The Little Lucky Girl

Lu Tai was attacked from behind by Feng Xu with a smirk, and he rushed over suddenly. Seeing that everyone was looking at him, he had to say, "Miss Yuxiang, you can also read more books. Reading can enlighten people's minds and enrich their imagination. If you can understand the thoughts of your guests, it will be easier for you to draw what they want."

Yuxiang looked at Lu Tai and her face inevitably turned red. "But, there is no one in our village who can teach me, and I am a woman..."

The four people nearby said in unison: "This is easy. Xiaguan Village and Dafeng Village have jointly set up a school. You and the people in the village can come and learn from them."

One added: "It's very convenient to get to the county town from here. When you're tired from studying, you can just go there to relax. You can recite your lessons while walking, and you'll arrive in no time."

Another one also said: "You can also follow the village chief and his men to do business on the official road. There are many people of all kinds coming and going there. Not only can you gain some experience, but you may also be able to expand your clientele."

Yuxiang seemed to understand as she listened, and said hesitantly, "Are you trying to persuade us to move down the mountain in a different way?"

"Yes," the four of them nodded vigorously, "Wouldn't it be better to live down the mountain?"

Yuxiang wanted to doubt something, but the frank attitude of the four people made her laugh. Unfortunately, her laughter was filled with helplessness. "You know, my father and the elders will not agree."

"But why?"

They had discussed this topic before, but they usually only touched on it briefly and ended up criticizing the stubbornness of the previous generation.

Zheng Huan thought of the father and son who hated them the most in the village last time, and asked, "Is your second uncle still the most fiercely opposed among the elders now?"

Yuxiang nodded, "Actually, he wasn't like this before. I still remember that when I was a child, my second uncle was the most open-minded person in the village. When we kids secretly went down the mountain to play, it was always my second uncle who covered for us."

"The reason he became what he is now is actually because of my cousin Yuhua."

Yuxiang took a deep breath. Her cousin's affairs were a taboo in the village and no one ever mentioned them publicly. However, as the discussion about whether to go down the mountain gradually spread, Yuhua's past was also quietly talked about in private.

"My second uncle once saved a young man outside the mountain. At that time, he was seriously injured by a wild boar. My second uncle made an exception and brought him back to the village. During his recovery, Sister Yuhua often brought him food, and the two of them became good friends..."

Ming Youyou felt that this story sounded familiar, and couldn't help asking, "And then they eloped?"

Yuxiang's sadness was diluted by the curious look of the child. She said unhappily, "No, that's not the case. The young man is good-looking, polite, and educated. My second uncle also likes him very much, so he tacitly agreed to their relationship. Later, they got married in the village."

Yuxiang was a little hesitant. After all, this was a sad story in the village, and she was not sure whether she should tell it all to outsiders.

Ming Youyou and the others had already guessed what was going on, and asked, "Did the young man find a reason to leave, such as going back to inherit the business, or to seek revenge?"

"And he swore to heaven that he would come to pick up your cousin to live a good life, and he also recited a lot of sad poems like 'Cattail grass is as tough as silk, and rock is immovable'?"

"But no matter how long your cousin waited, the young man never came back?"

Yuxiang's eyes widened, "How did you know?"

The four people were also surprised, "It's really like this, it turns out that what is written in the storybook is actually true."

Ming Youyou said angrily, "Isn't your cousin too sad because of that pretty boy? If it were me, since he's not coming back, she should just divorce him."

Yuxiang laughed bitterly, "There is no such opportunity. My cousin was already pregnant at that time, but she had a difficult labor and both the mother and the child died."

The four people fell silent.

After a while, Lu Tai whispered, "Maybe the young man didn't mean it. He failed to take revenge and was harmed by his enemies, so he couldn't come back."

Yuxiang took a deep breath and said, "My second uncle once went to the address left by the young man, but he said he had never seen such a person before..."

"So you know why my second uncle has become like this. He always feels that he shouldn't have saved that person in the first place, and that he was the one who killed Sister Yuhua."

"In fact, there are many stories circulating in the village about outsiders being deceived or hurt, so our clan rules say that people cannot leave the mountain at will."

Zheng Huan and the others looked at each other, feeling helpless. How could they persuade them now? There were lives involved, and the knot in their hearts might be difficult to untie.

Ming Youyou had long forgotten the mission and was still immersed in the story. She clapped her hands on the table and said, "How can you let that bad guy go so easily? Draw his face, and I'll send a copy to everyone I know when I get back, and ask them to help find it. Oh, and you can also ask the three of them to write this story, and print the portraits together, so that more people can see it."

Feng Xu was so worried, "We just handed in the book about the case solved by Lord Tao, and we haven't even started to conceive of 'Bao Gong An' yet, and now we are being given more tasks. Oh my God, you can't use people like this even if you are the creditor. How long will it take to finish this? Can you please let us go?"

Ming Youyou snorted, "You make it sound like you're working really hard. Never mind. I'll go find Sister Zhang."

She said to Yuxiang, "Sister Zhang is a very enthusiastic person. If she knew about your cousin, she would definitely ask Luo Xiucai to help. Luo Xiucai's writing is much better than the three of them. Let's ask him to write more harshly. Even if we can't find the person, we will make him infamous forever."

Zheng Huan thought for a moment and said, "It would be faster to find someone like this, as it would be better to go directly to Lord Tao and use the channels of the county government."

Ming Youyou and Yuxiang were very surprised, "Lord Tao actually cares about such things?"

In the minds of these two ordinary people, the county government is a high and mighty entity, responsible for the important affairs of the court. If they really file a complaint because of such a family matter, they might be reprimanded or even beaten with a stick.

Lu Tai said: "We don't know whether other county magistrates will take care of it, but Lord Tao will definitely take care of it, as long as you can pay the money."

During the years when Lord Tao served as the magistrate of Chang'an County, he did a lot for the people. Part of the money he used came from the imperial court's appropriation, and the other part came from such hard work fees.

Ming Youyou was very curious, "Are there many such things in the capital?"

"That's too many," Feng Xu gave examples enthusiastically, "For example, helping the eldest princess, the eldest princess, and the princesses to catch their husbands committing adultery."

Ming Youyou Yuxiang exclaimed: The emperor has a really bad taste in choosing a son-in-law, why are the princes-in-law of three generations so unreliable.