Chapter 145

Jiang Mianmian jumped down from the tree, having fully experienced her childhood.

She received a thorough spanking.

The child's piercing wails echoed beneath the tree.

"Father, save me!"

Seeing her father walk away silently, Jiang Mianmian continued to cry out, "Elder Sister, save me! Elder Brother, save me!"

Jiang Feng and Jiang Yu, who had been talking, lowered their voices.

Jiang Mianmian could only continue shouting, "Grandma, save me!"

Grandma's footsteps, which had started to move forward, retreated.

Jiang Mianmian, crying and wailing, looked around desperately. Finally spotting a small square face, she shouted loudly, "Brother-in-law, save me!"

Meng Shaoxia: ...

The small square face was startled by being called "brother-in-law," his mouth curving into a smile, his steps hesitant, wondering if he should save the poor child being spanked.

Then a hand dragged him into the house.

Jiang Yu pulled Meng Shaoxia into the courtyard, making a gesture for silence.

Meng Shaoxia watched as her plump finger pressed against her lips, and his face suddenly reddened.

"Mother's spanking of little sister definitely isn't forceful. Listen to her cries; they're full of energy."

Meng Shaoxia couldn't help but laugh.

Outside the courtyard, Jiang Mianmian, crying for her parents, unaware that her loud shouts were the reason no one came to save her, cried even louder.

"Will you climb trees again?"

Jiang Mianmian shook her head tearfully.

Qin Luoxia picked up her little daughter.

A group of ants around them stood motionless, as if frightened by the human's aura.

Jiang Mianmian stopped shouting, hiccuping from crying so hard.

Qin Luoxia spoke, "Climbing trees is dangerous. You can climb up but can't get down, which shows you don't consider the consequences of your actions. That's not good."

Jiang Mianmian nodded tearfully.

This was her first spanking. She had always thought she was special, immune to punishment...

She had danced on the edge of disaster several times before, actions for which her elder brother and sister would have been spanked long ago.

At dinner, Jiang Mianmian sat in her place, giving everyone reproachful looks.

Aren't they feeling guilty at all? Hmph.

As a result, everyone took turns pinching her puffy cheeks.

Originally, only her bottom was red from the spanking, now her face was red from the pinching too.

The next day.

The whole family dressed up.

Jiang Mianmian was scooped up before she even woke.

Yawning, she brushed her teeth and washed her face, allowing Grandma to groom and dress her.

Aunt Yin fussed over the little one in her arms, looking at her dazed expression, remembering how she had called for Grandma to save her during yesterday's spanking, and found it amusing.

Sometimes she had wanted to intervene, but no, this little rebel needed to be disciplined.

Thinking of today, she was actually grooming the little rebel.

Today they would accept the offer of amnesty.

Who could have imagined?

Rumors began to spread.

Heir Apparent Han was used to it; it wasn't the first time this had happened.

But this time was a bit different. Was the unattainable the best? Moreover, Madam Wu was originally a lady from a noble family, only later had her family fallen on hard times.

Having caused all the trouble he could in Ming County, it was time to attend to proper business.

He remembered that he had been sent by the court to offer amnesty.

He still needed to meet that Jiang Er.

Thinking back, he had been in Ming County for several days already, yet he still hadn't met Jiang Er.

Those who greeted him were all others. Suddenly, he felt something was amiss - could it be that he wasn't worthy enough?

These past few days, Eunuch Duan had been enjoying himself, eating and drinking to his heart's content under Magistrate Huang's guidance.

He couldn't play with women, nor did he have any special hobbies, so he just wandered around, eating and sightseeing.

Heir Apparent Han remembered that it was time to attend to official business.

The act of offering amnesty was actually a way of rewarding merit to rebels, a behavior with a touch of dark humor.

The more ferocious the rebel, the greater the rewards.

Heir Apparent Han looked at the rewards and found this Jiang Er quite interesting. It seemed he hadn't gone out to fight, only guarding his small patch of land in Ming County, yet he had received quite a high position.

Although Heir Apparent Han had a poor reputation in the capital, he was actually a clever person.

At the very least, he had high emotional intelligence, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to prance around in front of the Emperor for so many years.

Today, he had to attend to serious matters, representing the imperial court in bestowing titles and rewards upon the rebels.

Meng Shaoxia was dressed quite formally today, wearing the armor and cape of a young general, which was quite hot in the midsummer heat.

If he had been asked to do this kind of thing before, he would have thought it utterly idiotic.

Those civil officials who had never fought in battles were only good at winning people's hearts, taking sides, and suppressing opponents. They thought they could make rebels surrender and submit through conciliatory means, which was simply laughable.

But now that the object of amnesty had become Mr. Jiang, who was soon to be his father-in-law, the feeling was indescribable.

Indeed, one couldn't understand the difference until it happened to oneself.

Meanwhile, Eunuch Duan had spent the past few days eating, drinking, and sightseeing, wearing Magistrate Huang's legs thin with all the accompanying.

His brain had worn thin too. People from the palace surely had many twists and turns in their minds, so Magistrate Huang had to speak very carefully, beating around the bush three times before finally giving up and answering whatever was asked.

On the day of the amnesty, the county town was as lively as if it were the New Year, bustling with excitement.

The streets were filled with many more young women, some plump and fair, others slim and graceful, each with their own charm.

Heir Apparent Han's eyes were dazzled, mainly because the scene was rather spectacular.

So many women crowded here, were they here to see him?

He thought, the women of Ming County were too enthusiastic. If there were suitable ones, he wouldn't mind taking them in. After all, his back courtyard was very large, with many women already.

Today, Heir Apparent Han wore the court robes representing the imperial court. He didn't actually hold an official position, but as a relative of the Emperor, he was naturally a noble. As an heir apparent, he was born with the rank of senior first grade.

Meanwhile, the rebel leader Zi Lu had fought for so many years, only to receive the reward of a grand general, a rank of senior third grade.

Heir Apparent Han was dressed very elaborately and heavily, which was also quite hot.

However, noticing many women frequently glancing his way, he sat upright on the high platform, putting on quite an air.

Among the crowd, women leaned close to each other's necks, hiding behind fans and whispering.

"Is Mr. Jiang really that handsome?"

"He is. Just one glance, and you'll have sweet dreams for days."

"How shameless."

"Oh, you'll understand once you see him."

...