"Give them more money and that will do. Money makes the world go round, especially for poor families like them. Why wouldn't they be happy to have their mud houses rented out every day?" Jun Qingcheng waved her hand dismissively.

"As for the house being a bit dilapidated, it doesn't matter. Tell Yan Yi and the others to go and buy a new bed, some soft blankets, mosquito nets, and other supplies."

Ever since her trip to Wuxi Prefecture, she has developed a phobia of staying in inns and will absolutely not go to an inn unless absolutely necessary.

Moreover, being close to the water tower gives her an advantage. Since she can't live at the end of the village, she at least has to live in the village. She's already endured all these years of waiting, and as long as she can be with Brother Zichen, a little hardship is nothing.

"Yes, this servant will send Guard Yan and the others immediately." Seeing this, Cai Die had no choice but to agree.

As the sun sets, the orange-red glow of the sunset casts a veil over the earth.

In the center of Shanghe Village, the girl ran breathlessly to her doorstep. Staring at the new, large lock that had been replaced at some point, her eyes reddened. "This...how is this possible..."

The girl murmured, pounding on the door in disbelief, "Father, brother! Come out! Come out quickly, Yun'er is back to see you, please don't hide inside, please come out and open the door..."

The sounds of slapping and roaring echoed through the quiet village.

However, no matter how hard she shouted and how loudly she knocked on the wooden door, there was still no response from inside the large house. Only the occasional mountain breeze blew by, accompanied by the sunset glow falling on the eaves.

Meng Yun'er collapsed to the ground, powerless, as memories of the past flashed before her eyes.

She had lived here since she could remember, but back then it was just three small thatched huts. When it rained heavily, it drizzled inside. She could only eat two meals a day, both of which consisted of wild vegetables mixed with a little bit of stale rice. Her parents favored her older brother, while she had endless chores to do. She started digging for wild vegetables and washing clothes when she was four or five years old. Her life was more bitter than bitter melon and bitter herbs.

Later, her family suddenly became rich. Their thatched hut was replaced by a big house, and they ate white rice three times a day. Fish and meat were also common. Although her parents still didn't like her much, they bought her new clothes and jewelry, and even gave her a small allowance every month. Those were the three most comfortable years of her life.

Whether it's a thatched hut or a brick house, whether her family treats her well or not, this is still her home.

She only went to Tangshan Prefecture for a short trip, and when she came back, why did she not even have a home anymore? Women in this world have it harder than men. If her father and brothers are all gone, who can she rely on?

Moreover, the daughter of a murderer is a pariah wherever she goes.

Her life is probably over.

"Yun'er?" Feng Zicai walked dejectedly along the mountain path, heading home.

Seeing the slender figure outside the blue brick house, his eyes lit up instantly. "Yun'er, why did you go back to Shanghe Village? Do you know I've been looking for you in the prefectural city for days..."

"Zicai!" Meng Yun'er turned around abruptly, looking at the person walking towards her. She could no longer hold back and rushed into the man's arms, tears streaming down her face.

"Zicai! Zicai! Everyone in the village is saying that my father and elder brother have been imprisoned by the county magistrate and will be executed tomorrow. Tell me, this is not true at all, it's not true, is it?"

Feng Zicai was embraced tightly and instinctively wanted to push the person away.

But remembering what Xiao Hua had said that day, she could only suppress the disdain in her eyes and gently coax her, "Yun'er, don't be sad. They are them, and you are you. What they did has nothing to do with you. Don't cry anymore. Crying too much is bad for your health."

"No! That's impossible! My father owns a noodle shop and has a way to make money, how could he possibly kill someone!" Upon hearing this, Meng Yun'er not only failed to calm down but became even more agitated. "Zicai, tell me, it was Su Hua, wasn't it? Su Hua was behind all of this, wasn't she!"

She was resentful that I took you away and harbored a grudge. After I went to Tangshan Prefecture, she couldn't find me and took her anger out on my family.

She was close to Qin Yucheng; she must have colluded with Magistrate Qin to harm my father and elder brother…

"Alright!" Feng Zicai frowned as he listened, pushing the person away from his arms slightly. "Let's not talk about this now. It's getting late. If we don't go to Qingshui County soon, we might never see your father and elder brother again. Don't you want to ask your father what exactly happened?"

“You’re right, I need to go to Qingshui County right away.” Meng Yun’er paused for a moment.

Then he clenched his fists angrily, "Only by finding out what really happened can I save my father and brother."

In the past, Magistrate Qin would have been a very important official to her, but things are different now. She is now Princess Mingzhu's savior, and a mere seventh-rank magistrate is no match for a princess who is a member of the royal family!

Seeing that she agreed, Feng Zicai immediately pulled the people towards the village entrance, saying, "At this hour, we can only hurry to the next village to rent an oxcart, otherwise, I'm afraid we might not be able to get there in time when the county imposes curfew..."

As for rescuing Meng Yongfu and Meng Fu, that's a joke.

He took her there for one purpose only: to dig out the remaining grain from the last cave of the Meng family!

On the mountain road at the village entrance, a woman was walking into the village with uneven steps. When she saw two people rushing towards her, she was so frightened that she quickly hid to the side.

Just as the two were about to pass by, she suddenly exclaimed, "Hey, Meng Yun'er?! Why are you back?"

Meng Yun'er paused, gave the Qian mother and daughter a long, cold stare, and didn't linger.

"They've become homeless dogs, what are they still acting so arrogant about?" Qian watched the two figures disappear into the village entrance in the blink of an eye, and a cold snort came out of her nose. "A gambling scholar and a murderer's daughter, they are a match made in heaven."

"Mother, let's hurry home." Chunhua looked up at her cautiously when she saw that she hadn't moved for a while. "Father will worry if he doesn't see us when he gets home."

"Do you even need to tell me that?" Mrs. Qian scoffed.

My steps quickened considerably, but the further I went, the more something felt off.

The usually bustling, crooked sycamore tree was completely deserted. Moreover, the front of each house was empty, with all doors and windows closed and not a single light visible in the window.

"What happened? Where did everyone in the village go?"

The woman frowned, about to walk around the village chief's house to go home.

But then, standing seven or eight steps away, a figure completely white from head to toe appeared. "Ah!! My goodness! It's not even completely dark yet, how come a ghost has appeared? Chunhua, quick, quick, help your mother out..."