Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 281 - 280: The Warm and Hospitable Wang Mawu

Chapter 281: Chapter 280: The Warm and Hospitable Wang Mawu

"Wang Mawu, you’re gathering people to fight again?!"

Zhou Zheng shouted loudly, dismounted swiftly, and had only half drawn his saber when he froze in shock.

He saw no fierce street brawl as described by his little nephew Liu Qi. Instead, the notorious bully Wang Mawu was fanning Qin Yao, who was seated on a stump, with a leaf, smiling as if they were best friends.

"Where’s the crowd? Where’s the fight?" Zhou Zheng awkwardly turned back, quietly questioning Liu Qi.

Liu Qi, like the government officers behind him, was at a loss, shaking his head uncertainly - this wasn’t how it was when they left!

"Heavens!" One of the officers exclaimed in surprise.

Zhou Zheng quickly looked in the direction of the voice and saw a body partially covered with a rough cloth, the ground below it stained with blood.

"What happened?" Zhou Zheng strode up to Wang Mawu and Qin Yao, questioning them sternly.

Qin Yao stood up, and Wang Mawu took half a step back, continuing to fan her as she explained with resignation:

"That’s Ah Si, a little lackey I picked up by the roadside. I took pity on him and treated him well, but it turned out he was a remnant of the bandits. When I discovered his true identity and cornered him, he tried to harm me. Thankfully, Miss Qin intervened in time, otherwise I wouldn’t be standing here..."

At this painful recollection, Wang Mawu clutched his chest, his breath coming in gasps, looking as if he might faint from distress.

Qin Yao quickly supported him, causing Wang Mawu to tremble; he couldn’t believe his luck! His whole body shivered violently.

Luckily, his layers of fat tended to wobble anyway, and Zhou Zheng didn’t notice his trembling.

Yet, the scene before him screamed something was amiss.

Zhou Zheng suspiciously asked Qin Yao, "Is Wang Mawu telling the truth?"

Qin Yao nodded, "Yes, we were just discussing some business matters here and had a minor disagreement, but it was just a misunderstanding."

"Perhaps we talked too loudly, which made the child Liu Qi overthink and secretly report us to the authorities. Please, Brother Zhou, don’t hold it against the child. Allow me to apologize on his behalf."

Qin Yao finished earnestly and bowed deeply.

However, she was only halfway down when Wang Mawu immediately supported her, "Let me, let me, it’s all my fault, Lord Zhou, please forgive us!"

Zhou Zheng’s eyes widened as he watched Wang Mawu bowing before him, quickly nudging his companion, "Am I seeing things?"

His companion replied in shock, "Boss, Mr. Wu really is apologizing to you."

Zhou Zheng, not daring to accept such a grand gesture, hurriedly stepped forward to help him up.

Since both parties claimed it was a misunderstanding, it must be a misunderstanding... right?

However...

"Liu Qi, you rascal, don’t be so hasty next time!" Zhou Zheng admonished.

Liu Qi looked at Qin Yao, then at the infamously fierce Wang Mawu, completely at a loss about what had occurred, lowering his head in grievance.

But Zhou Zheng’s trip wasn’t futile; after all, there was still the bandit remnant Ah Si to take back for a report.

"So, there’s really nothing wrong?" Zhou Zheng turned back suddenly and asked one last time before leaving.

Qin Yao and Wang Mawu answered in unison, "We’re fine."

"Alright, then I’ll take this bandit remnant back. Later, I might need Wang Mawu to help with a testimony. I’ll send someone to summon you then." Zhou Zheng tentatively stated.

Usually, he wouldn’t dare make such an "impudent" request, but today was different.

Unexpectedly, Wang Mawu was cooperative, agreeing repeatedly, "Certainly, certainly, it’s my civic duty."

Only then did the group of officers leave with lingering doubts.

However, the sight of Ah Si’s gruesome death made the officer handling the body pale as he accidentally uncovered the cloth, his face turning ashen.

Quickly covering the body again, he felt slightly better.

They took the corpse to the town to report it to the County Magistrate.

The County Magistrate raised a questioning eyebrow, asking Zhou Zheng about the incident, wondering how these bandit remnants still existed after a year.

Zhou Zheng wasn’t entirely sure, but with both Qin Yao and Wang Mawu so certain, it was likely true.

Later, he recalled the bandits who had served as conscripted laborers last year. It seemed after the labor ended, these bandits had escaped, leaving behind someone like Ah Si.

After hearing Zhou Zheng’s speculation, the County Magistrate opened the record of conscripted laborers from last year and indeed found a bandit matching Ah Si’s description.

Yet as he was about to verify the features by unveiling the cloth, he froze briefly, put the cloth back, turned around, and reported to Lord County Magistrate Song Zhang.

A familiar scene replayed itself.

Lord County Magistrate unveiled the cloth to verify the features, only to go rigid immediately, hastily covering the body back up, and walking out of the mortuary room, supporting himself against the wall, and started retching violently!

Faintly, his voice could be heard muttering through gritted teeth: ’Qin Yao,’ ’you again,’ ’such cold-blooded methods from a seemingly gentle lady’ amongst a string of intermittent curses.

Back in Jinshi Town.

Qin Yao rubbed her suddenly itchy nose, narrowly avoiding a sneeze of bad luck.

Ah Wang helped Liu Ji onto Wang Mawu’s bamboo chair while the group, led by the ’hospitable’ Wang Mawu, headed to his private farm.

The farm was truly vast, with nearly a thousand acres of fertile land, so much fresh produce that even if some spoiled, it wouldn’t matter.

Upon reaching his home, Wang Mawu first had his men carry Mr. Liu inside. Then he brought out all the fruits and vegetables, encouraging the villagers from Liu Family Village to help themselves or take some home, urging them to feel free and mentioning that anyone under Qin Yao’s name would be treated as kin!

The villagers and Wang Mawu’s men enjoyed a harmonious and joyful gathering.

Soon, five bags of wheat were neatly tied up and placed in the cart attached to Old Huang’s neck.

This cart was even wider and more luxurious than the one custom-made by Qin Yao, built with high-quality hardwood, and its wheels weren’t just iron-clad but entirely metallic. The whole cart was worth no less than twenty taels.

Moreover, there was a hundred taels for the medical expenses and a doctor who had just been carried in by his men, specializing in injuries.

The old doctor hadn’t even steadied himself when he was promptly seated before Liu Ji to check his pulse and assess his injuries.

Fortunately, having dealt with Wang Mawu’s group for years, the doctor had honed the skill of instantly entering work mode, closing his eyes to feel the pulse.

In under two seconds, he opened his eyes in surprise.

"Dear sir, I see you have unique bones and exceptional talent, a martial arts prodigy one in ten thousand!"

Liu Ji inhaled deeply in excitement, "Really?"

The onlookers — Qin Yao and others: ???

"Is this doctor reliable?" Liu Fei asked Wang Mawu worriedly.

Wang Mawu patted his chest, "In Kaiyang County, Doctor Jin is renowned, excelling in treating injuries, your brother’s wounds are certainly manageable."

Only then did Liu Fei snort and let it go, continuing to crunch on the crisp little cucumber in his hand.

The doctor’s few words left Liu Ji thrilled until a long needle pricked his bruised flesh, yanking him back to reality, causing him to howl in pain.

Ah Wang held Liu Ji down to prevent him from moving and causing the doctor to miss his mark, sweating profusely, nearly kneeling to his family’s head of the household.

Finally, the doctor withdrew the needle, prescribed a few medications, and left some ointment to promote blood circulation before departing, allowing Liu Ji to finally exhale in relief.

Qin Yao signaled for Ah Wang to carry Liu Ji onto the carriage, waved a goodbye, and led the well-fed and fruit-laden folks from Liu Family Village back home.

Wang Mawu escorted them all the way until Qin Yao completely disappeared from sight.

His smile vanished instantly, and he grabbed a back scratcher, pounding it against his men’s backs in frustration:

"Next time you act, make sure to dig up everything about their ancestors up to eighteen generations before making a move! Got it? Remember it? You pig-brained fools!"

After cursing, he shed a couple of crocodile tears, "Ah Si! Poor brother, you met such a tragic end—"

He muttered softly, "But please, don’t come haunting me at night; go reincarnate peacefully, and don’t become a bandit in the next life, be a good person..."