“Afraid?” Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow. “How do you even write the word ‘afraid’?”

City Lord Ling, seeing that Mu Yunjin was still arrogant and defiant, allowed a trace of anger to surface on his previously calm face as he flicked his sleeve. “Absurd!”

As he finished speaking, a group of guards hurriedly ran down the street.

Approaching City Lord Ling, the lead guard respectfully bowed. “City Lord, has someone committed violence in the streets?”

“Yes, this little girl right here.” City Lord Ling gestured toward Mu Yunjin with his eyes.

The guard looked at Mu Yunjin, then at the corpse of the guard on the ground, and the injured Master He. With a wave of his hand, he ordered, “Take her away!”

“Perfect timing to visit the magistrate’s office and discuss replacing the City Lord,” Mu Yunjin said, arms crossed, her face bearing a carefree smile while her eyes shot a cold glance toward City Lord Ling.

City Lord Ling caught Mu Yunjin’s gaze and felt a chill in his heart, inexplicably feeling a flash of guilt.

…

Shortly after, at the magistrate’s office.

Mu Yunjin walked through the door, sighing to herself. She couldn’t help but feel helpless—she had simply wanted to browse the market, yet somehow she had entangled herself in such a place again.

It seemed she couldn’t find a moment of peace anywhere she went.

She was truly exasperated with herself.

But today, perhaps it wasn’t her fault. It was that Dog He who had provoked her first; she was merely defending herself.

This couldn’t be considered deliberately causing trouble.

In the main hall of the magistrate’s office, Magistrate Li, who had already been notified, was seated. Upon seeing City Lord Ling enter first, he rose and spoke courteously, “I heard from the guards that someone attempted to assassinate the City Lord in the street?”

“Yes, indeed. But I was fortunate to have loyal guards who shielded me. That’s why I’m still alive; otherwise, I fear today would have ended quite differently,” City Lord Ling replied.

“This is a grave matter. Who would dare to attempt an assassination of the City Lord in broad daylight?” Magistrate Li asked angrily.

“This young woman here.” City Lord Ling stepped aside and pointed at Mu Yunjin behind him.

Hearing this, Magistrate Li peered attentively at Mu Yunjin behind City Lord Ling. Upon seeing her face, he exclaimed in surprise. Then, thinking he might have been mistaken, he rubbed his eyes and looked again carefully.

After a moment, Magistrate Li slapped his thigh, walked down, approached Mu Yunjin, and bowed deeply to her. “I did not know that such an esteemed guest had arrived. Please forgive my failure to welcome you properly.”

“Oh? You recognize me?” Mu Yunjin was quite curious about the magistrate’s sudden change in attitude.

“Of course. I have some connection with your father,” Magistrate Li said, bowing again to Mu Yunjin.

Seeing how the situation had reversed, Mu Yunjin decided not to stand on ceremony. She sat down, crossed her legs, and pointed at Master He being helped through the door. “This man harassed me in the street, saying he wanted to take me as his eighth concubine, and he also overturned a commoner’s stall. What does Magistrate Li have to say about this?”

“And this City Lord not only sheltered this dog of a man but also said he wanted to throw me out of the city. How should this be accounted for?”

“Is the bar for becoming City Lord in River Moon City so low? Can any cat or dog be elected?”

Mu Yunjin’s series of mocking questions filled City Lord Ling with rage. Just as he was about to angrily rebuke her, he was stopped by Magistrate Li, who then whispered something in City Lord Ling’s ear.

Upon hearing Magistrate Li’s words, City Lord Ling’s eyes revealed fear, and he immediately fell to his knees before Mu Yunjin with a thud.

“I didn’t know such an esteemed guest had come to River Moon City. Please forgive my many offenses!” After speaking, City Lord Ling tugged at Master He’s robe, pulling him down to kneel as well.

“Esteemed guest, how would you like this matter resolved?” Magistrate Li stood to the side, leaning toward Mu Yunjin and speaking cautiously.

Mu Yunjin curved her lips and raised her eyebrows. “I came here alone today. My husband doesn’t yet know someone wanted to take me as his eighth concubine. This River Moon City is under your jurisdiction, Magistrate Li, so you decide.”

At Mu Yunjin’s mention of the word “husband,” Magistrate Li and City Lord Ling’s expressions changed.

Then, before Magistrate Li could speak, City Lord Ling first addressed the guards nearby, “Take He Hu, this villain who has committed all manner of evil and oppressed good citizens, and beat him to death!”

“Wh-what?” Master He thought he had misheard and stared at City Lord Ling in shock.

After these words, several guards came and moved to drag Master He out.

Master He immediately realized what was happening. Seeing that City Lord Ling intended to have him executed, he immediately pointed at City Lord Ling and cursed angrily, “Ling Kun, you dog! Over the years, I’ve collected many fine things from the common people and always shared them with you first. You’ve taken so many benefits from me, and now I’ve become a villain?”

“Bah! Magistrate, please note that all these years, it was only with Ling Kun’s authorization that I dared to swagger around River Moon City.”

“You…” Ling Kun’s face became unnatural. “What nonsense are you talking? I am the City Lord of River Moon City. How could I possibly expect you to share good things with me?”

“Take him away and beat him to death!” Ling Kun commanded.

At his words, He Hu was dragged out by several guards. Soon, the sounds of clubs and He Hu’s screams came from outside.

After a moment, He Hu’s screams stopped.

Magistrate Li, hearing that He Hu had stopped screaming, bent over and looked at Mu Yunjin. He saw that Mu Yunjin’s lips were pursed, seemingly unmoved by He Hu’s death.

“Esteemed guest, do you consider this matter settled now?” Magistrate Li cautiously asked.

“Settled?” Mu Yunjin laughed coldly. “There’s still one person who hasn’t been executed. How can it be settled?”

Magistrate Li and City Lord Ling were simultaneously stunned, knowing what Mu Yunjin meant. After a moment, Magistrate Li timidly spoke, “City Lord Ling was appointed by the Emperor. Without the Emperor’s decree…”

Magistrate Li left his sentence unfinished, letting Mu Yunjin interpret his meaning.

“Is that so?” Mu Yunjin pressed her lips into a smile, her gaze languidly falling on City Lord Ling.

City Lord Ling, having heard Magistrate Li’s words, realized he had the court’s backing and summoned some courage, giving Mu Yunjin a slightly smug smile.

“If that’s the case, then I’ll have to report back to Father Emperor. After all, as a daughter-in-law, I’ve suffered a great injustice in River Moon City. I’m sure Father Emperor will do right by me.”

Mu Yunjin’s mention of “Father Emperor” was accompanied by a searching gaze at Magistrate Li and City Lord Ling. Today, she would not back down from this matter under any circumstances.

Upon hearing the title “Father Emperor,” the two men’s legs weakened as they nearly forgot that after marrying Chu Li, Mu Yunjin would indeed call the Emperor “Father Emperor.”

Magistrate Li silently cursed himself for thinking he could use the Emperor to pressure Mu Yunjin—they were family, after all! How could the Emperor possibly side with outsiders?

It seemed that Ling Kun was in for serious trouble today!

Well, Ling Kun had been riding on his imperial appointment, not only failing to govern River Moon City properly but also acting tyrannically for a long time. It was indeed time to bring him to task.

“Magistrate Li, will you investigate City Lord Ling’s sheltering of bullies, oppression of common people, and acceptance of bribes? If you won’t, I’ll report to the Court of Judicial Review in the capital and have Director Chen handle this case.” Seeing that Magistrate Li seemed to have made up his mind, Mu Yunjin pushed him along.

Hearing this, Magistrate Li naturally understood that Mu Yunjin had given him a way out. If he didn’t take this opportunity, he would truly be foolish.

So he said, “Someone, go to the City Lord’s mansion and bring back the account ledgers. I need to thoroughly investigate this matter! If what the Sixth Prince’s Consort says is true, we will show no leniency in harboring criminals.”

“That’s wrong. I am just a passing commoner, not the Sixth Prince’s Consort,” Mu Yunjin reminded Magistrate Li, avoiding revealing her identity.

Magistrate Li immediately understood and nodded.

…

Half an hour later.

“Bang—”

After examining all the accounts brought by the guards, Magistrate Li threw them in front of Ling Kun and glared at him angrily. “Ling Kun, explain yourself! Why did half of the silver allocated for bridge construction end up in your treasury?”

“Why, when there was a flood in the city two years ago and five thousand taels of silver were distributed, did you only report two thousand taels?”

“Where did all the rest of the silver go?”

Magistrate Li angrily slammed the table, completely shocked that so little of the funds allocated by the court had reached their destination after passing through Ling Kun’s hands.

He had thought two years ago that the royal court must not value River Moon City, otherwise they wouldn’t have sent only two thousand taels to aid so many disaster victims.

But it turned out that it was all Ling Kun’s doing!

“Sir, I don’t know about this either,” Ling Kun flatly denied, wiping away beads of sweat from his forehead, his appearance becoming somewhat haggard.

He truly hadn’t expected that the matters he had concealed for so many years would all be exposed today.

And to think that he had fallen at the hands of Mu Yunjin, who was rumored to be timid and uneducated by nature.

Thinking of Mu Yunjin, Ling Kun had a sudden thought—wait, the woman on the street earlier clearly seemed to know martial arts.

But how could that Mu Yunjin, known to be gentle and delicate, possibly know martial arts?

No, this woman must be an impostor!

With this thought, Ling Kun ignored Magistrate Li’s questioning, pointed at Mu Yunjin, and boldly spoke, “Who are you? Why are you impersonating the Sixth Prince’s Consort?”

“The Sixth Prince’s Consort couldn’t possibly know martial arts, but you easily killed my guard and injured He Hu. Who sent you here?”

Hearing Ling Kun’s words, Magistrate Li thought it was just the desperate struggle of a condemned man and couldn’t help feeling somewhat helpless.

He had seen the woman before him and was certain she was the Third Miss Mu. Her appearance and demeanor were unmistakable.

“Stop beating around the bush with me. No matter how you try to evade, your fate is sealed today!” Mu Yunjin smiled faintly, leaning back in her chair, growing increasingly impatient.

Seeing that Mu Yunjin was displeased, Magistrate Li, fearing to anger this little ancestor, slammed the table. “Take Ling Kun and lock him in the prison cell.”

“After I report Ling Kun’s evidence of corruption to the Emperor, we will await the Emperor’s decision!”

With these words, Ling Kun was dragged away.

The hall instantly became quiet. Magistrate Li sighed and looked at Mu Yunjin. “Prince’s Consort, are you satisfied now?”

“Yes,” Mu Yunjin nodded slightly. “I’m not just meddling in affairs, but the silver that Ling Kun took in bribes should be used to properly appease the people of River Moon City.”