My domineering ex-husband is living off his wife in ancient times.

Chapter 82 Disregard for the Laws of Great Xia

This woman is really infuriating.

If you don't keep an eye on things for a little while, they can cause a huge mess.

"Don't worry, I won't get caught doing bad things. I'm always on guard, and I hide in my spatial dimension whenever someone comes near," Cheng Ruoan said smugly.

Si Shaoheng's head throbbed more and more as he listened.

“Young Miss, we’re no longer in the mountain stronghold. If someone sees your strange disappearance and reappearance, do you really think you won’t be burned alive?”

The bandits were mostly dead, and those who escaped could no longer go back to Lancheng to tell the magistrate that they had encountered a "demoness".

Unlike Si Silang, Shao Yang, and Da Hua, the others would not unconditionally believe Cheng Ruoan's lies.

Therefore, her "great supernatural powers" must never be known to anyone.

Cheng Ruoan touched her nose, "Okay, I'll just make sure I don't go into the space outside next time."

Xu, the registrar, walked ahead and talked for a long time, but when he didn't hear a reply from the two, he stopped and turned to look at them.

"Hey, haven't you two been married for several years? Why are you still so inseparable? I asked you what you thought, but you didn't listen to a word."

Cheng Ruoan felt even more embarrassed.

She just smiled and hid behind Si Shaoheng.

Si Shaoheng: "What did you ask, sir?"

"I'm saying, if you can't get your grandfather's courtyard back, would you be willing to change your registered residence somewhere else? You know, because of Lord Si, it's not convenient for us Lord Fang to be too... well..."

Cheng Ruoan tugged at Si Shaoheng's sleeve from behind. Si Shaoheng smiled helplessly and said to Registrar Xu, "Of course I understand. If you don't agree to reconcile with him when you go, then our whole family, with one sick and one injured, can only follow the arrangements of the adults."

As they spoke, they arrived outside the ancestral hall.

The constables following behind Registrar Xu dispersed into twos and threes, saying they were going to inspect the village.

In villages like Sijia Village, which are very close to the county seat, government officials would come to patrol the village every ten days or so, as it was their duty.

But judging from their demeanor today, it seems like they've come to support Si Shaoheng and Cheng Ruoan.

That's what Grandpa Si thought.

"Clan Chief Si, it's been a long time. How are you doing?"

Registrar Xu took the lead in greeting, and Si Shaoheng and Cheng Ruoan followed behind, bowing and paying their respects to Second Grandfather Si.

Grandpa Si smiled broadly and bowed to Registrar Xu, saying, "Registrar Xu, you must be tired from your journey to collect medicinal herbs in the village."

"It's not hard work, it's all for the soldiers in the north." Registrar Xu waved his hand.

"Indeed, if we can return with a full load, then all the hard work will be worthwhile." Grandpa Si stroked his beard, his shrewd eyes glancing at Si Shaoheng.

He was subtly implying that Si Shaoheng's family might be able to produce an enormous amount of medicinal herbs to hand over.

The family was in dire straits, fleeing from the mountainous southwest. They said they had hired bodyguards to escort them safely to the north.

Even if they had some savings, they've probably used it all up.

How many medicinal herbs could one possibly hand over to curry favor with the county officials?

Unexpectedly, the moment this was mentioned, Registrar Xu burst into laughter.

"It was indeed hard work, but it was worth it."

To be honest, Clan Chief Si, when Shaoheng came to the county office to sign the contract yesterday, I was thinking that the 1,800 taels of medicinal herbs must be second-rate goods, and that he was only willing to hand over so much at once because he couldn't sell them.

But to my surprise, not only did they arrive at the correct weight, but they were all second-grade or higher medicinal herbs! I was overjoyed.

"How much?!" Grandpa Si's eyes widened like a frog on a paddy field.

Si Shaoheng smiled gently and elegantly: "Eighteen hundred taels of medicinal herbs."

Grandpa Si was so surprised that he took a half step back.

"Weren't all the family businesses of your sixth branch destroyed in the earthquake in Qingshan County? Where did you get so much money!"

Si Shaoheng looked at Cheng Ruoan, "Yes. But it's all thanks to me marrying a good wife."

Cheng Ruoan lowered her head shyly.

What I was thinking was: "You scared the hell out of me, didn't you, old man?! If we throw this money at this rate, do you think the government will help us?"

"Ahem." Registrar Xu coughed lightly twice.

How can this young man bring up the fact that he and his family are living off his wife without any shame?

Tell everyone you meet!

"Shaoheng's wife, Madam Cheng's family has a family tradition of gathering medicinal herbs and doesn't rely on farming for a living, so the earthquake had less impact on her family. Speaking of which, Clan Chief Si, you also know that they wanted to return to their ancestral home to seek refuge with the clan because their family business was completely destroyed?"

Registrar Xu single-handedly steered the conversation back to the main topic.

Grandpa Si stroked his beard. "I know about this."

"Then why not let him move back to the village?" Registrar Xu fanned himself. "Si Shaoheng has the red deed for that courtyard. Logically and morally, he should be able to move back."

“Registrar Xu, you may not know this, but back then, Si Shaoheng’s grandfather committed a crime in the village and was to be expelled from the clan.”

But my father was kind and only allowed him to respond to the imperial court's order to go south to reclaim wasteland and cultivate land, as long as he didn't return to the clan's territory. He did not expel him from the clan.

That courtyard was originally handed over to the public to atone for his sins.

My father was planning to go to the government office to transfer the property before he left, but who knew that he would leave with his wife and children overnight.

Isn't this the same as theft?

Now that his descendants have returned, they're demanding the courtyard back with the red deed; there's really no such thing as that.

As he spoke, Second Grandpa Si waved his hand with a look of disapproval.

Cheng Ruoan couldn't help but chime in: "So what did they do to deserve being exterminated from their clan?"

Grandpa Si glanced at her unhappily, "What right do you, a little woman, have to speak like that!"

“Grandpa Si’s words are rude.” Si Shaoheng retorted without holding back. “My wife is now in charge of our family. She is the one in charge, so naturally she has the right to speak.”

Second Grandfather Si: ...

He had never seen anyone who took being a kept man so for granted!

Absolutely shameless!

Registrar Xu emphasized the key point: "Hand over the courtyard for confiscation... Is there any written proof?"

"It's strange to say it's equivalent to theft. There's no evidence, just something Second Grandpa Si said," Cheng Ruoan chimed in.

"You!" Grandpa Si felt his blood rushing to his head. He was almost seventy years old, an age where he didn't even have to kneel before the emperor. He had never been so rude to a young woman before.

Registrar Xu nodded, fanning himself, without saying a word.

Grandpa Si was older, so his anger subsided in an instant.

He calmed down and snorted: "Confessing a crime in the clan is naturally different from confessing in court. There is no such thing as a written confession. But besides me, there is another witness in the village who knows about his crime and confession."

Cheng Ruoan chuckled and looked at Si Shaoheng: "Husband, I remember you said that the Great Xia law states 'three men make a witness,' meaning that if there are only two witnesses, the testimony is invalid, right?"

Si Shaoheng nodded. "That's right."

He looked at Second Grandfather Si, “Without any proof or witnesses, the clan chief’s refusal to recognize my red contract seems to be a bit of a contempt for the laws of the Great Xia Dynasty.”