Volume 1, Chapter 8: The Zhao Family and the Village Chief Are Inseparable Now!

“What?”

Zhao and the village head instantly turned deathly pale, frozen in place as if rooted to the spot.

“Is there any way to save him?” the village head asked, his voice trembling with desperation.

Shen Yuan pondered with a stern face for a long moment. “I think I read about a method in a book—it requires acupuncture to unblock the meridians and ease the blood flow. But I didn’t bring any needles; I’ll have to go home to get them.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Hurry and fetch them!” the village head barked sharply.

Shen Yuan laughed aloud upon hearing this. “Why on earth would I go? One of you is greedy for the silver I’ve worked hard to earn, and the other wants me dead. Why should I save either of you?”

“There’s a secret compartment in the cabinet. Inside it is a locked box… and in that box…” the village head bit his lip, “…is the family fortune I’ve saved over the years. Take one hundred taels for yourself.”

At these words, Shen Yuan immediately stepped into the room, following the village head’s gaze to the cabinet. She found the hidden compartment, opened it, and pulled out a locked box.

Opening the box, she was dazzled by the silver coins and banknotes within.

Indeed, Chu Family Village was the wealthiest in the surrounding area. The village head had amassed nearly five hundred taels of silver—no doubt extorted from countless villagers over the years!

With a soft click, Shen Yuan closed the ornate box and tucked it into her arms.

The village head’s face darkened at her action, fury flashing in his eyes. “You promised me a hundred taels as a bribe! How can you go back on your word and take all my silver? You’re a thief! I’ll report you to the magistrate! I’ll report you!”

“You want to report me?” Shen Yuan paused, then smiled sweetly at him. “Very well. I’ll run to the yamen myself and ask the county magistrate to come save you with acupuncture.”

At these words, the enraged man immediately fell silent, obediently collapsing onto Mrs. Zhao like a withered eggplant, utterly deflated.

Shen Yuan stood, patting the box near her chest. “This hundred taels is your repayment to me for Chu Yuning. The rest is payment for saving your life.”

Life-saving money...

The village head ground his teeth in secret bitterness. His life was worth such a sum. Once tonight’s crisis was resolved, how could he not deal with a mere brat in the future?

When that time came, he would make her spit out every tael she had swallowed—principal and interest.

If she dared to tell anyone about him and Mrs. Zhao, he would smear her reputation, claiming she had shared his bed tonight. Ruining a girl would be nothing for him.

He only had to survive this one night.

The village head comforted himself with this thought.

---

Shen Yuan ignored what the village head and Mrs. Zhao were scheming in their hearts. After securing the silver, she turned and dashed out of the yard.

But she had barely run far when she began shouting:

“Trouble! Trouble! Uncle Village Head’s house is in trouble! Trouble! Aunt Liu’s in trouble too! Trouble! They’re stuck together and can’t separate!”

She shouted as she ran, lighting one household after another.

One by one, homes in Chu Family Village lit their lamps. The villagers, roused from sleep by the commotion, wrapped themselves in cloaks and stepped outside, craning their necks to ask, “Heavens! What’s all this fuss?”

“Go see for yourselves! Come on, let’s go!”

A crowd quickly gathered and pushed their way into the village head’s yard.

Shen Yuan ran a circuit around the village, casually brushing the silver from her clothes before returning to the village head’s doorstep. She was stopped by those who had come rushing over.

“Yuan girl, what on earth happened?”

“I…I…” Shen Yuan stammered, unsure how to explain. Seeing her struggle, the villagers went into the yard themselves to ask the village head.

Once inside, they saw the unlatched door and the two people lying naked on the bed opposite it.

Though the crucial parts were covered by a blanket, any onlooker could tell they were not wearing clothes.

The village head and Mrs. Zhao had rolled into the same bed!

“Heavens! Aren’t they uncle and aunt?” the villagers gasped, jaws dropping. Realizing the scandal, they hurried their young women home, leaving only the elderly.

Among them was Aunt Liu. Seeing the scene, she gave Shen Yuan a knowing look. “Yuan Yuan, what exactly happened?”

“I went into the mountains to gather herbs tonight,” Shen Yuan explained, lowering her head in grievance. “Halfway there, I encountered a herd of wild boars foraging. I worried they’d come down and trample the village’s fields or hurt someone, so I came to warn Uncle Village Head to prepare. But when I entered the yard…”

“I didn’t mean to stumble upon this. I didn’t expect anyone to sleep with the door open at night. I even called for Aunt Liu to come out and told her to sleep in her own home, but she said she couldn’t be separated from Uncle Village Head!”

“Those shameless uncle and aunt! How could they do such a disgraceful thing that a girl from our village would see! It’s an outrage!” Aunt Liu fumed, pulling Shen Yuan into her arms.

Hearing Shen Yuan’s words, the villagers were united in righteous indignation.

---

Not to mention how Yuan girl had never taken a single penny for fetching herbs all these years, or how Aunt Liu had helped deliver babies for many households free of charge—the villagers remembered this well. That night, Shen Yuan had only acted out of kindness, worrying for their safety, which was why she came to the village head’s house in the middle of the night.

Who would have expected the village head and Mrs. Zhao to be tangled up in bed, leaving the door wide open and sullying a young girl’s eyes!

Truly a sin!

The elderly clan head of the Chu family stormed into the house, grabbing a stick to beat the village head. “Chu Xiaoshan, have you no respect for your late elder brother, Chu Dahe? How could you consort with his widow? You’ve brought shame upon the entire Chu family!”

“Uncle! It’s not like that, don’t listen to that filthy girl’s lies, I…” the village head protested.

“Enough! Do you think we’re all blind? Get up this instant!”

“I…” The village head’s face flushed a dark purple, full of fury and shame, but he could only say, “Uncle, I… I can’t get up.”

Mrs. Zhao had been nearly fainting when the villagers burst in. Now her face was as pale as death, silent except for two quiet tears streaming down her cheeks.

She was finished.

She had been ruined by this little wretch Shen Yuan!

Tonight’s scandal could no longer be concealed. How could she live with herself afterward? How could she face her only son, Chu Yuning?

He was destined to be an official who would petition for her noble title. With such a disgrace, how could she enjoy the prestige and wealth of a titled lady?

Ruined! All ruined! Her life destroyed by Shen Yuan, that little vixen!

Furious, Mrs. Zhao suddenly opened her eyes and glared venomously at Shen Yuan. “Wretch! You broke your word! You took so much money and then betrayed us, leading everyone here! How cruel you are!”

She looked up at the villagers standing outside, no longer caring for appearances, trying to drag Shen Yuan down with her.

“Don’t be fooled by this little jade-footed brat! She’s the one who caused all this! She drugged both of us! Yes, it’s because of her poison that we’re like this! We had no choice!”