"So my husband really didn't commit any crime; on the contrary, he performed a great deed!" The contrast was so stark that Su Xiaorong couldn't recover for a moment.
Sun Haoyu's face darkened upon hearing the words of Wang and her son.
"Ye Wang, are you and your son questioning my inability to distinguish right from wrong?"
"No, sir, but how could the princess..."
"Enough! Do the royal nobles have to report to you wherever they go?"
Hearing Sun Haoyu's accusation, Wang Dajiao quickly denied it.
"That's not what I meant, sir."
"Hmph, that's not what I meant. I think that's what you meant!"
"Old Zhang, open her mouth."
Ever since the Liangzhou rebellion, he had been fuming.
All the hardship had been piled upon him, and now he finally found a place to vent, he naturally wanted to let it out.
"Sir, please forgive us. I won't dare to speak nonsense again!"
"Hmph, you only realize it now. It's too late."
Old Zhang, a quick-witted man, slapped Wang Dajiao in the face without hesitation.
He made Wang Dajiao beg for mercy.
They say a girl's blush is more beautiful than anything, but Wang Dajiao's blush hurt more than anything.
"Sir, are you still going to slap that brat?"
Looking at Ye Qingshan's swollen head, Yamen Runner Zhang couldn't bring himself to do it.
Sun Haoyu hadn't noticed until he saw Ye Qingshan's face clearly, and was shocked.
"Who beat him?"
"Your Excellency, I beat him this morning for threatening to molest my wife, and I gave him a beating."
"Well, that was a good beating."
"Old Zhang, then, I won't beat him."
"It's all done, let's go back. Ye Ming, remember to come to me when you have time to pick up the deed."
It was just a shabby thatched cottage, and giving it to Ye Ming was a favor. After all, this brat had saved Princess Anyang, and maybe he could establish connections with the royal palace.
If he had said a few good words to Princess Anyang or the Crown Prince, perhaps he wouldn't have to serve as the irritated Qingshui County Magistrate.
With the matter settled, Sun Haoyu naturally didn't want to linger any longer. It's so uncomfortable to be freezing in this icy and snowy weather.
"My dear husband, I was not dreaming just now. The county magistrate came in person to help us with the household registration and gave us the house of Wu the hunter."
Ye Ming looked at Su Xiaorong's cute face and couldn't help but rub it.
Not to mention it was quite soft.
"Of course it's true. I helped him a lot."
If it weren't for those bandits seeking death, he would be forced to save Princess Anyang. If that silly girl died, his tenure as a county magistrate would be over.
"Brother Ming, did you kill the six bodies that the officers and soldiers were dragging?"
When he returned to the village, he saw several officers and soldiers dragging six bodies that were frozen into ice.
He thought that the officers and soldiers had killed some spies again, but he didn't expect that it was Ye Ming who killed the bandits.
"I killed them. I didn't want to interfere in their affairs, but they insisted on killing me. I can only fight back."
Liu Qiang originally thought that Ye Ming had killed one or two at most, but he didn't expect that he had killed them all.
There were several strong men there, especially the dark-faced one, who looked incredibly strong.
These bandits usually carried weapons, so he couldn't understand how Ye Ming had managed to kill them all with his bare hands.
"Husband, you weren't hurt, were you?"
"No, killing a few bandits is like chopping melons and vegetables."
"Ye Ming, you little bastard, you actually lied to me!" As soon as the county magistrate left, Wang Da Jiao's face regained its impertinent expression.
"How could I have lied to you?"
"You lied to me that you were guilty, and you asked me to clear you of any involvement!"
Ye Ming was furious, speechless.
How could someone be so shameless?
"When did I ever tell you I was guilty?"
Ye Qingshan, finding the confidence from nowhere, immediately stepped forward to testify.
"You said you killed someone. I heard you."
"Yes, my son Qingshan is right. You admit you did."
"Is killing someone a crime?"
"Don't you even think?"
"Xiao Rong, let's go."
Now free of Wang Da Jiao, Ye Ming didn't want to tangle with this odd couple any further.
"No, you can't leave. You tricked me into changing your household registration, and I don't recognize it!"
What a joke! If Ye Ming were to be let go right now, what would happen to her money?
"Yeah, you can't leave until you give us the money!"
Ye Qingshan still wanted to visit a brothel.
He hadn't been to a brothel in a long time since winter, when he couldn't make any money.
He couldn't bring himself to eat with the kind of woman Wang Zhaodi was.
"Brother Ming, there's no need to give them money now that you've separated from them."
Ye Ming really didn't need to give them money.
Wang Da Jiao could be dishonest, but Ye Ming couldn't. A man without trust cannot stand, and Ye Ming has always believed in this truth.
Thinking of this, Ye Ming pulled out eleven taels of silver from his pocket.
"Here are eleven taels of silver, as we agreed at the beginning." Ye Ming tossed it lightly into Ye Qingshan's arms.
"It's only eleven taels, you're giving it to a beggar. We agreed on thirty taels, not a penny less."
Seeing Wang Da Jiao's confused expression, Ye Ming couldn't bear it anymore and kicked her down. He stepped on her head.
"I'm willing to give you money because I'm not as dishonest as you, an old beast. Don't force me to kill you. I'm indebted to Prince Ping'an's mansion. Killing you two beasts won't hurt me!"
Ye Ming, who had killed people before, exuded a murderous aura. This aura made Wang Dajiao feel the fear of death. A yellow and white substance flowed from his body.
Ye Qingshan was so frightened that he dared not say a word.
"Alright, my lady, Brother Qiang, let's go."
Ye Ming released his footsteps on Wang Da Jiao's face and took Su Xiaorong's hand.
Wang Da Jiao only dared to stand up and curse after seeing Ye Ming disappear. But afterward, she took the silver from Ye Qingshan's arms, treating it like a treasure.
"Husband, are you really not hurt?"
"Really? If I were hurt, would I stand before you like nothing happened?"
"Then, my lady, is that princess pretty?"
Su Xiaorong had never seen much of the world. If it weren't for Ye Ming, the biggest challenge she'd ever faced was the village chief.
She was a little curious about the wealthy and powerful, who were born with no shortage of money and had their food, clothing, shelter, and transportation taken care of.
Did they look different from the common people like them?
"Not bad, but not as pretty as my wife."
Su Xiaorong simply hadn't grown up yet. After a while, if she grew up, she would definitely be prettier than that silly girl.
"My husband, you are teasing me again. How can I be prettier than the princess?"
"I'm not lying to you. My Xiaorong looks just as good as the princess when she's dressed up." Su Xiaorong kept asking like a curious baby along the way.
When she got home, she looked at the small thatched cottage in front of her and her mentality was completely different.
Now this was completely her home, and she felt a sense of belonging.
"This is my home, my first home with my husband."