Not every household in Dashui Village owned a carriage.
If she didn't encounter one on the road, Liu Cuirong would walk back.
Fortunately, the weather had cooled down, and a light rain had fallen the previous night.
This rain was hard-won, and many villagers jokingly teased the heavens.
They said that only when the water wheels appeared did the heavens shed tears, and Dashui Village didn't care for them...
Inside the Yun family's main hall.
Yun Erman was chatting with Madam Gu and Old Man Yun, while Little Xi Tian sat to the side, gnawing on a melon.
"Is this true?" Old Man Yun was somewhat disbelieving.
Yun Erman had gone to the county yamen that morning and heard earth-shattering news...
"Father, this matter is absolutely true, there's no mistake!"
Yun Erman said with a look of certainty, "Prefect Chen himself said it."
It turned out that the imperial court had heard that Prefect Chen, in order to ensure the people had enough to eat and to resist the drought, had worked tirelessly and even used his own money to buy grain.
Such a good official was wasted in Heyang County.
They intended to transfer him to Shuo'an City to continue serving as prefect.
Originally, Prefect Chen's duties were the responsibility of the county magistrate.
However, the imperial court had repeatedly delayed, never sending a county magistrate.
Yesterday, the imperial court issued a document, appointing Magistrate Jin to Dashui Village to take over Prefect Chen's work...
"Oh dear, if the Prefect leaves, will Da Man and Er Man be dismissed?"
Old Man Yun said with a worried expression.
His two sons were currently working at the county yamen. The Yun family had no prior connection with Magistrate Jin, so why would Magistrate Jin look out for them?
Yun Erman was also uncertain, shaking his head, "Probably not. Prefect Chen said that my elder brother and I are his people, and Magistrate Jin wouldn't dare do anything to us..."
Alas, it seemed he wouldn't be able to enjoy his current leisure anymore.
With Prefect Chen around, he had a certain degree of freedom.
But would the yet-unmet Magistrate Jin be as tolerant and magnanimous as Prefect Chen?
That was an unknown...
Madam Gu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Erman, do you know when Magistrate Jin will take office?"
If necessary, she would have to send him some gifts, even slip him some silver.
This was related to the future of Da Man and Er Man; one couldn't be too narrow-minded.
"I don't know yet. Prefect Chen said it would be within this month, once they complete the handover of work," Yun Erman murmured.
Madam Gu and Old Man Yun exchanged glances, both looking troubled.
Although they were a "Yao Men" family personally appointed by the Emperor, it was merely a title, without official rank or nobility...
The old Yun family was now famous, and they were bound to be suppressed and envied.
As the saying goes, a new official makes three fires. The Yun family's fame was almost overshadowing Magistrate Jin; how could he stand idly by?
Little Xi Tian gnawed on her melon, swinging her little feet.
She blinked her big eyes and comforted her parents, "Don't be afraid, it'll be fine!"
She wasn't worried in her heart, believing this matter wouldn't affect their family at all...
Her father, mother, and second brother were worrying unnecessarily!
"Haha, Father, Mother, if Sister says it's fine, then it's definitely fine!" Yun Erman said with a smile.
He pinched Little Xi Tian's earlobe, looking at her dotingly, "With Sister blessing us, we can overcome any difficulty!"
Little Xi Tian giggled upon hearing this, "It really is fine!"
She had heard that worrying too much caused hair loss...
She noticed her father was starting to develop a receding hairline recently.
She would have to concoct a medicinal soup for her father to replenish his health.
Hearing their youngest daughter speak like this, Madam Gu and Old Man Yun also felt relieved.
"Mother, the stewed chicken is ready!" Zhao Guihua wiped her hands and walked in, "Shall we eat now?"
The Yun family was large, and one chicken was never enough; they had to kill two.
Coupled with ingredients like mushrooms, the aroma when it was served was simply divine!
Madam Gu glanced towards the door and asked, "Where did your second sister-in-law go?"
"And Xi'er? I haven't seen them since this morning?"
Hu Xi'er and Liu Cuirong had been acting suspiciously these past few days, up to some mischief...
Zhao Guihua's expression stiffened, and she scratched her face, "They... they might have gone out!"
This scene, observed by Little Xi Tian, felt off.
Since when did her eldest sister-in-law stammer when she spoke?
Madam Gu was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, "What did they go out to do?"
The family's fields didn't require their attention yet, and Erman had also brought back cooking oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar from the county town.
Did Liu Cuirong and Hu Xi'er go to gather mountain goods?
That would be utterly preposterous.
The second daughter-in-law was as lazy as a pig; asking her to gather wild goods was no different than killing her...
Zhao Guihua gave a dry laugh, "I, I don't know either!"
She couldn't tell Madam Gu about Hu Xi'er's situation yet.
Without concrete evidence, speaking out would only cause frustration.
Just then, footsteps were heard from outside.
A moment later, Liu Cuirong entered with Jin Shan, Jin He, and a crying Hu Xi'er.
"Eldest sister-in-law, is the chicken ready? I'm starving!" Liu Cuirong glanced at the dining table.
Zhao Guihua looked at Hu Xi'er's red-rimmed eyes and then at her second sister-in-law's hands, and a sudden realization struck her.
Had they caught a wild man?
"Why is Xi'er crying?" Madam Gu frowned.
Upon hearing this, Liu Cuirong's anger surged.
She pulled Hu Xi'er in front of Madam Gu and nudged her forcefully, "Mother, this little slut actually went out to seduce men!"
"I followed her all the way to the county town this morning and finally caught that wild man..."
Madam Gu's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot upon hearing this.
Little Xi Tian couldn't help but shrink her neck. Whenever her mother made that expression, it meant she was about to lose her temper.
Xi'er, oh Xi'er, you'd better pray for yourself.
Old Man Yun puffed on his pipe, his expression equally displeased.
For their maid to go around and flirt was tarnishing the Yun family's reputation.
Madam Gu asked in a deep voice, "Speak, what exactly happened?"
Hu Xi'er's legs went weak with fright, and she knelt on the ground, "M-Madam, Xi'er knows her mistake, sob..."
She tearfully recounted how she met Jiang Dawei.
It turned out that when the family was busy with chores, Da Man and Er Man had to work in the fields and had no time to deliver things to Jin He.
They had asked Hu Xi'er to deliver the pickled vegetables to Jinxiang Academy.
Jiang Dawei, being a lecherous man, took a liking to the delicate young maid and harbored wicked intentions.
He pestered her, pursued her relentlessly, and finally won her over.
He even secretly came to Dashui Village, getting intimate with Hu Xi'er in cornfields and small woods, enjoying a romantic time...
He promised to marry Hu Xi'er as a concubine and help her buy her freedom from the Yun family.
Upon hearing this, Madam Gu's brows furrowed, and she slammed the table in anger, "You girl, how dare you be so presumptuous!"
Madam Gu's shout startled everyone in the family.
She rarely lost her temper like this; today, she was clearly furious.
Jin Huaihua heard the commotion and rushed in from the kitchen.
"Ah! Ah!" she cried out, her eyelids twitching uncontrollably.
It was over, it was all over for her and her sister-in-law...