"Sixth Miss, thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know how to handle this situation. Thank goodness you came with me." Ye Wuxia looked intently at Fang Ruotang, her deep black eyes filled with her small figure.

This was the first time Fang Ruotang had been needed like this, and the first time she had stood in the position of protector. She wished she could charge into battle for Ye Wuxia and protect him.

"Don't be so soft and easy to talk to. You are a third-rank official, after all. Stand up straight and be more assertive when you speak from now on. Don't be afraid. I'll protect you. No one will dare to bully you again." Fang Ruotang unknowingly took on the responsibility of taking care of Ye Wuxia.

"Really?"

"Bao Zhen!"

Fang Ruotang patted his chest, making a loud thud.

Li Mingyu and others: ...

That's outrageous!

And Ye Wuxia, do you have any shame?

"You're so kind. You're the first person to say you'd protect me." Ye Wuxia looked at Fang Ruotang intently, as if she were a person who had suffered endlessly and finally saw a glimmer of hope, as if she had seen her as a savior.

"I'll be here for you from now on!"

Fang Ruotang reached out her hand with pity, and Ye Wuxia, already sensible, lowered his head and cooperated with her action of moving his head.

[Why is he so weak and easily bullied? Sigh! No wonder he didn't dare to fight back when I cheated on him in the original timeline. He's so pitiful! I need to be nicer to him from now on.]

Little Mirror: ...

Whatever makes you happy!

Li Mingyu rolled her eyes in exasperation. Ever since she met Fang Ruotang at Tianyi Sect, she had completely let loose.

She was even afraid that Ye Wuxia wouldn't notice her speechlessness, so she deliberately said, "Alright, stop acting like a theatrical performer. Let's quickly find a place to rest. You haven't slept all night, aren't you tired?"

Ye Wuxia laughed ostentatiously, shaking her head twice. Then, turning her back where Fang Ruotang couldn't see her, she immediately composed herself in front of the group of commoners whose families had been destroyed.

He said sternly, "We have dealt with all the monsters in the nearby villages. You may all go home now!"

Before anyone could say anything more, Ye Wuxia gave a cold, warning look: "If anything happens later, you can go to the yamen and find the officials, understand?"

The suffering common people finally realized that the group of people in front of them, who looked young, were not easy to talk to, nor were they people they could control by throwing tantrums. The old ways they used to work in the village would not work on these people.

Ye Wuxia didn't interfere any further. Their main task was to seal the passage and resettle the affected people, while other government officials would handle the rest.

After descending the mountain, Ye Wuxia said, "Shall we go straight to the government office? This passage will reopen sooner or later, and we need to give the local officials some time to prepare."

Fang Ruotang had become accustomed to relying on the small mirror.

Was the county magistrate here a good or bad official?

[He can't be categorized as a good or bad official; he was an absolutely eccentric figure.]

【What's the meaning? 】

In short, the Chen family has two brothers, one named Xingjia and the other named Liye. The one who passed the imperial examination and was appointed an official in the early years of Jiankang was named Chen Xingjia, while the current magistrate of this area is named Chen Liye. However, apart from his parents, everyone else assumes he is Chen Xingjia.

Fang Ruotang found Xiao Jingzi's words a bit convoluted.

She silently pondered the matter in her mind before realizing the trick, and immediately covered her mouth, looking utterly astonished.

[You mean Chen Liye is impersonating a government official, that's incredibly audacious? What about the original Chen Xingjia?]

Chen Xingjia died on his way to his new post.

Fang Ruotang: ...

Was it a natural death? Or...?

Fang Ruotang's small face showed surprise and shock. Ye Wuxia and the others who were with her listened to her thoughts and watched her expressions as if they were watching a great show.

I must say, it was quite delicious.

Fang Ruotang spoke a few more words with Xiao Jingzi, and after figuring out the whole story, she immediately and mysteriously pulled her cricket companion aside.

"I'm going to tell you a shocking secret that will absolutely blow your mind."

"What big secret is it? Tell me quickly!" Li Mingyu was a professional straight man.

She had just heard the news at the same time as Fang Ruotang, but when Fang Ruotang shared it with her, she was able to give it full marks in terms of emotional value.

This is why Fang Ruotang enjoys chatting with her about crickets. The reverse is also true; no matter who she chats about, Fang Ruotang can always join in the conversation and uncover inside information that she didn't know.

"...Isn't it amazing? How could someone kill their own brother over this? What's even more terrifying is that the parents were accomplices. They were both their children, how could they be so biased?"

“You should know that some parents don’t love their children that much, and they even put a price tag on the love they give them.” Li Mingyu’s smile faded, replaced by a hint of nonchalance.

Fang Ruotang sensed the bitterness hidden in her words.

What's wrong with you?

"Nothing's wrong!"

Fang Ruotang didn't believe it.

[Little Mirror, what's wrong with Mingyu? She's not like this when I play with her as a cricket.]

[She was just thinking about herself. Her family favors boys over girls, and her parents want her to give her spot in the Heavenly Sect to one of her brothers.]

[But wasn't this assigned to her by the Crown Prince?] The Crown Prince had asked her about it, and she had agreed.

[Her parents didn't care about these things. After Yan Yan joined a sect, her parents wanted to force her brother to join them. She said she couldn't, and then her family scolded her for being unfilial.]

Fang Ruotang was dumbfounded and asked in confusion, "Is it because your parents are also biased? But aren't you the only legitimate daughter of the Li family? Given your situation, how could you not be favored?"

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