Chapter 673 Liu Kui's Carefree Days
Cheng Wanwan immediately sent Cheng Jia, who was driving the carriage, to the county government office in Baiyun County to inquire about the news.
Cheng Jia went there in a hurry and returned in less than half an hour, bringing back news about Liu Kui.
"According to the constables, Liu Kui was released in the first month of the lunar calendar because he had performed meritorious service." Cheng Jia said the most crucial information, "Last year, a group of prisoners were sent to Baiyun County for detention. This group of people were extremely vicious and planned to rebel in the first month of the lunar calendar. Liu Kui discovered this and reported it, so he was released with a reduced sentence. This matter is not a secret in Baiyun County."
Cheng Wanwan narrowed her eyes.
The magistrate of Baiyun County should be well aware of her past conflict with Liu Kui. Why would he release Liu Kui so easily, without even giving her a message?
Furthermore, given Liu Kui's personality, if he were to gain his freedom, he would definitely come to Dahe Town to cause trouble for Cheng Yuanyuan and her children. It has been two months since he was released from prison, from the first month of the lunar calendar until now, yet he has remained so calm.
Her intuition told her that this was not a simple matter.
She said coldly, "Cheng Jia, send someone to Liujia Village to keep an eye on Liu Kui, and find out what he's been doing these past two months."
Cheng Jia accepted the order and went to carry it out.
Upon returning to Dahe Town, Cheng Wanwan immediately went to Cheng Yuanyuan's home.
However, since Cheng Yuanyuan wasn't there, Daya and Erya were busy with their business in the courtyard. Besides selling ice jelly, they also sold some snacks. They cooked the snacks at home and then took them to the market to sell. The flavors were made with Cheng Wanwan's help and were very popular at the market.
She casually picked up a meatball and stuffed it into her mouth, and to her surprise, it tasted really good.
She looked around and asked, "Where is your mother? Where did she go?"
"Isn't Mother going to Nanyang City in a few days? She's preparing flower seedlings." Daya placed a bowl of cooked meatballs in front of Cheng Wanwan. "Second Aunt, is there something you need? Should I go and call Mother back?"
"No need." Cheng Wanwan shook her head. "Er Ya, go to the back and make me a cup of tea."
Er Ya readily agreed, "Okay!"
"Da Ya, come and sit down." Cheng Wanwan looked at her graceful niece and asked softly, "Did you know your father came out?"
"What?!" Da Ya had just sat down when she jumped up in shock. "My dad's out? When did he come out? How come I didn't know?"
"I just saw your father unexpectedly at a wedding in Baiyun County. I heard he got a reduced sentence and was released early." Cheng Wanwan looked into the little girl's eyes. "Your father might come looking for you and your children. What are you planning to do?"
Daya clenched her fists tightly: "We broke off all ties with him a long time ago. If he dares to come to our door, I'll punch him to death."
After settling in Dahe Town, she practiced martial arts with the patrol team every day and would occasionally spar with Si Dan. She improved rapidly and had no problem dealing with Liu Kui. She would never acknowledge this father again.
"Okay, very good." Cheng Wanwan appreciated her attitude. "What about Er Ya and San Mao?"
“Er Ya and San Mao hate this father even more than I do.” Daya paused before continuing, “It’s my mother who… she’s always been soft-hearted. If my father were kneeling on the ground crying and begging for forgiveness, my mother might…”
Cheng Wanwan knew Cheng Yuanyuan's personality. She had been exploited by the Cheng family since childhood and by the Liu family after marriage. Her weak nature was ingrained and could not be changed easily. The best way was to prevent Cheng Yuanyuan from meeting Liu Kui.
She said, "I'll have someone keep an eye on Liu Kui during this time. If he comes to Dahe Town, I'll send someone to notify you in advance, so don't worry."
Daya finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Second Aunt."
"No need to thank me, we're family." Cheng Wanwan stood up. "I won't keep you from doing your work any longer, I'll head back now."
That evening, the person arranged by Cheng Jia brought news of Liu Kui over the past two months.
Liu Kui received a reduced sentence for his meritorious service and was also rewarded handsomely. According to his boasting in the village, the magistrate of Baiyun County gave him one hundred taels of silver. The reason he hadn't had time to cause trouble for Cheng Yuanyuan and her family for the past two months was because he had become addicted to gambling again. Whether it was good luck or not, he won more than one thousand taels of silver from a capital of one hundred taels. He also remarried and was living a very carefree life.
"It seems he won't come to Dahe Town until he runs out of this thousand taels of silver." Cheng Wanwan sneered. "Granny Qi, prepare a generous gift and have someone send it to the magistrate's wife in Baiyun County."
Granny Qi knew this wasn't a gift, but rather a warning, so she didn't prepare anything expensive and just put in a set of skincare products.
The next morning, Madam Bai arrived by carriage to visit Cheng Wanwan, her face filled with fear and unease.
"I have met Lady Sui. Please forgive my rudeness." She finished her greetings to Cheng Wanwan with trepidation, not daring to sit down, and said with her head bowed, "In the first month of the lunar year, after Liu Kui performed meritorious service, my master reduced his sentence by six months. This is in accordance with the law, and there was nothing wrong with what my master did. However, a few days later, the provincial military commander came in person and reduced Liu Kui's sentence by eight years, and also rewarded him with one hundred taels of silver..."
Cheng Wanwan frowned.
Commander, that is a fourth-rank military officer stationed in Yun Province. How could a military officer personally come to Baiyun County for a prisoner?
The more I listen to this, the more outrageous it seems.
"Sui Gongren, you may not know this, but those criminals who plotted a rebellion were the Commander's sworn enemies. The Commander's elderly mother died at the hands of these people. The Commander hated these criminals with a passion, but because of the law, he could not take action against them. So he exiled them to Baiyun County, out of sight, out of mind. Who would have thought that these people would plot to escape?"
"If Liu Kui hadn't discovered the news and reported it, this group of people would have definitely escaped on the night of the seventh day of the first lunar month. The first thing they would have done after escaping would have been to go to Yunnan Province and wipe out the entire family of the Commander. It was because of this that the Commander personally came to Baiyun County to reduce Liu Kui's sentence and gave him a generous reward... This matter really has nothing to do with our master, so please don't blame me, Lady Sui."
"However, our master did not inform Lady Sui of this matter in time. He was at fault, and we ask Lady Sui to punish him..."
Cheng Wanwan had no doubt about Madam Bai's words, because these were important matters that could be easily found out by inquiring in Yunnan Province.
So, is Liu Kui just lucky, or is she overthinking it?
After seeing Madam Bai off, Cheng Wanwan did not let the people watching Liu Kui return, but instead had them continue to take turns keeping watch.
She disliked leaving herself any hidden dangers; any potential disasters had to be nipped in the bud.
However, for a whole month, Liu Kui was living a carefree life at the casino and tavern, showing no intention of coming to Dahe Town, so Cheng Wanwan gradually put the matter aside.
To her surprise, because she had Cheng Jia send people to keep an eye on the Liu family, Cheng Jia and Daya had a lot of contact. Daya would ask Cheng Jia about her scumbag father from time to time. The two became familiar with each other and even developed feelings for each other.
When Cheng Jia knelt before Cheng Wanwan, she was still somewhat bewildered: "Tell me, who do you want to marry?"
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