Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside

The servant was from the Protector lineage, and Master Cao was the servant's uncle. If County Magistrate Zou intended to make a move, Master Cao would definitely receive the news.

However, the servant shook his head and said, "My uncle told me that Concubine Lu has already followed the Lu Family People to the Prefecture officials, and soon she will be sent to Jiangnan to become a prostitute."

"Sent to Jiangnan to become a prostitute?" Zou Yuzhen was shocked.

If the old man doesn't kill Concubine Lu, this matter cannot be settled. And he cannot have a mother who is a prostitute!

Zou Yuzhen turned back to the inner room, took out three silver notes and a lump of silver, and handed them to the servant: "Take these three silver notes to your uncle, and let him come to report immediately once he hears news of Concubine Lu's death. The remaining lump of silver is for you."

The servant took the silver notes and said to Zou Yuzhen, "Third Master, rest assured, as soon as there is news, my uncle will send someone to inform you."

Concubine Lu's side had once helped the uncle. Initially, when Mrs. Zou's dwelling met with disaster, the uncle was able to locate that residence and capture the people inside, all thanks to Mrs. Han's merits.

The servant quickly left the courtyard to find Master Cao and gave him the three hundred taels represented by the silver notes.

Master Cao, having received the three hundred taels in silver notes, could not give an unsure response to Zou Yuzhen and thus had the servant relay a message to Zou Yuzhen that County Magistrate Zou had not instructed anyone in the government to deal with Concubine Lu.

As for whom County Magistrate Zou would find to handle Concubine Lu, Master Cao did not know.

In fact, Master Cao concealed one more thing: on the morning the Lu Family People were escorted to the Prefecture, an old farmer had come to the government, allegedly to deliver water chestnuts.

It was the fresh season for water chestnuts, which County Magistrate Zou always loved to eat. Recently unwell and craving them, he had the old farmer deliver some.

This seemed unsuspicious, but Master Cao learned that the farmer who delivered the water chestnuts had actually met with County Magistrate Zou.

An old farmer delivering water chestnuts—why would County Magistrate Zou want to meet him? If there were nothing suspicious, Master Cao wouldn't believe it.

But recently, County Magistrate Zou had been acting crazily and violently, so Master Cao dared not investigate the old farmer, nor dare tell Zou Yuzhen about this matter.

The servant conveyed Master Cao's words to Zou Yuzhen.

After hearing this, Zou Yuzhen's heart skipped a beat... Alright, the old master indeed had another force in the shadows; he didn't use the government's manpower to kill Concubine Lu, but definitely some secret manpower.

Zou Yuzhen's heart was pounding; wanting to take control of County Magistrate Zou's secret manpower, he took a silver note and a letter and gave them to the servant, instructing him to deliver them to a house at the very end of Willow Leaf Lane.

The servant took the silver note and the letter, and said worriedly, "Third Master, the Old Master is furious right now. If he finds out you are sending messages outside... You will suffer."

Zou Yuzhen knew this action was risky, but he had already hit rock bottom. If he didn't take risks and grab some leverage for himself, his life would be over.

Zou Yuzhen looked at the servant for a while and said, "The people in that house have been supported by me for years. I am not well enough to go out now, but they still need to live. You're just going to give them money, not do anything else."

This servant was his confidant, always loyal and quite capable. With Master Cao as the uncle, he should be won over, not rashly scolded. And his words were precautionary, in case Master Cao inquired, the servant would have an excuse.

In the county, which wealthy gentry did not have some people outside to handle affairs? Even if County Magistrate Zou knew about this, it would not matter.

The servant, upon hearing the command, was relieved: "Yes, I will go right away."

After receiving the letter and silver note, the people of Willow Leaf Lane followed Zou Yuzhen's orders and set off overnight to Prefecture. They rented a courtyard near the government to detain the official slaves and watched the Lu Family People day and night.

In just a few days, the Lu Family People were divided into two groups; the men were sent to the Northwest Iron Mine, and the women to Jiangnan.

There was no need to follow the men of the Lu Family. Given the torment they endured, with each of them bearing injuries, they would likely die on the road before even reaching the Northwest Iron Mine, so the people of Willow Leaf Lane only needed to keep an eye on Concubine Lu.

A group of five followed from He'an Prefecture all the way to Linhe Prefecture. Even as they boarded the ship on the Huai River, Concubine Lu had not yet encountered any danger.

The people from Willow Leaf Lane were puzzled: "Strange, didn't the letter from Third Master say that County Magistrate Zou would definitely not let Concubine Lu live? We're almost in Jiangnan and she is still alive?"

If Concubine Lu encountered no troubles on the road, they would have to take action to kill her.

Indeed, Zou Yuzhen's order was that Concubine Lu must not live to reach Jiangnan; she must be killed before she becomes an official prostitute!

Zou Yuzhen was fed up with Concubine Lu and did not want to bear a greater disgrace because of her.

The people of Willow Leaf Lane were pondering how to proceed when, around midnight, a group of men emerged from the water and climbed onto the large ship.

These men were river bandits, highly skilled, mastering their movements from water to ship and finding the Lu Family women in less than fifteen minutes.

In the dimly lit cabin, a bandit holding a lamp looked over the women of the Lu Family, getting itchier the more he inspected them, then turned to a tall man with a black cloth covering his face and said, "Master Wu, Old Zou has sent us a fine gift."

They thought the Lu Family were just rural folks and expected their women to be unattractive, but to their surprise, these women were decent looking. Especially the younger ones, still dressed as maidens, they were real treasures, and the bandits were set to thoroughly enjoy them.

Chanzhi, Concubine Lu's personal maid, was also thrown into prison after Concubine Lu's mishap and was transported to Jiangnan with her.

Awakened by the noise, she saw a cabin full of men by the light of a lamp and screamed in fright, "Ah~ Who are you? Someone..."

Before she could finish, a bandit kissed her. Shocked, Chanzhi was unable to speak and looked at the bandit in terror.

The bandit laughed, "Pretty girl, stop screaming. Even if the ship's master hears, he won't come; people cherish their lives here and know the rules of the water."

Although the ship was transporting official slaves, it was not an official ship. The ship's master had a family to feed and knew to hide when bandits boarded.

The screaming from Chanzhi awoke the other women of the Lu Family. Seeing a crowd of bandits, they too screamed in fright: "Who are you? This is the cabin for women. You bastards, get out of here now."

Slap, slap!

The bandit holding the lamp slapped Lu Hehua twice: "Shut up, old lady! If you keep yelling, I'll chop you up."

Lu Hehua, already in her thirties and used to labor in the village, did not look as well-kept as Lu Guihua. Seeing her aged face, the bandits lost interest and started hitting her directly.

Stunned by the slaps, Lu Hehua trembled and dared not speak.

Lu Guihua, not very brave, clutched her daughters and trembled, hiding behind Chanzhi.