Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

Shen Zheng tilted her head in confusion: "Didn't they say that her father counted her as a ten-liang bet?"

"Those gamblers are just asking for too much." Man Niang spit out melon seed shells and continued speaking with contempt on her face.

"The man who made the bet with Ali's father changed his mind after learning that I was willing to pay ten taels of silver to redeem Ali. He said he liked Ali and asked me to pay two more taels of silver, otherwise he would take Ali home as a child bride."

Shen Zheng was also angry after hearing this. These people really treated the little girl as a bargaining chip!

Man Niang sighed and continued, "I really didn't have much money at that time, but when I thought of Ali with her pigtails, I couldn't bear to do it. I was short of two taels of silver, so I had to ask the neighbors for help."

Shen Zheng looked at Man Niang in front of her. She really had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She looked beautiful and fierce on the outside, but soft and delicate on the inside.

"Sister is so righteous." Shen Zheng praised.

"So Ali works for you to pay back the money she owed him?" I don't know whether she sold her to Man Niang or used the wages as compensation.

Man Niang laughed sarcastically, "If she really wants to pay it back, Ah Li will have to work for me for at least a few decades. It's her mother who thinks she's wasting food at home, so she asked Ah Li to come to my place to help before she finds her husband. I just need to provide her with food every day."

Shen Zheng originally thought that A'li's mother came to ask Man Niang to save A'li because she loved her daughter, but now it seems that she just wanted to take advantage of Man Niang's softness so that she wouldn't have to pay for it herself.

When A Li gets married in the future, her parents can receive another dowry, but Man Niang will be the only one who suffers the loss.

"I redeemed this girl. If her parents want to marry her off, it will depend on whether I ask them to pay back the twelve taels of silver." Man Niang said confidently.

"Sister is right. I will support you when the time comes." Shen Zheng was not joking. If Ali's parents really wanted to marry her off, Man Niang alone would not be able to stop them.

Someone put a veil on a girl in his own home and then quietly took her away. By the time Man Niang knew about it, the girl would probably have gone to her husband's house. How could Man Niang defend herself?

Man Niang was naturally delighted to hear Shen Zheng's words. Although she spoke harshly, when the time really came, she didn't know if she could stop it.

But if Shen Zheng supports her, the situation will be completely different. If she says she can't get married, Ali will definitely not be able to get married.

"Then we have a deal, you can't coax me!" Man Niang said in a tender voice.

Shen Zheng shook her head and pretended to be serious: "Sister is such a powerful person, how dare I coax you."

Her words made Man Niang giggle again.

Then Man Niang realized that she had been talking about Ah Li and had forgotten what Shen Zheng had asked. She sat up straight and asked Shen Zheng:

"Why are you asking about Liu Bucktooth?"

Shen Zheng had nothing to hide from her. First, they were both women, and second, she believed that if Man Niang encountered that kind of thing, she would definitely not think it was shameful for a girl.

So she told him exactly what happened last night.

When she mentioned that Liu Bucktooth was now imprisoned in the county jail, Man Niang slammed the table and said, "Great! He deserves it!"

With a look of relief on her face, Man Niang told Shen Zheng about Liu Bucktooth's deeds.

"I've also encountered something similar to you. One day, Liu Bucktooth was willing to come over for tea, but when I served him tea, he actually touched my mother!"

Shen Zheng was immediately disgusted.

Man Niang went on to say, "I immediately dropped the tea bowl on his head and kicked him twice. This guy was very afraid of the strong and ran away in shame. After he left, I spent another two hundred coins to hire someone to beat him up!"

Although it was illegal for Man Niang to pay someone to beat someone up, Shen Zheng pretended not to have heard what she said, secretly feeling relieved.

Didn't she and the detectives also want to go back to the county government office and give Liu Bucktooth another beating? It was just the same thing.

"Sister, do you know if Liu Bucktooth has ever really ruined the innocence of any girl?"

Man Niang frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "Probably not, otherwise he would have married her, but he would have done many things like stealing girls."

Shen Zheng didn't know whether to be relieved or angry. She was angry at his disgusting little actions, but relieved that no girl lost her innocence.

Just as Man Niang said, girls pay more attention to their reputation. If Liu Buckya really succeeds in his plan, ordinary families will most likely marry their girls off, while families with some money and power will probably make Liu Buckya disappear from Tongan County.

Then Man Niang told Shen Zheng how Liu Bucktooth stole cakes from this house today, stole clothes from that house tomorrow, and flirted with a girl from another house one day and was beaten again.

There were more than a dozen cases, big and small, and Shen Zheng memorized them one by one, thinking of writing them down when he returned to the yamen.

Shen Zheng raised her eyes and saw the evening light pouring in from the teahouse door. She was surprised to find that she had been so engrossed in her conversation with Man Niang that it was almost evening.

Thinking that Chief Clerk Xu and the other chief clerks would be back soon, she stood up and said goodbye to Man Niang.

"Sister Man, it's getting late. I'll go back first. The county court will hold a trial for Liu Bucktooth the day after tomorrow. You can come and see him if you have time."

Man Niang stood up and wanted to keep Shen Zheng. She liked the county magistrate very much and wanted to talk to her more. But thinking that Shen Zheng must have official business to attend to at the county office, she did not try to keep her.

"My Lord, please go back. I will come the day after tomorrow. Please come to my sister's place for tea more often when you are free."

"must."

Shen Zheng took out the only six cents he had from his pocket, placed them on the table, and quickly walked out of the teahouse.

"Hey! Sir!"

Man Niang called Shen Zheng from behind, picked up the copper coins and tried to catch up with her by lifting her skirt.

And Shen Zheng who was in front of her seemed to have eyes behind her. She actually started to jog, and in a few seconds Man Niang could no longer see her figure.

She was worried about leaving Ali alone in the teahouse, so she turned around and went back.

As she walked, she pinched the copper coins in her hand with her round fingernails and muttered, "You are still an official, but you don't even eat for free."

......

After Shen Zheng returned to the county government office, she did not see Xu Zhubu and the two constables. The other constables had also gone off duty, leaving only one constable on duty at the gatehouse.

She took out the case file, sat at the table in the courtroom and began to write.

She wrote what happened to her last night first, followed by Man Niang, but she did not write Man Niang's name, but replaced it with a pseudonym and fake address.

Although Shen Zheng knew that Man Niang didn't mind the gossip, she still felt uncomfortable. Why was it that when a man made a mistake, it was only the woman whose reputation would be damaged? A woman as unrestrained and free-spirited as Man Niang should not be subject to rumors?

She put herself first because she didn't mind being talked about by the public. Reputation was not important to her at all. She just wanted to do practical things.

Secondly, even if people talked about her, they did not dare to spread it widely. If they exaggerated and spread the news, it would be slandering the court officials.

At this time, footsteps were heard outside the court. The people who came were Xu Zhubu and the constable. The three of them walked towards Shen Zheng.

Shen Zheng put down his pen and looked at the three people. Xu Zhubu was still in good spirits, but the two detectives had dust all over their faces and heads, looking like hard laborers.