Chapter Twelve: The County Magistrate Relies on Mountain

  The master of the house lost his composure, and as a servant, Chen naturally couldn't be much better.

  Chen Si Liu stood in the front hall, his face ashen and his eyes vacant. Chen Guan stood before him, but after a long while, he still hadn't given any orders. Chen Guan quietly retreated a few steps, backing out of the front hall and slowly making his way to the main gate. The servants saw him and hastened to pay their respects, their attitudes humble and fearful. But Chen Guan didn't react at all, his face stiff as he let out a soft sigh.

  The Chen family is on the verge of collapse, and even the master of the house faces imprisonment. When a nest is overturned, can any egg remain intact? How much longer can I, as the steward of this Chen estate, continue to enjoy my glory?

  The news that Chen's family had offended the newly appointed county magistrate had already spread within the Chen household, and while everyone was busy with their own tasks, they all wore anxious and fearful expressions. They watched as he rose to power, and they watched as his fortunes fell; the rise and fall of a merchant's family often depended on just one word from an official.

  In the front hall, Chen Si Liu gazed at the flickering candlelight, let out a long sigh that sounded like a sob, covered his plump face with both hands, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

  At some point, a pair of slender hands pressed down on Chen Siliu's trembling shoulders, slowly massaging them as if to calm his emotions.

  "Dad, is it really beyond salvation?" The voice was soft and gentle, but mixed with intense anxiety.

  "Swallow, the Chen family is in great trouble... Ning's mistake this time is not small."

  Chen Ying'er bit her lower lip, thinly angry: "Second brother is also too ignorant! I've warned him early on that we're a merchant family, even if our wealth is vast, we can't be arrogant and domineering outside. There are really too many big shots in this world that we can't afford to offend, but he just won't listen..."

  Chen Siliu's pale face also floated with a few points of anger: "I, Chen Siliu, don't know what evil I did in my previous life to give birth to such an evil son! I... I really wish I could beat him to death!"

  Chen Ying'er hastily massaged Chen Si Liu's shoulders and softly said: "Father, don't get angry and hurt your body. The Chen family still needs you to get through this difficult time... Where is Second Brother?"

  "Hum! I gave him a good thrashing and then locked him up in the ancestral hall to kneel as punishment..."

  "Father, it's quite cold today. Tonight the wind and dew are heavy, if Second Brother catches a chill what will become of him? The Chen family has only this one son..."

  Chen Si Liu was stunned for a moment, then sighed and said: "Ying Er, you're the most sensible one. Go to the inner courtyard and pack up, then call your mother and brother, and leave the city tonight... Five years ago, I bought a few acres of thin land in Zhenjiang Prefecture. The government shouldn't be able to find it. From now on... from now on, this family will have to rely on you to manage..."

  Chen Ying'er was taken aback and immediately exclaimed: "Dad, you... what does this mean?"

  Chen Si Liu let out a despairing laugh: "It seems there's no way to appeal, and County Magistrate Cao won't let the Chen family off. You all quickly escape with your lives, I'm already at an age where I've lost all hope, so even if I sacrifice this wretched body to let County Magistrate Cao vent his anger, what's the harm?"

  "Dad, absolutely not! Didn't Cao County Magistrate say that as long as we hand over all our family property, he won't arrest us? As long as our family members are safe and sound, even if we give him all our possessions..."

  Chen Si Liu sneered: "Do you think that just because he says he won't arrest anyone, he really won't? I've seen this kind of official behavior many times before. First, they find an excuse to throw someone in prison, then use severe torture to extract a confession, fabricate some charges, and finally, with a clear conscience, confiscate the person's property. This way, no one can get a handle on him... He said he wants to investigate our Chen family's accounts tomorrow, that's just the first step..."

  Chen Ying'er's pretty face turned pale, and she shed tears, saying: "Isn't there any other way? Father, you've given a lot of silver to Huang Zhongxian, Xie Zhuobo, Li Dianshi, and others in the past. Today, our Chen family is in trouble, can't you go ask Huang Zhongxian for help..."

  Chen Si Liu sighed and said, "It's tough, too tough! This afternoon, Xie Zhu Bo sent someone to pass on a few words to me. This new Cao County Magistrate has quite a background, even Huang Zhixian can't help but give him some face..."

  "What's Cao Xian's background?"

  "He... He was originally a military officer of the Wei dynasty, one of the hundred officials under the command of the King of Yan in Northern Ping. When the King of Yan went on a northern expedition to eliminate the remnants of the Yuan dynasty, this Cao official led the charge and achieved great merit, but was injured and retired from his post. The King of Yan praised his achievements and regretted losing his talent, so he specially recommended him to enter the capital and fill the vacancy of County Magistrate of Jiangpu. This Cao County Magistrate has the backing of the King of Yan! How can Huang Zhixian provoke him?"

  Chen Si Liu let out a long sigh, his complexion ashen and lifeless like a dead man.

  Chen Ying'er was also stunned, the backer of County Magistrate Cao turned out to be Prince Yan, such a powerful backer, for the small merchant Chen family, it's simply a huge figure. The Chen family offended County Magistrate Cao, the outcome...

  "It seems that our Chen family is really at the end of its rope......" Chen Ying'er was sorrowful and tearful, with crystal tears wetting her collar.

  "Now there are only two paths for the Chen family to take. One is that you all escape from Jiangpu overnight and change your names, perhaps you can live a peaceful life from now on. I will stay here and let County Magistrate Cao vent his anger..."

  "Father! This road must not be taken! Second brother is still young, daughter and mother are also women, you are the mainstay of our family! Without you, the Chen family will probably decline from now on..."

  Chen Si Liu sighed, looking at Chen Ying Er with a complicated expression. After a long while, he said: "The second path... Huang Zhi Xian's only son, Huang Wei Shan, has feelings for you. Last summer, Huang Zhi Xian asked me to arrange a marriage between his son and you on his behalf. I refused because you already had an engagement with Xiao Fan, and if we were to cancel the engagement, it would tarnish the Chen family's reputation. Moreover, Huang Wei Shan was already married, so you could only be his concubine. I politely declined Huang Zhi Xian's request, but later sent him a thousand taels of silver as an apology gift. However, due to this matter, Huang Zhi Xian must have harbored resentment in his heart. Today, if the Chen family is in trouble...

  Chen Siliu stopped speaking here, looked at Chen Ying'er with a hesitant expression, and the unspoken meaning was clear.

  Chen Ying'er's face turned pale with a painful expression, and she remained silent for a long time. Her beautiful eyes, which had been closed for a while, suddenly opened, and her teeth clenched resolutely as she said: "Father, I am willing to do anything for the Chen family, as long as it can ensure the safety of the Chen family, even if...I have to become Huang Weishan's concubine, I will also...be willing!"

  If she marries Huang Weishan as a concubine, County Magistrate Huang will surely keep the Chen family safe. After all, they are already one family. As for County Lieutenant Cao, no matter how powerful he is, he is still a newcomer with no foundation. With County Magistrate Huang's efforts to mediate, I believe the Chen family can still be safe and sound.

  Chen Siliu naturally understood this principle, and Chen Ying'er also understood it.

  As for Xiao Fan, the maternal uncle of the Chen family, the father and daughter unconsciously forgot about him.

  In the business and official circles, compromise and balance, exchange of interests are common things. Who would care about the feelings of a poor rural household son? Regretting her family and marrying the county magistrate's son, spreading out would be greatly damaging to the Chen family's reputation, but now the Chen family is at a critical juncture, whether it's reputation or not, can't be considered anymore. Let's save the lives of the old and young in the Chen family first.

  Chen Ying'er was already in tears, a girl's feelings are always poetic. She had fantasized countless times about a handsome young man with a elegant demeanor and refined beauty who would put on her wedding dress and cherish her for the rest of his life. But reality is always cruel, neither Xiao Fan nor Huang Weishan were the ideal husband she had in mind, but she had to succumb to reality. In this era, women's fate was predetermined, they couldn't choose their own destiny, and using their body to ensure the safety of their family was already her fate.

  "Swallow, swallow... I'm sorry, child... I've wronged you..." Chen Siliu was also overcome with emotion.

  "Dad... don't blame yourself, I'm going to get married anyway. Since we're all helpless, what's the difference between marrying a pig or a dog..."

  Under the dim and flickering candlelight, the father and daughter hugged each other and wept bitterly, with a sorrowful atmosphere pervading the front hall.

  Outside the front hall where the sound of crying still lingered, a low and mournful sigh suddenly echoed through the air.

  "You father and daughter are so close, crying so wholeheartedly... I really shouldn't interrupt you... But I still can't help but defend myself a bit... My advantages are actually many, at least marrying me is much better than marrying a pig or a dog..."

  Chen Jia and his daughter suddenly stopped crying and stared blankly at the front hall.

  Under the faint light of the lanterns, a slender figure emerged from the corridor, dragging a long shadow behind. The figure slowly approached them, taking several steps before a face with a faint smile clearly appeared before their eyes.

  Xiao Fan, that poor wretch living under someone else's roof!

  "What do you mean by that?" Chen Si Liu frowned and said in a low voice.

  The Chen family is in trouble, does this idle good-for-nothing plan on kicking them while they're down and mocking them?

  Xiao Fan didn't even glance at Chen Ying'er, but instead gave a faint smile to Chen Si Liu. His smile fell into the eyes of the Chen father and daughter, which was extremely hateful and disgusting.

  "Father-in-law..."

  As soon as Xiao Fang spoke up, both Chen's father and daughter's eyelids twitched at the same time.

  This title makes them very resistant.

  "...... Although this matter is a bit difficult to handle, it seems that Father-in-law doesn't have to take out his son-in-law's fiancée in exchange for safety, does he? Where does Father-in-law put his son-in-law?" Xiao Fan's face was smiling, but his tone was somewhat icy.

  Chen Siliu's face turned slightly red as he heard the words, and after a moment of silence, he stammered: "Xianzhi... The Chen family is now in great danger. The agreement I made with your father back then, I'm afraid... Xianzhi, if you don't object, I am willing to pay you 200 taels of silver, and the marriage between you and Ying'er can be considered...".

  "Father-in-law, since the Chen family and County Magistrate Cao have already reached a deadlock, why not let me try? Perhaps... I, your son-in-law, can find a way to help the Chen family get through this disaster safely, resolve their feud with County Magistrate Cao, and... without having to sacrifice my fiancée."

  "What?"

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  Sorry about this chapter being late, just now I was busy rejecting a confession from an MM who had a crush on me...

  Don't believe me?... Just pretend you really heard it!

  Delighted to find that someone has invested 120,000 votes, I'm so touched! Truly, the gratitude in my heart is like a stormy sea, and I want to say something to those friends who voted for 120,000. Thousands of words can be summed up in two words: Don't mess around!