Chapter 37: If a Dog Bites Us, We Can’t Bite the Dog Back

As the county magistrate entered the Ji family’s courtyard, he saw the unfinished dough and the completed wild vegetable cakes on the table. With a smile, he asked, “What are you all making?”

Hu Zhaodi replied, “Sir, we are making vegetable cake. There’s not much good food in our countryside, but we have plenty of wild vegetables. This mouse grass is very good for the body. Let me get you one to try!”

The county magistrate’s eyes lit up. “Yes, I’d really like to try it! It’s been many years since I had wild vegetable cakes, and I truly miss the taste from my childhood.”

Having come from a poor family, the county magistrate had endured hardship for ten years to achieve his current status. He remembered the times he had gone hungry, where anything that could fill his stomach—whether wild vegetable cakes or even tree bark—was the greatest blessing.

Hu Zhaodi handed him a finished vegetable cake.

The county magistrate took the cake and brought it to his mouth. After biting into it and chewing a few times, his eyes widened in surprise. “How can this wild vegetable cake be so delicious? It’s fragrant, sweet, soft, and chewy!”

Hu Zhaodi smiled. “If you like it, I can wrap some for you to take back. You can heat them up over a fire to eat when they cool down.”

“Thank you!” the county magistrate continued, “From now on, the former Li Zheng, Yang Dahui, is dismissed, and the new Li Zheng will be Ji Kaiyang.”

After saying this, the county magistrate asked his attendant to bring out the appointment documents and personally handed them to Mr. Ji.

Upon hearing the news, the villagers erupted in applause and cheers.

Mr. Ji was momentarily stunned, murmuring, “I… I’m the new Li Zheng?”

The county magistrate smiled warmly and patted Mr. Ji’s rough hand. “Yes, from now on, you are the Li Zheng of Dawai Village. Do your best and work for the people.”

“Of course! I will always prioritize the villagers!” Mr. Ji replied earnestly.

“Good. I have confidence in you. You will receive a monthly living stipend of two taels of silver from the government, which you can collect on the eighth day of each month at the county office.”

“Thank you, sir!” Mr. Ji was filled with excitement.

The position of Li Zheng was not an official court appointment; it could be chosen by local officials or voted on by the people.

Yang Dahui, the dismissed Li Zheng, looked extremely displeased, casting venomous glances at Mr. Ji’s family.

Hu Zhaodi shot him a cold glare, the corners of her mouth curling into a smirk.

With a snort, Yang Dahui staggered away from the Ji family courtyard.

Once Yang Dahui left, Hu Zhaodi spoke up, “Sir, I would like to buy a piece of land to build a house. Since you’re here today, I would appreciate your help with this matter.”

“Not a problem. Show me the piece of land you’re interested in, and we’ll measure it to calculate the cost,” the county magistrate replied.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Let’s go! Find a piece of rope; we’ll head out now.”

Mr. Ji hurried to find some rope, and he, along with Hu Zhaodi, accompanied the county magistrate and his attendants to measure the land while the others continued making wild vegetable cakes.

When Mr. Ji and the others returned from measuring the land, they found that many wild vegetable cakes had been prepared.

After signing the agreement, Hu Zhaodi paid one hundred taels in silver notes, securing the usage rights to the land in Xiaosonglin completely for herself.

As the county magistrate prepared to leave, Hu Zhaodi brought a food box and packed it full of vegetable cakes for him. She and Mr. Ji then escorted the county magistrate and his attendants to the village entrance.

The county magistrate had come in a horse-drawn carriage. After helping him onto the carriage, they watched as it gradually moved away before turning to head back to the village.

They hadn’t gone far when they spotted Yang Dahui and his wife standing by the roadside, glaring at Hu Zhaodi and Mr. Ji with malicious intent.

A few villagers, who were close to the Yang family, stood nearby, all looking at Hu Zhaodi with disdain.

Yang Dahui’s wife sneered, “Oh! I never would have guessed! A seductress is still a seductress, even the county magistrate has been completely bewitched by her. No wonder she runs to the county every day; turns out it’s to accompany an old man.”

Beside her, a gossiping woman chimed in, “Tsk tsk tsk, this is the first seductress we’ve had in our village. She’s not even of age yet, and who knows how many men she’s slept with? Just a few days after breaking off ties with the Hu family, and she’s got all that silver. Where could she possibly have gotten that much money without sleeping with men? It’s no wonder she got beaten at the Hu family; she probably tried to seduce Hu Dashan, and Zhang and Yang found out about it. Ugh, how shameless!”

“Exactly! Just a few days after breaking off her ties? Sigh! It’s so easy to make money lying down! Just spread her legs, and the silver comes pouring in. Looking so alluring must really have its benefits!”

Yang Dahui’s wife continued her ramblings, “You don’t know, that seductress even tried to entice my husband yesterday and promised to marry my son. She wanted my husband to help her get a document from the county office to break off her engagement. My husband, feeling pity for this little girl, went early this morning to the county office to help her with it. Who would have thought her methods were so crafty? She actually climbed into the county magistrate’s bed and whispered sweet nothings to him. Now, look, the Li Zheng position has been given to someone else!”

“……”

Hu Zhaodi remained calm on the surface, but inside, she was boiling with rage.

Mr. Ji’s face turned as red as a pig’s liver, his fists clenched tightly. He was about to rush over and tear apart those gossiping women.

Hu Zhaodi quickly pulled him back, whispering, “Sir, don’t act on impulse. If a dog bites us, we can’t bite the dog back, can we?”

“But they…”

“Shh, just watch me.”

Mr. Ji was momentarily taken aback, looking at Hu Zhaodi with confusion.

With a slight raise of her brow, Hu Zhaodi concentrated her thoughts, and a pouch of powder appeared in her hand from the hidden sleeve of her garment.

In her previous life, she had spent her free time studying various peculiar medicines. In her space, she had many finished and unfinished products.

There were powders for itching, powders to soften tendons, and even sedatives, along with various concoctions that could torment someone to the point of wishing for death.

Since these gossiping women enjoyed spreading rumors, she had no problem ensuring they would never speak again. And in doing so, they would suffer unearthly torment.

As Hu Zhaodi and Mr. Ji walked past the group, her lips curled into a slight smile as she unapologetically sprinkled the powder directly into their faces.

“Cough cough…”

“Cough cough cough cough…”

The women were caught off guard, inhaling a significant amount of powder, which caused them to cough violently.

Hu Zhaodi smiled coldly and said, “How could I not know I had done so many shameless things? Or could it be that you did those things and are framing me? Do I have a reputation for seducing men? Did I sleep with any man? I can prove my innocence; do you have any evidence for what you’ve said? Were you all there when I supposedly seduced men? Were you also present when I climbed into someone’s bed?”

“Cough cough cough…”

“Cough cough cough cough…”

The group could only cough, unable to utter a single word.

Hu Zhaodi’s gaze turned icy as she continued, “Since you all love to spread rumors so much, then let’s see what it feels like to never be able to speak again. From now on, you will endure the pain of feeling as if you’ve swallowed razor blades every moment.”