The Anarchic Consort

“What’s the matter?” the imperial officials asked.

After running back and forth, the servant’s eyes went wide in disbelief and he said, “My Lord, please go have a look quickly, there’s water!”

There’s water?

Everyone knows that it is the rarest thing to find water in Fuping County.

There’s water in the rice fields now?

Where did the water come from?

The imperial officials were dubitative, hence they slowly paced toward the direction of rice fields. They could see water flowing out continuously from the bamboo pipe, while the other end of the bamboo pipe was actually connected to the lowest-lying part of the river!?

How could this be?!

Everybody was caught off guard, their faces registering shock!

The few farmers who came after the officials could not believe their own eyes, they started tearing up in excitement!

“This, where did the water come from?” The villagers were so overwhelmed with happiness that they stumbled upon words.

“The Private Advisor Long beside Lord Wei!” someone shouted, “He asked people to bury the pipes and finally succeeded in channeling water to the rice fields!”

The Private Advisor Long beside Lord Wei?

Doesn’t that mean it’s Lord Wei herself?

They looked back at the direction of Helian Wei Wei.

There were glances of admiration, astonishment and most of all, awkward glances!

It was such an embarrassment to the ego of Magistrate Liao!

He came to the rice fields with the initial intention to see Lord Wei make a fool of himself, but what happened in the end!

He actually created an opportunity for Lord Wei to enjoy the limelight!

It turned out that he was the one who was humiliated instead!

Magistrate Liao only wished he could dig a hole and hide when he met the glances of his colleagues. All he could think about now was to leave this place as soon as possible!

Unfortunately, life does not work that way, especially not in front of His Highness. So, you want to run after bullying his people? You will have to ask if he’s willing to let you go!

It was His Highness’ usual style to return tit for tat, which was why the elders in the Capital most feared him.

The officials in the provincial capital had yet to know Baili Jia Jue’s identity. If they did, they would not want to be any part of the matter in Fuping District, regardless of how much benefits Magistrate Liao would give them.

“My Lord, this place is too crowded, let’s head back before these unruly commoners injure anyone of you.” Seeing this situation, Old Master Yan immediately stepped out to help Magistrate Liao out of embarrassment.

To his surprise, as soon as he said that, a voice with a thick village accent barked, “We’re forced to become unruly commoners because of you, you shameless man!”

“You, you… where are you from? I don’t know you at all, don’t you dare slander me!” Old Master Yan yelled back.

Old Man Liu could not take it anymore, he threw the hoe in his hands on the ground.

“Yan! You have been in league with the magistrate all these years. God knows how many dirty things both of you have done behind our backs. You agitated the public to fix the road so that you can cash in on the project! All sizes of the roads in Fuping County have been fixed in these three years’ time, but our lives are getting worse and worse! Apart from your sole authority in Fuping District, we have to send any girl you like to your house, or else our family will not be able to live in peace! Do you really think that there are no laws in this land?”

Old Master Yan felt restless looking at the glances around him. He could not help but take a step backward, holding his big belly and pointing at Old Man Liu as a warning. “Watch your words! All my marriages are based on mutual consent. How can you turn your back on me after accepting the money? You’ve already taken the dowry, but now you’re saying that your family can’t live in peace because of me. This is such deliberate wrongdoing after accepting my money! My Lord, please set things straight for me!”

Old Man Liu never thought he had the effrontery to say that, his eyes turned red in anger upon hearing the word ‘dowry’. “We didn’t want your 10 silvers at all! Do you think you’re buying livestock?”

10 silvers?

Is he even paying for dowry?

This is simply a humiliation!

The expressions of some officials who were on the scene changed, thinking that this man with surname Yan is well out of order. If he’s really fond of the lady, he could have just given her more pennies. Why must he render the situation so much worse!

Old Master Yan explained, “So you think it’s too little, that’s okay, I’ll make up the money for you. Why must you make a false accusation against me? Let me tell you, Old Man Liu. I’m not a pushover and I will not ignore this and let you slander me!”

“You!” Old Man Liu’s face turned green with anger.

Old Master Yan was still pretending to be righteous and said, “Some people have been under the pressure of poverty for so long, so he wanted to take advantage of me even though I lent him a helping hand before. I can understand all these and I’m too lazy to bother about it. Old Man Liu, regardless of how, you have to be responsible for slandering me around the public…”

Bang!

Before Old Master Yan could finish his sentence, Helian Wei Wei, who had been keeping silent the whole time, lifted her leg and kicked the chest area of Old Master Yan.

One kick was not enough for her to let off her steam, thus she gave him a second kick!

Old Master Yan was originally standing with his shoulders back and his chest out, still pretending to be rich. After being kicked by her, he curled up in great pain.

No one expected Helian Wei Wei to strike a blow. All the imperial officials were appalled by her sudden movement, especially Magistrate Liao.

He flew into a rage in an instant and yelled at Helian Wei Wei, “Lord Wei! What are you doing? Do you know who’s the man you’re beating up! He’s the person who can help Fuping County the most in eliminating poverty!”

“The person who can help Fuping County the most in eliminating poverty?” Helian Wei Wei threw a mocking glance at Magistrate Liao and slowly grabbed him by his collar. “I’ve seen a lot of people, but I’ve never seen anyone as cheap as him. He only paid 10 silvers yet he dared to say he has paid the dowry and spread words to the public about how he has helped them. All the good ladies in Fuping County are suffering because of you! You’re just a beast hiding under human skin, how dare you take the credit for somebody’s achievement! Old Master Yan, explain to me, why do you keep disturbing the Liu family, again and again, hiring three big guys to beat up a woman?”

Old Master Yan was at a loss for words after being kicked twice by Helian Wei Wei. He felt intense pain on his body and turned to look at Magistrate Liao, blood trickling from his mouth.

Magistrate Liao was just about to help him out before he heard someone among the commoners shouted aloud, “Let Yan give us an explanation! He himself knows how much dirty stuff he has done over the years!”

Old Master Yan was annoyed by the commoners who were creating a disturbance and could not help showing his true colors. He was swollen with arrogance and said, “I pay to sleep with women, why do I have to explain? I despise all of you, making a fuss about my personal life once there’s a problem. I didn’t kill anyone, nor did I commit arson, I just do my business conscientiously and it’s not even a crime. Has Lord Wei thought carefully about the consequences of kicking me?”

“Consequences?” Helian Wei Wei sneered and said, “Is Old Master Yan threatening me now? Who actually gives you the courage to threaten me, an imperial official, in front of the imperial officials from the provincial capital?”