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

"Mother~"

Xu Baobao threw herself into Xu Qing's arms.

Her maternal grandparents and uncles stood up for her, but when Xu Baobao saw her mother, she still couldn't help feeling wronged.

Xu Qing picked up Xu Baobao, nuzzled the little girl's cheek, and said softly:

"Mommy knows you've been wronged, baby. How about we go to town tomorrow to buy you some hair accessories?"

Xu Baobao immediately forgot about her grievances and happily hugged Xu Qing.

*Smack!* She planted a kiss on Xu Qing's cheek: "Mommy's the best! Baby loves Mommy the most~"

Wen said sourly from behind, "Oh dear, he was just clinging to Grandma and wouldn't let go, but he forgot about me as soon as he saw his mother. My chest feels a little uncomfortable, eldest son, help me a bit."

Xu Baobao jumped down from Xu Qing's arms, ran to Wen Shi, pulled Wen Shi down, and kissed Wen Shi as well.

She said sweetly, "Baby loves Grandma the most too~"

After saying that, he turned to Xu Jian and Xu Gong and said, "Baby likes both his eldest uncle and his youngest uncle too."

Zhou Chenggong jumped out from behind, hands on his hips, and said, feigning anger:

"And what about me? You little ingrate, have you forgotten how I used to help you gather pig feed and pick wild fruit?"

Xu Baobao was already numb, but she put on a standard smile and said, "Baby likes Brother Zhou the most too."

After saying that, he rubbed his stiff lips and ran towards Xu Zhenzhen: "I like Sister Zhenzhen too, I like the whole family."

"Hahahaha, little girls are so cute, unlike those naughty boys. Mrs. Xu, I really envy you."

The county magistrate was amused by Xu Baobao and burst into laughter.

When others praise her, Xu Qing is very humble, but when they praise her child, she only feels proud.

"My three daughters are indeed very cute."

"By the way, Magistrate, you've come to Xu Family Village so quickly. Has something happened with the bandits?"

The magistrate was still thinking about how to praise Xu Qing's children next, but when Xu Qing took the initiative to ask, he followed up on the topic.

“I received a message from my son’s attendant, so I led my men there without stopping. When we arrived at the village, the village chief told me my son’s message.”

At this point, the magistrate paused and thanked Xu Qing again: "You are truly my son's benefactor, Madam Xu. You have saved my son from dire straits twice. I really don't know how to thank you enough."

Xu Qing chuckled awkwardly twice: "You're too kind, Magistrate. It was just a coincidence."

Xu Qing dared not accept this credit. The county magistrate knew perfectly well that she was just an ordinary village woman. Who knew what his true intentions were in being so shameless in flattering her?

The magistrate continued, "The village chief said you took down the bandits, but I wonder how Madam Xu managed to do so?"

"I saw that the bandits had severe burns in their mouths, yet they didn't react at all. I thought they were dead..."

"I ordered the constables to escort all the bandits back to the yamen prison. They've been on such a bumpy journey, and they haven't shown any signs of waking up. But we still need to take their statements, so I came to ask Madam Xu if she could give me the antidote?"

"So that's what it is." Xu Qing replied, "There's no antidote, Your Excellency. I just used a sleeping potion, and they'll wake up naturally when the time comes. Maybe I used too much of the potion, which is why they're sleeping so soundly."

The magistrate nodded: "In that case, I'm relieved. Madam Xu, you've done me a great favor again this time."

The magistrate became visibly excited, his mustache trembling as he spoke.

“Those bandits have already wreaked havoc on several villages, and they are extremely cunning, fleeing back and forth between several nearby towns.”

"My colleagues and I were having a terrible headache. We offered a reward of 50 taels of silver, but we still couldn't catch them. We never expected that they would fall into your hands this time."

Xu Qing was surprised to find that the bandits were worth 50 taels of silver.

Before claiming the reward, Xu Qing needed to confirm one thing.

"Your Excellency, you said they fled back and forth between several towns, and I also heard them say they were going to transport the stolen grain back to their village. Are there more than just the few who were captured?"

The magistrate pondered for a moment and replied, "Based on the descriptions from surviving villagers in other villages, there should be another group of people."

Xu Qing felt a chill in her heart. She had taken down the bandits; if the other group found out, wouldn't they come to retaliate against her?

The county magistrate, seeing Xu Qing's appearance, also realized this.

He reassured him, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about you."

Xu Qing was clearly not so optimistic; so many villagers knew that she was the one who had taken down the bandits.

Another group of bandits quickly found out that the magistrate couldn't silence everyone.

I can only feel at ease after all the bandits have been dealt with.

"Your Excellency, why don't we interrogate those bandits and get them to tell us where their stronghold is? Then we can wipe them out in one fell swoop."

"I can provide you with a secret medicine that can take down bandits without losing a single soldier."

"However, this secret medicine can only be used by myself. You must take me with you on the day we go to suppress the bandits."

The magistrate had already planned this, but these bandits were very cunning and hid in deep mountains and forests, where they were familiar with the terrain.

Previously, someone provided a clue, and he and the county magistrates of several nearby towns also sent people to arrest them, but they escaped each time.

If we had the thing Xu Qing mentioned, we'd definitely be able to catch them!

The magistrate was thrilled; Xu Qing was truly his lucky star!

First, they helped him solve the disease, then they discovered the taro, a disaster relief food, and now the banditry is also expected to be resolved. His political achievements this year are definitely secure!

A reward is warranted, and a generous one must be given!

"Madam Xu, the 50 taels bounty for the bandits was jointly set by me and the magistrates of several nearby towns, but their money has not yet been delivered."

I'll pay for it out of my own pocket first. Also, if the secret medicine you provide really catches the remaining bandits, I'll give you another 50 taels of silver as a reward!

Xu Qing would never complain about having too much money, so he happily agreed.

The secret drug she mentioned that could knock out bandits when sprinkled out was actually an inhaled anesthetic.

However, this type of inhaled anesthetic is cumbersome to use and requires some medical equipment, so she didn't use it that day.

But it's different when a county magistrate goes to suppress bandits. These things can be prepared in advance, and the anesthetic can be released after the target is spotted.

After giving Xu Qing 50 taels of silver, the magistrate gave him another 5 taels of silver, saying it was for Zhou Chenggong's food and lodging expenses.

The county magistrate now greatly appreciates Zhou Chenggong's close relationship with Xu Qing's family, as Xu Qing is a lucky charm for him.

He also noticed that after his son returned from Xu Qing's house, he became much more sensible, stronger, and his understanding of reading had broadened considerably.

The two discussed the matter of suppressing the bandits in detail for a while, and then the magistrate went back to interrogate the bandits.

Before leaving, the magistrate said, "You don't need to hire stonemasons, carpenters, or bricklayers to repair your house. My family has servants who know all these skills."

I've brought you the stonemason. The carpenter and bricklayer are repairing the old house at home these days; I'll bring them over in a couple of days.

You don't need to pay them wages; they all receive a monthly allowance. Just provide them with three meals a day. Once your house is repaired, you can have them come back.