The playboy county magistrate

After the steward bowed and withdrew, and the room returned to silence, Zhang looked at her son's clear-headedness, her eyes filled with a gratified smile, and slowly nodded.

"That's right. A family is like a court; without rules, nothing can be accomplished. If you can command respect from the outside world, you can naturally maintain order within the household and uphold family values."

"This old woman asks for nothing more than peace and quiet in this house. No one should disturb your harmony as husband and wife, no one should disturb my daughter-in-law's pregnancy, and no one should disrupt the rules of the Li family."

Li Xuanzhi lowered his eyes to look at his docile wife beside him, the coldness in his eyes completely fading, and said softly:

"Mother, rest assured, with me here, Qingyuan and the child will never suffer from any interpersonal troubles or verbal grievances, and neither will you, Mother."

Pei Qingyuan looked up at him, leaned gently on his shoulder, and chuckled softly.

"With you and Mother here, I'm not afraid of anything."

On the other side, in the backyard where the three concubines lived together.

Gu Pan'er's personal maidservant hurriedly entered the room and whispered:

"The household has just issued a strict order, forbidding servants from spreading rumors about the master's residence or prying into his private affairs. Anyone who goesssips will be expelled from the household without exception. I heard that the gossip about the master's residence got out last night, and the master is really angry."

Gu Pan'er sat quietly by the window, holding a book of poems in her hand. Her fingertips, which were gently brushing the pages, paused for a moment, and she said softly, "As expected."

"The master is gentle in nature, but deep down he is clear-headed and self-disciplined. He detests unrest and gossip within the household. Even the lady, who is so gentle and considerate, is subject to unwarranted speculation and private gossip among the servants. With the master's mind, he will certainly not let this go unchecked."

The maid sighed softly, "Luckily, we've always been well-behaved in the backyard and never pry into what's happening in the front yard, otherwise we might have been implicated too."

Liu Yunrou, who was closest to Gu Pan'er, continued sewing baby clothes for Pei Qingyuan's unborn child and casually added a comment.

"Being honest and dutiful is the best way to protect ourselves. Besides, we should live peacefully in the backyard and not interfere in our master's private affairs. Just guard our own little corner and live out our days in peace."

The strict orders were implemented at every level of the mansion, and in less than half a day, the atmosphere of the entire Li mansion returned to its original state.

The servants, who used to whisper and gossip occasionally, all fell silent, behaving with utmost respect, their steps light and their words cautious. Everyone held a deep sense of awe, and no one dared to pry or spread rumors anymore.

Pei Qingyuan held the warm bowl of porridge, watching her mother-in-law Zhang leave. She slowly opened the large red envelope that her mother-in-law had handed her before she left her courtyard, her eyes wide with surprise.

She looked up at the gentle-looking man beside her and said softly, "This red envelope... is a bit too thick."

Li Xuanzhi glanced at her briefly, then smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Now that your mother is financially better off, she must have made a fortune with your maternal grandparents' family. It's the New Year, so please accept this from your mother. If you really feel bad about it, just visit your mother more often in the future."

Pei Qingyuan smiled and nodded, then gently hugged Li Xuanzhi's neck.

About half an hour later, the steward returned to the main courtyard with a solemn expression. He stood bowing outside the bedroom door, not daring to enter without permission, and asked for permission in a low voice.

"My lord, I have completed the investigation. All the servants who were on duty inside and outside the main courtyard last night have been investigated, and the maid who secretly delivered the message has been found."

Li Xuanzhi gently released his arms from Pei Qingyuan's waist, the last trace of tenderness and warmth fading from his eyes, replaced by a cold and solemn aura. It was the imposing presence of someone who had long held power and made decisive judgments, an aura of authority that commanded respect without anger.

He spoke calmly, his voice steady and even, yet carrying an imposing aura, "Bring him in."

"Yes."

The steward acknowledged and withdrew, and a moment later he led a maid dressed in coarse blue cloth into the courtyard.

The maid was young and looked honest and timid. She usually stood guard and swept the outer corridor of the main courtyard, and was usually quiet and unassuming. No one could have imagined that the private conversation between husband and wife last night would be leaked from her mouth.

She was already trembling with fear, her legs weak. As soon as she entered the room, she knelt down with a thud, her head hanging low, not daring to look directly at the person in the main seat, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Pei Qingyuan sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching the kneeling maid, and sighed inwardly.

She was always kind-hearted and generous. She never liked to be harsh on her servants, but at this moment she clearly knew that this matter was by no means a trivial one.

If we let this go lightly today, all the rules of the household will be abandoned in the future, and gossip and slander will only intensify, eventually disrupting the peace of the family.

Li Xuanzhi sat motionless, his gaze fixed intently on the maid, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Tell me the truth about what you heard and what you spread while on guard duty outside the bedroom last night."

The maid was so frightened that her voice trembled, and she stammered her reply.

"This servant was on duty in the outer corridor last night, and late at night, I overheard Madam and Master chatting... I heard that Madam, being considerate of Master's hard work, wanted him to move to the backyard to rest. This servant was a bit of a chatterbox, and when I was sweeping the side courtyard this morning, I casually mentioned it to the old woman who does odd jobs. Please forgive me, Master!"

She offered every excuse, only daring to admit to "gossiping," attempting to gloss over the matter lightly.

The steward added in a low voice, "My lord, this maid chatted with the old woman in the side courtyard this morning. She not only repeated the lady's heartfelt words, but also speculated that you were becoming increasingly distant from her. The gossip spread like wildfire, and in just one morning it had spread throughout half of the mansion, eventually reaching the ears of the old lady."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly became even more somber.

A lowly maid not only spied on her master's private conversations and spread gossip within the household, but also dared to speculate on the mistress's thoughts and make irresponsible remarks about the master and mistress's marital relationship.

What may seem like a casual remark can actually be the most hurtful.

Pei Qingyuan was gentle and docile, and never harbored any jealousy or rivalry.

Now that she is six months pregnant, she should be resting and taking care of her pregnancy, but instead, her servants are making baseless speculations and spreading rumors about her.

If rumors are allowed to spread, who knows how much stigma and controversy will arise in the future.

Li Xuanzhi's eyes turned completely cold, and his lips curled into a hard, cold smile.

"The household has repeatedly emphasized that it is strictly forbidden to pry into the master's private affairs or to speak ill of the master's household. Do you not understand the rules, or do you take advantage of the leniency the household usually shows to act recklessly and without fear?"

The maid trembled, tears streaming down her face, and she kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy.

"This servant knows her mistake! This servant was confused for a moment, and will never dare to do it again! Please, Your Excellency, have mercy and forgive this servant this time!"

"Foolish?" Li Xuanzhi chuckled coldly in a low voice. "One instance of gossiping is foolish, but making wild guesses and spreading rumors is overstepping one's bounds and committing treason."

He never resorts to harsh criticism, but he also never condones or tolerates wrongdoing. Kindness and generosity are his inherent nature, while establishing rules and enforcing discipline are his bottom line; he never wavers between the two.

He looked up at the butler and gave his orders in a deep voice.

"This maid has spoken ill of her master and spread rumors. She has broken the rules of the household and disrupted the atmosphere of the inner quarters. Her tongue is to be pulled out immediately, her hands and feet broken, and she is to be expelled from the Li household and never to be employed again. As for the gossipy old women who were implicated in the gossip and spread the rumors, they shall each be fined half a year's salary and punished with caning. This shall serve as a warning to the entire household."