Divorcing your wife might feel good for a moment, but seeing me make money will make you regret it f

Cui Han's sharp gaze fell on the county magistrate sitting at the head of the table, and the magistrate instantly felt as if he were being stared at by a ferocious beast.

He forced a smile and said, "Did I guess right?"

Cui Han grinned and took out a jade token that symbolized his identity: "Open your dog eyes and take a good look."

The magistrate was a little dizzy. He rubbed his eyes and, after seeing the words engraved on the jade tablet, he sat down on the ground with a thud.

"Master Cui..."

The magistrate crawled from the chair in the courtroom to stand before Cui Han:

"It's a misunderstanding. I did this because I was so angry with Madam Xu."

My son was playing at her house, but when he came back he refused to study. He kept making a fuss about wanting to learn martial arts, saying that he wanted to be a great general in the future!

My wife and I refused, and he even went on a hunger strike. He's our only son, and I was so angry that I did something so foolish.

My lord, I know I was wrong. In all the years I've served as an official in Datong Town, this is the only time I've made a mistake.

Please, have mercy on me this time…

Ignoring the magistrate's tearful pleas for mercy, Cui Han walked around to the head seat and sat down.

“Since you have done something wrong, you should be punished. You just said that Ms. Xu is eloquent and persuasive, so you should be slapped 20 times.”

"You're quite the talker these days, aren't you? Well, you should slap yourself 20 times too."

The constables stood there dumbfounded. They didn't recognize Cui Han's token and hadn't figured out what was going on.

At this moment, Cui Han ordered them to carry out the execution. He looked at the county magistrate kneeling on the ground with difficulty, unsure of whose advice to take.

The magistrate, gritting his teeth at these absurd words, said, "Why aren't you doing anything? Didn't you hear what Lord Cui said?"

Cui Han glanced at the magistrate and said, "They don't know my identity, so of course they wouldn't dare to act rashly. In that case, you can do it yourself and slap yourself 20 times."

The magistrate dared not disobey, hoping that after the slap, Lord Cui would calm down and not complain to Lord Zhao.

In this year's official performance evaluation, he was on the verge of promotion thanks to his previous discovery of solutions to rice diseases, his role in suppressing bandits, and his provision of sweet potato seeds.

He might be transferred back to the capital.

Now that this has happened, he is filled with remorse, all because of that unfilial son!

Cui Han watched from above, and the magistrate, not daring to falsify anything, slapped himself hard in the face.

"Clap clap clap."

The sound of the magistrate slapping his own face echoed in the courtroom.

After 20 slaps, the magistrate's face was swollen like a pig's head.

"Lord Cui, I'm done fighting..."

Cui Han nodded: "Remember today's lesson. Officials should solve problems for the people, not bully them with their power."

Just as the magistrate breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the matter was over...

Xu Qing bowed to Cui Han and said, "This humble woman has another matter she would like to ask for your help with, sir."

Cui Han glanced at Xu Qing in surprise. What else did this Madam Xu want?

The county magistrate has been beaten to a pulp and he's still not satisfied?

I just reprimanded the magistrate for abusing his power, but now I'm the one who's become someone else's protector.

However, she was, after all, his savior and Jinjin's adoptive mother.

Let me help her one last time, as a way of repaying these favors. I will never make an exception for her again!

He suppressed a slight displeasure and asked, "What is it? As long as it is reasonable, I will certainly do my best to help you."

Hopefully, this Mrs. Xu will be sensible enough to understand the meaning behind my words.

You must say something "reasonable"!

Xu Qing: "The squat toilet workshop in my family was opened in partnership with the county magistrate."

Now that I've fallen out with the magistrate, I dare not do business with him anymore.

I would like to ask you to help me decide whether I should break up with the magistrate.

When I first set up the workshop, the county magistrate only provided the carpenter; I took care of everything else.

I brought all the account books with me this month. We'll settle the accounts and settle the money here. From now on, we'll go our separate ways.

Cui Han paused slightly, then nodded and said, "Okay."

Cui Han felt somewhat ashamed; he had overthought things based on preconceived notions.

The magistrate was practically fainting at that moment. Xu Qing's workshop had produced a carpenter who could earn more than two hundred taels of silver a month.

He just wanted to teach Xu Qing a lesson and make her realize her place.

Now it's me who's learned so many lessons...

Xu Qing meticulously checked each item of the accounts in front of the county magistrate.

"According to the profit of this month up to yesterday, you should receive 230 taels."

I'll give you 250 taels of silver as payment for the carpenter's wages for the past two months.

You can set up your own workshop here later; we'll have nothing to do with each other then.

The magistrate smiled wryly. How could he manage the workshop? He was busy with official business every day.

His wife was a pampered young lady who only knew about romance and never cared about such things.

Cui Han looked at the county magistrate: "Do you have any objections?"

The magistrate regretted his actions, but dared not admit it and could only shake his head repeatedly.

After resolving everything, Cui Han and Xu Qing left the yamen and drove their carriage back to Xu Family Village.

When Xu Qing arrived at the village entrance, many villagers were waiting for him.

They all saw the yamen runners come to summon Xu Qing and were worried that it might implicate them.

After all, when they were watching the spectacle, the magistrate's wife had glared at them fiercely.

Although they ran fast and weren't caught on the spot, what if Xu Qing was summoned to the yamen and gave them away?

Seeing Xu Qing drive back unharmed, he quickly stopped her and anxiously inquired about the details.

"Qing girl, is the magistrate summoning you because you hit his wife today?"

"How are you? You weren't punished, were you...?"

"The magistrate's wife didn't ask us, did she? You didn't mention us, did you?"

Xu Qing looked at the villagers who were stopping her, puzzled, and said, "Why did she ask you that? Did you hit her too?"

The villagers waved their hands frantically in unison: "No, no, we didn't hit her, how could we dare to hit the magistrate's wife?"

Xu Qing was even more puzzled: "Then why are you asking that?"

The villager chuckled, "After you went in, the magistrate's wife gave us a really fierce look, and we got a little scared..."

Xu Qing understood, and then reassured her, "It's alright, neither the magistrate nor his wife asked about you, the matter has been resolved."

The villagers carefully observed Xu Qing's expression and, seeing that she didn't seem to be lying, they were relieved.

"Qing, you're amazing."

Xu Qing waved his hand and drove home.

The villagers watched Xu Qing's departing figure, still sighing with emotion.

"Don't mess with her again. She even dared to hit the magistrate's wife, but she got away scot-free after going to the yamen. She's quite capable."

"That's right, oh dear, I used to have a fight with Aunt Wen. I'll have to bring something to apologize to her tomorrow."

"Now that you mention it, I remember my son got into a fight with Xu Gong. I'll go with you tomorrow..."