Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside

Before the government gate, as soon as Zou Jiang struck the drum, many people immediately gathered around.

On the street in front of the county government office, many recognized Zou Jiang, and seeing him beat the drum to declare his grievances, they asked in haste: "Housekeeper Zou, what injustice have you suffered?"

"Yes, Housekeeper Zou, you are a favorite of the County Governor. If you have any grievances, why not speak directly to the County Governor? Why bother coming here to beat the drum?"

Although it was a laughing stock that County Magistrate Zou was cuckolded by his son and his concubine's family were fugitive slaves, which became the biggest scandal in the county in nearly a century, his position remained, and he had the power to redress the grievances of Zou Jiang.

Zou Jiang threw away the drumstick in his hand and shouted to the onlookers: "The person I want to accuse is Zou Youlian!"

"Zou Youlian, who is that?"

An older person thought for a while and exclaimed in surprise: "Oh my, that's County Magistrate Zou!"

"What? Zou Youlian is County Magistrate Zou?"

"This is really something new, County Magistrate Zou's confidant is accusing County Magistrate Zou."

"It seems County Magistrate Zou has really crossed the line. Just a couple of months ago someone named Zhong Junwang had accused him too."

"Forget about that Zhong fellow, the whole Zhong family is dead. Now it's Housekeeper Zou accusing County Magistrate Zou… hey, Housekeeper Zou, what are you accusing County Magistrate Zou of? Come on, tell us."

Such a rare sensational piece of news made them all terribly curious; if they didn't get the details, none of them would be able to sleep that night.

Zou Jiang said, "I am accusing Zou Youlian of corruption, extortion, favoritism, cheating in the imperial examinations, and enrolling civilians into the slave registry…"

Everyone present was stunned, with so many charges, it looked certain that County Magistrate Zou was doomed!

With these accusations unveiled, the entire street erupted into excitement, with everyone running to spread the news of Zou Jiang's accusation against County Magistrate Zou throughout the entire county.

Upon hearing the news, Steward Shao immediately went to inform County Magistrate Zou.

County Magistrate Zou was at home recuperating and turned pale with fright upon hearing Steward Shao's words, falling directly off the bed.

Steward Shao and Master Cao immediately came to help him up.

Master Cao said: "My lord, you must hold on, if something happened to you…"

"Shut up!" Steward Shao scolded Master Cao, who really had no way with words — was he trying to infuriate County Magistrate Zou to death?

Indeed, County Magistrate Zou glared at Master Cao with fiery eyes, frightening Master Cao into continuously begging for forgiveness: "My lord, calm your anger, it was unintentional; I was just too worried about you."

With a slam, County Magistrate Zou sat back on the bed and immediately kicked Master Cao, venting his anger, then demanded: "I tasked you with keeping an eye on Zou Jiang, how did you keep an eye? You even let him go to accuse?"

Master Cao felt very wronged: "I've been watching Zou Jiang every day for the past two months. Whenever he went out, it was either to do errands for you or to visit bookstores and dispensaries. I've checked everyone he contacted, not one of them was problematic."

He was truly wronged, having no idea why Zou Jiang would suddenly go mad and accuse County Magistrate Zou.

"There must be something wrong, definitely!" County Magistrate Zou knew Master Cao must have been deceived by Zou Jiang's scheme, but with Zou Jiang having been to many places in the past two months, it was too late to investigate now.

"What exactly is Zou Jiang accusing me of?" County Magistrate Zou asked Steward Shao, calming down after his anger.

Steward Shao repeated the words Zou Jiang said at the government gate.

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Zou heaved a sigh of relief, as there were only accusations of plotting for wealth and life, embezzlement, perverting the law, and no accusations of colluding with river bandits... It seems that Zou Jiang does not have evidence of him colluding with river bandits.

At this moment, County Magistrate Zou was extremely relieved, grateful that when Zou Jiang suspected him of bribing river bandits to torture Concubine Lu, he did not admit it and quickly sent Limp Six away, otherwise, it would be difficult for him to turn things around now.

However...

"Heh, a mere house slave dares to accuse me? Today, I will let him understand whether he is a human or a dog!" County Magistrate Zou told Steward Shao and Master Cao: "Take the Protector to the county government, catch the fugitive slave Zou Jiang!"

Zou Jiang is truly foolish, having served so many years as a servant yet still considers himself a person. Does he not know a slave cannot accuse his master? Even ordinary citizens have to endure twenty large beatings before making accusations against officials, what qualification does a mere slave like Zou Jiang have to accuse his master?

"Yes, my lord!" Steward Shao and Master Cao replied, and immediately left County Magistrate Zou's courtyard to gather the Protector and head to the county government to catch Zou Jiang.

Zou Yuzhen had already learned about County Magistrate Zou's connections with the river bandits, and for the past two months, he had been trying to contact the bandits in order to use them to kill the families of the Qin, Gu, and Luotian.

He had always blamed the Qin, Gu, and Luotian families for the ruin of the Lu family, the killing of Concubine Lu, and his despisal by County Magistrate Zou, constantly planning how to get rid of those families. But before he could make contact with the bandits, he heard that Zou Jiang had accused County Magistrate Zou.

Zou Yuzhen was in a great hurry and quickly called his servant, asking, "Did your uncle and the others go to catch Zou Jiang? What exactly is going on with Zou Jiang? Why did he suddenly accuse my father?"

Although he despised the old man and wished he would die soon, if the old man was accused and the charges were proven, he as a son would also be implicated, so while the old man can die, he must not be convicted.

The servant replied, "My uncle said that Zou Jiang is a slave, he has no right to accuse the Old Master."

The servant's reply had less respect and more impatience... Because of the issue with Concubine Lu, Zou Yuzhen was completely despised by County Magistrate Zou, and following Zou Yuzhen meant gaining nothing. Now, he was begging his own uncle to transfer him somewhere else for service.

Zou Yuzhen squinted his eyes and gave the servant a dark look, didn't say much, but held a grudge in his heart, 'Just wait, all you servants looking down on this young master, once I gain power, you all will have to die!'

"Hmm, keep an eye on it, and come report to me immediately if your uncle has any new information," Zou Yuzhen said.

"Yes, Third Master." The servant casually saluted and left.

...

Steward Shao and Master Cao stormed to the county government gates, pointing at Zou Jiang who was still listing the crimes of County Magistrate Zou, angrily saying: "Come, grab this fugitive slave and take him back!"

The Protector of Zou family immediately charged towards Zou Jiang.

Luo Wu and the others had been waiting already, seeing this they immediately led the Government Officials over, blocking the Zou family's Protector: "Stop, this is the government office, you all yelling and fighting, do you want to be charged with disturbing the county government?!"

Steward Shao frowned... Zou Jiang had been causing a scene here for 30 minutes, and no one in the government office stopped him, letting Zou Jiang shout grievances at the government gate. Now that they came to catch him, the government's officials immediately appeared, not to mention, it must have been commanded by Lord County Magistrate.

Steward Shao took two steps forward, stood with his hands behind his back, glowered at Luo Wu and said: "Zou Jiang is a slave of the Zou family, today he ran here on his own to accuse his master, regarded as a runaway slave. Zou Mansion has the right to catch their own runaway slave, this matter, Constable Luo, and even Lord County Magistrate cannot interfere."

The surrounding onlookers, after hearing this, commented: "This steward is right, a Family Head catching a house slave is a private matter, the government office really can't interfere."

Steward Shao, hearing this, looked at Zou Jiang with a smile and said: "Housekeeper Zou, come back with me. Lord Zou, considering the decades you served him, will surely show leniency and not make you suffer too much."

Zou Jiang looked at Steward Shao's triumphant smile and retorted: "Mr. Shao, are you so certain that I am a slave of the Zou family? Do you know that wrongly classifying someone from the good register as a slave could lead you to be charged with forcing the free into slavery, can you bear such a charge?"

Steward Shao's brows furrowed tightly, what did Zou Jiang mean?

Could it be that Zou Jiang is not from the slaves register?

Impossible, Zou Jiang has served the Zou family for so many years, it's impossible he suddenly became from the good register.