"Do you think all the officials in the palace are dead?" Gu Zhan scoffed. These unruly commoners were a complete waste of Xu Nian's efforts. "Our dynasty's laws are strict. Anyone who enters a household as a slave or maid must have their household registration carefully reviewed by officials from the Ministry of Revenue. Except for those who enter the palace and can retain their commoner status, all officials and merchants, including those in the outer courtyards of their households, are all considered lowly slaves. Anyone who violates this rule is committing insubordination and should be executed according to the law."
After she finished speaking, the people below looked at each other in bewilderment. If Xu Nian had said these words, Wang Jinmei could have argued that she was being unreasonable and deliberately saying them to deceive them.
But this person was Gu Zhan, and Wang Jinmei was terrified from the very beginning. Although his gaze wasn't directed in their direction, she had a persistent feeling that if she dared to utter another word, she would be instantly killed!
Those who had been shouting the loudest fell silent upon hearing this. They weren't stupid; Gu Zhan had made his point clear that getting a job at the county magistrate's mansion was truly out of the question.
No one dared to openly ask Gu Zhan to be a butler. Only a fool would give up their commoner status and refuse to become a servant who could be bullied and abused by others if they couldn't be a butler.
[The general is too doting. He can't stand anyone saying anything bad about the streamer.]
These troublemakers need to be intimidated, otherwise they'll really think they're invincible!
What comforting words can you expect from someone who can't even understand the law? It all comes down to their heart.
Xu Nian didn't say another word from beginning to end. Suddenly, a venomous gaze was cast over her, and she frowned slightly as she looked in the direction of that gaze.
There wasn't even a cat in the corner, let alone a person.
She was confident that her intuition was never wrong, and no matter what that person wanted to do, she always had a way to resolve it.
"Alright, let's leave it at that. We have many things to do tomorrow, so let's all go home."
That night, all the lights in the five courtyards were turned off, and everyone was sound asleep. Two figures sat in the courtyard, heads touching, talking quietly.
"She talks about strict laws, but she's just afraid we'll embarrass her." Wang Jinmei pouted, feeling angry as she recalled today's events. "With her appearance, I don't know how she got the title of county princess."
Zhao Yingying clutched her handkerchief, recalling the scene of Gu Zhan speaking up for Xu Nian earlier that day. She also thought of the many intimate moments the two had shared before, and feelings of jealousy and resentment began to well up within her.
Why is it that Xu Nian can win Gu Zhan's favor and the emperor's reward?! She just has a seductive face, and who knows how filthy she is underneath!
She had heard from others that the county princess's mansion was much larger than all five of their courtyards combined!
"Auntie, you know her too well. She's a master of acting. She looks like a kind-hearted person, but she's incredibly scheming. Now that she's a county magistrate, why would she care about our lives?"
The two huddled together, whispering amongst themselves, finding an unparalleled sense of agreement in belittling Xu Nian. "No matter how smug she is, she probably won't be able to keep up this spree for long. Someone like her, who knows when she'll mess with someone she shouldn't? How could so many high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital possibly like her?"
Zhao Yingying understood the implication in her words and asked, "What does Auntie mean...?"
The bright moon hung high overhead, and their whispers were so subtle that even a mosquito might not be able to hear them. All that could be seen were the surprised and smug expressions on their faces.
As dawn broke, news of her becoming a county princess spread throughout the capital. Xu Nian continued to set up her fortune-telling stall as usual; as long as the mansion wasn't finished, her carefree days wouldn't end.
"Gu Zhan will pick you up for lunch today. Don't be naughty at his house, okay?" Xu Nian reminded her as she left with her two younger brothers who were going to school.
The school teacher had already given them new names: the eldest was named Xu Ru'an, and the second was named Xu Ruwen. However, Xu Nian was used to calling them Da Bao and Er Bao, so she didn't change it.
The two children didn't mind and nodded in agreement with their older sister, "Don't worry, sis, we're leaving now, we're going to be late!"
She rushed out the door in a flurry, almost bumping into Wang Jinmei who was hurrying towards her. The two quickly apologized and disappeared into the alley after turning a corner.
Wang Jinmei cursed inwardly, thinking that she would not have let the two brats off so easily today if there hadn't been something more important to do!
"Half-immortal! Little Xu, help! Our Old Zhao is about to be beaten to death!" She almost collapsed at Xu Nian's feet, her face covered in tears.
Taking a small step back, Xu Nian bent down and helped the woman up. "Auntie, don't worry, tell me what happened?"
Wang Jinmei sobbed. By this time, everyone who was supposed to be working in the yard had already left. She cried out, "My husband, Lao Zhao, went to work today, and I don't know how he offended those people who collect protection money. They chased after him and started beating him. I really had no other choice but to come back to you. Please go and save him! If we're any later, I'm afraid Lao Zhao will be beaten to death!"
[Committing a crime in broad daylight? Even in ancient times, such audacity was unthinkable!]
People like them must have some powerful prince or noble family backing them; they probably won't go to jail.
However, can this woman's words be trusted?
[Should the streamer go check it out? What if it's true? The village chief seems like a pretty good guy.]
Xu Nian didn't believe Wang Jinmei's words either, but in this kind of thing, it's always better to believe it than not. The village chief was still her husband no matter what, and she thought that no matter how bad Wang Jinmei was, she wouldn't curse him.
People in this era value these things. All her thoughts were focused on this one moment, and she decisively dropped what she was holding. "Auntie, please lead the way. I'll go with you now."
With her back turned, no one saw the fleeting smugness and malice on Wang Jinmei's face.
Today was destined to be an eventful day. Xu Nian followed the people, turning left and right, and was about to arrive at the famous haunted house in the capital. The desolate and deserted appearance around them made the people in the live broadcast room feel their hair stand on end.
It seems that the village chief doesn't take this route to work every day.
Upon realizing this, Xu Nian immediately stopped in her tracks. "Auntie, is Uncle Village Chief really around here? You're not lying to me, are you?"
Wang Jinmei looked around and realized that they had arrived at the place those people had told her about. "So what if I lied to you, Xu Nian? You won't leave here alive today!"
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