Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 180 - 179: Worried About Pests

When Liu Ji reminded them, the government officers turned to look at the four people who reported the crime, "Who among you is injured?"

The four of them quickly stretched out their hands, just about to claim that their hands were swollen from being beaten by her.

Who would have thought, the hands they extended were fair and clean, without a trace of bruises.

Liu Ji immediately shouted, "Where’s the injury? You audacious troublemakers dare to fool us and falsely accuse others. It seems the ones to be arrested are you!"

He was skilled at twisting words to his advantage.

The government officers’ expressions changed, their powerful gaze fell on the four accusers, who were almost in tears, only able to angrily point at Qin Yao, claiming she was the one who beat them.

But as for why there weren’t any bruises, they couldn’t really explain.

Only then did Qin Yao step down from the ox cart, walked up to the officers, clasped her hands together and said:

"Sirs, my name is Qin Yao, from Liu Family Village. I just bought a cow at the cattle market and had a minor argument with these four. Perhaps they couldn’t swallow their anger and wanted revenge by falsely accusing me."

At the mention of Qin Yao’s name, the four officers who felt she looked familiar earlier instantly showed admiration.

They all exclaimed in a low voice, "So it’s the bandit-busting hero, Miss Qin!"

"Pardon us, pardon us!" They even bowed to Qin Yao, leaving the four accusers dumbfounded.

A female hero wouldn’t break the law unreasonably!

This couldn’t be her fault!

Because of the positive impression left on the government people during the bandit busting, paired with Qin Yao’s calm explanation, the officers directly turned their anger onto the four accusers.

"Sorry for the disturbance, nothing to worry about now. You’d better leave the city quickly, or it’ll be too late. We’ll handle these four and clear your name, Miss Qin!" the leading officer smiled and said to Qin Yao.

Qin Yao clasped her hands in thanks, turned around and got on the cart, leading her family slowly out of the city gates.

As soon as they left, the anxious explanations and cries of injustice from the four behind them could be heard.

Unsurprisingly, amidst the officers’ scolding, they shut up.

Qin Yao didn’t care what would happen to them, but seeing Liu Ji’s displeased face, she felt the need to explain.

"We were just buying a cow, and they tried to depress the price to stop the seller from selling. But the seller sold it to me anyway, so we had a minor argument. Is that right, Dad?"

Qin Yao giggled looking at Old Liu.

Old Liu’s eyebrows twitched, pulling out a slightly relaxed smile with unskilled acting, "Yes, that’s exactly it. Yao Niang didn’t hit them and break their hands at all."

Si Niang immediately corrected, "Grandpa, that’s not called breaking, that’s a dislocation. If their hands were broken, Mother wouldn’t have been able to piece them back together."

After speaking, the little girl looked up hopefully at her big brother, "Big brother, am I right?"

She remembered hearing Mother explain it like this to her big and second brothers~

Da Lang weakly took a glance at Father’s dark face and Mother’s speechless expression looking to the sky, sighed lightly, and pushed down the little head that was looking up at him, "You better hush up."

Si Niang: Meow meow meow???

"You’re really something, my wife," Liu Ji gritted his teeth and sneered in Qin Yao’s ear.

Almost got them into a lawsuit.

Qin Yao swept an intense gaze over, "I’ve never failed in my affairs. Did they have any evidence?"

"Uh... well..." Liu Ji had to concede, secretly giving a thumbs up.

Then he casually relaxedly said to Mrs. He and Liu Zhong, "It’s nothing, just a misunderstanding."

Mrs. He shook her head, "No, it’s something."

The couple’s hearts tensed.

"Third sister-in-law, as a sister-in-law, I didn’t know you had such a reputation in the county. Even the officers were so polite to you..."

The couple heaved a sigh of relief. So that’s what she was talking about.

Qin Yao humbly smiled, "Not really, I’ve basically met everyone in the government office."

Mrs. He’s smile froze, admiring her sister-in-law’s humility.

Qin Yao then turned her gaze to the pile of goods behind, naturally changing the topic, "What did you all buy, such a lot?"

Now there were two carts, so everyone could ride on them.

Old Liu and Liu Zhong and six kids squeezed onto the horse cart, while the ox cart carried the goods, plus Liu Ji as the driver, with the cart’s end able to seat Qin Yao and Mrs. He, the sisters-in-law.

The dark gray water buffalo, exceptionally sturdy, pulling the cart steadily and obediently, was even better than the horse cart.

Also, it could plow fields, making the sixteen taels of gold spent seem immensely worthwhile!

Mrs. He pointed to the goods on the cart, "This is peanuts, those are kidney beans, and some dried goods from the south that’ll be used for soup later..."

Vegetables will be bought in the village, as well as eggs. We’ll need to visit Granny Wang later to ask her to keep the eggs for us and not sell them.

Qin Yao was a bit surprised, "So many ingredients, planning to make several dishes?"

"Mother said this rare happy occasion deserves ten dishes."

Upon mentioning this, Mrs. He remembered having to notify relatives and friends everywhere, eagerly asking Qin Yao, "Can we borrow your ox cart?"

Qin Yao generously waved her hand, "Of course, but remember to feed it well before returning it."

Mrs. He was overjoyed, quickly promising not to let her ox suffer, already imagining the shocked expressions of her parents and siblings when she drives the ox cart back home to notify them.

Just thinking about it made her chuckle.

Seeing her laughing contentedly by herself, Qin Yao helplessly shook her head, then gazed at the scenery along the road.

"Sigh~"

A sigh came from the horse cart, Old Liu lamented, "Seeing the weather remaining clear day by day, this late spring snow seems unlikely to fall."

Jinbao curiously asked, "Grandpa, isn’t it better if it doesn’t snow? Snow can freeze people to death, why aren’t you happy?"

Old Liu looked at his naive eldest grandson with a hint of annoyance, "Living all these years, and you don’t understand this? Aren’t you a farmer?"

"I never wanted to be a farmer in the first place," Jinbao covertly glanced at Da Lang and Second Lang, wishing to study instead. Who likes working in the fields?

Old Liu patted his head, noting his silly, tigerish demeanor, just like his father, not inheriting his mother’s cleverness at all.

Seeing the curiosity on the kids’ faces, he patiently explained, "We farmers depend on the weather for food. If the seasons aren’t right, next year’s harvest will be affected."

"Do you know why everyone says a timely snow bodes a good harvest?"

The group shook their heads, prompting grandpa further, "Why?"

"Because snow can freeze the pest eggs in the ground, allowing crops to thrive next year. But if there’s no snow to freeze these eggs, once warm weather comes, they’ll hatch and damage the crops."

Recalling the devastating locust plague twenty years ago, Old Liu shivered involuntarily.

Da Lang asked nervously, "Grandpa, wasn’t there a bit of snow in the twelfth month? It should have frozen some of the pest eggs, right?"

Old Liu nodded lightly, though his worry remained.

A lesser harvest means harder times, naturally hoping for favorable weather and smooth times.