The playboy county magistrate

Zhang's fingertips trembled slightly as she looked at the thick stack of account books and banknotes in front of her, her eyes instantly turning red.

"Father...Mother...Brothers and sisters-in-law..."

Her voice choked slightly; a thousand words, in the end, turned into scalding tears.

"Don't cry, today is a good day. These things should have belonged to you long ago, but now they are simply being returned to their rightful owner. From now on, you will have private property, an official title, and children. You will have a home to return to, money to rely on, and people to protect you. No one will be able to control you in the slightest."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xuanzhi's maternal grandfather turned to look at the tall and upright Li Xuanzhi beside him, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.

"Xuanzhi, you have been neglected in the Earl's mansion since childhood, with no one to care for you or any elders to look after you. You have reached your current position entirely through your own efforts, which is truly remarkable."

After saying that, he raised his hand again, and the servants of the Zhang family brought over several exquisite brocade boxes, all of which were rare treasures collected by the Zhang family in recent years.

There are rare calligraphy and paintings by renowned artists from previous dynasties, warm jade pendants, centuries-old protective jade, and rare scholar's objects. There are also several rare, heirloom tokens from unknown families and protective talismans from an unknown dynasty. Each piece is priceless and of extraordinary significance.

"These are things that your maternal grandfather and the elders in the clan thought you might need in the future. However, your maternal grandfather still hopes that you will never need these things in your life."

He handed the brocade boxes to Li Xuanzhi one by one, and continued to give him earnest instructions.

"Before you were independent and your status was what it was, the Zhang family couldn't give you too much, lest it arouse suspicion from the Earl's Mansion and only bring trouble to you and your mother. Now that you have established your own household and are favored by the Emperor, you can naturally keep these things."

"I only hope that when you see these, they will constantly remind you. When you see a jade pendant, remember to take good care of your health; when you see the Four Treasures of the Study, be sure to cultivate your character and temperament."

"The Family Token can help you navigate the world of truly powerful and reclusive figures. These families are more reasonable and have more say than the people you encounter, which can help you truly establish yourself in the court."

"From this day forward, all the resources and connections of the Zhang family will be devoted to you. The Zhang family will always stand up for you and your son, and be your strongest support."

Li Xuanzhi accepted the brocade box with both hands, bowed deeply, and did so with great solemnity.

"Thank you so much for your care and support over the years. I will always remember it. I will never fail your love and kindness in this lifetime."

Li Xuanzhi knew very well that if it weren't for Zhang's family backing her up, that blind, incompetent, and wicked family of the Marquis of Chengen would have tormented his mother to death long ago.

The Zhang family has only recently recovered, after all, the highest-ranking official in the Zhang family was promoted because of Li Xuanzhi.

In the capital city, there are simply too many powerful and wealthy families.

However, the Zhang family's background is clearly not among the best in the entire capital.

If it weren't for my third uncle's exceptional business acumen, the Zhang family's growth would have been even slower.

Everyone laughed at Third Uncle, saying that the son of a high-ranking official in the capital was not respectable and was chasing profits with merchants.

Little did they know that if it weren't for their third uncle's financial backing and his business partners' connections to introduce them to more powerful figures, the Zhang family would probably still be under the thumb of the Marquis of Chengen.

No matter how unpopular the Marquis of Chengen was, it was still a hereditary title. Relying on his ancestors' reputation and legacy, he was destined to be far from unsuccessful.

The saying "Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse" does have some basis in reality.

However, now that the family has split up, it's really hard to say what will happen to the Chengen Earl's Mansion.

After all, if the emperor wanted to continue to give face to the Chengen Earl's family, he could have continued to bestow honors upon Li Xuanzhi.

Although Li Xuanzhi and the Chengen Earl's Mansion separated, they still shared the same ancestor.

For our ancestors who have passed away, it is a great joy to bring honor to the family, no matter which of the younger generation is successful.

So what if the Chengen Earl's Mansion is in decline? As long as Li Xuanzhi is successful, the Li family can continue to thrive.

Li Xuanzhi glanced at his third aunt and then remembered that he had forgotten something.

"Third Aunt, this is a letter from your third uncle that he asked me to bring to you. And these are gifts that my cousin asked me to bring back for you, your maternal grandparents, and your uncles and aunts."

Everyone praised the father and daughter who were still in Pingzhou. After chatting for a while, Liu Yunrou and Gu Pan'er got up to say goodbye.

Both women were perceptive and knew that they were now merely Li Xuanzhi's two concubines, and there were certain things they shouldn't hear.

Moreover, with so many gifts and monetary donations received today, they need to be categorized and properly organized.

It's not good to wait for the old lady or Li Xuanzhi, a grown man, to make arrangements for everything. Otherwise, wouldn't the two of them become useless people who just eat for free and can't do anything?

The Li Xuanzhi of today is completely different from the one in Pingzhou. Both of them are self-aware. They know that sooner or later Li Xuanzhi will marry a dignified, virtuous wife of equal social standing.

These elders may have these words to say when they come here.

The Zhang family was indeed very satisfied with the two men's perceptiveness.

After all, no one who wants to marry Li Xuanzhi wants to have two favored and arrogant concubines lining up to cause trouble for the new wife before even entering the family.

The elders were filled with joy, and the conversation naturally turned to Li Xuanzhi.

"Now Xuanzhi is good in every way, the only regret is that the mansion is without a master."

Aunt Zhang, holding her teacup, continued in a gentle tone:

"Xuanzhi is now a proper fourth-rank censor, independent of his own household. His future is limitless; how can he continue to live without a proper wife to manage the household?"

My second aunt nodded repeatedly, continuing to speak with a tone full of agreement.

"That's exactly right. Before, he was controlled by others in the Earl's mansion. He was careful in everything he did, but he still couldn't prevent his reputation from being damaged. Naturally, no one dared to propose marriage to him. Now is the best time to choose a good match and establish a principal wife."

During their casual conversation, no one underestimated Liu Yunrou and Gu Pan'er, who served in the mansion.

"I observed those two young ladies closely today, and their character is excellent. They are gentle and obedient, and efficient in their work. They are also commendably loyal to Xuanzhi, and are indeed good children."

"But ultimately, the status is already set, and one's background is limited. Even if one is given the title of 'Madam,' one can only be a concubine, not the principal wife. Xuanzhi now bears the heavy responsibility of maintaining order in the court, and his conduct and family must be upright. The principal wife must be a noblewoman of equal social standing, virtuous and well-educated, in order to uphold the dignity of the Censorate."

The aunts were all insightful and thoughtful. They knew that the wives of court officials were never just spouses. They were also a reflection of social standing, court dignity, and the foundation of family tradition.

If Liu Yunrou and Gu Pan'er continue to serve you with such temperament and behavior, they will surely be promoted in the future.

The position of the principal wife is related to the family's reputation and social standing, and should not be taken lightly.