Magistrate Zhao arrived at Daling Village by carriage. Along the way, he passed through the wheat fields of Daling Village and was surprised to find that tender wheat sprouts had grown in most of the fields.
In previous years, the stubble fields in Daling Village would have already been plowed by this time. Strangely, they still have land to plow this year. How can the people of Daling Village be so lazy? How can farmers not plow their fields in time?
The magistrate's brows furrowed, a hint of anger creeping in.
The road through Daling Village was bumpy and uneven. Halfway there, a little girl rubbed her eyes and cried, "Hmph, just because you're the magistrate's son doesn't mean you're so great! I'll have my mother tell the magistrate that you bullied me!"
The magistrate lifted the curtain and saw this scene. He waved his hand and ordered the coachman to stop the carriage.
The man sitting on a rock not far away, with a straw in his mouth, looked disdainful: "Fine, go ahead. I'll send your mother to tell my father right now. Do you think the magistrate has nothing better to do than meddle in these trivial matters? He'll just work himself to death. What a pedant!"
He recognized the voice all too well. The magistrate cautiously stepped forward and grabbed Zhao Heng's ear: "Well, Zhao Heng, you brat, I've finally caught you red-handed. I thought you were up to something in Daling Village, but it turns out you were bullying a little girl?"
Upon hearing that familiar voice, Zhao Heng hurriedly begged for mercy: "Father, why are you here? Please let me explain. I was wronged by this little girl. In any case, the magistrate must find out the reason before taking action. Otherwise, wouldn't it be like a muddle-headed judge making a muddle-headed judgment?"
The county magistrate was so angry at Zhao Heng's words that he laughed.
"Tell me, what exactly happened?"
Zhao Heng then sat back down on the rock, covered his ears, and said, "Father, this little girl is ungrateful. She said she dreamed of her mother, and that her grandmother was her mother coming back to see her. I told her that her grandmother was just comforting her, but she actually cried. So what did I do wrong?"
This child's experience was similar to hers. His grandmother also used such lies to deceive him. It wasn't until he grew up that he realized that these were all lies his grandmother told to avoid hurting him. There's no such thing as a dead person!
The magistrate understood that Zhao Heng had been crying and begging for his mother all day long since she died, and he, as her father, was helpless. Fortunately, the old lady could coax him with various excuses. Now that he had grown up, he could no longer be fooled. He never expected that the hatred in his heart had been hidden until now.
The reason he said these words to this girl today was that he didn't want her to be deceived like him since childhood. Li Zheng felt a pang of guilt and wanted to say something, but he didn't say a word and silently looked at Zhao Heng in front of him.
“Zhao Heng, you’re all grown up now and can accept this fact, but the little girl can’t accept it yet. How can you talk to a little girl like that? Are you even a man?”
"Father, why not? I don't want this girl to be deceived like I have!"
“I know that your mother was sick back then, and your father did his best. He even sold the house to pay for her treatment. But unfortunately, she still passed away. I accept your complaints that your father is incompetent. But when you were little, your grandmother comforted you like that because she didn't want you to be sad.”
This was the first time Zhao Heng had seriously discussed this matter with his father. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Dad, I don't blame you for my mother's situation. But, you said you didn't want me to have a stepmother, so you rejected all the women my grandmother introduced to me. Dad, I'm telling you now, how about letting Aunt Jin be my stepmother?"
The magistrate was furious when he heard this: "You scoundrel! How could you say such a thing? What kind of person do you take your father for? Now that you're all grown up, all these years, your mother couldn't give you the care that your grandmother and I gave you. What more do you want me to do to please you?"
Zhao Heng stamped his foot: "Hmph, what? You think Aunt Jin isn't good enough for you, the county magistrate? Someone like you, Aunt Jin might not even agree to it! You, if you're so capable, then make Aunt Jin my stepmother!"
After saying that, Zhao Heng ran away with red eyes.
In the field, the county magistrate stood there, stunned. He said awkwardly, "This rascal, now that he's in Daling Village, has actually come up with such wicked thoughts?"
Liang Shuyan had just come out of the teahouse and was squatting at the door drinking tea.
Zhao Heng returned, his eyes red, greeted Liang Shuyan, and then quickly ran away.
Subsequently, the county magistrate, led by Li Zheng, arrived at Liang Shuyan's home.
"My lord, what's wrong with Zhao Heng? Did you scold him? He looks like he's been crying."
The magistrate waved his hand: "I won't say anymore. This brat is becoming more and more lawless. He actually made some unreasonable demands on his father. It's simply outrageous!"
Li Zheng was quite familiar with Liang Shuyan, so he quietly told her what had just happened, and Liang Shuyan's face turned slightly red.
Speaking of Zhao Heng, he's been in Daling Village for so long, and he's never bullied a girl, let alone a cat or dog. The county magistrate must not understand his son's heart enough after all these years. Zhao Heng longs for his mother's love.
The magistrate's expression was not very pleasant. Liang Shuyan knew that if she talked to the magistrate about selling seedlings for regeneration now, he would not be interested. So, she directly changed the subject to Zhao Heng.
“Zhao Heng has been living in the woman’s house for two months now. This child never bullies anyone. Even Dahei, who once scared him to death, he couldn’t bear to hurt. This child just lacked maternal love since he was a child, and he always had this hope in his heart that someone could love him properly in place of his mother!”
"Hmph, this unfilial son is just being unreasonable. His mother was ill when she passed away, and I, as her father, have done my best. What more does he want now? If I had known, I shouldn't have sent him to Daling Village!"
Liang Shuyan was very patient. She slowly said, "Sir, please don't be angry. Please let me finish speaking!"
“When Zhao Heng first came to our house, he complained that the food and accommodation were not good, and even argued with me. Later, he was so scared by Dahei that he immediately fainted.”
Upon hearing this, the magistrate's face instantly darkened: "Big Black, is that your wolf?"
Liang Shuyan continued to explain: "Later, I asked Dashan to bring him into the house and take good care of him. After this incident, he finally settled down in our family. He stopped arguing with me and would do all the chores around the house. Dashan always protected Zhao Heng. Sometimes when I said something, Dashan wouldn't let me!"
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