Exile after Divorce? Empty the Scumbag Husband First!-Chapter 248 - 245: "Gone?" General Hu Lie’s Expression Changed Drastically

Chapter 248: Chapter 245: "Gone?" General Hu Lie’s Expression Changed Drastically

"Lisi, I know you are doing business with Miss Ruan together. In these times, it’s indeed not easy for women to engage in trade, and merchants do not have high status, but earning silver taels uprightly, for women, is always a good thing."

"We sincerely thank you with genuine silver, which is neither safe nor able to express our gratitude. So we decided to gift you that shop, whether Miss Ruan wants to do business or pawn it for cash, it’s up to you." Ruan Mian hadn’t expected to gain such a benefit from this visit.

The General and his wife’s hospitality was hard to refuse, in addition to Xiza’s endless gratitude as she knelt and begged her to accept it.

Ruan Mian accepted it readily, since she was planning to let Lisi open a branch of Guishe Fang anyway.

This shop, acquired for free, was exactly what she wanted.

However, before she could express her thanks, a young servant rushed over: "General! Madam, the... the Commandery Princess, oh no, the detained common woman, is gone."

"Gone?" General Hu Lie’s expression changed dramatically.

Ruan Mian also furrowed her brows, it seemed she had indeed underestimated Ruan Jiao.

If she were alone, it would be difficult for her to escape.

"Someone! Investigate immediately! She couldn’t have gotten far, bring her back and I’ll interrogate her personally!"

He gave the order in a fit of rage, while Ruan Mian noticed the hairpin that had fallen from Ruan Jiao’s head on the ground.

She picked it up, and when no one was around, she touched her jade bracelet and released those birds and beasts.

After smelling the scent on the hairpin, they flew out of the General Mansion in all directions.

Not long after, the birds and beasts returned, indicating the southwest direction, and circled in the distant sky.

Did she head towards Da Jing?

The birds and beasts reported this, she must have been taken away in haste by someone with a fast horse.

If she returned to Wuheng, she might still be found.

Thus, she went back to the house and asked General Hu Lie to investigate along the southwest.

Meanwhile, she bid farewell to Lisi and Xiza, planning to return to Wuheng immediately.

The few days spent in the small town, it was time to return, as it was nearing the day when General Huo would propose.

Xiza was reluctant to see her go, but knew that Ruan Mian had many duties at home and did not insist on her staying.

She solemnly told her, "Miss Ruan, I will surely wait for you here, and I will surely help with the Guishe Fang shop as much as I can."

Ruan Mian smiled slightly, patting her on the shoulder: "I brought you here not to manage the shop for me. It’s important to cherish the present and spend time with your newfound family."

"If I come by in the future, just treat me to a few good meals, that’s all."

"Miss Ruan!" Xiza knelt with a thud, bowing her head earnestly.

"Your kindness is heavy, repayable by nothing; hope you take care, and we shall meet again in the future."

Ruan Mian helped her up, tidied her baggage, and then set off on the return journey with Yun Xiu.

They brought many things when they came but left lightly, galloping on their horses all night, arriving in Wuheng’s territory by dawn the next day.

Yun Xiu hadn’t managed to help much on this trip, only knowing that the Ruan family’s Second Miss had plotted such things, which filled him with resentment.

"Sister Mianmian, how did Aunt Ruan manage to escape Lanqiang so quickly? Also, how are you so sure she fled back to Da Jing?"

Ruan Mian smiled unconcernedly and answered him.

"If her impersonation of a Commandery Princess were exposed, staying in Lanqiang would only invite trouble upon herself. With General Hu Lie’s status, wouldn’t it be easy to find a foreign woman without household registration?"

"She has no way out but to return to Da Jing."

As long as she’s near Wuheng, those birds and beasts will find news sooner or later.

When the time comes, I’ll deal with it myself and get rid of her completely!

Yun Xiu smiled sheepishly, scratching his nose: "Sister Mianmian is truly wise, no wonder the master likes you so much."

"Sister Mianmian might not know, but before you and the master were married, when he returned from the hot springs, he seemed soulless. I worried, so I waited outside the door, and guess what I heard?"

Ruan Mian was curious: "What?"

Yun Xiu whispered with a mysterious smile: "I heard the master crying, saying you didn’t want him. And he accused you of being unwise in judging people, for not wanting to marry someone as loyal and righteous as him."

Saying this, Yun Xiu imitated Xie Heng’s disappointed look at that time, making Ruan Mian laugh continuously.

On that day of parting at the hot spring, she had clearly expressed herself, with the master also calmly understanding and respecting her.

Who would have thought he would act like that afterwards.

Thinking of this, Ruan Mian suddenly missed him greatly.

She wanted to return to Wuheng quickly to see him.

However, when they arrived at the house at noon, they suddenly found many constables in the village.

They were ordered by the governor to gather everyone in the village to an open space.

During this time, the public was discontented, but the constables were unmoved, just focused on gathering everyone from the village.

Seeing this, Ruan Mian rushed forward, just in time to see her own people being "invited" out of the house.

"Miss!" Cui Zhu was the first to see her, and quickly shouted.

Seeing this, Ruan Mian politely walked to the leading constable, saluted, and asked, "Lord, may I know what is going on?"

The constable, obviously transferred here with the governor, showed no courtesy to Ruan Mian and her people.

He said, sticking to his duty, "We are here by order of the Governor, to send everyone to rebuild the city walls."

"Lord, we are registered good citizens, the task of rebuilding the city walls should be for the convicted laborers, it shouldn’t require us to leave our homes to serve, right?"

"The laws of Da Jing have no such mandate forcing good citizens into labor." The constable hadn’t expected a woman to challenge him, even quoting Da Jing’s laws to shut him up.

He sneered, raising his chin and voice.

"Wuheng’s rebellion caused countless deaths and injuries, and the laborers are almost depleted. Now with the land reclaimed and rebuilding to be done, everyone has an unshirkable responsibility and duty."

"Though you are registered citizens, rebuilding the national walls to defend against the enemy is short on manpower. As long as you are Da Jing people, natives of Wuheng, you must step in!"

"Young lady, do you still wish to defy the Governor’s order?"

The constable laughed coldly, no longer showing any courtesy, ordering to bring everyone from the village out quickly!

If everyone went to build the national walls, returning to the days of penal servitude, their agriculture, and commerce would all go to waste, abandoned.

Besides, they say replacing laborers to rebuild the homeland, but isn’t it just treating them as free laborers.

The national walls to resist foreign invaders could not be completed overnight? The border areas of Longchang Mountain and Linfen River stretched tens of thousands of miles. Even after ten, twenty years, even if half a lifetime is spent, it might not be completed.

Everyone understood this reasoning.