Chapter 146 Zhang Ting is angry, her first warning...

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye, and Fengxian gradually returned to its pre-major transformation state. The streets were even more orderly, the market reopened, and people came and went, making it a lively and bustling place.

Brick kilns and tile kilns were also built thanks to the tireless efforts of the newly recruited laborers.

It's September, and the weather has been exceptionally cool for many days since autumn began, with a gentle breeze blowing through the air from time to time.

The thugs were exhausted and lay sprawled on the grass, their sweat dripping down their temples.

One of them, stunned, murmured, "Didn't we come here to seek refuge with the county magistrate and live a better life? How come it's even harder than before, when we were retrieving corpses, hunting, and digging latrines in the mountains? Waaah..." He was so moved that he didn't even have the strength to cry loudly, and could only sob softly.

Someone scratched their sleeve with a pained expression, revealing strong, firm muscles, and sadly touched them, saying, "All the fat I've accumulated over ten years through cheating and swindling is gone in just two short months... not a single bit left..." Overwhelmed with pain, she pounded the ground and wailed.

Zhang Cunsan was surrounded by cries and complaints. She gazed at the sky quietly the whole time, her body exhausted, yet her soul felt incredibly light.

Amidst the cries of weeping, she turned her head to look at the massive brick and tile kiln that had been built, and an indescribable sense of accomplishment and satisfaction welled up in her heart.

Zhang Cun thought for a moment, and perhaps this was the lesson that the county magistrate wanted to teach them!

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but wipe away the tears welling up in her eyes. Never before had anyone guided her so carefully towards a beautiful and correct life.

No, she absolutely cannot allow anyone to slander the God she holds dear!

Zhang Cun San felt a surge of power coursing through her body. She stood up abruptly, went to the center of the crowd, and explained Zhang Ting's noble and profound intentions to everyone.

Overcome with emotion, she burst into tears, "Sisters, please stop misunderstanding Grandma, she's doing all this for our own good! We've had plenty to eat and wear these past few days, our bodies are strong, and we no longer have to worry about illness creeping up on us..."

The words moved everyone who heard them, and all those present wiped away tears from their eyes.

"Grandma County Magistrate is so kind! We're just insignificant little hooligans, aren't we? Everyone in the county would rather we just die in the middle of nowhere, but she still treats us like decent people. What have we done to deserve this? Waaah..."

Someone sniffed and added, "The county magistrate's wife is the local official, so she probably treated us like her own children and raised us with care. I'm an orphan; I've never seen my parents since I opened my eyes. I never thought that I would have a mother who would care about me after growing up like this!"

"I deserve to die! How dare I speak ill of the county magistrate's wife!" Someone slapped his face in remorse, turning it bright red instantly, showing how hard he had hit it.

Zhang Cun's eyes were slightly red. She took a deep breath and turned to look at the county government office not far away.

She had been foolish and ignorant to offend the gods in the past, but from now on, she would protect and defend the gods' reputation and dignity at all costs.

Her God should forever hang high in the heavens, and not be insulted or defiled!

...

Zhang Ting, who was drawing and writing books far away in Black Bear Cave, suddenly sneezed. "Achoo!" Who was talking about her behind her back?

Her eyes glanced at Zong Suyi beside her, the meaning of which was self-evident.

A few days ago, Zong Suyi asked someone to buy a lot of fabric in the prefectural city. He was fussing over which piece to choose to make a swaddling cloth and clothes for his baby when he sensed a faint gaze. He rolled his eyes and said, "I'm preparing clothes for my little darling. Who cares about you?"

Zhang Ting sadly put down her pen and walked up to him. "My lord, Xiao Yi, you've changed." Before, when did he always put her first and revolve his life around her?

Zong Suyi was too lazy to pay attention to her. She was used to playing tricks and was probably up to something bad again. He picked up a piece of soft satin in rouge pink and a piece of silk in misty blue and asked, "Which piece do you think is better for making clothes for Xiaoguai?" These were the finest fabrics selected from the city. His child should naturally use the best and most comfortable materials in the world.

Actually, he preferred rouge powder, which was delicate and bright, with subtle floral patterns on it—so lively and beautiful!

Seeing that he had been sitting there choosing for so long and was still ignoring her, Zhang Ting couldn't help but wonder: "Xiao Yi, you never put this much effort into making clothes for your wife before?"

The style of clothing I chose is absolutely beautiful, but I've never put so much thought and effort into deciding on a style before.

Zong Suyi raised her eyelids and glanced at her. Not attentive? Back then, she was either in the study all day or running around outside. When the two of them met, it was either during the day when they were eating or at night when they were sleeping. She knew he wasn't attentive.

Oh wait, I can also see men during the day when I want to sleep with them.

He sneered inwardly, turned to look at the scraps of cloth in his hand, and picked up the one with the rouge powder with satisfaction. "I still think this one looks better, so I'll use it to make clothes for Xiaoguai. As for the misty blue one, I'll use it to make diapers."

Had she decided to ignore her? Zhang Ting frowned slightly, crossed her arms, and caught a glimpse of the color of her clothes as they rubbed together.

—It is a misty blue.

She looked down, her expression stiff. Why was she making veiled accusations?

She sighed, sat down next to him, and took the initiative to ease the tension, "Xiaoyi, I understand that you have grievances in your heart. I went too far yesterday and shouldn't have treated you like that."

Yesterday afternoon, Zong Suyi suggested that she accompany him for a walk. Just then, a minor official urgently called her down the mountain, saying that a fight had broken out at the foot of the mountain and that someone had brought sharp iron weapons. She was startled and thought that someone was going to die, so she hurriedly rushed down the mountain with the people.

In the rush, it's easy to overlook him. But isn't that understandable?

He harbors resentment? He also harbors hatred!

But Zong Suyi was as stubborn as a rock. Without even looking at her, he said, "What grievances could I possibly have? Don't flatter yourself." His right hand gripped the soft satin tightly, and he was so angry that he felt like he was going to grind his teeth to dust.

Yesterday afternoon, the sky was high and the clouds were light, and the air was refreshing. They were on their way to play in the back mountain when suddenly a man dressed as a constable rushed out and blocked their way. His infatuated eyes were fixed on his wife, and he acted as if she didn't exist. He even put on a delicate and frail appearance in front of her, acting like a vixen!

Despite such blatant brothel practices and such clumsy lies, the wife still couldn't see through it all, resolutely abandoning him and running off with that vixen without looking back!

Whenever he thought of this, Zong Suyi would get so angry that he would lose his mind. But the most hateful thing was yet to come. Not only did that vixen turn around and laugh at him that day, but the next day when he went to visit the county government, he saw that vixen and his wife were pulling and tugging at each other, and she was whining and acting coquettishly!

Zong Suyi was furious. What a despicable and shameless man! Just thinking about that day made him unable to sleep at night. He wished he could drag that vixen out and beat her to death.

Zhang Ting was unaware of the crux of the problem, but she knew that if the stalemate continued, the situation would only escalate, and a deep rift might even form between her and her husband.

While holding Zong Suyi's hand to soothe his emotions, she pressed him to reveal his innermost thoughts.

Zong Suyi, who had initially been defiant, crumbled under her cold interrogation, covering her face and bursting into tears, with glistening pearls sliding down her cheeks.

“Clearly…clearly I am your husband, how can you side with him…” he said, choking with grief.

Looking in the mirror, he doesn't look good anymore, he's become ugly, and he's more clumsy in bed. There are also more tender and charming young men around. Is Zhang Ting about to change her mind?

He felt embarrassed, angry, and wronged; all sorts of emotions filled his heart, gradually giving rise to hatred.

He was in excruciating pain, feeling as if his heart was being torn in two.

Suddenly, he felt a light kick to his belly, and he was instantly filled with rage. He even resented the little one inside him. If he hadn't insisted on getting pregnant, would he have ended up in this state?

He was in great pain, clutching his chest and crying loudly, tears falling like beads from a broken string.

Zhang Ting felt a pang of sadness, her brows furrowed, and she rubbed his head. "How am I siding with him? You're my husband, why should I pay any attention to him?"

Zong Suyi's eyes were red and swollen, bloodshot. "He's a man, but he deliberately dressed up as a constable, flirting with you all day long, acting cute and silly. I don't believe you couldn't see it. Isn't that siding with him?"

"You're still pressing me on his behalf because you think I'm bad for your new lover and you want to warn me, right?"

“I know I’ve become ugly, no longer slender, and my temper is strange. You’ve already picked out a new maid and are planning to bring her in, haven’t you?” He became more and more heartbroken as he spoke, and the more he spoke, the more tears he shed. “Everyone calls me ‘my lord,’ everyone says I’m your husband, but I know, I’ve always remembered, that I’m nothing but a lowly, unlucky slave! I brought death to my parents and grandmother, and I even caused you to be demoted to such a remote place to serve as an official, where you were filled with fear and trepidation on your way to your new post!”

He felt a throbbing pain in his stomach, but the pain in his heart was far greater. "I'm no longer the high and mighty Duke. At most, I'm just an insignificant servant. Why are you asking me? If you want to take me in, then take me in." Tears streamed down his face, and thorns rose up all over him, piercing himself without mercy.

Zhang Ting felt very uncomfortable and didn't understand how things had escalated to this point, but she had no time to investigate the whole story. She pulled him into her arms to comfort him and gently patted his trembling back.

He was so excited.

She was also unsettled, but she tried her best to control herself. "Zong Suyi, I have no shortage of money or fame. I consider myself good-looking. We have been married for four years. If I had other intentions, why would I only have you by my side?"

She lifted his chin, gazing at the tear tracks on his face, her expression slightly cold.

"I initially thought that minor official just had a somewhat androgynous appearance and didn't pay much attention to him. You could have just said he was a man and transferred him. Is such a small matter really worth you crying like this?"

"You said you're ugly and fat, but have we stopped having sex?"

"As for my demotion, I've told you before, it's not because of you. The capital is a treacherous place, and my foundation is weak, so it's not a place for me to stay for long. If it weren't for you, I would have requested to be transferred elsewhere myself. It's just that it's time to bring it forward."

"So, why are you crying?" she asked, frowning.

Zong Suyi gradually calmed down after hearing this, and then breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that he hadn't changed his mind.

After his emotions calmed down, his stomach and chest pains subsided, but he felt extremely tired.

He leaned against her, sobbing with pouting lips, his voice hoarse, "You're so mean..."

Zhang Ting coldly pushed him away, walked to the table, and handed him a bowl of water.

Zong Suyi glanced at her cautiously, and finally felt fear. He didn't dare to say anything more, and took the water with trepidation, drinking it in small sips.

He could tell that Zhang Ting was angry.

"If you have anything on your mind in the future, you'd better tell me as soon as possible." Her tone was flat, and her eyes were gloomy. "Otherwise, if there's another farce like today, you'll definitely regret it."

Her dark, deep eyes stared at him. "You mean what you say."