The playboy county magistrate

Seeing this, Li Xuanjing became extremely anxious and quickly stepped forward to stop him, pretending to be serious as he said:

"Second brother! The family banquet hasn't even started, and the proper etiquette hasn't been fulfilled. How could you take your wife and leave the manor without permission? This is extremely impolite. If word gets out, it will cause gossip and damage your reputation in court!"

He wanted to force people to stay and buy time.

Only when the effects of the medicine are completely out of control and fully manifest can Pei Qingyuan's crime of breach of etiquette be definitively established.

Li Xuanzhi didn't stop walking. He turned to the side and glanced at him coldly, his eyes filled with murderous intent, and his tone was so cold that it was devoid of any warmth.

"I will protect my wife. Whoever dares to stop me is the mastermind, and I will settle accounts with them today."

Li Xuanjing instinctively paused, a chill creeping into his heart. Intimidated by the ruthlessness in his eyes, he dared not rashly step forward to stop him.

Li Xuanzhi carried the dazed and weak Pei Qingyuan out of the main hall, through the corridor, and straight out of the cold and filthy Cheng'en Earl's Mansion.

Behind him, Li Dehai's angry shouts, Li Xuanjing's sinister gaze, and the chaotic sounds of the servants throughout the mansion mingled together.

Pei Qingyuan leaned softly against Li Xuanzhi's chest, her eyes half-closed, her long eyelashes glistening with moisture, unable to conceal the misty tears welling up in her eyes.

The aphrodisiac's effects completely permeated her blood, stripping Pei Qingyuan of all self-restraint and composure, leaving only unbearable heat and weakness. Her fingertips unconsciously gripped his clothes, trembling slightly, and even her breath carried a faint burning sensation.

With her last remaining shred of reason, she clearly remembered the machinations of the Marquis's family and Li Xuanjing's hypocrisy and malice, as well as the way her husband had risked everything to get her away.

But the body gradually lost control and eventually became uncontrollable.

Li Xuanzhi looked down at the person in his arms, the fierce killing intent in his eyes turning into heartache, and he moved with extreme care. He was afraid that the slightest bit of force would cause her even the slightest more suffering.

He steadily carried her to the waiting carriage and whispered to the driver:

"Get back home as quickly as possible."

The coachman had never heard his master speak in such a cold and urgent tone before, and dared not delay, so he immediately whipped the horse to urge it on.

The wheels rolled and sped along, steadily and rapidly heading towards the Li residence.

Pei Qingyuan was placed on a soft brocade cushion, the warm heat repeatedly enveloping her limbs and body. She couldn't help but let out a soft gasp, her cheeks flushed, and her usually cool and gentle eyes were now incredibly alluring.

"Are you feeling unwell?" Li Xuanzhi sat beside her, gently touching her forehead. The touch was burning hot, and his heart tightened suddenly.

Pei Qingyuan barely managed to lift her eyes to look at him, her eyes misty with tears, making her expression unreadable. She only nodded slightly, her voice as faint as a feather. "Hot... I'm so hot all over..."

Li Xuanzhi's fingertips were taut, and a chilling aura surged in his eyes.

Li Xuanjing is truly audacious! He clearly calculated everything, certain that as long as Pei Qingyuan lost her composure at the Earl's residence, he could use rumors to ruin her reputation and make him, her husband, lose face as well.

The most ridiculous thing is that his biological father, Li Dehai, who had been disappointing him all along, watched coldly and believed everything he heard, thought from beginning to end that it was just an ordinary family dispute.

They assumed it was his disobedience in protecting his wife, or his rudeness as a junior, and they couldn't believe that his eldest son, Li Xuanjing, harbored such a vicious heart.

This is what it means to be cold-hearted and vicious among relatives.

"Just a little longer, we'll be home soon."

Li Xuanzhi leaned down and whispered comforting words in her ear.

"With me here, no one can hurt you. The effects of the medicine will wear off soon."

Pei Qingyuan vaguely heard his voice and, as if grasping at the only piece of driftwood, subconsciously moved closer to his side.

She gripped his sleeve tighter, and her restless mind calmed down a little.

He gently stroked her back with his fingertips, then lowered his head and pressed his lips to the top of her head.

"I've been wronged."

Pei Qingyuan buried her face in his warm clothes, her nose stinging with tears.

The carriage sped along and soon came to a steady stop in front of the Li residence.

Li Xuanzhi carried Pei Qingyuan and steadily stepped out of the carriage. He spoke rapidly and solemnly to the butler, giving his instructions.

"No one in the mansion is allowed to move around or spy freely, nor is anyone allowed to discuss it in private."

"yes!"

The steward was, after all, an old man from the Chengen Earl's mansion, and had seen all sorts of underhanded tricks and sordid thoughts over the years, even longer than Li Xuanzhi.

Upon seeing this, he immediately realized that someone had drugged the lady, and dared not say anything more. He turned around and quickly took his orders and left.

Li Xuanzhi, carrying the dazed and confused person in his arms, quickly stepped into the main courtyard, closed the courtyard gate behind him, and blocked the prying eyes of all the servants.

Li Xuanzhi gently placed her on the bed, lowered the bed curtains, and removed her clothes.

Pei Qingyuan's mind became increasingly scattered, her body felt unbearably hot, and she subconsciously furrowed her brows, her soft, labored breathing becoming more and more pronounced.

The creaking sound continued until midnight.

The next day, as dawn broke, a light mist enveloped the courtyard, and sunlight streamed through the windows into the house.

Pei Qingyuan slowly opened her eyes. She nestled quietly in Li Xuanzhi's broad and warm embrace, her eyebrows and eyes gentle and soft, her expression peaceful and serene.

I was under the influence of the medication yesterday, but my memory is still there.

Her usually restrained husband worked tirelessly all night for her sake. He's still fast asleep; he's truly suffered.

Fifteen minutes later, Li Xuanzhi slowly woke up. He lazily rested one hand behind his head, his fingertips gently tracing her delicate eyebrows and eyes.

"Qingyuan, is there anything else that's bothering you? I'll have the royal physician come over later to check if there's any residual effect from the medicine. Don't harm your health because of this. It would be best if the royal physician prescribed a contraceptive decoction for you to take. Otherwise, you might get pregnant due to the effects of the medicine, and the child might be born unhealthy."

Pei Qingyuan nestled in Li Xuanzhi's arms with a smile, her heart as sweet as honey.

Even if her husband didn't explain the second half of the sentence, she knew the reason. Naturally, she wouldn't overthink it, assuming that her husband didn't want her to carry on the family line.

On the contrary, Li Xuanzhi's words made her feel even more that he was a responsible person.

Whether it's towards her mother, her wife, or their unborn children and this family.

Pei Qingyuan looked up at him and softly agreed. Only then did she slowly ask:

"My lord, what are your plans regarding the affairs of the Earl's residence?"

She knew his character, and naturally she also knew about Li Xuanjing's insidious framing, Li Dehai's favoritism and indulgence, and the humiliation and schemes she had suffered in the Earl's Mansion. Li Xuanzhi would never tolerate or indulge her, nor would she let her off easily.

Li Xuanzhi pulled his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Family ties are severed, and all kindness is cut off. In the past, I hesitated to push things to the brink out because of my filial duty to my parents. From now on, I will leave no room for compromise."

"Li Xuanjing is narrow-minded, jealous of the virtuous and capable, and unfit for the important role of the eldest son of the Earl's Mansion. Li Dehai is muddle-headed and biased, unable to distinguish right from wrong, and unworthy to be the elder of the clan."

"If they dare to attempt to ruin your reputation, I will utterly destroy Li Xuanjing's future and overturn everything they are so proud of. They will pay the price for their scheming and cruelty yesterday!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he got up, dressed, and then lowered the bed curtains again to cover Pei Qingyuan, who was still lying in bed. He then called out loudly, "Tang Zheng."

Tang Zheng, who was on duty outside the door, immediately bowed and entered, his expression solemn and respectful.

"Thoroughly investigate all of Li Xuanjing's misdeeds in recent years, such as accepting bribes, abusing his power, and seizing farmland. Gather all evidence and leave nothing out."

"Closely monitor everyone in the Cheng'en Earl's Mansion. Those who instigated trouble yesterday, criticized the Madam, or harbored malicious intentions should be named one by one. We must nip all rumors in the bud before they spread beyond the Cheng'en Earl's Mansion and not allow even the slightest slander to damage the Madam's reputation."

"Collect all evidence of Li Dehai's lax management of his family in recent years and his indulgence of his children's evil deeds."

That's all for now. You can take care of it yourself.