TSWPF -Chapter 349 Shocking News

Magistrate Ma looked at his four sons and asked with some doubt, “Is that tiger called Ah Huang really so intelligent?”

He couldn’t quite believe it.

“Of course! Madam picked him up and raised him from a cub—he’s very smart,” Ma Li said firmly, not allowing anyone to doubt his new little companion, not even his father. “Ah Huang is amazing. Just now, he even hunted a roe deer and brought it back for Ah Bai to eat.”

“…Is this really a tiger? Or a person?”

Magistrate Ma cleared his throat, growing increasingly curious about the tiger in the magistrate’s household.

“You must keep this matter to yourselves—don’t tell a single soul, understand?”

The four well-behaved brothers nodded. They would never reveal it, even if it meant dying to protect Ah Huang and Ah Bai.

“And…” Hu Juanjuan looked sternly at the four brothers, “you also mustn’t tell anyone about going up the mountain. If others find out, they might go too, and it could be dangerous.”

“Understood. Madam has warned us. We aren’t to go up the mountain recklessly—it’s dangerous.”

Hu Juanjuan nodded, grateful for Li Qingling’s carefulness.

“All right, go wash your faces and get some rest. I’ll cook the rabbit for you,” she said. She planned to cook the rabbit tonight and save the pheasant for tomorrow.

The four brothers responded and started walking out.

“Wait…”

That single word made the four brothers stop in their tracks. They turned to Hu Juanjuan in unison, asking what else she wanted.

Hu Juanjuan asked if anyone had seen them on their way back.

Their hearts skipped a beat, and they nodded lightly.

Before Hu Juanjuan could frown, Ma Zhi hurriedly said, “It was Aunt He who saw us. She asked what we were carrying. We said it was pig grass and ran back. She didn’t see what was actually in our baskets.”

Hearing this, Hu Juanjuan relaxed and waved them off to go wash their faces.

Hu Juanjuan and Magistrate Ma brought the contents of the four baskets out and placed them on the table.

When everything was laid out, they were stunned at the sheer amount of food.

“There… there’s so much to eat up on the mountain?” Magistrate Ma whispered.

Hu Juanjuan’s heart also trembled slightly—she hadn’t expected so many delicious things could be picked from the mountain.

“This must remain a secret. Others cannot know,” she said firmly. They were not the magistrate’s family. Even with a mountain full of goodies, without the protection of the guards, they couldn’t risk their lives to pick them.

Magistrate Ma nodded solemnly, promising to keep it a secret.

At mealtime, the four well-behaved brothers told their parents that tomorrow morning they would go to the magistrate’s house to learn martial arts.

Learn martial arts?

“With whom?” Magistrate Ma asked in surprise.

Ma Zhi swallowed his food and replied, “With the captain of the magistrate’s guards. We already asked him, and he agreed to teach us too.”

Magistrate Ma frowned. Wouldn’t that trouble the captain?

Ma Zhi shook his head. “No, he mainly teaches Li Qingfeng and the others, and we’re just learning along with them.”

Magistrate Ma finally relaxed.

“Even if it’s just alongside, it’s still a trouble for him,” Hu Juanjuan added. “I’ll cook something tasty for you to bring to the captain to thank him for teaching you martial arts.”

“Make extra for the magistrate and Madam to try as well.”

“I know.” She couldn’t possibly leave out Madam and the family. They had been so kind to them, and she didn’t know how to repay them. “You four must pay attention when visiting the magistrate’s house. If you see something that needs help, step in and help, understand?”

The four brothers nodded vigorously.

Hu Juanjuan shook her head helplessly. She thought about how much time these four spent at the magistrate’s house compared to their own. If it weren’t for the magistrate’s kindness, she wouldn’t allow her sons to go.

Magistrate Ma then reminded his sons, “You can’t eat there all the time. It’s not easy for their family either.” The magistrate’s household wasn’t a wealthy one, and his semi-grown sons ate a lot. Constantly eating there wasn’t appropriate.

“Understood, Father.”

Satisfied with their answer, Magistrate Ma nodded and then asked Hu Juanjuan if they should send some food to the magistrate as a gesture for the time the sons had eaten there.

Hu Juanjuan shook her head immediately. That wouldn’t work—the magistrate’s family would never accept it. If they cared about such small matters, they wouldn’t have let the boys eat there so often.

“Then… what should we do?”

Hu Juanjuan couldn’t think of a good solution on the spot. “We’ll figure it out slowly. There must be a good way.”

Magistrate Ma hummed, chewing a piece of rabbit meat. The wild rabbit was delicious—simple stir-frying made it incredibly tasty.

Hearing about the roasted wild rabbit the boys had eaten on the mountain, he longed to go up there himself and try it.

It was clear that Ma Li, the little foodie, inherited this trait from Magistrate Ma.

The next morning, Magistrate Ma went with his sons to the magistrate’s house. To his surprise, he saw the magistrate himself practicing horse stance.

Aren’t only the young master and young lady learning martial arts? Why is the magistrate practicing too?

“Sir, are you practicing martial arts as well?”

Liu Zhimou glanced at Magistrate Ma. He was strengthening his body, not aiming to become a martial arts master, and asked if Ma wanted to join.

Magistrate Ma waved frantically. “No, no! How could my old bones manage? I won’t endure this pain.”

“Sir, these are special treats from Ninghua County made by my wife—glutinous rice cakes. They’re quite tasty. I brought them for you to try.”

Liu Zhimou slowly stood, took the basket, and thanked Magistrate Ma.

Magistrate Ma, flustered and honored, said, “You’re welcome,” and then handed another basket to the captain of the guards. “Captain, my four sons will be under your care. I’ve made some glutinous rice cakes—please accept them.”

It wasn’t valuable, so the captain accepted without refusal, nodding to Magistrate Ma.

After giving the gifts, Magistrate Ma hurried over to Liu Zhimou, rubbing his hands and smiling.

Liu Zhimou glanced at him coldly. “Magistrate Ma, looking at me like that might make me think you fancy me.”

“Cough! Cough! Cough…” Startled by the shocking comment, Magistrate Ma choked and coughed loudly.

“S-s-sir, don’t joke! I… I have a wife.” Although the magistrate was handsome, how could he fancy him?

“Oh? Then don’t look at me like that next time—it’s misleading,” Liu Zhimou said, disgusted, “I have a wife.”

I have a wife too, who cares about you? Magistrate Ma thought silently, replying, “Yes, sir.”

The longer he spent around the magistrate, the more he realized his mischievous streak—he liked to tease him from time to time, leaving him wanting to cry.

He wanted to ask if the magistrate could always stay serious and calm like when judging cases, and not randomly switch expressions—it was frightening.

“Speak, what is it?”

Magistrate Ma chuckled and asked quietly if Liu Zhimou’s household really kept two tigers.

Having learned this from the four brothers, Liu Zhimou nodded.

“Could… could you show me?” The curiosity about the two tigers was overwhelming—if he didn’t see them, he would keep thinking about it.

Ah, so that’s what this is about…

Liu Zhimou raised an eyebrow and nodded, heading toward the backyard.

After a short walk, he noticed Magistrate Ma hadn’t followed and looked back. “Aren’t you coming to see Ah Huang and Ah Bai? Why are you standing there?”

Startled, Magistrate Ma joyfully hurried after him, making excited sounds.

Having thought the magistrate wouldn’t take him to see the tigers, he was overjoyed by this sudden turn. His hands and feet didn’t know what to do.

Liu Zhimou glanced at him, speechless at his clumsiness.

“When you see Ah Huang and Ah Bai, don’t panic or shout, understand?”

“Understood…” With the magistrate present, how could he panic?

Besides, the boys had said the tigers wouldn’t bite.

But Magistrate Ma’s words came too soon. When the two tigers stared at him simultaneously, his hairs stood on end and his legs went weak.

S-scary…

Ah Huang disdainfully glanced at him, turned away, and licked Ah Bai’s fur.

Such a timid human isn’t worth looking at.

“S-s-sir… have I… been… despised?” Seeing Ah Huang’s gaze, Magistrate Ma felt a strange sensation, wondering if he’d misread it.

Liu Zhimou couldn’t help smirking. “Your eyes are correct.”

Correct eyes? Does that mean the magistrate is saying he really was despised by a tiger?

For a moment, Magistrate Ma felt utterly depressed. Who wouldn’t, being looked down upon by a tiger?

Liu Zhimou asked if he wanted to continue watching.

“N…no, l-let’s… go!”

Liu Zhimou raised an eyebrow, then turned and led him back to the front yard, asking him to wait while he changed into his official robe to go to the office together.

Magistrate Ma still hadn’t recovered from Ah Huang’s disdain. He hung his head, sighing.

Liu Zhimou chuckled, went back inside, changed into his official robe, and led Magistrate Ma out of the house.

On the way, they heard villagers whispering to each other. Curious, they asked what the villagers were gossiping about.

Seeing Liu Zhimou and Magistrate Ma, the villagers greeted them and then started chattering excitedly.