Reborn as an Ugly Wife in the Countryside

Yang Qiu hadn’t expected this: she might be tough, but Madam Guo and Master Guo were even tougher. Even after being captured, they still refused to reveal her older sister’s whereabouts, and for the moment she was out of ideas.

Just then, that Escort Head who had been talking turned his head and gave her a steadying look. She didn’t even know why, but the moment she saw that look, her heart settled.

The Escort Head comforted Yang Qiu with his eyes, then spoke toward Master Guo and Madam Guo, "Don’t say our Xuntian Escort Agency is being unreasonable. We’ll give you the time it takes to burn one stick of incense. If you still won’t talk by then, don’t blame us for being rude."

As for Master Guo’s talk of reporting to the government office, he wasn’t afraid in the least. His connections ran through both the underworld and the authorities—this County’s County Magistrate was, of course, someone he had dealings with.

For a while, the courtyard stayed locked in this stalemate.

The maids and house servants kneeling on the ground were all trembling with fear.

Master Guo and Madam Guo, unlike the maids and house servants, were not forced to their knees; they only stood there, but their persons were firmly under control.

Time ticked by, and still Master Guo and Madam Guo stubbornly refused to loosen their tongues.

They, too, were stalling for time, thinking their son should be back any moment now.

Thinking that maybe people from the government office would be arriving.

The time it took to burn one stick of incense passed quickly. The Escort Head spoke: "Since that’s how it is, then we’ll have to offend you."

With a wave of his hand, the brothers from the Escort Agency pressed Master Guo and Madam Guo forward toward the main gate of the Guo Family residence.

Seeing this, Master Guo and Madam Guo still kept shouting.

"Let go of me, let go of me!"

"People from the government office will be here any moment—if you know what’s good for you, you’d better release us now."

"..."

"..."

But the Escort Agency brothers paid them no mind and went about their business. In no time at all, the two were shoved to the front gate of the Guo Mansion.

For the sake of the operation, the front gate had been closed right after they entered the courtyard.

As soon as the gate swung open, they came face-to-face with a crowd. This crowd was none other than people from the government office.

At the sight of the newcomers, Master Guo and Madam Guo, who had been growing a bit deflated, stiffened with renewed bravado.

"Hmph, the government officers are here—you can’t just brazenly drag us away like this."

Then they turned to shout at the people from the government office, "Government officers, sirs, these people from the Xuntian Escort Agency barged into a private home and now want to drag us off—you must take charge of this!"

Seeing the people from the government office arrive made Yang Qiu anxious. She spoke up at once, "Brother government officer, they’re the ones who hid my older sister."

"This is all just a misunderstanding. Her older sister is our daughter-in-law—she went out with the child. Yet this girl insists we’ve hidden her sister away."

Hearing this, Yang Qiu was so anxious she was nearly in tears. "You’re quibbling! It was clearly you who forced my sister to leave!"

Each side stuck to its own story, arguing so fiercely it was impossible to get a word in.

The government officer who had finally arrived spoke up, "Enough, stop arguing. You’re making my head pound. Take them all in."

At these words, Yang Qiu fell silent; Master Guo and Madam Guo also held their tongues.

Because the soldiers had moved in to seize people—neither Master Guo and Madam Guo nor anyone from Xuntian Escort Agency was being spared.

Seeing this, the Escort Head shielded Yang Qiu tightly behind him and said, "Don’t be afraid."

Then he gave a shout, and from inside the courtyard came a crackling racket.

It was the sound of Xuntian Escort Agency men fighting with the soldiers.

At first, when Master Guo and Madam Guo saw the soldiers arrive, they felt everything was finally going their way. But when they saw the two sides fighting, they began to grow uneasy, because the Escort Agency men seemed to have the upper hand; they were more formidable than the government officers. Sure enough, in just a short while, the government officers were subdued.