"County Magistrate, I came to discuss the matter of Jingde and Xiaoran. You see..."
Yun Sanman said, glancing at Chen Fuqin, implying she should leave or discuss it separately.
Magistrate Chen waved his hand, "It's fine. This is my elder sister. It's good for her to hear it too!~"
Yun Sanman: "......"
Seeing the woman's sharp and overbearing face, and from her previous words, Yun Sanman knew she was a shrew.
"It's like this. I see that Jingde and Xiaoran get along well, and the two children have a good relationship. This is a good thing, and our family couldn't ask for more," Yun Sanman said with a smile, then voiced his concerns. "However, Jingde will have to learn the trade and open shops in the future, appearing in public as a merchant. And Xiaoran comes from an official family. If the two of them were to get engaged rashly, they might be criticized..."
In the Great Liang Kingdom, merchants were at the bottom of the social hierarchy, even below teachers.
Furthermore, the imperial court had explicit regulations that officials from the first to the ninth rank were not allowed to engage in trade or own their own businesses.
Therefore, many ministers in court conducted business and accumulated wealth through friends or relatives, none daring to openly open shops...
Magistrate Chen patted Yun Sanman's shoulder, "Sanman, your concern is unnecessary. In this day and age, which official doesn't do business on the side? If they relied solely on the meager salaries and subsidies from the court, they would have starved to death long ago!~"
"Don't worry, I've already considered this. Jingde can boldly conduct his business, and Xiaoran can manage the household and raise children. As long as they don't cause too much of a stir, the court will turn a blind eye and won't interfere..."
Moreover, Magistrate Chen had been an official for many years and had made many connections with influential figures in the court. If he couldn't even handle such a small matter, he would have lived in vain.
Little did they know, the "not causing too much of a stir" he mentioned would, in the future, be a complete slap in the face.
The stir not only became significant but even shocked the entire Great Liang Kingdom.
A merchant who started from nothing, a man of immense wealth and influence, Ming Yang Wanli, possessed countless treasures. Even if he wanted to live a low-key life, it was too late...
Yun Sanman gave a "hmm" and smiled, "Since that's the case, I'm relieved!~"
Xiao Xitian also smiled at Gao Jingde and Chen Xiaoran, feeling happy for them.
How fast time flies; her third nephew was about to get engaged.
She hoped there would be no more hiccups, and when they were both adults, they could happily get married...
Suddenly, Chen Fuqin spat and glanced coldly at Gao Jingde, "This poor boy wants to marry my niece? You're like a toad lusting after swan meat. Yu Gang, are you out of your mind? What future can these country bumpkins who dig in the dirt have? Can you bear to let Xiaoran go to your home to eat coarse grains, be bullied by her mother-in-law, and beaten by her father-in-law?"
Hmph, she didn't need to guess; she knew these country folk wanted to curry favor with her brother. Having a father-in-law who was a county magistrate was so impressive. Everyone would look up to them, wouldn't they...
Country folk are just country folk. Instead of staying in the village, they're always thinking of these crooked ways. She really looked down on them.
Magistrate Chen was furious upon hearing this and pointed at Chen Fuqin's nose, roaring, "You, you shut up! If you dare to blabber again, don't blame me for disregarding our sibling relationship and kicking you out!~"
It seemed Sanman was right to want to discuss this with him privately. With this good-for-nothing Chen Fuqin causing trouble, any good thing would be ruined by her...
Xiao Xitian and Gao Jingde also glared at Chen Fuqin with disgust and disdain.
This person truly lacked manners. Her words were as unpleasant and foul as if she had swallowed flies.
"Am I wrong?" Chen Fuqin stood up and pointed at Gao Jingde's clothes, "Look at yourself. This child is dressed so shabbily, and he's so quiet. He's been in the house for so long and hasn't even paid his respects or greeted me. He doesn't even know how to behave, yet he's thinking of my niece? Hah, he really dares to dream!~" https:/
Gao Jingde: "......"
Auntie, what did I do to offend you?
Besides, who are you? Why should I pay my respects to you?
"Auntie!"
Before Yun Sanman and Gao Jingde could retort, Xiao Xitian was the first to step forward, glaring at Chen Fuqin, "Let me ask you, what business is it of yours that we country folk eat by digging in the dirt? According to you, do country folk not deserve to marry or live?"
"Also, do you know our Yun family? You keep saying that Xiaoran will suffer from her mother-in-law and father-in-law if she marries into our family, that she'll be bullied and beaten. On what grounds are you slandering our family like this?"
"On what grounds?" Chen Fuqin snorted, raising her chin. "Just because you're too rustic and too shabby. You even take shortcuts to marry a wife, thinking that if you get the daughter of a county magistrate, you won't have to farm for the rest of your life, and you can just wait to eat ready-made meals, right?"
She had seen too many people like this. They were nothing more than those who wanted to gain without working, marrying a golden goose to keep at home...
Xiao Xitian almost laughed out loud upon hearing this. "Auntie, you are truly ridiculous. Which eye of yours saw our family eating ready-made meals? My third brother started opening shops and doing business a long time ago. He's hardly ever worked in the fields. The money he's saved is enough to raise Jingde and Xiaoran to adulthood. You don't know anything, yet you just spout off, and you choose the most malicious words to disgust us. You must live a very uncomfortable life, right?"
As soon as she said this, Chen Fuqin was furious...
She had argued with everyone and everything for years, but today she was insulted by a little child.
She felt her dignity and face shatter into pieces.
"You, you you..."
"You what?" Xiao Xitian put her hands on her hips, sticking out her neck. "People like you, who find fault in everything, are never satisfied. If you fart, you still sniff and think it's not the smell you like. You live such a hard life, why don't you just stop breathing and suffocate yourself!~"
"You, you insolent child!" Chen Fuqin roared in exasperation.
"Insolent about what?" Xiao Xitian hooked her lips, her small body exuding a powerful aura. "Let me tell you the truth. Our family has known Magistrate Uncle for so many years. Although we have received his favors, we have never thought of relying on this relationship to achieve great success or bring glory to our ancestors. My third nephew is a child with backbone and ambition. When he soars to success in the future, perhaps Magistrate Uncle will have to curry favor with him. What right do you have to mock my third nephew?"
Yun Sanman and the others were stunned...
Was this still the sweet-smiling, obedient, and sensible Sweet Treasure?
How did she suddenly learn to talk back?
However, Xiao Xitian's tongue was indeed sharp, and she had Chen Fuqin so flustered that she couldn't even speak.
It was quite satisfying, anyway.
At this moment, there was a muffled thud from behind the desk. Chen Fuqin, with a flushed face and clutching her chest, fell to the ground with a thud...