The playboy county magistrate

Tang Zheng acknowledged the order and waved to his men to escort the prisoner away.

The heavy iron chains dragged on the ground, making a grating sound.

The chaos at the scene was completely quelled. Those who caused trouble, committed arson, and destroyed farmland were all orderly escorted away, and the entire process was recorded. No one was wrongly arrested, and no one escaped.

Officials performed their respective duties, distributing grain seeds in an orderly manner, verifying land acreage, and registering households.

Sunlight shines on thousands of acres of fertile fields, where neat ridges stretch out in a staggered pattern.

The plump grains were piled up like mountains, reflecting the simple and warm smiles of the people, creating a vibrant scene.

The conspiracy and darkness just now seemed as if they had never happened.

As the crowd gradually dispersed, only a few people remained standing beneath the empty, fertile field and high platform.

Liu Yunrou slowly walked out of the crowd and stepped down from the platform.

Now that the dust has settled, she should face her own fate.

She climbed the steps, stood before Li Xuanzhi, and bowed deeply.

"My lord, I have come here today to await your final judgment."

She had already made all the necessary preparations.

Whether they were driven away from Pingzhou, or left destitute and adrift in the world.

He was still relegated to slavery, spending his entire life atoning for his family's sins.

Whatever the outcome, she accepted it calmly and without complaint.

Li Xuanzhi looked down at her, "I promised you before that the innocent would not be implicated. Now the promise remains. The innocent members of the Liu family have been examined by Magistrate Cao in accordance with the regulations and have all been exempted from punishment, their lives and homes preserved."

Liu Yunrou's shoulders trembled slightly, and the huge stone that had been weighing on her heart for many days finally fell to the ground.

All her suffering and forbearance, betrayal and choices, were ultimately worthwhile.

"Thank you for your fairness, sir." Her voice was slightly hoarse. "I have no regrets in this life."

Magistrate Cao, standing to the side, spoke softly, his voice filled with emotion.

"Miss Liu is a woman of great virtue and righteousness. She remained true to herself in dire straits and protected the common people from the perspective of her family's private interests. The stability of Pingzhou today is largely due to her efforts."

Tang Zheng also put aside his usual wariness, nodded slightly, and added in agreement:

"The young lady's character and vision far surpass those of many pedantic and aristocratic families."

Liu Yunrou stood quietly, listening to their praise and heartfelt admiration, and the gloom that had been building up in her heart for so long completely dissipated.

Before the turmoil subsided, her only thought was to retire to the countryside and live a secluded life away from the world.

I only wish to stay away from power struggles and conflicts, and live out the rest of my life in peace.

But now that everything has settled, her desire to escape the world has completely vanished.

Li Xuanzhi understood that she was not in control of her own destiny and did not punish her for being a pawn.

He pitied her turbulent life and protected her in dire straits.

In a world rife with self-interest and selfishness, only he remained upright and sincere, illuminating her dark life.

She used to be trapped in the cage of the Liu family, her vision limited by the family's honor and disgrace, and all she wanted in her life was for the family to be safe and sound.

But now that she has broken free of her shackles, she understands where her heart truly lies.

Li Xuanzhi was a virtuous minister who upheld justice, a benevolent ruler who saved the people, and her only salvation in her desperate situation.

Rather than living a secluded life in solitude, wasting the rest of my days, I would rather stay by your side, serving you from dawn till dusk.

Seeing that she hadn't left yet, a hint of doubt flashed in Li Xuanzhi's eyes, and he spoke softly:

"Is there anything else you want?"

Magistrate Cao and Tang Zheng, who were standing to the side, also glanced at her slightly, waiting for her to speak.

Liu Yunrou raised her eyes, her clear gaze falling directly on the handsome young man before her. He was open and honest, without a trace of flattery or sycophancy, only pure sincerity.

"I have spent half my life trapped in the mire. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to stand up for myself today with a clean reputation."

She knelt and bowed respectfully, saying:

"This humble woman does not wish to live in seclusion, nor does she seek fame or fortune. For the rest of her life, she only wishes to serve you, my lord, as your concubine, without complaint or regret."

"I am willing to serve you from dawn till dusk, and take care of your daily tasks. To relieve you of some of your burdens and to spend the rest of my life with you would be the greatest blessing."

Li Xuanzhi quietly looked at the woman who was kneeling and bowing, his voice calm and gentle, neither hurried nor slow.

"Do you know that as a servant or concubine, you will have no official status for life, and will always be subservient to others? For the rest of your life, you will have to endure what ordinary people cannot, suffer from worldly gossip, and be criticized by others? You could have lived a clean and free life, why confine yourself in this cage?"

Liu Yunrou gently shook her head, her eyes clear and firm, without the slightest hesitation.

"This humble woman understands."

"I was born into a sinful family, covered in filth, and am not worthy to stand upright beside an adult. The criticism of the world and my lowly status are of no importance to me."

"Compared to the loneliness of the mountains and fields, and the wasted years of my life, being able to stay by the side of my elders, and to share their burdens and ease their worries, is the best ending for my life."

To retreat into seclusion is to cultivate one's own virtue, but to serve one's lord is to guard the light that illuminates this land. Year after year, we will never be apart.

Li Xuanzhi remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the peaceful village in the distance, over the fertile fields in front of him, and finally settling on Liu Yunrou's face.

He could naturally tell that her plea was without any ulterior motives or schemes, but only with sincere sincerity.

Liu Yunrou is insightful and kind-hearted. Her unwavering integrity despite hardships is truly rare.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke, his voice clear and gentle.

"Since you have this intention, I will not let you down."

However, Li Xuanzhi knew very well that taking a concubine was one thing.

If a man allows a concubine to become pregnant before he marries and has children, it is considered a violation of the rules.

After all, only the eldest son born to the principal wife is legitimate; for a concubine to give birth to the eldest son is a complete joke.

No matter when, there must be a distinction between the noble and the lowly, the legitimate and the illegitimate.

Gu Pan'er watched the whole thing quietly, and the emotions that had been suppressed in her heart for so long surged up completely at this moment, and could no longer be suppressed.

During this time, she always considered herself a staff member or subordinate.

She maintained a cool and rational demeanor, and her sense of propriety was impeccable.

She came from an ordinary family, relied on her talent to make a living, and never believed in being bound by love.

She followed Li Xuanzhi initially only because she admired his integrity and agreed with his new policies.

They could spend every day and night together, working side by side. Countless sleepless nights spent strategizing and plotting had already allowed that admiration to quietly take root and sprout, brewing into a deep-seated affection and respect.

She watched him enter the game alone, watched him care for the people and endure what ordinary people could not.

Everyone saw that he achieved early success, gained power and influence, and enjoyed boundless glory.

Only she had seen his exhaustion as he worked late into the night, his loneliness as he single-handedly shouldered the burden, and the difficulty of turning the tide.

She had thought she could spend her life as his advisor, neither vying for power nor seeking personal gain, remaining neither too close nor too distant. Her only wish was to help him achieve success and make his new policies renowned.

But only now, when Liu Yunrou knelt and begged to serve him, willingly becoming his concubine, asking not for respectability but only to be with him, did she suddenly awaken to the truth.

Human hearts are never bound by cold rules and boundaries, and deep affection has never been related to status or rank.

Liu Yunrou dared to cast aside the shackles of her criminal clan and abandon worldly dignity.

She had been with him longer and knew him more deeply. How could she just stand by and watch Liu Yunrou surpass her and miss out on the rest of her life?

With Li Xuanzhi's charm and ability, Liu Yunrou will definitely not be the last.