Stinky Bandit, I’m Pregnant! - Chapter 12:

Chapter 12: The Magistrate Is a Friend of Women

When Gu Fei and Xiao Lingshuang approached the crowd, the commoners, upon seeing Gu Fei, reacted as if they’d seen their savior.

“Lord Gu is here!” they exclaimed, quickly parting to form a path.

The two walked through the crowd to the center.

When Gu Fei saw the mother and daughter sitting on the ground, his eyelid twitched hard. The woman and the seven- or eight-year-old child were both covered in bruises and whip marks.

Someone in the crowd whispered, “That man is worse than a beast. He even beats his own wife and child.”

Even the Empress gasped softly. She wondered who could be so heartless as to beat this mother and daughter so brutally.

Gu Fei looked at the pair, barely clothed and miserably battered, and rage flared in his eyes.

That such a vile act could happen in Shangyuan County—domestic violence, abusing women and children—it was utterly inhumane.

This was a slap in Gu Fei’s face.

“Tell me, whose wife are you? I will stand up for you!” Gu Fei said coldly. Anyone who knew him would know the husband of this woman was about to be in serious trouble.

“Lord, we’ve already asked. They’re not from our Shangyuan County. They came from nearby Shancheng County to seek refuge with relatives. The husband lost money gambling and blamed his wife and daughter for bringing him bad luck, so he beat them badly.”

Hearing this, Gu Fei sighed deeply.

“I knew it. There can’t be such a wicked man in Shangyuan County. If there were, I would never let him go unpunished!”

The Empress, however, scoffed inwardly. “As if none of the men in your Shangyuan County beat their wives… What a joke!”

Just then, another woman rushed in from outside the crowd. When she saw the miserable condition of the mother and daughter, she immediately burst into tears.

“My poor sister… How is your life this bitter… That bastard Wang Cheng beat you like this again… How many times has it been? I told you to divorce him, but you refused!”

The woman on the ground began sobbing loudly along with her child. “Sister… it’s not that I don’t want to leave him. Every time I bring it up, he beats me half to death and even threatens to kill me and Xiao Cui…”

“Sister… I’ve run out of options. I came today to entrust Xiao Cui to you. After this, I’m going back to fight that beast to the death!”

“Nonsense! How can you do something so foolish? That Wang Cheng’s life is worth nothing, and can you even beat him?” Gu Fei shouted sternly.

Only then did the older sister notice that Gu Fei was present.

She quickly turned and knelt before him. “Lord, I’m Qin Axiang, a common woman of Shangyuan County. Thanks to you, the women of our county live in peace—no one dares bully us at home, and we can even yell at our men now and then. But my sister Qin Alian… her fate is bitter… Please save her.”

“I’ll kowtow to you.” She began banging her head against the ground without a shred of hesitation or concern for herself.

Gu Fei quickly stepped forward and pulled her up, preventing her from continuing.

He turned to Qin Alian and said, “If you want me to intervene, it’s not a problem. If you can stay in Shangyuan County by your own ability, then you’re one of us. If someone bullies you, I will take care of it.”

The older sister quickly said, “Lord, my sister can definitely manage it!”

Gu Fei snorted, “I wasn’t asking you. Let your sister answer!”

The abused woman looked at Gu Fei in surprise, then trembled as she said, “Lord, are you really willing to accept someone like me in Shangyuan County? Aren’t you afraid I’ll bring misfortune to your place?”

Gu Fei immediately knew this woman was kind-hearted.

With his chest out and hands behind his back, he confidently said, “Misfortune… is just an excuse used by the incompetent. In my Shangyuan County, that nonsense doesn’t exist.”

“But my Shangyuan County doesn’t accept just anyone who wants to settle here. Only those with value can be accepted.”

“You still look young, and your health seems fine. It depends on whether you have any skills. You all know this—Shangyuan County doesn’t feed useless freeloaders.”

The Empress’s slight favorable impression instantly vanished. Her disdain grew stronger. “Just a bandit’s den, yet so picky?”

The older sister quickly chimed in, “Lord, my sister is very skilled with her hands—she’s great at spinning, weaving, and tailoring… She’s truly talented!”

Gu Fei looked at her and asked, “Then are you willing to vouch for her?”

Qin Alian’s sister said immediately, “Yes, Lord! I, a humble woman, am willing to vouch for Qin Alian. If anything goes wrong, I will take full responsibility!”

“Good. Since your sister is willing to vouch for you, I’ll make an exception for you. I can also help process your divorce. And don’t worry about supporting your child. As long as you’re willing to work at the county’s textile factory, it’ll be more than enough to support both of you.”

“Ah… Really? Lord, you’re willing to let a lowly woman like me work at the textile factory like my sister?”

The young woman hadn’t expected that not only would she be allowed to join Shangyuan County, but she’d also be allowed to work at the textile factory—a dream job for women from other counties.

That place offered light work and high wages—2 taels of silver a month, more than 20 taels a year. Plus, they even distributed food and oil during holidays.

And there were so many festivals—Youth Day, Children’s Day, Women’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day… so many it was dizzying.

There was even a County Founding Festival in Shangyuan County, a major event with a three-day holiday for everyone.

People from other counties were insanely envious.

“This humble woman Qin Alian is willing… I’m willing!” The woman copied her sister and kowtowed with loud thuds.

Gu Fei said loudly, “Enough! Qin Alian, you don’t need to kowtow anymore. I simply see potential in you. Remember, once you join Shangyuan County, you’re no longer a lowly woman. In our county, everyone is equal. As long as you work hard, you’ll live a better life than anyone from other counties.”

He turned toward the crowd and shouted, “Guards!”

The patrol team, already present, responded quickly, “What are your orders, Lord?”

“Today, a wicked man from Shancheng County, Wang Cheng, dared to harm a citizen of my Shangyuan County. I order you to arrest him immediately!”

“Yes, Lord!”

At that moment, Ye Anlan arrived and said, “Lord, leave this to me.”

“My goodness… Chief Constable Ye is personally going to arrest Wang Cheng. He’s done for now,” the crowd murmured.

Gu Fei looked a bit concerned and said, “Fine, but be cautious of Shancheng’s county magistrate Li Caiyi. That man’s no good.”

Ye Anlan gave Xiao Lingshuang a sideways glance, then coldly snorted, “No need to worry, Lord. If that man is still the same as before, I’ll chop off his dog head and kick it like a ball!”

“…Forget it. Why do I bother saying anything? Go on!”

The Empress watched Ye Anlan leave with her team, full of righteous fury.

She thought to herself… Gu Fei really protects his people. Even outsiders get his protection.

What kind of man is this? Isn’t he just a bandit? Why is he doing so many things that make the people grateful?

Does this guy really see himself as a county magistrate? But without imperial appointment or official seal, how can he grant Qin Alian a divorce?

The Empress was filled with questions about Gu Fei.

The two of them pushed through the flattering crowd and headed home.

When they reached the door, she couldn’t help but ask, “Gu Fei, what exactly is this textile factory you mentioned?”

Gu Fei turned back to look at her and said, “So bold… Shouldn’t you be calling me husband?”

The Empress huffed in anger and turned to run into the house.

As he watched her shapely hips sway ahead of him, Gu Fei rubbed his nose and thought… pretty sexy. That figure is something else.