However, before Old Man Zhang could step forward, a carriage came into view. A female voice from inside the carriage barked, "Shen Jingui, have you been spreading the rumor that I'm dead everywhere?"
Old Man Zhang looked up and saw that the coachman was Xuan Zhi, whom he hadn't seen for many days.
Xuan Zhi jumped off the carriage and opened the curtain. A plain - dressed, rather plump woman stepped out. Her face was well - nourished, rosy and glowing, looking as if she had been living a comfortable life.
Yuan Bao, who was holding Shen Yuning's hand, suddenly let go. She took a step forward, then hesitated and took another step, tilting her head, hardly daring to recognize the woman.
The woman spotted Yuan Bao at a glance. Her eyes welled up with tears and she rushed over, crying out, "Yuan Bao, my child..."
Yuan Bao's tears streamed down. In fact, when her mother was around before, life wasn't that good. Her father was extremely fierce and her mother was overly submissive. Sometimes, when her mother was in a bad mood, she would take it out on Yuan Bao. But after her mother left, she realized that a child without a mother was truly like a weed. If it weren't for her aunt and the second uncle who came to take them away, she might have died long ago.
The woman was Ye Cuigu. She hugged Yuan Bao and wailed loudly. The on - looking villagers were stunned. Gradually, they figured out that this woman was the wife the beggar on the ground had claimed was dead.
The moment Shen Jingui saw Ye Cuigu, he was so scared that his soul almost left his body. He didn't dare to continue causing a scene. He got up and tried to run, but Xuan Zhi grabbed his wrist.
"Shen Jingui, don't you recognize her?"
Only then did Ye Cuigu come to her senses. She wiped the tears off her face and stepped forward to spit hard at Shen Jingui. "Thanks to you, I'm not dead. I'm living a good life! Well, are you quite surprised?"
Shen Jingui shook his head awkwardly. "How... How could that be, Cuigu... Look, you're looking so good now. You look much better than when you were with me... I... I didn't harm you, right?"
Ye Cuigu sneered repeatedly. "You didn't harm me? When I was that sick, you were so heartless that you wanted to sell me to a brothel. Shen Jingui, I swore at that time that even if I became a ghost, I wouldn't let you off."
Shen Jingui trembled like a sieve. "You... I didn't sell you. I even picked a good family for you."
Ye Cuigu spat at him again. "You didn't sell me? It was just that Black Tooth didn't take a fancy to me and was only willing to pay one tael of silver. You thought it was too little, so you didn't sell me. And the good family you picked for me? You lied and said I gave birth to three sons for you, that every child born from my womb was a son, and you cheated fifteen taels from that family."
Only then did Shen Yuning understand that there was such a story behind it.
Shen Jingui couldn't move. He stammered and continued, "But now, look, you're living a good life. Why did you come back?"
Ye Cuigu was in tears, gasping for breath between sobs. "Why did I come back? I came back to take your dog's life! Do you know how I've been living these past one - plus years? I'm not good - looking and have been sick all the time. I cost the master so much money. He was unhappy and took it out on me. The mistress disliked that I couldn't give birth for a long time and also took it out on me. Do you know how I endured all this?"
She wiped her tears forcefully. "However, thanks to your 'good words', I got pregnant! For ten months of pregnancy, I was worried for ten months. If I didn't give birth to a son, I would have ended up like the other concubines of the master. I wouldn't even know how I died! Fortunately, I gave birth to a son. Hahaha, Shen Jingui, you never thought that I would be so lucky in that family. I gave birth to a big, fat son on my first try. Now, everyone in the family dotes on me!"
Yuan Bao was originally immersed in the joy of reuniting with her mother. But after hearing her words, she suddenly shivered. On this hot day in May, a chill rose from the bottom of her heart. She clenched her fingers so tightly that they dug into her flesh, but she didn't even notice.
Someone patted her on the shoulder. She turned around and saw Shen Yuning. Her tears fell like rain. "Aunt."
Shen Yuning squatted down and held her hand tightly. "Yuan Bao, you have us."
Yuan Bao twitched the corner of her mouth, trying to smile, but her tears flowed even more fiercely. She just nodded vigorously.
Over there, Shen Jingui quickly defended himself. "You... You've got good fortune. If I hadn't sold you, how could you have gotten such good fortune?"
Ye Cuigu glared at him angrily. "Shen Jingui, now I know that you had no right to sell me, let alone make me be someone else's concubine. Give me back the silver you got from selling me back then!"
Shen Jingui had no money. He trembled and pointed at Shen Yuning. "She's my younger sister. Go ask her for it, go ask her..."
Since Ye Cuigu was found by Xuan Zhi, she naturally wouldn't trouble Shen Yuning. She turned around, searched with her eyes, and fixed her gaze on Chen Wenwei, the most decently - dressed person here. She knelt down with a thud.
Her voice was extremely sorrowful. She kowtowed several times forcefully. "Please, my lord, do justice for this common woman. I want to sue this ex - husband of mine, Shen Jingui. He has beaten people, killed people, sold his younger sister before, and also sold me. Now, the bastard even wants to sell his own daughter. Yuan Bao... Yuan Bao..."
She turned around, with teary eyes, trying to call Yuan Bao over. But Yuan Bao just took a step back and hid behind Shen Yuning, not willing to look at her.
Ye Cuigu's eyes dimmed a bit, but she didn't say anything. She still sobbed to Chen Wenwei, "Yuan Bao is so pitiful. Fortunately, her aunt is willing to raise her... Please, my lord, don't let this evil - doer, Shen Jingui, harm my daughter anymore."
Chen Wenwei frowned and nodded. "You said Shen Jingui killed someone and sold you?"
"Yes, it was on the way back from exile. The reason I fell ill was that I witnessed him killing someone. It was a person who was exiled with us. That person's family gave some silver. Shen Jingui was jealous, so he pushed him into the moat when he wasn't paying attention. And he sold me. I was so sick and drowsy at that time. It was him who grabbed my hand and made me press my fingerprint on the sales contract!"
Shen Jingui hurriedly shouted, "Nonsense... Nonsense. He... He accidentally fell into the moat by himself. It has nothing to do with me! My lord, please see clearly!"
Chen Wenwei raised his eyebrows. "Whether it's clear or not will be determined after an investigation. Moreover, now that there are both witnesses and evidence of you selling your wife, you can't deny it. Come, arrest Shen Jingui first!"
Shen Yuning watched as the yamen runners came and dragged the reluctant Shen Jingui away. Her heart felt heavy. In fact, if it weren't for Shen Jingui's own misdeeds, with her own ability alone, she would never have been able to get rid of such a blood - sucking relative.
But there are so many women in the world who rely on their fathers, brothers, and husbands. Their entire fates are in the hands of their relatives, and they can't break free.
This chaotic matter finally had a somewhat satisfactory ending. Shen Yuning arranged for the villagers from the small village to go back first. The Zhang family accompanied Shen Yuning and Yuan Bao and temporarily stayed in Yun County. They would wait until Shen Jingui's case was judged, and then Yuan Bao could reunite with Ye Cuigu.
Xuan Zhi quickly booked an inn. He specifically reserved a courtyard and arranged for the family to stay there. Then he ordered a simple meal. Everyone had been hungry for a whole day. The adults were okay, but the two children must be extremely hungry. It wasn't dinner time yet, so they could have something to fill their stomachs first.
Shen Yuning had rushed back from Maohe County to Xitian Town without a break, and then set off for Yun County. She was really exhausted. Now, she didn't even want to eat. She took a good bath and then just lay in bed, staring blankly.
The events of today flashed through her mind one by one. She couldn't fall asleep for a while, just staring at the bed canopy. The social atmosphere in Ling City was quite good. It was said that other prefectures in the Great Zhou Dynasty also followed its example, but compared with the decisive Ling City, they were still far behind.
Her plan was to open Shen's Embroidery Workshop all over the Great Zhou Dynasty and spread the laws regarding women and children throughout the country. Although there were still many unreasonable parts, she would do what she could.
If only women could register households independently one day.
While she was lost in thought, a figure flashed in front of her eyes. Shen Yuning was startled. She quickly grabbed the thin quilt beside her and covered herself. Since she was alone in the room, she was only wearing her inner clothes, which were very thin. And because it was so hot, the collar of her clothes was loose after taking a bath.
Shen Yuning covered her neck with the quilt and then noticed that the person who had awkwardly turned his face away was Xuan Zhi.
She said angrily, "Don't you know how to knock before entering?"
Xuan Zhi's face was as red as a ripe apple. He unconsciously touched his nose and paced to the window to open it for some fresh air. Then he thought it was wrong. Shen Yuning was still in bed. Drafts could make her sick.
He quickly closed the window and went to the table to pour himself a glass of water. He stammered an explanation, "I knocked for a long time but didn't hear a response. I was afraid... afraid something had happened to you, so I came in. And besides, you didn't even close the door."
Shen Yuning was taken aback and felt embarrassed too. She was a bit exhausted and absent - minded. She had been so careless that she had forgotten to close the door. Fortunately, everyone in the small courtyard was family. She probably didn't hear Xuan Zhi knocking because she was so immersed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice.
She scolded, "Hurry up and get out."
Xuan Zhi blinked his eyes and only then realized that it was inappropriate for him to be there. He quickly backed out of the door and thoughtfully closed it for her.
But his heart was pounding and he couldn't calm down. His mind was filled with the large expanse of snow - white skin he had just seen. He had always known that Sister Yuning was beautiful. In the past, he just liked to follow his sister and watch her concentrating on her work.
When his sister was dedicated, he also wanted to be dedicated and hoped to share more for his sister.
But today, he felt that there seemed to be something new in his heart. Just now, he didn't know why, but he wanted to touch her, hug her, and melt her into his own body.
Xuan Zhi shook his head forcefully. He was a bit panicked and felt that his thoughts had become extremely dirty. He usually despised Shen Jingui so much. Did he, too, become a lecher like Shen Jingui now?
Shen Yuning put on her clothes. She casually tied her long hair up at the back of her head without doing a proper hair - style. Her hair strands fell on her shoulders. When she opened the door, a gentle breeze blew by.
No wonder that Lord Wan said that Yuning was a celestial maiden from the Ninth Heaven.
Xuan Zhi's heart beat even more violently.
Shen Yuning looked at him curiously. "Xuan Zhi, did you come to see me for something?"
Xuan Zhi's face, which had just returned to its normal color, suddenly turned completely red again. The usually bold him was so scared that he couldn't say a single word.
He turned around and ran away at full speed.