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“How dare you! I am the Magistrate’s wife, you outrageous lot! Surrounding an official’s family is no minor crime. It’s enough to throw you all into the deepest cells of the prison. It would be wiser for your master to come and speak to me directly. Otherwise, you shall regret it.”

“If you want our master to come and talk, even if you truly were the Magistrate’s wife, you wouldn’t be qualified. What’s more for an impostor like you. You keep claiming to be the Magistrate’s wife, but do you have any proof?”

“What more proof do I need? I am indeed the Magistrate’s wife, genuine and irreplaceable. Do I need to prove myself to a mere servant?” The Magistrate’s wife was getting more irritated. Since when was it a servant girl’s place to question her? It wasn’t that there was no evidence; she simply felt a servant girl was not worthy to demand it.

However, the old woman accompanying the Magistrate’s wife sensed something amiss. Madam’s identity document was in her keeping, carried whenever they traveled in case of emergency. When she went to look for it now, it was gone, and her face went pale with fear.

“Madam, your identity document is missing.”

“What did you say? Wasn’t my identity document well kept with you? How could it go missing?!” Mrs. Zhang realized upon hearing that her identity document was gone that this was a trap designed specifically for her, and she began to feel panicked.

“Madam, I checked everything before we left, and I truly don’t know how it disappeared.” The old woman knelt on the ground, her face struck with terror, fully aware that they had fallen into someone else’s trap, and certain that with the Madam’s temperament, she would not be spared.

“Hmph, what do you mean ‘missing’? How can something as crucial as an identity document just vanish? It’s clear you’re making a farce to deceive us, nothing but a bunch of liars! Servants, seize these duplicitous scammers and take them to the County government!”

“We are not scammers! Let Su Wenyue come out, she can prove our identity.”

“Still trying to deceive us? The Miss is pregnant at the moment, who knows what schemes you might be harboring. We dare not risk letting the Miss come out. Say whatever you have to say to the Magistrate.”

Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Sun had not expected the Su Family to do more than make idle threats, yet they truly dared to do so. They were actually tied up and delivered to the County government. They were not afraid of going to the County government, in fact, they planned to demand that Magistrate Chu severely penalize the people of the Su Family. But being tied up and sent off in such a manner was deeply humiliating.

“You bunch of scoundrels! How dare you treat me in this way? When we arrive at the County government, I will ensure that you are all punished!” Mrs. Zhang had truly been shaken today. The verbal affronts were one thing, but being escorted to the County government like a criminal was unprecedented in her life. She feared that her name would become notorious throughout the Daming Dynasty for being captured by a mere merchant. Even if the culprits were punished later, the honor she had lost would not be restored.

“Shut your mouth, or I will gag you with stinky socks!” one of the guards said, upon seeing that the Magistrate’s wife and Mrs. Wang Sun would not quiet down. His threat managed to silence Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Sun.

Xiao Xi had heard about the Magistrate’s wife’s arrival and had raced to the front of the Mansion gates to watch. Had she not been worried about Mrs. Wang Sun spotting her, she might have even wanted to take matters into her own hands. She returned quite excited, speaking about the pitiful states of both the Magistrate’s wife and Mrs. Wang Sun.

“Miss, you should have seen how ridiculous the Magistrate’s wife and Mrs. Sun looked. They truly thought the servants had mistaken their identity, shouting for you to come out and provoking a fight with the mansion’s bodyguards. They were shouting and yelling as they were being led away.” The more Xiao Xi spoke, the more satisfied she felt. Her description was lively and animated,

“Was it really that funny? We have truly offended the Magistrate’s wife this time!” said Su Wenyue with a smile on her face. These days, she had been worried about the Magistrate’s wife and Mrs. Wang Sun. Had the old Madam not come, she would have had to figure out how to deal with them on her own. Now that the Magistrate’s wife and Mrs. Wang Sun had been dealt with in such a manner, she naturally felt vindicated.

“My daughter, you needn’t worry. This was also the intention of your Grandmother. With your Grandmother in support, neither Mrs. Zhang nor Mrs. Sun will be able to stir trouble. You just need to take good care of the baby in your stomach.”

“Mother, I understand. I felt at ease as soon as I saw Grandmother today. When it comes to strategies, I am not afraid. The Magistrate’s wife can only suppress me with her status, but in other respects, I am unafraid.” And it was true; Su Wenyue was fully aware of her Grandmother’s and Mother’s orchestration and had not tried to stop them, allowing the Magistrate’s wife and Mrs. Wang Sun to suffer such embarrassment.

“Mother, Grandmother seems to have a bias against my husband.” Su Wenyue said, worry evident on her face. That morning, Han Yu had accompanied her, but Grandmother had only wanted to see her, without any intention to meet Han Yu. Grandmother had asked about her and the child in her womb, deliberately ignoring any mention of the child’s father.

“Your Grandmother isn’t singling out Han Yu; she is simply dissatisfied with your Grandfather’s arrangements. Even I thought the son-in-law’s status was a bit low, let alone your Grandmother. She feels the same now, having her beloved granddaughter marry a farmer is understandably displeasing. Don’t worry, your husband is both skilled and of good character. Once your Grandmother gets to know him better, she will change her mind,” Madam Su consoled her daughter, noting that her daughter had truly grown up,

“I can only hope. But Mother, now it seems you favor my son-in-law over me! You’re always on his side, letting him control me tightly, and even the servants at home listen to him.” Su Wenyue let go of her worries and began to complain while holding onto Madam An’s arm. She didn’t believe for a second that her mother wasn’t involved in some way; it was likely her mother had instructed them.

“It’s for your own good. Your wild and mischievous nature needs to be managed, otherwise, you would turn the world upside down. Moreover, you’re about to become a mother. Your husband is just being cautious, which is why he asked me for help. Trust in your mother’s methods – a servant that leaves the Su Family will still take your side when it counts.”

Su Wenyue’s eyes twirled as she thought, sure enough, she knew Han Yu was cunning – going behind her back to her mother to ask for people.

While the mother and daughter of the Su Family were having a warm conversation, Mrs. Zhang and her daughter were being escorted to the County government by the Su Family’s servants. The servants of the Su Family sounded the grievance drum, prompting the Magistrate to preside over the hearing. Upon glancing at the scene below, he was taken aback, thinking his eyes were deceiving him. After closer inspection, and realizing that it was indeed the Magistrate’s wife, he immediately ordered that the bonds on Mrs. Zhang and her daughter be loosened.

“This subordinate pays respects to the Magistrate’s wife. What is happening here? How could the Magistrate’s wife be bound and brought before the court?” Magistrate Chu said, his gaze sharp as he turned it upon the servants of the Su Mansion, not recognizing that those who had brought in Mrs. Zhang were the bodyguards from the old Madam’s retinue.

“Lord Chu, these audacious villains dared to lay their hands on me. You must arrest them at once!” Mrs. Zhang was quick to lash out upon seeing Magistrate Chu, demanding that he apprehend the servants of Su Family and commit them to the depths of the prison.