The playboy county magistrate

Sitting by the bed, Zhang looked at her daughter-in-law's gentle and obedient appearance and couldn't help but sigh softly.

"Qingyuan, you are just too soft-hearted and too considerate. Which other wives don't want to hold onto their husband's favor? But you, you always think of Xuanzhi."

Pei Qingyuan was slightly taken aback, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she remained silent.

Li Xuanzhi, standing to the side, frowned.

My mother isn't a particularly curious person, nor is she a controlling one who interferes in her son and daughter-in-law's affairs.

Zhang took in the fleeting look of caution in her son's eyes and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

What she feared most was that after her son firmly established himself in the court, he would gradually lose his vigilance due to the ease of his life.

Indulging in tender feelings and neglecting self-discipline is a minor matter. But if one neglects to control even the affairs of the household and gossip, it will surely breed hidden dangers in the future.

Zhang remained outwardly calm, maintaining her kind and gentle elder demeanor. She gently patted Pei Qingyuan's hand, her tone soothing. Though seemingly casual conversation, every word was a subtle reminder.

"It's not that I'm saying you're not considerate, it's just that you're too soft-hearted. You always put others first and end up hurting yourself."

Zhang felt genuinely sorry for Pei Qingyuan, after all, she herself had once been like Pei Qingyuan, choosing to sacrifice herself for the sake of everyone around her.

Having experienced such hardship herself, she naturally didn't want Pei Qingyuan to follow in her footsteps.

"You are the matriarch of the household, carrying the eldest son of the Li family. You are the one who deserves to be pampered and treated with the utmost respect in this mansion. Everyone should be accommodating you in every way, not the one who has to yield every day!"

Pei Qingyuan's cheeks were still flushed; she lowered her eyes meekly and spoke softly.

"Mother, I just feel that husbands and wives should be considerate of each other and don't need to be so clear about the distinctions."

"That's true, but managing a household is never just about the relationship between husband and wife, nor is it as simple as you think."

Zhang spoke slowly, her voice calm, but her attitude was quite clear.

"Personal relationships are personal relationships, and rules are rules. If you are too kind and yielding, your subordinates will easily become complacent and lose their sense of propriety when it comes to maintaining proper boundaries."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanzhi, who had been silent, darkened his expression even further.

really.

My mother's remarks today were not just casual chatter.

Last night, his private conversation with Qingyuan in the bedroom concerned their intimate relationship and the proper boundaries within the household. There was neither argument nor controversy. It was just that Qingyuan was considerate of his hard work and casually suggested that he go to the backyard to rest. It was nothing serious.

This extremely private conversation reached the mother's ears overnight.

As a high-ranking minister in the cabinet, he maintained strict rules both inside and outside his residence. He had repeatedly instructed all his servants to be careful with their words and actions, not to spread rumors about the master's affairs, and not to pry into his private matters. In the past, while the court was busy, the mansion was orderly and there was never a single rumor or gossip.

But since he began to stay home and recuperate every day, his subordinates gradually lost their sense of awe.

Today, whispered secrets between husband and wife can be heard; tomorrow, casual conversations about state affairs can be spread. The day after, rumors can be fabricated and gossip spread. These rumors reach the inner courtyard, drift out of the mansion, and fall into the ears of officials, becoming the talk of the town.

Small matters can be reported, but important matters can be leaked.

If the inner quarters are not at peace, the outer situation will inevitably be chaotic.

Li Xuanzhi concealed the tenderness in his eyes, his expression gaining a touch of the cold sharpness expected of someone in the imperial court. His tone was calm and even, yet every word was solemn.

"My mother is right; it was my fault for neglecting to discipline my children."

Pei Qingyuan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and looked up at the man beside her, vaguely sensing a subtle change in the atmosphere.

The person who was just moments ago full of tenderness and doting now had a faint coldness covering their brows and eyes. It wasn't sharp or intimidating, but it carried the dignified aura of someone who had long held a high position, making people dare not underestimate them.

Zhang felt completely at ease, and a gentle smile returned to her face as she offered a light reminder.

"It's only natural for you to want to stay home and rest peacefully with your wife. But your position is different. Once you are a regent, you can never completely relax. People in the household see you being gentle and kind every day, and they easily forget your old rules and bottom line."

"A ruler should be compassionate, but not without authority; he should be lenient, but not without discipline."

Li Xuanzhi nodded slightly and solemnly agreed. "Your son will remember Mother's teachings. I will soon regulate the rules of the manor, control gossip within the inner quarters, and never allow trivial private matters to be spread unchecked again."

Pei Qingyuan finally realized what was happening and was slightly startled.

Last night, she was only momentarily soft-hearted and considerate, and the intimate words she whispered to Xuanzhi in private were secretly spread by the servants. Even her mother, who is usually quiet and doesn't interfere in trivial matters, found out.

She was so overwhelmed by the news of her pregnancy that she completely forgot about managing the household affairs, even forgetting to give the servants a proper talking-to.

She lowered her head in embarrassment and annoyance. "I was too lenient with the servants and too kind to them, which made them lose their respect and dare to spread rumors about their master's private affairs."

Zhang quickly raised her hand to comfort her, and said softly with a smile:

"It's not your fault. You are kind-hearted and have always treated your servants well. This is not your fault. It's because Xuanzhi has not established his authority for a long time, and his subordinates have become lax and unruly."

Li Xuanzhi looked at the slightly furrowed brows of the person in his arms, quickly suppressed his coldness, raised his hand to gently rub the top of her head, and softly comforted her.

"Don't overthink it, it has nothing to do with you. It's my fault for being lax in managing the household and neglecting to discipline people. I'll fix it all today, and I'll never let anything like this bother you or offend your senses again."

After speaking, he looked up at the door and called out in a deep voice, "Someone come here."

Upon hearing the noise, the butler on duty outside immediately pushed the door open and entered, bowing deeply.

Li Xuanzhi sat upright on the edge of the bed, his brows and eyes cold and aloof, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"Investigate which servants were on guard duty inside and outside the main bedroom last night. List them all, without omission."

The butler felt a chill run down his spine, instantly realizing he had made a slip of the tongue, and quickly bowed in acknowledgment.

"Yes, I will investigate immediately."

"Furthermore," Li Xuanzhi said calmly, "an order shall be issued to the entire household. Within the main residence, all private conversations, whether of the master or not, are strictly prohibited from being privately transmitted, discussed, or reported. Everyone shall perform their duties and keep to their responsibilities, doing only what is within their scope of business, not listening to or spreading anything outside their authority."

"Anyone who pries into the master's private affairs, spreads gossip about the master's residence, or engages in private gossip and slander will have their hands and feet broken, be poisoned to make them mute, and be expelled from the Li household, never to be employed again. Anyone who covers up or conceals such activities, or colludes with others for personal gain, will be punished along with the others."

Once the strict rules were in place, there was no room for maneuver.

In the past, Li Xuanzhi treated his servants with kindness and consideration, and was fair in rewarding and punishing them, but he was always gentle and rarely so strict.

The butler had never seen him with such an expression before, and dared not breathe, bowing repeatedly in response:

"Remember these instructions. Immediately inform the entire prefecture to strictly discipline all personnel, from top to bottom, to ensure this does not happen again!"