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墨書 Inktalez
A glimmer of mischief flashed in her eyes, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. With a quick motion, she grabbed the telescope and aimed it at the approaching scene.
At that moment, two horse-drawn carriages were slowly making their way toward them. The front carriage likely carried Feng Liulang, while the one behind was occupied by the Feng Family. Feng San Niang had already lifted the curtain and was waving cheerfully at everyone. Zhou Cailian sat beside her, with Feng Wu and Four Mao inside.
Months had passed, yet Zhou Cailian's face remained pale as paper, her eyes dull like those of a dead fish. It was clear that life had been particularly harsh for her.
In contrast, Feng San Niang looked radiant and had gained quite a bit of weight; her chin and neck were nearly indistinguishable. As for Feng Wu and Four Mao, Xia Muxin did not pay them much attention.
Just then, a delicate hand reached out from the front carriage, followed by a beautiful face with a sorrowful expression peeking out from the side window. But in an instant, it withdrew back inside.
Damn, Feng Liulang really was a romantic! It hadn't been long since their marriage, and he had already cast aside his first wife. How despicable.
Although she held no fondness for the Zhou Family, being a woman herself made her detest fickle men even more. At that moment, she felt an overwhelming urge to march up and slap him across the face—he had once sworn his devotion to her.
"That woman is Zhao Qiuyue, a typical delicate beauty. Since she is the daughter of Zhao Weiran and a maidservant, she has always been of low status and foolishly dreams of climbing the social ladder. No matter how beautiful she is, she is ultimately just a pawn to be used. I heard Madam Zhao intends to betroth her to Feng Liulang as his legitimate wife, and Feng Liulang is more than willing. However, this girl has attempted suicide twice over this matter. In the end, Zhao Weiran's wife threatened her mother's life to force her into accepting this marriage proposal. It seems that soon there will be joyful news coming from the county office."
Su Yan-Chu had entered at some point, seemingly very interested in Zhao Qiuyue; otherwise, how could he know so much about her?
Xia Muxin turned her head around and finally recalled that Zhao Weiran had once argued that Zhao Qiushui was busy learning women's crafts in seclusion. It seemed he intended for Zhao Qiuyue to replace Zhao Qiushui. After all, Zhao Qiuyue held no status and would never be invited to any gatherings of high officials or nobles; naturally, no one recognized her. It appeared she was yet another pitiful woman.
"Hmph! All officials are scoundrels!"
Out of nowhere, Xia Muxin exclaimed indignantly.
Su Yan-Chu was taken aback, while Shen Muhan shot him an innocent look and rubbed his nose.
"By the way, if I help you fix this thing and even make a few more, how will you repay me?"
After hearing about Zhao Qiuyue's situation, Xia Muxin lost interest in continuing the discussion. Instead, she plopped down on a nearby chair with a telescope in hand, crossed her legs, and raised an eyebrow at Shen Muhan and Su Yan-Chu, playfully saying, "Are you saying...?"
Su Yan-Chu's eyes widened as he pointed at the telescope in Xia Muxin's hands, exclaiming in surprise.
"Uh-huh."
Xia Muxin smiled proudly, clearly pleased with herself. When she noticed Shen Muhan staring at her intently, she turned her head away to avoid his gaze.
"What kind of reward do you want?"
Seeing the girl turn away from him, Shen Muhan felt a bit displeased and gritted his teeth.
Xia Muxin turned back with a grin, winking at both of them. "Tonight, let's explore the new county office."
Shen Muhan and Su Yan-Chu exchanged helpless glances, agreeing to her proposal. Of course, the night exploration would only involve Shen Muhan and Xia Muxin; if Su Yan-Chu wanted to join, that would be his own decision.
As the carriage rolled away, the soldiers along the road dispersed, and vendors began to emerge. The streets returned to their usual bustle. However, the storefronts appeared quite bleak, with innkeepers sighing heavily in despair.
Xia Muxin pulled Shen Muhan out of the tavern, and they strolled leisurely, but by the end, it was Shen Muhan who was leading her.
“How is it? Are you satisfied?”
Shen Muhan brought Xia Muxin to the county office they had visited before. It was completely empty inside, with the doors wide open. Everything that needed to be moved had been taken away, except for a few large trees in the courtyard.
Xia Muxin understood what Shen Muhan meant by asking if she was satisfied. This place was too good to waste; if she didn’t use it, someone like Feng Liulang would likely take advantage of it for personal gain. She walked around the area once before saying, “If I want to establish the Large Supermarket I envision, this place must be leveled and rebuilt.”
It was a pity to demolish such a century-old building, but it was indeed the most suitable location, and Xia Muxin had to make the tough decision to tear it down.
“Alright, send me the blueprints as soon as possible so I can make arrangements.”
Without a second thought, Shen Muhan agreed, which made Xia Muxin’s heart flutter. She instinctively threw herself into his arms.
“Girl, why don’t we head back now?” Shen Muhan teased as he playfully brushed her nose, causing Xia Muxin’s cheeks to flush. She playfully punched his chest a few times, making him chuckle softly.
They then discussed some details about the demolition and reconstruction until lunchtime when they returned to Su Yan-Chu's place. After lunch, Xia Muxin fiddled with a telescope and later took a nap. She woke up in the evening to find that Shen Muhan had not left; he was still there, propping his handsome face up while watching her peaceful sleeping face. Even when Xia Muxin opened her eyes, his gaze showed no sign of retreating.
The moment she opened her eyes felt awkward; who else could it be but her? However, this culprit kept looking at her with an expression that seemed to devour her with tenderness—any normal woman would find it unbearable...
"I want to go too!"
The dinner was lavishly prepared, mainly because Xia Muxin had rushed into the kitchen to oversee everything. Everyone was delighted to see her and eagerly bombarded her with questions until the meal was ready. By the time they finished, Xia Muxin's throat felt scorched, and she dashed to the table to gulp down two large cups of water before feeling somewhat relieved. Just as they began eating, Su Yan-Chu protested towards Shen Muhan.
Xia Muxin paused mid-bite, knowing without a doubt that Shen Muhan did not want Su Yan-Chu to accompany them to the new county office. He began to coax and persuade, but it was clear that Shen Muhan was quite cunning, always taking advantage of the honest Su Yan-Chu. If he were to marry someone in the future, he would likely continue to exploit him; it seemed Su Yan-Chu would have a hard life ahead.
At the same time, Wei Jianxu's cold gaze swept over. Xia Muxin smirked slightly and lowered her head to continue eating, while Shen Muhan shot a warning glare at Wei Jianxu. After that, only the sounds of eating could be heard.
As night fell, Xia Muxin appeared before everyone dressed in men's clothing. This outfit originally belonged to Su Yan-Chu and had never been worn. Shen Muhan had only agreed to let her wear his clothes after she modified them. Now, the fit was just right for her and made quite an impression—except for that bothersome mustache.
Without further discussion, they split up into pairs: Shen Muhan took Xia Muxin while Wei Jianxu took Su Yan-Chu.
"Damn, this is gold-plated!"
As soon as they arrived at the new Yamen, Xia Muxin couldn't help but curse. Just the plaque alone must have cost at least a thousand taels. Although it was already night, the place was brightly lit and bustling with activity. Shen Muhan led Xia Muxin directly up a nearby towering tree. Through the lush branches and illuminated by the flames inside, everything came into clear view.
Though not as spacious as the old Yamen, it still covered a considerable area. Outside the main hall, tents had been set up with neatly arranged tables; two tables were still engaged in drinking contests while an open area featured lively singing and dancing accompanied by music that filled the air. Xia Muxin watched with fiery eyes.
Moreover, every piece of furniture in the main hall was crafted from high-quality redwood, showcasing just how much silver had been spent on this place.
Feng Liulang's lessons had not gone to waste.
"Don't worry; if you see anything you dislike later, just destroy it."
Shen Muhan saw Xia Muxin panting, her chest rising and falling unevenly, and he knew she was feeling unwell. He gently squeezed her palm to divert her attention and spoke softly.
"Actually, I would rather destroy those bastards who squat over the latrine without doing their business."
Hearing Shen Muhan's comforting words, Xia Muxin huffed in anger.
After she was taken away by Rong Li, four villages in Zhushan County were flooded, resulting in countless casualties. Yet no one cared; the villagers were displaced, and the common people suffered in silence. When they went to the Yamen to demand the relief funds allocated from above, they were beaten up instead. How could she not be furious?
Although she only learned about all this after coming out, it was still too heartless of them. At that moment, looking at the gilded Yamen, she wished she could kick it down.
Moreover, if Tianli Kingdom continued down this path, it would eventually force the people to revolt. At that time, the ones reaping the benefits would be those corrupt officials and other countries looking to conquer Tianli Kingdom.
This was a scene Xia Muxin did not want to witness; her heart was with her family and the people of her village.
"Let them be arrogant for a while longer; soon they won't have the life to be arrogant anymore."
Shen Muhan then took Xia Muxin and flew directly into the back of the county office. Just before entering, he whispered this into her ear.
Xia Muxin snorted through her nose and crouched low as she moved forward in the night. Shen Muhan followed closely behind her, hiding her at the first sign of movement. Thus, the two of them smoothly evaded the patrolling Yard Officers.
"Don't! Don't come any closer! You... you... if you come any closer, I won't hold back!"
- End of Chapter -
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