Chapter 561: Chapter 561: Who Dares Challenge My Wife

"During the day, the Qi Family guards are all around, fearing there are spies under Prime Minister Qi’s eyes, I’ve never found a chance to reveal my identity to you."

"Tonight, I finally got the chance to meet you... Sir, His Highness has always felt guilty for the incident that caused you to fall into this situation, and he wanted to personally apologize to you several times. Unfortunately, the Princess has repeatedly obstructed him, and he couldn’t leave the Capital..."

"Fortunately, I’ve finally met you. If His Highness knows you’re doing well, he would be very happy..."

This was explosive information, and Qin Yao was listening intently when she heard Gongliang Liao’s deep, vigorous shout:

"Get out!"

After uttering this intricate word, the room fell into an eerie silence for a moment.

Qin Yao, eavesdropping, mouthed a silent wow~

"Still not getting out? Waiting for me to call someone?" Gongliang Liao’s fiery temper flared up instantly, and he was about to shout for someone.

Zhen Yubai was anxious, and without saying anything, hurriedly got up and fled the Lotus Courtyard.

At the moment he opened the door, he seemed to sense something and glanced sharply to the left wall, but only saw the fainted Ah Gu. His brows furrowed deeply, yet he still went over to help the person up, leaning him against the column, gestured dismissively while scattering antidote powder, and left the way he came, reluctantly flying over the wall.

On the beam, Qin Yao slowly lowered her feet to touch the ground, gently landed, and clutched her chest. Her heart pounded wildly; she was nearly discovered, how thrilling!

However thrilling that was, it couldn’t match the excitement of the information just heard. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Based on what Zhen Yubai said, he was actually a secret agent sent by a certain prince to find Gongliang Liao.

The old man’s reaction was even more interesting. He actually told someone to leave, apparently not wanting to be found by that prince.

But even if he doesn’t want to be found, how long can this peaceful life last?

Thinking of the old man’s stubborn and tough demeanor despite his physical disability, Qin Yao couldn’t help but feel a little more sympathetic towards him.

Why can’t those high-up princes let an elderly man with disabilities spend his twilight years peacefully?

Heartless!

Qin Yao sighed, and before Ah Gu opened his eyes, she leaped out of the Lotus Courtyard.

Returning home, she took off her dirty outer garments and slipped into the warm bed, heated with a hot water bag, wearing only her thin underclothes, and had a deep sleep.

The next day upon waking, she suddenly remembered an important matter—if the old man left, what would happen to Liu Laosan?

While Qin Yao was silently pondering how to deal with Zhen Yubai, the Liu Family Village school finally opened.

Zhen Yubai had chosen the 21st to start enrollment, and villagers had learned this two days prior, promptly preparing their children.

Book boxes, the four treasures of the study, and charcoal braziers, all prepared for the children. Seeing the weather getting colder, families feared their children would be too cold to write, so they gritted their teeth and made New Year clothes early.

This year, the Liu Family Village villagers were truly willing to spend silver, especially since they recently received a dividend of five taels of silver, enough to buy a set of cotton clothing for everyone in the family.

The news of the school opening reached several nearby villages of Liu Family Village.

On the day of the school opening, the queue of villagers leading their children to enroll started lining up from the break of dawn.

A fiery line stretched from the Liu Family Village school all the way to the mouth of the mountain pass, with faint fiery glows visible.

People from Lower River Village and Jinshi Town arrived, as well as those from Upper River Village, located upstream of Liu Family Village, who also brought their children to try their luck.

Over the past two years of free enrollment promotion, almost all Sheng Country citizens were aware of this beneficial initiative. Whenever possible, even if they had to borrow money, they wanted their children to study for a couple of years.

However, the ratio of boys to girls was still largely unaltered, even after two years.

But with each additional girl in the school, Qin Yao felt gratified. At least there was some change, right?

The Liu Family Village school only had fifty seats, and twenty of those were taken by the village’s own children who met the free enrollment criteria, leaving only thirty spots for those from other villages.

Zhen Yubai adopted the Ding Family School’s lottery method, asking Qin Yao, as the village head, to hold the drawing tube as one by one, the children signed up.

But before the draw, Qin Yao gave three slips to the only three girls in the enrollment line.

Moreover, because they could come since they had brothers accompanying them to and from school, Qin Yao directly gave three spots to the brothers of these three girls.

All of a sudden, only twenty-four spots remained out of the original thirty.

The crowd was in an uproar!

"Didn’t we agree to draw lots? What do you mean by this, village head?"

"I started on the road at midnight to make it in time for my son; how can you do this!"

"Exactly! How can you directly give away spots when it was agreed to draw lots? It’s unfair!"

Some even shouted to report to the government, especially since last time, the Ding Family was severely punished by the County Magistrate for tampering with the quotas.

Zhen Yubai didn’t expect Qin Yao to do this, feeling both surprised and anxious.

Seeing the villagers’ agitated expressions, he indeed feared the people from different villages would end up fighting with Liu Family Village people.

As he expected, the Liu Family Village villagers, to protect their village head, stood up one after another, surrounding Qin Yao in the middle, glaring ferociously at the outsiders who were shouting at their village head.

Liu Yang, the clan leader, and the old village head, tried to mediate, saying there must be a reason for their village head’s actions, urging everyone to calm down since twenty-four spots were still available.

Over at the Lotus Courtyard, Liu Ji suddenly heard the noise from the school, and his heart sank. He didn’t need to look; his instincts told him his wife must have done something outrageous again!

"Teacher, little senior brother, I’m off to take a crap." He dropped his brush and darted off without waiting for a reply from Gongliang Liao and Qi Xian.

He had to go and keep an eye on his wife. A simple enrollment matter had escalated into a near brawl, truly, things couldn’t function without him.

Passing by the bridge, Liu Ji didn’t forget to shout halfway up the mountain, "Ah Wang!"

Ah Wang peeked out from the main door, seeing the master standing by the riverbank, frantically gesturing for him to come over.

With a helpless sigh, he joined the master at his side.

With Ah Wang as his bodyguard, Liu Ji boldly approached the school.

No sooner had he arrived, he shouted loudly, "Who dares challenge my wife? You want to report her to the government? Have you even asked for Mr. Scholar’s permission?!"

The Liu Family villagers, seeing Mr. Scholar’s arrival, promptly stepped aside, clearing a path.

The bold outsiders instantly lost their arrogance upon hearing the scholar’s title.

Liu Ji, with his chin up, used his nostrils to shove aside all the outsiders, making his way over to Qin Yao.

When facing outsiders, Mr. Scholar is high-nosed.

When facing his wife, Mr. Scholar is submissive.

With a flattering smile and gentle voice, he said, "Dear wife, if you wanted to give those three girls a backdoor, why not do it quietly; if you’re too proud for that, leave it to your husband, I’m shameless anyway. Now that you’ve done this openly, you left room for criticism!"

Qin Yao’s eyes were cold, her fists cracking.

Liu Ji sighed helplessly, "I know you must have your reasons for doing this, but since it’s happened, give me a reason, and I’ll go sort them out for you."

Qin Yao: "There’s no reason. I wanted to give it, so I gave it."

That was her genuine sentiment. She simply wanted to let those three girls enroll, no reason needed.

Liu Ji froze, "Ah, this, this... Dear wife, calm down, don’t stoop to their level, take a break, and I’ll be right back."

He figured he could come up with a reason himself!