Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

From behind, Xin Quan’s intermittent curses still rang out, making Di Yelei’s face black as the bottom of a pot.

His fist clenched and then loosened, loosened and then clenched, just barely holding back the anger surging in his heart!

County Magistrate Su, who was patting his shoulder, laughed loudly: “Brother Di, don’t be angry. Isn’t Xin Quan relying on his uncle, who holds the position of Garrison Commander in Gongzhou, to do whatever he pleases? Hmph! Does he really think everyone is afraid of him?”

His words, rather than criticizing Xin Quan, were informing Di Yelei that there was a Garrison Commander behind Xin Quan.

Di Yelei’s face grew even darker, gritting his teeth and saying, “Even if his uncle is a Minister, the money from the armory allocated by the court this year must be coughed up!”

He also threw a soft nail back at them, neither too gentle nor too harsh.

Isn’t the current Minister Sisi’s god-grandfather?

He originally didn’t want to bring up the other party, but the other party pressed him step by step. Di Yelei was not raised without knowing adversity. Borrowing the god-grandfather’s name would do no harm!

County Magistrate Su’s mouth twitched slightly, how could he forget this matter?

If it weren’t for the fact that the other party was the god-granddaughter of the current Minister, would he have been so tolerant?

The intricate relationships in officialdom made people’s heads ache!

One must be careful not to make a wrong move, lest they inadvertently offend someone’s little brother’s aunt’s cousin’s neighbor or something like that, so they must tread cautiously, making sure not to make any mistakes!

“Brother Di, you can’t talk like that! As for the silver allocated by the court, as far as I know, there really isn’t much. Come on, Brother Di, sit down, it’s not too late to talk about it further when we sit down.”

County Magistrate Su pointed to the pavilion beside the corridor and the stone stool, gesturing for Di Yelei to sit down.

Di Yelei did not refuse, casually sitting down on the stone stool and waving at County Magistrate Su.

“Brother Su, you don’t have to try to defend him anymore! I have also seen the funds allocated by the court, there are as many as 10,000 taels. How can you say there’s not much?”

“Brother Di, you only know half the story.”

County Magistrate Su also sat down on the stone stool opposite him: “The court’s order did come down with 10,000 taels, that’s true. However, from the capital to the local level, each time it passes through someone’s hand, they take a cut as tribute. Layer upon layer of government exploiting and as such, when it finally arrives in our county, there’s nowhere near 10,000 taels left. If we can get two or three hundred taels to subsidize us and distribute it to our brothers, it’s already like our ancestors have accumulated virtue and burned incense…”

While saying this, County Magistrate Su sighed, “… Outsiders only see us officials full of prestige, but who can understand our misery? Who can imagine that we worry every day about when our heads might go missing?”

As he spoke, he even pointed to the person on his neck.

Di Yelei’s face was cold with a sneer!

No matter how eloquent the other party was, he remained unmoved, looking at him indifferently.

“Brother Su, are you finished? If you’re finished, I should go to the front to see what’s going on.” With that, he stood up from the stone stool and walked towards the pavilion’s exit.

County Magistrate Su was annoyed, had he been talking for nothing all this time?

“Hey! You, I say you…”

“Oh, I the Official did remember something.”

Di Yelei turned back to look at County Magistrate Su with a knowing look on his face: “I can’t control what’s happening to others, but as long as the court’s accounts show 10,000 taels, I, Di Yelei, will acknowledge it as 10,000 taels and nothing else concerns me! Brother Su, please excuse me!”

After saying that, he casually gave a fist greeting and strode towards the back hall of the county government.

Left behind, County Magistrate Su slowly stood up, his face gloomy as he watched Di Yelei’s retreating back, a fierce cold smile spread across his face.

“Well, Di Yelei, you don’t listen when I speak kindly, so let’s see how long you can remain stubborn as I force you to drink the wine of punishment!”

After Di Yelei returned to the back hall of the county government, he searched for Xin Quan but couldn’t find any trace of him.

Unable to restrain himself, he asked an old acquaintance about Xin Quan’s whereabouts and learned that Xin Quan had left the county government with Zhang Shixin, one following the other, shortly after Di had left and their whereabouts were unknown.

Damn it! He let him slip away again!

It seemed tomorrow he’d have to go to Xin Quan’s residence and wait for him again!

However, when did Xin Quan and Zhang Shixin start working together? Di Yelei frowned, feeling that Zhang Shixin was no good!

Tired after a long day and feeling disheartened, Di Yelei returned to the armory. He stared at the rusted iron door still covered in tendrils of climbing vines, scratched his nose, then dismounted and led his horse through the side door.

As soon as he entered, the noisy clamor once again came from the nearby flat-roofed house.

“Quick! Quick! Show your cards!”

“Stake your bets and don’t let go, stake your bets and don’t let go!”

“Deal the cards, deal the cards, and don’t dawdle…”

He closed his eyes, casually tossed the horse whip to Er Niu behind him and bent down to enter the flat-roofed house on the other side.

In the room, the few remaining weapons were neatly arranged, covered in tung oil and placed on the weapon shelves.

These were the few useful weapons that Di Yelei managed to rescue and concentrate here last time.

Seeing Di Yelei enter, Da Niu, who was wiping the weapons, quickly stood up: “Old Master.”

“Mmm, anything special happen today?”

Di Yelei casually sat down and picked up a long spear lying beside him to give it a flick!

The spear tip flashed coldly, and the entire silver spear transformed into a snake, suddenly coming to life and shooting out several flowers in the air, coiling and pointing diagonally! Emitting a faint trill, the trembling “buzz” lingered for a long time!

This scene left Da Niu and Er Niu dumbstruck! The two only felt a cold flash in front of their eyes, as if the silver snake had rushed directly at them.

“Good! Lord Di’s martial arts are truly extraordinary!”

Outside the door came a voice of praise, and the three quickly turned around only to see Old Tang walking in from outside, clapping his thin, withered hands loosely.

“Old Tang, you flatter me.”

Di Yelei quickly put down the silver spear and greeted Old Tang with a fist.

“No, no… it’s just a pity, such a pity!” Old Man Tang shook his head and swayed as he spoke.

“Old Tang, what do you mean?”

Old Man Tang’s eyes widened, “Nowadays, the world is at peace, and there has been no war in Macheng County for many years. Lord Di has great skills but no chance to serve the court. Isn’t that a pity?”

So that’s what he meant! Di Yelei couldn’t help but laugh!

“Old Tang, you’re wrong there. Since there’s been no war in Macheng County for many years, don’t our common people live and work in peace and contentment?”