Pampered by the Toughest Man After Divorce
Chapter 326 - 327 Mrs. Song (First Update)_1

Chapter 326: Chapter 327 Mrs. Song (First Update)_1

Although the county magistrate expressed his desire to meet Nan Feng, his official duties ultimately prevented him from doing so. Nonetheless, to show his appreciation for Nan Feng’s good deed, he personally inscribed the words "Benefactor to the People" on a plaque and had it sent to Nan Feng’s residence as a token of his gratitude.

Once this plaque was displayed, business at Nan Feng’s shop flourished even more. The townsfolk praised Nan Feng as a benevolent businesswoman, who not only provided quality products but was also kindhearted. Consequently, young ladies in the town became even more fond of shopping at her store.

The news eventually reached the ears of the county magistrate’s wife.

The magistrate’s wife, named Zhou Zhen, was referred to by everyone at the Yamen as Lady Song. Song Cheng was lauded as a diligent and caring official. Consequently, Lady Song could not afford to spend her days in leisure as other officials’ wives did. She had to distribute food to refugees daily.

Lady Song and Magistrate Song were childhood sweethearts who grew up together. Their affection for each other went without saying. However, having borne only a daughter, Lady Song was unable to conceive again. Under pressure from his mother, Magistrate Song reluctantly took a concubine. However, she was of no consequence to him; he provided for her needs but mostly left her alone, seldom visiting her.

One day, while distributing porridge, Lady Song overheard some gossip. The shopkeeper from Spikenard Square had donated a hundred taels of silver and apparently, the latest batch of quilts had also been donated by her. There were also whispers that the shopkeeper was related to someone from the Yamen, purportedly married to a specific subordinate’s son.

This piqued Lady Song’s curiosity. She had been in the Yamen for quite some time and had never heard of any official’s wife being a businesswoman.

However, the gossip ended abruptly, making her even more intrigued. She speculated about several people. Besides Song Cheng, there were various department heads under him in the Yamen. Could it be Wan Jian’an? Impossible. Wan Jian’an’s daughter-in-law was a housewife who barely ventured out of her house.

The Grain Officer’s wife? Also unlikely. The Grain Officer’s wife lived in the countryside and rarely came into town.

The Registry Officer? The Military Officer? The Treasury Officer? None seemed right. She knew their wives and none of them were businesswomen. Besides, family members of officials who wished to enter business needed to undergo scrutiny, making it a daunting process. Lady Song was perplexed.

That evening, she mentioned this to Magistrate Song, "I heard that a shopkeeper donated a hundred taels of silver for the refugees. Is this shopkeeper also a relative of ours in the Yamen?"

Magistrate Song, who always indulged his wife and spoke to her even more gently than he did to his daughter, replied, "Your information is impressive, Lady. That shopkeeper from Spikenard Square happens to be the wife-to-be of Guard Xia."

Lady Song exclaimed in curiosity, "I was wondering who it could be. So, it’s Guard Xia."

"Exactly."

"But isn’t Guard Xia..." Lady Song was about to ask another question when a servant announced Wan Jian’an’s arrival with some documents for review. Magistrate Song promptly welcomed him in.

Lady Song was somewhat miffed as her gossip had been interrupted. Yet, she chose to stay, knowing well that Magistrate Song never explicitly asked her to leave when he had work.

Though office hours at the Yamen ended at sunset, Song Cheng had instructed his subordinates that he could be reached at home for official matters. As a result, there was rarely a quiet moment at home until bedtime.

Magistrate Song’s residence was located in the Yamen’s backyard, separate from the quarters of his subordinates. One had to pass through a narrow lane to reach it.

Upon entering, Wan Jian’an greeted Song Cheng and Lady Song, apologized for the interruption, and then handed over the documents for Magistrate Song’s review. The documents dealt with waterworks issues. The Lizheng of a certain town was waiting outside for the approval.

As Magistrate Song scanned through the documents, silence filled the room. Lady Song, bored, was about to leave. However, she recalled the gossip and took the opportunity to ask Wan Jian’an, "Officer Wan, if I remember correctly, wasn’t it you who brought Guard Xia back?"