The playboy county magistrate

"From now on, anyone who spreads rumors or speaks ill of the master will be dealt with in this manner without any leniency."

"yes!"

The steward bowed and accepted the order without the slightest hesitation.

The kneeling maidservant's face turned ashen instantly, and she collapsed to the ground. Her cries were choked in her throat, and she dared not beg for mercy any longer.

She knew that she would be completely disabled from now on, and no mansion in the capital would want her, whether they dared not offend the Li family or because she was a cripple.

Even brothels in the capital wouldn't want her; not only would she have nowhere to go, but she might not even be able to save her life.

All of this was ruined by a moment of gossip.

The handling was swift and decisive, without any hesitation or delay.

Pei Qingyuan watched quietly from the side, and she finally understood her mother-in-law and Xuanzhi's intentions.

Managing a household is never about being kind and lenient; excessive indulgence is like raising a tiger to cause trouble.

Human nature is inherently greedy; if you are gentle and kind, others will dare to overstep their bounds.

Only by combining kindness and severity, and clearly defining rules, can we safeguard the peace and stability of the whole family.

The servants were quickly taken away to watch the execution, and the courtyard returned to its quiet state.

Once all the outsiders had left, Li Xuanzhi's cold and imposing aura slowly dissipated. Turning to look at Pei Qingyuan beside him, his eyes instantly softened again, filled with a tender and careful affection.

"Were you startled?" He walked slowly closer, reached out and gently took her slightly cool fingertips in his hand, rubbing them tenderly.

Pei Qingyuan gently shook her head, raised her eyes and smiled faintly, her brows and eyes gentle.

"No, my husband handled it extremely well. If we had forgiven them so easily, there would have been no order in the household from now on."

She leaned slightly towards him and whispered:

"I was too soft-hearted in the past, always feeling that the servants had a hard time making a living and thus being lenient in every way. In doing so, I lost my dignity as the mistress of the house and made them forget their duties."

Li Xuanzhi raised his hand and gently stroked her hair, soothing her softly.

"It's not your fault. You are kind and gentle by nature. From now on, I will handle all these dirty matters of punishing wrongdoing."

The commotion of establishing rules and disciplining servants in the front courtyard was neither too loud nor too soft, but it spread throughout the entire mansion and naturally reached the quiet courtyard in the back.

Gu Pan'er put down the book in her hand and slowly stood up. She looked out the window, listening to the wailing that filled her ears.

"Now the manor is truly peaceful. From now on, no one will dare to gossip or spread rumors. It's a pity about that maid; she was just a bit gossipy and ended up with nowhere to go."

Liu Yunrou, after all, came from a prominent family, and her perspective on things was naturally different from Gu Pan'er's.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yunrou calmly raised her eyes. "It's no pity. The rules are there, yet they insisted on breaking them. They deserve it."

"The master has always been lenient and kind. He would never have dealt with the matter so severely unless it crossed the line, disturbed the mistress's pregnancy, or tarnished the family's reputation. After this incident, the entire household will be thoroughly alerted, and from now on, the manor will be peaceful, and no one will dare to cause trouble again."

Upon hearing that the situation in the front courtyard had been handled properly and the atmosphere throughout the mansion was orderly, Zhang's last trace of worry completely vanished. Smiling, she ordered the kitchen to prepare a delicate and nourishing lunch, which she then personally delivered to the main courtyard.

Upon entering the house and seeing the young couple tenderly embracing, her smile deepened, and she spoke softly:

"That's good. A peaceful home with strict rules can protect my wife and children and allow me to wait for the birth of my grandchild."

The days flowed by unhurriedly, passing the New Year, the early spring, the sweltering summer, and into early autumn.

Pei Qingyuan's pregnancy became more and more stable each day, and her figure became more and more obvious.

Her lower abdomen swelled up, her once slender waistline disappeared completely, and her body became more and more plump and full, exuding a peaceful and gentle pregnant aura.

As the pregnancy progresses, my body becomes increasingly sluggish. I sometimes feel sleepy and have difficulty waking up in the morning, and I easily feel tired in the afternoon, losing strength after walking just a few steps.

Seeing this every day, Zhang felt deeply for her and took even more meticulous and attentive care of her.

The autumn wind was cool, and the temperature difference between day and night was extreme. Every day before dawn, she would get up to personally check the temperature of the stove in her bedroom and instruct the servants to add clothes in the morning and evening, so that Pei Qingyuan would not feel even a little bit cold.

The meals are varied and innovative every day, with gentle and nourishing ingredients that are not too hot or dry, and light but not bland.

Bird's nest soup, pigeon soup, and red date and yam porridge are served in turn, each of which is a nourishing food that is most suitable for the pregnant woman's body.

That morning, Pei Qingyuan woke up a little later than usual. When she opened her eyes, half of her side was empty.

She blinked slightly, still sleepy, and was about to sit up when she heard soft footsteps outside the door.

Li Xuanzhi pushed open the door and entered, still carrying the cool breeze from the courtyard. In his hand, he held a cup of warm honey water.

"Awake?" He walked to the bedside, bent down to tuck the blankets back in, his voice gentle and deep.

"Why did you sleep so long today? Are you tired?"

Pei Qingyuan nodded gently, then shook her head slightly, speaking in a soft, sweet voice.

"I'm not exactly tired, but my body feels heavy and I just want to sleep."

"It's normal." Li Xuanzhi held the honey water to her lips and patiently fed her small sips.

"The imperial physician said that the pregnancy is gradually stabilizing and the baby is growing faster, which will consume your energy and blood. It's normal to be sleepy and lethargic, so there's no need to force yourself to get up."

Pei Qingyuan leaned against the soft pillows, looking up at him. Seeing that his clothes were neat and tidy, she couldn't help but ask softly:

"You got up so early? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Seeing you sleeping so peacefully, I didn't want to disturb you."

Li Xuanzhi raised his hand and gently brushed the stray hairs on her forehead with his fingertips, a tender gesture.

"I got up early and went for a walk in the yard. I was stopped by my mother when I got to the kitchen."

Pei Qingyuan felt a soft warmth in her heart and chuckled softly.

"Thank you for your trouble, Mother. You've changed quite a bit; you're now more attentive than the servants in the household."

Li Xuanzhi chuckled softly, sat down on the edge of the bed, and gazed intently at her protruding belly.

"It's just a job for others to take care of you; I take care of my wife and children out of my heart."

As the two were chatting softly, Zhang's friendly voice came from outside the door.

"Qingyuan, you're awake? Get up and wash up quickly. The weather is nice today, so I had the kitchen steam your favorite soft rice cake. It's soft, chewy, and not greasy—perfect for your taste right now."

Zhang pushed open the door and came in, carrying a brand-new light apricot-colored soft satin blouse. The material was soft, breathable, and windproof; she had specially ordered it to be made overnight.

"Come and try on this dress." Madam Zhang walked to the bedside, her eyes full of loving kindness.

"Autumn winds are strong, and ordinary clothes are too thin. This blouse is just right, not too heavy, not too stuffy, and perfect for going out for a walk and sunbathing."

Pei Qingyuan felt a warm glow in her heart and obediently replied, "Thank you for your trouble, Mother."

Seeing this, Li Xuanzhi personally helped his wife change her clothes.

His movements were skillful and gentle, avoiding her abdomen. He tied the ties, straightened the collar, and smoothed out the wrinkles, every movement meticulous and thorough, without the slightest perfunctoriness.

Standing to the side, Zhang watched, her smile deepening, and couldn't help but sigh softly:

"To be honest, the thing I trust most in my life is Xuanzhi's feelings for you."

"I used to worry that he had seen too many bad things growing up and would become cold-hearted and not know how to care for others. But now it seems that he truly cherishes you and holds you dear in his heart."