The playboy county magistrate

"During the past six months in Jinling, Fu Xiaoxiao has been taking care of my daily life meticulously and reliably, with utmost dedication. I brought her back for two reasons. First, I am grateful for her devoted service over the past few months and her diligence and steadfastness, and I cannot bear to mistreat such a dutiful person. Second, I pity her for having nowhere to go. If I do not give her a proper status, I fear that what awaits her is a torment more painful than death."

It goes without saying what a failed assassin will face, especially since his employer is one of the most well-known figures in the court.

Pei Qingyuan shook her head slightly, her eyes gentle.

"My lord, there is no need for such explanations. It is the norm for a man to have people serving him closely when he stands in the court and walks the world."

"I never speculate, nor am I jealous. It is because I trust my husband to be self-disciplined and upright. I trust that he knows his limits and does not forget his principles. I also know that my husband is concerned about the country and bears heavy responsibilities. He would never neglect his duties because of his children and romantic affairs, and he would never do anything like favoring a concubine over his wife."

"I will take good care of the inner courtyard of the manor, ensuring harmony and stability, and will never cause any trouble that would disturb your mind. You only need to focus on your official duties at court."

Li Xuanzhi's heart stirred slightly. He stopped and turned to gaze at her quietly. "Qingyuan, I'm sorry to have wronged you."

Upon hearing this, Pei Qingyuan gently shook her head, her smile becoming even more gentle and captivating.

"I'm not wronged."

"Being able to stay by my husband's side is the greatest blessing of my life. As long as my husband is safe and sound every year and has a bright future, I will have no regrets and be filled with joy."

Li Xuanzhi looked at her, smiled, and reached out to ruffle her hair.

"From now on, I will stay in the capital more often to be with you and try to go out of town less often for business."

Pei Qingyuan was delighted, but she also knew that if the emperor issued an imperial decree, her husband could not disobey it for her sake.

But these words still moved her deeply; no matter what, her husband still cared about her.

"Qingyuan, I went to Jinling in such a hurry that I haven't accompanied you back to your parents' home yet. Tomorrow I will accompany you back to the Pei residence to apologize to my brother and sister-in-law."

For a woman who has just gotten married, returning to her parents' home three days later is an extremely important event.

Although the emperor's forceful order was partly responsible for Pei Qingyuan's trip to Jinling, it was indeed a hardship for her.

Although everyone in official circles knew that he was away on official business and that it was unavoidable for Pei Qingyuan to return home alone, there was no guarantee that no one would gossip behind her back. In addition, he had made many enemies in official circles, and the noble ladies and wives of various families in the capital would often gather together, so there was bound to be someone making fun of her returning home alone.

A glimmer of light instantly appeared in Pei Qingyuan's eyes. "Alright, I'll do whatever my husband says."

The group walked through the corridors and courtyards and entered the main hall of the main courtyard.

The hall is bright and clean, exuding a peaceful and elegant warmth.

Pei Qingyuan raised her hand to signal the maid to serve tea, then smiled and said to Li Xuan:

"My lord, please sit down and rest. Have a cup of tea to relieve your fatigue, and you can have your meal shortly."

"Mm." Li Xuanzhi sat down as instructed, and Pei Qingyuan sat beside him, gently straightening the slightly disheveled hem of his court robe. Her movements were gentle, natural, and intimate.

Gu Pan'er and Liu Yunrou stood on either side, quiet and respectful.

Fu Xiaoxiao stood at the end of the line with her head bowed, not daring to say or do anything.

"The old lady has returned to the manor—"

The long, drawn-out call echoed through the courtyard, instantly shattering the tranquility within.

Li Xuanzhi had just picked up his teacup and taken a sip when he heard this, and slowly raised his eyes to look outside the door.

Upon hearing this, Pei Qingyuan immediately stood up, her expression becoming more respectful, and softly addressed the people around her:

"It's Mother returning home; come with me to greet her."

Liu Yunrou and Gu Pan'er quickly nodded in agreement, while Fu Xiaoxiao, who was at the end of the table, felt a chill in her heart and lowered her head even more.

The group quickly walked out of the main hall. As soon as they reached the bottom of the steps, they saw the vermilion gates wide open, and a group of servants escorted a fine brown muslin sedan chair to the ground.

As soon as the sedan curtain was lifted, a middle-aged woman dressed in a dark brown brocade jacket and skirt, and wearing a red gold headband inlaid with jade, slowly stepped out.

Zhang's eyes were sharp and clear, and her gaze instantly locked onto her son, who stood tall and straight on the steps. A look of relief first appeared in her eyes, followed by an overwhelming surge of worry, and she quickly ascended the steps.

"Son! We've been waiting for you to come home!"

Zhang walked very fast, disregarding her dignified demeanor, and stepped forward to carefully examine Li Xuanzhi, scanning him from head to toe.

"I've been away in Nanjing for half a year, and news from you has been sporadic. It's driven me crazy with worry. Some people have said that you've been indulging in pleasures in Nanjing every day. I haven't been able to sleep soundly these past few days, fearing that your early success has made you arrogant and conceited, that you've let external things cloud your judgment and ruin your future!"

Li Xuanzhi stood quietly in place, letting his mother scrutinize him closely, and answered softly:

"I've caused my mother worry; it's my fault as an unfilial son."

"It's good that you know you're unfilial." Zhang raised her hand and gently patted his arm. The touch was firm, and the heavy weight that had been hanging over her heart for half a year finally lifted. But she continued to nag on and on.

"You've always been stubborn, keeping everything to yourself and only reporting good news. How could a place like Jinling, with all sorts of people, be so easy to govern? Everyone else was at a loss, but you were determined and insisted on taking on this hot potato."

"I burn incense and pray for you every day, fearing that you are young and impetuous and will not be able to control the local power, and will instead end up in trouble. Later, I heard that you have taken women to serve you, which made me even more uneasy day and night."

As she spoke, her gaze swept casually over Fu Xiaoxiao, who stood obediently to the side with her head bowed. Her expression was calm, devoid of reproach or anger; she simply asked casually:

"Is this the young lady?"

Fu Xiaoxin's heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward, curtsied respectfully:

"This humble servant, Fu Xiaoxiao, greets the Old Madam."

Zhang nodded slightly, seeing that her eyes were gentle and her posture humble, without a trace of foxy or arrogant demeanor. She felt a sense of relief and turned to continue her rambling to Li Xuanzhi:

"I am not a rigid or harsh person. It is normal for someone in your high position to have someone to take care of your daily life. I never stop you. But don't forget, Qingyuan is your first wife."

"You are now highly valued by His Majesty and hold great power. You are the focus of attention in the court and the public. Many people are watching your mistakes, waiting to find fault with you and drag you down. The slightest misstep could lead to an abyss. You must not act impulsively."

These words contained no harshness, but were the earnest advice and concerns of an elder who had experienced the ways of the world; every word was sincere and every sentence was true.

Li Xuanzhi listened respectfully with his eyes lowered. "Your son has kept Mother's teachings in mind and has never neglected public duty for personal reasons, nor has he dared to betray Qingyuan. All matters in Jinling have been handled properly, leaving no hidden dangers. Those rumors about romance are all empty talk and should not be taken seriously."

Seeing this, Pei Qingyuan stepped forward at the right moment and gently helped to get out of the predicament, her tone respectful and considerate.

"Mother, rest assured, my husband is a man of principle and has always kept public and private matters separate. I never believed the rumors that were circulating in Jinling before. Now that my husband has returned to the capital safely and achieved great success, that is the best proof."

"I will take good care of everything in the backyard. Everyone in the manor is well-behaved and will not cause any trouble to disturb my husband's mind. Nor will it interfere with official duties in the court. Mother, you can rest assured and recuperate in the manor."

Upon hearing this, Zhang's gaze fell on her gentle and dignified daughter-in-law, her expression softened instantly, the tension on her face disappeared, and her tone became much gentler.

"Qingyuan is still the most sensible and steady."