These people started to slander Yan Xia.
The young man who had just spoken sneered.
"Then you really have to write your name backwards. This morning, the school just posted a notice that it's already full. You'd better watch your words. The only daughter of the magistrate of Jiashu County is a female teacher at the school. If Magistrate Lu hears what you just said, given how much he dotes on Miss Lu, you guys... hehe."
The young man glanced at them.
She curled the corners of her lips into a smile, preparing to leave.
"Hey, hey, brother, we were just joking. Don't take it to heart. Make sure no one else hears what we just said. Come, come, let me offer you a cup of tea. We've become friends through this little misunderstanding. We live in the same town, so we're all on the same side."
"Yes, Miss Lu is able to go to teach, which means that this school will definitely produce many talented women in the future. We were just joking earlier. You misheard. Have some tea."
"...."
The others thought he was going to the county government to file a complaint.
They were so frightened that they quickly surrounded the man.
She pulled him down to sit.
He coaxed her while apologizing.
Where was the smug look on his face when he was slandering Yan Xia?
This applies not only to teahouses.
The same is true in other parts of town.
When the school first started recruiting, everyone was watching with amusement, thinking that Yan Xia was daydreaming.
Upon learning that the school was full, the county magistrate's daughter also came to teach.
Everyone changed their tune.
He attempted to force his own daughter into the program.
Nonsense, she's the daughter of the county magistrate.
If the county magistrate's daughter can teach her daughter, then even if she gets married, her husband's family will look at her with more respect.
Unfortunately, the school was already full.
Liu Yunwan and Feng Lanlan moved in with their daughter and maid.
Five-year-old Zhao'er also moved from Yan Xia's house to the dormitory, officially beginning her school life.
Everything went smoothly.
Until a letter arrived.
This peace and tranquility was shattered.
Early April.
Spring has arrived.
Everything is coming back to life.
Yan Xia sat in the courtyard, enjoying the scenery, with a letter in her hand.
It was sent from the capital.
The person sent the letter to Yan's Pastry Shop, and Changfu had a maid deliver it back to the mansion.
Until it was handed over to her.
"Xiao Ji, who do you think sent this letter?" Yan Xia asked Xiao Ji curiously before opening it.
"Does your aunt know anyone in the capital?"
Yan Xia shook her head, opened the letter, and began to read it line by line.
A moment later.
Her breathing became deeper.
The letter in his hand fell to the ground.
Xiao Ji was puzzled, so she bent down and picked up the letter.
But unexpectedly, I noticed the words "luminous pearl" written on it.
"Xiao Ji, the luminous pearl has been discovered. The news has spread throughout the capital. Someone has leaked the secret, saying that the luminous pearl came from Jiangnan. It's over, the world is going to be in chaos."
The imperial city is far from Jiashu County.
By the time Yan Xia received the letter, the first group of treasure hunters had likely already arrived in Jiangnan.
"This letter was sent by Huang Shaoji. When I asked him to cut the luminous pearl, I told him that since he sent me a letter to remind me, it means that he didn't spread this message. But... who else could it be? Could there be other luminous pearls in this world?"
Yan Xia's mind was in turmoil.
According to the letter, after the luminous pearl appeared, many people coveted it. Fortunately, they only knew that the luminous pearl was in Jiangnan, but not exactly where. Therefore, the first stop for those treasure hunters was definitely to inquire in Jiangnan County.
As long as they don't let it slip, no one will know that the luminous pearl is in their house.
"Xiao Ji, hurry up and go to the restaurant to call Chang Yu and Chang Yi back. Have a servant take you there in a carriage. Be quick!"
Yan Xia no longer dared to let her daughter wear the luminous pearl necklace.
She plans to take it back and store it in her spatial storage.
"Yes, Auntie, I'll go right now."
Xiao Ji lifted her skirt and ran towards the backyard.
However, at this moment, in the courtyard of the restaurant, Chang Yu was assigning tasks to a newly recruited kitchen helper.
The kitchen helper was a woman whose husband had died young, leaving her a widow who raised her only son alone.
Chang Yu originally did not hire outsiders, but seeing how pitiful the woman was, he made an exception and let her come to work.
The two walked to the cellar in the yard. Chang Yu opened the wooden planks of the cellar and saw a wooden ladder underneath.
"Come down with me, and I'll show you how to arrange the ingredients."
The temperature is rising.
The cellar was used to store the food needed for daily life.
The two climbed down one after the other.
The cellar was poorly ventilated. Chang Hao finished speaking quickly and told the woman to climb up first, while she followed behind.
But halfway up, the woman turned back. As she climbed up and down, she caught a glimpse of a shiny, green stone swaying in Chang Yu's collar. The woman swallowed her shock and, after climbing out, pretended not to care and asked.
"Shopkeeper, is that a necklace around your neck? Why don't you wear it outside your clothes?"
"Oh, this is a necklace my mother gave me. I'm afraid I'll bump into it or hurt it." Chang Yu didn't think too much about it and answered her casually.
"Sister Changyu, Auntie asked me to call you and Sister Changyi back together. Auntie needs to talk to you about something."
Before the woman could speak again, Xiao Ji arrived.
“Okay, I’ll go back with you right now. Aunt Liu, you’ll be in charge of getting the ingredients from the cellar, washing the vegetables and dishes. If you don’t understand anything else, just ask me. You can go ahead and do your work. I have other things to do.”
After Chang Yu finished speaking, she and Chang Yi left with Xiao Ji.
However, the woman's eyes gleamed, and she lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought.
That afternoon, Yan Xia put her two daughters' necklaces back into her spatial storage.
He also specifically instructed them not to mention this to anyone.
About a week later.
News of the luminous pearl indeed reached Jiashu County.
"Have you heard? There are luminous pearls in this world, and they're in Jiangnan. I've heard that many high-ranking officials are eyeing them covetously, and even some nobles from the capital have sent their men to Jiangnan to search for the treasure. Where do you think these luminous pearls are?"
"Really? A luminous pearl? Isn't this just a scholar's fabrication? Are there really luminous pearls?"
“I’ve heard about it too. My father-in-law just came back from Jiangnan County a couple of days ago. I heard there are a lot more people there with the accent of the capital, all with fierce eyes and muscular bodies. They look like thugs or something.”
"Oh dear, the family that owns the luminous pearl is a fool. They should have kept it hidden; instead, they flaunted it. Now look what's happened! If they get caught, their entire lives are in danger. If they don't hand it over, I'm afraid..."
"Who can argue with that? If someone has powerful connections or an official in their family, they can be protected. But if they are just a merchant or an ordinary citizen, they can only give it up to someone else."
"Come on, even if your relative is the county magistrate, you can't protect him. You don't know the inside story. My brother-in-law works as a yamen runner in Jiangnan County. I heard that the county magistrate of Jiangnan recently met with a lot of important people, but they were just his retainers and thugs. Yet the county magistrate had to lick his boots to greet them. You can imagine how high the official rank of their master is!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
