Upon hearing that Cui Hongyu had arrived, Liu Rumei was initially surprised, then her brow furrowed. "If she's here to see me, it's likely Chen Xiaobei is in trouble. Invite her in quickly."
Not long after, Ma Xiaoyi led Cui Hongyu into the reception hall.
It was then that Liu Rumei had the chance to observe Cui Hongyu closely. Her beauty, while not enough to topple a kingdom, was certainly exceptional, the kind that would have countless suitors lining up at her door in the capital.
Cui Hongyu's clothes were clearly new and freshly washed. Although her hair was a bit disheveled, it appeared to have been tidied, suggesting she had rushed her journey.
Chen Qiao'er, a bit shy, trailed behind Cui Hongyu. She, too, wore brand new clothes. Thanks to improved nutrition, Qiao'er's face had begun to fill out, becoming plump and rosy. With her two pigtails sticking up, she looked incredibly cute.
Seeing Liu Rumei looking at her, Chen Qiao'er offered a sweet smile. At her young age, she didn't yet grasp the full implications of her brother's current predicament.
Cui Hongyu, however, wore a troubled expression. Upon seeing Liu Rumei, she bowed respectfully, "Hongyu greets Miss Liu."
Liu Rumei quickly stepped forward, supporting Cui Hongyu. "It's alright, Sister Hongyu, there's no need for such formalities. Please, have a seat." Her tone was gentle and amiable, devoid of any airs, which somewhat surprised Cui Hongyu.
A maid then brought out a plate of fruit and placed it on the table. Liu Rumei turned to Chen Qiao'er and said, "Sister Qiao'er, have some fruit."
To her surprise, Chen Qiao'er didn't reach for the fruit. Instead, she looked up at Cui Hongyu. Cui Hongyu gave a slight shake of her head, then picked up Chen Qiao'er, placing her on her lap and turning her to face forward. Only then did she speak calmly, "Hongyu has come today uninvited because I am truly in distress. I beg Miss Liu for your assistance."
Liu Rumei smiled faintly. "Sister Hongyu, please speak freely. I will help in any way I can."
Cui Hongyu bowed again. "Today, officials came to my home. They not only took my husband away but also ten repeating crossbows, claiming someone reported him for illegally possessing weapons."
"I implore you, Miss, to save my husband."
Upon hearing this, Liu Rumei's brow furrowed. Perhaps to her, ten repeating crossbows were not a significant matter. "Oh, is that so? Please wait a moment." Saying this, Liu Rumei turned and instructed a nearby maid to summon Liu Ce.
Soon, Liu Ce rushed in and clasped his hands in greeting to Liu Rumei. Before he could speak, Liu Rumei interjected, "Chen Xiaobei has been reported for illegally possessing weapons. Go to Hu Fan and tell him to release the man."
Liu Ce agreed and turned to leave. Cui Hongyu, seeing this, also rose quickly to express her gratitude and prepared to depart with Chen Qiao'er. Liu Rumei, however, waved her hand gently. "Sister, don't rush off just yet. It's better to wait for Liu Ce to return with a definite answer." Cui Hongyu realized she had indeed been too hasty and that waiting was necessary.
Liu Ce hurried to the county yamen. Hu Fan received him courteously but sighed slightly upon hearing Liu Ce's request. "Steward Liu, under normal circumstances, if no one reports it, the officials don't investigate. While some citizens may occasionally possess such items, I wouldn't pursue it. However, this situation is different. A villager from Hetou Village has reported Chen Xiaobei, and I cannot ignore it!"
Liu Ce clasped his hands again. "I beg Magistrate Hu to show leniency and spare Chen Xiaobei. My lady has assured a generous reward."
Hu Fan shook his head slightly. "Steward Liu, it's not that I don't respect Miss Liu. But if I let Chen Xiaobei go, and the accuser reports it further, all the way to the province or even the capital, how will you and I account for ourselves?" He then changed his tone. "However, rest assured, I will impose a light sentence on Chen Xiaobei."
"Oh? And what does Magistrate Hu mean by a 'light sentence'?"
Hu Fan's expression turned serious. "According to the laws of our Great Cang Kingdom, severe cases of illegal possession of weapons are punishable by death. Ten repeating crossbows should qualify as severe."
"You!" Liu Ce was so taken aback he couldn't speak. Death penalty, and he calls it a "light sentence."
Hu Fan continued, "Please convey to Miss Liu that I will absolutely not kill Chen Xiaobei. At most, he will be sentenced to exile. He can spend a few years on the frontier and then return."
After bidding farewell to Hu Fan, Liu Ce rushed back to report to Liu Rumei. Upon hearing about the exile sentence, Cui Hongyu was stunned, tears instantly welling up. With Chen Xiaobei gone, the pillar of their household was lost. It was as if their backbone had been broken.
Liu Rumei's heart sank. Hu Fan's words had indeed made her think. If she made another mistake, her father might summon her back to the capital. More importantly, if this matter reached the capital and implicated the Liu family, and the Grand Tutor seized the opportunity to attack, her father might well turn against the Crown Prince. The situation would then become extremely difficult.
With this thought, she deliberately spoke loudly, "It seems Hu Fan won't give me face unless I appear in person." She stood up and bowed slightly to Cui Hongyu. "Sister, please wait a moment. I will make arrangements. No matter what, I will help you rescue him today."
Liu Rumei retreated to the rear hall and began to write a letter. Seeing this, Liu Ce hurried to advise her in a low voice, "My lady, do you truly intend to involve the Crown Prince?"
"Is it worth it for a mere village man?"
"Furthermore, the experts from Tianzhu Kingdom will arrive soon. It will be easy for us to then eliminate the Grand Tutor's faction."
"If the Prince learns of your actions, he might genuinely recall you."
Liu Rumei did not reply. Her brush moved swiftly and powerfully, writing the letter. While waiting for it to dry, she finally looked up. "I am saving Chen Xiaobei, not for any other reason, but for those two unfortunate women outside."
"One is Chen Xiaobei's newly wedded wife, and the other is his sister. If their man is gone, how will their lives continue?"
"Alas, my lady, couldn't you simply have them stay at our mansion and take care of them? Besides, Chen Xiaobei will return after a few years of exile." Liu Ce was dismissive.
"A few years? Can you guarantee Chen Xiaobei will return alive after a few years?" Liu Rumei's question left Liu Ce speechless.
"Enough, no need to say more. I have my own plans. Send this by carrier pigeon to the capital immediately." Saying this, Liu Rumei walked to the wall and picked up a long sword hanging there.
Liu Ce's expression changed drastically. "My lady, you're not planning to... to forcibly rescue him, are you!"