The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 825 - 803: Different Ideals Part 2 (Happy Birthday and One-Month Celebration to Mo Yan and Her Little Princess)

Chapter 825: Chapter 803: Different Ideals Part 2 (Happy Birthday and One-Month Celebration to Mo Yan and Her Little Princess)

Everyone looked at Old Madam Liu.

Old Madam Liu remained silent for a long while before sighing, "Well, Lord Tang must accompany me to my home."

County Magistrate Tang smiled and said, "Sure, sure."

As he stood up to leave, Old Madam Liu stopped him, "I must trouble Lord Tang further."

County Magistrate Tang raised his eyebrows and asked, "Why is that?"

"I may be overly suspicious, Lord Tang, but I always fear that someone is still watching the Bai Family."

County Magistrate Tang, puzzled, replied, "I remember that your family is quite close to County Magistrate Yang."

"That’s different. County Magistrate Yang is the parent official of our county and as a major household here, it is natural for us to be close to him. But you, Lord Tang, are different," Old Madam Liu said meaningfully. "Especially given your profound family learning, your visit to my home would seem innocuous to others, but those with ulterior motives might think otherwise."

Old Madam Liu glanced at Bai Shan and said, "Our Bai Family is now just commoners, unable to withstand any major turmoil."

County Magistrate Tang thought for a moment and then nodded, "Alright, I will go in disguise."

Old Madam Liu breathed a sigh of relief.

Manbao and Bai Shan exchanged glances and immediately followed, "We want to come along too."

Old Madam Liu smiled at them, "This is adult business, you are still children."

Old Zhou also held onto Manbao, shaking his head incessantly at her. Those corrupt officials, those princes, sounded very dangerous. Their family was really just commoners who couldn’t withstand even a slight adversity, so it’s better to stay away.

But Manbao broke free from Old Zhou’s grip and stepped forward, "Old Madam, I want to know about my parents."

Old Madam Liu looked at Ms. Qian and said, "Manbao, you can ask your mother whatever you want to know."

"My mother has already told me all she knows, but I want to learn more," Manbao said seriously. "They are my parents, wronged for twelve years. I can’t just sit and do nothing, can I?"

Bai Shan also moved next to Manbao, "Grandma, it was you who taught me from a young age to uphold my father’s legacy."

"You are still young."

"Not so young," said Bai Shan. "I’m already a second-level student at the prefectural school. My classmates are all sixteen or seventeen, and I am no less mentally mature than they are."

Manbao nodded, "I can still diagnose and prescribe as a doctor. The body is just something that binds us, but what matters more is the intellect."

County Magistrate Tang listened, visibly twitching.

Manbao then looked at him, "Lord Tang, we are quite capable, you should know that, right?"

Lord Tang rubbed his forehead. He glanced at Old Madam Liu and the Zhou couple and decided to stand aside.

Both were to some extent the only descendants of their families, and he didn’t want to get involved. What could he offer as compensation if something actually happened?

Bai Shan and Manbao had never really failed in anything they insisted on doing since they were young, and because of this, both were somewhat imperious in their ways, determined to do what they decided.

No matter how much Old Zhou tried to persuade, it was no use. Even Ms. Qian’s persuasion was futile.

Ms. Qian looked at Manbao’s determined little face for a long time, and finally sighed, "Let her go then."

Old Zhou was angry at her, "How can you just let her do whatever she wants? Is this a matter to be taken lightly?"

"But temperament is hereditary, what can you do?" Ms. Qian said indifferently, "Years ago, when Two wanted to sell himself into servitude, we firmly opposed it. Yet what happened? He ran off to the city and sold himself. Who could stop him?"

Old Zhou was left at a loss for words.

Manbao, having dealt with his parents, turned back and smirked triumphantly at Bai Shan.

Bai Shan pouted, insistently looking at his grandmother. Seeing that Old Madam Liu would not agree, his eyes inevitably filled with tears of grievance.

Old Madam Liu, seeing this, felt a pang of heartache. As his tears were about to fall, she began to hesitate.

County Magistrate Tang couldn’t help but say, "Old Madam Liu, I was already traveling with my father and solving cases at the age of thirteen."

As soon as he had spoken, County Magistrate Tang wanted to slap his own mouth. Why did you have to say anything and stir up trouble?

He had firmly resolved to just observe.

Old Madam Liu then sighed and slightly closed her eyes, saying, "Then let’s go together."

Everyone agreed and left the house laughing while Jiang Qi and others who had been waiting outside immediately stood up from their chairs and looked towards County Magistrate Tang through the servants of the Bai Family.

The Bai Family’s servants had just asked them to step out and then surrounded the doorway, completely isolating them without knowing what was being discussed inside.

County Magistrate Tang nodded slightly at Jiang Qi, signaling that everything was fine, and then said, "I find the scenery on the mountain quite beautiful and plan to stay overnight here. You go back first with the others, and if someone asks, say that I am enjoying my conversation with the Taoist priest in the temple and staying on the mountain."

Jiang Qi understood his intention, agreed, and after glancing at the Bai Family’s servants, he led his men away.

Though he had said that he was going to the Bai Family, County Magistrate Tang was in no hurry. After all, if one must play a role, it must be played in full. Having said that he enjoyed chatting with the Taoist priest, he actually went to find the Taoist priest.

Manbao and Bai Shan exchanged a look and hurriedly chased after him.

Old Madam Liu did not stop them and stayed where she was. Then she turned to Old Zhou and Ms. Qian, gesturing for them to come inside. Now that things were out in the open, she naturally wanted to properly thank the Zhou Family and explain why she had not come to recognize them over the past four years.

Ms. Qian, glancing at the retreating figure of Manbao at the turning point, followed Old Madam Liu inside.

Manbao and Bai Shan caught up with County Magistrate Tang and asked, "Do you believe everything Grandma Liu says?"

County Magistrate Tang smiled, "What do you think?"

Manbao snapped, "I don’t want to guess, just tell me straight."

County Magistrate Tang gently tapped her head with his fan, saying, "You really have a temper. You’re getting worked up already."

Bai Shan asked, "Are you deceiving my grandmother just to see the evidence in her possession?"

County Magistrate Tang then stopped walking and said, "You’re partly right, but also partly wrong."

He said, "I trust no one. I don’t trust your grandmother, I don’t trust you, and I hardly even trust Jiang Qi, let alone trust the Prince of Yizhou or any officials from Yizhou Prefecture. I only trust visible evidence and my own judgment."

"And what was your judgment after hearing my grandmother’s account?"

County Magistrate Tang said, "Your grandmother spoke what she believes to be true."

"Could what my grandmother knows be false?"

County Magistrate Tang replied, "Not only your grandmother—even the fathers of you two—who have passed away, might not have left behind only what’s true. I’ve seen many victims leave behind falsehoods. You, you’re still too young, your experiences too limited."

Manbao and Bai Shan listened, taken aback.

Seeing them like this, County Magistrate Tang seemed to see his younger self, and couldn’t help but laugh, becoming immersed in conversation. He looked around and asked, "Where is this place, and why are there no tourists? Can we speak freely here?"

Manbao then said, "Want to speak without being overheard? I’ll take you there."