Lili's words were reasonable and well-founded; it really was that person who let them in, and Qi Zheng was unable to refute them for a moment.
He didn't blink at all, so he really just improvised?
They're so easily fooled!
Lili, keeping her mission accomplished, interrupted his wild thoughts: "Alright, alright, let's quickly find out where your dad is doing bad things."
Qi Zheng, feeling hurt once again, thought, "..."
There's no need to say it again.
The house was not large, nor was it particularly exquisite.
According to Steward Tang, Lili thought that since Master Qi was here today, all the servants in the house had probably gone to serve him, and there was no sign of him in the corridors or courtyards.
Lili followed the path depicted in the picture in her memory, passing through two corridors and heading towards the front yard.
Qi Zheng felt that they were incredibly lucky. Along the way, they only encountered two maids carrying fruit who hurriedly walked by without noticing them. Apart from that, they didn't meet anyone else.
So Qi Zheng, who was initially hesitant about whether it was too open and aboveboard, suddenly felt a thrill of adventure.
"My beauty, you've become even more radiant than before! You don't look like the daughter of those two country bumpkins at all!"
Qi Zheng paused.
That's... his father's voice!
Lili heard it too and shuddered: "Ugh, your dad is disgusting and lewd."
The thought of that pot-bellied Master Qi, his face all bulging with laughter, spouting vulgarities, sent shivers down her spine.
Qi Zheng's expression was complicated. After all, he was still a child. Although he had known for a long time that his biological father was a womanizer, it was still different from seeing it with his own eyes.
Lili led Qi Zheng to the entrance of the courtyard corridor, peeked out, and sure enough, saw a noisy scene.
A stage set up by one person stood in front of the stage, with several large tables in front of it. Master Qi sat at the very front and center table, holding a woman dressed in a light gauze in his arms.
The woman was beautiful, dressed lightly, and her lips were tightly pursed, as if she was trying to suppress her disgust. The corners of her mouth turned down unconsciously, forming a deep arc that revealed her fear and loathing.
The area around the stage was bustling with activity, with the opera troupe members busy at work. However, the audience below the stage was completely silent, except for Master Qi, who was alone, flirting with the girls.
"One, two, three, four, five..."
Lili counted and found that there were five tables, with five or six girls at each table, making a total of more than twenty girls!
Qi Zheng stared intently at the familiar man surrounded by people in the crowd, speechless.
A servant boy fawned over him, "Master, these are the newest selections from the estate. When we said our men were to be presented to you, those two farmers didn't dare utter a sound! What do you think? Are you satisfied?"
"reward!"
Master Qi laughed heartily, took out a silver ingot from his pocket, and casually tossed it to the servant.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"
The servant received the reward money and went down happily.
Master Qi lifted the chin of the woman in his arms, examining her as if she were an object, his tone flippant.
"My little beauty, have a drink with your brother, and I'll guarantee you endless riches and glory."
His eyes were filled with greed and rudeness, and the fat on his face jiggled with a wanton smile, making people feel extremely disgusted and repulsed.
The woman in Master Qi's arms trembled, instinctively trying to avoid the approaching face, but Master Qi grabbed her and slapped her across the face.
"ah!"
The woman was immediately beaten until her hair was disheveled and she rolled to the ground.
Master Qi spat: "Don't be so shameless! It's your good fortune that I've taken a liking to you!"
Having said that, he dusted off his clothes, stood up, and looked at the trembling girls at the other tables: "You lot, if you didn't have some looks, do you think I'd even look at you? I paid your parents! Now that you're here, you're my dogs! Don't play the high and mighty card. If you keep me happy, maybe your old, farming parents will have a better life. Otherwise... hehehehe..."
The women were so frightened they dared not breathe. They could only force themselves to sit at the table, suppressing their nausea and fear, and look at the stage in front of them.
To them, Master Qi was the greatest evil in the world.
Lili frowned repeatedly as she watched, and when she turned her head, Qi Zheng was already pale and weak, covered in cold sweat.
Qi Zheng swallowed hard: "This, this isn't, this isn't my father..."
In Qi Zheng's mind, although his father rarely came home and was a womanizer, he could not be called a good person, but he was definitely not that kind of bad person.
Qi Zheng was, after all, a young master from a wealthy family. His biggest worries were his longing for his father's love and his mother's constant complaints.
If he were one of those women, he simply couldn't imagine how he could possibly endure it!
Lili sighed and patted his shoulder: "Hey, kid, try to take it easy."
Qi Zheng was somewhat embarrassed, but even more so, he felt an indescribable sadness and disappointment.
"A family that accumulates good deeds will surely have abundant blessings; a family that accumulates evil deeds will surely have abundant calamities." Lili said, "Brother, do you think your father is a talented person?"
Qi Zheng asked blankly, "Is that so...?"
At least until today, he thought so.
As the wealthiest merchant family in Liucheng, Qi Zheng still greatly admired his father.
But today, the filter is shattered!
Lili shook her head: "Are you aware that the prefect is trying to raise taxes privately?"
Qi Zheng nodded: "I know, I've heard my father mention it to others before."
At that time, Master Qi had not returned home for half a month. When he finally returned home, Qi Zheng missed his father very much, so he took a bowl of chicken soup to his study to deliver the soup. He overheard this by chance.
“I remember my dad saying…”
Qi Zheng recalled the scene that day, "My father said that the other side agreed to cooperate and that those things could be sold through the Qi family's shops in the Qi family's name, and the Qi family could take 50% of the profits."
Lili smiled and asked, "What do you think those things are?"
Qi Zheng thought for a moment, then felt a chill run down his spine: "Impossible!"
Qi Zheng took two steps back: "You mean, my father and the prefect had already secretly colluded, and then!"
"Whether it is or not, why don't you go back and look in the study and you'll find out?"
The evidence is all laid out in the study.
Lili watched as Master Qi sat down again, this time with another woman embracing him and taking advantage of him, and a ruthless glint flashed in her heart.
It's unbelievable that such a talented actor could be hidden in such a small town as Liucheng.
On the surface, he was a wealthy merchant who made money from land, but in reality, he had long been secretly colluding with Zhou Wukui.
It seems that the leaky person next to Magistrate Qin must have been planted by Master Qi.
The real purpose of lending money to the government was to control Qin Renjie so that he could not stop Zhou Wukui from raising taxes.
As soon as the new regulations are issued, the extra grain harvested can be sold to Xixiang County through the Qi family in their name.
Because Xixiang County is currently in dire need of grain, selling to Xixiang County would not only guarantee a profit but also earn a good reputation.
After all, in these times, every family is trying to hide their food, fearing that there will be even more difficult days to come.
However, is it to be sold to the people of Xixiang County, or... the First Prince?
What exactly happened here?
Lili's thoughts kept getting deeper and deeper into her mind, until her brain was practically burning up.
Lili shook her head: "Ugh, I don't want to think about it anymore, I can't figure it out!"
Let the professionals handle these things; she should just stick to farming.
Lili, who originally planned to go to the Qi family to find out what was going on, suddenly realized that she was making trouble for herself, so she happily stopped herself and assigned the task to Qi Zheng.
Qi Zhengtian felt like his world had collapsed. He agreed to everything Lili said, his heart filled with immense grief.
Lili suddenly felt listless.
I thought it would be a relaxing, easy story, but I never expected to encounter so many unexpected things.
These things had nothing to do with her. She could have stayed in that small Xinghua Village for the rest of her life, and she could have made sure her family lived well.
But these things...
How could we expect him to stand idly by?
Lili swaggered out of the house with Qi Zheng, and it was unclear whether Steward Tang had gone off to attend to other matters, as he was nowhere to be seen at the south gate.
They were let in by Steward Tang, and the guards naturally didn't stop them when they left.
Lili figured that things at the academy were almost over and it was time to go back to her mother, otherwise she wouldn't make it home for dinner.
The two remained silent the whole way. Qi Zheng seemed quite dejected, looking rather listless.
"Brother Qi Zheng."
Lili said seriously, "With your father's abilities, he couldn't have developed the Qi family so well."
Qi Zheng understood what she meant.
The Qi family's rise to prominence is simply due to the presence of powerful figures behind them.
"Look, we all think we are having a hard time, but there are many people in the world who are having a thousand times or even ten thousand times harder than us."
Qi Zheng lowered his eyes.
"Brother Qi Zheng, if you find those things, please give them to the county magistrate. You must remember the way, right?"
Qi Zheng remained silent, but Lili knew he understood.
Qi Zheng is a member of the Qi family, so getting those things would be a piece of cake for him.
If Qi Zheng puts justice before family, then Magistrate Qin will have far fewer troubles.
If he doesn't want to, that's fine too.
She'll have His Highness the Crown Prince handle it!
However, she felt that Qi Zheng should be a good person, and she wanted to see what choice he would make.
After saying that, Lili entered the academy without looking back.
Qi Zheng stood alone at the entrance of the academy, his expression conflicted, confused, and bewildered...
………
"Lili, are you writing a letter to Young Master Gu?"
Inside the carriage, Lili was writing furiously with a pen in hand. After watching for a long time, Madam Yang couldn't help but ask a question.
“Yes.” Lili nodded, her hands still moving.
Writing calligraphy is so difficult! My hand is getting sore from writing so much.
Moreover, Lili always writes calligraphy in a very large size, and what should have been written on two sheets of paper takes her five to finish.
After writing the last word, Lili folded the five sheets of paper together, put them in an envelope, and finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Yang's lips twitched as she looked at the crooked and messy characters, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
It's funny that my little girl, who's good in every way, has one weakness.
Yang secretly decided that after Shen Laosan finished his exams, she would have him teach Lili to write.
Unaware that she had already been assigned to a tutoring class, Lili sealed the envelope, lifted the curtain and peeked out, handing the letter to Master Huang, who was sitting next to the coachman: "Uncle Master, Lili has finished writing. Please give it to Brother Ziyi for me!"
Master Huang quickly accepted the envelope with both hands, carefully putting it away as if it were a precious treasure.
This is a letter for His Highness the Crown Prince; he must keep it safe!
Master Huang quickly assured her, "Oh, Miss Lili, don't worry, I guarantee it will be delivered to Lord Zhuifeng. As soon as I receive a reply, I will personally bring it to you!"
Let alone a letter, even if Lili wanted to send a big rock, he would have to protect it intact!
His family's magistrate sent a carriage to take Miss Lili home. Upon hearing that Lili wanted to write a letter to His Highness the Crown Prince, he wished he could personally accompany her to receive the letter.
If he hadn't intervened, it would be Magistrate Qin himself sitting here receiving the letter.
This letter is more important than his life!
Lili smiled and thanked him, "Then thank you, Uncle Master. Oh, by the way, please tell Brother Zhuifeng to keep an eye on the Prefect's actions lately, and also ask him to take good care of my uncle."
Master Huang noted everything down before saying, "Yes, yes, I will."
Lili sat back in the carriage, and as Yang listened to her giving instructions and advice, she inexplicably felt as if she were being kept by her daughter.
Lili is one-tenth the age of hers, but she's much busier.
Lili snuggled back to Yang's side, and Yang smiled as she rubbed Lili's wrists: "Our Lili is like a little adult."
Lili smiled and coaxed her, "No way, Lili is Mommy's little darling."
Madam Yang pinched her nose, a wave of worry rising in her heart: "Lili."
"Um?"
Noticing that Yang's tone was somewhat serious, Lili looked up at her in confusion.
After hesitating for a moment, Madam Yang said, "I know you're very capable, but there's nothing your parents can do to help you with these things. I'm just a woman; at most, I can only support you and understand you. There's nothing more I can actually do..."
Lili's heart skipped a beat, and she hugged her: "Mother..."
Madam Yang looked at her and said earnestly, "Lili, although I am not your biological mother, in my eyes you are my own daughter, understand?"
“Lili understands!” Lili sniffed, her eyes welling up with tears. “Mother is Lili’s real mother, Lili said so!”
Madam Yang smiled and hugged her tightly: "What your mother wants to say is that she only hopes you can grow up safely, healthily, and happily like an ordinary child. Although I can't help you with what you're doing, I will definitely support you and stand in front of you to protect you for the rest of my life. But you must also protect yourself, okay?"
Lili couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart; an indescribable warmth welled up from the bottom of her heart and quickly spread throughout her body.
Her heart felt as if a gentle breeze had swept through it, stirring up ripples of emotion.
"Mother..."
Despite having no blood relation to her, she and the Shen family had long since formed an unbreakable bond.
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