Chapter 32: The Willing One Takes the Hook
Zhang had a gloomy face and walked in supported by her maid.
"Mrs. Jiang, please don't listen to these two rascals' nonsense. They stole things from my house and are trying to frame you and me..."
He turned to look at Xu Heng, "Sir, they should be severely punished."
Xu Heng stroked the stubble on his chin and said quietly, "Well, if you are guilty, you must be punished."
Lu Qingyao looked coldly at Zhang, then at the Li brothers. "They both deserve punishment... But there's another important matter. Madam Liu mentioned it to me yesterday. It concerns the people of Taoxi Village. Today, while everyone is here, and Lord Xu is here too, let's get this matter done together."
More and more villagers gathered at the door, all looking at the two with burning eyes.
Lu Qingyao simply invited them in.
"What's the matter?" The villagers asked one after another: "Miaomiao's mother, please tell me!"
Zhang looked confused and felt uneasy.
What does this woman want to do?
"Uncle Fu, you're here."
Following Lu Qingyao's gaze, the village head walked in holding two pieces of cloth.
The village head came to Zhang's side and bowed, "Madam Liu, I thank you on behalf of the children of Taoxi Village."
Zhang looked at Lu Qingyao in confusion.
Lu Qingyao pulled her in front of the village head and tore off the cloth wrapping the Shu brocade.
"Mrs. Liu, have you forgotten? This is what you asked me to give to the head of the village yesterday."
A piece of red Shu brocade with Baoxiang pattern.
A piece of water blue Shu brocade with broken branches, flower and bird patterns.
It glistens under the sunlight, with delicate and smooth fabrics and exquisite brocade craftsmanship.
One can't help but want to touch it a few times, but is afraid of damaging it.
Someone exclaimed, "Could these two pieces be the lost Shu brocade?"
"No, it is Shu brocade, but it is not the two pieces that were lost."
Jiang Miaomiao waved her little hands and applauded her mother.
Her mother is about to use her ultimate move.
Zhang is an idiot!
Mother gave her a chance yesterday, but she insisted on asking for death...
Lu Qingyao explained to the villagers, "Mrs. Liu is kind-hearted, but she's very sensitive about her reputation. Yesterday, she asked me to deliver two pieces of Shu brocade to the village head, saying she wanted to sell them to build a school in the village. I estimated that there might be fifty or sixty taels of silver..."
When the villagers heard the good news, they were excited.
"Is this God's eyes opening?"
"The village school leaks in the summer and in the winter, and the children get sick from the wind. Now we finally have money to repair the school."
"Thank you, Madam Liu, you are such a kind person!" The villagers bowed to Zhang to express their gratitude.
Zhang nodded slightly, her face pale, and tried hard to force a smile at the villagers.
My heart ached.
She could still afford fifty or sixty taels, but that was Shu brocade.
I was preparing to make clothes for my son and daughter, using Shu brocade, which you might not be able to buy even if you have money.
She originally just wanted to use it as bait, thinking that it would eventually return to her hands.
I watched helplessly as the headman put away the two pieces of cloth.
Xu Heng also almost understood it.
Is it that Madam Jiang is very good at planning and strategizing, or is Zhang just too stupid?
He couldn't judge for a moment.
When Zhang thought the matter was over.
Unexpectedly, Lu Qingyao continued, "Mrs. Liu said yesterday that Mr. Liu had done many things that had wronged the villagers, and now he wants to make amends..."
With the precedent of donating money to build a school, the villagers' eyes lit up when they heard this.
Dozens of pairs of expectant eyes looked at Lu Qingyao.
Jiang Miaomiao also tilted her head in her brother's arms and listened with her ears perked up.
Zhang bit her lips, held the maid's hand tightly, and resisted the urge to cover Lu Qingyao's mouth.
I just hope she can show mercy.
No, be kind.
"Fellow villagers, Madam Liu wants to return all the land that you all borrowed money from and mortgaged to Mr. Liu at high interest rates, to fulfill her compassionate heart." Lu Qingyao raised her voice.
All the villagers inside and outside the door heard it.
Suddenly the atmosphere became boiling.
"I wrongly blamed Madam Liu before..."
"Good man, you really have a kind heart..."
"What a kind man!"
The villagers were generous with their praise.
Lead the children to kowtow to Zhang.
They didn't care whether Zhang was happy or not. There were so many people present, including the county magistrate.
As long as she doesn't say no, the matter will be settled.
When Zhang heard this, it was like a bolt from the blue.
Covering your heart.
She was almost fainted from anger and leaned on the maid.
My nails dug into my flesh and my palms were almost bleeding from pinching myself.
There was blood on her lips, blood on her palms, and blood dripping from her heart...
I had the urge to go up and strangle Lu Qingyao to death.
"Mrs. Liu... I'm sorry, I've already said everything I want to say. Do you have anything to add?" Lu Qingyao looked at her with a smile.
This smile made Zhang even angrier.
Only then did she realize that Lu Qingyao had been setting a trap for her since yesterday.
He actually saw through her from the beginning.
Therefore, if she had not insisted on giving away the two pieces of Shu brocade, none of this would have happened today.
At least there is still room for choice, and we won’t be so passive.
Lu Qingyao also predicted that as long as the Liu family still wanted to gain a foothold in Taoxi Village.
I can't say no.
It's really a case of losing both the wife and the army!
Zhang wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. Why was she so stupid?
After a long time, she finally stood up, her voice a little hoarse, "I'm not feeling well, I'm going back first."
I tried hard to force a smile, but it would definitely look uglier than crying.
"Everyone, go to my housekeeper tomorrow to get the land deed..."
After saying that, he staggered out of the Jiang family.
He had just walked a little way when a mouthful of blood spurted out.
"Madam..." Several maids were panicked.
A strong man picked her up and ran towards Liu's house.
The villagers got what they wanted and dispersed.
Xu Heng walked gently to Lu Qingyao's side and gave her a thumbs up, "Mrs. Jiang is so tall!"
He suddenly understood why Jiang Yunze, a scholar from a poor family, could thrive in the capital.
Mostly it’s thanks to this lady.
Too bad I'm blind...
"Master Xu, you are too kind. It's just like Jiang Taigong fishing, those who are willing to take the bait will be caught." Lu Qingyao smiled and took the babbling baby.
My daughter is really attached to her, it only took a short while.
He pounced on her with his fangs bared.
Xu Heng looked at Jiang Miaomiao and pinched her face as if possessed by some unknown force.
Jiang Miaomiao pouted.
Even if you are a county magistrate, you cannot pinch people's faces at will.
Seeing her like this, Xu Heng's heart almost melted.
He felt around his body and took out a Hetian jade pendant, which he stuffed into Jiang Miaomiao's hand.
"A welcome gift for the baby!"
It’s just a little cotton jacket.
He also wants to have a...
After saying that, he strode out the door.
The officers and soldiers followed closely behind.
Only their family and the Li brothers were left in the courtyard.
The two brothers opened their mouths wide and watched the officers and soldiers passing by them.
These people didn't even take them away!
Lu Qingyao originally wanted to call out to Xu Heng, but before she could open her mouth, he had already turned out of the alley.
I picked up the jade pendant and thought about returning it to him next time I went to town. I didn't know him well, so it was not right to accept things from him for no reason.
When Old Man Li and his wife and Liu Yu Niang arrived, the two brothers were still kneeling.
Lu Qingyao didn't let them get up.
As soon as Old Man Li saw his two sons, he slapped each of them in the face and kicked them twice.
"You bastards, have you grown up yet? You actually learned to steal things from others and even dared to frame them. I will beat you to death."
Then he kicked twice more.
Let them apologize to Lu Qingyao.
Liu Yu Niang was not happy about this. "What's the point of apologizing? You almost sent my sister-in-law to jail."
"Aunt, what do you think it will take for her to forgive them?"
When Liu Yu Niang saw the firewood in the yard, her eyes lit up. Her sister-in-law's family was worried about the lack of strong laborers. "Help my sister-in-law's family do the work for three months!"
Old man Li didn't give the brothers a chance to refute: "Three months is not enough, half a year..."
It’s all his fault that he is too busy and has no time to take care of the two children.
I was actually taken advantage of.
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