Each county can select a legendary woman to participate in the competition, and the final winner will be praised by the emperor and given a prize.

This is an incredible blessing! As the girl's parents, they are overjoyed. Regardless of whether she makes it to the end, being selected is wonderful.

“Sir, that’s our daughter too.”

Lan Cao quickly spoke, very excited.

"Mother!" Sun Xueyao was displeased this time. "Am I not good enough?"

Seeing that her daughter was unhappy, she realized what was wrong and quickly spoke up.

"How could that be? You're excellent too. It's just that you haven't considered the actual situation. It would be great if your sister could go."

In the end, they no longer felt that their daughter was a burden, nor did they feel that she had disappointed them; at that moment, they were both very proud.

The county magistrate was speechless. "You should think about your current situation first."

Because you adopted these children but didn't take good care of them, and even harmed them, your daughter is to be punished by paying one hundred taels in compensation, and you must also find adoptive parents for these children.

"One hundred taels?" Sun Yun shook his head repeatedly. "We adults and ordinary people don't have that much silver. Our original intention was to help these children."

Sun Xueyao felt it was unfair, "My lord, before they met me, they could only live outside. I gave them a place to stay."

Even if the food isn't good, at least there's food; even if the clothes aren't good, at least there's a place to stay. How can you be so arbitrary?

Sun Xueyao didn't think she was wrong; if it weren't for her, they would be beggars.

“If I hadn’t brought them back, they would have been beggars.”

"Insolence!" the magistrate roared, glaring at them. "What nonsense are you spouting? All orphans who have lost both parents and have no one to care for them will live in the county's relief center. There, they will receive basic living assistance and be taught life skills."

Instead of what you do, bringing these children home and then beating and scolding them at will, you're just using them as tools.

"Take him away!"

The magistrate said no more and took them away. The children who had been beaten and were trembling were also taken away and sent to an orphanage, where they would be cared for and adopted until they turned fifteen and were able to leave home.

Seeing their daughter being taken away, they quickly chased after her and begged the magistrate for forgiveness.

However, this incident was so egregious that it became a typical case. The county magistrate issued a notice informing everyone that no one should use orphans as tools to seek personal gain. Sun Xueyao was sentenced to six months in prison and could only return home after paying a fine of one hundred taels of silver.

Sun Yun and Lan Cao were devastated, watching helplessly as their daughter was locked up.

They needed to raise money, so they had to sell their house. Suddenly, they thought of Xueyi and rushed to find her, but they didn't know where to start.

So they went to find Mo Yan. Mo Yan was always very busy, but after learning about this, she looked at them.

What did you say?

“Mother, although we have separated our families, Xueyi is still our daughter. Now that she has this good fortune, we must…”

"I see you want to reunite with Sun Xueyao, so I'll grant your wish."

Mo Yan had them tied up and taken to the county magistrate.

Mo Yan produced evidence: they had been expelled from their home and had long since severed ties with Sun Xueyi. Now, seeing Sun Xueyi participating in the legendary women's competition, they were trying to curry favor with her. The county magistrate was furious. They had reunited with Sun Xueyao.

Sun Yun and Lan Cao: "..."

The moment they were locked up, they realized what had happened—they were locked up too. Looking at their beloved daughter, they roared, "Sun Xueyao, it's all your fault! You're a jinx!"