Transmigrated as a Peasant Girl with Prophetic Dreams: Using My Space to Become the Richest Person - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Tell Everyone It Was Twenty Tales

Before Yang Xue could take more than a couple of steps, the Magistrate called out to her.

“Girl, wait a moment.”

Yang Xue turned back. “Is there something else, Sir?”

The Magistrate waved his hand. “Nothing major. We’re heading up the mountain as well. Come, let’s walk together.”

The group began making their way toward the mountain slopes, with the Village Chief following closely beside them. Interestingly, the Magistrate didn’t speak much to the Village Chief, but he seemed quite happy to chat with Yang Xue.

“Yang Xue, I’ve noticed… you don’t seem to be afraid of me?”

Yang Xue gave a playful smile. “Sir, are you some kind of fierce beast? Why should I be afraid? Besides, I haven’t broken any laws. I have a clear conscience, so what is there to fear?”

Her answer delighted the Magistrate. “But everyone else is terrified of me. Look at your fellow villagers—they haven’t broken the law either, yet they tremble the moment they see me.”

Yang Xue thought for a moment and decided to be honest. “Sir, do you remember the case you handled a few days ago involving a girl who was nearly kidnapped by human traffickers?”

The Magistrate certainly remembered. He took a closer look at Yang Xue’s features and gasped in realization. “The person who reported that to the authorities… that was you, wasn’t it?”

Yang Xue smiled. “Yes. My sister was almost taken, so we reported it. You didn’t brush us off just because we’re village girls, and you didn’t let the perpetrator talk his way out of it. I believe you are a good official. A good official doesn’t frame innocent people or persecute them for no reason. That’s why I’m not afraid.”

The Magistrate was nearly moved to tears by the words “good official.” He even thought to himself how wonderful it would be if his mother were there to hear that; she would have been over the moon with pride.

The Village Chief once again felt that Yang Laosan’s daughter was extraordinary. At the same time, he was baffled—how did a clumsy, tongue-tied man like Yang Laosan produce such a silver-tongued daughter?

The villagers were all waiting to find out how much the reward was, but seeing Yang Xue walking right next to the Magistrate, they didn’t dare approach. Yang Laoda had also rushed over upon hearing the news, desperate to see the reward, but he could only watch from a distance, pacing with anxiety.

While chatting with the Magistrate, Yang Xue caught a glimpse of Yang Laoda in the crowd and felt a surge of disgust.

“Sir,” she said, “I believe you were manipulated the other day when you came to accuse my father and the Village Chief. I wonder… has the person who tried to use you to harm them been punished?”

At this, the Magistrate’s expression darkened. “Hmph! She’s from Xiaoniao Village—the one who colluded with the bandits. I blame myself for being muddled enough to believe someone like that. Rest assured, such a malicious person will be severely punished.”

Yang Xue nodded. “Yes, Sir. You absolutely cannot let her off easy.” She had guessed all along that Zhao Zhaodi was the one who snitched.

The Village Chief, overhearing this, was incensed. That Zhao Zhaodi was truly a menace; even from behind bars, she couldn’t stop stirring up trouble and trying to tear the village apart.

When they reached the mountain, Yang Xue was eager to get home. “Sir, I won’t accompany you to the mine. My parents are waiting for me, so I’ll head home first.”

The Magistrate nodded. “Very well. Go on.”

While Yang Xue left, the Village Chief had to remain to escort the officials.

…

Back at the cave, the whole family was waiting. They had intended to go with her when the Village Chief sent for her, but Yang Xue had stopped them. She wanted them to stay put so they wouldn’t be swarmed by gossiping villagers or, worse, cornered by Old Man Yang.

As soon as she walked in, they surrounded her.

“Xue’er, how did it go? What did the Magistrate say?” Yang Laosan and Qian Yue’e asked in unison.

“Are you okay? Did he give you a hard time?” Yang Shuang worried.

Even Yang Yu and Yang Tian chimed in: “Second Sister, are you alright?”

Yang Xue spread her arms and did a little spin. “See? I’m perfectly fine.”

She checked her surroundings. Though many villagers were moving back into the village, some were still living on the mountain. They had to be careful. Seeing no one nearby, she beckoned them deeper into the cave. “Come inside. I have good news.”

Once they were tucked away, she leaned in close. “The Magistrate gave me the reward.”

The family beamed with joy. Yang Xue held up a hand. “You have to stay calm. Don’t scream, okay? We can’t let anyone hear us.”

They all nodded like little chicks pecking at grain.

Yang Xue whispered the number: “The reward was… two hundred and fifty-one taels.”

“Good heavens—!” Yang Laosan started, then immediately slapped a hand over his mouth.

Qian Yue’e and Yang Shuang let out short gasps of shock before also covering their mouths. Yang Shuang’s voice trembled with excitement. “Xue’er, really? Two hundred and fifty-one tales? I didn’t mishear you?”

“That’s right. Two hundred and fifty-one. We’re rich.”

Yang Laosan grew frantic. “Xue’er, did you hide it well? Did anyone see it? Where on earth are we going to keep so much money? Should we dig a hole? A tunnel? It has to be safe!”

Qian Yue’e was equally nervous. “Your father is right! We need to dig a hole and hide it immediately. We can’t let a soul see this much silver.”

Yang Xue had already hidden the money in the safest place possible—her spatial storage—but she couldn’t tell them that.

“Dad, Mom, we’ll help you dig!” Yang Yu and Yang Tian were already looking for tools.

Yang Xue laughed and pulled them back. “No need for holes. The villagers don’t know the actual amount. We need to get our story straight: as far as anyone else is concerned, we only got twenty tales. Understood?”

The family nodded in synchronization again.

Yang Shuang tilted her head. “But why twenty tales?”

Yang Xue gave a mysterious smirk. “Because twenty taels is exactly how much we are going to spend to buy land.”

If the entire reward was “spent” on land for everyone to see, no one would bother them or try to steal a reward that was already “gone.”