After striking him countless times, Prefect Duan, exhausted, finally stopped.
Duan Hongfei's back was already torn open and bloody.
"Since this woman is a bastard, the money she brought into the manor must naturally be returned to the Liu family! I'll have the steward come and collect it in a moment! And you, if you ever go out and mess around again, bringing back any unclean women, next time I'll just kill you!"
Prefect Duan threw the feather duster in his hand on the ground, shouted loudly, and then turned and left.
Duan Hongfei was already drenched in sweat from the pain, and looking at Liu Miaoyu huddled to the side, his anger rose even higher.
If Liu Miaoyu hadn't insisted on tricking him into going to the Liu residence today, he wouldn't have been beaten so badly by his father.
If she hadn't insisted on seducing him back then, he wouldn't have let Liu Miaoyu into the mansion.
"Brother Duan... are you alright?" Liu Miaoyu asked tremblingly, her face pale.
Duan Hongfei endured the pain and stood up, slapping Liu Miaoyu hard across the face.
"It's all your fault, you bastard! You made me get beaten up! Men, quickly go and take inventory of the things she brought to the manor and send them to the steward!"
Upon hearing that she was to return the things she had brought to the Liu residence, Liu Miaoyu quickly pulled Duan Hongfei along.
"Brother Duan, those things were given to me by my father. If I return them, what will I have left to rely on? Please go and beg the prefect not to return them, okay? I'll keep only half, and the rest will not be used for public funds, but as expenses for the Duan family, is that alright?"
Liu Miaoyu pleaded with the Dao while crying.
She knew that if she returned all the money, she would probably be worse off than a lowly maid in the Duan family.
With a flick of his sleeve, Duan Hongfei lifted Liu Miaoyu up.
"Father? You bastard, where did you get a father? Get out of my way!" Duan Hongfei cursed.
Liu Miaoyu fell to the ground, her heart aching as if being stabbed with a knife.
Just this morning, he and Duan Hongfei were still deeply in love.
In just a few hours, Duan Hongfei seemed like a completely different person.
Liu Miaoyu couldn't help but laugh at herself.
Seeing her frantic state, Duan Hongfei ordered his servants to lock her in the woodshed, while he went back to the courtyard to apply medicine.
It wasn't that he was heartless, but rather that he had his eye on the Liu family's wealth and, upon encountering Liu Miaoyu, who was secretly flirting with him, he simply went along with it.
That's true, too.
He and Liu Miaoyu were originally together for money, and now that Liu Miaoyu is an illegitimate child and there is no profit to be gained, why should he care about feelings?
Liu Miaoyu laughed maniacally, letting the servants lock her in the woodshed.
Just as Gu Lili and the others were preparing to have dinner at the Liu residence, Prefect Duan sent his steward to deliver some gifts.
“Madam Liu, my master ordered me to deliver these things. My master said that since Liu Miaoyu is not your biological daughter, she should not have these things,” Butler Wu said, bowing.
Neither Liu Ying nor Liu Miaoyin expected that the prefect was actually quite selfless.
If they don't return these things, they can keep them themselves, and the Liu family won't have anything to say.
Since it's been delivered right to my door, I can't refuse the gift.
Madam Liu thanked her and ordered someone to accept the gift.
Liu Yuanliang's adoptive father did a great job; he even gave him a whole box full of property deeds.
There were also countless gold and silver valuables, calligraphy, paintings, ceramics, and the like.
This is hardly the kind of thing you'd do as a concubine. Even if you were to become someone's legal wife, some families wouldn't be able to afford that much money!
The gifts had all been delivered, and Liu Ying thanked Prefect Duan, but Steward Wu stood there without taking his leave.
"I wonder if Prefect Duan has anything else to tell me?" Liu Ying asked curiously.
Are you staying for dinner instead of leaving?
Butler Wu looked at Gu Lili and Chang'an beside him, cupped his hands and said, "My master ordered me to convey a message to the county magistrate: my young master has offended the county magistrate today and has been severely beaten and locked in the ancestral hall to reflect on his actions. I hope the county magistrate will calm down."
This was something Gu Lili really hadn't expected, because she hadn't mentioned it when they left.
Duan Hongfei was given a beating by Chang'an at the time, which Gu Lili felt was unnecessary.
Could it be that Duan Hongfei himself told Prefect Duan that? If so, then she can't be blamed.
It's good to beat him up! It'll stop him from going out and bullying others.
"Tell your magistrate that I, the county magistrate, am not angry!" Gu Lili said with a faint smile.
Butler Wu delivered the message, bowed, and took his leave.
Duan Fuzhong.
"Do you think the county princess really said that? What was the reaction of the white-clad man behind her?" Prefect Duan asked.
Butler Wu was a little curious as to why he needed to consider the reaction of the man behind Gu Lili when he apologized.
However, I will still answer truthfully.
There was no response.
For a moment, even Prefect Duan was unsure of what Chang'an was thinking.
Since the mistake has already been made, there's nothing that can be done if that person wants to blame them.
Right now, all I can do is focus on my job and leave the rest to fate.
......
“Your Highness, thanks to your help today, Miaoyin and I have been freed from suffering and our injustice has been redressed.”
As Liu Ying spoke, she pulled Liu Miaoyin down to kneel down.
Gu Lili raised her hand and helped the two of them up.
"No need for thanks. I've already said that I helped you for ulterior motives. We've each gotten what we wanted!" Gu Lili said with a smile.
Liu Ying didn't hesitate and stood up with Liu Miaoyin.
"The county magistrate once said that if there are any mutually beneficial cooperation opportunities, why don't we discuss them while we eat?"
Liu Ying led the three of them to the dining table.
Gu Lili nodded. She was hungry anyway, so she decided to chat and eat at the same time.
The table was laden with all sorts of dishes; if you were to count them carefully, there would probably be more than thirty.
There were also many dishes he couldn't name, which surprised Li Ershu so much that he couldn't close his mouth.
With so many dishes, Li Ershu felt a pang of inferiority, realizing it was probably enough to cover his family's expenses for a year.
He was initially overjoyed when Liu Ying called him her son-in-law.
She felt that she was barely good enough for Liu Miaoyin.
But now it seems that if Liu Miaoyin really follows him, then she's in for a lot of trouble.
Thinking of this, the light in Li Ershu's eyes gradually dimmed.
At the same time, I made a decision in my heart.
After finishing her meal, Gu Lili took out the things she had brought.
A bar of soap, a packet of maltose, and Suzhou embroidery by Gu Huanhuan.
Liu Ying recognized the candy and the embroidery at a glance.
She couldn't immediately guess what the soap was.
Looking at its square shape, could it also be candy?
"I've never seen this candy before," Liu Ying said with a smile, picking up the soap.
If Miaoyin were imprisoned, she would definitely be able to find out what this thing was from the Han family business.
"This is not sugar."
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