After traveling through time, I was raised by a little brat

Having successfully apprehended the bandits in Liu County, common sense dictated that they immediately return to the county seat to report to their superiors. However, for Tang Wenshu, holding the position of county magistrate was nothing more than a game. Now, she had unexpectedly discovered a mysterious and unknown object hidden underground. How could she let such a novel discovery slip so easily? She must thoroughly investigate and get to the bottom of it.

Tang Wenshu therefore made a decisive decision: First, he reserved a full 500 dan of the confiscated grain for distribution to the former Liangjia villagers to alleviate their immediate needs. The remaining grain was systematically transported by soldiers back to Liu County for safekeeping. Furthermore, the grain that had been looted from other villages by the Liangjia villagers, along with the captured bandits, was also brought back to Liu County to await the personal judgment of County Magistrate Tang Qi.

As for Tang Wenshu herself, she had her own unique ideas and plans. After careful consideration, she resolutely decided not to return to Liu County with the others. She gently raised her hand and waved to her trusted confidant, Ada, who had been following her closely. "Ada! When you return, please remember to pack a few changes of clothes for me at my place. This County Magistrate has already made up his mind to settle down in Liangjia Village!" As soon as she finished speaking, Tang Wenshu, like a graceful butterfly, lightly and effortlessly returned to her original seat.

At that moment, her face was filled with tranquility and composure, as if the clamor surrounding her couldn't disturb the peace deep within her heart. Tang Wenshu sat there calmly, her gaze focused as the soldiers methodically pulled bags and bags of grain, piled high like a mountain, out of the warehouse. The whole scene was busy yet orderly, everyone doing their job, without a trace of chaos.

Faced with Tang Wenshu's instructions, Ah Da didn't dare to neglect them in the slightest. After all, as his master's most trusted confidant, he knew the weight of his responsibility. So, Ah Da quickly nodded and said, "Yes, sir, rest assured. I will do as you say!" However, despite his straightforward agreement, Ah Da secretly harbored doubts.

He thought to himself that if he allowed Tang Wenshu to stay alone in Liangjia Village, the county magistrate would surely disapprove. After all, Tang Wenshu was of noble status, and if anything went wrong here, he couldn't bear the responsibility! So, after much deliberation, Ada felt that he should first return to Liu County and report the matter to the county magistrate. This way, he could ensure Tang Wenshu's safety and avoid being blamed later. Thinking of this, Ada no longer hesitated, turned and hurried away, embarking on the road back to Liu County...

Not long after, a clever yamen runner quickly went to Village Chief Liang's home and searched carefully. Soon, he found some fine tea. He deftly used the leaves to brew a pot of fragrant tea for Tang Wenshu and respectfully presented it to him. Tang Wenshu nodded in satisfaction and gave the yamen runner a look of approval. It turned out that Tang Wenshu had previously been noticed to have a fondness for this tea in Qianjia Village. So, this time, the yamen runner had gathered all the tea he could find, just to please Tang Wenshu.

The setting sun, staining half the sky like blood, slowly sank westward. Its final rays of light gently shone across the vast expanse of land like a golden veil, illuminating the entire world in a dazzling golden hue. This beauty should have been enchanting, a sight to behold, a scene that would have made one linger. However, at that moment, the people present had no time to admire the magnificent spectacle. They were faced with a mountain of grain that needed to be transported.

In this hectic moment, a figure suddenly caught everyone's eye. A closer look revealed that it was Ah Da, who had arrived first. Even more unexpectedly, walking alongside him was the distinguished county magistrate—Tang Qi! Tang Qi was dressed in a solemn and awe-inspiring official uniform, stained with dust, evidently exhausted from his long journey. Even so, it was hard to conceal the awe-inspiring aura he exuded.

"Brother, why didn't you go and judge those bandits?" Tang Wenshu, upon seeing her brother return, immediately rushed forward, her eyes fixed on him, her eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment. She knew full well that her brother was incredibly busy with official duties, especially the complex and multifaceted affairs in Liu County. Add to that the large group of vicious bandits that had just been successfully escorted back, and dealing with all that would keep him busy for a long time. So, Tang Wenshu was genuinely surprised to see her brother there at this moment.

Tang Qi smiled faintly, reached out and touched Tang Wenshu's head, saying, "Of course, I've come to take my precious sister home first. You've performed a great service in arresting the bandits this time. When the trial comes, you'll certainly need to be present to witness it." With a gentle tug, he helped Tang Wenshu onto the horse's back and carefully put a cloak on her. He said softly, "Night has fallen, and the weather is getting colder. Don't catch a cold."

Tang Wenshu's pretty face was filled with stubbornness. She shook her head vigorously and said firmly, "No! I must stay here and guard the cellar no matter what. There must be a huge secret hidden in there that no one knows about. I must get to the bottom of it!"

Tang Qi, standing by, looked at his stubborn sister and sighed helplessly. He softened his voice and coaxed her gently, "Sister, just listen to your brother's advice. Look at the sky. It's so late and the light is dim. Even if we go into the cellar now, we can't see what's inside. Why don't we wait until tomorrow morning and go find out together at daybreak, okay?" After saying this, Tang Qi seemed very tired. He raised his hand and gently pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve the fatigue brought on by the continuous running around these days.

Tang Wenshu looked at her brother, whose face was exhausted but who had still insisted on coming to take her home. She felt a sudden pang of guilt and self-reproach. Her usual willfulness and stubbornness seemed to be blown away by the wind, vanishing without a trace. She lowered her head slightly and muttered softly, "Okay, I'll listen to you, brother..."

Afterwards, the two of them set off on their journey back to Liu County. As soon as they arrived home, Tang Qi immediately began to carefully take care of Tang Wenshu's meal. He skillfully set the table, served each delicious dish, and repeatedly urged his sister to eat more.

After everything was arranged, Tang Qi didn't even take a short break, and hurried to the county government office to deal with the mountain of busy affairs.

Meanwhile, back in Liangjia Village, Tang Qi further strengthened his troop deployment. Of the 10,000 soldiers he borrowed from Yangzhou, except for a portion assigned to guard the prison gates to prevent the bandits from escaping, the rest were dispatched to Liangjia Village to closely guard the large quantities of grain being loaded and unloaded.

It turned out that the grain looted from Liangjia Village was far greater than what was in the cellar. Inspired by the discovery of the cellar in the threshing ground, the group began a thorough search of every household's yard. Sure enough, they uncovered hidden cellars in many courtyards, each overflowing with grain. Upon closer inspection, they realized that this grain must have been looted from the villages of Liu County over the past few years.

Led by the former Liangjia Village residents, the soldiers painstakingly searched for the cellars one by one. After days of continuous work, they finally completed the transportation of all the grain. A detailed inventory revealed a staggering amount of over ten thousand dan (approximately 10,000 dan)! This amount even exceeded the disaster relief grain stockpiles of Liu County during its peak prosperity.