The county magistrate hummed a song in his sedan chair, leisurely returning home. Thinking of his beloved concubine waiting for him, he couldn't help but smile.
Suddenly, the sedan chair stopped. Caught off guard, he lurched forward, nearly tumbling out. The thought of falling in front of so many people and damaging his official dignity sent a surge of anger through him. Before he could utter a reprimand, he heard the bearers shout, "Who dares block the county magistrate's sedan chair? Are you tired of living?"
"Your Honor, it's me. I was driven out by Li Zixin and wanted to come to the county office to find you and ask about the situation. I didn't expect those yamen runners to turn their backs on me and throw me out. I had no choice but to resort to this method. Please forgive me." Uncle Li stepped around the people in front and approached the sedan chair respectfully.
As soon as he heard the voice, the magistrate knew who it was. If he hadn't seen him, it would have been fine, but seeing him brought back the humiliation he had suffered that morning, and his heart began to ache again. He knew that if he didn't give this rogue an explanation, the other party would continue to block his way.
So he said unhappily, "Being able to get out of prison naturally means I've investigated the whole story and know he's innocent. And you, you usurped his nest. I once received evidence from him, stating you harmed his parents. I didn't believe it at the time, but the evidence should still be in my study. The next time I see you, I will definitely bring out the evidence and conduct a thorough interrogation."
After saying this, he ordered his servants to quickly carry the sedan chair home. He was already hungry and didn't want to waste time with irrelevant people.
Uncle Li stood frozen, breaking out in a cold sweat. He understood the magistrate's meaning. The magistrate knew everything he had done. How could he still question him? His words clearly indicated that he knew Uncle Li had indeed harmed his brother's family, and if he continued to pester them, he would be thrown directly into prison. If he knew his place, he should leave and never show his face again, and the magistrate would pretend nothing had happened.
Even though he was unwilling and didn't understand the truth of the matter, with nowhere else to go, he had no choice but to reluctantly walk out of the city again. The sun was about to set, and if he moved too slowly, the city gates would close, and with no money, he would have to wander the streets.
"I said that as long as my two benefactors can help me get revenge, this Li family will be yours. I haven't been back in a long time, and I don't know how much of the property that prodigal son has squandered. But a starved camel is still bigger than a horse; it should be enough for you to live the rest of your lives without worry." Li Zixin directly ordered someone to hand the account book to Wu Caiwei.
Wu Caiwei flipped through it casually, surprised. She had initially thought the Li family was just an ordinary merchant family in the city. She hadn't expected that in the past period, his uncle had squandered six shops, yet there were still over twenty. Coupled with their family's long-term accumulation, this was an immeasurable fortune. She hadn't expected the other party to be willing to give it away so readily. When she took the account book just now, she was merely testing him, and there was no trace of resentment or unwillingness in his expression.
She couldn't help but sigh. Uncle Li was truly insatiably greedy. She believed that when the Li couple was alive, they must have helped him a lot. Otherwise, with his personality, he wouldn't have been able to live peacefully in the countryside for so many years without his family being ruined.
He had originally intended to send someone to the countryside to teach Uncle Li a lesson, but now it seemed unnecessary. He believed that his end would be miserable soon, as someone accustomed to living lavishly wouldn't change easily.
The account book returned to his hands, Li Zixin couldn't help but look up, his eyes full of surprise. He didn't understand what she meant.
"Although our property isn't as much as yours, for us as a couple, as long as we have enough money, that's fine. We want to help you because we are fated. Don't think that just because I agreed just now, I actually wanted your property. However, rest assured, since we've decided to protect you, we will stay at the Li family's residence for a while and won't let the county magistrate's men retaliate."
"Do you think I'm giving too little? But this is all I have. Since I made that promise back then, I should keep my word. Don't worry, though I don't have a large fortune, I have this set of skills taught to me by my parents. I didn't want to leave before because my parents' revenge was not yet taken, and I was unwilling. Knowing that you are capable people, as long as you promise, you will surely avenge me, and I will be at ease." This was Li Zixin's heartfelt wish. Even if they didn't avenge him, he would still give them the Li family.
He thought he would never get out of the dark prison in this lifetime, but he never expected to see the light of day again, and even reclaim the Li family's property. They were his greatest benefactors. Let alone his property, even his life, he would offer with both hands after his revenge was achieved.
Wu Caiwei knew that she couldn't reason with him. If she didn't accept his gift today, he would feel uneasy. So, she said reluctantly, "We are both lazy people, we don't know how to do business and are too lazy to manage. Since you have nowhere to go, why don't you help us manage the Li family's shops?"
Li Zixin hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He wanted to see the fate of the county magistrate and Uncle Li. Moreover, he indeed had no travel expenses, and the Li family was where he grew up, so he was reluctant to part with it. This job was the best choice for him at the moment. So he nodded firmly, secretly vowing to manage the Li family well and relieve them of any worries.
The county magistrate had long ago inquired about the Li family's assets. Every time he walked on the street and saw the bustling Li family shops, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. If these shops had fallen into his hands and been presented to the Second Prince, he would surely have been rewarded. Yes, although he had imprisoned Li Zixin and let Uncle Li manage the Li family, he had never intended to let things go.
He just didn't want to attract attention and wanted to deal with Li Zixin first. After Uncle Li outwardly ruined the Li family, he would secretly take over. This way, he could acquire the property without anyone noticing. He hadn't expected Wu Caiwei to interfere.
Especially when he heard that the Li family's shops had recently launched new products that were very popular, and money was flowing in like water, his heart ached unbearably. This money should have been his, but now it was flowing into someone else's pocket, especially into the pockets of his nominal enemies.
After the important letters were lost, they seemed to have vanished into thin air. At first, he didn't suspect Wu Caiwei and her husband, as they were in prison and no one saw them leave. But after seeing her formidable martial arts that time, he changed his mind. Perhaps it was this couple.
They had quietly entered his study, stolen the items, and then quietly slipped back into prison. Although he felt this possibility was very slim, as a county magistrate, sometimes the seemingly impossible was the truth. He didn't want to let go of any clue, and had been keeping them under surveillance.