Father, who is both a heir and a descendant, is still biased; the bound system has gone berserk.

"Young lady, where are you from? What brings you to the village chief's house?"

The woman's shrewd eyes greedily examined the insect from head to toe.

The woman smiled and took out a piece of silver from her sleeve and handed it to the woman.

"Auntie, we've come from the capital. Our young lady is a distant relative of the village chief, and we've come here specifically to visit her."

The woman's eyes gleamed with greed. She snatched the loose silver, weighed it in her hand, took a bite, and said with a beaming smile:

"Oh, so you're a relative of the village chief. The village chief's house is at the east end of the village, the third house from the east, the one with the most impressive gate."

"Thank you so much, Auntie," Chong'er said with a smile.

Turning around, the smile on Chong'er's face vanished.

She wrinkled her nose and climbed into the carriage, saying to Ying Yufu, "Miss, I've found out. The village chief's house is at the east end of the village, the third house from the east, the one with the most imposing gate."

Ying Yufu nodded. "Let's go to the east end of the village."

The unusual-looking carriages attracted the attention of many villagers. After they left, Aunt Guihua from next door went to Da Niu's house with a curious look on her face.

"Da Niu's mother, who was that person you were talking to just now? She looks even more elegant than the young ladies in the county town!" Aunt Guihua whispered.

Besides Aunt Guihua, several families from the neighboring houses also came to gather outside Da Niu's house.

Lu Zhaodi felt a surge of excitement when she thought of that piece of silver.

She was just lucky. Otherwise, why would that little girl ask for directions at her own house instead of asking at someone else's door?

She felt smug and spoke with a hint of arrogance, saying, "I'm asking for directions, inquiring about the village chief's house!"

"Hey, everyone, move along! Don't block my doorway. What are you all doing so early in the morning?"

She shooed away the curious neighbor with a fierce look, then turned around, grabbed her husband, and urged him while giving him meaningful glances, "Old man, come on, come on, let's go back inside!"

Liu Youcai also saw the rich young girl slipping silver to the old woman, and a fiery glint flashed in his eyes. The two of them immediately went back into the house together.

After taking two steps, Lu Zhaodi turned around again and glared at A Niu, who was standing silently in the corner, with disgust.

"Ah Niu, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and wash the dishes and clean up, then take the wild game to your sister. Do you really want to wait until it rots?"

"Look at you! You have to tell me everything, as your mother. I'd be better off raising a blockhead than you!"

"Mother, I understand," Ah Niu said quickly, taking the bowls and chopsticks on the table to the kitchen to wash.

Lu Zhaodi and the man then returned to the house, closed the door, and bolted it from the inside.

Liu Aniu heard this, but didn't react much. From childhood to adulthood, he was used to being ordered around by his parents, and even being on guard against them.

It seems that no matter what he does, they will never treat him as family.

He is clearly their son.

He silently cleaned the house, then took the game hanging on the roof beam. He left a pheasant for his parents, and took the remaining pheasant and rabbit to town.

There is a town called Xishui Town above Xiaoxi Village, which is only about ten miles away.

His sister, Liu Hongxing, lives in the town.

Ying Yufu and her entourage stopped their carriage by the roadside at the east end of the village.

The group got off the carriage and went directly to the village chief's house to knock on the door.

"Excuse me, is this the village chief's house?" Chong'er went up and knocked on the door. After a short while, an old man wearing a cotton-padded coat came out.

The old man was about sixty years old, with white hair and beard, but his eyes were clear.

He glanced at Chong'er, then at the carriages not far away, and at Ying Yufu and her group, his expression somewhat blank.

Good heavens!

He inwardly exclaimed to the heavens, for he had lived most of his life and had never seen such an aristocratic person.

One by one, I guess only high-ranking officials in the capital city look like this, right?

Thinking about it this way, he felt a chill run down his spine. Could it be... that he really is a high-ranking official?

"May I ask what brings you, distinguished guests...?" he asked cautiously, his eyes darting around, not daring to look directly at the important figures outside the door.

He was so nervous that he even stuttered a little when he spoke.

The little insect, still grinning, asked, "Old man, is this the village chief's house?"

The village chief nodded quickly: "Yes, I am the village chief. And you, young lady?"

The insect immediately said, "Village chief, we come from the capital. There's something we'd like to ask you about."

They really are from the capital!

The village chief quickly said, "Distinguished guests, please come inside!"

The village chief invited everyone into the house and asked his daughter-in-law to serve them tea.

The village chief's daughter-in-law had never seen anything like this before, and she was completely flustered.

"Don't bother, we just need to ask a few questions and then we'll leave."

Ying Yufu said, "Village Chief, do you remember which family in the village picked up a child eighteen years ago? It was a boy."

After she asked the question, the entire Xuanwu Marquis family immediately turned their gazes intently to the village chief.

The village chief was taken aback, looked at everyone, and said, "Why are you all asking about that child?"

Marquis Xuanwu stepped forward and said, "Village chief, to tell you the truth, my son was lost when he was born. We made many inquiries before finally finding Xiaoxi Village."

"Village chief, if any family finds a child, please let us know. We will reward you handsomely!"

The village chief waved his hands repeatedly, "No need, no need. Eighteen years ago, there really was a family that took in a child."

The eyes of Marquis Xuanwu and his wife immediately turned red.

Lady Xuanwu was so excited that her body trembled. She had to support her husband to keep her balance, and she looked at the old village chief and asked, "Village chief, could you tell me which family it is?"

The village chief didn't hide anything: "It's Liu Youcai's house. It's the first house at the far west end, right next to the village entrance. You should have seen it when you entered the village."

"Miss," the little insect exclaimed in surprise, "isn't that the house we asked for directions from?"

Marquis Xuanwu said, "Village Chief, could you please take us to Liu Youcai's house?"

The village chief immediately stood up and said, "Yes, yes, distinguished guests, please follow me!"

The village chief led Ying Yufu and her group to Liu Youcai's house. On the way, he said, "Speaking of which, Liu Youcai's family has really committed some sins."

"Village chief, what do you mean by that?" Marquis Xuanwu asked immediately.

Although he is not yet certain that the child is his biological son, he is still eager to know if the child is doing well.

The village chief glanced at the man, dressed in fine clothes but who had lost his child, and sighed, "That Liu Youcai family is truly despicable!"

The hearts of Marquis Xuanwu and his wife sank immediately.

Then the village chief said, "It's a strange thing. The day Liu Youcai and his wife gave birth to their son, before they even had a chance to warm him up, the child was lost."

Liu Youcai and his wife cried and made a scene in the village, insisting that the village dog had taken their son away.

The village dogs were often beaten to death for this.

Unexpectedly, the next day while catching stray dogs, they found another baby at the village entrance, also a boy.