Only after being reborn did I realize that I was the white moonlight of a powerful minister.

Granny Chen went back cursing, "What are they? They really think they're something special. There isn't even a grown man in the house, and they're always acting all slutty. I think they're going to be finished sooner or later."

"Why are you always looking for trouble?" Old Chen was smoking his pipe. "They didn't do anything to you, yet you're always arguing with them. If the neighbors hear you, does that sound good? Even if Zhao Chuan is gone, there are still so many men in this county. Our daughter doesn't necessarily have to marry Zhao Chuan."

He just couldn't understand it. His old wife used to fight with people every day. If she hadn't offended the village head, she wouldn't have moved here.

Granny Chen scoffed, "What do you mean you have to marry Zhao Chuan? Don't you know how many scholars there are in the whole county? You can count them on one hand. Zhao Chuan is the youngest, and all those matchmakers have practically worn down the Zhao family's doorstep."

In Granny Chen's eyes, Zhao Chuan was an excellent son-in-law. He had no parents and came from a wealthy family. Her daughter could immediately take charge of the household after marrying him and become the wife of an official—how prestigious!

But Zhao Chuan was short-sighted; he fell for that kind of vixen and didn't understand the merits of honest and reliable people like them.

Old Chen said helplessly, "You may like him, but he doesn't like you. What's the use of trying to win him over? Madam Ye doesn't leave her home much and hasn't provoked you. You're always going around making a scene. Do you think people will speak well of you? If word gets to those wealthy families, they'll know their daughters have such a shrewish mother. Who would dare marry our daughters?"

"How am I being shrewish? I'm only doing this for the good of our family!" Granny Chen retorted indignantly, snatching the pipe from Old Man Chen's hand and throwing it away. "Smoking, smoking, all you know is this. Why don't you just smoke yourself to death? You were always like this back in the village, always hiding like a coward whenever something happened. If it weren't for me being there to take care of things, would our family be living such a good life now?"

To be honest, their family's life was one of the best in the village. In the early years, when Old Man Chen was a peddler, he could only earn enough to barely make ends meet.

Later, Granny Chen was quite shrewish. When the family divided the property, she managed to get several more acres of land. She was also shrewd. She rented the land out to others to farm, and she and her daughters-in-law made money by doing handicrafts for silk shops in the city. Once she had the money, she immediately went to buy more land.

When land was cheap, she bought dozens of acres of land, and gradually her family became wealthy.

Now the land in her family is all farmed by tenant farmers. She collects rent every year, and the rest of her days are comfortable. She doesn't have to do anything, and she even bought a little girl to do chores at home.

But when life gets better, people get jealous. The village headman saw that his family had a lot of land and wanted Granny Chen to sell some to him, but Granny Chen was not an easy person to talk to, and she immediately got into a fight with the village headman.

After causing such a commotion, they could no longer stay in the village. After thinking it over, Granny Chen simply bought this house in the county town.

As soon as she arrived in the city, she saw Zhao Chuan and learned that he had passed the imperial examination and was renowned for his talent. Chen Pozi was immediately tempted and wanted to marry her daughter to him.

Seeing that Old Man Chen remained silent, Old Woman Chen snorted, "Let me tell you, if you stay away from that widow Ye across the street, our lives will be a little easier. But if you dare to even think about taking a second wife or keeping a mistress outside, I'll be the first to make you pay!"

Old Chen said he didn't have that ability; he was just saying a few fair words.

Enough, enough. He had nothing more to say to his old woman. He picked up his pipe from the ground and went out to find someone to drink with.

With nothing to do at home and no need to work in the fields, Old Chen became bored and started to enjoy a few drinks.

When he arrived at the tavern, he happened to meet two people dressed in official robes. After learning that they were from the capital, he only dared to glance at them briefly and asked in a low voice, "Why would people from the capital come here? We are so far from the capital. Is there something wrong?"

"I heard they're looking for someone, but we don't know exactly who. But don't say too much, the waiter told me they're from the town government."

Upon hearing the words "Zhenfu Si" (镇府司), Old Man Chen's hands trembled.

Although they were far from the capital, who hadn't heard of Xie Bohuai, the commander of the Zhenfu Division?

That was a powerful and ruthless killer!

Old Chen drank silently, feeling that his mouth had lost its flavor. When he was about to leave, he saw the county magistrate smiling and fawning over the other officials. Old Chen thought to himself that the reputation of the town government was indeed powerful, even the county magistrate had to greet him with a smile.

At this moment, the two constables from the town government exchanged a glance upon hearing the county magistrate's invitation, which was considered an acceptance.

"My humble abode may be simple, but it's still better than an inn. Since you two are so kind as to do me this favor, please come in. I've prepared some simple wine and delicacies." The county magistrate gestured obsequiously, knowing that since the officials from the town government had come to his territory, he had to treat them well. If he could get a few kind words from them, his future might be brightened.

When the county magistrate was about to take the two officials away, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief, and only then did Old Man Chen dare to continue drinking.

The news that the town government officials had arrived in the county town quickly reached Ye Wanning's ears.

"Why are they here?" Yunzhi closed the door. Only she and her mistress were in the room. When she heard the news, her hands trembled with panic. "Even if it's something that happened in the capital, they shouldn't be investigating in this small county town."

Ye Wanning also found it strange. She had inquired about the situation in the county town and found that there were no royal relatives or nobles there, nor was it the hometown of any high-ranking official. That's why she chose such a place.

"Don't worry, don't let anyone notice anything amiss. Since I moved here, I've kept a low profile. Since the town government officials have come, they must have their own business to attend to. They can't possibly trace it back to me. Don't scare yourself unnecessarily," Ye Wanning comforted her.

If the people in the capital knew she wasn't dead, her brothers would definitely send people to search for her all over the country, instead of the people from the town government searching for her.

She and Xie Bohuai weren't exactly close friends, so even if he knew she was dead, Xie Bohuai probably wouldn't be too upset.

Not to mention sending people all over the world to search for her?

Yunzhi took a deep breath. "You're right. Then we'll stay home for the time being. Le'er will stay home and study. Anyway, Chunxi and the others will take care of things like grocery shopping."

Ye Wanning also felt that caution was the best policy. Over the years, she had not dared to contact anyone. Just as Princess Longyu had said, as long as they had contact, no matter how careful or cautious she was, someone would still find out some clues.

Ye Wanning genuinely didn't know the situation in the capital. Some news that traveled from the capital to here had already been distorted, and she didn't know whether it was true or false.

But she knew the situation in the capital must be chaotic, and all she could do now was wait. She didn't even dare to inquire about the situation. After all, if she asked Chunxi to inquire, Chunxi would find it strange—why would she be curious about something out of the blue?

Ye Wanning thought things would get better in a few days, but two days later, Granny Chen was found dead in the alley, murdered by having her throat slit.