“A girl’s reputation is very important. My sister Suihe was already being falsely accused because of this incident a while ago, and I don’t want to hurt her anymore!” Zhao Qianyu said with a simple smile.
"Hmm...not bad. This young man is of good character. I really don't know how that scoundrel Zhao Tianqi raised such a good son!" The prefect thought to himself as he stroked his beard.
"Sir, actually, I'm doing very well here. Aunt Jiang treats me very well, and everyone here is very kind..." Zhao Qianyu suddenly paused at this point.
He turned his gaze to Jiang Ling, then whispered something to the prefect.
Upon hearing this, the prefect burst into laughter. He quickly signaled his men to remove the chains binding Jiang Ling and looked at her with a complex expression, saying, "Jiang, you are quite an extraordinary woman! You can even discipline such a unruly son as Zhao Tianqi!"
"You flatter me, sir. I am but a humble village woman!" Jiang Ling could only reply modestly, unaware of what Zhao Qianyu and the prefect had discussed.
Zhao Qianyu walked up to Jiang Ling, his face flushed, his hands nervously twisting the hem of his clothes. After a long pause, he said to Jiang Ling, "Aunt Jiang, may I call you 'Mom'?"
"What?" Everyone present was stunned, including Jiang Ling.
She stared wide-eyed, her mouth, large enough to fit an egg, remaining silent for a long time.
If it weren't for the presence of the prefect, Magistrate Duan would have been the first to jump out and shout "No!"
“I lost my mother at a young age. During our time together, I have felt maternal love. It is your earnest teachings that have changed everything I had before. So, I... can I call you Mother?” Zhao Qianyu asked sincerely, her eyes shining.
Jiang Ling felt her head buzzing and her temples throbbing. She rubbed her temples, glanced around to make sure she was in Lujia Village and not on the Mango Channel's "Transformation Scheme," before speaking: "This... Young Master Zhao, I know it's pitiful to be without a mother, but I can't bear to be called 'Mother.' You can still call me Aunt Jiang, and you're always welcome to visit Lujia Village! It's just that I can't accept being called 'Mother'!"
Upon hearing Jiang Ling's words, Zhao Qianyu couldn't help but show disappointment, but he still took a few deep breaths and nodded heavily.
Jiang Ling's answer relieved Magistrate Duan. Who knew that he was really worried that Jiang Ling would agree on a whim? After all, maternal love is every woman's nature. However, looking at Jiang Ling's determined eyes, he even felt a secret joy.
The prefect glanced around, gave Duan Kang'an a look, and Duan Kang'an nodded, walked to Jiang Ling's side, cleared his throat, and said, "Jiang Ling has rendered meritorious service in pacifying the refugees, and is hereby awarded a reward of one hundred taels of silver!"
As she spoke, ten gleaming silver ingots appeared before Jiang Ling's eyes. Although she was overjoyed, Jiang Ling shook her head repeatedly and said to the prefect, "Sir, I do not dare to accept this money!"
The prefect was somewhat surprised upon hearing this. He suddenly opened his squinting eyes and quickly looked around Jiang Ling's house. Although it wasn't exactly destitute, it looked quite poor. In particular, Jiang Ling and her children were dressed in coarse linen clothes, which were patched upon patched, with hardly a decent spot in sight.
Seeing this, the prefect asked with some curiosity, "Jiang, why did you refuse?"
After bowing to the prefect, Jiang Ling said, "I did not contribute to this matter. As the saying goes, one should not accept rewards without merit. I have no reason to accept this!"
The prefect was quite surprised to hear Jiang Ling's answer. Although it wasn't the first time he had met Jiang Ling, he still felt that this woman was not simple.
"Jiang! This is a gift from the Prefect! You cannot disobey!" Duan Kang'an, who was standing to the side, was getting anxious and urged her in a low voice.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Ling completely ignored Duan Kang'an. With her gaze still firm, she repeated, "I did not contribute to this matter. As the saying goes, one should not accept rewards without merit. I have no reason to accept this!"
"Then, Jiang, what if I demand that you accept?" The prefect looked at Jiang Ling's determined eyes and felt a surge of admiration.
“You are an official, and I am a commoner. Since ancient times, commoners have not fought with officials. If you insist on this proposal, I can only accept it. But I would like to ask you a question: can I dispose of this reward money as I see fit?” Jiang Ling answered calmly.
"Of course, the reward money is yours to use as you see fit!" the prefect replied, squinting his eyes.
After listening, Jiang Ling nodded and thanked the prefect, then accepted the one hundred taels of silver. She then looked at Duan Kang'an and said, "Magistrate Duan, I have a request, and I hope you will forgive me."
Upon hearing that Jiang Ling had asked him for a favor again, Magistrate Duan nodded with delight, coughing as if trying to open his mouth which was practically splitting open to his ears, and said, "Please speak frankly, Jiang!"
Jiang Ling immediately placed ten ingots of snowflake silver in front of Magistrate Duan. Magistrate Duan was startled and took a few steps back, his eyes filled with panic as he waved his hand, saying, "Jiang, you absolutely mustn't! This is a gift from the Prefect to you! You're disrespecting the Prefect too much!"
At this moment, Duan Kang'an was truly frightened. He wasn't afraid of losing his official position, but rather that Jiang Ling's recklessness would offend the prefect. If the prefect really blamed him, even if he was very capable, he probably wouldn't be able to protect Jiang Ling.
"Jiang! Don't go too far! This is the reward money I gave you! How dare you give it to someone else in front of me! Do you know your crime?" When the prefect saw this, the corners of his mouth, which had been turned up, immediately drooped down, and he reprimanded him with a frosty expression.
"Your Excellency..." Duan Kang'an hurriedly prepared to kneel before the prefect to plead for Jiang Ling.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Ling arrived before the prefect first. She bowed deeply and said to the prefect, "Sir, have you forgotten what you just said? Didn't you say that I could do whatever I wanted with this silver?"
The prefect was stunned, his expression turning even uglier. After all, since he took office, no one had dared to openly contradict him in public.
"My lord, I didn't actually do anything to discover the refugees. First, Zhao Qianyu tried to protect my daughter; second, they foolishly walked into the trap; and finally, Magistrate Duan led his constables to raid the refugees' hideout. If we're really talking about it, I don't even deserve the credit of tipping them off!"
"If Your Excellency truly intends to reward meritorious service, I fear that Zhao Qianyu and Magistrate Duan should also be rewarded. I know Your Excellency is an upright and honest official, but I dare to guess that your reason for rewarding them in this way is also for the good of Magistrate Duan and Zhao Qianyu?"
Jiang Ling's words immediately silenced the surroundings. Even the well-informed prefect did not understand the meaning behind Jiang Ling's words. However, after years of serving as an official, he had long since learned what it meant to "remain calm and composed." He coughed lightly and said, "Jiang, since you have guessed my thoughts, then tell me why I did this."
Jiang Ling smiled inwardly after hearing the prefect's words. She knew that the prefect didn't really understand what she meant. Jiang Ling rolled her eyes and continued.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
