A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

Lu Jing looked at Gu Xixi in disbelief.

Can women also make a living on their own?

Seeing her dazed, Gu Xixi assumed she was still recovering from the shock, so she asked gently:

"You mentioned travel expenses and revenge. What are your plans next?"

Lu Jing glanced at Gu Xixi and changed her words, "To be honest, Xixi, I came out this time to file a complaint with the Jingzhao Prefecture."

“I swear before my parents’ graves that I will seek justice for my whole family and make the wicked pay for their crimes in blood.”

"Until I see this day with my own eyes, I will have only this one wish in my life, and I will not think of anything else."

She seemed to recall the scene of her family's destruction and death, and a resolute hatred flashed in her eyes.

"If the Jingzhao Prefecture doesn't work, I'll go and beat the Dengwen Drum! If that doesn't work, I'll find a way to appeal to the Emperor!"

"You're going to the capital?" Gu Xixi was surprised, but smiled and said, "We're going the same way. If you don't have any other way, why don't you come with us?"

Lu Jing hurriedly waved her hand, saying in a flustered manner, "No, no, I wouldn't dare to trouble my three benefactors any further!"

"I've already made up my mind. I'm going to the capital. Don't worry, I have enough money for the journey."

By this time, An Qinghe had already moved the eight wicked servants to the side of the official road to prevent them from blocking the way.

He looked up at the sky and urged, "If we don't leave now, we'll really have to sleep outside tonight."

Gu Xixi smiled at Lü Jing, "Did you hear that? Time is of the essence, so you'd better not refuse."

"Come with us for a while, and we'll leave this place first. After that, if you want to go on your own, I won't stop you."

Lu Jing looked at Gu Xixi for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you."

Gu Xixi told Lü Jing to wait in the car first. When she turned to Jiang Mingyuan, her smile disappeared and her expression became serious.

"What do you think?"

Jiang Mingyuan had served as a county magistrate and was familiar with criminal matters.

He pondered for a moment and said, "According to those wicked servants, this girl's parents were indeed murdered and her land was robbed."

"But such a major case has occurred locally, why hasn't the county government done anything?"

"Furthermore, why didn't this girl go to the county government to seek justice, but instead insisted on going all the way to the capital?"

Jiang Mingyuan raised his eyes. "In my opinion, the master that the wicked servant mentioned probably has some background."

"Or perhaps they pursued this girl not just for her beauty."

Gu Xixi frowned. "Are they trying to stop Lü Jing from going to Beijing to file a complaint?"

Jiang Mingyuan nodded slightly.

He glanced at the wicked servants abandoned by the roadside and said in a low voice, "I originally planned to send a fast horse overnight to ask the county government to come and arrest them."

"It seems that we should not stay here any longer."

"Just leave them here, their owners will come looking for them. If there's any more trouble later, we'll have to deal with it then."

Gu Xixi's face darkened. "I understand. I'll go tell An Qinghe, and we'll set off right away."

"Let's not stay at the inn tonight, and rest when we reach Jincheng tomorrow."

Although this place belongs to Fengcheng, it is directly under the jurisdiction of Nan Yi County.

If the county government is in cahoots with that so-called master, they will surely come after the wicked servants when they learn that they have failed to complete their mission.

Therefore, leaving is the best course of action.

Anqing and Gu Xixi told him they had to travel overnight, and without asking why, they drove the carriage as fast as they could.

Gu Xixi sat in the carriage with her eyes closed, resting.

Lu Jing glanced at her several times, always feeling that this girl was very different.

Lu Jing is the only daughter in her family and has been pampered since childhood. Her parents rarely made demands on her with etiquette and rules.

But what she usually heard and saw was the same old story: "A woman obeys her father at home, her husband after marriage, and her son after her husband's death."

Even her parents' previous plan was to find a husband for their daughter.

After the child was born, the elderly couple were already getting on in years, so it was only natural to hand over the family to their son-in-law to take over the household.

Previously, Lü Jing herself did not feel that there was anything wrong with this.

Her parents told her, "Find a good man to take care of you."

But the girl she had only recently met told her, "You have to make a living on your own."

This inevitably stirred a slight ripple in Lü Jing's heart.

The next day at daybreak, Jiang Mingyuan was heard saying outside, "Xixi, I can see the city gate."

Lu Jing woke up with a start and turned to look at Gu Xixi, only to find that her eyes were wide open, as if she hadn't closed them at all.

Gu Xixi lifted the carriage window curtain, "Let's go into town and find a nice inn. You two have worked hard all night, you need to eat something and get some sleep."

"Okay." Jiang Mingyuan responded, spurred his horse forward, and went to talk to An Qinghe.

Upon checking into the inn, Gu Xixi first asked the waiter to find a square table for four and ordered a lot of food.

When the two men returned from tying up their horses, the food was being served one after another.

Having skipped dinner yesterday and driven all the way, Anqing was starving.

Smelling the aroma of the food, his eyes widened. "Rock sugar braised pork knuckle? Clear chicken soup?"

"Xixi, didn't you say you'd keep things simple when you go out? Why are you eating so lavishly today?"

Gu Xixi smiled and said, "Everyone is tired and hungry, so we should eat something good to replenish our energy. This meal is on me."

Jiang Mingyuan and An Qinghe knew Gu Xixi's temperament, so they didn't stand on ceremony and sat down with smiles.

Lu Jing was at a loss and stood up from the stool. "Miss Xixi, I'm not hungry yet. You guys eat."

"Thank you for bringing me here. I'll be going now."

She barely had enough money to stay at inns along the way, let alone afford such food.

Gu Xixi held Lü Jing down and said half-jokingly, "What, are you afraid you won't be able to pay back the food you ate?"

Lu Jing lowered her head in embarrassment.

An Qinghe said, "Boss Gu only invites true friends to dinner, so you can eat to your heart's content. You don't need to pay for it!"

Jiang Mingyuan smiled and said, "Xixi already ordered your portion, so please don't refuse."

Lu Jing looked up at everyone, her eyes flashing with emotion.

"Well, then I'm not welcome."

During the meal, Lü Jing secretly glanced at the three of them, which was spotted by An Qing and the lively man.

Anqing asked with a big laugh, "Miss Lü, what are you looking at?"

"If you have any difficulties or thoughts, just say it."

Lu Jing was taken aback. Seeing that Gu Xixi and Jiang Mingyuan were looking over, she blushed and said, "I just didn't know that you two were with Miss Xixi..."

She glanced at An Qinghe, then fixed her gaze on Jiang Mingyuan. "Is Miss Xixi's husband this young master Jiang?"

In Lü Jing's view, two young men and one young woman traveling together must mean that one of them must be Gu Xixi's husband.

The dinner table was silent as all three of them stared intently at Lü Jing, each with a different expression.

Gu Xixi (confused): Huh?

Jiang Mingyuan: Surprised, slightly astonished.

Anqinghe: A bolt from the blue.

Lu Jing said uneasily, "I was just guessing. If I'm wrong, please forgive me..."

Suddenly, An Qinghe slammed his hand on the table and stood up, "Why didn't you guess it was me?!"

Lu Jing was startled and confused. "Huh?"

Gu Xixi grabbed An Qinghe and said, "Sit down! You're making such a fuss, you scared Miss Lü!"

She then smiled at Lü Jing and said, "I have never been married. Boss An is my business partner and good friend, and Young Master Jiang is an elder brother from my local clan."