating three bowls of rice.

The meal lasted almost half an hour, and by the end, almost all the dishes were empty, including the soup.

Seeing Mo Yan calmly take away the empty pots, Lin Yong and the others felt extremely embarrassed. It was truly shameful!

After waiting for seven or eight days, the results of the government's allocation finally came out. As expected, the Mo family, the Li family, and the Lin family were all allocated to a place called Liuyang Village.

Soon, Mo Yan learned that Liuyang Village was located north of the city, backed by the Yuhua Mountain, about forty miles away from the capital. Due to its barren land and wild animals in the mountains, there was only a small village named Liuyang Village there, with around a dozen households.

There were many uncultivated barren lands in Liuyang Village, and many people were allocated there this time, including twenty-three households from the Mo family, the Li family, and the Lin family, as well as eighty-three households from various other places.

Because it was barren land with low grain production, the land allocation was based on the number of people, with each person getting five mu of land. So, the Mo family of four got twenty mu of land, which would be tax-exempt for three years. After three years, they would have to pay taxes based on the quality of the land, which would be one point five percent of the grain produced, a relatively light burden compared to the previous dynasty's thirty percent tax rate.

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 Chapter 768: Finally Seeking His Help

Qi Chan was taken aback but also delighted when he heard that Shu Yu had come to him for help. It seemed that she had indeed encountered some difficulties.

He couldn't help but feel relieved when he heard that she had come to ask him for something. He hadn't even had time to consider whether she had encountered any serious problems; he immediately spoke up, "Whatever you need help with, I will definitely help."

Shu Yu pursed her lips and glanced around.

Seeing her expression, Qi Chan understood that she wanted to talk to him privately, so he waved his hand, instructing everyone to step back.

However, there were still guards from the Qi family watching in the shadows.

Shu Yu pretended not to notice and waited until everyone had left. Then she whispered, "Today, when I went out of the city to the post station to find Aunt Hou, I encountered one of the guards from the prefect magistrate's side."

As soon as Qi Chan heard this, his expression changed drastically. He anxiously asked, "Which guard? What's his name?"

"Cheng Dong."

Indeed, it was him!

Qi Chan's expression turned serious. "You encountered him? You..."

He wanted to ask if Cheng Dong had harmed her. At a time like this, when he was at the end of his rope, he was more likely to do something harmful to others.

But seeing that Shu Yu was unharmed, Qi Chan breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to ask where Cheng Dong was now when he heard Shu Yu continue, "Yes, I encountered him. He was covered in blood and suddenly rushed out, trying to steal my cart. I recognized him and thought he had encountered assassins. I also thought that maybe you were in danger."

"I didn't expect him to say that there was a spy by your side and that he had exposed the spy's plot, resulting in him being chased like this. I thought it was a big deal, so I suggested bringing him to see you. But Cheng Dong, disagreed. He said that someone was watching you, and if he found you, your life would be in danger. The most urgent thing was to request outside help, so he asked me to bring him to the post station."

"I was in a state of panic and took him there. But when he arrived at the post station, he didn't ask to see a doctor or let others see him. Instead, he asked me to deliver a letter and help him leave Linzhang Prefecture. The more I thought about it, the more suspicious I became. Why did he want me to deliver the letter to the Hetai Residence? It would be much simpler to deliver it to you directly. I thought something was wrong, so... I knocked him unconscious. I thought it would be easier to bring him to see you privately, right?"

Shu Yu was extremely uneasy. "Master Qi, I hope I didn't do anything wrong. I don't know if my actions will hinder your and prefect Cheng's important matters. I... I..."

She became more and more flustered with her words, while Qi Chan wore a look of shock on his face.

Cheng Dong was in her hands and she had knocked him unconscious?

He didn't say a word, so Shu Yu had to continue pretending to be in a state of panic and confusion.

After regaining his senses, Qi Chan hurriedly waved his hand. "You did nothing wrong, quite the opposite. You did very well, incredibly well."

He took a deep breath and pointed to the cart in front of him. "So, he's inside now?"

Shu Yu nodded vigorously.

Qi Chan smiled. "Let's go, let's get him out."

Shu Yu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly climbed onto the cart.

This time, the seat of the cart wasn't fixed as securely, so she easily dismantled it. She then struggled to drag Cheng Dong out. Once he was out, Shu Yu pointed at him and said, "I was afraid he would wake up and harm someone, so I tied him tightly. But..."

Shu Yu stopped midway through her sentence, looking surprised. She stammered, "He, he's bleeding from his mouth."

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  Chapter 41: Good Things Happen in Succession

At this moment, the atmosphere in the Mo family was heavy, with a hint of tension and unease.

Mo Yan had already prepared for retaliation, preparing the food needed by Lin Yong for the next few days in advance, handing the keys to Uncle Meng, and even keeping the three children at home, not letting them go outside to avoid being ambushed by Bu Shiren.

But until September 29th, the day before they were to leave the capital and return to the Mo family village, there was no movement from Bu Shiren!

"Did I overthink it, or did Bu Shiren lose his nerve because of her threat that day?"

Mo Yan muttered to herself, but when she thought of Bu Shiren daring to fabricate evidence to frame her father and even resorting to torture, she felt that she was foolish to think that the scum wouldn't dare to retaliate.

"Yan'er, we'll leave for the Mo family village early tomorrow morning. Do you think he might attack us on the way?"

Mo Qingze couldn't help but worry. If his three children were harmed because of him, he would rather die than see such an outcome.

Mo Yan also had this suspicion: "In any case, we need to be careful on the road! Fortunately, Brother Lin and the others will accompany us for part of the journey, so we'll have someone to look out for us!"

Regarding Lin Yong, Mo Yan had briefly explained after he left that day, only saying that she had helped him once, and now he was willing to help in return, so Mo Qingze didn't suspect anything.

Thinking of Lin Yong, who was skilled in martial arts and righteous, Mo Qingze seemed to relax a bit: "We owe him a lot this time. Otherwise, our family would have been ruined."

At this point, he also broke out in a cold sweat! When Bu Shiren forced him, he had entertained thoughts of proving his innocence even if it meant death. Fortunately, he persevered. Otherwise, how could he face his children!

Just as the father and daughter were discussing, several unexpected guests arrived at the Mo family!

"Who are you looking for?"

Mo Yan looked warily at the three strangers in front of her. The leader was an old man with grayish-white beard, followed by two servants, each holding an identical maroon box in their hands.

It seemed that Shao, the steward, didn't notice Mo Yan's guard and smiled at the father and daughter, "I presume this is Master Mo and Miss Mo? I am the steward of the Wu'an Mansion, following the young master's orders, I am here today to apologize to you!" With that, he had the two servants place the boxes on the table. "This is a token of our master's goodwill, to compensate you for the trouble. Master Mo, we hope you can let go of the past grievances regarding being framed and unfairly treated."

Wu'an Mansion? Apologize?

So, Mo Qingze's framing and entrapment were exposed? But even so, given the status of the Wu'an Mansion, there was no need to send someone to apologize to them, mere commoners!

Mo Yan suddenly felt that her brain was not enough, although this matter seemed normal from the perspective of her previous life.

If Mo Yan was just puzzled, Mo Qingze and the later-arriving Li Zhong were shocked!

Seeing their unease, Steward Shao explained kindly, "Bu Shiren is a slave of the Wu'an Mansion. Taking advantage of the Wu'an Mansion's power, he harmed your family. It's only right for the Wu'an Mansion to compensate you for the injustice. Bu Shiren's evil deeds have all been revealed, and he's been imprisoned. He won't trouble you again in the future, so you can rest assured."

Until Steward Shao and the others left, everyone was still somewhat dazed, seeming to find it hard to believe that the problem they had been worrying about day and night was solved so easily, and even the villain received his just deserts, never to trouble others again.

Mo Yan suddenly remembered what Lin Yong had said when he left that day. Could it be that he found that young master and then exposed Bu Shiren? But how did he find the young master so easily, and why was the young master willing to intervene in this matter?

She realized belatedly that Lin Yong had many secrets, such as being a countryside man with remarkable martial arts skills, and perhaps knowing the young master of a prestigious family...

For a moment, Lin Yong became extremely mysterious in Mo Yan's heart!

Opening the two boxes brought by Steward Shao, they found all shiny silver ingots inside, each worth ten taels, totaling sixty-six ingots!

Six hundred and sixty taels! What a generous gift! What an auspicious number!

Even Mo Yan, looking at these dazzling silver ingots, felt a bit unsettled!

"Yan, Yan'er, what should we do with these?"

Mo Qingze was also dumbfounded. He never expected that these two inconspicuous boxes would contain so much silver, feeling that these silver ingots were very hot. If he had known earlier, he would have asked those people to take them back.

"Of course, we'll keep them. There's no need to worry about it. These silver ingots weren't stolen or robbed. We'll just keep them peacefully!"

After the surprise, Mo Yan quickly regained her composure. "These silver ingots weren't obtained through theft or robbery, so there's no harm in keeping them!"

Her father suffered, and their whole family lived in fear. What was wrong with accepting some silver? Seeing her daughter calmly accepting the silver, Mo Qingze felt that he was useless. He was actually frightened by over six hundred taels of silver. However, carrying so much silver around was inconvenient, so he suggested, "You keep them safe. But since we're leaving tomorrow, it's better to exchange them for banknotes for convenience!"

Mo Yan wanted to shout arrogantly: With space around, even if there's a mountain of silver, we're not afraid!

In Li Zhong's eyes, he was very happy for them, feeling that the Mo family was very lucky. But thinking about their usual behavior, he also felt that this was probably karma. Unconsciously, he thought he should do more good deeds in the future. Perhaps, if heaven took pity, it might help him find his daughter sooner.

The happiest ones were the three children. The unusual atmosphere at home these days had affected them, but now that everything was resolved satisfactorily, they no longer had to live in fear.

It was indeed a happy occasion to eliminate a big threat. Thinking that they would return to their hometown tomorrow and might never come back to the capital, Mo Yan suggested going shopping, which was unanimously agreed upon by the three children. Mo Qingze and Li Zhong were also somewhat tempted, so they locked the door and went shopping happily together.

Little did they know that a big surprise awaited them on the street!

"This is great! We don't have to rush back home from far away. After the resettlement location is determined, we can directly go to the yamen to change our household registration. Long live His Majesty's wise rule!"

Looking at the notice posted by the yamen, Mo Qingze looked excitedly at it again and again, until he memorized all the information, finally believing that this was true.

"I didn't expect such a turn of events! This is good. Those willing to return home can receive some food along the way, preventing starvation, and those unwilling to return can settle down in the capital. Now, all the refugees can have their wishes fulfilled!"

Mo Yan was also very happy. Thinking of the consideration for the people, the current ruler might be a very wise emperor. As long as things continued like this, the future years of Da Chu should be relatively stable. It's better to be in a prosperous era than in chaotic times. She just didn't know if Lin Yong had received the news...

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 767: Delivering to Qi Chan

After Meng Yunzheng finished speaking, he forcibly stuffed the poison into Cheng Dong's mouth.

Cheng Dong instinctively tried to spit it out, but Meng Yunzheng covered his mouth with the handkerchief.

With a cold gaze, Meng Yunzheng asked word by word, "What's wrong? Reluctant to die? Then why don't you tell us the contents of that letter?"

Before Cheng Dong could respond, he swallowed the poison.

Zhao Xi sighed, "So, do you want him dead or not?"

Meng Yunzheng withdrew his hand. Obviously, the poison was a lethal one. Shortly after Cheng Dong swallowed it, his body convulsed fiercely, his eyes widened, and he breathed his last breath.

Meng Yunzheng wiped his hands with the handkerchief, feeling even better.

Blocking Gong Qiu's path was a great achievement for him. He felt that tonight was worth celebrating. He planned to go to the best restaurant in the county and order a feast to take to the Lu family.

With Cheng Dong dead, Meng Yunzheng and Zhao Xi placed his body back into the cart.

They arranged the seating and wiped away any traces.

"At this hour, Master Qi must have returned. You should deliver him to him. Do you know what to say?" Meng Yunzheng asked.

Shu Yu raised an eyebrow. "You have to trust my eloquence."

"Alright." Meng Yunzheng chuckled and ruffled her hair. "I'll go to the restaurant and make the reservation. You come back early."

Shu Yu nodded, and together with the cart, she left the house and headed towards the entrance of the alley.

As she passed by the entrance to the Lu family's house, she could still hear the lively sounds coming from inside.

This made her even more eager, so she accelerated and headed straight for the entrance of the county yamen.

The guards at the county yamen saw her and immediately approached. "Miss Lu has arrived? Master Qi has already returned. He knows that you came to see him this morning and specially instructed that if you came again, you should be allowed in directly."

Shu Yu nodded. "Thank you."

She got off the cart, and the guard was about to lead the cart aside and tie it up.

But just as he was about to touch the reins, Shu Yu recoiled. She forced a smile and said, "Um, I want to bring the cart in with me."

"Ah?" The guard was suddenly in a dilemma.

Shu Yu whispered, "There's something very important inside the cart that I need to give to Master Qi. He can only see it privately. I know it's against the rules to bring the cart in, so how about this? You go inside and tell Master Qi. If he agrees, I'll come in."

"Alright, wait here."

The guard entered the yamen and soon came running out, smiling at Shu Yu. "Master Qi has agreed. Miss Lu, please come with me."

It wasn't easy to enter the yamen from the front, so the guard led her through a side entrance.

As soon as Shu Yu entered the courtyard, she saw Qi Chan standing not far away, smiling at her.

"Miss Lu." He took a few steps forward, looking very pleased.

The last time she saw him was half a month ago. Qi Chan seemed even happier than last time. It seemed that he was content here.

"I heard that Miss Lu was looking for me urgently. Is there something important?" he asked, stopping himself from saying more. He thought that Shu Yu came to ask him for favors again.

As a result, he owed her more and more favors.

Qi Chan wasn't sure this time whether Shu Yu had encountered any difficulties or not.

Just as he was thinking that, he saw Shu Yu's troubled expression and heard her whisper, "Master Qi, there's something... I don't know if I did the right thing, or if I caused trouble."

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 40 An army against the general

"Stop! *Cough* *cough*, stop it! You bastards, don't you want your father to stay alive?"

Bu Shiren's face was swollen and bruised from Lin Yong's beating, his teeth exposed, but he still couldn't help but threaten with foul language.

"He's still not clean-mouthed, Brother Lin, don't be polite with him. Looks like he's enjoying it!"

Mo Yan looked coldly at Bu Shiren, ignoring the banging and cursing outside. She had offended the man the moment Lin Yong started, and there was no room for reconciliation. It was better to vent her anger by beating up this scum.

Sure enough, Lin Yong's blows became even harsher, targeting the more vulnerable parts like the face and stomach, causing Bu Shiren to howl in pain and beg for mercy as he saw death approaching.

"Ahh, spare me, sirs, please stop, spare me!" 

Mo Yan coldly snorted, opened the door, and the several men who were about to break in stumbled in like a pile of rocks. They groaned as they fell to the ground, and seeing their boss's sorry state, the dozen or so men behind them rushed in, ready to attack.

Seeing his men entering, Bu Shiren's eyes lit up, and he became arrogant again, "Quick, grab these two bastards for me!"

But he forgot he was still under Lin Yong's foot. Before those men could reach them, Lin Yong grabbed him, twisted his arms behind him, drew a dagger from his body, and held it against his throat, pressing it firmly against his skin. With just a slight force, he could slit his throat.

"I'd like to see who's faster, you guys or my hand!"

The cold chill from the dagger penetrated Bu Shiren's heart, making him tremble. Suddenly feeling a pain in his neck, fresh blood flowed out, "Don't move, or I'll kill you!"

Then, he turned to Lin Yong and begged with a flattering tone, "Master Lin, please, I won't dare anymore, I won't dare anymore, please spare me!"

With his life in someone else's hands, Bu Shiren trembled with fear, his legs weak, his face covered in snot and tears, unable to resist anymore.

Lin Yong glanced at him with disgust, then turned to Mo Yan, his eyes asking for instructions.

Mo Yan understood and, seeing the menacing looks of the men, pointed to one of them, saying, "Where is my father being held? Bring him here!"

The appointed man trembled but dared not disobey. He looked at Bu Shiren with a bitter expression, not daring to speak. Without waiting for him to ask, Bu Shiren nodded hastily, "Go, hurry, bring Mr. Mo here!"

With the order given, the man rushed out of the room and headed straight for the storage room in the backyard.

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Mo Qingze was finally brought over. Seeing him dressed differently from when he left in the morning and walking awkwardly, Mo Yan understood that her father had been beaten. She glared at Bu Shiren, wanting to kick him to death.

"Lady, this... this..."

Feeling the anger emanating from Mo Yan, Bu Shiren, who had a plump body, trembled and tried to explain, but found himself at a loss. He could only shrink his body and reduce his presence, afraid that the killer behind him would slit his throat with the dagger.

"Yan'er, how could you come here? Go back quickly, Dad will be home soon!"

Mo Qingze, who had been somewhat dazed, became much clearer when he saw his daughter and hurried over to push her away.

Mo Yan quickly went forward and supported her stumbling father. Her face became even more grim, pointing at Bu Shiren and gritting her teeth, "My father is an innocent man with achievements and integrity. You falsely accused him, restricted his freedom, and tortured him. Where did you get the audacity? Or are you relying on the Wu'an Duke's Manor and disregarding human life? I want to see if the Manor will protect you or take your life!"

Bu Shiren's cold sweat poured down as he heard this. The reason he dared to blatantly frame and profit from others was because of the power of the Wu'an Duke's Manor. Extorting money was a trivial matter; as long as he cleaned up the mess, Mo Qingze would be convicted of extortion!

But if the news of him using torture on Mo Qingze spread and tarnished the reputation of the Wu'an Duke's Manor, they would not spare him.

He lowered his head to hide his fear. He had thought this family were ignorant country bumpkins, and after some threats and inducements, he would easily achieve his goal. But now, it had become his own undoing. What should he do? Should he let them go?

He pleaded with a flattering face, "Miss, Master Lin, I dare not anymore, please spare me. You can take Mr. Mo away now. I promise not to have any more evil thoughts!"

Mo Yan sneered, knowing that Bu Shiren had been temporarily shocked by her words, but she didn't believe his words at all. She couldn't kill him, but right now, the most important thing was to take her father away. The rest could be discussed later.

...

After leaving the Treasure Pavilion, Mo Yan and Lin Yong took Mo Qingze straight to the clinic. Fortunately, Mo Qingze only had superficial injuries and would recover in a few days.

When the three of them returned home, everyone was overjoyed. Li Zhong had returned ahead of them, feeling ashamed that he couldn't help.

Mo Yan naturally didn't blame him for not being able to help. After all, they had managed to rescue her father safely.

After sending the three children to play in the yard, Mo Yan told Li Zhong in detail about what happened at the Treasure Pavilion and expressed her concerns.

"Miss Mo, you don't need to worry about this. After today, that scoundrel won't dare to trouble you again."

Lin Yong, who had been silent since coming to the Mo family, suddenly spoke up with surprising words.

Mo Qingze and Li Zhong looked at him puzzled, while Mo Yan worriedly said, "Brother Lin, please don't act recklessly!"

Lin Yong wasn't someone who spoke lightly. Since he said Bu Shiren wouldn't cause them trouble again, then he wouldn't. But apart from dealing with Bu Shiren, she couldn't think of any other way Lin Yong could do it.

Lin Yong naturally saw her thoughts but didn't explain. Despite the repeated persuasions from everyone, he left without eating and hurried away.

Lin Yong didn't return directly to the refugee camp but headed east, towards the bustling East Market where the powerful gathered. Finally, he stopped for a moment at the entrance of the largest brothel in the capital, the Bao Yue Pavilion, and then strode in...

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 39 Clash and Beatdown

"Bang!"

The door to the utility room was slammed shut, and Bu Shiren angrily returned to the account room. He slammed his hand heavily on the table, startling the other accountants, who almost dropped their books.

At that moment, a maid cautiously brought up a freshly brewed pot of tea. Bu Shiren, feeling parched, reached for it and poured some into his mouth without waiting for the maid to stop him. The maid couldn't stop him in time, and Bu Shiren ended up scalding himself, causing him to cry out in pain. He threw the cup away, splashing the maid with half of the tea, causing her to burst into tears silently, too frightened to make a sound.

"Insolent wretch! Even a lowly wretch like you dares not respect this lord! You're simply asking for death!"

Bu Shiren had just been frustrated by Mo Qingze and was still filled with anger. Now, with his mouth burned again, it only added fuel to the fire. Without thinking, he slapped the maid hard and then kicked her in the waist.

The maid fell to the ground, her delicate face swelling visibly, and her lips split open, showing how viciously Bu Shiren had attacked her.

"Manager Bu, wu wu, please forgive me, I didn't mean it, I won't dare again, please spare me!" 

The maid trembled as she knelt on the ground, her forehead knocking against the floor, and soon the area turned bruised and purple.

Bu Shiren had intended to kick her a few more times, but at that moment, the gatekeeper came in and announced, "Manager Bu, there's someone outside looking for you, claiming to be from the accountant 

Mo family's!"

Bu Shiren, upon hearing this, lowered his raised foot and a calculating look crossed his face! Hmph, daring to come to him, he certainly wouldn't let them off easily?

He straightened his clothes and instructed the servant, "Take them to the guest room on the second floor!"

The servant obeyed the order and quickly withdrew, but he couldn't help but sigh secretly for the maid at the door.

...

In the guest room on the second floor, Mo Yan waited anxiously for half an hour, her patience wearing thin. She understood that Bu Shiren was trying to assert his dominance over her, but for her father's sake, she had to endure it!

Lin Yong, who had come with her, also had a grim expression. If it weren't for fear of disrupting the situation, he would have rushed in and beaten the person up first.

Another half hour passed, and when Mo Yan finally couldn't help but go out to find someone, the door to the room suddenly opened.

Upon hearing the noise, Mo Yan looked over and saw a middle-aged man in his forties wearing a long robe striding in. At first glance, she felt that he looked kind and harmless, nothing like someone who would harm others. However, she never judged people by their appearances.

Bu Shiren walked in and immediately saw Mo Yan, a slender figure with delicate features. There was a fleeting look of desire in his eyes.

"I suppose you must be Miss Mo, the eldest daughter of the Mo family? Your father has mentioned you to me several times before. I didn't expect to finally meet you today. Truly as beautiful as I've heard!"

Mo Yan's eyes dimmed, feeling increasingly wary of this person. She kept her head down, twisting her clothes nervously, giving the appearance of being weak and timid, and her tone was filled with worry for her father, "Manager Bu, where is my father now? Can you let me see him?"

Bu Shiren, seeing this, thought she was truly weak and timid, and couldn't help but relax his guard, "Miss Mo, the country has its laws, and the pawnshop has its rules. Your father's embezzlement of the pawnshop's money has been proven with evidence. I'm sorry, but I can't agree to your request! However, rest assured, in consideration of our past cooperation, I don't want to make a big deal out of this. As long as your family can make up the two hundred taels of silver, I guarantee to release your father and let your family reunite!"

Mo Yan clenched her fists tightly, afraid she couldn't control herself and would beat up this hypocritical and greedy man. She was now almost certain that her father had been framed by him.

Taking a deep breath, Mo Yan suppressed her anger and said, "Manager Bu, I believe my father would not do such a thing. He must have been framed by someone. If the truth cannot be found, it's better to report to the authorities and let the government clear my father's name!"

After speaking, she lifted her head slightly and carefully observed Bu Shiren's expression. Seeing that he remained calm and showed no signs of panic, her heart sank!

Report to the authorities? Bu Shiren sneered inwardly. This trap was not the first time he had set it. How could he let anyone catch him? Moreover, even if they reported to the authorities, his employer was the maternal family of the Empress Dowager—the Wu'an Duke's Manor. Even if they had ten times the courage, they wouldn't dare to investigate!

Bu Shiren smiled kindly on the surface but his words were full of threats, "Miss Mo, the evidence is there, even if you beat the drum and cry injustice, it's useless. Moreover, our employer is the Wu'an Duke's Manor, the maternal family of the Empress Dowager. Even if you report to the authorities, I'm afraid your father's embezzlement will be confirmed even faster. By then, not only will your father go to jail, but his reputation will also be ruined! While the matter hasn't reached the Manor's attention, I advise you to go back and prepare the silver quickly. Otherwise, when the Manor learns of this matter, it won't end well!"

The maternal family of the Empress Dowager? Mo Yan was shocked. She had thought reporting to the authorities would be useful, but this old man had obviously made thorough preparations to frame her father and wasn't afraid of causing a big fuss!

Knowing that it was a trap, did she still have to step into it obediently?

Seeing her silent, Bu Shiren thought she was frightened by his earlier threat and couldn't help but pretend to comfort her, "Miss Mo, don't worry. I can delay things with the Manor for a day or two. As long as you make up the silver, the Manor won't find out! However, I've also heard that you came here as refugees from the south. I'm afraid you can't produce so much silver. I have an idea, I don't know if Miss Mo would like to hear it!"

Mo Yan suppressed the raging anger in her heart and nodded, wanting to see what trick he was playing!

Feeling that everything was under his control, Bu Shiren couldn't help but reveal a smug smile, "I have a distant relative who recently moved to the capital and is in need of a few clever maids. If Miss Mo is willing, I'm willing to introduce you. Your siblings can come with you, and you can pay a sum of silver to my relative. Then you can use the money to make up for your father's embezzlement. What does Miss Mo think?"

After speaking, his lecherous gaze blatantly stuck to Mo Yan's body. The older one is so beautiful, the younger ones must be equally charming. With proper training for one or two years, there will be plenty of people willing to spend money on them.

Thinking of this, Bu Shiren's face became even more greedy.

Being looked at like this, Mo Yan almost wanted to vomit out last night's dinner. She finally understood why this old man had targeted her father, a poor scholar, because he had set his sights on her siblings, not afraid of not getting the silver.

Suppressing the overwhelming anger in her heart, Mo Yan told herself that her father was still in their hands and she couldn't act impulsively. But Lin Yong, who had been playing the role of a background actor since Bu Shiren came in, couldn't help it. He raised his iron fist and hit Bu Shiren's face hard, and for a moment, Bu Shiren's screams echoed throughout the Treasure Pavilion...

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  Chapter 38 Framing and Scheming (2)

"Grandpa Li, I understand what you mean, but with my father's personality, he would never want us to do this!" Mo Yan shook her head and rejected Li Zhong's suggestion. Her father was upright and proud. Once he was smeared with the reputation of embezzlement, he would never be able to lift his head again. So until the end, she wouldn't resort to sacrificing money to ward off disaster.

Li Zhong obviously understood this point as well, so he wasn't surprised when Mo Yan refused.

"What other options do you have? We can't delay this matter. I'm worried they might resort to torture against your father!"

Mo Yan nodded gravely, pondering for a moment before suddenly asking, "Grandpa Li, you used to stay in the capital. Do you know who the owner of the Treasure Pavilion is?"

Li Zhong immediately understood Mo Yan's intentions, but he didn't agree with it.

"Yan'er, whether your father was framed or took the blame for someone else, it's difficult for the owner of the Treasure Pavilion to intervene!"

Then, he carefully analyzed the situation with Mo Yan.

Before retiring, Li Zhong managed some of the main family's business. Matters like embezzlement occurred once or twice every year. Unless the amount of embezzled money was particularly large, the owner usually let their trusted subordinates handle it. If these subordinates were bribed by the embezzler and the embezzler found someone to take the blame and compensate for the money, both sides benefited, and the unlucky one would be the scapegoat.

When the people from the Treasure Pavilion broke in and demanded two hundred taels of compensation, such an amount wouldn't alarm the owner of the Treasure Pavilion. Moreover, according to the messenger, the matter was being handled personally by the manager of the Treasure Pavilion. In this situation, the manager was the prime suspect for framing Mo Qingze or making him take the blame.

Therefore, Li Zhong initially advised Mo Yan to sacrifice money to ward off disaster and rescue Mo Qingze.

After listening to Li Zhong's analysis, Mo Yan's face became extremely ugly. She never expected such an unspoken rule in this world.

"Grandpa Li, does that mean there's no other way besides using money to save my father?"

She was truly unwilling. Not to mention her father's reluctance to bear such a stain, she also didn't want those villains to succeed. However, they were just powerless commoners, completely incapable of fighting against such disasters. They didn't even have the opportunity to prove their innocence!

A strong sense of powerlessness surged in Mo Yan's heart. At this moment, she realized very clearly that this wasn't the rule of law society from her previous life. In a world where one had no power or influence, they could only be at the mercy of others. If they didn't want to be manipulated, they had to make themselves stronger.

"Don't worry, I'll go find someone now and see if we can get the owner of the Treasure Pavilion to intervene and clear your father's name."

Li Zhong comforted her, but having left the capital nearly ten years ago, everything had changed. He wasn't sure if he could persuade the old owner to intervene.

"Grandpa Li, I..."

Mo Yan also knew that she felt guilty as she looked at Grandpa Li, not wanting to make things difficult for him. But in order to save her father, she didn't even have the courage to refuse.

Li Zhong interrupted her, "If it weren't for you and your family, I and Yanzi would have turned to dust long ago. Now that you're in trouble, how can I sit idly by? I just hope my old bones can help rescue your father!"

Mo Yan felt grateful, but still said, "No matter if things work out or not, don't force yourself!"

Li Zhong nodded, indicating that he understood.

After dinner, Li Zhong hurriedly left the house, and Mo Yan didn't sit at home waiting. She asked Li Yan to help look after Xin'er and Zhen'er, then went straight to the north side of the city...

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  Chapter 37 Framing and Scheming (1)

In the backyard storage room of the Treasure Pavilion, a foul smell permeated the air. Bu Shiren waved his hand in disgust, his face full of calculation as he looked at Mo Qingze, his greed undisguised in his eyes.

"How about it? Have you made up your mind? I'll say it again, as long as you hand over the embezzled silver, I'll immediately let you go home. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Mo Qingze had been tortured all morning. At this moment, he leaned weakly against the wall, his spirit depleted. Hearing Bu Shiren's words, he opened his swollen eyes, stared coldly at Bu Shiren, and then closed his eyes as if he had seen filth, regretting his own blindness and credulity, which had allowed himself to fall into this situation because of this greedy and shameless villain.

Embezzlement? Hmph, even if it meant death, he wouldn't admit to such a crime!

Seeing his expression, Bu Shiren's face twisted with a sudden rage. He waved his hand, and two lackeys rushed forward, raining punches and kicks on Mo Qingze.

"Ugh..."

Mo Qingze gritted his teeth tightly, enduring the pain all over his body, refusing to make a sound. Want him to submit? These people weren't worthy!

Seeing this, Bu Shiren lifted his foot and stomped heavily on Mo Qingze's ankle, grinding it relentlessly. Seeing the pain on Mo Qingze's face, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.

"Hmph, no tears until you see the coffin. I wonder how long you can hold out! Before dawn tomorrow, if you still don't confess, you'll enjoy yourself in the yamen. By then, not only will you have to spit out the two hundred taels of silver, but you'll also lose your scholar status!"

After delivering his fierce threat, Bu Shiren spat on the ground, no longer bothering to look at the collapsed Mo Qingze, and waved his hand, leading the two lackeys out of the storage room.

As the surroundings quieted down, Mo Qingze finally opened his eyes, struggling to sit up and leaning against the cold wall. Thinking of Bu Shiren's greed and threats, he secretly prepared for the worst. If it really came to that... he could only prove his innocence with his death, but it would be hard on his three children.

Thinking of his eldest daughter, who could now support the whole family, he couldn't help but smile with relief. He knew about the secret his daughter had, although he didn't know what it was. He had once worried that this secret would bring her trouble, but now he suddenly felt grateful. If he couldn't avoid it this time, at least Yan'er could take care of her two younger siblings.

...

Li Yan placed the prepared meal on the table. Seeing Xin'er and Zhen'er sitting there blankly, she also felt uncomfortable. She walked over, held their hands, and comforted them, "Xiner, Zhen'er, don't be sad! Grandpa and your sister are discussing a way. They will definitely save your father. Why don't you come and eat first? After you've eaten and taken a nap, your father will be back!"

At this moment, the two children looked like lost lambs, uneasy and fearful, clinging tightly to each other. Li Yan's words undoubtedly brought them great comfort.

Xin'er held Li Yan's hand tightly and asked anxiously, "Sister Yan, my dad will definitely come back, right? He won't abandon us, will he?"

Zhen'er also stared at her with wide eyes, full of hope.

Li Yan nodded affirmatively, "Uncle will definitely be fine. You're both so obedient. How could uncle bear to leave you? Come and eat quickly, or uncle will be angry when he comes back."

Xin'er and Zhen'er nodded repeatedly. Without waiting for Li Yan to persuade them again, they sat at the table and ate their plain rice heartily, but they didn't know how to pick up the dishes.

Seeing the two siblings like this, Li Yan couldn't help but think of herself when her parents died tragically. She couldn't help but moisten her eyes. She quickly wiped away her tears and picked up the chopsticks to serve the two siblings dishes.

After the siblings finished eating, Li Yan asked them to go back to their small room to sleep first, and then she went to the big room. Seeing that the door was still closed and there were faint voices inside, she knew that her grandfather and sister were still discussing, so she quietly left. 

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  Chapter 36 Something Big Happened

Early the next morning, Zhen'er returned with water and saw the pile of things on the table. He hurriedly ran to the room and saw the empty bed by the west window, feeling a sourness in his nose, and couldn't help but cry sadly!

Why did big brother leave without saying a word? He still had many stories to tell!

Zhen'er's crying woke everyone in the house. They all rushed out without even dressing properly. Seeing the things on the table, they instantly understood what had happened. For a moment, they all looked at each other in silence.

Quietly tidying up the things on the table, Mo Yan felt a little uneasy in her heart. Although she had saved the person because of the other party's lifesaving grace to her family, when she thought of the other party's identity, she couldn't help but feel some resentment. She couldn't wait for the person to leave quietly to avoid bringing trouble to the family. But now that the person left without a word, she felt narrow-minded.

Realizing her own contradictory mentality, Mo Yan couldn't help but smile self-deprecatingly.

Learning that the silver notes and silver left by Xiao Ruiyuan amounted to nearly a thousand taels, not only did the Mo family feel shocked, but even Li Zhong, who was originally wealthy, was also very surprised. That young master Xiao was indeed generous. It seemed that his identity was not simple!

"Yan'er, what should we do with these things?"

Mo Qingze looked at the pile of silver and silver notes, feeling shocked, feeling distressed... but not greedy.

"Daughter doesn't know. If we knew where he lived, we could return it, but now..."

Mo Yan also felt it was tricky. Originally, she thought that by repaying the lifesaving grace, she had settled a matter of her heart. Later, with the upgrade of the space, she received even more blessings. She really didn't want this silver! Li Zhong had already understood the nature of this family, so he smiled and advised, "I think you should just accept it with peace of mind. We'll need it when we return home in a few days. We can't just leave it or throw it away! Besides, that young master is so generous; he probably doesn't care about this silver."

Li Zhong didn't understand the ins and outs of the matter, but his words reminded Mo Yan.

Although there was no need to worry about food and drink at home, with the increase in the yield of crops produced after the space upgrade, she couldn't casually exchange these things for silver in order to maintain the secrecy of the space. When she returned to Mo's village, with this silver, she could buy a large amount of land, legitimately exchange the things in the space for silver, and when she earned money, it would be easier to do good deeds and accumulate merits.

In this way, the silver would play the greatest role, as if it were performing acts of kindness and accumulating virtues for that person. Thinking of this, Mo Yan's last trace of hesitation disappeared.

She took out five hundred taels of silver notes and handed them to Li Zhong. "Grandpa Li, take these with you. You'll need them on the way!"

Li Zhong's face changed, and he said with a stern face, "Miss Mo, by doing this, you're looking down on me, Li Zhong!"

Unexpectedly, his reaction was so strong, Mo Yan explained helplessly, "Grandpa Li, that day you also worked hard for half the night, and you worried the Yanzhi. This silver should rightfully be half yours! The capital is not a place to stay. There are still many places where silver is needed. If you don't think for yourself, you should also think for the Yanzhi. Please accept it!"

Mo Qingze also persuaded him on the side. It was an unexpected windfall, and he was happy to help the Li family.

Li Zhong's eyes became moist when he heard this. He blinked and smiled, "I misunderstood, but I haven't done much. How can I take so much? If you think highly of us, giving us one hundred taels would be enough. Anything more, I won't feel comfortable taking!"

But Mo Yan felt it was too little and refused to agree. After several rounds of decline, both sides compromised. Li Zhong took three hundred taels, and the remaining nearly seven hundred taels of silver coins and the sword were accepted by Mo Yan.

During breakfast, Mo Yan suddenly remembered that her father was still working at the silver shop, so she reminded him, "Dad, we'll be going back the day after tomorrow. Have you handed over the job at the silver shop to the shopkeeper?"

Mo Qingze swallowed the corn soup in his mouth before replying, "Don't worry, I told the shopkeeper a few days ago, and he's already found someone to take over. He's in the process of handing it over. If all goes well, it should be done today!"

Mo Yan nodded and didn't say anything more. Over the past two months, nothing bad had happened while her father worked at the silver shop. Now that they were leaving, she finally felt relieved and laughed at herself for being too anxious before.

Not long after Mo Qingze left, Mo Yan also went out and came to the grocery store on the street. She handed over the agreed three hundred eggs to the shopkeeper. Although the shopkeeper raised the price of the eggs again, she still terminated the cooperation with him under the pretext of moving, putting an end to the partnership between them.

After leaving the grocery store, Mo Yan went to another more secluded street. When she arrived at an old house, she found that Uncle Meng was already there.

"Uncle Meng, I'm late again!"

Mo Yan greeted Uncle Meng with a smile, and Uncle Meng waved his hand while smoking dry tobacco, indicating it was no problem.

Since Li Zhong and his son moved in, it was inconvenient to transport grain from the alley, so Mo Yan could only use the old method and found this place through the tooth shop. This place used to be very prosperous, but more than ten years ago, one night, this area was struck by lightning, causing a fire that burned down many houses and killed many people. So, this place was considered ominous. The people who used to live here gradually moved away, and outsiders also avoided it as unlucky. Over time, this area became empty.

But for Mo Yan, this place couldn't be better. Moreover, the rent was cheap, only one hundred wen per month. If it weren't for the fact that this place was too old and couldn't be lived in, she would have wanted to move her family here.

After moving the grain onto the donkey cart with Uncle Meng, Mo Yan also got on. This time, she came to find Lin Yong to ask about the arrangements for returning to her hometown. There were nearly a hundred people in the Lin family, and there were also many old, weak, women, and children who lacked clothes. It would be difficult for them to endure.

Coincidentally, after the expansion of the space, she had spent several nights planting a lot of crops, and a large area of cotton had already grown. With the help of the Ling Spring, they were ready for harvest. If she took them out, she could indeed help a lot of people.

As for other people in distress, she couldn't help them at all, she could only help one at a time.

Lin Yong was also worried about this matter. When he heard that Mo Yan had a way to help, the seven-foot tall man couldn't help but tears filled his eyes. He suddenly knelt down towards Mo Yan and said, "Miss Mo, for your great kindness, Lin Yong has no way to repay you. Please accept Lin Yong's bow!"

Mo Yan was caught off guard by this sudden gesture. When she reacted, Lin Yong had already stood up again, and his expression had returned to being expressionless, as if the kneeling just now had never happened.

Lin Yong's kneeling made Mo Yan feel uncomfortable for a long time. She couldn't help but think self-entertainingly, wondering if the kneeling just now would shorten her lifespan!

After dealing with the big event, Mo Yan returned home in a cheerful mood. However, before she could enter the house, she heard the earth-shaking cries of Xin'er and Zhen'er inside. She hurried in and learned from Li Zhong the reason. The whole person felt as if she had been struck by lightning...

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Chapter 35 New Cotton Clothes

As the days drew closer to their return journey from the capital, the weather grew colder. A couple of days ago, there was frost, which turned the small cabbage in the yard yellow. Worried about the cold weather during the journey, Mo Yan went to the store and bought a lot of cotton, intending to make a new set of cotton clothes and pants for everyone in the family, including Li Zhong and Li Yan.

On this day, seeing that the weather was good, Mo Yan hurriedly made cotton clothes in the yard, while Xin'er watched attentively by the side, occasionally helping to stuff cotton.

Li Yan also brought a chair and sat with the sisters, under Mo Yan's guidance, starting to make cotton clothes for their grandfather and themselves.

Zhen'er finished writing his characters and also ran over to join in the fun. The pure white cotton was warmed by the sun, and he occasionally used his hands to manipulate the cotton into various shapes, and surprisingly, the cotton animals he made really looked like the real thing.

"Big sister, this cotton is really white and soft. It must be warm to make clothes out of it. Our old cotton clothes used to be stiff and even had a musty smell!" Zhen'er remembered the old, non-insulating cotton clothes he used to wear, full of anticipation for the new ones.

Mo Yan, sewing the clothes, felt a pang in her heart at his words. "Cotton clothes tend to become like that over time. From now on, our family will make new ones every year!"

During the years in Mo's village, they had little to eat and even less to wear. Cotton was so expensive, let alone making new ones every year. Even the original owner, who was thirteen, had never worn new cotton clothes. But even with old cotton clothes, they were either resized for the children or had the cotton taken out to make new ones. With so many years of use, how could the cotton possibly remain soft and warm?

"Sister, with these good new cotton clothes, we won't freeze our hands and feet anymore, right?" Hearing her sister's words, Xiner recalled unpleasant memories. Every winter, without good cotton clothes, the three siblings could only shiver in bed. Even so, during the coldest days, they still got frostbite on their hands and feet, with redness and bleeding being mild symptoms. The worst was when the back of their hands became so bad that it was itchy and painful day and night. But their family was so poor that they couldn't even afford ointment, and they could only hope for spring to come early.

"Now it's much better. With food and drink, and even such expensive cotton, we can buy a lot. It's my first time wearing new cotton clothes!" Xiner expressed her longing for the new cotton clothes.

"Our cotton clothes are made thick, so they'll definitely keep us warm! When the clothes are done, I'll make gloves and cotton socks for you, so you won't get frostbite anymore." Mo Yan had these memories in her mind and couldn't believe how the three siblings had survived those years.

"Sister, I know about cotton socks, but what are gloves? Are they like sleeve tubes?" Li Yan, keen on new terms, couldn't help but ask.

Mo Yan was stunned for a moment. After going through the memories of the original owner, she realized that gloves didn't exist here. There were only sleeve tubes, which were open at both ends and could be put on to keep the hands warm.

"They're similar to sleeve tubes, worn on the hands for windproofing and warmth."

Li Yan's interest waned upon hearing this, and she lowered her head to work on the cotton clothes silently.

Zhen'er, playing with the cotton, suddenly sighed like a little adult and said softly, "Our family's life is so good now. It would be even better if we didn't have to go back to Mo's village!"

Mo Yan paused in her sewing, rubbing his little head and imitating his tone, saying softly, "As long as our family is together, it doesn't matter where we are, right?"

Unfortunately, her voice lacked the softness of a child's, and her attempt ended up making Xin'er and the others burst into laughter. Finally, Mo Yan couldn't hold back and laughed along with them.

In the room, Xiao Ruiyuan, who was reading on the bed, heard the laughter outside and suddenly found the content of the book a bit boring. He decisively got up, put on his shoes, and walked out.

Zhen'er was the first to see Xiao Ruiyuan coming out and took the initiative to greet him, "Big brother, you're out? Come sit here!"

As he spoke, he got up and moved the chair to an open space, then went over to help Xiao Ruiyuan.

Xiao Ruiyuan nodded slightly, looking at Zhen'er with a hint of tenderness in his eyes. Although his wound was no longer serious and didn't affect his normal movement as long as he was careful, he didn't refuse Zhen'er's kindness.

Zhen'er didn't mind his coldness, on the contrary, he liked this seemingly aloof big brother very much. The big brother was knowledgeable, and whenever he didn't understand something in his books, as long as he asked the big brother, the big brother knew, and patiently explained it to him.

Mo Yan felt a little strange, this guy had been in her house for four or five days, usually except for eating and going to the toilet, he hardly ever left his room. She didn't expect him to be willing to leave his room today.

Xiao Ruiyuan met her gaze, and unexpectedly thought of that night's incident again. His face couldn't help but blush slightly, and he couldn't help asking, "Are you leaving?"

Mo Yan looked at him strangely again. What's wrong with this guy today? So unusual?

Zhen'er didn't feel anything strange, and took the initiative to say, "Big brother, we escaped from the south and are now refugees. Now that the war is over, we're being sent back to our hometown. The government's notices have all been sent out!"

Xiao Ruiyuan furrowed his brows slightly, silent, and his cold face didn't reveal what he was thinking.

Zhen'er didn't care whether he liked to listen or not, and continued, "Our family is fine, we'll prepare more food to take with us. Now that we have thick cotton clothes, we won't be hungry or cold on the road. But those refugees in the north are pitiful, hungry and cold all the way, and who knows if they can safely make it home!"

At the end of his speech, he sighed with compassion.

Xiao Ruiyuan's brow furrowed even tighter.

Mo Yan, on the other hand, was dumbfounded. Wasn't this what she said? How did this kid hear it?

Since the government's notices were sent out, she had been worried about this matter. There were so many elderly and weak people in the refugee camp, but many of them didn't even have warm clothes. Whether they could safely return home was uncertain. But she had no way to solve this problem now. So when she bought cotton, she muttered helplessly, not expecting Zhen'er to remember it.

Xiao Ruiyuan's brow furrowed and relaxed, then furrowed again. In the end, he didn't say anything, but he had made up his mind.

That night, when everyone in the house had gone to bed, there were suddenly two cat cries outside the courtyard. Then, four or five shadows agilely climbed over the courtyard wall and landed gracefully in the yard.

Xiao Ruiyuan silently walked out of the house, without disturbing anyone.

The shadows saw him, moved uniformly, and knelt down on one knee without making a sound.

Xiao Ruiyuan looked at them expressionlessly. He seemed to disdain their late arrival. "Take out all the silver coins you have on you!"

The kneeling men were taken aback, then hurriedly obeyed the order, taking out all the silver coins they had on them and respectfully handing them over to their master.

Xiao Ruiyuan took the silver bills and coins, feeling even more disdainful when he saw how little there was. However, he didn't say anything more, but personally placed them on the dining table in the main hall. Just as he was about to leave, he thought for a moment and pressed down the sword that had been with him for many years on top of the stack of silver bills...

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 264: The Matter Involving the Wang Family

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 263: Being Too Direct Can Offend People

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 766: Poisoning and Suicide

Shu Yu raised her hand. "Stop, stop, stop. Don't overthink it. It's not that complicated. I really am unfortunate, inexplicably implicated and exiled here. I didn't intentionally come here to suffer."

Zhao Xi couldn't help but chuckle. He suddenly felt a bit sympathetic towards Shu Yu.

Cheng Dong turned his head and saw another man coming out of the room on the right.

He didn't recognize this person, but since Young Master Meng didn't avoid their presence, their relationship must be excellent.

Cheng Dong pursed his lips. He had one final question, "Did prefect Cheng discover my identity because of you?"

"Yes." Meng Yunzheng felt he should let him die with a clear understanding. It was quite pitiful for his good brother to die without knowing why. "I thought prefect Cheng would dispose of you, but I didn't expect you to escape."

"Hmph." Cheng Dong sneered. "In the end, I still fell into your hands?"

He looked at Shu Yu. "I never expected to end up in your hands."

Shu Yu didn't expect it either. "But you have to believe me, this was really an accident. I was just going out of the city to visit an old acquaintance. If it weren't for you stopping my cart, you might have actually escaped."

Cheng Dong closed his eyes. Indeed, he had been careless.

With his doubts resolved, Cheng Dong had no intention of continuing to entangle with them. He sneered and asked Meng Yunzheng, "So, now that you've captured me, what do you want to learn from me? Do you think I will talk? "

He had noticed that the poison hidden in his mouth had been taken away, but it didn't matter. No matter what torture they used on him, he wouldn't speak.

Seeing his resigned expression, Meng Yunzheng couldn't help but ask Shu Yu, "Do you have any questions for him?"

"I don't, do you?" Shu Yu asked.

Meng Yunzheng thought for a moment. "The only thing I wanted to know was the content of that letter, but I don't think he would tell us. Even if he did, it might not be the truth. As for other things, he has been in this place of exile for many years and probably doesn't know more than I do. It's better not to ask."

Cheng Dong suddenly opened his eyes, looking at him in disbelief.

Shu Yu nodded. "Makes sense."

Zhao Xi looked left and right, filled with question marks. "If there's nothing to ask, then why did you bring him back?"

Shu Yu pondered for a moment. "Originally, I intended to give him directly to Master Qi. But then I thought, since he is an old acquaintance of yours, you should be happy to meet him, right?"

Meng Yunzheng nodded. "I'm actually in a good mood."

Shu Yu knew that Meng Yunzheng despised Gong Qiu, so he must be delighted to see Gong Qiu's trusted subordinate suffer and be tormented.

That was her original intention in giving the gift.

Shu Yu felt relieved. Seeing that it was getting late, she clapped her hands and said, "Then I'll go and deliver him to Master Qi now?"

"Good."

Cheng Dong had completely lost track of what these two people were thinking.

He had prepared himself to withstand all kinds of torture and interrogation, but they didn't intend to ask anything at all?

What kind of situation was this?

Shu Yu took out a handkerchief from her

sleeve and handed it to Meng Yunzheng. "This is the poison I found in his mouth."

Meng Yunzheng looked at it with some disgust, then approached Cheng Dong with the handkerchief.

Cheng Dong widened his eyes. "What are you trying to do?"

"Since you have poison in your mouth, it must be for the purpose of not betraying your master and using it to commit suicide at a critical moment. Now, I will grant your wish," Meng Yunzheng said.

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