Everyone knelt down to receive the decree. The eunuch holding the imperial edict read aloud, "The Emperor, in compliance with the Will of Heaven, proclaims: Mu's daughter Wanqing is intelligent and agile. She has designed a waterwheel that will benefit the people. The Empress Dowager and I are very pleased to hear of her. She is hereby conferred the title of Qingping Township Lady, awarded a full set of crowns and clothes, and granted a township lady's mansion and a farm..." (1)
Everyone was shocked. The head of Qingping Township? She was soaring to the sky.
Princess, County Lady, County Lady, Township Lady, the ranks decrease. Although Township Lady is the lowest rank, she can still make officials below the fourth rank pay tribute to her.
From a commoner to a village chief, he was like a carp leaping over the dragon gate and soaring into the sky.
It's really enviable, but she earned it through her own ability.
The eunuch who issued the decree delivered the imperial edict to Mu Wanqing, "Congratulations to the Lord of Qingping Township."
Mu Wanqing took it respectfully and stuffed a purse into it, "Thank you, eunuch. You have worked hard all the way."
They have traveled thousands of miles and are exhausted, so we should give them a little benefit, just to share in their good fortune.
The father-in-law pinched the purse, which was quite heavy, and nodded secretly. This new village chief was a knowledgeable and sensible person. "You're welcome."
Mu Wanqing held up the imperial edict high, and the people at the scene bowed, "Greetings to the village master, congratulations to the village master."
Except for the Du family and a few officials, basically no one present was of higher rank than her.
The deputy commander was of the third rank, the assistant commander was of the fourth rank, and the governor was of the fourth rank. They did not need to salute her.
A Qianhu is of the fifth rank, and all those below the rank of Qianhu must pay their respects to Mu Wanqing.
Mu Wanqing's eyes swept over everyone. At this moment, she was excited. She really did it.
She changed her destiny.
Everyone was smiling at her, and every smiling face told her a fact: the world was beginning to be friendly to her.
Du Shaoxuan gave her a thumbs up and smiled happily.
Although she was not a female official, from then on, no one dared to look down on her.
It was really not easy for her to come this far step by step.
Others only see her glory, but have never seen her miserable moments, nor the efforts she made for it.
Madam Mu II looked dazed, as if she was stupid.
Zhao Yifan's face looked unhappy, but he still saluted her politely.
Finally, Mu Wanqing's gaze fell on the Zhao mother and daughter who were standing upright. The two of them refused to bow their heads and their faces were ashen.
She narrowed her eyes slightly and asked in surprise, "What rank are these two?"
Everyone followed her gaze and looked over there. Wow, it was them again.
A servant loudly replied, "Old Madam Zhao is a lady of the eighth rank, and Miss Zhao is of no rank."
Zhao Yifan is a teacher. Although he is only of the eighth rank, he can also confer a title on his wife or mother.
The second young lady of the Du family naturally looked down on this eighth-rank official, who was not even qualified to be a lady of honor, so she gave the opportunity of receiving the title to Zhao's mother.
Zhao's mother, on the other hand, was very pleased with herself and was proud of being named a lady by imperial decree, and she often showed off.
Mu Wanqing raised her lips slightly, "So they are so uncultured, then why don't they show respect? Could they be more noble than the gentlemen present here?"
These words openly pushed the Zhao mother and daughter to the opposite side of the crowd. Zhao Yifan was angry and anxious, and kept winking at his mother and sister.
Hurry up, he has joined everyone else to salute, this is the rule.
Zhao Yidan's face flushed red, and she was furious. She refused to bow her head, because if she bowed her head, it would mean she had lost.
What a broken rule, she just couldn't accept it. "Mu Wanqing, you... you are just a villain who has succeeded."
Mu Wanqing raised her eyebrows. She really didn't know how to talk. It was so stupid of her to provoke him in public like this.
"Eunuch, what is the crime of insulting the current village chief for no reason?"
The father-in-law also disliked Zhao Yidan very much. He was so unruly in front of him. Was he dissatisfied with the imperial edict? Dissatisfied with the emperor? "This is a violation of the order. Take him away and give him forty lashes."
The entourage rushed towards Zhao Yidan and pushed her to the ground.
Zhao Yidan's face touched the cold ground, and she was frightened. "Sister-in-law, save me, save me quickly, I don't want to die."
At this moment, her mind became clear and she knew whose words were most effective.
Mother Zhao was so anxious that she kept jumping up and down, "Daughter-in-law, quickly let these slaves let Dan'er go."
This really stirred up a hornet's nest. These people were either eunuchs in the palace or palace guards, and none of them were pushovers.
Even if they are slaves, they are slaves of the royal family. How dare you, an old woman, shout like that? You are really courting death.
Zhao Yifan's eyes went dark. How could his mother be so stupid? These were not servants of the Du Mansion. They could not be ordered around by her.
He bowed and apologized, "Everyone, my mother is a country woman, she has never seen the world and knows nothing, she only loves her daughter, please forgive me."
The father-in-law smiled coldly, "Then let her see the world and see what she can and cannot say."
"beat."
The followers immediately beat her hard. Zhao Yidan let out a shrill scream and her heart ached. How could she marry the young marshal when she was being tortured in public?
Zhao Yifan's face changed drastically, and he turned to look at Miss Du Er, "Madam, please save my sister. She loves you the most."
Mrs. Du frowned. She had said long ago that the Zhao family was not presentable and she could not marry into the family.
Second Miss Du stepped forward and introduced herself, "Father-in-law, I am the second Miss Du. My sister-in-law has been a bit of a jerk since she was young. I apologize to you on her behalf. I will discipline her properly in the future. Please be merciful."
Her tone was sincere and her attitude was polite, without any airs at all.
The father-in-law looked stunned, as if he had made a mistake, "Is it the second young lady's sister-in-law?"
"yes."
The father-in-law looked at Miss Du Er, then at Zhao Yifan. Was he just looking at her face? "Doesn't Xiliang care about matching? It's such a pity that General Du's biological daughter married into such a family."
These words made the Zhao family feel ashamed.
The father-in-law waved his hand and said, "Then for Miss Du's sake, I'll cut it in half."
The executioners kept on going, Zhao Yidan screamed, Zhao's mother was angry and anxious, her mind got hot and she didn't care, "Father-in-law, don't you even give Du Shuai face?"
The Du family members all looked unhappy at the same time, and Du Shaoxuan even said, "My father's reputation is not for people like you."
Zhao's mother only wanted to save her daughter. "We are relatives, and we all prosper together..."
Zhao Yifan wanted to shut her mouth. The evil consequences of his indulgence had come to light. She offended people every time she opened her mouth.
Sure enough, the father-in-law's face turned ugly again, "Then let Du Shuai personally plead for mercy. I'm happy to accept this favor."
Audience: ...
How is this possible? Coach Du's favors are so valuable, how can he waste them on something like this?
It's impossible just to think about it.
Du Shaoxuan said calmly, "Don't pay attention to her, father-in-law. I am the only one who can represent father in this place."
Mother Zhao felt heartbroken as she listened to her daughter's screams. "My daughter-in-law is Commander Du's daughter. How dare you not give her face?"
But these people turned a deaf ear to it. The daughter of Du Shuai had nothing to do with people from the capital like them. So what if they offended her?
She wanted to say more, but Zhao Yifan rushed over, covered her mouth, and begged her to shut up.
Hearing only the sound of hammering and Zhao Yidan's increasingly painful screams, Zhao Yifan's eyes gradually turned red. "Mu Wanqing, have you seen enough? Are you satisfied? If you have any humanity, you should help plead for mercy."
He didn't dare to offend the imperial envoy from the capital, nor did he dare to hate the Du family, but he vented all his resentment on Mu Wanqing.
People tend to bully the weak and fear the strong, and they pick on the weak, but they forget that Mu Wanqing's status is different today.
"Do you think you can call me by my name? Teacher Zhao, you are committing insubordination. Father-in-law, give him a few slaps to teach him a lesson. He is a grown man with thick skin and tough flesh. It's okay to give him a few more slaps."
Zhao Yifan had suffered at the hands of Mu Wanqing, but he never learned his lesson. "I am the son-in-law of the Du family."
Mu Wanqing said calmly, "If a prince breaks the law, he is subject to the same punishment as a commoner." What kind of son-in-law are you?
Okay, after this was said, no one dared to beg for mercy.
The father-in-law was eager to try, as if he was addicted to beating people. "Come here, drag him away... give him twenty lashes."
Zhao Yifan was stunned. How dare you hit him? "Madam."
"Father-in-law..." Miss Du stood up again, and just as she moved her lips, her father-in-law took the lead.
"Ms. Du Er, you can only ask for one person."
He pointed at the crying Zhao Yidan and said, "She will either get forty strokes or twenty strokes."
He pointed at Zhao Yifan again, "Or, him, twenty strokes of the cane or one stroke of the cane, it's your choice."
Zhao Yifan looked stunned, and then his face gradually turned pale.
Wow, everyone is excited, this is interesting.
As expected of someone from Beijing, he knows how to have fun.
Even the executioners stopped to watch.
"Sister-in-law, save me." Zhao Yidan was covered in blood.
"I...I..." Miss Du struggled in pain, "If I save my husband and ignore my sister-in-law, it would be unkind."
"If I save my sister-in-law and ignore my husband, it would be unrighteous."
She covered her chest with her hands, looking weak and helpless, "Mother-in-law, you are the elder, I am the younger, I will listen to you."
Mu Wanqing raised her eyebrows and couldn't help but look at Miss Du Er again.
In fact, compared to the enthusiastic and outspoken Miss Du, Miss Du II is a person with no sense of existence. However, her words and actions at this moment are beyond Mu Wanqing's impression of her.
This is not the behavior of a love-brained person, it is quite interesting.
"I..." Mother Zhao didn't think much about it. She was so conflicted that her palms and backs were all in turmoil.
But, the palm of the hand is full of flesh. She gritted her teeth and said, "Yidan, don't blame me. Your brother is the pillar of the family. He can't be hurt at all."
Only if Zhao Yifan is well, the Zhao family will have a future.
But it is impossible for Zhao Yidan to marry the young marshal, as her value will be greatly reduced.
Zhao Yidan screamed in disbelief. Was she abandoned? "So, you want to send me to die? Mother, I am your biological daughter. You said you loved me the most."
Mother Zhao's eyes were red, and she felt distressed. "Yidan, just think of it as sacrificing for the family. Our whole family will never forget it."
Zhao Yidan completely collapsed. "No, no, forty strokes of the cane will kill him, but twenty strokes will definitely not kill him. Big brother is still a grown man. Mom, big brother, you can't be so selfish."
"Don't talk nonsense." The faces of Zhao's mother and Zhao Yifan changed.
The executioner hit Zhao Yidan with the stick, and he trembled all over. "Ah."
In this way, everyone watched Zhao Yidan being tortured.
Some female members of the family could not bear such a bloody scene and turned their heads away uncomfortably.
Mu Wanqing didn't even blink, she smiled and bowed to her father-in-law, "Father-in-law, I have to write a letter of thanks, please take it back."
This is also a common practice. She plans to write well to gain more favorability points and pave the way for the next step.
Judging from the emperor's attitude, this emperor is quite good. He is clear about rewards and punishments and looks like a wise ruler.
The father-in-law looked at the girl in front of him with a smile as beautiful as a flower and did not dare to underestimate her, because this girl was extremely scheming.
"As it should be. The emperor also asked us to help choose the village mansion and farm."
Mu Wanqing pursed her lips. Are we going to build a manor and a manor in Liangcheng? What does the emperor mean by this?
"Thank you very much. Please do me a favor and go to the South City Snack Street when you have time to taste different delicacies."
Upon hearing this, the father-in-law laughed and said, "Of course. We have heard of this snack street in Beijing. It is said that there are hundreds of kinds of food, and each one is delicious."
When talking about this topic, Mu Wanqing was very excited. "I'm not bragging, but every one of them is so delicious that people can't wait to move to Liangcheng."
The eunuch laughed, "The emperor also asked us to look at it more and taste it more, and then go back and talk to him about it."
Mu Wanqing rolled her eyes a few times, "Well, if you think it's good, we can prepare a portion for the emperor? Let the emperor have a taste, too?"
The eunuch was very excited. He had finally fought for this opportunity, and of course he wanted to do the job well and win the emperor's favor.
“This can’t be left for long, can it?”
Mu Wanqing also wanted to increase her favorability, "It's impossible, but I can think of a way."
Both of them were very interested in this topic and discussed it, which attracted everyone's attention.
Being able to talk and laugh in such an occasion shows an extremely strong mental quality.
Suddenly, the screams stopped, and someone reported, "Eunuch, the person has fainted."
The father-in-law then looked up and asked coldly, "How many times?"
"Seventeen times." Not even half of that.
My father-in-law narrowed his eyes slightly, "Should this be done all at once? Or should it be carried out in several sessions? Let's hear the opinions of the family members."
"Finish it in one go." This was Zhao Yifan's voice.
"In several times." This is what Zhao's mother meant.
The mother and son disagreed, and Zhao Yifan tried his best to persuade her, "Mom, it's better to give it to her while she's unconscious than to give it to her after she's recovered, which is fatal."
Zhao's mother refused to agree no matter what. She just wanted to get through this first and talk about the future later.
She was planning to shirk her responsibility, but she couldn't just drag the injured person out of the house.
However, Zhao Yifan did not dare to be so optimistic.
Zhao Yifan can't convince Zhao's mother, so let it be.
Mother Zhao rushed over and hugged her daughter, while Miss Du kept calling for a doctor.
Zhao Yifan, who was hit with a stick, stared at Mu Wanqing fiercely, "Master Qingping, things change over time, so don't be too drastic in doing things."
"I will be 44 years old in 30 years. I believe that by then, I will be so powerful that no one will dare to insult me." Mu Wanqing looked calm and composed. No one is her opponent now, let alone in the future.
She could see that although the Zhao family was a relative of the Du family, the Du family obviously did not like them very much.
There is no way the Zhao family could use the Du family's name to bully others.
What's so scary about that?
As for Miss Du Er, this person... is very interesting.
She suddenly raised her voice, "If you really feel so bad, why don't you take her place? Just standing by and watching, tsk tsk, men are so hypocritical, false and selfish."
Zhao Yifan's face flushed red, he felt ashamed, angry and hateful. Mu Wanqing, this witch!
Zhao Yidan was seriously injured, but the Du family had excellent trauma medicine and highly skilled doctors, and they finally managed to stabilize his condition.
Because of this incident, the upper class circles in Xiliang saw the cold side of Mu Wanqing.
Don't be fooled by her appearance of a sweet fairy, it seems that she can still laugh and chat while being tortured.
He is a ruthless person who will never let go of any grudge. Don't mess with him.
Mu Wanqing achieved her purpose of killing the chicken to scare the monkey.
"Congratulations, Mu Wanqing." Du Shaoxuan came over with a smile on his face. "I'll give you all the kapok trees in my house as a gift. I hope you like them."
This made things clear and shut everyone up.
Mu Wanqing smiled and said, "Thank you. I like this gift very much."
Everyone saw it and thought that Du Shaoxuan was too casual and didn't care much about gifts.
At this time, they did not expect that the entire Xiliang would undergo earth-shaking changes because of kapok.
On the way back, Mu Wanqing was in high spirits, "Dad, Mom, Big Brother, Second Brother, we are moving again."
The Village Lord's Mansion sounds quite impressive, although it is not what she really wants.
Forget it, eat one bite at a time and do things one by one.
The family of four stared at her blankly, all looking as if they were in a desperate situation.
Mu Wanqing looked at them worriedly, were they crazy with joy?
She thought of the story of Fan Jin's success in the imperial examination at an inappropriate time, and couldn't help but tug at her parents' clothes, "Dad, Mom, why aren't you talking?"
Madam Mu Er always followed Mu Wanqing. She walked when she walked and knelt when she knelt, but she was like a puppet from beginning to end.
Master Mu was stunned by the great news. Facing everyone's congratulations, he always felt it was unreal. "Qing'er, are you really the village chief?"
The village chief is a fourth-rank official! He has no real power, but he is honored.
"Here, the imperial edict is for you to keep."
"It's true. Our Mu family's ancestors have accumulated virtues..." Second Master Mu's hands were shaking and his eyes were red. This was the peak of his life!
Madam Mu Er suddenly woke up and glared at him unhappily, "What does this have to do with the ancestors? It was obviously obtained by Qing'er with her own ability."
Master Mu didn't care at all and laughed heartily, "Hahaha, I'm so happy, I'm going to hold a big banquet."
Mu Wanqing thought for a moment and said, "Why not give free cards to the poor and beggars in the city? Just consider it as a way to accumulate virtue."
"Okay, I'll do as you say."
Mu Ziang stupidly stretched out his hand, "Sister, pinch my arm.
Mu Wanqing couldn't help laughing and twisted it hard. Mu Ziang gasped in pain, but laughed like a fool, "Ah, it hurts, it's not a dream, brother, our sister is the village chief, hahahaha, so awesome."
Mu Zicheng nodded vigorously, "It's the best."
When they got home, all the members of the Mu family who had rushed over after hearing the news were so excited that they laughed and cried loudly.
The Fang family saw this and were extremely envious.
Young Master Fang sighed softly, "Father, when I first saw Mu Wanqing, I never thought that this day would come."
At that time, Mu Wanqing was wearing inconspicuous clothes and was carefully trying to please the official. He was a little disgusted and felt that she had lost her dignity.
But now that I think about it, he's not as smart as a little girl.
They are very flexible!
The head of the Fang family was even more touched. "She is the village head. I have said long ago that she is not a creature that can be kept in the pond. Once she encounters wind and clouds, she will turn into a dragon." Note (2)
He had a feeling that this was just the beginning, not the end.
The author has something to say:
Note (1) From Wikipedia.
Note (2) This is a line from the movie Storm Riders.
I can't stop writing, it's a little late. Good evening.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
