Dong Miao finished asking her questions, gave a respectful bow, and then turned to leave.
Earlier, the clerk had already sprinkled water at the entrance.
Dong Miao didn't bother to make a big scene.
In her heart, she mocked,
"Dew? Why not ask for heavenly nectar instead?"
Dong Miao adjusted her mood and straightened her clothes.
She left only two officers to guard the place and took everyone else with her. Two of them carried Pan Li's body, which was covered with a white cloth.
As they passed by, the villagers looked on curiously.
But no one dared to ask anything.
Even those who wanted to watch the scene stayed at least a meter away and whispered among themselves.
Everyone knew that the magistrate rarely opened court. Most things were handled by her assistant.
Usually, the magistrate only showed up when you brought gifts, and even then, she would just act polite for a few minutes. Most of the time, you couldn't even see her.
As for standing up for the people—forget it.
If you wanted her help, it depended on how much "sincerity" you showed.
If you gave enough, she worked fast.
If you gave little, you waited, depending on her mood.
If you gave nothing, she might throw you out—or even have you beaten.
The people both hated and feared her.
On the road, Dong Miao was thinking about Julie.
She had already sent someone to investigate. They said Julie's parents had passed away, and now she was an orphan. Half a year ago, she married the three brothers of the Gu family—Bailee, Haven, and Lorrie. Before that, she was known for wasting time drinking, gambling, and beating up her husbands.
A few days ago, the youngest husband accidentally hit her on the head. After waking up, she stopped beating them. It was said that she also picked up a jade pendant and later bought a carriage and many other things. Even the land deed was bought after she got hit. People said her personality changed a lot after that.
Dong Miao didn't plan to dig too deep.
She and Pan Li were only acquaintances, not close.
She didn't like Pan Li much—too fake and calculating.
Dong Miao was old enough to tell who was genuine and who was not.
Now, she was more interested in Julie.
She wanted to see what kind of person could change so much.
The land deed had already been registered and stamped by the office—it was official now.
Such a small favor was nothing to Dong Miao.
Besides, Julie was the new village chief. They would have to work together often.
When they arrived at the entrance of Dashan Village, a group of villagers gathered around, whispering quietly. No one dared to step forward.
Dong Miao saw many villagers, but she didn't know who Pan Li's family members or husbands were.
Dong Miao approached the nearest person and asked,
"Hello, where does the village chief live?"
She planned to visit the village chief's house first, offer some comfort to the family, and then give her instructions.
Since Pan Li had committed suicide and was gone, the best thing now was to let her rest in peace and bury her as soon as possible.
The government wasn't even charging her with causing public disturbance—that was already being kind.
If rumors spread, the magistrate wouldn't tolerate it.
People should think carefully about their actions.
Soon, they arrived at the village chief's home. Inside, the two husbands had woken up early and were wondering where their wife had gone so early in the morning.
They hadn't heard about any big events in the village.
At that moment, the government officials arrived.
A crowd of villagers gathered around, curious because it was rare to see so many officials in the village.
Dong Miao explained that Pan Li had committed suicide, left a confession letter, and handed over the position of village chief to Julie.
She even let the literate villagers read the confession letter before folding it and tucking it into her sleeve.
She had to take it back to the office for record-keeping—it couldn't be lost.
When the two husbands heard that their wife had died, it was like the sky had fallen on them.
Their family's main support was gone. How could they and their children survive?
At that moment, they didn't even know that the family's money was gone too.
Dong Miao didn't have the patience to watch them cry.
She said what needed to be said and gave them some warnings.
Then she had Pan Li's body placed on the ground and led her group away.
They headed to find Julie. The villagers had already told them she lived alone in a thatched hut at the foot of the mountain.
After Dong Miao and her group left, the villagers started whispering and gossiping.
Was it really what they thought?
The former village chief had always been seen as kind and gentle. She had been good friends with Leng Yun too.
Who would have thought she could do such a terrible thing?
It sent chills down people's spines.
It was true—you can know a person's face but not their heart.
Meanwhile, some people secretly wondered:
Could that useless Julie really manage the village properly?