Chapter 133 A commoner's daughter who became the laughingstock of the city and lost power
Li Nian ran all the way back to the county government office.
The county government office gates were wide open, and the area outside was packed with a large crowd of people pointing and talking amongst themselves.
She pushed through the crowd and rushed into the county government office, where the scene before her struck her like a thunderbolt—
Magistrate Li's official hat had been removed, and he stood dejectedly in the courtyard, dressed in a plain gray robe.
An imperial envoy, holding a scroll of official documents, read aloud: "By order of the Privy Council and His Majesty's decree: Li Kaiji, the magistrate of Jizhou County, has neglected his duties and failed to repay the emperor's favor by allowing his son to commit evil... He is hereby dismissed from his post and demoted to a commoner."
"Father!"
Li Nian'er screamed and lunged forward, grabbing her father's sleeve tightly: "This isn't true! They're framing me! Say something!"
Magistrate Li slowly raised his head, saw his disheveled daughter, and a trace of pain and shame flashed in his eyes. His lips trembled, and in the end, he could only say dejectedly, "Nian'er...it's too late...it's all too late..."
Seeing this, the crowd outside grew even louder, their glee and mockery undisguised:
"Pah! Karma! Li Nian'er, you've finally met your match!"
"You've always bullied others with your power, let's see how your father will protect you now!"
"Get out of Jizhou!"
Yang Niangzi, the embroiderer, and their assistants, who arrived shortly after, stood at the front of the crowd. Seeing this scene, they felt a long sigh of relief and a sense of satisfaction.
Hearing the curses all around her and seeing her father's desperate expression, Li Nian'er's last shred of hope completely collapsed.
She abruptly turned to the imperial envoy, crying out in a hoarse voice, "My aunt is a fifth-rank noblewoman in the capital! You can't do this!"
The imperial envoy merely glanced at her coldly, his tone icy: "Young Master Li, this matter has been decided by imperial decree and cannot be changed."
He then said indifferently to Magistrate Li, "Lord Li, pack your things and leave the yamen as soon as possible."
Li Nian'er watched helplessly as her father slumped down as if his spine had been removed.
She collapsed onto the cold stone floor and burst into tears.
Their former arrogance and fine clothes have all vanished.
From being the beloved daughter of a county magistrate, she suddenly fell from grace, becoming a laughingstock and a disgraced commoner.
She even harbored resentment in her heart, wondering why her aunt wouldn't help her.
She then questioned her father: "Father! What about Aunt? How could she just stand by and watch you get dismissed? She owes my mother a life! She promised to protect us! How could she just stand by and watch us die?"
Magistrate Li was struck where it hurt by her sudden question, and his face turned even more ashen.
A flicker of panic and shame crossed his eyes, and finally, his lips trembled as he said, "She...she did everything she could to save us...otherwise, our entire fortune would have been confiscated long ago...and we...wouldn't even have a bite to eat..."
The next second, the anger that had been building up in his chest exploded, and he pointed at Li Nian'er and roared, "It's all your fault! It's all your fault, you two wicked children!"
“Especially your dead brother!” His eyes were bloodshot, as if Li Yanei were standing right in front of him: “He used to rely on my power to run rampant and act lawlessly outside! How many filthy things have I covered up for him, how many holes have I filled in for him!”
"Now look what's happened! He closed his eyes and died cleanly! Leaving behind this enormous disaster, the retribution has all fallen on my head! I'm being made to bear his eternal infamy!"
He then jabbed his finger at Li Nian'er, gritting his teeth in hatred: "And you! Why did you come back? Weren't you doing just fine in the capital? Even if you came back, why don't you know how to behave! Didn't you learn a single thing from your aunt?"
"Now, relying on your cleverness, you're learning from your brother's arrogance and domineering ways, and you're going to provoke Lu Zhaoruo even more!"
He trembled with rage. "You've ruined the last vestiges of my official reputation and dignity! You've squandered the Li family's century-old legacy! You...you unfilial daughter! You're trying to drive your father to his death!"
He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, until he was almost out of breath. Staggering, he pounded his chest with his hands: "I, Li, have spent my whole life scheming and being extremely cautious to finally get this position as county magistrate... and now... it's all ruined! All ruined by you two debt-collecting bastards!"
"How could I have given birth to you two scourges! Scourges!"
Li Nian'er listened to her father's tearful accusations and collapsed to her knees.
She stared blankly at her father's face, which was twisted and contorted with rage, and her whole body trembled violently.
After his outburst, Magistrate Li's anger subsided, leaving only cold ashes and helplessness.
He was panting heavily, his gaze falling on his daughter who lay limp on the ground, her face pale. Blood was thicker than water, and a dull pain rolled over his heart.
My son is gone. What good is resentment and hatred now?
He closed his eyes wearily, and when he opened them again, all that remained in his eyes was a heavy sense of twilight.
With the servants carefully helping him, he staggered and turned around, not looking at Li Nian'er again, only squeezing out a tired urging through his teeth: "What are you still standing there for... hurry back and pack up!"
Dong Rou helped Lu Zhaoruo to the outside of the county government office.
Seeing Li Nian'er and her father in such a sorry state, she felt a surge of pleasure and whispered, "Miss, now is the perfect time! The new magistrate is here. You can report to everyone that Li Nian'er led people to smash up the embroidery building, destroy property, and injure people. Please ask the magistrate to take charge!"
Lu Zhaoruo was about to answer...
Just then, the newly appointed magistrate walked out slowly, surrounded by his subordinates and servants.
Upon seeing this, the onlookers immediately knelt down in unison: "Greetings, Your Excellency!"
Lu Zhaoruo also knelt down according to etiquette.
Dongrou hurriedly knelt down beside her.
The newly appointed magistrate's gaze swept across the crowd and landed precisely on Lu Zhaoruo.
He walked up to her, stopped, scrutinized her for a moment, and said in a deep voice, "Is the one kneeling Lu Zhaoruo?"
Upon hearing the voice, Lu Zhaoruo did not raise her head, but remained kneeling, and replied, "Replying to Your Excellency, this humble woman is indeed Lu Zhaoruo."
The new magistrate remains silent.
Lu Zhaoruo could feel the two gazes falling on her head, and she could even sense that there was no goodwill in those gazes, only contempt and... cold hostility.
After a long pause, the new magistrate spoke: "Lu, you went to great lengths to send that Shen Lin to the state jail..."
"What a pity."
"I have received an imperial edict that the prefectural government has granted her 'parole for childbirth'."
"This person, now..."
He casually uttered the last two words: "Release them."
Lu Zhaoruo's body suddenly trembled.
Lin Yingyu... released?
The newly appointed county magistrate arrived with such an imperial edict!
In an instant, Lin Yingyu's calm, confident, and even somewhat arrogant and mocking expression in front of her that day clearly appeared before her eyes—
"You don't really think I'll submit to the law and be punished, do you?"
"I'll be able to get out soon."
The words were dismissive yet certain.
So it was true...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
