Transmigrated into the role of the matriarch, I ensured my family had enough to eat and wear during

Yesterday, the locust plague passed through the area. Although the locusts only passed through counties and towns and did not cause large-scale damage, the swarms of locusts flying in the sky were so dense that they blotted out the sun, and the scene was still terrifying.

In order to inspect the locust plague situation in various places, County Magistrate Lu worked tirelessly, shuttling between villages under the jurisdiction of Dongtai Town for days to check the disaster situation and guide the locust control work.

Not only that, he also personally went deep into one of the villages, rolled up his sleeves, and worked together with the villagers to fight the locusts, sweating profusely, without any airs of officialdom.

County Magistrate Lu was already on the heavier side, and after these past few days of intense travel and hard work, coupled with irregular eating habits, he had lost six or seven pounds. His cheekbones were even slightly protruding, and he was utterly exhausted.

After the locust plague subsided, his nerves, which had been tense for many days, finally relaxed. He slept until dawn before slowly getting up, not even bothering to eat breakfast.

Just as Magistrate Lu finished washing up, his subordinate, Registrar Yan, who was responsible for assisting with government affairs, rushed over to report, his expression respectful but unable to hide his urgency: "Lord Lu, Village Chief Yang from Yangqu Village is requesting an audience and is waiting outside the government office right now."

Upon hearing the name "Yang the Village Head," Magistrate Lu immediately perked up, his fatigue largely dissipating. He abruptly stood up, quickly put on his official hat, straightened his clothes, and urgently ordered, "Quickly, let him in! Don't delay!"

County Magistrate Lu knew very well that if it weren't for Yang Lizheng's ingenious plan to burn rice stubble and flood the fields to kill the locusts, Dongtai Town would probably have suffered a devastating locust plague, and the crops that the people had worked so hard to plant would have been completely lost.

Now, Dongtai Town is not only safe and sound, but also shines in front of his superiors in the prefecture because of the successful locust eradication. His own political achievements have also risen sharply. Therefore, he is very grateful to Yang Lizheng and attaches great importance to him.

Upon entering the government office, Yang, the village head, immediately prostrated himself on the ground, bowed deeply to Magistrate Lu, and said respectfully, "This humble subject, Yang Shouyi, pays his respects to Magistrate Lu! I have come here specifically to present some gifts to you, Magistrate Lu, as a token of my gratitude."

County Magistrate Lu looked out of the government office and saw an oxcart loaded with dry firewood, piled high. He assumed that Yang Li had specially brought the firewood to alleviate the government office's urgent need for firewood.

He immediately stepped forward with a smile and reached out to help him up: "Oh, Mr. Yang, you're too kind. The government office has everything you need. There's no need for you to bring firewood over. Please get up."

Yang Lizheng stood up, bowed, and then quickly walked to the oxcart. He first unloaded the firewood from the cart and piled it in the corner of the government office. Then he bent down and took down five large wooden buckets from the cart. He lifted the lid of the first bucket with both hands—five people bound hand and foot appeared. They were filthy and were the five wanted robbers who had been captured in the mountains near Yangqu Village.

Apart from the gang leader, who was knocked unconscious by Tang Liqiang with a shovel and whose eyes were still closed, the other four robbers had their mouths gagged with cloth strips and could only make muffled noises. They struggled to call for help and looked extremely disheveled.

These five robbers were locked up by Yang Lizheng in the chicken and duck shed in Yangqu Village for a whole night: their bodies were tightly bound with hemp rope, unable to move, and the chickens and ducks would jump on them from time to time to defecate and peck at them. Their bodies were covered in filth, and the foul smell and sticky touch made them suffer unspeakably and almost break down.

The wolf bite wounds on their legs, left exposed without any bandages, had scabbed over and were faintly oozing blood. The men were filled with fear, worried that they might suffer from hemiplegia and be bedridden for the rest of their lives.

Magistrate Lu had keen eyesight. With just one glance, he accurately identified the five men as the notorious robbers for whom the county government had issued a warrant for the theft of grain from the Liu family's estate. In particular, the unconscious bandit leader, with his face covered in scars, was highly recognizable.

Magistrate Lu's expression hardened, his smile vanished instantly, and his aura became authoritative. He immediately shouted towards the outside of the courtroom, "Guards! Court is in session! Bring these five robbers to the courtroom for thorough interrogation. Make sure to track down their accomplices and hideouts, and eliminate any potential bandit threat!"

The constables immediately stepped forward and roughly dragged the five robbers to the courtroom, forcing them to kneel on the ground.

Upon seeing this, the robbers trembled with fear and lowered their heads, not daring to look directly into Magistrate Lu's eyes.

Faced with the solemnity of the courtroom, the robbers confessed that they had no choice but to resort to robbery in recent years: various natural disasters had occurred frequently, with alternating droughts and floods, and continuous locust plagues, resulting in no harvest.

His family was starving and cold, unable to make a living. In order to save his life, he had no choice but to become a robber, hiding in the mountains and living a life of fear and robbery.

Surprisingly, before Magistrate Lu could use any criminal law or reprimand them, the four sober robbers, out of extreme fear of being tortured and eagerness to save their lives, confessed the address of their robbery hideout in detail without any concealment.

In addition, they revealed detailed information such as the password to enter the hideout, the exact number of men, women, and children in the hideout, and the location of food and weapons stored there, as if they wanted to reveal everything they knew.

The robbers also confessed in detail to all the evil deeds they had committed since setting up their hideout, including the specific time, place, name of the victim, and loss of each crime. They listed everything without daring to conceal anything, hoping for leniency.

After listening to the robbers' confession, Magistrate Lu's expression grew increasingly solemn. He knew that if this gang's hideout was not eliminated, Dongtai Town and the surrounding villages would always be under threat.

He made a decisive move, immediately sending people to summon more men and dispatching messengers to borrow officials from the county magistrates of neighboring towns, preparing to go to the bandits' hideout at once to wipe out the bandits and eliminate the threat forever.

Previously, when diverting water to combat drought and control locust plagues, Lu Xianzun generously shared the effective methods of Yangqu Village with neighboring towns without reservation, helping them to overcome difficulties and resolve the disaster.

Therefore, when he sent people to borrow officials from the neighboring county magistrates, they readily agreed and selected their best officials to rush to Dongtai Town to join him.

In the end, a total of one hundred officers were dispatched from the four towns, all equipped with fine weapons, dressed in uniforms, and looking very imposing.

Under the personal arrangement and deployment of Magistrate Lu, the officials took advantage of the early hour and quietly made their way towards the bandits' hideout. They moved with light steps, not daring to make the slightest sound, striving to capture them all in one fell swoop and leave no one behind.

According to the robbers' confessions, this gang had 52 strong men, as well as some elderly, weak, women and children. Most of them were displaced and homeless refugees who had not received any military training and did not have any decent weapons. They were just a disorganized mob and could only make a living by robbing small villages and passersby.

The reason why Magistrate Lu borrowed over a hundred officials was to ensure absolute safety and prevent any bandits from escaping and returning to retaliate against the villagers and loot their grain.

When the officials arrived at the bandits' hideout, the moment they appeared and brandished their weapons, the bandits inside were terrified. They dropped their farm tools and makeshift weapons, knelt down and begged for mercy, not daring to resist. They surrendered without hesitation, and the bandit suppression operation went very smoothly without any fierce fighting.

After the successful suppression of the bandits, County Magistrate Lu's face was filled with heartfelt joy. He looked at Village Head Yang, who had accompanied him, and said with deep gratitude, "Village Head Yang, it's so good to have you! If it weren't for you leading the villagers of Yangqu Village to capture these five bandits, we wouldn't have been able to successfully dismantle this bandit den, and Dongtai Town would have been unable to restore peace!"

County Magistrate Lu secretly calculated in his heart that with the major achievements of diverting water to fight drought, successfully eradicating locusts, and annihilating bandits in one fell swoop, his political achievements this year must be outstanding, far surpassing those of other county magistrates. He is expected to be promoted next year, and may even be transferred to the prefectural government.

Meanwhile, in Yangqu Village, it was midday, and the sun was scorching hot, baking the earth. Even the wind was hot. The village was quiet, and the villagers were busy in their own courtyards drying farm tools, repairing sickles, and preparing for the autumn harvest. Every household exuded a busy yet peaceful atmosphere.

Carrying a cloth bag, Wen hurried to Tang Susu's house and carefully handed her the jelly seeds she had collected recently. She smiled and said, "Third Aunt, these are the jelly seeds I've collected over the past few days, along with those from the villagers. Please count them."

Tang Susu took the cloth bag, which felt heavy in her hand. She gently weighed it in her hand and instructed Wen Shi, "Sister-in-law, thank you for your hard work. Please also tell the villagers that this is the last time we'll be collecting jelly seeds this year. We won't be collecting them anymore, so everyone won't have to bother collecting them."

Madam Wen nodded slightly and quickly replied, "Alright, I'll inform everyone door-to-door in a bit, making sure no one is missed. Third Aunt, there's something else I'd like to ask you. Now that you've stopped selling cold noodles, do you have any other plans?"

Wen had her own plans. When she was doing the cold jelly business with Tang Susu, she had already established stable cooperative channels with small restaurants and teahouses on the surrounding streets. They trusted each other and the channels were solid.

If we want to sell other foods in the future, having these channels will be very convenient and save us a lot of trouble. However, we still need to think about what kind of food to make and can't make up our minds yet.

After hesitating for a moment, Madam Wen rubbed her hands awkwardly and mustered her courage to say, "Third Aunt, if I may be so bold as to say something abrupt today, please feel free to ask if you ever need my help in the future. I am efficient and never slack off. I also hope to learn some money-making skills from you and save some money on my own."

Ms. Wen frankly admitted that she was usually a person who just drifted along and was timid. She felt that as long as she listened to her mother-in-law and lived a peaceful and uneventful life, she would be fine. She never thought about earning any money.

But recently, seeing his son Dafu being very enthusiastic and diligent in his studies at the village school, he began to have an idea.

If Tang Chengyu leaves Yangqu Village in the future, she hopes that Dafu can continue his studies at the school in town. She doesn't ask Dafu to achieve any fame or bring glory to the family, but only that he can learn some characters and understand some principles, so that he won't be blind or illiterate, and that he can have a good future.

But Wen also knew that studying required a lot of money; tuition, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones—everything cost money.

She knew that she could no longer rely on her in-laws to support her child's education. There were also children from the second wife's family. If she only supported Dafu, the second wife's family would definitely have objections, and the conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and between sisters-in-law, would only escalate.

Therefore, she wanted to learn how to earn money from Tang Susu so that she could save up to support Dafu's education and no longer have to depend on others.

Tang Susu had known Wen Shi for a long time and understood her character very well: Wen Shi was a woman of few words, honest and down-to-earth, hardworking and reliable, and never cheated or spread rumors.

Tang Susu was naturally willing to lend a helping hand to someone so deserving of assistance, not wanting to disappoint her.

Tang Susu held Wen's hand and said patiently, "Sister-in-law, you don't need to be so polite. Making money isn't as difficult as you think. It depends on what you can do. Whether it's cooking, needlework, or even weaving bamboo mats or sewing shoe soles, as long as you do it better and more meticulously than others, you can earn money. It's just a matter of how much."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wen's eyes lit up instantly, and a look of delight appeared on her face. She quickly said, "I only know some simple home-style cooking, and my needlework is just average, nothing special. But Lanxia's needlework is excellent; the flowers, birds, fish, and insects she embroiders are lifelike and exquisite. Tomorrow I'll ask her to bring her embroidery for you to see, and I'd appreciate your guidance on whether her work can fetch a good price."

Tang Susu smiled and nodded: "Okay, no problem, I'll see tomorrow."

As the two were chatting amicably, their neighbor, Xiaoyuer, suddenly came running up, covered in sweat, shouting urgently and frantically, "Aunt Yang! Aunt Yang! Something terrible has happened! A lot of people from the Tang family have come, and the village patrol is blocking the entrance, preventing them from entering. But they insist on forcing their way in, and they're almost arguing..."

As soon as Xiaoyuer finished speaking, Tang Chengyu walked out of the main room with a serious expression and a hint of solemnity between his brows. He said to Tang Susu in a deep voice, "Eldest sister, I will handle this matter. It has nothing to do with you. You should stay at home and not go out and cause trouble."

Tang Chengyu looked up towards the village entrance with sharp eyes. He saw that the people coming were from the Tang family of Xihe Village, more than ten people in total, each with a serious expression and an imposing aura.

Leading the group was the Fifth Master of the Tang family, with gray hair and a slender build. Behind him were his grandparents, Old Mrs. Tang and Old Mr. Tang, as well as several other Tang family members, all of whom were quite influential in the clan.

The Tang family members, looking aggressive, took the lead and tried to storm into the village. The patrol team members from Yangqu Village blocked their way in two lines, looking wary. The two sides were deadlocked and neither side would give way, creating a very tense atmosphere.

Tang Susu stepped forward and stood beside Tang Chengyu. She bent slightly at the waist, clasped her hands in front of her, and respectfully bowed to the Tang clan chief. In a humble tone, she softly called out, "Fifth Master, what brings you here? You must be tired from your journey. Please come into the village and rest for a while."

Tang Susu knew that the Tang clan chief held a prestigious position and enjoyed high prestige within the Tang family. He was fair, reasonable, and discerning, unlike the unreasonable and argumentative old woman, Tang Susu respected him greatly and dared not show him the slightest disrespect.

Chief Tang gently stroked his long beard that hung down his chest. His frost-white hair swayed slightly in the wind, and his gaze revealed an undeniable majesty as he slowly spoke.

His tone was heavy and serious, his gaze fixed on Tang Chengyu: "Yu'er, you have shown extraordinary talent for studying since you were a child. You are exceptionally intelligent and have a photographic memory. Since you were three years old, you have been highly regarded by the old gentleman in town. He has been particularly fond of you and has taught you everything he knows."

The clan chief paused, then continued, his tone tinged with disappointment: "You've studied for so many years, and the entire Tang family has devoted countless efforts, resources, and time to you. You are the hope of our entire Tang family, the only one who has a chance to pass the imperial examination and bring honor to the family. Studying and achieving official rank is not something you can simply give up on. You cannot let down the expectations of the entire clan!"

Chief Tang's words struck Tang Chengyu's heart like a heavy hammer, making him tremble, his face flushed, speechless and unable to refute. He could only lower his head in shame, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white.

Tang Chengyu was filled with guilt and self-reproach. He clearly remembered that the old gentleman had suggested that his family send him to a school in town, where the monthly tuition would cost one tael of silver.

At the time, this was undoubtedly a huge sum of money for the impoverished Tang family, who simply couldn't afford it.

In the end, it was the entire Tang family who lent a helping hand, each contributing a few copper coins and a few measures of grain. It took them a long time to finally raise enough money for his tuition so that he could continue his studies and not hinder his future.

He always shouldered the earnest expectations and mission of the entire Tang family, studying diligently day and night without daring to slack off, all in order to pass the imperial examination and repay the kindness of his family and bring glory to the Tang family.

But now, he has given up his studies and stayed in Yangqu Village to be an ordinary teacher, educating people. This has undoubtedly let down the villagers' painstaking efforts and high expectations for him, and has also let down the kindness and help they showed him back then.

Fortunately, he was only sixteen years old at the time, still young. Tang Chengyu thought to himself that he still had enough time to slowly repay the kindness of the Tang family and make up for his mistakes today.

Just as Tang Chengyu was filled with remorse and remained silent with his head down, Tang Susu stepped forward, stood in front of Tang Chengyu, and spoke softly.

With a calm yet authoritative tone, he addressed Chief Tang, saying, "Chief Tang, you must have already spoken with the eldest son of the county magistrate of Qianjiang Town and the eldest son of the wealthy merchant in Qintang Town, right? If they are willing to agree, Yu'er will naturally be willing to continue her studies and take the imperial examinations."

Upon hearing this, Chief Tang looked completely bewildered, his brows furrowing tightly, his face full of confusion and his eyes filled with incomprehension.

Tang Chengyu's studies and examination for the imperial examination were Tang family matters, and had absolutely no connection with the eldest son of the county magistrate of Qianjiang Town or the nephew of the wealthy merchant of Qintang Town.

He didn't understand why Tang Susu would suddenly mention these two people, nor did he understand what she meant by those words.

It turned out that Old Mrs. Tang had known all along that her grandson, Tang Chengyu, had not given up his studies voluntarily. Instead, he had been falsely accused of cheating by the eldest son of the county magistrate of Qianjiang Town and the nephew of a wealthy merchant in Qintang Town. As a result, he was expelled from Chongwen Hall and could no longer continue his studies or participate in the provincial examinations, thus completely cutting off his path to the imperial examinations.

However, she deliberately concealed the truth and did not tell the Tang family patriarch or other relatives. She only lied and said that the teacher of Chongwen Hall was blind and could not tolerate her good grandson. He deliberately made things difficult for Yu'er and asked the Tang family patriarch to step in and use the family's connections to find another school for Tang Chengyu so that he could continue to study and take the imperial examination and preserve the Tang family's hope.

Chief Tang himself had studied, although he failed to pass the imperial examination and only reached the level of a junior scholar. However, he knew many people in the town, had a decent network of connections, and was quite influential.

He had already made plans and intended to ask someone to pull strings so that Tang Chengyu could study at the school in Qianjiang Town.

Although the school in Qianjiang Town is not as famous or has as good teachers as Chongwen Hall, many students have passed the imperial examinations and become scholars in recent years. It is still a good choice and enough to allow Tang Chengyu to continue preparing for the examinations without delaying his future.

Tang Chengyu looked at the puzzled Tang clan chief, slowly raised his head, and gave a bitter smile. He spoke in a heavy tone, explaining slowly, "Fifth Master, I'm sorry to disappoint you. My expulsion from Chongwen Hall was not because Chongwen Hall couldn't tolerate me, nor because the teacher made things difficult for me. Rather, it was because the eldest son of the county magistrate of Qianjiang Town and the nephew of the wealthy merchant in Qintang Town conspired to frame me for cheating, saying that I switched the exam papers and stole the exam questions."

"Now, the schools in the surrounding towns have all been filled by them, and I am not allowed to go to study. Even the most ordinary village private school does not dare to take me in."

Tang Chengyu's tone was full of helplessness and sorrow as he continued, "After this incident, I have no good reputation among the students around me. Everyone regards me as a student who cheated, avoids me like the plague, and curses me endlessly."

"Now, if I want to continue my studies and take the imperial examinations, unless I know someone in the official schools and get their guarantee, I have no chance to step into the school again. But it seems that this path is also blocked."

Tang Chengyu paused, then added, his tone carrying a faint hope and a hint of despair: "Fifth Master, you may not know, but students in official schools receive a living allowance from the imperial court and a monthly stipend, so they don't have to worry about making a living themselves."

"In addition to preparing for the imperial examinations themselves, they had another important responsibility—to act as guarantors for candidates to participate in the provincial examinations, and to sign their names on the guarantee to prove that the candidates had a clean background and no history of cheating or other misconduct."

"According to the rules of the imperial court, a student who has completed the preliminary examinations must be guaranteed by a student of the government-funded school or a student of an official school before he can register to take the exams."

Tang Chengyu's voice grew softer and softer, "Only with the guarantee of someone in the official academy can I have the opportunity to regain the qualification to participate in the provincial examination, clear my name, and continue my path of taking the imperial examinations."

"Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll only ever be a student in this lifetime, and I'll never have the chance to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, thus failing my clan's expectations."