Chapter 004: This is not scientific

Mo Jiu did not turn his head, merely smiling faintly as he said, "What is there to fear in broad daylight?"

On the other side of the river lies Sizhou, under the rule of the Jiang people. Although there have been no wars in the past two years, the Jiang people are ruthless, drinking blood and killing without a second thought, especially..." Seeing Mo Jiu's delicate and tender appearance, like a soft willow branch, Aunt Lan became even more anxious, "Such a beautiful young lady, if she were to be targeted..."

Isn't there no dog at home

Her sense of injustice is inexplicably intense

Thank you

She is not prepared to jump into that big fire pit of the Xiao family

Aunt Lan lowered her head, "The dog of the Xiao family young master..."

Mo Jiu cleared his throat and said, "Please say that again."

Mo Jiu speculated, "Could this be your breakfast?"

Isn't the GDP of this dynasty very high?

Aunt Lan stammered, unable to articulate her thoughts. After Mo Jiu finished shouting, she touched her stomach and, recalling Wang Cai's endearing demeanor, felt an odd sense of balance within her. She took a breath and said: "Forget it, let's make another bowl."

Mo Jiu shouted angrily, "Damn it, you ungrateful person!"

This matter is related to herself; although she does not fully trust Xiao Qian, she is still concerned about it

Aunt Lan turned around and said, "Miss, I will go call someone—" Then she saw Xiao Qian walking slowly from the carriage, accompanied by a wagging-tailed Wang Cai. In the morning's thin mist, he appeared somewhat ethereal and otherworldly, yet also as cold and desolate as the frost flowers of the underworld

Shen Laifeng and her inexpensive mother-in-law seem to be hiding something from her? Regarding the weaver's illness, she had inquired in detail with the doctor yesterday; not to mention treatment, even the cause of the illness was unclear to him. Of course, a capable doctor from Xuyi had already been invited to examine her. If it could be treated, it would not have waited until today

Regarding food, Mo Jiu has never been self-conscious, especially when it comes to satisfying her appetite. Although the pig liver mixed rice tastes somewhat off, she does not mind the roughness of the current meal. Upon seeing Aunt Lan enter, she even smiled at her in a friendly manner

Aunt Lan had already rushed out three zhang away

Aunt Lan shook her head, and Mo Jiu felt relieved, smiling amicably, "This pig liver mixed rice is a bit lacking in salt, and the taste is somewhat off." Thinking that she might upset Aunt Lan, she added with a smile, "But it’s nothing to worry about; life is tough, but it’s only temporary. In the future, you all will enjoy delicious food and drink with me."

Miss, it is restless over there, shall we return

Dear, I am your sister-in-law. Can't you save some face for our family?

"Skinny horse?" Mo Jiu wondered, "She is clearly a person, how could she be a horse?"

What does 'very impressive' mean? Aunt Lan does not understand, so she continues to explain to Mo Jiu, "That is truly remarkable. He says that when a person has run out of their lifespan, that person cannot live anymore, and he is even more accurate than the judges in the King of Hell's court... However, he is also reluctant to treat anyone easily; even if a prince or a royal grandson is about to die, no one can force him."

Mo Jiu took a step back, "Aunt Lan, run quickly!"

Do not! Shen Laifu interrupted, wearing a smile that made Mo Jiu feel a pang in his stomach. "It is a blessing for our entire family that the esteemed young master has graced our humble abode and is willing to diagnose my wife. Such an opportunity is something we could never hope to obtain."

This comfort feels somewhat off, and Mo Jiu took a breath before calming down

Being praised for her beauty always makes her happy, Mo Jiu nodded with a smile.

On the day she got married, a bright red veil covered her face. By the time Xiao Qian found her again, she was covered in dust and looked disheveled. Perhaps not being very familiar with her appearance, Xiao Qian looked at her clean figure, his eyes flickering slightly, yet he did not acknowledge her, only patting Wangcai's head, saying, "Let's go"

Mo Jiu does not have the habit of overestimating himself, so he lowered his head and walked away

A fleeting life has been but a dream for a thousand years

"Little girl, you came to my door, so don't blame me!"

Mo Jiu was dragged onto the street by Aunt Lan, still not having figured out what was going on

After the exhausting hustle and bustle, even though she harbored concerns in her heart, she was still plagued by nightmares, waking up in a cold sweat, with swollen legs, aching shoulders, and a neck that seemed to have been misaligned. Every part of her body seemed to cry out in grievance. When she finally awoke from her stupor, the sun was already high in the sky. She looked at the faded old bed curtains, unsure of what day it was.

Her reaction was unexpected, and the man repeated, "Exchange you for her ... ..."

Isn't it obvious that this is an insult directed at a dog? Wangcai let out a plaintive "ao" and wagged his tail vigorously

Aunt Lan looked at her with grievance, "You have already eaten anyway. What the dog eats is what the dog eats, after all, the dog has also eaten yours, so there is nothing wrong with you eating the dog's..."

The surname is Xiao

Take care, no need to see you off... It would be best if you never came back again

The young lady... Aunt Lan seemed to find it hard to speak, "This food is meant for dogs"

I said, Master Xiao, are you here again because you are short on dog food

A bowl of steaming pig liver mixed rice is placed on the stove

With a "puff," Mo Jiu sprayed the entire table. She was furious, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Aunt Lan was accustomed to her rambling speech, yet she did not inquire about what "dog's fart" meant, her heart filled with tears—has this girl gotten involved with a dog? After wandering through the entire venue, Mo Jiu strayed further and further off course, and just as she was about to reach the riverbank, Aunt Lan hurriedly pulled her back.

Two burly men exchanged glances, initially showing some restraint. However, upon seeing that Xiao Qian did not recognize her at all, they could not help but laugh lewdly and become reckless. They forcefully tied the other end of the hemp rope around her body, binding her together with the weeping little girl, and burst into loud laughter.

The two individuals were walking back along the riverbank, and before they reached the main road, they heard someone crying.

Mo Jiu squinted his eyes: "... ..." Are you exaggerating your abilities?

Mo Jiu frowned, "What is it?"

"Oh no!" Mo Jiu was anxious. Earlier, she had dared to step forward to save someone because she saw this fellow. After all, he was also on the government payroll and would surely not stand by and do nothing, right? But looking at his expression, it was clear that she had shot herself in the foot!

"What bad luck! What are you crying about? If you shout one more time, I will deal with you," said the man, speaking with a half-cooked Jianghuai dialect... The accent was noticeably different, and Mo Jiu couldn't help but take a closer look, only to realize that these two individuals also had somewhat unique appearances

Her attention has already been drawn to the bustling market

The place she visited is located behind the old residence of the Mo family. Originally, she intended to carefully examine the feng shui of the Mo family's land and casually glance at the nearby mountains and rivers to see if there were any opportunities for wealth. After all, the reason the Xiao family is bullying them is simply due to their lack of money. With money, why would they need to pay attention to him? However, Aunt Lan is worried; she does not want to add to her troubles. If she were to become anxious and suffer a stroke, it would be another sin.

Aunt Lan almost fell, her face displaying a look of utter shock and distress.

It is generally understood that the Privy Council is the highest military administrative authority of this era, directly acting on the imperial will, holding military registers and tiger seals, and enjoying the right to mobilize troops. However, the extent of the power held by the Privy Councilor is of little concern to her, as she has no intention of having any ties with this family.

The market was bustling, and the variety of goods for sale was abundant. There were tea, salt, fur, leather, and cloth, everything one could imagine. Mo Jiu was dazzled by the sights, automatically ignoring the curious gazes of the people of Xuyi towards her, feeling as excited as a bee collecting nectar, looking around with great interest, much like a tourist wandering through ancient streets and alleys.

The two strong men were taken aback, staring blankly at her face. After a while, one of the taller men, with a lewd grin, pressed his hand against the large knife at his waist, revealing a mouth full of big black teeth as he laughed, "What a pretty little lady, hehehe. If you are willing to come with me, I will let her go."

The man was taken aback, "Little girl..."

The man covered his groin, sweating profusely from the pain, his face contorted. "Wuze Li, what are you dawdling for? Hurry up and catch this little woman for me! Ah, it hurts so much."

Mo Jiu looked at the carefree figure walking the dog with a heart full of pain, "This is not scientific..."

You are indeed a straightforward person, so let us return

In the main room, beneath Xiao Qian's feet, Wang Cai twitched its ears, seemingly sensing a malevolent aura. It hurriedly buried its head under the chair, leaving only its large tail swaying back and forth.

Aunt Lan's legs have gone weak, "My great-aunt, please do not cause trouble. That little girl is clearly a thin horse sold to someone... In this day and age, those who engage in this line of work are all guests of the court; we do not need to provoke these legal disputes.

Aunt Lan ignored her mocking expression, indulging in the gossip, "The Xiao family has been flourishing in Nanrong these past two years, thanks to this Liu Lang. Do not be deceived by his young age; he holds the reins of the Privy Council and can easily command thousands of troops, exuding great authority..."

Mo Jiu did not understand, "Judge Liu? Seems quite impressive?"

Aunt Lan said: "At first, I was not aware of it; I only heard my husband mention it last night. The sixth son of the Xiao family possesses remarkable medical skills. A few years ago, when the emperor was critically ill, it was he who brought him back from the brink of death."

Xiao Qian walked slowly against the river breeze, completely oblivious to his surroundings

Mo Jiu turned his gaze towards the sound and saw, by the roadside under a large willow tree, two burly men binding a young girl with a hemp rope, dragging her forward like an animal. The girl was about ten years old, her hands were tied behind her back, and her knees were scraped and bleeding, yet those two scoundrels showed no compassion whatsoever

Aunt Lan is quite considerate and has already prepared breakfast for her

Later, Aunt Lan said a lot more, but Mo Jiu did not pay much attention to listening

Mo Jiu never expected that this fellow would actually stand by and do nothing

After she finished shouting, she realized that there was no one around her.

Mo Jiu kicked forcefully, striking the man's groin. "Do you not know that I detest being called a little woman? It is extremely disrespectful to women and shows a lack of education"

Hastening her steps, she turned back and saw a carriage parked by the roadside ahead, with a dog's head poking out from the curtain. She suddenly stopped, and amidst the shouts and scuffles of the two men, she turned around and strode over, "Hey, how dare you rob a woman in broad daylight? You have quite the audacity!"

Mo Jiu felt that apart from regarding Wang Cai as a person, everyone else in his eyes was inferior to a dog

Is he really that impressive

Aunt Lan: "... ..."

Aunt Lan stared at her bowl, tightly closing her mouth

Xiao Qian glanced in Mo Jiu's direction, turned to the side, and continued walking the dog

She let out a sour groan, got out of bed, and wandered around like a headless fly for quite some time before finally finding a place to wash up. The days of the Mo family must have been good in the past, which is why Mo Jiu'er was raised to be so delicate. Compared to the small households in the countryside, although they have fallen from grace, they still have the essentials for washing up, such as fragrant soap and tooth powder. For this reason, Mo Jiu added a few more points to her appearance.

Aunt Lan discovered that her daughter had run away for a while, and her intelligence was even more concerning. Without offering any explanation, she simply wore a sorrowful expression and hurriedly dragged her away, saying, "Their parents don't care, so it's none of our business. Let's hurry back; you still have to get married this afternoon."

Oh. It was only then that Mo Jiu remembered the mess he had gotten himself into

Aunt Lan covers her face, "... ..."

Aunt Lan widened her eyes, as if looking at a fool

Aunt Lan, as if encountering a great amnesty, "Young man, please save the young lady..."

Aunt Lan nodded: "Otherwise, he wouldn't have the nickname 'Judge Six'."

Putting down the chopsticks with a "bang," Mo Jiu felt an explosion of resentment in his heart. "Is that fellow so poor that he can't even afford to keep a dog? Not only did he extort us, but now he wants to save on dog food as well?"

Mo Jiu did not sleep soundly that night

Having said that, he gave a glance to Aunt Lan, "Why not hurry and take the young lady out to have some fun?"

Mo Jiu rushed into the room, his face still bearing the residual anger after having eaten dog food, yet his tone was sharp

The inked nine-eyed wind swirls chaotically, slanting towards the street corner, "I said the previous sentence."

Aunt Lan was taken aback: "Do you still want to eat another bowl?"

Where is the government office? Hurry and report to the authorities

With a soft exclamation, Mo Jiu's eyes brightened slightly

Oh, oh, I beg you, I beg you...

Aunt Lan, fearing that she might go mad, anxiously grabbed her arm and said, "Miss, hurry and leave!"

Given the prosperity of Nanrong, it is only right that our family should not be lacking in silver

The one with the surname Xiao, can he actually practice medicine

Mo Jiu gritted his teeth and slowly smiled, "Give the dog something to eat"

She was not polite either, picking up the bowl and sitting down to start eating.

In Xuyi, there is a large customs market. This customs market is distinct from other trade markets as it is established by the court at the border for mutual trade. In recent decades, conflicts have occasionally arisen between Nanrong and neighboring countries such as Huan, Meng, and Xiyue, resulting in intermittent skirmishes where neither side can decisively defeat the other. Therefore, after the fighting ceases, it becomes necessary to focus on the economy, and this customs market has become an important channel for various countries to exchange goods during the periods of ceasefire.