In fact, what she didn’t know was that the Madam of the County Magistrate had also received instructions from the County Magistrate to treat her well.
What Yang Chuxia didn’t know was that this county magistrate’s term would be up at the end of next year, and he would have been in office for six years. The two things Yang Chuxia did this time were related to his promotion and his official hat.
He had already spent five years in Quanya County. Originally, it was a three-year term, and after it was up, he would either transfer or be promoted. However, he didn’t have a strong background to lobby for, so after the three-year term expired, he stayed in Quanya County.
By next year, he would have spent six years there, and he thought that even if he wasn’t promoted, he should at least be transferred to a different place, right? After all, Quanya County had done quite well under his governance in recent years.
But unfortunately, the incident of the missing girl happened.
Lately, the County Magistrate had been unable to eat or sleep, thinking that he was finished. Such a thing had happened under his jurisdiction, so forget about being transferred or promoted; he was even afraid that he couldn’t keep his official hat.
But who would’ve thought that Yang Chuxia, a country girl, would give him hope? First, the coachman was caught, which partially solved the case. Then the ritual master was caught, and although they all knew that the big backer behind him hadn’t been found yet, catching the ritual master was enough to close the case here.
The people behind the ritual master didn’t need him to think too much about; they were not someone he could afford to mess with, and he couldn’t investigate further even if he wanted to. If he insisted on making inquiries, he would risk losing his life for nothing. In such a situation, even the higher-ups wouldn’t blame him – who told them not to find someone with a deeper background to investigate the case?
But with these results, he could at least keep his official hat, and find the missing girl, which would also count as one of his achievements, and he might even be promoted because of it.
Moreover, the food that Yang Chuxia brought for the County Magistrate’s wife, how could the County Magistrate not be happy? How could he not be enthusiastic? How could he not instruct his wife to treat her well?
"You’re called Chuxia, right? Then I’ll call you Xiaxia." Before Yang Chuxia saluted the Madam of the County Magistrate, she started talking again.
"It’s fine whatever name you like, Madam." Yang Chuxia replied with a smile.
"Good, good, good," said the Madam, before asking Yang Chuxia about her family, siblings, their ages, and why her parents hadn’t come with her.
In the end, she took Yang Chuxia to meet the Old Madam of the County Magistrate.
To begin with, Madam was already quite fond of Yang Chuxia, and after seeing the wheelchair she brought, she was simply overjoyed.
As for the Old Madam, she wanted to sit on the wheelchair on the spot, which even alarmed the County Magistrate, who was talking with Ye Zi’an in the courtyard.
"I heard that your family opened a carpenter’s shop, but I always thought it was just ordinary cabinets and tables. I didn’t expect that there would be such a rare thing."
"This thing is great. I can move around in it, and I don’t have to lie in bed all day," said the Old Madam, as she touched the chair with delight.
"I’m glad you like it."
"I do, I do," said the Old Madam, beckoning Yang Chuxia to her side. "Thank you, girl, for this chair, which allows this old lady to move around again." The Old Madam was quite excited about the wheelchair, and asked, "How old are you this year, have you accepted someone’s proposal?"
Upon hearing this, the Madam worried that her mother-in-law might be considering the idea of her son marrying the girl.
"In reply to the Old Madam, I am eleven, and have already accepted a proposal." Yang Chuxia said without any embarrassment when talking about her marriage arrangements.
The Old Madam was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, wondering how such a clever and skillful girl had already been promised to someone else.
The County Magistrate knew his mother well, so he laughed and said, "If you want to steal someone’s bride, don’t do it in front of her."