After speaking up for the injustice, she continued, "And I also heard that today the Princess Consort led people to move all of the Princess's belongings to the Princess's residence, and she will no longer live with the Xu family."
Qiu Ju's vivid description delighted Liu Huan.
"It has to be the princess; who else would dare?"
With them serving her, Liu Huan no longer felt sleepy.
"By the way, I also heard that the books written by the Prince's son and the Crown Prince have been published. The cheaper ones can even sell for tens of coins a copy, which is more than ten times cheaper than before."
Qiu Rong said, "Yes, my mother sent me a message that my younger brothers can all go to school now. With my monthly allowance sent back, that will be enough."
Upon hearing this, Liu Huan exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you sending your monthly allowance back? Did your mother ask you to?"
Qiuju chimed in, “Miss, you don’t know, Qiu Rong’s stepmother is a good person. Even though she has two younger brothers, she treats them well. If the money isn’t sent back, they will go hungry.”
Liu Huan had already imagined the tragic scenario of a girl being brainwashed by her family into selling herself to earn money to support her family.
"So you were sold by your stepmother?"
Qiu Rong shook her head: "No, my mother doesn't know. I sold myself. She originally wanted to redeem me, but she wanted double the money, which my family didn't have. Soon after, I was resold to the Xu family and later brought here to serve the young lady."
"Where's your father?" Liu Huan asked.
Qiu Rong couldn't help but want to cry, "My father joined the army last year and died on the battlefield. The only pension he received was taken by my uncle's family."
Liu Huan's breath caught in her throat upon hearing this, and the thought of Xiao Shi at the border sent chills down her spine.
Is there constant fighting at the border?
Qiu Rong explained, "No, it's just that there are wars from time to time. Those small countries would launch surprise attacks from time to time, and many people died that time."
Seeing Liu Huan's serious expression, the two stopped talking and changed the subject to gossip about the street.
Whose daughter-in-law was drowned in a pig cage? Whose grandson was born?
When Su Yi returned home that evening, she was still preoccupied with the border situation and asked, "Shi Tou, can you contact Xiao Ge?"
Why did you suddenly decide to ask him?
"I miss him and want to send him a letter."
Su Yi thought for a while, "You write it down, I'll go look for people going to the border and have someone take them there."
"Well, there's one more thing. I have difficulty walking, could you find someone to take a look at me?"
The next day, when Changbai arrived at Wushan Village, not far from the capital, with his belongings, he heard a woman's desperate cries and a child's terrified screams coming from a farmhouse.
He grabbed a passerby and asked, "Excuse me, sir, how do I get to Wang Sheng's house?"
"What are you doing at Wang Tieniu's house?" The man looked at him warily, but softened his attitude when he saw that he didn't look like a bad guy.
"Wang Tieniu died last year, why are you looking for him?"
"I was asked to deliver some things to his family."
The old man pointed in the direction the sound came from: "Listen to the sound, it's the family crying the loudest. I guess it's the older brother's family coming to steal things again. What a tragedy."
After saying that, wanting to see more excitement, he personally led the way for Changbai: "I'll take you there."
Upon reaching the gate, one could see a woman clinging to another woman's leg, preventing her from leaving through the dilapidated courtyard gate.
Following behind were several little boys crying loudly, and a black girl wearing a pink dress.
The woman was carrying a basket in her hand and a hamster on her back; her back was slightly hunched, so it was estimated that there were quite a few things inside.
The woman on the ground was dressed in rags, and her face looked like she had been beaten. "Sister-in-law, this is what Xiao Rong worked so hard to buy for us. It's our family's food rations for a month. You can't take it away."
The plump woman standing there tried to lift her foot but couldn't, probably because her back was too heavy.
He shouted to the girl behind him, "Lotus, quick, help your mother pull this slut away! What a piece of trash! Does she deserve to eat so well?"
The girl, who looked to be around ten years old, stepped forward and shouted, "You wretch, let go of my mother!"
"stop"
The people in the courtyard looked at the newcomer and said, "Who are you? Mind your own business."
Changbai stepped forward, pushed the plump woman to the ground, and helped her up.
The person on the ground, hurt from the fall, slapped his thigh and shouted, "Help! Madam Feng and her lover are beating people! I can't live anymore!"
The powerful voice attracted many villagers to watch.
The woman named Feng blushed and waved her hand, saying, "No, I don't know him..."
The woman on the ground persisted, "No wonder she sold my niece; it turns out she was keeping a gigolo outside!"
"I'm not..."
Ms. Feng was unable to defend herself, and the people around her were all condemning her, leaving her at a loss for what to do.
Changbai stepped forward and kicked the woman on the ground. "I never hit women. You're the first one. You steal from people and still have the nerve to slander them. Come on, let's go see the magistrate."
“Let’s go and talk to the officials and see who is right and who is wrong.”
The woman was frightened and kept dodging. It wasn't until someone called the village chief that Changbai stopped.
"Excuse me, sir/madam, who are you?"
Changbai struck a pose: "I was ordered by the newly appointed top scholar to come and see the families of the fallen heroes. I didn't expect to find them being bullied. When I spoke up to stop them, they were falsely accused. I'll leave it at that. If you don't give me a satisfactory explanation, I'll go and file a complaint with the emperor."
The woman on the ground panicked upon hearing this and quickly looked at the village chief.
Seeing that he was dressed in fine clothes and didn't seem like the type to talk, the village chief said, "Honorable sir, may I have a word with you in private?"
"Hmph, say it right here, and explain the contents of this whole field of grain to me right now."
Seeing that there was still something she didn't understand, the village chief glared at the woman and said, "Lotus, go and call your father."
Lotus glanced at Changbai Mountain, then shyly ran away.
It took a while to resolve the matter. Changbai then addressed the villagers, saying, "Let me tell you all, these are the orphans of a hero's family. We have already opened a case. If anyone bullies them again, no matter who it is, they will be imprisoned."
The villagers, seeing that he had a knife at his waist, nodded quickly.
The village chief told the villagers to disperse, but Lotus stayed behind shyly.
She said shyly, "Brother, let me pour you a glass of water."
Changbai lost his appetite just looking at her. "No need, I have something to tell you, please leave."
Lotus snorted and ran away, and Changbai then explained, "Auntie, I am a guard of the newly appointed top scholar, Lord Su. Your daughter is on duty by the Madam's side. After she told me about the situation at home, the Madam asked me to come and take a look."
Madam Feng knelt down with her child, saying, "Thank you, sir, thank you, madam."
"If they dare to bully you again in the future, you can come to me. This is some money given by the adults. Buy some food for the children."
Ms. Feng was embarrassed, "I...I have some at home, how could I possibly accept this..."
"Take it, I'll be going now."
After Changbai left, Madam Feng stared blankly at the silver ingot in her hand. A group of little ones beside her asked, "Mother, what is this?"
The slightly older one said, "Don't ask anymore, let's go eat."
Madam Feng slapped her thigh, "Oh no, I forgot to invite my benefactor to eat before he left."
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