CHAPTER 101: CHAPTER 99

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately reacted, realizing it was Lv Meng who had started a dispute with her.

How many among the government officers here haven’t benefited from Ruan Mian?

And who doesn’t know that the Ruan Family is under the protection of the new stationmaster, who even saved General Huo’s confidants before?

No one wants to fall out with her.

However, Lv Meng’s eyes flared, and he began to yell.

"Do you really think making some useless thing allows you to act superior?? Don’t be insensate!"

"I think the one who is insensate is you."

Ruan Mian fearlessly stepped forward, her gaze oppressive like dark clouds over a city.

Many people were intimidated by her cold gaze and stood dumbfounded as Ruan Mian brought up Huo Zong.

"You framed my sister two days ago, almost causing my sister-in-law to lose her child, abusing your government officer position for personal gain, bullying others! Coincidentally, General Huo will be coming over these days, and I will harshly report you!"

"I will see if General Huo cares about this! Although we are exiles, we haven’t committed any monstrous crimes. Yet you have wicked plans, disgracing the uniform you wear!"

Lv Meng did not expect her to be so sharp-tongued and immediately argued back.

"You, a mere exile, want to report me? Ask who here sees you as human!"

Ruan Mian looked at the other government officers, distributing them goodwill cards.

"Is that so? But I think all the other Lords here are impartial and honest. Are they all beasts like you?"

"If it is true, I will certainly have words with the General!"

The onlookers immediately chimed in, kicking Lv Meng: "You can’t drag us down with your bullying! We are all soldiers from General Huo’s camp, how could we randomly bully people?"

"Isn’t that so! I think you deserve a good beating, you infamous one! Ruan Family, please don’t condem us all because of one person."

They didn’t want Ruan Mian to really whisper in General Huo’s ear.

Moreover, recently, for some unknown reason, the reception camp mysteriously had some new faces, and some shrewd government officers had long guessed that they might be from General Huo.

No one wanted to stir up trouble at this critical juncture.

However, seeing this group of soldiers turning against him, Lv Meng targeted Ruan Mian with a knife.

Who would have thought Ruan Mian was quick-eyed and agile, first countering his wrist, kicking the knife away, and then landing several solid slaps!

The sound crisp and clear, after several slaps, he was seeing stars.

Seeing this, the surrounding people also joined Ruan Mian, not wanting Lv Meng to ruin their affairs.

Lv Meng tightly covered his swollen face, frantically avoiding the soldiers’ beating.

Soon, he was beaten and ran away dejectedly.

Only then did the leading government officer seriously ask.

"Ruan Family, now you should tell us how to build that fire stove, right? The snowstorm is about to hit, and the bonfire stack is not as effective as your thing."

Since Lv Meng was beaten into a fool, Ruan Mian followed through with the plan, selling them a favor.

She taught them hand-in-hand how to make a fire stove and how to make it warmer.

Not only that, she also told them that some mushrooms in the logging farm were edible. Last night, she fried a lot of mushrooms and had Cui Zhu bring some over for the government officers to try.

None of them expected those mushrooms growing under damp wood to be edible, as someone had been poisoned after eating before, so they didn’t dare eat them again.

Ruan Mian patiently taught them how to differentiate between what was edible and what was poisonous.

Having gotten along well, she casually mentioned her brother being exempt from labor for a few days to accompany his sister-in-law, who nearly miscarried.

They were coaxed happy by her and readily agreed.

Returning to the cellar with the good news, the whole family was thrilled.

Ruan Qingsong was especially grateful: "Mianmian, you are so smart and clever, your brother really doesn’t know how to repay you."

Ruan Mian didn’t take it to heart; little did she know, Lv Meng, beaten into a swollen mess, was full of resentment!!

Calculating in his heart to surely give that wretched wench a lesson one day!

After a few days of probing, he finally caught an opportunity and appeared in Qi Nanfeng’s cell.

The two had interacted before, but his sudden visit inevitably made Qi Nanfeng more vigilant.

Fearing it was because of that deranged woman Ah Ruolan, coming up with some method to torment him again.

However, Lv Meng’s visit this time wasn’t to pass any message for Ah Ruolan.

Instead, he told Qi Nanfeng another matter.

"I heard that Mr. Qi once had a marriage alliance with that Ruan Family, right? Then you should know, she frequently goes to the post station lately, having an unusual relationship with the new stationmaster."

"Just a few days ago, I followed along and found them, a lone man and a woman, staying in the same room together. The Ruan Family was dispatched to the post station for labor, yet they are living much better than all the other exiles. Doesn’t this prove their illicit affair?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Nanfeng’s brows furrowed sharply, and he stood up abruptly!

"Wretched woman! I knew she had a close relationship with that former Prime Minister!"

Seeing his reaction, Lv Meng couldn’t help but embellish the story further.

"Look at how she’s always managing things so well, holding quite a lot of silver in her hands. She’s just an exile, where did she get that silver coin?"

"Isn’t it just because someone looks after her? The apparent harmony is just her facade!"

"Mr. Qi, I overheard some talk, saying you and she divorced, losing all reputation, yet that wretched woman first wronged you and now is having an affair with wild men outside. Isn’t she pushing your whole family to destruction?"

"If that stationmaster really wants to marry her, will you still have good days?"

These words indeed hit Qi Nanfeng’s weak spot; what he feared most was Ruan Mian coming for revenge.

Moreover, she originally had no feelings for him.

Seeing the darkness in his eyes, Lv Meng took the opportunity to raise some points.

"Do you know that she, a mere exile, mingles with that demoted officer? If we report it to the gatekeeper, as long as we catch them in the act, the Lord will not spare her!"

In principle, they, as slaves under the armored soldiers, cannot marry civilians before officially being registered in the household.

It also strictly prohibits slaves from having human rights.

The gatekeeper manages this group of exiled slaves, so he certainly wouldn’t sit idly by.

Back when Qi Nanfeng was involved with his daughter, no wonder the gatekeeper wanted to kill him.

If it weren’t for having pity for Ah Ruolan, he might have died already.

Thinking of this, Qi Nanfeng immediately grabbed Lv Meng: "Lord, you must know where they often meet in private. Let’s go to the gatekeeper immediately to catch them in the act and properly punish that wretched woman!"

Lv Meng wanted just this result; Ruan Mian was not someone easy to provoke. If she fell, other Ruan Family members would be easy targets, wouldn’t they?

Thus, the two conspired and immediately went to find the gatekeeper. After some persuasion, they followed Ruan Mian when she went to diagnose Meng Yu again.

They saw her enter the post station, heading straight to a private room within.