Facing Hong Dai’s relentless questioning, Li Yue Shu beat around the bush.
“It’s less than a month until the New Year. There are many people at home, so I need to prepare for the festivities in advance.” Kuaishu Pavilion
This would be her first New Year in this world.
With no organizational control, surplus money, a business on the right track, and the children largely accepting her, she naturally wanted to celebrate the New Year properly.
Seeing her so abruptly change the subject, Hong Dai couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “You…”
“Knock, knock, knock!”
Just as Hong Dai was about to speak, a hurried knocking sound interrupted her.
The two inside turned their heads and saw Shen Can rushing in anxiously, “Sister-in-law, there are two people from the county yamen outside. They said… they said they’ve come to arrest you.”
Li Yue Shu and Hong Dai were both stunned.
Almost everyone in Tong Mu County knew how much the county magistrate valued Li Yue Shu. Why would he send people to arrest her without any warning?
Hong Dai stayed upstairs, while Li Yue Shu went downstairs.
Because she had frequented the county yamen before, Li Yue Shu was quite familiar with most of the yamen runners. Upon seeing her, the two men politely cupped their hands in greeting.
“It’s been a while, brothers. How about you come in for some tea? We can catch up.” Li Yue Shu invited them in.
The yamen runners quickly waved their hands, “No need, Madam Shen. We are actually here today on… official business.”
Saying this, their expressions turned somewhat troubled, as if unsure how to proceed.
After a long pause, one of the yamen runners said, “Madam Shen, someone has lodged a complaint at the county yamen accusing you of seizing property and causing injury. The county magistrate has ordered us to bring you in.”
Li Yue Shu was briefly taken aback but immediately guessed what was happening. “Brothers, are the people suing me from the Li Mansion?”
The yamen runner nodded, still looking troubled. “Not just the Li Mansion. With them were also people from the Prefect’s office.”
Hearing this, Li Yue Shu instantly understood their predicament.
Given her relationship with the county magistrate, he would surely help her in such a situation, and there would be no need to summon her.
However, the Prefect was the county magistrate’s superior, so he couldn’t openly show her favor.
With this in mind, Li Yue Shu didn’t make things difficult for the two yamen runners. She gave a few instructions to Shen Can, took a few items, and left with them.
Hong Dai watched this scene from the window, then hurried back to Qing Feng Guan, sending someone to investigate what had happened.
…
Although the two yamen runners were there to arrest her, they specially arranged a carriage for Li Yue Shu, reportedly on the county magistrate’s orders.
As the carriage traveled along the road, Li Yue Shu lifted the curtain and looked at the two yamen runners with a smile.
“You brothers came so early, you probably haven’t had breakfast yet. This is some snack from my younger son. Would you like some to tide you over?”
Seeing her so leisurely and seemingly unconcerned, the two yamen runners didn’t know what to say.
Before, when Li Yue Shu visited Zhang Lao San in the dungeon, she would occasionally bring them some delicious food. Everyone was quite familiar with her, so they politely accepted.
Seeing this, Li Yue Shu finally asked, “Brothers, how did the Li Mansion’s matter involve the Prefect?”
The two yamen runners did not hide anything. In fact, before coming, they had been specifically instructed by the county magistrate to explain the situation to Li Yue Shu first, to prevent her from worrying.
It turned out that Steward Li and the local Prefect were cousins, and their families interacted frequently.
Steward Li’s arrogance in the area was largely due to the Prefect’s backing.
This morning, people from the Li Mansion arrived with an order bearing the Prefect’s official seal, demanding that the county magistrate arrest Li Yue Shu.
However, ever since learning that Mother Mo’s lung transplant surgery was successful, the county magistrate had treated Li Yue Shu as a treasure and naturally refused to agree. But unable to disobey his superior’s orders, he could only send people to "arrest" Li Yue Shu.
After explaining the entire sequence of events, the yamen runners, fearing they had spoken too harshly and scared Li Yue Shu, quickly comforted her. “Madam Shen, you don’t need to worry too much. His Excellency has already sent a rider at full speed to Chongzhou to inform Elder Xu of this matter.”
“As long as we can stall for time, Elder Xu will surely help Madam Shen.”
Li Yue Shu was surprised by the county magistrate’s swift action and secretly noted this favor.
She asked curiously, “What is Elder Xu’s status?”
She had long suspected Elder Xu was no ordinary person but had never known his exact identity.
Now it seemed he must be several ranks higher than the Prefect.
However, the two yamen runners knew nothing.
They were merely following the county magistrate’s orders, and he hadn’t told them anything more.
Seeing this, Li Yue Shu stopped asking.
She chatted and laughed with the two yamen runners as they headed to the county yamen. She looked less like a prisoner being apprehended and more like a guest being invited.
Soon, the carriage stopped at the entrance of the county yamen, but Li Yue Shu did not get out. Instead, she was taken directly to the dungeon.
“Madam Shen, His Excellency is currently entertaining the people from the Li Mansion. Please bear with us here for a while. His Excellency said that unless they come to see you on their own, you should not show yourself. He will find a way to delay things.”
Li Yue Shu bowed slightly to the two men. “Please convey my gratitude to the County Magistrate.”
…
Although Li Yue Shu was imprisoned as a “criminal,” her cell was kept very clean.
This was not only because she had thought of everyone when she visited Zhang Lao San before, but also due to the county magistrate’s instructions.
A lung transplant surgery had made the county magistrate place great importance on her, so even when facing his superior, the Prefect, he was still finding ways to help her.
Li Yue Shu was not flustered at all. She found a clean spot to sit down and took out the rice porridge she had prepared earlier from her spatial dimension.
When faced with challenges, one must adapt. Instead of worrying pointlessly, it was better to conserve her energy to deal with future events.
With this mindset, Li Yue Shu spent her time in the dungeon quite comfortably.
In contrast, Shen Can was in a state of panic.
She had always known the Li Mansion had considerable influence, but she hadn’t expected it to be connected to the Prefect.
No, she had to send the news back quickly. Even if her third brother was foolish, someone else must think of a solution!
Shen Can couldn’t drive a carriage, so she ran back all the way.
Fortunately, she was accustomed to physical labor and had followed Li Yue Shu’s carriage along this route several times recently. She reached the village in half an hour.
But as soon as she arrived at the village entrance, she ran into Mother Shen, who was on her way to town to buy rice.
Mother Shen’s first reaction was to avoid her, but seeing her anxious look, she somehow approached her.
“Can’er, what happened?”
Shen Can panted heavily, her hair matted to her face with sweat, looking disheveled.
“Mother, quickly… quickly go and help me call the village head. Sister-in-law… she’s been arrested by people from the county yamen. Help me call the village head… I’ll go back and tell the others first.”
Shen Can didn’t have time to think. After giving her instructions, she rushed home.
Mother Shen stood in place, showing no intention of going to find the village head.
She pondered Shen Can’s words, her eyes shining frighteningly.
Li Yue Shu, that wicked woman, was arrested by the county yamen?
Such good news! She had to hurry home and tell her eldest son!