Chapter 161 - 161 She's Cutting Off Her Child's Future
161 She’s Cutting Off Her Child’s Future
The voice of the loyal servant, Chen An, came from outside the door. He carefully reminded the county magistrate that there were two lawsuits in the afternoon. The state of the grand master was very worrying.
“I know. Go get Concubine Mei and ask her to tie my hair and change my clothes.”
Magistrate Liu returned to his senses from his deranged state. He looked at the loose hair hanging down from his forehead and wiped his face before giving his orders.
Now that his first wife had become a burden to him, and Mei Xiang and the other concubines’ status were too low, they couldn’t be brought to the table at all, so it was time to look for candidates for the next wife of the county magistrate in advance.
Although Mei Xiang was this generation’s personal maidservant, she was also a smart and timid woman. She should know when to make a better choice.
Soon, the door of the study was lightly knocked a few times. After the county magistrate responded, his concubine Mei Xiang walked in.
She held a basin of water and a towel in her hands, while the little maidservant behind her held the magistrate’s official hat and boots.
“Eldest Master, I will first help you wipe your face and clean your body.”
Mei Xiang motioned for the maidservant to put the things down, and then personally wrung a hot towel and walked over to the magistrate to put it on his face. She pressed it down before taking it off.
The magistrate closed his eyes and let her do whatever she wanted. After wiping his face, she wiped his body and then helped him change his clothes.
“Mei Xiang, how many years has it been since I’ve taken you in?”
The magistrate suddenly asked.
“It has been five years, master.”
Mei Xiang’s heart skipped a beat. She had a bad premonition. The magistrate’s words were not without reason. When she thought of her wife’s current situation, her heart beat even faster.
“You should know who your real master is, right? Mei Xiang, I’ve always known that you’re a very smart person. I hope you won’t let me down.”
When the magistrate said this, Mei Xiang happened to be buttoning the last button of his official robe. Her hands trembled and she almost tore the button off.
She looked up in a panic, wanting to apologize, but she looked straight into a pair of cold eyes. She held her breath and her mind went blank.
Mei Xiang didn’t know how she walked out of the study. When she came back to her senses, she had already walked out to the courtyard.
The magistrate had already left the study to go to the court to investigate a case. She followed behind him. When the magistrate was not around, no one was allowed to enter the study.
Although Mei Xiang was standing under the hot sun, she couldn’t suppress the chill that was rising all over her body. She tried to rub her arms with her hands, trying to make herself feel a trace of warmth.
If she didn’t guess wrong, the first master’s meaning was for her to choose a side, but why did she have to choose a side?
The madam and he were both her masters, but once she started choosing sides, it meant that she could only have one master.
Mei Xiang shook her head hard to get rid of the terrible thought in her mind. Even though she tried hard not to think in that direction, she was already very clear in her heart that this family was going to change.
The county magistrate was in a good state of mind in the afternoon. The two cases were quickly investigated without any mistakes. This made the advisor, who had been on tenterhooks, finally let out a sigh of relief.
After leaving the hall, he tried to ask the magistrate, “Master, you had a good rest this afternoon and you seem to be in a good mood.”
The magistrate smiled and nodded. A nap at noon can indeed make one feel refreshed. I feel much better after waking up.
He was a decisive person. Since he had already made a decision, the next step was to put it into action. However, the plan had to be done more comprehensively so that no one would notice any clues.
The county magistrate did not feel guilty at all. Liu Wangshi had been childless for so many years, but he had not divorced her and remarried. He had already done his best. Now that she had become his biggest burden and obstacle, there was nothing wrong with him abandoning her.
The advisor didn’t know what the magistrate was thinking, but he was well aware of another matter, the magistrate’s greatest worry.
He hesitated for a moment, but still chose to lean in closer to the magistrate’s ear and whispered, “Master, I’ve heard some news recently. I wonder if you’d like to hear it.”
“Oh, what news?”
The county magistrate’s face had a faint smile, but after seeing the advisor’s expression, his smile gradually became dark.
“Is it related to her?”
He asked subconsciously.
“Old Master, that woman found a private tutor for her babies some time ago. Do you know who that person is?”
The advisor carefully said. As he spoke, he observed the county magistrate’s expression, afraid that if he said something wrong, he would be the one to blame.
That woman, Mo Ruyue, was the county magistrate’s biggest worry now. If he could solve this problem, he would become the person who the county magistrate relied on the most in the future.
With the eldest master’s ability to conduct himself, it would not be a problem for him to be promoted in the future. He would also benefit from it, which was the most important thing to him.
That person was Du Zhongheng, the Du Zhongheng who was the number one scholar in the world back then!
The advisor had taken the initiative to reveal the answer to the question, but the County Magistrate was momentarily at a loss for an answer. When he finally reacted, he read the name again before he revealed an expression of realization.
“You just said that she found Du Zhongheng to be a private tutor for her children?”
The magistrate repeated the question. He now understood why the advisor had given him this information, and it had been very timely and useful.
The name Du Zhongheng was simply shameful for all the students in the world. Although his talent was the best in the world, he actually dared to go against the world’s taboo and openly challenge the rules of etiquette. He was directly ordered by the Tian family to not participate in the imperial examination for the rest of his life.
Now, as long as his name was mentioned, which scholar wouldn’t spit at him fiercely? and Mo Ruyue had actually invited such a person to be her child’s private school teacher?
She was cutting off her child’s future!
The county magistrate smiled sinisterly. He suddenly realized that compared to framing Mo Ruyue, making a fuss about the people around her seemed to make her suffer more. Moreover, she had personally delivered this opportunity to him.
“Go, send a reliable person to investigate this matter thoroughly. I want the most detailed investigation report by tomorrow night.”
The magistrate looked at his private advisor and emphasized once more, “You must find a smart and reliable one. I don’t need that kind of one-track minded hothead. Mo Ruyue isn’t easy to get along with. Don’t ruin my plans.”
“Don’t worry, master. I’ll make sure everything’s arranged for you.”
The advisor’s face bloomed into a smile when he heard this, and he promised the magistrate repeatedly.
As he watched his private advisor leave to make arrangements, the magistrate stroked his beard and felt his mood improve.