The White-Bone Demon of the Farm is as rich as a country

Ru Yue accompanied Chu Ning'an to take the provincial examination and should have visited the Huo family long ago. However, because Magistrate Huo was the chief examiner, going there at that time would inevitably lead to criticism for both parties. Now that the results have been announced, if she doesn't visit, it would be considered as a lack of etiquette on her part.

Ru Yue wrote a visiting card and asked Zhang Erqiang to send it to the Huo family, saying that she would visit the Huo family with Chu Ning'an in two days. However, the visiting card was sent to Huo Wanting. Although the visiting card was given to Huo Tingwan, due to the strict rules between men and women, the one who would receive Chu Ning'an must be Magistrate Huo or Ah Heng.

Two days later, Ru Yue asked Nanny Qin to prepare two jars of freshly made meat sauce, and baked two egg tarts by herself. Thinking that it was still a little thin, she went to the space to get two jars of previously brewed wine. Because she and Chu Ning'an did not drink, she forgot about it after making it. This time when she went to the Huo family, she would use it as a greeting.

The two walked side by side, their steps briskly approaching the Huo family's imposing mansion. They chose the relatively quiet side door and slowly approached it. When they reached the door, one of them raised his hand and gently knocked on the slightly old but still sturdy door.

After three gentle knocks, something unexpected happened—before the knocks faded completely, the tightly closed door suddenly swung open on its own, as if alive! Then, a face, wrinkled and weathered, appeared at the doorway. It was Uncle Bing. His face, marked by the traces of time, now blossomed with a smile as brilliant as a chrysanthemum in full bloom on an autumn day, bringing a warm feeling to the heart.

"Miss Ruyue, Mr. Chu, you are finally here! Please come into the mansion quickly. My young lady and young master have been waiting for you inside for a long time!" Uncle Bing said as he stepped aside to make way and made a welcoming gesture.

"Brother Chu, Sister Ruyue, I missed you so much!" Ah Heng rushed out from behind Uncle Bing like a cannonball. His small figure moved so quickly that he was in front of Chu Ning'an and Ruyue in the blink of an eye. He opened his arms, grabbed one in each hand, and held them tightly in his arms.

"Hey, Ah Heng, run slower! Be careful not to fall! Look at how reckless you are! You almost knocked your sister Ruyue over!" At this moment, Huo Tingwan's gentle yet slightly reprimanding voice drifted from the doorway. She walked gracefully to the front of the group, watching the joyful scene unfold with a smile on her face.

"Okay, Ah Heng, be good. Take Brother Chu to meet father. I will go to the flower hall with your sister Ru Yue, and we will meet again later." Huo Tingwan gently touched Ah Heng's head and said softly.

However, Ah Heng blinked his bright big eyes, looked at Huo Tingwan with anticipation, and said in a baby voice, "Sister, can I not follow Brother Chu? I want to be with you and Sister Ruyue. There is nothing delicious at Brother Chu's place." After saying that, he stuck out his tongue mischievously, looking extremely cute.

His innocent, childish words were like a spring breeze that caressed the hearts of everyone present, instantly sending them into fits of laughter. Even the usually serious Chu Ning'an broke into a rare smile, while Ru Yue was even more enchanted with laughter. She delicately tapped Ah Heng's nose and jokingly scolded him, "You clever little devil, you only know how to be greedy!" For a moment, laughter filled the entire courtyard, as if the very air was filled with the scent of happiness and joy.

Looking at his pitiful little appearance, Huo Wanting couldn't refuse his request. She turned to Uncle Bing and said, "Uncle Bing, please see if my father is busy. If he is, you can come to the flower hall and sit for a while. Ru Yue and the others are not outsiders."

Huo family flower hall.

Magistrate Huo had not arrived yet. Chu Ning'an was standing outside the flower hall admiring the carefully tended flowers and plants in the corridor.

"I haven't congratulated you yet. Young Master Chu won the first place in the prefectural exam this time. I heard that he was the first place in the county exam before. It's really amazing. He is aiming for the top three places!" Huo Tingwan looked at Ru Yue mischievously, but congratulated her sincerely.

"Sister Huo, if you tease me again, I won't play with you anymore."

"Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore. Come and try my new dessert. It may not be as good as the ones from Mingyue Xiaolou, but it tastes more authentic."

As the two were talking, they heard footsteps outside. "This kid is becoming more and more unruly. He actually left the guests outside for the sake of delicious food. Ha~ha~ha~" It sounded like a lecture, but anyone could hear the pampering in the tone.

"Uncle Huo is here. I'll go out to greet him." Hearing the words, Ru Yue stood up and walked out.

When Chu Ning'an saw Magistrate Huo arrive, he bowed deeply to him with graceful and calm movements. He was already extraordinarily handsome, and the movements he performed were as smooth as flowing water, which made people feel fond of him.

Magistrate Huo was wearing a dark blue uniform today. Unlike his usual serious expression in front of others, he made people feel more friendly, like the friendly uncle next door. "Ning An, there is no need to be polite. Come, come, come, sit with us."

Ru Yue arrived late and bowed to Magistrate Huo, "Hello, Uncle Huo."

"Hahaha, I just told Ning An that there's no need to be so polite, and you're polite again, hahaha, sit down, sit down." It was obvious that Magistrate Huo was really happy today, which made Ru Yue very puzzled. She had met him several times, and every time he had a face that was intimidating without being angry, and the occasional smile gave people a feeling of depression, as if she was far away from him.

"Uncle Huo picked up some gold ingots? Why are you so happy?" Ru Yue relied on her young age and the fact that she was Ah Heng's savior, and deliberately spoke in a humorous tone.

"Hahaha, a harmonious family brings prosperity. Everything is going well for me, so I feel relaxed both physically and mentally." Magistrate Huo also avoided talking to Ru Yue and the other one. Although he did not say it explicitly, they all understood.

"By the way, Ning An, how did you get into such trouble just after arriving in the city?" Magistrate Huo frowned slightly, his tone tinged with a hint of reproach, but more with concern. He had been in the officialdom for many years, and had long since developed a keen eye for the world; such a thing naturally wouldn't escape his notice.

Ru Yue and Chu Ning'an, standing nearby, exchanged a glance, each revealing a deep sense of helplessness. Ru Yue understood that Magistrate Huo genuinely cared about them, so she no longer concealed anything and softly said, "Sir, to be honest, we ran into the An siblings on our way to the city..." Then, she recounted everything that had happened along the way.

After she finished, she paused for a moment, as if contemplating something. After a while, she finally made up her mind and continued, "There's one more thing, about this cheating case. I happened to glimpse a green figure near the exam room. It looked very similar to An Binghuai, and thinking of the sudden chaos in front of the exam room, I mustered up the courage to shout loudly. I didn't expect to see someone deliberately striking silver ingots repeatedly in the government hall, making a crisp sound. In my opinion, this sound must have been a signal to remind the two students involved to be cautious in their responses."

Magistrate Huo listened quietly to Ru Yue's words, his face showing no surprise at all. Instead, he seemed to have known this for a long time, his expression surprisingly calm. He gently stroked his beard and nodded thoughtfully, indicating that he understood the matter.

Magistrate Huo solemnly told the two of them some of the An family's affairs. It turned out that—

The An family claimed to be one of the most powerful merchants in the capital, with businesses spanning a wide range of industries and a staggering amount of wealth. However, according to his knowledge, the An family was more than just a force to be reckoned with in the business world. His undercover investigation revealed that the family also had deep connections and patronage in the government.

It seemed certain that there was collusion between officials and businessmen, with both sides exploiting and protecting each other to reap enormous profits. He couldn't yet fully ascertain the exact officials involved, but he was certain that this network of relationships was intricate and complex, and by no means could it be easily disrupted.

At this moment, after Magistrate Huo entered the flower hall, he had been laughing and talking, and the atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful. But suddenly, his expression turned serious, and he solemnly warned Ru Yue and Chu Ning'an, "You must not take the An family lightly! You must always be vigilant to prevent being harmed by them."

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the hearts of Ru Yue and Chu Ning'an. They were both startled, and their fear of the An brothers and sisters instantly intensified. Although they had previously known about the An family's immense power, hearing what Magistrate Huo said made them realize that the problem was far more serious than they had imagined.