《The Lucky Heiress》 Chapter 1 - 1 - Saving a Life_1 1 Chapter 1 ¨C Saving a Life_1 Trantor: 549690339 Within the undting hills, a narrow path meandered through the mountains. Wei Ruo was walking along this path with a bamboo basket on her back. It was early spring. The weather was just right, and the sunset glow was shining on her fair face. N?v(el)B\\jnn Though Yunping Mountain was far for her, the mountain was abundant in rare wild medicinal herbs, which made her early-morning journey worthwhile. Not long after she got out of the mountain trail and turned into the official road, she heard a noisy group of people,ing from not far away. A grand carriage was parked on the side of the road, surrounded by a group of followers. It was arge entourage. Wei Ruo stopped, thought for a moment, and then carried on, pretending not to notice them, adhering to her ¡®the less trouble, the better¡¯ mentality. However, they noticed her. A man dressed in exquisite clothing briskly walked over to her and blocked her path: ¡°Where is the nearest doctor¡¯s clinic?¡± His voice was frantic, and his expression was almost scaring. ¡°There isn¡¯t a doctor¡¯s clinic nearby. The nearest one is in the county town which is about seventy or eighty miles away,¡± Wei Ruo answered, keeping her head lowered. ¡°What about a midwife? Is there a vige nearby with a midwife?¡± The man asked again. ¡°No.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s answer made the man¡¯s face increasingly gloomy. Seeing that the man didn¡¯t ask any more questions, Wei Ruo, not wanting to meddle in other¡¯s affairs, turned around to leave. She had hardly taken two steps when a woman¡¯s agonized scream echoed from the carriage, followed by the anxious voices of the maids: ¡°Madam, hold on. You will be fine. We will find a doctor soon.¡± ¡°Feet, I see feet! What do we do? It¡¯s feet! Someone is going to die!¡± ¡°Water, get hot water and ginseng tea quickly!¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but stop in her tracks, frowning. The woman in the carriage was evidently giving birth and in a very critical state. Should she help? It was better not to interfere, lest she invites trouble upon herself. The look of this group of people was not particrly pleasant. Just as she decided to carry on walking, another round of screams from the woman echoed out. How could she keep walking? This was a matter of life and death, and it involved a child! Wei Ruo nced at her bamboo basket, pondered for two seconds, and then, unable to resist the urge, she turned back. As Wei Ruo approached the carriage, the followers immediately tried to stop her. ¡°I have some medical skills, and coincidentally, I have some fresh herbs in my basket. If you choose to trust me, let me get into the carriage now, or I will leave,¡± she sinctly presented the man with two choices. He should make up his mind quickly. If he refused her help, she would immediately leave. It would be simpler that way! The man was at a loss at these words. Upon hearing that the maids saw the foot of the baby, he knew that if a baby was born foot-first, it was as good as stepping into the Ghost Gate! Another bout of screams echoed from inside the carriage, each onending like a heavy blow to his heart. The man didn¡¯t have time to ponder anymore: ¡°Give it a try. Save my wife and child, and I will ensure your future is filled with prosperity!¡± Upon receiving consent, Wei Ruo quickly climbed into the carriage. Inside the carriage, an elegantly dressed woman was moaning in pain, drenched in sweat, tightly clutching the hands of her maids. Wei Ruo looked down; the amniotic fluid had broken, and the fetus was in an abnormal position, making childbirth difficult. Thankfully, not all of the amniotic fluid had drained, and the baby¡¯s leg had not fully entered the birth canal. Wei Ruo fumbled through her bamboo basket and found a cloth bundle inside, which contained several needles for acupuncture and some essential drugs. She took out two pieces of dried ginseng for the woman to hold in her mouth, and told the maids to prepare some sweetened water or soup for the woman. Wei Ruo tried to calm the woman: ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t shout, save your energy. I am going to use acupuncture to relieve your pain, then I will help correct the fetal position. Don¡¯t be nervous, try to rx as much as possible.¡± What? Correct the fetal position? At such a time? And needles too? The maids looked at each other, their faces pale. This was a task even the most experienced midwives in the capital city dared not attempt! Correcting the fetal position at this point was far too risky! Wei Ruo said nothing more. She quickly washed her hands with the avable hot water, opened her acupuncture kit, and started inserting the long silver needles into specific points on the woman¡¯s body. Within moments, the woman¡¯s body was pierced by more than ten silver needles, which noticeably eased herbor pains. Then, much to the disbelief of the maids, she pushed the protruding baby¡¯s foot back into the womb! The maids looked on in horror, almost screaming out in shock. Next, Wei Ruo ced her hands on the woman¡¯s belly and slowly maneuvered the child within, as if performing tai chi. The maids inside the carriage were once again left speechless by this spectacle; the child within was truly moving! As time passed agonizingly slowly, the waiting crowd outside the carriage grew increasingly anxious, feeling as if they were being roasted on a grill. Could that girl from earlier do it? She could, right? But what if she couldn¡¯t¡­ What then? ¡°May the Gods bless us, may the Buddha protect us!¡± An hourter, the sound of a baby¡¯s first cry pierced through the gloom hanging over the crowd¡¯s heads. Everyone looked towards the carriage in surprise and joy, soon erupting into cheer. With the cheering crowd outside, Wei Ruo inside the carriage managed to tend to the baby¡¯s umbilical cord and stop the woman¡¯s bleeding. Wiping off the sweat from her forehead, Wei Ruo sighed in relief and climbed down from the carriage, her body weary. As soon as she said that they could now see the woman, the elegantly dressed man eagerly climbed into the carriage to see his wife. After a while, urged by his wife, the man disembarked from the carriage to find Wei Ruo and give her a generous reward in thanks. Instead, he found that the woman who had just saved his wife had disappeared without a trace¡­ He had promised prosperity to the woman. Why had she left without a word? On the way home, Wei Ruo began feeling regret. The ginseng pieces she offered the woman and the hemostatic herbs she used weren¡¯t exactly cheap! Wei Ruo thought to herself, if there was a next time, she had to ask for some sort ofpensation! Carrying her basket on her back, Wei Ruo headed towards home. Normally, it would take slightly over an hour to reach home, but her rescue operation had drained her energy, making it hard to continue walking. Three hourster, Wei Ruo arrived at a small isted courtyard. This was where she had been living for the past ten years: bleary roof tiles, white walls, green bricks, conveying a sense of decay. Chapter 2 - 2: Identity_1 2 Chapter 2: Identity_1 Trantor: 549690339 Maid Xiumei stood at the door resembling a wife-waiting stone, peering into the distance. Spotting Wei Ruo, she trotted over and seeing the basket of herbs on Wei Ruo¡¯s back, she said with a tone that carried both worry and a mild reproach: ¡°Miss, why did you run up to the mountain alone again? It¡¯s so dangerous!¡± As she spoke, Xiumei had already efficiently taken the basket from Wei Ruo and transferred it onto her own back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Meimei, I didn¡¯t venture towards dangerous cliffs, really! The mountain is filled with rare herbs worth a lot of money. Not picking them would be a waste!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point! You aren¡¯t as sturdy as me! Even if you have to go, you should bring me along! I should utilize the martial arts skills taught by the master you hired for me!¡± ¡°If I bring you with me, who will cook for me? My tummy, my Wuzang Temple, depends on you!¡± Wei Ruo teased. Today¡¯s trip had left her utterly exhausted, collecting herbs from a long distance had already used up all her energy. Plus, she had been called for a live birth delivery, which had practically drained her. ¡°If you want food, I can cook for you when I return! You running off to the mountains alone has me scared out of my wits at home. I can¡¯t even distinguish between salt and sugar!¡± Xiumei stomped her foot. ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± Wei Ruo looked up at Xiumei with a longing gaze. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re changing the subject again.¡± Xiumei felt helpless. ¡°Don¡¯t starve me, see, I¡¯ve be so thin.¡± Wei Ruo rubbed her belly, her point was pretty self-exnatory. During the emergency situation when she was rescuing patients, she was unperturbed, but now she was acting coquettish with her maid just to get a meal, like a totally different person. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ve already cooked the meal, it¡¯s warm and ready in the stove, I¡¯ll get it for you right away.¡± Though Xiumei had a sharp tongue, she had a soft heart. Muttering to herself, she turned back and went into the kitchen. What can she do? When her mistress gives her that look of longing for food, it¡¯s irresistible! The courtyard where Wei Ruo stayed was filled with various nts, some for aesthetic appeal, some medical, and some were crops. The only space left was for a stone table. On good weather days, Wei Ruo liked eating, drinking tea, and basking in the sun at that table. This ce was one of the secondary residences of the He Family, and only two people lived here: Wei Ruo and her maid Xiumei. Wei Ruo was a transmigrator, transmigrated into the body of a minor female character in a book. In the original work, she was the daughter of the Wei Family, who are bureaucrats, but was identally taken away by the He Family, who are merchants. When she was raised by the He Family till the age of three, a fortune teller predicted that she would bring disaster to her parents, so she was sent to live here at this subsidiary residence. The only people who came along with her were Wei Ruo¡¯s wet nurse and Maid Xiumei. From then on, the He Family would send five taels of silver each month, and they no longer intervened. Even during festivals, Wei Ruo has not seen them at all. Now Wei Ruo was thirteen, she has been living in this vige for ten years. To Wei Ruo, she loved life in the vige, she enjoyed interacting with the vigers. She neither wanted to go back to the He Family nor her biological parents¡¯ home because in the original work, she experienced a hard life whether she was in the He Family or her biological parents¡¯ home. The next morning, after breakfast, Wei Ruo and Xiumei left the house together. Wei Ruo¡¯s residence was backed by a hill, stepping out there were vast fields. It was the busy farming season, and the vigers were busy nting rice in the fields. As Wei Ruo passed by, the vigers greeted her one by one. ¡°Ruoruo, my husband hunted a rabbit on the mountain today, I saved a leg for you, remember to let Xiumei take it hometer!¡± ¡°Miss Ruoruo, I picked some water celery today and have set aside a portion for you. Remember to let Xiumei take it.¡± ¡°Miss Ruoruo, the medicine you gave usst time worked wonders, my son Tiger got better as soon as he took it!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wei Ruo greeted them back and headed towards her own field. Like everyone else, she took off her shoes, stepped barefooted into the mud-filled paddy field and started nting rice. Xiumei attempted to persuade Wei Ruo to rest a few times, offering to do the work instead, but Wei Ruo insisted on doing it herself. Because she had a reason to nt it personally. Wei Ruo had a space, which appeared when she transmigrated. The entrance to the space was in the palm of her left hand ¨C it was a red dot, like a cinnabar mole. In that space, there was a simple thatched cottage. Initially, the thatched cottage was empty. Outside the cottage was a vast void, enveloped in a thick white fog. Later, Wei Ruo started decorating the thatched cottage. Over the years, she furnished the cottage, made arrangements, and stored items. As Wei Ruo developed the interior of the cottage, the fog outside receded a bit, revealing a patch ofnd about two meters by two meters, and rice was already growing on it when it emerged. So Wei Ruo began to nt rice, and when the rice was ripe and harvested, she received Experience Points. After a few rounds of nting, the Experience Points maxed out, the space was upgraded, the fog retreated further, and a new piece ofnd of simr size emerged. This time, sweet potatoes were growing there. At this point, Wei Ruo understood that her space could be upgraded, and the experience required for upgrading was obtained through her nting. Once the experience was maxed out, it could be upgraded, and after upgrading, newnd and new seeds would appear. This was very simr to a popr online game called ¡°Happy Farm¡± she yed years ago. nt to gain experience points, level up when the experience points are maxed to gain newnd and seeds to nt. Later, Wei Ruo nted the rice seeds from the space outside, and after harvesting, she also gained experience, but she had to nt it herself. The portion given to the vigers to nt could not earn experience points. So whether it¡¯s in the space or outside, she needs to nt them herself. While the mistress and maid were busy with their work, suddenly two maids appeared with a group of people on the path beside Wei Ruo¡¯s field. Seeing Wei Ruo standing barefoot in the mud, her face stained with dirt, both maids simultaneously disyed an expression of disgust on their faces. What kind of appearance is that? Even the maids in our house are better-looking! ¡°We are servants of the Military Prefecture, sent by the Lord and Madam to take the young miss back to the mansion,¡± one of the maids stated their purpose. Military Prefecture? A look of surprise came over Xiumei, and she asked: ¡°You must be mistaken. My mistress¡¯s family lives in the county town. She doesn¡¯t know any Colonel.¡± ¡°She did before, but not anymore,¡± one of the maids stated, ¡°Our master has already investigated fully. Initially, at Haining Prefecture, the He Family and our Colonel¡¯s wife gave birth at the same time at the Guanyin Temple. There was an intrusion by bandits into the mountains and in the confusion, the babies got swapped.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The other maid added, ¡°Your foster parents, the He Family who run a business in the county town, have already agreed to let us take you.¡± Hearing this Xiumei was so astonished that she could only gape. Chapter 3 - 3 The Biological Parents are coming to Pick Up_1 3 Chapter 3 The Biological Parents areing to Pick Up_1 Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo stared at the two maids for a while, not moving at all. Just when the two attending maids perceived Wei Ruo¡¯s silence as an overwhelming surprise, she voiced out rather calmly, ¡°I understood.¡± The shocking news that she is not a child abandoned by a business family but the cherished daughter of the Military Prefecture, which elevated her social status instantly, only made her this calm? The two maids exchanged puzzled views with each other. ¡°Miss, please hear us clear. We are from the Military Prefecture, and the ancestral Wei Family where we belong has been meritorious. You will be an esteemed youngdy in an official¡¯s household after returning back with us,¡± the maids stressed, they believed her peaceful demeanor was due to ack of understanding about the significance of the Military Prefecture. ¡°Hmm, I have heard,¡± Wei Ruo responded, her face was still tranquil. The reason behind Wei Ruo¡¯sposure was that she knew such a day woulde. How would her reaction be even if she wasn¡¯t calm? n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The He Family, who sent her to the branch yard for survival, had no feelings for her at all and they would take any opportunity to connect with the Military Prefecture by means of thisplicated rtionship. As for the Wei Family, being an administration¡¯s household, they would naturally not let their biological daughter stray around and be subject gossip once they find out the misidentification. Wei Ruo herself, naturally, did not want to go to the Wei family, but in this society with a strict ss hierarchy, it wouldn¡¯t do any good for Wei Ruo to not want to leave. ¡°Then, Miss, you shoulde with us. We will take you back to the Military Prefecture to meet your biological parents. You don¡¯t have to go to the He family anymore. Our lord has already talked to them, and they have no objections to youing back to the Military Prefecture with us,¡± urged the maid, noting that Wei Ruo had already heard clearly. This countryside is full of pests, filthy and poor¡ª not a ce for people to stay. Wei Ruo well understood that the He Family had no objection to this matter. They had no feelings for her, and they just wanted to curry favor with the Military Prefecture. Naturally, they would do whatever the Military Prefecture decided upon. ¡°I need to go back and pack my things first.¡± ¡°You probably don¡¯t need to bring anything here; the Military Prefecture has everything.¡± What good things could she have here? It would be better to throw them away and use new ones at the Military Prefecture. ¡°I¡¯m used to my things.¡± The two maids had opinions in their hearts, but it was unsuitable to express dissatisfaction in front of the future owner of their family, so they could onlyply with her decision. After Wei Ruo finished nting the paddy in her hands, she came up from the rice field, tidied it up, and led Xiumei back to the house to pack. Contrary to the dpidated exterior wall, the furnishings in the house were much more exquisite. After packing, taking all the valuable items, including those jars in the warehouse, and the dried herbs had to be taken away. Finally, she entrusted the newly nted rice field to the elder couple at the entrance of the vige and left a letter for her nursemaid, to be given by Old Li. Looking at the luggage packed by Wei Ruo, the two maids showed displeased expressions, especially with those few dull ck and worn jars. Indeed, grown up in the countryside, her understanding was limited to this extent¡ª even a few broken jars was considered good by her. Even though they wanted to persuade Wei Ruo not to take these things which were of no use to the Military Prefecture, they thought that their words might not necessarily be understood by Wei Ruo, a girl with no worldly wisdom. It would be a waste of energy and doesn¡¯t make for a good impression, hence they decided to drop the topic and let her do as she pleases. So under the arrangement of two maids, Wei Ruo¡¯s luggage was loaded onto the cart, Wei Ruo and Xiumei got on the horse carriage and set off for the Military Prefecture. It took three days to travel. After three days, Wei Ruo had traveled from the small mountain vige in Huaibei Town, where she had lived for ten years, to Xingshan County in Taizhou Prefecture. Wei Ruo¡¯s biological father, Wei Mingting, held the position of colonel here. The Wei ancestors were military generals; they were conferred as the Earl of Loyalty. But by the time of Wei Ruo¡¯s grandfather the family lineage was on the decline¡ªif the younger generation of the Wei family did not make any contributions then the title of Earl would be withdrawn. And the Wei family, in Wei¡¯s father¡¯s generation, had three sons. The eldest son, Wei Minghong, only achieved a Schr¡¯s degree and has failed to advance, upying an idle Eighth-rank minor official post in the capital until now. The second son, Wei Mingyong, is amoner who helps manage family property, but the business has been losing money year after year. Wei Ruo¡¯s father, Wei Mingting, was the third son, who pursued a military career early on. He is now the Magistrate of Xingshan County, holding the Sixth-rank meritden title of Colonel, and is the most aplished of his brothers. Wei Ruo was ushered through the side door by two maidservants. They crossed the Flower Gate, walked along the porch, and finally arrived at the courtyard where Wei Ruo¡¯s mother, Lady Yun, lived. No sooner had Wei Ruo set foot over the threshold than Lady Yun rushed over and hugged her tightly. Wei Ruo¡¯s body froze, her limbs unable to move, as if injected with lead. Lady Yun said nothing, she just wept and touched Wei Ruo¡¯s face, her eyes rimmed with red. Feeling the warmth of tears soaking her neck, Wei Ruo was taken aback. Was she crying? Even though she has mentally prepared herself, the impact of Lady Yun¡¯s genuine tears conjured an unexpected swell of emotion in Wei Ruo¡¯s heart. Maybe it was the influence of the original host¡¯s memories, or perhaps memories of her own deceased mother from her previous life. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be distressed. My sister¡¯s return is a happy thing, isn¡¯t it? We should rejoice,¡± The eldest son, Wei Yichen, stepped forward tofort Lady Yun, trying to fend off her overwhelming sadness. The knowledge that their child had been switched ten days ago caused their mother to shed countless tears. Normally, their mother seldom cries. But this time, she had wept again and again. After much cajoling by her eldest son, Lady Yun gradually regainedposure. She carefully took a good look at Wei Ruo. Seeing her dressed in coarse hemp clothes, looking thin and frail, Lady Yun said mournfully, ¡°You must have suffered greatly these past years! I promise to make it up to you!¡± At this moment, Wei Qingwan ventured forth, knelt down in front of Wei Ruo. Before anyone could react, she had kowtowed. Seeing this, Lady Yun hurriedly helped her up. ¡°Wanwan, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t stop me. This is my debt to my sister. I know no matter how long I kneel, it can never undo the fact that I have been living her life of privilege for all these years, but at least¡­ I should do something¡­¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, her words sincere. Seeing her like this, Lady Yun was heartbroken. What guilt lies with the children in all this? Both are innocent! The me lies with fate, or else it¡¯s on us, their parents! Wei Yichen looked upset as well. He reached out to help Wei Qingwan up but withdrew his hand. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Qingwan kneeling before her. From her actions and conversation, she recognized her as the frail female lead of the original story. The book depicted her as delicate, shy yet captivating, tender and soft, a sight for men to behold, stirring in them a sense ofpassion. Wei Ruo remembers that the original host¡¯s first timeing home, there was also a scene of Wei Qingwan kneeling, but the original host was not asposed. She angrily used Wei Qingwan of taking her identity, her family. Then Wei Qingwan broke down even more, having been screamed at, yet bearing the humiliation saying she deserved it. This moved Lady Yun who was initially sympathetic to her newly returned biological daughter, to feel pity for Wei Qingwan who had been berated. Chapter 4 - 4 Family Members_1 4 Chapter 4 Family Members_1 Trantor: 549690339 In fact, Wei Ruo felt that although the original host had acted recklessly, she wasn¡¯t wrong. The ten years she was abandoned by the He Family in the countryside were very bitter ¡ª no money, no food to satiate her hunger, no warm clothes to wear. There was no one to educate or apany her; the pain and resentment she felt were things others could not understand. Also, seeing someone else taking her ce and living a good life, wouldn¡¯t her anger be justified? However, Wei Ruo¡¯s current thinking was that, as long as the female lead didn¡¯t provoke her, she wouldn¡¯t purposely go to find trouble with her. One of the survival codes for a female support character: Don¡¯tpete with the female lead for the male lead, or for affection. As a result, Wei Ruo said to Wei Qingwan, who was kneeling before her, ¡°You don¡¯t need to kneel to me. I¡¯m not a deity in a temple who needs others to kneel! It does me no good when you kneel ¡ª nor does it do you any good. I can¡¯t fulfil your wishes. When we hold temple fairs in the countryside, everyone hurries to kneel and make wishes to the deities.¡± ¡°But I owe you, sister. Although I can¡¯t change the past, at least it can lessen the feelings of guilt in my heart.¡± ¡°If you think you owe me something, then. Shouldn¡¯t you repay me instead of trying to reduce your feelings of guilt?¡± Wei Ruo rebutted. At these words, Wei Qingwan was taken aback. Madame Yun and Wei Yichen were also surprised; indeed, what Qingwan was doing did not provide any real help to Wei Ruo. Although both Madame Yun and Wei Yichen believed that Qingwan didn¡¯t need to me herself and feel sad, from Wei Ruo¡¯s perspective, Qingwan¡¯s actions were indeed troubling her. Wei Qingwan, after pondering for a while, asked Wei Ruo, ¡°So what do you want me to do to make amends? As long as you ask, I am willing to do it.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°First of all, stand up. If people didn¡¯t know, they¡¯d think I was bullying you.¡± Wei Ruo wanted to clear herself first. Kneeling was something Wei Qingwan did on her own. If Qingwan felt wrongedter on, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to bear the me and lose out! Wei Yichen then stepped forward to help Wei Qingwan up. Wei Qingwan slowly got up, gently lifted her head, looked at Wei Ruo, and asked softly, ¡°What else do you want to instruct, sister?¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Don¡¯t rush; there¡¯s plenty of time. I just got here, and I am still not familiar with everything. You started calling me ¡®sister¡¯ right away, but I don¡¯t even know who you are, and what you owe me.¡± At these words, Wei Qingwan was taken aback again. ¡°Right, right. Let¡¯s take it slow.¡± Madame Yun wiped her tears, adjusted her emotions, and said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo, let me introduce you to your brothers and sisters.¡± ¡°Your father isn¡¯t here today. He also really wants to see you, but currently, the Japanese Pirates are rampant and constantly causing issues outside of the city, so your father is really tied up.¡± Xingshan County is near the sea, and there have been frequent invasions by Japanese Pirates recently. As the martial officer here, Wei Mingting has been very busy. This matters more than other affairs because it concerns the safety of the people in the city. Wei Mingting should lead by example, sacrificing his personal matters for the greater good. Even if his biological daughter has just arrived home, he cannot take leave. Then Madame Yun introduced: ¡°This is your eldest brother, Wei Yichen. In the Capital City, he is ranked third in the family; while we are here, you call him ¡®big brother.¡¯ The man beside her, warm and gentle like jade, showed Wei Ruo a warm smile: ¡°Little sister, if you have any issues in the future, you can share them with me.¡± Wei Ruo nodded. Then Madame Yun turned toward the boy sitting on a chair beside her: ¡°This is your younger brother, named Yilin, who is seven years old this year. In the house in the Capital City, he is the youngest and holds the eighth rank.¡± The named Wei Yilin pouted slightly, with a cold face, appearing to be not very willing to greet Wei Ruo. Only when Madame Yun red at him sternly did he reluctantly call out to Wei Ruo: ¡°Sister.¡± Right after he called her, he immediately turned his head to one side and stopped looking at Wei Ruo. Madame Yun continued: ¡°You have another elder brother named Jinyi, who was born from a concubine. He doesn¡¯t go out much and is currently in his own courtyard.¡± Madame Yun didn¡¯t very much like to mention this child born out of wedlock. She had always had a good rtionship with her husband, Wei Mingting. During their years of marriage, he never took another concubine. However, this particr son was a thorn in Madame Yun¡¯s side. Then, Madame Yun turned to look at Wei Qingwan. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om At this moment, she hesitated for a moment. If she ignored Qingwan and did not introduce her formally, Qingwan would definitely feel upset. After all, she had once said that even though Qingwan wasn¡¯t her biological child, she still considered her as a daughter of the Wei Family. As a daughter of the Wei Family, there should not be any reason not to introduce her, right? Yet, if she were to introduce Qingwan, thereby implying that Qingwan would continue staying in the Wei family, she was afraid that Wei Ruo, who had just arrived home, might feel ufortable. After much hesitation, Madame Yun chose to say to Wei Ruo: ¡°This is Qingwan, she is¡­ the one who switched identities with you¡­ your maids Zhang and Li probably told you about it during the journey here. I have discussed this with the He Family, from now on you both will remain here with me, you both are the young misses of our Wei Family.¡± At this point, Madame Yun looked at Wei Ruo with a worried expression. ¡°Mm-hm,¡± Wei Ruo said, her responseckluster. Perhaps it was toockluster, it raised a few eyebrows among the crowd. Wei Yichen immediately said: ¡°Mother, my sister has been traveling on the road for three days, she must be tired. We should let her rest first.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, let¡¯s show her to her room to rest,¡± Madame Yun quickly agreed. Then she took Wei Ruo by the hand and led her towards her courtyard. The Military Prefecture was not veryrge; there were only six courtyards in total in the backyard. Normally, five of the courtyards were upied, and only the smallest and most secluded one was left vacant. Wei Yichen had offered his own courtyard to Wei Ruo voluntarily and decided to move to the secluded courtyard himself since he liked the quiet for studying. So Wei Ruo was shown to the courtyard that was previously Wei Yichen¡¯s. The sign at the entrance of the courtyard reads ¡°Tingsong Garden¡±. It was named by Wei Yichen, and the sign had not been reced yet. The courtyard was bright and spacious, with cypress trees going along with Wei Yichen¡¯s preferences, exuding a refined elegance. Madame Yun led Wei Ruo into the room. Even though the time had been short, the room had been arranged ording to a girl¡¯s preferences. Several new dresses had been ced in the wardrobe. Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan had simr body types, as neither had fully grown at thirteen years old. A few of the dresses had been grabbed and kept there for Wei Ruo¡¯s use. Madame Yun gave Wei Ruo several instructions before leaving the room, asking her to rest first, and promising to fetch her at dinnertime. After Madame Yun left, Xiumei moved Wei Ruo¡¯s personal items into the room. The rest of Wei Ruo¡¯s belongings had been brought into Tingsong Garden by the servants and would be hung up and put away the next day. Looking at the furnishings in the room, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but sigh: ¡°If the youngdy hadn¡¯t been switched at birth, she would have been living in such an environment her whole life.¡± Comparing the Military Prefecture with the He Family¡¯s remote estate, it was a difference as vast as heaven and earth. Furthermore,paring the attitudes of the He Family¡¯s parents and Madame Yun towards Wei Ruo, Xiumei felt a sense of injustice for Wei Ruo. With no one else around, Wei Ruo immediately sprawled across the bed and quickly fell asleep, no regard for appearances. Out in public, Wei Ruo was poised and elegant. But at home, she preferred to be rxed and unbothered. Chapter 5 - 5: Dismounting Prestige_1 5 Chapter 5: Dismounting Prestige_1 Trantor: 549690339 Xiumei brought over a ss of water for Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, I think the Military Prefecture is quite nice. Madam and your brother are both nice to you. Maybe you should stop thinking about leaving. With them supporting you, your life will be a bit easier.¡± ¡°Ah, they treat me well, provided that I do not have any conflicts with the protagonist.¡± ¡°Protagonist? Miss, who are you talking about?¡± ¡°No one in particr, I¡¯m just rambling. Mei Zi, help me tidy up the things. Let¡¯s keep hiding anything that attracts attention.¡± instructed Wei Ruo. ¡°Alright, Miss, you should also take a rest.¡± said Xiumei. Wei Ruo agreed that she should rest and regain her strength so that she could deal with what wasing in the evening. Just as she was about to fall asleep, one of the two maids who had gone to Huaibei Town to fetch Wei Ruo, Maid Li, arrived. Xiumei tried to persuade her to leave, but Maid Li ignored her and entered Wei Ruo¡¯s bedroom directly. ¡°Why is the young mistress sleeping at this hour?¡± Maid Li stood by Wei Ruo¡¯s bed, looking solemn. Wei Ruo got up, stretched her waist, ¡°Does the maid need something?¡± ¡°Madam sent me to help you familiarize yourself with the affairs of the house. Please get ready and follow me to the courtyard.¡± After speaking, Maid Li walked off towards the courtyard to wait for Wei Ruo, not giving her an opportunity to think or refuse. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Xiumei furrowed her brows, ¡°Why is the Madam¡­ you¡¯ve just arrived, why won¡¯t they let you rest for a bit?¡± She had just praised the Madam for her treatment of their Miss when this happened, contradicting her earlier praises. ¡°It is probably Mother¡¯s intention to have the maid teach me some manners. However, doing so this quickly may not be Mother¡¯s idea. Maid Li has her own motives.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Maid Li is a maid thates from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Duke Residence. Her status is higher than the ordinary servants in the house. Because of this rtionship, she sees herself as above the other servants. At the same time, she follows more rules and had already expressed her dissatisfaction at Wei Ruo¡¯sx habits during their journey. Moreover, Maid Li was the maid who raised Wei Qingwan. Her daughter, Cuihe, is a headmaid serving by Wei Qingwan¡¯s side. All of these facts were clear to Wei Ruo who had read the original novel. ¡°What do you n to do, Miss?¡± Xiumei asked anxiously. ¡°No worries, I know what she wants.¡± Wei Ruo got up and walked to the courtyard. Upon arriving at the courtyard, Maid Li started to direct Wei Ruo on her etiquette. ¡°Miss Ruo Ruo, now that you are in the Military Prefecture, you can¡¯t be as carefree as before. Your every action and word must be considered. Otherwise, you will make a fool of yourself. The embarrassment will not only fall upon you, but also the Military Prefecture and the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in Capital City. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not used to it.¡± Wei Ruo retorted bluntly. ¡°What do you mean by saying that, Miss Ruo Ruo?¡± Maid Li¡¯s expression immediately turned serious. ¡°Aren¡¯t I the daughter of the Military Prefecture? Why should I care about what other people think of me?¡± Wei Ruo was audacious, arrogant and dismissive of others. ¡°Miss Ruo Ruo, you must not speak like this in public. People willugh at you!¡± ¡°So what if theyugh at me? What can they do to me? Isn¡¯t my grandfather the Loyal and Righteous Duke? Isn¡¯t he very powerful? What do I have to fear?¡± Maid Li¡¯s gaze turned dark and obscure, then she slowly said, ¡°Regardless, from now on, Miss, you have to follow my instructions to learn the rules. Remember the lessons I teach you and try to act like ady.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Wei Ruo seemed impatient. ¡°Then let me begin with some basic etiquette today, so you won¡¯t be rude when you meet your father tonight. The rest can be taughtter.¡± Maid Li rambled on to Wei Ruo for quite some time. Wei Ruo, however, was not really listening, her eyes wandering around. ¡°Alright, it seems that Miss Ruo Ruo has no interest in continuing the lesson. We¡¯ll stop here for now.¡± After finishing her lecture, Maid Li reminded Xiumei to take care of Wei Ruo, not to let her run around, and then left Tingsong Garden. After Maid Li left, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo in confusion, ¡°Miss, why did Maid Li seem to stop teaching you after you deliberately acted ignorant and naive?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t want me to excel! Her visit today was a show of force, a test, and then a lesson. Teaching me wasn¡¯t her main goal.¡± Wei Ruo replied with a smile. In the original story, Maid Li had also been tasked with teaching Wei Ruo manners. She did teach, but she had never sincerely tried to correct Wei Ruo¡¯s bad habits. Maid Li never punished Wei Ruo even when she performed poorly. At first nce, it seemed as if Maid Li was being generous to the protagonist. However, deep down she did not want the protagonist to outshine Wei Qingwan. As long as she fulfilled her obligation and instructed Wei Ruo in all the manners, whether Wei Ruo was a good student was Wei Ruo¡¯s business. It was not her problem as a seasoned maid. The masters would only think that it was Wei Ruo who was so inferior that she was beyond teaching. After wasting an hour with Maid Li, Wei Ruo went back to her room to rest for a while. When she woke up again, it was already evening, and Madam Yun came in person to lead Wei Ruo to the dining hall. On the way, Madam Yun held Ruo Ruo¡¯s hand and repeatedly asked if she wasfortable and whether there was anything unsatisfactory about her room. Upon entering the dining hall, Wei Ruo saw Wei Mingting, who she had not met during the day. With his tall stature, distinctive facial features, and profound eyebrows, he was just as described in the original novel ¨C an authoritative father. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, emotions stirred in Wei Mingting. He subconsciously walked a couple of steps forward, but quickly stopped. It seemed as if he felt his reaction was too excited for the manner of a family head. ¡°Ruo Ruo, this is your father.¡± Madam Yun led Wei Ruo to Wei Mingting¡¯s side. ¡°Father.¡± Wei Ruo greeted him. ¡°Hm.¡± Wei Mingting responded. His voice was deep, as if he was suppressing some emotions. His gaze lingered on Wei Ruo for a while. Wei Ruo thought he was about to say something to her, but he didn¡¯t. His response was much colderpared to Madam Yun¡¯s. ¡°Take your seats.¡± Wei Mingting invited everyone to sit down. Since they were not in Capital City, and there was only their family present, many formalities were skipped. There was no need for them to sit at separate tables for men and women, and everyone sat at the same table. Yun held Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and had her sit next to herself. When everyone had taken their seats, they noticed that Wei Qingwan was still standing to the side. Wei Mingting and Madam Yun both looked stunned, and the atmosphere became a bit awkward. At this moment, Wei Yilin jumped off his chair, ran over to Wei Qingwan, and pulled her towards the table, ¡°Sis, let¡¯s eat!¡± ¡°Yilin, I¡­ I¡¯d rather not go to the table¡­¡± Wei Qingwan answered softly. ¡°Why not? You are my sister! We are a family!¡± Wei Yilin dered confidently. Chapter 6 - 6 Who is the Eldest Daughter and Who is the Second Daughter_1 6 Chapter 6 Who is the Eldest Daughter and Who is the Second Daughter_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°But¡­¡± Wei Qingwan cautiously looked up at Wei Mingting. ¡°Sit down, don¡¯t think about anything else. Your mother and I have made it clear that regardless of blood rtion, you are our daughter of the Wei family,¡± Wei Mingting explicitly expressed. ¡°That¡¯s right, what your father said is correct. Don¡¯t think too much, nobody can undermine your status as Miss Wei,¡± Madam Yun also stated. Persuaded by everyone, Wei Qingwan finally went to the dining table and sat down. Then Madam Yun nced at Wei Ruo beside her, seeing her face appear calm, she breathed a sigh of relief. The meal was very quiet. Several times, they looked at Wei Ruo, worrying that she, who has been raised in a merchant¡¯s house for thirteen years, would be unruly. Unexpectedly, her dining manners were slow and deliberate, perfectly in line with the behavior of a well-bred youngdy. After dinner, everyone sat down together to have tea once again and to discuss a somewhat urgent matter. Seeing the atmosphere was good, Wei Mingting spoke to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo, you¡¯ve worked hard these past years. The news about the mix-up with the children has already reached your grandfather in the Capital City and your two uncles. Your name will be added to the family tree before long.¡± Yesterday, Wei Mingting had already received a letter from the Capital City. He needs to reply in the next two days, so he had no choice but to bring it up now. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Ruo replied, not showing any sign of expected joy and anticipation. Wei Mingting, looking at Wei Ruo¡¯s slightly furrowed eyebrows, pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°We¡¯ve decided to ce your name after Qingwan¡¯s, so from then on, you¡¯ll be the second Miss of the Wei family. Is that alright?¡± At these words, Wei Ruo lifted her head, meeting Wei Mingting¡¯s gaze. Her eyes were clear and bright, showing no sadness or joy. Being a military general, Wei Mingting was always imposing, even at home, his presence was stronger than ordinary people¡¯s. The children at home were somewhat afraid of him from a young age. Even Wei Qingwan, who was deeply favored by him, did not dare to stare into his eyes when he had a stern face. Before Wei Ruo could react, Wei Qingwan suddenly stood up and knelt down in front of Wei Mingting and Madam Yun: ¡°Father, Mother, I implore you to let Sister Ruo be the oldest daughter in the family!¡± ¡°Wanwan, what are you doing?¡± Madam Yun looked on with eyes full of heartache. ¡°Father, Mother, for these years being able to grow up in the Wei family, being your daughter, being blessed, and your willingness to keep me by your side, I am already very content. I dare not keep the identity of the eldest daughter any longer. Even if I have to be a servant, I¡¯m willing to ept it.¡± Wei Mingting and Madam Yun looked worried, their eyes were filled with heartache and difficulty. Wei Qingwan made another deep bow, ¡°Father, Mother, please fulfill my wish.¡± The sound of her bow was very loud and crisp. Madam Yun rushed up, stopping Wei Qingwan from continuing to harm herself, ¡°Enough dear, your father and I understand your intentions. ¡± ¡°I feel so guilty for the love you have given me¡­¡± ¡°Silly girl, don¡¯t say such foolish things! You should not say you¡¯re guilty or not, you¡¯re our daughter and we are a family; this will never change.¡± Madam Yun hugged Wei Qingwan in her arms, her heart aching. Wei Yilin also jumped from his seat and ran up to hug Wei Qingwan and Madam Yun together. ¡°Sister, you will always be my sister, don¡¯t ever speak that way again!¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s lips were pursed and his eyes red with tears. Seeing this, Wei Mingting¡¯s face tightened, his face enveloped in a cloud of gloom. Wei Yichen was also touched by this scene, but he didn¡¯t step forward to express his feelings, instead ncing at Wei Ruo a couple of times, worried about how she would react to the scene. After a while, Madam Yun released Wei Qingwan, asked the two children to return to their seats, and sit properly. Wei Qingwan stood up with Wei Yilin¡¯s assistance. Whether it was because she had knelt for too long or because of her frailty, her body swayed, almost falling back down, but Wei Yilin supported her. Madam Yun then returned to Wei Mingting¡¯s side. When everyone had sat down again, Wei Mingting and Madam Yun¡¯s gaze fell back onto Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo had a slight smile on her face, her crisp voice breaking the silence in the room. She asked Wei Mingting, ¡°Father, Mother, did you make this decision because I was born a littleter?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± As he replied, Wei Mingting¡¯s voice was rare wavering. ording to the time of childbirth of the two women, Lady Wei should have given birth slightly earlier than Lady He. Therefore, Wei Ruo, as Lady Wei¡¯s biological daughter, should have been born slightly earlier than Wei Qingwan. ¡°Then why?¡± Wei Ruo continued to ask, her clear and bright eyes fixed on Wei Mingting. Perhaps it was because those eyes were too clear, or for some other reason, Wei Mingting fell silent. Madam Yun quickly exined on behalf of her husband, ¡°The thing is, Qingwan has already been added to the family tree. To avoid hassle, we n to add your name directly after hers so that no other changes are needed.¡± Wei Yilin interrupted, ¡°My sister is the oldest sister, the oldest daughter in the family. You cameter, of course you can¡¯t steal my sister¡¯s position!¡± Neither the main branch nor the second branch of the Wei family had any daughters. Before Wei Ruo arrived, Wei Qingwan was the only girl in the family, and hence the eldest daughter. Although not the eldest child, the designation of the first born girl was not without its weight, especially in the Capital City where one¡¯s birth status is held in high esteem. ¡°Yilin! What are you talking about!¡± Madam Yun scolded, stopping her young son from continuing his irreverent speech. Wei Yilin, who was scolded, pursed his lips, feeling aggrieved yet stubborn. Madam Yun turned to Wei Ruo and exined, ¡°It¡¯s not about being the oldest or youngest daughter, it¡¯s just that everyone here and in the Capital City are used to calling Wanwan as the eldest. We were afraid that a sudden change would be hard for everyone to adjust to.¡± ¡°Is that the only reason?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. With a stern expression, Wei Mingting said, ¡°This decision was made after thorough discussion and consideration with your mother.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Everyone looked at Wei Ruo, waiting for her response. Just as everyone thought Wei Ruo was going to say something to fight for her position as the oldest daughter, Wei Ruo gave everyone an unexpected answer. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll be the second Miss.¡± At her words, everyone looked at Wei Ruo in astonishment. Wei Ruo¡¯s previous questions made people feel that she was very dissatisfied with being the junior, but now she unexpectedly agreed on the spot? ¡°Are you sure you really don¡¯t mind, Ruo?¡± Madam Yun hastily asks. ¡°Whatever is more convenient, it¡¯s quite troublesome to make all these changes. Father has also been very busy recently, and should not be bothered with these trivial matters. Or, are you saying, if I did have objections, would Father and Mother reconsider?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s question had a faint smile at the corner of her mouth, her gaze bearing a cunning glint. Chapter 7 - 7 Both the Eldest and Second Daughter are the Same_1 7 Chapter 7 Both the Eldest and Second Daughter are the Same_1 Trantor: 549690339 This question shed a trace of unease in the eyes of both Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun ¡°Since it¡¯s useless to care, I might as well not. It can¡¯t be helped, the thirteen years I¡¯ve missed with my parents can¡¯t be undone. We can only me fate for being capricious,¡± Wei Ruo spoke lightly, as if she truly understood the difficulties the Wei Family was facing. Everyone in the room fell silent, especially Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun who were already worried about Wei Qingwan. Now, they felt even more sympathy for Wei Ruo¡¯s unruffled manner. Moved, Mrs. Yun told Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, you are our biological child, and we share the same blood. Now that you¡¯re back, whether you are the eldest daughter or the second daughter, you hold a very important ce in our hearts. We will make up for the lost thirteen years of affection.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo agreed cheerfully, but she had her own ns in mind. Wei Mingting spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Let¡¯s settle this matter. You siblings should get along well. Yichen, Wanwan, Ruoruo has just returned and she¡¯s unfamiliar with many things, so you should guide her.¡± ¡°Father, rest assured.¡± Wei Yichen replied. ¡°I understand.¡± Wei Qingwan replied softly with her head lowered. As the matter was settled for the time being, Wei Mingting nned to reply to the letter from the Capital City and exin the situation after returning to his study. After finishing her tea and ending the conversation, Wei Ruo was once again personally escorted back to Tingsong Garden by Mrs. Yun. Not knowing whether it was the guilt for making Wei Ruo take on the identity of the second daughter, Mrs. Yun kept talking about the things she wanted to prepare for Wei Ruo all the way back, ranging from clothes, head essories, maids, to other essentials. Wei Residence could not exactly be considered to be rich. The small family fortune left by their ancestors had long been depleted, and Wei Mingting as a colonel did not have a substantial sry. However, Wei Qingwan already had some of these items, and Mrs. Yun did not feel it was appropriate to offer more to one than the other. Wei Ruo epted all the offers of money and items, unwilling to reject any, but subtly declined the offer of additional servants, expressing that for the time being, Xiumei, her maid, was enough and that she didn¡¯t like other people entering her room. Mrs. Yun respected her decision and did not insist on this, only saying if Wei Ruo ever needs anything, to let her know so she can arrange it. Upon returning to Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo closed the door to her room, and herposed demeanor gave way the moment she was alone. Drinking that tea was soborious! In the same amount of time, a whole crop of wheat could have been reaped! For some reason, Wei Ruo found that working hard to earn money, while also tiring, was fulfilling. However, the kind of exhaustion that came from handling such situations felt suffocating, as if her chest was filled with stagnant air. Having known the plot, Wei Ruo was well aware of what Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun were going to tell her today. The original host had caused a fuss with Wei Mingting over this matter. The original host felt that what was originally hers was taken by Wei Qingwan, who had enjoyed her identity, status, and familial love for thirteen years, so why should Wei Qingwan continue to hold the identity of the eldest daughter? In the end, the original host seeded in securing the identity of the eldest daughter, making everyone pity Wei Qingwan who had been wronged in this matter, and harboring resentment towards the original host in return. But what the original host fought for and wanted was not just the status of the eldest daughter. What she truly sought was the attention and care of her biological parents. N?v(el)B\\jnn It was just that her method of expressing it was a bit clumsy. From her past experience, Wei Ruo felt that it¡¯s better to earn the status and position by hard work rather than relying on others. Not cing your bets on someone else, not having high expectations of them, especially those who don¡¯t care much about you, makes life much more bearable. Even so, given the chance, Wei Ruo would like to leave the Wei family to start a life of her own. As for today¡¯s matter of the eldest and second daughter, it¡¯s not necessarily up to Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun. The actual decision-maker is their grandfather in the Capital City. The grandfather in the original story ced great emphasis on the bloodline. After learning that Wei Qingwan was not a direct descendant, he became very cold towards her and might not agree to have Wei Qingwan, who had no blood rtion to him, as his eldest granddaughter. So, instead of arguing with Wei Mingting and Yun Shi here, it would be better to throw the problem to the old earl and let Wei Mingting and his wife contend with the old earl. ### Wei Ruo had a rtively peaceful time for the next three days, and she had a general understanding of the situation in the residence. The Wei Family¡¯s financial situation was not very good, and the wealth of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence had been squandered almost, now they are just maintaining appearances. In Xingshan County, her father Wei Mingting, was just a colonel of the sixth rank, with limited sry and had to support a big family. I heard that because the anti-Japanese matters are not progressing smoothly, the Emperor is very dissatisfied with the officials of Taizhou prefecture. Wei Mingting is lucky if he is not demoted, let alone promoted. Of course, a thin camel is bigger than a horse, which is much stronger than her foster parents the He family. Yun Shi would visit Wei Ruo every day and bring her some supplies. Wei Mingting was very busy and hadn¡¯t returned home for several days. Not to mention Wei Ruo, even Yun Shi hadn¡¯t seen him. Her eldest brother, Wei Yichen, was rather busy with his studies and didn¡¯te often, but every time he came, he would bring back some local snacks from Xingshan County and tell Wei Ruo about the local customs of Xingshan County. Wei Yilin didn¡¯te by. Once, he passed by Wei Ruo¡¯s door, nced at Wei Ruo from a distance, turned his head in a haughty manner, and walked away quickly. Wei Qingwan came a few times, and every time she brought gifts, but she always came in a teary state, and Wei Ruo would urge her to return home. The rest of the time, the one Wei Ruo saw most was Nanny Li, who had been instructed to teach her manners. But she wasn¡¯t really teaching with sincerity. If Wei Ruo appearedzy, she didn¡¯t care much, and allowed it to dismiss. On the fourth day, Wei Ruo was free for the day and didn¡¯t have to learn manners with Nanny Li. After having breakfast in her own room, Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to find her a hoe. She aimed at a piece of emptynd on the west side of the courtyard, intending to use it for growing vegetables. She had no choice, as her space required her to nt in order to gain experience, and if she only nted on thend inside her space, the experience gained from upgrading would be too slow. After leaving Mo Jiazha, she didn¡¯t know if thend she had nted there had matured and could be counted as hers, and if she could get the experience points. Either way, there is no such thing as too many experience points, so she needs to nt what she needs to nt. Tingsong Garden was ratherrge, so she didn¡¯t want to ruin everything, just nt a little in the corner on the west side, which shouldn¡¯t affect the overall aesthetics much. Wei Ruo turned over the soil bit by bit, her movements strong and rhythmic. In a short while, a two-square-meter piece ofnd was reimed by Wei Ruo. Then she and Xiumei chopped up a bunch of bamboos and set up a rack against the wall, ready to grow loofah, pumpkin, and gourd here. Wei Ruo stopped for a break and sat on a stone bench in the courtyard for a drink of water. A boy came running to knock on the door, and Xiumei went to answer it. Wei Ruo paused as she overheard the boy and Xiumei¡¯s conversation. The boy mentioned that the chopping noise from their side was disturbing the second young master next door who was reading and requested them to keep the noise down. Chapter 8 - 8: The Second Young Master Living Next Door_1 8 Chapter 8: The Second Young Master Living Next Door_1 Trantor: 549690339 Wei Jinyi, the second young master, the most unique person in the family apart from her. In the original work, this person was not described much, he was like an invisible person in the entire Military Prefecture. It was only known that, when Wei Mingting was alive, Wei Jinyi lived quite well in the Wei Family, he has everything that a legitimate young master has. Wei Mingting even allowed him not to dine with the others in the family. He set up a small kitchen in his own yard. Although to some extent it was to prevent his wife Yun to be inconvenient, it also showed his extreme love for Wei Jinyi. After Wei Mingting was killed in battle, the Wei Family fell to the bottom. Until the male protagonist appeared, it was utterly depressed. It is estimated that Wei Jinyi¡¯s life would not be good during that period either. In the original work, there are no scenes between Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi. One of them is invisible in the family, and the other is a cannon fodder supporting female with ups and downs. The main task of the supporting female is to make the protagonist inconvenient, so naturally there is no need to write about her interaction with other irrelevant supporting characters. Thinking of this, Wei Ruo had some thoughts in her heart. She got up and returned to the room. While Xiumei was still chatting with the little servant, she went back to the room and brought out a jar that she had brought from Mo Jiazha. Then she came to the door and said to Wei Jinyi¡¯s little servant, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I just disturbed my second brother¡¯s rest. I¡¯ll go and apologize to him now.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± The little servant looked at Wei Ruo in surprise, and then waved his hand, ¡°No need, it¡¯s not that bad. The second young master just asked me to remind you, Miss. You just need to lower your voice!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just an apology. I just returned to the mansion and hadn¡¯t seen the second brother yet. It¡¯s natural for me, as a sister, to go and see him.¡± Wei Ruo had made up her mind. She took the jar and walked out of the door, and the servant couldn¡¯t stop her. The Tingsong Garden where Wei Ruo lives now and the Yingzhu Garden where Wei Jinyi lives are next to each other, separated by a wall. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo walked a few steps out of the gate and arrived at the entrance of the Yingzhu Garden. Tingsong Garden is fresh and elegant, while Yingzhu Garden is more in and simple than Tingsong Garden. The ce is less decorated and seems cold, even a little shabby. The only thing that looked good was the small bamboo grove in the yard, luxuriant and lovely. Next to the bamboo grove is an Octagonal Pavilion. Wei Ruo saw Wei Jinyi, who was sitting in the pavilion reading, at a nce. He was wearing in clothes, made of ordinary material. Before Wei Ruo came in, he was quietly reading. He raised his head at the sound, and his gaze met Wei Ruo¡¯s. Those eyes were overbearingly cold, with a shade of fog between his brows, and his skin was a little too pale for a man. But his features were extremely handsome, each appearing like a carefully carved artwork. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the magnificent creation; a man could be made so good-looking. After recognizing the visitor, Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyebrows frowned and showed strong rejection. ¡°Xiaobei.¡± Wei Jinyi called over the servant. ¡°Second Young Master, the miss said she wanted to apologize to you, I¡­I couldn¡¯t stop her¡­¡± Xiaobei looked sorry. Wei Ruo took the initiative and quickly stated her intent, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset. I won¡¯t bother you too much. I am here to express my apologies. The noise from splitting bamboos today was indeed too loud, I didn¡¯t consider well. I¡¯m here to apologize specially.¡± She then offered the jar she was holding as an apology gift. This move by Wei Ruo left the master and servant in front of her somewhat dumbfounded. The second young master was a child of a concubine. His mother was unknown and his mother disliked him. He practically had no presence in the mansion, even the servants would take the opportunity to give him a hard time. Although Wei Ruo had just been taken back home, she was the legitimate young miss. Why would she be so polite and respectful to the second master? Could it be that she hadn¡¯t figured out the situation yet? ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you, and I don¡¯t drink. You can go back.¡± Wei Jinyi only nced at Wei Ruo, then his cold gaze returned to the book in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s not wine.¡± ¡°Take it back, whatever it is. I¡¯m not upset, I just asked Xiaobei to give you a reminder. You don¡¯t need to prepare an apology gift specially.¡± ¡°It¡¯s soy sauce, not anything valuable. If you don¡¯t need me to apologize then consider it a meeting gift from me.¡± What? Soy sauce? Wei Ruo saw the question in Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyebrows and exined, ¡°I learned to brew this soy sauce from an old woman in the countryside when I was there. The taste is not bad. The most important thing is that some tonics were added during the brewing process. It¡¯s good for the body.¡± She learned to brew soy sauce from the old woman in the countryside? And it¡¯s good for the body? Why does that sound so mystical? Good brewing methods for soy sauce are family secrets, which will not be easily taught to others. And the ones with additional medicinal value are even rarer. Most people have never even heard of such things. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t want to entangle with Wei Ruo any more, so he didn¡¯t ask any further. ¡°Alright, I got it, I¡¯ll take your apology gift. You can go back now.¡± Wei Jinyi just wanted to send Wei Ruo away quickly, so he let Xiaobei take the dark jar from Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. ¡°Ok, good. Remember to use this soy sauce. It¡¯s also delicious with seafood.¡± Taizhou prefecture is by the sea, before the Japanese Pirates caused trouble, there were many fishermen fishing at sea, and a lot of fresh seafood was sold at the docks. Nearby residents could hardly be without seafood. After speaking, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t stay to bother any longer and turned and left. Xiaobei stood with the jar at a loss, ¡°Young master, what to do with this jar?¡± ¡°Just put it anywhere.¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t want to waste time on such meaningless things. Xiaobei saw that his young master¡¯s attention was already on the book in his hand, and could do nothing but figure it out himself. He finally chose to put it in a corner of the small kitchen in the Yingzhu Garden. As for the act of sending soy sauce, Xiaobei found it very novel. When other people give gifts, they usually send some elegant items, such as flowers or fragrances, or fine wines, but this youngdy is quite unique. She gifted a jar of soy sauce, how rare. But considering the young miss had been farming in the countryside for the past few years, it was understandable that she was a bit different from the otherdies. Chapter 9 - 9 She is a Village Woman_1 9 Chapter 9 She is a Vige Woman_1 Trantor: 549690339 Upon learning of Wei Ruo¡¯s alterations to the yard, Mrs. Yun felt a bit uneasy, but she refrained frommenting. After all, her daughter had grown up in the countryside and her struggle to adjust was expected, she could always teach her slowly in the future. However, Wei Yilin was quite unhappy about this and went to his elder brother Wei Yichen toin. ¡°Big brother, that Wei Ruo has turned your courtyard into a mess! You kindly lent her the yard and now she¡¯s ruined the elegance it originally had.¡± ¡°What did she turn it into?¡± Wei Yichen inquired, he had been preupied with his studies for thest few days and not very familiar with Wei Ruo¡¯s situation. ¡°She nted vegetables in your yard! It¡¯s simply too vulgar! No well-bred youngdy would do such a thing! It¡¯s so embarrassing!¡± Wei Yilinined, growing increasingly agitated. ¡°nting vegetables? That may not be particrly refined, but it¡¯s not a big deal and there¡¯s no need to feel embarrassed by it.¡± Wei Yichen replied, smiling. ¡°How is that not embarrassing? I¡¯ve heard the servants talking about it. They say that we¡¯ve brought back a disgraceful country bumpkin! She doesn¡¯t behave like a well-breddy at all!¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s expression turned serious: ¡°Who¡¯s been gossiping behind the scenes? How dare these servants talk behind their master¡¯s back? Yilin, if you encounter such a situation again, you should stand up and reprimand them.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t stand up for her! She is an embarrassment!¡± Wei Yilin sulked, seeing that he was not in the wrong, ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you angry that she made a mess of your yard?¡± ¡°That ce is now her dwelling and how she wishes to change it is her business, I should not interfere. And as for you, Yilin, I understand your fondness and desire to protect Wanwan. I feel the same way, I hold Wanwan dear to my heart too. But Ruoruo is also your sister, she has done no wrong, and you must not treat her this way.¡± Wei Yichen instructed. ¡°I don¡¯t want her as my sister! I just need Wanwan as my sister. Ever since she arrived, she made Sister cry multiple times! Sister went to her voluntarily, brought her gifts, but shepletely ignored Sister. She let Sister walk away after only a few words, which hurt Sister¡¯s feelings!¡± ¡°Yilin, this is the end of this conversation. Regardless of what you may think in your heart, you must never say these words again. Not in front of me, nor our parents, and especially not in front of your eldest sister! If you ignore this again, I will take you to Father and have him punish you.¡± With Wei Yichen being this stern, Wei Yilin, however unwilling, could only pout and give in. ¡°Alright¡­ I won¡¯t say it.¡± Wei Yilin obediently sat beside Wei Yichen, skimming through the Analects. Wei Yilin was generally restless and he only made efforts to behave when he was with Wei Yichen. About the time it takes to brew a cup of teater, Wei Qingwan¡¯s personal maid, Cuihe arrived, carrying a small te of refreshments. ¡°Eldest young master, third young master, Miss has made some osmanthus cakes. She asked me to bring them to you, young masters, and give you a message, she asks you to rest well, and not tire yourself out only reading.¡± On the white porcin te, milk-white osmanthus cakes were neatly arranged, adorned with golden osmanthus. This was made using the osmanthus honey that Wei Qingwan had prepared herselfst year when the osmanthus flowers bloomed. A joyful expression spread on Wei Yilin¡¯s face: ¡°Eldest Sister is really good to us, we¡¯ve got delicious osmanthus cakes to eat!¡± As he spoke, Wei Yilin took a piece and took a bite, a satisfied look on his face. ¡°Hmm, so fragrant~so sweet~¡± Wei Yichen did not move. ¡°Big Brother, why aren¡¯t you eating? Don¡¯t you love the osmanthus cakes that Big Sister makes?¡± ¡°Yilin, take these osmanthus cakes to Ruo at Tingsong Garden.¡± Wei Yichen ordered. ¡°Why? These were hand-made by Big Sister!¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s face instantly fell. ¡°Ruo has been home for several days now, and you haven¡¯t spent quality time with her.¡± Wei Yichen spoke solemnly. ¡°But why should I give her the food that Big Sister made?¡± And why should he even interact well with that country woman? Wei Yilin did not dare say this in Wei Yichen¡¯s presence. ¡°Exactly because it is the food that Wanwan made, you should take it and share it with Ruo. Not only would this fulfil your intention, but it would also fulfil Wanwan¡¯s.¡± said Wei Yichen. ¡°But¡­ ¡± ¡°Obey.¡± The expression on Wei Yichen¡¯s face was particrly serious. ¡°Fine.¡± Although Wei Yilin was extremely reluctant, he dared not disobey Wei Yichen. So, with full resentment, he brought the osmanthus cake to Tingsong Garden. As soon as he entered the garden gate, he noticed Wei Ruo climbing onto adder, which immediately sparked his resentment against her. ¡°Why are you up so high, you¡¯ll surely be ridiculed if anyone sees you like this!¡± Weiruo nced down on hearing the voice and saw Wei Yilin standing next to thedder, ring at her indignantly. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°What¡¯s so ungraceful about climbing adder?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s ungraceful. No otherdy behaves like you, hopping up and down!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t stand it, look away. Turn right at the door. Bye. Not holding the door open for you.¡± Wei Ruo responded straightforwardly. This brat had made it clear from the start that he disliked her; she saw no need to waste her time on him. ¡°You! You think I want to look at you!¡± Wei Yilin eximed angrily. ¡°Why are you still here if you don¡¯t want to see me? If you don¡¯t want to watch, then don¡¯t. Why bother?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Wei Yilin had initially intended to leave right away. But once Wei Ruo insisted he leave, his rebellious streak surged, and he refused to budge. ¡°This is my house. I cane and go whenever I want.¡± Not only did Wei Yilin stay put, but he even sat down on the rattan chair in Wei Ruo¡¯s courtyard. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t get rid of Wei Yilin for the time being, Wei Ruo climbed down from thedder and walked over to him. Wei Yilin stared back at her defiantly. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Wei Yilin, it seemed pointless for an adult to squabble with an eight-year-old child. ¡°Wait a moment, I came here to bring you something.¡± Wei Yilin called out to Wei Ruo who was about to retreat into her house. Pulling out the osmanthus cake from the food box he had brought, he held it out for her to see. ¡°This is osmanthus cake. It¡¯s made using glutinous rice flour, clear flour, sugar, and oil to create this soft cake, paired with delicious sweet osmanthus honey, which gives it a sweet and soft taste.¡± Wei Yilin introduced the cake to Wei Ruo with a proud face. ¡°So, you think I¡¯ve never tasted osmanthus cake before?¡± Wei Ruo was somewhat amused. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether you¡¯ve had it before. What I do know is you¡¯ve never tasted the osmanthus cake made by my elder sister. Her homemade osmanthus honey is unique, and her cake is in a league of its own. Whenever she cooks, our father, mother, and elder brother all vie to eat it!¡± ¡°What does her ability to make good osmanthus cake have to do with me?¡± ¡°The ability to make osmanthus cake is just one aspect. My elder sister excels in ying the qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She is an undisputed talenteddy recognized by the local tutors!¡± ¡°So what? What are you trying to tell me?¡± ¡°I want to tell you that my elder sister excels in every aspect and outperforms you. Whether or not she¡¯s my blood sister, in the eyes of our parents, our elder brother, and me, she¡¯s the rightful first daughter of the Wei family. I hope that you will ept your status as the second daughter and not undertake any actions against her or make her angry. Can you promise not topete with my elder sister?¡± Wei Ruoughed out loud. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Wei Yilin frowned, puffing up his small face. Chapter 10 - 10: Changes in the Eldest Daughter’s Affairs_1 10 Chapter 10: Changes in the Eldest Daughter¡¯s Affairs_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I could call you annoying, but you¡¯re actually quite straightforward, always speaking your mind with me. I could also call you interesting, but what you say tends to be rather unreasonable,¡± Wei Ruo remarked. ¡°Where was I unreasonable?¡± Wei Yilin disagreed. ¡°Think about it yourself.¡± Wei Ruo genuinely no longer wanted to argue with Wei Yilin at this point, and turned to walk towards her room after finishing her sentence. Wei Yilin rushed to block Wei Ruo, ¡°Exin what you meant!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dislike seeing me? But now, you¡¯re stopping me from leaving, could it be¡­ You actually like your sister quite a bit? You just won¡¯t admit it? Silly boy, your words do not match your actions!¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes crinkled as she chuckled charmingly. ¡°What are you saying! Don¡¯t make things up!¡± Wei Yilin grew frantic. What did she mean by ¡®silly boy¡¯? He felt goosebumps just hearing it! ¡°No? Then why are you stopping me from leaving? Do you want to have a good chat and improve our rtionship?¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± Wei Yilin quickly shook his head to deny it. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing, then obediently go find your beloved sister to y with. Otherwise, I might really think you are deliberately trying to act affectionate towards me!¡± Wei Yilin froze. Wei Ruo cheerfully turned and entered her room, leaving Wei Yilin to fume over her retreating figure. After quite a while, Wei Yilin ran to Wangmei Garden toin about Wei Ruo to Wei Qingwan. ¡°Sister, isn¡¯t Wei Ruo just like a country bumpkin? Whichdy of a wealthy family would nt vegetables in their own yard, then climb up adder onto the wall?¡± ¡°Yilin, darling, she might be a bitcking, but as family, we shouldn¡¯t speak ill of her,¡± Wei Qingwan consoled. ¡°But she¡¯s so irritating!¡± Wei Yilin was reminded of Wei Ruo¡¯s audacious ims that he liked her and wanted to improve their rtionship ¨C those words that made his skin crawl. The more he thought about it, the angrier and more frustrated he became. ¡°Yilin, don¡¯t be angry, you know her type of person, there¡¯s no need to get mad at her. If it makes you ill, your sister would be heartbroken.¡± Wei Qingwan gently stroked Wei Yilin¡¯s head, her soft voice soothing his heart. Wei Yilin instantly felt less angry: ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so kind! Born around the same time, yet the two of you are worlds apart, the difference is too great!¡± ¡°You!¡± Wei Qingwan lightly tapped Wei Yilin¡¯s forehead, ¡°From now on, don¡¯t be so rash and speak unsightly words. Your brother was right, such words cannot be said in front of outsiders. Once people hear, they will find fault with you. Your sister wouldn¡¯t want you to get punished for wrongdoing.¡± ¡°Understood, sister, I¡¯ll be more restrained next time.¡± ¡°Not just restrained, but don¡¯t go causing trouble for her either. Her wrongdoings will be corrected by our parents and older brother. You¡¯re her brother, you shouldn¡¯t speak to her like that, understand?¡± Wei Qingwan softly instructed. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it brother who sent me to deliver the osmanthus cake to her. She didn¡¯t show any appreciation, so I couldn¡¯t help it! I swear when I went, I really intended to have a good chat with her!¡± ¡°Mmm, I know Yilin is a good boy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so d mom and dad didn¡¯t let her be our family¡¯s eldest daughter. She¡¯s not nearly qualified enough to be our family¡¯s eldest daughter!¡± Wei Yilin rejoiced secretly. ¡°Actually, this position as eldest daughter should have been hers. The amount of love mom and dad gives us, I truly feel ashamed.¡± ¡°Not at all, I think mom and dad¡¯s decision is the most clear, sister, you should be the eldest daughter! Our entire family acknowledges you!¡± Wei Qingwan stroked Wei Yilin¡¯s head: ¡°Thank you, Yilin, for having such faith in me.¡± ¡°Of course, ever since I can remember, the person who has spent the most time with me, and taught me the most, is you, sister. If I don¡¯t trust you, who would I trust?¡± Not long after Wei Yilin was born, Wei Mingting was assigned to Xingshan County. With his public duties keeping him busy, and his wife also upied with managing various household affairs, while Wei Yichen was busy with his studies, Wei Qingwan turned out to be the one who spent the most time with Wei Yilin, so their bond was the deepest. ### Wei Ruo¡¯s small courtyard renovation n was going smoothly. Early this morning, she cut the sweet potato vine and nted it, along with the pumpkin, gourd, and loofah seedlings. The sweet potato seeds came from her space. nting them would earn her experience points. The pumpkin, gourd, and loofah were merely nted because it was their growing season and Wei Ruo liked the look of them growing all over the trellis with their fruits hanging down. After a busy period, Wei Ruo had just sat down to have a sip of water. Right at this moment, Cuiping, the maid of Wei¡¯s mother, came over. She said that her mistress wished to speak with Wei Ruo about something in her room. Observing Cuiping¡¯s expression, Wei Ruo sensed that something was up. Once she arrived in her mother¡¯s room, she saw that Wei Qingwan was already there. Seeing her mother¡¯s grave expression, Wei Ruo was certain something had happened. Upon Wei Ruo¡¯s arrival, her mother gestured for her toe closer. Wei Ruo approached, but still kept a slight distance. ¡°Ruoruo, we received a letter from the capital. Your grandfather has added your name to the family lineage. From now on, your formal name is Wei Qingruo.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Her mother¡¯s furrowed brows and solemn expression suggested there was more than just this matter to discuss. ¡°Mother, are you alright? Is there something bothering you?¡± Wei Qingwan softly inquired. Her mother nced at Wei Ruo then at Wei Qingwan, before finally starting to speak after a long pause. ¡°Wanwan, there¡¯s another thing I need to tell you, please don¡¯t take it too hard.¡± ¡°Mother, you can tell me, I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Your grandfather wishes for Ruoruo to be the elder daughter, so your name will be written after hers.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo was a bit surprised. She thought her great-uncle might disagree with the arrangement, but did not expect him to make a decision so directly and without consulting her father and mother. Wei Qingwan froze, her face visibly paled, and tears began to well up in her eyes. ¡°Wanwan¡­¡± Seeing her daughter like this, her mother¡¯s mood grew even heavier. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan buried her face into her mother¡¯s embrace, tears rolling down her face like beads on a broken ne. Her mother¡¯s heart ached, she didn¡¯t know how to console her heartbroken daughter. Wei Ruo took the initiative to speak up: ¡°Actually, there¡¯s not much difference between being the eldest or the second daughter. Mom and dad love us just the same.¡± Her mother was taken aback for a moment before realizing that these were her own words to Wei Ruo a few days prior. Wei Ruo continued: ¡°Moreover, this is exactly what Qingwan herself asked for not too long ago. Now that it hase true, she should be happy.¡± These were Wei Qingwan¡¯s own words. Wei Qingwan lifted her head from her mother¡¯s embrace, staring at Wei Ruo like a hurt little bunny. ¡°Is that not the case?¡± Wei Ruo asked in return. Chapter 11 - 11 Gifts from Grandfather_1 11 Chapter 11 Gifts from Grandfather_1 n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Trantor: 549690339 The two of them were at a loss for a response. Wei Ruo continued to analyze the situation for them, her expression serious as she encouraged them to be open-minded: ¡°Always think on the bright side, change your way of thinking. Mother once said that we are equally important to her, so whether it is who is older or who is younger, it¡¯s all the same, and Qingwan has also realized your wish from that day. So you do not need to be upset anymore.¡± Yun Shi and Wei Qingwan were both taken aback, these were their own words, Wei Ruo was just repeating them. Wei Ruo then said to Wei Qingwan: ¡°Actually, the first time you saw me, you called me sister. I think you must have epted me as your sister in your heart. So, I believe you must be looking forward to me being your sister.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­ sister is correct¡­¡± Wei Qingwan responded somewhat reluctantly. Once Wei Ruo had said all of these things, Wei Qingwan found herself with tears in her eyes, yet unable to let them fall. Then Wei Ruo handed a handkerchief to Wei Qingwan: ¡°Dry your tears.¡± Wei Qingwan took the handkerchief that Wei Ruo handed over, held it in her hand but dared not to use it. It was clean but somewhat coarse and had faded from washing, making it clear that it had been used many times. After Wei Ruo spoke as she did, both Yun Shi and Wei Qingwan stopped crying. Yun Shi then spoke with them for a while before bidding them go rest. After Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan left, the head maid, Cuiping, presented a gift list to Yun Shi. Along with the response letter from Wei Ruo¡¯s grandfather, there were also some gifts for Wei Ruo. The letter stated that they were topensate Wei Ruo for her hardships over the years. Yun Shi, considering the gifts and thinking of the tearful Wei Qingwan, decided after a moment¡¯s thought to divide the gifts into two parts, one to be sent to Wei Ruo¡¯s Tingsong Garden and the other to Wei Qingwan¡¯s Wangmei Garden. She specifically instructed Cuiping to only mention that the gifts were from their grandfather, without exining the reason. Cuiping did as instructed, and in no time, tworge boxes full of gifts were received at both Wei Ruo¡¯s Tingsong Garden and Wei Qingwan¡¯s Wangmei Garden. Following Yun Shi¡¯s instructions, Cuiping only mentioned that the gifts were from their grandfather, nothing more. Soon, Wei Ruo received severalrge wooden boxes delivered by Yun Shi¡¯s servants. The boxes were quiterge and heavy, but when opened, they were mostly filled with bronze wares, taking up space and weight, but not very valuable. Xiumei, following Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, ced all the delivered items into Wei Ruo¡¯s room to show respect to their grandfather. While arranging the items, Xiumei curiously asked, ¡°Miss, didn¡¯t you say our family is very prestigious, a family of meritorious service, very influential, then why do these items appear to be inferior to the ones you have?¡± ¡°Because you can¡¯t just look at the surface. The Wei family is untouchable in the eyes of the He family, but only those who are actually in it know how rich they really are. The so-called family of merit cannot always be wealthy and prominent, no matter how substantial their assets are, they can eventually run out.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Xiumei nodded in agreement. ¡°So we need to take a long-term view, and not obsess over the limited resources and wealth in the house. There¡¯s a broader world outside with more wealth waiting for me,¡± enthused Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes! Miss is right!¡± Xiumei, who had been influenced by Wei Ruo¡¯s self-reliance over the years, readily epted her ideas. At this point, Xiumei muttered, ¡°I wonder when Nurse Xu will arrive.¡± Nurse Xu was Wei Ruo¡¯s wet nurse, who was very kind to Wei Ruo. In the original story, she was the only one who protected Wei Ruo until the end, ultimately sacrificing her life for her. In this life, Wei Ruo had released her from her employment with the He family early on and encouraged her and her husband to do business, with Wei Ruo providing advice and strategies behind the scenes. Wei Ruo¡¯s initial intention was to repay Nurse Xu, to allow her and her husband to have a good life. But the couple insisted on leaving the properties to Wei Ruo, iming that they were merely holding them on Wei Ruo¡¯s behalf. The couple handed all the money they earned to Wei Ruo and took only a small sry for themselves. When Wei Ruo decamped from Mo Jiazha, she left a letter at old Li family¡¯s ce in the vige. Calcting the time, if Nurse Xu had seen her letter, she should be on her way to Taizhou prefecture. ### Just like Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan also received severalrge wooden boxes. Upon opening them and seeing the not-so-valuable bronze wares, Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help feeling disappointed. After Old Lady Li, who was by Wei Qingwan¡¯s side, checked the items sent by Yun Shi, she frowned and said: ¡°Miss, the items sent from the Capital City seem to be inferior to those of previous years¡¯ celebrations. In the past, there were always fine silk and other good items, but this year we received not even a bolt of silk.¡± Wei Qingwan hung her head, her expression deste, and murmured: ¡°After all, I am not the real granddaughter of the Wei family. That grandfather was willing to keep me in the genealogy already counts as a great favor. All those silk, pearls and jade should be sent to the legitimate Miss of the Wei family. There is no business of mine.¡± ¡°Miss, what are you talking about! The master, the madam, the elder young master, and the young master; who in this house doesn¡¯t acknowledge you as their legitimate Miss? You are not an outsider!¡± ¡°What good does that do? Grandfather¡¯s intention is clear, I am not worthy of being the eldest daughter of the Wei family¡­¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes turned red. The tears that she had held back in Yun Shi¡¯s room now flowed ceaselessly. Old Lady Li nced around, seeing no one else present, moved closer to Wei Qingwan and whispered in her ear: ¡°Miss, you mustn¡¯t lose your spirit. Just look at the present situation, among the three old masters, it is our old master who is thriving. And among the young masters, it is our elder young master who is the most promising. At the age of twelve, he has be a schr, and in a few years, if he bes a higher-ranking schr, his future will be limitless!¡± ¡°As the miss adored by our master and elder young master, your future will surely be enviable! Approval from your elderly grandfather is not that important to you!¡± Old Lady Li spoke eloquently and Wei Qingwan took some of it in, but she couldn¡¯t shake off her unease. Hanging her head, she murmured about her feelings of bereftness and helplessness over the past few days: ¡°But the affection of my parents and brother, which I now have, will be shared with my sister¡­ I am not unwilling for my sister to share in my parents¡¯ and brother¡¯s love for me, it¡¯s just that in the Military Prefecture, all I can rely on is my parents¡¯ and brother¡¯s love for me¡­¡± ¡°In these days, I have continuously reminded myself not to resent the unfairness of fate, not to resent others for my fall from grace. After Wei Qingruo entered the house, I often went to see her, expressing my goodwill and hoping that we could get along in the future.¡± ¡°But when I learned of grandfather¡¯s arrangement, thinking of how the grandfather who used to be kind and gentle to me, abruptly changed, I couldn¡¯t help feeling scared. If this position as the eldest daughter had been the result of Wei Qingruo¡¯s mor and request, I wouldn¡¯t have felt so bad. But in fact, this position was given to her without her having asked for it, indicating how much grandfather values her.¡± Chapter 12 - 12 Want to Go Out_1 12 Chapter 12 Want to Go Out_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I fear that one day, father, mother, and brother will all abandon me like my grandfather did. The mere thought of that daying makes my heart feel as if it¡¯s being scorched by fire.¡± Upon hearing this, Nurse Li quicklyforted, ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t have to worry about these things. Their affection for Miss Ruoruo is due to blood ties, but their affection towards you has been forged over the past decade or so, which is true and unerasable by anyone!¡± ¡°Miss Ruoruo has been living in the countryside for over a decade with no formal education and upbringing, she¡¯s been able to hide it well these few days since entering the manor, but it will eventually reveal itself. Right now, they are just newly reunited and owe her a sense of guilt, Madam and Young Master naturally tolerate her, but as time passes, this tolerance will be worn away.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Nurse Li analyzed the pros and cons for Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan shook her head, ¡°If she were rude and barbaric as you say, I wouldn¡¯t be as concerned, but I¡¯ve seen Wei Qingruo¡¯s demeanor at the dinner table and it doesn¡¯t resemble a typical countrywoman¡¯s crudeness, the situation you described may not happen¡­¡± Nurse Li showed a worried face, ¡°Miss, you must not always think in the worst direction, rest assured, I¡¯ve seen Miss Ruoruo¡¯s true colors when teaching her manners these few days, I¡¯m sure her docile appearance in front of Master and Madam is all pretend.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but flourish with joy. ¡°Absolutely!¡± ¡°Nurse, I know I shouldn¡¯t wish ill on my sister, but I¡¯m truly too frightened¡­ now I¡¯m like duckweed in the pond, the slightest incautious move, and I don¡¯t know where I will drift to¡­¡± ¡°I understand, Miss. You have a kind heart and wouldn¡¯t have such thoughts about others if you hadn¡¯t suffered so much recently. Rest assured, there are some things the old ve can handle for you, you don¡¯t have to worry or be upset.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Reassured by Nurse Li, Wei Qingwan felt somewhat better. She then went to sleep under the care of Nurse Li and Cuihe. ### Early the next morning, Wei Ruo went to find Madam Yun to talk about her intention of going outside. Just nting some crops in the courtyard was far from enough for Wei Ruo. Firstly, more experience was needed for her spatial upgrade; secondly, she needed to earn more capital for her own survival to ensure she could survive after leaving the Wei family. Therefore, Wei Ruo now needed to find ways to expand her own enterprises, and first, she had to go out. As ady from a big family, she couldn¡¯t just go out casually, she must get permission from the person in charge of the family to go out. ¡°Where do you want to go, Ruoruo?¡± Madam Yun asked patiently instead of getting angry. ¡°I want to go around the county town and look at the viges and farnds there, would that be convenient?¡± ¡°Visiting mountain viges nearby is no problem, but you can only go to the northwest. You can¡¯t go to the southeast of the city, and certainly not the seaside. Those damned Japanese pirates could show up at any time to stir up trouble. Here¡¯s an idea, our family owns a terraced hill in the north of the city, you can go and check it out.¡± Madam Yun exined. ¡°Alright, that suits me.¡± ¡°Shall I apany you after checking the ount book?¡± ¡°There is no need to bother, I can go there myself.¡± ¡°That is not appropriate, Ruoruo, you are ady now, and you can no longer run around casually. Even though the inside of the city is not as dangerous as the outside, it is still not safe enough for a girl.¡± ¡°Then mother can find someone to apany me, there is no need to trouble yourself to apany me. Mother has a whole family to manage, I should not dy you further or make you tired.¡± To have Madam Yun apany her would inconvenient her ns. Madam Yun: ¡°Ruoruo is really thoughtful, aware of what affects your mother.¡± Uh¡­ that¡¯s not what she meant. ¡°Mother, please let me go by myself.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Alright then, I know you are still not used to life inside the manor, so you can go and have a look, but you must not run around, you understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With Madam Yun¡¯s approval, Wei Ruo quickly prepared to go out. Madam Yun arranged a carriage for her, with a nurse and a guard apanying Wei Ruo. The nurse was the other nurse who had been sent to pick up Wei Ruo, Nurse Zhang. Upon knowing that Wei Ruo was going to the countryside again, Nurse Zhang couldn¡¯t help but grumble. What¡¯s the matter with this Miss? Isn¡¯t she fed up with the countryside life after so many years? Now that she¡¯s back in the manor as thedy of an official family, why does she still think about the countryside? Isn¡¯t she afraid of making a fool of herself in Xingshan County, let alone when she goes to the Capital Cityter? Despite her reluctance, Nurse Zhang had toply as it was Madam¡¯s order. When facing Wei Ruo, she still kept a smile on her face. Wei Ruo traveled by carriage out of the city. Out of the north gate, she could see rolling hills in the distance, almost all of them were terrace farmed. Xingshan County was located in the southeast near to the sea. The wastnd outside the city was mostly saline-alkali soil, which was not suitable for farming. Therefore, residents who lived there mostly made a living by fishing. Now with the rampant Japanese pirates, fishermen fled to the city. The northwest was hilly, with many hillocks and slopes and scarce farnd. Therefore, hardworking people developed terraces on the hills to grow rice. However, terracing required much more manpower than farming in t fields and its cultivation was also more difficult. Even though arge number of terraces were developed, it still wasn¡¯t enough to meet the demand for food. The carriage stopped in front of a small hill. Xiumei helped Wei Ruo off the carriage. Nurse Zhang pointed to the hill in front of her and said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, this is Mantou Mountain, it is part of the Military Prefecture¡¯s property.¡± ¡°Does the whole mountain belong to us?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do we have any other properties?¡± ¡°No, the Military Prefecture has spent only five years in Xingshan County, so our foundation here is a bit thin. But your grandfather is the Earl of Loyalty in the Capital City, making his wealth far more considerable than ours.¡± Nurse Zhang replied. Nurse Zhang was excited, but Wei Ruo clearly knew that the family¡¯s wealth in the Capital had been nearly exhausted and all that remained was an empty shell of Earl Residence. Wei Mingting was still somewhat capable, at least he had be a sixth-rank Colonel now. He was able to afford some property, unlike his two elder brothers, who only knew how to ruin the family belongings left by their ancestors. ¡°I¡¯m going to walk around.¡± After saying that, Wei Ruo started walking along the path at the foot of the hill. Nurse Zhang had no choice but to follow behind. After walking a distance, Nurse Zhang felt tired and she couldn¡¯t help butin internally. Just what is she up to? When does it end? Oh her old bones! Noticing Nurse Zhang¡¯s struggle, Wei Ruo suggested letting her rest in the carriage first. But Nurse Zhang refused, she didn¡¯t trust Wei Ruo. She had no clue what this country girl would do, and didn¡¯t want to get herself into troubleter. After a while, Wei Ruo finally stopped in front of a hill that wasn¡¯t yet developed into farmingnd. Chapter 13 - 13: People’s Sufferings ! Chapter 13: People¡¯s Sufferings ! Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Xiumei, go find out to which vige this mountain belongs,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. ¡°Alright.¡± Xiumei trotted off toward where there were people. Most of those working in the nearby fields were locals. Asking them should get the answer Wei Ruo was seeking. Soon, Xiumei returned and informed Wei Ruo that the mountain was named Xiaoyang Mountain and belongs to a nearby vige called Yueying Vige. Due to the severe terrain making the cost of terracing too high, the area had been left to go wild. The locals got their firewood from this mountain. ¡°Did you ask if they would be willing to sell?¡± Wei Ruo queried. ¡°Of course I did.¡± Having been by Wei Ruo¡¯s side for so many years, Xiumei knew her intentions well. ¡°The one I asked isn¡¯t from Yueying Vige, but he said as long as the price is right, the vigers would willingly sell. These years, due to the Japanese Pirates issue, themon folks in Xingshan County are having a hard time. Yueying Vige is particrly suffering, while other viges still have a few fields to cultivate, Yueying Vige only has barren mountains.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see,¡± Wei Ruo muttered, pondering. Madam Zhang, listening to the conversation between the master and the servant, could not help but chuckle. ¡°Miss, are you thinking about buying this Xiaoyang Mountain?¡± ¡°Just asking, getting acquainted with the situation,¡± said Wei Ruo casually. ¡°You can ask, but keep the idea of buying the mountain to yourself. Our Military Prefecture only bought Mantou Mountain three years after we arrived in Xingshan County. Even now, even though the people of Xingshan County are having a hard time, the cost of a mountain is still not going to be low. A price of fewer than a thousand taels of silver wouldn¡¯t be considered.¡± ¡°A thousand taels¡­ that is indeed a lot of silver,¡± Wei Ruo murmured thoughtfully. ¡°As long as you understand, Miss. If you miss the days in the countryside, you can visit Mantou Mountain and look at our fields. But don¡¯t physically work on them like before. Theborers will have a goodugh if they see it!¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn It¡¯s alright to do some gardening at home, only the people in their residence know about it. It¡¯s still embarrassing, but at least it¡¯s contained within the family. If she can¡¯t restrain herself from doing the same outside, then she would be theughing stock of the entire Xingshan County. ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t argue this time and decided to head back to Mantou Mountain. After wandering around near the foot of the mountain for a few rounds, she returned. ### Within the Colonel¡¯s residence, Wei Qingwan was supervising Wei Yilin copying ¡°Xue Er.¡± Wei Yilin was yful and active since young, not suited for studying. Today, he was sent home by his tutor for causing trouble at school. Upon hearing about it, Yun was very angry and punished him by making him copy ¡°Xue Er.¡± Wei Qingwan was tasked with supervising. Wei Yilin pouted, extremely unwilling, and his eyes darted around restlessly. ¡°Yilin, write quickly. If you don¡¯t finish before it gets dark, you won¡¯t get dinner and will have to go hungry,¡± Wei Qingwan said with a heartache. ¡°Three times is too much! Sister, dear sister, help me copy, you can imitate, you can imitate my handwriting, mother won¡¯t notice,¡± Wei Yilin pleaded with Wei Qingwan. ¡°That¡¯s not right¡­¡± Wei Qingwan wore a troubled expression. ¡°Sister! My lovely sister! You¡¯re my only lovely sister!¡± Hearing the word ¡°only,¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart stirred. In their house, only her little brother genuinely cared for her, and she did not want to lose his affection and trust. ¡°Well¡­ alright then,¡± Wei Qingwan said, ¡°but I¡¯ll only help you copy once, you have to do the other two copies yourself.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Wei Yilin immediately brightened, ¡°I knew it, sister loves me the most, she¡¯s nothing like the neer. I don¡¯t know what she does all day, today she even coaxed mother into letting her go out.¡± ¡°She went out? Where did she go?¡± Wei Qingwan asked in surprise. ¡°She went to the north of the city to look at farnd. Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s strange? If she likes to farm so much, then why didn¡¯t she stay in the countryside? There¡¯s no need for her toe here,¡± Wei Yilinined. ¡°Did mother apany her?¡± Wei Qingwan followed up. ¡°She went by herself. Mother is busy, there are so many things in the house that need her attention, she doesn¡¯t have time to do such things!¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Wei Qingwan mused thoughtfully, her expression slightly despondent. Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s sad expression, Wei Yilin quicklyforted her. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry, even though Mother treats her very well, I am sure that in Mother¡¯s heart, like mine, she likes you much more than Wei Qingruo!¡± Wei Qingwan shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, she has suffered in the countryside for so many years, so it¡¯s right for father and mother to be nicer to her. I owe her so much, how can I ask my parents to treat me better than her?¡± ¡°Sister, you think too much and consider others too much,¡± Wei Yilin pouted, feeling helpless. ¡°We¡¯re one family, it¡¯s right for me to think about everyone. Yilin, you¡¯re not young anymore. You should also think about father and mother more and stop causing trouble.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he mouthed the words without meaning them. ### On the way back from the north of the city, Wei Ruo watched the passing scenery through the carriage window. She saw many beggars begging along the streets, more than she had seen in any other ce. The streetscked the prosperity she imagined a county should have. It was not even as bustling as Huaibei Town. After asking Madam Zhang, she learned that many of the beggars were local fishermen. Due to Japanese Pirates¡¯ activities, they could not fish, lost their livelihood, and hence had to resort to begging. Besides, the recent years of unfavorable weather had greatly reduced rice production, leading to crop failure. Farmers with scarce resources had also been forced into begging. Having learned the reason, Wei Ruo looked again at the beggars in tattered clothes and skeletal figures. Her mood inevitably dropped. Especially when her gaze met with theirs ¨C a rich youngdy in splendid clothes seated in a carriage with servants ¨C it felt like a shiver went through her modern soul. Their eyescked light. When they looked at Wei Ruo, their eyes were empty, numb, devoid of jealousy or hatred, as if they had epted their sufferings in life. A little further on, Wei Ruo saw a vendor selling seafood. She learned that the catch was brought back by fishermen who risked being killed by Japanese Pirates by fishing at night. However, since everyone¡¯s living conditions were not good, business was slow, and arge basket of seafood was left unsold. Wei Ruo noticed the seafood was still very fresh, so she ordered Xiumei to buy the entire lot. Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s decision to buy everything, Madam Zhang¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She then tried to exin as tactfully as possible to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, seafood is expensive. As the number of sellers has decreased, prices have increased. This basket requires at least two taels of silver!¡± Where would Wei Ruo get the money to buy so much? Taking things without being able to pay is bad for the reputation of the Military Prefecture. Otherwise, it might result in a tab being set up, resulting in the Military Prefecture having to pay for her reckless actions. ¡°Mmm, I know. I¡¯ll use my own private money,¡± Wei Ruo said, recognizing Madam Zhang¡¯s concerns. Private money? Where would she get private money from? Chapter 14 - 14: Seafood Hot Pot i Chapter 14: Seafood Hot Pot i Trantor: 549690339 Nurse Zhang was skeptical, but she saw Xiumei get off the carriage and surprisingly gave two taels of broken silver to the old man selling seafood. Then, without waiting for the apanying guard to help, Xiumei single-handedly moved the basket of seafood onto the carriage. After nking out for a while, Nurse Zhang guessed in her heart that Wei Ruo probably got this money from the gift that the old man from the Capital City had given Wei Ruo a few days ago. Thinking to herself, even if the money came from the old man, it should not be spent like this. Wei Ruo simply did not know how to be thrifty. Once back at Tingsong Garden, Xiumei moved the basket of seafood into the garden. ¡°Meimei, how about¡­¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes were shining as she looked at the basket of seafood. ¡°Miss, you want to eat hot pot, don¡¯t you?¡± Xiumei at once saw through Wei Ruo¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Yes, yes, Meimei, you really understand me!¡± Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t even opened her mouth yet, but Meimei had guessed it all. ¡°Miss, your thoughts on other matters are hard to guess, but on this matter, as soon as you look at me, I immediately know what you want to do.¡± ¡°Very well, some of it will be used for a seafood hot pot, the rest will be processed and dried.¡± A spicy pot bottom and seafood as ingredients, just thinking about it, Wei Ruo¡¯s mouth was watering. ¡°But miss, you seem to have forgotten, we don¡¯t have a kitchen or a pot, we can¡¯t cook a hot pot.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the neighboring Yanzhu Court have a small kitchen? Perhaps, we could use it,¡± suggested Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes! The neighbors have a small kitchen!¡± Xiumei suddenly realized something after saying this. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t tell me you buttered up the Second Young Master with soy sauce just to get to use this kitchen?¡± ¡°Huh? Did I? Do you see me like that?¡± Wei Ruo looked guilty. Xiumei nodded wisely. Yes, you definitely are like that, Miss! ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t matter. The important thing is that we have a ce to cook our hot pot. Meimei, get ready and gather the ingredients. We¡¯ll go to the neighbor¡¯s to cook.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to the room to check and see how much of the spice mix you made earlier is left.¡± Xiumei turned and entered the storage room that Wei Ruo had been using. When she came back, she was holding a white cloth bag. During this era, there were no hot peppers, and many types of spices did not exist yet. Wei Ruo, whose taste buds had been nourished by various spices, asionally missed those stimting tastes. So she collected all types of aromatic spices that she could find in this era. Sichuan pepper, dogwood, pepper vine, cinnamon, mustard seed, blending these together after repeated trial and error, she found the perfect ratio to create a blend of spices that was to her satisfaction. After mixing them, Wei Ruo would package them separately into cloth bags, ready to be used anytime needed. ¡°There¡¯s only one spice bag left. If you want to eat more in the future, we¡¯ll have to figure out how to gather those spices again,¡± said Xiumei, bringing back the spice bag as well as some not-so-good news. Those spices were not easy toe by, and Wei Ruo had had to put in quite a bit of effort to gather them in the first ce. Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°Once we¡¯re more settled, not only will I gather more spices, I¡¯ll also have to stock up on medicinal herbs.¡± With that, Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei to stay in the Tingsong Garden to prepare the ingredients, while she went to knock on the door of the Yanzhu Garden. The door opened, and Xiaobei, the servant boy, asked in surprise, ¡°Miss, what can I help you with?¡± ¡°I¡¯m wondering if I could borrow your small kitchen. As a thank you, I¡¯ll treat you to a seafood hotpot! My Meimei¡¯s cooking is superb, I guarantee you won¡¯t lose out!¡± ¡°Miss, I¡­ I can¡¯t make that decision. I¡¯ll have to ask the young master.¡± ¡°Then go ask your young master.¡± ¡°Alright, Miss, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll go ask right now.¡± Xiaobei turned and went inside the courtyard. Wei Ruo peeked in. Just likest time she came, Wei Jinyi was still sitting in the Octagonal Pavilion reading. He seemed to really enjoy reading in the courtyard. From a distance, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t hear his conversation with Xiaobei, but she could see his expression darkening after Xiaobei spoke a few words. He then looked towards the entrance where his eyes met Wei Ruo¡¯s. Wei Ruo responded with a grin and gave Wei Jinyi a wave. However, her smile seemed to darken Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression even further. What happened? Was her smile not warm and friendly enough? She thought her smile was pretty decent, even Meimei had told her that her smile was beautiful! N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t hear what Wei Jinyi said to Xiaobei, but he looked ufortable when he walked over and said, ¡°Miss, the Young Master suggested that if you have something specific you want to eat, you should have the main kitchen prepare it. Our small kitchen doesn¡¯t have much space or any special ingredients. It¡¯s really not suitable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought my own ingredients and seasonings, and I don¡¯t need anything from you. I just need a ce to cook. The main kitchen is inconvenient, and I¡¯ll be cooking for a long time.¡± Xiaobei looked troubled. ¡°But, Miss¡­¡± ¡°Please, please.¡± ¡°But the Young Master¡­¡± Xiaobei turned to look at Wei Jinyi. He was in such a difficult position ¨C the Young Master had asked him to refuse, but he didn¡¯t dare to offend the Miss. ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to your Young Master myself!¡± Realizing the problem, Wei Ruo skirted around Xiaobei and headed straight for the Octagonal Pavilion. ¡°Second Brother!¡± At the sound of the phrase ¡°second brother¡±, Wei Jinyi quickly furrowed his brows. ¡°Second Brother, I¡¯m going to borrow your small kitchen for a bit. We¡¯re cooking seafood hot pot. You should have some too, I promise it¡¯ll taste great!¡± Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo. Her eyes were twinkling, full of expectation. After a moment, Wei Jinyipromised. ¡°Do as you wish.¡± ¡°Thanks a lot!¡± Wei Ruo happily thanked him and then ran back to Tingsong Garden. Xiaobei returned to Wei Jinyi¡¯s side and said in a low voice, ¡°Master, Miss is truly different from the others in the manor¡­¡± Others in the manor would avoid their Young Master at all costs. But the Miss, she came over thest time with soy sauce, and this time, she¡¯s here asking to use their small kitchen to cook hot pot¡­ ¡°Let her be. With the way she¡¯s behaving, it¡¯s difficult for you to get through to her.¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t like wasting words, and since Wei Ruo was new to the Wei family and didn¡¯t understand many things, attempting to reason with her would be futile. Not long after, Wei Jinyi saw Wei Ruo enter his courtyard with a maid. The mistress and maid carried a plethora of things into the small kitchen, in varying sizes and dishes. In the small kitchen, Xiumei was cooking, while Wei Ruo was helping stoke the fire. When the pot was ready, they put inrd. Once the milky-whiterd melted, they poured in the spice mix that Wei Ruo had prepared. The strong aroma of the spices was dominant. When stirred in hot oil, it filled the entire small kitchen and wafted out into the courtyard. ¡°Young Master, what¡¯s this smell? It smells really nice,¡± Xiaobei sniffed and sniffed, confirming that it was a smell he had never smelled before. ¡°Grinding ink.¡± Wei Jinyi answered with a poker face. Xiaobei quickly came back to his senses and continued to grind ink for Wei Jinyi. Wei Ruo dashed out of the small kitchen and ran over to Wei Jinyi to ask, ¡°Second Brother, the bamboo shoots in your yard look pretty good.. Would you mind if I break off a few to chop them up and put them in the hot pot?¡± Chapter 15 - 15 The Situation is a Bit Awkward l Chapter 15: The Situation is a Bit Awkward l Trantor: 549690339 The first time Wei Ruo set foot inside the Bamboo Garden, she had noticed the bamboo there, which had not yet sprouted shoots. Today, when she returned, the bamboo shoots had grown as long as her arm. If not consumed soon, they would age. Wei Jinyi waspelled to cease his writing again, and looked up at Wei Ruo: ¡°Do as you please.¡± His expression was one of indifference and coldness; his agreement stemming from a desire to avoid further conversation with Wei Ruo. ¡°Alright, thank you, Second Brother. I will return to you shortly with a serving of aromatic bamboo shoots.¡± We Ruo thanked him, and ran to the bamboo shoots, plucking each one that had grown to the right size. She then rushed back into the kitchen. The small kitchen emitted a fragrant aroma, and Xiaobei, whocked restraint, was grinding ink while swallowing his saliva. s, the Young Master¡¯sposure was indeed strong; the intoxicating aroma had no effect on him. His pen strokes remained steady. Unlike him, who wasn¡¯t even hungry to begin with, but the aroma made him feel as though his stomach, the Wuzang Temple, had surrendered first. After a while, Wei Ruo and Xiumei emerged. We Ruo carried a tray with a few dishes of unknown seasonings, while Xiumei carried a steaming pot from which the aroma wafted. Both of them entered the pavilion, and Xiaobei was perplexed: ¡°Miss, what are you up to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m having hot pot with you! Clear the writing tools from the table.¡± Wei Ruo aimed for the only stone table inside the pavilion. The table was currently littered with Wei Jinyi¡¯s Four Treasures of writing supplies. ¡°You can keep it and enjoy it yourself. I don¡¯t need it.¡± Wei Jinyi coldly declined. ¡°No, I promised that there¡¯s a portion for you. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t I be taking advantage of you? I don¡¯t like exploiting others.¡± As the saying goes, borrowing and returning ensures future lending. She would need to use the Bamboo Garden¡¯s kitchen again in the future, so today¡¯s favor had to be returned to prevent difficultyter on. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve made servings for four. If you don¡¯t eat, the leftovers will be wasted! The seafood was caught by fishermen who risked their lives. We need to do them justice by eating it all.¡± Servings for four? Xiaobei was surprised, there was a portion for him too? But he was a servant¡­ Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo, contemting something. It seemed as if he wanted to refute Wei Ruo but didn¡¯t speak out. After a while, hepromised, got up, and cleaned up the books, ink, paper, and inkstone from the table, making room on the stone table. Xiumei immediately put the pot on the table. Seeing theyer of bright red oil on it, Wei Jinyi knitted his brows. Then Wei Ruo ced the bowls and tes: ¡°This is my secret dipping sauce, Second Brother, you must try it.¡± The main ingredient of the dipping sauce was her secret soy sauce, mixed with a bit of spring onion and mashed garlic. It tasted deliciously sweet, perfect for dipping seafood. Staring at the little te with unknown contents in front of him, Wei Jinyi frowned even more. Seeing Wei Jinyi not moving, Wei Ruo used clean chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish and put it in the te in front of Wei Jinyi, wrapped it with the sauce, and let Wei Jinyi taste it. ¡°Try it, Second Brother. It¡¯s really good. I won¡¯t lie to you.¡± Under Wei Ruo¡¯s persistent urging, and the expectation in her eyes, Wei Jinyi reached out for his chopsticks to appease Wei Ruo. He picked up a small piece, put it in his mouth, and cautiously, slowly chewed a couple of times. After a moment, Wei Jinyi suddenly started coughing violently. Wei Ruo hurriedly poured water for him, ¡°Slow down, slow down, drink some water.¡± Wei Jinyi drank a cup of water, still coughing, and Wei Ruo helped him by patting his back. After a while, Wei Jinyi finally caught his breath. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om His face had turned red from coughing, two blushes settling on his fair skin, making him look more energetic. Wei Jinyi put down his chopsticks: ¡°You guys go ahead and eat.¡± Well¡­this was¡­awkward¡­ ¡°Or¡­, you can give it another try? It should be a coincidence that you choked. If you try it more times, you will discover its wonderful vor.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Wei Jinyi firmly refused. This time, his attitude was very firm with no room for negotiation. The atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t say much. He got up and returned to his room, leaving only Wei Ruo, Xiumei, and Xiaobei. With a look of embarrassment, Xiaobei exined to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t mind him. Our young master usually eats light food and can¡¯t eat a lot of dishes.¡± ¡°That was myck of consideration. Next time, I will make something else that he enjoys.¡± Wei Ruo said. Wait, there¡¯s a next time? Xiaobei¡¯s eyes widened. In the end, Wei Ruo and Xiumei were left to finish most of the pot, leaving some behind as they just couldn¡¯t eat any more. Wei Ruo patted her stomach, leaving Xiumei to clean up after the meal. She herself returned to the Garden of Tingsong, brought a roll of paper and ced it amongst Wei Jinyi¡¯s pile of writing materials. After Wei Ruo left, Wei Jinyi re-emerged from his room. He arranged the books, ink, paper, and inkstone back on the stone table and resumed his reading and writing. After everything was ced back on the stone table, Wei Jinyi noticed a roll of paper that did not belong to him. Unrolled, the paper was cool, white, smooth, and delicate; distinctly different from the other papers on Wei Jinyi¡¯s desk. ¡°Where is this paper from?¡± ¡°Oh, it seems that Miss brought it. She said it was an apology gift for you.¡± ¡°This is paper from Four Treasure House.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze became profound as he examined the paper. ¡°Four Treasure House? Isn¡¯t that the paper given to you by the Old Master before? I remember the Old Master saying that a colleague had gifted him a total of ten sheets of paper, and he gave you and the eldest young master five sheets each. I heard that after the eldest young master used it, he found the paper to be exceptionally good and wanted to have someone buy more. However, Four Treasure House is located in Huzhou Prefecture, which is too far away, so he couldn¡¯t buy it. How did Miss get this paper?¡± Xiaobei was astonished.. Chapter 16 - 16 The Wet Nurse Arrives l Chapter 16: The Wet Nurse Arrives l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Huaibei Town is in Huzhou Prefecture.¡± Wei Jinyi stated. ¡°Yes, the young miss is from Huaibei Town. No wonder she has that paper!¡± ¡°This paper is not cheap.¡± Wei Jinyi said in a heavy tone. Ordinary paper costs one coin for ten sheets, but paper from Four Treasure House costs five coins for a single sheet, which is fifty times the price of ordinary paper. The key point is, it¡¯s not easy to purchase paper from Four Treasure House. Even though it¡¯s expensive, because of its superior quality, it¡¯s highly sought after by many nobles. This leads to a daily sale limit, and when it¡¯s sold out, that¡¯s it. Wei Ruo casually handed him twenty sheets. Where did she get the money from? And why is she treating him so well? What was her actual intention? ### Back in Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruozily sprawled herself on the bed. After a full meal, her blood went straight to her stomach, leaving her brain nk and the perfect time to daydream. ¡°Miss, why do I feel like you treat the second young master better than the Colonel, Madame, and eldest young master? I feel that the eldest young master treats you better than the second. He is so cold and aloof, not even willing to converse with you. But the elder brother is much gentler and more considerate. He even gave up his courtyard for you.¡± Xiumei curiously asked. ¡°Because I don¡¯t feel any pressure when I¡¯m with the second young master.¡± ¡°You feel pressure from the eldest young master?¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Yes, if I am good to the eldest young master, others will suspect I am trying to fight for favor, but because the second young master himself is an invisible man, I don¡¯t feel any pressure to be nice or cold to him, I can behave as freely as I want to.¡± ¡°I see, even though I don¡¯t understand it all, I know whatever you decide will be the right decision.¡± Wei Ruo gave a light smile. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just about not wanting topete for favor. She might have taken the original owner¡¯s memory, and because it was a transmigration from the womb, regardless of her willingness, she would inevitably hold some sentiments when dealing with her family who abandoned and hurt her in the past. This was something she couldn¡¯t simply control or suppress with rational thinking. She was also aware that the original owner¡¯s ultimate demise was tied to her own self-destruction, but the yearning that the owner had for her family, as well as their abandoning her at the end, had left a deep scar in Wei Ruo¡¯s heart. Therefore, even though Madam Yun and Wei Yichen were nice to her now, she couldn¡¯t face them with openness. On the other hand, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t leave any marks in the original owner¡¯s memories and was irrelevant in the original story, so she had no grievances against him, and didn¡¯t need to worry about anything excessive. It was the same when dealing with her neighbours at Mo Jiazha. As long as they were not malicious towards her, she could interact with them genuinely and help them out where possible. This kind of ease andfort was something that Madam Yun and Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t provide. Of course, it was also important that she liked his small kitchen! Being able to asionally cook something delicious for herself was very important for someone with a craving for food, like her! ### The next day, Wei Ruo was busily picking out sweet potato vines for propagation. Xiumei came back from outside, her face filled with anxiety: ¡°Miss, it¡¯s Brother Xiaoyong! The person arguing with a guard from the Military Prefect¡¯s residence is Brother Zhengyong!¡± Brother Zhengyong, as Xiumei referred to him, was Xu Zhengyong, the son of Wei Ruo¡¯s wet nurse, Xu¡¯s mother. ¡°Why are they arguing?¡± ¡°I heard from inside the gate. Xu¡¯s mother was sending letters to the guards at the gate for thest two days, wanting to see Miss, but they kept stopping her and sending her away. Out of frustration, Brother Zhengyong came on her behalf today, and ended up arguing with the guards, iming that they were submitting letters ording to the rules of the Military Prefecture, so why weren¡¯t they being delivered.¡± Sweating profusely out of anxiety, Xiumei eximed, ¡°I knew it! ording to the timings, Xu¡¯s mother should have arrived by now. It turns out her letters weren¡¯t even allowed in!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s go to the gate and see.¡± Wei Ruo put down the sweet potato vine in her hand, tidied herself a little, and led Xiumei towards the gate. When they arrived, she saw Xu Zhengyong, as expected, arguing with a guard from the Military Prefecture. A fourteen-year-old boy, his skin had been bronzed by the sun, and he was dressed like a farmhand. Because of the argument, his face was blushing, extending to his neck. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, the downcast young boy¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. He was about to call out to Wei Ruo, but remembered his mother¡¯s words. His mother had said that now, Miss Ruoruo was ady of the Military Prefecture, and was increasingly different from before. She asked him to be more careful in his words and actions, and to not cause any trouble for the youngdy. So Xu Zhengyong held back and didn¡¯t say anything. By the time Wei Ruo arrived, Wei Yichen was already at the gate. Seeing Wei Ruoing over, Wei Yichen said, ¡°You stay here. When there¡¯s amotion at home, caused by outsiders, you should not go out and watch.¡± ¡°He is my wet nurse¡¯s son.¡± Wei Ruo said. On hearing this, Wei Yichen furrowed his brows, and upon looking at the boy again at the gate, he understood. ¡°You can¡¯t see him, but if you want to see your wet nurse, I will help you arrange that.¡± ¡°Alright, then please try not to make it difficult for the guards.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Alright, I will.¡± With that, Wei Yichen turned and walked towards the gate. He exchanged a few words with the guards, and they let Xu Zhengyong go. Wei Yichen returned to the house and told Wei Ruo, ¡°I have spoken with him. His mother wille tomorrow. That boy is not young anymore, and he can¡¯t be frequenting the women¡¯s quarters of the backyard. Be careful when you meet him in the future.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°You should let Mother know about this. She won¡¯t stop you from seeing your wet nurse, but she should be informed about such matters in advance.¡± Wei Yichen spoke with heartfelt concern. ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Yichen looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s radiant face, and paused as if he wanted to say something more. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Wei Yichen thought for a moment and said, ¡°When you have some free time, spend it with Mother. Don¡¯t always stay in your own courtyard. She exempted you from the ritual greetings, but you can take the initiative to be closer with her. She would like it.¡± ¡°Well, it depends.¡± ¡°You should keep it in mind.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Wei Ruo neither refuted nor agreed, and walked back to Tingsong Garden with Xiumei. ### The next day, when Xu¡¯s mother came to the Military Prefecture again, the guards didn¡¯t stop her. They led her straight to Tingsong Garden. ¡°Miss!¡± Upon seeing Wei Ruo, Xu¡¯s mother was greatly moved. She carefully looked at Wei Ruo and soon her eyes turned red. ¡°Nurse, why are you crying? Isn¡¯t seeing me something to be happy about?¡± Wei Ruo approached her and used a handkerchief to wipe her tears. ¡°I am happy, very happy! I knew those people of the He Family were callous all along, it turns out they aren¡¯t your real parents! Now it¡¯s great, you found your actual parents, not only is your father of noble status, but he also loves you! Miss, your hardships are finally over, I am happy!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re happy, then smile; there¡¯s no need to cry.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t cry, I won¡¯t cry.¡± Wei Ruo wiped Xu¡¯s mother¡¯s tears, helping her to calm down. ¡°Look at me, I was so preupied with crying that I forgot the actual matter!¡± Hurriedly, Xu¡¯s mother opened the bundle, took out a small wooden box, and when opened, neatly arranged small silver ingots could be seen.. Chapter 17 - 17 Buying Land to Plant Sweet Potatoesl Chapter 17: Buying Land to nt Sweet Potatoesl Trantor: 549690339 Five taels for a small silver ingot, arranged in a line, five to each line, twoyers, a total of one hundred taels (sixteen taels to a pound, over six pounds). ¡°This is the profit from the past six months. As per the youngdy¡¯s instructions, all the whole numbers have been made into silver ingots and the change is kept in the ount.¡± Wei Ruo likes the hefty feel of silver, not the lightweight silver note, hence whenever the wet nurse brings in the shop¡¯s earnings, she always brings the weighty silver ingots. In addition to the silver, the wet nurse also brought the ount book for the shop¡¯s recent half-year. There are also baskets of dried mushrooms that have been sun-dried. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong thought the youngdy might not be used to the food here, so he specially brought some mushrooms that the youngdy likes. They¡¯re all sun-dried, some of them were cooked in the way the youngdy used to teach, all fried in oil and sealed in jars.¡± ¡°Wet nurse, thank you for your hard work, as well as Uncle Xu and Brother Xiaoyong, for making you travel such a long way with me.¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all!¡± eximed Xu¡¯s mother, ¡°I haven¡¯t had any hardship at all. I rode in a carriage all the way, not needing to travel on foot. I didn¡¯t even have to carry anything heavy, Dazhuang and Zhengyong did all the work.¡± A happy smile spread across Xu¡¯s mother¡¯s face. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Xu¡¯s mother continued: ¡°Being able to help the youngdy do things is the happiest thing. If it wasn¡¯t for helping the youngdy, I don¡¯t know how Dazhuang, Zhengyong and I would spend our days! I never even dared to dream that I could live such a life!¡± ¡°Have you arranged everything in Huaibei Town?¡± ¡°Dear girl, don¡¯t worry. I handed over the estate there to Old Qian, he¡¯s been on the farm for many years, you can trust him to manage things well. There¡¯s also someone looking after the house.¡± ¡°Have you moved all the things I asked you to move here?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Everything has been moved here, exactly three carts of sweet potatoes!¡± ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll tell you the next arrangement. I¡¯ve set my eyes on the Xiaoyang Mountain in the north of the city, you and Uncle Xu go negotiate, if the price is right, buy it and nt sweet potatoes on it; there are many fishermen in the city who have lost their livelihood due to the Japanese pirates, and some farmers who have been forced to beg due to poor harvests. You and Uncle Xu should check it out and the ones with good character who are willing to work hard, hire them as permanent workers.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll take my husband to the north of the city for a good inspection.¡± ¡°Then settle yourselves, find a decent house in the city. When you¡¯ve settled,e back to the Military Prefecture and give me the address so that I can keep in touch with you.¡± ¡°Yes, I got it, I¡¯ll take care of it when I get back.¡± Xu¡¯s mother agreed repeatedly. Xu¡¯s mother stayed in the Tingsong Garden for over an hour before leaving. While leaving, she passed Wei Qingwan¡¯s Wangmei Garden, seeing the uncultured woman hurrying away, Li Granny happily said to Wei Qingwan: ¡°Miss, the woman who just passed by is Miss Wei Ruo¡¯s wet nurse. I heard that her son made a fuss at the entrance of our Military Prefecture yesterday. Fortunately, the eldest son stopped it, otherwise it might have ended in aughable situation.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ As long as nothing happened¡­¡± Wei Qingwan murmured. ### After negotiating with the vige chief and elders of Yueying Vige, Xu¡¯s mother decided on a price of one thousand taels of silver. Then the wet nurse reported this result to Wei Ruo to make the decision. One thousand taels of silver was not a small sum for Wei Ruo. Several years ago, she was determined to start a business, but she was too young and had no way to do so, so she could only use her wits to earn some small amounts of money to improve her life in the countryside. It wasn¡¯t until she was ten that she officially started a business, but it was extremely difficult to start in such a society. Without connections or support, it was very hard work to stand firm. So far, she has only amassed just over two thousand taels of silver. One thousand taels of silver is equivalent to staking half of Wei Ruo¡¯s assets, if she fails, Wei Ruo¡¯s financial situation would have to be set back by two years. Wei Ruo felt there was no problem, she could take it directly, so the wet nurse and Uncle Xu took the initiative to buy Xiaoyang Mountain for one thousand taels of silver. This sum would be handed over to the vige chief of Yueying Vige for distribution ording to the share of each family. Xu Zhengyong also wandered around the city for a few days, selecting a few unemployed fishermen that fit Wei Ruo¡¯s description, and hired them as permanent workers. The permanent workers hired were seeing sweet potatoes as a crop for the first time. After the exnation by the Xu father and son, they realized that this crop has been widely nted in Huaibei Town and has received a good harvest. About the origin of this crop, the father and son unanimously im that it was brought back by a ship from Nanyang by chance, and its use was discovered after cultivation. Following this, the Xu father and son who have already had extensive experience inrge-scale sweet potato cultivation in Huaibei Town, led the permanent workers to start nting. You have to first bury the sweet potato in the ground, wait for it to grow vines, then cut down the vines for insertion. The three carts of sweet potatoes they brought from Huaibei Town can produce enough vines for insertion. The permanent workers quickly grasped the key to nting and got busy. The cost to maintain sweet potatoes on the hillside is much lower than the cost to maintain rice in terraced fields. The permanent workers couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. They originally thought that the employer hired just a few of them to manage a whole mountain of rice, just thinking about it was exhausting. Meanwhile, Xu¡¯s mother also found a suitable house for resettlement, not too far from the Military Prefecture, convenient formuting. After settling these, Xu¡¯s mother ran another trip to the Military Prefecture, handing over the contracts signed with the permanent workers and the deed to the house she bought to Wei Ruo. No matter what Wei Ruo said, the wet nurse held that these properties all belonged to Wei Ruo. They were just helping Wei Ruo with her work, and would be satisfied with some wages, not wanting a single penny more. Wei Ruo also gave a task to Xu¡¯s mother. ¡°Wet nurse, can you inquire about the wastnd south of the city for me? I heard that the Japanese pirates are mainly lurking around the eastern part of the city, the south should still be considered safe.¡± The wastnd to the south of the city? Isn¡¯t that a very poor piece ofnd? Thend by the sea can¡¯t grow crops. Whatever you nt there, dies.¡± ¡°Yes, it should be like that. If thend wasn¡¯t poor, it wouldn¡¯t be a wastnd.¡± This was within Wei Ruo¡¯s expectations. ¡°Why is the youngdy asking about that piece of wastnd?¡± Xu¡¯s mother asked curiously. ¡°First, you help me inquire. I might have a way to turn waste into treasure. If we can nt crops on saline-alkalind, we can save the cost of buying normal crops for me, hire more permanent workers, and the crops we grow can solve the problem of Xingshan County¡¯sck of grain that needs to be purchased from other ces inrge quantities. That way, more people can have enough to eat.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask as soon as I get back.¡± Although Xu¡¯s mother also felt that the idea of nting crops on saline-alkalind was a bit farfetched, she believed unconditionally in Wei Ruo. Over the years, the youngdy has repeatedly broken their preconceptions, making many things they originally thought impossible be possible.. Chapter 18 - 18 Must Leave 1 Chapter 18: Must Leave 1 Trantor: 549690339 I Unsure if it was due to Wei Ruo¡¯s frequent interactions with her wet nurse Mrs Yun called her over and said, ¡°Ruo Ruo, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re close with your wet nurse, but you must pay attention to propriety. It is not good for your reputation to be seen interacting so often.¡± ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t argue, she predicted that something like this would ur. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As the daughter of an official family, it was inappropriate for her to maintain a close rtionship with her former wet nurse. Fortunately, the messenger pigeons had already been arranged. From now on, most matters could bemunicated via the pigeons, and the wet nurse wouldn¡¯t need to run errands to the Military Prefecture all the time. Mrs. Yun nodded with satisfaction and continued, ¡°Ruo Ruo, due to the current tension of the war, the Magistrate¡¯s wife is organising a group prayer at Huafa Temple for the soldiers on the battlefield tomorrow. You will apany me there.¡± ¡°Do I have to? Can I not go?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Ruo Ruo, don¡¯t you like to travel? Why don¡¯t you want to go?¡± ¡°I do like traveling, but I dislike social activities, and I¡¯m not good at them ¡± Wei Ruo confessed. The thought of mingling with arge group of Madams and their daughters was draining. Mrs. Yun¡¯s voice grew heavier, ¡°Ruo Ruo, you¡¯re not the girl you used to be these social activities are inevitable. More importantly, I have been talking with the Magistrate¡¯s wife, hoping that you and Wanwan can go to study at the magistrate¡¯s office together with the other girls. This time, it¡¯s good for you to go with me, to let the Magistrate¡¯s wife get to know you and dispel any doubts they have about you.¡± Although Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t specify the doubts, Wei Ruo already assumed that it rted to the fear of her being too crude to qualify to study together with the other youngdies. ¡°Mother, do you think I can dispel their doubts? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I might not project myself properly?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Ruo Ruo, you¡¯ve been doing very welltely. Although you still need some improvement, I am already very satisfied. Just remember not to mention the switch with Wanwan to anyone. Simply say that you¡¯ve been staying in the countryside due to your frail health and only recently returned to your parents This would be for you and Wanwan¡¯s best interest.¡± Mrs. Yun advised. ¡°Do I really have to go?¡± ¡°Yes, you must,¡± Mrs. Yun insisted. ¡°Ruo Ruo, listen to me. You have to adapt to these things sooner orter.¡± Wei Ruo sighed, resigned herself to this arrangement, ¡°Alright.¡± In the original book, Mrs. Yun wasn¡¯t keen to take the original host initially but the original host insisted, and finally Mrs. Yun gave in to her nagging. ¡¯ Now, however, the situation was reversed. Wei Ruo was reluctant to go, while Mrs. Yun was determined to bring her along. Wei Ruo found it amusing. What happened? Why did things still end up as they did in the original plot? Wei Ruo remembered that in the original book, this prayer event was a major incident. Firstly, as the supporting actress, her inappropriate behaviour during the event became theughing stock of all the Madams and their daughters, causing much embarrassment to Mrs. Yun. Second, the female lead, Wei Qingwan, met the male lead for the first time at Huafa Temple where the prayer was conducted. With these thoughts in mind, Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden. ¡°Xiumei, check our belongings. See if we still have dried sweet potato and sweet potato chips.¡± Xiumei promptly found the dried sweet potato and the chips, and brought a small bag of each. ¡°Are you craving for them, miss?¡± ¡°No, I n to bring some with me tomorrow when I apany mother to visit Huafa Temple. Find me two satin brocade bags, the ones that can be closed with a drawstring.¡± ¡°Miss, are you afraid of getting hungry on the road?¡± Xiumei curiously asked. ¡°No, I have other ns.¡± Wei Ruo said with a sly smile. Since she could not avoid going out, then so be it. However, she shouldn¡¯t make the trip for nothing and must benefit from it somehow. ### Wei Qingwan of Wangmei Garden quickly heard the news that Wei Ruo would also be apanying Mrs. Yun to Huafa Temple. ¡°Did mother voluntarily decide to take my sister?¡± Wei Qingwan asked Madam Li. ¡°Yes, Madam suggested it first, saying that it¡¯s time for Miss Wei Ruo toe out, and tomorrow would be a great opportunity.¡± ¡°So soon¡­¡± Wei Qingwan murmured, lowering her head. Miss, don t be upset, it was bound to happen sooner orter.¡± Madam Li consoled. ¡°I know it was bound to happen, I just didn¡¯t expect it toe so quickly¡­¡± Wei Qingwan looked disheartened. If Mother initiated it, which means she has epted Wei Ruo, it indicates that Wei Ruo has met the standards of a well-bred youngdy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss. This may not necessarily be a good thing for Miss Wei Ruo She could be theughing stock of the entire Xingshan County if she makes a mistake or an embarrassment in front of all the Madams and their daughters.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wish for my sister to be aughing stock either, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± Wei Qingwan mumbled. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re thinking, Miss, but whether Miss Wei Ruo would make a fool of herself is not for you to decide. It¡¯s up to her own upbringing. That s something she has no control over either.¡± ¡°If possible, I hope that she will handle herself well tomorrow and not make a fool of us or the Military Prefecture.¡± Wei Qingwan murmured. ¡°Miss, you are too kind.¡± Madam Li said helplessly. ¡°As long as Mother doesn¡¯t dislike me, I don¡¯t mind whatever my sister does.¡± ¡°No, Madam loves you the most.¡± After beingforted by Madam Li, Wei Qingwan felt much better. After drinking her calming tea, she went to bed. ### The next day, as per Mrs. Yun¡¯s request, Wei Ruo dressed up. She wore a pale yellow bodice, a mint green overskirt, and a dark green underskirt. Her hair was done in the currently fashionable style. Her look was fresh and lively. Since her time at the Wei Residence, this was Wei Ruo¡¯s first time dressing up properly. She felt morefortable wearing her usual lightweight attire and doing up her hair in the practical style of a country woman to facilitate work. Several times, when Mrs. Yun wanted her to change into the clothes prepared for her, Wei Ruo politely declined on the grounds that her unrefined clothes were convenient for her activities. Looking at the dressed-up Wei Ruo, Mrs. Yun showed a satisfied smile, ¡°Ruo Ruo, you look really nice when you dress up.¡± Mrs.. Yun noticed the exquisite set of food boxes in Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°What are you carrying, Ruo Ruo?¡± Chapter 19 - 19 First Outing_l Chapter 19: First Outing_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Pack some snacks, in case you get hungry,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Upon hearing this, Lady Yun raised her eyebrows slightly and exined to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, today we will have a vegetarian meal in the Huafa Temple after our prayers, so you will not go hungry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just snacks, it won¡¯t affect the main meal. In case any otherdies get hungry along the way, I can share with them.¡± Hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation and seeing the delicately adorned food container that would not cause embarrassment if shown in public, Lady Yun refrained from saying anything else. She just requested the maid Cuiping to take care of the food container during the mountain trip. To control the number of people traveling together, besides the apanying coachman and guards, only Lady Yun brought along maid Cuiping. Neither Wei Ruo nor Wei Qingwan brought their maids. Wei Qingwan also arrived at the entrance, immediately spotting the well-dressed Wei Ruo. Astonishment shed in her eyes for a moment, however, she quickly turned her face away. Wei Ruo paid no attention to Wei Qingwan as her mind was preupied with thoughts of farming and making money. Distractedly following Lady Yun into the carriage, Wei Ruo looked out the carriage window, her mind far away. Lady Yun, seeing her half-awake demeanor, didn¡¯t say anything. Turning to Wei Qingwan, she said, ¡°Wanwan, climbing up the Huafa Temple mountain to pray today requires trekking by foot. I¡¯m worried your body might not be up to it.¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Whether I canplete it or not, I will try my best. Every step I take, it¡¯s all for praying blessings for father and the soldiers. I hope they can be victorious in every encounter with the Japanese pirates and return safely. I also hope that the Japanese pirates can be driven away soon, so that Xingshan County can return to peace.¡± ¡°Your father would be very happy knowing that you care like this,¡± Lady Yun said. ¡°Our father and soldiers are defending the country, fighting bravely, shedding blood and sweat. The least I can do is climb a hill to pray. It is notparable to their sacrifices.¡± Watching Wei Qingwan¡¯s well-behaved and understanding manner, Lady Yun inevitably revealed a warm smile, her gaze exceedingly gentle. Her daughter was full of wisdom, gentle yet pleasant, disying filial piety, and was simply impable. Thinking about the uing meeting with the other nobledies, her mood became especially good. Wanwan was always the one receiving the mostpliments on such asions. Everyone has a sense of vanity, and Lady Yun was no exception. Having her daughter being praised was undoubtedly a joyous asion for her. However, today¡¯s situation might be a bit different¡­ She looked at Wei Ruo, who was lost in thought by the window, and couldn t help feeling a little worried. She didn¡¯t expect Ruoruo to be as outstanding and praised as Wanwan, she just hoped she wouldn¡¯t cause any troubles. Although she had expressed her full confidence in Wei Ruo the day before when Wei Ruo asked her, she couldn¡¯t help worrying as soon as it was time to leave. The carriage set out from the Military Prefecture, heading north across the city. The first half of the journey followed the same path that Wei Ruo took during her previous inspection trip. After leaving the city, the carriage turned onto a country road, following the path to Fairy Mountain. By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, the carriage stopped. Lady Yun and Wei Qingwan disembarked from the carriage, followed by Wei Ruo leisurely stepping out. When they arrived, the wives of the magistrate, the county magistrate, the chief clerk, and the other youngdies of various families were already there. Everyone was waiting at the foot of the mountain. Upon their arrival, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to them, as rumors had spread that another daughter had joined the Wei household. Everyone was somewhat curious about Wei Ruo, who had just been brought back to the Wei family. As soon as Wei Ruo alighted from the carriage, she felt many eyes on her. Unfazed, Wei Ruo let them look at her without showing any signs of embarrassment or evasion, because she knew it was inevitable. These people were bound to satisfy their curiosity. The nobledies and young girls found Wei Ruo different from what they had imagined. Her graceful figure and delicate skin were even more exquisite than those of the young noble girls who had been raised in rtive seclusion. If the Wei family didn¡¯t mention it, they would never have thought that Wei Ruo had lived in the countryside before this. As Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan stood there, one was beautiful and graceful, the other was charming and cute. Speaking in terms of appearances, they indeed outshone the other noble girls present. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Some were astonishing and some were disappointing. Those who were anticipating disgrace for the Wei family were disappointed. The wife of the Magistrate approached Lady Yun with her daughter Qian Caisang, and greeted her, ¡°Lady Wei, you are truly enviable. Your two daughters are both exceptional. Are you not giving the rest of us any chances?¡± Lady Yunughed and replied, ¡°Lady Qian, you¡¯re too ttering. How could my two daughterspare to yours? I remember Wanwan telling me that your daughter¡¯s poetry has been highly praised by Master Fu. Master Fu rarelypliments anyone¡¯s poetry. This is unique for Miss Qian!¡± Master Fu was the most prestigious female schr in Xingshan County, currently teaching a few nobledies in the magistrate¡¯s office. Lady Qian¡¯s face was full of smiles, ¡°She just has a little bit of cleverness! Although she said that her daughter was just a little clever, the smile was genuinely heartfelt, it was apparent that Lady Yun¡¯s words had touched her. Following her was the wife of the County Magistrate and the wife of the Chief Clerk, both greeting Lady Yun. Seeing that all the familiardies were present, Lady Yun asked Lady Qian, who was in charge of today¡¯s activities, ¡°Lady Qian, who are we waiting for?¡± ¡°We are waiting for the wife and daughter of the Xie family from the north of the city,¡± answered Lady Qian. The Xie family was a reputable family in Taizhou prefecture, known for theirmitment to farming and studying. The family had produced two schrs in thest twenty years. The father-inw of Lady Xie was one of them. He currently held an office in the capital with a rank of fifth ss. Rumor had it that he was highly regarded by the Emperor and was likely to be promoted to fourth ss soon. Upon hearing that it was the Xie family they were waiting for, everyone refrained from voicing any objections. After a short while, the carriage from the Xie family arrived. Two individuals disembarked, they were indeed Lady Xie and her daughter Xie Ying. Unlike the other youngdies who descended from the carriage with the help of their maids, Xie Ying jumped straight out. This bold action was exceptional among the youngdies present. ¡°Be careful,¡± said the indulgent and helpless Lady Xie. Her daughter was excessively spoiled by her grandfather and her husband. Meanwhile, Xie Ying had already run forward. Lady Xie stepped forward and greeted Lady Yun and Lady Qian, ¡°I am sorry for making you all wait. My little Ying is somewhat frivolous. She was intrigued by a magician we encountered on the way, and refused to continue. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter at all. Children are always curious, it¡¯s perfectly normal,¡± Lady Qian answered with a smile. Lady Xie looked towards Wei Ruo. All the other faces were familiar to her as she had seen them many times before, but it was her first time meeting Wei Ruo. With a smile, Lady Xie said to her, ¡°Lady Wei¡¯s eldest daughter is so charming and beautiful, truly a worthy daughter of Lady Wei. She has indeed inherited the good attributes of both her parents..¡± Chapter 20 - 20: Dried Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Chipsi Chapter 20: Dried Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Chipsi Trantor: 549690339 Madam Yun smilingly said, ¡°Thank you for your praise, Madam Xie. This child has suffered a lot over the years. I do not seek excellence for her. My hope is that she is able to live a stable and peaceful life in the future.¡± After exchanging formalities, they noticed that everyone had assembled. The Magistrate¡¯s wife announced they would start the journey. The order of the procession was considered carefully. At the very forefront was Madam Xie and Miss Xie, followed by Madam Yun, Wei Ruo, and Wei Qingwan. Next were Madam Qian and Miss Qian, trailing behind were the County Magistrate, the Principal Secretary, and other local, influential women of Xingshan County. Among the women, if reverence was based on the rank of their husbands, Madam Yun¡¯s would have been the highest. The magistrate held the seventh rank, Wei Mingting the sixth; as for Madam Xie¡¯s husband, he was only a schr yet to receive a specific assignment. However, everyone knew about the present circumstances of Wei Mingting, and the Xie Family happened to be enjoying a phase of prosperity. Thus, in an unusual twist, Madam Xie led the processional. Today¡¯s journey was for the purpose of prayer, valuing a sincere heart. Thus, at the proposal of the Magistrate¡¯s wife, everyone climbed the mountain by foot, walking all 999 steps from the foot of the hill to the front of the temple. Wei Ruo followed behind Madam Yun at an unhurried pace. Whatever speed the others moved at, she matched. If they stopped to rest, she too would pause. She endeavored not to stand out or to provoke controversy. Leading the way was Xie Ying, striding ahead, creating a considerable distance of twenty or thirty steps between her and the others. Madam Xie was not able to recall her. The pace of the rest was not fast, they would walk awhile and stop to rest. Stop and go, after more than half an hour they finally arrived in front of the Huafa Temple. The chief monk, apanied by his disciples, was already waiting to receive them at the entrance. After exchanging pleasantries with the chief monk, they entered the temple. Since the Magistrate¡¯s wife had already made arrangements with the temple master, Huafa Temple did not receive any other pilgrims today, only epting this group of women rtives, so the interior was quite empty, undisturbed by others. Upon entering the main hall, they began to light incense and kneel in worship. Wei Ruo slipped between the crowd, lighting a set of incense sticks. Kneeling on mats, half the day passed while they listened to the scriptures. At noon, everyone nned to stay at the temple to partake in a vegetarian lunch. While waiting for the food, they sat in the dining hall, sipping tea provided by the temple. Having climbed the nine hundred and ny-nine steps and exerting a great deal of physical strength, added to the fact that it was now noon, they all felt their bellies rumble with hunger. However, Huafa Temple was strict about meal timings. They would only serve food at noon. As everyone naturally didn¡¯t want to break the rules, they waited restlessly in the dining hall. At this time, Wei Ruo brought out the dried sweet potatoes she had prepared and shared with everyone to taste. Observing the object Wei Ruo produced, a group of women rtives exhibited curious and puzzled expressions because they had not seen the likes of this before. Conversely, upon sighting what Wei Ruo pulled out, Madam Yun grew anxious. She assumed that Wei Ruo had broughtmon pastries, and since everyone was indeed hungry at this moment, her gesture of distributing the pastries would have been harmless. Discovering that Wei Ruo produced something unfamiliar, she grew worried. At this moment, it was toote for Madam Yun to hinder Wei Ruo as the items had already reached the hands of every Madam and Miss present. Wei Qingwan nced at Wei Ruo then at the food she had produced, sharing the same confusion as others. However, she refrained from speaking, sitting quietly beside Madam Yun, observing others¡¯ reactions. ¡°What is this, Miss Wei?¡± Madam Qian asked first. ¡°This is dried sweet potato, made from a nt called sweet potato,¡± Wei Ruo patiently exined. ¡°Sweet potato? What type of crop is it?¡± It¡¯s a new crop, identally brought by a merchant ship from Nanyang. It has already been nted extensively in Huzhou Prefecture, with many farmers starting to cultivate it.¡± ¡°Really? Is that so?¡± Madam Qian looked at the reddish-brown, shiny dried sweet potato in her hand while expressing astonished confusion. The other women were equally curious. Wei Ruo then took a piece of dried sweet potato and ate it in front of everyone. With Wei Ruo taking the lead, Madam Qian hesitantly had a taste. The dried sweet potato was transparent and jelly-like, soft and sweet, though simply prepared, it retained the unique vor of sweet potatoes. Everyone else began to try the new ¡°pastry¡± Wei Ruo brought, upon observing this. The taste is great,¡± Madam Qianplimented. The other women started singing praises following suit. I have another kind of snack made from sweet potatoes, please try them as well.¡± Wei Ruo took out another brocade bag from her food box and undid the drawstring, allowing everyone to see clearly what was inside. It was sweet potato chips. The sweet potatoes were peeled, steamed, mashed into a puree, mixed with cooked sesame seeds, spread out into a thinyer on a mould, and then left under the sun for several days. After drying, they were cut into small pieces to form sweet potato chips, simr to potato chips in shape and texture. The former was soft and sweet, while thetter was exceptionally crispy, broke easily upon a light bite, but with a stronger vor. ¡°Is this also made using the sweet potato you mentioned?¡± Madam Xie asked curiously. Yes, it is made of sweet potato, but the processing method is different,¡± Wei Ruo exined. After the introduction, Wei Ruo distributed the sweet potato chips for everyone to taste. Having experienced the dried sweet potato, everyone no longer hesitated and began to taste immediately upon receiving them. ¡°This also tastes pretty good,¡± Madam Qianmented. ¡°I like this more, it¡¯s crispy and fragrant,¡± The usually silent Xie Ying suddenly piped up, expressing her preference for the sweet potato chips. Madam Xieughed, ¡°My Yingying rarely says she likes certain foods. Miss Wei¡¯s sweet potato chips seem to be exactly to my Yingying¡¯s taste.¡± With the words of Madam Qian and Madam Xie, other women of high birth also began topliment Wei Ruo¡¯s sweet potato products in session. Their approval was exactly the result Wei Ruo desired. Her sweet potatoes had already been nted, waiting to mature and for local sales to begin. To sell a type of food that hadn¡¯t been seen before in a ce, it was essential to establish a foothold in the market and set a marketing strategy first. Today, Wei Ruo brought the dried sweet potato and sweet potato chips to share with everyone, for this very purpose. As long as thesedies representing the local upper ss of Xingshan County epted the food, she would not worry about her sweet potato sales in the future. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Madam Yun¡¯s anxious heart fell with the praise of everyone. Wei Qing Wan had a strange feeling she couldn¡¯t describe, she just felt a lump in her chest, which made her feel a bit suffocated. While chatting andughing, the monks of the temple served up the vegetarian meals. After having lunch together, the wives were going to the hall with the chief monk to recite prayers for blessings. Due to the tedious process of reciting the sutras, only the Madams were arranged to participate. The young girls had their time to wander and rest in the temple. After maintaining formality for half the day, they could finally rx and move around freely. Some of the familiar people formed groups to find ces to y. Wei Ruo nned to find a corner by herself, but Wei Qing Wan followed her, ¡°Sister, where would you like to go?¡± Chapter 21 - 21 The Original Plot is Disrupted_l Chapter 21: The Original Plot is Disrupted_l N?v(el)B\\jnn Trantor: 549690339 ¡°You don¡¯t have to bother about me. Go and y with the other girls. Do what you have to do.¡± ¡°But, mother asked me to spend more time with you.¡± ¡°No need, no need. I can just find a corner and sit by myself.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts!¡± After Wei Ruo finished speaking, she didn¡¯t wait for Wei Qingwan to respond and ran away. Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t catch up with Wei Ruo, feeling dejected. She couldn¡¯t understand what Wei Ruo meant and vaguely sensed that Wei Ruo really doesn¡¯t like her, hence avoiding her. Wei Ruo was not in the mood to care about what Wei Qingwan was thinking, and after shaking her off, she started to find her way. Firstly, she absolutely must avoid the zen chambers at the back. The male lead was currently residing in the zen chambers behind Huafa Temple. To receive the female rtives today, the Huafa Temple did not receive any other pilgrims. However, the male lead, who was staying in the zen chambers behind the hill, was an exception. He had already moved in a few days ago, and because of his special identity, the temple didn¡¯t inform Madam Qian and the others in advance to maintain his secrecy. Under normal circumstances, the zen chamber was on the hill behind the temple and it was some distance away from the main building of the temple. The female visitors to the temple would be unlikely to encounter it. But what if the author wants the female lead and the male lead to meet? Then she, this cannon fodder female supporting character, would y her role in stirring up trouble. The original character was not well received, and she was embarrassed in public. Hearing others praise Wei Qingwan deepened her feelings ofparison and hurt. Moreover, the original character felt that what Wei Qingwan has now originally belonged to her, which intensified her anger. So the jealousy-filled and angry original character deliberately took Wei Qingwan to the back hill intending to find a quiet ce to seek revenge on her. But then the male lead who was residing in the Zen dormitory of the back hill rescued her. The hero saved the beauty, schrs and beauties, and a wonderful story thus unfolded. This plot, how should I put it¡­ It could only be said that it was very appropriate for the cannon fodder female supporting character. Her methods of revenge were both clumsy and pale. And now, Wei Ruo has two things to do: First, to avoid Wei Qingwan, not to be with her. Wei Ruo will not intentionally hurt Wei Qingwan but in case the plot tries to stir up trouble, Wei Ruo has decided it would be better to not even see her. Second, to avoid the male lead, in the original novel, the original character died at the hands of the male lead in the end. Even though Wei Qingwan, as the innocent and pure-hearted female lead, always remained gracious and kind, the male lead is not the same. He would never be merciful towards a female supporting character who tried to hurt his beloved. After wandering around, Wei Ruo finally chose to sit under a ginkgo tree behind the Guanyin Hall. The trunk of the ginkgo tree was sturdy; even a few Wei Ruos together couldn¡¯t wrap their arms around it. In spring, the ginkgo tree was filled with green fan-shaped leaves. The small fans hanging from the branches of the tree looked attractive. Wei Ruo sat down leaning against the ginkgo tree trunk, closed her eyes to rest. The sunshine was just right, and the shade under the tree was cool. A gentle breeze blew, making it an ideal ce for a nap. ¡°Why are you sitting here alone?¡± A voice suddenly appeared, interrupting Wei Ruo¡¯s daydreaming. ¡°Daydreaming.¡± Wei Ruo looked at Xie Ying and then closed her eyes again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to y with them?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to y. I¡¯m not interested in what they¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Then what are you interested in?¡± Xie Ying asked again. One question after another forced Wei Ruo to open her eyes and face Xie Ying directly. The little girl was about the same age as her current body, her face was delicate and plump, and there was a heroic spirit between her eyebrows. -Why is Miss Xie so curious about me?¡± Wei Ruo was puzzled. This Miss Xie should be quite popr, why did she not go and y with the others and instead run to her to ask questions? ¡°No, I¡¯m not interested in you. I¡¯m interested in the ce where you¡¯re sitting now.¡± ¡°The ce where I am sitting?¡± ¡°This ginkgo tree is my chosen ce for some peace and quiet, which you¡¯ve upied. If you are not particrly fond of this ce, would you be able to give up this spot for me? I want to sit here alone for a while. Of course, if you promise not to disturb me, I can also allow you to stay here. Turns out they¡¯re birds of a feather! Wei Ruo smiled and said, ¡°I quite like sitting here too. I won¡¯t disturb you, we can each lie on one side. Look how thick the trunk of this ginkgo tree is, one person on each side can¡¯t even see the other. ¡°Sure then.¡± Xie Ying epted Wei Ruo¡¯s proposal, went to the other side of the ginkgo tree and sat down. Separated by the trunk, on either side, neither disturbed the other. After an unknown period of time, a sudden noise drifted towards them, waking up the two lounging girls under the ginkgo tree. Wei Ruo and Xie Ying both lifted their heads and peeped out to look at each other. Their expressions were almost the same, containing a hint of grogginess from just waking up, and a trace of hesitation. Hesitant about whether they should go check it out. ¡°What do you think happened over there?¡± Xie Ying asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Do you think we should go over?¡± Wei Ruo asked Xie Ying. -Why don¡¯t we just lie down? Even if anything has happened, it probably has nothing to do with us,¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s lie down,¡± Wei Ruo agreed. The two were surprisingly in sync ¨C both wanting to loiter. And so, they bothy down again. Wei Ruo and Xie Ying rested peacefully leaning against the ginkgo tree, oblivious to the chaos that had erupted up ahead. The two people who were involved in the incident were Wei Qingwan and Magistrate¡¯s daughter Qian Zhn. After being ditched by Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan found Qian Zhn, who she got along with quite well. As the Magistrate¡¯s daughter, Qian Zhn usually looked down upon other girls from Xingshan County. The assistants and county magistrates were all subordinate to her father, and only Wei Qingwan¡¯s family held a position simr to her father¡¯s. She admired Xie Ying, but Xie Ying didn¡¯t like her in return and didn¡¯t y with her. Wei Qingwan and Qian Zhn walked around the temple admiring the scenery. At first, they just strolled around the temple, but the Huafa Temple in Xingshan County was not thatrge, so it didn¡¯t take them long to finish their tour. That was when Qian Zhn spotted a quiet path through a small door on the west side of the temple and pulled Wei Qingwan along to check it out. After walking for a while, they discovered a zen chamber ahead, with blooming flowers and lush trees in front of it, creating a pleasant scene. The scene perfectly matched the verse from the poem: a winding path leading to a secluded, quiet spot, with a Zen room immersed in deep foliage. Qian Zhn then pulled Wei Qingwan towards the zen chamber. When they approached, a man dressed as a servant scolded them and told them they were not allowed near it. Qian Zhn revealed her identity and warned the man that they had exclusively booked the Huafa Temple for the day, and that the man, an idle person, was not allowed in, ordering him to leave at once. But the man ignored her, prompting Qian Zhn to drag Wei Qingwan back to find her mother, and exaggeratedly described how they had found idlers near the zen chamber in the back. On hearing from her daughter that there was a suspicious-looking man, Madam Qian swiftly sent people to search the area around the zen chamber, causing a big stir. Upon hearing of Madam Qian¡¯s actions, the Abbot of the temple rushed over to stop them and revealed a shocking piece of news to everyone.. Chapter 22 - 22 Why Didn’t You Stay with Wanwanl Chapter 22: Why Didn¡¯t You Stay with Wanwanl Trantor: 549690339 The abbot revealed that a VIP was staying in the Zen room and Qian Zhn and Wei Qingwan had run into his attendant. Although the man¡¯s identity was not directly stated, the abbot had mentioned the character ¡®Chu¡¯. ¡®Chu¡¯ was the surname of the current imperial family. With the conversation going this far, could anyone still not understand? Upon learning that her daughter had offended a highly ced rtive of the emperor, Madame Qian and Madame Yun were both very nervous. Especially Madame Yun, whose husband was already facing the risk of being dismissed for ineffective fighting against pirates. If, during this critical moment, they would to offend a VIP, his official country hat would not be saved! After some consideration, Madame Qian sternly reprimanded her daughter in front of everyone, ming her for being reckless. Qian Zhn, usually spoiled at home, and who usually got whatever she wanted in front of others, felt both angry and aggrieved at being scolded by Madame Qian. In such a situation, she could only retract her neck and obediently take the rebuke. Now that Madame Qian had spoken, Madame Yun could not stay silent and followed in scolding Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan felt extremely wronged. All she did was walk with Qian Zhn, how did that offend a VIP? Moreover, the person intending to visit the Zen room was Qian Zhn, and the person who had a conflict with the VIP¡¯s attendant was also Qian Zhn. She clearly did nothing! Wei Ruo and Xie Ying did not return to the dining hall until things had settled down. After hearing about what had happened from others, Wei Ruo was surprised. Unexpectedly, even without her, the secondary female character, ying a trick, Wei Qingwan still ended up going to the back-mountain Zen room. However, the person apanying her was different, the incidents were different, and the results were different. In the original story, the person sent back by the male lead¡¯s attendant and chastised by Madame Yun was her. Wei Qingwan, on the other hand, was sent back by the male lead¡¯s servants without rming anyone, and nobody knew about their meeting. Did the master staying in the Zen room not have feelings after seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s beautiful and refreshing face? Or was it that, without her being bullied and appearing helpless and weak, this would not arouse the protection desire of the main male lead? These were all spections that Wei Ruo had in a few short seconds, as for what the male lead in the Zen room was thinking, Wei Ruo did not know for now. Wei Ruo felt neither joy nor sorrow about Wei Qingwan being reprimanded. As long as it had nothing to do with her, she was happy. She refused to take responsibility for things she did not do. As for how the male and female leads would develop their love story, it had nothing to do with her anymore. Wei Qingwan stood behind Madame Yun with her head down, when she heard Wei Ruo¡¯s voice, she looked up for a moment, after seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s clear, cheerful, and lively appearance, she felt even more suffocated and depressed. Then she lowered her head again. Because of this unexpected incident, no one was in the mood to pray anymore. They hurriedly ended today¡¯s outing, everyone then descended the mountain, and returned to their respective homes. On the way back, Madame Yun looked at her two daughters in front of her, feeling mixed emotions. She had initially thought that the one who might be embarrassed today was Ruo, but it turned out to be the other way around. Wei Qingwan seemed to sense Madame Yun¡¯s disappointment in her, and tears that she had restrained for a long time fell from her eyes drop by drop. Seeing this, Madame Yun quicklyforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. When you cry, my heart hurts like it¡¯s being cut by a knife.¡± ¡°Mother, I really didn¡¯t do anything or say anything¡­¡± Wei Qingwan defended herself with grievance. ¡°Mother knows, mother knows¡­ It¡¯s just that under such circumstances, I couldn¡¯t me everything on Miss Qian.¡± ¡°I was originally going with sister today, but sister didn¡¯t want me to go with her. She ran away, I couldn¡¯t catch up. I met Zhn when I was looking for sister, Zhn said she wanted to go sightseeing around, so I went with her¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Madame Yun looked at Wei Ruo sitting in the corner of the carriage. ¡°Ruo, why didn¡¯t you want to go with Qingwan?¡± There was a hint of me in her tone. After all, if Wei Ruo had gone with Wei Qingwan, there wouldn¡¯t have been subsequent events. Wei Qingwan wouldn¡¯t have suffered such an undeserved cmity. Wei Ruo: ¡°I am not familiar with thesedies, I can¡¯t read or write, and I can¡¯t participate in their games. I don¡¯t want to show my ipetence and disgrace the Wei family. But Wanwan is familiar with them, I can¡¯t be so selfish as to think only about myself and not let Wanwan y with them. As for why Wanwan encountered Miss Qian and why that incident happened, I had no idea.¡± Wei Ruo sighed, ¡°If I had known this would happen, I would have been better off not going today. Perhaps if I didn¡¯t go, Wanwan¡¯s ymate today wouldn¡¯t have been Miss Qian, right? It could have been someone else. I wonder who among them Wanwan gets along with the best?¡± Madame Yun was startled¡­ if Wei Ruo did not go, the person who gets along best with Wanwan would still be Miss Qian. In this way, putting the me on Ruo for Wanwan¡¯s going to the back-mountain with Miss Qian seemed inappropriate. So, Madame Yun corrected herself: ¡°Mother is not ming you. Mother is just afraid that for some reason you are unwilling to go with your sister.¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Yes, I know mother cares for us.¡± Wei Ruo agreed. Wei Qingwan cried all the way, and it was only when they were almost home that she stopped crying. Upon returning to Wangmei Garden and hearing that Wei Qingwan had been wronged, both Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin came to visit her. Upon seeing Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin, Wei Qingwan¡¯s newly retracted tears started falling again. Upon hearing the ins and outs of the incident, Wei Yichen also thought Wei Qingwan was wronged. The person who caused the incident was Miss Qian. Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t speak a word, yet was implicated for no reason. Wei Yilin irritably asked, ¡°Why wasn¡¯t that Wei¡­ that older sister with you? If she was with you, wouldn¡¯t this have not happened?¡± Wei Qingwan just cried without saying a word. Wei Yichen said, ¡°Yilin, at this moment, Wanwan is innocent, but Ruo is also innocent. If she hadn¡¯t gone today, would the incident still not have happened? How can the incident be med on her?¡± ¡°But older sister herself sought her out to y. How could she just abandon older sister?¡± Wei Yilin countered. ¡°Ruo might still not be used to it. Today was her first time apanying mother out, you can¡¯t demand so much of her.¡± Wei Yichen exined. Wei Yilin lowered his head and remained silent. Wei Yichen then spoke to Wei Qingwan, ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t be sad. Mother knows you are innocent. The things she said about you in front of outsiders was only due to the presence of the Qian family. Don¡¯t take this matter to heart.¡± Wei Qingwan shook her head, ¡°Big Brother, it¡¯s not because I have been wronged that makes me sad. I am worried because this incident has annoyed those important people and may harm Father¡­ My parents have treated me so well, if I caused them harm, I would never forgive myself.¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s heart ached, ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen. If something does happen, it¡¯s not your fault, but the trick of fate.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Big Brother is right, sister, you must not me yourself or feel sad over such things.¡± Wei Yilin concurred. Wei Qingwan sobbed for a long time before she could restrain herself. Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin stayed with Wei Qingwan for a while. When they saw that her mood had eased, they left.. Chapter 23 - 23: The Wasteland South of the Citv 1 Chapter 23: The Wastnd South of the Citv 1 Trantor: 549690339???????????? y¡ª The situation of the wastnd to the south of the city was exined in a letter by the wet nurse to Wei Ruo, indicating thatnd belonged to no one and was byw the property of the Government Office. If themon people wanted to cultivate it, they would require approval from the government. In the past, the magistrate of Xingshan County did not object to the remation of ordinary wastnds, and the wastnd to the south was even more unimed, given it wasnd that most people did not want. If someone had the guts to dare to till a barren piece ofnd where no crops would grow, they had no reason to disagree. However, the current situation is different due to the ravages of the Japanese Pirates. Although the southward direction of the city is less likely to be affected by the pirates due to its strategic geographical advantage, making it a hundred times safer than the east of the city, there are still risks involved, hence the Government Office is not very keen on allowing ordinary residents to exit the southern gate of the city. Themon people can¡¯t get thatnd at all, as the Government Office won¡¯t permit it. If the Military Prefecture made a request, would this situation change? Although Wei Ruo did not want to have overt involvement with the Military Prefecture in such matters, the image of emaciated beggars she saw on the street gued her mind from time to time. In addition, during these days, she was beginning to understand the plight of Xingshan County. While natural disasters and human suffering might not have affected the Military Prefecture significantly, it was themon people at the bottom of society who deeply felt the bitter effects. She knew that if the matter could be resolved, she would be able to help some people within her power. Although she could not assist everyone, every individual she could help meant a saved life! Moreover, she was indeed eager to experiment with improving saline-alkali soil. After much reflection, Wei Ruo decided to visit Yun, who lived in Cangyun Garden. Yun had just finished checkingst month¡¯s ount books with the shopkeeper. Just as the shopkeeper exited, Wei Ruo entered. ¡°Ruo, howe you¡¯re here today? Wait a moment, let your mom finish dealing with these ount books,¡± Yun said without consciously avoiding Wei Ruo, not realizing that Wei Ruo might understand the content of the books. Wei Ruo was patient and stood by, scanning the contents of the ount book Yun was handling. After browsing a few pages, she realized the shop was running at a loss. Unsurprisingly, the Wei Family had been falling on hard times for the past two years. Crop failure in the rural properties had led to corresponding losses in the shops. After a while, Yun finished going through the remaining ount books, put them all away, and invited Wei Ruo to sit down next to her. ¡°Ruo, did youe to see me with a specific matter in mind?¡± Yun inquired. It had been over a month since Wei Ruo returned to the Wei Family, and this was only the second time she had sought Yun out. The first time, it was because she wanted to visit the rural property north of the city. Therefore, Yun was convinced that Wei Ruo must have some request this time too. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve heard that the yields from our family¡¯s rural properties have not been good these past two years. The crops produced aren¡¯t even sufficient for our own consumption,¡± Wei Ruo said. Upon hearing this, Yun¡¯s visibly paused; obviously, she had not expected Wei Ruo to say this. After a slight sigh, she responded, ¡°This is not something you need to worry about. I wonder which servant has been speaking out of turn. I need to correct them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the servants. When I went to the north of the city that time, I noticed it,¡± Wei Ruo exined. -Ah, right. You should understand these things,¡± Yun agreed. After all, she had grown up in the countryside and had been exposed to farming from a young age. It was only natural that she knew more than the typicaldy shielded in the boudoir. Yun exined, ¡°The situation isn¡¯t unique to our family. The entire Xingshan County, even the whole Taizhou prefecture, has had poor harvests this past two years. Naturally, our properties in Xingshan County were not exempt.¡± ¡°However, Ruo, there is no need to worry too much. Our family situation isn¡¯t that dire. Thanks to your father¡¯s sry, we also have some savings. Life may be a little harder, but we won¡¯t be left destitute. The ones truly suffering are themon people. They already had a hard time dealing with the Japanese Pirates; these poor harvests only add insult to injury. Their lives grow harder each passing day.¡± Seeing that the conversation¡¯s atmosphere was suitable, Wei Ruo brought up the barrennd to the south of the city. ¡°Mother, the barrennd to the south is still vacant. If it could be cultivated, it might solve the food problem for many people,¡± she suggested. Yun shook her head with a smile, ¡°Ruo, it¡¯s a good thing that you are concerned about the family. But that wastnd is so barren that even weeds can barely grow there. It¡¯s just not suitable for farming.¡± ¡°Mother, when I was at Mo Jiazha, an old woman taught me a method to cultivate crops on barrennd. Perhaps it could be applied to the barrennd south of the city.¡± ¡°Different types of barrennds have different attributes. Xingshan County is near the sea, as everyone knows, and crops cannot grow onnd near the sea. That¡¯s different from thend at Mo Jiazha.¡± ¡°What if that method works in this case too? Mother, if we were able to grow crops on barrennd, that could feed many people. Furthermore, it would be a respectable achievement and could be hugely beneficial to father¡¯s political career.¡± Upon hearing Wei Ruo bring up Wei Mingting¡¯s political career, Yun¡¯s expression changed noticeably. However, after pondering over it a while, she still felt that the proposal was unrealistic. ¡°Ruo, your thought process ismendable, but the matter is really not as simple as you think¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, it is not simple. But, mother, even if we fail, there is no loss The public will know that we, the Wei Family, tried our best to ensure they had food to eat. This perception could be beneficial too,¡± Wei Ruo exined the pros and cons to Yun. Upon careful thought, Yun felt there was truth in Wei Ruo¡¯s argument. For the Wei family, reputation was of paramount importance. Gaining the respect and support ofmon people would potentially be very beneficial to her husband¡¯s promotion. Given the stagnant progress in resisting the Japanese pirates, the imperial court had already expressed its dissatisfaction with the soldiers of Xingshan County. Recently, there had even been rumours about removing all the soldiers from their posts in Xingshan County. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om This was also the reason why her husband had been absent ofte, spending his days and nights trying to find a solution to the Japanese pirate situation. Yun felt slightly swayed. After deep thought, Yun said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Your mother can¡¯t make a decision on this matter. Let¡¯s wait until your father returns. I¡¯ll discuss it with him, and he can make the final call.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo was aware that if she wanted to push matters forward, Wei Mingting would have to take the initiative. ### At dinner that night, Wei Mingting was still absent. It had been ten days since hest dined with everyone. Counting the first day they met, Wei Ruo had only met him four times in total, and they barely spoke on each asion. She initially thought she wouldn¡¯t have the chance to discuss the issue of the barrennd south of the city with Wei Mingting that day. However, before Wei Ruo went to sleep, her maid Cuiping was called by Yun and asked to pass a message that her father wished to see her in Cangyun Garden. Wei Ruo got dressed again, went to Cangyun Garden, and saw Wei Mingting, whom she hadn¡¯t seen for quite some time. His stern and frosty demeanor was the same as always, but he seemed more wearypared to thest time they met. His arm was wrapped in a white bandage ¨C he must have been injured a few days ago. ¡°I just heard from your mother that you have a method of farming on the barrennd to the south of the city, is that true?¡± asked Wei Mingting.. Chapter 24 - 24 Father’s Trust_l Chapter 24: Father¡¯s Trust_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°It¡¯s true, I wouldn¡¯t dare deceive about this matter. If you doubt me, father, I can experiment with a small plot ofnd first. If it seeds, we can then move on torge-scale cultivation.¡± After answering, Wei Ruo looked at Wei Mingting, unsure of his attitude. Wei Mingting¡¯s expression was severe, his tone stern: ¡°Ruoruo, do you understand what it means being able to nt crops on saltynd?¡± ¡°I understand. Father, I visited the north of the city a few days ago and saw many farmers and fishermen turned beggars. They were emaciated, starving. This is because Xingshan County has been facing a shortfall in grain production for years due to poor and limited arablend.¡± ¡°Father, although the task is significant, if it is sessful it can benefit our family and the people. In addition to bringing profits to our family, it can also increase the farnd in Xingshan County, increase grain production, and sustain more people. I hope you will give me a chance. If I fail, I am willing to ept punishment.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s remarks left Wei Mingting looking surprised. He scrutinized Wei Ruo once more. Wei Ruo stood her ground, not blinking or backing down. She anticipated the situation unfolding like this when she first decided to ask Mrs. Yun about the abandonednd south of the city. ¡°Good, very good.¡± Wei Mingting, who was usually reserved, unexpectedly said ¡°good¡± twice. As a strict father, he rarely offered praise to his children. Even for Wei Yichen, who was an outstanding schr, he hardly ever received such clear approval. This surprised Mrs. Yun, who was standing by. Wei Mingting told Ruo, ¡°The fact that you have this kind of vision is trulymendable. I will discuss this matter with the Magistrate. Regardless of whether it seeds or not, your willingness to try ismendable.¡± Wei Ruo looked up in surprise. She never expected Wei Mingting to agree so readily. She had prepared herself for further discussions with him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you have confidence?¡± Wei Mingting asked. ¡°No, I have confidence.¡± ¡°Then do your best. From what your mother tells me, you have been longing for the farming life. You¡¯ve also nted many vegetables in the courtyard.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Although farming is not refined, it is by no means shameful. Our dynasty has always valued farming. Cultivating thend and cultivating it well, for the country and for the people, is indeed a good deed.¡± Unexpectedly, Wei Mingting highly approved of Wei Ruo¡¯s actions. ¡°I understand, father.¡± ¡°It is gettingte, you should go rest. When there¡¯s progress, I will send someone to inform you.¡± Wei Mingting looked exhausted and did not keep Wei Ruo for long. Once they were finished discussing, he dismissed her. On her way back, Wei Ruo recalled the conversation she had with Wei Mingting. In the original story, Wei Mingting didn¡¯t appear much due to his busy public affairs, reserved nature, and early death. Therefore, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know much about him. However, the conversation just now gave her a new understanding of Wei Mingting. After Wei Ruo left, Mrs. Yun helped Wei Mingting change his clothes and re-bandaged his arm. ¡°My lord, Ruo is still a girl after all. If she spends all day in the fields, I¡¯m afraid it might not be good for her future¡­¡± Mrs. Yun expressed her concern to Wei Mingting. ¡°Ruo has grown up in the countryside. It would be too hard for her if you expect her to be like Wanwan.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect her to be as literate as Wanwan, but she can¡¯t also be like a farm woman.¡± Mrs. Yun voiced her concerns. ¡°Madam, over these years in Xingshan, you must have seen the suffering of the people. What does being refined or crude mean to the lower sses? People only care about being refined when they¡¯re well-fed. If they¡¯re struggling to survive, what¡¯s good or bad doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun had different views. After years in Xingshan, he had seen a lot of life and death, and a lot of poverty. He felt that in the face of these realities, the games yed by the nobles in the capital were meaningless. ¡°What my lord says is true. For themon people, food and clothing are indeed the most important things.¡± Mrs. Yun hadn¡¯t expected Wei Ruo¡¯s thinking to coincide with her husband¡¯s. Although she had been married to him for many years, she often failed to understand his way of thinking. ¡°My lord, let¡¯s not think about these things right now. It¡¯s rare that you¡¯re home, so please get some rest. Look at your injury.¡± Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t want her husband to concern himself with such minor matters. Knowing that he must not have rested well in the barracks, hence his exhaustion and injury. The wound might not be deep but if not taken care of, it could leave asting ailment. Wei Mingting indeed needed some rest, as he had to return to the barracks the next morning. However, he was still concerned about the matter Wei Ruo had brought up. Before heading to the barracks the next day, he paid a visit to the Magistrate¡¯s Office to discuss the matter of the barrennd south of the city. The magistrate was more than happy to grant the Wei family¡¯s request to attempt cultivation on the barrennd. It wasn¡¯t that he was against others trying, but he was worried about security breaches, such as defectors or the risk of the county¡¯s defense map being leaked out, especially with non-Wei families. There were no such concerns with the Wei family, hence he readily agreed. Once it was decided, Wei Mingting sent a message home. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om With her husband being somitted to this matter, Mrs. Yun had nothing more to say. Mrs. Yun called Ruo over and shared the good news: ¡°Ruoruo, your father has sent word. You can start cultivating the wastnds on a small scale. If there¡¯s sess, it will indeed be a significant achievement.¡± Even so, Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t hold much hope for Ruo¡¯s sess. ¡°Good.¡± Wei Ruo was delighted. She hadn¡¯t expected Wei Mingting to have handled the matter so promptly. ¡°Your father also said that you shouldn¡¯t feel too pressured, it doesn¡¯t matter if you are not sessful there will not be great losses.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s attitude left Wei Ruo a little moved. Mrs. Yun then added, ¡°But Ruoruo, you¡¯re not young anymore, this is the time when you should be studying. I was nning to let you study with Mrs. Li once your etiquette is reasonable. I wanted you to go to the Magistrate¡¯s house to study with Wanwan and others, the Magistrate¡¯s wife has agreed too.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the Magistrate¡¯s house to study. They and I are not the same kind of people. Forced studying will only make it harder. Let me do what I¡¯m good at.¡± Mrs. Yun: ¡°Ruoruo, you need to change your previous thinking. As a daughter of the Wei family, you should learn to be ady who is knowledgeable, modest and wise. I understand the hardship you went through in the past few years in the country and won¡¯t be overly harsh. I don¡¯t expect you to be as schrly profound as Wanwan.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°However, I may not be able to keep up with what Mr. Fu teaches at the Magistrate¡¯s house. If you really want me to study, I don¡¯t want to go to the Magistrate¡¯s house.¡± Not being able to keep up was Wei Ruo¡¯s excuse. The main goal was not to be with Wei Qingwan and Qian Zhn.. Chapter 25 - 25 Wei Jinyi Falls Ill i Chapter 25: Wei Jinyi Falls Ill i Trantor: 549690339 ¡°But if I send you to study with people younger than you, I worry that it will hurt your feelings,¡± Mrs. Yun exined. ¡°Can I find a tutor of my own?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°This¡­¡± Mrs. Yun revealed a troubled look, ¡°Ruo, inviting a female tutor is aplicated matter. Firstly, it¡¯s hard to invite one. An aplished female tutor wouldn¡¯t easily agree to teach in an ordinary household. Secondly, paying a tutor is a considerable expense¡­¡± The Military Prefecture¡¯s expenditure was already tight, and they now had to arrange for their eldest son to have a tutor. There was no extra money to hire a special female tutor for Wei Ruo. ¡°What if I can find a female tutor who won¡¯t require pay?¡± Asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Ruo, don¡¯t be absurd,¡± Mrs. Yun frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not fooling around. I¡¯m serious. If I really can find a tutor who is willing to teach me without pay, will mother allow me to study alone and not with others?¡± ¡°Ruo, before discussing whether or not a tutor would be willing to teach you without pay, finding a female tutor is in itself a very difficult task. It¡¯s normal for you to not understand some things since you¡¯ve just returned home. But you must trust me, I am doing my best to make the best arrangements for you,¡± Mrs. Yun was clearly taken aback by the idea. Wei Ruo had to rely on hermitment to solve the food problem in Xingshan County as an excuse to stall going to study at the magistrate¡¯s office. ¡°At least I have that excuse,¡± she said. Mrs. Yun said: ¡°You can focus on the issues in the South City for the next few days, after which you should try to arrange for others in the Prefecture to do the work. You should prepare to study at the magistrate¡¯s office.¡± Wei Ruo replied: ¡°Understood.¡± ### Mrs. Yun assigned a maidservant named Zhang and twoborers to assist Wei Ruo. Zhang was reluctant to go to the deste and potentially dangerous South City. Who would want to go there without good reason? Moreover, the young miss is eager to farm, an activity her old bones simply couldn¡¯t bear. But this was Mrs. Yun¡¯s order, so she had to obey it. Initially, Zhang assumed Wei Ruo would immediately lead the others to the South City. Surprisingly, her first instruction was for them to buy husks and straw, as well as collect leftovers from the kitchen. ¡°Young miss, didn¡¯t you promise the master to nt crops in the wastnd of the South City? What¡¯s with the straw and leftovers? Are you nning to raise pigs?¡± Zhang questioned. ¡°I do n to farm. You just need to follow my instructions. I also need some well-sealed wooden barrels to store this stuff.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s n left Zhangpletely mystified, she had no idea what Wei Ruo intended to do. Seeing Zhang¡¯s confusion, Wei Ruo also noticed herck of movement. ¡°Zhang, my mother sent you to assist me, not question me. If I can¡¯tplete this task, I will exin myself to my parents.¡± Wei Ruo said with a firm attitude, brooking no interruption. ¡°I understand,¡± Zhang suppressed her dissatisfaction and obediently agreed. What could she do? The master and madam had always been particrly tolerant of Wei Ruo. She didn¡¯t dare express her opinion! ### Inside the Wangmei Garden, Wei Qingwan learned about what Wei Ruo had been busy with and that their mother had postponed her arrangement to study at the magistrate¡¯s office. ¡°Mama, will it damage my sister¡¯s reputation if people find out she¡¯s spending so much time in the field?¡± Wei Qingwan asked Li, who was standing beside her. ¡°Of course it¡¯s not good for her reputation. But you shouldn¡¯t worry too much, young miss. Wei Ruo has already adopted the habits of the countryside, it¡¯ll take time for her to learn proper manners, to not shame herself in front of others. She definitely can¡¯t be as well educated as you are.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. She has her strengths too. Her dried sweet potatoes and potato chips got everyone¡¯s approvalst time.¡± Wei Qingwan muttered. ¡°That¡¯s nothing to be proud of. Thosediesplimented her only because they were hungry at the moment. She can¡¯t rely on sweet potatoes and potato chips for her reputation for the rest of her life.¡± Li appeared dismissive towards Wei Ruo¡¯s previous achievement. After hearing Li¡¯s evaluation of Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan¡¯s mood unsurprisingly improved greatly. ### For several days, Wei Ruo was very busy making preparations to improve the wastnd in the South City. She usually was so tired by the evening, that she immediately fell asleep until the next morning. One night, just like the others, Wei Ruo went to bed early and fell deep asleep. But a hurried knock on the door woke her from her dreams. She sat up and peeked into the outer room. Hearing the door open, she realized that Xiumei had gone out. After a while, Xiumei returned to the room. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Miss, are you awake?¡± ¡°What¡¯s all that noise about?¡± ¡°Xiaobei from Yingzhu Garden came knocking. He said his young master has fallen sick.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s ill, he should see a doctor. What is he doing knocking on my door?¡± Wei Ruo was confused. ¡°Xiaobei says he tried to ask the people in the house to help look for a doctor, but no one paid any attention to him. He had no other choice but toe to us for help.¡± Yingzhu Garden was of low status within the Colonel¡¯s house, and the servants dared to ignore them. Although Wei Ruo had only recently returned to the Wei Family, her status within the house was clearly much higher than Wei Jinyi. No matter what the servants thought of her privately, they always treated her respectfully in person. Realizing this, Xiaobei thought that maybe Wei Ruo would be more sessful in finding his young master help. ¡°Meimei, help me get dressed.¡± Wei Ruo got out of bed and as soon as she had dressed, she hurriedly headed towards the door. Xiaobei was still waiting at the entrance to Tingsong Garden. Seeing Wei Ruoe over, he immediately knelt down and pleaded, ¡°Young miss, I beg you, please save our young master. He is burning up and if this continues, things look grim! If you talk to the people in the house, they might agree to get a doctor for him.¡± Xiaobei had no other option. Asking for a doctor required the approval of a housekeeper, but he hadn¡¯t been able to meet with one. Considering the master has been away from home for several days due to work. He could only think of Wei Ruo, the young miss who had helped them twice, as the only possible person in the house who could help. ¡°Alright, I know. You get up first. Take me to your young master.¡± ¡°Good, good. Young miss, please follow me.¡± Xiaobei led Wei Ruo swiftly back to Yingzhu Garden. Upon entering the main room in the courtyard, Wei Ruo saw Wei Jinyi lying unconscious on the bed. Wei Jinyi, who was usually pale, now looked even paler, as if he were a sheet of paper. Wei Ruo reached out and touched Wei Jinyi¡¯s forehead, it was burning up. ¡°How long has your young master been sick?¡± Wei Ruo asked.. Chapter 26 - 26 The Importance of Human Life_l Chapter 26: The Importance of Human Life_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Yes it has been three days since the onset, but the symptoms weren¡¯t severe in the first two days. The young master said he was alright and would get better after some rest. However, his condition suddenly worsenedst night, and he lost consciousness.¡± Xiaobei looked both anxious and worried. If only he had known this would happen, he should have asked the manager to find a doctor for the young master right away! ¡°Let¡¯s go, 1¡¯11 apany you to find the manager,¡± Wei Ruo stood up and began to head outside. She and Wei Jinyi weren¡¯t very familiar with each other. Given the situation in the Wei Family, it would not be suitable for her to reveal too much about her medical skills. It is always better to delegate issues that can be addressed by familiar faces in the household themselves. The current manager of the Wei Residence¡¯s backyard was Stewardess Li, who usually lived in a room adjacent to Wangmei Garden. Xiaobei knocked on the door, but the residents of Wangmei Garden ignored his plea. When Wei Ruo knocked, they reluctantly opened it after some hesitation. ¡°Miss, what brings you here at thiste hour?¡± Cuihe cautiously inquired Wei Ruo. ¡°Where are your parents?¡± Wei Ruo asked Cuihe directly, seeking the whereabouts of stewardess Li. ¡°She¡¯S¡­ She¡¯s in the room on the west¡­¡± Cuihe nervously replied. The fact that a servant like Li was allowed to reside in such rooms shows her remarkable status within the Wei Family. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t bother to argue with Cuihe and instead headed straight for the west room. She knocked for quite some time before the door finally opened. A disgruntled Stewardess Li appeared, ¡°Miss, if you have anything to discuss, it can wait till morning. What¡¯s the proper decorum for raising a racket at thiste hour?¡± ¡°This is a matter of life and death! You don¡¯t care if I am shouting or not! The second young master has slipped into unconsciousness, if he dies, would you be able to bear the consequences?¡± Wei Ruo questioned. -He was fine during the day, how did he be unconscious by night? The second young master always seemed healthy to me. Why would he faint all of a sudden7 Don¡¯t create unnecessary drama, it¡¯s not a serious illness, and it won t make any difference if the doctor was invited tomorrow morning. Where would I find a doctor in the dead of night?¡± ¡ö¡öOf course, you¡¯d go to the medical hall!¡± Wei Ruo pulled Stewardess Li out of the house. At this Li¡¯s anger red, ¡°How dare you! You have no respect for elders! I came from the Earl Residence, even the Madam has to show me some respect. You dare to drag me like this!¡± -Even with seniority, you are but a stewardess! And regardless of how the second young master is disliked, he is still the master! I ask you to get a doctor for the master, and you throw tantrums! And you have the audacity to say you are a respected stewardess from the Earl Residence! I demand to know where your manners have gone?¡± Wei Ruo eximed. Normally, Wei Ruo would tolerate people putting up airs in front of her, but when it came to matters of life and death, her temper red uncontrobly. ¡°HOW dare you! I will not fetch a doctor today! See what you can do about it!¡± Stewardess Li stood arrogantly with her chest puffed up. The noise was loud enough to wake Wei Qingwan. Seeing Wei Ruo dragging Li, Wei Qingwan rushed over anxiously and protested, ¡°Sister, what are you doing? The olddy is frail, you should not drag her like this, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± When nobody paid her any heed, she attempted to intervene and separate Wei Ruo and Li. At this moment, Li, who was extremely angry, felt someone tugging her and pushed without realizing that it was Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan was pushed onto the ground. Upon seeing Wei Qingwan fallen on the ground, Li quickly regained her senses and hurriedly helped her up. ¡°Miss, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Stewardess¡­ My foot¡­ My foot hurts a lot¡­¡± Wei Qingwan grimaced and looked at her injured foot, her face as pale as a sheet. Stewardess Li was distraught and immediately instructed her daughter, ¡°Cuihe, hurry! Find the Madam! Inform her that Miss has injured her leg! And tell the gatekeeper Xiaobei to get a doctor from Baohe Hall immediately!¡± Then with a hard re at Wei Ruo, Stewardess Li hissed, ¡°See what trouble you¡¯ve caused, Miss!¡± Wei Ruo, face cold, shrugged and turned away. She knew there would be no easy resolution to the trouble caused tonight. But the patient at the Yingzhu Garden couldn¡¯t wait. If they waited until the morning to find a doctor, it would be toote. Wei Ruo returned to Yingzhu Garden, ordering Xiumei to bring her emergency medical kit. Xiumei hesitated for a moment, gripped Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Miss, are you nning to help the second young master yourself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ö¡öBut Miss, if the second young master recovers, it will be even more difficult for you to justify what happened in Wangmei Garden tonight! Stewardess Li insists that there¡¯s nothing wrong with the second young master and uses you of creating a ruckus. How are you going to exin this to the Madam. Xiumei too was aware that the incident tonight would not end well. Her missy was in trouble. ¡°Even so, I cannot sit by and let a life be lost. If he dies or gets injured, can my innocence be proven? However, if my innocence is proven by endangering a life, it would mean nothing,¡± Wei Ruo responded with determination. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s resolute attitude, Xiumei knew what she had to do. ¡°1 understand, I will follow yourmand!¡± she turned and rushed towards Tingsong Garden to get the medical kit for Wei Ruo. She knew her missy well. Even though she always uttered that she valued money the most and would not make a deal with a loss, when it came to matters of life and death, she would discard all profits to do what was right. Wei Ruo then ordered Xiaobei to fetch cold water and a towel. Xiaobei promptly fetched the water. ¡°Go and remove your master¡¯s nket and clothes,¡± instructed Wei Ruo. ¡°Remove¡­ his clothes?¡± Xiaobei was taken aback. ¡°He¡¯s already burning up, if you keep him insted are you not afraid of cooking him alive? Just do as I say, without any hesitation. Otherwise, your master¡¯s life is in danger!¡± ¡°But¡­ but¡­ modesty between the sexes¡­¡± Xiaobei hesitated. ¡°in matters of life and death, do you think it matters? Besides, he is my brother!¡± Even if they share different mothers, siblings are siblings!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 27 - 27 Saving Wei Jinyi_l Chapter 27: Saving Wei Jinyi_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Xiaobei rushed to do it. He exposed Wei Jinyi¡¯s chest by flipping open the nket covering him and unbuttoning his upper clothes. Contrary to Wei Ruo¡¯s expectation, Wei Jinyi wasn¡¯t as frail as he appeared to be. Instead, his muscle blocks were firm without excessive bulkiness ¨C forceful but not overly muscr. At this moment, Xiumei came back with Wei Ruo¡¯s ¡°emergency medical kit¡±. ¡°Take out a single tablet from the bottle with the redbel, mix it with a bowl of water, stir well and feed it to him.¡± Wei Ruo continued to instruct. Having spent many years by Wei Ruo¡¯s side, Xiumei was adept at assisting her. Quickly, she dissolved the pill and handed it over to Xiaobei. ¡°What are you standing there for? Hurry up and feed it to your young master!¡± Xiumei urged Xiaobei as she saw him stalling. ¡°Where¡­where did Miss get this medicine?¡± Xiaobei asked. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Merely knowing that it can save your young master is enough! Do you think our Miss will harm your young master? Is it necessary to bother about harming him when his condition is already this bad?¡± ¡°Alright¡­alright¡­¡± Unable to think beyond this, Xiaobei moved to the bedside with the bowl of medicine. Carefully, he fed the medicine to Wei Jinyi using a spoon. Wei Ruo soaked a towel in cold water, wringed it dry, and then wiped Wei Jinyi¡¯s upper body with it. Subsequently, she opened the acupuncture kit, pulling out long and thin silver needles. Seeing the silver needles, Xiaobei turned pale and his hand trembled, causing the medicine to spill from the spoon. On the side, Xiumei reproached him with concern, ¡°Be careful, our Miss put a lot of effort into making this medicine!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be distracted, just do your task. At this point, you have no choice but to trust me.¡± Wei Ruo stated sternly. ¡°Yes¡­yes¡­¡± With continual affirmations from Xiaobei, he forced himself to concentrate on his task. Swiftly and urately, Wei Ruo performed acupuncture on Wei Jinyi, striking him with a dozen needles in no time. Just then, there was a bigmotion outside the door. Someone wasing. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Xiumei looked at Wei Ruo with worry. ¡°You guard the door, I¡¯ll be done in a moment.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Yes.¡± Upon receiving themand, Xiumei went to the door. The visitors were Nurse Zhang and Maid Cuiping from Madam Yun¡¯s side. ¡°Is the youngdy home?¡± Nurse Zhang asked Xiumei gravely. ¡°Yes,¡± Xiumei replied. ¡°Please fetch the youngdy out. Madame is waiting for her in Wangmei Garden.¡± Nurse Zhang requested. ¡°Please wait a moment, Madam. Our youngdy has something to deal with, and she wille out as soon as she¡¯s finished.¡± Xiumei didn¡¯t budge, using her body to block the door. ¡°What are we waiting for? Escaping doesn¡¯t solve anything. Had we known earlier, we should have been more restrained.¡± Nurse Zhang naturally assumed that Wei Ruo was avoiding punishment. ¡°Our youngdy is not escaping.¡± ¡°Not escaping? Then what is she doing right now?¡± ¡°Our youngdy just needs a bit more time, so could Madam please wait a while.¡± Xiumei repeated her sentence. Seeing this, Nurse Zhang sighed, ¡°It¡¯s good that you protect your youngdy, but now that the Madame wants to see her, your blocking will invite the Madame¡¯s reproach. And I fear even the youngdy can¡¯t save you then. You and I are both servants, it¡¯s better to do our duty and not to provoke the master.¡± Nurse Zhang gave some extra advice, seeing Xiumei was only about thirteen or fourteen. ¡°If Madam wants to punish me, I ept. But now, could Madam and Sister Cuiping please wait a while, my youngdy will be out in a moment.¡± Xiumei was stubborn and only took Wei Ruo¡¯s words seriously. ¡°You have yet to learn your lesson! If you are always this stubborn, you will be at a great disadvantage! Never mind, I will not talk to you anymore.¡± Seeing that Xiumei wasn¡¯t persuaded, Nurse Zhang and Cuiping advanced together to forcefully break the door. Xiumei pressed her back tightly against the door. Without resisting Zhang and Cuiping¡¯s actions, she didn¡¯t budge an inch, blockading the door steadfastly. Inside, Wei Ruo heard the quarrel outside, but she was engrossed inpleting the acupuncture for Wei Jinyi. After finishing, Wei Ruo quickly packed away the acupuncture kit to prevent anyoneing in from seeing it. ¡°He¡¯ll continue to be unconscious for a while, but if all goes well, he¡¯ll wake up by tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Really¡­ is it true?¡± Xiaobei looked at Wei Ruo in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t doubt, I don¡¯t joke around with people¡¯s lives. There are two more tablets in the bottle. Dilute one with a bowl of water as I instructed earlier. After your young master wakes up, feed him a bowl, and another bowl tomorrow night.¡± Wei Ruo further instructed. ¡°Alright, alright. I got it!¡± Xiaobei promptly agreed. Wei Ruo addressed Xiaobei, who wore a nk look, ¡°Do not disclose to anyone what I did for your young master today. Can you do it?¡± Xiaobei was stunned for a moment, then nodded nkly. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know whether he understood or not. Regardless, she had no other option now. Saving a life was her own choice, and she was ready to bear any consequence that came with it. Wei Ruo looked towards the door and guessed roughly why Madame Yun had sent for her. ¡°Look after your young master well. I have other troubles to deal with.¡± After instructing Xiaobei, Wei Ruo walked to the door and opened it. Nurse Zhang and Maid Cuiping outside the door looked embarrassed. Despite their struggles, they gained nothing from Xiumei. The two of them were panting from exertion due to all their effort but failed to pull away Xiumei blocking the door. Wei Ruo first looked carefully at Xiumei to ascertain that she wasn¡¯t hurt in the argument, then said to Nurse Zhang and Maid Cuiping, ¡°Don¡¯t make things difficult for my maid. I¡¯ll go with you now.¡± ¡°Miss¡­¡± Xiumei looked anxiously at Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m fine, you go back to Tingsong Garden first.¡± Wei Ruo instructed. Xiumei was still worried, but she chose to trust Wei Ruo. Adjusting her clothes, Nurse Zhang looked annoyed and helpless, ¡°If the youngdy hade out earlier, nothing would have happened. Why make everyone go through so much trouble? Mind your demeanor when you meet the madamter.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. It is urgent, isn¡¯t it?¡± After saying this, she walked ahead of Nurse Zhang. Seeing this, Nurse Zhang and Maid Cuiping hurried behind her, as if they were afraid of Wei Ruo running off. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have any intentions of running. Within the Wei Residence, where could she possibly run to? Wei Ruo was taken to Wangmei Garden by Nurse Zhang and Maid Cuiping ¨C it was brightly lit. The already asleep Madam Yun was now sitting solemnly in the main room, properly dressed. Nurse Li was kneeling before her. Wei Ruo stood next to Nurse Li, calmly facing Madam Yun. Madam Yun stared at Wei Ruo, questioning angrily, ¡°What is the meaning of this, Ruoruo? Why did you create a scene in Wanwan¡¯s courtyard in the middle of the night? You even pushed Wanwan and caused her injury! Do you know, Wanwan bled a lot from her foot!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 28 - 28: Face-to-Face Confrontation 1 Chapter 28: Face-to-Face Confrontation 1 Trantor: 549690339????????? ¡ª Lady Yun was now doing her best to suppress her anger. I didn¡¯t make a fuss, I simply asked Granny Li to find a doctor for Yichen. Moreover, I didn¡¯t cause anyone to get hurt.¡± Wei Ruo replied, her voice steady andposed. Granny Li quickly exined, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to find a doctor for the Second Young Master, but 1 believed his illness was not serious, and nned to arrange for one tomorrow. I had informed the Second Young Master¡¯s attendant of this, and made it clear to Miss when she came to ask. I don¡¯t know why she stirred up a scene over it, and even caused the Second Miss to fall and get hurt.¡± ¡°You said Yichen¡¯s illness isn¡¯t serious? And that I pushed Wei Qingwan?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze swept coldly over Granny Li. ¡°Everyone saw the Second Young Master today when he was perfectly fine. The servants can bear witness to that!¡± Granny Li knelt on the ground, defending herself. ¡°How ridiculous. Who told you that someone who is fine during the day won¡¯t be seriously ill at night? Haven¡¯t you heard of the saying ¡®illness strikes like andslide¡¯? If you can so easily determine whether or not a person is severely ill, why haven¡¯t you be a doctor?¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°If Miss insists that this old servant deliberately neglected the Second Young Master¡¯s condition, could she rify what I could possibly gain from doing so?¡± Granny Li asked Wei Ruo. ¡°All you think is that since the Second Young Master is not favored, you can bully your master with impunity!¡± Let¡¯s see if she still dares to act like this if Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin were watching! ¡°What nonsense is Miss speaking? When has the Second Young Master ever been unfavored? Madam is kind and generous, treating all the children in the house equally, regardless of whether they are legitimate or illegitimate, young or old. They are all loved! Where would we servants dare to be neglectful?¡± Granny Li hurriedly said. Granny Li¡¯s words made Lady Yun¡¯s already grim face look even more displeased. Indeed, she didn¡¯t care much for Wei Jinyi, but she had never skimped on his expenses! Wei Ruo¡¯s words ¡°not favored¡± were like a p in her face! Seeing Lady Yun¡¯s face bing even darker, Granny Li knew her words were having an effect. Then, with a grieving expression on her face, Granny Li continued, ¡°Indeed, I made the decision to call the doctor tomorrow based on the fact that the Second Young Master didn¡¯t seem seriously ill! If Miss is dissatisfied with my judgement and handling of the matter, she should confront this old servant and not vent her anger on the Second Miss. She didn¡¯t do anything, yet inexplicably was pushed to the ground by you and bled a lot¡­¡± Granny Li started wiping away her tears, ¡°My poor Second Miss, even if Miss kills me today I will not resent it, but what about the beautiful, young Second Miss who has suffered such hardship¡­ if this ident results in any lingering ailments, what are we to do¡­¡± Granny Li started shifting the conversation, hinting in her words that Wei Ruo had intentionally harmed Wei Qingwan. Hearing this, Lady Yun was fuming, and hit the tea table with force, ¡°Ruoruo, you have gone too far! You caused trouble in Wangmei Garden without understanding the full context and pushed Wanwan to the ground, causing her to get hurt! What has Wanwan done to displease you for you to treat her like this?¡± Seeing Lady Yun¡¯s fury, Wei Ruo had to silently praise Granny Li¡¯s cunning. We Ruo responded, ¡°Firstly, I was seeking out Granny Li for Yichen¡¯s illness; secondly, I did not push Wei Qingwan. These are the two facts, if you choose to believe me, you can, if not, there is nothing I can do.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s voice was loud and confident, her gaze steady and unflinching. ¡°You say it wasn¡¯t you who pushed Wanwan?¡± Lady Yun asked again. Correct, it wasn¡¯t me.¡± Wei Ruo affirmed confidently. Fine, I will take you to confront Wanwan now, and we¡¯ll see who is lying!¡± Lady Yun stood up in anger. She led the way, with Zhou Granny and Wei Ruo following behind. Upon entering the bedroom, Wei Ruo saw Wei Qingwan lying on the bed, looking pale. Her foot was bound in white cloth, obscuring the severity of the injury. ¡® Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes welled up with tears again when she saw Lady Yun. Right away, Lady Yun rushed to Wei Qingwan, holding her tightly in her arms, ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯ve suffered.¡± Afterforting Wei Qingwan for a while, she finally stopped crying. Then, Lady Yun asked Wei Qingwan, ¡°Wanwan, can you tell me how you fell tonight?¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan hesitated, looking anxiously at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo was also watching Wei Qingwan, taking in every expression and movement. There was no bad blood between her and Wei Qingwan, not even in the original novel, where there was no instance of Wei Qingwan consciously harming her. Wei Ruo was curious about how the kind and gentle heroine of the original text would respond at this moment. Wei Qingwan felt intimidated under Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze, unsure if she should repeat what Granny Li had told her to say. Off to the side, she noticed Granny Li watching her. When Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t respond, Lady Yun told her, ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t hesitate. Whoever pushed you, just say it. I will ensure justice is served.¡± ¡°It¡­it w-was¡­ Sister¡­¡± Wei Qingwan stuttered as she said the word ¡°sister¡±. Immediately, every gaze in the room returned to Wei Ruo. Stern, using, and angry. Yet, Wei Ruo found herself wanting tough. Who could have thought that the gentle and virtuous protagonist of the novel would lie and defame her? Lady Yun turned to Wei Ruo, ¡°What else do you have to say now?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Indeed, I want to say that Wei Qingwan is framing me. I didn¡¯t push her, yet she uses me of doing so.¡± Lady Yunughed in exasperation, ¡°You¡¯re bing more and more outrageous! I really misjudged you! I thought that although you grew up in the countryside, you wouldn¡¯t have taken on any bad habits. As it turns out, I couldn¡¯t have been more wrong!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t pick up any bad habits, there are no bad habits in the countryside for me to pick up, farming isn¡¯t a bad habit. The simple vigers don¡¯t have any either, the ones with bad habits are those who tell lies with their eyes wide open and nder others!¡± Wei Ruo said all this while staring fiercely at Wei Qingwan, who was lying on the bed. Whether it was from being startled by Wei Ruo¡¯s re or guilt, Wei Qingwan lowered her head and began to wipe away her tears. Anger surged in Lady Yun¡¯s heart, ¡°You still won¡¯t admit your mistake? What are you looking at Wanwan for? What else do you want to do to her?¡± Chapter 29 - 29: Locked in the Firewood Room 1 Chapter 29: Locked in the Firewood Room 1 Trantor: 549690339???????????????????? ¡ªX I will not admit to a mistake I did not make.¡± Wei Ruo insisted. Lady Yun was livid: ¡°Cuiping, Zhang Mama, take her to the firewood shed¡¯ Don¡¯t allow her any food! She¡¯s only allowed out once she admits her mistake!¡± Madam!¡± Zhang Mama and Cuiping were both shocked. This was the first time the Madam had been angered enough to order someone be confined to the firewood shed. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for!¡± Lady Yun ordered. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Cuiping and Zhang Mama approached Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss¡­¡± ¡°I can walk on my own.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t waste any words. She turned around and started to walk. Upon arriving at the firewood shed, Zhang Mama whispered to Wei Ruo ¡°Miss you should just apologize to the Madam. Admit your mistake, promise to correct yourself, and she will forgive you.¡± ¡°I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?¡± Zhang Mama sighed helplessly and could only lock the shed doors. The moment the firewood shed was locked, Wei Ruo was enveloped in total darkness. The air was filled with the mixed scent of dry firewood and dust. Wei Ruo found a heap of straw and sat down on it. The only source of lighting into the shed was from a small window near the top, divided by a few wooden sticks, splitting the moonlight into fragments. The Grain Rain had already passed, but maybe because these years had been particrly cold, the night was still slightly chilly. Wei Ruo involuntarily drew herself into a ball to minimize the loss of body heat. She barelly can remember the time when she had just been sent from the He Family to the Mo Jiazha¡¯s detached house. It was very cold at night then. Her nanny and Xiumei slept next to her, the three of them huddled together at night. Although the temperature on that day was even colder, her heart was warm. She didn¡¯t want to go back to the Wei Family, but she did. She didn¡¯t want to fight with Wei Qingwan, but she inexplicably ended up doing Even though she tried extremely hard to avoid any strife with her family, she somehow got pulled into it. Leaning against the mud wall of the firewood shed, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but recall her past life. In her past life, she had a drunken, abusive father and apliant, submissive mother. Even though she got into a top university and learned much from her mentor through her own talent and hard work, she ultimately couldn¡¯t escape the rotting family she was born into. Her drunkard father came demanding living expenses from her just after she graduated. When she refused, her father started to beat her. Her mother tried to shield her, protecting her in her arms, but was beaten to death by her father who had lost all sense of reason. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Then she picked up a pair of scissors from the table and stabbed her father to death. In this life, she worked hard to earn money. She was determined to build a life for herself through her own efforts, not relying on the pity of others. But she still couldn¡¯t change anything. As soon as she made the others in the house unhappy, she was punished. m her past life, she couldn¡¯t take control of her own fate through education. And in this life, she was also helpless. This feeling of helplessness enveloped her, leaving her breathless. ### The doctor that rushed to the Military Prefecture had diagnosed Wei Qingwan. After finishing, he went to write prescriptions and prepare her medicine. He left Li Mama and Cuihe to look after Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan wore an anxious expression, tentatively asking Granny Li, Granny, will my lies be discovered?¡± -No, Miss, rest assured, the heavens and the earth know, you and I know no one else will, as long as you don¡¯t show any signs of cowardice no one will know.¡± Granny Liforted. ¡°But Granny, my heart is uneasy¡­ I know lying is wrong, but I can¡¯t bear to see you punished, you¡¯re my most cherished Granny¡­¡± ¡°This old servant knows, Miss is kind-hearted, you chose to lie this time for my sake, I am grateful for this favor!¡± Granny Li replied graciously. ¡°But seeing Sister being punished by Mother, I feel very guilty¡­ I didn¡¯t intend for things to be so serious, I thought with Mother¡¯s love for Sister she wouldn¡¯t punish her so harshly by locking her in the woodshed¡­¡± Wei Qingwan sobbed. ¡°The Miss being locked in the woodshed has her own part to y, Miss you also saw, she was making a fuss in front of Madam, disregarding respect for elders and younger ones.¡± ¡°Mother has always been kind-hearted, Brother has made errors multiple times, but Mother only ever made him copy books as punishment, never has she done anything as severe as locking him in the woodshed¡­ I thought Sister would at most be made to copy books¡­¡± ¡°Obviously, Madam is truly furious this time, this also shows Madam¡¯s concern for you, Miss. If it were someone else, Madam definitely wouldn¡¯t have gotten so angry, but you are the apple of Madam¡¯s eye, she can¡¯t tolerate any mishap, even if it is Wei Qingruo.¡± Granny Li exined to Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan was genuinely touched by her words, does her mother really regard her so highly? Is her ce in mother¡¯s heart really that much higher than Wei Qingruo¡¯s? ¡°Granny, when it is dawn, take me to see Mother to plead in Sister¡¯s favor. Tell her my injuries are not serious, so that she wouldn¡¯t punish Sister anymore ¨C Wei Qingwan said. ¡°Of course, waiting for dawn, then we¡¯ll go. Miss, stop thinking about this for now, you should rest awhile.¡± Granny Li said. Granny Li warned again, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t speak of today¡¯s events from now on, let it rot in your belly, don¡¯t bring it up in the future.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip and nodded in agreement. ### Wei Jinyi opened his eyes, his head still throbbed, but his body felt significantly better. ¡°Young master, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± Xiaobei was extremely excited. Hmm¡­¡± Wei Jinyi replied, his throat hurt a bit when he spoke. ¡°Miss did not lie to me, she indeed could cure you!¡± ¡°Miss? She was here?¡± Xiaobei hurriedly recounted the events to Wei Jinyi. ¡°You mean, I¡¯m awake because she saved me?¡± Xiaobei¡¯s words left Wei Jinyi greatly surprised. Wei Ruo had caused amotion at Wangmei Garden for him, even defying the Madam¡­ ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Where is she now?¡± ¡°She was taken away by the people sent by the Madam. Those people were fierce, they probably wanted to punish her!¡± Wei Jinyi propped himself up with a weak hand, attempting to get up. ¡°What are you doing young master? You haven¡¯t recovered, Miss said you needed more rest!¡± ¡°Help me up.¡± Wei Jinyi was pale, but his words were final. Left with no choice, Xiaobei assisted Wei Jinyi off the bed. ¡°Get dressed, we¡¯re heading to Cangyun Garden.¡± ¡°Young Master¡­¡± Xiaobei was helpless, he got Wei Jinyi dressed as instructed. After a few steps, Wei Jinyi suddenly stopped. ¡°Young Master, what¡¯s wrong?¡± xiaobei was shocked. Wei Jinyi appeared to have thought of something, and he revised his instructions: ¡°Help me back to bed.¡± Xiaobei didn¡¯t know what caused his young master to change his mind, he only knew it was a good thing that the young master was willing to go back and rest, so he quickly helped Wei Jinyi back. After Wei Jinyi settled back on his bed, he told Xiaobei, ¡°Go and find Guard Jing Hu immediately, tell him that my illness worsened and I¡¯m unconscious, with my life hanging by a thread..¡± Chapter 30 - 30 Wei Mingting’s Rage 1 Chapter 30: Wei Mingting¡¯s Rage 1 Trantor: 549690339?????? ¡ã ¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± Xiaobei was confused, somewhat unable to grasp the meaning of his young master¡¯s words. ¡°No matter whoester, don¡¯t let them know that I¡¯ve awakened, and continue pretending that I am unconscious,¡± Wei Jinyi added. China was somewhat baffled as to why Wei Jinyi would arrange things in such a way, but as a servant who had been with Wei Jinyi for over ten years, he hadplete trust in his young master¡¯s judgment. Thus, he immediately carried out the order, and ryed the young master¡¯s instructions to Guard Jing Hu. Shortly thereafter, Jing Hu quickly sprang into action, mounted his horse, and galloped out the gate. ### As the Dragon Boat Festival drew near, the dawn light broke exceptionally early, and while the moon had not yet disappeared, the eastern horizon was already gleaming white. A man d in armor was riding a galloping horse. The horse came to a halt at the entrance of the Wei Residence, and as soon as it stopped, Wei Mingting jumped off. Not waiting for the servant at the gate to approach him, he swiftly entered the residence. The Wei Family had just returned to calm at that moment. As Wei Mingting walked briskly into the Cangyun Garden, everyone in the garden was taken aback. ¡°My Lord?¡± Lady Yun was surprised to see her husband return home so early. With a grim face, Wei Mingting asked, ¡°How is Jinyi now?¡± ¡°Jinyi?¡± Lady Yun was taken aback. ¡°I¡¯m asking about Jinyi¡¯s current condition!¡± Wei Mingting spoke sharply. Lady Yun didn¡¯t know how to respond, and was at a loss for a moment. Just then, the doctor who had previously treated Wei Qingwan arrived. After examining Wei Qingwanst night, he confirmed that her condition was not serious and had merely applied some medicine. The remaining medicine was to be delivered this morning. Wei Mingting directly asked the doctor, ¡°What is my son¡¯s condition now?¡± Even the doctor was taken aback. ¡°Lord Wei¡­ has your son also fallen ill?¡± The color on Wei Mingting¡¯s face became even colder upon hearing this. With that, he immediately turned and left for Yingzhu Garden. Lady Yun was stunned. Over the years of their marriage, there were very few asions when she had ever seen her husband looking so grim. She hurriedly followed after him, bringing along the doctor. They entered Yingzhu Garden. The courtyard was deste and quiet, and there was not a single person at the entrance of the bedroom. Pushing open the bedroom door, Wei Mingting saw only Xiaobei standing guard in the room with Wei Jinyi lying down on the bed. Rushing over to the bedside, Wei Mingting, upon seeing Wei Jinyi pale and unconscious on the bed, was outraged. ¡°What happened?!¡± Xiaobei dropped to his knees, ¡°Young master felt a chill a few days ago and was feeling a bit unwell. I suggested we call a doctor, but the young master brushed it off as a minor ailment, thinking that he would be fine after drinking some ginger tea to dispel the cold. Who would have thought thattest night his condition worsened, and he has been unconscious since then¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you find a doctor?!¡± ¡°I went to the manager¡¯s room to seek help to get a doctor, but the servants at Wangmei Garden wouldn¡¯t let me in. I was out of options and pleaded with the young mistress. She stormed into Wangmei Garden with me and we found manager Li. But manager Li said the young master¡¯s illness wasn¡¯t serious and refused to call a doctor¡­¡± Kneeling on the ground, Xiaobei nervously recounted the events of the previous night. Aside from the fact that Wei Jinyi had remained unconscious, everything else he said was true. With a swift turn of his head, Wei Mingting focused his gaze on the doorway. Upon seeing Wei Jinyi lying unconscious on the bed, Lady Yun had already turned pale. ¡°Given the state he¡¯s in, why didn¡¯t you call a doctor?¡± Wei Mingting interrogated Lady Yun. ¡°Yesterday Wanwan hurt her foot, and I was worried about her¡­ I didn¡¯t manage to¡­ I thought Jinyi was okay¡­¡± Lady Yun hurriedly exined. Wei Mingting turned to question the doctor, ¡°How serious is my daughter¡¯s injury?¡± The doctor, unaware of what had happened, replied honestly, ¡°The youngdy¡¯s injuries are not serious, it¡¯s just some skin abrasions that have not injured the muscles and bones. There will be nosting issues. Please rest assured, my lord.¡± After listening to the doctor, Wei Mingting was even angrier, ¡°Wanwan just has bruises, but Jinyi is on the verge of dying! You had the doctore over, but only cared to have him look at Wanwan¡¯s foot! Are you trying to kill Jinyi¡¯?!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Lady Yun was flustered. She truly did not know that Wei Jinyi was so seriously ill. She had taken the words of manager Li at face value, assuming that Wei Jinyi¡¯s severity was just an excuse made by Wei Ruo to gain ess to Wangmei Garden! Now, seeing the critically ill Wei Jinyi and the furious Wei Mingting, Lady Yun had no rebuttal in her defense. Wei Mingting ordered the doctor, ¡°You must examine my son quickly!¡± ¡°Ye¡­ yes!¡± The doctor was intimidated by Wei Mingting¡¯s aura and, trembling, made his way to the bedside to examine Wei Jinyi. He started sweating profusely, ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± ¡°What is it? Hurry up and spit it out!¡± ¡°The young lord¡¯s pulse is extremely faint¡­ This¡­ This is a terrible sign¡­¡± Upon hearing the doctor¡¯s words, even the alwaysposed Wei Mingting panicked, ¡°Is there a remedy?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll write a prescription now, and you must send people to gather the herbs immediately. Once they arrive, make a decoction for the young lord to consume. Whether he can be saved will depend on his luck¡­ I have never treated such a severe case before. Perhaps if it was found earlier, the condition wouldn¡¯t be as severe¡­¡± The doctor exined, trembling. ¡°Jing Hu, follow the doctor. After he writes the prescription, hurry and get the herbs returned! You must oversee the whole process from obtaining the herbs to preparing the decoction, without wasting a single moment!¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wet Mingting immediatelymanded the guard standing outside the door to handle this task. Yes, sir!¡± Jing Hu obeyed and quickly sprung into action. Usually, Wei Mingting would have entrusted these matters to Lady Yun but today he directly ordered the guards, clear evidence of how disappointed he was with Lady Yun over this incident. Wei Mingting then told Xiaobei to get up, ¡°You stay here and look after your young master. If anything like this happens again, contact me immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± Xiaobei consented. Wei Mingting then stood by the bedside, looking down at Wei Jinyi with a grave expression, causing everyone in the room to feel very unease. After a while, Wei Mingting turned and left. Lady Yun, cautiously, followed him. Back at Cangyun Garden, seeing Wei Mingting who radiated anger, Lady Yun knelt down. With anger filling his heart, Wei Mingting questioned the kneeling Lady Yun: ¡°I know you have always nursed resentments towards Jinyi. If you¡¯re angry, vent it on me! You should not act this way towards him! When I told you to look after him, is this how you do it? Had I arrived anyter, he would be dead now!¡± ¡°I truly did not know that Jinyi was this sick! If I had known, I would never have jeopardized his life!¡± Lady Yun¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you know? You knew about Wanwan¡¯s injury at her foot, you did call for a doctor in the middle of the night. But when Jinyi falls ill, so much so that he¡¯s unconscious, why did you not know?! Jinyi¡¯s servant tried to look for a doctor without sess. Even Ruo tried to help but still couldn¡¯t get a doctor.. Can you tell me what actually happened?¡± Chapter 31 - 31 Do You Know About Sin_l Chapter 31: Do You Know About Sin_l Trantor: 549690339 After 20 years of marriage, it was Wei Mingting¡¯s first time to speak such harsh words to Mrs Yun. Mrs Yun¡¯s body trembled, her eyes full of tears, ¡°My Lord, after so many years of marriage, don¡¯t you know what kind of person I am? How could I plot to harm a concubine¡¯s son? I admit I can¡¯t treat him as my own, I can be magnanimous in other ways, but I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to be so with you¡±. Mrs Yun continued: ¡°But so many years have passed since then, even if I held a grudge it should have almost been resolved by now, how could I harbor any intention of harming him? My Lord, I was not nning to harm him, I was misled by my deceitful servants.¡± ¡°You¡­ You are really confused!¡± ¡°Your concubine knows¡­ I know I was wrong¡­¡± Mrs Yun trembled as she responded. Wei Mingting¡¯s anger subsided at the sound of Mrs Yun¡¯s sobbing. Looking at his wife, Wei Mingting sighed, ¡°I have considerable military affairs to deal with, and I still need your help with household management. You must take more care of Jinyi, nothing can happen to him.¡± Thinking of his busy military schedule and how the burdens of household chores fell onto his fragile wife, he knew that although his wife hadn¡¯t been the most affectionate to the concubine¡¯s son over the years, she had given Jinyi what he deserved. Wei Mingting thus refrained from reprimanding his wife any further. Mrs Yun sobbed and nodded. ¡°Let us leave today¡¯s matters at this. You tend to Jinyi for me, I have more matters to attend to in the military.¡± Wei Mingting rose to leave without waiting for Mrs Yun to regain herposure. He was indeed very busy. After receiving the letter from Jing Hu, he had asked a subordinate to stand in for him so he could rush home before the dawn. Even then, he had to return immediately. After Wei Mingting left, Mrs Yun regained herposure, and when she managed to calm herself, she called for Granny Li once again. At the same time, she sent Cuiping to bring Wei Ruo from the firewood house. Granny Li, not knowing what had happened, was rmed when she saw Mrs Yun¡¯s angry face upon arriving at Cangyun Garden. Shortly after, Wei Ruo arrived. Seeing Granny Li being brought in, Mrs Yun spoke in a cold voice, ¡°Granny Li, you were an old servant from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Whether in terms of experience or seniority, you are the highest-ranked in the Military Prefecture.¡± ¡°Madam, I dare not.¡± Granny Li hastily replied. ¡°You dare not? Where do you not dare? You have repeatedly told me that the young lord¡¯s illness was not severe, and that Ruoruo was making a fuss. But what was the result? The young lord is now barely alive!¡± Upon hearing this, Granny Li froze. What? Was the young lord really that ill? After being shocked, Granny Li knelt down and apologized, ¡°Madam, pardon me, I really didn¡¯t know that the young lord was so ill! I made a misjudgment, I should die!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Do you still have the nerve to say you didn¡¯t know? If you didn¡¯t know, how could you not call a doctor? If you did not know, why did you insist he was not ill? Who gave you the audacity to make decisions on your own?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Granny Li stammered, unable to find a good excuse for herself. Wei Ruo was also a bit surprised. Was Wei Jinyi¡¯s life in danger? It would be usible if she did not treat himst night, but afterst night¡¯s treatment, as long as he rested properly, he should have recovered this morning and it should not have been a critical situation. Mrs Yun¡¯s gaze shifted to Wei Ruo, bingplex. ¡°Ruoruo, you were wrong about the incidentst night. No matter how anxious you were, you shouldn¡¯t have pushed Wanwan.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°So, you¡¯ve only eliminated one usation, and you still think the other one is my fault?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Mrs Yun andughed instead of getting angry. Mrs Yun frowned, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Wei Ruo snorted, ¡°I¡¯ve already said what I wanted to say. I¡¯m not guilty. The two crimes you use me of, I deny them all. Since you¡¯ve learned that my second brother¡¯s serious illness was true and that you were wronged by the deceitful servants, why don¡¯t you think about whether you¡¯ve also been misled and wronged me in another matter?¡± ¡°Is this the way you¡¯re supposed to talk to your mother? If you did nothing wrong, after Granny Li failed to help, you should havee to me, rather than causing amotion in Wangmei Garden! If it wasn¡¯t for your rash actions, no one would have been injured, and your father wouldn¡¯t have been interrupted from his busy schedule toe here.¡± Mrs Yun felt very wronged today. This matter had angered her husband, she had been scolded by him, and he thought she had mistreated the concubine¡¯s son. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Themotion at Wangmei Garden was not my fault, it was Granny Li¡¯s fault for not doing what she should have done. It was not my fault that my father had to rush here, it was Granny Li who dyed my second brother¡¯s illness, it was my mother who did not want to believe me.¡± Wei Ruo insisted she did nothing wrong, showing no intention of admitting defeat. ¡°You!¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude stoked the mes of Mrs Yun¡¯s anger again. As Mrs Yun, fuming with anger, stared at Wei Ruo, the words of punishment were about to leave her mouth. ¡°Mother!¡± Wei Yichen rushed over. He lived in the most remote corner of Wei Residence, a quiet ce for his studies but also left him oblivious to themotion that happenedst night. Upon hearing of the incident this morning, he hurriedly rushed over. After entering the door, Wei Yichen first nced at Wei Ruo, who was standing stubbornly to the side, then quickly turned to Mrs Yun: ¡°Mother! There is nothing wrong with Ruoruo trying to find Granny Li to call a doctor for our second brother! If Granny Li had handled it well, there would have been no need to disturb mother. This has always been the rule in our house! If you want to me someone, me Granny Li for her negligence. She failed to handle her responsibilities and caused discord in our family!¡± ¡°Mother, Ruoruo has been home for just one month, it is highlymendable that she knows how to handle this situation this way! As for her identally hurting Wanwan, that happened in a moment of urgency, and it wasn¡¯t intentional. It ismon for people to be anxious when it concerns someone¡¯s life, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°The person deserving punishment is really Granny Li. As a servant, not timely reporting to the mistress when the master is seriously ill is a crime; ndering the master, and distorting facts is the second crime; failing to protect the master and causing him to fall and get injured is the third crime!¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s words turned Granny Li pale, and also helped Mrs Yun, who was fuming with anger to calm down significantly. Mrs Yun took it all in. She softened her expression and looked again at Wei Ruo, suddenly reminded of the sweet days she spent with her husband when she was pregnant with their daughter. At that time, her husband wasn¡¯t as busy, he had time to apany her every day. The couple was very excited about their second child. Having had a son in the first pregnancy, her husband wished for a daughter this time, saying daughters were more caring and apany their parents for a longer time. Mrs Yun turned to Granny Li: ¡°Did you admit to all the crimes the eldest master mentioned?¡± Granny Li knelt on the ground, trying to defend herself, but found no words to refute. ¡°Your silence means you admit it. As a family servant, you havemitted several crimes. ording to the rules you should be beaten to death, but in consideration of your years of service as a faithful old servant from the Duke¡¯s Residence and your many years of hard work for the Wei family, I will deduct three months of your pay and make you work as abourer at the farmstead for three months.¡± Upon hearing this, Granny Li quickly pleaded, ¡°Madam, Madam, I¡¯m old, I can¡¯t take three months of hardbour in the farmstead!¡± Chapter 32 - 321 Will Keep Your Secret i Chapter 32:1 Will Keep Your Secret i Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mother has already let you off lightly, you have no right to feel wronged.¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s cold voice interrupted Nurse Li¡¯s plea for mercy, then he ordered the outside guards in to drag away Nurse Li forcefully. ¡°Madam¡­madam¡­young master¡­¡± Nurse Li was dragged away, crying out continuously. Even after Nurse Li was taken away, the atmosphere in the room remained tense. Wei Ruo said nothing, her gaze coolly fixed on Yun¡¯s family. Wei Yichen said, ¡°Mother, you¡¯ve been busy all night and must be tired. Rest first. I¡¯ll take my sister back to Tingsong Garden.¡± Yun waved her hand, signaling that the two could leave. Wei Yichen went in front of Wei Ruo, took her hand, and said gently, ¡°Go home with big brother.¡± Wei Ruo nced at Wei Yichen and offered no resistance. Following Wei Yichen out of the Cangyun Garden gate, they walked together into the gate of Tingsong Garden. Xiumei had stayed awake all night. Seeing Wei Ruo return, she was so touched that she was on the verge of tears. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°You¡¯re finally back, miss!¡± Xiumei lunged towards Wei Ruo and held her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Wei Ruo said. Ruo patted Xiumei¡¯s cheeks. Seeing her swollen eyes, she knew that this maid had been crying secretly all night. Wei Ruo turned to Wei Yichen who had walked her back and said, ¡°Thank you for speaking up for me, big brother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I genuinely believe you did nothing wrong. In such a life-and-death situation, anyone would panic. You just identally pushed Wanwan in your haste, you didn¡¯t do it deliberately,¡± Wei Yichen said. ¡°So big brother also thinks I was the one who pushed Wei Qingwan?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Yichen, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. ¡°I know it was idental. I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be so reckless.¡± The hope in Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes faded. She smiled calmly, ¡°Understood. Still, thank you, big brother.¡± ¡°Mm, you should go back to your room and rest now, get a good sleep.¡± After giving Wei Ruo a few pieces of advice, Wei Yichen left Tingsong Garden. After Wei Yichen left, instead of resting in her room as he had suggested, Wei Ruo went to the neighboring garden, Yingzhu, wanting to check on Wei Jinyi¡¯s condition. She had applied acupuncture and given him medicinest night. It wasn¡¯t logical for his condition to worsen by morning. When she arrived at Yingzhu Garden, she was met with guards at the gate and the scent of herbs emanating from the courtyard, where two maids were busily brewing medication. Wei Ruo headed straight to Wei Jinyi¡¯s bedroom. Upon seeing Wei Ruo enter, Xiaobei, who was standing by the bed, stood up with an excited look on her face, ¡°Young mistress, you¡¯re back? Are you okay?¡± Wei Ruo walked over to the bed, finding the person on it with his eyes tightly shut and reached out to take his pulse. She ced her slender fingers on Wei Jinyi¡¯s wrist and quickly furrowed her brow. What¡¯s going on? Why is his pulse so dangerous? She had already administered acupuncture and medicine to him yesterday, by rights even if Wei Jinyi wasn¡¯tpletely recovered, his pulse should at least have stabilized by now. As Wei Ruo was wondering, Wei Jinyi opened his eyes. At the same time, he pulled back his wrist, ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± His voice was still somewhat weak, his face was pale, but his eyes were clear, clearly, he had recovered quite a bit. ¡°You were pretending?¡± Wei Ruo asked, surprised for a moment before realizing something. Wei Jinyi met her gaze. He didn¡¯t answer, but Wei Ruo knew the answer. ¡°Thank you.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°No need.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°How did you alter your pulse to make the person taking your pulse think it was dangerous?¡± Wei Ruo asked mockingly. In her years of practice, she had never encountered someone who could manipte their pulse to deceive others. ¡°I learned it from medical books. The pulse can be influenced by pressure applied to certain points on the arm.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. His deep-set eyes gazed at Wei Ruo. After a pause, he asked, ¡°When did you learn medical skills?¡± ¡°I learned from an old man in the countryside,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Rest up now. Your body still needs a few more days to recover. Don¡¯t exert yourself too much. Stay in bed to avoid anyplications.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t stay for long since Wei Jinyi was already okay. As she was about to leave, she heard Wei Jinyi¡¯s calm, steady, and convincing voice, ¡°I will keep your secret.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Ruo mumbled in agreement, then left the room. Back in Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo washed up and went straight to sleep. When she woke up, it was already evening. After a brief freshening up, she went to the dining hall. As soon as she walked in, she felt a strange atmosphere. Wei Qingwan wasn¡¯t there because of her injured foot. Only Yunshi, Wei Yichen, Wei Yilin, and Wei Ruo remained. Except for Wei Yichen, the others didn¡¯t look so good, especially Wei Yilin. As soon as he saw Wei Ruo, he red at her with a look that could kill. Wei Ruo ignored him and calmly took her seat. ¡°Humph!¡± Wei Yilin made a scornful sound in a deliberate attempt to express his displeasure. ¡°Yilin, don¡¯t talk while eating or on the bed.¡± Wei Yichen reminded him sternly. Wei Yilin pouted, puffed up his cheeks, and started eating his food in silence. After dinner, Yunshi didn¡¯t hold the usual tea and chat session. She didn¡¯t even show any concern for Wei Ruo like before, but sent them all to rest. Wei Ruo left the dining room and had only walked a few steps when she heard hurried footsteps behind her. Wei Yilin rushed up to her, blocked her path, and demanded, ¡°Why did you bully sister? Sister is so good! She always thinks of you and gives you the best things. She even told me to be nice to you, but you pushed her and cause her injury! You¡¯re so mean!¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to deal with Wei Yilin and continued walking after sidestepping him. Wei Yilin stubbornly followed her and once again blocked her path. ¡°You must rify this today!¡± Wei Yilin said, mustering up an intimidating aura. ¡°What do you want me to say? That I bullied Wei Qingwan? That I ruthlessly pushed Wei Qingwan to the ground and caused her injury?¡± ¡°So you admit you¡¯re mindless?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about what I admit, but what you want me to admit. You¡¯ve alreadybeled me as a viin. What else is there to say?¡± Wei Ruo replied with a scornfulugh. Wei Yichen, who had caught up with them, pulled Wei Yilin away, ¡°Yilin! I have already exined to you that Suoruo pushing Wanwan was an ident!¡± ¡°But sister was bleeding! What if she gets a scar?¡± ¡°Suoruo was anxious because your second brother fell sick! It¡¯s understandable that she was impatient because it¡¯s a matter of life and death! Do you understand?¡± Wei Yichen instructed. ¡°But he¡¯s not my brother. He¡¯s not raised by my mother!¡± Wei Yilin didn¡¯t recognize Wei Jinyi. In his eyes, Wei Jinyi was an anomaly. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you epting me as a sister born from the same mother either.¡± Wei Ruo hit back. ¡°You!¡± Wei Yilin wanted to retort, but he couldn¡¯t find the words to respond to Wei Ruo¡¯s rebuttal.. Chapter 33 - 33 Clearly Divided_l Chapter 33: Clearly Divided_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°In in terms, you¡¯re acting on your own preferences, don¡¯t put on this grand show of excuses, it sounds absurd.¡± Wei Ruo assessed. Wei Yilin¡¯s face turned red under Wei Ruo¡¯s rebuke. Wei Yichen held Wei Yilin back, ¡°Apologize to Ruoruo.¡± Wei Yilin, with a stern expression, huffed, ¡°1 won¡¯t! Big brother, you¡¯re siding with her too now and not protecting Sister Wanwan. If I don¡¯t protect Sister Wanwan, she¡¯ll be bullied by others! She¡¯s my sister, the one who cares about me the most! I won¡¯t allow anyone to bully her!¡± Having said that, Wei Yilin broke free from Wei Yichen and quickly ran away with tears in his eyes. Wei Yichen slightly furrowed his eyebrows, helplessly exining to Wei Ruo, ¡°Not long after Yilin was born, our father took a position in Xingshan County and became busy with official duties. Our mother also became particrly busy due to the relocation. Between my studies and neglect of Yilin, his personality developed as it did. Please don¡¯t take him to heart. I will properly guide him in the future.¡± ¡°What good would it do for me to hold it against him? What does big brother think I can do to him? If I were to do anything, who do you think would be punished in the end, him or me?¡± Wei Ruo retorted, a sarcastic look in her eyes. Wei Yichen looked serious, ¡°Ruoruo, I know that being locked in the firewood room by mother yesterday hurt you. Big brother is sorry for not finding out sooner and letting you suffer. I truly apologize.¡± ¡°Big brother says this now, but if a livelier conflict urred in the future, it¡¯s not guaranteed that you would be on my side like you are now.¡± ¡°Ruoruo¡­¡± Wei Ruo interrupted Wei Yichen¡¯s words: ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore, I have something for you. Wait for me at Tingsong Garden.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± Wei Yichen looked at Wei Ruo in surprise. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Wee Ruo didn¡¯t say much, and when they reached the entrance to Tingsong Garden, she ran into the house and came out with a roll of something. ¡°This is for you.¡± Wei Ruo handed a roll of paper to Wei Yichen. ¡°Paper? From the Four Treasure House?¡± Wei Yichen recognized the paper from the Four Treasure House after a few nces. Looking at the paper, Wei Yichen¡¯s face involuntarily showed delight. Wei Ruo: ¡°Mm-hmm, I brought some back from Huzhou Prefecture. Wei Yichen: ¡°This kind of paper is not cheap, how much did it cost, let me pay you.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, consider it a thank-you gift for helping me out.¡± Wei Yichen: ¡°The words I spoke yesterday were something I should have said, you don¡¯t need to thank me.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°To me, that is something that requires gratitude. Regardless, big brother, please ept it.¡± Some things are better settled inly. She did not like owing Wei Yichen any favors, not even a little bit. Wei Yichen looked at the paper in his hands, thought for a moment, ¡°Okay, then I will ept it, and I will bring you some delicious food next time.¡± Wei Yichen didn¡¯t want to calcte so precisely with Wei Ruo, and he also really liked this paper. The couple of sheets his father gave himst time were quickly used up, and he wanted to buy more, but it was only avable in Huzhou Prefecture, which was too far away and too expensive, so he had to give up. Seeing that his younger sister had presented him with such a valuable gift, he definitely had to return the favor next time. ### The next day, Wei Ruo went to Yingzhu Garden to see Wei Jinyi again and to check his recovery. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om In the Wei residence, Wei Jinyi continued his act of being sick. He somehow managed to convince the doctors who were called in by the Wei family that his condition was critical. After Wei Ruo entered the room, he had Xiaobei stand guard at the door. If someone else entered, he would alert the people inside. Wei Jinyi got up from the bed and seeing Wei Ruo, his usual cold and aloof demeanor seemed to soften a bit. ¡°This is for you.¡± Wei Ruo took out a white porcin bottle and ced it on the cab next to Wei Jinyi¡¯s bed. ¡°The medicine you made?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Mm-hmm. You have a physical deficiency, probably congenital. Taking this medicine regrly can help you build up strength. If you were in better health, you wouldn¡¯t have deteriorated so much after catching a cold.¡± Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t holding back now, since Wei Jinyi already knew about her medical skills. Wee Ruo didn¡¯t notice, when she said ¡°probably congenital,¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression changed slightly. There was a brief chill in his detached eyes, but it quickly faded. After Wei Ruo finished speaking, Wei Jinyi picked up the medicine bottle, examined it carefully, opened the lid, and sniffed it closely. Wei Ruo pursed her lips, ¡°You better eat it properly, and don¡¯t waste it. This medicine took me a lot of effort, and many of the ingredients in it are hard to find.¡± If he dared to waste the medicinal pills she painstakingly prepared, she would kill him! Humph! Wei Jinyi stared at Wei Ruo, taking in all her little expressions and gestures. After a long while, he said, ¡°Thank you.¡± This was the first time he thanked Wei Ruo in all their time knowing each other. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say yesterday that we shouldn¡¯t say thank you? Howe you¡¯re saying it today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Wei Jinyi avoided her gaze and hid the medicine bottle under his pillow. Someone would being to his roomter, and he couldn¡¯t let others see the medication. Then he picked up a book from the bedside cab and started reading. So, he was back to his old self ¨C head down and either reading or writing, apparently his two favorite activities in life. After Wei Ruo left, Wei Jinyi called Xiaobei over again and gave him an envelope. ¡°You take this letter to the Shi¡¯s Bakery in the East City. Upon hearing this, Xiaobei was shocked. That was not just an ordinary bakery! On the surface, it sold pastries, but in fact, it was a secret contact point¡­ ¡°Young Master, are you¡­?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t say much, he just needed Xiaobei to follow his orders. ¡°Okay, Young Master, you rest well in the meantime. I¡¯ll go now. Xiaobei vividly remembered that the young master had severed contact with those people a long time ago. He didn¡¯t understand why Wei Jinyi had suddenly decided to get in touch with them again today. Perhaps it was due to his recent illness. Xiaobei carried out his task, holding Wei Jinyi¡¯s letter as he left. Wei Jinyi was a man, so it was much easier for him and his valet to go in and out of the residence than the women of the family. More than an hourter, Xiaobei arrived back sessfully, bringing back quite a few items. After looking over the items, Wei Jinyi took out a wooden box from among them and told Xiaobei to take it to Wei Ruo at Tingsong Garden next door. Upon seeing Xiaobei bringing some things over, saying that his young master had sent a thank-you gift. Wee Ruo, not one for formalities with Wei Jinyi, epted it immediately. She opened it and was stunned. It was a piece of ginseng from the old mountain, it looked to be at least a hundred years old! Wei Ruo quickly closed the box and double checked there were no onlookers around before reopening it to take a closer look. After confirming it was a ginseng from the old mountain, Wei Ruo asked the messenger Xiaobei: ¡°Did your young master really send this to me? Chapter 34 - 34 Braised Spring Bamboo Shoots 1 Chapter 34: Braised Spring Bamboo Shoots 1 Trantor: 549690339???????????????????? ¡ª Yes, the young master gave it to the youngdy,¡± Xiaobei replied. ¡°Where did your young master get this from?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Xiaobei was evasive. Is your young master in the courtyard?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go find him!¡± Since Wei Jinyi¡¯s answer couldn¡¯t be obtained from Xiaobei, she might as well ask Wei Jinyi herself. in the bedroom, the lower half of Wei Jinyi¡¯s body was covered by the quilt, and the upper half was propped up against the cushion, holding a book in his hand. He was wearing a white gown, and his face was still a bit pale, and he looked like an emaciated man who has just been drenched in the rain. Wei Ruo walked over and Wei Jinyi looked up at her. ¡°Are you giving me this valuable ginseng?¡± Wei Ruo asked, pointing at the box in her hand. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where did you get such a valuable thing?¡± Wei Ruo was curious. ¡°I saved an old man some years ago, it¡¯s a gift from him.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Xiaobei, who was listening on the side, was grumbling in his heart. The young master was lying without blushing! It was not from saving someone, the ginseng was clearly from¡­ ¡°Are you sure you want to give me this valuable ginseng? If sold, it can worth a lot of silver! There should be at least two hundred taels.¡± Wei Ruo reminded him. ¡°You saved my life, it worth more than the ginseng can offer.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. The medicine that Wei Ruo had given him was a rare item that could not be bought or found elsewhere. Although what he said was right nevertheless, from Wei Ruo¡¯s perspective Wei Jinyi¡¯s appearance suggested that the value of the ginseng probably exceeded all his possessions. He was so poor yet he could give her such a valuable item. Clearly, he was someone who knew how to be grateful. Her decision to risk exposing herself to save him that day wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll ept the ginseng. Next time, I¡¯ll use it to make some great replenishing pills and gift a few of them back to you,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed, but he didn¡¯t really expect Wei Ruo to give him any great replenishing pills. ### Two dayster, Wei Jinyi finally ¡°recovered¡± from his illness. He could eat, drink, get out of bed, and walk. Everyone in the Wei Residence breathed a sigh of relief, no longer having to fear of being punished by Wei Mingting. Wei Ruo came to visit Wei Jinyi again, and also to take some bamboo shoots from his courtyard. If she didn¡¯t eat these bamboo shoots soon, they would be old and unusable. Rather than wasting them, she decided to offer them to her ¡°Wuzang Temple¡± [tummy]. Just as Xiaobei was serving food to Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo entered the room. Looking at the dishes, Wei Ruo appeared surprised. The porridge was fine, recovering from a serious illness requires a bit of liquid to help with absorption in the stomach. The problemy with the two tes of dishes: one te of somewhat yellowish-green vegetables and another with simrly unappetizing, seriously suspected of being burnt, radishes. Even though it¡¯s true that a person who had just recovered from a severe illness should eat light, but what¡¯s with the yellowing and burnt dishes? ¡°Did the main kitchen send you wilted vegetables?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°No, the vegetables that the main kitchen sent are quite fresh,¡± Xiaobei exined. In the past, they might have been given unsavory vegetables, but now the servants at the residence wouldn¡¯t dare withhold their provision. ¡°So, did your own kitchen ruin the dishes?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Hearing this, Xiaobei scratched his head in embarrassment: ¡°Well¡­ Miss, the cook here is me¡­ and I¡¯m not very good at cooking¡­¡± Xiaobei quickly added, ¡°But, I usually do a bit better than this, I rarely burn food anymore. Today was an exception because I was cooking while worrying about young master¡¯s medication!¡± There were only two people in the Zhu Bamboo Residence, and although there was a small kitchen that could cook small meals, it didn¡¯t have a proper cook. Wei Ruo turned to Xiumei and gave her a look. Without needing Wei Ruo to say anything, Xiumei already understood her intent. ¡°Miss, shall I use these bamboo shoots to cook a dish of braised spring bamboo shoots?¡± Xiumei suggested. ¡°Go ahead, you peel the shoots first, and I¡¯ll go get some sweet potato starch for you.¡± Wei Ruo said. The mistress and maid began to act separately. Their enthusiasm made Xiaobei anxious. Thinking about the spicy dish that Wei Ruo madest time, Xiaobei didn¡¯t dare to hold any hopes for the uing meal. ¡°Young master, do you want me to stop them?¡± ¡°Let them be.¡± Unlike the previous rejection and impatience, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t refuse this time. It wasn¡¯t long before Wei Ruo returned with Xiumei. Xiumei was holding a bowl of braised spring bamboo shoots steaming hot. Xiumei put the bowl on the bedside table of Wei Jinyi and said, ¡°Second young master, try these spring shoots. They¡¯re not going to be spicy this time, they won¡¯t make you choke.¡± Wei Jinyi looked at the tender yellow bamboo shoots covered with a thick brown sauce, shining with oily glitter, and topped with fresh green onions. Compared with the yellowish and burnt vegetables and radishes cooked by Xiaobei, these bamboo shoots were much more enticing. With an attitude of giving it a try, Wei Jinyi picked up a piece and put it in his mouth, savoring it carefully. He did not choke or cough this time. His expressions were usually limited and would not show any extreme emotions, so it was hard to gauge his opinion on the braised spring bamboo shoots by his expression alone. ¡°The vor is rich, fresh and tasty, it has the sweetness of the shoots and aplex taste of the sauce, what¡¯s that?¡± Wei Jinyi looked up at Wei Ruo. ¡°It¡¯s soy sauce. Didn¡¯t I give you a jar?¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Indeed, she did give him one, but Wei Jinyi had never tasted it. He had asked Xiaobei to dispose of it and didn¡¯t know where Xiaobei had put it. Xiaobei guiltily lowered his head and looked at the floor, fearing that Wei Ruo would discover he had carelessly stored her gift. Little did he know that his mistress was indeed serious about her soy sauce. It was her secret recipe, and as it turned out, was indeed a valuable medicinal ingredient as she imed. ¡°How is it? Better than those vegetables and radishes, right?¡± Wei Ruo asked smiling. ¡°Mmm.¡± Wei Jinyi replied in his low voice, his emotions hardly discernible. Wei Ruo watched as Wei Jinyi finished an entire bowl of porridge and a te full of braised spring bamboo shoots, before leaving the residence with Xiumei a satisfied smile on her face. Once Wei Ruo left, Wei Jinyi asked Xiaobei where the jar of soy sauce had gone. ¡°I¡¯ll go find it!¡± Xiaobei hurriedly ran into the kitchen to search. He found the jar collecting dust in a corner. Even though the surface was dusty, the jar was well-sealed, so the content should be okay. Xiaobei returned to Wei Jinyi¡¯s bedroom, holding the jar of soy sauce excitedly. ¡°Young master, look, the jar is still here and it¡¯s been stored well.¡± ¡°Mmm, store it well.¡± Yes, my master! I¡¯ll keep it in the safest ce!¡± No matter how tasty this soy sauce is, being a gift from Wei Ruo, they had to treat it with respect. The rtionship between their young master and Wei Ruo had changed.. They had be ¡°friends through adversity!¡± Chapter 35 - 35 Selling Sweet Potato Leaves 1 Chapter 35: Selling Sweet Potato Leaves 1 Trantor: 549690339????????????????????? ¡ª In the following days, the Military Prefecture returned to its usual tranquility, Wei Ruo¡¯s rtionship with her family had be even colder than when she had just arrived. This was particrly true with Yun, who used to be warm towards Wei Ruo. However, Wei Ruo¡¯s response was never enthusiastic and now that Yun was cold towards her, Wei Ruo became even more indifferent. Wei Yichen was somewhat worried about this but Wei Ruo didn¡¯t care. She didn¡¯t care about the attitudes of the others in her family towards her because she had several important matters at hand. Firstly, the sweet potatoes on Xiaoyang Mountain had already grown lush leaves. Sweet potato leaves are also a fine type of food, which can be picked for consumption as a green vegetable and provide additional benefits before the sweet potatoes ripen. What¡¯s more, the benefit of sweet potato leaves is that the more that can be sold, the more that can be harvested and what can¡¯t be sold can be left in the ground to provide nutrients for the sweet potatoes. For the first harvest of sweet potato leaves, the wet nurse was a little uncertain, so Wei Ruo sent Xiumei there because she had mobility issues After Xiumei and the wet nurse met, they directed theborers to harvest a portion of the sweet potatoes. The harvested sweet potato leaves were strung together in bundles with rice straw and then loaded onto a readily-transportable oxcart after being ced in baskets. For the first harvest, aware that people might not be familiar with sweet potato leaves, Xiumei and the wet nurse picked only two baskets¡¯ worth ording to Wei Ruo¡¯s instruction. Then, they transported the oxcart to the market for sale, priced at two coins per bunch. This price was set by Wei Ruo. It¡¯s not expensive, aiming for a high volume of sales with a small profit. Wei Ruo generally would not price agricultural products too high, aiming for quantity rather than high profits but on luxury items that only the rich and powerful could afford, Wei Ruo set the price as high as possible. Selling sweet potato leaves was also for the purpose of better promoting sweet potatoes as a crop, to prepare for the market for an evenrger amount of sweet potatoes. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om On their way to the market, the wet nurse even went home and stir-fried arge te of them to bring to the market. At the market, they made funneled shapes with small dumpling leaves to hold the cooked sweet potato leaves, each only containing enough for one bite. Then they had theborers who were helping with the transportation cry out: ¡°Two coins per bunch, free samples.¡± Due to the scarcity of arablend in Xingshan County, vegetables were generally more expensive than in other regions. Plus, poor weather in recent years had lowered crop yields andbined with Japanese Pirates causing disruptions led to fewer merchant convoys, thus fewer vegetables being transported from other ces. This resulted in the price of vegetables in Xingshan County being several times higher than other ces. Fresh green vegetables sold for two coins a bunch were indeed quite appealing, attracting many onlookers. Although they hadn¡¯t seen this before, there were ready-to-eat samples avable. The wet nurse very enthusiastically handed the dumpling leaves filled with stir-fried sweet potato leaves to the onlookers. Once they learned that this was a vegetable that could be eaten, tasted refreshing and delicious, and was also affordable, some began buying it to give it a try. In no time at all, all of the sweet potato leaves in the two baskets were sold out. After leaving the market, Xiumei followed the wet nurse back to their current residence. There is a shop in the front, and a small house in the back, not a big ce, but the wet nurse and her family were very satisfied the ce. Especially considering its location, which was rather good. It was close to the Military Prefecture and the shop at the front was in a busy area. Once they open for business, it should attract lots of customers. After having lunch with the three members of the Xu Family in the small house, Xiumei returned to the Military Prefecture. When she came back, she brought Wei Ruo sweet potato leaves and some other vegetable mushrooms. All of these were prepared by the wet nurse¡¯s family for Wei Ruo, as they were worried she might not be used to the food at the Military Prefecture. After that, Wei Ruo told Xiumei to stand guard outside her door and prevent anyone from entering. She then visited her dimensional space and harvested the sweet potatoes that she had nted on two pieces ofnd within the space. The speed at which nts grow in the dimensional space is not the same as outside. Whereas the sweet potatoes on Xiaoyang Mountain had just started to grow leaves, those in her dimensional space were ready to be harvested. She harvested a total of two basketfuls of sweet potatoes, and gained a significant increase in experience points, leaving her less than one hundred points away from the one thousand points needed to level up. Seeing level up on the horizon, Wei Ruo was increasingly looking forward to the new seeds that would be unlocked. Wei Ruo decided to keep the sweet potatoes she had harvested in her dimensional space. As having two baskets of sweet potatoes appeared out of nowhere might arouse suspicion. After Wei Ruo stored the sweet potatoes, as long as the environment in the space remained dry, they would not spoil in the short term. Since it was currently inconvenient to remove the sweet potatoes from her space for sale, she decided to keep them there as a reserve for food. Just in case she ever ran into trouble and ran out of food or water, the provisions stored in her dimensional space would at least ensure that she didn¡¯t starve to death. The next day, Wei Ruo went personally to the southern part of the city and used the document given to her by Wei Mingting to sessfully persuade the guards at the south gate to let her through. In the southern city, Wei Ruo has selected a t piece ofnd that was convenient for transportation and near a water source as her experimental field. She ordered the twoborers sent by Yun to weeding and tilling thend. After that, she asked them to transport water from a nearby river to irrigate the field every day. Even though nothing had been nted in the field yet, having to water it every day. This was perplexing to many. Furthermore, Wei Ruo wanted theborers to shape the field into something suitable for rice seeding, even though it was nearing the Dragon Boat Festival and elsewhere, the rice stalks had already grown taller than people¡¯s knees. Wei Ruo¡¯s insistence on carving out a seedling field to grow rice now left some wondering whether she truly understood farming or not. Wet nurse Zhang and the twoborers were skeptical, and found Wei Ruo¡¯s actions peculiar. After two days of work, Wet nurse Zhang couldn¡¯t help but express her concerns to Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you switch to other crops to nt? Although I haven¡¯t tilled the fields for many years, I remember back in our hometown people used to say that there is a time and season for everything. Whether it¡¯s nting crops, gourds, vegetables, there¡¯s a specific time to do so. Once you miss that window, it won¡¯t grow very well!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing. I guarantee you that once you¡¯ve prepared thend, there will still be plenty of time to nt rice.¡± Wei Ruo of course understood the importance of timing. It was almost June, and normally it would be toote to nt rice. However, the rice seeds in her space were a variety that could be nted as either early-season orte-season rice. The early-season rice would be flowering by next month, while thete-season rice wouldn¡¯t be nted until the sixth or seventh lunar month. She could still make it in time. By doing this, she could simultaneously conduct experiments on improving saline-alkalind and ntingte-season rice. If sessful, not only could the arablend of Xingshan County be significantly expanded, but they could also nt rice twice a year, and increase grain production both horizontally and vertically. ¡°What about all those fruits, vegetables, straw, and rice bran you asked us to collect before?¡± Wet nurse Zhang asked. ¡°Keep storing those. In a little while, when the time is right, I¡¯ll tell you how to use them.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wet nurse Zhang looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s confident face, wanted to say something, but swallowed her words. Let it be, saying anything wouldn¡¯t make a difference. The miss didn¡¯t seem like someone who would take advice easily. Moreover, the miss had also said that if the project failed, it would be her issue, and she would be the one who would be punished. It had nothing to do with her.. Chapter 36 - 36: Dragon Boat Festival Trip_l Chapter 36: Dragon Boat Festival Trip_l Trantor: 549690339 , Meanwhile, in the Wangmei Gardens. Wei Qingwan, after a few days of rest, finally got out of bed. However, herplexion was not good, her face paler than Wei Jrnyi¡¯s at this time. These past few days, she had been confined to Wangmei Garden, listening to Cuiping telling her about Wei Ruo¡¯s activities. She knew that Wei Ruo had been busy all the time, running around every opportunity she got. Despite her maid¡¯s persuasion, Wei Qingwan went to the kitchen herself, made some osmanthus cakes, and personally delivered them to Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen had been engrossed in studying for days and rarely bothered with the world outside. Only when Wei Qingwan came to check on him would he rx a little. ¡°Wanwan, why are you here yourself today?¡± Seeing his sister, a tender and indulgent smile naturally appeared on his face. ¡°I came to check on you, my brother. I worry that you are working too hard and forgetting to eat because you¡¯re always reading. Whether you pass the schr examination or not does not matter to me. All I want is a strong and healthy brother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I take good care of myself. I always eat well and would never starve myself. My dear sister, don¡¯t worry. ¡°So you won¡¯t eat the osmanthus cakes I made?¡± ¡°Of course, I will!¡± Wei Yichen quickly reached for the osmanthus cakes Wei Qingwan brought. ¡°My sister¡¯s cooking is much better than everyday food.¡± ¡°Brother, I heard sister has been frequently going out these days and even went to the wastnds in the south of the city. Is it true?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it difficult to cultivate crops on thatnd?¡± Wei Qingwan asked curiously. ¡°While it is indeed hard, it doesn¡¯t matter. Ruo has her methods. If she seeds, it would be a great achievement. If not, we wouldn¡¯t lose much.¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s view was the same as Wei Mingting¡¯s. ¡°Sister is so lucky, free to go out and do what she wants.¡± Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help sighing, a deep longing in her expression. Wei Yichen chuckled: ¡°So, my dear Wanwan, you want to go out as well? Do you want to learn from Ruo and farm? That won¡¯t do, you can¡¯t withstand the harsh weather.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me again, Brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not making fun of you, but caring for you. Only because she likes and is used to doing these things, can I bear to see Ruo running around and working so hard,¡± said Wei Yichen with a smile. ¡°Yes¡­ farming is indeed very hard work¡­ I wonder how Old Lady Li is doing now¡­¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression became sorrowful. Seeing her like this, Wei Yichen reassured her, ¡°Wanwan, Old Lady Li did wrong and she needs to be punished. I understand your affection for her but if we are not strict with this, it would encourage disobedience.¡± ¡°I know, but given her age and the months she has been at the farm, I fear she may not be able to withstand it¡­¡± Wei Qingwan looked worried. When she mentioned that Old Lady Li might not resist, her eyes reddened involuntarily. Wei Yichen frowned: ¡°Wanwan, I understand your concern for Old Lady Li. I¡¯ll talk to the manager at the farm and ask him to help look after her and to give her less strenuous work.¡± Wei Qingwan pressed her lips together: ¡°Thank you, Brother.¡± ¡°Silly girl, don¡¯t say that. I understand your feelings. You¡¯re the kindest soul, but we must punish when we must, excessive kindness may harm you,¡± said Wei Yichen. ¡°Ok,¡± Wei Qingwan agreed softly. ### Very soon, the Dragon Boat Festival arrived. The customs were simple in Xingshan County ¨C families would insert peach leaves and iris into their doors, and eat dumplings. The Colonel¡¯s residence was no exception. The most pleasing part was that Wei Mingting took a day off. Pairing his rare presence at home with children and Wei Ruo¡¯s first Dragon Boat Festival spent with the Wei Family, Wei Mingting decided to take them to the streets. Although there weren¡¯t any grand events in Xingshan County for the Dragon Boat Festival, it was livelier than usual. Wei Ruo was unusually excited, having got up early and asked Xiumei to help her dress up. ¡°Miss, you weren¡¯t this happyst time when you went to pray with Madam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different, today we¡¯re going to the streets.¡± Helpless, she was now in a deep pce, and going out was not as easy as before. Even though she had been put in charge of the wastnds in the south of the city, Mrs. Yun instructed her to have subordinates to do things for her whenever possible ¨C she should stay inside if possible and avoid manualbor. In short, there weren¡¯t many opportunities to go out! When she passed Jinyi¡¯s pavilion, Wei Ruo stopped, peered into the yard, and saw Wei Jinyi still sitting in the pavilion reading and writing. It seemed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to go out today. Didn¡¯t they say that Wei Mingting was kind to Wei Jinyi? Why did he end up leaving Wei Jinyi alone on this family holiday? Did Wei Mingting only pretend to care about his illegitimate son, as described in the original novel? Did he arrange the small kitchen and monthly allowance for Wei Jinyi just to save face but not really care about him? Wei Ruo didn¡¯t think much of it. It was useless anyway for her to mull it over. Just as she was about to leave, Wei Jinyi noticed her. ¡°If you want toe in,e on in,¡± Wei Jinyi said to Wei Ruo. ¡°No, I¡¯m leaving.¡± She waved her hand. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad. Father probably thinks you are just out of sickness and wants you to rest.¡± Having said this much, Wei Ruoforted him. Otherwise, she would seem mean, announcing that she was going out when she clearly knew that Wei Jinyi couldn¡¯t go. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so concerned about me. I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s me who doesn¡¯t want to go out,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Oh, as long as you¡¯re okay!¡± ¡°Yeah, have fun.¡± Wei Jinyi advised. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go.¡± Wei Ruo waved goodbye and left. Wei Jinyi kept his gaze on the direction where Wei Ruo went. The thirteen-year-old girl was charming, lively, like a free bird, and also like a blossoming spring flower. He didn¡¯t shift his gaze until hepletely lost sight of her. When Wei Ruo came to the entrance of their home, except for Wei Jinyi, the family had gathered. Wei Ruo was thest to arrive. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om For this outing, the household prepared a carriage and two horses. Wei Mingting and Wei Yichen rode horses, while women and young Wei Yilrn rode in the carriage. Comparatively speaking, the streets of Xingshan County were indeed much busier today. After a while, arge crowd appeared ahead and blocked the road. The Wei family carriage had to stop. Looking ahead, it was at the entrance of a shop with several tables ced outside and a group of people gathered around them. There were also a few bamboo frames with calligraphy works hanging on them. Mrs.. Yun lifted the curtain of the carriage and asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening up front?¡± Chapter 37 - 37: Original Male Lead l Chapter 37: Original Male Lead l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mother, wait a moment, let me go and ask around,¡± Wei Yichen replied, swiftly dismounting from his horse and merging with the crowd. After a short while, Wei Yichen returned, visibly more excited than when he left. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s a newly opened shop holding apetition,¡± he said. ¡°What shop? Whatpetition?¡± Madame Yun asked, intrigued by her son¡¯s enthusiasm. It was rare to see him this excited about anything. ¡°It¡¯s the Four Treasure House, they¡¯ve opened a branch in Xingshan County, they¡¯re holding a contest for calligraphy and essays, and the winner will receive a prized piece of calligraphy from the Tibetanyman.¡± ¡°The Four Treasure House? Didn¡¯t your father bring back some paper made by themst time?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the same Four Treasure House indeed!¡± Wei Yichen said, his expression filled with eagerness. ¡°Ah! Is the Tibetanyman that renowned schr from Huzhou Prefecture? Your father had mentioned him before, he writes excellentpositions, once served as an esteemed schr at the Hanlin Academy, but he retired and settled down in Huzhou Prefecture. He nted a bamboo forest in front of his house, hence known as the Tibetanyman.¡± ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± Therefore, Wei Yichen¡¯s excitement became more evident. No matter whether it¡¯s the paper from the Four Treasure House or the artwork from the Tibetanyman, Wei Yichen was profoundly interested in both. Reading her son¡¯s thoughts, Madame Yun promptly said, ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? When ites to calligraphy and essays, my son is one of the very best in Xingshan County.¡± Hearing this, Wei Yichen consulted his father with a look. Wei Mingting agreed, saying, ¡°Go ahead, I too, would like to see the caliber of my son¡¯s writings.¡± ¡°Very well, I will participate.¡± Excited, Wei Yichen blended back into the crowd. Wei Mingting then addressed the family members in the carriage, ¡°You should also get off and stretch your legs.¡± Madame Yun let the three children step out of the carriage. She told Wei Qingwan and Wei Ruo to put on their veils, reminding their maids to stay by their side. As for Wei Yilin, she watched him herself, afraid lest he wander off too far. Once out of the carriage, Wei Ruo, along with Xiumei, plunged into the crowd to look at the peoplepeting for the Tibetanyman¡¯s calligraphy. Both girls were excited. Although their enthusiasm was less pronounced than Wei Yichen¡¯s, they seemed to care much more about this than about anything else, especially Wei Ruo. Thepetition rules were simple. The participants had to write a shortposition on the assigned topic on the spot, and the work would be judged on both content and penmanship. The shopkeeper of the Four Treasure House, a middle-aged man with a beard and a hearty smile, was overseeing thepetition. He enthusiastically weed each student who had been drawn to thepetition, exining the rules and inviting them to participate. The materials, including ink, brush, paper, and inkstone, were provided by Four Treasure House. When Wei Yichen thronged into the crowd, the shopkeeper cheerfully shared thepetition details with him. ¡°You just need to write your thoughts on the given topic. We do not consider the content of the work, but the quality of the calligraphy.¡± ¡°Alright, let me give it a shot. Could you please lend me a brush and paper?¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om In a hurry, the shopkeeper instructed a shopkeeper¡¯s assistant to prepare a new set of brush and paper for Wei Yichen. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Wei Yichen started to write, his bold and powerful strokes immediately attracted a round of apuse from the crowd. After he finished, the shopkeeper did notment on his work, but had another assistant carefully hang up Wei Yichen¡¯s piece. By now, many pieces were hung up on the shelf nearby, all were screenshots of today¡¯spetitions. They were disyed side by side for passer-by to appreciate and judge. Avishly decorated carriage had been parked at distance for a while now with its upants watching the activities here. ¡°Interested, brother Yuhong?¡± Chu Lan asked Lu Yuhong, who was engrossed in the spectacle. Lu Yuhong quickly shook his head, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t make fun of me. I can excel in martialpetition, horse riding, archery, strategic warfare, but I am utterly ipetent at calligraphy orposition. I just find the shop interesting with its unique method of presenting a venue for apetition on its opening day. Furthermore, they offered the Tibetanyman¡¯s artwork as a prize, which I¡¯m curious to know whether it is genuine or not.¡± ¡°Certainly, they are somewhat more astute than most shops,¡± Chu Lanmented, his tone rather detached, show no keenness like Lu Yuhong¡¯s. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t those people on horses from the Noble and Principled Duke¡¯s residence in Capital City? They seem familiar,¡± asked Lu Yuhong. Following Lu Yuhong¡¯s line of sight, Chu Lan spotted Wei Mingting. ¡°Indeed, that is the third son of Noble and Principled Duke, Wei Mingting, who¡¯s currently serving as Sixth-rank Colonel.¡± ¡°Your Highness remember everyone clearly. I am not good at keeping track of these people, not even those residing in the Capital City, let alone those outside the capital.¡± ¡°The entire Noble and Principled Duke¡¯s residence, including the Noble and Principled Duke himself, are spineless. Wei Mingting is the only exception. It¡¯s a pity that he is only bold without flexibility; otherwise, he would have left this ce long ago.¡± Chu Lan remarked. ¡°No wonder the Noble and Principled Duke residence is deteriorating in recent years. It seems like theyckpetent sessors. It¡¯s a pity. I once heard my father mentioning that their ancestors were meritorious generals at the founding of the kingdom!¡± said Lu Yuhong. Despite his schrly background, he admired martial artists, especially those illustrious generals of the past. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Chu Lan suddenly said, lifting the curtain of the carriage and standing up. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°To thepetition.¡± ¡°Eh? Have you taken an interest, Your Highness?¡±Lu Yuhong said in surprise, running after him. Chu Lan didn¡¯t reply and made his way directly into the crowd. Thepetition was still on, nearly everybody had participated, and their works were on disy for everyone to see. Among all the works, Wei Yichen¡¯s piece was prominent and garnered the most attention. No doubt, Madame Yun was correct. When ites to penmanship andposition, Wei Yichen is amongst the top notch in Xingshan County. His performance was superior to others and pushed others aside. We Qingwan couldn¡¯t have been more pleased for Wei Yichen. Suddenly, a man in brocade robes approached. ¡°I would like to try as well.¡± The crowd naturally parted to let the man through, knowing intuitively from the outfit and the entourage that he was no ordinary man. Wei Mingting took notice of the neer and was slightly taken aback. He wasn¡¯t sure of the man¡¯s identity, but he inferred something from the personal essories the man¡¯s attendants were bearing. Wei Ruo recognised the man at a nce ¨C it¡¯s the seventh prince Chu Lan. The male protagonist of the original story and also the one who sentenced her to death in the original plot. Remembering this, Wei Ruo instinctively moved away from the crowd, creating a distance between herself and this perceived threat. Although she didn¡¯t know how much of a difference it would make, her instinct just drove her to stay away from the perceived danger. Wei Ruo nced at Wei Qingwan, only to find her looking at Chu Lan. Chu Lan was meant to meet Wei Qingwan at the Huafa Temple in the original plot, but that encounter was missed because of her, a secondary character, not showing up. Could it be that this dyed encounter was happening now? Chapter 38 - 38 Duel Results__1 Chapter 38: Duel Results__1 Trantor: 549690339 Wei Qingwan¡¯s gaze fell on Chu Lan through her veil, lingering upon him for a long time. The towering stature, the air of nobility, his striking appearance andmanding presence, making it difficult not to notice him. Wei Qingwan was certain that this man was not from Xingshan County. His attire was far from ordinary, if he were a local noble, they, the Wei Family, would have surely known about him. ¡°Young master, please.¡± The shopkeeper smiled and asked the shop assistant toy out a fresh sheet of paper for him. Chu Lan stepped forward, and upon seeing the paper ced before him, a trace of surprise passed over his austere face. Running his fingers lightly over the surface of the paper, the surprise on his face intensified. This paper, unlike the kind he normally used, why would such good paper, not even found in the Capital City, be avable in such a remote location? ¡°Where does this papere from?¡± Chu Lan asked the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper chuckled and answered, ¡°This is exclusively sold by our Four Treasure House. If you like it, sir, you can buy some when our shop officially opens after today¡¯s contest. We¡¯re going to have our grand opening right after today¡¯s calligraphypetition.¡± Chu Lan lifted his gaze to see the shop behind the shopkeeper with a signboard that bore the threerge characters, ¡°Four Treasure House¡±. Chu Lan responded with a ¡°How interesting¡±, then picked up the paper and brush and began to write. The topic given by the shopkeeper was ¡°The people regard food as their heaven¡±. Chu Lan also wrote around a hundred characters. His writing was vigorous and powerful with authoritative brush strokes, bridgingrge and small characters with ease. Onlookers immediately cheered, repeatedly praising his work. The shop assistant also hung up Chu Lan¡¯s writing, right next to Wei Yichen¡¯s. When the two works were ced side by side, the contrast was clear-Wei Yichen¡¯s script was far more temperate. The shopkeeper then asked the crowd if anyone else wanted to participate in thepetition, and after asking three times to ensure there were no others, he handed out a wooden tablet to each person present. Each wooden tablet was simply carved with the threerge characters ¡°Four Treasure House¡±, suspended by a red cord at the top. ¡°The judges for today¡¯spetition are all present here. Whomever you believe has the best writing, just hang your wooden tablet on the hook above that person¡¯s work. The person with the most number of votes at the end wins today¡¯s contest.¡± Lu Yuhong looked at the wooden tablet in his hand andughed, whispering to Chu Lan, ¡°This is amusing. They¡¯re actually letting the spectators vote to determine the winner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a smart choice.¡± Chu Lan said. This method of judging allows the host of thepetition to avoid offending anyone. And as a new shop, thest thing they would want is to offend anyone. Lu Yuhong used a teasing tone when he asked Chu Lan, ¡°If I don¡¯t vote for you, will I be able to return safely tonight?¡± Chu Lan: ¡°You should think it over carefully.¡± Lu Yuhong: ¡°Are you serious? I thought you were just ying around. Have you really developed apetitive spirit?¡± Chu Lan: ¡°It¡¯s definitely more interesting than I initially thought. Lu Yuhong: ¡°I told you this shop was interesting!¡± The voting began. The spectators who received wooden tablets voted one by one. Unsurprisingly, the works by Wei Yichen and Chu Lan received the most votes by arge margin, far surpassing the other works. Wei Qingwan also received a wooden tablet. She knew that she must vote for her older brother, but before cing the tablet, she couldn¡¯t help but look at the distinguished young man in the brocade robe. She couldn¡¯t tell who would win between this young gentleman and her older brother. Wei Ruo also received a tablet. She quickly hung her vote on the hook above Wei Yichen¡¯s work and eloped at lightning speed. When the voting concluded, the shopkeeper publicly counted all the wooden tablets. The other participants only received a meager count of three to five votes, attracting little attention inparison to the highly anticipated oue of Wei Yichen and Chu Lan¡¯s works. Tallying the votes, Chu Lan¡¯s work received twenty wooden tablets. Wei Yichen¡¯s work received twenty-one wooden tablets. By a narrow margin of one vote, Wei Yichen edged out a victory. The shopkeeper said to Chu Lan with a smile, ¡°Sir, I apologize. You fell short by one vote. I must dere you the loser. Do you have any objections?¡± ¡°None.¡± Chu Lan responded, ¡°Since I decided to participate in yourpetition, I should respect your rules. Your method has no faults. ¡°Very well, then I dere that today¡¯s victor is the young master in white.¡± The shopkeeper fixed his gaze on Wei Yichen with a smile. Wei Yichen stepped forward, extending a bow towards Chu Lan, ¡°Thankyou, sir. I managed a narrow victory today mainly because my two sisters also received a vote. If not for that, I believe victory would have been yours.¡± -A loss is a loss. I have a good friend here, just as you have sisters here. There¡¯s nothing more to say.¡± Chu Lan was not upset. In fact, he seemed to be in high spirits, with a faint smile hanging at the corner of his mouth. There was something more interesting to him than the treasured calligraphy scroll from the Tibetanyman. Wei Yichen nodded but said nothing more. The shopkeeper ced the scroll with the Tibetanyman¡¯s drawing into a wooden box and handed it to Wei Yichen. He then announced, ¡°The paper you all used just now is avable for sale in our shop. Those who need it cane in to buy it. Each person is limited to fifty sheets per day, and quantities are limited until sold out.¡± All the schrs who had just participated in thepetition had already used the paper and brushes from the Four Treasure House. While the pens and ink weremon, they did not differ much from those in other ces. However, it was definitely not the case for the paper. Although the price was higher than other ces, the quality was vastly superior. And the price was still eptable for wealthy households. Upon hearing of the purchase limit and limited quantity, the crowds immediately rushed into the shop in fear of missing out. in no time, a long queue had formed outside the Four Treasure House, making for a bustling scene. This was a rare sight in Xingshan County where the economy was not particrly thriving. It seemed that those living challenging lives were mainly the lower-ss citizens, while those families that could afford to finance a schr could still afford good quality stationery. We Yichen also had a servant join the queue to buy more for him. In no time at all, the shopkeeper announced that the day¡¯s stock of paper was sold out, and those in need would have to wait until the next day to purchase. Upon hearing that the paper was sold out, those who were unable to secure any showed looks of disappointment. As the crowd dispersed, Wei Qingwan remained among the people, scanning her surroundings and subconsciously searching for the figure of the noble young gentleman. Wei Yichen pulled her, ¡°Wanwan, what are you looking at?¡± ¡°I¡­ I am looking for my sister¡­¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Yichen looked around, indeed failing to locate Wei Ruo. We Ruo had long slipped away shortly after thepetition ended, wandering off to shop in nearby stores. Wei Yichen found Wei Ruo in a candied fruit stall on the street. Wei Ruo had just bought severalrge packs of candied fruit and was ready to return home. Looking at the amount of candied fruit Wei Ruo purchased, Wei Yichen felt it was a bit excessive, but he refrained from criticizing her. Instead, he said, ¡°So, my sister likes candied fruit. Next time, I¡¯ll bring some for you. You don¡¯t need to stock up so much at once; it will not be fresh if left for too long. Wei Yichen thought that since Wei Ruo seldom ventured out, and given today¡¯s rare opportunity, she bought so much possibly out of fear that she wouldn¡¯t have another chance in the future. Wei Ruo just smiled without either agreeing or rebutting and she followed Wei Yichen back to her family¡¯s side. Upon returning, Wei Yichen asked Wei Mingting, ¡°Father, that young master seems to be of extraordinary status.. Do you know who he is?¡± Chapter 39 - 39: The Boss Behind the Scenes_l Chapter 39: The Boss Behind the Scenes_l Trantor: 549690339 Xingshan County is so small that it would be impossible for them not to know if such a person of status was present. ¡°It mustn¡¯t be someone from Xingshan County but I can¡¯t think of who it might be.¡± Wei Mingting also observed the unfamiliar gentleman earlier, yet he can¡¯t recall who he was. Madam Yun spected, ¡°Could it be the noble man who is residing in Huafa Temple?¡± Very few influential peoplee to Xingshan County, it¡¯s unlikely that two would arrive at once. ¡°That¡¯s a possibility.¡± Wei Mingting agreed. ¡°My Lord, could it be possible for the noble man to vent his anger on our family because of the previous incident and the fact that Yichen won thepetition today?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s concern deepened. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much, if he is enraged by such trivial matters, nothing can be said. Moreover, from his behaviour earlier, he doesn¡¯t seem to be narrow-minded.¡± Wei Mingting advised. He is upright and just. He admitted to his crime of failing to manage anti-Japanese samurai. However, if he was punished for such trivial matters, it would be a gross injustice. After failing to determine the identity of the gentleman clothed in brocade, Wei Yichen handed over the ink treasure of the Tibetanyman that he had won back to Wei Mingting. Wei Mingting refused it: ¡°You keep it. I know how much you admire the Tibetanyman, even considering him a potential mentor.¡± Wei Ruo, who was about to get in the carriage, overheard this conversation and nced at Wei Yichen. She quickly turned back, climbed into the carriage and started munching on candied fruit. Gazing through the window slit on the opposite side sat Wei Qingwan, who was lost in thought. The face of the nobleman kept surfacing in her mind. She also remembered what her parents had said that the noble man was likely from Huafa Temple, worrying about the impression she had left on him that day. If it was indeed the nobleman from the Huafa Temple, he must be a member of the Royal Family. What would induce a royal family member to visit a small ce like Xingshan county? ### After thepetition, Chu Lan did not leave immediately. He let an attendant queue up and buy more paper. With the paper in hand, Chu Lan is certain that it¡¯s much better than what is sold in the capital city. Lu Yuhong also noticed that the paper Chu Lan bought was different from what they usually used, thicker, cleaner and smoother. ¡°It¡¯s surprising, this store truly is renowned. Not only do theye up with unique ways to attract customers, but the products they sell are superior to those in other ces. This store should be located in the capital city! The business will surely be a hundred times better!¡± Lu Yuhongmented. ¡°Brother Yuhong, setting up shop in the capital isn¡¯t that easy,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Oh, you are right. Life in the capital is not like in these small ces.¡± Lu Yuhong nodded. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Lu Yuhong jokingly said to Chu Lan: ¡°Your Highness, since their paper is so good and beloved by schrs, what if I talk to their boss about it, see if he can supply me, and I can open a store for him in the capital city. This way I could also make some profit!¡± No one would mind having more money, not even someone like Lu Yuhong who is a gentleman from a well-established family. ¡°You can try, just don¡¯t act like a bully.¡± Chu Lang replied. ¡°Of course, do I look like a scoundrel? If I ever oppress themon people, my grandfather will be the first one to whip me to death!¡± ### With thepetition ended and the day¡¯s stock of paper sold out, The shopkeeper Mr. Jia closed the store and went into the small courtyard at the back of the shop. A strong and honest-looking farmer stood in the courtyard. When Mr. Jia arrived, the farmer was chopping wood. Mr. Jia stood by the farmer and reported the day¡¯spetition and sales situation. Generally speaking, it was a huge sess. Just with a piece of ink treasure from the Tibetanyman cubicle and a smallpetition, Four Treasure House was promoted in Xingshan County and sessfully sold 7,200 pieces of paper. ¡°Good, good. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Xu Zhushan had a simple-minded smile on his face. Looking at Xu Zhushan, Mr. Jia, for the umpteenth time couldn¡¯t believe that an unsophisticated man like him could have so many bright ideas. Like the promotional method executed today was taught by Xu Zhushan; Mr. Jia, the shopkeeper, simply followed his instructions. Mr. Jia still couldn¡¯t determine if the boss was pretending or if he was an idiot savant. After a brief moment of reflection, Mr. Jia continued to tell Xu Zhushan, ¡°Moreover, a gentleman came to the store asking about your, the boss¡¯s, affairs. I responded as you instructed, saying that our boss doesn¡¯t see guests.¡± ¡°Ah, okay.¡± ¡°The gentleman also said he came to cooperate with you. He wanted to get goods from you and open a store in the capital city. I remember that you once said that due to limited daily stocks, you would never cooperate with others or supply paper to other people. So I conveyed your thoughts to him.¡± ¡°Correct, just like that.¡± Xu Zhushan nodded. ¡°Boss, forgive my curiosity, we only sell so many sheets of paper every day. Is it because of a shortage of goods?¡± Mr. Jia couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Yes.¡± answered Xu Zhushan. Then Xu Zhushan thought of an important matter: ¡°Oh yes, starting tomorrow, we can¡¯t sell paper alone, we have to¡­ have to¡­¡± He broke off halfway and took a moment to think before he could continue, ¡°We should sell it along with the stationery in the store. I have a detailed n for you!¡± Xu Zhushan ran back into the room and returned with a paper. It was filled with words, the handwriting wasn¡¯t good, it looked like the scribblings of a seven or eight-year-old. Mr. Jia took the paper and was amazed. It was ingenious! Among the four treasures of the study that their store sells, only their paper is unique. The other three are regr items that can be found in other ces. This resulted in the paper being the best-selling product in the store while the other items rarely sold. Today, they sold out of paper, yet only four items among brushes, ink, and inkstones were sold. However, Xu Zhushan¡¯s paper detailed the purchasing rules for the shop in the future. There will be a ¡°bundling system¡±. You can only buy up to twenty sheets of paper directly, but if you purchase it with other items in the store, you can buy up to fifty, even eighty sheets of paper. After reading it, Mr. Jia still had doubts: ¡°Boss, if we sell this way, will people refuse to buy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Sell it this way. We don¡¯t force anyone. Those who don¡¯t want it can still buy twenty sheets.¡± Xu Zhushan responded. Mr. Jia nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll sell it this way starting tomorrow. I will take my leave for today ande back tomorrow.¡± Mr. Jia bid Xu Zhushan goodbye. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Xu Zhushan nodded. After Xu Zhushan finished ounting, he prepared to go pick up his wife. She had been busy with mountain affairs during the past few days and had lost weight. He nned to kill a chicken for her tonight as a replenish. Xu Zhushan chuckled to himself as he picked up the basket in the yard. He can use the basket to carry things for his wife, and if there was pig grass by the road, he would also cut some to take home.. Chapter 40 - 40 Father Teaches Horse Riding and Chapter 40: Father Teaches Horse Riding and Archery__l Trantor: 549690339 After wandering in the streets, Wei Mingting led the Wei Family to the military training ground. The training ground was where the soldiers trained. Usually, outsiders were not allowed in, even members of the military prefecture¡¯s family were not an exception. But recently, all the soldiers had been holding the front line. Their usual training spots had been moved to a ce closer to the east city gate, so now the training ground was empty and only defended by a few guards at the entrance. Wei Mingting brought his children here, intending to take advantage of this rare day off to teach them horse-riding. Among the children, only the eldest son knew how to ride a horse, while the others hadn¡¯t been taught yet due to Wei Mingting¡¯s tight schedule. Wei Mingting nned to let his two daughters try riding. Conveniently , he and his eldest son could each teach one. Wei Mingting chose to instruct Wei Ruo, leaving Wei Qingwan¡¯s training to his eldest son. As for the younger son, Wei Yilin, he was supervised by their mother in learning to ride a small pony. Normally, Wei Yilin was as mischievous as a monkey at home, but with Wei Mingting present today, he became much more well-behaved, not daring to show any signs of his usual temper or stubbornness. Wei Mingting led his own mount, Scythe, to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Ruoruo, do you dare to try?¡± Wei Ruo nodded, expressing her excitement. She had been here for such a long time and hadn¡¯t ridden a horse yet! ¡°I¡¯ll teach you then. This is the stirrup where you ce your feet, this is the saddle, and this is the reins¡­¡± Wei Mingting meticulously exined the essentials of horse riding to Wei Ruo. Wei RUO listened attentively. When Wei Mingting was finished and told her to try, she didn¡¯t hesitate. She quickly stepped on the stirrup and seated herself on the saddle in one swift motion. Her actions were neat and effortless, carrying out the entire process smoothly, without any hesitation or fear. Wei Mingting was still thinking whether to fetch a stool for his daughter to step on, but Wei Ruo was already on the horse. Reacting to the speed of her action, Wei Mingtingughed, ¡°Ruoruo, you are more decisive than your elder brother. I recall that your elder brother hesitated for quite a while when he first learned to ride a horse.¡± Wei Yichen who was instructing Wei Qingwan on the sideughed back in protest hearing his father making fun of him, ¡°Father, how could you tell Ruoruo about such things? What about my dignity as the elder brother?¡± Wei Mingting replied, ¡°Dignity must be earned by oneself, it¡¯s not something I cover up for you.¡± Wei Yichen quickly responded, ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s my negligence. Ruoruo is better! Our Ruoruo is a dashing heroine, extraordinary inparison to men. Listening to Wei Yichen¡¯s ttering words, the praised Wei Ruo didn¡¯t feel anything. On the other hand, Wei Qingwan, who was by Wei Yichen¡¯s side, lowered her head in disappointment. Wei Yichen turned and saw the saddened look on Wei Qingwan. ¡°Wanwan, what¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡± he promptly asked her. ¡®¡öNothing¡­ I just feel a little too clumsypared to sister, who is able to quickly grasp the essence of horse riding¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t think that way. You have your own strengths and abilities. There are many aspects in which you excel that Ruoruo doesn¡¯t. For instance, the pastries you make are remarkably delicious, your embroidery, calligraphy, and poetry are excellent. All of these are things that Ruoruo can¡¯tpete with. You don¡¯t need to be the best in everything. It¡¯s too tiring,¡± Wei Yichenforted her. ¡°Mm.¡± Wei Qingwan softly replied. ¡°Alright, let big brother continue to teach you,¡± Wei Yichen said, patiently going back to exining the intricacies of horse riding to Wei Qingwan. just as Wei Yichen had said a few sentences to Wei Qingwan, he saw Wei Ruo god galloping on the horse, running around in circles on the grass training ground. Wei Ruoughed freely and boldly on horseback, disying no signs of fear even though it was her first time riding. Watching his daughter¡¯s carefree behavior, Wei Mingting felt somewhat relieved and remarked, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ruoruo to be the most like me. If she were a boy, she might even have joined me in the battlefield. Wei Yilin¡¯s mother also noticed the relieved expression on her husband¡¯s face when he looked at their daughter and couldn¡¯t help but feel happy. Ruoruo was indeed their biological daughter and had traces of her father in her. At this thought, her expression toward Wei Ruo softened considerably. Since thest incident, her attitude towards Wei Ruo had cooled a lot. However, today¡¯s event brought about a subtle change in her feelings. After a while of horse riding, Wei Mingting fetched a bow and arrow for Wei Ruo to try out. -Archery is different from horse riding, it¡¯s a bit harder. You can try and if you can¡¯t do it, there¡¯s no need to force yourself,¡± Wei Mingting offered upfront. initially, Wei Mingting only nned to teach his daughters horse riding today, not intending for them to try archery as it might be too challenging for girls. But Wei Ruo¡¯s impressive horse-riding performance prompted Wei Mingting to change his mind. Wei Mingting demonstrated to Wei Ruo how to nock an arrow, draw the bow, and shoot. Wei Mingting seemed to be a born warrior, a natural soldier. The moment he held a bow and arrow in his hands, his aura changed, emitting an indescribable gravitas rooted in power. His taut muscles seemed capable of exerting limitless strength. The arrows he shot confirmed this. Each one hit the bull¡¯s-eye. He handed the bow to Wei Ruo, saying, ¡°Ruoruo, you should also try.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo took the bow and, imitating Wei Mingting¡¯s earlier actions, she took an arrow from the quiver and nocked it onto the bow string. Wei Ruo caught on quickly, grasping the basics of archery and sessfully shooting the arrow. But her precision and strength were limited. Strength-wise, while Wei Mingting could draw the bow into a ¡°full moon shape, Wei Ruo could only achieve a ¡°crescent¡±. As for precision, let alone hitting the bull¡¯s-eye, she was unable to hit the target at all. Of her ten arrows, only twonded on the target. Watching Wei Mingting shoot with great uracy had made it seem easy, but only when she tried it herself did she realize that knocking an arrow and hitting a target urately was not something anyone could easily achieve. Wei Ruo frowned at the bow and arrow in her hand, wondering why the sted arrow wouldn¡¯t obey her. Wei Mingting saw his daughter¡¯s reaction andughed, ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t worry. Take your time. Considering this is your first try, you have done extremely well.¡± Wei Mingting wasn¡¯tforting Wei Ruo, he genuinely thought she did well. Not to mention girls, even boys on their first attempt wouldn¡¯t necessarily have Wei Ruo¡¯s learning speed. Not far from them, Wei Qingwan who was still learning to ride with Wei Yichen saw the tender expression on Wei Mingting¡¯s face when he looked at Wei Ruo. After thinking for a moment, Wei Qingwan turned to Wei Yichen and said, ¡°Big brother, I also want to try archery.¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go,¡± replied Wei Yichen, taking her there without understanding her thoughts. The purpose of today was just to bring their siblings to y at the training ground after all. Whether they learned something new or not wasn¡¯t important, as long as they had fun. Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan arrived at Wei Mingting¡¯s side. After exining the situation, Wei Mingting ordered his subordinates to bring another bow. After receiving the bow, Wei Qingwan, emting what she had seen Wei Mingting demonstrating earlier, prepared to draw the bow.. Chapter 41 - 41: Father Made You Suffer_l Chapter 41: Father Made You Suffer_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Qingwan strained for a long time, but was only able to open the bow a small amount. The arrow she had ced on the bow fell to the ground due to her trembling hands. Wei Yichen picked up the fallen arrow for Wei Qingwan as heforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, Wanwan. Archery is difficult, and father¡¯s bows are all quite hard, so it¡¯s normal that you can¡¯t open them. Your first time trying looks very simr to eldest brother¡¯s first time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try again.¡± Wei Qingwan once again drew the bow. This time, she used even more strength, and then let out a light gasp. The bow and arrow in her hand fell to the ground again. ¡°Wanwan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Yichen hurriedly checked Wei Qingwan¡¯s hands. Wei Mingting, who was initially instructing Ruoruo, came to Wei Qingwan¡¯s side after he heard noise. He examined her condition and his eyes also revealed deep concern. ¡°I¡¯m alright, it¡¯s me who is useless. I couldn¡¯t draw the bow, and my hand got scratched by the bowstring,¡± Wei Qingwan reproached herself. Wei Yichen opened Wei Qingwan¡¯s hand and saw a deep red mark left by the bowstring on the finger she used to pull the string. Although the skin wasn¡¯t broken, the red mark stood out vividly against Wei Qingwan¡¯s fair, delicate skin. Wei Mingting¡¯s brows furrowed, then he said to Wei Yichen, ¡°Yichen, go get some medicine to apply on Wanwan¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Wei Yichen hurriedly left to find the ointment. Mrs. Yun and Wei Yilin also rushed over. Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s injury made them both very concerned and anxious. ¡°Wanwan, let me see! How did you get yourself into this condition? Stop practicing archery, your hands aren¡¯t made for this,¡± Mrs. Yun quickly said. ¡°Yes, sister, can we do something else?¡± Wei Yilin suggested. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ It¡¯s my fault¡­¡± Wei Qingwan lowered her head, feeling ashamed. ¡°What are you talking about? What does this have to do withpetency? Archery simply isn¡¯t something a girl should do,¡± Mrs. Yun said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister. When I master horse riding and archery, I¡¯ll protect you!¡± Wei Yilin pounded his chest and dered. Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Thank you, Yilin.¡± She immediately turned to Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, father and mother. I¡¯m alright, please don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve been undutiful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal for parents to worry about their children. Where does the notion of being undutiful evene from?¡± Mrs. Yun said. Wei Mingting nodded in agreement with his wife¡¯s words. ¡°Alright, stop crying. Come and rest in the carriage with me,¡± Mrs. Yun said as she took Wei Qingwan away. Wei Yilin followed behind them, like a little bodyguard. When Wei Qingwan left, Wei Mingting returned to Ruoruo¡¯s side. Suddenly, he had a thought and looked at Ruoruo¡¯s right hand. He noticed that the fingers she used to draw the bow also had fresh red marks on them. What¡¯s more, because Ruoruo shot many more arrows than Qingwan did, her hand had more, more noticeable red marks. ¡°Ruoruo, stop practicing for now,¡± Wei Mingting immediately halted her. After Ruoruo put down her bow, Wei Mingting asked, ¡°You¡¯ve got many red marks on your hand, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Ruoruo nced at her own hand, and calmly answered, ¡°It hasn¡¯t broken the skin, it¡¯s not a real injury.¡± From her perspective, such minor injuries were nothing at all. Her words made Wei Mingting frown, deep in thought. To him, injuries of this level weren¡¯t much, but it was different for a girl. His daughters were gently cared for and raised, so they naturally couldn¡¯tpare to him. He had always thought that frail girls like Wanwan were how girls should normally be. Wei Mingting silently pondered for a while, then said, ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯ve made you suffer.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ruoruo looked at Wei Mingting, then quickly averted her eyes and focused on a distant target. For a fleeting moment, she wanted to tell Wei Mingting that she didn¡¯t find life in the countryside difficult at all. Over there, she had family, friends, and her own life. But she held her tongue, because those words were ones that the Wei Family didn¡¯t like to hear. In their eyes, taking her back, making her a youngdy of the official family, and treating her with care was the best option for her. To change the topic, Ruoruo asked Wei Mingting, ¡°Are all bows so hard to draw? Isn¡¯t there a lighter one that can be used by one hand, like a crossbow?¡± ¡°There are indeed some that don¡¯t require much strength to use, like the crossbow. It won¡¯t hurt the hand. Do you want to try, Ruoruo?¡± Wei Mingting asked. Ruoruo shook her head, ¡°No need. I was just curious why soldiers these days use bows more than crossbows.¡± ¡°Because the speed of using a crossbow is slow. In the same amount of time, a proficient archer could shoot three arrows, while a crossbowman can only shoot one. During a war, the intensity of firepower is very important,¡± Wei Mingting answered. ¡°I see,¡± Ruoruo murmured thoughtfully. Seeing that Ruoruo was interested in archery, in order to exin it more effectively, Wei Mingting had a servant fetch a crossbow. Wei Mingting handed the crossbow to Ruoruo, ¡°Look, Ruoruo, this crossbow can load one arrow at a time. After it¡¯s fired, loading the second one can be time ¨C consuming.¡± Ruoruo epted it, shot an arrow towards the target, then loaded the second one under Wei Mingting¡¯s guidance. It was indeed slower. For a novice like her, the time it took to load a crossbow was simr to the time spent shooting an arrow with a bow. However, for someone as experienced in battle as Wei Mingting, retrieving and shooting arrows with a bow was much fasterpared to loading a crossbow. Ruoruo held the crossbow in her hand, deep in thought. ¡°What are you thinking about, Ruoruo?¡± Wei Mingting was curious about his daughter¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I was thinking, it would be amazing if this crossbow could load many arrows at once,¡± Ruoruo casually said as she yed with and observed the crossbow in her hands. ¡°Your thoughts are quite interesting,¡± Wei Mingtingmented, then looked up at the sky, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, we should prepare to return home.¡± Seeing that it was gettingte, Wei Mingting ended the day¡¯s activities and led his wife and child back home. Their journey back was peaceful, and the group safely returned to the Wei Residence. Upon entering the gate, Wei Mingting specifically told Ruoruo before they parted, ¡°Today was your first time riding and shooting arrows, you will inevitably feel difort tomorrow. Rest early after you return.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Not long after Ruoruo returned to Tingsong Garden, she received a medicinal bath packet delivered by Cuiping. Wei Mingting had told Mrs. Yun, who then instructed Cuiping to bring it. Wei Mingting had kept a variety of medicines at home due to his experiences in battle; this medicine bath packet was usually used by him. Ruoruo opened the medicinal bath packet and examined it carefully. She sniffed it and concluded that it was a form for rxing the muscles and promoting blood cirction. Although the form had some shorings, it was useful. Originally, Ruoruo nned to prepare her own medicinal bath, but as Wei Mingting had it sent over, she didn¡¯t bother and used the one provided. That night, Ruoruo had a hot bath with the medicinal packet to relieve and rx herself. Ruoruo anticipated that she would feel sore and tired when she woke up the next day.. However, when the next day actually arrived, not only did she feel sore and tired, but she also felt pain in some unexpected ces! Chapter 42 - 42: Both Heartbreaking and Funny l Chapter 42: Both Heartbreaking and Funny l Trantor: 549690339 ces like my buttocks and inner thighs, that get rubbed when horse riding, are aching¡­ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Compared to this, the slight ache in my arm, shoulder, and fingers from archery feels fine because Wei Ruo usually exercises her arms and shoulders by collecting herbs and doing farm work. But areas like the inner thighs can¡¯t be exercised while doing other things. Wei Ruo regretted a little at this moment, she shouldn¡¯t have been negligentst night! If she knew, she would have prepared her own medicinal bath pack! That would have relieved at least half of the soreness today! She wouldn¡¯t look so pitiful then! ¡°Miss¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be better if you didn¡¯t get out of bed?¡± Xiumei looked at Wei Ruo leaning against the wall and found it both pitiful and funny. ¡°Meimei, are youughing at me? Are you? You don¡¯t love me anymore, do you?¡± ¡°No no, really Miss, I¡¯m notughing! I promise I pity you more than I mock you!¡± ¡°You just let it slip! You didugh at me!¡± ¡°Miss, I didn¡¯t want tough, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you walk this way, I couldn¡¯t help it. But believe me, I¡¯m not mocking you! I think the way you walk is cute!¡± ¡°Hmph, bad Meimei!¡± Wei Ruo mumbled, ¡°Laugh if you want, I¡¯ll let you get away with it, but I can¡¯t let others in this house see me like this, especially that stinky kid.¡± Wei Ruo could already imagine how Wei Yilin would tease her seeing her like this. It¡¯s fine to be aughingstock for her own people, but she couldn¡¯t entertain those who wished her ill with her misfortune. Wei Ruo thought for a moment and said to Xiumei, ¡°I won¡¯t be eating in the dining hall this afternoon or evening. Can you go and tell mother for me, just say that I got hurt from horse riding yesterday and it¡¯s not convenient for me to move.¡± Whether Lady Yun believes it or not didn¡¯t matter, because going over to the dining hall is not possible anyway. ¡°Then Miss, where will you eat? Should we go to the small kitchen next door and cook something ourselves? Miss, you haven¡¯t tasted the dried mushrooms that Madam Xu sent over, and also the sweet potato leaves we brought backst time are still fresh.¡± Xiumei suggested. As Xiumei said this, Wei Ruo¡¯s cravings started to stir. She¡¯s not particrly picky, butpared to the food she and Xiumei usually eat, the food made in the Wei Family¡¯s main kitchen tastes rather nd. It¡¯s not that the cooks in the main kitchen have poor skills, but rather, they use far fewer condiments than they do. ¡°Let¡¯s go next door!¡± Wei Ruo decided, even if she had to limp, she would go to the neighboring kitchen for food! So Xiumei left for Cangyun Garden, informing Lady Yun about Wei Ruo¡¯s condition. Luckily, Wei Mingting had mentioned to her the night before that Wei Ruo, having tried horse riding and archery for the first time, had exerted herself a lot and would most likely be sore the next day, so she should take care of her more. So, Lady Yun not only agreed to Wei Ruo not eating in the dining hall but also instructed the main kitchen to prepare an extra meal to be sent to Tingsong Garden for Wei Ruo. After Xiumei returned to Tingsong Garden, she helped Wei Ruo get out of bed. When they were about to leave Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo had Xiumei check to confirm that nobody was around before they went out. And then, suffering the pain, Wei Ruo hopped her way to the doorway of the neighboring pavilion, called Yingzhu Pavilion. As soon as Xiaobei opened the door, Xiumei and Wei Ruo went in. Xiaobei didn¡¯t even have time to ask a question. ¡°Young Miss, what happened to you?¡± Xiaobei asked. ¡°I¡¯m wrecked.¡± Wei Ruo said and looked toward the Octagonal Pavilion in the courtyard, and sure enough, Wei Jinyi was sitting there, having fully recovered from his illness. Except for particrly windy days, he would sit inside the pavilion reading and writing. Wei Jinyi was also looking at Wei Ruo at that moment. Watching her hopping towards him, her posture was weird but somewhat cute. When she got up close, Wei Jinyi asked, ¡°What happened? Are you injured?¡± The slight furrowing of his brow and the solemnity in his eyes hinted at a touch of concern. ¡°I wasn¡¯t injured; I just rode a horse yesterday.¡± Wei Ruo responded, then exhaled with resentment, paused, and added somberly, ¡°For the first time.¡± Upon hearing this, it seemed as though Wei Jinyi came toprehend something. Watching Wei Ruo huff and puff, a trace of a smile spread across his usually serious face. Perhaps because he seldomughs in front of others, Wei Jinyi used his hand to conceal half of his face. ¡°Wei Jinyi, I¡¯m your lifesaver, your sister with whom you¡¯ve shared life and faced adversities together. How could you mock me at a time like this?¡± Wei Ruo vocalized her resentment, being upset enough to call out Wei Jinyi¡¯s full name. ¡°I¡¯m not mocking you.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. No mockery, just¡­ a slight upward curve of his lips. But he indeed had no intention of ridiculing her and found himself smiling at her huffy yet somewhat mncholy expression, not knowing why. Perhaps he hasn¡¯t interacted with people like her for quite a long time. Wei Ruo, watching Wei Jinyi, his lips bearing a shallow smile, couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡®He looks so good when he smiles! Indeed, those with good looks be even more beautiful when they smile!¡¯ This was the first time Wei Ruo saw Wei Jinyi smile. But why was his first smile because of her unfortunate circumstance? Wei Ruo sighed helplessly, ¡°You canugh if you want, as long as you lend me your kitchen. Meimei wants to cook something delicious for me.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Wei Jinyi uttered. Though he still spoke little, she could feel that he wasn¡¯t as resistant as before. Wei Jinyi instructed Xiaobei, ¡°Go and help.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Xiaobei gloomily followed Xiumei into the small kitchen. Xiumei stir-fried young sweet potato leaves, fried some mushrooms, and used an old hen from the small kitchen to make a nutritious chicken soup with astragalus and wolfberries from Wei Ruo¡¯s medicinal herb cab. This old hen had been assigned to Wei Jinyi by the big kitchen after he had fallen ill, to help replenish his strength. Xiumei asked Xiaobei, and Xiaobei sought Wei Jinyi¡¯s permission; only after they were sure it was okay did Xiumei start cutting up the chicken. The chicken offal and blood that was taken out was not wasted by Xiumei, who went back to Tingsong Garden to get some herbs to go with. She had run out of hotpot condiments from her prepared mix, but she still had some bits of herbs remaining that were perfect for cooking with the chicken offal and blood. While Xiumei and Xiaobei were busy in the kitchen, Wei Ruo sat in the pavilion watching Wei Jinyi write. Normally, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have the leisure to do so, but that day, once she sat down, she didn¡¯t easily n on changing her location. She had seen Wei Jinyi sitting in the pavilion reading and writing many times before, but she had never seen his work up close. She didn¡¯t know if it was a coincidence or if she just hadn¡¯t paid enough attention, but all she had ever seen of his work was the books he read; she had never seen any of his calligraphy or paintings. ¡°You have such beautiful handwriting!¡± Although Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know much about calligraphy (the most she could say about her own brushwork was that it was barely passable, having been honed out of necessity for dealing with shop matters), she knew what kind of writing looked nice and had artistic beauty. Wei Jinyi¡¯s script was exactly that. The saying ¡®the style is the man¡¯ wasn¡¯t the least bit wrong. His writing was filled with vigor and grace, possessing both a gentle side and a strong side. In short, it was very attractive. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t respond, not because he didn¡¯t want to interact, but because he didn¡¯t know how to respond to such ament. ¡°With all the books you¡¯ve read and your beautiful handwriting, why don¡¯t you try to pass the exam for civil service like Big Brother?¡± Wei Ruo asked curiously.. Chapter 43 - 43:1 Can Help You_l Chapter 43:1 Can Help You_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Jinyi is not even a student, let alone having taken the exams necessary to be a schr, let alone a degree holder. He has not taken any exams. Though he is an unloved illegitimate son, if he wanted to take the exams, surely Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun would agree. After all, it would be an honor for the family if he were to seed. ¡°In the past, I had no interest in it.¡± Wei Jinyi replies. ¡°In the past?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And now?¡± ¡°There has been a slight change.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of taking the exams then?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Wei Jinyi is just sixteen now. It might be a bitter than his half-brother Yichen, but in an era where schrs took exams for life, it wasn¡¯t considered toote. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t respond to that. Instead, he asks about Wei Ruo¡¯s situation, ¡°I heard mother is arranging for you to take sses at the magistrate¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Yes, I hope she does it slowly.¡± Wei Ruo replies. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Mm, I don¡¯t want to go.¡± Wei Ruo frowned and sighed helplessly. ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t want to go to school or don¡¯t want to go to the magistrate¡¯s office?¡± Wei Jinyi asked again. ¡°While I don¡¯t particrly want to go to school, I despise the idea of studying with Wei Qingwan even more.¡± Wei Ruo responded. Possibly due to owing their lives to each other, Wei Ruo was not as guarded with Wei Jinyi. She shared things that she couldn¡¯t say to others in the Wei Family with him. Wei Jinyi knew about the situationst time as well. Wei Ruo says, ¡°In fact, I wanted to find a female tutor, but it was vetoed. I don¡¯t know how long I can dy with the excuse of the wastnd in the south of the city.¡± Wei Ruo could absolutely afford to hire a tutor. She could even find a decent one, but it would be troublesome to get the military prefecture¡¯s approval without exposing herself. As of now, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t figure out a suitable solution. Wei Jinyi stared at the frowning Wei Ruo and said, ¡°I can help you find a reputable female tutor.¡± ¡°You can find a reputable female tutor?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi skeptically. Renowned female tutors aren¡¯t easy to hire. It¡¯s not just about money. ¡°My biological mother hailed from a schrly family and has some connections in this field. I maintain contact with my mother¡¯s side; I believe it¡¯s not too difficult to help you find a female tutor.¡± Wei Jinyi exined. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know much about Wei Jinyi¡¯s biological mother¡¯s situation. But looking at his serious expression, she realized he earnestly wanted to help her and felt confident about doing so. So, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°If you can find a good female teacher, maybe I can make it work and convince them to let me avoid studying with Wei Qingwan.¡± Suddenly, Wei Ruo had a n. Wei Jinyi watched her curled perfect smile and the lively eyes sparkling with cunningness, somewhat expecting her arrangement in this matter. Wei Ruo, after chatting with Wei Jinyi for a while, Xiumei and Xiaobei carried the prepared dishes back. Three dishes and one soup, steaming hot with tantalizing aroma. Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to sit down and eat with them, and Wei Jinyi called for Xiaobei as well. They were not stiff people. As there was no one else around that day, they didn¡¯t need to keep the clear distinction between master and servant. The stone table in the Octagonal Pavilion was upied by four people. Of the four served dishes, three were not spicy. Wei Ruo had warned Wei Jinyi beforehand that the stir-fried chicken giblets would be as spicy as the earlier seafood hotpot. She advised him not to touch it and to drink more chicken soup. Initially, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t touch the chicken giblets, but after tasting the other three dishes, he decided to try them. With the experience of thest choking episode, he took very small bites this time, chewing slowly. It seemed he wanted to figure out why such a spicy taste could attract Wei Ruo so much. When Wei Ruo saw that he tried again, she watched him curiously. Seeing that he didn¡¯t choke likest time, she asked, ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s delicious, but it¡¯s not hard to swallow.¡± Wei Jinyi evaluated. ¡°If you have the chance to eat it a few more times, maybe you¡¯ll fall in love with this taste.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± As it was inconvenient for her to move around, Wei Ruo stayed in the pavilion of the bamboo grove the entire afternoon. Xiumei brought her some ount books. She and Wei Jinyi each engrossed in their books. They read their own books without disturbing each other, keeping the silence. At some point, Wei Jinyi nced at the words Wei Ruo had written. Her handwriting was very immature, like that of a newly learned child. Probably in the whole household, the only one with simr handwriting was the seven years old Wei Yilin. After having dinner together in the evening, Wei Ruo was again helped by Xiumei to limpingly return to Tingsong Garden. After Wei Ruo left, Wei Jinyi wrote a letter and gave it to Xiaobei to deliver it outside the residence. When Xiaobei came back, he brought back a reply saying that they would certainly handle the matter entrusted by the young master. ### After the Grain in Ear period, the temperature began to rise again. However,pared to previous years, it was still a bit cooler. Many old farmers were already worrying about this year¡¯s harvest. If this continued, this year¡¯s harvest would not be good, and it might even be worse than the past two years. After a few days of rest, Wei Ruo¡¯s body fully recovered. So, she once again went to the wastnd in the south of the city. The test field she had chosen had been cleared of weeds and had already received the first batch of sealed, fermented straw and humus fermentation residues. This material was acidic and could neutralize the alkalinity of saline-alkalind, making the soil suitable for growingmon crops. Wei Ruo arranged for the long-term workers to bury the second batch of humus today. Both of the long-term workers and Mrs. Zhang didn¡¯t quite understand Wei Ruo¡¯s arrangement, but theypleted their tasks very well. Today, Wei Ruo wanted to go down to the field and work for a while, but Mrs. Zhang persuaded her to stay in the carriage. If she needed anything done, she could just instruct them. So, Wei Ruo leaned against the carriage, directing the two workers and Mrs. Zhang. By noon, Wei Ruo sat down to rest under the camphor tree next to the experimental field. Xiumei was on her left, Mrs. Zhang on her right, and the two workers were by the small river further away. Xiumei took out the lunch that had been prepared before they left: braised pork over rice paired with boiled choy sum. Wei Ruo had also prepared the same lunch for Mrs. Zhang and the two workers. Each portion was packed in its own food box. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After giving one box to Mrs. Zhang, Xiumei walks to the river bank to give the rest to Agui and Xiaoba. Both Mrs. Zhang and the two workers were stunned when they received the food boxes. The youngdy had actually prepared a portion for all of them! ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and eat. It¡¯s already lunchtime. How can you work without eating first?¡± Wei Ruo said to the three of them. The three snapped back to their senses, quickly setting down their cornbread and opening the boxes Wei Ruo had given them. Meat! Big chunks of meat! Excitement twinkled in the eyes of Mrs. Zhang and the two workers.. Chapter 44 - 44 Follow Me for a Feast_l Chapter 44: Follow Me for a Feast_l Trantor: 549690339 The three of them moved in unison, each eagerly taking a bite. Madam Zhang¡¯s demeanor was rtively more graceful. As one of the more respectable maids in the household, she often had the chance to eat meat. The twoborers, however, were not as fortunate. In previous years when the harvest was abundant, they had meat more often. However, in thest two years, they only got to taste meat during special asions and holidays. They assumed that being able to eat meat was already a luxury. But when they tasted it, they were all astounded ¨C even Madam Zhang was no exception. It didn¡¯t taste like what they had eaten elsewhere! How could the meat be so delicious? The three of them dug into the rice that was mixed with fragrant meat broth. It was beyond delicious. They ate quickly at first, but towards the end, they slowed down considerably. The fast pace was because the food was too tempting, making them want to take one bite after another, whereas the slower pace was their attempt to truly savor the taste instead of finishing it off in a few bites. Having finished their meal, the twoborers didn¡¯t say anything. However, Madam Zhang couldn¡¯t help but ask Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, was this meat cooked by the kitchen staff? How did they manage to make it so delicious?¡± ¡°It was cooked by Xiumei,¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°Lady Xiumei is such an excellent cook!¡± Madam Zhang couldn¡¯t help but praise her. At the same time, her gaze towards Xiumei contained something different from before. Ever since the day she first met Xiumei, she looked down on her because she was a maid brought into the Wei Family by the He Family to attend to Wei Ruo. She always stayed at the countryside with Wei Ruo andcked proper manners whenpared to those who came from the Military Prefecture. But to her surprise, this girl had such remarkable skills! Not all those from the countryside were unruly and narrow-minded. Some of them did have their own amazing aspects! Feeling the astonishment in Madam Zhang¡¯s gaze, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but smile. This was the first time she had seen the usually snobbish Madam Zhang look at her with such an expression! Wei Ruo addressed Madam Zhang and the twoborers: ¡°Providing you with a good meal is just one aspect. As long as you work hard for me andplete the tasks I assign to you, I promise I won¡¯t treat you unfairly.¡± At this point, one of theborers, Agui, finally couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Miss, does this mean you would continue providing us with such delicious meals in the future?¡± ¡°Not only meals, but you can also expect other benefits,¡± promised Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, rest assured, we will work hard for you!¡± Agui quickly reassured her. ¡°Count me in too!¡± chimed in the otherborer, Xiaoba. Though it was just a single meal, it was indeed very rare for them. Although they didn¡¯t know what other benefits Wei Ruo was referring to, it was already enough to motivate them to work even harder for her. Madam Zhang remained silent. Despite finding the meal are prepared by Wei Ruo delicious, she was not that gullible to easily change her opinion about Wei Ruo over a mere meal. While she was thinking about it, Xiumei came over and handed a small cloth bag to her. Xiumei also gave a simr bag to both Agui and Xiaoba. Each bag was of equal weight, and felt bulky to hold. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Curious, Madam Zhang opened the bag, saw the food inside, and asked, ¡°Are these the same sweet potato chips that Miss Wei had brought for the otherdies before?¡± Madam Zhang had heard about this incident. Reportedly, they were unanimously appreciated by everyone, but she had never seen them in person. ¡°Yes, these are very easy to preserve and are also quite filling. You can snack on these when you are hungry, or take them home for your family to try,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Out of curiosity, both Agui and Xiaoba tasted a piece at once. Neither of them said anything, but their expressions indicated that they enjoyed eating the dried sweet potato. For them, sweets were a luxury, so their reactions were more pronounced than any ordinary person. Madam Zhang watched them for some time. The chips weren¡¯t particrly attractive, especiallypared to the delicate cakes that she had seen before. Yet under the influence of her curiosity, she also took a bite. Although her reaction was not as extreme as the twoborers¡¯, she did actually like it. The very same Madam Zhang who had just decided not to change her opinion about Wei Ruo over a mere meal was now wavering once again, all thanks to a bag of dried sweet potatoes. It seems this Miss Wei really is quite generous towards those who work for her¡­ Each of them only ate a piece and didn¡¯t eat more. Firstly, they were full from the hearty lunch Wei Ruo had given them, and secondly, they wanted to take the rest back home for their families to try. After they finished lunch, everyone went back to work. This time, the twoborers worked even harder than before. They hadn¡¯t cked off before, but now they had extra motivation to work wholeheartedly for Wei Ruo, and their spirits were obviously improved. ### Not too far away, another group of people, like Wei Ruo, had just left through the South Gate of the city. Chu Lan¡¯s gaze swept over the South district of the city, which was deste and barren. He did not expect to see several figures working in the stark field. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Chu Lan asked his attendant. ¡°Your Highness, these people belong to the Wei Family. They said they were trying to nt crops in barrennds. If sessful, they could guide the city¡¯s citizens to farm here once the war situation improves. This was permitted by Qian Magistrate,¡± reported an attendant following behind Chu Lan. As Chu Lan¡¯s attendant, it was his duty to research the basic conditions of the ces that Chu Lan nned to visit in advance. ¡°People from the Wei Family?¡± Chu Lan asked, visibly surprised. ¡°When did the Wei Family start doing such things? It doesn¡¯t sound like something they¡¯d typically do.¡± Lu Yuhong chuckled and said, ¡°Your Highness, it seems that the Wei Family is full of surprises. First, they impressed everyone with their calligraphy, and now they¡¯re trying their hand at farming.¡± Chu Lan didn¡¯t argue with Lu Yuhong¡¯sment. His gaze remained fixed on the people from the Wei Family who were busy farming, and asked, ¡°Who is the person who is directing them over there?¡± The subordinate took a careful look and made a guess, ¡°It may be the youngdy of the Wei Family who just returned home.¡± ¡°The youngdy who just returned home?¡± Chu Lan asked with a trace of curiosity. ¡°The Wei Family ims that due to her poor health, she was raised in the countryside and had just been brought back,¡± the subordinate exined. ¡°Raised in the countryside, so she is proficient in farming, is it?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°It appears so,¡± was the reply. Lu Yuhongughed and said, ¡°A county-raised, farming-skilleddy from an earl¡¯s family. That¡¯s quite novel.¡± ¡°Whether she is proficient or not remains to be seen. We have to wait and see what she can cultivate. Just because she can work in the fields doesn¡¯t mean that she¡¯s an expert,¡± Chu Lan said, appearing skeptical. ¡°That¡¯s true. It only counts if there are results. Inparision, that Four Treasure House shop is more interesting,¡± Lu Yuhong added. Despite being politely declined by the shopkeeper during theirst visit, Lu Yuhong was still thinking about the Four Treasure House. He felt that it was a great opportunity to make money. After a brief pause, Chu Lan led the group towards Wangyue Mountain, without being too distracted by this small deviation.. Chapter 45 - 45 Renowned Mrs._l Chapter 45: Renowned Mrs._l Trantor: 549690339 Afterpleting soil improvement, Wei Ruo instructed Zhang Mama, Agui, and Xiaoba to level thend, then hold water. Once thend was prepared, Wei Ruo came to the southern wastnd again, this time bringing arge bag of rice seeds. When Wei Ruo handed over the bag of rice seeds to Zhang Mama, instructing her, Agui, and Xiaoba to sow them, Zhang Mama showed a hesitant expression, deliberating a while before trying to persuade Wei Ruo again: ¡°Miss, allow an old servant to speak out of turn. Is it really possible to nt rice at this time? Shouldn¡¯t we switch to other crops? As long as they can survive, other crops will suffice too.¡± ¡°We will nt this. Rest assured, these arete rice seeds that I brought back from Huzhou Prefecture. People over there have already nted them. nting at this time is just right, they will grow,¡± Wei Ruo replied with conviction and confidence. ¡°Really? There¡¯s such a variety of grain?¡± Zhang Mama asked in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s true. However, for now, don¡¯t spread the news, just nt the seeds. Once the seedlings are well-grown, reporting it then will be more persuasive.¡± Had this happened in the past, Zhang Mama would certainly not have believed it. But the situation was different now. She had gained some amount of trust in Wei Ruo, although she still felt that their young miss¡¯s ideas were too fanciful. Even old farmers who¡¯d been nting for a lifetime wouldn¡¯t agree to her ideas. Agui and Xiaoba, on the other hand, didn¡¯t think too much about it. Se??ch ?ew?o?e? ,o?g o? ?oo?l? Agui said, ¡°If the young miss says it¡¯ll work, then it¡¯ll work. We listen to the young miss!¡± Xiaoba also chimed in, ¡°Yes, whatever the young miss tells us to nt, we¡¯ll nt!¡± Nothing else mattered as long as their young miss treated them well, provided them with delicious food, and ensured they and their families were well-fed. They thought it right to follow their young miss¡¯s orders! Wei Ruo instructed the two, ¡°You both should learn and remember well. After this piece ofnd bes productive, there will be more wastnd to be developed. Many moreborers will need your guidance since you two will have had hands-on experience by then. Additionally, you will have to manage and lead them in their work.¡± Didn¡¯t that mean they would be foremen in the future? Agui and Xiaoba excitedly agreed, ¡°Young Miss, rest assured, we will work hard!¡± Both of them took the rice seeds and began working earnestly. The sowing process wasn¡¯t troublesome, but the task would be more demanding when the seeds grew into seedlings and needed transnting. If the seeds could sessfully grow into seedlings, it would mean that Wei Ruo¡¯s soil improvement project was more than half sessful. So now, they just had to wait about half a month to see if Wei Ruo¡¯s soil improvement had worked. ### After Wei Ruo had been busy in the field for a few days, she had just gotten a day¡¯s rest when Lady Yun summoned her for a talk. The topic of discussion was still the same old stuff. Lady Yun urged Wei Ruo to delegate the wastnd project to her subordinates and focus on studying at the magistrate¡¯s office instead. Since Lady Yun had already prompted her once before, Wei Ruo found it harder to dy this time, especially after Lady Yun gave her no opportunity to do so. Lady Yun instructed her to prepare herself as she would be making arrangements in the next couple of days. Knowing it was impossible to procrastinate any further, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t say much and agreed to Lady Yun¡¯s arrangement. By nightfall, Wei Ruo joined everyone in the dining hall for dinner. After dinner, everyone sat together as usual, enjoying tea and casual conversation. Wei Yichen, as per his custom, reported his daily progress in studies to his mother. Wei Yilin also shared with Lady Yun what had urred at his school. Although Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t talk much usually, today she hesitantly brought up a topic, ¡°Mother, the Xie family has hired a female schr, the widely-known Mr. Wang Caiwei.¡± Lady Yun¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Is that true?¡± Both Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin disyed surprised expressions. Wang Caiwei was a famous talented woman from Jiangzhe region, born into a family of schrs and very well-educated, but unfortunately, her family had fallen into hard times. Even after losing her family¡¯s support, many well-born young men pursued Wang Caiwei, although they all aimed to make her their concubine instead of their official wife. Being proud, Wang Caiwei, of course, was unwilling to be a concubine, and eventually chose to marry a poor schr. Due to their humble living conditions, Wang Caiwei began to teach wealthy families. Even though she had fallen on hard times, Wang Caiwei was famous and incredibly talented. There were numerous families who wished to hire her as a private tutor. Rumor had it that Ruan family from Qiantang, whosete patriarch used to be a chief minister, had been Wang Caiwei¡¯s previous employer! And now, the Xie family in the north of the city had managed to hire her! It seemed the rumors about the Xie family¡¯s rise weren¡¯t baseless, and different signs had started to emerge. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Zhn told me,¡± Wei Qingwan answered firmly, ¡°Zhn also said¡­¡± ¡°What else did she say?¡± ¡°Zhn said, her mother now wants to send her to the Xie family to study with Miss Xie,¡± Wei Qingwan replied, lowering her head. ¡°If Lady Qian really has such an idea, and the Xie family has indeed hired Wang Caiwei, I should consider sending you there too!¡± Lady Yun said. The female schr at Magistrate Qian¡¯s house now also had some talent but only rtive to ordinary people. She was iparable to the widely renowned Wang Caiwei. Being a student of Wang Caiwei, when they would return to the capital city, it would certainly make others envious! Upon hearing this, Wei Yilin hurriedly said, ¡°Mother, you should go talk to Lady Xie, let Qingwan go there! Qingwan is very talented and has great potential. Her teacher will definitely love teaching her!¡± Wei Qingwan also looked at Lady Yun expectantly, hoping that Lady Yun would help her negotiate with the Xie family so that she could attend Mr. Wang¡¯s lessons. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°I¡¯m just worried¡­ the Xie family will not agree¡­¡± Lady Yun muttered. Their rtionship with the Xie family wasn¡¯t particrly deep. They had only met a few times during events like blessing ceremonies and boat trips. ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you help sister ask, or we can send more gifts to the Xie family?¡± Wei Yilin suggested innocently. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll ask. As for sending gifts, it¡¯s not that simple. The presents need to please them. They might not care formon items,¡± Lady Yun pondered. Four out of the five people in the room were racking their brains about how to persuade the Xie family to allow Wei Qingwan to attend sses at their house. Only Wei Ruo was sitting on the side, calmly sipping her tea. When she put down her teacup, Wei Yichen suddenly turned his head to look at her. Meeting her gaze, Wei Ruo detected an apology in Wei Yichen¡¯s eyes. An apology? What was he apologizing for? After tea, Wei Ruo left the dining hall and headed towards Tingsong Garden. Wei Yichen followed and apologized for the earlier matter, ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Sorry for what?¡± ¡°We only brought up the matter of Qingwan attending sses under Mr. Wang¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, it¡¯s not that we didn¡¯t consider you, it¡¯s just that Mr. Wang¡¯s requirements for her students would definitely be higher than other schrs¡­¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m not qualified, right?¡± Wei Ruo finished his sentence for him.. Chapter 46 - 46 Xie Family Agreed—1 Chapter 46: Xie Family Agreed¡ª1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°It¡¯s not that you¡¯re not qualified, it¡¯s just that, over the years, you indeed have not been studying, and your knowledge is thinnerpared to Wanwan and the others.¡± Wei Yichen exined. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Wei Ruo calmly replied. ¡°Ruoruo, your mother will still do her utmost to arrange for you to have lessons at the magistrate¡¯s office.¡± Yichen added. Although Madam Qian and Madam Yun were both trying hard to send their daughters to the Xie Residence, thedy tutor at the magistrate¡¯s office should not resign so soon, especially since the daughters of the chief clerk¡¯s and county magistrate¡¯s families were still her students. Even if the Qian family no longer invites her in the future, the Wei Residence could logically invite thedy tutor to the house. In that way, Wei Ruo¡¯s studying would not be affected. ¡°Oh.¡± Wei Ruo remained calm andposed. There was not much else to say. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Ruoruo¡­¡± Yichen felt uneasy seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s calm demeanor. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, then I shall return first.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to continue this topic with Yichen and left after speaking. Se??ch ?ew?o?e? ,o?g o? ?oo?l? After Wei Ruo left, Wei Yichen thought for a while, then went back to Cangyun Garden and shared his idea with Madam Yun, ¡°Mother, when you go to the Xie Residence again, could you ask Madam Xie if Ruoruo could also be arranged to go there?¡± Madam Yun hesitated, ¡°Yichen, if it were possible, I would desperately want my two daughters to be Mr. Wang Caiwei¡¯s students. But given Ruo¡¯s situation¡­ with hercking proficient skills in musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting, how am I to bring this up with Madam Xie?¡± Hearing these words, Wei Yichen didn¡¯t know what to say. He was aware of his younger sister Ruoruo¡¯s situation. She was not as skilled as Wanwan in musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, or painting. The magistrate¡¯s office agreed to let Ruoruo study there because their father was the loyal and illustrious Wei Mingting, and because they were from the Duke¡¯s Residence. The Xie family and Mr. Wang Caiwei were unlikely to favor them for these reasons. As a brother, he wished the best for both his sisters and didn¡¯t want either of them to be wronged. ¡°Mother, you could still give it a try. If the Xie family refuses, it¡¯s their choice. We should at least ask on Ruoruo¡¯s behalf.¡± Wei Yichen suggested. ¡°Yichen, we were already somewhat taking liberties when we asked Madam Xie to let Wanwan study there too. If we included Ruoruo, especially considering her situation, we may offend the Xie family, and then even Wanwan may not be allowed to go. What then?¡± Madam Yun was deeply worried. It¡¯s better to have one epted than both being rejected, right? ¡°I understand, Mother.¡± Hearing Madam Yun¡¯s exnation, Wei Yichen reluctantly agreed to drop the idea. ### After mulling over her n for three days, Madam Yun visited the Xie Residence bearing gifts. She didn¡¯t return untilte in the evening. Upon arriving home, Madam Yun looked exhrated. Wei Qingwan had been waiting at home for the whole day. She had her maid Cuihe keep watch at the door, and as soon as Madam Yun returned, she rushed to Cangyun Garden. ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re here! Perfect timing. I have some good news to tell you!¡± ¡°Mother, what good news?¡± ¡°Silly girl, what else could it be? The good news is that the Xie family has agreed to let you and Miss Xie attend Mr. Wang Caiwei¡¯s lessons together!¡± ¡°Really? The Xie family has truly agreed?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s face lit up with joy; she could hardly believe her own ears. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true!¡± ¡°Mother!¡± Wei Qingwan, overwhelmed with excitement, hugged Madam Yun. Madam Yun gently patted Qingwan¡¯s back,¡± Alright, alright. Things went smoothly. I can finally put my mind at ease.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother, for all your efforts on my behalf. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°Silly girl, it¡¯s a parent¡¯s duty to make efforts for their child. If you have a promising future, your mother will naturally feel happy.¡± That evening, Wei Mingting returned home. Madam Yun excitedly shared the news with him: ¡°Husband, the Xie family has agreed to let our daughter attend sses at their house!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Madam Xie personally agreed, and Mr. Wang Caiwei was also present at the time.¡± Madam Yun was gleeful. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡± Wei Mingting was pleased; his daughter having Mr. Wang Caiwei as her tutor was naturally a good thing. After a pause, Wei Mingting added, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about Ruoruo. You need to arrange a school for her quickly. If Ruoruo doesn¡¯t want to leam, that¡¯s her decision, but you still need to handle the necessary arrangements.¡± ¡°Rest assured, husband. The magistrate¡¯s wife has already agreed. The only uncertainty is whether the Xie family will also let Miss Qian attend lessons. If they do, the magistrate¡¯s wife might not invite a tutor anymore.¡± ¡°If the magistrate¡¯s wife doesn¡¯t, then invite the tutor to our house. Not only for Ruoruo, but also for the daughters of other families. They all need to study,¡± Wei Mingting instructed. ¡°I understand.¡± Madam Yun had the same idea. While inviting a tutor to their house would incur extra expenses, Wanwan was already settled at the Xie Residence and it wouldn¡¯t do for Ruoruo to miss out too much. Additionally, by inviting the current Qian family¡¯s tutor to their house, they would get closer to the Chief Clerk and the County Magistrate¡¯s residences. Even though Wei Mingting was a martial officer and didn¡¯t have many public interactions with these two families, maintaining a good rtionship always helped, especially in Xingshan County. ### After two days, word from the magistrate¡¯s office came that the Xie family had not allowed Qian Zhn to study at their house. Madam Xie declined gracefully, since the Qian family had their own tutor. Madam Qian was frustrated, but there was nothing she could do. That evening, Madam Yun convened a meeting with Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯ve given you plenty of time for the vacantnd on the south side of the city. Leave the rest for Granny Zhang to deal with. You should go study at the magistrate¡¯s office now.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Unexpectedly, this time, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t negotiate with Madam Yun and epted her instructions calmly. So Madam Yun continued, ¡°And then there is the issue of the carriage at home¡­¡± Madam Yun looked somewhat troubled. Previously, when Wei Qingwan was the only one studying at the magistrate¡¯s office, the carriage only needed to transport her once in the morning and once in the evening. ording to the original n, Wei Qingwan and Wei Ruo were both supposed to go to the magistrate¡¯s office, which would only require the carriage to take one additional person, posing no problem at all. But now, the situation has grownplicated. Wei Qingwan is supposed to go to the Xie Residence in the north, and Wei Ruo is supposed to go to the magistrate¡¯s house. The two are not traveling the same route. Wei Ruo gave a scoffing sound. ¡°Mother, are you trying to tell me that because the Xie Residence in the north is farther from the Military Prefecture, you n on giving the carriage to Wei Qingwan, who¡¯s going there, and since the magistrate¡¯s house is closer, please have me walk there?¡± ¡°Of course, we can¡¯t let you walk there. I¡¯ll buy another carriage. It will be a bit smaller than the one we currently have.. The family¡¯s resources aren¡¯t extensive at the moment, so when things get better, I¡¯ll get you a bigger one, ok?¡± Chapter 47 - 47:1 don’t need __1 Chapter 47:1 don¡¯t need __1 Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°That¡¯s not bad at all. At least it¡¯s not a bullock cart,¡± Wei Ruo chuckled. Not being reduced to a bullock cart doesn¡¯t necessarily mean she is being overly adored by Yun Shi. It could be because Yunshi can¡¯t afford to lose face. ¡°Ruoruo, this is a necessary evil. The Xie Family is no ordinary family. Moreover, Qingwan is going to see the famous female schr Wang Caiwei, Yun Shi said to Wei Ruo, furrowing her brow in thought. ¡°Hmm, you make a strong point. I totally agree,¡± Wei Ruo nodded in agreement. ¡°You agree?¡± Yun Shi looked at Wei Ruo in surprise, thinking she was being sarcastic, but her breezy demeanor didn¡¯t seem like she was. ¡°Absolutely. Whoever has to travel farther to the high-ranking Xie Family to learn from the more talented Mr. Wang gets to ride in the old, good carriage. The one who stays behind gets the new, but more shabby one. Makes perfect sense,¡± Wei Ruo said. Yun Shi furrowed her brow, not sure how to respond to Wei Ruo¡¯s words. Wei Ruo quickly added, ¡°Your decision isn¡¯t based on the fact that Wei Qingwan is going to the Xie Family and I¡¯m going to the magistrate¡¯s office, right? It¡¯s purely because the Xie Family is located farther away and their status is higher than ours, right?¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s the case,¡± Yun Shi immediately replied. ¡°Well then, I have no objections. My mother is considering the objective factors and treating us fairly; naturally, I won¡¯t object,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo¡¯s words were reasonable and polite, though it made Mrs. Yun feel vague unease. ### ¡°Sister, I prepared a gift for you!¡± Yilin excitedly ran into Wangmei Garden. ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°Yes, to celebrate you going to the Xie family for sses and to study under the famous female schr!¡± Yilin said with a full-faced smile. Yilin proudly introduced his gift, ¡°I bought you a set of brushes, ink, paper and inkstone, all from the newly opened Four Treasure House!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t their paper very expensive and hard to buy?¡± Qingwan looked surprised. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s okay, your little brother has some money stored away!¡± Yilin answered with a cheeky grin. ¡°Yilin, you are so good to me!¡± Qingwan murmured tenderly, overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°You¡¯re my sister, if I don¡¯t treat you well, who will I treat well?¡± Qingwan hesitated, ¡°But we also have elder sister who¡¯s going to study at the magistrate¡¯s office. I¡¯m not sure how well equipped she is.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t care about her. Her business has nothing to do with me!¡± ¡°I should check on her. If shecks anything, I can share with her some of mine. After all, she is our elder sister. She may not care about us, but we, as younger siblings, should care about her.¡¯ Saying this, Qingwan walked towards her room and came back with a handful of stationery. ¡°Sis, I¡¯ll apany you! I¡¯m afraid she might bully you,¡± Yilin followed. ¡°Thank you, Yilin, I will be fine. Even in the residence, elder sister wouldn¡¯t dare to bully me.¡± ¡°Just because you¡¯re kind to her doesn¡¯t mean she will be the same to you! We must not be too optimistic!¡± Yilin was firm. Anyway, today, if his sister wanted to visit Wei Qingruo, he would apany her! ¡°Alright, in that case, you cane along. But once you see elder sister, don t say those things to her again. Big brother will be mad at you.¡± ¡°I know, as long as she doesn¡¯t harm you in any way, I definitely won¡¯t take the initiative to provoke her today,¡± Yilin promised Qingwan. Upon arriving at Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo was busy fertilizing the seedlings of sweet potato, loofah, pumpkin, and gourd that she had nted in the courtyard. The seedlings had already grown lush and green, climbing halfway up the wall. ¡°Sister,¡± Qingwan intruded, walking up to Wei Ruo, ¡°Sister, you¡¯ll be attending sses at the magistrate¡¯s office in a few days. I¡¯ve prepared some stationery for you, and I hope they¡¯lle in useful.¡± Wei Ruo nced at the items in Qingwan¡¯s hand, ¡°I don¡¯t need these things you¡¯ve prepared. Take them back and use them yourself. Qingwan was taken aback, and said, ¡°Sister, you can rest assured, these are all new items, never used.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need them,¡± Wei Ruo turned her down again. Qingwan, feeling rejected, hung her head sadly. Seeing this, Yilin promptly said, ¡°My sister is offering you these things out of kindness. Why are you being so difficult?¡± Wei Ruoughed, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is it wrong of me to ask her to take them back because I won¡¯t use them?¡± ¡°How could you not need what my sister offers you? It¡¯s clear you¡¯re just trying to embarrass my sister!¡± Yilin used. ¡°Really? I don¡¯t know if I need them or not, but you do?¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°You¡¯re going to study soon! Stationery is a must-have!¡± Yilin said heatedly. ¡°So, what¡¯s your point then? What necessary connection does this have to what I said about not needing the items Qingwan intended to give me?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°You¡¯re deliberately pretending to be confused! You¡¯re so annoying!¡± Yilin snapped. Qingwan intervened, ¡°Yilin, don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t choose the right gift. Don¡¯t be mad at sister.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Where did you go wrong? Clearly, it¡¯s her!¡± Seeing that Qingwan took all the me on herself made Yilin angrier. His sister was always considerate towards Wei Qingruo, yet this bane of Wei Qingruo was continually dissing her and making things difficult for his sister! Whether it was because themotion was too loud and a servant overheard and reported to Yun Shi, or Yun Shi by chance wanted to visit Wei Ruo, was unknown. The moment Yun Shi stepped into Tingsong Garden, she happened to hear the quarrel between Yilin and Wei Ruo, and Qingwan was trying to mediate. ¡°What amotion you¡¯re making! This is a disgrace!¡± Yun Shi reprimanded sternly. At Yun Shi¡¯s appearance, the noise immediately stopped. Yun Shi looked at them and said, ¡°What happened? Why all this ruckus? ¡°Mother¡­¡± Yilin looked at Yun Shi with a pout, clearly wronged. Wei Ruo looked on calmly. ¡°Wanwan, you exin what happened.¡± Yun Shi directed Qingwan to exin. ¡°Mother, please calm down. It¡¯s my fault. I prepared some gifts for sister, thinking she could use them when she goes to the magistrate¡¯s office to study. But I didn¡¯t prepare carefully, and sister didn¡¯t like them. Yilin acted impulsively and started arguing with sister,¡± Qingwan exined. After listening to Qingwan, Yun Shi nced at the stationery in Qingwan s hands. Then she asked Wei Ruo with a furrowed brow, ¡°You¡¯re going to study at the magistrate¡¯s office, what¡¯s the problem with Wanwan giving you stationery? Why aren¡¯t you satisfied with the gifts she prepared for you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was unsatisfied. What I did say was that I can¡¯t use the items, and asked my sister to keep them for her own use,¡± Wei Ruo slowly answered Yun Shi¡¯s question looking at Qingwan, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Sister Qingwan?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Qingwan nodded. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not happy with the gifts she prepared for you when you told her to take them back,¡± Yilin quickly jumped in.. Chapter 48 - 48 Apologize to Me Properly 1 Chapter 48: Apologize to Me Properly 1 Trantor: 549690339 |????? r 3¡ª Wei Ruoughed lightly, ¡°It has two meanings. It would be a waste if I kept it since I wouldn¡¯t use it.¡± Wei Yilin retorted: ¡°That¡¯s just arguing for the sake of arguing. You¡¯re going to school, how could it be a waste? How could you not use them?¡± Wei Ruo smiled, then turned to call Xiumei: ¡°Xiumei, get some of my stationery.¡± Yes, miss!¡± Xiumei¡¯s voice came from inside the room. After a short while, Xiumei walked out with a big bamboo basket in her hands. Xiumei huffed and puffed as she carried the bamboo basket to everyone. Upon seeing the contents of the basket, Mrs. Yun, Wei Qingwan, and Wei Yilin all changed expressions. A basket full of stationery! The most eye-catching were the sheets of paper, the color and texture immediately revealing their origin from Four Treasure House. It was not one or two sheets, nor ten or twenty, but a thick stack! The rest of the items included several inkstones, over a dozen brushes of various sizes, and more than ten sticks of ink. All these items seemed to be of higher quality than what Wei Qingwan had brought. ¡°Ruoruo, where did you get so much stationery from?¡± Mrs. Yun asked with surprise on her face. Even her eldest son didn¡¯t have this much! ¡°While at Mo Jiazha, I unintentionally helped an old woman who got lost in the mountains. Her son was in the stationery business, so she gave me a basket of these items as a token of gratitude. Although I haven¡¯t read many books, I know these items are not cheap, so I moved them all over when I came from Mo Jiazha.¡± When Wei Ruo moved to the Wei Family, it was well-known that she brought two carloads of belongings. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om However, everyone thought it was just cheap stuff, and no one had inquired about what Wei Ruo had brought back. Who would have thought that in her unsightly belongings from the countryside, she had hidden such treasures! Wei Ruo said: ¡°So, mother, is it alright for me to say I won¡¯t be needing Qingwan¡¯s gifts? I can¡¯t even use up what I have in this basket full of stationery. epting Qingwan¡¯s gifts would only have left them collecting dust in the house. I didn¡¯t want to squander Qingwan¡¯s kindness.¡± ¡°Who would have thought that my words would be misconstrued by Qingwan and Yilin? I gave them the benefit of the doubt, but perhaps they initially believed I was the bad guy.¡± At her words, Wei Qingwan and Wei Yilin¡¯s faces took on an unpleasant look. Mrs. Yun then said: ¡°As long as it¡¯s cleared up, it¡¯s only a misunderstanding.¡± Wei Ruo nodded: ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good to clear it up. I initially thought since I had so much stationery, I should give some to Qingwan, but seeing that she had an extra set ready to give to me, she probably won¡¯t need it for quite some time, so I¡¯ll just not give her any for now.¡± ¡®As for Yilm, he just contradicted me and used me of quibbling and having a poor attitude. Although as his elder sister, I shouldn¡¯t be petty with him considering his young age. But as his elder sister, I can¡¯t spoil him excessively either. If I were to ignore his brash and disrespectful behavior, I would be failing in my duty as his elder sister.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s words left the three before her at a loss for words. Mrs. Yun also realized that Wei Yilin¡¯s attitude towards Wei Ruo was problematic: ¡°Yilin, apologize to your elder sister! As the younger sibling, how can you talk to your elder sister like that?¡± ¡°But mother¡­¡± ¡°No ¡®buts¡¯!¡± Mrs. Yun said sternly. Wei Yilin was on the verge of exploding, but under Mrs. Yun¡¯s intent gaze, he had no choice but to bow his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong,¡± Wei Yilin apologized, but his face clearly showed his reluctance. Wei Ruo responded slowly: ¡°Little brother, when you apologize, sincerity is key. Today at home, your apology to mecks sincerity. If I don¡¯t correct you on this, in the future when you are out in the world, you will find yourself at a disadvantage. As the legitimate young master of the Wei family, your words and actions represent the Wei family and the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence.¡± With those words, Wei Ruo elevated her brother¡¯s apology to the level of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Mrs. Yun agreed with Wei Ruo¡¯s points, thus further admonishing Wei Yilin- ¡°Yilin, give a sincere apology. Your sister is right, if you¡¯re going to apologize you need to show sincerity. Do you refuse to apologize to your mother and elder sister properly?¡± Mrs. Yun¡¯s stern expression unnerved Wei Yilin. His eyes turned a bit red as he bit his lip: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong. I was reckless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright, as I previously mentioned, you are still young, and as your elder sister, I wouldn¡¯t hold it against you. As long as you learn from your mistakes, think more, weigh your actions carefully in the future, it would make me very happy,¡± Wei Ruo said with a smile. Wei Yilin felt even more gloomy, but he was powerless, all he could do was stare at Wei Ruo with his round, disgruntled eyes. With the matter resolved, Mrs. Yun left Tingsong Garden with Wei Qingwan and Wei Yilin. At the gate, they ran into Wei Jinyi. Their eyes met, and Wei Jinyi greeted ¡°Mother¡±. Mrs. Yun nodded in acknowledgment, and then left. Speaking politely, distanced appropriately. Wei Jinyi hade over on hearing the argument, and watched the scene from the doorway. He could have left before Mrs. Yun exited, but today he purposely lingered, exchanging just the barest of pleasantries with Mrs. Yun. After Mrs. Yun left, Wei Jinyi also nned to leave, but was stopped by Wei Ruo. ¡°Second brother, just in time. These are for you.¡± Wei Ruo picked a number of stationery items from the basket and handed them directly to Xiao Bei, who was following Wei Jinyi. With scrolls of paper, inkstones, a pile of brushes and ink sticks, Xiao Bei looked flustered as he tried to hold everything, almost dropping some. Wei Jinyi nced at the items handed over by Wei Ruo, but did not refuse. He simply said, ¡°This is a bit too much.¡± ¡°Not at all, you¡¯ll need them sooner orter. As the saying goes, wealth should not be unted, and now that these items have been on disy, they should be used up soon. Rather give them to someone who might deceive meter, I prefer to give them to someone I like,¡± Wei Ruo replied. At her words, Wei Jinyl¡¯s face turned red. He quickly turned around and left with Xiao Bei in a hurry. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know why Wei Jinyi left so hurriedly but attributed it to his always elusive nature so she didn¡¯t think much of it. ### The next day, the Xie family sent a calling card to the Military Prefecture. Mrs Xie wanted to bring her daughter Xie Ying to the Prefecture, saying that the two kids were going to attend school together in the future, so it was a good idea to let them get to know each other in advance. Upon receiving the card, Mrs. Yun started to get busy. Even though it was only the women of the Xie family who wereing, Mrs. Yun did not dare to be negligent. After two days of preparations, Mrs. Xie arrived with her daughter Xie Ying. ¡°Mrs. Wei, I hope we¡¯re not too much of a bother,¡± Mrs. Xie greeted with a smile. ¡°Not at all, both my daughter and I are delighted to have you,¡± Mrs. Yun replied with a face full of joy. Mrs. Xie nced at Wei Qingwan standing at Mrs. Yun¡¯s side, then looked around the room, noticing no one else, she asked, ¡°Mrs.. Wei, where is the other daughter of the house?¡± Chapter 49 - 49 Is it Ruoruo, not Wanwan?_l Chapter 49: Is it Ruoruo, not Wanwan?_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Ruo Ruo is¡­ preparing for her lessons in her room. in reality, Wei Ruo was probably busy tending to the fruits and vegetables in her garden, but Yun was too embarrassed to tell others that her daughter was gardening. So, she falsely imed that Ruo Ruo was preparing for her lessons. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m going to see what she¡¯s preparing.¡± Xie Ying said. Madam Xie turned to Yun and asked, ¡°Madam Wei, may I¡­?¡± Yun gave an awkward smile. But since Madam Xie had asked, she could hardly refuse and could only agree, ¡°Then I will have my Maid Cuiping lead Miss Xie there.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± Xie Ying left without paying any attention to Wei Qingwan, who was smiling and watching her. Yun was right. At this moment, Wei Ruo was picking the tender tips of the zhini vines in her courtyard. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Her zhini vines were growing very well. They climbed up half of the courtyard wall and had borne several fruits. It was the perfect time to pick these two things. Wei Ruo loved to eat tender zhinis and zhini tips. These two could be stir-fried together, offering a crisp and refreshing taste. When Xie Ying entered, she saw Wei Ruo standing on adder with a bamboo basket in her hand, intently picking something. Xie Ying walked over without saying a word and just watched. Hearing the footsteps, Wei Ruo knew someone had entered. She didn¡¯t bother about it at first, but when the other party remained silent for quite a while, she finally turned her head to look over. ¡°Miss Xie?¡± Wei Ruo was not too surprised at Xie Ying¡¯s arrival. She had heard about Madam Xie¡¯s n to visit the Wei Family. However, she was curious why Xie Ying was watching her so intently. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Picking zhini tips and baby zhinis.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Oh, I know about that. I¡¯ve eaten it. It has no taste.¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°Well, that probably means the chef who made it wasn¡¯t very good. I¡¯ll let you try Meimei¡¯s cooking next time.¡± Wei Ruo said. Xie Ying did not counter, but her look told Wei Ruo that she didn¡¯t quite believe what Wei Ruo said. How good could zhini tips taste? Xie Ying nced around and asked, ¡°Is there anywhere here where 1 can hide and nap for a while? I¡¯ve been dragged around by my mother since early morning, and I haven¡¯t fully woken up yet.¡± Xie Ying didn¡¯t care why Wei Ruo nted vegetables in her courtyard or why she was not preparing for her lessons. All she wanted was to find a ce to daydream and sleep. Wei Ruo pointed at her wicker chair in the courtyard and said, ¡°You can move it under my gourd trellis, where the sun can¡¯t reach. The sun would be quite hotter in the day and if one wanted to nap, a cooler spot was much better. Xie Ying nodded, then picked up Wei Ruo¡¯s chair and moved it over. The wicker chair wasfortable, and the gourd vine was lushly grown, making the area beneath the trellis shady and quiet, just the ideal space Xie Ying wanted for daydreaming and napping. Swinging on the chair for a while, Xie Ying turned to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Can you give me some seeds of this nt, I want to nt one at home. Also, where did you buy this wicker chair? I want one too.¡± Had she fallen for Wei Ruo¡¯s setup? ¡°I can give you the seeds, but it might be toote to nt them now. For the wicker chair, you should be able to find it outside. Have your servants inquire around for you.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°What kind of vine can I nt this season that will grow like yours? It has to be the type that survives without much care. I don¡¯t know how to take care of nts; everything I nt dies.¡± Xie Ying asked again. ¡°There might not be an ideal one¡­ Most vines grown in courtyards need some care like watering, fertilization, and pest prevention.¡± ¡°That¡¯s troublesome.¡± After murmuring to herself, Xie Ying stopped talking and closed her eyes for a nap. So, she didn¡¯te to see Wei Ruo because she liked her. She simply found this ce convenient for napping! Wei Ruo prided herself on being a person who liked to avoid social situations and enjoy peace, butpared with Xie Ying, she was clearly surpassed. Wei Ruo and Xie Ying mutually left each other alone for half an hour, until Yun and Madam Xie came looking for them, followed by Wei Qingwan. With Madam Xie¡¯s visit today, Wei Qingwan was there throughout. Her gentle and well-behaved demeanor earned her multiple praises from Madam Xie, and plenty of wishes that her own daughter could be as obedient and understanding as Wei Qingwan. This made Yun extremely proud. Her daughter was indeed very sensible. She guessed that it was because of this that Madam Xie readily agreed when she proposed that her daughter should study with the young miss from the Xie family. Madam Xie, who just entered Tingsong Garden, saw her daughter Xie Ying sleeping in the shade and didn¡¯t find it surprising at all. Her daughter had always been like this: dragged out to y, and she could run wild all day long. But when asked to act like a youngdy at home, she¡¯d be aszy as possible. If any other family had a child with this temperament, she would definitely be scolded. But her precious daughter was spoiled by everyone in the family, which resulted in this personality. No one could control her, and no one could do a good job ofeducating her. Madam Xie gave an apologetic smile, then turned to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Miss Wei, did Xiao Ying disturb you?¡± ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. We got along very well.¡± Actually, Wei Ruo quite liked Xie Ying s personality. It was stress-free and unburdening for her. ¡°d to hear that. Then, you two can also get along well when you study together in the future.¡± Madam Xie said with a smile. At her words, both Yun and Wei Qingwan were stunned. Yun questioned, ¡°Madam Xie, did you just say that Ruo Ruo will be studying with Miss Xie in the future?¡± Madam Xie looked a bit confused and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m just surprised. I didn¡¯t expect Madam Xie to agree to have Ruo Ruo join the lessons at the Xie Family¡¯s home.¡± Yun cautiously replied. ¡°Join?¡± Madam Xie looked increasingly puzzled. ¡°Madam Wei, hold on a moment. I¡¯m finding it harder and harder to understand what you¡¯re saying. Yun was also baffled, ¡°Madam Xie, wasn¡¯t your previous remark implied that Ruo Ruo should also go to the Xie Family for lessons? Madam Xie looked at Madam Wei and said with a warm smile, ¡°Madam Wei, did we not agree in the beginning that Miss Wei woulde to our home to study with my daughter?¡± ¡°Madam Xie, do you mean¡­ when you said Ruo Ruo, you weren¡¯t referring to Wanwan?¡± Yun looked shocked.. Chapter 50 - 50 Unwilling to Make a Losing Deal_1 Chapter 50: Unwilling to Make a Losing Deal_1 Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°How can it be the second Miss? Isn¡¯t she always studying at the Magistrate¡¯s office? How could I snatch someone from the Magistrate¡¯s office? I had heard that the elder Miss was recently recovered and hadn¡¯t arranged her schooling yet, I thought Madam Wei was referring to the elder Miss undoubtedly,¡± Madam Xie answered. When Madam Yun went to the Xie Family, she only mentioned her daughter without specifying which one. Madam Xie naturally assumed it was Wei Ruo, who had not yet been arranged for her education, so she readily agreed. She even told Madam Yun that she believed her daughter was very good and would get along well with her daughter; she also mentioned that Mr. Wang had already mentioned to her about finding Miss Wei for simultaneous tutoring. Madam Yun was ecstatic and automatically assumed that it was Wei Qingwan. She had never thought of Wei Ruo at all. She didn¡¯t believe that Wei Ruo could catch the eye of the Xie Family, let alone Mr. Wang. Wei Qingwan was so shocked that she was at a loss for words; her face visibly turned paler. Wei Ruo felt the using gaze of Wei Qingwan, looking surprised and even baffled, and even directed her anger towards her. But how was this her fault? She didn¡¯t actively cause Wei Qingwan to lose face; this was a misunderstanding they created themselves. Seeing the astonished Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan in front of her, Madam Xie understood the situation. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Knowing that her presence was no longer appropriate, Madam Xie called Xie Ying over and took leave from Madam Yun. Before leaving, Madam Xie said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Wei Missy, we shall see each other in two days. If you have any needs regarding your studies, feel free to tell me so I can prepare in advance.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam,¡± Wei Ruo thanked her. Collecting herself from the shock, Madam Yun forced a smile to bid Madam Xie and Xie Ying farewell. When she returned, she looked exhausted. After ncing at Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan and opening her mouth to speak but finding no words, she told them to rest, and then retired to Cangyun Garden herself. Looking at the departing figure of Madam Yun, Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. She raised her head to look at Wei Ruo, her eyes filled with anger and disbelief. Wei Ruo ignored her and turned back to work on her pumpkin vines. After a while, she heard footsteps and knew that Wei Qingwan had left in a hurry. Returning to the Cangyun Garden, Madam Yun was lost in thought. The agreement from the Xie family to have Wei¡¯s daughter study there and be a student of Mr. Wang Caiwei should be a good thing. She should be happy regardless of which daughter it was. But with this mix-up, Madam Yun¡¯s mood becameplicated. There was happiness because at least there was a daughter going to the Xie Family to study with Mr. Wang. There were also concerns, worries and a certain sense of unease. She was worried that Ruoruo might not perform well. She pitied Wanwan for the harm she suffered in this mimunication. As for the unease, she couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint its source. ### Nearing dinner, Wei Ruo sent Xiumei to inform the people in Cangyun Garden that she was feeling unwell and would not be dining in the hall that evening. Weo Ruo knew that should she choose to dine in the hall tonight, she would inevitably face a room full of icy res. It was better to not go. She assumed that the others in the family wouldn¡¯t care if she was absent during dinner or not. Then Wei Ruo ran to Yinzhuyuan, searching for Wei Jinyi¡¯s leftover food. In the name of gratitude for finding her a tutor, she invited her brother to enjoy a meal that they had prepared themselves. Wei Jinyi chose to amodate Wei Ruo¡¯s request, understanding why she chose to dine with him instead. While Xiumei and Xiaobei were busy in the kitchen, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi sat in the pavilion. ¡°In a good mood?¡± Seeing the yful smile on Wei Ruo¡¯s face, Wei Jinyi¡¯s face was also filled with joy. After this period of observation, Wei Jinyi discovered that Wei Ruo behaved differently in front of him than she does in front of others at home. With him, she was more lively, animated and loved to smile. ¡°Of course I¡¯m in a good mood. Despite the mix-up not being intentional, the oue wasn¡¯t bad, so naturally, I¡¯m happy,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hide her initial intention of enjoying the show. ¡°You handled it well. Can you tell me why you chose the Xie Family?¡± asked Wei Jinyi. At first, he was unsure what Wei Ruo was nning, but when she asked him to rmend Mr. Wang to the Xie Family, he started to understand. Since the tutor was a prestigious female teacher, the Xie Family would be pleased, even eager, and able to help Wei Ruo cover her tuition. As long as Mr. Wang hints at including another Miss Wei among his students, Wei Ruo could naturally study at the Xie Family. Wei Ruo replied, ¡°There are two main reasons. Firstly, the Xie Family has the highest status in Xinghan County after the Military Prefecture and Qian Magistrate¡¯s house; they have the power to disregard the Wei Family¡¯s face. Secondly, I¡¯ve interacted with Xie Ying before. Although we don¡¯t have a bond, I like her personality. We can live without interfering with each other¡¯s lives. There¡¯s no need for extraplications, saving me the hassle. ¡°Ifter on, your mother requests the Xie Family to let Wei Qingwan study with you, would you agree?¡± ¡°Of course not! All these efforts were made to avoid her in the first ce. If she goes too, wouldn¡¯t all my efforts go to waste? Besides, you pushed to find this tutor on my behalf; how could I let someone else take advantage of my benefits? If she had no grudge against me, that would be a different matter, but I still remember how she falsely used me of pushing people thest time! Although I don¡¯t have any immediate opportunities for revenge, I can¡¯t let someone who has a grudge against me take advantage of me, right? That would be a loss for me. I don¡¯t want to make a losing deal!¡± ¡°What about me?¡± asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°You?¡± ¡°In your dealings with me, have you made a losing deal? ¡°Humph¡­¡± Seeing Wei Jinyi¡¯s serious face, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t suppress herughter. Wei Jinyi continued to look at her seriously. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Wei Ruo cleared her throat and earnestly analysed the situation to Wei Jinyi: ¡°After careful calction, that day when I saved you, I was locked in the firewood room, and it cost me a lot of herbs. However, you¡¯re a good person who returned my favor with ginseng, and helped me find a tutor. Thus, I believe that I haven¡¯t lost anything in this deal!¡± Wei Jinyi smiled, his smiles were always gentle and restrained, soothing and warm, like water and jade. ¡°Speaking of which, I have a question,¡± said Wei Ruo suddenly. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You seem weak and feeble, spending most of the time at home either studying or writing. But why is it that when I took off your clothes that day, your body was quite sturdy? Your muscles and lines were quite good..¡± Chapter 51 - 51 In Others’ Shoes i Chapter 51: In Others¡¯ Shoes i Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Wei Jinyi started coughing violently, his cheeks quickly flushing crimson. The crimson hue spread all the way to the roots of his ears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Don¡¯t mention this anymore, not in front of me, and especially not in front of outsiders.¡± Wei Jinyi said sternly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I do know better than to say such things outside,¡± Wei Ruo giggled. She leaned closer and whispered, ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone about my second brother¡¯s impressive physique.¡± ¡°Boom¡ª¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s face turnedpletely red, like a boiled crab. Seeing his blush, Wei Ruoughed heartily within. Ah, indeed my second brother is an interesting fellow. He is so shy, what would he do after getting married if he is so ufortable with her sister seeing his body? Afterughing, Wei Ruo continued her previous question, ¡°You haven¡¯t told me yet, how do you maintain your muscles while spending all day reading and writing?¡± She hadn¡¯t forgotten to ask Wei Jinyi this question yet! ¡°I practice physical training techniques,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°You¡¯re really disciplined. Even in this small courtyard, you never forget to stay in shape,¡± praised Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m a little different from the rest of you, I can¡¯t afford to bex,¡± Wei Jinyi mumbled. These words seemed as if he was speaking to Wei Ruo, but also like he was talking to himself. ### Within her room, Wei Qingwan had been crying for a long time. Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin both came tofort her in turn. Unlike previous times, this time Wei Qingwan could not stop crying for a long time. Then Wei Ruo came. When Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin came out of the room, their expressions turned peculiar at the sight of Wei Ruo. Unable to hide his emotions, Wei Yilin rushed forward and used Wei Ruo, ¡°You devil! You took away my sister¡¯s opportunity to study at the Xie Family! You made her cry so miserably!¡± Wei Ruo calmly retorted to Wei Yichen, ¡°First, the Xie family initially chose me to apany Miss Xie¡¯s studies. You misinterpreted it, so how did it turn into me being the culprit? Your logic seems wed. You used me unjustly.¡± ¡°Secondly, how did mying to visit Qingwan turn into watching a spectacle? Did she suffer a great injustice? Can¡¯t she continue to study at the magistrate¡¯s office? That has been her routine for the past few years. Why is it all of sudden an issue when earlier it wasn¡¯t seen as a problem?¡± ¡°Before your misunderstanding regarding who was to study with the Xie family, didn¡¯t you arrange for me to study at the magistrate¡¯s office saying that the female tutor there is very talented? Why has it turned into an ordeal when ites to Qingwan?¡± Wei Ruo refuted Wei Yilin¡¯s usations leisurely, her smile radiant as she watched Wei Yilin. ¡°It¡¯s not the same! My sister is better than you, she should have gone to the Xie Family¡¯s!¡± Wei Yilin retorted. ¡°Oh, so you were all trying to fool me, right? Your promises of fair treatment to me and Qingwan, they were all deceit manoeuvres, right? In reality, you never saw us as equals, did you? Things that are seen as normal when they happen to me appear as grievances when they happen to Qingwan, right?¡± Wei Ruo spoke these heart-breaking words, but there was a slight smile on her lips. Her bright, clear eyes were like torches, seeming to prate and understand all the thoughts of her brothers. Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin were momentarily stunned. Especially Wei Yichen, who was feeling somewhat guilty and didn¡¯t dare to look into Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes. Wei Ruo smiled again, ¡°Don¡¯t feel embarrassed, I never asked you to treat us equally, just don¡¯t say one thing while doing another. Do whatever you want.¡± Speaking of which, Wei Ruo looked down at Wei Yilin, ¡°And you, don¡¯t be such a hypocrite, setting one standard for Wei Qingwan and another for me. If you don¡¯t recognize me, then just don¡¯t, why do you still want to apply your standards on me? I don¡¯t owe you anything!¡± Wei Yilin argued, ¡°Even if you are not to me, why are you here now,ing to make fun of your sister? To purposely upset her?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny? She¡¯s merely continuing to study at the magistrate¡¯s office, are you saying that studying in the magistrate¡¯s office is funny? Were you secretlyughing at me all along? When you and Wei Qingwan came to find me with ink and paper, were you actually making fun of me?¡± Wei Ruo counterattacked. ¡°You¡­ you!¡± Wei Yilin was left speechless by Wei Ruo¡¯s retort, his face instantly turning red. After some contemtion, Wei Yichen said in a serious tone to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo, you¡¯re right. On this matter, we have indeed been partial. There is also a problem with what Yilin said, I will educate him properly.¡± ¡°Hmm, I believe Big Brother is a fair and consistent man,¡± Wei Ruo remarked with a smile. ¡°Fair and consistent,¡± these words were like two sharp des stabbing into Wei Yichen¡¯s heart. Wei Yichen realized that, although they always im to treat both sisters equally, they seem to naturally lean towards Wanwan, always subconsciously affirming that Wanwan is better than Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault for not doing well enough¡± apologized Wei Yichen. Wei Ruo did not engage Wei Yichen further, ncing instead at Wei Qingwan¡¯s room, ¡°I came over today to ask Qingwan what to bring and what to pay attention to when going to sses. It seems I¡¯m not very wee here. Nevermind then, I¡¯ll ask Second Brother.¡± Wei Yichen quickly stopped Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo, Big Brother can also teach you these things.¡± ¡°No need, Big Brother seems busy, I won¡¯t bother you,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Big Brother is free now. Why don¡¯t youe back with Big Brother and let him exin to you?¡± Wei Yichen looked at Wei Ruo expectantly. ¡°Still no need, I think Second Brother has more free time than Big Brother,¡± Wei Ruo declined again. ¡°Alright then,¡± Wei Yichen, feeling a bit despondent, found it inappropriate to insist any further. Wei Ruo was not concerned about what Wei Yichen was thinking and turned to leave Wangmei Garden. As she was leaving, she shot a quick nce at the room behind her, knowing that Wei Qingwan was listening inside. She hade today to return the favor from the day Wei Qingwan brought her a gift. Wei Qingwan had repeatedly stated that her visit and her gift were for Wei Ruo¡¯s own good, but why was it that the moment the tables turned, they immediately thought Wei Ruo came to show off and ridicule them? Although Wei Ruo had no interest inpeting with Wei Qingwan for favor or a love interest, that didn¡¯t mean Wei Qingwan could bully her on her own terms, both openly and covertly. What needs to be returned must still be returned. ### Two dayster, arge and a small carriage were parked at the entrance of the Military Prefecture. N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Qingwan and Wei Ruo almost came out of the house at the same time. Mrs. Yun came to see the two daughters off. Looking at Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan, Mrs. Yun had mixed feelings. Just as Wei Qingwan was about to get onto therger carriage, Wei Ruo called out to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Qingwan, Mom has said that since the Xie Family is farther from the Military Prefecture, therger carriage will be used for those going to Xie Family..¡± Chapter 52 - 52 This is the Mother’s Intention_l Chapter 52: This is the Mother¡¯s Intention_l Trantor: 549690339 Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan¡¯s steps faltered. She turned her head with a puzzled look towards Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo had a faint smile on her face: ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t matter to me which carriage I ride in. As the eldest sister, I shouldn¡¯t quibble over such small matters with my siblings. But what mother said makes a lot of sense, and I don¡¯t want to go against her wishes.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Qingwan looked at Madam Yun again. Madam Yun didn¡¯t know what to say at this point. She indeed had said those words! However, they all thought that Wanwan was the one going to study at the Xie Family, and they didn¡¯t know that Wanwan would be wronged in this matter. If she had known that Wanwan would be wronged, she would not have suggested changing the carriages to ease Wanwan¡¯s feelings and to make up for the hurt she experienced! ¡°Mother, is¡­ is this your idea?¡± Wei Qingwan asked Madam Yun. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my idea.¡± Madam Yun said. Despite some misgivings, she couldn¡¯t deny what she had said. She thenforted Wei Qingwan: ¡°Wanwan, the Xie Family is prestigious. We should not let them think less of us. Let your elder sister ride the bigger carriage. Although the other one is slightly smaller, it is brand new. I deliberately had it prepared for you.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes were red and she slightly nodded her head: ¡°I understand, mother, you needn¡¯t worry¡­ I understand everything¡­¡± Her voice was shaking and it was clear that she was trying her best to hold back her feelings of hurt and sadness. Seeing her trying to stay strong in the face of this sorrow made Madam Yun¡¯s heart ache. Wei Ruo stepped forward: ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Qingwan is understanding. She wouldn¡¯t cry or be upset over a change in carriages. When I came back home, she even said she would give me everything she had.¡± ¡°Although I never thought about taking Qingwan¡¯s things, if Qingwan said so, it means that she had this intention. Now, the matter of giving me her carriage should not make her sad.¡± We Qingwan¡¯s tears were close to falling. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, she managed to hold them back. Wei Ruo continued: ¡°Actually, if mother hadn¡¯t analyzed the reasons objectively, I wouldn¡¯t mind sitting in the smaller carriage. After all, when I was in the countryside before, I didn¡¯t even have an ox cart, let alone a carriage. Whether it¡¯s big or small, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± Upon hearing this, Madam Yun felt a twinge in her heart. Looking into Wei Ruo¡¯s clear and tranquil eyes, she suddenly felt an ufortable sense of guilt. Madam Yun quickly realized that her thoughts over the past few days were somewhat faulty. While Wanwan might have been wronged a bit, it wasn¡¯t that bad. After all these years, Wanwan had lived ording to the standards of the Wei Family¡¯s young miss. Even if she was now riding in a smaller carriage, it was still better than Ruo Ruo¡¯s life in the past. Thinking like this, if she kept putting Wanwan¡¯s grievances in the open, that would be unnecessarily unfair. Having sorted out these thoughts, Madam Yun said to both Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan: ¡°Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. You need to get on your respective carriages and leave. Especially you, Ruo Ruo, since this is your first time going to the Xie Family, be careful about everything.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Wei Ruo answered before turning around gracefully and getting on therger carriage. Wei Qingwan hesitated for a bit. After confirming that Madam Yun wouldn¡¯t change her mind, she got onto the noticeably smaller and less luxurious carriage with the help of Maid Cuihe. Once she was inside the carriage, Wei Qingwan began to sob. ¡°Miss, stop crying. Be careful not to hurt your eyes.¡± Cuihe quickly tried tofort her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to cry either but the tears won¡¯t stop flowing. My heart feels terrible¡­¡± Wei Qingwan said sadly, then looked around at the dpidated carriage, ¡°Now it seems I am not even qualified to ride the family¡¯s carriage. I guess it won¡¯t be long before I¡¯m driven out of the house¡­¡± Cuihe hastilyforted her: ¡°Miss, don¡¯t think too much. Apart from not getting the chance to study, the Master, Madam, and the young masters still love you just like before.¡± As the daughter of Li, the Matron, Cuihe shared the same opinions as her mother. They firmly believed that the second miss, being the favorite of the family, would certainly live a better life than the eldest miss in the future. ¡°Who knows, my elder brother treats my sister just as well now¡­ My sister is more capable than I am. She has caught the attention of Mr. Wang and the Xie Family while I am nothing¡­¡± ¡°But Madam is already annoyed with the eldest miss. The eldest miss has repeatedly defied her, now Madam¡¯spensatory guilt towards her is almost exhausted.¡± Cuihe continued. ¡°You don¡¯t have tofort me anymore, I know the situation I¡¯m in now¡­¡± Unlike before, after experiencing this farcical incident, Wei Qingwan was much more pessimistic. She was no longer easilyforted by the words of Matron Li and Cuihe. ### At this moment, Wei Ruo was in therge carriage. When she left home, she took many packages with her, iming to be stationary. Then she had snuck a few ount books into those packages. She could read the ount books during themute, a good way to kill time. Upon arriving at the Xie Family, Wei Ruo was led to the schoolroom set up in their house. The Xie Family¡¯s mansion was much more spacious and magnificent than the Military Prefecture¡¯s. After being led around by the house matrons, Wei Ruo was almost dizzy. When they arrived, there were two tables set up, very spacious. Wang Caiwei and Xie Ying were both already present. The empty table on the left was reserved for Wei Ruo. On it, a brand new set of calligraphy tools had been arranged, likely prepared by the Xie Family in case she had forgotten or overlooked something. Wei Ruo took a nce at the items on the table. They were all from the Four Treasure House and were the same as the ones in front of Xie Ying. After Wei Ruo was seated, Wang Caiwei introduced herself to both of them. As a well-known talented woman, Wang Caiwei wasn¡¯t particrly good-looking, but her appearance was quite pleasant. She had a schrly aura yet a feeling of tranquillity. Following this, Wang Caiwei asked Xie Ying and Wei Ruo to introduce themselves. After the introductions, she didn¡¯t immediately start the lessons but brought several books for the two to choose from. Among them were books like ¡°Women¡¯s Precepts,¡± ¡°Women¡¯s Instructions,¡± ¡°Confucian Analects for Women,¡± as well as ¡°Book of Poetry,¡± ¡°Book of Changes,¡± ¡°Spring and Autumn Annals,¡± and ¡°The Art of War by Sun Tzu.¡± Wei Ruo and Xie Ying scrutinized them for a moment and picked one each. Wei Ruo chose the ¡°Book of Changes.¡± It was rumored that if you understood it well, you could predict the future. Even though she was skeptical, it seemed more interestingpared to the other books. Xie Ying, on the other hand, chose ¡°The Art of War by Sun Tzu.¡± Well, Miss Xie was even tougher than her! Seeing their choices, Wang Caiwei smiled and nodded: ¡°I now have an idea of how to teach you. Please have a seat..¡± Chapter 53 - 53 The Seedling Grows_l Chapter 53: The Seedling Grows_l Trantor: 549690339 | Unexpectedly, Wang Caiwei did not criticize the choices of Wei Ruo and Xie Ying, but instead invited them to sit down and began to lecture them. Wei Ruo originally held no hope for the lectures, but the teaching delivered by Wang Caiwei was far from the dullness she had imagined. Wang Caiwei would engage them with vivid discussions of the stories behind the written words and appropriately extend and connect the material. Xie Ying, who was typically reserved, seemed energized, staring intently and listening with great interest. Especially when Wang Caiwei spoke aboutrge-scale wars in history, Wei Ruo felt as if Xie Ying was ready to jump up and join the fight. in the morning, they lectured together, and in the afternoon, Wang Caiwei arranged separate arts for the two of them to learn. The current trend was to master one of the four arts, which included burning incense and serving tea, and flower arrangement and hanging paintings. Wang Caiwei had Wei Ruo learn incense burning, while Xie Ying took up painting. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know whether Xie Ying was satisfied with Wang Caiwei¡¯s arrangements, but she herself was quite pleased with the course content chosen for her. By the end of the day, Wei Ruo felt pretty good and found it more interesting than she had expected. During the lessons, Mr. Wang also talked about certain etiquette. Compared to the rigid exnations of Madam Li, Mr. Wang¡¯s instruction was like a refreshing spring rain, easier for them to absorb. ### After a few days like this, there was a new development in South City, so Wei Ruo had to excuse herself from Mr. Wang¡¯s lessons to look after the matters there. After fifteen days of seedling cultivation, the paddies in the experimental fields of South City were a rich green. During this time, Madam Zhang would report the condition of the seedlings to Wei Ruo every other day. Seeing the vigorous growth of the seedlings, Madam Zhang, who was initially reluctant, had be much more enthusiastic. At first, she was reluctant because she thought Wei Ruo was fooling around. But when she saw the lush seedlings, Madam Zhang was enlightened and realized that this youngdy from the countryside really knew her stuff! ¡°Young miss, I reckon it¡¯s about time to start transnting the seedlings. But you¡¯ll have to take a look and decide,¡± Madam Zhang said, now not daring to make her own decisions without consulting Wei Ruo. ¡°You go and report this situation to mother,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Despite the rice grains not being harvested yet, the sess of the seedlings was sufficient proof that Wei Ruo¡¯s method of treating chemically treated soil and growing crops could be effectively used. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo needed to report this achievement to Wei Mingting, but she didn¡¯t feel the need to meet him directly right now, so she decided to report to Madam Yun first. Madam Zhang immediatelyplied, heading to Cangyun Garden to ry the good news. As Madam Zhang was reporting to Madam Yun, Wei Qingwan was also present in Cangyun Garden, casually chatting with Madam Yun. After listening to Madam Zhang¡¯s words, Madam Yun was visibly delighted: ¡°Really? It actually worked?¡± ¡°Absolutely, I have been watching over it for a month now. The seedlings, ah, have grown so well! They¡¯re flourishing and green, I¡¯m not exaggerating when I say the seedlings here are even better than the ones we grew on Mantou Mountain in North City!¡± ¡®¡öThat¡¯S great! I¡¯m going to send someone to inform your father right away!¡± Madam Yun promptly replied. She immediately summoned Guard Jing Hu and gave him the instructions. Noticing Madam Yun¡¯s excitement, the expression of Wei Qingwan nearby subtly changed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect sister to seed, that¡¯s really fantastic.¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°Yes indeed. If it really works out, it would be a great help to your father and the entire Military Prefecture.¡± Madam Yun didn¡¯t notice her daughter¡¯s crestfallen face, she was too absorbed in her own excitement. She then addressed Madam Zhang: ¡°Madam Zhang, please call Ruo¡¯er over.¡± Madam Zhang quickly responded: ¡°Madam, besides informing you of the matter, the young miss also wished to seek your approval for her nned trip to South City. If the condition of the seedlings is suitable, she will start the transnting process.¡± ¡°Ah right, the timing of rice transnting is very critical, it should not be dyed. I shouldn¡¯t hold her up from her work then.¡± ¡°Exactly, Madam.¡± ¡°But before we proceed, we should let her father see the condition of the rice seedlings. Once the seedlings have been transnted, we will not be able to prove if they were really grown on the treated wastnd, or simply transferred from elsewhere.¡± ¡°Then¡­what does Madam suggest we do?¡± ¡°Ask Ruo¡¯er to wait a bit. Once we receive a reply from her father and if he has the time, he shoulde to have a look as soon as possible, it would be best if he could also bring Magistrate Qian along. If he doesn¡¯t have the time, then Ruo¡¯er can proceed to transnt the seedlings ording to the n.¡± ¡°Alright, I will inform the young miss first.¡± ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡± On this issue, Madam Yun greatly respected Wei Ruo¡¯s decisions. In a short while, Madam Zhang returned, bearing Wei Ruo¡¯s response: ¡°The young miss says she will first go to South City to assess the condition of the seedlings. If there is news from the master, he can directly go to South City.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s proceed ording to Ruo¡¯er¡¯s n.¡± Madam Yun instructed. Having received approval from Madam Yun, Madam Zhang returned to deliver the response to Wei Ruo. Apanied by Madam Zhang, Wei Ruo took a carriage out of the city. Upon seeing the excellent condition of the seedlings, Wei Ruo was quite satisfied. Agui and Xiaoba, who were responsible for plowing, were also incredibly pleased. The healthy growth of the seedlings indicated the potential for a good harvest, which was undeniably good news for Xingshan County, which had suffered from poor harvests for several years. ¡°Young miss, what should we do now? Should we start transnting?¡± Agui asked. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit and see whether my father¡¯s going toe have a look. You guys can start tilling the other wastends nearby. Now that this ce has been sessful, the cultivation of the other wastends will soon follow,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. ¡°Alright!¡± Filled with enthusiasm, Agui and Xiaoba immediately got to work. Wei Ruo then went to inspect the surrounding area. About an hourter, Wei Ruo saw arge group of people approaching. From a distance, Wei Ruo could see Wei Mingting at the front, riding a horse. He was still in his armor, implying he hade directly after receiving the news without having the time to change. Following Wei Mingting, she caught sight of Magistrate Qian and Chu Lan. We Ruo had anticipated Magistrate Qian¡¯s appearance; after all, the sessful cultivation of barrennd was also an achievement for him, he was bound to be interested. Chu Lan¡¯s appearance, however, was unexpected. Upon seeing him, Wei Ruo¡¯s brows furrowed instinctively ¨C she was averse to much contact with him. Soon, the entourage reached where Wei Ruo andpany were waiting. Apanied by Madam Zhang, Agui, and Xiaoba, Wei Ruo stepped forward to greet them. With a slight bow, she addressed them: ¡°Greetings, Father, greetings, Magistrate Qian.¡± With respect to Chu Lan, since he hadn¡¯t disclosed his identity, Wei Ruo did not feel the need to acknowledge him. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so formal,¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s voice held a hint of excitement. He had noticed Wei Ruo¡¯s vibrant field of seedlings even from a distance while on his way here. The lush green patch stood out against the deste surroundings, making a stark contrast. Those apanying Wei Mingting also observed Wei Ruo¡¯s seedling field from up close.. Chapter 54 - 54 Receiving Unanimous Praise_l Chapter 54: Receiving Unanimous Praise_l Trantor: 549690339 | Everyone¡¯s face lit up with joy after their observations, including the typically cold Chu Lan. The Qian Magistrate excitedly praised, ¡°Mr. Wei indeed has a wonderful daughter! She¡¯s actually able to grow crops on this barrennd! In this way, the farmablend of Xingshan County will greatly increase! This really alleviates a pressing problem for the people of Xingshan County!¡± Lu Yuhong, who hade with Chu Lan, was even more effusive in his praise: ¡°This is incredible! While the surrounding area barely has any weeds, crops are growing here! And these seedlings look even healthier than those in other parts of Xingshan County!¡± Listening to the praise, Wei Mingting looked at his neatly dressed daughter with joy and pride in his heart: ¡°It¡¯s rather shameful to admit that these skills were attained by my daughter¡¯s own efforts. As a father, I didn¡¯t fulfill any responsibilities and didn¡¯t really teach her anything.¡± Wei Mingting didn¡¯t feel the need to be modest whenplimenting his daughter, but when it came to teaching her well, he genuinely felt inadequate. Qian Magistrate replied: ¡°Mr. Wei, there¡¯s no need to be modest, you are simply busy with the safety of Xingshan County¡¯s people. Your daughter is now risking danger and enduring hardship to cultivate thisnd for the same reason. Your father-daughter pair clearly share the same love for the people.¡± Just then, Chu Lan took the opportunity to question Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss Wei, I have a question.¡± ¡°Please go ahead, sir.¡± Wei Ruo did not shy away. Chu Lan asked, ¡°Looking at this field, what¡¯s growing here are still seedlings, as opposed to regr rice which should be about to head out. Isn¡¯t it a bitte in the hybrid¡¯s life cycle for it to still be a seedling?¡± Everyone had been so caught up in the joy of sessfully growing seedlings from the wastnd that they had momentarily forgotten this key point. Upon hearing Chu Lan¡¯s question, both Wei Mingting and the Qian Magistrate turned to Wei Ruo, their eyes filled with curiosity about this issue as well. Wei Ruo answered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. The seeds I broadcasted in this paddy field are a new variety of rice brought over from Huzhou Prefecture. It¡¯s a bit different from regr rice and it¡¯s sown in the sixth or seventh lunar month. The growing period is about 160 days, so it will not be ready for harvest until November.¡± Upon hearing this, the faces of the three people in front of Wei Ruo again filled with surprise and joy. Whether it was the Qian Magistrate, who was officially responsible for the people¡¯s livelihood, Chu Lan from the royal family, or Wei Mingting the military official, they all knew clearly that being able to nt rice at different times was equivalent to artificially expanding the area of arablend. However, at this moment, they hadn¡¯t seen the mature rice yet and dare not easily believe Wei Ruo¡¯s words. Chu Lan said, ¡°Once the rice you are testing here matures, Miss Wei, and you can prove that you can help increase the cultivable area and increase grain production in Xingshan County, I will report this to the court.¡± Hearing these words, the Qian Magistrate was somewhat excited, because if it were to be reported, the majority of the credit would belong to the Wei Family, but he would also get a share as the magistrate. The reaction of Wei Mingting was more lukewarm, without much joy, but it was nheless noticeable that he was looking forward to this. Wei Ruo was not very excited. If it was someone else telling her these things, she might have been in a better mood, but with Chu Lan, she really didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Qian Magistrate then proceeded to ask Chu Lan, ¡°Sir, do you think this wastnd in the south of the city can be handed over to the Government Office and the Military Prefecture forrge-scale development?¡± Chu Lan had ordered that only they should know of his presence during this trip. His family must not know, so the Qian Magistrate immediately changed his form of address. With the sessful trial nting by Miss Wei, Qian Magistrate wanted to expand the scope, whether for personal political gain or for the survival of the people. Chu Lan replied, ¡°Xingshan County is under the jurisdiction of Qian Magistrate. How to develop the wastnd is up to him to decide, there¡¯s no need to ask my opinion.¡± Qian Magistrate: ¡°Yes¡­ I understand.¡± After that, Qian Magistrate asked Wei Mingting and his daughter, ¡°Mr. Wei, Miss Wei, are you willing to be responsible for all these wastnds in the south of the city?¡± Wei Mingting didn¡¯t answer immediately, but looked at Wei Ruo. The matter of opening up the wastnd in the south of the city was proposed by his daughter, and she had invested her time and energy in it. If the area ofnd remation was to be expanded, the hard work would inevitably fall on his daughter, so the decision should be left to her. Wei Ruo answered, ¡°Father, I think that the wastnd in the south of the city covers arge area. If all of it is handed over to our Military Prefecture for remation, I am afraid we may not be able to cope. It would be better to give the wastnd to the people to reim. There are many people in the city whock a means of livelihood, especially the fishermen who are unable to go out to sea because of the Japanese pirates. If we give some wastnd to them and teach them improved farming methods, I believe they will do their best.¡± The words of Wei Ruo struck a chord with Wei Mingting, who turned to the Qian Magistrate and said, ¡°Mr. Qian, my daughter is right. This vast wastnd cannot be reimed by just the County Government and the Military Prefecture. We should give it to the people and let them cultivate thend for their livelihood!¡± The Qian Magistrate reluctantly admitted, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to allocate it to the people, but we now have the threat of Japanese pirates. The south of the city is not safe. Though Wangyue Mountain separates the south and east of Xingshan County, we can never be sure if the Japanese will cross over. Allowing too many people to freely move in and out of this area may bring many hidden dangers¡­¡± This was indeed a problem, and it was also why Wei Ruo¡¯s request for the nanny to apply to the government office to open up the wastnd to the south of the city was refused initially. ¡°That won¡¯t be an issue.¡± Chu Lan suddenly spoke up. Everyone turned to look at Chu Lan, and so did Wei Ruo. Chu Lan, his eyes deep, said, ¡°The court will soon send additional troops to Xingshan County. If we set up defenses at key points between Wangyue Mountain and the southern city, it will ensure the safety of the area and allow peasants to work their farms with peace of mind.¡± After listening to Chu Lan, both the Qian Magistrate and Wei Mingting had different looks on their faces. The fact that the court was willing to send more troops was obviously a good thing, but they didn¡¯t know whether the Wei Family, who had not performed well in the fight against the Japanese pirates, or the Qian Magistrate, who had failed to feed the people of Xingshan County, would be punished. Chu Lan then looked at Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss Wei, as you¡¯ll be expanding, you¡¯ll need more resources and manpower. I will send some people to assist Miss Wei. Please feel free to use them.¡± Wei Ruo quickly declined his offer, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, sir. However, as it is improper for a woman to interact too closely with a man, I must respectfully reject..¡± Chapter 55 - 55 - Ruoruo is Really Sensible_l Chapter 55: ¨C Ruoruo is Really Sensible_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Miss Wei need not worry about this. If I were to assign someone to assist you, I would naturally send a maid to handle matters with you, so you would not have to deal directly with me or any other men,¡± Chu Lan exined. Seeing that her excuse of the distinct roles of men and women did not dissuade Chu Lan, Wei Ruo looked up towards Wei Mingting, hoping he would support her refusal. Wei Mingting seemed to understand Wei Ruo¡¯s need for help and turned to look at Chu Lan, ¡°Your kindness towards the people is indeed a blessing. However, my daughter does not have much experience in managingrge-scale personnel adjustments, perhaps it¡¯s better to let her learn it step by step¡­¡± Chu Lan interjected: ¡°There is no need for more words, Mr. Wei. Miss Wei is the most qualified for the task of improving the southern wastnd of Xingshan County City. If she ims that it can¡¯t be done, then I dare to say no one else could do it.¡± Wei Mingting had no choice but to concede, ¡°Since this is the young master¡¯s goodwill, Ruoruo, you should ept it. He is kind-hearted and hopes that the people of Xingshan County can have enough to eat.¡± ¡°Then I will humblyply,¡± Wei Ruo reluctantly epted. After conversing with Wei Mingting, Qian Magistrate, Chu Lan, and others, Wei Ruo ordered Agui and Xiaoba to start gathering rice seedlings, preparing for transntation. During the seedling stage, sowing is rtively dense. When it¡¯s time to transnt, they are spaced out to ensure that each rice nt can fully receive sunlight and nourishment from the soil, so the spacing between the nts increases. Therefore, the seedlings gathered from these two acres of nursery field will be more than enough to transnt into the two acres of paddy fields. ¡°Father, did we lose some seedlings in the paddy fields on Mantou Mountain this year?¡± Wei Ruo asked Wei Mingting. The Wei Family, like other families in Xingshan County, nted early rice which had passed the transnting period and grew higher than a child. However, Wei Ruo heard that, due to the weather, many families in Xingshan County had poor rice growth, with some even losing arge portion. ¡°Your mother indeed mentioned it to me.¡± During the brief periods when Wei Mingting was at home, Madam Yun rarely bothered him with mundane household affairs. But the issue of the rice nts dying concerned the family¡¯s autumn harvest; she couldn¡¯t hide it from him and informed him early to prepare. ¡°When we have extra seedlings from here, please arrange for someone to take them to Mantou Mountain in the north of the city to rece the ones that died,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. Wei Mingting was momentarily stunned, then joyously praised, ¡°Ruoruo is very thoughtful!¡± He felt a touch of admiration for his daughter¡¯s meticulousness and thoughtfulness towards their household matters. Wei Ruo thought to head to Xiaoyang Mountain when she set off to deliver the seedlings to the north of the city. As for the seedlings, if they weren¡¯t used in the Wei Family fields they would just be given to others. Other wastnds weren¡¯t cultivated in time for nting, and she wasn¡¯t familiar with the situation in other households. If the seedlings weren¡¯t nted on Mantou Mountain, it would be a waste. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After all, these seedlings were carefully grown through their hard work, it would be a pity to discard them. Once all the seedlings were gathered, Wei Ruo instructed Agui and Xiaoba to plough the fields and prepare for transntation. Meanwhile, Wei Ruo headed back first, along with a portion of the seedlings destined for nting at Mantou Mountain in the northern city. On the return journey, Wei Ruo leaned on the window of the carriage, observing the scenery along the way. Xiumei massaged Wei Ruo¡¯s shoulders and legs. ¡°Miss, should we select some trustworthy people and teach them the method of improving the soil, without letting others know?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°No need for that, I will make the method public, which is much more efficient,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°But what if the disciples starve the master once they learn it?¡± Xiumei asked. Here was different from Mo Jiazha. There, they had a good rtionship with the vigers, and there were no reservations in teaching them. However, they were not familiar with the locals here and feared there might be some bad apples among them. ¡°Rest assured, even if they learned it, they only learn the surface part, not the underlying logic, so they won¡¯t quite grasp it. Besides, I have many talents, so sharing this one won¡¯t matter that much.¡± Some of Wei Ruo¡¯s skills were reserved for her own use, to earn money and make a living, but some technologies could be shared to help innocent people who were suffering. Take this method of improvingnd, for example. Retaining it didn¡¯t have any significant advantages. Not everywhere had poor soil in need of her improvement, and she wasn¡¯t likely to earn much silver from this method either. Moreover, she didn¡¯t entirely teach others how to improve wastnd. The method varied ording to different conditions of barrennd. Even in the case of saline-alkalind, the methods to render it fertile varied, with different mix ratios and usages, so only sharing the method for this specific piece ofnd might not work elsewhere. ### Soon, the developments in the southern city reached Madam Yun¡¯s ears, and she was immensely excited. From sessfully cultivating crops on the improvednd to acquiring ate-season rice variety, not only did these achievements earn praise from others, but also showed attention to the production issues on their terraced mountain. All the things Wei Ruo did profoundly touched Madam Yun¡¯s heart. With repeated praises for Wei Ruo, eachpliment weakened Wei Qingwan¡¯s spirits. Madam Yun didn¡¯t notice Wei Qingwan¡¯s mood change; instead, she busied herself arranging manpower to go to Mantou Mountain, preparing to transnt the seedlings gathered by Wei Ruo. When Wei Ruo arrived at the Wei Residence, Madam Yun unusually went to the entrance to greet her. ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯ve worked hard these days!¡± Madam Yun was full of joy. ¡°I won¡¯t be going back to the mansion for now. I¡¯ll take these seedlings straight to Mantou Mountain. Have workers been arranged for nting the seedlings?¡± Wei Ruo inquired, her expression unchanged, maintaining her professionalism. ¡°It¡¯s all arranged. They left for Mantou Mountain a quarter of an hour ago, just waiting for the seedlings to arrive so they can start transnting,¡± Madam Yun answered. ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll go there too, taking the chance to look at the growth of the crops on Mantou Mountain,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, but Ruoruo, do pay attention to your own health. Don¡¯t work yourself too hard,¡± Madam Yun said with concern. ¡°Mhm.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t continue to discuss family matters with Madam Yun. Having gained her approval, she immediately ordered Liu Bo to head to Mantou Mountain in the northern city. When facing Madam Yun, Wei Ruo said she was going to examine the growth on Mantou Mountain, but in reality, she intended to head to Xiaoyang Mountain under the pretense of this visit. Madam Yun was oblivious to Wei Ruo¡¯s true intentions, she simply thought her daughter was very sensible and considerate towards their family matters: using the surplus seedlings to replenish the family¡¯s rice fields and personally inspecting the condition of their terraced mountain. Madam Yun was deeply moved. Even though there were some minor disagreements in their family, in rtion to the family¡¯s overall welfare, her daughter was certainly very aware of the bigger picture.. Chapter 56 - 56 Helped a lot i Chapter 56: Helped a lot i Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage headed north and, when it reached near Manton Mountain north of the city, the manager there had already received instruction from Madame Yun and was waiting. After arranging for full-time workers to rent seedlings in the vacant areas, Wei Ruo excused herself to take a neighborhood walk and consequently left in thepany of Xiumei. Wei Ruo noticed that the paddy fields were rtively weak along the way, and there wererge swaths of crops that were dead. Some paddy fields were even in worse shape than those of the Wei family. This was not a good sign; if this trend continued, the autumn harvest would be troubling. Her nurse had mentioned to her earlier about Xingshan County¡¯s grain conditions this year, but she only understood how severe the situation was after witnessing it herself. Wei Ruo then apanied Xiumei to Xiaoyang Mountain. The majority of the previously uncultivatednd had been nted with sweet potatoes, the lush green leaves were thriving. Even now, they would pick a batch of vine leaves to sell at the market every day. At the price of two coins per bundle, it¡¯s quite affordable for everyone, from well-off families tomon folks. Consequently, a cartload a day is not sufficient. Although the price of two coins is not high, there is still some profit to be made. For ordinary fruits and vegetables, Wei Ruo preferred small profits and quick returns, while only leaning towards high prices for ¡°luxury goods¡± intended for the upper-ss society. Wei Ruo randomly picked a plot ofnd, opened a corner, and checked how the sweet potatoes were growing inside. At this time, the sweet potatoes had not yet reached the ideal size and were still small, each being just a little bitrger than the size of a pinky, far from the standard harvest size. However, it was obvious that the current growth situation was good and there were no pests or diseases. The seeds in Wei Ruo¡¯s own fields were of excellent quality, showing superior performance in terms of disease resistance, drought tolerance and flooding tolerance. They also grew rtively faster than others. She guessed that in about a month, this batch of sweet potatoes could be fully grown. By then, she can start selling them gradually. Part of them will be stored in the warehouse. She ns to turn the rest into dried sweet potatoes for storage, with some of the dried sweet potatoes to be sold in the fruit preserves shop. During her trip out on the Dragon Boat Festival, Wei Ruo had taken the opportunity to inspect several fruit preserve shops, finally selecting one for cooperation intending to sell dried sweet potatoes and sweet potato chips in their shop. For Wei Ruo, this could save her the risk of setting up a separate shop, and at the same time, it could increase her own sales volume by leveraging the existing customer traffic of the fruit preserves shop. Wei Ruo stayed on Xiaoyang Mountain until the evening before returning to the Wei family¡¯s Mantou Mountain. The work of transnting rice seedlings was nearly over. After briefly checking the situation, Wei Ruo returned home in her carriage. By the time Wei Ruo returned to the Wei Residence, it was already past the usual dinner time. The Wei family didn¡¯t have dinner without her. They waited until Wei Ruo came back, and then Madame Yun informed the kitchen to serve the dinner. After dinner, while they were sitting together drinking tea, Madame Yun asked Wei Ruo about the details of her day. ¡°The work you¡¯ve been doing to transform the barrennd in the south of the city is truly impressive, Ruo¡¯er. I never expected that you could sessfully cultivate crops there. I underestimated you before.¡± Madame Yun said with emotion. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Ruo made a low sound in response. ¡°Your decision to transnt seedlings onto Mantou Mountain has indeed greatly aided the family, Ruo¡¯er. This year, rice seedlings in everyone¡¯s fields have been dying off to varying degrees. Ours are actually better than most; the worst cases have lost nearly half their crops. Even though it¡¯s still not autumn, we can already foresee the grain outlook this year. The city¡¯s residents are filled with anxiety. The madams from a few familiar families, inclusive, can¡¯t help but worry about this issue.¡± Even for some well-off families in Xingshan County, several consecutive years of poor crop yields could be unbearable. With so many mouths to feed, if they were to buy grain every day, who knows how much silver they would have to spend. Besides, if everyone is short of grain, grain prices will inevitably rise. By then, even if they want to buy their own grain, it will be very difficult. Wei Ruo sipped her tea without responding. What she was thinking now was that if she had known earlier that everyone¡¯s seedlings were dying, she should have secretly sold the extra seedlings. She should have been able to make a lot of money. ¡°Tell me more about the incident at the south of the city today.¡± Madame Yun was keen on knowing more details from Wei Ruo. ¡°The seedlings are growing well. Both Father and Magistrate Qian approved. Also, a young master from the Capital City said he wanted to help, and will send someone over tomorrow.¡± Wei Ruo answered lightly, glossing over all the situations. She didn¡¯t have much choice in mentioning Chu Lan¡¯s offer to help. Since the messenger he¡¯s sending will report to the residence tomorrow, and given his status, Wei Mingting would certainly inform the family in advance. ¡°A distinguished person wants to help?¡± Madame Yun asked in surprise. Wei Qingwan also looked inquisitively at Wei Ruo. In Xingshan County nowadays, the only person whom the Wei family could potentially address as ¡°a distinguished person¡± was that gentleman of the Han, who had been seen fleetingly on the street. Although the distinguished person¡¯s identity has never been fully disclosed, the Wei family had mostly figured it out based on the information they have received from the Capital City. ¡°Yes, he seemed particrly concerned about the hardships experienced by themoners.¡± Wei Ruo, somewhat irritated by this man, Chu Lan, didn¡¯t borate. Wei Ruo spoke casually, but to those who listened, it was a momentous revtion. ¡°Hmm, that indeed should be the case. Since the distinguished person wants to help, Ruo¡¯er, you need to be extra cautious.¡± Madame Yun immediately instructed Wei Ruo. ¡°In regards to farming, I¡¯m already doing the best I can.¡± Wei Ruo replied, this wasn¡¯t something she was doing to impress Chu Lan. Madame Yunmented somewhat nostalgically: ¡°I originally thought that after Wanwan and Miss Qian offended the distinguished person at Huafa Temple, it would annoy him. However, it seems that he didn¡¯t take it to heart. In contrast, Ruo¡¯er, your work in the south of the city has attracted his attention.¡± As Madame Yun spoke, Wei Qingwan, who was sitting beside her with her head slightly bowed, quivered. Her words felt like a p across the face. Moreover, the subsequentparison with Wei Ruo made Wei Qingwan feel like she was being crushed into the ground. However, Wei Ruo barely listened to Madame Yun¡¯s words. To her, this distinguished person was hardly distinguished at all. She¡¯d prefer to steer clear from him. Wei Yilin pouted and nced at Wei Ruo several times. However much he looked, he simply couldn¡¯t believe that Wei Ruo could pull off such a feat. How was it possible that Wei Ruo, could aplish something that even Sister Wanwan couldn¡¯t? Especially when Sister Wanwan was so much more capable than her! Throughout the whole meal, Wei Qingwan had been lost in her thoughts. With a heavy heart, she left Cangyun Garden. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Upon seeing her, Wei Yichen caught up to her and asked, ¡°Wanwan, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°Big brother, am I really useless?¡± Wei Qingwan asked softly. ¡°Why would you ask that, Wanwan?¡± Chapter 57 - 57 You Should Not Have Such Chapter 57: You Should Not Have Such Thoughts_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I can¡¯t make a difference or achieve anything like my sister could. I can¡¯t bring honour to the Wei family and be favored by the people of high status. I¡¯m really useless¡­¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears. Wei Yichen furrowed his brow, ¡°Wanwan, why would you think like that?¡± ¡±I¡­ I just feel that I¡¯m inferior to my sister in everything, and I¡¯m sure everyone will not like me.¡±. After Wei Qingwan said this, she thought Wei Yichen wouldfort her Instead, he stopped in his tracks, furrowed his eyebrows, and looked at her solemnly. ¡°Big brother?¡± Wei Qingwan looked at Wei Yichen in confusion. ¡°Wanwan, we should be happy for Ruoruo¡¯s sess, not fearing that her excellence will make us lose favor. As family members, we embrace each other¡¯s virtues and shorings; as family members, why do we need topare ourselves to each other?¡± Wei Yichen said with a serious tone. Wei Qingwan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized she had misspoken. ¡°Big brother, I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I¡¯m naturally happy for my sister¡¯s excellence, but after seeing how capable she is, I suddenly realized I need to work even harder. Otherwise, with both my brother and sister being so outstanding, 111 be left behind. I also want to contribute to our family.¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then it¡¯s fine.¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s facial expression softened, then he added, ¡°But don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself, nor think that Ruoruo¡¯s excellence will affect you in anyway. We should simply be happy for her aplishment, and pay no mind to other thoughts.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Wei Qingwan replied in a soft voice. Seeing this, Wei Yichen did not say anything else. He thought that Wanwan just had a slip of the tongue, she had always been very kind and gentle that she wouldn¡¯t truly harbor ill thoughts about Ruoruo. The two chatted for a while and then parted ways. Once she returned to Wangmei Garden, Wei Qingwan copsed onto the bed and cried her heart out, ignoring Cuihe¡¯s attempts at soothing her. ¡°She was offered to study with the Xie family and won favor from the teacher, and she¡¯s the one who improved the barrennd and grew crops. Compared to er, I¡¯m inferior in every way, sooner orter my parents will abandon me!¡± ¡°Miss, you mustn¡¯t think like that! If you harm your health by crying, the one Who¡¯d be happy is your older sister. You absolutely can¡¯t give up on yourself!¡± Cuihe was also worried. She feared that Wei Qingwan would give up. Once Wei Qingwan fell out of favor, her life as Wei Qingwan¡¯s personal maid would surely be difficult as well. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t give up, what can I do? I can¡¯t me others. I am not my parents¡¯ biological child. There is no blood rtion between us. Being neglected is only a matter of time¡­¡± The more Wei Qingwan thought about it, the more upset she became, and the more hopeless she felt for the future. ¡°Miss¡­¡± For a moment, Cuihe didn¡¯t know how tofort Wei Qingwan She muttered, ¡°If only my mother was here, she might be able to suggest something for you, Miss.¡± ¡°But she can¡¯te back now.¡± Wei Qingwan murmured. If the elderly maid was here, she would certainly help her. Unfortunately, due tost time¡¯s incident, the elderly maid was punished and sent to the countryside. ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you find an opportunity to plead with Madam? If you speak out, Madam will surely listen.¡± Cuihe suggested. I¡­ 111 try next time.¡± Wei Qingwan replied softly. ### Qian Magistrate¡¯s work efficiency was very high. After returning, he promptly posted the announcement and dispatched subordinates to spread the word. Whether they were farmers or fishermen, anyone who didn¡¯t ownnd could register at the government office. The office would orderly allocate the barrennd in the south of the city to them and teach them how to cultivate and improve the barrennd. Upon receiving the news, long lines formed outside the county government office. Before long, the people who officially received the government document granting them the right to cultivate thend let out cheers. For a time, the entire county was filled with the sounds of joy from the impoverished popce. Watching the lively scene from a teahouse in the distance, Lu Yuhong couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°The idea proposed by Miss Wei from the Wei family is really good. Look at those impoverished refugees who couldn¡¯t afford to eat without working in the fields, they are full of vigor. Letting them work on thend they own will certainly yield better results than hiringborers.¡± Chu Lan looked at the street withoutmenting, but from his expression Lu Yuhong could tell Chu Lan agreed. ¡°Chu brother, who are you more interested in now, the boss of the Four Treasure House or Miss Wei from the Wei family?¡± Lu Yuhong¡¯s inexplicable curiosity acted up again. ¡°Yuhong, your curiosity is too strong.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I¡¯ve been like this since I was a kid, and you¡¯ve known me for a day or two ¡± Lu Yuhong mumbled. ¡°Though the goods sold at the Four Treasure House are good, and their techniques are astute, they do everything for money; Miss Wei improved the barrennd and grew crops for the people. Between the two, it¡¯s clear who is superior. However, neither of them piques my curiosity. My purpose here is the matter of defending against the Japanese pirates,¡± Chu Lan replied. Lu Yuhong said, ¡°The people of Xingshan County are really suffering, with the Japanese pirates invading from outside and disasters urring year after year from within. I hope Miss Wei¡¯s method works and really produces food, and I also hope the reinforcements from the court arrive soon.¡± ¡°Even if reinforcements arrive, it still depends on the capability of the military general whomands them. If Wei Mingting can¡¯t achieve anything meaningful this time, he won¡¯t be able to keep his sixth-rank Colonel position, even if he has a daughter who can benefit the people.¡± ¡°Indeed, military generals must be able to win battles. However, from what I see, Wei Mingting seems capable, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold out for so long with such a small number of soldiers. It was only after I carefully observed in Xingshan County that I realized the soldier count of Xingshan County is really pitifully small,¡± Lu Yuhong sighed. ### After two busy days, Wei Ruo went to the Xie family to study with Xie Ying again. After arriving at the Xie family¡¯s school, Wei Ruo sat down at her seat. Master Wang hadn¡¯t arrived yet, and Xie Ying was organizing her drawings of war horses on the side. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, Xie Ying, who usually didn¡¯t show much interest in her suddenly looked at her with a curious gaze. ¡°You really grew crops on the barrennd south of the city?¡± The improvement of the barrennd south of the city and the sessful cultivation of crops had been the most discussed and most concerned topic in Xingshan County in the past two days. It was hard for Xie Ying not to know about it. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo nodded. Then you are really amazing.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± ¡°I rarely praise people, and you are the first one of the same age I haveplimented.¡± Xie Ying emphasized. ¡°Then I am very honored.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about you being honored, but about you being truly amazing. You are much better than those women I¡¯ve met who only know how to be jealous andpete for beauty. When I see those women, they are always chirping and chattering, and I find it annoying to listen to them. I look down on those people and think they are uninteresting, but now I find you are quite different from them.¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh. She and Xie Ying had been studying together for a while, and Xie Ying had always been indifferent to her, rarely speaking so much to her. Unexpectedly, Xie Ying had developed a sense of admiration for her because of her aplishments on the barrennd south of the city. Could this be considered an unexpected gain? Chapter 58 - 58 New Partner_l Chapter 58: New Partner_l Trantor: 549690339 1 ¡°I¡¯ve always admired those who can serve their country and people, I¡¯ve always dreamt of bing a hero on the battlefield! When I was a little girl, my grandfather used to tell me about these heroic stories, at that time, I wished that I could go to war myself someday!¡¯1 Xie Ying began to share her dreams with Wei Ruo. Then Xie Ying pursed her lips and spoke with regret and helplessness: ¡°Unfortunately, I am a girl. I learned as I grew older that there are many things a girl cannot do. Let alone going to war, there are a bunch of rules we have to follow even for something as simple as stepping out of the house.¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh. This young miss from the Xie family was really interesting, genuinely different from ordinary boudoirdies! ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°I¡¯m not mocking you, I¡¯m pleasantly surprised! I agree with you. For instance, I want to cultivate thend south of the city, but I can only do so with the approval of my parents. Even when they agree, I need to be chaperoned by my nanny every outing.¡± ¡°But you have achieved something, my mother told me that your sess can benefit the city¡¯s people, and more people can have food. Your merit is as great as those soldiers defending our borders and safeguarding the nation!¡± Xie Ying admired such people the most! ¡°If you are interested, you could join it too,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Could I?¡± asked Xie Ying skeptically. ¡°Of course, there are still lots of vacantnds in the south of the city.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t the wastnds of the city¡¯s south mainly given tondless farmers to cultivate?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Most of the wastnds have been allocated to disced farmers and jobless fishermen, but due to their limited farming costs, we have given them areas that are rtively good, close to official roads or water sources, or rtively t. ces withplex terrains have not been assigned. ¡°Can we also grow crops in ces withplex terrain?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡ö¡¯Yes, but it¡¯s not suitable to grow crops such as rice due to high human and maintenance costs. We can grow bamboo or mushrooms, various fruits and vegetables or even medicinal herbs.¡± Wei Ruo, looking at Xie Ying who was listening attentively, already had an idea in mind. Wei Ruo continued to say to Xie Ying, ¡°If you¡¯re really interested, we can coborate.¡± ¡°Coborate?¡± Xie Ying asked curiously. ¡°You may not be good at farming, I can handle that. Although I¡¯m good at it, I have a limited freedom and time back in Wei Family and alsock manpower. If we work together, we canplement each other. We can share the silver we earn ording to the effort we put in. What do you think?¡± ¡°Although I am not fond of farming, I find it fascinating what you are proposing!¡± Xie Ying showed great interest. Xie Ying, who was pampered by her grandparents and parents since childhood, had never been short of money. But she was intrigued by the idea of earning silver on her own. Now, she has a different perspective on farming. ¡°So what should we grow?¡± asked Xie Ying. ¡°We could grow some medicinal herbs. Due to the war, the consumption of medicinal herbs is huge and the prices in the city remain high. After growing the herbs, we can sell them for a profit. If the army needs them, we can provide them at cost, ensuring that they are not without life-saving medicines.¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°That¡¯s great! We can earn money while helping the soldiers!¡± Xie Ying became more interested and eager to give it a try. ¡°If you agree, you need to negotiate with the county government and arrange workers for the fieldwork. There will be a lot of busy work.¡± Wei Ruo reminded. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s obvious? I¡¯m not ying games with you! I, Xie Ying, will do things in a big way! Just wait, I will talk to my mother about this! If she disagrees, I¡¯ll write a letter to my grandfather!¡± Xie Ying replied confidently. Xie Ying was serious. -I have another condition. If we coborate, you must keep it a secret. You must not tell anyone outside, nor anyone in my family.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Why? Let¡¯s not tell outsiders, but why can¡¯t we tell people from your family? Xie Ying asked confusedly. ¡°What should I do if my sister wants to join after my family knows about it?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°No way. I don¡¯t like her. She¡¯s too troublesome, as if she¡¯ll fall with the slightest breeze. She always looks at me with such a weak gaze. I¡¯ve simply ignored her before, but she behaves as though I¡¯ve bullied her.¡± Xie Ying tly refused. ¡°But once people know about it, if I am ordered to do so from my family, I will find it hard to refuse.¡± Wei Ruo continued to exin. -Then it¡¯s better to keep it a secret. After all, it¡¯s kind of intriguing. I¡¯ll remind my mother to keep it a secret for us when I talk to herter!¡± Xie Ying dered. ¡°Okay, you should first get consent from your family, then we can discuss how to proceed.¡± Wei Ruo said. For Wei Ruo, there were many benefits to coborating with Xie Ying. Firstly, she enjoyed Xie Ying¡¯s personality; secondly, Xie Ying was influential and capable, meeting her criteria for a partner; and thirdly, the most critical point, she could bypass the Wei family. Previously, she had to contact the government through the Wei family to develop the wastnds south of the city because of the need for official backing. Now she can bypass the Wei family through Xie Ying and cultivate a piece ofnd for herself, which could also bring her additional ie. Xie Ying might bezy generally, but once she decided to do something she was interested in, she wouldn¡¯t procrastinate. She went to find her mother during the midday break to talk about her idea. Madam Xie thought it was a good idea. Everyone had seen what the young mistress of the Wei family had achieved. It would be beneficial and harmless for her daughter to do something meaningful with Wei Ruo. Moreover, this was not a big deal for the Xie family. She didn¡¯t even need to take silver from the family treasure. She could just use some from her dowry for her daughter to start off. Seeing that Madam Xie agreed, Xie Ying was delighted. ¡°Thanks, mom!¡± Xie Ying hugged Madam Xie and kissed her cheek. ¡°You little monkey, just remember, if you want to do this, you have to do it as earnestly as Wei Ruo. You need to achieve something. You can¡¯t quit halfway.¡± Madam Xie urged. Madam Xie didn¡¯t mind about silver, she just hoped that her daughter would develop good habits. ¡°Mother, rest assured, when have I ever quit halfway? I hate quitting the most!¡± ¡°So you say you¡¯ve never quit halfway. Last year in Capital City, I took you out to tour the flower boats, and just before we stepped out, you made an excuse and lied about stomach aches and refused to go.¡± Madam Xie pointed out. ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s different¡­¡± ¡°Alright, this time I choose to trust you. Also, your brother wille to Xingshan County in a few days. You can also ask him to help you with this.¡± Madam Xie said with a smile.. Chapter 59 - 59: Bringing Disgrace Upon Oneself l Chapter 59: Bringing Disgrace Upon Oneself l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Eh? What is my brother doing here? Isn¡¯t he preparing for the imperial examination? Shouldn¡¯t he be busy attending sses in the college in the Capital City?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Your mother is not very clear about this, but as your grandfather and father have agreed to it, there must be some serious business for him toe here.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. No matter, I¡¯ll go and tell Wei Qingruo that my mother has agreed to our idea of setting up the medicinal fields. I¡¯ll get started right away!¡± Xie Ying dashed back to the college to find Wei Ruo, delivering the news to her. ¡°Wei Qingruo, my mother has agreed, when can we start working?¡± Xie Ying was eager to start. ¡°We can start immediately.¡± Wei Ruo appreciated this efficient and straightforward work style. ¡°Then please tell me, how do we arrange our work now, what items do we need to purchase, and how many people do we need?¡± Xie Ying sat down next to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo took out pen and paper, exining to Xie Ying whilst noting down the key points on the paper. Xie Ying listened attentively, asked about what she didn¡¯t understand, showing the semnce of a diligent learner. Afterpleting the discussion, Xie Ying brought the paper Wei Ruo had written on to ask for help from Madam Xie, officially starting the work with a high efficiency. ### Another one with high working efficiency was Chu Lan, who dispatched a nursemaid to the Military Prefecture to discuss the matters regarding the south city with Wei Ruo, only two days after the agreement. As a result, Wei Ruo specially asked Mr. Wang for leave and stayed at home to handle various matters. Mr. Wang had no objections to this, even telling Wei Ruo that what she was doing was part of the learning process. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Upon seeing Chu Lan¡¯s nursemaid, Madam Yun was taken aback, intuitively sensing that the nursemaid was different from their usual nursemaids in terms of background. Moreover, her husband had reminded her the night before about the special identity of the distinguished person, urging her to mind her manners. Upon hearing that the person¡¯s surname was Chu, Madam Yun already had some idea. Anyone from the Royal Family, even if it¡¯s from the household of an unpopr prince, is not someone they could afford to offend. Madam Yun respectfully led Chu Lan¡¯s nursemaid to Tingsong Garden, then left after giving Wei Ruo a few words of caution, so as not to interfere with Wei Ruo and the nursemaid¡¯s discussion. ¡°Old servant pays respect to Miss Wei.¡± Qin, the nursemaid, greeted Wei Ruo. She was respectful in attitude, but maintained her imposing demeanor. Wei Ruo knew that Chu Lan¡¯s nursemaids were from the pce, and were different from ordinary nursemaids. Although Duke Residence was an earl¡¯s mansion, it could not bepared to the rules of the pce even at its peak, let alone now when it is in decline. ¡°No need for formalities.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°You are here to assist me under your master¡¯s orders. Please do not be too concerned with etiquette. Just convey my instructions to those below and have themplete the tasks effectively.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Miss Wei. The master has already told me to devote all my efforts to assisting Miss Wei. If Miss Wei has any matter that requires my services, as long as it¡¯s rted to the development of the wastnd in the southern city, you can instruct me and I¡¯ll arrange for it to bepleted.¡± Although Qin, the nursemaid, had strict etiquette, she didn¡¯t ce herself above Wei Ruo or nit-pick her. She was well aware of her role. If her master highly regarded this person, then she definitely wouldn¡¯t pick faults with her. As Qin, the nursemaid, was discussing matters with Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan suddenly arrived at Tingsong Garden. ¡°Sister.¡± Wei Qingwan arrived in front of Wei Ruo and called out sweetly. Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at Wei Qingwan. The saying that no one visits a temple without a cause came to mind. After the incident of Xie family¡¯s studying blunder, Wei Qingwan hadn¡¯t visited Tingsong Garden. So what kind of wind brought her here today? ¡°Sister, I brought some osmanthus cakes for you.¡± Wei Qingwan was holding a delicate food box. Inside were the osmanthus cakes she was skilled at making. ¡°Wait for a while, I¡¯ll talk to you after I finish discussing with Qin.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know what tune Wei Qingwan was humming, she didn¡¯t want to interact with her too much, for fear that Wei Qingwan would say something displeasing and she would not be able to handle it in front of others. Wei Qingwan nodded slightly, but she didn¡¯t leave, and just waited on the side. At this moment Qin, the nursemaid, spoke up, scrutinizing Wei Qingwan: ¡°Is this the Second Miss of the house?¡± Upon being examined by Qin, Wei Qingwan blushed and responded in a soft voice, ¡°Yes.¡± Who would have thought that Qin would follow up with, ¡°May I ask the Second Miss to excuse us, I have important matters to discuss with the First Miss. It is not appropriate to have outsiders overhearing.¡± Wei Qingwan was stunned, but quickly corrected herself saying, ¡°I see, it seems I havee at an inconvenient time. I¡¯ll wait over there first.¡± ¡°Indeed, the Second Miss hase at an inconvenient time. I think it should be known to the house why I came here today. I wonder why the Second Miss has chosen toe now rather than earlier orter?¡± Qin¡¯s words were anything but subtle. What Qin had said was exactly what Wei Ruo was thinking. Wei Qingwan¡¯s behavior today was indeed strange. Because of Chu Lan¡¯s special status, his sending a nursemaid here had made everyone at the Military Prefecture treat it as a serious matter. Madam Yun had earlier instructed everyone in the house to be careful, even those in the Bamboo Garden received the news, and Wei Qingwan definitely would have known about it. Wei Qingwan was clearly aware, but still chose this moment to see Wei Ruo. To say that she had no other intentions would be hard for Wei Ruo to believe. If Wei Qingwan had other thoughts, wouldn¡¯t she be too naive? Although Qin, the nursemaid, was indeed from Chu Lan¡¯s side, no matter what, she was just a nursemaid. Was Wei Qingwan thinking that by behaving well in front of her, Qin would speak highly of her to Chu Lan when she went back? Did she treat Qin as a matchmaker? If it were about women gossiping in a vige, it would be understandable. But Qin was a nursemaid from the pce. The nursemaids of the Royal Family were very disciplined and would not do such strange things. Wei Ruo remembered that in the original story, although Wei Qingwan was beautifully weak, she was not so foolish. Could it be that without her, the supporting character¡¯s off scene, or not being able to fall in love with Chu Lan at the predetermined time, had made her head stop functioning properly? She had only heard that ¡°love is blind¡±, not that not being in love can also blind people. After listening to Qin¡¯s words, Wei Qingwan turned pale and hurried to exin, ¡°Nursemaid, please don¡¯t be angry. I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop on my sister¡¯s conversation. I didn¡¯t know that the conversation between the nursemaid and my sister wasn¡¯t meant to be heard by others. I was merely worried that my sister may not be hospitable enough, so I specially brought some cakes that I made.¡± ¡°Forgive my bluntness, but when the Second Miss expresses her concern about the First Miss¡¯s hospitality in front of an outsider like me, what exactly is she trying to convey to others?¡± Qin, as someone who hade out from the pce, had an astute mind. She could hear the hidden meanings in Wei Qingwan¡¯s words. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned red due to humiliation and she hurriedly exined, ¡°Nursemaid Qin, you have misunderstood me. I had no other motives, it¡¯s that I used my words imprudently and caused misunderstanding..¡± Chapter 60 - 60: Punishment of Wei Qingwan by Chapter 60: Punishment of Wei Qingwan by Copying Family Rules _1 Trantor: 549690339 Nanny Qin said, ¡°As a youngdy of a prestigious family, you should always watch your words and tread cautiously in front of others. If Miss Second often makes such mistakes, then I think Miss Second needs to read more books and learn more etiquette.¡¯1 Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned pale and green at Nanny Qin¡¯s words, but she couldn¡¯t refute them. She could only bow her head and bid Wei Ruo an awkward farewell: ¡°Then, I will not disturb Sister and Nanny any longer.¡± She left the osmanthus cake on the table and hurriedly left. After Wei Qingwan left, Wei Ruo started discussing work rted to the southern city with Nanny Qin. The workload was big and involved many people. In order not to leave out any of Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, Nanny Qin requested a pen and paper to take notes. ¡°That¡¯s all for now. Agriculture can¡¯t be generalized. You have to make adjustments based on the local conditions and current situation. Future arrangements will constantly be changed ording to the weather and the fields,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°I understand that. I was also raised in a farming family. In the future, whenever Miss has any orders, you can contact me at any time. If there are any problems or difficulties in the development of the southern city, I will report to Miss as soon as possible,¡± replied Nanny Qin. ¡°Good, thank you Nanny.¡± Although Wei Ruo didn¡¯t like Chu Lan¡¯s involvement in this matter, she appreciated the attitude Nanny Qin brought to their work. After Nanny Qin left, Wei Ruo paid a visit to Cangyun Garden. Upon entering, she saw Wei Qingwan with her head bowed, talking to Madam Yun. When Wei Qingwan saw Wei Ruo enter, she looked up at her, resentment in her eyes. Madam Yun, on the other hand, faced her with a smile, ¡°Ruo is here. How was your talk with Nanny?¡± Wei Ruo answered, ¡°Pretty decent.¡± Madam Yun was pleased: ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. Keep in mind to never forget your manners.¡± Wei Ruo added, ¡°Speaking of manners, there¡¯s a matter I¡¯d like to discuss with Mother.¡± Madam Yun was puzzled: ¡°What is it?¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Today, while Nanny Qin and I were in a meeting, for some reason, Qingwan came to find me, disrupting our conversation.¡± Hearing this, Madam Yun looked inquisitively at Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan quickly exined, ¡°It was my mistake, I made some osmanthus cakes and wanted to bring some for Sister to try.¡± Wei Ruoughed softly: ¡°If Qingwan wanted to bring me some osmanthus cakes, any time would be fine. Why did she specifically choose the time when Nanny Qin was present?¡± Wei Qingwan exined, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be angry. I was so engrossed in making the osmanthus cakes. After I finished, I just wanted Sister to taste them as soon as possible. I identally forgot that you were meeting with Nanny Qin.¡± ¡°If you had forgotten, you should have seen Nanny Qin when you walked into Tingsong Garden. Why didn¡¯t you choose to leave ande backter, rather than rudely interrupting our conversation?¡± Wei Ruo questioned. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t think about it that much, I just wanted Nanny Qin to taste it too¡­¡± Wei Qingwan said resentfully. ¡°Qingwan, we may choose to believe your words, but if you were to say them in public, outsiders might think our Wei family doesn¡¯t observe the proper etiquette. Today, Nanny Qin was here to discuss formal business. Everyone in the mansion is aware of it. Mother specifically instructed about it. But you still popped up at such a time. Those who don¡¯t know might even think our Miss Weicks manners.¡± Wei Qingwan looked crestfallen as she heavily teared up. She looked at Madam Yun pleadingly, ¡°Mother, I didn¡¯t¡­ I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡± ¡°Ruo, isn¡¯t it too serious? Since Wanwan knows her mistake, you shouldn¡¯t keep ming her.¡± Madam Yun interceded on behalf of Wei Qingwan. ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t know that today, due to Qingwan¡¯s reckless behavior, Nanny Qin was greatly upset,¡± Wei Ruo spoke. Hearing that Nanny Qin was upset, Madam Yun¡¯s expression changed. She looked at Wei Qingwan, and said gravely, ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re really thoughtless!¡± At this, Wei Qingwan could no longer hold back her tears, which dropped one by one. Wei Ruo went on, ¡°As Mother knows, thest time at Huafa Temple, Qingwan bumped into a noble person, and had a sh with Miss Qian. Finally, after much difficulty, that noble person started viewing our family differently due to the matters of the southern city. If that person gets a bad impression because of today¡¯s incident¡­I¡¯m worried¡­¡± Wei Ruo purposefully made it sound serious. Actually, Wei Ruo knew that Nanny Qin wouldn¡¯t likely report such a trivial matter to Chu Lan. But that didn¡¯t prevent her from using Chu Lan to scare Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan. Madam Yun, who originally intended to overstep the issue, felt serious after hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words. She straightened her face, and spoke to Wei Qingwan solemnly: ¡°Wanwan, you were indeed wrong in this matter. I¡¯ll punish you to copy the house rules ten times as a precaution!¡± Hearing these words, Wei Qingwan waspletely stunned. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om From childhood, she had always been the most docile and sensible child in the eyes of her father and mother. She had never been punished before, it had always been her younger brother who was punished to copy texts. However, today it was suddenly her turn? ¡°Daughter understands¡­¡± Wei Qingwan bowed her head, her hands clenched into fists inside her sleeves. ### In Yizhu Garden, Xiaobei told Wei Jinyi, ¡°Young Master, the person sent by the Seventh Prince has left.¡± ¡°What did they discuss with Ruo?¡± Asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°Just about the wastnd in the southern city, they didn¡¯t discuss anything else,¡± Xiaobei reported. ¡°Hm.¡± Wei Jinyi paused for a moment before asking, ¡°Is Ruo very busy these days?¡± It had been some days since Wei Ruost visited Yizhu Garden. ¡°Yes, Miss goes out early and returnste every day. There are a lot of things that need her to make decisions,¡± Xiaobei replied. ¡°Go next door and call Lady Xiumei. The kitchen has received some game, but you don¡¯t know how to cook it. Ask her for some help,¡± Wei Jinyi instructed. ¡°Yes, Young Master, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Xiaobei joyfully headed towards Tingsong Garden. On his way, Xiaobei realized that the pheasant and wild rabbit were sent to the Young Master from outside, and not provided by the mansion¡¯s main kitchen. The young master didn¡¯t use to be fond of game, but a couple of days ago he unexpectedly asked someone to bring some for him. And it¡¯s been two days since the game was delivered and the young master didn¡¯t let him touch it. Initially, he was puzzled, but now he understood. The young master was waiting for Lady Xiumei to have some time to cook it. Of course, Lady Xiumei does cook better than him and wouldn¡¯t waste the ingredients. When he reached the courtyard gate, Xiaobei ryed Wei Jinyi¡¯s request to Lady Xiumei. ¡°Then I must ask my Miss.¡± ¡°Lady Xiumei, you go and ask. I¡¯ll wait here at the gate.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lady Xiumei turned around and went back inside. After a short while, she returned. ¡°My miss has agreed. However, she did say that she had nned for me to prepare some snacks for her this afternoon. Now that Young Master has called me over, she won¡¯t have her snack. You should ask your Young Master what he ns topensate my Miss with for her snack..¡± Chapter 61 - 61: So Be It _1 Chapter 61: So Be It _1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Then I¡¯ll go ask our young master right now.¡± Xiaobei hurriedly turned around to go back, heading back to Garden of Weing Bamboo to find Wei Jinyi. After hearing Xiaobei¡¯s special request, Wei Jinyi said, ¡°You can invite her to eat the prepared mountain chicken and wild rabbit, as apensation for her snack.¡± So, Xiaobei ran back to Tingsong Garden to report. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Xiumei agreed readily. She grabbed a bag of items and started walking towards the Garden of Weing Bamboo. Xiaobei wondered, ¡°Lady Xiumei, don¡¯t you need to ask your mistress again? What if your mistress doesn¡¯t like wild food?¡± Xiumei nced at the clueless Xiaobei and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my mistress absolutely loves it.¡± Xiumei went to the small kitchen in the Garden of Weing Bamboo and began to get busy. The rabbit meat was braised, and to cater to Wei Jinyi¡¯s taste, no spicy ingredients were added. Otherwise, ording to her mistress¡¯s taste, it would have to be made with a spicy vor. The mountain chicken was made into a soup, with some nourishing astragalus and goji berries added. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Also, she quickly stir-fried a dish of sweet potato leaves and pumpkin tips. The sweet potato leaves were brought by the wet nurse, while the pumpkin tips were freshly picked from Wei Ruo¡¯s yard. Four dishes¡ªtwo with meat and two vegetarian, and one soup-were prepared. Xiaobei served the dishes on the table, while Xiumei went next door to invite Wei Ruo. After Xiaobei ced the four dishes on the table, he remarked to Wei Jinyi, ¡°The mistress is so kind. We asked for their help in cooking the wild food, and they provided us with vegetables and ingredients, creating four well-rounded dishes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. ¡°It would be great if the mistress could eat with us more often in the future.¡± Xiaobei muttered to himself. He knew this was impossible. The Master and Madam would certainly require the Mistress to eat with everyone in the dining hall. As they were talking, Wei Ruo entered the pavilion, beaming with joy. Wei Jinyi had already prepared a seat for her. Wei Ruo sat down and nced at the three dishes and one soup on the table, a smile creeping up the corners of her mouth. Her beloved rabbit meat, it had been so long since shest had it! Wei Jinyi noticed Wei Ruo¡¯s excited expressions and couldn¡¯t help but smile. He took the initiative to pick up a piece of rabbit leg and put it in Wei Ruo¡¯s bowl. ¡°It¡¯s my fault that you didn¡¯t get to enjoy your snack. Consider this rabbit a way of making amends.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Then I won¡¯t be polite.¡± Wei Ruoughed at Wei Jinyi with her head tilted back, then proceeded to use her chopsticks without standing on ceremony. In reality, both of them were well aware. One wanted to invite the other for mountain chicken and wild rabbit and took special care to make the food. The other wanted to use the excuse of missed tea cake aspensation. Only Xiaobei wasn¡¯t aware of it. After having a hearty meal, Wei Ruo rested on the rattan chair by the side. ¡°Brother, since when has there been a rattan chair here? I didn¡¯t notice it before.¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I got it recently. I found it pretty good, so I bought it.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°It¡¯S great. You can lie down and rest when you¡¯re tired from reading.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. Seeing Wei Ruo swaying idly on the rattan chair, he knew it was a good purchase. ¡ö¡¯How¡¯s it going with your studies at Xie¡¯s house?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°It¡¯s going well. The female teacher you found is truly remarkable. I originally thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear studying, but her teaching style is quite interesting. She taught me some basics about incense making, which is simr to my medicinal crafting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Wei Jinyi responded, his face expressionless as always. ¡°How about you? Has your health improved a bit over recent days?¡± Wei Ruo asked casually. ¡°Yes, your medicine has been very helpful. I feel much better.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Wei Ruo repeated Wei Jinyi¡¯s words in a mimicking tone. Then she lounged on the rattan chair, enjoying herself. Most of the time, the two of them spent their time together in silence. Wei Jinyi wasn¡¯t a big talker. Sometimes Wei Ruo would chat with him, sometimes she wouldn¡¯t. She would just sit there peacefully and rx. ### After a few days of hard work, Wei Ruo sessfully delegated most of the current stage work on the wastnd in the south of the city. Being free today, Wei Ruo nned to organize the loofah, pumpkin, and gourd in her courtyard. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have much time once she resumed her sses at Xie¡¯s house. While she was busy in the courtyard, Xiumei rushed in in a hurry. ¡°Miss, Miss¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Meimei?¡± ¡°That¡­ that¡­¡± Once Xiumei confirmed there was no one else in Tingsong Garden, she told Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, Brother Xiaoyong had a fight with Uncle Xu and Grandma. It was fierce!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It seems that Xiaoyong wants to be a soldier! Didn¡¯t the county post many conscription notices recently? And due to special circumstances, the conscription age has been lowered from fifteen to fourteen. Xiaoyong meets the requirements, so he said he also wants to go fight the Japanese Pirates!¡± ¡°Where is he now?¡± Wei Ruo asked eagerly. ¡ö¡öUncle Xu tied him up at home! Uncle Xu doesn¡¯t mind, but Grandma disagreed. When she cried, Uncle Xu tied Xiaoyong up! ¡ö¡öLet¡¯s go. Go call Grandma Zhang.¡± Wei Ruo decided to go out immediately. Now that she has an excuse in the form of the south city, she can leave almost anytime she wants, but she needs to bring Grandma Zhang with her. Although Grandma Zhang initially did not approve of Wei Ruo, thinking she was a bit vulgar, her attitude towards Wei Ruo changed significantly after living together for a period. Once she acknowledged Wei Ruo¡¯s ability, she truly obeyed Wei Ruo¡¯smands. Wei Ruo suddenly came looking for her. Without saying a word, Grandma Zhang prepared the carriage and took Wei Ruo out. Not long after the carriage left home, Wei Ruo asked the coachman to drive it to the street, and after parking at the intersection, Wei Ruo told Grandma Zhang she was going to Four Treasure House to buy some stationery. Now that Wei Ruo had started studying, buying stationery was a normal thing to do. Neither Grandma Zhang nor the coachman found anything strange. Wei Ruo put her veil on and got off the carriage. She bypassed the items in the store and directly headed to the backyard from a door in the store. In the yard, Zhengyong was sitting on the ground,pletely bound with his hands behind his back. He said defiantly, ¡°Dad, a good man should be ambitious. Now that we are invaded by foreign enemies and people are suffering, I as a male, should fight on the front lines!¡± Xu Zhushan retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t care about all that! You upset your mother. That¡¯s uneptable!¡± Xu Zhushan didn¡¯t necessarily object to his son joining the army, but he couldn¡¯t ept his wife¡¯s sadness. ¡°Dad, my mother is a woman, and that¡¯s her way of thinking. You are a man, and you should understand me!¡± Zhengyong hit back. ¡°No use! If you want to go, first figure out a way to keep your mother from worrying about you!¡± Xu Zhushan was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. The father and son were debating when Wei Ruo walked in. Seeing Wei Ruo, Zhengyong¡¯s eyes lit up, like he saw a lifesaver, ¡°Ruo Ruo!¡± Chapter 62 - 62: Want to Protect the Sister 1 Chapter 62: Want to Protect the Sister 1 Trantor: 549690339?????????? ¡ª Upon hearing his son call out to Wei Ruo, Xu Zhushan turned around. Seeing Wei Ruo, he immediately put away his stern expression, ¡°Miss, howe you¡¯re here?¡± I heard you and Brother Xiaoyong were having an argument, so I came over to see.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s this rascal disobeying. A fewshes will straighten him out. It¡¯s not worth you making the trip, Miss.¡± Ridden with injustice, Xu Zhengyong could only protest with his eyes. Hearing the voices, Mother Xu came out from the house. Seeing Wei Ruo, her mood brightened, she walked over and embraced Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss.¡± Although they lived close by, Mother Xu hadn¡¯t seen Wei Ruo for quite a few days. She heard from Xiumei that Wei Ruo had even been locked in a firewood room at the Military Prefecture. Then she realized Wei Ruo¡¯s life there wasn¡¯t as good as she initially thought. So, she worried Wei Ruo was not eating or sleeping well in the Military Prefecture and often managed to send some things to her. However, she never got to see Wei Ruo in person and it always left her worried. Mother Xu carefully looked at Wei Ruo for a while before she finally heaved a sigh of relief, confirming that Wei Ruo had neither lost weight nor fallen ill. Mother, stop crying. Let¡¯s talk about Xiaoyong¡¯s matters slowly,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯ve got to help me speak to my mother. She listens to you the most!¡± Xu Zhengyong quickly said. ¡°Impudent! How many times have I told you, you mustn¡¯t address Miss in such away!¡± Mother Xu corrected her son¡¯s way of addressing Wei Ruo for the umpteenth time. ¡°I don¡¯t care if she¡¯s the Miss of the He Family or the Miss of the Wei Family. Anyway, she is my sister! Ruoruo said it herself!¡± Xu Zhengyong didn¡¯t care about the formalities. ¡°Yes, Brother Xiaoyong is right.¡± This address was requested by Wei Ruo. Xiaoyong was a year older than her. After his birth, Mother Xu had to take up work as a wet nurse in the He Family to supplement the family ie. During the time they lived in Mo Jiazha, Mother Xu spent a majority of her time taking care of Wei Ruo, while her own son Xiaoyong was often left at home. Later, as Wei Ruo grew older, she intentionally asked Mother Xu to spend more time at home and also requested her to bring Xu Zhengyong to live with them more often, saying she was in need of ymates at the same age. At that time, both she and Xiaoyong were just infants, there was no distinction of gender, they yed together in the house. Over time, Wei Ruo and Xu Zhengyong became familiar with each other, they kept calling each other brother and sister. No matter how many times Xu Zhushan and Mother Xu corrected them, they never altered the habit. ¡°Xiumei, please untie the rope on Brother Xiaoyong. We¡¯ll sit down and talk,¡± Wei Ruo swiftly motioned to Xiumei. Taking advantage of Xu Zhushan and Mother Xu¡¯s distraction, Xiumei quickly untied the rope on Zhengyong. ¡°Xiumei, thank you!¡± Xu Zhengyong thanked her while grinning sheepishly. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me just yet!¡± Xiumei red at Xu Zhengyong and said in annoyance. Once free, Xu Zhengyong sprang over to Wei Ruo, pleading, ¡°Ruoruo, you tell me, isn¡¯t a good guy supposed to be fearless, willing to fight on the battlefield, and make achievements?¡± ¡°What you mentioned indeed describes a good guy, but being a good guy can be achieved in other ways too. Didn¡¯t I ask you to study before?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I can¡¯t. Ruoruo, I¡¯m just not cut out for studying. Just recognizing a few characters is already a huge feat for me. You want me to write all that eloquent stuff, I simply can¡¯t do it,¡± Xu Zhengyongmented bitterly. Actually, Wei Ruo was aware of his lively nature, and he indeed wasn¡¯t suited for studying. But education indeed constitutes the best approach for amoner to move up in society during this era. ¡°You good-for-nothing brat, you want to be a soldier and fight? Those Japanese pirates are so fearsome, your mother would be worrying every day at home!¡± Xu Zhushan scolded. Mother, you¡¯re against Xiaoyong¡¯s idea because you¡¯re afraid he might get injured, is that so?¡± Wei Ruo asked Mother Xu. Mother Xu shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not worried about him getting injured in battle. Our peace and prosperity arergely due to the soldiers guarding the city gate. If my son doesn¡¯t go, someone else¡¯s son will have to. If everyone¡¯s sons don¡¯t go, we all would be dead.¡± Mother Xu then sighed, ¡°If he really wants to fight and bleed for his people, I would ept it! But I¡¯m afraid of his temper. Once he joins the military and breaks the rules, they might punish him even before having to fight!¡± Xu Zhengyong¡¯s temper is hard. That day, when he went to the Military Prefecture looking for Wei Ruo, he started arguing with the guards over a singlement. With his temperament, joining the military would indeed leave Mother Xu worried. So that¡¯s it. Wei Ruo feels that it¡¯s not apletely unsolvable problem. Wei Ruo turned to Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, as you heard, Mother is notpletely against you joining the military, however, she has a condition. You need to control your temper and avoid conflicts.¡± As long as others don¡¯t provoke me, I won¡¯t easily start conflicts either. Mother, you¡¯re just overthinking,¡± Xu Zhengyong dismissed nonchntly. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, even though I¡¯m not a very disciplined person myself, the military isn¡¯t like other ces, it has the strictest rules which one must obey. You can¡¯t just say you won¡¯t, you must, definitely, and absolutely obey orders and management,¡± Wei Ruo said with a stern expression. Xu Zhengyong scratched his head, looking unsure. He was aware of his temper and knew it was rather easy for him to get into conflicts with others. N?v(el)B\\jnn Brother Xiaoyong, if you want to go, you must swear to me. Once you join the army, under the premise of ensuring your own safety, you should control your temper, avoid conflicts, and obey the military orders and personnel management. If not, may I be struck by lightning.¡± ¡°No way! How can I make you swear such a dangerous oath! I could swear such an oath on my life but I won¡¯t let you swear on yours!¡± Xu Zhengyong tly refused. Then Xu Zhengyong said, ¡°If it¡¯s like this, I¡¯d rather not go. I¡¯ll live the rest of my life as a worthless man!¡± As he spoke, Xu Zhengyong¡¯s expression became more distressed, ¡°I want to join the military, not only for the sake of protecting the country but also to make a name for myself. I want to remove you from the Military Prefecture and let you live with us. I know we¡¯re just ordinary folks now, no matter how much money we make from our business, we can¡¯tpete with the officials and we can¡¯t bring you home. But if I make military achievements, be a higher-ranking official than the Wei Family, then I can bring you away from there and go on living with us.¡± Xu Zhengyong wiped tears from his eyes and looked reluctantly at a corner of the wall. ¡°You are my sister. I should be taking care of and protecting you, not helplessly staying in this small house. You told me to study; I did, but it¡¯s no use, I can¡¯t make it. But I have strength and you even asked a master to teach me martial arts, I think I¡¯ll be fine on the battlefield!¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Zhushan and Mother Xu fell silent. We Ruo¡¯s heart was struck hard as well, she didn¡¯t realize that Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s desire to be a soldier had something to do with her too.. Chapter 63 - 63: Improving the Crossbow for Brother Xiaoyongi Chapter 63: Improving the Crossbow for Brother Xiaoyongi Trantor: 549690339 He wanted to protect her, just as he did when they were children. He helped her chase off the bully in the vige, telling him that no one could pick on his sister. He helped her pick sour jujubes from the tree and told her that as her brother, he should be the one doing dangerous things. He quarreled with the vige children for teasing her as an unwanted wild child, stating that she had a family and she was his sister. Mrs. Xu snapped out of her thoughts and suddenly told her son, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t stop you anymore. You can join the army. As long as you remember that you must bring the young mistress back home in the future, I believe you won¡¯t behave recklessly and will follow the rules.¡± ¡°Mother?¡± Xu Zhengyong spun around, staring at Mrs. Xu in surprise. Remember, you¡¯re not just joining the army to protect our country and seek fame and fortune; it¡¯s also for our family. You have a mother worrying about you and a sister waiting for you to bring her home after you¡¯ve aplished something,¡± Mrs. Xu advised. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll remember! I¡¯ll keep it all in mind!¡± Xu Zhengyong promised firmly. Then Xu Zhengyong turned to his father. Xu Zhushan didn¡¯t really mind. He¡¯d go along with whatever his wife decided. Besides, he thought his son¡¯s idea was a good one, and he supported it. Wei Ruo quietly looked away, not wanting her wet nurse and others to see her reddened eyes. Really, wasn¡¯t she the sort who hardly ever cried? And why were her eyes red now? She should be smiling happily at such a time, not teary-eyed! It was annoying, but she just couldn¡¯t help it¡­ After returning from Four Treasure House, Wei Ruo dragged Xiumei into her store-room. ¡°Miss, what are you looking for?¡± Xiumei wanted to help but didn¡¯t know where to start. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what specific materials I need. I can only look for things that might be useful. Brother Xiaoyong is joining the army, so I need to prepare some defensive items for him,¡± Wei Ruo said. Although she openly supported Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s ambition, she was privately worried about his safety.¡± Therefore she wanted to prepare some useful things for Brother Xiaoyong before he joined the army.¡± That¡¯s right! Let me help you look for some hard materials!¡± Xiumei understood Wei Ruo¡¯s intention and immediately joined the search. Suddenly, Wei Ruo stopped. Xiumei asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Miss?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I thought of the crossbow.¡± ¡°Crossbow?¡± ¡°Brother Xiaoyong is joining the city guard against the Japanese pirates. If I could upgrade some of the weapons in the army, wouldn¡¯t that be indirectly protecting Brother Xiaoyong?¡± Xiumei said, ¡°Definitely.¡± You continue to search for any hard materials in the items I brought. I need to go back to my room,¡± Wei Ruo said. Back in her room, Wei Ruo brought out paper and a pen, and started attempting to draw blueprints. If she could design a detachable arrow container, simr to a bullet clip, to be mounted directly on a crossbow, then in theory, it would increase the crossbow¡¯s firing rate.¡± Xiumei failed to find anything useful in the store-room. When she returned to the room, she saw the blueprints that Wei Ruo was drawing. ¡°Miss, what is this? Is it a crossbow?¡± ¡°Yes, it is a crossbow. I held and tried it while visiting the training fieldst time. It wasn¡¯t that effective. I felt that if it could be improved, it would have greater power. But I wasn¡¯t interested in managing Wei Family¡¯s matters, so I took no action. Now that Brother Xiaoyong is joining the army, I thought of this. If I can¡¯t make effective armor for the time being, then I¡¯ll make some even more powerful weapons. Offense is the best defense.¡± That would be great; as long as we¡¯re strong enough, the enemy can¡¯t harm Brother Xiaoyong!¡± Xiumei said happily. ¡°Yes, and I n to let Brother Xiaoyong take the final blueprint to earn merit.¡± Just joining the army, Brother Xiaoyong could only be an ordinary soldier. If he has some small credits, even if he can¡¯t be promoted, he would at least leave an impression on his superiors. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s a good idea, but at first nce, Brother Xiaoyong is not the sort of person who would be able to design such a sophisticated thing. If anyone asks, his cover will be blown.¡± Silly Meimei, I didn¡¯t ask him to say he designed it himself. He could just say that it was designed by a wise man and he obtained it from him. As for who the wise man is and where hees from, there are tons of remote mountains and forests. If not, he can say it¡¯s a travelling old man without a fixed residence who disappeared after leaving behind the blueprint.¡± ¡°Miss is really clever!¡± ¡°Meimei, I need to find a skilled carpenter to help me put this into practice. I can¡¯t do everything just by drawing; it needs to be done alongside physical testing.¡± ¡°Uncle Xu may be able to help. I remember he used to be a carpenter,¡± Xiumei reminded. ¡°Okay, once I finish this draft, I¡¯ll ask Uncle Xu about it.¡± Wei Ruo was very serious about this. She shut herself in the room until Mrs. Yun sent someone to urge her to eat. Only then did shee out. After she came out, she handed the blueprint to Xiumei and asked her to send it to Four Treasure House for Uncle Xu immediately. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The situation was urgent. Once Brother Xiaoyong registered to enlist, he could be drafted into the army at any time. She had no time to dy. When Xiumei returned, she brought back Xu Zhushan¡¯s response. Xu Zhushan had never attempted to make something simr before so he couldn¡¯t guarantee sess, but he would try to follow Wei Ruo¡¯s blueprint overnight. Regardless of sess or failure, he would respond to Wei Ruo via a carrier pigeon the next morning. The next morning, the carrier pigeon arrived as promised. Xu Zhushan had made a prototype ording to Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, but he also proposed some improvements based on his carpentry experience. Wei Ruo, taking the improvements into ount, began drawing the second version of the blueprint. After three days of back and forth adjustments, on the fourth day when she received Uncle Xu¡¯s reply, she finally got the perfect answer. The crossbow Wei Ruo wanted was made. Wei Ruo was satisfied with it. But she didn¡¯t stop there; she needed to quickly prepare medicine for Xu Zhengyong, who would be joining the army soon. Everyone around Wei Ruo could feel her busyness, including those in the Bamboo Courtyard. Wei Jinyi said to Wei Ruo who came to eat and drink at the Bamboo Courtyard today, ¡°You seem to be especially busytely.¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯m busy making medicine,¡± Wei Ruo half answered, half concealed. She had no choice, she still didn¡¯t want too many people to know about her wet nurse¡¯s affairs, not even Wei Jinyi. For now, it needed to remain a secret. ¡°By the way, Wei Jinyi, do you know any way to get me the herb Angelica dahurica in a short time?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Angelica dahurica is one of the ingredients for the golden sore medicine. Because of the ongoing warfare, Angelica dahurica has be extremely scarce in Xmgshan county. All the pharmacies in the city were short of this herb. Wei Jinyi asked, ¡°Is it urgent?¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°I¡¯m making a backup medicine for a friend who¡¯s leaving soon. It¡¯s pretty urgent.¡± Wei Jinyi asked, ¡°A friend?¡± For some reason, Wei Jinyi had the feeling that Wei Ruo¡¯s friend was a man. Chapter 64 - 64: Don’t Overwork Yourself i Chapter 64: Don¡¯t Overwork Yourself i Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hmm, a very good friend,¡± Wei Ruo answered. The smile on Wei Ruo¡¯s face hinted at an unusual rtionship between her and that person. ¡°I can ask around for you. If I find it, I¡¯ll have Xiaobei bring it to you,¡± said Wei Jinyi. ¡°Great, thanks Brother Second-¡± Wei Ruo could not hide her delight. Asking Wei Jinyi was a shot in the dark, she hadn¡¯t expected that he might have resources. Facing Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi spoke slowly, ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard.¡± ¡°I know, brother, I do care about my health, I¡¯ll be careful!¡± Wei Ruo reached out to hold Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand. The moment she touched it, Wei Jinyi withdrew his hand quickly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Pulsing you. I have been giving you energizing pills for some time, haven¡¯t I? I want to see how they are working, seeing how I can refine the form, I am making medicine now, so I made yours in the process,¡± Wei Ruo replied. After hearing her exnation, Wei Jinyi realized he had overreacted. Then he extended his hand again to Wei Ruo. With her fingers on Wei Jinyi¡¯s wrist, Wei Ruo evaluated after a short while, ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s improving, I¡¯ll make you another twenty pills this time. Continue as before.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ### Capital City, Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. After waiting for several days, news from Xingshan County finally arrived in the capital. Upon receiving the letter, the old earl excitedly eximed that it was good news. The old earl was sixty-eight this year, lean, with gray hair and a gray beard. Standing in front of him were his eldest son Wei Minghong and his younger son Wei Mingyong. Wei Minghong was plump and jovial with a distinct resemnce to his father. Wei Mingyong was a bit leaner and looked more shrewd. ¡°You both should read the letter that your younger brother has sent,¡± the old earl handed the letter to his two sons. Wei Minghong, the eldest son, took the letter, and Wei Mingyong moved closer to read along with him. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Upon finishing, a smile of delight spread across both of their faces. ¡°Father, does this mean that our third brother¡¯s efforts in reforming thend have been recognized by the Seventh Prince?¡± Wei Minghong asked eagerly. ¡°It¡¯s not certain whether he¡¯ll be recognized by the Seventh Prince, but at the very least, he¡¯s caught his attention. That¡¯s always a good thing,¡± the old earlmented. ¡°That¡¯s really wonderful!¡± Wei Minghong eximed, ¡°Rumor has it that the Seventh Prince is the most likely heir to the throne. If he grants his favor to us, we will stand a chance to preserve our nobleman¡¯s rank!¡± At this moment, Wei Mingyong had a question: ¡°Father, in the letter, our third brother mentioned that this task was carried out by our niece Wei Qingruo, who we¡¯ve never met. She spent her entire childhood in the countryside, which might have given her a countrysideplexion and make her not suitable for the higher echelons. How could she be this capable?¡± ¡°Humph! Why couldn¡¯t she be capable!? She is my legitimate granddaughter! The rightful heir of our Wei Family! Those brought up in the countryside will naturally learn farming skills! You two are too shallow! Now, you must see, those who grow up in the countryside do have their own virtues!¡± Back when they were deciding the rankings among granddaughters, he¡¯d asked for his sons¡¯ opinions. Both of them didn¡¯t have much to say, but they felt that the newly adopted girl might not have the refined manners, and were concerned she would embarrass the family if chosen as the first granddaughter. They suggested letting the fake granddaughter continue her role as it¡¯s less likely to cause embarrassment. He, however, overruled them, deciding that his own granddaughter would be the eldest, even though it was socially uneptable to do so. But the thought of letting someone else¡¯s child hold the position of eldest granddaughter sat uneasily with him. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Father, you are indeed wise,¡± Wei Minghong quickly ttered. ¡°Father, you¡¯re right,¡± Wei Mingyong also immediately affirmed. The old earl said with a solemn look: ¡°As it turns out, indeed, the descendants of our Wei Family are more promising than those from a family of merchants. They can never reach the top!¡± ¡°Father, you¡¯re absolutely right. The merchant ss is indeed low; they are petty and can¡¯t bepared to us from the Earl Residence,¡± Wei Minghong hastily agreed. ¡°Father, since my elder brother and I are quite free recently, why not let us go to Xingshan County and help our third brother? Third brother is busy dealing with war matters and may not have time to manage the fields. Our niece, after all, is just a woman and may face many inconveniences,¡± proposed Wei Mingyong. ¡°Second brother, I was just thinking the same thing. This was also my intention,¡± Wei Minghong said. ¡°Since you have official duties here, elder brother, you can¡¯t leave the capital as freely as I can. Please allow me to go instead,¡± Wei Mingyong suggested. ¡°Stop arguing! Neither of you is going!¡± The old earl stopped the argument and rejected their suggestions. ¡°Father¡­¡± Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong looked guiltily at the old earl. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to! You want to ¡®help¡¯ but really, you¡¯re looking to build a rtionship with the Seventh Prince! You fools! If it were that easy to win the favor of the Seventh Prince, why would it be your turn? You should just stay at home, and none of you should get involved in your third brother¡¯s business!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong could only cooly obey. The old earl looked at his two disappointing sons: ¡°Both of you should buck up a bit! Now that your younger brother has shown some achievement, you can¡¯t be left behind.¡± Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong lowered their heads and said nothing, feeling guilty. Leaving the old earl¡¯s room, the two of them walked together each lost in their own thoughts. ¡°Big brother, even though you are the eldest, we might have to be submissive to our third brother in the future. He has a highly educated son and now a daughter who could earn achievements for the family. Certainly, he will rise above us,¡± Wei Mingyong said, his voice filled with irony. ¡°Second brother, you shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with me. Worry about your own problems. I heard that your wife has been arguing with you nonstop over the issue of concubinage.¡± ¡°Oh, big brother, your own house isn¡¯t so peaceful right now, is it? I heard that your eldest son seems to have been causing quite a lot of troubletely.¡± ¡°Huh, what use is your sarcasm here, second brother? If you¡¯re capable, then you should go andpete with third brother¡¯s family!¡± Wei Minghong was a bit annoyed. He abruptly turned around and left without looking back. ¡°His weakness got hit!¡± Wei Mingyong sneered, then walked back to his own yard with his hands behind his back. ### In no time, it was the fifteenth day of the sixth lunar month. It was also the day when Xu Zhengyong officially started his new job. Using the excuse of needing to go to the southern city to check on progress, Wei Ruo went out with Xiumei to Four Treasure House for a meal with the wet-nurse family there. They all had dishes piled high on the table, all of which were what Wei Ruo loved to eat. At the dinner table, everyone was chatting andughing merrily. In the Wei residence, there was a rule that one should not speak while eating or resting. But there were not so many restrictions in the Xu family. After dinner, Xiumei pulled Xu Zhengyong aside and handed him a small purse. ¡°What is this?¡± asked Xu Zhengyong.. Chapter 65 - 65 The Contest Between Senior and Chapter 65: The Contest Between Senior and Junior Disciples_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°A protective amulet,¡± Xiumei replied. ¡°Did you have it made especially for me?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked, chuckling. ¡°Yes, this is just a little show of sisterly concern for my junior apprentice brother,¡± Xiumei replied with a touch of pride. Since the person who taught Xiumei martial arts is the same one who taught Xu Zhengyong, indeed, they both hail from the same mentor. ¡°I am your senior apprentice brother, and you are my junior sister!¡± Xu Zhengyong rebutted. Their argument over seniority had persisted for years. Each one refuses to admit being junior to the other and each always striving to be perceived as the elder one. Xiumei: ¡°I pledged to our master first, while you did afterward, so naturally, I am your senior whilst you are my junior.¡± Xu Zhengyong: ¡°I was the first one to start learning from Master, and you are theter one, so obviously, I am your senior and you are my junior!¡± Xiumei: ¡°What good is it to be the first to follow if the session can only be determined by the pledging ceremony! Following the master around doesn t count!¡± Xu Zhengyong: ¡°I am older than you! You are of the same age as Ruoruo, and since Ruoruo calls me Brother Xiaoyong, I am certainly your senior apprentice brother!¡± Wei Ruo and the Xu family couple were already used to their bickering over seniority. in the past, they used to quarrel almost monthly. Recently, due to fewer asions for them to meet, they took a break from theirck of consideration. Everyoneughed it off. After a while, amazingly, Xiumei admitted defeat. ¡°All right, you are going to the army. If you manage toe back alive, I will admit you entered the mentorship before me, and I will address you as my senior. Upon hearing these words, Xu Zhengyong, who would have normally jumped for joy, fell silent. He shed his yful smile and turned unusually serious. ¡°Are you afraid, I won¡¯t make it back?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t return, you will forever be my junior brother!¡± Huffed Xiumei as she turned her head away before returning to Wei Ruo¡¯s side. Xu Zhengyong came back as well, a smile on his face, and the purse Xiumei had given him tucked in his clothes. ¡°Xiumei¡¯s gift has been given, now it¡¯s my turn.¡± Wei Ruo had also prepared a parting gift for Xu Zhengyong. Wei Ruo ced a small wooden box on the table. Inside were several small porcin bottles. ¡°These all containmon medicines. Each isbeled, so take the corresponding one when needed,¡± Wei Ruo said. Xu Zhengyong nced at the bottles and said, ¡°Ruoruo, your handwriting is still horrible, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got nerve to say that about me!¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Xu Zhengyong rubbed his nose, ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t. I dare not criticize you. Your handwriting, Ruoruo, has its charm. It¡¯s uniquely adorable in its ugliness!¡¯ ¡°One more word and you won¡¯t get them!¡± Threatened Wei Ruo as she closed the box, as if to take it away. Xu Zhengyong quickly stepped forward, grabbing the box. ¡°I¡¯ll take them! I¡¯ll take them! How could I not want a gift from Ruoruo? Even if I never use them, I¡¯ll carry them with me, hehe!¡± Xiumei rolled her eyes at Xu Zhengyong: ¡°You disgrace. Xu Zhengyong responded by sticking out his tongue at Xiumei. Then, Wei Ruo personally went to the kitchen to make everyone some yak milk tea. Wei Ruo rarely cooks, it is usually Xiumei, except during get-togethers with their wet nurse¡¯s family. Using this opportunity, the wet nurse handed Wei Ruo the revenue and ount books from Four Treasure House for the past two months. The ie used to be reported every three months or six months, but since Wei Ruo has stationed herself at the Military Prefecture, the wet nurse feels it better to supply Wei Ruo with more money in these tough times. Most of the savings Wei Ruo had were used up recently in buying Xiaoyang Mountain. ¡°Miss, these are 300 taels of silver, representing the past three months¡¯ revenue from the Four Treasure House in Huzhou Prefecture and the earnings of the newly opened Four Treasure House here in Xingshan during its two-month operation. It also includes the revenue from selling sweet potato vines and leaves andst year¡¯s stock of dried sweet potatoes,¡± the wet nurse handed Wei Ruo the silver. Ie from two branches of Four Treasure House came in faster than from a single one. The revenue from the Four Treasure House in Xingshan County was slightly less than the one in Huzhou Prefecture since Xingshan is the poorer area. The ie from the sale of sweet potato leaves andst year¡¯s dried sweet potato stock was much less inparison to the first two sources. However, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t mind the small margin. She believes any earnings should be weed regardless of how minimal the profit. Besides, it also serves as preparation for the high yield of sweet potatoester on. After that day, Xu Zhengyong reported to the army. For a time, he lost contact with both the Xu family and Wei Ruo. Throughout these days, aside from attending lessons at the Xie Family, Wei Ruo was busily nning her next money-making scheme. The work in the south of the city was going smoothly, and with the wet nurse in charge, developments on Xiaoyang Mountain also progressed as Wei Ruo had anticipated with no issues arising. Wei Ruo¡¯s medicinal herb field, which she operates with Xie Ying, was thriving with the help of Lady Xie. They sessfully acquired an inexpensive and slightly inferior piece ofnd in the south of the city from the government office. Magistrate Qian, in order to uphold his fairness, gave away better pieces ofnd free to impoverished families that don¡¯t ownnd. On the other hand,nd with worse conditions was avable for purchase at low prices, far cheaper than cultivablends to the north of the city. The plot which Xie Ying and Wei Ruo jointly purchased only costed them five taels of silver, yet it was all of ten acres. Therefore, the cost of thend was not significant. Labor costs and improvement costs are what ramp up the price but with the sturdy support of Lady Xie, they didn¡¯t need to worry about that aspect. Only after partnering with Xie Ying did Wei Ruo discover that Lady Xie¡¯s maiden home belongs to a wealthy merchant family. Lady Xie¡¯s dowry was a whopping 128 taels of silver plus several pieces ofnd and lots of property located in prosperous areas, all of which earn a handsome amount annually. Although Lady Xiees from a merchant family, shemands great respect in her husband¡¯s family. Right after Lady Xie married into the Xie family, they were going through a tough financial time. Lady Xie used her dowry to support the household, helping the Xie family through their difficult days. Therefore, now that the Xie family is prospering, no one in the family had any reservations about Lady Xie¡¯s merchant origins, and her husband had never contemted taking a concubine. Of course, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t let down the trust of the Xie mother and daughter. She meticulously arranged all aspects of cultivation, from seeding to maintenance, and prevention of pests and diseases, sharing every bit other knowledge. Xie Ying was highly enthusiastic about the project. Recently, every time she saw Wei Ruo, she wanted to discuss the herb field with her. This zeal made Wei Ruo somewhat miss the aloof Xie Ying of the past. You used to ignore me in the past but nowadays you seem to be glued to me. With the flourishing operation of the medicinal herb field, a lot of people became curious and some households even thought of following suit like the Xie family. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After all, thend to the south is cheap, and the county government is promotingnd improvement techniques. They could also jointly cultivate hke the Xie family. Who doesn¡¯t want morend and grain? Yun¡¯s family also harbored these thoughts. After all, this improvement technique was introduced by their Wei Ruo, it only made sense for them to benefit from it.. Chapter 66 - 66: Academics Should Be Given Chapter 66: Academics Should Be Given Priority_l Trantor: 549690339 Given the widespread deficiency of grains, if we could acquire more properties, it would alleviate this pressure. So, during the casual talk after dinner, Mrs. Yun shared this idea with Wei Ruo. ¡°Ruoruo, I heard that the Xie Family purchased some farnd outside the city; perhaps our family should do the same.¡± Wei Ruo. sipped her tea calmly, replying, ¡°That¡¯s fine, if Mother wishes to purchase, she simply needs to register with the Dao County Government Office.¡± ¡°What I mean is, I hope you could take responsibility for improving the productivity. You¡¯re most skilled at this, and even the officials have learned techniques from you,¡± Mrs. Yun borated. ¡°Although I shouldn¡¯t refuse Mother¡¯s proposal, I have a lot of homework assigned by my teacher recently. The little leisure time I do have is typically spent discussing future work with the county officials and Madam Qin. I really don¡¯t have any spare time,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Before, it was Mrs. Yun who urged Wei Ruo to go to school and not worry about farming matters; now the situation was reversed¡ªshe wanted Wei Ruo to attend to farming matters, but Wei Ruo was busy attending ss. Then Wei Ruo sighed, ¡°Studying is really mentally taxing, and the content the professor talks about is both extensive and profound. For someone like me who started halfway, keeping up the pace is very difficult. Now, most of my mental energy is spent on this. I would love to help alleviate Mother¡¯s worries, but I simply don¡¯t have the energy.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s earnest exnation seemed wless and hard to refute. For a moment, Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t know how to counter Wei Ruo¡¯s words. While Mrs. Yun was still contemting, Wei Yichen spoke up first, ¡°Mother, Ruoruo should prioritize her studies. If you want to buy and improve the wastnd to the south of the city, you can hire people to do it. If there are any problems, you can ask the government officials for guidance.¡± With things said to this extent, Mrs. Yun could only nod and agree, ¡°Yichen is right, Ruoruo should indeed focus on her studies.¡± Then Mrs. Yun changed the subject and turned to Wei Yichen, ¡°Yichen, how are things going with your master selection?¡± This matter has been troubling the Wei family for more than half a year. A few years ago, Wei Yichen was studying in the county academy. Butst year, his professor told him he had nothing left to teach him, suggesting that if he wanted to advance further before the imperial examination, he would need to find a better academy or a more esteemed teacher. Xingshan County is remote, to say the least, without any good academies close by. Prestigious academies are not essible to just anyone; with only hereditary titles as their shining glory, the Wei familycks both connections and funds. Therefore, it¡¯s extremely hard for them to get into a good academy. Compared to that, apprenticing under a great teacher might be rtively easier. If a discerning individual could recognize Wei Yichen¡¯s talent, the task would be more manageable. Having a celebrated teacher would also benefit Wei Yichen greatly during his examination in Beijing. With a furrowed brow, Wei Yichen apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mother, there hasn¡¯t been much progress yet.¡± ¡°Yichen, if you really cannot apprentice under the teacher you desire, you should perhaps lower your standards a little,¡± Mrs. Yun had no choice but to persuade. ¡°Time waits for no one; if this goes on, I¡¯m afraid it will hinder your studies.¡± ¡°Mother, this matter is not to be taken lightly. Once a teacher is selected, it¡¯s a lifelongmitment that cannot be revoked. I believe we should proceed more cautiously,¡± Wei Yichen answered. ¡°Fair enough. You can make your own choices; I¡¯m just a little worried,¡± Mrs. Yun said. While sipping her tea, Wei Ruo, who was listening to their conversation, suddenly realized that her second brother had been staying in her small courtyard for years, and had neither attended school nor selected a teacher. Her second brother mentioned that he also wanted to take the imperial examination. Should she start thinking about a solution for him? With the entire family preupied with her older brother¡¯s problems, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t need to intervene. But her second brother¡¯s issues fell solely on her shoulders. After leaving the Cangyun Garden, Wei Ruo asked Xiumei upon returning to the Tingsong Garden, ¡°Meimei, do you know which academy in Taizhou prefecture is the best?¡± ¡°Why are you asking about academies, Miss? Academies are where men study; I haven¡¯t heard about an academy that allows women to attend.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t for me, I¡¯m asking for my second brother.¡± ¡°Then Miss, wait a moment, I¡¯ll ask someone!¡± Where would Xiumei know this? It¡¯s not something she normally concerns herself with, but since Miss asked, she would surely find the answer. Certainly, someone within the Military Prefecture would know, considering they have a young master currently studying and are slightly influenced by his schrly pursuits. Soon enough, Xiumei had found the answer for Wei Ruo. The three most famous academies in Taizhou prefecture are the Fangyan Academy, the Tongjiang Academy, and the Anzhou Academy. However, these three academies have two issues: they are far away and admission is prohibitive. Xingshan County is a remote small county, far away from the bustling areas of Taizhou prefecture. More dauntingly, all three academies have high admission standards, making it quite difficult for the average schr to gain admission. ¡°Miss, these three academies are all good, but it is not about us choosing which one our young master should attend, but rather which one is willing to admit someone from our household,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°If the academies won¡¯t work out, there must be a way to find a teacher¡­¡± Weighing things carefully, Wei Ruo had an idea. ### June went by in a sh, and before they knew it, it was already July. The past few days in Xingshan County were peaceful. The reinforcement troops for the court passed through the city, heading east, prompting spections among the citizens about the intensifying conflict along the East Coast. Thend improvement in the southern part of the city was orderly. Because they own whatever they harvest, people worked hard, and many chose to sleep next to thend they were developing. The seventh day of the seventh lunar month was the Weaver¡¯s Festival(Qixi Festival). It was one of the few days in the year when young girls could go out without elder chaperones. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo and Xie Ying agreed to celebrate the Weaver¡¯s Festival together. Before leaving, Xiumei made many delicacies for Wei Ruo, packed them in an exquisite food box, ready for Wei Ruo and Xie Ying to enjoyter. Just as she was about to leave, Wei Qingwan suddenly appeared. ¡°Sister, I heard you¡¯re going to celebrate the Weaver¡¯s Festival with Miss Xie. I would like to go with you, may I?¡± Wei Qingwan asked hesitantly. Wei Qingwan also wanted to join Wei Ruo. Therefore, she asked her when Wei Ruo was about to leave. ¡°No,¡± Wei Ruo refused tly. ¡°Why? Are you still upset with me? I know I did something wrong, and I apologize. Please, sister, give me a chance to make it right,¡± Wei Qingwan asked, biting her lip.. Chapter 67 - 67: The "Blind Box" of Four Treasure Chapter 67: The ¡°Blind Box¡± of Four Treasure House_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to demonstrate your sincerity to change first when you ask me for an opportunity to change? Instead of asking others to take you out while also begging them for a chance to make amends. You want all the benefits, don¡¯t you?¡± There were no outsiders present, so Wei Ruo didn¡¯t need to worry about her image and simply rolled her eyes in annoyance. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts, keep your thoughts to yourself. If you needpany, go find your close girlfriends. Hasn¡¯t the young miss from the Qian Family invited you out? If not, go by yourself and don¡¯t bother me. I¡¯m busy.¡± After saying this, Wei Ruo sidestepped Wei Qingwan. Not wanting to waste any more time, she quickened her pace towards the door, leaving Wei Qingwan behind with a decisive and carefree image. Wei Ruo arrived at the Four Treasure House where she had arranged to meet Xie Ying. The meeting ce had been chosen by Xie Ying. It was slightly unconventional for women to arrange to meet in a stationery shop, rather than a lipstick or jewelry store. ¡°Are you here to buy something?¡± Wei Ruo enquired. ¡°Yes, I need to buy some paper. My brother will be returning soon. There are plenty of good things in the Capital City, so I don¡¯t need to bring anything special for him. But this kind of paper is not even avable in the Capital City. I intend to buy it for him to broaden his horizons!¡± With these words, Xie Ying stepped confidently into the Four Treasure House. ¡°Shopkeeper, I want to buy a hundred sheets.¡± Xie Ying took out a piece of silver and ced it boldly on the counter. The shopkeeper exined apologetically: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. As our notice outside indicates, each person can only purchase fifty sheets per day. If you wish to buy more, you can purchase one of our sets. These sets also contain paper, but there is no limit to the amount.¡± ¡°What kind of rule is this? I have money, can¡¯t I just buy your paper?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Please calm down, miss. The issue is that our shop has a very limited daily supply of this paper. We fear that without a buying limit, some people might buy all the stock, leaving none for other customers,¡± the shopkeeper exined patiently. Xie Ying reluctantly epted this exnation, but she was still unhappy. ¡°How can I give my brother such a small gift? Isn¡¯t it too petty?¡± ¡°Shopkeeper, I¡¯ll also take fifty sheets,¡± Wei Ruo stepped forward and said to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper immediately prepared fifty rolls of paper for Wei Ruo. Receiving the paper, Wei Ruo handed it directly to Xie Ying. ¡°For me?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony and I¡¯ll repay youter,¡± Xie Ying didn¡¯t hold back and epted the paper readily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about repaying me, consider this my gift to you for the Qixi Festival.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Okay.¡± Xie Ying didn¡¯t say much more. Next, Xie Ying looked around at other items in the shop, nning to buy some brushes, inks, and ink stones to give to her brother along with the paper. Xie Ying noticed some identically sized and shaped wooden boxes on a shelf. Each box was tied up with silk ribbons and sealed tightly. Xie Ying asked: ¡°Shopkeeper, what¡¯s inside these wooden boxes?¡± ¡°These boxes contain our store products. They could be paper, ink stones, or abination of a few items. Some are of better quality than others,¡± the shopkeeper exined. ¡°So each one is different?¡± Xie Ying looked puzzled. ¡°Yes, each one is different, but they are all sold at the same price. Each wooden box costs five taels of silver,¡± the shopkeeper answered. ¡°Can I open them and see?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°No, you can only find out what¡¯s inside after you purchase one.¡± ¡°So if the items are different but the price is the same, doesn¡¯t that mean some people will lose out while others gain?¡± Xie Ying enquired. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a matter of luck. One of the boxes contains a piece of calligraphy by Tibetanyman. Whoever buys that one will only need to pay five taels of silver,¡± the shopkeeper continued to exin. ¡°Again, with the Tibetanyman? I¡¯ve heard that on your opening day you gave away a piece of the Tibetanyman¡¯s calligraphy. How do you have so many pieces by the Tibetanyman? I¡¯ve heard from my mother that the Tibetanyman doesn¡¯t like to distribute his calligraphy and paintings.¡± ¡°Please be assured, miss. The calligraphy from the Tibetanyman in our store is genuine. Our owner, Master Heyou, is an old friend of the Tibetanyman and has received numerous pieces of his work.¡± The shopkeeper only found out a few days ago that his boss was a gentleman named Heyou, not the naive and honest farmer who lived in the courtyard behind. With this information, everything seemed more reasonable. Otherwise, he would really begin to question his own judgment about people. ¡°What if I want to directly purchase a piece of the Tibetanyman¡¯s calligraphy? How much would you charge?¡± Xie Ying asked. Her brother loved calligraphy and paintings, and she figured he would be thrilled if she presented him with a piece of Tibetanyman¡¯s calligraphy. ¡°The calligraphy is not avable for direct purchase. It all depends on luck,¡± the shopkeeper exined. ¡®Tn addition, anyone who purchases this ¡®blind box¡¯ will be recorded in our system. In the future, our owner, Master Heyou, will select one lucky customer at random to write a rmendation letter to the Tibetanyman.¡± Xie Ying wasn¡¯t too interested in the rmendation letter, as her brother was studying at the academy in the Capital City and didn¡¯t need to find another teacher. However, Xie Ying knew that many students in Xingshan County would want this rmendation letter if the rtionship between the shop owner and the Tibetanyman was as good as the shopkeeper imed. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll take all the boxes on that shelf!¡± Miss Xie Ying was quitevish and took all the boxes without a second thought. The shopkeeper apologized with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. Each person can only buy a maximum of two ¡®blind boxes¡¯.¡± ¡°Why? Even if I want to buy more, I¡¯ll pay for it. Why won¡¯t you let me buy more?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°It¡¯s like this. If someone bought all the boxes, they would definitely receive the Tibetanyman¡¯s calligraphy and also the promised rmendation letter from Master Heyou. In this case, the fairness of this game would be lost, and it would turn into whoever arrives first, whoever has money, will definitely get the rewards.¡± The shopkeeper had already given this exnation to several people these past few days. Xie Ying considered this and nodded, ¡°What you¡¯re saying makes sense. It really wouldn¡¯t be fun if that was the case.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Thank you for your understanding, miss.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll take two,¡± said Xie Ying. ¡°Alright, you can pick any two you want from the shelf,¡± the shopkeeper told her. Xie Ying went to the shelf and picked up one box to weigh it, then picked up another to examine it. Originally not too interested in the Tibetanyman¡¯s calligraphy, the ¡°blind box¡± buying method stirred up herpetitive spirit. If she can buy the box containing Tibetanyman¡¯s calligraphy with only two purchases, she would definitely have a good story to boast about to her brotherter! After looking around, Xie Ying asked, ¡°Are these the only ones left? Are there any others? I want to see all of them.¡± ¡°These are all we have left. We started this promotion at the beginning of the month, and these are the only boxes left after selling up until today,¡± the shopkeeper answered.. Chapter 68 - 68 You Know So Much l Chapter 68: You Know So Much l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°If I¡¯d known, I would havee to pick earlier.¡± Xie Ying muttered, then still picked the heaviest and lightest from the remaining blind boxes. As for the principle, Xie Ying didn¡¯t know, it was all metaphysics. ¡°Shopkeeper, I¡¯ll buy one too.¡± Wei Ruo took out her silver, gave it to the shopkeeper, then picked up the nearest box. Seeing this, Xie Ying leaned into Wei Ruo¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Each of us can buy two, take one more to stand a better chance. If you don¡¯t have enough silver, I¡¯ll cover you, don¡¯t worry. Aren¡¯t we going to coborate in herb farming? I will just cut from your earning.¡± Wei Ruo felt Xie Ying¡¯s goodwill. She specifically whispered to her, probably out of fear she would be embarrassed to ept. ¡°No need, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have enough money, but solely because I don¡¯t want to buy two.¡± Wei Ruo exined. Xie Ying: ¡°Really?¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Really!¡± Xie Ying: ¡°Well, okay then.¡± Wei Ruo and Xie Ying paid for the blind boxes, and the shopkeeper took out his register to record their names. Wei Ruo wrote down her elder brother Wei Jinyi¡¯s name while Xie Ying wrote her elder brother Xie Jue¡¯s name. After purchasing the items, Wei Ruo and Xie Ying headed west to the city, where there was a separate courtyard of the Xie Family. The yard was beautifullyndscaped, with pavilions, towers, artificial hills and ponds. In Xingshan County, the Xie Family¡¯spound was definitely among the top-ranked. The two of them first took a carriage ride for a distance. Upon nearing their destination, Xie Ying suggested that they take a walk to the courtyard, as the scenery along the way was quite good. Wei Ruo agreed, and she happened to see some Motherwort by the roadside that she nned to pick. Seeing Wei Ruo plucking while walking, Xie Ying asked what it was. ¡°This is Motherwort, it helps women a lot. Since they are not being picked here, presumably because they can¡¯t recognize it.¡± Wei Ruo exined. Most ordinary people had limited knowledge of herbs, and often overlooked them as ordinary grass. ¡°Motherwort? What is good for women?¡± Xie Ying asked further. ¡°It is¡­¡± Wei Ruo was a bit embarrassed, because they had two guards following them a few steps behind. She leaned into Xie Ying¡¯s ear, and whispered softly, ¡°It helps women with menstrual irregrities and menstrual pain.¡± Xie Ying¡¯s face turned red instantly. ¡°How¡­ How do you know about this¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to grow herbs, so naturally, I need to know the uses and characteristics of each of them.¡± ¡°That makes sense. But how much do you know about that matter?¡± Xie Ying asked curiously. Xie Ying was the same age as Wei Ruo, both thirteen, and not far from theing-of-age ceremony. Her mother had already mentioned some things to her, all vaguely, and she was still very confused. ¡°I probably¡­ know everything. I¡¯ve lived twice, plus studied medicine, it¡¯s hard not to know.¡± ¡°Is it very scary?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. As long as you take good care of your body, there won¡¯t be any problems. When the timees, you just let me know, and I¡¯ll teach you how to make easy-to-use menstrual belts.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°You¡­ How could you say such a thing?¡± Mentioning menstrual belts, even the usually carefree Xie Ying couldn¡¯t help but to feel a little embarrassed. ¡°We are both girls, there¡¯s nothing wrong with discussing these matters. Moreover, it¡¯s a normal phenomenon that will happen sooner orter. It¡¯s better to clearly understand it, than spoiling your health because of too little understanding. People often fear things because they don¡¯t understand enough. We need to understand rationally and objectively, rather than avoiding it blindly.¡± Wei Ruo exined. N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo¡¯s remarks left Xie Ying stunned. ¡°Strange, you¡¯re the same age as me, but why does it sound like you¡¯re giving a lecture sometimes?¡± Xie Ying looked at her curiously, her expression also mixed with a bit of admiration. She had rarely admired peers, and Wei Ruo was the first. ¡°The books have a house of gold, the more you read, the more you learn.¡± Wei Ruo attributed the reason to reading. ¡°What kind of books do you read? The books in my house, except for the military ones, are all very boring. Even the military books are boring to read. It¡¯s only interesting when grandfather told me about them, and now the stories from Mr. Wang are also quite good, on par with my grandfather¡¯s.¡± As she spoke, Xie Ying also started to help Wei Ruo pick Motherwort. They chatted,ughed and had already picked arge bunch of Motherwort. At this time, Xiumei approached and whispered to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a shady figure lurking around in the woods over there, he¡¯s been following us for a long time, doesn¡¯t look like a good person.¡± The road to their vi adjoined a stream on one side and a mountain on the other, with shrubs and weeds nking the two sides. Wei Ruo and her entourage were looking for Motherwort among the weeds. The suspicious person that Xiumei mentioned was in the nearby woods by the road. Xie Ying also looked in that direction, but the bushes blocked her view. She could vaguely see a figure moving, but couldn¡¯t see the person¡¯s face clearly. ¡°This guy chooses to walk in the woods instead of the road, which is definitely unusual! Moreover, further down this road, there¡¯s only my family¡¯s vi, there¡¯s no reason for meandering people to wander here!¡± Xie Ying was certain. If even Xie Ying said so, then this person was truly very suspicious. ¡°Meimei, are you confident?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes! Miss, don¡¯t worry, I will subdue him as soon as he gets close!¡± Xiumei replied confidently. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s then pretend to be unsuspecting.¡± Wei Ruo said. Therefore, Wei Ruo and Xie Ying pretended not to know and continued to pick Motherwort, while Xiumei found a good ambush location. Indeed, the shadowy person came down from the mountain and was about to pass through the wilderness. Xiumei seized the opportunity, sprang up quickly, and grasped the man with a holding technique. The man immediately resisted, waved his fist back at Xiumei, Xiumei dodged and swept the man to the ground with a sweeping kick. The man¡¯s face was down, his face intimately contacted the weeds on the ground. As he was about to lift his head, Ximei kneeled on the man¡¯s back, her hands grasped the man¡¯s hands from behind, subduing himpletely. ¡°Meimei, give him a punch!¡± ordered Wei Ruo. Xiumei¡¯s fist thennded on the man¡¯s back. The man struggled to lift his head and cried out for mercy, ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t¡­ it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Xie Ying ran up to stop Xiumei, ¡°Ruoruo, he seems to be my elder brother!¡± ¡°Your¡­ your brother?¡± Wei Ruo blinked in surprise. The man subdued by Xiumei, Xie Jue, struggled to lift his head a little higher so that they could see his face, ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s me¡­ little sister, it¡¯s me¡­.¡± Chapter 69 - 69: Giving You A Chance To Be My Chapter 69: Giving You A Chance To Be My Good Sister_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°It indeed is my brother!¡± Xie Ying confirmed the ¡°mountain climber¡¯s¡± identity. Xiumei immediately released her grip. Xie Ying stepped forward to help Xie Jue up. A handsome face, open and bright eyes, but now, covered in a few des of grass and mud marks, diminished and in a state of disarray. ¡°Brother, what¡­ what are you doing here?¡± Xie Ying eximed. -Didn¡¯t mother tell you that I would be here in a few days?¡± Xie Jue asked. -She did tell me, but she didn¡¯t say it¡¯d be today. Also, why didn¡¯t you go home first, why were you following us?¡± Xie Ying inquired. Xie Jue responded disheartedly, ¡°I did go home, but mother said you had left. I heard that there were not many people apanying you, so I felt worried and decided toe over.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you take the regr mountain path and instead choose to cross over from the mountain top? ¡°I knew you were nning to visit the separate quarters, so I came in advance. You hadn¡¯t arrived yet, and I happened to see a beautiful yellow flower on the mountain. So I thought I¡¯d pick some for you. However, after picking and on my way back¡­.¡± Little did he expect his sister¡¯s maid to be so skilled and give him a surprise hit. Wei Ruo noticed several lily-like yellow flowers lying on the ground in front of Xie Jue. These seemed to be the ones Xie Jue had just picked for his sister. Judging by their appearance, they looked like dayhhes. If they were in abundance, they could be plucked, have their stamen dried, and used for stir-fried dishes or soup ¨C they would surely taste delicious! Xie Jue¡¯s gaze fell on Wei Ruo. Even though the one who physically struck him was her maid, the order had indeede from Wei Ruo herself! Feeling Xie Jue¡¯s gaze, Wei Ruo exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Xie. I didn¡¯t know you were Xie Ying¡¯s brother. I thought you were a rogue who posed a threat to Ying¡¯er and me.¡± -So you must be the ¡®unique Lady Wei¡¯ my sister often mentions in her letters.¡± Although it was their first meeting, thanks to his sister, Xie Jue had long heard of Wei Ruo¡¯s name. Due to his sister¡¯s descriptions, Xie Jue had developed some curiosity for Lady Wei Ruo, who was different from typicaldies. Upon meeting her today, no distinct characteristics stood out except for the fact that she sure could handle a fight. ¡°Brother, today¡¯s situation was purely provoked by you. You can¡¯t me anyone else,¡± Xie Ying interjected, thinking her brother was about to vent his anger on Wei Ruo. ¡°What kind of person do you take me for? Do you think I would be so petty as to take offense over such a trifle withdies?¡± Xie Jue retorted. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®withdies¡¯? It was your wrongdoing in the first ce, why bring the fact that we aredies into it?¡± Xie Ying countered, unhappy with his remarks. ¡°My mistake, I¡¯ve misspoken. Please don¡¯t be angry,¡± Xie Jue quickly apologized. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s more like it,¡± Xie Ying epted Xie Jue¡¯s apology. Turning around, she took Wei Ruo¡¯s arm and walked towards the estate, leaving Xie Jue alone, trailing behind. ¡°Little sister, aren¡¯t you going to wait for me?¡± ¡°Dare not toy with the separation of men and women. I have ady of beauty and grace here in my care that needs protecting. I can¡¯t let you rum her reputation.¡± By the time Xie Ying responded, she had already walked quite far with Wei Ruo. Xie Jue sighed helplessly; it seemed his status in his sister¡¯s eyes had been further reduced! Xie Ying and Wei Ruo were in the separate quarters¡¯ courtyard appreciating the beauty of the moon and making wishes to it. The moon was perfectly round and the sky was filled with sparse clouds. After finishing the moon festival rituals, they sat in the courtyard, eating pastries Wei Ruo had brought, and enjoying the bright full moon. ¡°These pastries of yours are quite delicious,¡± Xie Yingplimented. She then recalled the first time they met when she tasted dried sweet potatoes and potato chips made by Wei Ruo. Xie Ying asked Wei Ruo, ¡°You seem to be good at making snacks.¡¯ -Not just snacks, my Meimei is handy and can make all sorts of tasty food.¡± ¡°Bring more next time, for my brother to taste as well,¡± Xie Ying suggested. ¡°NO problem,¡± Wei Ruo agreed immediately. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s your brother?¡± ¡ö¡öHe¡¯s definitely waiting outside. As long as you¡¯re here, he wouldn¡¯t dare to rudely walk in. He¡¯s been rude once before, any more would be intolerable even for me, his sister.¡± Xie Ying replied. ¡°Then let someone take some of these pastries to him. This can serve as my way of apologizing for hitting him earlier.¡± Wei Ruo suggests. ¡°Alright, getting beaten and ending up with these delicious treats does seem like quite a gain for him,¡± Xie Ying said in agreement, while passing the bag of Wei Ruo pastries to the maid. ¡°You and your brother get along very well,¡± Wei Ruo remarked. Good rtions between siblings often led to such teasing of each other. ¡°I have no choice; he is my brother. I wish I had a sister, but our mother didn¡¯t give me any sisters.¡± Xie Ying looked a bit downcast as she spoke. She quickly added, ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t want a sister like yours; I find her irritating. Wei Ruo chuckled. Xie Ying studied Wei Ruo, then continued: ¡°If I did have a sister like you, intelligent and thoughtful, I might consider it.¡± ¡°I might consider it too because you¡¯re straightforward and open. You say what¡¯s on your mind without me having to guess,¡± Wei Ruo admitted, not hiding her fondness for Xie Ying. ¡°Exactly! I have never been one to behave hypocritically. I¡¯m candid about my feelings; if I like something, I admit it. If I dislike something, I state it outrightly. There¡¯s no point pretending,¡± Xie Ying dered proudly. After her short speech, Xie Ying turned to ask Wei Ruo: ¡°Apart from growing vegetables and flowers, what else do you enjoy doing?¡± ¡°I enjoy making money. Lots and lots of silver,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°What will you do with so much silver?¡± Xie Ying inquired. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but who doesn¡¯t like silver? The same goes for grain; having more is always better. Just in case, I mean, if there¡¯s ever a famine, having enough grain ensures that we won¡¯t go hungry,¡± Wei Ruo expounded. ¡°Yes, my mother mentioned that this year¡¯s harvest in Xingshan County would likely be poor. Many households are already nning to buy grain from other ces,¡± Xie Yingmented, with a touch of helplessness. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°The price of grain will inevitably be high, beyond the reach of the general popce,¡± Wei Ruo added. Ordinary people look forward to a good harvest after a year of hard work to secure enough grain for the next year. Any surplus is sold for silver, which is then used to buy other things. If the grain was insufficient, one won¡¯t have additional silver to buy goods. ¡°Ruo¡¯er, it¡¯s a good thing you opened up newnds in the southern part of the city. If the crops in that field can grow well, the situation will be much improved,¡± Xie Ying couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°The newly reimednd in the south of the city won¡¯t be ready in time for this year¡¯ste rice harvest. We can only nt some seasonal vegetables like rape and broad beans. We¡¯ll still need a lot more grain; you should tell your mother, when you go back, to send more grain to Xingshan County if possible,¡± Wei Ruo advised. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll mention it to my mother as soon as I return,¡± Xie Ying readily agreed. Wei Ruo noticed that Xie Ying was still looking at her, and asked, ¡°Why are you still staring at me?¡± ¡°I wonder, Wei Ruo, would you consider us good friends by now?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Perhaps.¡± -What do you mean ¡®perhaps¡¯? There is no ambiguity; whether we are or not? Come on, here¡¯s your opportunity to be good friends with me. Will you ept or decline?¡± Xie Ying asked with a serious expression and a domineering tone.. Chapter 70 - 70: Be more polite to my sisters i Chapter 70: Be more polite to my sisters i Trantor: 549690339 ¡°If I refuse, will I be able to leave this courtyard today?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Obviously not! The ce is filled with my people, and my brother is on guard. You won¡¯t be able to leave without my approval.¡± Xie Ying probably forgot how her brother was suppressed by Xiumei just a while ago. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Ah,¡± Wei Ruo sighed mysteriously, ¡°If that¡¯s the way things are destined to be, one shouldn¡¯t fight against the will of heaven. So, alright, I agree.¡± ¡°You stinky Ruoruo, just agree if you want to agree. Why make it seem like you¡¯re reluctant about it?¡± Xie Ying punched Wei Ruo¡¯s shoulder yfully, acting tough have but not actually putting much strength into it, hardly any more than if she were tickling her. ¡°How can you me me? Didn¡¯t you set up this scenario, making it seem like you were forcing an innocent girl into prostitution? I have to y along, don¡¯t I?¡± Wei Ruo said with a full-faced smile. ¡°Just you wait, you stinky Ruoruo. You throw around such wild usations. Let me show you what it truly means to force an innocent girl into prostitution!¡± Xie Ying extended her ws, pretending to tickle Wei Ruo. Seeing the situation, Wei Ruo immediately ran. She was most afraid of being tickled. Her body was hyper ticklish! Xie Ying chased after her, shouting, ¡°Stinky Ruoruo, don¡¯t you run away! Stand still and let me teach you a good lesson!¡± ¡°Only a fool wouldn¡¯t run!¡± The courtyard was big enough for them to run a circle, past the fake mountains, pavilions, small bridges, and finally, they stopped in front of a flower bed, panting heavily. In the end, they sat back to back on the grass,ughing hysterically. Afterughing, theyy on the grass and started discussing the herb field and buying food grains. Wei Ruo had ideas, Xie Ying wanted to help, not for Wei Ruo, but for the people of Xingshan County. They stayed until midday, and when Xie Ying sent Wei Ruo off and returned to the courtyard, she saw Xie Jue. Watching Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage gradually disappearing down the mountainside, Xie Jue turned to Xie Ying and said with a smile, ¡°Your ssmate is quite adorable.¡± ¡°Of course, she has to be extraordinary to be my ssmate.¡± Xie Ying replied proudly. ¡°Right, right. Otherwise, my sister wouldn¡¯t bother with her.¡± Xie Jue said with a smile. He knew his sister very well. Raised as the darling of their parents and grandfather, she did whatever she pleased. ¡°She is not just my ssmate now, but also my best friend. You must be polite to her from now on.¡± Xie Ying added. ¡°When have I ever been impolite to her? As long as her grumpy maid does not act impolite towards me.¡± Xie Jue said. ¡°You have the nerve to say that. Our grandfather trained you well in martial arts, but why couldn¡¯t you beat even Ruoruo¡¯s maid?¡± Xie Ying looked at him contemptuously. ¡°I find it strange too, how can a maid have such good skills? Someday you must ask your good friend where her maid learned her martial arts skills from.¡± Xie Jue said. ¡°No problem. Just remember next time you go to the capital city, bring me some tasty snacks and interesting things. I want to send them to Ruoruo. She has given me gifts and treats so many times. I need to find an opportunity to return the favor, and things from the capital city would be perfect.¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°Sure, whatever you wish for, sister.¡± Xie Jue agreed promptly. In fact, every time he came back from Capital City, he brought his sister lots of snacks, even without her asking. ¡°By the way, Brother, what is your purpose foring back this time? Shouldn¡¯t you be busy studying? Why have youe to Xingshan County?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you about this yet, in case you let it slip. Anyway, I¡¯vee here this time on serious business.¡± Xie Jue¡¯s expression turned serious while saying this. Actually, he had received news of a big battle between Xingshan County and the Japanese Pirates on the East Coast. Worried about his mother and sister, he came to check on them. If Xingshan County were under threat, he would be able to evacuate his family in time. Now, without any definite news, he definitely could not make a rash move. His family, the Xie Family, was a respectable family in Xingshan. If they set a bad example by fleeing prematurely, they would be held ountable by the royal court. Knowing it was a serious matter, Xie Ying didn¡¯t ask any more questions. ¡°Just be careful, and don¡¯t make Mother and I worry about you.¡± ¡°Rest assured.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. I have a gift for you.¡± Xie Ying excitedly pulled Xie Jue towards the carriage. She then brought out the two wooden boxes she bought from Four Treasure House. She was barely able to see over top of the two stacked boxes. Seeing this, Xie Jue quickly took the boxes from her. ¡°What did you buy?¡± Xie Jue asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t you open it and find out? I¡¯m not entirely sure what¡¯s inside.¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°You¡¯re not sure? Didn¡¯t you buy it?¡± Xie Jue asked. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you? This thing is called a ¡®mystery box¡¯!¡± Xie Ying said proudly, exining the origin of the two boxes to Xie Jue. After hearing Xie Ying¡¯s exnation, Xie Jue also became curious. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the Tibetanyman. He was highly regarded by the emperor when he was in the Hanlin Academy. But after his retirement, he became a hermit. How did he be friends with a stationery salesman?¡± ¡°Never mind that now, just open the boxes and see what¡¯s inside.¡± Xie Ying urged. Xie Jue, fearing his sister¡¯s impending boxing assault, immediately opened both boxes. Inside were various types of stationery: brushes, ink sticks, paper, inkstones. The brushes and inkstones were nothing special, and could be found anywhere. The materials Xie Jue used were even better than these. Only the paper was special. Xie Jue couldn¡¯t help but pick it up and study it closely. ¡°This paper is smooth, white, and durable. It¡¯s very special.¡± He touched the paper with his fingertips andmented on it. ¡°How is it? Have you seen it before? Not in the capital city, right?¡± Xie Ying asked with a proud smile. ¡°Indeed, I haven¡¯t.¡± Xie Jue had to admit. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve got an extra hundred sheets of this paper because I knew you¡¯d like it. But it¡¯s odd, the store wouldn¡¯t let me buy more. Each person can only buy fifty sheets a day. Half of these hundred sheets were actually given to me by Ruoruo,¡± said Xie Ying. ¡°Hahaha, thank you, Ying¡¯er. My little sister always knows what I like best,¡±ughed Xie Jue. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that we didn¡¯t manage to get any of Tibetanyman¡¯s brushwork.¡± Xie Ying looked at the things in the two boxes, which were all ordinary stationery. ¡°I have my sister¡¯s thoughts and feelings. What use is a Tibetanyman¡¯s brushwork piece? As long as it¡¯s a gift from my sister, I absolutely love it.¡± Xie Jue said. ### The next morning, Wei Ruo took the box she had bought from Four Treasure House to Yingzhu Court. Seeing Wei Ruo carrying something heavy, Xiaobei immediately came to help. Wei Ruo passed the box to Xiaobei: ¡°This is for your young master.¡± ¡°Miss, you¡¯re so thoughtful.¡± Xiaobei cheerily carried the box into the Octagonal Pavilion. Wei Jinyi had already heard the conversation between Wei Ruo and Xiaobei, and nced briefly at the box Wei Ruo had brought.. ¡°Is it the ¡®mystery box¡¯ from the Four Treasure House?¡± Chapter 71 - 71 She Really Cares About Him_l Chapter 71: She Really Cares About Him_l n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Trantor: 549690339 ¡® ¡°Second brother, have you heard about the mystery box?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°I have heard a bit,¡± replied Wei Jinyi. Xiaobei, who was standing nearby, chimed in: ¡°Miss, our Madam bought several boxes for the eldest son. Even in our information-limited corner, we have heard of the news.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t seem surprised at all. She had overheard Yun s conversation with Wei Yichen and knew of their interest in the Tibetanyman. ¡°Ruo, do you wish to draw the Tibetan Layman¡¯s ink treasure?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°The Tibetanyman¡¯s ink treasure isn¡¯t that important, the rmendation letter is what matters. With the letter, second brother can approach the Tibetanyman as a student,¡± Wei Ruo answered. -You want me to be a disciple of the Tibetanyman?¡± asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°Second Brother, haven¡¯t you recently decided to take the imperial examination? Taking a master won¡¯t necessarily mean you need to learn something, but it would be of help,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want a master?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo, seeing the expectation gleaming in her eyes along with her joyful and animated expression. ¡°We can consider it if appropriate, but no obligations. Ruo doesn¡¯t have to take it to heart. It¡¯s better not to raise hopes,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Then, Second Brother, let¡¯s open it. I¡¯m curious about my luck!¡± Wei Ruo curiously said, she really didn¡¯t know what was inside the randomly chosen mystery box. Once the boxes were assembled, there were no identifiers, even Wei Ruo, the one behind the idea, didn¡¯t know which box contained the Tibetan Layman¡¯s ink treasure. Under Wei Ruo¡¯s curious gaze, Wei Jinyi opened the box. It contained four treasures of the study from the Four Treasure House, each representing one of the four. Wei Ruo looked at it, ¡°Amazing, I¡¯m really lucky. We made a profit, having paper already, and this inkstone is also one of the high-priced kinds. It¡¯s quite good.¡± Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re happy with just having a piece of paper. If you had the Tibetan Layman¡¯s box, imagine how happy you would be! ¡°One must be content. In matters of luck, demanding too much might deplete it. Better to conserve it for future use,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°You make valid points,¡± Wei Jinyi said with a slight smile, ¡°These items are quite good too.¡± ¡°Well, I have registered your name. Maybe they¡¯ll have their eyes on it,¡± Wei Ruo said with a giggly tone. ¡°Don¡¯t put too much thought into it. Even if we get that letter, it doesn t guarantee a sessful apprenticeship. It might just be the shopkeeper s exaggerations.¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t want Wei Ruo to put too much hope in this matter lest she be disappointed if their hopes fall through. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I did some research, that shop is reliable. The Tibetanyman barely sells his works. Mostly, only his family and close friends possess his ink treasures, so the rmendation letter will likely be effective,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I shall anticipate it,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Hmm-hmm, that¡¯s right! You should anticipate it,¡± said Wei Ruo smiling. Wei Jinyi gave a faint smile, his eyes resting on Wei Ruo. She always seemed to consider his interests first, showing concerns and joy for him, lighting up his dull life with a little spark. ### Meanwhile, at another part of the Military Prefecture, someone else was also troubling over these boxes. In the Chrysanthemum Garden at the southwest corner of the Military Prefecture, Wei Yichen was sorting through the stationery in seven boxes. From the blind box sold by the Four Treasure House, he had bought seven boxes, not all under his name. He bought two boxes under his name, his mother and Wanwan each bought two, and thest one was a gift from his schoolmate. Now, all seven mystery boxes were open. None of them contained the Tibetan Layman¡¯s ink treasure, but the contents were not bad either. Some were worth more than five taels, others less. Overall, it was fairly reasonable. While there was some disappointment for not getting Tibetan Layman¡¯s ink treasure, it was bearable. What he wanted now was the rmendation letter from Master Heyou. Regrettably, regardless of how many boxes were bought, only one name could be registered. It was the same as other buyers. Wei Qingwan, along with her maid Cuihe, came to the Chrysanthemum Garden to see Wei Yichen. Seeing the boxes, she asked, ¡°Big brother, did you find the Tibetan Layman¡¯s ink treasure?¡± Wei Yichen shook his head, ¡°No.¡± Wei Qingwanforted him quickly, ¡°Big Brother, don¡¯t be disheartened. The Tibetan Layman¡¯s calligraphy and ink treasures are likely promotional tools of the shopkeeper. It might not even have been ced in. There¡¯s a possibility that no one would get it.¡± Wei Yichen had a different thought, ¡°I think the shopkeeper had a n. Last time, they used a genuine piece of Tibetan Layman¡¯s work, they wouldn¡¯t produce a fake one this time.¡± Wei Qingwan replied, ¡°I wonder who would be lucky enough to get this artwork.¡± Wei Yichen said, ¡°Rather than the ink treasure, I would prefer to study under the Tibetanyman himself directly. I have had this thought for a while now. However, with no connections, it was difficult before. Now with this rmendation letter, I surely must try. ¡°Big Brother is so excellent. If the Tibetanyman sees you, he will surely like you and admire you, even willing to take you as his disciple,¡± Wei Qingwan stated. Wei Yichen gave a bitter smile, ¡°That may not necessarily be the case. There¡¯s always someone better. For now, I only have an understanding about a corner of Taizhou prefecture. I have no clue what my standard is.¡± ¡°In my heart, Big Brother will always be the best. I also read books. Although there are noparisons with others, there areparisons with books. I believe that even if you left Taizhou prefecture, you wouldn¡¯t fall behind,¡± Wei Qingwan said. Wei Yichen smiled and didn¡¯t argue any further. Inparison to his family, he never took others seriously. ¡°By the way, has Ruo arrived yet?¡± asked Wei Yichen. ¡°She should have. I saw her maid while passing by the Tingsong Garden,¡± Wei Qingwan answered, then asked in a lower voice, ¡°Big Brother, do you need anything from sister?¡± ¡°Well, not exactly. After buying seven boxes in bulk, I got a handful of brushes, ink sticks, paper, and inkstones. I¡¯ll get some for Ruo. She can use them for her studies.¡± Wei Yichen was speaking while preparing two sets of brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. He packed them in the emptied wooden boxes. ¡°This set is for you. I will give the other one to Ruo,¡± Wei Yichen said to Wei Qingwan. ¡°Thank, thank you, big brother,¡± said Wei Qingwan as she thanked him. She kept her eyes fixated on the set in Wei Yichen¡¯s hands, a peculiar difort welling up in her heart.. Chapter 72 - 72: Master Heyou Doesn’t See Chapter 72: Master Heyou Doesn¡¯t See Outsiders_i Trantor: 549690339 ei Yichen didn¡¯t notice these reactions, as he walked to Tingsong Garden with the item meant for Wei Ruo. He asked Xiumei about Wei Ruo, finding out she was not in Tingsong Garden; so he left the wooden box with Xiumei. On his way back, he passed by Yizhu Park and happened to see Wei Ruoe out with a smile on her radiant face, while chatting with someone inside. ¡°Brother, see you tomorrow. I¡¯lle and bring you something delicious again. The pumpkins m my garden are ripe. I will have Meimei make pumpkin pancakes for you,¡± she said. Wei Ruo turned her head and saw Wei Yichen, who was curiously watching her. ¡°Big brother,¡± she said, her lively smile reced by a more restrained expression. ¡°What¡¯s making you so happy?¡± Wei Yichen asked curiously. ¡°I just had a delicious meal with my brother,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°I heard you promised to make pumpkin pancakes for Jinyi. Will I get some too?¡± Wei Yichen asked. ¡°Pumpkin pancakes are a kind ofmon food that country folk like. I¡¯m afraid it might not suit your taste, big brother.¡± ¡°I would like to try it.¡± ¡°Alright, the next time I make some, I¡¯ll bring some to you,¡± Wei Ruo said. Then I¡¯m looking forward to Ruo¡¯s pumpkin pancakes,¡± said Wei Yichen. ¡°Alright.¡± After chatting with Wei Yichen, Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden and learned from Xiumei that Wei Yichen hade to give her a set of writing materials. Wei Ruo sighed as she gazed at the writing materials in front of her. Wei Yichen wasn¡¯t precisely bad to her, which was the attitude the original host ad held as well. Hence, she had poured much love and hope into her big brother. However, whenever it came to choosing between the original host and Wei Qingwan, Wei Yichen always chose Wei Qingwan¡¯s side, which cultivated the original host¡¯s jealousy beyond control. Wei Ruo had to admit she was also like that. Once she cared, it was hard for her to stay calm. That was why this Wei Ruo did not want to get too involved with Wei Yichen. Abstaining from emotional attachment was the best way to protect herself. ### Madam Yun was very concerned about the mystery boxes of Four Treasure House. She was closely monitoring the situation these days, frequently sending her maid Cuiping to gather information. Just like Wei Yichen, she didn¡¯t particrly care about calligraphy work of the Tibetanyman offered as a mystery prize. No matter how precious, it was just a piece of calligraphy, and her eldest son had won onest time. Madam Yun was more interested in whether Heyou, the young master, had a close bond with the Tibetanyman as imed. She needed to verify whether the im by Four Treasure House was true. She wouldn¡¯t rule out that they could be exaggerating the truth to attract customers. So, she sent people to make inquiries repeatedly. After much inquiry, she learned that both of the Tibetanyman¡¯s calligraphy pieces were authentic, and theyman didn¡¯t sell his works openly. Most of the people who got his calligraphy were his close friends. It could be seen that Four Treasure House wasn¡¯t exaggerating-their owner, Heyou, was indeed a close friend of the Tibetanyman, and he could indeed write letters of rmendation. Due to this, Madam Yun personally sent someone to Four Treasure House trying tomunicate with the shopkeeper there, hoping that he could help with the introduction. However, she was politely refused by the shopkeeper who said their boss did not meet anyone. After being politely refused, Madam Yun was somewhat unwilling to give up and decided to pay a visit herself. By now, all the mystery boxes in Four Treasure House had been sold out, and a notice had been posted at the entrance. The notice stated that Heyou would contact one registered person the following morning and hand over the letter of rmendation. At this time, the number of customers in the store was not many. asionally some woulde in and ask the shopkeeper about the mystery boxes, but they were all told that the mystery boxes were sold out, and the result would be announced soon. Madam Yun, apanied by her servants, entered the shop where the shopkeeper, named Jia, greeted them with a smile. Anyone with a little insight would know that a woman apanied by several servants was someone not to be trifled with. ¡°Shopkeeper, I would like to meet your boss, Heyou,¡± Madam Yun got straight to the point. With an apologetic and familiar tone, shopkeeper Jia replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, madam. Heyou does not see visitors.¡± ¡°I am Wei from the Military Prefecture. I am here specifically to see Heyou,¡± Madam Yun revealed her identity. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om In the not-sorge Xingshan County, the Military Prefecture was one of the best families. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Madam Wei. Madam Qian also asked the same question a few days ago. But, our boss really does not meet guests,¡± shopkeeper Jia insisted. Even he, the shopkeeper, hadn¡¯t seen the boss, not even once. All information was passed through boss Xu. Hearing that Madam Qian had also visited, Madam Yun realized that many people had the same idea as her. Madam Yun frowned, thinking for a moment before she said, ¡°Shopkeeper Jia if Heyou could write an extra letter of rmendation for my son, I promise¡¯ to reward your shop generously.¡± All business owners wanted profits, as long as the price was right, the other party should agree. Shopkeeper Jia chuckled, ¡°Madam Wei, I¡¯m genuinely sorry. My boss has already instructed me that there will be only one letter of rmendation. If more are written, they would lose their value.¡± Shopkeeper Jia was smiling, but he thought to himself, it wasn¡¯t like a pumpkin leaf where another crop could be grown after one was picked. A letter of rmendation would have to be recognized by the Tibetanyman. No matter how close their friendship, sending over a bunch of letters of rmendation would, at the very least, annoy the Tibetanyman or even worse, they might end their rtionship. Shopkeeper Jia continued, ¡°Madam Wei, rest assured. There will be a result tomorrow. Once the result is out, our shop will send the letter to the house If you do not receive the letter, it means you¡¯re not destined for it.¡± ¡°Thank you for your trouble,¡± Madam Yun, seeing the situation, had to give up. ### The next morning, someone from Four Treasure House came to deliver a letter to the Military Prefecture. When the guard heard that it was a letter from Four Treasure House, he hurriedly invited the messenger into the house. However, Shopkeeper Jia politely declined, saying that he was only there to deliver the letter. He left the letter with the guard and was on his way. The guard quickly brought the letter to the back courtyard and handed it to the head maid. Zhang, the head maid, presented the letter to Madam Yun in her Cangyun Garden. Seeing the letter, Madam Yun was delighted and immediately called for Wei Yichen. ¡°Yichen,e quickly and look. Four Treasure House sent a letter.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wei Yichen asked, his face lighting up with joy. ¡°Stop guessing. Open it and see. This is good news. You should see it yourself,¡± Madam Yun urged Wei Yichen to open the letter. ¡°Alright.¡± But as Wei Yichen opened the letter, the joy on his face gradually faded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Madam Yun was puzzled.. What was going on with her son¡¯s expression? Chapter 73 - 73: It Turns Out to Be the Second Chapter 73: It Turns Out to Be the Second Young Master¡¯s_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mother, the person who got the rmendation letter is not me¡­¡± ¡°Not you? If not you, then who?¡± Madam Yun stood up and approached Wei Yichen. Her gaze fell on the letter. When she saw the name ¡°Wei Jinyi¡±, her face turned pale. ¡°How could it be Jinyi?¡± Madam Yun was taken aback; she could hardly believe what she saw. Even though this matter was supposed to be about luck, who could have thought that when the letter from the Four Treasure House arrived at the Military Prefecture, the recipient would be the second son who has always held little concurrence. Madam Yun did not even know that Wei Jinyi bought the blind boxes from the Four Treasure House. For a moment, Madam Yun found it hard to ept. Just a moment ago, she was under the impression that her son was lucky to obtain the rmendation letter but then, she was told that it was a mistake! When the letter arrived at the Wei residence, she never thought of a second possibility! Wei Yichen looked at the name written on the letter, he also didn¡¯t know what to say, his heart was heavy as he shared his mother¡¯s dismay. After a while, Wei Yichen, who had calmed down a little, returned the letter to Madam Yun, ¡°Mother, give this letter to my second younger brother.¡± ¡°But Yichen¡­¡± Madam Yun hesitated. ¡°Mother, what should be given to the second brother should be given to him, I am also happy for him,¡± said Wei Yichen. Madam Yun was deeply conflicted, ¡°But this is the opportunity you have always dreamed of.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I know I do want this letter of rmendation very much. Perhaps with this letter, my longstanding wish to be a disciple of the Tibetanyman could be fulfilled. But if this opportunity is not meant for me, I should not wish for it anymore,¡± Wei Yichen said. ¡°But Yichen, this is just a matter of luck¡­¡± ¡°Even if it is luck, it only proves that second brother¡¯s luck is better than mine. His luck is his own.¡± ¡°But Yichen, it¡¯s just a rmendation letter. Without enough ability, the Tibetanyman might not ept the rmended person as a disciple. Whenpared with Jinyi, who has never been to school before, you are more likely to be epted by the schr, as many teachers have recognized your abilities,¡± Madam Yun said. Wei Yichen shook his head, ¡°Despite the fact second brother has never been to school, he also loves reading. Since his name was also left at the Four Treasure House, it shows that he also wants this opportunity. A gentleman does not take away others¡¯ interests, let alone from my brother.¡± ¡°Mother, you should stop thinking otherwise, just send the letter to second brother,¡± Wei Yichen insisted. Looking at Wei Yichen¡¯s unwavering face, Madam Yun had no choice but to extinguish the thought that had just sprung up in her heart. ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t worry, I will think of other ways for you,¡± Madam Yun promised her son with a firm tone. After talking with her oldest son, Madam Yun gave the letter to Cuiping to deliver it to Wei Jinyi in the Bamboo Compound. Then, she returned to her room,y down on the couch, her demeanor betraying her exhaustion. The ups and downs, the fluctuation of emotions, left her feeling drained. In the Bamboo Compound, Xiaobei handed over the letter that Cuiping just delivered to Wei Jinyi, who was writing at the Octagonal Pavilion. After reading the content of the letter, Wei Jinyi calmly said, ¡°Ruoruo was right after all.¡± ¡°Young Master, so does that mean the rmendation letter Miss Ruo mentioned has been arranged?¡± Xiaobei asked, his face full of surprise. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Young Master, what will you do? Will you really ept the nomination as his disciple?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ruoruo¡¯s sincerity and it might also be an opportunity for me,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°But Young Master, that Tibetanyman is in Huzhou Prefecture, which is far away from here,¡± Xiaobei said worriedly. ¡°Perhaps, it¡¯s time for me to leave the Wei residence,¡± Wei Jinyi murmured, his eyes shining with deep thoughts. ### Meanwhile, at Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo received a pigeon post. Upon opening it, she found that it was a note from the Tibetanyman. The note was delivered by someone from the Four Treasure House and then attached to their usual homing pigeon by a milkmaid for final delivery. The opening of the note was a displeased reproach, to which Wei Ruo was already ustomed. In the note, the Tibetanyman scolded Wei Ruo¡¯s shameless action of using his works to attract customers and increase sales, and finally, he used her of forcing a ¡°disciple¡± on him. Despicable! Shameless! Wei Ruo thought to herself that she had no choice. If she knew more than one knowledgeable person, she would have considered them too. Although the first half was scolding, the tune changed in the second half of the note. Assuming that the person chosen was morally upright and academicallypetent, he begrudgingly epted having a student and reminded Wei Ruo to take good care of herself and to visit him in Huzhou Prefecture when she had time. ¡°A tough exterior but a soft heart.¡± Looking at those words that showed concern for her, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but smile. The Tibetanyman, originally named Ruan Zheng, was a distinguished schr and painter whose work was highly appreciated by the Emperor when he was an official in the capital. After decades in the officialdom, he spent twenty years in anonymity. It was not until he became an Imperial Schr that he gained some recognition, but his outspokenness often led to offending people, forcing him to retire early. He and his wife retreated to the mountains and he started calling himself the ¡°Tibenyman.¡± Wei Ruo knew him because once Ruan¡¯s wife had a stroke and was seriously ill. Ruan Zheng went down the mountain to seek medical help. He came to the Mo Jiazha vige, and upon the vigers¡¯ rmendation, found Wei Ruo who lived in the other yard. Wei Ruo treated Ruan¡¯s wife and saved her life. Ruan Zheng said he had no money to pay for the medical fees, and before Wei Ruo could say anything, he gave her a basket full of his calligraphy and paintings as payment. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know whether his calligraphy and paintings were valuable back then, so she just epted them. As a result, Wei Ruo¡¯s small warehouse stored more than a dozen of the Tibetanyman¡¯s calligraphy and painting artworks. Whenever she had the opportunity, she would take out one piece to use for a promotion event, to enhance the fame of her shop and increase sales. Ruan¡¯s wife¡¯s stroke was caused by hypertension, which required long-term medication. Therefore, Wei Ruo would go into the woods every once in a while to treat Ruan¡¯s wife. Gradually, she became familiar with the couple. Sometimes, Wei Ruo would also bring some delicious food or calligraphy materials to them. Ruan Zheng disliked Wei Ruo¡¯s ugly handwriting and imed that if Wei Ruo were a man, he would definitely ept her as his disciple. However, Ruan who was stubborn in certain aspects would never ept a woman as a disciple. This time, when Wei Ruo was thinking about finding a schoolmaster for Wei Jinyi, she thought of Ruan since he was knowledgeable and respectable and had many students when he was an Imperial Schr in the capital. Being his disciple would be very beneficial for Wei Jinyi in the future. The reason why she made it soplicated and borrowed the name of the Four Treasure House to make Wei Jinyi a disciple was to avoid revealing too much about herself and causing unnecessary trouble. In addition to Wei Jinyi, whom Wei Ruo proposed to be a disciple because of their good rtionship, had some of her own selfish motives. She was thinking if she could make the invisible character in the original book visible, wouldn¡¯t it mean she caused a significant change in the whole plot from a certain perspective? Chapter 74 - 74: Wei Jinyi couldn’t hold his Chapter 74: Wei Jinyi couldn¡¯t hold his liquor_l Trantor: 549690339 It had be a fact that she and Wei Qingwan did not get along, even though she still did not want topete with her for affection or for the male lead. Since they were unavoidably enemies, she decided to do something else-stir up the whole situation. Diverting everything off course was a form of self-protection in some way. Of course, her actions also had some benefits for the Four Treasure House, by creating a fictitious figure-Attendant Heyou, who supposedly had a strong connection with the Tibetanyman ¨C which could lead people¡¯s imagination astray, causing them to doubt that behind the Four Treasure House was a person of some status and background. This would make people apprehensive. As long as they didn¡¯t encounter a person with very strong status and background who specifically came to investigate, they wouldn¡¯t be found out. But if they stumbled across someone with such strength who wanted to make trouble for the Four Treasure House, Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t be able to handle them with the circumstances she was in now. ### That afternoon, Xiaobei came to Tingsong Garden to invite Wei Ruo to eat at Yingzhu Garden together in the evening. ¡°Missy, my young master would like to thank you for helping him win this opportunity to learn from the Tibetanyman. He specially had me prepare some fresh meat and seafood, and would like to invite Missy for a little celebration. Of course, it would be even better if Lady Xiumei would be willing to help cook.¡± Xiaobei grinned from ear to ear. ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll have Xiumei go right now.¡± Wei Ruo immediately agreed. As long as there were good ingredients, she and Xiumei were both very eager. After Xiaobei left, Wei Ruo went to her private small storehouse. She had brought many jars from the Mo Jiazha, which contained soy sauce and also alcohol. Wei Ruo did not particrly enjoy drinking, but she had brewed quite a bit, partly as an experiment, since she liked to try anything that could make money. It was also a gift, a respectable offering to give someone. If there was a happy asion, they could also take a small sip to add to the joy. Weiruo chose a jar of plum wine and took it to Yingzhu Garden. While Xiaobei and Xiumei were busy in the kitchen, Wei Jinyi was sitting in the pavilion, not reading or writing as usual but airing out his books. Seeing Wei Ruo and the jar she was holding, Wei Jinyi said, ¡°We haven¡¯t finished the soy sauce fromst time.¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Even though the jars look simr, this one is not soy sauce, it¡¯s wine. Brother, look, I sealed the lid with putty; the soy sauce¡¯s isn¡¯t sealed.¡± Wei Jinyi asked, ¡°You know how to make wine? Wei Ruo: ¡°I¡¯m not particrly good at it; actually, I make soy sauce better. I originally wanted to make vinegar, but I¡¯ve been too busy. When winteres and there¡¯s less farm work, I¡¯ll try making vinegar.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Jinyi responded, ¡°You have a wide range of skills. Wei Ruo smiled and said, ¡°I always want to learn more and make myself more capable. If no one is willing to love me, at least I should love myself and make myself have a good life.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know if she was talking about herself from a previous life or this one, or perhaps both. Wei Jinyi¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as if he wanted to say something. After a short while, Xiaobei and Xiumei returned from the kitchen with an assortment of delicious dishes. Braised wild boar, rib and yam soup, green onion prawns, stir-fried octopus with snow vegetables, and stir-fried pumpkin tennels-every corner of the table was filled. Wei Ruo poured wine into Wei Jinyi¡¯s cup but he stopped her. ¡°I can¡¯t hold my liquor.¡± Wei Jinyi exined. ¡°It¡¯s okay, brother. This wine is not strong. It¡¯s plum wine and it¡¯s mildly sweet, more like juice.¡± Wei Ruo exined. Seeing the earnest look in Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes, Wei Jinyi withdrew his hand and allowed Wei Ruo to pour him wine. Wei Ruo had a sip first, then looked at Wei Jinyi. Under Wei Ruo¡¯s watchful eyes, Wei Jinyi took a small sip of the wine. Indeed, as Wei Ruo had described, the plum wine was mildly sweet, like savoring a ripe plum. Wei Jinyi couldn¡¯t help but take a few more sips. ¡°See, brother, wasn¡¯t 1 right? This wine is not strong at all, right?¡± Wei Ruo said with a smile, then raised her ss to Wei Jinyi, ¡°Here, brother, I toast to you. May your future path in learning be smooth and continuously move upwards.¡± Wei Jinyi nodded slightly and drank the remaining plum wine in his cup. ¡°Brother, once the rmendation letter got responded, when do you n to go to Huzhou Prefecture?¡± After asking the question, she found that Wei Jinyi only stared nkly at her, without saying a word. ¡°Brother?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi uncertainly, and seeing that he still had not responded, she waved her hand in front of his face. ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll see a lot of hands.¡± Wei Jinyi finally spoke, but the tone of his voice waspletely different from his usual cool and calm demeanor. ¡°Brother, are you okay?¡± Wei Ruo asked, instinctively cing the back of her hand on his forehead. ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m perfect.¡± Wei Jinyi answered with a very innocent and cute expression. This expression, reaction, and word choice didn¡¯t match up with the Wei Jinyi she knew! ¡°Are you¡­drunk?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t answer Wei Ruo¡¯s question, he just looked at her nkly, his eyes unblinking. When he was clearheaded, he would never dare look at Wei Ruo like this, it wasn¡¯t proper for a person who understood politeness, even if the other person was his sister. But now, he gazed at her this way with an intensely focused expression. And his fair, overly handsome face had turned a little red, spreading all the way to behind his ears. Wei Ruo could now confirm that Wei Jinyi was indeed drunk. Earlier Wei Jinyi had said he didn¡¯t hold his liquor well, she thought this was just amon excuse, under the impression that someone with low alcohol tolerance wouldn¡¯t be unable to handle a small cup of plum wine. But now it seems she was wrong, when he said he didn¡¯t hold his liquor well, it meant he really couldn¡¯t. Looking at the dazed Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo considered what to do. ¡°Brother, eat some food and drink some soup to sober up. Wei Ruo served food to Wei Jinyi, and filled his soup bowl with rib and yam soup, hoping that eating more could help to clear his head. Wei Jinyi obediently opened his mouth, waiting for Wei Ruo to feed him. Wei Ruo was stunned. Is this the same as her cold and aloof brother? Xiaobei also widened his eyes, and for a long time couldn¡¯t find his words. As the attendant who had taken care of the young master since he was a child, Xiaobei knew about Wei Jinyi¡¯s poor tolerance of liquor. But thest time this happened was when the young master had just turned ten, he drank a small cup of ¡°tee girl red¡± and then became obedient and somewhat talkative. But he was only ten then, and not yet as cold and aloof as he is now, so such a situation was not that hard to ept. Since then, the young master never touched alcohol again, and Xiaobei never had the chance to see his young master¡¯s drunken antics again. ¡°Could you eat by yourself?¡± Wei Ruo asked.. Chapter 75 - 75 Drunk and Disorderly 1 Chapter 75: Drunk and Disorderly 1 Trantor: 549690339????????? 7 ¡ª ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Jinyi obediently agreed, then picked up the bowl full of soup and drained it with a gulp. Then he handed the empty bowl over to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo nced at the empty bowl and then at Wei Jinyi. She vaguely felt as if Wei Jinyi was seeking praise from her! ¡°Um¡­second brother, you¡¯re wonderful¡­ you actually finished drinking everything! Very obedient!¡± Wei Ruo tentativelyplimented. Then Wei Jinyi, satisfied, put down the empty bowl. In that moment, Wei Ruo knew that her initial judgment was correct. Wei Jinyi had indeed brought the empty bowl to her for praises! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As Wei Ruo was pondering on how to navigate this version of Wei Jinyi, he opened his mouth again: ¡°Ruoruo you are beautiful.¡± Wei Jinyi stared at Wei Ruo with sincere eyes, there was even a hint of childlike quality in his demeanor. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know whether tough or be speechless and muttered: ¡°If you were not this good-looking and sincere, I¡¯d consider you as a stinky hooligan.¡± The distance between a refined gentleman and a fool is just a cup of alcohol, albeit a weak one with an alcohol percentage less than twenty. ¡°Ruoruo, can I perform a sword dance for you?¡± Wei Jinyi suddenly asked. ¡°What?¡± Wei Ruo was stupefied for a moment, not instantly reacting to what Wei Jinyi had said. Then Wei Jinyi stood up, walked out of the pavilion, and his intention became clear through his actions. He was going to perform a sword dance for her! Could he perform a sword dance? How would this man, elegant and refined, looking like a genteel schr look dancing with a sword? Would it be outrageous? Would he stumble? Or make a fool of himself? Several imagined scenarios quickly drifted through Wei Ruo¡¯s mind: clumsy dancing, stumbles, slips, even self-spanking. Xiaobei looked anxious, contemting whether to stop their young master. However, if the young master were empowered by liquor, his attempt to intervene might be futile. It could even lead to furtherplicated situations if they ended up shing. After debating for a while and assessing several potential oues, Xiaobei finally decided to stand by and not intervene. When Wei Jinyi arrived next to a small cluster of bamboo, he lithely hooked up a bamboo branch lying on the ground with his foot and steadily caught it with his right hand. Wei Ruo looked surprised. Despite his inebriated state, Wei Jinyi¡¯s physical movements were remarkably deft. Then using the bamboo stalk as a sword, he began to dance. The sword and his body moved harmoniously, disying a magnificent disy of martial arts. Each move was swift and fluid, and carried a unique blend of strength and gentleness. It was Wei Ruo¡¯s first time seeing Wei Jinyi perform a sword dance. Although she herself didn¡¯t possess any martial arts skills, she had seen Xiumei and Xu Zhengyong practicing martial arts, so she knew Wei Jinyi¡¯s ¡°sword¡± was not a mere waving about. As a martial artist Xiumei whispered in Wei Ruo¡¯s ear, ¡°Miss, the young master¡¯s swordsmanship is superb!¡± ¡°No wonder he has such a good physique. So, when he mentioned exercising, he wasn¡¯t bluffing me. He¡¯s actually been working out,¡± Wei Ruo remarked. Next to them, Xiaobei held his forehead, perplexed. If this continued, their young master might reveal all his secrets to the youngdy. Even though the youngdy and they had gone through trials and tribtions together, it might not be that good if she knew certain things, should it? All Xiaobei could do was to fret internally, praying that their young master would sober up soon. After performing a series of swordy, Wei Jinyi put down the bamboo stalk and returned to Wei Ruo¡¯s side, his deep eyes staring intently at Wei Ruo. ¡°Did I dance well?¡± Wei Jinyi asked, hope gleaming in his eyes like a child eager for praise after aplishing a task. Hmm, excellent, very good, you did it the best!¡± Wei Ruo praised. Upon being satisfied, Wei Jinyi¡¯s face inevitably broke into a sunny, radiant smile. Usually, his smile was quiet and unnoticeable, always polite and mild. This kind of radiant smile was the first time Wei Ruo was seeing. Not just Wei Ruo, even Xiaobei who had served him for over a decade was seeing it for the first time. ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯ve finished the sword dance. How about we go to the room for a nap?¡± Wei Ruo cated Wei Jinyi in a tone used when cooing to a small child. If this situation isn¡¯t going to get better anytime soon, might as well make him rest for a while in his room. ¡°Nope.¡± Wei Jinyi refused outright. Ok then, Wei Ruo retracted her earlier thought about Wei Jinyi behaving well after getting drunk. ¡°So, what do you feel like doing now, Brother Wei?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Wei Jinyi: ¡°Eat.¡± Wei Ruo: Such a leap in his train of thought! Wei Jinyi: ¡°Ruo¡¯s food is delicious. It¡¯s the best I¡¯ve ever had.¡± ¡°Oh, really, Brother Wei? Usually, I don¡¯t see youplimenting the dishes Meimei cooks. After getting drunk, you are finally being honest¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but grumble. ¡°Ruo, let¡¯s go eat!¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Ok ok ok, let¡¯s go eat. There¡¯s food already prepared, we can¡¯t waste it.¡± Wei Ruo led Wei Jinyi back to the dining table. Wei Jinyi sat back down at the table and started to eat, his demeanor, and every movement very good-natured, he enjoyed every bite. Gone was his usual restraint and formality, his actions were carefree but not impolite. He felt more like a normal person. Wei Ruo asked Xiumei and Xiaobei to join them for the meal. They had cooked a lot today, and it would be a waste not to eat. It¡¯s always better to have more people celebrating, even if today¡¯s host of the celebration was already drunk. After the meal, Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi and asked, ¡°Brother Wei, how do you feel now?¡± ¡°Delicious.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Great, he¡¯s still not sober! ¡°How about we go back to the room for a rest? We can leave it to Xiumei and Xiaobei to clean up.¡± ¡°Ok¡± Wei Jinyi agreed obediently. Then he turned around and obediently walked towards the room, pausing as he stepped over the threshold and looking back at Wei Ruo. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ruo going to sleep?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. I am going back to Tingsong Garden for sleep.¡± Wei Ruo quickly replied. Wei Jinyi pondered for a moment, then nodded in eptance. Finally, he entered the room, Xiaobei quickly followed him in. Seeing that the young master actually took off his outer garment and obedientlyy down, Xiaobei wiped the sweat off his forehead. ### When Wei Jinyi woke up, he looked around the room, slightly confused. What happened? Hepletely lost his memory after dining with Wei Ruo yesterday, he had no idea how he ended up in his room. ¡°Young master, you¡¯re awake? Have some ginseng tea to help clear your mind.¡± Xiaobei handed him the ginseng tea. ¡°What happened? When did I return to the room? When did Miss leave?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. Xiaobei looked troubled. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Young master, you got drunk in the afternoon and made quite a fuss. Miss had a hard time finally coaxing you to sleep in your room.¡± Xiaobei exined carefully. After Xiaobei finished answering, noticing his young master hadn¡¯t moved, said, ¡°Young master, don¡¯t worry, apart from letting Miss know you have martial arts skills because of your sword dance, you haven¡¯t revealed anything else.¡± ¡°I sword danced?¡± Chapter 76 - 76: Tense Situation_l Chapter 76: Tense Situation_l Trantor: 549690339 I ¡°Um¡­you danced¡­.¡± Xiaobei answered softly. Wei Jinyi felt a sudden throbbing in his temples. ¡°What else did I say?¡± ¡°Young Master didn¡¯t say much more, just many things you don¡¯t normally say to Miss. Youplimented Miss and Xiumei on their looks, praised how good their cooking was, and ¡± Xiaobei chose his words as modestly as possible to cushion the blow for his young master. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Also¡­ you were waiting for Miss topliment you¡­¡± Xiaobei bowed his head low, not daring to nce at his young master¡¯s expression. Wei Jinyi had another bout of headache. After the ident at the age of ten, he had stopped drinking. He disliked the feeling of losing control over himself and regretted his rash actions when drunk. He drank the plum wine yesterday, thinking that its sweetness would not result in intoxication. ### For several days, there was a tense atmosphere throughout Xingshan County. Several times, people had seen troops moving through the city, along with transports of supplies and equipment. Before long, rumors were flying that war might break out outside the city walls. Until now, there had only been minor skirmishes, but this time it looked like a full-scale war was imminent. With the looming danger, the city¡¯s inhabitants were fretful. If the city were to fall, none could escape the wrath of the Japanese pirates. However, all city gates were now strictly monitored. Even if the inhabitants wanted to flee, it was already toote. The Wei Family was also enveloped in a cloud of anxiety. Whether the rumors were true or not, even the Wei Family couldn¡¯t find out at this point. The government offices and the army had not made a public announcement yet. Meanwhile, Wei Mingting hadn¡¯t been home for ten days, leaving the Wei Family with no chance to ask him about the situation. Mrs. Yun was so worried she could hardly eat. She was concerned that her husband could be injured in battle against the ruthless Japanese pirates. While being anxious, she also had to continue managing the household in case the Wei Family needed to evacuate immediately in the event of defeat. With Mrs. Yun bustling about to take care of the household matters while worrying for her husband, it¡¯s clear that she¡¯s worn out from it all. Noticing this, Wei Qingwan went to Cangyun Garden every day to apany Mrs. Yun and help her with some misceneous tasks. Having grown up in the Wei Family, Wei Qingwan was well versed in matters of housekeeping, so she was able to effectively assist and advise Mrs. Yun. After a period of working together in Mrs. Yun¡¯s study, Mrs. Yun paused for a brief rest. Looking up to see Wei Qingwan busily helping with the home management and budgeting, Mrs. Yun felt deeply touched and couldn¡¯t help but express her thanks: ¡°I¡¯m so grateful for your help these past few days, Wanwan.¡± ¡°Mother, what are you saying? It¡¯s my blessing as a daughter to help you share the burden,¡± Wei Qingwan replied. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Qingwan then put down her work, went behind Mrs. Yun, and gave her a shoulder massage. As she massaged, she sincerely said to Mrs. Yun, ¡°Mother, you work too hard. You have to deal with all the assorted chores around the house, and now you¡¯re also worrying about father being on the front line. Please take good care of yourself. I don¡¯t care about our household¡¯s wealth, I just want my parents to be healthy and live a long life so that I can serve you both till old age.¡± ¡°Ah, I know you have a filial heart,¡± Mrs. Yun patted Wei Qingwan¡¯s hand, looking reassured. Then she sighed and said, ¡°With your help, I can at least lighten my load a bit. However, we are short-staffed. If something really happens and we need to flee to the Capital City, we will need more people.¡± Mrs. Yun¡¯s brows furrowed, feeling heavy-hearted. Her husband had entrusted this household to her. She must manage it well so that her husband would have no concerns. Witnessing Mrs. Yun¡¯s anxiety, Wei Qingwan said ever so gently, ¡°Mother, since the household work has been so overwhelming recently, why not bring back Mother Li? I don¡¯t wish to see you working so hard. If Mother Li returns, she may help you somewhat.¡± ¡°Mother Li made a mistake. Punishing her for three months by sending her to the farmhouse was already a light punishment. Letting here back prematurely will give the servants the wrong idea that the Wei Family isx in discipline,¡± Mrs. Yun said with some helplessness. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re right, but¡­¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, trying to say something but swallowing her words instead. Seeing this, Mrs. Yun said, ¡°Wanwan, you can say whatever you need to. We mother and daughter don¡¯t need to hide anything from each other.¡± Wei Qingwan then hesitated before continuing, ¡°I just think that in these extraordinary times, there should be some extraordinary forms of punishment. We are in need of manpower, and Mother Li is very adept at managing household matters. If shees back, she will surely be able to alleviate your burdens.¡± ¡°What you said also makes sense, but I can¡¯t easily change the three-month punishment period,¡± Mrs. Yun said, somewhat swayed by Wei Qingwan¡¯s argument. ¡°Punishment doesn¡¯t necessarily mean going to the farmhouse. She can also be punished when she¡¯s back in the mansion, such as continuing to withhold her sry and making her do more arduous work,¡± Wei Qingwan suggested. Mrs. Yun seriously contemted Wei Qingwan¡¯s words. Indeed, right now, their household was understaffed. Keeping Mother Li at the farmhouse wouldn¡¯t help matters, and bringing her home would be of greater benefit. ¡°Wanwan, tell me truthfully, are you missing Mother Li?¡± Mrs. Yun asked. Wei Qingwan bit her lip, her eyes glistening, and silently lowered her head. Mrs. Yun sighed; she naturally understood. Mother Li had been in the household for a long time, brought Wei Qingwan up from a child; of course, their bond would be deeper than that with others. ¡°What you just said does make sense. I am really short-handed right now. Let¡¯s have Mother Lie home, but she will be penalized another three months of sry. Also, the chief maid will still be Mother Zhang,¡± Mrs. Yun said. This was the additional punishment for Mother Li. ¡°I¡¯ll follow whatever Mother decides,¡± Wei Qingwan replied, her face lighting up with joy. In any case, Mother Li would now be allowed to return home. Mrs. Yun noticed Wei Qingwan¡¯s happiness and said, ¡°I know you have a close bond with Mother Li. Sending her to the farmhouse must¡¯ve upset you. But remember, she is ultimately a servant in our household. If she¡¯s not duly punished for her overconfidence andck of discipline, who knows how much she may trespass against us in the future.¡± ¡°Even when she returns, don¡¯t pamper her too much. She needs to understand her ce,¡± Mrs. Yun continued. ¡°I understand, Mother. Please rest assured, I will admonish Mother Li properly so that she won¡¯t make the same mistake again,¡± Wei Qingwan quickly assured Mrs. Yun. After discussing with Wei Qingwan about Mother Li, Mrs.. Yun breathed a sigh of relief and asked, ¡°I wonder what Ruoruo has been busy with these past few days?¡± Chapter 77 - 77: The Second Brother is Indeed Awesome 1 Chapter 77: The Second Brother is Indeed Awesome 1 Trantor: 549690339 N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Sister must still be busy studying these days¡­ I¡¯m not exactly sure about the specifics. Sister usually spends a lot of time in Yingzhu Garden talking with our second brother while she¡¯s in the residence. I¡¯ve tried to look for her a few times but she wasn¡¯t around, so I¡¯m not entirely sure¡­¡± Wei Qingwan replied. Upon hearing this, Mrs. Yun couldn¡¯t help but frown: ¡°Ruoruo is already thirteen, Jinyi is almost sixteen, they should avoid being alone together.¡± The fact that her daughter was closer to her half-brother than her own siblings, somewhat displeased Mrs. Yun. ¡°Mother, there¡¯s no need to worry about sister. She¡¯s been very cautious these days. Plus, didn¡¯t our second brother receive that rmendation letter? Soon, once the Huzhou Prefecture replies, our second brother will head to Huzhou Prefecture.¡± Wei Qingwan said. Upon hearing this, Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t look pleased but rather her expression became even more solemn. She onlyter found out that the box Wei Jinyi received was bought by Wei Ruo, and it was Wei Ruo who filled in the name. Although there was nothing wrong with that, Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t like the fact that her daughter was closer to her half-brother, yet distant from her own brother. When Mrs. Yun looked at Wei Qingwan, who was striving to alleviate her worries, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh yet again. ### Inside the Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo had heard all the rumors and spections. Compared to the situation in the Wei Residence, Wei Ruo was more worried about Xu Zhengyong¡¯s situation. Usually, new recruits go through a period of training before they go to the battlefield. However, the current situation is urgent and his abrupt enlistment is probably due to ack of manpower. There¡¯s not likely to be much time for training and adaptation. She wondered if Brother Xiaoyong had handed over the crossbow mechanism and if it was epted. If it was epted, it should help Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s status in the military, boost our forces, and make Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s situation rtively safer. In the original story, Xu Zhengyong didn¡¯te to Xingshan County or participate in the war, so Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t foresee his oue. A bit bored, Wei Ruo went to Yingzhu Garden to find Wei Jinyi. Upon entering, she saw Wei Jinyi ying chess with himself. Wei Ruo sat down next to him. She had no talent for chess, especially Go, which required a lot of thinking. She could only understand the basics, but had no idea how to actually y the game. ¡°Would you like to try?¡± Wei Jinyi stopped and asked. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s too brain-draining. I¡¯m not suited for this,¡± Wei Ruo hastily waved her hands in refusal. ¡°Farming also requires brain work. Different crops need different methods of nting and care, yet you can remember them all distinctly.¡± ¡°Specialization in different fields calls for different use of the brain. Anyway, I¡¯m bad at ying chess.¡± Wei Ruo rested her chin on her hand, contemting the chessboard in front of her. Anyone with discerning eyes could tell that she wasn¡¯t really focusing on the game, but pondering about something else. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± Wei Jinyi perceptively noticed the uneasy look on Wei Ruo¡¯s face today. ¡°Did second brother hear about the uing war?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes, I heard. It was bound to happen sooner orter,¡± Wei Jinyi answered calmly. ¡°Does second brother think we can win this war?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°There¡¯s an 80% chance we¡¯ll win.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Why 8o%?¡± ¡°Our father ounts for 30%, the nobleman who recently visited Xingshan County contributes 10%, the addition of troops from the court makes up 20%, and a good news from the military today adds another 20%,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Why does second brother think that the nobleman who recently came to Xingshan County can ount for 10%?¡± Wei Ruo asked curiously. The greatest contribution Chu Lan has made in this war is undoubtedly his request for the court to send additional troops to Xingshan County. But why does he individually ount for 10%? ¡°He¡¯s no simple rich young master. He¡¯s intelligent, familiar with military strategies, and good at using people,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi even more curiously. She was aware of what Wei Jinyi just said about Chu Lan because that was how Chu Lan was portrayed in the original story. However, she was surprised how urate Wei Jinyi¡¯s evaluation was, considering he seldom left the mansion. Noticing Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze, Wei Jinyi calmly exined, ¡°I like to read and hear about rumors. Even though I¡¯m confined in this mansion, I have enough understanding of the outside world.¡± ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re really impressive. If you were to take the imperial examination, your chances of sess would be quite high,¡± Wei Ruo said, increasingly confident in Wei Jinyi. Resting her chin on both her hands, her face was filled with admiration. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with little stars. Wei Jinyi smiled, then his right hand involuntarily reached out to Wei Ruo¡¯s head. Just when he was about to pat her head, he abruptly stopped. ¡°Second brother, what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Wei Jinyi quickly withdrew his hand, then came up with ame excuse, ¡°There was a dry leaf on your head.¡± ¡°But even if we win this war, it doesn¡¯t guarantee that my friend will survive.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s worry didn¡¯t lessen. Winning the war doesn¡¯t mean that everyone on the winning side will live to return. ¡°Is it the friend you mentionedst time?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. The previous time, Wei Ruo had also mentioned a friend. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s him. He¡¯s joined the military. The golden sore medicine I was rushing to makest time was for him,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Joining the military, that means he¡¯s a man. And for Wei Ruo to worry about him this much, their rtionship must be out of the ordinary. ¡°Did your friende to Xingshan County because of you?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. Wei Ruo only arrived in Xingshan County a few months ago and since then, hardly interacted with outsiders. So this friend is likely someone Wei Ruo knew from her time in Huzhou Prefecture. ¡°Sort of,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Since the nanny and Uncle Xu both came, Brother Xiaoyong would certainly havee along too. Lowering his head, Wei Jinyi rearranged his chess pieces. ### For two consecutive days, residents living in the eastern part of the city could hear a loud noise from the east and could sometimes even see mes reaching towards the sky. The already thick cloud of dread hanging over Xingshan County grew even denser. Over the past few days, both the Qian Residence and Xie Residence had stopped their lessons. Both Wei Qingwan and Wei Ruo stayed at home and didn¡¯t go out anymore. Inside Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo was looking over the ounts. The ¡°blind box¡± had earned Four Treasure House a total of 122 taels of silver. Xiumei hurried into the room: ¡°Miss, Nurse Li¡­ Nurse Li has been brought back to the residence!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be three months before shees back?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I heard that the second young miss pleaded on her behalf and as a result, Nurse Li has been allowed to serve her punishment here in the residence. Her monthly wages have been docked for an additional three months as a penalty.¡± Wei Ruo snorted softly: ¡°What a schemer.¡± ¡°Miss, Nurse Li is currently at the door of our courtyard, she says she wants to kowtow and apologize to you,¡± Xiumei reported, her face showing an expression of annoyance. She hade back, sure, but why did she have to find trouble? ¡°Let¡¯s go see her. In fact, I¡¯ve been feeling frustrated these past few days! I need a ce to vent the worry I have for Brother Xiaoyong!¡± Wei Ruo said.. Chapter 78 - 78 Teaching Madam Li 1 Chapter 78: Teaching Madam Li 1 Trantor: 549690339 Upon reaching the entrance of the courtyard, Wei Ruo indeed saw the long-absent Li Momo, who looked darker and thinner than she had two months ago. She knelt on the ground, and upon seeing Wei Ruo, she bowed and apologized. This scene attracted several servants of the residence to pause and spectate at the entrance of Tingsong Garden. Xiumei watched with furrowed brows, pulling Wei Ruo aside and voicing her worries softly, ¡°Miss, what should we do? Li Momo is doing this deliberately, isn¡¯t she? With such amotion and so many people watching, what¡¯s her aim?¡± ¡°I know what she¡¯s trying to do, she wants to tarnish yourdyship¡¯s reputation,¡± Wei Ruo was fully aware. When Wei Ruo first entered the residence, Li Momo was the one responsible for teaching manners to Wei Ruo. In a sense, she was also considered as Wei Ruo¡¯s half teacher. And being the old servant from the Earl¡¯s Residence, her kneeling and prostrating in apology in front of Wei Ruo created a rather unsightly situation. Based on how Wei Ruo and Li Momo had previously locked horns, and their conflicting bitterness, it was likely that Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t appreciate Li Momo¡¯s apology, but would possibly ridicule her again instead. If that were to happen, Wei Ruo would engage herself in the ungrateful act ofplicating the situation with the old Li Momo, leaving a bad impression on the other servants of the residence. ¡°So, what should we do?¡± Xiumei asked anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me,¡± Wei Ruo softly patted Xiumei¡¯s hand. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then she approached Li Momo: ¡°Li Momo, this is rather inappropriate!¡± ¡°Miss, if you don¡¯t forgive this old servant today, I will kneel here indefinitely!¡± Li Momo said mournfully. ¡°Li Momo, what do you mean by this? When have I ever med you? Please get up. You are an old servant of the residence and you had already suffered at the farm, there¡¯s no need for you to kneel like this!¡± As Wei Ruo was about to help Li Momo up, Li Momo looked at her surprisingly. In Li Momo¡¯s memory, Wei Ruo used to be arrogant, vulgar, and stubborn. She never paid proper attention to the rules and regtions that Li Momo taught her, but to the contrary, behaved with self-righteousness. Even during their dispute, Wei Ruo had headlong opposed her. Based on her understanding of Wei Ruo, she didn¡¯t expect such a reaction from Wei Ruo! ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t me me?¡± Li Momo asked. ¡°Our dispute that day was because you did something wrong. Lives were at stake, and I was naturally anxious. Now that it¡¯s all over, and my second brother has fully recovered, you have already been punished too. Why would I still hold any grudge against you, unless¡­ Li Momo, do you intend to continue wronging me and create more troubles?¡± Wei Ruo said, a faint smile lingering at the corner of her mouth. ¡°No, no. This old servant has already repented and will not offend again!¡± Li Momo hurriedly responded. As she said this, she attempted to knock her head again. ¡°Li Momo, what are you doing? I have already forgiven you, why are you still knocking your head?¡± ¡°This old servant feels guilty and fears that you don¡¯t genuinely forgive me.¡± ¡®We can¡¯t do this. Li Momo, you are old, and if you ruin your health by falling down at my doorstep, what are we going to do? Xiumei, quickly help Li Momo up.¡± ¡°Yes, miss.¡± Xiumei advanced swiftly. ¡°Li Momo, get up.¡± Xiumei didn¡¯t give Li Momo time to react; she slipped her hands under Li Momo¡¯s arms and lifted her up abruptly. Before Li Momo could recover from her surprise, she heard Wei Ruo continuing her instructions: ¡°Then check her knees and see if she¡¯s injured.¡± Upon hearing these words, Li Momo panicked, trying to stop them, ¡°No need, no need. I¡¯m not injured!¡± But how could her reaction speed match Xiumei¡¯s? Xiumei swiftly reached to Li Momo¡¯s knees. What her hand felt was not the hard bone of the knee, but something soft. Xiumei understood immediately, she quickly reached under Li Momo¡¯s skirt and pulled out the kneepads that she had tied on her knees. When the kneepads appeared in front of everyone, they universally disyed a look of disbelief, then disdain. Wei Ruo casually said, ¡°Li Momo, you indeed pay great attention to your health, not forgetting to protect your knees even when you are here to apologize.¡± Zhang Momo was on her way to look for Wei Ruo for some matters, and coincidentally arrived at the entrance of Tingsong Garden and witnessed this situation. Unable to hold back, she chuckled. Once Zhang Momo startedughing, the other servants who were watching the spectacle joined in. Hearing everyone¡¯sughter, Li Momo couldn¡¯t contain her shame and anger, snatching the kneepads from Xiumei¡¯s hands, she turned around and ran. Xiumei smiled and walked back to Wei Ruo¡¯s side, ¡°Miss, how did you know she was wearing kneepads?¡± The paved blue-stone bs here are rough and uneven. If she really kneeled onto it, even someone young would find it unbearable, let alone someone of Li Momo¡¯s age. Since she isn¡¯t here to truly apologize to me, naturally she wouldn¡¯t bear such suffering.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°I see, Miss is indeed smart!¡± ¡°And my Meimei is extremely quick-witted!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I am suitable to stay by Miss¡¯s side forever!¡± Xiumei said with augh. With theirughter echoing in the courtyard, the rest of the spectators disbanded. Li Momo ran back to Wangmei Garden in a panic. Seeing the diposed Li Momo, Wei Qingwan was concerned and approached to inquire, ¡°Momo, what happened?¡± ¡°Miss, what¡¯s going on? I was away for only two months in the countryside. How has herdyship¡¯s personality changed so much during this time?¡± Even now, Li Momo found it hard to believe. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never understood my sister.¡± Wei Qingwan lowered her head, whispering, ¡°Momo, you¡¯ve always described my sister as vulgar and arrogant, and the image she maintained in front of parents and brothers as hypocritical. But all this while, I¡¯ve never seen my sister reprimanded for being vulgar or arrogant. Instead, it¡¯s me who she often suppresses with rules and regtions.¡± Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°Earlier, when you proposed to challenge my sister, I tried to stop you precisely for this reason.¡± Li Momo¡¯s brows furrowed into the shape of a river, seemingly irritated, ¡°It seems that I have underestimated Wei Qingruo! Miss, don¡¯t worry. I was¡¯rash this time; now that I¡¯m back, there¡¯s plenty of time to slow down and confront her!¡± ¡°Momo, isn¡¯t it wrong¡­ if¡­¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. This is all my own doing. If anything happenster, I will take full responsibility and won¡¯t drag you into it!¡± Li Momo reassured Wei Qingwan. ¡°How can this be? Momo, you do all these things for me! How can I not be involved?¡± ¡°The punishment I received was all because of Wei Qingruo. I had a grudge with her in the first ce. This time, you pleaded me and allowed me to return home a month early. I¡¯m indebted to you, there¡¯s no reason to disobey you. Miss, please don¡¯t persuade me.¡± Li Momo had made up her mind. ### Two nightster, while everyone in Wei Residence was having tea after dinner, Wei Mingtmg, who had not returned home for seven days, suddenly came back. d in armour, his robe untaken off, his face smeared with dirt, and his hair disheveled.. Chapter 79 - 79 Winning the Battle 1 Chapter 79: Winning the Battle 1 Trantor: 549690339???????? ¡ª Everyone in the house immediately stood up to greet him. ¡°Husband!¡± Seeing her husband unharmed in front of her, Mrs. Yun was extremely excited, her face full of joy. ¡°Father!¡± Wei Yichen, Wei Qingwan, and the others all surrounded Wei Mingting, scrutinizing him closely. ¡°Great victory! We¡¯ve driven those Japanese at sea to a dissolute flight! Now there is not a single ship of theirs visible at sea!¡± Wei Mingting said gleefully. He was usually busy with public affairs, and when preparations for thisrge-scale battle began, he no longer returned home, putting his whole heart and soul into preparing for it day and night, sharing the same fortunes with his soldiers. Now that the war had been won, he returned home without dy to share this good news with his family, and assure them he was safe. ¡°A great victory? Really?¡± Mrs. Yun was thrilled. Everyone in the room showed an expression of immense joy, Wei Ruo was no exception. At this moment, the dark clouds that had been shrouding the Military Prefecture for days were finally dispersed, clearing the way for moonlight to shine through! Then, everyone joined Wei Mingting as he took his ce at the table. The maids quickly brought out tea and snacks. After having a few short words with his children, Wei Mingting allowed them to leave for the day since it was alreadyte, and he had just finished a grueling battle thatsted several days and needed to rest. Everyone gradually left. The next morning, Wei Yichen, Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan, and Wei Yilin arrived early and waited in Cangyun Garden. Normally, breakfast in their home was eaten separately, but today was different, everyone wanted to know more about the battle. After a while, Cuiping invited everyone toe inside. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Once inside, they saw that Wei Mingting had already gotten up. He was dressed casually and looked refreshed. Wei Mingting asked everyone to sit down and have breakfast together. On therge round table in front of them, there was white porridge, fried dough sticks, pickles, and soup dumplings, all of which weremon breakfast for the people in Taizhou prefecture. After breakfast, the servants! cleared the leftovers from the table. Everyone sat to the side, and Wei Mingting, knowing that the children hade early out of concern for him and also wanting to know what had transpired over the past few days, began to speak. ¡°We have to thank two people for this great victory.¡± Wei Mingting, who was usually quiet, spoke more today. ¡°Who are you referring to, my husband?¡± Mrs. Yun asked hurriedly. Everyone too was watching him with curiosity. ¡°One is a young man, the reinforcements sent by the court are closely rted to him. It was he who arranged this ambush, which circled around Wangyue Mountain and struck directly at the belly of the Japanese Pirates Army, disrupting their formation.¡± Everyone knew about this, so they were not surprised. ¡°And the second?¡± asked Mrs. Yun. ¡°The second is something none of us expected. Some days ago, the city was drafting soldiers, and a new recruit brought us an amazing weapon This weapon is a crossbow, but not an ordinary one, it can hold ten arrows at once and can be quickly reloaded once fired, making it highly efficient. Using this greatly increased our firepower,¡± ¡°Before the battle began, we summoned all the craftsmen in the city to work day and night to produce arge number of these crossbows in time for the fight.¡± -This is a great fortune for my husband and the people of Xingshan County! Is that new recruit some sort of master craftsman? He was able to create such a powerful weapon,¡± Mrs. Yun asked curiously. ¡°Eve already asked him, and it turns out that it wasn¡¯t him who created the weapon, but he got it from a wandering craftsman. Nevertheless, he deserves credit for it. Moreover, this man performed exceptionally in this battle, with unprecedented courage. After this matter is over, I intend to ask for a promotion for him to the General g (equivalent to a toon leader).¡± ¡°He is truly a godsend to help my husband and the people of Xingshan County1¡± eximed Mrs. Yun. As she listened from the side, Wei Ruo knew that Wei Mingting was talking about Brother Xiaoyong, and the smile on her face was even brighter. Xiaoyong was safe and had even earned military merits. That was great. ¡°Father, what about you?¡± Wei Yichen asked. If their father had won the battle, wouldn¡¯t he be promoted by the court as well? ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about my situation.¡± Wei Mingting knew in his heart that his fate depended on the Seventh Prince¡¯s attitude. The Seventh Prince and the Master of the Lu Family were both involved in this battle and they were most aware of the situation. In the end, it would all depend on how the Seventh Prince reported it to the court. ¡°My daddy is so brave, once this is reported to the court, they will surely promote daddy¡¯s position!¡± Wei Yilin couldn¡¯t help saying. ¡°Let¡¯s not think about that for now. Whether I get promoted or not is not something I can control. As long as we can win this war and bring the people of Xingshan County temporary peace, that is the most gratifying thing,¡± said Wei Mingting. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t really listen to what Wei Mingting said afterward, her mind focused solely on sharing this good news with her wet nurse and Uncle Xu. This conversationsted nearly an hour before Mrs. Yun finally let the children leave so that her husband could rest a little more. Coming out of the dining hall, Wei Ruo spotted Wei Mingting¡¯s guard, Jing Hu, and specifically asked him for the name of the soldier that Wei Mingting had ¡¯ praised today.???????????????????????????????? & Jing Hu gave a clear answer: Xu Zhengyong. Once she confirmed it was Brother Xiaoyong, Wei Ruo went back to her Tingsong Garden gleefully. ¡°Miss, why are you so happy?¡± Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s different stride, as if she was treading on clouds, Xiumei knew something good must have happened. ¡°I¡¯m going to write a letter to my wet nurse, and tell her about Xiaoyong¡¯s news,¡± said Wei Ruo as she walked toward the house. ¡°What¡¯s Xiaoyong been up to?¡± Xiumei hurriedly asked, her tone filled with excitement and curiosity. They hadn¡¯t heard any news about Xiaoyong since he joined the army. ¡°He has earned military merits.¡± -Really?¡± xiumei was filled with joy, but after a moment, she hid her joy and huffed, ¡°That stinky boy, I knew he was capable! Worthy of being my fellow disciple!¡± She then asked, ¡°When can Xiaoyonge home for a visit?¡± ¡°It should be in a few days. From what I understand, this battle has pushed back all the Japanese pirates in Xingshan County. We should have a period of peace for some time now. If that¡¯s the case, the barracks should arrange for the soldiers to go home for visits in batches,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°That¡¯s great! Miss, can I go find some supplements for Xiaoyong to take with him?¡± ¡°Go ahead, I was thinking the same thing. You and I are on the same page.¡± Xiumei turned around and ran off to the small storeroom with a bounce in her step. ### After waiting for two days, Xu Zhengyong finally came back. The wet nurse immediately sent a letter to Wei Ruo. Given that the two homes were close, the pigeon arrived at Wei Ruo¡¯s courtyard in no time. Upon receiving the letter, Wei Ruo and Xiumei used an excuse they¡¯d prepared in advance to go out. Now that Nurse Zhang was on Wei Ruo¡¯s side, even if Wei Ruo ran around after going out, she would turn a blind eye. When they neared the back courtyard of the Four Treasure House, they saw the wet nurse tearfully talking to Xu Zhengyong.. Chapter 80 - 80: Xu Zhengyong’s Promotion l Chapter 80: Xu Zhengyong¡¯s Promotion l Trantor: 549690339 Hearing the sound of footsteps and seeing Wei Ruo arrive, the wet nurse quickly wiped away her tears. ¡°Ruoruo!¡± Xu Zhengyong greeted with a radiant smile. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t reply, instead she gave him a careful once-over from head to toe. ¡°Stop worrying, Ruoruo, I¡¯m fine, I haven¡¯t been injured. I¡¯m pretty tough, all the fights I had growing up weren¡¯t for nothing, nor was the martial arts training from our master. And the crossbow you gave me, it¡¯s incredibly powerful!¡± ¡°Our crossbowmen rained down arrows on them. Before they could even get close, a good number of them had already perished. When the melee started, they were already weakened. Plus, I was so fierce, those short and stubby Japanese couldn¡¯t even touch a hair on my head!¡± To prove to Wei Ruo that he was perfectly fine, Xu Zhengyong demonstrated a few moves on the spot and even did a backflip. ¡°Alright, alright, stop flipping around, lest you get injured at home instead of on the battlefield while showing off!¡± Xiumei interrupted Xu Zhengyong a little impatiently. ¡°Hehe¡­Meimei, you¡¯ll have to call me senior brother in the future, right?¡± Xu Zhengyong didn¡¯t forget about this. ¡°In your dreams! You¡¯ve just fought one battle! Don¡¯t you know you need to stay injury-free for at least three to five years to prove your worth?¡± Xiumei retorted promptly. ¡°Three to five years? Isn¡¯t that too long?¡± Xu Zhengyong pouted. ¡°Too long? You think being a soldier is a two-day affair? When you chose this path, you should have known that this is almost a lifelongmitment, being safe for three to five years is probably even considered a lesser requirement!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t fuss with you about it. Three to five years it is. Sooner orter, you will willingly call me ¡®senior brother¡¯!¡± Xu Zhengyong responded confidently. Then he began boastfully sharing his thoughts and experiences with Wei Ruo as if he were showing off a trophy. ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯m about to get promoted!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s true, The Seventh Prince promised it personally!¡± Xu Zhengyong said then whispered, ¡°They don¡¯t let it be known that he is the Seventh Prince. I am telling you guys secretly, don¡¯t let it go further!¡± On hearing this, both Wei Ruo and Xiumei rolled their eyes. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, don¡¯t share such secrets with us in the future. If it¡¯s not supposed to be known, then don¡¯t say it,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°But you guys aren¡¯t outsiders! One of you is my sister and the other my junior sister. I don¡¯t have anything I can¡¯t tell you.¡± Xu Zhengyong didn¡¯t take it seriously. ¡°No, it¡¯s not appropriate. The army is not like anywhere else. The rules that should be observed must be observed. Military orders are as unyielding as mountains, even if it involves parents, siblings, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Wei Ruo said with a stern expression. ¡°That¡¯s right, the youngdy is correct, you better listen to her!¡± The wet nurse echoed. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll be careful next time.¡± Xu Zhengyong repeatedly agreed. Even his mother had spoken up. If he didn¡¯t agree, his dad¡¯s fist mightnd on him. ¡°What position has the Seventh Prince promised you?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just tell me not to say, Ruoruo?¡± ¡°The secret to keep is the identity of the Seventh Prince, not what he promised you, right? You¡¯ve already said the most confidential part, what are you holding back the rest for?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± After thinking for a moment, Xu Zhengyong conceded that she had a point and continued, ¡°He said he would promote me to Deputy General!¡± A General is equivalent to apanymander, and a Deputy General is a deputypanymander. From what Wei Mingting had impliedst time, he nned to promote Brother Xiaoyong to a General g (toon leader). Unexpectedly, Chu Lan directly promised Xiaoyong a higher position as Deputy General. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Usually, a solider would first be promoted to a small g (squad leader), then to a General g (toon leader), and then to a Deputy General. Xu Zhengyong had just been promoted three ranks in one go. Although Xu Zhengyong would still be far from Wei Mingting after his promotion, Xu Zhengyong is just a new recruit. Being able to go directly from ordinary soldier to Deputy General in such a short time is already quite impressive. ¡°Really? Are you going to be a Deputy General?¡± Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but cheer. ¡°Hehe, the prince promised me this. Whether it wille true, I still don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°With the prince¡¯s promise, it will definitely happen. For the prince to want someone to be a Deputy General, it¡¯s simply a matter of a spoken word. Besides, Brother Xiaoyong, you really have contributed a lot this time, your promotion is well-deserved, there will be no problem!¡± Xiumei said, her face full of joy. ¡°Meimei is right.¡± Wei Ruo agreed. If it were only Wei Mingting intending to promote and reward Xu Zhengyong, Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t be so sure. But now that Chu Lan had made the promise, the odds of sess were almost 100%. Even though she didn¡¯t like Chu Lan, she could confirm he was a man of his word. The wet nurse said to Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to thank the youngdy fast? If she hadn¡¯t helped you make the crossbow, where would you have gotten your promotion?¡± The wet nurse knew very well that her son¡¯s big promotion relied on the crossbow given by the youngdy. If it were only for the brave performance on the battlefield, he would at most have been promoted to a small g. How could he be promoted three ranks all at once? ¡°Yes indeed!¡± Xu Zhengyong suddenly became serious, straightened his clothes, and bowed respectfully to Wei Ruo. ¡°Thank you, Ruoruo.¡± He was quite serious at first, but unfortunately, his mischievous and teasing smile gave him away at the end. ¡°The crossbow I provided is one aspect, but Brother Xiaoyong has also won praise with his own strength. I heard that Brother Xiaoyong is very good at fighting, he can take on several men at once. When the two armies shed up close, he was at the lead.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°That¡¯s because of the good master the youngdy found for him. It¡¯s all thanks to the youngdy¡¯s foresight in finding a master to teach them early on. Otherwise, Xiaoyong wouldn¡¯t have his current ability.¡± The wet nurse agreed. ¡°Exactly, what my mother said is right. Ruoruo is the best to me! She is so forward-thinking!¡± Xu Zhengyongughed merrily. As he wasughing, Xu Zhengyong suddenly remembered something, ¡°Oh, right, Ruoruo, I¡¯ve used up the golden sore medicine you gave me. Do you have any more?¡± ¡°Where did you get hurt?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°No, not at all, it¡¯s not me.¡± Xu Zhengyong hurriedly exined, ¡°It¡¯s not that I got hurt, but myrades were injured. Medicine is scarce in the barracks. The medicine we do have is given to those who are seriously injured. My tworades were not severely injured, so they didn¡¯t receive any medicine. So, I gave them your golden sore medicine.¡± The wet Nurse pped Xu Zhengyong, ¡°You stinker, don¡¯t you know the youngdy¡¯s medicine is very expensive? It¡¯s supposed to be saved for your sake!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, wet nurse, I can afford it. It was valuable that it was used onrades. I¡¯ll make more golden sore medicine for Brother Xiaoyong in the next few days. If this happens again, Brother Xiaoyong, just use it without holding back.¡± Wei Ruo said.. Chapter 81 - 81 Wei Mingting also got promoted l Chapter 81: Wei Mingting also got promoted l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo continued speaking to Xu Zhengyong, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the medicine. If you need anything, just write a letter to me. I will prepare everything.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯ve been so kind to me! Having you as a sister makes my life worthwhile!¡± Xu Zhengyong was deeply moved. ¡°Above all else, guarantee your safety,¡± Wei Ruo reminded him once more. Brother Xiaoyong sometimes acts impulsively without considering the consequences, so she had to nag him a bit. ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t worry, Ruoruo. I have everything under control,¡± Xu Zhengyong reassured her with a smile. ¡°Oh, right. Meimei brought quite a few things for you too.¡± Wei Ruo said pulling Xiumei forward. Xiumei looked a little shy, hesitated for a moment, then abruptly shoved the bundle she was carrying into Xu Zhengyong¡¯s arms. ¡°What are you doing? Are you trying to hit me?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked. The force with which she tossed the bundle nearly matched the strength of a punch. ¡°I¡¯m not hitting you! These are all good things to nourish your health,¡± Xiumei exined. Upon learning that the bundle was full of health supplements, Xu Zhengyong could not help but grin: ¡°Meimei, you¡¯re so good to me! You could be my wife in future even if you don¡¯t want to be my junior apprentice sister!¡± ¡°What are you talking about!¡± Xiumei immediately raised her fist and went after Xu Zhengyong, who scurried away, tightly clutching the bundle and not letting it go. ¡°Xu Zhengyong, stop right there!¡± Xiumei yelled. Xu Zhengyong ran faster, shouting in response, ¡°I won¡¯t stop! If I do, you¡¯ll beat me to death! I survived the battlefield only to be crippled by you at home. How do I exin this to myrades when I go back?¡± Wei Ruo and their maid could only shake their heads in resignation, ustomed to the yful banter between these two. They knew that, after all, no serious harm woulde of it. Wei Ruo and Xiumei stayed at Xu Family¡¯s house until dusk. It was gettingte and they had to leave, said goodbye to the Xu family, hopped onto the carriage and returned to Military Prefecture. ### After two days, good news arrived at Wei Residence. Xu Zhengyong¡¯s promotion to Deputy General was finalised. Wei Ruo had Xiumei deliver the packed medicine to him. She initially nned to prepare more, but time simply did not allow for further dy as Xu Zhengyong might soon return to the barracks. Simultaneously, the Wei family received good news¡ªthat Wei Mingting also received a promotion. He was promoted from Deputy Battalion Commander to Battalion Commander. His honorary rank of Sixth-rank Colonel was also upgraded to regr status. The Military Prefecture erupted in celebrating the happy news. Wei Mingting had held the position of Deputy Battalion Commander for a long time without receiving a promotion. They had previously feared the possibility of his demotion or dismissal. Now, the dark clouds had lifted and everyone was jubnt. ¡°Quick, write a letter to the Capital City to inform the Duke Residence of this good news!¡± Madam Yun instructed her eldest son Wei Yichen to write a letter to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in the Capital City, reporting this joyous news. Even though the Residence will probably hear the news before they do, it was the family¡¯s duty to keep them informed. She also ordered to prepare a celebration feast for her husband. Even though it was just a family meal and not a full-fledged party¡ªas instructed by Wei Mingting to avoid extravagance. Given the bad crop yield in Xingshan County and the cold weather earlier than usual, there were signs that this year would be challenging. Under such circumstances, it was not wise to waste extravagantly. By nightfall, the Wei family had gathered. Wei Jinyi, who rarely appeared at the dining hall, had surprisingly turned up today. Seeing Wei Jinyi, Madam Yun paused momentarily. ¡°Mother,¡± Wei Jinyi greeted Madam Yun. ¡°Hmm.¡± Mrs. Yun responded with a hum, not saying anything. Thinking more carefully about the unusual circumstances of the day, it was understandable that he was willing toe and join them for dinner. Her surprise was because he hadn¡¯te to the dining hall to have dinner with everyone for such a long time, making her momentarily taken aback. Wei Yichen took the initiative to greet Wei Jinyi: ¡°Second brother, are you doing well recently?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s answer was asckluster as always, being consistent with his demeanor. ¡°When will you be going to Huzhou Prefecture?¡± Wei Yichen inquired further. ¡°That will still need some more time.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, just let your big brother know.¡± Wei Yichen stated. Wei Jinyi gave a slight nod in response. Wei Qingwan¡¯s gazended on Wei Ruo. Today, Wei Ruo was dressed in a light green satin dress with a simple bun, making her appear lively and bright. With their father being promoted, the eldest legitimate daughter of the family has gained greater importance. Wei Qingwan understood fully that the more prestigious a family was, the more it values respect for elders and the social ranking of siblings. In the future, when it came to marriage negotiations, the eldest legitimate daughter would enjoy an advantage. Thinking of this, Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression became somewhat gloomier. We Ruo didn¡¯t pay attention to the expressions of the other people. As she stood in a corner of the dining hall, her mind was upied with other matters. She had many concerns recently, apart from the sweet potatoes in the north of the city, the wastnd improvement in the south, and the herbal fields with the Xie family, she was also considering using the recently saved 500 taels of silver to buy food and coal from other ces. While Wei Ruo was daydreaming, Wei Mingting, dressed casually, appeared in the dining hall. ¡°Father.¡± Wei Yichen stepped forward to greet. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Mingting hummed in response, his gaze then falling onto Wei Jinyi who was behind Wei Yichen. ¡°You¡¯ve decided to venture outside today?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi responded in his characteristically neutral tone. It seemed no matter who stood in front of him, he would react in the same way. ¡°That¡¯s very good. You should get out more and shouldn¡¯t always stay cooped up in your courtyard.¡± Wei Mingting expressed his relief. Then, Wei Mingting turned his attention to Wei Qingwan and Wei Ruo. ¡°Father.¡± Wei Qingwan obediently called out. Wei Ruo, who was lost in thought, responded much slower. It was only when she noticed Wei Mingting looking at her that she hurriedly called out: ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Mingting answered. ¡°Let¡¯s all take our seats.¡± At Wei Mingting¡¯smand, everyone took their seat in order. Presently, in Xingshan County, the rules were somewhat rxed. If this had been the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in the Capital City, considering the ages of the children in the household, the boys and girls would have been seated at different tables. Therge round table was filled with various dishes. The dishes for tonight¡¯s dinner were especially abundant: home-cookedrge yellow croaker, wheat shrimp, salt-roasted pig liver, steam crabs, dough wraps, tofu balls, boiled chicken¡­ It was clear that there were many more seafood dishes. This was after the victory, and some fishermen managed to go out to sea and catch it. They took the initiative to deliver the seafood to the Military Prefecture to express their gratitude to Wei Mingting for defeating the Japanese Pirates. Wei Mingting looked at the spread in front of him with joy, not only because of the good food in front of him, but also because it meant that the townspeople could go back to their fishing livelihood. For an agriculturally poor county like Xingshan, this was excellent news. N?v(el)B\\jnn At this moment, Wei Jinyi had Xiaobei bring in a pot. ¡°Jinyi, what good things have you brought?¡± Wei Mingting curiously asked.. Chapter 82 - 82 - Ruoruo Surprisingly Knows How to Brew Wine_l Chapter 82: ¨C Ruoruo Surprisingly Knows How to Brew Wine_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°It¡¯S plum wine, brewed by our eldest sister herself, I¡¯m just the one delivering it,¡± Wei Jinyi exined. Everyone looked in surprise at Wei Ruo, who calmly kept her gaze on the dishes in front of her. The second brother had consulted her before proceeding with this. She had originally not nned on presenting this gesture to Wei Mingting, but the jar of wine had been opened previously and if left for too long, it would lose its taste. The jar was nearly full, having been left untouched after the second brother¡¯s drunken episode, only a couple of cups had been consumed. And since Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t particrly fond of alcohol, she wouldn¡¯t drink it on a normal day, so it would be a waste to let it sit. The second brother said that father loved wine, but wasn¡¯t addicted to it, letting him taste it would be putting it to good use. And since the second brother had already consulted her, she didn¡¯t want to contradict him, so she remained silent. ¡°Ruo can make wine?¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s gazended on Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes, it was a casual attempt,¡± Wei Ruo casually answered. ¡°Well, your father must taste it properly,¡± Wei Mingting dered. Happiness elevates the spirit, the weight of the Japanese Pirates issue temporarily lifted, and Wei Mingting¡¯s longing for wine emerged. Upon hearing this, Mother Yun promptly poured Wei Mingting a cup, then filled a cup for everyone present except for the young Wei Yilin. Toasting is a refined activity, so on this celebratory asion, Mother Yun allowed their older children to drink. Wei Mingting tasted it first, and then a look of surprise appeared on his face, ¡°Ruo, did you really make this wine?¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Ruo responded indifferently. ¡°The wine is truly excellent. It¡¯s clear, sweet and light, with a strong aroma of wine and fruit,¡± Wei Mingtingmented. Upon hearing Wei Mingting¡¯s praise, Mother Yun and Wei Yichen also took a sip. Both showed expressions of surprise. ¡°Ruo made a good wine. It¡¯s purer and sweeter than what¡¯s sold at the taverns in town,¡± Wei Yichen said. The purity and sweetness probably came from the distition method Wei Ruo used, resulting in a pure and clear wine, transparent like water. In this era, many wines, especially those brewed in small workshops, were somewhat crude, resulting in a more cloudy product. Mother Yun also couldn¡¯t help but praised, ¡°Ruo is really skillful. This is the first time I¡¯ve tasted a wine that is so warming yet mellow.¡± Listening to everyone praising Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan looked down at the cup of wine in front of her, and then tentatively took a sip. She didn¡¯t drink much and didn¡¯t have much opportunity to drink. So she didn¡¯t know as much about wine as her parents and brothers. But Wei Qingwan could tell that the wine was indeed good. The clear, sweet and refreshing taste could be discerned. Suddenly, she felt a bitter taste in her heart. She looked up at Wei Ruo with a smile on her face, and praised along with everyone else, ¡°Sister is really amazing. It seems that nothing can stump you. Compared to you, I am really useless. ¡°How could Wanwan be useless? Wanwan is good at her own things,¡± Mother Yun reassured quickly. ¡°Exactly, making wine is not a work for a dijinguish youngdy, isn¡¯t that the job for sweaty brewmasters in those small workshops outside?¡± Wei Yilin added hurriedly. ¡°Yilin, what are you talking about?¡± Wei Mingting looked serious. Wei Yilin was afraid of Wei Mingting. As soon as Wei Mingting looked serious, he immediately lowered his head, not daring to make a sound. Usually when Wei Mingting was not at home, he would sometimes make simr disparaging remarks about Wei Ruo. No one in the family got angry, so he took it for granted. ¡°If these were unintentional words, then let them slide. But if you deliberately disrespect your eldest sister, you can skip today¡¯s meal and go stand in the yard!¡± Wei Mingting said coldly. Hearing this, Mother Yun quickly pleaded for her youngest son, ¡°Yilin must have misspoke unintentionally. Husband, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Wei Yilin lowered his head very low and nodded lightly. Seeing this, Wei Mingting did not pursue the matter further. Wei Yichen exined to Wei Yilin, ¡°Yilin, brewing is not as crude as you think. Good brewing recipes are usually family secrets passed down from generation to generation. Plus, there¡¯s an official winery in the pce, where the brewmasters hold official positions.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Wei Yilin responded softly. Actually, he knew all that his big brother said. He just spoke like that because he didn¡¯t want Sister Wanwan to feel inferior to Wei Qingruo. As for the remaining Wei Jinyi, he pretended to take a sip, but in reality not a drop entered his mouth. Wei Ruo noticed this. After what happenedst time, he wouldn¡¯t dare to touch any alcohol, even this mild fruit wine. The meal ended, and the jar of wine was finished, most of which was consumed by Wei Mingting. The rest of them just took a few sips. As for Wei Mingting¡¯s tolerance, this fruit wine wouldn¡¯t make him drunk, not even seven or eight jars would. He loved wine, but he abstained when he had official duties. Today, they were celebrating a great victory at home. It was a rare opportunity to drink in these past few years. Having a jar of good wine made him ecstatic. When the banquet ended, Wei Mingting unexpectedly asked Wei Ruo for more wine, ¡°Ruo, if you make more wine in the future, let your father taste it, alright?¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t refuse, so she said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll remember to make some for father next time.¡± She didn¡¯t know when the next batch of wine would be ready, and the wine just brewed couldn¡¯t be drunk immediately, it had to be left for a long time. So Wei Mingting might not get to taste her next batch of wine until who knows when. As for the few jars still stored in her warehouse, Wei Mingting only asked for the next batch, not those already brewed, so naturally she didn¡¯t need to bring them out. Wei Mingting said, ¡°Good, your father will be looking forward to Ruo¡¯s next fine wine.¡± After the banquet, everyone left the dining hall one after another. As soon as Wei Ruo stepped out of the door, Wei Qingwan walked towards her. Wei Qingwan took the initiative to talk to Wei Ruo and handed her a sachet that she had embroidered herself: ¡°Sister, I embroidered this sachet for you. I¡¯m not as capable as my sister. I can only do some embroidery work. I hope sister will not dislike it.¡± Wei Ruo turned her head to look at Wei Qingwan but did not take it. Seeing that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t react, Wei Qingwan exined, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve kept in mind what you taught me on Qixi Festival. But at the moment, I can¡¯t think of a better way to express my sincerity to sister. So I embroidered a sachet to show my intentions.¡± Wei Ruo examined Wei Qingwan intently. Wei Qingwan, perhaps feeling guilty or ufortable, lowered her head to avoid direct eye contact with Wei Ruo. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll ept it.¡± Wei Ruo suddenly reached out to take the sachet. Immediately after, Wei Ruo saw Wei Yichening out of the dining hall and passed the sachet to him. ¡°Ruo, what is this?¡± Wei Yichen looked at Wei Ruo in confusion.. Chapter 83 - 83 Early Planning_l Chapter 83: Early nning_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Elder brother has given me Tingsong Garden, and I¡¯ve wanted to send him an embroidered silk pouch for a while now. But, s, my hands are clumsy, and I don¡¯t know how to embroider. Just by chance, sister Qingwan gave me one, so I will present that to my brother in a gesture of turning flowers into a Buddha offering,¡± said Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo grinned widely, then turned on her heel and walked away. She didn¡¯t care whether it was okay to re-gift things given to her. Either way, she¡¯s a countryss, surely they¡¯ll understand that she doesn¡¯t know every custom, right? In any case, she dared not ept anything from Wei Qingwan. Who knew if this was just a trap? Although for the time being she couldn¡¯t fathom what schemes Wei Qingwan could spin around a simple silk pouch, if she didn t give her an inch, her ns would remain futile. After all, how could something as frivolous as a silk pouch make up for the grudge of ndering and wronging her? By the time Wei Yichen figured out what he was holding in his hand and tried to call out to Wei Ruo, she had already left. ¡°Wanwan, was this the pouch you were nning to give Ruoruo?¡± Wei Yichen asked Wei Qingwan. ¡°Yes, perhaps she did not like it because I didn¡¯t make it well enough, whispered Qingwan. ¡°Ruoruo is just like that, brusque in her actions but not ill-intentioned. She has been at the residence for some time now, so don¡¯t think too much of it, Wanwan,¡± said Wei Yichen, dismissing the slight incident. Both his sisters are good girls with different temperaments, two pearls of the Wei family. ¡°Yes¡­ I understand¡­¡± replied Qingwan, her low-dropped face wearing an awful expression. ¡°I will keep the pouch. Thank you, Wanwan.¡± Although he didn¡¯t necessarily need an embroidered silk pouch, it represented the good intentions of his two sisters, which he cherished. ### Capital City, the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. News of Wei Mingting¡¯s promotion quickly reached the Capital. The news came directly from the Capital, ahead of the letter sent from Xingshan County. The news plunged the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence into a sea of joy. ¡°Good job, third son! This is a celebration, a great celebration. It is a joyous asion for the entire Duke Residence!¡± The old Duke was delighted and his face beamed with a joy not seen in a long time. It had been three whole years, and finally, his third son had received another promotion! The worry that had been gnawing at him could finally be put to rest! Both Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong couldn¡¯t contain their smiles. ¡°Father, this is truly a joyous asion. Now we do not have to worry about our little brother being demoted,¡± Wei Mingyong said with a smile. ¡°Father, given this great asion, shouldn¡¯t we make a trip to Xingshan County to personally congratte him?¡± Wei Minghong suggested. N?v(el)B\\jnn The old Duke objected: ¡°There¡¯s no need for a personal visit. Even though you¡¯re only doing routine tasks at the moment, you still hold an official position. Can you afford to run around so recklessly? Are you trying to give others something to hold over you?¡± The old Duke continued: ¡°If you two as his elder brothers truly care for your younger brother, show your sincerity. You should prepare some congrattory gifts for him. Xingshan County is rather impoverished, and I heard that this year¡¯s yield is not looking good. The situation even before the fall harvest suggests a potential food shortage. You two as his elder brothers should consider his plight.¡± Seeing their n to visit Xingshan County thwarted and their father urging them to dip into their wealth, the expressions on Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong¡¯s faces became awkward. After some hesitation, Wei Mingyong was the first to speak: ¡°Father is right, I will go back and arrange a suitable gift. We cannot let our little brother s promotion go uncelebrated.¡± Once Wei Mingyong had spoken, Wei Minghong couldn¡¯t be left out. Despite his reluctance, he said: ¡°Father, rest assured. Even if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I would have arranged this matter in due course.¡± Despite their reluctance, the brothers didn¡¯t dare to gloss over their father¡¯s suggestion. They returned home and prepared some items which were then taken to the old Duke. After the old Duke had sorted through them, they were sent off to Xingshan County. ### At the end of July, Wei Ruo received a response from Mo Jiazha. The vige leader wrote on behalf of the vigers promising that they would store enough grain for the next year and then sell any surplus to Wei Ruo at the local market rate after the harvest. Their vige had been nting the rice seeds that Wei Ruo had given them and using the farming knowledge she had taught them, which had considerably increased their rice yield for several consecutive years, far surpassing the surrounding viges. This also significantly improved the living conditions of Mo Jiazha, which was originally a poor vige. They could now feed themselves, and also sell the surplus grains for money. The vigers remembered this favor, so regardless of how the price of grain changed in the future, they would sell it to Wei Ruo at the usual price. The coal had also been taken care of. They had already ordered a batch from Huzhou Prefecture, which would arrive soon. Both the current situation and the memory of the original host told Wei Ruo that this year wouldn¡¯t be easy. The looming challenges for Xingshan County were food shortage and cold. Wei Ruo knew she had to n for these issues early. ¡°Miss, are we really spending so much silver on grain and coal? That would be almost all of the liquid assets you have,¡± Xiumei voiced her worries. Wei Ruo had already spent most of her savings on the purchase of Xiaoyang Mountain. Now she was about to spend another five hundred taels of silver on grains and coal, which would almost deplete her savings. ¡°Running water doesn¡¯t rot, and money begets money. Silver itself is just a cold lump of metal. It only bes meaningful when I can use it to get what I want,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°As long as you have a n, Miss. If anythinges up, don¡¯t bear it alone. Nanny, Uncle Xu, and I can help share the burden,¡± Xiumei said. -Don¡¯t worry, my dear Mei Zi. Your Miss has always been savvy when ites to making money,¡± Wei Ruo replied with a smile, then touched her stomach, ¡°although working my brain so much makes me hungry. ¡°Alright, alright, I got it. I¡¯ll make you some snacks. The seafood we boughtst time has all been dried. How about I roast some dried squid for you?¡± ¡°Sounds great, make some extra and send it to second brother as well. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get right to it!¡± Xiumei took out the dried squid they had dried a while ago and went over to Yingzhu Garden next door to roast it on their kitchen stove. After roasting, she divided it into two portions. She left one portion at Yingzhu Garden for Xiaobei to deliver to Wei Jinyi, and brought the second portion back for Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo happily noshed on a piece of the crispy roasted squid and busied herself in her room for the whole afternoon. On the other hand, Wei Jinyi, who had received the roasted squid from Wei Ruo, savor it delicately. Xiaobei remarked from the side, ¡°Young master, Miss Ruo really cares about you, always thinking of you when she has something nice! Chapter 84 - 84: The First Batch of Sweet Potatoes Chapter 84: The First Batch of Sweet Potatoes Ripple_l Trantor: 549690339 Although Wei Jinyi did not respond, she agreed with Xiaobei¡¯s view in her heart. She really liked this brother, and if one day she learned the truth¡­ she didn¡¯t know if she would be heartbroken. Xiaobei couldn¡¯t resist asking again: ¡°Young Master, are we really going to Huzhou Prefecture? If we go there, we won¡¯t see the youngdy again.¡± ¡°Yes, we have to go.¡± Wei Jinyi had made up her mind. There were some things that were inconvenient to do in Wei Residence. Only by going out could he get the freedom to act. Seeing Wei Jinyi¡¯s changes, Xiaobei was happy but also worried. The young master had always been avoiding people all these years. Now he had changed his mind, he didn¡¯t know if this was a good or bad thing. ### A few dayster, they received a return letter from Huzhou Prefecture. The rmendation letter from Heyou was very effective, and the Tibetanyman nned to meet Wei Jinyi in person. So, Wei Jinyi prepared to set off for Huzhou Prefecture. Wei Mingting personally ordered Yunshi to prepare Wei Jinyi¡¯s luggage, carriage and horses to ensure a smooth journey for Wei Jinyi. Yunshi did not dare to neglect his order, but she felt a bit lost. Her second son who had always been insignificant in the Residence got the chance to be a disciple of the Tibetanyman, while her elder son who had been praised by the teacher¡¯s ssmates had to stay in Xingshan County, desperately seeking the next opportunity. When Wei Jinyi left, Wei Ruo did not see him off. She just prepared a box of farewell gifts for Wei Jinyi and gave it to Xiaobei the day before. After Wei Jinyi left, Wei Ruo sat in the yard, propping her chin with one hand and sighed unconsciously. ¡°I suddenly feel that my decision is not very wise. There¡¯s no one to talk to at home. With the departure, it feels even more deste. Xiumei said, ¡°Miss, I have no way to influence this. You made this decision. If you feel bored, then I must suffer a bit and apany you more to talk.¡± ¡°Good Mei mei, don¡¯t be jealous of my brother. You are the most important, you are the person who talks to me the most. I can bear to lose anyone, but not you,¡± Wei Ruo exined hastily. Xiumei was made to giggle by Wei Ruo, ¡°Alright, alright, Miss, are you hungry again and want me to make you something delicious?¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s all from my heart, no tactics,¡± Wei Ruo said with a chuckle. ### Time shed to the eighth month of the lunar calendar, and the weather turned cool. On the first day of the eighth month, it was overcast, and the mood of the people was also like the weather. The reason was nothing more than the poor growth of this year¡¯s rice. The rice ears had fewer grains and were not full. Many of them were empty, and it was foreseeable that the grain situation would be poor this year. At the same time, the sweet potatoes on Xiaoyang Mountain were also harvested. Compared with the sorrow of other farming estates¡¯ workers, Xiaoyang Mountain was filled with joy of the harvest. The hired farmhands turned the earth, dug up sweet potatoes, and then carried them down the mountain in loads. The long-term and short-term farmhands in the nearby estates craned their necks to watch. In fact, they were curious when Xiaoyang Mountain began to grow sweet potatoes. Later, they sold some vine leaves, and everyone knew vaguely that this was a new crop that could be eaten. But if they only sold some leaves, nting a whole mountain seemed not worthwhile. Today, when they saw the farmhands on the mountain carrying loads of sweet potatoes down, they realized that the main part of these nts to be eaten was the tubers in the ground. They were not sure if these red pieces were tasty or not. The majority of the first batch of sweet potatoes that were dug up were sent to the warehouse, and only a small part was sent to the market for sale. Looking at this year¡¯s situation, it was more important to store grain than silver. Of course, Wei Ruo still needed to sell some sweet potatoes to obtain some liquid capital, but this was not in a rush. She needed to wait until all the sweet potatoes were dug up, evaluate the total output, and then decide how much to sell. For now, only a small amount was sold, more like a promotional campaign for this new type of crop, paving the way for futurerge-scale sales. At the market, a charcoal fire rack was set up next to the small stall selling sweet potatoes, and the sweet potatoes were roasted on it. Soon, the baked sweet potatoes exuded a tempting food smell and attracted many people to stop and ask. Having tasted the sweet potato leaves and dried sweet potatoes before, everyone had some understanding of this crop and knew it was edible with a nice vor. The price of roasted sweet potatoes was neither expensive nor cheap, five coins each. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om But this year, everyone could foresee that the grain would be in short supply, and the price of grain in the rice shops was already rising. Considering this, the price of sweet potatoes was reasonable. After the first customer bought a roasted potato, tasted it, and said it was delicious, the subsequent sales were fast, and the sweet potatoes were quickly sold out. Many people wanted to buy more, but the stall selling baked sweet potatoes had already closed down. Those who wanted more could onlye back another day. ### In Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo was in a very good mood. Xiumei was also happy. Every time a crop was harvested, the youngdy¡¯s mood was exceedingly good. If crops matured every day, the youngdy would probably be as happy every day. What Xiumei did not know was that Wei Ruo was not only happy about the abundant harvest of sweet potatoes on Xiaoyang Mountain, but also because the sweet potatoes she herself had nted in the yard had matured too. Though quantitatively they couldn¡¯t bepared with those on Xiaoyang Mountain, these were sweet potatoes that Wei Ruo had nted herself and she could gain experience points from them. There were initially only a hundred experience points required to upgrade to the third level of the space. With this harvest, she directly gained two hundred experience points, which sessfully upgraded the space to the third level. Not only did the avable space for cultivation in the space increase, but she could also unlock a new kind of space nt ¨C Shiitake Mycelium. After the space was upgraded, Wei Ruo immediately nted Shiitake Mycelium in the space¡¯snd. Thend in the space could support any nts and didn¡¯t require her to make additional adjustments to the soil and environment. Even though the environmental factors required for growing mushrooms differed greatly frommon nts, in thend of the space, all could be realized. Besides, Wei Ruo nned to cultivate mushrooms in the outside world, which would be a lot moreplicated, requiring appropriate cultivation materials and environment. At the moment, there are several advantages to growing mushrooms in Xingshan County: first, their growth cycle is very short. Under suitable temperature and humidity, they can mature in a week. Second, they do not need to be nted in the ground and do not upynd resources. In Xingshan County,nd resources are extremely limited. Even with the addition of the wastnd in the south of the city, the per capita cultivatednd area is still not abundant. Lastly, and what pleased Wei Ruo most, was that there were many hills in Xingshan County, many of which had caves. When she visited the Xie Residence, she had discovered many natural caves in the nearby hills. If the humidity and temperature inside the caves were suitable, they could be natural mushroom cultivation rooms.. Chapter 85 - 85 Encounter with Xie Family Siblingsi Chapter 85: Encounter with Xie Family Siblingsi Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Meimei, contact the nanny, I have something I need her to help me buy.¡± Wei Ruo said enthusiastically. Firstly, Wei Ruo needs to prepare all the necessary materials, which are sawdust, wood shavings, rice bran or wheat bran. These are the mainponents of the mushroom cultivation bundle. N?v(el)B\\jnn Among them, sawdust and wood shavings form the major part, each constituting about forty percent. Both of these can be purchased at a low price from the carpenters in town. The remaining rice bran and wheat bran are also not difficult to obtain, and their prices are not expensive. The initial purchase doesn¡¯t have to be inrge quantity, wait until the practice has proven sessful and feasible, before considering expansion. The purchasing tasks should be given to the nanny, while Wei Ruo herself needs to investigate the caves in Xingshan County to see if there are any suitable for her requirements in terms of temperature and humidity. Wei Ruo put her n into action once she had it set. For this trip, Wei Ruo still brought Zhang¡¯s nanny along. Being with Wei Ruo, Zhang¡¯s nanny has not only increased her status, but also received many good things from Wei Ruo, especially food, benefitting greatly as a result. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t involve Zhang¡¯s nanny in the other things she was doing, but she would have Zhang¡¯s nanny help with cover, facilitating her ess to the Military Prefecture. Zhang¡¯s nanny is quite generous, not saying much about taking advantage from Wei Ruo. She was naturally afraid of trouble, as long as Wei Ruo didn¡¯t create any problems, she would be toozy to reveal Wei Ruo¡¯s secrets to Madam Yun. The mountains in the west area are deste and precipitous. If the mountains to the north of the city still have the potential to be cultivated into terraced fields, then these mountains to the west are out of the question. They are barren, precipitous and full of stones; only suitable as firewood hills, and only nearby firewood gatherers and huntsmen would visit. The carriage couldn¡¯t go up the mountain, so it had to stop on the nearby path. Seeing that Wei Ruo was nning to head up the mountain, Zhang¡¯s nanny anxiously advised, ¡°Miss, I suggest you not climb this mountain. There¡¯s nothing valuable on it, it¡¯s really not worth it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll just take a stroll. This mountain is rugged, who knows, there may be a lot of valuable medicinal herbs. This trip won¡¯t be wasted,¡± assured Wei Ruo. The nearby vigers didn¡¯t recognize medicinal herbs, so Wei Ruo thought that her chances of finding medicinal herbs on these rugged mountains were quite high. Of course, her main goal was to personally see the number, size of the caves on these mountains, and whether the temperature and humidity inside really made them natural incubators for mushroom cultivation. Seeing this, Zhang¡¯s nanny didn¡¯t continue to dissuade her, she just wasn¡¯t willing to climb the mountain herself: ¡°Then Miss, I will wait for you down here with the carriage. This mountain is too dangerous and I can¡¯t handle it with my old legs.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay, you just wait for me down there. If you¡¯re tired, you can take a nap in the carriage.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t n to take Zhang¡¯s nanny with her up the mountain anyway, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t know how to exin when she found the caves. Wei Ruo and Xiumei went up the mountain together, an activity they had done many times before. For Xiumei, as long as her young miss didn¡¯t secretly climb the mountain alone, she was grateful. What she was most afraid of was her young miss sneaking into the deep mountain forest alone. This always worried her to death. Just as the two were about to climb the mountain, a group of people approached from another trail. Wei Ruo recognized them from a distance and confirmed who they were as they approached. It was the Xie siblings. Xie Ying also recognized Wei Ruo and elerated her pace, jogging towards Wei Ruo. ¡°Ruoruo!¡± ¡°Slow down, be careful not to fall.¡± Wei Ruo cautioned. Xie Jue, who was following close behind Xie Ying, echoed the same, ¡°Yingying, did you hear? Miss Wei also said you should be careful. The path here is full of weeds, dead branches, and broken stones. It would be dangerous if you fell!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, you guys don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± Xie Ying didn¡¯t think she would fall ¨C she was agile! Next, Xie Ying asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to collect herbs from the nearby mountain.¡± Wei Ruo replied, choosing not to mention her mushroom cultivation n to the Xie siblings yet. Hearing this, Xie Ying¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°The herbal remedy you gave mest time, I gave it to my mom, and she said it worked!¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s helpful.¡± Wei Ruo said with a smile. ¡°So, I¡¯lle and pick the herbs with you this time! Once I find it, you can tell me how to use it!¡± Having had a sessful experience thest time, Xie Ying was fully energised this time. Hearing this, Xie Jue was confused and asked, ¡°Little sister, what kind of medicine did you give to our mother? Is mother sick? Why does she need medicine?¡± ¡°This is a women¡¯s issue, it¡¯s none of your business!¡± Xie Ying pulled Wei Ruo aside to prevent Xie Jue from hearing their conversation. Xie Jue was exasperated, ¡°Little sister, our mother is my mother too, can I not be concerned about her health?¡± ¡°No!¡± Xie Ying refused. Seeing that Xie Ying couldn¡¯t be persuaded, Xie Jue turned to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, please tell me, is there anything wrong with my mother¡¯s health?¡± ¡°Your mother is fine, Mr. Xie, please rest assured.¡± answered Wei Ruo. Xie Ying said with a triumphant look at Xie Jue, ¡°Brother, you might as well give up. Ruoruo and I are on the same boat.¡± Xie Jue sighed helplessly, ¡°Alright then.¡± Xie Ying, holding Wei Ruo¡¯s hand, started to walk up the mountain, chatting idly along the way. Wei Ruo asked Xie Ying, ¡°What brought you here, by the way?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember, we have a second house nearby. Brother and I just dropped by after visiting there and decided to stroll around the neighborhood.¡± Xie Ying is restless by nature and she always feels bored staying at home. Now that she had Xie Jue with her, she would seize every opportunity to let him bring her out. After a short walk, Wei Ruo found some Paris Polyphy, also known as Polygonatum. Wei Ruo carefully picked them up like treasures. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xie Ying curiously inquired. ¡°This is called Paris Polyphy, also known as Polygonatum, it¡¯s good for treating snakebites. It¡¯s easy to recognize ¨C usually a stalk has seven leaves, but some have six. It¡¯s actually quite hard to find, I didn¡¯t expect to be so lucky today to find it on the mountain.¡± exined Wei Ruo. Xie Ying diligently took note while Xie Jue listened with interest. Xie Ying then spotted the same nt nearby and quickly called for Wei Ruo to identify it. ¡°Yes, this is Paris Polyphy.¡± Upon receiving Wei Ruo¡¯s confirmation, Xie Ying carefully began to dig it up. Once she sessfully dug up the whole nt, she proudly showed it off to Xie Jue, ¡°Brother, see how well I dug it up.¡± ¡°Yes, my sister¡¯s nt is the most beautiful.¡± Xie Jue gave his unprincipledpliment. Anything his sister did was naturally the best, there was no doubt about it. Even if it was just simply digging up a nt, it must be more beautiful than what others have dug up. After digging up the Polygonatum, Xie Ying ran over to examine the dry weed that Wei Ruo was picking up from the ground. ¡°What¡¯s this Ruoruo? Isn¡¯t this just some dried up wild grass? Why are you picking it?¡± Xie Ying asked.. Chapter 86 - 86: Exploring the Cave 1 Chapter 86: Exploring the Cave 1 Trantor: 549690339?????? ¡ª This one is called Sophora Japonica; it¡¯s just the right season to pick it.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Sophora Japonica? What¡¯s it used for?¡± ¡°Sophora Japonica is remarkably effective in treating scrof, a disease with a high mortality rate, hence it¡¯s quite valuable. However, it is overlooked by many due to its simrity tomon weeds. It gets its name because its flowers resemble dried grass in summer.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡¯I didn¡¯t expect such amon-looking nt to be so useful.¡± Xie Ying bent down to help Wei Ruo pick it. ¡°Moreover, Sophora Japonica can be used to make herbal tea. It makes a tasty drink when boiled with lotus leaves and Phyllostachys extract.¡± Wei Ruo added. Ruo Ruo, you know how to make herbal tea too?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Making herbal tea is quite simple. You just put the ingredients in water and boil them together. There¡¯s not much technique required. I can also make herbal jelly and turtle jelly ¨C those are a bitplicated but they¡¯re great for cooling down in the summer.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Ruo Ruo, you¡¯re like a treasure! I want to take you home and hide you away!¡± Xiumei, standing nearby, couldn¡¯t help but interject: ¡°Miss Xie, kidnapping is illegal. If you¡¯re thinking about taking our young miss home, I¡¯ll report you to the authorities!¡± Xie Ying pouted, ¡°Do you think I could kidnap your young miss with you around? Why don¡¯t I give you some silver, and you tie her up for me?¡± Xiumei immediately asked Wei Ruo for advice, ¡°Miss, Miss Xie offered me silver. If she offers a lot, can I consider it?¡± Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°You can consider it. If the offer is substantial, I might even cooperate and let you tie me up, then share the spoils with you.¡± Xiumei agreed, ¡°Uh-huh, yeah! After we get the silver, I can go to the Xie Residence to rescue our young miss!¡± Xie Ying was taken aback: ¡°How dare you two plot to steal my silver right in front of me!¡± As she spoke, she raised her hand, pretending to throw the freshly picked Sophora Japonica at Wei Ruo. But after a nce, she couldn¡¯t bear to do it, instead, she changed direction and threw it forcefully into Wei Ruo¡¯s medicine basket. Xie Jue, standing five steps away, couldn¡¯t help butugh as he watched the interactions of the three girls. Miss Wei was indeed a lively and attractive character, no doubt capable of taming his headstrong sister. After a while, Wei Ruo spotted a cave. Wei Ruo curiously headed towards the cave, Xie Jue hurriedly intercepted, ¡°Miss Wei, don¡¯t go there, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Dangerous?¡± Wei Ruo looked back at Xie Jue with puzzled eyes. ¡°The caves around Xingshan County arerge and deep. The internal structures areplicated, I¡¯m afraid of the possible presence of wild beasts or snakes, rats, insects, ants, etc.¡± Xie Jue exined. ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, Sir Xie, but I¡¯m still keen to take a look. Rest assured, my maid is extremely capable. We also have experience dealing with snakes, rats, insects and ants, so we have the strength to handle any issues.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Convinced by the resolve in Wei Ruo¡¯s words, and for safety¡¯s sake, Xie Jue decided to apany them into the cave. ¡°I¡¯ll stay behind you, in case of danger, I can help,¡± said Xie Jue. ¡°Then I¡¯m going too.¡± Xie Ying swiftly stepped forward. Xie Jue quickly grabbed her arm, ¡°Yingying, why are you going?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I go if you all are? I¡¯m very capable too.¡± Xie Ying imed. Although she had no martial arts training, her skills in horse-riding and archery were not to be underestimated, making her more capablepared to the averagedy. ¡°But there might be snakes, rats, insects, ants in the cave, aren¡¯t you scared?¡± Xie Jue asked. ¡°If Ruo Ruo isn¡¯t scared, why should I be?¡± Xie Ying retorted fearlessly. ¡°If Yingying wants to go, I have an insect repellent ointment here.¡± Wei Ruo promptly took out a ceramic container from the bag she brought with her. Upon opening the container, there was a light yellow wax-like substance inside. Wei Ruo lightly rubbed the ointment on her fingertip, then applied it to Xie Ying¡¯s wrists and behind her ears. Xie Ying sniffed her wrist, ¡°It smells wonderful, like a delicate fruit scent, sweet and very pleasant.¡± ¡°Yes, I prepared this scent deliberately. I recently learned perfumery and applied it in this ointment. The original ointment had an undesirable medicinal smell.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°You¡¯re applying what you¡¯ve learned, Ruo Ruo. You¡¯re amazing!¡± Xie Ying couldn¡¯t help but praise Wei Ruo again. Xie Jue behind sight was also amazed. The young Miss Wei was really interesting, like an inexhaustible treasure, continuously surprising people. Xie Jue looked at Wei Ruo, his eyes filled with admiration and approval, and unconsciously a smile appeared on his face. Xie Ying asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo Ruo, can you put some of this ointment on my brother as well? I dont want him to be bitten by ants either.¡± Wei Ruo handed the entire box to Xie Ying, ¡°Here, you can have it.¡± ¡°If you give it to me, what about you?¡± Xie Ying asked. I still have some, I made several boxes at once.¡± Wei Ruo answered. All right, then!¡± Xie Ying didn¡¯t hold back, she took Wei Ruo¡¯s ointment and turned around to hand it to Xie Jue. ¡°Just smear a little bit, use it sparingly. After you¡¯re done, you have to give it back.¡± Yes, yes, I know.¡± Xie Jue answered with a smile. After everyone applied the insect repellent ointment, they entered the cave together. Xie Jue took the lead, protecting the three girls behind. The cave was somewhat narrow and the routeplex. After a while, Wei Ruo suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s get out. This isn¡¯t the cave I¡¯m looking for. The path is narrow and diverges further in, it¡¯s dangerous to continue.¡± Although Xie Jue and Xie Ying didn¡¯t know the reason, listening to Wei Ruo¡¯s reasoning, they decided to leave without lingering. They turned their direction and exited the cave. After exiting, Xie Jue asked Wei Ruo, ¡°What kind of cave are you looking for Miss Wei? When I was a child, I used to y around here a lot and am familiar with the surroundings. Perhaps I can help.¡± Looking at Xie Jue¡¯s earnest face, Wei Ruo pondered for a while then shared her thoughts: ¡°I want to find a spacious cave that is temperate, warm in winter and cool in summer.¡± Arge space that¡¯s warm in winter and cool in summer¡­¡± Xie Jue thought earnestly, ¡°Along this trail, halfway up the mountain, there seems to be a cave that fits your requirements.¡± ¡°Do you remember the way, Sir Xie?¡± Wei Ruo hurriedly asked. ¡°Yes, I remember. I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± Xie Jue replied. Thank you, Sir Xie!¡± Wei Ruo expressed her gratitude. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal with me.¡± Xie Jue looked at Wei Ruo, his smile gentle. After the pleasantries, Xie Jue took the lead, guiding Wei Ruo, Xiumei, and his sister towards the mountainside. After bypassing a fewrge rocks, they reached the broad entrance of a cave. Still, Xie Jue led the way, with the three girls following behind him¡­.N?v(el)B\\jnn Chapter 87 - 87: Prescription for Xie Yins 1 Chapter 87: Prescription for Xie Yins 1 Trantor: 549690339????????? &¡ª This time, the cave was quite spacious from the entrance onwards, with enough room for everyone to walk inside standing straight, even the tallest, Xie Jue, didn¡¯t need to bend over. After taking around seven or eight steps, the interior space became evenrge It was a vast, irregr, unbroken space with no branches or forks. One nce was all it took to take in the whole cave. The cave wasn¡¯t deep, and its entrance was both wide and high, allowing the outside light to shine in, making it possible for those inside to clearly see the entire cave. The cave was mainly surrounded by rock walls, with some areas being earth walls covered with vines, indicating that the cave was very stable and unlikely to copse under normal circumstances. Wei Ruo could even see water flowing down the right stone wall, suggesting the cave¡¯s humidity level was not low. As for the temperature, it was quitefortable inside the cave at this time. Wei Ruo walked around along the stone wall, inspecting the entire cave. In someers, she found some wild mushrooms, slim and greyish white in color, which were of an inedible variety. However, this indirectly evidenced that the cave¡¯s environment was suitable for the growth of mushrooms. ¡°What do you think, Sister Wei? Does it meet what you had in mind?¡± Xie Jue asked after Wei Ruopleted her round. Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°Yes, this ce perfectly matches the cave I have been searching for.¡± Xie Jue revealed a smile, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Considerately, he didn¡¯t further question Wei Ruo as to why she was looking for such a cave. If Wei Ruo had chosen not to reveal her motives at the beginning of the day, then it was not appropriate for him to press too much. If Sister Wei wanted to share, she would do so naturally. Having more or less finished inspecting the cave, Wei Ruo said to the Xie siblings, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m done. This cave is pretty good. But we can discuss what to do with it next time. Let¡¯s go out for now.¡± ¡°Shall we continue to gather herbs?¡± asked Xie Ying. ¡°If you are willing, we can continue to move further up the mountain to get some more herbs.¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡®Let¡¯s go. I want to personally pick some useful herbs and take them back to boost my mother¡¯s health.¡± said Xie Ying. She had money, but that was given by her mother. Using the money given by her mother to buy herbs for her mother didn¡¯t mean she had any skill. If she picked the herbs herself, the meaning would be different. Seeing his enthusiastic sister, Xie Jue turned to Wei Ruo and reluctantly said, ¡°My sister is not yet satisfied. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to trouble you, Sister Wei,¡¯to continue leading us to find some herbs.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± agreed Wei Ruo. Exiting the cave, the group headed deeper into the forest. The deeper they went into the mountains, the higher the chance of finding valuable medicinal herbs became. It wasn¡¯t until dusk that the four of them descended from the mountain. Upon returning, Xiu Mei and Xie Jue each carried a bamboo basket, both filled to the brim. Wei Ruo had wrapped a bundle in cloth, and Xie Ying, having no cloth, used her brother¡¯s robe to wrap the rest of the herbs. Most of these herbs were not very valuable. Even collectively, they were probably less valuable than Xie Jue¡¯s cloud brocade robe. But what could he do? His sister wanted to use it, how could Xie Jue refuse? Once they had reached the foot of the mountain, Xie Ying wanted to give most of the herbs to Wei Ruo, keeping only a few to prepare a herbal tea for her mother. Wei Ruo refused, ¡°What you picked is naturally yours.¡± Xie Ying said, ¡°No need. I just want some Sophora Japonica to make a herbal tea for my mother.¡± Wei Ruo insisted, ¡°What you picked is yours.¡± But Xie Ying argued, ¡°But without you telling and teaching me, I wouldn¡¯t know them at all, let alone take them home.¡± Wei Ruo responded, ¡°Teaching and picking are separate. The knowledge you gain is yours. The fruits of yourbor also belong to you.¡± After thinking for a while, Xie Ying agreed, ¡°Okay then.¡± Xie Ying turned back to Xie Jue and said, ¡°Brother, make sure you take good care of these herbs. Don¡¯t lose any of them. We can¡¯t afford to lose even a single one!¡±???????? & Xie Jue, smiling, repeatedly assured, ¡°Alright, alright. I got it. I will take good care of them.¡± With a slightugh, Wei Ruo then asked, ¡°Do you have any paper and pen?¡± ¡°What do you need paper and pen for?¡± Xie Jue asked. ¡°The herbs we gathered today can be used to make a nourishing soup with mild medicinal properties, which is very suitable for women to consume. I will write it down. Once you get back home, you can process the herbs ording to my instructions and then cook them in the right proportions,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Xie Ying had mentioned that she wanted to gather herbs to nourish her mother¡¯s health. Now that they have gathered the herbs, Wei Ruo naturally felt obliged to provide the prescription as well so that Xie Ying could fulfill her wish. Ruo Ruo, you will also give me the prescription?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Yes, although herbal tea is simple, it doesn¡¯t have much nourishing effect. Additionally, as the weather has started to cool down, herbal tea is not suitable for frequent consumption.¡± said Wei Ruo. Xie Ying was overjoyed and went up to hug Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo Ruo, you¡¯re so nice!¡± Xie Jue didn¡¯t have any paper and pen on him, so he quickly sent a servant who had been trailing them from a distance since they left to fetch some from his residence. Whenever he and his sister left the house, the servants would undoubtedly follow them. While they were on the mountains earlier, these servants were also around, maintaining a certain distance to ensure that the siblings and Wei Ruo could y freely. When the Xie family¡¯s servant returned with the paper and pen, Wei Ruo found a rtively t rock and wrote down the prescription. Xie Jue, who had been watching on the sidelines, couldn¡¯t helpughing at Wei Ruo¡¯s sloppy calligraphy. It wasn¡¯t that he was mocking her, he just found it somewhat endearing. It seemed that not everything was Sister Wei¡¯s forte. He was then mercilessly pinched in the arm by his sister. Xie Ying red at Xie Jue, warning him with her eyes not to ridicule her best friend¡¯s handwriting, even though it was indeed ugly. Only then did Xie Jue supress hisughter. Wei Ruo wrote very meticulously,prehensively detailing the processing methods for each of the herbs they had gathered today. After she finished, she handed the prescription to Xie Ying, and after that, said goodbye to the two. Having parted ways with the Xie siblings, Wei Ruo and Xiu Mei took the same route back to their waiting carriage by the roadside. Seeing Wei Ruo returning sote, Nanny Zhang said somewhat helplessly, ¡°Miss, you just about scared me to death. If you had not returned anyter I would have gone back to fetch help! I can cover for you, but you mustn¡¯t get yourself into any trouble. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to handle the repercussions!¡± I understand, next time I will try toe back earlier,¡± Wei Ruo replied. She too knew that she had returned a bitte today. But there was no helping it under the circumstances; Xie Ying was not willing to leave, and she couldn¡¯t really force her to leave. Nanny Zhang sighed, ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re safe.¡± Wei Ruo and Xiu Mei mounted the carriage. On the way back, Wei Ruo began to contemte her next arrangements. N?v(el)B\\jnn She had found the suitable cave. For now, it was enough. If the experiments proved sessful, Wei Ruo thought of considering to scale upter.. Chapter 88 - 88 Planting Success, Fast Profits i Chapter 88: nting Sess, Fast Profits i Trantor: 549690339 j???????? ¡ª N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo will have to negotiate with the vige chief of the nearby vige to use this cave for mushroom cultivation. Although the mountain is barren and anyone can cut wood and collect herbs from it, a long-term lease agreement for the cave would require the agreement of the vigers. She¡¯ll assess how to proceed after investigating all the details. ### Xie Jue and Xie Ying returned to the Xie Family¡¯s separate property first. Xie Jue had the collected herbs taken care of ¨C those that needed to be dried were dried, and those that needed cleaning were cleaned. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t mess up these herbs,¡± Xie Ying warned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister. I¡¯ll take good care of them since you collected them yourself,¡± Xie Jue said with a smile. And give me back that ointment from earlier, don¡¯t think about hoarding it.¡± Xie Ying stretched out her palm, demanding the ointment from Xie Jue. This time, Xie Jue did not readily give it to her, but began to plead with Xie Ying. ¡°Yingying, leave the ointment to me.¡± ¡°Brother, what do you want it for?¡± Xie Ying asked curiously. Nothing much, I just like its scent and want to keep it for the fragrance. Besides, when it¡¯s hot at night, I¡¯m often bothered by mosquitoes while reading. Applying this ointment might help me avoid this annoyance.¡± ¡°You can have it if you need it.¡± Xie Ying was always generous to her own family. As long as Xie Jue had a legitimate reason, she would not be stingy towards him. Then Xie Ying added, ¡°But don¡¯t forget, you need to return a gift to Ruoruo. Last time, I asked you to bring something nice from the capital, you haven¡¯t done that yet, leaving me without a gift to give.¡± Xie Jue cried injustice, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re wronging me! I haven¡¯t stepped out of Xmgshan County sincest time, let alone going to the capital. How could I bring something back for you?¡± ¡°Then what are you doingzing around Xingshan County all this time? Haven¡¯t you finished what you need to be busy with?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Some of it is done, but there are still some things that need to be dealt with,¡± Xie Jue replied. The war has temporarily ceased and he should indeed return, but due to affairs rted to the Seventh Prince, his grandfather has ordered him to stay in Xingshan County for a few more days. ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll be going to Taizhou prefecture in a couple of days. The Seventh Prince is currently in the government city; I need to take care of some matters there. I¡¯ll spare some time to buy some interesting things for you and Miss Wei of the Wei Family,¡± said Xie Jue after pondering for a while. ¡°Alright, but you need to make good choices. My gift isn¡¯t important, but she¡¯s given me gifts several times, and my return gift needs to be appropriate so as not to bring disgrace,¡± Xie Ying instructed. ¡°Rest assured, I won¡¯t let you lose face,¡± Xie Jue assuredughingly. The siblings joked andughed for a while, then left the separate property with their harvest from the day and returned to their main Xie Family estate. ### Upon receiving Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, the wet nurse immediately took action; she instructed her husband to purchase what Wei Ruo needed, while she represented Wei Ruo to discuss matters with the vige near West Mountain. The negotiation process was surprisingly smooth; as soon as the wet nurse mentioned hiring people from the vige and offering a monthly wage of 150 coins, the vige chief immediately agreed. To respect the vige chief, the wet nurse, ording to Wei Ruo¡¯s intentions, gave him the right to nominate suitable and capable young people from the ¡¯ vige. At first, the vige chief tried to refuse, but after hearing that if they seeded and needed to expand in the future, requiring more people to be hired, he readily agreed. Because selecting just one or two people would be difficult for the vige chief. But, if there could be job opportunities for a dozen or twenty people, he would have an easier time arranging that, and would not worry about the vigersining about his arrangements. For their little poor mountain vige located west of Xingshan County, this was good news. They had no special skills and only had few acres of thin farnd. Even if they had good weather, their harvest was not enough for their livelihood, let alone in recent years. Having a job to do and earning two hundred coins per month would be enough to fill a family¡¯s belly. After the materials were collected, they were prepared ording to Wei Ruo¡¯s given proportions. They prepared many cylindrical culture media, like dry pieces of wood. Then, they carried them into the cave, and the subsequent work was assigned to the hired vigers, Li Erniu and Hen Dong. The job was notplicated; they were mainly responsible for overseeing that no wild animals or people would enter the cave and cause destruction. They also had to observe the growth of the mushrooms and report regrly. Seven dayster. The first batch of shiitake mushrooms grew. The wet nurse personally ran over and after setting a standard for picking, she let Li Erniu and Hen Dong, who were in charge, pick all the mushrooms that met the standard size criteria. Then, she sent people from her shop to transport them down the mountain. Then, the wet nurse sent some mushrooms to the Wei Residence for Wei Ruo. Seeing the first batch of externally cultivated shiitake mushrooms, Wei Ruo was overjoyed. Having a harvest after a mere seven days, shiitake mushrooms certainly have a much shorter growth cyclepared to other crops! Miss, how should we deal with these mushrooms?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Take them to the market for sale immediately,¡± Wei Ruo instructed, ¡°then tell Uncle Xu to look for more caves like the one we found, in the same area, to increase our nting scale.¡± ¡°Miss, shiitake mushrooms aren¡¯t a staple, and they won¡¯t keep for long. If we nt too many and can¡¯t sell them, we¡¯ll be stuck with them,¡± Xiumei worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, once we expand the scale, I don¡¯t n to sell them all. The mushrooms we can¡¯t sell, we¡¯ll dry into dried shiitake or make them into shiitake sauce. These methods can greatly prolong the shelf life of the mushrooms.¡± Wei Ruo already had countermeasures. Dried shiitake and shiitake sauce? I¡¯ve never tasted those before, looking forward to it!¡± Xiumei was intrigued. ¡°When they are ready, you¡¯ll be the first one to taste them!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who tastes them first. As long as the Miss can grow more crops and earn more silver, that will be great!¡¯ As Wei Ruo and Xiumei were happily discussing about shiitake mushrooms someone from the front yard came by to notify them that Miss Xie had sent¡¯a gift and was waiting for Wei Ruo to personally sign for it. Before they left, they specifically mentioned that Miss Xie sent quite a few items, suggesting Wei Ruo bring more people to help with the pick-up. Xie Ying has been moring to give Wei Ruo a return gift for quite some time now, so Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t very surprised when she heard about this. However, she wondered what gift Xie Ying had prepared for her. When Wei Ruo arrived in the front yard, there were already many people standing there. Even Yunshi and Wei Qingwan were there. ¡°Miss Wei,¡± a kindly-looking elderly man came forward, saying with a beaming smile, ¡±1 am the butler of the Xie Residence. I have been ordered to deliver a return gift to you by our young master and his sister.¡± Wei Ruo looked at the horse cart loaded with goods behind the Xie Residence¡¯s butler, and asked, ¡°Is this all?¡± Chapter 89 - 89: A Generous Gift from the Xie Chapter 89: A Generous Gift from the Xie Family_i Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Yes,¡± the butler gave a affirmative answer, then held out the gift list with both hands, ¡°This is the gift list, please take a look, Miss Wei. Looking at the densely written characters on the gift list, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know how to respond for a moment. Weren¡¯t Xie Jue and Xie Ying, the brother and sister, a bit too generous? A full cart, even when the Military Prefecture sent New Year¡¯s gifts to the manor in the Capital City, it wasn¡¯t that much, was it? Madam Yun stepped forward, nced at the gift list in Wei Ruo¡¯s hand, and her face immediately changed. Just the Yun brocade alone was quite intimidating. Currently, only Madam Yun in the Military Prefecture had any left, and that was from old garments made in the past. As the decline of the Loyal and Righteous Duke¡¯s Residence became apparent, there hadn¡¯t been any Yun brocade in the house for many years, so no new clothes had been made from such materials. There were also many ornamental pieces and medicinal materials, none of which weremonly-seen cheap items. Madam Yun hurriedly said to the butler of the Xie Residence, ¡°Butler Xie, isn¡¯t the gift from Master Xie and Miss Xie a bit too valuable?¡± The butler smiled, ¡°Not at all, not at all, Miss Wei has been very kind to our young master, Miss Xie and the madam. These gifts are nothing.¡± The remedy that Wei Ruo gave to Xie Ying, which Xie Ying prepared for herself, not only moved Xie Ying¡¯s mother greatly as she personally picked and boiled herbs but also turned out to be very effective. Although Madam Xie had no serious ailments, as a woman, she had some symptoms of physical weakness and blood deficiency. After taking the medicine, Madam Xie¡¯s problem of night sweats, nightmares, and restlessness had improved significantly, and her spirits had improved as well. just for this alone, drawing on this reciprocal gift from the Xie family was hardly considered too generous. Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t see what was included in the gift list, but from Madam Yun¡¯s reaction, she guessed it must be very valuable. An entire cart of valuable gifts, and the Xie family simply gave them away. And Wei Ruo had this opportunity simply because she and Xie Ying had be ssmates and had gradually gotten to know each other. If it had been her who had been given the chance to study at the Xie Family, then what about now¡­ Wei Ruo also felt that this return gift was a bit too valuable. But since the Xie Family had already brought the gift to her doorstep, it wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable to send it back. ¡°Could the butler please tell your young master and your youngdy for me that I have received their gifts, and I am very pleased with them? I would like to invite them for tea and pastries next time.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Of course, I will ry Miss Wei¡¯s words without omission to the young master and the youngdy,¡± said the butler, smiling. Then Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei, ¡°Xiumei, move everything into my courtyard.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss!¡± Xiumei came forward to start moving. ¡°Sister, shall I let Cuihe help you move too?¡± Wei Qingwan approached and asked softly. ¡°No need, your maid isn¡¯t as strong as Xiumei. These boxes are quite heavy; it¡¯s not good if they get too tired,¡± Wei Ruo resolutely refused. Wei Qingwan intended to counter, but seeing Xiumei, a girl, lift up therge wooden box, she could only swallow the words of her rebuttal. Seeing this, Madam Yun instructed Guard Jing Hu to help. Jing Hu was strong and powerful, and one of him was able to do the work of two people. Jing Hu and Xiumei moved swiftly. In a few trips, they relocated all the items on the cart back to Tingsong Garden. When the items on the cart were all empty, the butler from Xie Residence bid the Wei Family farewell and drove the empty cart back to the Xie Residence. As Wei Ruo was walking back, she said to Madam Yun, who she had passed by, ¡°Mother, I have some things to do. I¡¯ll be going back to Tingsong Garden first.¡± Madam Yun looked at Wei Ruo, wanting to say something, but chose not to say anything atst. She simply nodded and said, ¡°Alright, go ahead. After Wei Ruo left, Madam Yun saw Wei Qingwan, her head bowed and her expression not very good. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Wanwan?¡± Madam Yun approached and asked concernedly. Wei Qingwan bit her lip and shook her head. ¡°If you have anything on your mind, just tell mom. Don¡¯t keep it bottled up. If something goes wrong, mom will be very upset. Did something happen to make you unhappy?¡± Madam Yun asked. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m really fine. I¡¯m very happy for sister getting along so well with Miss Xie. I can¡¯t be unhappy.¡± Wei Qingwan answered. ¡ö¡öYes, mother knows you are definitely happy too. Ruo behaved quite well these days¡¯, she is not only very tactful in dealing with matters but also made friends with her peers.¡± Madam Yun said. -Yes, sister is really amazing. I was just thinking about apanying mother to the Government City to attend the Magistrate¡¯s wife¡¯s garden party in a few days, and I was a little preupied.¡± Wei Qingwan exined. Wei Mingting won this battle, not only was he promoted, but also the reputation of the Military Prefecture was enhanced. The magistrate¡¯s wife has been holding a garden party for the past few years, but the Wei Family, who lived far away in Xingshan County, was never invited. After receiving the invitation from the Government City, Madam Yun began to prepare. She nned to take both her daughters with her. Wei Ruo was quite busy and didn¡¯t spend much time with her during the day, so she hadn¡¯t told Wei Ruo about it yet. But Wei Qingwan often came to Cangyun Garden to help her manage household affairs, she told Wei Qingwan early to prepare her mentally. ¡ö¡¯Wanwan, are you worried about not performing well at that time?¡± asked Madam Yun. Wei Qingwan nodded gently: ¡°Yeah, I haven¡¯t met thedies and missies in the Government City yet, I¡¯m afraid I might not be familiar with all the etiquette, and it would be embarrassing.¡± ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t think too much. With your knowledge and cultivation, there will definitely be no problem.¡± Madam Yun reassured. Wei Qingwan bowed her head and didn¡¯t reply. ¡°You remind me, though. I should be preparing some more presentable clothes for you to wear at the party.¡± Madam Yun said. N?v(el)B\\jnn Hearing Madam Yun¡¯s words, Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart lit up. With that in mind, Yunshi turned and walked into the house. Before leaving, she reminded Wei Qingwan to go back and rest early and not overwork herself. When Madam Yun arrived at Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo was in the courtyard organizing the items that the Xie Family had sent. Xiumei was carrying a few pieces of Yun brocade into the house, and Wei Ruo was checking the list and categorizing the items for storage in her storeroom. Some valuable items would be ced in her spaceter. As for those medicinal materials, they¡¯re rare to find in the town of Xingshan County. With these in her possession, she could formte more medicines. Once she had arranged everything, Wei Ruo nned to make good use of these medicines, keeping some for herself and preparing others for Xu Zhengyong. Looking at Wei Ruo, Madam Yun hesitated for a while before saying, ¡°Ruoruo, the magistrate¡¯s wife has sent an invitation to us, inviting us to attend the garden party next month.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Ruo, her head not lifted, her eyes still focused on the box in front of her. ¡°Mother is thinking of making some attractive dresses for you to wear to the party,¡± said Madam Yun. Wei Ruo¡¯s hand movement paused for a moment, Madam Yun said ¡°you both¡±, which is to include Wei Qingwan as well.. Chapter 90 - 90 Yun’s Shame l Chapter 90: Yun¡¯s Shame l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruoughed inwardly, then lifted her head, pretending not to understand the underlying implication of Madam Yun¡¯s words, and smilingly said: ¡°Mother wants to make clothes for me? Since I returned home, this is the first time you will be making clothes for me. What kind of outfit are you nning to do? Winter is approaching, the clothes should be somewhat thick, shouldn¡¯t they?¡± Wei Ruo asked several questions in a row. Madam Yun, looking into her clear and bright eyes, found herself a bit tongue-tied with the prepared words. Wei Ruo continued: ¡°When I returned home, although those clothes were new, they were likely designed based on Sister Qingwan¡¯s measurements. I assume Mother didn¡¯t know my size, so you could only use Qingwan¡¯s. This time when making clothes, it¡¯s crucial to let the tailor measure me well.¡± Upon hearing these words, Madam Yun felt slightly ashamed. She indeed didn¡¯t know the size of her own daughter who had been living so far away in Huzhou Prefecture, hence couldn¡¯t decide on the clothes. So, she had the unused new clothes, originally intended for Wanwan, sent to Tingsong Garden for Ruoruo. But after seeing Ruoruo wearing those clothes gracefully and elegantly, there looked to be no ill-fitting parts, she thought there wasn¡¯t a problem. Usually, clothes were made twice a year, but this year there was a war during the mid-year, and she had to worry about her husband on the front line and manage the home affairs. She didn¡¯t think about it, and no new clothes were arranged. As a result, it happened that no clothes had been made based on her measurements since Ruoruo returned home. Madam Yun said with an apologetic tone: ¡°That is indeed the case, it will certainly be measured properly.¡± Then she looked at the Yun brocade in front of Wei Ruo again, her expression somewhat hesitant. But after pondering for a while, she decided to speak out: ¡°Ruoruo, these two pieces of Yun brocade are of fine quality. Why not make your new clothes from them? This fabric is valuable and has a good pattern. It would seem more presentable for both of you to wear clothes made out of it when you go to Government City. Once we have fine fabrics in the house, I will make it up to you.¡± ¡°Mother means, if Miss Xie hadn¡¯t coincidentally gifted me this Yun brocade, we wouldn¡¯t have the means to attend the garden party in Government City next month?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I doesn¡¯t mean that. It¡¯s just that since we do have it, it naturally makes things better.¡± Madam Yun said. ¡°If we are using the Yun brocade to make clothes, it will only be for me.¡± Wei Ruo said. Madam Yun frowned, ¡°Ruoruo, you and Qingwan are sisters. Qingwan has always cared about you a lot, always thinking of you. You should show your grace as the elder sister. We got so many gifts from the Xie Family, and I¡¯m not asking much from you, just these two pieces of different-patterned Yun brocade, one piece made into a dress for both of you. Besides, this is just borrowing from you, once we have good fabric, I¡¯ll surely return it to you.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s smile didn¡¯t fade from her face as she exined slowly: ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t know, the reason why Miss Xie chose to gift me these two pieces of Yun brocade is because, she saw that the quality of the clothes I usually wear is inferiorpared to her own, and those were not a perfect fit. She purposefully sent this, wishing that I could wear clothes made from the fabric she gifted, isn¡¯t that so?¡± Upon hearing this, Madam Yun felt a tightness in her heart. Wei Ruo continued: ¡°One piece of Yun brocade, although ample for a single outfit, wouldn¡¯t suffice for two. And these two different styles of fabric were handpicked by Yingying for me, surely she wants to see me wearing both.¡± With Wei Ruo¡¯s statement, Madam Yun couldn¡¯t impose Wei Qingwan to share the Yun brocade for the clothes. In addition to Wei Ruo¡¯s previous remark that she has not had any clothes custom-made for her upon returning home, it made Madam Yun feel guilty, and shepletely abandoned the idea of having a new set of clothes made for Wei Qingwan too from the Yun brocade. However, Madam Yun thought, if Ruoruo has new clothes made of Yun brocade and Wanwan doesn¡¯t, Wanwan will inevitably feel hurt. Therefore, she nced at the items in front of Wei Ruo, pondered for a moment then said: ¡°If the Yun brocade is not okay, Ruoruo, you can pick out some stuff that you don¡¯t need for Wanwan to soothe her. That way, you two will have different appearances when you go to Government City, and she won¡¯t feel bitter about it.¡± The corners of Wei Ruo¡¯s mouth still held a faint smile: ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t know, now that I am friends with Miss Xie, I must, of course, respect the gifts she gave me. I will certainly give her a return gift. Otherwise, if I just keep epting her gifts without reciprocating, it¡¯s not just my reputation at stake, but that of the entire Military Prefecture. Does Mother really want to hear people saying that the Wei family doesn¡¯t know manners and only benefits off others?¡± ¡°Even if outsiders don¡¯t criticize, if I always ept benefits from the Xie family without showing appreciation or reciprocating, sooner orter, I¡¯ll be looked down upon by the Xie family and they wouldn¡¯t want to be friends with me. Isn¡¯t that so, Mother?¡± Madam Yun was speechless. Wei Ruo continued: ¡°If giving a gift, quite some silver is naturally required, not less than what Miss Xie bestowed upon me. But I only receive so much as monthly allowance, which is inadequate for reciprocating gifts to the Xie family. The gifts I received, those which I won¡¯t use and those that aremon and unlikely to be recognized, I will choose among them in the future. Those suitable for resale will be sold for silver, and then I can give a return gift to Miss Xie.¡± Xiumei came back in after shifting the items once, and discovered that her youngdy was currently stretching the truth. The youngdy wouldn¡¯t possibly sell the gifts she received from others, she must be nning to get the money in another way. Madam Yun said: ¡°But this method of selling other people¡¯s gifts for silver isn¡¯t good. If people found out, they wouldugh.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°So where does Mother think I should get the silver from?¡± Madam Yun was once again left speechless. Wei Ruo said: ¡°I hope Mother can understand my difficulties. I returned to the family not long ago. I neither have a foundation nor savings. When dealing with a great family¡¯s youngdy, I must send some items, and should also have some savings suitable for myself.¡± Madam Yun felt ufortable upon hearing these words from Wei Ruo. It hasn¡¯t been many months since Ruoruo returned home, and these matters were indeed difficult for her. Achieving what she has so far was already very impressive. The daughter is in a difficult situation, and the Military Prefecture is also currentlycking silver, making it impossible to spare much silver to let her daughter buy things to gift to people like Miss Xie did so generously. ¡°I understand. This matter shall be as if I never mentioned it, you can handle these gifts yourself.¡± Madam Yun said. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Having said that, she thought of something else, pondered for a while and then continued: ¡°Speaking of which, Ruoruo, being the eldest daughter of the family, your monthly allowance should be increased.¡± ¡°Is that appropriate? If my allowance is increased, what about Sister Qingwan?¡± Wei Ruo asked.. Chapter 91 - 91 Underestimated Wei Qingruo_l Chapter 91: Underestimated Wei Qingruo_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°AS the eldest daughter, you should usually receive more monthly allowance than your younger brothers and sisters. This is the rule in every household. Qinqwan is a sensible girl and won¡¯t object to it,¡± said Madam Yun. Madam Yun firmly believed that Wei Qingwan would not quibble over such matters. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Exactly, my dear sister Qingwan is too kind to fuss over such things, Wei Ruo said with a smile. ¡°Hmm,¡± Madam Yun nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it. I will return to Cangyun Garden.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Ruo smiled and escorted Madam Yun out. After Madam Yun left, Xiumei couldn¡¯t resistughing: ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve noticed your bluffs are increasingly impressive!¡± Wei Ruo sighed, ¡°What choice do I have? I was forced to adapt. Since I became the mistress of the Military Prefecture, I¡¯ve had to think carefully about what to say in order to reason with others. It¡¯s not the same as before.¡± ¡°If I admit outright that 1 don¡¯t like Wei Qingwan and I don¡¯t want to share my things with her, I would certainly be berated-forcking sisterly love, or forcking the grace of an elder sister.¡± ¡°But if I raise the matter in terms of propriety and face, I can persuade others. I¡¯ve had to invent a lot of things, saying they were said by Yingying, but I think she would support me in this, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have deliberately arranged for the butler to deliver the gift to me personally.¡± The ims about Xie Ying noticing that her clothes fit poorly and felt low quality were purely inventions of Wei Ruo. She did this to distract Madam Yun and prevent her from asking for things again. -But Miss, what if the Madam had still insisted on taking your things for Miss Qingwan?¡± Xiumei asked. -Then I would have burned my possessions. No one can force me to give things to people I don¡¯t like!¡± Wei Ruo answered. Xiumei burst intoughter and then asked, ¡°Miss, do we still need to prepare a returning gift for the Xie Family? ¡°Not for the time being. Their gift was valuable, but what I reciprocated isn¡¯t ordinary either, so they didn¡¯t end up at a loss. Besides, this was already a returning gift on their part. There¡¯s no end to it if we go back and forth. It¡¯s more important to acknowledge their sentiment, appreciate the good in them, and treat each other sincerely. It doesn¡¯t have to be precise in terms of gam and loss,¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes, you are right, Miss.¡± ### After leaving Tingsong Garden, Madam Yun instructed for an increase in Wei Ruo¡¯s monthly allowance and invited tailors from Brocade Clothing Workshop to measure Wei Ruo for new clothes. The news quickly spread to Wangmei Garden. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned pale. Not only did her mother refrain from asking Wei Ruo for the Yun Brocade to make her new clothes, but she also increased Wei Ruo¡¯s monthly allowance. What on earth was going on? If Wei Ruo had refused to give her the Yun Brocade for her new outfit, her mother should have reprimanded Wei Ruo for herck of understanding. But why was she rewarded instead of being punished? ¡°Nanny, what¡¯s going on? Why did mother suddenly increase sister¡¯s monthly stipend? Is it because she¡¯s getting along well with Miss Xie?¡± Wei Qingwan asked Nanny Li. Nanny Li didn¡¯t know the answer either. Ever since that incident, Madam had distanced herself and often sought Nanny Zhang for important tasks. ¡°I¡¯ve definitely underestimated Wei Qingruo, she does have some capabilities,¡± Nanny Li said through gritted teeth. Apologizing intentionally in front of Wei Qingruo¡¯s courtyard door did not have the expected effect. Wei Qingruo also refused the purse Nanny Li purposely made for her. This Wei Qingruo was more troublesome than she expected! ¡°Nanny, what am I to do now? Will mother send me back to the He Family? Nanny, I don¡¯t want to go back there. The He Family is a mere merchant family with a low status that isn¡¯t weed by others. Regardless of their wealth, there are many things that money cannot buy,¡± Wei Qingwan asked worriedly. Looking at Wei Qingwan in this way, Nanny Li felt both distressed and worried. She knew her and her daughter¡¯s fates were tied to Wei Qingwan. If Wei Qingwan were to be sent to the He Family, her daughter would also have to go there. They wouldn¡¯t see each other for the rest of their lives. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry for now. All of these are not a big deal. Even if Miss Wei manages to win Madam¡¯s favor, it doesn¡¯t mean that Madam has diminished her affection for you,¡± Nanny Liforted Wei Qingwan. ¡°Nanny, worrying is all I can do now,¡± Wei Qingwan murmured. -Miss don¡¯t worry. Things will get better. You can broaden your horizons and make some new friends in Government City during the uing garden tour next month. You can find families much more distinguished than the Xie Family there,¡± Nanny Li¡¯s words did not console Wei Qingwan as she knew that the prominent families in Government City wouldn¡¯t take notice of her so easily. Even if they did take a liking to her, she doubted they would treat her like the Xie Family did Wei Qingruo. Such favoritism from the Xie Family was rare, she couldn¡¯t understand what they found in Wei Qingruo. ### Around the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth of the eighth lunar month, during the days of rest, both Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan had a break from their sses. Wei Ruo stayed at home and worked on the expansion of the mushroom business, which had grown three times its original size. This resulted in greater material procurement and bookkeeping. Moreover, the process of preparing dried mushrooms and mushroom sauce also needed to be arranged. Mushrooms do notst long after being picked, so the processing needed to be done promptly. Therefore, she had to organize the subsequent work before arge number of mushrooms were harvested. Xiumei was helping Wei Ruo chop mushrooms in the courtyard, which they would cook in the small kitchen next door. Wei Jinyi and Xiaobei were not at home, but before leaving, Wei Jinyi mentioned that they leave the door open. This meant that Wei Ruo could use the small kitchen next door whenever needed. When it was almost lunchtime, the servant responsible for Wei Yilin couldn¡¯t find him and went to Wangmei Garden for inquiries. ¡°Yilin?¡± Upon hearing the voice, Wei Qingwan walked to the door, interrupting the conversation between the servant and the maid. ¡°Yilin didn¡¯te here today. Is something wrong? Isn¡¯t he in his own courtyard? ¡ö¡¯It¡¯s nothing serious, but it¡¯s almost time for lunch and Young Master Yilin isn¡¯t in Yuyu Garden. Since he¡¯s not here, I¡¯ll go look elsewhere,¡± the servant exined to Wei Qingwan, then hastily left to continue his search for Wei Yilin. Wei Qingwan sensed that something was wrong, ¡°Cuihe, let¡¯s go find him too.¡± The servant inquired about Wei Yilin¡¯s whereabouts at Chrysanthemum Garden as well, but he wasn¡¯t there either. Upon hearing that Wei Yilin had disappeared, Wei Yichen immediately put down his book and set out to search for him alongside Wei Yilin¡¯s servant.. Chapter 92 - 92: Stumble Into by Accident_l Chapter 92: Stumble Into by ident_l Trantor: 549690339 I The entire Wei Residence was searched, even Tingsong Garden and Yingzhu Garden, where Wei Yilin would hardly go. However, Wei Yilin was nowhere to be found. It was now clear that Wei Yilin was not in the residence. Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan hurriedly reported the matter to Madam Yun. Madam Yun immediately mobilized everyone in the residence to search. In Tingsong Garden, after Wei Ruo had sent away the people who came to inquire about Wei Yilin, shezily fell back into bed. It was a rare break, why not have a nap? Napping is such a happy thing to do. ¡°Miss, should you also go out to help search? The servants from Wangmei Garden have already dashed out to join the search. They are quite busy.¡± Xiumei asked anxiously, frowning. ¡°With so many people already out looking, my absence won¡¯t make much difference; moreover, I don¡¯t like the brat Wei Yilin and he doesn¡¯t like me either, I¡¯m pretty sure he doesn¡¯t want to be found by me, his older sister in-name.¡± Wei Ruo stretched outzily. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m just worried that if young master really has had an ident, when Madam Yun asks about it and finds out that you, the eldest miss, were unconcernedly napping at home, you will be scolded¡­¡± Xiumei lowered her head and murmured. At her words, Wei Ruo opened her eyes; bing significantly more alert. What Xiumei said was true; it wasn¡¯t just about suffering Madam Yun¡¯s punishment, if someone else gossiped it, the usations of the eldest sister¡¯s indifference might be more intense. After all, her little brother was missing, and she did not seem to care. After a moment, Wei Ruo rolled over, propping up her upper body. ¡°Get the clothes, Xiumei, I am destined to work hard. There is simply no time for rest!¡± Reluctantly, Wei Ruo got up and dressed, then went out with Xiumei. The servants from the residence who were out searching spread out in a carpet pattern; everyone went out on foot, except for Wei Qingwan, who took a carriage. As a result, the carriage which Wei Ruo regrly took was avable. Although she walked out of the door, Wei Ruo did not have a specific direction, so she randomly decided to go to the south of the city. Even if she didn¡¯t find anyone, at least she could take a look at the situation there. After leaving the residence and reaching the south of the city, Wei Ruo got off the carriage and wandered around. Xiumei was helpless: herdy was actually making an inspection of thend remation in the south of the city under the guise of searching for someone. Wei Ruo walked around and observed; most of the people reiming the wastnd were poor folks withoutnd. What she saw along the way were nothing but skinny elders or thin children. They were all waiting for crops to grow on this piece ofnd. Their eyes were filled with light when they looked at the newly reimed fields. There was a little boy, thin and yellow-skinned, dressed in thin, shabby clothes, nestled in the arms of his grandfather. When Wei Ruo passed by, his eyes were full of curiosity as he stared at her. Then his grandfather hastily hugged him a little tighter and whispered, ¡°Behave yourself, that¡¯s the daughter of an official.¡± Obviously, the grandfather was afraid his grandchild might offend Wei Ruo, and their difference in status was evident from Wei Ruo¡¯s clothing. The little boy was immediately frightened and quickly withdrew his gaze, daring not to look directly at Wei Ruo anymore. Wei Ruo stopped, turned around and asked Xiumei, ¡°Meimei, I¡¯m a bit hungry, do you have any food?¡± Xiumei knew very well that her mistress was not hungry herself, but wanted to give some food to these elders and children. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s some in the carriage. I¡¯ll go and get it.¡± Xiumei said. ¡°Hmm, bring more¡­no, bring all the food from the carriage.¡± Wei Ruo ordered. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll bring all of it, leaving a portion for Miss, and distribute the rest to the old people and children nearby, okay? They all look pitiful.¡± Xiumei offered. Shepleted her young mistress¡¯s previously unspoken suggestion, saving her from the embarrassment of making the request herself. ¡°Yes, go on. ¡°Alright!¡± Xiumei turned around and ran back to their carriage parked on the official road. As Xiumei took out a bag of dried sweet potatoes from the carriage, she noticed arge number of people from the Military Prefecture. Xiumei was surprised, so she grabbed an acquaintance, Nurse Zhang, to find out what was happening. ¡°Nurse Zhang, what¡¯s going on? Weren¡¯t we searching for the young master? Why is everyone here in the south of the city?¡± Nurse Zhang, looking quite anxious, replied, ¡°Madam Xiumei, you and young mistress are indeed prescient! Young master likely sneaked to the south of the city! This morning, two servants from our residence drove a cart of straw to the south of the city. The young master probably hid in the cart then. The guards who were searching found the young master¡¯s ornament on the cart.¡± Did her young mistress unexpectedlye to the right ce? Xiumei was at a loss for words for a moment and didn¡¯t know what to say. Then Nurse Zhang said, ¡°We don¡¯t know how our young master is doing now, but I heard that there are remnants of the Japanese pirates in the nearby mountains. It¡¯s very dangerous for the young master, a small child.¡± ¡°What? There are remnants of the Japanese pirates nearby? Howe? Weren¡¯t the Japanese pirates defeated thest time?¡± Xiumei started to feel anxious. ¡°Yes, most of them were killed, but a few remnants of the Japanese pirates escaped. They¡¯ve been hiding around Wangyue Mountain. I heard they¡¯ve been quite tenacious, surviving on grass roots and tree bark, asionally stealing food from the people who are reimingnd in the south of the city. They were spotted by people while stealing food. The government office was just reported this morning, and no officials have been sent to handle this yet.¡± Nurse Zhang exined. Upon reflecting on the fact that Wei Ruo was currently strolling outside, Xiumei felt worried. She immediately abandoned Wei Ruo¡¯s task and ran back to the ce where they split up earlier. While waiting for Xiumei to return, Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t been idle; she walked down the ridge of the newly reimed field while observing it. The near field has changed a lot, the original weeds have been removed, and thend has been divided into plots, neat and with clear borders. Most of the areas have been reimed well and would probably be ready for ntingter this month. N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo continued to walk towards the mountains, intending to check the progress of the medicinal field she and the Xie Family were jointly running. As she neared the mountains, the terrain becameplicated, and there were fewer people. In the distance, she could see a handful of people re-iming the wastnd. As for these ces, only those families in the county town with some wealth were buying them for cultivating. However, the number of households that bought these ces for remation was less, so they were sparsely distributed. One could only spot a few people from a long distance away. Wei Ruo continued walking and maneuvered around arge piece of rock. In front of her, two short-statured men appeared. Both men had their heads covered with headscarves, dressed like ordinarymoners. A boy stood between the two men; he had a face that Wei Ruo recognized¡­ Wei Yilin! The object of the whole residence¡¯s search, this little rascal, simply showed up unexpectedly in front of her? Chapter 93 - 93: You are completely stupid_l Chapter 93: You arepletely stupid_l Trantor: 549690339 The moment Wei Ruo spotted the three men, the two men and Wei Yilin also saw Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo quickly regained herposure, casting her indifferent gaze elsewhere, pretending not to recognize Wei Yilin. She acted as a passerby who hadn¡¯t recognized Wei Yilin nor the two men with him as kidnappers, and nonchntly walked away. The two men watched Wei Ruo warily, but seeing her demeanor unaltered, and assuming she hadn¡¯t recognized them, they gradually rxed. As long as they weren¡¯t discovered, they would stick to the principle of avoiding trouble, and not unnecessarily harm passersby. Wei Ruo naturally turned around and started walking back. Meanwhile, in her mind, she was praying ¨C Don¡¯t make a sound, Yilin. Don¡¯t call my name, pretend you don¡¯t see me! If you stay silent, I can return with help to rescue you! If you call out, we¡¯re done for! Wei Yilin, who had never sincerely called Wei Ruo ¡°older sister,¡± saw her clearly notice him and then turn to leave. He yelled out, ¡°Older sister!¡± We Ruo froze, feeling a chill running down her spine. Internally cursing Wei Yilin for his recklessness, she started running. But she hadn¡¯t run far when one of the men caught her. ¡°Don¡¯t be rough. I¡¯lle willingly!¡± Wei Ruo, fearing their brutality, quickly begged for mercy. The area was deserted and barren; the chances of her cries for help being heard were slim. If no one coulde to save her in time, her resistance could trigger their violent treatment, and she might even be killed on the spot. Hoping to survive and avoid physical harm as much as possible, Wei Ruo surrendered willingly. Wei Ruo was taken next to Wei Yilin, and they were tied up together. Then the two men beganmunicating in anguage Wei Yilin couldn¡¯t understand. Wei Ruo had a rough idea that the two men were speaking Japanese. Upon first sight of them, she had guessed their identities as Japanese pirates. Although they had used headscarves to hide their distinctive hairstyles, their physique and appearance greatly differed from the emaciated locals who were cultivating thend on the city outskirts. After a brief discussion, the two Japanese men led Wei Ruo and Wei Yilin up the mountain. The pirates found a cave, which was deep enough to barely amodate two adults, and then threw Wei Ruo and Wei Yilin in like mere objects. Once locked in the cave, Wei Ruo looked at Wei Yilin andughed, ¡°Well, now we can die together.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of your cold-heartedness. You saw me in danger, but you turned and walked away,¡± Wei Yilin retorted without a hint of remorse, even feeling slightly satisfied. We Ruo justughed upon hearing this. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Wei Yilin asked in discontent. In such a dire situation, how could she stillugh? ¡°I thought you were just a bit silly, but now I realize you¡¯replete fool.¡± ¡°Who are you calling a fool?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the fool? How was I supposed to rescue you single-handedly from two skilled Japanese fighters? Do I look like an immortal to you? If I pretended not to recognize you, they wouldn¡¯t have thought that I knew they were kidnappers, they¡¯d let me go, and I could have gone to find help. Do you think I stood a better chance of saving you alone, or bringing the Wei family guards and the government officers?¡± Wei Yilin fell silent, dumbfounded by Wei Ruo¡¯s argument. He¡¯d initially believed that Wei Ruo had cold-heartedly abandoned him, convinced that his Sister Wanwan wouldn¡¯t have done so. However, he hadn¡¯t considered Wei Ruo¡¯s approach to the situation. Upon reflection, Wei Ruo¡¯s strategy was indeed more practical. Neither Wei Ruo nor Sister Wanwan had the ability to save him from the ruthless Japanese pirates. In such a situation, it would have been more effective to summon help. Understanding his rashness, Wei Yilin, however, refused to admit his mistake to Wei Ruo: ¡°Even so, how would we know if you¡¯d have really gone to get help? Now, we¡¯re both captured, and if I die, you can apany me. That would be a fitting vengeance for my Wanwan!¡± ¡°Ha, if you want to die Wei Yilin, be my guest. I won¡¯t be joining you,¡± Wei Ruo sneered. ¡°Keep bragging. These men are not from Xingshan County, they¡¯re Japanese pirates who kill without blinking. You think you can survive them? I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Wei Yilin taunted back. Wei Ruo smirked, choosing not to converse further with Wei Yilin. She leaned against the stone wall of the cave and took a short rest. She had a rough understanding of the situation ¨C the two pirates were likely survivors of a war. To survive, they imposed upon themselves the danger of crossing the Wangyue Mountain and hid on the city outskirts, waiting for an opportunity to escape. Regarding Wei Yilin, he must¡¯ve been off his rocker to end up in the city outskirts, consequently getting captured by the disguised pirates and used as a hostage as a precaution against discovery. Her current goal was to buy time, to create an opportunity to survive. If something were to give them away, they¡¯d undoubtedly choose the manageable Wei Yilin as the hostage, not her. Moreover, these pirates were ruthlessly brutal ¨C as a thirteen-year-old girl, who knew what atrocities they couldmit against her. A swift death would be a mercy. Hearing a pirateing in, Wei Ruo opened her eyes. She immediately spoke, ¡°Honorable warriors of Great Japan, I have a solution to redeem your honor.¡± Earlier, Wei Ruo had picked up on some Chinese words from the pirates¡¯ conversation and surmised that they had learned some Chinese after spending some time in the East Coast area. We Ruo¡¯s proposal left Wei Yilin bewildered. He looked at her with contempt. Could she really aid the pirates in redeeming their honor? The pirate in front of them, however, stopped and asked Wei Ruo in heavily ented Chinese, ¡°You, what mean?¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°You lost the war. Although some of you narrowly escaped death and weren¡¯t captured, ording to your Japanese customs, you shouldmit suicide to apologize to your Emperor for your failure,¡± Wei Ruo calmly expressed. ¡°You know, us?¡± The pirate appeared extremely surprised. Wei Yilin was also shocked, looking at Wei Ruo with disbelief. How did Wei Qingruo know so much? ¡°I know a little.¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I just said I could help you redeem your honor. You understand what that idiom means, right? It means you can return without facing punishment and even bemended for your aplishments..¡± Chapter 94 - 94: There are Differences Among Hostages _1 Chapter 94: There are Differences Among Hostages _1 Trantor: 549690339 The Japanese pirates regarded Wei Ruo with a surprised look, appearing to seriously consider the feasibility of her proposition. After some thinking, the pirate continued in his broken Chinese asking, ¡®What can you, offer?¡± ¡°I am an expert in agriculture. I have many farming techniques at mymand, capable of altering soil properties and increasing food production.¡± Wei Ruo knew about the conditions in Japan. It was an ind nation with extremely scarcend resources, where agriculture was not very developed and arablend was severely limited. She also knew some Japanese customs and knew how to hit their pain points. ¡°Can you grow more, food?¡± ¡°Yes, I can grow more food, whether it¡¯s barrennd, coastal saline-alkalind or steep mountain terrain. Once sessful, it can feed more people in your country.¡± Wei Ruo knew she was predominantly exaggerating. The improvements that could be made to thend were limited, and some ces didn¡¯t warrant renovation due to high costs of renovation or subsequent maintenance. ¡°How do I know, you are not lying?¡± the pirate asked. ¡°The method of improving thend in the southern city area that you have seen was devised by me. You have been lingering on the East Coast for a long time. You should know that this ce was a wastnd before. If I could improve it here, I can also help you improve it in Japan.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Wei Qingruo, what are you doing? Why are you talking to these two Japanese pirates? Are you going to help them grow food so they can eat and drink well to fight us? They are pirates, robbers, ruthless murderers!¡± Wei Yilin cursed. Wei Ruo gave Wei Yilin a nce; did he think she was not aware of what he was saying? She also hated these pirates, but they had to first look at their current situation, didn¡¯t they? Vengeance is a dish best-served cold! She needed to save her life first before she could think of a way to deal with these people. If she didn¡¯t have her life, everything else was gibberish. Now, the Wei Family was searching for her throughout the city. With Meimei nearby, she had a chance to escape. What she needed to do was to protect herself as much as possible before they found her. Ignoring Wei Yilin, Wei Ruo turned to the pirate with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, this kid, he¡¯s not clear-headed.¡± ¡°He says he is, the son of Colonel Wei, he calls you, sister, you are also, the daughter of Colonel Wei.¡± While the pirate was not fluent in Chinese, he was very clear-headed. ¡°Yes, I am the daughter of Colonel Wei. But I am in your hands now, I want to hve, so I am willing to provide my value, to achieve a win-win situation for both of us. This has nothing to do with who I am.¡± Wei Ruo persuaded. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, the pirate did not immediately respond. Instead, he withdrew to the outside of the cave to discuss with the other pirate. While the two pirates were whispering and discussing something, Wei Yilin asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Wei Qingruo, what do you want to do?¡± ¡°What? Survival, can¡¯t you see?¡± ¡°What you¡¯re doing is very shameful!¡± Wei Yilin, can you distinguish between disgracing and foolishness?¡± You¡¯re betraying your country, betraying countless frontier soldiers you¡­you¡¯re ungrateful!¡± Wei Yilin thought for a while before using the word ¡°ungrateful¡± to scold Wei Ruo. ¡°Who did I betray, who did I kill? It¡¯s you, who runs around and gets me involved in your misfortune. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to get me killed!¡± ¡°You!¡± Wei Yilin was once again at a loss for words. ¡°If you have something to say; just keep scolding, I¡¯ll take it as a luby.¡± Wei Ruo replied calmly. Being tied up by two pirates and held in a cave is a daunting experience. Having someone else¡¯s voice muttering could alleviate the tense atmosphere. After a while, that pirate returned. ¡°If you can do what you say, we will not hurt you.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Wei Ruo agreed dly. ¡°However, we will not let your brother go, and we might kill him.¡± the pirate added. Letting Wei Yilin go would expose their location. They kept Wei Yilin as a hostage, if anything went wrong, they might need to kill him for their safety. ¡°He and I don¡¯t get along well. He just wants me dead. Look, if he really cared for me, he would not have called me his sister, and given me away. To truly love someone is to hope that they live well instead of dragging them down. Do as you please.¡± responded Wei Ruo. Wei Yilin, who was at her side, couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. He wanted to object, but realized that he had no words to refute. ¡®That¡¯s good.¡± Pirate naturally did not want Wei Ruo to present extra conditions. Since we have already reached a consensus, then you should also treat me a little better, don¡¯t torment and disable me before I get to Japan with you.¡± Wei Ruo continued. ¡°You, would like, how?¡± the pirate asked. ¡°You can loosen me a little, so I¡¯ll be morefortable, and my hands won¡¯t suffer long-term blood cirction problems. Rest assured, this cave has no other exits. With you guarding at the entrance, I can¡¯t escape. I also don¡¯t have any martial arts skills, I can¡¯t beat you.¡± Said Wei Ruo. The pirate hesitated a bit, looked at Wei Ruo for a while, and then recalled the scene of how they captured her earlier. If she had any martial arts skills, she wouldn¡¯t have been caught so easily. He eventually agreed. The pirate untied Wei Ruo. After doing all this, the two pirates returned outside the cave. These two seemed to be plotting something. Although she couldn¡¯t understand their words, Wei Ruo guessed they probably were discussing how to escape from the pursuit of the soldiers of Xingshan County and sessfully return to Japan. Freed now, Wei Ruo lounged back against the stone wall, her posture rxed Comparatively, Wei Yichen across from her was in an ufortable position, with his hands tied behind his back, irregrly nting and twisted on the ground. Not only was his posture ufortable, but his mind was also extremely ufortable. He had heard the words spoken by the pirate, they had stated they would not let him go and could kill him if a situation arose. He didn¡¯t want to die; he wanted to live! Although he spoke with great righteousness when arguing with Wei Ruo just now, when the fear of death hit him, he began to envy Wei Ruo again. At least the pirates said they would not kill her! Wei Yilin was endlessly annoyed, but faced with Wei Ruo, he did not want to admit that his choices were not as smart as hers. N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo did not care about the look Wei Yilin gave her and had no interest in knowing what he was thinking. She pulled out a small silk pouch from her bosom, took out a dried sweet potato, and began to munch on it. It was Wei Ruo¡¯s habit to bring small snacks with her when she went out. So earlier when she told Xiumei to return to the carriage to get food, it was indeed an excuse. She wanted to distribute those foods to the poor. Leaning back and enjoying her sweet potato, Wei Ruo looked rxed and satisfying, causing Wei Yilin to gape in disbelief.. Chapter 95 - 95 Counter Kill i Chapter 95: Counter Kill i Trantor: 549690339 He had snuck into the ox cart going south from the mansion in the morning, only to be captured by two Japanese pirates. It was already afternoon and he hadn¡¯t had a drop of water or a morsel of food. ¡°Gurgle¡­¡± His stomach embarrassingly grumbled. Wei Yilin was frustrated, agitated, and annoyed. Wei Ruo pretended not to hear and continued to eat her meal. Wei Yilin had never experienced such hardship in all his life, and the more he thought about it, the more miserable he felt. ¡°Wei Qingruo!¡± Wei Yilin called out. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡± Wei Yilin looked at Wei Ruo, wanting to say something but was unable to articte his thoughts. ¡°You want to eat, but you¡¯re too bashful to ask, is that it, huh?¡± Wei Ruo finished on behalf of Wei Yilin. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Wei Yilin promptly denied. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯ve thought about it or not, I would never give my carefully prepared food to someone who secretly wishes for my death.¡± ¡°You!¡± Wei Yilin was once again infuriated by Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo responded with a gentle smile, leisurely savoring her sweet, dried sweet potatoes. ¡°Fine, don¡¯t give it to me! Who cares?¡± Wei Yilin retorted. An hourter¡­ ¡°Gurgle¡­gurgle¡­¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s stomach was now crying out with even more intensity. Never having gone hungry before, this was his first time experiencing such prolonged hunger. It significantly curbed his typically haughty demeanor. Looking at Wei Ruo¡¯s calm and collected demeanor, Wei Yilin started to realize that there might be some truth to her words. At least, like Wei Ruo, he could lead a slightly more tolerable life before being rescued. ¡°Wei Qingruo, if they were to kill me, you wouldn¡¯t really abandon me, would you?¡± Wei Yilin asked. ¡°At the first sight of you today, I would have saved you. But after you called me ¡®sister¡¯ with no sincerity, knowing full well you¡¯ve never genuinely said it before, I couldn¡¯t care less about your well-being.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hesitate to reveal her true thoughts. Wei Yilin¡¯s face fell, as a wave of shame washed over him. He nced at Wei Ruo, wanting to say something but swallowed his words back down. After all, if he apologized to Wei Ruo, it would be a blow to his pride. Furthermore, it would be a betrayal to Sister Wanwan. He had promised Sister Wanwan that he would only recognize her as his sister. A man of integrity must be true to his words. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Can you at least give me something to eat, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Although he couldn¡¯t bring himself to apologize, his stomach was truly empty. Grudgingly, he asked Wei Ruo for food. ¡°No.¡± Wei Ruo refused without a second thought. While putting on a show for Wei Yilin, she kept an eye on the entrance of the cave. When she confirmed that no one outside was looking, she carefully took out a small bottle from her clothes, and poured the powder inside onto the remaining dried sweet potatoes in her bag. She mixed the bag around so that the powder was evenly distributed. Wei Yilin didn¡¯t see what Wei Ruo did. He thought she was just savoring her food while watching him go hungry. After a while, Wei Ruo shouted towards the cave entrance, ¡°Hey, good fellows outside, I have some food in here. Do you want some?¡± ¡°Wei Qingruo, what are you doing? You didn¡¯t give the food to me, and now you want to feed those bloodthirsty Japanese pirates? Are you even human?¡± Wei Yilin used. ¡°Wei Qingruo, did you hear me? It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t give the food to me, but you can¡¯t give it to them. They¡¯re ruthless!¡± Wei Ruo ignored him, her eyes continuously fixed on the entrance. As expected, one of the Japanese pirates came in. Wei Ruo actively handed over a bag of dried sweet potatoes, ¡°These are dried sweet potatoes, they¡¯re really delicious.¡± She even held a piece in her own hand, and took a couple bites to demonstrate. The pirate hesitated for a moment, then hastily took the bag of dried sweet potatoes from Wei Ruo. They were hungry, very hungry. For the past few days, they hadn¡¯t had any decent food. He ran out to the entrance with Wei Ruo¡¯s bag, sharing the hard-earned food with the other pirate. Inside the cave, Wei Yilin continued to curse at Wei Ruo, ¡°Wei Qingruo, do you think you can face the countless soldiers? Do you think you can face the suffering people of Xingshan County?¡± ¡°Wei Qingruo, you¡¯re heartless! You¡¯re a traitor! How could our family have someone like you! I will never acknowledge you as my sister in this life!¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have the mood to deal with Wei Yilin. All her attention was outside the cave, and her ears were alert for any sounds. After a while, Wei Ruo finally heard the thud of a heavy object falling to the ground. Wei Ruo, unbound by ropes, tiptoed over to the cave entrance. Outside the cave, the two Japanese pirates who had eaten the hallucinogenced dried sweet potatoes had already copsed on the ground. Wei Ruo clenched her fists, her heart skipping a beat. All the previous steps, from submission, negotiation, dy, to requesting untie, and voluntarily offering the dried sweet potatoes, were all for this moment. Fighting with Wei Yilin and acting nonchnt were part of her pretense. This was also her first time in such a situation, and her fear and anxiety were not in the least bit diminished. It wasn¡¯t until this moment that she allowed her fear to show. But she still couldn¡¯tpletely rx. She had unfinished business. She must kill these two men! She only had hallucinogenic powder, not poison. If she didn¡¯t finish them off, these two would wake up after a while. Wei Ruo squatted down and took the knife from one of the pirates. Her hand trembled slightly as she gripped the knife. She knew how to use a knife to save lives, but using it to kill¡­ The memory of her only previous killing shed across her mind, causing a tremor in her heart. She was afraid, afraid to kill. Wei Ruo told herself: ¡°Wei Ruo, today you MUST kill these two men. They are Japanese pirates, brutal thieves who robbed our people of their lives and property. Their hands are stained with innocent blood and lives!¡± Moreover, if you don¡¯t kill them and your imprisonment gets exposed, you only have one oue ¨C death! Whether or not you were actually vited by them, if you were kidnapped or captured, outsiders will assume you were disgraced, and then there¡¯s no way out for you. After wrestling with her thoughts, Wei Ruo tightly gripped the knife with both hands and thrust it forcefully, ending the life of one of the pirates. Then the second one. Blood flowed, soaking the clothes of the two pirates. Normally, Wei Ruo isn¡¯t scared of blood. But at this moment, looking at the blood, she keenly felt the reality of her action. She had just killed. She was scared, but she had no regrets. ¡°Wei Qingruo, you killed them¡­¡± Suddenly, the cave entrance echoed with Wei Yilin¡¯s shocked voice. After Wei Ruo had left, Wei Yilin, who was still tied up, was eager to know what was happening outside. He managed to muster up some strength and, wriggling like a worm, he reached the entrance of the cave. Then he witnessed the scene of Wei Ruo killing two Japanese pirates. His eyes were full of shock, and his face was filled with disbelief.. Chapter 96 - 96: Did He Experience an Illusion 1 Chapter 96: Did He Experience an Illusion 1 Trantor: 549690339????????????? ¡ª While Wei Yilin was digesting all this, Wei Ruo poured the drug from the bottle onto a handkerchief, briskly moved forward, and covered Wei Yilin¡¯s mouth and nose with it. Wei Yilin¡¯s hands and feet were still tied up, leaving him no way to resist. He stared wide-eyed at Wei Ruo, disbelief rising within him as he lost consciousness. After he passed out, Wei Ruo untied him; keeping him bound for too long might have hampered blood cirction, potentially damaging his limbs. Then Wei Ruo turned her head and cautiously checked the pulses of the two Japanese Pirates, confirming that they were indeed dead. She then cleaned up the scene, taking away the leftover dried sweet potatoes and bags on the ground. Finally, she staggered and escaped from the scene. She avoided the crowd searching for Wei Yilin; she couldn¡¯t let anyone see her in such a disarrayed state. ¡°Miss! Miss!¡± Hearing Xiumei calling her, Wei Ruo¡¯s heart was filled with relief. Seeing no one else by Xiumei¡¯s side, Wei Ruo quickly ran to her. ¡°Meimei, I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°Miss!¡± Seeing Wei Ruo looking so panicked, Xiumei was deeply worried, ¡°Miss, what happened to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, take me back to the carriage. I need to clean myself up quickly. Then, I¡¯ll tell you where Wei Yilin is, and you can send someone to find him.¡± Xiumei didn¡¯t understand why Wei Ruo wanted to do this, but her many years of knowing Wei Ruo made her realize that she needed to act quickly and follow Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions in this urgent situation. With the help of Xiumei, Wei Ruo sessfully avoided the others and returned to the carriage. While Wei Ruo was resetting herself, Xiumei followed the address given by Wei Ruo to locate Wei Yilin. On the way, she ran into Lady Zhang and specially called her over. Lady Zhang looked worried: ¡°What if something happened to the young master?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lady Zhang, let¡¯s keep searching, maybe we¡¯ll find him.¡± Xiumei reassured her while following the direction Wei Ruo had given. ¡°Lady Zhang, look over there. Does it look like someone has fallen down over there?¡± Xiumei asked, pointing to a spot halfway up the mountain. ¡°Wait a minute, my eyesight isn¡¯t too good, I can¡¯t see clearly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t squint, let¡¯s just go for a closer look!¡± Without uttering another word, Xiumei grabbed Lady Zhang and headed up the hill. As they approached, Lady Zhang was scared out of her wits. ¡°Dead bodies! Dead bodies!¡± Lady Zhang, who rarely encountered such scenes in her secluded life in the grand mansion, was immediately pale with fright. ¡°Lady Zhang, the young master is there!¡± Xiumei pointed to Wei Yilin beside the corpses. ¡°Ah? The young master? Is he okay?¡± Lady Zhang was simultaneously eager and apprehensive. Xiumei went up to Wei Yilin and picked him up: ¡°The young master is fine, he just passed out.¡± She then instructed Lady Zhang to call for help: ¡°Lady Zhang, quickly go and let the others know! I¡¯ll stay here and watch!¡± After hesitating for a moment, Lady Zhang finally reacted: ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going.¡± Lady Zhang staggered down the mountain, calling out for help as she went. While Lady Zhang was away, Xiumei warily looked around again to ensure there was no evidence of her young miss¡¯s presence. ### ¡°Yilin! Yilin!¡± Wei Yilin was awakened by the noise, he opened his eyes and saw Lady Yun. Wei Yilin was held by Lady Yun, and in front of him were Wei Qingwan, who was sobbing with red eyes, and Wei Yichen with a worried expression on his face. The crowd that hade to the South City to find Wei Yilin was also present almost everyone from the Military Prefecture was there, except for Wei Ruo. ¡¯ After freezing for a moment, Wei Yilin suddenly burst into tears. ¡°Mother! Mother!¡± Lady Yun held Wei Yilin in her arms, distressed. Wei Qingwan also crowded in, ¡°Yilin, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay!¡± ¡°Sister¡­ Sister¡­¡± Hearing Wei Qingwan¡¯s voice, Wei Yilin cried even harder. After crying for a bit, Wei Yilin nced around and asked, ¡°Mother, where¡¯s Wei Qingruo? Where is she?¡± ¡°Yilin, do you want to see your eldest sister?¡± Wei Qingwan asked, surprised and confused. Why would Yilin want to see Wei Qingruo at such a time? ¡°Yes, where is she? Where is she?¡± Wei Yilin pursued. ¡°Yilin, what¡¯s wrong? Why do you suddenly want to see your big sister?¡± Lady Yun was also puzzled. ¡°I saw her¡­ she¡­¡± Wei Yilin remembered thest thing he saw. His mind was a mess. How was it possible that Wei Qingruo, who was begging for mercy from the Japanese Pirates a moment ago, would kill the two Japanese Pirates the next moment? ¡°Mother, where are the two Japanese Pirates? Where are they?¡± Wei Yilin asked anxiously. ¡°Yihn, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s okay, those two Japanese Pirates are dead.¡± Lady Yun quickly tried to calm him down. ¡°Who killed them? Did you see?¡± Wei Yilin asked again. He wanted to confirm whether what he had seen was true. ¡°We don¡¯t know yet. When we found you, they were already dead,¡± Lady Yun replied. They didn¡¯t have an answer to this question. It seemed someone found them first, killed the two Japanese Pirates, and then saved her son. But they didn¡¯t know why that person didn¡¯t show up. ¡°It was Wei Qingruo. It must have been her. She killed the Japanese Pirates!¡± Wei Yilin became more convinced that what he had seen was real. ¡°Yihn, what are you talking about? If your big sister had been the one to rescue you, there¡¯s no reason for her to have left without telling us.¡± Wei Qingwan was quick to say. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t like that, she was with me when¡­¡± Before Wei Yihn could finish, Wei Ruo appeared: ¡°Are you looking for me N?v(el)B\\jnn Yilin?¡± Wei Ruo pushed through the crowd and entered Wei Yilin¡¯s line of sight. Theplexion on Wei Ruo was bright; the only sign of distress on her was a bit of dirt on her clothes. But walking in the fields of the South City and getting dirt on oneself wasn¡¯t abnormal. Wei Yilin stared wide-eyed at Wei Ruo, his expressionplex. Wei Qingwan noticed that Wei Yilin was staring hard at Wei Ruo. She clenched her fists and was quick to say: ¡°Yilin, you must be mistaken. Your sister just got here. There¡¯s no way she killed the two Japanese Pirates.¡± Unbeknownst to her, the answer Wei Ruo wanted was exactly that. A thirteen-year-old girl getting tied up by pirates for over an hour was much more terrifying than her saving Wei Yilin. ¡°It¡¯s impossible, I clearly saw it!¡± Wei Yilin shook his head, the image was far too real in his mind. ¡°Yilin, you were frightened today and fainted. You must be hallucinating,¡± Lady Yun spected. ¡°1¡­¡± As he heard Lady Yun and Wei Qingwan persuading him, Wei Yilin was no longer so sure. Does it mean he was really hallucinating? Were his recent memories about Wei Ruo all fake? Chapter 97 - 97 Punishing Wei Yilin_l Chapter 97: Punishing Wei Yilin_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Yilin stubbornly asked Wei Ruo: ¡°Where¡¯s your dried sweet potato? Didn¡¯t you feed the dried sweet potatoes to those two Japanese Pirates? ¡°I as Xiumei to give my dried sweet potatoes to the people who were opening up wastnd nearby. If you want to eat, I will find some when we get back to the mansion,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°No way, I saw it clearly. Didn¡¯t you use the dried sweet potatoes to drug the two pirates and kill them?¡± Wei Yilin interrogated again. N?v(el)B\\jnn Before Wei Ruo could speak, Wei Qingwan beat her to it: ¡°Little brother, your sister just arrived here. All the dried sweet potatoes were given to the locals. You must have dreamt all this. Although we haven¡¯t found the person who saved you, rest assured that we will continue to ask around. I believe we will find answers soon.¡± Wei Yilin looked at Wei Qingwan. Why would his most trusted Sister Wanwan also say it was fake¡­ Could it really be fake? Wei Yilin fell silent. ¡°Alright Yilin, you must have been scared today too. Go home first, and we will discuss what happened todayter,¡± said Wei Yichen. Standing around here wasn¡¯t solving anything. The most important thing was that everyone was safe. Then Wei Yichen arranged for everyone to return to the mansion. Not long after they returned to the Military Prefecture, Wei Mingting came back. Given his military obligations, he couldn¡¯te and go as he pleased. Besides, Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t send him any message at first. By the time he found out about the situation, the Wei family had already found Wei Yilin. ¡°Bring Yilin to me,¡± ordered Wei Mingting. ¡°My lord, Yilin has been shocked and is currently resting¡­¡± Mrs. Yun exined. ¡°Resting? What rest does he need? His mischiefs got him into this trouble. It¡¯s all his own fault!¡± Wei Mingting responded seriously, his gaze stern. ¡°But lord, Yilin is only seven years old¡­¡± ¡°Seven years old is old enough to be a man! Seeing her husband¡¯s firm attitude, Mrs. Yun no longer tried to dissuade him and let the servant go to Yuyu Garden to bring Wei Yilin over. Knowing his father was looking for him, Wei Yilin became anxious on his way. When he entered the room and saw his father¡¯s serious face, Wei Yilin panickedpletely. ¡°Dad¡­ I¡­ I know I was wrong¡­¡± Wei Yilin apologized in fear. ¡°Go and squat in the courtyard,¡± Wei Mingting ordered without a shred of sympathy. ¡°Dad, I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Wei Yilin trembled, then quickly turned around and moved to the courtyard, assuming the horse stance position as required by Wei Mingting. Wei Mingting then came out, had someone bring an incense burner, lit incense in it, and ced it under Wei Yilin¡¯s crotch. Then he had someone bring a bowl of water and ce it on top of Wei Yilin¡¯s head. Seeing this, Mrs. Yun couldn¡¯t stand it again: ¡°My lord, isn¡¯t this a bit too harsh for Yilin? He is only seven years old¡­¡± ¡°Harsh? If he wasn¡¯t so lucky to be saved today, he would probably be dead in the hands of the Japanese Pirates now! For someone who was willing to risk his life, what¡¯s so unbearable about some suffering? Mrs. Yun was dumbfounded. Indeed,pared to losing his life, suffering a bit now was indeed lighter. At first, Wei Yilin was able to hold on, but after a quarter of the incense burned, his legs began to shake uncontrobly, and the bowl on his head was swaying heavily. When a third of the incense burned, he stumbled and fell to the ground, the bowl on his head dropped. ¡°Get up and continue. Light the incense again,¡± Wei Mingting said expressionlessly. Wei Yilin was in agony, his legs trembling, but he had to do as Wei Mingting asked. This time, he couldn¡¯tst long. He fell down shortly after the incense was lit. But Wei Mingting was still relentless, still demanding Wei Yilin to continue without a change in his expression. Mrs. Yun¡¯s heart ached, so she chose to turn around and leave, pretending not to know. After an unknown period, Wei Yilin couldn¡¯t stand up anymore. Only then did Wei Mingting allow him to leave. ### After Wei Ruo returned to the Wei family, she went back to her room. Xiumei made Calming Tea for Wei Ruo. Although her mistress had seen a lot of death and blood, it was her first time killing someone, and Xiumei was worried that she might not sleep well at night. In the first half of the night, Wei Ruo was indeed restless, dreaming about the bloody scenes of killing. It was not until thetter half of the night that she had a somewhat sound sleep. After a night¡¯s rest, Wei Ruo got up early the next morning. Hearing that Wei Mingting was in the mansion, she prepared to see her father. ¡°What are you nning to do, miss?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°To exact revenge on Wei Yilin,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo strode out of the Tingsong Garden and headed for Cangyun Garden. As she entered the courtyard, she saw Wei Mingting standing there with Wei Qingwan and Wei Yilin in front of him. Wei Yilin was trembling, showing that he had been severely punished yesterday. Today, Wei Mingting seemed to be nning to continue the punishment, but Wei Qingwan, who had learned about the situation, specifically came to plead with Wei Mingting on Wei Yilin¡¯s behalf. Wei Ruo happened to walk in on a tender moment between sister and brother. Upon seeing Wei Ruo enter, the conversation was interrupted, and Wei Mingting looked at Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Why are you up so early today, Ruoruo?¡± -I have something to discuss with father. Would it be convenient now?¡± Wei Ruo replied without hesitation. ¡°Just say whatever you have to say,¡± said Wei Mingting. ¡°It is about my younger brother, Yilin. I believe the way you are currently punishing him is inappropriate,¡± said Wei Ruo. Hearing this, Wei Yilin looked up at Wei Ruo in surprise. It was certainly expected that Sister Wanwan would plead for him, but why would Wei Qingruo also plead for him? ¡°Ruoruo, do you also think, like Wanwan, that your father shouldn¡¯t continue punishing Yilin today?¡± Wei Mingting asked. just before this, Wei Qingwan had been speaking to Wei Mingting about the same matter. Given that Yilin was still a child and yesterday¡¯s punishment had rendered him unable to walk today, she hoped that Wei Mingting would postpone today¡¯s punishment on ount of Yilin¡¯s young age. ¡°Father, I don¡¯t mean this. I think that disciplining Yilin shouldn¡¯t just be for a day or two. You are usually busy with public affairs and spend limited time at home Only disciplining for a day or two whenever you are home, and then stop right after you return to the military camp, is not effective in my opinion,¡± Wei Ruo analyzed. Upon hearing this, Wei Yilin was dumbfounded. This woman wasn¡¯t here to plead for him. She was here to make things worse for him! But when Wei Mingting heard Wei Ruo¡¯s words, he thought they made a lot of sense, so he continued to ask, ¡°Then Rouro, what do you think is a better way.¡± ¡°I think, first of all, we should separate Yilin and sister Qingwan,¡± Wei Ruo replied. The faces of Wei Qingwan and Wei Yilin turned pale simultaneously. If it were any other day, Wei Yilin would have been openly hostile towards Wei Ruo at this point. But today, he dared only to re at Wei Ruo in disbelief. Wei Qingwan lowered her head, bit her lip, and asked in a grieved tone, ¡°Sister, do you think I have led Yilin astray?¡± Chapter 98 - 98: What Ruoruo Said is indeed Chapter 98: What Ruoruo Said is indeed True_l Trantor: 549690339 She looked like she was on the verge of tears, which made her pitiful, but Wei Ruo only gave her a faint smile and patiently exined. ¡°Sister Qingwan, you needn¡¯t think like that. Qingwan, as the eldest daughter of a noble family, your nature is wonderful: gentle, endearing, kind, considerate and understanding. But just because you are kind-hearted doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you are the right person to instruct your brother. Yilin is stubborn and teaching him properly requires strict discipline, not endless coddling and indulgence.¡± Then, turning to Wei Mingting, Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Father, you are often upied with official business and mother is too busy with household affairs to spare time, so the one who spends the most time with Yilin is Qingwan. But father, as you can see, Yilin¡¯s character doesn¡¯t reflect well on this. It¡¯s not that Qingwan is doing a poor job. She simply isn¡¯t fit to instruct Yilin. Wei Qingwan¡¯s hand, concealed in her sleeve, clenched into a fist and her face visibly paled. No longer able to contain himself, Wei Yilin blurted out, ¡°Sister Wanwan has done nothing wrong. She is not failing in her duties!¡± ¡°Silent!¡± Wei Mingting interrupted Wei Yilin with a cold rebuke. It was not his ce to talk at this moment. Wei Yilin¡¯s tantrums and his reliance on Wei Qingwan only proved Wei Mingting¡¯s eldest daughter¡¯s concerns to be valid. Being descendants of a military general, how could we have a son who was arrogant and unruly, without high aspirations, excessively reliant on his sisters, and who could neither excel in academics nor martial arts? Wei Qjngwan¡¯s heart shivered. With her fingers gripping her skirt, she longed to speak up, butcked the courage to do so. Instead, she clenched her lips tightly. After silencing Wei Yilin, Wei Mingting scrutinized his eldest daughter. After a moment, he looked at Wei Ruo. ¡°Continue,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s my belief that we should find a martial arts teacher for Yilin, someone who can strictly instruct him. Being a son of the Wei family, if he can¡¯t seed via academics, then he should take up the route of martial arts, like father. He mustn¡¯t squander his time ending up ipetent with both academics and martial arts,¡± Wei Ruo said pointedly and logically. After considering her words, Wei Mingting nodded. ¡°Ruo, your words are reasonable. I have failed to pay attention to some things. You, however, are clear-sighted. From today, Yilin is forbidden to enter Wangmei Garden. He is not allowed to run about the Wei residence in his free time. Wanwan too should not secretly visit Yilin in Yuyu Garden. As for finding a martial arts teacher, I will look into it as soon as possible.¡± Wei Mingting had made his decision. Yilin, already unstable on his trembling legs, stumbled and fell. Wei Qingwan rushed over to support him, looking at him with concern. Wei Yilin, feeling wronged, buried his face in Wei Qingwan¡¯s embrace and wept. ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t want to be separated from you. I don¡¯t want to learn martial arts, sister¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, little brother. Father is doing this for your own good,¡± Wei Qingwanforted him immediately, her expression a mix of sympathy and worry. Wei Mingting stood aside, silent. Originally, he hadn¡¯t noticed this issue, but now, after his eldest daughter had spoken, and seeing his second daughter¡¯s overindulgence and affection toward their little brother, he furrowed his brows. His strict expectations of his youngest son at home never seemed to work. As Yilin grew older, he became increasingly disobedient. Perhaps this was the root cause. ¡öWanwan, return to Wangmei Garden first,¡± Wei Mingting said, wearing a serious expression. Wei Qingwan¡¯s body stiffened, and she felt a sensation of blood rushing back in her veins. She forced herself to steady her body and slowly straightened. ¡°Yes, Daughter will¡­take your leave¡­¡± Wei Qingwan stepped away from Cangyun Garden slowly. At the entrance, she looked back several times. It felt that she was leaving more than just the Cangyun Garden behind, but her home. Seeing the three people within the courtyard, Wei Qingwan felt like an outsider for the first time¡­ Wei Mingting¡¯s reason for having Wei Qingwan leave was just because he thought Qingwan was too soft-hearted. The moment her little brother suffered a little hardship, she would be there tofort him softly, which wouldn¡¯t help with his instruction. So after sending Wei Qingwan away, Wei Mingting sent Wei Yilin to chop firewood as a way to expose him to the hardships of ordinary people¡¯s daily life. Yilin was still shaky from the punishment he suffered the day before, but his hands were fine, not affecting him from chopping firewood. ¡°Ruo, you may watch over Yilin for a while in my stead. I need to talk to your mother,¡± Wei Mingting said to Wei Ruo. ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Ruo agreed. Then from an angle unseen by Wei Mingting, Wei Ruo shot a yful smile at Wei Yilin. Wei Yilin still had tears staining his cheeks. His red, swollen eyes stared at Wei Ruo. He didn¡¯t know what to say. Afterwards, Wei Mingting returned to his chambers to discuss with Yun about finding a martial arts teacher for Wei Yilin. ¡°Why do you suddenly want to send Yilin to study martial arts?¡± Yun asked. ¡°It was Ruo who reminded me. Yilin has been spoiled due to his current temperament. He doesn¡¯t take his studies seriously and acts presumptuously. Today, he went out of the residence on his own without respect for his elders. Who knows what outrageous feats he mightmit tomorrow? We must discipline him strictly now, or he could bring disaster to the Wei Residence. Studying martial arts is indeed an excellent method of discipline. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°You¡¯re right, my husband. This is also my responsibility. I failed to discipline the child,¡± Yun lowers her head in shame. ¡°It is not entirely your fault. After we arrived in Xingshan County, you have been overloaded with all the affairs of the residence. Now I think about it, Wanwan, after all, is a bit too weak. As the saying goes, a doting mother will spoil her son. She, as the sister ying the role of a mother, overly indulges him, with the same effect.¡± ¡°I will talk to Wanwan about thister, so she can correct this w. As for Yilin, she should be stricter,¡± Yun quickly said. ¡°There is no need. I have already ordered them not to have much private contact for the time being. If necessary, let Ruo take her ce. Compared to Wanwan¡¯s gentleness, Ruo¡¯s nature is better suited to instructing Yilin,¡± said Wei Mingting. Upon hearing this, Yun was taken aback. She never expected her husband to directly prohibit Wanwan from having private interactions with Yilin. After all, the person closest to Yilin was Wanwan, even closer than herself, his mother. ¡°Won¡¯t this¡­ hurt both Yilin and Wanwan?¡± Yun was a bit worried. ¡°In Yilin¡¯s case, he needs to suffer a bit in order to realize what can be done and what cannot. If we still consider his feelings, how can we teach him well? As for Wanwan, she is sensible. I have exined the cause and effect to her, so she definitely understands why and won¡¯t overthink it,¡± said Wei Mingting. ¡°Yes, my husband, you¡¯re right.¡± With that, Yun had no more objections. Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°In the past, when we talked about letting Wanwan be the eldest daughter of the family, it was solely because we were worrying that Ruo couldn¡¯t follow the rules and couldn¡¯t handle the responsibility. It was only at father¡¯s request that we let Ruo be the eldest. However, looking at it now, father was indeed foresighted, Ruo is indeed more suitable to be the eldest. She is decisive and calm in handling matters, and knows how to manage the overall situation..¡± Chapter 99 - 99 Supervising Wei Yilin’s Chapter 99: Supervising Wei Yilin¡¯s Punishment__l Trantor: 549690339 Madam Yun had not expected her husband to validate their eldest daughter s abilities so wholly. But indeed, Ruoruo¡¯s recent aplishments did bring luster to the Wei Residence. Her behavior was impable both within and outside their home, exuding the demeanor of an elder sister¡ªa performance far exceeding her earliest expectations. Madam Yun agreed saying, ¡°You¡¯re right, my Lord. Ruoruo is indeed better suited to be the eldest daughter. But our Wanwan isn¡¯t bad either: she¡¯s gentle, considerate, obedient, and sensible. Every time I see her, my heart fills with joy¡± In acknowledging their eldest daughter, she also took special care to appreciate their second daughter¡¯s excellence. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t deny this. His daughters both excelled in their ways. ¡®¡öThe matter of finding a martial arts master for Yilin is settled. You should strictly enforce the rules Iid down today, even when I am not at home. You mustn¡¯t be soft-hearted.¡± Wei Mingting further cautioned his wife, who was prone to being lenient with their children. Knowing that his wife had a soft heart, he took special care to admonish her. ¡°Rest assured, my Lord, I will definitely fulfill your expectations.¡± Madam Yun promised. Although she loved her young son and didn¡¯t want him to suffer, she would definitely adhere to the arrangements made by her husband. ### While Wei Mingting and Madam Yun were in discussion, Wei Ruo was supervising Wei Yilin¡¯s wood chopping in the yard. The seven-year-old¡¯s small arms strained hard against the hefty ax, visibly struggling. With each swing, the ax barely made a dent in the wood, far from splitting the logs. Worn out after merely a few swings, he wanted to stop, but Wei Ruo¡¯s voice rang out: ¡°If you don¡¯t chop five bundles of wood today, you¡¯ll continue tomorrow, starting anew with five bundles. If you don¡¯t finish tomorrow, then the day after, and so on until you can chop five bundles in a single day. ¡°Wei Qingruo, this is really unfair!¡± Wei Yilin couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, his round eyes red at Wei Ruo, fuming with anger. ¡°Unfair? Really?¡± Wei Ruo askedzily, a smug smile on her face. ¡°I know you¡¯re getting back at me for betraying you yesterday, right? I thought about itst night, everything was too real to be just a dream-it must have actually happened!¡± Wei Yilin asserted with confidence. Wei Ruo simply answered with silence and a grin. Wei Yilin carried on, ¡°Wei Qingruo, I admit my actions yesterday were wrong. Even if I recall yesterday¡¯s events, I won¡¯t tell anyone. Because I realize it would reflect badly on you if others knew you were kidnapped. Even if I don¡¯t like you, you¡¯re a woman of our Wei Family. I won¡¯t ruin your reputation.¡± Wei Yilin puffed out his cheeks with an angry yet serious expression on his face. Wei Ruo remained silent. What if he remembered? As long as she didn¡¯t confirm it, nobody would believe what he said. She didn¡¯t care whether he remembered or not. ¡°Also, I think it was quite impressive that you killed those two Japanese pirates. So, you shouldn¡¯t retaliate this way. Go to father and ask him to rescind his orders. I can learn martial arts, but don¡¯t separate me from Sister Wanwan and especially don¡¯t let you be in charge. I don¡¯t like you!¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t agree?¡± Wei Ruo asked with a smile. ¡°Wei Qingruo, I¡¯ve already said so much, what else do you want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. As the eldest sister, it¡¯s my responsibility to teach my younger brother, so I must supervise you, even if you may not like it.¡± Wei Ruo was cautious with her words, ensuring no eavesdropper could use her of wrongdoing. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend, you¡¯re not sincere about teaching me at all! You¡¯re just intentionally targeting me! Furthermore, I don¡¯t acknowledge you as my elder sister, my only elder sister is Sister Wanwan!¡± ¡°Stop talking and continue chopping the wood. Laziness is not eptable.¡± Wei Ruo waspletely at ease. ¡°Wei Qingruo!¡± Wei Yilin was incredibly frustrated with Wei Ruo¡¯s indifference. ¡°You must address me as ¡®elder sister.¡¯ If you can¡¯t, I¡¯ll have a serious talk with father.¡± Wei Ruo was calm and collected. Wei Yilin was so exasperated with Wei Ruo that he was at a loss for words. His gaze returned to the wood in front of him. He lifted the ax high and brought it down heavily, as if treating the logs before him as Wei Ruo, channelling all his resentment and discontent into each swing. By the time Wei Mingting emerged, Wei Yilin had already chopped almost half a bundle of wood. Wei Mingting knew he had set an unachievable task for his son. He did this intentionally, hoping it would temper his son and make him truly realize his mistakes. Seeing that under Wei Ruo¡¯s supervision, Wei Yilin had adopted a steadfast approach to chopping wood, no longer showing the earlier signs of weakness and delicacy, Wei Mingting was even more convinced that his eldest daughter was the right choice to tutor the youngest. ¡°Ruoruo, you should go back today. On the days when I¡¯m not at home, I will need you to take care of Yilin. If he doesn¡¯t obey, you have my permission to enforce our family values.¡± Wei Mingting instructed. Wei Yilin was seething inside. Looking at his father¡¯s stern face, he felt both anger and injustice. ¡°I understand, father.¡±, Wei Ruo replied. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then Wei Ruo left the Cangyun Garden. Before leaving, Wei Ruo looked back at Wei Yilin who was ring at her with bellicose eyes. ### By mid-August of the lunar calendar, it was time to harvest the rice grains in Xingshan County. Instead of joy over the harvest, the people of Xingshan County felt more worry and tension. This was because of a poor harvest. The grain that was collected was barely enough to feed many households for the uing year. The Wei Family was in a simr situation. Looking at the ount books delivered by the manager of the farm, Madam Yun was filled with worry. The manager said that currently, the best growth on the farm was from the seedlings Wei Ruo had taken to the farm to be rented. The other rice that was being harvested was approximately one-third the yield ofst year, and one-fifth of what it was five years ago. Even though the rented rice hadn¡¯t matured yet, judging by the number of grain-filled stalks, there was much more than the other rice crops. However, the seedlings Wei Ruo took only covered a small part. The Wei Family¡¯s grain yield was still much less than previous years. Apart from Wei Mingting¡¯s official sry, the farm was a significant source of ie for the Wei Family. The poor harvest meant that the Wei Family did not have much ie, making the financial budget for the next year a problem. Wei Qingwan came to the Cangyun Garden to help Madam Yun with household affairs after finishing her lessons at the magistrate¡¯s office. Seeing Madam Yun worry about the grain, sheforted her saying, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Everything will straighten out in the end. Didn¡¯t father win the war, get promoted, and receive a reward for meritorious service from the court?¡± Madam Yun shook her head: ¡°It¡¯s true he got a reward, but most of the court rewards are for honor and cannot be easily converted into silver coins.¡± Moreover, Wei Mingting just temporarily repelled the Japanese pirates off the coast of Xingshan County, withoutpletely defeating all the pirates guing the southeast coastlines. Therefore, the rewards were not that plentiful. She sighed, ¡°If I¡¯d known earlier that the rice variety Ruoruo provided was so useful, we should¡¯ve nted all fields with it. We wouldn¡¯t be in such a predicament right now..¡± Chapter 100 - 100: Grand Opening of the New Chapter 100: Grand Opening of the New Store_l Trantor: 549690339 Upon Mrs. Yun¡¯s praise of Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan¡¯s fists clenched involuntarily. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Now it seems that both her father and mother think her sister is better than she is. Taking Mrs. Yun¡¯s words, Wei Qingwan said casually, ¡°Yes, it would have been better if my sister had told us sooner.¡± At these words, Mrs. Yun¡¯s expression faltered slightly. She didn¡¯t know about her eldest daughter¡¯s superior rice seeds, but her eldest daughter should have known. However, this thought only lingered in Mrs. Yun¡¯s mind for a moment. She quickly remembered that when they had brought their eldest daughter home, they had already begun nting the early rice seedlings. ¡°We can¡¯t me Ruoruo for this, I remember when she came back, we had already started nting the seedlings in the field. If she had suggested changing the rice variety then, I probably wouldn¡¯t have believed her right away,¡± Mrs. Yun said. She remembered this clearly. At first, when her daughter wanted to improve thend in the southern city, she had opposed it, not really believing her eldest daughter could aplish it. ¡°Right¡­ right, I almost forgot. My sister only came back then, I must have misremembered,¡± Wei Qingwan readily concurred, her face hurriedly agreeing. Just when Mrs. Yun was worried about the grain supply, the goods from Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in the Capital City arrived. They were gifts from her Grandfather Duke and her husband¡¯s two older brothers, sent to celebrate Wei Mingting¡¯s promotion. Among the gifts were several wagonloads of rice grains. They arrived today because they were dyed by the slowernd route after passing Hangzhou Prefecture, despite the initial faster water route. Upon seeing wagon after wagon of goods, Mrs. Yun was overjoyed. Although Mrs. Yun knew that the Grandfather Duke and her two brothers-inw were so enthusiastic mainly due to her husband¡¯s promotion. He was now the only one in the Loyal and Righteous Duke¡¯s Residence with an official position, almost supporting the entire family. Yet, she could not deny that this grain supply had alleviated her immediate concerns. In addition to the grains, the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence sent also some fabrics and jewelry, which were gifts from the Grandfather Duke and Madam Duke. ¡°Madam, these were given by the old Duke and Madam to Miss,¡± the one who brought the gifts specifically exined. ¡°Good,¡± Mrs. Yun agreed, her gaze went to Wei Qingwan, and her eyes revealed concern. Wei Qingwan was rather pale, but she still managed to force a smile, even though it made Mrs. Yun just want to take care of her even more. Before Mrs. Yun could bring up the matter, Wei Qingwan preempted her: ¡°Mother, I am fine. My sister just returned to the residence, so it¡¯s normal for my grandparents to be mainly concerned about her.¡± Hearing her daughter¡¯s sensible words made Mrs. Yun feel even more depressed. Mrs. Yun nced at the fabrics and jewelry in front of her, hesitated for a while, and then said, ¡°Wanwan, when we have more money in the residence, I will buy some more for you.¡± In her heart, Mrs. Yun really wanted to give some to Wei Qingwan, but the rational part of her recognized that these fabrics and jewelry were not like those bronze decorations. These items had to be worn and shown in public. In the future, they would have to return to Capital City, and if her grandparents-inw discovered that she had privately passed on these gifts that they had specifically asked to be given to her eldest daughter to Wei Qingwan, they would certainly be displeased. However much Mrs. Yun wanted to take care of Wei Qingwan, she did not dare to offend her inws. Upon hearing Mrs. Yun¡¯s words, Wei Qingwan was taken aback and stared at Mrs. Yun in a daze. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Wanwan?¡± Mrs. Yun asked, puzzled. ¡°Nothing, mother¡­ I am fine¡­¡± Wei Qingwan quickly recovered herself and emphasized that she was fine. ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re fine,¡± Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t think much more of it. She knew her daughter. Naturally, it would be inevitable that she would feel a bit upset by her grandparents¡¯ attitudes, but she was sure that Wei Qingwan would not harbor any malice. After a pause, Mrs. Yun said again, ¡°I have a set of pearls for you that I originally wanted to give you when youe of age. Since you will be going to the Government City, wear it then.¡± Mrs. Yun considered this not only because of today¡¯s event, but also because of the Yun Brocade. She didn¡¯t want Wanwan to feel too aggrieved, and she didn¡¯t want Wanwan¡¯s attire to be inferior to her eldest sister when they went to the Government City. ¡°No need, mother, I won¡¯t need them. I still have some jewelry, you should keep yours,¡± Wei Qingwan hurriedly declined. ¡°You do need them. You¡¯re my daughter, and everything that is mine will eventually be yours and Ruoruo¡¯s,¡± Mrs. Yun reassured. ¡°Then¡­ thank you, mother,¡± With a shy and grateful expression, Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t decline any further. ¡°Silly girl, why are you thanking your mother? Come on, let¡¯s go to my room,¡± Mrs. Yun held Wei Qingwan¡¯s hand and led her towards her own room, intending to give her the set of pearl jewelry right away. ### The items that the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence specifically sent for Wei Ruo were delivered to Tingsong Garden. The box wasn¡¯trge this time, but the contents were far more valuable than the copper ornaments sent earlier. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a set of gold jewelry! And some jade jewelry, they all look very valuable!¡± Xiumei eximed with delight. Wei Ruo was also surprised, she hadn¡¯t expected that the Loyal and Righteous Duke would actually send her such valuable jewelry. Although the fabrics weren¡¯t as expensive as Yun Brocade, the entire box of satin fabrics was not cheap either. ¡°Indeed, a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse. No matter how much the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence has declined, they still have some assets,¡± Wei Ruo muttered to herself. What puzzled Wei Ruo was why the old Duke and Madam would give her such valuable things, which had never happened in the original work. After some thought, the difference between the present and the original worky in the achievements she made in the southern city, which brought benefits to the Wei Family. So, the two old people didn¡¯t regard her, a granddaughter they had never met, withplete affection. Their actions werergely based on considerations of family interests. But that was good too. They had paid in cash, which was a form of reward Wei Ruo particrly liked. ### For several days in a row, theborers on Xiaoyang Mountain were busy harvesting sweet potatoes, and several warehouses that had been purchased in advance were filled to the brim. The production of dried sweet potatoes and sweet potato slices was also put on the agenda. As per Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, the wet nurse carefully selected women from poor families to learn how to produce dried sweet potatoes and sweet potato slices, and then handed over the bulk of the dried sweet potato production to them. Each woman was paid five coins for a day¡¯s work and arge sweet potato in addition. This ie was not high, but for the women of the vige who had difficulty getting enough food, it was a very good job. At least it kept them from going hungry, and the work intensity was not high, so it was something they could handle. Meanwhile, next to the Four Treasure House, a grain shop named Xu¡¯s Grain Shop opened with much excitement. The shop mainly sold grains¡ªrice and sweet potatoes¡ªand also fresh mushrooms and dried mushrooms on the side. Dried sweet potatoes and sweet potato slices were also sold, at the same price as in the candied fruit store.. Chapter 101 - 101 Mushroom Sauce l Chapter 101: Mushroom Sauce l Trantor: 549690339 The store was now selling raw sweet potatoes, unlike the roasted ones previously sold, and they were not as evenly sized as the roasted ones. Hence, the selling method had changed, they were sold by weight now, three coins per catty. In this way, raw sweet potatoes were somewhat cheaper than roasted ones, making them affordable for the general public. The price of rice, however, was rtively higher. One peck was priced at one hundred coins, significantly more expensive than the sixty coins per peck priced in other rice shops in the county. Yet, the store employees exined that their variety of rice was different and superior tomon rice, being more fragrant and chewy. The general public would not buy this kind of rice, as their priority was to keep hunger at bay, seeking value for money rather than taste. The different pricing strategies were decided by Wei Ruo. The sweet potatoes were mainly targeted at ordinary people, and were therefore priced lower for affordability. They would also give some for free to those who were visibly starving. The target market for the rice, however, was wealthy officials with a taste for quality. Firstly, the rice that she had purchased from Huzhou Prefecture was indeed of this quality and worth the price. Secondly, Wei Ruo had to consider the purchase and transportation cost of this rice, which naturally raised its price too. As for the mushroom sauce, it was personally made by Wei Ruo. She and Xiumei had made a big pot of it in the small kitchen at the Bamboo Yard, then packed it into twenty small pottery jars. Since it was their first time making it in small quantities, Wei Ruo did not n to sell it in the store but to use it herself or give it as presents. The next day when Wei Ruo went to the Xie Residence for her ss, she gave two jars to Mr. Wang and another two jars to Xie Ying. Xie Ying held the two little y jars that Wei Ruo gave her and asked curiously, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°This is mushroom sauce.¡± ¡°Mushroom sauce? Made from mushrooms?¡± ¡°Yes, you put somerd into the pot, add minced meat and stir-fry until it¡¯s fragrant, then pour in onions, ginger, garlic, and diced mushroom, followed by salt, cooking wine, pepper powder, and white sugar. Stir fry it evenly, then add some soy sauce at the end.¡± Wei Ruo exined. N?v(el)B\\jnn Xie Ying blinked in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, but it seems quite impressive. Can this sauce be eaten directly? I don¡¯t know how to cook, but I can eat. Once I taste it, I can tell whether it¡¯s good or not.¡± ¡°You usually mix it with rice, vegetables, or noodles. Eating it directly may be a bit salty, but you can certainly eat it.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°That¡¯s fine then.¡± Xie Ying couldn¡¯t wait to have a maid hand her a pair of chopsticks. She then opened one of the jars and dipped the tip of the chopstick into the sauce, tasting it. Her eyes immediately brightened, ¡°Wow, this is really fragrant, and so delicious!¡± Xie Ying truly found the sauce tasty, she loved the rich vors of the sauce that came from the meat and the mushrooms, as well as the added depth from the soy sauce. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it. Once you finish it, I can get you more. This needs to be fresh to be good, waiting too long might affect the quality. I¡¯ll make some more for you in a few days.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Although it was cooked with soy sauce and covered with cooked oil, stored in y jars, and could be preserved for some time, modern preservatives and vacuum packing methods couldn¡¯t be used to lengthen its shelf life. ¡°Okay. In that case, I¡¯ll give some to my brother. With only two jars, I wouldn¡¯t be willing to share, but if there¡¯s more, I can afford to be a little nicer to him!¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh. The unique interactions between the siblings of the Xie family were very adorable to her. ### After the sweet potatoes were all harvested, Wei Ruo prepared to nt new crops. Land resources were limited, so they couldn¡¯t be left idle. At this time, crops suitable for mountainous terrain like rapeseed, radish, and broad beans were excellent choices. However, considering cost-effectiveness, it was best to grow wheat this time. This way, you could harvest it from the fourth to the sixth lunar month of the next year. However, the terrain of Xiaoyang Mountain was unsuitable for wheat cultivation. The reason why sweet potatoes were chosen initially was that they didn¡¯t require muchnd treatment on sloping terrain. Inparison, the terrain in the south of the city was much more suitable for wheat cultivation. Whenrge areas of the south were cleared for cultivation initially, apart from buying a piece of medicinal field with Xie Ying, Wei Ruo also had her wet-nurse buy a lot ofnd. Although the geographical location of thend bought by her wet-nurse was not as favorable as thend provided for free by the Government Office to the poor, it was much betterpared to the mountainous areas of the north. The price was affordable too, fifty taels of silver got them a hundred acres of tnd. After this period of improvement, thend was now suitable for crop cultivation. Wei Ruo was nning to nt wheat on thatnd. Timing was perfect as after harvesting the wheat next year, it would be time to nt Wei Ruo¡¯ste rice varieties. It wasn¡¯t just thend bought by her wet-nurse that Wei Ruo nned to nt wheat on, she also intended to encourage other people in the southern city to do the same. nting rice was out of the question at this time, but nting regr vegetables was not very cost-effective for the poor who hadn¡¯t yet solved their hunger problem. Although people in Jiangzhe preferred rice over wheat, under the prevailing circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t mind, as long as they could have enough food. To push this forward with the people from the south, Wei Ruo needed the assistance of the Government Office. So, Wei Ruo called for Madam Qin and shared her idea with her. She knew that Chu Lan had something to gain from this, so she didn¡¯t need to beat around the bush or feel embarrassed while asking for his help. ¡°Miss Wei, you are indeed kind-hearted. nting wheat at this time is indeed the best choice.¡± Madam Qin agreed wholeheartedly with Wei Ruo¡¯s opinion. ¡°If possible, I would like Madam Qin¡¯s help to transport wheat seeds from the north. There isn¡¯t much wheat cultivation in Taizhou Prefecture, so there aren¡¯t enough seeds. The area for cultivation in the south is vast and requires arge amount of wheat seeds. The poor cannot afford them, and it would be difficult for them to secure seeds on their own.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Miss Wei, Master Chu will help you with this.¡± Madam Qin could affirmatively answer without having to consult Chu Lan. Given how invested Prince Qi was in thend remation in the south, it was clear that he aspired to make significant achievements. Thus, it would only make sense to ensure that the issue with wheat seeds was resolved. Hearing Madam Qin¡¯s affirmative response, Wei Ruo knew she had made the right choice by finding her. It was highly beneficial to have Chu Lan involved. Tasks that would be challenging for ordinary people could be easily done by him. ¡°I would like to thank Master Chu and Madam Qin on behalf of the people who are reimingnd in the south.¡± Wei Ruo thanked. ¡°Miss Wei, there¡¯s no need for formalities. The people involved in thend remation should be the ones thanking you.¡± Madam Qin said.. Chapter 102 - 102: Meeting Chu Lan and Others in Government City _1 Chapter 102: Meeting Chu Lan and Others in Government City _1 Trantor: 549690339 On the tenth of September, Madam Yun took Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan out to the Government City. In addition to the coachman and the guards, the attendants CuiPing, CuiHe, XiuMei, and Madam Zhang apanied them. The invitation of the Magistrate¡¯s wife was for the fifteenth of September, but since it would take a day to travel, Madam Yun, worried about unexpected urrences, decided to depart four days earlier. Xingshan County was in a remote location; they set out in the morning and only arrived at Government City in the evening. The streets of Government City should have quieted down by evening, shops closing and pedestrians heading home. However, when the Wei Family¡¯s carriage was halfway there, they saw a crowd of people fighting ahead, with the sh and sh of weapons terrifyingly dazzling. The coachman wanted to immediately turn back, but the road was not wide enough to make the turn, so they were forced to stop at the side of the road, at a loss of what to do. In the carriage, Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan were tense. Wei Ruo was also startled. Who could be so audacious as to fight and brawl on an important street in the Government City? Wei Ruo carefully lifted the corner of the curtain. Through the gap, Wei Ruo saw a familiar figure in the middle of the melee-Lu Yuhong. If Lu Yuhong was here, wasn¡¯t Chu Lan involved too? Sure enough, when Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze swept across the street, she saw Chu Lan in a corner, surrounded by a few guards. He didn¡¯t move, the minions in front of him weren¡¯t worthy of him personally taking action. Wei Ruo saw Chu Lan at the same time as Wei Qingwan, who was sitting across from her. On her face was both the surprise and panic of witnessing this chaotic scene, and a hint of uncontainable glee. N?v(el)B\\jnn About an hourter, themotion outside subsided. After a while, Lu Yuhong came towards Wei Family¡¯s carriage. ¡°I apologize for disturbing you, the situation is now under control, you may proceed.¡± To avoid any suspicion, Madam Yun didn¡¯t lift the curtain, but replied through it: ¡°No harm done. All is well now, thanks for your hard work.¡± Madam Yun had already recognized Chu Lan and Lu Yuhong, and knowing their status, she naturally didn¡¯t dare object. After a short conversation, Lu Yuhong was supposed to allow the Wei Family¡¯s carriage to leave. However, suddenly, whether recognizing the Wei Family¡¯s carriage, or the Wei Family¡¯s servants along for the journey, he asked: ¡°Is Miss Wei in the carriage?¡± Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan looked at Wei Ruo in surprise. Wei Ruo thought for a moment, and replied: ¡°What can I do for you, sir?¡± Lu Yuhong said: ¡°Nothing much, I just wanted to ask if you still have any of the sauce you gifted Miss Xie?¡± Sauce? Mushroom sauce? Wei Ruo remembered, she gifted two jars of mushroom sauce to Xie Ying, at the time Xie Ying said she would share a jar with her brother. Wei Ruo knew that Xie Jue was also in the Government City recently. He should be with Chu Lan and the others. Listening to Lu Yuhong, it seemed that he had tasted the mushroom sauce at Xie Jue¡¯s ce. After pondering for a while, Wei Ruo replied: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Lu, but I did not bring it with me while traveling.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to give any to Lu Yuhong, though it wasn¡¯t a valuable item, but she didn¡¯t like Chu Lan very much, thus she didn¡¯t have a good impression of Lu Yuhong either. But she couldn¡¯t outright refuse, nor could she daringly lie that she didn¡¯t have any left. But she genuinely didn¡¯t have any with her. Wei Ruo said so, any ordinary polite visitor would have dropped the subject, wouldn¡¯t normally continue asking for a jar of mushroom sauce. However, Lu Yuhong was apparently not a traditional gentleman, and he straightforwardly said: ¡°Then, when I visit Xingshan County in a few days, could Miss Wei gift me a jar?¡± Wei Ruo had never encountered someone asking her so directly for something. She barely knew this Lu Yuhong! While she was thinking about how to respond, Chu Lan¡¯s voice came from outside. ¡°Brother Yu, you are being too forward.¡± Lu Yuhong scratched his head in embarrassment: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Chu. My mind was only thinking about getting the mushroom sauce to eat, who knew that Xie Jue would be so stingy, saying his sister gave it and only allowed me to take a scoop for mixing noodles. He wouldn¡¯t give me anymore no matter what, since this sauce is not found elsewhere, and I finally meet the original creator, I lost my manners because of my desire!¡¯ Lu Yuhong was a bit thick-skinned, and his actions tended to becking in etiquette. After being reminded by Chu Lan, Lu Yuhong realized that it was highly inappropriate to ask an unfamiliar youngdy for mushroom sauce on the street. So, he apologized: ¡°I¡¯m sorry Miss Wei, I was absent-minded, I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± With that, Lu Yuhong moved out of the way. Madam Yun ordered the coachman to continue onwards. After passing by Chu Lan and Lu Yuhong, Wei Qingwan carefully lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, and sneaked a peek at the two men behind them. Meanwhile, Madam Yun asked Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruoruo, what was that sauce they were talking about?¡± Wei Ruo calmly answered:¡±It¡¯s a sauce I made from minced meat and mushrooms when I had nothing else to do, and gifted two jars to Xie Ying. It seems like Xie Ying gave some to her brother, who is now in Government City. He probably befriended the gentleman we just met and happened to try some together.¡± Wei Ruo had given it to Xie Ying in the first ce. It was perfectly reasonable, so she did not need to worry about being held ountable by Madam Yun. -I see.¡± Madam Yun nodded, then said, ¡°If that young gentleman asks you for the sauce next time, just order the servants to give him some. If you give it openly and honestly, you don¡¯t need to hide it.¡± Giving out some food was harmless as long as it wasn¡¯t a young woman¡¯s personal possessions being exchanged privately. Wei RUO didn¡¯t pick up the conversation, but Wei Qingwan curiously asked Wei Ruo: ¡°Sister, do you know how to make sauce? Sitting against the wall of the carriage, Wei Ruo replied casually: ¡°Many women in rural areas make a lot of their own food, I learned from them.¡± ¡°Sis, next time can you teach me as well, I want to learn too.¡± Wei Qingwan expressed her desire to learn. ¡°Little sister, what you should learn is how to be a good youngdy and future family matriarch. The skills of making sauce can wait untilter. But if you have a genuine curiosity, you can go discuss this with the kitchen maids in the house, as they probably know how to make it.¡± Wei Ruo responded. Did she bring up her desire to make mushroom sauce in front of Madam Yun to pressure Wei Ruo into teaching her how to make it? What was she thinking. ¡°The chefs in our house are definitely not as skilled as you, sis. Just now, that gentleman from the Capital who has undoubtedly tasted many delicacies, praised you so much, it means the sauce you made must be special.¡± Wei Qingwan remarked. Wei Ruo replied in no hurry:¡±Please forgive me, little sister. I¡¯ve been upied with many things recently, and don¡¯t have the time to teach you such things. Actually, the methods for making sauces are not that different, it¡¯s the same who you learn from. If that gentleman finds favor with my sauce, perhaps it¡¯s because he¡¯s used to eating fine food on a daily basis, and the taste of this rural sauce is new to him..¡± Chapter 103 - 103 Check-in_l Chapter 103: Check-in_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo¡¯s response was watertight and boss-proof. Wei Qingwan could do nothing to her and turned her head to look at Lady Yun. Lady Yun also felt that her elder daughter had said nothing wrong: ¡°Wanwan, if you want to learn, after returning to Wei Residence, I will have the chef teach you. Given your cooking skills, you should be able to learn very quickly. ¡°Hmm.¡± Now that Lady Yun had spoken, Wei Qingwan had to let it go. However, her heart was still fixated on Master Chu whom she had only managed to get a fleeting glimpse of. ### After the carriage of the Wei Family left, Lu Yuhong was still thinking about his mushroom sauce. He turned his head to Chu Lan and said, ¡°Brother Chu, haven¡¯t you been in frequent contact with Miss Wei recently? Could you please help me obtain a jar next time?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? People who don¡¯t know the facts might think that I have some secret affair with Miss Wei.¡± ¡°No, no, I mean, didn¡¯t you send Madam Qin to help Miss Wei deal with the matter of reiming the wastnd in the south of the city? You two are in close contact. If you ask for it, getting a jar of mushroom sauce shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± ¡°When will your gluttonous habit change, Brother Yuhong?¡± Chu Lan asked in a teasing tone. ¡°That¡¯s probably never going to happen in this lifetime. I have two great passions in life, fighting and food. I wouldn¡¯t survive without either of them,¡± Lu Yuhong answered. Chu Lan couldn¡¯t help butugh. He actually quite liked Lu Yuhong¡¯s disposition. In addition to Lu Yuhong¡¯s identity, his personality was also a big reason for their close rtionship. He was straightforward and easy to understand. ¡°Brother Chu, you ate itst time too. Don¡¯t you think that mushroom sauce was very special and delicious? Anyway, I¡¯ve never eaten mushroom sauce hke that in the Capital City,¡± Lu Yuhong asked curiously. -It is indeed special and indeed delicious, but not as much as Brother Yuhong speaks of,¡± Chu Lan answered. He would certainly enjoy good food, but he wouldn¡¯t long for it as much as Lu Yuhong does. If it¡¯s there, he would eat it; if not, it would be no problem. He wouldn¡¯t take it so seriously and wouldn¡¯t bother asking people for a sauce specifically. ¡°Anyway, I really like it. Will you let your Madam Qin help me get a jar next time? I won¡¯t take it for free, I¡¯ll exchange it with something else,¡± Lu Yuhong said. ¡°Alright, I will let Madam Qin ask for you next time,¡± Chu Lan agreed. ¡°Great, I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡± Lu Yuhong was very happy, his smile was pure and direct. His simplicity was rare in the mixed circles of the Capital City. And Chu Lan, who is part of the royal mud pit and has seen many cunning and conniving people, naturally enjoyed bing friends with someone hke Lu Yuhong. ### After a while, the horse-drawn carriage of the Wei Family reached a vi. The vi belonged to the Xie Family, and it was Madam Xie who took the initiative to offer it to Lady Yun to amodate the mother and daughters of the Wei Family for a few days. This act of Madam Xie solved a big problem for Lady Yun. Originally, it was not appropriate for her as a woman with two daughters to stay in an inn. The Wei family had not bought any residence in Government City, and they were worrying about how to settle down when Madam Xie extended a helping hand in their hour of need. Madam Xie owns several shops in Government City and has also bought several houses there, making it convenient for her children and herself to have ces to stay when they go to the city. The vi that the Wei Family is now going to live in is just one of them. Lady Yun was very grateful for this. The Wei Family and the Xie Family did not have much interaction. But at this time, Madam Xie could take the initiative to lend her vi to them for temporary residence, which really moved her. The housekeeper of the Xie Family¡¯s vi came out to greet them. She first politely greeted Lady Yun, then turned her eyes to Wei Ruo. The housekeeper smiled at Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Miss Wei, our youngdy asked this old servant to prepare food and drinks from the most famous Zuixian Residence in the city for you, including Zuixian Residence¡¯s osmanthus wine. The young mistress wants you to eat well and drink well. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Thankyou, Madam. You have worked hard,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Oh no, Miss Wei is a friend of our young mistress, and an honored guest of our house. It is our duty as servants to take care of the honored guests,¡± said the housekeeper with a smile all over her face. Under the guidance of the housekeeper, Wei Ruo, Lady Yun, and Wei Qingwan, who had been on the road all day, entered the dining hall of the vi. Surely enough, the dining hall had been filled with a banquet of sumptuous dishes. ording to the housekeeper, they should have just been brought back from Zuixian Residence, still fresh and hot. in fact, this meal was not arranged by Xie Ying, but by Xie Jue. However, to avoid inviting criticism, he specifically instructed the olddy to say that it was arranged by Xie Ying. Lady Yun looked at the banquet table and sighed once again in her heart about the generous hospitality of the Xie Family. Of course, Lady Yun was very clear in her heart that the Xie Family¡¯s warm hospitality at this time all came from the friendship between her eldest daughter and Miss Xie. Wei Qingwan felt ufortable, as if all the preferential treatment they were receiving now was gifted by Wei Ruo, which made her feel oppressed. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t think that much. Since these fine dishes were prepared by Xie Ying, she would make an effort to enjoy them while they were hot. She also wanted to know what kind of skill level the chef of the best restaurant in Government City had. After tasting them, she was slightly disappointed. To be honest, the chef¡¯s skills were certainly very good, and many of the dishes were well done, but some were a bit subpar, not because of the cooking skills, but due to the seasoning and spices. Some of the big braised dishes werecking in excellent seasoning and spices, and naturally, the taste would be a little nd. This discovery gave Wei Ruo a thought, and then sheughed. If she had enough time and the chance this time, she would go to Zuixian Residence. Wei Ruo thought the taste was ordinary, but Lady Yun and Wei Qingwan found the dishes brought from Zuixian Residence to be very delicious. The cooking skills surpassed the cook of the Colonel¡¯s family by far. Lady Yun evenplimented that the cooking of Zuixian Residence was on par with the big restaurants in the Capital City. Wei Qingwan agreed and told Wei Ruo that she would take her to taste the food of the Capital City¡¯s restaurants once they arrived there. Wei Ruo just smiled, ording to their words, Wei Ruo felt that even the restaurants in the Capital City couldn¡¯tpete with the cooking skills of her family¡¯s Meimei, so there was nothing to look forward to. After dinner, Wei Ruo went to rest in the room prepared for her. The physical effort lost on the road needed to be replenished by sleeping. Although Wei Qingwan appeared to be much weaker than Wei Ruo on a daily basis, she didn¡¯t immediately rest after a day of carriage riding. Instead, she had her maid inquire about the whereabouts of Young Master Xie Jue of the Xie Family. Cuihe quickly came back, ¡°Young Miss, Young Master Xie is not in this vi. Madam Xie arranged for us to stay in a different vi from Young Master Xie for our convenience.¡± Wei Qingwan was a little disappointed to hear this. She then had Cuihe help her bathe and then retire to bed. ### The next day, Lady Yun went out with Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan. Since there were still a few days till the garden tour, Lady Yun decided to take her two daughters around Government City first, which was a rare opportunity in ordinary days.. Chapter 104 - 104 Xie Ying’s Insider News 1 Chapter 104: Xie Ying¡¯s Insider News 1 Trantor: 549690339????????????????? ¡ª Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have much interest in the activities of thedies and their daughters, but she was very interested in wandering the streets of Government City. So promptly after dressing lightly, she joyfully followed Madame Yun out. However, Madame Yun insisted that Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan try to stay in the carriage as much as possible. If they were to enter a shop, they had to wear their veiled hats and not take them off lightly, with their maids following closely behind them. Naturally, Wei Ruo could not stay put and as soon as she reached a bustling area, she left the carriage and began to browse the various shops and stalls. After a short while, she ran into Xie Ying. ¡°Ruoruo!¡± Xie Ying noticed Wei Ruo first, and she started hopping towards her with glee. Unlike Wei Ruo who wore a veiled hat, Xie Ying was unobstructed and rxed. ¡°Ruoruo, why are you dressed like this? It¡¯s inconvenient. If it weren¡¯t for recognizing the material that I personally chose, I wouldn¡¯t recognize you.¡± said Xie Ying. Wei Ruo was indeed wearing an outfit that used the Yun brocade silk that Xie Ying had given her as a gift. Wei Ruo could only say that the Xie Family really spoiled Xie Ying, as they always indulged her whims. ¡°Wait, why are you here in Government City? I didn¡¯t hear you mention that you wereing here.¡± Wei Ruo asked Xie Ying. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯te to Government City because of the Magistrate¡¯s wife¡¯s invitation. Although my grandfather has been promoted to the fourth rank, my father is just a small official. Also, because my mother is of merchant background, some old-fashioned people look down on us. Of course, my mother also doesn¡¯t bother with them and hence is happy to not attend.¡± Xie Ying exined. ¡°Then why did youe here?¡± Wei Ruo curiously asked. ¡°I came to y, my brother¡¯s here. You were not around these few days, so I asked my mother to let our tutor have a few days off, and she agreed.¡± Xie Ying said proudly. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, my brother has booked a pleasure boat on East Lake,e and y with me!¡± Xie Ying invited Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo turned and looked towards the carriage behind her; Madame Yun was still in the carriage. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s hesitation, Xie Ying said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have my nanny go exin the situation. I won¡¯t mention my brother, just that it¡¯s the two of us, and with so many of our house servers following us, your mom has no reason to refuse.¡± After she finished saying that, Xie Ying passed along the situation to the nanny behind her. The nanny then walked over to the Wei¡¯s carriage and had a quick chat with Madame Yun. Shortly, the nanny returned and told Wei Ruo and Xie Ying that Madam Wei had agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xie Ying took Wei Ruo¡¯s hand, and they both boarded the Xie Family¡¯s carriage, heading towards East Lake. Upon boarding, Xie Ying promptly removed the veil that she found obstructing from Wei Ruo¡¯s hat. On the way to East Lake, Wei Ruo asked Xie Ying, ¡°Is your brother in Government City these days because of that nobility?¡± ¡°I guess so. He didn¡¯t go into detail, but I suspect it¡¯s because of the seventh Prince.¡± Xie Ying responded. Immediately after she said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Actually, your Wei Family knows that he¡¯s the seventh Prince, right? You have people in Capital City; you couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware.¡± Wei Ruo nodded, then said, ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why he¡¯d stay in Taizhou prefecture for so long. If it¡¯s about the Japanese Pirates, they¡¯ve already won a battle. It would be reasonable for him to return to the capital and report. As for the matter of the wastnd south of my city, he could have left a subordinate here. There¡¯s no need for him to stick around for such a small matter.¡± ¡°About that, I¡¯ve heard a rumor.¡± Xie Ying chimed in. ¡°A rumor?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone else what I¡¯m about to tell you, okay?¡± Xie Ying whispered. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I heard that the seventh Prince may be looking for the Prince born by the former Empress.¡± Didn¡¯t the Prince born by the former Empress die as soon as he was born?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the specifics, but it¡¯s said that he may have actually survived back then, and the old allies of the former Empress¡¯s maternal family, Duke Xu, secretly took him to Jiangnan. But there have also been reports that ¡¯ someone caught in an old ally of Duke Xu has been frequently in contact with the Jiangnan region, suspecting that the Prince did not die back then.¡± Xie Ying ryed some of the rumors she heard. Whether or not they were true, no one could tell. ¡°It¡¯s probably a misunderstanding.¡± Wei Ruo muttered. Because in the original story, that Prince who died early on had never appeared, even when the male lead Chu Lan took the throne, he hadn¡¯t shown up. It should be safe to say he no longer existed. ¡°I also think it¡¯s more likely to be a misunderstanding. If he¡¯s still alive, things will be chaotic.¡± Xie Ying murmured, and didn¡¯t add anything more. Some things should only be brought up out of curiosity and then let go. Delving deeper could bring trouble to oneself and their family. Shortly, their carriage reached theke shore. With the support of the maids, Xie Ying and Wei Ruo stepped down from the carriage. On the shore, Xie Jue was waiting for his sister¡¯s arrival. Unbeknownst to him, not only was his mischievous sister arriving but also Wei Ruo. The moment he saw Wei Ruo, the smile on Xie Jue¡¯s face broadened. He stared intently at Wei Ruo, who was dressed in a light blue satin blouse and skirt, and her hair was styled in a simple yet yful bun. Wei Ruo walked up to Xie Jue, gave a slight bow: ¡°Nice to see you, Young Master Xie.¡± ¡°No need to be formal.¡± Xie Jue responded, his right hand clutching the fan seemed unsure where to rest. Xiumei, who stood behind Wei Ruo, was a bit amused, thinking that Young Master Xie must have felt uneasy after being beaten by herst time, and that¡¯s why he was so nervous seeing the two of them. ¡°Enough dilly-dallying, let¡¯s get on the boat.¡± Xie Ying was an impatient one and didn¡¯t like dilly-dallying. She didn¡¯t wait for her brother to react, and pulled Wei Ruo onto the boat. Xie Jue quickly followed and gave orders to set sail. The pleasure boat slowly moved away from the shore and headed towards the center of East Lake. Wei Ruo and Xie Ying sat in the tearoom on the boat, watching theke scenery through the raised curtain. The cool breeze brushed their faces, and the surface of the water rippled gently. Looking at the teapot in front of her, Wei Ruo took out two paper wrapped packages from the embroidered pouch she carried with her, giving one to Xie Ying, and keeping one for herself. Upon opening the package, she poured its content into the teacup, then added the hot water that was avable on the boat to brew it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xie Ying asked with curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s herbal tea.¡± Wei Ruo answered, ¡°It¡¯s made of dried honeysuckle, dried jasmine, and a few herbs that are known for their qi-regting and blood-nourishing properties. It tastes sweet and not astringent, give it a try.¡± Hearing this, Xie Ying immediately brewed hers as well. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Before they had a chance to taste it, Xie Jue entered, teasing, ¡°Miss Wei, I¡¯d also like a cup of this herbal tea.¡± Xie Ying looked at Xie Jue and said, ¡°Brother, why do you always want things from Ruoruo?¡± ¡°Miss Wei¡¯s things are good, you can¡¯t find them anywhere else. If I don¡¯t take this chance to request for it, won¡¯t I be losing out?¡± Xie Jue spoke honestly. ¡°That makes sense.¡± Xie Ying agreed. Wei Ruoughed lightly, then took all the remaining tea packets from her pouch and gave them to Xie Jue: ¡°If Young Master Xie likes them, I¡¯ll give all of them to you..¡± Chapter 105 - 105: Encountering Chu Lan Again_l Chapter 105: Encountering Chu Lan Again_l Trantor: 549690339 | Xie Jue was beaming with delight as he looked at the packet of tea Wei Ruo ced on the table. He hadn¡¯t tasted it yet, but he was certain it must be incredibly sweet and delicious. After the tea had cooled down slightly, Xie Ying took a sip, then praised, ¡°Ruoruo, you are really a treasure trove!¡± Xie Jue also chuckled while sipping his tea. The three of them sat in the tea room, enjoying their tea and some snacks. Soon, another pleasure boat approached their vessel. Alert, Xie Jue ordered the servant to let down the gauze curtains, and he moved to the bow of the boat. He recognized the two familiar faces standing on the approaching boat ¨C Chu Lan and Lu Yuhong. ¡°Brother Chu, Brother Lu.¡± Xie Jue greeted, bowing his fist towards the two men. ¡°Xie Jue, you¡¯re not ying fair, sneaking out to have fun without us! If Brother Chu and I hadn¡¯t decided to go boating, we wouldn¡¯t have known that you¡¯ve gone off to East Lake by yourself!¡± Lu Yuhong crossed his arms, clearly discontented. This was a lingering grudge from the incident on the mushroom sauce! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Forgive me, Brother Lu, I was apanying my sister today, which is why I didn¡¯t notify you two.¡± Xie Jue quickly exined. ¡°From what I can see, you¡¯re not out with your sister, but entertaining a damsel.¡± Chu Lan¡¯s sharp eyes spotted the two female figures the moment Xie Jue had the curtains lowered. Xie Jue has only one sister, so if one of them is his sister, the other must be another youngdy. Upon hearing this, Xie Jue¡¯s face stiffened, and he pleaded with a slight degree of embarrassment, ¡°Brother Chu, spare me, this cannot be disclosed, lest we ruin the reputation of the youngdy.¡± Lu Yuhong instantly became interested, ¡°Xie Jue, you can seal our mouths, but ites at a price.¡± Hurriedly, Xie Jue replied, ¡°I will invite Brother Lu to a feast at the Zuixian Residence on another day¡­¡± Lu Yuhong interrupted Xie Jue, ¡°The Zuixian Residence is nothing special. We can go there anytime we want if we crave something. It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t afford it.¡± In a leisurely manner, Chu Lan unveiled his guess, ¡°Unless I¡¯m mistaken, I think the youngdy on your boat is from the Wei Family.¡± This was not a difficult guess to make. Xie Jue¡¯s sister has only a handful of friends, and just the day before, they saw the Wei family¡¯s carriage entering the Government City. It was safe to assume that the person apanying the Xie siblings was Miss Wei. Xie Jue paused : ¡°Brother Chu, I beg you not to guess any further so as not to tarnish her reputation.¡± Laughing, Lu Yuhong asked: ¡°Is it the Miss Wei who knows how to farm and make mushroom sauce?¡± Xie Jue neither confirms nor denies it, afraid to lie to Chu Lan, nor can he even think about revealing the truth. Seeing his reaction, it was clear the answer was affirmative. Lu Yuhong continued, ¡°You underestimate us, Xie Jue. We are not gossipers. No one would dare to bring this up, not to mention, aren¡¯t there a bunch of servants around? With broad daylight, what have you got to hide if you are innocent?¡± Chu Lan added, ¡°Indeed, there is no need for such vignce. I am acquainted with Miss Wei. I admire her deeds in the south of the city and I assure you my men won¡¯t say a thing. You can rest assured as can Miss Wei and your sister in your cabin.¡± Wei Ruo, in the cabin, had heard their conversation and was reluctant to meet Chu Lan. However, knowing that they had recognized her, there was no point in hiding. She muttered to herself: ¡°What¡¯s going on with Chu Lan? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be busy? How does he keep showing up wherever I am? How can he be a good Crown Prince if he isn¡¯t attending to his duties?¡± Xie Ying came out of the cabin first. Realizing that the seventh Prince was on the other boat, she dared not be flippant. Respectfully, she greeted, ¡°Greetings to Princes Lu and Chu.¡± Seeing this, Wei Ruo had no choice but to follow suit,ing out of the cabin and greeting the princes. Throughout, Wei Ruo kept her head down, avoiding direct eye contact with Chu Lan. ¡°It seems like Miss Wei is not particrly pleased to see me.¡± Chu Lan perceptively sensed something. Wei Ruo quickly denied, ¡°Prince Chu ispassionate toward the people. I admire the good deeds you¡¯ve done for the people in Xingshan County, and I have absolute respect and gratitude for you. It¡¯s absolutely not that I am unwilling to see you.¡± Thinking to herself, ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t want to see you. In your previous life, you ordered my execution. Am I supposed to be grateful to you?¡± The scene fell into an awkward silence. Xie Ying, acknowledging the awkwardness, tried to change the topic for respite, ¡°Brother, I want to go fishing. I¡¯ve heard that East Lake is full of delicious fish. I want to see if I can catch some.¡± As soon as he heard about the delicious fish, Lu Yuhong was eager: ¡°Really? I also want to give it a try. Maybe I can catch a hilsa!¡± ¡°Lu Yuhong, hilsa usually lives inrge rivers, not in just anyke. I doubt East Lake has any,¡± Xie Jue exined. ¡°So what kind of fish DOES thiske have?¡± Lu Yuhong asked quickly. ¡°Silver carp, bighead carp, crucian carp, grass carp, andmonly seen fish like this are no doubt here. There should also be ck fish and bass. I¡¯m unsure about Mandarin fish with excellent meat quality. But I believe yellow perch wouldn¡¯t be a bad catch also,¡± Xie Jue exined. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll focus on catching a Mandarin fish,¡± Lu Yuhong proimed as he immediately went to prepare the fishing rods and other fishing gear. Hearing Xie Jue talk about the variety of fishes in theke, Wei Ruo, who hadn¡¯t eaten grilled fish for quite a while, was feeling peckish. Just as well, she had brought a few bottles of seasoning. Initially thinking she might get a chance to market her seasoning to the people from Zuixian Residence, she was hoping to sell it at a good price. ¡°You guys fish then, I¡¯ll grill whatever fish you catch,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll catch the fish, Ruoruo, wait for me. I¡¯ll catch a fat one for you to grill!¡± Xie Ying enthusiastically dered. Having heard about the grilled fish, Lu Yuhong¡¯s gluttony got the best of him. ¡°That sounds nice. I¡¯d love to try Miss Wei¡¯s grilled fish if possible.¡± The person who could make delicious mushroom sauce definitely couldn¡¯t go wrong with grilling a fish right? Seeing the circumstances, all Xie Jue could do was look at Chu Lan for his approval. If Chu Lan disagreed, everyone else¡¯s enthusiasm would be for naught. ¡°I¡¯d like to give it a try, too.¡± Chu Lan expressed interest as well. Since the seventh Prince had spoken, there was nothing much left to say. Xie Jue immediately ordered his men to start preparations and then turned to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, if you need anything else for the preparation, let me know, and I¡¯ll have them arrange it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo quickly wrote a detailed list and went back to her cabin. The grill and charcoal for grilling fish were already on the boat, so there was no need for extra arrangements. What they needed to procure were some side ingredients and a pot. In no time, a servant brought over the fishing equipment. Xie Jue waited until the two boats were close to each other before boarding Chu Lan and Lu Yuhong¡¯s boat. With men on one boat and women on another, and a safe distance between them, it did not provide fodder for any gossip even if they were spotted by others.. Chapter 106 - 106: Grilled Fish 1 Chapter 106: Grilled Fish 1 Trantor: 549690339 I Chu Lan, Lu Yuhong, and Xie Jue were on the opposite boat, while Xie Ying was on this side, each upying a spot, grabbing their fishing rods, picking their bait, and beginning to fish. The tools Wei Ruo needed arrived a bitte, but it didn¡¯t matter because the four fishermen had not caught anything yet. After a while, Chu Lan¡¯s fishing rod showed the first movement. Following some tugs, he pulled up a ck fish, weighing roughly two taels. Though it wasn¡¯t as vorful as a mandarin fish, its flesh was quite good perfect for grilling. Chu Lan sent his servant to take the fish to the boat where Wei Ruo was. After receiving the fish, so as not to let the smell of processing the fish dampen the mood, Xiumei took the fish to the tail of the boat and smoothly dealt with it. Scaling, gutting, removing gills, her movements were swift and smooth. In no time, a fish that was still alive and kicking was made clean and white. Then, she made diagonal cuts on the fish belly and rubbed coarse salt over it for marination. While Xiumei was processing the fish, the Xie family servant arrived in a small boat with the ingredients that Wei Ruo had requested. Garlic, scallions, lettuce, bean sprouts, tofu skin ¨C these were the ingredients she could buy at the moment. And a small iron pot. To speed up the process, Wei Ruo and Xiumei divided the work. Xiumei was responsible for preparing the ingredients, and Wei Ruo took charge of the cooking. Wei Ruo seldom cooked for herself anymore, generally letting Xiumei handle it when time permitted. Wei Ruo moved the two stoves on the boat, used for boiling water, to the front of the boat, lit the fire, and ced the iron rack on top. While Wei Ruo and Xiumei were getting ready, Xie Jue caught a grass carp weighing more than four taels. Seeing that both his brothers have caught their fish, Lu Yuhong became a little anxious. Even though the other two didn¡¯t intend topete, Yuhong was keen on winning. Xie Ying was also somewhat anxious. She had confidently promised to catch a big fish for Wei Ruo to roast, but there were still no signs of a catch. How vexing! Subconsciously, Xie Ying nced at Lu Yuhong across the water, thinking to herself that she couldn¡¯t be thest one and that she needed to catch a big fish faster than young master Lu. Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t pan out as she had hoped. Before Xie Ying had any luck, Lu Yuhong had a fish on his hook. He excitedly pulled up the rod, only to find a tiny crucian carp at the end. Though the crucian carp was vorful, due to its numerous bones and small size, it was unsuitable for grilling. A little disappointed, Lu Yuhong was interrupted by Xie Ying¡¯s excited voice from the opposite boat. ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯ve got a fish on the hook,e help me pull it in! It¡¯s so strong!¡± Xie Ying¡¯s voice shook with excitement. Wei Ruo hurried up to help Xie Ying hold the rod and prevent it from being pulled into the water by the fish. -What do I do, Ruoruo? I can¡¯t pull it in!¡± Xie Ying was a little anxious. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s loosen the line a bit, then tighten it again. We¡¯ll tire it out and when it doesn¡¯t have much strength, reel it in,¡± Wei Ruo said calmly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Wei Ruo and Xie Ying coborated, they didn¡¯t rush to pull the fish up but adopted the technique of loosening and tightening the line, pulling back and forth. The three people on the opposite boat initially wanted to send help, but they noticed that the two girls were methodical and calm. With this, Xie Jue felt relieved. If the fish had escaped, given his sister¡¯s uptight temperament, he estimated she would have been upset for at least half a month. Lu Yuhong¡¯s heart was still in suspense, he was curious about what kind of fish Miss Xie had caught. Chu Lan watched the two struggling with the fishing pole with interest. Wei Ruo¡¯s calm reaction and the words she had spoken earlier had given him a new respect for her. After struggling for the length of an incense stick burning, the fish in the water lost its strength. Wei Ruo told Xie Ying, ¡°Now we pull it up strongly.¡± Xie Ying nodded, ¡°Okay!¡± With a joint tug on the fishing rod, they managed to pull the fish out of the water. The moment the fish emerged, Xie Ying eximed in surprise. ¡°Ruoruo, look at what kind of fish this is, a big one!¡± Xie Ying¡¯s voice was filled with excitement. ¡°This is a catfish, also known as a bighead carp. Its head is big and its flesh is fresh,¡± Wei Ruo identified the fish. Catfish are a kind of fish that can grow very big. The one Xie Ying had caught weighed probably seven or eight pounds, but that was not the limit for this kind of fish. Surely in East Lake, there were bigger ones. ¡°RuoRuo, you can roast ours, it¡¯ll be delicious!¡± Xie Ying happily suggested. ¡®This fish is too big, roasting it whole might not cook it thoroughly. I will cut off the head and keep it to make fish head soupter, use the belly part for grilling, and the tail for stir-fryingter,¡± Wei Ruo proposed. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll listen to you, you choose how to cook it.¡± Xie Ying nodded continuously. Matters of cooking were best left in RuoRuo¡¯s hands, so she could continue fishing! Lu Yuhong, watching from the opposing boat, gazed at Xie Ying¡¯s bighead carp and then at the small crucian carp he had caught himself, promptly dampening his mood. No way, he, Lu Yuhong, could not lose to a girl! Lu Yuhong called upon his servant to bring an extra fishing rod. He nned to set out several rods, casting both left and right! After Wei Ruo had helped Xie Yingnd the fish, she began working on grilling the fish.???????????????????????? &?? 6 The charcoal fire was just right, and the first ckfish that they had caught was marinated just enough. Wei Ruo brushed some vegetable oil on the fish and then started grilling it on the fire. While grilling the fish, Wei Ruo started stir-frying the spices in another burner with a pan she had purchased, adding her own soy sauce, salt, five-spice powder (a mix of ground amomum, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise), cooking wine, green onion, and ginger. Shortly after stir-frying, the fragrance spread out, enveloping theke surface. Lu Yuhong, as a renowned food lover, had his eyes lighten up at the smell. He stood up, looking over in Wei Ruo¡¯s direction. After the sauce was stir-fried, it was set aside, waiting for the fish on the side to get grilled. When the ckfish was golden brown on both sides, Wei Ruo moved it to a pot. The bottom of the pot was already spread with cut seasoning vegetables. The fish went on top of them, and the pot was filled with boiling water to start the cook. Wei Ruo then took out a jar from her bag,dling out ck beans from inside, spreading them on top of the fish. N?v(el)B\\jnn As the water was brought to a boil, an appetizing scent filled the air with the aroma of the spices seeping into the fish. The smell made Lu Yuhong, who had just been bragging about catching a matching big fish, lose all his interest in fishing. His eyes drifting towards Wei Ruo every so often, lest he miss anything. Xie Ying was also getting hungry. She was eager to taste the grilled fish prepared by Wei Ruo. Seeing that the food was nearly ready, Wei Ruo instructed a servant to bring a soup bowl. She divided half of the fish and side dishes into arge bowl, and then ordered the Xie Family¡¯s servant to take the rest of the fish and the pot to the opposing boat. The servants took the iron pot from Wei Ruo and paddled their boat towards Chu Lan¡¯s.. Chapter 107 - 107 Delicious_l Chapter 107: Delicious_l Trantor: 549690339 | Lu Yuhong stood on the boat and warned the Xie family servants who were delivering the fish: ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t spill it! The servants from the Xie family, who were initially rxed, became somewhat nervous after Lu Yuhong¡¯s warning, causing their hands holding the pot to tremble slightly. When the small boat approached, Lu Yuhong personally took over the pot. Xie Jue came over,ughing and teasing: ¡°Brother Lu, you¡¯re not nning on keeping it all to yourself, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as stingy as you, let¡¯s go inside and eat. Then we¡¯ll continue fishing,¡± Lu Yuhong said as he ced the pot on a table inside the cabin. Chu Lan then entered the cabin as well. The servants on the boat prepared cutlery for the three of them, and they began tasting the food. Only at the first bite, Lu Yuhong showed a joyful expression: ¡°This fish is too delicious! The meat is tender and fragrant.¡± He then dropped all pretenses and enjoyed the food heartily. He again praised: ¡°The side dishes underneath are very vourful too, and what are these ck beans? They¡¯re savoury and fragrant!¡± Compared to him, Chu Lan and Xie Jue¡¯s reactions were much more subdued. It wasn¡¯t that the food wasn¡¯t good, but their well-bred manners didn¡¯t allow them to lose their dignity over delicious food. Especially Chu Lan, no matter how good the food was, he wouldn¡¯t behave like Lu Yuhong. Food didn¡¯t hold such a weight in his heart. Yet he also couldn¡¯t deny, Wei Ruo¡¯s prepared fish was exceptionally delicious and the method of grilling and boiling the fish along with a bunch of side dishes was very unique. The fish was cut in half, and a fish of more than two catties didn¡¯t yield much after getting halved, coupled with the side dishes they only had a half-filled pot. It didn¡¯t take long for the three of them to finish. Lu Yuhong still wanted more. Looking at the bottom of the pot, which waspletely emptied, including the soup, was not enough for him. He then urged Chu Lan and Xie Jue to continue fishing: ¡°Don¡¯t rest after eating, hurry back and fish more.¡± Xie Jue helplessly said, ¡°Brother Lu, at least let Miss Wei, who¡¯s in charge of grilling the fish, take a rest.¡± ¡ö¡öThen I have to fish more for backup. What if Miss Wei wants to grill more? We can¡¯t not have fish for her to grill, right?¡± Having said that, Lu Yuhong led Xie Jue and Chu Lan towards the bow of the boat. Xie Jue nced at Chu Lan and seeing that there was no unusual expression on his face, he felt relieved and followed them to the bow. Among all the people of his generation that he knew, it seemed that only Lu Yuhong dared to drag the seventh prince around like this, and the seventh prince was especially tolerant of Lu Yuhong. in addition to Lu Yuhong¡¯s special status, the two had grown up together also yed a part in this rtionship. By the time the three of them returned to the bow of the boat to continue fishing, Wei Ruo, Xie Ying, and Xiumei had also finished their half of the fish. Xie Ying asked Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruoruo, what are these ck beans, they¡¯re salty and taste pretty good.¡± -This is fermented ck bean, made from fermented soybeans, it can enhance the vour.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°It¡¯s amazing, you said soy sauce is also made from soybeansst time, how can one soybean create so many different things.¡± Xie Ying marvelled. ¡°The use of soybeans is vast. If I get the chance, I¡¯ll make some soy milk and tofu for you, they¡¯re delicious.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Xie Ying had eaten soy milk and tofu before, but she was especially looking forward to what Wei Ruo would make. Right after, Xie Yingmented: ¡°Ruoruo, if I were a man, I¡¯de to your house to propose and marry you!¡± ¡°If you were a man, I wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with you.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t that quality of friendship in a husband and wife rtionship. Sincere men are rare in this world, most are faithless and heartless hke Chen Shimei.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case, I think my parents are quite good. My mother doesn¡¯t mind my father¡¯s low official rank and my father doesn¡¯t mind my mother¡¯s merchant family background. They respect and care for each other.¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°Your parents are rare cases. Just look around Taizhou prefecture, how many families are there that don¡¯t have concubines?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Indeed, not many. I only know that the Magistrate does not have any concubines. He probably doesn¡¯t dare to, as Madam Magistrate was a Commandery Princess of the Wang Resident. If he did, the Wang Residence wouldn¡¯t spare the Yuan Family.¡± ¡°So you¡¯d better remain my good friend, I won¡¯t forget about you when I have good food, but my future husband may not be so lucky!¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s be good friends!¡± Xie Ying looked delighted. After whispering for a while, Xie Ying returned to fishing. Seeing that Lu Yuhong on the opposite side was cheating by using two fishing rods, Xie Ying also refused to be outdone and asked for an extra rod. After that, whoever caught a fish, the other would stare wide-eyed, fearing that the other party¡¯s catch was bigger than theirs. Lu Yuhong blurted out: ¡°I can¡¯t lose to a girl.¡± Xie Ying retorted: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with girls? Girls are not necessarily weaker than boys!¡± Lu Yuhong: ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were weak, just that I shouldn¡¯t be weaker than you.¡± Xie Ying: ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ¡®should¡¯ or ¡®shouldn¡¯t.¡¯ Let¡¯s talk with facts, I¡¯ve caught more fish than you!¡± Lu Yuhong: ¡°It¡¯s too early to draw conclusions, the game isn¡¯t over yet! Xie Ying: ¡°I¡¯m going to catch even more! I¡¯m better than you!¡± Lu Yuhong: ¡°Then let¡¯spete!¡± Having said this, the two red at each other for several moments. Xie Ying and Lu Yuhong seemed to be stubbornly opposing each other, both refusing to back down. Xie Jue felt a headache. His sister had always beenpetitive since childhood and hated it when people said that girls were not good enough. As for Lu Yuhong, he had always been straight-forward and highlypetitive. When hispetitive spirites, he doesn¡¯t think about anything else. He thought that there wouldn¡¯t be any problems as they were on separate boats. Who would have thought that the two could stillpete from afar. Fortunately, while they were inpetition, they didn¡¯t really bicker, they just threatened each other across the water. While Xie Ying and Lu Yuhong werepeting, Wei Ruo grilled the second fish, using the belly of a blunt-snout bream that Xie Ying had caught. She followed the same method: grilling until both sides are golden, then boiling it with prepared aromatic spices and side dishes. In the end, Wei Ruo added ck beans to the fish. This time, Wei Ruo prepared two portions of grilled fish. She kept one portion for herself, Xie Ying, and Xiumei, and sent the other to the three men on the other boat. After finishing these two portions, everyone was mostly full. The remaining fresh fish were kept in wooden barrels. Lu Yuhong originally wanted to give them to Wei Ruo, but she politely declined as it would not be convenient for her since she was away from home. In the end, all the fish were given to Xie Jue. As for the results of Xie Ying and Lu Yuhong¡¯spetition, it ended without a clear winner, as the types, sizes, and numbers of fish they caught varied. In the end, Chu Lan yed the mediator: ¡°Each has its own merits, there¡¯s no winner.¡± Since Chu Lan had spoken, Xie Ying and Lu Yuhong naturally had no objections. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Afterwards, Wei Ruo and Xie Ying separated from the three men. They left on Chu Lan¡¯s boat and returned to the shore. Still on the boat, Chu Lan asked Lu Yuhong: ¡°Are you satisfied with this trip, Brother Yuhong?¡± Chapter 108 - 108 Magistrate’s Madam_l Chapter 108: Magistrate¡¯s Madam_l Trantor: 549690339 | Lu Yuhong said, ¡°I¡¯m only a third full. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that it would be impolite to exhaust Miss Wei, I¡¯d ask her to make a few more fish.¡± Then, Lu Yuhong sighed, ¡°If I could exchange fish for money, it would be easy, but this really as difficult. I do want to offer money, but she is a youngdy from a distinguished family, giving her silver would belittle her. And it would be inappropriate to give her something else. She¡¯s a young girl and I¡¯m a rough man, to give her gifts may bother her, and worse, if someone hears it, it could ruin her reputation.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so considerate now,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Your Highness, please don¡¯t tease me. I may be a bit rough, but I still understand the basic rules,¡± defended Lu Yuhong, for he, too, came from an aristocratic family. Then, Lu Yuhong sighed again, ¡°When will I be able to enjoy Miss Wei¡¯s cooking again? Perhaps I should think of a way to gift her a sizable present. She may continue to make delicious meals for me out of gratitude. But how can I rightfully give a gift to an unmarrieddy?¡­¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Lu Yuhong kept talking to himself. Seeing him mutter like this, both Chu Lan and Xie Jue were helpless and shook their heads. They ignored him. Once a foodie¡¯s head was full of delicious food, it was hard for them to think about anything else. They let him worry about it. He would figure it out when the time came. ### By the time Wei Ruo and Xiumei returned to the temporary residence of Xie¡¯s Family, Yun Shi and Wei Qingwan had already returned. Seeing Wei Ruo returning, Yun Shi asked, ¡°Ruoruo, where did you and Miss Xie go today?¡± ¡°We took a boat ride on East Lake,¡± Wei Ruo answered, not nning to mention anything about meeting Chu Lan, Lu Yuhong, or Xie Jue to Yun Shi. ¡°Hmm, since we are staying at Xie¡¯s family¡¯s residence this time, next time you go to Xie¡¯s family, take some gifts from me to show our gratitude,¡± Yun Shi said. ¡°Understood.¡± Wei Ruo turned and left, and Wei Qingwan followed her out. Outside the house, Wei Qingwan asked, ¡°Sister, when you went out with Miss Xie today, did she mention anything about her brother? Wei Ruo stopped, turned her head, and looked at Wei Qingwan with interest. ¡°Why are you asking about Master Xie?¡± ¡ö¡¯Sister, don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not asking about Master Xie. I just heard that Master Xie is staying in Taizhou prefecture because of Master Chu.¡± Wei Ruo showed a knowing expression, ¡°So, you are trying to learn about Master Chu?¡± ¡°Sister, you misunderstand. Master Chu is of special status. If our Wei Family could win Master Chu¡¯s favor, it would be extremely beneficial for father and our family. I¡¯m asking not for myself, but for the Wei Family.¡± ¡°So, your idea of winning Master Chu¡¯s favor is to offer yourself?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t belittle me. I have absolutely no such thoughts.¡± Wei Qingwan immediately denied. ¡°Whether you do or not, only you know it well. Suppose I find out about Master Chu, what can you do? Have father ingratiate himself with Master Chu?¡± Wei Ruo asked with a smile. Wei Qingwan calmly responded, ¡°Sister, I didn¡¯t mean that. I just thought that if you had the chance, you might extract Master Chu¡¯s preferences from Master Xie. The more we understand, the better it is to n our actions. If we have the chance, that¡¯s the best; if not, then we drop it.¡± ¡°Well, you should work hard for the future of the Wei family.¡± Wei Ruo gave a bright smile and then turned and left. She thought to herself, if Wei Qingwan had the skills, she would investigate it on her own. Wei Ruo was not going to say anything. Watching Wei Ruo leave, Wei Qingwan was secretly angry. If she could get the information easily, would she go to Wei Ruo? If it weren¡¯t forck of alternatives, she wouldn¡¯t want to see Wei Ruo¡¯s face! ### During the days in Government City, Wei Ruo had no opportunity to visit Zuixian Residence, let alone discuss what she wanted to bring up, so the matter was put on hold. Three dayster, early in the morning of the garden tour, Yun Shi took Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan out. Wei Qingwan had dressed up specially. Her hair was twisted into the most popr ¡°flying fairy bun¡± for an unmarried girl. She put on a white cheongsam, covered with a pale pink double-breasted vest, and adorned with the pearl headwear given by Yun Shi. Inparison, except for the fact that Wei Ruo¡¯s clothes of cloud brocade were a bit more eye-catching than Wei Qingwan¡¯s, her other outfits were much simpler. Her hairstyle was casual, and only a little velvet flower essory was attached to her head. Yun Shi asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, why didn¡¯t you wear the gold jewelry your grandmother gave you?¡± ¡°I forgot to bring it,¡± Wei Ruo casually responded. She actually did bring it, it¡¯s just in her spatial storage. She was just toozy to take it out, let alone wear it. She liked gold, but she didn¡¯t like to wear it on her head. Plus, every guest invited by the Magistrate¡¯s wifees from a famous family. Even if she wore it, it would not necessarily garner any favor. Everyone knew what was going on with the Wei family; no change could be made by dressing up. Moreover, she had no interest in vying for such favors. Bruised by Wei Ruo¡¯s answer, Yun Shi was disappointed, but she could do nothing about it. On the way, Yun Shi repeatedly warned Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan, ¡°The residence we are going to today is specially built by Prince Huai for his beloved daughter, Commandery Princess Jingmin, also known as Madam Yuan. The rules there are much stricter than ordinary residences. When we get there, stick close to me, don¡¯t get lost.¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t run around,¡± Wei Qingwan obediently agreed. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Ruo answered, but she sounded more perfunctory. -Ruoruo, you should be carefulter. Don¡¯t forget your manners,¡± Yun Shi specifically alerted Wei Ruo. Since Wei Ruo had been living in the countryside before and had never been to such a mansion, she had probably never confronted such grandeur. Yun Shi was worried that Wei Ruo might be disconcerted. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Ruo responded, still somewhat indifferent. Wei Qingwan then asked Yun Shi, ¡°Mother, what are we going to do at the garden tour today?¡± ¡°Actually, this garden tour is primarily a tool for Madam Yuan to pave the way for Magistrate Yuan and also an opportunity for the wives and daughters of various families to interact and get to know each other. Some may even seize this opportunity to look for potential daughters-inw. So, apart from ordinary garden tours, tea tasting, and flower viewing, there will also be games likeposing poetry on the fly. All you need to do is not to make any mistakes.¡± Even for Wei Qingwan, Yun Shi had no great confidence, let alone Wei Ruo, so she just hoped that the two daughters wouldn¡¯t make any major mistakes. ¡°Mother, I know, you can rest assured,¡± Wei Qingwan assured Yun Shi. Yun Shi added, ¡°Besides, Madam Yuan gave birth half a year ago, her body is still quite weak. Don¡¯t be reckless around her.¡± -Didn¡¯t she have her delivery on the road back to Taizhou prefecture?¡± Wei Qingwan asked.. Chapter 109 - 109 Jealousy_1 Chapter 109: Jealousy_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°To my knowledge, Madame Yuan had apanied Minister Yuan to the capital to report to the emperor and to visit her father, Prince Huai. They should¡¯ve had ample time to return for her childbirth, but an unexpected event dyed them for over a month on their way back. The child was born prematurely, which forced her to give birth on the road. Fortunately, some benefactor appeared to ensure the safety of both mother and child.¡± said Madame Yun. Then, she continued, ¡°However, all of these details are not important. We should remember that Madame Yuan is still frail and susceptible to cold and shock. We need to be cautious in our actions.¡± ¡°Understood, mother,¡± Wei Qingwan replied. She is usually gentle and soft-spoken, which puts Madame Yun at ease. Wei Ruo, on the other hand, tends to be a bit impulsive and carefree, which makes one worry that she may behave inappropriately. But at this point, there was nothing much Madame Yun could do besides waiting to see how things turn out. An hourter, the three women from the Yun family arrived at Tianqin Garden on time. This auxiliary residence of the Prefect is a garden built by themand of Prince Huai for his daughter, Princess Jingmin. Therefore, it¡¯s more expansive and luxurious than the chief magistrate¡¯s main residence. The Wei family, hailing from the residence of the Loyal and Righteous Duke, was not overwhelmed by the opulence. Madame Yun took a quick nce at Wei Ruo following behind her. Seeing her keeping herposure and showing no sign of fear, she felt slightly relieved. Wei Qingwan also instinctively nced at Wei Ruo. Upon seeing that Wei Ruo showed no sign of fear, Wei Qingwan felt a pang of disappointment. Wei Ruo, though simply dressed, appeared remarkably stunning that day. Regardless of how well she was dressed, if she appeared rattled, it would be of no avail. But with her calmposure and burgeoning confidence, she overshadowed Wei Qingwan. Upon entering the garden, lush foliage and sprawling flowerbeds greeted them -the lotus pond, in particr, offered a special aura. Even without blossoming lotus flowers at this season, the swaying dried lotus seeds in the wind nheless represented a different kind of charm. Several pairs of mandarin ducks frolicked in the water, apanied by goldfish of various colors like red, gold, and ck. The osmanthus and chrysanthemum bushes, now in full bloom, were definitely the garden¡¯s most attractive sight. The density of osmanthus trees and the sweet aroma permeating the air suggested the Prefect¡¯s wife¡¯s fondness for osmanthus flowers. The decision to host the garden party during this time of the year was likely due to this fondness. When Wei Ruo entered the garden, there were already many people there. These people seemed to know each other and were mainly from the Government City. They were chatting leisurely. The Yun family, being new arrivals, were left standing awkwardly to one side, unattended. Both Madame Yun and Wei Qingwan appeared a bit uneasy, only Wei Ruo seemed at ease, admiring the flowers and paying no attention to others¡¯ conversations. The garden was filled with a variety of flowers, many of which were rare. Just on her right, there were several precious camellia nts. s, it was not the season for appreciating camellias, otherwise, this corner would be an explosion of colors. Toward the front were a patch of roses. Single-season roses usually bloom in spring and summer, while multiple-season roses bloom in autumn as well. Yet this year¡¯s lower temperatures probably prevented them from blossoming, thus only green leaves were visible without any buds. As Wei Ruo casually strolled along, admiring the scenery, she found herself standing by the Lotus Pond. Looking at the pond, Wei Ruo mused, ¡°There must be quite a few lotus roots underneath. In one or two months, they will ripen. If one stuffed them with corn and then boiled them, they would smell divine.¡± At that moment, one of the nobledies approached Madame Yun: ¡°Madame Wei.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Madame Yun responded with a smile, ¡°May I know your name, madam?¡± Though Madame Yun didn¡¯t know who thisdy was, thetter¡¯s eloquent speech andvish attire hinted at her exceptional status. ¡°My husband, Mr. Xu, is the current chief of the prefecture of LmHai,¡± the woman introduced herself. A Chief of a Prefecture. A Fifth-rank official. Madam Xu then inquired, ¡°Is thedy in the light-blue dress by the lotus pond your daughter?¡± ¡°Yes, she is my eldest daughter.¡± Madam Yun confirmed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about how your eldest daughter rehabilitated barrennds, paving the way formunal prosperity,¡± said Madam Xu. ¡°You tter me, madam. The farnds have yet to be harvested, so we don¡¯t know if they will truly benefit the localmunity,¡± Madam Yun replied modestly. ¡°Madam Wei, you¡¯re too modest. Miss Wei¡¯s achievements in Taizhou Prefecture are unrivaled. Moreover, your daughter is not only virtuous and beautiful but also uniquely outstanding among the daughters of distinguished families that I¡¯ve seen in recent years.¡± Upon hearing the praise, joy filled Madame Yun¡¯s heart. She never thought that the work her daughter had done in the southern part of Xingshan County City would grant her such recognition and praise in the prefecture city. Wei Qingwan, standing behind Madam Yun, grew increasingly ufortable with eachpliment Madam Xuvished upon Wei Ruo. Wei Qingwan was right there, yet Madam Xu didn¡¯t think of asking her even a single question. It was as if there was only one heiress in the Wei family. Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help feeling resentful. Why should she be overshadowed by Wei Ruo¡¯s achievements in the south of the city, or even her looks. Wei Qingwan looked from a distance at Wei Ruo, who stood by the pond. Wei Ruo was inly dressed with minimal essories, yet for some reason, she looked extraordinarily stunning. Shifting her gaze down to her own attire, Wei Qingwan felt a pang of dissatisfaction. She had put great effort into her outfit, from her hair ornaments to her clothes, which were the best she could afford. But Wei Ruo, even with her simple attire, looked far better than she did. If only she had been wearing a dress made from the same Yun brocade as Wei Ruo¡¯s, she would have looked no less outstanding. The difference in their appearance was definitely something Wei Ruo had intentionally created. Had Wei Ruo shared the Yun brocade with her, Wei Qingwan wouldn¡¯t find herself in this predicament! At that moment, Wei Qingwan felt a surge of resentment towards Wei Ruo. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. If Wei Ruo took one more step forward, she would step into the pond. Her skirt would be soiled by the muddy water. All she needed was that one step. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have to fall into the water ¨C she just wanted to spoil Wei Ruo¡¯s dress a little, so she wouldn¡¯t appear so superior. With this thought, Wei Qingwan started approaching Wei Ruo. At that moment, Wei Ruo was leaning over, picking a withered lotus seed pod near the pondshore. Hearing the footsteps from behind, Wei Ruo turned to look back. Wei Qingwan feigned tripping and stumbled forward a few steps, then gently bumped into Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo Stepped forward, and her right foot sunk into the shallow mud beside the pond. In order to stabilize herself, Wei Ruo swiftly grabbed a bush¡¯s branch and, using it for leverage, flung herself back to solid ground. However, she used a little too much force and ended up vaulting a few steps forward. When she managed to stop, she was just inches away from colliding with a dignified andvishdy. Seeing this incident, Madame Yun¡¯s heart leaped to her throat. She quickly stepped forward and apologized, ¡°I am sorry, Madame Yuan. My daughter was being careless and nearly bumped into you.¡± Instead of responding to Madame Yun, Madame Yuan stared at Wei Ruo¡­. Chapter 110 - 110 Harm others but instead inviting disaster_l Chapter 110: Harm others but instead inviting disaster_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo was also looking at Madam Yuan, whom she recognized as the woman she had assisted during childbirth in the outskirts on a certain day! Wei Ruoposed herself quickly and spoke before Madam Yuan: ¡°Madam, it¡¯s our first meeting and I¡¯m greatly sorry for causing any inconvenience.¡± Madam Yuan was looking at Wei Ruo¡¯s lucid eyes. She was puzzled only for a moment before she realized what was going on. ¡°It¡¯s fine, you didn¡¯t disturb me at all.¡± Madam Yuan smiled and said. Wei Ruo looked bright and seemed like she had something to say. Surely, she must have recognized Madam Yuan. Her words of ¡®first meeting¡¯ was an attempt to hide something. Unaware of what she was trying to hide, Madam Yuan yed along. ¡°How should I address you?¡± Madam Yuan asked affectionately, holding Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. ¡°My father, Wei Mingting, led the Xingshan County¡¯s resistance against the Japanese invasion. I am his daughter, Qingruo.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°So it¡¯s Miss Wei.¡± Madam Yuan said softly, ¡°I feel that Miss Wei and I have a deep connection as though we¡¯ve met many times before. It made me feel delighted.¡± Madam Yun came forward to apologize on Wei Ruo¡¯s behalf, ¡°Madam Yuan, my daughter was reckless and bumped into you. Please forgive us.¡± While saying this, Madam Yun gave a stern look to Wei Ruo, signaling her to apologize quickly. N?v(el)B\\jnn Before Wei Ruo could say a word, Madam Yuan intervened, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Such a small incident won¡¯t affect me at all! I¡¯m not made of porcin. Moreover, Miss Wei must have had a reason. Did something dangerous happen to you?¡± Madam Yuan looked warmly and affectionately at Wei Ruo. Madam Yuan¡¯s attitude surprised everyone. They had assumed that even if she didn¡¯t me Wei Ruo for bumping into her, she wouldn¡¯t be particrly friendly towards her. Contrarily, Madam Yuan appeared to have developed a fondness for Wei Qingruo, which surprised everyone, including Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan. Before responding to Madam Yuan¡¯s question, Wei Ruo looked at Wei Qingwan amidst the crowd. Wei Qingwan trembled, lowering her head in fear, her eyes avoiding Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze. Then, Wei Ruo replied to Madam Yuan: ¡°I was admiring the LOTUS POND, when suddenly someone bumped into me from behind. I was pushed towards the pond and my foot stepped into the water. In order to save myself from falling in, I had to grab a bush on the bank and I might have used some extra force.¡± After Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, the expression on Madam Yuan¡¯s face changed slightly, turning somewhat stern. She further asked, ¡°Who bumped into Miss Wei just now? Who dared to harm my guests in my residence?!¡± Everyone¡¯s faces changed at Madam Yuan¡¯s words. Wei Qingwan trembled, visibly fearful. After the silence, one person stood up and pointed out, ¡°I saw it. The one who bumped into Miss Wei was wearing a pink dress.¡± The speaker didn¡¯t know who Wei Qingwan was, but she could recognize her outfit. Upon hearing this, Madam Yuan and everyone else¡¯s gaze fell on Wei Qingwan. Madam Yun looked at Wei Qingwan in shock. Was it Wanwan who pushed Ruoruo? Wei Qingwan was frightened and immediately exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to bump into my sister. I tripped over something as I approached her, lost my bnce, and ended up knocking her. It waspletely unintentional!¡± Wei Qingwan had already thought of this exnation, but she didn¡¯t expect Madam Yuan to pursue the matter, which made her extremely nervous. Madam Yuan sternly asked the third daughter of the Zhang family, who had used Wei Qingwan, ¡°Miss Zhang, is what Miss Wei just said true?¡± Miss Zhang pondered for a moment and replied, ¡°It should be true. It seemed to me that she got tripped and then fell onto Miss Wei.¡± Wei Qingwan breathed a sigh of relief. Upon hearing this, Madam Yun also quickly said, ¡°So it was a misunderstanding. Wanwan, quickly apologize to your sister and Madam Yuan.¡± Wei Qingwan quickly said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault that you got hurt.¡± Then she turned to Madam Yuan and apologized, ¡°Madam Yuan, it was my fault. I disturbed you and disrupted your garden party.¡± Madam Yuan¡¯s attitude towards Qingwan wasn¡¯t as good: ¡°If it was your fault, why didn¡¯t you exin it firsthand? Why did you wait for someone else to expose the truth?¡± Wei Qingwan quickly exined, ¡°Today is my first time attending an asion like this. I was stunned by the incident and forgot to exin. I hope you can forgive me.¡± Madam Yuan¡¯s face was still stern, ¡°Miss Wei, as the daughter of the Wei family and the granddaughter of the Loyal and Righteous Duke, you panicked at a slight incident. Seeing your elder sister being shocked and med, yet you said nothing, isn¡¯t that too disgraceful?¡± Madam Yuan¡¯s words were harsh, further establishing Wei Qingwan¡¯s inferior image among the high-rankingdies of the city who were seeing her for the first time. With Madam Yuan being so critical, who in the capital city would look favorably upon second Miss Wei? Wei Qingwan was pale and felt a chill throughout her body. Madam Yun¡¯s face also turned pale. These may have been harsh words, but they were delivered by Madam Yuan. Even in the Capital City, Madam Yuan¡¯s words carry weight! Her daughter is now thirteen. With such a reputation, how will she have a decent future? Madam Yun wanted to say something in Wei Qingwan¡¯s defense, but looking at Madam Yuan¡¯s stern face, she feared she might provoke her further so she swallowed her words. After reprimanding Wei Qingwan, Madam Yuan saw that Wei Ruo¡¯s dress had been dirtied. She said, ¡°Miss Wei, your dress has gotten dirty. Come with me to the house and we¡¯ll change your clothes.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam,¡± Wei Ruo thanked her. Madam Yuan said to thedies, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I need to take Miss Wei to change her clothes. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Everyone watched Madam Yuan and Wei Ruo depart, increasingly puzzled. Madam Yuan¡¯s favor towards Miss Wei was too excessive. Instead of sending a maid to help her change her clothes, Madam Yuan personally apanied her. Why? Wei Ruo was led into the room by Madam Yuan. Once inside, Madam Yuan changed the way she addressed Wei Ruo, ¡°Dear benefactor, you¡¯ve made me search desperately!¡± Wei Ruo replied somewhat sheepishly, ¡°That day I had to rush back. I have a young maid at home who would have been anxiously waiting for me if I got homete.¡± Madam Yuan responded, ¡°After that day, my husband sent out people several times to investigate and search for you around that area, but they always came back with no information. I didn¡¯t expect to bump into you today.¡± Then Madam Yuan asked, ¡°You and I met in Huzhou Prefecture that day, howe you¡¯re now the legitimate daughter of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence house?¡± Madam Yuan had heard about Miss Wei¡¯s story. Since the seventh prince had also participated in the remation of the wastnd in the southern part of the city, she and her husband paid more attention to this matter. However, she could never imagine that this Miss Wei was the Divine Doctor who saved her and her child that day.. Chapter 111 - ill Wei Ruo angrily confronts Yun Chapter 111: Chapter ill Wei Ruo angrily confronts Yun Family_i Trantor: 549690339 ¡°It¡¯s a long story. But in simple terms, I was mistakenly raised elsewhere and just recently got switched back,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°No wonder the Wei Family suddenly had another legitimate daughter raised in the countryside. It turns out she was mistakenly switched. Poor little thing. You must¡¯ve had a hard time in the countryside,¡± shemented. The matter of the Wei Family having an additional legitimate daughter was something Madam Yuan had heard about before. She heard it from others after the major defeat of the Japanese Pirates in Xingshan County. ¡°Yes, but I would rather they not know about my medical skills or about our rtionship. That¡¯s why I had to say such abrupt things when we first met,¡± exined Wei Ruo. ¡°There¡¯S nothing abrupt about that. If there¡¯s something you don¡¯t want to talk about, I will try my best to hide it for you,¡± responded Madam Yuan. ¡°Just tell me anything else you¡¯d like me to be aware of.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. Madam, you just need to treat me as someone you have just met today in front of others,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°That¡¯s easy,¡± Madam Yuan replied. While they were talking, Xiaozhao, Madam Yuan¡¯s maid, had already found a change of clothes for Wei Ruo. Madam Yuan asked Wei Ruo to go change, dressed in the safflower smoke Lushan with a loomed gold butterfly skirt. The skirt was made with a fabric more valuable than Yun Jin silk called Floating Light Silk, while the top was made with a lighter floralmpas. The clothes fit perfectly, emphasising Wei Ruo¡¯s figure. After Wei Ruo got changed, Madam Yuan was delighted to see her. ¡°Back then, I was in too much pain during childbirth to care much about anything else. It urred to me afterwards how good-looking the person who saved me was. Now I see it¡¯s true. You are as captivating as a hibiscus flower in full bloom. If I were a man, I would¡¯ve fallen for you.¡± A thirteen-year-old girl, a flower yet to bloom, is in her most charming stage. ¡°Thank you for yourpliment, Madam,¡± replied Wei Ruo, feeling somewhat embarrassed by her high praise. ¡°Come, follow me out to greet the guests. After today, you¡¯ll stay a few more days in the government city with me and we can catch up then,¡± said Madam Yuan. Madam Yuan took the initiative to hold Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and led her back out into the garden. Upon their return, everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to Madam Yuan and Wei Ruo. It¡¯s true that clothes make the man; Wei Ruo looked even more conspicuous after changing clothes. Once she mingled among the group, Madam Yuan chatted with the other madams and let Wei Ruo look around on her own. Because of Madam Yuan¡¯s attitude just now, people who had previously not spoken much with Wei Ruo changed theirs¡ªmany approached her to start conversations. Wei Qingwan stood in a corner, watching from a distance as Wei Ruo was surrounded by others. Her face was pale. Soon after, several girls began to y the game ¡°Fly Blossom Order¡± in the garden. This was originally something Wei Qingwan thought of so she could show off. But now, no one invited her to join, as if she was non-existent. Although Wei Ruo was invited, she did not participate, preferring to savour her cakes and nuts by the side. ### After the garden party ended, Madam Yun led both Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan away. On the way back, Madam Yun¡¯s face was grim and she didn¡¯t say a word. When they returned to their temporary residence in the Xie Family Annex, Madam Yun called both of them into a room. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Wanwan, do you realize what you¡¯ve done wrong?¡± Madam Yun asked Wei Qingwan. With a ¡®plop¡¯, Wei Qingwan knelt down.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡öWanwan, you used to be the most well-behaved and knew your ce. Why were you so reckless today, bumping into your sister then not saying a word when Madam Yuan questioned you? Do you know how much impact her words can have on you? Madam Yuan is not just anyone; she is the most favored daughter of Prince Huai. Not to mention here in Taizhou prefecture, even in Capital City, her words carry weight,¡± expressed a disappointed Madam Yun. Weeping incessantly, Wei Qingwan responded, ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t know anything like that would happen. My foot just tripped, and I didn¡¯t expect it to bump into my sister. I just slightly bumped into her, how was I to know she would bump into Madam Yuan?¡± Wei Qingwan wept bitterly, with sunken reddened eyes and pale cheeks. Her body twitched and she was on the verge of cking out as if all the neglect and cold res she had received in Tianqin Garden were released through her tears. Seeing her adopted daughter of thirteen years crying so heartbrokenly, Madam Yun¡¯s heart ached. Then, turning to Wei Ruo, she reprimanded, ¡°And you, why did you have to go towards Madam Yuan? You got praised by her now, but your sister¡¯s life is ruined by you!¡± Wei Ruo scoffed, ¡°Do you mean to say I should have fallen into the pond, got myself soaking wet and be theughing stock of Taizhou Prefecture? Wei Ruo acknowledged that the force Wei Qingwan exerted might not have been enough to push her entirely into the pond. But who could foresee what would happen next? People¡¯s instinctive reaction during emergencies would be to choose the safest option. This is an instinct, an action faster than thought. Madam Yun defended herself, ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you to fall in. But if you didn¡¯t rush to Madam Yuan, this situation wouldn¡¯t have happened! Your sister s future may be ruined because of what you did today! ¡°Really? So, it was unavoidable for Wei Qingwan to stumble, but I could have avoided going to Madam Yuan? It¡¯s fine for you to be biased, but please don¡¯t be too unreasonable,¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°What did you say?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s face went dark when Wei Ruo used her of being biased and unreasonable. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Even when Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t step forward to admit her own mistakes, you still think it¡¯s justifiable, ming it on shock. But you don¡¯t think that my response during crisis is justifiable. What happened to your promise of being fair and just?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡öIs that how you talk to your mother?¡± Madam Yun retorted angrily, mming her hand onto the table and ring at Wei Ruo. ¡°Is that how you, as a mother, should question your daughter?¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Wei Qingruo, you¡¯re defiant!¡± Madam Yunmanded, furiously crying out to the maid waiting outside the door, ¡°Zheng Mama, take the eldest miss to her room and lock her up! She is not to go out or eat anything without mymand!¡± Zheng Mama stood at the entrance, looking at Wei Ruo in perplexity and did not move. Calmly, Wei Ruo said, ¡°In a couple of days, the rice in the experimental fields I first cultivated south of the city will be ripe. All arrangements will need to be overseen by me. If you dare to lock me up and punish me today, I can assure you that there will be problems at the experimental fields. Think about how the Wei Family is going to exin to Magistrate Qian and the Seventh Prince then?¡± Madam Yun was startled upon hearing this, watching Wei Ruo with disbelief in her eyes.. Chapter 112 - 112 After picking a fight with Yun Clan, picking a fight with Wei Qingwanl Chapter 112: After picking a fight with Yun n, picking a fight with Wei Qingwanl Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Also, Lady Yuan has asked me to stay a few more days in the Government City. Tomorrow morning, someone wille here to pick me up. Can you imagine her reaction if were to share our conversation today word-for-word with her? How would she perceive the Wei Family? How would she view you, Madam Wei?¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± cried Mrs. Yun in disbelief. Her obedient and well-behaved daughter from a few days earlier was now uttering such words! ¡°If you discussed with me in a fair and straightforward manner, I wouldn¡¯t resort to threats. But today, if I don¡¯t threaten you, the fate awaiting me is confinement, just as I was locked in the firewood room when my younger brother fell ill,¡± Wei Ruo exined coldly. ¡°This is rebellion, you¡¯re rebelling!¡± Mrs. Yun could not contain her anger. ¡°Rebelling against what? Against your bias and your injustice. If you have indeed done no wrong, why would I stand against you in this way?¡± Wei Ruo responded. Mrs. Yun was so agitated she could barely breathe properly. She red at Wei Ruo but found herself at loss for words to express her anger. Staying calm andposed, Wei Ruo walked over to Wei Qingwan, who was kneeling on the floor, ¡°I noticed you approaching me on purpose that day, pretending to be unstable and bumping into me, am I right?¡± ¡°Sister, what are you talking about?¡± Wei Qingwan refuted with a distressed look on her face. ¡°You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about. I didn¡¯t explicitly point you out in Tianqin Garden simply because I didn¡¯t want to give people fodder for gossip. But you are indeed thoughtful in nning ahead and preparing excuses for yourself. You didn¡¯t overtly push me, rather you pretended to trip and knock into me. This way, you¡¯d have an excuse even if something went wrong.¡± ¡°Sister, you are ndering me, I didn¡¯t do that! Tripping was not my intention! It was an ident, I ept any me you attribute to me due to this ident, but I can¡¯t ept being used of doing it on purpose!¡± Wei Qingwan continued to deny everything vehemently. As long as she doesn¡¯t admit, Wei Ruo has no evidence to prove that she did it on purpose! ¡°Whether you admit it or not is of no concern to me. Regardless, our rift has already been brought to the surface today. Don¡¯t try to portray the image of a pitiable little sister around me anymore, it disgusts me.¡± Wei Qingwan stared at Wei Ruo wide-eyed. On any other day, Mrs. Yun would have strictly rebuked Wei Ruo for speaking to Wei Qingwan in this way. But today, even Mrs. Yun had been on the receiving end of Wei Ruo¡¯s fury. Why would she keep this from Wei Qingwan? However, much as she wished to vent her anger, Mrs. Yun had to remain silent after hearing everything Wei Ruo had said earlier. Neither from Lady Yuan nor from the matters rted to the experimental fields in the south of the city, the Wei Family could afford no slip-ups. Having said her piece, Wei Ruo disregarded Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan. She turned around and retreated to her own room. That evening, Wei Ruo did not have any meals with Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan. Instead, she and Xiumei enjoyed a big pot of spicy hot pot in their room after Xiumei made a trip to the kitchen to prepare the food. In contrast, the atmosphere at Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan¡¯s ce was incredibly tense, and they scarcely ate anything due to the loss of appetite. Wei Qingwan had tear-stained eyes even now, uncertain about how to face the future. Ever since Lady Yuan publicly humiliated her, she felt as though she had been pushed into a deep abyss. ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t I go and apologize to my sister?¡± Wei Qingwan ultimately couldn¡¯t restrain herself after a long silence. ¡°She will meet Lady Yuan tomorrow. If Lady Yuan is willing to withdraw her words, there might still be hope.¡± Mrs. Yun remained silent. She knew that there was feasibility in what Qingwan was suggesting, but given the heated argument that had just ensued, how was she to bring it up? Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°Mother, it doesn¡¯t matter if Sister misunderstands me, nor does it matter if we have conflicts between us. What¡¯s important is that we, the Wei family, unite as one. As long as sister is willing to plead on my behalf with Lady Yuan, I don¡¯t mind admitting whatever or apologizing in whichever way. Wei Qingwan had already decided to apologize to Wei Ruo. Compared to the likely marital difficulties in the future, she was willing to swallow this slight humiliation. However, she did not want Mrs. Yun to think that she had indeed done something wrong. Therefore, she started off by painting arger picture in front of Mrs. Yun. Consequently, not only would Mrs. Yun not me her for apologizing, but she would also admire her for her broad-mindedness and willingness topromise. Mrs. Yun gestured dismissively, ¡°If you think it¡¯s right, then go.¡± Mrs. Yun was spent, physically and mentally drained from her confrontation with Wei Ruo. Having received Mrs. Yun¡¯s consent, Wei Qingwan rose to her feet and headed towards Wei Ruo¡¯s room. Inside, Wei Ruo and Xiumei, who had just finished their meal, were recalling interesting anecdotes about their countryside life: ¡°Remember how Brother Xiaoyong was chased seven or eight miles by Little Fatty for stealing just a few apricots? And then to hear that Little Fatty picked out the fruits himself and sent them over to you as an apology for teasing you during your childhood!¡± Xiumei recounted, chuckling at the recollection of the amusing incident. ¡°What were you thinking, stealing fruits? I had already spoken to Fatty¡¯s mother, you could¡¯ve just asked her for them directly. The misunderstanding could¡¯ve been avoided.¡± ¡°Little Fatty had already started arguing with Brother Xiaoyong before I even had the chance to exin. Little Fatty saw us picking the fruits and assumed we were stealing them. I wanted to rify the situation, but by the time I could, they were already fighting and no amount of persuasion could diffuse the situation.¡± ¡°Ah, I really regret missing Brother Xiaoyong hiding in a hay bale while being licked by an old yellow cow!¡± Wei Ruomented. N?v(el)B\\jnn Just as Wei Ruo and Xiumei were reminiscing withughter, Wei Qingwan knocked on the door. ¡°Sister.¡± As soon as she heard the word ¡°sister,¡± the smile on Wei Ruo¡¯s face disappeared. Xiumei pouted, ¡°Didn¡¯t Miss already tell her to stop pretending? Why is sheing again?¡± ¡°Probably she hase to her senses, realizes the gravity of the situation and wants to restore her reputation. But with no other means, she could onlye to me,¡± Wei Ruo smirked, already anticipating Wei Qingwan¡¯s motive. As expected, as soon as Wei Ruo finished speaking, Wei Qingwan¡¯s apologetic voice could be heard from outside the door. ¡°Sister, I was wrong about today¡¯s incident. It was my fault for bumping into you, causing you to step into the pond, and nearly bumping into Lady Yuan. All the mistakes are my doing!¡± Immediately after, a shadow outside the door lowered itself halfway. It seemed like she had knelt down. Wei Ruo remained silent while Wei Qingwan kneeling at the door continued with her apology: ¡°I was scared and didn¡¯t have the courage to admit what I did at the time, fearing the consequences and punishment. I was selfish and almost got you into trouble. After reflecting on it this afternoon, I deeply realize my mistake and swear it will never happen again.. I implore you to forgive me just this once on ount of my first offense!¡± Chapter 113 - 113: Fight Poison with Poison_l Chapter 113: Fight Poison with Poison_l Trantor: 549690339 Xiumei clenched her fist, ¡°I really want to go out and punch her a few times! Now shees running to apologize, where was she earlier!¡± ¡°Meimei, do you know what it means to fight poison with poison?¡± Wei Ruo smiled cunningly. ¡°The mistress uses it when making medicine because some herbs are poisonous. Another herb with different toxicity can be used to neutralize it.¡± Xiumei answered. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll let you see another kind of fighting poison with poison.¡± Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei, ¡°You go out and say that I¡¯m sick. My chest and head hurt, especially when I hear a loud noise, I need a doctor. Otherwise, I may not be able to meet Lady Yuan tomorrow.¡± Xiumei immediately obeyed, opened the door, ignored Wei Qingwan kneeling at the door, and directly went to find Lady Zhang to tell her about Wei Ruo¡¯s condition. Of course, Lady Zhang had to go and ask Madame Yun first. Upon hearing that Wei Ruo was ill, Madame Yun was a bit skeptical, ¡°She was fine when she was angry with me just now, how can she get sick by just saying it?¡± Lady Zhang could only reply, ¡°The old servant doesn¡¯t know either. But I heard that if someone gets angry suddenly, they can get sick suddenly. I don¡¯t know if Miss is in such a situation.¡± Madame Yun frowned, ¡°Then hurry up and call a doctor for the youngdy, we can¡¯t dy if she¡¯s really sick.¡± ¡öYes!¡± Lady Zhang went out, and soon the doctor was brought back. When Wei Qingwan learned that a doctor had been called for Wei Ruo, she no longer knelt at Wei Ruo¡¯s door and instead went to Madame Yun, looking a bit doubtful, ¡°Mother, is sister really sick?¡± Madame Yun said, ¡°We will know once the doctor diagnoses.¡± After a while, the doctor hadpleted the examination of Wei Ruo¡¯s pulse and went to report to Madame Yun: ¡°Madam, the youngdy has been stricken with an attack of pent-up anger, which has led to an internal attack of liver heat caused by an unsmooth flow of heart qi. I¡¯ll give the youngdy a prescription. She should take the medicine twice daily for five days. It is critical that she rest and not aggravate her liver during this time, otherwise the illness will worsen.¡± Hearing this, Wei Qingwan felt instinctively that Wei Ruo was lying, and said, ¡°Is this really what my sister said? She has always been in good health, how could she¡­¡± The doctor¡¯s expression became even more strict upon hearing this, ¡°Youngdy, I have been practicing medicine for many years, and I have never misdiagnosed or wrongly diagnosed a patient. My Baoshan Hall¡¯s reputation in Taizhou prefecture is outstanding! If you doubt my words, then I have nothing to say! Please find someone else!¡± Unexpectedly, the doctor was such a hot-tempered person, Madame Yun quickly said, ¡°Doctor, please do not get angry. My daughter is just a bit surprised, she did not mean to challenge your medical skills.¡± The doctor said, ¡°Madam, in any case, the youngdy¡¯s illness is not a lie. If it is not handled correctly, the youngdy¡¯s condition may worsen, making it difficult for her to leave the house.¡± Hearing this, Madame Yun quickly let Lady Zhang follow the doctor to get the medicine to give to Wei Ruo. Then her maid, Cuiping, was called to take Wei Qingwan out. ¡°You should avoid visiting your sister for a few days. She needs rest as she is ill. Any issues can be discussed after she recovers. The words of Madame Yun left Wei Qingwan utterly surprised. Had Wei Ruo actually fallen ill? Now what can she possibly do? She can¡¯t apologize to Wei Ruo for the time being and can¡¯t depend on Wei Ruo to plead to Lady Yuan on her behalf, so what about her reputation¡­ Wei Qingwan was not willing to ept this, but looking at Madame Yun¡¯s expression, she knew there was no room for reversal. Wei Ruo is very important to the Wei family right now. Not only does she have an appointment with Lady Yuan tomorrow, but she also needs to report on the farming issues in the barrennd to the Seventh Prince and Magistrate Qian in a few days. If she falls ill, it would be detrimental for the Wei family. All the lines of apology that Wei Qingwan had prepared for Wei Ruo to speak on her behalf hadn¡¯t had a chance to be spoken, and she had to swallow everything back. Wei Qingwan originally thought that she could no longer proceed as nned. At this moment, Lady Zhang came over to pass a message to Madame Yun for Wei Ruo, ¡°Madam, the youngdy said that thinking about today¡¯s situation makes her feel frustrated. Why do you confine her if you think she is wrong, but when the second missmits such a big mistake, there is no punishment at all? She can¡¯t understand it, and the more she thinks about it, the more her head hurts.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression stiffened, and she was more convinced in her heart: Wei Ruo must be doing this on purpose, all the talk about headaches and heartaches were tricks she came up with to harm her! But now she didn¡¯t know how Wei Ruo was able to make the doctor from Baoshan Hall lie for her. Madame Yun frowned, looking at the Wei Qingwan in front of her. She was also angry with Wanwan today, but then Ruo¡¯s fusspletely upset her. Thinking of her older daughter¡¯s current burden, if something were to happen to her, the Wei family would be unable to exin it to others. ¡öWanwan, today in Tianqin Park, you made several mistakes. For the next two days while we stay in Government City, you are not allowed to take half a step out of your room. Stay in the room and write your reflections!¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan looked at Madame Yun in disbelief. This was the first time her mother had punished her with confinement. Madame Yun did not give Wei Qingwan more time to think and react, fearing that she would be unable to bear her daughter¡¯s tears and regret it, and immediately ordered Lady Zhang and Cuiping to take Wei Qingwan back to her room. ### Early the next morning, Lady Yuan¡¯s carriage, which came to pick up Wei Ruo, appeared on time in front of Xie¡¯s vi. Madame Yun watched nervously as Wei Ruo got into the carriage and left. In the morning, after some inquiries, it was said that after taking the medicine and resting for a whilest night, her heart was much smoother, and her symptoms were much better today. Wei Qingwan, who was confined in her room and couldn¡¯t go out, could only hear the movement outside and knew that Wei Ruo was going out. N?v(el)B\\jnn She knew Wei Ruo was pretending! Otherwise, how could shein of various pains yesterday and stillfortably step out today? But Wei Qingwan was absolutely helpless about Wei Ruo. Now that her mother believed that Wei Ruo was indeed sick due to anger, she would only arouse her mother¡¯s suspicion if she said anymore. What made Wei Qingwan even more ufortable was that Wei Ruo was going to meet Lady Yuan today, and she didn¡¯t know what Wei Ruo would say to Lady Yuan. Yesterday¡¯s singlement from Lady Yuan has plunged her into the abyss, she was truly afraid that Wei Ruo would say something that would leave her totally helpless! Wei Ruo rode in the carriage to the prefecture governor¡¯s mansion. Lady Yuan was not in Tianqin Garden today, but at the prefecture mansion. The prefecture mansion is allocated by the court. It is not as grand andvish as Tianqin Garden, but it is muchrger than the Military Prefecture. Under the guidance of the maid, Wei Ruo walked through the veranda garden and entered Lady Yuan¡¯s courtyard. Stepping into the room, aside from Lady Yuan, there was also the silk-d man whom Wei Ruo had seen before, who was also the prefect, Yuan Da, present. They seemed to be waiting specifically for Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss Wei!¡± Prefect Yuan stood up, sped his hands together in salute, bowing deeply to Wei Ruo. ¡°Prefect Yuan, such a grand gesture, only amon woman like me cannot ept!¡± Wei Ruo hastily objected. He is the prefect, and she is just amon woman, such salutations indeed seemed too grand.. Chapter 114 - 114 Thank-you Gift from the Yuan Chapter 114: Thank-you Gift from the Yuan Family Couple_l Trantor: 549690339 1 ¡°A life-saving favor is greater than the heavens, Miss Wei can take it.¡± Yuan Zhengqin said. Madam Yuanughed and said, ¡°Miss Wei, don¡¯t be nervous. If you don¡¯t ept this gift from my husband, he won¡¯t feel at ease. Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t sure what else she could say. Following that, Madam Yuan had a wet nurse bring over a one-and-a-half-year-old child. The plump little face and the round big eyes, all filled with curiosity, stared at Wei Ruo. He couldn¡¯t talk, but he wasn¡¯t afraid of strangers, and grinned at Wei Ruo. ¡°Brother Sheng recognizes his benefactor, hence he smiles when he sees you.¡± Madam Yuanughed. She then asked Wei Ruo to hold the child, ¡°His name is Fu Sheng. He owes his life entirely to your blessing.¡± Wei Ruo took the child in her arms. The little guy keptughing, his small hands waving happily. It seemed like he really remembered Wei Ruo and was delighted to see her again. Wei Ruo was infected by Brother Sheng¡¯sughter, and a smile naturally spread across her face. After ying with Brother Sheng for a while, Wei Ruo returned the child to Madam Yuan. Madam Yuan had the wet nurse take the child back to be nursed. Looking at Madam Yuan, Wei Ruo offered, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Madam, allow me to take your pulse.¡± Madam Yuan looked surprised. ¡°I heard Madam has been feeling weak since the childbirth.¡± Wei Ruo said. Hearing this, Yuan Zhengqin quickly added, ¡°Yes, my wife often breaks out in cold sweats at night. She cannot touch anything cold; she easily feels weak, gets headaches and backaches. We have consulted numerous doctors and she has taken a lot of medication over the past six months, but none have helped.¡¯ If it¡¯s Miss Wei, perhaps there¡¯s a way to improve my wife¡¯s condition! Yuan Zhengqin looked earnest, expressing his deep concern for Madam Yuan¡¯s health. His ability to pinpoint Madam Yuan¡¯s symptoms showed his genuine concern for her. ¡°First, let me take Madam¡¯s pulse.¡± Wei Ruo sat beside Madam Yuan and ced her hand on Madam Yuan¡¯s wrist to feel her pulse. Yuan Zhengqin and Madam Yuan held their breath and didn¡¯t dare make a sound to disturb Wei Ruo. After a while, Wei Ruo put her hand back and said, ¡°I will write a prescription for Madam. There are a few precious herbs in it. If you can find them all, brew them with the method of reducing eight bowls of water to one for Madam to take, once every night before sleep, and continue for one month at first.¡± ¡ö¡öGood! Miss Wei, feel free to write and no matter how rare the herbs are, I will find a way to get them!¡± Yuan Zhengqin promised. Wei Ruo wrote down the prescription and handed it to Yuan Zhengqin. Yuan Zhengqin carefully took the prescription, excused himself to Wei Ruo, and then took the prescription to his study, prepared to make a copy immediately and then send someone to purchase the required herbs. After Yuan Zhengqin left, Madam Yuan said, ¡°Miss Wei, I really don¡¯t know how to thankyou. You not only saved my and Brother Sheng¡¯s lives, but nowyou are also helping me restore my health.¡± Madam Yuan, you¡¯re too polite, especially since you¡¯ve been helping me these two days.¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°That was merely a minor effort.¡± Madam Yuan didn¡¯t think that yesterday¡¯s incident was a great favour. Wei Ruo shook her head: ¡°What is a minor effort for Madam, is of great help to me.¡± Madam Yuanughed, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I¡¯ve prepared another gift for you, and you must ept it.¡± Wei Ruo looked curiously at Madam Yuan. Madam Yuan took out a box, opened it, and inside were a deed to a field and a house deed. ¡°These are the deeds for a thousand acres of good farnd and a house outside Taizhou prefecture.¡± Thend in Taizhou prefecture is far more expensive than that in Xingshan County. This thousand acres of fertile farnd in Taizhou prefecture is worth at least a few thousand taels of silver, if not more. Moreover, Taizhou prefecture city has many dignitaries and few fertilends. Sometimes, even if one has money, it may not necessarily be able to buy good farnd. Madam Yuan exined, ¡°I know these things are a bit worldly, but I can¡¯t think of a better idea right now. It was my husband who reminded me that since you¡¯ve been teaching people how to cultivate wastnd and farm in Xingshan County, you must have done some research on this. So why not give you some fertilend, that you can not only keep for yourself, but also make productive use of it.¡± Last night, Madam Yuan and Yuan Zhengqin discussed at length what kind of gift to give today. The gratitude for saving their lives was not something that could be forgotten with a simple thank you. Even if Wei Ruo had walked away at the time without asking for any reward, they, the beneficiaries, couldn¡¯t just let things pass. But if they wanted to express their gratitude, they had to find the right way, and the gifts they gave must be appropriate. Because Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want others to know that she was a healer, the Yuan Family couldn¡¯t just send a pile of gold and silver utensils to the Wei¡¯s openly. They had to give her something that was easy to carry and hide. Therefore, they decided to give property and real estate gifts. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om It must be said, the gifts from Yuan Zhengqin and Madam Yuan really touched Wei Ruo¡¯s heart. Wei Ruo did not stand on ceremony with Madam Yuan and directly expressed her affection, ¡°I really like Madam¡¯s gift. Madam Yuan was also very pleased to hear this: ¡°The best thing is that you like it. Later, I will have someone register thesends under your name at the government office. Don¡¯t worry, I will handle it discreetly and won¡¯t let the outside know.¡± Madam Yuan knew that since Wei Ruo wanted to hide her medical skills from the Wei family, she certainly wouldn¡¯t want her properties to be known by the other members of the Wei Family. ¡°Thank you very much, Madam!¡± Wei Ruo was truly grateful. ¡°What is there to thank for, these are what my husband and I should do to express our gratitude, why should you thank us.¡± said Madam Yuan. ¡°I still want to thank Madam for considering for me and saving me from a lot of trouble.¡± said Wei Ruo. Madam Yuan gently said, ¡°This is what I should do. When you saved me that day, you were also extremely considerate. When I was in extreme pain and despair, your voice was like the sound of paradise, pulling me back from the Ghost Gate.¡± Wei Ruo smiled. Then Madam Yuan started to chat with Wei Ruo, ¡°I have to tell you, actually, this garden party, I specifically invited the Wei Family from Xingshan County. I really wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°Is it because of the cultivation of the wastnd south of Xingshan County City?¡± asked Wei Ruo. Madam Yuan nodded, ¡°Right. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware, but this year not only Xingshan County had a poor grain harvest, but the entire Taizhou prefecture had the same problem.¡± The entire Taizhou prefecture had a poor grain harvest. This was a big headache for Yuan Zhengqin, who was the Magistrate. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard something about that.¡± Wei Ruo already had some knowledge about it. ¡°Before I knew you were the one who saved me, I wanted to see you and ask your opinion on increasing the grain yield in Taizhou prefecture. That¡¯s why I specifically invited the Wei Family to the garden party.¡± Madam Yuan revealed the reason. Because Wei Mingting was a Martial Officer and Yuan Zhengqin was a civil servant, although he ranked higher than Wei Mingting, he couldn¡¯t directly summon Wei Mingting. Therefore, Madam Yuan used the opportunity of the garden party to send an invitation to the Military Prefecture.. Chapter 115 - 115: A Pleasant Conversation with Madam Yuan_l Chapter 115: A Pleasant Conversation with Madam Yuan_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Are there un-cultivablends in the governmental city too?¡± Wei Ruo inquired. ¡°Well, unlike Xingshan County by the sea, there are nopletely infertilends here, but a majority of thend is barren and the soil ispacted, so crop yield is cause for worry,¡± Madam Yuan answered. From that, one can see the enormity of the gift Madam Yuan had bestowed upon Wei Ruo: a thousand acres of rare and valuable arablend. ¡°That can be managed. Once you¡¯ve taken me for a field inspection, I should, in theory, be able toe up with a solution for enriching the soil. After improving thend, we can then proceed with nting, which should yield some increase in grain production,¡± said Wei Ruo. Improving barren soil is much easier than saline-alkaline soils. It takes less time and is not that challenging as long as the right remedy is applied in addressing the root cause. Madam Yuan¡¯s face brightened: ¡°That would be wonderful!¡± ¡°Moreover, I have noticed during my time around the town that not many mountainsides have been turned into terraced fields. I assume it¡¯s because the cost of development is too high,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°In that case, I would suggest nting sweet potatoes, which are currently grown in Huzhou Prefecture,¡± suggested Wei Ruo. ¡°Sweet potatoes?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a new type of crop introduced by merchant ships from the Southern Ocean. They are already being grown in some Xingshan households and have yielded a good harvest this year.¡± ¡°That indeed sounds like a good idea. I just wonder if those who are already growing sweet potatoes would be willing to share seeds with us,¡± Madam Yuan expressed her concern. ¡°Madam, there¡¯s no need to worry about that. I know the family growing sweet potatoes in Xingshan. I can ask them to provide vine cuttings for the Government Office for free, which can then be allocated to the town¡¯s people,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°If that is true, both you and the family with the vine cuttings would be regarded as noble exemrs of understanding morality and generous selflessness,¡± Madam Yuan couldn¡¯t help but praise. ¡°Actually, hiding the sweet potato cuttings is impossible. They propagate through vine cuttings grown from the sweet potato tuber. As long as there is one vine cutting, it can propagate. Moreover, many crops yield higher the more they are nted, so there is no need to hide and not let others nt,¡± Wei Ruo exined. For crops like sweet potatoes that consume tubers, those that do not require pollination are generally better. Crops needing pollination would certainly show better yield when everyone sows high-quality varieties, resulting in quality fruits. ¡°Splendid!¡± said Madam Yuan, her heart cheered despite herck of knowledge about agriculture. ¡°Can sweet potatoes be nted immediately?¡± Madam Yuan asked. Wei Ruo shook her head: ¡°Everything has a season, for sweet potatoes we will have to wait until next spring.¡± ¡°Do you have any quicker measures? I fear the people won¡¯t be able to wait that long,¡± Madam Yuan asked. ¡°There is, indeed, the method I¡¯m currently implementing in Xingshan county. We can start nting wheat right now, and after the wheat is harvested next year, we will nt rice. For circumstances where weather patterns cannot be changed, multi-seasonal farming is a good method, albeit it makes the farmers¡¯ work moreborious,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Though it¡¯sborious, if they could have enough to eat, the joy would outweigh the hardship for them,¡± said Madam Yuan. ¡°Also, I know a cold-resistant variety of rice. nting this rice variety next year could improve the grain reduction problem caused by adverse weather to some extent,¡± Wei Ruo added. Thus, with Wei Ruo¡¯sprehensive approach, multiple measures could be implemented to increase production in Taizhou prefecture. Madam Yuan breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°If this could be achieved, I will definitely let my husband report your merit to the court. Let everyone know that even a woman of high-born status can save the world and seek blessings for the people.¡± Wei Ruo had a very pleasant conversation with Madam Yuan. Afterwards, they had lunch together and admired the various flowers nted in Madam Yuan¡¯s courtyard. Madam Yuan then personally sent Wei Ruo to the door, agreeing to inspect the barrennds around the governmental city together the following day. Before leaving, Madam Yuan had her servants prepare some dried seafood for Wei Ruo, including scallops and abalone, along with two priceless pots of chrysanthemums: one Yao Tai Jade Phoenix, and one Dian Jiang Chun. The gifts Wei Ruo took home were sure to be seen by the Wei family, hence they could not be overly valuable. The dried seafood and flowers were rtively reasonable, more like rewards for a first-time acquaintance. ### After finalizing ns with Madam Yuan, Wei Ruo returned to the Xie Family vi. When she got off the carriage, Xiumei supported her the entire time. Wei Ruo¡¯s apparent weakness made it seem as though the day¡¯s journeying had exacerbated her illness. Upon seeing the bags of seafood and precious flowers Wei Ruo brought back, Yunshi guessed that Wei Ruo had performed well in Madam Yuan¡¯s presence and had thus received these rewards. As Yunshi stepped forward to ask Wei Ruo for the day¡¯s details, she was cut off by Wei Ruo. ¡°Meimei, I have a headache. Help me back to my room to rest,¡± said Wei Ruo. Givenst night¡¯s argument was still fresh in her mind, Wei Ruo had no inclination to engage with Yunshi. So, she repeated her maneuver. Yunshi, seeing this, thought it inappropriate to question further, and watched as the servant girls helped Wei Ruo into her room. After Xiumei closed the door, shutting out the scrutinizing gaze from outside, sheughed: ¡°This trick of Missy¡¯s works really well!¡± ¡°Tonight let¡¯s dine in our room again, and keep away from their rabble. No matter what they say, I want some peace before we return to Xingshan,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Alright, what would Missy like for dinner? I¡¯ll cook specifically for you,¡± Xiumei offered. ¡°Then use the seafood we got to make a seafood congee for me. Since they said I¡¯m sick, eating congee would make sense,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°Okay! Then I¡¯ll start soaking the seafood now.¡± Upon learning that Wei Ruo would once again dine in her room, Yunshi felt she had no room to argue. Meanwhile, Wei Qingwan was locked in her room, not even able to step out of her door, let alone go outside. Her dinner was brought in to her by Cuihe, and known only to Yunshi, she was served nd porridge and pickles. Wei Qingwan then asked Cuihe: ¡°What did Sister eat tonight?¡± With an awkward expression, Cuihe stuttered for a while before finally saying: ¡°Seafood porridge. When Missy came back in the afternoon, she brought home a lot of dried seafood. It seems that Madam Yuan gifted them.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om They were both eating porridge, but there was a world of difference. While she ate nd porridge with pickles, Wei Ruo was having seafood porridge! Wei Qingwan looked at the nd porridge and pickles in front of her, and a feeling of aggrieved anger surged in her heart. ¡°Take this away, I don¡¯t want to eat,¡± Wei Qingwan pushed these things aside. ¡°Miss, please eat something, don¡¯t starve yourself,¡± Cuihe persuaded. ¡°I won¡¯t eat it. Take it away! If my mother asks, you tell her the truth,¡± demanded Wei Qingwan. She wanted her mother to know that she didn¡¯t eat anything for dinner.. Chapter 116 - 116 Harvest from the Experimental Chapter 116: Harvest from the Experimental Fieldi Trantor: 549690339 Cuihe had no choice but to do as instructed, taking the uneaten porridge and pickles back out again. Cuihe wanted to report this to Madam Yun, but since she was in the room, she chose to inform Cuiping, who was serving Madam Yun, hoping that Cuiping would report it to her. ¡°Sister Cuiping, the second youngdy didn¡¯t eat anything for dinner. I brought back all the white porridge and pickles untouched. The second youngdy was frail to start with, I¡¯m a little worried that she might fail ill if this continues.¡± Cuihe said. I understand.¡± Cuiping responded sinctly and didn¡¯t go in to report to Madam Yun. With the eldest youngdy¡¯s condition already burdening the matron, adding the predicament of the seconddy not eating would be like adding fuel to the fire, wouldn¡¯t it? Moreover, one is officially ill diagnosed by a doctor, and the other is deliberately refusing to eat. Clearly, one is more serious than the other. Cuiping therefore decided not to ry the message. Wei Qingwan waited for Madam Yun in her room for a long time, but to no avail. In the end, she threw herself on the bed and cried her heart out. ### The next day, Wei Ruo was taken away by Madam Yuan again. Madam Yun did not know why. Without Wei Ruo telling her, she had no way of knowing. This time, Wei Ruo was gone for even longer, so much so that it was dusk by the time she came back. Madam Yun invited Wei Ruo to have dinner together, but Wei Ruo responded that she had already dined with Madam Yuan. She also told Madam Yun that everything was taken care of, and that Madam Yuan would not be visiting her again in the next few days. They could return to Xingshan County anytime. Thus, Madam Yun ordered the servants to prepare for the journey, and they set off for Xingshan County early the next morning. In the same horse carriage, Wei Ruo leaned against the corner on the inner side, covered with a thin nket ¨C the nket veiling her entire face, hiding her expression from everyone¡¯s view. Wei Qingwan was seated near the curtain, looking pale. She thought her mother would ask her something, but Madam Yun never broached the subject. Wei Qingwan felt like she had hit rock bottom, her ce in her mother¡¯s heart waspletely taken by Wei Qingruo now¡­ Madam Yun noticed that Wei Qingwan looked a bit pale. However, with Wei Ruo lying next to her, looking frail as the doctor had diagnosed, Madam Yun felt she should prioritize Wei Ruo more. It took them a full day to travel from Government City to Xingshan County, and by the time Madam Yun and her two daughters returned to Xingshan County, it was already evening. Once back in Xingshan County, Madam Yun grounded Wei Qingwan for three days, then took gifts to pay a visit to the Xie family, thanking them for loaning the side mansion. Wei Ruo spent two peaceful days in her own courtyard, albeit not in leisure. She had to ept the estate Madam Yuan gave her, familiarize herself with the rted ount books, and the personnel arrangements in the estate. Amid the bustle, Wei Ruo received a letter from Wei Jinyi, sent back home. There were two letters in total. The one openly sent was for Wei Mingting, while the one for Wei Ruo was secretly tucked in. Wei Ruo burst intoughter after opening and reading through the packed Page. The rarely talkative second brother was suddenly so verbose, Wei Ruo thought this page would cover half a month¡¯s worth of his usual conversations. Of course, excluding when he was drunk, when he did tend to be rather talkative. ¡°Miss, what did second young master say in the letter that made you so happy?¡± On entering and seeing Wei Ruoughing with the letter from Wei Jinyi, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but ask out of curiosity. The content isn¡¯t particrly amusing, it¡¯s just that the image of second brother babbling out this whole page of words amuses me.¡± ¡°What did the second young master say? Any idea when he¡¯sing back? The house feels quite empty without them.¡± Xiumei remarked. ¡°Second brother said he would be back early next month, but didn¡¯t specify the date.¡± Wei Ruo replied. That¡¯s soon then. This month is already more than half over. In half a month it will be early next month. It¡¯s just not clear how long second young master ¡¯ would stay this time hees back.¡± said Xiumei. Prepare some food for him in these few days, to take with him when he leaves.¡± Wei Ruo instructed. ¡°Alright, leave that to me.¡± Xiumei eagerly epted the task. Two dayster, Agui came to the Military Prefecture to report on the situation in the experimental fields in the south of the city. Upon receiving the news, Nurse Zhang personally made a trip to the southern city to confirm. Only after confirming did shee back and ask Wei Ruo to judge whether the rice was ready for harvest. ording to Nurse Zhang, Agui, and Xiaoba¡¯s experience, this rice was certainly ripe. However, as this experimental field was not like others, they didn¡¯t dare to make the decision by themselves. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t immediately order the harvest after inspection, but instructed Nurse Zhang to report back to the government. This experimental field was no longer merely Wei Ruo¡¯s. The County Government and Chu Lan were continuously paying attention to it too. They were waiting for a harvest report to be sent to the court. Undoubtedly, after the report was sent, not only did Wei Mingting and Qian Magistratee, but Chu Lan was also present. When she saw Chu Lan, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help wondering: What was he up to? Why did he cling around like a haunting spirit? Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to send Nurse Qin for this sort of work? Wei Ruo preferred interacting with Nurse Qin much more so than with Chu Lan. Although she didn¡¯t like him much, upon meeting, Wei Ruo still greeted each one: ¡°Father, Qian Magistrate, Young Master Chu, greetings.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°No need for formalities.¡± Qian Magistrate replied, immediately shifting his gaze to the golden crop next to him. Since the early rice from Xingshan County had already been harvested, Qian Magistrate had an idea about the yield per acre. Looking at thete rice on Wei Ruo¡¯s field, he didn¡¯t need to wait for the actual weighing after harvest. Merely looking at them was enough to appreciate their robust growth. This variety of rice was truly remarkable! Of course, the improvements to the paddy field were excellent as well! ¡°Wei, I firmly believe in your daughter¡¯s talent in upgrading these paddy fields! The sight of these heavy ears of rice fills me with regret that I didn¡¯t discover your daughter¡¯s talent sooner. Perhaps then, the people of Xingshan County would not have to face a food shortage this year.¡± Qian Magistratemented. Wei Mingting¡¯s face was full of joy and excitement at that moment too. He turned to Wei Ruo, seeming to have a lot to say. But eventually, only one sentence came out, ¡°Ruo¡¯er, both your father and the people of Xingshan County owe you thanks!¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond, quietly waiting for the final and the most important person, Chu Lan, to express his opinion. Wei Mingting and Qian Magistrate also turned their eyes towards Chu Lan. Chu Lan didn¡¯t immediately express his views. Instead, he took another close look at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo knew he was looking at her, so she deliberately avoided meeting his eyes. After a while, Chu Lan said, ¡°This field is enough to prove that Miss Wei¡¯s previous ims are not false. Both Miss Wei¡¯s ability to improve fields and the new rice are outstanding.¡± ¡°Thank you for your praise, Young Master Chu.¡± Wei Ruo replied calmly, without raising her head to Chu Lan¡¯spliment. ¡°Has Miss Wei thought of any reward she wants?¡± Chu Lan asked.. Chapter 117 - 117 Father’s Promise 1 Chapter 117: Father¡¯s Promise 1 Trantor: 549690339?????? ¡ª Wei Ruo thought to herself: Why is he asking me this, what does he want to reward me for? Can¡¯t he just say it outright? Why does he insist on me speaking up about it? Who knows what kind of hole she might dig for herself after she made a request. The minds of the royal family wereplex, brimming with twists and turns, who knows if she might identally step into some kind of taboo territory? Wei Ruo said, ¡°This humble girl dare not ask for any reward.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve asked, you should answer. You need not worry,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°The effort to cultivate the barrennd in the south of the city was on behalf of the country and the people. Being able to provide food for them is my fortunate attribute. Since my father serves in the court, living off the king¡¯s ie and bearing his worries, as his daughter, I should also understand this principle and share his concerns,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Although it was for the country and the people, as a prince, wouldn¡¯t it be reasonable for Chu Lan to reward me something too? I don¡¯t need anything else, just some silver would suffice. Wei Ruo could only stash these words in her heart, she didn¡¯t dare to say it, fearing Chu Lan would seize upon it. Wei Ruo¡¯s words moved Wei Mingting deeply, causing him to feel both touched and ashamed. Because of a mix-up, his daughter was subjected to many hardships living in the countryside for many years, he as a father was not able to offer her the parental love and protection she deserved. Even now that she is back home he IS too preupied with the matter of the Japanese pirates to take care of her. And yet, his daughter is so understanding and wise beyond her years. Chu Lan looked at Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Since Miss Wei asks for nothing then I can only present you with some gold and silver. I hope, Miss Wei, you will not find it vulgar.¡± Hearing this, Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes lit up ¨C a reward of money? That¡¯s fantastic! From this perspective, the original protagonist isn¡¯tpletely useless. At least, he knows to reward someone in silver when something is aplished. Chu Lan continued, ¡°Additionally, I¡¯d like to ask Miss Wei topile a detailed report on the whole process ofnd improvement, fertilization, cultivation, and harvesting, from beginning to end, for my use.¡± Wei Ruo knew that Chu Lan intended to report this experimental work to the court. She could provide a detailed record and it would be Chu Lan¡¯s responsibility to report it. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping detailed records, which I can easily tidy up for you,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo had anticipated that this data might be useful, and because she had a habit of keeping records during the experimental stage, so after each inspection in the town¡¯s southern fields, she would take notes. If she was too busy to go there herself, she would have Zhang Manor¡¯s reporting the situation to herself. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll have Qin Manore to your residence and get these crucial records. I¡¯m very satisfied with your response,¡± said Chu Lan. He liked dealing with clear-headed, organized, and efficient people. After praising Wei Ruo, she let Agui and Xiaoba start harvesting the rice. During the harvest, Chu Lan and Qian Magistrate stood by and watched, asionally picking up a rice stalk to examine it. They would ship off the harvested rice soon after it was harvested. As midday approached, Qian Magistrate invited Chu Lan and Wei Mingting to his residence for lunch. However, Chu Lan proposed to visit the Wei family instead. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Xie Jue¡¯s sister that Miss Wei¡¯s maid is a marvelous cook. I wonder if there¡¯s a chance we could try her food?¡± ¡°Oh? Miss Wei¡¯s personal maid is a great cook? I¡¯d also like to give that a try,¡± said Qian Magistrate, his interest piqued. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure,¡± said Wei Mingting, turning to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo thought to herself that while it was quite audacious of Chu Lan to invite himself over to their ce for a meal, at least he didn¡¯t specify that she herself was a good cook or that she had to cook for them. ¡°If Prince Chu and Magistrate Qian do not mind, I shall oblige,¡± said Wei Ruo. Turning to her father, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Father, I shall head back home first to instruct the kitchen and my maid.¡± ¡°I will apany you home. The town¡¯s southern fields are not entirely safe ¡± said Wei Mingting. Thest time his son had an incident at the southern fields, he felt it was lucky enough that it happened to his son. If something were to happen to his daughter, he would not know what to do. Wei Mingting then asked for Chu Lan¡¯s and Magistrate Qian¡¯s permission ¡°Prince Chu, Magistrate Qian, would you allow me to return home first with my daughter to prepare?¡± ¡°Miss Wei¡¯s safety is paramount. You can go without worry, Mr. Wei¡± Chu Lan said. Subsequently, Wei Ruo got back into the carriage, with Wei Mingting riding ahead as her escort. After they had been on the road for a while, Wei Mingting deliberately slowed down to speak to Wei Ruo through the carriage window: ¡°Ruoruo.¡± Having heard him, Wei Ruo lifted the curtain of the carriage window ¡°Yes father?¡± ¡°No matter who offers you their grace in future, do not speak of your rtion to me. If there s something you want, ask for yourself,¡± Wei Mingting admonished. ¡°Why would you say that, father?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Firstly, I am a military general. A general¡¯s merits should be earned through their own schemes and martial prowess tomand respect. Secondly I have¡­¡±??? J ¡¯ Wei Mingting paused, his voice lowering, ¡°I have not helped you in any way. You¡¯ve managed to aplish what you have now without any of my assistance. How could I possibly bask in your glory?¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know how to respond. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Mingting continued, ¡°Ruoruo, the lost decade-plus years can¡¯t be made up or, and I can¡¯tpensate for it no matter what. For the future, I can¡¯t make any other promises either. The only thing I can promise you is this: no matter what you want to do in the future; whether that¡¯s farming, gardening, or even doing something unconventional, I will support you.¡± This is the only promise and safeguard Wei Mingting, as a father, currently feels he can offer his daughter. Wei Ruo was somewhat moved. After a moment of silence, she said ¡°Thank you, father.¡± After their conversation, Wei Mingting returned to the front of the carriage. Wei Ruo lowered the curtain of the carriage window, her mood somewhat changed as she sat in the carriage. When she returned to the Wei residence, she immediately found Xiumei, who had been left at home to prepare the pastries for Wei Jinyi a few dayster She told her about Chu Lan and Magistrate Qianing to the Wei residence for lunch. Xiumei said, ¡°I¡¯m fine with preparing a meal. But if the seventh prince is really going to reward you with a bunch of gold and silver, and truthfully report your aplishments in the south of the city to the court, it wouldn¡¯t matter if we made a meal for him every day for a month!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bear a month, I can¡¯t bear to see my Meimei get so tired! And besides if we feed him all that, what am I going to eat?¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, you¡¯ll just have to bear it. This is all for the sake of us living afortable and wealthy life in the future,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯ll listen to Meimei. Let¡¯s go to the main kitchen, they¡¯re probably prepping the food by now,¡± said Wei Ruo. While Wei Ruo was talking to Xiumei, Wei Mingting was also discussing the matter with his wife, Yun. Upon hearing that Chu Lan had specifically requested that Wei Ruo¡¯s maid, Xiumei, cook, Yun said worriedly, ¡°Does that girl even know how to cook? ¡¯ Could it be that Miss Xie casually mentioned it, which Xie Jue exaggerated and somehow misled the seventh prince?¡± Chapter 118 - 118: Chu Lan visits the Wei Chapter 118: Chu Lan visits the Wei Residence_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I am also not clear about this matter, but since the Seventh Prince insists, we have no reason to refuse.¡± Wei Mingting said. The Seventh Prince¡ªwhoever he wanted to dine with was an enormous blessing and honor, and who could refuse such an opportunity? n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Mingting was well aware he dared not. ¡°Why don¡¯t we let the cook in the mansion prepare the meal? Although her cooking skills are average, she¡¯s been with us for many years and she is steady. At least she won¡¯t make mistakes.¡± Lady Yun suggested. ¡°No.¡± Wei Mingting rejected Lady Yun¡¯s proposal, ¡°If Xiumei s cooking is unsatisfactory and the Seventh Prince is not satisfied, he cannot hold the Wei Family ountable as it was his request. However, if we rashly switch cooks, that would be equivalent to deception, and a serious mistake on our part.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Lady Yun still seemed a bit worried and thought for a while before proposing, ¡°Why not let Wanwan help? Her pastries are fantastic, as we all know. That could serve as some sort of safety measure.¡± ¡°Even if her pastries are good, they cannot be served at the luncheon table. It would be a joke if we do so. There is no need to think of anything else, let¡¯s just do as the Seventh Prince requested.¡± Wei Mingting concluded, not giving Lady Yun more time to think. Lady Yun subsequently passed on the news of the important guests¡¯ arrival and instructed the entire mansion to make careful preparations, ensuring no mistakes were made. In Wangmei Garden, Cuihe informed Wei Qingwan that Chu Lan wasing to the Wei Residence for lunch. ¡°Really? The Seventh Prince ising to our house?¡± Wei Qingwan could hardly believe it. That was the Seventh Prince! And he wasing to their house for lunch. This was an enormous honor! -It is true. The instructions came from Madam, and fresh ingredients have already been procured from the market. The whole mansion has been alerted to be extra careful. There is no mistake.¡± Cuihe said with certainty. Nurse Li came in and saw the excitement and anticipation in Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t help shaking her head and saying, ¡°Miss, even though the Seventh Prince ising, you can¡¯t actually meet him. Once boys and girls in arge family reach a certain age, they do not dine at the same table. The young masters and young misses in the mansion dine together only because our household is small and informal, but with the Seventh Prince visiting, we must adhere to the proper etiquette.¡± Nurse Li¡¯s words served as a cold ssh of reality for Wei Qingwan, extinguishing her anticipation and bringing her back to reality. ¡°Nurse Li¡­¡± Wei Qingwan looked at Nurse Li, filled with trepidation. Nurse Li sighed: ¡°Miss, you must not act so recklessly in the future. My absence left room for you to make a mistake on our trip to the Government City. Wei Qingruo managed to exploit it. From now on, you must consult me before deciding anything. I¡¯ll help you keep everything in check so that if anyone must bear responsibility, it will be me and not you.¡± ¡°Nurse Li, I know I made a mistake, and from now on I will always consult you on any matter.¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Nurse Li said. ¡°But Nurse Li, can I really not do anything about today¡¯s event?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°Not necessarily. Although you can¡¯t see the Seventh Prince, you could prepare a few of your specialty pastries. Afterward, we could have them sent over with your meal. This is fair by all ounts, and it also presents you with an opportunity to showcase your exceptional culinary skills.¡± Nurse Li analyzed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll prepare osmanthus cakes in the main kitchen right now, and also speak with the cook to have my cakes served with the lunch.¡± As Wei Qingwan started to rise, Cuihe stopped her, ¡°Miss, the one preparing the meal in the kitchen today is not Cook Yu, but Miss Wei Ruo¡¯s maid, Xiumei. ¡°Xiumei? Why is it her?¡± Wei Qingwan looked at Cuihe in confusion. Nurse Li, who had just learned this news, also wore a look of puzzlement on her face, ¡°He, what on earth is going on?¡± ¡°ve does not exactly know all the details, but the Madam instructed it so. Just now when I passed by the kitchen, I heard Cook Yuining.¡± Cuihe replied. Nurse Li gritted her teeth and said, ¡°This Wei Qingruo really has brilliant tactics! She doesn¡¯t forget to seize the opportunity to show off even at such times!¡± ¡°Nurse Li, what should we do?¡± Wei Qingwan asked worriedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, although we might have lost our first move, it does not necessarily mean there is not an opportunity. As long as your cakes outshine others, no matter how many dishes Wei Qingruo asks her maid to prepare, they will fall short.¡± Nurse Li said. Wei Qingwan¡¯s skill in making cakes was well-known. It had been praised not only by thedies of Xingshan County but also by many in the capital city. Their elderly grandmother, who had lived a luxurious life from her youth up and was particrly picky about food, rarely praised any dish. However, she had spoken highly of the osmanthus cake made by the second young miss. This only served to highlight exceptional Wei Qingwan¡¯s cake-making skills. Wei Qingwan nodded, but then came across another problem. She was still grounded by her mother, unable to leave Wangmei Garden, let alone go to the kitchen. Nurse Li told Wei Qingwan not to worry: ¡°You don¡¯t necessarily have to go to the main kitchen to make cakes. I can fetch all the necessary items for you and you can prepare them here in the yard. After the cakes are done, I will have Cook Yu arrange for someone to deliver them to the front courtyard. Although Nurse Li¡¯s position in the mansion was not as prominent as before, she still maintained good rtionships with several key staff members. She was certainly capable of taking care of this matter for Wei Qingwan. Having agreed on this, Wei Qingwan and Nurse Li began their preparations. Meanwhile, in the main kitchen, Wei Ruo had asked everyone else to leave, leaving just her and Xiumei. Wei Ruo was not familiar with the others. They had no rapport, and she was worried they might inadvertently make things worse. Moreover, when the cook left, she didn¡¯t look too happy ¨C Wei Ruo had noted that. It was better to be careful given the cook¡¯s resentment. Although today¡¯s meal was at Chu Lan¡¯s insistence, she had had no choice in the matter. Since she had agreed to it, she needed to do a good job and avoid any mistakes. Hence, Wei Ruo decided it would be just her and Xiumei. As long as they didn¡¯t disclose her involvement in preparing the meal, everything would be okay. Although there were only the two of them, Wei Ruo and Xiumei worked perfectly in sync, their skilled culinary abilities guiding them effortlessly. The stew and soup base were set to cook first. They resolved to only start stir-frying the dishes once they received word that Chu Lan, Lu Yuhong and the county magistrate had taken their seats in the main hall. This way, all the dishes would be served hot. Dish after dish was served from the kitchen. In the dining hall, four individuals were seated¡ªWei Mingting, Chu Lan, Lu Yuhong, and the County Magistrate. LU Yuhong, who had not gone to check on the rice fields in the morning, was the first one to run over when Chu Lan told him they were going to the Wei Residence for lunch. County Magistrate Qian repeatedly praised, ¡°Such excellent cooking skills, truly! Mr. Wei, your luck with food is truly something..¡± Chapter 119 - 119: The craftsmanship of making pastries is not as good as cooking _1 Chapter 119: The craftsmanship of making pastries is not as good as cooking _1 Trantor: 549690339 Lu Yuhong said, ¡°Every dish has exceeded my expectations. Magistrate Wei, I am truly envious of you!¡± Chu Lan also joined in, ¡°It really is quite good. The praised Wei Mingting wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. It was only today that he discovered that one of the maids in his residence had such good culinary skills. Four people, four cold dishes, twelve hot dishes, each evoking awe from the three guests. By the time the sixteen dishes were served, everyone was already filled to the brim. At this point, the maid serving the dishes brought out two more tes stacked with desserts ¨C the Osmanthus Cake and Almond Crisp. Lu Yuhong was already full, but considering that Wei Ruo and Xiumei had prepared these, he forced himself to pick up a piece of Osmanthus Cake and put it in his mouth. After taking a small bite, he put it down,plimenting, ¡°This girl¡¯s pastry skills are not as good as her cooking, and could use some improving.¡± If Lu Yuhong was saying this, Chu Lan and Magistrate Qian, who were already full, showed even less interest in trying the desserts. Wei Mingting looked at the two tes of pastries with some surprise. First, Wei Ruo had given him the menu in advance and asked his opinion; there were no pastries on the menu. Second, these two pastries were very familiar ¨C they were the ones Wei Qingwan usually made and was best at. However, he said nothing in front of the guests. After the meal, Chu Lan and Lu Yuhong were the first to leave the Wei Residence. Magistrate Qian, pulling Wei Mingting aside, teased, ¡°Magistrate Wei, I am truly envious of you for having such a talented daughter! Look, the issue in the south of the city has drawn the attention of the nobles. Today, they even came to your home as guests. Look how long Chu Lan has been in Taizhou prefecture. Whose house has he dined at? Not only is there no such situation in Xingshan County, even the officials and nobles in Government City don¡¯t have such honor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a meal, perhaps it was not even Chu Lan¡¯s intention, it was probably because Lu Yuhong couldn¡¯t resist a good meal.¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s face did not show much joy. He had no intention of rubbing shoulders with the powerful and noble, especially the prince. The position of crown prince was not yet determined, and it was not a good thing to be too close to the princes who had the potential topete for the crown. -Magistrate Wei, don¡¯t be modest. Your Wei Residence¡¯s good days areing!¡± Magistrate Qian¡¯s smile carried a profound meaning. Wei Mingting didn¡¯t say anything, he neither agreed nor looked forward to such a thing in his heart. But it was not polite to refute Magistrate Qian to his face. After sending off Magistrate Qian, Wei Mingting called the maid who had served the dishes earlier. Then, pointing to the almost untouched Osmanthus Cake and Almond Crisp on the table, he inquired, ¡°Were these two pastries also made by the young miss and her maid?¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s stern manner frightened the maid, who quickly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, these were given to me by Chef Yu, I don¡¯t know who made them!¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s expression was chilling, ¡°The dishes were not brought out from the main kitchen?¡± The maid was so frightened that her voice trembled, ¡°No¡­they didn¡¯te out of the main kitchen¡­¡± After getting the answer, Wei Mingting returned to Cangyun Garden. Seeing Wei Mingting looking unhappy, his wife thought it was because of a problem with the lunch, and asked anxiously, ¡°What happened? Was there a problem with the food? Did it displease the Seventh Prince?¡± Then she regretted, ¡°I knew I should have let the kitchen maid cooked this meal.¡± Wei Mingting shook his head, ¡°The food was not a problem, the Seventh Prince and Lu Yuhong were very satisfied.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Upon hearing this, his wife¡¯s concern eased. Before her husband returned, she had been anxious, very worried about any idents that could upset the Seventh Prince. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om If a family like the Wei¡¯s offended the Seventh Prince, they feared they would be in irreparable trouble. Then his wife asked her husband, ¡°If the food was not a problem, why do you look so worried?¡± Wei Mingting said, ¡°Is Qingwan not banned from leaving the mansion by you? His wife nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you about the situation. Although it¡¯s not a big mistake, Qingwan did do something wrong. Since I have punished her with a few days of confinement, she should not be allowed to go out freely after she returns from it.¡± ¡°After the sixteen dishes were served today, two more pastries were sent from the kitchen, an Osmanthus Cake and an Almond Crisp, which were exactly the same as what Wanwan usually makes. I¡¯ve asked the people below; the pastries were not made by Ruoruo¡¯s maid.¡± His wife was taken aback and immediately had an idea about the situation, ¡°Perhaps Wanwan wanted to express her feelings too. There¡¯s nothing to fret about it; Wanwan¡¯s skills are not bad, so it¡¯s fine.¡± Wei Mingting did not consider this a small matter, ¡°Wanwan, as a youngdy of a prominent family, without parental guidance, why would she voluntarily send pastries she baked herself to an outsider man? I¡¯m afraid she is developing some inappropriate thoughts. Wei Mingting continued, ¡°The Seventh Prince is a highly esteemed person; Wanwan must not have inappropriate thoughts. When I disclosed the Seventh Prince¡¯s identity to you, it was so that you would not make mistakes, not to let the women in the house develop forbidden feelings. Who is the Seventh Prince? Is he someone their insignificant Wei Family could aspire to? Although the Wei Family had inherited their ancestors¡¯ titles, the current situation of the Wei Family was apparent to all. Hearing what Wei Mingting had said, his wife couldn¡¯t help but frown. After pondering for a moment, she spoke up in defense of Wei Qingwan: ¡°My dear, you don¡¯t need to worry. Perhaps we are overthinking. Wanwan just wanted to do what she could, without harboring any other intentions. Only we know about Wanwan sending the pastries to the front courtyard, no outsiders know. Even if the Seventh Prince found the pastries delicious, he would justpliment our kitchen maids, no one would think that it was rted to Wanwan.¡± ¡°I hope I¡¯m just overthinking,¡± Wei Mingting said, ¡°Wanwan is our daughter who we watched grow up. Although there is no blood rtion, our parental love for her will not change. We hope she can lead a peaceful and happy life. Entertaining forbidden thoughts is not good for her.¡± ¡°Dear, don¡¯t worry. Wanwan has been sensible since she was a child, she knows her boundaries. She would not have thoughts she shouldn¡¯t have.¡± His wife still believed wholeheartedly in the nature of the girl she had raised from childhood. His wife continued, ¡°Just in case, I¡¯ll go to the Wangmei Gardenter and ask around in more detail.¡± Wei Mingting nodded, without saying anything more. Later, after a short rest, Wei Mingting went to the training camp. Recently, although he wasn¡¯t as busy as before, Wei Mingting still did not dare to ck off. He led the troops himself every day. Whenever he had spare time, he would be training soldiers in the camp. After Wei Mingting left, his wife went to the Wangmei Garden. In Wangmei Garden, Wei Qingwan was waiting for news from the front courtyard. Because all staff except the attendants were not allowed to enter and leave during Chu Lan¡¯s visit, she still had no idea of the situation of the guests in the front courtyard. At this moment, his wife arrived, and Wei Qingwan greeted her apprehensively. ¡°Mother, why have youe?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡ö¡öDid you make two pastries and send them to the front courtyard?¡± His wife asked.. Chapter 120 - 120 Chu Lan’s Reward_l Chapter 120: Chu Lan¡¯s Reward_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Indeed. My daughter meant no harm, she was merely worried that the food in the mansion might not suit the distinguished guest. Therefore, she wanted to add a couple of dishes to the menu. She specifically gave the cakes to the kitchen maid and reminded her not to mention to anyone that were made by her.¡± Wei Qingwan exined in a gentle voice, undisturbed. She had foreseen that Madam Yun would question her beforehand, thus, she¡¯d prepared her words carefully. Madam Yun let out a sigh, ¡°Next time you have such considerations, you should discuss it with your mother first. Doing this privately is somewhat inappropriate.¡± ¡°It was naive of me,¡± Qingwan admitted, ¡°I thought it was merely an extra two dishes, and outsiders would think they were simply prepared by our kitchen staff. I didn¡¯t give it further thought.¡± Wei Qigwan¡¯s exnation was almost identical to Madam Yun¡¯s conjecture. Indeed, her daughter was simply considering what¡¯s best for the family. After all, before this, no one knew that Ruoruo¡¯s maid was such a good cook; having an extra backup n wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Nevermind, nothing serious happened. However, your father doesn¡¯tpletely agree with what you did. Don¡¯t do it again next time,¡± Madam Yun advised. ¡°Is¡­ Father¡­ angry?¡± Wei Qingwan was taken aback. ¡°He¡¯s not mad at you, he just thinks that what you did was improper,¡± said Madam Yun. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan lowered her head, a tear lingering in her eyes. Madam Yun added, ¡°Your father doesn¡¯t me you, he is just worried that you might have hidden motives. I¡¯ve exined to him already, he too, hopes he¡¯s overthinking. I will exin it to him againter.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, ¡°Mother, please believe that I have no other intentions. I¡¯ve deeply reflected on my mistakes during these days of confinement. I¡¯ve been just thinking about how to make for it. I wouldn¡¯t dare to have any other thoughts.¡± ¡°Your mother grounded you to help you reflect. It¡¯sforting to see that you have realized your mistakes and have a better manner of handling such situations next time.¡± ¡°I understand, mother. I bear no resentments against you.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m d you think that way,¡± Madam Yun nodded with relief. ¡°Kartha, how did the distinguished guests rate today¡¯s food?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°They were extremely pleased, very satisfied,¡± Madam Yun replied. ¡°Really? That¡¯s excellent news.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s face beamed with joy. ¡°However, the guests did not eat the two cakes you made,¡± said Madam Yun. ¡°Did not eat?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s joy momentarily froze. ¡°The guests were full from the rest of the feast and had no appetite left by the time the cakes were served. I heard that Master Lu took a bite, but it wasn¡¯t to his liking,¡± Madam Yun exined. Madam Yun was also very surprised by this. Her daughter¡¯s osmanthus and almond cakes were excellent, yet they were overshadowed by the cooking of her older daughter¡¯s maid. Wei Qingwan¡¯s smile strained, but she still continued to praise, ¡°Then, the dishes prepared by sister¡¯s maid must have been very delicious.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t tasted it before, but it seems that the Xie siblings weren¡¯t just speaking without knowledge,¡± Madam Yun sighed. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Qingwan gave a low response, her smile still forced. After chatting with Wei Qingwan for a while, Madam Yun left. After Madam Yun left, the smilepletely faded from Wei Qingwan¡¯s face. Why did things turn out this way? She had no intentions to y any tricks using the two dishes, but in her n, she could have at least earned some merit for her family. But now, the oue waspletely the opposite. The harsh contrast left her with a bitter taste in her mouth. ### In the afternoon, Wei Ruo and Xiumei were resting in the courtyard when news came from the front yard that Qin Mama had arrived, bringing lots of gifts. When Wei Ruo and Xiumei arrived at the front yard, several boxes were already piled up in the courtyard, and people were constantly moving more into the mansion. When Wei Ruo saw Chu Lan¡¯s subordinate carrying a te of gold, she instantly felt that the meal she made for Chu Lan at noon was quite in. Under such a massive reward, she should have put more effort into her cooking to impress him! Qin Mama came up to Wei Ruo and handed over the list of gifts, ¡°Miss Wei, I am here on behalf of Master Chu to present these items to you.¡± Since she didn¡¯t explicitly mention Chu Lan¡¯s status, she could only say they were gifts, rather than rewards. ¡°Please pass my gratitude to Master Chu,¡± Wei Ruo said. Shortly after, Qin Mama said, ¡°Additionally, Master also instructed me to take back the cultivation records of the paddy fields south of the city.¡± ¡°It has been prepared. Meimei, go get it,¡± Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei to fetch the cultivation records. ¡°Thank you, Miss Wei,¡± said Qin Mama. With this, Madam Yun came over and thanked Qin Mama, ¡°Thank you for your efforts today.¡± Qin Mama politely replied, ¡°I am merely doing my duty, helping to lessen the burden for my master is part of my job.¡± Xiumei brought the cultivation records that Wei Ruo had prepared in advance and ced them in a brocade box. After Qin Mama checked them on the spot and confirmed that there were no issues, she took them with her. After Qin Mama and the others left, Madam Yun looked at the yard filled with gifts, thought for a moment, and ordered the servants to move them all to Tingsong Garden. ¡°You organize everything and see if there¡¯s enough space in Tingsong Garden. If not, move them to the storage warehouse. Give me the list and I will keep it for you,¡± said Madam Yun. Wei Ruo nodded and had everything moved to Tingsong Garden. Although the space she used for storage in Tingsong Garden was limited, she still had another storage space of her own, so there was absolutely no issue with it being too small. However, in order to avoid suspicion, Wei Ruo would still take some of the boxes to the manor¡¯s main storage warehouse. Thest time when the Xie family sent over a pile of gifts, it had already filled up Wei Ruo¡¯s storage room. Now there was another pile of gifts, and if she really stuffed them all in, it would be suspicious if others didn¡¯t have any doubts. Therefore, she must take out some things that were taking up too much space. Of course, the boxes that were taken to the manor¡¯s main storage warehouse wouldn¡¯t contain any valuable items. Wei Ruo still preferred to keep valuables by her side. N?v(el)B\\jnn After all the items were moved back to Tingsong Garden, Xiumei did a check, and the first thing she counted was the impressive te of gold. ¡°Miss, there must be a hundred taels of gold here!¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s written on the list that it¡¯s a hundred taels of gold.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Miss! Now you have the money to purchase morend!¡± Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but express joy. ¡°Yes, to buy even more fields! More houses!¡± She was currently short of funds, with a lot of money invested. This was just the time she needed money. Chu Lan was quite decent to her, he really sent her valuables. One could say he somewhat lessened the resentment she had towards him, even though it was only slight, it wouldn¡¯t disappearpletely.. Chapter 121 - 121: The Only One Without Wei Qingwan’s Share_i Chapter 121: The Only One Without Wei Qingwan¡¯s Share_i Trantor: 549690339 | In addition to gold, there were also numerous rewards of cloth, porcin, tea, pearls, and spices¡­ All of these aremonly used items of royal reward. As a favoured prince, these things were ordinary to Chu Lan. But for ordinary people, these items could not be bought even with an abundance of wealth. Take this tea, for example, it was likely a tribute from different regions, and this porcin was probably made in an official kiln. It was a pity that these things could not be sold for money. The only thing Wei Ruo could use as money was this one hundred taels of gold. Wei Ruo looked at these items with a slightly furrowed brow. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°I need to pick some items that I won¡¯t use but still look presentable to give to the others in the family. I must do what needs to be done to avoid them finding any fault with me.¡± said Wei Ruo. What Chu Lan gifted her this time was different from what the Xie Family gave her previously. Gifts from others needed to be returned eventually, so there was a justification for not sharing them with others. But this time, having received so many royal rewards, it would be inappropriate not to share some with the family. Xiumei thought for a moment and said, ¡°Miss, I just noticed that some of the cloth is meant for men and we can¡¯t use it.¡± ¡°Sort them out.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Xiumei separated the material. About half or eight pieces were meant for men. ¡°Out of these eight, keep four for the second brother and give the other four to father and elder brother. Remember, only mention two for the second brother when asked.¡± said Wei Ruo. Xiumei: ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Are there not three boxes of pearls?¡± Xiumei: ¡°Yes, three boxes, and the pearls are quiterge.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Take out a box and send it to Cangyun Garden.¡± Although unwilling, she knew that she needed to maintain decorum or it would give her troubleter on. ¡°Also, take out a few pieces of the tea pot and porcin to give to my grandparents in the Capital City. We will send them when we have something to deliver to the Capital City.¡± Although she has not met her grandparents yet, they have sent gifts twice already. She naturally wanted to reciprocate their kindness now that she had received the rewards. Moreover, the gifts for them should be more valuable than those for the other people in the family, so Wei Ruo picked a few more items. With this, she had arranged gifts for her parents, elder brother, and grandparents. Only Wei Qingwan and Wei Yilin were left. ¡°No need to prepare for Wei Qingwan. She just offended me and everyone in the Government City knows about it. She¡¯s at fault and is still being punished. I can openly withhold her gift under the guise of her punishment.¡± That was something Wei Ruo already prepared for. Thankfully, Wei Qingwan was herself at fault, creating such a fuss in the Government City, providing Wei Ruo an excuse to ¡°punish¡± her publicly. ¡°As for Wei Yilin, he also made a mistake, but I have already penalized him, so it wouldn¡¯t be proper to overdo it. I see there¡¯s a whip listed, I will give it to him to practice.¡± said Wei Ruo. Of course, the whip gifted by Chu Lan was undoubtedly a luxurious item. It waspletely appropriate and dignified to gift it to Wei Yilin who was currently learning martial arts. However, Wei Yilin, who was only seven years old, would likely tire his arm for a long time swinging that whip. Xiumei followed Wei Ruo¡¯s orders by selecting these items and keeping them aside. ¡°Also, pick out some more items to send to my nurse and her family. Whatever can be given, should be given to them.¡± Wei Ruo looked at the items in front of her and considered which ones could be given to the Xu Family. The cloth wouldn¡¯t work because ordinary families couldn¡¯t wear the fabric gifted by Chu Lan. Likewise, the porcin figurines were also unsuitable, not fit formoners. There was also a dagger studded with jewels that Wei Ruo really wanted to give to Xu Zhengyong, but the decoration was too obvious. If Xu Zhengyong were to receive it, who knows what trouble would ensue if others found out. Upon closer inspection, the items that could be safely given to her nurse¡¯s family were very limited. ¡°Give the remaining two boxes of pearls to my nurse, split the tea leaves and give half of them to Uncle Xu, he enjoys drinking tea. The tea, despite being expensive, can still be bought in the market, it won¡¯t cause any trouble even if people came to know about it.¡± ¡°Also, take some of my silver and find a cksmith. Order a good quality dagger and a few pieces of armory.¡± If the directly gifted items were unsuitable, then she would pay for them separately. She owed that much to her nurse and her family. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange for it once I¡¯m done packing!¡± Xiumei answered enthusiastically. Then Wei Ruo and Xiumei packed up the gifted items together, separated those that needed to be given away and those that needed to be stored, arranging everything neatly. Afterwards, they organized a pile of less valuable items from the storage rooms to make some space. Most of the collected items were from the first batch of gifts sent by the uncle from the Capital City when Wei Ruo first came to the Military Prefecture, which were not very valuable brasswares. For the five boxes of sorted items, Wei Ruo called some servants to carry them to the main storage room of the Prefecture. Following this, Wei Ruo took the gifts meant for the family to Cangyun Garden. ¡°Mother, I intend to give these items to the family members.¡± said Wei Ruo. Speaking, Wei Ruo handed over a box of pearls to Madam Yun, ¡°This box of pearls is for mother.¡± When the box was opened, the pearls wererge and round, their lustrous shine indicating high quality. Even if one had the money, it would be difficult to buy such quality pearls. ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯re so thoughtful.¡± Madam Yun closed the box, expressing satisfaction and delight. ¡°I selected several bales of cloth, two for father, elder brother, and second brother each, for them to make new clothes. I also picked a few pieces of porcin and a set of purple sand tea pots, which may be sent to grandparents in the Capital City when there¡¯s a suitable opportunity.¡± Wei Ruo added. Madam Yun nodded, highly satisfied with Wei Ruo¡¯s arrangements. Then Wei Ruo took out a whip: ¡°I¡¯m not versed in the use of whips, but since it was a gift from the Seventh Prince, it must be a valuable one. It should be just right for my younger brother who is learning martial arts.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve thought this through very carefully.¡± Madam Yun approved. After waiting for a while, when Wei Ruo didn¡¯t speak, Madam Yun asked, ¡°What about Qingwan?¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo answered, ¡°Mother, have you forgotten what just happened? Miss Qingwan made a mistake and is currently being punished. If she is to be punished, she must show that she is being punished. How can she be punished and rewarded at the same time?¡± Despite being unable to resist, Madam Yun spoke in favour of Wei Qingwan, ¡°Your sister already knows her mistake and has also received the appropriate punishment. As the elder sister, you should be more forgiving. You and your sister will need to support each other in the future, you shouldn¡¯t let such a small matter ruin the bond between you.¡± ¡°Knowing the mistakes confirms that the punishment is effective. Then, shouldn¡¯t we stop midway? If the mistake was made first, the realization and correction of the mistake are things she should naturally do. These are ways of making amends, not meritorious acts. How can rewards be given simply because she has realized her mistake?¡± Wei Ruo counter-questioned.. Chapter 122 - 122: She’s Actually So Nice to Him?_l Chapter 122: She¡¯s Actually So Nice to Him?_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo¡¯s question left Mrs. Yun unsure of how to respond. Reluctant as she was, she had to concede that Wei Ruo had a point. After a considerable silence, Mrs. Yun reluctantly replied, ¡°Since you¡¯ve decided, do as you say.¡± ¡°I will return then.¡± ¡°Uhrn.¡± Mrs. Yun nodded, then remembered her husband¡¯s words, ¡°Take the whip to Yilin yourself. Your father wants you to discipline Yilin more. Take this opportunity to check on his recent studies as well. If there are any areas where he iscking, you can encourage him.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo agreed and then left Cangyun Garden, heading for the Chrysanthemum Garden. Today was a rare day off for Wei Yilin. Even so, he remained in his courtyard, not going anywhere, burrowed in bed for a long sleep. Hearing movement, Wei Yilin raised his head. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, he grimaced and went back to sleep. He wasn¡¯t really asleep, just too exhausted to move. Wei Ruo walked over to the bed and looked at Wei Yilin sulking under the covers,menting: ¡°It seems your master is teaching you well recently.¡± Only with sufficient training would he stay in bed even on his day off. Wei Yilin poked his head out from under the nket, huffed and said, ¡°Are you here to make fun of me?¡± ¡°Do you have any fun in you to be made fun of?¡± ¡°No! If you want to see me give up and cry out, you¡¯ll be disappointed. Martial training may be hard, but I enjoy learning! I want to be a great hero like my dad in the future!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Yilin with some surprise. ¡°Are you questioning me?¡± Wei Yilin said with a stern face. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I question you?¡± Wei Ruo asked back. ¡°Hmph!¡± Wei Yilin huffed indignantly and turned his face toward the inside of the bed. He was actually aware that Wei Ruo¡¯s doubt was based on some grounds. He would never have said such words before. His desire to be a man like his father now stemmed from many realizations during his martial art lessons. On his first day of martial training, he was admired by his peers, because he was his father¡¯s son, and his father had defended Xingshan County. But this admiration disappeared after two days of training, reced by disdain and contempt. His martial brothers realized that this hero¡¯s son was not impressive at all and couldn¡¯t bear any hardship. Wei Yilin had a strong desire to save face. He couldn¡¯t ept this decline. He didn¡¯t want to be looked down upon by others, nor did he want to disgrace his father. Therefore, no matter how hard and tiring the training, Wei Yilin never missed a session and endured it all. His perseverance gradually earned him recognition from others. This eptance was not because of whose son he was, but because of his own hard work. Wei Yilin felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and pride in that moment. It was from that moment that he made up his mind to work even harder, to be a hero like his father, recognized by everyone. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t be bothered to guess what Wei Yilin was thinking, and she threw the whip on the bed. Feeling something hit him, Wei Yilin was about to get angry when he saw a brand-new whip lying on the nket. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Yilin picked up the whip from the nket, took a good look, and his eyes filled with joy, ¡°This is a fine leather whip!¡± ¡°You sure know good stuff.¡± ¡°How did you get such a good whip?¡± Wei Yilin asked. It seems he has indeed been too absorbed in martial arts recently and has no idea what¡¯s been happening in the household. ¡°Found it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± He wasn¡¯t stupid. How could one find such a whip? ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter where I got it, I gave it to you anyway.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wei Yilin was somewhat incredulous. Was Wei Qingruo really so good to him? ¡°Don¡¯t think too much of it. I had to.¡± Even if she didn¡¯t use it, it was still valuable! If she has a choice, who would want to give it to this annoying fellow? But Wei Yilin thought Wei Ruo was ying hard to get. ¡°Given is given. No need to say you had to.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be bothered to exin to you.¡± Wei Ruo got up to leave, havingpleted her mission, there was no need for her to waste any more time with Wei Yilin. Wei Yilin huffed at Wei Ruo¡¯s retreating back, then picked up the whip Wei Ruo had given him, cherishing it and ying with it in his hands. The master had taught him how to use a whip some days ago. As he was just starting to learn, he had not mastered it yet, and could only watch a few senior brothers who had learned earlier. He had been envious then. After some time, when his foundational skills were more solid, the master would teach him again, and then he could try with this whip! Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know what Wei Yilin was thinking. After returning to Tingsong Garden, she got started on her work. The nting time for the thousand acres of fertilend in the Government City couldn¡¯t be wasted. The original rice had already been harvested, and she was taking over empty fields, so she needed to immediately arrange for the wheat to be sown. She had been worried about the initial investment for this part, but now, with these hundred taels of gold, she could cover the early-stage investment of the farm. ### As the lunar calendar approachedte September, the temperature plunged. Usually, it would just be a bit chilly around this time of the year, but the temperature in the past few days had gotten so cold that people had started wearing their winter clothes in advance. Families who hadn¡¯t been able to buy their winter supplies in time were now busily shopping. What was worse, the rain has been pouring for several days, making it wet and cold. Theke level had also risen. This situation was unusual. Normally, such heavy rainfall would only ur in the summer, but now it was almost lunar October. Wei Mingting had not returned home since the previous day. He had taken some soldiers to patrol thekeside and started dredging the river channels, attempting to alleviate the water pressure. However, this method was only temporary. If the rain didn¡¯t stop, theke water would overflow, and it was only a matter of time before houses and fields were flooded. Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan, and Wei Yilin were all off from lessons due to weather and were resting at home. Looking at the pouring rain outside, Xiumei sighed, ¡°Miss, the people of Xingshan County are really having a tough time. They finally got past the Japanese Pirates, and could finally have a few days of peace, and now the weather is causing trouble.¡± Wei Ruo was also watching the relentless rain. The vegetables she nted in her yard were already ruined. She didn¡¯t mind, but those farmers who relied on crops for a living were going to have a hard time. ¡°Meimei, apany me outter. We have to evacuate thoseborers who opened the wastnd to the south of the city. They are living in temporary huts. If this rain continues, their houses will be in danger. Even if the houses don¡¯t copse in the rain, it would be unbearable to stay in the leaky rooms in this cold weather,¡± said Wei Ruo.. Chapter 123 - 123 Arranging Transfer_l Chapter 123: Arranging Transfer_l Trantor: 549690339 I Furthermore, Wei Ruo feared that the uing rain would be even heavier, and the temperature would continue to drop. ¡°Alright, miss, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll follow wherever you go!¡± Xiumei replied without hesitation. ¡°I also remember the batch of charcoal I purchased in Huzhou Prefecture. At that time, in addition to coal and high-quality charcoal, I also bought a batch of poor-quality ck charcoal at a low price.¡± Coal is suitable for heating kang beds or stoves, and southern households generally use charcoal for daily heating. Both silver charcoal and ck charcoal are types of charcoal, but they produce different amounts of smoke when burned and their prices vary greatly. Wealthy households generally use silver charcoal, while most ordinary people use ck charcoal. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ask the wet nurse to set aside this portion of charcoal. I n to give it free to poor families in need. We didn¡¯t spend much when we purchased it, but given the current situation, even this inferior charcoal would be too expensive for many families to afford.¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, I heard that the Madam is urgently purchasing charcoal. The cold wave arrived early this year, and it seems our household, like many others, have not had time to procure enough.¡± ¡°Set them aside for now. No matter what, the Wei Family will certainly fare better than anyone in Xingshan County. For us, life is just a bit harder, and finances are a bit tighter, but for manymoners, it is a matter of life and death.¡± said Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo and Xiumei quickly prepared to go out. Before leaving, Xiumei made Wei Ruo wear several moreyers of clothing. Fortunately, they brought back thick clothing from Mo Jiazha. Although simple in style, these clothes provided good warmth. Wei Ruo arrived at the County Government Office. Because of the situation in the southern part of the city, most officials knew Wei Ruo and invited her in, then went to notify Qian Magistrate. Qian Magistrate had been quite busy these past few days, but upon hearing Wei Ruo was requesting to see him, he put aside his pressing tasks to meet her. ¡°What can I do for you, Miss Wei?¡± Qian Magistrate got straight to the point without any formalities. He figured that Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t have ventured out in such heavy rain unless it was truly urgent. ¡°My concern lies with themon people who are reiming fields in the south of the city. They currently live close to their fields, and their thatch and grass huts are too rudimentary. The huts leak rain, let in wind, and are prone to flooding or copsing. I hope you can arrange for these people to be moved to a safer location as soon as possible.¡± Wei Ruo said. Qian Magistrate pped his forehead: ¡°I can¡¯t believe I forgot all about them!¡± Recently, the Magistrate was overwhelmed by various problems: an overflow of theke, copsed bridges, among other numerous issues. He hadpletely forgotten about the people living in the south of the city. All those lives! ¡°I will send someone to relocate them to the office immediately! We have a warehouse in the governmentplex that can amodate some people!¡± Saying this, Qian Magistrate called for his personal assistant and instructed him to send people out immediately to relocate the residents of the southern city. ¡°I want to go too.¡± stated Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss Wei, that¡¯s not a good idea. Due to days of rain, the southern city is extremely muddy. And with the heavy rain and cold weather, you might get chilled. It would be inadvisable.¡± Qian Magistrate tried to dissuade her. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m well-clothed and warm, and certainly in a better condition than themoners. Please allow me to apany you. I fear they may be too concerned about their new wheat crops to willingly leave. My persuasion might prove more effective.¡± She did have a point. ¡°Alright then. I will ensure that our officials protect your safety.¡± Qian Magistrate then gave orders to the attending officials to guarantee Wei Ruo¡¯s safety. We cannot allow any harm toe to Wei Ruo, who is indeed valued by the Prince himself. Once they reached the southern city in horse-drawn carriages, the personal assistant ordered Wei Ruo to stay in the carriage while he went to persuade themoners to leave. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo didn¡¯t listen and went directly to the residents, dressing in a rain cloak simr to everyone else. ¡°Master Chen, take charge of meter. Let¡¯s hurry to get everyone out of here before it gets darker and more difficult. I fear the rain will get much heavier tonight and the temperature will drop further.¡± After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Master Chen didn¡¯t dare dy any longer and immediately took action with his officials. Beyond the official roads in the south, the other paths were just recently trodden. The paths became incredibly muddy following the rainfall. When Wei Ruo entered the first residence, it was a bamboo house made of Mao bamboo. The room was very basic, with a bamboo bed bunk on the left side as soon as one stepped inside. Just above the bunk was the only part of the roof that was reinforced to prevent leaks, but the rain was infiltrating from everywhere else, with water dripping onto the floor. In the house, a family of three, a grandfather, grandmother and their grandchild, were huddled on the bunk under a stiff cotton quilt, with the grandparents keeping the grandchild snugly in the middle. At this moment, Wei Ruo regretted herteness. Had she known, she would havee as soon as it started raining two days ago. When it had just started to rain, she couldn¡¯t have known the rainfall would be so heavy or cause so many problems. ording to the original host¡¯s memory, Wei Ruo only knew that the winter came early this year and there was a bout of rain, but she was unaware of how the poorest people survived that year. At that time, the original host was preupied with going against her family and didn¡¯t go out or pay much attention to the rain, so she knew nothing of these specifics. Weo Ruo urged the family: ¡°Come with us. The Magistrate has arranged a temporary shelter for you.¡± The old man shook his head: ¡°We can¡¯t. We just sowed our crond, it needs watching. What if the rain floods all the seedlings?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if it gets flooded, I can get you new ones for nting.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be toote then? The timing will be off.¡± the old man said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I will provide you withte-sowing wheat varieties and there will be follow-up help to improve the nting. I can assure you yield will be fine!¡± Wei Ruo reassured the old man. The old man looked at Wei Ruo, wavering in his decision. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me? Don¡¯t you already see the effects on your rice field? It was harvestedter than other farms, but wasn¡¯t the yield higher?¡± ¡°For your wife and your grandson, if not for yourself, think about them. If you get cold and face difficulty, of what significance would it be for the harvest of your crops?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s persuasion proved effective. The old man hastily got up from the bunk, pulling up his wife with one hand and picking up his grandson with the other. They put on their straw shoes, but the ground was full of rainwater, their feet were soaking in the cold water. Wei Ruo and Xiumei stepped forward to help, picking up the grandson and helping the old grandmother. After handing over the family to the officials, they hurried towards the next house without dy.. Chapter 124 - 124: Second Brother Came Back Chapter 124: Second Brother Came Back Early_i Trantor: 549690339 Some of these families were rtively easy to persuade, while others proved more difficult, but they would all heed Wei Ruo¡¯s advice to some degree. They recognized that it was Wei Ruo who had advocated for the division of thend, which allowed them to cultivate newnd and receive relief grains from the government office every day, giving them hope for survival. Hence, Wei Ruo¡¯s words held substantial influence over them. An hourter, the majority of the peasants had been persuaded to leave, leaving only the most remote family. Seeing the rainfall intensify, Wei Ruo directed the town clerk to proceed ahead with the remaining men: ¡°Mr. Chen, lead these government officials to escort the people into the city first. I will seek out thest family. We have a carriage so once we manage to bring them along, we can catch up with the carriage.¡± ¡°No, I cannot just leave Wei Miss behind, as explicitly advised by the superior!¡± Chen was unwilling to leave Wei Ruo behind. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time; the rain is getting heavier, and the weather is growing colder. Those who are weak will not be able to withstand much longer. You go first. If you¡¯re really worried, leave a government official with me.¡± Wei Ruo suggested. After some hesitation, Chen the clerk finally agreed with Wei Ruo¡¯s proposal, ¡°Alright, I will leave a government official with you.¡± Then, Chen led the people towards the city. Wei Ruo, apanied by Xiumei and a government official, walked towards the furthest part. The three, d in raincoats, treaded on the muddy ridge of the field. The water in the rice fields had already reached its capacity, yet the rain showed no signs of stopping. ¡°Miss, let me carry you,¡± Xiumei offered sympathetically. ¡°No need, I may not have martial arts skills, but my constitution is not that frail. A little path won¡¯t hinder me,¡± Wei Ruo refused. Although shecked martial arts skills, living in rural areas, working in fields, and gathering medicine on mountains had granted Wei Ruo better physical health than the typical sheltered young miss. Thest family was situated behind a small hill. There was a t piece ofnd behind it, where the soil was in better condition than other ces, making it easier to work on. However, surrounded by mountains on three sides and being quite a distance away, it posed certain challenges. On ordinary days, however, there were no serious issues, as the government office would send people to deliver rice seedlings and fertilizers. But today seemed to be more inconvenient than usual. On arriving at thest household, Wei Ruo found a dpidated thatched cabin swaying violently in the storm. Inside, a woman cradled a three or four-year-old child. The sight of Wei Ruo seemed to bring a glimmer of hope into her eyes, and she pleaded, ¡°Please save my child, save my child!¡± We Ruo approached, cing a hand on the forehead of the child in her arms. His temperature was scorching. She felt for a beaded pouch she carried with her, extracting a white bottle from it. She poured out a medicinal pill and began looking around for a bowl and water. The only avable was an imperfect bowl, but no hot water. Left with no other choice, Wei Ruo gave the pill to the child¡¯s mother, ¡°Chew this pill and feed it to your child.¡± The woman hurriedly did as instructed. Immediately after, Wei Ruo asserted, ¡°We need to leave this ce first. When we reach a safe location, we can fully treat the illness.¡± This ce was both cold and damp, putting it far from conducive for treatment or recuperation. The best Wei Ruo could do was to administer medicine to temporarily alleviate the child¡¯s symptoms. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± The woman nodded repeatedly. ¡°Give me the child,¡± Xiumei moved forward to lighten the woman¡¯s burden. She opened her raincoat and sheltered the child within. Wei Ruo, seeing this, removed her own raincoat and draped it over the woman. The nearby government official quickly offered his own raincoat to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, you mustn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Enough talk, we need to move now. If the water rises any further, we won¡¯t be able to escape,¡± Wei Ruo cut him off, starting back the way she hade. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s determination, the official quickly removed his own raincoat and thrust it into Wei Ruo¡¯s hands, taking care not to touch her directly. Wei Ruo epted the hood of the raincoat, ¡°You wear the coat. I¡¯m small, this hood is enough to shield me from most of the rain. No more idle chatter, it will cause dys.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t afford the official any chance to protest further. Putting on the hood, she hurried off. Just as they left the house, the pathway they had taken was alreadypletely submerged, resembling a swamp. The soil in the rice field was originally muddy; one could easily sink in upon stepping foot in it. Only the ridges of the field offered some respite. We Ruo warned everyone to be extremely cautious. The individuals struggled against the harsh conditions, moving slowly and watching helplessly as the water levels continued to rise¡­ At this time, two distant figures appeared. d in raincoats, it was hard to discern their identities. Wei Ruo peered at the figures, finding them vaguely familiar. At that point, one of them came directly towards her, lifted his hat, and revealed his face. ¡°Second Brother?¡± It was Wei Jinyi and Xiaobei, who she hadn¡¯t seen for quite some time. Wei Jinyi did not respond verbally, instead lowering his gaze to Wei Ruo¡¯s feet. The icy rainwater had already submerged her ankles. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you.¡± Without waiting for Wei Ruo¡¯s response, Wei Jinyi gathered her into his arms. ¡°Second Brother, there¡¯s really no need, I can walk by myself. I¡¯m not so weak.¡± Wei Jinyi did not respond to Wei Ruo, merelymanding the rest, ¡°Move quickly.¡± Xiaobei, who had arrived with Wei Jinyi, wordlessly hoisted up the woman. At this juncture, there was no concern for gender propriety as survival was the priority. Wei Jinyi¡¯s pace was significantly faster than Wei Ruo¡¯s. His steps were firm and unhindered even in the muddy fields. We Ruo found herself somewhat disoriented. This was the first time she¡¯d been carried like this. She looked up, only to see the underside of Wei Jinyi¡¯s chin and neck. Even from this angle, she found him exceedingly handsome, albeit his facial expression was cold, as if it screamed: ¡®No Trespassing¡¯. Shortly after, Wei Jinyi had carried Wei Ruo to their carriage, parked on the main road. Xiaobei, Xiumei, and the government official also arrived. We Ruo, Xiumei, the woman, and the little girl all boarded the carriage, while Xiaobei and the official took the driver¡¯s seat, and Wei Jinyi rode a horse. In the carriage, while taking care of the little girl, Wei Ruo learned about her and her mother¡¯s situation through the mother¡¯s narrative. The woman¡¯s husband had been a soldier fighting against the Japanese Pirates, unfortunately losing his life in battle. As there was no man left in the family, their rtives drove them out and seized thend that rightfully belonged to them. The woman had to resort to begging on the streets with her daughter. It was because of Wei Ruo¡¯s proposal that they could follow other homeless people to settle in the south of the city. When they were distributing thend initially, others, out of consideration for her situation, gave her a piece ofnd that was less saline and alkaline, making cultivation rtively easier. Although isted, kindhearted individuals would bring them necessities every day. But they didn¡¯t expect a situation like today¡¯s, leading the mother and daughter to be thest ones to leave. The carriage rushed back to the city, arriving at the county government. The woman and the little girl were settled in a warehouse, cleared by the government office. The warehouse wasn¡¯t veryrge, with beds lined on both ends. Everyone who was brought here was arranged to stay in this ce. Small families could fit into one bed, whilerger ones took up two beds.. Chapter 125 - 125: Joint Rescue of the People_l Chapter 125: Joint Rescue of the People_l Trantor: 549690339 | The middle of the warehouse main entrance was left with a passage over a meter wide. The people in the government office boiled hot water, Wei Ruo asked them to prepare some extra ginger tea to warm all up. She then wrote a prescription for the little girl who had a fever, together with the money for medicine, handed it over to Hong Ping, the government official who had just followed her, and asked him to help get the medicine prepared. Wei Ruo specially gave some extra silver taels, asking Hong Ping to prepare some extra and reserve it. These days have been windy and rainy, it was likely not only the little girl would catch a cold. Xiumei rushed to find the wet nurse, asking her to transport some goods here. They were short of nkets, food, and charcoal for fire. Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei to change into clean clothes after she had arrived at the wet nurse¡¯s, thene back together with her. Xiumei said with concern, ¡°What about you, miss?¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll see to itter.¡± Xiumei: ¡°But¡­¡± Wei Ruo interrupted: ¡°Go now and return quickly. Xiumei had no choice but toply: ¡°Alright. After attending to these matters, Wei Ruo finally found some time to ask Wei jinyi: ¡°Second Brother, howe you came back early? ¡°It¡¯s been raining for several days, and I had a feeling that something might happen in Xingshan County.¡± said Wei Jinyi. The area affected by this rain was vast, Huzhou Prefecture was also within it, but the situation there was a lot better than in Xingshan County. Wei Jinyi must have guessed that Xingshan County was also affected by the rain, and due to insufficient natural protections, the situation would turn worse. And so it was, when he arrived in Xingshan County, he found the situation was very bad. Initially he wanted to go to the Military Prefecture first, but on the way, he ran into a servant from Wei Residence who was out buying supplies, and learned that Wei Ruo was not at home. He then guessed that Wei Ruo might have gone to the southern part of the city, and sure enough, on his way out of the city, he met the team of the county government escorting citizens from the south into the city. Upon enquiry, it turned out that Wei Ruo was still in the southern part of city, so he hastened to join her there. Looking at Wei Ruo¡¯s soaked clothes, Wei Jinyi said: ¡°Come with me. Wei Ruo was somewhat confused, but was already pulled by Wei Jinyi into a nearby room. This room was a storage room full of misceneous items, but a clean chair had been ced in it, and on top of the chair were some clothes. Wei Jinyi took Wei Ruo into the room and then returned to the door, shutting it behind him. Through the door, he said to Wei Ruo inside: ¡°Change your shoes first.¡± Wei Ruo looked inside the room to see a pair of newly bought socks and shoes, as well as a dry towel. Wei Ruo¡¯s shoes had soaked through when she was in the southern fields, but she had been too busy caring for the little girl and organizing the people, and hadn¡¯t had time for anything else. Wei Ruo¡¯s feet had soaked in water, leaving them like that, even if she didn¡¯t catch a cold, it wouldn¡¯t be good for her feet either. Wei Ruo sat down and while changing her socks and shoes, she asked Wei Jinyi outside the door: ¡°Second Brother, when did you arrange for these clean socks and shoes?¡± ¡°Xiaobei bought them.¡± Wei Jinyi, leaning against the door, avoided her gaze. ¡°So how did you know what size shoe I wear?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. Shoes fordies fromrge households are usually all custom made by someone whoes to the house, so most people wouldn¡¯t know her shoe size. ¡°When you returned from the southern fields, there was mud on the soles of your feet, leaving footprints on the ground.¡± ¡°Second Brother, you are so attentive!¡± Wei Ruo praised. Wei Jinyi outside the door did not respond, but instructed her instead: ¡°Once you¡¯re done changing, if there¡¯s nothing else left to do here, start heading back to the residence. You need to take a hot bath and change into dry clothes.¡± ¡°If I have to go back anyway, why go to the trouble of changing my shoes first?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°The sooner they get changed, the better.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. -Are you worried that my feet will freeze, Second Brother?¡± Wei Ruo said,ughing. A moment of silence ensued. Well, the answer was obvious, but Second Brother did not want to admit it himself. After changing into the new shoes, Wei Ruo packed the used shoes and socks with a cloth bag that had been prepared in advance. Even this detail was taken into consideration. Second Brother was truly thoughtful. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As they were leaving, Wei Ruo turned to Wei Jinyi: ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s return home. Not just me, but you should also take a hot bath and change clothes. One¡¯s health is fundamental. If you want to save others, you need to take care of yourself first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you still have things to do?¡± ¡ö¡öThe supplies will only be delivered a whileter, and the medicines will be preparedter as well. There¡¯s nothing I can do but wait here. It would be better to take the opportunity to clean myself up first.¡± Wei Jinyi nodded. As long as Wei Ruo had no concerns, he himself had no objections. And so Wei Jinyi escorted Wei Ruo back to the Military Prefecture. Wei Jinyi left Wei Ruo at the entrance of Tingsong Garden. Although Wei Ruo had often run into his yard, even into his bedroom, Wei Jinyi always upheld his manners and did not casually enter her courtyard. Watching Wei Ruo enter her building from the yard¡¯s gate, Wei Jinyi returned to his own yard and changed his clothes and shoes. inside the Tingsong Garden house, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have time to prepare ample hot water for bath. To save time, she washed herself with the hot water, then changed into a set of clean clothes. She then opened her medical kit that she always kept around and selected a few medicines from a bunch of bottles and jars to carry with her. Today, not only that little girl among the people moved to the government office warehouse might fall ill, others might also be at risk of catching a cold or of getting other diseases. She had brought thesemonly used medicines with her just in case. After getting ready, Wei Ruo once again joined with Wei Jinyi, preparing to head out. Just as the two were about to leave, Yun along with the maid Cuiping came to the entrance of Tingsong Garden, stopping the outward-bound Wei Ruo. ¡°Ruoruo, you cannot go out again.¡± Yun wore a stern expression. ¡°I have important matters to attend to.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°No matter how important it is, you can¡¯t be running around outside every day. Your Second Brother is a man, he can go everywhere, but not you.¡± Wei Ruo exined: ¡°I didn¡¯t go out aimlessly, I took care of the relocation of the citizens from the south of the city, with the current weather, if the citizens in the south are ignored, they will starve or freeze to death. ¡°The government officers can manage the southern citizens. As a maiden from a prominent family, you being always mingled with these people is not good for your reputation.¡± Yun persuaded. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel I was doing something wrong. I conducted myself appropriately, even outside. Social etiquette rules apply in normal situations, but in this special period, countless citizens are suffering. In the face of a natural disaster, any etiquette should make way.¡± Wei Ruo articted her position firmly. ¡°Even if you think so, it doesn¡¯t mean others do. When the weather clears, your current actions will be regarded as a breach of etiquette and invite spection.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t regret it when the timees.¡± With a determined look in her eyes, Wei Ruo was unyielding. Yun frowned: ¡°Why are you, a child, not listening to advice? Your mother is doing this for your own good, worrying about you, and afraid that any slight mistake might impact you¡­¡± It was then that Wei Jinyi interjected: ¡°I believe our father, who is currently out rescuing the people, would highly approve of Big Sister¡¯s actions..¡± Chapter 126 - 126: The People Showing Gratitude to Wei Ruo_1 Chapter 126: The People Showing Gratitude to Wei Ruo_1 Trantor: 549690339 Mrs. Yun froze, and then an image of her husband and some of his words about their eldest daughter¡¯s education popped up in her mind. Wei Jinyi continued to say, ¡°When older sister wanted to reim the wastnd south of the city, mother also thought her behavior was unreasonable, not something a youngdy should do. However, it has now been proven that there is nothing wrong with big sister¡¯s actions.¡± ¡°If mother still thinks it¡¯s not appropriate, I¡¯ll have Guard Jing consult father. But, this will certainly take some time and dy the rescue work. ¡°If what eldest sister chooses today influences her negatively in the future, I am willing to take full responsibility.¡± This was the first time Wei Jinyi had said so much to Mrs. Yun. After listening to Wei Jinyi¡¯s statement, Mrs. Yun¡¯s frown deepened. After a long while, she said to Wei Ruo, ¡°I can¡¯t control you anymore, do what you want. Any consequences will be on your head.¡± With that, Mrs. Yun left. Wei Ruo turned to exchange a nce with Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen.¡± Wei Ruo shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not worried. I¡¯m just happy that you stood by me instead of lecturing me.¡± Wei Jinyi responded, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve done anything wrong, so why should I reprimand you?¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Hehe, big brother, I find myself liking you more and more.¡± At her words, Wei Jinyi¡¯s cheeks turned faintly red and he turned his head aside, saying in a low voice, ¡°We should go back to the government office.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Ruo responded, and then, along with Wei Jinyi, set off for the government office again. When they returned to the government office warehouse, Xiumei had already arrived with the wet nurses, bringing with them two full carts of supplies. ¡°Miss, there aren¡¯t many quilts. We didn¡¯t anticipate this situation so we didn¡¯t stock up. We can only prioritize giving them to the elderly, children, and women.¡± Xiumei exined to Wei Ruo. Previously, Wei Ruo had only ordered them to stock up on food and coal and hadn¡¯t specifically instructed them to stock up on quilts and cotton. ¡°Hmm, has the rice, sweet potatoes and charcoal arrived?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°The charcoal was transported over, and some rice and sweet potatoes were brought too. We also cooked arge pot of porridge and baked a batch of sweet potatoes. I brought some of the cooked ones over. Some are still being baked, and once done, Uncle Xu will bring them over.¡± The sweet potatoes were baked in batches because they didn¡¯t want the first batch to cool down, and they didn¡¯t want the people here to wait too long, so Xiumei brought a portion over first. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s distribute these to everyone.¡± Wei Ruo personally helped to serve the porridge and distribute the sweet potatoes. Wei Jinyi and Xiaobei also helped distribute the quilts. There weren¡¯t enough people in the government office now, so they did what they could. Everyone received a bowl of hot white porridge and a sweet potato. The crowd ate with tears in their eyes. An old man fell to his knees and bowed in gratitude to Wei Ruo and the others, ¡°Miss Wei, we can¡¯t repay you for your immense kindness! Other voices joined amidst the choruses, ¡°Miss Wei, you¡¯re truly our savior! Our whole family owes you our lives.¡± ¡°Miss Wei, you¡¯ve bestowed us with fertilend, built us new homes, you¡¯ve already given us more than we could ask for. Now you are braving the rain to save us again, providing us food and clothing, we really don¡¯t know how to repay you!¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to repay me in any way. Just live well, farm well, take good care of yourselves and your family, and be a good person. That¡¯s enough.¡± The crowd unanimously agreed: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss, we will!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t let your painstaking effort go in vain!¡± ¡°Miss, we will remember your words!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve nothing to thank me for, you should rest first.¡± Wei Ruoforted the crowd. Magistrate Qian came to visit the relocated people, and just happened to hear the crowd expressing their gratitude to Wei Ruo, which made him sigh inwardly. Miss Wei was certainly not an ordinary youngdy. In the whole Xingshan County, she was the only youngdy from a prominent family who couldmand such respect from the people. Magistrate Qian originally worried that the people temporarily sheltering in the government warehouse would be restless, so as the parent-official, he specially came to reassure them and put their minds at ease. But it seemed there was no need now. So, Magistrate Qian didn¡¯t interrupt, and instructed Secretary Chen to assist Miss Wei well. He had other things to do. As for the people in the south of the city, he could rest assured leaving them to Wei Ruo s care. Afterwards, Wei Ruo distributed the white porridge and sweet potatoes to Secretary Chen and the other government officials. Everyone worked hard for half a day without even having time for a meal. Drinking the hot porridge and eating the fragrant baked sweet potatoes now, they felt a warmth spreading from their mouths to their chests. Wei Ruo also served a bowl for Wei Jinyi: ¡°Have a taste, big brother.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi took the porridge and sweet potato. ¡°And this, for you.¡± Wei Ruo secretly handed Wei Jinyi a strip of dried squid, ¡°Only you have this. Eat it secretly.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Wei Ruo was stingy, but that there were only a few pieces of dried squid, not enough to be shared with everyone. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi hid the dried squid given by Wei Ruo in his sleeve. Actually, he wasn¡¯t that greedy, but Wei Ruo¡¯s words ¡°Only you have this,¡± made the dried squid seem especially precious and special. Afterwards, Wei Ruo also began to eat her own. There were no proper tables and chairs there, so like everyone else, Wei Ruo and her group sat on the ground. While Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were eating their porridge, more bad news reached the government office. Andslide urred in a mountain vige to the west of the city, burying an entire vige under mud and rocks. Magistrate Qian gathered all the officials and decided on a n. After a little while, Wei Ruo caught Hong Ping returning from seeing the Magistrate and asked him, ¡°What is the situation with the casualties?¡± Hong Ping shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s not clear, the road to the vige is blocked by thendslide, we have no idea what the situation inside is. ¡°Has anyone gone there yet?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Just now, while we were discussing, someone reported that your father, Miss Wei, has already led people there for the rescue, so Magistrate Qian let us return.¡± At the moment, the government office doesn¡¯t have enough personnel, and has to rely on the force of the military. Wei Ruo nodded, knowing that the army has already been notified and would be involved in the rescue, she didn¡¯t think there should be a problem. Rescuingndslides was not something Wei Ruo could really help with, and she decided not to add to the military¡¯s troubles by heading over there herself. She would do what she could here. After replenishing their energy by eating the porridge and baked sweet potatoes, Wei Ruo checked on each of the people sheltering in the warehouse, making sure to prescribe medicine for those who felt unwell or had caught a cold. Xiumei and Xiaobei were instructed to brew the medicine. Later, Wei Ruo reminded the officials and Hong Ping, ¡°If anyone feels unwell during the night, administer the medicine immediately ¡ª do not dy..n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 127 - 127: Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong Chapter 127: Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong Disappear _1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Alright, Miss Wei, rest assured, we will take turns to watch over here tonight and handle any situations immediately,¡± Hong Ping said. ¡°You all have worked hard,¡± Wei Ruo expressed her gratitude. ¡°We are servants at the government office, receiving imperial sry. Protecting the people is our duty. In contrast, Miss Wei, you took the lead in ensuring the welfare of the people for a matter that initially did not concern you. We truly admire you for that.¡± ¡°You tter me, I¡¯m just doing what I can.¡± Wei Ruo replied, turning her head after speaking to look at themon people in the warehouse. Although the warehouse was not a good ce, it at least provided shelter from wind and rain. A few braziers made the room much warmer, ensuring that their lives were out of danger. By the time Wei Ruo finished her tasks, it was alreadyte at night. Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo, seeing that there was temporarily nothing else to do, returned to the Wei Residence. The rain at night really became heavier, and the temperature dropped further. Returning to Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo had a quick wash before heading to bed. Early the next day, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi went out again. Firstly, they were concerned about the people in the government office warehouse, fearing that some may have deteriorating health conditions. Wei Ruo felt more at ease seeing it with her own eyes. Secondly, Wei Ruo wanted to know how the situation of thendslide in West Mountain Vige was progressing. After a night of rain, it finally stopped, but the temperature dropped even more. Without a thermometer, Wei Ruo estimated that the temperature was probably below five degrees. There was no frost, but the humidity was high, giving a chilling sensation. Wei Ruo wore a thick cotton jacket, but still felt her hands a little cold. As soon as Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi stepped into the government office, they were summoned by Qian Magistrate. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were taken to the courtroom, where Qian Magistrate usually presided over cases. Now, he was using this ce to orchestrate the rescue efforts. Qian Magistrate looked at the siblings in front of him, hesitating to speak, his eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Mr. Qian, you can speak freely,¡± said Wei Jinyi. After thinking for a while, Qian Magistrate said to the siblings: ¡°Your father¡­ has had an ident.¡± ¡°What kind of ident?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Your father led a team to rescue the people in West Mountain Vige. However, during the process, anotherndslide urred. His life is now in the bnce,¡± Qian Magistrate said with a heavy heart. Wei Ruo looked at Qian Magistrate in shock, her mind filled withplex emotions. Her father had an ident? Wei Ruo knew that in the original story, Wei Mingting died early, but in the original host¡¯s memory, her father died in battle. It was indeed about this time, but this time, due to some factors, the Japanese pirates had temporarily been driven away. At this time in the original, Wei Mingting was still fighting with the Japanese pirates and couldn¡¯t take care of the affairs in the city. So, although Wei Ruo knew that Wei Mingting probably died in battle around this time, since the fighting had temporarily ceased, she assumed that things were different now and didn¡¯t give it much thought. After a while, Wei Ruo came back to her senses and asked Qian Magistrate: ¡°Besides my father, how many people went to West Mountain Vige?¡± ¡°There were about a hundred. Your father didn¡¯t dare to mobilize too many soldiers due to the uncertainty of another Japanese pirate attack. Only about a hundred off-duty soldiers were mobilized for the rescue effort. Among them was a new recruit who was promoted to Deputy General after demonstrating his bravery in the previous battle against the Japanese pirates,¡± said Qian Magistrate. The recruit¡¯s excellent performancest time and the special promotion by the seventh prince had left a deep impression on Qian Magistrate. It¡¯s Brother Xiaoyong! Wei Ruo¡¯s heart tightened again and she fell silent. She knew she couldn¡¯t just do nothing, she had to find a way to rescue them. But the more urgent the situation, the less she could act impulsively! She needed to calm down and think about the most effective way to conduct the rescue. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s serious expression and said, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to the rescue.¡± ¡°Second brother?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Wei Jinyi did not provide Wei Ruo with much exnation. Seeing him walk out, Wei Ruo quickly followed. ¡°How does second brother n to rescue them?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Rest assured, I have some help.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. His expression and tone inspired trust. Although she didn¡¯t know who Wei Jinyi was referring to when he mentioned help, Wei Ruo still chose to believe him. Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo left the government office. As they were leaving, Wei Jinyi instructed Xiaobei to do something. Xiaobei then quickly left. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om To make the journey to the mountain easier, Wei Ruo chose to ride a horse. She untied the ropes used to pull the carriage from the horse, took out the saddle from the back of the carriage, put it on the horse and then climbed up to ride. But Wei Ruo¡¯s horse riding experience was limited, she had only ridden once in the training ground. Wei Jinyi stayed close behind Wei Ruo and seeing that her riding was bing more and more skilled and had no problems, he rode ahead. When they reached the original path to West Mountain Vige, the path no longer existed. Mud and rockspletely covered it. From their perspective, they couldn¡¯t see how much damage thendslide had caused. Perhaps the entire vige had been buried. When Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi arrived, there were already government officials clearing the path. Wei Ruo dismounted and looked at the situation in front of her, once again feeling how tiny humans were in the face of nature. The copsed mud and rock piled up like an insurmountable wall in front of them. Soon after Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi arrived, Xiaobei also came with a group of men in coarsely woven short clothes, about twenty people. They were carrying shovels and started digging as soon as they arrived. Xiaobei said these men were porters. They were paid toe and help. Wei Jinyi said, ¡°Leave half of them here, the reste with me.¡± Xiaobei passed on Wei Jinyi¡¯s instructions and exined some things to the men, then they quickly divided into two groups. One group continued to help the government officials to clear the path, while the others followed with their tools. Wei Jinyi said to Wei Ruo, ¡°We¡¯ll take a detour from the other side, if the entire vige isn¡¯t buried, we might find another way in.¡± There was only one road into West Mountain Vige. To enter from another way meant they had to cross the mountain. Crossing the mountain had certain risks. Although the rain had stopped, the soil waspletely soaked. The risk of anotherndslide or copse was still there. But Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hesitate. She chose to trust Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi¡¯s choice was very cautious. He observed the vegetation on the mountain, choosing to walk through a bamboo forest. The root system of bamboo is very developed. Compared to general vegetation, bamboo can firmly grasp the ground, protecting the surface of the mountain, reducing the likelihood of andslide. After about an hour of detour, they finally reached the back of West Mountain Vige. Before they went down the mountain, Wei Ruo stood on a high point and looked at West Mountain Vige¡­. Chapter 128 - 128: Found The Person l Chapter 128: Found The Person l Trantor: 549690339 The area primarily affected by thendslide was the front half of West Mountain Vige and the road leading into the vige, with the back half untouched; the vige houses and roads in the back remained intact. Due to theplex geography of West Mountain Vige, the residents live scattered about, making it impossible to determine the extent of the casualties from a bird¡¯s-eye view. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi entered the vige with their men and saw people wearing soldier¡¯s armor digging. At the same time, the vigers were also busy digging with their own hoes, spades, and anything they could use. We Ruo caught hold of a soldier and asked about the situation; ¡°What¡¯s the current situation? How many people were buried? Who are they?¡± ¡°Well¡­ apart from General Qian and Deputy General Xu, everyone else is here. When the secondndslide happened, General Qian sensed something wrong and ordered us to evacuate to the back vige. Therefore, everybody is basically safe.¡± The soldier answered Wei Ruo¡¯s questions. Wei Mingting and Wei Jinyi had made the same judgement, as the area in the back vige where the bamboo nts were cultivated was unlikely to be prone tondslides, making it rtively safe. We Ruo continued asking: ¡°Where are General Qian and Deputy General Xu?¡± ¡°Before the secondndslide, some locals told us that there were still two families in the valley, General Qian, aware of the danger, chose to go rescue them. Deputy General Xu, worried, followed along. Then thendslide happened, and as of now¡­ we have not found them yet¡­¡± Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong had both gone missing¡­ ¡°Where exactly in the valley?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°It¡¯s roughly that area over there. We have a few brothers who have gone over to investigate. However, since we are uncertain about the exact location General Qian and Deputy General Xu were at the time, we could only search the area blindly,¡± the soldier answered. Wei Mingting, who led a rescue team of a hundred people yesterday, has left half of the squad to help the vigers clear the road while the other half had gone to search the valley. We Ruo turned her head to Wei Jinyi, ¡°Second brother.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wei Jinyi responded without much ado, turning to lead the group of porters he had brought along to the direction of the valley. ### Meanwhile, the news of the ident involving Wei Mingting reached the Military Prefecture. Upon hearing the news, Mrs. Yun almost fainted. Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan, realizing the gravity of the situation, rushed to Cangyun Garden. Wei Qingwan cared for Mrs. Yun, while Wei Yichen took charge of the situation. The first thing Mrs. Yun did when she woke up was ask about Wei Mingting¡¯s condition: ¡°Yichen, where is your father?¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s face turned grave, ¡°Mother, calm down, the Prefecture has already sent out people to West Mountain Vige for a search. The Government Office has also sent help. We should receive some news soon.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯ve not found him yet?¡± Whether he is dead or alive, they still don¡¯t know! Mrs. Yun¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°Landslides are extremely dangerous. If someone gets buried underneath, it¡¯s incredibly difficult to survive!¡± Wei Yichen didn¡¯t know how to respond. For he himself didn¡¯t know how tofort his mother, he too felt incredibly heavy-hearted at that moment. Wei Qingwan consoled Mrs. Yun: ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. They say misfortune never strikes in one ce where a man¡¯s heart is. Even the brutal Japanese pirates were unable to harm father; he will not be struck down so easily!¡± Mrs. Yun shook her head. Wei Qingwan¡¯s words didn¡¯t bring her anyfort. She knew very well, the brutality of the Japanese pirates and the horrors of nature disasters werepletely different. ¡°Yichen, gather all the male servants in the Mansion to go looking, all of them! None is to stay in the Mansion,¡± Mrs. Yun instructed. She could not consider anything else, she only wished for her husband to return safely! ¡°Mother, I understand your feelings, but I¡¯ve already sent out anyone I could. Those left in the mansion are all old, as well as the women,¡± Wei Yichen exined. ¡°What should we do then? Yichen, tell me, what should we do now?¡± Mrs. Yun¡¯s eyes turned red with panic. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll be paying the County Government a visit and talk to Magistrate Qian, to see if we can get more people sent to West Mountain Vige. Without father¡¯s presence, it would require the Deputy General¡¯smand to mobilize the stationed soldiers. However, the current Deputy General is new and I am not familiar with him, hence I would need Magistrate Qian¡¯s assistance.¡± Wei Yichen, though worried and anxious, retained hisposure. ¡°Okay, okay, just do as you suggested, quickly go!¡± Mrs. Yun urged him. Having lost all initiative, she could only follow her son¡¯s arrangement. Wei Yichen was about to leave but not before he reminded Wei Qingwan to take care of their mother: ¡°Wanwan, mother is upset; you should keep herpany, try and console her.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Wei Qingwan nodded, then immediately asked, ¡°Big brother, will father be able to return safely?¡± Wei Qingwan understood that her father was the backbone of the family. If something were to happen to their father, the Military Prefecture would copse. Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t imagine their life and her life, without her father. Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t answer her question: ¡°I don¡¯t know. All I can do now is to put in all our efforts to rescue father. Before that, I cannot afford to think about this question.¡± After giving Wei Qingwan a few instructions, Wei Yichen headed towards the Government Office. ### In the valley of West Mountain Vige, about seventy to eighty people were spread out, conducting a carpet search for the whereabouts of Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Jinyi kept close to Wei Ruo, maintaining a certain distance from her. The valley hadplex terrain and on top of that, it had experienced andslide, so any ce was subject to possible copse. Indeed, danger lurked around every corner. After walking for a while, Wei Ruo stopped. After projecting her father¡¯s habits, she knew, as he had sensed the possibility of anotherndslide and had judged the back part of the vige nted with bamboo to be rtively safe, he must also have taken aparatively safe route when going in and out of the valley. Wei Ruo looked around, putting herself in Wei Mingting¡¯s shoes. If she were Wei Mingting, how would she have gotten in and out of the valley, how would she have reached the two households needing assistance and how would she have retreated? Wei Jinyi stood behind Wei Ruo, refraining from disturbing her. After a while, Wei Ruo suddenly sprang to her feet, running towards one direction. Wei Jinyi followed closely behind. Wei Ruo went in the direction of the western mountains. After approximately an hour¡¯s journey, she suddenly stopped. She noticed something among a pile of rocks and mud. Immediately, she ran to inspect it. ¡°This is Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s dagger!¡± At first nce, Wei Ruo saw a hilt. But after digging it out, it was aplete dagger. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Positive, this is the dagger I had custom made for Brother Xiaoyong!¡± Wei Ruo responded with certainty. ¡°I will call some people over.¡± Wei Jinyi summoned a few porters over. The men were very deferential towards Wei Jinyi. At hismand, they began working quickly and efficiently. Wei Ruo stood on the side, her mind in turmoil. They had been buried for some time now. It was very possible that even if they were dug out, they would be dead¡­. Chapter 129 - 129: Saved i Chapter 129: Saved i Trantor: 549690339 Inside the pitch-ck cave, Xu Zhengyong was trying to dig out the mud and rocks that blocked the entrance. These mud and rocks, though soft, seemed to be infinite. The more he dug out, the more seemed to umte. Due to theck of oxygen and the chill, Xu Zhengyong was gradually losing strength. Wei Mingting said to Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, take a rest. If you continue like this, your body won¡¯t be able to keep up.¡± Wei Mingting sat next to him, sounding exhausted while speaking. They had been trapped in this cave for four hours, the air inside was growing ever thinner, and the damp and frigid conditions were taking a toll on their bodies. Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong, despite being martial artists and slightly better off, were also suffering. The three vigers who were with them huddled together, and the weakest among them, a nine-year-old boy, was semi-conscious. In this state, they couldn¡¯tst much longer. Seeing the three vigers weakly lying on the ground, Wei Mingting felt a sense of guilt. Even though he hade to rescue them, he hadn¡¯t made it in time, and on their way back they encountered andslide. While they managed to find shelter in the cave just in time to avoid being buried on the spot, it felt like they were only dying the inevitable. N?v(el)B\\jnn After trying and failing once more, Xu Zhengyong eventually gave up and sat next to Wei Mingting. The ground was damp, which made sitting ufortable. However, when he felt dizzy, sitting down was the only thing that provided some relief. I don t want to die yet¡­¡± Xu Zhengyong said in frustration. Xu Zhengyong was dejected. He didn¡¯t want to die. He hadn¡¯t fulfilled his promise to Ruoruo, he hadn¡¯t filially piety to his parents properly, and he hadn¡¯t heard Xiumei call him ¡®brother¡¯ yet. Was he going to die here today? ¡°I understand how you feel. I don¡¯t want to die either. I¡¯m not afraid for myself but I worry about my family¡­¡± Wei Mingting said. Wei Mingting was also in distress. If he were to die, what would happen to the Wei family? What about his wife, son, and daughter? Xu Zhengyong nced at Wei Mingting. He had always respected Wei Mingting as a military general, for his tactical skills, martial arts skills, and hispassion towards people. However, he felt that Wei Mingting was not a good father, as he had allowed Ruoruo to be bullied. Thinking of Ruoruo, Xu Zhengyong said, ¡°I still have an unfulfilled promise¡­¡± The couple from the vige huddled together, sensing their hope of survival was dwindling, soft sobs could be heard. Just when everyone inside the cave had given up hope, a small light suddenly appeared at the entrance of the cave. Was it an illusion? Why was there light? Had the envoy of the underworlde to take them away? Having never experienced death, they were unsure how the ghost envoy would appear. At that moment, voices could be heard from outside the cave. ¡°Can anyone inside hear us? General Wei, Deputy General Xu!¡± Hearing the voices, Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong quickly stood up. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Wei Mingting replied with all the energy he could muster. ¡°Hang in there, General Wei. We are going to start digging to get you out!¡± Came the response from outside, followed by the sounds of shovels and pickaxes. Soon, a third of the blockage at the entrance was removed, revealing a gaprge enough for a burly man to squeeze through. Save those people first!¡± Wei Mingting said to the man who had entered. The man nodded, then hoisted the unconscious boy out through the gap. He was carefully received by the rescuers above and sessfully rescued. Next came the boy¡¯s parents, and finally, Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong. Once they were outside, they found out that their rescuers were Wei Jinyi and Ruo. Both Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong were filled with surprise and joy. The words ¡°Sister Ruoruo¡± were on the tip of Xu Zhengyong¡¯s tongue, but he swallowed them back. Usually, regardless of how his parents corrected him, Xu Zhengyong shamelessly called Ruoruo ¡°Sister Ruoruo¡±. But at this moment, on the verge of life and death, he refrained from calling out. Upon catching sight of Ruoruo, his instinct was to rush over and talk to her. He knew, however, that he couldn¡¯t do so with outsiders present. To do so would only risk damaging Ruoruo¡¯s reputation. Ruoruo¡¯s gaze was also on Xu Zhengyong. Seeing his excited expression and his mouth opening then closing without making a sound, she guessed his intentions. She was somewhat relieved. Brother Xiaoyong had grown up, he wouldn¡¯t act recklessly without considering the consequences anymore. Although Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong didn¡¯t say a word to each other, their connection was evident in their eyes, which did not escape the notice of Wei Jinyi, who was standing next to Ruoruo. ¡°Jinyi, Ruoruo! How did you know we were here?¡± Wei Mingting eximed in surprise, but also in relief. Your sister heard of your peril and she insisted wee to find you. It was she who discovered you were buried at this location,¡± exined Wei Jinyi. ¡°Ruoruo, how did you know we were here?¡± Wei Mingting asked his daughter. Ruoruo exined, ¡°I thought about the situation from your perspective. If you knew there was danger, you would choose a safer path to enter and leave the valley. After observing the surroundings, I thought that you might have chosen to follow a small path on the western side.¡± ¡°After following that path, I found a dagger, which was brand new and unlike anything the vigers would have. This led me to guess that we were at the ce where you were buried.¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s face instantly lit up. He didn¡¯t say a word, but his smile revealed his feelings. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this ce first and regroup back at the vige,¡± Wei Jinyi ordered. Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong, regardless of their daily martial arts training, were exhausted. After being trapped overnight, their bodies weakened. They needed immediate medical attention. Leaving the valley they borrowed a viger¡¯s house and Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong were able to take hot baths and change their clothes. The ess roads to the vige were blocked, and given their physical condition, Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong couldn¡¯t risk taking a rough journey, especially crossing over the mountains. So they decided to stay at the viger¡¯s house until the roads were cleared. While Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong were bathing and changing clothes, Ruoruo took the pulses of the frail family of three. All three had suffered from the chilling weather and were running hot temperatures. Theck of oxygen had also disrupted their bodies¡¯ functions. Although they were unable to get medicine from outside at this time, luckily, Ruoruo had brought arge quantity of medicine with her, which could stabilise the three people¡¯s condition temporarily. Afterward, Ruoruo went outside where she saw Wei Jinyi sitting at a small table. She sat down next to him and started preparing medicine from the bottles she brought. Wei Jinyi quietly watched Ruoruo working on the medicines in her hands.. Chapter 130 - 130: Temporary Stay at a Chapter 130: Temporary Stay at a Farmhouse_l Trantor: 549690339 Xu Zhengyong changed his clothes, then emerged cleanly and refreshed. ¡°Miss¡­ Miss Wei!¡± Xu Zhengyong, who was about to call out ¡°Ruoruo¡±, caught sight of Wei Jinyi also in the court and quickly corrected himself. With a smile tugging at the corner of Xu Zhengyong¡¯s mouth, he looked energetic and spirited, showing no signs of being recently rescued after being buried for several hours. ¡°Deputy General Xu, don¡¯t move around. You have just been exposed to the cold wind all night,¡± Wei Ruo cast him a side nce, warning him not to be too cocky. Xu Zhengyong shrank his neck a little and took a seat opposite Wei Ruo,ughing and not daring to move again. ¡°Miss Wei, don¡¯t worry too much, I am strong and healthy, a little wind chill won¡¯t bring me down!¡± Xu Zhengyong said with a pleased expression. Although he couldn¡¯t move arbitrarily, he could still joke around a bit. ¡°Deputy General Xu, you only get one body. If you ruin it, you can¡¯t rece it. It¡¯s better to be more careful. Like the old saying goes, caution is the parent of safety.¡± Wei Ruo said with a ¡°smile¡±. ¡°Miss Wei, you might not know, I have a nagging sister at home. Since childhood, she enjoys feeding me various tonic foods. Whenever she acquires anything good, she gives it to me. I eat so well that I am strong as an ox, it is hard for me to get sick!¡± Said Xu Zhengyong, proudly. ¡°Deputy General Xu, speak less and finish your medicine, then go back to sleep.¡± Wei Ruo put a bottle of medicine in front of Xu Zhengyong, letting him take it himself. Without protest, Xu Zhengyong picked up the medicine bottle, skillfully poured two pills into his hand and washed them down with a bowl of water. At the side, all of Wei Jinyi¡¯s attention was absorbed by these seemingly unfamiliar but actually intimate interactions between the two. Soon after, Wei Mingting also came out. Xu Zhengyong immediately stood up and walked over to y with the chickens kept in the yard by the farmers. Wei Mingting was also in good condition, after all, with years of martial arts training andbat experience, his physical condition was much better than that of ordinary people. Wei Mingting sat down opposite Wei Ruo and sincerely expressed his gratitude: ¡°Ruoruo, although to say thank you seems to add a distance between us, I still want to express my gratitude. If it were not for you today, Deputy General Xu and I might not be alive. The lives of all of us were saved by you.¡± ¡°Father, there¡¯s no need to be overly polite with me. It¡¯s something I should do.¡± Even if Wei Mingting was not her biological father, and she was only amoner from Xingshan County, at such a time there was no reason not to help them. Wei Mingting gently shook his head: ¡°There is nothing that you should do. On such a cold day, it is very dangerous. It is trulymendable that you and Jinyi disregarded your own safety toe and search for us.¡± Wei Ruo just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. Wei Mingting¡¯s gaze softened as he watched Wei Ruo tinker with something, and asked, ¡°Ruoruo, what are you working on?¡± ¡°These are some medicines I brought along, thinking they might be of use. However, to maintain their efficacy some medicines were separated when made. They need to be mixed together before usage.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Ruoruo, you really are meticulous.¡± Wei Mingting praised. ¡°Father, you should have caught a cold yesterday. Wait for me to mix the medicine, then take a bowl of it.¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Mingting replied with a smile. Watching his daughter prepare medicine for his cold, Wei Mingting felt a warmth in his heart. After preparing the medicine, Wei Ruo mixed it with boiling water. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Although this method was not as effective as boiling the medicine in water, it was simple and practical. After adjusting the medicine, Wei Ruo divided it into five portions. Each person who was trapped yesterday gets a share, and Xu Zhengyong couldn¡¯t escape from taking it. Xu Zhengyong tried to pretend that he was feeding chickens and didn¡¯t hear Wei Ruo¡¯s voice in order to avoid taking the medicine, but Wei Ruo called him once again: ¡°Deputy General Xu, you¡¯ve also caught a cold. Just in case, please also drink a bowl of this. After all, you still have to defend Xingshan County.¡± With no choice left, Xu Zhengyong walked over to the table and drank a bowl of medicine with a frown. After finishing, Xu Zhengyong hurriedly drank a few cups of water. So bitter! Ruoruo¡¯s medicine was as bitter as ever! Wei Mingting, on the other hand, was very calm as he drank the medicine. Even though the medicine was bitter, it waspletely within his tolerance. After drinking the medicine, Wei Mingting looked at Wei Ruo and instructed, ¡°Ruoruo, you should take good care of yourself as well. The weather has been cold these past few days, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo replied simply. Then Wei Mingting turned his gaze to Wei Jinyi: ¡°When did Jinyie back?¡± ¡°Yesterday. I was worried about the family due to the recent bad weather and returned ahead of schedule.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°That was thoughtful of you.¡± Wei Mingting remarked. ¡°It¡¯s nothingpared to elder sister. When I arrived home yesterday, she had already gone to the southern part of the city to save people.¡± Wei Jinyi mentioned to Wei Mingting. The things that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t mention herself, Wei Jinyi helped her to bring up. ¡°Oh? Ruoruo also went to the southern city to save people?¡± Wei Mingting turned to look at Wei Ruo again. ¡°Themon people at the southern part of the city are mostly poor. The houses they live in are hastily constructed and can¡¯t withstand wind and rain. With the cold weather and the flooded homes. If they were not relocated, their lives would have been in danger.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Ruoruo¡¯s consideration is thorough indeed, it is indeed so.¡± Wei Mingting said in agreement, looking at Wei Ruo with an expression of satisfaction. Wei Mingting felt deeply moved. His daughter¡¯s deeds, though different from the ordinary girls, were no less noble than those noble girls in the capital. If she were a boy, she would certainly achieve great things! ¡°Father, you are still weak. Don¡¯t stay outside in the wind. It¡¯s better to go back to your room and rest first.¡± Wei Ruo, who wasn¡¯t used to being praised by Wei Mingting, suggested he go back to his room and rest. Immediately following that, Wei Ruo gave Xu Zhengyong a side-nce again. Even though she didn¡¯t say anything, Xu Zhengyong obediently went into the house. Since the road was not yet open, the group needed to stay over at a farmhouse for the night. The vigers from nearby sent over various food materials. Wei Ruo did not take much food from the vigers. She only took four pieces of tofu, a handful of small rapeseed, three eggs, and some rice. Wei Ruo knew that it had been a tough couple of years for the vigers, and all these supplies were offered after much reduction in their own consumption. With Xiumei not being around, Wei Ruo had to be the one to cook. Although the avable ingredients were limited, and she could only make a few simple dishes, Wei Ruo used various seasonings generously and skillfully managed to make four ssic dishes using the three types of ingredients: red-braised tofu, spring onion and soy sauce mix with tofu, stir-fried rapeseed, and egg custard. Ordinary dishes became extraordinary in both color and taste under her culinary expertise. Wei Mingting ate up three bowls of rice just with these dishes. One, because he was actually hungry. Two, because these homemade dishes were exactly to his taste. ¡°Ruoruo, it turns out that you are the best cook in our house. Your father has never known this.¡± Wei Mingting said with a sigh. Previously he only noticed Xiumei¡¯s cooking skills, but now he knew that Wei Ruo was just as good and wasn¡¯t any inferior to Xiumei at all. Wei Jinyi was also somewhat surprised. He had never seen Wei Ruo cook before. ¡°These are just somemon dishes.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°It¡¯s the mostmon dishes that show the true skills.¡± Wei Mingting said.. Chapter 131 - 131: Safe Return _1 Chapter 131: Safe Return _1 Trantor: 549690339 Xu Zhengyong was eating quietly, and although he didn¡¯t verbally praise the food, his hearty appetite spoke volumes. He wasn¡¯t surprised by Wei Ruo¡¯s cooking skills, as he was eating more than anyone else at the table. Back in the day, he used to kindle the fire for Ruoruo and Apprentice Sister Xiumei, even getting punched by Xiumei for not mastering the fire well enough! It was at that time that he decided to diligently practice martial arts to surpass Xiumei, and make her willingly call him Senior Brother. He chuckled to himself at the memory. After preparing the meal for Wei Mingting and others, Wei Ruo got back to work, cooking for the soldiers and vigers who were digging the tunnel. Since the required amount of food wasrge, each family¡¯srge pot could only be used to cook one dish. To save time and keep the food warm, Wei Ruo coborated with the vige women. Some cooked radish and pork stew, some stir-fried vegetables, some made rice, while some made steamed corn bread. Wei Ruo prepared arge pot of radish and pork stew. The pork was given by the vigers, but she couldn¡¯t bear to use it for their own meals, so she used it entirely for the stew. Despite the dish being more radish than meat, the radishes, infused with the savory taste of the meat, were equally delicious. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi then led others in delivering the freshly cooked food to the soldiers and civilians who were digging the tunnel. Around the same time, women from other households also brought over theirrge pots filled with steaming food. Whether it was due to exhaustion from work, or if the food was simply irresistible, everyone seemed to indulge in the meal. Even though their dining conditions were poor, everyone seemed cheerful. The vigers were thankful for the soldiers, and the soldiers were equally touched by the vigers¡¯ warmth. In this small, cold, and damp vige, a warm current was overflowing, resonating in everyone¡¯s hearts. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After the meal, Wei Ruo and herpanions stayed overnight at a farmhouse. Due to the limited space, the three men shared a room for rest, while Wei Ruo got a room of her own. None of them were softies. Just having a shelter from the elements was more than enough for them. After a full day of work, Wei Ruo fell asleep early and slept soundly till dawn. Early the next day, as soon as they woke up, one of the lieutenants came to report: ¡°Commander, the path has been cleared! A footpath is open now, and the people outside have alreadye in.¡± The earlypletion of the road can be attributed to everyone¡¯s joint effort. Last night, besides Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong, who were trapped for most of the night and were asked to sleep through it, other soldiers took turns to dig throughout the night. Even the local vigers voluntarily took turns to work the whole night. Meanwhile, the people from the Government Office outside and the porters brought by Wei Jinyi also worked non-stop all night long, allowing for the speedy excavation of the passage. ¡°Well, well, you¡¯ve all worked hard!¡± Wei Mingting was ted. He then quickly ordered, ¡°Let the vigers who have a need to pass through first. We are not in a hurry.¡± Following Wei Mingting¡¯s orders, his subordinates waited for a while, allowing the vigers who wanted to leave to exit first before leaving with his team. When Wei Ruo was about to set off, she realized that Wei Jinyi wasn¡¯t in the farmhouse courtyard. Upon inquiry, she learned that Wei Jinyi had not rested in his roomst night, but had gone to join the others in digging the tunnel. When he returned, Wei Ruo saw that he was wearing a coarse linen blouse borrowed from a viger. This wasn¡¯t because he was concerned about damaging his own clothes, but because his robe was too long and the sleeves were too wide, making it inconvenient for work. Despite his rudimentary attire, his elegance remained evident. We Jinyi went back to his room, changed back into his own clothes, and left two taels of silver on his bed as a token of payment for the lodging and borrowed clothes. Afterward, they all left West Mountain Vige. After leaving the vige, Wei Mingting instructed his soldiers to return first for rest. Those who lived in Xingshan County were to go home, while those who didn¡¯t were to return to their camps for rest, and they were all exempt from duties for a few days. After entering the city, Xu Zhengyong parted ways with Wei Ruo and the others. He needed to go home and reassure his parents of his safety since they must have been worried sick during his absence. in the end, Wei Mingting returned to the Wei Residence with Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi. Upon their return, Wei Ruo, under the guise of changing her clothes, did not apany Wei Mingting to Cangyun Garden, but went straight to Tingsong Garden. We Jinyi also didn¡¯t go to Cangyun Garden, but walked towards the rear yard with Wei Ruo. Along the way, Wei Ruo noticed that Wei Jinyi looked somewhat tired, thus refrained from initiating any conversation with him all the way until her arrival at Tingsong Garden, where they remained silent. ### On reaching Cangyun Garden, Wei Mingting was met by his anxious wife who broke down in tears when she saw him safe and sound. Knowing that he made his wife worry, Wei Mingting was unsure of how to console her and could only hold her infort. Soon, Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan also hurried over. ¡°Father, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re safe!¡± Wei Qingwan rushed over, tears streaming down her face just like her mother¡¯s. Wei Yichen looked at his father, his heart full of exhration, but he was at a loss for words. After a while, the emotional storm of his mother, Yunshi, and Wei Qingwan subsided, and their crying ceased. ¡°Your safe return is a blessing from the ancestors and the heavens!¡± Yunshi eximed with deep emotion. Wei Mingting shook his head: ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t the heavens that saved me, but Jinyi and Ruoruo. They disregarded their own safety to look for me. If not for Ruoruo¡¯s ingenuity, I may have been walking the path to theherworld at this moment.¡± Yunshi looked at Wei Mingting in astonishment:¡± Ruoruo and Jinyi went in search of you?¡± Wei Mingting nodded, ¡°Those two kind-hearted kids not only saved the people of the South City but they also saved me.¡± Hearing Wei Mingting¡¯s words, Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan also revealed expressions of astonishment. After his surprise, Wei Yichen looked delighted and respectful, ¡°Big sister is more capable and braver than I.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression, however, was somewhat rigid. ### Later, Xiaobei came to Tingsong Garden, bringing with him a box full of items for Wei Ruo. ¡ö¡öThese are some of the novel objects the Young Master came across outside. He bought them for the Young Mistress.¡± The box was full of various items, including cosmetic powders for women, hairpins, flower hair ornaments, and other essories, as well as many intriguing items. After epting the gifts, Wei Ruo personally went to Yingzhu Garden to thank Wei Jinyi. Upon pushing open the door of Yingzhu Garden, Wei Ruo saw a familiar figure in a familiar ce. Wei Ruo walked into the pavilion and took a seat next to him. She watched as Wei Jinyi wrote something on a piece of paper. ¡°Thank you, second brother, for the gifts.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°1 also have something for you.¡± Wei Ruo took out a dagger from her bosom and handed it to Wei Jinyi. This dagger was crafted by the same craftsman who made the one for Xu Zhengyong. Wei Jinyi took a nce at the dagger, asking, ¡°Is it the same as the one you gave to Deputy General Xu?¡± ¡°Not entirely. The de itself is simr, but the scabbard and hilt are slightly different,¡± responded Wei Ruo. ¡°Mm.¡± Wei Jinyi, remaining expressionless, shifted his gaze back to the calligraphy in his hand.. Chapter 132 - 132: Serving Porridge l Chapter 132: Serving Porridge l Trantor: 549690339 I Wei Ruo continued: ¡°Deputy General Xu is the friend I mentioned to you before.¡± ¡°Hmm, I guessed so.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Perhaps because he hadn¡¯t slept the night before and was feeling very exhausted, Wei Ruo found Wei Jinyi¡¯s demeanor somewhat cold, even somewhat displeased. As the conversation had reached the subject of Xu Zhengyong, Wei Ruo continued: ¡°In fact, he¡¯s not just my friend, he¡¯s also my wet nurse¡¯s son. We grew up together. Though he¡¯s the son of my wet nurse, in my heart, he has always been my elder brother.¡± ¡°I know that in these major families, the master is the master, and the servant is the servant, and there are clear distinctions. If I am close to the son of my wet nurse, not only would people not think of us as siblings, they may even have some vulgar spections.¡± ¡°But in my heart, my wet nurse has cared for me better than my two biological mothers, and Brother Xiaoyong is like my real brother. Our affection is very pure. Even without blood ties, I believe our rtionship is no less than real siblings.¡± Wei Ruo never explicitly told Wei Jinyi about this before, as she felt that their rtionship was not close enough. She worried that after telling him, Wei Jinyi might make her keep distance with Xu¡¯s family to avoid scandal. Therefore, Wei Ruo just mentioned him as a friend. Wei Jinyi turned his head to look at Wei Ruo, his gaze deep: ¡°But you told me.¡± Wei Ruo replied: ¡°Because through my observation of you recently, I believe you won¡¯t think like that about me. You won¡¯t demand that I keep my distance from my wet nurse¡¯s family like outsiders and understand my feelings.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi affirmed. ¡°Oh yes, you didn¡¯t sleepst night, so you should go and rest now. Don¡¯t wear yourself out.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed, then put down the pen in his hand and returned to his room. After he retired to his room, Xiaobei with a delighted face told Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss, our master listens to you the most. I tried to persuade him to rest earlier but it was no use. Once you spoke, the master went to rest immediately.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t find any issue with it, and told Xiaobei: ¡°Take good care of your master. If he feels unwell, remember to inform me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss. I¡¯ve learned my lesson. If the master feels ufortable, I will definitelye to find you!¡± Xiaobei assured. Afterwards, Wei Ruo returned to the Tingsong Garden. She had many things to take care of. Although the rain had stopped, the damage caused by the sudden change in weather was not over yet. At this time, Xie Ying came looking for Wei Ruo at the Military Prefecture. Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to bring Xie Ying directly to the Tingsong Garden. As soon as Xie Ying entered the door, she rushed to Wei Ruo, carefully examining her up and down to confirm her arms and legs were intact and she had no injuries. Then she asked Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruoruo, I heard you went to the southern city to save people and then rushed to West Mountain Vige to help?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Wei Ruo asked in surprise. ¡°Are you kidding, who am I? I am Xie Ying. How can I not know about such a big issue?¡± Wei Ruo suspiciously looked at Xie Ying. Xie Yingughed: ¡°My brother told me. He rushed back from Government City to helpst night, went to the government office first, and heard about your activities from Qian Magistrate. So he told me as soon as he got home this morning.¡± While speaking, Xie Ying frowned: ¡°Ruoruo, why didn¡¯t you bring me along? I also want to help!¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn Seeing Xie Ying wasn¡¯t pleased, Wei Ruo quickly said: ¡°I was nning to have you assist with the following activities.¡± ¡°What are we going to do next? Aren¡¯t the people of the southern city and West Mountain Vige already rescued?¡± Xie Ying asked in confusion. ¡°There are many things to do next. This sudden extreme weather has caused many people¡¯s vegetables to rot in the field before they could harvest them. Many people¡¯s houses have been destroyed, and some of their food supplies have been soaked. They might have to endure hunger and cold.¡± ¡°How can I help them?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°We will serve porridge, first let those who are about to starve eat a full meal. Then we will figure out a way to gather some cotton clothes and quilts.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go now!¡± Xie Ying took Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and was about to take her out the door. Seeing herdy being dragged away, Xiumei hurried after them. Yesterday, she stayed at the county government and did not follow herdy, causing her to worry all day. Today, she can¡¯t let herdy run around recklessly again. In the afternoon, a porridge stand was set up at the west city gate, serving porridge to those passing by. The fresh sweet potatoes and porridge boiled into a pot of sweet potato porridge had an inviting sweet aroma, attracting nearby vigers to line up for porridge. Wei Ruo, Xie Ying, Xiumei, along with a few maids and servants from the Xie Family, were busy at the porridge stand. Boiling porridge, washing dishes, serving porridge ¡ª both Wei Ruo and Xie Ying were hands-on. The three of them worked until dinnertime and had served tenrge pots of sweet potato porridge. In the end, there was a little left in the pot. Xie Ying, who was already very hungry, served herself. ¡°Ruoruo, this sweet potato porridge is so sweet and delicious! I feel that the delicacies of the mountains and seas can¡¯tpare to it!¡± For the first time, Xie Ying found such simple food so delicious. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°You¡¯re hungry, that¡¯s why you find it delicious.¡± Xie Ying admitted: ¡°It seems so. I believe I understood what my grandfather said. Over the years, he has tasted countless delicacies, but he still thinks the most delicious food is the cornbread with pickles my grandmother made for him after he finished nting the fields when he was young.¡± Wei Ruoughed and said: ¡°Your grandfather is right.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, can we continue this tomorrow?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°As long as your family doesn¡¯t object, it¡¯s fine with me.¡± ¡°My family naturally has no objections. When they find out I am serving porridge, my mother and brother will be very supportive and I am sure that my grandfather in the Capital City would be very pleased as well.¡± Xie Ying replied confidently. ¡°We¡¯lle back tomorrow then.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± ### By evening, news of Xie Ying and Wei Ruo serving porridge at the west city gate had reached the Military Prefecture. Although Lady Yun did not approve of Wei Ruo personally rushing to the southern city to rescue people, she was entirely supportive of the porridge serving initiative. During disasters, the custom of noble women serving porridge has been a tradition since the Holy Sage Empress ¡ª it is always regarded as a benevolent and virtuous act. As for Wei Ruo going to the southern city to save people, getting dirty and staying with vigers, Lady Yun has changed her mind after Wei Ruo rescued Wei Mingting. Perhaps her husband was right, she shouldn¡¯t impose the standards of traditionaldies in the Capital City on their eldest daughter. The only thing that Lady Yun was not entirely satisfied was that the porridge stand was set up under the name of the Xie family. Although Wei Ruo had contributed money and effort and was leading the initiative, those who weren¡¯t in the know might think it was the Xie family¡¯s undertaking and Wei Ruo was simply helping.. Chapter 133 - 133 We Don’t Have to Argue with Chapter 133: We Don¡¯t Have to Argue with Them_l Trantor: 549690339 At dinner time, Wei Ruo made her appearance in the dining hall. Mrs. Yun praised, ¡°Ruoruo has been doing quite well these past few days. Today, when I was out, I ran into Madam Qian. She was full of praise for you,mending you over and over.¡± Wei Ruo merely nodded at this, not saying anything. It was not surprising that Madam Qian praised Wei Ruo. After all, what Wei Ruo had done had, to some extent, helped the Qian Magistrate. Mrs. Yun continued, ¡°However, Ruoruo, although the Military Prefecture isn¡¯t the home of the uber-rich and exceptionally wealthy, we can still afford the silver required for porridge distribution. Tomorrow, when you go to distribute porridge again, use our own people and resources. There¡¯s no need to go along with the Xie Family.¡± Before Wei Ruo could respond, Mrs. Yun immediately added, ¡°Also, bring Wanwan with you. Let her learn from you.¡± With the eldest daughter receiving praise outside for her benevolent acts of porridge distribution, Wanwan would inevitably appear inferior inparison. Moreover, Wanwan had previously been openly criticized by Madam Yuan in the Government City. There had to be a way to rectify this situation. Soon after, Wei Qingwan walked over and slightly bowed towards Wei Ruo. ¡°Sister, your recent deeds have earned admiration from both our father and the town vigers. I am greatly in awe of you. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll join you in distributing porridge. Whatever tasks you instruct me to do, I¡¯ll do without any reluctance.¡± Wei Ruo smirked. ¡°Dear sister Qingwan, are you more interested in learning how to save people as I do, or in the praise I have received?¡± ¡°Of course I want to learn from you on how to help others. Father is safe thanks to your efforts. Our family has been overjoyed due to father¡¯s well-being. I believe that the people you saved are the dear parents, children, or families of others, they must be very grateful too.¡± Wei Qingwan stated. ¡°If you truly think so, that¡¯s great. However, if you have such thoughts, you might as well do it alone. There¡¯s no need to follow me.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Afterward, Wei Ruo turned her head to Mrs. Yun. ¡°Mother, since I arranged with Miss Xie to distribute porridge together, it would be improper to break our agreement. If the Military Prefecture wishes to continue this charitable act, my little sister Qingwan can do it. This will not only maintain the good reputation of the Military Prefecture but also build a positive reputation for Qingwan.¡± After Wei Ruo finished speaking, the expressions of Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan became somewhat unnatural. ¡°Mother, do you disagree with what I said? Sending Qingwan to another location to distribute porridge is a perfect solution. It satisfies your and my sister¡¯s desire to help others, and it also won¡¯t ce me in a difficult situation. Moreover, since it¡¯s for the welfare of the people, the more porridge distribution, the better.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s words rang true, leaving Mrs. Yun hard-pressed to refute. Wei Qingwan felt somewhat anxious inside. She was more keen to apany Wei Ruo in distributing the porridge. Currently within the Military Prefecture, no one was better off than Wei Ruo. The seventh Prince had just rewarded her with a hundred taels of gold, which was a huge sum. With this money, Wei Ruo would naturally be able to help the victimized vigers as she wished. She could distribute porridge and give out cotton clothes without having to worry about money. However, it wouldn¡¯t be as easy as it sounds for the Prefecture to afford such expenses. Wei Qingwan, who had seen the ounts of the Military Prefecture, was aware that there was a problem with this year¡¯s revenue and expenditure; they did not have much of a surplus. Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan seemed to want to say something more to Wei Ruo, but Wei Ruo didn¡¯t give them the opportunity. She saw her father, Wei Mingting, and walked straight towards him. ¡°Father.¡± Seeing Wei Ruo, the stern expression on Wei Mingting¡¯s face softened considerably. ¡°Ruoruo, you must rest well these days. Saving people is important, but you must also take care of your own health.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. The same goes for you, Father. You¡¯ve been very busy these past few days. You need to rest as well.¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Mingting kindly nodded his head. In the eyes of Wei Yichen and his siblings, Wei Mingting had always been a strict and serious father. However, when it came to Wei Ruo, his demeanor was much more affectionate. Perhaps it¡¯s because this daughter reminded him much of himself, making him feel closer to her, or maybe he felt a sense of guilt and remorse towards her. Seeing this, Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan chose not to resume the previous topic. The family sat down for a quiet dinner together. After dinner, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t stay for tea. She used her workload as an excuse and went straight back to the Tingsong Garden. Wei Mingting did not linger long either. He was rather busy; being able to return home for dinner with his family was already pretty good for him. He had to go to his study to handle some matters first. Meanwhile, the bookish Wei Yichen and the currently martial arts-obsessed Wei Yilin both took their leave one after the other. Wei Qingwan, who was still behind, asked Mrs. Yun when they were alone, ¡°Mother, about the distribution of porridge¡­¡± Mrs. Yun furrowed her brows, ¡°You can proceed with confidence. As for the money for the porridge, I¡¯ll take some from my dowry and give it to you.¡± Hearing this, a smile struggled to surface on Wei Qingwan¡¯s face. ¡°But Mother, that¡¯s your dowry. I cannot use it¡­¡± Wei Qingwan said in embarrassment. ¡°My dowry would eventually be for you and Ruoruo anyway. Money should be used where it¡¯s needed most. Feel free to use it.¡± Mrs. Yun stated. As she said this, Mrs. Yun took Wei Qingwan¡¯s hand and gently patted the back of it, ¡°Wanwan, do your best. Regardless of how it affects your reputation, you must do your part for the people of Xingshan County. These are people that your father and his soldiers protect with their lives.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Qingwan nodded her head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother. I will do my best.¡± ### The next day, Wei Ruo and Xie Ying went on as usual to distribute porridge at the west city gate. Today, they specifically prepared a bit more salted vegetables to eat with the porridge, making it even more appetizing. Xie Ying whispered into Wei Ruo¡¯s ear, ¡°Ruoruo, I heard that Wei Qingwan and Qian Zhn have set up a stall at the North city gate. They are copying us and distributing porridge!¡± Wei Ruoughed, ¡°No matter what their motivations are for doing it, the fact remains that the porridge is distributed and the disaster-stricken people are fed. It¡¯s a good thing.¡± Xie Ying thought for a second and then replied, ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯re not doing it for fame so we don¡¯t need topete with them. As long as the oue can save people and help more of them get through this difficult time, then it¡¯s good!¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Wei Ruo smiled and continued with their task alongside Xie Ying. After a whole morning of work and having distributed all the porridge, Xie Jue arrived with several carts of goods. ¡°Little sister, Wei Family¡¯s little sister,¡± Xie Jue called out to Xie Ying and Wei Ruo with a beaming smile. ¡°Brother, why are you sote?¡± Xie Yingined. ¡°My dear sister, this is the fastest I could manage. You should know how in-demand cotton clothes and quilts are nowadays. Fortunately, Mother has some in her estate and stores. If not, I wouldn¡¯t know where to buy them even if I had the money!¡± Xie Jue exined with an innocent face. The sudden change in weather had affected more than just Xingshan County. Disasters were everywhere, food was scarce, and cotton clothes and quilts were in high demand. ¡°Alright, alright, wait for us to clean this ce up. Then we¡¯ll go house to house, check their conditions, and deliver the necessities to those who need them,¡± Xie Ying stated. ¡°Hold on for a second, I still have a few more things to wait for,¡± Wei Ruo said.. Chapter 134 - 134 My Second Brother Lives a Reclusive Lifel Chapter 134: My Second Brother Lives a Reclusive Lifel n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Does Ruoruo have anything else?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°Some charcoal.¡± Wei Ruo replied. -Where did Ruoruo get the charcoal? When I asked my mother, she said it¡¯s getting cold quickly this year, and charcoal isn¡¯t easy to buy.¡± ¡°I purchased it early, which of course would be more difficult these days. I remember telling you about this before. ¡°You did mention, but my mother thought it was too early, afraid that the charcoal would get damp if bought too soon, and when we wanted to buy more these days, it was already toote.¡± -Don¡¯t worry, I have plenty left, even silver-charcoal. If your manor is short, I can lend some to you,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Xie Jue took over, ¡°My father has already ordered a batch from the Capital City, which will be shipped here by river in a few days. Our manor won¡¯t run out of charcoal. It¡¯s just that we can¡¯t provide the disaster-strickenmoners with charcoal now. -Alright then,¡± said Wei Ruo, ending the discussion on that matter. After their conversation, Wei Jinyi arrived on horseback, with a cart full of charcoal behind him. Seeing Wei Jinyi, Xie Ying asked curiously, ¡°Ruoruo, who is this?¡± ¡°This is my second brother,¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Your second brother? Why haven¡¯t I seen him before?¡± Xie Ying asked. Hearing this, Xie Jue couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Sister, isn¡¯t it normal that you haven¡¯t seen men from other families? It would be more strange if you have met them all.¡± Which girl meets men from other families every day? Ordinarily, the opportunities to meet men from other families are very limited. Like now, it¡¯s a special asion under special circumstances. ¡°That¡¯s true, I indeed haven¡¯t met many,¡± Xie Ying considered seriously before saying. Then Xie Jue scrutinized Wei Jinyi, ¡°However, I¡¯ve never met the second brother of Miss Wei¡¯s family either. It was normal that Xie Ying hadn¡¯t met him, but it was strange that even Xie Jue hadn¡¯t. Wei Mingting had been working in Xingshan County for some time, and Wei Jinyi seemed to be about the same age as him. Logically, they should have met several times. He had often seen the eldest son of the Wei Family, Wei Yichen, but he had never seen this second young master before. Curiosity and scrutiny shone in Xie Jue¡¯s eyes as he looked at Wei Jinyi. Although he had never met him in person, he had heard a little about Wei Jinyi. It was said that he was a mncholic, introverted, and timid person. But the man standing in front of him was a graceful young master, with bright eyes and white teeth, elegant manners. There wasn¡¯t a trace of mncholy or timidity. -My second brother likes to keep to himself and usually stays at home, that¡¯s why Big Brother Xie never met him,¡± Wei Ruo exined for Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi took the initiative to greet Xie Jue, ¡°Wei Jinyi has met Young Master Xie.¡± Xie Jue immediately returned the greeting and asked, ¡°Xie Jue has met the Second Young Master Wei. Where are you studying now? Generally, men of his age from nobility were either studying or practicing martial arts. Seeing Wei Jinyi¡¯s gentle temperament, and not like those rash men who are adept at wielding weapons, he guessed that Wei Jinyi must be studying. ¡°I¡¯m learning from the Tibetanyman and haven¡¯t attended any private school.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Xie Jue was surprised, ¡°Are you the one favored by the Tibetanyman?¡± Wei Jinyi made no attempt to deny it. Xie Jue couldn¡¯t help but take a closer look at Wei Jinyi again. The first time was because he didn¡¯t match the rumors, and the second time was because the Tibetanyman hadn¡¯t taken any disciples for many years. Now the rumor says that he has taken a new disciple, and it turns out to be the seemingly insignificant second young master of the Wei Family. Studying under the Tibetanyman was not a difficult task for Xie Jue, who spends his years in the Capital City, with more opportunities to meet erudite schrs. However, for most families in Xingshan County, it was something they could only dream about. Before Xie Jue finished observing, Xie Ying was already impatient and urged, ¡°Alright, Brother, stop stalling. Let¡¯s talk more on the way. Hurry to the vige, or it will be dark!¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Xie Jue quickly withdrew his gaze from Wei Jinyi and ordered the Xie family¡¯s entourage to prepare for the journey. Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi, Xiumei, and the Xie siblings, along with the Xie family¡¯s entourage, set off towards the west of the city. There are many small viges here, among which thendslide-stricken West Mountain Vige is one of them, also the first stop for them. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, the vigers greeted them warmly. When they saw the supplies brought by Wei Ruo and his team, they were immediately ovee with gratitude. The slightly hunchbacked elderly vige chief hobbled to the vige entrance, expressing his gratitude to Wei Ruo and the others on behalf of the vigers, ¡°Young Master Wei, Miss Wei, we are already grateful that you came to rescue us, protecting our families, how can you still bring us so many good things, how are we supposed¡­¡± ¡°Vige Chief, the rice, cotton clothes, and quilts are all brought by the young master and miss of the Xie Family,¡± Wei Ruo rified. The porridge was supplied by Wei Ruo, and Xie Ying provided the manpower; The supplies sent to West Mountain Vige were mainly from the Xie Family, and Wei Ruo had to make this clear. Hearing this, the vige chief hurriedly led the others to thank Xie Jue and Xie Ying, to the point that he was about to kneel down. Xie Jue promptly stopped the vige chief, ¡°Vige Chief, please stand up, we can¡¯t ept this. In the face of this natural disaster, there¡¯s no distinction between us.¡± Xie Ying seconded, ¡°What my brother said is right, Vige Chief, please don¡¯t be formal with us.¡± Hearing this, the vige chief almost burst into tears. This year¡¯s crops were not good, and the sudden drop in temperature caused the vegetables grown by the vigers of West Mountain Vige to rot in the fields. On top of that, thendslide destroyed many houses. Even though there were no casualties, this winter was going to be very tough. The arrival of Wei Ruo and his team to deliver supplies to West Mountain Vige was more than a help in need, it was a matter of life and death for them! ¡°Vige Chief, don¡¯t dwell on this right now, the priority is to help everyone get through this difficult time first,¡± Wei Ruo quickly interrupted the conversation. ¡°Alright alright,¡± the vige chief repeatedly agreed, and then said, ¡°Regardless though, the kindness and debts of gratitude from Young Master Wei, Miss Wei, Miss Xie, and Young Master Xie, we, the vigers of the West Mountain Vige will forever remember in our hearts, and will never forget.¡± The vige chief also regained hisposure, continuously expressing his gratitude. Then Wei Ruo instructed the others to start unloading the supplies, ¡°You guys, unload the supplies and distribute them house by house, don¡¯t miss any.¡± The Xie Family¡¯s attendants immediately sprang into action, and Wei Jinyi and Xie Jue also helped. Wei Jinyi appeared to be a schr, but surprisingly, when he was lifting heavy objects, he didn¡¯t seem to be struggling. Seeing this, Xie Ying teased Xie Jue, ¡°Brother, look at him, and you still dare to say that you practice martial arts every day. Xie Jue was a bit gloomy, ¡°Sister, when you have time, ask Wei Ruo what kind of nourishment they provide to their Wei Family members, why are they all so strong.¡± That maid named Xiumei, even though she is a personal maid, her martial arts skills aremendable, her punches really hurt. Now, this second young master of Wei family is also like this. Xie Ying giggled, ¡°Brother, are you trying to ask something from Ruoruo again, using me as the middleman?¡± Chapter 135 - 135: Demand for Prescription^ Chapter 135: Demand for Prescription^ Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Sister, the way you talk, people might think that I have been coveting Wei Family¡¯s sister¡¯s stuff all the time.¡± Xie Jue said helplessly. ¡°You didn¡¯t? You have taken quite a few things from Ruoruo, that mosquito repellent balm, and that mushroom sauce, and¡­¡± Xie Jue interrupted her hurriedly, ¡°Sister, not long ago grandfather gave me a Treasury Sword, I¡¯ll give it to youter. ¡°Really?¡± Xie Ying¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Little girl, when did your brother ever lie to you?¡± ¡°Good brother, you are the bravest in my heart!¡± Xie Ying promptly changed her tune. At the moment, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were helping to repair the roof. Because most young men in the vige had gone to dig out houses buried during andslide. Previously, only a path had been dug out for moving in and out of the vige, and many ces were still buried. These past few days, the government office had still been sending people to help, but to regain normalcy as soon as possible, the men of the vige, regardless of whether their houses were buried or not, had gone to help with the digging first. So, some damaged houses had been left aside, and the elderly, women, and children at home had to make do. Wei Ruo was standing below, helping pass things to Wei Jinyi who was on the roof. Looking up at Wei Jinyi who was busy on the roof, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re really agile, walking so steadily on the roof.¡± We Jinyi did not respond to Wei Ruo¡¯s praise, instead he cautioned Wei Ruo, ¡°Be careful down there, some broken shards might drop at any time. Wei Jinyi was somewhat uneasy seeing Wei Ruo standing underneath. ¡°Mm, I will be careful. Brother, don¡¯t worry, I cherish my life.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Mm.¡± Whenever she looked at him, she would always show such a sweet and sincere smile. ¡°Brother, how long will you be staying in Xingshan County this time?¡± Wei Ruo asked at this moment when nothing was going on. ¡°It depends, there¡¯s no rush.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Old¡­ Does that Tibetanyman not have any objections? ¡°That¡¯s his idea.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s good.¡± That old man is thoughtful! After Wei Jinyi had repaired the roof, an old farmer brought two cups of water for them, ¡°Young Master Wei, Miss Wei, I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have good tea or wine, please ept some water.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Uncle, having a bowl of water is enough.¡± Wei Ruo took the bowl and passed it to Wei Jinyi first, then she took her own. Wei Jinyi saw that a strand of hair had fallen into Wei Ruo¡¯s bowl when she was drinking, so he reached out and helped her tuck the hair behind her ears. His long fingertips brushed against her ear, and Wei Ruo looked up, her eyes meeting Wei Jinyi¡¯s. At that moment, Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand was still behind Wei Ruo¡¯s ear. He was very focused, his gaze warm. His warmth made Wei Ruo a bit dazed, perhaps because no one had ever treated her like this before, or perhaps his eyes were so deep, like whirlpools. N?v(el)B\\jnn The two were gazing at each other when Xie Ying suddenly came over and patted Wei Ruo¡¯s shoulder. Wei Ruo was startled and quickly turned around. Wei Jinyi retracted his hand, looking thoughtfully at his own palm. In fact, he wasn¡¯t quite sure what hade over him in that moment. He just instinctively helped her with her hair and suddenly lost himself as he looked at her close-up face. ¡°RUO Ruo, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Seeing that Wei Ruo was startled, Xie Ying quickly asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯m okay, just lost in thought.¡± Wei Ruo quickly answered, and then asked Xie Ying, ¡°Did you want something?¡± ¡°Not really a big deal, just a question I wanted to ask you.¡± ¡°What question?¡± Xie Ying leaned into Wei Ruo¡¯s ear, ¡°Ruo Ruo, what have you been feeding your family? Your brother and Meimei are in great health.¡± ¡°Well¡­ my brother¡¯s health has nothing to do with me, it¡¯s the result of his diligent practice. As for Meimei, exercise is the most important thing. She also bathes with medicinal herbs, and there are some daily supplements and body conditioning.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Ruo Ruo, you see my brother¡­ my grandfather wants him to be both a schr and a martial artist. But look at him, he¡¯s been studying martial arts skills for a long time, but he¡¯s still mediocre. If you could, would you help him?¡± Though Xie Ying felt embarrassed asking for help, she disregarded it for her brother. -No problem at all.¡± Wei Ruo agreed very readily. ¡°Really?¡± Xie Ying looked at Wei Ruo in surprise. ¡°Are you kidding? Aren¡¯t we good friends? This is a small matter. Later, I will write down the recipe for the medicinal bath for you. As for the dietary supplement, it varies from person to person. Later, I will take a look at Young Master Xie and then decide what to supplement.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Ruo Ruo, you¡¯re so nice!¡± Xie Ying¡¯s face was full of joy and gratitude, ¡°Ruo Ruo, my brother is about to get the Treasury Sword from my grandfather. When he gets it, I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to, I don¡¯t know martial arts, so it¡¯s no use to me. You like swords and sabres, so you can keep it for yourself.¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°No. I have to give you something in return since you gave me something good. I could never live with that guilt, I am Xie Ying, I never take advantage of others.¡± ¡°Then next time, give me a picture of a battle horse that you painted.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°My picture of a battle horse is nowhere near as good as Mr. Wang¡¯s. What do you need it for?¡± ¡°Exchange your handwriting for mine, it¡¯s an equivalent exchange. The important thing is not the value, but the sentiment. Your picture, painted stroke by stroke, must be very precious.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°All right, we¡¯ll do as you say!¡± Xie Ying happily agreed. Later, Wei Ruo found a room and wrote down the recipe for the medicinal bath for Xie Jue. Xie Ying, holding the recipe that Wei Ruo wrote, happily called out to Xie Jue who was working as a porter outside, ¡°Brother,e here quickly, Ruo Ruo has written a recipe for a medicinal bath for strengthening your body!¡± Xie jue was drawn by her voice, believing in the effectiveness of Wei Ruo¡¯s new medication since the previous recipe Wei Ruo gave to their mother was very effective. Xie jue did not make polite talk, and thanked Wei Ruo very sincerely, ¡°Thank you, Miss Wei!¡± ¡ö¡öNo need to be polite, this is exchanged for Yingying¡¯s precious ink. I¡¯m not being taken advantage of.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Ink? Sister, do you have any precious ink?¡± Xie Jue looked at Xie Ying in surprise. ¡°Of course, my drawings are quite good! Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± Xie Ying retorted confidently. As the siblings bickered, Wei Ruo turned to Wei Jinyi and said, ¡°Brother, do you want some? If you do, I¡¯ll prepare it for you directly.¡± Wei Ruo thought to herself, although her brother was strong, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to bathe in the medicinal bath more frequently, especially since he was a martial arts practitioner and couldn¡¯t avoid physical strain from daily practice. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi nodded. Seeing Wei Ruo caring and looking out for him, Wei Jinyi felt a warmth spreading in his heart.. Chapter 136 - 136: Discussing Merits and Chapter 136: Discussing Merits and Rewards_l Trantor: 549690339 Through the collective effort of Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi, Xiumei, Xie Jue, and Xie Ying, along with several attendants of the Xie Family, threerge carts full of goods were sessfully delivered. Afterwards, they returned to the city, with Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi and the Xie siblings saying their goodbyes on West Street. ¡°Ruoruo, let¡¯s continue tomorrow!¡± Xie Ying said cheerfully. Although she was exhausted from a day of work, the sight of the vigers smiles and the glow in their eyes when they received the goods filled Xie Ying with a sense of fulfillment. ¡°All right.¡± Wei Ruo had nned to do just that. ### For the next several days, Wei Ruo joined the Xie family in providing relief to the disaster-stricken vigers. Wei Qingwan persisted for three days but stopped for unknown reasons thereafter. Wei Ruo did not inquire further as she was not particrly interested. Time flew, and seven days passed in a blink. Thanks to the joint efforts of everyone in Xingshan County, the overall situation in the county remained manageable. Although everyone suffered losses and faced a difficult year ahead, at least everyone could survive without significant casualties. Good news came from the Capital City at this time. Emperor was very pleased with Chu Lan¡¯s report onnd improvement in Xingshan County and decided to recognize and reward those responsible. In the afternoon, Wei Mingting was invited to the County Government. The Wei Residence was buzzing with excitement. Last time, Prince Seven bestowed Wei Ruo with many gifts. They wondered what the Emperor would bestow upon the Wei Family this time. In Cangyun Garden, Madame Yun was anxiously poring over the ounts, unable to concentrate. Wei Qingwan returned early from the Qian Residence and kept Madame Yunpany in Cangyun Garden. Both of them hoped that Wei Mingting would be recognized in this round of rewards, and a promotion would be an even better oue! Only after nightfall did Wei Mingting return home. Madame Yun and Wei Qingwan went to meet him. ¡°My lord, how did it go?¡± Madame Yun asked anxiously. Wei Mingting frowned slightly, his expression not very pleased. ¡°Things did not go as I expected.¡± Madame Yun¡¯s heart leapt. ¡°What happened?¡± Wei Qingwan curiously looked at Wei Mingting, eager to know what he meant by ¡®did not go as expected¡¯. Wei Mingting said, ¡°This time, the Emperor rewarded Prince Seven and Qian Magistrate but did not mention the Wei Residence at all.¡± ¡°What?¡± Madame Yun could hardly believe it, ¡°Why was the Wei Residence not mentioned?¡± Wei Mingting shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s normal for the Emperor not to reward the Wei Residence, but why was Ruoruo also left out¡­¡± Wei Mingting had never expected to gain anything from Wei Ruo s achievements, but he believed that his Ruoruo must have contributed to the sess, not just a little, but quite significantly. It was clearly Wei Ruo who had spearheaded the cultivation of new crops, but when it came to recognition and rewards, only Prince Seven and Qian Magistrate were mentioned. Wei Ruo¡¯s name did not appear at all. Madame Yun was taken aback. ¡°How could it be? That¡¯s not right. My lord, didn¡¯t you say that the Emperor especially values those who could share his burdens due to the insufficient grain supply in various areas in the past two years?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Wei Mingting had the same thought, hence his confusion about the oue of the rewards. Madame Yun spected, ¡°Could it be that Prince Seven deliberately withheld information?¡± Since Prince Seven was the one to report the matter, it was up to him what to report to the Emperor. If Prince Seven only mentioned himself and Qian Magistrate, then naturally it would have nothing to do with their Wei Family. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Only the Emperor knows what he truly thinks,¡± Wei Mingting sighed. Although he had been in officialdom for many years, he had only seen the Emperor a few times from afar and had never had the opportunity to discern the Emperor¡¯s thoughts, unlike the high officials in the court. As for Prince Seven, Wei Mingting had had minimal contact with him and didn¡¯t know his character and thoughts well. After a moment of contemtion, Wei Qingwan guessed, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because older sister is a woman. It¡¯s not appropriate for the Emperor to reward a woman for such an achievement.¡± Wei Mingting responded the same way as before, ¡°We don¡¯t know the actual situation at the moment.¡± Then, Wei Mingting cast a nce at Wei Qingwan, ¡°Wanwan, you should go back first.¡± Wei Mingting was now considering how to tell Wei Ruo about this, so he asked Wei Qingwan to leave first. Wei Qingwan obediently left Cangyun Garden. After leaving Cangyun Garden, Wei Qingwan thought about the situation all the way back. She was surprised by the oue, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling happy.¡¯ Because she knew that the reason Wei Ruo could act so arrogantly in the residence, even daring to offend her mother, was that she relied on her achievements and her connection with Prince Seven. If Wei Ruo had been recognized and rewarded this time, she didn¡¯t know how much more arrogant Wei Ruo would be, nor how she would suppress her overtly and covertly. So, although it was regrettable that the Wei Residence didn¡¯t receive any rewards, for her personally, the joy outweighed the disappointment. Even though Wei Mingting didn¡¯t know how to break the news to Wei Ruo, understanding that the truth would eventuallye out, he decided to summon Wei Ruo to Cangyun Garden after some consideration. He preferred to tell his daughter in person rather than having her find out through other channels. Upon Wei Ruo¡¯s arrival, Wei Mingting briefly exined the situation. He then looked at Wei Ruo and couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. Such moments were rarely seen in him. Even when he was on the battlefield facing ruthless Japanese Pirates, he had never felt nervous. But now, he was feeling nervous because he was worried that his daughter might be upset and devastated by this piece of news. After pondering for a moment, Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I understand. Her face was calm, showing no signs of sorrow, pain orints. Seeing her reacting in such a way made Wei Mingting even more worried. ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯ll try to find out what happened¡­¡± Wei Mingting said. Although the Wei Family¡¯s power was limited and they might not have the channels to inquire, Wei Mingting still wanted to find out for his daughter. Wei Ruo shook her head, ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry too much. Given the circumstances, finding out the reason won¡¯t change anything. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± Wei Mingting understood Wei Ruo¡¯s meaning that knowing the truth wouldn¡¯t change anything given their current circumstances. But it was precisely because of this that he was more worried for his daughter. He even thought that if Ruoruo could voice her grievances and cry like Wanwan did when she was wronged, he might not be so worried. ¡°Father, if there¡¯s nothing else, I will go back first,¡± said Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t in a good mood. She didn¡¯t show anger or sadness because she knew that it was pointless. However, that didn¡¯t mean that she was unaffected by the news. Wei Mingting frowned, as if he wanted to say something to Wei Ruo. However, being unskilled inforting others, he spent a long time thinking about what to say. In the end, he simply nodded and let Wei Ruo return to Tingsong Garden. Upon her return to Tingsong Garden, just as she was about to enter, Wei Jinyi called out to her. ¡°Ruoruo.¡± Wei Ruo turned around to see Wei Jinyi looking at her with a concerned expression. Wei Ruo guessed he must have learned about the news her father had just told her. ¡°Second brother, I¡¯m not in a good mood..¡± Chapter 137 - 137 Extremely Dislike Chu Lan 1 Chapter 137: Extremely Dislike Chu Lan 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡®???????? ¡ªX In front of Wei Mingting, Wei Ruo carefully concealed her negative emotions, but when facing Wei Jinyi, she did not hesitate to show her unhappiness. Saying that, Wei Ruo turned her head and walked towards Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo, her face was slightly downcast, something tugged at his heart ufortably. Observing Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi was unsure how tofort her. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the pavilion.¡± Wei Ruo followed Wei Jinyi into the pavilion. Wei Jinyi instructed Xiaobei to prepare a cup of honey grapefruit tea for her. ¡°Ruoruo¡­¡± Wei Jinyi opened his mouth, but he was tongue-tied, unsure how to console her. ¡°Why are you so nervous, Second Brother?¡± Wei Ruo asked, and seeing his expression, she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Indeed, I am worried about you. These words were muted in Wei Jinyi¡¯s heart. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to console others. Could you tell me, what can I do to cheer you up?¡± Wei Jinyi asked earnestly. ¡°Just converse with me, that¡¯s all. Although I am a bit upset, it¡¯s not that serious,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Wei Jinyi furrowed his brows, attentively examining Wei Ruo¡¯s expression, as if trying to ascertain whether her im was true. Wei Ruo rested her chin on her hand, and murmured, ¡°I initially set out to improve the barrennd in the southern city not for the sake of achievements or des, I just happened to encounter the seventh prince along the way, which blew the situation out of proportion. Therefore, I am not particrly concerned about being rewarded and honored, and it doesn¡¯t distress me too much.¡± ¡°But I still feel bad because I hate when others take advantage of me, using my aplishments as merit and setting me aside,¡± Wei Jinyi was still unsure what to say, resorting to being a silent listener instead. Wei Ruo continued to grumble, ¡°I have reason to suspect that Chu Lan deliberately concealed information, hoping to gain more credit, so as to highlight his importance as the seventh prince. I am aware, the princes are currently vying for power intensely, who wouldn¡¯t seize the opportunity to earn merits?¡± ¡°I hated that bastard from the beginning. Last time, he fulfilled his promise to reward me with one hundred taels of gold, which made me think he had a conscience and reduced my displeasure with him to nine out of ten, but now it¡¯s back to a ten.¡± The idea of Chu Lan bing Emperor upset Wei Ruo tremendously. She wished the heavens would send someone to snatch his position, leaving him crying. However, Wei Ruo knew this was unlikely. ording to the original storyline, Chu Lan would be the Crown Prince and eventually ascend the throne as Emperor. Even though Wei Qingwan¡¯s subplot had changed, it was highly unlikely to affect Chu Lan¡¯s storyline. Because the original storyline was primarily about the female protagonist and her struggles in the harem, and didn¡¯t delve too much into the male protagonist¡¯s political scheming. In the original story, Wei Qingwan and Chu Lan fell in love after they met in Xingshan County. Following a tragedy in the Wei family where Wei Mingting died in battle, Chu Lan took Wei Qingwan to the Capital City. Although Chu Lan was in love with Wei Qingwan, for political considerations, he married the daughter of the Minister of War as his official wife. Wei Qingwan, who initially followed him without a proper title, was just one of his concubines. Then began a story about love conquering all. Although Wei Qingwan was weak, she was kind-hearted and pure. Every time she was hurt, Chu Lan woulde tofort her, disliking his own Prince¡¯s wife even more in the process. Then Wei Qingwan rose from being a concubine, to bing a favorite concubine of the Crown Prince, and eventually, she became the Empress after Chu Lan ascended the throne. In this process, Chu Lan was simply a tool, appearing whenever Wei Qingwan needed him. The changes in his status were only catalysts for the changes in status of his women. Thinking about the original plot, Wei Ruo let out a sigh. After sighing, she remembered that her second brother was looking at her with concern. ¡°Second brother, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m justining a little bit. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to cry about things that I can¡¯t change at the moment. I¡¯m better off doing something more productive with this time.¡± ¡°Mm.¡° She had always been strong and knew clear about what she wanted, Wei Jinyi knew that. Perhaps it was her proactive approach that had influenced him, changing his initial ideas. It was also because of this, that he was consideringpeting for the position he initially decided not to strive for¡­ ¡°Alright, second brother. After venting out, I feel a lot better now. I¡¯m going back to get some actual work done,¡± said Wei Ruo as she got up from her seat. ¡°If you need anything, let me know anytime. Regardless of whether I am home or not. If I am not, just give the message to Jing Hu. He¡¯ll make sure the message gets to me,¡± Wei Jinyi said earnestly. ¡°Okay,¡± Wei Ruo agreed. Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden. Rather than wasting her time worrying about the unpleasant things that had already happened, she had more important things to do. In the past few days, despite her being engrossed in relief efforts for the disaster-stricken people, she had not neglected the farming in her space. After thest harvest of sweet potatoes, her space levelled up to level three, and the experience points were at (100/1200). After earning Shiitake Mycelium, Wei Ruo began nting them relentlessly. To raise her experience points quickly, Wei Ruo was hands-on in the process of making Shiitake nting bags, especially the step of imnting the mycelium, nearly all of which was done by herself. After nearly two months of nting, along with Wei Ruo¡¯s cultivation in her space, the experience points soared quickly. Five days ago, her experience points were filled up again, leveling up to the fourth level, and unlocking a new type of seed. Upon seeing the new seeds, Wei Ruo was moved to tears. It was wheat, the very seed she needed right at the moment! The wheat seed wasn¡¯t scarce, but the wheat seed bestowed by her space was remarkable in every way. It was highly disease-resistant, had good drought tolerance, frost resistance, and was also flood-tolerant. Gically speaking, it was superior. About a half month ago, Wei Ruo had made ns to cultivate wheat on arge scale to achieve a dual crop yield per year. However, sudden changes in weather conditions had made her dream a significant challenge. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The wheat sprouts from thest sowing season had been ruined by the bouts of cold and heavy rain. Now, after much restoration, everyone was waiting for Wei Ruo tomand them to nt the new wheat. Wei Ruo had been racking her brains on how to utilize limited resources to ensure the yield of wheat under severe weather conditions. Now, half of her problem was solved. Now she had to quickly sow the wheat in her space because the seeds given when she upgraded were limited. She could obtain more seeds by harvesting crops. It was toote to sow in reality, so Wei Ruo had no choice but to rely on the space where the growth cycle was short enough that it took only five days to grow wheat. Today was just the fifth day since she had sown the first batch of wheat. She needed to go back to harvest the wheat and then assume the wheat seeds for the farmers in City South to nt again.. Chapter 138 - 138: More Silver is Always Better _1 Chapter 138: More Silver is Always Better _1 Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo first took Xiumei to the wet nurse¡¯s ce, where they had already purchased a batch of wheat seeds for Wei Ruo. These were now stored in the warehouse previously used to store sweet potatoes. In recent days, due to therge shipment of sweet potatoes, a lot of space had been freed up in the warehouse. Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to stand guard at the door, and took a long time inside the warehouse before she emerged. ¡°Meimei, you take Agui and Xiaoba to get these bags of rice seeds to the south side of the city and distribute some to each household. Be sure to tell them that these are high-quality seeds. The amount here might not be enough to nt all the rice fields, so the remaining fields can be filled with ordinary grain varieties from there.¡± Wei Ruo instructed. The amount of space rice seeds that Wei Ruo could acquire in such a short span of time was limited. She feared that if she waited any longer, the patience of the townsfolk would wear thin. Wei Ruo could very much empathize with their anxious feelings. If they miss this year¡¯s nting season, it would mean a year without any grain supplies for them. ¡°Alright.¡± Xiumei, on receiving Wei Ruo¡¯smand, ordered Agui and Xiaoba to help load up the cart with the grain seeds. Agui and Xiaoba were somewhat reluctant, especially the slightly older Agui. After moving things for a while, he spoke in frustration: ¡°Lady Xiumei, our miss has been working so diligently on matters regarding the south side of the city. But when ites to rewards, our miss is left out. It¡¯s infuriating.¡± Apparently, both Agui and Xiaoba knew about the government¡¯s decision to distribute rewards based on the merits of developing the southern wastnd. Following Wei Ruo these days, they earned wages, got recognition, and enjoyed plenty of benefits. If Wei Ruo was wronged, they naturally would not be pleased. Xiumei sighed, ¡°We have to be fair. Miss initiated this work not to garner credit, but to enable the suffering popce to ess abundant food. If people are unjust to our miss, should that affect the innocent people in the south side of the city?¡± Agui and Xiaoba shared a nce and were persuaded. Xiumei continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. As long as you¡¯re concerned for our miss, she would certainly be pleased. While others may not understand our miss or even ridicule her for her futile efforts, we, who belong to her, should understand and support her.¡± Agui replied, ¡°I understand. Xiaoba and I will serve our miss wholeheartedly.¡± With no further objections, the two efficiently loaded up the cart with all the rice seeds from the warehouse. The bullock cart holding the rice seeds left the city¡¯s southern gate in tandem with Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage. Outside the city gate, Qian Magistrate was also present. Seeing Wei Ruo, he was both surprised and awkward. After hesitating for a moment, Qian Magistrate still approached Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage. Through the carriage curtain, he asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, are you here to deliver rice seeds to the townsfolk?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Not delivering, selling.¡± Although she originally intended to give them away, as Qian Magistrate asked, she instantly switched to selling them. ¡°Um¡­¡± Qian Magistrate¡¯s smile appeared somewhat stiff. ¡°I heard the honorable magistrate has received a good deal of rewards and that, once the harvest is bountiful next year, a promotion can be expected.¡± Wei Ruo seated herself in the carriage, speaking unhurriedly through the curtain. ¡°Thanks to Miss Wei¡¯s kindness.¡± Qian Magistrate was well aware that if it hadn¡¯t been for the young mistress of the Wei Family, his promotion wouldn¡¯t havee so quickly. ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you do another favor for the townsfolk of Xingshan County? Why not buy these grains from me and distribute them among the townspeople who are developing the southern wastnd? What do you think?¡± After hesitating a moment, Qian Magistrate stoically replied, ¡°Yes, indeed. Tell me how much silver Miss Wei wants for the seeds, I will buy them without any negotiation.¡± Qian Magistrate felt guilty toward Wei Ruo. He benefitted from her actions; it was indeed unjust to have her spend money and effort to boost his aplishments. Wei Ruo did not engage in further conversation with Qian Magistrate, giving a straight quote: ¡°Two hundred taels of silver.¡± ¡°Two hundred taels?¡± Qian Magistrate was clearly shocked by the price. Selling a few carts of wheat seeds for two hundred taels felt excessively expensive! ¡°If Magistrate Qian finds it expensive, you can choose not to buy. However, I would like to remind Magistrate Qian that the timing is past the window for normal wheat sowing. Given the cold weather setting in early, growing this batch of wheat won¡¯t be easy¡­¡± We Ruo left her words hanging for Qian Magistrate to finish in his own mind. Upon hearing her words, Qian Magistrate¡¯s heart dropped. If the wheat growth is sessful, he can report to the higher officials by the middle of next year. Conversely, if the wheat does not grow, and the subsequent rice crop is affected as well, resulting in a failure to achieve arge-scale harvest, then his hopes of promotion may be dashed! Qian Magistrate quickly amended his reaction: ¡°Two hundred taels is not expensive; I will arrange for the silver to be brought immediately!¡± ¡°I trust that Magistrate Qian is a man of his word. So, on behalf of the people of the south side of the city, I thank Magistrate Qian. I will have these wheat seeds distributed immediately,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Alright, and thank you for your hard work, Miss Wei.¡± Qian Magistrate expressed his gratitude with a look of gratitude on his face. Of course, the Young Mistress of the Wei family need not worry about him going back on his word, as he is not merely buying the grain with two hundred taels but also Wei Ruo¡¯s expertise. After Wei Ruo left with her team, Qian Magistrate heaved a long sigh: sigh, it isn¡¯t appropriate to me Miss Wei. If he were in her ce, he would not be pleased either. However, he feltpletely puzzled about the matter. He had no idea what actually transpired at the higher levels of the government. Wei Ruo, along with Xiumei, Agui, Xiaoba, and others, distributed the wheat seeds to the people of the south town. She instructed them on relevant agricultural matters and asked them to use the drilling method, use fertilizer intensively, and maintain consistent seeding depth. This method of seeding requires considerablebor but is beneficial in increasing yields. The townsfolk remembered Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions well and dared not cken in any way. Their hopes of a plentiful harvest next year depended entirely on the Young Mistress of the Wei Family! Whatever directions she gave, they were sure to be urate! Wei Ruo wrapped up her work and received the two hundred taels of silver delivered by Qian Magistrate. After managing matters concerning the south town, Wei Ruo returned to the main city. Finding some time on her hands, she first went to Four Treasure House. The wet nurse presented a new ount book, bringing Wei Ruo some good news. N?v(el)B\\jnn Though Wei Ruo had used a great deal of supplies for relief work during this difficult period, overall, there were still profits. Themodities bought in advance expressly to sell to the privileged ss fetched a good price, enabling Wei Ruo to make a considerable profit. ¡°Miss, this is the ount book of Xu Ji Grain Shop. In these days, business in the grain shop has been much better than Four Treasure House, with rice and charcoal selling especially well. Other than the sweet potatoes that you, Miss, took for disaster relief and those you required to be reserved as the emergency provisions, the rest of the stock has been sold out.¡± Under the current circumstances, even the initially rich families started to economize. The practical products sold in Xu Ji Grain Shop were more popr than those in the Four Treasure House, leading to better business.. Chapter 139 - 139: Wants Wei Jinyi to help with a recommendation 1 Chapter 139: Wants Wei Jinyi to help with a rmendation 1 Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo flipped through the ount books and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a joyful smile. She was very satisfied with the profits revealed within. Wei Ruo said to her nursemaid, ¡°I must thank you for your hard work.¡± The nursemaid quickly waved her off: ¡°I¡¯m not working hard at all. Nowadays, don¡¯t get to do much. Most of the work is done by hired hands.¡± She doesn¡¯t find any hardship in the tasks that upy her days now. They had enough food, wore warm clothes, lived infortable houses, and even had coal to heat their homes during the winter. The warmth was incrediblyfortable. Comparing this to the hungry and coldmoners, she was overflowing with gratitude for her good fortune. All of this was thanks to Miss. If not for her, they would still be in their old home, battling hunger and cold, and fretting every day about their next meal. ¡°Nanny, take a few days off. Later on, I¡¯ll need you and Uncle Xu to make a trip to the Government City. Thend over there needs preparing for wheat sowing. I¡¯m not familiar with the people there, and I¡¯m unsure of their capability to handle it, so I¡¯ll need you and Uncle Xu to oversee it for me.¡± ¡°Rest? I¡¯m starting for the Government City with Old Xu tomorrow. We can¡¯t dy sowing wheat. It¡¯s already time. If we don¡¯t nt it in time, what shall we do if it dies? Then, the fields will remain unused for half a year, what a waste!¡±.¡± ¡°No need for that. I have my calctions. Even if we nt a bitter, it will survive,¡± Wei Ruo had confidence in the seeds from her space. ¡°But we still have to go in advance. The field for sowing wheat needs to be fertilized first. This will ensure the wheat grows wellter. What if the earth in that field is not so good, it takes more time to fertilize?¡± With that, the nursemaid encouraged Uncle Xu next to her: ¡°Old Xu, what are you standing around for? Pack your things.¡± ¡°Ah, alright, alright!¡± Xu Zhushan hastily agreed and turned to go back home. Nanny, you guys should rest for a few days, there¡¯s no rush,¡± Wei Ruo advised. ¡®There¡¯s nothing to rest for. We don¡¯t work very hard these days. Why do we need to specifically take a few days off? Compared to our past lives, our current lives already feel like a constant break!¡± In the end, Wei Ruo was not able to persuade the nursemaid and Uncle Xu to take a few days off. Early the next day, Xu Zhushan set off for Government City with two helpers. A few dayster, after Wei Ruo was busy, a message arrived from Xie¡¯s family. Mr. Wang had resumed lessons. A few days ago, due to the disaster, Mr. Wang had approved leave for Wei Ruo and Xie Ying. Now that the disaster is over, they should resume sses. After ss in the evening, Wei Ruo headed straight to the dining hall after returning home. Today, Wei Mingting did note, but unexpectedly, Wei Jinyi, who seldom dines with everyone, came. Wei Ruo was curious and quietly asked Wei Jinyi, ¡°Why are you dining here today, second brother?¡± ¡°Mother sent someone to invite me,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Mrs. Yun actually sent someone specifically to invite Wei Jinyi to dine in the dining hall? Wei Ruo found it strange. Wei Jinyi had set up a small kitchen in his own courtyard and had separate meals with Wei Mingting¡¯s special permission. Mrs. Yun allowed this because she didn¡¯t like Wei Jinyi. Unusual actions often have ulterior motives, so Mrs. Yun¡¯s move today probably has a special purpose, not just to have a family meal together. Wei Mingting did note home for dinner, so when Mrs. Yun arrived at the dining hall, she asked everyone to sit down and let the servants serve the dishes. During the meal, no one spoke due to the rule of not speaking while eating. But after the meal, when people were sitting around drinking tea, Mrs. Yun spoke, ¡°Jinyi, you have been studying with the Tibetanyman for quite some time now, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°All in all, three months,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. This time, the Tibetanyman let youe home and is even willing for you to stay here for a while longer. Presumably, he must be quite taken with you,¡± Mrs. Yun said. ¡°I am not sure what theyman¡¯s intention is,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Jinyi, your older brother will be taking the vige test next year. His studies have been stagnant for quite some time now. If he could receive some guidance from a distinguished teacher, he may be able to surpass his level,¡± Mrs. Yun continued. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Jinyi responded nonmittally. It seemed that he understood Mrs. Yun¡¯s hint but did not know how to respond. ¡°Since Jinyi managed to garner the praise of the Tibetanyman, he should contribute to the family if he has the ability,¡± Mrs. Yun added. ¡°When my studies areplete, I will definitely bring honor to our ancestors,¡± Wei Jinyi cleverly kept the conversation going. Mrs. Yun frowned. She didn¡¯t believe that Jinyi didn¡¯t understand what she was implying. At this time, Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t sit idle. ¡°Second Brother, what Mother is trying to ask you is, can you introduce me to the Tibetanyman?¡± Wei Yichen didn¡¯t like his mother¡¯s indirect way of asking. This method might be okay for outsiders, but for his own family, Wei Yichen felt there was no need for it. It would be better tomunicate directly. Theyman has no intention of epting another disciple,¡± Wei Jinyi directly rejected the proposal. He didn¡¯t even bother to say he¡¯d go back and ask. Mrs. Yun¡¯s face darkened considerably at his words. Wei Yichen was disappointed but didn¡¯t know what to say. He couldn¡¯t me anyone else, he could only me hisck of talent. We Qingwan, observing Mrs. Yun and Wei Yichen¡¯s expressions, started to speak, ¡°Second Brother, perhaps the Tibetanyman didn¡¯t intend to take another disciple, but he may change his mind once he meets our elder brother. People used to say that theyman had retired to the forest and would not take any more students. But he still broke his rule and took you as his disciple. Since he could break the rule once, there should be a chance he could break it again.¡± Mrs. Yun immediately nodded in agreement with Wei Qingwan¡¯s statement: ¡°Wanwan is absolutely correct.¡± Wei Jinyi remained emotionless: ¡°Then you can ask him yourselves.¡± Mrs. Yun was stunned, ¡°Jinyi, what do you mean?¡± ¡°I think I made myself very clear,¡± Wei Jinyi remained nonchnt, seemingly immune to Mrs. Yun¡¯s fury. Mrs. Yun was aggravated, ¡°I am your nominal mother! Even if you happen to be a marquis or prime minister, I am still your mother. Now, you just have a famous teacher. How dare you talk to me like this?¡± Since it¡¯s just having a famous teacher, it¡¯s nothing much. So why make such a fuss over a trivial matter?¡± Wei Jinyi retorted calmly. ¡°You!¡± Mrs. Yun choked. For many years, she had almost nothing to do with this son, Wei Jinyi, she did not realize he could disy such unruly, disrespectful behavior! ¡°Someone, take the second young master to the ancestral hall!¡± Mrs. Yun ordered. N?v(el)B\\jnn She is the mother, it is only natural for her to discipline her son. But after Mrs. Yun ordered so, there were no responses, only Jing Hu came in. But he only came in, didn¡¯t do anything. Jing Hu, Imand you to take the second young master to the ancestral hall!¡± Mrs. Yun ordered again.. Chapter 140 - 140 This is the Master’s Order_l Chapter 140: This is the Master¡¯s Order_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Madam, we must have the master¡¯smand to deal with the second young master,¡± replied Jing Hu, highly respectful. Although his tone was reverent, he tantly ignored Madam Yun¡¯s order. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I, as thedy of the house, can¡¯t evenmand you?¡± ¡°Madam, this is the master¡¯s order,¡± Jing Hu replied with the same demeanor and reason. Madam Yun¡¯s face darkened, her anger surged but she couldn¡¯t vent it. That was because Jing Hu was a guard of Wei Mingting. If he dared to say this, it must have been instructed by Wei Mingting. This was why Madam Yun could not vent her anger. She could vent her temper on anyone in the mansion, but never on her husband, Wei Mingting. But this was exactly what caused her the most pain and distress. She didn¡¯t understand why her husband instructed his subordinates to protect this illegitimate child to such an extent! Both Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan looked worriedly at Madam Yun. After all these years, it was the first time they had seen Madam Yun like this. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Wei Yichen looked at Madam Yun anxiously. After a while, Madam Yun stood up. She didn¡¯t speak but turned back to her room. Wei Jinyi also stood up and left, not caring about how others in the room might feel. Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan dared not leave. Fearing Madam Yun may need them, they followed her to Cangyun Garden. Only Wei Ruo was left. Seeing no one else, she quickly left. When she was about to reach Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo caught up with Wei Jinyi. As if he knew what Wei Ruo would say, Wei Jinyi said, ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t worry. Father won¡¯t me me, and mother, even if she¡¯s angry, couldn¡¯t do anything to me.¡± Then Wei Jinyi exined to Wei Ruo, ¡°My mother has some special meaning to my father.¡± ¡°So, second brother already knew what I was wondering about,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes. So if you encounter any difficulties in the future, just tell me. If I¡¯m not at home, just ask Jing Hu to send me a message,¡± said Wei Jinyi. Although he couldn¡¯t protect her from the affairs at the court, he could still help her at home. ¡°Thank you, second brother,¡± said Wei Ruo, feeling a warmth in her heart. Although Wei Ruo has always held the style of being strong and independent, relying on oneself in all things, she would still be very happy when someone is willing to support her. ### That night, when Wei Mingting returned to the Military Prefecture, Madam Yun, as always, was waiting for him in the room. What was different today was that Madam Yun didn¡¯t wee him with warmth. We Mingting noticed his wife¡¯s unusualness and asked, ¡°Madam, do you feel unwell? Should we send for the doctor?¡± Madam Yun looked at Wei Mingting, and after a long time, she asked, ¡°My lord, we have been husband and wife for so many years. Do you know what kind of person I am?¡± Wei Mingting picked up on his wife¡¯s abnormality and replied, ¡°Madam, you are gentle, kind, filial to the elders, nurturing to the children and manage the household thoroughly. You are my wise and virtuous wife.¡± Getting such an answer, Madam Yun¡¯s expression softened somewhat, and she began to talk about what happened today: ¡°My lord, today I was going to punish Jinyi, but no one in the guard was willing to do it. They all imed that they needed your order to act upon Jinyi. Can you tell me why? Do you not trust me, or¡­¡± Madam Yun wanted to know the answer, but she was also afraid to know it. ¡°You wanted to punish Jinyi today?¡± Wei Mingting was surprised. Jinyi was always non-confrontational with anyone in the mansion, especially with his wife. ¡°Yes, today I indeed had the thought of punishing him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I wanted Jinyi to help rmend Yichen to the Tibetanyman. They are brothers, and it is only right and natural to help each other. But not only did he sternly deny my request, he showed no respect to his mother, and was arrogant. That¡¯s why I wanted to punish him as a warning and make him kneel in the ancestral hall.¡± Madam Yun didn¡¯t think that she was in any way wrong about today¡¯s events. As a mother, asking her children to help each other is only right and natural. When a son disrespects his mother, it is also only natural that she disciplines him. After exining all this, Madam Yun looked at her husband, who looked troubled, deeply lost in thought. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°My lord, do you think I was wrong?¡± asked Madam Yun, somewhat nervously. ¡°It¡¯s not that you were wrong, but¡­ you should let go of Jinyi¡¯s affairs. If there are things he is unwilling to do, you shouldn¡¯t require him to do them.¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s reply was unexpected for Madam Yun, she asked, pained, ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t exin it to you at the moment.¡± ¡°Is it because of Jinyi¡¯s mother?¡± Madam Yun guessed, unable to think of any other reason for her husband¡¯s actions. In an instant, tears filled Madam Yun¡¯s eyes. For many years now, she had deliberately avoided bringing up that woman; she forced herself not to be jealous. But when her husband showed an unusual degree of protection towards the illegitimate child, the frustration and hurt in her heart thaty buried deep within could not be suppressed again. Seeing his wife¡¯s tears, Wei Mingting said hurriedly, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t think too much about it, this matter doesn¡¯t have much to do with Jinyi¡¯s mother¡­¡± ¡°If it has nothing to do with her, why are you acting this way? Or do you think I was wrong in wanting Jinyi to help bring Yichen to the Tibetanyman?¡± countered Madam Yun. Madam Yun had always listened to her husband¡¯s words over the years. She did what he told her to without question, but today she wanted to find out the root of his unusual behavior. ¡°You were not wrong. It¡¯s just that, Jinyi¡­ is unique to me. So, I hope you won¡¯t treat him as the mistress of an ordinary family would treat an illegitimate child,¡± said Wei Mingting. His expression was somber, there was only so much he could exin to his wife. But to Madam Yun, Wei Mingting¡¯s words had another meaning. ¡°Unique¡­ how unique?¡± Madam Yun asked again. ¡°Madam, it truly isn¡¯t what you think,¡± Wei Mingting denied again, but could not provide more exnation. Despite her husband¡¯s repeated denials that it had anything to do with Jinyi¡¯s biological mother, his actions revealed his special affection for that woman. It was a kind of favoritism that she, as his wife, had never received. ¡°Can my lord now tell me who that woman is? Her surname, her name, her origin?¡± Madam Yun asked, unwilling to give up. About that woman, Madam Yun knew very little. Her husband had brought home a child after a year away. Her heart hurt terribly then, but she was unable to say anything. She forced herself not to question her husband about the child¡¯s mother, and made an effort not to think about what might have urred in the past year between her husband and that woman.. Chapter 141: The War Resumes_l Chapter 141: The War Resumes_l Trantor: 549690339 | But deep down, there was still a void in her heart. Once touched, all those emotions woulde rushing out. ¡°Madam, please stop asking about this.¡± Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t give his wife a satisfactory answer, so he abruptly ended the conversation. Upon seeing Wei Mingting head towards the study, Madam Yun slumped down into her chair, heartbroken. Madam Yun didn¡¯t understand why she had reopened those old wounds today, wounds which she had buried deep in her heart for many years. Perhaps it was because Jinyi had be more activetely, and his presence constantly reminded her of her husband¡¯s sweet past with another woman. ### This time, Wei Jinyi stayed at home for half a month. After apanying Wei Ruo to finish the disaster relief work, it was time for him to leave again. Wei RUO went to bid him goodbye, and brought him a carriage full of things. Upon seeing the gifts Wei Ruo had given, Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Young Mistress, you¡¯re so good to our young master!¡¯ ¡°Take good care of your young master. Don¡¯t let him catch the cold and fall ill again. Even though his martial arts skills are highly sophisticated and he has a strong physique, he can¡¯t withstand the freezing cold.¡± Wei Ruo instructed Xiaobei. ¡®¡öYoung Mistress, rest assured, I will take good care of the young master.¡± Xiaobei responded confidently. The young master¡¯s previous illness was due to his negligence towards his own health. Now he took better care of himself. In addition, the young mistress had given them an ample supply of medicines for emergencies. If they caught a cold, they could take the medicine Wei Ruo had provided, recover quickly, and avoid major illnesses. So, Xiaobei was not worried at all. Wei Ruo went over to Wei Jinyi and advised him, ¡°Second brother, take care of yourself and do what you want to do. Write to me when you have time.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Jinyi replied, ¡°Ruo, same goes for you. Do everything as I have taught you.¡± Wei Ruo nodded, then watched as Wei Jinyi mounted his horse. Weijinyi locked eyes with Wei Ruo for a while and then galloped away. N?v(el)B\\jnn The next time they meet should be during the New Year. ### Not long after Wei Jinyi left, disaster-stricken Xingshan County was invaded by Japanese Pirates again. It had only been two months since thest defeat of the Japanese Pirates, and they had regrouped and attacked so soon. Luckily Wei Mingting had remained vignt and maintained the defenses, even during the disaster relief he only mobilized a small number of people, ensuring that the original defensiveyout wasn¡¯t disrupted. So, the pirate¡¯s surprise attack didn¡¯t do too much damage to Xingshan County. But from this moment on, Wei Mingting, along with his soldiers, had to stay fully alert, ready to face a new round of war. Wei Mingting became very busy once again, staying in the camp for several consecutive days. With the war situation, Madam Yun no longer felt any jealousy or sorrow. She only wished for her husband to be safe and for peace in Xingshan County. With the household affairs being so hectic, she delegated the duty of supervising Wei Yilin¡¯s studies to Wei Ruo, asking her to spend some time every day understanding Wei Yilin¡¯s daily learning progress. Although Wei Ruo didn¡¯t like Wei Yilin, she still had to put up a facade and get the job done. Therefore, after returning from the Xie Residence today, Wei Ruo went to the Chrysanthemum Garden. Before she entered the courtyard, she heard clear whish sounds emerging from inside. Upon entering, she saw Wei Yilin practicing with the whip that she had given him. Wei Ruo stood at the sidelines for a while and found that the brat was quite good at using the whip. After whipping for a while, Wei Yilin saw Wei Ruo standing at the entrance of his courtyard as he turned around. He stopped, put away the whip, walked up to Wei Ruo with a stern face and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Haven¡¯t she already said that she does not like him and will ignore him? So, what was she doing on his turf? ¡°I¡¯m here following orders.¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me. Continue practicing your whip. I will leave once my time¡¯s up. We will not interfere with each other.¡± ¡°No, I want to talk to you!¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s rebellious nature surfaced; if Wei Ruo did not want him to bother her, he would do exactly that. ¡°If you are ill, get a doctor to check you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s ill! I¡¯m practicing martial arts everyday and my body is in great shape!¡± Saying that, Wei Yilin rolled up his sleeves to show Wei Ruo his arms. Indeed, his arms were a lot bigger than before, and the muscles were firm. Then, Wei Yilin added, ¡°Once I get even better at martial arts, I¡¯ll join my father on the battlefield to fight the enemy!¡± Wei Ruo remained silent, just giving him a cursory nce. Wei Yilin felt disregarded by Wei Ruo: ¡°Do you not believe in me?¡± ¡°Or what? You, who were once scared shitless by two Japanese pirates and actedpletely brainless, now want to fight them?1 ¡°You! You are talking nonsense! Last time¡­st time was an ident! And besides, I didn¡¯t know martial arts then! It¡¯s different now!¡± Wei Yilin considered his previous capture a disgrace. He didn¡¯t feel so humiliated before, but as he was learning martial arts under his master and spending time with his fellow students, he learned that a true warrior should fight to protect his family and country. This made him feel even more disgraced about having been kidnapped by two Japanese pirates. If only he had started learning martial arts earlier! Then he could have killed those two pirates and earned merit! Wei Yilin saw that Wei Ruo still had a mocking look on her face and clearly didn¡¯t believe that he could defeat the Japanese pirates. This infuriated him. Just as he was about to retort, he remembered some things he had heard recently. After some contemtion, Wei Yilin didn¡¯t say anything harsh and instead asked Wei Ruo, ¡°I heard that you have been helping the needy in Xingshan County recently.¡± ¡°Any problem with that?¡± Wei Yilin was frustrated by Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude. He wanted to retort but thinking of some things, he managed to hold back his anger. He changed his tone and said, ¡°Humph. Considering how you saved father and helped many disaster victims, I will allow you to scold me.¡± ¡°Are you starting to understand right from wrong?¡± Wei Ruo sneered. -What do you mean by that? When did I ever fail to distinguish between right and wrong? When you were doing wrong by bullying my dearest Sister Wanwan, of course I scolded you. Now that you¡¯re doing the right thing, I choose to ignore you for the time being. I¡¯m very clear about right and wrong!¡± ¡°The fact that you could say that I bullied Wei Qingwan and then brag about your rity of right and wrong, Well, that¡¯s quite rich.¡± Wei Ruo responded contemptuously. ¡°How did you not bully Sister Wanwan? Right after your arrival, you tried to snatch her position as the eldest daughter of the Wei family. When she treated you well, you didn¡¯t even ept her gifts, and then you even took her spot at the Xie Residence to study!¡± Wei Yilin enumerated Wei Ruo¡¯s ¡°crimes¡±.. Chapter 142: Urgent Shortage of Medicinal Materials 1 Chapter 142: Urgent Shortage of Medicinal Materials 1 Trantor: 549690339 | Are you saying that the things of Wei Qingwan¡¯s that I¡¯ve taken, were not originally mine?¡± Wei Ruo asked Wei Yilin back. ¡°How could they originally be yours¡­ that is¡­¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s voice faltered. ¡°How could they not be mine originally? If it weren¡¯t for the mix-up, wouldn¡¯t I have been the one living in the Military Prefecture these years? Wouldn¡¯t the status of the eldest legitimate daughter have always been mine from the start? At the moment I was born, didn¡¯t it belong to me?¡± ¡°The one originally supposed to go study at the Xie Family was also me from the start. It was your own misunderstanding, how could it be that after a single misunderstanding, you could im it was originally Wei Qingwan¡¯s? How could such a principle exist in this world?¡± Wei Ruo challenged. Wei Yilin was left speechless by Wei Ruo¡¯s retort. He never thought so deeply about it before, he simply took Wanwan¡¯s side. Because life was good for Sister Wanwan originally, and it was only after Wei Qingruo arrived that various problems emerged. Every time he saw Sister Wanwan sad and upset, he would me Wei Qingruo, wishing he could immediately drive Wei Qingruo out of their home to make Sister Wanwan happy again. And yet¡­ what Wei Qingruo said did not seem unreasonable¡­ Wei Ruo didn¡¯t care about Wei Yilin¡¯s thoughts, seeing that it was about time, she rose and left the Chrysanthemum Garden to return to her own courtyard¡¯to attend her own matters. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After Wei Yilin finished his thoughts and noticed that Wei Ruo had already disappeared, he couldn¡¯t help stomping his feet in frustration. She left without a word! ### Once back at Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo busied herself with her own matters. Presently, she was always upied with her own enterprise. After delivering seeds to the south of the city, she felt much more at ease as there were government officials overseeing the process. After providing the citizens of the city¡¯s south with new wheat seeds, she was much less worried. Wei Ruo and Xiumei discussed the ongoing cultivation situation at Xiaoyang Mountain. After enduring a period of cold weather, the oilseed rape, radishes, and mustard greens nted on Xiaoyang Mountain were somewhat affected, but they could still be salvaged. The weather warmed up slightly these past few days and the newly sown oilseed seedlings have already sprouted, and soon they would make up for the losses. Moreover, these crops have short growth cycles. As long as there is stable sunlight in the uing days, they will be able to be harvested in session. Once the oilseed rape is harvested, they would be sold directly or preserved as pickled vegetables. The same went for the mustard greens, they would also be pickled to elongate their storage life. Soon, when the weather bes colder, there won¡¯t be any crops that could grow. By then, pickled vegetables and meats will be an important source of food. When the new batch of shiitake mushrooms grows, Wei Ruo ns to make arge batch of shiitake sauce. The medicinal herbs that Wei Ruo and Xie Ying nted together were also chosen for their frost-resistance, as Wei Ruo had predicted that the cold weather woulde early. Thankfully, they have survived the cold snap. A batch of medicinal herbs procured by Wei Ruo and Xie Ying recently was also ready to be sold, and with the recent scarcity of medicinal herbs in all pharmacies, selling the medical herbs to the pharmacy should bring in quite a sum of silver. In addition, Madam Yuan from the Government City sent a message saying that because of the sudden cold snap, the original nting n was disrupted. Madam Yuan hoped that Wei Ruo would visit the Government City again to help the city¡¯s citizens n for their uing nting. Madam Yuan sent the letter to Wei Ruo alone first, and would only send the letter to the Military Prefecture after receiving her consent in response. Madam Yuan did this because she was concerned about the possibility that the Military Prefecture would directly send Wei Ruo to the Government City, disregarding her own wishes, should they receive the letter first. Madam Yuan held sincere appreciation for Wei Ruo and did not wish to impose on her unwillingly. Wei Ruo was of course, willing. Hence, she wrote a reply to Madam Yuan, and had the messenger ry her response back to the Government City. She supposed that she needed only a few days, and then she would have to visit the Government City. This also provided her with an opportunity to check on her manor in the Government City. ### For a few consecutive days, there have been gunshotsing from the east of the city, causing a panic among the people in the city. At this moment, in a high-security military camp, Wei Mingting¡¯s tent. After hearing the military doctor¡¯s report, Wei Mingting looked rather concerned. The medical supplies had run out. This meant that many wounded soldiers were now lying in the medical tents without receiving effective treatment. Wei Mingting asked his subordinates, ¡°When will the medicine-delivery team sent by the court arrive?¡± The subordinate lowered his head, not daring to respond. Wei Mingting guessed the answer immediately, ¡°Is there still no news?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ because there was a lull in the fighting a while ago, and up to now, there still hasn¡¯t been any clear information. So, we really don¡¯t know when we can get the new supplies.¡± The medical supply request passed through variousyers of bureaucracy, and they were not sure where it got stuck. But one could guess as much. As Xingshan County wasn¡¯t the only ce affected by Japanese pirates along the southeast coast, once Xingshan County sessfully drove away the invaders, the court let its guard down. There was no information forting from the top, and they had no idea when the medical supplies would be resupplied. However, the injured soldiers couldn¡¯t afford to wait. After contemting for a while, Wei Mingtingmanded an aide, ¡°Can you help me deliver two letters back to the city? One is for Magistrate Qian, and the other is for the Military Prefecture.¡± Wei Mingting could only hope now that the Magistrate Qian could think of a solution and manage to purchase some urgently needed medicine from the pharmacies within the city. As for writing to the Military Prefecture, he did not hold much hope, but it was better than nothing. If his family could help find some medication, it would at least save some lives. Even though this might not solve the urgent medical shortage, for now, they could only pin their hopes on this. ### Wei Mingting¡¯s letters soon arrived in the hands of Madam. Upon learning of her husband¡¯s concern over the medical supply situation, Madam urgently wanted to help. But now, there was a shortage of medicinal herbs in the city¡¯s pharmacies; they couldn¡¯t buy any medicine at all. Even if the Military Prefecture had the money, there was no ce to buy meds. Returning from Magistrate Qian¡¯s, Wei Qingwan went to visit her mother Madam. After learning about the situation, Wei Qingwan was unable to aid Madam in this crisis, and could only softly console Madam, ¡°Mother, you need not worry, this matter isn¡¯t the fault of the Military Prefecture. If anyone should be worried, it wouldn¡¯t be its turn to do so.¡± ¡°I know it is not the fault of the Military Prefecture, but your father is quite worried about it. If because of the shortage of medicinal herbs, those that could have been saved end up losing their chance of survival¡­¡± Madam was still filled with concern. Weiqing Qingwan, knowing she can¡¯t do anything to help, then said, ¡°Then let me lend a hand by helping mother manage the affairs of the Prefecture, to ease some of mother¡¯s worries.¡± Madam nodded, then called Nanny Zhang over, instructing her to find out if there were any channels avable to buy a bulk batch of medicinal herbs. But after a half-day of efforts, they found nothing. As the pharmacies in the city were currently suffering from a shortage of medicinal herbs themselves, there was no surplus stock that could be supplied inrge quantities. Even the medicinal herb merchants did not have any stock on hand; they reportedly mentioned that recently, the production of medicinal herbs hadn¡¯t been good. Disasters had struck in many ces, and they all needed medicine.. Chapter 143: I’ll Listen to You 1 Chapter 143: I¡¯ll Listen to You 1 Trantor: 549690339?????? ¡ª The next day, as Wei Ruo prepared to step out, she encountered Nurse Li just outside the gates of Tingsong Garden. ¡°So, Missy is heading out again?¡± Nurse Li asked with a beaming smile. Wei Ruo found this smile to be anything but friendly. Do I need to report to you when I leave now?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. After thest episode, Nurse Li hadid low for a while, but Wei Ruo had no idea what emboldened her to stir trouble today. ¡°Of course, Missy need not report to a lowly servant like me when she goes out, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to inform the Madame.¡± Nurse Li reminded. ¡°Have I not left this many times before? Do I need lessons from you?¡± ¡°Now, Missy, don¡¯t get angry. This old servant is only looking out for you After all, things are different now. You used to have the support of nobles when you were busying with the affairs of the city¡¯s southern district, but everyone knows you have nothing to do with those matters anymore.¡± Nurse Li managed a smirk. Now, it dawned upon Wei Ruo why Nurse Li had chosen today of all days to stir trouble. It seemed that she thought Wei Ruo had lost a significant backing and wouldn¡¯t dare to act high and mighty at home anymore. Indeed, during her previous visit to the Government City, Wei Ruo had drawn upon the support for her farming project in the city¡¯s southern district to directly confront Madam Yun. Once Wei Ruo understood Nurse Li¡¯s intentions, sheughed dismissively, ¡°So, you¡¯re here on behalf of your Missy to mock me? The two of you did pick the ¡¯ perfect time, when my father is away.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om A few days had passed since the incident and Nurse Li had held back until now toe and gloat, likely because her father and second brother had been at home. In these few days, the war had begun and her father barely came home, let alone worry about trivial family matters. ¡°What are you implying, Missy? Isn¡¯t it a bit unkind to assume that I, a humble servant, harbor sinister intentions about you? I merely wish for you to live by the rules, to respect your parents, and not unt your disregard for decorum. After all, it was I who taught you the rules when you first entered the house Naturally, I feel responsible for your behavior.¡± Nurse Li wore a proud smile. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ll have to disappoint you,¡± Wei Ruo chuckled dismissively then turned to her maid Xiumei, ¡°Meimei, if any dogs block our way again, do shoo them away for me.¡± ¡°Of course, Missy, I¡¯ll handle it!¡± Xiumei made a fist with her right hand. Upon hearing this, Nurse Li snorted and stepped back, allowing Wei Ruo to pass. As she watched Wei Ruo walk past her, a sneer spread across Nurse Li¡¯s face. Right as Wei Ruo was about to step out of the gate, she ran into Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan. The timing couldn¡¯t have been more impable. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan looked surprised, ¡°Sister, you are heading out too? I thought your project in the city¡¯s southern district was finished?¡± Wei Ruoughed, so this was it; Nurse Li¡¯s insistence on blocking her path was not just a ploy to irritate her, but also to ensure she would run into Madam Yun as she left. ¡°Is that so, Ruoruo? I thought you were done engaging with that project in the city¡¯s southern district?¡± Madam Yun chimed in. ¡°I have other matters to attend to.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°What other matters?¡± Madam Yun looked puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s also about farming.¡± Wei Ruo replied. This made Madam Yun frown, ¡¯¡¯Ruoruo, your father supported your southern city project because it benefited the people. Now that you¡¯ve withdrawn from it, why do you still want to engage with farming?¡± Madam Yun was not entirely in agreement with her daughter¡¯s approach. ¡°Does my mother think it¡¯s inappropriate for her daughter to take an interest in agriculture?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°That¡¯s not the issue; I simply believe there are more suitable tasks for you to pursue.¡± said Madam Yun. She had initially hoped her eldest daughter¡¯s efforts would add to her reputation, but this hope proved futile. Regardless of whether it was the seventh prince¡¯s or the Emperor¡¯s intention none of them epted the idea of a young woman from a noble family involving herself in agriculture. Therefore, Madam Yun hoped her daughter could shift her efforts elsewhere and behave more like a proper youngdy. ¡°And if I am determined to proceed as I have?¡± Wei Ruo challenged. Madam Yun sighed, ¡°If you insist on this path, I cannot stop you. Your father approved of your decision, after all. But I hope you realise that I suggest this for your own good. You¡¯re going to turn fourteen soon, and potential suitors will start to make their assessments. Rather than marrying a farmer, I genuinely hope you¡¯ll find a husband from a respectable family.¡± Although Madam Yun disapproved of her daughter¡¯s decision internally, she didn¡¯t want to go against her husband¡¯s wishes and risk displeasing him. Wei Qingwan, standing next to them, tried to pacify Wei Ruo, ¡°Sister, mother is only worried about you. She¡¯s giving these advices for your own good. Don¡¯t break her heart, she¡¯s been exhausted and stressed outtely.¡± Madam Yun threw a loving nce at Wei Qingwan. Compared to Ruoruo Wanwan was far more understanding and empathetic. She understood the hardships her mother was going through and always offered to help her out. Wei Ruo replied with a faint smile, ¡°Is that so? Then, I will obey mother and not go out today.¡± Both Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan were surprised by Wei Ruo¡¯s sudden change in mindset. ¡°Are you willing to take your mother¡¯s advice, Ruoruo?¡± asked Madam Yun. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll heed mother¡¯s advice today and not engage in farming, an activity unbing of a well-bred girl,¡± Wei Ruo responded, ¡°But I¡¯ll need to trouble mother to exin this to the servants from the magistrate¡¯s household.¡± What does she mean? Servants from the Magistrate¡¯s household? Madam Yun was puzzled, and Wei Qingwan was equally confused. Was Wei Ruo¡¯s outing today rted to the Magistrate¡¯s wife? But wasn¡¯t the Magistrate¡¯s wife in the Government City? Just then, a two-horse carriage approached the gates of the Military Prefecture. A well-dressed young woman alighted from the carriage. She wore expensive clothing typical of a maid, clearly indicating her service to a prominent household. Seeing Madam Yun and the others, she stepped forward to greet them. ¡°Greetings to Madame Wei, Miss Wei, and Little Miss Wei.¡± ¡°Who are you¡­¡± Madam Yun felt she looked familiar. ¡°We are servants from the prefecture¡¯s office, under Madam¡¯s orders to fetch Miss Wei,¡± the maid exined. Madam Yuan sent them to fetch Wei Ruo? Madam Yun could hardly conceal her astonishment. An examination confirmed that the girl was indeed the one she met at the garden party, a servant from Madam Yuan¡¯s household. While Madam Yun was still puzzled, Wei Ruo responded to Madam Yuan¡¯s personal maid, ¡°I apologize, but upon my mother¡¯s insistence, I can¡¯t continue with these ¡®farming matters¡¯ as often. Therefore, I won¡¯t be able to assist Madam. Please convey my apologies to her..¡± Chapter 144: It’s a Misunderstandings Chapter 144: It¡¯s a Misunderstandings Trantor: 549690339 | Upon hearing this, Madame Yun was startled. It then dawned on her that Wei Ruo had left the house today upon an invitation from Madam Yuan. Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression kept changing as she stared at Madam Yuan¡¯s maid, as if trying to gather evidence that thedy did not belong to the Yuan family. Qingyi, Madam Yuan¡¯s personal maid, clearly understood her mistress¡¯s attitude towards Wei Ruo. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Upon hearing this, Qingyi said to Madame Yun, ¡°Madam Wei, my mistress is extremely fond of Miss Wei and greatly admires the work she has done for the people of Xingshan County. When my mistress came to Xingshan County this time, the first person she thought of was Miss Wei. I request Madam Wei¡¯s permission for Miss Wei to apany my mistress.¡± Madame Yun, who had now gathered her thoughts, hastily replied, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Ruoruo misunderstood. I was simply reminding my daughter to be cautious, perhaps some poorly chosen words led her to believe that I am not fond of her work rted to farming.¡± Qingyi then asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Is that so, Miss Wei?¡± Wei Ruo did not respond immediately, her gaze sweeping over Madame Yun and Wei Qingwan. The silence made both Madame Yun and Wei Qingwan grow anxious. It was only after a long while that Wei Ruo finally said slowly, ¡°Perhaps I misunderstood.¡± Greatly relieved, Madame Yun could not afford to offend Madam Yuan ¨C a person the Military Prefecture simply could not cross. Qingyi said, ¡°That¡¯s ideal. Miss Wei, may I request you to join me in the carriage? My mistress is waiting for you at the Yahe Mountain Residence.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo, with Xiumei in tow, climbed onto the horse. Before entering the carriage, Wei Ruo looked back at Wei Qingwan. Feeling Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze, Wei Qingwan for some unknown reason ¨C perhaps guilt ¨C lowered her head to avoid eye contact. The carriage of the Yuan Residence then left, leaving Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan still standing at the doorway. Madam Yun¡¯s feelings were somewhatplicated. Wei Qingwan pursed her lips, her expression gloomy. She didn¡¯t understand why Wei Qingruo was so lucky. After losing the favor of the prince, there came Madam Yuan. ### Wei Ruo was taken to the Yahe Mountain Residence by a servant of the Yuan family. This was a quiet teahouse in Xingshan County. The Yahe Mountain Residence was a rare and refined small shop in the remote and impoverished Xingshan County. Located at the foot of the mountain, it had a small courtyard with several tables. The shop offered refreshments and tea. Madam Yuan was currently waiting for Wei Ruo there. Because of her presence, the Yahe Mountain Residence was not taking in other customers, and there were guards stationed all around. When Wei Ruo saw Madam Yuan, Madam Yuan also saw her and smiled, waving her over. ¡°Why did madam make the trip personally this time?¡± Wei Ruo asked, voicing the doubts in her heart once seated. Wei Ruo was also somewhat surprised that Madam Yuan hade to Xingshan County. She had thought that after the exchange of lettersst time, Madam Yuan would send someone to deliver a message to the Military Prefecture and thene to pick her up for the Government City. To her surprise, thedy hade personally. ¡°This is all thanks to you. Your medicine was indeed efficacious. After taking it for a while, myplexion has improved, and I feel more spirited. Over the past six months, I have hardly been active, so I wanted to move around a bit now that my health has improved. It also happened to be a good opportunity toe and pick you up myself and have a chat with you on the way, it gives me somepany.¡± Theplexion of Madam Yuan today was notably better than thest time they met, and she seemed more energetic. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful that the medicine has had an effect on Madam. The prescription willst for about two more months, thereafter, I will provide Madam with a new one. If taken for three months, Madam should be fully recovered. Once fully recovered, the medicine should be discontinued as having too much energy can also be detrimental to the body,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Savior, I am at a loss for how to express my gratitude,¡± said Madam Yuan with a joyous and grateful expression. Madam, please don¡¯t call me savior. You can just call me by name,¡± Wei Ruo said, unustomed to the title of ¡®savior¡¯. ¡°In that case, I will call you Ruoruo from now on,¡± Madam Yuan decided after some consideration. Wei Ruo gave a slight nod. Madam Yuan then picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Wei Ruo. ¡°Sinceing to Xingshan County, I have heard your name several times. You initiated the agricultural work in the south side of the city and have provided disaster relief. You are deeply loved by the people.¡± Having heard all this, Madam Yuan¡¯s fondness for Wei Ruo grew even more. Madam Yuan then expressed her regret, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you are a woman. If you were a man, with such a reputation, it would certainly help your future official career.¡± Wei Ruo smiled; she was well aware that it was much more difficult for women in this world. If she were a man, even if she didn¡¯t hold a significant position, she could still establish her own business openly and freely, even if as a merchant of low social status, she could lead a carefree life. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard about your work in the south side of the city,¡± Madam Yuan added. ¡°Does Madam know the reason why?¡± Wei Ruo inquired. Madam Yuan shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure about the reason behind it. However you could view it positively. If your family disregarded your contributions because you are a woman, then once you marry, there will likely be rewards for you. If it was because someone hid your contributions, it¡¯s possible that they could be recognizedter.¡± Madam Yuan said this partly to console Wei Ruo, as she didn¡¯t want Wei Ruo to feel disheartened or despondent due to this incident, given the favor Wei Ruo had done for her. Wei Ruo, however, didn¡¯t give it much thought, ¡°I don¡¯t n on dwelling on it too much. Overthinking it will only exhaust me and waste my energy and time unnecessarily. When I¡¯m unable to influence the direction of things, it¡¯s best to put it out of my mind.¡± Madam Yuan praised, ¡°That¡¯s the best way to think about it, Ruoruo.¡± Wei Ruo then diverted the topic, ¡°Madam, let¡¯s discuss serious matters. You came here to deal with food issues for the people of the Government City, right?¡± Madam Yuan responded, ¡°Indeed, but you only need to provide suggestions. I will arrange for people to prepare what is needed. Don¡¯t tire yourself out. I haven¡¯t repaid your favor yet, and if I were to let you get exhausted, I would feel incredibly guilty.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t stand on ceremony with Madam Yuan about this matter. She had her own things to attend to. After going to the Government City, she also had to visit her own farm, so she was indeed too stretched. Wei Ruo and Madam Yuan spent most of the day in the Yahe Mountain Residence, thoroughly enjoying each other¡¯spany. Wei Ruo gave Madam Yuan some highly feasible suggestions, while Madam Yuan nned to support Wei Ruo¡¯s future development in the Government City. Afterward, Madam Yuan assigned Qingyi to escort Wei Ruo back to the Military Prefecture. As soon as Wei Ruo entered the gates of the Military Prefecture, she was asked by a person stationed by Madame Yun to go to Cangyun Garden. Wei Ruo gave a faint smile and followed the maid. In Cangyun Garden, Madame Yun had been waiting to ask Wei Ruo about her meeting. As soon as Wei Ruo walked in, Madame Yun pressed, ¡°Ruoruo, have you been in contact with Madam Yuan all this time? Chapter 145: To make Wei Qingwan uncomfortablel Chapter 145: To make Wei Qingwan ufortablel Trantor: 549690339 ¡°No, it¡¯s only recent contact.¡± Wei Ruo replied with a dull expression.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°What did Madam Yuan ask you about?¡± Madam Yun asked again. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell mother before I went out today? It was about farming matters.¡± ¡°Why would Madam Yuan be so concerned about farming matters?¡± Yun Madam asked again. ¡°Mother really doesn¡¯t know? Magistrate Yuan wishes to lead effectively and of course won¡¯t neglect the well-being of ordinary people, nurturing harmony between people and government.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Yun Madam had also thought of this point, but she was somewhat surprised that Madam Yuan woulde to her daughter for this matter. Yun Madam looked at the Wei Ruo in front of her, withplicated thoughts in her heart. She sighed deeply and said, ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯m d to see you gaining more appreciation from Madam Yuan. But what I said to you this morning was genuine. I really feel that it¡¯s the right course to be a gentle girl and to marry into a good family someday.¡± The education and life experiences Yun Madam had gone through always led her to believe that securing a good marriage is the most decent achievement a woman should strive for. ¡°This is my chosen path, I will take responsibility for the consequences. Mother, please do not stop me.¡± Wei Ruo was firm in her response. Yun Madam was making another helpless sigh, ¡°You are very much like your father. And your father supports what you are doing too.¡± Sometimes Yun Madam could not understand her husband well. But as a wife, she knew she should support her husband wholeheartedly. Wei Ruo stated: ¡°So, Mother, please stop trying to dissuade me. I want to walk this path, and I will bear any consequences thate with it.¡± Yun Madam nodded: ¡°I can¡¯t stop you, and there¡¯s nothing I can do if you insist on your way andin to your father.¡± Because of her husband¡¯s attitude, Yun Madam could only reason with Wei Ruo. If her reasoning failed, she would have to stop, she¡¯s unwilling to upset her husband. Given the present warfare situation, Yun Madam wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke any family conflicts that may distract her husband. Next, Madam Yun said, ¡°Since Madam Yuan has a high opinion of you, use your chance to say a few good words for your sister if you can.¡± On the previous asion, Wei Qingwan had wanted Wei Ruo to speak well of her, but Wei Ruo had evaded it on the pretext of a headache. Now Madam Yuan appeared again, and Yun Madam saw the opportunity, so she brought it up. ¡°If I said I don¡¯t want to, would mother use me of being heartless again?¡± asked Wei Ruo. Yun Madam frowned and then speak in a grave tone, ¡°Indeed, it was Wanwan who was wrong that day; it was inappropriate for me to map the me on you.¡± A few days after the event, Yun Madam was finally willing to admit she was wrong that day. Yun Madam then continued, ¡°But Ruoruo, we are a family; we share sess and disgrace together. It does no good for you to see your sister¡¯s reputation damaged. You must understand this.¡± Wei Ruo remained silent, her face expressionless as she looked at Yun Madam. Yun Madam continued, ¡°After receiving punishment, your sister has learned her lesson. She has been confined to her room and her monthly allowance has been cut off. Her reputation in the government city isn¡¯t good either. Isn¡¯t all this enough for you to let your grudge go?¡± Had Wei Qingwan truly learned her lesson from this and stopped provoking troubles, Wei Ruo might have been willing to let go of her grudge. However, the fact was far from this, the drama she executed before she left this morning was the proof. ¡°I¡¯ll need to think about this.¡± Wei Ruo replied, neither assenting nor outright refusing. Yun Madam was not fully satisfied with this answer from Wei Ruo, but she knew better than to pressure Wei Ruo too much. After all, Wei Ruo was the one she had to ask favours of, and pressing Wei Ruo too hard would do nobody any good. ¡°Fine, go back to think about it. In the meantime, I need to think of a solution for your father¡¯s urgent need for medicinal supplies.¡± Yun Madam waved her hand, dismissing Wei Ruo. Seeing that Yun Madam had nothing more to say, Wei Ruo excused herself from the room under the pretext of work and returned to Tingsong Garden. As soon as she returned to Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo started writing letters. Xiumei was pouring tea and grinding ink for Wei Ruo, she noticed He Family was mentioned in Wei Ruo¡¯s letter. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re having people send a letter to He Family? Why?¡± Xiumei asked in surprise. After leaving He Family at the age of three and being sent off to the countryside, apart from the monthly allowance, they haven¡¯t met anyone from He family. ¡°Invite them to Wei Residence.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°What? Miss, have you lost your senses? Why would you invite them to Wei Residence?¡± Although Xiumei hadn¡¯t encountered He Family much, she didn¡¯t hold them in high regard. They left their Miss in the countryside all these years, neglecting her entirely all because a forteller said she would harm her biological parents, which ¡¯ was utterly absurd! ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I haven¡¯t lost my mind. I won¡¯t be at home for a while, so they won¡¯t disturb me if I invited them.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Miss, if you¡¯re not here, why would you invite them over?¡± Xiumei was still a bit confused. ¡°To give Wei Qingwan something to deal with. She insists on making my life miserable every day, so I shouldn¡¯t let her be toofortable either.¡± Wei Ruo stated. Xiumei seemed to understand a little. ¡°Will these people from He Family bother the second Miss?¡± Xiumei asked curiously. Although Xiumei was initially bought by the He Family as a maid, she was only five when she was bought. She barely stayed in the He Family Residence and knew very little about them. Wei Ruo smiled brilliantly, ¡°Yes.¡± Xiumei thought for a while and had another question, ¡°But miss, the war is going on in Xingshan County now, everyone in the city is nervous, will they be willing toe?¡± ¡°Ordinarily, they wouldn¡¯t believe it if we say that the Wei Residence is inviting them. However, it is due to such circumstances that they might believe it. The reason I gave them was to bring in medicinal herbs, and also telling them that if they could supply the urgently needed herbs in Xingshan County, that would be a great merit.¡± Wei Ruo exined. He Family is in the business line. Although their main operation is not herbal trade, they dabbled a bit in it too. Asking them to deliver medicinal herbs was both an excuse and a genuine need for Xingshan County at present. Moreover, He Family¡¯s business had been underwhelming these years because they didn¡¯t have a strong political affiliation. As such, they had always been hoping to establish some rtionships with government officials. Initially, they thought they could build some rtionship with the Wei Family by taking in the wrong child. Unfortunately, the Wei Family only gave them some money when they found them, but had no intention of having further dealings with them. Now she had cast the bait, whether they would take the bait or not is up to the He Family themselves. Even if He Family didn¡¯t bite, there wouldn¡¯t be any loss for Wei Ruo, she just wrote a letter after all. Xiumei nodded understandingly, ¡°Miss, your n is really good. If they really deliver the medicinal herbs it will tackle the urgent need in Xingshan County even if it cannot make the second Miss ufortable!¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°That¡¯s the idea.¡± Xiumei: ¡°Then I hope that He Family will receive the letter soon, find the herbs smoothly, and then rush to the Military Prefecture!¡± Chapter 146: Wei Ruo Delivers Medicine 1 Chapter 146: Wei Ruo Delivers Medicine 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡ª However, there were no urate count of the medicines at the He family, and from Madame Yun¡¯s words, it seemed that the army urgently needed medical supplies. Wei Ruo decided to talk to Xie Ying early the next morning, the medicinal supplies they had previously purchased should now be put to use. ### TWO days had already passed, and the army camp was still not able to replenish its medical supplies. These two days they had barely managed to survive with some medical supplies forcibly collected from pharmacies. However, if they could not restock medical supplies by tomorrow, they would run out of resources. If the injured cannot be treated, not only will the lives of the wounded soldiers not be guaranteed, but it would greatly affect the morale of the entire army. If this battle could not be ended in a short time, it would be extremely disadvantageous for them. Wei Mingting was very worried, so he called all his subordinates to his tent to discuss the next n. Gentlemen, I believe you all know our current situation well. The Japanese Pirates came prepared for this counterattack. We have already consumed most of our arrows and crossbows, and yet we have not been able to repel them. This situation is very disadvantageous for us. I would like to know what you all think?¡± Wei Mingting sought the opinions of Deputy General Qian and other generals and deputy generals. Everyone remained silent, creating a stifling atmosphere in the tent. Xu Zhengyong, standing in the third row, contemted for a long while before he firmly stood forward. ¡°General, I believe that we cannot sit still and await death. We should switch from defense to offense!¡± ¡°Deputy General Xu, do you have any specific battle ns?¡± Wei Mingting asked. ¡°I am willing to personally lead a small troop, set out from the south of the city, cross over Wangyue Mountain in the southeast, andunch a surprise attack on the enemy¡¯s nk!¡± Hearing this, everyone looked at him in surprise. This was a risky move. If it went well, all would be well. But if it didn¡¯t, it would be a one-way trip for Xu Zhengyong. In fact, Wei Mingting had also considered this method, but it was too risky and required someone to stand out as the vanguard of this surprise attack. What he did not expect was that Xu Zhengyong not only thought about it, but was also willing to personally lead the team, risking himself. Wei Mingting said to Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Wangyue Mountain is hazardous. It is very dangerous to cross over the mountain, especially in this cold weather Moreover, if you are discovered by the enemy, you will be in an isted situation, and the situation will be extremely dangerous.¡± Xu Zhengyong responded, ¡°General, we¡¯re presently without supplies of medical equipment and additional reinforcements, while the Japanese Pirates are more fierce than ever. All these circumstances are disadvantageous to us¡¯ If we continue to defend like this, as the number of injured continues to increase, our morale will be increasingly weak, and our will to fight will gradually dissipate. By the time we want to counterattack, it will be toote! If I can create a chance of survival for everyone, I am willing to take the risk with my soldiers!¡± Xu Zhengyong was resolute, ready to face death. Hearing this, the whole tent fell silent. They all knew that what Xu Zhengyong said was true, if they continued to defend, their situation would indeed get worse! Of course, Wei Mingting knew Xu Zhengyong was right. After a long thought, he agreed to Xu Zhengyong¡¯s proposal: ¡°Deputy General Xu, I agree to your n of leading your troops tounch a surprise attack on the enemy from the south of the city. I would please ask all of you to protect yourselves. I hope to see all of you return safely!¡± ¡°I will not fail my mission!¡± Xu Zhengyong knew the risks he was taking, but he was still determined. Wei Mingting was deeply moved, and other soldiers were also inspired by Xu Zhengyong¡¯s bravery, reigniting their fighting spirit. Wei Mingting then discussed the overall arrangement with everyone. The rest of the people needed to coordinate with Xu Zhengyong¡¯s surprise attack team for arge-scale counterattack. This process did not allow for any discrepancy. Otherwise, not only would Xu Zhengyong and his team be at risk, but others would be in danger. And once they failed, the Xingshan County behind them would be lost. Everyone negotiated from morning till afternoon before the n was finalized. After the discussion ended, everyone dispersed. Wei Mingting rubbed his head, sighing inwardly. While the method proposed by Deputy General Xu was possibly a game-changer, the injured soldiers still could not be treated, and their will to fight was still dissipating. This battle,pared to two months ago, would have at least 30% lessbat power. Back then, the prince was there, reinforcements were present, and they had new divine assistance. The morale was firm, and the atmosphere was high. Everything was in their favor. But now¡­ As Wei Mingting was perturbed, a soldier reported: ¡°Sir, your daughter is asking to see you outside the army camp.¡± Hearing this, Wei Mingting responded: ¡°The camp is a restricted area, idle people are not allowed to enter. Tell her to go home.¡± Wei Mingting didn¡¯t know which of his daughters hade to find him, but regardless, military rules were not to be trifled with. ¡°Sir, your daughter specifically said that she did note for personal matters, but for the matter of medical supplies. She has even pulled two carts of goods, ¡¯ iming that they are medical supplies,¡± the soldier replied. ¡°Medical supplies? Quickly, bring her in!¡± Wei Mingting hastily said. ¡°Yes!¡± The soldier led the orders to the front of the army camp and brought Wei Ruo, who was outside the camp, inside. The two carts of medical supplies Wei Ruo brought could not be allowed in yet. They were parked outside, guarded by soldiers, and would only be allowed into the camp after it was confirmed that there was no problem with them. Wei Ruo was led to Wei Mingting¡¯s tent in the middle of the camp. Seeing Wei Ruo, Wei Mingting had no mood to make small talk with his daughter. He straightforwardly inquired: ¡°Ruo, did you bring some medical supplies?¡± Wei Ruo nodded: ¡°When I heard about the shortage of medical supplies in the army, I brought some over for father.¡± ¡°Where did you get the medical supplies?¡± Wei Mingting asked in astonishment. How did she get the medical supplies that he and Magistrate Qian couldn¡¯t get after trying every method they could think of? Without wishing to conceal the truth, this was some time ago, when I, together with Miss Xie of the Xie family, stockpiled it,¡± answered Wei Ruo.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°You and Miss Xie?¡± Wei Mingting was even more surprised. ¡°Miss Xie and I had a sudden idea to do some business while studying in our free time in order to test the knowledge and principles that our teacher taught us, so I suggested stockpiling medical supplies. Hence, we leased somend south of the city, nted some medicinal herbs, and also bought a lot of medical supplies during the harvest season. We didn¡¯t expect that they woulde in handy now,¡± answered Wei Ruo. When Wei Ruo and Xie Ying were stockpiling medical supplies, the weather was not cold, there were no weather disasters in various regions, and medical supplies were easy to buy and transport. ¡°How much did you stockpile?¡± asked Wei Mingting. ¡°Today I brought two cartloads here, which are outside of the camp. The supplies left in the warehouse should be enough to fill another two carts,¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Good, good, this is really good! I guess you inadvertently made the right move!¡± eximed Wei Mingting repeatedly, without hiding his delight. After saying these, Wei Mingting then looked carefully at his daughter before him¡­. Chapter 147 - 147 Going to Government City for Chapter 147 - 147 Going to Government City for Chapter 147: Going to Government City for Business__i Trantor: 549690339 Herplexion was fair, her eyes bright and clear. In a daze, Wei Mingting¡¯s mind drifted uncontrobly to the memories of his daughter, vividly recalling her yful, adorable, and lively demeanor when she was a child. Before him, he seemed to see a sweet-smiling little girl running toward him, repeatedly shouting, ¡°Daddy!.¡± Wanwan was also sweet and adorable when she was little, but she was always timid around him, with a soft voice that trembled when calling him ¡°Daddy¡±. If it were Ruoruo, she wouldn¡¯t be afraid of him and would boldly act spoiled in his presence. Regrettably, fate is cruel, and he had missed all of this. ¡°Father?¡± Wei Ruo noticed that Wei Mingting was lost in thought. Wei Mingting snapped back to reality, realizing his outburst of emotion. ¡°Ruoruo, I don¡¯t know how I can ever thank you,¡± Wei Mingting said, warmth filling his heart. ¡°Father, you don¡¯t need to thank me for this. Xie Ying and I didn¡¯t send these medicinal herbs solely for your sake, but also for the entire army and the people of Xingshan,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Whether it¡¯s for General Wei Mingting or someone else, as long as they weren¡¯t vile individuals, Wei Ruo and Xie Ying would still have delivered these medicinal herbs today. ¡°Regardless, the Anti-Japanese Army owes you and Miss Xie a favor. The injured soldiers owe you a favor, and I owe you a favor,¡± Wei Mingting said solemnly. ¡°Father, let¡¯s talk about these things after the war is over. I know you are busy so I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. Xie Ying and I will bring the rest of the herbs ¡¯ after we finish preparing them,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Alright, be careful on your way back.¡± Wei Mingting advised, then reluctantly watched Wei Ruo leave his camp. ### After delivering the medicinal herbs to the Anti-Japanese Army, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t continue to oversee the affairs of Xingshan County, but instead set off for Government City with Madam Yuan. Upon arriving at Government City, Wei Ruo, under the arrangements of Madam Yuan, took up residence in Tianqin Garden. Once here, Wei Ruo felt relieved, no need to tread on eggshells like she had at Military Prefecture.N?v(el)B\\jnn The morning after settling in, Wei Ruo, apanied by Xiumei, went to the vige. Wei Ruo met Xu Zhushan and the manager of the vige estate. The manager was a man in his forties, with a surname, Yu. He had a rather gaunt physique, thin-faced, but he seemed to be an honest and decent sort of fellow. For the few days since Uncle Xu had arrived, Manager Yu, taking advantage of Uncle Xu¡¯s kindness, didn¡¯t withhold anything from him, assisting him with matters in a respectful manner. This behavior gave a glimpse of the manager¡¯s character. During this time, Xu Zhushan had already taken measure of the vige and had matters in order. Wei Ruo called the two men over and inquired about the situation with the surroundingnds. She then instructed, ¡°That¡¯s how it is, you guys go find out for me. If there arends for sale or mortgaged nearby, we will buy them.¡± ¡°Miss, are you nning to buy uprge amounts ofnd?¡± Manager Yu asked somewhat taken aback. Yes, acquirend.¡± Wei Ruo responded firmly. ¡°But Miss, due to the recent unfavorable weather, the grain production in all areas has fallen short. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s¡­ not appropriate to acquirend under these circumstances,¡± Manager Yu reminded. ¡°No problem, as long as the price is right, we will buy it,¡± Wei Ruo said, fully aware of these concerns, but had already decided her course of action. At the moment when grain production is dropping,nd prices will decrease. Wei Ruo ns to seize this opportunity to invest in morend to expand her assets. Wei Ruo had one hundred taels of gold at her disposal, providing her with adequate capital for hernd acquisitions. As for thebor issue¡­ ¡°Miss, once thend is purchased, we¡¯ll undoubtedly need morebor,¡± Manager Yu asked again. Currently, they only had enough workers for their vige. Morend would mean they would have to hire morebor. ¡°Hire the impoverished peasants and refugees,¡± Wei Ruomanded. ¡°Hire impoverished peasants and refugees?¡± The manager was taken aback. Hiring impoverished peasants could be reasonable, but hiring refugees seemed a bit unusual. Having taken a moment to consider, Manager Yu advised, ¡°Miss, the refugees are transient and it¡¯s hard to get a clear understanding of them. They can be difficult to manage and easily stir up trouble¡­¡± ¡°I know this move will require more effort and pose higher risks than only hiring local residents we¡¯re familiar with. But I¡¯m willing to give it a try,¡± Wei Ruo asserted. Of course, Wei Ruo had given this a lot of thought before deciding. She is willing to take on this challenge, even if managing it may prove to be more difficult and there might be some errors. She doesn¡¯t want to deny all the refugees because she fears trouble. Because such individuals are the most vulnerable and are in desperate need of livelihood. Alright then, I¡¯ll go and arrange everything right away,¡± Manager Yu immediately got to work. Together with Xiumei, Wei Ruo gave the vige estate yet another inspection with Xu Zhushan. The soil in thends that Madam Yuan had given to them was indeed better than averagnd. The soil has been cultivated and was ready for nting the new wheat species that Wei Ruo had brought. However, many of the long-term workers on the farm had reservations about nting wheat at this time of the year, and felt that it likely wouldn¡¯t grow well. Despite their skepticism, they still dutifullyplied with the instructions given by the supervisors and did their work. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t mind their doubts, understanding that it was indeed past the usual wheat nting season and it was natural for them to be concerned about the sess of the crop. All she required was that they performed their assigned duties satisfactorily. Having handled everything that needed to be arranged at the vige estate over the next two days, Wei Ruo, apanied by Xiumei, headed out for a stroll on the city streets. Although it seemed like a leisurely stroll, Wei Ruo was actually scouting for suitable shop spaces. Opening a store in Government City as an out-of-towner without any backing could be challenging, even if she had the money, but with Madam Yuan¡¯s support, she was relieved of this worry. Although they were remote from the seat of the emperor and beyond the observation of Military Prefecture, Wei Ruo wore her veil out of an abundance of caution. Wei Ruo, a woman of an ancestral family, showing interest in farming might be eptable, yet taking the initiative to open a shop in the city would seem utterly out-of-ce. After two days of scouting, Wei Ruo finally settled for two adjacent shops near the Zuixian Residence. The price of the shops was far from low. Still, Wei Ruo believed the location was perfect and justified the price. Wei Ruo loved money, but as long as a purchase was worthy she would spare no expense. To her, you can¡¯t make a fur coat without killing a few bears. Wei Ruo¡¯s intention was to open a branch of Four Treasure House in one of the shops. The Four Treasures of the Study were likely to sell better in areas where schr-gentry and numerous students gathered. Therefore, Government City was sure to be a better choicepared to the county city. However, with this approach, she now had to think about how to expand her paper mill. The other three of the Four Treasures of the Study were not produced in her own factory but procured from othermercial businesses. There was ample stock of these; only paper was produced in her own mill, and the production was limited. So all along, paper was sold in limited quantities at the Four Treasure House, and it was usually bundled with other products, aiming to increase sales volume.. Chapter 148: Braised Snacks Shop 1 Chapter 148: Braised Snacks Shop 1 Trantor: 549690339 | r¡ª As for the other shop, Wei Ruo nned to open a delicatessen focusing on braised dishes. Wei Ruo had observed that there were no good delicatessens nearby, and the people of the Government City had a certain interest in gourmet food. As long as the food tasted good, even if the prices were a bit high, it would sell well. Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, for the delicatessen, are you nning to have me run it?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Then Xiumei murmured, ¡°Miss, I wouldn¡¯t mind being the boss, but if 1 have to run the shop, who is going to take care of you? I can¡¯t just leave you, Miss. What will happen if someone tries to take advantage of you when I¡¯m not around? I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bear to let you run the shop, but in the beginning, I do need your help Once we¡¯ve trained a good staff, we just need to master the recipe for the braised dishes, and then we can leave the work to the staff.¡± The key to a good braised dish lies in the braising sauce. Wei Ruo had good sauce, good seasoning, and good recipes for braised dishes. ¡°That¡¯s good then, being temporarily busy is fine, as long as you do not leave me alone in the shop!¡± Compared to being the boss, Xiumei preferred to stay by Wei Ruo¡¯s side and take care of her. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to let you go either! Unless you get married in the future, I won¡¯t allow you to go anywhere else!¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Who¡¯s getting married? I¡¯m not getting married! I will spend my entire life apanying you, Miss!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, as long as you think that way, then well both remain unmarried for life.¡± Wei Ruo said with augh. Then Wei Ruo took Xiumei back to the carriage, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we are going to be busy.¡± The two returned to Tianqin Garden, and then Wei Ruo began making arrangements. Just like before, all the matters regarding buying the shop, preparing the shop for its opening, were handled by Xu Zhushan, as Wei Ruo did not personally intervene in them. Later, Wei Ruo and Xiumei borrowed the kitchen from the Tianqin Garden¡¯s chef. The chef of Tianqin Garden was initially reluctant to let Wei Ruo use their kitchen, not because they were worried she¡¯d ruin it, but because they were afraid of neglecting their duties towards their mistress¡¯ distinguished guest. If their mistress found out that her guests were preparing their own food, the kitchen staff would not be able to bear the responsibility if they were med for this. Only after Wei Ruo exined that they needed the kitchen for business purposes, and not for their own meals, did the kitchen staff agree. The kitchen in Tianqin Garden was prettyrge, several timesrger than the one in the Military Prefecture. It was better equipped with various kitchen utensils and seasonings. Wei Ruo and Xiumei were thrilled, as this saved them the trouble of purchasing various spices from outside. So the two of them immersed themselves in the kitchen, beginning their study of braised dishes. After two busy days, Wei Ruo and Xiumei finally created a braising sauce that satisfied them both. ¡°Miss, with this sauce, our braised dishes will definitely sell well!¡± Xiumei confidently said. ¡°Let¡¯s start by braising some pig¡¯s ears and tails.¡± said Wei Ruo. The locals in this area didn¡¯t consume much pork intestines or stomach, but they did eat pig¡¯s head, tail, and ears. These parts were rtively cheap, cost-effective, and once braised properly, their taste did not fall behind other parts. ¡°Alright!¡± Xiumei excitedly carried the y pot filled with the prepared braising sauce into the kitchen. The key to making good braised dishes was to ensure that they simmered for a sufficient amount of time. If it was too short, it wouldn¡¯t work, so they decided to let it simmer overnight and serve it the next morning, ensuring the vors were fully absorbed. The braised dishes prepared by Wei Ruo were first offered to the chef and maids of the kitchen, who had been observing them curiously for several days, wondering what they were up to. ¡°It smells so good! Miss Wei, what is this? How did you prepare such a delicious dish?¡± The taste buds of the chef, who had been cooking for her entire life, were immediately captured by these braised pig¡¯s ears. ¡°These are pig¡¯s ears.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Pig¡¯s ears? How can they be this delicious? They are aromatic and crispy full of meaty vour yet none of the chewiness, the taste is rich and it keeps you wanting more.¡± the chefmented. In the chef¡¯s view, pig¡¯s ears were not any high-grade ingredients, and the dishes made from them were always mediocre. However, what she just tasted, was even more delicious than regr meat dishes. ¡°Here are some pig¡¯s tails too, have a taste.¡± Wei Ruo let everyone try the pig¡¯s tails as well, which also received unanimous praise. Afterwards, Wei Ruo packed some pig¡¯s ears and pig¡¯s tails into food containers and had Xiumei deliver them to Madam Yuan at the prefecture¡¯s office. An hourter, Xiumei returned with an excited look on her face, ¡°Miss, Madam Yuan praised our braised dishes as extremely delicious. She would like to request more to entertain her guests tomorrow.¡± ¡°In that case, prepare more. This is a good opportunity for promotion.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll start preparing right away!¡± Xiumei was full of enthusiasm and excitement. This time, Xiumei added two more dishes to the menu, pig¡¯s trotters and pig¡¯s tongue. She personally delivered them to Madam Yuan at the prefecture¡¯s office early the next morning. That night, Madam Yuan sent a maid over with a message for Wei Ruo, saying that the twodies she had invited for the banquet were very fond of their braised dishes. They even inquired about where they could purchase them. Madam Yuan immediately informed them about Xu¡¯s impending Braised Dish Shop opening in the city, and they expressed their interest in buying more once the shop opened. The delicatessen hadn¡¯t officially opened yet, but it already had customers. This was a good sign. ### While Wei Ruo was busy purchasingnd, hiring staff and opening a shop, the He Family, who had received her letter, came to visit the Military Prefecture. Those who came were Wei Ruo¡¯s adoptive father He Zhang, her adoptive mother Madam He, and her younger sister He Miaomiao. Initially, the servants at the Military Prefecture did not intend to inform Madam Yun. However, upon hearing that the He family had brought two cartloads of medicinal herbs that were urgently needed in Xingshan County, the servants informed Madam Yun. Upon learning this, Madam Yun invited the He Family inside. Although Madam Yun did not wish to interact excessively with this family, they had brought two carts full of medicinal herbs. Out of courtesy, Madam Yun arranged for their stay in the house. Afterwards, Wei Qingwan was summoned to meet with the He family. Upon seeing the sycophantic smiles of the three members of the He family, Wei Qjngwan was extremely ufortable. She had been taught from a young age that business people were the most despicable and unrefined ss of society. Deep down, she did not want to associate herself with such people. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m Miaomiao, your little sister!¡± He Miaomiao greeted Wei Qingwan proactively with a burning enthusiasm. Wei Qingwan took a couple of steps back trying to maintain a distance between her and He Miaomiao. However, He Miaomiao seemed oblivious to her repulsion and aloofness, and wore a warm and congenial smile, saying: ¡°Sister, I have wanted to see you since I found out that you are my elder sister. Now, I finally get to meet you in person.. You are even more beautiful than I imagined!¡± Chapter 149 - 149 Hiring Staff for the Braised Food Shop 1 Chapter 149 - 149 Hiring Staff for the Braised Food Shop 1 Chapter 149: Hiring Staff for the Braised Food Shop 1 Trantor: 549690339 ; Wei Qingwan smiled faintly, ¡°Miss He, we¡¯re not familiar with each other, let¡¯s not be so affectionate.¡± He Miaomiao, however, seemed oblivious to Wei Qingwan¡¯s explicit sense of estrangement and continued to tter her. ¡°Sister, I know your situation. Rest assured, we will never mention the rtionship between you and us in public. Right now, we are in the Residence, with no one around, and there¡¯s no need for you to be so cautious.¡± Madam He hurriedly agreed, ¡°Yes, yes, Wanwan. We¡¯re blood rtives, and Miaomiao is your full sister. We¡¯ll be careful in public, but there¡¯s no need to be so distant from each other at home.¡± Wei Qingwan retreated from the three of them and nervously walked behind Yunshi. ¡°Mother,¡± she said. Yunshi furrowed her eyebrows, saw her daughter¡¯s difort, and said to the He family, ¡°Mr. He and his family, please remember the promise you made to US.¡± Madam He hurriedlyughed, ¡°We remember, please rest assured, we will not tell anyone outside that Wanwan is our daughter. But aren¡¯t we all alone here right now? Madam Wei, please also try to understand our parental feelings.¡± Hearing Madam He¡¯s exnation, Yunshi couldn¡¯t me the He family too harshly. She, too, was a mother and could understand their feelings. ¡°Wanwan, they are your biological parents. It¡¯s only natural for them to care about you. Spend some time chatting with them,¡± Yunshi said to Wei Qingwan. Since Yunshi had said so, Wei Qingwan had no choice but to nod in agreement. Then Yunshi left to deliver the medicine sent by the He family to the military camp and asked Wei Qingwan to entertain the He family on her behalf. Once Yunshi was gone, the He family began to show even greater affection towards Wei Qingwan. ¡°Wanwan, my Wanwan¡­ You look so much like your mother when she was younger.¡± Madam He gazed with love at Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan also noticed that she shared simr features with Madam He. However, this discovery did not make her feel any morefortable around the He family; in fact, it made her feel ufortable. Sister, I heard that Mr. Wei got promoted again and his future is bright. Will your status rise with him?¡± He Miaomiao asked curiously. ¡°Why are you asking these questions?¡± Wei Qingwan disliked He Miaomiao¡¯s sycophantic demeanor. I m just curious because I haven¡¯t been as lucky as you to grow up in a noble family like the Earl¡¯s Residence.¡± He Miaomiao replied with an envious look. Wei Qingwan did not want a direct confrontation, so she responded, ¡°Being in an official¡¯s familyes with its own difficulties. Many aspects of life are not as carefree as they are for you, Miaomiao.¡± He Miaomiao wouldn¡¯t listen, ¡°Sister Wanwan, my parents and I will stay here for a few days. Can you show me around?¡± Wei Qingwan declined, ¡°I have to go to the magistrate¡¯s office for lessons every day and don¡¯t have the time to apany you. And aren¡¯t you supposed to be more familiar with Sister Ruoruo? It would be better if you ask Sister Ruoruo for anything.¡± Wei Qingwan wanted to pass this nuisance to Wei Ruo. Unbeknownst to her, the rtionship between the He family and Wei Ruo had been very indifferent, they haven¡¯t seen each other for many years. Now Wei Ruo could stand in front of them and they wouldn¡¯t recognize her. ¡°But I just overheard that Sister Ruoruo isn¡¯t in the Residence now and won¡¯t be back for a few days,¡± He Miaomiao hurriedly replied. Wei Qingwan also realized Wei Qingruo was either lucky or had tactfully managed to avoid the He family. ¡°Sister Wanwan, stop declining. Just take me around! I promise to behave while we¡¯re out and not to bber!¡± He Miaomiao took the initiative, holding Wei Qingwan¡¯s arm, calling her ¡®sister¡¯ repeatedly. Wei Qingwan had no choice but to agree to take her around when she had spare time. ### When Wei Qingwan was getting annoyed by the He family, Wei Ruo was busy in the Government City. Because she was worried that her Uncle Xu couldn¡¯t handle everything alone, she brought Aunt Xu over as well. After all, the two shops in Xingshan County were running smoothly, and they didn¡¯t require the couple¡¯s constant supervision anymore. Wei Ruo needed to find suitable workers for both shops. Four Treasure House needed a shopkeeper, and the braised food shop needed someone who knew a bit about cooking, but was also disciplined and sensible. While Wei Ruo and Xiumei were discussing finding a skilled worker in the kitchen of Tianqin Garden, the Chef overheard and quickly rmended her niece to Wei Ruo. Upon Wei Ruo¡¯s inquiry, the Chef said her niece had learned some skills with her, but then had to quit to help her parents take care of her younger siblings. The girl was now fifteen years old. She was unmarried and wanted to find a job to help support her family. After finishing her story, the Chef sighed, ¡°If my niece could have continued to learn from me for a few more years she¡¯d be able to rely on her cooking skills to work for a noble family, like me. She wouldn¡¯t have to worry about food and shelter. Even after getting married, she could rely on her cooking skills to maintain a respectable life. It¡¯s a pity that¡­¡± It was regrettable that girls from families like theirs didn¡¯t have the luxury of choice. Those like her who could work as a chef for a noble family, maintaining a decent life, were a minority. After listening to the Chef¡¯s story, Wei Ruo agreed to meet her niece. The Chef was thrilled and immediately arranged a meeting for Wei Ruo. The moment Wei Ruo met the young woman, she frowned. The girl was two years older than Wei Ruo, skinny and sallow ¨C clearly malnourished.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It was already getting cold, yet the girl was wearing thin and shabby clothes ¨C clearly too small for her. ¡°Pleased to¡­ meet you, Miss¡­ my name is¡­ Chen Aqing,¡± the girl stammered, too nervous to look up at Wei Ruo. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so nervous, I am hiring you to work in my friend¡¯s shop, not selling you,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡± You first make a dish you¡¯re good at for us to taste.¡± Wei Ruo instructed Chen Aqing to make a dish for them in the kitchen of Tianqin Garden. Although the girl was timid, the dish she made was quite satisfying to Wei Ruo and Xiumei. They decided to have her follow Xiumei for a while to learn some skills and also to boost her confidence. Anyone who wanted to work in Wei Ruo¡¯s shop needed to develop self-confidence. Upon knowing that she was hired, Chen Aqing directly knelt down and gave Wei Ruo a kowtow, with tears in her eyes. ¡°Thank you, Miss. Thank you, Miss Wei Ruo was confused as to why she was so emotional. The Chef exined, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re not aware, but if she hadn¡¯t found a way to earn a living this time, her heartless older brother would most likely have sold her to the brothel!¡± So that¡¯s why. Wei Ruo looked at the skinny figure kneeling before her and said, ¡°As long as you maintain a proper attitude and work hard, with no distractions, you will not need to worry about going hungry in the future..¡± Chapter 150 - 150 Marrying a Dying Man Later_l Chapter 150 - 150 Marrying a Dying Man Later_l Chapter 150: Marrying a Dying Man Later_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Thank you, miss! Thank you, miss!¡± Chen Aqing once again bowed to express her gratitude. The cook was also extremely pleased: ¡°Aqing has found a benefactor! ¡°Take her down for now, and have her look for Xiumei tomorrow,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The cook echoed in agreement. After speaking, the cook led Chen Aqing away, saying as they walked: ¡®Til take you to change your clothes; you¡¯re going to be working in Miss Wei¡¯s friend¡¯s shop, so you need to be presentable. You¡¯ll stay with me for now, don¡¯t go home yet lest your mother takes the new clothes I give you and alters them for your younger brother.¡± The cook did not know that the shop was actually owned by Wei Ruo, who imed it was a friend¡¯s, and that she and Xiumei were just helping out, hiring people. Watching the two of them walk away, Xiumei was caught in memories she had long locked away. ¡°Miss, I remember I was sold to the He family because my mother had another son and couldn¡¯t afford to raise me,¡± she said. Xiumei was quite young when she was sold, so her memory of her biological family was vague. It was a sale that precipitated a total break; she had no contact with her past after that. When Wei Ruo was brought to the Wei family, Xiumei, as Wei Ruo¡¯s only personal maid, had her contract transferred as well. Despite just being a maid, the He family did not dare not hand her over. If they had returned their daughter without a single maid, the Wei family might have found out about the mistreatment their legitimate daughter received there. Even now, the Wei family had no idea what kind of life Wei Ruo led at the He family. The He family¡¯s exnation was that Wei Ruo was frail and was sent to live in the countryside to improve her health. Wei Ruo gave Xiumei a pat on the shoulder: ¡°Let¡¯s not mind them. If they don¡¯t want my Meimei, it¡¯s their loss.¡± Xiumei nodded emphatically: ¡°That¡¯s right! I don¡¯t need them. I¡¯m happy living with you, Miss, and nanny, and Uncle Xu!¡± ¡°just wait a little longer. When I¡¯m old enough to get married, I will find someone who is nearing death. I will then be able to set up my own household. We¡¯ll all be living together then,¡± Wei Ruo said to Xiumei. ¡°Miss, isn¡¯t there any other way? I don¡¯t want you topromise by marrying someone who¡¯s about to die,¡± Xiumei mumbled reluctantly. ¡°in this society, a woman takes her father¡¯s behest at home and her husband¡¯smand after marriage. Given my current status, this is the simplest and most straightforward way for me to set up my own home. After all, what¡¯s wrong with marrying a dying man? If he could leave me a stepson, I would be even happier,¡± Wei Ruo said with a smile. Wei Ruo really didn¡¯t see any problem with that. For someone who had lived two lives, she valued her independence and carefree life more than romantic love. The biggest issue might be finding such a man. It would be challenging to find a dying man who met all requirements and would be epted by everyone. Xiumei grumbled, ¡°That might indeed be worse than being like Aqing. At least she can work for herself.¡± ¡°Everybody has their own difficulties. We can¡¯t choose our fate. We can only painstakingly choose the path we walk upon,¡± said Wei Ruo. ### Wei Ruo kept herself busy for almost half a month. One day, Madam Yuan came to Tianqin Garden to find Wei Ruo, bringing her good news. ¡°Ruoruo, great joy! Your father has once again led his troops to a great victory against the Japanese pirates!¡± said Madam Yuan excitedly. ¡°Really?¡± Wei Ruo broke into a surprised smile. ¡°Absolutely! The victory report was just delivered to the magistrate s government office. My husband sent me the news as soon as he heard. The news from Madam Yuan would certainly be urate. ¡°Then¡­ were there any casualties?¡± Wei Ruo wanted to know how Xu Zhengyong was doing. ¡°Casualties are inevitable in a battle. Rest assured, your father is fine with only minor injuries,¡± Madam Yuan answered. ¡°Did any other officers get injured?¡± Wei Ruo asked further. ¡ö¡öI¡¯m not sure about that,¡± Madam Yuan answered. The news she had received wasn¡¯t that detailed. Wei Ruo felt somewhat disappointed, thinking of finding someer to go to Xingshan County to find out more. Madam Yuan then told Wei Ruo, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a military officer surnamed Xu performed exceptionally well. He led a small troop over Wangyue Mountain and ambushed the enemy. He even captured the leader of the Japanese pirates who attacked us this time, making a significant contribution.¡± The military officer with the surname Xu¡­ could that be Brother Xiaoyong? ¡°Was he injured?¡± Wei Ruo hurriedly asked. -I don¡¯t think so. I only heard about hismendation, not about him being seriously injured. Even if he was injured, it should be a minor one,¡± Madam Yuan replied. Wei Ruo was overjoyed, ¡°That¡¯s good. That s really good.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om -Besides bringing you this good news, I came to ask if you want to send someone to bring you back to Xingshan County for a good celebration with your father,¡± Madam Yuan asked. ¡°No need for that. Knowing we won is enough; there¡¯s no need for a celebration. Not to mention, weren¡¯t there a lot of casualties? I don¡¯t think my father will want to celebratevishly,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡ö¡öThat makes sense,¡± Madam Yuan agreed. ¡°Still, a victory is worth celebrating. Although fighting Japanese pirates has be the norm, people are always living with fear and worry. My husband has also been worrying about this for a long time. With a victory, we can all celebrate the New Year in peace.¡± Then Madam Yuan chatted with Wei Ruo for quite a while, during which time she tasted the fruit preserves, dried fruits, and braised meat that Wei Ruo prepared. It wasn¡¯t until someone from the prefecture¡¯s office came to inform her that her son, Sheng, had woken up from his nap and was looking everywhere for his mother that Madam Yuan left. Afterward, Wei Ruo quickly wrote a letter and sent someone to rush to Xingshan County to figure out Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s situation. Even though Madam Yuan had said that that person could be Brother Xiaoyong, Wei Ruo still wanted to ensure everything was okay. The reply came the very next day, but it wasn¡¯t a letter. It was Xu Zhengyong himself who came. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong!¡± An excited Xiumei rushed over and checked Xu Zhengyong¡¯s condition. She then noticed that one of Xu Zhengyong¡¯s hands was wrapped in white cloth and quickly asked, ¡°What happened? Did your hand get cut off? Let Miss check it quickly!¡± -It wasn¡¯t cut off, it¡¯s just a minor cut,¡± Xu Zhengyong hastily replied. ¡°What minor cut! Even minor cuts can be deadly if left untreated. Let Miss examine it, please!¡± Xiumei, holding onto the uninjured arm of Xu Zhengyong, started dragging him towards Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m really fine, and I¡¯ve already applied medicine to it,¡± Xu Zhengyong hurriedly assured her. Seeing how anxious Xiumei was about him, Xu Zhengyong grinned and said, ¡°Junior sister, seeing how concerned you are about me, are you nning to start calling me senior brother?¡± Upon hearing this, Xiumei immediately let go of Xu Zhengyong and red at him grumpily, ¡°In your dreams! It¡¯s enough that I didn¡¯t hit you, and now you want me to call you senior brother? ¡°Why would you hit me? After all, I did make military contributions,¡± Xu Zhengyong replied innocently. ¡°You¡¯re still saying it! Why didn¡¯t you tell us in advance that you were going on a risky ambush mission? That was very dangerous! If the coordination with the main force had gone wrong, you could¡¯ve lost your life!¡± Xiumei continued to berate him.. Chapter 151 - 151A Happy Atmosphere i Chapter 151:A Happy Atmosphere i Trantor: 549690339 ¡°My dear disciples, how can I discuss these things with you? Let alone not having the time to talk, even if I do have the time, I can¡¯t share them. They¡¯re military secrets!¡± Xiumei pouted, knowing that Xu Zhengyong was right, but she was still a bit unsatisfied. Xu Zhengyong quicklyined to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, see how Meimei¡¯s temper is growing bigger. If she continues like this, who will marry her?¡± Xiumei retorted, ¡°Who wants to get married! You can¡¯t utter a single good word!¡± ¡°Alright, you two stop bickering. It¡¯s enough that Brother Xiaoyong is back safe, I will unpack his bandageter and apply some medicine,¡± Wei Ruo promptly stepped in to mediate. Mother Xu said crossly, ¡°Xiaoyong, Meimei, you are both older than the young miss, but together you are not half as mature as her. How can you protect and serve the young miss in the future like this?¡± Xu Zhenyong and Xiumei instantly quieted down. Wei Ruo asked Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Brother Xiaoyong is it okay for you to be here in Government City?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, because of my injury, I got ten days of leave, being here allows me to be with you and to lend a hand,¡± Xu Zhengyong replied. Xiumei quickly said, ¡°In your condition what help can you offer? Just rest properly, so you don¡¯t end up crippled and have to call me ¡®senior sister¡¯.¡± Xu Zhengyong wanted to retort, but he shut up after seeing his mother¡¯s warning look. If he wanted to stay in Government City for a few more days, he better behave. If he upset his mother, his father would surely send him back to Xingshan County. ¡°Alright now, it¡¯s rare for us to be together as a family. Let¡¯s put all work aside and have a nice dinner tonight,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Great!¡± Xu Zhengyong was most excited. He could have dinner with Ruoruo and Meimei again! Just like when they were young! So that evening, they had dinner together on their estate. During the meal, Xu Zhengyong enthusiastically recounted his recent surprise attack on the Japanese pirates. In the end, Xu Zhengyong indignantly said, ¡°Do you know what these heartless bastards said when they were captured? They actually said that they also suffered from a natural disaster, had no food and had toe and rob us!¡± Xu Zhengyong was extremely angry, ¡°These bastards! If you¡¯re hungry, can¡¯t you find another way? Always thinking about stealing from others! Bastards, I will sh one each time I see one!¡± Mother Xu reminded him from the side, ¡°Xiaoyong, don¡¯t use foulnguage in front of the young miss!¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nanny. Those sons of bitches are not worth anything. Brother Xiaoyong did well by cursing them.¡± Xiumei agreed, ¡°The young miss is right, we should maintain our etiquette with others, but not with people like them!¡± Now that Wei Ruo had spoken, Mother Xu didn¡¯t say anymore. Then Xiumei asked Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Is there a chance for you to be promoted again for this merit?¡± Xu Zhengyong didn¡¯t know, ¡°Mr. Wei said he would report it honestly. But how I will be promoted, he can¡¯t decide.¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s power was limited. Anything above the general needed to be approved by higher-ups, and Xu Zhengyong had just been promoted to deputy general, which was an exceptional promotion by the Prince. So it was indeed difficult to get another promotion in a short time. Wei Ruo encouraged him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother Xiaoyong. You have already done very well. Don¡¯t stress about it, what¡¯s yours won¡¯t run away!¡± Wei Ruo knew that Xu Zhengyong¡¯s eagerness to be promoted as quickly as possible was because of her, so she didn¡¯t want to put any pressure on him. Xu Zhengyong was also thinking positively, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry. I will just do my best and perform well. There will definitely be opportunities! And Ruoruo, you wille back and live with us eventually!¡± Wei Ruo felt warm in her heart. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, you must work hard. If you seed, the young miss won¡¯t have to find a dying¡­¡± Xiumei¡¯s words were cut short as Wei Ruo pinched her arm. ¡°Find what?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I look forward to when you bring the young miss back!¡± Xiumei hastily covered up. Xu Zhengyong didn¡¯t suspect anything and continued to tell stories about his exciting experiences in the army. The dinner table was filled withughter. After dinner, Xu Zhengyong and his parents stayed at the estate, while Wei Ruo and Xiumei returned to Tianqin Garden. ### Unlike the joy andughter on Wei Ruo¡¯s side, Wei Qingwan was irritated by the He family. Especially He Miaomiao, who was utterly oblivious to propriety, constantly running to Wangmei Garden even though they were assigned guest rooms. She also liked to bring worthless clutter to give her, under the guise of presents. When she heard her calling ¡°sister,¡± Wei Qingwan felt insulted. As a merchant¡¯s daughter, calling her this in public could lead to potential misunderstandings. But she was helpless against the He family. She was afraid that if she offended them, they would disclose her origins. Wei Qingwan wanted to persuade the family to go back early, but the He family, on the pretext of the war being temporarily over and wanting to spend more time in Xingshan County to get closer to their biological daughter, had the audacity to stay. At this time, Wei Qingwan was wishing Wei Ruo coulde back from the Government City soon, so she wouldn¡¯t be the only one annoyed by the He family. ### However, Wei Ruo was really busy in the Government City and didn¡¯t want to return to Xingshan County at all. Thanks to everyone¡¯s efforts, The Four Treasure House opened first. The materials used were the same as before, and the supply source was also the same as before, as long as they temporarily controlled the sales volume of paper. The publicity methods for the new opening also continued to use previous methods, using the treasures produced by the Tibetanyman as a bonus, to invite schrs to trial their paper. After all, Wei Ruo still had several pieces of the Tibetanyman¡¯s treasures, which were more than enough! The opening of The Four Treasure House went smoother than Wei Ruo had imagined. The reason was that they had alreadyid a good foundation in Xingshan County. At that time, there were people from the Government City who traveled a long way to Xingshan County to make purchases. With a certain degree of poprity, the opening of The Four Treasure House became very easy. Moreover, the purchasing power of the elites in the Government City was obviously better than that in Xingshan County, and there were long queues at the door. Going by this situation, the revenue from The Four Treasure House in the Government City may surpass their previous two branchesbined. Wei Ruo specifically took Xiumei to the front of the store to watch the bustling scene, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Miss, we¡¯re going to make a lot of silver again!¡± This was a point where the twodies were very simr, making money makes them happy, and it could make their day. Wei Ruo smiled, then pulled Xiumei back into the cart, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s continue pondering about the snack bar, and then make some trouble for Wei Qingwan and the He family back in Xingshan County.¡± ¡°Miss, what trouble are you going to cause for the second miss and the He family?¡± Xiumei was both curious and excited.. Chapter 152: The One Who Defied Her Parents is Wei Qingwan_l Chapter 152: The One Who Defied Her Parents is Wei Qingwan_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I¡¯m keeping you in suspense.¡± Wei Ruo gave a mysterious smile. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re so wicked, stirring one¡¯s curiosity without satiating it!¡± Xiumei grumbled. ¡°Anyway, as long as it makes them ufortable, you¡¯ll find out when we return to the Military Prefecture next time.¡± Wei Ruo said yfully. Xiumei muttered: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait, then I¡¯ll have a goodughter!¡± After thinking for a moment, Xiumei said, ¡°Miss, you seem to have been particrly keen to provoke the second Miss recently!¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Wei Ruo candidly admitted, ¡°What can I do when Wei Qingwan refuses to leave me alone? I¡¯ve tried to avoid her, but she keeps up her petty antics, treating me as her imaginary opponent. If she isn¡¯t content to be peaceful, I can¡¯t be courteous to her, either. It¡¯s better to give her more to do so she doesn¡¯t spend all day plotting against me.¡± ¡°Yes! Miss, you¡¯re right! We shouldn¡¯t go looking for trouble, but we also can¡¯t always be bullied!¡± Xiumei agreed wholeheartedly. ### Xingshan County, Military Prefecture. After many days, Wei Mingting finally came home. He returned two dayster than everyone else, waiting until all the military affairs had been settled before going home. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After bathing and changing into clean clothes, he washed away the grime and fatigue he¡¯d umted over this period of time. Lady Yun attended to Wei Mingting after his bath, dressing his wounds. The wounds weren¡¯t deep and had almost healed, but to be safe, Lady Yun applied more medicine to them. After applying the medicine, Lady Yun informed Wei Mingting about recent events in the household, including Wei Ruo being taken by Madam Yuan to the Government City for a short stay, and the He family¡¯s stay near the Wei residence. ¡°As they should, they are also parents.¡± remarked Wei Mingting. Lady Yun added, ¡°They¡¯ve been staying near the Military Prefecture these days, and the girl named Miaomiao oftenes to see Wanwan.¡± ¡°From a familial perspective, they are full sisters. It¡¯s only natural for them to get to know each other.¡± Wei Mingting didn¡¯t see any problem with this. If they hoped that Ruoruo would get along well with Yichen and Yilin, then by the same logic, the He family must also hope that their two daughters get along well. While they were talking, Nurse Zhang came in and reported, ¡°The He family wishes to meet you.¡± The He family had been wanting to meet Wei Mingting, but he had been away at the military camp and they had to wait. Wei Mingting said, ¡°They¡¯ve done us a big favor, so we should meet them. Also, they helped take care of Ruoruo before, and I haven¡¯t thanked them in person yet.¡± Having said that, Wei Mingting asked Nurse Zhang to bring them in. Just at this moment, Jing Hu came in, bringing a letter. ¡°Master, this is a letter from the young master sent from the Huzhou Prefecture.¡± he said. ¡°Oh? Jinyi has sent a letter back.¡± Wei Mingting quickly picked up the letter and started to read. After reading it, his face immediately darkened. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Lady Yun asked, puzzled. ¡°You take a look!¡± Wei Mingting angrily handed her the letter. Lady Yun took the letter and read it. After finishing, her face also grew very unpleasant. ¡°Could it be that Jinyi got it wrong?¡± Lady Yun asked. ¡°If Jinyi hadn¡¯t thoroughly investigated it, would he casually write a letter about it? Besides, the He couple are about to arrive, right? We¡¯ll ask them directly whether it¡¯s true or not!¡± Lady Yun frowned. If what their son had written in the letter was true, then this He family truly deserved death! In a little while, the He couple and their daughter, He Miaomiao, arrived before Wei Mingting. Wei Qingwan came with them, not that she wanted to hang around with them, but the He family always clung to her. On seeing Wei Mingting, Wei Qingwan quickly stepped forward, ¡°Daddy.¡± Wei Mingting, looking very unpleasant, nced at the He family. He was not in the mood to pay any attention to Wei Qingwan at this moment. Wei Qingwan felt a sudden panic in her heart. She didn¡¯t understand what was going on and why her father was being so cold towards her. Was it because she had been spending too much time with the He family these days and had offended her father? The He family, who had arrived joyfully, were instantly stunned by the sight of Wei Mingting¡¯s face. They had long heard that Colonel Wei was a very stern man and seeing him in person today confirmed it! ¡°Colonel Wei, it¡¯s certainly true that seeing is believing¡ªwe finally have the opportunity to meet you today.¡± He Zhang approached Wei Mingting enthusiastically. However, Wei Mingting¡¯s face was still cold, leaving He Zhang unsure of what was happening. He Zhang¡¯s smile became awkward. He nced helplessly at Wei Qingwan, hoping that his biological daughter would help ease the atmosphere at this moment. Wei Qingwan pretended not to see. She never wanted to be associated with the He family in the first ce¡ªhow would she risk upsetting Wei Mingting for them? The three members of the He family started retracting awkwardly. At this time, Lady Yun spoke up and challenged the He couple: ¡°When we sent someone to find you, you told us that Ruoruo had been living well in your house these years, and she was sent to the countryside to recuperate because she was unwell. But now we know that this is not the truth!¡± Upon hearing this, He Zhang hurriedly exined, ¡°Where did Colonel Wei and his wife hear these words? Did Ruoruo vent her anger and speak without thinking? Ruoruo was very upset that we sent her to the countryside. She didn¡¯t understand our actions and good intentions, and wouldn¡¯t heed our exnations.¡± He Zhang continued: ¡°It¡¯s all misunderstanding! We really sent Ruoruo to the countryside for the sake of her health. Which parent wouldn¡¯t love their children? If there had been any other way, why would we send her to the countryside!¡± Wei Mingting said coldly, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Ruoruo who said this. She hasn¡¯tined about you to us at all since she returned. This information was obtained by my son through his investigation in Huzhou Prefecture.¡± Upon hearing this, He Zhang was choked into silence, the excuses he had prepared remaining unsaid. Wei Mingting interrogated them again, ¡°Based on the word of a fortune-teller, you abandoned a three-year-old Ruoruo in the countryside, letting her fend for herself?¡± His eyes were fierce, filled with the lethality unique to men who have experienced numerous battles over the years. He Zhang and his wife were frightened by Wei Mingting¡¯s fury and knelt down. Seeing this, He Miaomiao also quickly knelt down. Witnessing her parents being frightened into silence, she hurriedly helped exin, ¡°Colonel Wei, please don¡¯t be angry. The fortune-teller my parents consulted is a renowned living immortal in our area! He predicted that sister¡¯s destiny would curse her parents and by the time she reached eighteen, she would cause their death!¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face also changed. The actual time of Wei Qingwan¡¯s birth was slightly off from Wei Qingruo¡¯s. It was precisely this slight difference that made Wei Qingruo the eldest daughter. At the time, the He family didn¡¯t know they had gotten the wrong baby, so when they had Wei Qingruo¡¯s fortune told, they used Wei Qingwan¡¯s birth time. Didn¡¯t that mean the person who was predicted to bring death to her parents before she turned eighteen was her? Chapter 153: The He Family and Wei Qingwan are both in trouble l Chapter 153: The He Family and Wei Qingwan are both in trouble l Trantor: 549690339 He Miaomiao had yet toprehend the severity of the issue. Her sole concern was to quickly cate the Wei family¡¯s anger, so she continued to plead: ¡°Lord Wei, Madam Wei, it¡¯s not that we were fabricating things. If you don¡¯t believe us, you can send another trusted person to Huzhou Prefecture for verification. That fortune teller is still hale and hearty! My parents really didn¡¯t do this intentionally!¡± Lady He also hurriedly piggybacked on her daughter¡¯s exnation: ¡°Exactly, I mean, I didn¡¯t know that the baby got switched then. Who could bear to see their own flesh and blood suffer? We really had no other choice! Even though we sent her to the countryside at a very young age, we did not ill-treat her. We provided her with five taels of silver monthly allowance! Plus, she also had her nurse and a maid to take care of her. We¡¯re not an affluent family, so five taels of silver was substantial support for us!¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s face visibly paled. At this moment, she wished the He family would just shut up. But she was helpless, considering that anything she might say right now could make the situation worse. The more excuses the He family made, the worse the countenances of Wei Mingting and Lady Yun became. Wei Mingting rose abruptly, anger pulsating through him as he seized the sword hanging on the wall behind him. On seeing this, the He family waspletely petrified. They had never witnessed such a scene before! Lord Wei had killed countless men during his military career! ¡°Lord Wei, please calm down! Lord Wei, please calm down¡± Each member of the He family was on their knees, begging for mercy. Wei Mingting, the thought of his daughter sent away to the countryside at the tender age of three, gripped his sword even tighter. Lady Yun still had her wits about her. She stepped forward to mediate: ¡°My Lord, do not¡­¡± Even though the He family was hateful, if her husband were to kill them right here, he could face the penalty of the government office. Even amander-in-chief like him has no legal right to execute civilians within his home. Wei Mingting pointed his sword at the He couple: ¡°I do not want to ever set eyes upon you again! Leave this residence immediately!¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± The He family of three swiftly picked themselves up. Stumblingly, they made a run for it, fearing that their lives would be lost if they dyed any further.¡¯ After the He family had left, Wei Mingting put his sword away. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Lady Yun advanced, her expression filled with anxiety as she called to him, ¡°My Lord.¡± Wei Mingting spoke in a grave tone, ¡°To think of how much suffering and pain Ruoruo had to go through these years¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for Jinyi going to Huzhou Prefecture to study, we¡¯d still be kept in the dark by the He family.¡± Lady Yun was equally tormented. Their own flesh and blood had been treated so horridly by the He family, and they were deceived into oblivion about it. Lady Yun expressed her difort,¡±Why wouldn¡¯t Ruoruo tell us about any of this?¡± Wei Mingting responded with a tone of self-reproach, ¡°It must have been our inability to gain her trust, leading her to refrain from addressing the matter with us.¡± Lady Yun lowered her gaze. Something seemed lodged in her chest, making her feel breathless. Immediately, Lady Yun¡¯s gaze flickered towards Wei Qingwan on the side, and the words uttered by the He family earlier flooded her mind. If what the He family said was true, then their own Wanwan was the child that the fortune teller had predicted would bring death upon her parents! Upon realizing that Lady Yun was looking at her, Wei Qingwan nervously lifted her head: ¡°Mother¡­¡± ¡°You should return to Wangmei Garden now.¡± Lady Yun spoke to Wei Qingwan. Her mind was in a whirl right now and she didn¡¯t know what to say to Wanwan. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan looked at Lady Yun reluctantly. ¡°Go now. Your father and I have a few things to discuss,¡± Lady Yun instructed. ¡°Yes, I will take my leave.¡± Wei Qingwan took heavy steps, her heart aching as she exited the room. Upon returning to Wangmei Garden, Wei Qingwan broke down into tears. Curse the He family! What on earth were they doing in Xingshan County? It was one thing to persistently torment her, but now they had started a rumor that she was an ominous omen to her parents¡¯ lives. What if her parents believed them and distanced themselves from her, or worse, expelled her from the family, fearing that her existence could lead to their deaths? ### Wei Ruo had received the news from the military prefecture even before her return to Xingshan County. Jing Hu was the one who brought her the news. Wei Ruo of course knew that he was doing this not for her sake but for her second brother. Her second brother had yed a crucial role in the smooth execution of this n. Not only did Wei Ruo use his name to reveal her story of being sent to the countryside at three by the He family, but she also used his name to convince the He family that the Wei family needed something from them, hence the invitation. After reading the letter, Xiumei threw her head back and roared withughter: ¡°Hahaha, this will surely disconcert the He family and the second Miss! How I wish I could have seen their faces when they were being threatened by Master with his sword. It must have been hrious!¡± After reveling in her joy for a while, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, how could the He patriarch and hisdy be so audacious? Given their past mistreatment of you, how dare they step foot in the military prefecture? If it weren¡¯t for thew against murder, our Master would probably have cut them down on the spot!¡± Wei Ruo exined, ¡°At the start, when I was taken back by the Wei family, they were likely anxious, worrying that I might reveal their mistreatment to the Wei family. However, there was no way they could prevent it, since I was immediately taken away by the Wei family, leaving no chance for an encounter. As time passed, with no repercussions from the Wei family, plus the recent invitation to gather medicinal herbs, they probably felt that there was nothing to worry about.¡± In the original narrative, the original character, driven by her longing for familial affection, had begged for a meeting with the He family before being taken away by the Wei family. It was during that encounter that the He family, with their fraudulent expressions of familial affection, managed to deceive her into believing they cared for her. Convinced, she willingly aided them in concealing their deeds. Later on, the He family consistently schemed to profit from the original character by having her plead to Wei Mingting for assistance on their behalf. Their ploys seeded, with the deceived original character fulfilling all their requests. This time though, Wei Ruo did not give them the opportunity to manipte her. Instead, she directly exposed their maniptive nature to the Wei family, exacting a measure of revenge for the original character. While she initially nned to exact her revenge after gaining a more secure footing within the family, she thinks there¡¯s no harm in collecting a little ¡®interest¡¯ for now. Xiumei asked another question: ¡°Miss, do you think the Master and Madam will believe that ominous prediction?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I have no way of knowing that. My father, I reckon, may not buy into such superstitions. As for my mother, I can¡¯t speak for her. Regardless, Wei Qingwan is probably not having an easy time right now. This ordeal should keep her preupied for a while.¡± This matter was never disclosed to the Wei family in the original book, so Wei Ruo had no idea what their attitudes toward it might be, whether they too, like the He family, would shun her like a deadly gue. Xiumei, brimming with joy, dered, ¡°I hope she has no time to bother you, Miss, from now on! Also, here¡¯s hoping the Master¡¯s heart aches for your past suffering, Miss, after this revtion!¡± Wei Ruo smiled softly. She wasn¡¯t holding out hope for that. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t let them bother us anymore; how are Aqing¡¯s practices going?¡± Inquired Wei Ruo.. Chapter 154: Generous Early Investment-! Chapter 154: Generous Early Investment-! Trantor: 549690339 | These past few days, Chen Aqing has been following Xiumei, who, besides teaching her how to prepare braised meat and some basic store selling knowledge, has also been training her manners, expressions, and confidence. ¡°She¡¯s doing great, she learns pretty quickly and is diligent. I told her to take a break, but she kept mulling it over by herself. She seems very afraid of us not keeping her, so she¡¯s been especially diligent,¡± said Xiumei. Speaking of this, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help expressing her sympathy: ¡°She really has a hard life. Her parents favor boys over girls. She has to get up before dawn to cut pig grass, cook pig food, doundry, make breakfast for the whole family, and then take care of her siblings. Only untilte at night can she rest. In contrast, Xiumei felt very fortunate. She served Miss, who treated her well, and she even learned many skills for making a living, which made her life morefortable and happier than most people. Wei Ruo said: ¡°Give her plenty to eat, let her get a good replenishment, and be plump and fair. I need her to have strength to work for me. Don¡¯t let her be incapable of working.¡± Xiumei replied: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss. Herplexion has visibly improved these past few days. Besides three meals a day, I give her whatever experimental products we made when I was teaching her how to cook braised food. I also give her a piece of fruit every day.¡± Fruits, as the kind of stuff that poor families consider as luxuries, especially now in winter when fruits are scarce, are not affordable for ordinary families. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Ruo nodded. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Miss, you should also take good care of your body. You¡¯ve been working so much these past few days. Don¡¯t wear yourself out. I¡¯m going to prepare a stewed bird¡¯s nest for you soon. You must be obedient and finish it,¡± Xiumei reminded her. ¡°I won¡¯t have any trouble. You don¡¯t need to worry unnecessarily. I have to go to the farmhouseter, so just skip the bird¡¯s nest,¡± Wei Ruo said. As soon as Wei Ruo finished her words, she saw the look of grievance on Xiumei¡¯s face and quickly corrected her speech: ¡°Ok, simmer it. I¡¯ll eat it when I get back.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Xiumei immediately put on a smile. Then the two of them went to the farmhouse together, where Manager Yu reported to Wei Ruo about the situation in the past few days. ¡°Miss, we¡¯ve bought a total of 1212 acres of fields in thest few days, adopted thirty-seven refugees, and hired neen local poor people.¡± Manager Yu passed on the ount book and roster, which detailed the price of every piece ofnd purchased and rted transaction information. After carefully checking and confirming no issues, Wei Ruo asked Manager Yu, ¡°Have all the wheat seeds I gave you been nted?¡± Those wheat seeds were produced by her space. To wait for the maturity of the wheat seeds in Wei Ruo¡¯s space, they would be ntedter than that batch in Xingshan County. Manager Yu replied: ¡°They have all been nted. The weather these days is not bad. The sun is good. The temperature has risen a lotpared with the time when the cold wave struck. The seeds have sprouted.¡± ¡ö¡öIs the newly reimednd rtively infertile?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Madam Yuan had talked with her about the issue of infertilend in Taizhou prefecture. ¡°Yes, it is. All thend can be cultivated, but it¡¯s rather barren and its output has always been low.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t hurry to nt crops on it. Take me to see the fields,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo followed Manager Yu to the fields. After inspecting thend, she confirmed that these pieces ofnd were more or less the same. Some of them were hardened, indicating that the content of organic matter in the soil was insufficient. Wei Ruo asked Manager Yu: ¡°Do local residents have the habit of taking away rice straw stubble after harvesting? Manager Yu answered: ¡°Of course, formon people, rice straw stubble is very important. It can be used for heating, cooking, and roofing.¡± Wei Ruo said: ¡°The solution is rtively easy. Add more organic fertilizers, that is, human and animal excrement. The stubble can also be returned to the field. Excessive stubble can be ipletely burned and turned into ashes and then mixed with the soil.¡± Manager Yu said: ¡°Miss, all these methods have some difficulties. What you said about adding organic fertilizers is known to everyone, but it is very limited, and if it is not enough, it needs to be purchased. The same goes for straw stubble. Now the straw in the field has been taken home. I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± Especially this year is colder than previous years, so everyone needs the rice straw stubble even more. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. As long as I¡¯m willing to pay, all these things can be had,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Miss, this will raise the cost of thend,¡± Manager Yu reminded. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I need to invest some money in the early stage to have a better harvestter,¡± Wei Ruo answered. Hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s unhesitant answer, Manager Yu was somewhat surprised. After all, buyingnd and hiring people are huge expenses, and now she wants to invest more to improve the soil conditions. Even if she did so, it¡¯s still unknown whether she could have a good harvest in the future. If the weather isn¡¯t favorable, she might lose all her investments. Seeing Manager Yu¡¯s hesitation, Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Is there something wrong, Manager Yu?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried. The weather has not been good recently. Not long ago, a cold front hit, and the temperature is lower than at this time of the year. Nobody knows whether the crops nted now can be harvested. I¡¯m afraid that after Miss has put in so much effort, in the end, she might lose everything,¡± Manager Yu voiced his worries. ¡°Hmm, your worries are reasonable, but since I¡¯ve decided to do it, I want to do it in the best possible way and I can¡¯t be discouraged. I believe that thend is, fair. If you treat it well and follow its rules, it can give you a very good return.¡± With Wei Ruo saying this, Manager Yu had no objections. Wei Ruo continued: ¡°You do as I said. Use the fertilizer produced on the farm on the farm itself. Purchase the fertilizer for the newly reimednd from Uncle Xu with silver. I¡¯ll give you a detailed list of the standards of useter.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± Manager Yu noted. Then Wei Ruo went on to inspect the original 1000 acres of good farnd on which wheat had already been nted. After finishing her work, it was alreadyte, so Wei Ruo returned to Tianqin Garden. ### At the magistrate¡¯s mansion. Yuan Zhengqin came back from the government office and, upon entering his wife¡¯s room, heard herughing and ying with their son. The fatigue from his busy work schedule instantly faded and a smile spread across his face. ¡°Has our Sheng been good today?¡± Yuan asked as he took his son from his wife¡¯s arms. ¡°The way you put it, it¡¯s as if he¡¯s not well-behaved on other days,¡± Madam Yuanughed. ¡°It¡¯s good that he¡¯s behaving well. He gave you such a hard time when he was born, so he should be more considerate of you,¡± said Yuan Zhengqin. Speaking of the day of the childbirth, Madam Yuan thought of Wei Ruo: ¡°I really owe it to RuoRuo for that day.¡± Yuan Zhengqin said: ¡°I was just about to talk to you about Miss Wei.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Madam Yuan asked with concern.. Chapter 155 - 155 Father and Brothers Attitude_l Chapter 155 - 155 Father and Brother''s Attitude_l Chapter 155: Father and Brother¡¯s Attitude_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Miss Wei has bought quite a number of fields in the Government City these past few days and has employed many of these newly appeared starving people.¡± said Yuan Zhengqin. ¡°My sister Ruoruo mentioned this to me. Is there a problem?¡± asked Madam Yuan. ¡°There is no chaos that I¡¯ve heard of. From the point of view of a Magistrate, Miss Wei did a good deed. These starving people just appeared recently. Although they are not many, they are a form of instability. I was worried how to settle them, but they were all taken by Miss Wei. With fields to plough and rice to eat, they naturally settled down. This is much better than my using silver to arrange their stay.¡± The government¡¯s involvement in arranging housing and distributing food is all short-term and cannot solve the long-term problems. ¡°As long as there is no chaos, that is good. She saved my life, now she is helping me to treat my illness and also giving us ideas to increase productivity for the farmers. If she has any problems, you have to tell me, I need to help her.¡± Madam Yuan said to her husband. ¡°I know, I am also grateful to her. If any matterse up, I will assist her without you having to tell me.¡± saying this, Yuan Zhengqin sighed, ¡°Looking at the current trend, I am afraid that Miss Wei¡¯s family property will be more substantial than the entire Military Prefecture¡¯s, she may even catch up to the wealth at the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in the Capital City.¡± Yuan Zhengqin was familiar with the situation at Wei Family. Apart from the old grandfather and grandmother who perhaps still had some unknown property from within the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, there was really nothing else to show for it. ¡°That is my sister Ruoruo¡¯s own effort. The rewards for the improvements that she made on the barrennds were given to her by the seventh prince. Thend I gave her was for saving my and brother Shen¡¯s lives. She has the ability, so she should have such property.¡± said Madam Yuan. Seeing his wife speak so favorably of Wei Ruo, Yuan Zhengqin couldn¡¯t help butugh: ¡°It seems the Madam really likes Miss Wei.¡± Madam Yuan said, ¡°Initially, it was mostly out of gratitude. I still remember clearly her resolute look and words when I was at my most painful and difficult time, in these times of friendship, I truly like her more. Her nature suits my taste and is unlike the average youngdy.¡± ¡°AS long as Madam is happy, I am satisfied. Madam has found a close friend in this rtively cold ce of Taizhou Prefecture. In these years for Madam to leave the Capital City to apany me here, I have truly wronged Madam.¡± ¡°I have nothing to feel wronged about. As long as you are by my side, as long as you understand me, I am willing to go anywhere. Besides, I am living and eating well here, so why should I feel wronged?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yuan Zhengqin gently held his wife in his arms. Having a wife like her, what more can a man ask for. ### Wei Ruo stayed in Government City until the opening of the braised meat shop before she returned. She did not want to go back. However, if she dyed any longer, even with Madam Yuan as an excuse, it would be uneptable. After half a month, upon returning to the Military Prefecture, Wei Ruo first went to see Wei Mingting. Wei Mingting looked at Wei Ruo as if he had a lot to say. ¡°Ruo has worked hard.¡± said Wei Mingting. ¡°Your daughter has not suffered. Father has been fighting recent battles, fighting hard, and protecting our home and country are the real hardships.¡± Wei Ruo answered diplomatically. Wei Mingting stared at Wei Ruo for a long time. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but lift her head and look at him. Their eyes met. Wei Ruo felt a little hazy. She saw on Wei Mingting¡¯s face a look of an unfamiliar emotion. In her previous life, Wei Ruo never saw this from the drunk and abusive father. And in this life, up to now, it was the first time she saw someone show her such eyes. They were deep, they were thick, as if they contained many emotions. Wei Ruo lowered her head to avoid that unfamiliar gaze. After a while, Wei Mingting said to Wei Ruo, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard traveling back and forth. You should go back to rest first.¡± ¡°Your daughter will take her leave.¡± Wei Ruo quickly excused herself and headed to Tingsong Garden. When she was approaching Tingsong Garden, she was stopped by Wei Yichen. ¡°Big Brother?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Yichen with confusion, wondering why he was stopping her. ¡°Ruoruo¡­¡± Wei Yichen stared at Wei Ruo, appearing simr to Wei Mingting, with a hesitant look on his face. He came to look for her especially as he heard she had returned. ¡°Big brother, you can speak up if you have any matters.¡± said Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo was a little embarrassed to say this to Wei Mingting, but she had no reservations saying it to Wei Yichen. ¡°A few days ago, Second Brother sent a letter. He investigated some matters in Huzhou Prefecture¡­¡± Wei Yichen believed Wei Ruo did not know about this matter. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t continue the conversation and just looked at Wei Yichen, waiting for him to continue. It took Wei Yichen a while to continue, ¡°Ruoruo, you have suffered. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s all in the past already.¡± answered Wei Ruo. During her days at Mo Jiazha, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t actually suffer. She didn¡¯t refute Wei Yichen¡¯s statement because the original owner of her body did truly suffer during those years. Being a person born and raised in this world to her age and with her experiences, her only source of ie being cut off made her days truly difficult to endure. If it weren¡¯t for the nursemaid being with her all the time, supporting her with her own family¡¯s money, she might not have been able to wait for the day to be taken back by the Wei Family. Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s lighthearted dismissal of ¡°it¡¯s all in the past¡¯, Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t help but feel heavy-hearted. He promised Wei Ruo, ¡°Big Brother promises you that from now on, you will live a life of wealth. Father has said, he will not force you to be a well-bred youngdy. You can do whatever you like, and even if you marry a farmer in the future, it doesn¡¯t matter. Father and I will support you.¡± Wei Yichen spoke sincerely, but Wei Ruo already had her own ns. She wanted to rely on herself, not on her father or brother. ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, Big Brother. Let¡¯s talk about the future when ites. ¡°First, you go back and rest. Traveling around must be exhausting.¡± said Wei Yichen. Upon returning to Tingsong Garden, Nurse Zhang was waiting to report to her about the situation in the south of the city. Even though Wei Ruo didn¡¯t interfere much anymore, she still needed to grasp the general situation: firstly, she had received money from Qjan Magistrate, and secondly, out ofpassion, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to see the people having done all their work for nothing. After Nurse Zhang finished reporting, Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t my mother stay in the house today?¡± Wei Ruo had not seen Lady Yun from the moment she returned, who should have been there to see her with her father if she had been home. ¡°Madam went to Huafa Temple early this morning,¡± replied Nurse Zhang. ¡°Today is not the first or fifteenth of the lunar month. What is she doing at Huafa Temple?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I am not exactly sure, but I would guess it has something to do with the incident a few days ago.¡± Nurse Zhang answered. ¡°What incident?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s the letter that the second young master sent back. ording to the letter, the current second young Miss of the house is the one who is destined to bring disaster to her parents. Madam seems to care about this matter quite a lot, so I guessed that Madam might have gone to Huafa Temple because of this issue.¡± Since there was no one else present, Nurse Zhang told Wei Ruo everything.. Chapter 156 - 156 Wei Yilin Playing with a Whip_l Chapter 156 - 156 Wei Yilin ying with a Whip_l Chapter 156: Wei Yilin ying with a Whip_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Does Huafa Temple have monks who can tell fortunes?¡± Wei Ruo asked Aunty Zhang. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. The monks at Huafa Temple don¡¯t practice fortune-telling, but they do offer divination through drawing lots.¡± Aunty Zhang answered. Wei Ruo thought for a moment then asked again, ¡°Today, did Cuihe and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Li, leave the residence?¡± ¡°Mrs. Li went out not long after the Madam left and has yet to return.¡± Aunty Zhang replied. ¡°Understood.¡± Wei Ruo nodded inprehension. ¡°You can go and attend to your own affairs.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± After Aunty Zhang left, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo in confusion, ¡°Miss, why did you ask about Mrs. Li and Cuihe? What could they have gone out to do? They aren¡¯t up to something detrimental to you again, are they?¡± ¡°I suspect they might¡¯ve gone out to check whether the Madam went to find someone to tell her fortune,¡± Wei Ruo hypothesized. ¡°Ah, so the Second Miss is worried that the Madam might seek a fortune-teller which would only solidify the rumor of her bringing bad luck to her parents, isn¡¯t she?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°That¡¯s a possibility. Let them be. It¡¯s good if they are busy with other matters instead of creating more troubles for me.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Xiumei agreed. ### Madam Yun returned home before dinner. Once she arrived at Cangyun Garden, Madam Yun told Wei Mingting about her visit to the Huafa Temple today. ¡°It¡¯S neither the first nor the fifteenth day of the lunar month, why did you decide to go to Huafa Temple?¡± Wei Mingting asked. ¡°With everything that¡¯s happening at home ofte, I wanted some peace of mind.¡± Madam Yun answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Mingting did not say much. It had been a tough period with so many battles to fight. If going to Huafa Temple to pray and seek sce brought his wife peace, it was all for the best. ¡°My Lord, while at the temple today, I drew a lot. The monk interpreted the lot saying that the fate of the Wei Family hangs in the bnce and various matters are unpredictable. He said that we¡¯re at a crossroads, which could lead to a great fortune or a great catastrophe.¡± Madam Yun further added. ¡°Hmm.¡± The interpretation of the lot was ambiguous and neither good nor bad, so Wei Mingting had nothing much to say. Madam Yun was still anxious and said, ¡°My Lord, what if the things the He Family couple said are true?¡± Wei Mingting looked at Madam Yun upon hearing this. He realized that her visit to the Huafa Temple was due to this concern. ¡°Madam, do you believe in the saying about bringing bad luck to one¡¯s parents?¡± Wei Mingting asked. ¡°I have been contemting for a few days, and I still feel uneasy. I want peace of mind, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m thinking of asking other people¡¯s opinions. Just in case it¡¯s true¡­¡± Madam Yun replied. ¡°What if the fortune teller¡¯s advice is the same as the one employed by the He Family? How would you handle it? Would you send her away?¡± Wei Mingting questioned. ¡°I¡­¡± Madam Yun was at a loss for words. She wasn¡¯t very sure how to deal with this. ¡°Madam, if we believe in the fortune teller¡¯s words and send our child away, how are we different from the He Family couple who also sent Ruoruo away?¡± Wei Mingting questioned his wife. Madam Yun didn¡¯t know how to respond. She despised the He Family couple¡¯s act of abandoning their own child in the countryside and certainly didn¡¯t want to do anything simr. Weiming Ting continued, ¡°Madam, let¡¯s not think about this issue anymore. Since we decided to keep both girls with us, we should treat them well. A Wei child only leaves home when they get married, or if theymit a grave mistake warranting dismissal. They shouldn¡¯t be dispatched due to a fortune teller¡¯s words.¡± Weiming Ting¡¯s stance was clear. ¡°I understand, I shouldn¡¯t have dabbled in this matter, please don¡¯t be angry, my Lord.¡± Thereafter, Madam Yun stopped dwelling on this matter. ### Early the next morning, just as Wei Ruo woke up, there was a knock at the gate of Tingsong Garden. Opening the door, Xiumei was surprised to find Wei Yihn standing there, decked out in ck riding attire, his hair neatly bundled up, he looked quite formidable. ¡°Do you need anything, Young Master?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Is we¡­ Is she in?¡± Wei Yilin caught himself just before uttering her name and decided to change his word. Yet, he found it hard to address her as ¡®Big Sister¡¯, so he chose to refer to her simply as ¡®she¡¯. ¡°My Miss is busy with her things.¡± Xiumei answered. Actually, Wei Ruo had just got up, but Xiumei didn¡¯t want Wei Yilin to disturb her. Wei Yilin craned his neck to look toward the yard but didn¡¯t spot Wei Ruo, his face falling into disappointment. Xiumei didn¡¯t know what the little boy was thinking and not wanting to be impolite to him, she decided to wait for him to leave on his own ord. ¡°Tell her that I am at father¡¯s ce, ask her toe and see when she is free.¡± Wei Yilin told Xiumei. Xiumei didn¡¯t understand what Wei Yilin was nning but she still agreed, ¡°Alright, Young Master.¡± As soon as Wei Yilin left, Wei Ruo came out from the room. Xiumei gathered her by the door and told Wei Ruo about Wei Yilin¡¯s visit. ¡°That Young Master is odd, I wonder if he¡¯s up to no good again.¡± Xiumei expressed her concerns. Wei Yilin was known for his antics, making it hard for them to trust him. ¡°Ignore him.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t n to entertain Wei Yilin. After keeping herself busy in the courtyard for a while, she intended to return to her room to check recent ount books. With the opening of the two shops in the city and the acquisition of over a thousand acres of farnd in their estate, Wei Ruo had lots of work to catch up on. Just as she was about to return to her room, a messenger from Cangyun Garden arrived. It was an invitation from Wei Mingting for Wei Ruo to visit. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t refuse that. Approaching the entrance of Cangyun Garden, Wei Ruo could hear the crisp sound of a whip cracking. When she got closer, she saw Wei Yilin demonstrating his whip technique in front of Wei Mingting. With each strike followed by another, it appeared rather impressive. Upon catching sight of Wei Ruo, Wei Yilin seemed to put extra effort into his demonstration, the cracking whip growing louder and sharper. After concluding his demonstration, Wei Yilin put away the whip, ran over to Wei Mingting, and looked at him with expectant eyes. ¡°Very good, indeed. You have improved remarkably within a short period. Clearly, you have practiced assiduously.¡± Wei Mingting wasn¡¯t stingy with his praises,mending Wei Yilin¡¯s performance. Although he was stern, he was always ready to acknowledge the children¡¯s aplishments. Wei Yilin¡¯s face was immediately lit up with joy and shyness. This was the first time his father had praised him! So, it seems, my father can praise me too! In the past, he had assumed that no matter what he did, his father would never recognize his efforts. Hence, he had given up. He used to value Sister Wanwan¡¯s praises and thought himself incredible; he had assumed that if his father despised him, he didn¡¯t need his approval. Now it¡¯s clear that getting apliment from his father wasn¡¯t that difficult after all! Subsequently, Wei Yilin turned his gaze toward Wei Ruo. It was evident that he had seen her earlier.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om -How was that? I¡¯m good with the whip, aren¡¯t I?¡± Wei Yilin asked Wei Ruo.. Chapter 157: Changing Views on Wei Ruo 1 Chapter 157: Changing Views on Wei Ruo 1 Trantor: 549690339 1 ¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t understand, so I¡¯m notmenting,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be an expert like father, just tell me whether you think it looks good or not.¡± Wei Yilin insisted, he wanted to hear what Wei Ruo thought. Feeling helpless, Wei Ruo gave an evasive reply, ¡°If father praised it, it must be excellent.¡± What¡¯s wrong with this naughty kid? Did he want her topliment him? Is he doing this because he¡¯s too full? Wei Yilin pouted, his expression filled with dissatisfaction at Wei Ruo¡¯s response. Wei Mingting asked Wei Yilin, ¡°What made you want to learn the whip?¡± ¡°Because Wei¡­ Because big sister gave me this whip,¡± Wei Yilin answered truthfully. Wei Mingting nced at the whip in Wei Yilin¡¯s hand, recognizing it as an expensive and high-quality whip. Wei Mingting said to Wei Yilin, ¡°This is a rare item, you should cherish it and practice well, to do justice to your sister¡¯s hard work.¡± Wei Yilin replied, ¡°Father, I know. I¡¯m very dedicated to my martial arts training now. Even my master praises me.¡± ¡°Hmm, this is very good, remember to stay humble and retain your learning attitude,¡± cautioned Wei Mingting. ¡°Father, rest assured, I will continue to strive and do even better. I want to be a hero, just like father!¡± Wei Yilin said to Wei Mingting. This remark took Wei Mingting by surprise. His younger son had always been a little unruly in the past, which had caused headaches for him and his wife. He had always been guilt-ridden for not guiding him due to his busy schedule. He didn¡¯t expect such a drastic change in his son. After a while, Wei Mingting reached out and gently patted Wei Yilin¡¯s head, ¡°Study hard.¡± Although it was just a simple three-word phrase, itmunicated Wei Mingting¡¯s approval and encouragement for his youngest son¡¯s aspirations. Wei Yilin couldn¡¯t help but feel very happy and a little shy, his face even became slightly red. As he grew up, he had never been so acknowledged by his father before. Next, Wei Mingting turned to look at Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯ve made a great effort.¡± Wei Ruo hastened to exin, ¡°It¡¯s something the seventh prince gifted me before, I had no use for it and simply gave it to Yilin.¡± Wei Mingting responded with proud relief, ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t be so modest. It¡¯s not just about the gift, what¡¯s more important is the caring love you showed Yilin. You encouraged Yilin to learn martial arts and gifted him the whip. You understand Yilin far better than I, his father.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Encouraging Wei Yilin to practice martial arts and giving him the whip were Wei Ruo¡¯s ideas. Each action demonstrated Wei Ruo¡¯s heartfelt intentions. We have now seen that all Wei Ruo did was indeed correct. Wei Ruo:¡­ Actually, she simply didn¡¯t have anything to gift him. She only gave the whip to Wei Yilin because she had no use for it. She never had any expectations for Wei Yilin. Wei Ruo never expected Wei Yilin to change this way. Who would have known that he would endure the tough training, not only swallowing the bitterness, but also falling in love with martial arts. Listening to Wei Mingting¡¯s praise for Wei Ruo, Wei Yilin pondered. After a while, he also said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Thank you, big sister.¡± Although he still felt somewhat dissatisfied with Wei Ruo¡ªshe always had a cold face around him and was also quite sharp-tongued¡ªWei Yilin felt that he could understand what his father meant. He could see Wei Ruo¡¯s sisterly love for him, and she indeed helped him learn skills and gain his father¡¯s praise. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. It¡¯s all due to your own efforts,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Staying silent, she thought to herself: As long as you don¡¯t bother me in the future, that would be great! Wei Mingting, with a tender expression, watched the two siblings. The three of them stayed in the courtyard for a while and chatted. Wei Mingting then invited them to have tea and refreshments at Cangyun Garden. During the tea, Wei Mingting mentioned the West Mountain Vige, where he and Wei Ruo had previously stayed. ¡°I went to visit them the other day. The vige chief said that everyone missed you and remembered the delicious dishes you cooked for them.¡± Not to mention the vigers, even Wei Mingting and the soldiers who had also tasted Wei Ruo¡¯s dishes were remembering the delicious meals she cooked. Wei Yilin looked at Wei Ruo in surprise, ¡°You can cook?¡± Before Wei Ruo could answer, Wei Mingting responded on her behalf, ¡°Your big sister¡¯s cooking is the best I¡¯ve ever tasted.¡± Wei Yilin was stunned, ¡°It¡¯s even more delicious than Sister Wanwan¡¯s Osmanthus cake?¡± In Wei Yilin¡¯s heart, the Osmanthus cake made by his sister Wanwan was the most delicious cake he had ever eaten. ¡°On the matter of cooking skills, your second sister indeed falls short of your big sister,¡± Wei Mingting stated objectively. Wei Yilin found it hard to believe this, but he knew his father would not lie. How good could Wei Qingruo¡¯s cooking skills be? Wei Yilin couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. Therefore, he spent a while looking at Wei Ruo with skeptical eyes. Wei Ruo ignored his probing gaze and continued to ask Wei Mingting, ¡°How is life for the vigers in West Mountain Vige now? Can they make it through this year in peace?¡± Wei Mingting said, ¡°Life is certainly going to be tough. Not just for the vigers, but even some families in the county town that usually manage to get by, they are also not going to have an easy time this year.¡± Even the Wei family was significantly affected by the weather. They have been reliant on the support of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in the capital city to maintain their daily expenses. ¡°As long as they can get through, that¡¯s good. After this year, they can work hard again and farm theirnds, and times will get better,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I hope so,¡± responded Wei Mingting, hoping that the weather next year would be better to provide some respite for the people. Wei Mingting continued, ¡°Ruoruo, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. You have already done a lot to help them. In Xingshan County, countless people have benefitted from your kindness and are extremely grateful to you.¡± Wei Mingting had some free time recently and thus visited various ces. Initially, he wanted to learn about the living conditions of the people after the disaster. However, he unexpectedly found that his daughter was more popr among the people. Many people referred to him as ¡°Miss Wei¡¯s father¡±, and there were also many who inquired about his daughter. At that time, Wei Mingting felt an unprecedented sense of pride in his heart¡ªthe pride of a father. For the first time in his life, he felt such pride as a father. However, he didn¡¯t want his daughter to feel too much pressure regarding this matter. She should just do her best. After all, she¡¯s a woman, how much can she truly change in these difficult times? ¡°I just did what I thought was right,¡± Wei Ruo answered. Sitting by their side and listening to their conversation, Wei Yilin slowly realized that Wei Ruo seemed much more formidable than he had imagined. After finishing their refreshments, Wei Ruo and Wei Yilin left Cangyun Garden together. Upon leaving the courtyard gate, Wei Ruo quickened her pace, intentionally trying to distance herself from Wei Yilin. However, Wei Yilin raced up, calling out to Wei Ruo, ¡°Wait for ¡°What do you want?¡± asked Wei Ruo, her tone impatient. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s expression, Wei Yilin felt frustrated. He puffed out his cheeks, confronting Wei Ruo, ¡°Why are you so impatient with me? You clearly care a lot about me.. Can¡¯t you show a little gentleness?¡± me.¡± Chapter 158: Someone is causing trouble in the pickle shopl Chapter 158: Someone is causing trouble in the pickle shopl Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Gentleness? What kind of gentleness are you looking for?¡± Wei Ruo wanted tough. After some thought, Wei Yilin replied, ¡°Just like the gentleness of Sister Wanwan. You should learn from her. Her words are always soft and she¡¯s always very gentle, even her smile is sweet.¡± This time, Wei Ruo reallyughed out loud and then responded with two words to Wei Yilin: ¡°Dream on.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said you are daydreaming. If you like Wei Qjngwan, you should just go to her. I don¡¯t want to bother with you, let alone be gentle with you.¡± Though when others were present, Wei Ruo would pretend around Wei Yilin. But with no one else around, Wei Ruo did not feel the need to be indirect with him. ¡°Wei Qjngruo, you¡­ you¡¯re too cruel! What kind of sister are you! You¡¯re nothing like a sister!¡± Wei Yilin stamped his foot angrily, his little face turning beet red, his eyes ring wide.¡± Wei Ruo gave a cold snort andpletely ignored Wei Yilin¡¯s dissatisfaction, striding back to her courtyard. The abandoned Wei Yilin could only stomp his foot in ce angrily. ¡°Bastard, jerk, idiot!¡± Wei Yilin stamped ceaselessly on the ground as if the ground was Wei Ruo. Xiumei waited for Wei Ruo to return at the doorway and saw Wei Yilin stomping furiously from afar. ¡°Miss, what did you say that got the young master that angry?¡± Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but be curious. ¡°Nothing much, I just didn¡¯t want to be around him. Yet he wants me to be gentle with him like how Wei Qjngwan is, he¡¯s probably just spouting crap.¡± Wei Ruo replied. As soon as she has enough silver, she would find a short-lived ghost to marry. Like a cicada shedding its shell, he might not even be able to see her if he wished, let alone her being gentle with him. What gentleness, bloody hell! ### Two dayster, Wei Ruo received a message from Government City. The preserved meat shop had encountered trouble. The shop itself was fine, business was good. Chen Aqing and another runner were efficient at work and the daily earnings were substantial. However, precisely because the shop was doing well, it had somehow aroused the jealousy of someone who sent men to cause trouble at the shop. The first attempt to stir up trouble was unsessful, but in the second attempt they brazenly brought people over to trash the shop. Chen Aqing defended the shop but was outnumbered and consequently injured. Upon receiving the news, Wei Ruo immediately rushed to Government City with Xiumei. Before leaving, she only told Wei Mingting that there was business to be attended to in Government City. Wei Mingting did not pry, only reminding Wei Ruo to bring more people for protection. Wei Ruo tactfully declined, using the excuse that Madame Yuan would send people to meet them. The matter she was dealing with in Government City could not be known to the Wei Family for now. Upon reaching Government City, Wei Ruo first went to Chen Aqing¡¯s residence to check the situation. Currently, Chen Aqing was living with her aunt in a small alley in the city. When Wei Ruo and Xiumei found Chen Aqing, she was lying on the bed recuperating. Seeing Wei Ruo, Chen Aqing tried to get up but Wei Ruo stopped her: ¡°Stay in bed, don¡¯t move around.¡± ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I failed to protect the shop¡­¡± Chen Aqing apologized regretfully. ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. Next time when you encounter such a situation, and your enemy outnumbers you, just run. A trashed shop can be restored but not if something happens to you.¡± ¡°But miss, it¡¯s the shop you had such a hard time opening¡­¡± Chen Aqing¡¯s face showed both grief and guilt. ¡°It¡¯s fine, if something¡¯s resolved we can reopen the shopter. It¡¯s not a big deal. The most important thing is that you¡¯re okay.¡± Wei Ruoforted Chen Aqing. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Stop thinking about all these, you just need to focus on resting. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± As Wei Ruo spoke, her hand reached out to touch Chen Aqing¡¯s wrist to check her injuries. There was an empty medicine bowl by Chen Aqing¡¯s bed, which Wei Ruo picked up to inspect. Seems like her aunt really cared about her. She had sought medical consultation for her, although the prescribed medication was not very effective, she had done her best. Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to get some paper and a pen, and then she wrote a new prescription, asking Xiumei to fetch the medicine. Afterwhich, she also gave Chen Aqing some ointment. ¡°You stop taking the medication given by the physician for now. Use the medication Xiumei brings back instead. Then apply this ointment to your bruises, morning and night each day.¡± Wei Ruo instructed. Chen Aqing looked at Wei Ruo, puzzled. She had lived for so long and aside from her aunt, this was the first time someone had been so kind and concerned about her. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re too good to me.¡± Chen Aqing said, choking on her words. ¡°You were hurt because of my shop; it¡¯s only right that I do this.¡± Looking at Wei Ruo, Chen Aqing suddenly teared-up. She didn¡¯t cry when she was beaten up, but Wei Ruo¡¯s care and concern made her feel like crying. ¡°You¡¯re such a good person, Miss¡­¡± ¡°Alright, stop thinking about all that. Just focus on resting. I¡¯ll handle the issue.¡± After giving Chen Aqing a few instructions, Wei Ruo left. Now she needed to find out exactly what happened and who was causing trouble behind the scenes! When Wei Ruo and Xiumei returned to Xu¡¯s Preserved Meat Shop, the wet nurse was already waiting inside the shop. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t get back in time.¡± The wet nurse apologised. ¡°Wet Nurse, you don¡¯t need to me yourself. You and Uncle Xu have a lot of responsibilities and can¡¯t always stay in the shop. Didn¡¯t I also fail to arrive in time?¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t give the wet nurse an opportunity to ce all the me on herself and she asked, ¡°Do you have any clues about the person causing the trouble?¡± ¡°The people who came imed to be from the Zuixian Residence.¡± The wet nurse answered. The wet nurse wasn¡¯t sure why they had offended people from Zuixian Residence. Although both parties were restaurants, theoretically, there shouldn¡¯t be any conflicts between them. N?v(el)B\\jnn Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, do we go to the Zuixian Residence to seek people out?¡± Xiumei had already rolled up her sleeves, ready for a fight. ¡°We can¡¯t act recklessly, even if it really is people from Zuixian Residence. If the two of us recklessly confront them, we will definitely lose.¡± While Wei Ruo was answering Xiumei¡¯s question, she was also thinking of a n. ¡°Like this, Meimei, let¡¯s return and dress ourselves up. We¡¯ll also prepare some preserved meats. Tomorrow we will set up a street stall in front of the shop.¡± Wei Ruo suggested. She nned to wait for the troublemakers. Since they were targeting her business, then she¡¯ll run it defiantly. ¡°Good!¡± Xiumei raised both hands in agreement. Upon hearing this, the wet nurse suggested, ¡°Miss, should I call Xiaoyong back? He just returned to Xingshan County a few days ago and hasn¡¯t reported to the military camp yet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trouble Brother Xiaoyong, his injury has just healed and he has to return to the camp in a few days. Let him rest and refrain from travelling back and forth.¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid that there will be too many people causing trouble and Meimei won¡¯t be able to handle them all¡­¡± The wet nurse said worriedly. ¡°Hl borrow some people from Madame Yuan. This is a bustling area in Government City, if anyone causes trouble, the magistrate¡¯s office will have to handle it..¡± Chapter 159 - 159 Confronting the Person from Chapter 159: Confronting the Person from Zuixian Residence! Trantor: 549690339 | Seeing that Wei Ruo had a n, the wet nurse could only ce her worries back into her stomach for now. Following this, Wei Ruo went to seek Madam Yuan. Upon hearing news that the shop had been vandalized and someone was injured, Madam Yuan offered to help Wei Ruo resolving the matter. ¡°Leave this all to me. There is no one in Taizhou prefecture I cannot control!¡± Wei Ruo shook her head, ¡°Madam, I should handle this myself. I must confront and manage these issues personally; I can¡¯t rely on you for everything. Madam Yuan smiled lightly. Seeing that Wei Ruo had her own thoughts, she didn¡¯t insist further. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll assign two of my personal guards to you. They¡¯re my menmand excellent martial skills, and they¡¯ll be more convenient than the government office¡¯s guards. Just order them directly when you need something.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± ¡°What¡¯re you being so formal for? You¡¯ve helped me so much, and I¡¯m happy to be able to assist you. Moreover, they were the ones causing trouble in Taizhou prefecture, which naturally entails responsibilities from the magistrate¡¯s office. Not to mention how much mydy friends and I enjoy the marinated delicacies from your shop. It will be a pity if it were to be ruined by those hoodlums.¡± ### The next day, Wei Ruo and Xiumei, dressed as men, applied some disguises on their faces. Wei Ruo put arge, ck mole on the upper right corner of her mouth. She was nning to put more hair on it, but Xiumei stopped her. Xiumei: ¡°Miss, don¡¯t put more, it¡¯s disgusting!¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Disgusting? I find it quite good. Perhaps I could add a birthmark too.¡± Wei Ruo knew her facial features were feminine, so without some additional adornments, it would be obvious that she was a girl. Wei Ruo put the birthmark on her left cheek. With a mole on the right and arge birthmark on the left, barely anyone could see her actual face. Minimized by her youth, the absence of a masculine personality was not at all unusual. Wei Ruo: ¡°Great, then what should I put on you?¡± Xiumei: ¡°A scar, to make it look more fierce.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll put one next to your eye, that¡¯ll definitely look ferocious. ying cheerfully and making fun, they got their disguises ready and then brought the marinated goods they had prepared the night before to Xu¡¯s Marinated Delicacies shop to set up the stall. Xu¡¯s Marinated Delicacies reopened¡ªwhile the original shop hadn¡¯t been tidied up yet, a temporary stall was set up in front of it. Although it was just a small stall, business was still booming. Many regr customers came over to patronize their business. Selling for all morning, more than half of the prepared marinated delicacies were sold. They estimated they could sell outpletely by the early afternoon. With a lull at noon, Wei Ruo and Xiumei intended to go inside and grab some food. Just as they turned around, several men appeared, blocking the disguised Wei Ruo and Xiumei¡¯s way. ¡°You two really have guts, daring to continue your business here!¡± A tall, thin man started with a sarcastic tone. Looking at this man and his gang behind him, they resembled hooligans. Wei Ruo looked at the man, not panicked at all, but rather delighted. They finally showed up; she had been worrying all morning that they wouldn¡¯te at all! ¡°Why can¡¯t we continue our business here? Who are you? Are you from the Government Office or somewhere else?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you foolsst time? I am a man from Zuixian Residence! Don¡¯t you know what that means when you do business here?¡± The man puffed. ¡°What did our business do to obstruct Zuixian Residence?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°How did you not? Our restaurant is for people to dine in, and you¡¯re selling food right in front of us. Isn¡¯t that consideredpetition?¡± ¡°So what, even if we open a restaurant just like yours, I don¡¯t think the Zuixian Residence has any right to stop us from doing so?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°You¡¯re looking for trouble!¡± The man¡¯s expression became grim, he turned and ordered his men, ¡°Brothers, bring it down for me! Let them know the consequences of messing with Zuixian Residence! Together with the leader, a total of six men attacked Wei Ruo and Xiumei. Wei Ruo stepped back, leaving the battlefield to Xiumei. At the same time, the two guards from Madam Yuan¡¯s party also stepped in. Initially aggressive, the six men were beaten up by Xiumei and the two guards in a few swift moves. ¡°Who are you? How dare you hit us! We¡¯ve already said we¡¯re from Zuixian Residence! You¡¯re making a mistake! Once our boss hears about this, he won t let you get away with it!¡± The tall, thin man was now sprawled on the floor, but he was still yelling. ¡°Is that so? Why don¡¯t I take you to meet the boss of Zuixian Residence then? I am curious about what kind of influential man he is! His words immediately changed the man¡¯splexion to horror: ¡°You, you¡¯re taking me to see the boss of Zuixian Residence? No, I can¡¯t go see him!¡± Wei Ruo approached, ¡°Why not? Afraid your boss will punish you for failing his mission?¡± ¡°I, I¡­anyhow, I¡¯m not going! Let me go!¡± The man tried to crawl up and escape, but Xiumei noticed him, stepped forward, and kicked him back down. The man groaned in pain. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°My name is Li Biao and I won¡¯t change it¡­ ¡°Li Biao, huh? Good, I hope your boss is as brave as you are.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°You, what are you going to do?¡± Li Biao had barely finished asking when the two guards dispatched by Madam Yuan came forward, picked him up, and headed towards the Zuixian Residence. Li Biao panicked: ¡°What are you doing? Let me go! Do you know who I am?¡± No matter how much he shouted, Wei Ruo and the others showed no mercy. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It was lunchtime, and Zuixian Residence was crowded with guests. The appearance of Wei Ruo and her party attracted the attention of many guests. At the same time, the waiter of the restaurant came out to inquire. ¡°May I know what¡¯s going on, sirs?¡± ¡°Is your boss in the restaurant?¡± Wei Ruo stepped up to ask. ¡°Young gentleman, may I know what business you have with our boss?¡± the waiter asked. ¡°We caught a few hooligans. They imed to be instructed by your boss to cause trouble, so I came to speak with your boss about it.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Upon hearing this, both the waiter and the customers in the restaurant showed expressions of disbelief. Who was this young man, not very old yet daring. Did he think that the person capable of establishing a restaurant like Zuixian Residence in Taizhou prefecture would be simple? Everyone knew the boss of Zuixian Residence had significant backing. Poking his nose into this, wasn¡¯t he afraid of bringing trouble upon himself? Wei Ruo remained calm andposed: ¡°Is your boss in the restaurant now?¡± The waiter looked troubled. At that moment, the shopkeeper came over and spoke with a smile, ¡°Young gentleman, I¡¯m sorry, but our boss doesn¡¯t meet guests. As for the person you brought with you, our boss doesn¡¯t recognize him either. I think you may have mistaken something..¡± Chapter 160 - 16o: Boss Fan l Chapter 160: Chapter 16o: Boss Fan l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I also hope it¡¯s a mistake, but to be safe I¡¯d like to ask your boss directly. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to take this person to the Government Office to file aint. Not to mention if the Government Office has toe and invite your boss, it may not paint a pretty picture,¡± said Wei Ruo. Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper looked even more awkward. Subconsciously, he nced towards a certain spot on the second floor. Wei Ruo noticed his gaze, and following it, he saw a private room on the second floor with the words ¡°Crane Pavilion¡± written on it. ¡°If you¡¯ve done something wrong, don¡¯t be afraid of others knocking on your door. Is your Zuixian Residence number one in Taizhou prefecture built on such tricks?¡± he asked. After Wei Ruo finished speaking, there was a long silence both in and around the private room. The hall became eerily quiet. Just when Wei Ruo was about to turn around and head towards the Government Office, thinking he wouldn¡¯t get to meet anyone today, the door to the private room opened¡­ A young man stepped out. He had a handsome face, wore a traditional cor, held a folding fan in his hand, and carried himself with an air of elegance. The crowd in the hall changed their expressions as soon as they saw the man. Particrly Li Biao, who Wei Ruo had brought in. His eyes widened in shock and horror. From the reactions of others, Wei Ruo could tell that there was a considerable degree of respect, even fear, towards this man. The man held a smile on his face as he looked down at Wei Ruo standing in the hall on the first floor. Wei Ruo met the man¡¯s gaze, unflinching. With a smirk, the man shifted his attention to Li Biao who had been brought in by Wei Ruo. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I would also like to know who has been causing trouble under the guise of my Zuixian Residence,¡± he said. Upon the man¡¯s concentrated gaze, Li Biao looked increasingly troubled as he quickly averted his eyes. Panic washed over his being. The man on the second floor then instructed the attendant standing behind him, ¡°Go and find out who did this.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± responded the attendant, as he descended the stairs and walked towards Li Biao. As the attendant approached, Li Biao immediately started to panic. Before the attendant could even speak, Li Biao confessed, ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t hit me. It was boss He from Heji who hired me! He told me to im that I was working on the orders of Zuixian Residence, saying it would scare them off more easily! I was only doing what I was paid for!¡± Heji was a shop on the west side of the street selling braised dishes and some snacks like nuts and dried fruit. Then, Li Biao pleaded with the man on the second floor, ¡°Spare my life, sir. Spare my life, I won¡¯t dare to do it again!¡± The man on the second floor looked indifferent as he asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Young master, is there anything else you wish to say?¡± Everyone in the room was sweating for Wei Ruo. ¡°There¡¯s no issue now. If this person had spoken the truth earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to bother the boss,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Indeed, you came to me instead of directly reporting to the officials. That does show some respect,¡± the man chuckled. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, sir. I¡¯ll not trouble you any further, excuse me,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Intending to leave, Wei Ruo turned around. ¡°Wait,¡± the man from the second floor spoke again. His call made the hearts of everyone in the hall jump. This young man had offended the boss and intended to leave just like that. It seemed too simple. It looked like the young man was about to have some tough luck. Wei Ruo turned around and looked back towards the second floor, appearing unruffled. ¡°Are you the boss of Xuji Braised Food Shop?¡± the man on the second floor asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Ruo admitted. ¡°The braised food from your shop is quite good,¡± the man remarked. ¡°Thank you for your recognition, sir. Please do visit more often. As a token of gratitude for helping me uncover the truth, I would like to offer you a discount,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Alright,¡± the man on the second floor agreed, a faint smile on his face, inscrutable. Wei Ruo then left, and the boss returned to his private room. Leaving the people in the hall in a state of astonishment. It seemed that not only was the boss not angry with the young master, but he seemed to be quite interested in this young man! Moreover, the boss praised the braised food from Xuji Braised Food Shop. This meant that their food must be extraordinary! Upon leaving Zuixian Residence, Li Biao breathed a sigh of relief. He felt less scared about being taken to the Government Office by Wei Ruo than he did meeting the boss of Zuixian Residence just now. Wei Ruo asked Li Biao, ¡°It seems that you¡¯re quite afraid of the boss of Zuixian Residence.¡± Li Biao responded, ¡°No kidding! If the boss wanted to settle ounts with me, I¡¯d die a hundred times over!¡± Wei Ruo then asked, ¡°Why did you dare to harm others under his name then?¡± Li Biao replied, ¡°How was I supposed to know you¡¯d dare to go confront him directly! And who knew you¡¯d be so lucky today to have the boss at the restaurant and even meet you! The boss is a busy man, how was I supposed to know he¡¯d get involved in this!¡± ¡°Sounds like this boss is quite a formidable person,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Of course he is! Didn¡¯t you even know what kind of person he is when you went to confront him?¡± replied Li Biao. Wei Ruo retorted, ¡°I went to him not to cause trouble, but to seek reason. If he¡¯s not the one responsible, I¡¯m also clearing his name. And if he is the one at fault, no matter how formidable he is, I will not cower.¡± Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t very clear about the boss¡¯s background before she went there, but she did hear a thing or two. Knowing that he is a formidable individual, she still chose to act. As Wei Ruo was about to take Li Biao to the Government Office, a short, plump man stepped in their way. ¡°Boss He!¡± Li Biao eximed with excitement as if he¡¯d seen his savior. At Li Biao¡¯s call, Wei Ruo knew the man blocking their way must be the one who had hired Li Biao to make trouble for them. ¡°You must be Boss He from Heji,¡± Wei Ruo assumed, scrutinizing this person with her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± Boss He dered, lifting his head arrogantly. ¡°In that case, would you please apany me to the Government Office?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Who are you to invite me to the Government Office?¡± Boss He responded with disdain. ¡°I¡¯m the owner of Xuji Braised Food Shop, which you¡¯ve vandalized.¡± Wei Ruo stated. ¡°Who vandalized your shop? You better not make baseless usations. At such a young age, you¡¯re making such reckless statements. It¡¯s total nonsense!¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s nonsense or not, you will find out once you go to the Government Office with me,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Who¡¯s going to the Government Office with you? Do you think I¡¯m as idle as you? I¡¯m busy!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re so busy, Boss He, why are you blocking our way? To me, you don¡¯t seem all that busy,¡± Wei Ruo said, grinning. ¡°Why are you concerned about what I do!¡± Boss He retorted irritably. ¡°Then why are you interfering in my affairs?¡± Wei Ruo countered. ¡°I can¡¯t stand you bullying others. What are you all ganging up on Li Biao for? Let him go now or don¡¯t me me if I get nasty,¡± Boss He warned arrogantly. With that, Boss He signaled for his men toe over ¨C seven or eight of them armed with brooms and shovels, brimming with hostility.. Chapter 161: Want to Buy Wei Ruo’s Formulai Chapter 161: Want to Buy Wei Ruo¡¯s Formi Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo said with a faint smile, ¡°Mr. He, do you intend to seek public trouble and get thrown into jail?¡± ¡°Nonsense. I just want you to let the people go. What right do you have to detain people? I can file a charge against you for injuring them!¡± Mr. He pompously argued his point. ¡°You injured first. We intend to take the person to the Government Office. If you have anything against us, you can choose to take us to the Government Office as well. I can go there with you right now if you want. So, what¡¯s it going to be: will you go or not?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Mr. He¡¯s face turned sour. He hadn¡¯t expected this young man with an ugly blue birthmark on his face to be so sharp-tongued. ¡°You little brat, you really are shameless!¡± Mr. He went into a rage out of embarrassment. ¡°I think the person acting shamelessly is you. You be envious because my business is good so youe to make trouble, and you don¡¯t even dare to use your own name, instead hiding behind others¡¯. I¡¯ve seen shameless people before, but never as shameless as you!¡± Wei Ruo shot back. ¡°Fine, you rude brat! You won¡¯t listen? Then I¡¯ll teach you a lesson, I don¡¯t take insults lightly!¡± Provoked by Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Mr. He ripped off hisst shred of dignity, intending to resort to violence against Wei Ruo. Many people had gathered in the street to watch themotion, but Mr. He was still unafraid to resort to violence. His years of impunity had conditioned him to do as he pleased, and the local residents were all too afraid of him to stand against him. The locals, who¡¯d suffered at the hands of Mr. He before, watched Wei Ruo stand up to him with a mix of worry and sympathy. At that moment, one of the guards pulled out his waist te and showed it to Mr. He. Mr. He, once arrogant and cocky, quickly lost his color at the sight of the waist te. ¡°The¡­.the princess¡­¡± These are Princess Jingmin¡¯s people! Seeing this, Mr. He¡¯s eyes bulged in shock, not knowing what to do. His own men, who¡¯d been following him, promptly dropped the ¡°weapons¡± in their hands. They were all meremon folks, how could they dare to offend royalty? Li Biao, who had initially hoped that Mr. He would save him, found his hopes dashed. ¡°Esteemed officers, I was short-sighted and didn¡¯t recognize you. I hope you can forgive this.¡± Mr. He quickly apologized. On any given day, no one would dare to offend these guards dressed in their official uniform. Today, in order to assist Wei Ruo, they had purposely dressed likemon people. ¡°Mr. He, it would be best if you apany us to the Government Office.¡± As the guard spoke, Mr. He¡¯s face turned a sickening shade of white, he tried to struggle: ¡°Esteemed officers, this is all a misunderstanding. I don¡¯t know this man named Li Biao. I merely mistook your actions for bullying themon folk, hence why I brought my shop¡¯s men to help.¡± Both guards remained silent, instead they looked at Wei Ruo. Mr. He got the hint that is the young man with the ugly face was the one calling the shots. ¡°Young master, it was all a misunderstanding.¡± Mr. He smiled weakly, a stark contrast to his earlier belligerence. ¡°Is that so? So getting Li Biao to bring his men to vandalize my shop was also a misunderstanding?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°No! I¡¯m not familiar with him! I did not send him to smash the shop!¡± Mr. He denied. ¡°Is that so? So, Li Biao was the mastermind? This was all his own doing? In that case, his offense would be much graver.¡± Wei Ruo turned to look at Li Biao. On hearing this, Li Biao became frantic and quickly pointed at Mr. He and said, ¡°Mr. He gave me the money, he was the one who instigated me!¡± He didn¡¯t want to take all the me himself! Mr. He also panicked: ¡°You hoodlum! This isplete nonsense!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense, I took your five taels of silver to do your bidding! If I¡¯m lying may the heavens smite me!¡± Li Biao cried out loudly. ¡°Shut up!¡± Mr. He frantically tried to signal Li Biao, hoping he would take full responsibility for everything. But Li Biao, in his panicked state, didn¡¯t catch the signals Mr. He was sending him and continuously confessed his dealings with Mr. He. ¡°Enough, save it for the Government Office.¡± Wei Ruo instructed the guards to take Mr. He and Li Biao to the Government Office, deciding not to go along herself. The main reason being that both their identities were fake, and if they went along and were questioned in detail at the Government Office, it could lead toplications. Once the guards had revealed their identities, Mr. He and Li Biao had no choice but toply even if they had the physical strength to resist; they didn¡¯t have the courage to do so. Afterwards, Wei Ruo led Xiumei towards Xu¡¯s braised food shop. At a window on the second floor of the Zuixian Residence, boss Fan had watched everything unfold on the street below. Only after Wei Ruo and the others had left did Fan rise from his seat and return to his table. Then he asked the shopkeeper in the room: ¡°What do you know about this young master?¡± The shopkeeper who stood by, carefully replied: ¡°My apologies, sir. I¡¯m not sure either as I had only learned today that he¡¯s the boss of the new braised food shop. I haven¡¯t seen him before.¡± The shopkeeper quickly added: ¡°However, it¡¯s likely that he¡¯s a young master from some official family, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be able to employ Madam Yuan¡¯s guards.¡± ¡°Take some men over to the braised food shopter and offer a high price for their recipe.¡± Fan Chengxu ordered. They had tried to fathom the recipe for the braised food at the Zuixian Residence, but had failed. The Zuixian Residence, which he ran, imed to be the best in the Taizhou prefecture. He never thought they would be outshined by a tiny braised food shop. If he can¡¯t figure it out himself, then he¡¯ll just buy it. As long as he offered enough money, there is nothing he couldn¡¯t buy. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°At once, sir.¡± The shopkeeper hurriedly set off to prepare. When the shopkeeper arrived at Xu¡¯s braised food shop, Wei Ruo and Xiumei were just about to leave. The shopkeeper walked up to them with a smile on his face: ¡°Greetings, young master. I am the shopkeeper of the Zuixian Residence, my surname is Shen. We met at the Zuixian Residence just now, I¡¯m not sure if you remember me.¡± ¡°I remember. Is there something you need, Mr. Shen?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Actually, my master wants to purchase your braised food recipe.¡± Wei Ruo lightly smiled and politely refused, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this recipe is not for sale.¡± Mr. Shen was undeterred and continued, ¡°Young master, don¡¯t be so hasty in refusing, we can negotiate the price.¡± Wei Ruo shook his head, ¡°No matter the price, I won¡¯t sell.¡± Wei Ruo had no intention of running just one shop. If possible, she wanted to expand. And with that in mind, she would not sell the recipe easily. ¡°What if my master is willing to offer 500 taels?¡± Shen, the shopkeeper, made his offer. 500 taels for a recipe was an astronomical price. Wei Ruo shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The persistent shopkeeper raised the price further: ¡°600 taels.¡± Wei Ruo again shook her head. ¡°800 taels.¡± Wei Ruo was still shaking her head. ¡°1,000 taels!¡± Shen the shopkeeper raised the price to 1,000 taels.. Chapter 162: Aim for Long-Term Business_l Chapter 162: Aim for Long-Term Business_l Trantor: 549690339 That¡¯s a thousand taels! How many years of marinated delicacies would this shop have to sell to make this sum! Wei Ruo smiled, ¡°I¡¯m not selling the recipe for the marinated dishes, but I think I can discuss another deal with Boss Fan, which will be more suitable for Zuixian Residence than this marinated dish recipe. Shopkeeper Shen looked puzzled, ¡°The young master has other business to discuss with our family¡¯s young master? ¡°Yes, please return and tell Boss Fan that if he is indeed interested, we could arrange a meeting to discuss further.¡± said Wei Ruo. Shopkeeper Shen looked at Wei Ruo, his surprise very evident. This young master surely is brave. This novice, who hasn¡¯t even made a household name for himself yet, dares to ask to deal directly with their master. Should he be called a young calf that is not afraid of the tiger, or should wemend him for his courage? After contemting for a while, Shopkeeper Shen said: ¡°Alright, I will go now and ask our young master. Please wait here for a moment young master, I will be back soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo agreed. Shopkeeper Shen stood up and left, quickly returning to Zuixian Residence. On the second floor of the private box, Shopkeeper Shen repeated the pitch he just had. ¡°Oh? He wants to discuss business with me personally?¡± Fan Chengxu showed an interested smile. ¡°Yes.¡± Fan Chengxu pondered for a while, then said, ¡°Bring him over. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Due to the close proximity of the two shops, in less than a joss stick¡¯s burning time, Wei Ruo, led by Shopkeeper Shen, walked into the door of the Crane Pavilion on the second floor. This time, Fan Chengxu carefully looked at Wei Ruo at a close distance. He was young, small in stature, had arge area of blue birthmarks on his face and ugly ck moles. His looks could be described as ugly. Only those pair of eyes were clear and clean, smart and spirited, it could be considered the only redeeming feature on his face. ¡°I heard from Shopkeeper Shen that you want to talk business with me?¡± Fan Chengxu looked at Wei Ruo with a half-smiling expression. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Fan Chengxu leisurely sipped his tea, waiting for the rest of the conversation. ¡°Zuixian Residence is the most famous restaurant in Taizhou prefecture. There are many kinds of dishes in the building. The marinated dishes are just one of the hundreds of dishes. It¡¯s not worth spending a lot of money to buy a marinated dish. But I have something more useful to Boss Fan that I want to supply to you in the long run. ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Fan Chengxu admitted that he was quite interested in what this young master was saying. Wei Ruo did not answer directly, but took out three porcin bottles from the brocade bag he had brought. N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo ced the three bottles on the mahogany round table in front of him, lined up in a row. -These three bottles are all ingredients for seasoning. The spices used in my marinated dishes shop are these. Boss Fan, if you are interested, you may take a look.¡± said Wei Ruo. Fan Chengxu stared at the three porcin bottles in front of Wei Ruo. After scrutinizing them for a while, he signaled to Shopkeeper Shen. Shopkeeper Shen immediately came forward and took all three porcin bottles to Fan Chengxu. Fan Chengxu opened one bottle and sniffed it near his nose. There was a scent inside, the smell was rich andyered. The fragrance did indeed resemble the smell of the marinated dishes sold in Xu¡¯s marinated dishes shop. Wei Ruo exined, ¡°The smell might be a bit pungent if you sniff it directly, but if you cook it into food, the taste will definitely be better and it can effectively neutralize the fishy and mutton smell in meat and fish. Fan Chengxu poured out some of the powder in the bottle onto a te. The dark brown powder seemed to be a mixture of many things. Just by looking at it, without any knowledge in this area, one would not be able to distinguish the specific ingredients. Then Fan Chengxu put down the first bottle and opened the second one. If smelled, the second bottle had a stronger aroma, and it was a liquid when shaken. So Fan Chengxu poured some into a small bowl. After seeing the ck-brown liquid, Fan Chengxu dipped some with his chopsticks and prepared to put it in his mouth. ¡°Master!¡± Shopkeeper Shen was worried. ¡°This is soy sauce.¡± Fan Chengxu said as he put it in his mouth. It was indeed soy sauce, but the taste was much more delicious and richer than any soy sauce he had tasted before. Not only is there a divide in the quality of wines, but soy sauces are the same. Good soy sauce and bad soy sauce differ greatly. Without a doubt, the small bottle of soy sauce in front of him was the cream of the crop. Finally, Fan Chengxu opened the third bottle. This time it was not powder, nor was it a liquid with strong fluidity. He tipped the bottle over for a while before a bit of the viscous liquid flowed out. The color was a bit lighter than soy sauce, and it gleamed brightly. ¡°What is this?¡± Fan Chengxu asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Oyster sauce.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Oyster sauce?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a sauce made from oysters. It has a delicious vor and can be used for cooking many dishes. It can also be eaten as a dipping sauce.¡± Wei Ruo answered. She did not conceal the main ingredient of this sauce, which was oyster. After all, even if she told him the raw material was oyster, he might not be able to make the exact same oyster sauce. just like everyone knows that the raw material of soy sauce is soybeans, but to make delicious soy sauce, the craft is most important. After listening to Wei Ruo¡¯s description, Fan Chengxu again scrutinized the viscous substance. Just by looking at it, one could not see any connection between this substance and oysters. Fan Chengxu picked up his chopsticks again and dipped some into his mouth, tasting it carefully. The first response was freshness, a unique fresh and salty taste of seafood, without any fishy tastemon to seafood. The taste was not as strong as soy sauce, but the texture was equally rich and tempting. He finished examining the three items. Except for the five-spice powder, Fan Chengxu had tasted both the soy sauce and the oyster sauce. After a while, Fan Chengxu raised his head, his sharp gaze once again fell on Wei Ruo: ¡°Are you trying to sell me the recipes for these spices? ¡°No, I am not selling recipes, I am selling spices. I want to provide spices to Zuixian Residence in the long run.¡± Wei Ruo answered, her eyes filled with confidence and determination. Wei Ruo¡¯s answer surprised Fan Chengxu, and he asked with interest: ¡°So how much stock do you have on hand now?¡± ¡°None.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°None? And you still have the audacity to say that you want to establish a long-term supply rtionship with me.¡± Fan Chengxu asked. ¡°Once the deal is made, I can immediately set up a workshop for production.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°So you have nothing right now, in other words you¡¯re trying to talk me into a business with no investment for high returns? -My capital is my art. I know how to make these condiments, I know how to conquer diners¡¯ taste buds. This is my capital and it is valuable. If they were worthless, Boss Fan would not have let Shopkeeper Shene over to buy the marinade recipe from me today, would he?¡± Wei Ruo retorted.. Chapter 163: Only such people are worthy of doing business with me_l Chapter 163: Only such people are worthy of doing business with me_l Trantor: 549690339 Upon hearing this, Fan Chengxu remained silent for a while. Wei Ruo was not in a hurry, she just looked at Fan Chengxu. After a while, Fan Chengxu asked, ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Xu Heyou.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Mr. Xu,¡± After muttering to himself once, Fan Chengxu smiled and said, ¡°Alright, Xu Heyou, I¡¯ll do business with you. But I have one condition.¡± ¡°Please speak, Mr. Fan.¡± ¡°Since you want to do this business with me, you cannot sell these seasonings to others in the future.¡± Fan Chengxu asked. Wei Ruo shook her head: ¡°I can¡¯t promise that, Mr. Fan. I can only promise that within Taizhou prefecture, I will only sell this five-spice powder and oyster sauce to you at Zuixian Residence. If it¡¯s outside of Taizhou prefecture, that¡¯s another matter. And I will continue to use the five-spice powder and oyster sauce in my own deli.¡± It was not enough to only sell the three items to Zuixian Residence, even if it was outside Taizhou Prefecture. Shen, the shopkeeper, was a little angry, ¡°Mr. Xu, don¡¯t be too excessive.¡± He thought their young master was someone you could haggle with. Wei Ruo replied calmly, ¡°Business is about willing buyer and willing seller. Mr. Fan can raise his requirements, I can raise mine, if we agree, we¡¯ll talk, if not, we won¡¯t. There¡¯s nothing too excessive or not excessive.¡± Fan Chengxu chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°In fact, just this five-spice powder is enough to make Zuixian Residence stand out among many restaurants, and the chefs of Zuixian Residence are inherently better than those of other restaurants. The seasonings will definitely be used to a level that other restaurant chefs cannot reach.¡± ¡°Furthermore, I can see that you, Mr. Fan, are an ambitious person. Your business empire will not be limited to Taizhou prefecture. If you n to open restaurants in other ces in the future, I can continue to supply you in these ces.¡± Fan Chengxu looked at Wei Ruo with a half-smile.N?v(el)B\\jnn Feeling his sharp gaze, Wei Ruo remained calm andposed. ¡°Fine.¡± Fan Chengxu said, ¡°I ept your conditions. The five-spice powder and oyster sauce, apart from your own deli, can only be supplied to my restaurant. You are allowed to sell soy sauce to others. But you still need to teach my chefs how to use these seasonings.¡± ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Then Wei Ruo and Fan Chengxu talked for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, discussing some aspects of future coboration. During the discussion, Wei Ruo remained confident, courteous and not humble or arrogant. After the discussion, Wei Ruo left the Zuixian Residence. After Wei Ruo left, Shopkeeper Shen said to Fan Chengxu, ¡°Young Master, this Mr. Xu is somewhat disrespectful to you. It is already giving him face to be willing to do business with him and establish a long-term cooperation. Yet he still refuses this and that.¡± ¡°What did he do wrong?¡± Fan Chengxu asked in return. ¡°A nameless nobody like him, speaking to you in such a way¡­it¡¯s a bit too presumptuous¡­¡± Shopkeeper Shen replied cautiously. ¡°If he can be easily manipted, then he is not worthy to do business with me.¡± Fan Chengxu said with a light smile. Anyone who could negotiate with him face to face must at least have equal wisdom and courage. Shopkeeper Shen was surprised. He didn¡¯t expect such an ugly young man like him to win their young master¡¯s approval. Upon returning to Xu¡¯s Deli, Wei Ruo shared the good news with Xiumei. ¡°That¡¯s great! Zuixian Residence is very sessful. If we can supply them on a long-term basis, we can make a lot of silver! It¡¯s another step closer to Miss¡¯s goal!¡± Xiumei rejoiced. Wei Ruo¡¯s goal is to save enough silver and procure enough property for herself before finding the right person to marry. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte today, close the shop and go to Tianqin Garden first, then drop by Aqing¡¯s ce.¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Take those candied fruits we bought this morning with you.¡± ¡°I know, Miss, don¡¯t worry.¡± Wei Ruo and Xiumei tidied up, closed the shop, and went to see Chen Aqing. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw Chen Aqing feeding chickens while leaning against the wall. ¡°You¡¯re notpletely healed yet, why did you get up?¡± Xiumei hurriedly went forward to support her. When Chen Aqing first saw Xiumei and Wei Ruo, she was startled. It wasn¡¯t until Xiumei spoke that she reacted and realized that it was Xiumei and Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m much better after taking the medicine Miss gave me.¡± Chen Aqing said. ¡°Even if you¡¯re better, you can¡¯t start working. You need rest!¡± Xiumei retorted. ¡°Auntie has helped me a lot, I want to help her do some things¡­¡± Chen Aqing apologized. Wei Ruo came over, ¡°Your aunt would rather see you recover and be healthy, there will be plenty of opportunities to repay her when you are able to work properly.¡± Xiumei agreed, ¡°Right, Miss is correct. If you don¡¯t recover properly and get sick, how are you going to repay your Aunt in the future?¡± Chen Aqing listened, ¡°Then I won¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Good, that¡¯s more like it.¡± Xiumei, supporting Chen Aqing, said, ¡°Come, I¡¯ll help you back to your room.¡± After Chen Aqingy back down on her bed, Wei Ruo told her about today¡¯s events: ¡°We found both the thugs who wrecked the shop and the instigator behind it. It was instigated by the owner of Heji, who deliberately used the name of Zuixian Residence to intimidate others. Now Mr. He and the thugs are in the government office, and you won¡¯t need to worry about theming to bother you again once you¡¯re healed.¡± Chen Aqing nodded fervently, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid, Miss, I¡¯m not afraid of them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about not being afraid, the next time something like this happens, run. You¡¯re my employee, if you get injured it¡¯s my loss. So to minimize my losses, you need to protect your own safety.¡± Chen Aqing, moved, nodded, ¡°I will do as Miss says.¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Take a good rest and keep taking your medicine. The medicine will be a bit bitter, so I bought you some candied fruits to sweeten your mouth.¡± Xiumei took one and put it into Chen Aqing¡¯s mouth, ¡°Try it. It tastes good, though the ones that Miss and I make are even better. We¡¯ve been a bit busy recently, when we have time, I¡¯ll make some for you.¡± Chen Aqing had never experienced such luxuries as candied fruits in her life, barely even getting enough to eat. The sour and sweet taste of the candied fruit spread in her mouth, and tears unexpectedly flooded her eyes. She hadn¡¯t cried when she was hungry and cold, nor when she was beaten and scolded by her parents, but now, just because she had a bite of candied fruit, tears uncontrobly poured out. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Xiumei was a little anxious. ¡°Miss, Sister Xiumei, you¡¯re too kind to me.¡± Chen Aqing said, choked up with emotion. Xiumei quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped Chen Aqing¡¯s tears, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. Miss and I came to see you, not to make you cry..¡± Chapter 164 - 164 Father Gets Promoted Again 1 Chapter 164 - 164 Father Gets Promoted Again 1 Chapter 164: Father Gets Promoted Again 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡® ¡ã ¡ª After pacifying Chen Aqing, Wei Ruo and Xiumei returned to Tianqin Garden. Wei Ruo was in her room, noting down ns for her future work on a piece of paper. The consumption of seasonings in Zuixian Residence wasrger than her marinated food shop, she needed more raw materials and a workshop that could produce seasonings steadily. Procuring raw materials, transportation, and establishing a workshop were not entirely unfamiliar territories for Wei Ruo. During those thirteen years, Wei Ruo had gained substantial experience in these areas, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to start the Four Treasure House shop. When procuring raw materials, under normal circumstances, considering the transportation costs, Wei Ruo would prioritize choosing materials produced closer by. However, at present, the use of these spices was not yet widespread, only a few households grew spices, and many of the spices were wild. Therefore, for now, Wei Ruo could only go to her previous procurement spot for arge purchase, which would drive up the costs a bit. But ording to the price she had negotiated with Mr. Fan, this cost was not a problem. If the sales scale further expanded in the future, she would consider freeing up somend to grow raw materials like cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Regarding transportation, she would wait a couple more days. Once Old Tao, who was responsible fornd transport, arrived, she would give her list to him and let Old Tao make a trip. The raw materials she previously used for her five-spice powder and hot pot base were all bought by Old Tao. As for the production of oyster sauce, the ingredient, oyster, was rtively easy to source. Taizhou prefecture was a coastal area, so there wouldn¡¯t be a problem as long as the sea was open. However, currently, due to the issue of Japanese pirates, the supply of oysters might be unstable. Yet simr to the previous problem, if the sales volume increased, Wei Ruo would consider farming oysters herself. This would not only save costs but also ensure a steady supply. The premise was that there must be considerable sales volume to justify such actions, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be beneficial. Since soybeans were mainly grown in the north, Wei Ruo would ask Brother Daqiu, who ran boats there. Both Old Tao and Brother Daqiu were people Wei Ruo had known and cooperated with for a long time, and they were both trustworthy. Besides the problem of raw material supply, Wei Ruo needed to find a location. She had some vacantnd on her estate in the government city, which could be transformed into a small workshop. Initially, the scale of the small workshop did not need to berge, but a few reliable and earnest workers must be selected. When she had time, she needed to visit the estate more often to observe, and if suitable, pick out people to work in the workshop. ### Wei Ruo stayed in the government city until Xuji Marinated Food Shop reopened, and then she returned to Xingshan County. Just when she got home, she heard the good news of the Wei family. The official document for Wei Mingting¡¯s promotion had arrived. He was promoted to Deputy Guard Commander and would assist the Guard Commander of Taizhou prefecture in overseeing the Anti-Japanese Army in the entire prefecture. His rank was also promoted from the sub-sixth rank Zhongxian Colonel to an official sixth-rank Zhaosin Colonel. He was promoted two ranks within just half a year! This honor was indeed rare, which showed that Wei Mingting¡¯s outstanding performance in the Anti-Japanese campaign was recognized. The whole Colonel residence was immersed in jubtion due to this good news. It felt like all the passing servants had delighted and excited expressions on their faces. Wei Ruo and Xiumei calmly walked through the crowd, returned to Wangmei Garden, and then carried on with their own matters. Winning the battle and receiving rewards was something they could have expected all along. Although the promotion was somewhat unexpected, as everyone previously thought that considering he had just been promoted half a year ago, another promotion might be inappropriate. But the fact proved that the court attached great importance to the Anti-Japanese campaign and wascking talents in this area. Therefore, the court was not stingy with rewards and promotions for those generals who had performed meritoriously in the Anti-Japanese war. Currently, the biggest influence on Wei Ruo should be the problem of moving houses. She had just received the news that since Wei Mingting was promoted to the official sixth-rank, and his jurisdiction had changed from the Anti-Japanese Army in Xingshan County to the entire Anti-Japanese Army along the coast of Taizhou Prefecture, Wei Mingting¡¯s residence would move from Xingshan County to the government city. Now the entire residence was busy with this matter. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t get away from this chore because she had as many things as others. Not to mention the things she brought from Huzhou Prefecture, just during this more than half a year, she had collected quite a lot of goods. Her private small storage room was packed full, and her stuff couldn¡¯t fit into one cart. Wei Ruo was quite happy about the house move. Although she had many properties in Xingshan, these properties had been operating steadily. The government city was the ce where she was needed more.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Residence moving to the government city would facilitate her next actions to a great extent. In the evening, after Wei Ruo and everyone had dinner in the dining hall, Mrs. Yun talked about the moving issue with everyone. Mrs. Yun specifically asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo, you have been in the government city these past days and might not know about the situation at home. I¡¯ll tell you about it. The official document of your father¡¯s appointment hase, and he is going to be transferred to the government city. The transfer was quite urgent, so we need to pack up our things as soon as possible and move to a new ce in the government city along with your father.¡± Because the Japanese pirates had been bothering Taizhou Prefecture for a long time, the transfer of martial officers was quite pressing. However, it was clear that Wei Mingting¡¯s capabilities had been recognized by the higher-ups, that¡¯s why he was urgently needed in the government city to assist the Guard Commander inmanding the entire Anti-Japanese Army in Taizhou Prefecture. Yes, I will pack up my things as soon as possible,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Yes, it would be best if you could inform me in advance, so I could arrange the carts and horses,¡± Mrs. Yun said. ¡°Sure.¡± Mrs. Yun continued, ¡°Ruo, you are more familiar with the government city than your brothers and sisters. So when we move there, if there are any issues, Ruo, you¡¯ll have to help your siblings more.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Wei Ruo smiled and agreed. Wei Yilin raised a question, ¡°Mother, what about me? I am still training with my master! I can¡¯t stop halfway!¡± Mrs. Yun replied, ¡°Silly boy, there are martial arts teachers in the government city as well, and the teachers in the government city are even better than those in Xingshan County.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Of course, you can ask your father if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Wei Mingting nodded in agreement. Having gotten affirmation from Wei Mingting, a joyful and expectant look spread across Wei Yilin¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s great! Then I can be even stronger! By then, none of my senior brothers will be able to defeat me!¡± Wei Yilin had already started imagining what would happen in the future. ¡°You study hard, and I will hire the best martial arts teacher for you in the government city,¡± Wei Mingting said to Wei Yilin. ¡°Alright! Father, I will study hard!¡± Wei Yilin firmly replied. Watching his lively and cheerful character, Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun couldn¡¯t help but smile happily. This child had really changed a lot in recent times. Wei Qingwan lowered her head silently as she saw Wei Yilin¡¯s joyous manner. Her brother leaving her hadn¡¯t saddened him as much as she thought it would. On the contrary, he seemed very happy and cheerful.. Chapter 165: Moving to Government City_l Chapter 165: Moving to Government City_l Trantor: 549690339 At first, when they had separated, her brother had said that he would think of ways to convince their parents to let him return to her side. But now he seemed to have forgotten what he said, not mentioning it anymore, and even appearing quite satisfied with the arrangements Wei Ruo had made for him. Wei Qingwan bit her lip, feeling quite abandoned. She had feared something like this might happen when Wei Qingruo first returned home, and it turned out that her worries were not unfounded. At this moment, the gaze of Madam Yun fell on Wei Qingwan. She said to her: ¡°Wanwan, once we move to Government City, you should be more careful with your actions and avoid making mistakes likest time.¡± ¡°I understand, Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan replied softly with her head bowed down. Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched unconsciously. Her mother once again reminded her of the past incident, hitting her where it hurt the most. ¡°If you don¡¯t understand something, you can ask Ruoruo, learn more from her.¡± Madam Yun added. There was a time when Wei Ruo had just returned home, and Madam Yun had constantly urged her to learn from Wei Qingwan, asking her to consult Qingwan if she had doubts about anything. But not much time had passed since then, and their roles were reversed; now it was Wei Qingwan who was to learn from Wei Ruo. In the past, Madam Yun had believed that in terms of etiquette, conduct, and demeanor of a nobledy, her daughter Wanwan, who grew up by her side, wouldprehend better. But after thest trip to Government City, Madam Yun realised that, although Wanwan was sensible, she was timid, excessively reserved, andcked confidence when facing nobles like Madam Yuan, unlike her older daughter who showed more poise and grace. ¡°I understand, Mother. I will make effort to learn from my sister.¡± Wei Qingwan softly agreed. She raised her head, looking at Wei Ruo with a soft gaze. Wei Ruo, with a subtle smile on her lips, did not respond or refute. ¡°As for the sses for Ruoruo and Wanwan¡­ I haven¡¯t decided what to do yet. If you two have any ideas, you can share them with me.¡± The gaze of Madam Yun swept over Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan lowered her head and said softly, ¡°Mother, whatever you decide for this matter will be fine with me.¡± Wei Qingwan knew that the Wei Family had no roots in Government City, so attending sses at others¡¯ homes would be somewhat difficult. And the Wei Family did not have the connections to invite a good female teacher either. Wei Ruoruo replied, ¡°Let¡¯s wait till I visit the Xie Residence tomorrow before deciding. Since I¡¯m about to leave Xingshan County, I should say goodbye to my teacher.¡± Compared to the confused Wei Qingwan, Wei Ruo seemed much more calm andposed. Although the difference was not huge, it still felt like something was amiss. Then Madam Yun turned to Wei Yichen, ¡°Yichen, once we reach Government City, don¡¯t always stay at home. Yes, preparing for the provincial exams is important, but mingling with other young noblemen will also benefit you.¡± Wei Yichen nodded, ¡°I understand, Mother.¡± Madam Yun then made arrangements for the move and reminded, ¡°In the next few days in Xingshan County, it will be thest time for all of us having meals together. After we reach Government City, some of the rules we ignored before must be observed. Since Yichen, Ruoruo, and Wanwan have grown-up, it¡¯s not appropriate to eat together anymore. We¡¯ll have to separate the sexes for meals in the future.¡± Everyone agreed. ### The next day, Wei Ruo went to the Xie Residence. Because of their move to Government City, Wei Ruo had taken a lot of leaves on the pretext of visiting Madam Yuan, thankfully without any admonishment from Teacher Wang. ¡°Ruoruo, I heard you¡¯re moving to Government City soon, is that right?¡± Xie Ying asked sadly. ¡°Yes, I am. But don¡¯t worry. The county and Government City are not too far apart. You can visit me anytime you miss me,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Xie Ying muttered, ¡°Actually, I will also have to leave Xingshan County soon.¡± ¡°Oh? Where are you going?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Capital City. My grandfather and father sent a letter asking us, my mother and me, to join them there,¡± Xie Ying stated with a hint of disappointment. It turned out that Xie Ying¡¯s departure was an expected event. Earlier this year, her father had left for the Capital City to join her grandfather. Xie Ying¡¯s brother, Xie Jue, had also been studying in the Capital City. So, sending for Xie Yin and her mother was bound to happen at some point. ¡°That¡¯s great news, you should be happy about it,¡± Wei Ruo reassured her. ¡°I¡¯m not that thrilled. After so much effort, I finally found a friend who I can really talk to, and now we have to separate. I¡¯ll miss our gatherings! Plus, the thought of leaving Teacher¡­ The teaching methods of Teacher Wang is the best I¡¯vee across, my favourite,¡± Xie Ying said. Upon hearing her words, a kind smile spread across the face of Wang Caiwei who was standing nearby. Xie Ying once again turned to Wang Caiwei, ¡®Miss. Wang, are you really not willing toe with me to the Capital City?¡¯ Wang Caiwei shook her head, ¡®No, I prefer to stay in Jiangnan.¡¯ Wei Ruo turned to look at Wang Caiwei. If Xie Ying was leaving for the Capital City, what would happen to Teacher Wang? Teacher Wang was invited by her second brother to help her study. If Xie Ying was moving, could she take Teacher Wang to the Government City with her? With this thought in mind, Wei Ruo posed a question to Wang Caiwei, ¡°Miss. Wang, if you don¡¯t mind, you coulde with me to Government City and continue to be my teacher.¡± Wang Caiwei nodded with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll follow your arrangement.¡± Her easy agreement made Wei Ruo suspect that from the beginning Wang Caiwei had nned to follow her. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll make the arrangements,¡± said Wei Ruo. Xie Ying voiced her worry, ¡°Ruoruo, are you going to invite Miss. Wang to your house? Aren¡¯t you going to share the ss with that annoying sister of yours then?¡± Wei Ruo shook her head with a smile, ¡°I have a n.¡± Of course, she wouldn¡¯t do something silly like inviting Wang Caiwei to the Wei Residence. She had a better ce in the Government City in mind for the arrangements. ¡°What¡¯s your n? What¡¯s your n?¡± Xie Ying asked curiously, pulling Wei Ruo¡¯s sleeve. Wei Ruo whispered her n to Xie Ying. After hearing it all, Xie Ying couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Your sister is going to be so mad!¡± ¡°Who cares? I won¡¯t let her take advantage of this situation anyway,¡± Wei Ruoughed. ¡°Ruoruo, what to do? I just love you being so ¡®naughty¡¯!¡± giggled Xie Ying. Returning from the Xie Residence, Wei Ruo went to Cangyun Garden to meet Madam Yun to discuss the need for a few more carts for the move. When Wei Ruo arrived, Wei Qingwan was also there. It was not surprising. Wei Qingwan was always at Cangyun Garden quite frequently, and considering the recent ominous prediction about her parents¡¯ health, she was visiting even more frequently to regain her position in Madam Yun¡¯s heart. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Ruoruo, you need five carts?¡± Madam Yun asked in surprise. She knew that Wei Ruo had a lot of stuff, but she didn¡¯t anticipate that it would amount to so much. After all, she herself only needed three carts for Cangyun Garden, and just one for Qingwan¡¯s things would suffice. Hearing that Wei Ruo requested five carts, Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but bite her lower lip. She knew that not only did Wei Ruo require more carts, she also had far more valuable items to pack.. Chapter 166 - 166 Dispel Their Thoughts_l Chapter 166: Dispel Their Thoughts_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hmm, I need fiverge carriages, I have quite a lot of belongings and you¡¯re aware of it, Mother,¡± said Wei Ruo. Madam Yun nodded, ¡°I understand.¡± Then, Wei Ruo told Madam Yun about her visit to Xie Residence. ¡°I will continue studying with Mr. Wang in the future, so Mother does not need to worry about handling my studies anymore,¡± said Wei Ruo. Hearing this, Madam Yun looked surprised, ¡°What did you say? How can you continue studying with Mr. Wang after moving to the government city?¡± ¡°Madam Xie and Miss Xie are moving to the Capital city, Mr. Wang has no ns to go there,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Upon hearing this, both Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan looked at her with eager anticipation. ¡°Are you saying that Mr. Wang will stay?¡± Madam Yun hurriedly asked. Wei Qingwan also stared at Wei Ruo with excited eyes. Wei Ruo¡¯s mouth curved into a slight smile as she answered calmly, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, can we invite Mr. Wang to our house?¡± Madam Yun asked happily. Although hiring a tutor would increase expenses and cause inconvenience, the benefits were undoubtedly substantial. Without waiting for Wei Ruo¡¯s answer, Madam Yun began to speak to herself, ¡°If we could invite Mr. Wang to our house, Wanwan¡¯s problem of studying would be solved as well.¡± Wei Qingwan blushed and nodded shyly. ¡°Having Mr. Wang¡¯s guidance would be greatly beneficial for Wanwan¡¯s future,¡± Madam Yun couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Not to mention anything else, just the temperament and insight of her eldest daughter was inseparably linked to Mr. Wang¡¯s teachings. Even in the future, when arranging a marriage, being tutored by Mr. Wang Caiwei would certainly raise her credibility with the inws. Madam Yun added, ¡°Additionally, when we move to the government city, we will be unfamiliar with the families there. But having Mr. Wang would definitely attract many official¡¯s daughters toe to our house for studies. This would be an excellent opportunity to build rtionships with families in the government city.¡± Madam Yun¡¯s n was perfect, but she didn¡¯t expect Wei Ruo¡¯s next words to pour cold water on her n. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible, Mr. Wang already has a new ce to go,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°A new ce? Where? Didn¡¯t you just say that you will continue studying with Mr. Wang?¡± asked Madam Yun, puzzled. ¡°Yes, Mr. Wang will go to the prefecture¡¯s office next, and both Mr. Wang and Madame Yuan have agreed that I can continue studying with Mr. Wang. Therefore, even after moving to the government city, I can still study under Mr. Wang,¡± exined Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo¡¯s answer froze the smiles on both Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan¡¯s faces. Especially Wei Qingwan, her expression clearly showed her disappointment. Madam Yun inquired, ¡°Mr. Wang was invited by Madam Yuan? But as far as I remember, there are no girls studying in Madam Yuan¡¯s house. Why would they invite Mr. Wang?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°It¡¯s for the Yuan Family¡¯s n.¡± The Yuan Family is a family of schrs and officials, their family is filled with talents, and the women in their family are all dignified and beautiful daughters from a noble family. ¡°The Yuan Family, being such arge and noble family n, shouldn¡¯t they have their own tutor?¡± questioned Madam Yun. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°That¡¯s indeed the case in Dongyang, but here in Taizhou prefecture it involves the Yuan Family¡¯s side branch, they might not have an appropriate female tutor,¡± exined Wei Ruo. In fact, Madam Yuan is not aware of Mr. Wang Caiwei¡¯s situation, Wei Ruo just got to know about this in Xie¡¯s Residence in the afternoon, it is impossible that she had worked it out with Madam Yuan by the evening. Wei Ruo used this exnation to sidestep andter she would arrange to bring Mr. Wang to her side, by then if people from the Wei Family ask, she would just say that the Yuan Family had made other arrangements with Mr. Wang. Madam Yun¡¯s voice disyed her disappointment, ¡°So, it¡¯s like that.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, she wanted Madam Yun to speak for her, asking Wei Ruo to speak to Yuan Family and allow her to study with Mr. Wang, too. Before, Xie Family didn¡¯t agree because she was already studying in the magistrate¡¯s office, Madam Xie didn¡¯t want to snatch people from the magistrate¡¯s office. Now, she is moving to the government city, that issue doesn¡¯t exist anymore. However, Wei Qingwan waited for a long time without hearing her mother say anything. This made Wei Qingwan feel depressed. If it were before, her mother would absolutely not ignore her, but now, her attitude towards her was far more than a little cold. Maybe it¡¯s because of Wei Qingruo, or maybe it¡¯s because of what He family said before. In any case, her position in her parents¡¯ heart was no longer as high as before. With this trend, it wouldn¡¯t be long before she might be driven out of the Wei Family, right? Wei Qingwan, after waiting a while, finally couldn¡¯t hold it any longer and spoke softly, ¡°Mother, Madam Yuan is generous, she might not have remembered the previous incident.¡± But before Madam Yun could respond, Wei Ruo directly intervened, ¡°Even Qingwan admits there¡¯s a ¡®might.¡¯ What if Madam Yuan does remember? Won¡¯t you be afraid to annoy Madam Yuan because of it? Can the Wei Family afford to offend either Duchess Huaiwang or Yuan Family?¡± Wei Qingwan wanted to argue, but she was interrupted by Madam Yun, ¡°Let¡¯s leave this matter for now. Your father¡¯s career is just taking off, we must be even more careful and cautious, not to drag him down.¡± Although Madam Yun loved Wei Qingwan, whenpared with her husband¡¯s career, thetter was more important. Wei Qingwan was forced to swallow all her words back into her stomach. Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden after discussing everything with Madam Yun. Soon after Wei Qingwan said farewell to Madam Yun, she returned to Wangmei Garden with a heavy and depressed heart. She thought about her own situation all the way, she was incapable of contending with Wei Qingruo with just her and nursemaid¡¯s power, they couldn¡¯t shake Wei Qingruo¡¯s status at home at all. No, she can¡¯t just sit and wait for her fate, she must find a solution, she absolutely doesn¡¯t want to go back to the He Family! After the New Year, she¡¯ll be fourteen, undergoing the ritual of hairpin for girls, now while she¡¯s still the daughter of the Loyal and Righteous Duke, she must take the opportunity to find a good marriage. So, even if her rtionship with Wei Family weakens in future, having a good family-inw will ensure she leads a good life. When she thought of marriage, Wei Qingwan looked sad and her mind involuntarily pictured the image of the seventh prince, whom she had only met a couple of times. She knew there was a vast difference between their statuses, but she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him¡­ ### The Wei Family began the moving process after a few days of preparation. With so many belongings, the carriage team had to go back and forth numerous times before even half of the items were moved. When half the items were moved, Wei Ruo set off with Madam Yun and the others. They departed in the morning and arrived at the new Colonel Residence in the government city by dusk. Looking at her new mansion, Madam Yun¡¯s face lit up with joy. Madam Yun still remembered thest time when she brought the two girls to the government city to attend Madam Yuan¡¯s garden tour, they could only temporarily stay in Xie Residence¡¯s guest house. In just over two months, their residence has moved to the government city. The new residence was muchrger than the one in Xingshan County, not only were there more courtyards, each courtyard was also much bigger.. Chapter 167: Dividing the Yard_l Chapter 167: Dividing the Yard_l Trantor: 549690339 n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Lady Yun has already allocated the courtyard. Apart from the main house, the rest of the back courtyards is divided into two halves by a wall, with a small door in the middle. The men and women of the house live on the east and west sides respectively. The female members live on the west side of the wall and the male members on the east side, conforming to the norms within arge family. Now that her husband has been promoted and moved to the government city, it is necessary to establish these rules. In the future, there will inevitably bedies and girls invited to visit our house, and it is only right if we adhere to correct etiquette. Thergest and most spacious room on the east side is given to Wei Yichen, and thergest and most spacious room on the west side is given to Wei Ruo. They, being the eldest son and eldest daughter of the main lineage, are entitled to better treatment than their siblings. Then there were the courtyards of Wei Yilin and Wei Qingwan. As for the only illegitimate son, Wei Jinyi, Lady Yun dare not make her own decision. She did not want to bear the me of mistreating the illegitimate son after all the efforts, so she specifically asked Wei Mingting for his opinion. Wei Mingting took a look at the blueprint of the house and pointed to a room on the east side of the wall, saying, ¡°That room will do.¡± Wei Mingting didn¡¯t choose thergest courtyard for Wei Jinyi either, as it would be inappropriate for an illegitimate son to live in better conditions than the legitimate son. The first room on the west side of the wall is the one Lady Yun arranged for Wei Ruo. Although this allocation was unintentional, the residences of Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi ended up next to each other, now separated by two additional walls than before. Lady Yun agreed saying, ¡°Alright, that room is for Jinyi, and the names of the courtyards will remain the same as before, without any changes. Wei Mingting nodded, ¡°Madam can make these decisions. With her husband¡¯s approval, Lady Yun looked at the arrangements on the blueprint again, and felt very satisfied. The only thing that fell short was that Qingwan was assigned to the farthest southwest corner. She didn¡¯t arrange it deliberately. There are only three courtyards on the west side. Apart from thergest one upied by the eldest daughter, the remaining two are not very good, and the one in the southwest corner is slightlyrger, while the remaining one is even smaller. It was only after entering the courtyard that Wei Qingwan found out that she had been assigned the worst location in the entire house, located in the farthest corner of the southwest of the new Military Prefecture. The sudden change made Wei Qingwan feel immense pain in her heart. Didn¡¯t this arrangement imply that she held the lowest status in her parents¡¯ hearts? in the past, she was the only daughter of the family. Everything good from her parents was given to her first and when they first arrived in Xingshan County and chose the courtyards, her mother had allowed her to choose first. Wei Qingwan was so upset that she had trouble sleeping all night. ### Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have time to worry about whether her courtyard was good or not. It was alreadyte on the day that she arrived, so after tidying up a little, she went to bed. The next morning when she got up, she and Xiumei were busy moving things from the carts and organizing them. The courtyard here is muchrger, and there is even a room specifically for her to use as a warehouse. Xiumei joked, ¡°Miss, you now can amodate even more rewards. Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Do you think these rewards are just given for the asking? You would be better off hoping that your mistress bes a wealthyndlord soon!¡± Xiumei replied, ¡°My mistress is certain to be a bigndlord, so there¡¯s no need to hope for that in particr.¡± Wei Ruo sighed, ¡°I must hurry things along. My father¡¯s promotion is good for the Wei family, but not necessarily for me. The higher his rank, the more restrictions on me.¡± ¡°Stop tidying up for now. Follow me to the estate.¡± said Wei Ruo. Anyway, the big boxes transported by the cart do not contain valuables. Wei Ruo has sequestered all valuable items into her space. As such, she wasn¡¯t worried about leaving them in the courtyard for now. ¡°Miss, is it alright for us to go out like this? Now that we are in the government city, won¡¯t it be more inconvenient than before?¡± Xiumei worriedly asked. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll say that I¡¯m going to see Madam Yuan. Didn¡¯t I mention that Mr. Wang would be teaching at Madam Yuan¡¯s house afterwards? It¡¯s reasonable and justifiable for me to go out for studying purposes. After going to the estate, I also have to make a trip to Madam Yuan¡¯s.¡± Later, when Wei Ruo was stopped by servants while leaving the house, she followed standard protocol and visited Lady Yun to exin her reasons. After hearing her reasons, Lady Yun agreed to Wei Ruo going out without further thought, but warned her that the government city was different to the county town and told her to be careful. When she was in public ces, she had to wear her veil and hood properly, keep her distance from strangers, and not talk to strange men, Wei Ruo made these promises and Lady Yun let her go. She then went to the estate and inspected the situation of the one thousand mu of fertilend where wheat seeds had already been sown. She also followed up on the progress of the improvement of the additionalnd purchased and the work situation of the new permanent hiredborers with Manager Yu. Indeed, asional troubles had arisen, but they were all small disagreements and frictions that were resolved quickly without needing Manager Yu to intervene. During these times, being able to eat your fill and having prospects for the future were already the best choices for them. Most people were grateful and didn¡¯t resort to opportunism or deception. Afterwards, Wei Ruo went to the prefecture¡¯s office. The guards at the prefecture all recognized Wei Ruo and reported her presence immediately, with Madam Yuan¡¯s personal maid, Qianyi, personally weing her at the door. Upon seeing each other again, Madam Yuan was full of happiness, ¡°You girl are really lucky. When you leftst time, I was thinking that I didn¡¯t know when I would be able to see you again. But here we are, you have moved to the prefecture within just ten days.¡± Wei Ruo also did not expect it to be this soon, if it had not been for the urgency of resisting the Japanese pirates that the Court had demanded her father to respond to so quickly, they would not have had to move in such a hurry. Madam Yuan continued, ¡°This is great, now that you are in the prefecture, my son, Sheng, and I can see you often, and I am most relieved when you are around to take care of me.¡± Madam Yuan¡¯s vitality had greatly improved since Wei Ruo first met her again, all thanks to the medical prescription Wei Ruo had given her. Wei Ruo then confessed the situation concerning Mr. Wang Caiwei to Madam Yuan. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madam Yuan, I took the liberty of using your name without your permission as I was in Xingshan County at the time.¡± Wei Ruo apologized. ¡°What could it be? You just used my name, it¡¯s not a big deal at all. It¡¯s not worth apologizing over. Didn¡¯t I tell you before when I let you stay at Tianqin Garden that if you need anything,e find me? In the future, if there¡¯s anything like this, feel free to use my name.¡± Madam Yuanughed. Wei Ruo was conscientious in her actions, something Madam Yuan trusted her with. She knew Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t use her name to deceive others or do anything unreasonable. This kind of expedience was not a big deal, and it was okay to use it in any way. Additionally, even if Wei Ruo acted arrogant using her name in Taizhou Prefecture it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.. As the noble Commandery Princess Jingmin, what¡¯s wrong with her life-saving beneficence feigning power under her name? Chapter 168: How is Wei Jinyi Here? _1 Chapter 168: How is Wei Jinyi Here? _1 Trantor: 549690339 After spending some time with Madam Yuan, Wei Ruo left. Exiting from the magistrate¡¯s office, Wei Ruo got into a carriage, purposely choosing a route that would pass through Ronghua Street, for both Xu¡¯s cured meat shop and Four Treasure House¡¯s branch in Government City were located on this street. To get to Ronghua Street, the carriage passed through an alleyway. As they did, Wei Ruo glimpsed a familiar figure through the carriage¡¯s window¡­ A white brocade robe, with a jade crown in his hair. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Just from seeing a silhouette, Wei Ruo identified the person as her elder brother, Wei Jinyi. But shouldn¡¯t elder brother be studying with old man Ruan in Huzhou Prefecture? Why was he here? Once the carriage left the alley, Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to stop. After stopping the carriage by the roadside, Wei Ruo got out. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s the matter?¡± asked Xiumei. ¡°I think I just saw elder brother.¡± ¡°The young master? Is that possible? He¡¯s supposed to be in Huzhou Prefecture. Why would he be in the Government City of Taizhou Prefecture?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I must have seen correctly.¡± We Ruo pulled Xiumei towards the alleyway and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go check.¡± The two of them walked back into the alley and reached the doorway of the house where Wei Ruo had glimpsed Wei Jinyi. This house was located in the alley. The door seemed old and weathered, the door¡¯s wood was worn and faded, showing traces of wear and tear. Just now, she had seen Wei Jinyi enter this house. ¡°Miss, what should we do? This ce appears to be a private residence, how are we going to get in?¡± Xiumei asked. Wei Ruo whispered something into Xiumei¡¯s ear. Xiumei nodded and then walked towards the door. It was quite a while before the door opened, revealing a woman inside. She was graceful and seductive, with a few strands of hair hanging loose on her forehead. Her styling had a hint of a worldly sophistication and a certain geniality. When she saw the woman, Xiumei was obviously taken aback, and the words she had prepared were suddenly stuck in her throat. Could it be that the young master didn¡¯t go to Huzhou Prefecture to study but secretly started to keep a mistress without the family knowing? Xiumei¡¯s jaw dropped, numerous thoughts racing through her mind. At this moment, the woman inside the door spoke, ¡°Little girl, who are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡­ I am looking for my miss¡¯s cat, which ran out just now, and jumped over your yard¡¯s wall into your house,¡± Xiumei used the excuse Wei Ruo had given her. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any cate in, maybe you got the wrong ce.¡± The woman said. ¡°No, I saw it with my own eyes, Xiaohua definitely ran in here!¡± Xiumei dered confidently. As she spoke, she tried to look toward the backyard over the woman¡¯s shoulder, trying to find Wei Jinyi. ¡°I¡¯ve been in the backyard the whole time, and I¡¯m sure no cat came in,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Let me take a look inside!¡± Xiumei said, inching her body forward. The woman quickly tried to block her. But Xiumei, being a martial artist, was not just strong but also agile. The woman didn¡¯t expect Xiumei¡¯s unexpected strength and agility, and by the time she tried to stop her, Xiumei had already slipped in half way. In the confusion, Wei Ruo, who had been hiding nearby, darted through the gap- By the time the woman reacted and shouted for the people inside to stop her, Wei Ruo had already made it to the yard. At the same time, the door of the main room opened, and a few men came out. Wei Ruo locked eyes with Wei Jinyi in the crowd. Their eyes met and both of them looked surprised. Just then, a burly middle-aged man strode toward Wei Ruo angrily, ¡°Who are you? How dare you trespass private property?¡± ¡°Brother Ke, please halt, she¡¯s my younger sister.¡± Wei Jinyi interrupted the impulsive middle-aged man. ¡°Your sister?¡± Everyone in the house was taken aback. At this moment, Xiaobei also came out from the house and upon seeing Wei Ruo, he asked in surprise, ¡°Miss, why are you here?¡± The woman who had answered the door earlier said, ¡°They said they were looking for a cat.¡± A cat? Wei Ruo didn¡¯t own any cat. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo made no effort to avoid his gaze, not only meeting it, but her eyes showing a hint of anger. If she lied, was he any better? Wei Jinyi addressed everyone present, ¡°All of you, please retreat inside.¡± The people nodded and quickly went inside, even Xiumei was pulled inside by the woman who had answered the door. Only Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were left in the courtyard. Wei Jinyi walked over to Wei Ruo, lowered his head, and looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t have a cat, I haven¡¯t lost one, I just saw someone who shouldn¡¯t be here and used it as an excuse to get in,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I came back to Taizhou Prefecture without telling you.¡± His apology was sincere, but somehow it made Wei Ruo angrier. Squaring up to Wei Jinyi, she drew back her fist andnded two blows to his chest. Wei Jinyi neither retreated nor dodged, allowing Wei Ruo to take her frustrations out on his chest, saying only, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt your hand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried about my hand?¡± Wei Ruo shot back. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Jinyi nodded, and then took out a bag of money from his waist and stuffed it into Wei Ruo¡¯s hands, ¡°Use this to hit, save your strength.¡± The money bag was filled with bit silver and copper coins, which were quite heavy. Looking at the bag in her hand, Wei Ruo¡¯s anger fizzled out. Who does this sort of thing? ¡°Never mind, I¡¯m not that angry.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t be angry then.¡± ¡°So have you thought about how to exin to me why you are here?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, waiting for his exnation. ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t go to Huzhou Prefecture to study with old man Ruan, but I am here for legitimate reasons, not idling around.¡± Wei Jinyi exined. ¡°Legitimate reasons?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi with a questioning gaze. ¡°It has something to do with ourte mother,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Upon hearing this reply, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t ask any further questions. Everyone has a secret. She was no exception. ¡°Okay then, as long as you are not here enjoying yourself while idling around.¡± Wei Ruo said. In fact, as soon as the door of the main room opened and she saw all the older men, she knew he wasn¡¯t here for pleasure. No one would keep a house full of old men if they were looking to enjoy themselves in secret. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not here for pleasure,¡± Wei Jinyi promised. ¡°How long have you been away from Huzhou Prefecture?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I have not returned to Huzhou Prefecture since thest time I saw you,¡± Wei Jinyi replied honestly. It¡¯s been that long? ¡°Has the Tibetanyman been covering for you all this while?¡± Wei Ruo asked, surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve wronged you by asking old man Ruan to hide this from you. I didn¡¯t want you to get involved in my troubles,¡± Wei Jinyi admitted his deception. He had chosen to hide the truth from Wei Ruo simply to prevent her from getting into any danger. Wei Ruo was immensely surprised.. So the old man Ruan had been helping her elder brother deceive her? Chapter 169: Can I Visit Second Brother Often?! Chapter 169: Can I Visit Second Brother Often?! Trantor: 549690339 Although Wei Ruo was puzzled about why the old man helped Wei Jinyi to keep secrets from her, she did not press Wei Jinyi about it. ¡°Are all these people in there your friends?¡± Wei Ruo pointed to the main room and asked. Wei Jinyi nodded, ¡°They had some connections with my deceased mother and are helping me with her affairs.¡± Wei Ruo nodded in understanding. Then, Wei Jinyi turned his head towards the main room and said, ¡°You all cane out now.¡± The door opened, and the people from earlier all came out. There were nine of them, including Xiaobei. Except for one woman, they were all men, and they all looked serious and solemn. They were courteous towards Wei Ruo. The woman who had let Wei Ruo and the rest into the room earlier stepped forward to introduce herself. ¡°Miss, I am Lin Fang, the wife of this old man. Any rudeness in my manner earlier, I ask for your forbearance.¡± The woman was no longer flirtatious but serious and somewhat reverent. The man referred to as ¡°old man¡± by Lin Fang was a big, burly middle-aged man with arge beard who looked quite intimidating. That man also stepped forward and greeted Wei Ruo with a cupped fist, ¡°Please forgive my rudeness earlier, Miss. I might have been a bit rough, but I mean no harm!¡± His voice was loud and rough, quite scary to some. Wei Jinyi reassured Wei Ruo, ¡°Brother Ke is straightforward and speaks loudly. Don¡¯t be frightened.¡± Wei Ruo responded, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve seen many noble warriors like Brother Ke in the countryside. Their voices may be loud but they are kind-hearted and gentle. I am not easily scared.¡± Wei Ruo greeted Ke Chongshan and Lin Fang, ¡°Nice to meet you, Brother Ke and Sister-in-Law Ke. My apologies for the misunderstanding earlier. I saw my elder brother entering the courtyard and the thought crossed my mind that he might be up to something. So, I used the cat I¡¯m raising as an excuse to break in. I hope you won¡¯t hold it against me.¡± ¡°Not at all, Miss. As long as we didn¡¯t startle or hurt you, we¡¯re good,¡± Ke Chongshan and Lin Fang quickly stated, clearly not wanting to upset her. The other people also introduced themselves to Wei Ruo one by one, and she acknowledged each one. All these people seemed older than Wei Jinyi, mostly between forty to fifty years old, just like Ke Chongshan. They varied greatly in appearance. Not only were there rough and rugged men like Ke Chongshan, but also cultured men who appeared to be schrs, and even some lean men with small mustaches. Wei Ruo found a few of them to be somewhat mysterious, making them seem different from ordinary people. Yet these people with different temperaments all gathered together to discuss matters with her elder brother. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t pry too much. Whatever her elder brother did privately was his business. She didn¡¯t need to know or interfere too much. Then she turned to everyone, ¡°Thank you for taking care of my elder brother.¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s our duty,¡± they responded humbly. After Wei Ruo introduced herself to them, Wei Jinyi said to the group, ¡°You can return to your own tasks.¡± ¡°Ma¡­second young master, take care. We¡¯ll be on our way.¡± Once Ke Chongshan finished speaking, he immediately left with his wife, Lin Fang, and the rest. They rushed off, not even giving Wei Ruo a chance to ask more questions. With their departure, the premises, previously lively, was now silent except for Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo, Xiaobei and Xiumei. ¡°Are they in a hurry?¡± Wei Ruo noticed that their departure seemed somewhat hasty. ¡°They have matters to attend to,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Oh.¡± Then Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, ¡°How about you, Brother? Are you busy too?¡± ¡°I am free temporarily. Did anyone in the household know about your outing?¡± Wei Jinyi asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes, they know. Don¡¯t worry, Brother. Every time I go out, I make sure to have a good excuse. They can¡¯t keep strict tabs on me at the house now,¡± Wei Ruo answered. First, she had Lady Yuan as an excellent excuse. Second, she had Madame Zhang as an ally to provide cover. Third, Wei Mingting indulged her and allowed her to do what she wanted, which made it difficult for Madam Yun to restrict her. With these circumstances, Wei Ruo had more freedompared to when she first returned to the Military Prefecture. ¡°Good,¡± Wei Jinyi replied, his worry alleviated knowing she had her matters under control. Wei Ruo then surveyed the premises. It was just an ordinary courtyard, nothing special about it. Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Has Brother been staying here recently?¡± Wei Jinyi replied, ¡°Yes, for a few days now.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Do you know we¡¯re moving to Government City?¡± Wei Jinyi: ¡°Yes.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Ruo: ¡°Can Ie visit you often then?¡± Wei Ruo did not ask if Wei Jinyi would return to the new Military Prefecture. She knew what Wei Jinyi was doing was supposed to be kept from the family. If they found out, they would need a lengthy exnation and it was unlikely that the others in the family would understand or agree. So even though they would live in the same city, Wei Jinyi would not return home. Wei Jinyi hesitated at Wei Ruo¡¯s question. Looking at Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes full of anticipation, he didn¡¯t want to disappoint her by saying no. But if he agreed, he was afraid that what he was doing would involve her. After all, the current things he was nning could potentially endanger everyone involved. Seeing Wei Jinyi¡¯s hesitation, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t press further. ¡°I understand, Brother. Don¡¯t worry, I will keep everything I saw today a secret, and I won¡¯te looking for you again,¡± Wei Ruo reassured him, getting ready to leave with Xiumei. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Wei Jinyi quickly caught up with her and grabbed her hand to stop her. His initial intention was to keep her from leaving, but he was stunned when he touched her hand and quickly let go after realizing his action. Although it was only for a brief moment, Wei Jinyi clearly remembered the soft touch of Wei Ruo¡¯s delicate hand. Wei Ruo turned around to look at Wei Jinyi. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to see you, it¡¯s just not safe here,¡± Wei Jinyi exined anxiously. ¡°Okay, I understand. Don¡¯t worry, Brother. I didn¡¯t take it personally. I could tell from your hesitation earlier that it¡¯s aplicated situation. I don¡¯t want to put you in a difficult position,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Jinyi felt a ripple of emotion in his heart and after a moment of thought, he promised Wei Ruo, ¡°I will find a suitable opportunity to visit you.¡± Although it may not be the wisest decision, it was something he desired.. Chapter 170: Must Not Tarnish Your Chapter 170: Must Not Tarnish Your Reputation_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mm, good,¡± Wei Ruo agreed, a bright smile on her face. Looking at this smile, Wei Jinyi couldn¡¯t help but soften his gaze. Soon after, Wei Jinyi asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Can we return a bitter today?¡± Wei Ruo nodded. Seeing this, the sprightly Xiaobei hurriedly said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and prepare some food, our courtyard may be small, but our kitchen is not!¡± The few of them hadn¡¯t sat down for a meal together in a long time. Hearing this, Xiumei hurriedly said, ¡°Your cooking is so bad, even good ingredients are wasted by you. Let me do it instead.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Lady Xiumei is right,¡± Xiaobei said with a smile. The two of them then went into the kitchen together. Before Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi could mention having a meal together, Xiaobei and Xiumei had already started preparing. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi looked at each other, Wei Ruoughed, ¡°It seems that my Meimei wants to stay more than I do.¡± As Xiumei and Xiaobei were busy in the kitchen, Wei Ruo prepared to sit in the main room with Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi stopped her, ¡°I¡¯ll bring the table and chairs out.¡± Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Why?¡± Wei Jinyi, ¡°Men and women should act differently.¡± Wei Ruoughed, ¡°You still held my hand just now even though men and women should act differently?¡± Hearing this, Wei Jinyi was somewhat embarrassed and didn¡¯t know how to respond. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°We¡¯re siblings. We don¡¯t need to care so much about certain rules.¡± Wei Ruo, with a modern soul inside her, believed that men and women needed to maintain a certain distance. But it wasn¡¯t so strict that they couldn¡¯t be in the same room, especially when the other party was her own blood-rted elder brother. ¡°I won¡¯t ruin your reputation.¡± After Wei Jinyi answered, he moved the tables and chairs to the courtyard. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he always avoided being under the same roof with her. Remembering his past habit of reading and painting in the pavilion and also dining there, she thought maybe it was not that he liked to do things in the pavilion, but to avoid sharing a room with her. Wei Jinyi insisted, so Wei Ruo did not say anything else. She then sat in the chair he brought and started to chat with him. They chatted like old times, as if nothing had changed despite the long time they had not seen each other. Lady Xiumei and Xiaobei then brought the prepared food. Xiumei expressed to Wei Ruo how the kitchen here was bigger and more convenient than the one in their old house. Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help but praise Xiumei¡¯s culinary skills: ¡°Lady Xiumei is amazing. We have the same ingredients, but what I cook is dull and uninteresting, while what you cook is mouthwatering and irresistible.¡± Xiumeiughed, ¡°Xiaobei, did you use all the idioms you learned from your young master on this?¡± Xiaobei embarrassedlyughed, scratching his head as he replied, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t make fun of me. I¡¯m not good at studying, so I can¡¯tpare to the young master. Don¡¯t tell others that I learned from him, I don¡¯t want to embarrass my young master.¡± Xiumeiughed, ¡°You better keep learning cooking from me, or be careful that your young master will fire you.¡± Xiaobei quickly agreed, ¡°I¡¯m doing it, I¡¯m doing it. As long as Lady Xiumei can spare the time to teach me, I guarantee that I¡¯ll study hard to master a skill as soon as possible, so I won¡¯t be sold by my young master!¡± Wei Ruo and Xiumei both burst intoughter at Xiaobei¡¯s words, and a warm smile silently appeared on Wei Jinyi¡¯s face. Afterward, the four of them had dinner together in this light-hearted and joyous atmosphere. After dinner, it was alreadyte. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, I should go home now,¡± Wei Ruo sincerely intended to leave this time. ¡°Mm.¡± Wei Jinyi apanied Wei Ruo to the door, and then watched her leave the alley. Wei Ruo returned to her carriage and headed back to the Military Prefecture. ¡°Miss, those people just now didn¡¯t seem simple. That woman named Lin Fang, she looks alluring but I feel she¡¯s trained too. When I first tried to squeeze into the door, she seemed a bit taken aback, but once she reacted, her strength and speed were impressive.¡± Even with the brief scuffle, Xiumei, being a martial artist, was keen enough to notice something unusual about the other party. ¡°Mm, I felt it too.¡± Although Wei Ruo was not a martial artist, she was still able to pick up on certain things. ¡°Miss, what is the second young master really doing now? It feels veryplicated!¡± Xiumei said with some curiosity and worry. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. There are some things we can¡¯t control, and thinking about it is useless,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo was not totally without suspicion, but her suspicions were also useless. The original story did not include these scenes, so even knowing the original plot, she couldn¡¯t guess what Wei Jinyi was doing. ¡°That¡¯s true, as long as the second young master treats you well and doesn¡¯t harm the second Miss, whatever he wants to do, I won¡¯t worry.¡± Xiumei said. ### After Wei Ruo and Xiumei left, a few figures jumped over the wall and came to Wei Jinyi¡¯s side. Among them were Ke Chongshan and Lin Fang, the couple that Wei Ruo had seen earlier. They were all there to protect Wei Jinyi, so naturally they wouldn¡¯t go too far away. They had just withdrawn to avoid Wei Ruo to give her and their master some privacy. ¡°My lord, the maid by the youngdy¡¯s side is not ordinary. She is not like a maid from a regr family.¡± Lin Fang reported to Wei Jinyi. ¡°I know. You don¡¯t need to be suspicious of them.¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Jinyi¡¯s answer directly dissolved their suspicions about Wei Ruo and her maid. ¡°My lord, about our n to infiltrate the Prefecture¡¯s Office¡­¡± ¡°Proceed as nned.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. The Prefecture¡¯s office had something very important to them, but it was also the most heavily guarded ce in the whole of Taizhou Prefecture. The Yuan Family was an old and esteemed family, with many servants who had been trained from a young age and had impressive skills. Moreover, Madam Yuan was Princess Jingmin, who had always had skilled bodyguards from Wang Residence around her. To sessfully retrieve the item from the Prefecture¡¯s office required careful nning. ¡°Understood.¡± The group responded. ### The next morning, Mrs. Yun called Wei Ruo to her room to discuss the official visit to Madam Yuan. ¡°Your father has been promoted to the sixth rank and transferred to the city. We should pay a visit to the wife of the Magistrate; moreover, Ruo, you have received much care from Madam Yuan in the city. As your mother, I should visit her to express our gratitude,¡± Mrs. Yun told Wei Ruo. ¡°Mother can make the decision on this matter,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo knew that Mrs. Yun¡¯s proposal was reasonable, as long as she didn¡¯t have any other requests or motives. ¡°I have prepared some modest gifts. Ruo, take a look. If there are no problems, then follow me to the Prefecture¡¯s Officeter,¡± Mrs. Yun said.. Chapter 171: She is not as good as Wei Qingruo in her mothers heart_l Chapter 171: She is not as good as Wei Qingruo in her mother¡¯s heart_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Good.¡± Wei Ruo took the gift list and looked it over. The gifts prepared by Madam Yun were not expensive, but they were appropriate for their status. Too expensive would be inappropriate. Wei Mingting was a martial officer who had just been promoted a couple of years ago, and his sry was notrge. The Wei family did not have many extra assets. If they gave too expensive gifts, they would cause others to question where the Wei Residence got its money. ¡°I think these are well prepared. The gifts for the prefecture¡¯s office should not be expensive, but appropriate and given with good intentions,¡± said Wei Ruo before giving the gift list back to Madam Yun. Madam Yun nodded in approval. This was also a kind of test for her elder daughter. She wanted to see Wei Ruo¡¯s handling and response capabilities in this aspect. Her daughter¡¯s response gave her great satisfaction. ¡°Ruoruo has a point. The gifts aren¡¯t expensive. They are just ordinary farm products and seafood. But I put a lot of thought into them. Even if the Military Prefecture went all out, they wouldn¡¯t have caught Madam Yuan¡¯s eye,¡± she said. Shortly afterwards, Wei Qingwan arrived. ¡°Mother, sister.¡± Wei Qingwan greeted Madam Yun and Wei Ruo upon entering the room, polite and docile in demeanor. Wei Ruo was not surprised to see Wei Qingwan. She guessed that Madam Yun would insist that Wei Qingwan should apany them to the prefecture¡¯s office. After Wei Qingwan entered the room, Madam Yun nced at Wei Ruo. It was only after seeing that Wei Ruo had no reaction that she felt relieved.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Soon after, Madam Yun handed the gift list to Wei Qingwan for her opinion. ¡°Wanwan, help mother look at this gift list and see if there¡¯s anything else we need to add.¡± After meticulously looking at the list, Wei Qingwan raised her head to look at Madam Yun, but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. There are no outsiders here,¡± Madam Yun said. ¡°I think these gifts are a bit too ordinary¡­ I have some concerns¡­¡± Wei Qingwan said timidly. She didn¡¯t dare to say the whole sentence, for fear of making Madam Yun unhappy. Madam Yun¡¯s face fell. She then turned to look at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo remained silent, pretending to have heard nothing. Whatever Wei Qingwan thought had nothing to do with her. She didn¡¯t want, or bother, toment. Wei Qingwan turned uneasy at Madam Yun¡¯s gaze. ¡°Mother, did I say something wrong?¡± Wei Qingwan asked cautiously. ¡°Wanwan, there are certain things that you should learn from your sister. I thought that since you help me with household chores every day, you would understand more about giving gifts than your sister,¡± replied Madam Yun. Wei Qingwan had clearly disappointed Madam Yun. Madam Yun had assumed that Wei Ruo, who was always busy farming, would not be aware of such stuff and that Wei Qingwan would have learnt something since she spends much of her time with her. However, the result was quite the opposite. Wei Qingwan was startled, and then turned to look at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo still remained silent, oblivious of the conversation between Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan. Madam Yun didn¡¯t say anything more, but it was clear from her expression that she was much more pleased with Wei Ruo today. Subsequently, Madam Yun left with both of them. On the way to the prefecture¡¯s office, she repeatedly reminded Wei Qingwan: ¡°At the Yuan residence, do not say anything unnecessary. Perform the greeting when asked to do so but don¡¯t say anything else.¡± ¡°When you meet Madam Yuan, do not speak excessively or disy any trace of cowardice. I will not mention your past troubles today, nor do I expect Madam Yuan to change her impression of you. As long as you don¡¯t create more trouble, it will suffice.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re not sure what to do, just watch your sister and learn from her.¡± Madam Yun wished to change Wei Qingwan¡¯s image in Madam Yuan¡¯s mind, but she also dared not force Wei Qingwan to annoy Madam Yuan. Madam Yun¡¯s admonitions were like sharp thorns, stabbing into Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart. Wei Qingwan recalled that not too long ago, when the three of them went out for the first time after Wei Ruo¡¯s return, her mother¡¯s reminders in the carriage were all for Wei Qingwan. Now things have changed ¨C her mother¡¯s reminders were meant for her, indicating that she was the untrustworthy one in her mother¡¯s heart. She has fallen behind Wei Ruo in her mother¡¯s esteem. ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± Wei Qingwan replied softly. As they had sent a visiting card in the morning, Madam Yun and her two daughters were immediately invited in upon their arrival at the Yuan Residence. Madam Yuan received the three of them in the flower hall. Wei Qingwan, mindful of Madam Yun¡¯s reminder, made an effort to hide her unease and, though she dared not speedily speak, she behaved obediently and sat quietly on one side. Wei Ruo satfortably, drinking tea. She had visited Madam Yuan¡¯s estate many times, so there was no need for her to be formal. She also did not interrupt or try to dominate the conversation, sitting quietly on the side, letting Madam Yun talk with Madam Yuan. Madam Yun was, after all, from the reputable Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in Capital City. Her speech was always appropriate; she was neither excessively attentive nor did she make the conversation awkward. Madam Yun brought up past events: ¡°I still remember the year I saw the Queen at the Duke¡¯s residence in Xu. I realized that there could be such an astonishingly talented and beautiful woman in this world.¡± Before marrying into the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, Madam Yun was also ady from an official family. She had been to the then-prosperous Duke of Xu¡¯s residence and had seen Madam Yuan¡¯s mother, the Queen. ¡°In her youth, my mother had such an undeserved reputation. Unfortunately, I did not inherit my mother¡¯s talents and beauty,¡± said Madam Yuan. Madam Yun hurriedly replied, ¡°What are you talking about, Madam Yuan? If you downy your feats, where does it leave people like me?¡± Madam Yuan continued, ¡°As for being both talented and beautiful, my mother could notpare to thete Empress. However, the Empress was too young then. When the Empress came of age, she was dered the most beautiful woman in Capital City.¡± Madam Yun sighed lightly, ¡°What a pity that such a beautiful life ended early. The Empress passed away too soon.¡± Madam Yuan exhaled: ¡°If only nothing had happened to the Duke¡¯s residence and the Empress hadn¡¯t died. That would have been much better.¡± Madam Yun dared not respond to this. She feared that her words would invite trouble. Many years ago, the incident at the Duke¡¯s residence had implicated many families. Many people had been punished as a result. Therefore, even after all these years, everyone was afraid to bring it up. While the two of them were reminiscing about the past, a servant rushed in to report: The front courtyard is flooded. Madam Yuan ordered the servants to go deal with the flood in the front courtyard and excused herself to go attend to it, after briefly exchanging words with Madam Yun and her daughters. Left alone, Madam Yun turned to look at her two daughters. Both girls had been quiet and behaved appropriately while she was talking casually with Madam Yuan. She was pleased. Just as she was about to say something to her daughters, a disturbance was heard outside. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Wasn¡¯t there just a flood in the front yard? Why is there such amotion now?¡± inquired Madam Yun. Just now, the Yuan family¡¯s servant had reported a flood in the front yard, which was quite a distance away. If it were simply a flood, themotion real shouldn¡¯t have been this big. Wei Ruo also sensed that something was amiss. She faintly heard the sounds of a fight going on outside, which seemed quite nearby. That¡¯s not a sound of a flood, right? Chapter 172: Two Old Items Have Been Chapter 172: Two Old Items Have Been Stolen_l Trantor: 549690339 | Wei Qingwan asked Mrs. Yun, ¡°Mother, should we go out and take a look now?¡± Wei Ruo gave Wei Qingwan a stern look: ¡°It sounds like thieves have broken in and are fighting with the people in the house. What do you n to do by going out now? Don¡¯t add to the chaos.¡± Knowing something was not right, Wei Ruo was even less inclined to go outside and check what was happening. If someone was indeed fighting and killing, it would be inappropriate for her to go there. Wei Ruo¡¯s stopping of Wei Qingwan from going out was not due to concerns for Wei Qingwan¡¯s safety, but her worry that Wei Qingwan would cause trouble for her. ¡°Thieves have broken in?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression immediately changed, and there was a hint of fear in her eyes. Although their father was a colonel and they lived very close to the scene of war, Wei Qingwan had never actually been close to bloodshed. If something really happened outside, Wei Qingwan wouldn¡¯t know how to react. Wei Qingwan further queried, ¡°Would we be in danger here?¡± From the sound of it, it seemed very close to them. Wei Ruo picked up her teacup and took a sip with a calm look on her face, then counter-questioned, ¡°Would you be safe if you went out? Or do you n to hide in a cab?¡± The maids in the Yuan Residence were standing still in the room while she, a nobledy from the Duke Residence, couldn¡¯t stay mentally stable. What kind of image would that project? Wei Qingwan said her feelings were hurt, ¡°My sister shouldn¡¯t be angry, I am just concerned about the safety of you and mother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put on that pitiful face, we¡¯re not at the Wei Residence now. You¡¯re all weepy and clingy at home, which is just about enough, don¡¯t bring shame upon us outside.¡± Wei Ruo rebuked coldly. Her words were harsh; she did not fetch Wei Qingwan any face at all. Wei Qingwan bit her lip, feeling wronged, and then turned her eyes red looking at Mrs. Yun. She expected to see Mrs. Yun¡¯s sympathy for her and anger at Wei Qingruo, but all she saw was a stern face, not sympathetic at all, even cold. ¡°Mother, I didn¡¯t mean to run away and discredit the Military Prefecture. I just wanted to ask if there was any danger.¡± Wei Qingwan said to Mrs. Yun, looking wronged. Mrs. Yun advised Wei Qingwan seriously, ¡°Wanwan, watch your manners, do not panic over minor incidents. Keep in mind that you are a youngdy of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, our ancestors were renowned founding generals.¡± Wei Qingwan felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured on her from head to toe, her eyelids were spinning with tears, but she didn¡¯t let them fall out. However, right now, Mrs. Yun had no mood to pay attention to Wei Qingwan s feelings as the continuous soundsing from outside had her worried. They could even hear the guards of the Yuan Residence shouting things like -Don¡¯t let them escape¡± and ¡°Don¡¯t let them hurt themandery princess¡±. Thieves indeed had broken in, and they were particrly troublesome ones! But who could be so audacious to cause trouble in the magistrate¡¯s residence in broad daylight? They didn¡¯t know how long it had been when the noise outside subsided. After a while, Lady Yuan came back. ¡°Lady Wei, Miss Wei, please ept my apology for causing such a scare.¡± Madam Yuan apologized. ¡°We¡¯re fine, Madam Yuan, is everything alright in the front yard?¡± Mrs. Yun asked with concern. ¡°No one was injured, nothing serious happened, but the residence is in a bit of a mess today. For fear that our hospitality might becking, we won¡¯t be detaining Lady Wei and the two Misses Wei any longer.¡± Madam Yuan said. ¡°That¡¯s alright, take care of the affairs in your residence, be sure to take care of your own health.¡± Mrs. Yun, seeing that it wasn¡¯t appropriate to stay any longer, left with WeiN?v(el)B\\jnn Ruo and Wei Qingwan after saying goodbye to Madam Yuan. Upon leaving the drawing room, Wei Ruo saw the servants in the residence hurrying about, all rushing toward the rear yard. It seemed it was not as simple as water leakage in the front yard. After Wei Ruo and others left, Master Yuan hurried back to the residence. He had gone out for an inspection early in the morning and it was alreadyte when he received the news and rushed back. ¡°Madam, how are you?¡± The first thing Yuan Zhengqin did upon entering was to ask about his wife¡¯s condition. ¡°I¡¯m fine, and no one in the residence was injured.¡± Madam Yuan said. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good, I¡¯m going to send people to track down these thieves now.¡± Just as Yuan Zhengqin was about to call someone in, Madam Yuan stopped him, ¡°My lord, let¡¯s leave today¡¯s matter at that¡¯s. Do not publicize it. Instruct people to state¡¯that there was a leak in our front yard¡¯. Do not let the news about the thieves in the backyard spread out!¡± Madam Yuan¡¯s words left Yuan Zhengqin in surprise, ¡°Madam, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°There was a leak at the residence today, and thieves broke in, and they just happened to choose a time when you were not at home. I can¡¯t help but feel that this was all nned.¡± Madam Yuan looked serious. ¡°Even more reason to track down these thieves and bring them to justice.¡± Yuan Zhengqin said. ¡°After the thieves broke in, they didn¡¯t hurt anyone, only two things were stolen from the storeroom.¡± ¡°What was stolen?¡± ¡°One is a picture called ¡®Proud Snow Plum Blossom¡¯; the other is a dagger named ¡¯Dragon Map¡¯.¡± Madam Yuan mentioned these two items with a frown. ¡°What¡¯s so special about these two items?¡± Yuan Zhengqin didn¡¯t have any special impression of these two items. The only thing he was sure of was that these weren¡¯t the two most valuable items in their storeroom. Why would the thieves go through so much trouble to break into their storeroom, but only steal two things that weren¡¯t worth much money? Was there something strange about this? ¡°Neither of the two items is particrly valuable, but they have the same origin. When Duke Xu¡¯s residence was searched, the items confiscated were all put into the national treasury, and in the following period, these items were gradually bestowed upon people by the emperor. My father also received some, and this ¡®Proud Snow Plum Blossom¡¯ picture and this dagger were amongst those which my father received from the items of Duke Xu¡¯s residence when I got married. Because there wasn¡¯t anything special about them, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to them until now when I was working to inventory the lost items.¡± After listening to his wife¡¯s exnation, Yuan Zhengqin was still confused, -Why would someone go to such lengths to steal these two items?¡± Madam Yuan shook her head, ¡°I have no idea either. It¡¯s been over ten years since Duke Xu and his son passed away. People rted to the matter at that time were implicated, demoted, or went into retreat. Why would someone still be interested in the old items from that time? ¡°Given that they have connections to the old Duke Xu¡¯s residence, you don¡¯t want me to spread the news?¡± Yuan Zhengqin asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they have any connections with the old Duke Xu¡¯s residence. However, their skills were extraordinary, they even got past my guards who have been with me for many years from the Wang Residence. Yet, they did not harm anyone in my residence. Therefore, I think they don¡¯t mean to harm us, they just want these two items. These two items are useless to me, so it¡¯s harmless to give them away.¡± Madam Yuan replied.. Chapter 173: Wei Yichen Enters Anzhou Academy_l Chapter 173: Wei Yichen Enters Anzhou Academy_l Trantor: 549690339 This was a decision that Madam Yuan made after much thought before Yuan Zhengqin returned. After a moment of contemtion, Yuan Zhengqin chose to support his wife¡¯s decision: ¡°I trust my wife. Let¡¯s do as she suggests.¡± ### When she returned from the Yuan Residence, Wei Ruo specifically sent Xiumei out to inquire about the information from the Yuan Residence. If burrs really got in, the government office should have issued a warrant to chase after them. But after waiting for two days and receiving no rted news, she only heard rumors that there had been a leak in the Magistrate¡¯s office, but the fire was quickly extinguished, causing no serious harm. It seemed like nothing significant had happened that day, and the sound of fighting she heard seemed to have been a misjudgment made by the people from the Wei Family. It seemed as if the incident had just passed. The Government City remained quiet over the next few days, without any reports of burry. So Wei Ruo stopped paying attention to these things and dedicated all her energy to her business expansion ns. Whether it was the farms in the Government City or the deal she was discussing with Boss Fan, both were enough to keep her busy for a while. She took time out to visit the Four Treasure House and discussed business matters with her wet nurse and Uncle Xu. Lately, Wei Ruo¡¯s shops made a good profit, but she also spent a lot. After calcting the ounts, the expenditure was more than her ie, and most of the hundred taels of gold she gained earlier were almost used up. However, Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t worried as her money hadn¡¯t disappeared¡ªit had merely converted into tangible fields and shops. As long as the fields were productive, and the shops could continue to operate, she wouldn¡¯t worry about not having silver taels. ¡°Miss, you should delegate some tasks to me and Zhu Shan. Don¡¯t carry everything on your shoulders alone. You have made yourself thin again,¡± her wet nurse advised each time she saw Wei Ruo, feeling that she had lost weight. ¡°Wet nurse, I¡¯m not thin, look at the flesh on my face. It¡¯s all real,¡± Wei Ruo disputed. ¡°You call this meat? When you were a baby, your face was so plump, like a big white bun. It was much more round than it is now!¡± her wet nurse eximed. ¡°Wet nurse, you are talking about my baby fat. I¡¯m almost old enough for the hair-pin ceremony, and if my face is still chubby, I won¡¯t be able to get married,¡± Wei Ruoughed. ¡°Who says? Miss is so beautiful and capable, how could she not be married? Those who say Miss cannot get married must be jealous of her,¡± her wet nurse retorted. Wei Ruo quickly changed the topic with augh: ¡°Alright, wet nurse, I will eat more when I go back, and strive to gain more weight!¡± Xiumei chimed in from the side, ¡°Mother Xu, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll prepare more delicious food for Miss when we go back. I¡¯ll let her eat anything that¡¯s nourishing, and even give her a bunch of snacks to carry around. She definitely won¡¯t go hungry!¡± Theughter from the lively conversation reassured the wet nurse and a smile crept onto her face. Weir Ruo left the Four Treasure House in the afternoon, feeling satisfied, with Xiumei by her side. The only regret from this trip was not being able to see Brother Xiaoyong. Brother Xiaoyong had also been promoted one rank during this round of merit-based rewards, moving up from Deputy General to General. However, before he even had time to go home and celebrate his promotion with his parents, he was already rushing to his new post. In the ensuing few days, the Wei family was settling into their new home in the Government City. Aside from Wei Mingting bing even busier, nothing much had changed. Wei Yilin found a new martial arts master. Judging by his enthusiasm each day, the new master seemed to be very powerful, making Wei Yilin look up to him with admiration. The most noticeable change was that his height had started to grow noticeably. Yun had already started to n for making new clothes for him. There was unexpectedly good news about Wei Yichen¡¯s studies too. When they first arrived in the Government City, Yun had reminded him to interact more with the sons of the city¡¯s wealthy families. Unexpectedly, this brought about a pleasant surprise. One time, when Wei Yichen wasparing poetry with other young nobles in a teahouse, he was spotted by the dean of Anzhou Academy, who invited him to attend their academy. Anzhou Academy is one of the top three academies in Taizhou prefecture, and all the young children of Taizhou prefecture wish to attend this academy. Originally, they had considered this academy, but they couldn¡¯t find a way in, resulting in the idea to have respected individuals as tutors. But to their surprise, what they had intentionally tried to cultivate did not bloom, while something unintentional bore fruit¡ªan unexpected encounter brought Wei Yichen this opportunity. Yun was happy, Wei Mingting was also happy, and Wei Yichen himself was equally happy. To celebrate, Yun specifically instructed the kitchen staff to prepare some good dishes, and the family had a small celebration.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo gave Wei Yichen some paper and pens, and a jar of her own homemade fruit wine. Wei Yilin also used his own savings to buy a new ink stone for Wei Yichen. Then, Wei Yichen looked at Wei Qingwan with a smile and asked, ¡°What about Wanwan¡¯s gift?¡± Wei Qingwan gave a startled expression, not knowing how to respond due to her guilt. This was something Wei Qingwan should have been the most proactive about, but she had been so depressed recently that she had temporarily forgotten about it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, big brother, I¡­I forgot to prepare a gift for you. Give me some time, and I will make it up to you soon!¡± Wei Qingwan hurriedly replied. Wei Yichen smiled good-naturedly: ¡°What are you talking about? I was only teasing you, Wanwan. Don¡¯t be nervous. As long as you¡¯re happy for me, that¡¯s enough. Gifts and the like are not necessary.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Wei Qingwan lowered her head slightly, a blush spreading across her face. Seeing her cautious and scrupulous manner, Wei Yichen felt a pang of heartache and said: ¡°Wanwan, you need not be like this. I will always be your big brother, and we shouldn¡¯t be distant, understand?¡± Wei Yilin also chimed in from the side: ¡°Yeah, yeah, Sister Wanwan, we¡¯re family. Why the need for formalities? If you didn¡¯t prepare anything, then that¡¯s fine. The happiest thing is just us being together!¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± Wei Qingwan nodded emphatically. By the time the three of them lifted their heads to look at Wei Ruo¡¯s previous position, they realized that she had already left without them noticing. The day after they celebrated at home, Wei Yichen packed his belongings and reported to the academy. Anzhou Academy is located at the foot of Lian Mountain outside of Government City. Although it falls within the jurisdiction of the Government City, it¡¯s still quite far away. The academy rules stipte that all students must live and eat on campus. Therefore, Wei Yichen wouldn¡¯t be returning home until the next break day. After Wei Yichen left, the Military Prefecture began to prepare for the uing New Year. Yun summoned Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan to Cangyun Garden to discuss this year¡¯s New Year¡¯s gifts for the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, and also to train the two daughters. Once the New Year was over, they would be of age and marriage negotiations would begin. Yun told Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan, ¡°This year is different from previous years. Your father has been promoted twice this year, so we must prepare a more generous New Year gift for your grandparents..¡± Chapter 174 - 174 Ruo Ruo is so thoughtful 1 Chapter 174: Ruo Ruo is so thoughtful 1 Trantor: 549690339 | ¡ã ¡ª After Madam Yun finished asking, Wei Ruo remained silent but Wei Qingwan was the first to reply. Wei Qingwan earnestly voiced many suggestions, based on her understanding of the old duke and Madam at the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, she had a lot of her own opinions. ¡°We can provide more tea as Grandfather likes to drink tea, and the price of tea this year is cheaper than in previous years; should we also try to include a set of his favorite purple y tea set?¡± Wei Qingwan made this suggestion because the family¡¯s situation this year was indeed different. Her father had been promoted to the sixth rank. If they were to offer gifts as they had in the past years that did not carry any significant value, they might seem out of touch. Wei Qingwan knows that the family¡¯s current financial situation is not abundant, but she also knows Madam Yun¡¯s intentions. As a daughter-inw, she certainly should not be stingy at such a time. Madam Yun nodded: ¡°I intended to do exactly that.¡± Then Wei Qingwan followed: ¡°However, daughter knows that due to the poor crops on the manor this year, the family¡¯s ie and expenditure are somewhat problematic. I would like to contribute my own silver coins to ensure our grandparents have suitable New Year gifts.¡± Upon hearing this, Madam Yun was somewhat surprised and moved: ¡°Wanwan, those are your private savings.¡± Wei Qingwan firmly responded: ¡°As their granddaughter, it is only right for me to prepare New Year gifts for our grandparents to fulfill my duty of filial piety. Moreover, without the Loyal and Righteous Duke, the Wei family wouldn¡¯t be where it is today. Everything that belongs to me is considered the property of the Wei family.¡± You are very considerate, Wanwan.¡± Madam Yun¡¯s face was filled with happiness and contentment. ¡°Mother, you give me too much credit. This is something I should be doing.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes sparkled brilliantly, her voice soft and sincere. Madam Yun was very satisfied with Wei Qingwan¡¯s answers, then she asked Wei Ruo again: ¡°Ruoruo, do you have any thoughts on this New Year gift list?¡± Wei Ruozily dodged the question, not wanting to think too much. She nced at the list and said: ¡°Mother, whatever you decide will be fine. You are much more experienced in these matters than we are.¡± What Wei Ruo said is not wrong, but it seemed a little indifferent. Subsequently, Madam Yun said to Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruoruo, your grandparents love you very much. This year we still can¡¯t go back to Capital City for the New Year, so this gift will represent our hearts. Please think about it more carefully and ¡¯ helpe up with some ideas.¡± Madam Yun did not expect her eldest daughter to contribute her own private savings for the grandparents¡¯ New Year gifts like Qingwan, but she wished that she could take things more seriously and help think about this issue. After all, when she gets married in the future, she will manage the family affairs herself. She will bear the responsibility of preparing gifts for rtives and friends during festivals. It¡¯s better if she bes familiar with these matters as early as possible. Wei Ruo, however, was already well-prepared: ¡°Mother, when I received the gifts from the aristocratsst time, I have already reserved some gifts for our grandparents. But since they¡¯re all fragile and not easy to transport, I was nning to send them by water route next time our family sends goods to Capital City.¡± Having said that, she pulled out a list from her bosom and handed it to Madam Yun.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Qingwan looked at the list Wei Ruo handed over in surprise. She was well-prepared? Wei Ruo noted Wei Qingwan¡¯s reaction, which was a mix of surprise and indignation. She was not intentionally trying topete with Wei Qingwan. The gifts she nned for the old duke and Madam were prepared when she had received the gifts from Chu Lan. She¡¯d nned to send them to Capital City when the goods were being transported from the Military Prefecture. Madam Yun took a look at the list from Wei Ruo. Aside from some porcin tea ware gifted by Prince Seven, Wei Ruo also included dried sweet potatoes, sweet potato chips, mushroom sauce and other popr foods recently produced in Taizhou prefecture. Although these items were not expensive, they were special local products and presumably not yet widely avable in Capital City. It was thoughtful and highlighted local characteristics, which made it most appropriate. Madam Yun was beaming, ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯ve truly thought this through.¡± If Wei Qingwan was willing to use her private savings to contribute to the New Year gifts and it brought satisfaction to Madam Yun, then Wei Ruo¡¯s gift list brought both astonishment and delight to Madam Yun. Wei Ruo casually remarked, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, my grandparents have been exceptionally kind to me, rewarding me with such beautiful things several times, it¡¯s only right I reciprocate the favor.¡± The reason why Wei Ruo did this had nothing to do with Madam Yun. It was entirely because the old couple in the Capital City were rather good to her. No matter what their intentions were for being nice to her, they gave her the status of the eldest granddaughter and gave her several gifts, all of these actions were greatly appreciated. ¡°Ruoruo, your grandparents will be very happy to know about your filial piety.¡± Madam Yun said with a full-faced smile. Afterwards, Madam Yun, Wei Ruo, and Wei Qingwan discussed the details of the gift list and the details regarding provisions to prepare for the New Year at the residence. However, the smile had disappeared from Wei Qingwan¡¯s face and her expressions were a bit stiff when she responded a few times. ### The next day, Wei Ruo went out again. The small workshop she had built on the empty plot ofnd on her manor wasplete, and she was going to inspect it today. On the road, Wei Ruo and Xiumei disguised themselves as they had when they went to see Fan Chengxust time. Since she would be interacting with various outsiders during her inspection of the newly built workshop, Wei Ruo did not want to expose herself too much to avoid giving others leverage. Upon arriving at the manor, the two youngdies who got on the carriage had transformed into two ugly-looking young lords when they stepped off. Manager Yu had been waiting at the entrance of the manor as he knew Wei Ruo wasing. However, he was stunned when he saw the two young lordsing down from the carriage. ¡°Manager Yu,¡± Wei Ruo called out to Manager Yu. Upon hearing the familiar voice, Manager Yu then realized the young lord standing before him was actually the current owner. ¡°Young miss, why are you dressed like this?¡± Manager Yu asked. 111 be meeting many workers today, it¡¯s inconvenient for a girl. Later, when you introduce me to people, please call me Master Xu.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Yes, yes, Young miss ¡ª ah, no, young master is really thoughtful!¡± Then Manager Yu guided Wei Ruo and Xiumei to a ce on the manor where Wei Ruo¡¯s small workshop was built. Five houses made from yellow mud mixed with rock and straw fragments covered the previously empty plot on the manor. This was the new workshop that Wei Ruo had constructed. ¡°Young miss, these houses were built ording to your requirements and the design n,¡± Manager Yu said. ording to Wei Ruo¡¯s requirements, various special items were built in each room. There wererge stoves,rge shelves, walls made of y and stones, and other oddly shaped items, which could serve different purposes at first nce Wei Ruo was very satisfied with her inspection. The construction of the houses was overseen by Uncle Xu, so she was assured of the quality of the buildings. Wei Ruo then asked Manager Yu, ¡°How did the selection of the people I asked you to choose go?¡± Last time she came, Wei Ruo asked Manager Yu to select a few reliable and hard-working men from the manor to work in her newly built small workshop.. Chapter 175 - 175= Unexpected Encounter with Wei Chapter 175:= Unexpected Encounter with Wei Jinyi_i Trantor: 549690339 | -Once you¡¯ve made your selections, call them over so that your lordship can have a look,¡± said the manager. ¡°Good.¡± Manager Yu led the ten men selected in front of Wei Ruo. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He introduced them, saying, ¡°These four here have worked long-term on our estate, while those six are chosen from the recent arrivals. Among them, there¡¯s one who has been an apprentice in a pharmacy.¡± This was something that Wei Ruo had requested since she would give priority to anyone who had experience as a pharmaceutical apprentice. Weiruo looked at them one by one. They were all youngds, strong and energetic, willing to work hard, and of good character, which was the selection criteria Weiruo had given to Manager Yu. Thest criteria about their character couldn¡¯t be determined immediately, but the first three seemed to be fulfilled by these men. Weiruo said a few words to them, ¡°Because you have been selected to work here, your monthly wages will increase by ten coins, along with an extra bushel of rice.¡± ¡°Thankyou, owner!¡± They promptly expressed their gratitude. During this time of poor harvest, many households couldn¡¯t afford to eat, so a lot of ces were cutting wages. Being offered an extra ten coins and a bushel of rice was a huge blessing for those in poverty. ¡°But in return, I expect more from you than I do from others. I¡¯m sure Manager Yu has already told you about this. We must follow the rules in the workshop and maintain secrecy about everything that happens in there, even from your family members,¡± she said. ¡°If any of you break these rules, you will be dismissed immediately and will not be rehired.¡± Weiruo spoke thesest words very sternly. They all nodded vigorously promising that they would not betray her trust. Having a ce to eat to their fill was not easy in these times, especially for the recently taken-in refugees who were living in poverty and uncertainty. Now they not only have food and a ce to stay, but also wages. They would¡¯ve had to be kicked in the head by a mule not to grasp this opportunity. Then Wei Ruo assigned jobs to these ten men. There were five rooms. The first room was mainly for grinding, turning the transported materials into a powder which will be used as the raw material for five-spice powder. Aside from the five-spice powder ingredients, Wei Ruo would have them grind some medicinal materials as well. This was done not only because Wei Ruo needed these medicinal materials but also to distract outsiders. She assigned three people to this room and left the blending work to Xu Zhushan alone, since he was someone she trusted to handle the form proportions. The second room was dedicated to preparing oysters, removing the shells and cleaning the fresh oysters bought from the market. Two people were assigned to this room. The third room was for cooking down the prepared oysters into oil. This was what the pre-made stove andrge pot were for. Two people were assigned. The fourth and fifth rooms were set aside for the production of soy sauce. Moreover, arge open space was left in front of the fifth room, specifically for drying the soy sauce. However, because the production cycle of soy sauce is rtively long, Wei Ruo did not include it in her arrangement with Fan Chengxu. She had only agreed to supply him with five-spice powder and oyster sauce. Weiruo assigned three people to these two rooms for now, considering adding more hands once things were running smoothly. Weiruo preferred to progress step by step, ensuring not to overreach and bring unnecessary risks upon herself. Wei Ruo exined the work to each person. Once the first batch of raw materials arrived, which included spices for the five-spice powder, medicinal materials, and raw oysters and soybeans, she let them begin, overseeing their work with Xiumei and rectifying any errors. When everything was on track, it was already dark. Although she had been busy all day, Wei Ruo felt refreshed, indeed, doing something she enjoyed was far less draining than the scheming and bickering at the estate! Leaving the estate, Wei Ruo decided to go to the Zuixian Residence for dinner. ¡°Young Mistress, are we going to the the Zuixian Residence again?¡± Xiumei asked, sounding a little worried. ¡°The more we know about them, the easier to do business. Besides, we would bete for dinner at the Military Prefecture by now. Let¡¯s just eat out, especially given how we¡¯re dressed today,¡± Wei Ruo reasoned. ¡°Young Mistress, I¡¯m always worried that someone will recognize us! It was a necessity for us to venture outst time for your revenge but now venturing out of our estate, even if we are recognized, it won¡¯t be that big of a deal. But going to the Zuixian Residence now, I¡¯m really not at ease,¡± Xiumei fretted. ¡°If we¡¯re recognized, it might damage my reputation and affect a good marriage match, but that¡¯s not a big problem. I¡¯m not really looking to marry into a good family, so what¡¯s there to fear? As long as a noose isn¡¯t my end, there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Wei Ruo said calmly. While it would surely raise eyebrows if a well-bred youngdy dressed as a man and ate in a restaurant, it wasn¡¯t anything life-threatening. Wei Ruo felt she could handle the fallout. ¡°Alright, but I will still protect you and will not easily let you get exposed!¡± Xiumei said firmly. Although Wei Ruo had her n, Xiumei still hoped that other possibilities would emerge so that Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t have to marry a deceased man and be a widow. After all, there was still Brother Xiaoyong, wasn¡¯t there? If Xiaoyong sessfully moved up the ranks, then Wei Ruo would have a reliable source of support in the future. Upon reaching the Zuixian Residence, Wei Ruo asked for a private room on the second floor. As she was about to enter the room, she saw Ke Chongshan and Lin Fanging out of a room next door. If Ke Chongshan and Lin Fang were here, did that mean her second elder brother was present too? With a hint of curiosity, Wei Ruo walked up to peek inside the room next door when suddenly a hand reached out from inside and pulled her in. Noticing this, Xiumei quickly pushed the person away and stood protectively in front of Wei Ruo. However, upon a closer look, all the people in the room seemed familiar from their encounter at the mansion the other day. Wei Jinyi himself was also in the room, sitting right across the door. Xiumei, who had been ready to retaliate, rxed her fists when she saw the people in the room. Then she turned to look at Wei Ruo. ¡°What were you two trying to do, lurking outside the door?¡± Zhang Yi looked at Wei Ruo and Xiumei suspiciously. Wei Ruo and Xiumei were dressed as men today and looked rather shabby, which made them appear suspicious. Wei Ruo knew that they had not been recognized. After a quick thought, she put on a smile and said apologetically, ¡°My apologies gentlemen, I was just passing by and did not mean anything by it. -Then why were you lingering so close to the door?¡± Zhang Yi was not so easily convinced.. Chapter 176 - 176 Teasing the Second Brother_l Chapter 176: Teasing the Second Brother_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Isn¡¯t it just because I found that young man over there, d in white ¨C so handsome and elegant ¨C to be quite extraordinary?¡± Wei Ruo boldly stared at Wei Jinyi, a mischievous smile ying on her lips. ¡°What does it matter to you whether my young master is good-looking or not?¡± Zhang Yi said angrily, increasingly suspicious of the two people before him. ¡°Because I know a bit of fortune-telling. I can tell that your young master is no ordinary man and wanted to give him a few words of advice,¡± answered Wei Ruo. ¡°You dare to im to be a fortune-teller, even though you¡¯re short and seemingly young?¡± Zhang Yi certainly didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll give your young master a couple of words of advice. ¡®When the dragon is trapped in shallow waters, its time has not yete; when the phoenix perches on the parasol tree, the stormes.''¡± said Wei Ruo. At her words, everyone¡¯s expression in the room shifted, all except Wei Jinyi, who remained unperturbed. Seeing everyone remain silent, Wei Ruo started to walk towards Wei Jinyi, but was stopped after just one step. Wei Jinyi spoke. ¡°Let hime over.¡± ¡°Young master, this man¡¯s origins are unclear.¡± Zhang Yi advised. ¡°It¡¯s okay, let hime over,¡± said Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi sounded resolute, and the others couldn¡¯t find a reason to stop Wei Ruo any longer. With no one to obstruct her, Wei Ruo marched up to Wei Jinyi and sat contentedly next to him. She then asked, ¡°Young Master, may I look at your palm?¡± Wei Jinyi silentlyplied, cing his right hand on the table. His long palm was fair-skinned with distinct calluses at the centre and knuckles of his palm. Wei Ruo extended her hand,id hers over Wei Jinyi¡¯s, and began to inspect it earnestly. ¡°Young Master, your palms indicate that you are a man of fortune. Even though there will be some hardships in the early stage, endless blessings await you afterwards. The purple air ising from the east, and good fortune is upon you.¡± She spoke feigned forteller¡¯s gibberish as she examined his hand. Of course, she knew nothing about fortune-telling or palm-reading. She merely wished to bless Wei Jinyi with a future of overflowing good fortune and smooth sailing. Wei Ruo chuckled to herself. Surely, her foolish second brother hadn¡¯t recognized her yet? Her disguise was really top-notch. Wei Jinyi watched as his hand was toyed with in Wei Ruo¡¯s grip, causing an embarrassing heat to spread from his palm. His heartbeats also grew louder with each passing second. Wei Ruo was oblivious to all of this. Wei Ruo then raised her head to study Wei Jinyi¡¯s face, ¡°You have a very auspicious face too, Young Master. A full forehead, bright eyes, and sharp eyebrows, everything denotes future prosperity! Let me be frank, with such a face, better days are waiting ahead for you!¡± As she was speaking, Wei Ruo reached out to touch Wei Jinyi¡¯s cheek. The moment Wei Ruo¡¯s palm came in contact with Wei Jinyi¡¯s face, he dodged it, avoiding her intrusive touch. Taken aback by the sudden evasion, Wei Ruo was about to ask Wei Jinyi what went wrong and why he dodged, when she noticed his flushed face, the blush reaching even his neck. Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Why is your face so red, young master?¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t answer her, only said: ¡°Stop messing around.¡± ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t misunderstand me, young master. I wasn¡¯t messing around. I was just reading your face,¡± Wei Ruo continued to y her part seriously. ¡°RuoRuo, stop messing around. It¡¯s gettingte, you shouldn¡¯t havee to the tavern alone in male attire,¡± Wei Jinyi said again. ¡°Ah? You¡­ recognized me?¡± Wei Ruo suddenly felt guilty. ¡°Only those unfamiliar with you would be fooled by your disguise,¡± Wei Jinyi pointed out. Though Wei Ruo used a beard and a blue birthmark to cover most of her face, for those who knew her well, identifying her wouldn¡¯t be difficult. Everything from her eyes, facial features, lip shape, body shape, to her hands that hadn¡¯t been disguised in any way, could give her away. Nearly the moment she entered the room, Wei Jinyi had recognized her. Of course, her disguise would fool those unfamiliar with her, which was why the others in the room hadn¡¯t recognized Wei Ruo just yet. They only had asional dealings with Wei Ruo and weren¡¯t familiar with her. Furthermore, out of respect during theirst encounter, as Wei Jinyi¡¯s sister, they hadn¡¯t dared to take a good look at her. Now that Wei Jinyi pointed it out, they were taken aback. So, this strangely dressed man, with a hideous birthmark on his face, was the Wei Family¡¯s young miss! Upon learning Wei Ruo¡¯s identity, all the individuals, previously tense, instantly rxed. They had initially regarded her as a threat to their young master. They breathed a sigh of relief as they watched her approach their master and touch him up and down. Wei Ruo muttered to herself, ¡°So you just let me put on a show?¡± She was so annoyed. He should¡¯ve told her that he recognized her. Instead, he had let her secretly celebrate the sess of her disguise. Wei Jinyi spoke helplessly, ¡°Your disguise is rather rough, you look like a youthful noble son but the beard makes you look like a fully grown man. Anyone familiar with disguises would see through it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not someone familiar with disguises, why would I think that much?¡± murmured Wei Ruo. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll ask Madame Ke to help you,¡± said Wei Jinyi. ¡°If you are angry at me, why would you still ask people to help me?¡± asked Wei Ruo. She had thought he was angry at her for cross-dressing. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, this could be dangerous if you attract unwanted attention. It¡¯d be better next time to do it earlier,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. What he meant was that he wasn¡¯t angry, but worried about her. A delighted smile spread across Wei Ruo¡¯s face, ¡°Okay, I knew my second brother cares about me. I was busy today and rante. I thought I would have dinner outside and then head back. I won¡¯t be thiste next time.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Immediately afterwards, Wei Jinyi shot a look at Zhang Yi and the others. Zhang Yi hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and hurry up the dishes.¡± He then left to find the waiter. As they were waiting for the dishes, Wei Ruo asked Wei Jinyi, ¡°By the way, second brother, why was your face so red just now?¡± Wei Jinyi avoided her gaze and said, ¡°It¡¯s a bit warm in here.¡± ¡°Warm?¡± Wei Ruo was a bit confused. It was November, and this year was colder than usual. She had already put on her cotton-lined clothes, even wore a fur cor. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m overdressed,¡± said Wei Jinyi. At his words, Wei Ruo instinctively reached out to touch Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand, which felt hot. Wei Jinyi quickly withdrew his hand, ¡°You can¡¯t do that again.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°What can¡¯t I do?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Touching my hand and face.¡± Wei Jinyi stated. Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, second brother. I only did it because it¡¯s you. I certainly wouldn¡¯t do it if it¡¯s someone else.¡± Even if she was wild, she¡¯d never dare to touch the hand or face of a strange man. Her second brother, of course, was an exception. Then a thought struck her, and she asked, ¡°Second Brother, you were shy just now, weren¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 177 - 177 Randomly Made Up 1 Chapter 177: Randomly Made Up 1 Trantor: 549690339 | r¡ª Wei Ruo thought of Wei Jinyi¡¯s flushed face just now, and suddenly felt that her guess was very likely! Wei Ruo is watching Wei Jinyi¡¯s face, waiting for his response. At this moment, the door of the private room opened, and a waiter brought in the dishes. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. We should return to the residence soon, as it¡¯s getting dark,¡± Wei Jinyi said. The sky gets dark early in winter, the sun had already set at this point, it wouldn¡¯t be long before it would be dark. ¡°Second Brother, you have not answered my question yet,¡± Wei Ruo stared into Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes. Let s eat,¡± Wei Jinyi said with a serious expression. Wei Ruo pouted her mouth, alright, alright, she wouldn¡¯t ask anymore. But her second brother¡¯s reaction already proved that he was indeed shy. Oh, Second Brother¡¯s face was too thin; he was blushing just from a casual touch on his hand by her. How was he going to handle his wedding night in the future? Wei Ruo did not rush to pick up her chopsticks, instead, she looked at the people in the room. The people didn¡¯t dare to move and looked at Wei Jinyi. ¡°You can all sit down,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Only then did the people take their seats. Halfway through the meal, Zhang Yi couldn¡¯t help but ask Wei Ruo a question- ¡°Miss, is your ability to tell fortunes real or fake?¡± ¡°Fake,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Fake? Then, Miss, what did you mean when you said that the Second Young Master¡¯s dragon is still sleeping in the shallow waters, and the phoenix awaits the storm?¡± Zhang Yi asked. ¡°I made it up on the spot. Isn¡¯t that how the fortune tellers at the temple market operate? Every prediction they make involves future riches and misfortune,¡± Wei Ruo replied. People hearing this were stunned, and then they all sighed in relief. -So I see, so I see, Miss is really smart. We almost got tricked, thinking that you really can tell fortunes. I was even hoping that you could tell me when I will be able to marry!¡± Zhang Yi said quickly. ¡°So Brother Zhang is longing to get married. You don¡¯t have to calcte fortunes for this, just save up enough silver taels and find a good matchmaker, ¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡®Hahaha, Miss, what you said is true!¡± Zhang Yiughed. The others alsoughed along.N?v(el)B\\jnn After finishing their meal, Wei Ruo and Xiumei left the Zuixian Residence. Before leaving, Wei Ruo reminded Wei Jinyi to take care of himself and keep warm, as the recent weather had been cold and he shouldn¡¯t catch a cold. Wei Jinyi replied with acknowledgment. Then, Ke Chongshan and his wife Lin Fang escorted Wei Ruo to the entrance of the military residence and watched from afar as she entered before departing themselves. ### By the time Wei Ruo returned to the military residence, it was already dark. The gatekeeper informed Yunshi about Wei Ruo¡¯ste return, which made Yunshi frown. However, after some consideration, she decided not to call for Wei Ruo. ¡°Make sure this doesn¡¯t get spread around the residence,¡± Yunshi instructed Cuiping. Yes, Madam, I understand,¡± Cuiping replied. ¡°Also, if this happens again in the future, tell the gatekeepers not to make amotion out of it,¡± Yunshi reminded, nervously. ¡°Yes.¡± Although Cuiping didn¡¯t understand why Madam was being so lenient towards Miss this time, as the head maid serving Madam, she didn¡¯t question it and simply followed Madam¡¯s instructions. Then Yunshi sighed, ¡°Although she doesn¡¯t have the same closeness with me like Wanwan, she¡¯s still my flesh and blood. Thinking about how the He family treated her and how they made her grow up in the countryside, I can¡¯t set high expectations for her to be an aplished and virtuousdy any more. Perhaps, as her father said, the way she is now isn¡¯t that bad. With her father¡¯s support, even if she marries a farmer, she will not be looked down upon.¡± ¡°Madam, you don¡¯t need to worry. Miss seems to have a fortune. And though she likes things rted to farming, it¡¯s different from ordinary farmer¡¯s wives who only know about spring nting and autumn harvests. Her ideas and methods have been appreciated by several nobles; with a better chance in the future, she might have a life better than that of ady who is learned and knowledgeable,¡± Cuiping consoled while following Yunshi¡¯s words. Let s hope so, I don¡¯t dare to have any more expectations,¡± Yunshi felt somewhat resigned. Wei Ruo was destined not to develop into a standarddy of a big family as Yunshi had hoped. As parents, all they could hope for was for their daughter to have a smooth life. ¡°Madam, you should take heart. Don¡¯t you still have Second Miss? Second Miss is gentle and virtuous and will likely fulfill your wishes,¡± Cuipingforted her. ¡°Yes, Wanwan is considerate and kind-hearted, which is good. But after observing her closely for a while, she stillcks something when faced with big asions. Although she originates from the duke¡¯s residence, she didn¡¯t spend much time growing up there. She traveled everywhere with me and her father most of the ces being remote and obscure. It¡¯s natural for her tock some ¡¯ worldly experience,¡± Yunshimented. ¡°Now that the Master has been promoted and received recognition, aren¡¯t the days ahead going to get better? Second Miss will surely get more chances to see the world. With Second Miss¡¯s intelligence, it will not take long for her to ovee these minor ws,¡± Cuiping continued tofort. Yunshi nodded, ¡±1 hope it¡¯s as you said. In theing days, I will bring Wanwan with me to move around in the government city more often, not only to give her opportunities to gain experience but also to break the negative impression that others have of her.¡± ### Wangmei Garden. Wei Qingwan naturally also knew about Wei Ruo¡¯ste return. The Wei residence wasn¡¯t very big and everyone would¡¯ve known about anymotion. We Ruo had only just arrived in the government city, and she had already started disappearing again. This time was even more outrageous, she didn¡¯t return home until quite a while after dark. For an unmarried straightceddy, this was definitely an outrageous act. Therefore, Wei Qingwan instructed Cuihe to go to Cangyun Court to inquire wanting to see how Yunshi would deal with Wei Ruo after knowing about this issue. However, after waiting for a while, with an hour passing since Wei Ruo returned to the residence and the lights in Tingsong Garden being turned off, there was still no movement in Cangyun Court. So Wei Qingwan was forced to ept one fact ¨C Yunshi was not nning to punish Wei Ruo foring homete. Wei Qingwan felt disappointed and somewhat stifled and ufortable, yet helpless. She finally had no choice but to crawl back into bed alone and fall asleep with all her unhappiness. ### The next day, when Wei Ruo woke up, she was somewhat surprised that Yunshi had not called her in for a talk abouting homete the night before. Once she made sure that no one was going to cause her any trouble, Wei Ruo once again left for the farm. The weather had turned cold in recent days, which was a critical time. She had to pay more attention to the situation on the farm to avoid any negative impacts on the newly sown wheat. As for the newly acquirednd, it¡¯s still in the improvement stage and not yet ready for nting. The progress of the improvement work was a bit slower this time. Firstly, the weather had turned cold, and it was toote to nt anything in the rush¡¯. Secondly, Wei Ruo had allocated arge portion of time for the refugees who had been taken in to build houses.. Chapter 178: December_l Chapter 178: December_l Trantor: 549690339 The existing houses on the estate were not enough for the newly hired workers. Therefore, they first started living in temporary shacks, andter, some of them were assigned to build new houses. At the same time, Wei Ruo¡¯s five workshops were also constructed. The five workshops were nowpleted, but due to therge numbers, the living quarters were still under construction. Wei Ruo hoped to have everyone moved in before freezing temperatures hit. As soon as Wei Ruo arrived, Manager Yu took her on a tour of the new buildings: ¡°Madam, in a few days the roof beams will be in ce, and by the end of this month, everything will bepleted,¡± he said. ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ve all done a great job,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your kindness, Madam. Everyone knows that you¡¯re building these houses for them to live in, they¡¯re deeply grateful, and they work very hard,¡± Manager Yu said. Withnd so valuable, otherndlords would certainly want to keep more farnd or build houses for themselves, but their Madam generously cleared arge area ofnd to build more houses to improve the living conditions for hired workers and their families. The quarters that the original workers on the estate lived in were much smaller than this. Usually, several workers would squeeze into one room. How could they ever dream of having a small room to sleep infortably? ¡°I want them to devote themselves fully to their work on the estate, to treat the estate like home, so naturally I should provide them with a ce that can shelter them from wind and rain, with food to eat, clothes to wear,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Otherwise, what right do I have to ask them to take good care of the estate and treat it as their own home?¡± ¡°Madam has a kind heart!¡± Manager Yu eximed, impressed. He¡¯d been a worker here for twenty years before serving as the manager for thest ten years, and this was the first time he¡¯d encountered andy with such a mindset. ¡°Just do as I say, don¡¯t worry about the high expenditure on the estate. As long as the expenses are reasonable and appropriate, and the silver is actually used where it should be, I will not be stingy. Next year, with a higher yield from thend, all this will be paid off,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo had several businesses stably making profit, so there was no problem with the expenses. After her coboration with Zuixian Residence started, there would be additional revenue. Moreover, Wei Ruo¡¯s ambition was not limited to Zuixian Residence. She also nned to prate the market for general households, as well as the restaurants in other ces. All these were included in her future ns. ¡°Alright, Madam, rest assured, every expense on the estate will be precisely recorded. I¡¯ll ensure that every bit of money is spent transparently,¡± Manager Yu promised. Wei Ruo nodded, agreeing that the ounts should indeed be kept clear. Then she went to the workshop. Since it was still in its early stages, there might be minor issues. In the following days, Wei Ruo had to pay more attention and supervise the work, making corrections as problems were found. ### Time flew by and soon it was December. A heavy snow covered the entire Taizhou prefecture. The entire city was draped in white; thick snowy on the roofs, on the trees, on the steps. The freezing cold was even more severe than previous years. These harsh conditions were particrly tough for the poverty-strickenmon folks. Some families even started selling their daughters. The better off ones sold their daughters to wealthy families to be maids. Regardless of the contracts they signed, at least they could eat to their fill. If they performed well, there was even a chance for a better future. Those less fortunate weren¡¯t so lucky. They were sold as concubines, bought by human traffickers to be sent northward, or they were forced into prostitution. Although Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t seen these things with her own eyes, she knew they were really happening. The houses on Wei Ruo¡¯s estate were allpleted before the heavy snows, and everyone had moved in. There was enough food on the estate too. In addition to the rice stored in the estate¡¯s warehouse, Wei Ruo had also received several carts of sweet potatoes from Xingshan County, along with arge amount of pickled vegetables (pickled radish, salted vegetables, mustard greens, etc.) made from the copious vegetables harvested in Xingshan¡¯s Xiaoyang Mountain after the rice was collected. These food reserves were enough for more than two hundred people on the estate to make it through the winter. After witnessing the plight of the poor outside in the bitter cold, many of the refugees harbored a deep sense of gratitude towards Wei Ruo. If they hadn¡¯t been taken in by Wei Ruo, they would have been either frozen to death or starved by now. Even the local residents who had been hired were also very grateful, as not every employer treated their workers so well. Given the harshness of this year¡¯s weather, their wages were not decreased. Instead, they were given additional winter clothes.N?v(el)B\\jnn Coal for heating was distributed to every courtyard in the Military Prefecture, and smokeless coal was used. It was better than ordinary ck coal and wouldn¡¯t fill the rooms with ck smoke. Every courtyard also received two new cotton quilts for the year. All of this was thanks to Wei Mingting¡¯s recent promotion. Not only had he received a reward from his superior, but his sry had also increased, significantly improving life at the Military Prefecture. Later, Mrs. Yun hired some tailors to make new clothes for the young masters anddies called for the New Year. We Ruo had three sets made, while the others, including the eldest son Wei Yichen, only had two sets each. This was because Wei Ruo had fewer clothes. Now that she was in the Government City, she had to attend some events. As the eldest daughter of the prefecture, it was only natural that she shouldn¡¯t be seen wearing the same two or three outfits all the time. Mrs. Yun originally wanted to make an extra set for Wei Yichen. As Wei Yichen had just gone to the Anzhou Academy to study and would be meeting more people, he needed to dress more presentably. But when the tailor took his measurements, Wei Yichen declined. He told Mrs. Yun that he was at the Anzhou Academy to study, not topete with others. He didn¡¯t need to care about these external things. Wei Yichen knew that the Military Prefecture wasn¡¯t wealthy. This year, with the food shortage and the unseasonably cold weather, there were more important things to spend money on. He had enough clothes from previous years so he could save some this year. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan was saddened and upset for a while. But her sorrow and resentment couldn¡¯t change anything. Aside from her two loyal servants, no one in the prefecture knew about her emotions and thoughts. ### On the seventh day of December, the day before La Ba Festival, Wei Ruo and Xiumei cooked severalrge pots of La Ba porridge and distributed them to the people on the estate. Though the La Ba Festival was actually the next day, since Wei Ruo had other ns for the festival day, the porridge for the people on the estate was distributed a day earlier. The La Ba porridge that Wei Ruo and Xiumei made was full of ingredients, and the people on the estate started wolfing down the porridge as soon as they received it. In addition to the people on the estate, Wei Ruo also packed several barrels and took them back to the city, wrapped securely in cotton cloth. The portions for the wet nurse and Uncle Xu were a must. Also, there were the shopkeeper and shop assistants at the Four Treasure House, Chen Aqing and another young man from Xu¡¯s braised food shop. On the Xingshan County estate, Wei Ruo had also sent a letter a few days earlier, instructing the manager there to make and distribute La Ba porridge to everyone on the day of the La Ba Festival.. Chapter 179 - 179 Selling Laba Congee_1 Chapter 179: Selling Laba Congee_1 n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo did not forget any of the workers who helped her. Inside Xu¡¯s Delicatessen shop, Chen Aqing quickly finished off a bowl of porridge. Seeing her eating so hurriedly, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°The way you eat makes me wonder if I¡¯ve been withholding rations from you and not letting you eat enough.¡± ¡°No, Miss, this porridge is delicious! You and Sister Xiumei are great at cooking!¡± Chen Aqing exined. ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily the cooking skill, but the ingredients. This bowl of porridge contains yellow rice, white rice, river rice, millet, water caltrop rice, chestnuts, red kidney beans, de-skinned jujube paste, it is boiled together with water, the topping is made by coloring almond, apricot kernel, sunflower seeds, peanuts, hazelnut, pine nuts, white sugar, brown sugar and small-size grapes.¡± Making porridge seems simple, but it is a deep art. However, this particr bowl of porridge, which was prepared with such avish amount of ingredients, might be hard to find anywhere else. ¡°So¡­so many ingredients? It must be expensive then¡­¡± Chen Aqing looked at her empty bowl nkly, regretting that she had eaten so fast. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can afford to treat you guys once in a while. Plus, I¡¯m not just making it for you, I¡¯m going to sell it too. Tomorrow is Laba Festival, an appropriate time to sell this porridge.¡± Wei Ruo then instructed Chen Aqing, ¡°Later on, make an eye-catching space in the shop to sell this porridge. A bowl costs one tael of silver.¡± ¡°One tael of silver?¡± Chen Aqing was startled, unable to believe her ears. ¡°Yes, one tael of silver,¡± Wei Ruo confirmed firmly. Chen Aqing swallowed hard, and looked again at her now empty bowl. Had she just gulped down a whole tael¡¯s worth of silver? Even though she felt the price was very high, she did not question it. She had unconditional faith in Wei Ruo, believing that she must have a good reason for setting such a price. Wei Ruo had decided when making the porridge that she would sell it at a high price, specifically targeting affluent families. Since the opening of Xu¡¯s Delicatessen Shop, Madam Yuan¡¯s promotion had attracted many wealthy patricians from the city to try the goods, thereby umting a group of wealthy and influential loyal customers for the shop. The previous incident with Zuixian Residence did cause some loss to the shop, but it also effectively promoted Xu¡¯s Delicatessen Shop in another way. Now the shop doesn¡¯tck rich customers, and everyone recognizes the good taste of the food at the shop. Therefore, Wei Ruo was certain that if she put this Laba porridge in a conspicuous position in the shop, people would be willing to buy it at a high price. Sure enough, several portions of the Laba porridge had been sold by noon. By the afternoon, even more people were buying it. Some tasted it on the spot and then bought several bowls to take away. Wei Ruo had only prepared one bucket for sale, and by the afternoon (two to three o¡¯clock) it had sold out, a total of thirty servings, which amounted to thirty taels of silver. Even now, Chen Aqing could hardly believe that she had just sold thirty taels¡¯ worth of porridge. It was just like magic! While Wei Ruo was not surprised, she was still taken aback by the speed of sale. From the beginning, Wei Ruo knew that even if this porridge was priced at five coins, ordinary and poor families would not buy it. What they need are food and warmth, not some delicacy. But nobles and the rich are different, they pursue quality, and the more expensive things are, the more they feel they are worthy of their status. Relying on this rationale, Wei Ruo could price her porridge so high. Counting the thirty taels of silver in her hand, Xiumei couldn¡¯t be happier. ¡°Miss, this Laba porridge is so profitable! The profit we make here far exceeds that of selling vegetables, sweet potatoes, and our deli food!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be happy too soon, we still have to prepare the ingredients tonight for sale tomorrow,¡± warned Wei Ruo. ¡°Earning so much silver, I don¡¯t mind not sleeping tonight!¡± Xiumei said excitedly. ¡°That won¡¯t do, your health is worth more than silver!¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re the one to talk, you often do the same! You always say you¡¯re tired when ites to other tasks, but as long as it has anything to do with money, you can stay awake all night!¡± Xiumei refuted. In fact, Wei Ruo would also forget about sleep and food when it came to saving people. Uh¡­ can¡¯t argue with that. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Wei Ruo quickly changed the subject. ¡°Hurry up and get to work on the other things. There¡¯s a lot of ingredients to prepare. If we¡¯re slow, we might not catch the good fortune of the Laba Festival tomorrow.¡± Then Wei Ruo didn¡¯t give Xiumei a chance to nag further, she pulled her onto the carriage. ### Early the next morning, as soon as Xu¡¯s Delicatessen Shop opened, a small stall selling Laba porridge was set up at the entrance. Yesterday it was only ced inside the shop in a visible location, but today it was directly ced at the shop entrance. Next to it was a sign that read: ¡°Laba porridge, one tael per bowl.¡± At first, the passersby felt like the owner of Xu¡¯s Delicatessen Shop must have gone crazy for money, as he was daring enough to sell a bowl of ordinary porridge at such an exorbitant price. But soon, those who thought so found they were wrong. Not only was the expensive porridge being sold, but it was selling in considerable quantities! The high-ranking officials, rich merchants, and nobles in the city were the buyers of this expensive Laba porridge. On the same street, Zuixian Residence also started selling Laba porridge today, but clearly, its business was not as good as Xu¡¯s Delicatessen Shop. After sale for an hour, the shopkeeper from Zuixian Residence, Shen, came to Xu¡¯s Delicatessen Shop to find Wei Ruo. ¡°Is Mr. Xu avable?¡± Shopkeeper Shen inquired from Chen Aqing, who was busy at the counter. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m too busy with business,¡± Chen Aqing replied. In fact, Wei Ruo was in the backyard of the shop, but Chen Aqing still said she didn¡¯t know because she wasn¡¯t sure if her mistress wanted others to know she was there. Xiumei had taught her to say she didn¡¯t know in such situations. At that moment, the curtain to the backyard was lifted, and Wei Ruo came out from the back. ¡°A pleasure to see you, Mr. Xu. My master would like to invite you to Zuixian Residence for a chat. Is it convenient for you now?¡± With a smile on his face, Shopkeeper Shen courteously inquired from Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m free, I can go with you now.¡± Wei Ruo responded straightforwardly. ¡°Very well, Mr. Xu, please follow me!¡± Shopkeeper Shen quickly led the way for Wei Ruo. Upon reaching Zuixian Residence, Shopkeeper Shen still took Wei Ruo to that same box in theer, the one with the sign ¡°Crane Pavilion¡±. Just likest time, Fan Chengxu was sitting inside alone, with tea and some pastries in front of him. ¡°Mr. Fan, what brings me here today?¡± Wei Ruo asked directly, getting straight to the point. ¡°I wanted to ask you when you could start supplying me with the five spice powder and oyster sauce we agreed uponst time. You said you needed some time, and I think enough time has passed.¡± Chapter 180: Making Plans with Second Chapter 180: Making ns with Second Brother at East Lake_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mr. Fan, you seek me at just the right time. I won¡¯t be keeping this from you, I will be able to deliver the first batch of goods to you tomorrow morning,11 Wei Ruo replied. Fan Chengxu put down his teacup and smiled at Wei Ruo, ¡°What a coincidence. To be honest, I am looking forward to seeing your goods.1 ¡°Mr. Fan, rest assured, when the goods are delivered, you will have the opportunity to inspect them,¡± Wei Ruo added. ¡°From today¡¯s Laba Congee, I have great confidence in your five-spice powder and oyster sauce. I have every reason to believe that your products will not disappoint me,¡± Fan Chengxu noted. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Fan for your trust. But doing business cannot rely solely on trust. It¡¯s always better to do things by the rules. You may inspect the goods upon arrival. If there are any issues, we can discuss them in person. If you are not satisfied, you can refuse ¨C I never force a sale.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Alright.¡± Fan Chengxu agreed with a smile, his eyes revealing his admiration for Wei Ruo. He enjoyed dealing with clever people, and this Mr. Xu, who was not very skilled at disguise, was just that. He was even beginning to wonder what Mr. Xu¡¯s original face looked like. From his hands, he could tell he was a young boy. Perhaps fearful that his original handsome face would not be persuasive enough, that¡¯s why he disguised himself in this way. The idea was good, but the disguise was somewhat crude. Thankfully, his skills in other areas were not so clumsy. Following this, Fan Chengxu said to Wei Ruo: ¡°If Mr. Xu is not in a hurry, please sit down and have a couple of tea cups with me. The shopkeeper next to him then made an inviting gesture to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo grinned lightly, ¡°I appreciate your kindness. After sitting down, Fan Chengxu poured a cup of tea for Wei Ruo, ¡°Mr. Xu, you don¡¯t seem to be of age yet?¡± ¡°Yes, not yet,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The corners of Fan Chengxu¡¯s mouth lifted into a smile, his eyes twinkling with mischief. In that moment, Wei Ruo probably knew what the other party wasughing at. But Wei Ruo was not flustered. They might have seen through her disguise, but with most of her face covered by a beard and a birthmark, they couldn¡¯t really see much. ¡°Mr. Xu, have you ever thought about working for me?¡± Fan Chengxu asked. ¡°I am ttered by Mr. Fan¡¯s appreciation, but I prefer to work on my own,¡± Wei Ruo politely declined. The shopkeeper at the side said: ¡°Mr. Xu, our young master is not an ordinary businessman. If you follow our young master, what you gain will not be just the mary benefits of doing business. Wei Ruo smiled lightly: ¡°I am not interested in Mr. Fan¡¯s other identities, I just want to do some business, earn some silver and provide for the family. I apologize if my views are too short-sighted and have dampened Mr. Fan¡¯s interest. In ce of wine, I will have this cup of tea as my penalty. Having said that, Wei Ruo drank up the tea in front of her. Fan Chengxuughed, ¡°I suppose, then, I can only look forward to future cooperation with Mr. Xu.¡± ¡°I am looking forward to it as well,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo left the Zuixian Residence after a while. She initially thought Fan Chengxu would say something about the Laba Congee, but in the end, they only discussed business cooperation. After two encounters, Wei Ruo felt that Fan Chengxu was a rather difficult and formidable person. She hoped there would only be a business rtionship between the two of them in the future. Having an extra adversary at the present would be quite challenging for her. After leaving the Zuixian Residence, Wei Ruo went back to Xu¡¯s Delicacy first. The shop was bustling with peopleing to buy delicacies and Laba Congee. Chen Aqing and another waiter were quite busy, so Xiumei went up to help. Wei Ruo was about to lend a hand when a woman walked over and handed her a note. Wei Ruo looked up and saw that it was Lin Fang, so she pocketed the note. Once Lin Fang left, Wei Ruo went to the shop¡¯s backyard and unfolded the note. ¡°Noon, the western shore of East Lake, Autumn Pavilion. Wei Ruo was clear and as the rush for the porridge had passed, she went to East Lake with Xiumei. Upon arriving at the Autumn Pavilion on the western shore of East Lake, a boat was moored nearby. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Lin Fang and her husband Ke Chongshan were in the pavilion, but when Wei Ruo descended from the carriage, Lin Fang stepped forward: ¡°My master is on the boat, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Wei Ruo followed Lin Fang onto the boat. Once she was on board, the boat started to slowly move toward theke. In the tea room on the boat, Wei Ruo saw Wei Jinyi dressed in a moon-white silk robe. ¡°Brother,¡± Wei Ruo approached. ¡°Sit,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo sat down across from Wei Jinyi. A wide variety of dishes were already spread out on the table. ¡°Brother, howe you thought of seeing me today?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Today is Laba Festival,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Do you want to spend the festival with me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Also, as I mentioned before, I want Sister-in-Law Ke to help you learn some disguising techniques. If you have time today, you can learn from her on this boat.¡± Wei Ruo turned to Lin Fang: ¡°Then I would like to bother Sister-in-Law Ke.¡± ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s my honor to be able to help the youngdy. Since it¡¯s noon, the young master and youngdy must be hungry. Let¡¯s not mention other things for the moment. Let¡¯s eat first, and after the meal, I¡¯lle to talk to you about these things.¡± After these words, Lin Fang bowed slightly to the two and left the tea room. After Lin Fang left, Wei Ruo removed the fake beard and birthmark from her face. Now that nobody else was around and Sister-inw Ke had to disguise her againter, she removed it right away. Wei Jinyi said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. We have your favorite seafood here, fresh from this morning¡¯s fishing boat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. I also brought Laba Congee for you,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to bring in the food box she had packed when she left Xu¡¯s Delicacy. Wei Ruo ced the porridge in front of Wei Jinyi, ¡°Brother, have a taste. It was made by me and Meimei.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Jinyi picked up a spoon and took a bite. He savoured it, then swallowed it down. ¡°Ruo¡¯s porridge is delicious.¡± Wei Jinyi noted. ¡°If you like it, I will save more for you next time,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Ok,¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. His gaze towards Wei Ruo was particrly soft. Over time, he had developed an unconscious harshness, but now some of that harshness had faded. The boat sailed slowly to the middle of theke, Wei Ruo had been here before, that time was with Xie Jue and Xie Ying, when they went fishing together. Because Chu Lan was there at that time, Wei Ruo did not have the mood to appreciate the scenery of theke. Now that the person sitting opposite was different, Wei Ruo had rxed. ¡°Brother, after the New Year, I will start wearing hairpins,¡± Wei Ruo suddenly mentioned her uinging-of-age ceremony. Chapter 181: What kind of son-in-law do you want to find?_l Chapter 181: What kind of son-inw do you want to find?_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Jinyi suddenly halted his hand that was holding the teacup, and once again looked up at the person in front of him. Without the fake beard and birthmark as a cover, her lovely little face was perfectly clear; her sprightly eyes clear as a pool, were staring right at him. ¡°Why bring up the Ji jie event so suddenly?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Because after Ji jie, my family will start seeking a marriage alliance for me. I now have a new concern, upon marriage, I will be family with another, then I may not have time to meet with second brother and dine together.¡± said Wei Ruo. Hence, such boating trips and the opportunities for idle chats over tea with second brother like the present would be fewer in the future. Upon her arrival at the Wei Family, the mostfortable ce to be in the mansion was the small pavilion in Yingzhu Garden. Thinking of it, there was a pinch of reluctance in Wei Ruo regarding her departure from the Wei family. Of course, this slight clinging would definitely not alter her original intentions. Wei Jinyi observed Wei Ruo¡¯s thoughtful expression and asked, ¡°What type of husband does Ruoruo wish to find?¡± ¡°Anything goes.¡± said Wei Ruo. She had almost no demands for his character or appearance but only hoped for a simple family structure from his side, devoid of any troublesome elders. She did not yet have the courage to tell Wei Jinyi that she wanted to find a man on his deathbed because even second brother would likely not approve of her idea. Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly. It seemed he had some objections to what Wei Ruo said, but after observing Wei Ruo for a while, he remained silent. ¡°Is second brother also close to the time of matchmaking?¡± suddenly Wei Ruo asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry.¡± ¡°Indeed, older brother must go first, and since older brother needs to take the imperial examination first, the family will naturally not rush to arrange for his marriage.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Mm.¡± Wei Jinyi did not exin further. Wei Ruo¡¯s recent words undoubtedly stirred up his thoughts. ¡°Then, second brother, what type of wife do you wish to find?¡± Wei Ruo asked with curiosity. Wei Jinyi did not reply immediately. Instead, he silently observed Wei Ruo for a while, then answered, ¡°Intelligent, kind-hearted, with her own thoughts, andpatible.¡± ¡°Then I wish second brother to find such a beautifuldy soon!¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Jinyi remained silent and shifted his gaze to theke outside. Ripples formed on theke surface, endlessly seeming to rise and then disperse. Some thoughts unknowingly slipped into his heart, and unknowingly took root and sprouted. ### Later, Wei Jinyi asked Lin Fang to bring Wei Ruo to the room next to the tea room. Lin Fang carefully examined Wei Ruo¡¯s facial features, then took out a wooden box, then a bowl, put in some powder, added water, mixed, and finally thickened it into a paste. ¡°Miss, you need not be afraid. The mixture I¡¯ve concocted will not harm your skin.¡± Lin Fang exined. ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo nodded. ¡°I will dab this mixture sparingly on certain areas of your face. After it solidifies and is removed, ayer exactly conforming to your facial contour will be formed. Thisyer will then be able to assist in making small changes to your appearance in the future.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo agreed. She just had heard about the disguise techniques of these worldly people before, and today she had the opportunity to see it for the first time. Lin Fang did not apply much of the mixture to Wei Ruo¡¯s face. She focused on the chin and cheek areas to alter the lower contours of Wei Ruo¡¯s face. Wei Ruo looked at her transformed features in the mirror and appeared satisfied. Although this face still looked somewhat childish, it obviously looked more masculine now. As Lin Fang briskly worked, she exined to Wei Ruo, ¡°Since you¡¯ve shown yourself with your original appearance, and also as this mask might cause a bit of difort when worn, covering less of your face can reduce the difort. Hence, I only made adjustments to the area that was originally covered by therge beard.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Finally, when the mask was formed, Lin Fang removed half of the fake skin and handed it over to Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, this is your exclusive disguise.¡± Wei Ruo held the half-piece of skin-like disguise in her hand. Its color and texture were very simr to that of human skin, and when applied to her face, it was indeed hard to distinguish between real and fake. Then, as Lin Fang was helping Wei Ruo clean her face, she said, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re truly a natural beauty. Your skin is as delicate as peeled eggs and lychees. I¡¯m quite envious.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯splexion was not dark, nor was it very fair. At leastpared to Wei Qingwan, she wasn¡¯t as pale. This was because Wei Ruo had been out in the sun all year round. But her skin was extremely delicate and smooth, free from pimples and spots, just like the delicate texture of peeled eggs and lychees. ¡°Sister Lin¡¯s skin isn¡¯t bad either.¡± Wei Ruo remarked. ¡°I used to thinkthat way as well, but having seen yours, my skin seems inferior.¡± Lin Fangughed. ¡°Sister Lin, it¡¯s just some small spots, it¡¯s no big deal. I¡¯11 give you a few jars of my skin creamter. You can try it, it might improve your skin condition.¡± Wei Ruo proposed. ¡°How can I ept anything of yours, Miss.¡± Lin Fang hurriedly declined. ¡°What¡¯s there to be shy about? You have all helped second brother, it¡¯s my duty to thank you guys. Besides, didn¡¯t Sister Lin help me out today?¡± Wei Ruo said with a smile. Lin Fang alsoughed, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll ept it without being modest.¡± Afterpleting the makeup, Wei Ruo returned to the cabin. ¡°Second brother, do you think I look better now than with the big beard before?¡± Wei Ruo twirled around in front of Wei Jinyi to show her new appearance. Wei Jinyi softly gazed as Wei Ruo spun around in front of him, and responded with a ¡°Mm.¡± Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi stayed on the tour boat till the third quarter of the afternoon. Before parting, Wei Ruo asked Wei Jinyi about his ns to return home for the New Year. No matter how busy second brother was, he shoulde home for the New Year. ¡°On the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Good, then I will prepare some extra dishes and we¡¯ll enjoy a hot pot meal in the new Yingzhu Garden!¡± said Wei Ruo. Then, when the boat reached the shore, Wei Ruo went back to the shore with Xiumei. Wei Jinyi did not disembark but remained on the boat watching Wei Ruo disappear into the distance. ### It wasn¡¯t until Wei Ruo returned to the Military Prefecture that she knew Wei Mingting hade home too, preparing to celebrate the Laba Festival with the family. Wei Mingting seemed to be busier after being promoted to Deputy Guard Commander. He had even fewer opportunities toe home. Thest time Wei Ruo saw Wei Mingting was half a month ago. ¡°Father.¡± Wei Ruo greeted him. ¡°Mm, has Ruoruo gone to ss today?¡± Wei Mingting asked. ¡°Mm.¡± Wei Ruo replied.N?v(el)B\\jnn Facing Wei Mingting¡¯s stern face, Wei Ruo was slightly unsettled. Chapter 182 - 182 Fine Wine and Delicacies_1 Chapter 182: Fine Wine and Delicacies_1 Trantor: 549690339 These days, she left the house under the pretext of attending sses in Tianqin Garden. Now, Mr. Wang Caiwei is teaching in Tianqin Garden. Madam Yuan indeed brought several daughters from the Yuan Family over to attend the ss, just as Wei Ruo had previously told her family. Wei Ruo has been skipping sses more frequently than before. However, Mr. Wang did not chastise her for it, saying instead that there are certain things that books cannot teach as well as hands-on experience. Wei Mingting did not doubt Wei Ruo1 s response, and continued to speak to her, ¡°I received a message from my colleagues in Xingshan County these few days, dering the peasants who were clearing up the desertednd in the south of the city are all safe. Magistrate Qian has taken good care of them, you do not have to worry.¡± Knowing that Wei Ruo was concerned about these hardworking and poor peasants, he made it a point to convey this message to her as the weather turned colder. ¡°Good, I am d they are safe. I hope they all stay out of trouble,¡± Wei Ruo, too, felt pleased for those elders and children. Then, Wei Qingwan also arrived. She resumed her sses these days, going to the city magistrate¡¯s house. She was extremely diligent, leaving early and returningte. Whereas she used to arrive just in time for dinner, her return today was rtively early. Upon seeing Wei Mingting, Wei Qingwan bowed her head, greeting softly, ¡°Your daughter pays respect, Father. You must have been working hard recently.¡± ¡°I am not feeling overworked, Wanwan, you do not need to worry,¡± Wei Mingting responded. ¡°How many days can Father rest this time?¡± Wei Qingwan asked with concern. ¡°After dinner tomorrow, I will return to the barracks,¡± Wei Mingting, having been granted only a two-day leave, had decided not to cause dy at work by staying at home only for a night. Upon hearing his words, Wei Qingwan looked at him, her face filled with distress. Feeling the warmth in his heart from his daughter¡¯s concern, Wei Mingting smiled. Weilin arrivedte, sweating profusely. ¡°Dad! Today, I learned a new knife technique! My teacher said that on the battlefield, the knife is handier than the sword. The sword is all sh and no substance, it¡¯s not as fierce as the knife!¡± Before Wei Mingting could even ask him about how he had been, Wei Yilin had already started exining the progress of his recent education to him. ¡°Mmm, your teacher speaks the truth. On the battlefield, a knife is indeed more useful than a sword. After supper, let¡¯s go to the yard, and I will see if you have improved,¡± Wei Mingting replied, showing his approval. ¡°Sure!¡± Wei Yilin agreed with the confidence of someone who has everything under control. Subsequently, Madam Yun arrived and asked Wei Ruo and the others to first go freshen up before dinner, especially Wei Yilin, who was covered in sweat from his day of martial arts training. Today, only Wei Mingting, Madam Yun, Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan, and Wei Yilin were celebrating the festival together at home. As Wei Yichen and Wei Jinyi had not returned home, Madam Yun¡¯s previous suggestion of separating men and women at dinner was put aside. After looking at Wei Mingting, Wei Ruo decided to return to the Tingsong Garden to bring back a jar of wine. ¡°It¡¯s rare for Father to return home, so let¡¯s enjoy some wine to rx a bit.¡± Wei Ruo knew her father, despite being a wine enthusiast, wouldn¡¯t drink in the army and would savor a ss or two only when he was at home. Yet, he had been more upied than ever, having not had a chance to drink much throughout the year. Seeing the jar of wine Wei Ruo brought, a hint of joy was evident on Wei Mingting¡¯s face, ¡°Ruo understands me.1 Though the wine jar seemed rough and unremarkable, Wei Mingting knew his daughter¡¯s wine was exquisite and could not be found anywhere else. When he reached out to ept the wine jar from Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo retracted her hand and added, ¡°Father, you can drink, but not to the point of intoxication. Drink moderately for pleasure, to drink heavily is injurious to health.¡± ¡°Alright, I promise,¡± Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t help butugh. Being lectured by his daughter was an intimate and novel experience. Only then did Wei Ruo handed Wei Mingting the jar of wine. Wei Mingting lifted the lid of the jar, and a strong fragrance of wine permeated the dining hall. ¡°Is this wine different from the one we had before, Ruo?¡± Asked Wei Mingting. The aroma of this wine was more potent. ¡°Yes, thest time everyone drank together, I brought a lighter fruit wine. This time, for Father, I¡¯ve brought a stronger variety. So, you must take your time ? consuming it, or else you might be drunk, and then you can¡¯t me me, Wei Ruo added. The previous wine was a lower-alcohol fruit wine that had been soaked in distilled spirit. However, this time, it was the original high-spirit liquor. Upon hearing this, the underage Wei Yilin leaned in, trying to get a look at what was inside the wine jar. His efforts to get on tiptoe were in vain as he was too short to see inside. Fortunately, Wei Mingting had already poured some liquor into a wine ss. The liquid was clear and the aroma was strong and rich. Wei Mingting took a careful sip and savored it, then he looked at Wei Ruo with an astonished expression, ¡°Ruo, did you. brew this wine?¡± ¡°Yes, when I had nothing to do in the countryside, I would brew some wine. ? Sometimes, people also swapped it for silver in order to buy quilts and such,¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°Ruo, your brewing skills are worth their weight in gold!¡± Eximed Wei Mingting. Wei Ruo knew her father was not exaggerating when he said this. Most of the wine around now is fermented. Although the technology for distition exists, it is only mastered by a few wineries. Ordinary fermented wine has a lower alcohol content and is somewhat cloudy and yellowish. Distilled wine, on the other hand, can greatly increase the alcohol content, and its aroma is strong, crystal clear as water. Therefore, distilled wine is much more expensive than ordinary grains fermented wine. Wei Mingting had enjoyed this distilled wine when he was in the Capital City. However, during his tenure in remote areas, he never again had the chance to drink this kind of wine. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond but just said, ¡°It¡¯s good if Father likes it.¡± Seeing her husband happy, Madam Yun¡¯s face also showed a smile. Then she ordered the dishes to be served. The foods served had a familiar taste for Wei Ruo-the stewed vors of stewed pig¡¯s ears and pork. Wei Ruo could tell at a nce that they came from her shop. Madam Yun specifically introduced this stewed dish to Wei Mingting, ¡°Good wine needs to be paired with good food. Today¡¯s stewed pork ears and meat are just for you.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After a taste, Wei Mingting nodded in approval, ¡°Not only is the stewed dish ? vorful, but it also tastes excellent. Our cookhas indeed improved recently.¡± Madam Yun exined, ¡°I bought it from a stewed shop in the city. That shop is very famous in the Government City. The gentry in the city are their regr customers. I heard it from the city magistrate¡¯s wife. So, I bought it today to try it since you came back.¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s different from others and better than any stewed dish I¡¯ve had before,¡± Wei Mingtingmented. Then, looking at the wine in his ss, Wei Mingtingmented, ¡°Today, my wife and Ruo seemed to be in tune. One prepared the wine, and the other prepared the food to apany the wine.¡± Madam Yunughed, ¡°A mother and daughter share a connection. Ruo is our daughter, so it¡¯s not surprising that our thoughts align.¡± Chapter 183: Leisurely Tea Talk_l Chapter 183: Leisurely Tea Talk_l Trantor: 549690339 1 Wei Mingting nodded, ¡°Madam is correct.¡± Wei Ruo looked on indifferently, her face expressionless. This so-called bond between mother and daughter was just a coincidence. After answering Wei Mingting¡¯s question, Lady Yun instinctively looked at Wei Ruo, but thetter had already turned her attention to the food early on. Even though she felt Lady Yun¡¯s gaze on her, Wei Ruo did not bother to turn her head. Wei Qingwan lowered her head, bit her lower lip, and simultaneously tightened her grip on her chopsticks. After finishing dinner, everyone sat together, sipping tea and chatting. Wei Mingting did not get drunk. He enjoyed drinking but was not greedy. Especially with his responsibilities, even on a day off, he would never allow himself to lose consciousness due to drunkenness. Wei Mingting brought up the Seventh Prince: ¡°In the near future, the Seventh Prince might visit Taizhou prefecture again. This time, he won¡¯t be traveling incognito but wille officially to assume his role as Military Governor of the Anti-Japanese Army in Taizhou prefecture. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan, who had her head lowered, lifted her gaze. ¡°The Seventh Prince ising to Taizhou prefecture again? It s almost the New Year. Why would hee at this time?¡± Lady Yun asked, perplexed. ¡°While we celebrate the New Year, the Japanese pirates do not. The times when we are celebrating as a family are when we must be most alert, lest the Japanese should take advantage of anypse in our defenses, disturb our people, and destroy our homes,¡± Wei Mingting exined. Hence, even during the New Year, Wei Mingting might not have much time to stay at home. A touch of sadness shed in Lady Yun¡¯s eyes, but she quickly hid it. She knew that her husband¡¯s task was not easy and also understood the difficulties of the people. For the well-being and happiness of more people, they had to sacrifice their family time. Wei Mingting continued, ¡°I mention this to all of you so that you can be prepared. I am currently the Deputy Guard Commander of the Anti-Japanese Army in Taizhou. Considering the Seventh Prince¡¯s frequency of contact with me, there¡¯s a chance he might visit our house again. Upon hearing this, Lady Yun replied, ¡°Rest assure, my Lord. If the Prince visits again, I will make proper arrangements. There will be no more mishaps.¡± Wei Qingwan remained silent, quietly taking note of Wei Mingting¡¯s words. Wei Mingting¡¯s gazended on Wei Ruo, as if he had something to say to her. Wei Ruo quickly grasped Wei Mingting¡¯s intention. Since she had been overlooked during the previous praise for meritorious deeds, she harbored some resentment against Chu Lan. Wei Mingting was likely worrying about this. Wei Ruo took the initiative to say, ¡°Father, rest assured, I recognize the Prince¡¯s status.¡± In essence, she was saying that she was still angry, but she would behave appropriately because her status demanded so. The truth was, Wei Ruo had an intense dislike for Chu Lan and one more incident wouldn¡¯t make much difference. So, if Chu Lan came this time, Wei Ruo would behave just as she did before. Wei Mingting said with a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ruoruo. After a brief conversation, Wei Mingting called Wei Yilin to the courtyard to practice his knife technique. Lady Yun and Wei Ruo, along with Wei Qingwan, watched attentively. Wei Yilin usually practiced with wooden swords and knives, just as he was doing today. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om To match Wei Yilin¡¯s stature, his wooden knife was somewhat smaller than those used by adults. Even so, Wei Yilin wielded the knife skillfully and powerfully, exuding the aura of a future military general with each move. After observing aplete set of Wei Yilin¡¯s movements, Lady Yun looked pleased. She had never expected her yful younger son to have such a talent for martial arts, showing a simr skill and interest to his father¡¯s. Although Wei Mingting¡¯s facial expression was not as apparent as Lady Yun¡¯s, pride and satisfaction were clearly visible in his eyes. After performing a full set of knife techniques, Wei Yilin swiftly ran to Wei Mingting, looking expectantly at his father. ¡°Very good. Considering your age, this is quite impressive,¡± Wei Mingting acknowledged. ¡°Hehe.¡± Wei Yilin scratched his head shyly, feeling ttered by his father s praise. Lady Yun came forward and patted Wei Yilin¡¯s head, ¡°Yilin, you¡¯ve really grown up. You¡¯re more and more like your father.¡± -Of course! I am my father¡¯s son!¡± Wei Yilin dered proudly. -But remember to keep striving and maintain a humble heart. Listen to your Master¡¯s teachings carefully,¡± Wei Mingting admonished. He was rtively strict with his son, hoping that Yilin would not be arrogant andcent even with small achievements. ¡°Yes, Father. You don¡¯t have to worry. I will study hard,¡± Wei Yilin promised. Wei Yilin then looked at Wei Ruo and asked her specifically, ¡°Elder Sister, do you think I¡¯m bing more and more formidable?¡± Wei Ruo rolled her eyes internally. For some reason, Wei Yilin always felt the need to ask for her opinion. It was as if he wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until she had something good to say about him. While Wei Ruo grumbled internally, she maintained a smile on her face, ¡°You should be bing more formidable.¡± ¡°Do you think I can be like Father in the future?¡± Wei Yilin asked again. ¡°As long as you work hard and put in enough effort, you should have a chance.¡± Can this brat finally stop? If he wants to hear such ttering words, couldn¡¯t he go ask his Sister Wanwan? As Wei Ruo thought this, Wei Qingwan, on the other hand, took the initiative to say to Wei Yilin, ¡°Brother Yilin has a lot of talent. As long as he studies well, he is bound to be as formidable as Father, and make great achievements for the country and the people.¡± With this one sentence, she had ttered both father and son. The smile on Wei Yilin¡¯s face intensified. Sister Wanwan always knew what to say! Why couldn¡¯t Wei Qingwan act a bit more like her? Really! Wei Ruo, oblivious to Wei Yilin¡¯s thoughts, stepped back to allow Wei Qingwan toe forward, providing space for the two. As for this pair of siblings, they could carry on with their sisterly kindness and brotherly filial respect. Just don¡¯t involve her, that¡¯s all she asked. ### After the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the farmwork was almost done, and there were hardly any crops left in the ground, except for some cold-resistant rapeseeds sometimes needing to be harvested. Even Wei Ruo¡¯s mushroom farming in Xingshan County had been temporarily put on hold, since even the rtively stable temperature of the caves couldn¡¯t provide the right conditions for mushroom growth at this time. After the seasoning supply for the Zuixian Residence was set on the right track, the production of Wei Ruo¡¯s workshop also stabilized. With the reduced workload, Wei Ruo started to consider her next step. She had mentioned before that when she had some downtime, she wanted to explore vinegar brewing, but after inquiring around, Wei Ruo discovered that brewing alcohol was more profitable than making vinegar. People didn¡¯t have very high standards for the quality of vinegar, but wine was different. The nobles were very particr about drinking wine, and they were willing to pay a high price for it. So Wei Ruo nned to use this period when there was no farmwork to improve her brewing methods and prepare for the establishment of her winery. Wei Ruo nned to choose a location for the winery near a water source, which would facilitate the production process. Moreover, the water source must be of good quality, because the quality of the water greatly influenced the quality of the wine.. Chapter 184: Picking Up a Man Covered in Chapter 184: Picking Up a Man Covered in Blood__l Trantor: 549690339 For three days in a row, Wei Ruo attended sses with Mr. Wang Caiwei at Tianqin Garden in the morning, while in the afternoon, she, along with Xiumei, looked for suitable water sources around Government City. Today was the fourth day, and Wei Ruo had ventured to the Xianqi Mountain to the north of Government City. Wei Ruo¡¯s estate was located north of Government City, and she hoped her chosen site would be as close to her estate as possible, so in recent times she had been searching for suitable ces nearby. ¡°Miss, this ce isn¡¯t too far from our estate, however the path up the mountain is a bit difficult,¡± Xiumei said to Wei Ruo as they walked. ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s go over there and take a look, that area appears to be somewhat t.¡± ¡°Yes, miss.¡± The two of them followed a small stream until they reached an area that was somewhat t, the only such ce they had seen along their journey. The topography seemed to meet Wei Ruo¡¯s expectations, however, the path into the region was difficult, and if they were to establish a small brewing factory here, transportation would be a major issue. Wei Ruo went to the side of the creek that was overgrown with wild grass on both sides. Only where Wei Ruo and Xiumei stood had the wild grass been cleared away, likely by hunters or those chopping wood who needed ess to water. Wei Ruo nned to taste the spring water first; if it was indeed suitable for brewing, then she could overlook other constraints. After all, she wanted to create high-quality wine to sell to the elites. N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo crouched by the stream, cupping water in her hands. The creek¡¯s water was exceptionally cold and felt like icy needles against her skin. But Wei Ruo paid it no mind, preparing to take a sip. However, she suddenly noticed a trace of red in the creek. A shallow red streak was dissolving in the water,pletely diluted by the time it reached their location. From years of practicing medicine, Wei Ruo keenly noticed something was wrong. She sprung to her feet, parting the wild grass and thorn bushes before her, heading upstream. After climbing two metres, Wei Ruo found a man covered in blood, copsed in the wild grass. The man¡¯s entire body, including his face, was shed several times, as his thick winter clothing was soaked in blood. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Xiumei was frightened despite having already seen a lot by Wei Ruo¡¯s side. ¡°Meimei,e and help, he¡¯s still breathing,¡± Wei Ruo found the man was still alive after closer examination. ¡°Miss, let me do it. I¡¯m stronger.¡± Coming back to her senses, Xiumei immediately offered her strength and hoisted the wounded man onto her back. Utilizing her exceptional strength and stamina, Xiumei carried the man down the mountain. Their carriage was stationed at the roadside. After manhandling the man into the carriage, Xiumei took the reins, while Wei Ruo examined his injuries. The man had numerous knife wounds, but luckily he was wearing thick clothing, which reduced the severity of the wounds. None were critical, otherwise, he would already be dead. The injuries on his face were not from a knife but were bruises and scratches, likely from falling down the mountain and being cut by thorny bushes and sharp rocks, leaving him virtually unrecognizable. Wei Ruo noticed one thing; despite wearing a coarse linen jacket, the man¡¯s hands didn¡¯t look like those of one who did manualbor. In that moment, a trace of hesitation shed across Wei Ruo¡¯s mind, but she quickly cast it aside; she simply couldn¡¯t stand by and let someone die. Besides, she was Xu Heyou now, not Wei Qingruo. If the man she saved turned out to be trouble, she could always throw him back up the mountain to feed the wild dogs once he was on the mend. Thinking this, Wei Ruo took out her Hemostatic Medicine. She first crudely sprinkled it onto the visible wounds the man had. He also had wounds on his back, but due to the narrow space in the carriage and the bumpy ride, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t dare to turn him over. This Hemostatic Medicine could help stop the man¡¯s bleeding and kill germs in a short period, significantly increasing his survival chances. When the carriage arrived at Wei Ruo¡¯s estate, she stayed in the vehicle with the wounded man while Xiumei left to find Manager Yu. When Manager Yu arrived, under his orchestration, Wei Ruo and Xiumei finally moved the wounded man from the carriage. ¡°Miss, there is a vacant old room on the eastern side of the estate,¡± Manager Yu said. ¡°No one else saw, did they?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Rest assured, Miss, only I did.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The three of them worked together to move the injured man to the vacant old house in the east. This house was originally used by the servants, but recently Wei Ruo had arranged new amodations for all the workers on her estate, leaving this room vacant. After the man was put on the bed, Wei Ruo instructed Manager Yu to fetch some medicinal herbs. Wei Ruo was making medicinal powder in the newly built workshop, there were still some herbs on the estate that she could use. She then instructed Xiumei to heat some water and bring some charcoal. The hot water would be used to clean the man¡¯s wounds, and the charcoal was to warm the room, facilitating the uing treatment. After Manager Yu brought back the herbs, he saw Wei Ruo about to undress the man, and quickly offered, ¡°Miss, let me do it. I know you value saving lives over etiquette, but some things should still be avoided if possible; treating a man¡¯s wounds is something I can handle, just tell me what to do.¡± Manager Yu¡¯s words were sincere, his eyes filled with concern. Having spent some time together, Manager Yu had learned what kind of person his new employer was: she would help the homeless, and considerate of theborers who worked on her estate. Therefore, it was not at all surprising to him that she would rescue someone; however, Manager Yu wished to protect her reputation as much as possible. Such a gooddy deserved a good marriage. After contemting for a moment, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you then. I have already prepared medicine in that over there basin of hot water, after soaking the clean gauze, wipe his wounds carefully everywhere on his body.¡± Wei Ruo went on, ¡°After cleaning, put the medicine powderbeled ¡®wound medicine¡¯ from this porcin bottle on his knife wounds. If it¡¯s a surface scratch, apply the medicine powder I just mixed in the bowl. Since it¡¯s winter and the weather is cold, wrap him with gauze after applying the medicine. If the bandages aren¡¯t stable, just cover him with a clean quilt.¡± ¡°Alright, I got it. Miss, it¡¯s cold outside, you should wait in the next room. I will call you when it¡¯s done,¡± said Manager Yu. After Wei Ruo and Xiumei went out, they didn¡¯t rest but began brewing some medicinal decoction. The variety of medicinal materials on the estate was limited, so Wei Ruo had to make do with a simplified prescription.. Chapter 185 - 185 Loquat Syrup_l Chapter 185: Loquat Syrup_l Trantor: 549690339 After the time it took to finish a cup of tea, Manager Yu finished his tasks and asked Wei Ruo toe in. When Wei Ruo and Xiumei returned to the room, Manager Yu, though somewhat clumsy, had correctly prepared the medicine and applied the bandages ording to Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, and had even dressed the man. Xiumei brought in the brewed medicine, and together with Manager Yu, they fed it to the man. They said it was feeding, but it was more like forcing it down. The process was simple and rough, but at least it all went to his stomach. Immediately after, Wei Ruo checked the man¡¯s condition again. His life force was strong, but whether he would survive was still uncertain. -Miss, can this man survive?¡± Manager Yu asked with some worry. He only realized how severely the man was injured when he was applying the medicine. ¡°It depends on his fate. I¡¯ll go to the city to get some medicine in a while. Have Xiumei deliver it to you. Brew it at the time of Dog (11PM-1 AM), then let him drink it. Keep the charcoal fire in the room going. Check on him tomorrow morning. If he¡¯s still alive, it means he has made it through. If he¡¯s dead, it means he didn¡¯t survive,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll stay with him tonight,¡± Manager Yu took note of Wei Ruo¡¯s words. Because he didn¡¯t want too many people to know about it, Manager Yu decided to handle these tasks himself. When Wei Ruo looked at Manager Yu again, her eyes showed a hint of admiration. In their previous interactions, Wei Ruo only recognized Manager Yu¡¯s work skills and attitude. But his actions today gave Wei Ruo a new understanding of him. However, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t say much today. Because of time constraints, Wei Ruo and Xiumei left the manor first. After returning to the Military Prefecture, Xiumei stepped out alone, took Wei Ruo¡¯s prescription to the pharmacy to obtain the medicine, rushed back to the manor to give the medicine to Manager Yu, and then hurried back to the Military Prefecture before nightfall. The next day, before going to Tianqin Garden, Wei Ruo made a trip to the manor. Manager Yu happily told Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss, he¡¯s still alive and breathing!¡± ¡°Well, then continue with yesterday¡¯s prescription, three times a day,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. ¡°Okay,¡± Manager Yu nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this will be hard on Manager Yu in the next few days,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m honored to assist Miss. I don¡¯t find it tiring,¡± Manager Yu replied. As Wei Ruo had to rush back to Tianqin Garden, she didn¡¯t have much time to chat with Manager Yu. Once she confirmed that the man had passed the critical period, she left in a hurry. Arriving at the ssroom in Tianqin Garden, Mr. Wang Caiwei had already arrived, but he had been constantly coughing into his hand. ¡°Sir, have you caught a cold?¡± spotting this unusual circumstance, Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Perhaps. It¡¯s nothing serious. I¡¯ve taken medication already,¡± Wang Caiwei replied. ¡°It¡¯S been chillytely. Sir should take care. I have a jar of Loquat Syrup here. Mix it with some water and it should soothe your throat and relieve your cough,¡± Wei Ruo said, pulling out a round porcin jar out of nowhere. The jar wasn¡¯trge, it could be held in one hand, with a white base and blue flowers painted on it. ¡°Why are you carrying this around, Miss Wei?¡± queried Wang Caiwei curiously. ¡°There have been many cases of cold and flutely. Several people in my house have also been coughing, so I prepared extra beforehand for emergency use,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°I see, Miss Wei, you are truly considerate,¡± Wang Caiwei praised. ¡°Sir, try some now. It will make your throat feel better,¡± Wei Ruo encouraged. Wang Caiwei nodded, and then got up to find a maid in Tianqin Garden to bring him some hot water. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He spooned a thick, sticky scoop of the syrup into the water, stirred it until it was evenly mixed and then drank it. The taste was sweet and had a hint of medicinal vor. It was not hard to swallow, much better than most medicines, though it wasn¡¯t as good as honey water. After drinking, Mr. Wang Caiwei could clearly feel its effect. His coughing noticeably reduced during the rest of the ss. The three women from the Yuan Family, who were also in the ssroom, clearly saw this change. When there was a break in the ss, the three of them approached Wei Ruo with questions. ¡°Miss Wei, where did you buy that Loquat Syrup? Can you tell me where, I also want to buy some,¡± Yuan Qiniang asked. The two people next to her were Yuan Jiuniang and Yuan Shiniang. They were not full sisters, but members of the same n, determined by their n¡¯s ranking. These three were of a simr age and were the most outstanding of the Yuan Family¡¯s generation, so they had been selected to study with Mr. Wang Caiwei. As part of the peripheral Yuan Family, their own tutors¡¯ qualifications couldn¡¯tpare with Mr. Wang Caiwei¡¯s. Thus, when Madam Yuan decided to select some students from the n to study with Mr. Wang Caiwei, all the women of the n wanted to be picked. But in the end, Madam Yuan purposely picked these three girls who were about the same age as Wei Ruo. After being selected, these three treasured this opportunity and were very polite to Wei Ruo. They didn¡¯t bother Wei Ruo unless necessary. They didn¡¯t ask about Wei Ruo¡¯s affairs, and they didn¡¯t say a word when Wei Ruo was absent. Today, it was quite unusual for them to eagerly ask Wei Ruo about something. ¡°What do you need the Loquat Syrup for?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°To tell you the truth, Miss Wei, our grandmother has been coughing nonstop today. Although she has seen a doctor and taken medicine, it hasn¡¯t helped. I¡¯m quite worried. Just now, I noticed that the teacher¡¯s coughing significantly improved after taking the Loquat Syrup that Miss Wei gave, so I thought about buying some for my grandmother to try,¡± Yuan Qiniang exined. ¡°My mother has also been coughingtely. I wanted to buy a jar for her too, Yuan Jiuniang added. ¡°You don¡¯t have to buy it. I¡¯ll bring a jar for you when I go home,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°But we can¡¯t just take it from you. Why don¡¯t you tell us where you bought it from, and we will buy it ourselves,¡± Yuan Qiniang suggested. ¡°I actually made the Loquat Syrup myself. You can¡¯t buy it anywhere else,¡± Wei Ruo exined. -Miss Wei can make Loquat Syrup?¡± the three girls asked in surprise. -I used to live in the countryside. An old woman taught me how to make it,¡± Wei Ruo gave an offhand reply. After deliberating for a few moments, Yuan Qiniang proposed, ¡°In that case, we can¡¯t just take it without giving anything in return. How about we trade something for it?¡± Taking it for free was not appropriate. But directly buying it from Wei Ruo with silver would seem a bit crude. After much consideration, Yuan Qiniang thought exchanging the syrup would be the most appropriate. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re ssmates. There¡¯s no need to be so formal. If I say it¡¯s a gift, then it¡¯s a gift,¡± Wei Ruo insisted. After saying this, she called Xiumei over and instructed her to retrieve three jars of Loquat Syrup from the carriage. Wei Ruo had prepared quite a few jars at once. She kept one jar on her, because carrying more would be too heavy. The rest, she kept in the carriage for emergencies. Xiumei went and came back quickly. In no time, she brought back three jars of Loquat Syrup, all identical white porcin jars with blue flowers. Wei Ruo handed a jar to each of the three girls.. Chapter 186: The Seventh Prince is Missing_l Chapter 186: The Seventh Prince is Missing_l n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Trantor: 549690339 Upon seeing this, the three of them no longer resisted and epted Wei Ruo¡¯s loquat syrup, expressing their gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Miss Wei. We will ept this loquat syrup. If there¡¯s anything we can help with in the future, please don¡¯t hesitate to approach us,¡± Yuan Qiniang said. Wei Ruo nodded with a smile. Before leaving Tianqin Garden, Wei Ruo saw Qingyi, who hade to fetch some things for Madame Yuan. She gave her two tins of the syrup and asked her to give it to Madame Yuan on her behalf. Qingyi looked joyous as if she had received a treasure. ¡°Miss Wei, your loquat syrup hase at the right time. Madame has had a sore throat for the past few days, and this servant has been worrying about what could be used for her. The loquat syrup from Miss Wei must be the best.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t say much. Before they parted ways, Qingyi stopped Wei Ruo and reminded her solemnly: ¡°Miss Wei, it¡¯s not very safe out there these days. If you don¡¯t have any urgent business, try not to leave the city.¡± Qingyi¡¯s words sounded as if she knew something. ¡°What has happened?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Qingyi could only reply: ¡°Well, nothing. I just wanted to remind you, Miss Wei. Please keep in mind that I meant it for your own good.¡± After saying this, Qingyi walked away. After returning to the Military Prefecture, Wei Ruo specifically called over Nanny Zhang and asked her if anything significant had urred in the city recently. Nanny Zhang firmly shook her head, ¡°Everything in the city has been very peaceful these past few days. This old servant has heard nothing about significant incidents.¡± Wei Ruo then asked, ¡°Has the city gate been more closely guarded?¡± Nanny Zhang denied. ¡°No, early this morning, this old servant went out of the city on behalf of Madam. It was just like usual. Yesterday, Old Zhang from our ce also went to Xingshan County. He brought a cart of grain back this morning, and nothing happened.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Wei Ruo dismissed Nanny Zhang. She believed that Qingyi¡¯s words were not said randomly, but she did not know the reason behind it at the moment. ### That night, Wei Mingting unexpectedly returned home. Madam Yun had already gone to sleep, but she got up with the assistance of her maids when she heard the noise. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you notify us before you came back, my lord?¡± While helping Wei Mingting to change clothes, Madam Yun asked with concern. Wei Mingting¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Something has happened. Don¡¯t make a fuss about my return, and don¡¯t tell the children either.¡± Hearing this, Madam Yun tensed up, realizing the severity of the situation. ¡°My Lord, have the Japanese Pirates invaded again?¡± Madam Yun asked tentatively. ¡°It¡¯s not about the Japanese Pirates, it¡¯s the Seventh Prince. He was ambushed while on his journey,¡± replied Wei Mingting. Madam Yun¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°The Seventh Prince was ambushed? How could this be? Who would dare to make an attempt on the life of a prince?¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s face was marked with worry, ¡°It¡¯s probably rted to a struggle within the court. The position of crown prince has been vacant for a few years now, and the power struggle between several princes is well known to all.¡± Upon hearing this, Madam Yun¡¯s heart leaped into her throat. ¡°How is the Seventh Prince now?¡± Wei Mingting shook his head, ¡°His whereabouts are currently unknown, and his life or death is uncertain. The magistrate and the guardmander have dispatched government soldiers and some of the Anti-Japanese Army to conduct a search.¡± ¡°Will you be implicated, my lord? Your involvement in the Anti-Japanese Army should have nothing to do with the power struggles within the court. You wouldn¡¯t get caught in the crossfire, would you?¡± Madam Yun asked anxiously. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. It really depends on the Emperor¡¯s decision. If he decides to hold someone ountable, there could be consequences,¡± Wei Mingting revealed. Since the incident happened within his jurisdiction, and the prince involved was highly regarded by the Emperor, they couldn¡¯t escape responsibility if the Emperor was furious. ¡°But you are responsible forbating the Japanese Pirates, and the incident with the Seventh Prince urred within the city. What does it have to do with you?¡± Madam Yun expressed her discontent on behalf of Wei Mingting and the othermanders of the Anti-Japanese Army. ¡°How can everything be judged fairly in the court matters?¡± Wei Mingting sighed slightly, ¡°Let¡¯s not think about it for now. The top priority is to find the Seventh Prince. If he¡¯s alive, we need to see him. If he¡¯s dead, we need to see his body.¡± Although Madam Yun was worried, she couldn¡¯t help with court matters. She only prayed silently, hoping that the Seventh Prince was fine, her husband was fine, and the Wei family was fine. ### In the following days, everything in the city remained calm. Most of the citizens were worried about how to get through the winter and celebrate the New Year. Apart from this, they hadn¡¯t heard any other news, and even the Japanese Pirates had been quiet these days. Every day, Wei Ruo would take some time to visit the manor to check on the status of the injured man. The man was in aa for three days. On the fourth day, Wei Ruo discussed the follow-up medication with Manager Yu. ¡°In the following days, continue using the previous medication in the morning, afternoon, and evening. At noon, add a few more tonics to his medication to replenish his nutrition.¡± Wei Ruo instructed. ¡°Understood.¡± Manager Yu agreed. While they were talking, Wei Ruo caught a glimpse of the man on the bed moving from the corner of her eye. After that, Wei Ruo quickly walked up to the bed. The man opened his mouth and with great difficulty, said, ¡°Water¡­¡± Hearing this, Manager Yu immediately got some tea that was still warm. Manager Yu supported him while Wei Ruo fed the water into the man¡¯s mouth. After drinking the water, the manid back down. Following this, he looked around with a puzzled expression in his eyes, eventually settling on Wei Ruo. The Wei Ruo in the man¡¯s sight was a clear-faced and round-faced young man. Because the mask that Lin Fang had made for her was very convenient to wear, Wei Ruo had gotten into the habit of wearing it when she went out or went to the manor. ¡°Where is this¡­?¡± The man still weak, let out a very hoarse and slow voice as if saying a single word had used up all his strength. ¡°This is my manor. We found you in the mountains nearby and brought you here for temporary shelter,¡± Wei Ruo answered. Whether the man responded slowly or not, he only said, ¡°Thank you,¡± after a while. Although he was still a bit weak, Wei Ruo was already eager to ask some questions: ¡°What¡¯s your surname and name? Where do you live? How did you get injured?¡± If the man¡¯s answers were problematic, Wei Ruo nned to send him back to where they found him and let him fend for himself. ¡°My surname is Zhu, my name is Zongyu, and I live in Taiyuan Prefecture. I¡¯m a businessman¡­¡± The man paused, taking a breather as it seemed to exert him quite a bit to speak that much just after waking up. After the pause, the man continued to exin in a slow voice: ¡°I was traveling south to deliver New Year¡¯s gifts to my maternal grandfather¡¯s family in Wenzhou Prefecture when I was attacked by bandits on the way. To save my life, the family servants and I changed clothes. He led the bandits away, and I took the opportunity to escape.¡± ¡°But I was still caught up with and was wounded by several shes. I was badly injured and could not move. Fortunately, a trusted servant risked his life to save me. Protected by him, I managed to escape to a hidden spot, but the bandits were still searching the mountains. To protect me, the trusted servant chose to go out and draw the bandits away¡­.¡± Chapter 187: Thanks to Miss Wei_l Chapter 187: Thanks to Miss Wei_l Trantor: 549690339 Zhu Zongyu¡¯s exnation cleared up Wei Ruo¡¯s previous doubts. His argument was reasonable and well-founded, devoid of any ws. The details fit the logic and were consistent with what Wei Ruo had discovered. As Wei Ruo fell silent, Zhu Zongyu took the initiative and said, ¡°As the son saved my life, I will definitely provide a generous reward. I beg you to care for me until I am healed and, once I have contacted my family to arrange for their arrival, I will preparevish gifts.¡± Zhu Zongyu looked sincerely at Wei Ruo who said, ¡°A generous reward is unnecessary, a little medical expense money is enough, and don¡¯t bring any trouble for me.¡± ¡°Rest assured, my only desire is to live. Moreover, you are my benefactor, I am nowhere near expressing enough gratitude; I certainly won¡¯t deliberately cause any trouble for you,¡± Zhu Zongyu said. Wei Ruo looked at Zhu Zongyu for a while, then said, ¡°You should rest well. You are not allowed to leave your bed in the next few days. If you need anything, ask Manager Yu; he will take care of your daily life.¡± Zhu Zongyu¡¯s gaze shifted to the nearby Manager Yu, he thanked him, saying, ¡°I am deeply grateful for your life-saving grace.¡± ¡°I merely lent a helping hand, I can¡¯t take credit for saving your life. Your savior is our young master,¡± Manager Yu quickly responded. After giving a few more instructions to Manager Yu, Wei Ruo left. Upon Wei Ruo¡¯s departure, Manager Yu looked at Zhu Zongyu on the bed andmented, ¡°Master Zhu, you truly are lucky. With such severe injuries, most people wouldn¡¯t survive. It was fortunate that you encountered our young master, giving you a chance to reim your life.¡± ¡°Your young master is a doctor?¡± Zhu Zongyu asked. ¡°Our young master knows some medical skills, but he does not practice medicine outside. Once you recover and leave, please do not casually mention it to others,¡± Manager Yu warned. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll remember that,¡± Zhu Zongyu said. Speaking, Manager Yu could not help but mutter, ¡°Our young master is a truly good person, not just to Master Zhu, but also to those who are destitute and suffering, those who can¡¯t afford to eat at home, our young master always gives a helping hand whenever he can. Thanks to our master, everyone on the manor had a good year.¡± Listening to Manager Yu¡¯s stories, Zhu Zongyu was thoughtful. After finishing hismentation, Manager Yu directed his attention back to Zhu Zongyu, ¡°Rest for now, Master Zhu. I will bring you some easily swallowed liquid food soon. Eat a little, as our young master said before he left. You have been kept alive by soup medication these days, your gastrointestinal system is weak and cannot handle too much food at once. You can only have some light porridge.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Zhu Zongyu replied. ### When Wei Ruo returned to the Tianqin Garden, she was enthusiastically surrounded by the three Yuan sisters. Each of them had prepared gifts for Wei Ruo. Yuan Qiuniang gifted Wei Ruo a brocade bag she had embroidered herself, as she noticed that Wei Ruo often used such bags to carry items and figured that she needed it. Yuan Jiuniang gifted Wei Ruo a box of rouge, stating that her elder brother had brought it from the Capital City, a ce from where one could not buy it in Taizhou prefecture. Yuan Shiniang gifted Wei Ruo a velvety flower hairpin she made herself. It was evident that all three of them had carefully chosen their gifts as reciprocation for the loquat syrup, a gesture that should not be too generous, yet not too modest. ¡°Thank you, your gifts are lovely, I really like them,¡± Wei Ruo thanked them. ¡°We should thank Miss Wei. After using the loquat syrup you gave us, our grandmother¡¯s cough has significantly improved. She even sleeps peacefully at night and has been more energetic these past few days,¡± Yuan Qiuniang said. ¡°Yes, a few days ago our grandmother was coughing incessantly, a sight that terrified our elders,¡± Yuan Jiuniang added. Ailing elders especially fear illness, particrly during the chilly winter months. Even a cough, though seemingly mild, is life-threatening if it worsens. ¡°Thanks to the loquat syrup, our grandmother has significantly improved. Our father and uncle have praised us greatly for this, going so far as to reward us. This is all thanks to Miss Wei,¡± Yuan Qiuniang continued. Seeing all three sisters smiling joyfully, Wei Ruo felt happy. Thereafter, Yuan Qiuniang mentioned to Wei Ruo, ¡°Yesterday, Old Lady Xiu, our grandmother¡¯s close confidante, came to our house to see our grandmother. After seeing the improvement in her condition, she too wanted this loquat syrup. As such, our grandmother asked us where we got it from. Because we didn¡¯t talk to you in advance, we simply said it was from a good friend and isn¡¯t avable anywhere else, but we would have to ask the friend first if we can give her more.¡± Yuan Qiuniang was insightful. She perceived from Old Lady Xiu¡¯s behavior yesterday that if she found out who gave them the loquat syrup, she would surely ask for it. In order to avoid putting Wei Ruo in a difficult position, she decided not to reveal this information. ¡°It¡¯s alright, you can tell her what you just told me, I¡¯ll fetch another jar for you. Just give it directly to Old Lady Xiu,¡± Wei Ruo generously said. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Nihil, obcaecati! ¡°Wei Ruo, you are truly a wonderful person. We are really very thankful to you this time.¡± Yuan Qiuniang, representing the three sisters, thanked Wei Ruo again. ¡°It¡¯s not necessary to be so polite. After all, we are ssmates,¡± Wei Ruo said. For Wei Ruo, though there were no particr reasons to befriend the three Yuan sisters, she was delighted if they could live in harmony. ¡°Mmm, if Wei Ruo ever needs our help in the future, don¡¯t hesitate to ask,¡± Yuan Qiuniang said. The remaining two sisters nodded in agreement. ¡°Okay,¡± Wei Ruo responded with a smile. Thus, before ss ended, Wei Ruo handed a new jar of loquat syrup to Yuan Qiuniang. After that, Wei Ruo returned to the Military Prefecture. During dinner, Wei Ruo noticed that Madam Yun seemed off, but she did not particrly want to inquire. At that moment, Wei Qingwan spoke up, ¡°Mother, are you not feeling well? Is there any difort in your body?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with me,¡± Madam Yun denied. Even though she imed there was nothing wrong, she did not seem to be doing well. ¡°Mother, if there¡¯s something wrong, please tell me. I am worried about you,¡± Wei Qingwan said with concern and heartache. ¡°There really is nothing wrong,¡± Madam Yun reemphasized. If it were anything else, she would investigate but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak about this particr matter. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m really worried about you,¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes were sparkling. This touched Madam Yun¡¯s heart and she instinctively looked toward Wei Ruo. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She noted that Wei Ruo appeared calm,pletely oblivious to her troubled expression. This made Madam Yun¡¯s spirit sink. She was bitterly disappointed with Wei Ruo. Madam Yun sighed and said, ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m just a bit tired. Once I finish the tasks at hand, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± She then addressed Wei Ruo, saying, ¡°As for you, don¡¯t always think about running around outside. Start concerning yourself with matters at home. As the eldest legitimate daughter of the family, you should shoulder the responsibilities you ought to fulfill.¡± Wei Ruo responded in a nonchnt tone, as if she failed to notice the dissatisfaction in Madam Yun¡¯s tightly knitted brows.. Chapter 188: Madam Xu visits 1 Chapter 188: Madam Xu visits 1 Trantor: 549690339?????? ¡ª On the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. The first and fifteenth days of each month were rest days, so Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have to attend school today. Wei Ruo nned to stay on the estate for the day to arrange all the things needed before the Chinese New Year, because after the New Year, she might not have time. As Wei Ruo was about to go out, someone from her household came ¨C it was the old Madam Xu, the mother of Mr. Xu Tongzhi, and she specifically asked to see Wei Ruo. N?v(el)B\\jnn Yunshi looked puzzled. These days, her second daughter, Wanwan, has been attending sses at Tongzhi Prefecture, so she has had more opportunities to meet old Madam Xu. Her eldest daughter, Ruoruo, has had practically no interaction with the Xu family, so why would old Madam Xu visit and specifically ask to see Ruoruo? The Xu family is also a renowned and highly regarded family within Taizhou prefecture. Although they do not have the far-reaching influence of the Yuan Family, the influence of their entire family within the government is far greater than that of the Wei Family. Old Madam Xu is also an older generation within the family and is highly respected. Her abrupt visit as an eider to a younger generation has Yunshi quite puzzled. Curious, Yunshi asked old Madam Xu, ¡°How does Old Madam Xu know my daughter Ruoruo?¡± Old Madam Xuughed and said, ¡°My old man has been suffering from a persistent cough, an old problem of his for years. He has taken many medicines but never seems to get better. This year, with the weather colder than usual, whenever a chilly wind blows down his throat, he coughs fiercely.¡± Yunshi looked puzzled, not understanding why Old Madam Xu was talking about her husband¡¯s cough and what it had to do with their family. Old Madam Xu continued to exin, ¡°A few days ago, I went to see the olddy of the third room of the Yuan family. She¡¯s been having a wind-cold that¡¯s causing a persistent cough. There, I saw a treasure, a loquat syrup given to her by her beloved granddaughters. After taking it for three days, her condition improved significantly. Her voice was resounding when speaking, and she rarely coughed.¡± Yunshi didn¡¯t interrupt but continued to listen patiently to Old Madam Xu¡¯s story. Old Madam Xu got to the crux of the matter, ¡°Later, my elder sister helped me to ask her three granddaughters. Only then did I discover that they got this precious item from their ssmate, a good friend who personally prepared it and gave it to them. They got three jars in total, two of which were given to my old sister, and one given to the mother of the ninth Miss.¡± At this point, Yunshi began to catch on. There are three girls from the Yuan family of a simr age as her two daughters who regrly attend sses with her eldest daughter, Ruoruo, at the Tianqin Garden. So it is possible that the donator of the loquat syrup was her eldest daughter, Ruoruo. That¡¯s probably why Old Madam Xu is here today. Understanding the gist of the matter, Yunshi replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not certain of the details about this loquat syrup that Old Madam Xu is speaking about. Since it¡¯s a rest day today, Ruoruo is at home. I could send someone to fetch her and if she still has some, she can give you an extra jar.¡± Seeing Yunshi instructing her maid to summon someone, Old Madam Xu didn¡¯t stop her. After the maid was sent off, Yunshi said to Old Madam Xu, ¡°However, there¡¯s no guarantee that the loquat syrup would be of help to Old Master Xu¡¯s illness It would be best to have a doctor¡¯s consultation for treating illness.¡± Yunshi holds a skeptical attitude towards Wei Ruo¡¯s loquat syrup curing the cough, suspecting that the recovery of the Yuan family¡¯s olddy was purely a coincidence. If it turns out to be ineffective after Old Master Xu consumes it, Yunshi fears that the Xu family might be displeased, so she decided to speak her concerns up front. Once the maid exited the room, Old Madam Xu exined again, ¡°Actually, I have already obtained the loquat syrup. The maids from Yuan family helped me, this thick-skinned olddy, to ask for a jar. My old man has been taking it for a few days, his cough is slightly better, particrly just after consumption, he feels his throat is soothed, and breathes morefortably.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Yunshi sighed in relief. Old Madam Xu said, ¡°So I came here today, firstly to learn about the loquat syrup from Miss Wei; secondly, I want to ask to purchase some more. My old man has had this chronic illness for many years, and it¡¯s likely not easy to root outpletely. I¡¯m afraid the one jar won¡¯t be enough.¡± Meanwhile, Wei Ruo was brought in by Cuiping. This is Old Madam Xu.¡± Yunshi introduced to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo bowed to Old Madam Xu, ¡°I greet Old Madam Xu.¡± ¡°Oh, good girl, good girl.¡± Old Madam Xu looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s bright smile. After the greetings, under Yunshi¡¯s direction, Wei Ruo sat down in an empty spot nearby. Old Madam Xu then expressed her gratitude to Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss Wei, thank you for your loquat syrup, my old man¡¯s throat is feeling better.¡± ¡°Old Madam Xu, there¡¯s no need for formalities, if the loquat syrup benefits Old Master, then that¡¯s for the best,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Hmm, but there are still some questions that I want to ask you. Would you mind?¡± ¡°Old Madam Xu, please feel free to ask anything. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡± ¡°Well, my husband has been dealing with this ailment for quite a few years now, and while the loquat syrup has helped him improve, it¡¯s not aplete cure. He felt a significant relief immediately after taking it, but the effect faded after a while, and he couldn¡¯t help but drink more. I didn¡¯t dare let him consume too much, so I wanted to ask you, how much loquat syrup can he consume per day at most?¡± ¡°Although loquat syrup is not as strictly controlled as other traditional Chinese medicines, it should not be consumed like regr tea or water either One should use a spoon to mix it with hot water for each dosage, and shouldn¡¯t exceed five spoons in a day¡± Wei Ruo responded. Upon hearing this, Old Madam Xu said, ¡°I will take note of this and tell my husband when I return home so we can set some limits.¡± Wei Ruo smiled lightly. Old Madam Xu then asked again, ¡°My husband has been suffering from this illness for a long time now. Is there any hope that he willpletely recover after consuming these loquat syrups?¡± Wei Ruo answered, ¡°This is hard to say. Since this is a chronic disease, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be cured quickly. Different individuals also have different constitutions, leading to different rates of recovery, and I couldn¡¯t make a definitive im without meeting the patient. However, the fact that there has been some improvement after consuming the syrup for the past several days suggests it wouldn¡¯t hurt to continue the treatment. Even if it¡¯s notpletely cured, it should bring some relief.¡± Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t met Old Master Xu, and naturally, had not examined his pulse or assessed his health so she couldn¡¯t possibly know about the definitive result. Old Madam Xu agreed with Wei Ruo¡¯s assessment and went on to express her feelings, ¡°My husband and I, at our age, don¡¯t ask for much, just to livefortably for the rest of our days. Unfortunately, his cough has been troubling him. Now that we have a method to alleviate it, even if it won¡¯tpletely cure him, it can make his every day a bit easier, and that is enough for both of us.¡± Wei Ruo nodded empathetically. Then, with a troubled expression on her face, Old Madam Xu said, ¡°But if the loquat syrup needs to be taken long-term¡­.¡± Chapter 189: Defiance_l Chapter 189: Defiance_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo immediately understood what Madam Xiu meant, ¡°Madam, rest assured, I still have some Loquat Syrup. I will let my maid bring you a couple of jars.¡± Madam Xiu quickly stopped her, ¡°Miss Wei, I feel embarrassed even for epting one jar from you, how can I ask for more for free? How about I buy them from you? You can name your price.¡± Madam Xiu was not a shameless person, she did not want to take advantage of Wei Ruo. Especially given that her husband would need to continue taking this Loquat Syrup long-term. It wouldn¡¯t be proper to keep asking for more every time, even she as an old woman would not do such a thing.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo smiled lightly, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want the money, but now she was Wei Ruo, not Xu Heyou. Especially in the presence of Madam Yun, if she were to name a price right now, it would be inappropriate. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s refusal, Madam Xiu straightforwardly said, ¡°How about this, ten taels of silver for each jar, is that eptable?¡± Madam Xiu understood the difficulty of the situation. She was asking to buy something from a girl of a strong noble lineage. Although it might not sound so nice, she was indeed in need. Therefore, before she came, she had specifically asked a doctor from the Hundred Herb Hall to estimate the price of the Loquat Syrup. The doctor couldn¡¯t urately estimate the price of the Loquat Syrup because he didn¡¯t know the ingredients. However, based on Madam Xiu¡¯s description, he understood that it was effective for treating Old Master Xiu and informed Madam Xiu that medicinal prices are not only high due to the cost of ingredients but sometimes the value lies in the form. The fact that the renowned doctors in Taizhou Prefecture were unable to help Old Master Xiu demonstrated that this seemingly ordinary Loquat Syrup was indeed a precious item; thus, the price couldn¡¯t be too low. Convinced by the doctor¡¯s argument, Madam Xiu decided the price after some discussion with him. Hearing the price Madam Xiu offered, Madam Yun spoke before Wei Ruo, ¡°Madam, there¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯s just some Loquat Syrup, it¡¯s not worth this much.¡± Just to give an idea, with ten taels of silver, one could fill the entire backyard with loquat leaves. Furthermore, Madam Yun didn¡¯t entirely trust the effectiveness of Wei Ruo¡¯s Loquat Syrup. What if Old Master Xiu¡¯s slight improvement after taking it was merely a coincidence? However, Madam Xiu insisted, ¡°Madam Wei may not understand how important this Loquat Syrup is for my husband. Its effectiveness can¡¯t be bought with money.¡± Then, she spoke to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, if you feel the price is too low, we can negotiate further.¡± Upon witnessing Madam Xiu¡¯s determination, Wei Ruo naturally couldn¡¯t object. Even though the cost of her medicinal syrup did not amount to this price, it was the form that was precious and this couldn¡¯t be bought elsewhere, therefore, she didn¡¯t feel like she was robbing them by selling it at this price. Wei Ruo agreed, ¡°Since Madam insists, I won¡¯t be decline. Let¡¯s follow your suggestion.¡± Madam Xiu smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s best.¡± Then, Wei Ruo summoned Xiumei, ¡°Go and bring two jars of Loquat Syrup from Wangmei Garden.¡± Hearing this, Madam Xiu hurriedly said, ¡°Two jars won¡¯t be enough, ask for more. Six jars, or even eight.¡± Wei Ruo exined, ¡°Madam, storing the Loquat Syrup for a long time is not rmended. I will initially provide you with two jars. After a month, if you¡¯re about to run out, send someone to inform me, and I will make fresh ones for you.¡± Some things improve with age, such as dried tangerine peel or wine, but this Loquat Syrup was not the same. Hence, Wei Ruo would never make it inrge quantities. Upon hearing this exnation, Madam Xiu understood, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. We¡¯ll take two jars for now, ande back to bother Miss Weiter.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Ruo agreed, and soon after Xiumei brought over two jars of Loquat Syrup. Madam Xiu let herdy-in-waiting take the jars of Loquat Syrup, and also gave Xiumei a bag containing twenty taels of silver. Afterward, Madam Xiu left the Military Prefecture looking satisfied. After Madam Xiu left, Madam Yun looked at Wei Ruo and frowned slightly, ¡°Ruoruo, where did you get this Loquat Syrup?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°When I was at Mo Jiazha, an old woman had a Loquat Syrup recipe that had been passed down from her ancestors. It had cured many vigers¡¯ coughs. She saw my sincerity and taught me the recipe.¡± Madam Yun still frowned, ¡°Ruoruo, you shouldn¡¯t have charged so much for this Loquat Syrup. What will you do if Old Master Xiu doesn¡¯t see any effects after using it?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Madam Xiu just say that Old Master Xiu showed improvement after using it, that¡¯s why she came to buy it? Given that, why would I worry? Even if it doesn¡¯t work afterward, it won¡¯t be my fault,¡± Wei Ruo answered with a calm demeanor. Madam Yun seemed annoyed, ¡°You child, do you know who Madam Xiu is? The Xiu Family has deep roots in Taizhou Prefecture. If you offend her, our family might face difficulties in Taizhou Prefecture.¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°If we offend the Xiu family over such a minor matter, wouldn¡¯t it mean that we¡¯re already facing difficulties in Taizhou Prefecture? Every step we take, we would be worrying about offending someone, slightly anxious, and it would affect our future horrifyingly.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s rebuttal ignited a rage in Madam Yun¡¯s heart. Her mood was already sour because of the prince¡¯s disappearance, and the fact that her eldest daughter didn¡¯t seem as concerned for her as her younger one, and today she openly defied her once again! ¡°What kind ofnguage is that? Is that how you disrespect your mother?¡± Madam Yun used Wei Ruo, her face full of anger. ¡°If having a different opinion from you is considered disrespect, then I have nothing to say,¡± Wei Ruo responded, looking up without a hint of fear or hesitation. ¡°So now that your wings have hardened, and you have Madam Yuan as your backer, you can disregard your mother, is that it?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s anger red even more. ¡°This has nothing to do with whether I have a backer. Regardless, my viewpoint remains the same. I don¡¯t see any problem with selling my Loquat Syrup for ten taels of silver, and I don¡¯t see any problem with the interaction I had with Madam Xiu today,¡± Wei Ruo responded confidently, without any hesitation. Madam Yun suddenly raised her hand, aiming to strike Wei Ruo¡¯s face. However, her hand did not manage to hit Wei Ruo¡¯s face. Wei Ruo reached out and grabbed Madam Yun¡¯s wrist. Madam Yun was startled, then she incredulously looked at her wrist that was held by Wei Ruo. ¡°Before youy a hand on me, please think it through. As you said just a moment ago, I have Madam Yuan as my backer. Mother, if you hurt me, I don¡¯t know what I might out of frustration mention tomorrow when I go to visit Madam Yuan,¡± Wei Ruo calmly but sternly said. The calm expression on Wei Ruo¡¯s face and the tranquility of her tone were filled with a sharp threatening notion. Regardless of whether she had Madam Yuan backing her or not, Wei Ruo¡¯s opinions wouldn¡¯t change. The only difference was that with the backer, Wei Ruo would use it. If she could stand her ground, she wouldn¡¯t hide her strength and let herself be bullied.. Chapter 190: Direct Confrontational Chapter 190: Direct Confrontational Trantor: 549690339 1 The colour of Madam Yun¡¯s face hardened even more, her incredulous and furious gaze fixed on Wei Ruo. ¡°How dare you say such words to your own mother! You think by using Madam Yuan to intimidate me, I would be powerless? It doesn¡¯t matter even if it were Madam Yuan or anyone else, a mother has the right to discipline her daughter!¡± -You may execute your rights, and I will do my things. I don¡¯t necessarily have to report your beatings, I have plenty of other things to do! If you¡¯re not afraid of losing face, if you¡¯re not afraid of causing the Wei family to struggle in Government City, then go ahead and hit me!¡± Afterpleting her deration, Wei Ruo suddenly loosened her grip, tilting her face upwards, and ring at Madam Yun defiantly. Madam Yun¡¯s hand lingered in mid-air; her rage prompting her to strike down, but Wei Ruo¡¯s confrontational gaze somehow made her pause. At that moment, Jing Hu entered abruptly, ¡°Madam, a message from the military camp arrived, the colonel ising home for dinner tonight.¡± Hearing that her husband was returning, Madam Yun calmed down and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, she lowered her upraised hand. The impending p nevernded. Then, she coldly ordered as she looked at Wei Ruo, ¡°Get out. Don¡¯t leave the house for the next few days!¡± Without another look, Wei Ruo turned and left. After Wei Ruo¡¯s departure, Madam Yun nced at Jing Hu standing beside her and gestured dismissively, ¡°You may go now.¡± After Jing Hu left, Madam Yun called for Cuiping and ordered her to prepare more dishes for the evening. Just as Cuiping left to ry the instructions to the kitchen, Wei Qingwan arrived. ¡°Mother, what happened? I heard from the nanny that you had an argument with sister.¡± Like Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan had been off duty that day. She was well-informed. Not long after the argument between Wei Ruo and Madam Yun begun, she received the news and rushed over. However, she arrived slightly toote, as the argument had been interrupted by Jing Hu¡¯s announcement of their father¡¯s impending return. Looking at Wei Qingwan¡¯s concerned and worried gaze, Madam Yun couldn t help but sigh, ¡°If only she were as thoughtful as you are, I wouldn¡¯t have lost my temper.¡± Wei Qingwan sat next to Madam Yun and held her hand, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t overthink it. Sister hasn¡¯t been home for a while and it¡¯s understandable that her rtionship with you has cooled. It will improve with time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always defending her, yet she doesn¡¯t consider this household or you, her younger sister, at all.¡± Madam Yun couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Mother, what exactly happened?¡± Wei Qingwan only heard about the argument and nearly violent altercation, but she didn¡¯t know the cause of their dispute.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Old Madame Xiu came today and asked Ruo for two jars of her home-made loquat syrup, she epted twenty taels of silver from Old Madame Xiu.¡± Madam Yun finished her sentence with a sigh. ¡°This¡­ doing business is a lowly upation suited for merchant families. We, born from a noble family, shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Wei Qingwan whispered. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s inappropriate. Especially considering that Old Madame Xiu is from the family of the teacher you¡¯re currently learning from, the Xiu family. I was considering sending a gift to the Xiu family to thank them not long ago. It¡¯s a good opportunity to show our gratitude by gifting them the loquat syrup that she liked. It wouldn¡¯tpromise our decorum.¡± Recounting the incident made Madam Yun feel resentful again. Madam Yun continued, ¡°The Wei family is new to Government City and unfamiliar with the local families. I went through great pains to find you a decent tutor. The Xiu family was one of the first noble families we mingled with in Government City. Given these circumstances, how can we possibly ept silver from Old Madame Xiu?¡± No matter how she looked at it, Madam Yun felt that they should not ept the silver. ¡°Mother, you shouldn¡¯t be so upset. Although what sister did was wrong, it¡¯s not a major issue.¡± Wei Qingwanforted her. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so angry, but your sisterpletely disregards me, her mother!¡± Madam Yun sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time. Even when her mother reprimanded her, she was audacious enough to retaliate, without acknowledging any wrongdoing on her part. Wei Qingwanforted her saying, ¡°Mother, you should prioritize your health. You¡¯ve been busy with affairs at home and you must be tired. I worry that your health won¡¯t be able to withstand your anger.¡± Madam Yun sighed, ¡°If only she were as considerate as you.¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m useless, I don¡¯t have the skills my sister has. I can¡¯t do anything butfort you with words, I¡¯m not helpful in any other way.¡± Wei Qingwan whispered, lowering her head as she spoke. ¡°Oh, Wanwan, don¡¯t say such things. While it is true that there are some things you¡¯re not as good as Ruo in, I know you mean well. Ruo has some talents, yet her attitude towards me, her mother, is atrocious.¡± Madam Yun felt profoundly weary. Wei Qingwan said someforting words, continuously reassured Madam Yun and refrained from speaking ill of Wei Ruo. As Madam Yun¡¯s mood gradually calmed down, her resentment towards Wei Ruo deepened. ### Wei Ruo did not adhere to Madam Yun¡¯s words. After leaving Cangyun Garden, she directly left the Colonel¡¯s Prefecture and headed straight to the vige outskirts. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Xiumei, who was driving the carriage in front, was somewhat worried, and couldn¡¯t help but turn around to talk to Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m fine, my mood has already improved. I had only lost my temper for a moment. After all, the silver I received is tangible.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s voice had once again returned to its rxed and cheerful tone. ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay. Miss, since the loquat syrup could be sold at such a high price, should we consider selling more medicine in the future? It seems more profitable than farming.¡± Xiumei couldn¡¯t resist suggesting. The cost of a jar of loquat syrup was less than a tael of silver, and it was sold at ten taels. The profit from this simply couldn¡¯t bepared with farming. No matter how abundant the yield from the field, it wouldn¡¯t provide such lucrative returns. ¡°Meimei, we must continue to farm. Grains are paramount.¡± Wei Ruo dered. ¡°Why? If we have money, can¡¯t we buy a lot of grains?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°If the weather¡¯s bad and the total yield isn¡¯t sufficient to feed everyone, it¡¯s inevitable that some people will starve. Having money to buy grains only allows you to go from being someone who can¡¯t fill their stomach to someone who can. However, the grains you buy with your money doesn¡¯t just appear out of thin air. Someone else will inevitably go without food. It doesn¡¯t change the overall situation.¡± ¡°Money determines the proportion of resources you can acquire within the society, the amount of society¡¯s resources that you can mobilize. It can¡¯t alter the total yield of grain or the objective fact that the yielded grains cannot sustain everyone.¡± Wei Ruo provided an borate exnation to Xiumei. ¡°Miss, you are again talking about something deep and difficult to understand. Although I don¡¯t fully grasp it, I know that what you¡¯re saying is right! Xiumei replied with a smile, offering her unconditional support to her miss. Upon their arrival at the manor, Wei Ruo first went to see the permanent workers on the estate.. Chapter 191:1 am definitely not a bad person_l Chapter 191:1 am definitely not a bad person_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Greetings, master!¡± ¡°Master, this is some fresh pickled vegetables we¡¯ve just made. Take some home with you.¡± ¡°Master, these winter bamboo shoots were dug up by us this morning. Take them home and give them a try¡­¡± ¡°Master, I have a wild rabbit here, please ept it!¡± II II The people at the manor greeted Wei Ruo with great enthusiasm, each of them presenting gifts that represented their heartfelt thoughts. Recently, there wasn¡¯t much farming work to do at the manor, so Wei Ruo let them busy themselves with their own matters. Some were making straw sandals, some were pickling farm vegetables, and some were risking going to the nearby mountains to hunt. Although the gain wasn¡¯t much, they all didn¡¯t want to stay idle. And the things they had, they didn¡¯t dare to consume themselves, choosing instead to save them as gifts for Wei Ruo. Following that, Wei Ruo paid a visit to the workshop. It was operating smoothly with raw materials delivered daily to the manor and finished products shipped out. Apart from soy sauce, which had a long production process, nothing else had been sold yet. There were now more than twentyrge pots piled up outside the soy sauce workshop. Wei Ruo checked each of the pots, ensuring that the fermentation progress and state of the soybeans met her expectations. The longer the production cycle, the higher the risk of problems, so Wei Ruo had to regrly control it. Afterwards, Wei Ruo found Manager Yu alone and discussed with him the location selection for the distillery. Previously, Wei Ruo had not nned to have Manager Yu in charge of the distillery, instead expecting Xu Zhushan to take on some extra work and make a few more trips. But now, Wei Ruo had changed her mind. She nned to focus on cultivating Manager Yu to handle all matters of the manor and its surroundings in the future. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll select a few people tomorrow to go to the location you¡¯ve chosen to start building the distillery.¡± Manager Yu answered. ¡°First, you bring some people to prepare the ground there. There are quite a few stones and weeds. As for building, wait until I draw up the blueprint.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Yes, I will follow the master¡¯s instructions.¡± Manager Yu replied. After discussing business with Manager Yu, Wei Ruo asked about Zhu Zongyu: ¡°Has there been any recent unusual behavior from Master Zhu?¡± Even though Zhu Zongyu¡¯s previous exnation did not appear suspicious, following the principle of caution, Wei Ruo still had Manager Yu keep a watchful eye on him, just in case. ¡°Nothing unusual. He only managed to get out of bed the day before yesterday. The weather outside is cold, so he just stays in his room. When he is bored, he reads a few books I gave him. Aside from that, he follows your instructions for medication and meals for recovery.¡± Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°Keep observing. If anything seems off, send someone to notify me immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± Manager Yu replied. After speaking with Manager Yu, Wei Ruo went to see Zhu Zongyu. He had been staying in the little house to the east and hadn¡¯t ventured out. The room was warm with a charcoal fire burning. Upon seeing Wei Ruo enter, Zhu Zongyu rose ¡°Master Xu.¡± ¡°I came to see how you are doing.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I am grateful for your concern, master. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have already departed for theherworld. I will remember your kindness in this life.¡± Zhu Zongyu promised Wei Ruo. ¡°I can only hope that I didn¡¯t save the wrong person. I hope you are a good person, or at least an ordinary person, and not a viin.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Rest assured, Master Xu. I dare not im to be virtuous, but I am not a criminal.¡± Zhu Zongyu promised Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t immediately respond to this. Then, Wei Ruo stepped forward, unwrapped the bandages on Zhu Zongyu¡¯s face.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Under the bandages, the scars on his face were still visible. While it was not as bloody and terrifying as when they first met, it was impossible to discern what his original appearance was. After carefully examining his injuries, Wei Ruo sat down at a table nearby to write a new prescription. ¡°Master Xu, is there a chance for my face to recover?¡± Zhu Zongyu asked. Although he had not looked in a mirror in these few days, he was well aware that his face was severely injured to the point of being unrecognizable. ¡°Your face suffered from contusions, abrasions, punctures andcerations. Although the area isrge, fortunately, the wounds are not too deep. Therefore, there is a chance for recovery.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Can Master Xu help me recover?¡± Zhu Zongyu asked. ¡°Master Zhu, do you know that drug resources have be scarce in the Jiangzhe region these past two years due to the war, making it hard to purchase many medicinal ingredients?¡± Instead of directly answering Zhu Zongyu¡¯s question, Wei Ruo asked him a question. ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± Zhu Zongyu answered. ¡°The medicine I use to heal your face wounds does not risk your life and can currently be found by me. But to restore your appearance to its original state, the costs will be far greater than just healing the wounds, three times, five times, even ten times, a hundred times.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Master Xu, rest assured, money is not a problem. My family, being in business, might not have other things, but we definitely have enough silver coins. As long as Master Xu has a way, I am willing to pay any price.¡± Zhu Zongyu assured confidently. Wei Ruo looked at him without speaking right away. He said his family had money, but he didn¡¯t have any on him now. And even if Wei Ruo wanted to help him in advance, some expensive herbs couldn¡¯t be bought with just money. It seemed Zhu Zongyu guessed Wei Ruo¡¯s concerns. He then said, ¡°Master Xu, I have an old friend in Taizhou prefecture, the owner of the Zuixian Residence, whosest name is Fan. We had some dealings when I was in business, and we developed some friendship. If I write a letter to him, it¡¯s quite likely he would be willing to lend me money to help me out of my bind. However, it means you have to send someone to deliver the letter.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about Fan Chengxu, the owner of the Zuixian Residence?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Zhu Zongyu nodded. Of course, Wei Ruo knew Fan Chengxu and knew that although he was in business, he actually came from a distinguished family, and his identity could not be underestimated. If Zhu Zongyu knew Fan Chengxu and was on such good terms that Fan would be willing to lend him money, it considerably raised Zhu Zongyu¡¯s credibility. At the very least, it could prove to some extent that he wasn¡¯t a petty thief. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have someone take the letter,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo then let Zhu Zongyu sit down at the table and write the letter with his less injured right hand. Most of the cuts on Zhu Zongyu¡¯s body were concentrated on his chest and back. It seemed clear that his attackers had aimed to kill. Right in front of Wei Ruo, Zhu Zongyu wrote his letter to Fan Chengxu. The contents of the letter were nothing out of ordinary, exining his current situation and requesting Fan Chengxu¡¯s assistance by lending him some silver coins. The address for Fan Chengxu at the beginning of the letter was Brother Qingyuan, likely Fan Chengxu¡¯s courtesy name. It was signed off at the end as, ¡°Your friend, Zongyu.¡± Wei Ruo then handed the letter to Manager Yu, instructing him to have someone deliver it to the Zuixian Residence. Communicating with the Zuixian Residence was already routine as the manor had been doing business with them, so delivering a letter posed no problem.. Chapter 192 - 192 Boss Fan Delivers a Silver Note_l Chapter 192: Boss Fan Delivers a Silver Note_l Trantor: 549690339 In the garden of Zuixian Residence. Fan Chengxu was lying on a reclining chair, his posture seemingly rxed, but his expression was not as casual as usual. He was also aware of the disappearance of the seventh prince, having been informed by his uncle. Whether it was the government city¡¯s office or the Anti-Japanese Army, they were all sending men to search for the prince in the past few days. However, seven to eight days had passed, and there was still no news. The longer the time, the lower the chance of finding the seventh prince alive. While basking in the sun, Fan Chengxu said, ¡°If there¡¯s no news from the seventh prince, people within Taizhou prefecture will start to suffer.¡± ¡°Sir, don¡¯t worry. The seventh prince is favoured by fortunes, he will turn ill luck into good,¡± the shopkeeper named Shenforted him. Fan Chengxu said, ¡°He can¡¯t die in the city. If he¡¯s really dead within Taizhou, and not in the battlefield against the Japanese pirates, a lot of people will be implicated. Under the power of the emperor, piles of bones.¡± ¡°Sir, you are kind-hearted. You think for others and for the people,¡± said Shopkeeper Shen. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, I¡¯m not kind-hearted. If there¡¯s chaos in Taizhou, I can¡¯t do my business. As a merchant, I naturally hope for profitable ventures everywhere,¡± Fan Chengxu said. At this moment, a servant came to deliver a message, saying that Xu Heyou had sent a letter, which was sent by an old acquaintance of Boss Fan. ¡°Bring it here.¡± Fan Chengxu extended his hand, and the servant cautiously handed the letter to him. After seeing the characters on the envelope, Fan Chengxu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Then he opened the letter, and instantaneously sat up straight. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sir? Is there anything wrong with the content of the letter?¡± Seeing their master behaving so surprisingly, Shopkeeper Shen couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. Fan Chengxu did not reply. He stared at the letter in his hand for a while, theny back down. ¡°Old Shen, go to the storehouse and take out eight hundred taels of silver notes. Apany the messenger and ask Xu Heyou what medicinal herbs he wants. Report back to me once you¡¯re done,¡± Fan Chengxu instructed. Hearing that, Shopkeeper Shen couldn¡¯t believe it, eight hundred taels of silver? That was too much! Their business with Xu Heyou only involved a few taels of silver a month, or a few dozens a year. The eight hundred taels, would take Xu Heyou one or two decades of business to earn! Even for their Zuixian Residence, they couldn¡¯t make eight hundred taels of silver in a year! ¡°Is eight hundred taels too much, sir?¡± After much hesitation, Shopkeeper Shen voiced his question. ¡°You just do as I say, send the amount I told you,¡± Fan Chengxu stated firmly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go do it immediately!¡± Seeing the serious look on his master¡¯s face, Shopkeeper Shen didn¡¯t dare to question him anymore. He quickly did as his master ordered, took out the silver notes, and left along with the messenger sent by Xu Heyou for the suburban vi. While a note was being delivered to the Zuixian Residence, Wei Ruo took Zhu Zongyu for a stroll in the yard of the small hut where he resided. ¡°Your condition has improved a bit. If the weather is fine, you coulde out and walk in the yard. Moderate exercise will aid your recovery,¡± Wei Ruo told Zhu Zongyu. ¡°Okay,¡± Zhu Zongyu replied. ¡°Though it¡¯s cold today, the sunlight is nice. You can bask in the sun in the yard when you get tired. As long as the movements aren¡¯t too big and won¡¯t pull your wound, it¡¯s beneficial for your body at the moment,¡± Wei Ruo added. ¡°Alright.¡± Then, Wei Ruo moved a wicker chair in the yard to a suitable location and sat down himself, but let Zhu Zongyu stand: ¡°If you still feel like walking, then walk around some more, just avoid pulling your wound.¡± Next, he signalled to Xiumei to sit next to him. ¡°Sir, with such nice weather, why don¡¯t we make some tea?¡± Xiumei suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s make winter gourd tea,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°How do you make winter gourd tea?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°You need to get some winter gourds from the cer of the vi, clean them, remove the skin but keep the seeds, cut them into little pieces and put them in a pot, add some red sugar and stir them until they mix well, let it sit for about fifteen minutes, when the red sugar melts, and the winter gourd releases its juices, then add rock sugar and simmer it over low heat until the soup gets as sticky as honey and as deep as amber in color. Then, filter out the winter gourd seeds, store the brewed winter gourd tea in a jar and drink it by mixing it with warm water whenever you want,¡± he instructed. ¡°That sounds simple. I will try to make it right away!¡± Xiumei hurriedly got up to run to the cer. ¡°Slow down! Don¡¯t trip!¡± Wei Ruo reminded her. ¡°I got it!¡± By the time Xiumei¡¯s voice reached Wei Ruo¡¯s ears, she was already out of sight. Zhu Zongyu was watching them talk andugh from the side, feeling the contagious ease and cheerfulness they exhibited. After going through an ordeal between life and death, experiencing a lot of hardship and injuries all over his body, he felt a tranquillity and peace that he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. In thest few days in this poor and shabby hut, he felt warmth and rxation. This young master surnamed Xu was wary of him, but he didn¡¯t hesitate to save and help him. He knew that Xu¡¯s wariness was justifiable. He was kind but not foolish. It was a wise choice. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Wei Ruo noticed Zhu Zongyu deep in thought. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about what really matters in life that one cannot let go of,¡± Zhu Zongyu answered. ¡°Why are you suddenly asking such a profound question?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Probably because I¡¯ve just experienced a life and death situation,¡± Zhu Zongyu answered. Zhu Zongyu nced at Wei Ruo, and continued, ¡°I never had such thoughts, and I never contemted whether what I was doing was right or wrong. Whether it was the people around me, or the circumstances, they all made me focus solely on what I was doing, and doing it well. ¡°But when I was being hunted down, lying in the wild grass, with thest person stepping away to save me, and the pain was numb on on my body, I could feel the blood flowing out of my body and feel my life slipping away.¡± ¡°At that moment, all was quiet in the world, except for the gurgling sound of water in the background, which was even fainter and barely audible. At that moment, I realized that my mind waspletely nk, and there was no person or thing that I absolutely couldn¡¯t let go of. There was only a feeling of reluctance, but I didn¡¯t know what exactly I was reluctant about.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Ruo responded, ¡°I don¡¯t think that much. I just simply do what I want to do, love who I want to love, and protect those I want to protect. Zhu, you were born to a wealthy family. You may not understand that for a lot of people in this world, simply living, making sure they and their families have enough to eat, can take all their strength..¡± Chapter 193 - 193 Admiration Growth_l Chapter 193: Admiration Growth_l Trantor: 549690339 , Wei Ruo continued, ¡°What Master Zhu seeks is inner wealth, but what themon people seek is merely to live. The emptiness of one¡¯s inner world only arises when there is no material deprivation or severe illness or disaster. This might be why Master Zhu had such reflections after experiencing life and death, for this was a situation you had never faced before. Zhu Zongyu looked at Wei Ruo, somewhat surprised and pleased. Her words seemed to have cleared the fog in his heart. ¡ö¡öI didn¡¯t expect Master Xu to have such insights at a young age.¡± Zhu Zongyu looked at Wei Ruo, a smile in his eyes. -It¡¯s not about age, it¡¯s about experience. If you continue to understand the difficulties of survival, your thoughts might be different. Of course, it¡¯s always a good thing to live in abundance, which many people can¡¯t achieve. And your reflection after experiencing life and death could also be seen as an unexpected gain.¡± Wei Ruo exined to Zhu Zongyu. Zhu Zongyu looked at the person in front of him, feeling something exceedingly special. Despite being younger, his actions and thoughts evoked a sense of admiration in him. He never held such views towards anyone. Xu Heyou was the first. At this time, the person who went to Zuixian Residence to deliver the letter came back, bringing the shopkeeper, Shen, with him. Shopkeeper Shen, upon seeing Wei Ruo was taken aback at first because the Wei Ruo he had previously met had a big beard, whereas the one today did not. However, this onlysted for a moment. Shopkeeper Shen quickly realized that the young Master must have been worried about appearing too young andcking authority when discussing business matters, hence he intentionally disguised himself with a false beard. He had previously thought that the young master looked a bit odd with so much beard at such a young age, and now it made sense. After regaining hisposure, Shen, the shopkeeper handed over the silver note of eight hundred taels that Fan Chengxu had entrusted him with: ¡°Master Xu, this is what my Master asked me to hand over to you. Wei Ruo took the silver note and appeared visibly surprised when he saw the amount. An eight hundred taels of silver? Isn¡¯t this too much? Wei Ruo turned his head to look at Zhu Zongyu, whose face was wrapped in bandages, leaving only his eyes visible. And those eyes were unreadable at the moment. ¡°Are you very close to Master Fan?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Otherwise, how could a simple letter exchange for so much silver? ¡°Our rtionship is not deep. Master Fan¡¯s act is most likely due to his trust in my credibility.¡± Zhu Zongyu exined. Wei Ruo half believed it and continued to ask shopkeeper Shen, ¡°Did your master say anything else?¡± Shopkeeper Shen replied, ¡°My master said, Master Xu can write down whatever medicinal materials he needs, and the master will instruct someone to purchase them.¡± Wei Ruo may not have the means or connections to obtain those precious and rare medicinal materials, but Fan Chengxu should have them. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll write it for you now.¡± Wei Ruo called Manager Yu over, got some paper and pen, and then had Manager Yu write as Wei Ruo dictated. Wei Ruo¡¯s handwriting was easily recognizable, so when dealing with outsiders in the guise of Xu Heyou, Wei Ruo would not personally write. After writing, Wei Ruo checked the list once more before handing it to shopkeeper Shen. Shopkeeper Shen carefully pocketed the list, and then politely asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Does Master Xu have any other instructions?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back and report to my master.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Wei Ruo replied. After shopkeeper Shen left, Wei Ruo handed the silver note to Zhu Zongyu, ¡°This is the money you borrowed, you should take it. Zhu Zongyu did not ept, ¡°This is for Master Xu¡¯s medical expenses.¡± ¡°Calcte the medical expenses with Manager Yuter. He¡¯ll tell you how much silver is needed. Keep the rest of the money for now.¡± After Wei Ruo finished speaking, he directly put the silver note into Zhu Zongyu¡¯s hands. Zhu Zongyu looked at the silver note in his hand, his gaze bing a bit solemn, and a peculiar feeling arose within him. At this moment, Xiumei came back with the melon tea she had made, holding a brown y jar in her hand. ¡°Master, the melon tea is ready. Try it and see if it¡¯s good!¡± ¡°Okay, get a bowl and some warm water.¡± Wei Ruo said. Then she looked at Zhu Zongyu, ¡°You¡¯ve done enough for today, sit down and have some melon tea.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zhu Zongyu agreed. Then Wei Ruo made four bowls of dilute melon tea, one for herself, Xiumei, Manager Yu, and Zhu Zongyu. The four of them sat together, enjoying the sunshine and the melon tea. After they finished their tea, it was time for Wei Ruo to leave. Zhu Zongyu watched Wei Ruo and her servant leave, keeping his gaze on them until their figurespletely disappeared, before withdrawing his gaze and slowly returning to the room. ### By the time Wei Ruo returned home, it was nearing dinner time, and Wei Mingting had already returned. Wei Ruo arrived at the dining hall just in time, Lady Yun saw Wei Ruo who had returnedte, and her expression slightly darkened. But because Wei Mingting was present, she did notment or mention the conflict that happened during the day. During dinner, Wei Ruo noticed Wei Mingting¡¯s somber and tired expression, and hisck of appetite. But she didn¡¯t think much of it, attributing it to the trouble caused by the Japanese Pirates, and she didn¡¯t specifically ask about it. She knew Wei Mingting was reluctant to share his public worries with his family. Even if she asked, it would have been in vain; furthermore, she couldn¡¯t help with the Japanese Pirates case. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to ask, but Wei Qingwan did. After dinner, Wei Qingwan asked, ¡°Father, do you have something troubling you? Your appearance has me worried.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was full of worry, her eyes filled with concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Wanwan. I¡¯m just a bit tired,¡± Wei Mingting replied. ¡°Father, you should take more rest. Your health is the most important thing, Wei Qingwan advised.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Mingting answered. Seeing the fatigue on her husband¡¯s face, Lady Yun ended the day¡¯s conversation early and asked everyone to return to their rooms. Wei Ruo left tactfully, while Wei Qingwan seemed reluctant to leave and kept looking back. Her concerned gaze was as if she was reluctant to leave the exhausted Wei Mingting. This scene filled Lady Yun¡¯s eyes and her heart with disappointment for her older daughter once again. ¡°Wanwan is really considerate, she knows how to care for her parents,¡± Lady Yun mumbled. Wei Mingting agreed, ¡°Yes, Wanwan is a good child. He added, ¡°But just because Ruoruo didn¡¯t speak doesn¡¯t mean she doesn¡¯t care about her parents. It¡¯s just her personality.¡± Lady Yun sighed inwardly, knowing that her elder daughter does not have such a personality. When arguing with her elders, she was able to speak well and make her points. But Lady Yun didn¡¯t speak her thoughts out loud, not wanting to trouble her husband with household matters. The disappearance of the Seventh Prince was already a big headache for him. Lady Yun changed the topic and asked Wei Mingting, ¡°Husband, has there been any news about the Seventh Prince? Chapter 194 - 194 More People Bought Loquat Chapter 194: More People Bought Loquat Syrup¡ª1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Born without sighting mankind, die without viewing the body.¡± Wei Mingting frowned deeply. ¡°What should we do now?¡± Mrs. Yun asked worriedly, highly concerned that her husband would be implicated. The Imperial Court is already aware of this matter and has sent a high-ranking minister to handle it. His dual task is to locate the seventh prince and to investigate the assassin,¡± Wei Mingting replied. But what if they still can¡¯t find anything¡­¡± Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t dare to contemte. ¡°Madam, stop worrying. The situation hase to this point, and we can only do what we can and leave the rest to fate. If we are really implicated, I have nothing to say.¡± Despite his fatigue, Wei Mingting managed to think calmly. ¡°I understand.¡± Mrs. Yun still couldn¡¯t put her mind at ease. However, she reined in her worry in front of her husband, appearing considerate and understanding to lessen his concern. ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ve been working hard recently. With the approach of the new year there are more things to handle yet, and the kids also need your care,¡± said Wei Mingting. ¡°My Lord, don¡¯t worry. Everything at home is under control. You should rest early today,¡± Mrs. Yun responded. Mrs. Yun knew that Wei Mingting had matters to address very early the next day, so she tended to Wei Mingting to retire and rest for the night. ### Early the next morning, Wei Mingting rushed out of the house. In the following few days, the Colonel¡¯s mansion remained rtively peaceful. The rtionship between Wei Ruo and Mrs. Yun was still cold. Wei Ruo turned a blind eye to Mrs. Yun¡¯s discontent. During dinner, Mrs. Yun kept her face cold, and Wei Ruo did not utter a single word, just focusing on eating. Not only that, with the very real examples of Old Master Xiu and the old Madam of the Yuan Family¡¯s third branch, many people learned about Wei Ruo¡¯s loquat syrup. Recent weather was exceptionally cold, and many people caught colds. Among those who disyed coughing symptoms, especially the elderly, were not in the minority. Therefore, they also came to Wei Ruo to purchase her loquat syrup, which she continued to sell at ten taels of silver per jar. Having sold a jar to Old Lady Xiu for ten taels of silver, she couldn¡¯t possibly sell to others at a different price. She either wouldn¡¯t sell or would sell it for ten taels of silver per jar. Mrs. Yun knew about this. The customers would often meet Mrs. Yun before they met Wei Ruo since they came specifically to find Wei Ruo to buy her product. Mrs. Yun was upset, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn¡¯t drive away those who came with smiling faces. She could only watch, with wide open eyes, as her precious eldest daughter was trading goods just like a merchant. But Mrs. Yun was somewhat misguided in her worries; those in the Government City that bought Wei Ruo¡¯s loquat syrup, and even those that didn¡¯t, held no contempt for Wei Ruo. Firstly, Wei Ruo was initially giving it out as gifts. The initial batches given to the old Madam of the Yuan Family¡¯s third branch and the Old Lady of the Xiu family were all gifts. Later on, the Old Lady Xiu forcefully paid money for them, hoping to maintain a long-term supply from Wei Ruo. This was something that Old Lady Xiu had openly admitted to others. Secondly, what Wei Ruo was selling was medicine that can cure illnesses Though merchants might be looked down upon, doctors would never be Great medicinal prescriptions and drugs are not just ordinarymodities. However, Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t know about this. Even those who came to buy medicine from Wei Ruo were full of smiles,plimenting Wei Ruo¡¯s capabilities; Mrs. Yun was still deeply unsatisfied with her eldest daughter¡¯s actions. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t concern herself with this and not only continued to sell her loquat syrup, but still regrly went to the manor. Manager Yu settled Zhu Zongyu¡¯s medical bills, the price came to twenty taels. Manager Yu added up the expenses Zhu Zongyu incurred during his stay at the manor including food, clothes, and medicinal materials, rounded it to an even figure of twenty taels of silver. This figure neither profited from nor short-changed Zhu Zongyu. Then, Zhu Zongyu paid Manager Yu one hundred twenty taels, the excess hundred taels being Wei Ruo¡¯s consultation fee. Wei Ruo had told Manager Yu in advance, when settling ounts with Zhu Zongyu, all expenses for meals and medicine should be clearly calcted to avoid a loss. If Zhu Zongyu wanted to give more, there was no need to refuse, he should just ept as is. Therefore, Manager Yu epted the money and, after reporting to Wei Ruo, allocated it to the manor¡¯s daily expenditure. The actions from Fan Chengxu¡¯s side were also swift. Within three days, Fan Chengxu had some medicinal materials delivered to Wei Ruo, apanied by a considerable amount of supplements. The medicinal materials listed by Wei Ruo were indeed rare and valuable. Fan Chengxu managed to find them all, but the quantity was far from what Wei Ruo requested. However, in order not to dy the treatment process, Fan Chengxu sent what was avable first. Weit Ruo divided the delivered medicinal materials. One part was mixed with other medicinal materials to formte a prescription, which Manager Yu boiled daily for Zhu Zongyu. Another part was used in her medicinal ointment for which she was preparing a specially made ointment to treat Zhu Zongyu¡¯s ¡¯ scars. The end product, an ointment worth dozens of taels of silver, was put in a container the size of a rouge box. Weit Ruo nned to apply it on Zhu Zongyu¡¯s face first. She could tell Zhu Zongyu wished more to restore his facial appearance first. Although the scars left from the knife wounds, as well as other abrasions and contusions on his body, were even more hideous and terrifying, at least no one would see them on a daily basis. As long as they healed well, they did not affect his daily life. This medicated ointment was so precious ordinary people couldn¡¯t afford it. On the 20th of the twelfth lunar month. After another five days of rest, Zhu Zongyu¡¯s physical condition improved a lot more. He was more agile when walking, but did not venture out of the yard without Wei Ruo¡¯s permission. Today, Wei Ruo came to the manor to discuss some matters concerning the New Year celebration with Manager Yu. As usual, she was going to see Zhu Zongyu, taking his pulse, and thoroughly checking the wounds on his face and arms. Wei Ruo also asked Zhu Zongyu some usual questions: Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Prince Zhu, how has your mental condition and appetite been these two days?¡± Zhu Zongyu answered, ¡°Both are pretty good.¡± Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Have you increased your daily activity duration?¡± Zhu Zongyu replied, ¡°Yes, I have increased it slightly. I dare not move too much, fearing it might tear the wounds.¡± Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Are the healing areas itchy?¡± Zhu Zongyu answered, ¡°Very itchy. Manager Yu told me itching is a normal phenomenon of wound healing and it should not be touched.¡± Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Does the ointment applied on your face alleviate the itchiness?¡± Zhu Zongyu answered, ¡°The ointment has a cooling effect. Upon applying, it eased the itchiness.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn There seemed to be no issues after inquiring. ¡°Your recovery is quite good. Keep it up, take your medicine on time daily, and move around a bit. Maintain a good mood,¡± Wei Ruo summarized in the end. Do I have a chance to fully recover?¡± asked Zhu Zongyu. ¡®For the injury on your face, as I have mentioned to you before, as long as you follow my instructions and have enough money and time, there is a chance However, your body scars might be too deep, I can¡¯t guarantee that they won¡¯t leave marks. But it shouldn¡¯t bother your day-to-day life, and if you exercise frequently, you can continue martial arts,¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Zhu Zongyu was very satisfied with Wei Ruo¡¯s response. After asking the questions, Wei Ruo said to Zhu Zongyu, ¡°I am going to the fields now, if you want to get some fresh air, you cane along and walk around nearby..¡± Chapter 195 - 195= I a? Just After Money_l Chapter 195:= I a? Just After Money_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Is my body condition okay?¡± Zhu Zongyu asked. ¡°Just tell me when you can¡¯t walk. As long as you act within your abilities and don¡¯t put on a strong front, it won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Alright.¡± Then Wei Ruo stood up, taking Zhu Zongyu toward the fields in the vige. The path by the fields was fairly t and Wei Ruo¡¯s pace was not fast. Zhu Zongyu could barely keep up with his current condition. Zhu Zongyu looked at the vast fields and the scattered figures working in them and then at the person walking ahead of him. For some reason, his mood was extraordinarily calm. Zhu Zongyu had seen farms and farmers working before, but in the past, his view was from a high angle, now with Wei Ruo, his viewing perspective was different. The people they met along the way greeted Wei Ruo very actively and warmly, cheerfully calling her ¡°Boss¡± with smiles on their faces. Simply from their talking voices, Zhu Zongyu could feel this ¡®boss¡¯s¡¯ status in their hearts. Among them, a woman was holding a child about two or three years old, sitting on the field ridge, with her husband busily working in the adjacent field. The man¡¯s hands were frozen red, his nose was also red, he was constantly exhaling white breath, but he had a smile on his face and he often looked back at his wife and child behind him. When Wei Ruo approached, the man stopped and bowed to her: Boss . The little boy in the woman¡¯s arms also smiled at Wei Ruo, shouting in a childish voice: ¡°Hello, Boss¡±. His voice was soft and sweet, the slightly flushed face was inexplicably adorable. Such a smile was infectious, not only to Wei Ruo, but Zhu Zongyu was also softened by this sight. Moreover, Zhu Zongyu discovered that the little boy and the couple didn¡¯t show any fear upon seeing his bandage-wrapped face. He knew that it was probably because he was with Wei Ruo, due to the trust in her, they naturally believed that this scary-looking stranger was not a bad person. Wei Ruo walked up to the little boy and gave him a piece of dried sweet potato. The little boy took the dried sweet potato but didn¡¯t eat it himself, instead, he stuffed it into his mother¡¯s mouth. The mother kindly stuffed the dried sweet potato back to the boy¡¯s mouth, smiled and said not to eat. Then the boy started to take small bites of it. Wei Ruo smiled, and she stuffed two more pieces of dried sweet potato into the boy¡¯s mother¡¯s hand, and then turned around and continued to walk. Zhu Zongyu looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s smile, feeling that her smile was even warmer than the boy¡¯s smile. Zhu Zongyu followed slowly: ¡°Manager Yu mentioned the other day that you¡¯ve protected them, allowed them to survive this especially cold winter, and what I saw today confirms this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that great. I¡¯m employing them, they are to work for me. If they¡¯rezy, I¡¯ll show no mercy and drive them away. We both take what we need, I m not being charitable,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°But you have more ability than most and are more willing to help people in trouble. If one has only the idea but no ability, in my view, it¡¯s just self-disturbance; if one has ability, butcks the will, they would be like Boss Fan. But you, Wei Ruo, have both,¡± Zhu Zongyu evaluated Wei Ruo. ¡°Mr. Zhu, you think too highly of me. I¡¯m just greedy for money, just thinking about how to maximize profits. I am the same as Boss Fan,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°If you were only after money, you wouldn¡¯t have saved me,¡± Zhu Zongyu was very certain about his judgment. ¡°Maybe, I was gambling. Gambling on you being a rich man¡¯s son, gambling that saving you could garner a nice reward. And reality proved that I gambled right,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Wei Ruo, why do you intentionally belittle yourself? You¡¯re not one who only pursues wealth,¡± Zhu Zongyu stated definitively. ¡°Think what you will.¡± No matter how this man saw her, as soon as his injury healed, their rtionship would no longer concern each other. They walked for a while longer, and the smell wafted through the air wasn t particrly pleasant. ¡°What are they doing?¡± Zhu Zongyu asked. ¡°They¡¯re fertilizing the soil. Most of the farm work has stopped at this time, but they can do some things to improve the soil, so that they have a chance to reap a good harvest when nting in the spring,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°What fertilizer?¡± ¡°Farmyard manure and a mixture of decayed melons, fruits, vegetables, and nt straws,¡± Wei Ruo exined, knowing that Zhu Zongyu was disturbed by the smell, and added, ¡°For them, these foul-smelling things are nevertheless, the hope of life, from decay to regeneration.¡± ¡°From decay to regeneration¡­¡± Zhu Zongyu mused. Wei Ruo smiled and continued to lead Zhu Zongyu for a while. Considering Zhu Zongyu¡¯s physical condition, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t walk for long and returned to their hut after a quarter of an hour. Then Manager Yu brought today¡¯s medicine. Smelling the bitter medicine, Zhu Zongyu looked at Wei Ruo, ¡°Wei Ruo, do you still have the thing you gave to the little boy just now?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°You mean the dried sweet potato?¡± ¡°Yes, that should be sweet, I would like to taste it after drinking the medicine.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Wei Ruo readily took out a piece of dried sweet potato from her bag and ced it beside Zhu Zongyu¡¯s medicine bowl. Zhu Zongyu then picked up the medicine bowl and drank it in small sips. It was not that the bitter taste made him drink slowly, but the injuries on his face limited his movements. After finishing the medicine, he put the dried sweet potato in his mouth and took a small bite. ¡°It¡¯s indeed very sweet,¡± Zhu Zongyu looked pleased. Seeing his satisfactory expression, Wei Ruo simply gave him two more pieces. Zhu Zongyu then took out one tael of broken silver and ced it on the table, ¡°Since Wei Ruo is after money, it¡¯s inappropriate to go against your principles.¡± Wei Ruo, of course, unreservedly pocketed the silver. You have to be a fool not to take money! ### After the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, sses werepletely stopped, as Mr. Wang Caiwei had to set off early to return to his hometown for the New Year. The situation was the same in Xu Tongzhi¡¯s house; the school was on break and all the youngdies had some free time to help their families prepare for the New Year¡¯s rites. Young girls of twelve or thirteen started to learn from the head female in their families about the management of household chores, especially the chores during the New Year festival. However, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have any ns to learn these things from Mrs. Yun, by all means, this was the time when his pickled meat shop was busiest, as many households were preparing New Year goods, preparing for New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, and would buy some pickled meats in advance. Wei Ruo also introduced pickled duck products based on the original products: pickled duck neck, pickled duck wing, pickled duck leg. Now the sales of pickled duck products were even better than the original pickled pork, selling twenty or thirty ducks a day. Therefore, the early morning shopping for ducks in the vegetable market was not stable enough. In order to find a suitable duck supply channel, Wei Ruo had been running around the rural areas near Government City these days. After a series of contacts and talks, he temporarily selected several ces as duck suppliers.. Chapter 196: Wei Yichens Persuasion^ Chapter 196: Wei Yichen¡¯s Persuasion^ Trantor: 549690339 | While Wei Ruo was running in the outdoors, Wei Qingwan was learning how to manage house affairs from Madame Yun. Madame Yun was well aware that Wei Ruo was running around outdoors, she did not ask her where she was going, nor did she restrict Ruo¡¯s movements because she didn¡¯t want to give it any further thought. She wanted the best for her eldest daughter, thinking about her reputation and future prospects, but the eldest daughter didn¡¯t appreciate her efforts and defied her at every turn. Instead of wasting her energy on her eldest daughter, Madame Yun believed she would better off teaching Qingwan, so that when Qingwan came of age the following year, she could find her a good match. On the twenty-fourth day of thest lunar month, it was the Little New Year¡¯s eve for the people of Taizhou Prefecture. Wei Mingting didn¡¯t return to the Wei Residence, but Wei Yichen did. When Wei Yichen returned, only Madame Yun and Wei Qingwan were home. Wei Ruo was still out as usual, Yilin¡¯s martial arts ss was cancelled, but for him, who was addicted to martial arts, he would still go to the master¡¯s ce in the morning to practice and ask for guidance. Upon seeing Wei Yichen, Madame Yun was overjoyed and simultaneously heartbroken, ¡°Yichen, you¡¯ve lost weight, you must have had a tough time. Wei Yichen looked at Madame Yun, concern evident in his eyes, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m not tired, I haven¡¯t lost weight. Life at the academy is fulfilling, everyday I learn a lot of things. But mother, you¡¯ve lost a lot of weight these days.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so hard done by as long as you all are okay. My little bit of pain doesn¡¯t count for much. It¡¯s your father who¡¯s really suffering, he¡¯s barely resting these days, I¡¯m truly worried his body can¡¯t handle it.¡± Mentioning her husband, Madame Yun is filled with worry. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry about father. He has always been in robust good health. Moreover, the Japanese pirates have been rtively quiet these days, without initiating any conflicts, so father should have sufficient time to rest properly, Wei Yichen reassured her. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Madame Yun didn¡¯t want to discuss these matters with her children. ¡°Big Brother!¡± Wei Qingwan stepped forward, her emotions apparent and tears shimmering in her eyes. ¡°Qingwan,¡± Wei Yichen tenderly looked at Wei Qingwan. -Big Brother, you¡¯ve worked hard,¡± Wei Qingwan expressed her concern. ¡°I¡¯m okay, how have you beentely?¡± Wei Yichen returned the concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you for asking, Big Brother.¡± ¡°How about Ruoruo?¡± Wei Yichen asked. Hearing Wei Yichen¡¯s inquiry about Wei Ruo, Madame Yun¡¯s face darkened slightly, ¡°She¡¯s out and about again. She¡¯s be even more willful since our arrival in the government city, running around whenever she isn¡¯t attending ss. We don¡¯t even know where she goes every day. It was understandable when we were in Xingshan County since she was busy with the affairs of the southern city, but now, what could she possibly have to take care of? Wei Yichen spected, ¡°Perhaps Big Sister is helping the farmers with farming again, she loves doing that.¡± ¡°Even so, it¡¯s inappropriate,¡± Madame Yun replied. Wei Yichen defended Wei Ruo, ¡°The grain yield has been poor throughout the country this year. Big Sister knows how to yield more crops from thends, and she can save a lot of people.¡± ¡°Let her be,¡± Madame Yun sounded rather uninterested in discussing her eldest daughter any further. ¡°Mother, Big Sister has suffered a lot before, isn¡¯t it good that she¡¯s happy now? We brought her back not to make her upset, but to make up for the hardships she endured in the past, right?¡± Wei Yichen continued, he understood his mother and could see she was discontent. He didn¡¯t want his mother to harbor resentment towards his big sister. They were family, whether on the surface or in their hearts, they should be harmonious. ¡°Your big sister is just outrageous. These days in the city, she¡¯s been selling loquat syrup to other families¡¯ wives and daughters at ten taels of silver a jar. Now I do not know what people think about our Wei Family. Maybe they think us shameful and greedy. We hailed from the Earl¡¯s Residence, yet the eldest legitimate daughter is busy doing business and earning money,¡± Madame Yun continued. Wei Yichen was surprised, ¡°Mother, who told you this? My ssmate, the son of the Wang Family, told me something different from what you just said. He told me our big sister is very remarkable, the loquat syrup cured his great aunt¡¯s cough, and he praised her greatly.¡± ¡°Is that true? Isn¡¯t he simply being polite because he didn¡¯t want to say anything unkind in front of you?¡± Madame Yun asked, skeptical. ¡°Mother, do you think I have so much influence that they would say falsehoods to tter me?¡± Wei Yichen countered. Those who entered the Anzhou Academy usually came from powerful and influential backgrounds. Compared to them, the declining Wei family was simply not worth ttering. Madame Yun thought to herself that he had a point. ¡°Mother, ording to the news I got from my ssmate, Big Sister¡¯s loquat syrup wasn¡¯t something she actively sold, someone desired it and came to our residence to request it. The reason they gave silver was simply to preserve their own dignity, otherwise, with no kinship between us, they wouldn¡¯t know how to bring up the topic, don¡¯t you think?¡± Wei Yichen continued. Upon hearing Wei Yichen discuss the matter, Madame Yun felt the pent-up irritation of the past few days start to dissipate noticeably. ¡°You child, you sure know how tofort people,¡± Madame Yun involuntarily conceded. -Mother, I¡¯m not pacifying you, I¡¯m telling the truth. Your worries are superfluous, we are upright people. We need not worry about such trifles. Big Sister made the loquat syrup with her own skills, it has drawn those suffering from a cough to seek her out for medicine. This not only doesn¡¯t shame us but indeed brightens the reputation of our Wei Family,¡± Wei Yichen reemphasized. ¡°Alright, alright, are you saying all this in an attempt to persuade me not to be angry with your big sister? I won¡¯t be angry then. But it¡¯s true that she¡¯s been running around outside these days, I can¡¯t control her,¡± Madame Yun admitted. ¡°Let me talk to Big Sister when she returns home tonight and I¡¯ll ask her to be more cautious, will that be alright?¡± Wei Yichen suggested. ¡°You talk to her, I¡¯m afraid we might start arguing just two sentences in,¡± Madame Yun replied unenthusiastically. ¡°Alright, I will discuss it with her, but promise me, Mother, when Big Sisteres home, don¡¯t give her the cold shoulder. Big Sister has not been home for even a year yet, our rtionship hasn¡¯t be particrly deep. If you keep giving her the cold shoulder, it will only make our rtionship even more estranged.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Madame Yun was quite touched by her eldest son¡¯s words.N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Qingwan¡¯s smile slowly faded from her radiant countenance. Wei Yichen reassured Madame Yun and turned around to see the slightly upset Wei Qingwan. He quickly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Qingwan? Are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°Nothing serious, I might have caught a chill, my head¡¯s a bit dizzy,¡± Qingwan quickly made an excuse. ¡°Be careful with this freezing weather, ask your maid to warm your hand warmer before you go out, dress warmly, and add a robe when you go outside.¡± -Yes, I understand, don¡¯t worry, big brother, I¡¯m okay,¡± Qingwan assured him. When it was dinner time, Wei Ruo returned to the Military Prefecture. Wei Yilin also arrived at the same time, the two siblings running into each other. ¡°What smells so good?¡± Wei Yilin sniffed the aroma of braised meating from Wei Ruo. -Something delicious,¡± Wei Ruo somewhat evasively replied. ¡°Is it the same braised meat our mother bought for Laba Festivalst time?¡± Yilin asked.. Chapter 197: Little New Year1 s Eve_l Chapter 197: Little New Year1 s Eve_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Your nose sure is sharp,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Yilin looked at the food box that Wei Ruo was holding in her hand, and couldn¡¯t help swallowing some saliva. He had been training all day and was hungry, the smell of meat was so tempting for him. His family had only bought the braised meat from this shop once during the Laba Festival, and never bought it again. Their mother said that the braised meat sold by that shop was more expensive than others, and since they had their own kitchen, they would save more by buying ingredients and cooking themselves, so there was no need to buy food outside on usual days. But the cooking skills of their kitchen staff were just average, the braised meat they made could notpare with what was sold in that shop. ¡°You sure are rich!¡± Wei Yilin grumbled. Wei Yilin knew that the richest person in their family now is Wei Ruo, her savings alone were much more than the sum of their entire family¡¯s. ¡°Hmm, I am rich.¡± Wei Ruo answered, unabashedly. Her prideful look seemed to say, yes, 1 am rich, are you envious? Sorry, being envious is useless! If you have the ability, you should earn your own money too! ¡°You¡­¡± Wei Yilin suddenly felt suffocated, he wished Wei Ruo would share some with him, but Wei Ruo seemed to intentionally ignore his desire. While Wei Yilin was still sulking, Wei Ruo had already walked far away with her basket. It was toote for Wei Yilin to say anything. -So annoying! Why do I have such a big sister? If she was a little nicer to me wouldn¡¯t I call her big sister?¡± Wei Yilin mumbled. After Wei Ruo had disappeared out of sight, and it was clear that she had no intention of caring about her little brother at all, Wei Yilin muttered discontentedly. ¡°I clearly took the initiative to make peace, why couldn¡¯t she be a little nicer to me? Just that little bit and 1 would willingly call her sister, but she just wouldn¡¯t, so annoying!¡± Wei Yilin became more and more upset as he muttered, finally, he huffed and stomped back to Chrysanthemum Garden.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om in the evening, Wei Ruo came across Wei Yichen, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a while. Wei Yichen greeted Wei Ruo with a gentle smile: ¡°Sister Ruoruo, long time no see.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Ruo responded, her reaction colder than that of Wei Qingwan s by a significant margin. As dinner was about to start shortly, Wei Yichen did not say more. Wei Ruo nced at the people in the room, there was just one person more than usual, Wei Yichen. Wei Mingting and Wei Jinyi were not present. Weu Ruo felt a little disappointed, she had thought that her second brother woulde back today. ¡°Ruoruo is here, everyone is here, let¡¯s sit down.¡± Upon seeing Wei Ruo, Yun encouraged her to join them. It was the first time Yun had initiated a conversation with her in a few days, and her mood seemed pretty good. Wei Ruo was somewhat suspicious, what had happened? Wei Ruo instinctively looked towards Wei Yichen, and Wei Yichen responded with a smile towards her. Wei Ruo then retracted her gaze, most likely Wei Yichen had said something to Yun. After sitting down for dinner, Wei Yilin scanned the food on the table and couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disappointed. The feast of the ¡®Small New Year¡¯s Eve¡¯ was more abundant than usual, but it didn¡¯t have the stewed meat from Xu¡¯s shop he had been expecting. ¡°Yilin, what¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re not pleased with tonight¡¯s dishes?¡± Yun asked. ¡°No,¡± Wei Yilin denied, then cast a nce at Wei Ruo, his eyes were full of resentment. Wei Ruo ignored him and ate her own food. Wei Ruo ate with dedication, but in reality, she only ate about third of her fill, she nned to spend the ¡®Small New Year¡¯s Eve¡¯ with Xiumei in the courtyard, the braised meat she bought was going to be used for that, and she had also prepared a jar of wine. After dinner, Yun asked a few people to stay and talk, hoping to have a more extensive conversation than usual. Yun first shared the contents of the reply letter from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in the Capital City. ¡°Your grandfather said in the reply letter that he was very pleased and looked forward to the reunion in the Capital City, which he anticipated would happen soon.¡± Everyone responded with agreement. Aside from Wei Ruo, all the others naturally hoped to go to the Capital City as soon as possible, who would want to stay in such a remote ce, so close to the Japanese Pirates, where they were always facing danger. Then Yun again spoke to Wei Yichen: ¡°Yichen, your grandfather particrly praised you, saying that among all of his grandsons, you are the most promising, he is so proud of you.¡± There were eight boys in this generation of the Wei family, and Wei Yichen was considered to have the highest potential among all of the eight. ¡°My grandfather is ttering me, I¡¯m not yet at a stage where I can make him feel proud,¡± Wei Yichen responded. Then Yun looked at Wei Ruo: ¡°Your grandfather also mentioned you in the letter, he wants you to study hard and learn well, and specifically told me not to hurry about your marriage issues. Yun probably understood the intention of the Capital City¡¯s side, which was to wait until Wei¡¯s father received his promotion and moved to the Capital City, then they would arrange a better marriage for Wei Ruo. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Ruo answered, her reaction was nd. On the other hand, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned a little ugly. She was looking at Yun, waiting for Yun to mention herself. But Yun did not mention her, not because Yun didn¡¯t want to mention her, but because the letter from the Capital City did not mention her at all. The grandparents of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence prioritized blood rtions, and they didn¡¯t feel the need to care about Wei Qingwan, who had no blood rtionship with them and with whom they hadn¡¯t interacted much. ¡°Mother, did grandfather mention me in his letter?¡± Wei Yilin couldn¡¯t wait any longer and asked eagerly. Yun said: ¡°Your grandfather did mention you, when we sent New Year gifts to the Capital Cityst time, your father particrly reported on your recent progress in the letter, which delighted your grandfather. In his reply, he asked you to continue to work hard and carry on your father¡¯s mantle.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Wei Yilin answered confidently. After answering Wei Yilin¡¯s question, he suddenly remembered something and asked again: ¡°Mother, what about sister Wanwan? What did grandfather say?¡± Upon hearing this question, Yun¡¯s demeanor stiffened a little. Seeing Yun¡¯s reaction, everyone understood what was happening. Wei Qingwan lowered her head in distress, and Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin looked at her and tried tofort her. ¡°Sister Wanwan, don¡¯t be sad, grandfather probably just forgot because he had so many things to handle!¡± Wei Yilin said. ¡°Grandfather would only mention someone specifically if there¡¯s something he wants that person to be aware of, the fact that he didn¡¯t mention sister Wanwan is probably because he trusts that she will continue to excel, as she always does,¡± Wei Yichen said. ¡°I¡¯m okay, big brother, Yilin, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Wei Qingwan lifted her head, revealing a strained smile. It was clearly a forced smile, she was only putting it on to ease their worries. Seeing her like this, Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin became even more worried. ¡ö¡öWanwan¡­¡± Yun was also distressed, but she had no control over the attitude of the Capital City side. Wei Ruo sat leisurely on the side sipping her tea, watching the changing expressions of everyone in the room, like a detached bystander.. Chapter 198: Dont Bother Too Much for Me Chapter 198: Don¡¯t Bother Too Much for Me ¡ª1 Trantor: 549690339 | Then there was a silence in the back room, as if no one had anything to say. The excessive quietness made the atmosphere somewhat awkward, although Wei Ruo was not the one feeling awkward. After a pause, Wei Yichen found a topic and said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, your loquat syrup is quite extraordinary. I heard from my ssmates that many people¡¯s coughing has been cured.¡± Wei Ruo lightly responded: ¡°Hmm.¡± She was not surprised at all about this. Her loquat syrup could heal or relieve anymon cold-induced cough. For otherplicated types of coughs, however, that was another story. And Wei Ruo had clearly stated this when she started selling the loquat syrup. ¡°Ruoruo is really amazing, she knows so much. If she were a boy, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to match her,¡± Wei Yichen added. ¡°Big brother, you tter me,¡± Wei Ruo politely responded. Wei Yilin chimed in: ¡°Even as a girl, your big sister is just as impressive. She¡¯s now the richest person in our family, buying whatever she wants.¡± Wei Yilin looked at Wei Ruo, his expression somewhat awkward, as if he was feeling a mix of admiration, respect, or maybe even resentment and anger. Wei Yichen noticed Wei Yilin¡¯s odd expression and said, ¡°Yilin, that¡¯s because your big sister ispetent.¡± The implication was for Wei Yilin to stop having wild thoughts; it was not appropriate for a man to covet his sisters¡¯ personal money. Even when they got married, it was part of the dowry that belonged to the women. ¡°I know, I¡¯m just curious about how much private savings big sister has now.¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s eyes were solidly locked on Wei Ruo, as if trying to discern something from her. The topic brought a slight change to Lady Yun¡¯s facial expression. The Wei family knew about Wei Ruo¡¯s wealth. But just from what they had seen, Wei Ruo had at least a hundred taels of gold, gifted by the prince, along with hundred plus taels of silver from the recent sale of her loquat syrup. Not to mention other rewards and gifts. However, Lady Yun, Wei Yichen, Wei Qingwan, and Wei Yilin were uncertain about the exact amount of her wealth. In contrast, the finances of the military prefecture were tight, and they had to live frugally this year. If it weren¡¯t for Wei Mingting¡¯s sessive promotions and rewards, Lady Yun wouldn¡¯t know how to manage this year. Even though he received some rewards after his promotion, the military prefecture¡¯s expenses were substantial. After his promotion, Lady Yun prepared a decent amount of New Year gifts for those in the capital city, thus spending a lot. Although the Wei family did not fully agree with the way Wei Ruo made money, the substantial amount of silver she had was indeed enviable. Especially Wei Qingwan, she didn¡¯t feel it much when they were in Xingshan County. But after moving to the government city and meeting more privilegeddies, she realized her consumption level was somewhat mediocre. She wanted to purchase more decent clothes for herself, but her purse was tight. Feeling everyone¡¯s gaze, Wei Ruo calmly put down her teacup. ¡°Indeed, I have saved quite a bit of private money. But don¡¯t you all know how much money I have? Yilin, you studied mathematics when you were reading, didn¡¯t you?¡± The six arts of rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics are taught by tutors in better private schools and academies. Wei Yilin pouted: ¡°Can¡¯t I just ask? Anyway, I haven¡¯t seen it. I just know you have money to buy all kinds of delicacies. It wasn¡¯t really about wanting to eat delicacies. It was just that Wei Qingruo¡¯s attitude of ignoring and disliking him made him feel suffocated. He didn¡¯t know what to do. Wei Yilin seemed like a sulky child who couldn¡¯t get candy. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about Wei Ruo, but he just wanted to say something. We Yilin¡¯s response made Wei Yichenugh: ¡°So our little brother wants to eat something delicious. Tell big brother what you want to eat, and I¡¯ll take you to buy it tomorrow, ok?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want big brother to apany me, I want big sister to apany me. Isn¡¯t big sister free now since she doesn¡¯t have to attend sses?¡± Wei Yilin looked at Wei Ruo and said. No one expected Wei Yilin to actively request Wei Ruo¡¯spany. At first, when Wei Mingting ordered to separate Wei Yilin and Wei Qingwan, Wei Yilin had been strongly resistant to Wei Ruo taking over his education. Now, he was actually volunteering to be with Wei Ruo? ¡°No, I have other things to deal with,¡± Wei Ruo refused. Lady Yun¡¯s face, which had just softened, suddenly darkened again. ¡°What else could you possibly be busy with? Which youngdy of a prestigious family behaves like you, frequently running around outside? Seeing the tense atmosphere, Wei Yichen quickly spoke to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, although our mother often disagrees with you, she does it for your own good. Mother hopes that you can have a good reputation and find a good match in the future.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°I never wanted to find a good match. I think it¡¯s quite good to marry a farmer in the future. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Lady Yun coldly said, ¡°Even if you haven¡¯t thought about yourself, you should think about your brothers and sisters in the family. If your actions are too radical and affect the reputation of the Wei family¡¯sdies, Wanwan¡¯s future marriage will also be affected by you!¡± ¡°You should have thought about all this before bringing me back home!¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°When you brought me back home, you never asked for my opinion. After bringing me back, you expect me to conform to your standards. Is that fair to me? That¡¯s thirteen years! Not thirteen days! On what grounds do you ask someone who has been living in a different environment from you for thirteen years to meet your demands and standards?N?v(el)B\\jnn This question was not only for her, but also for the original host. The original host didn¡¯t have the memory and skills of her past life, and grew up in limited understanding to be a person seen as rude and disrespectful by the Wei family. The Wei family should have thought about what kind of person she might be before bringing her back. Why didn¡¯t they think about it thoroughly before bringing her back, but had so manyints about her not fitting the criteria of a well-breddy after her return? ¡°Insolent!¡± Lady Yun snapped angrily, ¡°Are you now questioning your parents¡¯ and elders¡¯ decisions? Your life was given by us, we certainly have the right to decide where you should be!¡± ¡°Mother!¡± Wei Yichen stood up and was in between Lady Yun and Wei Ruo. ¡°Mother! Tonight is the eve of Lunar New Year. Wei Yilin furrowed his brows, his gaze serious and pleading. Looking at her eldest son, Lady Yun briefly restrained her anger. After a moment, Lady Yun took a deep breath, ¡°You all leave!¡± The good eve of Lunar New Year had turned into this, she was no longer in the mood. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take my siblings out first. Mother, you should rest early too.¡± After Wei Yichen finished speaking, he signaled his siblings to leave with his gaze. Wei Ruo, who wasn¡¯t bothered to argue in the first ce, turned around and left. Wei Yilin grabbed Wei Yichen¡¯s hand: ¡°Big brother, did I say something wrong? It was because he said he wanted to have Wei Qingruo by his side that mother and Wei Qingruo started arguing in the first ce.. Chapter 199 - 199 The Gift My Young Master Gave to the Young Lady i Chapter 199: The Gift My Young Master Gave to the Young Lady i Trantor: 549690339 Wei Yichen reached out and patted his brother, Wei Yilin¡¯s head, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink, the root cause of this matter is not you.¡± Wei Yilin thoughtfully responded, ¡°Big brother, I believe Mother is right. Her actions do not conform with those of a well-educateddy, potentially tainting not only her own reputation but also bringing trouble to our second sister. Yet, what our eldest sister said, it feels¡­.not wrong either¡­¡± He was startled by what Wei Qingruo had just said. Wei Yichen exined, ¡°Your eldest sister lived separately from us for the past thirteen years, experiencing her own hardships. We should be more patient and forgiving. Admittedly, her past behaviors are indeed inappropriate viewed from our present perspective. However, we can¡¯t expect her to change drastically and immediately, it¡¯s a slow process. Thus, perhaps no one is in the wrong, but rather it signifies that thirteen years is just too long a break.¡± Wei Yilin nodded in hesitant understanding. Listening to their conversation from behind, Wei Qingwan silently bowed her head. If it weren¡¯t for the presence of their big brother, a fierce quarrel was inevitable between Wei Qingruo and their mother this evening. This time, their mother might not easily let Qingruo off the hook¡­ ### When Wei Ruo left the dining room, outside waspletely covered in white snow. The snowfall started just after Wei Ruo arrived. In less than two hours, the roads, tree branches, rooftops were all nketed in thick silveryers.¡¯ Upon returning to Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo along with Xiumei started setting up tables and chairs in the courtyard, and then fetched the prepared food and wine. Such heavy snow ismon in the North, but rare in Taizhou prefecture. Having spent both her past and current life in the south, Wei Ruo had seldom seen heavy snowfalls. Thus, she made special arrangements to appreciate the snow in the courtyard. Due to the cold weather, a small furnace was stationed nearby, serving both for warmth and for heating wine.N?v(el)B\\jnn Thebined light from the furnace, thenterns hung on the trees, and the moonlight reflecting off the snow, brightly illuminated the courtyard. By the time the two had finished arranging everything, the snowfall had lessened. ¡°This is perfect timing for the snow to stop,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I think it could snow a little longer. The thicker the snow, the more beautiful it bes,¡± Xiumei replied. Xiumei hadn¡¯t seen much snow, and hence, she was unaware of the risks of heavy snowfall. ¡°Benevolent snows are a good omen for a bumper year. The current depth of the snow is just right. Any more, and it may lead to a disaster,¡± Wei Ruo exined to Xiumei. ¡°Why is that? Whether it snows or not, it¡¯s still cold, right? And this light, fluffy snow obviously can¡¯t cause any harm,¡± Xiumei asked, not quite understanding. ¡°It may look light, but if it umtes too much, the weight can copse houses and trees. The buildings of Taizhou haven¡¯t been designed to bear such excessive weight as snowstorms are umon, so if the snow piles up too much, the buildings may not hold up, especially for poorer households with older, unmaintained buildings.¡± ¡°Oh I see, hope snowfall stays as it is then, it already looks lovely as such,¡± Xiumei responded. ¡°Yes, now let¡¯s drink! Here¡¯s hoping this is a lucky snowfall,¡± said Wei Ruo. Although Wei Ruo knew, ording to the natural course of things, the uing years won¡¯t be stable, leaving themon people with a difficult life, she couldn¡¯t help but privately hope that this snowfall will not foretell any major cmities. The reason Wei Ruo had doubts about the probable oue of the snowfall was because, in the original narrative, the Wei family and the previous main character were dealing with an even greater crisis at this time. Upon the death of Wei Mingting, his wife Yun carried his coffin back to the capital with a team of people. They spent that New Year in the capital, but it was downright heartbreaking. That year, it didn¡¯t snow in Taizhou prefecture. Thus, the original main character didn¡¯t know, so neither did Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, although this warm yellow wine helps to ward off the cold, you should not drink too much!¡± Xiumei warned Wei Ruo. ¡°My dear Meimei, this is the eve of the lunar new year, why can¡¯t you let me drink a bit more?¡± Wei Ruo pleaded. ¡°Nope. This year, ma¡¯am Xu isn¡¯t here. I need to look after you even more! Xiumei responded, resolute in her decision. ¡°Even when the nurse was here, she didn¡¯t supervise me like this,¡± Wei Ruo protested, pouting and batting her pitiful eyes, attempting to make her Meimei go soft with tenderness. ¡°Well, now it¡¯s under my supervision, not Nurse¡¯s. Moreover, as you always say, Miss, ¡®a little wine cheers one up, but too much impairs health.¡±¡® Xiumei said with a stern face. ¡°OK, OK. I¡¯ll obey; I¡¯ll only drink this small pot and not a drop more,¡± Wei Ruo reluctantlypromised. Wei Ruo and Xiumei clinked their sses. Just as they started to drink, Wei Ruo started feeling a little lonely. In the past years, they had the nurse, Uncle Xu, and Brother Xiaoyong. This year, it was only the two of them. Wei Ruo looked at the snow in the courtyard; it was beautiful, no doubt, but it also felt somewhat deste. Just then, something fell from above,nding on the untouched snow in front of Wei Ruo. Looking over, she saw it was a beautifully decorated brocade box. Xiumei went to pick up the box, noting that it looked quite new, and it definitely was not something Wei Ruo owned. ¡°Strange. You hear about pies falling from the sky, but a brocade box?¡± Xiumei enquired while scrutinizing the box suspiciously. Wei Ruo was also puzzled and looked up. At that moment, a head popped up over the wall, grinning broadly at Wei Ruo and Xiumei. ¡°Xiaobei?¡± Xiumei approached him, hands on her hips. Xiaobei, smiling broadly, replied, ¡°Lady Xiumei, the Brocade box was thrown by my young master. It¡¯s a gift for Lady Ruo. As the door between the courtyards is closed, the young master could only throw the gift over from here.¡± Wei Jinyi had always observed guidelines strictly and never stepped over the line, even when in Xingshan County he never set foot within Wei Ruo¡¯s Tingsong garden. Xiumei asked, ¡°Is your Second Young Master also back?¡± Xiaobei nodded, ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Wei Ruo asked, ¡°When did you guys get back?¡± Xiaobei responded, ¡°We just got back not long ago, we just entered the courtyard. We even came to bring the gift before even lighting the fire in the room.¡± Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Where is your Young Master now?¡± Xiaobei said, ¡°Master has returned to his courtyard.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Tell your Young Master, I want him toe over here.¡± Since Wei Ruo can¡¯t visit him, she could only ask Wei Jinyi toe over. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi¡¯s courtyards were previously separated by only a wall. But now, besides their individual courtyard walls, there¡¯s also a high wall separating the Eastern and Western courtyards. This wall had only one door for passage and was attended by guards. During nighttime, the door was locked. Therefore, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t visit Bamboo Garden either. ¡°Okay.¡± Xiaobei, after agreeing to it, disappeared from the wall. After a while, Xiaobei came back, ¡°Miss, my Young Master says it¡¯s toote. He believes it will not look right for people to see him in your courtyard.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Go back and tell him, if he doesn¡¯te over, I will get adder to climb over the wall into his courtyard.¡± Xiaobei hesitated for a moment, ¡°Alright, I will ry this to my Master.¡± Having said that, he disappeared again. After another while, Wei Jinyi, dressed in white, leaped over the wall and lightlynded in Wei Ruo¡¯s courtyard.. Chapter 200 - 200 Wei Ruo Drank Too Much l Chapter 200: Wei Ruo Drank Too Much l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi andughed, while Wei Jinyi appeared somewhat helplessly. It was alreadyte, and ording to custom, he shouldn¡¯t have been in the courtyard of Wei Ruo, who was already thirteen years old. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be prudish about this. We¡¯ve seen it all.¡±, Wei Ruo said with a smile. Wei Jinyi looked at the table full of food and wine that Wei Ruo had prepared. His expression was somewhat helpless, but his eyes were tender. ¡°Brother, stand still for a moment,¡± said Wei Ruo. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t know what Wei Ruo was up to, but he still stood still as instructed. Wei Ruo walked over and kicked the tree next to him. The umted snow on the tree fell with a crash,nding on Wei Jinyi¡¯s body. Wei Ruo watched andughed at the side. Wei Jinyi was taken aback at first, but after realizing, he watched Wei Ruo, who wasughing hysterically, with keen eyes. Xiaobei and Xiumei both stared for a moment before joining in theughter. Wei Jinyi approached Wei Ruo and gently dusted the fallen snow off her body. When the snow fell from the tree, a good amount alsonded on her, on her hair and her cloak¡¯s fur cor. ¡°Have you been arguing with mother these past few days?¡± asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°How did you know, Brother? Did Jing Hu secretly tell you?¡± Wei Ruo queried. Thest time she fought with Mrs. Yun, Jing Hu suddenly appeared. She suspected that it might have been intentional on his part. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t hide it, giving a straightforward affirmative answer. ¡°Brother, sit down. Meimei and I have prepared a lot of food and wine. We thought we would be the only two to celebrate the Little New Year¡¯s Eve. Luckily you all came back, so now we are four. That will be more lively.¡± Wei Ruo said, beamingly as she took Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand and moved toward the dining table. Wei Jinyi looked at his hand, which was being held by Wei Ruo, and hesitated, but in the end, he did not pull his hand back. After sitting, Xiumei added two more pairs of bowls and chopsticks, while Wei Ruo filled the wine cup in front of Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi looked at the wine cup in front of him, ¡°Rourou, I don¡¯t drink.¡± Wei Ruo stuck out her tongue, ¡°I thought I could fool you this time and watch you get drunk again.¡± Wei Jinyi was slightly taken aback, his cheeks blushed. He had no memories of when he was drunk, but thinking about what he did, his ears inevitably became hot. Wei Ruo said to Xiumei, ¡°Meimei, go get the winter melon tea you madest time and also some white tea from my stock.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xiumei got up and went back to the room to fetch. Wei Ruo picked up the brocade box. ¡°The gift Brother prepared for me is somewhat heavy.¡± ¡°Hmm, you should open it to see,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo opened the brocade box. The object inside looked like a Pixiu, a mythical beast. Under the moonlight andmplight, it glowed a golden color. Gold color? Could it be¡­ Wei Ruo took out the Pixiu and examined it closely. She finally determined that it was a Pixiu made of pure gold. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t tell me this Pixiu is made of gold.¡±, Wei Ruo said, her face a blend of surprise and disbelief. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi gave an affirmative answer. At the same time, Xiaobei exined on behalf of his master, ¡°The young master said that Pixiu implies wealth and prosperity, which the youngdy will surely like.¡± Even so, making a Pixiu out of gold is too extravagant, right? Wei Ruo weighed the Pixiu in her hand. It seemed to weigh more than a pound. Made from multiple taels of gold! She wasn¡¯t sure whether the Pixiu could attract wealth, but it would definitely attract thieves! ¡°Brother, where did you get so much gold?¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°My birth mother left me some money,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Wei Ruo examined the meticulously crafted Pixiu again in her hand, and then sighed, ¡°Turns out Brother is the wealthiest in our family!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Seeing that Wei Ruo cherished the golden Pixiu so much, Wei Jinyi looked at her tenderly, ¡°It¡¯s good if you like it.¡± While they were conversing, Xiumei brought the winter melon tea and the white tea sent from Huzhou Prefecturest spring. Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to brew both types of tea for Wei Jinyi, one sweet and one bittersweet. However, Wei Ruo and Xiumei continued to drink wine. While most people were taking shelter in the warm houses, the four of them sat in the courtyard amidst the vast snow in the moonlight, cooking wine, having fun, and talking cheerfully. Either she was too happy or too rxed, but Wei Ruo had drunk a bit too much. Her tiny face was flushed, and her eyes were not as clear as usual. Wei Ruo, beaming, looked at Wei Jinyi and said in a yful tone, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re so handsome. You are the most beautiful man I have ever seen.¡± Seeing this, everyone knew that Wei Ruo was drunk. Xiumei said worriedly, ¡°Miss is not the kind to overdrink. Although she drinks a little when she is happy, she has never been drunk before. I have no idea why she drank so much today.¡± Wei Jinyi told Xiumei, ¡°Take your mistress back to her room, let her drink some hot water and rest early.¡± Xiumei nodded, ready to help Wei Ruo, but Wei Ruo dodged, ¡°Meimei, don¡¯t help me. I¡¯m not drunk. I don¡¯t want to sleep yet. I want to keep drinking.¡± Wei Ruo pouted and grumbled discontentedly. She refused to leave, and Xiumei didn¡¯t dare forcibly take her away. Wei Ruo walked to Wei Jinyi and sweet talked him holding his sleeves, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t take me back. Stay with me for a while.¡± Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo and couldn¡¯t bring himself to say no. ¡°Okay,¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. Then he sat back down with Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo was pouring her own wine and muttering, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m so d you came back today. If it was just me and Meimei, I would feel lonely. Actually, I¡¯m supposed to be okay with being alone¡­ I should be prepared for this¡­¡± ¡°But¡­ but when only Meimei and I are around, I¡¯m a little sad. Nanny, Uncle Xu, Brother Xiaoyong¡­ they¡¯re not with me now, and I don¡¯t know if they will be with me like before, to celebrate holidays together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying my best to n everything now. I feel like as long as I try my best, I can make things go well. But sometimes, I¡¯m not very sure. Whether I can do a good job or not. What I want to do may note true, because heaven wouldn¡¯t let me get my way so easily¡­¡± People tend to show their vulnerable sides when they¡¯re drunk. Wei Ruo usually has a confident demeanor. No matter what the problem is, or when she argues with someone, she never shows her vulnerability. Now that she had drunk a bit too much, Wei Ruo expressed her insecurities, worries, and loneliness in front of Wei Jinyi. After Wei Ruo finished speaking, she tried to stand up, but she wasn¡¯t steady and fell towards Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi reached out and held Wei Ruo from falling. However, Wei Ruo fell into his arms directly, their bodies colliding solidly.. Chapter 201: We are all good_l Chapter 201: We are all good_l Trantor: 549690339 A soft body collided into Wei Jinyi¡¯s arms, causing his body to be stiff instantly. Though he was supposed to stand firmly, he tripped and, due to the momentum of Wei Ruo¡¯s collision, fell backward into the thick snow. Xiumei, upon seeing this, instinctively wanted to rush over and help, but Xiaobei stopped her. Xiaobei whispered, ¡°Lady Xiumei, let the young master and young mistress handle this themselves. The young master is quite robust; a little fall won¡¯t hurt him.¡± Xiumei hesitated momentarily but, seeing Wei Jinyi appearing normal without any sign of distress, chose to follow Xiaobei¡¯s suggestion. After the fall, Wei Ruo tried to push herself off Wei Jinyi. But whether due tock of strength in her arms or dizziness in her head, she fell back down soon after trying to rise. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh at the situation: ¡°Second brother, luckily I collided with you. If it had been another man, it would seem like an absurd plot from a trite romance drama.¡± Because he was her blood brother, there was no great issue. In Wei Ruo¡¯s understanding, holding hands and hugging her brother were not considered inappropriate but were within eptable bounds. Wei Jinyi stared at Wei Ruo, who was so close to him, and felt an unusual thumping in his chest. ¡°Second brother.¡± Wei Ruo mumbled again. This brought Wei Jinyi back to his senses. With one hand propped on the ground and the other circling Wei Ruo¡¯s waist, he stood up quickly. He then ced Wei Ruo on a chair: ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°Are you angry, second brother?¡± Wei Ruo asked, sensing something unusual in Wei Jinyi¡¯s look. ¡°No.¡± It was not anger, and even if it was, he would be mad at himself, not her. ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯re not alone.¡± Wei Jinyi told Wei Ruo. ¡°Huh?¡± Wei Ruo tilted her head and looked at Wei Jinyi, puzzled. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you for every festival.¡± Wei Jinyi said earnestly. Wei Ruo appeared somewhat stunned, her simple-minded look making it hard for Wei Jinyi to tell if her confusion was due to being drunk or his words. After a little while, Wei Ruo smiled at Wei Jinyi: ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re so kind to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re even kinder to me.¡± Wei Jinyi replied, his gaze profound. ¡°Then we¡¯re both kind!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed with her. Wei Ruo was yful for a while, then she started to be drowsy. Wei Jinyi, taking advantage of herck of resistance, asked Xiumei to escort her home. When Wei Ruo was sent back to the room, she had already fallen asleep. Xiumei gently cleaned her up and tucked her into bed for a good rest. When Wei Ruo woke up again, it was close to early morning. After being dazed for a moment, Wei Ruo remembered the events of the previous night. She hadn¡¯t cked out and remembered everything that happened. She had drunk too much, then began to gab incessantly with her second brother, bbering on about things she wouldn¡¯t normally talk about. Remembering her uninterrupted chatter, Wei Ruo felt embarrassingly ridiculous. Wei Ruo turned her head to look at the pillow. There, lied a golden Pixiu amulet that Wei Jinyi had given her. Wei Ruo picked it up again. It was weighty and exquisitely made. Her second brother knew she was a fan of wealth but didn¡¯t judge her for it. Instead, he gifted her with a Pixiu, indicative of wealth and good fortune. Wei Ruo nced at Xiumei, who had fallen asleep outside. She then pulled the curtain of her bed, and entered her space. She ced the golden Pixiu in the small house within her space. The small room, which she used to store Silver Coin, was rtively empty now. Most of the coin had been invested in fields, workshops, and shops. Wei Ruo then visited her fields in front of the house. There were four now, and the productivity had improved significantly. Nheless, the experience required to upgrade had also increased. Now, four thousand experience points were required for the next level upgrade. Due to the recent weather conditions, Wei Ruo nted rice and wheat in her spatial field. Food was the most urgent need during periods of scarcity. Compared to vegetables that satiated gourmet desires and nutritional requirements, grains were the most pressing need. The space was like spring the whole year round, and the soil was fertile without the need for manual intervention. The yield of crops was iparable to those outside. Therefore, even the crop yield of this space alone was enough to feed Wei Ruo without her starving. After finishing her chores and returning from the space, it was already the third quarter of the early morning, and the sky was starting to brighten. Wei Ruo put on a thick jacket, draped a cape, and walked outside. Xiumei had already woken up. Seeing Wei Ruo awake, Xiumei asked concernedly, ¡°Miss, are you okay? Do you have a headache? I made some hangover tea, you should drink some.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I must have troubled you a lotst night.¡± ¡°Miss, why are you being so formal with me? It¡¯s my duty to take care of you. Plus, I knew you always carry burdens alone. Did you finally let everything out when you got drunkst night?¡± Wei Ruo felt embarrassed and quickly begged, ¡°Please, Meimei, don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s not that I kept problems from you deliberately. I don¡¯t usually have that many thoughts; I was just a bit tipsy and the atmosphere made me sentimental. It was only a bit of sentimentality, not true unhappiness. With you by my side, how could I be unhappy?¡± ¡°Hmph, next time, if anything happens, you must tell me. Whether you¡¯re unhappy or worried, you must tell me.¡± Xiumei intentionally put on a stern face to make herself look serious and hard to involve. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Wei Ruo hurriedly promised.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo went outside and saw the heavy snowfall. The snow hadpletely stopped by the time they had finished drinkingst night. However, upon waking up, the heavy snow was falling again. Xiumei said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Yesterday when I was sending you back to your room, it wasn¡¯t snowing. ording to what you said, if this keeps up, will there be a problem?¡± ¡°Although I would like to deny it, if it continues like this, a problem is very likely to ur.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Miss, is there something we can do?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°We¡¯re quite powerless in the face of natural disasters. The most we can do now is hope the snow stops soon and the temperature doesn¡¯t drop further.¡± Wei Ruo said. Besides the snow falling heavily again, the temperature when Wei Ruo woke up seemed even lower than the previous night. When the snow first started to fall, it was when a cold and warm front were intersecting, hence the temperature wasn¡¯t very low. But, once the cold front gained an advantage and cold air nketed everything, the temperature would get lower than when snowfall first started. The final temperature and how long itsts will ultimately depend on the strength of the cold current. However, Wei Ruo¡¯s wishes fell through. The snow continued to fall heavily non-stop for a day and night. The umted snow reached the waist, and the table Wei Ruo had failed to retrieve from the courtyard waspletely covered by the snow. The elderly in Taizhou prefecture who are over seventy or eighty years old all said this was the heaviest snowfall they had ever witnessed in their lives.. Chapter 202: After the Heavy Snow_l Chapter 202: After the Heavy Snow_l Trantor: 549690339 1 The servants of the Military Prefecture had climbed on the roof several times already, all to sweep the umted snow off the eaves, fearing that too much snow would crush the roof, or that arge chunk of frozen snow would suddenly fall and hit passers-by. The main houses were rtively okay, always kept warm with charcoal fires, so the rooftops were warm and the snow umtion wasparatively less extensive. The roofs of other rooms, however, umted a thickyer of snow, highly dangerous if not dealt promptly. They couldn¡¯t take care of the snow umted in the courtyard anymore, and the servants only managed to sweep a narrow path on the vital routes to facilitate people to get by. On the main roads outside, some households, too, had cleared a path by sweeping the snow nearby, whereas those uninhabitednes were still covered in a nket of white snow. In Cangyun Garden, Lady Yun was distressed; the heavy snowfall had interrupted everything and it became difficult to purchase many items. The prefecture still had enough grain, so at least there was food to eat even if they were devoid of fresh vegetables. However, the charcoal was almost all used up. This year, winter came early, hence the charcoal had been used early too. The high-quality charcoal which Lady Yun had ordered was limited in quantity and another batch was supposed to be delivered these days. Because of the sudden heavy snow, the charcoal that was supposed to be delivered didn¡¯t make it, and the charcoal at home was consumed faster than anticipated. So, first thing in the morning, Lady Yun sent some servants to the shops in the street to inquire, to see if any shop was selling charcoal. However, despite being in the usually bustling Government City, there were hardly any shops open, let alone any that sold charcoal. This made Lady Yun extremely anxious. Without charcoal, the indoors would be as cold as an ice cer in such chilly weather. Wei Qingwan was in Lady Yun¡¯s room apanying her in managing the affairs. Seeing her such anxious, she didn¡¯t have a better solution and could onlyfort her with a few words. Then more bad news came. A lot of civilian houses had copsed under the weight of the heavy snow. It was reported that many bamboo groves within Taizhou Prefecture had also been afflicted. Arge area of bamboo had fallen. The specific casualties were not yet known, but the situation might not be too optimistic. As a result of this, the Government Office was in a state of chaos and panic. It was unclear whether Wei Mingting would be implicated or caught up in the aftermath. Lady Yun eximed with a headache, ¡°What a troublesome season this is!¡± The issue with the seventh Prince was yet to be resolved, and another snow disaster had hit. The year-end was challenging indeed. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Once the snow melts, the charcoal will be able to be delivered,¡± Wei Qingwanforted. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lady Yun responded verbally but her worrying mood did not improve, because charcoal was just a small part of the problem. ### Wei Ruo also heard about the snow disaster from the servants. She was preparing to go out, to have a look at the situation outside. She didn¡¯t necessarily need to do anything, but at least she wanted to see what the situation was like with her own eyes. Before going out, Wei Ruo and Xiumei put on their full gear. Particrly the boots ¨C Wei Ruo and Xiumei, both, put on the boots that their wet nurse had specifically made for them. The process of making the boots was exined by Wei Ruo to the wet nurse. They were wrapped in ayer of cowhide on the outside, filled with a thickyer of cotton on the inside. This way the boots could be both warm and waterproof. The soles were also made with patterns as per Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions to increase friction and prevent slipping. However, Wei Ruo¡¯s sewing skills were too poor, so the wet nurse had to do it for them. To make them look better, the wet nurse added ayer of cloth with embroidery on the outside of the cowhide. With the skirt covering the boots, no one could see what kind of shoes Wei Ruo was wearing. In addition to their usual outfits, Wei Ruo prepared a cloak for herself and Xiumei. ¡°Miss, I think I should not wear the cloak. It¡¯s only the daughters of the wealthy who wear hoods. It wouldn¡¯t be good for me, a maidservant, to wear such an expensive cloak,¡± Xiumei voiced her concern. ¡°I don¡¯t care what other servants wear. You¡¯re not just some servant; you¡¯re my Meimei, and you¡¯ll wear a cloak like mine,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°That¡¯s not okay, Miss. If people see it, they¡¯ll gossip,¡± Xiumei murmured. ¡°We won¡¯t be meeting anyone while we¡¯re out today. If you don¡¯t say anything and I don¡¯t say anything, nobody else will know your rtion to me,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°There are no ¡®buts¡¯. The weather is freezing and the cloak is warm. The wet nurse put a lot of effort into making it for us; we mustn¡¯t waste her goodwill, Wei Ruo argued. Wei Ruo¡¯s reasoning didn¡¯t give Xiumei a chance to refuse, ¡°Alright then.¡± Xiumei put on the cloak passed to her by Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo¡¯s was light blue and Xiumei¡¯s was a shade of grass green.N?v(el)B\\jnn As soon as Wei Ruo and Xiumei stepped out of the Tingsong Garden, they saw Wei Jinyi and Xiaobei. Seeing Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo instinctively recalled the events of the night two days ago. If it were any other man, that incident would have been a major embarrassment, let alone the charges of seducing men. ¡°Big brother, are you going out too?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Waiting for you,¡± Wei Jinyi responded. ¡°Did you know that I was going out?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Given your nature, you¡¯d probably want to check things out if there is a disaster caused by the snowfall,¡± Wei Jinyi responded. Even if Wei Ruo knew she couldn¡¯t do much, she wouldn¡¯t just hide in the house. Wei Ruo was a little surprised. After the surprise came warmth ¨C her big brother really knew her thoughts. Wei Jinyi continued, ¡°The roads are not clear right now; carriages can¡¯t travel them, only people can. To avoid any danger, I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Wei Ruo smiled, ¡°Perfect. I won¡¯t go far, just nearby to look around. Now that I¡¯m idling around at home and don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s happening outside.¡± Wei Ruo nned to go to the store. The ntation was too far away, it would be night by the time they made a round trip on foot. Wei Jinyi came over to help Wei Ruo put on the hood of her cloak. ¡°The weather is cold; we can¡¯t have your ears freeze,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Then Xiao Bei handed Wei Ruo a hand warmer, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s quite cold out. Hold the hand warmer; it¡¯ll help you stay warm.¡± Xiumei muttered by the side, ¡°Before going out, I suggested that we should prepare a hand warmer for you, but you said it wasn¡¯t necessary. Now that the second young master has prepared one for you, you can¡¯t escape from it. Can you?¡± Wei Ruo answered irritably, ¡°Meimei, you didn¡¯t use one too, are you just keeping criticisms to me?¡± ¡°Miss, I am a practitioner of martial arts. I¡¯m strong and robust, so I don¡¯t fear the cold. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can touch my hand and see if it is warmer than yours,¡± Xiumei retorted. ¡°Fine, 1 won¡¯t touch it. I admit defeat,¡± Wei Ruo knew, even without touching, that her Meimei¡¯s hand would be warmer. Then Wei Ruo looked up at Wei Jinyi, and in one second she dismissed the idea in her mind. Let aside that no young master would carry a warmer when going out; with Wei Jinyi¡¯s martial ability, his hand might be warmer than the hand warmer itself. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wei Ruo hurriedly urged. Wei Jinyi grinned, and then followed closely behind Wei Ruo. A street outside the Military Prefecture was the main street of the Government City, and the pathway cleared out there was rtively wider, which allowed three to five people to walk side by side without problem. After walking for a while, Wei Ruo and the others saw a group of people gathered in front of an alley, seemingly because something had happened.. Chapter 203: Gathering Charcoal_l Chapter 203: Gathering Charcoal_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo and her group went over to find a residence in the alleywaypletely copsed, with umted snow covering the ruins. They asked the onlookers, and were told that the homeowner was safe, having been rescued. However, their house was gone; the women were sitting in the alley crying, while the men were trying to salvage anything useful from the rubble. Wei Ruo watched for a while, then quietly led Wei Jinyi away. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t do anything, not because she didn¡¯t feel sympathy for the family, but because she saw that they would somehow survive. Others were likely facing even more dire circumstances. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t say anything either. Although he didn¡¯t ask, he knew what Wei Ruo was thinking. On this matter, their views were aligned. As they continued walking forward, they frequently saw dpidated houses that had copsed due to neglect. But most people who lived in the city were in reasonably good shape. However, this gave them some insight: if so many homes were copsing within the city, the situation in the smaller viges outside the city must be even more severe. After a while, they arrived in front of Four Treasure House and Xu¡¯s Stewed Food Shop. The door of Four Treasure House was half-open. There were people inside, but the shop was not open for business. In contrast, Xu¡¯s Stewed Food Shop was open, yet the entrance was deserted, a stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle. It was natural to think that today, people didn¡¯t have the mood to buy stewed food to eat. Another assistant was not in the shop, with only Chen Aqing busying herself inside. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, a flicker of joy passed through Chen Aqing¡¯s eyes, but it quickly faded when she saw the strange males alongside her.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this man is an exception. He¡¯s my second brother. The only one in my family I can trust and confide in,¡± Wei Ruo exined to Chen Aqing. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t notice Wei Jinyi¡¯s changing expression behind her as she exined. Someone unique, someone with whom she can share her heart. That was her validation of him. ¡°Aqing, didn¡¯t I send a message yesterday? If the snow is too heavy, you don¡¯t need to open shop today. Didn¡¯t you receive the message?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°I received it. Don¡¯t worry, Miss. I made a very small amount today. asionally one or two peoplee to buy, and by nightfall, it should be sold out,¡± Chen Aqing exined. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. It¡¯s such a cold day and there aren¡¯t many customers. Since the year is nearly over, take this opportunity to rest for a few days,¡± said Wei Ruo. Those who work in her shop basically do not get a day off. Chen Aqing shook her head, ¡°Miss, let me keep working here. They say business is best around the New Year. Besides, I have nowhere else to go. If the shop doesn¡¯t open, I have nothing else to do.¡± Chen Aqing¡¯s parents were still alive, but their ce was not a home she could return to. If she went back, the money she earned would probably be taken by her parents and she might also get beaten. ¡°Alright then, if you get tired, just take a few days off. It¡¯s the end of the year, and I don¡¯t want to be used of exploiting my workers,¡± Wei Ruo said with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss, I won¡¯t,¡± Chen Aqing replied. After briefly exining several things to Chen Aqing, Wei Ruo went over to Four Treasure House next door. The door was ajar, and Wei Ruo easily pushed it open and went in. ¡°Miss, you came to see our boss, didn¡¯t you?¡± The shop assistant recognized her, as Wei Ruo had paid them many visits before, although the exact rtionship between her and Four Treasure House was unclear to him. Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Is your boss around?¡± ¡°The boss is in the backyard,¡± answered the assistant. So, Wei Ruo went straight through the shop to the small courtyard at the back. Wei Jinyi silently followed her, his mind full of questions. Inside the courtyard, Xu Zhushan was busy chopping firewood. The snow had fallen on the woodpile in the yard, and Xu Zhushan was organizing them, cutting them up, and storing them in the shed. Recently, he had been helping Wei Ruo with her estate¡¯s affairs and had no opportunity to attend to such chores at home. With the bad weather preventing him from going out, it was the perfect time to do these tasks. ¡°Mr. Xu.¡± ¡°Miss!¡± As soon as he saw Wei Ruo, Xu Zhushan quickly put down his work. ¡°Miss, the weather is so cold and the roads are covered with snow. Why did youe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not far away. I came to have a look and pick up some things,¡± replied Wei Ruo. The wet nurse, who had been alerted by the sound of conversation, also came out of the house. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, her face lit up with joy. ¡°Miss,e inside quickly. It¡¯s cold outside; don¡¯t catch a cold,¡± she urged, pulling Wei Ruo into the house. It was only after she approached them that she noticed two unfamiliar faces following Wei Ruo. The wet nurse was taken aback. ¡°This is my second brother,¡± Wei Ruo replied. The wet nurse was unsure how to greet Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi said, ¡°Just carry on with your conversation, don¡¯t mind me.¡± To avoid further awkwardness, Wei Ruo told the wet nurse, ¡°I came here today to get some silver chestnut charcoal from you. After I pick it up, we¡¯ll leave. We don¡¯t n on staying long.¡± ¡°Okay. I should have delivered it to you earlier. The roads are difficult to travel now; I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to transport too much at once.¡± said the wet nurse, looking somewhat regretful. Upon hearing the conversation between Wei Ruo and the wet nurse, Xiaobei looked surprised. That silver chestnut charcoal was a pricey material, especially given the recent weather. It made good charcoal hard to find. But from their conversation, it seemed as if they had a vast supply of the silver chestnut charcoal at home, as if they could effortlessly produce arge cartload of it out of thin air. ¡°No problem, we¡¯re only taking two bags this time.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t two bags be too little? It¡¯s been cold these past few days. You can¡¯t let the charcoal fire in your ce go out, or else you¡¯ll catch a cold,¡± the wet nurse said. ¡°Two bags shouldst for a while. When it runs out, we¡¯lle back to get more,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Alright, then. Let Old Xu deliver it to you,¡± said the wet nurse. ¡°There¡¯s no need. We can carry the two bags ourselves. We won¡¯t trouble Mr. Xu,¡± responded Wei Ruo. Xiumei quickly followed up with, ¡°I can carry the two bags back by myself.¡± Hearing this, Xiaobei quickly said, ¡°Let me do it, Lady Xiumei. This is not a task for ady like you. I can handle it.¡± You don¡¯t need to argue with me. You look as skinny as a monkey. Just focus on walking safely. The roads are slippery, and you might fall,¡± said Xiumei. Hearing this, Xiaobei was not pleased. ¡°Lady Xiumei, if ady like you isn¡¯t afraid of falling, why should I, a man, be afraid? No, I should be the one to carry the heavy stuff.¡± Wei Ruo could not stand it anymore: ¡°Stop arguing. The wet nurse here has a small trolley. We can just push it.¡± Although the main road was not usable for carriage, a push cart could still be used. As long as it wasn¡¯t pushed too hard to make it slide away, everything would be fine. ¡°Yes, yes, we have a cart. It¡¯s easier to push it back,¡± the wet nurse quickly added.. Chapter 204 - 204 Misss Room is the Only One with Barbecue Charcoal_l Chapter 204: Miss¡¯s Room is the Only One with Barbecue Charcoal_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I¡¯ll go get the silver charcoal for the youngdy!¡± Xu Zhushan, a man of action, turned around and went into the house, hauling out two hemp bags of silver charcoal. He effortlessly carried one bag on each shoulder. The wet nurse brought out a small cart, onto which the two bags of silver charcoal were ced, securely tied up, and given to Wei Ruo. Upon leaving Four Treasure House, Wei Ruo said to Wei Jinyi, ¡°Second Brother, now you know my secret. You¡¯ll keep it for me, right?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your decision to bring me here without hiding anything mean that you already knew the answer?¡± Wei Jinyi was delighted; he was d she was willing to let him know her secret. Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Second Brother also know that I would keep his secrets?¡± Wei Jinyi replied, ¡°Well now, I suppose that makes us even.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Wei Ruoughed. Then, the two of them walked back. As Xiaobei and Xiumei were pushing the cart together, Xiumei slipped on the slick ground. She didn¡¯t fall, but leaned onto Xiaobei. Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help blushing, his gaze on Xiumei was somewhat fiery. When they got back to the Military Prefecture, Wei Ruo handed one of the two bags of charcoal to Wei Jinyi. ¡°The distribution given to each courtyard by the Prefecture might not be enough tost through the winter. Take these to use for now, Second Brother,¡± Wei Ruo told Wei Jinyi. ¡°No need, I¡¯ve been away from the Prefecture for a while, so there¡¯s still plenty of my share left. I can continue using it for a while,¡± Wei Jinyi politely declined. Wei Ruo knew this was Wei Jinyi being courteous with her. When the Prefecture distributed portions to each yard, they considered the fact that Wei Yichen and Wei Jinyi spent less time at home, thus the initial portion given to Bamboo Weing Garden wasn¡¯t that much. ¡°Don¡¯t be polite with me, Second Brother. In moving these two bags today, I¡¯ve already included your share. Rest assured, my wet nurse has prepared plenty for me, I can get more at any time, so there¡¯s no need to worry about not having enough,¡± she said. Unable to refuse such a generous offer, Wei Jinyi smiled at Wei Ruo, nodded, and epted the charcoal. When Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden, she beckoned Xiumei over: ¡°If anyone asks where this charcoal came from, tell them this¡­¡± After hearing her instructions, Xiumei asked, ¡°Why does young miss want to say it this way?¡± Wei Ruo exined, ¡°Now that most of the charcoal at home is used up, only my yard has charcoal to burn. If others see this, they might make trouble. If people find out about my charcoal source, there are bound to be problems.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Xiumei took note of Wei Ruo¡¯s words. ### When Wei Jinyi returned to his room, Xiaobei started the charcoal fire right away. ¡°Young Master, this really is silver charcoal. The youngdy is really rich. Only those nobles in Government City can afford to burn this kind of charcoal,¡± Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help but marvel. Then, he became curious, ¡°Young Master, what¡¯s the rtionship between those two stores we visited today and the youngdy? You don¡¯t think Four Treasure House is owned by the youngdy, do you?¡± When they left Four Treasure House earlier, Wei Ruo told Wei Jinyi to keep it a secret, but she hadn¡¯t stated exactly what to keep secret, and she did not exin her rtionship with the two stores. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t have to ask about any of this; he naturally gave a positive answer to Wei Ruo. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the rtionship is, she didn¡¯t ask about my affairs either.¡± For Wei Jinyi, these things were unimportant; what mattered was their mutual trust. As long as they trusted each other, it didn¡¯t matter what secrets they each had. ### For two days, because the heavy snow blocked the roads, the Wei Family¡¯s charcoal hadn¡¯t arrived. Not only were the servants without it, but the charcoal for the homeowners had also run out. Without charcoal to warm them, Wei Qingwan¡¯s room was as cold as an icehouse, colder inside than out. They could keep moving during the day, but at night it was hard to sleep. Having a quilt on them felt as if they were covered with a block of iron, both hard and cold. ¡°How can we sleep under these conditions?¡± Wei Qingwan sat right back up after lying down. ¡°Young Miss, don¡¯t worry, if we¡¯re lucky, the charcoal will be delivered early tomorrow morning. Right now, even the Madam and the young master are enduring it,¡± Cuiheforted. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say the same thing yesterday, and didn¡¯t we go without it again today?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s tone was full of resentment. ¡°Well¡­¡± Cuihe didn¡¯t know how else to console her.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°What about Wei Qingruo?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°Seems like there is no effect on Young Miss¡­ I heard from the maids who went to deliver food that it¡¯s warm in Young Miss¡¯s room.¡± These few days, because of the inconvenient snow, Mrs. Yun had food prepared in the main kitchen and then delivered to all the courtyards. And this was what allowed the servants in the Prefecture to discover that Wei Ruo¡¯s residence was different from the rest; where everyone else in the Prefecture had no use of the charcoal, her ce seemed to not becking at all. ¡°Why?¡± Wei Qingwan asked in surprise. ¡°This servant isn¡¯t sure, perhaps the Young Miss used her own private funds to buy the charcoal, after all, Young Miss¡¯s private¡­¡± Cuihe trailed off. Everyone in the Military Prefecture was well aware of Wei Ruo¡¯s wealth. ¡°Isn¡¯t it so that even if you have the money, you still can¡¯t buy charcoal now?¡± Wei Qingwan asked again. ¡°This servant doesn¡¯t know, perhaps the Young Miss has special channels. The Young Miss has many acquaintances in Government City!¡± Cuihe replied. Before, when she only knew Madame Yuan, Wei Ruo had more privileges than others in the Prefecture. Now, due to her Loquat Syrup, she had be acquainted with so many of the elites in the Government City. So, it would make sense if she had more connections than anyone else in the Prefecture. Hearing this, Wei Qingwan started weighing her options. After mulling it over, she ordered Cuihe, ¡°Get your mother and father here.¡± Cuihe nodded and then called over Madam Li. Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t say much, just repeated what Cuihe had told her before. After Madam Li finished listening, she immediately understood, ¡°The young miss is being unfair. If she has a channel to get charcoal, how can she hog it all while others in the Prefecture freeze? Other people are one thing, but doesn¡¯t she care about the well-being, even the life or death, of her own mother?¡± Wei Qingwan responded, ¡°Perhaps we have misunderstood Sister. It¡¯s not what we think it is.¡± Madam Li snorted, ¡°Whether it¡¯s a misunderstanding or not, we¡¯ll find out when we ask. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any misunderstanding here. I¡¯m just saying, her behavior isn¡¯t reasonable. Young miss, wait here, I¡¯ll go talk to Madam.¡± After Madam Li finished speaking, she left without giving Wei Qingwan a chance to stop her. By the time Wei Qingwan opened her mouth to call for her, she had already left the room. ### ¡°Is this true?¡± Mrs. Yun frowned. ¡°Why would this old servant dare to lie? The truth is easy to find out.¡± ¡°If I find out you lied and falsely used the young miss, you won¡¯t just be punished with three months at the farm. I¡¯ll drive you out of the Prefecture and let your old bones freeze to death in the snow!¡± Mrs. Yun said sternly.. Chapter 205: Already Had an Explanation ! Chapter 205: Already Had an Exnation ! Trantor: 549690339 ¡°The old servant dares not, the old servant dares not.¡± Maid Li replied in rapid session. Madam Yun arrived at the Tingsong Garden with her servants. When she entered the yard and came to the main house, she could feel the warmth emanating from the rooms even before opening the door. Without knocking, Madam Yun pushed the door open to find a warm fire indeed zing in the room. Abruptly interrupted, Xiumei looked surprised. Seeing it was Madam Yun, Xiumei rose in greeting: ¡°I pay my respects to the Madam.¡± ¡°Where did this burning charcoale from?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s face darkened a little. ¡°It was sent by Madam Yuan.¡± Xiumei calmly answered. Hearing this response, Maid Li, who came with Madam Yun, also looked surprised. Why would Madam Yuan send it? Madam Yuan was Princess Jingmin after all, and why would she gift a sack of charcoal? Maid Li looked at Madam Yun, hoping the Madam wouldn¡¯t easily believe what the young maid was saying. The charcoal definitely didn¡¯te from Madam Yuan! ¡°Sent by Madam Yuan? Why would she send charcoal to Ruoruo?¡± Madam Yun interrogated further. ¡°A few days ago, the young miss gave Madam Yuan two jars of loquat syrup. Madam Yuan possibly sent a sack of charcoal in return as a way to express her gratitude for the loquat syrup,¡± Xiumei exined. ¡°Why would Madam Yuan gift Ruoruo charcoal?¡± Madam Yun questioned. For a nobledy like Madam Yuan, why would she gift charcoal? It seemed quite odd. Wei Ruo emerged from the inner room to answer Madam Yun¡¯s question: ¡°In the past, she certainly would not have done so, but you mother, surely know the current situation in Taizhou prefecture. Charcoal is now rare, especially this silver bone charcoal. Madam Yuan clearly knows this situation, and that¡¯s why she painstakingly gave me some.¡± Silver Bone Charcoal? Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s answer, Madam Yun noticed that the charcoal burning in Wei Ruo¡¯s room was not ordinary. This charcoal produced no ck smoke and did not have any smell. Even though half of the charcoal in the stove had been used, it was still intact and seemed more resistant to burning than ordinary charcoal. Upon this realization, everything indeed seemed to make sense. Unlike other charcoals, silver bone charcoal is a worthy gift. Maid Li also examined the burning charcoal in the stove and the wood charcoal in the cage next to it. She had intended to find evidence that this was not silver bone charcoal but ordinary charcoal. However, after a closer look, it didn¡¯t seem like ordinary charcoal, which is not this neat and solid. If this was indeed silver bone charcoal, wouldn¡¯t that make what the young miss said reasonable? After pondering for a while, Madam Yun asked Wei Ruo again: ¡°How much did Madam Yuan give you?¡± Wei Ruo pointed to a small bag in the corner and said, ¡°Over there, it probably will onlyst for a couple of days.¡± This was only part of what she received; the extra was kept by Xiumei. Seeing that she only received this much, Madam Yun naturally didn¡¯t ask for any. Then Madam Yun asked, ¡°Having received something from Madam Yuan, why did you not inform the family? Are you afraid that they may share your charcoal?¡± That her daughter had received charcoal and not informed her upset Madam Yun a little. Regardless, informing her was the least she could do. Knowing that others were suffering from the cold while her room was warm was absolutely uneptable. Even if she had informed them, they would not have taken from her. But not doing so made her appear cold-hearted. Wei Ruo calmly replied, ¡°I was afraid of upsetting you, mother. Madam Yuan sent the silver bone charcoal in return for the loquat syrup. However, the matter of loquat syrup has already caused several disputes between us. I was afraid that mentioning it again would cause another dispute with you, mother. I know you have been troubled with many trivial matters these days. I didn¡¯t want to add to your troubles.¡± Madam Yun was taken aback, and after a while, she finally replied, ¡°What upsets me is the issue of selling the loquat syrup. If you treat others as you have treated Madam Yuan, how could I criticize you?¡± Having said that, Madam Yun, worried about sparking another argument, waved her hand and said, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not discuss this matter. I came here specifically to ask you because I thought you had found a way to procure charcoal. Since it was gifted by Madam Yuan, I have no further questions.¡± With that, Madam Yun led Maid Li and the others away. On the way back, Madam Yun¡¯s face was grim; Maid Li was trembling as she followed behind. When they reached Cangyun Garden, Madam Yun admonished Maid Li, ¡°You, audacious maid!¡± ¡°Madam, please calm down. I did nothing wrong; there was indeed a charcoal fire burning in the young miss¡¯s room.¡± Maid Li quickly defended herself. ¡°You¡¯re lucky this time. If I found out that you were holding a grudge over past events and deliberately targeting Ruoruo, I won¡¯t spare you!¡± Madam Yun warned. Although she was somewhat dissatisfied with her eldest daughter, she was very clear about who was the master and who was the servant. She would never tolerate an old servant oppressing her daughter! ¡°Servant dares not. Even if you lent me ten thousand times my courage, I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Maid Li hurriedly replied. ¡°Alright, you can go now.¡± Now that she understood the situation, Madam Yun didn¡¯t have the energy nor the mood to continue listening to Maid Li¡¯s prattle. ¡°Yes, this old servant will take her leave.¡± Maid Li left Cangyun Garden, looking rather sheepish. Inside Wangmei Garden, Wei Qingwan was waiting for Maid Li¡¯s return. Seeing her return, Wei Qingwanasked, ¡°How did it go, Maid?¡± With a frustrated face, Maid Li responded, ¡°The youngdy¡¯s silver bone charcoal was gifted by Madam Yuan. After asking a few questions, the Madam left.¡± ¡°Gifted by Madam Yuan? Didn¡¯t mother ask why the youngdy, having received charcoal, didn¡¯t share it with the family?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°The youngdy is very eloquent. She said that the charcoal was a return gift from Madam Yuan for the loquat syrup she gave her earlier. She didn¡¯t tell the Madam, fearing it would upset her due to the previous issues with the loquat syrup,¡± Maid Li said through gritted teeth.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Maid Li didn¡¯t believe what Wei Ruo had said. If Wei Ruo had really been that considerate, she wouldn¡¯t have repeatedly defied the Madam in the past. That was clearly just an excuse! However, the Madam believed it, and she was helpless! Wei Qingwan¡¯s face grew increasingly grave. Although she didn¡¯t expect this matter to have any significant effect on Wei Ruo, she hoped, at the very least, it would deepen the conflict between Wei Ruo and their mother. She was forced to think this way as Wei Ruo kept attacking her, time and again, ruining her reputation. Now she was merely doing her utmost to maintain her position under dire circumstances. Unfortunately, her abilities were limited, and she was no match for the cunning Wei Ruo. All her attempts to fight back had failed. ¡°Maid, I am full of regret now. I regret not having learned any useful skills or strategies in the past years. Now, I¡¯m at a loss about how to protect myself against Wei Ruo¡¯s tricks,¡± Wei Qingwan murmured. Maid Li sighed, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s not your fault. Wei Ruo had interacted with all kinds of people while living in the countryside in the past years. She must have learned countless tricks and tactics. You, on the other hand, were brought up in a cloistered maiden¡¯s chamber, surrounded by a loving family, and never exposed to any vicious situations.. How could you stand a chance against her?¡± Chapter 206: Madam Yuan Seeks a Favor_l Chapter 206: Madam Yuan Seeks a Favor_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Qingwan shook her head, ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m not good at these things. I only happened to find a problem with Wei Qingruo today and thought of discussing it with you. I never thought it would be useful.¡± Nanny Li sighed, ¡°Miss, take it easy. Although we can¡¯t outwit Wei Qingruo for now, her arrogance and bullying will bring about her downfall. There will be a day when she suffers.¡± Eyebrows lowered, Wei Qingwan appeared rather helpless but managed to console Nanny Li, ¡°You have also worked hard, Nanny. You made a round trip and even got scolded by my mother for today¡¯s matter.¡± -Never mind me, this is something I should do. That Wei Qingruo hides in herfort and cares not for the life of her family is a fact. I am upright and not afraid of me, it¡¯s just that her eloquent exnation confused the situation. She¡¯s always using Madam Yuan as a human shield, acting as if knowing her is such a big deal!¡± grumbled Nanny Li angrily. ¡°That¡¯s her skill, being able to sweet-talk someone as distinguished as Madam Yuan. I don¡¯t have such an ability, it means Earn the ipetent one. Forget it. Nanny, you can go busy yourself,¡± said Wei Qingwan. Then Wei Qingwan waved her hand, dismissing Nanny Li. ### Just after Wei Ruo dismissed Mrs. Yun with Madam Yuan as an excuse, Madam Yuan sent her close maid, Qingyi, to invite her to visit the magistrate¡¯s office, iming that she had something to discuss with Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t ask much, she just changed her dress and rode the carriage with Xiumei. After two days, the main road in the Government City was cleared of snow and carriages could now pass. The houses and shops on both sides of the road were imbued with hints of the New Year, adorned with red festive decorations. Butpared to previous years, the festive atmosphere was noticeably subdued. Today is the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, tomorrow is New Year¡¯s Eve. Usually, every family would be busy preparing for the New Year¡¯s festivities at this time. But this year, many families, especially the Yuan family, just didn¡¯t have it in them. Although Wei Ruo was notpletely aware of the situation in the prefecture¡¯s office, she could make educated guesses. Given the current state of the Taizhou prefecture, unless Yuan Zhengqin, the incumbent magistrate, was an ipetent official who didn¡¯t care about the people¡¯s life or death, he would surely be busy and worried. Upon her arrival at the Prefecture, guided by Qingyi, Wei Ruo went to the main residence in the rear court where Madam Yuan lived. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, Madam Yuan weed her warmly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I am really sorry for bothering you on the 29th,¡± Madam Yuan apologized to Wei Ruo. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Madam. If there¡¯s anything you need from me, feel free to tell me,¡± Wei Ruo knew that if it wasn¡¯t something significant, Madam Yuan wouldn¡¯t have called her over at such a time. Madam Yuan sighed, ¡°Indeed, I do have a favour to ask. Taizhou Prefecture has been going through a lottely, and every single thing is driving my husband to distraction, leaving him no time or energy for other issues. That¡¯s when I thought of you.¡± ¡°The heavy snow recently has indeed added a lot of troubles to the Taizhou Prefecture,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°It¡¯s not all about the snow.¡± Madam Yuan sighed again, ¡°This year has truly been a cmitous one for the Taizhou Prefecture. Troublees wave upon wave.¡± ¡ö¡¯Are you referring to the Japanese Pirates? Have they been active again recently?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Madam Yuan shook her head, ¡°The Japanese Pirates have been quiet these few days, though we don¡¯t know if they are genuinely peaceful or just waiting for an opportunity. The Anti-Japanese Army is on high alert. What I¡¯m talking about is an internal problem. Since we¡¯re on good terms, I won¡¯t hide it from you A major event that urred halfway throughst month. Seventh Prince, who was supposed to report to the Taizhou Prefecture to be the Military Governor of the Anti-Japanese Army, was ambushed not long after he entered Taizhou prefecture. All his followers were either killed or injured, while the Seventh Prince himself has gone missing. ¡°The Seventh Prince is missing?¡± Wei Ruo was shocked. How could this happen? That¡¯s impossible! In the original book, there was no description of the heavy snow in Taizhou Prefecture because the Wei family was not in Taizhou Prefecture at this time and was irrelevant to the plot. But the Seventh Prince is the male lead, all major events rted to him had been described in the original book. In the original book, there was no segment about the male lead being attacked and disappearing. We Ruo tried hard to recall the events in the original book during this period. This was when the rtionship between Wei Qingwan and Chu Lan was heating up. In the book, Wei Qingwan was taken to the prince¡¯s residence by Chu Lan. During this period, she was plotted against by women in the residence, barely escaped death, and was almost killed. Chu Lan dropped everything at hand to take care of her until she fully recovered. During this time, Wei Qingwan was helpless and vulnerable. Chu Lan was distressed, and their affections for each other grew stronger. Wei Ruo remembered that when the original text came to this section, it specifically mentioned that Chu Lan originally had a great opportunity for merit at this time. He was supposed to be the military governor of the Anti-Japanese Army. However, worried about Wei Qingwan¡¯s safety as she was on the brink of life and death, he gave up the opportunity and passed it to Sixth Prince. So that¡¯s where the problem was. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t expect that being in a rtionship could provide such an advantage, helping to avoid risks. Another surprise was that due to the absence of the meeting between the main characters, and due to Wei Mingting¡¯s death not happening, it caused a butterfly effect, which directly led to the male lead of the original text disappearing. If Chu Lan just died like this, could it be considered that she indirectly retaliated against her past self? Madam Yuan said, ¡°I was also quite shocked when I heard about it. It probably has something to do with the struggle for imperial power. However, it just so happened to ur in the Taizhou Prefecture. And it just so happened to ur on the way to take office as a Military Governor of the Anti-Japanese Army, right when they were about to rendezvous with the Army. Therefore, both the Government Office in the prefecture and the Anti-Japanese Army got involved.¡± Listening to Madam Yuan¡¯s exnation, Wei Ruo then understood that the reason Wei Mingting had been so busytely was not just because of the Japanese pirates, but also because of this issue. Madam Yuan said, ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s not talk about the Seventh Prince anymore. Those court struggles are not something we can get involved in, and worrying about him won¡¯t help either. If he is fortunate enough to survive, that would be the best oue. If he can¡¯t, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± After saying that, Madam Yuan sighed heavily, ¡°I invited you here to discuss something within our capacity. The heavy snow in recent days, the cold weather, both the top and bottom of Taizhou Prefecture have been tormented.¡± -I¡¯ve heard some about it, many houses were copsed by the snow, many bamboo groves fell over, leaving many people homeless.¡± However, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know what she could do. She could only provide shelter for a limited number of people. The people at her manor were alright for now, the houses were newly built and hadn¡¯t copsed, and there was enough food in the manor. Given her current financial power and capability, that was all she could do. ¡°Yes, what you heard is the truth. Many people have died in Taizhou Prefecture, and few of them were killed by falling or being crushed. Most died of cold or sickness,¡± Madam Yuan told Wei Ruo about the recent situation. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± Wei Ruo asked.. Chapter 207 - 207 Many People Fell Sick_l Chapter 207: Many People Fell Sick_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°These past few days, many people within the Taizhou prefecture have fallen ill. They mainly show one set of symptoms: fever, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Serious casespse into aa. Doctors in the Government City and from our house have seen them and prescribed medicine, but there hasn¡¯t been noticeable improvement,¡± Madam Yuan described. Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo quickly asked, ¡°Does this disease exhibit signs of person-to-person transmission? Like, do people around those who have contracted this disease also show the same symptoms after a short time?¡± ¡°It seems there is such a situation¡­¡± Madam Yuan described. Wei Ruo¡¯s heart sank as she realized the seriousness of the issue. ¡°Madam, where are these patients currently?¡± Wei Ruo asked, her demeanor serious, a sense of urgency in her eyes. ¡°Most of them are in their homes,¡± Madame Yuan exined. ¡°Madam, please take me to the nearest patient. I need to diagnose them in person,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid that you might contract the disease¡­¡± ¡°Without diagnosing in person, it¡¯s hard to prescribe urate treatment. If we¡¯re afraid of transmission, I can¡¯t cure people,¡± Wei Ruo says. ¡°Then, I will apany you,¡± Madam Yuan dered. ¡°Madam, you still have to take care of little Shen. It¡¯s inappropriate for you to take risks, just send someone to take me there,¡± Wei Ruo said. Of course, Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t dare let Madam Yuan take such risks, not to mention her son who was less than a year old, who also faces potential infection. Moreover, Madam Yuan¡¯s unique status should prevent her from going into risky situations. ¡°But Ruo¡¯er, what about you¡­¡± ¡°Madam, rest assured, my medical skills arepetent. I won¡¯t let myself be harmed easily,¡± Wei Ruo reassured her. Hearing this, Madam Yuan seized Wei Ruo¡¯s hand, thanking her gratefully, ¡°We are relying on you now!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, Madam, as a member of the Taizhou prefecture, I also don¡¯t want to see countless innocent civilians die untimely deaths,¡± Wei Ruo said. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s firm expression, Madam Yuan¡¯s heart stirred, ¡°Ruo¡¯er, you are the most extraordinary woman I have ever known. If you were a man, you¡¯d have a ce on the royal council.¡± This world has many constraints for women, even for Princess Jingmin, who is pampered by her royal father, she too can¡¯t escape this reality. ¡°For things that I can¡¯t change, I don¡¯t waste time thinking about them. What I do is what I can change. Whether I am a woman or a man won¡¯t prevent me from following my heart,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have Qingyi go with you now. Anything you need, you can tell Qingyi, and have her take care of it,¡± Madam Yuan said. As she said this, Madam Yuan took off the jade pendant she wore and ced it in Wei Ruo¡¯s hand: ¡°This is my token, whoever sees this token could regard it as if they saw me. Ruo¡¯er, keep it, it will help you. I am asking for your help in this matter, and you are taking risks for the people on my behalf. I owe you a favor.¡± ¡°Madam, we¡¯U talkabout thister, let¡¯s go see the patients first,¡± Wei Ruo said. Without wasting any more words, Madam Yuan immediately ordered her underlings to lead Wei Ruo to the home of the nearest patient. Aside from her personal maid, Qingyi, Madam Yuan also arranged for six escorts for Wei Ruo, to ensure her safety. ### At the Military Prefecture, in the Wee Bamboo Garden. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Young Master, regarding the outside news, we haven¡¯t received any news about the seventh prince yet. But something else has happened in the city, many people have fallen ill. The situation in Government City is on the verge of chaos,¡± Xiaobei reported to Wei Jinyi about thetest news ryed by Ke Chongshan. ¡°Has Miss returned after being taken by the Magistrate?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. Even though he wasn¡¯t sure why Madam Yuan would want Wei Ruo at this time, Wei Jinyi expected it was rted to the recent events. ¡°Not yet,¡± Xiaobei answered. Wei Jinyi frowned slightly. ¡°Young Master, are you worried that Madam Yuan asked Miss Wei Ruo to do something? It seems unlikely, the current mess outside, Miss Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t be able to help much. She is good at farming, it won¡¯t be a good timing to show her skills until next spring. Now that Madam Yuan asked her over, it¡¯s probably for a chat to pass the time,¡± Xiaobei said. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Wei Jinyi responded, ¡± Send a message telling Ke Chongshan and the others not to bother searching for the whereabouts of the seventh prince these next few days. They should stay home safe, and we will discuss further when the new year has passed.¡± ¡°Then I will go right now,¡± Xiaobei hurriedly proceeded to carry out the order. ### In Wangmei Garden. Hearing that Wei Ruo was picked up by the carriage sent by Madam Yuan and taken to the prefecture¡¯s office, and had not returned by this time, Cuihe couldn¡¯t help but grumble to Wei Qingwan: ¡°The eldest miss is really capable, I don¡¯t know what kind of spell she has cast on Madam Yuan to make her like her so much that she called her to her residence even during the holiday.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just because my sister¡¯s temperament suits Madam Yuan¡¯s taste, that is her ability,¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°Speaking of abilities, I think you, Young Mistress, are more capable than she is. She can only farm and cook some dishes, none of these are the skills a properdy should possess. She has no skill in zither, chess, calligraphy or painting,¡± Cuihe said. ¡°There¡¯s no useining about this. Even if I had more chances to showcase these skills, Madam Yuan might still prefer my sister¡¯s way. What can I do?¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just feel it¡¯sunfair for you, Young Mistress.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss this anymore, go prepare the new year¡¯s things. Mother is waiting to use them,¡± Wei Qingwan said. Wei Qingwan and Cuihe continued to help Mrs. Yun with the tasks around the house. ### Wei Ruo went to the home of a female tutor in a little alley next to the prefecture¡¯s office. The female tutor and her maid had both contracted the disease, and the symptoms appeared to be the same. After Wei Ruo finished diagnosing the tutor and her maid, she came out from the room. Qingyi, who awaited outside the door, cautiously asked about the situation: ¡°Miss Wei, how is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pneumonia, they need immediate medication. This disease is somewhat contagious, so you shouldn¡¯t enter the room,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Contagious? Is it an epidemic? Is the entire Taizhou prefecture in danger?¡± The faces of Qingyi and the guards standing behind her turned pale immediately. If it turns out to be a gue, the problem will be severe. In the event of a gue at this juncture, the Taizhou prefecture will likely be filled with corpses! ¡°Don¡¯t panic yet. It won¡¯t necessarily spread to the whole Taizhou prefecture. Based on the current results, the infection rate of the disease isn¡¯t high. We can keep it under control with immediate measures,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Before treating the sick tutor and her maid, Wei Ruo asked about the situation of the people who have been in contact with them and evaluated the infectivity of the disease. So far, only older people in poorer health have died, whereas robust youngstersrgely only disy some symptoms, with no fatal cases to date. The tutor and her maid she had just examined were not old. The tutor was in her thirties and her sixteen-year-old maid presented milder symptoms due to her young age and more physical activity in her day-to-day life. ¡°Now, what should we do?¡± Qingyi asked. Chapter 208 - 208 Preventing Spread_l Chapter 208: Preventing Spread_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°I¡¯ll write a prescription first. You can take this and prepare the medicine for now. I can¡¯t determine instantly which treatment can cure this disease. It will require some time for trial and observation,¡± Wei Ruo said. As it differed frommon pneumonia, Wei Ruo had to adopt a conservative approach in prescribing the medication, further observation and diagnosis would be needed for more precise treatment. ¡°Alright,¡± Qingyi nodded. Wei Ruo carried on, ¡°Once the medicine is ready, don¡¯t deliver it directly inside. Either wait for Meimei or me, or ce it by the door for those who are in better health inside to fetch it. Avoid direct contact.¡± ¡°But you two will be¡­¡± Qingyi was worried. Miss Wei was their Madam¡¯s benefactor. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us for now. Ourter interactions will also aim to avoid face-to-face meetings like this. We can pass any messages through the wall,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. With a worried expression, Qingyi nodded. Wei Ruo added, ¡°Then, notify everyone about it. Those who show simr symptoms should stay inside their rooms like this family and avoid contact with others. For those whose conditions are not too severe, their families should only be responsible for delivering food and medicine to a designated spot. If their conditions are severe, one person should be assigned to care for them. This person shouldn¡¯t have contact with anyone else, either.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Qingyi nodded. She dared not ck off in carrying out Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions. After some thought, Wei Ruo added, ¡°Also, find someone to send a message to Madam Yuan. Some medicinal herbs need to be purchased inrge quantities in advance. I¡¯ll make a list. Get these materials prepared.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qingyi noted down everything and immediately arranged someone to get it done. With the urgency of the situation, they couldn¡¯t afford to dy. Very quickly, people sent by Madam Yuan arranged everything ording to Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions. They promptly dispatched people to purchase the ingredients listed on Wei Ruo¡¯s sheet. Meanwhile, to prevent panic, Madam Yuan specifically ordered them not to publicize the contagious nature of the disease. However, it was already toote. The news about the human-to-human transmission of the disease had spread before Madam Yuan¡¯s order could be enforced. It isn¡¯t known how the information leaked, but word spread throughout Taizhou prefecture. It quickly caused people to panic. Those who could afford to began scrambling to buy medicinal herbs and started to iste at home. Everyone had stocked up on food before the heavy snowfall began. Those who hadn¡¯t managed to were mostly those who couldn¡¯t afford to. Those who couldn¡¯t afford it felt helpless. They could neither afford to buy the medicinal herbs nor consider running away, as they would probably starve to death on the journey within a few days of leaving Taizhou prefecture. With the harsh weather making it a struggle just for meals, they obviously couldn¡¯t afford to think about anything else. That night, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t return to the Military Prefecture. Madam Yuan sent a message to the Wei Family saying she wanted to keep Wei Ruo at the Yuan Residence for the New Year. Naturally, this was just an excuse. It was neither reasonable nor appropriate for her to leave her family to spend the New Year at the Yuan Residence, which had no familial or intimate ties with her. Upon receiving the message, the Wei Family naturally had their conjectures. That evening, several members of the Wei Family had dinner together. Apart from Wei Ruo, Wei Mingting didn¡¯t make it back either, and Wei Jinyi had his meal in his own courtyard. The expressions on their faces during dinner were not pleasant. After dinner, Wei Qingwan was waiting for Yunshi to bring up the subject, but Yunshi kept quiet, her face somber. Wei Qingwan then turned to Wei Yilin, who was seated nearby. Wei Yilin had always been straightforward and transparent; he couldn¡¯t keep secrets and would inevitably speak out if anything bothered him. Wei Yilin should have heard about the matter of Wei Ruo spending the New Year at the Yuan Residence. ording to his nature, he would have definitely feltpelled to grumble about it at this moment. But Wei Qingwan waited for a while, and still, Wei Yilin didn¡¯t utter a word. With a slightly furrowed brow, Wei Qingwan finally couldn¡¯t help but bring up the topic herself. ¡°Mother, please don¡¯t worry. Madam Yuan probably treasures my sister so much that she wants to keep her at the residence for the New Year,¡± Wei Qingwan said as she took the initiative tofort Yunshi. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about,¡± Yunshi denied. ¡°I¡¯m worried about this gue. We can iste ourselves within the house, but your father cannot.¡± Wei Qingwan paused for a moment, then understood. Her mother¡¯s mind was all upied with worrying about her father. She didn¡¯t have the spare attention to devote to the matter of Wei Ruo spending the New Year at someone else¡¯s house. The issue of Wei Ruo spending the New Year at the Yuan Residence was excessive, but at least it wouldn¡¯t pose any danger to the Wei Family. Plus, being liked by Princess Jingmin was advantageous for Wei Ruo herself and the Wei Family as well.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om However, the gue was a different matter. Once it broke out, bodies would be strewn everywhere, posing a threat to the lives of the family. Comparing the two, Yunshi could clearly tell which one was more critical. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean that Yunshi had absolutely noints about Wei Ruo¡¯s actions. After all, this was Wei Ruo¡¯s first New Year at home after returning, and she ended up spending it at someone else¡¯s ce, which was rather excessive. Seeing Yunshi¡¯s worry, Wei Yilin quickly said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry about father. Father is a great hero, he¡¯s strong. He won¡¯t get sick!¡± Hearing Wei Yilin¡¯s innocent words, Yunshi could only hope that things would indeed turn out as he said, and nothing would go wrong. Wei Yichen wore a serious expression. He couldn¡¯t be as carefree as his younger brother. Given the current situation, there wasn¡¯t much he could do as a schr. Each person in the room had their own thoughts, and the atmosphere was uneasy. ### Bamboo Weing Courtyard. Unlike the others in the residence, Wei Jinyi suspected that Wei Ruo staying at the Yuan Residence for the New Year was just an excuse. Given the ongoing epidemic in Taizhou Prefecture and Wei Ruo¡¯s medical skills, it was possible that Madam Yuan had asked Wei Ruo to treat patients and control the spread of the disease, which could be the real reason why Wei Ruo was ¡°spending the New Year¡± at the Yuan Residence. However, if that were the case, Ruoruo¡¯s predicament would be the most dangerous. She herself might contract the disease too. After pondering this, Wei Jinyi left Xiaobei at the Bamboo Weing Courtyard and quietly slipped past the guards of the Military Prefecture, crossing the fence to leave the Military Prefecture. ### Aside from Wei Ruo, a few well-known doctors from the Government City were also participating in the treatment of this epidemic. Madam Yuan provided them with a room for temporary rest and for discussing strategies for the epidemic. At this moment, Wei Ruo had changed her attire, joining the discussion as Xu Heyou, the alias she was under. Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t initially intended to do so in such a critical situation. However, Madam Yuan reminded her. Madam Yuan didn¡¯t want this incident to tarnish Wei Ruo¡¯s reputation or have her make any unnecessary contact with other men. So Wei Ruo used her previous disguise and participated in the meeting as Xu Heyou. To assist Wei Ruo, Xiumei naturally followed suit and changed her attire as well. Inside the room, Wei Ruo discussed the matter with the other doctors and expressed her views. ¡°Master Xu, do you think it¡¯s pneumonia? But in my many years of practice, I have seen countless cases of pneumonia. The symptoms of this disease are slightly different from the usual ones,¡± said Doctor Cheng from Zheng Yutang, the oldest and most experienced among those present. Chapter 209 - 209 Together with you_l Chapter 209: Together with you_l Trantor: 549690339 | Wei Ruo exined, ¡°The symptoms of pneumonia do not stay the same year after year. This year, Taizhou Prefecture experienced an unusual cold weather that we have never seen before. Under such abnormal climate conditions, the appearance of mutant symptoms is possible. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Although these patients have differentplications, the signs of pneumonia are still present in all of them. Their pulse, lung sounds, and many other symptoms all indicate this. So, I have reason to infer that the likelihood of pneumonia being the cause is the greatest. Listening to Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, Doctor Cheng felt it made some sense. Even though he was older and more experienced, he was not a stubborn old man. Doctor Cheng recognized that there were times when it was necessary to adopt the opinions of the younger generation. Especially in this case, after their group of veteran doctors could not effectively treat the disease using their past experiences, listening to new suggestions might offer a new way out. ¡°In that case, it may indeed be feasible to adjust the current pneumonia ? treatment method to see if it can have a beneficial effect on this disease,¡± Doctor Cheng remarked. He then asked the other attendees, ¡°What do you all think?¡± The others expressed support. At this moment, everyone was united in their desire to aid the recovery of the sick, reduce deaths, and decrease the number of cases. Protecting the citizens also meant protecting their own families. No one cared about who earned more credit, nor did anyone worry about whether their knowledge had been insulted. Those with great medical skills also have their own weaknesses, and they were unashamed and unwilling to lose to a young person. After determining the path forward, they began to discuss the prescriptions. Theymunicated and coordinated in blending the medicines. After a morning of discussion, the group settled on a new prescription. ¡°We¡¯ll administer this medication to a few of the younger patients first, Doctor Cheng suggested. Wei Ruo and the other doctors agreed with Doctor Cheng1 s proposal. Their decision was not biased towards any side, but they reasoned that if an unpredictable error urred, younger individuals with stronger bodies could withstand the effects and would give them an opportunity for remedy. Even though this approach was risky and could potentially harm some patients1 health, it was the most practical and effective solution at the moment. They could not afford to take their time and investigate more. The longer the dy, the more people would die. In the afternoon, Wei Ruo and several other doctors attended to the selected patients. The patient chosen was the bailiff of the magistrate, who was forty years old and strong. He and his family had given consent for Wei Ruo and the others to treat him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om In addition to administering medication, Wei Ruo also nned to perform acupuncture auxiliary treatment on the patient. When Wei Ruo was applying acupuncture, Doctor Cheng and the others were watching. They were amazed to find that this young man called Xu Heyou was talented. Despite his age, his acupuncture techniques were skilled and exquisite, far surpassing the seasoned doctors. After Wei Ruo finished the acupuncture, Doctor Cheng who had been silent for a while, couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°Master Xu, I never expected that you, despite being so young, could handle acupuncture so expertly! Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Doctor Cheng, you¡¯re praising me too much. I still have a lot to learn from you all.¡± Wei Ruo, like everyone else, didn¡¯t be arrogant just because she was excelling at something. She recognized that these seasoned doctors might have skills she didn¡¯t master yet. She needed to learn more. After administering the acupuncture, Wei Ruo instructed the patient to take the medication before resting. Their medicine was not a miracle drug; even if it worked, it would take some time to take effect. During this period, Wei Ruo and the others would take turns in keeping watch. The others would not rest either. Some brewed medicines, some processed the herbs, some consulted medical books, and some gave instructions to Madam Yuan¡¯s subordinates. Everyone did their part; no one cked off. ### In the evening, Wei Ruo snuck a moment of respite in the break room where she hurriedly nibbled on a couple of mantou (Chinese bread), while her right hand flipped through a medical book. As she ate, a figure suddenly appeared before her. Wei Ruo looked up to see who it was and was surprised. ¡°Second Brother?¡± Confirming that it was Wei Jinyi, she turned to look out the window for a moment. The guards inside and outside the courtyard were still on duty, preventing outsiders from casually entering and exiting. But it was clear that the guards could not keep the second brother out, nor had they noticed that someone had sneaked in. Wei Ruo then turned back and said to Wei Jinyi, ¡°Second Brother, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I came to see you,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± ¡°I guessed.¡± ¡°Your guess is remarkably urate,¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but remark. Wei Jinyi knew that Wei Ruo must have been helping Madam Yuan. It just took him some time to find this ce. Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes fell onto the big white bread in Wei Ruo¡¯s hands, ¡°Is this all you¡¯re having for dinner?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quick to prepare, and I don¡¯t have much time. It¡¯s not just mantou, but also stir-fried shredded meat with pickled vegetables. The taste isn¡¯t too bad when you stuff the pickled vegetables in the bread,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Wei Jinyi, however, frowned and then asked, ¡°How¡¯s the situation? Are you in danger?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Second Brother. I have a strong body. Even if I really get infected, I can withstand it.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s likely that you¡¯ll get infected?¡± Wei Jinyi read between the lines. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t answer, tacitly confirming his deduction. She couldn¡¯t avoiding into contact with the patients now. Even if she had the protective gear, which was not the case, she would still be at risk of getting infected because of her need to administer acupuncture and closely observe patients. SeeingWeiJinyi¡¯sgloomyface.WeiRuotriedtoreassurehim, ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t worry too much about me. I have confidence in treating this disease. Besides, I have a strong immune system and am not easily infected. Even if I do get infected, I can cure myself.¡± Although she hadn¡¯t cured any patient at the moment, Wei Ruo felt that her judgement was correct. Coupled with her discussion with the other doctors in the morning, she felt a high chance of sess. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s confident face, Wei Jinyi said, ¡°I trust you, I¡¯ll stay and keep youpany.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible,¡± Wei Ruo refused. ¡°You said you¡¯re confident in finding a cure, and I trust you. Unless you¡¯re lying to me and you¡¯re actually not confident,¡± Wei Jinyi countered. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, then there¡¯s nothing wrong with me staying.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have your own business to take care of, Second Brother? You¡¯ve finally gotten a few days off at home, shouldn¡¯t you take a good rest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in fine health and don¡¯t need extra rest. Besides, I don¡¯t think this is a good time to rx,¡± Wei Jinyi stated. Almost everyone in Taizhou Prefecture was suffering from hunger and illness due to the upheaval. How could this be a time to rx? Weo Ruo thought about it and mumbled, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t agree, you¡¯ll stille, won¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 210: Someone to Accompany on New Chapter 210: Someone to Apany on New Year¡¯s Eve_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s reply was undoubtedly affirmative. After some contemtion, Wei Ruo gave in. Wei Ruo agreed, ¡°Alright then, I will speak with themter. You can help as my friend.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± So, Wei Jinyi stayed. He changed into more convenient short clothes and busied himself by Wei Ruo¡¯s side. That evening, Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo kept busy until almost midnight. Today was New Year1 s Eve, a time that should be filled with family joy, but tonight there was no heart for celebration in this small courtyard. Wei Ruo stood in the yard, looking up at the bright moon in the sky, her thoughts a tangle. Unmelted snow, diseaseing again. This end of the year was filled with hardship, sorrow, and partings. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Nothing much, just feeling a bit mncholy about this year. So many people will die.¡± Starvation, freezing, disease, each word representing countless lives. ¡°As is the nature of the world, the earth is indifferent to the struggles of its creatures. But the people of Taizhou prefecture are lucky. They have a dedicated magistrate, apassionate Princess Jingmin, and you¡­¡± Wei Jinyi turned to look at Wei Ruo. Her petite figure housed a resilient spirit, her eyes filled with unyielding determination in the face of adversity, as well as mercy andpassion for the people. ¡°Second Brother, once you¡¯ve aplished what you wish to, you should study hard and work towards bing a good official. That way, you can still do something for the people,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I will,¡± replied Wei Jinyi, looking seriously at Wei Ruo. A little whileter, Wei Jinyi said to Wei Ruo, ¡°You¡¯ve been busy all day and you need rest now. Let me escort you back to your room. ¡°Second Brother, let¡¯s stay up together to wee the New Year,¡± Wei Ruo said. After all, it was New Year¡¯s Eve, and Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to go to sleep yet. She wanted to be with someone when the new year arrives. As Xiumei had been busy all day, Wei Ruo had ordered her to rest earlier. Now, only Wei Jinyi remained by her side. ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Jinyi agreed immediately, apparently willing to apany her in anything she wished to do. Because the courtyard outside was filled with piled-up snow, and the outdoor chill, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi moved to the room. They shifted the table to the front of the window, and opened the window. There was a brazier nearby with tea boiling on top Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi sat side by side. Wei Ruo leaned against the window while Wei Jinyi sat next to her. Perhaps due to the peculiar circumstances, Wei Jinyi did not refuse to sit next to Wei Ruo as he usually would have for fear of impropriety. The rosy glow from the brazier coloured Wei Ruo¡¯s face with a simr hue. The light seemed to flicker in her bright eyes and Wei Jinyi found himself enchanted as he watched her. Unaware of Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze, Wei Ruo quietly watched the scene outside the window. The surroundings were so quiet that it felt as though one could hear the sound of time passing by. In a daze, Wei Ruo remembered her past life, when she was alone in the big city for her studies. Even during the festive seasons, she avoided returning home to escape her alcoholic and abusive father. All her dorm mates had gone home, leaving her alone in the dormitory where she sat by the window, watching the sky outside as the countdown to the New Year began. In the years before, she had Meimei, nanny, uncle Xu and Brother Xiaoyong by her side. Their cheerful banter andughter filled every moment, pushmg away the darker memories of her past life for a long time. However, this year, these memories re-emerged for some reason. Perhaps it was because fewer people were around, or maybe it was because the year had been more difficult than the previous ones. But upon reflection, things were still better now. After all, now she had a loved one by her side who cared for her, unlike the lonely years from before. After a while, Wei Jinyi suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. He turned his head to find that Wei Ruo had fallen asleep, resting on his shoulder. She must have been exhausted, yet for some reason, she insisted on staying awake to usher in the New Year with him. A little whileter, Wei Jinyi carefully lifted Wei Ruo and ced her on the bed. He removed her shoes and covered her with a nket. The flickering candlelight cast an enchanting glow on Wei Ruo¡¯s face, leaving Wei Jinyi in a daze as he watched her. After what seemed like a long while, he finally got up, blew out the candle, carefully closed the door of the room and left. ### The next day, Wei Ruo woke up early, her mind still preupied. The day had just dawned. Today was New Year¡¯s Day, but Wei Ruo had to rush to see her patients from the day before. Wei Ruo was up early, but Doctor Cheng was already up before her. ¡°Good morning, Doctor Cheng,¡± Wei Ruo greeted. ¡°Look, Master Xu, Chief Constable Xing¡¯s fever has subsided!¡± Doctor Cheng¡¯s voice was filled with excitement. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo immediately went over to examine him and confirmed that the fever was indeed gone. ¡°How do you feel now?¡± Wei Ruo asked Chief Constable Xing. ¡°My throat¡¯s a bit sore, but my head doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, and the body aches are mostly bearable,¡± replied Chief Constable Xing, his voice hoarse but strong, and he looked much better. ¡°I sweated a lotst night, soaked through my bedding. I just changed into dry bedding, and I¡¯m feeling a lot better,¡± Chief Constable Xing added. ¡°This is excellent, excellent! A very good sign!¡± Doctor Cheng eximed excitedly. This was the best improvement he had witnessed among patients with these symptoms so far. Even if others didn¡¯t lose their lives, their conditions didn¡¯t improve as significantly as this and they were mostly still weak. Then Doctor Cheng spoke again to Wei Ruo, ¡°Master Xu, your methods work! The diagnosis of pneumonia is correct! joy spread across Wei Ruo¡¯s face; their method being effective was the most gratifying news. ¡°In that case, we should experiment on a few more patients today. Then, based on the different conditions and body constitutions of more patients, we could further explore and improve our prescriptions and the Acupuncture Technique,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go by your suggestion!¡± Doctor Cheng approved of Wei Ruo¡¯s idea. Not long after Wei Ruo woke up, the other doctors also rose from their beds. They shared the same worry for their patients¡¯ conditions, and thus had no heart to continue sleeping. Madam Yuan specially sent over some glutinous rice balls as breakfast. It is a custom here to have glutinous rice balls for the first meal of the New Year¡¯s Day, symbolising togetherness. After a hurried breakfast, they started their new day of work. Today they would try to treat more patients with the trial medicines and techniques. Their workload was even more than the day before. This time, they selected patients with a wider age range, some as old as fifty. They specifically selected patients with a variety of symptoms in order to gain moreprehensive understanding of the disease and better improve their prescriptions. Chapter 211: Teaching Everyone the Needle Chapter 211: Teaching Everyone the Needle Technique_l Trantor: 549690339 Medicine prescriptions are not fixed; responding to differentplications that appear on the patients, the doctors would also make some adjustments based on their years of experience. Wei Jinyi and Xiumei were also not idle. Although they didn¡¯t understand medical skills, there were many things they could do, such as moving things, processing herbs, and assisting Wei Ruo like bodyguards. Xiumei was used to doing these, but seeing Wei Jinyi, who was always polite and refined, doing these things, she felt somewhat incredible. She heard people in the prefecture saying that the second young master hardly had any dealings with the people in the prefecture, let alone those outside, and seemed indifferent to everything. But now he was helping his mistress do things that only servants would do in ordinary times, it seems that the second young master treats their mistress very differently. ### After the continuous efforts of six doctors including Wei Ruo from the first to the third day of the New Year, the condition of the first eight patients who had received treatment had significantly improved. Among them, Police Chief Xing who received the treatment first and had a robust physique, had fully recovered, and was no different from a healthy person. Once confirmed the effective prescription, it was needed to start boiling the medicine inrge quantities and deliver it to all patients inside and outside the city. However, arge amount of medicinal materials had not been purchased yet, and Madam Yuan was still trying to find a solution. Right now, what Wei Ruo and others could use were the existing stocks in the city. They had moved all the medicinal materials from various pharmacies in the city. N?v(el)B\\jnn Due to the disturbance of the Japanese pirates and the constant wars, the whole Taizhou prefecture had been in a state of medicinal material scarcity for many years. It was difficult to obtain even more supplies after the intervention of Mr. and Mrs. Yuan. But if there were only these medicinal materials, it would be far from enough. Just these few days of medication had already used nearly half of the amount, and the remaining would only be enough for about ten people at most. Yet, the number of sick people was far more than that, and there were at least over a hundred people infected with this disease as far as they knew. There were also many unknown cases, those who were unable to notify the Government Office, would not make a small figure. This made the doctors who were originally supposed to be happy fell silent. Dr. Cheng regretfully said, ¡°It¡¯s hard toe up with a n, but it¡¯s defeated by theck of medicinal materials! People are dying every day from this disease! If the medicine could be used immediately, many people would have a chance to live!¡± The other doctors also showed painful expressions, one after another. Seeing everyone¡¯s downturned mood, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Although we are temporarily out of medicine, we still have acupuncture techniques. The treatment of the previous eight patients has already shown that my acupuncture technique is effective and can help patients alleviate their conditions to a certain extent.¡± Hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, the other five doctors all looked at her in unison. Doctor Cheng said, ¡°But Wei Ruo, you¡¯re the only one who knows this. With patients all over the city, how can you save them all?¡± Wei Ruo said: ¡°I am not the only one, don¡¯t we still have you?¡± Doctor Cheng said, ¡°But we don¡¯t understand the set of acupuncture techniques you use.¡± All the doctors knew acupuncture, which was a basic training for them, but the skill level varied. Some were more skilled, some were not so much. ¡°I will teach you the set of acupuncture techniques that I use on patients, so it won¡¯t just be me,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Hearing this, everyone showed incredulous expressions. Would this young master actually share her unique skills with them? As doctors, they knew how precious a sophisticated acupuncture technique was. Some doctors could be renowned in their field just by having a technique that was particrly effective at treating a certain disease, allowing them to live without worries. Some people had to kowtow to a master and enter his school to learn a sophisticated needle technique. Such precious things, most people would not be willing to easily teach to others, especially their peers. Wei Ruo exined, ¡°In fact, you have all been present when I applied acupuncture in the past few days. If you wanted to learn secretly, you could have done so already, but you didn¡¯t. After watching half of my treatment during the first time, you all avoided watching the whole process after that.¡± Doctor Cheng said, ¡°This is the rule, you can¡¯t learn secretly without bing apprentices. We can¡¯t break the rules just because it¡¯s a special situation now.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°It shows that all of you gentlemen have pure hearts. Teaching my method of acupuncture to you would benefit more people, and there is nothing inappropriate about it. Moreover, it is a critical time now. Every additional person who knows this technique can save more lives. How can I worry about my own interests?¡± This acupuncture technique was only one of the many she mastered, and she didn¡¯t mind giving this one away. Moreover, when her master taught her, he said that good medical skills were meant to benefit others, and as long as the people learning had a genuine medical heart, they did not have to be rigid about being peers or opponents. Wei Ruo¡¯s words left the remaining five doctors at a loss for words, with surprise, excitement, and gratitude written all over their faces. In the end, the oldest, Dr. Cheng, spoke on behalf of everyone: ¡°Master Wei, you have a noble character. We are grateful for your kindness.¡± At this moment, there was no need to say much more. Only by learning well and then going to treat more people, could they live up to Master Wei¡¯s trust in them. Wei Ruo nodded, then took out paper and pen, skillfully drawing the acupoints on the human body. Then, she circled the acupuncture points on the image in order and exined to everyone the purpose of each point. Everyone listened attentively, showing surprised expressions from time to time, marveling at the sophistication of the needle technique. At first, they only knew that this needle techniquebined with the medicine they discussed was effective for patients. But today, after listening to Master Wei¡¯s exnation, they truly felt the mystery of it and Master Wei¡¯s superb medical skills. After Wei Ruo finished the exnation, she asked everyone, ¡°Are there any questions?¡± Everyone shook their head to indicate that they had no questions. Master Wei had exined to them in great detail, and they were all people with a foundation in medical skills. If there were any issues, they would probably be unable to memorize everything the first time around. They would need to copy the diagram and look at it repeatedly. ¡°Let¡¯s get started then, time waits for no one,¡± Wei Ruo said. Everyone nodded. Then, everyone split up and went to the homes of the registered patients in the designated areas to treat the patients. Some people suggested gathering these patients in one ce for ease of control and treatment. However, with the current weather conditions and snow and ice on the roads, moving patients, especially those in serious condition, would be extremely difficult. They would have to worry about the patients getting injured again from the bumps and cold on the road, and about more people being infected along the way. So after discussing, they decided it would be harder for Wei Ruo and the other doctors. They would do their best to visit these people¡¯s homes to provide treatment. For those with milder conditions, they could ask rtives toe to the Government Office to collect medicine for them to take home.. Chapter 212: Life is More Valuable, No Matter the Costl Chapter 212: Life is More Valuable, No Matter the Costl Trantor: 549690339 On the fifth day of the first month, the sun was shining brightly, and the temperature had risen slightly. The umted snow had finally begun to melt, as if predicting that the gloom enveloping Taizhou Prefecture was beginning to fade. Many households still kept their doors tightly shut, as did the Military Prefecture. However, the Wei Family also received good news. Wei Mingting sent a message back home. In his letter, he informed his family that he was safe and sound, and there was no sickness in the army, reassuring his wife and children. In addition, the Japanese pirates had been quiet for the past few days, which was a piece of good news among the many bad ones in Taizhou Prefecture. Upon receiving the news that her husband was safe and unharmed, Madam Yun let out a big sigh of relief, and her heart, which had been hanging in the bnce, temporarily settled down. ¡°Heaven bless us, your father is fine, everything is well.¡± After dinner, Madam Yun joyfully ryed the news to Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan. Wei Yichen was delighted, then inquired about Wei Ruo: ¡°Mother, is there any news from my eldest sister?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s expression fell slightly, her joy fading: ¡°No news. She is probably too happy to think about us in the Yuan Residence. People who don¡¯t know might even think she¡¯s part of their family.¡± Her tone was tinged with annoyance and bitterness. After all, Wei Ruo was her own daughter, a piece of her flesh and blood. How could her actions during the festival not break a mother¡¯s heart? Sensing Madam Yun¡¯s anger, Wei Yichen wasn¡¯t sure how tofort her. From New Year¡¯s Eve to the fifth day of the New Year, staying away from home indeed seemed concerning. Even their busy father had written a letter home, but their big sister residing in the Yuan Residence didn¡¯t even send a word. ¡°Mother, I n to go to the prefecture¡¯s officeter to bring big sister home,¡± Wei Yichen said. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan hurriedly expressed her concern: ¡°Elder brother, I heard that the gue outside is still very severe. It¡¯s dangerous for you to leave the house rashly.¡± Madam Yun also disapproved of Wei Yichen¡¯s action: ¡°Your sister is right. If anything needs to be done, let the servants of the residence handle it. You should stay at home and study for this year¡¯s examination.¡± Wei Yichen said, ¡°The situation under the control of the magistrate¡¯s office is quite manageable. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that severe. Besides, I won¡¯t linger on the streets when I leave the house. I¡¯ll go directly to the magistrate¡¯s office, so there shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem.¡± ¡°If elder brother insists on going, then let me go on your behalf,¡± Wei Qingwan volunteered bravely, ¡°Even if I get sick, it doesn¡¯t matter. But it¡¯s different for elder brother. You¡¯re attending the examination this year. There can¡¯t be any mistakes.¡± Seeing the worried look in Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes, Wei Yichen hesitated. Although he thought it was not a big deal, it was indeed unpleasant to cause his mother and sister such worry. After some thought, Wei Yichen gave up the idea of going to fetch Wei Ruo: ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t go for now. I suppose big sister is safe staying at the prefecture¡¯s office.¡± And so, the matter was set aside for the time being. ### In the small courtyard, having finished her work, Wei Ruo found Wei Jinyi. ¡°Second Brother, I need a favor. Could you go back to the Military Prefecture and get some wine for me?¡± Wei Ruo asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°What do you need the wine for?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Using strong alcohol for cleaning is a way to prevent infections. I left six jars of baijiu in the storage room in the residence. It¡¯s high-proof and works especially well,¡± exined Wei Ruo. Although the alcohol percentage of the wine was not as high as 75%, it was still between 40 to 50%. Using it is certainly better than not using any at all. Lady Xiumei knew where the wine was stored, but as a maid, it would be troublesome for her to leave and return to the residence, and she might be stopped. Therefore, Wei Ruo had to ask Wei Jinyi a favor. ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. Then Wei Ruo handed him the key to her small storage room: ¡°This is the key. The wine is in the corner on the right after you enter. The jars with red paper on them are the ones. Plus, try to avoid contact with anyone on your way home.¡± Wei Jinyi stared at the key in his hand for a couple of seconds, then nodded: ¡°I understand.¡± With the key in hand, Wei Jinyi set off to fetch the wine for Wei Ruo. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om When he left the residence, he scaled the wall so as not to alert anyone, and he did the same when he returned, without disturbing the residence¡¯s guards. Seeing Wei Jinyi return, Xiaobei greeted him enthusiastically, ¡°Young Master, you are finally back. I was worried that our cover would be blown without you here these past few days.¡± Luckily, their mistress didn¡¯t care much for the young master and the lord hadn¡¯t returned. As a result, no one specifically sought out the young master during the New Year, allowing them to keep up appearances. However, Wei Jinyi avoided him, maintaining a distance of six or seven feet. ¡°I¡¯m leaving once I¡¯ve fetched what I need. You stay at the residence, cover for me if you can. If you can¡¯t and we¡¯re exposed, that¡¯s alright too,¡± Wei Jinyi was not worried that his secret departure from the residence would be discovered. It would save trouble if it wasn¡¯t discovered, and if it was, it wouldn¡¯t pose much of a problem for him either. After he finished speaking, Wei Jinyi climbed over three walls and went to Tingsong Garden. ¡°Young Master¡­¡± Xiaobei only managed to call out ¡°Young Master,¡± before the man was out of sight. Xiaobei sighed helplessly: ¡°Ah, I was going to say, since we¡¯re not afraid of being discovered, why not take me with you? I could also help out Lady Xiumei.¡± Wei Jinyi fetched all six jars of Wei Ruo¡¯s wine from the storage room. It was impossible to carry all six jars by hand. Wei Jinyi found some straw ropes, and after some weaving, he tied all the jars together. This way, he could lift all six jars at once. Even with the added weight of six jars of wine, Wei Jinyi was still able to leave without making a sound and without being discovered by the guards in the residence. Wei Jinyi sessfully delivered the wine to the small courtyard where Wei Ruo and others were living and working. Wei Ruo then instructed Doctor Cheng and others to wash their hands with this wine and spray it all over their bodies every day after work. Disinfecting with wine was a time-honored method that all the doctors understood. However, the wine they usually used was murky rice wine. Seeing that the wine Wei Ruo brought was not only clear but also had a strong fragrance, it was evidently expensive baijiu. ¡°Mr. Xu, this wine of yours could sell for quite a bit of money. It¡¯s not appropriate for us to use it to wash our hands, is it?¡± Doctor Cheng couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°The stronger the wine, the better it works. Although this wine is valuable, our lives are far more valuable,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Regardless of how much Wei Ruo loved money, she would never equate money with life. She knew very well what was more valuable. ¡°That¡¯s true. The best disinfectant is strong alcohol. But your generosity truly makes us admire you,¡± Doctor Cheng said with emotion. ¡°Never mind all that. As long as we can all survive, silver or wine, we¡¯ll have them again in the future,¡± said Wei Ruo. Everyone nodded in agreement. Over the past few days, they had been amazed by Wei Ruo¡¯s words and actions more than once. There was not much else to say. They just kept their feelings of gratitude and admiration in their hearts, hoping to express their thanks when the opportunity arose.. Chapter 213 - 213 They All Misunderstood l Chapter 213: They All Misunderstood l Trantor: 549690339 I On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the medicinal herbs arrived atst, having been transported in threerge carts by people dispatched by Lady Yuan. Having received the herbs, everyone could not help but rejoice. The entire courtyard filled with the strong scent of herbs. No one perceived this odor as unpleasant, because it represented hope. Pots of herbal medicine were then sent out from the courtyard to the homes of every patient. Meanwhile, Wei Ruo once again sent a message to Lady Yuan, requesting the Government Office to conduct a door-to-door census of the sick, ensuring that no patient was overlooked. Since the disease was infectious, a single overlooked case could cause an endless array of problems. Fortunately, due to the heavy snowfall and the general fear of the gue, most of the city¡¯s citizens chose to stay indoors. This substantially reduced therge-scale spread of the gue during this period. The bodies of all deceased patients, their worn clothes, and some personal items needed to be promptly incinerated by staff dispatched by the Government Office. The ashes could then be returned to the families. After receiving Wei Ruo¡¯s letter, Lady Yuan promptly informed her husband, Yuan Zhengqin, and arranged for the necessary measures to be taken. ### The tenth day of the Lunar New Year. Wei Ruo had not yet returned to the Military Prefecture. Madam Yun had given Wei Ruo plenty of allowance, but there were limits. Even if invited to spend the New Year at someone else¡¯s house, propriety dictated that Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t stay away until the tenth day of the Lunar New Year without anymunication. So, Madam Yun decided to send Jing Hu to the Yuan Residence to inquire about the situation. When Wei Yichen found out about this, he once again insisted on bringing Wei Ruo back home himself. ¡°Mother, the Yuan Residence is not like other households, it is more prudent for me to go in person.¡± If a servant was sent and failed to handle the matter properly, it could have left a bad impression on the Yuan family. They were of lower statuspared to the influential Yuan, and even during extraordinary times, they should respect their superiors and not abandon courtesy. Concluding that his reasoning was sound, and considering that the situation seemed to be improving these few days with many families beginning to emerge from their homes, Madam Yun agreed with Wei Yichen. ¡°You go straight there ande straight back. Do not dy on the way. Take the carriage and don¡¯t ride a horse, to avoid contact with others.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± replied Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen then left promptly, taking a horse carriage as Madam Yun had suggested. The servant driving the carriage had a handkerchief covering half of his face, which was a preventive measure rmended by the Government Office to avoid contagion from the gue. Though people did not understand the rationale, they adopted the practice faithfully. Upon reaching the side gate of the Yuan Residence, Wei Yichen informed the guard of his purpose, and the guard asked him to wait. A short whileter, the guard returned with a message from Lady Yuan. ¡°Young Master Wei, I apologize. My mistress says she was negligent; she was so busy that she forgot to inform your family. Miss Wei has been assisting my mistress in handling the gue situation at the Government Office these past few days. Due to the critical situation, the people of Taizhou prefecture still need Miss Wei, so she cannot return home with you just yet.¡± ¡°You mean, my elder sister has been dealing with the gue situation all these days?¡± Wei Yichen said, showing surprise. ¡°Yes, all the tasks rted to the gue in the city have been coordinated and arranged by Miss Wei. A significant part of the sess in controlling the gue so quickly is attributed to her.¡± Upon hearing the guard¡¯s exnation, Wei Yichen was instantly shocked. He had never imagined that the reason his elder sister had not returned home all these days was because of this! They had all misunderstood her! Still in shock, Wei Yichen listened as the guard continued, ¡°My mistress also asked me to tell you to not misunderstand the situation. The reason she forgot to notify your family these days was due to her own oversight. Miss Wei has been incredibly busy, with hardly any time to sleep, let alone attend to such matters. It was certainly not her intention to keep your family uninformed.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Today, my mistress and Miss Wei are unable to meet with you. Especially Miss Wei, she has been in contact with numerous patients to facilitate better coordination of work, and may have be infected at any moment. Hence, she cannot have any contact with others until the gue has been entirely eliminated.¡± Deeply moved, Wei Yichen replied, ¡°I understand. If possible, please pass a message to my elder sister and reassure her that everything is fine at home. Also, ask her to take good care of herself.¡± ¡°I will ry your message to my mistress,¡± replied the guard. When Wei Yichen returned to the Military Prefecture, he immediately went to see Madam Yun. At this time, Wei Qingwan was with her. Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t returned home the entire New Year, whereas Wei Qingwan had been by her side all along. Consequently, the difference between the two sisters had be more prominent in Madam Yun¡¯s heart. ¡°Has Ruoruo returned?¡± said Madam Yun anxiously as she saw Wei Yichen. ¡°No,¡± Wei Yichen replied. ¡°What? She doesn¡¯t want toe back yet? Does she consider the Yuan Residence her own home now?¡± Madam Yun became instantly infuriated. Wei Qingwan hurriedly tried to soothe her, ¡°Mother, calm down, getting upset isn¡¯t good for you. You have already exerted yourself too much, and your health is showing signs of deterioration.¡± Madam Yunined in irritation, ¡°If only Ruoruo were as considerate as you are, I wouldn¡¯t have to get upset!¡± Wei Yichen hastily exined, ¡°Mother, elder sister is not simply visiting the Yuan Residence. She is working on the gue issue! All the arrangements regarding the gue in the city are being managed by her. She even had to make contact with the patients in order to help them. That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯te home!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Madam Yun eximed, her eyes wide open with astonishment. Wei Qingwan, standing by her side, too, wore an incredulous expression. ¡°The servant from the Yuan Residence, rying Lady Yuan¡¯s message, said that elder sister has been busy dealing with the gue since the thirtieth day of thest month. She has barely been able to sleep due to her efforts,¡± Wei Yichen reported faithfully. Despite Wei Yichen¡¯s exnation, Madam Yun still struggled to believe it, ¡°Are you certain? Ruoruo is even handling such a major issue as the gue? She¡¯s just a maiden¡­¡± ¡°These words were passed on by Lady Yuan¡¯s messenger. They can¡¯t be mistaken. If not, why would Lady Yuan credit elder sister with such a monumental feat?¡± replied Wei Yichen. Dealing with a gue was not a small matter and, if attributed to Magistrate Yuan, it would be regarded as a significant achievement. Hearing these words, Madam Yun¡¯s anger instantly subsided, reced by deep concern, ¡°So is there a chance that Ruoruo might be infected?¡± ¡°Yes, there is a possibility. As you know, mother, the gue is infectious. Elder sister is risking her life in dealing with it,¡± answered Wei Yichen. ¡°That child, why did she embark on such a dangerous task without saying a word!¡± eximed Madam Yun, more worried than angry now. After a moment of being dumbfounded, Wei Qingwan asked Wei Yichen, ¡°But why didn¡¯t elder sister contact us all these days?¡± Chapter 214: Rabbit Flower Lantern 1 Chapter 214: Rabbit Flower Lantern 1 Trantor: 549690339????????? ¡ª Wei Yichen exined, ¡°Firstly, my younger sister really doesn¡¯t have much time. The epidemic is aplex matter, and she¡¯s busy from morning to night. Secondly, I think my younger sister doesn¡¯t want us to worry much about her. Currently, all this is conveyed to us by Madam Yuan. If it were my younger sister, she might consider hiding it from us.¡± The word was not conveyed by Madam Yuan, but was Wei Yichen¡¯s own spection. Hearing this, Lady Yun had no resentment or dissatisfaction towards Wei Ruo left in her heart, only consisting of shame and worry. ¡°I never realized Ruo was busying herself with such a big matter. I truly have wronged and misunderstood her.¡± Remarkably, Lady Yun admitted her own mistake. After all, the matter was too significant, and her daughter is now in danger. If it goes wrong, she might not be able to return. Wei Yichen also said, ¡°As an elder brother, I am both proud and somewhat ashamed. Our study is supposed to benefit the people and appeal on behalf of the people. However, my younger sister has done it a step ahead of me.¡± Hearing Wei Yichen¡¯s words, Lady Yun couldn¡¯t help but her heart stir somewhat. Perhaps the eldest daughter was indeed more like her husband. It¡¯s a pity she wasn¡¯t bom a son; otherwise, she might have been able to seed her father better than Yilin. Wei Qingwan lowered her head once again after looking at Lady Yun and Wei Yichen¡¯s expressions. She had originally thought that Wei Qingruo¡¯s actions this time would indeed provoke her mother¡¯s anger and her elder brother¡¯s aversion. However, it unexpectedly resulted in apletely opposite oue. Her right hand unconsciously clenched her skirt tightly, and her heart was upied by feelings of regret and sorrow. ### The fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival. Madam Yuan sent arge table of good food to the small courtyard to show appreciation for the people who¡¯ve worked hard for more than half a month. Doctor Cheng took the lead, asking everyone to take a break, sit down, and eat well. Eating a full meal and having a good rest would be the best way to restore their spirits and work more efficiently. A few people sat at the table. Compared to when they first arrived, they were noticeably thinner, even including Wei Ruo. Fortunately, everyone had a robust foundation, so no one has been infected yet, nor has anyone fainted from exhaustion. Although everyone was still busy and couldn¡¯t afford to ck off, their appetites and spirits were much better than before. This was because conditions were improving, patients were recovering every day, and the number of sufferers was decreasing daily. So, when facing the good food on the table, everyone¡¯s appetites improved distinctly. Looking at the chicken, duck, and fish in front of him, Doctor Cai from Baoshan Hall sighed, ¡°Though we¡¯ve been a bit busy and tired these days, the Commandery Princess hasn¡¯t mistreated us. Our meals are very sumptuous every day, with both fish and meat. Compared to those who starve or freeze to death outside, we don¡¯t know how fortunate we are.¡± Doctor Cai¡¯s own encounter with Wei Ruo was when Wei Ruo pretended to be sick to get rid of Wei Qingwan. At that time, Doctor Cai from Baoshan Hall was the one Lady Yun called to diagnose Wei Ruo. However, she diagnosed Wei Ruo from behind a curtain and didn¡¯t see Wei Ruo¡¯s face. ¡°Let¡¯s not think about these things for now. These matters are for the government officials to handle. What we can do now is the work at hand. Saving one more life is already something,¡± added Doctor Cheng. The others nodded in agreement. After lunch, they took a brief rest. Doctor Cheng took the opportunity to tell Wei Ruo, ¡°Young Master Xu, you should take more rest.¡± ¡öTm fine, I¡¯m young. Doctor Cheng should take care of himself,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Doctor Cheng¡¯s face softened into smile as he advised, ¡°You¡¯re a good child, but you are a girl after all. There is nothing wrong being a little vulnerable at times. You don¡¯t have to show strength in everything and act like a man.¡± Wei Ruo revealed a surprised expression. Had Doctor Cheng already discovered her disguise? Was her disguise such a failure? Even after using a disguise mask, was she still recognized? Seeing the surprise on Wei Ruo¡¯s face, Doctor Cheng confessed, ¡°Young Master Xu, you¡¯ve disguised yourself very well. I didn¡¯t notice anything when we first interacted. However, we¡¯ve been together day and night for half a month. As a doctor, I have an exceptional insight into people¡¯s characteristics. Therefore, I discovered the truth.¡± He continued, ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I know there must be a strong reason for you to conceal your real identify. I won¡¯t reveal your secret, and I won¡¯t belittle you for being a woman. On the contrary, I am more impressed by you. I have told you this so you will take good care of yourself. Please don¡¯t me me for judging that girls are naturally weaker than boys, in terms of physical strength.¡± Doctor Cheng was already in his fifties, and Wei Ruo was starting her fourteenth year. In Doctor Cheng¡¯s eyes, Wei Ruo was just like his granddaughter, hence the additionalyer of affection and care. Hearing Doctor Cheng¡¯s words, Wei Ruo let down her guard. ¡°Thank you, Doctor Cheng,¡± Wei Ruo expressed her gratitude. ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± You should thank all of us. During these days, you¡¯ve made significant contributions to all of us and the entire city,¡± Doctor Cheng seriously replied. Wei Ruo gave a small smile, and soon the pair returned to work. ### By the time of Zi Shi (midnight, 11 PM -1 AM), Wei Ruo nned to go to bed. Suddenly, Wei Jinyi appeared at Wei Ruo¡¯s door holding a rabbitntern. ¡°Antern? Where did you get it?¡± Wei Ruo asked in surprise. All the Lantern Festival activities were cancelled in Government City this year, almost no one was sellingnterns. Even if someone did, Wei Jinyi couldn¡¯t interact with outsiders like they did. ¡°I made it,¡± replied Wei Jinyi. ¡°You made this?¡± Wei Ruo was even more surprised. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your hands are really crafty, brother. If your studies don¡¯t work out, you could open a smallntern shop and support yourself,¡± she joked. N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Jinyi did not respond, and Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Why a rabbitntern?¡± ¡°You said rabbit meat is delicious,¡± answered Wei Jinyi. You still want to eat the spicy version. Wei Ruo recalled that she had said this when they were at home. However, making a rabbitntern for this reason was quite a unique approach! Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh. She took the special rabbitntern from Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Thank you, big brother.¡± ¡°Yes, rest early,¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t stay long. Tomorrow, Wei Ruo would have to get up early and continue her hectic work. Wei Jinyi did not want to impact her precious rest time. After Wei Jinyi left, Wei Ruo closed the door and hung the rabbitntern by the window where she could see it from her bed. Gazing at thentern, theers of Wei Ruo¡¯s mouth curl into a smile. Carrying that smile, she soon fell asleep.. Chapter 215: Successful Return to Mansion_l Chapter 215: Sessful Return to Mansion_l Trantor: 549690339 February 20th. Without any realization, more than half of February has already passed. The epidemic is finally drawing to a close. Because of the timely management and effective measures, the spread of the disease was well controlled. It did not spread outside Taizhou Prefecture and also minimized the casualty figures. With the recovery of thest patient, people like Wei Ruo could finally rest. However, they were not yet able to return home, needing to stay at the small courtyard for a few more days to ensure no one amongst them was infected. Finding some leisure time, Wei Ruo¡¯s first task was to sleep in, only reluctantly waking up when her belly started grumbling with hunger at high noon. Today¡¯s meal was not brought in by Madam Yuan from the Family residence, but was cooked by Xiumei. ¡°I have cooked some homestyle dishes for the young master and the doctors and also prepared some good wine.¡± Xiumei said. No one had drunk wine in the past few days because all the wine was used for washing hands. ¡°Is it that good wine brought by your young master?¡± Doctor Cheng asked hurriedly. The wine was truly fragrant, but at that time no one thought about it, pouring wine all over their hands, bodies, and clothes, without taking a single sip. ¡°Yes. When there was only half a jar from my young master¡¯s good wine left, Sister Qingyi knew we needed more white wine, she then sent a few jars of good wine over from the prefecture¡¯s office, as a result, the half jar from my young master was left behind.¡± Xiumei exined. ¡°Come,e, let me taste the good wine that your young master has been keeping!¡± Doctor Cheng saidughingly, already impatient. Everyone else also joined in. Not that everyone was excessively fond of drinking, but after being busy for more than twenty days, they finally saw a clear sky after a long overcast period, so there was a need to celebrate, and drinking was just for the asion. Sitting together with good food and wine, Wei Ruo naturally also drank a little, although not excessively, merely tasting a few sses, apanying everyone in their joy. Wei Jinyi still didn¡¯t touch a drop, being the only one among them who didn¡¯t. However, he was also affected by the joyful atmosphere of everyone else, especially Wei Ruo¡¯s. He could feel theughter that she emitted from the depths of her heart, that kind of lighthearted joyful feeling. Her openughter was a stark contrast to her demeanor when facing family at home. ### On February 22nd, everyone could finally leave the small courtyard. Magistrate Yuan sent someone to escort all the doctors home, while Wei Ruo was first taken to the residence by Madam Yuan. After freshening up and changing her clothes, Madam Yuan then sent her back to the Military Prefecture. When sending Wei Ruo onto the carriage, Madam Yuan told her, ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken with your family. During these past few days, you have been at my residence helping me manage and coordinate all affairs rted to the epidemic.¡± Upon hearing this, something warmed inside Wei Ruo. This was Madam Yuan¡¯s way of helping her. She made sure that her absence was justified during these days while giving credit to her identity as Wei Qingruo. ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± ¡°No need for thanks. This is indeed your aplishment. I am merely changing the method of exnation and there is no exaggeration in it at all.¡± Madam Yuan said. Wei Ruo and Madam Yuan looked at each other andughed. Madam Yuan said, ¡°Alright, go home quickly, rest well for a few days, look at you, you¡¯ve be severely thin.¡± After saying this, Madam Yuan instructed the coachman and the guard to move and send Wei Ruo to the Military Prefecture. Wei Jinyi left with Wei Ruo, but he wasn¡¯t present in sight, but in the dark following Wei Ruo¡¯s coach. When the carriage reached the entrance of the Military Prefecture, he left. Descending from the carriage, upon seeing Wei Mingting, Lady Yun, Wei Yichen, and Wei Qingwan standing at the side gate, Wei Ruo was somewhat surprised. ¡°Father?¡± Wei Ruo looked at the smiling Wei Mingting, who was walking toward her, in confusion. In her impression, her father rarely smiled, and yet, today his face was beaming with smiles. ¡°Ruoruo, good job! Your father is proud of you!¡± Wei Mingting was genuinely pleased, not hiding his feeling of pride at all. Wei Ruo figured it out, it seems the Yuan Family had informed them in advance. She responded, ¡°It¡¯s what I am supposed to do.¡± ¡°Inclining to benefits and avoiding harm is human nature. Being able to eliminate personal gain and prioritize greater good in such crises is absolute unwavering bravery! You are a good child of the Wei family!¡± Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t hide his joy and pride. Wei Ruo said, ¡°It¡¯s not as exaggerated as what father described.¡± Nheless, Wei Mingting continued tough. Looking at Wei Ruo¡¯s smiling face, he couldn¡¯t control his happiness. It was Wei Yichen who reminded him from the side, ¡°Father, it¡¯s cold outside, let elder sister enter the house first.¡± ¡°Yes, go in first.¡± Only then did Wei Mingting react. Everyone then headed to Cangyun Garden together. The charcoal fire in the house was burning warmly. After entering the house, Xiumei took off Wei Ruo¡¯s cloak. After sitting down, everyone started talking about recent happenings outside. Snow disasters, epidemics, food shortages¡­. Under the effect of multiple disasters, the people were suffering immensely. For the wealthy officialdom like the Wei family, life wasfortable even in such times. They had food and clothing, and even if there were some problems, they were just minor ones like insufficient charcoal supply. However, for themon masses, the troubles were being unable to afford meals or the entire family crammed in one ce, unable to leave because of the cold. Wei Mingting sighed, ¡°This time, tens of thousands of people died in the entire Taizhou Prefecture. Some died because of hunger, some because of cold, and others due to sickness. The exact figures are hard toe by. Even so, Taizhou Prefecture is probably in a better situation than the other nearby provinces.¡± ¡°Why? The other provinces shouldn¡¯t have had an epidemic, right?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°There was no epidemic, but there were people dying due to hunger, cold, and sickness. However, unlike the contagious disease of Taizhou Prefecture, these were normal ailments that, without timely medical treatment, can also be fatal. On the contrary, in Taizhou Prefecture, Magistrate Yuan and Princess Jingmin donated money and resources, preventing even more casualties. Even many who could not afford medicine received treatment.¡± Having a good official was extremely important, while typical officials doing their very best for the people were alreadymendable, in addition to that, Magistrate Yuan also had a wealthy wife. Madam Yuan¡¯s generosity greatly benefitted the masses. Wei Ruo nodded, understanding the situation.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°The only good news during this time was that the Japanese Pirates have been inactive, which let our soldiers rest and recuperate. If they had attacked during this time, with both internal and external challenges, the consequence is unthinkable.¡± Wei Mingting said. When Wei Mingting mentioned this, Lady Yun also broke in a cold sweat. During those days, she had been constantly worrying about fights breaking out, not knowing what kind of chaos would ensue if it happened. Wei Yichen said, ¡°We can say that the heavens blessing Taizhou Prefecture¡± ¡°In addition, there is another piece of good news. The seventh prince has been found. He¡¯s alive and in good health.¡± Wei Mingting informed. The most surprised by this news were Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan. They had no clue when the seventh prince had disappeared. ¡°Father, what happened? When did the seventh prince disappear? Why didn¡¯t I hear about it before?¡± Wei Qingwan asked several questions in session.. Chapter 216 - 216 Recent Situation_l Chapter 216: Recent Situation_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time, I didn¡¯t disclose it earlier for fear of people finding out and working against the seventh prince. Besides, the perpetrator who harmed the seventh prince still hasn¡¯t been found. If the opponent thinks he is in trouble and ceases, our overt search might instead ce the seventh prince in danger,¡± Wei Mingting exined. ¡°What¡¯s the condition of the seventh prince now?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him, but I know he is not seriously injured,¡± Wei Mingting said. Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t overly surprised by this, as she had learned about it beforehand from Madam Yuan. But Wei Ruo felt somewhat moved nheless, as expected of the protagonist of the original novel, his vitality was extraordinary resilient. Even in this state, he was presumably still energetic. Usually, if someone had been missing for more than a month, they would be presumed dead. As the matter of the seventh prince was mentioned, Wei Mingting also discussed recent political matters in the capital with his family. ¡°But that was the seventh prince. How could someone dare to harm his highness with such audacity?¡±, Wei Qingwan asked, unable to restrain herself. Wei Mingting didn¡¯t have the answer to this, so he could only tell his children, ¡°The strife over the crown prince in the capital has a long history. After Empress Xu¡¯s demise, the emperor has not conferred the title of Empress to a new queen, nor has he announced the new crown prince, thus leading to the currentplex political situation in the court.¡± Although the seventh prince was among the most likely candidates for the crown prince, as long as the emperor did not dere the crown prince, the other princes still had a chance. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the emperor announced the crown prince?¡± Wei Qingwan asked again. Speaking of this, Wei Mingting suddenly frowned as if remembering something from the past, his expression bingplex. Madam Yun quickly said, ¡°Wanwan, the affairs of the court have nothing to do with us, don¡¯t ask too much.¡± Wei Qingwan hurriedly nodded, ceasing to ask further. Wei Mingting cautioned his family, ¡°In recent times, the situation in the capital has been vtile. Although we are located far in the south, away from the struggles of power, we should still be cautious and not bring trouble on ourselves.¡± Although Wei Mingting didn¡¯t participate in court politics, he holds an official position and therefore must practice restraint over his subordinates and himself in order to stay out of difficulties evoked by the struggles in the court. ¡°Rest assured father, I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Wei Yichen was the first to state his position. He was studying at Anzhou Academy, often in contact with many noble students, so he needs to be particrly cautious. Wei Qingwan also hurriedly said, ¡°Daddy, you can rest assured, I won¡¯t speak carelessly and cause trouble for the family.¡± Wei Mingting nodded. Then Wei Mingting¡¯s focus returned to Wei Ruo, asking specifically about her tactics tobat the epidemic in recent days. Wei Ruo did not hide anything, answering all questions she could. Although she was not staying at the Magistrate¡¯s office during these few days, she was indeed the one making all arrangements rted tobating the gue. Therefore she could answer all of Wei Mingting¡¯s questionsprehensively. Her answers eliminated all lingering doubts in the minds of Madam Yun and others. Initially, they felt that Madam Yuan might have exaggerated, but it seemed now that what Madam Yuan had said was indeed true. Their daughter was indeed the one nning and coordinating all actions against the gue. As the conversation continued, even Madam Yun could not help but repeatedly praise Wei Ruo. Wei Qingwan withered, bing almost nonexistent. Listening to Wei Mingting, Madam Yun, and Wei Yichen¡¯s praises of Wei Ruo, her heart was unspeakably bitter. After having the talk for an hour, considering Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t had adequate rest for several days, Mingting allowed Wei Ruo to return to her courtyard and rest. Upon returning to Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo immediately inquired about Wei Jinyi¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Did second brother return to Bamboo Court?¡± ¡°He did, I just saw Xiaobei asking him. Young Master and Young Miss returned to the mansion at the same time, but the Young Master jumped the wall to return, no one in the mansion knew that he had left,¡± Xiumei replied. ¡°It¡¯s good that he¡¯s back,¡± Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t nning to do anything, she just wanted to make sure Wei Jinyi was home safe. Then Wei Ruo started to sift through the letters sent to her by her wet nurse and Manager Yu over the past several days. The letters detailed some of the situations at the manor recently. Overall, things seem to be going well at the manor. The houses were all newly built and withstood the snow disaster. The stock of grain at the manor was sufficient, meaning everyone had enough to eat, which was much more fortunatepared to many outside. Four Treasure House, Xu¡¯s Deli, and Xu¡¯s Grain Shop also sent some news. After the possibility of a gue outbreak arose, under the wet nurse¡¯s guidance, all four businesses temporarily shut down. Wei Ruo was originally afraid that they¡¯d risk their health for profits, but fortunately, the wet nurse understood her concerns and closed the shops for a month. Especially Xu¡¯s Grain Shop, during the New Year period, other shops might not have done well, but if the Grain shop remained open, it would surely have made good business. She was initially afraid the wet nurse and Uncle Xu wouldn¡¯t want to give up on the profit and insisted on keeping the shop open, thankfully their thinking was the same as hers. Additionally, a recent letter from Manager Yu mentioned Zhu Zongyu¡¯s situation. Zhu Zongyu left the manor three days ago, leaving behind a silver note of five hundred taels as payment and thanks to Wei Ruo. Zhu Zongyu originally nned to leave after Wei Ruo¡¯s return, but as she hadn¡¯t shown up and Zhu Zongyu had some emergency to attend to, he had to leave first. Before leaving, Zhu Zongyu left a letter stating that he woulde to buy the Scar Removal Ointment from Wei Ruo when she returned. Because the ointment Wei Ruo had previously given him was running out, he needed to continue applying for quite some time for the injury to healpletely. Wei Ruo had no problem with this; he paid well and even that was an inted amount. He indeed had a conscience. As long as he doesn¡¯t cause her trouble, this money is well earned. She¡¯ll prepare the ointment when she has some free time in the following days. ### Backyard of the Zuixian Residence. A man was standing in front of Fan Chengxu, dressed in luxurious clothes, his face hidden beneath the wide brim of a hat, not allowing one to see even a glimpse of his appearance. Fan Chengxu respectfully bowed to him, ¡°Farmer Fan Chengxu has the honor of meeting your highness the seventh prince.¡± ¡°The descendants of respected families, not serving in court, but running distant from court for trading, Fan Chengxu, you are my only friend.¡±, Chu Lanmented. ¡°I have no other talents. Being an official would only tarnish the dignity of my elders¡¯ names, it¡¯s better to do some small business, earn some silver, and live a leisurely and carefree life,¡± Fan Chengxu answered. ¡°Fair points, it¡¯s also fortunate that you¡¯re conducting business here, you¡¯ve been of great assistance to me in a time of crisis.¡± Chu Lan said. After Chu Lan finished speaking, his subordinate brought an entire box filled with gold, silver, and jewelry to Fan Chengxu. ¡°What¡¯s this, your highness?¡± Fan Chengxu hurriedly asked.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°This is a token of my gratitude,¡± Chu Lan said, ¡°I borrowed eight hundred taels of silver from you, I must repay it.¡± Eight hundred taels of silver was no small amount. Not too many people in Taizhou prefecture could shell out such a huge amount at once.. Chapter 217: Chu Lans Test_1 Chapter 217: Chu Lan¡¯s Test_1 Trantor: 549690339 Given the circumstances at the time, Chu Lan couldn¡¯t easily trust anyone, even Yuan Zhengqin, the magistrate, Chu Lan couldn¡¯t entrust himself to him. Compared to that, Fan Chengxu was somewhat more trustworthy. Because Fan Chengxu was more of an outsider, Chu Lan didn¡¯t know what Fan Chengxu¡¯s family, the Fan Family, was nning, but Fan himself was an anomaly. From their school days, he was someone who spent all day thinking about how to make money. Although Fan Chengxu studied with many princes, he never got close to any of them, preferred not to get involved in any conflicts, and was not close to Chu Lan either. There was a time when Chu Lan, Fan Chengxu, and the other princes who went to school together yed a game of riddles, each using a pseudonym. Cuiping was the pseudonym Fan Chengxu used at the time, and Zongyu was Chu Lan¡¯s. Therefore, Fan Chengxu not only recognizes Chu Lan¡¯s handwriting but also confirms that the letter was written by Chu Lan once he saw the signature as Zongyu. Because the letter only mentioned borrowing money, Fan Chengxu, after thinking it over, didn¡¯t make a big deal about it. He simply sent the silver note over and offered as much help as he could. As Chu Lan expected, Fan Chengxu did not tell anyone, including his influential uncle. After thinking for a while, Fan Chengxu epted the box of jewels. ¡°I humbly thank Your Highness for your grace.¡± Having received the gift, Fan Chengxu quietly waited for Chu Lan¡¯s next question. He knew that if it were only to ¡°repay the debt,¡± Chu Lan would not havee in person. Since he hade, he must have other matters to discuss. But Chu Lan didn¡¯t mention it, neither did Fan Chengxu actively ask. After a long silence, Chu Lan asked, ¡°Do you have any information about the attack on me this time?¡± ¡°Forgive me, Your Highness, I only know about your injury. Before I received your letter, I only knew that you were missing after the attack, I knew nothing else.¡± Fan Chengxu immediately denied any involvement. ¡°As a prominent figure in Taizhou prefecture, you should have many informants here.¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Although I¡¯ve been in Taizhou prefecture for several years, I¡¯ve mostly been focusing on running my business, I don¡¯t know much about other matters.¡± Fan Chengxu answered, leaving no room for suspicion. ¡°Who do you think might have wanted to kill me?¡± Chu Lan asked again. His sharp eyes were studying Fan Chengxu as if trying to discover a w. ¡°Your Highness, I wouldn¡¯t dare to make wild guesses about such a serious matter.¡± Fan Chengxu replied with a smile, still not revealing any information. ¡°Do you know that recently someone presented a handwritten testament of thete Duke of Xu to the Emperor, and it might overturn the verdict for him.¡± Chu Lan suddenly brought up a name that hadn¡¯t been mentioned publicly for a long time. ¡°The handwritten testament of the Duke of Xu? How is that possible? It¡¯s been eighteen years, the Duke of Xu¡¯s mansion was thoroughly searched, if there were a testament, why would it appear only now¡­¡± Fan Chengxu looked surprised. Fan Chengxu added, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s been eighteen years, everyone rted to the Duke of Xu is dead, who would want to overturn the verdict for his family?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the Empress Xu gave birth to a child at the Jing¡¯an Temple.¡± Chu Lan replied. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t joke. The ninth prince was buried on Longhuan Mountain west of the Capital City, and the Emperor even had a royal tomb built for him.¡± The treatment was only for the ninth prince. There were also princes who died prematurely before, but none of them had this treatment.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°But the recent rumors say he is still alive.¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°That seems unlikely¡­¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s likely or not, some things have already happened.¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°I, a meremoner, am not aware of these things.¡± Fan Chengxu could onlyugh. Seeing Fan Chengxu¡¯s response, Chu Lan knew that he would not get any information from him. Then he turned and left. It was only when Chu Lan had left that Fan Chengxu couldn¡¯t help but shake his fan and sigh, ¡°What a nuisance, I¡¯ve moved so far away, how did the trouble find me here?¡± He only cared about making money. Chu Lan was trying to drag him into the situation, but he was not foolish enough to jump in with him. He had no choice but to help when he received Chu Lan¡¯s letter. Thus, he had to spend money and effort to help him. ### February 25th, the beginning of spring. The weather started to warm up, and the new year¡¯s farm work was about to begin. When Wei Ruo arrived at the farm, the people there had already been busy for a morning. The manager, Yu, exined with a smile, ¡°Everyone almost starved and frozest year, so this year they are determined to work diligently. As soon as the temperature warmed up a bit, they have already started work. Now the ground has been turned once and is waiting for your instructions.¡± ¡°Every field that was improved and fertilizedst year should be turned into rice fields with some extra effort this year. Start preparing the seedbeds for the rice in a couple of months. The weather might still turn chilly earlier than previous years, so it would be better to nt earlier.¡± Wei Ruo instructed. Wei Ruo had two main parts to her farm outside Government City: the original fertile farnd of a thousand mu, and the newly purchasednd, which was not very fertile and also amounted to about a thousand mu. Of the original thousand mu of fertilend, nine hundred mu were nted with her new variety of wheat. Now, the growth was good. Last year¡¯s heavy snow did not have a big impact on them. They just need to wait for the harvest in April or May. Another hundred mu of fertile farnd was nted with winter vegetables such as rapeseed, radishes, cabbage, etc. Apart from the heavy snow days, a small amount could be harvested every day. The extra thousand mu ofnd purchased was improved and fertilizedst year. Now it was almost ready. After plowing, leveling, and flooding, it would be used to nt rice. ¡°I¡¯m a bit worried that sowing too early might not result in good seedlings as the temperature is not that high now.¡± Manager Yu said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will transport some good seed over. nt ording to my instructions, there won¡¯t be any problem.¡± Wei Ruo reassured confidently. ¡°Alright.¡± The manager had no doubts since Wei Ruo was so confident. After spending the morning on the farm, she returned home in the afternoon. Before she could sit down, Cuiping came to her. ¡°Miss, madam is asking for you.¡± Wei Ruo wondered if Madame Yun was annoyed at her for going out again. For the past few days, as Mr. Wang Caiwei has not returned to Taizhou prefecture, she hasn¡¯t gone to Tianqin Garden for lessons. Taking advantage of the beginning of spring, Wei Ruo spent her free time arranging matters on the farm. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t ask further and followed Cuiping to Cangyun Garden. Upon entering, Madame Yun greeted Wei Ruo with a smiling face and asked her to sit by her side. ¡°Mother, what is your purpose for calling me over?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing,st year your father was promoted and got some rewards, plus my dowry, we can gather seven to eight hundred taels of silver. I am thinking about using this money to buy some more property in the city.¡± Madame Yun was a sensible woman. If she had money, she would invest it in property. Their family only had the farm in Xingshan County which surely wasn¡¯t enough.. Chapter 218: Buying Land for Liquor Workshop_l Chapter 218: Buying Land for Liquor Workshop_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mother, please make the decision about this,¡± Wei Ruo said, not wanting to involve herself in the matter. ¡°Well, thends near the Government City are rather barren. Even with direct cultivation, the yield will not be significant.¡± Mrs. Yun said. With things being so clearly spelled out, Wei Ruo understood the implications. Sensing an edge in Wei Ruo¡¯s soil improvement abilities, Mrs. Yun desired that same improvement for their holdings, with hope for a good harvest this year. Knowing that she could not decline anymore, Wei Ruo said, ¡°After Mother has acquired thend, I will take a look at it. At that, a smile broke out on Mrs. Yun¡¯s face. She then proceeded, ¡°Additionally, where did you obtain the rice variety you nted in the south of the cityst year? Can we get more this year? I n to nt this variety in several of our estates. That should significantly improve our yield.¡± ¡°I can help contact the Huzhou Prefecture,¡± Wei Ruo agreed without refusing. But she only promised to contact. As for obtaining the rice varieties, the Military Prefecture would have to foot the bill. With Wei Ruo¡¯s prompt agreement, Mrs. Yun was even more ted. After wrapping up the critical affairs, Mrs. Yun unusually engaged Wei Ruo in some light conversation, ¡°What have you been up to these days, Ruoruo?¡± Instead of answering immediately, Wei Ruo looked at Mrs. Yun with a puzzled gaze. Quick to exin, Mrs. Yun said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I am not angry or upset. As long as you wear your veil and avoid contact with strange men when you go out and avoid getting into trouble, I won¡¯t intervene in your affairs. This was quite remarkable in Taizhou prefecture. A girl from a wealthy family enjoying such freedom was rare to find. ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Ruo replied without showing her happiness. Subsequently, Mrs. Yun said, ¡°Furthermore, after purchasing the estates near the Government City, you can start visiting your own estates. You can take whatever decisions you like out there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Why?¡± Mrs. Yun probed. ¡°Once Mr. Wang returns from the New Year holidays, I will be upied with my studies. My visits outside won¡¯t be regr. And, I don¡¯t want to see this as a must-do task, else I won¡¯t feelfortable.¡± Wei Ruo exined. A little puzzled, Mrs. Yun considered the possibility that this could be a good thing too. ¡°Fine. Please arrange it as you wish,¡± Mrs. Yun did not insist further. ### With Spring setting in, the weather began to warm, each day warmer than the previous one. The farmers were busy, and so was Wei Ruo. Though Mrs. Yun no longer insisted, Wei Ruo was careful in her actions, taking care not to give people a reason to gossip. She was not afraid of harming her reputation. Having no intentions of marrying into a wealthy family, she never really cared about it. Perhaps, a less favourable reputation would allow her to achieve her objectives. However, with a lot on her te, she did not want to get distracted by unimportant matters. If something were to happen, she would likely lose all her peace. Besides the affairs of the estate, Wei Ruo also had ns for a distillery that she had conceivedst year. Recently, Wei Ruo had discovered that producing liquor is a profitable venture and, since not many distilleries made liquor, she saw the potential to profit off it. Firstly, she had to make and deal for a location at the Daqing Mountain valley that she had earlier selected with Xiumei. To purchase thend, she had to negotiate with the vigers living near the Daqing Mountain. This negotiation was not as simple as previous ones, and Wei Ruo ran into some problems. The vigers agreed to sell thend and use their mountain spring, but the vige chief disagreed. He rejected the deal, stating it would disturb the ¡¯Feng Shui¡¯, or wind-water, of their vige. So, they set a date for detailed discussions at the vige entrance. Out in the open, before the vige temple, arge table was set, attracting representatives from each family. At one end of the table sat the vige chief, a man in his fifties with white hair, a white beard, and a thin face. At the other end sat Wei Ruo, dressed as a man, with Xiumei, also dressed as a man, and Manager Yu standing behind her. Most vigers carried the surname ¡¯Wang¡¯, with only a few other families bearing different names. Yet, the Wang n held the most significant influence. ¡°Our Daqing Mountain is a Feng Shui mountain for the Wang vige. If outsiders frequently traverse it and consume our water source, this will significantly impact our vige¡¯s Qi energy. You want to dismiss us just for twenty taels of silver, but that¡¯s not happening!¡± the vige chief retorted with furrowed brows. Another viger tried to reason, ¡°Vige chief, the twenty taels of silver is for thend, and we will be getting two hundred and fifty wen a year for the use of the mountain spring!¡± The vigeprised twenty-five families, so the twenty taels of silver per household came to nearly one tael of silver. And, each family would get ten wens every year. That was not an insignificant amount! Thend and the mountain spring in the mountain were of no use to their vige. It was just one tributary of a stream that coursed through their vige, and each household receiving ten wen yearly was a significant sum! Many vigers made less than a few wen even after working for a whole month! ¡°Hush, I am the Vige Chief. This matter will be decided by me!¡± the vige chief forcefully dismissed the viger. He had noticed at the first sight of the young gentleman that he belonged to a wealthy family, and was likely young enough to negotiate the price. ¡°Vige Chief, how much do you think it should be?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°You would have to pay one hundred taels of silver on a one-time basis for thend, with a subsequent annual fee of one thousand wen for the use of the mountain spring.¡± replied the vige chief. The vigers behind the vige chief were visibly taken aback. One hundred taels of silver! That was enough to buy a hundred acres of farnd. And, all that the nobleman wanted to buy was a small piece ofnd in the mountain valley, barely stretching five acres. This price was extraordinarily high. While Wei Ruo¡¯s face disyed a smile, she did not answer immediately. The vige chief, however, was confident, ¡°Young Master, I know that since the end ofst year, you have been scouting locations in this vicinity. Given that you have taken a liking for Daqing Mountain, it must have attributes that suit your liking.¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Vige Chief Wang, it is true that I am intrigued by both this ce in the Daqing Mountain and the mountain spring. But, the price you are suggesting is quite high.¡± Vige Chief Wang said, ¡°Young Master, you look affluent, it doesn¡¯t seem hke you would have a problem with silver. As the saying goes, what attracts you the most is often priceless. If you go elsewhere, you might not find a suitable ce.¡± A smile lingered on Wei Ruo¡¯s face, she realized that the vige chief knew she had chosen Daqing Mountain after a lengthy evaluation, which is why he felt that he had the right to overprice thend. We Ruo continued, ¡±1 agree to raise the price of thend from twenty taels to twenty-five taels, with the annual fee for the use of mountain spring water standing at two hundred and fifty wen..¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 219: Conflict with Villagers—1 Chapter 219: Conflict with Vigers¡ª1 Trantor: 549690339 | Wei Ruo made some concessions. The vige head shook his head, his attitude firm: ¡°No, it must be one hundred taels of silver, and one thousand coins a year thereafter, not a coin less.¡± ¡°Is there really no room for negotiation?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°None.¡± The vige head stood his ground, his expression proud. ¡°Well then, there¡¯s no need to continue the conversation. Wei Ruo suddenly got up, ready to leave with Xiumei and Manager Yu. Her departure was decisive, not for show. The vige head¡¯s face changed dramatically. He hadn¡¯t expected the Xu family member to just leave. This was far from his estimation. He thought since the Xu family member had taken so much effort to find this ce and was so wealthy, as long as he showed a tough attitude, things would definitely not be too difficult! Watching as Wei Ruo and the others took several steps out, the vige head hastily ordered the vigers to intercept them. ¡°You all stop! Don¡¯t leave!¡± The vige head¡¯s shouts fell on deaf ears to Wei Ruo. Seeing that his shouts did not stop Wei Ruo and the others, the vige head quickly ordered the young people in the vige to intercept them, ¡°Quickly stop them for me!¡± Several young vigers promptly ran in front of Wei Ruo and her party, obstructing their path. Wei Ruo was forced to stop and turned to look at the crowd: ¡°What is the meaning of this. Vige Head Wang? ¡°Please sit down and continue to negotiate, Young Master Xu.¡± The vige head¡¯s expression was somewhat ugly, but he remained resolute. The vigers had been having a hard time these past two years, and now that someone hade to offer them money, they certainly couldn¡¯t let them walk away so easily. As the vige head, he represented the vigers in price negotiations, and a sessful negotiation would not only lead to more silver in his hand but also garner the vigers¡¯ affection and respect. However, if the negotiations failed, and this source of ie was lost, the vigers would hold it against him, affecting his prestige. He realized his judgment had been wrong; this Xu family member wasn¡¯t as easy to manipte as he had thought. But the situation had escted to this point. For the sake of his face and the vigers¡¯ benefit, he couldn¡¯t just let the Xu family member walk away. Seeing this, Manager Yu was regretful. If they had known the vigers to be so unreasonable, they would have brought more people when they came. After all, they had plenty of strong men in their mansion. The vige head¡¯s arrogance was simply because they had only brought a few people, and their master, despite his costly attire, was a businessman who wanted to buynd to open a distillery, not someone with an official background. Subconsciously, Xiumei moved closer to Wei Ruo, ready to protect her at any moment. ¡®¡öBut Vige Head Wang just said the price was not negotiable, didn¡¯t he?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°The price is not negotiable, but the business can definitely be discussed.¡± The vige head replied. As the vige head, he had already said it, he definitely could not back down now. Even if he had to use some force, he would have to close the deal at the price he quoted. As long as the deal waspleted, the vigers would get more money in their hands, and then it would prove that what he had done today was right, and no one would dare to say anything against him! ¡°Is the Vige Head trying to strong-arm this?¡± Wei Ruo chuckled. She had encountered difficult negotiations before, but this was the first time she had encountered such arrogance and unreasonableness. Vige Head Wang coldly told Wei Ruo: ¡°Don¡¯t use words like ¡®strong-arm¡¯, it sounds ugly. The Daqing Mountain is a good ce, with its green mountains and rivers. Otherwise, why would Master Xue all the way here to buynd from us?¡± ¡ö¡¯Daqing Mountain is indeed a good ce, but it seems that the vige head has forgotten one thing. I chose Daqing Mountain underparable conditions. If you quote a price too high, Daqing Mountain will not be the optimal solution for me. I can easily choose another ce. There are many other good ces with mountains and rivers around the Government City, not just Daqing Mountain.¡± Wei Ruo replied. On hearing this, expressions of anxiety and even regret about the vige head¡¯s decision appeared on the vigers¡¯ faces. If the vige head hadn¡¯t caused this trouble, each household could have already received a tael of silver and ten coins a year, which would have greatly improved their lives¡¯. And now, all their efforts are in vain! Some vigers were already feeling a bit weak. Vige member Wang Qi pulled at Vige Head Wang¡¯s arm and said: ¡°Vige head, maybe we should drop it. We don¡¯t want to cause trouble.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Don¡¯t you want your son Emiu to get married? With one hundred taels of silver received, your family could get a share of four taels! You could still have two taels left after you get a wife for Emiu and build a room!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn The vige head scolded angrily. Wang Qi, Who was originally timid, shut up instantly at the mention of four taels of silver and his son¡¯s marriage. A family member of Wang Ergou quietly suggested: ¡°We can just go with the original price. We could earn less but at least it is something. ¡°What do you know about being a peasant woman? The price I quoted is not a problem, we have to do it big if we are going to do it!¡± Vige Head Wang remained firm. Others who wanted to say something also quietened down after hearing the vige head¡¯s words. in the past two years, everyone had been having a hard time. The crops in the field yielded little, and after a harsh winter, there were barely any stored grains left at home. Those better-off households could only afford to eat for another two or three months, while those poorer ones might notst even a month. Anyway, they had no way of making it till this year¡¯s harvest. They were destined to run out of food. Therefore, the money from the Xu family was crucial to them. Regardless of whether they agreed with the vige head¡¯s methods, they could only follow him now and try to get the money. Having pacified the vigers, Vige Head Wang sternly told Wei Ruo: ¡°Master Xu you have no other options. Daqing Mountain is your best and only choice. As long as you are willing to buy the valley of Daqing Mountain at the price I just mentioned, our entire vige will help you sessfully build your distillery.¡± Wei Ruo responded: ¡°If you think you can force me into submission, then I can only tell you that you¡¯ve miscalcted. Even if you kill me here today, I will not give you a single coin.¡± The determined attitude of Wei Ruo darkened the face of Vige Head Wang. ¡°If Master Xu refuses to make the deal today, then I¡¯ll have to keep Master Xu in our vige for a few days, where you can enjoy your stay.¡± Vige Head Wang said, coldly. The situation had already escted to this point; he could not just let it go! Though Vige Head Wang didn¡¯t dare openly rob Wei Ruo, as long as he could pressure Wei Ruo into signing the agreement, the money he would receive would be fair and square. With that, Vige Head Wang ordered the strong men in the vige to escort Wei Ruo and the others to the ancestral hall. Among the vigers, some were fearful and hesitant, but some were bold and greedy, ready to take a gamble. The more courageous vigers obeyed the orders of Vige Head Wang, and armed with their farming tools ¨C hoes, carrying poles, and pickaxes, among others, they surrounded Wei Ruo, Xiumei, and Manager Yu. just when a conflict seemed imminent, a group of people riding tall horses appeared at the vige entrance.. Chapter 220: Why Are You Cold to Me?_l Chapter 220: Why Are You Cold to Me?_l Trantor: 549690339 The moment the vigers saw these men, they stopped in their tracks. In those days, anyone who could ride a horse was not someone the vigers could trifle with, let alone those who presented themselves with such grandeur and momentum, unmistakably of an official background. In an instant, the vigers who had been fierce towards Wei Ruo moments before became suddenly docile, even the vige leader, Mr. Wang, donned a gentle smile, humbly. He approached the man leading the group, bowing before the man¡¯s horse and respectfully asked, ¡°Sir, this is Wang Vige, may I ask where you are heading?¡± The man at the lead was wearing a wide bamboo hat, his face obscured, yet his tall and upright stature and the mysterious aura from his ck robe were unmistakable. Ignoring Mr. Wang, he turned to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Are you in any trouble?¡± Hearing the hoarse voice, Wei Ruo recognized the man. It was Zhu Zongyu, the man who had been living on her farm for over a month. ¡°Indeed, I encountered some trouble. I no longer wish to buy their vigend, yet they refuse to let me go,¡± Wei Ruo answered directly. ¡°How do you want me to help you deal with these troublesome vigers?¡± Zongyu asked. ¡°No need, your presence here has solved my problem,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Wei Ruo did not want to owe Zhu Zongyu any favors. She had received hispensation for the medical treatment provided to him. If she sought his assistance now, she would be the one in debt. Hearing the conversation between Wei Ruo and the mysterious man, Mr. Wang became anxious. Previously, he had dared to be forceful towards Xu Heyou, thinking of him as merely a merchant and in case of a conflict reaching the Government Office, they, as the farming majority, could deal with a deceptive merchant. However, if Mr. Xu had connections with the official family, then he would certainly not dare to offend him. The vigers were simrly panicked. Initially, they had thought little of Mr. Xu, hedging their bets, which is why they dared to stand alongside Mr. Wang in the forceful acquisition of thend. And so, the vigers started defending themselves in session. ¡°It¡¯s not our fault, ah, the vige head is the one who told us to do it!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, we were originally having a good negotiation, it was the vige head who got greedy, he was the one who instructed us to act this way!¡± ¡°We were all just acting on the orders of the vige head!¡± The vigers shifted all the me to Mr. Wang. Mr. Wang, with heart pounding in his chest, hurried forward to pacify Wei Ruo. ¡°Mr. Xu, it was a misunderstanding, all of it.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding? Do you need me to remind you of everything you said?¡± Wei Ruo responded firmly. Mr. Wang¡¯s face turned pale, then flushed. He looked miserable. Wei Ruo turned to the vigers and suggested, ¡°You should consider getting a new vige head.¡± The vigers were silent, filled with mixed feelings. Soon after, Wei Ruo left with Xiumei and Manager Yu. Seeing this, a few hopeful vigers caught up, asking, ¡°Then, Mr. Xu, regarding the matter of purchasing the mountainnd we discussed earlier¡­¡± ¡°Not buying,¡± Wei Ruo responded.N?v(el)B\\jnn Hearing this, the vigers eagerly tried to humbly persuade her: ¡°We¡¯ll stick to the original price, we won¡¯t raise it any more!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, we will stick to the original price, we won¡¯t raise it!¡± ¡°The vige head¡¯s words don¡¯t represent us, we are willing to sell it to you at that price!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, if something doesn¡¯t start smoothly, I won¡¯t continue with it.¡± Wei Ruo asserted, unwavering. Having said that, she didn¡¯t linger any longer. She left Wang Vige with Xiumei and Manager Yu without a backwards nce, while the vigers were left filled with regret. Zhu Zongyu hesitated for a moment before having his men follow. When he reached Wei Ruo¡¯s side, he dismounted. ¡°I originally came here to get medicine from you today. The people at your manor said you came here, so I wanted to check on you,¡± Zhu Zongyu volunteered his reason foring here to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond to him and kept walking expressionlessly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Zhu Zongyu asked, noticing that Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude towards him was much colder than before. ¡°Nothing.¡± Wei Ruo replied indifferently. ¡°You¡¯re hiding something,¡± Zhu Zongyu said with certainty. ¡°Mr. Zhu, are there some things that I need not say explicitly? You previously told me that youe from a family of merchants, but from what I see now, your attire is not something anyone from a merchant family would dare to wear,¡± Wei Ruo said with a stern face. Though she had already been wary of this man, in the end, she was still deceived by him. Of course, no one was to me for this except for her own softheartedness in saving people. Hearing her words, a hint of guilt and remorse shed across Zhu Zongyu¡¯s face, but it was shielded by his hat, invisible to Wei Ruo and others. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zhu Zongyu apologized. He had rarely apologized to anyone in his life, but this time, he felt he should sincerely apologize to Mr. Xu. His circumstances at the time forced him to hide his true identity for his own protection. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ve treated you and have taken your money already, ming you now is pointless. However, after you take your medicine today, let¡¯s not interact anymore,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Why? Is it because of my status? You don¡¯t like people from officialdom?¡± Zhu Zongyu asked, puzzled. ¡°Rather than saying I don¡¯t like them, it¡¯s more urate to say that I can¡¯t afford to associate with them. I¡¯m a mere merchant and you hold high status and power, further interaction would be inappropriate,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°You are not just an ordinary merchant. During the gue, you risked your life to treat the people alongside many doctors in the city; your contributions were significant.¡± Xu Heyou¡¯s name was on the promation in the government office; Zhu Zongyu had seen it. ¡°Whether I¡¯m an ordinary merchant or not is irrelevant. Our rtionship is one of doctor and patient, there¡¯s no need for more interaction,¡± Wei Ruo said. Having finished speaking, Wei Ruo walked away without looking back. After returning to the manor, Wei Ruo handed over the ointment she had prepared the previous night to Manager Yu, instructing him to deliver it to Zhu Zongyu at the gate. ¡°After this round of medication, if he still doesn¡¯t recover, ask him to assign an underling toe here next time. He needn¡¯te here personally,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. ¡°Yes,¡± Manager Yu acknowledged and left. At the entrance of the manor, Manager Yu handed the medicine to Zhu Zongyu: ¡°Master Zhu, our master suggested next time, for collecting the medicine, you could send your servant. There¡¯s no need to make this journey yourself; it must be tiresome.¡± Zhu Zongyu frowned. He hade today not only to collect the medicine but also to meet Xu Heyou in person. He had expected Xu to be slightly upset but hadn¡¯t anticipated such a strong reaction. Did his true background really make that much difference to him? Zhu Zongyu stared at the manor in front of him for a while before choosing to leave. Manager Yu returned to Wei Ruo to report: ¡°Boss, Master Zhu has taken the medicine and left.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Hmm.¡± Manager Yu: ¡°Boss, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Ask.¡± Manager Yu: ¡°You¡¯re on good terms with Princess Jingmin, so you shouldn¡¯t dislike the privileged ss.. So, why is your attitude toward Master Zhu undergoing such a drastic change?¡± Chapter 221: The Older Sister is Very Kind to Him_l Chapter 221: The Older Sister is Very Kind to Him_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo exined, ¡°Firstly, I don¡¯t like dishonesty. This man deliberately deceived me from the start, which has already cost him my trust. Secondly, his identity is still unclear. Considering he was badly injured, he is bound to have some troubles. I don¡¯t want to get involved in problematic matters, so I need to keep my distance from him.¡± Manager Yu understood, ¡°The master¡¯s words are reasonable, I get it.¡± ¡°You go ahead with your work; this afternoon, Meimei and I will look for another suitable site for the brewery.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After Manager Yu left, Wei Ruo and Xiumei went out again. This was because in a few days when Mr. Wang would return to Taizhou Prefecture, Wei Ruo would have less time each day. Moreover, she would also need to allocate more time to manage the farming work on her estate, therefore Wei Ruo decided not to dy, and continued to search for a new location for the brewery that afternoon. After visiting for half a day, Wei Ruo chose a new site, which was not far from her hacienda. It was nearly an hour¡¯s walk, but it would only take a mere span of tea-time by carriage. The negotiation this time went smoothly. The vigers and the vige head of Stone Vige readily agreed to the terms Wei Ruo offered, and joyfully stated their intention to help. Wei Ruo was also straightforward, promptly drafting a contract with them, and both sides signed and sealed it in the presence of the vige mayor. ### On the thirtieth day of the first lunar month. Wei Yichen had to return to Anzhou Academy to study. Under normal circumstances, the school would begin after the Lantern Festival, but this year was special, it didn¡¯t formally start until after the New Year. Before leaving home, Wei Yichen specifically looked for Wei Ruo. ¡°Eldest sister.¡± Standing at the door of Tingsong Garden, Wei Yichen wore a gentle smile and gazed affectionately at Wei Ruo. ¡°Do you need something, elder brother?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Tomorrow morning, I would be leaving for the academy, so I came to bid farewell today.¡± ¡°Wait a moment, elder brother, I will get something for you.¡± Without waiting for Wei Yichen to say more, Wei Ruo went back into the house and brought him some papers from Four Treasure House. ¡°These are for elder brother.¡± Wei Ruo thrust everything into Wei Yichen¡¯s arms. When Wei Yichen returned, he brought her many novel things. Even though she didn¡¯t find much use for them, she didn¡¯t intend to owe him for the sentiment. Wei Yichen recognised at a nce that these were items from the Four Treasure House. Items from the Four Treasure House were expensive due to limited supply and hard to buy. Even in the Anzhou Academy, their papers were highly sought after. Holding the items, he thought for a bit then said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, I know you have a lot of silver, but you should save some. When you get married in the future, this silver would be part of your dowry.¡± ¡°Are you afraid that I will spend all my silver, elder brother?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes. Goods from the Four Treasure House are expensive. Although you currently have money, and perhaps you are the wealthiest in the family, even richer than mother, you should still be frugal,¡± said Wei Yichen. Wei Ruo was slightly taken aback, then replied, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Good. Anyway, thank you for your gift Ruoruo, these are things that I exactly need,¡± Wei Yichen expressed his gratitude sincerely because this gift really hit the mark. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s another matter I came to discuss with you, Ruoruo,¡± said Wei Yichen. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°About the Loquat Syrup, do you still have any? I have a ssmate who wants to buy some,¡± Wei Yichen asked. Somehow, the reputation of Wei Ruo¡¯s Loquat Syrup managed to reach Anzhou Academy. The students there were either exceptionally talented individuals who passed the Schr exam at a young age, or those from affluent or prestigious families. After pondering a bit, Wei Ruo responded, ¡°I have six jars left that are still fresh.¡± Wei Ruo did not make too many at once because they would deteriorate over time. These six were made some days ago. At that time, she made sixteen jars in total. Six were given to Lady Yuan, and four were bought by the old Madam Xiu. During the epidemic, Old Mr. Xiu drank up the few jars he had earlier this year. After the situation ended, Old Lady Xiu sent an early letter, enquiring about Wei Ruo¡¯s Loquat Syrup. When Wei Ruo just returned to the Military Prefecture, she definitely did not have Loquat Syrup in hand. Therefore, she had made a few jars in her spare time over the past few days. As soon as they were ready, Old Lady Xiu sent someone to pick up four jars. It was said that Old Mr. Xiu¡¯s chronic disease was almostpletely cured and he also slept better at night. His spirit and vitality greatly improved. They wanted to seize the opportunity topletely cure him of the disease. If it weren¡¯t for Wei Ruo¡¯s Loquat Syrup having been kept for a while and thus requiring new ones, Old Lady Xiu would have bought all Wei Ruo had. ¡°Have these six jars been reserved?¡± Wei Yichen asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Even though no one had reserved them, based on the situation before Lunar New Year¡¯s, she had no worries finding buyers. Knowing how well Wei Ruo¡¯s Loquat Syrup sold, Wei Yichen had received a special message from his ssmate before school started, asking him to buy Loquat Syrup ¡°Could you do me a favour by selling these jars to my ssmate?¡± asked Wei Yichen. ¡°Of course,¡± Wei Ruo agreed. Wei Ruo knew, for Wei Yichen who had rtively shallow roots, such action could help him build a better rtionship with his ssmates. As for her, it did not matter to whom the Loquat Syrup was sold, there was no need to deliberately reject Wei Yichen over this. ¡°Wait for me for a bit. I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡± We Ruo returned to her house for the remaining six jars of Loquat Syrup and packed them neatly in a wooden box, then handed them to Wei Yichen. We Yichen carefully put the Four Treasure House paper that were given by Wei Ruo aside by the door edge, and then took out a silver note of sixty taels. The Loquat Syrup was purchased on behalf of his ssmate, so naturally the money should go to Wei Ruo Wei Ruo took the silver note from Wei Yichen without hesitation. ¡°You know how to consume it, right? Take it with warm water, one scoop of syrup with one bowl of water, do not consume more than five times a day, moderation is key,¡± instructed Wei Ruo. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pass on your instructions,¡± promised Wei Yichen.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Yichen admired Wei Ruo more and more. He found his sister not only kind and capable but also genuinely affectionate to him. Although she wasn¡¯t as gentle as Wanwan was when calling him ¡®elder brother¡¯, and their interactions were few, many times he could feel that she cared about him. She had taken the initiative to give presents to him more than once, and never hesitated to fulfil his requests. We Ruo did not know what Wei Yichen was thinking. Seeing that he had a lot to carry, she called a servant passing by to help Wei Yichen with the items and escort him back to his courtyard. Afterwards, she went back into the room and fetched another wooden box. Inside it were dozens of bottles of medicine that she had prepared recently, each allocated with a tag. Wei Ruo carried the box and headed toward Yingzhu Garden¡­ Chapter 222: Easily Blushing i Chapter 222: Easily Blushing i Trantor: 549690339n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Yichen is going back to the academy soon and Wei Jinyi is also almost ready to leave home. Wei Ruo specially prepared some medicines for him, in case he catches a cold or has a fever. Having some emergency medicines at hand will always be somewhat reassuring. Wei Jinyi looked at the whole box of things Wei Ruo brought over and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need this much, I still have the ones you gave mest time.¡± ¡°Just take it. Tazhou prefecturecks medical supplies. If you get sick and want to take medicine, even if you can afford a doctor, you may not be able to buy the medicine you need,¡± Wei Ruo advised. At times like this, she is like a nagging old mother, if Wei Jinyi doesn¡¯t listen, she could lecture him for an hour. Wei Jinyi took the box first, then said, ¡°I will still be in Tazhou prefecture for a while, there will be opportunities to see each other again.¡± He is just temporarily leaving the Military Prefecture, not saying goodbye to Wei Ruo immediately. ¡°Wherever you stay is your business. As your sister, I should do my part,¡± Wei Ruo said with a smile. Wei Jinyi paused for a moment, feeling somewhatplicated. He should be happy that she cares about him, but the term ¡°sister¡±¡­ Wei Jinyi asked Wei Ruo to sit for a while, without having to do anything else, just sit together and have a cup of tea. There are no pavilions in the new Yizhu Garden in the Government City, so Wei Jinyi ced a stone table in the yard, and Xiaobei carried the chairs over. Wei Ruo wrote a list of items she needed to purchase the next day: Fritiria powder, rock sugar, loquat leaves, faint bamboo leaves, bezoar, gentiana flowers¡­ ¡°Are these the ingredients for your loquat syrup?¡±, Wei Jinyi asked after seeing them. ¡°Yes. Ordinary loquat syrup is made with fresh loquats, but I make loquat syrup in winter, without fresh loquats. So, I substituted it with several other drugs, exploiting their health benefits. Thus, the effect achieved is unmatched by regr loquat syrup,¡± Wei Ruo exined directly to Wei Jinyi about the uniqueness of her loquat syrup. The ingredients of her loquat syrup are far morevish than traditional ones, resulting in a different effect. Xiaobei, who was serving on the side, couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Miss, you are incredible! No wonder your loquat syrup can sell for the astronomical price of ten taels of silver!¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Indeed, ten taels of silver for a jar of loquat syrup is expensive. Ordinary households would never spend so much silver on it, but for families like the Xiu Family in Taizhou prefecture, if they can spend one or two hundred taels to relieve the old man¡¯s suffering from illness, it¡¯s worth it, so I never nned to sell my loquat syrup to ordinary families.¡± ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t expect this price of ten taels myself. It was Madam Xu who initially set the price. Once she set the precedent, I couldn¡¯t sell it any cheaper. I originally nned to just sell one batch to her, but I didn¡¯t expect that there would be quite a few buyerster on. Of course, it goes to show there are indeed many rich families in Taizhou prefecture!¡± In the world Wei Ruo used to live in, the gap between the rich and the poor was vast. Some people can spend millions without batting an eye, while others break their hearts over a few thousand yuan. In her current world, the gap between the rich and the poor remains the same, if not worse. Xiaobei can¡¯t hide her admiration for Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s because your medicine is good! I¡¯ve never seen any medicine made by others sell at such a high price.¡± Xiumei next to them, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Xiaobei, are you hiding something? Why are you constantly ttering our Miss?¡± Xiaobei hurriedly exined, ¡°No, no. I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives. I truly think the Miss is amazing.¡± Then, with a shy nce at Xiumei, Xiaobei added in a whisper, ¡°Of course, Lady Xiumei is also amazing.¡± Xiumeiughed and said, ¡°You are such a sweet-talker, are you trying to coax me into teaching you how to cook?¡± Xiaobei quickly waved his hands, ¡°No, no. I¡¯m sincerely praising you!¡± Xiaobei was rendered speechless by Xiumei. Xiumeiughs even more. ¡°I was just teasing you, don¡¯t be so nervous.¡± Xiaobei¡¯s face turned red. Wei Ruoughed and said, ¡°Big brother, Xiaobei and you turn red in the face easily.¡± When the topic turned back to him, Wei Jinyi pretended he didn¡¯t hear it. From one look, Wei Ruo startedughing again, knowing that big brother is shy again, refusing to admit that he blushes easily. ### Returning from Yizhu Garden, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, do you have any extra medicine prepared?¡± Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Why, you thought I forgot about Brother Xiaoyong because I have big brother? Are you in such a hurry because you¡¯re worried that Xiaoyong won¡¯t have medicine with him? When I visit the wet nurseter, I tell Xiaoyong that my Meimei is super worried and cares about him!¡± Xiumei quickly retorted, ¡°Who¡¯s worried about him? If he doesn¡¯t have any medicine, that¡¯s his problem. I¡¯m toozy to take care of him.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go see Xiaoyong. He¡¯ll be home for a few days. The big box at the back is his. I can¡¯t lift it. You¡¯ll have to carry it,¡± Wei Ruo said. The box for Xu Zhengyong is at least ten times bigger than that for Wei Jinyi. It¡¯s not that Wei Ruo is biased, but the situations of the two are different. Xu Zhengyong is in the army. Not only is he likely to get injured, hisrades can also get wounded. Their demand for medicine is different. Wei Ruo¡¯s priority for Wei Jinyi is quality, whereas the priority for Xu Zhengyong¡¯s medicine is quantity, especially for wound care. Wei Ruo always prepared big packs of it for him. Seeing the big box, Xiumeiined, ¡°Miss, so this big box was all prepared for Xiaoyong! I really thought you had forgotten about Xiaoyong!¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°I didn¡¯t hide it from you when I prepared it. I did everything openly. If you didn¡¯t find out, that¡¯s your fault, isn¡¯t it?¡± Xiumei pouted reluctantly, picked up therge box and caught up with Wei Ruo¡¯s steps. The two of them arrived at Four Treasure House by carriage. In the backyard of Four Treasure House, Xu Zhengyong, who rarely stays at home, was helping his family chop firewood. In the cold weather, he was only wearing a singleyer of clothes. ¡°Xu Zhengyong!¡±, Xiumei put down the box and charged towards Xu Zhengyong angrily, ¡°Have you lost your mind? The weather has just started to warm up a bit, but it¡¯s still not warm enough to wear only a singleyer of clothes! Do you think you live too long, or is Miss¡¯s medicine so tasty that you want to eat more of it?¡± Xu Zhengyong hurriedly put down the axe in his hand and while wearing his clothes, which were on a bamboo chair next to him, he gave a clumsy smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, don¡¯t be angry, I¡¯ll put it on right away.¡± Wei Ruo came over and said, ¡°Meimei, when Xiaoyong is sweating, it is good to take some clothes off, otherwise if the clothes are soaked, he will catch a cold even more easily.¡± Hearing this, Xu Zhengyong was thrilled, ¡°See, Sister Ruoruo is taking my side! Sister Ruoruo must be right.¡± Just after being thrilled for a while, he received a re from Wei Ruo, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you should strip down like you did, almost bare-chested. And once you stop, you need to put on your clothes immediately, otherwise you catch a cold..¡± Chapter 223 - 223 Some Things Should Be Scheduled_l Chapter 223 Some Things Should Be Scheduled_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Get dressed already!¡± Xu Zhengyong¡¯s motions became frantic as he put on his clothes. If one person was scolding him, it was risky enough but when two people were nagging him together, he needed to hurry, or his father would get his whip. After Xu Zhengyong was dressed, he smiled at Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Ruoruo, it¡¯s been a long time. Howe you¡¯re shorter now?¡± Hearing his words, Wei Ruo wanted to jump up and give him a good smack on his forehead. ¡°It¡¯S not because I¡¯ve gotten shorter, you¡¯ve just grown too fast!¡± Wei Ruo said irritably. Over the past year, Wei Ruo herself had grown taller, which was a normal rate of growth for this time of her life. However,pared to Xu Zhengyong, her growth was far less. Xu Zhengyong was at the age when boys grow tall rapidly. Having drilled in the army for half a year, and training hard every day, his height had soared. Originally, he was only half a head taller than Wei Ruo. Now, he had grown more than a head taller, and Wei Ruo only came up to his shoulders. Even amongst females, Wei Ruo was not considered short. Simply, Xu Zhengyong had grown too fast and too tall. Xu Zhengyong scratched his head: ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Turning to Xiumei, he asked, ¡°Junior sister, look how tall I have be now. Don¡¯t you respect me as your senior brother? Xiumei retorted gruffly, ¡°What¡¯s the use of being only tall? You¡¯re not getting any smarter. In this cold weather, you¡¯re wearing so little. Even if you get a cold, no matter how tall you are, you¡¯ll still need medicine and it will cost money.¡± ¡°Junior sister, you¡¯re not fair. My height is advantageous. I¡¯m strong now. I can knock down two of those short Japanese pirates with one punch!¡± Xu Zhengyong demonstrated with his fist. -Where did you find Japanese pirates to fight with? I heard recently they¡¯re quite peaceful and not causing trouble,¡± Xiumei argued. ¡°Those little brats, if it weren¡¯t for our shipbuilding technology being insufficient, I¡¯d go straight to their home base! rd destroy theirir so they wouldn¡¯t have the chance to disturb ournd anymore!¡± Xu Zhengyong bristled with indignation when he talked about the Japanese pirates. Hearing his voice, the wet nurseing from the house said to Xu Zhengyong, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, why don¡¯t you ask the youngdy toe in?¡± Xu Zhengyong hurriedlyplied: ¡°Ruoruo, hurry in before you catch cold. If you freeze, my mother would chop me up for firewood!¡± Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Nanny, it¡¯s not that cold these past few days. Let me stay outside and get some fresh air. It¡¯s boring to stay inside all day.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go get a chair for you,¡± the wet nurse quickly went back into the house to fetch a chair for Wei Ruo. Xu Zhengyong said with augh, ¡°See, Ruoruo¡¯s words are always the most effective. She speaks once and it matters more than a hundred words that I say.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t be so mischievous, others might listen to you more.¡± Xu Zhengyong chuckled and scratched his head. From the side, Xiumei muttered, ¡°Xu Zhengyong, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re acting like this in the military too? I fear your subordinates won¡¯t respect you! -Rest assured, I have a lot of prestige among my subordinates in the army. My position isn¡¯t only due to the crossbows Ruoruo provided. It¡¯s also due to my hard work and wisdom. My subordinates know that.¡± Xiumeiughed, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t mentioned wisdom, I would believe the rest. But, this wisdom part, 1 really can¡¯t believe. ¡°You¡¯re just refusing to admit that I¡¯m better than you!¡± Xu Zhengyong retorted. ¡°Whether or not you¡¯re better than me is beside the point. I am your senior sister, you are my junior brother. You can¡¯t blur the lines or twist the truth,¡± Xiumei argued back. At this point in the conversation, Wei Ruo and the wet nurse understood and no longer needed to listen to the rest of their banter. It was bound to turn into a quarrel about seniority that wouldn¡¯t stop for a while. Wei Ruo and the wet nurse leisurely drank tea on the side and chit-chatted. ¡°Nanny, after the New Year passes, you must help me keep an eye on things. You know what I mean,¡± Wei Ruo said. She knew that once the New Year was over, certain matters needed to be brought up. She had already mentioned her n to the wet nurse before. However, the wet nurse had been hesitant. The wet nurse was unconditionally supportive of Wei Ruo in everything else, but on this matter, she had always been hesitant. The wet nurse said, ¡°Miss, maybe we shouldn¡¯t be so hasty on this matter. A dy of two years won¡¯t be a problem. Maybe by then, Xiaoyong will have truly made some achievements.¡± -I understand, but we always need to n ahead. We can¡¯t be too passive,¡± Wei Ruo insisted. The reluctant wet nurse agreed, ¡°I understand. I will pay attention to this matter.¡± Xu Zhengyong, who was in the midst of happily arguing with Xiumei, suddenly leaned in and said, ¡°Ruoruo, look at how fierce Meimei is. In the future, I¡¯m sure no one will want her. Why don¡¯t you betroth her to me?¡± Before Wei Ruo could answer, Xiumei¡¯s fistnded on him, ¡°Xu Zhengyong! Are you asking for a beating?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Xu Zhengyongughed and said, ¡°Why would this be asking for a beating? We yed husband and wife when we were young, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense! That was just child¡¯s y! How dare you bring that up!¡± Xiumei was so angry she wanted to sew Xu Zhengyong¡¯s mouth shut. Wei Ruo and the wet nurse knowingly turned their heads and continued their conversation. ### The warmth of the sun in the third month signaled the arrival of spring. Farmers started to be busy. The ntation near Xiaoyang Mountain in Xingshan County was still growing sweet potatoes this year, while the management had been handed over to Agui and Xiaoba by Wei Ruo. After the publicity created by selling sweet potatoesst year, many hills in Xingshan County started growing sweet potatoes as well. Wei Ruo was not stingy either, she told everyone that they could propagate sweet potatoes using cuttings from the vine, therefore anyone who wanted to nt sweet potatoes just needed to buy some sweet potatoes as seed tubers. The herbal field managed with Xie Yingying was not yielding much yet due to its long growing cycle. The Xie family¡¯s servants in Xingshan County were managing it well and would have the chance to harvest some in the summer. If gathering them worked out, the profit should be quite substantial as medicinal herbs were in high demand. In Government City, theborers in Wei Ruo¡¯s ntation started to work from dawn to dusk. Plowing, seeding, watering, weeding ¨C plenty of work awaited them. The field of wheat also needed tending. The wheat was already lush and green, which was a joyful sight. Thebors were very motivated. Their employer treated them well, providing them with ample food, clothing, andfortable amodations. Anyone with a shred of gratitude would know to work hard in return. Even those whocked a sense of gratitude had a sense of crisis. There were many people out there who were having a hard life and wanted to work in their employer¡¯s ntation. To keep their jobs, they had to work hard too.. Chapter 224: Suggestions for Yuns Family_l Chapter 224: Suggestions for Yun¡¯s Family_l Trantor: 549690339 The three workshops in the vige: the Five Spice Powder, Oyster Sauce, and Soy Sauce are all running smoothly. The Five Spice Powder and Oyster Sauce supplied to the Zuixian Residence have brought better reputation and customer flow, further solidifying their cooperation. The production cycle of soy sauce is long, and so far, it has all been stored in jars and has not been sold. The construction of the distillery is underway, with Uncle Xu still overseeing the progress. Wei Ruo currently has five shops in her hands: three Four Treasure Houses ¨C one each in Huzhou Prefecture, Xingshan County, and Taizhou Government City. Each of them is slightly off in performancepared tost year, but t e overall profit is still substantial. The grain shop opened in Xingshan Countyst year has been doing well and towards the end it was in a state of stock shortage because Wei Ruo mandated only a part of the grain reserve be sold. She wanted to reserve enough grain for herself and the people in the vige for the next year, just in case of any natural disaster or cmity. The sales of Xu¡¯s Marinated Delicacies shop dropped somewhat this year after the New Year, due to the rise in meat prices and a drop in daily sales. But this is not a problem unique to their shop. Among many shops, Wei Ruo¡¯s still performed well. Overall, the shops are profit-making. Weiruo¡¯s focus is still on agriculture. The shops only need to maintain positive ie and help to sell the output of the vige and workshop. And whether the vige can have a good harvest this year is of life and death importance. ### At the Military Prefecture, the new farnd that Madam Yun had been keen on was also purchased. As the price ofnd near the Government City is high, Madam Yun temporarily bought a small estate of two hundred acres. Wei Ruo also kept her promise and apanied Madam Yun on a visit to the new estate. ¡°What do you think, Ruoruo?¡± Madam Yun asked. She had heard when purchasing the estate that although thend around the Government City is more t and open than in Xingshan County, the quality of soil is not very good. The crops grown in previous years have not been very good, yielding mediocre profits. -The soil fertility is not sufficient. It needs to be turned over and filled, or the straw ash burnt and farmyard manure applied. This should be repeated three times, each time applying half a cart of straw ash and half a cart of farmyar manure per acre.¡± Wei Ruo gave out the solution. The soil here is more or less the same. The way Wei Ruo had improved and fertilized the over a thousand acres ofnd she had bought, was the same process to be followed for this two hundred acres that Madam Yun bought. However, Madam Yun bought this piece ofndte, unlike the farnd Wei ruo obtainedst winter, which had sufficient time for improvement. The former is now all nted with rice. Upon hearing this, Madam Yun showed a look of difficulty: ¡°Turning over the soil is easy, the workers in the estate can get busy with it, but there¡¯s nowhere to find straw at this time of year. Last year, in such cold weather, even if there was spare straw, people collected it for keeping warm at home.¡± ¡°in that case, let¡¯s apply manure directly after turning the soil. You can use the manure from cattle, sheep and other livestock, even human feces can work. The volume is still half a cart of manure per acre,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°That seems like quite an expense,¡± said Madam Yun. ¡°Sharpening the axe will not dy the work of cutting wood. If you want a good harvest for the year, the soil must be sufficiently fertile. The initial investment is necessary,¡± said Wei Ruo, looking very serious. ¡°isn¡¯t there any other way?¡± Madam Yun asked, not giving up. She knew that applying farmyard manure would make the soil fertile, but it was the high cost of this material that made her wonder if Wei Ruo had any other better solutions. ¡°Mother, you cannot make bricks without straw. Soil fertility boils down to two points: inorganic and organic fertilizers; plus aeration and moisture content. If the weather is favourable, with enough sunshine, if there are no major problems with the wind and rain, the crops will grow well. The straw ash or farmyard manure I mentioned are currently the cheapest fertilizers I can think of for the soil.¡± Soil fertilization is not as sophisticated as the improvement of saline-alkalind Many farmers know about the methods, but sometimes they do not have the courage to decide, or they do not have enough silver coins in their hands to make such investments. Madam Yun did not quite understand what Wei Ruo was saying about organic and inorganic fertilizers. But she was not very satisfied with the solution provided by Wei Ruo. Seeing Madam Yun frowning and not making a decision for a long time, Wei Ruo did not say anything more. She had alreadye to check the soil and made her suggestions ording to her agreement. Whether or not to ept and follow this was up to her now. After a while, Madam Yun said: ¡°I will arrange for people to get a couple of carts of sheep dung in advance and apply it as fertilizer.¡± Wei Ruo could hear the hint in her words; Madam Yun intended to apply fertilizer, but she did not n to follow the volume Wei Ruo had suggested. She only nned to fertilize once, and only use a few carts of sheep dung for two hundred acres ofnd. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t say anything, respecting Madam Yun¡¯s choice and decision. -Also, the rice variety we talked aboutst time should be fine, right?¡± Madam Yun enquired. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any problems. ¡°That¡¯s good. With that variety of rice, even if the soil isn¡¯t very fertile, it should still grow fine,¡± Madam Yun Adam put more hope on good rice varieties. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that, after all, even the best seeds need good soil, one can¡¯t go without the other,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Then Madam Yun told Wei Ruo: ¡°I also n to nt some sweet potatoes in the estate in Xingshan County this year. I heard that they are easy to manage, not as delicate as rice. Last year, the family that nted sweet potatoes in Xingshan County not only had enough food for themselves but also sold quite a bit.¡± Madam Yun didn¡¯t know that the family she was talking about was actually Wei Ruo¡¯s. ¡°Hmm ¡± Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t surprised. Many households in Xingshan County have switched to nting sweet potatoes this year to ensure grain yield. This is a good thing. Although eating sweet potatoes long-term might not taste as good as rice, in a bad year, the main goal of the people is to fill their stomachs, not eat well. Then, Madam Yun talked about some issues rted to the family business, Wei Ruo listened attentively, but basically did notment. Madam Yun¡¯s overall nning of the family business was not problematic, apart from being reluctant to spend money on preliminary work, no other faults could be found. ### On the twentieth of March, one monthter, the Taizhou prefecture¡¯s control of the epidemic was rewarded by the court. A public notice from the Government Office was specially posted in the city, with the names of those who made outstanding contributions in this matter written on it. Wei Ruo¡¯s two names both appeared on the notice. First was Xu Heyou, which was written in a prominent position along with Doctor Cheng and Doctor Cai. Second was Wei Qingruo¡¯s name, which was on the notice for assisting Princess Jingmin in serving the people. This honor was not only due to Wei Ruo¡¯s contribution, but also the special care from Madam Yuan, which yed a decisive role.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om When the rewards were announced, the Government Office sent the court¡¯s gratitude to the Military Prefecture. As Wei Ruo is a member of the family, the merit was credited to the Military Prefecture when the rewards were announced, stating that the Military Prefecture had made contributions to the people of Taizhou prefecture and recorded one merit to Wei Mingting.. Chapter 225: Invited to Go Outdoors_l Chapter 225: Invited to Go Outdoors_l Trantor: 549690339 However, due to the announcement from the government office, it was known all over the government city that this credit of the Military Prefecture went to the legitimate eldest daughter of the Wei Family, Wei Qingruo. Because of this, the name of the legitimate eldest daughter of the Wei Family became famous among the nobles of Taizhou prefecture. Being able to manage the entire epidemic control in Taizhou prefecture, wouldn¡¯t she be more than capable of housekeeping? When choosing a daughter-inw, big families consider not just her upbringing and behavior, but also her housekeeping skills. Moreover, this legitimate eldest daughter of the Wei family is favored by Princess Jingmin, isn¡¯t marrying her prestigious? Fortunately, this legitimate eldest daughter is fourteen now and it¡¯s time to start matchmaking. As the year began, Lady Yun received many invitations from the Madams. Lady Yun was delighted, as they had just moved to the government city not long ago and were worried about settling in. Now it seems that there is no need to worry about that. Lady Yun knew she should start considering the matrimonial prospects of her two daughters. Although her husband believed their daughters could marryte and even if they get married when they¡¯re seventeen or eighteen, it would still be fine. The matchmaking can start now. Getting marriedter is not a problem, but if by seventeen or eighteen appropriate matches are not finalized, parents should be worried. People outside also gossip, and those who do not know the situation may think there are unspeakable secrets about the daughters of the Wei family. So, Lady Yun called Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan to prepare well and apany her on her trip tomorrow. ¡°Is this an outing organized by the Lady of Tongzhi Prefecture?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. She had studied at the Tongzhi Prefecture and naturally heard some news about it. ¡°Yes, the idea is to enjoy the spring while showingpassion for the farmers. Thest two years have seen a poor harvest. With the court concerned and the Magistrate worried, Lady Xiu¡¯s intention is to take all thedies and youngdies to experience the hard work of farmers,¡± Lady Yun exined. The court prioritizes agriculture, so naturally, people would follow this trend and take action to respect and prioritize farming. Wei Qingwan nodded, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry, I will prepare well.¡± Wei Ruo remained silent. Lady Yun turned to Wei Ruo, ¡°Remember to wear the spring clothes we made for youst year, don¡¯t always wear those old clothes.¡± These days, Wei Ruo often went out in in linen clothes. Fortunately, she mostly traveled by carriage to the Tianqin Garden, so Lady Yun didn¡¯t say much. But tomorrow they will be with all the youngdies, if she still dresses like this, it would be shameful for the Military Prefecture. ¡°Understood.¡± Wei Ruo liked to wear in linen clothes these days because she took the opportunity to go down to the fields whenever she could. She kept a small portion of the farm fields at the farm for herself to cultivate, mainly to umte her space experience points faster. Then, Lady Yun gave Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan a few more instructions. From dressing and essories to their behavior, she hoped that both of them could do their best. After a while, when Lady Yun felt that she had exined everything clearly, she let Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan go. ### Early the next day, Wei Ruo changed into her new clothes fromst year, a light green shirt and skirt. As it was still a bit cold in the morning and night, Xiumei gave Wei Ruo a light cloak to wear outside. They wore fox fur capes in winter. The capes now were made of satin material and sewed with a thinyer of cotton, which was just right for this time. When they arrived at the entrance, Lady Yun and Wei Qingwan were already there. The three of them got into the carriage together and headed for the Tongzhi Prefecture. The destination today wasn¡¯t the Tongzhi Prefecture, but it was the gathering ce for everyone. After waiting at the entrance of the Tongzhi Prefecture for a while, when everyone¡¯s carriages arrived, they left the city and headed to the countryside. When they arrived at the ce, everyone got out of their carriages and walked on foot. Lady Tongzhi had chosen Beishan Vige, south of the city, for the visit. The vige was surrounded by farnd. It was the busy season for farmers, and arge number of farmers, whether women, children, or elderly, were working in the fields. The scenery along the way was beautiful, filled with vibrant greenery. After Wei Ruo got off the carriage, Lady Tongzhi came forward to greet her, ¡°Is this the youngdy from the Wei Family? I have heard of her reputation many times before, but I have never had the opportunity to meet her. Now that I see her, I know seeing is believing, and she is even more beautiful than what people say!¡± Lady Tongzhi looked at Wei Ruo with a full face of smiles. Wei Ruo responded with a light smile. Then Lady Tongzhi continued enthusiastically to Wei Ruo, ¡°Speaking of which, I really need to thank you, Wei Ruo, thanks to your loquat syrup, my father-inw¡¯s old disease has improved, and he is much better now, his spirit is much better too!¡± Previously, Lady Xiu who had bought the loquat syrup from Wei Ruo is Lady Tongzhi¡¯s mother-inw. The patient who got better was her father-inw. As a daughter-inw, it was appropriate for her to thank Wei Ruo once she had the chance. ¡°Lady Xiu, there¡¯s no need to be polite,¡± Wei Ruo replied, modest and respectful. She did not appear overly enthusiastic, nor did she distant herself too much. When Lady Xiu started talking, several other Madams also came forward to chat with Wei Ruo. Thesedies all had high statuses, but they were all willing to condescend and engage Wei Ruo in conversations.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Ruo was somewhat unsettled by the enthusiasm of the crowd. She had just nned to blend into the background as she had done before, not wishing to draw attention at the gathering. However, today was different from the past. The enthusiastic Madams made it impossible for her to blend into the background. Lady Yun hadn¡¯t expected that her eldest daughter would be so popr. The expression on Wei Qingwan¡¯s face at the side was somewhat grim. Even Lady Tongzhi and Lady Qiu were like this, let alone the other people. She attended school at the Tongzhi Prefecture, knew the daughters of the Tongzhi family and the Qiu family, and had met these twodies a few times. But the twodies only talked to Wei Qingruo andpletely ignored her, this differential treatment deeply hurt Wei Qingwan¡¯s feelings. After a while, the crowd around Wei Ruo dispersed, then Lady Tongzhi exined the itinerary to everyone, and everyone nodded in agreement after listening. Then everyone started their outing activity. Lady Tongzhi¡¯s daughter, Xiu Yaojun, especially sought out Wei Qingwan and walked alongside her. ¡°Wei Qingwan, your sister is much more capable than you, see how much my mother and everyone likes her!¡± Xiu Yaojun said with a mischievous grin. Hearing this, Wei Qingwan lowered her head pretending not to hear Xiu Yaojun¡¯s voice. Xiu Yaojun continued, ¡°You might not know this, but my mother likes your sister even before meeting her and wants her to be my eldest brother¡¯s wife.¡± Wei Qingwan was taken aback, her steps faltering slightly. Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s reaction, Xiu Yaojun couldn¡¯t help butugh. Wei Qingwan pursed her lips and said, ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Xiu Yaojun said, ¡°Nothing, just letting you know that you¡¯re not as exceptional as you think.. You don¡¯t have to portray yourself as an lofty and intelligent woman all day, it really bothers me!¡± Chapter 226: Encounter with Grateful Refugees of Wei Chapter 226: Encounter with Grateful Refugees of Wei Ruo_l Trantor: 549690339 But when facing Xiu Yaojun¡¯s provocations, Wei Qingwan showed indifference and arrogant aloofness, rendering Yaojun¡¯s efforts futile. Thus, today, Yaojun seized the opportunity to annoy Wei Qingwan by intentionally mentioning Wei Ruo. Usually, when Yaojun tried to provoke Wei Qingwan with other issues, she would remain calm. However, today she clearly lost her usualposure, which satisfied Yaojun greatly. Following that, Yaojun moved to Wei Ruo¡¯s side, striking up a conversation: ¡°Miss Wei, your Loquat Syrup is quite good, it cured my grandfather¡¯s chronic illness. Both my grandparents often sing your praises.¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s useful.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude towards Yaojun was basically the same as to the madams. She was polite and courteous,posed and rxed. Yaojun continued, ¡°Unlike your sister, who is said to be so talented but as I see, apart from reading a bunch of books, there¡¯s nothing impressive about her. When something actually needs to be done, she¡¯s of no use.¡± Yaojun was actually praising Wei Ruo in order to belittle Wei Qingwan further. Wei Ruo looked at Yaojun with slight surprise. Miss Xiu¡¯s loud voice could be heard by thedies surrounding them, including Wei Qingwan herself, although the madams leading the line might not hear her harshments. Such tant public criticism seems to be what the vapid minor female characters from novels would do. In the original story, many such characters appeared around Wei Qingwan, but she always responded with a cold and indifferent demeanor. Most of these characters had unfortunate endings, because besides being jealous of Wei Qingwan, they weren¡¯t capable of wise actions. No wonder Wei Qingwan could remain calm when dealing with their provocations. Their anger not only failed to harm Wei Qingwan but also indirectly confirmed Wei Qingwan¡¯s extraordinary beauty and talent. Wei Ruo smiled at Yaojun and intentionally steered the conversation back to her grandfather¡¯s chronic illness. ¡°Does your grandfather still cough at night after going to bed?¡± Yaojun answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know about after bedtime, but when I visit him, we barely coughs while we sit and talk over tea. It also seems he¡¯s been more cheerful.¡± After answering Wei Ruo¡¯s question, Yaojun quickly changed the topic back to Wei Qingwan, ¡°Look how weak your sister is, as if a gust of wind could blow her away.¡± While speaking, Yaojun disdainfully nced at Wei Qingwan.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond. She didn¡¯t know what kind of conflict had urred between Yaojun and Wei Qingwan. Due to her unfamiliarity with Yaojun, she didn¡¯t want to delve into such topics carelessly. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned ashen. From the first day she started attending sses in Tongzhi Prefecture, Yaojun had shown a strong hostility towards her. She hadn¡¯t done anything to Yaojun, but because she performed exceptionally well in ss and was praised by the teacher, Yaojun started to mock her and intentionally isted her. Regarding these matters, she didn¡¯t care. She was very clear that this was Yaojun¡¯s ipetence and rage, that Yaojun acted this way because she was inferior and was finding ways to trouble her. She also knew that besides verbal sarcasm, Yaojun couldn¡¯t cause any substantial harm to her, so she didn¡¯t mind much. But when Yaojun and Wei Ruo taunted her together, she couldn¡¯t keep calm and ignore what was happening. She could not bear to hear Wei Ruo being praised by those who despised her! Everyone continued walking along the rtively t path around the vige. Suddenly a farmer¡¯s wife approached with her husband. Seeing someoneing close, the maids quickly stepped forward to stop them. The woman seeing that she was unable to get nearer, dropped to her knees from a distance and shouted to Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss Wei!¡± Wei Ruo looked at the woman with surprise, ¡°May I ask you, who you are?¡± ¡°Miss Wei,st year when I took my young child to visit my parents in West Mountain Vige, we were caught in a natural disaster. You, your father, and your elder brother risked your lives to save the vigers from West Mountain Vige, enabling us to escape. Later, you sent us food and quilts. My parents managed to survive because of your kindness.¡± Then the woman¡¯s husband added, ¡°Thank you, Miss Wei, for saving my wife and child¡¯s lives!¡± Hearing the woman and the man¡¯s words, thedies in the group realized that Wei Ruo had done many good deeds in Xingshan County, and the couple hade to express their gratitude. Upon hearing this, the Madam Tongzhi signaled the maids not to hinder them and allowed the couple to move closer. The woman then put the basket she was holding on the ground, ¡°I hope you can ept these eggs, Miss Wei.¡± ¡°Please get up, the road is full of stones, don¡¯t hurt your knees.¡± Wei Ruo hastily told them to rise. She was not ustomed to being knelt to. Xiumei also came over to help the couple stand. Wei Ruo then said to the couple, ¡°Your goodwill is greatly appreciated, but please take these eggs back. Whether you sell them or eat them, it¡¯s fine.¡± For a farming family, eggs are precious resources. This basket of eggs would have taken at least a couple of weeks to collect. The gift was too generous, and Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t ept it. ¡°No, no, no, please ept these eggs, Miss Wei. This represents our gratitude!¡± The woman insisted on giving the eggs to Wei Ruo. ¡°No need, truly. I¡¯ve received your goodwill, and I am very happy. If you really want to express your gratitude, take good care of yourselves, eat well, dress warmly, and live well. That¡¯s what I wished for when I did what I did, not for you to scrimp and save to give me food.¡± The woman¡¯s face was filled with emotions. Wei Ruo added, ¡°This year will be another difficult year. Farming work is exhausting, you need to eat more eggs so that you can have the strength to work in the fields, and hopefully, have a good harvest this year. Also, your child is growing now, you should give him more eggs to nourish him.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Wei, thank you, Miss Wei! We hope your blessingse true! We hope your blessingse true!¡± The couple bowed repeatedly in thanks. ¡°Alright, go back now, don¡¯t dy today¡¯s farming activities. It¡¯s the rice-nting season now, you mustn¡¯t miss this time.¡± Wei Ruo advised. From Wei Ruo¡¯s words, it was clear that she was very knowledgeable about farming, knowing exactly what should be done at this time of the year. The couple nodded repeatedly, gave Wei Ruo a deep bow, and then left. Then, Wei Ruo asked Madam Tongzhi to proceed. As they continued their journey, the madams couldn¡¯t help but praise Wei Ruo. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected Miss Wei to be not only intelligent andpetent but also kindhearted. She has actually done so many good deeds.¡± ¡°Compared to Miss Wei, I feel a little ashamed.¡± ¡°Miss Wei, could you borate on how you helped those disaster-stricken people in Xingshan County?¡± Chapter 227: Encounter with Students of Anzhou Academy_l Chapter 227: Encounter with Students of Anzhou Academy_l Trantor: 549690339 Listening to everyoneplimenting Wei Ruo, Mrs. Yun felt greatly honored and her mood naturally improved. Nevertheless, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was unspeakably ufortable, as if Wei Qingruo was the only ¡°Miss Wei¡± present. Li Ruo, who received all thepliments, could only smile. She didn¡¯t take thesepliments to heart. Regardless of how sincere these people were in their praise, she had helped the vigers of West Mountain not for the sake of fame in the first ce. The group continued onward and came to a fenced courtyard, which had been previously reserved by Madam Tong Zhi as a resting and dining ce for everyone.. Whenever she invites thesedies and youngdies toe out and enjoy the scenery, it¡¯s impossible to walk all day. Everyone is pampered and can¡¯t even endure an hour. The courtyard was spacious, with an open front yard surrounded by a fence. It contained seven or eight houses and a peach orchard on one side. It was not like a typical farmhouse, but more like a leisure ce built by wealthy people for rxation. Later, Madam Tong Zhi¡¯s words confirmed Wei Ruo¡¯s guess.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The courtyard was built by Patriarch Xiu ten years ago as a summer retreat. To wee thedies and young girls, Madam Tong Zhi had sent people in advance to clean up the ce. She had also left some servants here to prepare tea and pastries for the invited guests. A few eight-immortal tables were set up in the open air courtyard. After entering the courtyard, everyone sat down at the invitation of Madam Tong Zhi. Mrs. Yun sat down with Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan in a rtively secluded corner. Seeing that Wei Qingwan looked unwell, Mrs. Yun asked in concern, ¡°Wanwan, are you feeling ufortable? Have you caught a cold?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little tired.¡± Wei Qingwan answered with a sullen face. ¡°That¡¯s good, take a rest.¡± Mrs. Yun was relieved. Then Mrs. Yun looked at Wei Ruo, her eyes filled with pride and affection, ¡°Ruoruo, you did very well today.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond, lost in thought as she looked outside the fence. At that moment, the sound of horse hooves approached from a distance, and a group of young gentlemen on horseback passed by. Among the crowd, Wei Ruo saw the figure of Wei Yichen, and the familiar face of Lu Yuhong was also among them. Recently, Chu Lan had been in Taizhou Prefecture, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that Lu Yuhong appeared here. Wei Ruo looked carefully, Chu Lan was not in the crowd. Good, the fewer annoying people, the better her mood. Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan also saw Wei Yichen. ¡°Mother, I think that¡¯s elder brother!¡± Wei Qingwan said somewhat excitedly. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s your elder brother.¡± After confirming, Mrs. Yun guessed, ¡°They must be the students from Anzhou Academy going on a trip.¡± While Mrs. Yun and others were looking at Wei Yichen, he and hispanions also spotted the women in the courtyard. Among them, many had rtives in the courtyard like Wei Yichen. The group stopped, observing the traditional separation of genders and not approaching carelessly. The eldest son of the Xiu family, Xiu Fengyuan remarked, ¡°Today, my mother has invited all thedies to enjoy the spring here, I should go over and greet them.¡± Afterward, Xiu Fengyuan dismounted and arrived at the entrance of the courtyard. Madam Tong Zhi came out from the inside, and upon seeing her son, her face was filled with joy. ¡°The son pays his respects to mother.¡± ¡°Since you and your ssmates are passing by, why not stay and have some tea? There¡¯s a separate yard you can enter from the side door, which is separate from the front yard,¡± Madam Tong Zhi advised. These were all grown men and women, of course they couldn¡¯t stay together. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and ask the ssmates first.¡± Xiu Fengyuan went back to ask the others. Everyone expressed that they were also somewhat thirsty and tired and thought it might be a good idea to rest. Then they all tied their horses in the open space in front of the yard, and under the guidance of the Xiu family servants, they entered from the side door of the courtyard and went to the small courtyard in the back. After everyone¡¯s figures disappeared, Wei Qingwan subconsciously looked at Wei Ruo, who was sitting across from her. Combining what Xiu Yaojun said earlier, she found it hard not to believe that this coincidence with the sons of the Tong Zhi family wasn¡¯t a deliberate arrangement by Madam Tong Zhi. If that was really the case, wouldn¡¯t Wei Qingruo have to¡­ Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t hear Xiu Yaojun¡¯s words, but she had her own guess, understanding the potentially deliberate arrangement. She wasn¡¯t upset but thrilled instead. The sons at Anzhou Academy have exceptional backgrounds and knowledge. To be able to select a future husband for her daughter from these young men would be excellent. At this moment, Xiu Yaojun ran up to the trio, inviting Wei Qingwan, ¡°Qingwan, let¡¯s go over there and look. The peach blossoms are in full bloom, it¡¯s a great time to appreciate them.¡± Xiu Yaojun pointed to the peach orchard inside the courtyard. When no elders were around earlier, Xiu Yaojun had spoken sarcastically to Wei Qingwan. Now that elders were present, Xiu Yaojun appeared to be in a close rtionship with Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan refused, ¡°No thank you. I rarely get to go out with my mother and sister, I would rather chat with them.¡± Xiu Yaojun said, ¡°But it¡¯s not often we get to go for outings like this, and it¡¯s rare to see peach blossoms bloom so well.¡± With such a good reason from Xiu Yaojun, Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t know how to refuse. Hearing the conversation between the two, Mrs. Yun encouraged Wei Qingwan to go, ¡°Wanwan, we¡¯re out to y today, so you don¡¯t need to be so reserved. Go enjoy the flowers with your ssmates.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, not daring to let Mrs. Yun know that she didn¡¯t get along well with her ssmates, so she reluctantly nodded in agreement. A triumphant smile appeared on Xiu Yaojun¡¯s face. Then she turned to Wei Ruo and extended the same invitation, ¡°Miss Wei, why don¡¯t youe along too?¡± Wei Ruo shook her head, ¡°No, I¡¯m more interested in your tea and pastries.¡± Xiu Yaojun said, ¡°These are just ordinary tea and cakes, not worth your time. Come with us instead!¡± Mrs. Yun also suggested, ¡°Ruoruo, you should go too.¡± Wei Ruo firmly declined, ¡°No, I¡¯m tired after walking all this way. I need to rest.¡± Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t like Wei Qingwan, who cared about face. She had plenty of reasons for not wanting to go. She didn¡¯t mind admitting she had low stamina and hadn¡¯t seen much. She certainly wasn¡¯t going to force herself to do something she didn¡¯t want to do. Furthermore, Wei Ruo had already sensed something amiss. This plot development in the original novel would lead to a cannon fodder female role causing trouble for the female lead. Whether it was or not, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to get involved. She didn¡¯t have the energy to y these games with them. As for whether Wei Qingwan would be at a disadvantage, it had nothing to do with her. As long as they didn¡¯t drag her into it, they were free to mess around as they pleased. ¡°Then suit yourself!¡± Xiu Yaojun lost her patience with Wei Ruo. Seeing her repeatedly refuse, she stopped bothering with her.. Chapter 228: Madams Enthusiasm Towards Wei Ruo_l Chapter 228: Madams¡¯ Enthusiasm Towards Wei Ruo_l Trantor: 549690339 After that, Xiu Yaojun and Wei Qingwan set off together towards the Peach Blossom Forest. Madam Yun did notment on Wei Ruo¡¯s refusal to apany Xiu Yaojun. Firstly, Wei Ruo has always been like this, not sparing her own mother¡¯s face, let alone others¡¯; secondly, Wei Ruo and Xiu Yaojun are not familiar, and it is quite normal to refuse to join in on the fun. Not long after Xiu Yaojun and her group left, the Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife came over to chat with Madam Yun. Madam Yun smiled as she spoke with her, and during their conversation, they mentioned their sons studying at Anzhou Academy. ¡°My son Fengyuan told me that Young Master Wei is exceptionally talented and highly regarded by his teachers,¡± praised the Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife. ¡°His teachers overstate his abilities, my son Yichen¡¯s schrship is average. Compared to the many young masters in the government city, he still has a lot to learn,¡± Madam Yun immediately responded modestly. The Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife continued, ¡°Madam Wei is truly blessed. Both the eldest son and daughter are outstanding. Surely, endless blessings will follow in the future!¡± No one dislikes suchpliments, not even Madam Yun. Her eyes brightened with joy. Looking at Wei Ruo sitting quietly to one side, her smile deepened. The praise Madam Yun received from thedies today was unexpected. She had always thought that her daughter¡¯s behavior did not follow the standards of a finedy, believing it would be enough if she didn¡¯t attract criticism after entering the government city. Now, she found herself receivingpliments from the wives of officials. The Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife was also looking at Wei Ruo. Seeing the girl¡¯s calm demeanor, she asked softly, ¡°I heard Miss Qingwan has been studying with Master Wang Caiwei, what books has she read recently?¡± The name of Master Wang Caiwei is well-known along the Zhejiang Road. Those women who were taught by him were invariably of a higher standardpared to others. There was a subtle expression of expectation on the Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife¡¯s face as she said, ¡°Really? I must seize the opportunity to see it. With Qingwan¡¯s intelligence and being taught by Master Wang, her craftsmanship must be extraordinary!¡± Wei Ruoughed, ¡°My skills are mediocre, I dare not show them in front of Madam.¡± The Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife responded, ¡°Don¡¯t be so modest. I¡¯ve heard that even the daughters of the Yuan family, who studied alongside you, praised you highly. You are skillful, virtuous and elegant, a student greatly favored by Master Wang.¡± Wei Ruo just gave a light smile. As for suchpliments, one should just graciously ept them and not take them too seriously. At that moment, Madame Jin also walked over. The Jin family was a distinguished and ancient n of Taizhou prefecture, once counting an Imperial Tutor among their ancestors. Currently, they also have members serving as officials in outer regions. ¡°What is Madam Xiu talking about with Miss Wei? You all seem so cheerful. I was so curious I couldn¡¯t help bute over and join in,¡± Madam Jin said with a broad smile on her face. ¡°Not much, just asking Miss Wei about her daily affairs. I¡¯m just envious of Madam Wei for having a good daughter like Miss Wei, unlike my Yaojun who always gives me headaches,¡± sighed the Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife. In response, Madam Yun said hastily, ¡°Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife, you are too kind. Miss Yaojun is by no means inferior to my Ruo. You simply don¡¯t know how troublesome Ruo can be sometimes.¡± This was the truth, Wei Ruo could testify to that. Madam Yun indeed found her troublesome. Madam Jin affirmatively said, ¡°Miss Qingwan not only won the favor of the Seventh Prince, but also has a heart full of kindness. She has relieved the suffering of the people and is deeply loved by them.¡± Madam Jin agreed and said, ¡°Whoever is fortunate enough to marry Miss Wei as their daughter-inw will surely be blessed.¡± Madam Yunughed shyly, unable to hide her sense of pride. Madam Jin followed, ¡°I don¡¯t know which family will be lucky enough to have Miss Wei as their virtuous daughter-inw.¡± Madam Yunughed bashfully, unable to hide her pride. From the enthusiasm of all thedies towards herself and her eldest daughter, Madam Yun could vaguely sense that they were quite satisfied with her daughter. This gave her confidence that her daughter¡¯s marriage would cause her little worry. While they were talking, a sharp scream came from the direction of the Peach Blossom Forest, raising everyone¡¯s rm. Then, Xiu Yaojun and several other youngdies came running out from the forest, looking panicked. The Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife hastily stood up, ¡°Yaojun, what¡¯s going on, why are you so flustered?¡± ¡°It was just a snake, it startled me,¡± Xiu Yaojun exined. The Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife ordered someone to go into the Peach Blossom Forest to investigate. With so many high-rankingdies present, if there really was a snake, and someone got hurt, it would be serious. ¡°Where is Qingwan? Why hasn¡¯t my Qingwane out?¡± Madam Yun, noticing Wei Qingwan was not amongst those who had emerged, asked anxiously. Hearing this, the Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife immediately ordered her servant to go and find Wei Qingwan. Xiu Yaojun hung her head, appearing rather guilty. No one had noticed her reaction, but Wei Ruo did. She conjectured that Xiu Yaojun¡¯s shock was due not to the snake but something else. Xiu Yaojun and the others had done something to Wei Qingwan, something unexpected happened, making them panicked. The so-called Peach Blossom Forest is notrge. Those who were sent in soon returned, with Wei Qingwan. Weoi Qingwan appeared to have suffered some shock, her head down, face slightly pale, and her willowy figure swayed slightly as if in the wind, looking extremely pitiful. ¡°Qingwan.¡± Madam Yun quickly stepped forward, anxiously checking Wei Qingwan¡¯s condition. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine.¡± Wei Qingwan answered.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om More anxious, Madam Yun pressed on, ¡°But you encountered a snake? Did it bite you?¡± Wei Qingwan looked in the direction of Xiu Yaojun when she heard the word ¡°snake.¡± Sensing her gaze, Xiu Yaojun guiltily turned away. ¡°I was not bitten.¡± Wei Qingwan answered. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good,¡± Madam Yun repeated. Then the Assistant Magistrate¡¯s Wife ordered people to search the surroundings again, determined to find the frightening snake. At the same time, she apologized to everyone present, expressing that her arrangements were inadequate, having allowed a snake to enter their vicinity, disturbing everyone. At this moment, Xiu Fengyuan, Wei Yichen and others heard themotion and came over, asking about the situation through the fence. ¡°Mother, what happened? Did something go wrong?¡± Xiu Fengyuan asked anxiously.. Chapter 229: Asking for Embarrassment 1 Chapter 229: Asking for Embarrassment 1 Trantor: 549690339 I ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s nothing, your sister and her friends were just startled by a snake,¡± Madam Tongzhi replied. Hearing about the snake, a few young men were eager to prove their bravery expressing their intention to catch the snake and thus avenge those slighted.¡¯ Among them, Lu Yuhong was the most enthusiastic: ¡°Snake soup is delicious, once we catch it, we can make it into soup!¡± Such talking from Lu Yuhong attracted no ridicule. Had anyone else said SO, they likely would have beenughed at by the crowd. But Lu Yuhong was different. His social standing was far above anyone else present. Lu Yuhong was not a student of Anzhou Academy either. Today, he felt like mingling with the academy¡¯s students during their outing.N?v(el)B\\jnn On this ount, those from Anzhou Academy were very careful and tactful in hispany, afraid of upsetting him. While Lu Yuhong spoke, his gaze fell on Wei Ruo who was on the other side of the fence. Feeling Lu¡¯s stare, Wei Ruo figured that this gluttonous young master from the Lu family had taken an interest in her. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t truly believe that all thismotion was because of a snake. Both Xiu Yaojun and Wei Qingwan¡¯s reactions were somewhat off. However, both were hiding the true nature of the situation for their own purposes. Suddenly, several young masters left thepound, inspecting the surroundings in high spirits. Even if they didn¡¯t find the snake, giving the area a thorough check should put thedies who were out enjoying the day at ease. Wei Qingwan then returned to her original seat. Wei Ruo continued to sip her tea and enjoy her pastries at a leisurely pace, never intending to expose Wei Qingwan¡¯s lie. Rather, it was Wei Qingwan who kept looking at Wei Ruo, feeling a sense of guilt or something simr, always imagining that Wei Ruo seemed to know something. When Madam Yun got up and joined Madam Tongzhi and the others, Wei Qingwan initiated a conversation with Wei Ruo: ¡°Do you not believe that I encountered a snake?¡± We Ruo paused for a moment, then her lips curled involuntarily into a smile ¡°If you had encountered a snake, why didn¡¯t you all run out together? Why did theye out first and you came so muchter?¡± She hadn¡¯t intended to expose Wei Qingwan, but since she insisted on asking, Wei Ruo was forced to speak clearly. ¡°I¡¯m timid. Seeing the snake terrified me and my legs went weak,¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°What about your sleeve then? When was it torn?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°This¡­¡± Wei Qingwan nced at her own arm, exining, ¡°It was torn by a branch in the peach forest.¡± ¡°So it was a tree branch. I thought you met a rogue in there, had a scuffle, then were rescued by a hero,¡± Wei Ruo answered with a mild smile. Wei Qingwan went pale at those words, a look of fear shed in her eyes. Wei Ruo just spected that. In the original plot, Wei Qingwan was once rescued by Chu Lan at the Huafa Temple, and the instigator of that incident was she, the senseless supporting female character. Having observed Wei Qingwan¡¯s reaction, Wei Ruo was quite confident in her assumption. ¡°You can¡¯t just say things like that, sister. That tarnishes my reputation,¡± Wei Qingwan said with a serious expression, attempting to feign calm. ¡°Not at all. You asked me first, didn¡¯t you? Normally, I wouldn¡¯t say a word more than necessary,¡± Wei Ruo responded with a lightugh. Wei Qingwan turned pale at Wei Ruo¡¯s smile, and bit her lower lip. Wei Ruo did not bother to engage further. The only point of curiosity for her regarding the day¡¯s events was who the heroic rescuer might be. Was it one of the students from Anzhou Academy resting next door? ### Lu Yuhong, Xiu Fengyuan, Wei Yichen and a few other students from Anzhou Academy went around the miniature courtyard of the Xiu family, and truly caught a snake. Though they were students, they were well-versed in activities like riding and archery, therefore, catching a snake together wasn¡¯t a problem. Especially for Lu Yuhong, who was incredibly agile. However, they didn¡¯t know what breed of snake it was or whether it was poisonous. Lu Yuhong was more concerned about whether they could use the snake to make a delicious dish. While pondering over it, Lu Yuhong saw a man dressed in navy-colored silk and wearing a bamboo hat across the way. Immediately, he abandoned the snake and bid farewell to Xiu Fengyuan and the others. Lu Yuhong ran towards the man: ¡°Seventh Prince, what are you doing here?¡± Lu Yuhong hade to Taizhou prefecture for Chu Lan. After meeting up with Chu Lan, he was not only there to protect him but also to evade his grandfather¡¯s strict rules. Today was a beautiful day, so when he heard that the students of Anzhou Academy were going to have some fun, he left Chu Lan behind to participate in the fun. He thought Chu Lan did not want to leave the house, so he was surprised to see him here. ¡°I had some business,¡± Chu Lan replied. ¡°Alright, be careful. We still don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind the attempt on your life I¡¯m afraid they might make another move,¡± Lu Yuhong advised. ¡°Mhm. I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Chu Lan said, looking towards the courtyard. Seeing this, Lu Yuhong asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Nothing really,¡± Chu Lan replied. ¡®Do you want to stay and have a meal with us?¡± Lu Yuhong asked again. ¡°No need, I have something to attend to in the north of the town,¡± Chu Lan declined politely. ¡°Are you going to see that Mr. Xu again?¡± Lu Yuhong asked. Chu Lan didn¡¯t deny it, so that was as good as a confirmation. Lu Yuhong remarked, ¡°I get it that you want to express your gratitude since he saved your life. But considering what happened thest time you went to see him, you will probably be given the cold shoulder again.¡± Lu Yuhong didn¡¯t quite understand why a capable doctor turned farmer had such hostility against officials. Perhaps his family was wronged by someone in power in the past. ¡°Whatever he was subjected to in the past has nothing to do with me. I only know that he saved my life and our previous interactions were quite pleasant. I consider him a close friend,¡± Chu Lan said. After saying this, Chu Lan mounted his horse and sped off toward the northern town, without paying any more attention to the curious Lu Yuhong. His own attendants also followed suit on their horses. Lu Yuhong shook his head and sighed, ¡°I really don¡¯t get him. He is doing all this for a man. If you didn¡¯t know better, you would think that his lifesaver is a beauty capable of toppling an empire! His life-saving grace is significant, yes, but if the man doesn¡¯t want to associate with him, wouldn¡¯t it be better to just¡¯ offer him some silver coins?¡± ### At noon, they all ate together in the courtyard. Madam Tongzhi had especially invited a chef who meticulously prepared the day¡¯s meals. Some dishes were prepared using freshly picked wild vegetables such as dressed pigweed, stir-fried shepherds purse and dried bean curd fried with water celery. Wei Ruo found everything delightful. Additionally, Madam Tongzhi specifically sent someone to Zuixian Residence to buy a few dishes. The dishes at Zuixian Residence were special and unparalleled; they were delicious and excellent for entertaining guests.. Chapter 230: Comparing Poetry_i Chapter 230: Comparing Poetry_i Trantor: 549690339 After the meal, everyone began to talk about the food they had just eaten. ¡°Has the Zuixian Residence hired a new chef? This food is even more delicious than before, full of vors, which makes the food from other ces taste nd after eating theirs.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, I just know that their food tastes extremely good, our cooks at home could never achieve This level.¡± ¡°My Madam also recently became a fan of their dishes, she has specially ordered the staff at home to buy their food several times.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a pudding shop nearby, the taste of their pudding is also different from elsewhere, it¡¯s extremely good. Compared with it, all others seem tock some vors.¡± Wei Ruo listened quietly on the side without interrupting, but she was happy inside. The more people talk like this, the more beneficial it is for her little workshop, not only would Fan Chengxu be more willing to cooperate with her, but it would also be easier to expand other sales channels in the future. Meanwhile, the students from the Anzhou Academy next door also had the same lunch, with a slight difference being that they had a snake soup specially ordered by Master Lu. However, Lu Yuhong didn¡¯t seem to be very satisfied with this soup, as he found it nd and felt that it didn¡¯t bring out the wonderful vor of snake soup. However, he was quite satisfied with the dishes from the Zuixian Residence. ¡°That Fan fellow, he must have hired a new cook recently, had I known, I would have gone to his restaurant to eat earlier.¡± Lu Yuhong somewhat regretted that he hadn¡¯t found out sooner. As Lu Yuhong finished his mumbling, he found Xiu Fengyuan next to him peering at the women through the bamboo fence. ¡°Xiu Fengyuan, what are you looking at?¡± Lu Yuhong asked. ¡°I¡¯m looking at my younger sister.¡± Xiu Fengyuan immediately exined. ¡°What are you looking at your sister for?¡± Lu Yuhong asked again. ¡°I¡­ my sister tends to be a bit troublesome, I want to see if she behaves well today.¡± Xiu Fengyuan exined, his eyes somewhat evasive. ¡°Really?¡± Lu Yuhong thought Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s expression was a bit odd. ¡°Brother Lu, how was the food today? Was it to your liking?¡± Xiu Fengyuan deliberately changed the topic. ¡°The food prepared by your home cook was mediocre, but the novelty of the dishes made up for it. I¡¯ve never tasted these wild vegetables when I was in the north. The dishes of Zuixian Residences were good, especially the te of marinated meat, it left me wanting more.¡± Lu Yuhong remarked. ¡°When we return to the cityter, I¡¯ll have a page boy go and buy more marinated meat from that restaurant for brother Lu.¡± Xiu Fengyuan offered. ¡°What? That marinated meat isn¡¯t from the Zuixian Residence?¡± Lu Yuhong asked. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not from the Zuixian Residence. It¡¯s from a marinated meat shop. Although the store looks usual, the vor is great. Many wealthy families in the Government City buy marinated meat from them.¡± Xiu Fengyuan exined. ¡°That good, even better than Mr. Fan?¡± Lu Yuhong immediately showed interest. Seeing Lu Yuhong¡¯s interest, Xiu Fengyuan started sharing more about the marinated meat shop with him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Master Lu seldom showed interest in things other than war and martial arts, Xiu Fengyuan naturally wanted to cater to his interest. ### After the meal, thedies rested for a while. Xiu Yaojun proposed that everyone should create a verse of a poem with ¡®spring¡¯ as the theme. This proposal quickly received approval from all thedies present. Wei Qingwan at this time also came out of her trance. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t say anything. She did not originally want to participate but seeing everyone else¡¯s enthusiasm, there was no excuse for her to refuse. Firstly, Xiu Yaojun led, then the youngdies from each family joined in. The scene turned quite lively, whenever there was a good verse, there would always be a cheer. These cheers were also mixed with men¡¯s voicesing from next door. The schrs of the Anzhou Academy were just a bamboo fence away from them. Even though the ovepping flower shadows made it hard to glimpse clearly, they could hear their voices very clearly if they remained quiet. It seemed that the schrs knew they were reciting poems, there was a pause to listen to their poetry. When it was Wei Ruo¡¯s table¡¯s turn, Wei Qingwan started, reciting a sentence that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t pay close attention to because she was somewhat distracted. And then she heard a round of cheers around her. These cheers were more enthusiastic than any earlier ones, the men¡¯s voices from the neighboring group were louder than before as well. It seemed that all thedies and young girls present were praising Wei Qingwan, while Wei Qingwan was modestly saying some words. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t pay close attention to these, because firstly she was not interested in such activities and secondly, poetry was not her forte. Immediately after this, she heard Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan calling her. ¡°Ruo Ruo, it¡¯s your turn now.¡± ¡°Sister, it¡¯s your turn to recite a poem.¡± Wei Ruo then returned to reality, calmly replying: ¡°I¡¯m not good at poetry.¡± Wei Ruo knew that making such a statement would certainly deal a blow to her image in the eyes of everyone, but she did not mind. The earlier enthusiasm of Madam Tongzhi and Madam Jin towards her had already left her somewhat overwhelmed. She didn¡¯t really want to gain a good reputation among them, so she simply admitted candidly that she was not good at poetry. Seeing Wei Ruo refusing in this way, the others also fell silent. However, Wei Qingwan said: ¡°Sister, you are a student of Master Wang, who is recognized as ady of extraordinary talent in Jiangnan, her poetry is unmatched, you must be modest when you say this.¡± Hearing these words, Wei Ruo waspletely sober now. Others didn¡¯t know, but Wei Qingwan should be very clear that she had only been back to the Military Prefecture for just over a year and she had only been studying under Wang Caiwei for half a year. Writing poetry is not a simple task, it requires profound umtion. Wei Qingwan knew very well that Wei Ruo had not been studying for a long time, but she still said such things in front of everyone, which made it difficult for Wei Ruo to not suspect her of some ulterior motive. ¡°I really am not good at poetry, sister, don¡¯t force me,¡± said Wei Ruo, making her stance clear once more. At this point, Madam Tongzhi wanted to help Wei Ruo to get out of the situation by skipping her turn. The poetry of this Miss Wei was probably not very good, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have said so bluntly that she was not good at poetry at this moment. Madam Tongzhi didn¡¯t think it was a big deal, it didn¡¯t matter if her poetry was slightly inferior. From the perspective of choosing a main mother for the family, this did not pose a big issue. Just before Madam Tongzhi could speak, Wei Qingwan once again said to Wei Ruo: ¡°Sister, stop being so modest. Everyone has created poems, just you haven¡¯t.¡± If everyone had recited and only Wei Ruo insisted on refusing, it would make her seem quite unsociable. At least say a verse or two, not all of the verses recited previously were spectacr after all. As she spoke, Wei Qingwan looked at Wei Ruo with eyes full of anticipation. Looking into Wei Qingwan¡¯s watery eyes, Wei Ruo suddenly changed her mind and blurted out, ¡°Then I¡¯ll create one.¡± Wei Ruo looked around, then her gaze fell on the peach forest behind her. Then she said to Xiu Yaojun, who was responsible for writing: ¡°The fallen flowers are not heartless, but turn into spring mud to nourish the blossoms.¡± After Wei Ruo finished, everyone fell into silence.. Chapter 231: Noticing Theres a Problem with the Seedlings_i Chapter 231: Noticing There¡¯s a Problem with the Seedlings_i Trantor: 549690339 Xiu Yaojun paused, and then slowly began to write down the lines of poetry Wei Ruo had just dictated. Everyone took some time to read the lines, eventually bing absorbed in its deeper meaning. The young schrs of the Anzhou Academy such as Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Yichen, who were in the next room, quietened down for a moment. Soon, looks of surprise and delight dawned across their faces, almost simultaneously. Xiu Fengyuan began to heap praise on her, eximing, ¡¯What a wonderful poem! It speaks of spring, but not just of spring! It praises flowers, but not just flowers! Truly, it is a poem that could only beposed by Miss Wei from the Wei Family, a person who can put aside the self for the greater good!¡± Compared to Miss Wei¡¯s poem, the lines penned by all present seemed somewhat parochial, merely depicting spring, flowers, trees, or expressions of mncholy. Miss Wei, on the other hand, captured vast ambitions within the metaphor of spring blossoms. Fengyuan couldn¡¯t resist saying to Yichen, ¡°Brother Yichen, your sister is not an ordinary woman!¡± Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t suppress his smile, genuinely surprised that his young sister Ruo could write such a broad-minded poem. When Ruoruo humbly dered herself a mediocre poet earlier, he had believed her. After all, it was not surprising that his elder sister, who hadn¡¯t been at home for long, wasn¡¯t skilled at writing poetry. The rest of the students also gave high praise to Wei Ruo¡¯s poem. Lu Yuhong, who was not as skilled in poetry as the others, still understood it somewhat. From the perspective of a martial artist like himself, he also preferred the two lines from Miss Wei from the Wei Family. On the other side, Madam Fengyuan, recovering from her surprise, began toud Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss Wei, your poem is wonderful and greatly suits the theme of today¡¯s spring outing.¡± Following Madam Fengyuan¡¯s praise, the others also began topliment Wei Ruo¡¯s poem effusively, their praises even morevish than their previousments on Wei Qingwan. Hearing the barrage ofpliments, Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression grew darker. She bit her lip to keep her emotions at bay. Madam Yun, however, was looking at Wei Ruo in surprise. This unexpected oue had not crossed her mind. She assumed that Ruo, who spent every day working on agricultural matters, wouldn¡¯t be proficient in poetry. Earlier, when Wanwan had encouraged her elder daughter to recite the poem, she had felt rather nervous and uneasy. If it weren¡¯t for the public asion she would have dissuaded her right away. As it turned out, Wanwan had a better understanding of her elder daughter. Not only was her daughter good at writing poetry, but she had also been genuinely modest. Madam Fengyuan then suggested, ¡°I think the winning prize should go to Miss Wei today. What does everyone else think?¡± Everyone else readily agreed, supporting Madam Fengyuan¡¯s judgment. Madam Fengyuan then walked over to Wei Ruo, smiling, removed the jade pendant that she wore, and presented it to Wei Ruo. ¡°Madam, what is this?¡± Wei Ruo asked in confusion. ¡°This is the prize for today¡¯spetition. As the winner, you are naturally entitled to it,¡± Madam Fengyuan exined. Only then did Wei Ruo realize there was a prize for this activity, during which she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the details. Since it had been agreed, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t refuse. She epted the jade pendant from Madam Fengyuan with both hands. ¡°Thank you, Madam,¡± said Wei Ruo. Madam Fengyuan smiled graciously at her, her eyes full of satisfaction. We Ruo then nced at Wei Qingwan, whose head was bowed so low that her face could not be seen. But Wei Ruo could guess that she must be feeling upset. After all, if it hadn¡¯t been for her, the prize would have been Wei Qingwan¡¯s. In her heart, Wei Ruo conceded that it was not her fault. She wasn¡¯t initially nning to recite anything, Qingwan was the one who forced her into it. Although she wasn¡¯t skilled at writing poetry, she was capable of remembering poems. Moreover, she was fortunate to know some poems that the others didn¡¯t. ### After a short rest, thedies started heading towards a nearby farmhouse, following Madam Fengyuan¡¯s arrangement. The farm had been prepared in advance by Madam Fengyuan, with people already arranged to receive them. During their journey to the farmhouse, they passed through a vast farnd which belonged to the local farmers. At that moment, farmers were busy working in the fields-nting rice, weeding, or digging irrigation ditches. Thedies chatted as they walked, discussing their hopes for this year¡¯s autumn harvest. Some rice fields they passed already had young nts that had been nted some time ago. Afterst year¡¯s poor harvest, many people chose to nt early-maturing rice this year, hoping for an early harvest to secure their grain supply.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Ruo looked at the rice seedlings in the field, her eyebrows furrowed slightly. The seedling¡¯s leaf sheaths were a bit too long, its color slightly yellow, and the internodes were somewhat elongated. There were also slight curvature at the joints showing outside of the leaf sheath. These symptoms weren¡¯t immediately noticeable unless one examined them closely or was familiar with the characteristics of seedlings. However, these symptoms indicated a very destructive disease to rice seedlings. If it was that disease, it would be necessary to immediately rece the seedlings, and it would be best to re-cultivate them. Wei Ruo went further ahead and found that the same status existed in the seedlings of several continuous rice fields. This disease is contagious, so it was normal for there to berge-scale infection. But with several households experiencing the same situation, the problem was even more severe. If left alone, by the time the seedlingspletely manifested the problem, it might be toote to re-cultivate and rece them. Furthermore, if they do not understand the cause of this situation, seedlings cultivated in the future may still encounter the same problem. Wei Ruo pondered for a while, then saw an old man resting by the side of the rice field. She stopped walking and took the initiative to converse with the old man. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s actions, Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan also stopped. ¡°Mother, what is sister doing?¡± Wei Qingwan inquired. Perhaps she has something to discuss with that old man,¡± Madam Yun replied though not entirely sure herself. The otherdies, noticing Wei Ruo¡¯s peculiar behavior, also stopped to watch. As they watched curiously, the old man suddenly started cursing loudly. His voice was so loud that everyone could hear him. ¡°Stop spouting nonsense here! What do you know? Judging by your clothes, it¡¯s clear you¡¯re a richdy who has never done a day¡¯s worth of fieldwork¡¯ If you don¡¯t know anything, stop making things up! You¡¯re openly cursing our crops¡¯ You¡¯re up to no good!¡± The old man¡¯s cursing attracted other vigers who were working in the fields. They gathered around to ask what had happened. The old man exined to everyone, ¡°This youngdy said there¡¯s a problem with the rice seedlings we¡¯ve nted. She told us to pull them out and burn them, and then re-nt them!¡± Upon hearing this, the vigers looked at Wei Ruo with anger in their eyes. A middle-aged woman confronted Wei Ruo, saying, ¡°Miss, we don¡¯t me you for not knowing our hardship, but why are you cursing us and causing us trouble?¡± A young man also shot back, ¡°What do you hope to achieve by this? Do you know how hard we worked to nt these rice seedlings? You juste in and tell us to pull them all out? Being a rich man¡¯s daughter who never will work the fields, what do you know?¡± Chapter 232: What to do if mistaken?_i Chapter 232: What to do if mistaken?_i Trantor: 549690339n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om These people were looking at Wei Ruo with hostility. The several Madams who witnessed this scene revealed expressions of surprise on their faces. Seeing the vigers before her filled with hostility toward her, Wei Ruo exined again, ¡°Your rice seedlings may have been affected by the pestilence disease. They show symptoms consistent with it: the des and sheaths of the leaves are elongated, leaf colors are yellowish, internodes arerger than normal, and the nodes have some curvature showing outside the sheaths. If not treated in time, this will affect your harvest this year. There¡¯s still time to rece the seedlings and cultivate anew.¡± ¡°Nonsense, you¡¯re trying to scare us! What pestilence disease? From where did you hear of this?¡± The elder who had spoken first asked angrily. ¡°I read about it in a book on farming.¡± Wei Ruo answered. She could only say this, she couldn¡¯t reveal that it was knowledge obtained from her past life, that it was an infection caused by a nt pathogen. ¡°Rubbish! I¡¯ve farmed for thirty-eight years! I¡¯ve never heard of this pestilence disease! I don¡¯t care what book you read.¡± The other vigers nodded in agreement. ¡°Old Jiang is right. Farming is our business, it has nothing to do with you or your book. Just stay away and don¡¯t curse us.¡± ¡°Just a young girl and so malicious? Cursing us with a poor harvest right at the start, you should umte more virtue!¡± Under the angry gazes of the vigers, Wei Ruo got up and returned to her group. ¡°Ruoruo, what¡¯s this all about?¡± Madam Yun asked with concern. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s keep going.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Wei Ruo, they didn¡¯t harm you, did they?¡± Madam Tongzhi came over, giving Wei Ruo a concerned look. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Madam. I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just that I have some disagreements with them. Let¡¯s keep going.¡± Wei Ruo answered. Hearing this, Madam Tongzhi didn¡¯t ask further. After Wei Ruo left, the vigers muttered some curse words at her back. Arriving at Madam Tongzhi¡¯s farm, workers were busy in the fields. Wei Ruo also observed the seedlings in the field, finding the situation here the same as that outside. Wei Ruo looked at Madam Tongzhi beside her and after some consideration, said, ¡°Madam, I suspect that this batch of rice seeds may have some problems, and the seedlings grown from them may have contracted a disease.¡¯ Madam Tongzhi looked at Wei Ruo, recalling the words she had just spoken with the farmers outside. Thinking for a moment, Madam Tongzhi said, ¡°I¡¯m clear on all the ounts of the farm. However, I don¡¯t know much about the details of how the crops are grown. I¡¯ll call over the manager of my farmter and ask if you could exin to him what should be done with these diseased seedlings and how to remedy this.¡± Wei Ruo looked at Madam Tongzhi with surprise, ¡°Madam, you don¡¯t suspect what I said? What if I was wrong?¡± Madam Tongzhiughed, ¡°To begin with, you have no reason to intentionally lie about this. As for you, there is no advantage if you¡¯re right, and if you¡¯re wrong, you would just be somewhat embarrassed. Also, even if you were wrong, so what? I may not know much about farming, but I know that it¡¯s still early, and there is still time to rece the seedlings. The effort required to do so is not much, and I don¡¯t need to personally do it.¡± Madam Tongzhi¡¯s words increased Wei Ruo¡¯s favorable impression of her significantly. Wei Ruo also breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Then Madam, please introduce me to the farm managerter, and I will exin in detail the remedial measures.¡± ¡°Alright. Well, thank you.¡± Madam Tongzhi said. After Wei Ruo finished speaking with Madam Tongzhi, Madam Yun pulled Wei Ruoruo aside and asked quietly, ¡°Is this so-called pestilence disease real? Could you have made it up? Or perhaps the book you read about rice farming was unreliable. What will we do if it¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Rest assured, even if I was wrong, it was my own reputation at stake. If Madam Tongzhi were to be upset, she would be upset with me alone, not you or the Wei Family.¡± ¡°What are you saying? You¡¯re the eldest legitimate daughter of the Wei Family. Everything you say and do represents the Wei Family. When did you start making such clear distinctions?¡± Madam Yun was unhappy with Wei Ruo¡¯s words. ¡°Even if the distinction isn¡¯t clear, there¡¯s no helping it. I¡¯ve already said it. You can choose to either believe me this time or continue living in fear.¡± Wei Ruo said. After all, words once spoken can¡¯t be taken back. Even if Madam Yun doesn¡¯t believe her, she can¡¯t change anything now. Hearing this, Madam Yun was somewhat dissatisfied but indeed had no way to deal with Wei Ruo. What she was unhappy about was Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude towards herself, her mother. Her mother had only asked her a few questions. She should respond properly rather than with such an attitude. It seemed as if she didn¡¯t even care about her own mother. Could it be wrong for a mother to ask her daughter a few questions? If it weren¡¯t for the many outsiders present, Madam Yun would have definitely taken this opportunity to give her a thorough talk! While Madam Yun and Wei Ruo were talking, Madam Tongzhi had already sent someone to call over the farm¡¯s manager. Then, Madam Tongzhi indeed asked the manager to consult with Wei Ruo about the disease-stricken seedlings. Wei Ruo then told the manager about the possible disease of the seedlings and the need to rece them. She also told how to choose seeds and cultivate seedlings anew to avoid such happenings in the future. The manager was Madam Tongzhi¡¯s confidante and naturally could understand Madam Tongzhi¡¯s intentions. He took down Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions carefully and promised to handle things exactly as Wei Ruo had said. After the minor interruption, everyone spent some time strolling around Xiu Family¡¯s farm. Then they gathered in a pavilion arranged by Madam Tongzhi to have tea. Though they talked about spring outings and sympathizing with farmers, everyone knew that these nobledies, ustomed to luxury and leisure, couldn¡¯t possibly be made to truly exert themselves. Even walking a bit more was considered troublesome. Therefore, this trip was more for show than for meaning, just to earn a reputation. Wei Ruo naturally understood this; thus, she wasn¡¯t surprised when everyone sat down to rest after walking for little more than the time it took to brew a pot of tea. Wei Ruo casually joined the others in sitting down to sip tea and enjoy the sun, while also admiring the scenery. Then Wei Ruo noticed a group of students from Anzhou Academy riding horses in the distance. It seemed they were having an archerypetition, and the venue was the open space on the Xiu Family¡¯s farm. They had set up targets on the open ground. As they rode past, they would draw their bows and shoot, and scores were judged based on the uracy of their shots. While Wei Ruo was watching, Madam Tongzhi said to her, half-joking and half-teasing, ¡°I heard during lunch that they nned topete in archery. Since there¡¯s an open space avable on the farm, I let them practice there. It conveniently provides us with some entertainment. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo replied with a nod. Then Madam Tongzhi pointed to a man in green in the crowd, ¡°The one in green, riding the brown horse, is my son. He¡¯s currently studying at Anzhou Academy like your elder brother. This autumn, he¡¯ll also be taking the township examination..¡± Chapter 233 - 233 My mother fancies your sister 1 Chapter 233 My mother fancies your sister 1 Trantor: 549690339??? ¡ª Mmm.¡± Wei Ruo had already recognized it when she was at the Xiu¡¯s courtyard. Madam Tongzhi spoke again, ¡°From a young age, Fengyuan has always been a child who worries me less, whether it¡¯s studying or doing other things, he doesn¡¯t require much concern from me, unlike his restless sister.¡± Wei Ruo responded with a smile, the words of Madam Tongzhi making her somewhat unsure of how to handle them. Even if she weren¡¯t the sharpest person, she ought to feel the message that Madam Tongzhi intended to convey. Wei Qingwan, on the side, bit her lip secretly. The attitude of Madam Tongzhi towards Wei Ruo further confirmed what Xiu Yaojun had said. Madam Tongzhi fancied Wei Qingruo and wanted her to be the daughter- inw of the Xiu Family! The Xiu Family is a prominent family of Taizhou Prefecture, and Xiu Fengyuan is dignified and also a fellow student with his elder brother at the Anzhou Academy. He is even participating in the provincial examination this autumn, promising limitless future prospects. Wei Qingruo was raised by a merchant family and has grown up with a crude way of living, yet she still finds such good fortune. This caused Wei Qingwan to feel somewhat displeased. From a distance, Xiu Fengyuan, Wei Yichen and other students from the Anzhou Academy are engaged in a contest with Lu Yuhong. Lu Yuhong was the first to go up, each arrow hitting its target, looking imposing, eliciting praises from the other students. These praises were sincere and did not merely offer ttery for Lu Yuhong¡¯s status.???? 6 Lu Yuhong s horse archery skills are rarely matched even in the Capital City not just among them. With Lu Yuhong outstandingly leading the way, the performances of the others seemed much less impressive. However, Xiu Fengyuan stood out from the crowd, and with a score that nearly matched Lu Yuhong¡¯s, he won the apuse of everyone present. Horse archery is a weak point for Wei Yichen, he has always performed poorly in this field, hence his performance today was mediocre. Lu Yuhong, looking at Wei Yichen who has returned on a horse, said, ¡°Your ancestors from the Wei Family are renowned founding generals, and your father is also a military general who has fought invasions on all fronts. But how do you not inherit any of the military bloodline?¡± Wei Yichen responded with some shame, ¡°I am dull and have not been able to inherit the horse archery skills of my father and ancestors.¡± ¡°What a pity.¡± Lu Yuhong, being straightforward, said what he thought without considering how others might feel hearing his words. Wei Yichen epted Lu Yuhong¡¯s evaluation honestly, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a bit of pity. When I was young, my father used to say the same.¡± But things have improved now, as little brother Yilin has recently shown promising martial arts talent and interest, and might possibly be the one to carry on their father¡¯s legacy if nurtured well. After the contest ended and everyone took a little rest, Wei Yichen looked towards the pavilion in the distance and sought the figures of his mother and sisters among the crowd. He saw his mother engaged in a casual chat with other Madams, and sister Wanwan was also having a conversation with thedies her age from prominent families, whereas Ruoruo was sitting in a corner lost in her own thoughts. Xiu Fengyuan approached and said to Wei Yichen, ¡°Brother Wei, are you looking at your two sisters?¡± Wei Yichen nodded in assent. ¡®I heard that the oldest Miss Wei was raised in the countryside due to her weak health?¡± Xiu Fengyuan asked further. ¡°Mmm.¡± Wei Yichen nodded and then added, ¡°Although my elder sister was raised in the countryside since her childhood, she is as knowledgeable and well-mannered as my younger sister.¡± ¡°lean see that. I have already experienced the schrship of Miss Wei earlier,¡± Xiu Fengyuan agreed. Following that, Xiu Fengyuan said, ¡°To be honest, my mother had mentioned her liking for your elder sister even before today.¡± Hearing this, Wei Yichen turned back and looked at Xiu Fengyuan in surprise. Xiu Fengyuan was somewhat embarrassed, but he continued, ¡°Honestly, I was somewhat resistant to the idea until today, but I yielded to my mother¡¯s wishes. Then today, under my mother¡¯s arrangements, I got to see your elder sister from a distance.¡± Xiu Fengyuan was quite frank and didn¡¯t hide the fact that today¡¯s arrangements were intentional from Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen was at a loss for words for a moment. Xiu Fengyuan continued, ¡°However, after what I saw today, I seem to have less of the resistance towards my mother¡¯s arrangement.¡± Clearly, Xiu Fengyuan was satisfied with Wei Ruo whom he met today. Although matters of marriage are usually arranged by parents, but if the other party was someone like Wei Ruo, it seemingly didn¡¯t seem that uneptable. Wei Yichen said, ¡°I have no say in this matter. It ultimately depends on my parents¡¯ decision. However, I have heard my father mention that he isn¡¯t in a hurry for my sisters to get married. They have just turned fourteen this year, and father still wants them to enjoy a few more years under his care.¡± Xiu Fengyuan exined, ¡°I understand. My mother also said that even if it is decided, it will just be an engagement.¡± Speaking, Xiu Fengyuan bowed to Wei Yichen, ¡°I hope Brother Wei could put in a good word for me to your elder sister in the future.¡± Wei Yichen felt somewhatplicated. From his understanding of Xiu Fengyuan, he was indeed a suitable match. It was just that his elder sister had returned home not long ago, and he had not considered settling her marriage so quickly. However, as Xiu Fengyuan had said, it would be parents¡¯mand and matchmakers¡¯ words, and it was not his ce to decide. ### After the day¡¯s outing had ended, Madam Yun, Wei Qingwan and Wei Ruo went back to the Military Prefecture by carriage. In a short while, Wei Yichen also came back. It was not the time for him to return home, but he had some business today, so he took a special trip back to the Prefecture. After returning to the Prefecture, Wei Yichen met Madam Yun and told her the n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om news he had heard from Xiu Fengyuan. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s face shone with joy. ¡°Mother, do you think this is a good thing?¡± Wei Yichen asked, his brows furrowed. ¡°Of course it¡¯s a good thing. Although the Xiu family isn¡¯t a meritorious family, they have deep roots and many people in their n hold office now. Although Master Xiu only holds the position of Tongzhi, his future looks promising, and moving to the Capital City in the future is not impossible. The son of Xiu family is good at academics and probably has a good character too, or else you wouldn¡¯t be friends with him.¡± Madam Yun said. Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t refute. Everything his mother said was true. Xiu family was indeed a suitable match. However¡­ ¡®Mother, father intends to not let the two sisters get married so quickly.¡± Wei Yichen said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve mentioned this before, and I won¡¯t let your sisters get married so early. But if we could make this work, it would be a good thing ¡± Madam Yun said. It wasmon for the daughters of the nobility to have their marriages arranged early. Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t say more, but said, ¡°Mother, you¡¯d better ask my elder sister¡¯s opinion more. We owe her a lot. Even though we couldn¡¯t help her in other matters, we should let her decide for herself about her marriage.¡± ¡°You silly kid, ever since ancient times, parents have arranged marriages. How can we listen to the girl¡¯s own opinions? What does she know about marriage? It¡¯s better for us to decide for them.¡± Madam Yun said. Speaking of this, Madam Yun changed the topic to Wei Yichen, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for fear of ruining your studies, I should have started making inquiries about your marriage by now.¡± Chapter 234: Inspecting the Brewery_i Chapter 234: Inspecting the Brewery_i Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Mother, I am going to take the provincial examination this autumn. I don¡¯t want any distractions.¡± Wei Yichen rushed to say. ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t mentionyour matters for now.¡± Mrs.Yun replied, ¡°But don¡¯t worry about your sister¡¯s affairs either. Although I have minor disagreements with your eldest sister, she is still my own flesh and blood. I will definitely select a suitable son-inw for her when ites to marriage.¡± Following that, Mrs.Yun said, ¡°Previously, I thought that Ruoruo, with her temperament, might not be able to marry into a prestigious family, so I thought of finding a decent schr or a farming family. Now it seems she has her own destiny. I am d about this.¡± Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t say anything else, so he let the topic rest here. After chatting about family matters for a while and seeing Wei Yichen looking tired, Mrs.Yun asked him to go rest. ### Upon returning to Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo immediately went to her study to write letters. First, she wanted to instruct the people on the farm to be vignt against the malignant seedling disease, and if they found any problems with the seedlings, they should immediately notify her. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Second, she wrote to her nanny, urging her to step up the efforts she¡¯d previously mentioned to help her find her potential fiance. The attitude of Madam Tongzhi today reminded her, letting her know that she must speed up her efforts. If she was indeed as Mrs.Yun thought of her, not being worthy enough for prestigious families, that¡¯s fine, she could dy for another two years. But if a family like the Xiu family took a fancy to her, Mrs.Yun could have such thoughts. If her marriage was decided at that point, it would put her in a rather passive position. ¡°Miss, the blight disease you saw today, is it the same as the one we saw in Huzhou Prefecture a few years ago?¡± Xiumei asked. Wei Ruo nodded: ¡°The symptoms seem to be the same.¡± ¡°That¡¯s terrible then, the weather has been bad for the past two years, with irregr wind and rain, it¡¯s hard to harvest a high yield. With this added problem, there¡¯s no certainty for food production.¡± Xiumei expressed her worries. ¡°I¡¯ll try to find time to go around these few days, persuade those that can be persuaded, for those that can¡¯t be, I¡¯ve tried my best.¡± Wei Ruo said. Even though Wei Ruo encountered a setback at the farmers¡¯ houses today, she still wanted to try her best. This was a matter of saving people¡¯s lives, if the food production was short, many people would die. Xiumei nodded, at that time, their youngdy was scolded by many people when she was persuading people in Huzhou Prefecture. At that time, their youngdy was only ten years old, no one believed her words, and the scolding was very harsh. But luckily in the end, there were sensible people who listened to her and carefully checked the seedlings, confirmed that there was a problem and chose to believe their youngdy. Among them, was the vige head of Mo Jiazha, under his strong rmendation, the vige of Mo Jiazha decided to rent thete rice variety from their youngdy, as a result, that year, Mo Jiazha had a big harvest, while some surrounding viges suffered a total loss of crops. ### In the following days, Wei Ruo, when she had the time, would go to the viges near Government City under the identity of Xu Heyou. If she found anything wrong, she wouldmunicate with the local farmers. The situation was simr to when Wei Ruo was in Huzhou Prefecture, or even worse. It was inevitable to get scolded, and getting driven out of the vige with an unceremonious shove was the least of it. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t mind, she did what she needed to do, and let fate decide. Today, Wei Ruo came to Stone Vige, where she opened her Brewery. The brewery was still under construction, and Wei Ruo¡¯s visit was just in time to check on the progress. Arriving at the designated ce, here where the distillery was located, the back was against arge mountain and a stream ran in front. The surroundings were very pleasant, already, several houses had been added to the originally barren t ground. As these were houses used for brewing, they were significantly different from ordinary houses. The biggest difference was the presence of a boiler room for distilling white liquor, which ordinary breweries did not have. The people responsible for the construction didn¡¯t even know its purpose. ¡°Master Xu!¡± ¡°Master Xu!¡± ¡°Master Xu! You are here!¡± Upon seeing Wei Ruo, everyone started greeting her enthusiastically. Currently, everyone working here was from Wei Ruo¡¯s farm. They were all enthusiastic because Wei Ruo treated them very well. Not only was she paying more than others, but she also implemented a bonus system, where those who did well were given extra rewards. For those sent to farm, the higher the yield of the rice field they managed in the past, the more their reward would be. This treatment was better than just being farmborers, it was almost as good as that of tenant farmers. However, they had more security than tenant farmers. If there was no yield in the tenant farmer¡¯s own fields, they¡¯d be left with nothing, but at least they still had the wages paid by Wei Ruo. Those who were sent to work in the workshop were the same, if the workshop was doing well, they also had rewards. Such good treatment was hard to find even in a rtively good harvest year, let alone in these tough times. Wei Ruo smiled and nodded, ¡°You have all worked hard.¡± ¡°Not at all, Master Xu, be careful, there are many odds and ends around here and the floor is messy with beams, please watch your step.¡± borer carefully reminded Wei Ruo. ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo nodded. After touring around, Wei Ruo was very satisfied with the construction of the winery, which was in line with her expectations in terms of construction progress and construction quality. ording to this situation, the winery could officially start operations next month. It seems she needs to start selecting and training workers, and also start preparing the crops needed for brewing. After the inspection, Wei Ruo went to the vige head of Stone Vige¡¯s house. Standing outside the fence of the vige head¡¯s house, Wei Ruo was wondering if he was home. ¡°Master Xu!¡± The vige head, Shi Dayou, who came out of the house, saw Wei Ruo and came out to greet her warmly. Shi Dayou, in his thirties, had a limp leg and limped when he walked. He didn¡¯t look like the authoritative kind, nor was he old, and didn¡¯t look like a vige head. Shi Dayou opened the fence gate and invited Wei Ruo in, ¡°Master Xu, pleasee in.¡± Wei Ruo entered the gate, and followed Shi Dayou into the house. The interior was simple but clean. ¡°Has Master Xue to inspect the construction progress of the brewery today?¡± Shi Dayou asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo nodded, then continued to Shi Dayou, ¡°In addition, there is something else I want to discuss with the vige head.¡± ¡± If Master Xu needs our vigers¡¯ help in any way, please feel free to mention it, we will definitely help as much as we can!¡± said Shi Dayou in a hurry. ¡°It¡¯s not that I need any help, but when I entered the vige today, I noticed some abnormalities in the seedlings of rice fields around the vige. ording to my experience, there may be some problems with these seedlings.¡± Wei Ruo said. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Shi Dayou remained silent for a good while. ¡°Vige Head?¡± Wei Ruo called out to Shi Dayou. Chapter 235 - 235 Why are you avoiding me_l Chapter 235 Why are you avoiding me_l Trantor: 549690339 | Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s voice, Shi Dayou came back to his senses and then said ¡°To be frank with you Master Xu, I have actually been feeling that there is something wrong with the seedlings in this field during thest few days. I have been farming since I was three years old and in thirty-five years, I have be very familiar with how seedlings should grow at this time. Even the slightest irregrity, I can spot the difference. Wei Ruo listened carefully to Shi Dayou¡¯s words, without interrupting him. Shi Dayou continued, ¡°The way these seedlings are growing doesn¡¯t feel quite right, but for now, I can¡¯t be certain if there¡¯s a problem. After hearing what Master Xu just said, my suspicion has be more of a certainty. It turned out that not only Wei Ruo had suspicions, but Shi Dayou held the same opinion. We Ruo¡¯s gaze towards Shi Dayou changed, a touch of admiration appearing in his eyes. ¡°Have you not considered changing the seedlings?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Well even though I¡¯m the vige chief, making this decision is hard. What if my judgment is wrong, won¡¯t I be making the vigers work in vain? Moreover, changing seedlings at this point may affect this year¡¯s rice production, and everyone is looking forward to a good harvest from this batch.¡± Shi Dayou was torn and distressed over the matter. ¡°I have a batch ofte-season rice seeds on my hands, nting themte won t affect the yield, and these seeds are highly resistant to diseases and pests. They are more resilient and have a higher yield than ordinary rice seeds.¡± Wei Ruo said to Shi Dayou. ¡°Really? Are there such rice seeds?¡± Shi Dayou looked at Wei Ruo in both surprise and delight. Master Xu had his ownnds and was a sessful business, so there was no reason for him to joke about such matters. Hence, his words were indeed likely to be true. ¡°Yes, I have nted these seeds on my ownnd, and they are growing well now These seeds are not strict about the timing of nting, they can grow well whether nted early orte, and it¡¯s not toote to nt them now.¡± Wei Ruo further exined to Shi Dayou. After listening to Wei Ruo¡¯s description, Shi Dayou didn¡¯t reply immediately. With a conflicted look on his face, he cautiously asked Wei Ruo after a moment, ¡°Are these seeds from Master Xu very expensive?¡± ¡°I will give them to the vigers for free.¡± Wei Ruo said. Upon hearing this, Shi Dayou looked amazed, ¡°Give¡­give them to us?¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°Consider it as some benefits for your vigers since I bought thend in Stone Vige.¡± ¡°But Master Xu, you have already paid us silver. ¡°I know, but didn¡¯t the vige chief just say that if I needed your help, you would help me? In return for your kindness, it is only natural that I also treat you better.¡± ¡°But I just said that casually, we haven¡¯t actually helped you with anything yet¡­¡± ¡°While that might be true for now, you have shown your willingness. Should there be any problems with my brewery in the future, I hope you and the vigers could lend me a hand.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°We will, we will, rest assured Master Xu!¡± Shi Dayou responded. Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°As for the seedlings, I merely wanted to give you a heads up. The final decision is still in your hands. Whether to change the seedlings or not is something you and the vigers should discuss, I won¡¯t get involved.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Shi Dayou replied. ¡°in that case, I won¡¯t disturb the vige chief any longer. I will take my leave now.¡± With that, Wei Ruo got up to leave. Shi Dayou escorted Wei Ruo to the vige entrance. After watching Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage disappear into the distance, Shi Dayou returned home, quickly gathered his stuff and headed to the fields to talk to his fellow vigers about the seedlings. After leaving Stone Vige, Wei Ruo did not head directly into town but instead returned to his own estate. As soon as he stepped down from the carriage, he was surrounded by people. Wei Ruo¡¯s heart tightened, and then he saw Zhu Zongyu, his face hidden under a straw hat. Upon recognizing the person, Wei Ruo rxed, then asked with a cool expression, ¡°What does Master Zhu mean by this?¡± Chu Lan dismounted and approached Wei Ruo, ¡°I want to see howlongyou can avoid me.¡± He hade several times already, but each time Xu Heyou was not here. He had left messages with Manager Yu, but there was never a reply. Xu Heyou didn¡¯t want to see him, but he insisted on seeing Xu Heyou. ¡°Master Zhu, if I am not mistaken, I thought I had done courtesy to you rather than offend you, right?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Since you owe me a courtesy, why are you avoiding me like an enemy?¡± Chu Lan retorted. ¡°My courtesy toward you has already been returned, so there is no need for further interaction. As for avoidingyou, that¡¯s an unfounded allegation. At present, it¡¯s the busy farming season, and I¡¯m too busy every day to attend to other things. It¡¯s not about avoiding Master Zhu specifically.¡± Wei Ruo answered. After Wei Ruo finished speaking, he bypassed the person in front of him and walked directly towards the gate of the estate. Just as Wei Ruo was about to walk past Chu Lan, Chu Lan suddenly reached out and grabbed Wei Ruo¡¯s arm. ¡°I noticed that ever since you found out I wasn¡¯t a merchant, you¡¯ve been full of hostility towards me. What does the official role mean to you exactly?¡± Wei Ruo looked up at Zhu Zongyu, unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t see his face clearly. Otherwise, she really wanted to see the annoying expression on this face that she was about to heal. ¡°Master Zhu, you are overthinking it. I just feel there is no need for us to have any interaction. Rather, I don¡¯t understand why Master Zhu is so persistent in wanting to see me. You¡¯ve repaid your debt, as for your face, I didn¡¯t say I. wouldn¡¯t keep treating it, and I¡¯ve been giving you the medicine on time.¡± Wei Ruo counter-questioned. We Ruo¡¯s words left Chu Lan speechless. He didn¡¯t know why he was so insistent on seeing Xu Heyou, and even when he realized that thetter was intentionally avoiding him his mood became inexplicably frustrated. The colder he became towards him, the less calm he became. He had never had such emotions before. In the past twenty years, his demeanor has never been disrupted by anyone. Yet this person was just a teenager. Why did he care so much about a teenager? Was it because he was his life saver? Or was it the tranquil and beautiful times they spent together while he was at his weakest? Chu Lan stared into the clear eyes of the young man before him, trying to find an answer. He didn¡¯t find an answer, instead, an inexplicable stir arose in the depth of his heart. Chu Lan let go of Wei Ruo¡¯s arm. After seeing him let go, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to offend him too much, so she softened her tone, ¡°Master Zhu, I don¡¯t want to get into trouble. If you were a merchant, being attacked would only involve some thieves; but if you were an official, especially one with a special status, being attacked would involve more serious consequences. And this kind of trouble, is something a humblemoner like me can¡¯t afford. Wei Ruo¡¯s words caused a jolt in Chu Lan¡¯s heart. Chapter 236 - 236 Probably Guess Who He Is_l Chapter 236 Probably Guess Who He Is_l Trantor: 549690339 I Indeed, the disputes he was involved in were more than Xu Heyou could bear, and so he dared not rashly engage too much with him. Chu Lan realized his own recklessness, and also keenly sensed his major improprieties concerning Xu Heyou. Under normal circumstances, he should not have acted with such insufficient consideration, and these are things he should have thought through beforehand. Chu Lan looked at Wei Ruo, unable toe back to his senses for a while. Wea Ruo couldn¡¯t see his face, so she was unable to gauge his thoughts from his expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was being reckless.¡± Chu Lan apologized to Wei Ruo, his face serious. Seeing his apology, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°I have other matters to attend to, so I won¡¯t waste any more of your time. After finishing speaking, Wei Ruo turned and entered the homestead. This time Chu Lan did not stop her, and after Wei Ruo entered the homestead, Chu Lan also left with his people. Returning to the homestead, Wei Ruo¡¯s face still looked somber. ¡°Miss, are you still upset about Master Zhu¡¯s matter? He was wrong to deceive you, but in this servant¡¯s opinion, he doesn¡¯t seem like the type to repay kindness with ingratitude.¡± Xiumeiforted Wei Ruo. ¡°Xiumei, the timing and location of Zhu Zongyu¡¯s injury were too coincidental, I¡¯ve always been reluctant to think too deeply about the rtion between the two.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°What kind of coincidence?¡± Xiumei asked, puzzled. ¡°The time of Zhu Zongyu¡¯s injury, and the time the seventh prince was injured are almost identical, as is the time he left the homestead and the time the seventh prince was found.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°No way, that¡­ that person is¡­¡± Xiumei was so surprised she covered her mouth with her hand. Could it be that her Mistress unknowingly saved the life of the seventh prince? But the prince doesn¡¯t even know who it was that saved him. ¡°There is a high probability, I haven¡¯t verified it, but I also don¡¯t want to verify it, in the future, the farther we are from him, the better.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s dislike for Chu Lan was deep in her bones. When Wei Ruo rescued Zhu Zongyu, she did not know about the attack on Chu Lan and his ensuing injuries. When she did learn about it, she was immediately confronted with the gue. She didn¡¯t have time to ponder the implications. Later, when she encountered Zhu Zongyu again in Wang Vige, his demeanor and attire gave away his unusual identity, which led to Wei Ruo harboring strong animosity towards him. Wei Ruo knew this hostility wasn¡¯t just because he had deceived her, but also because another possibility had crossed her mind. She just didn¡¯t want to verify it, because what had happened had happened, and verifying it was of no help. It would just add unnecessary annoyance. Xiumei obediently nodded, and then asked, ¡°Then¡­ will your identity be revealed?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°We can only hope he doesn¡¯t investigate. If he investigates thoroughly, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d find out.¡± The identity of Xu Heyou does not exist, Wei Qingruo is the actual owner of the homestead. This can be hidden frommoners, but it can¡¯t be hidden from the seventh prince. If he wants to investigate, her identity will be exposed. Since it¡¯s not something she can control, Wei Ruo isn¡¯t nning to worry about it anymore. In the following few days, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t see Zhu Zongyu again. It seemed he took her words to heart. Afterward, Wei Ruo also heard that in Capital City, the sixth prince had been used of ambushing the seventh prince and punished as a result, losing his position and being confined to his mansion. Of course, what came next was the news that the seventh prince had officially reported to the military camp. Due to his injury from the ambush, his taking office was dyed by several months. Moreover, Wei Ruo heard an unconfirmed rumor: an old case from many years ago in the Capital City had been reopened. It seemed to be rted to Empress Xu¡¯s maiden family, Xu Guogong, who had died years ago. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om However, all these matters were unrted to Wei Ruo. She listened for amusement, focusing wholeheartedly on her own business. Wei Ruo recently increased the frequency of her visits to Stone Vige. First, because her distillery needed her presence more frequently. Second, because of the issue of recing the rice seedlings. Thanks to Shi Dayou¡¯s insistence, nearly two-thirds of the rice seedlings in Stone Vige were rented. The remaining third were deemed fine by Shi Dayou. Through their interactions, Wei Ruo learned from the vigers that Shi Dayou was able to be the vige head at a young age because he had saved the vigers of Stone Vige. He not only helped resolve the vige¡¯s problems rted to irrigation, but he also managed to save their copsing rice crops one year. That¡¯s why he had won the vigers¡¯ affection and trust. Consequently, this time around, when Shi Dayou figured out there was an issue with the seedlings, the vigers chose to believe him and worked together to rent the seedlings. Although this increased their workload, in order to ensure a good harvest and avoid going hungry this year, everyone cooperated withoutint. During her time in and around Stone Vige, Wei Ruo made a surprising discovery. There was a bamboo forest cultivated near Stone Vige, where morels grew. This was a rare delicacy. When Wei Ruo asked the vigers about this, they didn¡¯t even know that these were edible mushrooms, and treated them as harmful snake eggs, destroying them when they came across them. This made Wei Ruoin about their wastefulness. Once you peel off the ugly ck exterior, the insides reveal the tender and fresh morel, a valuable delicacy. Wei Ruo told the vigers about it, but they didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Master Xu, you¡¯re saying this white thing is a delicacy? The vigers looked sceptical. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, I¡¯ll cook a dish with it for you to taste.¡± Since words were not enough, Wei Ruo decided to show the vigers directly. So, Wei Ruo borrowed Shi Dayou¡¯s kitchen and, with Xiumei¡¯s help, cooked two dishes with morels. The dishes were stir-fried bamboo shoots with eggs; and morel soup. The recipes for both dishes were notplicated, because the morels themselves were already very delicious and too much cooking would destroy their original vor. After the dishes were cooked, Wei Ruo took them to the courtyard. At this time, there were quite a few people in Shi Dayou¡¯s courtyard, including Shi Dayou and his family, and some vigers. They all hade running to verify the truth behind Wei Ruo¡¯s ims about the ¡®snake eggs¡¯ on the mountain being a delicacy. Seeing the vigers were still somewhat disbelief, Wei Ruo tasted the two dishes in front of everyone. Once Wei Ruo had eaten them, the others became more assured and crowded forward to get a taste themselves. In this era without MSG, the umami vor of the mushrooms was very exciting to their taste buds. Wei Ruo and Xiumei¡¯s cooking skills were also superb, enabling them to create wonderful vors from simple home cooking. Eating Wei Ruo¡¯s dishes, vigers who usually had a rough diet, each expressed their amazement. They were now thoroughly convinced that the thing they had long disregarded as snake eggs was indeed a mountain delicacy. Shi Dayou remarked with regret, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that these don¡¯t grow inrge quantities in the mountains, they cannot fill our stomachs like rice and flour. Chapter 237: Second Brother’s Farewell_l Chapter 237: Second Brother¡¯s Farewell_l Trantor: 549690339 For poor farmers, filling their bellies is the number one priority, delicious tastees second. ¡°The vigers themselves may not gain much from eating this, but it can be sold in the city. Isn¡¯t it better to use the money to buy rice and flour? As long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with farming, taking some time to collect these and sell them can help supplement the family ie,¡± Wei Ruo offered. At Wei Ruo¡¯s words, expressions of excitement and anticipation crossed everyone¡¯s faces. Yes! They could sell to the noble officials! Shi Dayou was startled awake, and then asked Wei Ruo in surprise: ¡°Master Xu, why are you being so good to us? If you hadn¡¯t told us, you could have quietly picked them for yourself and sold them in the city.¡± ¡°These things grow on your mountain. If I quietly took them to sell, that would be theft. But if they were on an unimed deserted mountain, I wouldn¡¯t be so polite,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo loved money, but she had her principles and would not stoop to stealing. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, everyone felt an enhanced admiration for her. Shi Dayou said excitedly, ¡°Master Xu, you really are a blessing to our vige! We are so lucky to have met you!¡± The other vigers also chimed in: ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Master Xu, you really are a wonderful person!¡± ¡°Master Xu, our vige will never forget this great kindness! II II Wei Ruo smiled and said: ¡°Please, don¡¯t say that. Let¡¯s work together to make sure we won¡¯t go hungry this year. We should focus on making sure everyone is well-fed and warm, and live our lives well.¡± The vigers nodded in agreement. ### The first day of April, a rest day. Wei Ruo did not need to go to Tianqin Garden for lessons, so she nned to visit the farnds. As she was about to leave, she was stopped. Noticing Lin Fang as the person who stopped her, Wei Ruo knew that Wei Jinyi was looking for her. So she changed her direction and followed Lin Fang to the edge of the city. As expected, she found Wei Jinyi in the bamboo grove. He was dressed in a white robe, quietly standing there. The green surroundings contrasted with his white attire, creating a gentle and elegant scene. ¡°Second brother.¡± Upon seeing Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo was in high spirits. Wei Jinyi looked at the approaching Wei Ruo with a tender gaze. ¡°What brings you here today, second brother?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I have to leave Taizhou prefecture for a while,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying goodbye to me in advance?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you taken care of the matter you mentioned?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. ¡°It¡¯s not fully settled, but there¡¯s been some progress.¡± ¡°In that case, please take care of yourself, second brother,¡± said Wei Ruo. She didn¡¯t try to stop him, nor was she upset about his departure. She might feel a little reluctant, but she knew that she and her second brother both had their own lives to live, and their own things to deal with. Just knowing that there was such a bond in this world was enough. ¡°You too, take good care of yourself and don¡¯t overwork yourself,¡± warned Wei Jinyi. After that, they were quiet, looking at each other, their eyes filled with caring and reluctance, yet neither of them put it into words. It seemed like they had an unspoken understanding. After a while, Wei Ruo said, ¡°The scenery nearby is beautiful. Second brother, would you walk with me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed, and they began to walk side by side, maintaining a certain distance between them. They walked up the mountain trail, Lin Fang and Xiumei followed some distance behind them. With Wei Jinyi apanying Wei Ruo, Xiumei wasn¡¯t too worried about her. Along the way, whenever Wei Ruo saw a medicinal herb, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from picking it. Wei Jinyi took off his own outer robe and made a makeshift sack for the herbs she collected. The just picked herbs were covered with mud. The brocade robe got dirty, but no one felt it was a pity. When they arrived at a cliff, Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes were drawn to a nt at the top. Following her gaze, Wei Jinyi saw an unimpressive green nt. ¡°Do you want it?¡± asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo admitted without hesitation. Wei Jinyi then used his lightness skill to swiftly ascend the cliff, plucking the small herb from its ce. He then returned and handed the nt to Wei Ruo. ¡°Thank you!¡± she eximed, holding the small herb with a joyous expression and a bright smile. Wei Jinyi was a little entranced by her joy, and only after a moment, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Close up, he could see its leaves were green on one side and yellow on the other. Other than that, nothing seemed noteworthy. ¡°This is Shi Wei. It¡¯s cool in nature, bitter but somewhat sweet, and can be used to treat lung diseases and fever. It also works amazingly for some bathroom rted issues,¡± answered Wei Ruo. It was indeed a medicinal herb. While Wei Ruo was holding the Shi Wei, she lost her footing on the soft soil causing her to lose her bnce. Wei Jinyi quickly grabbed her, pulling her tightly into his body. Regaining her bnce, Wei Ruo thanked him, ¡°Thank you, second brother.¡± ¡°You mustn¡¯t be so careless on the mountain,¡± Wei Jinyi advised. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He was there today, but what would have happened if he wasn¡¯t and she¡¯d fallen? Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Because you were there, I let down my guard. If you weren¡¯t there, I would have been careful.¡± Feeling a flutter in his chest, Wei Jinyi quickly turned around. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We should head back.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± So they went back down the mountain the way they¡¯de, returning to the bamboo grove where their meeting had first begun. Wei Jinyi was without his outer robe and Wei Ruo had a bag full of herbs. After bidding each other farewell, Wei Ruo got back on her horse-drawn carriage and left, with Wei Jinyi watching until she waspletely out of sight. Only then did Ke Chongshan, Zhang Yi, and others appear. ¡°Once Lin Fang returns from dropping off Ruoruo, we¡¯ll set off,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± they replied. ### On the tenth of April, twenty days had passed since Wei Ruo had advised Madam Tongzhi to change the rice seedlings on the farnd. The Xiu family visited the Military Prefecture again, but this time instead of Mrs. Xiu, it was Madam Tongzhi who came. Madam Yun greeted her. Seeing that she was all smiles, Madam Yun couldn¡¯t help but smile too. ¡°Where is Eldest Miss?¡± Just as she sat down, Madam Tongzhi asked Madam Yun about Wei Ruo¡¯ s whereabouts. ¡°She¡¯s at Tianqin Garden taking lessons today. At this moment, she hasn te home yet,¡± replied Madam Yun. ¡°Oh right I almost forgot about that. No worries, I¡¯ll wait for her a bit longer. I hope I¡¯m not troublingyou too much, Madam Yun,¡± said Madam Tongzhi with a smile. ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s a pleasure to have Madam Tongzhi visiting. Besides, may I ask why you¡¯re looking for my daughter?¡± Madam Yun inquired. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. You know, when we visited the farm together, Eldest Miss noticed a problem with the rice seedlings in the field of my farm and the neighboring farmers, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yes, Ruoruo mentioned that she had read about it in an old text. I¡¯m not sure what sort of books she gets into generally,¡± Madam Yun rephed.

J¡ª ¡°Mother, rest assured and recuperate. I will take care of father and ensure that nothing happens to him,¡± Wei Qingwanforted Lady Yun. Lady Yun nodded, ¡°Yes, yes, you should stay by your father¡¯s side and prevent any harm froming to him.¡± I understand, mother, rest assured. You also need to take care of yourself, your health is important too. If father awakens and sees you weak and ailing, he will be heartbroken,¡± Wei Qingwan continued tofort. Lady Yun nodded, ¡°I know, I am useless. As soon as anything happens to your father, I be anxious, and my mind goes nk. In the end, I not only fail to help but also create chaos.¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t speak like that. Your love for father is deep, his pain is your pam. Your reaction is only a testament to your deep feelings for him.¡± ¡°No matter what, I am indeed useless. Luckily this time we had Doctor Cheng and all of you. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°Mother, stop worrying. The most important thing for you now is to take care of your health.¡± Lady Yun spoke with sorrow, ¡°Your father has been wounded no less than twenty times over the years, but this injury is the most severe. I have never seen him in this condition before. Even when he returned home with injuries in the past, he would always tell me he was okay, but this time, he can¡¯t even open his eyes.¡± ¡°Mother, father got like this because he was fighting the Japanese Pirates. He is a hero, and the Bodhisattva will protect him.¡± ¡°I know, I know. Wanwan, don¡¯t worry about me. Go and stay with your father. I¡¯ll be fine, I just need to rest.¡± Lady Yun urged Wei Qingwan to take care of Wei Mingting. Wei Qingwan did not tell Lady Yun that Doctor Cheng hadn¡¯t allowed her to see her father. Not wanting Lady Yun to worry, she agreed, ¡°Alright, mother, rest assured. I¡¯ll watch over father. If anything happens, I¡¯ll inform you. You rest and recover in the meantime.¡± ### The next night, Wei Ruo, and Wei Yilin came on time to keep watch. The maid wanted to help, but was gently turned down by Wei Ruo. It was not that she didn¡¯t want to delegate the task to others but instead, during this critical period, someone with medical skills had to be present in case of any unforeseenplications that others might not notice promptly. Wei Yilin also insisted on keeping watch himself. If his elder sister, a woman, could do it, there was no reason why he as a man couldn¡¯t. With their eldest brother not at home and their father down, he was the only man in the house and had to uphold his responsibility at this moment. Seeing Wei Yilin dedicated to watching over Wei Mingting just like on the first day, Wei Ruo¡¯s impression of him slightly improved. At night, she even initiated to let him help, asking him to assist with tasks like changing the medicine, water, and towels. In thetter half of the night, Wei Yilin proactively covered Wei Ruo with a nket, ¡°You cannot catch a cold.¡± ¡°Cover yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m a man and a martial artist, not afraid of the cold. Yet, you are a woman; women are more prone to the cold. You need to be more mindful than us men,¡± Wei Yilin spoke. ¡°You are only eight. What kind of man are you?¡± ¡°Who says an eight-year-old can¡¯t be a man? My master says that being a man is determined by one¡¯s mindset, not one¡¯s age!¡± Wei Yilin retorted. ¡°So, you are mature?¡± Of course.¡± Wei Yilin responded with determined certainty. Speaking, Wei Yilin looked towards the unconscious Wei Mingting on the bed, ¡°I will be a hero like father, fighting on the battlefield against the Japanese Pirates. Not only will I drive them out of the coastal areas, but I will also invade their dens and eradicate them altogether!¡± It was the second time Wei Ruo heard someone express such an aspiration. Regardless of age, status, such ambitions deservedmendation. ¡°Father would be very pleased with your ambition,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Big sister, father will wake up, right?¡± Wei Yilin asked. Once we survive tonight, it would mean we have passed the second hurdle. There would then be an eighty percent chance of survival,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Then we continue to stay by father¡¯s side! We must wait until father wakes up!¡± Wei Yilin responded decisively. For the following two nights, Wei Ruo and Wei Yilin stayed by the bedside as vigntly as the first night, leaving the day shift to Doctor Cheng and his apprentice. On the morning of the fourth day, Wei Mingting¡¯s condition finally stabilized. Seeing Doctor Cheng again, Wei Ruo looked noticeably more rxed and cheerful. ¡°Miss Wei, you are a blessing to others. Mr. Wei was able to transcend this cmity due to your efforts,¡±mented Doctor Cheng. Whether it was the dancing knife and carcass, the acupuncture, or the concoction of medicinal prescriptions, all were done by Miss Wei. Thus, Doctor Cheng unequivocally thought that all credit should go to her. Regrettably, due to certain reasons, Miss Wei did not want to reveal that she was the one performing these tasks. ¡°Thank you, Doctor Cheng.¡± Wei Ruo honestly expressed her gratitude, Doctor Cheng took risks this time and did his utmost in saving a life. If she hadn¡¯t met him by chance, things would not have gone so smoothly. ¡°Miss Wei, go back and rest first. You have been up for three nights, heaven finally rewards the diligent,¡± Doctor Cheng expressed both a sense of an elder¡¯s affection for a younger one and admiration for her talent. Wei Ruo nodded, then said to Wei Yilin ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s return and rest.¡± Wei Yilin looked reluctantly at Wei Mingting on the bed, then obediently followed Wei Ruo out of the room. After Wei Ruo and Wei Yilin left, Wei Qingwan arrived. As per the past few days, she asked Doctor Cheng about Wei Mingting¡¯s condition and asked if she could go inside to personally look after him. Given that Wei Mingting¡¯s condition had stabilized, Doctor Cheng didn¡¯t stop Wei Qingwan from entering this time. Then, Wei Qingwan had Maid Cuihe prepare some ginseng soup. After consulting Doctor Cheng, she served some to Wei Mingting. Having had several days to recover, Lady Yun¡¯s condition had improved significantly. Further, after learning from Doctor Cheng that her husband was no longer in a life-threatening condition, Lady Yun no longer felt anxious or scared. When Lady Yun, leaning on Maid Cuiping, came to the room to see her husband, she saw Wei Qingwan at the bedside, diligently feeding her husband the ginseng soup. ¡®Wanwan, you¡¯ve had a hard time. I¡¯m so useless. Seeing your father in this state, I was so distraught that I couldn¡¯t hold myself up, leaving all the care to you and your siblings,¡± Lady Yun said sighing. Hearing Lady Yun¡¯s praise, Wei Qingwan responded softly, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s my duty. You just got better, take it slow.¡± Lady Yun nodded, ¡°I¡¯m much better now. Has the doctor mentioned anything else that your father needs?¡± Wei Qingwan replied, ¡°Just now, Doctor Cheng said father¡¯s body is weak. When nourishing his health, we need to do so gradually and carefully.¡± ¡°Good, good, then we¡¯ll take it slow,¡± Lady Yun looked at her husband on the bed with a pained expression. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Then looking at Wei Qingwan, who was obediently standing by the bed, Lady Yun voiced her relief, ¡°Wanwan, you must be tired.. You haven¡¯t had a good rest these past few days, have you?¡± Chapter 252 - 252 Wei Mingting Awakens_l Chapter 252: Wei Mingting Awakens_l n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Daughter isn¡¯t tired. Being able to do something for father and mother is her blessing,¡± Wei Qingwan replied. ¡°Having you here really puts my mind at ease,¡± said Yunshi. The sensible demeanor of their daughter infused a bit offort into Yunshi¡¯s anxious heart. ¡°Mother, be at ease. Doctor Cheng said father is now safe and only needs to continue recuperating before he wakes up. During this time, I¡¯ll take good care of father and won¡¯t let anything happen to him,¡± said Wei Qingwan. Yunshi nodded. Wei Qingwan continued to reassure Yunshi, ¡°Mother, you should go back and rest. As father recovers, you also need to recover as quickly as you can. When father wakes up and sees you well, he will be relieved.¡± She then turned to Maid Cuiping who brought Yunshi over and said, ¡°Cuiping, help mother to rest in her room. Her body hasn¡¯t fully recovered and she shouldn¡¯t be moving around. There¡¯s still some ginseng soup in the kitchen. Ask someone to bring it for mother to drink.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± replied Cuiping. Under Wei Qingwan¡¯s order, Cuiping helped Yunshi back to her room and Wei Qingwan remained watching over Wei Mingting. Wei Qingwan mainly fed Wei Mingting his medicine and ginseng soup. Changing Wei Mingting¡¯s bandages was still something Wei Qingwan could not do, it had to be left to Doctor Cheng and his apprentice. When Doctor Cheng unwrapped the bandages revealing Wei Mingting¡¯s ghastly wound, Wei Qingwan, although startled, looked away and refused to watch closely. The blood on the wound had already clotted and some had even started to scab, but the gaping hole where flesh had been torn out was still there. The massive scar was as creepy as a giant centipede. Noticing Wei Qingwan¡¯s reaction, Doctor Cheng told her to wait outside until the medicine was changed, and the wound was rebandaged. Later in the afternoon, the room heated up a bit and Wei Qingwan noticed beads of sweat on Wei Mingting¡¯s forehead. She used a warm towel to wipe away the sweat from his face. As she wiped his face, Wei Mingting¡¯s brows moved slightly, then he slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Father?!¡± Wei Qingwan could hardly believe her eyes. Shock turned into immense joy, and then tears sprung from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. ¡°Wan¡­¡± Wei Mingting tried to speak, but his throat could barely make a sound. His whole body felt immensely heavy as if a massive stone was pressing down on him. ¡°Father, don¡¯t try to speak yet. Your injuries are severe, and it took a lot to save your life. You still need to rest and recover!¡± Wei Qingwan frantically exined. Wei Mingting indeedcked the energy to speak, and his body felt incredibly heavy. He couldn¡¯t move any part of his body easily, so he blinked his eyes to indicate he understood. Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but cry, ¡°Father, you¡¯ve suffered so much!¡± Seeing his daughter cry, Wei Mingting wanted to speak again, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­cry¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t cry, I won¡¯t cry. Father rest well, I will stop crying. You don¡¯t need to speak.¡± Wei Qingwan hurriedly wiped away her own tears. Hearing the noise, Doctor Cheng came over to check Wei Mingting¡¯s pulse, then he said deeply, ¡°Mister Wei¡¯s condition has improved. This wakeup indicates danger has passed! Good! Congrattions!¡± Doctor Cheng then cautioned, ¡°Mister Wei, do not move around recklessly. You must rest well, neither worry nor think too much, prioritize your health above all else.¡± Wei Mingting blinked his eyes to show he understood. Concerned, Wei Qingwan asked Doctor Cheng, ¡°Doctor Cheng, is there anything else I need to do?¡± Doctor Cheng said, ¡°Take your medicine on time, change your bandages on time, and like before, you can also feed Mister Wei some ginseng soup. When his body gets a bit better, you can gradually add some easily digestible food. But remember, recovery should be steady and gradual, don¡¯t rush it!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Wei Qingwan nodded her head obediently, attentively keeping in mind the doctor¡¯s advice. At night, when Wei Ruo came, Wei Mingting¡¯s bedside was crowded with Wei Qingwan, Yunshi, and a bunch of maids. Wei Ruo stood at the door watching for a while, asked Doctor Cheng a couple of questions about Wei Mingting¡¯s condition. After confirming that Wei Mingting was out of danger, she decided to leave. ¡°Why are you leaving?¡± Wei Yilin, who had been keeping vigil with Wei Ruo, inquired seeing her leave. ¡°Father has passed the critical period. Anyone can take care of him from now on,¡± Wei Ruo answered. Wei Ruo did not want to join the crowd in the room. The room was filled with people, and both Yunshi and Wei Qingwan were constantly talking. She would rather sleep with the time she had. Wei Yilin pondered, ¡°Alright then, you must be tired after these few days, go back and rest!¡± Wei Ruo did not have much to say to Wei Yilin, she simply turned around and went back to Tingsong Garden. After no longer needing to worry about Wei Mingting, Wei Ruo had a good sleep and a good rest. The next morning, as usual, she inquired about Wei Mingting¡¯s condition, and learning that he was recovering as expected, she went to the Four Treasure House to find her wet nurse. Brother Xiaoyong was home during these days and Wei Ruo did not want to miss these rare moments of reunion. Arriving at the Four Treasure House, Wei Ruo familiarly proceeded into the backyard. ¡°Ruoruo!¡± Xu Zhengyong heard the sound and came running out of the house. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. ¡°Of course I¡¯m fine, Ruoruo. Don¡¯t you believe what I told youst time? I said I only got some minor external injuries, it¡¯s really not a big deal,¡± Xu Zhengyong answered. ¡°You¡¯re not without a history of ¡®lying about military events.¡¯ You used to be naughty and would say you were fine even when you bumped your head and it bled,¡± Wei Ruo revealed. ¡°That was so long ago, Ruoruo. Why are you bringing it up now?¡± Xu Zhengyong said a bit embarrassed. Then Xu Zhengyong changed the topic and asked Wei Ruo about the main thing: ¡°Ruoruo, do you still have medicine?¡± Hearing Xu Zhengyong ask Wei Ruo about medicine, the wet nurse who came out of the house interrupted, ¡°Xiaoyong, do you think your young mistress¡¯s medicinees with the wind? Nowadays, both rice and medicine are expensive, don¡¯t you know to treasure it?¡± Xu Zhengyong¡¯s face turned a bit red with embarrassment. Of course, he knew that medicines were expensive these days, but on the battlefield when hisrades were injured, he couldn¡¯t think about that much. The campaign this timested for more than half a month. Although they were sessful in repelling the enemy in the end, the casualties of the soldiers were more serious than previous battles, naturally, the medicine was not enough. ¡°Wet nurse, don¡¯t me Brother Xiaoyong. These medicines are prepared for him and hisrades to save lives. Whether it is Brother Xiaoyong or hisrades, they are all heroes who protect our country. I don¡¯t mind giving them the medicine at all.¡± Wei Ruo then turned to Xu Zhengyong and said, ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, don¡¯t worry. Yingying and I have a plot of medicinal field in Xingshan County, and soon we will be able to produce a batch of good blood-stopping medicine. I will have this batch of medicine refined and sent to you and your soldiers immediately.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯re the best!¡± Xu Zhengyong happily hopped around a few times.. Chapter 253: A Sudden Slap in the Face_1 Chapter 253: A Sudden p in the Face_1 Trantor: 549690339 Although he was already a very beloved leader in the camp, in front of Wei Ruo and the others, his childish nature was still hard to hide. Wei Ruo said with a smile, ¡°One of the purposes of my visit today was to ask what kind of medicine you are in need of. Tell me which kinds you use the most, and I will prepare more.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Xu Zhengyong nodded heavily. Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Although the Young Miss doesn¡¯t mind the cost of the medicine, she does care about you. So don¡¯t get injured if you can, don¡¯t use medicine if you don¡¯t need to. It would be best if you returned safe and sound every time like this time.¡± Hearing this, Xu Zhengyong first showed a happy smile because of the concern, and then responded seriously, ¡°I obviously don¡¯t want to get injured either. I wish I had more strength to kill more Japanese Pirates, but the battlefield is unpredictable. Sometimes even good skills can¡¯t resist that, just like what happened to Sir Wei this time¡­¡± Speaking of Wei Mingting, Xu Zhengyong hurriedly asked Wei Ruo, ¡°How is Sir Wei doing now, Ruoruo?¡± ¡ö¡¯His condition has stabilized, and he regained consciousness yesterday afternoon. Now he just needs to take his medicine on time and rest.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Xu Zhengyong was pleased, then he nervously asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, you haven¡¯t been exposed, have you?¡± Xu Zhengyong knew that since Wei Mingting was able to be saved from such a severe injury, Ruoruo must have had a hand in it. So he worried whether Wei Ruo might expose his secret, not because he was paranoid, but because he didn¡¯t trust anyone from the Wei Family except for Wei Mingting. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this time Doctor Cheng who treated him was someone I met during the epidemic prevention time. He covered for me throughout the process, no one noticed anything unusual.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. As long as you¡¯re safe, I¡¯ll be relieved!¡± Xu Zhengyong let out a big sigh of relief. Then he asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, are you staying for dinner today? My mom has been preserving some pickled mustard greens to make pork belly for you, she doesn¡¯t let me touch it even though I want to eat it.¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m craving it,¡± Wei Ruoughed. ¡°There¡¯s also braised bamboo shoots with pickles. The big snowst year destroyed a lot of bamboo, but the bamboo shoots from those that survived are very strong and tender. My dad bought a lot when he passed by on his way to the brewery. Coupled with the pickles my mom makes, it¡¯s simply unbeatable!¡± Xu Zhengyong continued to describe vividly. Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Then I must try it. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had these two dishes.¡± The Wei Family came from the north, and their dietary habits were somewhat different from those of the people in the south. Although they had been in the south for many years and began to ept the food here, they still weren¡¯t used to dishes like pickles and pickled mustard greens, so they hardly ever made them. Because of this, Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t had these dishes for a while. Upon hearing this, Nursie¡¯s face lit up with a smile. She put on her apron and walked into the kitchen, calling out to Xu Zhengyong to help, ¡°Xiaoyong, bring some firewood to the kitchen! I¡¯m going to cook.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Xu Zhengyong grinned, then quietly told Wei Ruo, ¡°My mom hasn¡¯t cooked for you in a long time, she¡¯s been worried about you. She¡¯s been concerned about whether you¡¯re used to eating in other ces. I bet she¡¯ll cook a huge variety of dishes for you today.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Wei Ruo knew Nursie¡¯s feelings for her all too well, it¡¯s a pity she didn¡¯t have much chance to be by Nursie¡¯s side. Nursie busied herself in the kitchen for a while, preparing a feast of sixteen dishes. Xu Zhengyongughed and said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, do you know? I only got sixteen dishes in the few days I¡¯ve been home. It seems like I¡¯m the foundling and you¡¯re the real child!¡± As soon as Xu Zhengyong finished speaking, a furious scolding came from his mother. ¡°Eat your meal properly, and stop talking!¡± Xu Zhengyong took the opportunity to act like a spoiled child with Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, see how pitiful I am?¡± ¡°Yes, pitiful. Let Xiumeifort you.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Great, great. Xiumei,fort me quickly.¡± As soon as Xu Zhengyong finished speaking, he saw Xiumei rolling up her sleeves: ¡°Sure, I see you aren¡¯t feeling too well. Let me help you rx! ¡°Cough, cough¡­ Xiumei, using fists is not suitable, right? Although I didn¡¯t get seriously injured on the battlefield, I did fight for half a month after all, and my body is a bit weak¡­¡± Xu Zhengyong quickly changed his tune. ¡°I see you¡¯re in very good health, especially your mouth! You just keep chattering on and on, it¡¯s so energetic!¡± Xiumei rolled her eyes at Xu Zhengyong. Xu Zhengyong continued to joke around with Xiumei,ughing. Since there was no rule about not speaking during meals at the Xu household, Xu Zhengyong and Xiumei asionally quarrelled during the meal, making it especially lively. Wei Ruo¡¯s mood was lifted by the joyful atmosphere, and the fatigue of the past few days also dissipated much. ### Wei Ruo stayed at the Four Treasure House until after supper. By then, it was dark. Reluctantly, Xu Zhengyong escorted Wei Ruo and Xiumei into the carriage. With his endless chatter of advice, Wei Ruo and Xiumei left the Four Treasure House. As soon as they got back to the Military Prefecture, they ran into Wei Yichen. During the days when Wei Mingting was unconscious due to severe injuries, Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t send for him as his return would be of no use, and might even affect his studies. Presumably, after Wei Mingting recovered yesterday afternoon, Mrs. Yun sent someone to notify the Anzhou Academy. ¡°Big brother.¡± Wei Ruo greeted him and was about to walk inside. Wei Yichen quickly followed her and blocked Wei Ruo¡¯s way.N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo lifted her head, looking at Wei Yichen with slight confusion. He was serious with furrowed brows and his eyes emitted me. Just as Wei Ruo was about to ask what was going on, Wei Yichen suddenly raised his hand and pped the unsuspecting Wei Ruo in the face. ¡°p ¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s p came so unexpectedly that even Xiumei couldn¡¯t react in time. ¡°I¡¯ve always sided with you while you disobey rules and go out to y all the time. I think that¡¯s okay, that I can¡¯t demand a standard for you based onmon people¡¯s daughters. But this time, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± ¡°Our father was on the verge of death, and you, as his daughter, showed no concern at all. At a time when Wanwan was taking care of him at his bedside, all you wanted to do was run away. Has the family ever tried to stop you from going out? Did you have to go out at that time? Wei Yichen looked at Wei Ruo with a resentful face, his eyes reddening, and his lips tightly pressed. Wei Ruo reached up and touched her sore left cheek, then gave a lightugh. ¡°Who told you that I didn¡¯t care about father? Who told you that I wasn¡¯t taking care of father?¡± Wei Ruo raised her face, stared back at and questioned Wei Yichen, a bizarre smile appearing on her face, which Wei Yichen did not expect at all.. Chapter 254: Fight for Justice for Myself_l Chapter 254: Fight for Justice for Myself_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°I¡¯ve been back to the mansion since this morning and haven¡¯t seen you around. Qianwan has been waiting by the bed this entire time, and Wanwan¡¯s maid says that she hasn¡¯t slept for many nights!¡± Wei Yichen stated. ¡°Who told you that I wasn¡¯t serving our father? Was it Wei Qingwan? Was it mother? Or someone else?¡± Wei Ruo questioned. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Wei Yichen furrowed his brow. ¡°Did Wei Qingwan tell you that she¡¯s been serving our father all these days?¡± Wei Ruo sarcastically retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t defame Qianwan, she never said anything of the sort. Upon returning home, your whereabouts remained unknown to me, and Qianwan has been rushing about from dawn till dusk. 1 asked her about you, and she said you might not be feeling well and are resting in the garden. She hasn¡¯t negatively spoken about you, even tried to cover up for you!¡± The conclusion that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t serve at father¡¯s bedside was deduced by Wei Yichen himself. Although Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t explicitly say it, seeing her trying to cover up for Wei Ruo, he made an educated guess. -Is that what she said? I should ask her for myself.¡± Wei Ruo finished speaking and headed swiftly towards Cangyun Garden. Wei Yichen paused for a moment, then quickly followed. ¡°What are you intending to do?¡± Wei Yichen chased after Wei Ruo, asking her. ¡°I need to justify my standing, and moreover, I can¡¯t take this p without a good reason!¡± Wei Ruo stopped in her tracks, cold and determined as she responded to Wei Yichen¡¯s words. Wei Yichen was slightly startled by Wei Ruo¡¯s assertiveness, but on second thought, he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. If their eldest sister neglected her parents in this way, the consequences would be dire if left uncorrected. Wei Ruo quickly entered Wei Mingting¡¯s room, where Lady Yun and Wei Qingwan were present. Seeing Wei Ruo rushing in, everyone in the room looked at her curiously. ¡°Ruoruo, what are you doing? Your father is resting, your movements should be gentle, don¡¯t be so hasty.¡± Lady Yun scolded softly. Wei Ruo did not respond, and instead fixated her gaze on Wei Mingting who was lying on the sickbed and apologized: ¡°I am sorry, father. You are not fully recovered and I shouldn¡¯t have disturbed your rest. But I was pped as soon as I returned home today and I felt I was falsely used. I want to justify myself.¡± Hearing her words, Wei Mingting frowned and Lady Yun¡¯s facial expressions also changed. Everyone looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s cheek where the outline of a handprint was starting to appear, indicating that the p she received wasn¡¯t light. Lady Yun quickly responded, ¡°No matter who pped you, don¡¯t discuss it in front of your ailing father. Let¡¯s go somewhere else. I, your mother, can seek justice for you.¡± Although she was unaware of why her daughter had been pped, Lady Yun did not want her daughter¡¯s matter to affect her husband s rest. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I am fully aware of father¡¯s condition. A bit of ruckus won¡¯t worsen his illness.¡± Wei Ruo refused to change location. Wei Ruo knew Wei Mingting¡¯s condition better than anyone else. A bit ofmotion would not aggravate his illness further. ¡°Ruoruo, you speak.¡± Wei Mingting spoke. He was feeling much betterpared to yesterday and was able to speak a lot more easily. Seeing Wei Ruo in such a state, as a father, Wei Mingting wanted to know what was going on. Once Wei Mingting spoke, Lady Yun had no room to say anything else. Wei Ruo walked up to Wei Qingwan, her sharp gaze fixed on her, making Wei Qingwan feel utterly exposed. ¡°Sister?¡± Wei Qingwan blinked at Wei Ruo, lifting her head slightly with a fearful and puzzled expression. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been taking care of our father these past few days?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with me taking care of our father?¡± Wei Qingwan tried to dodge the question. ¡°Answer my question directly. Has it been you who¡¯s been caring for father since he was brought back home?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Not at all, how can I manage better than the doctors? I dare not take credit frivolously. The fact that father is on the mend is all thanks to Doctor Cheng. I only offered a slight contribution.¡± Wei Qingwan hastily exined. ¡°Impressive. Your answers are always so evasive.¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but want to apud Wei Qingwan. ¡°Sister, what are you saying? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, a look of fearful unease filled her eyes. Seeing this, Wei Yichen stepped in, pulling Wei Ruo back to put some distance between her and Wei Qingwan. ¡°Ruoruo, what are you trying to do? You¡¯ve scared Qianwan!¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I¡¯ve scared her without even doing anything?¡± Wei Ruo scoffed, ¡°Just look at her, she can¡¯t directly admit that she¡¯s been caring for our father these past few days, but she has a way to make you think she¡¯s been sacrificing oneself the whole time, while I, as the eldest legitimate daughter, have been just gallivanting about!¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude darkened Wei Yichen¡¯s expression further, and also cast a shadow over Lady Yun¡¯s face. Lady Yun took a reproachful tone, ¡°Ruoruo, what is this attitude when speaking to your older brother? If you have something to say, can¡¯t you say it properly? Also, your father is here, still unwell, why are you making him upset?¡± ¡°Then why couldn¡¯t you speak properly to me, recklessly pping me, what was the meaning of that?¡± Wei Ruo counter questioned. With that, Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze fell back upon Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan hung her head low, her eyes red, and her body slightly curled up, looking terrified. ¡°Ruoruo, whatever your issue is, direct it at me. Today¡¯s matter has nothing to do with Qianwan. I was the one who disciplined you. Don¡¯t disturb father¡¯s rest anymore!¡± Saying this, Wei Yichen reached out to pull Wei Ruo¡¯s arm, attempting to drag her out of the room. Wei Ruo resisted, ¡°Whether it has anything to do with her isn¡¯t for you to decide. I just need her to rify who was caring for our father during these past few days and how many days she took care of him. Is such a simple question, that difficult to answer? Does she have to beat around the bush to deliver an answer? She hasn¡¯t done anything, but does she need to act as if she¡¯s hugely wronged?¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lower lip, her eyes welling up with tears. Her head was hanging low, making her look even more pitiful. Indeed she was slightly taken aback by themotion caused by Wei Ruo. When Wei Yichen returned home and saw her bustling about, he showed some concern, and inquired about it. To leave a good impression on her older brother, she ambiguously suggested that she was caring for their father. She never anticipated that her older brother would directly confront Wei Qingruo and p her. She was even more surprised that Wei Qingruo chose to seek justice right in front of her father¡¯s sickbed. Caught within this situation, Wei Qjngwan chose to respond silently. At that moment, Wei Yilin entered the room.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Weilin had just gone to prepare medicine with Jing Hu. Upon entering the room, he found the atmosphere to be ice cold. Seeing Wei Yichen trying to pull Wei Ruo, Wei Yilin quickly rushed over. ¡°What¡¯s going on, brother? Why are you pulling sister?¡± He caught Yichen¡¯s hand with one hand, and protected Wei Ruo¡¯s arm with the other.. Chapter 255 - 255 This Slap Needs to Be Chapter 255: This p Needs to Be Returned_i Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°It¡¯s not your business, stand aside,¡± Wei Yichen said to Wei Yilin. Wei Yilin insisted on not letting go: ¡°Brother, you have to exin, why are you dragging our eldest sister!¡± ¡°Our father had such an ident, yet she only knows how to run away. As the eldest brother, I¡¯m responsible for disciplining her. She might not adhere to the same standards as other youngdies, but she can¡¯t disrespect our parents! She mustn¡¯t be disloyal and unfilial!¡± Wei Yichen retorted. Hearing this, Wei Yilin¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief: ¡°What are you talking about? How is our eldest sister disloyal and unfilial? She has always been taking care of our father! Giving him his medicines, changing his dressings, wiping his body ¨C all done by our eldest sister! How can you say she hasn¡¯t been tending to our father?¡± Wei Yichen was taken aback at his words: ¡°Yilin, what are you saying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying our eldest sister has been taking care of our father. During the three most critical nights, it was our eldest sister who kept watch! It wasn¡¯t until our father¡¯s condition was no longer life-threatening that she finally went to have some rest,¡± Wei Yilin urgently exined. ¡°How would you know about it?¡± Wei Yichen asked. ¡°Of course, 1 know ¨C because I was there too! I kept watch with our eldest sister,¡± Wei Yilin exined.N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Yichen¡¯s face froze, his eyes widened. Seeing his disbelief, Wei Yilin quickly added: ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Doctor Cheng, ask others in the house, ask Jing Hu, ask Cuiping, ask Nurse Zhang ¨C everyone knows it!¡± Listening to Wei Yilin¡¯s exnation, Yunshi and Wei Qingwan both wore expressions of surprise. These past few days, Yunshi had beenpletely distraught, even fainting once. Therefore, she was not clear on who was exactly looking after Wei Mingting¡¯s bedside, however, she was indeed aware that Wei Ruo and Wei Yilin took turns to watch over him. While Wei Qingwan was surprised that Wei Yilin, who usually loathed Wei Ruo, would stand up for her and even exin everything on her behalf. These past several days, overwhelmed with worry about her father¡¯s ident and anxiety over her dearly loved mother¡¯s wellbeing, she hadn¡¯t been paying much attention to anything else, thus, many of the recent events in the house were unbeknownst to her. Meanwhile, Wei Yichen was left stunned. Though Wei Yilin was young, he wouldn¡¯t lie about such a thing. Moreover, there were so many others bearing testament to his words! The hand Wei Yichen mped onto Wei Ruo¡¯s arm suddenly lost all its strength. Wei Yilin quickly rolled up Wei Ruo¡¯s sleeve, checking her arm. Her fair skin was marked with a violent, red pinch. At the same time, the p mark on her face was particrly striking. Wei Yilin careworn little face expressed his sorrow, ¡°Eldest sister, are you okay?¡± Wei Ruo lowered her sleeve, covering her arm. Then, she coldly said to Wei Yichen, ¡°So, what do you propose to do about the p you just gave me?¡± Wei Yichen felt a pang in his heart, ¡°I was wrong. You can return the p if you wish.¡± Then he stood rooted to the spot, not making a move. Upon hearing this, Yunshi stepped forward; ¡°All right, the misunderstanding is cleared up now. Now you know it was a misunderstanding, and your big brother acknowledges his mistake. Let¡¯s not hold a grudge against your big brother.¡± Yunshi then turned to Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Your big brother was just anxious. Now he knows he wronged you. We¡¯re all family after all, and we all want what¡¯s best for the family. Let bygones be bygones.¡± Wei Ruo, however, was not ready to let the matter rest as Yunshi wished: ¡°I didn¡¯t take the p for nothing. I¡¯ll consider the matter closed after I return the p; then we can talk about whether there¡¯s any lingering resentment.¡± Upon hearing this, Yunshi rebuked Wei Ruo in a sharp tone, ¡°So, you want to p your elder brother now? He is your elder brother, so you should respect the hierarchy! It¡¯s only natural that he, as the elder brother, has the right to discipline you. But to p him would be utter disrespect! If you dare to p him today, don¡¯t even mention the Wei family, the whole Taizhou prefecture will not ept you!¡± Even if he was in the wrong, an elder brother is still entitled to discipline his younger sister. The younger sister, however, should under no circumstances retaliate against her elder brother! Wei Yilin also tugged at Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and said: ¡°Big sister, you can¡¯t hit our brother! Calm down, he didn¡¯t do it on purpose! Wei Qingwan slightly raised her head to look at Wei Ruo. She didn¡¯t say anything, but she knew: if Wei Ruo dared tond that p today, she would plummet into the abyss of being disobedient and unfilial. All the reputations she had established outside would be ruined. Wei Ruo raised her hand, under Yunshi¡¯s warning, she suddenly turned and fiercely pped Wei Qingwan¡¯s face. Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t even have time to react and was almost floored by the p. Everyone else in the room was stunned. By the time everyone else hade back to their senses, Wei Qingwan¡¯s left cheek was already throbbing from the p. She waspletely disoriented, the pain serving as the only reminder of what had just transpired. Helpless, Wei Yilin looked from Wei Ruo to Wei Qingwan, not knowing what he should do. ¡°Ruo, what have you done?¡± Wei Yichen stepped forward, protecting Wei Qingwan behind him, then red angrily at Wei Ruo. ¡°Nothing in particr. Today¡¯s events clearly originated from Qingwan¡¯s inability to rify things. She could have easily exined the truth in a few words, but she chose to answer ambiguously, causing a misunderstanding which led to our elder brother¡¯s misconception about me. Qingwan has been educated for so many years, why couldn¡¯t she exin clearly few simple things? Why didn¡¯t she ask for details when she noticed our elder brother¡¯s anger? Therefore, as the eldest sister, I have a right to question Qingwan,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Indeed, she couldn¡¯t p Wei Yichen as he was her elder brother, but she could p Wei Qingwan! ¡°Although Qingwan did not rify properly, she did not purposely frame you. Even if you are questioning her, you shouldn¡¯t resort to violence,¡± Wei Yichen asserted angrily. ¡°So, it¡¯s wrong to hit someone out of nowhere? But that¡¯s something I learned from you, elder brother. Isn¡¯t this how you questioned me?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Wei Yichen was rendered speechless by Wei Ruo¡¯s question, unable to utter a single word in his defense. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s defiant attitude, Yunshi asked angrily, ¡°What kind of attitude is this? Are you resenting your elder brother¡¯s discipline?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be angry; I just wanted to teach Qingwan a lesson the way elder brother did me. I hope Qingwan can answer questions more clearly in the future to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and prevent family discord,¡± Wei Ruo answered calmly. Then, Wei Ruo turned to Wei Qingwan, slowly saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t hold a grudge against elder brother, and I trust Qingwan won¡¯t hold a grudge against me for teaching her a lesson. Am I right?¡± Wei Qingwan trembled; her face lost its color, while the p mark stood out in stark contrast. Holding her dress tightly, she suppressed feelings of anger and indignation against Wei Ruo.. Chapter 256: Wei Mingtings Punishment_l Chapter 256: Wei Mingting¡¯s Punishment_l Trantor: 549690339 Madam Yun was infuriated by Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude and response, her chest heaving with tumultuous breath. It seemed as though she was going to re up, but at thest second, she managed to contain herself. This was because Wei Mingting was right there by her side. With his wounds still not fully recovered, she didn¡¯t dare to fuel the fire and escte matters, fearing that any furthermotion would upset her husband and potentially worsen his injuries. Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t respond to Wei Ruo¡¯s words. Wei Ruo then turned towards the sickbed where Wei Mingtingy, bowed respectfully, and said, ¡°I apologize for my rashness and for disturbing my father¡¯s rest today. If I am to be punished, I will ept it willingly. No matter how many times I must endure it or what the punishment entails, I will always fight for my justice. Wei Mingting spoke, ¡°I am not angered at you. Go back to your room and rest for today. We¡¯ll discuss the matter further once I feel better.¡± Wei Mingting didn¡¯t reprimand Wei Ruo for her actions today and suggested that she go back.N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Mingting¡¯s attitude took everyone by surprise, especially Wei Qingwan. Her father was usually strict, and given Wei Ruo was causing such a ruckus, he should have reprimanded her. However, he did not say a single harsh word to Wei Ruo. ¡°I shall take my leave,¡± Wei Ruo bowed again, and without looking back, turned around and left. After Wei Ruo left, Wei Mingting said to Wei Yichen, ¡°Yichen, as the eldest son, it¡¯s only right that you guide and teach your siblings. But what you did wrong today was that you struck Ruoruo without seeking the truth. So many people witnessed it. If you had asked around, you wouldn¡¯t have made this mistake. ¡°I realize my mistake,¡± Wei Yichen admitted his fault. However, he felt that the error was on his part, not Wanwan¡¯s. Wanwan¡¯s p was unjust. ¡°I am punishing you to copy the house rules twenty times. Do you have any objections?¡± Wei Mingting asked. ¡°I have no objections,¡± Wei Yichen responded. Wei Mingting¡¯s gaze then fell on Wei Qingwan, ¡°Your sister¡¯s p was indeed a bit heavy, but she did have some valid points. You failed to fully exin the situation, you need to be more mindful of that next time. Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t believe that her father was implying that the p she took was justified! She was so wronged that her body started trembling uncontrobly, feeling as if her chest had been pounded by a hammer. Biting her lip, Wei Qingwan swallowed her sense of injustice and responded, ¡°I understand my mistake¡­¡± ¡°You all may leave now,¡± Wei Mingting said to his three children in front of him. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Both Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan excused themselves. Wei Yihn looked at Wei Mingting for a moment, exhibiting a conflicted expression, but he obediently left the room. Madam Yun, the only one left, rushed forward and asked, ¡°Is anything bothering you, dear?¡± She was worried that Wei Ruo¡¯s ruckus would have upset Wei Mingting and dyed the recovery of his injuries. ¡°I am fine. I am not made of paper. Such a small matter won¡¯t harm me,¡± Wei Mingting said. WeiTing, a veteran in the military, had a temperament that the reserved Madam Yun couldn¡¯t match. While the conflicts between their children were not to be taken lightly, they weren¡¯t enough to anger him. Hearing Wei Mingting¡¯s words, Madam Yun sighed with relief and then cautiously asked Wei Mingting, ¡°Are you truly not angry with your daughter? She was quite¡­¡± ¡°She shares some simrities with me when I was young, she can¡¯t stand being wronged or med unfairly. What¡¯s more, Yichen did indeed make the first mistake. It¡¯s unfair to me her impulsiveness,¡± Wei Mingting responded. ¡°But Yichen is the eldest son. Even if he was mistaken, she shouldn¡¯t have . She shouldn¡¯t have directed that p at Wanwan. Dear, you saw it too. Half of Wanwan¡¯s face was swollen by that p.¡± Madam Yun felt that it was unfair for Wei Qingwan to have received that p. ¡°That¡¯s right. If you think it was justified for Yichen to hit Ruo, then it was justified for Ruo to hit Wanwan. There¡¯s no difference between the two scenarios,¡± Wei Mingting said slowly. ¡°How could the two situations be the same? Yichen made an innocent mistake, and he only acted like that because of a misunderstanding. But Ruo knew that Yichen had misunderstood Wanwan¡¯s words, and since she couldn¡¯t hit Yichen, she pped Wanwan instead¡­¡± ¡°Madam, both situations are the same. Either you think it was right for them both to have been pped, or you believe they both should not have been pped. You can¡¯t hold differing opinions for both situations,¡± Wei Mingtingmented. At those words, Madam Yun was left speechless. Wei Mingting continued, ¡°Furthermore, Ruo also made some valid points. Ruo repeatedly questioned Wanwan, yet Wanwan failed to rify the situation every single time. If such an incident had urred within the military, it would have been dealt with by militaryw.¡± Despite his frailty, Wei Mingting¡¯s hearing was sharp, and he had clearly heard everything. The statements made by Wei Qingwan, which had caused a misunderstanding in Wei Yichen, were said right in front of him, and when he first heard her responses, he felt the same disappointment as his son, thinking that his eldest daughter did not care for him. He did feel a slight sense of loss at that time, but unlike his eldest son, he did not get angry. Instead, he reasoned that his eldest daughter must have had her reasons. As a soldier, Wei Mingting knew that whether it was a subordinate reporting to a superior or a superior giving orders to a subordinate in the army, themands had to be simple, clear, and understandable. An ambiguous reply, one that could be easily misunderstood, could cause chaos and disruption. So in Wei Mingting¡¯s view, there was indeed something wrong with such a response. Hearing Wei Mingting¡¯s dissatisfaction regarding Wei Qingwan in his tone, Madam Yun hesitated to speak on Wei Qingwan¡¯s behalf. Her husband¡¯s perspective on some matters was indeed different from hers. ¡°I understand.¡± Madam Yun still respected Wei Mingting¡¯s judgment above all. If Wei Mingting believed something was right, then she would believe it to be right as well. ### After Wei Qingwan left Cangyun Garden, her eyes turned red. Before she could reach Wangmei Garden, tears started falling like pearls off a broken ne. Wei Yichen, who had caught up with her, saw her in this state and apologized guiltily, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Wanwan. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Wei Yichen knew his kind-hearted sister would never intentionally create such a situation. She hadn¡¯t rified the matter, which led to his misunderstanding, but that wasn¡¯t her intention. Therefore, Wei Yichen felt the fault was his. It was his hasty actions that ended up hurting both his sisters. Wei Qingwan shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, elder brother. Sister was right It was my fault. I didn¡¯t rify things and caused a misunderstanding between you and sister. It¡¯s my fault, and both sister and father were right to reprimand me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, I know you didn¡¯t do it intentionally,¡± Wei Yichen said sympathetically, then looked at Wei Qingwan¡¯s swollen face, and added. ¡°Taking the p was my responsibility to bear, I owe you this. Wei Qingwan shook her head again, ¡°No, sister was right to p me. Elder brother, there¡¯s no need for self-me.¡± Then Wei Qingwan bit her lower lip and said, ¡°If the p I took today can soothe sister¡¯s anger and restore harmony in the family, then it¡¯s all worth it..¡¯ Chapter 257: Dont Do This Again Next Chapter 257: Don¡¯t Do This Again Next Time_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡öWanwan¡­¡± Wei Yichen felt a pang in his heart, saying tenderly, ¡°Indeed, with your devotion, our family will get better. I will also have a proper discussion with Ruoruoter. Wanwan, please don¡¯t me her. Once she realizes, she would understand that you did not intend to do it and she would be aware of her own mistakes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother, I won¡¯t hold a grudge against sister. I understand her feelings well. She has only recently returned to the mansion, so I should empathize with her more. Brother, please stop worrying about me and go find our sister. She probably needs your understanding andfort more than me.¡± Wei Qingwan replied. Looking at Wei Qingwan like this, Wei Yichen was deeply moved. Seeing that it waste, Wei Yichen said to Wei Qingwan, ¡°You should rest well and don¡¯t think about what happened today.¡± Wei Qingwan nodded. Then, Wei Yichen watched as Wei Qingwan entered the room. After that, he returned to his ce to write family rules. ### At the same time, just as Wei Ruo stepped forward into the Tingsong Garden, Wei Yilin followed closely behind. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wei Ruo turned her head to look at Wei Yilin, who was standing at her doorstep. She felt he had something to say. Wei Yilin remained silent, seeming upset. He turned his head, sitting down on the wicker chair Wei Ruo had ced in the yard. He was sitting still, his mouth pouting, apparently disgruntled about something. It appeared that he was angry about her pping Wei Qingwan, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t say anything directly. He just stared at her with his small eyes. Wei Ruo waited for him a little longer, but when he still didn¡¯t speak, she ignored him and entered her room. Seeing her young mistress ignoring him, Xiumei also ignored him and went into the room to attend to Wei Ruo. The young mistress¡¯s cheeks needed to be medicated, lest her face would swell up. After Wei Ruo applied the ointment sitting in front of the dressing table, she nced out of the window to the yard. Under the moonlight, she saw Wei Yilin still sitting on the wicker chair. ¡°Is he nning to spend the whole night in the young mistress¡¯s yard?¡± Xiumei said. ¡°If he wants to sit, just let him sit. It¡¯s not cold these days. Moreover, he is in good health. Sitting for a night wouldn¡¯t cause him any harm.¡± Wei Ruo said, paused, then added, ¡°Bring him some pastries and tea, and a nket.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Xiumei did as she was told, bringing pastries and orange tea to Wei Yilin¡¯s side, and covering him with the nket. Wei Yilin took a nce, but still remained silent, still seeming upset. Xiumei returned to Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Miss, I can¡¯t quite figure out whether he¡¯s angry at you or feeling upset with himself! Wei Ruo said, ¡°Perhaps both. After all, I hit his dear sister Wanwan. If it had been before, he¡¯d probably have fought me already!¡± To be honest, the fact that Wei Yilin didn¡¯t directly rush over to argue with her was indeed quite unexpected. Wei Yilin sat in the yard for more than an hour. Only when Wei Ruo came to the yard again, did he finally stand up. He puffed up his cheeks, and then with his notion of a serious expression, he said to Wei Ruo, ¡°You can¡¯t do this next time!¡± ¡°Do what?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°You can¡¯t hit Sister Wanwan. You can be angry, but you can¡¯t vent your anger on innocent Sister Wanwan. She may have misspoken, but she definitely didn¡¯t mean to!¡± Wei Yilin said, his little face stern. ¡°So you¡¯ve been sitting here all this time just to tell me this?¡± ¡°This is serious! Today, you¡¯re the one who was wronged, but you ended up hitting Sister Wanwan. Now I¡¯m torn between feeling sorry for you and angry at you!¡± Wei Yilin said, his voice muffled. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re quite conflicted.¡± ¡°Anyway, promise me you won¡¯t do it again next time. Then I won¡¯t be angry anymore today,¡± Wei Yilin said after pondering for over an hour, finally reaching this conclusion. ¡°I can¡¯t promise that, and 1 don¡¯t even think I did anything wrong today. If you want to stay angry, you can continue to do so,¡± Wei Ruo clearly stated. ¡°You¡­ How can you¡­¡± Wei Yilin, frustrated by Wei Ruo¡¯s response, stomped his foot. ¡°Wei Yilin, I have my own principles when ites to doing things. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong today. Your so-called innocent Sister Wanwan did say something misleading, more than once. You can argue that it wasn¡¯t intentional, but that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s guiltless. Besides, how do you know that she didn¡¯t do it on purpose?¡± ¡°She definitely didn¡¯t do it on purpose! You don¡¯t understand Sister Wanwan. She¡¯s always nice to everyone, she wouldn¡¯t deliberately mislead Big Brother. There¡¯s no advantage for her to do so! Sister Wanwan is neither bad nor stupid!¡± Wei Yilin exined. ¡°That¡¯s your opinion. I don¡¯t think so. Without any factual basis, you can¡¯t demand that I must think the same way as you do.¡± If it were any other day, Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t bother to argue so much with Wei Yilin. But since Wei Yilin had stood up for her earlier, Wei Ruo thought to go along with the flow and said a few more words. Although she spoke, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t expect that these words would change Wei Yilin¡¯s thinking. Wei Yilin pursed his lips and didn¡¯t say a word for a long while. But from his expression, it was evident that he was still unconvinced and probably wanted to continue persuading Wei Ruo. ¡°Enough, it¡¯s already toote. Go home. Whether you¡¯re angry or whatever, you can¡¯t cope with me right now. It¡¯s better to go back home, have a good sleep and recharge.¡± Wei Ruo said, reaching out to pull Wei Yilin¡¯s arm, directing him towards the yard¡¯s exit. Wei Yilin was reluctant, but he didn¡¯t resist. After pushing Wei Yilin out of Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo closed the gate. Looking at the closed gate, Wei Yilin stomped his foot and then walked dejectedly toward his own ce. ### By the end of the fourth lunar month, the weather warmed again. With sufficient sunlight and rainfall, it was the perfect time for rice shoots to grow rapidly, and also the harvesting season for winter wheat. Wei Mingting¡¯s health had improved significantly in the past few days, and he was already able to get out of bed and move around. Ever since that day, Wei Ruo had been visiting Wei Mingting at Cangyun Garden every day. Wei Mingting no longer mentioned the issue that Wei Ruo caused that day. Instead, he asked Wei Ruo some questions about the field work. ¡°In thest few days, Mr. Qian from Xingshan County sent me a message saying that the wheat you asked to nt grew well. The farmers, who were reiming the wastnd south of the city, have started to harvest gradually, and the harvested wheat has a high yield, and the grains are full. Everyone is overjoyed.¡± The sess of that wheat harvest meant the sessfulpletion of the wastnd renovation project south of Xingshan County City. This was considered a significant achievement for Mr. Qian who was the Magistrate and the seventh prince who presided over the project, thus they were naturally overjoyed. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s good.¡± Wei Ruo had known about this news already, and it was also what she expected. ¡°Ruo indeed did a great deed for the people.¡± Wei Yichen once againmended.. Chapter 258: Dont Want To Deal With It _1 Chapter 258: Don¡¯t Want To Deal With It _1 Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo spoke in a calm tone: ¡°I did what was within my abilities. Ultimately, the wheat had to be grown by them. Their diligence paid off.¡± Wei Mingting looked at Wei Ruo, and an overwhelming sense of pride arose in his heart. ¡°These days are the time for the winter wheat to ripen. If you¡¯re busy during this period, you don¡¯t have toe see me. I no longer have any major problems,¡± Wei Mingting added. Even though Wei Ruo was no longer in charge of the southern wastnds of Xingshan County, Wei Mingting spected that her recent hustle and bustle was likely rted to work in the fields, even though he was not aware of what specifically Wei Ruo was doing these days. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Mingting and thought for a while before replying, ¡°It won¡¯t hinder.¡± While Wei Ruo and Wei Mingting were chatting, Doctor Cheng arrived. In recent days, Doctor Cheng had been visiting the Wei Residence every day to check on Wei Mingting¡¯s health. Today, when he arrived and saw Wei Ruo, Doctor Cheng couldn¡¯t help but exim with a smile, ¡°Master Wei is indeed lucky to have a daughter like Miss. During your critical condition, it was thanks to her calm andposed demeanor that we managed the crisis. She not only did so but also helped this old man a lot.¡± Hearing Doctor Cheng¡¯s praise of Wei Ruo, Wei Mingting was somewhat surprised. While he was aware that his eldest daughter had been taking care of him attentively during his unconsciousness, he was not aware of the other details.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Oh? What else has my child done?¡± Wei Mingting asked Doctor Cheng. ¡°At that time, the Madam and the second young mistress were thrown into disarray and terribly flustered. In the absence of the young masters, it was the eldest Miss who properly arranged everything at home and calmed everyone. Later when I couldn¡¯t find the necessary medicinal materials for your treatment within the city, it was Miss who came up with a solution to source them,¡± Doctor Cheng answered. Doctor Cheng further added, ¡°Not just that, when I had to perform a surgical procedure on you, Miss assisted me throughout. Her calm and meticulous thoughtfulness greatly contributed to your recovery.¡± Although Doctor Cheng wasn¡¯t able to directly mention how Wei Ruo had performed the surgery, he still attempted to highlight her contribution from other perspectives. Upon hearing this, Wei Mingting turned to look at Wei Ruo, ¡°Howe you didn¡¯t mention any of this to me?¡± ¡°It was my duty, so there was no need to mention it,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Mingting was both delighted and moved. His daughter was not only capable but also calm, truly a bearer of great responsibility. After examining Wei Mingting, Doctor Cheng said, ¡°Master Wei¡¯s recovery is going well. However, you still need to avoid overworking or exertion in the next few days. Rest is critical, continue taking the prescribed medicine on time.¡± ¡°Thank you for your efforts, Doctor Cheng,¡± Wei Mingting said. ¡°I will take my leave now, Master Wei. Please take good care,¡± Doctor Cheng gave a few more words of advice before excusing himself. Not long after Doctor Cheng¡¯s departure, Wei Yichen arrived. ¡°Father,¡± Wei Yichen greeted Wei Mingting, then turned his gaze to Wei Ruo. He had attempted to have a private conversation with Wei Ruo a few times in the past two days but had been meticulously avoided by her each time. Wei Ruo ignored Wei Yichen¡¯s gaze, feigning ignorance of his yearning to speak with her. Wei Yichen had no choice but to return his attention to Wei Mingting, expressing concern for his father¡¯s health, ¡°How are you feeling today, Father? Are there any diforts?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m feeling better each passing day; you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Wei Mingting replied. Wei Mingting then shared what Doctor Cheng had told him with Wei Yichen, ¡°Doctor Cheng came earlier and told me that in the days when I was unwell, it was Ruoruo who held the fort at home and ensured everything ran smoothly. She even assisted Doctor Cheng in my medical treatment and managed to find the missing medicinal ingredients.¡± Wei Yichen was slightly surprised and turned to Wei Ruo, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard, Ruoruo.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond, she only gave a slight nod before continuing to stand by Wei Mingting¡¯s side, expressionless. One could neither say she hadn¡¯t responded, because she had nodded, nor that she had responded, because she didn¡¯t say a single word to Wei Yichen. Wei Mingting noticed, but said nothing, nor did he insist that Wei Ruo respond to Wei Yichen. Subsequently, Wei Mingting asked Wei Yichen few questions about his recent circumstances at the Academy, to which Wei Yichen responded dutifully. Wei Yichen was doing quite well at the Anzhou Academy, his excellent performance had won praises and recognition from his tutors. Upon learning of his son¡¯s situation at the academy, Wei Mingting advised, ¡°Keep working hard and do your best in this year¡¯s academy examination. Don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. You are still young; there will be many more opportunities in the future.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Wei Yichen replied. ¡°That¡¯s enough, you both should go back. You don¡¯t need to keep staying here with me. With your mother looking after me, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± Wei Mingting instructed both Wei Yichen and Wei Ruo to leave. Wei Yichen and Wei Ruo bowed their goodbyes and then left Cangyun Garden together. Wei Ruo walked a bit faster, Wei Yichen trailed behind her, and as they exited the gate, Wei Yichen ran in front of Wei Ruo, blocking her way. ¡°Ruoruo,¡± he called. But Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to have a conversation with him, ¡°I have something else to do,¡± she said, quickly stepping around Wei Yichen. She then walked in the direction of Tingsong Garden, not giving Wei Yichen another chance to speak. Wei Yichen stood in the same spot, his gaze following the receding figure of Wei Ruo, his eyebrows pulled together in tight lines. After a while, he finally turned to return to his own residence. When Wei Ruo returned to the Tingsong Garden, Xiumei handed her a box. ¡°Miss, this was sent back by the second young master. The guard gave it to me when I went to the kitchen to get some things,¡± Xiumei informed. Wei Ruo took the small box and then entered the room. Sitting in front of the dressing table, Wei Ruo opened the box. On top of the box was a letter. Wei Ruo picked up the letter, and under the letter was a transparent jade pendant. Wei Ruo opened the letter, but it had only a few words: All¡¯s well, don¡¯t miss me. This truly was like her second elder brother, stingy with words. Even when writing a letter, he was concise. Since he had gone to the trouble of sending a letter from so far away, why not write a few more words? Even some daily chatter would have been nice. Wei Ruo picked up the jade pendant in the box and examined it in her hand. Looking at its texture, it seemed to be a very expensive item. But why would her second elder brother send her an expensive jade pendant out of the blue? Could it be because he knew she loved money, and so he sent her a valuable jade pendant? At this moment, Xiumei came over and said, ¡°Miss, when the guard gave me the item, he also said that if you are short of medicinal herbs, you can take the item in the box to the Fengyue Teahouse in the east of the city and seek Mr. Hao.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes lit up.¡± Medicinal herbs have always been in high demand in Taizhou Prefecture, and this problem had long been bothering Wei Ruo.. Chapter 259: Winter Wheat Harvest_l Chapter 259: Winter Wheat Harvest_l Trantor: 549690339 | She had agreed to Xu Zhengyong a few days ago to prepare some medicinal herbs for him, but in reality, apart from the Xingshan County herbs she and Xie Yingying grew on their shared field, there was no other source of herbs. They only nted four kinds of scarce medicinal herbs on the field she and Xie Yingying managed, which were rtively easy to grow. Xiumei nodded and said, ¡°Guard Jing says so, and mentions that some herbs have already been stored for you, Miss.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Wei Ruo said, unable to contain her joy. Xiumei was also very happy, ¡°The second young master really is considerate. Even when he is not in Taizhou prefecture, he seems to intuitively understand Miss¡¯s difficulties and helps to alleviate them.¡± After thinking for a while, Wei Ruo instructed, ¡°Go ask Guard Jing if he can deliver a letter for me to my second brother.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go find Guard Jing right away!¡± Without waiting for further instructions, Xiumei promptly left. Wei RUO then moved to her desk, picked up her pen and began to ponder on her return letter to Wei Jinyi. Shortly after, Xiumei returned with a response from Jing Hu, ¡°Guard Jing said that he can deliver the letter, but he¡¯s not sure when it will reach the second young master.¡± ¡°As long as it can be delivered, that¡¯s fine.¡± Wei Ruo did not have any pressing matters, and was not anxious about the letter¡¯s arrival time. Wei Ruo then sat at her desk and wrote for a while. Unlike Wei Jinyi¡¯s briefmunication, she had filled three pages in no time. She wrote mostly about trivial matters, sharing with Wei Jinyi all the recent happenings, except the incident of being pped ¨C ¨C Wei Ruo did not want Wei Jinyi to know about it. After wrapping thepleted letter in an envelope, Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to deliver it to Jing Hu. ### The winter wheat nted at Wei Ruo¡¯s farm in Government City was sown a few dayster than that in Xingshan County, thus the harvest time was a littleter. The start of the harvest made the farm bustling with activity. Working from dawn to dusk for several days, the previously empty granaries quickly got filled with wheat. The joy of harvest permeated every person on the farm. Naturally, Wei Ruo was also very happy, as she loved the feeling of full granaries. No matter what the rice yield was in theing year, with this batch of wheat, Wei Ruo¡¯s farm could ensure they wouldn¡¯tck food until the end of the year. The farm manager, Mr. Yu, reported with great excitement, ¡°Miss, our wheat yield has reached a thousand jin per mu! I can hardly believe it, a mu ofnd actually produces a thousand jin of wheat!¡± In previous years, although they primarily grew rice on the farm, they would also devote a small portion of thend to cultivating a small amount of wheat. The yield was usually around three to five hundred jin per mu. If a mu ofnd could yield five hundred jin, it was already considered a massive harvest. But now, the per mu yield had reached a thousand jin directly! The people on the farm were astounded. In fact, before the harvesting, everyone had predicted a good yield this year based on the plentiful and big grains of wheat they saw, but no one had expected a thousand jin per mu yield. Wei Ruo smiled, ¡°The wheat variety used was good as it was carefully cultivated and improved, so it does yield better than the one everyone used to nt.¡± This wheat was from her space, so its quality was naturally iparable to the local varieties. Mr. Yu was still hardly able to contain his excitement, ¡°Miss, given this situation, even if the weather isn¡¯t good this year as in previous ones, our farm won¡¯t have to worry about running out of food! We can even earn a lot of silver coins!¡± ¡°Keep the wheat, we won¡¯t sell it outside for now.¡± Wei Ruo instructed. ¡°Miss, rest assured, we won¡¯t move the grain in the farm without your permission.¡± Mr. Yu assured her. Wei Ruo nodded. ¡°Also, arrange for someone to plough thend immediately after the wheat is harvested, apply fertilizer, and transnt the seedlings, we have already cultivated in the nursery, to the paddy field.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry, I have already arranged for this. We will not miss the rice nting time.¡± said Mr. Yu.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Mr. Yu was indeed reliable in managing matters. Even if Wei Ruo didn¡¯t instruct him, he knew to tell his subordinates what they should be doing. While Wei Ruo and Mr. Yu were talking, a servant reported that the boss of Zuixian Residence, Fan Chengxu had arrived. ¡°Did hee himself?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes, Boss Fan is just outside.¡± replied the servant. Wei Ruo was slightly puzzled. Usually, Fan Chengxu would send someone to invite her to Zuixian Residence. Why had hee in person today? After a moment of contemtion, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Please let him in. ¡°Alright.¡± With Wei Ruo¡¯s approval, the servant went outside to invite Fan Chengxu in. Wei Ruo received Fan Chengxu in the courtyard, ¡°Mr. Fan, I apologize for the simple conditions here. Unfortunately, we¡¯ll have to meet in this courtyard.¡± As she spoke, Wei Ruo invited Fan Chengxu to sit at the stone table and poured him a freshly brewed tea. -I see nothing simple here, instead, I find it rather elegant.¡± Fan Chengxu said. ¡°It is iparable to your Zuixian Residence.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that your farm has had a bountiful wheat harvest with a very high yield per mu.¡± Fan Chengxu said. Wei Ruo smiled, ¡°Mr. Fan, you are surprisingly well-informed. I¡¯ve only just learned of the yield on my farm, and you¡¯re already aware of it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t actually know the exact numbers, but nearby vigers have been spreading the word that your farm has heaps of harvested wheat making small hills, which is much higher than the yield of other households.¡± Fan Chengxu exined. Wei Ruo grinned, essentially confirming the news. After all, everyone had witnessed it. Not only could they not hide it, but there was also nothing to hide. The smile on Fan Chengxu¡¯s face intensified, ¡°Miss Wei, what about the proposal I madest time? Have you considered it yet?¡± Perhaps he couldn¡¯t wait, or perhaps hearing about the bumper wheat harvest on Wei Ruo¡¯s farm further convinced him of Wei Ruo¡¯s ability to improve his tea ntation. And so, Fan Chengxu personally came to Wei Ruo¡¯s farm to inquire about the matter. ¡öTve been busytely and haven¡¯t had the chance to think about it in detail.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Why not think about it now?¡± Fan Chengxu said with a smile. ¡°This matter is quiteplicated, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to fully understand it right now.¡± Wei Ruo said. -In what way is itplicated?¡± Fan Chengxu asked. ¡°There are many factors affecting the taste of tea, and a multitude of aspects involved, such as the variety of tea, growth environment, that year¡¯s climate and timing of harvesting. The aftermath handling of the tea, the roasting process, and storage conditions all y a part too. Mr. Fan, you mentioned that you wish for my assistance and cooperation, but I¡¯m not clear about which aspect you specifically want to coborate on?¡± Wei Ruo asked.. Chapter 260: What I Want is a Cooperative Relationship! Chapter 260: What I Want is a Cooperative Rtionship! Trantor: 549690339 Hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, the smile on Fan Chengxu¡¯s face grew thicker: ¡°I¡¯ve always liked to price merchandise and people. Regardless of which aspect, as long as Esteemed Sir Xu can help improve the yield, quality, and profit of my tea leaves, I¡¯m willing to reward you with a proportional contribution.¡± ¡°So, Boss Fan¡¯s proposition for coboration is to have me provide strategies for Boss Fan, and then Boss Fan rewards me proportionally based on the profits, correct?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid I cannot agree.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Fan Chengxu asked, looking at Wei Ruo with a puzzled expression.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Xu Heyou was a money-loving person. It was hard to believe that he would pass up this lucrative opportunity. ¡°Rather than working for Boss Fan and receiving a sry, I prefer to do business with Boss Fan on equal footing and establish a partnership instead of an employer-employee rtionship,¡± exined Wei Ruo. Fan Chengxu¡¯s smile faded, his eyes carrying a sharper nce, ¡°Esteemed Sir Xu seems to have quite an appetite. Do you believe that you currently have the ability to stand on equal ground with me?¡± Unfazed by his response, Wei Ruo responded with a smile, ¡°If Boss Fan thinks my proposal is inappropriate, you can find better options. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Fan Chengxu regarded Wei Ruo¡¯s expression, admiring her calm demeanor. After a moment, the smile on his initially cold face returned: ¡°You are bold, and it just so happens that I¡¯m the type who doesn¡¯t like to follow rules. I¡¯d like to try out a partnership with Sir Xu. How exactly do you envision our coboration?¡± If Xu Heyou had been scared earlier, he might¡¯ve backed out. But he wasn¡¯t scared, which provoked Fan Chengxu¡¯s consent. ¡°I can participate in the entire process from the nting, picking, drying to the final sale of the tea. For the increase in the tea garden¡¯s earnings that I bring about, I want to share half of it with Boss Fan,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Half? Esteemed Sir Xu, you should understand that the tea garden is my property. It¡¯s run by my people, my connections, and my sales channel.¡± Fan Chengxu responded. ¡°I¡¯m suggesting splitting the increased part of the ie. The silver you were originally able to make, I won¡¯t touch. But for the increased part because of me, I¡¯ll take half. If the increase is due to my contributions, then why shouldn¡¯t I take half?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°That does seem reasonable,¡± Fan Chengxu conceded. ¡°Boss Fan can take some time to consider it. I am not in a hurry for an answer. If Boss Fan thinks it isn¡¯t suitable, feel free to reject me. I¡¯m not particrly passionate about the venture.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t seem overly invested in the deal. ¡°It seems that in this transaction, I am in the passive position.¡± Boss Fan chuckled. ¡°You can¡¯t think like that, Boss Fan. It¡¯s more urate to say that in this partnership, we are equals and it will be mutually beneficial. If our opinions are in agreement, we begin a new partnership. If not, we can remain cordial and maintain our current business rtionship. What do you think, Boss Fan?¡± Fan Chengxu let out a lightugh, ¡°What can I say? I think you¡¯re making sense.¡± Wei Ruo, seeing Fan Chengxu¡¯sughter, followed with her own. Then Fan Chengxu spoke, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll stake one of my tea gardens to test this out. I hope Sir Xu won¡¯t disappoint.¡± ### On the day following their agreement, Fan Chengxu sent someone to take Wei Ruo to his tea garden. Wei Ruo, apanied by Xiumei, boarded Fan Chengxu¡¯s carriage. Comparing to the usual carriages that Wei Ruo took, Fan Chengxu¡¯s carriage was considerably more spacious andfortable. Even wealthy merchants weren¡¯t allowed to use this type of carriage because of its high quality. Upon reaching the site, Wei Ruo stepped out of the carriage, looked up, and saw four big characters on the wooden que over the entrance of the tea garden- Yusheng Tea Garden. Three people had been waiting at the entrance, including an acquaintance she¡¯d known before, Shopkeeper Shen. With a warm smile on his face, Shopkeeper Shen promptly greeted her, ¡°Esteemed Sir Xu, our young master has instructed me to wait here early. As our young master has some other matters to attend to, he asked me to guide you through the tea garden tour today.¡± ¡°Thank you for your effort, Shopkeeper Shen,¡± replied Wei Ruo, with a reciprocated smile. Wei Ruo followed Shopkeeper Shen into the tea garden. Yusheng Tea Garden upied an entire hill, referred to as the Tea Mountain. After entering the main entrance of the garden, they started climbing a set of stairs. On both sides of the stairs were rows of waist-high tea nts. As it was currently thete tea harvest period, Wei Ruo saw women spread over the mountainsides on either side of the path, picking tea leaves. However, the quality of the tea leaves harvested at this time of the year was generally not satisfactory. As the temperature rose, tea nts grew rapidly, producingrger leaves and longer stems. The tea consequently became stronger in vor and more bitter, and thus, couldn¡¯t fetch a high price. Green tea is most precious when it is the first crop of tender shoots picked in early spring. After that, each crop bes less precious than the previous one. ¡°What¡¯s the price of the tea leaves being harvested now?¡± asked Wei Ruo to Shopkeeper Shen. ¡°The current tea leaves can¡¯t fetch a high price. They are not served to the nobles. Ordinary households generally consume them. Per catty of tea leaves sells for twenty coins,¡± exined Shopkeeper Shen. This was not the price at which Fan Chengxu wanted to sell his tea. But as the tea trees here naturally grew, it would be a waste not to harvest the tea. A thin profit margin was better than nothing. Wei Ruo paused her steps, concentrating on the tea leaves being picked by the tea picking women nearby. She then extended her hand towards the tea picker¡¯s basket. Thedy, not knowing Wei Ruo¡¯s intentions, instinctually flinched backward as she saw a young gentleman reaching towards her. Quickly, Shopkeeper Shen exined, ¡°This is a distinguished guest of our young master, you don¡¯t have to be afraid.¡± Laughing, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I just want to look at the tea leaves you¡¯ve picked.¡± Hearing the exnation, the tea picker lowered her defences. Wei Ruo picked some of the freshly harvested tea leaves from the basket and carefully examined them in her hand. A meaningful smile then emerged on her face. At that moment, she had devised a n in her heart. At this moment in time in this world, red tea, yellow tea, and ck tea had yet to emerge. Generally, green tea was the most expensive when it was the most tender. However, fermented teas such as red, yellow, and ck tea didn¡¯t necessarily need such tender tea leaves. Turning to Shopkeeper Shen at her side, Wei Ruo asked, ¡°So, these freshly picked tea leaves will be roasted right away?¡± ¡°Of course, tea leaves must be roasted while they¡¯re fresh. If they¡¯re roasted toote, they¡¯ll wither and their color, aroma, and taste will degrade,¡± exined Shopkeeper Shen. ¡°For today,y out all the freshly picked tea leaves in arge basket and do not roast them,¡± directed Wei Ruo. ¡°Esteemed Sir Xu, if tea leaves are left out overnight, they¡¯ll wilt!¡± eximed Shopkeeper Shen in surprise. ¡°I know; I need them to wilt,¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°Then, Sir Xu, how many pounds of tea leaves do you need to be left out like this?¡± inquired Shopkeeper Shen.. Chapter 261: Invitation to Meet_l Chapter 261: Invitation to Meet_l Trantor: 549690339 | Shopkeeper Shen figured that the current tea was not worth much, and it wouldn¡¯t harm to give a few pounds of tea leaves to Master Xu to experiment with. ¡°All of it,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°All¡­all of it?¡± Shopkeeper Shen gave a surprised look. ¡°Yes. More precisely, leave as many tea leaves unprocessed as can be stored. If there are not enough baskets or not enough space for storage, then it can¡¯t be helped,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°This¡­¡± Shopkeeper Shen had a difficult expression on his face. Leaving all unprocessed would mean a significant loss in silver. ¡°No problem, you can go and ask your master first. We will only do this after he agrees,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°Master Xu, please excuse me for a moment while I consult my master,¡± Shopkeeper Shen said. ¡°Okay, there¡¯s no rush for now. Continue apanying me while I look around. After I finish, you can go and find your master,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. Wei Ruo needed to understand the Yusheng Tea Garden moreprehensively. ¡°Okay.¡± Shopkeeper Shen smiled and agreed, then continued to lead Wei Ruo around the tea garden. While Wei Ruo was visiting the tea garden, somewhere in the Yusheng Tea Garden, in a special courtyard situated in the Tea Mountain, Fan Chengxu was entertaining an ¡°unexpected guest.¡± It was Chu Lan, who did not want to stay in the official residence. Chu Lan did not want to stay in the official residence, but desired a quiet ce. Therefore, Fan Chengxu vacated this small courtyard on Tea Mountain to provide a temporary residence for Chu Lan. At the moment, the two were sitting in the pavilion in the courtyard, drinking tea. Chu Lan put down his teacup and looked at Fan Chengxu, ¡°You seem somewhat distracted.¡± ¡°Distracted? Not at all, just a littlezy today,¡± Fan Chengxu refuted. While he denied verbally, in reality, he was indeed somewhat distracted. Compared to apanying Chu Lan, Fan Chengxu was more interested in knowing about Xu Heyou¡¯s circumstances. Initially, he had nned to apany Xu Heyou personally that day. He wanted to hear on the spot what unique insights Xu Heyou could offer. However, Chu Lan wanted hispany, and he couldn¡¯t refuse, so he had to send his subordinate to go instead. For fear that Chu Lan might notice something, Fan Chengxu started a new topic: ¡°Prince, I heard that Lord Wei had a great fortune. He escaped death at the Ghost Gate and was miraculously saved.¡± ¡°Indeed, he is very lucky. At that time, we thought that his injury was incurable and asked a military doctor to escort him home to the Wei Family, thinking that he might want to see his family onest time,¡± Chu Lan shared the true situation at that time. ¡°There is amon saying that ¡®what doesn¡¯t kill you makes you stronger.¡¯ I wonder if Lord Wei will have the opportunity to be promoted after this battle.¡± Although Wei Mingting was promoted twice in a short spanst year, military officers during wartime get promoted based on their merits. As long as they perform well, no one would object to their rapid promotion. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be the case this time,¡± Chu Lan denied Fan Chengxu¡¯s assumption. ¡°Why? Is it because the battle caused heavy losses?¡± ¡°The battle was not victorious, it was barely won. Also, the court has reservations about our defense being insufficient against the onught of the Japanese pirates,¡± Chu Lan exined. ¡± How can you me your defense? Taizhou Prefecture¡¯ s coastal defense is severelycking in personnel, medicine and weapons. The fact that you managed to this point is already verymendable,¡± Fan Chengxu couldn¡¯t help butment. ¡°Well, you should ask your good uncle about this. In this battle, your uncle took the lead in ming the Taizhou army for their weak defense,¡± Chu Lan retorted. Hearing this, Fan Chengxu lightly touched his nose and said no more. He was well aware of his uncle¡¯s temperament. His uncle was indeed the type of person who would do such things. Just then, Shopkeeper Shen approached and whispered something in Fan Chengxu¡¯s ear. ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Fan Chengxu asked with interest. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what he said,¡± Shopkeeper Shen confirmed. ¡°Well, let us proceed as he suggests. Anyhow, the tea leaves at this time are rather worthless. I¡¯d like to see what he can do with them,¡± Fan Chengxu immediately made up his mind without hesitation. ¡°Then I will instruct the people in the garden immediately.¡± Shopkeeper Shen was about to leave but was stopped by Chu Lan. ¡°Hold on.¡± Shopkeeper Shen immediately halted. Chu Lan then looked towards Fan Chengxu and asked, ¡°Were you guys talking about Xu Heyou?¡± ¡°Prince, you are too sharp. Neither Shopkeeper Shen nor I mentioned anything rted to Master Xu, yet you managed to guess that we were discussing him?¡± Fan Chengxu eximed in astonishment. Chu Lan did not know why, but he just had a hunch, plus recently, Fan Chengxu had indeed been getting closer to Xu Heyou. ¡°It seems you two are quite close,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Prince, please don¡¯t misunderstand. My rtionship with Master Xu is purely about business,¡± Fan Chengxu exined. ¡°If you are doing business with him, why not discuss it face to face?¡± Chu Lan asked. Fan Chengxu thought: Talking about business doesn¡¯t necessarily require face- to-face discussion, is it that the 7th prince wants to meet Master Xu? However, this thought he could only keep to himself, and on the surface, he had to go along with Chu Lan¡¯s intentions. ¡°You are right, Prince. Shopkeeper Shen, go and invite Master Xu here,¡± Fan Chengxu instructed Shopkeeper Shen.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Shopkeeper Shen hurried back to find Wei Ruo. At this moment, Wei Ruo was squatting in the field of the tea garden, examining the soil and tea leaves. Shopkeeper Shen rushed over and from a distance, he only saw Xiumei. When he got closer, he saw Wei Ruo squatting on the ground. ¡°Master Xu, my master invites you to join him for tea and discuss further.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your master have other things to do?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Shopkeeper Shen didn¡¯t knowhow to exin this issue. The minds of his master and Prince Chu Lan were not something he could fathom. After a moment of thought, Shopkeeper Shen exined, ¡°Indeed, my master was upied before, but he is free now. When he found out that Master Xu was still in the garden, he asked me to invite you.¡± ¡°Alright then, I will go with you.¡± Wei Ruo also recognized that it would be more direct to discuss the matter with Fan Chengxu. Also, besides the tea leaves that needed to be picked today, she also needed to discuss other issues rted to the production of ck tea which involved more details. It would be more cumbersome to convey everything through Shopkeeper Shen. Weir Ruo followed Shopkeeper Shen to the small courtyard in the middle of Tea Mountain. The courtyard was built amidst green surroundings, and stepping out from there, one would be greeted by the undting hills of the Tea Mountain. It was quite a picturesque scene. Upon entering the courtyard and passing through the veranda, she arrived in front of a pavilion. Seeing the two figures sitting inside the pavilion, Wei Ruo paused and looked closely, realizing that Chu Lan was the other person. Wei Ruo¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously wanted to turn around and leave. However, by this time Chu Lan had already turned his gaze towards her. It was toote for Wei Ruo to flee. When Wei Ruo remained standing in ce, Fan Chengxu got up and walked over to her, ¡°Master Xu, this way please.¡± Wei Ruo averted her gaze from Chu Lan and followed Fan Chengxu into the pavilion. New teacups have been ced on the table, clearly prepared for her. Chapter 262 - 262 Three-Person Conversation 1 Chapter 262: Three-Person Conversation 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡ª Master Xu, please take a seat,¡± Fan Chengxu invited Wei Ruo to sit down. Wei Ruo promptly took her seat. Before sitting down, Wei Ruo deliberately didn¡¯t directly greet Chu Lan or show any form of courtesy. As Xu Heyou, her current identity, she shouldn¡¯t be acquainted with the Seventh Prince. So prior to Chu Lan¡¯s introduction of his identity, it was right for her not to pay her respects. ¡°Do you not recognize me?¡± The moment Wei Ruo sat down, Chu Lan¡¯s questioning voice rang out. Wei Ruo¡¯s heart jolted once again. Her fearsome suspicion was now almostpletely confirmed. ¡°Who is this gentleman?¡± Wei Ruo feigned ignorance as she asked. ¡°Zhu Zongyu,¡± dered Chu Lan. ¡°So, this is what Master Zhu looks like,¡± Wei Ruo pretended to be surprised. Thanks to you, the scars on my face are almost invisible,¡± Chu Lan said. At the moment, Chu Lan¡¯s face still bore some faint scars, but they weren¡¯t readily visible unless looked at closely. ¡°If Master Zhu continues the treatment for another half year, these remaining marks should be able to disappear,¡± Wei Ruo answered her, trying as best she could to appear normal and not give anything away. At this time, the only thing on Wei Ruo¡¯s mind was that she couldn¡¯t let Chu Lan discover her true identity. ¡°Alright. When the medicine finishes, I¡¯ll trouble Master Xu to prepare more for me, ¡°Chu Lan said. 111 prepare it on time and leave it at the mansion, like before. You can just send someone to pick it up at the mansion,¡± Wei Ruo replied. The less they see each other, the better.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Okay.¡± Then Chu Lan asked Wei Ruo, ¡°You want to discuss business with Brother Qingyuan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo avoided Chu Lan¡¯s gaze, missing the times when his eyes were hidden behind a veil and his hat. At least then, she didn¡¯t have to face his direct gaze. If there is anything you need help with, just let me know. I owe you a life-saving favor. If there is an opportunity, let me repay some of it.¡± ¡°Master Zhu, please don¡¯t be so polite. I treated you for a diagnosis fee. You really don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Wei Ruo quickly exined. If she had known he was Chu Lan back then, she definitely wouldn¡¯t have saved him! Hearing this, Chu Lan¡¯s eyes darkened. Everyone else tried as much as possible to describe their act of saving others as selfless and noble. However, Xu Heyou insisted on doing the opposite. Every time the topic arises, he never fails to mention that it was for mary gain. Chu Lan didn¡¯t know if this was really his character, or if he was just like this with him. Seeing that the two mentioned him, Fan Chengxu timely chimed in: ¡°Master Xu, since you¡¯ve met Brother Zongyu today, why not take the opportunity to check his injuries? He was injured a few days ago, and the wounds haven¡¯t fully healed yet.¡± Chu Lan could die anywhere else, and Fan Chengxu wouldn¡¯t mind, but not here. Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t surprised at all to hear of Chu Lan¡¯s injuries. The recent battle had been fierce and heavy with casualties, and Chu Lan was part of it. However, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to treat Chu Lan¡¯s wounds again, so she excused herself, ¡°Now that there should be a doctor with superb medical skills treating Master Zhu, I will not interfere.¡± How can you call it interfering? We¡¯ve all witnessed Master Xu¡¯s medical skills. At the time, Master Zhu was so seriously injured, but Master Xu still managed to save him. Later, when an epidemic broke out in the city and almost spread widely, it was thanks to Master Xu that it didn¡¯t turn into arge-scale gue. With such medical skills, who could say that Master Xu is overstepping his bounds?¡± Fan Chengxu hastilyvished praise on Wei Ruo¡¯s medical skills. To ensure Chu Lan¡¯s health, he truly spared no effort. Inwardly, Wei Ruo cursed the garrulous Fan Chengxu a few times but kept her expression unchanged on the outside, lest the two people in front of her see through her. Then, Wei Ruo made another excuse, ¡°Looking at Master Zhu¡¯s rosyplexion, it seems that he¡¯s already much better.¡± Chu Lan added, ¡°I am indeed much better and don¡¯t want to trouble Master Xu.¡± Inside, Chu Lan didn¡¯t want to trouble Xu Heyou again. He didn¡¯t want to be constantly in debt or in need of Xu Heyou¡¯s medical assistance. He was proud at heart and didn¡¯ t like being in a position of weakness in front of Xu Heyou, nor did he want to leave the impression that he always needed care. Fan Chengxu thought, ¡°Only me being meddlesome?¡± Immediately afterward, Fan Chengxu heard Chu Lan continue speaking to him, Brother Qingyuan, weren¡¯t you going to discuss business with Master Xu?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Fan Chengxu replied with a smile on his face, but he was muttering in his heart, ¡°Clearly, you were the one who wanted to see Xu Heyou, so why push it onto me?¡± Nevermind, he did have something to discuss with Xu Heyou anyway. Next, Fan Chengxu asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Master Xu, you suggested earlier to spread out the tea leaves we picked today in a winnowing basket. As freshly picked tea leaves should be quickly roasted, leaving them out for too long would result in the tea leaves losing their freshness, affecting their color, aroma, and taste after roasting.¡± ¡°I do not n to directly roast the tea leaves,¡± Wei Ruo replied. You re not going to roast them?¡± asked Fan Chengxu, curious. ¡°Then how are you going to process these tea leaves?¡± I n to ferment the tea leaves,¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Fermentation?¡± Fan Chengxu was somewhat taken aback. Chu Lan was also looking at Wei Ruo with inquiring and curious eyes. ¡°Yes, just like how grains are used to make alcohol and how soybeans are used to make soy sauce. After a period of fermentation, the taste of the agricultural products will change,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Wei Ruo¡¯s idea was quite novel to Fan Chengxu. This was the first time he had heard that tea leaves could be fermented. Do you think that the taste of the tea leaves after fermentation will be better than if they were directly roasted?¡± Fan Chengxu asked again. ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. It¡¯s more urate to say that roasted tea leaves and fermented tea leaves represent two different vors. The tea leaves in our tea garden can no longer be sold at a high price using traditional roasting methods. Why not change the method and try a new vor? There might be unexpected results and gains,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Interesting, I want to see what the tea leaves will look like after fermentation,¡± Fan Chengxu said, full of anticipation in his tone. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°To achieve fermentation, there are a few additional procedures. I¡¯ll write them down on paperter, and I hope Boss Fan can instruct the people in the tea garden to follow them.¡± Alright, the people in the tea garden will do whatever you want. Master Shen,¡± Fan Chengxu turned to the shopkeeper, ¡°Do as Master Xu says in the future, and you don¡¯t need to ask me for permission. I have agreed to cooperate with Master Xu because I trust him.¡± ¡°Yes, master,¡± the shopkeeper hastily replied. Following this, Fan Chengxu ordered someone to bring paper and pen to Wei Ruo so that she could write down the process for processing tea leaves. Instead of taking the pen, Wei Ruo said to Fan Chengxu, ¡°I¡¯m not very literate, why don¡¯t I recite it and Boss Fan can write it down.¡± Hearing this, Fan Chengxu expressed surprise, ¡°Master Xu, you¡¯re not very literate?¡± Chapter 263: Try to Ignore Chu Lan_l Chapter 263: Try to Ignore Chu Lan_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Hmm, I didn¡¯t have many years of education,¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I¡¯m not cut out for studying, otherwise, I would have already passed the imperial examination.¡± ¡°But Young Master Xu has such a high level of medical skill.¡± ¡°I can recognize the names of medicines ¨C aside from that, my master personally taught me everything,¡± Wei Ruo answered. The implication was that I don¡¯t understand medical texts, I can only write prescriptions, recognize a fewmon characters. ¡°As such, I will have to act as your scribe.¡± Fan Chengxu didn¡¯t see it as a problem. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Xu Heyou already has many strengths; having these weaknesses doesn¡¯t matter. If Xu really knows everything, he would find it too wondrous. So Wei Ruo began to dictate, and Fan Chengxu began to write. ¡°The tea leaves should be ventted for four hours until they are half-dry. At this time, they should be kneaded, turning the tea leaves into a strip shape. This process takes about 15 to 30 minutes. Then, load the kneaded tea leaves into a bamboo basket, cover them with a wet cloth, and ce the basket on a bowl filled with water. This is the process of tea leaf fermentation.¡± Fan Chengxu recorded everything, meanwhile he was filled with curiosity about what Wei Ruo described. Chu Lan was equally interested as he listened on the side, with a slight smile on his lips. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°After that, dry the tea leaves using the baking drums that the people of Taizhou prefecture use for drying bamboo shoots. After drying, they can be packed into containers.¡± Although Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation was simple, for Fan Chengxu and Chu Lan who had seen this process of tea treatment, its content was filled with novelty. After listening to Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, Fan Chengxu asked her several detailed questions. ¡°Young Master Xu, in the process you just described, there¡¯s a stage of baking, I wonder how the heat should be controlled in this stage?¡± asked Fan Chengxu. ¡°Low and slow is the best way for drying. The drying process needs to be slow; one should not be impatient to avoid the tea leaves bing burnt, influencing the taste,¡± answered Wei Ruo. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Young Master Xu could teach the kneading technique in detail, otherwise I¡¯m afraid the people in my tea garden may not do it well.¡± ¡°In that case, after taking a short break, Shopkeeper Fan could call over a few tea workers who can learn quickly and have a good memory. I would show them.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Wei Ruo agreed. The two had a pleasant conversation, leaving Chu Lan out in the cold. Wei Ruo, who was engaged in a serious discussion with Fan Chengxu, was visibly more rxed than when she first faced Chu Lan. Chu Lan looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s profile and was reminded of the time he was severely injured and lived in her house. At that time, they used to chat so casually. He was unsure why he would miss the interactions of that time. Ironically, it was during his worst and most challenging period. After confirming the details, Fan Chengxu put down his pen and said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Whether it works or not, the fact that Young Master Xu cane up with such a method of processing tea leaves is truly a pleasant surprise to me.¡± ¡°Shopkeeper Fan, you tter me, this method isn¡¯t my invention. It¡¯s what an old woman taught me a long time ago,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Oh? So that¡¯s how it is. It seems the people Young Master Xu has met in the past are not short of talent,¡± said Fan Chengxu. If Xu Heyou¡¯s medical skills are so outstanding, his master must be a notable person. ¡°Shopkeeper Fan, you tter me. I¡¯m just a simple countryman. The people I¡¯ve met can¡¯tpare to those around Shopkeeper Fan,¡± Wei Ruo hurriedly replied with modesty. Fan Chengxu said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so modest. You see, Young Master Zhu and I admire you a lot.¡± Chu Lan said, ¡°Once Young Master Xu¡¯s fermented tea is ready, would I have the privilege to have a cup?¡± No, you won¡¯t. Wei Ruo responded in her heart. ¡°Young Master Zhu is Shopkeeper Fan¡¯s honored guest, and is wee to have tea with Shopkeeper Fan anytime.¡± Wei Ruo answered. She and Fan Chengxu both have shares in this tea. If he wants to drink it, he can just ask Fan Chengxu. Why trouble her? ¡°Hmm,¡± Chu Lan responded. But Fan Chengxu was smiling inwardly. It was interesting that Xu Heyou could make the arrogant Seventh Prince yield like this. Shortly, the shopkeeper Shen brought two tea-making workers over. Wei Ruo personally demonstrated the kneading technique, and the two expert tea makers quickly grasped the knack. After ensuring the two had mastered the technique, Wei Ruo did not stay long. Using the excuse that there was something going on at her residence, she bid them farewell. ¡°Let me take Young Master Xu home,¡± said Fan Chengxu. ¡°No need. Shopkeeper Fan is hosting Young Master Zhu, he should keep his esteemed guestpany. Let Shopkeeper Shen take me down the mountain,¡± Wei Ruo declined. ¡°I was nning to take a walk anyway. Let me apany Shopkeeper Fan and send you down the mountain.¡± Upon saying that, Chu Lan stood up. Seeing this, Fan Chengxu could only follow Chu Lan¡¯s lead. ¡°Yes, Brother Zongyu has been bored in my humble dwelling for a few days. It¡¯s good to walk around.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Weu Ruo didn¡¯t want to refuse again, so she didn¡¯t say anything else. So, the two men apanied her down the mountain. Along the way, Wei Ruo admired the scenery, trying to avoid carrying on the conversation with Chu Lan or having any eye contact. Fortunately, although Chu Lan was annoying, he wasn¡¯t a talkative person. He didn¡¯t keep questioning her. The three of them walked down to the foot of the mountain. The carriage that came to pick up Wei Ruo was parked there. Wei Ruo bid the two men farewell, then got into the carriage. The coachman who brought Wei Ruo once again drove her away from the Yusheng Tea Garden. After the carriage had traveled some distance, Xiumei, who was sitting in the carriage, breathed a long sigh of relief. ¡°I was scared to death just now. As I was apanying you, my palms were sweating,¡± she said. ¡°Before he leaves Taizhou prefecture, we won¡¯t meet with Shopkeeper Fan in person again,¡± said Wei Ruo. Xiumei nodded vigorously: ¡°That¡¯s good! We can¡¯t meet him again, it¡¯s too dangerous!¡± ### On the first day of May, Wei Ruo received an invitation from the youngdy of the Xiu family, Xiu Yaojun. Thetter invited her to watch the dragon boat race on the fifth of May, Dragon Boat Festival. Last year, Wei Ruo spent the Dragon Boat Festival in Xingshan County. Although Xingshan County also has some festivities during the festival, there were no dragon boat races to watch. By contrast, the Dragon Boat Festival in the Government City of Taizhou prefecture is much more lively. A dragon boat race is held every year, and this year is no exception. ¡°Miss, why would Miss Yaojun invite you? You¡¯re not familiar with her. You only met her once when Madam Xiu inviteddies from the prominent families for a spring outing,¡± Xiumei curiously and worriedly said. Thisdy from the Xiu family was not familiar with theirdy but was good friends with the seconddy! Probably they were harboring unfavorable intentions. ¡°Who knows what this youngdy is thinking,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t even have a clue. ¡°Miss, are you going to go?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°No, if I can avoid it, I won¡¯t go,¡± Wei Ruo naturally didn¡¯t want to join such a gathering. Since returning to the Military Prefecture, she had been trying to avoid having too much contact with thesedies from prominent families. Wei Ruo decided to decline Xiu Yaojun¡¯s invitation, and nned to have Xiumei go to the Tongzhi Prefecture the next day to ry a message. That evening, Wei Yichen also showed up during dinner. Chapter 264: Let’s Go Together 1 Chapter 264: Let¡¯s Go Together 1 Trantor: 549690339 |? ¡ã? ¡ª Because today was the first day of the lunar month, the academy gave the students a day off. And Wei Mingting was still resting at home due to his injuries. The Yun Family had now begun the practice of having men and women sit at ifferent tables, and so two tables were arranged at dinner, separated by a screen in the middle. It was only after they finished their dinner and sat together for casual chats and tea, that the women were allowed to converse with the men of the house. First, Wei Qingwan inquired about Wei Yichen¡¯s experiences in the academy over thest few days to show her concern. After that, she shared with Wei Mingting that she had received an invitation from the Xiu Family to watch the Dragon Boat race. ¡°Father, Miss Yaojun has invited me to watch the Dragon Boat race on Duanwu Festival.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a good thing. Just be careful, Wanwan,¡± Wei Mingting nodded and said. ¡®I will also go that day and apany Wanwan over,¡± said Wei Yichen. ¡°Big brother is also going?¡± Wei Qingwan said with a happy expression. ¡°Yes, I have already made arrangements with Brother Fengyuan, and every year Anzhou Academy chooses some students to form a team to participate in the Dragon Boat race,¡± Wei Yichen exined. ¡°Isn¡¯t Big Brother participating?¡± Wei Yilin asked hastily. Wei Yichenughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m not very good at these things.¡± Wei Yichen excelled in literature but not in martial arts, and rowing dragon boats was quitebor-intensive, so he naturally did not participate. Wei Yichen added, ¡°However, Brother Fengyuan is participating. He is both literate and martially skilled, so we can look forward to his performance that day.¡± Wei Yilin grumbled, ¡°Our martial arts academy also formed a team. I originally wanted to participate, but the master said I was too young. It will be a few more years before I can participate. Now, only the older disciples are allowed to participate.¡± Then Wei Yilin asked Wei Mingting, ¡°Father, can I go and watch that day?¡± Even though he was a little disappointed that he could not participate, he believed it would still be exciting to watch in person. ¡°Yes, you can go with me on that day,¡± Wei Mingting replied. ¡°Great!¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s face immediately lit up in excitement. Then Wei Yilin¡¯s gaze fell on Wei Ruo, ¡°What about Big Sister? Is Big Sister also going with us?¡± Wei Ruo had intended to stay out of the conversation and was quietly drinking her tea when Wei Yilin asked her. Madam Yun said, ¡°Your big sister can¡¯t go with you and your father. If she wants to go, she must go with your mother.¡± Wei Ruo was already fourteen years old, so it was improper for her to go out and y with her father alone. ¡°Is that so¡­ Then is Big Sister going with Mother?¡± asked Wei Yilin. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Today a message from Tongzhi Prefecture came. Miss Xiu also invited your big sister,¡± Madame Yun replied. The invitation was delivered directly to the Military Prefecture by the Xiu Family¡¯s servants, so Madame Yun obviously knew about it. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face slightly faltered, then she looked at Wei Ruo and said with a faint smile, ¡°So elder sister is also invited. That¡¯s wonderful.¡± Wei Ruo replied calmly, ¡°Actually, I was nning to decline the invitation. I¡¯m not familiar with Miss Xiu, and I don¡¯t particrly enjoy social activities.¡± Hearing this, Madam Yun hurriedly said, ¡°You mustn¡¯t decline. A few days ago Madam Xiu mentioned this to me, and I already epted on your behalf.¡± Then Madam Yun continued, ¡°Ruoruo, it benefits you more than harms you to socialize with other youngdies from the city.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s expression darkened; Madam Yun had agreed to it on her behalf without asking for her opinion. Noticing Wei Ruo¡¯s displeasure, Madam Yun looked somewhat embarrassed and guilty. The others also noticed this. Wei Qingwan quickly said, ¡°Sister, Lady Tongzhi likes you very much and is looking forward to your presence at the Dragon Boat race. Please do not disappoint her kindness.¡± Wei Ruo nced at Wei Qingwan and chose to ignore her. We Ruo was aware that Wei Qingwan was taking the opportunity to present herself as a considerate daughter. If she continued to argue with Wei Qingwan right now, she might provide an opportunity for Wei Qingwan to y the victim. Moreover, with the p incident from a few days ago still fresh in everyone¡¯s memory, any further dispute might lead others in the Wei Family to suspect that she was targeting her, bringing about an unfavorable situation for herself. Seeing Wei Ruo not rebutting, Wei Qingwan slightly pursed her lips, and she was somewhat disappointed. In her heart, she really didn¡¯t want Wei Qingruo to attend the Dragon Boat race on Duanwu Festival; the memory of theirst outing was still fresh in her mind¡­ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om If Wei Qingruo started to argue with her right now, she might¡­ Wei Ruo remained silent for quite a while, making Madam Yun restless. ¡°Ruo you haven¡¯t been back home for long, and there are some social customs that¡¯ you still aren¡¯t aware of. Believe me, whatever I agree to on your behalf is for your own good.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± although Wei Ruo was dissatisfied with Madam Yun¡¯s actions she maintained herposure. As the mother, Madam Yun was certainly in a position to speak for her daughter in some matters. Wei Ruo conceded, and that was a relief not only for Madam Yun, but also for Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin. The two brothers were both worried that Wei Ruo¡¯s temper might spark another conflict with their mother, which they both loathed to see happen. ### The fifth of May. Early in the morning, Xiumei got up to help Wei Ruo dress and prepare as they were going to watch the Dragon Boat raceter. ¡°Choose the mostmon hairstyle for me, and pick an old dress that I have worn before, something of an old and in design,¡± Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei. Why? Mistress, you still have several new dresses in your wardrobe I have also recently learned a number of popr hairstyles among the youngdies of the city,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°I don¡¯t need to look very beautiful today. I am notpeting with them for their attention. Being the most beautiful among them has no benefits for me. If being the most beautiful could earn me a reward, then I might consider dressing up,¡± Wei Ruo answered. What to show off by looking prettier than the other noble daughters? What of apliment for her beauty? That had no mary benefit for her. ¡°Mistress is right, so I will just style youmonly, and apply your makeup roughly! ¡°Xiumei said. ¡°Yes! My good Meimei understands me!¡± After getting dressed, Wei Ruo looked no different than usual, if not even less morous. At the gate, there were two horse carriages already waiting. Wei Qingwan, who also came out at the same time, was slightly taken aback when she saw Wei Ruo¡¯s in attire, and she lowered her head. Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze also swept across Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan was wearing a new dress madest winter, a goose yellow robe with a cluster of flowers embroidered on it, which highlighted her delicate skin, giving her a vibrant and attractive appearance. The hairstyle was thetest trend,plementing her exquisitely beautiful face, making her look like a beautiful flower right out of the water and inducing people¡¯s affection. Byparison, Wei Ruo¡¯s outfit was more than just in ¨C it was even slightly crude.???? 1 Madam Yun saw the two girls¡¯ attire, and her brows creased slightly. Her gaze lingered on Wei Ruo for some time and she almost said something, but in the end, she said nothing. Chapter 265 - 265 Yusheng Tea House 1 Chapter 265: Yusheng Tea House 1 Trantor: 549690339??????? ¡ª But in the end, Madam Yun didn¡¯t say anything. After everyone had arrived, the Wei Family was ready to depart. For today¡¯s outing, the Wei Family had to split into several groups. Wei Yichen would go to meet his ssmates, Wei Mingting would ride with Wei Yihn, and Wei Ruo and Wei Qjngwan would take a carriage with Madam Yun. The carriage headed in the direction of East Lake, where today¡¯s dragon boat race would be held in the west district of theke. The area was already packed with townsfolk who hade to watch the spectacle. Wei Ruo and the others were heading to Yusheng Tea House, which was located right beside East Lake. This tea house had been booked by the Tongzhi Prefecture for the day, and was only open to madams anddies who had been invited by the Xiu Family. Upon arrival, Wei Ruo, Madam Yun, and Wei Qingwan entered the Yusheng Tea House together. The tea house was built by the water¡¯s edge, it was full of refined and elegant pavilions with all sorts of details being intensely captivating and exquisitely designed. On any ordinary day, the clientele of the tea house would also consist of cultured individuals, who¡¯d indulge themselves in burning incense, ying the zither, savoring tea, and enjoying the view ¨C it was a ce embodying great elegance and sophistication. However, the name of Yusheng Tea House reminded Wei Ruo of the recent visit to Yusheng Tea Garden she had taken not too long ago, and she couldn¡¯t help ut wonder whether there was any connection between the two establishments. The Xiu Family prepared separate tea rooms for madams anddies, so no sooner did they enter the tea house than Madam Yun, Wei Ruo, and Wei Qingwan were split up, each being led to a different tea room by tea attendants of the tea house. When Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan arrived at the tea room prepared by the Xiu Family for thedies, the splendidly dressed Wei Qingwan immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention as they entered. After catching sight of Wei Qingwan¡¯s attire, Xiu Yaojun¡¯s face shifted slightly She nced down at her own yellow dress and unconsciously gritted her teeth. Then she shifted her gaze back to Wei Ruo, who exuded a rather average lookpared to the rest. Despite her inherent beauty, standing among a group ofdies less attractive than herself, she didn¡¯t stand out or awe people on the first sight. While Xiu Yaojun observed her, Wei Ruo also looked at Xiu Yaojun, who was d in a goose-yellow dress very simr in style to Wei Qingwan¡¯s. But Wei Qingwan¡¯s outfit seemed gentler, covered with ayer of gauze, while Xiu Yaojun¡¯s dress, with simpler embroidery on the hem, looked more capable and efficient. soon, Xiu Yaojun walked towards Wei Ruo with a warm expression: ¡°Qingruo, you¡¯re here, I¡¯ve been waiting for you for ages.¡± Xiu Yaojun¡¯s friendly manner made Wei Ruo want to vanish on the spot. Wei Ruo glimpsed at Xiu Yaojun¡¯s expression and found that, although Xiu Yaojun was holding her hand, her gaze was fixed on Wei Qingwan. In that moment, Wei Ruo understood that she was being used by Xiu Yaojun once again. This was not an act of friendliness toward her at all, but rather, Xiu Yaojun was using her to embarrass Wei Qingwan. Wei Ruo felt a headache. She had no wish to be involved in this rivalry, let alone being used as a pawn by Xiu Yaojun. Wei Ruo nced at the Yuan sisters and was about to join them at their table but she was pulled by Xiu Yaojun to the ce closest to the window. ¡°Let¡¯s sit over there, I¡¯ve saved a seat for you.¡± Several tables were set up in this tea room, but only two were by the window. When the dragon boats came by on theke, those seated by the window would surely have a much clearer view. Xiu Yaojun made tea for Wei Ruo and invited her to try different kinds of tea snacks. On the other hand, Wei Qingwan was left alone and ignored. Seeing Xiu Yaojun intentionally ignoring Wei Qingwan, the others also kept their distance and dared not approach Wei Qingwan. As a result, Wei Qingwan stood where she was after entering, at a loss for what to do. Wei Qingwan looked at Wei Ruo in embarrassment, and Wei Ruo remained unmoved after receiving her gaze. Although she did not approve Xiu Yaojun¡¯s conduct, she was even less inclined to help Wei Qingwan out. As for whether Wei Qingwan would bear a grudge against her for this, Wei Ruo did not take it into consideration at all. No matter what she did today, whether she helped Wei Qingwan or not, Wei Qingwan had already deemed her as an enemy. Wei Ruo shifted her gaze to the window. At this moment, there were no dragon boats on theke yet, but this did not stop Wei Ruo from enjoying theke view. Wei Qingwan clenched her fist inside her sleeve and, under the scrutiny of onlookers taking pleasure in her misfortune, she walked over to the nearest empty seat and sat down. Seeing this, Xiu Yaojun was somewhat pleased, and her enthusiasm for Wei Ruo increased. ¡°Qingruo, which team do you have your eye on?¡± Wei Qingwan asked eagerly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, I don¡¯t even know which teams there are, let alone their strength,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to say much, and she just wanted to be left alone with her thoughts. ¡°Your older brother is also from the Anzhou Academy. You should also favor the Anzhou Academy, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± Xiu Yaojun said. Wei Ruo gave a light smile but didn¡¯t give a clear response. Xiu Yaojun added, ¡°My brother will be representing Anzhou Academy in thispetition, you¡¯ll see him then.¡± Wei Ruo smiled again, politely demonstrating a certain estrangement and indifference. Xiu Yaojun didn¡¯t mind Wei Ruo¡¯s distant attitude as she wasn¡¯t really trying to form a good rtionship with Wei Ruo, she was simply using her to embarrass Wei Qingwan. Wei Ruo took a sip of the tea in front of her. The taste was neither bad nor good. ¡°This Yusheng Tea House is the best Tea House in Taizhou Prefecture, and this tea is top-notch. How do you find it, Qingruo?¡± Xiu Yaojun asked Wei Ruo. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ifpared to the Longjing tea that Fan Chengxu had served her today¡¯s tea was still a littlecking. ¡°Qingruo, what good tea have you had before?¡± Xiu Yaojun asked casually. ¡°I quite like drinking milk tea.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°What? Milk tea? What¡¯s that?¡± Xiu Yaojun looked at Wei Ruo with a puzzled expression. This question was just casually thrown out, but Wei Ruo¡¯s answer was beyond her expectations. ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s a type of tea made with milk and tea leaves.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Would milk and tea taste good together?¡± Xiu Yaojun didn¡¯t quite believe what Wei Ruo was saying. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I happen to have brought some with me today, would you like me to brew some for you to try?¡± Wei Ruo offered. ¡°Then go ahead and brew it.¡± Xiu Yaojun said. Xiu Yaojun thought, since the dragon boat race hasn¡¯t started yet, everyone is idle with nothing to do, let¡¯s see what novelty Wei Qingruo coulde up with. The others also came over to watch, especially the three Yuan sisters, who had been impressed by Wei Ruo¡¯s ability to prepare loquat syrup and were curious about her new ideas. Wei Ruo waved Xiumei over to her side. On Xiumei¡¯s back, there was a small embroidered bag containing a good number of quality items. Like a magician, she took out a small jar filled with tea leaves, a leather bag filled with milk ¨C which she and Xiumei had got from milking the previous night ¨C and another smaller jar filled with caramelised sugar. The Tea House had utensils for brewing tea, and Xiu Yaojun asked one of the maids from the Tea House to bring a small stove that Wei Ruo would need. Once all the equipment was prepared, Wei Ruo started brewing the tea in front of everyone.. Chapter 266 - 266 Promotion of Black Tea_l Chapter 266: Promotion of ck Tea_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo opened the small jar, using a small spoon to scoop out the ck tea leaves inside. Upon seeing the color of the tea leaves, a variety of puzzled expressions appeared on everyone¡¯s faces. Why was the tea ck? If the tea was not stored properly or if it was over-roasted during the drying process, wouldn¡¯t it be ck? Wei Ruo understood their confusion, but rather than exining, she concentrated on the task at hand. The process of making milk tea was notplicated. The caramel was pre-prepared. After it was added to water and boiled, the ck tea was added. After boiling for a while longer, milk was added. Once brought to a boil again, the kettle could be removed from the stove. Wei Ruo set out the teacups and poured the milk tea into them. The teapot had a built-in filter, so there was no need to worry about tea leaves pouring out with the tea, and no need for any additional filtering cloth. Wei Ruo poured six cups and gave one to Xiu Yaojun and each of the five girls closest to her. Xiu Yaojun looked at the teacup in her hand, hesitating about whether to try it. Yuan Jiuniang also received a cup of milk tea from Wei Ruo. Out of trust, she was the first to take a sip. At first, Yuan Jiuniang showed no reaction. Everyone watched her curiously, including Wei Qingwan who had been holding back her curiosity and hadn¡¯te over to watch Wei Ruo brew tea. A momentter, a look of delight appeared on Yuan Jiuniang¡¯s face, followed by praise, ¡°It¡¯s delicious! It has a creamy milk vor, it¡¯s sweet, and there¡¯s a bit of tea aroma. The taste is very rich!¡± Hearing Yuan Jiuniang¡¯sments, Xiu Yaojun¡¯s curiosity was also piqued. She had watched Wei Ruo¡¯s tea brewing process, and all the ingredients added weremon. The only unusual thing was the ck tea, which did not seem superior. Xiu Yaojun took a small sip and carefully tasted it. It was good! Xiu Yaojun was pleasantly surprised. She took another sip, wanting to get a better taste. ¡°It really is very good!¡± Xiu Yaojunmented. After saying that, Xiu Yaojun looked at Wei Ruo. This could be considered the first time she truly admired Wei Ruo. Although she had previously said many nice things to Wei Ruo, none of them were truly sincere. Even when Wei Ruo¡¯s poem was highly praised duringst time¡¯s outing, she did not think that Wei Ruo was particrly talented. Wei Ruo was merely a tool she could use to annoy Wei Qingwan. With Xiu Yaojun giving it a positive review, the rest of the girls who received the milk tea also nonchntly began to taste it. After tasting, everyone expressed their opinions. Some found it good, some found it novel, but no one said it tasted bad. Yuan Jiuniang asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, what¡¯s up with this tea? Why is it ck?¡± Yuan Jiuniang asked what everyone else was wondering. Everyone was curious about this. ¡°This is ck tea. The manufacturing process is slightly different from the green tea you usually drink. Itcks some of the bitterness of green tea and is smoother, making it more suitable for milk tea,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°ck tea? This is the first time I¡¯ve heard about it. I didn¡¯t know tea leaves could be ck,¡± Yuan Jiuniang said. ¡°The tea just appeared not long ago. It¡¯s said that some hermits invented a new method for better preservation of tea. It only started to spread this year, so not many people know about it,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo made up an origin story for ck tea, saying it was invented by hermits to give it an air of elegance. If she said that it had been invented by rural women, some of the privileged people present might develop a distaste for it and it could affect their enjoyment of the tea. ¡ö¡¯Miss Wei, where did you get this ck tea? I want to buy some for my family to try,¡± Yuan Jiuniang said. Yuan Jiuniang was the first to express this sentiment, and several others also expressed their desire to buy some. ¡°I want to buy some too, to make milk tea like Miss Wei when I go home.¡± ¡°Our family has a dairy farm, and they send me milk every day. I¡¯m tired of drinking it. It¡¯d be good to pair it with this ck tea for a change of taste.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°I bought it from someone else, but I heard that the Yusheng Tea Garden is mass-producing ck tea. I guess it will be avable for purchase in a while.¡± Of course, Wei Ruo, as the daughter of the military prefecture, couldn¡¯t sell tea herself. Selling loquat syrup, a medicinal product, was justifiable, but selling tea was not. So at such times, Wei Ruo only needed to tell everyone where it could be purchased. ¡°Yusheng Tea Garden? Isn¡¯t that this tea house?¡± Xiu Yaojun asked. So Xiu Yaojun called over a maid to ask, ¡°Does your tea house sell ck tea?¡± The maid quickly shook her head in denial, ¡°Our teahouse does not sell ck tea. I do not know what ck tea is.¡± Hearing this, Xiu Yaojun turned to look at Wei Ruo, ¡°It seems there¡¯s an issue with Miss Wei¡¯s information.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo smiled lightly, ¡°I must have made a mistake. It¡¯s probably another tea garden that¡¯s making it.¡± Her information being urate was not important. What was important was that some people had an interest in buying ck tea. Then Wei Ruo said, ¡°Let me make some more milk tea for everyone. She had only made six cups, and there were many people who hadn¡¯t had a chance to taste it. Upon hearing this, Yuan Shiniang quickly said, ¡°Yes, make some more. I want to taste it too.¡± A few others voiced their agreement. No matter who voiced their desire to taste it, Wei Ruo made a cup for each one, even those who appeared uninterested, none were left out. Since the milk was already there and current conditions didn¡¯t allow for it to be preserved for very long, if not used it would be wasted. A cup was also ced in front of Wei Qingwan. Looking at the milky-brown liquid, no hint of anticipation could be seen on her face. The situation was worse considering the asional praises for Wet Ruo she could hear. Xiu Yaojun was observing Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression. Taking advantage of the timing, she walked over and teased, ¡°Wei Qingwan, why don¡¯t you drink? Your sister made it herself. It¡¯s really good; all of us really enjoy it.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression worsened. She forced a smile and replied, ¡°I m not very thirsty.¡± ¡°Drinking tea is not to quench thirst. This tea is fragrant and sweet, and it even tastes better than a soft and sweet osmanthus cake. By the way, do you know what osmanthus cake tastes like? If I remember correctly, you used to be the best at making osmanthus cake.¡± Xiu Yaojun deliberatelypared it with the osmanthus cake that Wei Qingwan excelled in making. ¡°Yes, my sister has learned a lot of skills during her many years in the countryside, I can¡¯tpare,¡± Wei Qingwan hastily replied modestly. While she was being modest, she did not forget to mention Wei Ruo¡¯s upbringing in the countryside. Xiu Yaojun gave a light scoff, ¡°But your sister¡¯s talents are not inferior to yours. Howe you haven¡¯t learned better than someone who grew up in the countryside despite spending so many years in the Colonel¡¯s house? Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned a deeper shade, her lips pressed tightly together. She replied quietly, ¡°I¡¯m slow-witted and not as intelligent as my sister.. Chapter 267: Chu Lan in the Opposite Tea Chapter 267: Chu Lan in the Opposite Tea House_l Trantor: 549690339 Xiu Yaojun huffed lightly: ¡°As long as you know.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, refusing to dispute further with Xiu Yaojun, and turned her head away to quietly carry on with her own affairs. Just then, a suddenmotion erupted in the courtyard, sparking a look of confusion on the faces of thedies within the teahouse. Everyone turned to look through the window facing the courtyard, only to see a man being beaten in the center of it. The assant was a man from the opposite teahouse. From his dressing, it was clear that the attacker was a servant from a prestigious family. As for the beaten man, his attire was quite decent, generating queries about what sparked the conflict. The courtyard, which was nked by two teahouses, contained beautifully maintained flowers and nts that were severely damaged amidst the action. ¡°Miss Xiu, who are the guests in the opposite teahouse?¡± Someone asked Xiu Yaojun. Xiu Yaojun wasn¡¯t certain either: ¡°ording to the owner of the establishment, it¡¯s a dignitary. They won¡¯t disturb us.¡± No one knew who the master of such unruly servants was, permitting them to assault people so brazenly. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om As everyone was left puzzled, Chu Lan emerged from the opposite teahouse. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Prince Seven?¡± Many in the crowd weredies from prominent families, and some had met Chu Lan before. Chu Lan¡¯s celestial-like countenance was something that anyone would find hard to forget after just one encounter. ¡°So it¡¯s Prince Seven. Then, there must be something wrong with the man who was beaten.¡± ¡°I heard that Prince Seven was injured on the battlefield some time ago. Not sure if he has fully recovered.¡± -When Prince Seven was appointed as Military Governor, he had a tough time, actually going onto the battlefield himself to fight enemy soldiers.¡± Thedies whispered quietly amongst themselves about Prince Seven. Wei Qingwan, who was seated near the courtyard due to Xiu Yaojun¡¯s coldness, had a clear view of the scene unfolding in the courtyard. Like everyone else, she found herself watching Chu Lan intently. Despite their different statuses and the limited times they¡¯ve met, she felt her heart flutter differently with each encounter. Contrary to everyone else, Wei Ruo looked away from the scene, turning her gaze to a window on the opposite side that overlooked theke. Understanding thedies¡¯ reactions to Chu Lan, Wei Ruo was all too familiar due to the original host¡¯s crush on him. But to her now, Chu Lan was nothing more than a despicable bastard and a harbinger of disaster. Chu Lan stood at the entrance of the teahouse, looking coldly at the man his men had beaten to a pulp. This person had been tailing him since he left the Yusheng Tea Garden, even following him all the way to the Yusheng Tea House. Chu Lan didn¡¯t believe this was a coincidence. He was aware that many were eyeing his life, especially his Sixth Royal Brother, who was particrly eager. Recently, there were moves to reopen the case of Lord Xiu of the State. Chu Lan had an inkling that the Ninth Prince was still alive and behind the push. However, he didn¡¯t have any solid evidence to prove his suspicion yet. The identity of today¡¯s stalker might be rted to one of these two parties, and he intended to get to the bottom of it. After the beaten man fell unconscious, Chu Lan ordered him to be dragged back into the teahouse for interrogation. It was then that Chu Lan noticed that the women in the opposite teahouse were observing this side intently. Chu Lan asked the person next to him, ¡°Who are in the opposite teahouse?¡± ¡°Your Highness, on the day of dragon boat race, the daughter of the Tongzhi Prefecture booked the opposite teahouse. The guests are all prestigious youngdies in Taizhou Prefecture.¡± At these words, Chu Lan¡¯s gaze swept over the teahouse, lingering on Wei Qingwan for a moment. Feeling his gaze, Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart stuttered nervously, and she clenched her fists tightly. Chu Lan quickly averted his eyes and returned with his men to his own teahouse. The beaten man was also hauled into the teahouse. With the spectacle gone, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn back. After a while, a person came from Chu Lan¡¯s teahouse and gave something to the maid at the entrance. The maid then entered and delivered the message, ¡°The dignitary in the opposite teahouse has sent over a pouch of Wufeng Tea as an apology for the disturbance earlier.¡± Wufeng Tea is a tribute tea. Its yield is extremely limited each year, and it¡¯s mostly offered to the court. Common families could not even fathom the thought of tasting it, let alone seeing it. Prince Seven giving them Wufeng Tea! Everyone was exalted. Xiu Yaojun quickly ordered the maid to steep the tea and share it with everyone for tasting. Numerous sighs and exmations came from the crowd after tasting the tribute tea. They were all grateful for this unexpected encounter, as the chance to taste such an exclusive tea was a once-in-a-lifetime urrence for many. Wei Ruo received a cup too, but she didn¡¯t drink it. It wasn¡¯t that the tea was not good, but she simply disliked Chu Lan and everything rted to him, except his money, of course. Awhileter, the sound of drums came from the direction of East Lake. The dragon boat race was about to begin. From afar, more than a dozen dragon boats were lined up neatly, each with two rows of crew members arranged in an orderly manner, and a drummer at the head of the boat. Xiu Yaojun quickly recognized the boat from Anzhou Academy and pointed it out, ¡°Look, that¡¯s Anzhou Academy¡¯s dragon boat, my brother is sitting in the first row!¡± Her voice was filled with pride and admiration. Xiu Yaojun then specifically inquired about Wei Ruo¡¯s opinion, ¡°Qingwan, what do you think of my brother?¡± ¡°Master Xiu is exceptionally aplished at such a young age. He¡¯s indeed extraordinary among his peers.¡± Wei Ruo responded. In actuality, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s appearance. But since Xiu Yaojunplimented him, she decided to y along. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? My brother is truly remarkable. My mother mentioned that there are enough youngdies in Taizhou Prefecture willing to marry my brother that they could line up from the east gate to the west one.¡± Wei Ruo found nothing hard to believe about this. The Xiu Family was one of the most influential families in Taizhou Prefecture. Several members of the Xiu family held high-ranking positions in the court. Hencepared to the declining Wei Family, the Xiu family was like a rising sun, attracting many suitors wishing to marry into it. Xiu Yaojun said again, ¡°What I mentionedst time about my mother taking a liking to you was true. In fact, I heard that she has already expressed her intention to your mother.¡± Xiu Yaojun deliberately revealed this information to Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m not worthy of your brother. Master Xiu should find his partner from among the more distinguished daughters of prominent families. Miss Xiu, you shouldn¡¯t y the matchmaker so carelessly,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Indeed, given your family¡¯s situation, you are a bitcking for my brother. But you are lucky; my grandparents enjoyed your loquat syrup, and my mother is fond of you, so you may very well be my sister-inw,¡± Xiu Yaojun confidently asserted. She spoke loud enough for everyone in the teahouse to hear. Wei Ruo frowned slightly, then corrected her, ¡°Miss Xiu, we shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions. The details of this marriage haven¡¯t been finalized yet..¡± Chapter 268: Inviting Miss Wei to Throw the Chapter 268: Inviting Miss Wei to Throw the Pot_l Trantor: 549690339 I She hasn¡¯t been betrothed yet, and ifments from Xiu Yaojun somehowpromise her reputation, it would not bode well. So, in front of everyone, Wei Ruo made it clear that she and the Xiu family¡¯s son were not betrothed, and Xiu Yaojun¡¯sments were merely a jest. Though Wei Ruo had no intention of marrying into a prestigious family, she did not want to be burdened with an undeserved reputation. ¡°How was I speaking recklessly? Everything I said was true. Or could it be that being betrothed to my brother is an inconvenience for you?¡± Xiu Yaojun was somewhat displeased. Wei Ruo said calmly, ¡°Marriage is no child¡¯s y. Without the exchanging of betrothal gifts or formal inquiries, it cannot be considered a betrothal. The elders¡¯ jests should not be taken seriously.¡± Xiu Yaojun¡¯s face instantly darkened, feeling offended. Seeing Xiu Yaojun¡¯s gloomy expression, everyone else dared not speak further. At this moment, Lady Yuan and the other two were a bit worried about Wei Ruo. They didn¡¯t want Wei Ruo to irritate Xiu Yaojun. In Taizhou prefecture, those who offend Xiu Yaojun often end up facing difficulties. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Given the Xiu son¡¯s talents and virtues, he is indeed a rare gem. He deserves a better pairing, perhaps even with a nobledy from the capital. If the matter was already determined, it¡¯s fine to discuss it. But if it¡¯s not, spreading rumors not only does no good for me, but it¡¯s also not favorable for the Xiu¡¯s son.¡± ¡°Your remarks do make some sense,¡± Xiu Yaojun slightly cooled her temper, ¡°After all, it would be indeed a step-up for ady from the Wei family to marry my brother. I was quite surprised when my mother told me she was considering you as a candidate. Once my brother aces the exam this year, he would even be deserving of a Commandery Princess from the capital!¡± Xiu Yaojun continued, ¡°Though the Wei family is of nobility, everyone is actually aware of the real situation. It¡¯s good that you, at least, are self-aware enough not to act haughty as an heiress of the Earl Residence, unlike certain others.¡± After finishing her speech, Xiu Yaojun shot a nce at Wei Qingwan from the corner of her eye. Wei Ruo sighed inwardly. Xiu Yaojun was rather outspoken, her words perfectly aligning with the character Xiu Yaojun was spected to have. If Wei Qingwan still had her heroine¡¯s privileges, Xiu Yaojun¡¯s unchecked remarks would certainly spell trouble for Wei Ruo. But Wei Ruo was uninterested in further engaging with Xiu Yaojun. Firstly, Xiu Yaojun held contempt for her, and although Wei Ruo bore no grudge against her, she was not fond of her either. Secondly, Xiu Yaojun was rather stubborn, and no amount of reasoning would do. Wei Qingwan, who was indirectly insulted by Xiu Yaojun, bowed her head, savoring the Wufeng tea that Chu Lan had just served, pretending she hadn¡¯t heard anything. Xiu Yaojun was satisfied, then her attention was drawn to the bustling noises outside. The dragon boat race was in full swing, with crowds of spectators along theke bank and numerous dragon boats fighting for the lead on theke. The sound of gongs and drums as well as cheering could be heard intermittently. Wei Ruo savored her tea while idly watching through the window. She didn¡¯t notice Wei Qingwan slipping away from the tea pavilion under the pretext of going to the restroom. After quite a while, someone informed Xiu Yaojun that Wei Qingwan had not yet returned. Xiu Yaojun scoffed, ¡°Leave her be. She might have a stomach upset.¡± At this moment, the dragon boat race has reached its climax. The dragon boat of Anzhou Academy and that of Wei Yuan Trophies Bureau were at the forefront. The two dragon boats were neck and neck, and it was unclear who would secure the victory until the veryst moment. Xiu Yaojun was too engrossed in the exciting race to pay any attention to Wei Qingwan. No one else said anything either and continued to watch the dragon boat race attentively. At the veryst moment, the dragon boat from Anzhou Academy slightly outstripped the other and crossed the finish line first, winning by a hair¡¯s breadth. Xiu Yaojun was overjoyed. She took off the pouch from her waist and gave it to her maid, instructing her to tip the servants at the Yusheng Tea House. Xiu Yaojun then told everyone, ¡°My elder brother will being to the Yusheng Tea House to rest with his schoolmates in a while.¡± With that, she led her maid out, intending to personally greet her victorious brother. About the time it takes to drink a cup of teater, Xiu Yaojun¡¯s maid returned to the tea pavilion to call for Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss Wei Ruo, my mistress requests your presence.¡± ¡°What for?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Our Young Master, my mistress, and Young Master Wei n to y a game together and have expressly invited you, Miss Wei Ruo. They are already waiting in the courtyard.¡± Wei Ruo squinted her eyes, then nced towards the direction of the courtyard. She could vaguely see Wei Yichen, Xiu Fengyuan, and others standing in the courtyard, where a pitch-pot had been set up. It appeared as if they nned for a game of pitch-pot. Since the game was to be held outdoors and their elder brothers were present, it was eptable to have a minor game together. Wei Ruo declined, ¡°You could ask my sister instead, she¡¯s better at these kinds of games.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know whether Wei Qingwan was any good at it, but she herself did not want to participate. The maid looked back at the spot where Wei Qingwan was originally seated, ¡°Miss Wei Qingwan seems to have not returned yet¡­¡± Wei Qingwan had disappeared midway through the dragon boat race and was still missing even when the races were over and thepetitors had arrived at the tea house. Wei Ruo furrowed her brow. The maid added, ¡°Ms. Wei Ruo, there¡¯s no need to worry. These are just casual games to pass the time. There¡¯s a prize if you y well, but it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t. You have nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Seeing that the maid couldn¡¯t be persuaded, Wei Ruo reluctantly got up and followed the maid out of the room. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As they walked through the corridor and arrived at the courtyard, from a distance of seven or eight meters, Wei Ruo clearly saw the few people standing in the courtyard. In addition to the Xiu siblings and Wei Yichen, there were several students from Anzhou Academy and Lu Yuhong. It was said that the Lu family had recently arranged for Lu Yuhong to study at Anzhou Academy, so he has often been hanging out with Xiu Fengyuan and others. He also took part in today¡¯s dragon boat race. Wei Yichen came forward to greet Wei Ruo, ¡°Big sister.¡± Seeing Wei Ruo, Wei Yichen was relieved, because she had been ignoring him for some time. When Xiu Fengyuan had suggested the game earlier, he had been genuinely worried that his older sister would refuse to join them. Wei Ruo nodded in response. In front of so many people, she didn¡¯t want to embarrass Wei Yichen as it would also make her look bad. ¡°Ms. Wei.¡± Xiu Fengyuan greeted Wei Ruo with a gentle and elegant smile. Greetings, Sir Xiu.¡± Wei Ruo gave a curtsy as etiquette demanded. ¡°Ms. Wei, Yaojun and I proposed a game of pitch-pot. Brother Wei happens to be here as well, so we thought of ying the game together with both of you. Four people in all. What do you think?¡± Xiu Fengyuan asked politely. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at it.¡± replied Wei Ruo, attempting to subtly express her disinterest in the game.. Chapter 269 - 269 Seductive Jackpot 1 Chapter 269: Seductive Jackpot 1 Trantor: 549690339 Xiu Yaojun said, ¡°The rule of this game is very simple. Do you see the double-eared pot there? You just need to throw the tally into that pot.¡± Xiu Fengyuan smiled and said, ¡°Miss Wei, do not be nervous. It¡¯s all right even if you can¡¯t do it. We¡¯re just ying for fun, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Lu Yuhong crossed his arms over his chest, watching thepetition with interest, ¡°Miss Wei, don¡¯t be nervous. If you win, I¡¯ll give you a prize. If you lose, it¡¯s not a matter of disgrace, Brother Fengyuan is already an expert in this game. There are not many people in Anzhou Academy who can beat him. I lost to him thest time we yed.¡± Having said that, Lu Yuhong ordered his servant to bring the prize he had prepared. Tworge velvet boxes were opened, one containing a Lingzhi mushroom as big as a palm, and the other containing arge old ginseng with roots intact. Wei Ruo, who had initially shown little interest, suddenly brightened her eyes after seeing these two items. Wei Ruo loved both money and medicine, and Lu Yuhong¡¯s prizes were top-quality medicinal materials that money couldn¡¯t buy! It¡¯s really hit her in the softest spot of her heart! Wei Ruo replied with a light smile, ¡°I can¡¯t refuse such generosity. I¡¯ll give it my best and hope not to spoil everyone¡¯s fun.¡± Upon hearing her words, Wei Yichen breathed a sigh of relief, ced the eight tallies in front of Wei Ruo, and exined the rules to her. ¡°We are ying with the simplest rules, just get it into the pot. Each person has eight tallies to throw, and the one with more hits wins. You and I will be grouped together, while Xiu Fengyuan and Miss Xiu will form another group. The final result will be based on the total tally count.¡± The rules were simple, but the tricky part was to throw the tally into the pot. Wei Ruo looked at the drawn line on the ground and the pot in the distance. The pot was about seven to eight steps away, the mouth of the pot was small, and each tally was about nine inches long, with an arrowhead at one end and feathers at the other. Wei Ruo held the tally, weighed it in her hand and made some practice throws. Seeing her appearance of ying the game for the first time, Xiu Yaojun could not help but want tough. Although she was not as skilled as her brother, she was considered an expert among women. Thispetition, she and her brother were certainly going to win. Wei Yichen also realized that it might be Wei Ruo¡¯s first time ying this game. Heforted, ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t be nervous. We are just ying for fun, don¡¯t mind who wins or loses or whether you can get the tally into the pot.¡± Wei Ruo slightly nodded, then turned to Xiu Fengyuan and asked, ¡°Can I try it first?¡± ¡°Of course, Miss Wei, you can try several times. We¡¯ll start officially when you feel ready.¡± Xiu Fengyuan replied with a smile. Then Wei Ruo stood in front of the drawn line, one foot forward, the other slightly back, adjusting her posture and threw towards the pot. The tallynded about two to three inches away from the pot¡¯s mouth, without hitting the pot. Weichen Wei, who was standing by the side, immediately encouraged her, ¡®Ruoruo, you did really well for your first time.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t speak, but tried again. This time, the tally hit the pot, but the angle was incorrect, and it ended outside. Xiu Fengyuan said, ¡°Miss Wei, just adjust your force a little bit.¡± Wei Ruo nodded and tried again. This time, Wei Ruo obviously used too much strength, and the tally was thrown far beyond the pot. It seemed that her previous attempt was not due to her quick understanding but luck. ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡± Wei Ruo, who had tried three times, said to everyone. Xiu Fengyuan said, ¡°We¡¯re not in a hurry. Miss Wei, you can try more times.¡± Wei Ruo declined, ¡°No need. It¡¯s gettingte. I don¡¯t want to dy everyone. Let¡¯s get started.¡± Since Wei Ruo said so, Xiu Fengyuan did not say anything more and invited Lu Yuhong to be the referee and announced the start of thepetition. The order of throwing was determined by drawing lots, which gave the order as Xiu Fengyuan, Wei Yichen, Xiu Yaojun, Wei Ruo. Each toss of the tally by a participant marked one round, for a total of eight rounds. As soon as thepetition started, Xiu Fengyuan got off to a good start and scored immediately. Then it was Wei Yichen¡¯s turn. He was not really skilled, but as the son of a noble family, he had been exposed to this game since childhood. Through frequently ying, he was often able to score more than half of his tallies. On this day, his first tally also scored. Then it was Xiu Yaojun¡¯s turn. She confidently threw a tally but woefully missed the pot. Xiu Yaojun was a little unhappy. However, when she turned to look at Wei Ruo, she rxed again. Although she did not score, there was still Wei Qingruo who she believed would end up behind her. Finally, it was Wei Ruo¡¯s turn. After getting into position, she threw her first tally under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes. With a ¡°dong¡±, the tally firmly entered the pot. Everyone was surprised. It was clear that Miss Wei, who had imed never to have yed before and who had just been familiarizing herself with the rules, had scored on her very first throw! Xiu Yaojun pouted, muttering, ¡°You¡¯re just lucky.¡± Wei Ruo did not reply but quietly returned to the rear to wait for the second round. It could be said that Wei Ruo had never yed this game before. Indeed, she had never yed this game. However, during her time in the rural area, she, Xiumei, and Brother Xiaoyong often yed simr games. It was just that the conditions there were bad, without proper tallies and pot to y with.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The ¡°tallies¡± they used back then were carved out of bamboo by Uncle Xu, and the ¡°pot¡± they used was an old pottery jar. Once, she, Xiumei, and Brother Xiaoyong identally broke the pottery jar during the game, which upset their nurse for quite some time. Thus, Wei Ruo¡¯s skill in this game was not bad. She merely needed to adapt to this formal tally and pot, to grasp the weight, distance, and height in order to adjust her force and angle. The three throws she made before thepetition were meant for practice. The second round began. Xiu Fengyuan, like before, scored. Wei Yichen failed this time, His tally made it to the pot¡¯s mouth but couldn¡¯t fully enter, just a bit short. Xiu Yaojun¡¯s second round also scored. Seeing this, Xiu Yaojun was delighted. She now considered the game secure, believing it impossible for Wei Qingruo to continue her lucky strikes. Wei Yichen went up to Wei Ruo and said: ¡°Sorry if we lose today, it would be my fault.¡± y Wei Ruo did not speak and calmly walked to the line, throwing her second tally in aposed manner. ¡°Dong,¡± once again, the tally entered the pot steadily. Once again, everyone was surprised. If scoring on the first throw could be attributed to luck, what about scoring twice in a row? Could it all be due to luck? Xiu Yaojun looked incredulously at Wei Ruo, ¡°How did you do that?¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Perhaps my luck is unusually good.¡± Was it really luck? Xiu Yaojun furrowed her brows. After two rounds, both the Xiu siblings and Wei siblings had three tallies, making it a tie. Then the third round started. Xiu Fengyuan: Scored; Wei Yichen: Scored; Xiu Yaojun: Did not score; Wei Ruo: Scored. Fourth round: Xiu Fengyuan: Scored; Wei Yichen: Scored; Xiu Yaojun: Scored; Wei Ruo: Scored. Fifth round: Xiu Fengyuan: Scored; Wei Yichen: Did not score; Xiu Yaojun: Did not score; Wei Ruo: Scored. More than half of thepetition had passed, both Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Ruo managed to maintain a record of scoring with every throw. The spectators couldn¡¯t help but look at them in awe.. Chapter 270: Winning the Contest 1 Chapter 270: Winning the Contest 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡ª Everyone knew of Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s skills, it was not surprising that all of his throwsnded. But it was surprising that Wei Ruo, as a woman, seeded in all of her five tries! Not to mention she suggested that this was her first time ying. Even if she had been ying all along, her urate throws as a woman were still impressive. No matter the final oue, Miss Wei had gained the limelight of the day. Like everyone else, Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s admiration and awe for Wei Ruo had also increased. Wei Ruo had a faint smile on her face, and her eyes would asionally nce at the attendant holding the brocade box by Lu Yuhong¡¯s side. Lingzhi and wild ginseng were medically supreme and rare, and with all of them, some top-grade medicine could be made. At this moment, Xiu Yaojun had be somewhat anxious. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s smile on her face was like a thorn in her eye. In Xiu Yaojun¡¯s heart, she muttered: Isn¡¯t it too early to be happy now? It¡¯s not over yet. Although Xiu Yaojun was extremely dissatisfied, she had to face the reality that the Wei siblings were ahead of her and her brother by a point. Sixth round: Xiu Fengyuan: Hit; Wei Yichen: Missed; Xiu Yaojun: Hit; Wei Ruo: Hit. Seventh round: Xiu Fengyuan: Hit; Wei Yichen: Hit; Xiu Yaojun: Missed; Wei Ruo: Hit. After two rounds ofpetition, the situation hadn¡¯t changed significantly. The Wei siblings still had a one-point lead. There was only one round left, and Xiu Yaojun became increasingly anxious. Her strong desire to win made her reluctant to lose. Xiu Yaojun looked worried and asked Xiu Fengyuan quietly, ¡°Brother, what should we do? Are we going to lose?¡± Xiu Fengyuan smiled softly and said rxedly, ¡°If we lose, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose to them surnamed Wei!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say at the beginning, we¡¯re just ying for fun, so take it easy.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve never lost at such games before!¡± ¡°Thepetition is fair, loss or win depends on capability, there is no constant general of victory, and I won¡¯t be an exception. After all, Miss Wei is so skillful, losing to her is nothing to be ashamed about, so take it easy,¡± Xiu Fengyuan said. Despite Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s strenuous persuasion, Xiu Yaojun¡¯s dissatisfaction remained unabated. In her heart, Wei Qingruo and Wei Qingwan¡¯s dazzling performance shouldn¡¯t overshadow hers. The final round began, and Xiu Fengyuan threw hisst piece. As expected, he seeded. Apuses and praises for him were heard in the crowd: ¡°Brother Xiu is very skilled!¡± ¡°Brother Fengyuan¡¯s throwing is still as impressive as ever!¡± ¡°Brother Fengyuan is gifted both in literary and martial arts!¡± II II Even in the face of public praise, Xiu Fengyuan remained humble and said, ¡°It was just my lucky day today that allowed me to seed.¡± Then Wei Yichen also threw his final piece, which also hit the target. After seeding, Wei Yichen let out a sigh of relief. At the beginning, he was not very concerned about the oue of this contest, but as it progressed, if he hadn¡¯t seeded with thisst piece, he would have been a hindrance to his sister, which was something he would hate to see. As of now, Wei Yichen had scored with five of his eight pieces, which was more than half, and was a regr performance for him. Then it was Xiu Yaojun¡¯s turn. She appeared to be slightly nervous as she held the piece in her hand, staring at the direction of the pot and not making the move for a while. Everyone watched her, and they also felt tensed for her. Right when everyone was about to lose their patience, Xiu Yaojun finally threw herst piece. Just as Xiu Yaojun had hoped, the piecended urately in the pot with a ¡°thud¡±. At that moment, a smile crept onto Xiu Yaojun¡¯s face. She then immediately turned her head and stared at Wei Ruo, who was slowlying over. Xiu Yaojun red at Wei Ruo, her eyes warning Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo sensed the hostility in Xiu Yaojun¡¯s eyes and guessed that Xiu Yaojun probably didn¡¯t want her seeding and winning, causing her to lose face. As long as Wei Ruo¡¯sst piece was missed, their families would be tied. But Wei Ruo ignored Xiu Yaojun¡¯s warning. After getting into position, shepletely focused on her own hands and eyes. Without any hesitation or dragging, Wei Ruo swiftly tossed herst piece. With the clear sound of piece entering the pot, Wei Ruo¡¯sst piece was warranted as a sess. Just like Xiu Fengyuan, all of her eight pieces had sessfullynded. At the same time, it was announced that the contest was over. The Wei siblings won today¡¯s contest with a lead of one point. Upon seeing this, the crowd erupted into cheers and praises again. The praises for Wei Ruo were even more enthusiastic than those just for Xiu Fengyuan. Because Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s outstanding performance was expected but Wei Ruo¡¯s was not. Xiu Fengyuan walked over to Wei Ruo and sincerely congratted her, ¡°Miss Wei, you¡¯ve won. I admit defeat.¡± Wei Ruo replied with a faint smile, ¡°Master Xiu didn¡¯t lose to me at all. All of your eight pieces have seeded, so as of the current situation, we¡¯re tied.¡± Xiu Fengyuan said, ¡°Today is a contest between siblings. My sister and I did lose to you and Brother Wei, so I do admit defeat.¡± Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s face was always filled with a soft smile. He looked calm andpliant.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Lu Yuhong walked forward and said to Wei Ruo, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Wei to be not only a great in character but also so proficient in tossing.¡± Lu Yuhong was about to praise Wei Ruo for her excellent culinary skills but remembered what Chu Lan had said earlier and then changed his remarks. ¡°Master Lu, you tter me too much. It¡¯s just my luck that was good today, it¡¯s not worth mentioning,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡®Making a sessful hit with all eight pieces is not just luck. Just like us hitting the target while horseback archery. It could be luck if you hit once, but to continuously hit would have to be skill.¡± Lu Yuhong ordered his attendant to give Wei Ruo the prizes he had prepared, saying, ¡°These prizes are for you and your brother.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes were fixed on the two brocade boxes that Lu Yuhong¡¯s attendant was carrying over. One of Lu Yuhong¡¯s attendants handed one of the brocade boxes to Xiumei and the other to Wei Yichen¡¯s attendant. After shifting her gaze back, Wei Ruo thanked Lu Yuhong, ¡°Thank you for the generous gift, Master Lu.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, you¡¯ve earned them with your skills,¡± Lu Yuhong replied. We Yichen also expressed his gratitude to Lu Yuhong and then suggested that Wei Ruo and Xiu Yaojun return first. Xiu Fengyuan agreed and said to the still frowning Xiu Yaojun, ¡°Yaojun, you and Miss Wei can go back to your tea rooms. Brother Wei, our friends and I still have some things to see to.¡± Xiu Yaojun was still immersed in anger from losing thepetition and didn¡¯t hear Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s words for a while. ¡°Yaojun?¡± Xiu Fengyuan called Xiu Yaojun again. Only then did Xiu Yaojun return to her senses. ¡°You and Miss Wei can go back to your tea rooms,¡± Xiu Fengyuan repeated again.. Chapter 271: Is It Worth Your Tov? 1 Chapter 271: Is It Worth Your Tov? 1 Trantor: 549690339?????? 3 ¡ª X1U Yaojun gave a muffled nod and then went to Wei Ruo, giving her a forced smile. ¡°Miss Wei, let¡¯s go.¡± In the tea room earlier today, she¡¯d been referred to as ¡°Qingruo¡±, but now it had be ¡°Miss Wei¡±. Wei Ruo did not mind Xiu Yaojun¡¯s attitude and kept up with her pace. When Wei Ruo returned to the tea room, aside from the three Yuan sisters no one else dared to step forward and offer their congrattions to Wei Ruo. Everything that had urred in the courtyard had been seen through the windows, with them knowing that the Xiu siblings had lost the tea pot throwing contest to the Wei siblings. Generally, this was just a game, and most people would dismiss it with augh regardless of winning or losing, but apparently Xiu Yaojun didn¡¯t think so. Everyone could tell that Xiu Yaojun¡¯splexion was poor, now if they were to congratte Wei Ruo, it would be like rubbing salt in Xiu Yaojun¡¯s wounds¡ªthey did not want to unnecessarily provoke Xiu Yaojun¡¯s dissatisfaction. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The three Yuan sisters pulled Wei Ruo aside and whispered praises for her tea pot throwing skills. Although they also didn¡¯t dare to provoke Xiu Yaojun, they weren¡¯t as afraid of her as others. After all, the main branch of the Yuan Family had substantial influence in Taizhou Prefecture, which indirectly also benefitted them as coteral branches. ¡°Ruoruo, have you really never yed tea pot throwing before?¡± Yuan Jiuniang asked with a curious look. ¡°When I used to live in the countryside, we used to y something simr with y pots and bamboo sticks, so I just got the hang of it quickly.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°I see, you¡¯ve done exceptionally well then. y pots and bamboo sticks are somewhat different from this tea pot throwing.¡± Yuan Jiuniang said. -Yes, yes, I¡¯ve also yed tea pot throwing quite a lot, but I still struggle with it.¡± Yuan Shiniang mumbled. As Wei Ruo was talking with the Yuan sisters, Xiu Yaojun sneered out of the blue, ¡°It¡¯s just tea pot throwing, why are you so delighted?¡± At this moment, no one else in the tea room was talking, so Xiu Yaojun¡¯s voice was heard very clearly. Wei Ruo responded immediately, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just tea pot throwing, why are you so unhappy?¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t stand your behavior.¡± Xiu Yaojun chatted bitterly. ¡°Which part of my behavior do you find detestable? Is it the joy on my face after winning the contest? Is it that my unhappiness has touched a sore spot for Miss Xiu?¡± Wei Ruo responded. Heaven knows, she neither gloated nor boasted. And even if she did revel in her victory and was happy about it, how could it harm anyone? ¡°You¡­¡± Xiu Yaojun was momentarily speechless and could do nothing but re at Wei Ruo menacingly. ¡°Miss Xiu, there¡¯s winning and losing in every contest. If you start being sarcastic and scornful after losing, it shows a little bit of sore losing. But I believe you are a well-bred youngdy from a noble family, and should not be one with a petty mind, right?¡± Wei Ruo smilingly said. ¡°Who said I¡¯m a sore loser? How could I be angry over such a trivial contest?¡± Xiu Yaojun immediately argued back. ¡°If that isn¡¯t the case then that¡¯s good. After all, in the courtyard earlier, nothing unpleasant happened between us in front of the students from the Anzhou Academy. Miss Xiu, you shouldn¡¯t be angry with me, unless you¡¯re still holding a grudge against me for winning the contest.¡± Wei Ruo had a bright smile and her eyes were filled with amusement. Xiu Yaojun was left fuming, not knowing how to react. Whenever she used to mock Wei Qingwan in the past, Qingwan always kept her head down with a pitiful look, it did frustrate her, but it did not leave her speechless. Everyone else in the tea room at this moment was especially cautious, even their breathing had slowed down. At the same time, they also had some admiration for Wei Ruo. It was their first time seeing someone who could retort back to Xiu Yaojun, leaving her speechless. The atmosphere in the tea room was quite tense when Wei Qingwan returned. She had thought that after being away for so long and then reappearing, Xiu Yaojun, who had always disliked her, would definitely take the opportunity to make things difficult for her. However, Xiu Yaojun didn¡¯t pay any attention to her at all, and Wei Qingwan sighed in relief. ### The other tea room. After the tea pot throwingpetition ended, Lu Yuhong separated from Xiu Fengyuan and the others and headed to the tea room where Chu Lan was. As Lu Yuhong entered, he saw a man lying half-dead on the floor. ¡°What happened? Why is there a half-dead man lying here?¡± ¡°Ignore him, he¡¯s just a spy.¡± chu Lan replied calmly. Lu Yuhong retracted his curious gaze, sat down at the spot opposite Chu Lan, and unabashedly poured himself a cup of tea. ¡°Did Brother Chu get to see thepetition just now?¡± Lu Yuhong asked. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Rightfully so, Lady Wei of the Wei Family is not only good at cooking, but also exceptional at tea pot throwing. I wonder when I¡¯ll have another chance to taste the food she and her maid prepared.¡± As soon as he mentioned the dishes cooked by Wei Ruo and Xiumei, Lu Yuhong could already feel his mouth watering. ¡°Indeed, she is quite talented.¡± Chu Lan gave an affirmative evaluation, but his expression was very nd. Chu Lan didn¡¯t have a deep impression of Wei Ruo, but every time she was seen, she always seemed distant and cold. However, she certainly was talented. Thend remation had solved a significant problem and if there hadn¡¯t been an unexpected issue that day he would¡¯ve definitely reported her role in thend remation to his father, with a proposal that she be allowed to push for morend remation. Even though she was a woman, if she could resolve the urgent needs of the court, there might be a chance to make an exception for her. Chu Lan then nced at Lu Yuhong¡¯s enthusiastic look and said, ¡°You may admire her, but don¡¯t let any other thoughtse into your mind. Regardless of how she may be, she¡¯s still the legitimate daughter of a noble family, and it¡¯s not possible for her to leisurely cook for you.¡± ¡°How do you know what I¡¯m thinking?¡± Lu Yuhong, who felt exposed, asked. ¡°Your thoughts are never hard to guess.¡± ¡°As long as you know my thoughts, you should help mee up with a solution instead of dousing cold water on me. Where do I not know that she¡¯s a legitimate daughter from a noble family? Where do I not know that it¡¯s not appropriate to ask her to cook for me at will?¡± ¡°Well, if you need a solution, there is one. Just marry her. Then, you can enjoy as many dishes cooked by her as you wish.¡± Chu Lan suggested. ¡°That¡¯s not helpful at all.¡± Not to mention that Lu Yuhong¡¯s marriage was not his to decide, even if he could, he wouldn¡¯t gamble his marriage for delicious food. ### Following Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, Yusheng Tea Garden¡¯s first batch of ck tea was produced. Looking at the ck tea leaves, Shopkeeper Shen was extremely worried. Master Xiu, this tea has a pitch-ck color, how can it fetch a good price?¡± Green tea is valued for its vibrant green color. The darker it is, the lower its price. Now, it was rather surprising that Master Xiu had directly turned the tea leaves ck. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case, smell this tea, doesn¡¯t it have a unique aroma?¡± Fan Chengxu smiled, looking quite interested. Shopkeeper Shen was doubtful, stepped forward, got a small pinch of tea leaves in his palm and then ced it in front of his nose to take a careful sniff.. Chapter 272: Selling Red Tea 1 Chapter 272: Selling Red Tea 1 Trantor: 549690339 |???? ¡ª ¡°It does smell quite good indeed, and it¡¯s vastly different from the scent of green tea.¡± Shopkeeper Shen felt the novelty. ¡°Go, bring over a pot of spring water, I wish to personally taste this tea,¡± Fan Chengxu anticipated the taste eagerly. Shopkeeper Shen quickly instructed the attendant to brew some spring water for Fan Chengxu. Fan Chengxu used the same method as for brewing green tea, steeped a cup of ck tea. As its name implies, the tea had a reddish -brown color. This color made people somewhat uneasy, appearing somewhat like a cup of green tea left overnight. Fan Chengxu raised the cup, but Shopkeeper Shen stopped him before he could bring it to his mouth: ¡°Sir, let me try it first.¡± Shopkeeper Shen was somewhat concerned that this kind of tea might upset the stomach. ¡°You don¡¯t need to, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Fan Chengxu didn¡¯t listen to Shopkeeper Shen. He brought the cup to his lips and took a sip. Shopkeeper Shen looked at Fan Chengxu anxiously, seeing his eyebrows tightly knitted, which made him extremely worried. After a long while, Fan Chengxu¡¯s eyebrows softened, and a smile formed at the corner of his mouth, ¡°Interesting, really interesting.¡± ¡°Sir, this tea¡­¡± ¡°This tea is very different from green tea. Its vor is softer, itcks the freshness of green tea but has a bit more sweetness,¡± Fan Chengxumented. -Sir, do you think this tea tastes better than the tea we usually drink?¡± Shopkeeper Shen asked. ¡°Not necessarily, each has its own merit.¡± ¡°Then, Sir, shall we continue to process the tea leaves harvested over the past few days ording to Young Master Xu¡¯s instructions, make them into fermented tea?¡± Shopkeeper Shen queried. ¡°Keep going. Selling the current tea leaves as green tea is at a loss. If we make this kind of tea, there might still be a profit. If we are gambling, let us be thorough about it, and not hesitate,¡± Fan Chengxu said. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Shopkeeper Shen responded. ¡°Furthermore, starting from tomorrow, sell ck tea in the Tea Pavilion, and im that it has health benefits and can invigorate the body,¡± Fan Chengxu instructed. Whether ck tea has these health benefits, Fan Chengxu didn¡¯t know, but that didn t hinder him from promoting it as such. ¡°Yes Sir,¡± Shopkeeper Shen answered, ¡°By the way sir, the seventh prince and Lord Lu are in the Tea Pavilion right now. They have captured a spy and given him a good beating.¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Leave him be, we can¡¯t get rid of this big shot anytime soon. We just need to manage our own things well and try to satisfy his demands to avoid offending him,¡± Fan Chengxu didn¡¯t have any other choices, his uncle¡¯s side had already sent him dozens of letters urging him, his mind was filled with headaches. As long as Chu Lan didn¡¯t specifically ask to see him, he¡¯ll try as much as possible to avoid him. He had better spend this time discussing business with Xu Heyou, it was more enjoyable and interesting. And as for the spy, it didn¡¯t bear any relevance to him at all. He had no intention of participating in these matters since he had no ns to enter the official bureaucracy. ¡°Yes Sir.¡± ### After theunch of the new ck tea at the Yusheng Tea Pavilion, many tea lovers were attracted to taste it, generating a split in opinions. Some liked it, some did not. For most people ustomed to green tea, they didn¡¯t quite ept the new vor of ck tea. Though not many thought it was bad, quite a few believed it was nothingpared to green tea. The absence of green tea¡¯s tender aroma and sharp bitterness was seen as a loss to what made tea important. However, there were also those who enjoyed the taste after trying, thinking the vor was very smooth. Some also learned the method somewhere and happened to brew it with milk gloriously calling it ¡®milk tea¡¯ This method wasn¡¯t initially introduced by the Yusheng Tea Pavilion. After noticing that somedies from prominent families liked drinking it this way, Yusheng Tea Pavilion immediately started offering their own milk tea, thus ¡¯ attracting many who were looking for a new taste. Regardless, attracted by the novelty of ck tea and its rumored health benefits, the sales of ck tea at the Tea Pavilion were pretty decent, and the customer traffic had increased by thirty percentpared to previous times. Inside the Tingsong Garden. Xiumei reported what she heard about ck tea to Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss, the ck tea IS selling quite well at the Yusheng Tea Pavilion. However, this boss Fan is too cunning. He¡¯s iming that drinking ck tea benefits health and strengthens the body, isn¡¯t this a scam?¡± Wei Ruoughed, ¡°He¡¯s a businessman, it¡¯s only natural to seize any profitable opportunity. Besides, what he said is not entirely wrong, ck tea indeed has some health benefits. Compared to green tea, ck tea is more gentle on the spleen and stomach.¡± ¡°So does that mean boss Fan got it right by chance?¡± ¡°Yes. However, he probably doesn¡¯t care whether ck tea truly has these effects. These so-called health benefits are difficult to verify, and people can¡¯t find fault with him. As long as he can attract people to buy his ck tea it¡¯s okay,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he use this trick before? As soon as you created ck tea, he ims it has health benefits.¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Because previously there were many shops selling the same tea leaves and they have been around for thousands of years, so he couldn¡¯t invent anything new. ck tea never existed before, and as of now, only his shop has it. Naturally, he can say whatever he wants.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Oh!¡± Xiumei¡¯s eyes lit up in realization. ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not worry about him. Let¡¯s get these medicines prepared and send them to Brother Xiaoyong.¡± As Wei Ruo discussed with Xiumei, she didn¡¯t stop her hands from working. She had prepared a batch of new medicines and nned to give them to Xu Zhengyong. Thanks to her second brother, she had been able to make these medicines. After receiving his letter, she had visited the Fengyue Teahouse and sessfully obtained a batch of medicinal materials from the proprietor. The quantity was quite substantial. Wei Ruo only used a portion of it this time, and stored the rest in the Four Treasure House in the Government City, where¡¯ the wet nurse and Uncle Xu were keeping them safe. As for the Lingzhi and old mountain ginseng that she won at Yusheng Tea Pavilion a couple of days ago, Wei Ruo had already made them into pill and syrup form. At that time, Lu Yuhong gave Lingzhi and the old mountain ginseng to Wei Ruo and Wei Yichen respectively. However, once back home, Wei Yichen had given his portion to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo epted them without hesitation, so, in the end, both ingredients ended up in her hands. The pills made from Lingzhi were known as the Invigorating Qi Pills, twenty in total. This time Wei Ruo prepared six for Xu Zhengyong, saving the rest for Wei Jinyi when he returns. Inparison, Wei Ruo felt that Wei Jinyi needed these supplements more. While helping Wei Ruo packing, Xiumei grumbled, ¡°Miss, my standing in your heart seems to be declining. Look at you, preparing medicines for Brother Xiaoyong and Second Young Master. I, however, am left without a single pill.¡± Wei Ruo flicked Xiumei¡¯s forehead, then rebuked, ¡°You naughty girl, what kind of jealousy are you fostering against them? You are with me all day long. If you are feeling ufortable, I can treat you anytime. Compared to them, we don¡¯t know when we might meet again next hence the need to prepare all these medicines.¡± ¡°Miss, I was just joking! I wouldn¡¯t actually be jealous of them!¡± Xiumei quickly responded with augh.. Chapter 273 - 273 New Space Seed_l Chapter 273: New Space Seed_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I see you¡¯ve had no quarrels with Brother Xiaoyong recently. You must be getting bored,¡± Wei Ruo said with augh. ¡°Miss, you mustn¡¯t belittle me. I don¡¯t enjoy arguing with him, and I¡¯d rather not see him at all. He¡¯s a troublesome presence,¡± Xiumeiined. ¡°Aren¡¯t you apanying me to Four Treasure House today? If you do, you¡¯ll definitely see Brother Xiaoyong. I wonder how long before he returns from the barracks this time,¡± Wei Ruo teased. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll apany you, Miss, but not to see him. I¡¯m there to protect you. It¡¯s not especially peaceful outside these days, and I don¡¯t trust leaving you alone.¡± Xiumei exined. ¡°Ok, ok, you¡¯re doing it for me. Meimei, you always know how to take care of me!¡± Wei Ruo said,ughing. Xiumei blushed a little, ¡°I won¡¯t argue with you, Miss. I¡¯ll go make some snacks for our journey.¡± Wei Ruo chuckles, not revealing the truth. After all, their journey to Four Treasure House is a short one and they don¡¯t really need any snacks. In reality, the snacks were mostly likely for Brother Xiaoyong to savor in his Wuzang Temple.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ### Just after Dragon Boat Festival, the days which should have been getting hotter were, instead, met with an unexpected drop in temperature, catching everyone by surprise. The temperature dropped drastically for several days, and there was even frost in some mountainous areas, which was very unusual for this time of the year. Although there¡¯s a saying in the Jiangzhe area that it¡¯s not warm enough until Dragon Boat Festival, the temperature shouldn¡¯t have dropped so much to cause frost. This sudden drop in temperature led to crop disasters, and many growing crops were frozen to death. The rice cultivated by Wei Ruo could withstand cold temperatures rtively well, so the damage wasn¡¯t as severe as in some areas where the rice fields werepletely ruined. Those farmers who had nted Wei Ruo¡¯ste rice were fortunate, as their losses were rtively less severe. Wei Ruo¡¯s farnd was also affected, losing a partial of the rice seedling she had prepared earlier. Fortunately, before Dragon Boat Festival, all the wheat in Wei Ruo¡¯s fields had been harvested and thend had begun a new round of renovation. So, it was unaffected by this cold wave. After the caretaker, Yu did a headcount, he found out that the remaining seedlings were not enough for the fields left vacant after harvesting the wheat. As a result, he sent a message to Wei Ruo. Upon receiving the letter Wei Ruo specially went to the farm to inspect the situation. Yu sought advice from Wei Ruo about how to handle the current situation. ¡°Miss, what should we do now? We don¡¯t have enough seedlings to nt. Would there still be enough time to grow new seedlings?¡± the manager asked, concerned. ¡°How muchnd can we nt using the remaining seedlings?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°We could cover approximately 80% of the fields. The remaining 20% still needs nting.¡± Yu answered. ¡°nt rice seedlings on 80% of thend, and leave the other 20% forter. Don¡¯t bother preparing new seedlings, because I am nning to nt taro in a few days,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Taro?¡± Yu looked at Wei Ruo, surprised. ¡°Yes, taro. I am sure you have eaten taro before,¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Of course I have. There are families growing it here in Taizhou prefecture. But over the years, due to the poor climate, most people nt rice if they can, so there is less taro being cultivated,¡± Yu replied. People will only consider nting a variety of fruits and vegetables or nt other crops if the rice yield is sufficient or if thend condition is unsuitable for rice nting. Taro can indeed fill one¡¯s stomach, but the overall output can¡¯t keep up. ¡°We are nting taro,¡± Wei Ruo stated firmly. ¡°Alright, I will follow Miss¡¯s instructions. I will instruct them to change the remaining 20% of the rice paddies into fields,¡± Yu responded. ¡°No need to change anything. We¡¯re nting water taro, not dry taro; we need to retain water in the fields,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Water taro?¡± Yu¡¯s expression turned curious. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s nted in water,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo knew that the taro previously grown in Taizhou was dry taro, which was nted on drynd. The variety producedrge stems and small taro, and the taste was ordinary, with no great yield. However, the taro that Wei Ruo was about to nt was multi-headed taro: a sticky variety that tastes good and has high yield because it has big, mature taro and many young ones. ¡°So where do we find this type of water taro?¡± Yu asked. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Just have your men nt the rest of the seedlings for now, and keep the 20% of the rice fields for me. After the rice is nted, I will have the taro varieties delivered and then you can nt the taro.¡± Compared to rice, nting taro is not so urgent. And the taro seeds that Wei Ruo intended to give Yu were newly unlocked in her space, she still needed to grow them there for a while, and sufficient seeds needed to be stored for the 200 acres ofnd. ¡°Alright, I will arrange for that,¡± Yu cedplete trust in Wei Ruo, knowing that whatever decision their family made would not be wrong. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t stay long in the farnd as she wore no disguise today. After instructing Yu, she left. On the way home, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, will leaving 20% of the rice fields unnted affect us greatly?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the impact on us won¡¯t be substantial. Firstly, we had a good harvest of wheat this year, which is enough for us to eat for two years. Secondly, I am nting this taro not solely because the seedlings were frozen to death. Actually, even without the frost killing the seedlings, I was considering sparing somend to nt taro.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xiumei was confused. ¡°Taro is not as filling as rice.¡± Wei Ruo exined to Xiumei: ¡°nting the same crop on a piece ofnd for a long period will lead to loss of soil fertility. Although I always have the people from the farm fertilize thend after each harvest, this practice is costly andbor-intensive.¡± ¡°Crop rotation is an excellent way to improve soil fertility. Taro and rice are two crops that canplement each other. nting taro this year and rice next year will yield higher harvests than continuously nting rice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± Xiumei eximed with joy. ¡°Also, taro is very filling once grown. It can make many delicious dishes. Meimei, remember we used to make a lot of taro dishes. The taro variety used then was not very good. Wait until I grow this batch of taro, I guarantee it will taste better than before.¡± ¡°Miss, please stop talking about it. It¡¯s almost dinner time and I¡¯m already hungry. Speaking about taro has made my mouth water.¡± ### By the time Wei Ruo returned to the Military Prefecture from the countryside, it was already time for dinner. As soon as Wei Ruo entered the door, she was ushered by Cuiping who had been waiting for her to go to the Cangyun Garden. Wei Ruo had a vague idea of why. Upon entering the main house of Cangyun Garden, she saw Yunshi sitting in the Taishi Chair facing the door, looking troubled as she was talking with Li. After Wei Ruo entered the room and stood aside for a while, Yunshi finished speaking with Li and dismissed her, and then called Wei Ruo over to her side. ¡°Ruoruo, I need your help with something..¡± Chapter 274: Does Ruoruo Have a Solution? Chapter 274: Does Ruoruo Have a Solution? 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mother, please speak.¡± Wei Ruo vaguely had an inkling of what was toe. ¡°This is the situation. Recently, Taizhou prefecture and even all of Jiangzhe have been hit by a sudden drop in temperature. Many crops have frozen to death.¡± Madame Yun sighed as worry clouded over her face. ¡°I have heard some news about that.¡± Replied Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes, you have always been concerned with agricultural matters, so it¡¯s expected that you would know about these incidents.¡± Madame Yun agreed. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond, waiting for Madame Yun to continue speaking. Looking at Wei Ruo, after a moment of contemtion, Madame Yun continued: ¡°The two estates owned by our family in Taizhou prefecture, one in Xingshan County, you know, I nted sweet potatoes on the mountainside there, and the other is the farnd purchased after we moved to the government city, are now somewhat affected, suffering losses of 30% each.¡± Whether it was due to Madame Yun¡¯s ineffective management or for whatever other reason, the damage to the crops on the Wei Family¡¯s fields was greater than that on Wei Ruo¡¯s farm. This didn¡¯t surprise Wei Ruo. After this cold snap, it could be considered a favorable oue in Taizhou Prefecture to be able to save up to 70% of the crops. Then Madame Yun turned to Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruo, do you have a way to acquire more rice seedlings now?¡± It turns out she was here to discuss seedlings. Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t guessed wrong. ¡°Mother, at this time, I can¡¯t find a ce for you to get more seedlings. Any untransnted seedlings that are avable now are likely to have been impacted by the frost,¡± answered Wei Ruo. Indeed, she didn¡¯t have any extra seedlings. The batch nted on the farm, located in the city was thest, it was nted sote just to wait for the wheat harvest. Even for her own fields, that batch was insufficient, let alone enough to share with others. Wei Ruo did have some rice seeds, but since Madame Yun didn¡¯t ask her for the seeds, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t mention them. A hint of disappointment flickered in Madame Yun¡¯s eyes upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s answer. ¡°s, there¡¯s just no way out of this situation.¡± Madame Yun sighed. ¡°Hmm.¡± Madame Yun continued: ¡°Ruo, do you know if there is any remedial measure for those sweet potatoes? Is it toote to nt stems now?¡± Sweet potatoes, unlike rice, don¡¯t need to be cultivated into seedlings in advance. Simply inserting the vine into the soil makes them grow. And sweet potatoes don¡¯tck vines. Madame Yun knew that the first families who nted sweet potatoes in Xingshan County often cut off the vines to sell, which proved that cutting some vines doesn¡¯t significantly affect the growth of the sweet potatoes. However, it¡¯s unclear whether the nting of new vines can produce the same results as when it was done earlier. ¡°There should be no problem with proper management.¡± Wei Ruo replied. The sweet potatoes she nted on Xiaoyang Mountain and the sandy soil near Stone Vige also suffered losses. The reason it didn¡¯t be an issue was because Wei Ruo knew how to fix it. With Wei Ruo¡¯s remedial measures, as long as the subsequent weather remains normal, it basically won¡¯t have a significant impact on the yield of sweet potatoes. Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s definite answer, Madame Yun was slightly relieved. She confessed to Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruo, the recent cold snap has had a major impact on Taizhou Prefecture and all of Jiangzhe. The court is taking this very seriously. I heard that an imperial envoy was dispatched purposely to inspect the situation.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± Wei Ruo responded simply and calmly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Given this situation, I¡¯m really worried that this year¡¯s food production won¡¯t be better than that ofst year. If there¡¯s a shortfall, it may cause unrest,¡± Madame Yun said with a worried expression on her face. One side was the possibility of war at any time, and the other was the unpredictable weather. If this continues, it¡¯s not just themon people who can¡¯t endure it. Even families like theirs will be heavily affected. ¡°Hmm.¡± Of course, Wei Ruo knew of these situations that Madame Yun mentioned. Last year, the unfavorable weather affected food production due to low temperatures,ck of sunlight, irregr winds, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather only emerged after the autumn harvest. However, this year, extreme conditions appeared just after the Dragon Boat Festival, directly causing significant damage to agriculture. This wasn¡¯t a good sign. But in response to Madame Yun, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t give much exnation. Looking at the calm andposed face of Wei Ruo, Madame Yun asked: ¡°Ruo, you are always full of ideas in this aspect. Do you have a good n to help everyone to increase grain production?¡± ¡°What I know is not much. There aren¡¯t particrly good solutions for now,¡± Wei Ruo responded diplomatically. ¡°Indeed, this is a natural disaster. Even the government can¡¯t solve such a big problem. I can¡¯t expect a woman like you to sort it out. Maybe I¡¯m thinking too much,¡± said Madame Yun, feeling disappointed but also reasonable. It was already quite fortunate that her eldest daughter could improve the soil and garner praise from the Seventh Prince. One can¡¯t possibly have solutions for everything. With that thought in mind, Madame Yun didn¡¯t hold Wei Ruo back any longer, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Your mother will figure out this matter by herself. I think you must be tired aftering back from ss. Go back to Tingsong Garden and rest first. Come back for dinnerter.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Having left Cangyun Garden, Wei Ruo walked briskly back to Tingsong Garden. As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei: ¡°Meimei, tomorrow morning, could you please ask for leave from Mr. Wang on my behalf? I n to purchase another farm.¡± ¡°Miss, are you going to buy another farm?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Yes. Over the past few months, the Four Treasure House, marinated food stalls, grain shops, and my coboration with the Zuixian Residence made me a lot of silver. It¡¯s enough for me to buy another farm,¡± answered Wei Ruo. With the one thousand taels she had saved up, Wei Ruo nned to convert it intond for additional crop production. One reason was that it¡¯s easier to buy farnd at this time. The other was that buying farnd now still presented an opportunity to increase the production of grain. In times when the weather prognosis is poor, Wei Ruo felt it was even more necessary toe up with ways to produce more food. This is not only about money, but also life! ¡°Miss, you can buy a farm, but I¡¯m just worried that you won¡¯t be able to manage it. Mr. Yu is already taking care of two thousand acres, and the nurse and Uncle Xu also have a lot on their hands. If there¡¯s more, you will have to find someone new,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°For this farm, we don¡¯t need to hire long-term workers. Like most other farms, we will use tenants and collect rent,¡± Wei Ruo said. Hiring long-term workers entails a rtivelyplicated management, but Wei Ruo can freely change the crops nted, making it convenient for her to trial and experiment on the farm. Collecting rent is rtively simpler and easier to manage. Manyrge households with a lot ofnd adopt the same method. ¡°That¡¯s good, as long as it doesn¡¯t tire you, Miss, it will work out whatever way we choose,¡± Xiumei has always trusted Wei Ruo¡¯s decisions. Her only concern was that Wei Ruo might overwork herself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your youngdy here loves money, but values her life even more. I must treasure my life in order to enjoy spending money. The greatest tragedy in life is when people die and the money is still there. I am not that foolish,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Xiumei grinned. In the evening, after checking all the ount books of the past few days, Wei Ruo stretched, and as she looked towards the dimly litmp at the corner of the table, the image of Wei Jinyi suddenly appeared before her eyes. His handsome, stunning face, indifferent and distant expressions, yet with a pair of gentle eyes. Sister Ruo wondered, how is Brother Wei doing now? After contemting for a moment, Wei Ruo pulled out some writing paper and began to write a letter.. Chapter 275: Scouting the Farm 1 Chapter 275: Scouting the Farm 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡ª Wei Ruo wrote down some events that had recently urred, including the events of the Dragon Boat Festival and the recent cold snap. This cold snap reminded Wei Ruo of the heavy rain that urred in Xingshan County after the autumn harvestst year. That day, she had gone to rescue people in the south of the city, and her second brother had braved the rain to pick her up and then assist her in helping the affected people. Afterwards, they had gone to West Mountain Vige together to rescue their father, and they even stayed in the mountain for a night. Thinking about it, her second brother had actually apanied her through many difficult and dangerous events. She had no idea where her second brother was now or what he was doing, whether he had enough clothes to wear in the cold weather, or whether he was feeling chilly. With these thoughts, Wei Ruo wrote some words of concern and greeting on the paper. After she had finished writing, Wei Ruo took a look at the paper, but did not give it to Xiumei to be delivered by Guard Jing Hu, but instead put it under the ount book. Although she missed her second brother, she decided it was best not to disturb him often. She did not want to send someone on an errand for trivial matters, but waited until there were several letters to be delivered all at once. The next morning, Wei Ruo left for the outskirts of the city early. On this trip, Wei Ruo did not go to her own manor, but went to Stone Vige to find Shi Dayou. The vigers in Stone Vige were particrly pleased to see Wei Ruo, and they all greeted her warmly. Someone even took the initiative to lead Wei Ruo to Shi Dayou. Shi Dayou was currently in his field. When Wei Ruo went over, she saw that the field, which should have been filled with rice, had been stripped bare, revealing the polished terraces. ¡°What happened to your field?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Even in the face of the cold snap, only a few scattered rice nts should have been frozen to death. On the way here, Wei Ruo had not seen any fields where the entire crop was lost to the frost. ¡°Didn¡¯t the temperature drop dramatically a few days ago and some of the rice nts froze? I gave the remaining rice nts in my field to other vigers to help rent. This way, we can ensure the output of those vigers who have lessnd,¡± Shi Dayou exined to Wei Ruo with a naive smile. Wei Ruo once again understood why Shi Dayou, despite his young age, was elected as the vige head by the vigers of Stone Vige. He had a heart wholly devoted to the welfare of the vigers.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Won¡¯t this mean that there¡¯s no guarantee for your own harvest this year?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I have a lot ofnd, and as long as this year¡¯s rice harvest is normal, my family will have enough food to eat, even without this piece ofnd,¡± Shi ¡¯ Dayou exined. ¡°So, what do you n to do with the piece ofnd that is now vacant?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°You gave me somete-ripening rice seedsst time. I still have some left. I n to sow them in the field in the next few days. Maybe they can germinate now and be ready for the autumn harvest,¡± Shi Dayou replied honestly. ¡°If you¡¯re not sure if they can grow, why don¡¯t you ask me?¡± ¡°How could I impose on you?¡± Shi Dayou replied, somewhat embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯ve already helped us a lot. Besides, I¡¯m not doing anything else, so there¡¯s no harm in trying.¡± Wei Ruo smiled and said, ¡°Keep this rice field vacant, and I¡¯ll send you some taro seeds in a few days. You can nt taro in this field.¡± Shi Dayou was a bit surprised, but seeing the certainty in Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes, he chose to trust her. Alright. 111 do as you say,¡± Shi Dayou agreed readily. ¡°How are the sweet potatoes growing in the sandy soil?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Some of them were damaged by the frost, but the people in charge of that piece ofnd have already rented new ones. I think the vines are pretty resilient and should be able to take root in time. We¡¯ll wait for the weather to warm up and see. If they don¡¯t take root, I¡¯ll think of something else.¡± Based on his many years of experience as a farmer, Shi Dayou had taken remedial action in advance. ¡°Well done. If the weather does warm up, there shouldn¡¯t be any big problems. And if there¡¯s another freeze, that would be a natural disaster and not your fault. I won¡¯t me any of you,¡± Wei Ruo praised. ¡°Thank you, I promise we¡¯ll do our best,¡± Shi Dayou assured her. Then Shi Dayou asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Are you here to inspect the distillery today?¡± ¡°Not today, I came to look at the manor. If it¡¯s suitable, I¡¯ll buy it and also check on the situation of your vige,¡± Wei Ruo replied. So far, Stone Vige seemed to be doing rtively well. This was partly because they had ntedte-ripening rice seeds provided by her, and partly because Shi Dayou was a good leader and managed the vige effectively. ¡°You¡¯re looking to buy a manor?¡± Shi Dayou asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Ten miles east of here is Lianshan Vige. There¡¯s arge manor there. The owner used to be a wealthy man in the city, but I heard that he¡¯s nning to sell the manor now.¡± Being the vige chief, Shi Dayou had a certain level of knowledge about events within the surrounding area. ¡°Why does he want to sell?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I heard that thend is quite poor and the agricultural yield in the past years hasn¡¯t been very good. Last year it was particrly bad and the peasant tenants weren¡¯t able to pay their rent. Naturally, thendlord¡¯s harvest wasn¡¯t good either. The frost a few days ago has dashed any hope for this year¡¯s crop, and thendlord probably thinks another year of poor harvest ising, so it¡¯s better to sell the manor and get some silver coins,¡± Shi Dayou exined. -Then I¡¯ll go take a look,¡± Wei Ruo said, not caring about whether thend was poor or not. In her eyes, there¡¯s no truly barrennd, onlynd that¡¯s been poorly managed. ¡°Please be careful on your journey,¡± Shi Dayou said as he saw her off. After concluding her conversation with Shi Dayou, Wei Ruo, apanied by Xiumei, got back in the carriage to travel to Lianshan Vige, as Shi Dayou had suggested. Upon arriving, Wei Ruo met the estate manager. After asking him about the situation, she found that it matched exactly what Shi Dayou had told her. The manor had suffered sessive crop failures, leaving not only the peasant tenants but also thendlord himself unable to make ends meet. Upon further questioning, Wei Ruo found out that the manor¡¯s owner was the household of Fei Tuipan. Although the official position of ¡°Tuipan¡± was simr to that of a prefect, unlike the Xiu Family¡¯s status as a prominent family, Fei Tuipan came from a humble background and didn¡¯t have strong financial resources. He had bought this manor after taking up his post in Taizhou prefecture. The fact that even Fei Tuipan couldn¡¯t manage and was looking to sell the manor bore testament to the profound impact of this year¡¯s events. Mrs. Yun¡¯s worries were justified. The Wei Family¡¯s situation was not good and there mighte a time when they could not cope. With the estate manager¡¯s consent, Wei Ruo then took a tour of the manor. The estate suited her needs, but since the owner held an official position, she didn¡¯t dare to discuss purchasing it outright for fear the owner might investigate her household registry and discover that Xu Heyou does not exist. So, after asking about the situation, Wei Ruo decided to leave for the day. She nned to have her wet nurse and Uncle Xu visit another day, using their names to buy the manor and keep it in their names. As she was leaving the manor, Wei Ruo ran into someone she knew. Fan Chengxu was here to look at the manor as well. Seeing Wei Ruo, Fan Chengxu burst intoughter. ¡°I guess this is a case of great minds think alike/ wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± In regard to the making and storing of money, the thoughts of Wei Ruo and Fan Chengxu were strikingly simr.. Chapter 276: Talking Business with Fan Chapter 276: Talking Business with Fan Chengxu_l Trantor: 549690339 | Wei Ruo also responded with a smile, ¡°Mr. Fan, what a coincidence.¡± ¡°Indeed, it is a coincidence. I nned to visit Brother Heyou¡¯s estate to discuss some matters in the next couple of days, but since we bumped into each other today, why don¡¯t we sit down and chat?¡± Fan Chengxu¡¯s interest in Wei Ruo exceeded his interest in the farm for sale. ¡°Sure.¡± Wei Ruo agreed and turned to instruct Xiumei to follow with their carriage, then followed Fan Chengxu onto his carriage. Unlike Wei Ruo and Xiumei who traveled lightly, Fan Chengxu always made a grand show of things, even when he simply went out, with several attendants serving him. Also, his carriage was significantly bigger than Wei Ruo¡¯s. Spacious inside, it was arranged with a table and refreshments. After Wei Ruo settled in, Fan Chengxu poured her a cup of tea. Wei Ruo took the tea cup from Fan Chengxu, took a delicate sip. It was ck tea, freshly made. Wei Ruo had tasted Yusheng Tea Garden¡¯s ck tea a few days ago. After the ck tea was made, Shopkeeper Shen immediately gave samples to Wei RUO. It wasn¡¯t until Wei Ruo said it was alright that it was delivered to Fan Chengxu and then promoted in Yusheng Tea House. ¡°In a few days, I will send the relevant ount books of Yusheng Tea Garden to Brother Heyou. I will show the ounts to Brother Heyou once a month, and after Brother Heyou confirms there is no problem, I will pay you the corresponding profit.¡± Fan Chengxu said to Wei Ruo. Fan Chengxu always keeps his word. Since he said the profit would be shared with Xu Heyou, all the relevant ounts would be transparent to him. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that I will do ck ounting? Yusheng Tea House is also my business, I can totally manipte the ounts.¡± Fan Chengxu¡¯s mouth twitched with a smile, looking at Wei Ruo with great interest. ¡°What¡¯s the point of worrying? From the moment I agreed, I should have considered the possible situations. If I¡¯m hesitant, the business will never seed.¡± Wei Ruo replied candidly. Fan Chengxuughed and said, ¡°No wonder I recognize you, your thoughts are very simr to mine.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t refute, she could also feel the simrity between her and Fan Chengxu in some ways. ¡°The sales of Brother Heyou¡¯s ck tea are good, it¡¯s selling well at Yusheng Tea House. I also sent some to my hometown to let them try it. Wei Ruo knew the hometown Fan Chengxu referred to was the Capital City. His purpose was not just simply to let his family try the tea, but to cleverly open up the market. This is something that Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t do by herself at present, which was the advantage of cooperating with Fan Chengxu. ¡°It¡¯s good to hear that sales are going well. This year, there wasn¡¯t enough time to make higher quality tea. If Mr. Fan ns to continue making ck tea, next year a batch of tea leaves can be reserved specifically for making ck tea, selecting young leaves for a more delicate taste.¡± Suggested Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± said Fan Chengxubo with a smile. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°I¡¯m a bit busy these days, I will visit Yusheng Tea Garden again in a few days. Based on the actual situation of the tea garden, fertilizer will be arranged to ensure better growth of the tea leaves next year. For the following days.l I would have to trouble Mr. Fan to arrange people to do some work.¡± ¡°Brother Heyou, please feel free to instruct.¡± Said Fan Chengxu. -I hope Mr. Fan can order someone to select a t site in Yusheng Tea Garden and dig a square pit, about ten feet square in size and three to four feet deep.¡± ¡°No problem, just wondering why Brother Heyou wants such a square pit?¡± Fan Chengxu asked, intrigued.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Once the pit is dug up, 1 want Mr. Fan to transport all the leftover food, rotten fruits, and vegetables from the Zuixian Residence everyday and fill in this pit. Then, sprinkle arge amount of ck coal dust on it, and then bury it with mud. After such fermentation for half a month, we will have the fertiliser to enhance the teagarden.¡± Wei Ruo exined. Fan Chengxu looked at Wei Ruo with appreciative eyes, ¡°Brother Heyou is truly knowledgeable.¡± ¡°Mr. Fan, you¡¯re too kind. These are just some crude methods used by rural people. It¡¯s just that you, Mr. Fan, a person of your social circle, don¡¯t oftene across them.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°In my opinion, the knowledge of Brother Heyou is unparalleledpared to an ordinary countryman.¡± Said Fan Chengxu, not showing any reluctance to express his admiration for Wei Ruo. Then Fan Chengxu asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Does Mr. Xu think the weather will be good for the remainder of this year?¡± ¡°Mr. Fan, I¡¯m just an ordinary person. I know neither magic nor fortune-telling. I¡¯m unable to predict the changes in weather.¡± Wei Ruo indeed could not predict the weather, but she had a vague impression from the original host¡¯s memory. Although the original host was already in the Capital City at that time, she vaguely remembered that the weather wasn¡¯t very good and food seemed to be a major problem consistently. Of course, this wasn¡¯t something she could tell Fan Chengxu. Fan Chengxu again asked with a smile, ¡°Then, does Mr. Xu have any ns about the current situation? If there is a good countermeasure, please remember to tell me.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t really a good countermeasure, just to buy morend and nt more grains. If the weather doesn¡¯t treat rice kindly, then it¡¯s time to try sowing something else.¡± Wei Ruo answered. Fan Chengxu was too shrewd, with too many calctions hidden in his eyes. Wei Ruo needed to be cautious when answering his questions so as to avoid revealing anything. ¡°That makes sense. Does Brother Heyou have any rmendation for substitute crops to rece paddy?¡± Fan Chengxu spoke with a smile, his eyes cunning like a fox, as if trying to see through Wei Ruo. Fan Chengxu had a vague feeling that the person in front of him wasn¡¯t beingpletely honest with him, but he couldn¡¯t point out what he had hidden. Mr. Xu Heyou gave him an older sense of depth and restraint, as a result, he still couldn¡¯t read him despite having dealt with him so many times. ¡°The sweet potato, a crop that has just begun to be nted these years, is quite good. However, this crop is not very frost resistant. All we can do is hope that there won¡¯t be any extreme weathering.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°I will order my people to nt this sweet potato on any avablend.¡± Fan Chengxu said. Then, Fan Chengxu went on to chat with Wei Ruo for a while. When they started to discuss ways of making money, they could chat happily and without worry. The carriage soon arrived at the city gate. Wei Ruo got off Fan Chengxu¡¯s carriage and went back to her own. After saying goodbye to Fan Chengxu, their carriages entered the city gates one after the other. Because it was still early, going back to the Military Prefecture would be the same as telling her family she didn¡¯t go to Tianqin Garden for sses today, so Wei Ruo took a leisurely stroll around the city. During this leisurely stroll, Wei Ruo noticed that the number of beggars in the city had increased sincest time. Wei Ruo also saw people selling their children on the street, and even selling their own wives.. Chapter 277: Chu Lan needs her_l Chapter 277: Chu Lan needs her_ln/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Trantor: 549690339 Those children who were sold in the market looked confused and lost, with no sparkle in their eyes. Their innocence had been reced by a sense of helplessness and disorientation. ¡ö¡öMeimei, am I imagining things? It seems like there are more homeless people on the street recently.¡± Wei Ruo pulled back the curtain and spoke to the driver, Xiumei. ¡°It¡¯S not your imagination, Miss. Not every county in Taizhou Prefecture is as fortunate as Xingshan County. Some counties faced a poor harvestst year, and their stored grains can barelyst until this year. Even after selling everything, they can¡¯t sustain themselves for a few months. I heard that a lot of them borrowed money fromndlords to sow this year¡¯s crops. But due to the cold snap a few days ago, all their hope is lost. That¡¯s why the number of homeless people on the streets has increased these days.¡± Xiumei sighed and added. She continued, ¡°I suspect it will only get worse if we don¡¯t see a good harvest this year. I shudder to think how these people will manage to survive? If this is the dire situation in the Government City, the situation in the counties is likely worse. Wei Ruo looked a bit down. Although she had anticipated this situation, seeing it firsthand still affected her. After wandering about the city for a while, she signaled to Xiumei, and they returned to the Military Prefecture. Weil Ruo entered the estate through a side gate; she had changed out of her street clothes in the carriage before returning home. Upon stepping down from the carriage, Wei Ruo noticed a carriage parked at the main gate, guarded by several unfamiliar guards. Instinct told her that a person of distinction had arrived at the mansion. Seeing this, Xiumei expressed her concern, ¡°Miss, has something happened at home?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deal with whateveres our way. Let¡¯s go home first. Wei Ruo and Xiumei entered Tingsong Garden and saw a familiar figure. Old Lady Qin was waiting for them at the entrance of Tingsong Garden with a smile on her face and an attentive attitude. The sight made Wei Ruo a bit uneasy. She had suspected that it might be Chu Lan visiting when she saw the formidable array at the entrance. Now seeing Old Lady Qin confirmed it. You can¡¯t avoid misfortune if it¡¯s meant toe. Wei Ruo Stepped forward and greeted Old Lady Qin, ¡°Nice to see you, Lady Qin.¡± ¡°Miss Wei, it has been a while. You¡¯ve be more dazzling and captivating since west met.¡± Old Lady Qinvished her with praise. Knowing that she was being ttered, Wei Ruo just smiled and did not take it to heart. ¡°I guess Lady Qin didn¡¯te over just for a casual visit. Since you are here to see me, there must be something you want. Let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡± Wei Ruo said. Old Lady Qin smiled in response, ¡°Miss Wei, you have such a keen mind, there¡¯s no hiding anything from you. Indeed, I am here to discuss something with you.¡± Wei Ruo nodded and smiled in response. She then invited Old Lady Qin into Tingsong Garden. Once they were settled inside, Wei Ruo asked Old Lady Qin to borate on the reason for her visit. Always direct and concise, Ruo cut straight to the chase, which prompted Old Lady Qin to get to the point: ¡°Actually, why I¡¯m here today is at the request of the seventh prince.¡± ¡°What does the prince require of me?¡± Wei Ruo maintainedposure in her demeanor, confidently and calmly. She had a suspicion, but waited for Old Lady Qin to rify. ¡°Miss Wei, you¡¯re intelligent. Thanks to your efforts, the barrennd south of Xingshan County has produced a rich wheat harvest, and the rice that¡¯s been nted now is also in high spirits. Based on this progression, Xingshan County, which was crucially concerned about food production in Taizhou Prefecture, may well catch up with other counties. Old Lady Qin, being an experienced hand, didn¡¯t forget to praise Wei Ruo before she asked her for a favor. Wei Ruo responded with a courteous smile without saying any word. Old Lady Qin continued, ¡°As you must know, the current situation in the Jiangnan Region is disturbing. If things continue like this, grain shortages may return this year, and the general public will continue to suffer. In addition, the heavy burden of military taxes¡­¡± She was appealing to Wei Ruo¡¯s sense of duty andpassion. Wei Ruo picked up the conversation, ¡°Yes, people¡¯s livelihood depends on grain. Without it, life would be very hard for everyone. Old Lady Qin said, ¡°That¡¯s why the seventh prince hopes that you can lend a hand again, help the people of the other parts of Taizhou Prefecture to open up and cultivatend, so as to alleviate their suffering. Besides Xingshan County, many other counties in Taizhou Prefecture also have salty wastnds. If these could be turned into farnds, as in Xingshan County, it would increase the farnd area. Even if the output per acre reduced, the final yield could be ensured. Wei Ruo paused without replying immediately. She just sighed softly. Seeing this, Old Lady Qin felt worried. Knowing all along about the matter of the barrennd south of Xingshan County city, it was Wei Ruo who had been wronged because the prince didn¡¯t mention her when reporting to the court. Now they were asking her again to help improve the barrennd, it was natural to feel some resentment. After waiting for a while, Old Lady Qin gravely addressed Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, there are many things in the court that a woman of the women¡¯s quarters doesn¡¯t understand. Since the founding of our dynasty, there have been very few royal and noble women who have been publicly rewarded and praised. The prince cannot set a precedent for you.¡± Old Lady Qin continued, ¡°But the prince has always remembered your ability and contribution. The blessings you should receive will not be less than what you deserve.¡± Weil Ruo was very clear about what Old Lady Qin¡¯s words: she, a female, could hardly be publicly rewarded by the imperial court for her contribution to the country and its people. Although Chu Lan couldn¡¯t help her in reporting her achievements to the court, he would reward Wei Ruo and show his favor to her. Wei Ruo replied calmly and unhurriedly to Old Lady Qin, ¡°I understand what you are saying. However, you also know that I am merely a girl of a noble house, and I am of marriageable age. As the legitimate daughter of the Earl¡¯s residence, even if I can¡¯t make it more glorious, I shouldn¡¯t disgrace it. If I am out all day, working on farming matters, and mingling with men¡­ I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not right.¡± Wei Ruo quoted the words once spoken by Madam Yun to refute her request to leave home as reasons to refuse Old Lady Qin. Old Lady Qin continued to persuade her: ¡°Miss Wei, although the prince can¡¯t ask for a reward for you from the court, there are many officials from the Wei family in the government. Your father, Mr. Wei has both valour and wisdom, and military merit. He justcks a suitable opportunity.¡± Weil Ruo understood what was being said; Old Lady Qin was suggesting that her contributions could aid the men of the Wei family. If her father was promoted, her status would naturally rise with the tide. This approach would work for most people. Unfortunately, Wei Ruo had no intention of relying on the Wei family for anything. Having grown up in modern times, she always believed that women should rely on themselves. Not dependent on parents or brothers. Even though she was living in a world that wasn¡¯t friendly to women, this belief hadn¡¯t wavered. Wei Ruo replied to Old Lady Qin in a rxed manner, ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, Lady Qin, but I really don¡¯t have the time for this right now. Moreover, my abilities are limited. The sess with the wastnd south of the cityst time had an element of luck to it. I may not be so lucky if I try again..¡± Chapter 278 - 278 The Wei Family Father and Chapter 278: The Wei Family Father and Daughter Are Indeed Alike_l Trantor: 549690339 Aunt Qin could hear the excuses in Wei Ruo¡¯s words. If the Wei family¡¯s eldest Miss was truly the way she had just described herself as a girl who follows the rules, then she would not have interfered in Xingshan County¡¯s affairs. As for attributing it to luck, that was also ridiculous. Most of the orders given by Miss Wei back then were conveyed by her. Whether it was luck or skill, she knew all too well. However, Aunt Qin also knew that she was here to ask for help on behalf of the seventh prince, not to offend people. That¡¯s why when Wei Ruo showed reluctance repeatedly, Aunt Qin knew it was best not to force her and upset her. ¡°First Miss, there¡¯s no need to hurry to refuse me. Take some time in these few days to think it over. If you change your mind, send someone to send a message to the seventh prince.¡± Aunt Qin said. ¡°Alright, I will consider it.¡± Wei Ruo verbally agreed. ### While Aunt Qin was talking to Wei Ruo in the courtyard, Wei Mingting was also entertaining Chu Lan in the front yard. Wei Mingting had not been to the military camp for some time due to his injury. Chu Lan¡¯s visit today was firstly to visit him, and secondly to discuss some recent affairs in the military with him. After the matters rted to the camp were discussed, Chu Lan told Wei Mingting another purpose of his visit ¨C he wanted the eldest Miss of the Wei Family to continue her work on soil improvement. ¡°I cannot answer this question on behalf of my daughter.¡± Wei Mingting asserted. ¡°But still, I hope Lord Wei can help me by mentioning this matter to the eldest Miss.¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Didn¡¯t your Highness send someone to see my daughter in the backyard? That Aunt should exin everything clearly to my daughter, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for me to say more. Moreover, as your Highness knows I am familiar with matters within the military camp but I genuinely don¡¯t understand things beyond it. Since I don¡¯t understand, it isn¡¯t appropriate for me to make the decision on behalf of my daughter.¡± Wei Mingting was very firm and had no intention of interfering with any decisions his daughter might make. Chu Lan did not push further, only mentioning, ¡°Lord Wei, it has been many years since you returned to Capital City. Recently, a Commander¡¯s position in the Capital became vacant.¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s expression remained calm: ¡°Indeed, it has been some years since I wasst able to return. As a son, I have been unfilial.¡± From Wei Mingting¡¯s face, Chu Lan could not deduce whether he truly didn¡¯t understand or if he was pretending not to understand. Seeing the matter could not be decided, Chu Lan did not persist and said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s leave it at that. I won¡¯t continue to disturb Lord Wei¡¯s rest.¡± Wei Mingting got up: ¡°I¡¯m sending off your Highness. ¡°There is no need. Lord Wei¡¯s old injury hasn¡¯t healed yet. Please take more rest. The Anti-Japanese Army still needs Lord Wei.¡± Having said that, Chu Lan left the Military Prefecture with his own attendant. Aunt Qin, who came outter, caught up with Chu Lan¡¯s sedan, and ryed the message to Chu Lan separated by the sedan curtain. ¡°She refused?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°Yes, Miss Wei politely declined.¡± Aunt Qin answered truthfully. ¡°Did you tell her everything that should be said?¡± ¡°Yes, I mentioned everything that needed to be highlighted. ¡°This father and daughter of Wei indeed have simr characteristics.¡± Separated by the sedan, only hearing his voice but not seeing his face, Aunt Qin was uncertain if his Highness was angry with the father and daughter of the Wei Family. After a while, Chu Lan¡¯s voice came from inside the sedan again, ¡°You can make a trip again in a few days, bring some gifts on my behalf and persuade them again. Although this father and daughter pair is stubborn, they are both talented individuals. They can be of great use in such a time of internal and external troubles.¡± ¡ö¡öYour old servant understands.¡± Aunt Qin acknowledged the order. ### Just as Aunt Qin had left, the personal maid of Madame Yuan, Qingyi, arrived. She brought amand from Madame Yuan inviting Wei Ruo to the prefecture¡¯s office for a chat. Wei Ruo, apanied by Xiumei, then boarded the carriage sent by the prefecture¡¯s office. Wei Qingwan stood at the side door, watching the carriage taking Wei Ruo away. Next to her, Aunt Li said softly to Wei Qingwan, ¡°Our First Miss is bing more and more capable. A while ago, someone from the seventh prince came, and now someone from Princess Jingmin hase. There¡¯s truly no one in our Military Prefecture who¡¯s more popr than her! Upon hearing Aunt Li¡¯s words, Wei Qingwan did not get angry. Instead, she responded softly, ¡°It¡¯s because my sister is capable. I can only me myself for being less skilled.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that she has hit a lucky streak. Nowadays, the weather is not favourable, the crops aren¡¯t growing well and there¡¯s not enough food. This makes her skills seem important. In the past, how could she have had a chance?¡± These days, due to issues on the farm, Aunt Li was reinstated by Lady Yun. Aunt Li had been running around busily for the matters on the farm. Therefore, Aunt Li knew very well about the current situation outside and also knew why Wei Ruo had be the darling in the eyes of the nobility. ¡°Being lucky is also part of my sister¡¯s capability,¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t think like that. If you do, you havepletely lost,¡± Aunt Li advised with concern. ¡°I¡¯m notpeting with her.¡± Wei Qingwan said indifferently. Aunt Li looked at Wei Qingwan puzzled. Since the Dragon Boat Festival, their youngdy seemed to lose interest in the matters rted to the eldest Miss. Even when she saw that the First Miss was more favoured, she hardly reacted. This made her extremely concerned. Her daughter was the youngdy¡¯s personal maid and would likely serve as the youngdy¡¯s dowry maid in the future. Whether the youngdy marries well or not will directly affect her daughter¡¯s future, so she certainly didn¡¯t want the youngdy to give up and be dispirited. -Miss, you must not be discouraged. You are much more outstanding than her and will certainly find a much better husband in the future.¡± Aunt Li quickly reassured. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Whoever my sister marries is her business, and it has nothing to do with me.¡± Wei Qingwan said in a calm tone, without any hint of envy. After saying this, Wei Qingwan turned around and entered the house, leaving Aunt Li standing there, confused about the radical change in her youngdy. ###n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om When Wei Ruo arrived at the prefecture¡¯s office, she apanied by Qingyi, and went straight to the courtyard where Madame Yuan lived. Inside the room, Little Sheng was toddling towards Madame Yuan. The little guy was just over one year old and had already learned to walk. However, his walk was still a little shaky, like a little penguin, which was incredibly adorable. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t disrupt, she stood at the side watching Little Sheng tumble into Madame Yuan¡¯s arms. Madame Yuan walked over to Wei Ruo with Little Sheng in her arms: ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Wei Ruo nodded with a soft smile. Little Sheng was also giggling at Wei Ruo. His whitish little face, plump round eyes were like an exact replica of his mother when she smiled. Madame Yuanughed and said, ¡°Every time Little Sheng sees Ruoruo, he smiles. He probably remembers that Ruoruo is the one who saved his life.¡± Wei Ruo yfully interacted with Little Sheng and praised, ¡°Little Sheng is really handsome, just like Madame.¡± ¡°Only his eyes resemble me. The rest of him is just like his father.¡± Madame Yuanughed. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s great.¡± After a bit of conversation about Little Sheng, Madame Yuan had someone take Little Sheng away, and then she led Wei Ruo aside to discuss serious matters.. Chapter 279: Advising Madame Yuan_l Chapter 279: Advising Madame Yuan_l Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°It is alreadyte, and I shouldn¡¯t be disturbing you at this hour. However, I was afraid that you might be busy during the day andck spare time, so I took the liberty of asking Qingyi to invite you over to the Military Prefecture.¡± Madam Yuan apologized. ¡°Madam, you need not to be so formal with me.¡± ¡°We are well acquainted by now, so I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Given Ruoruo¡¯s intelligence, you probably have guessed why I have invited you here today.¡± Madam Yuan said candidly. ¡°I probably have some idea. Recent weather changes leading to crop damage must be causing concerns for both the honorable Yuan and Madame Yuan.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°That¡¯s right, Ruoruo. Grain yields have been poor around the country in recent years, our national treasury is nearly empty, and food supply has always been a top priority for the court. Officials are rated primarily on this issue. That¡¯s why the recent cold spell has the Government Office on tenterhooks and directly affects the promotion prospects of my husband next year.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s only part of the story. Apart from considering my husband¡¯s career, I am genuinely concerned about the suffering of themon people. Moreover, if there are widespread starvation leads to unrest, the suffering will not be limited to themon people alone. Therefore, both personally and from the standpoint of my husband¡¯s official position, we do not wish to see such a situation.¡± Wei Ruo believed what Madam Yuan said. When there was an outbreak of infectious disease in Taizhou prefecture, Madam Yuan had generously contributed time and resources to call in local doctors and discuss measures tobat the disease. ¡°I understand, Madam Yuan. In fact, before you invited me today, the seventh prince had already visited me,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Did the seventh prince also approach you for this matter?¡± Madam Yuan hurriedly asked.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Indeed. The prince hopes that I can help him improve the impoverished terrain in Taizhou prefecture, open up farnd and increase productivity,¡± replied Wei Ruo. After pondering for a moment, Madame Yuan said to Wei Ruo, ¡°That seems to be a viable approach. Ruoruo, you could try it. If sessful, it would greatly benefit both you and the Wei Family.¡± ¡°Do you think I should agree to it, Madam?¡± ¡°Helping the seventh prince would undoubtedly benefit your family, even if he might not be able to reward you handsomely due to your female status. Nheless, it would be wholly beneficial to the Wei Family,¡± Madam Yuan analyzed for Wei Ruo. As long as something is good for the Wei Family, it is also good for Wei Ruo. As long as Wei Ruo is a member of the Wei Family, this rtionship won¡¯t change easily. ¡°I understand, Madam, but I don¡¯t want too much interaction with the seventh prince. The heir to the throne is not yet decided, and bing too closely involved with any prince would put me, and the Wei Family in a delicate situation which we cannot afford,¡± Wei Ruo stated. Whether considering the bigger picture or personal feelings, Wei Ruo has been resisting any extensive interaction with Chu Lan from the bottom of her heart. Thest time she was involved innd improvement in Xingshan County, she took the initiative, but Chu Lan jumped inter and left her no option. Now that she has an option, she prefers to keep her distance. ¡°You are right. It is rare for you to consider these factors.¡± Madam Yuan was somewhat moved. Wei Ruo¡¯s striving to consider a broader perspective and not be blinded by immediate temptations was a step up from most girls of her age. Madam Yuan continued, ¡°The initial reason for my asking you here today was to seek your help. However, if you refuse the request of the seventh prince, I will not be in a position to ask you for advice and help.¡± No matter what, Madam Yuan couldn¡¯t openly go against the seventh prince, especially considering the position of Wei Ruo. If Wei Ruo rejects the prince on one hand and helps Madam Yuan on the other, it would be a direct offense to the prince. This scenario would put Wei Ruo in danger, and Madam Yuan certainly wouldn¡¯t want such a situation to arise. ¡°Madam, there¡¯s no need for worry. I have given thoughtful consideration to certain things on my way here. I know how to handle this without offending the seventh prince and still alleviating worries for your household.¡± Wei Ruo assured. ¡°Really?¡± Madam Yuan was ecstatic. Wei Ruo exined, ¡°I can provide some solutions for Madam. If you and the honorable Yuan find them feasible, you can implement them ording to my method. My involvement isn¡¯t necessary during the process, thus not deceiving the prince.¡± Chu Lan wanted her to improve thend, which required her to understand the actual conditions, run ground surveys, interact with people, among other things. Hence, she used this as an excuse to refuse. But now, she was just advising Madam Yuan, an entirely different context. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll listen with great interest,¡± said Madam Yuan. Wei Ruo began outlining her approach, ¡°This year¡¯s weather is unpredictable, and we know it won¡¯t be goodter in the year. Increasing farnd is one course of action proposed by the prince; increasing the productivity of existing farnd is another.¡± ¡°Indeed, Ruoruo, you¡¯re absolutely correct.¡± ¡°Taizhou prefecture doesn¡¯t have a lot of farnd to begin with. There are saline-alkalinds, sandynd, and a lot of mountainous terrain. Even among the existing farnd, the majority have poor soil conditions. Improvement of soil is a major project and cannot be done quickly. The saline-alkalind reformation in the south of Xingshan County alone took almost half a year. Therefore, by the time the soil improvements are finished and crops are nted, it might be toote for this year¡¯s autumn harvest. At the earliest, wheat could be nted in August or September for next year¡¯s harvest,¡± Wei Ruo analyzed. ¡°That is indeed a problem,¡± Madam Yuan agreed. ¡°So, right now, if we want to ensure this year¡¯s autumn harvest, our best bet would be to protect the existing farnd and the crops already nted,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°Please, Ruoruo, tell me how we can protect the crops.¡± Without any rush, Wei Ruo started detailing her meticulously crafted solution for Madam Yuan, ¡°Firstly, we need to add fertilizer to the soil. The Government Office should take the lead in this. I propose that the Government Office establish argepost field where they can buy sheep manure, cow dung, straw, rice straw, and even some rotten fruits and vegetables.¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°If the Government Office can buy these materials, it¡¯ll help provide the peasants with some ie to alleviate their immediate pressures. When thepost is ready, the Government Office can sell it at a fair price. It can be sold to farms as well as to wealthy families. At this point, sir Yuan should persuade the city dwellers who ownrge amounts of farnd andndlords to buy this finishedpost. Also, they should be taught how to properly add fertilizers.¡± Madam Yuan was intrigued, ¡°Ruoruo, this idea of yours kills two birds with one stone. It can provide the peasants with some money to tide over the hard times, and also enhance the productivity of the farnd owned by wealthy families andndlords.¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°This is one aspect. Secondly, we have some remedial measures for the saplings that have already been frozen. Depending on the type of terrain, I have two different measures.¡± ¡°What are those two measures?¡± Madam Yuan inquired eagerly.. Chapter 280: Promoting Late Rice and Sweet Chapter 280: Promoting Late Rice and Sweet Potato_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Firstly, aboutte autumn rice. When vile sprout disease appeared in some rice fields near Government City, I asked them to ntte autumn rice. I have previously tested this variety in Xingshan county-it was nted at the start of May. By early June it grows into seedlings, and it can also be harvested in the autumn with a decent yield.¡± ¡°If there is still time to nt this autumn rice, that would be wonderful. I¡¯ll discuss this with my husband, and we should promote this autumn nee to the public,¡± replied Madam Yuan hurriedly. ¡°However, there¡¯s a prerequisite-we cannot have another cold wave like we had the past few days, or even with thete autumn rice, it would still be an issue to grow seedlings in such fluctuating conditions,¡± cautioned Wei Ruo. The rice variety she had developed was indeed outstanding, yet it still was not capable of sprouting under intense cold wave conditions. ¡°Now all we can do is pray for blessings from the gods,¡± sighed Madam Yuan, then she asked Wei Ruo, ¡°You mentioned two options, what¡¯s the other one? ¡°The other option is summer sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes can be nted across multiple seasons¡ªin spring, summer, and autumn¡ªthey can all survive. Generally, summer sweet potatoes are nted after wheat is harvested in May or June. Autumn nting works in warmer areas. If the weather is stable, they can also be nted around Taizhou prefecture. But given the current climatic conditions, it¡¯s safer to nt in spring and summer, which is exactly what we should be doing now,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Thete autumn rice and sweet potatoes had already been promoted by Wei Ruo step by step after her arrival in Taizhou prefecture, but it was still within a small scope. It was a good opportunity to allow Lord Yuan and Madam Yuan to promote nting on arge scale under the name of the government office. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t guarantee that ntingte autumn rice and sweet potatoes would lead to a bumper harvest, but their superior varieties and robust performance should result in higher yieldspared to currently grown crops, barring any unforeseen circumstances. ¡°I have tasted sweet potatoes before; they are sweet and can easily make you feel full. However, there aren¡¯t many grown in Taizhou prefecture at present. If the ones nted now can survive, it would be an exceptional blessing, said Madam Yuan. Wei Ruo added: ¡°The method should vary ording to circumstances. For fields that were originally paddy, with fertile soil, we should ntte autumn rice. For fields that have poor soil where rice yields have been low, they should switch to sweet potatoes. As the two nts have different nutritional requirements, rotating these crops promotes growth.¡± This method should counterbnce, to some extent, the problem of poor soil fertility and low rice yields. Madam Yuan listened to Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation and her mood improved, ¡°Both my husband and I have been very depressed these few days. Until hearing Ruoruo¡¯s words just now, it felt as though a heavy fog had lifted from my heart, and my mood lightened significantly.¡± ¡°I can assure you, if it is as Ruoruo has said, I will not let you down,¡± Madam Yuan reassured Wei Ruo. ¡°Madam, there¡¯s no need to stand on ceremony. I am simply offering a suggestion, the real work still needs to be done by Lord Yuan and the people from the Government Office,¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°They eat the King¡¯s sry and should therefore bear his concerns¡ªit is their duty. Although Ruoruo only made suggestions, if they prove useful, they could significantly increase the grain yield in Taizhou prefecture¡ªeven more valuable than thousands of taels of gold,¡± said Madam Yuan. Madam Yuan didn¡¯t view Wei Ruo¡¯s few words lightly. If sessful, their value would be unimaginable. ¡°If Madam trusts me, then discuss it with Lord Yuan and carry it out. I also hope that everyone can have enough to eat,¡± Wei Ruo stated bluntly. ¡°Alright, everything that Ruoruo has told me today, I will report it to my husband without missing a single word and discuss with him how to promote the nting ofte autumn rice and sweet potatoes,¡± said Madam Yuan, highly valuing Wei Ruo¡¯s advice. ### Wei Ruo was invited by Madam Yuan to stay for dinner after their discussion. By the time she left, it was already veryte and the crescent moon was high in the sky.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Madam Yuan specially assigned guards to escort Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage back to the Military Prefecture. They waited until Wei Ruo safely entered the mansion before they returned to report to Madam Yuan. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t rest immediately after returning to the Military Prefecture. She busied herself at her desk, writing up methods forposting, fertilization after rice nting, methods for weeding and management, as well as methods for nting and managing sweet potatoes. These techniques woulde in handyter, so she wrote them down in advance and nned to provide them to Madam Yuan at the right time. Once she hadpleted writing, it was already midnight. Wei Ruo fell asleep immediately upon hitting her pillow. The next day, Madam Yun called Wei Ruo over and asked about the business with Prince Seven and Madam Yuan. Wei Ruo only gave a rough description and didn¡¯t go into the specifics with Madam Yun. Madam Yun didn¡¯t press for more details. Although it was good for her daughter to assist Prince Seven and Madam Yuan, she feared that her daughter¡¯s abilities might not suffice. If they were displeased in the end, it could bring disaster on the Wei Family. So, it was a good thing that her daughter frankly expressed her limitations, to avoid any potential issues. On the second day, the Government Office sprang into action to execute Wei Ruo¡¯s suggestions: on one hand, they procured agricultural waste forposting, and designated outskirts forposting centers; on the other hand, they centrally purchasedte autumn rice and sweet potato vine cuttings, and then distributed them to households for nting. At the same time, Lord Yuan invited prestigious local families to the office for social visits. The specifics of what was discussed were not avable to the public. Furthermore, he personally visited various counties and negotiated with the county magistrates, assigning tasks. The actions from the Government Office caused quite a stir in the city. Commoners, who received the rice seeds and sweet potato cuttings, responded warmly and enthusiastically. The elites debated these actions¡ªwhile some praised the move by the Government Office, others were suspicious and adopted a wait-and-see approach. Chu Lan received news soon after and sent his men to inquire about the reasons for Lord Yuan¡¯s invitation of local dignitaries. In the tea room of Yusheng Tea House, one of his subordinates reported recent findings to Chu Lan: ¡°Lord Yuan invited these prestigious individuals to lead the nting ofte autumn rice, and also mentioned how to add fertilizer afterward.¡± ¡°I know. You may leave,¡± Chu Lan waved away his subordinate. Lu Yuhong chuckled and said, ¡°It seems there¡¯s no need for Brother Chu to worry, Lord Yuan already has a countermeasure.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for the best.¡± Chu Lan didn¡¯t seem perturbed. If he could aplish this, it would be a bonus for him. If not, there¡¯s no reason for anger or disappointment. ¡°As long as you¡¯re not upset.¡± ¡°It seems that thete autumn rice was first grown by Wei Qingruo in the improved fields in Xingshan County. Sweet potatoes also first appeared in Xingshan County in Taizhou prefecture,¡± Chu Lanmented, lost in thought. ¡°Is there any connection?¡± Lu Yuhong asked. ¡°It¡¯S nothing, just an observation,¡± Chu Lan ended the conversation abruptly and turned to Lu Yuhong. ¡°You¡¯ve been at Anzhou Academy for a while, have you found anything?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t find anything. I think you¡¯re overthinking it. The Ninth Prince simply does not exist, the case against the Xu Court is probably just a coincidence, said Lu Yuhong.. Chapter 281: Taking over Caili Farm_l Chapter 281: Taking over Caili Farm_l Trantor: 549690339 | Lu Yuhong¡¯s studies at Anzhou Academy run much deeper than they appear on the surface. He has another mission as well ¨C to help Chu Lan find the Ninth Prince. Based on various clues, the Ninth Prince, if alive, should be somewhere in Jiangnan. ¡°The re-examination of Lord Xu¡¯s case can¡¯t possibly be a coincidence. Someone must be stirring the pot behind the scenes, we¡¯re just not sure who it is.¡± Chu Lan asserted. Given the Emperor¡¯s lingering sentiments for thete Empress Xu, if the Ninth Prince is still alive and Lord Xu¡¯s case is reexamined, the politicalndscape will undoubtedly undergo a seismic shift. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t quite understand all of this. All I can do is help you find him and leave the rest up to you.¡± Lu Yuhong waved dismissively, entirely unwilling to think about suchplex matters. ¡°Mm,¡± Chu Lan nodded, aware that Lu Yuhong was not really into such things. It was because he didn¡¯t care that Chu Lan was willing to share with him. In his position, it was difficult to have a confidante who could be trusted¡­ Thinking of this, an image suddenly emerged in Chu Lan¡¯s mind. One afternoon they sat idly in the courtyard of the farm, basking under the sun, drinking a specially brewed tea avable only there. Thinking of this, Chu Lan turned to the attendant at the tea pavilion, ¡°Do you have winter melon tea here?¡± The attendant shook his head in confusion, having never heard of winter melon tea. Chu Lan was somewhat disappointed, ¡°You may go.¡± Lu Yuhong¡¯s interest was piqued, ¡°Winter melon tea? What is that? Is it good?¡± Lu Yuhong¡¯s interest in food far outweighed his interest in political feuds. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good. But it can¡¯t be found just anywhere.¡± said Chu Lan. ¡°So, where can we get it? Let¡¯s go drink some!¡± Lu Yuhong was filled with curiosity about the unfamiliar drink. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for the right opportunity. That ce isn¡¯t easy to get to.¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Is there a ce in Taizhou prefecture you, as the Seventh Prince, can¡¯t go?¡± Lu Yuhong asked skeptically. ¡°Mm. There is.¡± After finishing, Chu Lan nced out of the window at East Lake, deep in thought. It wasn¡¯t difficult to get to that ce, but being weed and invited in was another story. ### While the government office was a beehive of activity, Wei Ruo was also industriously upied. The manor of Fei Tuipan, which had captivated Wei Ruo¡¯s interest, was purchased through Xu Zhushan. Fei Tuipan, a man of refinement, had named his manor Caili Farm. Wei Ruo found the name agreeable and decided to retain it, also giving her original manor a corresponding name: Younan Farmstead. The manor bted from Madam Yuan used to have a name, Yuan Family Farm, but the que was conveniently removed when it was transferred to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo, beingzy, didn¡¯t bother to find a new name after bing its owner. Due to the purchase of the second manor, her first manor finally secured a proper name. Thus, Wei Ruo now owns three farms in Taizhou prefecture: Xiaoyang Mountain Farm in Xingshan County, the 2,000 mu Younan Farmstead (originally gifted by Madam Yuan andter expanded by another 1,000 mu), and the newly acquired 1,000 mu Caili Farm. The Xiaoyang Mountain Farm grows primarily sweet potatoes. Last year¡¯s harvest was particrly bountiful, and if this year¡¯s yield is normal, filling several storages with sweet potatoes wouldn¡¯t pose a problem, with plenty of byproducts produced as well. The original 1,000 mu of fertilend in Younan Farmstead was revamped and fertilized after this year¡¯s wheat harvest. The additional 1,000 mu ofnd, initially infertile, underwent simr treatment for improvement. Now, 80% of thatnd is growing rice, while the remaining 20% awaits Wei Ruo¡¯s taro seeds. Wei Ruo now has a general understanding of Caili Farm, the soil is not very fertile, a good number of seedlings have been killed off by the frost this year, Wei Ruo needs to make some adjustments and arrangements. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om In addition, Wei Ruo rents a sandy tract ofnd next to Stone Vige in Baima Vige for sweet potato farming. Wei Ruo¡¯s farnd now far exceeds the size of the Colonel¡¯s estate by God knows how much. If her mother, Mrs. Yun, knows of her daughter¡¯s vastnd holdings, she would be shocked. Wei Qingwan always assumed Wei Ruo was vying for favor within the Wei family. It would be interesting to see her reaction when she realizes that Wei Ruo doesn¡¯t need the Wei family¡¯s favor at all. After taking over Caili Farm, Wei Ruo first met with the farm manager. Wei Ruo arrived in the persona of Xu Heyou, and since the owner of the farm is Xu Zhushan, everyone naturally assumed that she was their young master s wife. Wei Ruo reviewed the farm¡¯s ounts. They indeed had a plethora of problems, but all were things she had previously understood, so there weren¡¯t any surprises. The farm was made up of tenant farmers who, ording to previous regtions, were required to pay a hundred jin rent per mu every year. During previous productive years, each mu could yield three to four hundred jin of rice a year. Even after paying rent, the remaining produce was enough to feed a farming family for the year. However, since the year before thest, yields have sharply declined. Last year, the yield per mu fell to fewer than two hundred jin. Even though Fei Tuipan¡¯s family reduced some rent, it didn¡¯tpletely solve the problem. This year, an unexpected cold spell killed off most of the budding seedlings, plunging the farm into despair. After examining the ount books and the situation, Wei Ruo promptly issued an order, ¡°I¡¯ve understood the situation, instruct the tenants to uproot all the seedlings on the farm.¡± Upon hearing this order, the manager at Caili Farm went into a daze, wondering if there was something wrong with his hearing. The manager at Caili Farm, Zhao, was much younger than Manager Yu, probably in his thirties, burly and bearded, and obviously very robust. ¡°Young Mistress, this won¡¯t do! Absolutely not! The remaining seedlings are the only hope for the farming households this year! If they are all removed, people won¡¯t have anything to live on! They will starve to death!¡± Manager Zhao hastily dissuaded her. -just follow my instructions. If my advice doesn¡¯t ensure there¡¯s enough food for everyone this year, I¡¯ll personally fund it, providing two hundred jin rice and two hundred jin flour to each household.¡± Wei Ruo promised without hesitation. This left Manager Zhao dumbfounded, his eyes, though not veryrge, widened in astonishment. Their previousndlord was already a very benevolent person, exempting rent in years of dearth, but no one had ever heard of andlord providing food for the tenant farmers, it was unheard of! ¡°Or do you think these remaining seedlings can yield enough food for the tenants tost till next year?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Manager Zhao shook his head repeatedly. ¡°If not, then follow my instructions. My Younan Farmstead isn¡¯t far from here. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard about the abundance of my wheat harvest there, but if not, you should take a trip there yourself and see how many bushels of wheat are stored in the granary.¡± Wei Ruo continued.. Chapter 282: Successfully Distilled Baijiu 1 Chapter 282: Sessfully Distilled Baijiu 1 Trantor: 54969fmo??????????????? J ¡ª Manager Zhao nodded dumbly: ¡°I¡¯ve heard of that!¡± A wheat field with a yield of a thousand pounds per acre! The news had spread all over the region, and everyone was flocking to it. He had also followed the crowd, drooling over the sight of the heavy wheat grains on the wheat spikes. ¡°Now I am the owner of Caili Farm, and only when you have a good harvest can I collect rent. How could I be harmful to you?¡± asked Wei Ruo. Manager Zhao shook his head continuously. Though he seemed fierce, his reactions were rather simple-minded. ¡°Then follow my arrangements and instructions. Pull out the remaining seedlings and rent new varieties of rice, just like those wheat crops before, high yielding and likely to survive.¡± Manager Zhao nodded. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t dawdle. Communicate my words to the farmers, along with the promise I just made. Exin it well, if there is anyone that doesn¡¯t understand, bring them to see me.¡± After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Manager Zhao went down with his men. Xiumei who was left behind,ughed, ¡°Miss, I have a premonition that once you manage Caili Farm well, the tenants of many nearby farms will be eagerly hoping for you to buy theirnd.¡± ¡°I would like that. If possible, I want to make arge field in the east and north of the Government City mine. I would never disapprove of more produce. After everything is connected, I will merge it into arge estate for easier management.¡± ¡°Miss, you are really thinking about that! I was just saying it casually!¡± ¡®I really am thinking about it. How nice it would be to be a bigndlord, with money, grain, shops, carefree andfortable.¡± said Wei Ruo. Xiumei nodded, ¡°Then I will count money and grain with Miss in the future!¡± The master and servant looked at each other andughed. After Wei Ruo¡¯s intentions were conveyed, some of the tenants didn¡¯t believe it at first, feeling it was impossible for andlord to be so kind, caring for the lives and deaths of tenant farmers. But after hearing that their current youngndlord was also the owner of the famous wheat farm, some began to believe. Since that owner was famously kind, widely known near and far, the farm workers enjoyed good days, with adequate food and clothing. Many people scrambled to work at that farm, but s, besides the original workers, they only took in homeless refugees and beggars, and did not hire extra workers. With Wei Ruo¡¯s promise, and the Government Office doing the same, the tenants epted the arrangement after a while, cooperating to remove the original seedlings and re-plowing and irrigating the fields. Following that, Wei Ruo preparedte rice and sweet potato seeds for them. Because for tenant farmers, filling their stomachs was the priority, therefore crops like rice and sweet potatoes that could provide fullness must be nted. Wei Ruo felt that under the uncertain future of food production in other regions, there might be a great famine, and more nting of high-calorie crops was the urgent matter at hand. ### The next day, Wei Ruo visited the brewery first. As news came after she returned to the Military Prefecturest night, the first vat of distilled wine had been produced at the brewery. The color was clear like water, with a strong wine fragrance, and had been tried by many, revealing a strong taste. Now they were just waiting for Wei Ruo to inspect. Before entering the brewery, Wei Ruo could smell the strong scent of wine even across the fence. The scent was very mellow, feeling like it was mostly sessful. Upon entering, she was greeted by the smiling Manager Yu and the brewer¡¯s mates. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The room with the stove in the brewery was noticeably hotter, so the mates were all dressed in sleeveless hemp vests and cotton shorts. Were it not for Manager Yu¡¯s decree, these people could have worked shirtless. ¡°Miss!¡± Everyone greeted Wei Ruo in unison, the excitement clearly audible in their voices. ¡°Miss, this is the wine we brewed!¡± People made way for her to see therge wine vat not far away, covered with a bamboo cone-shaped cover. Wei Ruo went there, lifted the cover, and the wine aroma became even stronger. ¡°Miss, rest assured, we¡¯ve all tasted it, and we ensure there are no problems,¡± said one of the mates, grinning. Without the assurance of its validity, they wouldn¡¯t dare to have Wei Ruo taste it. Now that Wei Ruo was here to evaluate it, they wanted to see whether the taste of the wine passed the inspections. Wei Ruo picked up a wooden spoon from the side, scooped some into a bowl. She first smelled it, then tasted it a little, savoring it, feeling the different stages of taste. From the entrance to the throat, the burning sensation spread all the way from the mouth to the stomach. Mellow and robust, exactly the taste Wei Ruo was looking for in white wine. Everyone nervously watched Wei Ruo, waiting for her response. ¡°Very good! This wine is mature!¡± Wei Ruo announced. Hearing this, everyone jumped and cheered, behaving like a group of childrenughing and shouting. Wei Ruo was also smiling, and when everyone had calmed down a bit, she continued to speak to everyone: ¡°Everybody is doing a great job, you¡¯ve worked hard during this time.¡± Everybody in response waved their hands hastily, Not hard, not hard at all. It¡¯s not hard to work for Miss.¡± It¡¯s our fortune to be able to work for Miss!¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s our fortune!¡± Wei Ruo smiled and said, ¡°Next, we are going to start production on a full scale. I hope everyone maintains their original intention, keeps working harder, can¡¯t bezy, can¡¯t be ck, ensure the quality of the white wine produced in our brewery, let¡¯s grow bigger and stronger.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone responded loudly, their voices exceptionally resounding. ¡°Everyone take a rest today, we will officially start tomorrow morning,¡± Wei Ruo ordered. Following, she instructed Manager Yu, ¡°Manager Yu, arrange for everyone to have a good meal tonight. Give them a good treat.¡± ¡°Yes, no problem,¡± Manager Yu replied with a joyous face. ¡°Also, the wine, arrange for someone to take out a few vats for me, I could use it.¡± When Wei Ruo had finished and before Manager Yu could utter a word, the brewery¡¯s mates had already rushed to do it. Manager Yu smilingly said, ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you name our brewery. Since we are going to make a signature wine, we should have a resounding name.¡± Wei Ruo contemted for a while and said, ¡°Let¡¯s call it Thyme.¡± ¡°Great, that¡¯s a good name. Fine wine with a fragrance that spreads a hundred miles!¡± Manager Yu agreed, ¡°You write a letter Miss, I will find someone to reproduce it into a festoon.¡± ¡°Never mind my writing, find a local gentry to write it.¡± Wei Ruo was fully aware of her handwriting abilities. ¡°That also works.¡± Manager Yu acknowledged. By the time Wei Ruopleted her talk with Manager Yu, the mates had already loaded several vats of wine onto the carriage at the foot of the mountain. Wei Ruo left the brewery amid cheering goodbyes. ¡°Miss, where are we heading now?¡± Xiumei, who was driving the carriage in the front, asked Wei Ruo.. Chapter 283: Laying the Groundwork for Marketing 1 Chapter 283: Laying the Groundwork for Marketing 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°To sell this wine at a high price, we naturally have to go to the most expensive dining ce in the entire Taizhou prefecture,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Okay!¡± Xiumei whipped the horse, speeding up their return to the city. After finding a ce to park the carriage outside the Zuixian Residence, Wei Ruo took Xiumei into the main entrance of the Zuixian Residence. Xiumei was holding a jar of freshly packed white wine. The moment the master and servant entered, they were recognized by the waitstaff in the restaurant. In the eyes of the waitstaff at the Zuixian Residence, this young Master Xu, despite his in appearance, simple clothes, and short stature, was an esteemed guest of their boss, Mr. Fan, and not to be underestimated. Thus, no one in the restaurant dared to neglect them, from the shopkeeper to the waitstaff. ¡°Master Xu, you¡¯re here. What brings you here today? Are you here to dine, have tea, or to meet our boss?¡± The waiter enthusiastically greeted Wei Ruo with a big smile on his face. ¡°Is your boss in?¡± Wei Ruo inquired. ¡°What a pity, our boss isn¡¯t here at the Zuixian Residence today. The shopkeeper is out as well, and probably won¡¯t be back for an hour or so,¡± the waiter exined. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve got a jar of wine here and I¡¯d like your young master to help me sell it at your ce,¡± Wei Ruo stated his purpose. Hearing this, the waiter hesitated a bit. If it were anyone else walking into their restaurant with such a request, they would definitely be kicked out. How could they ask the Zuixian Residence to help sell wine? They have plenty of wine in the Zusixian Residence! But Xu Heyou was no ordinary person, so his request had to be treated differently. Master Xu, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t decide on your request.¡± After some consideration, the waiter replied to Wei Ruo. It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll leave this jar of wine on your counter. When Shopkeeper Shen returns, you can tell him. If he can help me sell it, he sells it. If he can¡¯t, then he can store it for me and I¡¯lle back for it another day. How does that sound?¡± Wei Ruo asked. No problem, absolutely no problem. Rest assured, Master Xu, I¡¯ll handle this matter well for you,¡± the waiter replied enthusiastically. Xiumei stepped forward and handed the jar of wine to the waiter. ¡°Be sure to take good care of it,¡± Xiumei instructed. The waiter carefully took the jar of wine, repeatedly assuring, ¡°Rest assured, my hands are steady. I won¡¯t damage Master Xu¡¯s wine!¡± The waiter ced Wei Ruo¡¯s wine under the counter in a safe spot to ensure it wouldn¡¯t be damaged before the Shopkeeper returned. Then he came back and asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Since Master Xu is here, why not dine in one of the private rooms upstairs? Our Shopkeeper instructed us that if Master Xu dines here, it will all be free of charge.¡± It was currently lunchtime, and there were quite a few guests dining in the Zuixian Residence. Wei Ruo nced around the main hall, then looked up at the second floor. There seemed to be fewer guests in the Zuixian Residence these days than before. Wei Ruo then turned back to the waiter and replied, ¡°Thank you for your kind offer, but I have other matters to attend to today and won¡¯t stay long. Just remember my instructions.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Master Xu! I won¡¯t forget!¡± Wei Ruo nodded and then left with Xiumei. After leaving the Zuixian Residence, Wei Ruo went to Xu¡¯s Delicatessen nearby. Chen Aqing was busy in the shop. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, she excitedly put down her work and came over to greet her. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Wei Ruo signaled her to be quiet. She was still dressed as a boy at this moment, and there were many people around. If someone heard her, it would be troublesome. Chen Aqing quickly corrected herself: ¡°What brings you here today, Young Master?¡± ¡°I came to check on things and brought some wine,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Xiumei ced a jar of wine on the countertop inside the shop. Then Wei Ruo exined to Chen Aqing, ¡°ce this wine here. When customerse, pour a cup and ce it on the side. If anyone asks, offer them a free tasting.¡± The delicatessen sold expensive delicacies, so the customers who frequently visited the shop were mostly well-off. Therefore, promoting the wine here, like at the Zuixian Residence, was meant to target specific groups with buying power. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we charge a silver coin?¡± Chen Aqing asked with confusion. This jar is free for now. Say it¡¯s a token of gratitude to our regr customers. But each person can only have one small cup per day for free, no more. Even if they want to buy more, it¡¯s not avable,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Chen Aqing nodded first, then looked confused, ¡°How to make money if we don¡¯t sell?¡± Lately, Chen Aqing had been getting business lessons from Wei Ruo, so her mind was filled with the idea of making money. ¡°Of course we will make money, but there¡¯s no rush. First, cast the, then catch the fish.¡± Wei Ruo exined with a smile. White wine is not in rice. Wei Ruo¡¯s n was to sell fewer bottles at a high price. In order to sell at a high price, a brand value had to be created. The wine couldn¡¯t be perceived as something readily avable, or she wouldn¡¯t be able to raise the price. She needed to create an intriguing story, add a twist, and best of all, an element of scarcity; to let everyone think it¡¯s a goodmodity that¡¯s hard to purchase. Chen Aqing nodded with a look of partial understanding, ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean, Master, but whatever you do must be right.¡± ¡°Yes, just do as I instructed. If someone asks you where this wine came from, tell him that an old man brought it to offset the cost of the duck neck he owed you,¡± Wei Ruo further instructed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got it!¡± Chen Aqing nodded seriously. After instructing Chen Aqing, Wei Ruo packed some delicacies in the store: half a pound each of pig ears, marinated duck neck, and duck feet. Once she had finished this, Wei Ruo and Xiumei returned to the Military Prefecture. It was not a day off today, and Wei Ruo, who should have been attending Mr. Wang¡¯s lecture at Tianqin Garden, returned early. Only Wei Mingting was at home in the Military Prefecture. He was still recovering from his injury. Although it had improved quite a bit, it would still be some time before he could wield a weapon again. Wei Mingting was a restless person. Although he couldn¡¯t practice martial arts, he was unwilling to rest all the time. So for the past few days, he had been working from the front yard, which was also the case today. Wei Ruo, carrying wine and delicacies, went to the front yard, and after notifying the guard, entered Wei Mingting¡¯s study. In front of the writing desk, Wei Mingting was dressed in casual clothes. He looked a bit less imposing than usual, and a bit more schrly. ¡°Ruo Ruo, do you need something from your father?¡± Asked Wei Mingting curiously, looking at Wei Ruo. She rarely took the initiative to look for him, so Wei Mingting was both surprised and curious. ¡°I came across a jar of excellent wine today and thought Father might like to try it,¡± Wei Ruo said. Hearing that there was good wine, Wei Mingting immediately gained interest. He got up from his desk and quickly approached Wei Ruo.. Chapter 284: 284 Chapter 284: 284 Trantor: 549690339 i Wei Ruo stretched out her hand and took off the lid of the wine jar that Xiumei was holding. As soon as she did, a strong, rich aroma of wine drifted out, instantly filled the entire study. Wei Mingting, who had drunk countless wines, immediately recognized this as good liquor. Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t help but chuckle: ¡°Ruoruo, you seem determined to make me suffer. If this were any other day, I would definitely drink this to my heart¡¯s content, but right now, I¡¯m not fully healed from my injuries.¡± That¡¯s right, you can¡¯t drink while your wound is still healing,¡± Wei Ruo agreed. Then why bring such wonderful wine?¡± asked Wei Mingting. Wei Ruo calmly exined, ¡°If you take good care of yourself and rest properly you¡¯ll recover much sooner. Then you could enjoy your drink. But if you don¡¯t ¡¯ rest, what could have been healed in two months might take three or five, dying when you can drink again.¡± Weighing her words, Wei Mingting paused then replied with a wry smile, ¡°Ruoruo, this way of persuading me not to work too hard is a bit too ¡­¡± A bit too unique. Her mother would plead with him to rest more. But when it came to his daughter, she simply put a jar of wine in front of him, something he could see and smell, but not taste. ¡°I¡¯m not persuading you to do anything, Father. I¡¯m just stating a fact.¡± Then, Wei Ruo brought out cold cuts wrapped in oiled paper, unwrapping a piece of duck neck in front of Wei Mingting. The bronze-colored duck neck, glistening with oil, exuded a mouth-watering aroma.???? & ¡°I also brought some appetizers for you, Father ¨C some braised duck neck, duck feet, and a side of pig ears.¡± Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t help but chuckle again. Not only was he not allowed to drink, but she also brought a whole pile of appetizers. ¡°Ruoruo, are you testing my willpower?¡± ¡°Father¡¯s willpower has always been remarkable, it didn¡¯t falter even when facing sharp swords, will it be swayed by some good food and wine?¡± replied Wei Ruo. Wei Mingting had no reply. Looking at Wei Ruo, her small face didn¡¯t show any excess emotions. No gentleness or concern. Her words weren¡¯t kind either and didn¡¯t contain any advice, but Wei Mingting felt his daughter¡¯s care. Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t help butugh: ¡°I¡¯ve had enough work for today, I¡¯ll go to the back courtyard dining hall with you ¨C would you dine with me?¡± Wei Mingting had stayed in the study until now without having his morning meal. With his wife not there, there was no one to remind him, and he tended to lose track of time when he¡¯s busy. ¡°Sure,¡± agreed Wei Ruo. After that, Wei Mingting asked a servant to go inform the kitchen to prepare a meal, and then leisurely headed back to the dining hall with Wei Ruo. After sitting down, Wei Ruo ced the snacks she brought on the table, and then sent Xiumei to Tingsong Garden to bring back the leftover winter melon tea fromst time. Under Wei Mingting¡¯s watchful gaze, Wei Ruo brewed arge bowl of tea for him. What is this?¡± asked Wei Mingting. ¡°This drink is called winter melon tea. Even though you can¡¯t drink wine, Father, you can still have some beverages to apany these cold cuts,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Even without alcohol, you can still enjoy drinking a good beverage with your meal. ¡°Alright.¡± Curious, Wei Mingting took a sip of the winter melon tea Wei Ruo brewed for him. The taste was light, sweet, and delicious, different from wine, but it had its unique vor. Following that, Wei Mingting tasted the cold cuts that Wei Ruo had brought back. He had tasted the braised pig ears before. But the duck neck and duck feet were new to him. The taste of the duck cuts was different from the pig ears, but equally impressive. Paired with the fresh taste of winter melon tea, Wei Mingting was delighted with the new culinary experience. By the time the servants had brought out the dishes prepared by the kitchen for the noon meal, Wei Mingting was already seventy to eighty percent full. After the meal, Wei Ruo said to Wei Mingting, ¡°I¡¯m keeping that jar of alcohol for Father. I¡¯ll give it to him when he¡¯s fully recovered.¡± ¡°You should keep your promise, Ruoruo. Don¡¯t give it to anyone else,¡± Wei Mingting said with augh. He had two sons, Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin, and a adopted daughter, Wei Qmgwan. Yet he mostly maintained a solemn and strict demeanor when interacting with the others. Somehow, it was his eldest daughter, whom he had spent less time with that brought more smiles to his face, and their interactions were more rxed and pleasant. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I will, as promised,¡± Wei Ruo replied. When Lady Yun returned that afternoon, she was surprised to find her husband dutifully recuperating in the backyard. Upon hearing from the servants that their eldest daughter had specifically persuaded him to do so, and that after being persuaded, the master had not only had his meals on time but also refrained from moving to the front courtyard, she was astonished. Lady Yun asked about the specifics, but the servants did not know. Lady Yun was very happy, though. Her husband¡¯s health had always been a concern of hers. She had tried to persuade him many times to no avail. Now that their eldest daughter¡¯s persuasion was effective, she couldn¡¯t be more pleased. ### May 15, a day of rest. The local government office had been promotingte rice and sweet potato cultivation for several days, and the purchasing of fertilizers was being implemented. However, the dark cloud above Taizhou prefecture had not dispersed. Anzhou Academy had suggested its students to observe the public sentiment in the fields during their free time. Only by understanding the most pressing issues of the day could they know how to answer questions and how to be an official of the imperial court in the future. Wei Yichen took the opportunity of this rest day, together with his close friends such as Xiu Fengyuan, to inspect the fields. Lu Yuhong was also among them. Along the way, they engaged in animated discussions about their views on the hardship and crop shortages faced by themon people. By midday, Xiu Fengyuan invited everyone to have lunch at the Zuixian Residence. They booked a private room big enough for eight people to sit infortably. Xiu Fengyuan ordered a table of Zuixian Residence¡¯s signature dishes, along with a pot of fine wine. The waiter served a pot of wine for everyone. Xiu Fengyuan filled everyone¡¯s cups, but they were all immediately taken aback by its color, aroma, and taste. The wine had a rich aroma, yet it was as clear as water-there was not a speck of turbidity in it. Moreover, it was as transparent and pure as a clear spring. This seemed like white wine. Everyone then asked Lu Yuhong, who had the most experienced pte in the group, ¡°Young Master Lu, you have seen a lot and know a lot. From what you can tell, is this white wine?¡± Lu Yuhong only took a brief look at it and said, ¡°Judging from its color, there¡¯s no doubt that it¡¯s white wine. The only question left to answer is how good it tastes.¡± It was indeed white wine. White wine is rare. The number of distilleries that can properly produce authentic white wine can be counted on one hand, and many of them are concentrated within the Capital City. There happened to be white wine in Taizhou prefecture, but it was imported from other ces. Locally, there were no distilleries like that. Although they were at the Zuixian Residence, they were quite surprised and amazed at encountering a white wine of such quality here. Everyone began to taste it with intrigue and curiosity. Compared to yellow wine, which everyone was more familiar with, the white wine had a stronger and more powerful vor. Those who tried it for the first time might find it a bit too potent, but once they gave it a good taste, they could appreciate its delightful vors. ¡°There¡¯s no substitute for experiencing something firsthand. This is the first time I¡¯ve had white wine, and the taste is really unique.¡± ¡°This wine tastes a bit intense at first sip. It delivers a warming sensation down the throat and into the stomach. It flows like a babbling brook, and lingers like mountain ranges, truly a fine wine.¡± Everyone gave their high praise unanimously.. Chapter 285: The unforgettable white liquor_l Chapter 285: The unforgettable white liquor_l Trantor: 549690339 Wei Yichen also sampled it, feeling the rich aroma of the wine and regarding it as a premium wine indeed. Even Lu Yuhong, who had drunk a fair share of white liquors, couldn¡¯t help but exim: ¡°This white liquor isparable to any I¡¯ve had in Capital City. The owner of Zuixian Residence truly knows his stuff.¡± Lu Yuhong was well-travelled and knowledgeable. If even he praised this white liquor, then it definitely wasn¡¯t a mistake. Hearing everyone¡¯s appreciation for the wine, Xiu Fengyuan promptly ordered more from the waiter. ¡°Bring us a few more pots of this white liquor. We wish to indulge in it wholeheartedly.¡± The waiter looked apologetic: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, young master Xiu, this is thest pot we have of this liquor, there¡¯s not a drop left.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why is there only one pot of such an exquisite liquor?¡± Xiu Fengyuan asked. Lu Yuhong also voiced his dissatisfaction: ¡°It¡¯s rather unfair of your Master Fan, hiding a good liquor like this. What¡¯s the point of this miserliness? Are you afraid we can¡¯t afford it?¡± The waiter swiftly exined: ¡°It¡¯s not like that at all. This wine is actually consigned to our Zuixian Residence by someone else for sale. We only received one jar in total. The previous portions were sold a few days ago. Thest pot was specifically kept by our son for today to be tasted by masters like Xiu and Lu, we deny its avability to anyone else.¡± The waiter¡¯s exnation managed to quench Lu Yuhong¡¯s fiery anger. ¡°Your Master Fan is indeed learned,¡± he said. Lu Yuhong epted the exnation, but he was dissatisfied that only a little of this liquor was left. This one pot of wine had to be split amongst eight of them; each would barely have two cups. How could they have their fill? Xiu Fengyuan proceeded to question the waiter: ¡°Do you know who the wine seller is? Where could we find more of this liquor?¡± The waiter hurriedly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not clear about that, you would have to ask our son.¡± As instructed by their shopkeeper, when asked about the condiments used in their recipes, they feigned ignorance and were strictly forbidden to mention Xu Heyou to outsiders. This was the business secret of Zuixian Residence, and if everyone knew about it, it would affect their business. Therefore, the exnation for this white liquor was the same. The objective was to forestall anyone from bypassing Zuixian Residence and going directly to Xu Heyou for it. ¡°Your son has offered a tantalizing taste, but hasn¡¯t satisfied our thirstpletely. It¡¯s really frustrating,¡± Lu Yuhongined disgruntledly. The waiter could only make amends by saying: ¡°Master Lu, please don¡¯t be angry. If our son finds this wine again, he will definitely remember you.¡± Xiu Fengyuan stopped pressing the waiter, saying, ¡°You can go now. Also, bring us two more pots of your finest wine.¡± ¡°Alright, Master Xiu rest assured, I will bring you the best wine we have in our shop!¡± The waiter answered and then left the room. After a while, he brought two pots of fine ¡°Daughter¡¯s Red¡± to the private room for the gentlemen. The Daughter¡¯s Red was a thirty-year-old brew and it was the best-selling wine at the Zuixian Residence. However, having tasted the white liquor and then the Daughter¡¯s Red, they found somethingcking in thetter¡¯s taste. Lu Yuhong couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Once I find out where this liquores from, I must have a few jars shipped back to Capital City.¡± Everyone knew that the head of the Lu family was a fan of liquor. The wish of Lu Yuhong to ship the wine back to Capital City was most likely for the old man of the Lu family. It also showed a high degree of appreciation for the white liquor. On hearing this, the people present were all interested. They decided to help find the origin of the wine, and in doing so, they could present it to Lu Yuhong, earning his favor. For someone like the elder of the Lu family, not only the people in the small Taizhou prefecture, but even those in Capital City wanted to create connections with him. Getting the approval of Master Lu was equivalent to a foot in the door to the court. Failing to trace the whereabouts of the exquisite liquor, they decided to discuss the state of the public while savoring the Daughter¡¯s Red. Some believed that this year¡¯s harvest will be better than thest, while others thought it would be worse. But they all agreed that this year¡¯s harvest would not be as good as the previous years, and hence, this winter would be tougher than usual. Then they each put forward their own suggestions and opinions on how to avoid a famine. Among the crowd, Wei Yichen, who was often praised as the best student, was silent. He couldn¡¯t help but think of his sister, Rouruo. Although Rouruo didn¡¯t conform to the traditional ways of a well-breddy, she was able to genuinely help the people increase their grain production. To some extent, she understood the people¡¯s hardships better than they, the brilliant schrs, did and knew how to genuinely seek the people¡¯s welfare. ### Seven dayster, Wei Ruo once again entered the gates of Zuixian Residence. As soon as he entered, the shopkeeper, Shen, came to greet him. ¡°Master Xu, you¡¯re finally here!¡± Shopkeeper Shen spoke excitedly, with a gleam in his eyes, and sped towards Wei Ruo. Because he was in such a hurry, he almost ran right into Wei Ruo.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Luckily, Xiumei was quick to react, stepping in front of Wei Ruo while also helping to steady Shen. Xiumeiughed and said, ¡°Master Shen, slow down. It¡¯s all well and good to wee our young master, but safety is important too!¡± Shenughed awkwardly, ¡°I apologize, Master Xu. I have been waiting eagerly for you for several days. I sent someone to Younan Farmstead with a message, but the people there told me you were busy and hadn¡¯t returned to the farmstead.¡± Xu Heyou¡¯s movements were even more unpredictable than their own young master¡¯s. Shen was anxious to meet him, but besides sending a letter to Wei Ruo¡¯s farmstead, he had no other good ideas. If Xu Heyou didn¡¯t show up, all Shen could do was wait. ¡°I was away on a boat trip to the outskirts. I only returned yesterday,¡± Wei Ruo lied. In fact, he had beenmuting between Military Prefecture and Tianqin Garden, and whenever he had spare time, he would visit the prefecture¡¯s office to advise Madam Yuan. ¡°Master Xu you are indeed very busy, I know. Fortunately, Master Xu came today,¡± said the excited Shen, telling Wei Ruo about the situation of the jar of white wine, ¡°Master Xu, your jar of white wine has been sold by our young master. Everyone who tasted it gave rave reviews! Our young master wanted to discuss this with you!¡± Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Where is your young master now?¡± Shen said, ¡°He¡¯s upstairs in the private room, the usual ce.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Take me to see him.¡± Shen replied, ¡°Alright, Master Xu this way please.¡± Shen led Wei Ruo and Xiumei upstairs, to the same private room, the ¡°Crane Pavilion,¡± at the end of the hallway. Shen opened the door for Wei Ruo. Inside the room, Fan Chengxu looked up, smiling wryly at Wei Ruo¡¯s arrival. ¡°Brother Heyou, you made me wait,¡± he said. ¡°What makes you say that, owner Fan? I don¡¯t recall us having any appointment,¡± Wei Ruo replied with a slight smile, gracefully taking a seat on the opposite side. The two were now quite familiar, so Wei Ruo had stopped being formal with Fan Chengxu.. Chapter 286: Game of Wits_l Chapter 286: Game of Wits_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Indeed, you didn¡¯t make a deal with me, but you brought me a pot of white liquor,¡± Fan Chengxu said. ¡°I just heard from Shopkeeper Shen that boss Fan has sold the liquor for me. I¡¯m really grateful. I wonder how muchmission Boss Fan wants?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Brother Heyou, that¡¯s not fair,¡± said Fan Chengxu, tugging at the corner of his mouth. In all his years of conducting business, he had never encountered a ¡°opponent¡± like Xu Heyou. Wei Ruo chuckled, ¡°Boss Fan, why would you say that? How am I being unfair?¡± ¡°You left that liquor here for me to sell, but you didn¡¯t tell me how much to sell it for. It¡¯s clear that your purpose isn¡¯t just to sell this pot of liquor,¡± said Fan Chengxu with conviction. When Fan Chengxu visited the Zuixian Residence that day, and was given the liquor by a waiter, he had sensed something was wrong. If it was only this pot of liquor, Xu Heyou wouldn¡¯t have specially brought it to the wine shop for him to help sell. If Xu Heyou wanted him to help sell it, he must be thinking of the long game. Even though he had multiple coborations with Xu Heyou, he always carefully weighed up any ploys from Xu Heyou. He had tasted the first cup of the pot of liquor himself, for he wanted to see what kind of liquor Xu Heyou wanted him to sell. Initially, he had scoffed at Xu Heyou¡¯s tactic of using his Zuixian Residence for self-promotion and had no intentions to help sell his liquor. But after tasting it, Fan Chengxu changed his mind. Not only did he want to sell this liquor, but he also wanted to do his best to help Xu Heyou sell it, employ every possible means to help him sell. Wei Ruo gave a slight smile, his eyes bright and clear, ¡°What do you think of my liquor, boss Fan?¡± ¡°Your liquor is naturally good, and many people in Taizhou Prefecture have taken a liking to it recently, including the young master of the Lu family from the Capital City and the young master of the Xu family from Tongzhi Prefecture.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news. You¡¯ve gone to a lot of effort, boss Fan,¡± said Wei Ruo. Having talked so much, Wei Ruo did not reveal his aims of having Fan Chengxu help sell that pot of liquor. It was the first time in his years of business dealing that Fan Chengxu was put in such a passive position. He had status and background, as well as intellect and connections, hence in these years doing business in Taizhou Prefecture, he was almost always on top, with everyone wanting to coborate with him. This gave Fan Chengxu a sense of helplessness and frustration, but at the same time, it provided him with the thrill and exhration of finding a worthy opponent.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ultimately, Fan Chengxu could not resist spelling it out, ¡°Brother Heyou, we are well acquainted with each other, so stop ying coy with me. Where did this liquore from? And how much more do you have?¡± ¡°It¡¯s brewed at my own brewery. There will be as much as you want in the future,¡± Wei Ruo said, no longer ying coy with Fan Chengxu. ¡°Is that so?¡± Fan Chengxu¡¯s eyes lit up. In the time they had been coborating, Wei Ruo had certainly surprised him with some of his products, but this time was the only instance when Fan Chengxu had noticeably lost hisposure. However, it was just for a moment, as Fan Chengxu quickly regained hisposure, swaying his folding fan in hand, giving off an elusive vibe. ¡°Boss Fan, you¡¯ve probably guessed about it already, haven¡¯t you?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I did specte in this direction, but it was still somewhat of a surprise. After all, the technique of brewing white liquor is known to only two breweries in the Capital City, and it¡¯s a closely guarded secret unknown to outsiders.¡± ¡°Then this first brewery in Taizhou Prefecture will be my family¡¯s brewery,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°And as far as I know, this liquor you brew is as good, if not better, than those two from the Capital City,¡± Fan Chengxu said. ¡°I haven¡¯t tasted the white liquor from the Capital City, so I can¡¯t answer that question,¡± Wei Ruo replied. As Wei Ruo said this, he picked up the teacup in front of him, took a careful sip, still appearing to be rxed andposed. She knew very well that she was in the driver¡¯s seat in this game, so she was in no rush and felt no obligation to make any proposals. Especially when dealing with an old fox like Fan Chengxu in business, she had to keep her cool. Fan Chengxu took note of every move and every expression of Wei Ruo, feeling both annoyed at his posturing and admired his calm. If it were him who had this white liquor today, he would indeed behave in the same way, without eyeing too eagerly to let the other party see his hand. Even though he knew exactly what Xu Heyou wanted, he was still helpless; he knew Heyou¡¯s aim, but yet had to follow his lead. After all, in this case, he was the one on the defensive. After giving it some thought, Fan Chengxu said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Brother Heyou, I sold this pot of liquor for you for fifty taels of silver. The buyers were reputable people in Taizhou Prefecture. Some of them are rich, some of them are influential, and they¡¯re all esteemed clients of my Zuixian Residence.¡± That Fan Chengxu could arrange this was quite an effort. The fifty taels of silver was a trivial matter; what was more essential was that he had sessfully promoted Wei Ruo¡¯s product. ¡°Thank you, boss Fan,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°There¡¯s only my Zuixian Residence in the whole of Taizhou Prefecture that has so many notable patrons and can receive approval like this. In other wine shops, getting so many influential people and patrons who can afford white liquor is quite impossible.¡± ¡°Indeed so,¡± Wei Ruo agreed. He didn¡¯t say much, his expression remainedposed. Fan Chengxu knew that Xu Heyou understood everything, understood what he was expressing and wanted, but Xu Heyou just wouldn¡¯t say it, and made him be the one to bring it up. A clever, cunning, and capable Xu Heyou! Fan Chengxu both loved and loathed him. Fan Chengxu said, ¡°Brother Heyou, our previous coborations have been satisfactory. The five-spice powder and oyster sauce you supplied have sold well at my Zuixian Residence. If you continue to sell this white liquor here, I believe our coboration will still be very satisfying.¡± Fan Chengxu finally revealed his intention that he had been hinting at for so long. He wanted to secure an exclusive supply of the white liquor produced by Xu Heyou¡¯s brewery, just like the previous coborations on five-spice powder and oyster sauce. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s possible. The Zuixian Residence is thergest wine shop in Taizhou Prefecture. I¡¯m delighted to coborate with Boss Fan in selling wine. However, this wine won¡¯t be sold to Boss Fan exclusively,¡± Wei Ruo said. Fan Chengxu closed his fan abruptly, his expression grew serious, and his gaze became much more icy. ¡°Xu Heyou, are you aware of the consequences of offending me here in Taizhou Prefecture? Do you truly believe that if you don¡¯t cooperate with me, you can still work with others?¡± Fan Chengxu¡¯s voice became much colder, his gaze sharper, and he was nowhere near as affable as before. Fan Chengxu had anticipated Wei Ruo¡¯s response, so he wasn¡¯t truly angry. But he needed to make Xu Heyou aware of the seriousness of the matter, to not let Xu Heyou lead him around by the nose. Fan Chengxu¡¯s sudden change in mood gave a shock to the shopkeeper, Shen, who was standing nearby. He looked anxiously at Wei Ruo, worrying uncontrobly. Xiumei, standing behind Wei Ruo, clenched her fist, her palms sweating in anxiety, with her sense of caution at an all-time high.. Chapter 287: Satisfied with Such a Partner 1 Chapter 287: Satisfied with Such a Partner 1 n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Trantor: 549690339????????????? ¡ª Wei Ruo remained impassive under Fan Chengxu¡¯s ring stare, her expression unchanged as she gently set down her teacup. ¡°Mr. Fan, we are both businesspeople, and as the saying goes, ¡®Harmony brings wealth¡¯, don¡¯t you think?¡± Wei Ruo gradually spoke. ¡°¡®Harmony brings wealth¡¯, but Mr. Xu has no sincerity, so how can we talk about ¡®harmony brings wealth¡¯?¡± Fan Chengxu countered. Wei Ruo calmly analysed to Fan Chengxu, ¡°If Mr. Fan is determined to cut off my source of ie in Taizhou prefecture, I have no choice. But have you thought it through, Mr. Fan, as to whether this is a profitable deal or not?¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°All our cooperation so far has been mutually beneficial, whether it has been the five-spice powder, oyster sauce, or tea. We both were able to profit. Even if this white wine is not exclusively for your Zuixian Residence, you will still not earn less silver.¡± If we dissolve this cooperation, Mr. Fan, you will suffer too. Cooperation brings profits, anger brings losses. Why should we both end up being hurt?¡± After Wei Ruo spoke, she calmly refilled her empty teacup. Herposed and unhurried demeanour puts Fan Chengxu in his ce. Fan Chengxu did not immediately respond, just looked at Wei Ruo for a while. Others cannot guess his thoughts from his expression at this moment, while Xiumei remains nervous. If Fan Chengxu disregards any principles and does something to harm her mistress, she must react quickly to ensure her mistress¡¯s safety. After a while, the chill on Fan Chengxu¡¯s face receded, and was reced by his usual smile. ¡°That¡¯s right, I am a businessman, and it does not make sense to spell mutual defeat with Brother Heyou. Furthermore, I quite like cooperating with Brother Heyou, and am very optimistic about our future. If I stop now, I¡¯m afraid I might regret itter.¡± Fan Chengxu was the first to concede, but he did not feel unhappy. On the contrary, he felt a subtle joy. Then Fan Chengxu asked Wei Ruo, ¡°So, how does Brother Heyou n to sell this white wine?¡± ¡°In Taizhou Prefecture, I will only sell the white wine to your Zuixian Residence, but only to the tavern. I will still sell it to other stores.¡± Wei Ruo stated her conditions. Compared to the agreement that the five-spice powder and oyster sauce would only be supplied to Zuixian Residence and her own store in Taizhou Prefecture, Wei Ruo will have other sales channels for the white wine. It is possible to sell ¡¯ to individuals or other stores, only excluding other taverns. Although only this one use is different, in reality, Wei Ruo gains a lot more freedom and is almost not hindered by Fan Chengxu. Alright, I ept.¡± Fan Chengxu was quite satisfied with Wei Ruo¡¯s proposal, at least his tavern is the only one having the white wine. In addition, there is a daily limit on the supply of my wine, one pot per day.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Only one pot? Isn¡¯t that too little?¡± The shopkeeper blurted out. In their grand Zuixian Residence, how could one pot of wine be enough to sell? Wei Ruo said, ¡°The production of my wine is limited, I can¡¯t produce more.¡± Shopkeeper Shen replied, ¡°Why not hire more people? Your wine won¡¯t go unsold. If you can only sell one pot a day, that would be a great loss!¡± Wei Ruo smiled lightly and replied, ¡°Do not produce more, just sell a little every day.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Shopkeeper Shen wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Fan Chengxu. ¡°Since Mr. Xu has said so, then we will sell one pot at most every day from now on.¡± Fan Chengxu had a smile at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes showed his agreement with Wei Ruo¡¯s statements. ¡°As for the price of this pot of wine, I will sell it to Mr. Fan for forty-eight taels, and how much Mr. Fan can sell it for depends on his skills.¡± said Wei Ruo. The first pot of wine that Fan Chengxu sold for Wei Ruo was at fifty taels of silver. If the subsequent wine was sold at the same price, Fan Chengxu could earn two taels of silver for each pot of wine. Upon hearing this price, shopkeeper Shen was taken aback. Isn¡¯t this asking price too high? In this way, their Zuixian Residence would not have much profit from this white wine! At this point, Shopkeeper Shen dared not say more and looked cautiously at Fan Chengxu. To Shopkeeper Shen¡¯s surprise, this time, Fan Chengxu showed no signs of anger. Instead, he readily agreed to Wei Ruo¡¯s conditions. Good, forty-eight taels a pot, one pot supplied per day.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s seal the deal.¡± said Wei Ruo. Onest question, what is the name of your wine, Mr. Xu?¡± ¡°Thyme.¡± Thyme? Indeed, the aroma of this wine is rich and mellow, like its name.¡± Fan Chengxu agreed, ¡°Understood, starting from tomorrow, I look forward to Mr. Xu¡¯s ¡®Thyme¡¯.¡± Wei Ruo raised her teacup, ¡°I toast to Mr. Fan with tea in ce of wine, wishing Mr. Fan a booming business and making big money every day.¡± Fan Chengxu lightlyughed and clinked sses with Wei Ruo, ¡°I hope that the next time I clink sses with Brother Heyou, it will be to drink until we drop.¡± ¡°There will be opportunities.¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo and Fan Chengxu discussed some details about the previous tea business and the progress in the tea ntation. An hourter, Wei Ruo left Zuixian Residence. After Wei Ruo left, Shopkeeper Shen asked Fan Chengxu in confusion, ¡°Sir, Mr. Xu is selling you a pot of wine for forty-eight taels. The Zuixian Residence barely makes a profit. Why did you agree?¡± You think that what Xu Heyou is selling to me is just white wine?¡± ¡°What is it then?¡± Shopkeeper Shen still didn¡¯t understand. ¡°As long as his ¡®Thyme¡¯ is good enough, and he only sells it to my tavern, customers wille to my Zuixian Residence just for his wine. In this way, it will bring more customers to my Zuixian Residence.¡± On the surface, Zuixian Residence only earns two taels of silver per pot of wine, but in reality, through ¡®Thyme¡¯, Zuixian Residence can attract more customers ¡¯ and other consumption. Shopkeeper Shen suddenly realized, ¡°I see, Sir, you are far-sighted and wise, and I have limited vision.¡± ¡°You are indeed somewhat short-sighted, Xu Heyou sees much clearer than you.¡± Fan Chengxuughed lightly. Sir seems not only to be unangry but also somewhat happy?¡± Shopkeeper Shen was even more puzzled. It was clear that in today¡¯s negotiation with Xu, Sir had been on the losing side, had made concessions, so why did Sir seem to be quite content? ¡°A ce like Taizhou Prefecture is too boring for me, encountering a business partner who is both intelligent and capable is rare, why wouldn¡¯t I be happy?¡± Fan Chengxu had a sparkle in his eyes, and the frequency of his fan shaking was noticeably more lighthearted than usual. ### The ¡®Thyme¡¯ at Zuixian Residence was finally restocked, and the customers who had been kept in anticipation in the previous days flocked to the ce, wanting to savor the taste again. However, they were once again told that this wine was sold only one pot a day, and each person could only buy two pots per day. This has indeed made people quite frustrated. But even though they were frustrated, they still had toe to Zuixian Residence early to make a reservation, so as to not miss these two pots of wine. A few people who initially wanted to buy wine as a gift for the Lu Family were disappointed when they learned of this news. It seems that they could not buy wine from Zuixian Residence to give away.. Chapter 288: Drunken Crab and Raw Pickle Chapter 288: Drunken Crab and Raw Pickle Trantor: 549690339 | If he was still insistent on giving this wine as a gift, he would have to inquire elsewhere. If there was still another way to obtain it, so much the better; if not, he would have topletely give up hope. After making some inquiries, they did find another ce ¨C Xu Ji¡¯s Braised vors Shop, not far from Zuixian Residence. They also sold thyme here, but just like in Zuixian Residence, they only sold one jar per day. Each person could only buy one jar at a time, no more. The price was the same as at Zuixian Residence, ten taels of silver per jar. Buying it once to try was not difficult, just time-consuming. However, it would be quite difficult to buy several jars as gifts. Weiyichen, sitting in the academy, listened to the people around him discuss this matter. Although he did not n to give the same gift, he still got the hang of it.???????? 6 On the 18th of May, Xiu Fengyuan, who was studying at the Academy in Anzhou, received a letter from home. His grandfather had fallen at home and was bedridden. Xiu Fengyuan immediately asked for leave from the academy to return to Taizhou Prefecture. As required by academy rules, he needed someone to apany him, so Wei Yichen went with him. Thankfully, Old Mr. Xu was still robust despite his age. His leg was broken from the fall and he needed bedrest, but his life was not in danger. After making sure that Old Mr. Xu was fine, Wei Yichen thought about stopping by his home on the way back. After discussing with Xiu Fengyuan, Xiu Fengyuan agreed, since Wei Yichen¡¯s father was still recovering from his injuries at home. Being the eldest son, Wei Yichen should visit regrly. So, the two agreed to split up for the day and meet again at the city gate early the next morning to return to the academy. upon returning home, Wei Yichen first paid his respects to Wei Mingting and Madame Yun and reported his recent studies and academic performance in the academy. Then, he asked about his father¡¯s condition and the recent situation in the Taizhou prefecture. Last of all, Wei Yichen asked about his younger siblings. ¡°How are Ruoruo and Wanwantely?¡± -Both of them are doing well. They go to Tianqin Garden every day to attend Tongzhi Prefecture¡¯s sses. Your elder sister is asionally invited by Madame Yuan to visit the prefecture¡¯s office,¡± Wei Mingting replied. ¡°Did Madame Yuan invite Ruoruo to the prefecture¡¯s office for a visit, or does she need Ruoruo¡¯s advice on something else?¡± Wei Yichen asked. ¡°I did not ask in detail. If you¡¯re concerned about Ruoruo, go and ask her yourself. She¡¯s home today because her tutor is taking a leave,¡± replied Wei Mingting. This served as a reminder. Wei Mingting knew that the rtionship between the siblings had be quite strained afterst time¡¯s p incident. ¡°I see.¡± Wei Yichen had indeed intended to visit Ruoruo. After the incident at Yusheng Tea House, they had parted in a hurry. He had only had time to send a servant to deliver the wild ginseng to Ruoruo, but had not had the chance to have a proper conversation. When Wei Yichen approached the door of Tingsong Garden, he could hear the sound ofughter from inside. ¡®Miss, a crab is crawling on your sleeve! Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Stinky Meimei, you stillugh. Quickly, capture it.¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t move. If you move, I won¡¯t be able to catch it.¡± ¡°Hurry up, I don¡¯t want to get pinched by it. Its pincers could pinch a chunk of meat off me!¡± Alright, alright, put it back in the bamboo basket. Miss, how do you want it to die? I¡¯ll avenge you!¡± ¡°Half of these crabs will be used to make drunk crab with wine, and the other half will be marinated raw. Let¡¯s see which one tastes better! As for the one that just crawled on me, let it suffer in fiery torment by stir-frying it with scallions and ginger!¡± ¡°Okay! No problem! I¡¯ll go get the wine.¡± Weiruo has been very busy these few days, so she hasn¡¯t been to Tianqin Garden for a few days. Fortunately, Madame Yuan and Mr. Wang Caiwei have been covering for her, so even if she misses ss, she doesn¡¯t have to worry about her family finding out. Today, she finally had some free time, so she and Xiumei were processing the fresh seafood that vigers from Stone Vige brought her. It was caught not long after the Japanese Pirates quieted down. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Even though it was not the best season to eat crab, no one could predict when the Japanese Pirates would strike. Therefore, they ate whatever they could. In a while, Weiruo was nning to work with Xiumei to make some taro snacks. She has harvested quite a few taro in her private space recently. Apart from saving some for renting, Weiruo also wanted to make some taro products to try. Weiyichen stood at the door of the garden for a while before finally deciding to knock. After a while, Weiruo came to answer the door. Seeing Weiyichen, Weiruo showed no expression: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing urgent, I just returned home today, came to see you¡­how have you¡­been recently?¡± ¡°Everything is fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Wei Yichen said. After that, the two of them fell silent and looked at each other without speaking. At this moment, Xiumei returned with the wine, holding a basin filled with crabs with one hand and pouring the wine into the basin with the other. This task was not easy for a maid without much strength. It required someone as strong as Xiumei. As Xiumei walked, she talked to Weiruo, ¡°Miss, is the wine enough to cover the crabs?¡± So engrossed in her task, Xiumei didn¡¯t notice Wei Yichen standing at the door. When she got close enough to recognize him, she hastily greeted, ¡°Young Master.¡±?? 6 She was left standing awkwardly, with no ce to put down what she was holding. weiyichen smelled a rich and somewhat familiar fragrance of wine. Looking at the clear liquid that Xiumei was pouring into the basin, he naturally thought of the Thyme that had been hotly discussed these days. Was it really the Thyme you now had to order ahead and queue for? Wouldn¡¯t Ruoruo be a bit extravagant to use it to marinate crabs? Weiyichen was a bit doubtful, but he swallowed his question and asked, ¡°Are you preparing a meal?¡± ¡°Yes, we got some seafood,¡± Weiruo replied. ¡°Is it drunk crab and raw marinated crab?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°People in Taizhou Prefecture seem to really like this approach. I¡¯ve had it a few times at banquets before, but over the years, due to the Japanese Pirates, there have been fewer people going out to sea and therefore fewer people eating it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°This is not amon dish for us northerners. If Ruoruo likes it, I¡¯ll ask the kitchen to prepare some for you next time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Once again, both of them fell silent. After a while, Wei Yichen said, ¡°You continue with your work, I¡¯ll go back to my room. We can talk more during dinner.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Weiruo replied before shutting the door. Weiruo and Xiumei then listened to the sound of footsteps fading away outside. Once it was confirmed that he was far enough away, Xiumei asked in a low voice, ¡°Miss, do you think the Young Master suspects anything?¡± ¡°Suspects the crab or the wine? Don¡¯t worry, I have a lot of money Even if it¡¯s an expensive item on the market, I can afford to buy it. If asked, just say I bought it myself, there¡¯s nothing for him to suspect..¡± Chapter 289 - 289 Please Mother Help Me Chapter 289: Please Mother Help Me Refuse_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°That¡¯s true, everyone in the Mansion knows the youngdy is rich,¡± Xiumei nodded. Though they weren¡¯t entirely sure just how rich their youngdy was. ¡°Let¡¯s continue making our drunken seafood and pickled seafood. I¡¯ve been wanting to taste these dishes for a while now,¡± Wei Ruo shifted her attention back to the food. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go prepare the pickling sauce and chop some onions, ginger, and garlic.¡± The two of them continued with their tasks. ### The next morning, after Wei Yichen met up with Xiu Fengyuan, Fengyuan had a strange look on his face, as if he had something to say to Wei Yichen but hesitated to speak up. ¡°If Brother Xiu has something to say, please feel free,¡± Wei Yichen took the initiative. After some thought, Xiu Fengyuan said, ¡°Brother Wei, my grandfather spoke to me yesterday. He wants to see me settled down soon.¡± Ever since the old Master Xiu had a fall, he¡¯d been worried about his grandson¡¯s marriage. He feared his old bones wouldn¡¯tst long enough to see his granddaughter-inw enter the family. Though everyone tried to reassure him that he would live a long life, the old man was still set on seeing his eldest grandson get married. Wei Yichen looked at Xiu Fengyuan. Thest time they spoke, Fengyuan had mentioned his mother, Madam Xiu, was interested in his elder sister. Hence, even though Fengyuan didn¡¯t specify this time, Wei Yichen had an inkling of it. ¡°Then I can only offer my early congrattions to Brother Xiu,¡± Wei Yichen said. ¡°Brother Wei, as you know, my mother has taken a liking to your elder sister.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Yichen indeed knew, but after discussing it with his motherst time, he realized he had not much say in this matter if both sets of parents agreed. ¡°I wonder what impression Miss Wei has of me.¡± Fengyuan blushed at his question, looking somewhat bashful. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure,¡± Wei Yichen could only say. Lately, his sister Ruoruo rarely spoke to him, let alone discussed her impression of Brother Xiu. ¡°Brother Wei, you can speak frankly. There¡¯s no need to hide anything from me.¡± Xiu Fengyuan looked worried. He feared he had made a bad impression on Wei Ruo, that¡¯s why Brother Wei didn¡¯t want to say much. ¡°Brother Xiu, I¡¯ve been spending most of my days in the academy recently, and I rarely go home. I hardly spend any time with my elder sister, so I really don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Fengyuan nodded, then broke into a smile, ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that.¡± ### After Wei Ruo returned from the Tianqin Garden, she was called to the Cangyun Garden by Cuiping. ¡°Miss, Madam has something important to discuss with you today.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Cuiping looked pleased, but Wei Ruo¡¯s face was filled with suspicion. If Cuiping had a serious expression, she wouldn¡¯t be this worried, but her current disposition made Wei¡¯s stomach churn with unease. Upon entering the main hall of the Cangyun Garden, she saw her mother waiting for her, a bright smile on her face. Wei Ruo¡¯ s heart sank a little more. It was not that she disliked seeing her mother happy. Rather, if her mother¡¯s joy had anything to do with her, it was probably not good news for her. ¡°Ruoruo,e and sit next to your mother,¡± her mother gestured for her to sit down next to her. Wei Ruo hesitated for a moment, then chose a spot closer to her mother to sit. ¡°Mother, did you summon me here for something urgent?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing bad,¡± her mother said gently, ¡°The Madam Prefect visited me today and discussed a few things with me.¡± Hearing this, Wei Ruo had a rough idea of what was going on. ¡°Actually, the Prefect¡¯s wife had hinted at this earlier, but since she didn¡¯t formally bring it up, I didn¡¯t feel it was appropriate to discuss it with you. However, today she formally mentioned it to me, so I will not keep it from you any longer. You¡¯ve met the Xiu Family¡¯s eldest son, right?¡± ¡°Mother, could you help me refuse the Prefect¡¯s wife?¡± Wei Ruo cut straight to the chase without waiting for her mother to slowly reveal her intentions. She made clear her stance. Upon hearing her words, the joy on her mother¡¯s face disappeared. Her expression turned grim. After a long silence, her mother suppressed her sudden surge of anger: ¡°Ruoruo, do you realize that the Xiu Family is a distinguished family in Taizhou prefecture? Don¡¯t just look at the Prefect¡¯s current official rank being simr to your father¡¯s, the actual difference is significant.¡± Fearing that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t understand, she exined, ¡°Firstly, civil officials in our dynasty are ranked higher than military officials. Secondly, the Xiu Family has a long line of officials. Four of them are currently in office, including the Prefect¡¯s younger brother from the same mother, who works in the capital and often has the opportunity to see the Emperor.¡± ¡°Yes, our Wei Family holds the hereditary title of Earl, but we lost our voice in court a long time ago. Your father is the only one among thest three generations who has reached this position. Neither your uncles nor your grandfather have illustrious achievements. We are not sure whether we¡¯ll be able to keep this title, but even if we can, it would be passed down to your eldest uncle, not rted to your father.¡± ¡°Now, about the Xiu Family¡¯s eldest son, like your elder brother, he became a schr at a young age and has excelled in the Anzhou Academy. If he can pass this year¡¯s imperial examination, his future would be limitless.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, the Xiu Family¡¯s proposal to arrange a marriage with our family now is our good fortune, and especially yours. If the eldest son of the Xiu family passes the examination, our Wei family may not be able to match him anymore.¡± Her mother could not find any reasons for her daughter to refuse this marriage proposal. From all perspectives, her daughter seemed to be marrying above her station. ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t want to get married so soon. And I don¡¯t think I¡¯m suitable for the Xiu Family. Aren¡¯t you afraid that they¡¯ll find out I¡¯m not a well-behaveddy? Aren¡¯t you worried they¡¯ll discover that instead of managing family affairs and handling charity work, I actually spend my days working in the fields?¡± ¡°How could you mention that? If you know your behavior doesn¡¯t correspond with that of ady of a prominent family, and isn¡¯t proper for your future marriage, then you shouldn¡¯t be behaving this way,¡± her mother frowned. ¡°If I don¡¯t behave this way, then it wouldn¡¯t be me. Yes, I could pretend for a while, but can I pretend for a lifetime?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Her mother¡¯s face was instantly filled with anger, and her chest heaved with emotion. Wei Ruo anticipated that her mother might get angry, but she had no intention of backing down. She gazed at her mother with an unwavering expression. As their nces collided, the air was filled with tension. Neither giving way, the tension became palpable, causing both Cuiping and Xiumei, who were waiting on them inside, to feel anxious. After some time, her mother, seeminglying to a realization, managed to suppress her anger. She tried to reassure Wei Ruo, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to worry too much. The Prefect¡¯s wife knows a bit about your situation. She¡¯s even aware of thend that you cultivated south of Xingshan County and the advice you gave herst time to change her seedlings sooner. This has left a rather positive impression on her. Maybe the Xiu family will find these attributes attractive in you.¡± ¡°Mother, are you promoting this marriage because you think the Xiu family will ept the real, not-so-proper me, or because the Xiu family is a prestigious family?¡± Wei Ruo queried. Chapter 290: Neither Can Persuade The Other _1 Chapter 290: Neither Can Persuade The Other _1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Do these two things conflict with each other? The Xiu Family is a prestigious and influential family. If you marry into their family, you will be the legitimate eldest daughter-inw of the Xiu Family. What a status you will have in the future! Isn¡¯t this a good thing for you? Is it wrong for me, as your mother, to hope you marry into a good family?¡± Madam Yun was feeling somewhat drained, ¡°I¡¯m thinking for your sake, wanting you to live well. Why do you keep thinking that I¡¯m trying to harm you? You are a piece of flesh from my body. Even if we didn¡¯ t live together for the first thirteen years, I couldn¡¯t bear to harm you!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Mother, it is not my wish to marry into a wealthy and influential family. If you truly have my interests at heart, please help me refuse this marriage arrangement. I just want to live a normal life, marry a farmer, and lead a peaceful life.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°What nonsense!¡± Madame Yun rebuked angrily, ¡°If you have no choice, it would be a different matter. But now you have such a great opportunity in front of you, and you still cling to these unambitious ideas?¡± Wei Ruo remained silent. She disagreed with Madam Yun¡¯s view, but it was also hard for her to convince Madam Yun to ept her perspective. Despite living in this world for over a decade, the modern feminist thinking deep in her heart hadn¡¯t changed. Wei Ruo still believed that her value should not be defined by her marriage or tied to any particr person. She was herself and needed to rely on herself to survive. But to Madam Yun, who lived in this no-nonsense world, it was hard to understand these thoughts. In her eyes, the ultimate destiny of a woman was to marry, to support her husband, and to nurture their children. Seeing that Wei Ruo remained silent, Madam Yun resumed her earnest persuasion, ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯ve lived in the countryside for over a decade,cking proper guidance and education. Originally, I was worried about your prospects for marriage and consulted your father. If you cannot marry into a prestigious family, your father and I would present you with arger dowry to ensure afortable life, even if you were to marry a poor schr.¡± ¡°But now that there¡¯s abetter choice, naturally, as a mother, I have to n for you. No matter how you look at it, the Xiu Family is an excellent match! You¡¯re young and may not understand many things yet, but trust me, for a woman, your husband will be your whole support and reliance.¡± Wei Ruo remained silent because she couldn¡¯t possibly disclose her ns to Madam Yun. Even her maid Cuiping and her close confidante Xiumei found her ns hard to ept. Seeing that Wei Ruo was no longer stubbornly arguing with her, Madam Yun stated, ¡°I don¡¯t need an immediate answer from you. Think about it.¡± Then, with a weary look on her face, Madam Yun waved her hand, indicating to Cuiping to take Wei Ruo back. ### Although the signs of Wei Ruo¡¯s engagement to the Xiu Family had been there for a while, the official visit by Madam Xiu today had everyone in the Wangmei Garden grinding their teeth in fury. Livid, Madam Li eximed, ¡°What on earth is Madam Xiu thinking? What good is there in Wei Ruo? Is she blinded, to consider Wei Ruo as an uncut jewel?¡± Cuihe hurriedly tried to soothe her parents, ¡°Mother, stop talking, or we¡¯ll be punished and sent to the farm.¡± Mentioning the punishment of being sent to the farm, Madam Li¡¯s voice lowered a bit, but she was still indignant, ¡°Wei Ruo is just good at disguising herself. She runs around in the fields every day. Who knows how many coarse men she¡¯s been in contact with? How can she be suitable to be the legitimate eldest daughter-inw of a distinguished family like the Xiu Family? If the Xiu Family knew, they wouldn¡¯t want her.¡± Cuihe added, ¡°We have no other choice. Everyone in the Wei family is trying to cover it up. It¡¯s about the reputation of our family. If Wei Ruo¡¯s reputation is damaged, it won¡¯t do any good for the Second Miss. It will only be harder for the Second Miss to marry well.¡± After the mother and daughter finished their whispers, Wei Qingwan returned from Cangyun Garden. Madam Li rushed over and asked, ¡°Second Miss, is Madam Xiu really nning to join our Wei Residence as an inw?¡± ¡°I just heard of it from my mother. It¡¯s true.¡± Wei Qingwan replied tly, with no hint of discontent or worry on her face. ¡°Second Miss, aren¡¯t you angry? How could Wei Ruo with her conduct be a match for the eldest son of the Xiu Family?¡± Madam Li asked. ¡°Whether she is a good match or not is for the Xiu Family to decide. As her sister, I should bless her.¡± Wei Qingwan replied. Wei Qingwan¡¯s response left Madam Li thoroughly confused. She¡¯d been feeling uneasy about their daughter¡¯s behavior recently, and Wei Qingwan¡¯s attitude today confirmed it. Wei Qingwan was keeping something from them. ¡°Miss, is there something you¡¯re hiding from us?¡± Madam Li asked cautiously. ¡°No.¡± Wei Qingwan turned her head away, avoiding Madam Li¡¯s probing gaze. Without giving Madam Li a chance to ask further, Wei Qingwan said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you may go. I need to rest.¡± Madam Li and Cuihe had to retreat, leaving the room full of doubt. ### Early the following morning, instead of heading to Tianqin Garden as usual, Wei Ruo went straight to the Four Treasure House. Wei Ruo passed through the shop of the Four Treasure House and found her nursemaid in the back courtyard, who was in the middle of doing the ounts. Seeing Wei Ruo, the nursemaid immediately stopped what she was doing. ¡°Miss, why are you here?¡± Although surprised, the nursemaid was filled with delight. ¡°Every time Ie, you ask the same question. Do you not wee me?¡± Wei Ruo teased. ¡°Never!¡± The nursemaid quickly reassured. Xiumeiughed, ¡°Nursemaid would never not wee you, Miss. She¡¯s just worried that you¡¯ll be tired from the journey.¡± ¡°Only Xiumei understands me.¡± Wei Ruo said,ughing. ¡°Nursemaid, I came to you today because I have something to ask.¡± ¡°Miss, ask away.¡± ¡°How is the progress with the person I mentioned in my letter to you?¡± Hearing this, the nursemaid averted her eyes and then turned away, not daring to look directly at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo¡¯s face darkened subtly, ¡°Nursemaid, have you not been taking that matter seriously?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Nursemaid, you¡¯ve never lied to me.¡± Wei Ruo stared into her nursemaid¡¯s eyes. In the past, the nursemaid had always handled everything Wei Ruo entrusted to her with diligence. She would never procrastinate or be perfunctory. Only this time, a long time has passed, and there¡¯s been no news. Seeing that there was no way to dodge the issue, the nursemaid finally admitted, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss, I indeed did not put much effort into it. I really don¡¯t want you to casually marry someone, especially someone who¡¯s dying. How could I do something like this!¡± Wei Ruo sighed, ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll handle this matter myself.¡± Wei Ruo decided not to put her nursemaid in a difficult position. Even if the nursemaid did find someone for her, when she became a widow, the nursemaid might feel that it was her fault and feel guilty about it. At this, the nursemaid asked with regret, ¡°Miss, are you really sure?¡± Wei Ruo answered firmly, ¡°Nursemaid, I am sure, I know my thoughts are shocking to many people. However, I want to live the life I desire, and this is a feasible way.¡± Chapter 291: Wei Yichen bumps into Wei Qingwan and a man l Chapter 291: Wei Yichen bumps into Wei Qingwan and a man l Trantor: 549690339 At these words, the wet nurse didn¡¯t know what to say and could only sigh heavily. Wei Ruo stepped forward, gently embraced the wet nurse, and patted her on the back, ¡°Nurse, don¡¯t worry. I will handle it properly, and won¡¯t let myself be wronged.¡± The wet nurse nodded, her eyes reddening slightly, but said nothing more. At this moment, all she felt was heartache. When she first started nursing this child, she was just a little baby, a small bundle in her arms. Over the years, she had watched her grow up bit by bit, into a graceful young woman. The more she hoped to see her happy, the more heartbroken she was about the choice she was making. After saying goodbye to the wet nurse, Wei Ruo left the Four Treasure House. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then Wei Ruo went to ss in Tianqin Garden. During the lunch break, she found Miss Wang. ¡°Miss Wang, there is something I want to ask. Do you know of any marriageable men in your hometown who own a few acres ofnd, are honest farmers and schrs,e from a honest family? It¡¯s okay if their family is poor. They need to be terminally ill though. If they are already married and have children, that would be even better.¡± Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s description, Wang Caiwei was puzzled, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hide her intent, and directly told her about her n. After a year of interaction, they hade to understand each other well. Miss Wang would understand and support things that most people couldn¡¯tprehend about Wei Ruo. This included her sneaking off from school to help with farm work. Not only did Miss Wang have no objections, she also helped Wei Ruo cover up, enabling her to do what she wanted without worries. Therefore, Wei Ruo dared to be so straightforward in discussing this matter with Miss Wang. One of the reasons she approached Wang Caiwei was that since she was going to marry, she might as well marry far away, and Wang Caiwei¡¯s hometown was a good ce to go. After listening to Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Wang Caiwei was silent for a long time. Even for someone as intelligent as her, this was the first time she had heard of a woman seeking a dying man for her marriage proposal. She herself was a widow and knew how difficult the world was for widows. Even with her considerable learning, life was still extremely hard. Wang Caiwei observed Wei Ruo¡¯s earnest expression carefully and knew she was serious and not joking with her. ¡°Your idea is very unique. I suppose your parents don¡¯t understand it.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking for your help, Miss Wang. I know you are knowledgeable and have a wide variety of acquaintances. Perhaps you can assist me.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Does your elder brother know about this?¡± Wang Caiwei asked. ¡± I have not discussed it with my elder brother yet.¡± ¡± I see. I will take note of this and help you inquire. But whether or not I will tell you the results will depend on your elder brother¡¯s consent.¡± Wang Caiwei replied. ¡°Alright, thank you, Miss Wang.¡± Wei Ruo considered it. Her elder brother would inevitably find out sooner orter, so it wouldn¡¯t matter if she told him in advance. ### Anzhou Academy is located halfway up a mountainside outside the Government City of Taizhou Prefecture. A winding staircase extends from the foot of the mountain right to the main entrance of the academy. Nothing unusual happened in the two days after Wei Yichen and Xiu Fengyuan returned to Anzhou Academy. After school one day, Lu Yuhong came to invite them to go hunting in the back mountain. ¡°You two, it¡¯s rare that we finish ss early today. Come and apany me to the back mountain to hunt. I¡¯ve been bored these past few days and can¡¯t focus on anything.¡± Lu Yuhong was eager. Xiu Fengyuan agreed with a smile, ¡°No problem. With Lu Bro¡¯s invitation, we will apany.¡± Then he turned and asked Wei Yichen¡¯s opinion. ¡°What about you Bro Wei?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay with it too.¡± Wei Yichen also couldn¡¯t refuse, and indeed he felt that it was a good opportunity to exercise his physique and work on his horseback archery skills. Even as his teachers praised his essays, they reminded him to strengthen his martial arts training. Even if these skills wouldn¡¯t be tested in the imperial examination, they shouldn¡¯t be neglected. ¡°Alright, we don¡¯t need more people, just the three of us. If there are too many people, it will be too noisy, and if the teachers in the academy find out, we will get scolded.¡± Even though Lu Yuhong was yful, he didn¡¯t want to get scolded. With that, Lu Yuhong, along with Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Yichen, grabbed their hunting gear and hurried towards the back mountain. Once they arrived, Lu Yuhong suggested they split up, boldly dering that he would hunt a big game to impress Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Yichen. Xiu Fengyuan patted Wei Yichen¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Bro Wei, be careful. If anything happens, call me.¡± Being known for his poor horseback archery skills, Wei Yichen was considered to be the weakest in terms ofbat capability amongst them. Wei Yichen nodded to show that he was fine and urged Xiu Fengyuan to go ahead and hunt. After they split up, Wei Yichen moved along a small forest path in search of prey. The students of Anzhou Academy would often go hunting in the back mountain to practice their horseback archery, so there were many trails crisscrossing the forest. After a while, Wei Yichen heard rustling noises and assumed it was small animals in the forest, so he cautiously approached the source of the noise. When he got closer, through the gaps in the bushes and leaves, Wei Yichen saw two figures about ten steps away. His first thought was that others from the academy had alsoe to the back mountain to hunt, but then he saw that it was a man and a woman. There were no women in Anzhou Academy, so the woman must be an outsider. The woman, with her back to him, was wearing a pale green pleated dress. Wei Yichen frowned, knowing he should turn around and leave, and not get involved in the private meetings of others in the academy, regardless of who it was with the woman. However, there was something strangely familiar about the figure of the woman thatpelled him to see her face. Wei Yichen was ashamed of his invasive behavior, yet his body remained there, unwilling to move. After what felt like an eternity, Wei Yichen finally saw the woman turn around. In that instant, Wei Yichen¡¯s face drastically changed. He couldn¡¯t believe his own eyes. How could it be Wanwan? This was impossible! Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. The person whose back appeared so familiar was none other than Wei Qingwan, the sister he had watched grow up since childhood! Wei Yichen was stupefied, as if struck by lightning, and for a moment felt as if he was dreaming. How could his sensible and well-behaved little sister, Wanwan, be seen in the wild with a strange man? It was unthinkable! It was absolutely impossible! Moreover, today was not a day off. Normally, Wanwan should be attending ss at the Tongzhi Prefecture. Why was she in the back mountain of Anzhou Academy? By the time Wei Yichen regained his senses, Wei Qingwan and the man in the distance had disappeared. Wei Yichen wandered aimlessly through the forest, lost in thought, until Xiu Fengyuan found him. ¡°Bro Wei?¡± Xiu Fengyuan called out to Wei Yichen, but he seemed not to hear. ¡°Bro Wei?¡± Xiu Fengyuan called out again and also patted Wei Yichen¡¯s shoulder. Wei Yichen abruptly lifted his head. ¡°What happened, Bro Wei?¡± Xiu Fengyuan asked with concern. Chapter 292: Wei Ruo Meets Lu Yuhone 1 Chapter 292: Wei Ruo Meets Lu Yuhone 1 Trantor: 549690339?????? &¡ª ¡°No¡­nothing happened.¡± Wei Yichen replied. Did you encounter any danger?¡± Xiu Fengyuan felt Wei Yichen was not telling the truth.?? e ¡°No, I was just lost in thought about a question.¡± Wei Yichen quickly exined. ¡°I see. Wei, you¡¯re quite diligent, no wonder our teacher always praises you. But we¡¯re in the back mountains now, it¡¯s not too safe. You should pay attention to your surroundings and your feet. You can ponder your question back at the academy.¡± Xiu Fengyuan advised. N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Yichen nodded, but his expression remained somewhat troubled. He had just been making excuses, that he had mistaken someone for Wanwan they only looked quite alike; or it must be a misunderstanding, there must be a reason why Wanwan would show up in the middle of nowhere with a stranger. But none of these reasons convinced him, because no matter how he thought about it, the woman he¡¯d seen was indeed Wanwan from his memory No matter how he rationalized it, he couldn¡¯t find an appropriate reason for what he¡¯d witnessed today. When Lu Yuhong returned, he held two pheasants. Although he hadn¡¯t scored his coveted big game, at least he didn¡¯t return empty-handed. The two fattened pheasants would make a nice roast dinner. For the following days, Wei Yichen was haunted by that encounter. Due to the rule that he wasn¡¯t allowed leave the academy grounds, he didn¡¯t have a chance to confirm it. In fact, if he had the chance to leave the academy and return to the Military Prefecture, Wei Yichen wouldn¡¯t know how to confront Wei Qingwan about this matter. After waiting for a few days, the rest day finally arrived on the first day of June. Wei Yichen wanted to go home, but got caught by Xiufengyuan, Luyuhong, etc. They dragged him along to The Four Treasure House in the city. They heard that Four Treasure House was having apetition recently, and the person who won would receive a prized ink painting from the Layman of the Tibetan forest, as well as a year¡¯s supply of paper from the Four Treasure House. Since it opened in Taizhou prefecture, Four Treasure House has been deeply loved by all schrs. The students of Anzhou Academy basically used this paper. But the paper is supplied in limited quantities every day, and you can¡¯t buy more even if you have money, causing some students who are not short of funds to often run out of paper to use. In the academy, the paper from Four Treasure House sometimes bes a hard currency even more useful than silver. Therefore, when they heard about this rewarding activity of the Four Treasure House, the students of Anzhou Academy all became eager to try. If this happened at any usual time, Wei Yichen would certainly be interested His favorite things include the art of the Layman of the Tibetan Forest and the paper from Four Treasure House. Although he feels a bit weary now, he can¡¯t refuse the hospitable invitations of Xiu Fengyuan and the others, so he agreed to go. Wei Yichen, Xiu Fengyuan, Lu Yuhong and several other ssmates who usually get along well with them descended the mountain together. The entrance of the Four Treasure House is particrly busy today, so much so that the crowd even filled the front of the neighboring Xu¡¯s Marinated Food Shop. Lu Yuhong¡¯s interest lies not in the Four Treasure House, but in Xu¡¯s Marinated Food Shop on the side. He said to Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Yichen, ¡°You guys gopete, I will wait for you at the marinated food shop.¡± The smell of wine and marinated meat stirred his cravings. Compared to that crappy paper, he¡¯d rather enjoy a good feast! Lu Yuhong squeezed through the crowd and entered Xu¡¯s Marinated Food Shop. ¡°Bossdy, give me¡­¡± Just as Lu Yuhong was about to speak, he suddenly caught sight of Wei Ruo and her servant dining inside the shop. The marinated food shop does not provide dine-in, hence those whoe to buy the marinated goods would take them away. The shop has only one big round table for Chen Aqing and her employees to dine on. A screen was set up between the round table and the entrance so that people outside cannot see Wei Ruo, only those whoe into the shop can see her. Wei Ruo is dressed femininely for her outing today, because firstly, it¡¯s a rest day and her going out is fully justified; secondly, she didn¡¯t feel like abiding by the rules recently. Unexpectedly, she bump into Lu Yuhong. ¡°How coincidental that Miss Wei is here too,¡± Lu Yuhong made a polite greeting to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo nodded slightly, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Mr. Lu.¡± They were at a distance from each other. Lu Yuhong may be a bit reckless, but he would not dare offend her by approaching her rashly. Seeing this, Chen Aqing hurriedly served Lu Yuhong, ¡°Sir, what would you like to buy?¡± Chen Aqing knows well that Miss Wei is a high-borndy and cannot make frequent contact with outsiders. Otherwise, it would damage her reputation. Lu Yuhong asked Chen Aqing, ¡°Madam, do you have any other tables here? I would like to enjoy the food and wine as they are doing.¡± ¡°Sorry, we only have this one table.¡± Chen Aqing declined. ¡°Get me a stool, that should do. My friends arepeting in the Four Treasure House next door, I¡¯d like to watch them while sitting in your shop,¡± Lu Yuhong ¡°This¡­¡± Chen Aqing instinctively looked at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo nodded dismissively, indicating that she didn¡¯t mind. Only then did Chen Aqing agree, ¡°Alright, I will bring a stool for you.¡± Chen Aqing ced the stool outside the screen, dividing Lu Yuhong and Wei Ruo with it. She dragged over another small bench to use as a side table for him to ce his food. Despite the less-than-elegant setting, Lu Yuhong sat down cheerfully, obviously not minding sitting on a stool. He then ordered food from Chen Aqing, filling arge te with various marinated goods. ¡°And a jug of Thyme,¡± Lu Yuhong added. ¡°Sorry sir, we are out of Thyme,¡± replied Chen Aqing. The shop only sold one jug of Thyme each day, and it was often sold out as soon as the shop opened in the early morning. There was no way there would be any left at this time. ¡°Stop fooling me around, I¡¯ve already smelled the Thyme,¡± he said, pointing towards the screen, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Thyme on Miss Wei¡¯s table?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Chen Aqing looked at Wei Ruo again. Wei Ruo gave a gentle smile, telling Chen Aqing, ¡°Give my jug of wine to Mr Lu.¡± Then to Lu Yuhong, who was on the other side of the screen, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve not touched this wine. If you like it, Mr. Lu, I¡¯d be happy to give it to you.¡± Lu Yuhong was, of course, very pleased. ¡°Thank you, Miss Wei, for your generous offer.¡± Chen Aqing gave Wei Ruo¡¯s wine to Lu Yuhong. She was about to get another cup for Lu Yuhong, but he declined. ¡°Why bother with a cup? I can just drink directly from this jug.¡± Lu Yuhong then tilted his head back, pouring wine directly from the jug into his mouth. After a big gulp, Lu Yuhong expressed his gratification, ¡°Indeed, the best way to drink good wine is to take hearty gulps!¡± Then Wei Ruo pointed to the pickled seafood served on her table, indicating to Xiumei to pass it to Lu Yuhong. Following her instructions, Xiumei moved around the screen and ced the pickled seafood in front of Lu Yuhong. ¡°Mydy invites Mr. Lu to try this.¡± Chapter 293 - 293 Setting up Yuhong Lu_l Chapter 293: Setting up Yuhong Lu_l Trantor: 549690339 | Lu Yuhong nced at her and said, ¡°Thank you, Miss Wei.¡± Sinceing to Taizhou prefecture, he had tasted this dish before. But he found it quite average, not something he would consider delicious. However, since it was given by Wei Qingruo, it was definitely worth a try. Lu Yuhong put the wine jug in his hand on a stool next to him, then picked up arge shrimp from the pickled seafood with his chopsticks. Sampling it with an open mind, he soon expressed amazement. ¡°Miss Wei, did you make this pickled seafood?¡± Lu Yuhong asked. ¡°Yes, I made some in my spare time.¡± ¡°Your cooking skills are truly superb, Miss Wei. This is more delicious than any pickled food I¡¯ve eaten before. It enhances the fresh taste of the seafood. Combining this pickle with thyme is an absolute match!¡± Lu Yuhong praised unabashedly. ¡°I am d you liked it,¡± Wei Ruo said. Lu Yuhong couldn¡¯t help sighing, ¡°Xiu Fengyuan is such a fortunate man!¡± The fact that the Xiu Family¡¯s Madam had approached the Wei Family seeking a marital alliance was no longer a secret. Plus, Xiu Fengyuan had hinted at this to them as well. Therefore, Lu Yuhong was certain that Miss Wei would marry Xiu Fengyuan in the future. Thinking about this, Lu Yuhong felt somewhat envious of Xiu Fengyuan ¨C of course, it was merely about his ability to enjoy delicious food. ¡°Could you pass a message on to Master Xiu for me?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Go ahead and say it. Not only a message, but I could even deliver a letter for you too.¡± Having tasted the beautiful wine and delicious food, Lu Yuhong was more than willing to help. -I am wild in nature and do not have the demeanor of a good wife. Master Xiu is a well-rounded schr and should have a better match.¡± Wei Ruo stated. Surprised, Lu Yuhong asked, ¡°Miss Wei, you want me to help you reject Xiu Fengyuan?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Lu Yuhong now regretted his hasty promise. He initially thought it was going to be a message of yearning, and was more than happy to help. But for such a ruthless message, he needed to consider it more carefully. ¡°Master Lu just drank my wine and ate my seafood,¡± Wei Ruo said. Lu Yuhong was speechless, ncing at the wine and pickles in front of him. It was toote to spit them out even if he wanted to. Besides, it would be a waste to spit out such delicious food. -Why don¡¯t you let your brother pass on this message for you? It would be more fittinging from him, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Lu Yuhong asked. -My brother might not be willing to help me,¡± Wei Ruo replied. This was one of the reasons, plus she didn¡¯t want to trouble Wei Yichen too much. ¡°That makes sense¡­¡± Lu Yuhong understood the Wei Family¡¯s position. No matter how you looked at it, a marriage would be a match of the Wei Family marrying up, and they had no reason to refuse. So, Lu Yuhong agreed reluctantly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pass on your intention but I won¡¯t say too much more. I don¡¯t want to be the viin tearing apart a marriage.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master Lu,¡± Wei Ruo said. Lu Yuhong didn¡¯t give it much more thought and continued to eat and drink, while also watching the bustling scene outside. Before the contest even started, Lu Yuhong had finished his drink. His alcohol tolerance was impressive. Wei Ruo¡¯s drink was a high degree liquor, and the jug contained more than half a catty, but he had managed to finish it all. Wei Ruo signaled Xiumei to bring Lu Yuhong another jug of wine. Xiumeiplied, knowing that her mistress intended to serve more wine to Master Lu. Xiumei fetched another jug from the storage room and gave it to Lu Yuhong. Seeing another jug of wine, Lu Yuhong was surprised, ¡°I thought you said there was no more? Howe there¡¯s another jug? Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I stored some here in advance. Today, Master Lu can drink to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Hearing this, Lu Yuhongplimented, ¡°Miss Wei, you are truly a generous person. If you were a man, I¡¯m sure we would be friends!¡± ¡°Master Lu, you¡¯re too polite. Good wine is fitting for a hero. A man with your courage deserves this wine,¡± Wei Ruo praised. Lu Yuhong was very responsive, grabbing his wine and continuing to drink happily. Seeing Lu Yuhong drinking with such enthusiasm, Wei Ruo started to probe, ¡°Master Lu, have you been studying at Anzhou Academy recently? Why not return to Capital City?¡± ¡ö¡öI would like to go back to Capital City, but as the seventh prince hasn¡¯t returned, I have to stay and apany him. As for going to Anzhou Academy, it¡¯s not just for studying. It¡¯s also to help the Seventh Prince.¡± Lu Yuhong, despite being a great drinker, had his brain rxed by the alcohol. He was always a trusting person and answered Wei Ruo¡¯s inquiry truthfully. ¡°How so? How does going to Anzhou Academy help the Seventh Prince? Is there something he wants in the academy?¡± Wei Ruo continued to probe. -Not a thing, but a person. I¡¯d say that person doesn¡¯t exist, but the Seventh Prince believes otherwise. He always thinks that the so-called Ninth Prince is still in this world and is constantly trying to find him. But there¡¯s no trace of this person in the whole Jiangzhe, let alone Taizhou prefecture. It¡¯s not finding a person, it¡¯s like finding a needle in the sea.¡± Drunk on the wine, Lu Yuhong was venting to Wei Ruo. The Ninth Prince again. The original owner¡¯s memory didn¡¯t include such a prince. Why would he keep appearing in her life in this world? What had changed? ¡°I see, it must be tough for you, Master Lu,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°It¡¯s not tough, I¡¯ve got nothing else to do after all. I wanted to join the military with the Seventh Prince, but my old man won¡¯t allow it. He said it¡¯s dangerous in the military and that I¡¯m the only son in the family, so I can¡¯t take risks. He had several near-death experiences on the battlefield, but he never backed down. Why is he so timid when ites to me?¡± Lu Yuhongined. ¡°Your old man is just concerned for your safety.¡± ¡°Well, I wanted to serve in the military, but I ended up in Taizhou prefecture. I haven¡¯t even set foot in the Anti-Japanese Army camp in Taizhou prefecture.¡± Lu Yuhong expressed regret again.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo gave a faint smile, ¡°By the way, I heard that your grandfather also appreciates good wine.¡± ¡°Yes, my old man doesn¡¯t have many hobbies in life. The only thing he enjoys is wine, the stronger the better.¡± Lu Yuhong stated. ¡°Master Lu, I have a few jars of thyme wine. Would you ept them as a gift? You could give them to your grandfather in show of filial piety. Maybe he will let you join the military if he¡¯s pleased,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°What? You have a few jars of thyme wine?¡± Lu Yuhong,pletely engrossed in the alcohol, was a little doubtful of his own ears. Lu Yuhong looked at Wei Ruo in surprise, although from his perspective he could only see the fair shadow projected onto the screen. ¡°Eight jars.¡± Wei Ruo gave him the number. ¡°Where did you get all these jars of thyme wine, Miss Wei?¡± Lu Yuhong¡¯s curiosity took over due to his drunkenness. The entire Taizhou prefecture had been wanting to buy thyme wine. But currently, there were only two ces selling it in limited quantities.. Storing even one jar was hard, let alone eight jars when Wei Ruo just casually mentioned it! Chapter 294 - 294 Wei Yichen Wins Again_l Chapter 294: Wei Yichen Wins Again_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I had helped an old man before and he gifted it to me.¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°An old man? Could it be the maker of this thyme wine that you had assisted?¡± conjectured Lu Yuhong. There were many stories about the origins of Thyme in the city. One of them suggested that it was crafted by an old hermit living in the mountains, with each jar a treasured brew, aged for many years.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om However, as the old man used to stash only two jars away daily, only two jars are sold daily now. ¡°I am not sure about that; the city had not started selling Thyme when I got this wine,¡± answered Wei Ruo. It was rumored that Wei Ruo had spread these stories to add an air of mystery to Thyme, which not only piqued the curiosity of those who hadn¡¯t tasted this wine before but also made people willing to pay a high price for it. So, in her reply to Lu Yuhong, Wei Ruo intentionally directed her answer in this manner, which both substantiated the rumor to some extent and maintained the mysterious aura of Thyme. ¡°Do you know where the old man is?¡± pursued Lu Yuhong. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t seen that old man since, and I don¡¯t know where he lives,¡± answered Wei Ruo. Disappointment lingered in Lu Yuhong at the response. However, his disappointment quickly morphed into a determination to seize the opportunity to get a few jars for his father in the Capital City. If the old man was indeed advanced in age, his father would lose the chance to taste this wine if the old man stopped selling it one day. So, Lu Yuhong continued to ask Wei Ruo, ¡°This wine is very expensive now; are you sure you want to gift me eight jars?¡± Lu Yuhong was somewhat incredulous and sought confirmation from Wei Ruo again. ¡°Of course. As I have already promised, I wouldn¡¯t joke with Master Lu about it,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Lu Yuhong was pleasantly surprised, but somewhat puzzled, ¡°Why would Miss Wei present me with such a generous gift?¡± Although Lu Yuhong was somewhat inebriated, he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to believe that someone would simply be kind to him for no reason; people who are overly eager to please usually expected some reciprocity. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else I seek. Just to ask Master Lu to ry a message to Master Xiu on my behalf as previously requested. If Master Lu is willing, perhaps persuade Master Xiu on my behalf,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Lu Yuhong was skeptical: ¡°Really nothing else in return?¡± ¡°Really nothing else, Master Lu, do not worry. I¡¯m not a huge wine connoisseur, so this wine would be wasted on me anyway,¡± said Wei Ruo. Lu Yuhong couldn¡¯t see Wei Ruo¡¯s expression, but the authenticity in her voice suggested sincerity. Moreover, if she really wanted something in return, she would have mentioned it now. If she brought it upter, he wouldn¡¯t be likely to ept. However, this made Wei Ruo appear even stranger in Lu Yuhong¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t want a good son-inw like Xiu Fengyuan but was willing to freely give away precious Thyme with no strings attached. ¡°If you genuinely want to send me this, I won¡¯t insist on refusing. But you¡¯d better not regret itter and ask me for the wine back, because by then, I won¡¯t have any to return,¡± said Lu Yuhong to Wei Ruo. ¡°Master Lu, rest assured, there¡¯s no take-backs with a gift. But I do have one condition; I hope you won¡¯t tell anyone about this,¡± Wei Ruo replied with augh. Lu Yuhong could understand herst two conditions. A youngdy from a respectable family giving him a gift could attract gossip if word got out, so it wasn¡¯t something he could mention casually. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t impose on Miss Wei then. Consider me owing you a favor; if you need anything within my capabilities in the future, feel free to approach me.¡± While they were conversing, the contest at Four Treasures House had already begun. The contest, based on pair matching, created quite a lively atmosphere, now and again setting off bursts of cheers. Upon hearing the voices of Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Yichen, Lu Yuhong¡¯s attention was drawn over. The contest was drawing to a close with very few still participating¡ªit had narrowed down to a duet between Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Yichen. This indicated that whether in Anzhou Academy or in Taizhou prefecture, the learning of Xiu and Wei was top-notch. The contest between the two went on for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Lu Yuhong had finished his second pot of Thyme and eaten most of the fresh food and cured meat, yet the two hadn¡¯t determined a winner. Meanwhile, the apuse from the crowd came in waves. Although she couldn¡¯t see the lively scene outside, Wei Ruo could infer the grandeur of this contest from people¡¯s reactions. Wei Yichen¡¯s learning was undisputed. In the original story, he had emerged sessful by the time the original owner of Wei Ruo¡¯s body died, and was the only remaining hope for the Wei Family after Wei Mingting¡¯s death. So even after arriving in Taizhou prefecture, Wei Ruo knew that Wei Yichen had the capability to stand out amongst his peers. After a good while, the contest ended with Wei Yichen emerging as the winner. Xiu Fengyuan generously extended congrattions to Wei Yichen: ¡°I am no match for Brother Wei; your learning is truly remarkable. I have no doubt that you will shine in this year¡¯s imperial examination.¡± ¡°Brother Xiu tters me; frankly, it was a product of your humility¡ªI wouldn¡¯t have this opportunity otherwise,¡± Wei Yichen countered. The shopkeeper of Four Treasures House presented a painting and a box full of paper to Wei Yichen. ¡°Master Wei, this is your prize¡ªa calligraphy artwork by a Tibetanyman and Four Treasure House¡¯s exclusive paper. We will send a box of paper to your house each month for the next year; you only need to leave your address for uster.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said Wei Yichen. He then turned and handed the painting to Xiu Fengyuan, ¡°Brother Xiu, I present this painting to you.¡± ¡°Gentlemen do not encroach on what others hold dear. Brother Wei, you¡¯ve always admired the Tibetanyman. I couldn¡¯t possibly ept this painting,¡± Xiu Fengyuan declined. ¡°I already have one of his artworks. I insist on gifting this one to you, Brother Xiu. Please, don¡¯t stand on ceremony,¡± persisted Wei Yichen. Seeing this, Xiu Fengyuan had no choice but to ept. ¡°Very well, I won¡¯t be ceremonious with Brother Wei then,¡± he graciously epted Wei Yichen¡¯s gift. The contest was over, and the crowd¡¯s enthusiasm shifted towards the items within the store. Since everyone was already there, they didn¡¯t forget to purchase some items at Four Treasures House. Except for paper, sold in limited quantities, there was no shortage of other items, though Four Treasure House¡¯s brushes, inks, and ink-stones were not very different from others¡¯. Wei Yichen and Xiu Fengyuan didn¡¯t shop like the others but sought out Lu Yuhong, who was enjoying his leisure time at Xu¡¯s Cured Meat Shop. By this time, Wei Ruo had already left the shop from the back door, leaving only the shopkeeper Chen Aqing and Lu Yuhong inside. Noticing the wine jug and small dishes of cured meat in front of Lu Yuhong, Xiu Fengyuan chuckled, ¡°Brother Lu, this is really atmospheric of you.¡± Pouring wine and feasting in a small cured meat shop, though slightly unconventional, had its own poetic charm. Lu Yuhongughed, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know, although this may not match the elegance of a tavern, the taste of this wine and food is divine¡ªan experience which you can¡¯t ask for everywhere..¡± Chapter 295 - 295 Miss Wei asked me to convey a message 1 Chapter 295: Miss Wei asked me to convey a message 1 Trantor: 549690339 With that, Lu Yuhong asked Chen Aqing for two wine sses and two pairs of chopsticks, generously inviting Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Yichen to taste the remaining food and wine. Neither Xiu Fengyuan nor Wei Yichen minded that it was leftover food and wine. They drank the wine and sampled the dishes. Although Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t as candid as Lu Yuhong¡¯s, the surprise in his eyes was undeniable. He eximed, ¡°The wine is Bai Lixiang. Lu, you are lucky. I¡¯ve heard this delicatessen¡¯s Bai Lixiang sells as fast as Zuixian Residence¡¯s, often selling out early in the morning. I didn¡¯t expect you could manage to get a pot.¡± Having had his men inquire about it early, Xiu Fengyuan was aware that Bai Lixiang was now only sold in two ces in Taizhou prefecture, and one must be quick off the mark in order to get it at the regr price.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om At this time, one would normally not be able to find it at either Zuixian Residence or Xu Ji Delicatessen. Lu Yuhong chuckled: ¡°Naturally, my luck is extraordinary.¡± Following that, Xiu Fengyuan went on toment: ¡°This deli¡¯s preserved meat is as delicious as always. As for this raw pickled dish, this is my first taste of it. Is it a new product of the deli?¡± With those words, Xiu Fengyuan turned to Chen Aqing. Having picked up much from Wei Ruo, Chen Aqing now knew how to respond in such situations:¡± We haven¡¯t decided whether to sell it yet. Today, we offer it as aplimentary dish for customers to try. The Sir is the among first to taste it.¡± ¡°Is there any more left? I¡¯d like to buy some for the elders at home to sample.¡± Xiu Fengyuan queried. Many of people in Taizhou prefecture love seafood, including many of Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s family elders. He thought they would enjoy the taste of this raw pickled dish. ¡°Sorry, that was thest portion,¡± Chen Aqing answered. Hearing this, Xiu Fengyuan couldn¡¯t help looking at Lu Yuhong again, who was wearing a proud smile on his face. ¡°What can I say, I¡¯m just lucky,¡± Lu Yuhong replied amiably. In his heart, he thought that the delicious food given by Miss Wei of the Wei family was only for him. Xiu would have to wait on his whim if he wanted to eat it. Xiu Fengyuan smiled and then turned to look at Wei Yichen, who had been silent all the while. Wei Yichen had seemed a bit absent-minded thest few days. He had only been fully focused during their earlier challenge, but now he looked a little dull again. ¡°Brother Wei, what do you think of the food and wine?¡± Xiu Fengyuan asked. ¡°Delicate and delicious. A truly delectable delight,¡± came Wei Yichen¡¯s response, following which he added, ¡°My eldest sister also knows how to make this raw pickled dish.¡± ¡°Really? Is the dish your elder sister makes better than the one sold in this deli?¡± Xiu Fengyuan hurriedly asked. Hearing the news about Wei Ruo, Xiu Fengyuan seemed quite interested. Wei Yichen¡¯s face revealed a bitter smile: ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve only seen her making it but I haven¡¯t tasted it.¡± Lu Yuhong, who knew the truth, chuckled to himself. The taste must be exactly the same as the dish Wei Yichen¡¯s sister made was what he was eating! Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s expression put on a disappointed look. As the topic shifted to Wei Ruo, Lu Yuhong tactfully said his piece, mentioning his recent encounter with Wei Ruo. ¡°Speaking of which, Miss Wei of the Wei family had been to this deli earlier.¡± ¡°My elder sister was here too?¡± Wei Yichen inquired quickly. ¡°Where is the elder sister now?¡± Xiu Fengyuan inquired as well. ¡°She must have gone home by now. The outside is full of people. Being a youngdy, she must have left as soon as she made her purchases.¡± Lu Yuhong exined.¡± Then Lu Yuhong continued: ¡°Miss Wei had wanted to speak to you, brother Wei. However, as you and brother Xiu were engaged in the challenge, she did not wish to interrupt and hence, shared with me the message that she wanted to convey to you.¡± ¡°What did my elder sister wish to say to me?¡± Wei Yichen promptly asked. ¡°Your elder sister said, she wishes for you to convey to Master Xiu to seek another woman. She is unsuitable to be the leadingdy of the Xiu family,¡± Lu Yuhong said. At his words, both Wei Yichen and Xiu Fengyuan froze. Wei Ruo was actually wanting to say something to Xiu Fengyuan and not to Wei Yichen. Seeing their expressions, Lu Yuhong continued sipping wine and eating. After some time, Wei Yichin asked Lu Yuhong, ¡°Did my sister say anything else?¡± Lu Yuhong replied: ¡°Nothing much, that¡¯s all. She left promptly. I didn¡¯t get a chance to ask her anything further.¡± Wei Yichen then turned to Xiu Fengyuan and said, ¡°Brother Xiu, about this matter¡­¡± Xiu Fengyuan gave a bitter smile: ¡°Brother Wei, there¡¯s no need tofort me.¡± Wei Yichen apologized: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Xiu. I will inquire about this matter with my elder sister once I return home.¡± Xiu Fengyuan responded, ¡°No need to apologize, no one is wrong in this matter.¡± After a pause, Xiu Fengyuan added: ¡°However, I don¡¯t intend to let this matter go so easily. So, Brother Wei, please put in some good words for me when you get back. If possible, please help me send a letter to Miss Wei.¡± After hesitating for a while, Wei Yichen nodded. It was then that Lu Yuhong spoke up: ¡°Xiu, you don¡¯t have to do this. There are plenty more fish in the sea. With the power and the status of the Xiu Family in Taizhou Prefecture, and your own talent and character, there are plenty of girls from well-known families who want to marry you. If Miss Wei thinks she¡¯s not suitable, you can always find another.¡± Xiu Fengyuan shook his head with a bitter smile: ¡°Lu, you don¡¯t understand. Miss Wei is a very unusual woman. At first, I didn¡¯t think much of it. But after a few encounters with her, I find her different from any other women I¡¯ve ever met.¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s different, but that doesn¡¯t mean you have to marry her and make her your wife,¡± Lu Yuhong argued. ¡°Lu, some things you have yet to experience. Once you do, you¡¯ll understand my feelings,¡± Xiu Fengyuan answered back. Lu Yuhong, at a loss for words, thought to himself that he¡¯d done his best to dissuade him. He must have fulfilled the promise he¡¯d made to Miss Wei of the Wei family, right? Wei Yichen was immersed in his thoughts at this moment. He had arrived here to ask Wanwan about that day, and now Ruoruo was involved. It felt as if there were countless knots in his chest, leaving him with no interest in chatting with Lu Yuhong or Xiu Fengyuan. Xiu Fengyuan, too, was in no mood. So, Wei Yichen and Xiu bid farewell. Xiu Fengyuan, after narrating his thoughts on paper using a man borrowed from a deli, entrusted this letter to Wei Yichen to pass it on to Wei Ruo. Wei Yichen watched Xiu Fengyuan writing the letter, and knowing that it didn¡¯t contain any ambiguous or misleading words, he epted it. Upon returning to the Military Prefecture, only Wei Mingting and his wife were at home.[p] After inquiring from the servants, he found out that both of his sisters were on leave that day. His mother had permitted them to go to the market apanied by their maids and nannies. It¡¯s true that Wei Ruo went to the market, or else she wouldn¡¯t have bumped into Lu Yuhong.. But was Wei Qingwan really at the market? Chapter 296 - 296 The Green and Yellow Doesnt Connect 1 Chapter 296: The Green and Yellow Doesn¡¯t Connect 1 Trantor: 549690339 Upon leaving the marinated food shop, Wei Ruo and Xiumei headed to the backyard of the Four Treasure House. The two establishments were close, so Wei Ruo had deliberately created a passageway at the back of both shops. This allowed her to move about more conveniently and aided the wet-nurse and Uncle Xu in looking after the ces. After changing inside their room, Wei Ruo and Xiumei set off for Caili Manor. On the way, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, why are you so generous to Young Master Lu?¡± Xiumei had apanied Wei Ruo for many years and was very familiar with her mistress¡¯s attitude towards financial matters. Wei Ruo would onlyvish her wealth under two circumstances: for the right people or for the right causes. ¡°I may not be able to avoid certain troubles. Young Master Lu is the reserve I keep for myself. I don¡¯t need anything from him now, but I can¡¯t rule out the possibility of needing him in the future,¡± Wei Ruo replied. That trouble was referring to Chu Lan. Whether it was Wei Ruo in disguise as Xu Heyou or Wei Qingruo, there was a chance Chu Lan would be tangled in her life ¨C a prospect that filled her with profound dread and disgust carved into her very bones. Lu Yuhong was one of the few people Chu Lan trusted and Wei Ruo deemed it worthwhile to invest in him. ¡°Then, when you asked Young Master Lu to intervene on behalf of Mr. Xiu earlier, do you think he will heed the advice?¡± asked Xiumei. ¡°That won¡¯t be easy. Even if Mr. Xiu himself is persuaded, this matter of marriage is not solely up to him. The main decision lies with the elders of both families. My request to Lu Yuhong is just a pretext, so he¡¯ll let his guard down against me. If I need something, I canfortably put forward my request because I have already done him favors. If I ask for nothing, he might feelpelled to reject me,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Lu Yuhong was not a meticulous person and was ill-suited for such tasks. Her words on this matter were merely a ploy to ensure Lu Yuhong expressed a position to Xiu Fengyuan. As to how effective this would be, Wei Ruo was not hopeful. Of course, such a message did have some usefulness, at least itmunicated her stance to Xiu Fengyuan. ¡°I see,¡± said Xiumei, finally grasping Wei Ruo¡¯s intentions. Xiumei, let¡¯s pick up the pace. Let¡¯s get our business at Caili Farm done while it¡¯s still early. Then we can pick up Nanny Zhang. We shouldn¡¯t leave her there toote,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. When she had left the house today, she had taken Nanny Zhang with her. That was Mrs. Yun¡¯s request. However, Mrs. Yun did not know that Nanny Zhang was now loyal to Wei Ruo. After she left the Military Prefecture, Wei Ruo left Nanny Zhang in a courtyard to wait for her return. ¡°Okay!¡± Xiumei whipped the horse pulling the cart, quickening their pace. Upon arriving at Caili Farm, they met with the burly manager, Zhao Hai. Seeing his distressed expression, Wei Ruo asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did the new rice seedlings not grow well?¡± Zhao Hai quickly waved his hands, ¡°No, no. The new seedlings are doing very well.¡± ¡°Then why the long face, as if I wronged you all with my decision to change the seedlings?¡± queried Wei Ruo. No, it¡¯s not that, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡± Zhao Hai stammered, struggling to voice out his concerns. ¡°Is it because the tenant farmers here are finding it hard to survive?¡± Wei Ruo finished his sentence for him. Zhao Hai paused, then nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, the harvest was poorst year, food supplies are tight. The fields are now filled with seedlings, but everyone has run out of food at home. To buy food right now is exceedingly expensive and unaffordable. People can only forage for wild vegetables and peel tree roots, but it¡¯s not enough¡­¡± This predicament was not unique to the tenant farmers at Caili Farm, but was rather a reality faced by the entire Taizhou prefecture. Aside from the families who had just harvested wheat and had full granaries, those who were relying on the rice fromst year¡¯s autumn harvest were now mostly out of food. Food shortages naturally pushed up the prices in all major grain stores, making life even harder for themon people. As the scene outside the Four Treasure House and the marinated foods shop popped into Xiumei¡¯s mind, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the stark contrast between the feasting nobles and the starvingmoners. Whilemoners here couldn¡¯t afford a meal, the rich and powerful were fighting to purchase expensive liquor, showcasing a world that is, at once, disjointed yet intermingled. ¡°Let¡¯s go, show me around these homes,¡± Wei Ruo said to Zhao Hai.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhao Hai didn¡¯t quite understand what the young mistress intended to do, but he nonchntly nodded his head and led Wei Ruo onto the farmstead. Wei Ruo had anticipated the conditions on the farm before her visit, knowing what she would be confronted with. Yet, despite her preparedness, seeing it in person still provoked a wave of sorrow in her. Most of the individuals left behind in the tenant farmers¡¯ homes were children and the elderly. However, they were all busy, some weaving sandals, others crafting baskets, and some doing household chores. At this time, the adults were usually out working in the fields or taking their chances hunting in the nearby mountains, hoping to bring back game they could exchange for several days¡¯ worth of food. Those who saw Wei Ruo as she passed by looked at her with hollow eyes ¨C the same lost gaze she had seen in the homeless people on the streets. Most of them made no attempt to acknowledge her, instead choosing to cautiously stay out of her path. Even those who greeted her did so timidly, their voices trembling with fear. To them, in this time of failed harvests, Wei Ruo, thendlord, could be the death of them. Already hard-pressed for food, if thendlord were to demand rent from them, they would be driven down a path towards certain starvation. Zhao Hai followed Wei Ruo silently, looking deeply troubled. ¡°You don¡¯t seem very willing to apany me on this inspection?¡± Wei Ruo stopped in her tracks and turned to ask Zhao Hai. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s just that I¡­¡± Zhao Hai wanted to deny it but couldn¡¯t think of any convincing excuses. He remained stiff, dare not meet Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze. Are you preupied with the idea of going hunting in the mountains?¡± Wei Ruo queried. How did you know?¡± Zhao Hai asked, his eyes widened in surprise. Due to the food shortage, Zhao Hai nned to take some of the stronger young men from the farm to go hunting in the mountains. Game was scarce in the nearer parts of the wilderness, so they nned to venture deeper into the mountains. The journey was fraught with danger, and unfamiliar with the terrain, they could potentially never return. Most people dared not undertake such a risk, but it also meant a higher chance for game. If they were able to catch wild boars or rabbits, they could exchange them for food in the city. They heard that sweet potatoes were cheaper so they hoped to exchange for more of that. ¡®It¡¯s not difficult to guess. You¡¯re not the only one who has thought of this. Didn¡¯t the Government Office put up a notice a few days ago? There were cases of youths who had ventured deep into the mountains for hunting and never returned,¡± Wei Ruo knew of this already. Zhao Hai sighed upon hearing this, saying, ¡°But there is no other option. Everyone is starving. We can¡¯t just sit back and wait to die.¡± Immediately after saying this, Zhao Hai realised his mistake.. How could he say such things to their youngndlord? Chapter 297 - 297 The Person with the Most Grain Reserves in Ten Miles and Eight Villages^1 Chapter 297: The Person with the Most Grain Reserves in Ten Miles and Eight Viges^1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°It seems you have already assembled the people. In that case, I have some tasks for you to deal with,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°The young master¡¯s orders will be carried out.¡± Although Zhao Hai was reluctant, he had to agree. They were servants of the master, listening to the master¡¯smand was their utmost duty. ¡°You seem rather unwilling?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I dare not.¡± He dared not oppose, but he indeed was reluctant. Wei Ruo chuckled lightly, ¡°There will be six carts of wheat delivered here from Younan Farmstead shortly, you will lead your team to help unload it. Upon hearing this, Zhao Hai was dumbstruck. He raised his head, staring wide-eyed at Wei Ruo. His already simple face looked even more like a piece of wood at this moment. ¡°Young Master, you said¡­ wheat¡­ wheat?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s words had shocked Zhao Hai into stammering. ¡°Yes, six carts of wheat. The people in the farmstead know how to make wheat-based foods, don¡¯t they?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Not many people in the south knew how to prepare dishes with wheat, let alone everyone. Zhao Hai remained dumbfounded by the previous shocking news and couldn¡¯t respond to Wei Ruo¡¯s next question. His face stayed nk, without uttering a word for quite a while. Xiumei spoke impatiently, ¡°What are you thinking about? Young master is asking you a question. Does anyone at the farmstead know how to prepare wheat-based food? You must know how to cook once you receive the wheat!¡± ¡°Are we really getting wheat?¡± Zhao Hai still couldn¡¯t quite believe it. ¡°It¡¯s not for free. I will be reiming an equal amount of rice during the autumn harvest,¡± Wei Ruo said. Although they were tenant farmers in her own farmstead, Wei Ruo was not willing to freely give suchrge amounts of wheat. It¡¯s hard to be a good person sometimes. If she were to give it without condition, some might get greedy. Zhao Hai was still in a daze as a servant ran over to notify him: The manager from the Younan Farmstead was here, leading a team of carts at Caih Farm. ¡°Manager Zhao, gather your men to unload the wheat,¡± Wei Ruo said. Weiruo¡¯s voice brought Zhao Hai back to reality. He nodded absently and then hurried towards the main gate of the farmstead, calling his men as he ran. Upon seeing the sixrge carts of wheat parked at the entrance of the farmstead, Zhao Hai and the other people from Caili Farm were too excited to speak. The manager from Younan Farm walked over and said to Zhao Hai with a smile, ¡°Manager Zhao, the wheat delivery is here, please arrange for your men to unload it.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, unload the wheat, unload the wheat!¡± Zhao Hai eximed, still overwhelmed with excitement. Wei Ruo walked slowly to the front gate, the manager from Younan Farm greeted her upon noticing her, ¡°Young master.¡± Wei Ruo nodded and then said to Zhao Hai, ¡°Manager Zhao, this is Manager Yu. From now on, he will oversee all financial matters of the farmstead. However, your position as a manager won¡¯t change and your monthly sry will remain the same. Later, I will assign other important tasks to you.¡± Although Zhao Hai was honest and hardworking, he wasn¡¯t suitable for dealing with financial affairs. For convenience, Wei Ruo nned to let Manager Yu oversee the finances of both farmsteads, while Zhao Hai would have other ces where he could make better use of his abilities. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhao Hai nodded, ¡°I will follow Young Master¡¯s arrangement.¡± ¡°NOW, inform the tenant farmers in the farm that I am going to distribute wheat. Let them line up to receive it. After receiving it, they need to sign and stamp their fingerprints to confirm. They just need to give an extra twenty catties of rent during the autumn harvest,¡± Wei Ruo instructed Zhao Hai. ¡°Okay, I will notify them now.¡± This time, Zhao Hai¡¯s reaction was prompt. He carried out Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions immediately upon receiving them. After Zhao Hai left, Manager Yu sighed, ¡°The tenant farmers in Caili Farm are really lucky to have you as a master. They don¡¯t have to sell their homes or children like what some people are doing outside.¡± ¡°just consider it as me doing business, I¡¯m giving them some grains in advance, butter, I will ask for them back,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Master, you are too modest,¡± Manager Yu responded with a smile. Then, Manager Yu sighed, ¡°Nowadays, probably only you in this area are abundant in food storage. Others are struggling. Even somendlords who can afford to take care of themselves, it¡¯s absolutely impossible for them to distribute grains to their tenant farmers.¡± Wei Ruo was well aware that there were not many families in Taizhou prefecture as well-stocked with grains as hers. Even the government¡¯s granaries probably did not have as many reserves as Wei Ruo. Weiruo was not considering selling her grains now. What¡¯s more, even Xingshan County¡¯s grain shop was closed recently. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about this outside. We just need to focus on running our business behind closed doors,¡± Wei Ruo advised Manager Yu. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, master. I was merely sighing. I won¡¯t mention this even to the people under my management, let alone outsiders.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go inside the farm and get today¡¯s tasks finished first,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo and Manager Yu entered the Caili Farm together, and began to distribute the wheat to the iing tenant farmers. ### At the same time, in the Military Prefecture, Cangyun Garden. Madam Yun was worriedly looking at the ount book. The earnings from the farmsteadst year were not particrly good, the shop also suffered losses. She had hoped that this year would be better, but so far, things on the farmstead were not looking optimistic, let alone the shop which had even lost more money. She had just received a letter from the Capital City saying that her eldest brother had gotten into trouble for drunken assault. The government office had to sell somends, and swap them for a lot of silver to settle the issue. This way, there wouldn¡¯t be any subsidy from the Capital City this year, they might even be unable to get by themselves. Although her husband¡¯s sry had increased after they moved to the Government City, the family had also hired two more servants, thereby increasing the daily expenditures. Her eldest son studying in the academy was another expense. Madam Yun rubbed her temples. No matter how she calcted, she couldn¡¯t make up the gap in this year¡¯s grain supply. To purchase the grains with the current market prices, the financial situation of the house was extremely dire. She had no idea how to proceed. The new field they had purchased at the beginning of this year hadn¡¯t even been a few months old and due to losses in the shop and changes in weather, they had arrived at an impasse on how to keep things running. After checking for half a day with no results, Madam Yun pushed the ount book aside. Her gaze fell on a sachet of tea on the corner of the table when she was looking for a change in thoughts. Madam Yun gazed at the sachet of tea, lost in thought. This was a gift from Madam Xu when she visited her a few days ago. It was the recently popr ck tea in the city. If the marriage between Ruoruo and the Xu family could be arranged, the Wei family¡¯s current predicament should be resolved with the Xu family¡¯s aid, shouldn¡¯t it? ### Wei Yichen had been waiting in the house for a while until Wei Qingwan finally returned. Once the servant who was waiting at the door reported back, Wei Yichen quickly rushed to the entrance of Wangmei Garden and had Cuihe call Wei Qingwan to the courtyard. ¡°What urgent matter made my eldest brother look for me in such a hurry?¡± Wei Qingwan asked softly.. Chapter 298 - 298 Wei Yichen Questions Wei Chapter 298: Wei Yichen Questions Wei Qingwan_l n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Trantor: 549690339 Looking at Wei Qingwan who stood before him, dignified and poised, Wei Yichen didn¡¯t know where to begin his questioning. ¡°Wanwan, what have you been up to these past few days?¡± Wei Yichen asked. ¡°Attending lectures at the Tongzhi Prefecture.¡± Wei Qingwan replied. ¡°Besides attending sses, have you been to any other cestely, Wanwan?¡± Wei Yichen inquired further. ¡°Today I took a stroll at the marketce. I intended to visit the jewelry store, but I didn¡¯t find anything to my liking. In the end, I only bought two silk scarves,¡± Wei Qingwan responded, followed by a puzzled question to Wei Yichen, ¡°Why the sudden query, big brother?¡± Weighing Wei Qingwan¡¯s crystalline, clear eyes, Wei Yichen¡¯s suspicions of the past few days began to waver. But just to be certain, Wei Yichen continued probing: ¡°Did you happen to visit the vicinity of Anzhou Academy, Wanwan? A ssmate of mine told me he seemed to have seen you around there a few days ago.¡± ¡°Why would I go there? Anzhou Academy is located outside the city which is far from the city center, and women are not allowed to roam around the vicinity of the academy freely. Even if I could go there, wouldn¡¯t be able to get in. Even if I miss you, I would not recklessly disturb you at Anzhou Academy.¡± Wei Qingwan answered. Wei Qingwan¡¯s reasonable exnation and sincere attitude dispelled Wei Yichen¡¯sst bit of suspicion. From a young age, Wanwan had always been obedient and sensible, never crossing the line. Not to mention such scandalous affairs as mingling with men ¨C she had never even done things that would go against her parents and older brothers. How could such a well-behaved sister be the woman he saw meeting with a stranger in the woods that day? There must be resemnces between people. He must be mistaken. Upon this realization, a great weight was lifted from Wei Yichen¡¯s heart. Then he said to Wei Qingwan, ¡°As long as it wasn¡¯t you. There have been more refugees around the citytely, and I¡¯ve heard that there have even been robberies of grain shops. I wanted to warn you not to roam around. It¡¯s not safe for ady like you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, big brother. I won¡¯t wander around. As a woman, where else can I go besides attending my sses at school? Moreover¡­ I¡¯m not as free as my elder sister, who can move around freely.¡± said Wei Qingwan. At the mention of Wei Ruo, Wei Yichen¡¯s expression darkened, reminded of what Master Lu had said today. ¡°Mm, if you do go out, do it like today ¨C with a matron and maid apanying you, ensuring that you have enough hands by your side,¡± Wei Yichen advised further. ¡°Rest assured, big brother. I will be careful. You should also be careful of your safety when traveling from home to Anzhou Academy. The journey inevitably has some remote areas, so always have guards who are skilled in martial arts from our house apany you. It is best to go to school with your ssmates.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s words were full of concern for Wei Yichen. ¡°Mm, I will.¡± Wei Yichen didn¡¯t linger with Wei Qingwan after his concerns were put at ease. He left after exchanging a few more words of care with her. After Wei Yichen¡¯s departure, Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression changed. She was a bit sweaty in the palms. ### Wei Ruo arrived home muchter than Wei Qingwan. Not until dinner time did Wei Ruo return home. Now that men and women were separated at the dining table, Wei Yichen had no opportunity to talk to Wei Ruo after the meal, nor did he even catch a glimpse of her face. It wasn¡¯t until after dinner, during tea time, that Wei Yichen saw Wei Ruo. But with their parents present, Wei Yichen had to suppress his questions for Wei Ruo. Wei Mingting talked about the recent influx of refugees and the resulting famine among the people. Although he was a martial officer and such matters were outside his jurisdiction, the situation had be a matter of concern to everyone, regardless of their mandate. No one with a conscience could remain indifferent. Mrs. Yun also frankly discussed the current situation of their household. She warned everyone in advance: ¡°Given the current situation, family expenses may have to be cut. The monthly allowance you receive may have to be reduced back to the amount you received when we first moved to Government City.¡± Hearing this, Wei Qingwan was the first to respond: ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I am willing to voluntarily reduce my expenses to ovee this difficult time with the family.¡± Weiyi Chen solemnly said: ¡°Mother, cut my monthly allowance in half from this month on. I don¡¯t need that much. Today, I won thepetition at Four Treasure House and won a month¡¯s supply of paper. After contemting, Wei Yilin also added, ¡°I don¡¯t need any monthly allowance, as long as I have enough to eat.¡± Out of the four children, three had spoken. Only Wei Ruo, the eldest daughter, was still quietly sitting to one side. Noticing that everyone was looking at her, Wei Ruo calmly put down her teacup and dered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me my monthly allowance.¡± This statement from Wei Ruo swiftly shifted the spotlight onto Wei Qingwan, making her seem like she was on the spot. As the eldest son of the family, Wei Yichen received the highest monthly allowance. Mrs. Yun would also additionally subsidize him to facilitate his daily interactions with his ssmates. Even if he reduced his allowance by half, he would still have enough to cover his expenses, though he would need to be more frugal in his daily life. Wei Yilin was still young. The servants in his courtyard received their monthly sry directly from Mrs. Yun, and she also took care of his food and clothing. Whether he had a monthly allowance did not make much difference. As forWei Ruo, she was able to afford such a sentence because of the wealth she had acquired. Her household is affluent, and she could still livefortably without the monthly stipend from the family. Wei Qingwan was the first to make a statement, but she didn¡¯t expect that, starting from Wei Yichen, everyone would explicitly state how much they were going to reduce their monthly allowance, making her seem very passive. Her monthly allowance was barely sufficient as it is, and she didn¡¯t have as much private money as Wei Ruo does. Let alone giving up the monthly allowance, even reducing it by half would make it hard for her to meet daily expenses. Wei Mingting began, ¡°You don¡¯t need to go so far. We should be able to maintain ourselves for some time if we pawn the rewards receivedst year.¡± Upon hearing this, Madame Yun promptly said, ¡°My lord, those are the rewards bestowed by the court¡­¡± ¡°The rewards given to me are mine. They are not objects that can¡¯t be pawned. It¡¯s definitely more important to provide for the daily expenses of the people in the house,¡± said Wei Mingting. He didn¡¯t mind parting with those things. Compared to this, he felt he shouldn¡¯t treat his children unfairly. ¡°But if this gets out¡­¡± Mrs. Yun still cared about face. If people found out that the Wei family pawned the court¡¯s rewards, even if the court didn¡¯t mind, they would still be aughingstock. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to fear about beingughed at. Everyone knows the situation of my Wei family, how many properties and how much wealth we have. These days, everyone is having a hard time, selling off some family assets is a verymon thing. I heard a few days ago that Fei Tuipan sold a farm in the north of the city, and nobody thought anything of it.¡± Wei Mingting didn¡¯t care about the opinions of others. He was not good at keeping up appearances so there was no need to pretend. For a moment, Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t know what to say, her brows furrowed, and then she unconsciously looked in the direction of Wei Ruo. Everyone knew that the eldest daughter had a lot of money. Although borrowing money from her daughter was not a morous thing,pared to pawning the court¡¯s rewards, at least no outsider would find out. As long as outsiders didn¡¯t know, it didn¡¯t matter whether it was dignified or not.. Chapter 299: If I Were a Man, I Wouldn’t Chapter 299: If I Were a Man, I Wouldn¡¯t Lose to Your Elder Brother 1 Trantor: 549690339 | Wei Ruo sensed Yun¡¯s gaze, but pretended not to see it. She could refuse the monthly allowance from the Wei Residence, but she wasn¡¯t generous enough to pay out of her pocket to support the family. As long as she didn¡¯t initiate the topic, Yun would find it hard to bring it up. In highborn families, it wasn¡¯t a respectable thing for parents to take their daughter¡¯s private money, unless no one knew about it. Otherwise, the shame was no less than pawning. Ignoring Yun¡¯s look, Wei Ruo acted as if nothing happened and asked Wei Mingting about the refugees: ¡°Father, what is the government office nning to do with the refugees who have recently fled to the city?¡± Wei Mingting sighed: ¡°There is no good solution. I initially nned to conscript them, but not all the refugees are adult men. Most are elderly and children. Even if there are able-bodied men, most of them have families to support. If only men are conscripted, the family left behind wouldn¡¯t know how to survive in this famine. The government office would like to amodate them, but there is no good ce to do so.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Yichen asked: ¡°What about arranging for them to reim wastnd like we did in Xingshan County before? At that time, Ruoruo and the county government arranged for the refugees to participate in the remation of wastnd in the south of the city, achieving great sess Not only were the refugees resettled, the wastnd was also improved, leading to a bountiful wheat harvest this summer. It was a win-win situation.¡± Wei Mingting considered this and said: ¡°The number of refugees in Xingshan Countyst year was smaller. This year, the scope of the disaster has expanded further, and the number of refugees is increasing. Not only are there the current refugees in and out of the city, but many more are pouring in from other ces. But regardless, if the court could arrange for some people to reim wastnd and be self-sufficient, it would be better than doing nothing and could alleviate some problems.¡± As he spoke, both Wei Mingting and Wei Yichen turned to look at Wei Ruo. If they were to aplish this task, Wei Ruo would y a key role. Because not everyone could manage this, Wei Ruo was the only one who had done it sessfully so far. If not, the seventh prince wouldn¡¯t have made a special trip to the Wei Residence to invite Wei Ruo, and even after being refused, he still sent people to deliver gifts to Wei Ruo and sweet-talk her multiple times. Wei Ruo replied: ¡°This is a major issue. Organizing refugees to reim wastnd now would be many times more troublesome than it was in Xingshan County. Firstly, there are more refugees involved and the range of wastnd to be reimed is wider, hence more government personnel will be required. Moreover, the Yuan Residence and the seventh prince may also be involved, so at that time, I, as a mere woman, will not be able to make decisions alone. Therefore, further discussions are needed.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Mingting nodded in agreement: ¡°Ruoruo makes a valid point. This is indeed not a simple matter and careful thought must be given.¡± Wei Yichen asked Wei Ruo: ¡°What are the things that you think we can do currently, Ruoruo?¡± Wei Ruo responded: ¡°Let¡¯s first wait and see how things develop, partly to see what ns the court has, and also to observe the actions of other prominent families in Taizhou prefecture. After all, the Wei Family is rtively weak in Taizhou prefecture. Furthermore, as our father is a military officer, disaster relief should not fall upon us in any way.¡± Even if Wei Ruo was concerned about the people and wanted to set aside her prejudice against Chu Lan to work with him again, she dared not get involved rashly under the current circumstances. Wei Yichen also agreed: ¡°Ruoruo makes a very good point.¡± Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t help saying: ¡°If Ruoruo were a man, she would be no less capable than your elder brother.¡± Wei Yichen agreed: ¡°My elder sister is indeed a very talented person.¡± While Wei Yichen disapproved of some of the things Wei Ruo did as a woman of the inner quarters, he was fully appreciative of her talents and abilities. At this time, Wei Qingwan interjected: ¡°Father, I heard that the wealthy families in the city have abundant grain reserves. I think if they are willing to help, they should be able to relieve the pressure of the famine to a certain extent.¡± Wei Mingting said: ¡°Wanwan is talking about the affluent families in Taizhou prefecture, who have umted a lot over the past years and always have full granaries. However, even in the current situation, even the wealthy ones are not willing to casually take out food.¡± If this idea were feasible, the government office would have acted on it long ago, rather than dragging it out till now. Wei Yichen added: ¡°Moreover, these refugees can¡¯t be dealt with overnight, we don¡¯t know when the relief from the rich families will end if they provide food. Moreover, once the refugees from other ces hear the news, they might flock to Taizhou government city, making the situation even worse.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s idea was jointly rejected by Wei Mingting and Wei Yichen, making Wei Qingwan lower her head in sadness. Seeing this, Wei Yichenforted: ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t mind it. You are not usually involved in such matters, and the books you read about female etiquette usually don¡¯t cover this knowledge. It is normal to think ipletely. It¡¯s already very good of you to think for the people.¡± Wei Qingwan nodded. She knew that this was not her forte, but there was some unfairness in her heart that Wei Ruo could have a hearty chat with her father and brother while she could only watch on the side. Afterwards, Wei Mingting, Wei Yichen, and Wei Ruo had a long discussion about the refugees and the shortage of food. Although they didn¡¯t reach any conclusion in the end, their viewpoints surprisingly aligned. After the casual talk, everyone took their leave from Cangyun Garden one after another. Seeing Wei Ruo leave, Wei Yichen immediately followed her out of Cangyun Garden and caught up with her. ¡°Ruoruo.¡± Wei Yichen caught up with Wei Ruo and stopped her. It was already summer, and the days were longer. Even though they had finished dinner, the sky was still somewhat bright. ¡°Do you need me for anything, Elder Brother?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Did you ask Brother Lu to send a message to Brother Xu today?¡± Wei Yichen asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo admitted frankly. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Your actions are somewhat untoward. Marriage is a matter of parental orders and matchmakers¡¯ words, it¡¯s not right to¡­ privately¡­¡± Wei Yichen paused, then said, ¡°Furthermore, Brother Lu is an outsider. You can discuss these things with our parents and elder brothers at home, but it¡¯s somewhat improper to talk to outsiders.¡± ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Elder Brother, I will be careful in the future. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back now.¡± Wei Ruo did not argue with Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen¡¯s eyebrows, far from rxing, deepened. ¡°Don¡¯t leave yet, Ruoruo, I haven¡¯t finished talking.¡± Wei Yichen stopped Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo looked at him, waiting for him to finish. Wei Yichen looked into Wei Ruo¡¯s clear and cold eyes, and felt a pang of sadness. After some thought, Wei Yichen continued: ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to marry, 111 help you find a solution. But don¡¯t interact too much with Brother Xu in private so as to avoid unnecessary gossip..¡± Chapter 300:1 Won’t Go Against Your Wishesl Chapter 300:1 Won¡¯t Go Against Your Wishesl Trantor: 549690339 Soon after, Wei Yichen took out the letter written by Xiu Fengyuanfrom his bosom: ¡°It is inappropriate for ady to correspond with another man through letters. Today, this letter is from Xiu asking why you are resisting the marriage between our families. After reading it, you don¡¯t need to reply directly. If you have any thoughts, just tell your elder brother and I will pass along your message to Xiu.¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Yichen¡¯s serious and solemn expression and asked, ¡°Will you really help me deliver my message, brother? Even if I want to break off this engagement?¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s not too outrageous, I will deliver it for you and will never go against your wishes.¡± Wei Yichen promised. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond, but just stared at Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen felt Wei Ruo¡¯s distrust towards him. He was somewhat disappointed and felt helpless, so he added: ¡°The reputation of the Wei Family should be upheld by the men in the family. We should never rely on the marriage of a woman to consolidate it.¡± In this aspect, Wei Yichen was deeply influenced by his father, Wei Mingting. He believed that his sisters should grow up adored and lead afortable life. Wei Ruo said, ¡°Then, I will have to trouble you, elder brother.¡± Then she took the letter from Wei Yichen¡¯s hand and opened it in front of him. The content was quite simple, without any inappropriate expressions. The whole letter was expressing: politely asking Wei Ruo if she was dissatisfied with him or the Xiu Family, or if there were any misunderstandings; he hoped they couldmunicate in a timely manner to avoid further misunderstanding. To avoid unnecessary trouble if the letter fell into the wrong hands, the letter did not have a signature or a salutation. After finishing reading, Wei Ruo gave the letter back to Wei Yichen and said, ¡°Please tell Young Master Xiu that I don¡¯t have any dissatisfaction with him or the Xiu Family. I just know myself. I am not suitable to be the main wife of the family. Furthermore, Young Master Xiu is going to have a government official career in the future, and I, who has always done what she pleases in the countryside since childhood, am not suited to be a virtuous helper. Nor can I withstand the constraints of such a life.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand. I will deliver your message to Young Master Xiu.¡± Wei Yichen nodded and then stopped hindering Wei Ruo, watching her walk towards Tingsong Garden. Not until Wei Ruo disappeared did Wei Yichen withdraw his gaze. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Today, Wei Yichen felt much more rxed as he had taken care of two things that weighed on his mind. On his way back, Wei Yichen ran into Wei Yilin, who was standing at the corner, watching Wei Yichen with his small eyes. ¡°Were you watching me and your elder sister all this time?¡± Wei Yichen asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Yilin nodded, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to see you two fighting again.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. I lost controlst time because our father was critically ill. I was impetuous and identally hurt your elder sister. Such incidents should be avoided in the future, and should not be repeated.¡± Wei Yilin nodded heavily: ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Wei Yichenughed and could not help but touch Wei Yilin¡¯s head: ¡°You have be much more sensible, and even care about the affairs between your elder sister and me.¡± ¡°I have always been sensible. I hope everyone will be fine, even though I didn¡¯t like my elder sister before, and felt that Sister Wanwan was upset because of her. But after spending time together, I found her not that repelling, and kind of pitiful. Plus, she is part of our family, as men of the family, we should protect our women.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Yichen, touching Wei Yilin¡¯s head, said, ¡°Your elder brother is going to spend less time at home and father has to stay in the military camp often, so you will have to take care of home.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, elder brother, leave it to me!¡± Wei Yilin said, beating his chest. The brothers returned to their respective courtyards while talking. ### After returning to Tingsong Garden, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss, is what the eldest young master said true? Will he really help you reject the marriage with the Xiu Family? Madam has been very keen on this marriage. Look at the movement in the mansion these days. I¡¯m afraid, they¡­¡± ¡°Whether or not it¡¯s true doesn¡¯t matter, it won¡¯t affect my ns. If they really push me, I could do anything. There¡¯s a saying, ¡®the barefooted is not afraid of those wearing shoes.¡¯ As long as I am not afraid of ruining my reputation, I hold the initiative.¡± The premise for Mrs Yun to meddle in Wei Ruo¡¯s marriage is that Wei Ruo cares about her own reputation and wants to marry a suitable partner in the future. As long as Wei Ruo is determined, then the initiative is in her hands. Of course, Wei Ruo also knows that she still needs to have some restraint in this matter and can¡¯t go too far. If she goes too far, the Wei Family may have hermit suicide to preserve the family¡¯s reputation. In that case, she really has no way to argue. Wei Ruo returned to her room and began looking at the ount books. Recently, the number of books has been quiterge. Apart from her nanny and Manager Yu being able to help her process some part of it, for the rest, Wei Ruo needs to verify it herself personally. Xiumei couldn¡¯t help much in this aspect. Whenever Wei Ruo workedte nights checking the ounts, Xiumei could only make some ginseng tea and snacks for Wei Ruo, apanying her dutifully by the side. Currently, the business that Wei Ruo is handling, apart from the grain shop which had shut down temporarily, the other shops were still running as usual. The business performance was not as good as before, but they were all still making money. Especially the white liquor product, the ie greatly exceeded Wei Ruo¡¯s expectations. Every day two barrels of wine were sold for a stable 98 taels of silver (50 from the brine-vored shops, 48 from Zuixian Residence). In terms of Four Treasure House, paper is still in high demand. The people in the capital who could afford this paper were noble students who are willing to spend a lot of money on the matter of studying. Even if the current situation is poor, it does not affect these noble students¡¯ daily expense. There has been a decrease in the sales of pen, ink, inkstone, and ink b. That¡¯s why,st time, Wei Ruo made Four Treasure House hold an event using the Tibetanyman¡¯s ink treasure as a prize along with a year¡¯s paper supply, attracting a wide range of writers to enhance sales and remove some inventory. The next time they purchase goods, she will slightly reduce the purchase of pen, ink, inkstone, and ink b to avoid squeezing too much inventory. Because pen, ink, inkstone, and ink bs are all imported from other ces. Once inventory is squeezed, it is extremely unfavorable for her. The brine-vored shop¡¯s sales have not changed much. There should have been a slight decline in sales during this period, but the poprity of thyme boosted the sale of brine-vored products. Inparison to the previous sales, it¡¯s not much different. Over at Zuixian Residence, the supply of seasoning has remained the same recently. Wei Ruo guessed the reason could be simr to the brine-vored shop. Probably, theunch of thyme increased customer flow, offsetting the decline in customers caused by the recent economic downturn. Regarding the mushroom cultivation industry in Xingshan County, the first half of this year saw quite a lot of expansion. Especially after the wave of cold weather, Wei Ruo increased the investment in mushroom cultivation. Recently, almost all the caves suitable for growing mushrooms near the west of Xingshan County were bought by her.. Chapter 301 - 301 Madam Xu Visits Again_l Chapter 301: Madam Xu Visits Again_l Trantor: 549690339 The quantity of mushrooms produced daily has now increased five times more than before, in addition to being sold in the Xingshan County market, they are also sold in the Government City. Any mushrooms left unsold each day are all made into mushroom sauce, for sale in a few of Wei Ruo¡¯s still-operating stores. This has led to the employment of arge number of nearby vigers, solving the problem of feeding many farmers. It has made Qian Magistrate of Xingshan County very happy and he has several times expressed his wish to meet her, the hidden boss behind the scenes. Then there is the business of the Yusheng Tea Garden. There Wei Ruo is a partner, so she does not need to worry about everything. Each month, Fan Chengxu will give the ount book and profits to Wei Ruo for verification. Although Fan Chengxu is cunning, he is indeed trustworthy when ites to cooperation, and so far Wei Ruo has not found him altering the ount books. All these shops and businesses have brought Wei Ruo a substantial profit, allowing her to invest in business and develop agriculture without any worries. So far, deducting the cost of recent expansion of mushroom cultivation and the purchase of Caili Farm, Wei Ruo still has a profit of more than 1600 taels of silver in the past six months. This is a very substantial amount of wealth. It is unimaginable for Yunshi, who had been worrying about silver for a long time, that her daughter had such astonishing earning ability. What Yunshi regrets is not a problem for Wei Ruo at all. With her earning ability and current wealth, she can easily resolve the crisis of the Wei residence. After checking the ount books, Wei Ruo stretchedzily, looking at the sky outside, it waste at night. Recently, Wei Ruo has been busy untilte every night. Xiumei brought some refereshing tea: ¡°Miss, have some refreshing tea and then go to bed early after eating. If you go on this way, you will lose weight, and the wet nurse will me me for not taking good care of you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, you cook delicious food for me every day. You¡¯ve made me gain a lot of weight. Where did I lose weight?¡± Wei Ruo stood up, gesturing towards her waistline. ¡°Miss, you haven¡¯t gained weight, but your chest has expanded a lot,¡± Xiumei said honestly. Wei Ruo looked down, thought about it carefully, and she seemed to be right. Well, there¡¯s nothing she can do about it, she¡¯s growing. Doesn¡¯t women¡¯s chest size increase after reaching a certain age? ¡°This is not a good thing. If it grows further, it will be a problem when I disguise myself as a man.¡± Wei Ruo was a little worried. ¡°Miss Wei, as a woman, you have to let your body grow as it should. You can¡¯t think of anything strange for the sake of convenience in disguising yourself as a man!¡± Xiumei sternly warned Wei Ruo. When ites to daily life and other matters, Xiumei will transform herself into a ¡°housewife¡±. ¡°Okay, Meimei, I promise not to interfere. At most, I will slightly constrict the chest in the back.¡± Wei Ruo replied hastily. Although she has the ability to suppress her physical development through medication, this is not conducive to health. But she still knows where to draw the line between right and wrong. But now, she still needs the identity of Xu Heyou to do a lot of things, so she needs to dress as a man. ¡°Miss, just make sure you don¡¯t harm your own body.¡± Xiumei can only warn her. ¡°Yes, rest assured, good Meimei. You know I cherish my life and I will never harm my own body.¡± Wei Ruo sweetly reassured Xiumei by holding both of her hands. ¡°All right, hurry up and eat something, then go to bed. No more all-nighters!¡± Xiumei scolded again with a stern face. ¡°Okay, okay, right away!¡± Wei Ruo immediately obeyed, obediently ate something, cleaned up, and went to bed. ### After thinking for a few days, Yunshi decided to sell the four hundred acres ofnd purchased this spring. Firstly, thend is indeed barren. Although some fertilizer was applied before spring nting, it seemed to be far from enough. Moreover, the newly nted seedlings did not grow well and, due to the cold wave, the situation did not look promising. Secondly, the future weather is still uncertain, and even the already growing seedlings cannot guarantee a harvest in the autumn. So, instead of that, it¡¯s better to sell it early, get the money, and tide over this difficult period. Although doing so may damage their image, it is better than doing as her husband suggested and selling the royal gifts. At the same time, household expenses also needed to be reduced. As it was discussed that day, Yunshi nned to reduce the monthly allowances of all the courtyards to the level before they moved to the Government City. Wei Mingting did not interfere with Yunshi¡¯s decision, he is often in the army camp and his wife is always the one who handles the farnd, stores, and various ies and expenditures. He, as a husband, chose to trust his wife¡¯s choices and decisions. However, although Yunshi had made such arrangements, selling the farnd wasn¡¯t easy. Given the current situation, everyone was cautious about buying farnd. If the harvest was poor that year, they would lose silver and not gain food crops. So it¡¯s better to directlybuy food with food, that way there¡¯s at least some security. Two days passed like this, and then Madame Xu left to pay a visit to Yunshi. Yunshi warmly weed her: ¡°Madam Xu, what wind brings you here? I was so busy these days that I couldn¡¯t find the time to visit you in your mansion.¡± ¡°Madam Wei, there¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± Madame Xu smiled, then immediately asked about the Wei family selling theirnd, ¡°I heard that you are selling somend recently?¡± Upon hearing this, Yunshi looked ufortable. Of course, she knew that the Wei family selling thend couldn¡¯t be hidden from the people in the city. But it was a little embarrassing when Madame Xu asked about it directly. Yunshi had to exin, ¡°Thatnd is a little infertile and with this year¡¯s bad weather, I thought it is better to cut the losses and sell it early.¡± Yunshi had her pride, and certainly couldn¡¯t admit that she was doing this because the Wei family were currently having cash flow problems. Madame Xu gave a slight smile and then said, ¡°Speaking of which, I was lucky to have met your daughter. The seedlings in my farm are not growing well at all this year, and that¡¯s the only hope for me to have any harvest.¡± Yunshi modestly said, ¡°It just happened to be something my daughter knew how to do.¡± Madame Xu continued, ¡°I also heard that His Highness the Seventh Prince recently invited her to help with something?¡± Yunshi hurriedly exined, ¡°Yes, there was such a thing, but Ruoruo declined. She, being a woman, saw many inconveniences in helping His Highness. During her time in Xingshan County, she rarely went to the fields in person, and mostlymunicated through maidservants at the residence.¡± ¡°Regardless of her methods, your daughter made great contributions to the remation of Xingshan County. Her abilities are unquestionable.¡± Madame Xu¡¯s face was full of a loving smile, while her eyes revealed her admiration and affirmation of Wei Ruo.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Madame Xu, you are too kind.¡± A smile also emerged on Yunshi¡¯s face as she heard someone praising her daughter. Naturally, she was delighted as a mother. Also, she felt very gratified that Madame Xu did not mind her daughter¡¯s fondness for running to the fields and considered it as a skill. Chapter 302 - 302 Approval of Marriage 1 Chapter 302: Approval of Marriage 1 Trantor: 549690339 Madam Xiu turned to Lady Yun and said, ¡°I wonder, since your eldest Daughter is so learned, it would be a shame for the Wei Family to sell theirnds. I suggest you hand them over to her for management instead.1¡®n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Lady Yun¡¯s smile was slightly bitter. She¡¯d thought about letting her daughter help manage thends, but her daughter had already rejected her proposal, using the same argument she¡¯d used before to dissuade her from getting involved in agricultural matters. Madam Xiu continued, ¡°I must tell you, Lady Wei, that my family owns a small farmstead ten miles east of the city. It¡¯s a bit far and difficult for me to manage. I¡¯ve thought about giving it to your eldest daughter as a thank you gift.¡± ¡°How could we possibly ept that? This is not appropriate, Madam Xiu!¡± Lady Yun eximed. ¡°Your eldest daughter did not just help me with the seedlings, but also cured my father¡¯s cough. She deserves this gift.¡± Madam Xiu assured with a warm smile. Quickly, Madam Xiu added, ¡°I¡¯ve taken a real shine to your eldest daughter. Not just me, my mother-inw and father-inw also quite like her. Being a family of schrs and farmers, we too appreciate your daughter¡¯s lively and straightforward character.¡± Lady Yun was momentarily stunned. Looking at Madam Xiu¡¯s radiant face, a realization began to dawn on her. Madam Xiu had called it a thank you gift, but it wasn¡¯t as simple as that. If it was merely a token of gratitude, she would have presented it much earlier, not now. In the previous days, Madam Xiu had discussed the prospect of a marriage alliance between their families and Lady Yun hadn¡¯t yet responded. A few days ago, she had put forth the intention to sell her four hundred acres ofnd, and now Madam Xiu was trying to persuade her against selling, and was also offering her daughter a farnd¡­ If Lady Yun couldn¡¯t understand the implication here, she might as well abandon her life as the Lady Wei. After contemting, Lady Yun shared a smile, ¡°Madam Xiu, you¡¯ve shown such concern for my daughter. It seems like she has reaped the benefits of good deeds done in her past lives. I will ept your gift on her behalf for now, and she will thank you personally when the opportunity arises.¡± Madam Xiu, understanding her intentions, continued, ¡°I wonder how you¡¯ve thought about the proposal I brought upst time. If our families could form an alliance, the Wei family¡¯s matters would be Xiu family¡¯s concerns as well, as we share our joys and sorrows.¡± These words touched something in Lady Yun, her smile deepening. ¡°I am delighted myself, but Ruoruo is a bit wild and may prove to be a burden for the young master of the Xiu family in the future,¡± Lady Yun shared. Seeing Lady Yun give in, Madam Xiu¡¯s face beamed with delight. The two women talked at length. Eventually, Lady Yun personally escorted Madam Xiu to the door and then watched as her carriage disappeared in the distance. On her return, Lady Yun went to the front courtyard to inform Wei Mingting about her meeting with Madam Xiu. Wei Mingting¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°You¡¯ve agreed too abruptly. We should discuss this with Ruoruo. I have always said that she does not need to be married so young.¡± Lady Yun exined, ¡°Rest assured, my lord. All I¡¯ve done is to agree to Madam Xiu¡¯s formal proposal. They will send someone to finalise the engagementter. The actual wedding can be postponed. Once all the formalities arepleted, Ruoruo will only have to leave for the wedding two or three yearster.¡± She added, ¡°Rest assured, my lord. I dare not make such decisions alone. When Madam Xiu first expressed her wishes, I had already written to our elders in Capital City. They are also satisfied with the Xiu family.¡± The confidence Lady Yun had in giving Madam Xiu a definitive answer today came from the support she has from the seniors in the Capital City. The matters approved by the elders could not be considered arbitrary when she agreed to them. Wei Mingting, hearing this, didn¡¯t further voice his concerns. The family affairs truly weren¡¯t his forte, and his wife¡¯s words made sense to him. The Xiu family was indeed a good match, and he could not find any fault in it. It was indeed reasonable for his daughter to discuss marriage at her age, and he had no reason to object. After considering for a while, Wei Mingting said to Lady Yun, ¡°You should speak to Ruoruo more about the marriage arrangement. She hasn¡¯t been home for long and is not used to living in arge mansion. If she doesn¡¯t like this kind of life, you should prioritize her feelings. I don¡¯t wish for her to be very wealthy and influential, but hope she leads a safe and smooth life.¡± ¡°Rest assured, my lord, I will have a good talk with Ruoruo,¡± Lady Yun responded. She then lovingly exined, ¡°Ruoruo is our daughter, and of course we hope she leads a safe and smooth life. We could allow her to marry into a farming family ording to her wishes, so that she doesn¡¯t feel too constrained. But you know as well as I do, my lord, in these times, those farming households are struggling. Not like the Xiu family, who live without a care about their basic essentials.¡± ¡°Also, the Xiu family is no ordinary household. They are a family of schrs and farmers. Madam Xiu highly values Ruoruo and understands her habits well. She isn¡¯t concerned about them at all, but rather, finds them endearing. Without such reassurance, I wouldn¡¯t have said yes.¡± ¡°Well, both you and Ruoruo should make the decision,¡± Wei Mingting replied, not intending to speak further on the matter. After reporting the matter to Wei Mingting, Lady Yun returned to the backyard, summoned Li Mammy and Zhang Mammy, and briefed them on the details of the marriage arrangement with the Xiu family. Li Mammy was an old nanny who had served previously in the Earl Residence and knew the rules the best. Zhang Mammy, on the other hand, had be Lady Yun¡¯s right-hand woman when Li Mammy was being punished. As such, both of them held equally high positions in the house. The fact that Lady Yun summoned both of them to discuss the matter showed she took the uing marriage negotiations with the Xiu family quite seriously. Upon learning that the engagement had been confirmed, Li Mammy and Zhang Mammy reacted somewhat differently. Li Mammy clenched her teeth in frustration. So, it was really happening! Wei Qingruo, the little viper, was truly lucky! She was already so brazen, and with such a marriage confirmed, it seemed she would be reaching for the stars! Handling the old woman was indeed going to be tough! Zhang Mammy worried somewhat. As her loyalty was to Ruoruo primarily and to Lady Yun subsequently, she knew that Ruoruo wasn¡¯t pleased with the marriage arrangement. Given that Lady Yun had agreed to it without consulting Ruoruo, it was likely to upset her. Hence, Zhang Mammy boldly asked Lady Yun, ¡°Mydy, does Miss know about this matter?¡± ¡°She is aware that both I and the Xiu family have this intention, but I have yet to tell her that I agreed today. You two should also refrain from mentioning it to her,¡± Lady Yun ordered. Zhang Mammy grew more concerned upon hearing this. She decided that she needed to find a way to inform Ruoruo so that she would be prepared for what wasing.. Chapter 303 - 303 Your Second Brother Wants You to Wait for Him_l Chapter 303: Your Second Brother Wants You to Wait for Him_l Trantor: 549690339 The remaining twenty percent of the fields in Younan Farmstead have been nted with taro produced from Wei Ruo¡¯s space. As the people in the farmstead are not very familiar with the cultivation of water taro, Wei Ruo often has to go to the fields to inspect, to ensure the conditions of these taro, and to prevent the urrence of pests and other unexpected problems. Therefore, early this morning, Wei Ruo went out early and went to Younan Farmstead first. After all the work was done, she returned to the city. By the time Wei Ruo and Xiumei returned to Tianqin Garden, it was almost noon. The three Yuan sisters were having a meal, and Mr. Wang Caiwei was still sitting in the study. Seeing Wei Ruo, Wang Caiwei waved to her, motioning her toe over. Wei Ruo came to Wang Caiwei and bowed to apologize, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Wang, I¡¯ve dyed half a day¡¯s lesson again.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize every time. I¡¯ve said it before, what you do is more profound than what you learn from books. I support you in this.¡± Wang Caiwei said. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Wei Ruo was grateful for Mr. Wang¡¯s understanding. Wang Caiwei then said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Your elder brother replied to my letter. He asked you to wait, he will be back in a few days. The problem you mentioned, he will solve it for you when hees back. You should not do anything foolish.¡± ¡°My second brother might not be able to help me with this.¡± Wei Ruo believes that while her second brother might be able to prevent Yuns and Xu families from forming this marriage alliance this time, he might not be able to prevent it next time. In the world she is in, women have to marry when they reach a certain age, especially women from prominent families. They don¡¯t have a say in whom they marry. Even if she decided to be a nun, she would not be allowed to stay unmarried. Therefore, her second brother can¡¯t solve her fundamental problem. In the end, she still has to find a suitable person to marry. Wang Caiwei, who didn¡¯t understand Wei Ruo¡¯s thoughts on this matter, could only convey Wei Jinyi¡¯s intention saying, ¡°You can trust your second brother. If he says so, he will definitely do so. You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Wei Ruo did not continue to argue. Finding a suitable candidate is no longer the most urgent issue because the Xu family has made a statement and Yun¡¯s family has also softened. So, the immediate task is to find a way to sabotage this marriage, not to find a more suitable marriage partner in her opinion. The three Yuan sisters returned after lunch and saw that Wei Ruo had already returned. The three sisters crowded around her. ¡°Ruoruo, I heard that the Xu family seems to be looking for a matchmaker to propose marriage to your family. Is it true or not?¡± Yuan Jiuniang asked. ¡°I have heard about it as well.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Indeed, she too had heard about it, as Yun¡¯s mother had not formally discussed the matter with her yet. Perhaps Yun¡¯s mother knew what her reaction to the talk would be, so she simply didn¡¯t talk to her about it. She intended to proceed directly, so even if Wei Ruo wanted to refuse, she couldn¡¯t. After all, marriage is traditionally decided by parental orders and matchmaker¡¯s words, and it¡¯s not her ce to express an opinion. ¡°Ah? Ruoruo, how did you hear about it?¡± Yuan Shiniang was quite puzzled. ¡°Perhaps because it¡¯s not up to me to decide on such a big event as marriage. Wei Ruo said. Upon hearing this, the three Yuan sisters exchanged a nce. They felt some sympathy for Wei Ruo, but they also knew that they would not be in a much better position than Wei Ruo. When it¡¯s their turn, it will probably be the same situation. Yuan Qiniangforted Wei Ruo saying, ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t be sad. The eldest son of the Xu family is one of the most distinguished young men in Taizhou prefecture. He is both talented and handsome, and it¡¯s hard to find another person like him in the whole city.¡± Yuan Jiuniang immediately added, ¡°Yes, you saw himst time at the Yusheng Tea House, Ruoruo. His bearing and looks are unmatched by anyone else except your eldest brother. His performances in the dragon boat race and the Potters games that day were extremely excellent, which proved that those rumors are true.¡± Yuan Shiniang nodded, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I heard. There are many families in the city who want to marry the Xu family. This time, I don¡¯t know how many people will be envious of you, Ruoruo!¡± Anyway, if you have to marry, wouldn¡¯t it be better to marry a remarkable person rather than an ordinary one? The three Yuan sisters thought so, and therefore theyforted Wei Ruo in this way. ¡ö¡¯Thank you forforting me, don¡¯t worry, I will handle it well.¡± Wei Ruo smiled at the three Yuan sisters. At this moment, she already had a solution in mind and wouldn¡¯t sumb to negativity. ### The news that the Xu family was going to send a matchmaker to propose marriage spread. The youngdies who attended school in Tongzhi Prefecture were all very curious about it. So, when Miss Xu Yaojun of the Xu family arrived, they asked her about the truth of the matter. ¡°It¡¯S true.¡± Xu Yaojun gave a definite answer, her tone and color were not very good. She didn¡¯t have any opinion about this matter before, but after the conflict with Wei Qjngruost time, she developed an opinion towards the Wei sisters. She didn¡¯t like Wei Qjngruo marrying into their family, but her opinion was of no use. Her grandparents liked Wei Qjngruo, her mother also approved, her opinion was ignored. Xu Yaojun¡¯s gaze fell on Wei Qingwan, who was silent in the corner. She walked over, sat in the seat opposite Wei Qingwan¡¯s desk, folded her hands on the desk, and provocatively said, ¡°You seem to be still not as capable as your sister, she was able to climb up the high branch of our family with her real skills.¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t want to deal with her, she turned her head to the side. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend, don¡¯t you Wei sisters put on a lofty and arrogant act every day in order to climb up high branches? Who are you pretending for?¡± Xu Yaojun mocked. ¡°Miss Xu, what you¡¯re talking about is my sister¡¯s business, it has nothing to do with me.¡± Wei Qingwan rified. ¡°How does it have nothing to do with it? Aren¡¯t you and your sister the same kind of people? I thought she could be a little better than you, but it seems that she has more sophisticated tactics than you now.¡± Xu Yaojun said disdainfully. Then she looked at Wei Qingwan with disgust, ¡°Look at you, with excellent appearance and figure, and even more capable of acting than your sister, howe she has already climbed up a high branch, and you haven¡¯t moved at all? Don¡¯t let it be that when she marries someone prestigious, you can only find a poor schr.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Qingwan replied coldly, ¡°Miss Xu, show some respect. My family holds the title of earl, and in terms of status and identity, we are in no way inferior to your Xu family.¡± ¡°Apart from showing off your identity as an earl¡¯s daughter, don¡¯t you have any other new ideas? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that your family is so poor that they can¡¯t even afford to eat. Your mother is selling off your family¡¯snd and reducing your family¡¯s expenses. Despite this, you¡¯re still putting on an act of being a rich earl¡¯s daughter here?¡± Xu Yaojun mocked with augh. Wei Qingwan, who had her sore spot hit, bit her lower lip, ¡°Miss Xu, since you know that my sister is more powerful than me, why don¡¯t you go to my sister, why bother me? The person who is going to be engaged to your brother is not me..¡± Chapter 304: Secret Meeting with a Mysterious Man i Chapter 304: Secret Meeting with a Mysterious Man i Trantor: 549690339 | ¡°Hmph, always this way. At the slightest word, you turn red-eyed as if your tears cost you nothing. There are no men in sight and I wonder whom you are putting on this act for! You are such a bore! Xiu Yaojun felt bored all of sudden. She let out a cold snort, stood up, and turned away, ignoring Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan dropped her gaze and clenched her sleeves, suppressing her feelings of being wronged. In her mind, she reminded herself that she shouldn¡¯t spend her energy on such people and matters. There were things and people she needed to cherish. When the ss ended, Wei Qingwan and her personal maid Cuihe left Tongzhi Prefecture together. Once they climbed into the carriage, Cuihe couldn¡¯t help butfort Wei Qingwan, ¡°Miss, you shouldn¡¯t be upset. Your older sister is just lucky.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing for me to be upset about. Being able to marry well is a testament to her skills. I did feel a bit ufortable when Xiu Yaojun was mocking me, not because Wei Qingruo could marry well, but because what Xiu Yaojun said about the current situation of Wei Residence is true,¡± Wei Qingwan exined. The marriage arrangement between Wei Qingruo and Xiu Fengyuan had a much smaller impact on Wei Qingwan than Cuihe and others had imagined. Cuihe noticed that her Miss¡¯s temperament had indeed changed a lot recently, bing less sensitive and pessimistic. Cuihe wasn¡¯t sure if this was a good or bad thing. Halfway into their ride, when they passed an embroidery shop, the old coachman skillfully drove the carriage into a nearby alley and stopped. These past few days, Wei Qingwan passed this embroidery shop every time she traveled to and from ss. And each time, she would ask the coachman to stop so she could go inside for a while. These days, Wei Qingwan had been learning Suzhou embroidery from a top-notch embroiderer there, so that she could stitch a better wedding dress for herself in the future. Thus, she would spend roughly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn in that shop every day. Because her stays weren¡¯t long, no one in the Wei Residence knew about this. Cuihe and the old coachman were the only ones who knew, however, since the embroiderer insisted on confidentiality, Cuihe wasn¡¯t allowed in the room, and she had to wait outside with the coachman each time. Inside the room, the person standing across from Wei Qingwan wasn¡¯t an embroiderer, but a young man. The young man had a handsome face and imperial bearing, his thick hair neatly tied back and his clothes spoke of his extraordinary temperament. Upon seeing the young man, Wei Qingwan¡¯s cheeks flushed, as radiant as the blooming peach blossoms in early spring. She bashfully lowered her gaze, the young man stepped forward, gently pulling Wei Qingwan into his arms¡­ ### Wei Qingruo returned to the Duke Residence and found Qin Madam, who hade to visit her again. Chu Lan was indeed persistent. Even after a month, he still hadn¡¯t given up. When Qin Madam saw Wei Qingruo, she was still as respectful as before, ¡°The eldest Miss is back. The Prince has sent something to you through me.¡± Wei Qingruo nced at the items brought by Qin Madam. They were tea and wine. Judging by the packaging, they must be the hot-selling ck tea from Yusheng Tea House and thyme from Zuixian Residence. Behind Qin Madam, two maids were carrying a box of items, all of which were luxurious goods that ordinary families wouldn¡¯t readily afford. ¡°Madam Qin, is your visit today also about that matter?¡± Wei Qingruo asked. ¡°Yes. Eldest miss, the refugee situation in the city is bing more and more serious. If this continues, Taizhou prefecture won¡¯t be able to maintain peace,¡± Qin Madam said. When Chu Lan first sent Qin Madam to discuss this matter with Wei Qingruo at the beginning of May, the situation hadn¡¯t been as dire. Now, a monthter, the situation had worsened, and the imperial court had sent people to provide disaster relief. However, the national treasury had been depleted over the past two years, and the scope of the disaster was wide, making it difficult to provide relief. The Emperor was troubled and had lost his temper several times in court. It was clear to anyone that whoever could help the Emperor solve this big problem would earn the Emperor¡¯smendation and favor. Such a great merit wasid before everyone, there was no reason for Chu Lan to let it pass. That¡¯s why he was so unusually patient with this matter, persistently sending people to invite Wei Qingruo even after her repeated rejections. ¡°Madam, I heard that the sixth prince was sent to provide disaster relief?¡± Wei Qingruo suddenly asked Qin Madam a seemingly unrted question. Although Wei Qingruo was just amoner, thanks to Madam Yuan s connections, she was still able to hear some news from the court. ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s the case. Given the timeline, he should already be in Taizhou prefecture, or possibly even there a little earlier. I¡¯m not sure about the details.¡± Qin Madam replied. By asking this question, Wei Qingruo had demonstrated her understanding of one of the reasons why Chu Lan was so eager to get her help. Thepetition between the sixth and seventh princes was intensifying. The Emperor had sent one to fight the Japanese Army and the other to provide disaster relief, testing them both. ¡°Madam, I am but a weak woman, insignificant and voiceless,¡± Wei Qingruo told Qin Madam. Though she didn¡¯t explicitly state it, Wei Qingruo knew that Qin Madam would understand her meaning. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The Duke Residence was insignificant in the face of the two princes, let alone Wei Qingruo. Wei Qingruo didn¡¯t want to pick sides or get involved in their dispute. Qin Madam immediately lost her smile, ¡°Miss, your worries are justified. However, the Prince¡¯s patience is also limited. The way you disregard the Prince¡¯s face¡­ you don¡¯t seem to regard my Prince very highly. Towards the end of this statement, Qin Madam¡¯s gaze suddenly turned sharp. Having tried diplomacy and failed, Chu Lan was resorting to force. Qin Madam then reminded Wei Qingruo, ¡°Miss, the Prince can either bring glory to the Wei Residence or ruin it. You may not care much about the glory of the Wei Residence, but surely you must care about its potential ruin. The threat was now more than clear. For the seventh prince, destroying an already declining Wei Residence would be no difficult task. Wei Qingruo looked at Qin Madam¡¯s hardened face, unsurprised. She had hoped to avoid this trouble with Chu Lan through friendly means, but she always knew that a person like Chu Lan might not ept her refusal. Therefore, after a few rejections, she would always reflect on what she should do if Chu Lan ever lost his patience and decided to use force. Thus, seeing Qin Madam¡¯s hardened expression at that moment, she remained calm. That said, she couldn¡¯t help but curse Chu Lan from head to toe in her heart for being ruthless and ungrateful. The credit that should have been given to her hadn¡¯t been clearly assigned, but now she was being threatened intobor. What a ungrateful brute! ¡°Madam, you misunderstood me. I am not unwilling to assist the seventh prince,¡± Wei Qingruo quickly responded in aposed manner, ¡°however, the task that the seventh prince wants to aplish is not simple. We need to n carefully.¡± ¡°What do you mean by this, Miss?¡± Qin Madam asked curiously as she looked at Wei Qingruo.. Chapter 305:1 Have a Countermeasure_l Chapter 305:1 Have a Countermeasure_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°In the past, when thend was being cleared to the south of Xingshan County City, there was lessnd, fewer people, and naturally lesser expenses. Before the farmers who were clearing thend could harvest crops, a significant portion of their food and clothing expenses were borne by the government office and Your Highness. I believe you understand that this was a considerable expense,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°This servant is aware of that. Indeed, it was a substantial expense.¡± ¡°Now, the scope has expanded to amodate the refugees from Taizhou Prefecture, with several times more people. Can you imagine the expenditure incurred before they can harvest crops?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Madam Qin didn¡¯t respond immediately, but her expression already revealed to Wei Ruo that she was aware this would not be a small amount. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Furthermore, the more refugees and disaster victims there are, the more challenging it bes to manage them. We would need more people to aid in management to avoid chaos.¡± Madam Qin fell silent again, she was definitely able to grasp Wei Ruo¡¯s point. Even ordinarymoners are hard to control when their numbers grow, let alone refugees and disaster victims who have lost their homes andnds. ¡°Does Miss mean¡­ that the method proposed by His Highness is infeasible?¡± Madam Qin inquired. ¡°Pardon my straightforwardness, but I must say that solely relying on the manpower that the seventh prince currently has with him is far from sufficient,¡± Wei Ruo candidly stated. ¡°His Highness doesn¡¯t necessarily have to settle all the refugees and disaster victims. If he only selects a small portion and keeps the scale within a certain range simr to before with Xingshan County City, wouldn¡¯t it be manageable?¡± Madam Qin said. Wei Ruo gave a slight smile, ¡°Madam, if the scale was to remain the same as before, why would His Highness worry so much? He has already achieved such a merit once, what would be the significance of doing it again? The reason His Highness wishes toplete this task now is surely to resolve the disaster problem of the entire Taizhou Prefecture and aim for greater aplishments, isn¡¯t that right?¡± We Ruo¡¯s words hit the nail on the head, leaving Madam Qin without any rebuttal. After contemting for a moment, Madam Qin said, ¡°Is Miss nning to use these two excuses to refuse His Highness?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I¡¯m not exactly refusing. I just believe that we could approach this in a different way.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Does Miss mean that she has a better solution?¡± Madam Qin asked hastily.¡± ¡°I suppose so,¡± responded Wei Ruo. ¡°How do you n to solve it?¡± Madam Qin inquired eagerly. ¡°My solution is also quite simple. If His Highness and I, a meremoner, are deterred by this issue, then we should let the Yuan family, along with the nobles of Taizhou Prefecture, participate together, call upon all avable resources. Only then we will have a chance to achieve sess,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Getting the nobles within Taizhou Prefecture to participate together won¡¯t be an easy feat,¡± Madam Qin said. ¡°I know that, Madam. Rest assured, I wouldn¡¯t propose such a solution without having a strategy to persuade them,¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Looking at Wei Ruo¡¯s confident eyes, Madam Qin contemted for a moment and then dered, ¡°This servant cannot answer what the Miss has said, I must go back and consult His Highness.¡± ¡°Feel free to consult His Highness,¡± Wei Ruo said, showing a calm demeanor. After Wei Ruo finished her analysis, Madam Qin didn¡¯t dare to tarry and hastily left the Military Prefecture, rushing back to report to Chu Lan. After Madam Qin left, Xiumei expressed her worrisome concern to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, if the seventh prince agrees to your terms, won¡¯t we still be involved with him?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°To hide in a forest filled with trees. If everyone is involved, there won¡¯t be an unusually close connection between the Wei family and the seventh prince. Furthermore, should there be any future aplishments, they won¡¯t all be attributed to the seventh prince.¡± Xiumei pouted, speaking for Wei Ruo in resentment, ¡°After all, it¡¯s the seventh prince who iscking in integrity. Miss, you¡¯ve already helped him once, but now he¡¯s threatening you,¡± And that¡¯s not counting the time when Miss saved the seventh prince! Wei Ruo said, ¡°Since he carries that status, I can neither resist nor avoid him. However, should we seed in this endeavor, it won¡¯t bepletely without benefits for me. I can at least genuinely help some disaster-stricken people and use this opportunity to dy my marriage with the Xiu family. By being more involved in the fields and running around, there¡¯s also a chance for me to foment a bad reputation for myself in society.¡± Wei Ruo did have a heartfelt desire to do something for these refugees, just not in coboration with Chu Lan. Given that she had no choice but to avoid him, she decided to adopt a more positive approach. Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I heard that the deceased Empress Xiu may have left a ninth prince alive. I hope it¡¯s true. When this ninth prince makes his appearance, he¡¯ll hold the seventh prince in check, preventing him from bullying you, Miss!¡± Xiumei¡¯s wish was simple, straightforward, and beautiful. But it was only a wish. The rumored ninth prince, who might still be alive, has yet to show his face, and until now everyone¡¯s suggestions and guesses remain spective. ### Madam Qin returned to the Military Prefecture an hourter, tending to the situation much faster than Wei Ruo anticipated. ¡°His Highness says that your analysis is reasonable, Miss. As long as Miss can convince the many nobles of Taizhou Prefecture, His Highness is willing to fully support you,¡± Madam Qin conveyed Chu Lan¡¯s reply. ¡°Good. I will visit Madam Yuan at the Yuan Residence early tomorrow. Once the date is fixed, I¡¯ll inform Madam Qin,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Currently, I¡¯m residing at His Highness¡¯s temporary residence in the Government City. If there¡¯s anything you need from me, Miss, feel free to visit me there. I¡¯ll be at your call,¡± said Madam Qin. ¡°Alright, Madam Qin. Just await my news.¡± The next morning, Wei Ruo went to the Yuan Residence to meet Madam Yuan. That afternoon, Madam Yuan issued invitations to the heads of the noble families in Taizhou Prefecture on her own behalf. These madams were usually guests of Madam Yuan, so when Madam Yuan invited them, they all epted. Madam Yun had also received Madam Yuan¡¯s invitation, and it was directly brought back to her by Wei Ruo. In the Cangyun Garden, Madam Yun who was seated in the principal seat, skimmed over the invitation, and then asked Wei Ruo in confusion, ¡°What does Madam Yuan intend to discuss with us tomorrow?¡± The invitation merely stated that it was regarding an important matter, but didn¡¯t rify what the matter was. The timing was rather urgent, for typically an invitation would be sent days in advance for a social gathering. ¡°Once you go tomorrow, you will find out. I can¡¯t easily exin it in a sentence or two,¡± Wei Ruo replied, her demeanor rather cold, indicating that she didn¡¯t want to delve into greater detail with Madam Yun. A frown appeared on Madam Yun¡¯s face, ¡°Why are you acting in this manner? I¡¯m simply asking you a question; why are you so impatient?¡± Wei Ruo smiled lightly, ¡°Mother, there are some things you haven¡¯t told me. Why do you expect me to share everything with you?¡± Startled, a flicker of guilt passed across Madam Yun¡¯s face, but she quickly concealed it. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Madam Yun said, her voice rising with irritation.. Chapter 306: Work for Relief l Chapter 306: Work for Relief l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Whether I¡¯m speaking nonsense or not, my mother understands well. Today, I¡¯ve been running errands and am quite tired now. If there¡¯s anything else, let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow.¡± Having said that, Wei Ruo left without looking back, without giving Madam Yun a chance to vent her anger. Madam Yun was somewhat angered, ¡°She¡¯s increasingly ignoring me, her own mother!¡± Cuiping, standing nearby,forted her, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t get upset, perhaps Miss Wei Ruo has heard the rumors and knows that you¡¯ve epted the proposal from the Xiu Family to arrange her marriage. She might be just upset about it.¡± ¡°Even if she knew, there¡¯s nothing to upset her. Since ancient times, marriage has been arranged by parents, this marriage proposal is incredibly advantageous, what reasons does she have to be angry with me?¡± ¡°Madam, you¡¯re aware of Miss Wei Ruo¡¯s nature. She doesn¡¯t have any malicious intentions, she¡¯s just straightforward and a bit resistant to control.¡± Cuiping¡¯s words reminded Madam Yun of her husband¡¯s advice, so she sighed and waved her hand, ¡°Alright, let her go.¡± ### The next morning, Madam Yun and Wei Ruo went to the prefecture¡¯s office together. The two didn¡¯t say a word on the way. Wei Ruo bowed her head and read a book, it was a fantastic one that Mr. Wang Caiwei had recently given her. Wei Ruo was not interested in the orthodox books, but she liked to read these unconventional ones in her spare time. However, she has been very busy recently and spends her free time reading ount books. Today, when she had to sit in the carriage with Madam Yun, Wei Ruo took the book out to read. Besides some recreational books, Mr. Wang would sometimes bring her some interesting items. For Wei Ruo, he was not just a good teacher but also a close friend. After a while, the carriage from the military prefecture arrived at the prefecture¡¯s office. As Madam Yun got off the carriage, she saw Qingyi, the personal maid of Madam Yuan who expressed her respect toward Madam Yun before swiftly shifting her gaze onto Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, Madam assigned me to wait for you here.¡± Qingyi was polite and courteous towards Madam Yun while there was a clear additional respect in her tone toward Wei Ruo. ¡°Thank you, Miss Qingyi, for waiting here.¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Please follow me, Miss Wei Ruo and Madam Yun.¡± Qingyi led Wei Ruo and Madam Yun into the prefecture¡¯s office. Having visited many times, both Madam Yun and Wei Ruo were quite familiar with theyout of the prefecture¡¯s office. The meeting location for the day was the flower hall in the backyard. When Madam Yun and Wei Ruo arrived, there were already many people seated¡ª all of them were Madams from influential families in Taizhou prefecture. Apart from them, there was one unexpected participant ¨C Nurse Qin. Nurse Qin was allied with Prince Seven and was the motherly figure in the pce, having the privilege of making conversation with the Imperial Concubine. Such a figure held a much nobler position than ordinarydies in charge of a household, hence there was a hint of respect in everyone¡¯s eyes as they looked at her. Madam Yuan reserved the first seat on the right for Nurse Qin, and the first seat on the left for Madam Xiu. The seats for the other Madams were also arranged ording to their husbands¡¯ statuses. Once everyone had arrived, Madam Yuan asked Wei Ruo to exin the purpose of today¡¯s meeting. Wei Ruo stood up, walked next to Madam Yuan, and spoke to all the Madams present, ¡°I¡¯m sure all of you are aware of the recent events and know that now refugees are scattered all over the city, causing disruptions and other problems.¡± All Madams nodded in agreement. Everyone was aware of this matter and had guessed beforehand that Madam Yuan called for the meeting probably due to this matter. Given the current situation, Madam Yuan would hardly have leisure time to chat about anything else, let alone enjoying the flowers and moon, or having tea and wine. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°For the sake of peace in Taizhou prefecture and to aid more refugees, I¡¯ve invited all of you to discuss and hope for your assistance.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After Wei Ruo finished her statement, all the Madams appeared hesitant. Given Madam Yuan¡¯s presence, they didn¡¯t deem it polite to directly oppose Wei Ruo¡¯s suggestion. After exchanging nces, it was Madam Xiu who finally spoke up to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, this might be a difficult proposition.¡± Madam Xiu wanted to tell Wei Ruo that asking the affluent ss of Taizhou prefecture to donate money and resources was not as simple as uttering a few words and they shouldn¡¯t take this matter too lightly. The others also started sharing their thoughts: ¡°Miss Wei, you might not know this, but everybody is experiencing hardship this year. There are no surplus resources to donate to the refugees.¡± ¡°Yes, not to mention the refugees are countless in number and we do not know when the disaster situation will end. Offering relief is only a temporary measure and not a long-term solution.¡± ¡°Miss Wei, your intentions to aid the disaster relief ismendable, but I believe this matter should be handled by the government. I¡¯ve heard that relief envoys have been dispatched from the court and will reach Taizhou prefecture soon.¡± II II Listening to everyone, Madam Yun couldn¡¯t help but frown. Her eldest daughter seemed to be wishful thinking today. Why would she propose such immature advice to these Madams when this idea was already dismissed at home on the day Wanwan suggested it? The reactions from everyone didn¡¯t surprise Wei Ruo at all. She calmly said, ¡°I understand all of your concerns. Hence, I¡¯m not nning on directly allocating grain for relief. Providing grain relief only solves a short-term need, it¡¯s not a long-term solution.¡± Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, all the Madams looked puzzled. Wei Ruo continued to exin, ¡°What I propose is work-relief.¡± ¡°What is work-relief?¡± The one inquiring was Madam Xiu. She also believed Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t be as naive as to directly request them to donate for disaster relief. Wei Ruo exined, ¡°As we all know, there arerge amounts of wastnd in Taizhou prefecture: saline-alkali soil, sandynd, and infertile hardpan soil. If we organize the refugees to reim and improve thesends, if crops can be sessfully grown on thesends, we can not only settle the refugees but also solve the problem of food shortage.¡± ¡°Previously, we practiced a simr method in Xingshan County. By improving saline-alkalind and digging trenches, we sessfully managed to grow wheat on the formerly infertilend. The yield of wheat was quite substantial. Currently, rice is being cultivated on these fields. The growth situation is good and we are expecting a rich rice harvest during the autumn.¡± Many of the women present had heard about the events in Xingshan County, it wasn¡¯t fictitious. Some nodded, indicating they had heard ofnd remation in Xingshan County, and there were others who praised the initiative. The people who were initially unaware of it understood the situation when others exined to them. Having a sessful precedent suggested that it was feasible to convert wastnd into cultivatednd. Madam Xiu asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, do you mean to duplicate this method across the entirety of Taizhou prefecture, organizing refugees to dig trenches and convert wastnd to settle them?¡± Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°I do intend to do so, but there are differencespared to before.¡± Madam Xiu asked, ¡°In what aspects are they different?¡± Chapter 307 - 307 The Heart Moves_l Chapter 307: The Heart Moves_l Wei Ruo exined, ¡°The area of Taizhou prefecture is vast, and there are many famine victims. Once the wastnd remation is sessful, the economic returns from the harvested grain will be incredibly significant. Simply put, this is not just a relief effort; it¡¯s also a business.¡± Some people didn¡¯t quite understand and asked: ¡°Could Miss Wei borate?¡± Wei Ruo further exined, ¡°We initially use funds and food as payment to employ famine victims. We have thembor to improve the wastnd and grow crops. By the time we harvest in the autumn, the grain will belong to us, the investors. Not only that, but the newly cultivatednd will be fertile farnd, which will also belong to us.¡± The initial investment could reap not only grain but a piece of fertilend as well. This seemed to be a profitable deal. To help everyone understand the costs and returns involved, Wei Ruo began to calcte on behalf of the others: ¡°Thebor required to cultivate one acre of wastnd is slightly higher than nting an ordinary rice field. On average, an adult man can cultivate and care for three acres ofnd.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s assume that thepensation we need to pay this adult man is three catties of rice per day. That¡¯s ny catties a month. The time it would take from remation to harvest is about eight to ten months, which means a total of seven hundred and twenty to nine hundred catties of rice.¡± ¡°Based on my previous experience of farming in Xingshan County, the yield of wheat can reach a thousand catties per acre, the same as the yield of rice.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°This means that with a payment of less than nine hundred catties of grain, you can reap over three thousand catties of grain in less than a year and also gain three acres of fertilend.¡± Because the price of grain had skyrocketed recently, Wei Ruo used the weight of grain instead of silver in her calctions. After listening to Wei Ruo¡¯s words, thedies present each had their own thoughts. The output of grain exceeds the expenditure, and on top of that, they could also gainnd. This sounded very worthwhile. ¡°Miss Wei, this deal of yours sounds very profitable, but isn¡¯t the sry you¡¯re offering a bit too high? Three catties of grain per person per day is unprecedented,¡± someone questioned.please visit ¡± sitestorys(.)c0m ¡± maybe y0u will enj0y the captivating sh0rt st0ries. In such extraordinary times, howe Wei Ruo was proposing a price hike? Wei Ruo responded, ¡°There¡¯s certainly room for negotiation on the price, but even with a daily wage of three catties of grain, there¡¯s still a considerable profit to be made, which shows that it¡¯s a deal worth doing.¡± Indeed, this was the case. Even after a year, if the grain expenditure and gain are equal, the acquisition ofnd would be an outright win! Thedies turned to Madam Yuan, one of them asking on behalf of everyone, ¡°Madam Yuan, is what Miss Wei said true? Will all the cultivatednd belong to the investors after its improvement?¡± Madam Yuan confirmed, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. I¡¯ve consulted with my husband on this matter, and he agrees with it.¡± With Madam Yuan¡¯s confirmation, there were no further doubts. By now, somedies were already tempted. At this point, Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Madam Yuan and the seventh prince are in charge of this matter right now. If sessful, it could resolve the current crisis of a high number of disced and starving people in the streets. For themon people, this is a lifeline; for the court, this is a great merit.¡± At this moment, the previously silent Madam Qin also spoke timely, ¡°It¡¯s true. The court is currently considering disaster relief extensively. If Taizhou Prefecture can achieve self-sufficiency without the need for the court to distribute grain, it would be a great service to the court.¡± The words of Wei Ruo and Madam Qin reminded thedies present that the disaster relief effort was led by the Yuan family and the seventh prince. Participation in this endeavor would allow them to establish ties with these particrly influential individuals ¡ª an opportunity to forge a closer rtionship that they seldom encountered. Moreover, this is a disaster relief process highly regarded by the court, if everything goes well, participants may be rewarded with merits by the court. All thedies present were adept at managing households and conducting business. They naturally grasped the considerable gains that this endeavor could yield as well as the potential for both fame and fortune. Those who possessed the necessary funds and grain had no reason not to participate. The question now was how to be an investor. It was Madam Xu who first asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, how can we be an investor?¡± The otherdies also turned their eyes towards Wei Ruo, curious about the execution of this n. Madam Yun was also eagerly watching Wei Ruo; this sounded like such a good opportunity that she wanted the Wei family to be involved. Wei Ruo replied: ¡°This matter is primarily handled by the government office, Madam Yuan, and the seventh prince. These three will provide all the funding, but they will also retain all the final returns.¡± The government office represented the official side, and Madam Yuan¡¯s personal investment made up two parties. Some of thedies looked a bit dismayed by Wei Ruo¡¯s response, but among them,posed and seasoneddies like Madam Xu were not impatient. They knew that Wei Ruo must have more to say ¡ª if only these three parties were to invest, there would be no reason to invite them here today. After a brief pause, Wei Ruo continued, ¡°However, the government office has limited manpower, and the prince is upied with military matters, unable to spare much time. The more all-epassing a relief effort is, the better. The fewer mistakes made, the better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Miss Wei has a point. Care should be taken with such matters. There could be rioters among the disced people and, if not managed properly, conflicts could arise.¡± ¡°And grain distribution is a big issue. You have to prevent troublemakers from causing a riot.¡± ¡°Caution should be exercised in such matters. More people participating and helping out would be much safer.¡± II II Severaldies voiced their agreement with Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo could sense from their words that they were already interested. Seeing that the time was right, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Therefore, Madam Yuan and the seventh prince n to involve all those capable within Taizhou Prefecture. Those with money can contribute money, those with manpower can provide manpower, and those with grain can offer grain. Everyone together can make thisbor-for-relief initiative a sess.¡± After Wei Ruo finished speaking, Madam Yuan immediately expressed her stance, ¡°At the time, everyone¡¯s contributions, whether mary, manpower, or grain, will be well documented. Once the meritorious service is done, we will distributends and grains ording to the level of contribution. My husband will report the corresponding merits to the court truthfully, without any omission.¡± Thedies werepletely moved and expressed their intentions one after another: ¡°Madam Yuan, Taizhou Prefecture is undergoing such a disaster. My Liu family, being among the gentry of Taizhou, ought to do our best for the people.¡± ¡°Madam Yuan, though my family isn¡¯t a high-ranking family, we are willing to contribute to the people of Taizhou Prefecture.¡± ¡°Madam, our Zhen family is ready to offer anything ¨C money, manpower or grain.¡± Chapter 308: Once Again, Yun Family is Seriously Annoyedi Chapter 308: Once Again, Yun Family is Seriously Annoyedi ¡°The madams who, just a quarter of an hour ago, had beenining about everyone¡¯s hardship this year, were now all eager to contribute money, effort, and manpower for the country and the people. A smile involuntarily appeared on the faces of Madam Yuan and Nanny Qin. Having aplished her task, Wei Ruo went to take her seat at the end of the line. Everyone present was the headwoman of their respective families. She, as an unmarried youngdy, was supposed to sit at the very end. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have to worry about what came next; it could be left to Madam Yuan and Nanny Qin to discuss with the other madams. Approximately an hourter, the meeting concluded, and Madam Yuan saw the madams out. Madam Xu trailed behind the others. Before leaving, she took Wei Ruo¡¯s hands, her eyes filled with admiration and affection, ¡°Miss Ruo, you truly have the heart of an orchid.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo simply smiled. As Madam Yuan and Nanny Qin were still present, Madam Xu did not say much more. After Madam Xu left, only Madam Yuan, Nanny Qin, Madam Yun, Wei Ruo, and a few maids remained in the hall. Nanny Qin stood up and walked to Wei Ruo, a smile on her face, ¡°Miss Ruo, you indeed did not disappoint. Your approach of substitutingbor for relief today was truly a refreshing surprise for me.¡± ¡°Nanny Qin overpraises me; this measure is merely for the better progression of affairs and to alleviate some worries for his Highness,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°His Highness will undoubtedly be very pleased when he learns of today¡¯s events. I am very much looking forward to the further developments.¡± After saying this, Nanny Qin lead her people away. Then, Madam Yun and Wei Ruo took their leave of Madam Yuan. Madam Yuan nodded, not saying much more to Wei Ruo with Madam Yun present. Wei Ruo got back into the carriage with Madam Yun, and they left the Yuan Residence and headed towards the Military Prefecture. Unlike her cold demeanor before, Madam Yun now had a hint of joy on her face, and there were quite a few questions she wished to ask Wei Ruo. ¡°Ruoruo, your solution is not bad, but you also need to consider our family. See if there is a way to involve the Wei Family in it as well.¡± ¡°I already mentioned the method at the Yuan Residence ¨C those with money contribute money, those with strength contribute strength, and those with grains contribute grains. Rewards will be distributed based on merit,¡± Wei Ruo answered. Ruoruo, you are well aware of our family¡¯s situation,¡± said Madam Yun. ¡°So? Is it Mother¡¯s intent that we should contribute nothing, yet desire bothnd and merit?¡± Wei Ruo countered, a trace of mockery at the corner of her lips. Madam Yun¡¯s face darkened upon being exposed, but she still patiently responded, ¡°How can you say we are not contributing? Isn¡¯t the greatest merit of this matter on you, Ruoruo?¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s only natural that the fields allocated afterward are under my name right?¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°You mean, you want to take thend yourself?¡± ¡°Is there a problem? Hasn¡¯t Mother already arranged my marriage, nning to marry me off? As the saying goes, a married daughter is like sshed water. There should be no problem with me setting aside my dowry early, right?¡± Wei Ruo said. Dowry has always been the private property of women, untouched by both her natal family and her husband¡¯s family. ¡°But you are not yet married.¡± ¡°Even though I am not married, the personal property that I have amassed should belong to me. There shouldn¡¯t be any issue with this, right? Coming from the Capital City, Mother should be well aware of this rule,¡± Wei Ruo pointed out. Madam Yun was rendered speechless by Wei Ruo, herplexion darkening. Wei Ruo added, ¡°By the way, it might be best to put off the matter of my betrothal. Now is a special time, countless people are suffering from famine, and many are dying of starvation every day. The Yuan Residence and the Seventh Prince are about to spearhead relief efforts, and we, meanwhile, are busily preparing for a wedding; it seems a bit inappropriate.¡± ¡°Moreover, Madam Yuan and the Seventh Prince are both very invested in this matter and hope that I can help oversee it. I will certainly be too busy to spare any time. If you were to arrange my marriage at this point, I¡¯m afraid it may obstruct the progress of our ns, and I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t please these two important figures.¡± Madam Yun¡¯s face grew even darker and more unpleased. Wei Ruo¡¯s words were indisputable and left Madam Yun unable to rebut. Yet it was precisely her overbearing attitude and herplete disregard for her mother that ignited Madam Yun¡¯s anger. ¡°What do you mean by this? Are you threatening me?¡± Madam Yun demanded. ¡°It¡¯s hardly a threat, merely a reminder. If Mother doesn¡¯t want to listen, there¡¯s really nothing I can do, but it might affect the future of Father, Brother and the entire Wei Family.¡± This was clearly a threat! Madam Yun¡¯s chest heaved with fury as she red at Wei Ruo, ¡°You¡¯ve truly grown a spine, daring to defy me like this! Now that you have some support, you don¡¯t even want your mother anymore!¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Mother? When have I ever not wanted you? On the contrary, you and Madam Xu have been discussing my betrothal behind my back, probably nning to tell me when the matchmaker arrives so that you can quickly send me away,¡± Wei Ruo calmly rebutted. ¡°Unfihal daughter!¡± Unable to contain her anger, Madam Yun lifted her hand to p Wei Ruo across the face. However, as if she had anticipated this, Wei Ruo urately caught Madam Yun¡¯s descending wrist. ¡°Mother, you need to change this habit of demanding to hit me whenever you like. If my face swells up from being hit, it will be hard to exin to the important people I¡¯m meeting tomorrow,¡± Wei Ruo reminded her. Madam Yun waspletely enraged, ¡°You¡¯re an ungrateful wretch! While I strive to n everything for you, you treat me like an enemy, not paying the slightest regard to the Wei Family!¡± Wei Ruo calmly responded, ¡°Think what you will, I¡¯m just informing you of a fact. If you want to hit me, I can let you do it, but if it brings any negative impact on the Wei Familyter, don¡¯t say that I don¡¯t have the Wei Family¡¯s interests at heart.¡± Having spoken, Wei Ruo let go of Madam Yun¡¯s hand. Madam Yun was still seething, but she no longer had the courage to try to hit Wei Ruo again. Before long, the carriage arrived at the Military Prefecture. The atmosphere inside the carriage was still chillingly cold. Without hesitation, Wei Ruo swiftly descended from the carriage. Ignoring Madam Yun, who was still furious in the carriage, she went straight back to the Tingsong Garden. ### When Wei Qingwan returned from school, she heard that Madam Yun hadn¡¯t been able to eat all day and hurriedly rushed to the Cangyun Garden to inquire andfort her. ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Have you called for a doctor?¡± Wei Qingwan asked, full of concern. Madam Yun leaned back on the couch, listening to Wei Qingwan¡¯s consideration, a rush of indescribableplex emotions swelled in her heart. ¡°Wanwan, it¡¯s you who truly understands me,¡± Madam Yun confessed. ¡°Mother, what are you talking about? I am your daughter; it¡¯s only right that I care for you,¡± Wei Qingwan responded. ¡°Yes, you are my daughter. I used to hear people say that the grace of raising a child cannotpare to that of giving birth, and I didn¡¯t think much of it. Now that I think back, it does hold some truth. After all, there is a difference between a child you raise yourself and one you merely share blood with,¡± Madam Yun sighed.. Chapter 309: This Plan is Brilliant_i Chapter 309: This n is Brilliant_i Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan was slightly stunned,terprehending the message. Mother, did my sister say something to annoy you again?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°She did more than just say something, she did everything in her power.¡± Mrs. Yun sneered coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what misfortune I¡¯ve brought upon myself.¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be angry. My sister probably didn¡¯t mean it. She just has a bit of a straightforward nature, she doesn¡¯t mean any harm,¡± Wei Qingwanforted. ¡°You! You¡¯re just too kind! She doesn¡¯t treat you like a sister at all, yet you always insist on defending her,¡± Mrs. Yun said with a helpless sigh. ¡°We can¡¯t say that. After all, I have been enjoying my parents¡¯ love as her for all these years. My sister endured hardships in the past years, cultivating her current character. I should be more understanding towards her,¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Mrs. Yun sighed, her mood somewhat cated by her daughter¡¯sfort. ¡°Mother, your health is the most important. I¡¯ll prepare some ginseng soup for you.¡± No need. Help me up, I need to review the ounts,¡± Mrs. Yun protested. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re feeling unwell. Why don¡¯t you rest for a while? You can look at the ounts on another day,¡± Wei Qingwan advised. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Your sister is now assisting Madam Yuan and Seventh Prince.¡± Mrs. Yun narrated the day¡¯s events at the Yuan Residence to Wei Qingwan. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression darkened, and her mood became increasingly gloomy. Wei Qingruo was once again assisting high-ranking individuals¡­ Mrs. Yun was so absorbed in her talk that she did not notice the change in Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression, ¡°Such a great opportunity, the Wei Family cannot miss out. I initially thought that as the eldest legitimate daughter of the family, she would naturally have a part in it. It appears I was thinking too much. Our eldest legitimate daughter is only thinking for herself without any thought of seeking glory for the family.¡± Regaining herposure, Wei Qingwan chimed in, ¡°What does mother n to do?¡± Mrs. Yun said, ¡°I will ask your father what he thinks. Maybe we could send a message to Capital City. Your grandparents should still have some private savings.¡± Mrs. Yun was reluctant to use her inws¡¯ resources ideally, but this matter was beneficial to the Wei Family. The old lord and his wife in the Capital City would also be d to see this happen. Besides, they would have to inform Capital City about this issue eventually. If, by that time, the old lord and his wife felt that they should be involved and med her for not discussing it with them beforehand, she would end up in hot water from both sides. Thus, sending a message to discuss it with them in advance would bring more benefits than harm. Wei Qingwan nodded, her eyes still filled with worry. Of course, she hoped for the Wei Family to achieve more, and for her father¡¯s official position to be promoted further. Only in this way could people like Xiu Yaojun, who arrogantly looked down on her, be silenced. Regardless of whether they are married off or not, the strength of a woman¡¯s birth family always serves as her backbone. She didn¡¯t know why Wei Qingruo didn¡¯t understand this fact; helping the Wei Family was essentially helping herself. She surely couldn¡¯t believe that if she were a girl from the He Family, a merchant family, she could really be favored by the illustrious Xiu Family. ### Although Mrs. Yun was very angry, she had no choice but to follow Wei Ruo¡¯s suggestion and postpone the marriage proposal with the Xiu Family. While Lady Xiu¡¯s fondness for Wei Ruo had greatly increased, she understood that the current situation was not conducive for discussing marital alliances. Especially since the eldest daughter of the Wei Family indeed had more important things to busy herself with. Whether it was for her small family or therger one, this matter had to be temporarily set aside. However, Lady Xiu still wrote a letter to her son, Xiu Fengyuan, who was studying at Anzhou Academy, informing him of the situation. After reading his mother¡¯s letter, Xiu Fengyuan looked at the letter with even more admiration for Wei Ruo. He took the letter and ran to find Wei Yichen, who was in the next dormitory, and told him about it. ¡°Brother Wei, your eldest sister is truly intelligent; she came up with such a clever strategy! It¡¯s funny that we, who are well-versed in literature, have discussed this matter several times, yet were unable toe up with a solution half as good as hers!¡± Saying this, Xiu Fengyuan began to recount, ¡°Using work to aid the relief effort, involving the dignitaries from Taizhou prefecture to contribute funds in exchange forbor, then clearing wastnd to increase grain production, and finally using the productivends as a reward for the contributors, the deadlock waspletely broken! Brilliant! Brilliant!¡± Wei Yichen was stunned for a long time after hearing this. It wasn¡¯t until Xiu Fengyuan patted his shoulder that he came to his senses. ¡°Yes, my eldest sister¡¯s strategy is indeed brilliant,¡± Wei Yichen conceded. Wei Yichen then looked up at Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s gleeful face and couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. He exined to Xiu Fengyuan, ¡°Brother Xiu, my eldest sister is not like other girls.¡± ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t need to tell me.¡± ¡°What I mean is, my eldest sister loves pastoralndscapes and household chores. She does not want to be a woman in arge household. I hope Brother Xiu can understand.¡± Wei Yichen stated. ¡°Brother Wei, rest assured, if I am able to marry her in the future, I will not confine her within the mansion. I will allow her to do what she wants.¡± ¡°But Brother Xiu, you are the eldest legitimate son of the Xiu Family, and you will sit for the official examination in the future. How can you be flexible as the wife of an official?¡± ¡°Do you mean¡­ you¡¯re not optimistic about me and your sister?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not optimistic. Besides, Brother Xiu, you know my eldest sister¡¯s attitude. Raised in the countryside, my eldest sister has suffered a lot in her early years. Now, my family hopes that she can live a peaceful life for the rest of her days, we do not seek wealth.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I will give serious thought to Brother Wei¡¯s words, but I don¡¯t want to give up so easily. I still want to fight for it,¡± Xiu Fengyuan candidly expressed. ¡°I still hope that Brother Xiu could consider it carefully. I don¡¯t wish to see my sister unhappy,¡± Wei Yichen added. Brother Wei, you should understand. My agreement to my family¡¯s arranged marriage is not purely because they fancy your sister. And if, one day, I do marry your sister, I will surely want her to be happy.¡± The two argued for a while, but neither was able to convince the other. Their discourse on this subject thus came to a halt. ### After the relief work was settled, Wei Ruo became incredibly busy, leaving early and returningte each day for sessive days. Hardly anyone in the Military Prefecture saw Wei Ruo apart from the guards at the gate, not even Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun. Early in the fourth day, Wei Ruo was about to leave when she was stopped at the door by Mrs. Yun. Behind Mrs. Yun was Wei Qingwan. After theirst dispute, the two had not spoken to each other since. Today, with Wei Qingwan in tow, they stopped Wei Ruo, but the reason was unknown. ¡°Mother, is there anything you need?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Today, when you go to the Yuan Residence, take Qingwan with you.¡± Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t ask, she simply ordered.. Chapter 310: Making Wei Qingwan Cry_i Chapter 310: Making Wei Qingwan Cry_i Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo nced at Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan was half-hidden behind Mrs. Yun. When Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze fell on her, Wei Qingwan slightly lifted her head, timidly meeting Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes. Tsk. With such a frightened look, one would think Wei Ruo had done something terrible to her. Your reason,¡± Wei Ruo moved her gaze back to Mrs. Yun. ¡°Wanwan has been helping me manage the household affairs for a long time, and she has experience in all aspects. Having her apany you would be helpful,¡± said Mrs. Yun. ¡°There is no need. The Yuan Residence is full of capable people, and there are specialized people to assist me with the ounts,¡± Wei Ruo declined gently. Mrs. Yun took a deep breath, reminding herself not to lose her temper with her eldest daughter today. But every time her eldest daughter spoke, it would set off bursts of anger in her heart. Mrs. Yun patiently exined to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, your sistercks experience in dealing with major matters. If you take her with you, she can gain some experience.¡± ¡°Is it truly just for gaining experience?¡± Wei Ruo had a yful smile on her face. Her bright, clear eyes closely observed both Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan in front of her. ¡°Anyway, there are no downsides for you in this matter, it is only beneficial for Wanwan and the Wei family. As the legitimate oldest daughter, you should take more responsibility for your younger sisters,¡± said Mrs. Yun firmly. ¡°Alright then,¡± agreed Wei Ruo. Her sudden agreement made Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan feel somewhat unprepared. ¡°You agreed?¡± Mrs. Yun asked uncertainly. ¡°Mother, didn¡¯t you say that as the legitimate eldest daughter, I should take care of my sisters? What¡¯s wrong with me agree to let her apany me to the Yuan Residence to share some of my burdens?¡± said Wei Ruo. What she said was well-reasoned, generous, and showed the demeanor of an eldest daughter. But it was somewhat hard to believe,ing from Wei Ruo. Mrs. Yun and Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t respond for a while. Wei Ruo said, ¡°What are you standing in a daze for? Shouldn¡¯t we go now? We have an appointment, remember?¡± After saying this, Wei Ruo turned and walked towards the carriage and Wei Qingwan quickly followed. Once they boarded the carriage, Wei Qingwan carefully nced at Wei Ruo and found her leaning against the cushion resting with her eyes closed, leaving Wei Qingwan unsure about what she was thinking. Wei Ruo was aware that Wei Qingwan was looking at her, but she chose not to open her mouth to say anything and continued to leanfortably against the cushion. The disaster relief work had just begun and there was a mountain of tasks to tackle. Even her own affairs were slightly out of control, let alone worrying about Wei Qingwan¡¯s concerns. As the carriage moved between the Colonel¡¯s Mansion and the Yuan Residence, Wei Ruo took advantage of the journey to rest, preserving her energy and maintaining her focus. When the carriage arrived at the Yuan Residence, the maid assigned to the Lady of the Yuan Household, Qingyi, as usual, was waiting at the entrance. Seeing an extra person, Wei Qingwan, in the carriage today, Qingyi surprised but didn¡¯t ask about it. She politely approached to wee Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Qingyi led the way for Wei Ruo,pletely ignoring Wei Qingwan who was trailing behind like a maid. Wei Qingwan had no choice but to follow along with Xiumei. Oh yes, Miss Qingyi, I have a favor to ask of you,¡± Wei Ruo beckoned to Qingyi. Upon understanding her intentions, Qingyi nodded and leaned in to hear what Wei Ruo was saying. After Wei Ruo whispered a few words in Qingyi¡¯s ear, she nodded her understanding. Then she turned to another maid and said, ¡°Please take the Second Miss of the Wei Family to Huichung Pavilion.¡± The maid took the orders, leaving Wei Qingwan looking bewildered. ¡°Sister, where exactly are we going?¡± Wei Qingwan asked in confusion. ¡°Didn¡¯t my sistere to learn from me? But what is being done now is crucial and cannot tolerate any errors. Thedy of the Yuan Household and Seventh Prince have made arrangements for seasoned ountants to assist me. I worry that you might not be able to keep up. So it would be better if you could practice a little more. Only when I am sure of your capabilities will you be able to join us,¡± exined Wei Ruo. Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression stiffened, ¡°But sister, I have helped mother manage the family affairs and keep track of the store ount books just as much as you.¡± In Wei Qingwan¡¯s mind, Wei Ruo¡¯s advantagey in her knowledge of agricultural matters, not in her abilities to manage ounts and finances. In terms of management and ounting, Wei Qingwan was confident she was no less capable than Wei Ruo.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Sister, you should go and gain some experience first. If anything goes wrong with the disaster relief, it could have severe consequences.¡± After Wei Ruo finished speaking, Qingyi signaled the maid, and together they led Wei Qingwan towards Huichung Pavilion. Naturally, Wei Qingwan was reluctant to go. However, with two maids escorting her, she had no choice. As they were in the Magistrate¡¯s household, she didn¡¯t dare to cause any trouble. In the end, she reluctantly went with them to Huichung Pavilion. After arriving at Huichung Pavilion, Qingyi led Wei Qingwan into a guest room. Then she brought out some brush, ink, paper, inkstone, and a copy of the ¡°Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art¡±. ¡°Miss, you have to study ¡®The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art¡¯ carefully. Once you have mastered it, you can help Miss Wei Ruo and the otherdies handle the ounts for the disaster relief program.¡± Qingyi said to Wei Qingwan. Angrily, Wei Qingwan replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already studied this book. I don¡¯t need to read it again.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then please recite it to us, to prove that you are capable,¡± said Qingyi. Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t recite it. Although she had read it, reading something doesn¡¯t mean one can memorize it word for word. What she read and memorized in her daily life were mainly books like ¡°Female Precepts¡± and ¡°Female Learning¡±. The fact that she was proficient in ¡°The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art¡± ¨C a book that most men typically studied ¨C already indicated that she was far more advanced than an average woman. How could she be expected to recite and write it down word for word? ¡°Can my sister write this book from memory?¡± Wei Qingwan asked back. ¡°Whether your sister can write it is not important. She has other talents, and the entire relief effort exists because of her. But it¡¯s not the same for you. You re here to help your sister with the ounts, so you naturally need these skills. Unless you believe you have the same talents as your sister, do you?¡± Qingyi asked. Frustrated with no counterarguments, Wei Qingwan was at a loss for words, her face turning red. It seems you can¡¯t recite it. Then please study ¡®The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art¡¯ carefully here. If you need anything, just ask. There will be servants waiting outside the door.¡± After saying this, Qingyi left the room, leaving Wei Qingwan alone. There being servants waiting outside the door meant that Wei Qingwan was being watched ¨C escape was impossible. Wei Qingwan looked at the book and the writing materials in front of her, and finally realized why Wei Ruo had agreed so readily to let her apany her. Wei Ruo had nned it all from the beginning! She never intended to involve her in the disaster relief work in good faith! Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes welled with tears, her eyes red from anger. However, she was the only one in the room. Nobody saw her in this sullen state and there was nobody tofort her.. Chapter 311: Overall Arrangement 1 Chapter 311: Overall Arrangement 1 On the other hand, Wei Ruo, without thepany of Wei Qingwan, arrived at Xianqiuge. Originally, this was a side room of the prefecture¡¯s office, but now it has be the ce where Wei Ruo and a group of female schrs and managers handle affairs. The people working with Wei Ruo were capable managers and female ountants, chosen by Madam Yuan, the Seventh Prince, and the nobledies of Taizhou prefecture, especially sent to assist Wei Ruo in coordinating disaster relief. As relief efforts involve many people, money, and food supplies, it is necessary to arrange different refugees in different ces, solve their housing and food problems, dispatch food and money, allocate supervision staff; there are many tasks to be done. Madam Yuan and Madam Qine here every day. Madam Qin is involved in the entire process, helping with the work, while Madam Yuan spends some time each day to apany everyone and assist with any needs. Wei Ruo first went to see Madam Yuan in the next room. Seeing that Wei Ruo cameter than the previous two days, Madam Yuan asked with concern, ¡°Was there something wrong, or are you tired?¡± ¡°No problem. I was just dyed a bit because my mother asked me to bring my younger sister here before I left the house,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Madam Yuan was aware of Wei Ruo¡¯s rtionship with her family, and knew about the incident where Wei Qingwan caused Wei Ruo to nearly fall into the water. So she knew that Wei Qingwan had no good intentions towards Wei Ruo. Now that Madam Wei wants Wei Ruo to bring her sister here, her intentions are not hard to guess. ¡°Your mother probably wants your sister to earn a good reputation too, right?¡± Madam Yuan said. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om In these few days, Wei Ruo had shown her abilities and insights to the nobledies of Taizhou Prefecture, and everyone praised how Wei Ruo, the eldest daughter of the Wei family, was clever and talented. This led to her reputation as a brilliant woman spreading far and wide. Forrge families, when choosing a wife, they value managerial skills and character in future matrons. Thus, someone like Wei Ruo is very popr. She believed that after this disaster relief, more people would want to have a marital alliance with the Wei family. ¡°If my sister performs well, it will be very favorable for both herself and the Wei family. In the short term, it adds to the Wei family¡¯s achievements; in the long term, it is greatly beneficial for her marriage,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°If she¡¯s good to you, that¡¯s fine. But she has ill intentions towards you. Given my temperament, if someone provokes me first, I certainly won¡¯t repay their ill-will with kindness,¡± Madam Yuanughed. ¡°That¡¯s why I had Qingyi take her to Huichung Pavilion. Please forgive me, Madam, for making arrangements without consulting you first,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Not a big deal, didn¡¯t I say these courtyards are at your disposal during this period? You can do whatever you want as long as it doesn¡¯t affect your mood or our work progress,¡± Madam Yuan said. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Madam,¡± Wei Ruo replied, directing the conversation back to the business at hand. ¡°Madam, has the food inventory that was stored yesterday arrived yet?¡± Just arrived,¡± Madam Yuan handed over the ount book she received from the maid to Wei Ruo, and told her, ¡°In just three days, therge granary of the prefecture¡¯s office is already full.¡± Wei Ruo took the inventory and started reading it. Then she saw a familiar name ¨C Fan Chengxu. ¡°Is the owner of Zuixian Residence, Fan Chengxu, also involved? He even donated five thousand taels of silver and ten thousand shi of rice?¡± ¡°Yes, the Fan family is not a local gentry family in Taizhou Prefecture, but they have significant influence in the court. It¡¯s just that this Fan Chengxu is different from ordinary gentry; he likes doing business. Although he was not invited to our meeting that day, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s interested in your idea of usingbor as disaster relief and wants to have a piece of the pie.¡± Madam Yuan thought Wei Ruo did not know Fan Chengxu, so she exined in detail. ¡°As long as he is willing to donate money and food, it doesn¡¯t matter where he is from or whether he is a government official or a businessman, we wee his assistance,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo admired Fan Chengxu¡¯s business acumen in her heart, as he seemed unwilling to miss a moneymaking opportunity. The Xiu family has sent food for the second time today,¡± Madam Yuan continued, ¡°And ording to Madam Xiu, they n to transport more food here.¡± ¡°Where will they transport it from?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Nowadays, there is a food shortage everywhere. It¡¯s very difficult for ordinary people to buy food from other ces. ¡°The Xiu family has been rooted in Taizhou prefecture since the generation of Old Master Xiu¡¯s father. Their home is around Lin¡¯an and they still have some properties and farnd there,¡± Madam Yuan exined. After saying this, Madam Yuan couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°Speaking of which, Old Master Xiu and the former Xiu Duke are of the same n, both from the Xiu family in Lin¡¯an.¡± ¡°Xiu Duke, you mean the recently exonerated Xiu Duke?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Exactly. If it weren¡¯t for disasters cropping up everywhere, I believe that case would¡¯ve been resolved by now.¡± I heard that when the Duke Xiu¡¯s household was seized, the involved individuals were also dealt with. So howe the Xiu family here in Taizhou Prefecture remained unaffected?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Firstly, there was some distance between them, even though they were both descendants of the Xiu family in Lin¡¯an, they were very distant rtions by blood; secondly, towards the end of the matter, the Emperor¡¯s heart softened due to the Empress,¡± Madam Yuan said. After speaking, Madam Yuan suddenly realised that she had steered the conversation off-topic. ¡°Look at me, talking too much and saying things I shouldn¡¯t have. Once you¡¯ve heard these things, keep them to yourself and don¡¯t repeat them,¡± Madam Yuan warned Wei Ruo, ¡°Especially in front of Madam Qin. One must never mention this.¡± Wei Ruo nodded. She knew well which topics she could discuss and which she couldn¡¯t casually chat about. She had no interest in nor desires toment on royal affairs. After discussing the list in detail with Madam Yuan, Wei Ruo returned to the next room and started consolidating the inventory of food collected so far together with the two female ountants, then began to assign people to transport the food. Starting from today, they would start sending food to several previously identified bases. Since this time, the scope of remation was rtivelyrge, so Wei Ruo had studied the geomancy map of Taizhou Prefecture a couple of days ago, selected the areas that needed to be reimed, and set the corresponding bases. The areas that Wei Ruo currently intended to reim and improve were mainly sandy and saline-alkalinend, with the mountainous areas not considered for the time being due to their rtivelyplex conditions. Different mountains have different circumstances, and the cost of remation is higher than the other two. For the remation of sandy and saline-alkalinends, the ns remained the same as before: nt sweet potatoes in sandynds and winter wheat in saline-alkalinends after improvement. Today, Wei Ruo¡¯s main job is still to work with several female schrs at the prefecture¡¯s office to coordinate and allocate resources. But starting tomorrow, Wei Ruo will need to go on-site for inspection, and then develop different improvement and remation ns ording to different soil conditions.. Chapter 312: Going back to complain_l Chapter 312: Going back toin_l In the evening, after Wei Ruo and Nun Qin had their dinner at the prefecture¡¯s office, they left. Of course, before leaving, Wei Ruo did not forget to take Wei Qingwan, who was at the Huichung Pavilion, with her. By the time Qingyi brought Wei Qingwan to Wei Ruo again, Wei Qingwan appeared noticeably haggard. Wei Ruo cast her a nce and then took a seat in the carriage. Holding back her hatred, Wei Qingwan also got into the carriage. On the way home, Wei Ruo took a nap on the soft cushions as usual, while Wei Qingwan was continuously staring at her, with a me of anger flickering in her eyes. Wei Ruo only spotted her gaze when the carriage bumped on the way, and spent the rest of the time with her eyes closed,pletely ignoring Wei Qingwan¡¯s evident displeasure and resentment. Upon returning to the Military Prefecture, Wei Ruo headed straight for Tingsong Garden, ignoring the disgruntled Wei Qingwan entirely. Once she was in her room, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Mistress, with Mistress Qingwan having suffered such humiliation, will she seek toin to Madam soon?¡± She did not fear any possible punishment from Madam. Nowadays, Madam could not easily punish her mistress. But her mistress was so tired these past few days, she wouldn¡¯t want something irrelevant disturbing her rest. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo yawned, ¡°Let her go ahead. If she¡¯s too noisy and I get tired, I will use this as an excuse to stay over at the prefecture¡¯s office. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s in a hurry then.¡± Afterwards, Wei Ruo washed up and climbed into bed to rest. ### As expected, Wei Qingwan went to Madam Yun toin, just as Xiumei had predicted. She told Madam Yun about Wei Ruo leaving her in the Magistrate¡¯s guest room to read, all the while shedding tears. After learning about this, Madam Yun was both distressed and furious. Initially, she sent Wanwan with them to provide her with an opportunity to make a good impression in front of the influential figures and the wives of the Taizhou prefecture¡¯s renowned families and to strive for more benefits for the Wei Family. But, Wei Ruo simply left her in the guest room, resulting in Wanwan not meeting any dignitaries except for the servants of the prefecture¡¯s office. As a result, all her ns fell through, and Wanwan¡¯s trip to the prefecture¡¯s office had been in vain. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s all my fault,¡± after recounting the incident, Wei Qingwan began to me herself. ¡°It has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s your sister who didn¡¯t give you the opportunity,¡± said Madam Yun, caressing her with affection. Wei Qingwan hung her head low, continuing to self-me, ¡°If I were more capable, I could have alleviated mother¡¯s worries myself and wouldn¡¯t have needed to rely on my sister¡­¡± Madam Yun sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Don¡¯t worry. I will discuss this with your father in detail and find a way to arrange another opportunity for you tomorrow. And you certainly won¡¯t be left out in the cold tomorrow.¡± Madam Yun was determined to let Wei Qingwan shine in front of everyone. After all, when it came to managing household affairs and keeping ount books, Wanwan was much more outstanding than the majority of other girls. She also had far more experience than the elder sister, and there would definitely be a ce for her to disy her skills. ### The next day, before Wei Ruo could step out of the Tingsong garden, she found herself being stopped by Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan. Wei Ruo was not surprised to see them. She responded calmly, ¡°What is it today? I have an appointment with Nun Qin. We must hurry; I don¡¯t want to bete.¡± What she was implying: they better be quick, or they will get into trouble for wasting her time. ¡°I heard from Wanwan that you didn¡¯t assign her any tasks yesterday?¡± Madam Yun asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo admitted straightforwardly. ¡°You should take Wanwan with you again today. And you must not treat her as you did yesterday. You should let Wanwan stay by your side and let her share some of your workload. Whatever tasks Madam Yuan and the Seventh Prince¡¯s women treasurers can do, Wanwan can do as well.¡± Madam Yun stated. ¡°Is my mother familiar with the tasks we need to handle every day?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°What¡¯s there not to understand? Even if there are things she doesn¡¯t understand, she can learn them gradually.¡± Madam Yun was confident and also had full confidence in Wei Qingwan. ¡°Well, since my mother understands, I won¡¯t say much. If you want her toe along, let here along.¡± Wei Ruo seemed very agreeable. Given the lesson from the previous day, both Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan were sceptical of Wei Ruo¡¯s response. ¡°You¡¯re not going to lock her in the guest room like yesterday, are you?¡± Madam Yun questioned. ¡°Not at all.¡± Wei Ruo answered decisively. ¡°I want you to assure me that you will keep her by your side and give her opportunities to work today.¡± Madam Yun demanded. ¡°No problem. Wherever I go today, she goes. Unless she herself does not want to, I will not drive her away.¡± Wei Ruo promised. ¡°You said so yourself.¡± Madam Yun pointed out. ¡°Of course.¡± Wei Ruo answered decisively. Wei Ruo¡¯s favourable attitude made Madam Yun feel at a loss what to do, as all the advice she had prepared in advance was suddenly unnecessary. Wei Qingwan had an unsettling feeling because Wei Ruo had also made a decisive promise the day before, but she ended up being left alone in the guest room. Hence, Wei Qingwan spoke softly, ¡°Sister, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t want to take me along, but you can¡¯t deceive mother. Otherwise, she will be upset.¡± Wei Ruo wore a gentle smile, ¡°When did I say I didn¡¯t want to? Didn¡¯t I fulfil my promise to take you with me yesterday? I let you study in the guest room of the prefecture¡¯s office because I thought you mightck the ability and feared you could make mistakes. You should know that if you make mistakes at such times, it¡¯s not just your dignity at stake, but also the Wei family¡¯s reputation. However, I didn¡¯t realize you were so opposed to my arrangement.¡± As she said this, Wei Ruo sighed in the same way as Wei Qingwan: ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy with my arrangement, you can directly tell me, and I can make other arrangements. But you didn¡¯t mention it in front of me. Instead, you went back toin to mother, causing her to worry about our issues, which put me, the eldest sister, in a position of unkindness and unjustness. Why is that?¡± Wei Qingwan was stunned, ¡°No, it¡¯s because sister¡­¡± Wei Ruo interrupted, ¡°We¡¯ve always said that family affairs should not be allowed to be segregated. But you didn¡¯t express your dissatisfaction with my n in front of me and troubled our mother instead. It seems like you don¡¯t consider me as a part of the family. Although we have conflicts at home, we are representatives of the Wei family the moment we step outside. Every word or action of ours matters. You must understand the principle of ¡®shame of one is the shame of all¡¯.¡± Wei Ruo had said almost everything that Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan should have said, leaving them uncertain about what to say next. Wei Qingwan was stifled. Wei Ruo was the one who had been suspicious of her, even deliberately gave her a hard time, but then portrayed herself as righteous. ¡°Mother, I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Wei Qingwan said quietly, attempting to defend herself.. Chapter 313: Dont you know we are going to the wasteland today? 1 Chapter 313: Don¡¯t you know we are going to the wastnd today? 1 Madam Yun nced at Wei Qingwan then at Wei Ruo, saying, ¡°Alright, alright. Since we¡¯re all family and have the same intentions, let¡¯s forget about those little misunderstandings. Qingwan, stay with Ruoruo today and learn from her.¡± Madam Yun was pleased that her eldest daughter understood the bigger picture. Just as her elder daughter said, even though they had some conflicts at home they represented the Wei Family outside. As long as her eldest daughter kept ¡¯ this in mind, it would be good. ¡°Let¡¯s go then, I¡¯m running on a tight schedule,¡± Wei Ruo winked and smiled, then left the house. Wei Qingwan bit her lip, then followed her out. They continued to ride in Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage just like the day before, with Wei Ruo leaning against the cushion and taking a nap. The carriage rode on for a good while without stopping. Wei Qingwan was puzzled, considering the time, they should have arrived at the government office by now. Wei Qingwan carefully lifted the edge of the carriage curtain and looked outside. Instead of the bustling street, she saw a deserted suburb. Wei Qingwan hurriedly asked Wei Ruo, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where are we going?¡± Wei Ruo slowly opened one eye and repliedzily, ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°You never told me, how would I know?¡± ¡°I asked our mother before leaving if she really understood what we were doing. She said she knew.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s voice waszy, and the only eye she opened was half-closed. It couldn¡¯t be moreid-back. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± Wei Qingwan asked again. ¡°To and to be reimed. You didn¡¯t think my job was just to sit in the government office every day, count things, and give orders, did you?¡± Wei Ruo chuckled softly. ¡°You¡­¡± Wei Qingwan was momentarily speechless and didn¡¯t know how to rebut Wei Ruo. Then she noticed that Wei Ruo¡¯s clothes were a neat linen suit. That¡¯s when it hit Wei Qingwan. Wei Ruo had nned the day¡¯s itinerary early in the morning, but deliberately didn¡¯t tell her before they left! ¡°Save your energy. The ce we¡¯re going isn¡¯t easy to navigate and will need physical strength,¡± Wei Ruo added, then closed her eyes again and resumed resting. ¡°The ce we¡¯re reiming is a gathering spot for refugees. Aren¡¯t you worried about not having enough people with us?¡± Wei Qingwan was incredibly anxious. If she had known that was Wei Ruo¡¯s n for the day, she would have reconsidereding along. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t answer, toozy to exin much. She had guards following, arranged by Lady Yuan for her. But to save time, Wei Ruo had sent those guards straight to their destination to wait for her. Wei Ruo¡¯s reaction left Wei Qingwan feeling both angry and helpless. As the carnage gradually moved away from the populous area towards the deste wilderness, her heart rose with apprehension. The reimednds were uninhabited and were even more deste and isted than the average suburban vige. She would never go to such a ce in her everyday life, and she wasn¡¯t sure if it would be dangerous. The journey took half a day. By noon, feeling a bit hungry, Wei Ruo pulled out dried sweet potatoes and tea from the box beside her, savoring them leisurely. She also generously offered Wei Qingwan two pieces of dried sweet potato. Wei Qingwan nced at the dry sweet potatoes and turned her head away without taking them. She was too filled with resentment towards Wei Ruo at the moment to eat anything Wei Ruo gave her, especially something as unappealing as dried sweet potatoes. Wei Ruo pulled her hand back. If Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t want them, she could save them as provisions. These dried sweet potatoes would be weed among the refugees working to reim thend! A quarter of an hour passed, and the carriage finally came to a halt. ¡°Miss,¡± said Madam Qin, waiting outside the carriage to greet Wei Ruo. Xiumei opened the carriage curtain for Wei Ruo. As Wei Ruo alighted, Madam Qin reached out to assist her. There were many people standing around the carriage, including maids and guards. Some were from the government office, and some had been assigned to Wei Ruo by Chu Lan. Thank you, Madam Qin,¡± Wei Ruo said.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Qingwan followed Wei Ruo out of the carriage, but no one reached out to help her or even noticed her presence. After alighting, Wei Ruo surveyed the surroundings. Thend here was the ttest among the several wastnds she had marked out for remation. But there were still quite a few deste mountains nearby that split the vast wastnd into sections. Everywhere she looked, whether it was the mountains or thend, appeared deste. There were no tall, dense vegetation or trees, mainly hardy wild grasses, with a scattering of resilient shrubs. Further away, there were crowds of refugees. They looked thin, ragged, and dirty. At this moment, they were being led by a small group consisting of government officials and family guards in separate teams heading in different directions. Following the schedule, these refugees organized a few days ago would start reiming the wastnd today. The first step was to weed thend, and necessary farming tools like plows and hoes would be distributedter in the afternoon. After observing the surroundings, Wei Ruo turned back to Madam Qin, ¡°I¡¯ll take some people and take a look around. You wait here until Ie back.¡± Madam Qin was old and had been in the pce for many years. This deste ce was not suitable for her to walk around. ¡°Alright, take care, Miss. Leave any hard or dirty tasks to yourpanions,¡± shemanded the guards to watch over Wei Ruo before she left. Wei Ruo nodded, then headed into the wastnd. For Wei Ruo, this kind of deste ce was nothing. In the salty and alkaline soil, nt variety was limited. The botanical variety on the hill where she picked herbs was far more abundant than the barrennd before her eyes. Compared to bramble thickets, piles of broken rocks, and cliff edges, the wastnd in front of her offered no difficulty. However, this was not the case for Wei Qingwan. Looking at the barrennd that didn¡¯t even have a decent path, Wei Qingwan hesitated. At this point, Xiumei urged, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Second Miss? Didn¡¯t you say you wanted toe out with my young miss to gain some experience?¡± I m just not used to it,¡± Wei Qingwan exined. Wei Qingwan then gritted her teeth and started walking, following Wei Ruo¡¯s steps along with the other escorts. In the wastnd, there were no roads, only traces left by people walking and trampling on it in the past few days. Wei Ruo strode ahead, and after only a few steps, she heard Wei Qingwan crying out in pain behind her. Wei Ruo turned around and saw that Wei Qingwan¡¯s skirt had been caught by a weed, and her hand showed a shallow scratch from a weed leaf. Without more than a nce, Wei Ruo turned and continued on her way. A sense of grievance welled up in Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart. She looked down at the scratch on her hand, and her eyes instantly reddened.. Chapter 314: Wei Qingwan Suffers Another Chapter 314: Wei Qingwan Suffers Another Heavy Blow_l Wei Qingwan held back her tears, tolerating the pain as she ripped away her torn skirt hem, and carried on following Wei Ruo¡¯s footsteps. After travelling a little further, Wei Ruo stopped, pulled out a tool, and began to dig. This tool, specifically custom made for Wei Ruo, had a hollow cylinder on the front end and a long handle in the back. Wei Ruo would thrust this tool deep into the soil, then pull it back out with force. This allowed her to extract soil from the surface to fifty centimeters deep, with the extracted soil maintaining its original strata. Once taken back, such soil samples would allow Wei Ruo to meticulously study and analyze the alkalinity of the soil, hence developing respective ns for improvement. Wei Ruo then packed the collected samples into a bag, marking the locations from where they were collected. After she finished digging, she continued on her path, proceeding to the next location to dig again. After walking for about an hour, Wei Qingwan, who was both hungry and exhausted, could not bear it any longer. ¡°What exactly are you trying to do, Sister?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as she questioned Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo halted and looked at Wei Qingwan, who was staring back at her with eyes red as if deeply wronged, the resentment and me evident in her gaze. ¡°I am naturally focused on important business,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy about me tagging along, you could¡¯ve just told me, why torture me this way?¡± Wei Qingwan retorted. ¡°You¡¯re putting too much importance on yourself. If you don¡¯t want to continue, go back. No one is stopping you,¡± Wei Ruo replied coldly. Wei Ruo continued her journey after stating that, without wasting any time. The apanying crew also closely followed Wei Ruo, leaving Wei Qingwan behind. They had been walking for about an hour by then, covering a significant distance. All the while, Wei Qingwan was upied with avoiding the sharp edges of the wild grass leaves and the broken rocks on the ground, and had not been paying attention to their route. Left behind by Wei Ruo, she was unable to head back on her own and had no choice but to trail behind Wei Ruo and her party. However, the pain in her feet discouraged her from taking even one extra step. ¡°Then, send me back with two of your men,¡± Wei Qingwan requested of Wei Ruo. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to stay by my side?¡± Wei Ruo questioned. This was a request Wei Qingwan herself had made, and Madam Yun had repeatedly reminded her of it before they set off. ¡°I¡­ I want to go back now,¡± Wei Qingwan managed to say. ¡°This is what you requested. I did not force you to follow me,¡± Wei Ruo reminded. ¡°I¡­ I understand,¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip. ¡°Alright then.¡± Wei Ruo carelessly assigned two guards to bring Wei Qingwan back to Madam Qin. Although she was granted permission to return, the journey back was still a major challenge for Wei Qingwan. The journey, which had taken half an hour on the way there, would now take even longer on the return. Walking was an extremelyborious task for Wei Qingwan. Furthermore, the two guards Wei Ruo assigned to escort her were not at all helpful, forcing Wei Qingwan to rely on herself the entire trip. By the time Wei Qingwan saw Madam Qin again, she lookedpletely disheveled. Her clothes were disordered, and her skirt and sleeves were torn in several ces. The parts of her face that were pale were extremely so, the flushed parts were bright red, and sweat had stered strands of her hair to her forehead. Madam Qin nced at Wei Qingwan, not asking any questions nor showing any concern. The two guards who escorted Wei Qingwan back simply left after their task waspleted. Abandoned and ignored, Wei Qingwan stood rooted to the spot. Heartbroken and fatigued, she felt utterly lost. At that moment, her feet were sore and painful, and she could feel blisters forming. Her stomach was also rumbling with hunger. It was already past lunchtime, but she had not eaten anything yet. After giving it some thought, she weakly asked Madam Qin for help, ¡°Madam Qin, my feet are hurting. Could you get ady doctor for me?¡± ¡°Miss Wei, take a look around. Do you see ady doctor here? Not even a doctor, for that matter,¡± Madam Qin replied. Biting her lip, Wei Qingwan carried on, ¡°Madam Qin, could I get something to eat then?¡± ¡°The rations and water for today¡¯s lunch have already been distributed. You¡¯ll have to wait until dinner for the next meal,¡± Madam Qin replied. Every day, there were three distributions of food and water by the Government Office to everyone in the wastnd, regardless of whether they were refugees or people sent by the government and elite families. Everyone was treated equally, with no preferential treatment. Not even Wei Qingwan, let alone Madam Qin, could expect a different treatment here. Wei Qingwan expression was frozen. Looking at Wei Qingwan¡¯s face, which wore an expression as though she had suffered great injustices, Madam Qin urged her, ¡°Miss Wei, take a look around at where you are, and look at those refugees in the distance. Peoplee here for survival or rescue, not for luxury. If you can¡¯t handle hardships due to your delicate health, you shouldn¡¯t be here. No one here will show kindness to a pampered princess.¡± Upon being chastised by Madam Qin, Wei Qingwan felt even more mistreated. She wasn¡¯t aware that Wei Ruo wasing to a ce like this. If she had known, she would have nevere. With her lips pursed tight, Wei Qingwan stopped seeking help from Madam Qin and began limping towards Wei Ruo¡¯s parked carriage. Initially, she intended to rest in the carriage but was stopped by a guard. Wei Qingwan looked at the guard blocking her path, perplexed. ¡°I want to rest in the carriage. Why are you stopping me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is Miss Wei¡¯s carriage. It¡¯s our duty to watch over it while she¡¯s not here,¡± the guard said, maintaining a neutral expression. ¡°This is a carriage belonging to the Wei Residence. I am her sister. How could I not have the right to go into this carriage?¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, a look of disbelief in her eyes. This carriage was initially assigned to her and was only given to Wei Ruo when she started going to Mr. Wang Caiwei¡¯s ce for her studies. The guard didn¡¯t say anything else, but he still refused to let Wei Qingwan pass.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Madam Qin intervened, saying, ¡°This carriage is Miss Wei¡¯s, and it holds her private belongings. The guards are tasked to look after it while she¡¯s not around. Miss Wei, please find another ce to rest.¡± Thatment ended Wei Qingwan¡¯s thoughts of resting in Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage. Wei Qingwan stood there, stunned. She was rooted to the spot, unsure of whether to move forward or back. The only ces she could sit were two carriages. Other than Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage, there was the one Madam Qin came in, which was certainly not a ce Wei Qingwan could go to rest. Wei Qingwan said to Madam Qin, ¡°Madam Qin, I just want to find a ce to rest my legs.¡± Her voice was feeble, and considering her meek appearance, she appeared fragile enough to be swept away by a gust of wind. Madam Qin suggested expressionlessly, ¡°Miss Wei, you can find a rock to sit on.¡± Wei Qingwan looked at the ground.. The rocks were dirty, but more importantly, as a nobledy, how could she possibly sit on a rock in full view of everyone else? Chapter 315: Exposing Her Hypocrisy l Chapter 315: Exposing Her Hypocrisy l The upbringing she had received made it impossible for Wei Qingwan to tolerate herself adopting such a vulgar and disheveled posture. But standing there now, every moment was an enormous torment to her body and mind. In the end, Wei Qingwan could no longer bear the humiliation, so she stifled it and found a stone to sit on nearby. Hunger and pain, coupled with the cold reception she received, tears couldn¡¯t help but roll down her cheeks after she sat down. Madam Qin saw everything but left it unsaid. Half an hourter, Wei Ruo returned with a group of people carrying behind her several bags of soil. Seeing Wei Ruo, Madam Qin quickly stepped forward to meet her. ¡°Youngdy, you must be tired. How was the harvest this trip?¡± ¡°I have collected the soil samples from this entire area. I will devise an appropriate amendment n ording to the conditions of these soils in the following days. For now, these people can weed and turn the soil. Remember, don¡¯t discard these wastes, let them dry naturally on the soil, these weeds will be useful after burning.¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Ok, anything Youngdy needs, just let me know.¡± After giving instructions to Madam Qin, Wei Ruo nned to return home. As she passed by Wei Qingwan, She paused, turned her head to glimpse at her, sitting on the stone. Wei Qingwan also raised her head and locked eyes with Wei Ruo. The look in her eyes was filled with resentment and grievances. Wei Ruo then returned a small smile and continued towards the carriage. She didn¡¯t say a word, but her action gave Wei Qingwan the message that she was going back, and Wei Qingwan was urged to follow if she wanted to return. Seeing this, the weakened Wei Qingwan suppressed her pain and humiliation, made an effort to stand up, and, under the scrutiny of everyone, walkedboriously towards the carriage. The final few steps to get on the carriage were the hardest. As soon as her first footnded on the stool, Wei Qingwan felt the piercing pain at the sole of her foot. She looked around butfound no one intending to help her. She couldn¡¯t rely on others, only herself. The second step, the third step, for each step Wei Qingwan took, she felt like she was walking on knives. Just a few steps took all her strength. Once she finally got into the carriage, she saw Wei Ruo still looking elegant, leaning on the cushion. At this moment, her long-suppressed anger could no longer be contained. Wei Qingwan eximed to Wei Ruo, ¡°Is this your way of exacting revenge on me?¡± ¡°Revenge?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Qingwan, reveling in the hatred disyed on her face. Wei Ruo found Wei Qingwan rather amusing in her current state. In the original story, Wei Qingruo had to painstakingly contrive tactics topete with Wei Qingwan, but Wei Qingwan remained rock-solid against it, never putting Wei Qingruo¡¯s excitement in her eyes.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om In this life, the roles are reversed. Wei Qingwan became the anxious one,peting with her instead. Where is that gentleness and high-spirited attitude of Wei Qingwan when she was the main female persistent for? ¡°Is not that it?¡± Wei Qingwan, with her reddening eyes, kept staring at Wei Ruo. ¡°If you put it in that way, yes.¡± Wei Ruo casually confessed. ¡°What did I do to deserve your kind of revenge?¡± Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s confession, grievance gushed out of Wei Qingwan like a geyser. ¡°If you really want to know, then I should give you a detailed ount. Not to mention anything else, the event where you falsely used me of pushing you when I went to get Madam Li to treat Second Brother¡¯s illness is enough for me to hold a grudge against you for a while. We should also settle the ount for the time you deliberately made Big Brother misunderstand me for neglecting father and indulging in pleasure. So, in your opinion, those grievances I had endured didn¡¯t count as grievances, and not worth my vengeance?¡± Wei Qingwan red at Wei Ruo but found no words to refute her. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°There¡¯s no one else here. You don¡¯t need to put on that pitiful look. We both know how these things really happened. Whether you did it or not, both you and I know very well.¡± ¡°I did fall that one time; I was hurt, and Madam Li was punished and sent to the countryside for some time; that time with big brother, even though it wasn¡¯t on purpose, you can say it was my fault, but I also bore your p.¡± Wei Qingwan argued. ¡°Your fall was your own problem; Madam Li deserved the punishment; I being locked up and scolded were inflicted by you. So you are trying to im that your suffering can offset the injustice and wrong usations I¡¯ve experienced? What kind of logic is that?¡± Wei Ruo questioned. ¡°So you are admitting on purpose that you turned me into my current state? ¡± Wei Qingwan brought the topic back to the situation at hand. No matter what happened before, the current condition is that she was deceived and bullied by Wei Qingruo, and the pain she experienced was an indisputable fact. ¡°How did you be? Some minor cuts on your hands from the weeds, some blisters on your feet?¡± Wei Ruo drew up her eyebrow. Wei Qingwan bit her lip, ¡°What you said as minor cuts and blisters, do you know how painful they are!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I know? Are you joking? Wei Qingwan, when you lived in the Military Prefecture with my identity, I was in the countryside of Huzhou Prefecture, going up and down the mountains, plowing fields, collecting herbs, cutting firewood, I have been to ces ten times harder than today. I encountered all sorts of creatures- ¨C snakes, rats, bugs.¡± ¡°The kind of cuts you got from the weeds, who in the countryside hasn¡¯t suffered from such? They¡¯ve rolled in thorny bushes and lost count. As for those blisters on your feet, huh, why don¡¯t you wonder how I covered more distance than you, but I didn¡¯t end up with any issue? You think it¡¯s innate?¡± Wei Qingwan was stunned and unconsciously nced at Wei Ruo¡¯s feet. Wei Ruoughed disdainfully, ¡°You kept saying how sorry you are for taking my ce, but do you really understand how much you benefitted from it and how much good fortune you had enjoyed? You simply don¡¯t know. You say those things just to make yourself look gentle, kind, generous and sensible. You don¡¯t genuinely feel guilty in your heart, but just make pretences.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hold back; she mercilessly stripped Wei Qingwan¡¯s hypocritical coat. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Wei Qingwan denied. ¡°Stop pretending! What¡¯s good, you want; a bitter pill, you can¡¯t swallow. Now that you lost your halo, your kindness and gentility also shattered like the reflection of the moon in the water.¡± Wei Ruo said. Perhaps the Wei Qingwan in the original story was genuinely kind because she was blessed with various fortunes and miracles, she was cared for, even though she met difficulties, someone would always lend a helping hand, turning misfortune into blessing. Now, the Wei Qingwan of this timeline, having not experienced those disasters, nor those miracles, her gentility was shattered under the monotonous tranquility. So sometimes, some people aren¡¯t kind-hearted due to their luck; rather they appear kind-hearted because they are lucky.. Chapter 316: The Wedding is Off i Chapter 316: The Wedding is Off i After being scolded by Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan maintained her silence all the way back to the Military Prefecture in the carriage. Her face was as pale as the paper sold in Four Treasure House. By the time Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan returned to the Military Prefecture, it was alreadyte at night. Wei Qingwan was helped out of the carriage by the maids from the household. She had not eaten anything since morning, fatigue, hunger, and physical pain made her pale and weak. She appeared as fragile as a kapok flower weathered by the elements, ready to fall from the branch at any moment. Upon hearing that Wei Qingwan had been injured, Yun quickly rushed to Wangmei Garden and called a doctor to attend to her. After hearing Wei Qingwan¡¯s ount, Yun felt heartbroken and upset, but like Wei Qingwan, she felt helpless against Wei Ruo. Indeed, Wei Ruo had kept her promise, keeping Wei Qingwan with her and providing her with opportunities to learn and demonstrate her capabilities. What Yun and Wei Qingwan hadn¡¯t expected was that Wei Ruo would perform on-site inspections. During the investigation, wherever Wei Ruo went, so did Wei Qingwan. The paths Wei Qingwan treaded were the same ones Wei Ruo had traversed. However, Wanwan, was delicate and could not endure such hardship. Unlike their eldest daughter who had grown ustomed to country life. Although Yun sympathized with Wei Qingwan, she knew there was nowhere to justify this matter. Afterwards, Yun had to abandon the idea of letting Wei Qingwan apany Wei Ruo, and Wei Qingwan also didn¡¯t return to ss at Tongzhi Prefecture because of her injured foot which needed a few days of rest. ### Two dayster, an unexpected event urred- Madam Xiu paid a visit to Yun and diplomatically announced that the marriage proposal between Wei Ruo and Xiu Fengyuan had been called off. The Xiu Family would no longer send a matchmaker to negotiate a marriage. It was reported that Yun¡¯s expression was quite unpleasant at the time, she struggled to keep her dignity as she saw Madam Xiu off. Later, Yun summoned Wei Ruo, questioning her if she had done anything inappropriate. Wei Ruo was unclear about what had actually transpired. Yes, she had been screening suitable marriage candidates recently, but she had certainly not targeted the Xiu Family. In fact, she had not even had any secret contact with anyone from the Xiu Family during those days. Regardless of the reasons leading to this oue, Wei Ruo found it satisfactory as it bought her some time. Of course, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯tpletely let her guard down. Without the Xiu Family, there could still be the Zhang Family, Li Family, or the Wang Family¡­She still needed to get her affairs in order as soon as possible so she could depart from the Wei Family. Wei Ruo refuted Yun¡¯s suspicions, exining that she had been busy with disaster relief and remation these past few days. She had no opportunity to interact with anyone from the Xiu Family, let alone plot to ruin the marriage proposal. Yun didn¡¯t fully trust Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, believing that her eldest daughter was not beingpletely truthful with her. But without any evidence linking the change of attitude of the Xiu Family to Wei Ruo, she had to let it go. It was said that Yun struggled to eat for several days, not sure if she was regretting the missed opportunity for a perfect marriage, or feeling sorry that the promise of a bestowed estate and subsequent help from the Xiu Family was now gone. ### Time quickly passed and it was the first day of July. It had been nearly two months since Wei Ruo proposed to Mr. and Mrs. Yuan to reserve this year¡¯s grain yield, and half a month since the relocation and resettling of refugees and disaster relief began. On one hand, there was the protection of this year¡¯s grain yield. On the other hand, there was the task of stabilizing the refugees, expanding the farnd, and preparing to increase the grain yield for next year. With these dual measures in ce, if sessful, Taizhou Prefecture was likely to witness a new dawn next year. Therefore, all the resources of the Taizhou Prefecture were mobilized. Even though everyone¡¯s life was not easy, the overall morale remained high. Wei Ruo had also been busy for more than half a month, leaving early and returningte every day. She was hardly ever to be seen around the Military Prefecture. On the first day of the month, Wei Ruo had a rare day off. Miss, just rest at home today.¡± Xiumei was worried about Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo, however, had different thoughts: ¡°I haven¡¯t taken care of the estates for several days. Even though I trust nanny and others, I need to go have a look.¡± ¡°You just can¡¯t stop once you start working!¡± Xiumei grumbled. ¡°Oh my dear Meimei, your Miss is not that fragile. I sleep well every day, eat well every day. Compared to the refugees who work day and night to reim thend, I¡¯m much more fortunate.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t see a problem with her current workload. If the work she was doing was meaningful and rewarding, she wouldn¡¯t feel tired, but rather energized. On the contrary, if she were to socialize all day, behave like a puppet, she¡¯d probably be so tired that she¡¯d want to lie in bed and sleep deeply after less than half a day. ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re fine. As long as you take me with you wherever you go, I won¡¯t say anything else.¡± Xiumei only had one request left, which was to allow her to tag along. Otherwise, she would feel uneasy. ¡°Of course, my dear Meimei is my most valuable assistant, how could I leave you behind?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just pacifying me!¡± Xiumeiined but had a sweet smile on her face. Wei Ruo and Xiumei left the house after breakfast. As usual, they dressed up as women to go out and carried men¡¯s clothes in the carriage. After arriving at Four Treasure House, they changed into their male attire in their room and then ventured out as Xu Heyou. Wei Ruo first visited a few shops, then went to the Younan Farmstead and Caili Farm outside the city. Everything at Younan Farmstead was normal, and there were no issues at Caili Farm either, except that Zhao Hai was not present. It turned out that Zhao Hai had taken a number of leaves in the past half month. Even when he was on the farmstead, he seemed to be in low spirits, a man who could not hide his troubles and was overwhelmed with concerns. There was enough time today, so Wei Ruo decided to visit Zhao Hai¡¯s house to see what was going on. If he was facing any difficulties, she would help if she could. As his employer, it was incumbent on her to assist a hardworking employee in need. Helping subordinates was also a way of ensuring the efficiency of her business operations. Wei Ruo and Xiumei arrived at Zhao¡¯s home-a one-story courtyard at the end of Zhao Family Vige.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The courtyard had a grey wall and an old wooden door showing signs of aging. Although such a house was not considered luxurious, it was by no means the worst in the vige. Xiumei knocked on the wooden door, and after a while, someone answered. Zhao Hai opened the door and was startled to see Wei Ruo. ¡°Young¡­ Young Master? Why¡­ why are you¡­¡± I heard that you¡¯re taking leaves and staying at home, so I came to check on you,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Did the¡­ did the Young Mastere specifically¡­ specifically to see me?¡± Zhao Hai was stunned, not able to believe what he was hearing. ¡°You¡¯re one of my people now, working for me. If you encounter any sort of considerable trouble, as the employer, I ought to show my concern,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo valued all those who worked for her, especially the leading workers, whom she kept a close eye on.. Chapter 317: Beyond One’s Power l Chapter 317: Beyond One¡¯s Power l Zhao Hai was both startled and touched, as he had never encountered a boss like Wei Ruo before, let alone heard of one. Seeing his stunned expression, Xiemei reminded him, ¡°Stop standing there in shock, let us into your house to take a look, maybe there¡¯s something we can help with.¡± Zhao Hai¡¯s response was still somewhat slow, and it took a while for him to get out of Wei Ruo and Xiumei¡¯s way. ¡°Little¡­ Little Master¡­ I¡­ I have heard that¡­¡± Zhao Hai, who was following behind Wei Ruo, hemmed and hawed, wanting to say something but hesitating to do so. Xiumei couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Mr. Zhao, if you have something to say, say it directly. Your indecisiveness is making my impatient self anxious!¡± ¡°Thump¨C¡± Suddenly, Zhao Hai knelt down in front of Wei Ruo. ¡°Why are you kneeling? I was just saying that you were unclear when speaking, I didn¡¯t mean to scold you!¡± Xiumei hurriedly said, afraid that her words had scared Zhao Hai. ¡°Young Master, I heard from others that you are a highly skilled doctor, I beg you to save my brother!¡± Zhao Hai pleaded, and he even started to kowtow to Wei Ruo. The name Xu Heyou had appeared on the public announcement of the government office, and with a little inquiry, one could learn that Xu Heyou was indeed a very skilled doctor. ¡°What happened to your brother?¡± Asked Wei Ruo. Zhao Hai exined the situation with his brother to Wei Ruo. There are two brothers in Zhao Hai¡¯s family, Zhao Hai and Zhao Xun. Unlike Zhao Hai who is a rough and bold farmer, Zhao Xun had a talent for studying from a young age. Zhao Xun passed the civil service examination at the age of sixteen and had a promising future, he was even supposed to take the imperial examination this fall. However, recently, he fell ill. Initially, Zhao Xun hid his illness from Zhao Hai, until abnormal symptoms were noticed by Zhao Hai. Zhao Hai took him to see a doctor, and the doctor diagnosed Zhao Xun with lung disease and prescribed some medication. Zhao Xun has been drinking medicinal soup all this while, but his condition has not improved, on the contrary, it has be more serious ¨C he can¡¯t even get out of bed anymore. This is the reason Zhao Hai has been taking leave for the past half a month. ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s go and see your brother first,¡± Wei Ruo said. Zhao Hai hurriedly got up from the ground and led Wei Ruo to his brother Zhao Xun¡¯s room. As soon as the door was opened, a strong smell of medicine wafted out. Weiruo approached the bed and saw a thin Zhao Xun lying there, his face pale. On seeing Wei Ruo, Zhao Xun tried to get up to greet him, but was stopped by Wei Ruo. ¡°Lie down and don¡¯t move. I¡¯m the doctor your brother called in to see you. Let¡¯s take a look at your illness.¡± Zhao Xun nodded andy back down. Wei Ruo observed Zhao Xun¡¯splexion, then asked Zhao Hai to get Zhao Xun¡¯s hand out and rolled up his sleeve. It was a overly skinny hand, its skin color was also a sickly pale. But the bone structure was beautiful, with slender fingers, clearly the hand of a schr. Wei Ruo ced her fingers on Zhao Xun¡¯s wrist to check his pulse. During the check, Zhao Xun coughed a few times, spitting out a mouthful of white, dense, frothy sputum. Wei Ruo frowned, then asked Zhao Xun, ¡°How long has it been since you noticed difficulty breathing, chest distress, shortness of breath, and chest pain?¡± ¡°I began to notice difficulty breathingst winter, but it was not serious. Then after this spring, I asionally suffered from chest pains, but it wasn¡¯t too serious.¡± Hearing this, Zhao Hai couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have hidden this from me! You should¡¯ve told me early!¡± Zhao Xun guiltily said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother, I thought it was just a minor ailment. I didn¡¯t want to bother you. I didn¡¯t realize my body was going to fail me¡­¡± As he spoke, Zhao Xun spat out another mouthful of frothy white phlegm. Zhao Hai quickly came forward to wipe his mouth corner, then tried to reassure him, ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t talk anymore.¡± Wei Ruo released Zhao Xun¡¯s wrist that she was using to check his pulse, and got up to walk outside. Seeing this, Xiumei followed: ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She rarely saw the Miss showing such an expression after taking someone¡¯s pulse. ¡°I cannot save him,¡± Wei Ruo said. Xiumei looked shockedly at Wei Ruo. To her memory, no matter how severely injured the person was, the Miss never said these words. And today, Miss directly said, ¡°He is beyond saving.¡± ¡°Is it surprising?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Xiumei nodded, ¡°You are the first to say such words, Miss. In my memory, there is no disease that you cannot cure!¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Doctors are ultimately only doctors, not gods. With countless diseases in the world, some cannot be saved, and some are beyond human ability,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°But although Zhao Xun seems a bit weak, he does not seem to be at the brink of death,¡± Xiemei said. ¡°If it was half a year ago, I could have saved him, but now it¡¯s toote,¡± Wei Ruo said. Zhao Xun has lung cancer, which is already advanced. Furthermore, the cancer cells have spread. At this stage, it¡¯s very hard to treat, regardless of traditional Chinese medicine or western medicine methods. In such a situation, the chances of survival are very slim, and even she didn¡¯t have any confidence she could cure him. Xiumei nced back at the brothers Zhao Hai and Zhao Xun in the room and wore a look of regret. After a while, Zhao Hai, who had settle his brother down, came out and asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Young Master, just tell me what medicine to buy, and I¡¯ll go get it now!¡± Zhao Hai believed that Wei Ruo could cure his brother¡¯s disease. Wei Ruo closed the door behind her, and then candidly told Zhao Hai, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t guarantee your brother¡¯s recovery. I can only dy the deterioration of his illnesses; I cannot save his life. You can seek help from other doctors.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to lie to Zhao Hai, and moreover, this kind of thing can¡¯t be concealed either, he was bound to find out sooner orter. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Zhao Hai¡¯srge body swayed, and despite hisrge beard blocking his face, Wei Ruo and Xiumei could clearly see his bbergasted and incredulous expression. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be. There must be a mistake. My brother just has lung disease, as long as he takes the correct medicine he will recover!¡± Zhao Hai emphasized. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know how tofort him, and could only look at him. ¡°Young Master, please check again, just to be sure, my brother¡¯s illness can be cured. You¡¯re the famous divine doctor from the public record of the government offices, surely you can cure him,¡± Zhao Hai begged again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve checked very carefully. If it were half a year ago, I could manage his illness, but it¡¯s be too difficult now,¡± Wei Ruo paused and then added, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just my medical skills that are insufficient, you should seek out other doctors, maybe someone else could cure him.¡± ¡°No, there must be some mistake!¡± Zhao Hai kept requesting. He had already had a hunch, Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t the first doctor he had sought out, and she wasn¡¯t the first person who said his brother had no hope. He just didn¡¯t want to admit or ept it. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t say anything more, at this moment,forting words were powerless. Wei Ruo left a prescription for Zhao Hai to help dy Zhao Xun¡¯s illness, and then she and Xiumei left. Chapter 318: Going to the Provincial City for Examination^ Chapter 318: Going to the Provincial City for Examination^ Anzhou Academy. After ss, students were heading to their residences. Wei Yichen was walking when he was stopped by Xiu Fengyuan. ¡°Brother Xiu, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°The matter concerning your elder sister is not of my own will,¡± said Xiu Fengyuan. ¡°What matter?¡± Wei Yichen looked puzzled at Xiu Fengyuan. ¡°My grandfather suddenly changed his mind and selected another woman for me to marry,¡± said Xiu Fengyuan. Upon hearing these words, Wei Yichen was slightly taken aback for two seconds, then he felt somewhat happy, as this issue seemed finally resolved: ¡°Brother Xiu, don¡¯t be upset, I¡¯m sure you can find a even better match in the future.¡± Yet, Xiu Fengyuan insisted, ¡°Brother Wei, you still don¡¯t understand me. To me, your elder sister is different. If I had not met her, I would have willinglyplied with my parents¡¯ arrangement and married someone they consider suitable. But now I have my own ideas.¡± Wei Yichen looked at Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s serious expression and felt a bit emotional. Wei Yichenforted him, saying, ¡°Brother Xiu, some things can¡¯t be forced. My elder sister is not interested in you, and now even your elders don¡¯t approve, I guess you two are really not meant to be. It might be better to let go.¡± Xiu Fengyuan looked downcast, ¡°Brother Wei, I won¡¯t give up so easily. I need to go home and ask my grandparents about this.¡± ¡°Brother Xiu, the provincial examination is approaching, you should prioritize your studies,¡± Wei Yichen advised. He hoped that Xiu Fengyuan would concentrate on his studies, thus slowly forgetting about his elder sister. When ites to the provincial examination, Xiu Fengyuan indeed calmed down a bit; he really shouldn¡¯t be disturbed by love affairs at this moment. ¡°I understand. I will tell my grandparents to dy the marriage discussions and wait until after I pass the examination.¡± Xiu Fengyuan made a decision on the spot. He didn¡¯t want to disturb Wei¡¯s eldest daughter right now, but he also wanted to prevent his family from arranging another marriage for him. Hearing Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s words, Wei Yichen was unsure whether to be happy or worried for a moment. But at least, for the short-term, his elder sister no longer needed to deal with the troubles of discussing marriage with the Xiu Family. ### On the 15th of July, Wei Yichen returned home. His trip was mainly for two things: one is to send off his father who was returning to the military camp after today. The second matter was about the provincial examination. The provincial examination required students to travel to the capital city, and many students, in order to better prepare for the examination, would move to the Capital City in advance to ensure nothing unexpected would affect their participation in the examination. Now, the students of Anzhou Academy have also started to leave for the Capital City one after another. Those from wealthier families, like Xiu Family, had already prepared a residence for Xiu Fengyuan in the Capital City. For those with less fortune, they would rent a quiet house in advance and have a servant apany them. Of course, there were also those who chose to stay at the inn. There are inns specifically for long-term rental to examinees; and the prices were rtively cheap while the environment was decent. Wei Yichen had returned home to discuss this matter with his parents. Knowing the situation at home, his father was an honest official and, as a result, their ie was meager. Plus, the family itself didn¡¯t have much extra ie, so he nned to stay at the inn like most students. After returning home, Wei Yichen, as always, first went to see Wei Mingting and Yun. Today was a rest day, but other members of the family were present, except for Wei Ruo. Wei Yichen wasn¡¯t surprised by this. Currently, the relief andnd remation activities in the Government City were in full swing, and his elder sister was extraordinarily busy. It was normal for her to not have any rest time. Wei Yichen mentioned his ns to stay at the inn in the Capital City to his parents and was met with dissent from Yun. ¡°This is uneptable, Yichen. You are the rightful son of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, it would be improper if you stay in the inn like ordinary students. It would damage your dignity,¡± Yun had her concerns. Although Duke Residence had declined, it had not yet lost its nobility status. Yun thought that nobility should retain its dignity. ¡°Mother, I believe we need to take into ount of the family¡¯s situation. In these times, we should save when we can. You have already donated your own money and pawned the rewards Father received for the relief andnd remation activities in the Government City. I can¡¯t put further financial burden on you,¡± said Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen and Yun had different views. He knew about the remation activities in the Government City. The Wei family had donated arge sum of money to notg behind other families. A portion of this money came from the grandparents in Capital City, and the rest was Yun¡¯s private savings and the money she got by pawning some of the family¡¯s rewards. ¡°No, even if our family is undergoing difficulties, we cannot skimp on the provincial examination. And the inn is also filled with all sorts of people, how could you study in peace?¡± asked Yun. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Most of the people staying in the inn are students from different parts of the province who areing to take the examination. Everyone focuses mainly on studying, and it is somewhat different from the usual bustling inns.¡± ¡°Even among students, there are good ones and bad ones. You mighte across some who are not decent and may cause trouble. I can¡¯t let you take that risk,¡± Yun still held her own view.¡± ¡°But Mother¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say more; I will find a good ce for you to stay ahead of time,¡± Yun dered. Then Yun looked at Wei Yichen earnestly and said, ¡°Yichen, the most important thing you need to do now is to concentrate on your studies and prepare for the provincial examination. Leave the amodation matter to me; trust that I can handle it well.¡± Since Yun insisted so much, Wei Yichen couldn¡¯t refuse anymore. ¡°Thank you, Mother, for taking the trouble. I apologize for causing you worries,¡± Wei Yichen said. ### At the hour of Xu, Wei Ruo returned to the Military Prefecture. At this time, most people in the family had already retired to rest. Unlike previous days, she was intercepted by Cuiping as soon as she entered the door today. From past experience, Wei Ruo clearly understood that seeing Cuiping at the door meant that Yun had summoned her. If Yun was waiting for her at thiste hour, it certainly meant that there was an important matter to discuss. Wei Ruo knew that talking to Cuiping wouldn¡¯t help, so she followed Cuiping to Cangyun Garden without wasting any words. Upon entering the room, Yun was waiting for Wei Ruo. At eye contact, both mother and daughter wore rather dull expressions. Wei Ruo¡¯s calm demeanor was as usual, but Yun¡¯s attitude towards Wei Ruo changed over time. Yun no longer had the enthusiasm and concern she manifested when she first met Wei Ruo. Now, she had stopped hoping to establish a close rtionship with her biological daughter. ¡°I called you here to discuss something about your older brother.¡± Yun said. ¡°What exactly is the matter?¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t beat around the bush, and asked directly. ¡°Your older brother is going to the Capital City for the exam and needs to rent a house,¡± Yun said. Chapter 319 - 319 Wei Qingwan Disappears ! Chapter 319: Wei Qingwan Disappears ! ¡°Doesn¡¯t mother need to consult me on this matter?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I¡¯m not consulting you, but I want you to do something for your older brother,¡± Mrs. Yun said decisively. ¡°You mean, you want me to pay off the rent for my elder brother¡¯s house in the provincial city?¡± Wei Ruo gave a slight smile. ¡°Yes.¡± Mrs. Yun said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel cheated, your grandparents have given you plenty of presents, your elder brother has treated you well, and this family has supported you as well. You should at least contribute something for this home.¡± Then Mrs. Yun added, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ask you for money if we didn¡¯tck savings. I promise you when the farm and shop profitse in this year, I¡¯ll return this money to you.¡± This time Mrs. Yun was both polite and sincere. Wei Ruo thought for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll lend the money, but on one condition.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± Mrs. Yun looked at Wei Ruo, suspicion shing in her eyes, instinctively feeling her daughter was about to make an unreasonable demand. ¡°I want to apany you when you go to the provincial city to rent a house,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been to the provincial city and would like to see it.¡± ¡°Do you have the time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting some free time starting from a few days.¡± The hardest part of running disaster relief efforts was the beginning. Once things were running smoothly, Wei Ruo¡¯s work eased up. After a month of hard work, Wei Ruo had sessfully gotten the whole operation running smoothly. So, even though she was still busy from dawn till dusk, most of her time was spent on her own affairs rather than disaster relief efforts. Not telling people at the Military Prefecture was also for convenience. ¡°I have no objection, as long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with your work, you can go,¡± Mrs. Yun said. ¡°Then, in two days, I¡¯ll go with you to the provincial city.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Mrs Yun agreed. This was probably the most straightforward and sessful conversation they had as mother and daughter. There was no argument or extra courtesies. It was more like a business negotiation than just everyday mother-daughter chat. ### Two dayster, Wei Ruo prepared her belongings and set off for the provincial city with Mrs. Yun. Mrs. Yun temporarily handed over tasks at home to Wei Qingwan. Wanwan had been helping her manage home affairs for a long time and was experienced, so she had no worries whatsoever. Wei Yichen stayed home all these days, unaware of the transaction between Mrs. Yun and Wei Ruo. All he knew was that his mother had gone to the provincial city with his elder sister to find him a ce to live. That evening, Wei Qingwan did not return home at the usual time. Feeling worried, Wei Yichen ordered a servant to check on her whereabouts at the Tongzhi Prefecture. However, Wei Qingwan had not returned by the time the servant came back. The servant had asked people at the Tongzhi Prefecture. Just like any normal day, all the youngdies, including Wei Qingwan, had left on time. This was strange. Wei Qingwan had left the Tongzhi Prefecture on time but hadn¡¯t arrived home at the Military Prefecture as expected. Furthermore, it was already dark, and knowing his sister so well, Wei Yichen was sure she wouldn¡¯t just stay out overnight. ¡°Get all the people who are free in the prefacture to go out and look for our second youngdy,¡± Wei Yichen immediately ordered. Then he personally left the house with his followers to search for her. Thanks to the sessful disaster relief efforts, there were virtually no refugees and victims left in the Government City, making it much safer than it was more than a month ago. Wei Yichen looked around and couldn¡¯t find Wei Qingwan. Instead, he found Wei Qingwan¡¯s maid, Cuihe, and the carriage Wei Qingwan usually travelled in. The carriage was parked in an alley, and Cuihe was standing timidly by the side of it. ¡°Where¡¯s Wanwan?¡± Wei Yichen rushed to Cuihe and asked. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± Cuihe shrank back, not daring to meet Wei Yichen¡¯s gaze. ¡°Speak!¡± Wei Yichen said sternly. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Elder young master, I don¡¯t know where the youngdy has gone¡­¡± Cuihe replied fearfully. ¡® ¡®Aren¡¯t you always with Wanwan? How could you not know where she has gone?¡± ¡°The second youngdy usually goes to the shop across the road to learn embroidery from the embroiderydy. She is only away for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. However, today, she didn¡¯te out even after quite some time. Out of anxiety, I went to inquire. The people in the shop said they didn¡¯t know,¡± Cuihe recounted shakily. Wei Qingwan was missing, and Cuihe was very scared. For a while, she didn¡¯t know what to do. She didn¡¯t dare to go back, fearing that Wei Qingwan might not find her if she returned. So, she waited by the carriage until evening. ¡°Is that the embroidery shop?¡± Wei Yichen pointed at a shop and asked. Cuihe nodded ferociously. The shop was closed by this time. Wei Yichen, along with his guards, forcibly broke the door down. The shopkeeper looked terrified. ¡°Sir, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°My sister disappeared in your shop, and you¡¯re asking me what happened?¡± ¡°Forgive me, sir, but I honestly don¡¯t know where your sister went.¡± ¡°My sisteres to your shop every day to learn embroidery from one of your seamstresses. Are you telling me that you have no idea?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, sir! A young man rented the room behind my shop by giving me some silver. The youngdy woulde every day to meet this young man in that room- there wasn¡¯t any seamstress present,¡± the shopkeeper eximed innocently. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? What utter nonsense! If you continue to make such false usations about my sister, I¡¯ll have you brought before an officer!¡± Wei Yichen was enraged. Such nonsensical behaviour wasn¡¯t something his sister, Wanwan, could be expected to do; the shopkeeper must be mad! ¡°I¡¯m not making things up! All I said is true! If you don¡¯t believe me, Sir, you can inquire in the nearby shops. I sell ready-made things in my shop and I¡¯ve never hired any seamstress!¡± The shopkeeper tried to defend himself. ¡°All I want from you are your excuses. I want you to produce my sister right now!¡± Wei Yichen shouted angrily. ¡°I truly am clueless about this, Sir. After the youngdy entered the room, not long after, there were rumbling sounds. I felt something was wrong. When I went in to have a look with my assistant, there was no one there. The room, however, was inplete chaos. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can take you there, Sir. The room hasn¡¯t even been cleaned up yet!¡± The shopkeeper exined. The shopkeeper, too, was tremendously scared at the moment, not knowing what had transpired. He had originally thought that young people were merely using his venue to express their emotions to each other, but he never expected to face this issue. Wei Yichen brushed past the shopkeeper, leading his people into the shop. The room was located at the back of the shop. Upon entering, they found the room in a disarray, as though a fight had broken out. The tables and chairs were toppled over. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The room¡¯s window was open, leading directly to a small alley outside. It seemed as though someone had escaped through the window. This sight sent Wei Yichen¡¯s heart racing and terrifying thoughts crossed his mind. Chapter 320: Deceived by the Trusted Chapter 320: Deceived by the Trusted Sister_i ¡°Young Master, should we report to the authorities?¡± The attendant nervously asked Wei Yichen. Judging by the situation, it is feared that misfortune has befallen the second Miss. No. Tell all those who came out of the mansion to search that the second Miss has been found. She was dyed on a detour to a friend¡¯s house, so they can stop searching and return home to rest. Then you take the faithful guards under the family¡¯s employ and follow me out,¡± Wei Yichen hurriedly ordered. Although he was worried, Wei Yichen was still thinking clearly. If he reported to the authorities at this point, even if his sister could be saved, her reputation would be damaged. Therefore, he not only could not report to the officials but also could not raise a hue and cry. He must handle this matter with care, not only rescuing his sister but also protecting her reputation as much as possible. Wei Yichen then called over the shopkeeper and sternly warned him not to leak a word about the incident or he will be held ountable. The shopkeeper, not wanting to attract trouble, initially kept quiet about the incident. Now, seeing Wei Yichen¡¯s grandeur, he realized that Wei Yichen came from a powerful background and dared not cross him. Military families like his were not to be trifled with bymon merchants like himself, so he readily agreed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om An hourter, Wei Yichen¡¯s attendant returned with five loyal guards. Then, along with Wei Yichen¡¯s personal attendant, a total of six people followed Wei Yichen, tracing the clues left by the kidnappers, starting their hunt for Wei Qingwan. ### In a dark little hut, Wei Qingwan woke up from unconsciousness. Instinctively stretching her arms and legs, she discovered that she was bound hand and foot. The pain she immediately felt woke her fully. Wei Qingwan looked around to find herself in a small, damp, mud hut. It was pitch dark, with a tiny window at the top of one of the walls letting in some moonlight. The ground beneath was wet and cold, and even though it was July, there was an out-of-season chill in the room. There was straw on the floor, but due to dampness, it could not ward off the chill rising from the ground. Terrified, Wei Qingwan instinctively curled up and couldn¡¯t help but whimper. ¡°Stop crying, it¡¯s useless.¡± A familiar man¡¯s voice came from her side, Wei Qingwan quickly turned her head and under the dim moonlight, saw the man she had been yearning for¡­ ¡°Master Qi, who are they exactly, and why have they brought us here?¡± Wei Qingwan asked anxiously. She had, as usual, entered that room, just met Master Qi when a group of people burst in through the window, and took both of them away. During the struggle, she felt a sharp pain at the base of her neck, and then she lost consciousness. Never having experienced such a situation, Wei Qingwan was overtaken by panic and confusion. ¡°Hmm, the only person who¡¯d dare to touch me in Taizhou prefecture now is probably him,¡± Qi Zhen snorts. ¡°Master Qi, who are you talking about?¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t understand. ¡°You¡¯re better off not knowing. Otherwise, you may have an even harder time.¡± The word ¡®harder¡¯ hit Wei Qingwan like a hammer, she felt a chill run down her spine, freezing her blood. She asked Qi Zhen in rm, ¡°Master Qi, are you saying we¡¯re going to die here?¡± Qi Zhen looked at Wei Qingwan, the moonlight hitting her face, illuminating her tearfilled eyes. This woman is really beautiful and capable of stirring a man¡¯s protective instinct, this was why he fell in love at first sight. He¡¯s always been fond of beautiful women. He has seen many beauties in the Capital City, but this is the first time he has ever met such stunning beauty, hence he repeatedly met with her in secret. However, his lust ultimately led to disaster, giving the adversary a chance, resulting in the present situation. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. If I have been kidnapped, my people should be on their way here quickly. The forces of that person here are weak, there won¡¯t be many guards. My people will take care of it,¡± Qi Zhen assured her. ¡°Will the person who kidnapped us kill us before your people arrive?¡± Wei Qingwan asked anxiously. ¡°He probably won¡¯t. His ultimate goal isn¡¯t me, so he surely wants to keep me alive ¨C preferably to take me to the Capital City to bring charges. He wouldn¡¯t kill me so soon,¡± Qi Zhen responded with confidence. Qi Zhen then tried tofort Wei Qingwan, ¡°Don¡¯t cry now. You crying makes my heart ache. It¡¯s my fault that you¡¯re caught up in this, I¡¯ll make it up to you once we¡¯re out of danger.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip and shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t me you, Master Qi. I¡¯m worried about you. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡± ¡°Rest assured, if I die in Taizhou prefecture, the whole prefecture will go down with me.¡± Qi Zhen¡¯s voice was full of confidence. Wei Qingwan finally felt a bit more at ease and asked, ¡°Master Qi, are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, just some superficial wounds, nothing serious.¡± Then, Qi Zhen moved closer to Wei Qingwan, ¡°I¡¯ll move closer to you, it¡¯ll be warmer for you.¡± Wei Qingwan nodded slightly and slowly leaned her head on Qi Zhen¡¯s body. Qi Zhen, at the sight of the beauty beside him, felt that even though they were m such a dire situation, having a beautiful woman by his side made it all worthwhile. ### In the middle of the night, a disturbance sounded outside. Qi Zhen immediately woke up and looked expectantly at the door. After a while, the door was opened, but it was not the person he expected toe and save him. A man, likewise bound hand and foot, was roughly thrown in. Due to the dim light, Qi Zhen couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face clearly, not until Wei Qingwan who was next to him called out to the man. ¡°Big brother?¡± Hearing her voice, Wei Yichen, who had fallen to the ground, slowly raised his head and struggled to change his position. Having switched to a sitting position, Wei Yichen looked at the man and woman before him. He didn¡¯t know the man, but he had caught a glimpse of him on the back mountain of Anzhou Academy; But he was all too familiar with the woman, his beloved, treasured sister Wei Qingwan. In that moment, Wei Yichen felt as if he¡¯d been dealt a heavy blow to his heart that made him forget the pain in his body. After exchanging nces, Wei Qingwan guiltily lowered her head, unable to meet Wei Yichen¡¯s gaze. Qi Zhen, too, after hearing Wei Qingwan, confirmed the man¡¯s identity. It turned out he was the legitimate eldest son of Wei Mingting, the Deputy Guard Commander of the Anti-Japanese Army in Taizhou prefecture. He apparently came after hearing about his sister¡¯s disappearance. ¡°You seem to be quite capable, finding this ce before my people did,¡± Qi Zhenmented on Wei Yichen. Chapter 321: Leaving Older Brother Behind to Escape Alone_l Chapter 321: Leaving Older Brother Behind to Escape Alone_l The Wei Family was indeed a martial general family. Although their eldest son didn¡¯t excel in martial arts, he had inherited his father, Wei Mingting¡¯s keen observation and insight. If not, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to quickly locate their ce of captivity. Unfortunately, the young master Wei was too overconfident, not anticipating the kind of enemy he was facing, which led to them all bing prisoners together. However, it wasn¡¯t his fault. The Wei Family¡¯s sons in Taizhou prefecture couldn¡¯t even dream of how vast the force involved in this kidnapping was. At this moment, Wei Yichen had no interest in hearing any praise for himself. What he wanted to know now was why the innocent Wanwan would be in such a close rtionship with a man. ¡°Wanwan, tell your brother, what the hell is going on? Why are you so intimate with this man?¡± In this moment, Wei Qingwan and Qi Zhen were still closely pressed together, their close rtionship was self-evident. Realising this, Wei Qingwan quickly distanced herself from Qi Zhen and tried to exin, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be angry, I was just cold, and to keep warm, I had to stay close to Master Qi¡­¡± ¡°So, the woman I saw secretly meeting with this man on the back hill of Anzhou Academy is you! And you lied to me that you had never been to Anzhou Academy!¡± Wei Yichen used again. Wei Qingwan bit her lip, this time she couldn¡¯t defend herself. That day, she indeed went out, because the Tongzhi Prefecture¡¯s gentleman had to leave on business, giving everyone half a day off. So she used learning embroidery with the embroiderer as an excuse to go out with Master Qi. Wei Qingwan¡¯s silence shattered thest bit of hope in Wei Yichen¡¯s heart. Previously, no matter what the shop owner said, no matter how some signs pointed out the problem, Wei Yichen was reluctant to believe that his sister, whom he had watched grow up, would behave so inappropriately. ¡°How can you do something so shameless?¡± Wei Yichen was furious, not just at Wei Qingwan¡¯s inappropriate actions, but also at her deception towards him. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be angry. Master Qi and I love each other, and we have acted within propriety and never done anything inappropriate!¡± Wei Qingwan hurriedly exined to Wei Yichen. ¡°You thinkyour actions are not overstepping bounds?! Is this how our family taught you?! After all these years of reading, have you learned to be as frivolous as a harlot?!¡± Wei Yichen was heartbroken. ¡°Brother, I really didn¡¯t do anything inappropriate! Master Qi is a gentleman. Nothing more happened between us. We just genuinely admire each other. Brother, you must believe me!¡± Wei Qingwan strenuously defended herself. Wei Yichen didn¡¯t want to hear any more of Wei Qingwan¡¯s excuses, he painfully closed his eyes, wishing he could close his ears as well. Seeing Wei Yichen¡¯s reaction, Wei Qingwan became scared and upset, and couldn¡¯t help but start crying again. Qi Zhen quietly watched from the sidelines, not expressing any opinions on the sibling disagreement. Just then, there was anothermotion outside, bigger than before. After a while, the room¡¯s door opened again. A few in-clothed men came in with torches, instantly illuminating the small room. ¡°Master!¡± The men bowed to Qi Zhen. Then they went up to untie Qi Zhen. ¡°How are things outside?¡± Qi Zhen asked. The fighting outside hadn¡¯t stopped yet. ¡°Master, the enemy is strong, and we can¡¯t take them down in a short time. We are afraid that they will get reinforcements, so we chose to break through and rescue you first. Please leave with us as soon as possible.¡± Qi Zhen nodded, then ordered them to untie Wei Qingwan next to him. After gaining her freedom, Wei Qingwan wanted to go and untie Wei Yichen, but was stopped by Qi Zhen. ¡°If you save him, you won¡¯t make it. He already knows about your affair. If he spreads it, you won¡¯t have a ce in the world.¡± Qi Zhen reminded Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan froze. Qi Zhen continued to remind Wei Qingwan, ¡°Think about it, even if we talk about marriage in the future, if the news about our secret meeting gets out, my family will not agree to our marriage either.¡± ¡°But¡­ he¡¯s my brother, he probably wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s voice trailed off, then she nced at Wei Yichen. At this moment, Wei Yichen had already opened his eyes, meeting Wei Qingwan¡¯s gaze. ¡°Just by you saying this proves that you¡¯re not sure whether he¡¯ll speak or not. Look at his state now, it¡¯s uncertain whether he can forgive your deception, how can you ensure he will keep your secret? Are you nning to bet your future and life that he would? Once the news gets out, have you thought about the consequences you¡¯d be facing?¡± Wei Qingwan turned pale. She wasn¡¯t the Wei Family¡¯s biological daughter. If this incident were to happen, she would be thrown out by the Wei Family! Without her status, without her reputation, awaiting her would only be a dead-end! No! Not possible! She didn¡¯t want to die! She didn¡¯t want to be thrown out of the house either! ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Qi Zhen urged. ¡°But¡­¡± Wei Qingwan was hesitant, ncing at Qi Zhen and then at Wei Yichen. Seeing that Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t make a decision, Qi Zhen grabbed her hand and left. Wei Qingwan kept looking back every other step, her gaze unwilling to leave Wei Yichen and indicating her hesitation. Yet, her feet kept up with Qi Zhen¡¯s pace, step by step moving away from their prison¡­ Wei Yichen watched Wei Qingwan leave helplessly, his eyes followed the light in the room gradually faded, returning to its original darkness, and watched the door close again. He neither protested loudly nor called for help. He calmly watched the sister he had trusted and doted on leave him behind to escape. After a long time, Wei Yichen suddenly startedughing. Initially, it was a lowugh, then it gradually grew louder, until finally, it became a chillingugh¡­ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Some timeter, themotion outside stopped. Someone again entered Wei Yichen¡¯s cell and seemed surprised to find one person still left. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to leave one behind, but I guess he¡¯s useless. Oh well, better report to the master first, see if there¡¯s any need to spare this man¡¯s life.¡± Wei Yichen didn¡¯t know who the ¡®master¡¯ was, and he didn¡¯t know what kind of dispute he had been caught up in either. These questions didn¡¯t seem that important to him right now. He knew he could very possibly die, a high chance he couldn¡¯t get out of this cell alive. Leaning against the mud-covered wall, he gazed at the only small window, feeling a chill that seemed out of ce for July. The coldness of the cell was less prating than the coldness brought about by his sister¡¯s betrayal, whom he had trusted and grown up with since childhood. Chapter 322: 322 Chapter 322: 322 It had been three days since Wei Ruo and Lady Yun returned to the Military Prefecture. The two of them didn¡¯t notice anything unusual upon their return, not until Jing Hu reported to Lady Yun that Wei Yichen hadn¡¯ t returned home for three days. Lady Yun¡¯s face changed drastically. She immediately summoned everyone in the household to Cangyun Garden to inquire about the situation. Besides Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan, there were also Guard Jing Hu, two house managers ¨C grandmother Li and grandmother Zhang, and the kitchen maid. Wei Ruo, grandmother Zhang, and Cuiping had been in town with Lady Yun during these days, so naturally they knew nothing about the situation. Lady Yun first confirmed with Guard Jing Hu and the servants in the house that Wei Yichen indeed hadn¡¯t appeared at home these past few days. Upon confirmation, Lady Yun¡¯s face visibly paled. ¡°Madam¡­¡± Cuiping stepped forward, worried. Lady Yun raised her hand to stop Cuiping¡¯s movement. She needed to rify this matter first; her son Yichen must be safe! Next, Lady Yun turned her gaze to Wei Qingwan: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you report to the officers when your elder brother didn¡¯te back for several days?¡± A hint of panic shed in Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes, but she quickly lowered her head and replied: ¡°Wasn¡¯t my elder brother supposed to go back to his school? ¡°Your elder brother wasn¡¯t nning to go back to his school recently. He was supposed to stay at home and wait for my news,¡± Lady Yun said. ¡°I had no idea. These past few days, I had been attending sses at Tongzhi Prefecture and was unaware of my elder brother¡¯s schedule. I had not heard any mention of him nning to go to town instead of returning to school,¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°However, Jing Hu just informed me that the day your elder brother disappeared was the day he went out to look for you! Afterwards, he, along with those who went looking for you, vanished! Could this have anything to do with you?¡± As she spoke, Lady Yun¡¯s body and voice were trembling. Wei Qingwan exined: ¡°That day, on my way home, I took a detour to a ssmate¡¯s house and got homete. But my elder brother already knew I was home. It was he who informed the house staff to call off the search for me.¡± Lady Yun asked the household staff, and they confirmed her exnation. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. That day, just after the hour of Chen, the young master sent Xiaonan to notify us. He said the second miss was found, and she was just taking a detour to drop off a ssmate. There wasn¡¯t any problem, so he told everyone to go back and rest. Only then did we servants return to the house.¡± ¡°If the person was found, why is Yichen still missing?¡± Lady Yun didn¡¯t understand. Wei Qingwan¡¯s tears fell as she knelt on the ground with a thud. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I should have rified what happened! I didn¡¯t even know my elder brother has been missing for three days, it¡¯s my fault!¡± Wei Qingwan apologized repeatedly, taking the me onto herself. ¡°Enough, if you didn¡¯t know about this, I don¡¯t have anything to me you for.¡± Lady Yun waved her hand, then signaled grandmother Li to help Wei Qingwan up. Wei Ruo watched Wei Qingwan from the side ¨C something told her that the matter wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed. Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t appear to be as innocent and ignorant as she was pretending to be. But she couldn¡¯t pin down where exactly the problemy. After questioning the servants, Lady Yun didn¡¯t gather any useful information, so she immediately arranged for a messenger to report to the government office. She also instructed Jing Hu to take a letter to her husband at the military camp. Lady Yun wouldn¡¯t normally bother her husband with household management, but since such a significant event had urred, she didn¡¯t know what to do. Next, Lady Yun turned to Wei Ruo and asked her subconsciously, ¡°Ruo, do you have any good ideas?¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s call everyone who went to look for the person that day and ask them one by one. Some useful clues might be found from them.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ording to Jing Hu, everyone in the house had initially gone out to look, butter Wei Yichen said the person had been found and asked everyone to return home, leaving only six guards, who have a death pact with the Wei family, by his side. Now that Wei Yichen and those six guards were nowhere to be found, all they could do was to search for clues among the guards who had returned home. ¡°Very well, Ruo, you handle this.¡± Lady Yun immediately handed the matter over to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo did not refuse, because she also wanted to know what Wei Qingwan was hiding from them. Hence, Wei Ruo called each of the household staff who had gone out to search for Wei Qingwan to her own residence, one by one, to inquire about what had transpired three days prior. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After much questioning, no useful information was obtained. ¡°Isn¡¯t there one more person who didn¡¯te?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Which person is Miss referring to?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Wei Qingwan¡¯s personal maid, Cuihe.¡± ¡°Oh right, she didn¡¯te.¡± Xiumei came to a sudden realization. ¡°Ask Grandmother Zhang to find Cuihe and bring her here. I want to see her. Wei Ruo wanted to meet with Cuihe. ¡°Okay.¡± Xiumei immediately went to find grandmother Zhang and nned to go together to Wangmei Garden. However, it didn¡¯t take long for Xiumei and Zhang to return. ¡°Miss, Cuihe took leave. She said she caught a cold from the evening breeze that night she returnedte,¡± Xiumei ryed the news. ¡°Isn¡¯t she a child of the house? Even if she¡¯s sick, she should be resting in the house since her parents, grandmother Li, are already here, right? ¡°Grandmother Li said she was afraid it would spread to the others in the house as she suspected it was a cold. So, she sent her to the manor. I thought this excuse was suspicious, too, but I couldn¡¯t figure out what the problem was,¡± Xiumei said. Then Xiumei asked, ¡°Miss, shall I make a trip to the manor and see if she¡¯s really sick. If she isn¡¯t, I can bring her here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing it will be difficult. Grandmother Li, Cuihe, and Wei Qingwan seem to be on the same team. Given the time taken to arrange Cuihe to the manor and with several days passed, they¡¯ve likely already prepared their statements.¡± Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t very hopeful. ¡°What should we do then? I clearly feel that the second miss is hiding something, but we can¡¯t find any clues,¡± Xiumei fretted. Even though the rtionship between the eldest son and their misses wasn¡¯t good, it still didn¡¯t sit right with her if Wei Qingwan managed to wriggle out of this situation. At this point, a maid from the front courtyard came to report that grandmother Qin was visiting. What was the purpose of grandmother Qin¡¯s visit to Wei Ruo at this time? ¡°Let here in.¡± No matter whether this was about the remation disaster relief or not, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t ignore grandmother Qin, as nobody in the Military Prefecture dared to keep Prince Seven¡¯s people out of their doors. Shortly after, grandmother Qin entered Tingsong Garden. ¡°Miss.¡± ¡°Has there been any problem with the remation and disaster relief n? Wei Ruo asked. ¡°No Miss, please don¡¯t worry. The n Miss has formted is veryprehensive. Everything is happening exactly as Miss expected, and there are no issues.¡± ¡°Then, the purpose of grandmother¡¯s visit today is¡­? ¡°My master, Prince Seven, has something he would like to discuss with Miss. He specifically sent me to invite Miss.¡± Wei Ruo frowned upon hearing that, instinctively feeling repelled by contact with Chu Lan. She had beenmunicating with grandmother Qin about the remation and disaster relief efforts during this period, without having to see Chu Lan. So, her feelings of aversion had somewhat subsided. Wei Ruo was still pondering when grandmother Qin spoke again, ¡°Miss, my master said he has a gift to give to Miss. Miss will like it.¡± Chapter 323:1 Can Tell Him Where It Is_l Chapter 323:1 Can Tell Him Where It Is_l A gift? What kind of gift could Chu Lan prepare for me? If he wanted to bestow rewards, he could simply send them over. Why all this mystery? Besides, he¡¯s a prince, and I¡¯m a maiden yet to leave my boudoir. It¡¯s inappropriate for him to privately summon me. Despite her suspicions, Wei Ruo had no choice but to agree. Chu Lan¡¯s invitation had left her no room to refuse. ¡°Then I will have to trouble Nanny Qin to lead the way,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Mydy, there¡¯s no need for formalities. Please, follow me.¡± Nanny Qin replied. Wei Ruo, apanied by Xiumei, got into the carriage sent by Chu Lan, following Nanny Qin¡¯s lead. The carriage took Wei Ruo to the Yusheng Tea House. Afterward, in thepany of Nanny Qin, they entered a tea room. Inside the tea room, there was only Chu Lan. He wore a dark green brocade robe adorned with circr patterns, his hair held up with a jade crown. Sitting leisurely by a window-side tea table, he appeared to be immersed in savoring his tea. Outside, theke stretched out to meet the sky, with the East Lake sparkling as the mild breeze drifted into the room, rustling the green nts on the tea table. The scenery was beautiful. If it were in front of the original Wei Qingruo, she would be entranced. Unfortunately, to Wei Ruo, it looked like a jackal had spoiled this moment of beauty. ¡ö¡öMy humble self pays respects to Your Highness,¡± Wei Ruo greeted Chu Lan. Before Chu Lan revealed his true identity, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t need to show this kind of deference whenever she saw him. But ever since he formally came to Taizhou Prefecture in his officially disclosed capacity as the Military Governor, she could no longer pretend not to know who he was when she saw him. ¡°Miss Wei, please, have a seat,¡± Chu Lan offered after ncing at Wei Ruo, inviting her to take a seat opposite him. Wei Ruo knew she couldn¡¯t refuse, so she walked over generously and sat down. Thest time she sat with Chu Lan drinking tea, he was still under the guise of Xu Heyou, and there was a third party present. This was the first time she was sitting with Chu Lan as Wei Ruo, the Wei family¡¯s legitimate daughter, and they were the only two people in the tea room. ¡°When I was in Xingshan Countyst time, I didn¡¯t tell Miss Wei my true identity. I hope you¡¯re not upset,¡± said Chu Lan. ¡°I dare not.¡± Wei Ruo replied, intentionally avoiding eye contact with Chu Lan. Inwardly, Wei Ruo thought: if there¡¯s anything to be upset about, it would be the fact that you ¨C the original story¡¯s love interest ¨C didn¡¯t disclose your true identity. There¡¯s so much more about you that I could be upset about. ¡°I have heard from Nanny Qin that Miss Wei is bold and spirited, not inferior to a man. Yet, you seem timid around me. Why is that?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°I am fearful, Your Highness. You are of noble birth, and I am but amoner. It is only natural for me to feel intimidated in your presence,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Chu Lanughed, ¡°Fair enough. Regardless, your intelligence and brilliance are admirable, Miss Wei. Thanks to you, Taizhou Prefecture has best managed the migrant crisis among all seats of power in Zhejiang Province.¡± ¡°I cannot im sole credit for this. Your Highness and the Commandery Princess have demonstrated understanding and empathy towards themon people. The Government Office loves its people as if they were its children. It is a collective contribution of everyone working towards the same goal,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°In gratitude, I have a gift I wish to present to you,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°I am honored to have been of service to Your Highness. I don¡¯t seek reward and cannot ept your gift,¡± Wei Ruo replied. If you really wanted to give me something, you could have simply gifted me a pile of gold. Why go to such lengths, unless you don¡¯t really want to give me anything? n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°No, this gift might be something you need. It has to do with your elder brother¡¯s whereabouts,¡± Chu Lan said. Listening to this, Wei Ruo was taken aback, then asked, ¡°Does Your Highness know where my elder brother is now?¡± ¡°Not only do I know his whereabouts, I also know what has taken ce during this period,¡± Chu Lan answered assertively. As he spoke, Chu Lan observed Wei Ruo¡¯s expressions with apparent interest. But Wei Ruo kept her facial expressions well under control. ¡°I thank Your Highness then. My family has been worried about finding my brother¡¯s whereabouts,¡± Wei Ruomented. ¡°Does not Miss Wei wish to hear about what happened?¡± Chu Lan gazed intriguingly at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo did not know what Chu Lan was plotting. She only felt like a prey eyed by a predator, filling her with difort. ¡°I dare not pry. If Your Highness is willing to share, I would be most grateful, Wei Ruo said, her response perfectly suiting the persona of a cautious and modestdy from a noble family. ¡°Is Miss Wei familiar with the Qi Family from Capital City? Chu Lan started to unravel the mystery but posed a question seemingly unrted to their discussion so far. ¡°I have heard a little of them,¡± Wei Ruo answered. The di Family was the maternal family of the sixth prince¡¯s mother, Consort Qi. The current head of the family was the sixth prince¡¯s uncle, Qi Yansong, who also served as the Chief Minister in the imperial court. This revealed the power and status the Qi Family held currently. Even if Wei Ruo did not concern herself with court politics, she would still have heard of such a prominent family. Moreover, having known the original plot, she naturally had knowledge of the rival to the main character in the story. ¡°Chief Minister Qi has three sons. His eldest son died at a young age, and his second son perished in the war against Japan¡¯s pirates, leaving only his youngest son, Qi Zhen. Qi Zhen is known in the capital for his hedonistic lifestyle, particrly his love for beautiful women and mingling in pleasure quarters,¡± Chu Lan exined. ¡°I have heard tell of some of this,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Wei Ruo was unsure why Chu Lan suddenly mentioned the Qi family; although they were the rising nobility in the court, the Wei family held no power or influence, and the two families had little interaction with one another. ¡°This Young Master Qi, although hedonistic, is also quitepetent in undertaking tasks alongside his father and cousin. I¡¯ve heard that he has recently arrived in Taizhou Prefecture,¡± Chu Lan continued. Qi Zhen is in Taizhou Prefecture? He must havee for Chu Lan, right? But how does that rte to the Wei family? Wei Ruo felt a momentary sense of dread. Qi Zhen is well known for chasing after beauty; could it be¡­? ¡°What business does Qi Zhen have in Taizhou Prefecture?¡± Wei Ruo asked along the line of Chu Lan¡¯s previous statement. ¡°I¡¯m not certain of the Young Master Qi¡¯s purpose here. Nevertheless, his notorious fondness for pretty faces led him to be infatuated with a certain beauty in Taizhou Prefecture. When ites to beautiful women in Taizhou Prefecture, the Wei sisters certainlye to mind, particrly your younger sister, whose beauty ispared to a water lily and a shy moon,¡± Chu Lan said. Chu Lan¡¯s words confirmed the dreadful suspicion that had shed through Wei Ruo¡¯s mind. Wei Ruo could not help but find the scene somewhatical as Chu Lanmented on Qi Zhen¡¯s fascination with Wei Qingwan. One must understand that ording to the original plot, the person who would have been smitten by Wei Qingwan during a visit to Taizhou Prefecture would have been Chu Lan, not Qi Zhen. ¡°Miss Wei, you are intelligent, and so I¡¯m sure you understand my meaning,¡± Chu Lan said. -So you¡¯re implying that my sister has been in contact with Qi Zhen?¡± Wei Ruo asked. -I would say the rtionship between your sister and Qi Zhen might be much more intimate than you think,¡± Chu Lan continued, picking up his tea, observing her reaction from the corner of his eye.. Chapter 324 - 324 Very Satisfied with Her l Chapter 324: Very Satisfied with Her l ¡°I really didn¡¯t know about this,¡± Wei Ruo replied, her voice and expression rtively calm. ¡°Miss Wei doesn¡¯t seem very surprised.¡± ¡°My rtionship with my sister isn¡¯t very tight, and I don¡¯t understand her temperament too well. Probably because I don¡¯t know her and had no expectations, I¡¯m not surprised,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Having set the stage, Chu Lan finally got to the point: ¡°Three days ago, the young master of the Qi family and the second young miss of the Wei family were taken captive during their secret meeting. The eldest son of the Wei family discovered it and disappeared while investigating the matter.¡± That night, the underlings of the young master of the Qi Family located where the captives were being held. They managed to rescue the young master of the Qi family and the second young miss of the Wei family, but the eldest son of the Wei family was left behind.¡± Chu Lan described the events very simply, glossing over all the details. After hearing Chu Lan¡¯s description, Wei Ruo understood the ins and outs of the matter. Wei Qingwan, infatuated with love, had a secret rendezvous, but got involved in the struggle between the sixth and seventh princes. Now she¡¯s safe, but it has resulted in Wei Yichen being held captive. The chronological events were clear, but there was one crucial factor Chu Lan hadn¡¯t mentioned: who was the captor? After much thought, Wei Ruo believed the most likely person could either be Chu Lan himself or someone associated with him. First, very few people in Taizhou prefecture would have the guts and capability to kidnap the Qi family¡¯s son. Second, if Chu Lan wasn¡¯t involved, why would he understand every detail of the incident so clearly? He even knew the minor detail that the Qi family¡¯s servants only managed to rescue Qi Zhen and Wei Qingwan, leaving Wei Yichen behind. However, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t confirm this with Chu Lan. If she asked and got a negative answer, she might not believe it. If she asked and got an affirmative answer, that would be problematic for herself. It wasn¡¯t something a mere Wei family girl should know. The matter concerned pce fights, impacted the struggle for the throne between the sixth and seventh prince. She was sure that the less she knew, the safer it was. At this thought, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but curse Wei Qingwan in her heart. Why did her spring-time thoughts have to involve the entire Wei family in trouble? Getting the Wei family involved in the struggle for the throne was involving her too, having the status as the Wei family¡¯s legitimate eldest daughter, she could not avoid the troubles. Wei Ruo did not wish for the Wei Family to reach great heights, but she could not let the Wei family be implicated too. If an extermination sentence was enacted on the family, even if she married and moved far away, she would have to go to her death too! After thinking it through, Wei Ruo said to Chu Lan: ¡°Thank you for informing me of the situation. I wonder where my elder brother is now and whether there is still time to rescue him?¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Lan revealed a satisfied smile: ¡°Although Miss Wei is a bit timid when facing me, her thoughts are clear and she remains calm in the face of changes. Admirable.¡± ¡°Your highness is too kind. At this time, it will do no good for me to panic. Only by remaining calm can I fight for a chance to save my elder brother,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Chu Lan said, ¡°The reason I chose to inform Miss Wei about the whereabouts of the eldest son of the Wei family is because I believe that you are more capable of handling this matter than others in the Duke Residence. Will you let me down?¡± Wei Ruo was slightly stunned, then she understood Chu Lan¡¯s intentions. ording to her previous guess, the person behind the kidnapping was Chu Lan or someone rted to him. Therefore, there was no use for the kidnappers to keep Wei Yichen now. However, releasing Wei Yichen was not that simple since the Wei family had already reported the case to the authorities, which mightter alert the Anti-Japanese Army of Taizhou prefecture. Although the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence was currently weak in power, Wei Mingting¡¯s influence in the Anti-Japanese Army within Taizhou prefecture was not negligible. Wei Yichen¡¯s disappearance could stir up waves within Taizhou prefecture. Naturally, Chu Lan would not want the situation to escte. So, he needed a proper way to handle the situation and she was the one he had chosen to help him wrap it up. After figuring this out, Wei Ruo replied: ¡°Thank you for your esteem, your Highness. However, the kidnappers are dangerous, once their identity is confirmed, I dare to ask your Highness to lend me some men to help with the rescue.¡± Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s reply, a satisfied smile appeared on Chu Lan¡¯s face again: ¡°No problem, I will have people apany you.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s reply showed that she had understood Chu Lan¡¯s intentions and the oue he wanted. Therefore, Chu Lan was satisfied with Wei Ruo. Honestly, at first he really didn¡¯t pay much attention to the eldest daughter of the Wei family. However, after several exchanges, he found that this woman possessed wisdom and restraint, traits notmonly found in ordinary girls. ### After leaving the Yusheng Tea House, Wei Ruo returned to the Military Prefecture and called for all avable bodies from the Military Prefecture. ¡°Ruoruo, what are you doing?¡± Madam Yun hurriedly asked. ¡°I have a clue about my elder brother¡¯s whereabouts. Now I¡¯m preparing to bring people to search for him,¡± Wei Ruo answered. As Wei Ruo answered Madam Yun, her eyes fell on Wei Qingwan who stood next to Madam Yun. As expected, Wei Ruo saw Wei Qingwan nervously purse her lips, then lowered her head even further, appearing a bit jittery. Wei Ruo turned her gaze back to Madam Yun, ¡°Is mother still considering it? The situation is urgent.¡± ¡°No, no. If you have a clue then go and find him quickly! Take whoever you can from the residence! We must bring your older brother back safely!¡± Madam Yun said anxiously. Right now, her only thought was to bring her son back safely ¨C it didn¡¯t matter who, as long as her son was brought back safe and sound! At this time, Wei Yilin also ran over and grabbed Wei Ruo¡¯s arm. ¡°I want to go with you!¡± Wei Yilin said resolutely. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Madam Yun was unable to hide her emotions and thus Wei Yilin was not fooled Upon hearing the news of his older brother¡¯s disappearance, he had been anxiously waiting for news in his Cangyun Garden. He wanted to go out and search, but Madam Yun disagreed, making him feel helpless. Wei Ruo looked down at Wei Yilin and didn¡¯t respond immediately. ¡°Sis, take me with you!¡± Wei Yilin twisted his little eyebrows into a frown, his tone desperate and pleading. ¡°You must listen to me while we¡¯re outside. No running around or acting on your own,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Yilin nodded his head firmly: ¡°I will listen to you as subordinates listen to Father!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Wei Ruo agreed to let Wei Yilin go with her. Madam Yun did not object. Her younger son was much more obedient and sensible now, and his martial arts skills had improved considerably. He should be safe with his elder sister and escorted by the guards of the residence. The only person who was anxious was Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingruo said she had information about her elder brother¡¯s whereabouts, but she didn¡¯t know if it was true. Young Master Qi had said that the people who captured them were very powerful. The people of Taizhou Prefecture couldn¡¯t handle them, so she told her not to worry about her elder brother being found.. Chapter 325: Rescue_l Chapter 325: Rescue_l She trusted Master Qi, but Wei Qingruo¡¯s attitude suggested he wasn¡¯t making empty ims. For some unknown reason, her feeling of unease kept growing, preventing her from sitting still. Wei Ruo set out with Wei Yilin and the guards of the residence. Jing Hu, who normally stayed inside the mansion and seldom ventured out, also tagged along this time. As Wei Ruo and the Wei family guards were about to leave the city, Chu Lan¡¯s aides arrived to join them. Wei Yilin was surprised to see the additional men joining their group. ¡°Big sister, who are they? And why are theying with us?¡± asked Wei Yilin, riding next to Wei Ruo. ¡°These men were sent by the Seventh Prince to assist us,¡± answered Wei Ruo. ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Yilin nodded. Despite his young age, he knew the Seventh Prince and their father served together in the army. He had also heard that Wei Ruo had assisted the prince, so it made sense for the prince to return the favor. Then Wei Yilin noticed that Wei Ruo seemed ufortable and asked, ¡°Are you alright? You don¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Wei Ruo replied, not wanting to admit that she was not used to horse riding. She would¡¯ve preferred a carriage, but the destination was not suitable for that, and so they had to ride horses. We Yilin didn¡¯t believe her, he squinted at her for a while then asked loudly in sudden realization, ¡°Are you ufortable riding a horse?¡± Several people turned their heads to look at Wei Ruo. ¡°Just ride your horse, why do you talk so much?¡± Wei Ruo shot Wei Yilin a re. ¡°I knew it! You¡¯re ufortable riding, and your butt is hurting, right? Likest time!¡± Wei Yilin dered confidently. He repeated this im so many times that all Wei Ruo wanted to do was to cover his mouth. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo pushed a water skin towards Wei Yilin. ¡°Aren¡¯t you thirsty? Drink!¡± We Yilin took the water skin from Wei Ruo and after pondering for a moment, asked, ¡°Big sister, you seem embarrassed?¡± Wei Yilin stared at Wei Ruo as if he had discovered a new continent. ¡°You seem prettyx for someone worried about our brother. Even have enough time to tease me,¡± Wei Ruo muttered. ¡°Of course, I care about big brother. I wish I could rush in to rescue him right now. But I also care about your¡­ your health,¡± exined Wei Yilin. For some reason, Wei Yilin blushed at this point and looked away. But Wei Ruo could still see how red his ear was, like a boiled shrimp. Somewhat bashfully, he added, ¡°Also it¡¯s not like we¡¯re going any faster right now, it¡¯s the horses doing the actual running, not me. Us talking doesn¡¯t affect the speed at which we¡¯ll save my big brother.¡± ¡°Drink more and talk less. Once we leave the city, we will need to increase pace. There might be a fight during the rescue mission so you should save your energy,¡± said Wei Ruo. The city regtions forbade rapid horse-riding. However, once they were out of the city gates and could ride faster, they needed to hurry in hopes of finding Wei Yichen sooner. Wei Yilin nodded, already prepared. After leaving the city they rode fast for about an hour before reaching a deep forest. In the middle of the forest was a narrow, long path lined with verdant trees on both sides. As they ascended the altitude and due to the environmental influences of the forest, the temperature began to drop, significantly cooler than in the city. Sometimes, the mountain breeze brought along a chill as well. Then, they suddenly spotted a house hidden within the trees. From a distance, there were seven or eight yellow mud houses. In front of the house was a small yard surrounded by a fence, empty and deserted. It seemed to be nothing more than a neglected, abandoned house. Wei Ruo gave an order to the men Chu Lan sent and they stormed the house. We Yilin hurriedly tried to stop her, ¡°Wait! What if it¡¯s an ambush?¡± Wei Ruo looked at him, somewhat surprised. It seemed that Wei Yilin, who was usually impulsive, was unusually cautious this time. She knew that Wei Yilin¡¯s worry was valid, but today¡¯s operation was a bit different. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she assured. ¡°The Seventh Prince¡¯s men are all well-trained. We can trust them to handle it.¡± Wei Ruo directed Chu Lan¡¯s men to proceed as per the original n. She, along with the other Wei Residence guards, remained at their original location, ostensibly providing support and preventing ambush. Suddenly, the sounds of shing weapons echoed from the yellow mud house. Fugitive-looking men were tossed out of the windows and doorways. Wei Yilin was growing increasingly anxious, though he held back, waiting for Wei Ruo¡¯smand. ¡°Big sister, let¡¯s help them!¡± Wei Yilin urged. ¡°Just wait a bit more,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo had a reason for not letting the Wei Residence guards intervene. She could never fully trust Chu Lan. Even though her intuition suggested that Chu Lan was most likely not trying to set her up this time, it never hurt to be cautious. So she let only Chu Lan¡¯s men enter the house. If anything went wrong, she could quickly retreat from her rtively safe position. She also wanted to observe whether this was some kind of show put on by Chu Lan. The fight inside the house seemed genuine, and she couldn¡¯t quite tell if it was real or staged. After a while, when the fight seemed close to an end and most of the ¡°kidnappers¡± had been subdued, Wei Ruo finally ordered the Wei Residence guards into action. Having been holding back for a while, Wei Yilin sprang into action like an arrow released from a bow the moment Wei Ruo gave themand. Seeing this, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t try to stop him. Wei Yilin had been training in martial arts for quite some time, and it was time to test his abilities. Wei Ruo, on the other hand, leisurely followed behind. Shecked martial arts skills, so she hung back. Xiumei stayed by Wei Ruo¡¯s side, providing close protection. Just like Xiumei, Jing Hu stayed behind with Wei Ruo instead of charging in like the others. Once all the men had been taken down, Wei Ruo dismounted from her horse and walked into one of the houses, led by one of Chu Lan¡¯s men. The first room they entered looked like a regr living room with typical household furniture. Behind the room was another door, leading to a small, dimly lit room. The room was cold and damp due to its location deep within the mountain and up against a rock wall that oozed moisture. Despite it being daytime, the room was dimly lit with only a small skylight allowing some light in. However, now that the door was open, the room was better lit. Then, Wei Ruo saw Wei Yichen in the corner of the room¡­. Chapter 326 - 326 You are okay now_l Chapter 326: You are okay now_l He was half lying on the pile of straw and half on the ground. Wei Ruo walked over to him with some water umted on the ground soaking her embroidered shoes, feeling a slight chill seeping through her sole. Thankfully, it was July now. The cold he must have felt if it were December is unimaginable. When she arrived at Wei Yichen¡¯s side, she saw him with his eyes tightly closed,pletely unconscious. Wei Ruo reached out and touched his neck to confirm his pulse. Fortunately, there was a pulse, he was still alive. But his body was scorching hot; he was having a high fever. Just as Wei Ruo was about to retract her hand, Wei Yichen suddenly opened his eyes and, from an unknown source of strength, fiercely gripped the hand Wei Ruo was retracting. At this moment, there was an unprecedented intensity in Wei Yichen¡¯s eyes that Wei Ruo had never seen before. ¡°You¡¯re fine now, we¡¯ve found you,¡± Wei Ruo said to Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen paused for a few seconds, and then, as if confirming something, his eyes closed again, his hand loosened, and he lost consciousness once more. That moment seemed like thest sh of consciousness before death. Wei Ruo ordered someone to carry Wei Yichen out; they had to leave this ce immediately. Wei Yilin also ran over. Upon seeing Wei Yichen being carried out, Wei Yilin¡¯s eyes went red instantly. ¡°Big brother! Big brother! What happened to big brother¡­¡± Wei Yilin stammered, desperate and anxious, but was held back by Wei Ruo. ¡°He is still alive, just having a fever. Don¡¯t block their way, let¡¯s go back home immediately and get him medical treatment,¡± Wei Ruo told Wei Yilin. Wei Yilin promptly nodded, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back! We need to find a doctor for big brother!¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om While Wei Ruo and the others found Wei Yichen, the rest of the crew also located the five guards who had been following Wei Yichen. They had been locked up in the shed at the back and were somewhat weakened, but they were in better condition than Wei Yichen. Wei Ruo handed over the subdued ¡°kidnappers¡± to Chu Lan¡¯s subordinates, leading the Wei Family guards to take Wei Yichen back to town immediately. An hourter, they arrived at the Military Prefecture. Madame Yun rushed over and saw the unconscious Wei Yichen who had been rescued. Her face turned as pale as a sheet. ¡°What happened to my Yichen?¡± Madame Yun started to cry, her voice trembling and her legs giving way, barely able to stand upright. ¡°Nanny Zhang, please bring Doctor Cheng from Zhenyu Hall here; Cuiping, prepare hot water in the kitchen and brew ginger soup; Xiaonan, you change big brother¡¯s clothes and wipe his body with a hot towel.¡± Wei Ruo, knowing that she couldn¡¯t rely on Madame Yun to stay calm at this moment, simply started giving orders herself. The servants of the house immediately did as they were told. ¡°My dear Ruo, what happened to Yichen?¡± Madame Yun asked Wei Ruo with her face full of tears. ¡°He¡¯s still alive, just having a fever. The room he was locked up in was damp and cold, he probably got a chill,¡± Wei Ruo answered. Wei Ruo had already taken Wei Yichen¡¯s pulse, and knew that he was infected with a cold. She asked Nanny Zhang to bring Doctor Cheng merely to prescribe medicine conveniently. ¡°Who on earth would lock my Yichen up? He had always been studying at Anzhou Academy and never offended anyone!¡± Madame Yun cried and cursed at the same time. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond to this; she wasn¡¯t sure who was behind it either. Wei Ruo nced at the people standing in Wei Yichen¡¯s room, and didn¡¯t see Wei Qingwan. So she asked Nanny Li, ¡°Where is Wei Qingwan?¡± Nanny Li hesitated, but had no choice but to answered Wei Ruo respectfully, ¡°Young mistress, the second young mistress has been praying for the eldest young master¡¯s safe return in her room. It seems that the second young mistress¡¯s prayers have been answered, the patriarch has truly returned.¡± Hearing Nanny Li¡¯s words, Lady Xiumei rolled her eyes in annoyance, retorting, ¡°Nanny Li, are you blind? It was our young mistress who personally found the eldest young master and brought him back. How could this be considered as your young mistress¡¯s contribution?¡± Nanny Li said, ¡°Lady Xiumei, that¡¯s not the right way to put it. There are gods above who watch over us. You may not believe it, but you cannot disrespect the gods.¡± Lady Xiumei replied, ¡°If your young mistress¡¯s prayers are really that effective, can you arrange for her to pray right now for the eldest young master to regain consciousness immediately? And while she¡¯s at it, she can also pray for all the Japanese pirates to drop dead, and for a productive harvest this year.¡± Nanny Li retorted back without backing down, ¡°Lady Xiumei, do mind your words. Even if you are the mistress¡¯s servant, it¡¯s disrespectful to the master to defame the second young mistress like that.¡± Wei Ruo shot Nanny Li a cold look, ¡°If you say one more word, I¡¯ll send you to the manor.¡± Nanny Li wanted to seek justice from Madame Yun, but when she looked at Madame Yun, she saw that she was in a state ofplete confusion and waspletely following Wei Ruo¡¯s lead. The words she wanted to say sunk back down to her stomach. After a while, Wei Qingwan came. ¡°Big brother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan strode towards the bed, only to be stopped by Wei Ruo. ¡°Sister?¡± Wei Qingwan looked at Wei Ruo in surprise, a hint of guilt hidden in her eyes. ¡°Anyone who is unnecessary should leave. Big brother needs rest and quiet now,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Sister, let me see big brother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan pleaded. ¡°Xiumei, please everyone out,¡± Wei Ruomanded. ¡°Yes, young mistress.¡± Xiumei stepped forward, grabbing Wei Qingwan¡¯s arm and started pulling her towards the door. Xiumei¡¯s grip was considerably strong. Wei Qingwan wanted to resist, but had no choice and was dragged out of the room. Everyone elseplied and left, and Nanny Li had to follow out too. Wei Qingwan, after being dragged out of the room, didn¡¯t leave. Her eyes were fixed on the room¡¯s door, contemting how she could get back in. She was extremely anxious at the moment, unsure of what the eldest young master would say when he woke up, and she was terrified of what would happen next. When Wei Ruo came out of the room and saw Wei Qingwan still standing in the corridor outside, she asked, ¡°What are you waiting for, little sister?¡± ¡°Big brother is unconscious, and I¡¯m very worried.¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°Worry as you might, it¡¯s best not to stand here. There are peopleing and going. Not only can you not help, you¡¯ll also get in their way.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t rx, sister, let me go in and take care of big brother, can I?¡± ¡°Big brother doesn¡¯t need you to take care of him. Doctor Cheng will be here soon, he will prescribe medicine for big brother and guide the servants on how to take care of him. Moreover, as a youngdy of your age, you should avoid any inappropriate interaction with big brother. There will be maids and servants giving big brother a bath, changing his clothes, and wiping his body. How is that appropriate for you to be present?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°But sister, aren¡¯t you here too?¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip and asked. ¡°Don¡¯t I n to leave now? Little sister, you should go back first. Nanny Zhang will report to us anything about big brother,¡± Wei Ruo said.. Chapter 327: Preventing Wei Qingwan from Contacting Wei Yichen i Chapter 327: Preventing Wei Qingwan from Contacting Wei Yichen i ¡°I won¡¯t go in now. I¡¯ll wait until big brother changes his clothes, and then I¡¯ll attend to him with the soup and medicine,¡± Wei Qingwan argued. ¡°The servants will take care of the soup and medicine, if you really want to do something, go and keep our motherpany. She looks awful right now and needs someone tofort her,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. Normally, Wei Qingwan would be the first to apany Mrs. Yun at these times. Wei Ruo finished speaking, her sharp eyes scrutinizing Wei Qingwan. ¡°I understand¡­¡± Wei Qingwan hesitated for a while, seeing Wei Ruo still watching her, she took slow steps and finally left. It was obvious that she didn¡¯t want to leave. It was unclear whether her reluctance came from her concern for her older brother or some other hidden reasons. Wei Qingwan did not follow Wei Ruo¡¯s orders to go to Cangyun Garden to apany Mrs. Yun, but returned to her own quarters. She then sent maid Li to seek more information on Wei Yichen¡¯s condition. Maid Li returned and reported, ¡°Miss, I couldn¡¯t enter. The eldest miss and Doctor Cheng have left, but the eldest miss left her maid, Xiumei, and Maid Zhang to take turns guarding the eldest young master¡¯s door. They won¡¯t let anyone in except Xiaonan who is serving the eldest young master.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s mood sank. With Wei Qingruo guarding so stringently, she had no chance to approach her older brother. She didn¡¯t know if Wei Qingruo was doing this unintentionally, or if she was aware of something. No matter what, she knew if she didn¡¯t take any action, her own situation would be extremely dangerous. ¡°Maid Li, what did Doctor Cheng say after diagnosing him? When will my big brother wake up?¡± Wei Qingwan eagerly asked. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry, Doctor Cheng said that the eldest young master just caught a cold, there is no risk to his life. After taking the medicine and getting some rest, he will wake up,¡± Maid Li said. So that means he could wake up at any time¡­ Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s worried look, Maid Li thought she was concerned and said, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry so much. Doctor Cheng¡¯s medical skills are excellent. He saved the Master from such a severe injury. The eldest young master just caught a cold, there¡¯s definitely no problem.¡± Wei Qingwan looked at Maid Li for a long time, then made up her mind and said, ¡°Maid Li, I need your help.¡± Maid Li was startled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Miss?¡± Wei Qingwan had been worried for three days, but she had not dared to tell Maid Li what had happened. Now that things had escted to this point, she needed someone to help her. She told Maid Li what had happened that day. After hearing Wei Qingwan¡¯s words, Maid Li was shocked. But Maid Li quickly gathered her wits and said, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. Did you say that you and young master Qi have mutual affections? Are you really talking about Qi Zhen, the only son of First Minister Qi?¡± ¡°Maid Li, I would not lie about this. The day we went out for a pic, I was framed by Xiu Yaojun and others. It was young master Qi who saved me,¡± Wei Qingwan said. Hearing the certain response, Maid Li felt a thrill of joy in her heart. The Qi family was tremendously prestigious. If their Miss could marry into the Qi family, it would be far better than marrying into the Xiu family! ¡°Miss, I will do anything you need me to do. I¡¯m always on your side. As long as it¡¯s for your own good, I will not hesitate to do it!¡± Maid Li said hurriedly. ¡°Maid Li, I need you to help me send a letter,¡± Wei Qingwan said. She couldn¡¯t go out herself now, so she had to rely on Maid Li. ¡°Alright, leave it to me.¡± After Wei Qingwan had written the letter, she handed it to Maid Li, then Maid Li took the letter and left. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ### After dinner, Wei Ruo went to Wei Yichen¡¯s room to check on his condition again. He hadn¡¯t woken up yet, but his condition was gradually stabilizing. If nothing unexpected happened, his fever should break tonight. When Wei Ruo came out of Wei Yichen¡¯s room, besides Maid Zhang who she had arranged to be there, Wei Yilin was also there. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I want to stay with big brother,¡± Wei Yilin answered. He then looked at Wei Ruo with his round eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°Sister, has big brother suffered a lot?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be. He didn¡¯t have any physical injuries. He must not have been tortured during these two days of captivity,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°But big brother is a schr, he can¡¯t tolerate hardship, unlike me, with my thick skin and resilience. If those bad guys had taken me instead, I would definitely be fine,¡± Wei Yilin mumbled. Although this kid could sometimes be annoying, he was truly kind to the people he cared about. ¡°If you want to stay, stay here then. But since you¡¯ve decided to stay with your big brother, you need to take on the responsibility of looking after him,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°What kind of attitude?¡± Wei Yilin asked. ¡°You have to be as serious as Maid Zhang and the others. You cannot let anyone in because of soft-heartedness, no matter whoes,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Are you just talking big? You agreed so readily, but someone just needs to speak sweet words to you and you will soften.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense! I would never do that!¡± Wei Yilin puffed out his cheeks. ¡°Oh really? What if your Sister Wanwanes? She says softly, ¡®Yilin, I¡¯m worried about big brother. Can you let me go in and check on him? I just want to see him and make sure he¡¯s okay.¡¯ And then you¡¯ll let her in, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You are making things up! I would never be persuaded so easily! Although I don¡¯t know why you won¡¯t let Sister Wanwan in, but since I promised to guard big brother like everyone else, I will definitely abide by the rules!¡± Wei Yilin answered emphatically. ¡°Is that so?¡± Wei Ruo asked with a skeptical look on her face. ¡°Of course! You must not doubt me anymore!¡± ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll trust you for now. I¡¯m a little tired, I¡¯ll go to rest first,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Okay, you go have a rest, leave things here to me!¡± Wei Yilin nodded, acting like a little adult. When Wei Ruo returned to the Tingsong Garden, Xiumei hurriedly asked her, ¡°Miss, I heard that Maid Li left for a while before dinner and didn¡¯te back for an hour, I¡¯m worried that the second Miss is up to no good. I¡¯m afraid for the eldest young master¡­¡± ¡°The Wei family is still a military family after all. If anyone wants to do anything, they won¡¯t dare toe to the Military Prefecture for fear of retaliation, so if anyone wants to harm the eldest brother at home, they can only use underhanded methods. Just tell Maid Zhang to look after the eldest brother¡¯s diet and ensure that no one else enters his room,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell Maid Zhang and the others to look after the eldest young master, and I¡¯ll look after you, Miss!¡± said Xiumei. Xiumei was worried about Wei Yichen, but she was more concerned about her miss. Who knew who Wei Qingwan was targeting? What if the target was not the eldest young master but their miss? Therefore, she thought it was better to stay with their miss! Chapter 328: It’s Time to Liven up the Chapter 328: It¡¯s Time to Liven up the Mansion 1 The hour of Si. At the door of Wei Yichen¡¯s room, Nurse Zhang was dozing off, while Wei Yihn was energetic. Whenever he felt a bit tired, he would stand up and practice a set of punches to keep him alert. He couldn¡¯t afford to sleep; he had to keep watch at all times. At this moment, the courtyard door opened, and Wei Qingwan walked through the yard to Wei Yichen¡¯s door. ¡°Sister Wanwan,¡± Wei Yilin got up to greet her. ¡°Yilin, why haven¡¯t you gone to sleep yet?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°I¡¯m keeping watch over brother!¡± Wei Yilin replied. ¡°You should go and have a break, I¡¯ll take care of our brother.¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°No way, I¡¯m a man, and you¡¯re a girl, you should be the one to go rest, I¡¯ll stay here and keep the night watch for brother!¡± Wei Yilin responded determinedly. ¡°But you¡¯re still a child, I¡¯m an adult.¡± ¡°Not true, I¡¯m not a child anymore, I¡¯m already eight years old! Besides, I practice martial arts; a martial artist should bear responsibilities!¡± Wei Yilin retorted. Wei Qingwan was at a loss for words, feeling unfamiliar with the Wei Yilin before her eyes. A year ago, her little brother would curl up in her arms, saying she was the best sister. Now he no longer agrees with her words. Wei Qingwan felt a gap in her heart. In such a short time, Wei Qingruo had sessfully destroyed the rtionship between her and her brother. ¡°Sister Wanwan, what¡¯s wrong? Are you ufortable? Did the night wind make you cold?¡± Wei Yilin asked. ¡ö¡öI¡¯m fine, it¡¯s July now, it¡¯s not cold at night.¡± Wei Qingwan exined. Wei Qingwan thought for a moment, then said: ¡°I won¡¯t argue with you, Yihn, I¡¯ll just go in and check on big brother and then go.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go in, Sister Wanwan,¡± Wei Yilin stopped her. -Why?¡± Wei Qingwan thought she didn¡¯t need to exin much to Wei Yilin, but she didn¡¯t expect even he would stop her. ¡°Big sister said you can¡¯t go in.¡± Wei Yilin said. ¡°Did big sister tell you why I can¡¯t go in?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°Uh¡­ I think she said it¡¯s because you¡¯re a girl, and big brother is a boy.¡± Wei Yilin replied. -But isn¡¯t sister going in and out of big brother¡¯s room too? Now big brother is unconscious, it¡¯s a special time, besides, I¡¯m just bringing some ginseng tea in and wille out very quickly, you can watch me.¡± Wei Qingwan reasoned. ¡°I see¡­¡± Wei Yilin wavered. Wei Qingwan sighed with relief, but just as she was about to move forward, Wei Yilin blocked her again. ¡°No, it¡¯s still not possible, I already promised big sister that I won¡¯t let you in.¡± Wei Yilin insisted. Wei Yilin remembered what Wei Ruo had told him before she left, he didn¡¯t want to be looked down upon by his big sister! A real man should keep his word, if he lost his credibility, how could he be a good soldier in the future, how could he stand tall and upright? ¡°Yilin¡­¡± Wei Qingwan looked at Wei Yilin incredulously. She never imagined, her brother who used to put her first, now listens more to Wei Qingruo who has only been home for less than a year. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister Wanwan, big brother will wake up tomorrow. You cane and see him when he wakes up.¡± Wei Yilinforted her. After all, he¡¯s a naive little boy, oblivious to Wei Qingwan¡¯s change of expression, only sensing that his Sister Wanwan seemed a bit unhappy, but he thought it was because she was worried about their big brother. ¡°Yilin, do you also think that sister can¡¯t go in to see big brother?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°I think Sister Wanwan can go in to see big brother.¡± Wei Yilin replied. ¡°Then let-¡± ¡°No, no, military orders are like mountains, soldiers executing orders have to strictly adhere to rules, there can be no slightest leniency, regardless of whether the order is problematic or not!¡± Wei Yilin interjected firmly. He was even more stubborn and firm than Wei Qingwan had imagined. Wei Qingwanpletely froze, looking at Wei Yilin, feeling incredibly unfamiliar. Nurse Zhang on the side had already prepared to stop Wei Qingwan, but seeing that their young master had already sessfully pushed Wei Qingwan back, she dly continued to feign sleep on the side. In the end, Wei Qingwan was unable to convince Wei Yilin and had to return the way she came with the ginseng tea. ### In the middle of the night, Wei Mingting rushed back home. When one is in the army, one has little control over their own time, even if their own son is in trouble, they can¡¯t rush back immediately. Before returning, he had already received news that his son was safe, so Wei Mingting only came back alone, without bringing additional help. After returning to the residence, Wei Mingting went to see Wei Yichen first. Seeing that there was no danger to his life and that he only needed time to recover, his suspended heart finally sank. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then he returned to Cangyun Garden andforted his wife. Mrs. Yun hadn¡¯tpletely recovered yet, but upon seeing her husband, she felt slightly calmer. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we had Ruo¡¯er this time,¡± Mrs. Yun sighed. She had to admit that her eldest daughter really resembled her husband, calm andposed when dealing with major issues, and unppable in the face of changing situations. Even though she didn¡¯t have much mother-daughter affection for this daughter and wasn¡¯t particrly fond of her, in emergency situations, Mrs. Yun found her daughter very reliable and reassuring. ¡°Yes, Ruo¡¯er is indeed apetent child. Chen¡¯er¡¯s safe return this time alsorgely depends on Ruo¡¯er.¡± Wei Mingting agreed wholeheartedly. Mrs. Yun nodded, then said: ¡°I wonder which bastard would do such an utterly conscienceless thing to our Chen¡¯er! Chen¡¯er is always so gentle and friendly to others, apart from studying he has no enemies, why would he encounter such a disaster?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± Wei Mingting was also filled with confusion ¨C they hadn¡¯t made any enemies in Taizhou Prefecture, and the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence didn¡¯t involve themselves in any power struggles, why would they encounter such a disaster? Wei Mingting thought for a while and said: ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll talk to Ruo¡¯er. She is intelligent, thoughtful and may have noticed some clues during the process of rescuing Chen¡¯er.¡± Mrs. Yun nodded. ### After a peaceful night, early the next morning, Mrs. Yun came to visit Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen¡¯s fever had subsided, but he didn¡¯t wake up. Mrs. Yun became very anxious and immediately sent someone to fetch Doctor Cheng again. Meanwhile, Wei Ruo, who was in Tingsong Garden, received news from Cangyun Garden ¨C Wei Mingting had returned hometest night. ¡°Father is back, it looks like I should stir things up in the mansion.¡± Wei Ruo said, dressing neatly. She didn¡¯t say anything yesterday, only instructed people to be on guard against Wei Qingwan. Aside from Wei Yichen having a fever, another part of the reason she was waiting was for Wei Mingting¡¯s return. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Meimei, follow me to Wangmei Garden.¡± After saying this, Wei Ruo walked towards the outside. -Miss, what are we going to Wangmei Garden for?¡± Xiumei quickly followed. ¡°To capture someone, and to use.¡± Wei Ruo, bearing a brisk and resolute pace, arrived at the entrance of Wangmei Garden with Xiumei.. Chapter 329 - 329 Confrontation with Father_1 Chapter 329: Confrontation with Father_1 n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Without knocking or asking for permission, Wei Ruo burst directly into Wangmei Garden. The old maid, Li, who had intended to stop her, was thrown aside by Xiumei. ¡°Miss, what on earth are you doing?¡± Li fumed, her nose nearly skewed in anger. Wei Ruo ignored her and proceeded directly towards where Wei Qingwan resided. Wei Qingwan had been sleepless all night and was currently seated listlessly in front of her dressing table, contemting the day¡¯s happenings. Wei Ruo¡¯s intrusion was unexpected; she rose to her feet in surprise. ¡°Sister¡­ Sister, what are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°Come with me to see Father,¡± Wei Ruo requested. ¡°When Father returns, I will pay my respects. It seems inappropriate for you to barge into my Wangmei Garden like this,¡± Wei Qingwan challenged. Whether it¡¯s appropriate or not, we can discuss thatter,¡± Wei Ruo replied, making a signal to Xiumei. Immediately following, Xiumei stepped forward, grabbed Wei Qingwan and attempted to lead her away. Wei Qingwan tried to break free but, just like the night before, she had no chance of resisting Xiumei. The maid, Li, rushed in to intervene but was stopped by Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t be so excessive! You barged into Wangmei Garden first thing in the morning causing amotion, and even had your maid assault the second miss. You¡¯ve gone too far! I¡¯m going to tell the Madam and have her decide!¡± Li used Wei Ruo angrily. No need for that, I¡¯m taking Wei Qingwan to see our parents right now!¡± Wei Ruo pushed Li aside. ¡°Aiyo¡ª¡± Li tumbled to the ground, her face, already full of wrinkles, crinkled even more from the pain. While she was struggling, Wei Ruo and Xiumei had already taken Wei Qingwan away. Li got up angrily and ran out in haste. Meanwhile, in Cangyun Garden. Wei Mingting and Lady Yun had woken up early. After sending for a doctor, Lady Yun had stayed by Wei Yichen¡¯s side and had not returned yet. Wei Mingting had visited Wei Yichen, then returned to Cangyun Garden to discuss some matters with the military officers who had rushed over for consultation. Many things were going on in the army recently, with indications of the Japanese Pirates attacking again. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t spare much time, which was also why he had returnedtest night. When Wei Ruo brought Wei Qingwan to Cangyun Garden, the military officers had just left. Upon seeing Wei Ruo arriving with Wei Qingwan, Wei Mingting seemed surprised as well. Ruoruo, what¡¯s going on?¡± Wei Mingting asked with confusion. ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to discuss with Father. It is regarding eldest brother¡¯s disappearance,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°I intended to talk about this matter with you as well. I have many details to ask you. But why are you treating Wanwan like this?¡± Wei Mingting asked. Tears were already streaming down the rouged face of Wei Qingwan who was dragged in forcibly. Looking at Wei Mingting with watery eyes, she seemed wronged. She bit her lip, not uttering a word, but looked more pitiful than if she had spoken a thousand words. ¡°Because the issue of eldest brother being caught has a huge connection with our second sister. It can be said that ¡®without her contribution¡¯, eldest brother would not find himself in such a plight,¡± Wei Ruo watched Wei Qingwan¡¯s innocent expressions coldly. A tremor ran through Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart. What did Wei Ruo mean by this? Did she already know what had happened? But the eldest brother hadn¡¯t woken up yet, Wei Ruo shouldn¡¯t have had a clue about it! Wei Mingting frowned, his countenance bing even more serious and solemn. He then gestured Wei Ruo to continue her exnation, ¡°You keep on exining.¡± Just as Wei Ruo was about to speak, Lady Yun stormed into the room, followed by Li. Obviously, sensing a dire situation, Li had gone to fetch Lady Yun. When Lady Yun entered and saw Wei Qingwan, in a state of disarray kneeling on the floor, her anger red up. Turning to Wei Ruo, she demanded, ¡°I did not believe it when Li said you showed up bright and early at Wangmei Garden to take away somebody. I thought you would not behave so outrageously. But it¡¯s true! Wanwan is your sister, can¡¯t you just talk things out? What are you trying to do by causing such amotion? ¡± ¡°Talking things out is often futile,¡± Wei Ruo responded. While helping Wei Qingwan up, Lady Yun confronted Wei Ruo, ¡°What exactly are you unable to discuss properly?¡± With tears streaming down her face and her body trembling, Wei Qingwan appeared pitiful, causing Lady Yun to feel heartbroken. About the situation where eldest brother got injured and almost died, should we discuss that as well?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Lady Yun¡¯s facial expression froze in ce: ¡°What does Wanwan have to do with Yichen¡¯s injuries?¡± ¡°On that day, eldest brother left the house to look for Qingwan. Mother should know that,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°He did go out that day to look for Wanwan, but how could you me her for his misfortune? It was just an ident!¡± Lady Yun retorted. ¡°An ident? Mother would say it¡¯s an ident because Qingwan didn¡¯t tell the truth. That night, she didn¡¯t return home early, as she had said. Instead, she came back in the middle of the night.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Yichen only let the others in the house return early because he found Wanwan! Everyone in the house knows about this. Are you suggesting they are all lying?¡± Lady Yun retorted once more. ¡°Eldest brother said that that day to protect Qingwan¡¯s reputation. It doesn¡¯t mean he really found her. If he had truly found her, eldest brother would have let everyone return, not just a few, and he would not have kept looking with the guards who had sworn an oath of allegiance to him,¡± Wei Ruo stated her thoughts. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Lady Yun asked. ### While the argument between Lady Yun, who had returned to Cangyun Garden, and Wei Ruo was going on, Wei Yichen woke up. Xiaonan, who had been staying by Wei Yichen¡¯s side, was incredibly relieved to see him wake up. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± Help me up,¡± Yichen instructed, sitting upright against the headboard with Xiaonan¡¯shelp. ¡°Young Master, how do you feel?¡± asked Xiaonan. ¡°Who saved me? I remember seeing Ruoruo.¡± Young Master is correct, it was Miss Ruo who saved us! Miss Ruo is really amazing, finding us so quickly. If it weren¡¯t for her apanying the Madam to the provincial city for a few days, Young Master wouldn¡¯t have suffered for so long!¡± Xiaonan eximed. Wei Yichen did not respond and quietly gazed out of the window for a while before asking Xiaonan again, ¡°How long was I unconscious?¡± ¡®We returned to the estate yesterday afternoon. Young Master, you¡¯ve slept for a whole day and night.¡± ¡°Help me get dressed,¡± Wei Yichen directed. Huh?¡± Xiaonan was taken aback, ¡°Young Master, you still haven¡¯t fully recovered. You should rest more in bed.¡± ¡°No need, it¡¯s just a fever and it has receded now. It won¡¯t cause a major issue.¡± Xiaonan had no choice but toply. While Xiaonan was changing him, Wei Yichen instructed her again, ¡°Once you¡¯ ve changed my clothes, help me do something.¡± ¡°What does Young Master want done?¡± asked Xiaonan. Chapter 330 - 330 The Young Master Seems Different_l Chapter 330: The Young Master Seems Different_l ¡°Spread the news out, saying that the Wei Family¡¯s Second Miss, Wei Qingwan, has been indiscreet, secretly meeting with a man before getting married. But remember not to reveal who the man is.¡± ¡°Wh¡­What? Young Master¡­ You want to spread rumors about the Second Miss?¡± Xiaonan looked at Wei Yichen in astonishment. In their ce of confinement, only Wei Yichen had seen Wei Qingwan. Xiaonan and the others were kept somewhere else, and thus, until now, they remained unaware of Wei Qingwan¡¯s circumstances. ¡°No, it is not a rumor. It is indeed something that she, Wei Qingwan, has done. To provide a basis, you will reveal the address of the embroidery shop, as well as how Wei Qingwan manages to find time to meet the man every day on her way home from school,¡± Wei Yichen said. Xiaonan took a while to process this information. So it was true that the Second Miss had done such things, and their capture by the bandits was the unfortunate result of their search for her. Even knowing the reason, Xiaonan was shocked, because spreading rumors behind one¡¯s back to tarnish someone¡¯s reputation was not something their young master would normally do. ¡°But, Young Master, spreading such rumors may harm the reputation of the eldest Miss. Consequently, this could affect her future marriage as well. What should we do? After all, the eldest Miss is the one who saved us¡­¡± Xiaonan voiced his concerns. If one woman of the Wei family is dishonored, then all are dishonored. ¡°We have nothing to worry about. Ruoruo has no desire to marry early, and if her reputation is damaged, it might discourage those ambitious men in Government City who wish to marry into the Wei family.¡± Wei Yichen was firm and showed no sign of hesitance or indecision in this matter. Xiaonan felt that his young master was somewhat unfamiliar, but couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what was wrong. After Wei Yichen got dressed, he instructed Xiaonan to leave. He then called for another servant, asking for an update on the current situation in the household. After learning that Wei Ruo was having a confrontation with Wei Qingwan in front of their parents, Wei Yichen ordered someone to assist him to Cangyun Garden. ### Inside Cangyun Garden, Wei Ruo made a statement that astonished Wei Mingting and Madam Yun: ¡°What I mean is, the Second Sister has acted improperly, secretly meeting a man. To protect the reputation of the Second Sister, Big Brother chose to conceal it, letting the other servants return home first and dering that the person has been found.¡± Such a response was obviously uneptable to Madam Yun. ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense. Wanwan knows the rules best and would never secretly meet with a man. Utter nonsense!¡± In Madam Yun¡¯s mind, this was absolutely not something that her obedient, sensible, and gentle adopted daughter could do. At this point, Wei Qingwan also began to defend herself. With tears welling in her eyes, she looked at Wei Ruo and cried, ¡°Sister, I know you¡¯ve never liked me. I can ept it if you me me and hate me, but why do you invent such rumors to ruin my reputation?¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Rumors? The shopkeeper of that embroidery shop remembers you,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned pale. She had no idea how Wei Ruo could know so much. Was it possible that Big Brother had woken upst night? ¡°What embroidery shop? Sister, what are you talking about?¡± Wei Qingwan wore a bewildered expression, looking innocent. ¡°Do I need to bring the owner of the embroidery shop here to confront you?¡± Wei Ruo said. Naturally, Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t confront Wei Qingwan without any preparation. If she could learn about the circumstances of the kidnapping from Chu Lan, then, of course, she could also learn about the ce where Wei Qingwan held secret meetings and other relevant details. Yesterday afternoon, not only Wei Qingwan had time to send a message out, but Wei Ruo also had time to send a letter to find a witness. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned even paler, but she insisted that she hadn¡¯t done what was imed: ¡°I do not know what Sister is talking about. What embroidery shop¡¯s owner? What secret meetings with a man? Yes, Big Brother did indeed go out looking for me that day. In that sense, it is my fault the trouble urred. If Sister wants to me me for that, I have nothing to say. I am willing to ept punishment. But I absolutely cannot admit to a crime as severe as secretly meeting with a man¡­¡± Each of Wei Qingwan¡¯s words sounded sincere and intive, causing an aching pain in Madam Yun¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t help but admonish Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruoruo, you have done a great deed in saving your big brother, and your mother is very grateful. If you did so with your big brother¡¯s best interest in your mind, then your mother will not me you. But by spreading rumors about Wanwan, I truly cannot condone. Wei Ruo was not in a hurry. She turned to Wei Mingting and said, ¡°Father, what do you think? Would you like to meet the owner of the embroidery shop I mentioned?¡± Throughout the entire conversation, Wei Mingting kept silent, his expression serious and solemn. Between furrowed brows, he carried an aura of stern severity, attentively listening to everyone¡¯s words. ¡°Bring that person over, I will verify it myself,¡± Wei Mingting dered. ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo turned around, about to instruct someone to fetch the owner of the embroidery shop. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Wei Yichen entered the room. Upon Wei Yichen¡¯s entrance, the four people inside the room all turned to look at him. Madam Yun rushed forward: ¡°Yichen, how did you get here? Are you feeling better? You should be resting in bed after this major illness, you mustn¡¯t get up and move around casually. What if you catch a cold again?¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± Wei Yichen said, while looking around the room. His gaze finally fell on Wei Qingwan. When Wei Qingwan saw Wei Yichen awake, she looked panicked for a moment, then quickly stepped towards Wei Yichen. ¡°Big Brother, so you¡¯re okay now? That¡¯s great!¡± Wei Qingwan looked at him with concern in her eyes. Wei Yichen said nothing, only shifting his gaze to Wei Ruo. Weu Ruo stood still, her expression neutral as she watched the others, including Wei Yichen. From Wei Ruo¡¯s actions, it was clear that she did not share Wei Qingwan¡¯s concern for her sibling. Wei Qingwan noticed Wei Yichen looking at Wei Ruo and continued: ¡°Big Brother, I know I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have returned homete that day. Everything that happened was an ident, not what I wanted. I didn¡¯t mean to get you involved or to cause you to suffer for my sake!¡± What Wei Qingwan ostensibly referred to was herte return home, but what she actually meant was known only to her and Wei Yichen. Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°Big Brother, I was really, really worried about you. If anything had happened to you, I wouldn¡¯t deserve to live! I was so scared then,pletely at a loss for what to do¡­¡± Wei Qingwan tightly gripped Wei Yichen¡¯s sleeve, her teary eyes staring at him. In a spot only noticeable to her and Wei Yichen, she conveyed a plea. She knew how much her big brother adored and cherished her. In the past, whenever she had made a small mistake, Big Brother would gently reassure her that it was okay and never get angry at her. Now, she could only hope that this once, just this once, her big brother would protect her again. At that moment, Wei Ruo asked Wei Yichen, ¡°What did you mean when you said ¡°there¡¯s no need¡± earlier?¡± Chapter 331 - 331 Wei Qingwan Begs for Mercy and Admits Her Mistake_l Chapter 331: Wei Qingwan Begs for Mercy and Admits Her Mistake_l ¡°There¡¯s no need to seek out the owner of the embroidery shop. I am the most suitable witness.¡± Wei Yichen stated. Wei Qingwan¡¯s knees softened at Wei Yichen¡¯s words, her face pale. ¡°What do you mean by that, Yichen?¡± Madam Yun asked nervously. ¡°What I mean is that what Ruoruo said is true. Our younger sister indeed had a ndestine meeting with a man and consequently got entangled in a dispute. I ended up in the thieves¡¯ den while rescuing her.¡± Wei Yichen responded. These few words made Madam Yun¡¯s head spin and her vision blur. ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± Madam Yun gazed at Wei Yichen, then at Wei Qingwan, unable to digest the reality. ¡°Impossible. Wanwan wouldn¡¯t do such a thing!¡± Madam Yun denied impulsively. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes and there isn¡¯t a shred of falsehood. Or does Mother think I am lying about wronging my younger sister?¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s face was calm, his eyes devoid of ripples as he calmly refuted the panicked Madam Yun. ¡°Yichen¡­¡± Madam Yun was at a loss for words. If someone like her eldest daughter had said these things, she would have doubted it. But these words came from her legitimate eldest son. Wanwan wouldn¡¯t lie to her, and Yichen certainly wouldn¡¯t lie to her! After pondering for a while, Madam Yun asked, ¡°But¡­if that¡¯s the case, why did Wanwan return long before you, and you were only rescued yesterday?¡± Wei Yichen showed no emotion, ¡°Because that night, my sister¡¯s beau was saved and they both fled together. She feared that if I were to get out, I would expose their affair and so she chose to abandon me.¡± Wei Yichen said this very calmly, his expression devoid of any emotion, as if stating someone else¡¯s business. This calmness surprised even Wei Ruo, as it was not the Wei Yichen she knew. Wei Yichen¡¯s words were another blow to Madam Yun. Her sweet and sensible daughter, not only secretly met a man but also left her brother¡¯s life hanging in the bnce? It was more than just failing to uphold female virtues, it was downright inhuman! Madam Yun looked at Wei Qingwan in disbelief. Wei Qingwan had copsed on the ground sobbing, ¡°Mother, elder brother, that¡¯s not the case. It really isn¡¯t. I was scared out of my wits that day and was taken away in a daze. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt my elder brother!¡± ¡°So¡­you indeed met a man in secret and got your elder brother caught by bandits while rescuing you? You managed to escape but left your elder brother in that dangerous ce?¡± Madam Yun stumbled a couple of steps, nearly falling, but was supported by Wei Mingting. ¡°Cuiping, help Madam back to her room to rest.¡± said Wei Mingting. ¡°My lord¡­¡± Madam Yun looked at Wei Mingting in surprise. ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve tired yourself today. Let me handle the rest.¡± said Wei Mingting. Madam Yun shook her head. She did not want to just walk away like this. She needed to rify what had happened! Madam Yun asked Wei Mingting, ¡°My lord, what do you intend to do?¡± Wei Mingting nced at Wei Qingwan, the cold gaze made her shudder. Unable to help herself, she curled up and pleaded, ¡°Father, believe me. I truly didn¡¯t do it on purpose! I¡¯ve been timid since childhood and never dared to harm anyone. How could I harm my elder brother?¡± With that, Wei Qingwan turned to Wei Yichen, gripped the hem of his clothing, crying, ¡°Elder brother, you know what that dungeon was like. I was really scared that day. I¡¯ve never had such experiences before. Later, when young master Qi pulled me away, my mind was totally nk¡­I genuinely didn¡¯t mean to abandon you¡­¡± At this moment, Wei Ruo coldly interrupted Wei Qingwan¡¯s plea, ¡°And yet you didn¡¯t report it to the authorities for three days after returning home? Knowing that your elder brother was in that terrifying dungeon, you could still wait calmly at home for three days?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s words confronted Wei Qingwan¡¯s defense. Wei Qingwan was at a loss of words, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t report it because I didn¡¯t know how to say it¡­ I also didn¡¯t know where the bandits were¡­¡± ¡°After we returned home, you didn¡¯t mention anything when we asked you then.¡± Wei Ruo further confronted her. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Qingwan had many opportunities to show ¡°regret¡±, but she didn¡¯t seize any of them. Until this moment, when the truth wasid bare, she thought of ¡°regret¡±. But wasn¡¯t it a bit toote? Wei Qingwan bit her lip, shaking her head, tears continuing to fall. Wei Mingting walked over to Wei Qingwan and said, ¡°Although you¡¯re not our biological daughter, I always considered that the Wei family never treated you unfairly. Why have you harbored such a damaging intent towards your siblings?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Wei Qingwan shook her head vigorously, ¡°It¡¯s true that I had a few private meetings with young master Qi, but apart from that, I never intended to harm anyone, especially not my elder brother! Everything after that was because of my fear. I made a mistake, but I would never harm my elder brother!¡± At this point, Wei Qingwan had no choice but to admit some of the truth, but she maintained that she had not intentionally harmed Wei Yichen. However, Wei Mingting¡¯s face remained cold. Her exnation was feeble and powerless in his eyes. To Wei Mingting, Wei Qingwan¡¯s misconduct of seeing a man in private was not an unforgivable crime. But abandoning her elder brother was a different matter. No matter what the reason, harm to one¡¯s siblings was inexcusable. That was something Wei Mingting could not tolerate. How could his children of the Wei Family be so cruel? Wei Qingwan could feel the chill emanating from Wei Mingting. She was extremely terrified. Wei Qingwan crawled towards Madam Yun, held on to her legs, and sobbed, ¡°Mother, please believe me. I was just confused for a moment, I didn¡¯t think it through, I never intended to harm elder brother.¡± She knew that if anyone at home would still believe her, it would only be her mother. ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯ve disappointed me greatly!¡± Madam Yun had to face reality. Her daughter, whom she had raised since a child, had changed unrecognizably, not only brazenly meeting a man privately but also disregarding her brother¡¯s life. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve realized my mistake. I truly have!¡± Wei Qingwan sobbed and admitted her mistake. Ovee with grief, Madam Yun turned to her husband again, ¡°My lord¡­¡± Wei Yichen interrupted, ¡°Father, younger sister has vited the sixth family rule ¡ª siblings should respect, love, and help one another. If anyone hurts a sibling, they should be whipped thirty times before the ancestral tablet as punishment. If the consequences are serious, they should receive a hundredshes..¡± Chapter 332: Family Law Punishment_i Chapter 332: Family Law Punishment_i Wei Yichen continued, ¡°The Military Prefecture has no ancestral shrine, so kneeling before our ancestors¡¯ spirits is an obsolete regtion. However, the corresponding penalty of being flogged should still be administered.¡± Wei Yichen s words felt like a bucket of ice water being poured over Wei Qingwan¡¯s head. Thirtyshes, how could she endure that? Wei Qingwan looked at Wei Yichen, who spoke these words, unable to believe that her gentle and warm-hearted older brother would say something so cruel. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Yunshi, who overheard this, was equally shocked. Since she married into the Wei family, she had never seen anyone in the house subjected to such a punishment. Not to mention a hundred strokes, even thirty would be too much for any ordinary woman to bear. Yunshi turned to Wei Mingting, ¡°My Lord, isn¡¯t this punishment¡­ a little harsh? Someone could die from it.¡± Wei Mingting retorted, ¡°If Ruoruo hadn¡¯t saved him in time, could you guarantee that Yichen would still be alive now?¡± Yunshi was rendered speechless. ¡°Let¡¯s do as Yichen suggested, and administer the punishment of thirtyshes,¡± Wei Mingting made his decision. ¡°Father¡­¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes were filled with terror and despair. However, Wei Mingting¡¯s face was as cold as ice, his expression was resolute and not open to appeal, although pain and reluctance were hidden in his eyes. True, he was reluctant and pained too, after all, Wei Qingwan was his daughter, a girl he had watched grow up. But he was equally resolute, being a militarymander, the head of the family, he knew when he could be lenient and when he should not. Yunshi quickly suggested, ¡°Then let Nurse Li do it, she is an old servant from the Duke Residence.¡± The implication is clear, everybody in the house knew Nurse Li was loyal to Wei Qingwan, so if Nurse Li delivers the punishment, she would certainly go easy on her. Just as Wei Ruo was about to retort, Wei Yichen beat her to it. ¡°Nurse Li has been previously punished for deceiving her master, it would not be suitable for her to administer this disciplinary action. Someone else should do it,¡± Wei Yichen replied. ¡°Then, Yichen, who do you think should do it?¡± Wei Mingting asked. ¡°I believe our guard, Jing Hu, would be suitable,¡± Wei Yichen answered. Jing Hu? He was the strongest martial artist in the house, a reputed master with formidable strength. If Jing Hu did it, Wei Qingwan wouldn¡¯t stand a chance! Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan was shivering in fear. Yunshi quickly said, ¡°Wanwan is ady, it would be more appropriate for a maid from our household to do it. If not Nurse Li, let it be Nurse Zhang.¡± ¡°Alright, let it be Nurse Zhang then,¡± Wei Yichen did not insist. Nurse Zhang was in her own quarters resting; she had spent the whole night along with the young master, Wei Yilin, looking after things, and had retired to rest in the morning, only after the lord anddy arrived. She had barely slept for four hours when she was suddenly summoned. When she heard that she was to administer the house rules to Wei Qingwan, Nurse Zhang thought she was still dreaming. Only after triple-checking, did she finally believe that her task was indeed to carry out the punishment on Wei Qingwan. Upon arriving at Cangyun Garden, Nurse Zhang saw Wei Qingwan kneeling in the center of the room and Wei Mingting, Yunshi, Wei Yichen, Wei Ruo, and the maids-in-waiting inside the room. Nurse Zhang, ording to our family rules, the second young miss is to be punished with thirtyshes, so the task falls to you.¡± Cuiping handed her a rattan cane. The cane was around two feet long, slightly thicker than Nurse Zhang¡¯s index finger. The cane was not smooth. Despite its varnish, she could feel the rough texture and bumps by touch. Those were remnants of the younger twigs deliberately left while the cane was being made, to cause more pain to whoever was being punished, and serve as a deterrent for future mistakes. Though Nurse Zhang didn¡¯te from the Duke¡¯s residence, she was an old servant of the Wei family. She knew this type of cane was exclusive to the Wei family for carrying out family rules, it had been hanging on the wall for several years without use. And now, unexpectedly, it hade into y. Nurse Zhang held the cane, unsure about how much force to use, so she looked up at Wei Mingting and Yunshi. Wei Mingting¡¯s face was icy cold and intimidating; Yunshi, on the other hand, had red eyes from crying. Unable to discern any instructions from their expressions, Nurse Zhang turned to look at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo was sitting idly, calm and didn¡¯t make any gestures. Hence, Nurse Zhang found herself uncertain about how hard she should strike. At this point, Wei Yichen spoke, ¡°Nurse Zhang, as my father hasmanded you to administer the familyw today, you can carry it out ording to the house rules.¡± ¡°Yes, 1 understand,¡±. With Wei Yichen¡¯s guidance, Nurse Zhang felt more confident and knew how much force she must apply. Nurse Zhang approached Wei Qingwan from behind with the cane in her hand, but as soon as she lifted her hand, Wei Qingwan fainted to the ground like a pile of copsed mud, even before the canended. Nurse Zhang held the unutilised cane, unsure of what to do. Should she still proceed with the punishment? Seeing this, Yunshi was heartbroken and almost propped her up, but gathered herself and instead, pleaded to Wei Mingting, ¡°My Lord, Wanwan has fainted. Should we postpone the punishment?¡± Wei Mingting replied, ¡°The punishment must be served today, not a dayter.¡± Wei Yichen ordered the maids, Cuiping, and the other one, ¡°Help the second young miss stand. Assist her in receiving the punishment.¡± Cuiping hesitated, but seeing Yunshi not objecting, sheplied with Wei Yichen¡¯s orders and helped Wei Qingwan, who was lying on the ground, stand up. Nurse Zhang then raised the cane and struck Wei Qingwan¡¯s back. ¡°Ah- ¡± A harsh cry escaped from Wei Qingwan¡¯s lips. Her face was distorted in excruciating pain. Although Nurse Zhang¡¯s strength couldn¡¯t bepared to Jing Hu, she was no less a working woman with solid strength among her gender. The very firstsh had ripped apart the clothes on Wei Qingwan¡¯s back¡ªno wonder she had cried out so piteously. Yunshi immediately looked away, unable to bear the sight. Nurse Zhang did not hesitate and promptly delivered the secondsh, then the third¡­ Wei Qingwan¡¯s shouts became weaker and weaker. She broke into a cold sweat, and her lips paled. In the end, she had lost all her energy and was entirely supported by the maids. By the fifteenthsh, Wei Qingwan had fainted again. Whether her previous spells of unconsciousness were real or feigned, this one seemed genuinely ckout. Yunshi could no longer hold back her emotions and pleaded with Wei Mingting, ¡°My Lord, stop, please! If you continue, Wanwan would die! She may not be our biological child, but we raised her since she was a baby! My lord, you have always cherished Wanwan. Are you willing to beat her to death like this?¡± ¡°My lord, Wanwan has made a mistake, but it¡¯s not a capital offense! Please give her a chance to change! I promise that I will discipline her properly in the future!¡± Chapter 333: If the Taoist Friend Dies, the Poor Taoist Does Not Die_l Chapter 333: If the Taoist Friend Dies, the Poor Taoist Does Not Die_l Madam Yun knelt on the ground, tearfully pleading. Since their marriage, this was the first time that Madam Yun had begged Wei Mingting like this. Wei Mingting closed his eyes in grief. While he was considering, the rattan rod in Nanny Zhang¡¯s hand didn¡¯t stop. Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Neen, Twenty¡­ When the strikes reached twenty, Wei Mingting finally spoke: ¡°As you wish, give her a chance to change.¡± Hearing this, Madam Yun rushed to stop it: ¡°Stop, stop! Don¡¯t hit her anymore!¡± Nanny Zhang also timely ceased. At this point, Wei Qingwan had taken exactly twentyshes. Her back was bloody, and from the torn cloth, one could clearly see the streaks of blood on her originally fair skin. Madam Yun rushed over and hugged Wei Qingwan, her Wanwan, who had never been injured so seriously since childhood. Watching this scene, Wei Yichen rose emotionlessly: ¡°Father, Mother, I will leave first to take a rest.¡± Wei Mingting nodded. Wei Yichen then left, not revealing any emotions from the beginning to the end. ¡°I will also take my leave.¡± Wei Ruo asked to leave without nning to stay long. The drama had already reached its climax and nothing more interesting was going to happen. Wei Mingting did not keep Wei Ruo either. Not only their children but also Wei Mingting felt extremely tired. What had happened at home was more exhausting than fighting enemies on the battlefield. Once Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden, she instructed Xiumei: ¡°Meimei, you wille out with meter to spread some rumors outside at a cost, letting everyone know about the scandal of the second Miss Wei secretly meeting a man before her marriage.¡± ¡°Miss, why do you suddenly want to spread the scandal of the second Miss?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Because Wei Qingwan and I are both Misses of the Wei family. After her reputation is ruined, my reputation as her sister will also be affected, influencing my future marriage prospects. Why should I spoil my own reputation when tarnishing hers can achieve the same result?¡± Wei Ruo said. If one way can save oneself instead of the other, why not take the one that is advantageous? Wei Qingwan gave her this opportunity; not taking advantage of it would be wasteful! Originally, she had made up her mind to taint her reputation in the relief efforts following the disaster, thereby blocking her romantic advances. Now it seemed unnecessary. ¡°That¡¯s really good! Just do it!¡± Xiumei was very happy. She had been worrying about her Miss damaging her reputation, which would make her the subject of gossip in everyone¡¯s leisure time. Wei Ruo did not know at this point that someone had already done exactly what she was nning to do, even one step earlier. ### On his way back, Wei Yichen ran into Wei Yilin, who was rushing to Cangyun Garden, and he stopped him. ¡°Elder brother, I heard that Sister Wanwan was punished and beaten! Is it true?¡± Wei Yilin had gone back to his room early in the morning and slept till now. Just when he got a little hungry and went to eat something, he heard about Wei Qingwan being beaten. Worried, he immediately rushed towards Cangyun Garden without finishing his food. ¡°It is true.¡± Wei Yichen answered, his face calm. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Ah? Brother, don¡¯t stop me, I want to go find Sister Wanwan! I can¡¯t let anyone beat Sister Wanwan!¡± Wei Yilin said anxiously. ¡°You can¡¯t go to her now.¡± Wei Yichen said. ¡°Elder brother?¡± Wei Yilin was confused. ¡°She did something wrong and deserves to be punished.¡± ¡°But¡­ but¡­ but that¡¯s Sister Wanwan! I have to protect her!¡± ¡°Right now, she has made a mistake and is being disciplined by the family. Do you want to oppose the rest of us to protect her?¡± Wei Yichen asked. ¡°No¡­ Sister Wanwan¡­¡± ¡°Yilin, you¡¯re growing up, don¡¯t let your emotions cloud your judgement, you need to be rational. If you can¡¯t do that, not only will you fail to protect the family, you won¡¯t be able to protect yourself either.¡± Wei Yichen advised Wei Yilin. ¡°Elder brother?¡± Wei Yilin looked at Wei Yichen, not understanding. Wei Yichen patted Wei Yilin¡¯s head: ¡°Go back. Your parents will handle the matters of the house. You should focus on your martial arts and protect yourself and your family when you grow up.¡± Wei Yilin hesitated for a moment. He was somewhat confused. Was Sister Wanwan really so terrible that her mistake would result in punishment supported by both their parents and elder brother? But Sister Wanwan had always been the kindest and gentlest person in the house. Even if she made mistakes, they must¡¯ve been idental; ording to reason, the consequences shouldn¡¯t be so severe. ¡°Xiao Dong, escort the young master back to Chrysanthemum Garden. There are many matters at home; don¡¯t let him run around. And remember, don¡¯t go to Cangyun Garden or Wangmei Garden.¡± Wei Yichen instructed Wei Yilin¡¯s personal servant. Wei Yichen went back to his room to rest. Just by looking at his figure and pace, one could tell that he had not fully recovered. Wei Yilin pondered for a long time and eventually grudgingly followed his servant back to his own residence. ### Wei Qingwan was taken back to Wangmei Garden. This time, Madam Yun didn¡¯t seek for Doctor Cheng whom she trusted but had to invite a female doctor from Government City because Wei Qingwan¡¯s backside was injured and shouldn¡¯t be seen by a man. After the doctor had taken a look, she wrote a prescription. Madam Yun asked, ¡°Can my daughter¡¯s back be healed?¡± Streaks of scars on a woman¡¯s back would make it impossible to have a good marriage. The female doctor replied, ¡°To answer Madam¡¯s question, my medical skills are limited and I can¡¯t perform such a feat. However, I have heard of a young doctor surnamed Xu who is a splendid healer, capable of treating wounds without leaving scars. If Madam is interested, you can try to find him.¡± ¡°Where can I find this Doctor Xu?¡± Madam Yun asked. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Although Doctor Xu is an excellent physician, he is also elusive. It won¡¯t be easy to find him.¡± The female doctor replied. Madam Yun sighed and then ordered the people to send the female doctor away. The remaining Madam Yun looked at Wei Qingwan, who was lying facedown on the bed. Her feelings were mixed. To say that she felt no resentment would be impossible. Wanwan¡¯s outrageous actions almost cost her son Yichen his life, so she certainly deserved punishment. Experiencing this pain and suffering was just her due punishment. But she could never bear to watch her die! The motherly love between them, nurtured over fourteen years, was not something she could easily forsake. How could she bear to watch her lose her life? Madam Yun murmured at the still unconscious Wei Qingwan, ¡°Now that you have suffered such pain, consider it rpense for your error. Mother hopes that you will learn a lesson and not repeat your mistakes. If I were to experience this again, I will no longer be able to tolerate you.¡± Madam Yun took care of Wei Qingwan until the evening. When the night fell and she was about to return to Cangyun Garden, Cuiping rushed over anxiously. ¡°Madam, there¡¯s trouble.¡± ¡°What now?¡± Madam Yun weakly asked.. Chapter 334: Reputation Ruined_l Chapter 334: Reputation Ruined_l n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She was exhausted from the series of events that had happened in the past few days. ¡°Rumours are circting that the second miss had an undercover affair with a man,¡± Maid Cuiping chimed in. ¡°Who told you this?¡± Madam Yun asked. ¡°Just overheard some people from our residence who went out to buy medicine,¡± Maid Cuiping answered. ¡°Didn¡¯t I order that no one from our house was allowed to spread rumours about today¡¯s events?¡± madam Yun angrily said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself,¡± Maid Cuiping cautiously answered. ¡°And how¡¯s the rumour being spread outside?¡± ¡°Generally, they say the second miss is imprudent, meeting men daily in the embroidery shop on her way home, spending about an hour inside before leaving. What happened between man and woman alone in a room for that long, no one knows.¡± Hearing this, Madam Yun was overwhelmed with a severe headache. She¡¯d nned to keep the incident under wraps and guide her second daughter more thoroughly in the future so the situation could be turned around. But now, even if the second daughter wanted to change her behaviour, her reputation has been tarnished. Moreover, this might also impact the marriage prospects of the eldest daughter. The eldest daughter currently has a ster reputation in Taizhou Prefecture, and even without the support of the Xu Family, many well-to-do households are still eager to be rted to them. If it is affirmed that the second daughter has been meeting someone in private, the eldest daughters¡¯ chances of marrying into a distinguished family would be a mere daydream, as no respectable household would be willing to marry a girl from a family linked with such a scandal! Madam Yun only just thought about these things and she felt dizzy, everything seemed ck in front of her. ¡°Madam, please don¡¯t worry,¡± Maid Cuiping immediately rushed to support Madam Yun. ¡°What a disaster I¡¯ve brought upon us to have made things soplicated!¡± ¡°Madam, please calm down. So far, these are just rumours going around outside, without any solid evidence.¡± ¡°Even if they are just rumours, it¡¯s enough. Who would dare to marry a girl from the Wei family when these kind of rumours are circling?¡± ¡°Madam, all you can do now is to look on the bright side. It is the second miss who has brought this upon herself. As for the eldest miss, she¡¯s just being implicated inadvertently,¡± Maid Cuiping consoled Madam Yun. ¡°I am not oblivious to the fact that I¡¯m helpless at this stage. I just feel heartbroken! Originally, I was worried about Ruoruo, but now I find that I have been carelessly trusting Wanwan, who is doing all these foolish things!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where I went wrong. Although not extravagantly rich, she has always had everything she needed in our Wei family. I¡¯ve had her educated from a young age, but in the end, she seems to have learnt less than Ruoruo, who has been living in the countryside with the He family for over ten years.¡± ¡°Could it be that because the blood flowing in her veins is from the shameless He family, and no matter how much education I provide, it can¡¯t offset the traits she inherited?¡± Madam Yun poured out her inner wanders and helplessness in front of Maid Cuiping. Maid Cuiping didn¡¯t know how to console her and merely suggested, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re tired. Let me help you back to your room to rest.¡± Madam Yun lethargically nodded her head and leaned on Cuiping to return to Cangyun Garden. ### Wei Qingwan had been unconscious for two days and two nights. She woke up again at noon on the third day. Upon moving slightly, a piercing pain distorted her face. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re awake?¡± Nurse Li hurriedly moved forward to stop Wei Qingwan from moving. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t move around. Your wound hasn¡¯t healed yet. If you tear it, it¡¯s going to be troublesome.¡± ¡°My back, how¡¯s my back? Mommy Li, bring a mirror over. I want to see the condition of my back.¡± Lying in bed, Wei Qingwan could only feel a burning pain in her back. The pain made her realize that the wound on her back was indeed severe. ¡°Miss, it would be better to rest first. You can check the woundter,¡± Nurse Li reassured, afraid to let Wei Qingwan see her wound and stimte her. ¡°Bring the mirror!¡± Wei Qingwan demanded. ¡°Miss¡­¡± ¡°I asked you to bring the mirror!¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s voice was weak, but her tone was firm. Having no choice, Nurse Li brought over a pair of bronze makeup mirrors. She adjusted the angle to allow Wei Qingwan to see her back. The image in the bronze mirror wasn¡¯t very clear, but the gruesomeness of her back was evident. Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart sunk at the sight. Was this really her back? ¡°No¡­no¡­¡± Wei Qingwan violently pushed the mirror in front of her, then buried her head into the pillow and cried. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be upset. Wait for a few days, once the wound heals, it will get better,¡± Nurse Li continued to console. ¡°What¡¯s the use of healing? It will still leave a disgusting scar.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t. The female doctor who examined your injury today said that there are experts in Taizhou Prefecture who can heal the wound without leaving a scar,¡± Nurse Li quickly informed Wei Qingwan of what she¡¯d heard today. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Nurse Li¡¯s certainty gave Wei Qingwan some hope. Wei Qingwan then enquired from Nurse Li, ¡°In thest few days, have my parentse to see me?¡± ¡°Madam visits every day. As for your lordship, since your back was injured, it was inconvenient for him toe. More so, he¡¯s been busy with military affairs and returned to camp early yesterday,¡± Nurse Li fearfully narrated theforting bits to Wei Qingwan, hoping not to upset her and affect her recovery. In fact, even Madam Yun only came to see her the first day, and after that, she only sent Maid Cuiping to inquire her status. ¡°What about the others? Did my elder brother and Yilin visit?¡± Wei Qingwan asked again. ¡°Well¡­ neither the eldest young master nor the second young master came. But please Miss, don¡¯t be upset. The eldest young master is probably still angry, and the second young master has been busy going to sses and practicing martial arts, so he might not have had the time,¡± Nurse Li consoled her. ¡°My elder brother didn¡¯t just lose his temper, he truly detests me. He wants me dead,¡± Wei Qingwan despairingly said. Nurse Li didn¡¯t know how to respond to this. Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°Yilin also no longer depends on me. He used to love me the most, but now¡­¡± ¡°Miss, you shouldn¡¯t worry about these matters for now. The most important thing for you is to recuperate.¡± Nurse Li advised. ¡°It¡¯s already at this stage. What more is there for me to think? I doubt I can live under this roof much longer.¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t forget, you still have Master Qi. Master Qi is the only son of the prime minister. As long as your rtionship with Master Qies to fruition, it could brighten your future. Who in the Wei family would dare ill-treat or disrespect you then?¡± Reminded of Qi Zhen, a glint of light returned to Wei Qingwan¡¯s dim eyes. Yes, she still had Master Qi. Wei Qingwan pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Has Master Qi replied yet?¡± She¡¯d sent a letter to Qi Zhen through Nurse Li the day before, hoping for him to find a solution. But she hadn¡¯t yet received any reply. She¡¯d been punished two days ago and had fallen unconscious for two days. Given the timeline, she should have received a reply from Qi Zhen by now. ¡°This¡­¡± Nurse Li was hesitant about how to respond. ¡°What happened?¡± The expression on Nurse Li¡¯s face worried Wei Qingwan.. Chapter 335: Doesn’t Affect Me_l Chapter 335: Doesn¡¯t Affect Me_l ¡°Miss, young master Qi still hasn¡¯t replied,¡± said Granny Li, stating the fact. ¡°Could this be because our residence has been heavily guarded recently and no outside news cane in?¡± asked Wei Qingwan. ¡°It seems to be the case. Even for young master Qi, he has to be extra cautious when acting in Taizhou prefecture. With the current situation in the house, indeed, no news cane in. But don¡¯t worry, miss. I¡¯ve been sending Cuihe to the ce you mentioned every day. If there¡¯s any news, I¡¯ll report to you as soon as possible.¡± ¡°He wille find me, he will definitelye find me,¡± murmured Wei Qingwan. Thinking about Qi Zhen, Wei Qingwan was reminded of her own back. She wouldn¡¯t let the brutal scar stay on her back. ¡°Granny Li, please help me inquire about any medicine that can eliminate scars these days. I am willing to pay however much,¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°Rest assured, Miss. I¡¯ll have people investigate thoroughly,¡± Granny Li promised. Afterforting Wei Qingwan, Granny Li left the room. As soon as she stepped outside the room, Granny Li¡¯s face turned grave. There was another thing she hasn¡¯t mentioned to herdy: the rumors circting outside. With the spread of rumors, it was uncertain whether or not they would influence young master Qi¡¯s consideration. Even if the person whom the Miss has been secretly meeting is young master Qi, the Qi Family might not ignore the Miss¡¯s situation. Granny Li hoped that Wei Qingwan could marry into the Qi Family since, most likely, she and her daughter Cuihe would apany Wei Qingwan as dowry maids. Whether Wei Qingwan¡¯s marriage was good or not directly affected their future. However, for now, she needed to make sure Wei Qingwan healed from her injuries peacefully. Other matters could be nnedter. ### Wei Ruo had started running the prefecture¡¯s office again in the past few days. After being dyed for three days in the provincial city and another two upon her return, she hadn¡¯t been taking charge of the disaster relief work for five to six days now. Though everything was back on track now, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t always relinquish her responsibilities. She still had to make decisions on matters during different stages. Once Wei Ruo arrived at Xianqiuge, she started busying herself. Everything went smoothly, except for the slight difference in the way some people looked at her. Concerned nces were passed asionally. After settling a few things, Wei Ruo sat down and took a sip of water. Granny Qin came to her side, seeming to have something to say. ¡°Do you have something to say, Granny Qin?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. Although the incident has some impact on you, you are wise and virtuous. After the sess of thend remation, there will definitely be nobles who will propose marriages at the Wei family.¡± ¡°So, is that what you wanted to talk about, Granny Qin? Don¡¯t worry, I wasn¡¯t affected by it,¡± said Wei Ruo in a light tone. Since it was the result she wanted, she was more than happy to have it. However, the current rumors outside weren¡¯t spread by her. She initially nned to spend some silver to have people promote it in taverns and tea houses, but before she could make a move, someone else had already done it. Up to this point, she still hadn¡¯t figured out who that person was. They seemed to have acted in concert without prior arrangement. ¡°It¡¯s best that you can stay optimistic about this,¡± Granny Qin said, seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s smile, which didn¡¯t seem forced, so she was quite reassured. Then, Madam Yuan came. As soon as she entered, she took Wei Ruo to the next room. Madam Yuan took Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and sat on the imperial concubine¡¯s bed. In a soft tone, she said, ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t feel bad. It¡¯s all your sister¡¯s fault. It has nothing to do with you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Wei Ruo said, smiling softly. ¡°To tell you the truth, your parents should be more resolute and deal with your undisciplined sister in order to preserve the reputation of the Wei family¡¯s daughters!¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Madam, I¡¯m truly fine. I didn¡¯t take those things to heart at all.¡± ¡°Oh, that Xiu Family, changing their minds just because of such a trivial matter. They were originally nning to arrange a marriage with your family, but then they decided not to!¡± Madam Yuanined indignantly on behalf of Wei Ruo. ¡°The Xiu Family?¡± ¡°Yes, it really pissed me off. I thought Madam Xiu was a sharp woman. I didn¡¯t expect she¡¯d be just as foolish and confused about this as everyone else!¡± ¡°Did you hear about this from outside?¡± Wei Ruo asked. The Xiu Family did have the intention of proposing a marriage to Xiu Fengyuan and then changed their minds. But this matter had nothing to do with Wei Qingwan¡¯s scandal. The Xiu Family changed their minds first, and Wei Qingwan¡¯s scandal came out afterward. ¡°Yes, Madam Liu mentioned it when we were talking yesterday. She said it was her youngest daughter who told her about this,¡± Madam Yuan said. With this being said, Wei Ruo seemed to guess the cause of the issue. Miss Liu, the fourth daughter of the Liu family, was currently studying in the Tongzhi Prefecture, along with Xiu Yaojun. The idea of Xiu Fengyuan proposing marriage to her was most likely propagated by Xiu Yaojun since she disliked both her and Wei Qingwan. After Wei Qingwan¡¯s scandal came out, wouldn¡¯t Xiu Yaojun take advantage and defame her? ¡°Regardless, these are just groundless rumors. They won¡¯t do me any harm,¡± Wei Ruo said nonchntly. So far, the information being shared was mostly truth and did not cause any nderous or harmful effects to her character. ¡°If you can think like this, I¡¯ll be much more relieved, Ruoruo. And although you might not care, I must tell you that you don¡¯t have to worry about your future marriage. As long as you¡¯re willing to marry, you can select any man you like within the Yuan Family.¡± Madam Yuan promised Wei Ruo. The Xiu Family didn¡¯t want such a good daughter-inw, but the Yuan family would wee her with open arms! Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Madam, you know me. I don¡¯t want to get married too soon.¡± Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s confidence, Madam Yuan began to feel more relieved. /¡¯Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you. But I meant what I said earlier. I¡¯ve taken quite a fancy to you. If my son, Sheng, were a bit older, I would have wanted you to be my daughter-inw.¡± Her remark made Wei Ruo burst intoughter. Sheng was the child she had helped deliver, and it was amusing how Madam Yuan could even think in that direction. ### Wei Ruo only returned to the Military Prefecture after having dinner at the prefecture¡¯s office. It was alreadyte by the time she arrived at the Military Prefecture. Thankfully, it was July, and the sky was still bright. Upon reaching the entrance of the Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo and Xiumei found a wooden box ced at the gate. ¡°Miss, let me check it,¡± Xiumei said. Worried that there might be something bad in the box, she shielded Wei Ruo and moved forward to inspect it. Xiumei carefully opened the box, revealing dried herbs inside. ¡°Miss, look at this¡­¡± Xiumei turned back to look at Wei Ruo. After careful identification, Wei Ruo said, ¡°These are all rare herbs that are notmonly found. Even the ordinary pharmacies can¡¯t get these goodies.¡± ¡°Ah? How did they end up here?¡± Xiumei asked, surprised. Wei Ruo pondered for a moment, then turned to look in the direction of Yingzhu Garden. Just as she was doing so, footsteps approached and Wei Ruo turned abruptly, her gaze meeting Wei Jinyi, who was in a white robe, as cold and elegant as jade. ¡°Second brother?¡± Chapter 336: Teasing Second Brother_i Chapter 336: Teasing Second Brother_i Wei Ruo had thought of Wei Jinyi for an instant, but she didn¡¯t expect him to actually return! ¡°Mhm.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. ¡°Are these medicinal herbs a gift from my second brother?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Mhm, I ran into them on the way and picked them casually.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Wei Ruoughed out loud. This lie from her second brother was too clumsy. Firstly, the rarity of these medicinal herbs was precisely because they were hard to find, not something found everywhere. She could believe him if he said he chanced upon one nt, but it was too unbelievable for him to pick a whole box casually. Furthermore, her second brother was not a doctor. If he didn¡¯t intend to pick these herbs, he wouldn¡¯t even recognize them and would disregard them asmon weeds. Seeing Wei Ruoughing, Wei Jinyi knew his lie was exposed, and a hint of red crept up his face. ¡°Thank you, second brother. I really love your gift!¡± Wei Ruo joyfully said. This gift was not only precious in and of itself but more importantly, it represented her second brother¡¯s heartfelt intentions. To find these medicinal herbs, one must have prior knowledge about them spend time looking for them, and even risk danger picking them. All of these required a lot of effort. This intention was more valuable than anything else. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Wei Ruo looked around. It was gettingte and it wouldn¡¯t be proper for them to linger outside. So Wei Ruo moved closer to Wei Jinyi: ¡°Second brother,e to my courtyard tonight. Let¡¯s have ate-night snack together!¡± ¡°The main door between the men¡¯s and women¡¯s courtyards is closed after nightfall.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Second brother, stop teasing me. I know you¡¯ve climbed over the wall before.¡± Wei Ruoughed. She almost believed him, looking all decent and proper. He was usually a stickler for propriety, but there were quite a number of times when he was not. ¡°Mhm.¡± Wei Jinyi responded, a confirmation of his past wall-climbing exploits as well as eptance of Wei Ruo¡¯s invitation. ¡°Well, that¡¯s settled. Wait for my signal in the courtyard.¡± Wei Ruo said, her smile naughty. ¡°Mhm.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. After returning to Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo and Xiumei brought a pile of ingredients. Most of the ingredients were from the main kitchen, procured by Xiumei. Given Wei Ruo¡¯s current status in the Wei Family, the kitchen staff wouldn¡¯t dare give Xiumei a hard time. A small part of the ingredients were taken out of Wei Ruo¡¯s storage. She kept arge quantity of grain like rice and wheat in her storage, and also kept some fresh meat and vegetables. The storage space and her farnd area in her storage increased as her storage level increased. Wei Ruo¡¯s storage level had now reached Level 5, and her storage slots also reached Level 5, enough for her to store the grains she produced in her storage. So, she hoarded quite a lot of other fruits, vegetables, and meats in the remaining space. The mam advantage of storing things in the storage was that they wouldn¡¯t spoil, and would remain in the state they were in when stored. For Wei Ruo, food was her sense of security. Seeing the full stock of food in the storage, Wei Ruo felt inexplicably at ease. After Wei Ruo and Xiumei prepared the ingredients, they lit a charcoal fire in the courtyard. There was still plenty of silver charcoal left fromst winter, which came in handy now. Then they ced the prepared ingredients on the rack over the charcoal fire for grilling. While Xiumei was grilling, Wei Ruo climbed adder leaning against the wall. She held a thin bamboo pole with a red ribbon tied at its end, reaching out and waving it towards Weing Bamboo Garden. After waving it twice, a white figure leaped across the wall in the middle, reaching Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo smiled: ¡°Second brother, your agility is impressive.¡± Wei Jinyi looked at the bright and radiant smile on Wei Ruo¡¯s face. Though he never thought his agility was something worth praising, seeing her delight made his heart happy. Xiaobei also deftly climbed over the wall. His moves were agile, just slightly not as good as Wei Jinyi¡¯s. Xiumei called Xiaobei over: ¡°Xiaobei,e and help.¡± Xiaobei rushed over: ¡°Lady Xiumei, just tell me what to do!¡± Xiaobei was more than happy to assist Xiumei, and his face wore an unconscious smile whenever he looked at her. Wei Ruo invited Wei Jinyi to sit down on a vine chair. Wei Ruo specifically mentioned: ¡°This set of vine table and chairs has been in this courtyard for quite some time. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m hosting a guest.¡± No one usually enters Wei Ruo¡¯s courtyard. Even if they did, they wouldn¡¯t have the leisure to sit in the courtyard with her and chat over tea. Wei Jinyi paused slightly, catching the implied meaning in her words. If she had prepared a set of vine furniture in her courtyard but had no other visitors, it meant that she has been waiting for him. Wei Ruo prepared milk tea for Wei Jinyi: ¡°This is taro ball milk tea, try it, second brother.¡± ¡°Taro ball milk tea?¡± ¡°Mhm. The taro balls are made from taro. The milk tea is made by boiling fresh milk and ck tea together. The milk has to be very fresh, otherwise, it spoils quickly. Boiling it with the ck tea also effectively removes harmful substances. Nowadays, teahouses outside also sell milk tea, but this taro ball milk tea is unique, only found here!¡± Wei Ruo exined. Hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, Wei Jinyi scooped up a spoonful and slowly put it into his mouth. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It was his first time tasting taro balls and milk tea, but Wei Jinyi had already gotten used to Wei Ruo introducing some unconventional food. ¡°Tasty?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°It¡¯s sweet, has a milky aroma and also a hint of tea, although this tea taste is not the same as the usual tea, its vor is more soft and smooth.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°I like everything Ruo makes.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Second brother, now you know how topliment me, saying that everything I make is good.¡± Wei Ruo smiled. ¡°Mhm.¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°If you are staying for a longer time this time, I will let you try more of my culinary innovations. I have to prove worthy of yourpliment.¡± ¡°Mhm. I will stay for a longer period of time this time.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Great! Then I¡¯ll let you try my drunken crab?¡± Wei Ruo grinned, with a mischievous glint in her eyes. ¡°Second brother, if you don¡¯t like drunken crabs, we also have drunken prawns, made from freshly caught river prawns from East Lake. They¡¯re delicious.¡± ¡°Second brother, you look very cute when you¡¯re drunk and you talk more than usual.¡± ¡°Second brother¡­¡± ¡°Ruo, I don¡¯t drink.¡± Wei Jinyi interrupted. ¡°Hahaha, ok, ok. I won¡¯t get you to drink.¡± Wei Ruo found that she quite enjoyed teasing her second brother. It was probably because he was normally too serious and aloof. Wei Ruo¡¯s smile was brilliant. The warm light from the oilmp fell on her face, making her look even warmer. Wei Jinyi found himself momentarily lost in her smile. ¡°Second brother, why are your cheeks a little red?¡± Chapter 337 - 337 Accompanying Travel—1 Chapter 337: Apanying Travel¡ª1 Wei Jinyi¡¯s blush made Wei Ruo doubt if she had picked up the wrong drink. ¡°This is taro bubble milk tea, not fermented glutinous rice balls with wine.¡± After a careful look, Wei Ruo confirmed that she hadn¡¯t made a mistake. We Jinyi regained hisposure and continued to eat his taro bubble milk tea hurriedly. ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t eat so fast. If you get full on bubble milk tea, you won¡¯t have room for barbecue. I¡¯ve prepared a lot of delicious barbecue ingredients.¡± ¡°Um.¡± Wei Jinyi stopped, but he didn¡¯t dare to look at Wei Ruo again, and turned away. On the other side, Xiumei and Xiaobei were busy happily. Xiaobei looked at the seafood on the barbecue grill and couldn¡¯t help but ask Xiumei, ¡°Lady Xiumei, where did the youngdy get all this seafood? I heard that the Japanese pirates have been causing trouble againtely, and the government has prohibited the seaside fishermen from going out to sea, but your seafood is all fresh, it looks like they were just harvested in the past two days.¡± Xiumei gave a mysterious smile. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you, it¡¯s mydy¡¯s secret!¡± Then Xiumei asked Xiaobei, ¡°What has your master been busy with? He had the rare opportunity to study with the Tibetanyman, but he has been busy for half a year.¡± Xiaobei smiled, ¡°That¡¯s my master¡¯s secret too!¡± Xiumei hummed softly, not asking further. She had just asked casually without expecting to learn anything. If herdy didn¡¯ t necessarily want to know something, she naturally wouldn¡¯t ask more. ¡°Lady Xiumei, has yourdy been in a poor mood recently?¡± Xiaobei continued to inquire. ¡°Why should mydy be in a bad mood?¡± Xiumei countered. ¡°Isn¡¯t there all sorts of gossip going around outside? They even said that yourdy was rejected by the Xiu family.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that? Mydy and the Xiu family have no marriage contract. Where did this talk of breaking off an engagemente from? I don¡¯t know who has such a loose tongue to spread such wild rumors.¡± Xiumei said irritably. Xiaobei echoed, ¡°Exactly, they really do like to fabricate stories. What does the Xiu family¡¯s refusal have to do with this matter? Their refusal is clearly because of our young master¡­¡± ¡°What about your young master?¡± Xiumei turned her head and looked at Xiaobei with a puzzled face. ¡°I mean, our young master was quite happy for the youngdy when they refused because he knew the youngdy didn¡¯t want to negotiate a marriage with them.¡± Xiaobei quickly exined. ¡°Naturally.¡± ¡°Our young master came back early this time for this matter concerning the youngdy.¡± Xiaobei added. ¡°The second young master does care a lot about ourdy. But his worry this time was unnecessary; ourdy is not upset at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± While the two were talking, they continued to barbecue, and brought the cooked food to the table once it was done. Garlic scallops, garlic oysters, grilled fish, grilled chicken wings, grilled chicken legs, grilled chicken gizzards, grilled eggnts, and grilled sweet potatoes. The aroma of the meat was mouthwatering. Xiumei specially introduced, ¡°Our youngdy made different sauces for different ingredients and they all have been marinated to enhance their vors. Second young master, please try them. Anyone whoes here does not get this treatment, only you, the second young master, can taste so many different vors of barbecue that our youngdy personally mixed.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± A warm smile appeared on the corner of Wei Jinyi¡¯s mouth, as if he could already taste the deliciousness of the barbecue without even eating it. We Ruo asked Xiumei and Xiaobei to sit down, as before, everyone ate together, it was lively. Having a barbecue should be this lively. ### The following day Wei Ruo had to leave early in the morning to visit the wastnd outside the city. When she arrived at the gate, she saw Wei Jinyi was already there. ¡°Second Brother?¡± ¡°You mentionedst night that you were going to the wastnd today. I happen to be free, so I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Okay!¡± Wei Ruo was happy to have Wei Jinyi¡¯spany. It was a long ride, and having the second brother along would give her someone to talk to on the way. Wei Ruo got on the carriage, and Wei Jinyi rode alongside it. In the carriage, Wei Ruo leaned against the carriage wall, have a casual conversation with Wei Jinyi. Just like in the past at the Bamboo Garden in Xingshan County, Wei Ruo talked, Wei Jinyi listened carefully, Wei Ruo spoke more, Wei Jinyi spoke less, but he responded to everything Wei Ruo said. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After a long conversation, the carriage arrived at its destination. When Wei Ruo got out of the carriage, she found that Wei Jinyi had changed his appearance, disguising himself with a very ordinary face, only those eyes were unchanged, deep like the sea full of stars, unmistakeable. ¡°Why did you disguise yourself, Second Brother?¡± Wei Ruo asked curiously. ¡°To avoid some troubles.¡± Wei Jinyi exined. ¡°Oh.¡± Although Wei Ruo felt that his answer was a bit vague, she didn¡¯t inquire further. After more than a month of tilling and ploughing, the wastnd had changed from its previous destion to artificially reimed tnd. Field ridges separated thend into segments, and wild grass and stones had been cleared away. As they came closer, a smell that was not very pleasant hit them. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t show any distaste, but instead smiled more broadly. This unpleasant smell was from fermented farm manure. It could make soil unsuitable for growing crops be suitable, and make barren soil fertile. It was the hope of countless reimers, a smell that farmers couldn¡¯t detest. Not far away was a row of newly built huts, where the reimers lived temporarily. Despite it being simple, it can provide some shelter from the wind and rain. Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi, Xiumei, and Xiaobei all walked around the newly reimed field ridges. During this, Wei Ruo crouched down several times to check the condition of the soil. In the process, she inevitably soiled her clothes and skirt, even though she had deliberately worn simpler and more convenient clothes that day. ¡°How is it, Miss?¡± Xiumei asked worriedly. ¡°It¡¯s pretty good and meeting my expectations. In just over a month¡¯s time, this soil can be irrigated.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Xiumei said happily. ¡°Let¡¯s go check if the water source problem has been solved.¡± Wei Rou continued. When Wei Ruo initially nned this area, she considered the irrigation issue for the future. Whether for wheat, rice, or other crops, irrigation was mandatory. Not to mention that the previous soil improvement process also needed water infiltration. So while they were reimingnd, they also had to solve the water source problem. Luckily, there was a river nearby. As long as a canal was dug to connect it, and the water was pumped into the canal with a water wheel, the water could be channeled into the newly reimed fields for irrigation. The group went to the river, where Wei Ruo saw the government officials and workers digging the canal. She also saw a person she disliked ¡ª Chu Lan. When Wei Ruo saw Chu Lan, Chu Lan also saw Wei Ruo. Chu Lan took the initiative to walk over to Wei Ruo¡­ Chapter 338: 338_1 Chapter 338: 338_1 ¡°Greetings, Seventh Prince.¡± Wei Ruo curtsied. She thought, ¡¯Isn¡¯t this Military Governor too free? Weren¡¯t there recent reports of movements from the Japanese Pirates? How can he still have leisure time to meddle in side businesses instead of focusing on his main duties? ¡°Miss Wei has been working hard.¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°It¡¯s my duty as amoner, I dare not im it to be hard work.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Chu Lan looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s submissive appearance, with a smirk appearing on his face. His gaze then fell on Wei Jinyi, who was dressed as an attendant behind Wei Ruo. Somehow, Chu Lan felt this attendant was unusually distinctive. ¡°Who is this person behind Miss Wei?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°This is my family¡¯s Guard. My elder brother recently had an ident, so my house feared for my safety and sent two Guards to apany me.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°I see.¡± Chu Lan took his gaze off Wei Jinyi. He then asked Wei Ruo, ¡°How¡¯s the progress now?¡± ¡°Everything is within the n, my prince, there¡¯s enough time for nting winter wheat.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°I trust in Miss Wei.¡± With that, Chu Lan grinned at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo felt ufortable under his gaze. She disliked conversing with him. Every conversation felt tedious, always feeling like he wasying a trap for her. ¡°Does Miss Wei know why I am here to monitornd reformation progress when there¡¯s a risk of a Japanese Pirate invasion?¡± Chu Lan asked Wei Ruo. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡± Wei Ruo thought to herself, ¡®who knows what you¡¯re thinking, if you want to say it, then say it, I¡¯m fine if you don¡¯t.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s because the military grain supplies promised by the imperial court have not been delivered yet.¡± Chu Lan told her. Hearing this, Wei Ruo lifted her head to look directly at Chu Lan. Chu Lan found this amusing, ¡°It seems Miss Wei still deeply cares about the soldiers battling on the frontline.¡± ¡°Why has the military grain supply been dyed?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Over the past two years, you must have heard about the continuous disasters across thends, the state treasury is currently facing a food shortage and refugees are on the rise, making the transportation process extremely difficult.¡± Chu Lan exined. So first, there is a food shortage, and second, there is a problem with transportation. ¡°However, the soldiers stand guard for the nation, they should neverck food.¡± Wei Ruo stated. ¡°Does Miss Wei have any good suggestions on how to resolve this current issue?¡± Chu Lan asked Wei Ruo. ¡± My prince, you overestimate this humblemoner. If the problems the imperial court couldn¡¯t solve, how could I know how to?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Isn¡¯t the current method of aid through work your idea? ¡°Aid through work is a long-term n. Theck of food in the army is an imminent problem that needs to be solved immediately. They are different.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Indeed.¡± Chu Lan turned around, looking at therge newly reformednd in front of him, ¡°If thisnd could really grow crops on time, even if it can¡¯t resolve the urgent need, at least it can give people some hope.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond, she had an idea but didn¡¯t n to negotiate with Chu Lan on this issue. Seeing Wei Ruo keep silent, Chu Lan didn¡¯t continue to ask about this issue, instead, he extended an invitation: ¡°Miss Wei came to inspect the progress of thend reformation, shall I apany you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid, my prince, just me and my maid and Guards here should be enough, I don¡¯t wish to bother Prince any further, you are of high nobility and you must be extremely busy, it isn¡¯t right to lose your time for me.¡± ¡°The work Miss Wei is doing is for the people of Taizhou prefecture, it¡¯s the most urgent matter at present, how could it be considered a waste of time?¡± Ten thousand wild horses galloped through Wei Ruo¡¯s heart. After cursing in her heart, she still had to pretend to be honored and terrified and to agree to it. ¡°Then I¡¯m grateful for your apanying, my prince.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Where does Miss Wei n to go now?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°I n to walk along the river.¡± Wei Ruo nned to inspect the situation upstream and downstream of the river. She was considering constructing a reservoir because although it rained frequently in Taizhou prefecture, the rainfall was uneven throughout the year. Periods of droughts when it was dry, floods when it rained, both of these affected crop growth and agricultural development negatively. Building a reservoir could effectively bnce these conditions, providing a healthier environment for crop growth. ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Lan agreed, then led Wei Ruo along the river downstream. Chu Lan walked ahead, with Wei Ruo following behind. With Chu Lan¡¯s presence, Wei Ruo became more reserved. She tried to keep a distance from Chu Lan, walking together with Wei Jinyi and diverted her attention to inspecting the remation progress, doing her best to ignore Chu Lan¡¯s presence. After walking for a while, the surroundings started to appear deste, with wild grass and scattered stones everywhere. This area was close to the river, but the terrain wasplex with intermittent hills and shallow soil-covered mountains, making it unsuitable for farming. So, Wei Ruo initially abandoned this area in her n, waiting until other nned regions were sessfully reimed before considering the development of these hilly regions. ¡°Be careful.¡± Wei Jinyi warned Wei Ruo. They were walking on the hill on the riverside with no clear path, the loose stones could easily cause one to slip, and one side was a cliff eroded by the river. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Ruo nodded. Though this terrain isn¡¯t suitable for farming, it was perfect for the construction of a reservoir. Simply erecting a dam at gaps between several hills might suffice in building a reservoir. As they were walking, a giant snake suddenly sprung out from the wild grass towards Wei Ruo. At the same time, both Chu Lan and Wei Jinyi reacted. The two of them moved almost simultaneously, but Chu Lan was a beat slower, as Wei Jinyi grabbed the snake at its vital point. Without waiting for the snake to struggle, Wei Jinyi broke its bones with a jolt of Inch Power. Chu Lan¡¯s expression changed after witnessing this scene, his gaze switched between Wei Jinyi and the snake. He and the Guard from the Military Prefecture were at about the same distance from Wei Ruo, and they had both acted at the same time. However, he had been slower than the other man. This kind of skill was something he had seen only once in over twenty years. He was certain that this man possessed highly advanced martial arts skills. This made Chu Lan think of the highly skilled man who had attacked him some time ago. Such high-level martial artists were indeed rare, yet he had encountered two in the small Taizhou Prefecture. Could it really be just a coincidence? After Wei Jinyi killed the snake, he was about to throw it away, but Wei Ruo hurriedly stopped him: ¡°Don¡¯t throw it, this is a Qi snake, it¡¯s a valuable asset! Whether it¡¯s cooked or used as medicine, it¡¯s excellent! This one¡¯s so big, it could be made into arge pot!¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo looked at therge Qi snake in Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand, already contemted how she would cook it. ¡°Hm.¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t find Wei Ruo¡¯s reaction surprising. In fact, in these times of food shortages, mice in fields would be eaten, so naturally snakes were a food source too. Xiumei quickly took out a cloth bag, allowing Wei Jinyi to put the dead Qi snake in. This snake was indeed big,rger than Xiumei¡¯s arm. It could be used to make arge pot of snake soup. Chu Lan looked at Wei Jinyi and asked, ¡°This Guard¡¯s martial arts skills are exceptional.. May I ask where he learned such skills?¡± Chapter 339 - 339= My Name is Wang Jin_l Chapter 339:= My Name is Wang Jin_l ¡°Self-taught,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Can one really learn so well through self-study?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°I was blessed with exceptional talent from a young age,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. Upon hearing this, Chu Lan turned to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Miss Wei, I am intrigued by your Guard. Would you allow him to spar with me?¡± -My Lord, I fear that if my Guard unintentionally injures you, I wouldn¡¯t know how to handle such a situation,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°As the challenge was proposed by me, if I get injured, I will not hold anyone ountable.¡± ¡°Absolutely not, my Lord. You hold many responsibilities, and any injury would have far-reaching consequences which the Wei Residence cannot bear,¡± Wei Ruo said. -Miss Wei makes a fair point. How about this, my Guard shall spar with yours. That way, there¡¯s no need for worries,¡± Chu Lan decided. With Chu Lan insisting, Wei Ruo could not refuse. She turned to look at Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi nodded to Wei Ruo, indicating he could handle the situation. After receiving Wei Jinyi¡¯s response, Wei Ruo agreed to Chu Lan¡¯s proposal, ¡°Then I mustply. However, let¡¯s wait until we reach a safer location to spar, the terrain here is tooplex and dangerous to maneuver.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Chu Lan agreed. Then, the group continued to inspect the area along the river. When they returned to the clearing an hourter, Chu Lan asked, ¡°Miss Wei, may I have the pleasure to taste your snake soup?¡± Wei Ruo originally nned to bring the snake back to the Wei Family and eat it herself with Wei Jinyi, but Chu Lan shamelessly asked for a taste. ¡öTm afraid not, my Lord. The snake is poisonous. If not prepared correctly, the soup could be harmful,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°I trust in Miss Wei¡¯s culinary skills. If Miss Wei still has concerns, I can have my men taste it first to ensure it¡¯s safe,¡± Chu Lan said. Chu Lan left Wei Ruo with no room for refusal. ¡°Then I have no choice but toply.¡± Wei Ruo reluctantly agreed. Thereafter, they headed towards a nearby campsite where the peasants rested. As it was working hours, farmers and refugees were all out in the fields, leaving the campsite deserted. Chu Lan nned to have the meal there and the Government Officials guarding the area promptly cleaned a small house for them. Although it was rtively clean, it was very basic. The cooking area was an open space just outside the door. A temporarily built stove, arge iron pot, and the only seasoning avable was a bit of salt. Wei Ruo asked Xiaobei to prepare the ingredients and start a fire, while instructing Maid Xiumei to go back to her carriage to get some spices and seasonings. If they only had salt, the snake soup would not taste good. Meanwhile, Chu Lan had his Guard spar with Wei Jinyi. The two began to exchange moves on a nearby open space. Only ten moves in, Wei Jinyi defeated Chu Lan¡¯s subordinate. Chu Lan¡¯s subordinate fell, while Wei Jinyi did not have a strand of sweat on him. The gap in their skills was evident. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chu Lan¡¯s brows furrowed, then rxed. He was surprised at the martial arts skills of the person before him, but also relieved. After watching the match, Chu Lan felt that this person was not the same as the one who attacked him before. This man¡¯s skills seemed to surpass that of the other one! If this was the person who attacked him that day, he would not have been saved by Xu Heyou. Chu Lan approached Wei Jinyi, asking, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Wang Jin,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Would you like to serve by my side?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°Thank you for the offer, my Lord, but the Wei Family has saved my life and raised me,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t force you. However, whenever you decide to move on, you¡¯ll always be wee in my service,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°I appreciate the consideration, my Lord,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Chu Lan felt more at ease with Wei Jinyi than he did at first. He appeared ordinary, but his bearing and gaze were extraordinary, fitting his skilled fighter persona. By the time their conversation ended, the snake soup and hot pot Wei Ruo was preparing had begun to waft a savory smell. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t cook the meal herself, but assisted from the side. The main chef was Maid Xiumei. The snake was skinned and gutted, then marinated in cooking wine and ginger to remove the gamey vor. Half was used to make snake soup, the remaining half was used for snake hot pot. The soup seasoning was rtively simple, just salt and some pepper. The method for cooking the snake hot pot was simr to cooking an eel hot pot. The snake meat was stir-fried with spring onion, garlic, ginger, cooking wine, and soy sauce. The bottom of the y pot was lined with garlic, the stir-fried snake meat was transferred into it and simmered until the meat was tender. Catching sight of Chu Lan, Wei Ruo lost all interest in cooking additional dishes to apany the snake and asked Maid Xiumei to just finish off the snake. After the snake soup and snake hot pot were ready, Wei Ruo let Chu Lan¡¯s retinue have some soup and hot pot to try. After the retinue tasted and confirmed there was no poison, Wei Ruo dished out a bowl of soup and a te of hot pot for Chu Lan. And then, Wei Ruo served the snake soup and hot pot to herself, Wei Jinyi, Maid Xiumei, and Xiaobei. Wei Ruo had initially stated that she had a good rtionship with her servants inside her household. They would share good food together without discrimination when dining outside. Therefore, Wei Ruo¡¯s actions did not raise any suspicions from Chu Lan. After having a taste, Chu Lan praised, ¡°Miss Wei¡¯s culinary skills are as astonishing as her farming knowledge.¡± Unlike before, this time Chu Lan was generous with his praises for Wei Ruo¡¯s cooking. His attitude towards Wei Ruo had noticeably changed from their initial meeting. Though he acknowledged her dexterity before, but he did not regard her so favorably. Now, his admiration and interest in here second only to Xu Heyou. ¡°My Lord, you are giving credit to the wrong person. Today¡¯s snake soup and hot pot were prepared by my maid, Xiumei,¡± Wei Ruo said. Chu Lan smiled and said, ¡°Miss Wei, you truly are fortunate to be surrounded by such talented individuals.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered, my Lord. It¡¯s actually your side that is full of aplished individuals,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Once everyone had finished the snake soup and hot pot, Wei Ruo took the opportunity to excuse herself as it was gettingte. Chu Lan agreed and personally escorted Wei Ruo into her carriage, then watched as their party departed. After some distance, Wei Ruo let out a long breath, ¡°That was exhausting! Being around him makes it difficult for me to even breathe! The talking was tiring, the work was tiring, and trying to decipher what he really meant was even more tiring! I¡¯mpletely worn out!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t be a threat to you in the future,¡± Wei Jinyi reassured Wei Ruo. ¡°Big brother, you always know how tofort me,¡± Wei Ruo said, leaning back against the carriage, ¡°Today¡¯s disguise was really a wise move, it saved us from a lot of trouble.¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t respond to her remarks but said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo Ruo, if you hear rumors in the future that something unfortunate has happened to me, don¡¯t believe them..¡± Chapter 340: Leave The Merit to Brother Xiaoyongi Chapter 340: Leave The Merit to Brother Xiaoyongi Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°Why would my second brother suddenly say that?¡± I¡¯m just worried that because I¡¯m often away, I won¡¯t be able to keep in touch With you, and rumors might mistakenly reach you, causing you unnecessary worry.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Second brother, rest assured, I won¡¯t believe in rumours easily. You only need to take care of yourself, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Hmm.¡± After entering the city, instead of heading straight back to the Military Prefecture, Wei Ruo instructed the carriage to detour to the Four Treasure House. Just like herst visit to the Four Treasure House, this time, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t avoid Wei Jinyi. She simply took him there with her. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo found the wet nurse and said to her, ¡°Nanny, help me send a letter to Brother Xiaoyong. You can simply tuck it into your family¡¯s letter.¡± One big advantage of having the troops stationed nearby was that family letters from the troops would be delivered home every once in a while, and letters from the families would be taken to the camps for the soldiers as well. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s almost the end of the month. The camp should be sending letters soon. At that time, I will tuck Miss¡¯s letter into our letters and deliver it,¡± the wet nurse replied. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Ruo nodded and then sat down to write the things she wanted to tell Xu Zhengyong on paper. Wei Jinyi chose to avoid eye contact and did not watch what Wei Ruo was writing down. Once she finished her business, Wei Ruo returned to the Military Prefecture with Wei Jinyi. It was only when the two returned home that they discovered Wei Mingting was also at the Prefecture today. This was unusual as he had just returned a few days ago. He wouldn¡¯t return at this time unless something urgent hade up, especially since the frontline situation was tense. At dinner, all members of the Wei family were present except for Wei Qingwan who was still recuperating from her injury. After dinner, Wei Mingting revealed the reason for his return today- to arrange for military provisions. Seeing that a confrontation with the Japanese Pirates was imminent, theck of timely replenishment of military provisions was shaking the soldiers¡¯ morale. Not to mention, in a few days when the grain stocks in the military camp run out, the soldiers would have to go hungry. They would have already lost half of the battle even before it began. Wei Mingting presently didn¡¯t have a good solution and could only return to the city to ask for help from Magistrate Yuan Zhengqin. But Yuan Zhengqin was also stuck in a hard ce. He had indeed managed to procure a decent amount of grain, but this grain was provided by the influential gentry of Taizhou prefecture lured by Wei Ruo¡¯s method of working in exchange for disaster relief. The grain did not belong to the Government Office, and consequently, they couldn¡¯t use it freely. After listening to Wei Mingting¡¯s exnation, Lady Yun turned to Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯re the one in charge of this disaster relief. You¡¯re also the one coordinating resources, including the grain obtained. Could you please think of a way to send some of it to the military camp to alleviate the immediate need?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Mother, didn¡¯t Father just mention that he has already consulted with Mr. Yuan? Mr. Yuan does not have the liberty to utilise the grain for the military camp, how could I have such authority? If the gentry and wealthy individuals who have contributed money, effort and grain be dissatisfied and lose faith in the Government Office and this disaster relief operation, have you considered the consequences?¡± But we can¡¯t just stand by and watch our soldiers, who are fighting for their country, their families and the people, starve, can we?¡± Lady Yun said anxiously. Wei Mingting interrupted Lady Yun, ¡°Ruoruo is right, we cannot arbitrarily touch this grain, don¡¯t make it difficult for her. We need to think of other ways to deal with the military provisions.¡± I understand,¡± Lady Yun replied in a low voice. Wei Yichen and Wei Jinyi remained silent throughout, not expressing any opinions. ### When Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden, Xiumei asked her, ¡°Miss, didn¡¯t you say earlier that if the military runs out of grain, you¡¯re willing to provide from your stock? Why didn¡¯t you tell your father just now?¡± The granaries in Wei Ruo¡¯s estate were filled to the brim. She had mentioned before that she wouldn¡¯t sell this grain. It was kept for a rainy day, unless the military ran out of supplies. ¡°Meimei, did you forget that I went to the Four Treasure House today?¡± ¡°Hmm, miss wrote a letter to Brother Xiaoyong.¡± After answering, Xiumei paused for a moment as if she had realized something, ¡°Miss, are you nning to have Brother Xiaoyong intervene?¡± ¡°Hmm, if it can solve the urgent needs of the military camp, it should count as a merit, right?¡± Wei Ruo said. Xiumei nodded, ¡°If you can solve the pressing problem for the Prince and your father, it would certainly be a great achievement!¡± ¡°In that case, I can¡¯t just give out grain for free. I should at least help Brother Xiaoyong earn some military merit.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, let Brother Xiaoyong earn some military merit!¡± Xiumei agreed enthusiastically, waving both her hands and feet. ### Wangmei Garden. Wei Qingwan, who was recuperating, also heard that Wei Mingting had returned. She was eager for him toe and see her. If it were the past, regardless of the severity of her injury, even if she had identally fallen in the courtyard and just had a minor scrape, when her father came home, he would alwayse to see her. Or if he couldn¡¯te, he would send someone over to check on her. However, today, she waited untilte at night but Wei Mingting did note to see her. Her hope turned futile, and Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed and saddened. In the past couple of days, Wei Qingwan had been able to get out of bed. With the help of her old nurse, she stood by the window, gazing at the crescent moon outside, filled with mncholy. ¡°Nanny, what should I do now? Now that father really despises me, can I still hold my ground in this house?¡± Wei Qingwan turned to her old nurse to seek advice. The old nurse was also worried. Her level of anxiety over the matter didn¡¯t fall short of Wei Qingwan¡¯s in the least bit. However, she had to muster up patience to console Wei Qingwan, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss, your father is still upset. Once he calms down, he will remember the affection he has for you.¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t respond and continued to look outside. She felt like the wilted flowers in the courtyard, swaying with the wind with no support. She felt feeble and insecure. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re still weak. Let me help you back to bed to rest,¡± the old nurse suggested.¡± Upon helping her into bed, Wei Qingwan asked, ¡°Nanny, why hasn¡¯t tonight¡¯s medicine been brought over yet?¡± Wei Qingwan had to take her medicine twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, both internally and externally. But tonight, neither the oral medicine nor the topical medicine had been brought over. ¡°This is¡­¡± The old nurse didn¡¯t know what to say. In truth, she had already sent her daughter Cuihe to remind the kitchen, but they said the medicine had run out and they hadn¡¯t bought more yet, so there was nothing they could do. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Wei Qingwan sensed that the old nurse was hiding something. ¡°Miss, the medicine has run out¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m still not fully recovered. Why aren¡¯t they getting more medicine?¡± Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. She was still not fully recovered, so why had they stopped buying medicine for her? ¡°This¡­¡± The old nurse didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°So now they don¡¯t even care whether I live or die?¡± Wei Qingwan felt utterly defeated. Her eyes turned red as tears welled up in her eyes.. Chapter 341: Delivering Food to the Military Chapter 341: Delivering Food to the Military Camp 1 Miss, you mustn¡¯t think that way. If Madam didn¡¯t care about you, she wouldn¡¯t have saved you in the first ce, and you wouldn¡¯t have been served your medicated soup every day,¡± Nurse Li said hurriedly. ¡°But, I¡¯m just not as good as I used to be¡­¡± Wei Qingwanmented, with a pained expression. ¡°Miss¡­¡± ¡°I should have known this day woulde,¡± Wei Qingwan muttered. Miss, you should rx and think on the bright side. Didn¡¯t Mr. Qi write back to you? He cares a lot about you. With Mr Qi to rely upon in the future, there is no need to fear, whether it be the Military Prefecture now or even the Loyal and Righteous Duke¡¯s Residence in Capital City in the future, they would not dare to belittle you,¡± Nurse Li assured. At the mention of Qi Zhen, a glimmer of brightness appeared in Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes. Qi Zhen had written back, exining that he had been dyed by official business and had not been able to visit her. He also reassured her that he would find a way to see her after her wounds had healed and that he would propose marriage to the Wei family formally. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan asked Nurse Li, ¡°Has there been any news about the scar removal medicine?¡± She needed to heal the wound on her back without leaving a scar. She couldn¡¯t let Qi Zhen see the terrifying scar on her back on their wedding night. ¡°This¡­¡± Nurse Li wore a look of difficulty on her face, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. Finding this doctor is not easy. Give me some more time. I will manage to find him.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s toote, will it be more difficult to get rid of the scarpletely?¡± Wei Qingwan voiced her worry. ¡°No, no, it will definitely be removed. You will be just like your old self,¡± Nurse Li said hurriedly. Wei Qingwan took off her bracelet and stuffed it into Nurse Li¡¯s hands, ¡°Nurse Li, please help me buy the medicine on the street tomorrow, and then try to find out more about that Doctor Xu.¡± Alright, alright. Miss, don¡¯t worry. 1 will certainly handle everything properly for you.¡±, Nurse Li received Wei Qingwan¡¯s bracelet and promised. ### Wei Mingting had only been home for two days, and, apart from spending the nights there, he spent all his time outside, either running to the govermnent office or visiting local prominent families to resolve the issue of military provisions. Two dayster, Wei Mingting returned to the military barracks. He left with a deep furrow on his brow as the issue of military provisions was still unresolved. But staying in the city was pointless, so returning to the barracks meant at least enduring hardship together with his troops. Wei Mingting anxiously returned to the military barracks, only to hear some good news upon arrival. Xu Zhengyong imed that he had found a way to obtain provisions, and he had already reported this to the guardmander and the Prince. Weimmg Tmg immediately returned to his tent and summoned Xu Zhengyong for confirmation. ¡°Is it true? Can you really secure military provisions?¡± Weimmg Ting could barely contain his excitement, which was unusual for him, even with enemies at the gates. ¡°It¡¯s true. I have a cousin who is wealthy and somewhat skilled in trade. His granaries are currently well-stocked. After I wrote to him asking for grains, he agreed to supply several carriages of grain to help the army. He said that for my sake, he is willing to sell even more grain to the camp at the original price.¡± Xu Zhengyong exined. The scarcity of food has driven up the prices. Even if you are willing to purchase at high prices, supply is limited, with few willing to sell. Being able to sell at the original price was already considered very benevolent. ¡°How much grain can your cousin contribute?¡± Wei Mingting pressed. For this month, he can supply five thousand stones of wheat and thirty thousand stones of sweet potatoes.¡±, Xu Zhengyong replied. ¡°What? So much?¡± Wei Mingting was stunned. Not many households could spare that much grain now. Xu Zhengyong rified, ¡°Yes, my cousin can supply this much at the moment. There will be even more after the autumn harvest.¡± ¡°When can your cousin deliver the grain?¡± Wei Mingting asked next. ¡°The first batch can be delivered this afternoon,¡± Xu Zhengyong answered. Unexpectedly, the response was quick and pleasing. Wei Mingting, now delighted, asked, ¡°What did the Prince and the Guard Commander have to say?¡± ¡°The Prince and the Guard Commander have agreed. They n to buy all the grain from my cousin. The Prince will pay in advance to meet the urgent need, and then make a plea to the courtter on.¡± Xu Zhengyong exined. ¡°That¡¯s excellent!¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s heart was relieved. Then, he turned to Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Xiaoyong, you have made a great contribution this time.¡± Xu Zhengyong scratched his head in embarrassment, ¡°It¡¯s nothing really.¡± It was nothing worth mentioning, everything was arranged by his sister Ruoruo. Ruoruo insisted that he im to have taken the initiative to seek help from his ¡°cousin¡±; it was because of his face that his ¡°cousin¡± had agreed to provide the grain, as this would highlight his importance in this matter. ¡°The provisions for the army are of utmost importance. Without steady resupply, the massive Anti-Japanese Army would be defeated without a fight. When the Japanese Pirates invade, we will not be able to hold Taizhou prefecture. Your contribution in settling the food and fodder issue for the military is of great importance,¡± Wei Mingting said seriously. The soldiers did not fear dying in battle, but dying from inadequate logistics support. ¡°You¡¯re praising me too much, Sir Wei. This is only what I ought to do. As long as everyone can fill their stomachs, it¡¯s okay.¡± Xu Zhengyong replied. ### n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om That afternoon, Xu Zhushan led the convoy delivering the food to the camp. A total of six carts of wheat and ten carts of sweet potatoes were transported. Although there was no rice, these foods were very filling. Both Chu Lan and the government official came personally to the camp gate to receive the delivery, demonstrating the importance of this food supply to the camp. Xu Zhengyong was there too. Xu Zhushan lighted up when he saw his son. ¡°Father, thank you for your hard work,¡± Xu Zhengyong said. ¡°No, it¡¯s not tiresome at all.¡± Xu Zhushan chuckled heartily. He wasn¡¯t suffering at all. The young miss had supplied the grain, and the merit was attributed to his son. He was merely the transporter. Xu Zhengyong turned to Chu Lan and the government official and exined, ¡°My lord and Guard Commander, unfortunately my cousin was unable to make it, so he asked my father to help deliver the grain.¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work,¡± Chu Lan said. Xu Zhushan respectfully bowed to Chu Lan and the guardmander, then stood awkwardly to the side, not knowing what to do. Chu Lan asked Xu Zhushan, ¡°When can the remaining grain be delivered? We have no issue with the price your son quoted me. If possible, I¡¯d like to meet with Xu in person.¡± ¡°This¡­!¡­¡± Xu Zhushan felt a bit nervous. The youngdy had told him how to respond, but he was never very eloquent, and to make it worse, this was his first time meeting with a prince, so it was no wonder he felt tense. Don¡¯t be nervous, take your time,¡± Chu Lan reassuringly said.. Chapter 342: Delivering Grain Together 1 Chapter 342: Delivering Grain Together 1 ¡°Yes. My nephew assured that once Your Highness agrees, the supply of grain would be sent here within three days, then¡­ then we will trade as per the usual price.¡±, Despite his nervousness, Xu Zhushan managed to ry Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions urately. ¡°Excellent.¡± Chu Lan was satisfied with the timeline. It took time to move such arge amount of grain. It wasmendable that Xu Zhushan¡¯s nephew could manage it so quickly. Then Chu Lan asked, ¡°Can I meet him in person?¡± ¡°Your Highness, you are of such noble status, and my nephew is just a merchant. It would be inappropriate for you to spend time meeting him Moreover, he is not currently in Taizhou Prefecture, he merely has some businesses here, meeting¡­ would¡­ not be convenient¡­¡± Xu Zhushan was very relieved that before he came, thedy had already told him all the possible dialogues, so now he knows how to respond to the prince¡¯s questions. Otherwise, he would stand there stupefied now with his intellect and response capability. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I had intended to thank him in person,¡± said Chu Lan. ¡°My nephew said¡­ being able to help Xiaoyong and the soldiers of the Anti-Japanese Army is his honor, he wouldn¡¯t dare to take credit,¡± Xu Zhushan ryed. ¡°Fair enough, I will not force the issue,¡± Chu Lan didn¡¯t insist too much. He then turned to Xu Zhengyong and said, ¡°Xu Zhushan, you have undoubtedly contributed significantly this time. I shall inform the court and reward you appropriately.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Xu Zhengyong expressed his gratitude. Xu Zhengyong knew that the best way to repay Ruoruo¡¯s kindness was to leverage this opportunity to gain promotion, hence augmenting his power and bing a steadfast supporter of Ruoruo. The Guard Commander, Zheng, gave Xu Zhengyong a pat on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your good news, and don¡¯t forget to invite me for drinks.¡± ¡°Lord Guard Commander, once we defeat the Japanese Pirates, I will definitely treat you to the finest booze,¡± said Xu Zhengyong. ¡°So you¡¯re nning on treating me to some Thyme?¡± Zheng chuckled. ¡°No problem, Thyme it is! As long as we can defeat those damn Japanese Pirates, I¡¯ll treat everyone to Thyme,¡± Xu Zhengyong promised. Chu Lan also said, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to having the Thyme that Xu Zhushan is going to treat us with.¡± ¡°No problem at all!¡± Xu Zhengyong agreed confidently. After the soldiers had unloaded the sixteen carts of grain in the camp, Xu Zhushan took the empty carts and left. They agreed that Xu Zhushan¡¯s nephew would arrange for another delivery of grains in three days¡¯ time. From then on, it would depend on the camp¡¯s requirements ¨C more grain would be arranged to ensure the soldiers would not starve and they would be able to concentrate on fighting the Japanese Pirates without any worries. ### Three dayster, Wei Ruo and Lady Xiumei disguised themselves as men and personally delivered the grains to the camp. Apanying them were Wei Jinyi and Xiaobei. While they were familiar with Wei Ruo and Lady Xiumei¡¯s male attire, they were in the dark about what the pair was up to this day. Wei Jinyi only knew that Wei Ruo was going out on errands, so he asked to apany her. Wei Ruo agreed, and then the four of them, like before, set out together. Once they reached Younan Farmstead and saw the twenty carts full of grain Xiaobei was surprised and asked Lady Xiumei, ¡°Where are we taking so much grain, Lady Xiumei?¡± ¡°These grains are being sold to the camp for military rations. Thedy here is delivering it today.¡± Lady Xiumei answered. ¡°Ah?¡± Xiaobei eximed in surprise, ¡°Where did all these grainse from?¡± Lady Xiumei did not respond, instead, she looked at Wei Ruo uncertain whether she should inform the young master and Xiaobei about it. Wei Ruo turned around and exined: ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Miss, you have so much grain?¡± Xiaobei was even more surprised. ¡°Are you surprised?¡± Wei Ruo countered. Xiaobei nodded vigorously: ¡°I know that you are very good at growing grains and you can make barrennd produce crops, but I didn¡¯t know you had so much grain! Then¡­what about the situation at the military prefecture¡­¡± Considering the current food shortage faced by the Wei Family, and Madam¡¯s concerns about it, Xiaobei was taken aback to learn that Wei Ruo had so much grain to supply the army! Wei Ruo smiled brightly, ¡°These are my private possessions. It¡¯s none of their business who I choose to sell or give them to, right?¡± Xiaobei nodded, there was no problem with that, only this was¡­ too unexpected. Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re really amazing! If the family knew about this, I bet they would be utterly astonished!¡± Wei Ruoughed and said, ¡°Then you must help me keep this secret. I fear if they found out, they would demand grains from me and then I would be worried.¡± Xiaobei nodded seriously, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry, the young master is on your side we will definitely keep your secret!¡± Wei Ruo looked back at Wei Jinyi and smiled, ¡°What about you, second brother?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± We Jinyi¡¯s eyes met Wei Ruo¡¯s brilliant smile, which coaxed a rare smile onto his face too. After loading the carts, Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi, Lady Xiumei, and Xiaobei each mounted a horse and led the way, with the farmstead¡¯s people following behind driving the carts full of grain. They set off from Younan Farmstead,ughing and chatting on their journey Upon leaving Xianju County City, they met soldiers from the Anti-Japanese Army, who had been sent to escort them. The military attached great importance to the safety of the grain. To ensure the gram¡¯s security, the camp had specially dispatched someone to meet them at the eastern gate of Xianju County City. The person in charge was none other than Xu Zhengyong. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Seeing Wei Ruo and Lady Xiumei, Xu Zhengyong was full of smiles. However, respecting the presence of others, he was forced to restrain himself. Besides, he was in military uniform with his subordinates behind him, he needed to maintain a far more serious demeanour than he usually did when jovially interacting with Wei Ruo and Lady Xiumei. Seeing Xu Zhengyong in his military uniform, and his unusually serious demeanor, Lady Xiumei was a bit mesmerized. Despite the familiar face, something seemed different. He seemed radiant, emanating an aura of heroism and dignity. As she kept on gazing, Lady Xiumei blushed and lowered her gaze. Xu Zhengyong slowed down to ride beside Wei Ruo: ¡°The road ahead might be a bit tough, if you feel tired we can take a break. We still have plenty of time.¡± Thest portion of their journey was near the battlefield and was sparsely popted. Plus, the road was bumpy and could be a rough ride. XU Zhengyong knew that Wei Ruo was not familiar with horse riding and was worried she might tire out. Tm fine. Let¡¯s take a rest after delivering the grain,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Zhengyong pointed to a narrow path between tworge mountains in the distance and said, ¡°After passing through that path, we¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Ruo assented. Half an hourter, the group entered the winding path. Suddenly, Wei Jinyi¡¯s brow furrowed: ¡°Stop.¡± Everyone turned to look at him.. Wei Ruo asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, second brother?¡± Chapter 343 - 343 - Ambushed 1 Chapter 343: ¨C Ambushed 1 ¡°Ambush ahead.¡± Wei Jinyi said. Ambush? Howe? Although we are close to the battlefield, this is behind the battlefield. Even if there are bandits, they are only local brigands or desperate refugees. But these people dared not touch the army¡¯s belongings. Xu Zhengyong¡¯s men wore military uniforms, and they prominently carried the army¡¯s g. How could anyone ambush them? At the height of Xu Zhengyong¡¯s doubts, several arrows came flying from the mountains on both sides, aiming at the their supply team. Xu Zhengyong instinctively turned to protect Wei Ruo, but another figure moved even faster than him. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know what happened until she fell into a sturdy embrace. Wei Ruo looked up and saw Wei Jinyi¡¯s profile. Then she saw him deflecting the arrows with a knife he¡¯d drawn from nowhere, the harsh sound of metal arrows colliding with the knife sounded in Wei Ruo¡¯s ears. Xu Zhengyong nced at Wei Jinyi and found that he had exceptional martial arts skills. Once he confirmed that Wei Ruo was safe with him, he cast her aside from his worries. Xu Zhengyong drew his sword and ordered his soldiers, ¡°Break through with me!¡± With that, Xu Zhengyong took the lead and charged toward the hillsides nking the road. The soldiers followed closely, drawing their swords to fight back the ambushers. Being protected by Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo held on tightly to Wei Jinyi¡¯s waist, her body pressing against his chest. She knew what she had to do was to be obedient and not cause chaos. Although Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t do much physically, her eyes evaluated the locations and estimated number of attackers on the hillsides. About twenty on each side, they held the high ground, giving them an advantage. If they tried to break through by force, heavy losses would be inevitable. After assessing the general situation, Wei Ruo had a n in mind. ¡°Second Brother, there¡¯s a red wooden box on the first cart, it contains ck spherical objects. Light them and throw them onto the hillsides.¡± Wei Ruo told Wei Jinyi. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Wei Jinyi looked at the first cart behind them. Then, carrying Wei Ruo, he leapt towards the cart in a few jumps, cut open the ropes and hemp cloth covering the cart with his sword. Inside the cart, in addition to the food, was the red wooden box. Once he opened the box, it was exactly as Wei Ruo had described ¨C small spherical ck objects, each with a fuse on top. Wei Jinyi put Wei Ruo down and told her to hide under the cart. Wei Ruo obediently squatted on the ground, took out a lighter from her pocket and passed it to Wei Jinyi. ¡°A lighter, use it to ignite the fuse.¡± Without any hesitation or questions, Wei Jinyi quickly took the lighter from Wei Ruo, lit the fuse, andunched the bomb, kicking it towards the ambushers on the hill with a flying kick. Then there was a ¡°bang¡±, and a deafening st echoed through the narrow mountain trail. The charging Xu Zhengyong and his team were all taken aback. While everyone was still in shock, Wei Jinyi had alreadyunched the second third¡­ One explosion after another resounded. The sound was so loud it was as if the mountains were copsing. The location was between two mountains, and the mountainside amplified the sound of the explosion, making it particrly loud. In no time at all, the hillsides on both sides fell silent. Wei Jinyi also stopped, holding a bomb in his hand, his eyes fixated on the hillsides. Wei Ruo peeked out from under the cart, Wei Jinyi signaled her to wait, so Wei Ruo hid her head back under the cart. Then Xu Zhengyong led his men to the hillsides, and after confirming that all the ambushers were dead, he signaled his men. Only then did Wei Jinyi pull Wei Ruo out from under the cart. Wei Jinyi carefully checked Wei Ruo¡¯s body, making sure that she was just a bit muddy, but not injured. ¡°Second Brother, is your foot swollen?¡± Wei Ruo asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°No.¡± ¡°This bomb is quite heavy, ya know. You kicked it with your foot. I feel a normal person would¡¯ve fractured their foot.¡± Wei Ruo said, looking at Wei Jinyi¡¯s foot. Wei Ruo originally thought Wei Jinyi would throw it with his hand. She didn¡¯t expect him to kick it with his foot. If everyone had a foot skill like Second Brother, there would be no need to specially make a catapult. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me,ter you take off your shoes and let me see. If it¡¯s injured or fractured, I¡¯ll put some medicine on it for you.¡± ¡°Really, it¡¯s fine.¡± Wei Jinyi insisted. To divert Wei Ruo¡¯s attention, Wei Jinyi asked Wei Ruo, ¡°What is this round thing?¡± ¡°This is a bomb, the principle is simr to the firecrackers and fireworks we set off during festivals, except that this is much more powerful.¡± Wei Ruo exined. She picked up one and weighed it in her hand, saying, ¡°I intentionally put them in the food cart as a just-in-case measure. I didn¡¯t expect that they would reallye in handy.¡± Xiaobei, who had run back with Xiumei, happened to hear what Wei Ruo said and quickly asked, ¡°Miss, where did you get such a powerful thing?¡± ¡°Borrowed from an immortal.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Huh?¡± Xiaobei was dumbfounded and blinked in confusion. Then foolishly turned back to look at his young master. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t say anything, but he had figured it out. While they were talking, Xu Zhengyong came down from the hills. Ruo¡­ Xu Zhengyong almost slipped up, then paused and corrected himself to ask Wei Ruo, ¡°Are you okay? Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, what about those ambushed?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°All dead.¡± Then Xu Zhengyong handed Wei Ruo something. ¡°This is the weapon they just used.¡± Although it was blown to pieces, Wei Ruo instantly recognized it as the crossbow she had designed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Has anyone else besides the Anti-Japanese Army been equipped with this?¡± Wei Ruo asked Xu Zhengyong. Xu Zhengyong shook his head: ¡°Only the Anti-Japanese Army in Taizhou prefecture has been equipped with these.¡± At his words, everyone¡¯s expressions changed. If this was the case, then those who ambushed them were¡­ Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°These are supplies for the Anti-Japanese Army, could there be people in the Anti-Japanese Army who would wish for the supplies to be disrupted?¡± No one could answer her question for the time being. Xu Zhengyong said, ¡°It may not necessarily be someone from the Anti-Japanese Army. Someone might have stolen our crossbows, or the designs of the crossbows.¡± Deep down, Xu Zhengyong still hoped that this matter had nothing to do with the Anti-Japanese Army. He wasn¡¯t willing to believe that someone in the Anti-Japanese Army would choose to betray theirrades, their country, and themon people they swore to protect with their lives. After a silence, Wei Ruo asked Xu Zhengyong, ¡°How many people in the camp knew about my supply delivery today?¡± Chapter 344 - 344 Staying at the Inn_1 Chapter 344: Staying at the Inn_1 After some thought, Xu Zhengyong said, ¡°Apart from me, there¡¯s Lord Wei, Lord Zheng, the Seventh Prince, and the two who manage the grain depot. There might also be some deputies of other lords. I can¡¯t say for sure, I¡¯ll have to go back and ask.¡± Those who knew weren¡¯t many, but they weren¡¯t few either. Since this matter wasn¡¯t exactly ssified within the military camp, no security measures were taken, and they couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly where the leak might have urred. After mulling it over for a while, Wei Ruo said, ¡°First, let¡¯s bandage the injured and regroup, we¡¯ll discuss the restter.¡± Xu Zhengyong nodded. Fortunately, this assault ended quickly, and nobody from Wei Ruo¡¯s or Xu Zhengyong¡¯s groups was killed. However, eleven were injured. Four of them were farmhands from the manor who apanied Wei Ruo to deliver grain, and seven were subordinates of Xu Zhengyong. Wei Ruo had Xu Zhengyong, Xiumei and Xiaobei treat the wounds of the eleven injured, apply medicine and wrap their wounds. The medicine was something Wei Ruo had brought, initially intended to be taken to the camp by Xu Zhengyong, but it came in handy now. Wei Ruo, alongwith Wei Jinyi, personally inspected the site of the ambush on the slope. Due to the power of the bombs, the deaths of the ambushing party were rather gruesome. Wei Ruo furrowed her brow, Wei Jinyi immediately noticed her difort and said, ¡°If it¡¯s too disturbing, you don¡¯t have to look.¡± Wei Ruo shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not the sight of the bodies that unnerves me, I can handle any form of death. I just haven¡¯t gotten used to people dying because of me.¡± After a pause, Wei Ruo added, ¡°But I don¡¯t regret it at all, I can¡¯t show mercy to those who want to kill me. If I do, the one to die would be me. So, Second Brother, you don¡¯t have to worry about me, I¡¯ll just need a moment to adjust.¡± Wei Ruo was emotional, yet ultimately it was reason that held sway. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes for a moment as if moved by something deep within. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om After they had conducted their survey, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi found that besides the horses the ambushed party used, they also had various old wounds on their bodies, simr to what one might get on a battlefield. Some of the knife wounds even looked like they were made by the katana unique to the Japanese pirates. These findings further corroborated their initial guess that the ambushers were likely from the Anti-Japanese Army. Aftering down from the mountain, Wei Ruo ordered her party to set off back home and left Xu Zhengyong and his men at the scene. The booming noise from the explosions was extremely loud, especially as it got amplified by the peculiar acoustics of the narrow path, it was likely heard from afar. If the military camp heard the noise, they would probably send people to check it out. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to deal with the military for the time being. Her initial n for delivering the grain was to blend into the crowd, drop off the grain at the camp gate, and leave. So she decided to leave first and let Xu Zhengyong handle the rest. Before leaving, Wei Ruo briefly instructed Xu Zhengyong on what to say to the military after they arrived. She guessed that once the military arrived, they would want to know about the bombs. Not long after Wei Ruo and her party left, Chu Lan arrived at the scene with his men. Remnants of the conflict and bodies could still be seen on the site. The most astonishing sight was that of the bodies of the ambushers, their dismembered state was not something any weapon they had seen could cause. Chu Lan asked Xu Zhengyong about the situation, Xu Zhengyong reported the ambush in detail. ¡°What caused the injuries on the ambushers on both slopes?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°It¡¯s a very special weapon, I don¡¯t know much about it. I was leading people up the mountain for an assault, I didn¡¯t get a good look at it. I only vaguely saw something thrown towards the slopes, then heard a loud noise. By the time I reacted, the ambushers were already in this state.¡± Xu Zhengyong replied. ¡°Where did ite from?¡± Chu Lan asked again. ¡°My cousin bought it off a merchant. Originally, it was to be shipped to the camp together for inspection by the lords to see if it could be used on the battlefield. It just so happened that we encountered this ordeal and had to use it.¡± Xu Zhengyongexined. After listening to Xu Zhengyong¡¯s description, Chu Lan was silent for a long time before asking, ¡°How many are left? I want to see it.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all used up.¡± Xu Zhengyong replied. Actually, there were some left, but Wei Ruo took the remaining ones with her when she left. ¡°Is there a way to get more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, we¡¯ll have to be lucky. If we can buy some more, it would be great.¡± Xu Zhengyong replied. Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flickered on Chu Lan¡¯s face. Still, he instructed Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Tell your cousin to find out more. If there are any left, be sure to send them over to the military.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ### Because of the dy, they could not make it back to Government City before dark. Since there were injured among the group, Wei Ruo decided to stay for the night at an inn in the city of Xianju County, and return to the city next morning. Considering they were near a battlefield, the inn wasn¡¯t doing brisk business. That night, only Wei Ruo¡¯s party checked in. The usually quiet inn was lively because of their presence. After a simple dinner, Wei Ruo instructed everyone to retire to their rooms to rest. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were staying in the two rooms at the back of the second floor. In the evening, Wei Ruo knocked on Wei Jinyi¡¯s door. Through the shadow on the door, Wei Ruo saw that Wei Jinyi was standing in front of it, but he didn¡¯t open the door immediately, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, Wei Jinyi opened the door. Wei Ruo saw that Wei Jinyi was neatly dressed, still wearing the moonlight colored clothes from the day. He looked absolutely spotless and you couldn¡¯t tell that he had been in a fierce fight that day. He was truly skilled in martial arts, to the extent that he was able to fully protect her without getting a scratch. Wei Ruo looked down at Wei Jinyi¡¯s shoes, which were stained with some dirt, then asked, ¡°How are your feet, Second Brother?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Wei Jinyi responded for the third time. ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Wei Ruo felt that even if there was something wrong, Wei Jinyi would still say it¡¯s fine. Wei Jinyi stepped back two steps and said sternly, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t be shy. I¡¯ve seen a lot of feet. Back in the countryside, everyone worked barefoot in the fields, regardless of age or gender, there was no such taboo.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯m not injured. I used my martial arts skills, dexterity, not force. I didn¡¯t directly collide with the thing you made.¡± Wei Jinyi exined. Chapter 345: Discussing strategies with Chapter 345: Discussing strategies with Second Brother_l Clearly, Wei Jinyi had guessed that the innovative device used today was made by Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo had already epted Wei Jinyi¡¯s exnation, but looking at his overly serious demeanor, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t resist a desire to tease him. ¡°It would be better if I take a look at your injury, just in case. Some injuries might not feel much at the moment, but there could be some problems beneath the surface. If discoveredter, it could be serious.¡± Wei Ruo argued convincingly. Having said that, Wei Ruo was about to move forward to help Wei Jinyi take off his shoes. Wei Jinyi stepped back to avoid her. ¡°Ruoruo, no! A woman shouldn¡¯t casually look at a man¡¯s feet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not just any man, you¡¯re my brother. We shouldn¡¯t worry about these taboo issues as siblings.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s adherence to rules was only in public. Her soul, which had received modern education, didn¡¯t think it inappropriate to see her own brother¡¯s foot. Having said that, Wei Ruo suddenly moved forward, causing Wei Jinyi to hesitate for a moment whether to avoid her or not. If he avoided her, he was afraid that Wei Ruo would stumble and hit the wall. After hesitation, he finally decided to grab Wei Ruo¡¯s restless hands. At the moment he grabbed her hands, Wei Jinyi was a bit startled. He lowered his head to look at the delicate hands held by him, a sense of bewilderment overcame him. Wei Ruo, however, felt nothing and insteadughter burst out of her. ¡°Brother, look how nervous you are. I never thought someone like you who is usually free-spirited and spontaneous would be so pedantic when ites to these formalities, just like a schoolmaster.¡± ¡°No.¡± Wei Jinyi denied, while also letting go of Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. He wasn¡¯t pedantic, he was just¡­ towards her¡­ Wei Ruo chuckled, then sat down at the round table in the room, ready to discuss serious matters with Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi shut the door. He knew Wei Ruo had sought him out, most likely to discuss today¡¯s events. ¡°Brother, do you think today¡¯s incident has anything to do with the Anti-Japanese Army?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Instead of giving a direct answer, Wei Jinyi said, ¡°Even hundred-year-old trees can harbour rotten branches. Even the Anti-Japanese Army isn¡¯t immune to corruption.¡± ¡°I¡¯m wondering, if there really are people within the Anti-Japanese Army who don¡¯t want the supplies to be replenished in time, what would their motives be? Are they colluding with the Japanese Pirates, or are they nning to use this opportunity to target Chu Lan?¡± Lack of food in the military camp directly affects the fight against the Japanese Pirates. The indirect effect is the meritorious deeds of Chu Lan. Everyone knows that the Emperor is testing the abilities of the two princes by assigning Chu Lan to fight against the Japanese as a military governor, and by dispatching the Sixth Prince to Jiangnan for disaster relief. The Emperor is seeing how much they can achieve. Chu Lan is currently performing well in the military camp and also helping Taizhou prefecture with disaster relief. The Sixth Prince has been in Jiangzhe Road for some time now, but so far there hasn¡¯t been any significant achievement. The disaster relief effects are far poorer than those of Taizhou prefecture¡¯s self-rescue efforts. Basing on the current situation, the Sixth Prince is likely to lose thispetition. ¡°Both are possible.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed with Wei Ruo¡¯s spection, then he asked Wei Ruo, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s your n?¡± Wei Ruo sighed: ¡°The power struggle in the court is not my concern, nor do I bother about who will be the Emperor. But if they harm the soldiers who are defending our homnd and exploit their fellow countrymen for the sake of power struggle, I cannot just sit by and watch.¡± ¡°Let alone there are people I know involved. Even if there weren¡¯t, how could I let the morale of the soldiers fighting the Japanese Pirates be dampened?!¡± ¡°Additionally, if the soldiers were defeated, and the city gates fell, and the Japanese Pirates invaded on arge scale, how many innocent people would be affected considering their cruel and inhumane ways? How could I possibly ignore that? They stop at no evil!¡± A deep sense of helplessness and a touch of anger were evident in Wei Ruo¡¯s voice. Wei Jinyi watched her, feeling a certain emotion being stirred deep inside him again. ¡°Ruoruo, do you n to find the mastermind behind this?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°I have this idea.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°But don¡¯t you have your own matters to attend to, Brother?¡± ¡°I can put off my affairs for now. You are right. The morale of the fighting soldiers shouldn¡¯t be dampened and the country¡¯s gate should not be left wide open,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Ruo rested her chin on her hands, looked at Wei Jinyi, and smiled: ¡°Brother, are you giving up your own affairs for me? Does this mean that I, as your sister, hold a certain weight in your heart?¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s cheeks reddened slightly, then he quietly replied, ¡°Mm.¡± Not just a little weight. The smile on Wei Ruo¡¯s face grew warmer. Despite his cold exterior, her brother clearly stood by her side. He put aside his own affairs to help her with something she wanted to do. Wei Jinyi watched Wei Ruo¡¯s smile, and for a moment, the corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t help but raise slightly. ¡°What¡¯s Ruoruo¡¯s n?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Brother, what do you think of the new ything used to kill the ambushers today?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°It¡¯s incredibly powerful and unexpected.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°What about applying it to the battlefield?¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It could change the war situation.¡± ¡°I had been debating whether to introduce this weapon because it could potentially make an already cruel battlefield even more brutal,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Now I¡¯ve changed my mind. I¡¯ll use this weapon and the supplies as a bait to draw out the puppeteer.¡± Wei Ruo nned to set a trap for the puppeteer in the hopes of exposing their true colors. ### Early the next morning, Wei Ruo and others set out to return to Taizhou prefecture, and reached there by noon. Wei Ruo had not informed the mansion beforehand that she wouldn¡¯t return homest night. So she was inevitably questioned by Madam Yun when she got back. But with the excuse of disaster relief preparation, stating that she had spent the night at the Yuan Residence, Madam Yun stopped asking further questions. When Wei Ruo left the Cangyun Garden, she ran into Wei Qingwan, who was going there. Wei Qingwan, assisted by her maid, moved slowly and with difficulty. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan stopped. After a brief gaze, she immediately lowered her head. Wei Ruo chuckled lightly, and thought about how worried Wei Qingwan was about her ce in the mansion that even her injuries weren¡¯t fully healed, and she still desired toe to the Cangyun Garden. She really was persistent. Then Wei Ruo ignored Wei Qingwan and walked away. Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but clench her fist. Wei Ruo had a look of contempt and disdain when she saw her! all her current predicament was thanks to Wei Ruo! Why should she look down on her? ¡°Sister.¡± Wei Qingwan called out to Wei Ruo, who was about to leave. Wei Ruo stopped and turned around. ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve treated me so ¡®well¡¯, I won¡¯t forget this. I promise to repay you in full in the future,¡± Wei Qingwan said. Chapter 346 - 346 The Setup 1 Chapter 346: The Setup 1 ¡°Is that all you wanted to say?¡± Wei Ruo felt as if she had just listened to a pointless statement, spoken as if Wei Qingwan was nning to get along with her peacefully if it wasn¡¯t for this incident. ¡°The mix-up of our identities when we were born was not my fault, but an act of fate. Ever since sister entered the government house, I have taken the initiative to visit, give gifts aspensation, trying to live peacefully with you. Yet, you had no such intentions; you have repeatedly plotted against me, pushing me into the predicament I am in today. If so, do not me me for disregarding the bond of sisterhood henceforth.¡± Hearing this, Wei Ruo felt likeughing. Was this a case of convincing oneself of a lie by constantly pretending is true? ¡°You really have a knack for self-hypnosis, don¡¯t you? You even believe that you¡¯re innocent?¡± Wei Ruo sneered. ¡°Sister, you only resent me because I tookyour ce and your family¡¯s affection for thirteen years, but that was not a choice I made. You and I were both newborns, incapable of influencing anything when the mix-up urred. The injuries you said I had caused you were only assumptions without any proof. I insist that I am innocent,¡± Wei Qingwan persisted. ¡°ording to what you said, what does your punishment this time have to do with me? It wasn¡¯t me who said that you harmed our elder brother. He personally identified you. Shouldn¡¯t you go to him?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°Sister, you know well whether this rtes to you or not, there¡¯s no need for posturing. Now that you have lost your marriage to the Xiu Family, do you think you could ruin my marriage as well?¡± said Wei Qingwan. Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s hypocrisy, Wei Ruo lost interest in arguing with her, feeling that any further talk was simply a waste of time. Watching Wei Ruo¡¯s retreating figure, Wei Qingwan coldlymented, ¡°She¡¯s bing more and more dismissive of me.¡± Li Mama, who was standing by,forted her, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. When you join the Qi Family, she will only have envy and jealousy.¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t reply to Li Mama, but in her heart, she epted her words. ¡°Mama, support me to visit mother.¡± Wei Qingwan knew very clearly that she couldn¡¯t be driven out of the Wei Family yet. If she wanted to marry Qj Zhen, she still needed the identity of the legitimate daughter of the Wei Family. Despite its decline, the Wei Family was still of nobility. If she were driven out of the Wei Family and returned to the He Family, she would have no chance of marrying Qi Zhen as the main wife. At this moment, the only person she could rely on in the Military Prefecture was Madam Yun. Therefore, under no circumstances could she lose Madam Yun¡¯s affection for her. ### The next day, Xu Zhengyong returned home to the Four Treasure House in the Government City. He immediately sent a letter to Wei Ruo at the Military Prefecture. Wei Ruo was not surprised by Xu Zhengyong¡¯s letter, as she had anticipated that someone would inquire further about the bomb when she had taught Xu Zhengyong how to answer questions about it. Upon receiving Xu Zhengyong¡¯s letter, Wei Ruo left the house. Unlike her usualpany of just Xiumei, this time, Wei Jinyi apanied her as well. Waiting at the Four Treasure House, Xu Zhengyong showed a surprised expression when he saw Wei Jinyi. ¡°He¡­¡± Xu Zhengyonghesitated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my second brother knows. You can discuss the matter with him,¡± Wei Ruo exined. After Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, Xu Zhengyong scrutinized Wei Jinyi for a moment. He knew before that in the Military Prefecture, Ruoruo had a considerate second brother, but he didn¡¯t know that Wei Jinyi, this second brother, was so trusted by her as to involve him in such an affair. Though surprised, Xu Zhengyong still believed in Wei Ruo¡¯s judgment, so he didn¡¯t hesitate for long and recounted the events of the past two days to Wei Ruo in front of Wei Jinyi. The military camp has been thoroughly investigating the assault on the grain transportation team in the past few days. Although there is no result yet, both the seventh prince, Chu Lan, and the Guard Commander have attached great importance to it. Another significant matter is the bomb Wei Ruo made. Its destructive power has caught the interest of all the generals, including Prince Chu Lan. If such a powerful weapon could be used on the battlefield, it would greatly enhance their firepower, significantly increasing their odds against the Japanese Pirates. Xu Zhengyong¡¯s return this time was also rted to this matter. Both Prince Chu Lan and the Guard Commander wanted Xu Zhengyong to find this object. After finishing his statement, Xu Zhengyong asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, what do you think?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I have a n, but it¡¯s a littleplicated. But I will teach you how to respond to the prince and others. You have to remember clearly and not make any mistakes.¡± Xu Zhengyong nodded firmly. Wei Ruo said, ¡°After you return, tell the prince, Guard Commander, my father, and the two officials in charge of the grain storage about the source of the bomb. However, the answers you give to each of them will be different. To help you remember, I have written down the corresponding statements on paper. Please familiarize yourself with them.¡± Wei Ruo handed the already written letter to Xu Zhengyong. Having nced at the letter, Xu Zhengyong asked, ¡°Ruoruo, when did your handwriting be so beautiful?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t write it.¡± ¡°Oh, no wonder.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Ruo gave Xu Zhengyong a white look, reminding him not to emphasize such details. Xu Zhengyong carefully read the content of the letter, then asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, why are you doing this? Which one of these is true?¡± Xu Zhengyong was very confused. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the exact reason yet, Brother Xiaoyong. Just do as I said for now, and I¡¯ll exin everything to you afterward. Wei Ruo replied. Considering that Xu Zhengyong wasn¡¯t good at keeping secrets, and the suspect was hisrade, Wei Ruo decided not to tell Xu Zhengyong her entire n for the time being. Although Xu Zhengyong was confused, he nodded and said, ¡°Okay, I will do as Ruoruo says.¡± ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, you must be careful not to let them detect any discrepancies.¡± Wei Ruo added. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ruoruo. I¡¯llplete the task you¡¯ve given me!¡± Xu Zhengyong thumped his chest in guarantee. After finishing the significant negotiation, while Wei Ruo was talking to his mother, Xu Zhengyong pulled Wei Jinyi aside. ¡°Wei Second Brother, since you are nice to Ruoruo, you are my good brother! If you need anything in the future, just say it. I, Xu Zhengyong, will not refuse!¡± Xu Zhengyong thumped his chest at Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t think less of me because I¡¯m only a Colonel now and hold a lower rank than your father. I, Xu Zhengyong, am a man with goals and aspirations. I will rise to a higher position through my hard work and be a reliable support for Ruoruo and you!¡± Xu Zhengyong said again. ¡± Thank you, Brother Xu.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. Immediately afterward, Xu Zhengyong looked around and then whispered to Wei Jinyi, ¡°By the way, there is one more thing I need to ask of Wei Second Brother.¡± Chapter 347 - 347 They Are More Like Family l Chapter 347: They Are More Like Family l ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I just want to trouble you to keep an eye on Meimei¡­ She¡­ Despite Meimei¡¯s good martial arts skills, she isn¡¯t as smart as Ruoruo. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll be deceived by some of those crafty boys in your family¡­¡± As Xu Zhengyong spoke, his cheeks turned slightly red. ¡°You should talk to Ruoruo about this,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°No, that won¡¯t do. Meimei and Ruoruo are like peas in a pod. If I tell Ruoruo, Meimei will also find out.¡± ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll pay attention for you,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Upon hearing this response, Xu Zhengyong patted Wei Jinyi on the shoulder cheerfully. ¡°Well then, thanks in advance, Second Brother Wei!¡± After discussing the matter with Xu Zhengyong, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t immediately leave. At the enthusiastic invitation of the nanny¡¯s family, they stayed for supper. The dining table was set up in the courtyard, where the nanny had prepared a variety of homemade dishes. While these dishes didn¡¯t have the culinary skills of the master chef at Zuixian Residence nor the high-end ingredients, they carried a warm, homey taste that was irresistible. At the dinner table, Wei Jinyi saw a different side of Wei Ruo when she chatted andughed with Xu¡¯s family. Perhaps this warm, rxed version of her was her true self, unlike the restrained rendition in the colonel¡¯s house. The interactions among Wei Ruo and Xu¡¯s family also gave Wei Jinyi a sense of warmth and rxation he hadn¡¯t felt before. ¡°Second Brother Wei, eat more.¡± Xu Zhengyong enthusiastically served Wei Jinyi food. ¡°Look how thin you are. You look like you could topple over in the wind. I bet that a single punch from me would knock you off your feet. You need to eat more and build up your strength.¡± Xiumei chuckled at the side. ¡°Meimei, what are youughing at?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked. ¡°Nothing really, I¡¯m just looking forward to you punching the second young master once,¡± Xiumei said with augh. ¡°I was only making a metaphor. Second Brother Wei is nice to Ruoruo, why would I punch him?¡± Xu Zhengyong turned to Wei Jinyi and exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Second Brother Wei. Even though my fists are hard, they are not meant for you, but for anyone who bullies Ruoruo.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi confirmed. Xiumeiughed even harder. ¡°Meimei, what the hell are youughing at?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked, puzzled. ¡°Nothing really, it¡¯s just that Brother Xiaoyong, you are so powerful¡±, Xiumei eximed, stillughing. Xu Zhengyong gave her a puzzled look. He had a hunch that Xiumei was sarcastically ridiculing him, but he couldn¡¯t find any evidence to prove it. Wei Ruo served a big piece of preserved vegetable and braised pork into Wei Jinyi¡¯s bowl. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong is right. You do look a bit weak, so you should eat more. This dish of preserved vegetable and braised pork is one of my nanny¡¯s best dishes. Try it.¡± In the Wei household, personal serving during meals would be considered uncouth. But in the Xu family, there was no such taboo, no rules about silence during meals. The dining table was lively and warm, something not found in the Wei house. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi picked up a piece of meat and tasted it with care. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± The nanny sighed when she heard Wei Jinyipliment the food. As Ruo¡¯s brother, Wei Jinyi, who had grown up in the Military Prefecture, had been ustomed to delicate food. She was worried he may not be fond of preserved and pickled dishes. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Xu Zhengyong told Wei Jinyi, ¡°Second Brother Wei, you shoulde over more frequently with Ruoruo and my younger disciple sister. My mom knows many recipes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi responded with a gentle smile. ¡°Who is your disciple sister?¡± Xiumei wasn¡¯t happy with Xu Zhengyong¡¯s term for her. ¡°You!¡± Xu Zhengyong stated confidently. ¡°Noway, I am your elder disciple sister!¡± Xiumei retorted. ¡°No, you are definitely my younger disciple sister!¡± Xu Zhengyong insisted. The two began to argue again over their ranking within their martial arts school. Wei Ruo, the nanny, and Xu Zhushan were all very used to it. Wei Ruo exined to Wei Jinyi, ¡°They argue about this every once in a while. It would probably feel strange if they didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s quite nice,¡± Wei Jinyi stated. Such bickering only happens among those who have a strong rtionship, which isn¡¯tmon among acquaintances. After dinner, everyone in the backyard of the Four Treasure House was full and happy. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi then returned to the Military Prefecture together in a carriage. On the way home, Wei Jinyi noticed Wei Ruo in high spirits, which helped him rx as well. ¡°Ruoruo, would you like to return to that home?¡± Wei Jinyi asked suddenly. By ¡®that home¡¯, he meant the Xu¡¯s Family. Perhaps for Ruoruo, a ce with people from the Xu¡¯s family felt more like home. ¡°I do want to, but it¡¯s tough, isn¡¯t it? Even if the Wei family is on the decline, they are a noble family. No matter how much money I can make, I¡¯m just a merchant, and a woman at that. The difference in social status is too great. I simply can¡¯tpete.¡± ¡°So, you want to get married.¡± Wei Jinyi heard about this from Wang Caiwei. This was the first time he discussed it directly with Wei Ruo after returning home. ¡°Yes, I want freedom. I don¡¯t know if Second Brother can understand. I know my ideas might be shocking, but they could give me the life I want,¡± Wei Ruo exined. The light in the carriage was not bright at dusk. Half of Wei Ruo¡¯s face was illuminated by the setting sun, while the other half was engulfed in darkness. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s face and remained silent for a long while. Wei Ruo looked up with a smile, ¡°So next time, Second Brother, don¡¯t stop me, I¡¯ve thought it through.¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t agree nor reject. ### Early the next morning, Wei Mingting returned to the Military Prefecture. His frequent homings must have had a reason. Given the current tense situation along the coast, Wei Mingting, as the Deputy Guard Commander, would not be able to leave his post so often. Upon returning home, Wei Mingting locked himself in his study. Out of concern, Yunshi asked the kitchen to prepare some food and went to visit him. ¡°My lord, why did youe back? Did something happen at the camp?¡± Yunshi asked, full of worry. ¡°There seems to be trouble,¡± Wei Mingting replied, his brow furrowed, and his face serious. ¡°Is it still an issue with the food and grass supply?¡± ¡°There¡¯s some progress with the food and grass supply, but there¡¯s now another equally serious issue that¡¯s bothering me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Yunshi asked. Wei Mingting looked at Yunshi and sighed, ¡°Bring Ruoruo here. I have some things to discuss with her.¡± The image of his eldest daughter emerged in Wei Mingting¡¯s mind, troubled as he was. He felt that speaking with his wife wouldn¡¯t be of any help. Yunshi was a bit surprised, not expecting her husband¡¯s thoughts to turn to their eldest daughter at this time. After pondering for a while, Yunshi replied, ¡°Alright, I will send someone to call Ruoruo over.¡± Then Yunshi called Cuiping and asked her to fetch Wei Ruo from Tingsong Garden. When Cuiping, on Yunshi¡¯s orders, arrived at Tingsong Garden to find Wei Ruo, she found Wei Ruo checking the ount books in her room. Chapter 348: The Daughter Who Deeply Won His Heartl Chapter 348: The Daughter Who Deeply Won His Heartl After casting the bait, it takes some time for the fish to bite. Before that, Wei Ruo had her own affairs to attend to. Although the vis and shops were looked after by the nanny and the manager, freeing Wei Ruo from worry, there were still some matters that required Wei Ruo¡¯s personal decisions. Cuiping stood outside the room: ¡°Miss, Master has returned today and is in the study in the front yard. He asked me to invite you over.¡± Wei Ruo put down the brush in her hand, paused for a moment, and replied: ¡°Wait a moment, I will be right there.¡± Wei Ruo put the ounts away and then asked Xiumei to fetch the jar of Thyme. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Xiumei returned with the Thyme and asked, ¡°Miss, what would Master want to discuss with you today?¡± ¡°He probably came back today due to the ambush encountered by the grain convoy. We should know why he is looking for me once we get there.¡± Wei Ruo spected. Xiumei nodded. We Ruo, along with Xiumei, followed Cuiping to Wei Mingting¡¯s study in the front yard. In the study, Wei Mingting was seated at his desk, reading something with a serious expression. Mrs. Yun stood by his side, grinding ink for him. Upon Wei Ruo¡¯s entrance, Wei Mingting stopped what he was doing. Seeing Xiumei behind Wei Ruo holding a jar of wine, Wei Mingting said: ¡°I appreciate your good intentions, Ruoruo, but today is not a suitable day for drinking.¡± Wei Mingting was a principled man who only touched alcohol when he could rx. Given the current situation in the military camp, he would not drink. ¡°This is the wine I promised you earlier, I just came to deliver it today.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°fust leave it here.¡± Wei Mingting said, ¡°I called you here today because I wanted to hear your opinion on something.¡± ¡°Father, you must want to ask about the matters in the camp, but I don¡¯t understand the affairs in the camp. Why would you consider asking my opinion?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Wei Mingting was somewhat surprised and pleased at her response: ¡°Ruoruo, you are indeed intelligent. I have not specified what the matter is, yet you have already figured it out.¡± ¡°The thing that would make you anxious must be rted to the camp affairs. Besides, ording tomon sense, you should be in the military camp now. If you¡¯re here at this moment, it must mean something has happened in the camp, and it is not a minor issue.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, something has happened in the camp that has troubled me greatly. I don¡¯t know why I wanted to ask you, but I vaguely felt that maybe your intelligence could give me a different perspective. Ruoruo, you don¡¯t need to be nervous, just express your opinion. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you¡¯re right or wrong. We are just having a casual conversation at home, regardless of right or wrong.¡± Wei Mingting said. ¡°Father, please speak.¡± Wei Ruo wanted to hear Wei Mingting¡¯s view on the ambush of the grain caravan. ¡°During thest battle with the Japanese Pirates, I led a team tounch a nking attack, but we were ambushed by the pirates halfway. We were caught off guard and nearly lost our lives.¡± Wei Mingting talked about how he was gravely injured in the previous battle. Wei Ruo only knew that Wei Mingting had narrowly escaped death in the previous battle, but she didn¡¯t know about this hidden information. Upon hearing this, Mrs. Yun looked surprised. Her husband had never mentioned this to her before. Wei Mingting continued, ¡°I initially thought that it was a mere ident, but recently, another incident urred. After having a hard time securing a grain supply for the military camp, I thought that everything would be safe as the transport was within the city. However, the grain convoy was ambushed en route.¡± ¡°Father, do you have any suspects in mind?¡± Wei Ruo asked, cutting straight to the point. The delight in Wei Mingting¡¯s eyes was evident. His daughter was truly intelligent, immediately understanding his concerns. ¡°No.¡± Wei Mingting replied, ¡°My concern is how to find this person. If this person is not eliminated, our uing battles with the Japanese Pirates will undoubtedly be challenging, and I don¡¯t know how many soldiers will lose their lives because of it.¡± ¡°Father can discuss this with the Seventh Prince.¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°Do you think I should go see the Seventh Prince?¡± Wei Mingting was somewhat surprised. Wei Ruo nodded: ¡°In the military camp, besides Father, the Seventh Prince would be the one above suspicion.¡± Although Wei Ruo disliked Chu Lan, she couldn¡¯t deny that he was the most likely innocent party. Whether considering Chu Lan¡¯s identity and interests or based on the original text¡¯s description, Chu Lan was unlikely to be the one behind this incident. ¡°I remembered thatst time Ruoruo said that our family should not interact too much with the Seventh Prince.¡± Wei Mingting added. ¡°It¡¯s true that we shouldn¡¯t interact too much with the Seventh Prince to avoid getting involved in court disputes, but this is a different matter. Father and the Seventh Prince are both in the military camp, and there¡¯s a mole in there. You should both work together to root out the mole. This has nothing to do with taking sides or court disputes.¡± Wei Ruo exined. Wei Mingting gazed at Wei Ruo, and the fog in his heart had somewhat lifted due to Wei Ruo¡¯s exnations. ¡°What Ruoruo said makes a lot of sense.¡± Wei Mingting agreed with Wei Ruo¡¯s judgement, ¡°I should not be overly insistent in keeping my distance from the Seventh Prince. Special circumstances require special responses.¡± Wei Ruo pondered for a moment and asked Wei Mingting: ¡°Father, how many people knew about your n to lead the nking attack that day?¡± ¡°Not many.¡± ¡°Mainly who?¡± ¡°Only those of major general rank and above knew. Iunched the operation immediately after the discussion and the soldiers underneath were unaware.¡± Seeing that Wei Ruo had a serious expression after his answer, Wei Mingting asked: ¡°Ruoruo, did you think of something?¡± ¡°Not at the moment.¡± Wei Ruo did not borate. The rted pieces of her n were all set. Once the fish bit, the answer would be revealed. ¡°Alright, your father understands. Ruoruo, go back first. Your father needs to ponder on this a bit more.¡± ¡°Daughter takes her leave.¡± Wei Ruo left the study. Afterwards, Mrs. Yun asked Wei Mingting, ¡°My lord, is there really a traitor in the camp? Doesn¡¯t this put you in great danger?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry just yet. I will handle this matter. You just take care of the house.¡± Wei Mingting instructed. ¡°Yes, your concubine understands.¡± Mrs. Yun knew she couldn¡¯t help with anything else, so her duty was to manage the household well to avoid giving her husband any concerns. At this moment, Mrs. Yun felt somewhat relieved that her eldest daughter was intelligent and capable of helping her husband with his difficulties. ### The next day at noon. Wei Ruo, dressed as a man with Xiumei, went to Zuixian Residence at Fan Chengxu¡¯s invitation. Fan Chengxu had sought Xu Heyou, Wei Ruo¡¯s male disguise, more than once recently, but Wei Ruo had been quite busy and kept putting him off until today when she finally had some free time. When Wei Ruo entered the private room, she found that apart from Fan Chengxu, there was also a young gentleman she did not recognize. ¡°Is Fan having a guest? It seems I came at an inconvenient time.¡± Wei Ruo said. Seeing Wei Ruo, Fan Chengxu¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°Not at all, Brother Heyou, you¡¯re right on time!¡± Qi Zhen looked at Wei Ruo andughed as he asked: ¡°Is this the Xu Heyou that Brother Fan has been thinking about?¡± Chapter 349: She Can Be a Concubine_i Chapter 349: She Can Be a Concubine_i Qi Zhen looked at Wei Ruo unabashedly, disappointment clearly visible in his eyes. Ordinary, was Qi Zhen¡¯s overall evaluation of Xu Heyou. Based on Fan Chengxu¡¯s description, he expected someone a little more outstanding, not this nondescript young man who could easily get lost in a crowd. If he had seen him on any other day, he wouldn¡¯t have spared him a second nce. Mindful of Qi Zhen¡¯s gaze, Wei Ruo instinctively looked back at him. Seeing this, Fan Chengxu introduced the two, ¡°That¡¯s right, this is Brother Heyou that I mentioned, a good friend and business associate.¡± After answering Qi Zhen¡¯s question, Fan Chengxu turned to Wei Ruo and said, ¡°This is the young master Qi from the Capital City, he happens to be drinking¡¯ tea here today.¡± Fan Chengxu didn¡¯t tell Wei Ruo Qi Zhen¡¯s name, but his description allowed Wei Ruo to guess his identity. He must be Qi Zhen, the third son of the Qi Family from the Capital City who Chu Lan had mentioned! I must say, his appearance is pleasing. With an elegant and handsome face, and a pair of captivating eyes, he definitely attracts attention. However, he pales inparison to Chu Lan, and not to mention my second brother. ¡°Greetings, Young Master Qi.¡± Wei Ruo greeted Qi Zhen courteously. Qi Zhen responded with a smile, ¡°Ah, Brother Xu, I¡¯ve heard so much about you. After having a taste of your tea and alcohol at Brother Fan¡¯s ce, I¡¯ve wanted to meet you in person.¡± ¡°That might disappoint you, Young Master Qi. I am merely amoner, making a modest living through small businesses.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Fan Chengxu interjected, ¡°Brother Heyou, don¡¯t be so humble. Your business ventures are far from small. You don¡¯t realise how popr your tea and wine are.¡± Qi Zhen also chimed in, ¡°Indeed, your tea and wine are exceptional. Especially the wine, I¡¯ve never tasted such a full-bodied liquor in the Capital City.¡± Brother Heyou, please sit down and join us for a cup of tea,¡± Fan Chengxu invited Wei Ruo warmly. Fan Chengxu wasn¡¯t very keen on entertaining Qi Zhen, but since he came, Fan Chengxu couldn¡¯t turn him away. And Xu Heyou was someone he wanted to meet and chat with. Now that he had the opportunity, he wouldn¡¯t let him slip away. After pondering for a moment, Wei Ruo took his seat. Fan Chengxu poured some tea for Wei Ruo personally. Noticing Fan Chengxu¡¯s hospitality, Qi Zhen remarked with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve heard Brother Fan speak highly of you for many times these past few days. He said you are the most interesting person he has met in Taizhou prefecture.¡± ¡°Boss Fan tters me. I¡¯m just a money-lovingmoner, far from being interesting,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Aptly enough, everyone seated here ismon,¡± Qi Zhenmented, folding the fan in his hand and pointing towards Fan Chengxu, ¡°Brother Fan appreciates wealth, and as for me, I appreciate beautiful women.¡± Qi Zhen was quite straightforward about his penchant for beautiful women. Oh? Has Young Master Qi met any beautiful women in Taizhou prefecture this time?¡± Wei Ruo inquired. ¡°Jiangnan is indeed known for its beautiful women. I did meet a youngdy who captured my interest; delicate and endearing, different from the women raised in the Capital City,¡± Qi Zhenmented. In that case, Young Master Qi, you should seize the opportunity. Find a gentle wife, who will add charm to your nights, and her gentle warmth in your arms will make you feel like the richest man in the world,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. Hearing this, Fan Chengxuughed, ¡°Brother Heyou, if you think this way then it means you don¡¯t know much about Young Master Qi. He holds a significant position in the Capital City, and the maidens of Taizhou prefecture can¡¯t be his direct wife. He is used to passing dalliances.¡± Qi Zhen protested, ¡°Brother Fan, don¡¯t make me sound like a libertine. I truly admire beautiful women and while I can¡¯t offer them an official position, I also don¡¯t degrade them. If they consent, I am willing to elevate their status and bring them home as concubines.¡± Fan Chengxu replied, ¡°So, it was you who was caught having a secret rendezvous with the second miss of the Wei Family? Do you also n to take her as a concubine?¡± Qi Zhen answered with a subtle smile, ¡°As long as the Wei Family agrees, why not?¡± Fan Chengxu retorted, ¡°I must remind you, although the Wei Family has declined, their ancestors held high rank and their nobility hasn¡¯t been revoked. How could they agree to let their legitimate daughter be your concubine?¡± Qj Zhen retorted, ¡°That is up to the Wei Family to decide. If they are not willing, I can t force them. But I truly like the second miss of the Wei Family. Her delicate demeanour has left a deep impression on me, unlike any other beauty I¡¯ve met.¡± Fan Chengxu mockingly said, ¡°Speaking of which, the reputation of the second miss from the Wei Family has already been tarnished. It wouldn¡¯t be impossible for her to be your concubine, but it would be hard on Wei Family¡¯s older daughter.¡± If the second daughter of the Wei Family bes a concubine, it will certainly affect the eldest daughter. No family of considerable standing would want to marry the eldest daughter as their main wife. ¡°That¡¯s not my concern,¡± Qi Zhen responded with a smile, clearly uncaring about the predicament of the Wei Family¡¯s daughters. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo listened to their conversation casually, enjoying his tea and not interrupting, as if he were an outsider listening in on gossip. Suddenly, Fan Chengxu turned to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Brother Heyou, are you interested in beautiful women? If you are, you can join us at the Yanmeng Pavilion tonight for a music recital.¡± No, thank you. I¡¯m more interested in making money,¡± Wei Ruo declined politely, then asked Fan Chengxu, ¡°Brother Fan, why have you been looking for me recently?¡± Fan Chengxu didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he nced at Qi Zhen before saying, ¡°I want to ask Brother Heyou, can you supply me with a few more jars of Thyme?¡± With Qi Zhen present, there were some matters he couldn¡¯t discuss, so Fan Chengxu could only bring up what was suitable to talk about. ¡°Why does Boss Fan want extra jars of Thyme liquor?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Because it¡¯s too delicious. Now, many people in the Capital City are asking me for it,¡± Fan Chengxu replied with a hint of helplessness. Fan Chengxu borated, ¡°A while ago, Lu Yuhong, the young master of the Lu Family, somehow managed to get his hands on several jars of Thyme. He transported it all the way back to the Capital City to present to his grandfather, who is a liquor enthusiast. After tasting Thyme, he couldn¡¯t stop praising it and even invited his friends to taste it. This caused quite a stir and when people learned that the liquor came from Taizhou prefecture, they all came to me. Even my family members are asking me for it.¡± Anyone who could be a drinkingpanion of Lu Yuhong¡¯s grandfather would undoubtedly be influential figures in the Capital City. Once these high-ranking people took a liking to Thyme, there were naturally others who sought to curry favour by finding means to present it as a gift. Qi Zhen added, ¡°If there is surplus, I would like to buy a couple of jars at a high price.¡± Chapter 350: Only Concerned About When They Can Leave Me In Peace_l Chapter 350: Only Concerned About When They Can Leave Me In Peace_l Wei Ruo responded, ¡°As Mr. Fan is well aware, my liquor production is just this much, producing only two or three jars per day.¡± Fan Chengxu suggested a condition: ¡°I am aware of that. But still, I hope Brother Heyou could sacrifice a little. Brother Heyou, if you could give me a few more jars of liquor, I will let you have a house in the suburbs of the Capital City. How about it?¡± Some houses in the Capital City cannot be bought with money, one must have the right status. The offer is tempting, but Wei Ruo could not ept it. After all, her identity as Xu Heyou is fake, and she would not be able to register thend and house deeds under her name. Wei Ruo also knew that Fan Chengxu was offering such an attractive deal not just for a few jars of wine after all, a few jars of wine, no matter how expensive, could notpare to a house in the Capital City. This can also be considered as an excuse for him to bribe her. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Mr. Fan and I do share somemon rtion. I¡¯d be willing to give Mr. Fan an extra two jars of Thyme, hoping Mr. Fan would not mind that the wine is limited.¡± said Wei Ruo. Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Fan Chengxu was somewhat pleased deep inside. Although it¡¯s only two jars, this is the first time Xu Heyou isn¡¯t calcting the costs with him so meticulously. It is evident that in Xu Heyou¡¯s heart, he does carry some affection for him. Then Wei Ruo turned to Qi Zhen and apologized, ¡°I apologize, Master Qi. There isn¡¯t much left.¡± Her two jars are to be given to Fan Chengxu, not sold, and she mentioned clearly that there really isn¡¯t much left, so it was reasonable to reject Qi Zhen¡¯s request at this point. Qi Zhen smiled, ¡°It¡¯s alright. If I want to drink, I will juste and have a pot at Brother Fan¡¯s ce. It¡¯s just that the person I want to gift it to may temporarily miss out on such fine liquor.¡± Fan Chengxu said, ¡°I don¡¯t have much more to offer, but I can reserve a pot for you every day.¡± Qi Zhen replied, ¡°That¡¯s good. Keep a pot for me every day, whether Ie or not. After several days, I could save up a jar, which I can then give as a gift.¡± ¡°That can be arranged.¡± replied Fan Chengxu. As they were speaking, a subordinate of Qi Zhen entered the room and whispered something into Qi Zhen¡¯s ear. Qi Zhen¡¯s expression changed slightly, then he said to Fan Chengxu and Wei Ruo, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Fan, Master Xu, I have some matters to attend to. I must take my leave.¡± ¡°Of course, Brother Qi, you go ahead with your work.¡± replied Fan Chengxu. Then, Qi Zhen left the scene. As soon as he left, the smile on Fan Chengxu¡¯s face shifted from formal courtesy to a more rxed and genuine expression. He is like a gracious tiger. He couldugh facing Chu Lan or Qi Zhen, but how much of it is genuine is hard to say. Without the intrusive presence, Fan Chengxu candidly said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Honestly, I have no interest in seeing Master Qi.¡± ¡°Oh? And why is that?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Brother Heyou might not be aware, but this Master Qi is an associate of the sixth prince, and his visit to Taizhou prefecture is most likely rted to the prince¡¯s affairs. I have no intention of getting involved in their conflict, but they all seem to be fond of involving me and disturbing my peace. Today, since I have invited you, I never nned to include anyone else, but this Master Qi arrived uninvited and I couldn¡¯t be rude and have him leave.¡± By saying this, Fan Chengxu had somehow exined to Wei Ruo why there was a third party present when she arrived today. ¡°Mr. Fan, you are well-liked and have a widework of connections.¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°My uncle did indeed have some disputes with the people whom Master Qi serves, but what has it got to do with me? As for the seventh prince¡­ well, better let it be.¡± Fan Chengxu shook his head helplessly, his smile trudging with it a sense of helplessness. Wei Ruo just smiled and didn¡¯t continue the conversation. Fan Chengxu continued, ¡°Actually, it is interesting. This little Taizhou Prefecture has inexplicably attracted so many nobles from the Capital City.¡± Two princes, the eldest grandson of General Lu, the third son of Master Qi¡¯s family; aren¡¯t they all nobility of the Capital City? Wei Ruo nonchntlymented, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because Taizhou Prefecture is and of outstanding people and natural beauty.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Fan Chengxu snorted, ¡°And of outstanding people and natural beauty? On one hand, there are Japanese invaders, and on the other hand, there is insufficient food production. Can Taizhou prefecture still be called and of outstanding people and natural beauty? Speaking of the invasion of the Japanese pirates, it does make some sense. Without this war, the seventh prince would not havee here as the Military Governor. However his initial arrival and the sixth prince sending people here are all for other matters.¡± ¡°Oh? Other matters?¡± Wei Ruo asked as if she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°It¡¯s about the rumors regarding the ninth prince. It was just a rumor at first, but after the case re-examination by Duke Xu, more people in the court have started to believe that the ninth prince is still alive.¡± Fan Chengxu exined. ¡°Does Mr. Fan think that the Ninth Prince is still alive?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s alive or dead. All I care about is when they can leave me in peace.¡± Leaning against his chair, Fan Chengxu fanned himself. His calm elegance carried a touch of self-mockery. Right after, Fan Chengxu looked at Wei Ruo with interest: ¡°Brother Heyou, are you interested in this matter?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m interested, but I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t care at all either. I can¡¯t get involved in their conflict, but their conflicts can affect my profits. Since I care about my silver, naturally I would also have some concern for them.¡± Wei Ruo exined. Fan Chengxu replied, ¡°That makes some sense. If there are any changes in the court, I will inform Brother Heyou so you can prepare.¡± ¡°Let me thank Mr. Fan in advance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. Now we¡¯re partnering to make money; your silver also matters to me.¡± Wei Ruo and Fan Chengxu continued to chat in the Zuixian Residence until evening. Without the annoying presence of Qi Zhen, the two discussed their recent business ventures concerning tea, liquor, condiments, and mushrooms. Among these businesses, the tea business was the most profitable with high margins. Red tea opened a new market for Fan Chengxu, which brought substantial profits, and Wei Ruo took half of these profits. Although the market demand for the Baijiu was high, Wei Ruo could not increase production, so the overall profit was the lowest. The rest were not very profitable, but theirrge quantity made up for it. Over these nearly half a year, Wei Ruo made substantial profits. In the course of their conversation, they also discussed the future business ns for these ventures, including improvement of fertilization for Yusheng Tea Garden in the second half of the year, expansion of tea sales, and ns to open new liquor stores in the provincial city. They also touched upon the current market situation, predicted the grain output in the autumn, and the price trend of staple foods such as wheat, rice, and sweet potatoes. ### In the evening, Mrs. Yun ordered an additional dish prepared in the kitchen for Wei Yichen¡¯s Farewell Dinner. Wei Yichen would set off for the provincial city early tomorrow morning. Due to the approaching imperial exams, he should have left a few days earlier, but his ns were dyed because of his injury from the kidnapping. After a few days at home, Mrs. Yun was finally relieved seeing hisplexion improve, and she finally allowed him to leave. All family members, except Wei Mingting, were present, including Wei Jinyi, who rarely dines with the family, and Wei Qingwan, who was still recovering from her injuries.. Chapter 351: Should Send Away the 2nd Little Sister_l Chapter 351: Should Send Away the 2nd Little Sister_l Although the gathering was supposedly to celebrate Wei Yichen¡¯s ceremonial rites, the atmosphere was gloomy and devoid of any festive joy. The anxiety within the mansion recently,bined with the culmination of Wei Qingwan¡¯s incident, had yet to allow rtionships to ease. Lady Yun intentionally included Wei Qingwan in tonight¡¯s meal, hoping to use this opportunity to mend the strained rtionships between the siblings. Her daughter, who had been patiently keeping herpany with gentle care despite being injured for the past few days, made Lady Yun reflect on their bond over the past decade. Seeing her daughter genuinely repenting and sincerely seeking for a change, softened her heart. After all, they are family. They could not possibly sever their ties due to this one incident, could they? When dinner ended and everyone casually chatted together, the atmosphere turned even colder. Opening the conversation, Lady Yun reiterated to Wei Yichen: ¡°From tomorrow onwards, Yichen, you need to take care of yourself. Your sister and I have personally visited the residence at the provincial city. Although it¡¯s not big, it¡¯s serene and very convenient.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, mother, and sister.¡± answered Wei Yichen. ¡°As for the other things, there is no need to worry. Just take care of your health and focus on preparing for your exams. If you need any help from home, send a letter and your father and I will do our utmost to assist.¡± Lady Yun added. ¡°I understand, Mother.¡± Wei Yichen replied. A change that Lady Yun could not ignore was how her son now seemed much colder than before, with a hint of chilliness constantlycing his gaze. Initially, Lady Yun attributed it to his anger and frailty; however, after ten days, her son remained distant causing her to feel increasingly worried. Thus, she probed further, ¡°Yichen, is there anything else you need? I¡¯ll prepare it for you.¡± ¡°No, Mother. You¡¯ve already prepared everything meticulously for me.¡± Wei Yichen answered calmly, albeit without the earlier warmth in his voice. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Lady Yun nodded, unsure of what else to say. With silence descendent again, Lady Yun looked at her children, unsure about how to ease the tension. At that moment, Wei Yichen turned to Wei Jinyi and asked, ¡°Jinyi, how are your studies progressing?¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Wei Jinyi ambiguously replied, maintaining his usual indifference. ¡°Although Jinyi started rtivelyte, do not be discouraged. Your intelligence surpasses many others. As long as you are willing, you will catch up in no time.¡± Wei Yichen encouraged. ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. Wei Yichen nodded then turned his attention to Wei Yilin, ¡°Yilin, while I¡¯m away in the provincial city, continue studying diligently and don¡¯t waste your time.¡± ¡°Rest assured, big brother. I will work hard on my studies and prepare for the Martial Township Exam next year!¡± Wei Yilin confidently dered. Their family, being from the Martial General Family, was entitled by the imperial court to directly participate in the martial exams, bypassing the need to take the civil exams. Wei Yichen nodded approvingly, ¡°It¡¯s admirable that you are ambitious, Yilin.¡± Despite the likelihood of Wei Yilin passing the Martial Exam at his young age being low, Wei Yichen still supported his decision. He continued, ¡°As siblings of the Wei Family, we should work together, lighten our father¡¯s burdens, and honor our family name.¡± Wei Yilin nodded firmly, ¡°Rest assured, big brother. In the future, I will be just like father, bravely leading on the battlefield and bing a hero whom themon people admire!¡± Wei Jinyi watched from the side, choosing not to join in the conversation. Wei Ruo felt that Wei Yichen seemed more calcting ever since the incident. She could understand his change of heart. He must have felt a sense of helplessness during those three days in confinement before she found him; a feeling that he had not previously experienced. It wouldn¡¯t be unusual for this to give birth to a desire to be stronger. After he finished speaking to his two younger brothers, Wei Yichen¡¯s gazended on Wei Ruo. He stared at her, his eyes revealing a deep mystery, as if he had a lot to say. But, in the end, he said nothing. Wei Ruo felt his gaze. However, since he didn¡¯t speak, she kept quiet as well. Wei Qingwan had been watching Wei Yichen, hoping for him to say a word or two to her. However, her hopes were dashed. In the end, not only did he not utter a single word to her, but he didn¡¯t spare her a single nce. She wanted to open her mouth and wish him sess, but she feared that her words would incur his displeasure and further embarrass her. Just when everyone chose to maintain their silence, Wei Yilin spoke up, ¡°Sister Wanwan, big brother is going to the provincial city tomorrow. Aren¡¯t you going to talk to him?¡± Wei Yilin wasn¡¯t very clear about what had happened. All he knew was that Wei Qingwan had been in a secret liaison,mitted a wrong, and was punished. He was unaware of the issues between her and Wei Yichen. As soon as Wei Yilin opened his mouth, the atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense. With Wei Yilin¡¯s statement creating an opportunity, Wei Qingwan expressed her concern to Wei Yichen, ¡°Big brother, I wish you sess in the county exam¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to continue.¡± Wei Yichen interrupted her, ¡°It¡¯ste. I need to get up early tomorrow, so let¡¯s end it here.¡± Wei Yichen promptly stood up and excused himself to Lady Yun, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m going to rest. You should also retire early.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lady Yun gently agreed. Now, nothing in the house was more important than her son¡¯s exams. Wei Qingwan saw Wei Yichen depart, her back rigid and her body slightly trembling. Wei Yilin went to Wei Qingwan andforted her, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be sad. Big brother is a bit busytely. Once he finishes the exams, he won¡¯t be mad at you anymore.¡± Wei Qingwan snapped out of her reverie, biting her lips and nodding, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I did something wrong. I deserve this.¡± ¡°Sister, don¡¯t say that.¡± Wei Yilinforted her, ¡°Though your private meeting was wrong, you¡¯ve been punished and you¡¯ve changed. Our master tells us that changing upon realizing one¡¯s mistakes is verymendable.¡± Wei Qingwan just nodded. At this time, the usually quiet Wei Jinyi finally spoke up, ¡°Mother, the reputation of our second sister is not good and might affect our eldest sister. We should send Wenwan to the country house to protect our eldest sister¡¯s reputation.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone left in the room looked at Wei Jinyi in surprise. Wei Ruo was surprised that her second brother would speak up about something like this, given his usual reticence to speak to their mother, and especially surprised that it was on her behalf. Lady Yun was taken aback that Wei Jinyi would made such a suggestion. Wei Qingwan was surprised that Wei Jinyi thought her reputation was unsavory. ¡°Second brother, how do you exin that my reputation is not good? What are you talking about?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. For the past few days, Wei Qingwan had been confined indoors and was unaware of the rumors that had been spreading. She had thought the incident was only known to a few people in the house and had not leaked out..n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 352: Wei Jinyi Faints at the Yun Chapter 352: Wei Jinyi Faints at the Yun Family_i Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t respond to Wei Qingwan¡¯s question, his eyes sharply on Madam Yun, waiting for her reply. Madam Yun¡¯s face paled slightly, ¡°Right now, there are only rumors outside. If we send Wanwan to the countryside now, aren¡¯t we just admitting to the guilt? ¡°Wanwan has skipped school for a few days now. If we¡¯re talking about admitting guilt, it has been done already, and it doesn¡¯t matter anymore,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°That¡¯s different. I told them Wanwan was ill when she wasn¡¯t attending school these past few days.¡± Madam Yun exined. ¡°We can send her to the countryside to recuperate even if she is ill. Those who believe she is ill will still believe so.¡± ¡°How are they the same?¡± ¡°Mother, you told others my elder sister had been recuperating in the countryside for thirteen years, it works for my elder sister, so why can¡¯t it be used for my second sister,¡± Wei Jinyi stated. Madam Yun was silenced by Wei Jinyi¡¯s words. For the first time, she discovered that this illegitimate son, who had been silent in the mansion for many years, was surprisingly eloquent! Wei Qingwan still didn¡¯t understand: ¡°Mother, what happened? Why are you saying my reputation isn¡¯t good?¡± Madam Yun nced at Wei Qingwan, realizing that she would eventually learn about it anyway, so she didn¡¯t continue to conceal it. ¡°Your situation has already spread outside,¡± Madam Yun said with a sigh. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face instantly turned pale. How could this be? It¡¯s all over the outside? Then, wasn¡¯t she¡­? Thinking of the consequences, Wei Qingwan¡¯s head started buzzing, a series of negative thoughts flooding her mind. Madam Yun turned to Wei Jinyi: ¡°Let me think about this for a while before making a decision, it¡¯s alreadyte.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to negotiate with you,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s face darkened, her brows furrowed, coldness in her eyes. ¡ö?jing Hu, please escort the Second Miss to the countryside,¡± Wei Jinyimanded. After Wei Jinyi had spoken, Jing Hu and his men entered the hall, standing before Wei Qingwan. ¡°Second Miss, please,¡± Jing Hu said solemnly, his presence domineering. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was bloodless, and her body was shaking. ¡°How dare you!¡± Madam Yun mmed her hand on the table, scolding, ¡°Don¡¯t you respect me as your mother anymore?¡± Wei Jinyi remained unmoved, his face still void of any expression, he continued to instruct Jing Hu, ¡°If the Second Miss refuses to cooperate, get the rough serving women on duty from the mansion to directly carry her out.¡± ¡°Wei Jinyi, you are an illegitimate son, giving orders in front of me, the matron of the household, don¡¯t you have any respect for the ranks of the family! The one who should be dragged away and punished is you!¡± Madam Yun yelled in anger. Wei Jinyi ignored Madam Yun and told Jing Hu, ¡°Please escort the Second Miss to the countryside.¡± ¡°Who dares to move without my permission?¡± Madam Yun thundered. However, to Madam Yun¡¯s surprise, her order had no effect. Two rough serving women still came in and carried Wei Qingwan away right in front of her. ¡°Mother! Mother help me! Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan yelled out as she was being carried away, turning back and crying for Madam Yun¡¯s help. Madam Yun was stunned, she couldn¡¯t believe that there were servants in her own house that she couldn¡¯tmand! ¡°You rebels, who are you really serving! How dare you ignore my orders!¡± Madam Yun was furious. Her anger didn¡¯t have any effect. Wei Qingwan was still forcibly dragged away under her watch by her own subordinates. Madam Yun stood up angrily and pointed at Wei Jinyi: ¡°You ungrateful child, what did you do to our household¡¯s servants?¡± Furious to the point of feeling dizzy, Madam Yun stumbled, and Maid Cuiping quickly supported her. Wei Jinyi still showed no emotion: ¡±1 have exined to Mother that I only wanted to send the Second Sister to the countryside.¡± Having said that, Wei Jinyi stood up and left. ¡°He¡­he¡­¡± Madam Yun rolled her eyes and fainted into the maids¡¯ arms as she failed to catch her breath. Wei Ruo was also taken aback at the moment. In truth, she hadn¡¯t expected such a thing to happen, her brother hadn¡¯t mentioned to her he was going to do such a thing. She also didn¡¯t expect her second brother to be so bold as to do such a thing in front of Madam Yun, something even their eldest brother couldn¡¯t pull off. After ncing at the unconscious Madam Yun, Wei Ruo followed after Wei Jinyi and left the dining hall. She caught up with Wei Jinyi just in time when he reached the gate of Cangyun Garden. ¡°Second Brother.¡± Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s voice, Wei Jinyi stopped. ¡°Second Brother, will you be in trouble for doing this?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Being an illegitimate son, offending the matron of the family seemed unreasonable, didn¡¯t it? Wei Ruo didn¡¯t care much about the others. She just didn¡¯t want her second brother to be implicated because of this. She knew that Wei Mingting cherished her second brother, but if her second brother went overboard, even their father wouldn¡¯t turn a blind eye. ¡°I won¡¯t be. Once Father returns, I will exin it to him,¡± Wei Jinyi responded. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, she was a little puzzled but also moved. Wei Jinyi continued, ¡°The handling of this situation was biased from the start, and even though Wei Qingwan¡¯s death penalty could be avoided, she shouldn t be treated with such leniency.¡± As he spoke, Wei Jinyi moved his hand to pat Wei Ruo¡¯s head out of habit, but then realizing the action was inappropriate, he pulled his hand back. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, I know my limits,¡± Wei Jinyi added. Wei Ruo nodded, then added after a pause, ¡°Thank you, second brother.¡± He did all of this for her. Although she didn¡¯t mind her reputation being damaged by Wei Qingwan, she couldn¡¯t help but feel heartened by someone caring for her this way. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t say anything. They walked together for a while, then separated as they neared Tingsong Garden, each heading to their respective residences. ### n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Later on, Wei Mingting returned home. As soon as he arrived, he heard about Madam Yun fainting from anger due to Wei Jinyi. Wei Mingting hurried back to Cangyun Garden to check on her, then learned the details of the situation from Madam Yun¡¯s personal maid, Cuiping. Not daring to exaggerate, Cuiping simply exined exactly what happened. She didn¡¯t understand why the young master would suddenly be so harsh. She also didn¡¯t understand why the people of the mansion were obeying the young master and ignoring the matron of the house. But it happened as such, and the matron did faint from the altercation. As for the second young mistress, she should have already been taken to the countryside by now. After listening to Cuiping¡¯s exnation, Wei Mingting nced at his wife on the bed but did not immediatelysh out in anger as others expected him to do. After a while, he left the room and went to see Wei Jinyi in Yinzhu Garden. In Yinzhu Garden, Wei Jinyi seemed to have anticipated Wei Mingting¡¯s arrival. He was waiting calmly in his study with tea ready. Upon entering, Wei Mingting looked at Wei Jinyi. Instead of immediately ming or attacking him, he sighed and asked in a low voice, ¡°Why did you do this?¡± His tone was somewhat helpless, more of a question than a reproach.. Chapter 353 - 353 Your Concern for Ruoruo_l Chapter 353: Your Concern for Ruoruo_l Wei Jinyi, who was engrossed in writing at a desk, amiably set down his brush at the sound of an entrance, then motioned for Wei Mingting to take a seat across from him at a table set with tea. Upon nce, Wei Mingting sat down face to face with Wei Jinyi. ¡°Madam Wei handled this matter unfairly,¡± Wei Jinyi addressed Wei Mingting. ¡°She may have had Wei Qingwan¡¯s familial bond in mind when making her decision, but did she ever consider her bond with Ruoruo?¡± Wei Jinyi chimed in with a counter-question. Wei Mingting sighed in response, ¡°Indeed, she favors Wanwan and mishandled the recent incident. However, your actions tonight were just as bad ¨C ¨C she is, after all, your mother in name.¡± ¡°Given her senior status, if she takes it into ount in every decision, Ruoruo would struggle in this household. Better I y the viin than have Ruoruo suffer,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Wei Jinyi¡¯s words took Wei Mingting by surprise: ¡°Your concern for Ruoruo is unexpected.¡± Wei Jinyi neither acknowledged nor denied thement, instead questioning his father: ¡°Don¡¯t you think the situation is unfair towards Ruoruo?¡± With a gloomy look, Wei Mingting breathed out another sigh: ¡°It is my duty to oversee the household affairs. Madam¡¯s mishandling of the situation bears equal responsibility to me.¡± Wei Mingting felt guilt for the issue within the family. His daily toil in the military had left little time for taking care of his children and household chores. ¡°Since you admit that this situation is unfair to Ruoruo, let¡¯s handle it my way. We mustn¡¯t let Ruoruo lose heart,¡± Wei Jinyi proposed. ¡°Understood,¡± Wei Mingting responded. Following a moment of silence, Wei Jinyi turned to Wei Mingting and dered, ¡°My time in the Wei family is drawing to an end.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Taken aback, Wei Mingting appeared more solemn than before, ¡°Have you made up your mind? Let it be clear that once you take this step, there will be no turning back.¡± ¡°I understand that. From the moment of my birth, some things were destined. Rather than avoiding them, one should face them directly. Life or death, happiness or suffering ¨C one only knows once experienced.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve made your decision, I won¡¯t say any more.¡± Wei Mingting extended his hand, patting Wei Jinyi¡¯s shoulder. His words of advice about journeying far from home felt simr to those of any ordinary father. However, they were left unspoken and could only be felt through the pat on Wei Jinyi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t implicate the Wei Family,¡± Wei Jinyi assured. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you implicating us. The moment I weed you home, I¡¯ve already put my life at risk,¡± Wei Mingting confessed. ¡°Though you might not fear implicating yourself, behind you is the Wei Family. You must consider the life and death of everyone involved.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I shouldn¡¯t let the entire Wei Family bear the risk due to my action.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle everything properly so as not to involve the Wei Family. Please take care of Ruoruo for me,¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Understood,¡± Wei Mingting agreed. After his discussion with Wei Jinyi, Wei Mingting returned to Cangyun Garden. As he stepped into his bedroom, Madam Yun had already awoken. Upon seeing Wei Mingting, Madam Yun opened her mouth to speak but was unable to utter a word. All her grievances manifested in a sudden flowing of tears. Seeing this, Wei Mingting asked the attending maids to leave. Arriving at the bedside, He began to feed Madam Yun her medicine. However, Madam Yun was not interested in taking her medicine at the moment; she yearned to understand the reason behind the day¡¯s events. ¡°My lord¡­why did such a thing happened today? Why do the servants heed Jinyi instead of me?¡± she demanded. If Jinyi had gone behind her back and done this himself, it would be utterly disrespectful and presumptuous. ¡°It was my doing,¡± Wei Mingting confessed. Even though he didn¡¯t handpick these people to serve Wei Jinyi, he silently allowed their alliance. Thus, it could be considered his directive. ¡°You ordered the household to act in such a way? Why?¡± Madam Yun was in disbelief as she stared at Wei Mingting. Although she had considered this possibility, she subconsciously strived to deny it. If her husband had indeed given the order, then where did that leave her? ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask so much about it. Jinyi knows his boundaries. What happened today was an exception,¡± Wei Mingting tried to exin. ¡°My Lord¡­you¡­you said his actions today were within limits? He humiliated me, the head of the family ¡ª how could you call that reasonable?¡± Madam Yun was visibly agitated. ¡°Wanwan made a mistake and was spared severe punishment, resulting in false rumors affecting the reputations of our two daughters. At the very least, we should ensure Ruoruo¡¯s safety,¡± Wei Mingting exined. ¡°Let¡¯s leave Wanwan¡¯s issue aside for now. The issue at hand is Jinyi, who has disrespected me, his mother. How could you condone such behavior?¡± Madam Yun questioned. ¡°Madam, there¡¯s no need to concern yourself over Jinyi. If you have any grievances, hold them against me,¡± Wei Mingting advised. ¡°How could I me you? How am I supposed to me you?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s emotions surged. ¡°Madam¡­¡± ¡°Why do you protect him this way? Why has everything I¡¯ve ever done been overshadowed by him? Why?¡± cried Madam Yun, tears flowing freely. ¡°Madam, I can¡¯t exin this matter to you at present. I implore you to give me more time. When the time is right, I will exin everything to you,¡± Wei Mingting assured. But Madam Yun wouldn¡¯t listen, ¡°It¡¯s been seventeen years¡­a full seventeen years! What kind of woman was she, that you still think of her after all this time, that you treat their son so differently?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as she painfully interrogated Wei Mingting. Why was he treating Wei Jinyi differently? There could only be one reason: that child¡¯s mother held a special ce in her husband¡¯s heart. Over the years, she¡¯d tried her best to ignore this child and preclude herself from overthinking it. However, whenever her husband disyed umon concern for that child, her heart would stir, making it almost impossible to not think too much. But today, her husband¡¯s responses thoroughly shattered her defenses, making her realize that the boy held a ce in her husband¡¯s heart far higher than she dared to imagine! He even brazenly allowed the child to usurp her authority in the household. He indulged him even when he disrespected her! ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. This has nothing to do with Jinyi¡¯s mother,¡± Wei Mingting tried to reassure her. ¡°With nothing to do, you indulged him this way? With nothing to do, you let an illegitimate child trample over my position as your official wife? Stop deceiving me!¡± The hidden doubts and wrongs in Madam Yun¡¯s heart over the years flooded out like a broken dam: ¡°I¡¯ve given so much for this family over the years, but in the end, my husband has always cherished another woman in his heart. Was our affection for all these years a lie? Was the respect we showed to each other a lie? All of these were mere self-deceptions!¡± In a frenzy, Madam Yun chastised her husband.. Chapter 354: The Sixth Prince_l Chapter 354: The Sixth Prince_l Wei Mingting frowned, ¡°Madam, I¡¯m sorry for making you feel wronged, but that¡¯s all I can say about this matter.¡± ¡°Why? Why can you only say so much? If you have difficulties, why can¡¯t you tell me?¡± Mrs. Yun tugged at Wei Mingting¡¯s sleeve, her face wet with tears as she questioned him. ¡°Madam, we¡¯ve been husband and wife for over twenty years. I hope you can trust me this time. There are some things I really can¡¯t reveal, but my feelings for you are genuine,¡± Wei Mingting told her solemnly. ¡°How do you expect me to believe you? After everything you¡¯ve done for the child of you and that woman, how can I believe in you?¡± Mrs. Yun couldn¡¯t ept her husband¡¯s exnation. Seeing that Mrs. Yun still didn¡¯t believe him, Wei Mingting didn¡¯t know what else he could say. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After a long silence, Wei Mingting said, ¡°You rest for now. Once you¡¯re calm, we can discuss this again.¡± Having said that, Wei Mingting stood up and left. Mrs. Yun watched Wei Mingting leave, then broke downpletely, throwing everything within reach to the floor. Bowls of soup and medicine, as well as themps, shattered onto the floor. The noise brought Cuiping rushing into the room. She was stunned by the scene before her. ¡°Madam! Madam, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Mrs. Yun deted like a punctured balloon and began to sob. ¡°Why? Why did he do this to me? After being married for over twenty years, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been surpassed by a woman he¡¯s only been with for a year!¡± ¡°Madam¡­¡± ¡°He treated me like this, just like this!¡± Mrs. Yun cried, her whole body trembling and her face as white as a sheet. Cuiping was terrified. She had never seen the Madam in such a state before. That night, the lights in Cangyun Garden stayed on until dawn. As for Wei Mingting, he spent the whole night in the front study room. ### The following morning, the entire Military Prefecture knew about the arguments that had taken ce the night before. Wei Yichen was leaving for a journey. Usually, Mrs. Yun and the other family members woulde to send him off, but that day only Wei Yilin showed up with a look as bitter as a bitter melon. Last night, when Wei Jinyi wanted to send Wei Qingwan away, Wei Yilin attempted to stop him, but he couldn¡¯t beat Jing Hu. Then, somehow, he fainted. When he woke up early this morning, his Sister Wanwan was already gone from the mansion. ¡°Big brother, Sister Wanwan was sent to the farm. What should we do?¡± Wei Yilin, with a bitter look on his face, asked Wei Yichen mournfully. ¡°A person who makes a mistake should be punished,¡± Wei Yichen said. ¡°But¡­ but life on the farm is harsh. Sister Wanwan can¡¯t get used to it,¡± Wei Yilin expressed his worries. ¡°Your eldest sister lived on He Family farm for thirteen years, didn¡¯t she? Why can¡¯t your second sister endure the hardships that your eldest sister has?¡± Wei Yichen asked in return. At these words, Wei Yilin was stunned. Before, when he heard that the He Family treated his eldest sister poorly and had thrown her on a shabby farm for the past thirteen years, he only thought of her as being somewhat pitiful but didn¡¯t feel it personally. Not until now, when the same thing happened to his Sister Wanwan, did he realize sharply that life on the farm was much tougher than he had imagined. Wei Yilin lowered his head. After a while, he raised his head again to continue questioning Wei Yichen, ¡°Big brother, I heard from the servants that father and mother had a fightst night, and mother cried a lot.¡± ¡°I heard about it too.¡± ¡°Big brother, aren¡¯t you worried? So many things have been happening at home recently. It feels like everything¡¯s changed, and everyone is different from before,¡± Wei Yilin said with a downcast mouth, his face filled with anxiety. Wei Yichen stretched out his hand to ruffle Wei Yilin¡¯s hair. ¡°These disputes have been there for a long time. They¡¯ve been hidden in the family, it¡¯s just that they¡¯ve recently exploded. This might not necessarily be a bad thing for us.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Wei Yilin asked, confused. ¡°Yes. Some things, the longer they¡¯re hidden, the more harm they can cause. This is true for your second sister, and it¡¯s true for the discord between our father and mother,¡± Wei Yichen exined. ¡°So what should I do?¡± Wei Yilin asked. ¡°You just need to focus on yourself, strive to improve your martial skills, and grow into a capable man who can protect and shelter your family,¡± Wei Yichen advised him. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry, big brother, I¡¯ll try very hard!¡± Wei Yilin listened to Wei Yichen¡¯s words obediently. He felt lost and heartbroken before, but now he felt like he had figured out the direction again. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Yichen nodded, then got into his carriage and set off for the provincial city. After watching Wei Yichen leave, Wei Yilin returned to the mansion. He had to listen to his big brother¡¯s advice, continue striving, and grow into an upright man who would make his father, mother, and siblings proud. ### In a little suburban dwelling surrounded by green water and pine trees, Qi Zhen briskly walked through a winding corridor and into a pavilion situated in the middle of ake. In the pavilion sat a handsome young man dressed in dark blue brocade and a white jade belt around his waist, with a gold python-designed ornament hanging from it. As Qi Zhen entered the pavilion, he bowed respectfully, ¡°I pay my respects, your Highness.¡± ¡°Rise.¡± Chu Heng smiled slightly, then invited Qi Zhen to sit, ¡°Cousin, there¡¯s no need to be formal. If you have something to say, let¡¯s discuss it sitting down.¡± Qi Zhen sat down, ¡°Your Highness, I have made some progress in the matter you asked me to investigate.¡± ¡°Please, do tell.¡± Chu Heng was quite interested. ¡°The information your Highness heard is true. There truly is such a thing. It¡¯s hugely powerful, it rapidly kills enemies, and it¡¯s called the Thunderbolt Bullet. It was found by a minor officer in the Anti-Japanese Army. Now this officer, under the Prince¡¯s instructions, has gone to find the ship merchant who provided the Thunderbolt Bullet. In the next couple of days, he will bring the merchant to meet with the Prince and the Guard Commander of the Anti-Japanese Army, Zheng Zhongye.¡± Chu Heng¡¯s gaze hardened. He darkened slightly before asking, ¡°In your opinion, can this Thunderbolt Bullet change the battlefield conditions of the Anti-Japanese Army and Japanese Pirates, and help Chu Lan achieve great merit?¡± ¡°Although I very much wish that the answer to this question is ¡®no¡¯, based on the intelligence I¡¯ve gathered, I¡¯m afraid it might indeed have such a significant impact,¡± Qi Zhen replied. On the surface, Qi Zhen might appear as a frivolous womanizer, but when it came to important matters, he never acted carelessly. When he gave such an assessment, he must have had enough evidence to back his im. It was definitely not a case of speaking without thinking. Therefore, Chu Heng¡¯s gaze turned colder, ¡°My efforts for disaster relief have not yet achieved any results, but if Chu Lan is sessful in repelling the Japanese Pirates, it would be very unfavorable for me.¡± On the surface, it appeared that the Emperor was merely assigning Chu Lan to the Military Governorship and Chu Heng to disaster relief as separate tasks, but who wouldn¡¯t understand the implied meaning behind them? He was merely testing them both, to see who was more capable. The one who could achieve merit would inevitably gain more support in court. Those who failed would fall behind. ¡°Your Highness wants me to prevent this from happening?¡± Qi Zhen queried. ¡°I want that Thunderbolt Bullet.¡± Chu Heng expressed his desire. After pondering for a while, Qi Zhen said, ¡°If that¡¯s what you desire, your Highness, I will do my utmost to eliminate your concerns.¡± Chu Heng nodded with satisfaction, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the effective disaster relief in Taizhou prefecture is all thanks to a Miss from the Wei Family. Is this true?¡± Chapter 355 - 355 I Naturally Will Not Admit Defeatl Chapter 355: I Naturally Will Not Admit Defeatl ¡°Indeed that¡¯s true. Before this, Miss Wei had already helped the Qian Magistrate and the Seventh Prince to redevelop the wastnd in Xingshan County and to settle a portion of the disced people. However, the Seventh Prince did not mention her when reporting to the court,¡± said Qi Zhen. He had been in Taizhou Prefecture for many days, so he naturally had a clear understanding of these matters. ¡°In recent days, it seems you¡¯ve been keeping closepany with the second youngdy from the Wei Family?¡± Chu Heng asked again. ¡°Your Highness, forgive me. Indeed, the second youngdy from the Wei Family is a beauty, and I unwittingly spent some time with her, almost falling into Chu Lan¡¯s trap,¡± Qi Zhen admitted. Chu Hengwaved his hand, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to me you, I am well aware of your personality. Even though you are fond of beautiful women, you never neglect your duties.¡± Qi Zhen chuckled, ¡°Thankyou, Your Highness for your trust.¡± Once again, Chu Heng said, ¡°We are cousins after all, no need for such formality. I bring up Wei Qingwan because of the previous discussion onnd remation and disaster relief. If Miss Wei truly has such capabilities, instead of letting her be used by Chu Lan, it¡¯s better to use her for our own purposes. Do you understand what I¡¯m trying to say?¡± Qi Zhen immediately understood, ¡°I understand, Your Highness. Please give me some time to make the necessary arrangements.¡± Chu Heng was very satisfied, ¡°Your wisdom has always been your strong point, I believe you will handle this matter smoothly.¡± Qi Zhenughed again, ¡°It looks like I may have to put aside my dignity once again and continue my rtionship with the second Miss Wei.¡± Teasingly, Chu Heng said, ¡°I heard that the second Miss Wei is indeed a top beauty. Even if you truly marry her, you wouldn¡¯t be at a loss.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Qi Zhen responded, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t jest. As the saying goes, a beautiful woman is like a flower, beautiful whether on a branch or in a backyard, but she can¡¯t be shown off in the main hall. Even though it¡¯s nice to have a beautiful woman to entertain, she can¡¯t handle serious matters. The wife to be wed should be virtuous. If I were to choose, and if the Miss Wei I am to wed would truly be capable, I might entertain such an idea. But that¡¯s predicated on her having such strong abilities.¡± ¡°Your father would be delighted to hear about such thoughts,¡± Chu Heng remarked. ¡°My father simply wishes that I would settle down and return to his side.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re doing now is fine, when I return to the capital I will exin things to your father. There¡¯s no need for him to worry too much about you.¡± ¡°I appreciate that, Your Highness.¡± After finishing his conversation with Chu Heng, Qi Zhen took his leave from the small residence in the countryside. Later, Qi Zhen inquired about Wei Qingwan¡¯s situation from his subordinates. Upon hearing that Wei Qingwan had been sent to the Wei Family¡¯s estate, a n formed in his mind. ### A farm on the outskirts of the city. This farm, a five-hundred-acre establishment, was bought by Lady Yun after the Wei Family moved to the Government City. Lady Yun once contemted selling this estate, but since no one was interested in buying it, the n was dropped. The estate isn¡¯trge, with worn-out houses. The ce where Wei Qingwan is staying isn¡¯t much different than an ordinary farmhouse. It simply consists of a small ten-square-meter courtyard and a dpidated house. Moreover, only one maid named Cuihe apanied her here. Madam Li wished toe along but was denied. Wei Qingwan cried through the entire night and then spent the whole morning sitting nkly in front of the house. But none of this could change her current circumstance. In early August, the weather was still quite hot. Midday sun forced Wei Qingwan to retreat indoors. Looking at the old bed and the hard cotton quilt, Wei Qingwan felt a deep sense of destion. Cuihe, at this point, also felt quite disheartened. She initially thought that following theirdy would allow them to lead a better life, but now not only is there no improvement, their life has fallen to such a miserable state. Even for a hot drink in the morning, she had to go to the ckened hearth to make a fire and boil water. Back at the Colonel¡¯s residence, these trivial tasks were performed by the under maids. It was not expected of Cuihe, a head maid who personally served thedy, to perform them. Full ofints, Cuihe returned to the room and saw Wei Qingwan lost in thought. Unable to hold back, she advised, ¡°Miss, sighing andmenting isn¡¯t going to help.¡± ¡°Then what else can I do?¡± Wei Qingwan responded sarcastically, ¡°Initially, I thought only family members knew about this. Little did I know that Wei Qingruo is so ruthless. To ruin me she doesn¡¯t mind going down with me as well!¡± Wei Qingwan had already attributed the me for the leak about her secret meeting with a man to WeiRuo, and was convinced it was Wei Ruo¡¯s doing. ¡°Miss, if she¡¯s ruthless towards you, you need to be even more ruthless. You can¡¯t simply admit defeat now!¡± Cuihe urged anxiously. If their mistress admitted defeat, it meant that Cuihe herself would have no hope for a brighter future! ¡°Of course I won¡¯t admit defeat. Whatever Wei Qingruo has done to me, I will return it in kind!¡± Wei Qingwan dered determinedly. ¡°Yes, Miss. You shouldn¡¯t worry so much. Even with all the rumors outside, Young Master Qi¡¯s feelings for you haven¡¯t changed. If he finds out about your hardship, surely he won¡¯t just stand by doing nothing,¡± Cuiheforted hurriedly. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Qingwan nodded. While the mistress and maid were talking, there was suddenly amotion outside. Cuihe rushed out to check. In the dpidated small courtyard, a few more people appeared. Seeing these neers, Cuihe froze on the spot, ¡°Who¡­.who are you all?¡± Uponing out and seeing the neers, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was instantly filled with joy, followed by tears streaming out uncontrobly. Qi Zhen quickly stepped forward, gently pulling Wei Qingwan into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I camete. You¡¯ve been wronged.¡± On hearing this, Wei Qingwan burst into tears. All of her grievances poured out at once. Qi Zhen didn¡¯t rush her. He gently wiped her tears with a handkerchief. After a while, when Wei Qingwan¡¯s tears finally stopped, Qi Zhen gently said, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s over now, I¡¯m here. I won¡¯t let you suffer anymore.¡± Qi Zhen¡¯s words were like a warm spring sun melting frozen soil and reviving the nts and trees, making Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart flow with a sense of hope again. ¡°Young Master Qi, with all the rumors spreading around, what should I do?¡± Wei Qingwan asked, biting her lip. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been aware of this fora while. I didn¡¯t tell you in order to not disrupt your recovery,¡± Qi Zhen exined. ¡°But¡­.won¡¯t this trouble you too?¡± Wei Qingwan said anxiously. ¡°No problem, I don¡¯t care what outsiders say,¡± Qi Zhen reassured. Seeing Qi Zhen¡¯s determined look, Wei Qingwan¡¯s anxieties eased. Next, Qi Zhen said, ¡°The rumors outside are indeed not good for you, and you¡¯re also being punished by your family. So, in the next couple of days, I¡¯d like to visit your father to exin the situation and ask for his forgiveness. I¡¯m hoping this might appease his anger and convince him to take you back to the family residence.¡± Upon hearing this, a warm current rose in Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart. Young Master Qi¡¯s willingness to visit her father implied that he truly valued her and was sincerely interested in marrying her. Chapter 356: Everyone is Interested in the Chapter 356: Everyone is Interested in the Thunderbolt Bulletl Wei Qingwan contentedly rested her head on Qi Zhen¡¯s chest. At this moment, she felt extremely at ease and fulfilled. Then, Qi Zhen suddenly asked, ¡°Is your sister Wei Qingruo working for the Seventh Prince?¡± Weiqingwan lifted her head, feeling very displeased that Qi Zhen mentioned Wei Qingruo. In her eyes, Qi Zhen was her light, providing her warmth and rescuing her from the abyss. On the other hand, Wei Qingruo was the person she disliked the most currently, being the one who put her in a difficult situation. Wei Qingwan cautiously asked, ¡°Why does Master Qi ask about my sister?¡± ¡°What I mean is, if she is working for the Seventh Prince, it may impact our affairs. You know I am rted to the Sixth Prince, and the rtionship between the Seventh Prince and my cousin is¡­¡¯1 Even ordinary civilians who don¡¯t understand politics somewhat know about the rivalry between the Sixth and Seventh Princes, let alone Wei Qingwan, who was born in an earl¡¯s family. Wei Qingwan hurriedly exined, ¡°My sister is not working for the Seventh Prince. She is working for Princess Jingmin. The whole of Taizhou prefecture participated in this disaster relief initiative¡ªthe Seventh Prince is just one among them. It really can¡¯t count as her working for the Seventh Prince.¡± ¡±Oh? In that case, I am relieved.¡± Qi Zhen¡¯s smile was warm. ¡°Mmm.¡± Wei Qingwan nodded. Her heart felt a little more rxed. Then Qi Zhen nonchntly said, ¡°It would be even better if your sister could help the Sixth Prince.¡± ¡°Why do you say so, Master Qi?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart tensed immediately. ¡°Now that the emperor has sent the Sixth Prince to offer disaster relief in Jiangnan, he really needs help. If the Wei family could help the Sixth Prince seed, it would be very beneficial for your family and our rtionship in the future.¡± Qi Zhen exined. Wei Qingwan pursed her lips upon hearing this; her eyes full ofplex emotions. Then Qi Zhen smiled brilliantly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I just mentioned it. Our matters should be worked out by us, we can¡¯t count on others. Especially your sister¡ªit¡¯s her business what she does, it¡¯s not right to interfere.¡± Wei Qingwan nodded slightly, her mind filled with countless thoughts. Qi Zhenforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Although I have a bad reputation outside, my father can never withstand me. As long as I persist, he will surely agree.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Wei Qingwan responded softly. Qi Zhen¡¯sfort was helpful, but deep down, she still felt slightly uneasy. After chatting for a while, Qizhen left. After Qi Zhen left, Wei Qingwan sat alone in the room, her face still solemn. Cuihe smiled and asked, ¡°Miss, Master Qi left so many gifts for you. He also said he would find a way to convince your father to take you back. Why do you still look so worried?¡± Weiqingwan did not respond to Cuihe¡¯s words but instead nced at the items that Qi Zhen had sent over. She then told Cuihe, ¡°Pick some valuable things that I won¡¯t use and sell them. Then, help me find some medicine that can remove scars.¡± Cuihe hurriedly nodded, ¡°This ve will go handle it.¡± After Cuihe left, Wei Qingwan¡¯s brow still hadn¡¯t rxed; she was continuously thinking about Qi Zhen¡¯s words. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Qingwan not only didn¡¯t hope that Wei Qingruo would be of help to her marriage with Master Qi, but she also didn¡¯t want Wei Qingruo to work for the Sixth Prince. She even didn¡¯t want Wei Qingruo to have any contact with the Sixth Prince or Master Qi and others. So, she wouldn¡¯t tell Wei Qingruo anything about Master Qi¡¯s proposal from earlier. When ites to her marriage to Master Qi, she believes in Master Qi and doesn¡¯t need Wei Qingruo¡¯s help. However, she didn¡¯t know why she felt uneasy, worrying that Wei Qingruo would disrupt her marriage to Master Qi. ### At this moment, Chu Lan was in the Yusheng Teahouse. He wasn¡¯t here to rx and enjoy tea. With the current situation, he couldn¡¯t afford to be idle. He distrusted other officials in Taizhou prefecture. After the incident of the grain robbery, the military camp had also be a suspect. Hence, he deliberately hid in the tea room of the Yusheng Teahouse to discuss matters with Lu Yuhong and few of his trusted associates. Sitting at the table by the window, Chu Lan was looking over recent military records. Lu Yuhong, his curiosity piqued, leaned over him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem with this deployment map?¡± Lu Yuhong asked while carefully inspecting it. Although Lu Yuhong was not well-educated, he inherited his family¡¯s excellent bloodline in martial arts. He instantly understood the deployment and geomancy map. But he didn¡¯t see any problem with the deployment content. ¡°There¡¯s no problem with the map itself, but this defense map is from the previous battle against the Japanese Pirates.¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Are you talking about the incident in October when our troops suffered heavy losses, and Wei Mingting almost died?¡± Lu Yuhong nodded his head. ¡°Wei Mingting mentioned this matter to me a few days ago. He suspected that our military¡¯s operation was leaked to the Japanese pirates, resulting in our surprise attack turning into a disaster.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Is there a traitor in the army resisting the Japanese?¡± Lu Yuhong¡¯s face was filled with shock, which immediately turned into anger, ¡°We are all citizens of our country, why would they betray their own people?¡± ¡°Because of interests, and because of wealth.¡± Chu Lantern answered. ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Chu Lan was trying to find ws but currently, he had not obtained any clear clues. It seems that finding this traitor hidden in the camp was not an easy task. ¡°Then, you should stop looking for now. I see that you have been doing it since early morning. Why don¡¯t you take a break and have some tea?¡± Lu Yuhong suggested. While saying this, he reached over and pulled away the deployment map in front of Chu Lan, and changed the topic, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about the thunderbolt bullet instead? Is the thunderbolt bullet really that powerful, killing a group of well-trained soldiers all at once?¡± Compared to studying the defense map, Lu Yuhong was more interested in the thunderbolt bullet. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the scene of the thunderbolt bullet exploding with my own eyes. I¡¯ve only seen the remains of the corpses after the explosion. Like you, I¡¯m curious to see what a thunderbolt bullet looks like when it¡¯s used.¡± Chu Lan was also full of interest and curiosity about the thunderbolt bullet. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already find the merchant who can provide the thunderbolt bullet?¡± ¡°Yes, we did. He will arrive in Taizhou prefecture on the fourth of August. After staying in the city for a night, he will meet us at the camp the next day.¡± Chu Lan replied. ¡°Can I witness it then?¡± Lu Yuhong asked eagerly. ¡°Not a bad idea.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled! I¡¯ll apany you on the fifth day of August!¡± Lu Yuhong was excited, already looking forward to the legendary powerful new weapon. ### The next early morning, Wei Jinyi came to Tingsong Garden to find Wei Ruo. Seeing Wei Jinyi standing at the door, a smile naturally appeared on Wei Ruo¡¯s face. ¡°Good morning, Second Brother.¡± ¡°Hmm, morning.¡± Wei Jinyi replied and then told Wei Ruo the good news, ¡°The fish is on the hook..¡± Chapter 357: Notify Xu Zhengyong_i Chapter 357: Notify Xu Zhengyong_i ¡°Oh? Who has the message?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Qianfu Inn, someone has booked all the remaining rooms at Qianfu Inn.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. Wei Ruo had tampered with the message content conveyed by Xu Zhengyong. Every general receives roughly the same message about the merchant. It says that on the fifth day of August, the merchant will arrive at the barracks under the guidance of Xu Zhengyong¡¯s cousin, presenting the Thunderbolt Bullet. However, one detail is different: the ce where the merchant will stay on the night of the fourth of August is different. Theoretically, unless there is a different intention, they wouldn¡¯t particrly care about where the merchant stayed the night before, as long as the person is safe. Unless the person has other intentions, it is possible that they will arrange for someone else to meet the merchant before he arrives at the barracks. In the locations revealed to those people, Wei Jinyi had arranged for different people to set up ambushes. If someone tried to contact the merchant there, they could determine who had ulterior intentions. The Qianfu Inn is one of the addresses provided by Wei Ruo to Xu Zhengyong. In this way, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi had a rough idea of who the problemy with. The target was locked; the next step was how to catch the person. Brother, I need to go find Brother Xiaoyong.¡± Wei Ruo said to Wei Jinyi. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. ¡°Alright.¡± Then Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi returned to their respective rooms to change their outfits before going to the Four Treasure House with Xiumei to find Xu Zhengyong. Xu Zhengyong had been ordered to stay in Government City these days to receive the merchant and ¡°cousin¡± who would deliver the Thunderbolt Bullet, so he hadn¡¯t returned to the barracks. Wei Ruo told Xu Zhengyong the results and instructed him to report this matter to Chu Lan. Although Wei Ruo was unwilling to interact with Chu Lan, to pull off this n, Chu Lan¡¯s involvement was still needed. Without him, her father and Brother ¡¯ Xiaoyong¡¯s status and power in the military might not be enough. Previously, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t instruct Xu Zhengyong to inform Chu Lan of the n because she wasn¡¯t certain that Chu wasn¡¯t the person behind the scenes. Now that there¡¯s a clear target, Brother Xiaoyong can confidently approach him to discuss countermeasures. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, Xu Zhengyong couldn¡¯t help but say, Ruoruo, I¡¯ve been saying I wanted to be your pir, but you¡¯ve been my pir this whole time.¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Don¡¯t give me that cheesy talk, I¡¯m not used to it. Isn¡¯t helping you also helping me? Once you¡¯ve made your achievements, then I¡¯ll have a pir to rely on, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Ruoruo, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll work hard!¡± Xu Zhengyong solemnly promised Wei Ruo. ¡°Just don¡¯t go about it recklessly. Work hard, but don¡¯t risk your life.¡± ¡°I know, you can rest assured.¡± Xu Zhengyong assured. ¡°Hmm.¡± After exining everything to Xu Zhengyong, Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi, and Xiumei left. There was still plenty of time that day, so Wei Ruo nned to leave the city and visit Younan Farmstead and Caili Farm. On the way, Wei Ruo also made a trip to Zhao Family Vige to visit the brothers Zhao Hai and Zhao Xun. Wei Ruo visited the brothers Zhao Hai and Zhao Xun¡¯s home again. After knocking, Zhao Hai opened the door. Wei Ruo had given Zhao Hai a leave of absence for him to solely focus on taking care of his brother at home during this time. Zhao Hai was thrilled when he saw Wei Ruo in men¡¯s attire, ¡°Young master, please allow me to show my gratitude!¡± Zhao Hai immediately kneeled down. ¡°Don¡¯t kneel, stand up and talk.¡± Wei Ruo said. Young master, your kindness and generosity have saved us, so please ept my bow!¡± Zhao Hai ignored any objections and tried to bow to Wei Ruo. His head had just moved down a centimeter when a handnded on his forehead, preventing him from bowing down further. Zhao Hai looked up and noticed an average-looking young man standing next to the young master who was preventing him from bowing down. Wei Ruo said to Zhao Hai, ¡°There¡¯s no need to bow to me. It¡¯s not only my merit that your brother has improved. It¡¯s also due to your attentive care, his strong will to live, and a bit of divine intervention.¡± The first time Wei Ruo visited Zhao Hai¡¯s home, she didn¡¯t have much confidence in curing Zhao Xun. Although she left a prescription, it was more of a trial. Unexpectedly, after taking the medicine, Zhao Xun stabilised, so Wei Ruo sent him two additional batches of medicine while she was busy with other things. ¡°No, it was you who saved my brother!¡± Zhao Hai said with great emotion. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that now. Take me to see your brother.¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t visited since thest time. Now that Zhao Xun¡¯s condition was stable, she wanted to check on him again since there was a chance to cure him. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll take you!¡± Zhao Hai was very excited, leading Wei Ruo and the others into the house. Just likest time, Zhao Xuny in bed, still looking weak. Seeing Wei Ruo, Zhao Xun excitedly tried to get up. Wei Ruo signaled him not to move and just to lie quietly. Then Wei Ruo took Zhao Xun¡¯s pulse. By the pulse, his vital energy and blood flow were a bit better thanst time, a good omen. But it s still too early to talk about recovery. Wei Ruo got up and wrote another prescription for Zhao Hai, ¡°Take the herbs ording to this prescription, boil five bowls of water down to one bowl for each dose, and take it three times a day.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Zhao Hai carefully epted the new prescription from Wei Ruo. If there are any herbs that are hard to find, tell Manager Yu, and he¡¯ll help you.¡± Wei Ruo added. Zhao Hai¡¯s eyes welled with tears, ¡°Young master, you¡¯ve been so kind to us, and we don¡¯t know how to repay you.¡± Wei Ruo waved her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, just continue to work hard for me.¡± Zhao Hai nodded heavily, ¡°Our lives belong to the young master from now on. For the rest of my life, I¡¯m willing to work like an ox and a horse for the young master!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to make it sound so dire.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°You continue to take care of your brother at home. We¡¯ll discuss the work on the farm in the future.¡± After speaking, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t linger and left immediately. She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, Zhao Hai would want to bow to her again.¡± After leaving Zhao Hai¡¯s house, Xiumei couldn¡¯t resist saying, ¡°Miss, sometimes you are really kind-hearted. Even if Zhao Xun fits the criteria of the dying person you have been seeking, you still unhesitatingly chose to save him.¡± Zhao Xun is innocent, with a simple family background and a schr, fitting n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo¡¯s continuous search for a ¡°future husband.¡± ¡°Though I am looking for a dying person to marry, if there¡¯s a chance to save him, I can¡¯t just ignore his suffering for my personal gain, can I?¡± Wei Ruo said.. Chapter 358: 358: Qi Zhen Meets Wei Mingting l ¡°With the way you¡¯re going about this, Miss, you¡¯ll never find a suitable husband this way,¡± Xiumei muttered. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. Not everyone dying I encounter can be saved by me,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Miss, your medical skills are so profound, you can save most of them. It¡¯s already hard to find suitable dying candidates, and if you want someone whom even you cannot cure, there¡¯s nearly no hope,¡± argued Xiumei. Wei Ruo pouted, ¡°The world is too big, I can¡¯t believe I won¡¯t find such a person. Worsees to worst, I¡¯ll create one myself.¡± Wei Ruo then addressed Wei Jinyi, ¡°Second brother, I know you don¡¯t approve of this, but if I find one, you can¡¯t stop me.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Wei Jinyi agreed faintly. Only then did he realize that Ruoruo almost selected that skeleton-thin man to be her future husband. Wei Ruo and the others then toured the Younan Farmstead and Caili Farm. Younan Farm grew Wei Ruo¡¯ste rice strain from her space, the adaptability of which was impressive¡ªit could be sown early orte. A thousand acres of well-cultivated fields at Younan Farm were sown early, hence they matured earlier. By August, the grains were already husked, showing signs of a promising harvest. The improved strain was sown slightlyter on another thousand acres, but its growth was also promising.
Thetest batch sown at Caili Farm was also in a favourable situation, and the tenant farmers were in high spirits, working with great enthusiasm. Additionally, the sweet potato crop, including that given to Stone Vige, was also doing well. Harvest began gradually, and in another fortnight, a widespread harvest could be expected. If the situation continues, the Autumn harvest won¡¯t be an issue this year. Once this wave of harvest is secure, the food problem of Taizhou prefecture can be significantly alleviated. After the tour, Wei Ruo chuckled and asked Wei Jinyi, ¡°So my dear second brother, am I prosperous or what?¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hide her wealth and food supplies from Wei Jinyi, but she never officially took him around her estate. This time it could be said that Wei Jinyi saw a part of her private property. Of course, Wei Ruo did exercise some restraint. What Wei Jinyi saw was limited to her farms. As for her shops and businesses, she had yet to reveal any of it to him. Even when it came to Four Treasure House, which Wei Jinyi had visited a few times, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t tell him that she owned it. She merely said it belonged to her nanny, and indeed nominally, it did belong to her nanny. ¡°Hm, Ruoruo being rich is a good thing,¡± Wei Jinyi acknowledged. ¡°Agreed? I also feel that it is a good thing for me to be wealthy,¡± Wei Ruo replied, smiling brightly. Once they had finished their inspection, it was already gettingte, so the three returned to the city. ### When Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were out of the city, Qi Zhen made a visit to Military Prefecture to meet Wei Mingting. Hearing from the servant that Qi Zhen, the third son of the Qi Family, came to see him, Wei Mingting was puzzled.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He didn¡¯t know even when Qi Zhen had arrived in Jiangnan, much less why he woulde to seek him. There was no contact ever between the Wei Family and the prominent Qi Family. Wei Mingting¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t willing to see him. At present, both family affairs and military matters wereplicated, leaving him no time to entertain other issues.
However, he couldn¡¯t refuse seeing Qi Zhen; the status of the son of the prime minister held weight. Thus, Wei Mingting ordered his servant to take Qi Zhen to the guest hall in the front yard where he would receive him. Upon meeting Wei Mingting, Qi Zhen paid his respects courteously, ¡°Greeting to the General.¡± ¡°Qi third son, forgive my indiscretion, what brings you here today?¡± Wei Mingting asked, not one for niceties.
Qi Zhen answered with a gentle smile,¡±I¡¯m here to apologize to you. I humbly ask for your forgiveness.¡± ¡°Why would the Qi third son say so?¡± Wei Mingting questioned. ¡°The rumors about Miss Wei are rted to me,¡± Qi Zhen admitted. Upon hearing this, Wei Mingting¡¯s smile faded, reced by a steely gaze. Qi Zhen noticed the fleeting murderous intent in his eyes and chuckled at it. He then exined, ¡°General Wei, there¡¯s no need to be angry. Truthfully, nothing happened between Miss Wei and me. There was a misunderstanding that tarnished Miss Wei¡¯s reputation. The fault lies with me. I¡¯m willing to make amends.¡± ¡°My daughter¡¯s reputation is damaged. How would you make amends?¡± Wei Mingting countered. Qi Zhen didn¡¯t have the best reputation. If he stepped forward to rify the rumors, it would only worsen the situation. ¡°Angry General Wei, while I can¡¯t make up for this in terms of reputation, I canpensate in other ways,¡± Qi Zhen quickly replied. ¡°Other ways?¡± ¡°General¡¯s two older brothers; one is unemployed, and the other holds an idle Eight rank position,¡± Qi Zhen stated. Upon hearing this, Wei Mingting immediately understood what QI Zhen meant by other ways ofpensation. ¡°Please go back Qi Son, if my daughter is suffering this situation now, it is my fault for failing to properly discipline her.¡±
It¡¯s not someone else to me,¡± Wei Mingting refused. Seeing this, Qi Zhen didn¡¯t get angry. He just smiled and said, ¡°General Wei, don¡¯t get upset. I was merely expressing my sincerity, not intending to upset you. If you think my proposal is inappropriate, just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Does Qi son have anything else to say?¡± Wei Mingting asked. ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing very urgent.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid I have military affairs to attend and cannot keep Qi son here any longer.¡± Wei Mingting issued another order to leave. Qi Zhen smiled, this time acknowledging gracefully, ¡°I¡¯ll take leave now, and hopefully, we¡¯ll have a chance to converse in the future.¡± Qi Zhen left the Military Prefecture. Although his meeting with Wei Mingting didn¡¯t go as well as he expected, he wasn¡¯t frustrated. Firstly, beforeing Qi Zhen had sought information about Wei Mingting and he knew his personality well. Secondly, he didn¡¯t expect that this matter would progress that quickly. The main purpose of today¡¯s visit was to test the waters. Lastly, at present, finding the person who could manufacture the Thunderbolt Bullet was more important than Wei Ruo. ### Fourth of August.
Qianfu Inn. In the month of August, it grows dark quitete. Only by dusk does the sky gradually darken. The sky room on the second floor had been booked for several days, and finally, the guest arrived today. The man appeared to be in his forties, wore a full-face beard and looked like a traveler. He was apanied by several guards, a few horses, and two carts of belongings. There were several boxes on the carts. It was unclear what was inside them, but they were quite heavy. It was evident that the man¡¯s guards were finding it tough when moving the boxes from the carts into the inn. The server tried to help but was rejected by the guest. Only his men were allowed to touch those boxes. ¡°The things I have here are quite dangerous, they can¡¯t be messed with recklessly,¡± the man told the server.. Chapter 359: 359: Closing the Net_l The waiter nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, please be careful, sir.¡± There were other patrons in the tea house at the moment. Some of them were dining, while others engaged in conversation. But after the man walked in, many eyes turned to the disheveled merchant and therge box he brought with him. Those who didn¡¯t look directly, at least redirected their peripheral vision, seemingly interested. The man then went up to the second floor with his box, heading towards the Tian room. As he passed by the Di room, the man stopped and stomped thrice on the ground, allegedly to shake off the mud on his shoes. Inside the Di room, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi sat facing each other at a table. The table was set with tea and refreshments. The pair sipped their tea and ate their snacks in a leisurely fashion. Upon hearing the regr rhythm of three stomps outside, Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo exchanged a nce. They both understood the unspoken signal. Then Wei Ruo cut a piece of cake and ced it on a te in front of Wei Jinyi, ¡°Brother, taste this cake I made.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Wei Jinyi said as he took a small piece into his mouth and tasted it carefully.
Wei Ruo cut another piece and put it on the te next to her, ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, you should try some, too.¡± Xu Zhengyong was not in the mood to enjoy the cake like Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi. He paced nervously around the room like an ant on a hot pot. ¡°Ruoruo, I can¡¯t eat right now because I¡¯m worried about what¡¯s going on outside!¡± Xu Zhengyong said, pressing his ear against the door to eavesdrop. It was very quiet outside, with the faint sounds of people going to and fro in the inn. ¡°Being anxious won¡¯t help anything. What shoulde, wille, what should be avoided can¡¯t be avoided.¡± Wei Ruo said, trying tofort him. Hearing nothing, Xu Zhengyong returned to the table, ¡°You¡¯re right, but I can¡¯t just sit here and wait!¡± ¡°Then have something sweet maybe to rx and sooth your nerves. I made this Matcha-vored cake using freshly ground matcha from this year¡¯s tea leaves and fresh milk from this morning. It¡¯s absolutely fresh.¡± Wei Ruo handed Xu Zhengyong a piece of cake with a smile. ¡°No thank you, I know your cooking must be delightful, but I¡¯m really not in the mood right now.¡± Xu Zhengyong sighed in admiration of Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi. ¡°Ruoruo, Brother Wei; I really admire both of you for being so calm in such a situation.¡± Wei Ruo said to Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Since you have already reported the matter to the Seventh Prince, let him handle the rest. You Just need to arrest the culprits at the right time.¡± Xu Zhengyong said, ¡°Whenever I think of how much damage that bastard has caused to us, I just want to skin him alive and break his bones!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, you keep pacing. My brother and I will eat first.¡± Wei Ruoughed. Then Wei Ruo ignored Xu Zhengyong and continued to sip tea and nibble on treats with her brother. After a while, footsteps could be heard outside the door again. Someone knocked at the door of the neighboring Tian room. Xu Zhengyong immeditaly went over to listen by the door. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m here to serve your dinner.¡± Then, the sound of the door opening, followed by the waiter entering the Tian room with food to serve. Xu Zhengyong waited for the waiter to finish serving the meal and leave the room, but the footsteps did note.
Xu Zhengyong immediately grew alert, turning to ask Wei Ruo, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the server left yet?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Ruo calmly took a sip of tea. ¡°Ruoruo, stop drinking your tea for a second and tell me!¡± Xu Zhengyong begged anxiously. ¡°Because he is definitely not the original waiter of the inn. You have a duty to meet with the boat merchant and someone must be arranged to stay in the inn. To get closer to you without alerting you, they pose as inn staff. They use the pretext of delivering dinner to make it easier to negotiate.¡± Wei Ruo exined to Xu Zhengyong.
¡°Oh no! So, we let them seed? Ruoruo, you knew all along that they would be arranged this way, so why didn¡¯t you tell me in advance?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked. Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Because we want to let them go in and negotiate, so we can confirm that our previous judgment was correct.¡± ¡°After they finish their discussion, can we capture them?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked again. ¡°In theory, yes, but it¡¯s not our work. You and the Seventh Prince will handle it together.¡± Wei Ruo stated. Xu Zhengyong clenched his fist and said, ¡°Alright! Leave the capturing and beating to me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t kill them, a living person is more valuable.¡± Wei Ruo reminded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. At most, I¡¯ll take only half of his life. After his usefulness is exhausted, we shall see.¡± Xu Zhengyong assured. Wei Ruo continued to drink tea with Wei Jinyi. ¡°This cake is very delicious, soft fragrant, sweet but not greasy and has a milk aroma.¡± Wei Jinyimented on the cake Wei Ruo made.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Right? The next time you celebrate your birthday, I¡¯ll make another one for you.¡± Wei Ruo mentioned. ¡°Um.¡± ¡°Is there any special fruit you like? I¡¯ll make it for you next time. If it¡¯s out of season, I¡¯ll make jam in advance.¡± Wei Ruo asked again. ¡°Either will do.¡±
¡°If you say either will do, I¡¯ll choose a sour one, and it will make your teeth sour!¡± Wei Ruo joked. ¡°Um.¡± ¡°Are you still agreeing? Aren¡¯t you afraid of it being too sour?¡± ¡°Anything made by Ruoruo will be fine.¡± ¡°Just keep ttering me, Brother!¡± Wei Ruo replied with augh. While Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were chatting, suddenly there was a loud ¡°Bang¡± sound from next door, the sound of a table overturned. It was the signal they had agreed to in advance. Xu Zhengyong immediately rushed out of the room, heading straight for the Tian room. Wei Ruo remained seated and indifferent while Wei Jinyi stood up and closed the door that Xu Zhengyong had opened. Soon, the noise from outside became louder. Not only was theremotion from the Tian room, but also from downstairs. The sound of footsteps, furniture breaking, porcin shattering, the shing of weapons, and the painful groans of people echoed from outside. In such a chaotic situation, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were still not intending to make a move, the two continued to leisurely sip tea and eat pastries. Wei Ruo was not really unafraid. She wasn¡¯t fit to deal with those armed with knives. But as long as her brother was seated opposite her, she felt at ease. After a short while, a man wielding a knife climbed up through the window of the Di room where Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were situated.
Wei Jinyi nced at him, ¡°You took the wrong route.¡± He then threw his teacup at the man, hitting the intruder between the eyes. Before the man could react, he fell back off the window. After a while, another person climbed through the window. As soon as his head appeared, Wei Jinyi threw a te from his hand, hitting the intruder again. The intruder instantly fell off. There were many paths to infiltrate this inn, those two individuals just happened to choose the worst one.. Chapter 360: 360: Capture the Main Culprit l About the length of time it takes to burn incense had passed when themotion outside ceased, and the Qianfu Inn was once again plunged into silence. Soon after, Wei Ruo heard the footsteps from the corridor outside. They echoed from near to far, moving through the staircase towards the ground floor. Once most people had left, Xu Zhengyong returned to the room where Wei Ruo and the others were staying. ¡°We caught them and interrogated one. It was indeed that bastard¡¯s doing! That bastard wanted to get ahead of us and find out the origin of the Thunderbolt Bullet, and then reach the maker of the Thunderbolt Bullet before us. If the way of recruiting them in advance is concealed, he could get the Thunderbolt Bullet before us!¡± Xu Zhengyong eximed indignantly. ¡°Hm.¡± Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t surprised. She had known this might happen when she set up the trap. Intercepting the merchant ship and depriving the military camp of these Thunderbolt Bullets was too risky. After the recent grain hijacking incident, a simr move would easily expose her. But, contacting the merchant in advance and bribing them with silver to learn the source of the Thunderbolt Bullet would be much safer. Having men hide in the inn was probably a precaution. If the ship merchants refused to cooperate, they could silence them, ensuring no one would gain ess to the Thunderbolt Bullet. Xu Zhengyong continued, ¡°The Seventh Prince is preparing to lead the men back to the camp. He alreadyunched the signal re earlier. If Mr. Wei sees it, he should act immediately.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Wei Ruo nodded.
Although she disliked Chu Lan, she did recognize his capability to handle matters. He wouldn¡¯t dare to be the male lead without some courage. Then, Wei Ruo said to Xu Zhengyong, ¡°You go and meet with the Seventh Prince first. Do not be absent for too long to avoid suspicion; we will discuss the subsequent matters when we have time in a few days.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Alright, you and Second Brother Wei take care, and go home earlier.¡± Xu Zhengyong advised. ¡°Hm, go ahead without worries.¡± Wei Ruo responded. Xu Zhengyong nodded and left the room to meet with Chu Lan. After he left, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi did not leave immediately but waited until all the people from Chu Lan have retreated before leaving the Qianfu Inn. ### In the military camp, the mainmander¡¯s tent. Commander Zheng was standing before the sand table, adjusting theyout on it. ¡°Commander, Mr. Wei requests an audience.¡± The soldier on duty outside the tent reported. ¡°Oh? Mr. Wei has returned? Let him in.¡± Zheng Zhongye said. Then Wei Mingting entered the tent. Upon seeing Wei Mingting, Zheng Zhongye smiled and beckoned him over to the sand table, ¡°Mr. Wei,e and take a look. If we adjust the defense like this and thenunch a surprise attack on this southeastern corner, can we wipe out all the Japanese Pirates entrenched along the southeast coast at once?¡± Wei Mingting walked over, nced at the sand table, but didn¡¯tment. Instead, he asked Zheng, the guardmander: ¡°Commander Zheng, you have a remarkable military record, so why do youmit treason and collude with the enemy?¡± Commander Zheng was taken aback, his smile disappeared. After a while, he turned to look at Wei Mingting, a new trace of a grin on his face: ¡°Mr. Wei, what are you talking about? Colluding with the enemy andmitting treason?¡± ¡°Why did you hijack the grain provisions? Why did you want to secretively swallow the Thunderbolt Bullet? What good does it do you?¡± Wei Mingting queried, bewildered.
Commander Zheng was of humble origin, after serving in the military for over twenty years, he had risen from amon soldier to his current position as Guard Commander, having umted numerous military achievements. ¡°Mr. Wei, when you say these words, you have to present proof. nder against a superior is a serious crime. I can directly put you on trial in military court, regardless, you will be detained.¡± Zheng Zhongye said coldly. ¡°Those you sent to Qianfu Inn have all been captured alive.¡± Wei Mingting said. Hearing that, Commander Zheng¡¯s face instantly sank, a brutal killing intent shed in his eyes.
¡°Wei Mingting, I didn¡¯t expect this from you. When did you suspect me?¡± Zheng Zhongye said coldly. ¡°I never suspected you until the grain hijacking incident urred.¡± ¡°I see, that grain hijacking was indeed careless. I didn¡¯t expect the Thunderbolt Bullet to be so powerful, causing all of my most trusted subordinates to be sacrificed.¡± Zheng Zhongye let go of his pretence. ¡°Why did you do this?¡± Wei Mingting demanded. ¡°Why? Heh, I suppose you can only ask His Majesty the King of the Dead when you are on your way to theherworld.¡± While conversing with Wei Mingting, Zheng Zhongye slowly moved towards his sword. The moment his words fell, he swiftly drew his sword and charged at Wei Mingting. Wei Mingting was prepared for this and moved swiftly to dodge the attack. He quickly moved to one side, picked up the long spear resting in the corner, and shed against Zheng Zhongye. Streaks of silver light shed across the tent and the sh of metal echoed resoundingly. The spear in Wei Mingting¡¯s hands danced like a silver serpent, charged like a flood dragon, the speed of both rivaled the wind and lightning. His unpredictable yet powerful spear technique left Zheng Zhongye struggling to parry. Zheng Zhongye had assumed that Wei Mingting was still recovering from his injuries and would not be able to exhibit his full strength. However, he had underestimated Wei Mingting¡¯s martial arts skills. Even though he had nearly lost his life three months ago, his present fighting spirit and pressure were still tremendous.
After more than twenty moves, Zheng Zhongye was at a disadvantage and was gradually overwhelmed. In terms of martial art skills, he was no match for Wei Mingting. At this point, Zheng Zhongye quickly shifted his eyes outside the tent and shouted, ¡°Men, Wei Mingting is attempting to assassinate themander! Help!¡± Several men rushed into the tent from outside, their long spears in hand, and surrounded Zheng Zhongye and Wei Mingting. ¡°Arrest Wei Mingting! He hasmitted treason and is attempting to kill me in order to silence me!¡± Zheng turned the tables and used. Within the anti-Japanese army, Zheng Zhongye held the highest rank. When he gave an order, the soldiers should obey. However, the men who rushed in did not target Wei Mingting as per his instruction, but pointed their spears at him instead. Seeing this, Zheng Zhongye hastily realized his defeat was inevitable and became flustered. Wei Mingting saw his distraction and with a flick of his spear, disarmed Zheng Zhongye. When Zheng Zhongye fell down, his sword ttered to the floor. Without a weapon, he was rendered defenseless. ### At midnight, Chu Lan arrived at the military camp with his men. Upon entering the main tent, Chu Lan saw Zheng Zhongye who was bound and kneeling in the center of the tent.
Wei Mingting was standing by the side. Before Chu Lan arrived, he had merely questioned Zheng Zhongye briefly and avoided using any torture. Chu Lan circled around Zheng Zhongye, re-assessing him once again. Then, Chu Lan sat down in themander¡¯s position and started to interrogate, ¡°Commander Zheng, do you know the crime of colluding with the enemy andmitting treason?¡± ¡°Your Highness, I did notmit treason. The hijacking of the grain provisions and my private inquiry with the ship merchant regarding the Thunderbolt Bullet were all ordered by someone else!¡± Zheng Zhongye defended himself. The crime of colluding with the enemy was severe enough to implicate nine generations of his family. It was a im Zheng Zhongye would not dare bear. ¡°Who ordered you?¡± Chu Lan inquired, his eyes stern.. Chapter 361: 361: Acting Guard Commander_l ¡°This¡­this, I cannot say just yet, unless your Highness can promise guarantee the life of me and my family!¡± Zheng Zhongye made his demand. ¡°You¡¯re already a prisoner, and you still dare to make demands? ¡°If your Highness does not promise to spare me and my family, I will not reveal the mastermind. Either way, I¡¯m facing death! I have nothing to fear now!¡± Chu Lan said, ¡°Do you think that aftermitting these crimes, I can let you remain alive in this world? At most, I can only spare your wife and children. If you do not agree, no one needs to live.¡± What Zheng Zhongye had done struck a chill into the hearts of the soldiers. Chu Lan could not possibly let Zheng Zhongye go, otherwise, it would be hard to appease public outrage. Zheng Zhongye¡¯s face turned ashen when he realized there was no hope for him. After contemting for a while, Zheng Zhongye slowly lifted his head and said, ¡°Alright, as long as your Highness can safeguard my wife and children, I will reveal whomanded me.¡± ¡°Fine, I promise you. Speak.¡± -Not just yet, I cannot guarantee if your Highness will change his mind. Once I have seen my wife and children and assured that you will not involve them, I will disclose everything.¡± After pondering for a while, Chu Lan agreed, ¡°So be it. ¡°Bring Zheng Zhongye away and guard him strictly,¡± Chu Lan ordered.
¡°Wait a moment,¡± Wei Mingting remarked. ¡°I have one more question for Commander Zheng.¡± ¡°Go ahead, lord Wei,¡± Chu Lan agreed. Wei Mingting approached Zheng Zhongye and asked, ¡°Commander Zheng, you have won countless battles and are seen as a hero in the army. Why would you do something that harms your own brothers?¡± This was something Wei Mingting could neitherprehend nor tolerate. Zheng Zhongyeughed, ¡°Wei Mingting, you were born into the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, yet you have had a hard time in the military. Don¡¯t you know how hard it is for someone of my humble background to climb up the ranks in the army? It is true that I have achieved outstanding war aplishments and was loved by the soldiers, but what use is that? If you want to ascend the ranks, gain promotions and generous stipends, don¡¯t you have to appease the nobles?¡± ¡°I, Zheng Zhongye have no foundations or connections. Even though I was a low-ranking officer in the army, I could only receive a meager stipend with which to support my wife and children. Rapid career advancements have never been about how much you are willing to risk on the battlefield or how many military aplishments you can amass. If this was the case, I would have to be willing to die ten or eight times before my wife and children could enjoy a good life.¡± ¡ö¡öHow does it matter whether wey down our lives at the frontlines? Don¡¯t our lives and destiny still lie in the hands of the civil officials in the capital who know nothing but carousing and joy? With just a few words, they can erase all our hard-earned aplishments!¡± ¡°Stop being naive, Wei Mingting. All that talk about resisting the enemy invaders and defending the nation is a downright lie! The imperial court cannot see us! My defeat was due to my bad luck. But, if I were to follow the rules all my life, I would not even be able to maintain the position of the guardmander.¡± Wei Mingting found himself at a loss for words. Seeing Wei Mingting dazed, Chu Lan gestured to his men to take Zheng Zhongye away. Zheng Zhongye was hauled up by two soldiers and was on the way out of the tent when he suddenly copsed on the ground, convulsed, and started throwing up ck blood. Chu Lan shot up from his chair. Wei Mingting also hurriedly stepped forward. ¡°Call the military doctor!¡± Wei Mingting called for the doctor. But before the doctor could arrive, Zheng Zhongye had already died andy there motionless. After the examination, the military doctor confirmed that Zheng Zhongye had died from poison. After conducting a search, a new needle prick wound was discovered on Zheng Zhongye¡¯s waist. As the interrogation of the two soldiers who led Zheng Zhongye away from the tent was about to begin, one of them suddenly dropped dead under simr circumstances. This substantiated what Zheng Zhongye had imed. There were definitely individuals manipting behind the scenes, and there was more than one such person in the military. But there was no longer any chance for Zheng Zhongye to reveal who it was. This was where the an investigation hit a dead end and all Chu Lan could do was to leave it at that. After reporting the matter to the imperial court, they would have to wait for the Emperor¡¯s decree. Due to Zheng Zhongye¡¯s position as the Guard Commander, and the base could not function without a lead figure for even a day, Chu Lan made the decision to appoint Wei Mingting as the temporary Guard Commander, and Xu Zhengyong to fill Wei Mingting¡¯s vacant role of Deputy Guard Commander.
Xu Zhengyong was somewhat at a loss. It felt reasonable to him for Wei Mingting, who was the Deputy Guard Commander, to temporarily fill in after the loss of the Guard Commander.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om However, he had started out as a junior officer and had been suddenly elevated to the position of the Deputy Guard Commander in one fell swoop, which was quite a surprise to him considering that it meant he had jumped three ranks. This seemed a bit too sudden. ¡°Your Highness, is it not a bit inappropriate for me to temporarily serve as the Deputy Guard Commander?¡± Xu Zhengyong voiced out his concern. He too wanted to be promoted quickly, but such a sudden rise did seem to be a little inappropriate.
¡°NO worries,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Firstly, this is a temporary appointment, whether it will be made permanent depends on the decision of the imperial court; secondly, you have made significant contributions this time, it¡¯s time that you received a substantial promotion. ¡°Thank you, your Highness.¡± Hearing Chu Lan¡¯s exnation, Xu Zhengyong willingly epted the arrangement. When everyone else had left, Xu Zhengyong was also about to leave. However, Chu Lan stopped him at that moment. ¡°Does your Highness have any other orders?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked. ¡°Did you arrange today¡¯s n?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°Why would your Highness ask that?¡± Xu Zhengyong inquired. ¡°Having been with you in the military camp for a while now, I know that you are both brave and resourceful. But you do not have the knack for scheming. Today¡¯s n does not seem to be your handiwork,¡± Chu Lan stated with conviction. Hearing these words, Xu Zhengyong lowered his head. Chu Lan continued to question Xu Zhengyong, ¡°What is your rtionship with Xu Heyou?¡± This¡­ Xu Heyou¡­¡± Xu Zhengyong stammered, struggling to reply. ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie to me, I had someone investigate it. The Four Treasure House in Xingshan County once publicly imed that their unknown patron was a certain Young Master Heyou, and if I remember correctly, your parents live in the backyard of the Four Treasure House in the Government City,¡± Chu Lan stated. ¡°This¡­¡± Xu Zhengyong still kept his head down.
¡°Isn¡¯t he the cousin you mentioned?¡± Chu Lan asked once again. Xu Zhengyong pondered for a while before finally responding, ¡°Yes, he is my cousin.¡± ¡°So it really is.¡± Chu Lan felt a sense of joy for some reason when his suspicions were confirmed. After a moment of silence, Chu Lan dismissed Xu Zhengyong, ¡°I understand now. You may leave, it¡¯s gettingte, get some rest.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xu Zhengyong stepped out of Chu Lan¡¯s tent and took a deep breath. Thank goodness his cousin Ruoruo had meticulously nned everything. She had warned him in advance that the seventh prince might inquire about the ¡°cousin¡¯s¡± identity, and instructed him to confess that Xu Heyou was his cousin when he was questioned. He was not too flustered thanks to her advice. Given that such arge amount of food could not have appeared out of nowhere and had been collected in Taizhou prefecture in a short period of time, it was unlikely that the seventh prince was not aware of the source. Even though his cousin Ruoruo did not want the identity of Xu Heyou to be overly engaged with the seventh prince, the need to supply the military with food was far more important. In the face of the greater good, some minor matters had to be overlooked. Although they were aware that involving the identity of Xu Heyou could bringplications, cousin Ruoruo still chose to send the food.. Chapter 362 - 362 Extra Impact_l Chapter 362: Extra Impact_l The next day. A small house on the outskirts. Seven or eight subordinates knelt before Qi Zhen. Qi Zhen himself looked extremely displeased, his handsome face was shrouded in ayer of ck haze. The casual smile he usually carried was absent, reced with a cold aura akin to frost. He had initially nned to acquire the Thunderbolt Bullet through this opportunity, but to his dismay, he ended up losing both his wife and soldiers! The Thunderbolt Bullet eventually ended up in the hands of the Anti-Japanese Army, serving as a huge morale booster during these critical times! Moreover, it enhanced Chu Lan¡¯s chances of being recognized for his contributions! Qi Zhen asked: ¡°Any news about the maker of the Thunderbolt Bullet?¡± The subordinates who knelt on the ground dared not utter a word. ¡°So, there is no news? Are you all ipetent? The Anti-Japanese Army has obtained the Thunderbolt Bullet, and yet, you have no information about its maker?¡± ¡°Master, please calm down. The creator of the Thunderbolt Bullet has not surfaced. The merchant said he doesn¡¯t know anything about the maker either and got the Thunderbolt Bullet by coincidence. Thus, the Anti-Japanese Army only obtained the two boxes of Thunderbolt Bullets left by the merchant and there will be none left once they are used up. It may not y a significant role inbating the Japanese Pirates.¡± Qi Zhen gave a coldugh at these words: ¡°Not being able to find is equivalent to not finding, don¡¯t make excuses for me!¡± His subordinates fell into silence. ¡°Continue to search for clues. Those who do not wish to die must bring back satisfying results! Otherwise, you¡¯ll pay with your heads!¡± Qj Zhen ordered. ¡°We obey your orders!¡± ### Within the study room of the Bamboo Courtyard. Wei Jinyi sat at his desk, with Ke Chongshan and Zhang Yi reporting to him. ¡°Master, Zheng Zhongye is dead, likely silenced by his master.¡± Zhang Yi said. ¡°This Prince Six is truly ruthless. He had nted spies in the military camp early on. As soon as Zheng Zhongye¡¯s cover was blown, they killed him immediately, not giving any chance for him to reveal their identities.¡± Ke Chongshan couldn¡¯t help butment. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi was not surprised by this oue. Zhang Yi continued: ¡± Speaking of which, Zheng Zhongye was a capable subordinate of Prince Six, his death will certainly weaken Prince Six. It seems like we¡¯ve inadvertently achieved a good oue.¡± Ke Chongshan said, ¡°I must say, our young mistress is truly extraordinary! Without her brilliant n, we wouldn¡¯t have this oue! Zhang Yi agreed, ¡°Our young mistress is indeed impressive. The Thunderbolt Bullet is the most powerful weapon I have ever seen. With such a weapon, what enemies could stand before us?¡± It appeared that their unintentional actions had producedrger oues than anticipated. Wei Ruo¡¯s original intention was to just expose the traitor within the Anti-Japanese Army and help Xu Zhengyong get promoted, but she didn¡¯t expect that it would have additional consequences. ¡°Don¡¯t involve RuoRuo.¡± Wei Jinyi said. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Yes, understood.¡± Zhang Yi and Ke Chongshan agreed hastily, not daring to mention Wei Ruo again. Wei Jinyi then asked, ¡°What¡¯s the reaction from Prince Seven?¡± Zhang Yi replied, ¡°Prince Seven probably guessed that Prince Six was the mastermind behind the scenes. However, with Zheng Zhongye dead and no concrete evidence, it¡¯s impossible for him to impeach Prince Six without evidence. So, it will likely remain as it is. Additionally, he has temporarily appointed Master Wei as the Guard Commander, which is good news for Master Wei.¡± ¡°I see, continue to monitor Prince Six and Prince Seven. ¡°Yes, understood.¡± After Zhang Yi and Ke Chongshan finished their report, they left the study room quietly, climbed over the wall and left the Military Prefecture. ### The news that Wei Mingting was temporarily appointed as the Guard Commander and Xu Zhengyong as the Deputy Guard Commander quickly reached Wei Ruo¡¯s ears. Wei Ruo was somewhat surprised by the news. She knew that after this incident, Brother Xiaoyong would get the chance to be promoted. However, she hadn¡¯t expected him to be promoted three ranks at one go. ¡°Miss, Brother Xiaoyong has been promoted three ranks at once. Given the situation, he really stands a chance of surpassing the master!¡± Xiumei said excitedly. This also means that Brother Xiaoyong truly has the chance to fulfill his promise to be the Missy¡¯s support, assisting her openly to leave the Military Prefecture! ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited yet. This is only a temporary substitution. Whether he can actually assume the position depends on the court¡¯s decision.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Maybe it really will happen. Brother Xiaoyong has performed a lot of noteworthy deeds this time. He has found supplies for the military camp, got hold of the Thunderbolt Bullet, and even rooted out the spy in the Anti- Japanese Army! Three big merits.¡± Xiumei was filled with great anticipation. Wei Ruoughed and said, ¡°Regardless, the promotion should be a done deal. When Brother Xiaoyonges back next time, we should celebrate it appropriately.¡± ¡°Yes! We should prepare good wine and food to celebrate! This time, I won t argue with him, I¡¯ll let him show off his eloquence.¡± Xiumei added. The smile on Wei Ruo¡¯s face deepened: ¡°Okay, get dressed. We¡¯re going to the prefecture office. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been there. There hasn¡¯t been much happeningtely, but I can¡¯t afford to becent.¡± ¡°Alright, Miss. I¡¯ll go and prepare.¡± After tidying up, Wei Ruo and Xiumei headed to the prefecture¡¯s office in a carriage. As soon as they entered the office, Madam Yuan summoned Wei Ruo, saying she had something to give her. Wei Ruo entered Madam Yuan¡¯ s courtyard with a puzzled expression. Upon entering the house, she saw Madam Yuan sitting on a mahogany couch. Seeing Wei Ruo, Madam Yuan smiled and gestured for Wei Ruo toe over. Wei Ruo walked up to her, and Madam Yuan took a sealed letter out and handed it to her. Wei Ruo took the letter in puzzlement and was surprised to find out that it contained a household registration document. ¡°Madam, have you made a household registration for Xu Heyou for me?¡± Wei Ruo asked in surprise. Madam Yuan nodded: ¡°Your reputation as Xu Heyou is growing, just in case, it¡¯s better to be prepared. As long as your female identity and real face are not discovered, this household registration can help you avoid a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam!¡± Wei Ruo was ted, this gift was exactly what she needed right now. ¡°No need to thank me, it¡¯s thanks to you. If it wasn¡¯t for your nning of thend remation disaster relief, providing a ce for so many disaster victims to go the government office wouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity to grant household registration to thesend reimer disaster victims, which allowed me to arrange this household registration for you. ¡°Even so, thank you, Madam, for considering for me.¡± Wei Ruo expressed her gratitude. Madam Yuan smiled gently, and turned the topic to thend remation disaster relief: ¡°Thete rice crop and sweet potato crop that you had instructed people to nt are growing quite well. As long as there are no major disruptions in theing period, there is a high hope for a good harvest this year.¡± ¡°The execution of thend remation disaster relief has been progressing as you expected. The disaster victims are even more dedicated than we anticipated. They¡¯re progressing much faster than expected, having prepared all the nned wastnd. The first phase of the fertilization process is also underway. However, there is a rtive shortage of fertilizer for now, so it can only proceed step by step.¡± Chapter 363 - 363 Going to the Provincial City with Chapter 363: Going to the Provincial City with Second Brother 1 The former was Wei Ruo¡¯s original suggestion to Madam Yuan, allowing everyone in Taizhou Prefecture to maintain this year¡¯s agricultural yield by switching tote rice and sweet potatoes; thetter was an initiative led personally by Wei Ruo to amodate refugees by expanding farnd through clearing activities. Now, both have made substantial progress, giving everyone in Taizhou Prefecture hope. Madam Yuan couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Ruoruo, all of this is your doing. If Taizhou Prefecture sees a grain harvest this year, you are indeed the life-saving benefactor of countless farming households and refugees in Taizhou Prefecture!¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I appreciate your praise, Madame, but let¡¯s save these words untilter, when the grain is in the barn, and then we can celebrate with joy.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t dare to be too jubnt when the situation remained uncertain. ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s not bring it up now,¡± said Madam Yuan hurriedly. She was only excited and couldn¡¯t resist talking to Wei Ruo about it, but she was indeed afraid that trouble would arise at thest moment. Madam Yuan subsequently asked Wei Ruo, ¡°By the way, Ruoruo, I heard from Aunt Qin that you want to build a dam across the river? Have you drawn the relevant diagrams?¡± ¡°Yes, I do have such a n. Taizhou Prefecture receives ample annual precipitation, but the distribution is uneven. There is abundant rainfall during the rainy season, but there will be a period of drought after summer which is extremely unfavorable for the growth of rice. This summer was fine, but if it is like the past few years, even if we cultivate more wastnd, without water for irrigation the crops will not grow well.¡± exined Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes, that makes sense. Constructing a reservoir, however, is not like other endeavors,¡± said Madam Yuan, thinking that Wei Ruo made a lot of sense. Wei Ruo understood what Madam Yuan meant: ¡°Building a reservoir not only requires a significant amount ofbor and resources but also requires an exceptionally long period. Even constructing a small reservoir would require at least three to five years. Arge-scale reservoir could take ten to twenty years toplete.¡± ¡°Exactly, this is the biggest issue in building a reservoir. While it benefits generations toe, during construction, there is no doubt that it strains the people and drains wealth,¡± said Madam Yuan. Wei Ruo analysed, ¡°If it¡¯s a situation like today, it is indeed not suitable. We don¡¯t have enough grain to support the construction of the reservoir- but if the granary is full and refugees keep flooding in, arranging for the construction of projects like reservoirs could be a good way to settle the refugees and maintain public morale.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, your point is well made,¡± Madam Yuan agreed with that statement. Wei Ruo continued her analysis, ¡°Indeed, reiming wastnd directly addresses the food issue, but it does carry risks. Relying on increasing cultivation area, improving soil fertility, and the excellent traits of crops for withstanding natural disasters is still too weak, and improving the tolerance from more dimensions is preferable to ensure grain yield.¡± ¡°In that case, Ruoruo, do you still intend to proceed with building a reservoir?¡± Madam Yuan asked. ¡°If there is a grain harvest this year, the granary is full, and refugees from other regions continue to flood into Taizhou Prefecture, arranging for the extra refugees to construct the reservoir could be a good solution,¡± exined Wei Ruo. After giving it some serious thought, Madam Yuan said, ¡°I understand. We will discuss this further, depending on the various circumstances at the end of the year.¡± Then, Madam Yuan, holding Wei Ruo¡¯s hand, said, ¡°You are a blessed child. Your father has a good chance of being promoted again this time, and the fortune of the Wei Family will only get better.¡± Wei Ruo smiled, unsure how to respond to these words. Whether her father¡¯s promotion was considered good or bad news was ambiguous. ### Wei Ruo stayed at the Yuan Residence until dusk, resolving all the issues that had umted over time, while also organising uingnd remation work. Uponpletion, Wei Ruo returned to the Military Prefecture to prepare for her journey to the provincial city the next day. Wei Ruo nned to visit the provincial city under the pretext of delivering supplies to Wei Yichen, but the real intention was to scout for a new shop location. Apanying her the next day would be Wei Jinyi and Xiaobei. When Wei Jinyi said he wished to go along with her, Wei Ruo happily agreed. With this, Wei Ruo¡¯s reasons for leaving became even more sufficient, and her safety was more secure. In regards to Wei Ruo¡¯s journey to the provincial city with Wei Jinyi, Yun did not ask further questions. She was already worn outtely, too tired from handling consecutive events and was looking sick. She truly didn¡¯t want to deal with the matters concerning her eldest daughter and illegitimate son any more than she had to. After all, her management abilities were already stretched to the limit. Still, Wei Ruo went to bid Yun farewell before she left on the second day in the morning, as was customary. Yun, just out of bed and leaning on her couch, said, ¡°Whatever items your older brothercks, you should supplement first. When we have more resourcester, I willpensate you with silver.¡± Although Yun did not know when the Military Prefecture would have more resources. ¡°Understood,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t say much in return. After all, making a promise and keeping it were two different things. Afterwards, Wei Ruo set off with Wei Jinyi and the others. Wei Ruo and Xiumei rode in the carriage, with Xiaobei leading the horses upfront, and Wei Jinyi horseback riding. After leaving the city gate, Wei Jinyi changed his appearance to that of ¡°Wang Jin¡±.?????????????????????????????????? 6 Wei Ruo changed her appearance because she is a woman and didn¡¯t want her family to know what she was doing outside, while Wei Jinyi was a man who technically shouldn¡¯t have as many restrictions as Wei Ruo, but he seemed to share Wei Ruo¡¯s desire not to be recognized by others. Although Wei Ruo was curious about this, she refrained from asking too much. All she needed to know was that her second brother was trustworthy. The official road from the government city to the provincial city was rtivelyfortable to travel on. If you hurry, you can reach your destination within a day, and a typical traveler on a horse-drawn carriage could make it in two days. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om However, there was no urgency for Wei Ruo on this trip. The journey was unhurried, with the four of them taking breaks and stopping frequently When they encountered beautiful mountains, water, or sceneries, they took the time to enjoy them. Sometimes, they even picked mushrooms and wild vegetables, or fished for shrimp and crabs. They rarely stayed at inns for the night, preferring to stop randomly along the way instead. The first night, the four of them stayed in a wild area not far from the official road. The weather made camping outdoors no risk of catching a cold, let alone Wei Ruo extracting a tent from the carriage. The only issue during this season was the mosquitos, a problem nonexistent to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo brought mosquito repellent ointment and incense, warding off all kinds of snakes, rats, insects, and ants. Wei Ruo set up a pot, and boiled mushroom and meat soup. Under the starry night, they had a satisfying feast. Afterward, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi sat on the grass and chatted until midnight before they each went back to the carriage and tent to rest. The next couple of days passed simrly, with the four of them seeming to have been on a leisure trip rather than hustling to their destination. By the time Wei Ruo and the others reached Lin¡¯an Prefecture, it was already dusk on the fourth day. Since she had already visited once with Yun, Wei Ruo easily found an inn where they could stay for the night.. Chapter 364: 364: Dong Shi Imitating the Chapter 364: Dong Shi Imitating the Frown_l After dinner, Wei Ruo and Xiumei were tidying up things in the room at the inn. ¡°Miss, although Lin¡¯an Prefecture is more prosperous than Taizhou Prefecture, there are noticeably more disced people on this route, and the number of homeless outside the city gates is almost catching up to those in Taizhou Prefecture¡¯s reimednd,¡± remarked Xiumei with a hint ofmentation over what they had seen in thest few days. Within the city of Lin¡¯an Prefecture, disced people were sparse as they were blocked off from entering. Many of them were starving, with some dying of hunger. As the provincial capital of Zhejiang under the rule of the imperial envoy, Lin¡¯an Prefecture used to be the busiest city in Zhejiang. However, it was now home to many disced people who appeared disheveled and malnourished. ¡°There¡¯s been a poor harvest for two years straight. Naturally, there are many victims,¡± Wei Ruo reasoned. ¡°But didn¡¯t the imperial court dispatch the sixth Prince to relieve the disaster? Why hasn¡¯t there been any improvement? At the very least, shouldn¡¯t they be providing some form of help to the disced, instead of just keeping them outside the city watching them starve to death?¡± Xiumei thought simplistically, believing that people¡¯s lives were most important and should be saved first. Therefore, she began to harbor a slight dissatisfaction towards the sixth Prince who was assigned to relieve the disaster after experiencing the plight of so many disced people. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. I just mind my own business,¡± Wei Ruo stated, having no interest in discussing the disaster relief ns of the sixth Prince. Wei Ruo was examining the map of Lin¡¯an Prefecture while talking to Xiumei. ¡°We¡¯ll go here to investigate the situation tomorrow,¡± she said, pointing to the northern suburbs of Lin¡¯an Prefecture.
¡°Wherever you say we go, Miss, I¡¯ll go.¡± Xiumei agreed without a second nce, determined to follow Wei Ruo wherever she went. ¡°Then I might as well sell you off,¡± Wei Ruo joked. ¡°By all means, if the price is right, you can. Once you¡¯ve received the money, I¡¯ll escape and you can sell me again,¡± Xiumei replied with augh. ¡°You certainly know how to do business,¡± Wei Ruo chuckled, finding Xiumei¡¯s quip amusing. ¡°Of course, having been with you for so long, I¡¯ve picked up a business sense,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°My Meimei is smarter than me now. At least I¡¯m trading something, while you¡¯re making a fortune out of nothing!¡± jested Wei Ruo. ¡°It¡¯s only natural to surpass the master,¡± quipped Xiumei yfully. ### Early the next morning, the four of them set off from the inn to the north of Lin¡¯an Prefecture. To facilitate their movements, Wei Ruo and Xiumei disguised themselves as males. With three out of the four now in disguise, only Xiaobei was left without a disguise, his face making it hard for him to be spotted in the crowd. Since she was dressed as a man, Wei Ruo did not ride in a carriage but rode a horse instead, which was more convenient. After a few experiences of horse riding, Wei Ruo no longer experienced the same pain in her buttocks and thighs as she did before. Thanks to the specially made stirrups that Wei Jinyi had gotten for her, which had a thickyer of padding, her ride was much morefortable. As they rode out of the city gates, the scenery became barren. There were many viges and farnds along the way, but none of them seemed as thriving as those in Taizhou Prefecture. Upon closer inspection, they noticed that the rice nts in the paddy fields were not growing well. The leaves were yellow, and the yield was not promising. ¡°Why do the rice nts here in Lin¡¯an Prefecture look like they¡¯re in such bad condition?¡± asked Xiaobei, who was riding behind Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo. The one riding beside Xiaobei, Xiumei, exined, ¡°The weather this year hasn¡¯t been great. It¡¯s not umon for the rice to grow poorly.¡± Xiaobei was still confused, ¡°But the rice in Taizhou Prefecture seems to be growing well.¡± Xiumei pointed out, ¡°A lot of the seedlings in Taizhou Prefecture were changed to the variety promoted by Miss. They¡¯re resistant to diseases and adaptable. Plus, the magistrate has organized people from the government office to work with the locals to fertilize the fields and prevent pests. So of course the rice would grow well.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Xiaobei finally understood, ¡°I see, all rice nts aren¡¯t the same after all. The difference is quite lucid.¡± Xiaobei immediately followed up, ¡°The harvest has been poor for the past two years. If this year remains the same, won¡¯t the crisis escte?¡± Xiumei muttered, ¡°Indeed, we can only hope for a good harvest this year. I certainly don¡¯t want to see any more deaths.¡± Xiaobei nodded vigorously, ¡°Lady Xiumei is correct!¡±
A littleter, they encountered a group of government soldiers driving a group of raggedly dressed disced people in a certain direction. Some of the soldiers were holding whips, asionallyshing out at the disced people, hastening them to move forward. Xiumei frowned in anger, ¡°Who do these soldiers belong to, and why are they beating and driving these disced people?¡± Xiaobei quickly hushed Xiumei, ¡°Lady Xiumei, keep your voice down. Those men belong to the sixth Prince. If they hear us, it would cause trouble.¡± Xiumei lowered her voice and asked Xiaobei, ¡°Why are the sixth Prince¡¯s men treating the disced people so violently?¡± We Ruo looked over at them, sharing the same confusion. Xiaobei didn¡¯t immediately answer, his gaze shifting to Wei Jinyi with hesitation. Only after Wei Jinyi gave a slight nod did Xiaobei go on to exin to Wei Ruo and Xiumei, ¡°It seems that the sixth Prince istely attempting to imitate Miss¡¯s disaster relief approach by arranging for the disced to reim and cultivate thend.¡± Xiumei was more confused than ever, ¡°Why do they have to treat the disced harshly if they¡¯re learning from Miss¡¯s method ofnd remation? Couldn¡¯t they just tell them directly? These people would undoubtedly be willing. We¡¯ve already practiced this in Taizhou Prefecture.¡± Xiaobei whispered in exnation, ¡°Your method in Taizhou Prefecture involved providing the disced with shelter and food, and they were naturally pleased; but the sixth Prince isn¡¯t providing lodging here and is said to offer very little food. On top of that, he pushes the disced to toil from dawn until dusk for the sake of progress, making them work extremely hard. Naturally, nobody is willing.¡± It was better to hide in the wilderness and survive on eating roots and grass than to be forced into strenuousbor where the chances of dying may be higher. Wei Ruo furrowed her eyebrows, ¡°If he¡¯s learning, why doesn¡¯t he fully learn it? There¡¯s no one stopping him.¡± This time, Wei Jinyi answered her question, ¡°Because he can¡¯t persuade the people of Lin¡¯an Prefecture to invest time and money, and hecks the ability to adapt ordingly. He tried previously but failed to improve thend. So, even though some time was spent, nothing was able to grow on thend.¡±
The fact that Wei Ruo could revive the work-for-aid project and evoked participation from everyone in Taizhou Prefecture wasrgely due to her ability to reassure them that she could sessfully improve thend, ensuring that everyone would benefit. If this prerequisite couldn¡¯t be met, then no one would be willing to participate and invest in it. The sixth Prince only studied the framework of Wei Ruo¡¯s disaster relief method and missed the key points, resulting in a different oue. Xiumei blurted out, ¡°Even so, he shouldn¡¯t maltreat the disced the way he does. Their lives are already hard enough. What¡¯s the use of persecuting them if they can¡¯t grow crops?¡± Chapter 365: 365 Unlocking Perennial Rice Chapter 365: Unlocking Perennial Rice Variety_l Xiaobei said, ¡°Lady Xiumei, not everyone is like you and the Young Lady. Some people only care about themselves. Whether these refugees live or die isn¡¯t important to them, what really matters is whether they can achieve their own sess.¡± Xiumei was so angry that she had many words of rebuke, but in the end, she swallowed them all down. He was the sixth prince. To ordinary folks like them, he was an existence as high as the sky. What could she change by being angry with him? Not to mention her, even her young mistress could not do anything to the likes of him. Seeing Xiumei like this, Xiaobei was a bit heartbroken. He wanted to say something tofort her, but he was at a loss for words, and in the end, he could only watch. Wei Jinyi was watching Wei Ruo, and although he couldn¡¯t see her facial expression due to the Human Skin Mask, there was a clear chill in her eyes. After a while, this chill gradually faded away. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wei Ruo said. Not looking at the refugees who were being forced to go farm thend, Wei Ruo squeezed her horse¡¯s abdomen with her legs, increasing her speed.
Wei Jinyi followed her, his deep eyes fixated on her. While Wei Jinyi did not voice anything, Wei Ruo knew her second brother was concerned about her. So she turned her head and exined, ¡°Second brother, I¡¯m fine. I might be a bit annoyed, but I¡¯m clear about the things that are beyond my control. I won¡¯t overthink things that I shouldn¡¯t and I won¡¯t make myself feel troubled.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. She had always been like this, full ofpassion, but at the same time extremely rational, knowing what she could and could not do. After the brief incident, Wei Ruo¡¯s group traveled for about an hour, and arrived at the spot Wei Ruo had marked the previous night¡ªFengting Mountain. The mountain is not high, but it is big and magnificent, spanning several miles from west to northeast. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re not nning on buying this mountain, are you?¡± Xiumei looked surprised. ¡°Including all the farnd at the foot of this mountain.¡± Wei Ruo answered. Hearing this, Xiaobei¡¯s eyes widened. How much would that cost? Althoughnd is cheap in the current situation, it would still take a lot of silver to buy arge tract ofnd like that. Xiumei was not surprised that her mistress wanted to buy so muchnd, as her mistress had recently made a lot of money from selling food to the army and other business ventures. She had saved up quite a lot of silver this year. But what surprised Xiumei was that her mistress wanted to buy the mountain in front of her, ¡°Miss, what are you nning to nt on this mountain?¡± ¡°Tea, rice, and fruit trees. Not all the mountain is rugged, a lot of rtively tnd can be cultivated. Those areas will be for nting rice, while the rest of the ce would be for nting tea and fruit trees where it¡¯s possible.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Growing tea and fruit trees takes a long time, especially fruit trees, from nting to fruition takes quite a while. So before, Wei Ruo was not considering nting tea leaves and fruit trees, but now that she has umted a decent amount, it is time for some long-term investment. However, crops that can fill the stomach are still Wei Ruo¡¯s first choice. She will only consider other types of crops onnd that is not suitable for nting rice. Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°Miss, nting rice on the mountain can be quiteborious.¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Yes, it is indeedborious. That¡¯s why I n to nt perennial rice to save a lot ofbor.¡± ¡°Perennial rice?¡± Xiaobei heard for the first time that rice could be perennial. ¡°Yes. Perennial rice. After being nted once, it can be harvested continuously for at least five years, and the yield will not significantly decrease during these five years. This type of rice only needs to ensure suitable climate conditions in the first year. In the following years, the already well-developed root system increases its ability to cope with natural disasters. It also doesn¡¯t require any additional processes of nursery and transnting.¡± Wei Ruo exined.
¡°There¡¯s such an amazing variety of rice in the world?¡± Xiaobei asked in surprise. Then he turned his head to look at his Young Master, who was knowledgeable and well-informed. He wondered if he had ever heard of this type of rice. Wei Jinyi said, ¡°It¡¯s my first time hearing about perennial rice.¡± Wei Ruo exined, ¡°This is something I discovered recently. That¡¯s why I want to try nting it, if it¡¯s sessful, that would be best. If it fails, then I¡¯ll ept it.¡±
When she said it was a recent discovery, she was actually referring to her garden¡¯s recent upgrade. The sweet potatoes had begun to be harvested recently and she had umted eight thousand Experience Points in her space, which had just been upgraded to level six. The new seed unlocked after the upgrade was the perennial rice. Knowing the attributes of the new seed, Wei Ruo was overjoyed. This space of hers was really generous, unlocking practical seeds in the early stages. That¡¯s why she was so eager toe to the provincial city to buy new fields. ¡°Ruo¡¯er, where did you find such an interesting variety of rice?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. Wei Ruo had a ready exnation, ¡°In nature, there are all kinds of diverse rice varieties. Even the rice grown in one¡¯s own field can experience some changes during the growth process, some are positive, others are negative. This is like people, there can be tall or short, fat or thin, smart or not smart.¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°We can artificially pollinate rice flowers that have different excellent characteristics, so that the rice they produce has each of their advantages. After several generations of reproduction, selection and optimization, it is possible to get a rice variety that has multiple advantages.¡± The principle is indeed as such, but in practice, it consumes a lot of time and energy. However, Wei Ruo has the cheat of space, without going through this process, she can directly obtain seeds with super excellent characteristics, saving countless manpower, material resources and time costs. ¡°Ruo¡¯er is really smart.¡± said Wei Jinyi. ¡°There¡¯s some luck involved too,¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°But Second Brother, you must not mention this to outsiders. If it is sessfully ntedter, just say I got the seeds from somewhere else. Don¡¯t say I found it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. Then Wei Ruo¡¯s group continued to walk along Fengting Mountain, observing the nearby conditions.
After finding a suitable road up the mountain, the group began to ascend. The mountain was not steep, and at first they could ride their horses. Only in the middle andtter stages did they need to dismount. As the four of them were walking, leading their horses, rustling sounds came from the wild grass on both sides of the road. This time, there wasn¡¯t even a need for Wei Jinyi¡¯s reminder, the noise was so obvious that Wei Ruo also heard it. Immediately after, a group of ragged, dirty-faced people with sticks and stones burst out from the grass, surrounding Wei Ruo and her group¡­.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 366: 366: Work for Me and Youll Be Fully Chapter 366: Work for Me and You¡¯ll Be Fully Fed__1 They pointed their ¡°weapons¡± at Wei Ruo and hispanions. One of the middle-aged men wielding a long stick threatened, ¡°Hand over your horses!¡± Though the stick was pointed at Wei Ruo and the others, the man¡¯s voice was noticeably trembling, and fear was evident in his eyes. Even the hands gripping the ¡°weapons¡± were shaking visibly, whether due to nervousness or weakness from physical exhaustion, was unknown. Wei Ruo nced at Wei Jinyi and said, ¡°Brother, go easy on them.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. He then swiftly approached the group of men and effortlessly snatched away their sticks and stones. The men were utterly dumbfounded. Is¡­is he even human? Or maybe he is an immortal?
At this moment, the women and children hiding behind the men in the bushes began to panic, their voices trembling. Wei Jinyi merely looked at them; but before he could say anything, one of them could not withstand the pressure any longer and fell to his knees, begging for mercy, ¡°Mercy, kind sirs! Mercy! We didn¡¯t mean it, we¡¯re just too hungry!¡± Wei Ruo responded, ¡°It¡¯s clear that all of you are indeed very hungry, but we can¡¯t let you eat our horses.¡± Then, turning to Xiumei, he said, ¡°Xiumei, give them all the dried sweet potatoes we brought with us.¡± Xiumei nodded and brought out tworge packages of dried sweet potatoes from the bags on the horses. She walked over to the group and handed over the two sacks to them. Without waiting for Wei Ruo and Xiumei to exin, the group quickly reached into the sacks and voraciously began to gobble up the sweet potatoes. With theirrge numbers, two bags of dried sweet potatoes meant that each person received two or three pieces. Seeing them in this state, Wei Ruo and hispanions decided not to disturb them further. Only when they had finished eating did Wei Ruo ask them, ¡°Are you vigers from around here?¡± The middle-aged man who had initially threatened Wei Ruo and hispanions, nodded, ¡°We are from Dahetun Vige, in Renhe County. Our vige is the worst off in the county because of the roughnd and the little crops we yield. In the past years, we just barely made do. Thest two years, due to bad weather, our crops havepletely failed. Even tree roots and the grass on the mountainside near our homes have almost been depleted by us for food. We had no choice but to flee.¡± ¡°Are you hiding in the mountains to avoid government soldiers?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. The man nodded, ¡°Yes! Some of our fellow vigers were taken by them and then died from exhaustion!¡±
As he spoke, the man¡¯s eyes shed with grief and anger. Turning back to nce at the women and children who were hiding behind the men, he continued, ¡°There are still some edible roots and bark in the mountains, and we have water to drink. At least we can survive for a few more days.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze fell upon the gaunt faces of the women and children. The women protectively held the children by their sides, avoiding meeting Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes.
The children, on the other hand, were gazing at Wei Ruo with a look of curiosity and confusion. ¡°If I provide you with food and shelter, would you be willing to work for me?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Wei Ruo¡¯s question baffled them. Wei Ruo added, ¡°It¡¯s inevitable that working for me would be tough. But, I won¡¯t overwork you. There would be adequate time for rest and I won¡¯t let you go hungry or cold.¡± Upon hearing this, they realized, this youngd intended to hire them. They promptly nodded, ¡°We are willing, we are willing! As long as you feed us well, we¡¯re up for any kind of work!¡± ¡°That settles it then,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo¡¯s quick decision left the group in disbelief. ¡°Young Master, are the words you just spoke truth? You aren¡¯t joking around with us, are you?¡± Nowadays, it was challenging to find a job that paid in meals.
The way this young master casually proposed hiring them raised their suspicions. They found it hard to believe his words. ¡°I¡¯m nning to purchase some farnd soon, and I will needbourers. It¡¯s a coincidence that I met all of you today, so consider it as fate.¡± Wei Ruo exined. The men still appeared bewildered. ¡°Wait here for me. I don¡¯t have much food on me at the moment. I¡¯ll go back to fetch some for you and return. After a couple of days, once I¡¯ve finalized thend purchase, I¡¯ll arrange your amodations,¡± Wei Ruo added. On hearing this, their eyes lit up. The young master said he¡¯d bring more food for them! Wei Ruo turned to Wei Jinyi and said, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go get some food for them, and then check back on themter.¡± It was still early in the day, they could afford to make a round trip. Wei Jinyi nodded in agreement. Thus, the four of them decided to return the same way they came. Before leaving, Wei Ruo cautioned the vigers fleeing from Dahetun Vige, ¡°Stay hidden. Until you¡¯re formally employed by me, don¡¯t get caught and forced to cultivate thend. I can¡¯t do anything to help you if you¡¯re caught.¡± The vigers nodded. Even after Wei Ruo and hispanions had left, they were still reeling.
Was what the young master said real? Would he reallye back? Would he bring them food, and then hire them? The vigers murmured among themselves, ¡°Is he tricking us? Would anyone actually want to hire us? ¡°But he doesn¡¯t seem to have any reason to trick us. We have nothing left that he would want.¡± ¡°Moreover, he really did give us food earlier, and it was sweet and delicious. I haven¡¯t tasted something so good in a long time.¡± After discussing among themselves, they didn¡¯t reach a conclusion. However, they were certain of one thing: they needed to stay hidden. Regardless of whether the young master woulde back for them, they must refrain from getting caught to work asbourers in the wilderness. ### On the way back, Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help but ask Wei Ruo, ¡°Mistress, are you really nning to hire those refugees?¡± ¡°Of course yes. Do you think I¡¯m doing it for fun? So, do you have a problem with my decision?¡± Wei Ruo asked.
¡°No, not at all, Mistress! I would never dare question your decision. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m curious about how quickly you decided to hire those refugees. Aren¡¯t you going to look into their backgrounds? What if they have any misconduct? Xiaobei hastily rified. ¡°I didn¡¯t make a quick decision. I had nned it beforeing here. Once I acquire the farnd, I would hire some refugees. Although I may not be able to help many people, helping one is better than none. Since we happened to run into them, I thought we could hire them on the spot,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help but admire, ¡°Mistress, you¡¯re really kind.¡± ¡°Just for that?¡± Wei Ruo chuckled. Xiaobei nodded. ¡°Then your standards for kindness are too low,¡± Wei Ruo stated. Wei Ruo turned to Wei Jinyi and asked, ¡°What do you think, brother?¡± ¡°Ruoruo is very kind.¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking if you thought I was kind, I was asking what you think about my idea of hiring those people.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°If they¡¯re grateful, they¡¯d be an excellent choice. If not, there¡¯s still time to find others.¡± ¡°Exactly that.¡± Her brother indeed understood her thoughts.. Chapter 367: 367: Brother, your face is a bit red_l Chapter 367: Brother, your face is a bit red_l After Wei Ruo and hispanions returned to the town, Wei Ruo went to the courtyard to unload a bag of rice from the horse carriage waiting there. Throughout their journey, Wei Ruo had taken so many things from the carriage that Xiaobei couldn¡¯t help but marvel more than once about how the carriage seemed like a treasure chest. As a matter of fact, Wei Ruo took all the food items from a spatial pocket to lighten the load of the carriage, which would make them travel faster. To make their act seem more usible, Wei Ruo only brought a fifty-pound bag this time, not wanting to arouse suspicion by carrying too heavy a load. After retrieving some of the food, they set off once again, making their way back to Fengting Mountain. It was noon and the disced vigers that hid in the mountains were rummaging the deste woods in search of roots and tree barks to eat. When they saw the group led by Wei Ruo again, they could hardly believe their eyes. They hadn¡¯t expected them to return. But when they saw Wei Ruo ce arge sack of rice before them, they were so shocked they were speechless. ¡°You should have pots and know where to find water sources. Find a ce to start a fire and make food,¡± Wei Ruo said. Upon confirming that the sack indeed contains rice, they were so overjoyed that they were on the verge of crying. ¡°This is rice. This is really rice!¡± ¡°And it is such good quality rice!¡± ¡°My goodness, I¡¯ve never seen such fine rice before!
Then they lined up to thank Wei Ruo. Under the guidance of the middle-aged man who was acting as their leader, they bowed their heads in unison: ¡°Thank you, our benefactor. Thank you¡­¡± Wei RUO quickly gestured for them to stand: ¡°Enough of the kneeling. If you keep doing so, I might change my mind and not hire you.¡± Upon hearing this, they hurriedly stood up, afraid that the decision of their employment might change if they were slow. Wei Ruo added, ¡°Go and cook fast. The children are growing up, feed them more.¡± The children there were all thin and gaunt, their bodies not carrying any extra weight. It was a pitiful sight to see. The group agreed and went off; the men went to gather firewood, and the women started cooking. The children were not idle either. They continued to dig around with their sticks. They had already learned to identify some edible nts and knew what kind of grass roots can be consumed. The rice was cooked quickly. When the enticing aroma started to waft in the air, the vigers from Dahetun Vige couldn¡¯t help but salivate. When the rice was thoroughly cooked, they hurriedly spooned it into their bowls and quickly began to devour it. A small girl around four or five years old, her hair tied in two little buns, d in a ragged red floral dress, carried a bowl full of rice and carefully walked over to Wei Ruo. ¡°Big Brother, you eat,¡± she said hesitantly. Her doe-like eyes filled with timidity as she looked up at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo bent down, gently touching the girl¡¯s head, ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not hungry. You eat.¡± The girl hesitated, then turned to look at her mother standing behind her. She turned back, holding up the bowl, ¡°But mom said to thank you.¡± Although the little girl was dirty, her small hands were clean, and the bowl in her hand was also clean even though it was chipped. Wei Ruo replied, ¡°This is all for you. We¡¯re not hungry. We¡¯ve already eaten on our way here. Just eat up, and everyone will be happy.¡± ¡°Really?¡±
¡°Really.¡± Wei Ruo showed the girl a gentle smile, his voice softer than normal, ¡°Go, eat quickly. Return to your mother.¡± The girl obediently nodded and then carefully walked back, holding the bowl of rice. After Wei Ruo encouraged the girl to return to her mother, he turned around to find Wei Jinyi looking at him with gentle eyes.
Wei Ruo walked over to him, ¡°Why is Second Brother looking at me like that?¡± Upon hearing this Wei Jinyi shifted his gaze away from Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo sat down on a nearby rock, ¡°Second Brother, your cheeks are a bit red.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a bit stuffy weather.¡± Wei Jinyi exined. Wei Ruo burst outughing, ¡°Did Second Brother forget that I can¡¯t see his face now?¡± Both Wei Jinyi and he had a fake face mask on them. How can he see whether his face was red? Hearing theughter, Wei Jinyi turned his head back, his gaze resting once again on Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo was smiling radiantly, his eyes full of invigoratingughter. There was also an involuntary touch of soft affection in Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes. Seeing Wei Jinyi smiling, Wei Ruo propped his chin on his hands and said seriously, ¡°Second Brother, you should smile more. You¡¯re really good-looking when you smile.¡± Although Wei Ruo could not see his handsome face due to his disguise, the way his eyes smiled was equally charming. This time, his face really turned red, because Wei Ruo noticed his ears also turned red. After another short rest, the group moved further into the mountains to inspect the area and see if it met their needs. After walking for an hour, Wei Ruo decided the location was satisfactory. The next step depended on whether the inhabitants of Fengting Mountain were willing to sell it and at what price. The group then set off again to return to the city.
But as soon as they reached the foot of the Fengting Mountain, the sky changed; dark clouds rolled in ominously. It appeared that a thunderstorm was imminent. Even though it was August, a thunderstorm could still strike without warning. The weather could go from clear skies to a downpour in an instant. From the looks of it, heavy rain was unavoidable. At this point, Wei Ruo and the others were faced with a dilemma: Do they retreat back to the mountain to find shelter from the rain or do they hurry back to the city? But Mother Nature didn¡¯t give them much time to think. After a few rolls of thunder, the rain began to pour heavily.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The group hastily ran up the mountain trying to find a cave or overhang where they could escape the rain. By the time they found an overhang in the cliff forming a crude shelter, their clothes werepletely soaked. The wet clothes adhered tightly to their bodies, revealing the curves and shapes underneath. Wei Ruo¡¯s bound chest was also vaguely visible beneath her wet clothes. Despite binding her chest with white cloth, the features of a growing woman could not be concealed entirely. The clothes could hide the curves when they were dry, but now that they were soaked, they clung to her body, showcasing her dual identity even more clearly. Wei Jinyi took off his outer garment and draped it over Wei Ruo, then turned his back to her. Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression was a bit unnatural, even flustered. His heartbeat quickened, and his palms felt warm..
Chapter 368: 368: Blood-Related Relatives_i Chapter 368: Blood-Rted Rtives_i Wei Ruo bundled up in her clothing, wrapping herself tighter. Inwardly, Wei Ruoined that the fabric of her clothes was unsuitable for venturing outdoors. This fabric was specially modified by her and while it was more breathable and lightweight than ordinary material, making it quitefortable during hot weather, it was indeed awkward in this kind of situation! Then, Wei Ruo leaned against the stone wall behind her, listening to the sound Of heavy rain pounding in the forest and the asional rumble of thunder. The wetness all over her body made her feel somewhat restless, hoping that the rain would end soon. Catching a glimpse of Wei Jinyi, who was standing with his back to her, Wei Ruo felt a warmth in her heart. Though her second brother could sometimes be old-fashioned¡±, he was genuinely considerate towards her. Besides Brother Xiaoyong, he was the second brother who treated her well and the only one she was rted to by blood who felt like a real family member. This was what a rtive felt like. Fortunately, fate was not extremely unkind to her, leaving her with at least one ¡°rtive¡±. ¡°Thank you, second brother,¡± said Wei Ruo in a low voice to Wei Jinyi. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Jinyi responded in a voice slightly lower than usual. On the other side, Xiumei was in a simr situation as Wei Ruo, wearing clothes made of the same fabric. Xiaobei followed suit by covering Xiumei with his clothes, to which she quietly thanked him. Perhaps the heavens had heard Wei Ruo¡¯s plea, for the rain stopped after approximately the time it took for a stick of incense to burn. Even though the rain had stopped, water was still trickling over the ground and the entire mountain seemed washed by the rain, the gathered water flowed like a small stream.
Wei Jinyi sent Xiaobei to a spot that was untouched by rain to gather some dead branches and leaves. Although the weather was not too cold, Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t be able to return to the cityfortably with her damp clothes and hair. Wei Jinyi cut some misceneous trees nearby to make a temporary shield for Wei Ruo and Xiumei. After Xiaobei collected some firewood, he lit a fire, allowing Wei Ruo and Xiumei to dry their clothes behind the temporary shield. After the rain shower, the sun came out again, and with the help of the fire, their clothes dried within the time it took to burn a stick of incense. Although Wei Ruo and the others appeared somewhat disheveled, they were not as ufortable as before. When Wei Ruo emerged from behind the temporary screen, she returned the now-dried clothes to Wei Jinyi.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Jinyi received the clothes and noticed a faint scent, not of flowers or incense, but akin to a mixture of herbs and sandalwood. Wei Jinyi knew this was Wei Ruo¡¯s scent, and unconsciously tightened his grip on the clothes. After freshening up, the group descended the mountain once again, making it back within the city gates just before they closed. Early the next morning, Wei Ruo went to visit the viges and counties belonging to Fengting Mountain to roughly discuss the purchase. The negotiations went rtively smoothly, especially with Wei Ruo offering abination of silver and grain for the purchase, which was dly epted. This year, grain was particrly valuable, and using grain to make purchases was even more effective than using silver. At the same time, the brothers Zhao Hai and Zhao Xun arrived in the provincial city. Zhao Hai would help manage the newly acquirednds on behalf of Wei Ruo. His early arrival was also convenient for helping Wei Ruo to settle the vigers from Dahetun Vige, who were hiding on Fengting Mountain. The reason for arranging Zhao Hai toe was not only because of his good ability and experience in managing estates, but also partly due to Zhao Xun¡¯s desire toe to the provincial city to take the imperial examination. Zhao Xun was a schr and eligible to participate in the examination. However, his health condition was worrisome and it was uncertain whether he couldst through the entire examination. In this case, Zhao Hai was reluctant for him to participate. His health had finally improved under Wei Ruo¡¯s care, and the strenuous examination may cause his condition to deteriorate. However, Zhao Xun was adamant and insisted that he didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity, even if it might cost him his life. With no other option and unable to dissuade him, Zhao Hai agreed to apany him to the provincial city. So, Wei Ruo made such arrangements to make it convenient for Zhao Hai to take care of Zhao Xun and to help her manage things in the provincial city. Apart from Zhao Hai, a few vigers from Stone Vige would also arrive in the provincial cityter for Zhao Hai to delegate and organize the follow-up farming work on Wei Ruo¡¯s newnd.
Since Wei Ruo had a certain understanding of these vigers and approved of their abilities and attitudes, she decided to engage them. Theunch of the new estate would be more difficult to manage with all-new personnel, especially considering therge area of farnd that Wei Ruo had purchased. Assigning some familiar faces would make things smoother. Afterwards, Wei Ruo took a stroll around the city, looked at several shops, and asked about prices. But there was no rush in settling on a shop. Wei Ruo only chose a rough location. The final decision would be made after her wet nurse and Uncle Xu came to further inspect and understand the area. On the third day, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi met with Wei Yichen and presented him with some gifts.
During their encounter, Wei Yichen¡¯s expression was as cold and serious as it had been in the past few days, losing its former warmth, and he no longer talked to Wei Ruo as much as he used to. After briefly expressing gratitude to Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo, Wei Yichen sent them away. After finishing their tasks, Wei Ruo and the others set off for Taizhou prefecture that afternoon. This trip, including their stint in the provincial city and the round trip, took Wei Ruo and herpany eight full days. If it weren¡¯t for fear of being reprimanded by Yun Shi for returningte Wei Ruo would have been able to dy their return journey even further. When Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi returned to the Military Prefecture in Taizhou, it was already the evening of August 14th. Since the Mid-Autumn Festival was the next day, the entire residence was particrly busy. Upon her return, Wei Ruo, as per tradition, went to pay her respects to Yun Shi. But Yun Shi¡¯s expression today was very poor. She showed no joy in anticipation of the reunion festival, and her bad mood didn¡¯t seem to be aimed at Wei Ruo, nor did she say much about Wei Ruo¡¯ste return. Maybe it was because her most cherished children were not with her on a day that was supposed to be for family reunion. only after returning to Tingsong Garden and inquiring from Nurse Zhang did Wei Ruo learn that Yun Shi¡¯s bad mood was not just due to Wei Yichen and Wei Qingwan¡¯s absence from the residence. Nor would Wei Mingting be able to return home the next day, because the front line Anti-Japanese Army and the Japanese Pirates had shes again, and the situation was unknown. Additionally, during Wei Ruo and the others¡¯ trip to the provincial city, Yun Shi had received a letter from the Earl residence¡¯s master in Capital City, addressed to the Military Prefecture. The letter stated that a nobleman in Capital City wanted to support the master and arrange an office for him, but this required the master¡¯s cooperation..
Chapter 369: 369: Attending the Mid-Autumn Chapter 369: Attending the Mid-Autumn Banquet_l The letter demanded firmly that his younger brother obey the noble¡¯s arrangements, stating that the rise and fall of the Wei Family depended on this asion. Because of this letter, Madam Yun had been angry for several days. in fact, Madam Yun didn¡¯t feel very festive about this year¡¯s Mid-Autumn Festival. Those who should havee didn¡¯t, and those who shouldn¡¯t have, did. After Wei Ruo learned about the situation, she didn¡¯t ask any further. The sweet potatoes on her farm and the first batch of rice were ready for harvest, which was a busy time. Wei Ruo¡¯s desk was piled with ount books from various farms. Wei Ruo started to look them over after asking Zhang. ording to the current reports from the farms, the yield of this batch of gram was bountiful, even better thanst year s. The bumper harvest of this batch of grain put Wei Ruo at ease. The gram she had previously stored up was mostly used up ¨C a small portion to sustain the people on the farm, and the majority to sell to the military camp. If this year didn¡¯t turn out to be a fruitful harvest, it would pose a significant problem for Wei Ruo.
Wei Ruo also inquired about the situations in other households in Taizhou Prefecture. The early varieties, those that haven¡¯t been affected by disease or have not required a change in seed variety, should also be ready for harvest now. They reportedly did not yield as much as Wei Ruo¡¯ste-ripening variety, but with various measures taken under the government office, this year¡¯s harvest was better than the previous two years. This was a good sign. ### The next day, on Mid-Autumn Festival, Wei Ruo and Madam Yun were invited to the banquet at the prefecture¡¯s office. When Wei Ruo arrived at the entrance of the prefecture office, she saw another carriage from the Wei Family. As Wei Ruo looked towards that carriage, the curtain was lifted, and Wei Qingwan, dressed in a light green long skirt, got out with the help of Maid Cuihe. When Wei Qingwan raised her head to meet Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze, Wei Ruo saw a hint of challenge in her eyes. Her eyes seemed to tell Wei Ruo that even though she was forced out of the Wei Family, she could still return, couldn¡¯t she? But when she approached Wei Ruo, her expression became cautious. ¡°Sister,¡± Wei Qingwan said softly and cautiously. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond; instead, she turned to look at Madam Yun. ¡°Mother, would you care to exin what¡¯s going on?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze was sharp, giving no room for evasion. Madam Yun looked a little guilty and looked away, then exined, ¡°To avoid raising suspicion by having Wanwan hidden away for too long and inadvertently solidifying the rumors of her affair with a man, I thought it would be better to have her attend such events.¡± She paused and added, ¡°I¡¯m also doing it for your sake. If Wanwan is suspected, your reputation would be damaged too.
¡°Ha, mother is indeed thoughtful,¡± Wei Ruo snorted. ¡°I am just letting Wanwan attend today¡¯s banquet. She will continue to recuperate at the farm afterward. You don¡¯t have to be so petty,¡± Madam Yun retorted. ¡°What does being petty have to do with this? Don¡¯t try to imply that sending her to the farm was my wish. Let¡¯s not forget it was the punishment she deserved,¡± Wei Ruo replied coldly. Madam Yun¡¯splexion changed slightly, but she quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s getting
With that, she led Wei Qingwan inside the building. Weiqing Wan got a moment to nce at Wei Ruo before stepping into the office, she giggled at Wei Ruo. ¡°Madam is likely to find a way to bring the second miss back to the mansion soon,¡± Xiumeimented. ¡°Let¡¯s go in,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to let this incident affect her mood. It was a good time for the harvest, a time for celebration. Upon entering, Wei Ruo was immediately led to Madam Yuan¡¯s side. Sheng, Madam Yuan¡¯s son, was beaming upon seeing Wei Ruo. He ran straight to Wei Ruo, neglecting his own nursemaid. ¡°Hug, hug,¡± His babbling was cute. Although the youngster did not speak much, he had managed to learn to call Wei Ruo by name. Wei Ruo had just picked him up when she received a kiss from him.
He smacked a juicy one on Wei Ruo¡¯s cheek. Madam Yuanughed, ¡°This little rascal! He is not even willing to kiss his own father, only you, Ruoruo.¡± Then Madam Yuan wanted to have her nursemaid take back Sheng, however Sheng clung to Wei Ruo, not letting anyone else hold him. Wei Ruo held Sheng up and yed with him for a while, until Lord Yuan sent someone to take him away. Then reluctantly did the little fellow leave Wei Ruo¡¯s arms. After Sheng was taken away, Madam Yuan pulled Wei Ruo into small talks, but more Madams came over to greet Madam Yuan. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, they greeted her warmly andplimented her. Their husbands had also participated in breaking thend for cultivation. Now the progress was good. They all took pride in this as even the imperial court had heard about it andmended Taizhou Prefecture. This won thedies praises from their own husbands. So, no matter how they looked at Wei Ruo, they found her pleasing. Wei Ruo responded to their praise with humble smiles. At that moment, Madam Yun brought Wei Qingwan over.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Being Wei Ruo¡¯s mother, Madam Yun received extravagantpliments from the Madams as soon as she arrived: ¡°Madam Wei¡¯s daughters are well-educated. The eldest is talented and generous, a model boudoir girl.¡±
¡°Yes, yes, we are all envious. We wish our daughters could have half of Miss Wei¡¯s talents.¡± Weiqing felt thepliments were exaggerated. It was one thing to tter her, but to insert her as the model of boudoirdies? She clearly did nothing a boudoirdy should do. Madam Yun¡¯s face lit with joy. ¡°You Madams are too kind. Both of my daughters are just obedient and diligent. They are not particrly talented.¡± While expressing her modesty, Madam Yun didn¡¯t forget to include Wei Qingwan. Upon mentioning her other daughter, the Madams all turned to look at Wei Qingwan. They had heard of the rumors about Wei Qingwan in recent days ¨C it seemed this youngdy of the Wei Family has behaved inappropriately. Later, they heard that Wei Qingwan had been sent to the farm by the Wei Family, as if to confirm her guilt. Today, Madam Wei brought her so openly to the Commandery Princess s banquet. They wonder what was on her mind. Seeing the Madams¡¯ suspicious nces at Wei Qingwan, Madam Yun said, ¡°Speaking of which, my second daughter hasn¡¯t had her sister¡¯s good luck. Earlier, some vile person spread rumours about her, disturbing her to the point of illness. She went to the farm to recuperate for quite a few days before she felt better.¡± Wei Qingwan followed up right away, ¡°It was my fault. I have troubled my mother and acted unfilially..¡± Chapter 370: 370: No Chance to Clear the Name_l Chapter 370: No Chance to Clear the Name_l Overhearing the two, Wei Ruo quickly understood their intentions for the day. It seemed that they intended to rify some rumors, taking advantage of the recent uproar. After all, the rumors outside were just that, rumors. No one had personally seen Wei Qingwan do anything inappropriate. Regardless of how rampant the rumors were, as long as they didn¡¯t admit to them, there was still room for maneuver. After finishing, Wei Qingwan nced in the direction of Wei Ruo. The confidence she had to tantly lie in front of Wei Ruo was due to her assumption that Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t dare expose her. If Wei Ruo uncovered the truth, not only would Wei Qingwan¡¯s reputation be destroyed, but so would Wei Ruo¡¯s, so Wei Qingwan was not worried in the slightest. Wei Ruo, catching Wei Qingwan¡¯s gaze, smirked slightly before nonchntly adding, ¡°Not just that she was unhappy, my little sister was also disciplined by our family a few days ago. She has been recuperating and still feels weak. She is apanying me out today only out of filial piety, not wanting to worry mother.¡± While Wei Ruo would not openly expose Wei Qingwan, she had other mattersn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om she could discuss. Thedies present looked astonished at her words.
Disciplined by the family? What grave mistake had been made? Top-tier families with strict leadership usually had house rules, yet they generally only meted out minor punishments such as kneeling in the ancestral hall or copying family doctrines. It was only the ones who severely vited the family rules who were disciplined this way. Especially for a woman like Wei Qingwan, if she had really been disciplined, it must have been for something un-pardonable. If it really was like that, a woman of that kind would definitely have difficulty finding a good marriage. No reputable family would want a woman who hadmitted a severe mistake. Feeling the peculiar gazes of thedies, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face visibly paled. She did not expect Wei Qingruo to be so outrageous as to publicly mention that she had been punished by the family. Wasn¡¯t she afraid that spreading this truth might tarnish her own reputation as well? Or was she trying to drag her down with her since her engagement with the Xiu Family was called off? Lady Yun had not expected Wei Ruo to divulge such a private matter either, her face quickly turning ashen: ¡°Ruoruo, what nonsense are you talking?¡± immediately, Wei Ruo put on a look of fear, covering her mouth with her hand, acting as if she had just realized that she had said something wrong, and quickly veered the topic to Lady Yuan: ¡°Madam, I recently acquired a fine piece of cloth, which I would like to give to you. I hope you won¡¯t mind. Lady Yun and Wei Qingwan could not believe she would spill such a family secret, not understanding that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t care about her own reputation. If she didn¡¯t care about herself, why would she consider Wei Qingwan? If it wouldn¡¯t seem rude to debunk her mother¡¯s lie in public, Wei Ruo would dare to even dere that Wei Qingwan¡¯s secret meeting with a man was true. ¡°Oh, let me see, what kind of fine fabric has little sister Ruoruo obtained.¡± With a smile at the corner of her mouth, Lady Yuan knew Wei Ruo had done it on purpose. She did not think there was anything inappropriate about Wei Ruo¡¯s eye for an eye attitude. Wei Ruo then waved her hand, and Xiumei brought a piece of cloth. Qingyi, upon receiving the cloth from Xiumei, handed it to Lady Yuan. Lady Yuan extended her hand, rubbing the surface of the fabric softly. She then picked up a corner for a closer look. ¡°This fabric is very delicate, and noticeably lighter than usual fabric. The color is also very unique, something I have never seen before,¡± Lady Yuanmented. This fabric was pinkish-purple, it was a hue of purple, but not as bright. It was a shade of grayish purple that Lady Yuan had never seen before. The other madams standing alongside also crowded around to appreciate the fabric in Lady Yuan¡¯s hands. They too found the fabric to be softer and more lightweight than usual, and the color to be unusual. Lady Yuan invited the otherdies to feel the fabric too: ¡°Ladies, why don¡¯t you feel it too? Isn¡¯t this fabric softer, more delicate, and lighter than usual?¡± Upon Lady Yuan¡¯s invitation, thedies drew closer and even stretched their hands to touch the fabric. Indeed, just as Lady Yuan had described, the fabric was highlyfortable, and the unusual color made it clear that this was an excellent piece of cloth. ¡°Where did elder sister Wei find such fabric? Forgive me for my ignorance, but I do not recognize the maker of this fabric,¡± Madam Liu asked.
The major fabric producers were well known to thesedies, none of which produced fabric with characteristics simr to the one in their hands. ¡°This fabric was a gift from a friend. Apparently it is produced by a workshop named the Brocade Weaving Workshop. They only make a few pieces each year, and exclusively for regr customers, which is why not many people are aware of it,¡± Wei Ruo answered. This response intensified the curiosity of thedies. Items known and worn by fewer people stood out more when showcased. Given that the fabric was indeed beautiful andfortable, it would presumably make for a great outfit.
Lady Yuan, observing Wei Ruo¡¯s attire,mented, ¡°The attire you are wearing today is also made from this fabric, isn¡¯t it, Ruoruo? No wonder the color of your clothing is so unique.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s attire for the day was a soft blue, a much lighter and milder hue than the usual indigo color created by woad dye. Upon hearing this, thedies scrutinized Wei Ruo¡¯s dress once more. Before this, they had noticed Wei Ruo¡¯s attire. The color was indeed distinct from the usual blue garments, besides, as she moved about, she appeared light and charming. Initially, they had intended to inquire about thister, now they have received the answer directly. The attire was made from this unique fabric. Thedies collectively made admiring remarks: ¡°The garments made from this fabric indeed look outstanding!¡± ¡°Exactly, especially when a naturally pretty person like elder sister Wei wears it, it appears even more graceful.¡± ¡°The dress is pretty, and the person wearing it is even prettier.¡± Wei Ruo responded: ¡°You tter me,dies. It¡¯s all thanks to the fantastic job done by the workshop that made these clothes.¡± Thedies continued to ask Wei Ruo further details about this unusual fabric. Wei Ruo patiently answered each of their queries. Meanwhile, Lady Yun and Wei Qingwan, being isted on the side, were noticeably upset. They wanted to find an opportunity to exin Wei Ruo¡¯s im about Wei Qingwan facing family punishment but didn¡¯t find any. Thedies weren¡¯t very interested in Wei Qingwan¡¯s issues anyway. She wasn¡¯t a significant figure; whether she had done something wrong did not matter much to them. During the y, the Wei family members were seated at the back, while Wei Ruo was invited by Lady Yuan to sit with her in the front row.
Lady Yuan smiled at Wei Ruo and said: ¡°I heard that a fewdies have asked you to buy fabric for them.. You have made some more silver now, haven¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 371: 371: Eloquent and Articulate_l Chapter 371: Eloquent and Articte_l ¡°I still have to thank you, Madam, for your cooperation.¡± Wei Ruo said with augh. Wei Ruo had informed Madam Yuan of her schemes in advance, intending to use this asion to promote her new cloth. Although they were already well-acquainted, nheless, when doing such actions, Wei Ruo does not n to go over Madam Yuan¡¯s head. Instead, sheys out her n and seeks consent before executing them. ¡°It¡¯s such a small matter, there¡¯s no need to be polite with me, especially when I also got such a good piece of cloth from you. Honestly, I am genuinely fond of this cloth. The color is so special. Once I make a dress out of it, not just in Taizhou prefecture, even upon my return to Capital City, I fear no one will have an identical color.¡± Madam Yuan replied with a gentle smile. Then, Madam Yuan curiously asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Are these clothes truly as scarce as you said, or are you just saying that to make them buy at high prices?¡± ¡°True scarcity. At present, there are only eight pieces. By the end of this year, there will probably be just twenty pieces.¡± Wei Ruo does not n to increase the volume. For starters, these dyes are mixed by Wei Ruo herself, and it would be impossible for her to mass produce them. Moreover, this type of cloth is mainly sold to high-ranking officials and gentry. The scarcer it is, the better; the rarer it is, the higher the prices. Once mass produced, it would lose its value.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°That means I must cherish the piece you gave me even more.¡± Madam Yuan stated, and thenmented on Wei Ruo, ¡°What kind of world are you hiding in your head? How do you manage toe up with all these novel and unique items that people find captivating, day in and day out?¡± Wei Ruo exined, ¡°I enjoy reading misceneous books and engaging with talented people. Naturally, I learn things that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Great, if I ever have another daughter, I¡¯ll let her be your apprentice. So that she can be a formidable woman just like Zhuge Kongming. Women can certainly be as outstanding as men.¡± Madam Yuan said, half jokingly and half seriously.
¡°How lovely! Then I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news, Madam.¡± ### During the feast, Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan were eager to confront Wei Ruo, as well as to clear Wei Qingwan¡¯s name in front of thedies. However, they were not given the chance by either Wei Ruo or the otherdies. Unable to speak to Wei Ruo, who was constantly by Madam Yuan¡¯s side, and unable to join the conversation of the otherdies, they felt like outsiders. It wasn¡¯t until the feast concluded, everyone departed, and Wei Ruo returned to the carriage that Madam Yun finally had another chance to speak with her. Madam Yun was in a sour mood due to suppressed anger throughout the feast. When Wei Ruo alighted the carriage, she saw that Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan, who were in the carriage, both had unpleasant expressions. She instantly knew what wasing next. But Wei Ruo was not afraid, and the smile remained on her face, making her appear rxed and cheerful. ¡°And you still have the face tough,¡± Madam Yun spoke in a cold voice, her face ashen. ¡°What do you mean by that, mother? Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for celebration. Isn¡¯t it normal to be happy?¡± Wei Ruo replied with a question. ¡°What was your intention, speaking about your younger sister¡¯s punishment in front of all thesedies?¡± Madam Yun questioned. ¡°Was it not a slip of the tongue?¡± Wei Ruo replied, remaining unfazed. ¡°A slip of the tongue? Don¡¯t try to fool me! It was clearly intentional!¡± Madam Yun sternly reprimanded, her eyes filled with me and anger. ¡°Sister, as the old saying goes ¡®Don¡¯t air your dirtyundry in public.¡¯ I might have made a mistake, but you, sister, by spreading this issue, is hurting the reputation of the Wei family.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was filled with regret and despair. ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal to make slips of the tongue? Neither mother nor sister had informed me in advance about today¡¯s arrangements or what roles I should y. They just showed up without a word, prompting me to y along, how am I supposed to know what to say?¡± Wei Ruo counterargued. Then, Wei Ruo shifted her gaze to Wei Qingwan, ¡°As for my younger sister hurting the reputation of the Wei family, I really do not know where to begin. Yes, revealing that my sister was punished would damage her reputation, but it would not tarnish that of the Wei family. Being able to strictly uphold family rules and discipline your own children is a demonstration of good family management and should enhance the family¡¯s reputation.¡± ¡°How eloquent you are! What good answers!¡± Madam Yun spoke coldly. ¡°Does mother find any faults with what I just said, mother? If there is any mistake in what I have said, mother can point it out.¡± Wei Ruo responded.
Was it eloquent? She had learned the hard way the importance of rational argument. Once, she had tried to argue about the truth, stating that it wasn¡¯t her who had pushed Wei Qingwan, it was Maid Li, but Madam Yun didn¡¯t believe her. So now, she had wisened up when facing them. There was no need to stick too much to the truth; she just did what was beneficial and left them speechless. ¡°Do you still think you made no mistake? Today, when we could have given an exnation to the outside world, you messed up everything, everything was in vain!¡± Madam Yun med. ¡°Mother is being too harsh on me. Yes, I let slip that Wanwan had been disciplined, but the root cause of the damage to the reputation of our Wei family¡¯s daughters lies in Wanwan¡¯s ndestine affair. Mother should be able to differentiate who bears the greater responsibility.¡± said Wei Ruo.
¡°I¡¯m talking about what happened today. Don¡¯t change the topic.¡± ¡°Mother is ignoring the facts and assigning me without discussing the main responsibility. This makes me wonder if mother is showing favoritism towards younger sister and does not regard me as a daughter. If that is the case, there is nothing left to say.¡± After saying these words, Wei Ruo turned around, lifted the carriage curtain, and jumped off the carriage. Madam Yun obviously did not expect Wei Ruo to react this way. She was momentarily stunned before she pulled open the curtain and leaned out to question Wei Ruo, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk back by myself. If mother is so partial, forgiving younger sister for any mistakes she makes, but ming me for a minor slip, it¡¯s apparent that I¡¯m an outsider in the Wei family, not cherished by mother. There¡¯s no need for me to stay in the carriage.¡± Wei Ruo spoke sorrowfully, then turned and walked away. Out of sight from both Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan, the corner of Wei Ruo¡¯s mouth curled up into a smile. ¡°Come back!¡± Madam Yun urgently said. At this moment, it was time for the guests to leave the banquet. There were guestsing and going everywhere. If they saw her eldest daughter walking outside, she didn¡¯t know what they would think. Wei Ruo acted like she didn¡¯t hear, and kept walking. Left with no choice, Madam Yun gave in, ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t ask about this anymore. Just get back in.¡± Wei Ruo still had no intention of getting back on the carriage. ¡°Mother need not worry, the carriage is on the small side, and it¡¯s too cramped for three people. Please take sister back to the mansion. I¡¯ll walk back by myself. When father returns from his campaign, I¡¯ll personally admit my mistake and exin how I have disobeyed mother today.¡±
Upon hearing this, Madam Yun¡¯s heart skipped a beat.. Chapter 372: 372: Her Wish to Return Home Falls Through_l Chapter 372: Her Wish to Return Home Falls Through_l The decision to send Wei Qingwan back to the vi was from Wei Mingting and Wei Yichen, not from Yun. Today Yun is bringing her to Madam Yuan¡¯s mid-autumn banquet without prior notice to them. Initially, Yun just nned to bring Wei Qingwan back home for the two days of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and then send her back to the vi. She couldter tell her husband that it was just to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together. As the wife and mother, wanting her daughter by her side was understandable, considering her husband and eldest son were not around. She believed her husband wouldn¡¯t make a big deal of it due to his character. But if Wei Ruo delivers the news, the nature might change. Not to mention Wei Ruo¡¯s words would make her seem secretive, the situation might get twisted if told through Wei Ruo. She and her husband still had unresolved issues from theirst argument. She regretted losing her temper that day, and after calming down, she realized her impulsiveness. She had been tolerating for many years because she cared about her husband and their home. It wouldpletely be a loss if this petty issue created more disputes between them. Unfortunately, her husband returned to the barracks before she had a chance to reconcile. She didn¡¯t want her husband to feel upset about her because of this, adding chill to their already cold rtionship.
Meanwhile, Yun sensed that Wei Ruo was really upset about her letting Wei Qingwan ride the carriage. Therefore, after some consideration, Yun turneds her gaze to Wei Qingwan, then said to Wei Ruo: ¡°I just want to bring your sister home for the Mid-Autumn holiday. After dinner, I will send her back to the countryside vi. Is such a small matter worthy of your concern?¡± ¡°Mother thinks my sister¡¯s big mistakes are just small matters, but when I say something wrong in public, you question me severely. It¡¯s apparent that you treat us differently.¡± Expressing her dissatisfaction with Yun in a resentful tone, Wei Ruo then quickened her steps. Yun frowned, watching Wei Ruo¡¯s back as she walked onward without looking back, leaving a troubled look on Yun¡¯s face. She then nced at Wei Qingwan, who was biting her lips. Her eyes were misty, her demeanor was pitiful. Yun couldn¡¯t bear to be harsh, but she said stoically: ¡°Wanwan, you go back to the vi first.¡± Wei Qingwan lowered her head, expecting someforting words from Yun, but was disheartened by the oue. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, her eyes red and holding back tears. Looking at her teary eyes, Yun insisted on the decision she made just now, ¡°When your father and big brother calm down, I¡¯ll bring you back as soon as possible.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Qingwan stiffened: ¡°I understand, I will wait for your news at the vi.¡± Wei Qingwan was wronged but still obedientlyplied, which made Yun feel a bit distressed. But looking at the determined Wei Ruo walking ahead, she had no choice but to stick to this decision. She didn¡¯t want to hurt her eldest daughter and draw dissatisfaction from her husband and eldest son. ¡°Ruoruo, you heard that. I let your sister go back. Youe on the carriage.¡± Yun shouted to Wei Ruo. Then Yun instructed the driver to stop the carriage. Wei Ruo also conveniently stopped, turned her head to look at the carriage, and waited quietly for Wei Qingwan to get off the carriage. Wei Ruo was not surprised that Yun wouldpromise. Because Yun was in the wrong on this matter, if Yun was in the wrong, the result would either be Yunpromising or waiting for Wei Mingting toe back and make Yun ufortable by tattling on her. Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes met Wei Ruo¡¯s. The soft sorrowful eyes were now filled with resentment and discontent.
She slowly stepped down from the carriage, each movement seeming to use up all her strength. As she finally staggered off the carriage, Wei Ruo walked towards her, brushing past her. When their eyes meet, Wei Ruo could feel the murderous intent in her eyes. Wei Ruo casually stepped onto the carriage as if unaffected.
Then Yun instructed her servant to send Wei Qingwan back to the vi with the same carriage. Wei Qingwan, assisted by Cuihe, walked away. With every few steps, she turned to look back at Yun. This repeated action moved Yun deeply, leading her to lower the carriage curtain and return inside. Now only her and Wei Ruo were in the carriage. Seeing Wei Ruo addedplexity to Yun¡¯s feelings. It felt like a heavy stone pressing on her chest, making her ufortable. She wanted to lecture her eldest daughter, but she was afraid of causing another scene, so she held back. Wei Ruo pretended to sleep with her eyes closed, oblivious to Yun¡¯s dissatisfaction and depression. ### When Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden that evening. As she entered, she saw Wei Jinyi sitting in the courtyard. This was unusual as Wei Jinyi usually only came when invited by Wei Ruo. Why would hee without an invitation today? Wei Ruo did not approach immediately, but stood at the entrance to appreciate the view. In her yard, there were some crops, and vines crept all over the wall. Above was the full moon, and under it, Wei Jinyi, dressed in a white robe, was seated at a wicker table. His clear, cold face blended with the surroundings, but ayer of hazy moonlight shrouded his body, giving him warmth. The divine-looking countenance bestowed by heaven was wless under the moonlight, giving the image of a remarkable and extraordinary elegance.
After a while, Wei Ruo walked towards Wei Jinyi with a smile on her face: ¡°Second brother, today¡¯s quite unusual.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi did not deny this. Indeed, today was a bit unusual. ¡°Is it because today is the Mid-Autumn Festival?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°What¡¯s the other part?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I¡¯m going away again, and this time I might be gone for longer.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. On hearing this, most of the joy on Wei Ruo¡¯s face faded. After a moment of silence, she asked: ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve been back for less than a month, why are you leaving again?¡± ¡°I have things to do and can¡¯t procrastinate.¡± Wei Jinyi exined. Indeed, it was she who had arranged for her second brother to study under the guidance of the Tibetanyman. Given hismitment, it was impossible for him to stay at home for long. Not to mention he has other things to worry about. After realizing this, a smile emerged on Wei Ruo¡¯s face: ¡°I understand, then let¡¯s celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival today and also see you off.¡± Wei Jinyi just nodded in response.
Then Wei Ruo and Xiumei started preparing. They prepared some appetizers and picked some luwei and seafood previously made by Wei Ruo and stored freshly in the storage. Finally, they brought out a jar of fruit wine. Seeing the wine jar, Wei Jinyi was somewhat amused. ¡°Ruoruo, are you trying to get me drunk so that I can¡¯t leave?¡± Chapter 373: 373 Waiting for Second Brother _1 Chapter 373: Waiting for Second Brother _1 ¡°This actually sounds like a good idea.¡± Wei Ruo seriously said. ¡°Ruoruo¡­¡± Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t know how to respond for a moment. Wei Ruo burst intoughter: ¡°Look at you, when you fight, you don¡¯t even furrow a brow. But you get scared at the sight of a jar of not-so-strong fruit wine. I think next time when I ask you to fight, I¡¯ll bring a jar of white wine with me. If you get close, I¡¯ll pour it over your head. You might faint just from the smell.¡± ¡°That might be a good strategy.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°I better not mention this idea to anybody else, in case someone with sinister intentions towards you finds out about it, they might use it to take advantage of you and ruin your innocence, and you won¡¯t be able to defend yourself!¡± At the first half of the sentence, he thought Wei Ruo was only talking about killing him when he was unconscious, but surprisingly she ended up talking about ruining his innocence. Wei Jinyi couldn¡¯t help but tough and cry: ¡°Why did you think about ruining my innocence? Who would want to harm a man¡¯s innocence?¡± ¡°You are handsome, brother, and it¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that you are an exceptionally beautiful man. And you always abide by the rules, you are just as pure as a girl, which makes people have bad thoughts.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Ruoruo, you are a girl, you should not always think about ruining a man¡¯s innocence.¡± Wei Jinyi seriously said. ¡°No harm in thinking, and besides, I don¡¯t talk about this outside, I only talk to you about it.¡±
¡°Hmm.¡± So Wei Jinyi did not say anything else. Wei Ruo opened the jar of wine and poured some into a cup, exining: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make you drunk today. I¡¯ll be the one drinking, and I know my limits. Fruit wine won¡¯t make you drunk unless you drink too much of it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I have prepared milk tea for you. Meimei is brewing it and will bring it over in a bit.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± Soon, Xiumei brought the hot milk tea to Wei Jinyi, served food for them, then left. Today they decided to have a good meal and a good conversation just the two of them, so Xiumei and Xiaobei didn¡¯t want to interrupt them by staying there. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi had a leisurely chat for an hour, the atmosphere was just right. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s sweetly smiling face and seriously said: ¡°Ruoruo, you need to take care of yourself while I¡¯m away.¡± ¡°Yeah, I will, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°If anything happens, just like before, go find Mr. Hao at Fengyue Teahouse in the east city, he will help you.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Ok, when I run out of medicinal herbs next time, I will go to him.¡± ¡°Not just when you are running out of medicinal herbs.¡± ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll remember that.¡± ¡°And there is something very important, remember, when I¡¯m away on business, if some bad newses back, don¡¯t believe it. Most of it is due to long distance mimunication.¡± Wei Jinyi warned her, his tone even more serious than before. ¡°Ok.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Ruoruo, you have to remember these words, I will find you after I finish my work.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll be waiting for you, brother.¡± Wei Ruo answered one by one. At this moment, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t realize the special meaning of Wei Jinyi¡¯s words, she assumed it was just the usual reminders before parting.
That night, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi talked until midnight, neither of them got drunk. When they said goodbye, Wei Ruo was still smiling, but Wei Jinyi looked somewhat reluctant. He turned back to look at Wei Ruo several times before he climbed over the wall. Because they were about to part, Wei Ruo thought Wei Jinyi¡¯s behavior was totally fine, she just assumed that as the older brother, he just found it hard to leave her. ###
The next day, Wei Ruo woke up a bitte, she didn¡¯t get up untilte morning.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After getting dressed, Wei Ruo was sitting in front of her vanity applying face cream, when suddenly she heard some noise outside, so she asked Xiumei to go to the front yard and find out. Not long after she asked, Xiumei, who just got the news, rushed back in a hurry. ¡°Miss, good news, the master has won another battle!¡± Xiumei excitedly shared the good news with Wei Ruo. ¡°Really?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes also lit up. ¡°Hmm, seriously! I heard that not only did we win, this battle was quick and beautifully executed!¡± Wei Ruo immediately stood up: ¡°Let¡¯s go and see.¡± Wei Ruo, along with Xiumei, headed to the front yard to meet Wei Mingting. The main gate of the Military Prefecture was usually closed, only opened on special asions. Wei Mingting¡¯s triumphant return today was a big event, so the gate was opened, and the family members stood on both sides of the gate. From afar, they could see the team led by Wei Mingtinging towards the Military Prefecture. Wei Mingting, dressed in military uniform, looking regal on his majestic horse, with his upright figure and solemn face,pounded by the dignity and power emanated by his military clothes,manded respect and admiration from people. After reaching the front gate, Wei Mingting dismounted. Mrs. Yun led others to meet him.
¡°Congrattions on your triumphant return, Lord.¡± ¡°Lady, you have also worked hard.¡± Wei Mingting replied, then turned to the others and said, ¡°It¡¯s windy out here, let¡¯s go inside.¡± Then Wei Mingting took the lead in stepping through the gate, and everyone followed him into the mansion. The servants went back to their stations to work, while Wei Ruo and Wei Yilin followed Mrs. Yun to Cangyun Garden. Wei Mingting took off his helmet, and without changing his armor, he sat down and started discussing the battle with everyone. ¡°In this battle against the Japanese Pirates, the Thunderbolt Bullet made a great contribution!¡± Wei Mingting excitedly said. He rarely talks about military affairs with his family, but since he brought it up today, it shows that he is very satisfied with this battle and very happy today. ¡°Dad, what exactly is a Thunderbolt Bullet? Can it really blow up the Japanese Pirates?¡± Wei Yilin asked curiously. ¡°When a Thunderbolt Bullet is thrown into the enemy army, enemies within three to five meters around it will be seriously injured.¡± Wei Mingting described. Wei Yilin¡¯s eyes shone: ¡°That¡¯s really amazing! It¡¯s like a Thunderbolt Bullet can kill all the people in one room!¡± ¡°The number of Thunderbolt Bullets we obtained this time was limited, and it was not enough to kill the tens of thousands of the Japanese Pirate Army. But it had a great deterrent effect. The pirates, who had never seen such a thing before, were scared and thought we had a lot more Thunderbolt Bullets. Their troop morale copsed and they quickly retreated.¡± Wei Mingting added. The result was simr to what Wei Ruo had estimated earlier; even though they didn¡¯t have enough Thunderbolt Bullets, they were still able to defeat the Japanese Pirates. Of course, this must have a lot to do with Wei Mingting¡¯s meticulous and effective arrangements. His clever strategy enabled the limited number of Thunderbolt Bullets to have such a great impact. ¡°In addition to that, we also seized more than ten ocean-going ships and arge amount of gold, silver, and jewelry from the pirates.¡± Wei Mingting added.
¡°The gold, silver and jewelry must have been robbed from our coastal people. Getting it back is really great.¡± Mrs. Yun said. ¡°True indeed.¡± Wei Mingting agreed. Asking after a pause, Mrs.. Yun inquired: ¡°Husband, now that you have achieved this victory, how is the court going to reward you? Will you still be able to keep your position as Guard Commander?¡± Chapter 374: 374: Stop Being Modest with Each Other _1 Chapter 374: Stop Being Modest with Each Other _1 ¡°I am not sure about that, we have to wait for the news from the court.¡± Wei Mingting replied. His only responsibility was to lead his soldiers to fight well and guard the nation. He had not considered much about the rest. Wei Yilin chimed in, ¡°Daddy will surely rise in rank step by step! Because Daddy is the most incredible person I¡¯ve ever seen! Winning battles, protecting our home and country, he is a great hero!¡± Wei Ruo had been silent all along. Wei Mingting¡¯s gaze fell upon her, specifically asked, ¡°Ruo, what do you think of this battle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best oue, I expect the Japanese Pirates won¡¯t dare to invade again for at least some time.¡± Wei Ruo said. Whether this would deter the enemy from any further invasions, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know, but at least it had a deterrent effect. Wei Mingting said, ¡°Exactly, it will be even better if it can bring longsting peace to the coastal areas.¡± ¡°Father, since we have captured their ships, can we use these ships to build our own navy, attack Japan, and eliminate potential troubles once and for all?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Ruo, your idea is good but it¡¯s not just about the ships. The shipbuilding technology of our kingdom is not inferior to Japan¡¯s. In the early days of our kingdom, our ships had sailed to the Southern Ocean and around the region. Although we have this technology now, our national treasury is depleted. Even maintaining internal stability is difficult, let aloneunching an overseas expedition.¡± Wei Mingting exined. It indeed was a helpless situation. With the natural and manmade disasters in the past few years, the country was increasingly exhausted. Even if they wanted tounch a counterattack, theycked the necessary resources and supplies.
Wei Ruo then asked: ¡°So, only when the issue of food is resolved, the people are enriched, and the national treasury is full, we can have the opportunity to counterattack?¡± ¡°Indeed, it is generally the case.¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s tone revealed a touch of helplessness. Wei Yilin also understood, his little face turned serious and he said, ¡°Big sister, you are so capable, as soon as you help everyone with their farming, and everyone has food to eat, Daddy can lead the soldiers to attack the Japanese Pirates!¡± Although Wei Yilin¡¯s words were a bit childish, they were indeed Wei Mingting¡¯s wishes. ¡°I hope so as well,¡± Wei Mingting said, then looked at Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo, you have contributed a lot to the good situation in Taizhou prefecture this year, I am proud of you.¡± ¡°You overpraise me, Father. It is you and the soldiers who bravely fought the war to protect our home and country, that is the real glory to the people of Taizhou.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I am merely fulfilling my duty.¡± Wei Yilin said, ¡°Daddy and Sister, you don¡¯t need to be modest with each other, you both are so incredible! You both are the pride of our family!¡± Wei Ruo nced at Wei Yilin, this little guy¡¯s attitude towards her was bing better and better, even describing her as a ¡®family¡¯s pride¡¯ now. Wei Yilin noticed Wei Ruo looking at him and suddenly felt a bit shy, he turned his head and grumbled, ¡°What¡­ I just told the truth¡­ my martial arts ss brothers also have the same opinion¡­¡± ¡°Your martial arts brothersplimented me as well?¡± ¡°Yep, they did. They praised you for helping them to get food, they said you¡¯ve made great contributions!¡± Wei Yilin answered. Not all the individuals that worked out with Wei Yilin came from good backgrounds. There were many whose families were in dire straits. They were sent to learn martial arts in order to earn a living once they have mastered the skills and could then take on suitable roles in the government office.N?v(el)B\\jnn So these people deeply appreciated and admired Wei Ruo for spearheading series of actions to provide relief and secure food production. Wei Ruo gave a slight smile, well, at least this brat now seemed more tolerable than when he first arrived at the Duke residence. Madam Yun silently watched the interaction between her husband and her children, a warm feeling filling her heart. When her eldest daughter wasn¡¯t being pushy, she was quite endearing and got along well with the family. It was really heartwarming. ### After finishing talking with his family, Wei Mingting returned to his inner chamber to bath and change.
Madam Yun helped Wei Mingting into his home clothes, then nervously informed him about the letter received from Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in the Capital City. ¡°Your elder brother has written stating that the Sixth Prince is willing to mentor him to acquire a better position, but he needs your help. Your older brother also mentioned that being good friends with the Sixth Prince could contribute to the growth of our Duke Residence, advised you to think it over.¡± Madam Yun said. Wei Mingting¡¯s face darkened: ¡°Older brother is being foolish. The struggle for the crown prince position is extremely vtile and dangerous, one poorly calcted move can ruin everything. Moreover, our Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence always maintains integrity and neutrality, we do not form any faction for personal gain, we only pledge allegiance to the court, the people, to protect our home and country, we must not collude with the prince.¡± ¡°I also think the same, but I was not in a position to respond to this matter, so I¡¯ve been waiting for you to make a decision ever since receiving the letter.¡± Madam Yun said.
¡°I understand, I will write a letter to express my stance to my older brotherter and have someone send it to the Capital City.¡± Wei Mingting replied. Madam Yun finally let go of the anxiety she held for many days, both of their thoughts align on this critical matter. This time when her husband came back, she was worried that there may be grievances due to the past incidents, it seemed she had overthought it. Then Madam Yun looked at Wei Mingting, hesitated for a while, then confessed, ¡°On the Mid-autumn Festival, I let Wanwan also participate in Lady Yuan¡¯s banquet to quell the outside world¡¯s spections about her.¡± Wei Mingting paused, and then said, ¡°Just handle it properly. It is eptable to let Wanwan asionally attend banquets, but don¡¯t arbitrarily cancel her punishment. There are rules for the country and the family, those who should be punished still need to be punished.¡± ¡°Yes, I know, I will handle it appropriately,¡± Madam Yun breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, her husband did not me her, and he still trusts her. ### After returning from Cangyun Garden, Wei Ruo went to the Bamboo Garden. She knocked on the courtyard door, but no one responded. She caught a servant to ask and was informed that around the time when Wei Mingting came back, Wei Jinyi had gone out. Weo Ruo was not surprised by this answer too much since they had already said their farewellsst night, and avoiding seeing each other today might help them from bing too sentimental. However, looking at the closed door of the courtyard, Wei Ruo still felt a hint of loss. After Wei Ruo returned to her own residence, she sat down at her desk, falling into a daze. Xiumei walked in and saw Wei Ruo sitting nkly, she hurriedlyforted, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t feel sad, the Young Master wille back again after a while.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine, I just feel a bit lost. Now there is one fewer person to talk to in the house.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Indeed, with the departure of the Young Master, there is no one left in the house that you can confide in, Miss.¡± Xiumei said regretfully. ¡°What do you mean there is no one? Don¡¯t I still have you?¡± Wei Ruo said. Xiumei immediately patted her chest and promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss, I will always be by your side.¡± Weo Ruo continued, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not think about my younger brother anymore, I need to focus on the autumn harvest.¡± The autumn harvest had started, and Wei Ruo had a lot of things to do now. There was no time for her to daydream. Chapter 375: 375 - Half a Month of Busyness_1 Chapter 375: ¨C Half a Month of Busyness_1 The rice, sweet potatoes, and the new taro that Wei Ruo had nted all had a good harvest, and Wei Ruo needed to arrange for these crops to be stored and distributed. The rice was definitely going to be stored inrge quantities in the warehouse. As for the sweet potatoes, it was the same as before. Some were to be processed into dried sweet potatoes and sweet potato slices, which were more convenient to store, transport, and sell. For taro, apart from storing some, Wei Ruo also nned to sell some, just like sweet potatoes, toy groundwork for future promotion. The taro she grew was a crop everyone was familiar with, but the yield and quality of this batch were a bit higher. As for the purchase of farnd in the provincial capital, the nanny and Uncle Xu had already set off, and the ten vigers selected by Zhao Hai and Stone Vige were also in ce. Apart from the pre-determined disaster-stricken vigers from Dahetun Vige, more people might need to be employedter, and then preparations can begin for the nting of her new multi-year rice crop. As for the shops in the provincial capital, Wei Ruo ns to open two temporarily, one being a Four Treasure House, and the other a braised food store. For the Four Treasure House, a suitable shopkeeper is needed, and Wei Ruo still needs to make more options a consideration. The braised food store can allow Chen Aqing to go. At present, in the braised food shop at Taizhou prefecture, Chen Aqing has done a good job in training another employee, and she herself has improved in ability and courage. Wei Ruo believes she can take on the responsibility alone. Also, the fabrics that were promised to a few madams at the Mid-Autumn feasts need to be arranged.
As they have not seen other colors, the madams all wanted purple and blue fabrics, as they found these two colors to be rare and good-looking. These two colors were indeed special. In this world, the original dyeing techniques were all using natural dyes. Purple was mostly obtained from purple grass, and blue from dyer¡¯s knotweed. These dyeing techniques were rtivelyplex, and the colors were rtively single. Wei Ruo chose to use chemical synthesis methods to produce some new colors that were considered trendsetting at the time. For example, when extracting blue, Wei Ruo mixed nt ash with bovine blood and then calcinated it to extract yellow crystals. Then put the yellow crystals into an iron salt solution made with vinegar and iron ores (ferric oxide), to get the blue dye. This method of making dyes was not very sessful under the current conditions, so the quantity produced was not thatrge. Sometimes the required ores have to be found by luck, so the output is truly not high. Thus, Wei Ruo temporarily does not n to expand in the textile clothing aspect, and will only promote and sell in Taizhou prefecture. Like thyme, the output of this special colored fabric will be strictly controlled, continuing the scarcity marketing model. The next day, Wei Ruo dressed as a man again and went out to inspect her manor, to watch the vigers¡¯ harvest. She then went to the surrounding farms, because many of the nearby households had borrowed Wei Ruo¡¯s rice seeds, and would have to give Wei Ruo grain after the harvest ording to the original agreement. However, this part of the rice was nted a bitte and is not yet mature. Just by looking at their growth, there should be a good return. Seeing Wei Ruo, the farmers all hailed her enthusiastically. ¡°Young Master Xu, good day!¡± ¡°Young Master Xu,e have a cup of tea!¡± ¡°Young Master Xu, why do you have time toe to the field today? Come sit at our house!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Everyone showed enthusiasm towards Wei Ruo, all because she was the reason why their rice crops could grow so well. Although Wei Ruo lent the rice seeds with a business attitude, the heavy ears of rice growing in the fields were real. Seeing the tangible benefits, they realized the deal with Wei Ruo was tremendously profitable, so their attitude towards Wei Ruo naturally improved. Atst, Wei Ruo went to Stone Vige and visited the sandynd she had leased to the vigers of Stone Vige. Much of the sweet potatoes had already been harvested, but many vigers were still doing some follow-up work. Since Wei Ruo mentioned that she would lease it to them next year and that she was giving them a proportional reward, they were naturally very dedicated. Only with a higher yield could they get more.
So they took care of Wei Ruo¡¯s sandynd as if it were their own. When they saw Wei Ruo, the vigers of Stone Vige showed extraordinary enthusiasm. One after another, they brought food and drink to Wei Ruo, continually calling him Young Master Xu, fearing that he might be hungry or thirsty. Once she finally escaped from the enthusiastic vigers of Stone Vige, Wei Ruo went to the winery.
Although the liquor distillery didn¡¯t have a high output, its profit was high. Wei Ruo treated the selected brewers well in terms of benefits. In addition to the sries agreed upon at the beginning, there were also extra rewards at the end of each month. Therefore, these brewers were all smiling when they saw Wei Ruo, their enthusiasm was even greater than that of the vigers of Stone Vige. Wei Ruo inspected the distillery, confirmed that there were no problems, and then had someone take ten jars of thyme from the warehouse and put them on her carriage. Wei Ruo imed that the output of thyme was limited and there were only two or three jars per day, but in fact, the daily production was slightly more than this number. Wei Ruo did not sell the surplus. Instead, she kept it in the warehouse and took it out when needed. These ten jars were to be sent to Xu Zhengyong. There would be a celebration banquet once his promotion was confirmed. Just as she was about to leave, Wei Ruo thought of something and, apanied by Xiumei, turned back to get two more jars. Upon returning to her residence, Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei to deliver the two extra jars of thyme to Wei Mingting. Wei Mingting had just fought a sessful battle and could now have some well-deserved rest at home. The rare rxation time was a good opportunity to taste some wine. Upon receiving the thyme that Wei Ruo had sent, Wei Mingting could not keep from smiling. Was his joying from the intoxicating quality of the wine, or was it because the gift was more intoxicating as it came from his daughter? ### Wei Ruo stayed busy for half a month, from the middle of August to the beginning of September. She went out early and returnedte every day, hardly having any contact with other members of the household. Even Mrs. Yun rarely saw her. During this time, the grain on Wei Ruo¡¯s manors was almost harvested, and the rice seeds lent out before were also collected back ording to the previously agreed portion.
At this point, all the granaries were filled to the brim, and the Xu¡¯s Grain Shop, which had been shuttered for some time in Xingshan County, also reopened for business.N?v(el)B\\jnn But the harvest did not onlye to Wei Ruo¡¯s fields during this half month, but also to the fields of other farmers in the Taizhou prefecture. Because the measures were effectively implemented, about 40% of thend in Taizhou prefecture had gradually seen a good harvest. As a result, the whole of Taizhou prefecture was immersed in joy. Whether it was the hard-working farmers or the high-ranking dignitaries, they were all extremely happy. Chapter 376: 376 Cloud Familys Constant Headache_1 Chapter 376: Cloud Family¡¯s Constant Headache_1 Unlike Wei Ruo and half of the popce of Taizhou prefecture who were rejoicing over their bountiful harvest, Madame Yun was in a state of distraught. Her shop was poorly managed and the yield from both of her estates was unimpressive. Although she had grown thete-ripening rice cultivar provided by Wei Ruo and also nted sweet potatoes in the mountainous areas of Xingshan County, both of her estates had rtively infertile soil. In particr, the five hundred acres she purchased near the city of Taizhou prefecture hadpact soil, severelycking fertility. Initially, Madame Yun sought advice from Wei Ruo, who told her about soil improvement methods. However, due to cost considerations, Madame Yun did not make the significant effort nor investment in fertilization as advised by Wei Ruo. Later, due to ack of silver taels, Madame Yun even sold several of her servants, resulting in a shortage ofbor for managing the estates. Now that the harvest season was here, the yield from her own estates was only one-fifth of Wei Ruo¡¯s, and even the generally easy-to-grow sweet potato yield was much lower, at only a thousand catties per acre. This yield was far below Madame Yun¡¯s expectations. ording to this yield, it wouldn¡¯t suffice for the government¡¯s usage in the next year, let alone having a surplus to sell for silver coins. Madame Yun had a throbbing headache and was so worried that she barely ate anything for several days. ¡°Madam, please don¡¯t fret, it¡¯s not worth ruining your health over this,¡± Cuiping advised seeing her distress. ¡°How can I not worry?¡± Madame Yun massaged her temples, her expression extremely gloomy.
¡°Madam, if you really can¡¯t think of a solution, why not have a talk with Miss? Miss is very resourceful in such matters, maybe she has some ideas,¡± Cuiping suggested. Madame Yun paused, mumbling, ¡°She does have many ideas in these matters.¡± Continuing, Cuiping added, ¡°Madam, Miss is truly a good person. Though her way of doing things is different from that of most youngdies, this is what makes her unique.¡± Madame Yun sneered lightly, ¡°Indeed, she¡¯s unique. But she is distant with me. I¡¯m her mother, yet she always treats me like an enemy. I have her best interests at heart, but she always gives me the cold shoulder. Perhaps, I don¡¯t have the motherly bond with her, it frustrates me whenever we talk.¡± Cuiping tried tofort her, ¡°Madam, Miss¡¯s differences with you are not major issues. You two are mother and daughter by blood, and blood is thicker than water. As long as you are good to Miss, she will eventually appreciate and grow close to you.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Madame Yun did not quite agree with what Cuiping said and sighed, ¡°Enough about this, go and call her here. I do have some things to ask her.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cuiping went to Tingsong Garden to fetch Wei Ruo. Recently, Wei Ruo finally had some free time and was busy tending to the fruits and vegetables nted in the Tingsong Garden. When Cuiping came to fetch her, Wei Ruo was not surprised. She had heard some rumors recently about the poor harvest from the two estates of the Military Prefecture and guessed that Madame Yun probably wanted to discuss this matter with her. ¡°I got it, I¡¯ll go over there right away.¡± Wei Ruo got up to wash her hands. Then she followed Cuiping to Tingsong Garden. On their way, Cuiping unusually spoke more than a few words to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, Madam really does care for you. But Madam grew up in the capital and she has many rules, she always hopes you could be as dignified and gentle as thedies in the capital, so this created a lot of conflicts.¡± ¡°Are these your words or did she tell you to say this?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°These are my words, Madam did not instruct me.¡± ¡°The conflict between her and me is much more than just differences in ideas, so spare your breath.¡± ¡°I overstepped.¡± Cuiping dared to say no more. When they arrived at Cangyun Garden, Madame Yun asked Wei Ruo to sit down and directly began asking about the autumn harvest, ¡°I heard that Taizhou prefecture has received a rich harvest recently?¡± ¡°Roughly forty percent had bountiful harvests, twenty percent had average yields which were about the same as those in regr years, and the remaining forty percent had barely satisfactory results but slightly better than those of thest two years,¡± Wei Ruo replied honestly.
For this year¡¯s grain production campaign, only about sixty percent of the farmers were willing toply with the government¡¯s arrangements and switch to Wei Ruo¡¯ste-ripening rice variety and sweet potatoes. Even within this sixty percent, some did not fully follow the fertilization and other management methods promoted by the Government Office and maintained their own methods. As a result, their harvest was somewhat lower, hence only forty percent of them had bountiful harvests. ¡°Unfortunately, the yields from the two estates of the Military Prefecture were just in the barely satisfactory forty percent you mentioned. Everyone knows about what you have done in Taizhou prefecture and people think highly of your talents. But now your own estates can¡¯t even grow decent crops. If this gets out, I¡¯m afraid it will be aughing stock,¡± Madame Yun stated. Wei Ruo smiled faintly, ¡°Mother, if I recall correctly, you once asked me how to manage the estates and improve the yield. I gave you some improvement methods. But you didn¡¯t follow my advice. Moreover, you sold several servants, which led to a shortage ofbor andck of management in the estates.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you know why I had to sell the servants on the estate? Could the situation at home at that time allow me to do as you said?¡± Madame Yun retorted. Throughout this year, the Military Prefecture was severely strapped for cash, so Madame Yun saw herself as trying to cook a meal without rice. On the contrary, Wei Ruo, with ample money at her disposal, had never thought about stepping in to help. Therefore, when this matter was brought up, Madame Yun¡¯s words were inevitably filled with resentment towards Wei Ruo. ¡°What does that have to do with me? I offered a solution, but you didn¡¯t heed my advice. It¡¯s not my negligence. As for how others view this matter, I don¡¯t care. If they think I¡¯m ipetent, they can just disbelieve me. The pioneernd-development activity for work-for-relief has progressed to this stage and those who participate can only continue believing in me. Any skepticism about my abilities would not benefit them in any way,¡± Wei Ruo calmly responded. ¡°You do see through things,¡± Madame Yun sarcastically ¡°praised.¡± ¡°Or does Mother think I should care about these? Or do you think that the poor harvest of the estate is my fault?¡± Wei Ruo counter-questioned. ¡°How dare I me you? Today I called you over just to ask if there¡¯s any solution. I need your help, how can I me you?¡± Madame Yun replied. Though she said she wouldn¡¯t dare me her, her expression and tone were filled with me for Wei Ruo¡¯s ¡°inaction.¡± ¡°The rice has already been harvested. If Mother asks me for a solution now, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s toote to help,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°For the fields you¡¯re developing for work-for-relief, aren¡¯t you about to nt wheat? If you could secure more fields for our home, then problem will be solved when we have surplus wheat half a yearter, won¡¯t it?¡± Madame Yun suggested. Chapter 377: 377 Cheap Filial Piety_1 Chapter 377: Cheap Filial Piety_1 ¡°So, Mother has already thought of a solution.¡± Wei Ruo said with a smile, ¡°But hasn¡¯t Mother forgotten? The Government Office has already established rules on how the newly cultivatednds should be distributed. It¡¯s calcted based on the amount of money, food, and manpower each family contributes. The share the Wei family is entitled to has already been determined.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a member of the Wei family? Isn¡¯t the effort you put in for the Wei family too? As long as you are willing, who would dare to gossip if we acquire morend?¡± Mrs. Yun repeatedly questioned.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°But I am not willing. I just want to earn myself a good reputation, not acquiringnds this way.¡± Wei Ruo answered, her eyes bright and clear, with a slight upward curve at the corners of her mouth. ¡°What did you say?¡± Wei Ruo calmly exined, ¡°Does Mother see a problem? Isn¡¯t it good to be a youngdy praised by everyone, doing things beneficial for the reputation of the Military Prefecture? When isn¡¯t money obtainable andnds purchasable? But a good reputation is not so easily achieved.¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Mother should think about it. I¡¯m not just earning a reputation for myself, but for our Wei family as well. My sister¡¯s unconventionality has damaged the reputation of the Wei family and subjected us to gossip. As the eldest daughter, isn¡¯t it fitting that I now do some good deeds and earn a good reputation?¡± ¡°Moreover, my father is a government official who has the blood of the people on his hands on the battlefield. He is a great hero praised by everyone, and as his daughter, I should not drag him down. I should also establish a good image of selflessly giving to the people.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s righteous remarks stifled Mrs. Yun¡¯s brewing rebuttal. Everything Wei Ruo said was reasonable, and not only did she not make a single fault in her argument, it felt highly praiseworthy. Watching Mrs. Yun¡¯s struggle to find words to scold her, Wei Ruo gently smiled, ¡°Does Mother think that what I said makes some sense?¡±
Mrs. Yun, with a stern face, replied, ¡°You¡¯ve said it all. What else do you want me to say? Clearly, you have not considered our family¡¯s circumstances in the least! You say I favor Wanwan. Have you ever thought about why? Whatever troubles me, Wanwan is always thoughtful, filial, and sensible. But you never take our family into consideration.¡± ¡°Oh? Sister is thoughtful? Has she helped you solve problems? Mother, why did youe to me instead of her?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t have the acumen you do.¡± Mrs. Yun rebutted. ¡°So mother thinks that just utteringforting words is enough to earn the name of being dutiful? Without spending money or making an effort, it indeed seems profitable to gain a good reputation this way.¡± Wei Ruo chuckled softly. ¡°What manner of speaking is this?¡± Mrs. Yun frowned. ¡°Does Mother think there¡¯s a problem with what I said? Why not try asking sister to contribute her private money to support the household?¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have much private money.¡± Mrs. Yun replied. ¡°She does have several sets of jewelry which could be sold for a decent sum of silver.¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°She only has a few sets, and she needs to wear them when meeting others.¡± ¡°If she truly is as selfless as Mother describes, willing to help relieve Mother¡¯s worries, surely she wouldn¡¯t need Mother to tell her to sell her jewelry and give the silver coins to Mother. After all, talking does not cost silver.¡± After saying this, Wei Ruo stood up and said to Mrs. Yun before leaving, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be of help with your problem for now. If Ie up with a good solution, I¡¯lle see you. I have some duties to attend to today, so I won¡¯t bother you any longer.¡± Then Wei Ruo, without giving Mrs. Yun time to react, quickly left Cangyun Garden. Mrs. Yun took several deep breaths to prevent herself from erupting in anger. After a while, Mrs. Yun turned to Cuiping, her attendant standing by her side, and said, ¡°Look at her rebellious attitude, how can I have a proper conversation with her! It¡¯s already a feat that it didn¡¯t end in a fight.¡± In a whisper, Cuiping consoled, ¡°Madam, calm down.¡± Cuiping didn¡¯t say much else. She believed that what Miss Wei had said made some sense, but since she was a maid serving the Madam, it was not appropriate for her to say so. ### On the third of September, three days after the examination had ended, Wei Yichen returned to the Military Prefecture.
Upon his return, he immediately went to see Mrs. Yun. Her face lit up with joy as she asked him about the examination. ¡°It went well.¡± There was not much emotion on Wei Yichen¡¯s face, with neither apparent joy nor sadness. ¡°Yichen, don¡¯t hide the truth from me. Didn¡¯t you do well this time?¡± Mrs. Yun worriedly asked. ¡°No.¡±
¡°Yichen, if you didn¡¯t do well this time, don¡¯t be upset. We can wait another three years.¡± Mrs. Yun continued. Compared to the sorrow and frustration of her son not doing well this time, Mrs. Yun was more worried about Wei Yichen¡¯s state of mind. After all, such a big thing happened just before this exam, and it was only natural that her son¡¯s performance would be affected if his mood was. ¡°It¡¯s really not the case. Mother, please don¡¯t worry. I performed normally in this exam. Although I am not sure if I will pass, I have no regrets.¡± Wei Yichen answered. ¡°Really?¡± As she looked at her son, Mrs. Yun found it somewhat unbelievable. ¡°Yes.¡± Receiving a confirmed response, Mrs. Yun finally let go of her worries. Wei Yichen then asked Mrs. Yun, ¡°I heard that Mother took my sister, who should have been grounded, to Mrs. Yuan¡¯s banquet on Mid-Autumn Festival?¡± ¡°Did Wei Ruo tell you? Why would she broach such topics with you as soon as you returned home?¡± Mrs. Yun asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Wei Ruo who told me. After leaving the city for the examinations, I did not see her again, and she didn¡¯t send me any messages.¡± Wei Yichen exined, ¡°Mother should not associate this matter with Wei Ruo. Now, I am asking about my younger sister.¡± Facing the prating gaze of Wei Yichen, Mrs. Yun showed signs of unease, ¡°Yichen, the rumors outside are unfavorable to our Wei family. I let your younger sister attend the banquet to dispel the public¡¯s suspicion of her. If she had not gone, others would think that she had truly done something obscene.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t she do something obscene?¡± ¡°Yes, she did. But no matter what, she is my daughter, your sister. If we can help cover up some of her mistakes, it¡¯s always better. Besides, what about Wei Ruo? We can¡¯t ruin her reputation too, can we?¡±
¡°Wei Ruo ispetent enough to earn herself a good reputation. We needn¡¯t worry about her. Furthermore, with Father and me around, we should strive to bring glory to our ancestors. As long as the family is prominent, Wei Ruo will notck a good suitor in the future.¡± Mrs. Yun was at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond. Just as the atmosphere between mother and son was growing cold, a servant boy rushed into the room in a flurry of panic. ¡°Madam, elder master, it¡¯s an emergency! The second young master has had an ident!¡± Chapter 378: 378 Wei Jinyi is Dead_1 Chapter 378: Wei Jinyi is Dead_1 ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Isn¡¯t the second young master back in Huzhou Prefecture? Why are you getting so skittish?¡± Lady Yun asked. ¡°The second young master¡­he met with bandits on the road¡­unfortunately¡­unfortunately he¡­died¡­¡± The servant cautiously reported the news, panting for breath. Upon hearing this, both Lady Yun and Wei Yichen¡¯s faces changed dramatically. ¡°What did you say? The second young master? Dead?¡± Wei Yichen stepped forward, grabbing the cor of the servant¡¯s clothes to question him. ¡°There¡¯s¡­there¡¯s no mistake. It is the second young master. Guard Jing said so himself!¡± ¡°Where is Guard Jing?¡± Wei Yichen asked. ¡°He¡¯s injured. He¡¯s in the front yard¡­¡± We Yichen briskly let go of the servant and headed rapidly toward the front yard. Lady Yun, too, rose urgently and was helped by Cuiping to hasten to the front yard. In the front yard, Jing Hu was kneeling on the ground, his hair and clothes tattered and dirty.
¡°Where is Jinyi?¡± Wei Yichen asked, stepping forward. Jing Hu slowly turned to whaty behind him. Therey two stretchers behind him, each covered by a white cloth. Wei Yichen paused, his movements slowing as he gazed at the stretchers covered by the white cloth. He remained silent for a long while. It was then that Wei Ruo ran over. The moment she saw the stretchers, the color drained visibly from Wei Ruo¡¯s face. Wei Ruo moved toward the stretchers, but when she was two steps away, Wei Yichen stepped in front of her, his arm outstretched to prevent her from getting any closer. ¡°It might not be Jinyi,¡± Wei Yichen said to Wei Ruo. ¡°Let me see!¡± Wei Ruo insisted. We Yichen looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s resolute gaze and said, ¡°Let me check first, don¡¯t be hasty.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo did not heed Wei Yichen. With a forceful push, she pushed past Wei Yichen walked up the the stretchers where she slowly lifted the white cloth. Underneathy a frigid corpse covered in multiple knife wounds and now showing signs of decay, making it impossible to identify. The only hint of the corpse¡¯s identity was the tattered clothing which was recognizable as something Wei Jinyi would usually wear. The appalling sight of the corpse made all, including Wei Yichen, turn their heads away. For Lady Yun, who had just arrived, it was nearly too much, and she almost fainted. Wei Ruo did not flinch, rather she examined the corpse closely. ¡°Ruo, don¡¯t look,¡± Wei Yichen tried to pull her away. The scene was too cruel. Wei Ruo did not listen, her gaze remained glued to the corpse as she asked Jing Hu, ¡°Guard Jing, what exactly happened?¡± Kneeling on the ground, Jing Hu exined, ¡°I was escorting the second young master to the north. After his arrival in Huzhou Prefecture, we were ambushed by bandits. Despite our desperate resistance, we were hopelessly outnumbered and at a disadvantage. In the end, the three of us were overwhelmed, and both the young master and Xiaobei were killed¡­¡± Assailed by self-me, Jing Hu continued, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I failed to protect the second young master! I deserve to die! I shouldmit suicide as an apology, but I could not let his body be left unattended in a strange ce. So I did my utmost to transport his corpse back to Taizhou prefecture. My traveling expenses were exhausted, and I alone had to carry two corpses which slowed me down. It has taken more than ten days for me to return.¡±
The dy of over ten daysbined with the hot weather had resulted in a considerable level of dposition of the body. Wei Yichen furrowed his brows, his eyes filled with sorrow, his fists clenched, after a long while he ordered, ¡°Notify our father.¡± Wei Yichen immediately sent someone to summon Wei Yilin who was still at school, and called for Xiumei toe and look after Wei Ruo, ¡°Take care of the youngdy, don¡¯t let anything happen to her.¡± Xiumei nodded, standing by Wei Ruo¡¯s side, her hand firmly grasping Wei Ruo¡¯s.
Xiumei looked at Wei Ruo, seeing her pale face, her gaze still fixed on the unrecognisable corpse. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t look anymore,¡± Xiumei nervously tried to pull Wei Ruo away. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I have seen many dead bodies, I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Miss¡­¡± ¡°I can handle it.¡± Xiumei did not know how best tofort Wei Ruo, so she chose to remain silent and sit with her. As she looked at the two bodies lying on the ground, Xiumei¡¯s heart ached again and again. Just half a month ago, these strapping young men were full of life. Now, they were nothing more than two lifeless corpses. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe it, let alone Wei Ruo¡­ About four hourster, Wei Mingting arrived back at the Military Prefecture. There were no urgent matters in the army following a recent victory, so he was able to return more quickly than usual. Upon seeing the two bodies in the front yard and Jing Hu kneeling on the ground, Wei Mingting¡¯s brows furrowed in distress. He asked Jing Hu how the incident urred, and Jing Hu recounted the events, his ount identical to what he had previously told Wei Yichen. After listening to Jing Hu¡¯s recount, Wei Mingting fell into a deep silence for a long while. After a while, Wei Mingting closed his eyes in sorrow, and ordered, ¡°Get the coffins and burial ground arranged.¡±
¡°Father, should we not bring the second brother¡¯s corpse back to the Capital?¡± asked Wei Yichen. Their ancestral tombs were in the Capital, and Taizhou prefecture was just a temporary residence. ¡°There are disastrous events happening all around, and the journey isn¡¯t safe. Rather than suffer the turmoil of transportation, it would be better to bury him here,¡± Wei Mingting replied. ¡°But father, the second brother is still part of the Wei family. Leaving him alone here doesn¡¯t seem appropriate. If you are reassigned elsewhere in a few years, he¡¯d be left here alone without anyone to mourn for him on Tomb-Sweeping Day,¡± Wei Yichen expressed his worries. ¡°If that is the case, we can reconsider after my reassignment. For now, given the turmoil, less travel would be for the better.¡± Wei Mingting then sighed, ¡°Gather everyone in the house, and let¡¯s prepare a proper funeral.¡± Wei Yichen remained silent for a long time before he finally nodded his agreement. The whole Military Prefecture then bustled into action, setting up a funeral hall, covering everything with white cloth, and hanging whitenterns. When a white dress was brought to Wei Ruo, she spaced out for a moment before slowly reaching out andying the dress in her hands. ¡°Miss, ording to the customs here, only rtives younger than the second young master can burn joss paper for him. So I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to trouble you tonight,¡± said the elderly maidservant Zhang, her face full of sorrow as she spoke to Wei Ruo. Who could have expected the abrupt death of the second young master? He was in the prime of his life, and without leaving anyone to fulfill hisst filial duty. ¡°I understand,¡± Wei Ruo nodded. Wei Ruo then returned to her room to change into the dress and followed the elderly maidservant Zhang to the funeral hall.
Behind the coffin in the hall, there was a brazier with three mats ced in front of it. Besides Wei Ruo¡¯s, the other two were intended for Wei Qingwan and Wei Yilin. Although Wei Qingwan was being punished, she also had to return for this event. Wei Ruo kneeled down and began to ce joss paper in the brazier. Not long after, Wei Qingwan arrived. Like Wei Ruo, she had also changed into a white linen dress. Wei Qingwan knelt down next to Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Sister, what goes aroundes around. You schemed to expel me from the house, and now retribution has struck. Your closest friend, the second brother, has met with misfortune.¡± Chapter 379: 379: She Must Be Very Upset_1 Chapter 379: She Must Be Very Upset_1 Wei Ruo remained silent, and Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°Is my older sister feeling ufortable now? Is it half as bad as when I was banished from the residence and left alone on the estate?¡± Wei Ruo still didn¡¯t speak. Seeing her like this, a throb of pleasure flickered in Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart. In the past, Wei Qingwan would have been quickly refuted by her eloquent words, but today she remained silent. This surely confirmed that she was devastated, without the energy to even speak, right?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om This indeed was retribution at its finest! Just as Wei Qingwan was about to say something more, Wei Yilin arrived. Wei Yilin lower his head, his expression mournful. Despite his poor rtionship with Wei Jinyi, Wei Yilin felt obviously saddened by his death. After kneeling on the cushion, Wei Yilin silently started burning paper money. With Wei Yilin present, Wei Qingwan found herself unable to continue talking to Wei Ruo, and so she silently went about burning paper money.
### At night, the entire Military Prefecture became engrossed in mourning for the funeral. Whitenterns illuminated the entire Military Prefecture while the flickering mes from the white candles in the funeral altar danced. The scent of burning paper money and incense permeated the area. Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan, and Wei Yilin continued to burn paper money at the back of the funeral altar, staying up all night. The servants were busy with other matters upfront, leaving only the three siblings here. ¡°Older Sister, Second Sister, you should both rest a while. I¡¯ll handle things here,¡± Wei Yilin suggested with concern. Hearing him, Wei Ruo instantly rose to her feet, grabbed some water and snacks to fill her stomach. Wei Qingwan did not move, but she sincerely said to Wei Yilin, ¡°This is thest thing I can do for my second brother. I shouldn¡¯t shirk from the task, and furthermore, I cannot bear to let you handle everything alone, Yilin. Let me apany you.¡± In the past, Wei Yilin would certainly have seen his older sister as heartless and his second sister as kind and caring. However, now, while he still felt that his second sister was good-hearted and emotional, he also didn¡¯t think that there was anything wrong with his older sister¡¯s actions. Wei Yilin said to Wei Qingwan, ¡°Second Sister, you should rest with Older Sister. Your injury on your back hasn¡¯t healed for long and you should rest more. Once I feel tired and can¡¯t hold on any longer, you and Older Sister can rece me. We should take turns if we¡¯re staying up the whole night, or else we all would be too exhausted.¡± Wei Qingwan shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Today is not like any other day. I should persist no matter how hard it is. Moreover, if you can endure, Yilin, why should I avoid the hardship?¡± Wei Yilin thought for a moment, then stopped his persuasion, ¡°Alright then.¡± As Wei Qingwan and Wei Yilin were burning paper money, Wei Ruo moved closer to the coffin to once again delve into the icy corpse inside. The corpse inside the coffin looked a lot better than when she first saw it. It was now dressed, with a paper mask on the face, and the ghastly parts of the body were all covered up. Both Wei Yilin and Wei Qingwan noticed Wei Ruo¡¯s actions. Wei Yilin asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Older Sister, aren¡¯t you scared?¡± He was somewhat scared when he saw the corpse for the first time. Even though he told himself that he was destined to march into battlefields and encounter countless corpses, and that some would be a hundred or a thousand times more horrifying than this.
He also told himself that this was his second brother, not a stranger, and there was no reason to be scared. But in the end, he couldn¡¯t fully ovee his instincts and decided to walk away after a few glimpses. ¡°The dead are not to be feared, it¡¯s the living that is frightening. The dead can¡¯t harm people, only the living can,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Seeing Wei Ruo staring resolutely at the corpse inside the coffin, Wei Qingwan knew that she was still attached to Wei Jinyi.
¡°Sister, if you¡¯re sad, just let it out. It¡¯s hard for anyone to bear the loss of a young life like our brother,¡± Wei Qingwan said to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo gave no response, not even a nce at Wei Qingwan, she just kept looking at the corpse in the coffin. Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°He was supposed to have a promising future, capable of being epted by the Tibetanyman as an exclusive disciple, his prospects wouldn¡¯t be much worse than eldest brother¡¯s. I don¡¯t understand why the gods were so cruel to take him away, or what sins weremitted.¡± Only upon hearing these words did Wei Ruo turn to look at Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face held an expression of pity and sympathy, but in her eyes, Wei Ruo saw provocation and mockery. However, Wei Ruo still didn¡¯t rebuke Wei Qingwan. Once again, Wei Qingwan felt Wei Ruo¡¯s helplessness and grief, a grief so profound that it rendered her incapable of refuting anything, just silently enduring it all. Listening to Wei Qingwan¡¯s words, Wei Yilin only thought that she was mourning Wei Jinyi. Wei Yilin lowered his head, his voice sad and his expression gloomy, ¡°With second brother gone, there is one less person in the residence. Even though I didn¡¯t talk to him much before, I still find it hard to get used to his absence.¡± Then Wei Yilin continued, ¡°I hope the others in our family can be safe and sound in the future.¡± Wei Qingwan reached out and gently patted Wei Yilin¡¯s shoulder,forting, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yilin. We will all be fine. What goes aroundes around, we are all people whom the gods consider worthy, and we will have good fortunes when in distress.¡± Wei Yilin nodded. After that, Wei Yilin and Wei Qingwan continued to kneel on the cushion and burn paper money, while Wei Ruo sat on a chair at the side, propping up her chin with one hand, apparently dozing off. Being able to nap at a time like this was indeed astounding.
This left people unable to tell if she was truly indifferent or heartbroken. Wei Qingwan concluded it was thetter. If Wei Ruo didn¡¯t even have the heart to rebut her, how could she not be heartbroken? The wee hours of the night passed, but it was not yet midnight. Wei Qingwan started to turn pale and her body began to sway. Wei Yilin quickly had someone help Wei Qingwan to the side to rest, before sighing inwardly. He had said earlier that staying up the whole night wouldn¡¯t work, especially for someone fragile like Wanwan. Sometimes, despite Wanwan¡¯s kindness, her decision-makingcked rationalitypared to their decisive elder sister. ### The funeralsted three days. During that time, every household in Taizhou prefecture that was associated with the Wei family came to pay their respects. Among them were Magistrate Yuan Zhengqin and Madam Yuan, Prince Chu Lan, and Lu Yuhong. After the funeral, a weary Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden. Xiumei helped Wei Ruo change clothes and wash up sympathetically, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be too sad. The Second Young Master would feel heartbroken if he saw you like this from heaven.¡± ¡°Where did he get the ¡®from heaven¡¯?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°Miss, you should not think that way. People do have spirits after death,¡± Xiumei said, even more worried, thinking that Wei Ruo was excessively grieving.
¡°That¡¯s only applicable after they die,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, what are you saying? ¡®Only after they die¡¯?¡± Xiumei looked startled and perplexed. Chapter 380: 380: Not the Second Brother Who Died_1 Chapter 380: Not the Second Brother Who Died_1 ¡°Second Brother, he¡¯s not dead, that corpse isn¡¯t him.¡± Wei Ruo dered confidently. ¡°No¡­ Not the second young master?¡± Xiumei widened her eyes, her jaw dropping into a stunned silence. ¡°Firstly, I have seen my second brother¡¯s body. The physique of that corpse is simr to his, but I¡¯m certain it is not him due to many discrepancies in detail. Secondly, during his recent visits, he mentioned to me more than once that if I were to hear about his death, I should not believe it, iming it to be a misunderstanding.¡± Wei Ruo analyzed. ¡°Well¡­ The second young master did say that, but could he really have been referring to this incident?¡± If that were really the case, it would indeed be the best oue. Xiumei was just afraid of raising false hopes, believing that the youngdy might have to go through another episode of heartache. ¡°My second brother is a man of few words and rarely speaks nonsense. If he said so twice, there must be a hidden purpose. At first, I thought his words were amon exhortation, but when I saw that corpse and recalled what he had said earlier, I felt something was wrong. It couldn¡¯t be just a coincidence.¡± Wei Ruo rationalized. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s analysis, Xiumei felt a huge sense of relief. Then she asked, ¡°So Miss, on the first day when you saw the second young master¡¯s body, you already concluded that it was not him?¡± ¡°Initially, I was only 80 percent certain as you all didn¡¯t let me have a close look. Later, when I was keeping vigil by the coffin, I inspected the body more carefully, in the end, I was one hundred percent sure that the body was not my second brother¡¯s. Naturally, Xiaobei¡¯s body is fake as well.¡± ¡°Why would that be? Why did Guard Jing deceive us by bringing back two fake bodies iming the second young master was dead?¡± Xiumei asked in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s likely not Guard Jing¡¯s idea, but that of the second brother himself. But I have no idea why he chose to do so. Perhaps it has something to do with what he¡¯s nning to do next, or he may have other ns. In either case, the deceased person was definitely not him. He must still be alive somewhere safe and sound.¡±
Wei Ruo then apologized to Xiumei, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Meimei, for making you anxious these past few days. I just hadn¡¯t found the opportunity to exin this to you carefully.¡± Wei Ruo had been keeping vigil in the hall thesest two days, while Xiumei had been called to help out in the front yard due to ack of staff in the mansion. The two had hardly any chance to see each other. Plus, with the hustle and bustle in the mansion, Wei Ruo had not had the chance to inform Xiumei that Wei Jinyi and Xiaobei were not dead. Xiumei shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s alright, the fact that the second young master is not in real danger is more important than anything else.¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°This matter should only be known to the two of us. Even if we step outside in the next few days, we should still appear to be grieving. No matter what the second brother¡¯s intentions are for doing this, we shouldn¡¯t spoil his n.¡± Xiumei nodded earnestly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Lady. I will definitely keep this a secret.¡± ### The day after the funeral, Wei Yichen sent Xiaonan to deliver several oil-paper packages filled with fruit pastries to Wei Ruo. There was also a jewelry box, inside were some popr head ornaments and velvet flowers from the capital Most of these were bought by Wei Yichen when he was in the capital. He had initially intended to give them to Wei Ruo the day he returned home. However, upon visiting Mrs. Yun, he received the tragic news of Wei Jinyi¡¯s death. So, only after the three-day mourning period, did Wei Yichen get the chance to give these to Wei Ruo. ¡°Young Master said that Miss had not been eating well these past few days and had lost weight. He wants you to take better care of your health and eat more,¡± Xiaonan conveyed the message. Xiumei nced at Wei Ruo, and upon seeing her nod, epted the things from Xiaonan. ¡°Thank you, Elder Young Master.¡± Xiaonan continued, ¡°The Young Master also asked me to tell Miss that even though the deceased cannot be revived, those who are alive must continue to live well. He wishes for Miss to be safe and happy and believes that the second young master will always be watching over her in the world beyond.¡± ¡°Thanks for his concern, I¡¯m fine.¡± Wei Ruo replied politely. ¡°Good, as long as Miss is well. I will return and inform Young Master.¡± Xiaonan responded. Afterpleting the task entrusted to him by Wei Yichen, Xiaonan turned to leave.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As he turned his head, he saw Wei Qingwan was there as well, not sure if she just happened to be passing by or came here on purpose. ¡°Greetings, Second Young Miss.¡±
Xiaonan greeted Wei Qingwan as per the custom. However, his tone and expression were clearlycking the enthusiasm and respect he had shown toward Wei Ruo just moments ago. Wei Qingwan had caused him and his young master much suffering in the past, so naturally, he could not harbor any goodwill towards her. After greeting her, Xiaonan left. Wei Qingwan¡¯s gaze shifted to Wei Ruo and Xiumei, stopping at the severalrge oil-paper packages in Xiumei¡¯s arms.
The sight was somewhat irritating to Wei Qingwan. How familiar it was! In the past, every time Big Brother returned from a trip, he would always bring her some snacks packed in several oil-paper packages. The habit hasn¡¯t changed, but the recipient has. Seeing Wei Qingwan, Wei Ruo prepared to close the courtyard door. Cuihe stepped forward and ced her hand on the gate. ¡°Miss, our youngdy came to see you, why do you want to close the door?¡± Cuihe pressed against the gate, not allowing Wei Ruo to close it. Wei Ruo replied, ¡°When I was in the countryside, I would always close the door when I saw a stray dog running towards it. Stray dogsck human sensibilities. Even if you tell them to go away, they won¡¯tprehend. They won¡¯t leave, but instead growl and pounce at you, dirtying my clothes, possibly even tearing them, and leaving marks.¡± Weiqing Wan¡¯s face hardened and she responded, ¡°It seems sister has already moved on from the grief of Second Brother¡¯s death. And here I thought you had a deep bond with him. Seems I was mistaken.¡± Just a couple of days ago, Wei Qingruo was still grief-stricken, but today she already had enough strength to exchange taunts and ridicule. Wei Ruo leisurely returned, ¡°My rtionship with my brothers is way better than yours. You were indifferent when our elder brother was dying. Now, upon Second Brother¡¯s death, all you can do is scoff. Such cold-heartedness¡­I never thought I would see it in my ¡®gentle and kind-hearted¡¯ sister, Qingwan.¡± Wei Qingwan darkened her expression before coldly retorting, ¡°Sister, there¡¯s no need to provoke me with your words. It is thanks to you that I am where I am today.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that I forced you into your wrongdoings?¡± Wei Ruoughed sarcastically. ¡°If sister hadn¡¯t pushed me so hard, would my situation have turned this difficult? I once had a warm heart and a wish to get along well with sister. Did sister ever give me that opportunity?¡± Wei Qingwan countered.
¡°I pushed you? Did I force you to collude with Third Young Master Qi? Did I force you to ignore our elder brother¡¯s life hanging in the bnce?¡± Wei Ruoughed. Chapter 381: 381: Trying to Please Father_1 Chapter 381: Trying to Please Father_1 ¡°Indeed, my rtionship with Master Qi did breach conventional ethics, but we genuinely love each other. What¡¯s wrong with that? Because it was inappropriate, have I been condemned as a wicked criminal?¡± Wei Qingwan retorted. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s the only thing about you that has not changed,¡± Wei Ruoughed lightly. Whether it¡¯s the Wei Qingwan from the original story, or the Wei Qingwan standing before her now, her love-trumps-all mentality has stayed the same. However, in the original story, she was in a position to be a kind person, so her genuine love was rare and precious. But now hearing her openly proiming her devotion to true love only makes Wei Ruo nauseous. Wei Qingwan continued her rebuttal, ¡°I admit I was wrong about the situation with elder brother, but I¡¯ve never encountered such a thing before, I panicked and didn¡¯t know what to do, it was not intentional. And I¡¯ve paid the price for it. Even mother has forgiven me now; it is you who will not let me return to the household. Sister, you want me to be shamed, to not be able to return home, to be cast out; you im it¡¯s punishment when it¡¯s really just satisfying your own selfish desires.¡± ¡°So, your logic is if you admit your mistakes, if you¡¯ve paid the price, if others do not forgive you, then they must be deliberately against you, malicious beyond redemption, looking to harm you?¡± Wei Ruo posed. ¡°So what do you want from me, sister? Must I atone for my sins for the rest of my life? Don¡¯t I get another chance to make amends and repent? Is this the punishment that I am supposed to receive or is it just for your selfish reasons, to oust me out of the household so that you can be the only Miss of Wei family?¡± Wei Qingwan retorted to Wei Ruo. ¡°You really want to have your cake and eat it too,¡± Wei Ruomented. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t understand Wei Ruo¡¯s statement. ¡°Nevermind. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m wasting my breath and time again. Indeed, one shouldn¡¯t try tomunicate with beasts. They have their ownnguage system and can¡¯t understand humans,¡±
Having said that, Wei Ruo pushed away Cuihe, and then forcefully closed the courtyard door, leaving Wei Qingwan and her maid, Cuihe, outside. ¡°Phew, what a relief,¡± Wei Ruo dusted her hands off in disgust. ¡°If my hands hadn¡¯t been full, I would¡¯ve done something,¡± Xiumei grumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want her mood ruined by Wei Qingwan today. Her second brother wasn¡¯t dead, the mock funeral was over, and she had to get back to her own business. Fan Chengxu¡¯s Zuixian Residence was also opening up in the provincial city, which was a good thing for her. With their partnership, she could more easily establish herself in the provincial city. Cuihe, who was push aside by Wei Ruo outside the door, stared in disbelief at the now shut Tingsong Garden gate. ¡°Miss, did she just insult us directly?¡± The term ¡°beast¡± was clearly meant for her mistress, and she even foisted Cuihe aside. This vulgarity was unexpected for Cuihe. ¡°She doesn¡¯t even bother pretending anymore, resorting to tant rudeness,¡± Wei Qingwan stated coldly. ¡°Miss, what shall we do now?¡± Cuihe asked. ¡°Let¡¯s go, to see father,¡± Wei Qingwan was nning to find Wei Mingting originally. She passed by Tingsong Garden and saw Xiaonan, which led her toe over to find out more and potentially rebuke Wei Ruo with a few words. Wei Qingwan then came to the study in the front yard. After knocking on the door, she entered the study. Wei Mingting, who was bending over his desk, looked up and asked, ¡°Wanwan, what brings you here?¡± Wei Qingwan bowed her body and took the food box from Cuihe. She walked up to the desk and put it down. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared some ginseng tea and snacks for father.¡± With that, Wei Qingwan took the items out of the food box one by one and ced them in front of Wei Mingting. All these were Wei Qingwan¡¯s specialties that had been praised by Wei Mingting in the past. Then Wei Qingwan said,¡±Father, I know you¡¯ve been upsettely and your appetite hasn¡¯t been good, so I¡¯ve made some light dishes, hoping you¡¯d eat something.¡±
¡°You¡¯re so considerate,¡± Wei Mingting said, but still didn¡¯t have the appetite to eat the food in front of him. ¡°Leave the food here for now, I¡¯ll have itter.¡± Wei Mingting finished speaking, but Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t leave, so he looked up and asked again, ¡°Wanwan, is there anything else?¡± Wei Qingwan dropped her eyes then consoled, ¡°Father, I know you¡¯re very sad, but the dead cannot be brought back to life. Now that second brother is gone, you still have us.¡± A misty veil settled between Wei Mingting¡¯s eyebrows, his voice deep and sad, ¡°Yes, the dead can¡¯t revived, now that Jinyi is gone, he¡¯ll never return.¡±
¡°Father, you must try to ept it. Second brother wouldn¡¯t have wanted you to be in such mourning for him. I understand I won¡¯t be able to stay long in the household and thus can¡¯t visit you often, but I hope you¡¯ll take care of your health.¡± Wei Qingwan spoke sincerely, every word and sentence showing her filial piety to Wei Mingting. Had Mrs. Yun heard this, she would certainly have been moved, and upon hearing that Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t stay in the house for long, would have been heartbroken, even willing to let her return. Wei Mingting nodded slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I understand that although the matter with your second brother is distressing, it will pass and I wille to terms with it.¡± Then Wei Mingting said, ¡°You can go now, I need some time alone.¡± Wei Qingwan was taken aback, her facial expression somewhat rigid for some reason. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take my leave¡± Wei Qingwan slowly exited Wei Mingting¡¯s study, her steps unhurried.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After the study door closed, Wei Qingwan stood outside and stared at it for a while. ¡°Miss, the master¡­¡± Cuihe furrowed her brow, full of resentment. She thought that the master would feel at least some of the youngdy¡¯s filial love, and then feel some reluctance. However, he didn¡¯t say anything and let Miss leave in such a cold manner. What to do now? If the master doesn¡¯t relent, wouldn¡¯t the youngdy have to go back to the countryside in a couple of days? Wei Qingwan bit her lips, then turned and walked away. After Wei Qingwan left, Wei Mingting looked at the cakes and snacks on the table, didn¡¯t touch any of them but instead got up and took an old water bag from a box behind him.
Looking at the bag, a dusty memory surfaced in Wei Mingting¡¯s mind. It was when he had just enlisted in the army, he was fifteen years old at the time¡­ He was born in the Duke¡¯s residence, so he was not weed by themon soldiers, but because the Duke¡¯s family had fallen into decline, he was also not favored by the sons of the nobles. As a result, he was isted from the others in the battalion. During a mission, he was tricked by others and lost his way in the mountains. It wasn¡¯t untilte at night that he returned to the camp and was thus punished. He was ordered by the General g to be hung up in the camp from the middle of the night until noon, exposed to the hot sun¡­ Chapter 382: 382: Promoted Again_1 Chapter 382: Promoted Again_1 Just when he was about to die, Marquis Xu saved him. At that time, he was just an ordinary soldier, and the Marquis was the Chief Commander of the camp. Their statuses were vastly different. But after knowing the reason for his punishment was disobeying orders during the operation and dying the process, the Marquis let him go. Not only did the Marquis save him, but he also invited him to the Chief Commander¡¯s tent and served him wine. That day, the Marquis said a lot to him. He said: You held firm under the zing sun, unyielding and firm, a model of manliness. It would be a supreme waste if a mistake popped you off. Your life should be used on the battlefield, defending our nation. He said: There will always be evil in the military camps, everyday life, and ordinary homes. What matters is not how to avoid this evil, but how to defend the virtue in our hearts. He said: You and I are the same. Despite our different statures currently, both of us are risking our lives to serve our nation. The reason we hold our weapons is because we all have the same belief, that the elders, women, and children of our nation lie behind us. If we were to fall, they will fall with us. ¡­ That day, he was taken aback by the joviality of the highly respected Marquis, from his heartyughter to his unfamiliarity.
The Marquis was usually stern and honorable, but in private, he was free-spirited and unrestrained. Such a heroic figure was also, like ordinary elders, humble and friendly. That was his only intimate encounter with the Marquis. To Marquis, it may not have been a significant event, but it left asting impact on him. When Zheng Zhongye was captured, Wei Mingting felt a connection with his words. Yet, he had understood them long before Zheng did, a realization made possible because of Marquis. Later, the Marquis was defeated in war and lost three northeastern cities. He was even used of betraying and colluding with the enemy, resulting in defeat. He sincerely believed this was nder. Such a man would nevermit such acts of betrayal. However, the Marquis could not return to the Capital City with his dignity intact, as he died on the way home¡­n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Subsequently, the house of Marquis Xu was obliterated, with those who had close ties with him either assassinated or demoted¡­ We Mingting¡¯s memory soon wandered back to the moment when the worn-out wineskin in his hand was the same one the Marquis had served him wine with. Wei Mingting then stood up, took a jug of thyme wine from the cab behind him, poured it into the wineskin, and began to drink. After half a jug of wine, in a haze, he remembered the terrific snowy night when that man handed the infant to him. ¡°You must remember, once this is revealed, you willmit a grave offense punishable by death by your entire household,¡± the man said. Looking at the child hesitated before taking her into his arms. ¡°I owe you a favor that I need to repay.¡± He said to the man. Wei Mingting closed his eyes, remembering the child Jinyi¡­ So many years had passed¡­ some things were bound to happen¡­ ### The next day, the imperial edict arrived. Wei Mingting was officially promoted to the Guard Commander of the Taizhou prefecture¡¯s Anti-Japanese Army, decorated as the General of Martial Virtue, and recognized as the fifth-rank. He was also conferred many treasures of gold and silver.
Upon receiving the edict, Wei Mingting did not show great joy¨CNow, the pce attendant who passed on the imperial decree could understand. After all, Wei was still mourning the loss of his son. This decree was actually approved ten days ago but only delivered to Taizhou prefecture today. Afterforting Wei Mingting with a few kind words and expressing congrattions, the pce attendant left for the post station. News of Wei Mingting¡¯s promotion quickly spread throughout the residence; joy was evident amongst everyone within the residence.
Previously acting as a substitute, it was not until the decree arrived, that Wei Mingting¡¯s position had officially been confirmed. It must have been said that Zheng Zhongye was indeed bad; however, his actions provided a great opportunity for Wei Mingting¡¯s promotion. Otherwise, it was uncertain how many more years it would take for Wei Mingting to receive such an opportunity and ascend to the position of Guard Commander. Madam Yun immediately ran to burn incense in front of the family shrine, thanking the ancestors for their blessing. Next, she instructed the servants, ¡°Don¡¯t show too much joy in front of the master. Since Jinyi just left, his mood hasn¡¯t settled yet, so it is not suitable to celebrate excessively.¡± Madam Yun knows Wei Mingting well and understands that he values his family more than his official position. Therefore, they cannot revel in this promotion. Inside the Wangmei Garden, Wei Qingwan also heard the news. A wave of joy distinctly washed her face. From this day onwards, the Military Prefecture was no longer a Military Prefecture but a General Residence. The jump from a Colonel to a General is something that many people can never achieve in their lifetime. At the same time, this meant a significant change in her status as thedy of the Wei Family. The first thing that Wei Qingwan thought of was that the status gap between her and Qi Zhen had shrunk, making it much easier for Qi Zhen to marry her. ¡°Young miss, this is really great!¡± Cuihe celebrated with joy on behalf of both Wei Qingwan and herself.
¡°Yes.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was radiant with expectation and longing. ¡°Now, we only need to wait for Young master to forgive the master and bring you back to the residence, and everything will move in a good direction!¡± Cuihe added. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Qingwan thought the same. As long as Wei Qingruo did not intrude, her return to the residence would not be far away. Then she could be with Qi Zhen forever¡­ When Wei Qingwan thought of Qi Zhen, she involuntarily blushed and broke into a whisp of a smile. As long as she could be with Qi Zhen, she would not back down, regardless of whether Wei Qingruo or someone else stood in her way. Within the Tingsong Garden, When Wei Ruo heard about Wei Mingting¡¯s promotion, the first thing she thought of was Xu Zhengyong¡¯s situation. With Wei Mingting¡¯s official appointment, Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s promotion should not be far off either. It was uncertain whether Brother Xiaoyong could secure the position of Deputy Guard Commander as smoothly. Wei Mingting¡¯s promotion to Guard Commander was almost a foregone conclusion, as there was no one more qualified than him. But it was still difficult for Xiaoyong to get promoted three times over at once. ¡°Meimei, let¡¯s go to the Four Treasure House.¡± Wei Ruo said to Xiumei. ¡°Like the young miss, I can¡¯t wait to find out about Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s promotion.¡± Xiumei said.
Wei Ruo said, ¡°No matter how many levels Brother Xiaoyong gets promoted, it is a joyous asion. Let¡¯s celebrate for Brother Xiaoyong.¡± Xiumei nodded fervently, ¡°Yes! We should celebrate!¡± Both servant and mistress thought alike and quickly prepared before heading out the door. Chapter 383: 383 - Please ask your Miss to go back to the Manor _1 Chapter 383: ¨C Please ask your Miss to go back to the Manor _1 When Wei Ruo and Xiumei arrived, quite a crowd had amassed outside the Four Treasure House, reminiscent of the lively scenes when the establishment held events in the past. But when they got a little closer, they realized they weren¡¯t Four Treasure House¡¯s customers; they were from the imperial court. Wei Ruo and Xiumei immediately figured out that these people from the court must be here to officially appoint Xu Zhengyong. Because with Xu Zhengyong¡¯s promotion, his rank has changed. He would have his own residence, like Wei Mingting. Wei Ruo and Xiumei hid in the crowd and waited until all the court officials had left before entering the Four Treasure House. Just as they were about to pass through the shop into the back hall, their path was blocked by two men dressed as soldiers. ¡°This is Mr. Xu¡¯s residence. Unauthorized persons and misceneous personnel not allowed. To buy something, stay in the shop.¡± Wei Ruo was about to exin when Xu Zhushan came over and interjected, ¡°These are my rtives.¡± The soldiers blocking the way hurriedly apologized and stepped aside, letting Wei Ruo through. Only then could Wei Ruo and Xiumei follow Xu Zhushan into the backyard.
Once inside, Wei Ruo and Xiumei were not upset, but rather pleased. Upon hearing themotion, Xu Zhengyong emerged from the house. Seeing Wei Ruo, he looked worried. ¡°Ruoruo sister, regarding Wei¡¯s matter¡­¡± Xu Zhengyong was deeply worried. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°How could you be fine? Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± Xu Zhengyong didn¡¯t believe her. Wei Ruo stepped forward, nced around, and then whispered to Xu Zhengyong: ¡°There was a mistake, he¡¯s fine. The details can¡¯t be exined for the time being.¡± Xu Zhengyong was stunned for a moment, then reconfirmed, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± Xu Zhengyong let out a huge sigh of relief, visibly rxing. A string had been ying in his heart since Wei Jinyi¡¯s death, worrying about Wei Ruo¡¯s situation, to the point where he wasn¡¯t particrly happy about his promotion. Knowing that Wei Jinyi was not dead, and Ruoruo wasn¡¯t grieving, Xu Zhengyong decided not to ask for more details. Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but tease Xu Zhengyong: ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, you¡¯ve made quite a name for yourself, you now have personal guards!¡± Hiring personal guards proved that Xu Zhengyong¡¯s official rank is now high enough. Xu Zhengyong scratched his head in embarrassment: ¡°Don¡¯t tease me, Meimei.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a jest, it¡¯s happiness!¡± Xiumei rarelyplimented Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Quickly tell me, what have you been promoted to?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Just the appointment arranged by the seventh prince, Deputy Guard Commander, titled as Colonel of Loyalty and Brightness.¡± Xu Zhengyong answered. ¡°Colonel of Loyalty and Brightness? Isn¡¯t Deputy Guard Commander a sixth-rank official? Why were you given the title of Colonel?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Because my promotion was too sudden, so my actual position is Deputy Guard Commander, but my rank is pinned at sixth-rank,¡± Xu Zhengyong rified. He got his position because of his great contribution, and because of the ongoing battle with the Japanese pirates, and there were no better candidates.
Even so, his promotion was too quick, hence the court¡¯s special arrangement. ¡°I see.¡± Xiumei nodded in understanding. ¡°Anyway, Brother Xiaoyong is now a proper official! After being a Colonel, will you also have your own residence, like our master?¡± ¡°Yes, the court has assigned me a residence,¡± Xu Zhengyong responded. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong and nanny and uncle will live in a mansion then! There will be guards, maidservants and many people serving at home. You will even get to ride grand horse-drawn carriages when going out!¡± Xiumei said gleefully.
¡°I¡¯m not too particr about it. I still like living in the small courtyard. It might be hard to adapt to living in a big courtyard, ¡± Xu Zhengyong responded. Nanny added: ¡°We also like the small courtyard, it¡¯s easier for us to manage the shop.¡± ¡°Nanny, you can manage the shop no matter where it is. Moving to a mansion, you and uncle will live morefortably. There will be people serving you, and you will feel at ease on a regr day.¡± Wei Ruo said to nanny. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m healthy, I don¡¯t need anybody to serve me,¡± nanny said. She had always had the condition to hire servants, but she thought it was unnecessary. Wei Ruo gripped nanny¡¯s hand: ¡°Nanny, you¡¯ve been working hard for a long time, it¡¯s time for you to enjoy life.¡± ¡°When have I worked hard? I didn¡¯t feel that way at all,¡± Nanny said, feeling sorry for Wei Ruo. ¡°On the contrary, it¡¯s you miss, it¡¯s been hard for you to get this far, always being held back.¡± ¡°Nanny, I¡¯m fine. Isn¡¯t everything moving in a good direction now?¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Right, mom, don¡¯t worry, I will continue to work hard to save sister Ruoruo soon!¡± Xu Zhengyong vowed. ¡°Stop talking big! Your sess is only due to the miss¡¯s help!¡± Nanny red at her son. Xu Zhengyong shrank back a bit. Wei Ruo quickly came to Xu Zhengyong¡¯s defense: ¡°Nanny, that¡¯s not true. Of course, I did help a little. But for Xiaoyong to firmly hold his position today, my little clever tricks alone were not enough. He has proven his own strength, which has earned the trust of the soldiers under hismand.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Nanny sighed.
After that, Nanny went to the kitchen to prepare lunch, and before moving to the new mansion, they had a lively meal together in the small courtyard. After visiting Xu¡¯s family, Wei Ruo returned to the Wei residence. The que over the entrance to the Wei residence had been changed from Military Prefecture to General Residence. After returning to the residence, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t return to the Tingsong Garden right away. Instead, she went with Zhang Granny and others to the Wangmei Garden to ¡°evict¡± people. Zhang Granny knocked on the door, which was opened by Cuihe. Seeing Wei Ruo and the people Wei Ruo had brought with her, Cuihe tensed up. The image of Wei Qingwan being arrested and taken to Cangyun Garden popped into her mind. ¡°Miss, what are you nning to do?¡± Cuihe asked warily, ring at Wei Ruo. ¡°Please go back to the country estate with your mistress.¡± Wei Ruo stated her purpose directly. ¡°Is the elder sister the head of the household now? When and where did the younger sister be the elder sister?¡± Cuihe retorted. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see how that goes.¡± Wei Ruo replied coldly. Then Xiumei walked straight up, pulled Cuihe from the courtyard, stepped quickly into the courtyard, found Wei Qingwan, and dragged her out too. ¡°What is this, sister?¡± Wei Qingwan demanded, her eyes glowing red. How many times had Wei Ruoe to Wangmei garden to stir up trouble?
¡°The mourning is over. Go back to the country estate,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Even two days after the funeral, Wei Qingwan seemed to feel as if no one had brought it up. She might be able to stay in the residence permanently. ¡°Aren¡¯t father, mother and elder brother in the residence? Isn¡¯t it not your ce to meddle with these things, sister?¡± Wei Qingwan ground her teeth. Chapter 384: Big Brother’s Attitude_1 Chapter 384: Big Brother¡¯s Attitude_1 She had long suspected that Wei Qingruo would continue trying to force her to leave the residence, but she did not expect Wei Qingruo to be so shameless, acting as if she were truly the head of the Wei Family. Their father had just been promoted only for her to stir up trouble! Her heart was full of malice! ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try then,¡± Wei Ruo said, and then nodded to Xiumei. Then Xiumei began to forcibly drag Wei Qingwan and Cuihe out. Wei Qingwan wasn¡¯t as strong as Xiumei, her face turning red with exertion. ¡°Help, help!¡± Cuihe cried out. The servants in the house turned their heads at her cries, but none came forward to help. Who didn¡¯t know that in the Wei Residence, the eldest Miss dared to challenge even the Madam directly, so what did the second Miss count for? They wouldn¡¯t dare to offend their Miss. Although the servants did not dare to intervene, one of them went to report the situation in the Cangyun Garden to Lady Yun. Just as Wei Qingwan was about to be dragged out of the back door, Lady Yun arrived with several others. ¡°Ruoruo, what are you doing?¡± Lady Yun walked up angrily, her face rigid. After getting closer, she noticed the red scratches on Wei Qingwan¡¯s white and tender arm which gave her a heartache. Wei Ruo replied calmly, as expected: ¡°I¡¯m asking my younger sister to return to the vi for some rest.¡± ¡°Is this your way of asking? What kind of mindset is this? Your father has just been promoted to General of Military Virtue. As his daughters, how can you act so crudely and recklessly? Aren¡¯t you afraid of beingughed at by outsiders?¡± ¡°Mother, rest assured, the carriage is at the back door. Once she leaves the house, she will be in the carriage. There is no one outside who could see. As for those in the residence, we trust them. Even if there were one or two untrustworthy ones, they already know all the family¡¯s scandals. This one is nothing new.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s reply was calm and free of any loopholes. ¡°Don¡¯t diverge, you¡¯re all sisters of the same family. How can you treat Wanwan like this? What is your ulterior motive?¡± Lady Yun confronted her. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Mother, why ask me when you already know? My younger sister should have been staying at the vi. She only came back because of the funeral. Now that the funeral is over, it¡¯s only right to send her back. Or do you imply that the punishment originally meant for her should end just because of the funeral?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Wei Qingruo¡¯s question exposed Lady Yun and Wei Qingwan¡¯s intentions. They had actually nned to make use of this asion to brush Wei Qingwan¡¯s punishment under the rug. Lady Yun continued to argue: ¡°Your second brother¡¯s soul has not yet moved on, what¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°Then on the day of the seventh day of mourning, we can have sistere back. After all, it¡¯s not too far away. There are still the fifteenth and thirty-fifth days of mourning to observe. We can¡¯t keep sister at home for this special few days, letting the original punishment be void. Now that our father has been appointed as the Guard Commander and honored as the General of Military Virtue, the Military Prefecture has been changed to the General Residence. We should maintain the family rules more meticulously. Only with strict family discipline, can we pave a longer future.¡± Wei Ruo responded, every word was well-grounded. Lady Yun and Wei Qingwan could find no fault in her words, even if their eyes were about to pop out. ¡°I¡¯m not arguing with you about this, the house is not under your control yet!¡± Lady Yun rebuked angrily, ¡°Let go! I will decide when to send Wanwan back to the vi.¡± Lady Yun then red harshly at Xiumei. Xiumei didn¡¯t let go. She didn¡¯t take orders from Lady Yun. ¡°What do you mean? Does my word carry no weight in this house?¡± Lady Yun¡¯s face turned even colder, and then she turned to her people, ¡°Pull her off!¡± But before the servants could step forward, Wei Ruo signaled Xiumei to let go of Wei Qingwan. If based on martial arts skills alone, even seven or eight maids together wouldn¡¯t be Xiumei¡¯s match. But in this way, Wei Ruo would appear to be in the wrong. Therefore, Wei Ruo would not resort to violence against Lady Yun¡¯s people. After Xiumei had retreated to Wei Ruo¡¯s side, Wei Qingwan quickly rushed over to Lady Yun. ¡°Mother¡­ It¡¯s my fault. I should¡¯ve returned to the vi sooner and shouldn¡¯t have provoked my sister. It¡¯s not her fault. Please don¡¯t be mad at her,¡± Wei Qingwan said, her eyes reddened, a picture of wronged realization. Hearing these words, Lady Yun felt even worse since she had quietly consented to keep things this way. Lady Yun could not openly admit that she had selfishly wanted Wei Qingwan to stay in the residence by taking advantage of Wei Jinyi¡¯s funeral. But she also felt heartache for the unfair treatment her daughter received. She dumped her anger on Wei Ruo: ¡°Look at you, as the eldest legitimate daughter of the family, can¡¯t you be a bit more generous? Can¡¯t you show more tolerance towards your sisters? It¡¯s not because I¡¯m partial to your sister, if only you could be more generous in treating your sister, I wouldn¡¯t need to protect her like this!¡± Wei Ruo remained calm: ¡°Mother, you¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯m just upholding themands of Father and my elder brothers. It was second brother who originally ordered to send my sister to the vi. The order can¡¯t be changed just because he¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Stop bringing up your father and brothers! They didn¡¯t mean it. It¡¯s all your thinking!¡± Lady Yun retorted angrily. Just at this moment, Wei Yichen, who had also received the news, arrived. He showed no expression: ¡°Mother, the decision to send the second sister back to the vi was mine.¡± Lady Yun turned to look at him, surprise showing in her eyes. Wei Yichen stressed again: ¡°Sister Ruoruo did it for me and ourte second brother. If you want to me someone, me me.¡± Lady Yun couldn¡¯t respond right away, having just imed that Wei Ruo used her father and brothers as an excuse and Wei Yichen pped her face by publicly supporting Wei Ruo. Wei Qingwan bit her lip and looked at Wei Yichen with tearful eyes. Her elder brother was truly upset with her! He was openly supporting Wei Qingruo in hurting her! Wei Yichen caught sight of Wei Qingwan¡¯s distressed gaze, but his expression remained indifferent and cold. When Lady Yun was silent, Wei Yichen turned to the servants: ¡°Send the second Miss back to the vi. She can alwayse back if there¡¯s any need. Without rules, there can¡¯t be any circle. The Wei Residence is different from the past and we should ce more emphasis on upholding the rules.¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s words echoed what Wei Ruo had said earlier, emphasizing the Wei Family needed to uphold higher standards. The servants immediately obeyed and began to lead Wei Qingwan out. Lady Yun frowned, watching helplessly as Wei Qingwan was taken away. When the carriage taking Wei Qingwan back to the vi left, Wei Yichen¡¯s gaze went back to Lady Yun. ¡°Mother, father must be heartbroken and tired these past few days. Please spend more time to apany him,¡± Wei Yichen said. Wei Yichen was reminding Lady Yun to mend her rtionship with Wei Mingting, while simultaneously telling her not to waste any effort on trying to get Wei Qingwan back to the residence. ¡°I got it,¡± Lady Yun replied quietly. Once he had given his instructions, Wei Yichen left. As Wei Yichen passed by her, Wei Ruo looked at his unyielding profile and still felt a sense of unfamiliarity. He didn¡¯t say a word to Wei Ruo throughout the event, but he did what Wei Ruo originally thought would be done by Wei Mingting. Chapter 385: Second Master of the Wei Family_1 Chapter 385: Second Master of the Wei Family_1 Three days after the conclusion of Wei Jinyi¡¯s funeral, people from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in the Capital City arrived at the General Residence. Based on the timing, the people from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence did note after receiving the news of Wei Jinyi¡¯s death ¨C if they hade to mourn, they would not have arrived so quickly. They must have received the news of Wei Mingting¡¯s promotion in advance and followed the pce attendant who came to make the announcement. The person who returned this time was not another member from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, but Wei Mingting¡¯s second brother, Wei Mingyong. In the front hall study, Wei Mingyong, the Second Lord of the Wei Family, had a broad smile on his face the moment he saw Wei Mingting. ¡°Younger brother, you really are capable! You were promoted to a fifth-rank official, and I feel truly honored to be your brother!¡± Wei Mingyong pped Wei Mingting on the shoulder, his smile almost reaching his temples. Wei Mingting had a serious expression and did not join in Wei Mingyong¡¯s joviality. Instead, he asked, ¡°What brings you here, second brother?¡± Wei Mingting was always serious and seldom joked around, such behavior was something that Wei Mingyong had grown ustomed to. So, Wei Mingyong continued with his cheerful demeanor, exining, ¡°Initially, I heard the news about your forting promotion in advance. Our parents and eldest brother sent me to congratte you. Moreover, we brothers haven¡¯t seen each other for quite some time, and I wanted toe and catch up with you. However, I didn¡¯t expect Jinyi to meet with such misfortune.¡± Wei Mingyong continued consoling Wei Mingting, ¡°Younger brother, don¡¯t take Jinyi¡¯s death too hard. The world is unpredictable; no one could have seen thising. Thankfully Jinyi was just a secondary son with few prospects. On the other hand, you have Yichen, a talented legitimate son. Once the examination results are out, if he gets a ce, he will be the first schr in our family in three generations.¡± Wei Mingting said, ¡°I appreciate your sentiments, second brother. You must be tired from the journey; you should rest in the guest room today. We can discuss any other matters some other day.¡± Wei Mingting didn¡¯t really want to hear what Wei Mingyong was saying and hence wanted to wrap up the conversation for the day. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no rush,¡± Wei Mingyong waved his hand, and then asked, ¡°Younger brother, you have read the letter that our eldest brother sent you, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I have read the letter, and I have written my thoughts in the reply letter,¡± Wei Mingting answered. ¡°Eldest brother and I think that we haven¡¯t clearly conveyed about this matter to you, which leads to our different perspectives,¡± Wei Mingyong replied. Wei Mingting frowned; he had guessed that Wei Mingyong¡¯s visit would involve this matter and had intentionally avoided it. But because Wei Mingyong was his second elder brother, Wei Mingting asked patiently, ¡°Is there anything else you want to say to me, second brother?¡± ¡°Younger brother, I know you have been promoted to the rank of fifth-rank Guard Commander, but you should be aware that in our dynasty, civil officials have always been valued more than military officers. The position of military officers in the court has never been high. Your rapid promotion and appointment to an important role are merely due to the headache that the Japanese Pirates have given the court. Once the Japanese Pirate issue is settled, you will likely be marginalized.¡± We Mingyong continued, ¡°If you had a brother in the capital who could speak for you, things would be different. When the war is over, your brother could help you secure a good position in the capital.¡± Wei Mingting replied, ¡°Second Brother, I didn¡¯t join the military to gain recognition. My lifelong goal is to ensure national peace. If the price of peace and stability is my being relegated to insignificance, I will happily ept it.¡± We Mingyong sighed and asked, ¡°Have you ever thought carefully about how long it has been since you returned to the capital? How long has it been since you saw our parents? With the number of injuries you have suffered and the several near-death experiences in these years, don¡¯t you desire a peaceful life in the capital as an official?¡± Wei Mingting answered, ¡°I understand your concern, Second brother. But since I chose to join the army, I didn¡¯t do so in pursuit of afortable life. I knew of the hardships and dangers early on. The fact that I can¡¯t dedicate myself to our parents in person is ungrateful, and for that, I have to trouble you and our elder brother to take care of our parents on my behalf.¡± ¡°You¡¯re as stubborn and bull-headed as ever, younger brother. The wealth and property umted by the Wei family over hundreds of years are now declining and heading towards a dead end. Even if you don¡¯t think for yourself, you should consider our parents, our elder brother and me, and our younger generation.¡± Wei Mingyoung had an exasperated expression. ¡°Second Brother, if nning for our parents, elder brother, and younger members of the family involves attaching ourselves to a particr prince, I think it¡¯s imprudent and not a wise choice.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t it a wise choice? You¡¯re not afraid to go into battle and kill the enemy. Are you afraid of choosing the wrong side and being implicated?¡± asked Wei Mingyong. ¡°Taking on the enemy in battle and dying doing that is a worthy death. If I die in a power struggle, my death would be insignificant.¡± Wei Mingting replied. ¡°Nonsense! Death is death, there¡¯s no difference in weight or significance! Who told you that serving the Sixth Prince would definitely lead to death? All we need to do is support him and do things for him in secret. We are not asked to do anything that would vite our principles or be stigmatized by society for the Sixth Prince. It¡¯s a mutually beneficial deal. If we don¡¯t take the seat that the Sixth Prince has to offer, the Seventh Prince will offer it to someone else. Why should we let such an opportunity slip from our hands?¡± Wei Mingyong refuted. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Mingyong¡¯s remarks prompted a deeper furrow in Wei Mingting¡¯s brow. ¡°Second Brother, do you think that if we simply support the Sixth Prince in secret, he will take care of our family members?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he? It¡¯s a time when everyone is needed, and you and your children have attracted the Sixth Prince¡¯s attention due to your abilities. It¡¯s only natural for the Sixth Prince to want to bring you under hismand,¡± Wei Mingyong responded. After a moment of silence, Wei Mingting said, ¡°Second Brother, you must be tired from the journey. Go have a rest today; I still have some official duties to attend to.¡± Wei Mingting did not want to continue the argument with Wei Mingyong, so he dismissed his brother. ¡°Younger brother¡± Wei Mingyong, still wished to discuss further with Wei Mingting but was escorted out by thetter¡¯s personal guard. With no other choice, Wei Mingyong had to pause for the moment. After all, he was here, and he would have plenty of other opportunities to discuss this matter with his stubborn younger brother. ### On the morning the provincial examination results were announced, Madam Yun woke up early, cleansed herself, and then lit incense to pray and offer blessings in front of the family¡¯s ancestral tablets. Following this, Madam Yun sat in the main hall, asionally sending people out to inquire about the news. ¡°Go and check again. Why is there still no news?¡± Just a quarter of an hour ago, she had sent someone to check, but Madam Yun couldn¡¯t help it and dispatched someone once more. ¡°As you wish, Madam.¡± After another hour, a young servant dashed in. ¡°Madam, great joy, great joy! The eldest young master has made it! He¡¯s made it!¡± Madam Yun stood up abruptly: ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Indeed, those who are here bearing the good news are already at the door!¡± the servant replied. Madam Yun could not contain her joy, ¡°Quick, help me to the door!¡± With the assistant of her maid, Cuiping, Madam Yun hurried towards the main entrance. Chapter 386: 386: Not Surprised He Passed the Imperial Examination_1 Chapter 386: Not Surprised He Passed the Imperial Examination_1 Upon seeing the person bringing the good news at the door, Madam Yun was genuinely convinced of her son¡¯s achievement. She was overwhelmed with joy. ¡°Wonderful! It¡¯s really wonderful!¡± Madam Yun¡¯s eyes moistened with happiness. In her joy, Madam Yun didn¡¯t forget her manners. She warmly weed the carrier of the good news, rewarded him, and also gave bonuses to a few diligent maids and servants. Then she ordered the servants to set off firecrackers in celebration.N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Mingyong, who was residing in the residence, also learned the news immediately and happily rushed to the door. Knowing that Wei Yichen had truly passed the exam, Wei Mingyong greeted Madam Yun with a beaming face: ¡°Congrattions to my brother and sister-inw, Yichen is really an exceptional child! He passed the exam on his first attempt! It¡¯s truly amazing!¡± Madam Yun waspletely immersed in the joy of her son¡¯s sess. In response to Wei Mingyong¡¯s praise, Madam Yun disyed a face full of pride: ¡°I also didn¡¯t expect Yichen to pass the exam on his first attempt.¡± ¡°The credit also goes to you, teaching and raising such an outstanding son! He¡¯s the first schr in our family for three generations, a true honor to our ancestors!¡± Madam Yun replied: ¡°Yichen was always a worry-free child.¡± At this point, Wei Yichen emerged from the house. Compared to the excitement of his elders, Wei Yichen¡¯s reaction was rtively indifferent. ¡°Yichen, you passed! From now on, you¡¯re a schr!¡± Madam Yun excitedly told Wei Yichen.
¡°Yes, I already know.¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s face showed joy, and his tone was much more animated than usual, but he still restrained himself, unlike Madam Yun who wore all her joy on her face. Wei Mingyong walked over and patted Wei Yichen on the shoulder: ¡°Yichen, you¡¯re on a rapid rise now. Don¡¯t forget to extend a helping hand to your uncles and cousins in the future.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Yichen gave a faint response. The joy on his face, which was never too strong to begin with, vanished, reced by the same detached expression he¡¯d had since the day Wei Ruo saved him. ¡°Yichen has grown up. He¡¯s more steady in his actions and speech than before. Even something as joyous as bing a schr doesn¡¯t overly excite him.¡± Wei Mingyong praised. ¡°Now that my father has a different status than before, in order not to be a burden to him, the rest of the family should be more cautious in their words and actions.¡± Wei Yichen responded and continued, ¡°Uncle should also pay more attention.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yichen. Do you think your uncle would be careless? Have I not had more life experience than you¡¯ve had meals? Don¡¯t I know the importance of family unity?¡± Wei Yichen simply nodded in acknowledgment and then returned to the house. Wei Mingyong¡¯s smile stiffened slightly as he watched Wei Yichen leave with a cold look on his face. How had Yichen be more and more like his third brother? He used to be cheerful and talkative, but now, with his solemn and unsmiling demeanor, he looked so much like his third brother! Now that the father and son have risen in ranks, one as a fifth-grade general and the other as a schr, they act more and more superior! They don¡¯t even consider him! Wei Mingyong humphed silently in his heart, but knowing he and his elder brother were still dependent on the father and son from the third room, he suppressed his discontent and wore a sycophantic smile. Later, Wei Mingyong returned to his guest room to think about how he could find another opportunity to talk with Wei Mingting about the unfinished business from yesterday. ### Tingsong Garden. Wei Ruo quickly received news of Wei Yichen¡¯s sess. Wei Ruo was not surprised that Wei Yichen passed the exam. In the original story, Wei Yichen was capable of passing the exam, and could even be a higher-ranking official given the opportunity. However, Wei Qingwan, as a character designed to struggle in the original story, suffered misfortunes not long after she had a rtionship with Chu Lan. Not only did Wei Mingting die in battle, but Wei Yichen also missedter opportunities to take the exam as a result.
Wei Qingwan, who lost the protection of her father¡¯s family, was naturally brought back to Capital City by Chu Lan. It wasn¡¯t until Wei Qingwan became the official wife of Chu Lan and her family regained their strength that the y of rtivesing to curry favor and asking for Wei Qingwan¡¯s help in securing positions and benefits unfolded. Throughout this process, Wei Qingwan¡¯s family was always a burden to her, making her difficult life in Wang Residence even harder. ¡°Miss, the eldest master has achieved high marks. Should we send him some gifts to congratte him?¡± Xiumei asked.
¡°No need for that, I won¡¯t be showing such eagerness. Besides, at this time, I should be in mourning for my second brother and not really interested in other matters. I really shouldn¡¯t be thinking about giving gifts to my eldest brother.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Right, we should appear to be very sad when we go out!¡± Xiumei nodded, thought for a bit, and asked again, ¡°So, Miss, are we going out this afternoon?¡± Wei Ruo originally nned to go out this afternoon to discuss the matters of the new estate in Capital City with her wet nurse and Xu Uncle. Originally, considering the wet nurse and Xu Uncle would be busy with moving houses these past days, Wei Ruo intended to postpone the matters of the provincial city. However, the wet nurse and Xu Zhushan didn¡¯t see it that way. Since Wei Ruo was dragging her feet, they sent two letters to Wei Family asking about Wei Ruo¡¯s arrangement for the new property in the provincial city. They didn¡¯t want the matter concerning Xu Zhengyong¡¯s promotion and the consequent need to move house to dy Wei Ruo¡¯s important matters. In their eyes, Wei Ruo¡¯s matters were far more important than their moving house. ¡°Yes, we will. They¡¯ll be busy with their stuff, we¡¯ll do our own, it won¡¯t interfere. Besides, I n to visit Fengyue Teahouse in the east of the city after discussing the important matters.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Whether or not Wei Yichen passed the exam, Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t overly concerned. She neither relied on Wei Mingting nor would she rely on Wei Yichen. Therefore, she wasn¡¯t particrly interested in their promotions or achievements. In contrast, she cared more about her own business and her second brother¡¯s current situation. Wei Ruo thought that the owner of Fengyue Teahouse might know something, so she decided to pay it a visit today. ¡°What if the Madam and the others ask us where we are going?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°If they ask, just say I went to Yuan Residence. For the livelihood of themon people and for the reputation of Wei Family. Even if I¡¯m grieving, I can¡¯t ignore the people.¡± Wei Ruo replied with a ready-made excuse. Xiumei chuckled, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re right, we¡¯re doing this all for Wei Family!¡±
The maid and her mistress had a simple lunch in Tingsong Garden before setting out visibly and officially. Wei Ruo first went to the Four Treasure House to see her wet nurse and Xu Uncle. They were still living at the old ce and would only move after the new mansion was fully prepared. Wei Ruo discussed some arrangements with her wet nurse, including the newly acquired Fengting Mountain area and the purchase of shops in the provincial city. Chapter 387: 387: Confirming the Current Situation of Second Brother_1 Chapter 387: Confirming the Current Situation of Second Brother_1 For subsequent personnel management matters on Fengting Mountain, Wei Ruo entrusted Zhao Hai, who had already taken actions. However, for other tasks, such as acquisitions, renovations, and the more business-oriented matters, they still needed the nursemaid and Uncle Xu to handle. As for the shop, needless to say, no one else could be more reassuring than the nursemaid and Uncle Xu. Right after finishing the exnation, the nursemaid asked Wei Ruo, ¡°How many years can this perennial rice be grown?¡± The nursemaid grew curious as the perennial rice was nted for the first time. ¡°Roughly four to six years, may vary slightly due to the climate and environmental conditions,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that save a significant amount ofbor costs?¡± said the nursemaid with a delighted face. ¡°Yes, it saves time and effort, easy to manage, and the yield is not low, either. The most important thing about it is, the first year when it goes from seed to seedling is the most vulnerable to environmental conditions. Once the root system is well established, the subsequent disease resistance and weather resistance will be greatly enhanced. As long as the first year goes well, the following years will be easier to manage and,paratively, it guarantees a steady yield.¡± ¡°That¡¯s truly a wonderful variety, especially for areas with many steep mountains!¡± the nursemaid¡¯s tone was full of anticipation for the perennial rice. ¡°Anyway, we will first conduct experiments in the mountains of Fengting in the provincial capital. Once they are sessful, we will promote them on arger scale next year, so that even the steep hills can be nted with rice,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll do as you say, youngdy,¡± said the nursemaid in reply.
Xu Zhushan listened attentively and nodded in agreement along with the nursemaid¡¯s responses. The phrase ¡®as the wife says, so says the husband¡¯ was the perfect description for him. Wei Ruo spent a little over an hour in the Four Treasure House before she headed to Zuixian Residence to discuss business expansion ns in the provincial capital with Fan Chengxu. Fan Chengxu¡¯s requirement was simple, same benefits Wei Ruo offered him exclusively in Taizhou prefecture should also be granted in Lin¡¯an Prefecture. Wei Ruo promptly agreed, with prices set the same as the ones in Taizhou¡¯s Zuixian Residence. Their understanding of each other was growing by the day, already having surpassed the initial stages of tentative exploration. Wei Ruo was pleased by their rtionship, and Fan Chengxu was even more delighted. ¡°Heyou, can we consider each other as friends by now?¡± Once their business matters were wrapped up, Fan Chengxu couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking Wei Ruo. ¡°Was there ever a time when we were enemies, Master Fan?¡± Wei Ruo asked in reply. ¡°I have always thought that in your eyes, I am just your business partner.¡± Fan Chengxu pondered as he looked into Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes while fanning himself. Although Heyou wasn¡¯t particrly handsome, his eyes shone brightly, and Fan Chengxu liked them a lot. Wei Ruo said, ¡°Master Fan, business people should not mix emotions with business. Once feelings get involved, business negotiations be blurry.¡± ¡°However, life without emotions while only focusing on business is quite dull. I consider meeting Heyou as finding a rare friend, even if it costs me some business opportunities, it is not necessarily a bad thing,¡± Fan Chengxu replied. He admitted that this idea might not be the most rational and did not align with his usual business practices. But he still felt it was worth it when it came to Xu Heyou. ¡°Master Fan, I had never anticipated you held such an impression of me,¡± Wei Ruo responded, smiling. ¡°Heyou, don¡¯t be so skeptical. Even though I often lie, whatever I told you today is all true. I genuinely like doing business with you; I even consider you as my best friend. If you were a woman, I even wanted to take you as my wife.¡± Fan Chengxu said earnestly. ¡°Master Fan, stop joking around. Our business coboration is going so well and then you switch between us being ¡®best friends¡¯ to ¡®a married couple¡¯, aren¡¯t you afraid to scare me off?¡± Wei Ruo chuckled.
Disappointment flickered in Fan Chengxu¡¯s eyes but was quickly overtaken by his cunning smile. He responded, waving his fan, ¡°Fine, fine, let¡¯s quit the jokes and get back to business.¡± Xu Heyou¡¯s nature reminded him of his earlier self, not interested in personal rtionships, only focusing on business, trade, and money. At that time, he despised those who tried to engage him emotionally. Now, he wanted to engage with Xu Heyou emotionally, but Xu Heyou turned out to be unyielding. He had no idea what to do about it. Wei Ruo and Fan Chengxu talked for a good portion of an hour. Declining Fan Chengxu¡¯s invitation to dine together, Wei Ruo made her way to the eastern side of the city.
It was like the boss of Fengyue Teahouse already knew Wei Ruo woulde in advance, so he had people waiting for her. As soon as Wei Ruo entered the teahouse, she was invited upstairs by a waiter. Then the boss handed a letter to Wei Ruo, and whispered, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. Everything is going well with your master.¡± Wei Ruo opened the letter. However, it only contained three simple sentences. ¡°Well, I am. Don¡¯t miss. See you in the Capital City. Take care.¡± Holding the letter in her hand, Wei Ruo pondered over for a while, then asked the boss, ¡°Is the task my second brother undertaking dangerous?¡± Prior to this, Wei Ruo had not been asking about Wei Jinyi¡¯s activities directly. Although she had a hunch that it was certainly not easy, she never explicitly asked about it. But now it hade to this ¨C he even staged a fake death. This told her that the situation was moreplex and dangerous than she¡¯d imagined. ¡°Miss, Master does not want to you to worry,¡± said the boss, answering the question indirectly. ¡°Do you think I could keep from worrying after seeing thingse to this stage?¡± Wei Ruo questioned. ¡°Well¡­¡± The boss knew his exnation was feeble. The expression on his face was awkward, but he didn¡¯t want to reveal the reality to Wei Ruo, so he tried exining, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s almost finished. It won¡¯t be dangerous in the future.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om His exnation didn¡¯t fully convince Wei Ruo. ¡°If all the danger had indeed passed, he wouldn¡¯t have had to use the ¡®escaping by feigning death¡¯ tactic. His purpose in doing this was to avoid implicating other members of the Wei Family. Am I right?¡± At this, the boss was momentarily speechless. He wanted to deny it, but Wei Ruo was too urate.
Wei Ruo didn¡¯t press the boss further. ¡°I won¡¯t make it difficult for you. It seems he has already instructed you not to reveal any information to me. I just have one request. If there is anything new about him, no matter good or bad, let me know.¡± ¡°Miss, rest assured, as soon as I have any news from Master, I will inform you immediately,¡± the boss promptly agreed. Havingpleted her questioning, Wei Ruo stood up, ready to leave. But the boss quickly stopped her. ¡°Miss, I have prepared a batch of medicinal materials for you, per Master¡¯s orders.¡± Wei Ruo paused and muttered for a moment before replying, ¡°Send them to the same address asst time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± agreed the boss, continuing, ¡°And Miss, if there¡¯s anything else you need, just send a message to me.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Wei Ruo replied without saying much else since she didn¡¯t currently require anything. With her agreement, Wei Ruo, apanied by Xiumei, left the tea house. Chapter 388: 388: Confronting Second Uncle_1 Chapter 388: Confronting Second Uncle_1 The news of Wei Yichen passing the imperial examinations also reached Wei Qingwan¡¯s ears. Upon hearing the news, Wei Qingwan felt a mix of joy and worry. She sat quietly in the dpidated courtyard of the vi, lost in thought as she gazed into the distance. ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you happy? The eldest young master has be a schr, how honorable it is. In the future, he could take the imperial examination again. If he bes an advanced schr, his future would be boundless.¡± Cuihe asked. ¡°What good is that? He treats me as a stranger now. Even if he had more abilities in the future, he wouldn¡¯t care about me.¡± Wei Qingwan replied with a sorrowful and resentful look. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t think like that. Although the eldest young master is not close to you now, he is your brother after all. Even if he treats you poorly at home, he will still care about the kinship outside the house. As long as he seeds, your status whether in marriage or in your husband¡¯s family will be guaranteed.¡± Cuihe analyzed whileforting Wei Qingwan. ¡°How could I not know that?¡± Wei Qingwan naturally understood the ins and outs of this matter, ¡°but¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Cuihe asked. ¡°There has been no news from young master Qi¡­ I wonder if something has happened.¡± Wei Qingwan expressed her concern. When theyst met, young master Qi had promised her that he would write a letter to his family about the issue and propose marriage to her father.
Recently, there has been a series of good news from home ¨C her father got promoted to the rank of guardmander, her brother passed the examination, but Wei Qingwan still hadn¡¯t received any news from Qi Zhen. It had been ten days since theirst contact, which made her increasingly worried. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. Young master Qi is a busy man. He must have a lot to deal with. It doesn¡¯t mean that he doesn¡¯t care about you.¡± ¡°I trust him, I¡¯m just worried about his family.¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°Miss, there is no need to worry. Your status, along with the changing status of Master and eldest young master, has greatly improved, making you gradually worthy of Master Qi.¡± Cuihe exined. ¡°Hopefully so.¡± Wei Qingwan said. ### We Yichen¡¯s sess in the imperial examination brought a period of excitement to the Wei family. During this period, Wei Ruo also heard that Wei Yichen¡¯s ssmate Xiu Fengyuan had not only passed the examination but also ranked first in the examination. This brought great joy to the Xiu family and many notable people came to congratte them. In addition to this, another person Wei Ruo knew, Zhao Xun, also passed the examination. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t expect this as Zhao Xun¡¯s health was not good. It was already quite good if he could finish the examination. But he passed the examination, which made Wei Ruo have to take a fresh look at Zhao Xun. If this man were healthy, we wouldn¡¯t know what great achievements he might make in the future. During this time, Wei Mingyong had been staying in the General Residence, and he often talked to Wei Yichen when he had time. Since Wei Mingting often wasn¡¯t at home, the only thing he could do was to work on Wei Yichen¡¯s thoughts. Wei Yichen¡¯s reactions were rather cold. He was still polite to Wei Mingyong, but he quickly dismissed what he said, not giving him an inch, making Wei Mingyong very frustrated. After Wei Yichen turned him away one day, Wei Mingyong decided to go out and take a walk to let off steam. He ran into Wei Ruo who wasing back from outside at the doorway. Wei Mingyong immediately called a halt to Wei Ruo. ¡°Dear niece.¡±
Wei Ruo stopped and looked at Wei Mingyong. Wei Mingyong had been at the General Residence for several days now, and this was the first time the two of them had bumped into each other. Normally, Wei Ruo either stayed in her courtyard or went out, so she didn¡¯t have much contact with the other people in the residence, not to mention Wei Mingyong. Wei Mingyong actually wanted to talk to Wei Ruo, but he just couldn¡¯t find an appropriate opportunity. He couldn¡¯t run directly to Wei Ruo¡¯s courtyard to visit her as he did with Wei Yichen.
Today he finally found the opportunity. ¡°Second uncle, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Wei Ruo asked. A warm smile was on Wei Mingyong¡¯s face, ¡°Dear niece, I had heard about you when I was in the Capital City. You truly live up to being the legitimate daughter of our Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. You remind me of your grandmother¡¯s demeanor.¡± ¡°You tter me, second uncle.¡± Wei Ruo responded with a polite yet aloof smile. Wei Mingyong continued, ¡°Niece, you are already fourteen now, it¡¯s a good time for you to discuss marriage. If our family has a little more prestige, it would be easier for you when the timees.¡± ¡°Marriage is a matter for parental orders and matchmakers¡¯ words.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°But you must know that the honor of the family is closely rted to every individual in the family. No matter what happens, the Wei family will always be your support.¡± Wei Mingyong added. ¡°It should be so.¡± Wei Ruo replied in a t tone. Wei Mingyong sighed and said, ¡°Such a pity, your father doesn¡¯t understand this principle. He ispletely preupied with winning battles and defending the nation, he doesn¡¯t think about the honor of the family at all.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t winning battles his and Wei Family¡¯s highest honor? How can you say that my father is not considering the honor of the family?¡± Wei Ruo retorted.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s not a problem for him to win battles, but that¡¯s not a long-term solution. I don¡¯t think the Japanese Pirates will continue to be a problem for much longer. In order to keep the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in glory, we have to raise some more talents in our family, especially some civil officials who can stand firm in court to support your father!¡± Wei Mingyong exined. ¡°Now, hasn¡¯t my elder brother passed the examination? I believe with my elder brother¡¯s talent, it won¡¯t be long before he can serve in court, and then he will be able to support my father.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Your elder brother is still a bit young. Without the help of others, it would be extremely difficult for him to rise to the top.¡±
¡°Second Uncle should encourage other cousins in the family to work hard then, so that there can be more schrs. Oh no¡­ it seems the other cousins haven¡¯t even passed the examination for schr yet. Let¡¯s focus on that first.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Wei Mingyong frowned. ¡°Then what is the second uncle saying? Isn¡¯t it about hoping there would be more people in the family to support my father? Isn¡¯t it about wishing the family would produce more civil officials?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Wei Mingyong sighed again, ¡°s, let me put it straight. Right now, there is a great opportunity in front of our Wei family. As long as your father agrees, we have the chance to be lifted up by the sixth prince. This is much faster than passing the imperial examination.¡± Wei Ruo gave a slight smile. In fact, she knew what Wei Mingyong meant right from the start. ¡°Second uncle, who wants to associate with the sixth prince, should do it himself. What¡¯s the point of looking for my father who is unable to bring enough honor to the family?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°You child, I¡¯ve exined it to you for so long, why haven¡¯t you gotten it? The sixth prince specifically wants your father and you to assist him. This matter can only proceed if your father agrees.¡± ¡°Second Uncle, it¡¯s quite amusing what you said just now. On one hand, you think my father¡¯s abilities are limited and he is not able to support the prestige of the Wei family. On the other hand, you say that the sixth prince will only provide the Wei family with support if my father agrees to serve him. So, does my father have abilities or not?¡± Chapter 389: 389: The Empresss Reward_1 Chapter 389: The Empress¡¯s Reward_1 Intending to bask in Wei Mingting¡¯s standing, yet believing Wei Mingting is incapable of upholding the Wei Family on his own and requires support from elder brothers. Isn¡¯t thatughable on Wei Mingyong¡¯s part? Although that was exactly the kind of person he was in the original work, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but be rendered speechless by his shamelessness when faced with it in reality. ¡°Niece, aren¡¯t your words neglecting the broader view? Your second uncle has already analyzed the situation very thoroughly for you. One chopstick is easily breakable, but a handful isn¡¯t. Is it that you do not understand this simple logic? Your father and yourself are both somewhat capable, but depending solely on the two of you is far from sufficient!¡± ¡°I must be a fool, for I indeed cannot fullyprehend second uncle¡¯s meaning. Why don¡¯t you continue discussing this matter with my father and elder brother instead? I am merely a woman, and indeedck the capability to have much say in the rise and fall of our n.¡± Wei Ruo replied, her tone stern. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Wei Mingyong¡¯s face darkened immediately. ¡°Is there a problem with what I said? If you have a problem, discuss it rationally with my father and elder brother. Why are you looking to me?¡± Wei Ruo retorted with a smile in her eyes. ¡°Wei Qingruo, I am your second uncle, your elder. I am discussing this matter with you merely as a concession. Is this how a youngdy from the Duke¡¯s Residence behaves?¡± ¡°Whether I act like a youngdy from the Duke¡¯s Residence is none of your concern, second uncle.¡± Wei Ruo replied coldly. ¡°Your¡­ It¡¯s no wonder the Xiu Family wanted to annul the marriage because of your manners!¡± Wei Mingyong roared in anger. During his few days in Taizhou prefecture, he had managed to inquire about every incident that had urred in the Wei Family during this time.
He had heard from somewhere about Wei Ruo¡¯s potential union with the well-known Xiu family from Taizhou prefecture, but in the end, it did not happen. ¡°Second Uncle should be more careful with his words. I was never engaged, so where is the question of an annulment?¡± Wei Ruo replied coldly. ¡°Ha, I heard that the eldest son of the Xiu family passed the provincial examination this time. The opportunity to elevate your status was in front of you, it is a pity you did not have that fortune.¡± ¡°Elevate my status? Are you suggesting that the Wei Family is pond scum, Second Uncle? Then what would that make you?¡± Wei Ruo asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°You¡­¡± Realizing he has been insulted, Wei Mingyong¡¯s face darkened even further. ¡°You are disrespecting your elders, showing no respect, talking gibberish!¡± He had hit a brick wall with Wei Mingting and Wei Yichen, but they were at least courteous enough to give him face. This grandniece of his, on the other hand, was downright disrespecting him! Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to argue with Wei Mingyong anymore: ¡°I have some things to do, so I¡¯ll return to my room first. Please, feel free to do whatever you want, second uncle.¡± After she finished speaking, Wei Ruo walked straight past Wei Mingyong, heading towards the backyard. Wei Mingyong watched with wide eyes as Wei Ruo walked away, then snarled, ¡°This is outrageous! This girl is showing no respect for her elders! No manners at all! Not a single respectable person has been raised by the third branch of our family!¡± ### As the days of September waned, the rice in Taizhou prefecture was all harvested. Those who heeded Wei Ruo¡¯s advice andplied with the government office¡¯s arrangements benefited immensely from it. Once the peasants reaped their rich harvests, tax was collected by the government office, allowing the granaries to be filled up. With a good yield of rice, the government office felt more confident about remation. Meanwhile, the nting of winter wheat on the reimednd was proceeding smoothly. The lush green wheat seedlings symbolized hope. Because of this, the disaster-relief vigers who participated in the remation were more motivated. Even the influential families participating in it from Taizhou prefecture were high-spirited, with many wishing to further increase investment. Taizhou prefecture¡¯s excellent disaster relief performance naturally attracted the attention of the Imperial Court, especially when contrasted with the disaster relief performance of the sixth prince. The Court dispatched an envoy to Taizhou prefecture to announce amendation for leading figures such as Yuan Zhengqin. This list also included Madam Yuan and Wei Ruo.
Furthermore, the mother of Chu Lan, Imperial Concubine Hui, gifted an assortment of high quality items to Wei Ruo. These items arrived at Taizhou prefecture at the same time as the court envoy sent by the Imperial Court. Madam Yuan sent someone to the General Residence to summon Wei Ruo immediately upon receiving the news. Knowing that the Imperial Concubine had gifted Wei Ruo additional rewards, Yun was particrly serious, reminding Wei Ruo repeatedly before she left, ¡°Thank them properly for the rewards, and be cautious when you meet the pce attendant who delivers the rewards. They are generally the favored few in the imperial harem.¡± ¡°I understand.¡±
Just as Wei Ruo was about to leave, Wei Mingyong arrived as well. Wei Mingyong frowned and anxiously said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Dear niece, you should give careful consideration to this reward from Lady Hui.¡± Concubine Hui is Chu Lan¡¯s biological mother, while Wei Mingyong wanted to curry favour with Chu Heng, the sixth prince. Hence, he hoped that the members of the Wei family wouldn¡¯t be deeply entwined with Chu Lan¡¯s side. Yun¡¯s gaze hardened, and she urged Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruo, go ahead. Don¡¯t keep the people of the Yuan Residence waiting too long.¡± Wei Ruo nodded her head and left. Wei Mingyong had not finished speaking. However, Wei Ruo had already left. So he turned to Yun and said, ¡°Third Sister-inw, I think it¡¯s better for our family not to get deeply entangled with the seventh prince.¡± Yun¡¯s face darkened slightly: ¡°Second elder brother, you are being overly anxious. Our family has never had much to do with any of the princes. Whether it is my husband¡¯s contact with the seventh prince in the military camp or the intersection of Ruo¡¯s disaster relief efforts with the seventh prince, they are all due to the situation. I would beseech you not to over-interpret.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about whether or not I over-interpret, it¡¯s about whether or not others will misunderstand when they find out.¡± Wei Mingyong insisted anxiously. ¡°If there is no wrong, you can¡¯t fear your shadow being skew. Second elder brother, you need not be overly concerned about these things. Besides, this is a reward bestowed by the Concubine, we can¡¯t possibly reject this act of grace, can we?¡± Yun replied. ¡°I am not saying that Ruo should not ept the reward. It is a joyous asion that Ruo has beenmended this time, and I, as her uncle, am also happy for her. I am merely reminding Ruo and my third sister-inw not to be confused by the Imperial Concubine¡¯s rewards.¡± ¡°Second brother, rest assured, Ruo is a girl of measure. You needn¡¯t worry about her in this matter.¡± Although Yun didn¡¯t agree with many of Wei Ruo¡¯s actions, she was confident about Wei Ruo¡¯s judgment when it came to matters that involved the Wei Family and imperial court affairs. After finishing her words, Yun let Cuiping help her return to Cangyun Garden.
Wei Mingyong gritted his teeth and muttered after Yun left, ¡°Women, long hair and short ideas! Can the seventh prince bepared to the sixth prince? The sixth prince¡¯s mother is an Imperial Concubine, his uncle is the Prime Minister, and he has countless followers. And the seventh prince¡¯s maternal family has nothing! How can theypare?¡± ¡°They have said that they don¡¯t want to get involved in the princes¡¯ disputes, but they are entangled with the seventh prince! Anyone with a bit of sense would know which side has a better future!¡± Wei Mingyong only dared to grumble like this when no one was around. He did not have the courage to speak too straightforwardly in front of Yun. If he offended the people from the third branch of the family, he wouldn¡¯t gain anything worthwhile. Chapter 390: Sick Seedling 9th Prince_1 Chapter 390: Sick Seedling 9th Prince_1 Wei Ruo was brought before Madam Yuan. Also present were Madam Qin and another elderly woman Wei Ruo had never met before. Madam Qin introduced her to Wei Ruo, ¡°My dear, this is Madam Zeng.¡± Wei Ruo looked at her, gauging from Madam Qin¡¯s tone and demeanor, she deduced that while both were pce matrons, Madam Zeng¡¯s status was somewhat higher. ¡°This humble subject greets you, my dear.¡± Madam Zeng slightly bowed, her attitude towards Wei Ruo being polite and respectful, much like Madam Qin¡¯s. ¡°Madam Zeng.¡± Wei Ruo nodded to her in return. ¡°My dear, these are all gifts from Her Majesty, acknowledging your contribution to the people of the Taizhou prefecture.¡± A few boxes rested next to Madam Zeng, covered with red cloth. Although the contents were not visible, Wei Ruo knew from the ceremony that they were valuable and exquisite gifts. ¡°I thank Her Majesty for her gracious gifts.¡± Wei Ruo responded. She thought to herself, that the Empress, at least, was more generous than her son, knowing full well when to give her a gift in return for the effort she put in helping the Empress¡¯ son. ¡°No need for the formalities, my dear. The rewards given by Her Majesty are also approved by His Majesty, acknowledging your capabilities.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s role in leading the disaster relief made her eligible formendation, but since she is a member of the royal family, it would not be proper for the Emperor to reward her directly. Instead, the Empress, mother of Prince Seven who was highlighted in this event, granted the reward. This approach disyed propriety, whilst still acknowledging the aplishment. ¡°I humbly ept His Majesty¡¯s gracious favor.¡± Wei Ruo quickly said. ¡°Her Majesty said that she wants to summon you to Capital City to thank you in person.¡± dered Madam Zeng, in the kindest voice. ¡°I am terrified, having merely done my duty; I dare not im any credit.¡± Wei Ruo immediately replied. Madam Zeng took Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and softly patted the back of it, ¡°My dear, I hope that in the future you will continue to strive for the betterment of the people, much like what you did with His Highness Prince Seven.¡± Wei Ruo rewarded Madam Zeng with a faint smile, instantly understanding the implications of her words. They were subtly insinuating that she should continue to support Chu Lan. Wei Ruo replied: ¡°Madam, I am a mere woman; there isn¡¯t much I can do. I was only able to serve the people to the best of my ability after Madam Yuan deigned to mentor and guide me. I have already disyed all my capabilities, and I don¡¯t think I can assist with anything else.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t belittle yourself, my dear. Even the things you have done so far are out of reach for many young girls from noble families.¡± Madam Zeng said. Wei Ruo simply responded with a smile. Seeing that Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t very ustomed to this kind of situation, Madam Yuan stepped forward to talk to Madam Zeng, ¡°Madam, your words have nearly embarrassed our dear Ruoruo to death. You mustn¡¯t put too much pressure on her.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Madam Zeng agreed,ughing, ¡°It¡¯s clear to see that the Commandery Princess truly likes you, dear Ruo. She is afraid that I, an old woman, might scare you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just your fear of her? I¡¯ve heard of your reputation since I was a child.¡± Madam Yuan teased. Madam Yuan had often visited the pce, and was acquainted with the favored pce matrons which included Madam Zeng with her substantial years of service. ¡°Oh, Commandery Princess, your words make me, a humble old woman, more than just a little anxious. If our Prince hears of this, it might cost me my life!¡± Madam Zeng said, wearing a big smile. The two matrons, Madam Yuan, and Wei Ruo chatted for a while ¨C the conversation mostly dominated by the former three while Wei Ruo asionally threw in her own agreement and uttered few words. After a quarter of an hour, Madam Zeng and Madam Qin bid farewell to Madam Yuan, who sent a maid named Qingyi to send the two matrons off. Only Madam Yuan and Wei Ruo remained in the room. Madam Yuan gently told Wei Ruo, ¡°Although Empress Huicks favor, she has the meritorious Prince Seven as her son. Her ce in the pce is unshakeable. As for Madam Zeng, she¡¯s a seasoned pce goer, even having served the Empress Dowager. Her words carry some weight even before the Emperor.¡± Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°Thank you, Madam, for enlightening me. I will remember this.¡± Madam Yuan continued, ¡°The rewards from Empress Hui must be directed by the Emperor himself, so you do not need to worry about any presumable ties with Prince Seven caused by this.¡± ¡°I have thought of that.¡± said Wei Ruo, having deliberated on this issue on her way here. Empress Hui was a concubine and openly bestowing gifts to a member of the royal family, if she was trying to recruit Wei Ruo to her side, she would be incredibly foolish. Madam Yuan¡¯s words confirmed Wei Ruo¡¯s thoughts. It was evident then, that Wei Mingyong¡¯s concerns were all unnecessary, nothing more than his foolish assumptions. Then Madam Yuan said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Speaking of which, before you arrived, Madam Zeng told me something important that recently happened in the Capital City.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°You probably have heard that thepetition for the heir apparent has been heating up recently between Prince Six and Prince Seven. Prince Six has the backing of his maternal rtives in the court with numerous supporters, while Prince Seven with his superior abilities is also a strong contender. Prince Six initially held a slight advantage, but the tide has turned as ofte in favor of Prince Seven, after the former¡¯s unsessful relief efforts during the disaster and thetter¡¯s meritorious actions. ¡°I¡¯ve heard something about it.¡± Wei Ruo wondered why Madam Yuan brought this up at this time. ¡°Then you probably don¡¯t know yet that Prince Nine has appeared. The situation is about to change.¡± Madam Yuan dropped a bombshell. ¡°Prince Nine?¡± Wei Ruo looked at Madam Yuan in disbelief. ¡°Yes, Prince Nine.¡± Madam Yuan assured. ¡°I have heard some rumors about Prince Nine before, but those were surely just rumors, right?¡± Wei Ruo felt justified to be doubtful, as Prince Nine never featured in thepetition for session in the original script. When the dust settled, it was Chu Lan who emerged victoriously and there was no mention of Prince Nine anywhere. Prince Nine only existed in the people¡¯s conversation and seemed to be a character in the Emperor¡¯s heart, much like the male lead¡¯s deceased beloved in his memories. Whenever Prince Six or Prince Seven did something to upset Emperor, he would remember his child with his beloved Empress Xu. Even though the child died soon after birth, it did not prevent him from imagining, in his heart, the child as the perfect and excellent son he could have had. ¡°I initially thought the same too, but it turns out that he really does exist. And appeared just in time when the treason case of Duke Xu was being re-reviewed.¡± Madam Yuan said. ¡°Is it really Prince Nine? Or someone posing as him?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Madam Yuan shook her head, ¡°We are still not sure about that, but the people escorting him to Capital City are the former servants of Empress Xu, and they have her relic with them, a feat that an ordinary impersonator can¡¯t achieve.¡± Wei Ruo furrowed her brows in confusion. The original script never mentioned anything like this! ¡°However¡­ it appears that Prince Nine suffers from ill health, as he looks sickly and as if he won¡¯t live long.¡± Madam Yuan added. Chapter 391 - 391 Don’t Care About Those Things_1 Chapter 391: Don¡¯t Care About Those Things_1 ¡°Ill? What illness?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°We are not quite sure yet, even the imperial physicians in the pce have not been able to make a diagnosis. They have only announced that he will not live very long,¡± Madam Yuan responded. With his uncertain identity and sudden appearance, this ninth prince would have been a significantpetitor, but he turned out to be a sick individual on his deathbed. It seemed that the capital was destined to be thrown into chaos. Wei Ruo contemted and then said, ¡°This incident is indeed surprising and unexpected, but for me, it¡¯s only a matter of interest. As for the struggle for imperial power, it has nothing to do with me or the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Ruoruo is always clear-headed and her words make sense. I¡¯m only sharing this news with you for amusement. You must not be overzealous and get involved in this power struggle with the General¡¯s Residence, or else it might cause unnecessary trouble,¡± Madam Yuan warned. She cared about Wei Ruo, which was why she took the trouble to admonish her, something she wouldn¡¯t do for others. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam. If I had a choice, I would always choose to stay far away from this mess. I¡¯m not interested in power struggles. Rather than spending my time pondering these issues, I would prefer to focus on how to produce more and better crops, and on how to ensure that more people have enough to eat,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Exactly,¡± said Madam Yuan, her eyes filled with approval. ### Wei Ruo returned from the Yuan Residence, bringing back arge number of rewards. Wei Mingyong had been waiting at the door for Wei Ruo. When he saw her, he rushed over to see what she had brought back. Just as he was about to lift the red cloth to take a peek, he was stopped by the quick-acting Xiumei. ¡°Lao Ye, what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°What does a little maid like you have to do with what I want to do?¡± Wei Mingyong blustered. How absurd! Was even a little maid now daring to interfere with his affairs? Wei Mingyong was a bit frustrated as he watched over a dozen boxes being carried into the backyard. He hadn¡¯t even seen what was inside them yet! His instinct told him that they were full of valuable items! Upon spotting Wei Ruo dismounting the carriage, Wei Mingyong stepped forward and blocked her path, resuming the conversation he had been unable to finish before she left. ¡°Great-niece, your Uncle Er may have some views you may not like to hear, but theye from the heart. They will benefit both you and the Wei Family. Everyone can see clearly who between the sixth and seventh princes has a greater chance of gaining the throne. You must not be naive!¡± ¡°Uncle Er, you should save these words for my father and brothers,¡± Wei Ruo replied, her attitude unchanged. ¡°You are the eldest legitimate daughter of the Wei Family. You should listen carefully to what you should understand! This matter concerns the future of the Wei Family, you cannot feign ignorance,¡± Wei Mingyong stated seriously. ¡°I am not feigning ignorance. I am actually advising Uncle Er to understand what¡¯s going on before making judgments. Don¡¯t echo others¡¯ opinions blindly, and don¡¯t take sides without thinking, in case the whole Wei Family gets implicated,¡± Wei Ruo fired back. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that her actions could affect Wei Mingyong due to their blood ties, Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t even have bothered to talk so much with him. ¡°How dare you! Are you saying that I¡¯m wrong? You, a girl who should be confined to her boudoir, what do you know?¡± Wei Mingyong snapped angrily. ¡°Everything my sister said is right.¡± Wei Yichen had also arrived at the gate at some point, standing next to Wei Ruo. His tall figure was standing behind Wei Ruo as if to back her up, and his words also seemed to support her. ¡°Yichen, you better not talk nonsense just to protect your sister,¡± Wei Mingyong warned. ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense. We shouldn¡¯t judge things based only on their surface. The situation is still unsettled, so we shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions. For the Wei n in its current weak state, taking sides now is definitely not a good strategy,¡± Wei Yichen exined. ¡°All this talk simply shows that you¡¯re too timid to act,¡± Wei Mingyong grumbled discontentedly. ¡°Then Uncle, you can just think of us as timid,¡± said Wei Yichen, not minding Wei Mingyong¡¯s usations of cowardice. Wei Ruo looked up at Wei Yichen beside her. It wasn¡¯t her imagination, Wei Yichen truly had changed. Seeing Wei Yichen¡¯s attitude, Wei Mingyong gave up on his n to persuade them for the time being. ¡°Forget it. I won¡¯t argue with you about these matters anymore.¡± Then he asked, ¡°Can I see what Princess Hui has rewarded my great-niece?¡± Wei Ruo wanted to refuse, but Wei Mingyong didn¡¯t give her the chance to decline and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m just looking, I won¡¯t take your stuff. I¡¯m your elder, I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. You wouldn¡¯t be so petty as to not even let me look, would you?¡± Wei Ruo pondered for a moment, nced at Wei Yichen, and then said, ¡°All right, since my older brother is also here, we can look together.¡± Wei Yichen nodded. Thus, the three of them headed to Wei Ruo¡¯s Tingsong Garden together. Those twelve chests had already been delivered to Wei Ruo¡¯s Tingsong garden. The moment they entered, they saw the room full of chests. Wei Ruo then proceeded to remove each red cloth cover. Before now, Wei Ruo had only read the list of rewards and hadn¡¯t seen the actual items. Twelve chests of rewards, two chests of jewelry and essories, four chests of silk and brocade, two chests of dried goods and delicacies, and four chests of porcin and paintings. Wei Mingyong¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at the items, eximing, ¡°Princess Hui is so generous! She has given you so many valuable items!¡± Wei Yichen calmly stated, ¡°This is not the grace of Princess Hui, but themand of the Emperor.¡± ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s not Princess Hui? It¡¯s a reward from the Emperor to our Wei Family?¡± Wei Mingyong looked astonished. ¡°Without the Emperor¡¯s permission, Princess Hui wouldn¡¯t be able to reward a subject¡¯s daughter sovishly on her own. It would be considered cronyism,¡± Wei Yichen exined. Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze towards Wei Yichen was filled with newfound respect. Although he might not understand the affairs of the inner court, he had a clear understanding of the matters of the royal court. ¡°Is that so?!¡± Wei Mingyong¡¯s face lit up with joy, ¡°The Emperor has rewarded the Wei Family! That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Wei Mingyong¡¯s initial fear vanished upon hearing Wei Yichen¡¯s exnation. All that was left now was joy over receiving the rewards. ¡°These are not for the Wei Family, they are rewards for my big sister,¡± Wei Yichen corrected. ¡°It¡¯s the same thing. She hasn¡¯t married out yet, she¡¯s still a part of our Wei Family,¡± Wei Mingyong said, guffawing. Wei Yichen did not respond to this, but added, ¡°Now that we¡¯ve seen everything, we can go. My sister has been running around all day and must be tired by now, let¡¯s allow her to rest.¡± Wei Mingyong nced at Wei Ruo, ¡°Great-niece, since you¡¯ve received rewards, shouldn¡¯t you prepare some gifts for your grandparents in the capital?¡± Wei Mingyong said he wouldn¡¯t take his niece¡¯s things, but he didn¡¯t say he wouldn¡¯t ask for things on behalf of others. As a granddaughter, it would be only right for her to show filial piety to her grandparents. No one could fault him on this. Wei Yichen¡¯s expression darkened slightly, but he could not refute Wei Mingyong, for what he said was not wrong. He looked at Wei Ruo, wondering how she would respond. Chapter 392: 392: Distributing Rewards and Prizes_1 Chapter 392: Distributing Rewards and Prizes_1 Under their gaze, Wei Ruo slowly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle, I won¡¯t forget our grandparents. Once I sort these things out, I will pick some gifts to send to the Capital City for them.¡± Hearing Wei Ruo say this, Wei Mingyong was quite satisfied: ¡°My niece always understands the important things.¡± Immediately after, Wei Ruo turned her head to Wei Yichen, ¡°Brother, in a few days, Miss Xie¡¯s family will send things on a ship from Taizhou prefecture to the Capital City, first bynd and then by sea. I can ask her to take some things for me, if you have anything you¡¯d like to send to our grandparents, they can take it too.¡± Xie Ying and Wei Ruo still own a medicinal field in Xingshan County, which is now operating quite well. Xie Ying had also opened a medicine shop in the Capital City. Wei Ruo would send some goods there for Xie Ying to sell in her shop every once in a while. Of course, the products from their medicinal field alone weren¡¯t sufficient, most of the herbs in the shop were still purchased from other ces. After Wei Ruo finished speaking, Wei Mingyong¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Niece, that¡¯s unnecessary, right? In a few days, I am going back to the Capital City. I can deliver the items directly myself then. It¡¯s a bit inappropriate to entrust such precious items to unreliable merchants,¡± said Wei Mingyong. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry, uncle. The ones sending are notmon merchants, but trusted people from the Xie family. Besides, weren¡¯t you nning to stay at the General Residence for a while? I wouldn¡¯t want to dy you,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Wei Yichen also said, ¡°That¡¯s true. Moreover, uncle, if you¡¯re going alone with a few servants, carrying too much luggage isn¡¯t convenient for travel and might attract thieves. With all the instability and rampant banditry now, carrying valuable items with you is even more dangerous.¡±
With what Wei Ruo and Wei Yichen said, Wei Mingyong was left speechless. The smile on Wei Mingyong¡¯s face waspletely forced. ¡°Alright, then.¡± It was obvious that he was not very willing to let Wei Ruo arrange it this way, but he had no way to argue against her. Afterwards, Wei Ruo excused herself to rest and saw Wei Mingyong and Wei Yichen off. Wei Yichen left promptly, while Wei Mingyong lingered, frequently looking back as he left. After Wei Ruo closed the courtyard door, she and Xiumei began sorting through the pile of rewarded items. At first nce, it was clear the rewards were of high value. The jewelry and essories were things you wouldn¡¯t see ordinarily. ¡°Miss, the pearls iid here are sorge. It¡¯s my first time seeing ones this big! And this jade pendant. It looks like it could be exchanged for a good deal of silver!¡± Like Wei Ruo, the only thing Xiumei could think of when looking at these items was that they were valuable! ¡°This jade pendant, hairpin, and pendant are for you. Also, take this bracelet and head ornament set to the nursemaid. She holds status now and can show these things off.¡± Wei Ruo first selected a heap of stuff to give to Xiumei, the nursemaid, and others. ¡°No, no, this is too valuable.¡± Xiumei refused. ¡°Only such a valuable item will be suitable for my darling Xiumei!¡± ¡°But these items were given to you as rewards. How can I just take them like that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it. These items were rewarded to me, it¡¯s my right to distribute them,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Weo Ruo then looked at the two carriers of porcin and paintings. Originally, the paintings could have been sent to her second brother. But since he¡¯s whereabouts were unknown now, she had to hold on to them for now. Wei Ruo nevertheless chose two items, to be sent to Wei Yichenter on. Regardless of whether she liked it or not, she still needed to do what was required. Plus, gauging Wei Yichen¡¯s attitude earlier, she didn¡¯t feel too sad about sending him the painting.
As for the porcin, Wei Ruo picked a set of white porcin teaware and a flower vase. ¡°These two items will be sent to grandpa and grandmother in the Capital City.¡± She selected another set of drinking vessels, ¡°This set will be given to my father for his drinks.¡± Then Wei Ruo selected a water bowl to give to Mrs. Yun.
Although Mrs. Yun was not a connoisseur of calligraphy and painting, she wrote and kept ounts every day. Giving her a water bowl was practical. It certainly seemed as though Wei Ruo didn¡¯t intentionally choose this item just to make it appear that she hadn¡¯t slighted Mrs. Yun. Certainly not. Weo Ruo then looked at the two carriers of delicacies. She picked out two jars of tribute tea and some dried abalone and sea cucumber, which she nned to also send to her grandparents in the Capital City. The same kind of abalone, sea cucumber etc. were divided into tworge bags, one for Wei Yilin, and the other for her nursemaid and Uncle Xu. In the end, Wei Ruo picked out eight bolts of fabric from the two carriers of silk and cloth, which she divided among the other four people in the house, two bolts per person. She then divided half of the remaining fabric, which she nned to send to the Xu family. After she had finished distributing, Wei Ruo and Xiumei put away the rest of the items. The items selected were subsequently sent to each courtyard. Cangyun Garden. Upon seeing the items sent by Wei Ruo and after asking Madam Zhang about what Wei Ruo sent to others in the house, Mrs. Yun was initially very satisfied. But when she found out that nothing had been set aside for Wei Qingwan, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed. ¡°This child seems determined not to make amends with Wanwan¡­¡± Mrs. Yun said helplessly and sorrowfully. Chrysanthemum Garden. Wei Yilin was a little indifferent to the gifts Wei sent him: ¡°Why isn¡¯t she sending me stuff like whips and knives like before? These are nice but I prefer weapons.¡± Xiumei said to Wei Yilin, ¡°Mydy said if you do not like these things, I will take them back.¡±
Upon hearing this, Xiumei reached out to take back the items, but Wei Yilin was quick. He stepped forward, held all the items, and protected them in his arms. ¡°Who said I didn¡¯t like it and wasn¡¯t going to keep them? I just said that I prefer weapons. I didn¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t like these.¡± ¡°This time the reward was given to mydy. How could there be anything like weapons?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re right,¡± Wei Yilin admitted. ¡°Go back and tell sister that I really like the gifts she sent me. Don¡¯t you dare tell her that there¡¯re other things I prefer!¡± ¡°What? Are you scared that if mydy hears it, she would be unhappy?¡±ughed Xiumei. ¡°Who¡¯s scared of her being unhappy?¡± ¡°Then, why won¡¯t you let me tell the truth?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ it¡¯s not¡­¡± Wei Yilin stammered, ¡°Oh, never mind. Just stop talking. I just like it, alright? Abalone, sea cucumbers and everything, they¡¯re all good stuff. There¡¯s no reason not to take them. And this fabric is top-notch; it¡¯s perfect for making clothes for me.¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s attitude sure changed quickly. Xiumei burst outughing. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Wei Yilin pouted in dissatisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m going to report back to thedy.¡± Xiumei said, and turned around to leave. Left alone, Wei Yilin looked down at the things in his arms. Considering that Wei Ruo had carefully selected them for him, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.
¡°She seems cold to me on the surface, but she definitely still cares about me,¡± he said to himself.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 393: 393: Bestowal of Marriage_1 Chapter 393: Bestowal of Marriage_1 Wei Yichen also received the gifts from Wei Ruo, two precious calligraphy and paintings and two bolts of silk. Wei Yichen looked at the gifts. There were no obvious expressions on his face, nor did he make anyments, just instructed Xiaonan in a calm tone to put everything away. ¡°Young Master, the calligraphy and paintings that Miss has sent should be the ones you particrly like, Won¡¯t you take a look?¡± Xiaonan asked with doubt. The Young Master has always had a fondness for calligraphy and paintings, especially those by famous masters. Those gifted by the pce happened to be mostly masterpieces that the Young Master hardly got a chance to see on an ordinary day. ¡°No need, just put them away.¡± Wei Yichen didn¡¯t say much. Xiaonan could only nod and do as told. However, he still felt, perhaps more than ever before, that the Young Master had be more quiet and reticent. After surviving a near-death experience, he had grown quiet, and after the second young master left, he had be even more enigmatic. ### Wei Qingwan was stationed at the estate, but she was still able to keep up with the happenings in the mansion. People at the estate also discussed events urring inside the General¡¯s Residence. Especially when they spoke about Miss receiving the rewards from the pce, the people in the estate were ted. They talked about how good the rewards are, saying that the silk Wei Ruo shared with the mansion people was incredibly shiny and the porcin had exquisite craftsmanship. It was like nothing the people in the mansion had ever seen before.
Those words sounded incredibly grating to Wei Qingwan¡¯s ears. These people on the estate were the same as the servants in the mansion. They would tter when they saw Wei Ruo¡¯s current sess, but when they saw her downfall, they would make things difficult for her in every possible way and bargain over her daily necessities. Wei Qingwan nced at her shabby room. The room was drafty, and despite Cuihe cleaning it many times, she could still faintly smell the dampness. Her dressing table no longer had any jewelry that she could wear out. Some earrings and bracelets had all been used in exchange for silver taels, which could be used to cover her necessities. After being sent to the estate, her daily living conditions worsened drastically. If she didn¡¯t make up for it in some way, her life would have be tougher by now. Wei Qingwan thought about the massive amount of rewards Wei Ruo received. She sneered and looked at herself in the mirror, self-mockingly. She only had herself to me; if she had only realized sooner, if she had taken the initiative, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a predicament. With a ¡°squeak¡±, the room door was pushed open. ¡°Miss, Miss¡­¡± Cuihe rushed in from the outside, holding a letter in her hand. ¡°What happened?¡± Wei Qingwan hurriedly asked. ¡°Young Master Qi gave you a letter.¡± Cuihe handed her the letter. Wei Qingwan eagerly took the letter, checking its content without dy. She had finally received news from Young Master Qi, she always believed that Qi Zhen would keep his promise¡­ As she unfolded the letter, a gradual smile appeared on Wei Qingwan¡¯s face. ¡°How is Miss¡¯s letter? What does the letter say?¡± Cuihe asked with anticipation. ¡°I can rightfully return to the General¡¯s Residence.¡± Wei Qingwan said confidently. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± Cuihe said excitedly, ¡°The joy of Miss Ruo will be short-lived! Even her rewards won¡¯t catch the eye of Miss in the future!¡± Wei Qingwan clenched the letter in her hand, her eyes filled with hope. ###
The next day, Wei Ruo was tilling in the yard. She had collected all vegetables from the small vegetable patch she had set up next to the wall, and was preparing to turn over the soil and add some fertilizer to nt new seeds. ¡°Miss, Miss¡­¡± Xiumei ran in hastily.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°An eunuch from the pce has arrived at our house with a decree.¡±
¡°Is he here for our father, or eldest brother, or me?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°None of them¡­ He is here for second Miss.¡± said Xiumei. ¡°Wei Qingwan? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a marriage decree!¡± ¡°A marriage decree? To whom?¡± ¡°The sixth prince! She¡¯s to be his concubine!¡± ¡°The sixth prince? Are you sure? Did you hear right? It¡¯s the sixth prince not the seventh, and surely not Qi¡¯s third son?¡± Wei Ruo found this news surprising. Xiumei nodded her head vigorously, ¡°I heard it clearly, it¡¯s definitely the sixth prince, not the seventh, and surely not Qi¡¯s third son!¡± Wei Ruo frowned, she was holding the hoe in her hand but forgot to move, caught in deep thought over this issue. ording to the original plot of the story, Wei Qingwan¡¯s official spouse was Chu Lan, and in this life she had hooked up with Qi Zhen. But now with the marriage decree, she was given to the sixth prince with whom she had had no interactions. It was very strange! ¡°Did the decree specify why the marriage was arranged?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°They said that second Miss Wei is virtuous, gracious, and respectful. They heaped a bunch of praise on her.¡± answered Xiumei.
Such words were usually mentioned in the marriage decree, bringing no concrete reference. ¡°Do you happen to know who the main wife of the sixth prince is?¡± asked Wei Ruo. From what Wei Ruo understood about the customary rules of this dynasty, a prince¡¯s wedding typically coincides with his crowning. In such cases, the primary wife is chosen before the concubines. It¡¯smon to marry the primary wife and concubine on the same day, but it was rare to marry the concubine first and the primary wifeter. The sixth prince, Chu Heng, and the seventh prince, Chu Lan, were both over eighteen now. It was time for them to be crowned and married, ording to the rules of this dynasty. ¡°I do not know that yet, I came back to report to you as soon as I heard the news. I haven¡¯t found out more details.¡± Xiumei replied. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Cangyun Garden to find out more.¡± said Wei Ruo. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to gossip about Wei Qingwan, but if Wei Qingwan really became the concubine of the sixth prince, Chu Heng, then it would inevitably involve the Wei family. Wei Ruo had to figure this out. Wei Ruo, along with Xiumei, arrived at Cangyun Garden. An unusual atmosphere filled the air due to the recent marriage decree. Entering the main hall of Cangyun Garden, Wei Ruo unusually didn¡¯t see Yunshi, who usually showed joy upon receiving a decree from the court. ¡°Eldest Miss.¡± Cuiping called out to Wei Ruo, gaining Yunshi¡¯s attention. Yunshi looked up and met Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Yunshi asked with a somewhat cold tone. ¡°I heard that a decree from the pce has given my second sister in marriage to the sixth prince?¡± Wei Ruo got straight to the point.
¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t expect your second sister to have such good fortune, huh?¡± Yunshi replied. ¡°Does Mother believe this is a good development for the Wei family?¡± inquired Wei Ruo. ¡°Whether it¡¯s good or bad for the Wei family is a different matter, but at least for Wanwan, it¡¯s a good thing. This way she won¡¯t be bothered by rumors anymore!¡± Yunshi said sternly. ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t find anything wrong with this? Previously, the person involved privately with second sister was Qi Family¡¯s third son, but now the one she is to marry is the sixth prince. The two are cousins.¡± Wei Ruo voiced another issue. ¡°Wanwan didn¡¯t have an illicit rtionship with Qi¡¯s third son. The rtionship between the two was sincere and respectful. If outsiders misunderstnad, it could be dismissed; but you, as the eldest sister of the family, why do you keep calling it an ¡®illicit rtionship¡¯? What is your intention?¡± Yunshi retorted. Chapter 394: 394 Returning to the Manor to Provoke_1 Chapter 394: Returning to the Manor to Provoke_1 ¡°Mother, it is up to you whether or not you want to believe such unfounded gossip, but I am simply stating an objective fact. Whether or not there was an illicit affair is not something that can be decided solely by Wei Qingwan¡¯s ount. I reminded mother that this matter seems suspicious, if you choose not to consider it, then it remains beyond my control.¡± Wei Ruo said with a stern face. ¡°Even if something is amiss, so what? This is an edict from the Emperor. Could our Wei family actually defy it?¡± Yun Shi retorted to Wei Ruo. Before Wei Ruo could respond, Yun Shi continued, ¡°Do you think I am unaware of the risks involved? Do you think I am ignorant of the fact that it¡¯s inappropriate for the Wei family to get involved in the heir¡¯s session disputes? I understand these ins and outs better than you!¡± ¡°Since mother knows everything, then I suppose there is nothing for me to say.¡± Finished speaking, Wei Ruo bid Yun Shi a farewell: ¡°I won¡¯t disturb mother¡¯s rest anymore. I will take my leave.¡± As Wei Ruo turned to leave, Yun Shi watched her go with a cold stare. From the sideline, Cuiping said quietly, ¡°Madam, young miss means well. As madam just said, this marriage is trouble for the Wei family, which aligns with young miss¡¯s concerns.¡± Yun Shi responded, ¡°No doubt that she has the Wei family¡¯s best interests at heart, but she is not kind towards Wanwan. She can¡¯t stand to see Wanwan doing well. She¡¯s not considering what benefits this title of Concubine might bring to Wanwan, who is already mired in gossip and nder. She only thinks about what kind of trouble will befall our Wei family.¡± Pausing for a moment, Yun Shi continued, ¡°Also, she questions me like this because she thinks I don¡¯tprehend the stakes here. Now that she has matured and gained some reputation outside, does she think she is smarter and more strategic than me, managing this household? Is she trying to give me orders?¡± Cuiping dropped her gaze and dared not say more.
Without obtaining any useful information from Yun Shi, Wei Ruo returned to Tingsong Garden. A marriage edict of such magnitude would certainly cause a great stir, and useful information could surely be obtained elsewhere. It just so happened that Wei Ruo was scheduled to visit the Yuan Residence in the afternoon. Perhaps the well-informed Madam Yuan could provide more information. After lunch, Wei Ruo departed for the Yuan Residence, apanied by Xiumei. The main purpose of Wei Ruo¡¯s visit to the Yuan Residence was concerning the construction of the reservoir. The bountiful autumn harvest and imperialmendation had given the government office and local gentry great confidence. After consulting with Yuan Zhengqin, the local magnates, and the officers of the prefectural government, they had decided to act on Wei Ruo¡¯s suggestion of constructing a reservoir. For this, Taizhou prefecture nned to take in a new batch of refugees to work on building the reservoir. In return, housing and meals would be provided by the government office. This was an extension of the idea of offering jobs in lieu of charity that Wei Ruo had initially proposed. If executed properly, it would provide assistance to the disaster-stricken, stable the public sentiment, generate a return, and benefit the people. Wei Ruo needed to identify the general area for the construction of the reservoir based on a map, then conduct field investigations, draw up construction ns, and determine more detailed arrangements. This was a major project and would keep Wei Ruo busy for quite a while. Before discussing this matter with Madam Yuan¡¯s advisory group, Wei Ruo first sought an audience with Madam Yuan to inquire about the matters of the marriage decree. Madam Yuan had anticipated that Wei Ruo woulde to ask her about it: ¡°From what I understand, not only has the Sixth Prince¡¯s marriage been settled, but also the matter of his and the Seventh Prince¡¯s conferment of titles has been concurrently confirmed, which is scheduled for the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. The date of the Sixth Prince¡¯s grand wedding is set for the second half of the next year when he will simultaneously marry both primary and secondary consorts; the Seventh Prince¡¯s wedding is yet to be determined.¡± ¡°Does Madam happen to know who the primary consort is and why my sister was chosen as the secondary consort?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°The primary consort is indeed the legitimate daughter from Qi Family; this arrangement was not surprising to anyone. As for why your sister was chosen as the secondary bride, nobody knows.¡± ¡°However, upon reflection, your sister¡¯s status is certainly appropriate for her to be the Sixth Prince¡¯s secondary consort. Since the primary consort is the legitimate daughter from the Qi family, naturally, the status of the secondary consort can¡¯t be too high, the background of the Loyal and Righteous Duke¡¯s Residence and your father¡¯s present rank are just right.¡± ¡°What I find slightly confusing is why your sister was chosen over you. If I were Qi Imperial Concubine, I would naturally favor you over your sister, especially considering you are already well-known to the Emperor.¡± ¡°But perhaps it is exactly because of your recognition from the Emperor that he deliberately did not choose you.¡± Madam Yuan and Wei Ruo analyzed the situation, and she unreservedly shared with Wei Ruo all of her thoughts. ¡°Thank you, Madam, I understand.¡± said Wei Ruo.
Madam Yuan took Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and gently patted it twice: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ruoruo, since this is a marriage bestowed by Emperor, it is not your Wei family choosing sides. Therefore, it does not count as your family actively involving itself.¡± Weu Ruo nodded, ¡°That sounds I agree, but I fear that some people within our family may take advantage of this situation.¡± ¡°Fortunately, your father is a diligent and people-oriented official. He probably wouldn¡¯t want to get entangled in these power struggles. Don¡¯t burden your heart with these worry.¡± Madam Yuan reassured her. Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°Rest assured, Madam, these matters won¡¯t distract me, and you can also be assured about the reservoir, I will do my best.¡±
After her conversation with Madam Yuan, Wei Ruo went to the meeting hall to discuss the matter formally with the others. By dusk, Wei Ruo returned to the General Residence. Just as she arrived and her carriage stopped outside the General Residence, another carriage from the residence also arrived. Upon alighting, Wei Ruo saw a mansion servant bringing stools to the other carriage, waiting courteously at the side. The first person to disembark from the carriage was Cuihe, who lifted the curtains of the vehicle, and then Wei Qingwan emerged. In her stunning goose yellow gown and hair casually tied up with a jade hairpin, she looked a bit thinner, but otherwise healthy and glowing.N?v(el)B\\jnn Cuihe and another maid went ahead to help carefully lift Wei Qingwan out of the carriage. Upon stepping off the carriage, Wei Qingwan looked up and locked eyes with Wei Ruo. Seeing Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan remained calm andposed, even smiling a bit. She walked leisurely to Wei Ruo and gave a slight bow, ¡°Greeting, sister.¡± Wei Ruo said nothing in return. Wei Qingwan looked at Wei Ruo and continued, ¡°I know that my sister does not like me returning to the residence, but there is no other way. Over the next year, I will need to prepare for my wedding and it will be inconvenient to do so at the vige. Therefore, I had to return.¡± ¡°But sister, do not worry. Once I am married, there will only be one legitimate young miss left in the mansion ¨C you. No one else will vie with you.¡±
¡°I know that traditionally, the elder sister should marry before the younger sister. But in this case, since the Emperor bestowed the marriage, things are a little different. I apologize for the inconvenience and hope that my sister would not resent me.¡± Chapter 395: 395: Smug_1 Chapter 395: Smug_1 Wei Qingwan smiled gently. Wei Ruo asked Wei Qingwan expressionlessly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you and Prince Qi confess love for each other as solid as gold? Why are you so happy to be the sixth prince¡¯s concubine now? Do you not care about that love so much?¡± ¡°My dear sister, when have I confessed affection for Prince Qi? You shouldn¡¯t harm my reputation by saying such things. The rumors outside are nothing but unfounded conjectures from ill-intentioned outsiders. As my sister, you shouldn¡¯t impetuously believe these rumors. Even if there are disputes between us, it¡¯s inappropriate to say such things.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo tipped a smile: ¡°Have you lied so much that you¡¯ve started to believe your own lies?¡± Wei Qingwan replied: ¡°You¡¯re wrong to say that. Everyone is saying that your engagement with the Xiu Family was cancelled. Do you suggest that I should follow in your footsteps and spread that around?¡± Wei Ruo calmly replied: ¡°You should just do what you think is best.¡± After saying this, she promptly walked away with Xiumei, leaving Wei Qingwan far behind, not giving her another chance to perform. At that moment, Wei Qingwan, as she watched Wei Ruo¡¯s rapidly receding figure, appeared indifferent. Cuihe muttered: ¡°Our mistress has returned home, but I am sure our eldest mistress is not happy about this. I could tell by the look on her face just now!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back home and pay respects to our mother.¡± Wei Qingwan instructed Cuihe to escort her back home. After Wei Qingwan met with Madam Yun, they exchanged pleasantries for a while.
Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s lean physique, Madam Yun felt regretful. However, she felt a sense offort knowing that she could now bring Wei Qingwan back home openly. Madam Yun, taking into consideration that Wei Qingwan was tired from her journey, gave her some simple instructions and allowed her to rest. Upon exiting the Cangyun Garden, Wei Qingwan encountered Wei Mingyong at the entrance. Judging by Wei Qingyong¡¯s expression, it didn¡¯t appear he had simply chanced upon her there. He seemed to have been waiting for her. ¡°Greetings, second uncle,¡± Wei Qingwan took the initiative to greet him, she was calm and courteous. Wei Mingyong brimmed with delight: ¡°There¡¯s no need for formalities. You have really grown into a mature and graceful woman!¡± Wei Mingyong had been living in the General Residence for some days now but this was his first encounter with Wei Qingwan. Until now, Wei Qingwan had been in the countryside, so they hadn¡¯t had the chance to meet. ¡°Second Uncle, you tter me,¡± Wei Qingwan said modestly, her head slightly bowed. ¡°Wanwan, you will formally be recognized as a queen by the imperial edict very soon. Your status will be dramatically elevated. You mustn¡¯t forget about your second uncle.¡± ¡°Second Uncle, whether I¡¯m alive or dead, I belong to the Wei family. My honor or dishonor is always linked to the Wei family. Regardless of who I marry, the Wei family will always be my support and refuge. How could I forget about caring for my elder family members?¡± Wei Qingwan replied. The smile on Wei Mingyong¡¯s face was magnified at her response. ¡°Wanwan, you spoke the absolute truth. We, as the Wei family, should work together towards the same objective. United we stand, divided we fall! Wanwan, you truly understand the world and you¡¯re certainly a deserving daughter of our Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence.¡± Wei Mingyong couldn¡¯t resist saying. With that said, Wei Mingyong let out a sigh: ¡°Your upbringing matters a lot. You were brought up in the Wei family, and you are intelligent and decent, well-mannered and knowledgeable. As for your sister, even though she has Wei family blood, none of her actions are characteristic of a maiden from arge and respectable family. All of her actions and words are crude and unrefined.¡± ¡°My sister just returned home not long ago and is still unfamiliar with some things. If she has any inappropriate words or actions, I hope that you would be understanding and not take it to heart,¡± Wei Qingwan consoled. ¡°Perhaps, she is not expected to be very understanding now. She might bring a small measure of honor to the Wei family with the skills she had learned in the countryside, that would bemendable already. I don¡¯t expect her to achieve anything significant in the future,¡± Wei Mingyong remarked sentimentally. Before saying anything further, Wei Mingyong nced around and ensured that no one was nearby. He then whispered to Wei Qingwan: ¡°Wanwan, the sixth prince will be ascending the throne in the future. Now that you can be his concubine, you have the chance to be the mother of the nation in the future. You need to seize this opportunity. If you need my help in any way, just let me know and I will support you wholeheartedly.¡± Wei Mingyong could hardly contain his imagination about the bright future. If the Wei family could produce a daughter who became the mother of the nation, what would they possibly have to worry about their future for? When that timees, not to mention restoring the glory and status of their ancestors when they first gained the Loyal and Righteous Duke¡¯s title, they might even bepared to Duke Xiu of the past!
¡°Second uncle, I understand your intentions for me, but you cannot discuss these matters elsewhere,¡± Wei Qingwan warned. ¡°Rest assured, I was just chatting with you. I wouldn¡¯t dare mention it elsewhere,¡± Wei Mingyong hurriedly assured her. ¡°That¡¯s good. Some things are premature to say at the moment. It¡¯s not toote to have these discussions in the future,¡± remarked Wei Qingwan. Wei Mingyong nodded in agreement: ¡°Wanwan, you are indeed very wise.¡±
¡°Second uncle, I am feeling a bit tired today,¡± Wei Qingwan confessed. ¡°Look at me, I was so carried away and forgot that you might be tired from your journey back from the manor. You should go and have a good rest,¡± Wei Mingyong hurriedly replied. ¡°Then I will take my leave, uncle.¡± Wei Qingwan respectfully departed and returned to the Wangmei Garden. Thest time she returned was due to Wei Jinyi¡¯s death, but she stayed only for a few days. At that time, the maids in Wangmei Garden were all transferred elsewhere, and only Cuihe was left to look after her. Today when she came back, not only were the original servants all brought back, but Madam Yun had even sent an extra personal maid to assist her with the preparation for the uing marriage. Upon entering the room, she saw that everything had been tidied up and all the bedding had been reced with new ones. The decree was issued in the morning, and by evening everything was tidied up; the servants in the house were really efficient. Seeing this, Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but smile: ¡°They are indeed like grass on the top of a wall.¡± Upon entering the room, Qingwan instructed Cuihe to close the door, and then she began to undress, revealing her scarred back. Cuihe expertly approached to help Wei Qingwan apply the ointment. After applying it, Wei Qingwan looked at her unchanged back through the mirror and felt annoyed: ¡°This ointment is really useless.¡±
Having received the decree of marriage, she had already returned to the general¡¯s house. Everything was going smoothly, except for the scar on her back which was her primary concern. When she gets married next year, her back cannot remain in this state! ¡°My Lady, don¡¯t worry, this ointment is just for temporary use. We will know the whereabouts of Divine Doctor Xu soon. Once we receive his ointment, the scars on your back will heal,¡± assured Cuihe. ¡°When can that old woman from Stone Vigee?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. Chapter 396: 396: Astronomically Priced Ointment_1 Chapter 396: Astronomically Priced Ointment_1 ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry, the olddy from Stone Vige will be here bright and early tomorrow, and you will soon have the healing ointment you¡¯ve been asking about for half a month. I¡¯m sure everything will go as you wish.¡± Cuihe said. Hearing these words, Wei Qingwan¡¯s spirits lifted slightly; finally, there was some bit of good news. The old woman Cuihe spoke of had a grandson who previously fell and cut himself deeply on rocks, nearly disfiguring his face. However, after using the ointment, his skin healed without any trace of a scar. This ointment was exactly what Wei Qingwan had been persistently inquiring about recently. Now that she had some information, she was resolved to find out more. Wei Qingwan nodded. ### Early the next morning, Wei Qingwan sent Cuihe to wait at the back door for the old woman. The old woman from Stone Vige arrived half an hourte. She had white hair and rows of wrinkles on her face. Her clothes were ragged but clean. Cuiheined a bit: an invitation to the General Residence was an incredible honor for such a country woman, yet she had the audacity to make them wait!
But considering that the information from this old woman concerned her mistress¡¯s future, Cuihe endured her frustration and led the elderly woman to Wangmei Garden. Once inside, Cuihe introduced the old woman to Wei Qingwan, ¡°This is my mistress. Please tell her everything you can about the ointment that healed your grandson¡¯s face.¡± The old woman cast a nce at Wei Qingwan and then answered, ¡°The ointment was gifted by a Divine Doctor. My great-grandson used three boxes and his face recoveredpletely without a single scar.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve heard all of that. My mistress wants to know who this Divine Doctor is, where he is currently, and how we can get this ointment.¡± said Cuihe impatiently. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the Divine Doctor, but I can tell you how to get the ointment,¡± replied the old woman. ¡°Well, speak up quickly then!¡± demanded Cuihe. Wei Qingwan was also looking at the old woman intently. ¡°His medicine is sold in Tongde Hall in the provincial city. Normally, people can¡¯t ask for it but once you mention inquiring about the Divine Doctor¡¯s healing ointment, the shop assistant will lead you upstairs,¡± answered the old woman. ¡°Is this true?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes had noticeably brightened. ¡°I absolutely wouldn¡¯t dare deceive you, young miss. You belong to a wealthy family and will be a queen in the future. Even if you gave me a hundred times the courage, I wouldn¡¯t dare lie to you!¡± the old woman replied. ¡°So we just need to do as you said?¡± Wei Qingwan confirmed once more.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Yes, and then you can buy it,¡± the old woman replied. ¡°Excellent.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s mood noticeably lifted, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll ask my parents to visit the provincial city tomorrow!¡± Cuihe said. Wei Qingwan nodded. Then another question urred to her, and she asked the old woman, ¡°How much does a box of this ointment cost at Tongde Hall?¡± ¡°One hundred taels of silver per box.¡± The astronomical price from the old woman made Wei Qingwan question whether she was hearing correctly. ¡°What? One hundred taels of silver per box?¡± Cuihe eximed.
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± the old woman affirmed. ¡°You must be joking! How could you afford such expensive medicine? You are just an old woman who doesn¡¯t even have a few coins to her name!¡± asked Cuihe. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t afford it. Even if I sold myself, I couldn¡¯t afford it! Didn¡¯t I tell you before? The ointment was a gift from the Divine Doctor. He didn¡¯t charge us a penny!¡± the old woman exined. Cuihe turned to Wei Qingwan and, frowning slightly, carefully asked, ¡°What should we do now, Miss?¡±
Wei Qingwan looked at the old woman and asked, ¡°So you¡¯re saying your grandson used three boxes of the ointment and there was not a trace of a scar left, is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, there is no sign of a scar, just like he was never injured,¡± the old woman confirmed. ¡°So this expensive ointment isn¡¯t enough to use for just one box?¡± Cuihe asked in shock and frustration. This was her several months¡¯ sry! ¡°Of course not. After using two boxes there was still a trace remaining. Only after the third box was used did the scarspletely disappear.¡± In other words, Wei Qingwan too would need at least three boxes, costing three hundred taels of silver! The delight in Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was reced by deep concern. Right now, all she had was her own jewelry, which was worth some money, but she certainly couldn¡¯t sell her only decent ornaments, and even if she did, they wouldn¡¯t fetch such a high price. However, she desperately needed this ointment. ording to her sources, the ointment worked best the sooner it was applied, ideally directly after the scabs fell off. If she waited for a year or two, even if she used the ointment, scars would still remain. She had already dyed for some time and if she didn¡¯t use the ointment soon, she feared she would lose the opportunity to healpletely. What should she do? What was the right course of action? Wei Qingwan stayed silent for a long while, not uttering a single word. Seeing her not speaking, the old woman cautiously asked, ¡°Is there anything else that this old woman can help you with, Miss?¡±
Cuihe gave the old woman a cold look. Did she really think she could help her mistress? Did she even know her ce? Wei Qingwan asked sombrely, ¡°Did you do anything to merit the Divine Doctor¡¯s kindness, or why did he give you the ointment?¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t any particr reason. It was a chance encounter. The Divine Doctor took pity on my great-grandson and treated his wounds. Before leaving, he gave me three boxes of the ointment and told me to apply it to my great-grandson every morning and evening,¡± the old woman answered. ¡°Then where can we find this Divine Doctor?¡± Cuihe asked anxiously. ¡°I, this old woman, do not know!¡± the old woman said, shrugging. ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to find the Divine Doctor, how do you know that you can buy the medicine at Tongde Hall?¡± Wei Qingwan continued questioning. ¡°That¡¯s because the Divine Doctor told me before he left that if I ran out, I could go to Tongde Hall and do as I just exined. He also said that he would inform the shop assistant, so I wouldn¡¯t have to pay,¡± the old woman exined all the details, but her ount wasn¡¯t of much help to Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan looked at the old woman and realized there was no point in questioning her further. ¡°Alright, you may go now.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± the old woman nodded repeatedly. A reluctant Cuihe escorted the old woman to the back gate and immediately turned to leave, not even bothering to say a courteous word to her. After Cuihe left, the old woman grumbled in the direction of the residence, ¡°They called me all this way, asked all those questions, and didn¡¯t even offer me a cup of tea! They didn¡¯t even say ¡®thank you¡¯. How rude!¡± Immediately after, she chuckled to herself, ¡°Well, I was just here to do what the young master asked of me. I don¡¯t care about your attitudes!¡± Elsewhere, after sending off the old woman, Wei Qingwan pondered for a long while and decided to have nursemaid Li verify the old woman¡¯s story by visiting Tongde Hall in the provincial city.
Chapter 397: 397: Want Wei Ruo to Help With Money_1 Chapter 397: Want Wei Ruo to Help With Money_1 Nurse Li left for the provincial city that afternoon, carrying out Wei Qingwan¡¯s orders. She hurried on her journey, and by the morning of the third day, she was back to report to Wei Qingwan. ¡°Miss, everything the olddy said is true,¡± she said. ¡°Tongde Hall really does sell scar removal ointment, and it does cost a sky-high price of one hundred taels per box. Furthermore, I heard that this divine medicine is well-known in the provincial city, and it has healed many people¡¯s scars.¡± Having received a positive response, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was dim and unreadable, as if she couldn¡¯t tell whether the news was good or bad. Nurse Li made a suggestion for Wei Qingwan: ¡°Miss, why not seek help from the family? You are to be a queen in the future and the scars on your back might affect your favor status. Your favor status is closely rted to the honor of the family, and the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence cannot ignore this.¡± Wei Qingwan frowned and thought over Nurse Li¡¯s words carefully: ¡°You are right. After all, this scar was given to me by this family.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Nurse Li nodded in great agreement. ¡°Let me think about it deeply,¡± Wei Qingwan said. ### Tingsong Garden.
¡°Miss, there¡¯s news from Tongde Hall. The Second Miss really has sent someone to inquire,¡± Xiumei said with a smile. In these two days, she had encountered the people of Wangmei Garden quite a lot, and their arrogance and bullying were obvious. They kept referring to the future queen, as if the second miss was being made the main consort. ¡°Well, if she can pay, I¡¯ll sell it to her. I¡¯m not going to quibble over money. If she can¡¯t pay, then she¡¯ll just have to suffer in misery,¡± said Wei Ruo. Xiumei grinned as she agreed: ¡°Miss, you are right. It all depends on whether the Second Miss can raise the money. With so many wounds on her back, she must need at least a dozen boxes. That¡¯s more than a thousand taels of silver!¡± The olddy from Stone Vige imed that you would only need three boxes for a scar to disappearpletely. But that was for her grandson who had a small scar, for Wei Qingwan, it was something different. ¡°I run my business honestly, I¡¯ll sell as much as she can pay for. If she can¡¯t afford it, it¡¯s not my problem,¡± Wei Ruo responded with a nod. ¡°Right, Miss is always the most fair in business!¡± Xiumei agreed, ¡°Speaking of which, Miss Xie is really amazing. She has actually opened a herb shop ¨C two of them, one in the provincial city and one in the Capital City.¡± Tongde Hall was the Xie Family¡¯s shop located in the provincial city. Wei Ruo and Xie Ying had been cooperating in managing the medicinalnds, thus she not only knew about it but also had connections with Tongde Hall. ¡°She¡¯s not all talk. She practices what she preaches. And her mother fully supports her in doing this, which is more effective.¡± Wei Ruomented. ¡°That sounds great. I wonder when we can see Miss Xie and Mr. Xie again,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°There will be an opportunity.¡± Wei Ruo assured her. As Wei Ruo was talking with Xiumei, Cuiping came in. ¡°Miss, Madam wants to see you. She has some matters to discuss with you.¡± Hearing this, Wei Ruo knew this wouldn¡¯t be anything good. Every time Madam Yun wanted to discuss something with her, it usually ended up in a dispute. ¡°I know,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Taking Cuiping with her, Wei Ruo headed over to Cangyun Garden after tidying herself up. In the room, Madam Yun was sitting straight across from the door, with Wei Qingwan close beside her.
¡°What does mother want from me?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Sit down first. I have something I need to discuss with you.¡± Madam Yun surprisingly showed some patience and her face even held a hint of kindness. Wei Ruo did as instructed. After sitting down, she picked up the teacup that was set aside and took a sip.
The tea in it was freshly brewed, which meant they really had something important to ¡°discuss¡± with her. Wei Ruo was not in a hurry to ask her what it was. If they had something to discuss with her, they should be the ones in a hurry. Madam Yun observed Wei Ruo¡¯s expression, seeing thetter¡¯s unmoved face, she tentatively said, ¡°Ruoruo, I believe you already know that your sister has been engaged.¡± ¡°Yes, how could I not know?¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°Wanwan¡¯s engagement is already decided, no matter whether we want it or not, she will be the future concubine of the Wang Residence,¡± Madam Yun said with a gentle tone. ¡°That seems true.¡± ¡°Oh, I know that Wanwan¡¯s status as the prince¡¯s concubine will put the Wei Family in the political arena to some extent, but as things stand, there is no use in thinking too much about it. Instead, we should do what we can.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s reaction was neither good nor bad but somewhat indifferent, which made Madam Yun unable to get a read on her. She knew that Wei Ruo was dissatisfied with Wei Qingwan¡¯s arranged marriage, so she started by saying some soothing words. If Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude could improve, she could press on with what she needed to say next. However, if Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude was less than pleasant, then she feared what she had to say next might result in resentment. Madam Yun did not get to the point immediately, making Wei Qingwan anxious. She feared that Madam Yun might change her mind, reluctant to ask Wei Ruo for the favor. However, she did not dare to speak up, because she had just mocked Wei Ruo a few days ago. If she spoke up now, it would undoubtedly backfire.
Carefully, Wei Qingwan moved forward to refill Madam Yun¡¯s cup: ¡°Mother, your tea is getting cold, let me pour you some more.¡± Upon hearing her voice, Madam Yun turned to look at Wei Qingwan, and considering her daughter¡¯s future circumstances in the Wang Residence, she dropped her concerns. Madam Yun continued to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯re of marriage age and must know about certain matters. That is, if a woman¡¯s beauty or body is damaged, it can easily lead to disdain from her husband¡¯s family, especially for someone like Wanwan who will be the prince¡¯s concubine.¡± ¡°I understand. No matter how nice one says it, a concubine is just a concubine. Most concubines have to serve their husbands with their beauty. If they lose their beauty, they lose their base for being favored.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo¡¯s words made both Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan¡¯s faces stiff and ufortable, especially Wei Qingwan¡¯s.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Madam Yun awkwardly replied, ¡°What Ruoruo said is also true.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Wei Ruo asked with a leisurely look on her face. ¡°Ruoruo, as you know, Wanwan was punished by familyw not long ago and scars were left due to inadequate care at the time.¡± Madam Yun said with a look of depression. ¡°Yes, so Mother and Sister are concerned about losing favor after entering the Wang Residence in the future?¡± Wei Ruo replied. Her thoughts being spelled out, Madam Yun¡¯s cheeks reddened in embarrassment, but she continued anyhow, ¡°Recently, we have found a divine medicine that can help your sister remove the scars on her back and restore her to her previous appearance.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± After evaluating it in one sentence, Wei Ruo continued to leisurely sip her tea. Watching Wei Ruo¡¯s casual demeanor, Wei Qingwan knew that this was intentional, however, she could only feel helpless and frustrated.
Madam Yun continued, ¡°However, the medicine is expensive, it costs one hundred taels per small box.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite expensive.¡± Wei Ruo continued to y dumb and pretend like she couldn¡¯t hear Madam Yun¡¯s implications. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very expensive. So I was thinking¡­ could you help your sister buy this ointment?¡± Madam Yun blurted out. Who has the greatest amount of private money in the Wei family? Who can easilye up with three hundred taels? Undoubtedly, it was Wei Ruo. ¡°Why should I help her buy it?¡± Wei Ruo asked, her bright and sharp eyes staring at Madam Yun. Chapter 398: I Will Marry Before My Sister_1 Chapter 398: I Will Marry Before My Sister_1 Wei Ruo¡¯s question made an already somewhat embarrassed Madam Yun even more ufortable. However, she continued to try to persuade Wei Ruo, exining with both sentiment and reason, ¡°Ruoruo, consider it as helping your sister with her dowry. She won¡¯t forget you when she enters the Wang Residence.¡± ¡°I ask my mother in return, if I were to marry first now, would you let my sister provide for my dowry?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Of course I would.¡± Madam Yun replied. ¡°Good, then let¡¯s have my sister provide for my dowry first,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo¡¯s mouth curled into a slight smile as she watched Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan as if watching a good drama unfold. ¡°Ruoruo, you aren¡¯t¡­ Aren¡¯t you still not being married?¡± Madam Yun said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because mother thought I was just making a hypothetical assumption that mother agreed so readily?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Not at all, but the fact is that your sister is getting married before you,¡± Madam Yun said. ¡°Mother, there is a tradition in which elders get married before the younger siblings. As the elder sister, it is only natural for me to get married before my sister. Although my sister is betrothed first due to imperial decree, the marriage is set for next year. There is still time to arrange for me to get married first. This is how most wealthy households do it, from what I¡¯ve seen,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Madam Yun paused and stayed silent for a while before replying, ¡°What you said makes sense, but didn¡¯t you refuse to discuss marriage so soon? Weren¡¯t you very upset when the Xiu Family wanted to discuss marriage for you?¡± ¡°I just thought I was not suitable for high-born families like the Xiu, not that I don¡¯t want to get married. Now, I have found my ideal husband-to-be. I¡¯m just waiting for them to propose, and for my parents to agree,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo¡¯s words were shocking; her calm tone belied a revtion that neither Madam Yun nor Wei Qingwan had expected. ¡°What did you say?¡± Madam Yun¡¯s face changed drastically. Wei Ruo remained calm, her silence served as an affirmation. Madam Yun then challenged, ¡°You mean you made contact with a man privately and arranged your own marriage?¡± ¡°That is correct,¡± Wei Ruo responded calmly. ¡°Nonsense! Can ady behave so frivolously?¡± Madam Yun was enraged. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the good example set by Wei Qingwan? How is it that what is understandable for her, is considered frivolous when ites to me?¡± Wei Ruo questioned back. Her demeanor remained unperturbed with a touch of sarcasm in her smile. Wei Ruo¡¯s question silenced Madam Yun, her words of rebuke stuck in her throat. Madam Yun struggled for a response, then finally said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say what your sister did was right.¡± Wei Ruo calmly replied, ¡°In any case, mother, I have already chosen my future husband. He will propose soon. When the timees, mother, please arrange my wedding prior to my sister¡¯s. We wouldn¡¯t want to be aughingstock to others.¡± Turning to Wei Qingwan, Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Your sister will get married before you. You wouldn¡¯t begrudge adding to your sister¡¯s dowry when the timees, right?¡± The expressions of both Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan were very strained, their faces shrouded in a gloomy shade. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Ruoruo, if you don¡¯t want to spend money on your sister¡¯s ointment, you can just say it directly. There¡¯s no need to make such a fuss. Marriage is not child¡¯s y!¡± Madam Yun continued. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mother, I¡¯m not ying around. I¡¯ve chosen a suitable husband from a respectable family for myself. Although they may be poor, they are from an honest and schrly family, and they have made some achievements to their name, making them an ideal match for me,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°What¡¯s suitable or not suitable? Historically, parents make the decisions in matters of marriage, not children!¡± ¡°Then mother should take some time to assess whether it¡¯s suitable and grant the marriage.¡± ¡°Regardless, we should not rush this matter,¡± Madam Yun opposed. ¡°Mother does not need to oppose hastily, we could wait for father to return, discuss with him, and thene to a decision,¡± Wei Ruo suggested calmly. Madam Yun was speechless; when Wei Ruo brought Wei Mingting into the picture, she couldn¡¯t reach a decision. Wei Qingwan was frowning, her lips pursed. Both of them looked at Wei Ruo. They seemed to have a thousand words to say, but yet could not voice them out. After watching the two of them for a while, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Since mother doesn¡¯t have anything else to say, I¡¯ll leave first. I¡¯ve been quite busy recently, and I won¡¯t be able to apany mother and sister.¡± With that, Wei Ruo got up and left. Madam Yun opened her mouth, wanting to stop Wei Ruo, but she couldn¡¯t find the right words to say. She swallowed the words that had formed on the tip of her tongue. After Wei Ruo left, Madam Yun sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know if the child is serious, or if she¡¯s making up an excuse to avoid spending money.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I¡¯m afraid my sister is trying to provoke, toying with her own marriage. I know this arranged marriage has hit my sister hard. She has grievances, but if she does, she can vent them on me. I¡¯ll bear it as long as it makes her feel better. But no matter how aggrieved she is, she shouldn¡¯t be messing with her own life,¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°You made a mistake before, but you were punished for it. Now, the arranged marriage is an imperial edict, me can¡¯t be ced on you.¡± Madam Yun sighed. Wei Qingwan shook her head in self-reproach, ¡°No, it does have something to do with me. If I hadn¡¯t privatized with the Qi Son, and he hadn¡¯t spoken for me, the Imperial Concubine might not have chosen me. Even though I knew my sister hadn¡¯t been married yet, I still nned for my own marriage, which was improper.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your fault either. If it weren¡¯t for that, with rumors outside, I¡¯m afraid you wouldn¡¯t be able to marry into a good family. Now, at least, I don¡¯t have to worry about your marriage anymore,¡± Madam Yun sighed. Wei Qingwan confessed some details about the imperial edict marriage to Madam Yun. She insisted that the rtionship she had with the third son of the Qi Family was within the bounds, and their actions did not cross the line. This edict marriage actually corroborated her words. If it were not for guilt ofpromising Wei Qingwan¡¯s reputation, the third prince of the Qi Family wouldn¡¯t have rmended Wei Qingwan to the Imperial Concubine, leading to the imperial decree for marriage. ¡°I am aware of my guilt. This is not something to be proud of,¡± Wei Qingwan quietly admitted. Madam Yun took Wei Qingwan¡¯s hand andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad anymore, it¡¯s already in the past and things are moving in a good direction. We should be happy.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip and asked Madam Yun, ¡°Mother, what about the ointment?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll find another opportunity to talk to her about it,¡± Madam Yun replied, her face filled with concern. Originally, Madam Yun only made the suggestion of Wei Ruo helping with Wei Qingwan¡¯s dowry as a pretense. However, she did not expect Wei Ruo to shockingly reveal that she has arranged her own marriage, giving Madam Yun a headache. ¡°Mother, I know this is my personal issue, and it should not be bothering you. However, this matter involves the Wei Family, so I had to discuss it with you. If this worries you, then it¡¯s my fault,¡± Wei Qingwan said in a guilty tone. Chapter 399 - 399 Zhao Family Brothers Visit_1 Chapter 399: Zhao Family Brothers Visit_1 ¡°At this point, how can it be your sole responsibility? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t abandon you. Whether or not I can persuade your sister, I will help you buy the salve so you can marry the sixth prince without worries.¡± Lady Yun said. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes were slightly red, ¡°Mother, you are so good to me, I¡­I don¡¯t know how to repay your kindness¡­¡± ¡°Silly child, why are you talking about repayment?¡± Lady Yun gently patted Wei Qingwan¡¯s hand andforted her, ¡°In any case, don¡¯t worry about this matter, I will handle it for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, holding back her tears. ¡°Silly child, why are you crying.¡± Lady Yun reached out and wiped away Wei Qingwan¡¯s tears. ¡°Mother is too kind to me, I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡± ¡°Well, there is no need to cry. You¡¯re now the bride-to-be, you should be happy and delighted.¡± Wei Qingwan nodded heavily. ### When Wei Qingwan left Lady Yun, her face remained grim. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry, Madam has already promised you, all you need to do is wait for the good news.¡± Cuihe tried tofort her. ¡°No, I still can¡¯t fully rx. Although Mother is willing to help me, she might not have the ability to do so. I need to have a backup n.¡± Wei Qingwan said with a firm tone. ¡°What else does Miss n to do?¡± Cuihe asked. ¡°I want to see my second uncle.¡± Wei Qingwan decided to seek help from Wei Mingyong. ¡°Does Miss think that the second master can help?¡± ¡°His joy about me bing the sixth prince¡¯s concubine is iparable. If he makes some effort at this time, he will have more reasons to benefit from me in the future.¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°Miss is right.¡± Because she could not meet Wei Mingyong privately, after learning about his whereabouts, Wei Qingwan ¡°coincidentally¡± ran into him in the corridor between the front and back courtyards. ¡°Second Uncle.¡± ¡°Wanwan, are you going to the front yard? Your eldest brother is not there, he went out with his ssmates.¡± Wei Mingyong said. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for my big brother, but I have some words for you.¡± Hearing this, Wei Mingyong was taken aback, then a smile appeared on his face. ¡°What do you want to say, Wanwan?¡± ¡°I want to borrow some silver taels from you.¡± Wei Qingwan stated. Hearing that it was about borrowing money, the smile on Wei Mingyong¡¯s face faded slightly, ¡°How much silver taels do you want to borrow, Wanwan?¡± ¡°Three hundred taels.¡± ¡°What do you need so much money for?¡± Wei Mingyong asked. Wei Qingwan briefly described her situation after being punished by the family rule, which left her with scars. Being punished by the family rule was no secret in Wei¡¯s family, so she saw no problem in sharing this with Wei Mingyong. After listening to Wei Qingwan¡¯s description, Wei Mingyong snorted angrily, ¡°My third brother is really short-sighted! How could he treat you like this?¡± Wei Qingwan bowed her head: ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I did something wrong and made my father angry. I can¡¯t me him, nor can I me my sister for sending me to father for punishment.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I think it should be med on your sister!¡± Wei Mingyong¡¯s eyes shed cold. ¡°She¡­ she has her own considerations.¡± ¡°What consideration could she have? She is a narrow-minded girl from the countryside with limited insight. I think she can¡¯t stand to see you doing well!¡± Wei Mingyong¡¯s impression of Wei Ruo was already bad, and it got much worse at this point. Wei Qingwan gave a bitter smile and then shifted the topic back to the main issue: ¡°So, Second Uncle, are you willing to lend me those three hundred taels?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Wei Mingyong looked a bit uneasy and hesitant. ¡°Is it difficult for you, Second Uncle?¡± ¡°Wanwan, I might as well tell you, business has not been good in thest two years. Three hundred taels is not a small sum for me. Please allow me to consider it.¡± ¡°Second Uncle, this is the only thing I want help with before my wedding.¡± Wei Qingwan emphasized. ¡°I know, but Wanwan, maintaining the daily expenses of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence is not a small sum. Most of the ie from the shops I run is spent here. Although three hundred taels is not a lot, it is also not a small sum. I definitely need to think it thoroughly before making a decision.¡± Since Wei Mingyong was obviously stalling, Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t press him any further. ¡°I understand. It was wrong of me not to consider Second Uncle¡¯s difficulties. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± Wei Qingwan said with regret. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Wanwan. You¡¯re not to me. And it¡¯s not that I won¡¯t help you, I just need to think it through.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand, Second Uncle. I have other things to do, so I¡¯ll go first.¡± ¡°Alright, you go ahead, I will let you know when I make up my mind.¡± Wei Mingyong watched Wei Qingwan leave, wondering in his heart. ### Two dayster, Wei Mingting returned home. Before Lady Yun had the chance to tell him about Wei Ruo¡¯s intention to marry on her own, the Zhao brothers came to visit. When he heard the guard¡¯s report, Wei Mingting, who had just taken off his armor, looked grim. After pondering for a moment, he let his men invite the Zhao brothers in. Meanwhile, the news that the Zhao brothers came to visit Wei Mingting reached Wei Qingwan¡¯s ears. She had been paying special attention to the movements in the front yard over the past two days, wanting to know if Wei Ruo¡¯s words were true. Learning that the Zhao brothers hade to propose marriage, Wei Qingwan immediately sent Cuihe to investigate. ¡°Miss, I found out that the two brothers are just frommon farming households. Their family has a few thin fields. The younger brother is promising, he passed the examinations with the young master this year, but his health is poor. They say he has lung disease and maybe won¡¯t live for many years.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wei Qingwan was somewhat incredulous, ¡°Would Wei Qingruo agree to marry such a person?¡± ¡°I also find it strange.¡± ¡°You go back to the front courtyard to find out and see how my father responds.¡± Wei Qingwan directed. With the order, Cuihe went back to the front yard again. About an hourter, the Zhao brothers left, and then Wei Mingting sent someone to fetch Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo went into Wei Mingting¡¯s study. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Sit.¡± Wei Ruo looked at the chair beside the desk and then sat down. ¡°The Zhao brothers have juste and expressed their intentions, the second son Zhao said he once saw you working hard for the disaster victims in the wastnd from afar. He has been infatuated with you since then, and wants to marry you. Once I give permission, he ns to officiallye to the Wei family to propose marriage.¡± Wei Mingting began. ¡°Did father agree?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Do you have feelings for that Zhao¡¯s second son?¡± Wei Mingting returned the question. ¡°I think Zhao¡¯s second son is quite nice, his family background is ordinary and simple, his farming background matches mine, and he¡¯s hardworking with a promising future since he has a title.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°I don¡¯t think his health is very good. He looks thin, and has some chronic diseases.¡± Wei Mingtingmented. ¡°I think these are minor illnesses. His thin figure may be due to the hard work of studying, and his chronic disease has already found a good cure.¡± Wei Ruo rified. Wei Mingting frowned slightly: ¡°So, Ruo¡¯er, you have already made up your mind.¡± Chapter 400: 400 Chu Lan bids farewell to Wei Ruo _1 Chapter 400: Chu Lan bids farewell to Wei Ruo _1 ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t hide it from you, Father.¡± Wei Ruo admitted frankly. ¡°Ruo, is it because of Wanwan that you are in such a hurry to find a suitable husband?¡± Wei Mingting asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Not entirely. Father, you know I am of marriageable age. Didn¡¯t Mother want to arrange my marriage with the son of the Xiu Family? Instead of waiting for an unfavorable marriage that would confine me within a walled estate, it¡¯s better to n ahead.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hold back her true thoughts from Wei Mingting. ¡°If you are worried about an inappropriate marriage arrangement, there¡¯s no need, with me here, I will not let you step into a deep mansion courtyard against your wishes.¡± Wei Mingting dered firmly. ¡°Thank you, Father. But I think that young master Zhao is quite good in many ways and is a match for me.¡± Wei Ruo replied with firm determination. Wei Mingting fell silent. After a while, Wei Mingting spoke again. ¡°If Ruo truly thinks he is suitable, I won¡¯t object. But I need to examine his character and physical condition further.¡± ¡°I will follow father¡¯s instructions,¡± Wei Ruo replied. After another bout of silence, Wei Mingting asked Wei Ruo,¡±What do you think about Wanwan¡¯s marriage?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have any particr thoughts. It¡¯s my sister¡¯s good fortune to be chosen, and I wish her well,¡± Wei Ruo answered. Wei Mingting watched Wei Ruo with a furrowed brow, contemting something. After a while, Wei Mingting dismissed Wei Ruo. Coming out of Wei Mingting¡¯s study, Xiumei heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Miss, your foresight was right as always, guessing that Master might disagree if we really chose someone who is on his deathbed.¡± ¡°I only changed my mind recently, thinking that this would make it easier for the Wei family to agree. It just so happens that Zhao Hai and Zhao Xun are willing to help me with this, so I simply arranged it this way.¡± However, this mightplicate matters when it¡¯s time to break free. ¡°Once Miss is married, we won¡¯t have to return to this household anymore. You can do whatever you please without having to put up with their attitudes!¡± Xiumei said with anticipation. ¡°Mmm. If all goes well.¡± Before that, Wei Ruo shouldn¡¯t get too ahead of herself. She had been brewing this escape n for so long, but when it came time to execute it, Wei Ruo was nervous yet expectant. ### Wei Mingyong pondered all night long. If he lends these three hundred taels now,ter on, he can ask Wei Qingwan to help him find a suitable position. Once Wei Qingwan gains favor, the benefits it could bring to him would far outweigh these three hundred taels. So, after weighing the advantages and disadvantages, Wei Mingyong finally decided to lend these three hundred taels of silver to Wei Qingwan. Wei Mingyong found a chance to meet with Wei Qingwan and, after discussing the issue, gave the silver note of three hundred taels to Wei Qingwan. ¡°Wanwan, even for your second uncle, these three hundred taels are not a small amount. Keep it well and do not lose it.¡± The implication being: you must remember this great favor. ¡°Your kindness, second uncle, I will remember in my heart.¡± Wei Qingwan responded.
This reply made Wei Mingyong very satisfied: ¡°Wanwan, you can rest assured and recover from your injury. Your good days are on the way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on your good words, uncle.¡± With the silver in hand, Wei Qingwan felt as if a weight had been lifted off her chest. As soon as she was separated from Wei Mingyong, she immediately sent nanny Li to bring the silver note to the city¡¯s Tongde Hall to purchase ointment.
¡°Miss, we¡¯re all set now, we have the ointment. As for big Miss¡¯s situation, it seems real. She is really going to marry a sickly, poor schr.¡± Cuihe mocked. ¡°Would such a smart and calcting person really n such a marriage for herself? I still find it hard to believe, suspecting that there must be some deceit involved.¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. Big Miss won¡¯t be able to do anything tricky. No matter how hard she tries, her marriage can¡¯t be better than yours!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Although Wei family¡¯s status has greatly improved, making it much easier for the daughters of the Wei family to discuss marriage, regardless, Wei Qingruo will only marry a man of a simr status. It still falls shortpared to her position as a concubine. ### Being busy with the reservoir project, Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t visited her estate for several days. Today, having a rare opportunity, she dressed herself in men¡¯s clothing and took time to inspect her property. With the arrival of October, the weather began to turn cold and preparations for winter needed to begin. The first ce she visited was the Younan Farmstead. As soon as her carriage stopped, Wei Ruo leaned out. The person standing before her made Wei Ruo look surprised. Chu Lan. What was he doing here?
After hesitating for a moment, Wei Ruo gathered herself and stepped down from the carriage. This was her ce, she coulde and go as she wished.But there was no reason to be afraid. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Chu Lan moved forward, his profound eyes lingering on Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo smiled politely, ¡°What brings you here?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude visibly dimmed Chu Lan¡¯s expression. ¡°I came to say goodbye.¡± ¡°I wish you a smooth journey, Master Zhu.¡± said Wei Ruo. Chu Lan looked troubled, ¡°Do you truly dislike me that much?¡± ¡°Master Zhu, you are a person of noble status. I dare notment on you, let alone talk about liking or disliking.¡± Chu Lan mustered a bitter smile, ¡°Alright. Today, I will leave Taizhou prefecture and return to Capital City. I don¡¯t know when we will meet again.¡± Chu Lan, having temporarily concluded his duties as the military governor of the Anti-Japanese Army in Taizhou prefecture, was about to set off to return to the Capital City. Before leaving, he wanted to see Xu Heyou once more. But he didn¡¯t know when Xu Heyou would return to the Younan Farmstead, so he could only wait outside the farmstead.
During this time, Chu Lan¡¯s adviser repeatedly urged him to start his journey promptly as the royal decree had already arrived, and he might be punished for beingte to reach the Capital City if the dy continued. But Chu Lan insisted on waiting. After waiting for three days, he finally saw Xu Heyou. ¡°If it¡¯s meant to be, we¡¯ll see each other again.¡± Better if it¡¯s not meant to be. ¡°I also hope that we have that destiny.¡± Chu Lan said, his gazending on Wei Ruo with a profound depth. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond. Chu Lan continued, ¡°Won¡¯t Master Xu invite me in for a while? Consider it a farewell.¡± Wei Ruo was reluctant in her heart, but seeing Chu Lan¡¯s expression, she didn¡¯t dare bluntly refuse, fearing it might backfire. After some thought, Wei Ruo decided to agree. After today, Chu Lan would return to the Capital City, and it was highly unlikely they¡¯d cross paths again. ¡°Master Zhu, if you don¡¯t mind, pleasee inside my humble abode for a cup of tea.¡± Wei Ruo said. Only then did a hint of a smile appear on Chu Lan¡¯s face. Wei Ruo invited Chu Lan into the farmhouse, and he himself suggested going to the small courtyard where he had previously stayed. Wei Ruo agreed.
In front of the stone table in the courtyard was ced a tea stove. Water was boiled, tea was brewed, and a few dishes of candied fruits were served. Wei Ruo and Chu Lan sat facing each other. The morning sun fell on them, covering them in a golden haze. Chu Lan inevitably reminisced about the days he had spent recovering in the Younan Farmstead. By now, a considerable amount of time had passed. Chapter 401: 401 - Dividing the Land_1 Chapter 401: ¨C Dividing the Land_1 Wei Ruo had no intention of being overly involved with Chu Lan, hence, she spoke sparingly throughout. She only responded to him when he initiated the conversation, and she was silent when he was silent. Despite this, Chu Lan did not appear upset, but quietly enjoyed his time with Wei Ruo. ¡°I find that the days I spent on the farm were actually the mostfortable ones I¡¯ve had during my time in Taizhou prefecture,¡± Chu Lanmented thoughtfully. Wei Ruo wanted to retort that during that time he was physically wrecked and his face was horribly disfigured; how could he describe those days asfortable? She figured he must have lost his senses! Wei Ruo did not engage in the conversation, focusing instead on stoking the fire in the furnace. Suddenly, Chu Lan untied a jade pendant from his waist, ced it on the table, then pushed it towards Wei Ruo. ¡°You should keep this.¡± ¡°Master Zhu, I¡¯ve already epted your medical fee, there¡¯s no need for more,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Take it. If you ever need help in Capital City, you can use this pendant to find me. Perhaps I might be able to assist you.¡± Before Wei Ruo could reject him again, Chu Lan added: ¡°If you don¡¯t ept, I won¡¯t leave today.¡±
Wei Ruo was left speechless, unable to utter her ¡®No¡¯. After numerous thoughts, caught between epting the jade pendant and Chu Lan not leaving, Wei Ruo chose the former. ¡°I will ept it then,¡± Wei Ruo picked up the jade pendant and ced it in her pouch. Once the tea was consumed, Chu Lan got up to leave. ¡°Mr. Xu, until our paths cross again,¡± Chu Lan offered a bow, formally bidding Wei Ruo farewell. ¡°Until our paths cross again,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Chu Lan turned around and left the farm. Before getting onto his horse, he gave onest nce to the ce where he had resided over the winter. He then rode away, his ck silhouette fading into the distance until it eventually disappeared from Wei Ruo¡¯s view. Once Chu Lan had left, Wei Ruo breathed a sigh of relief. She was unsure why Chu Lan was so fixated on repaying her for saving his life. He¡¯d already given her silver as repayment, so they should be even by now. Furthermore, given her attitude towards him, it was surprising that a proud man like him still insisted on showing gratitude. She didn¡¯t expect him to have such a strong sense of gratitude. Declining to mull it over further, Wei Ruo hurriedly went to Caili Farm and Stone Vige to inspect the growth of the crops and the state of the winery before returning to the General¡¯s Residence. Upon returning, Wei Ruo was unable to rest. She pulled out the maps of the two farms and nearby mountain viges again, with the intention of finding another empty plot ofnd. The fabric Wei Ruo had previously promised to the Madams of several noble families was met with their fondness. Now, more people were asking Wei Ruo about the source of the fabric and expressing a strong desire to buy it. Wei Ruo told them that the fabric was limited, and those who wanted to buy would need to wait. As of now, she didn¡¯t have a way to mass-produce either the fabric or the dye, and she didn¡¯t intend to either. However, she still needed to figure out how to set up a ce to work on dying fabric, since she couldn¡¯t always use arge water vat in her small yard. It was simply not convenient and could easily be discovered by others. The next day, Wei Ruo received another letter from the nurse, updating her on the progress at Fengting Vi in the provincial city.
Following Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, they had taken in some refugees and started clearing some of the rtively tnd on the mountain, preparing to nt long-life regenerative rice. Due to the terrain, the initial nting would be rtively strenuous. For the next half a month, they would nt as much as they could, and not rush what they could not finish in time. The remaining work would be nned for the warming-up period next year. Other areas with a bit more slope in thendscape had been nted with tea trees. These tea trees were wild tea bushes that Wei Ruo had asked people to fetch from the mountains around the provincial city and Taizhou prefecture.
The locals were aware of the wild tea bushes, but no one had the idea of transnting it because there was simply nowhere to nt them. Land resources were very precious, and everyone prioritized nting food crops to fill their bellies.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As a result, tea, a non-essentialmodity, was low on the priority list. Poor families drank water more often, and most did not have the time or resources to pick tea, make tea, and brew tea. In the provincial city and Taizhou prefecture, the wild tea bushes on the mountains were mainly green tea, with varieties simr to Longjing tea. After being transnted, all the branches and leaves of the tea bushes were pruned by Wei Ruo¡¯s group. By the time spring arrived next year, they would be able to pick their first batch of tea leaves. In addition to updating Wei Ruo on the progress at Fengting Vi, the nurse also informed Wei Ruo in her letter that the prince responsible for disaster relief had already left Jiangzhe. Rumor has it that he was punished for poor performance in disaster relief efforts, and the court was preparing to assign someone else to take over the job. With Chu Lan returning to the Capital City and the sixth prince also gone, and the appearance of the feeble ninth prince, it seemed that things in the Capital City would be lively. To Wei Ruo, however, it mattered little how lively the Capital City became, as long as she remained undisturbed here. ### On the following day, Wei Ruo left the house dressed as a woman, going together with Madam Yuan, Granny Qin and others towards the reimednd. Although Chu Lan had returned to the Capital City, Granny Qin and her group were staying behind to continue the relief work with Wei Ruo. In addition, several Madams also joined them, which included Yunshi. Thend remation had yielded the first results and wheat had been nted. The Madams were eager to see the current state of the farnd their wealth and efforts had contributed to shape.
ording to the agreement with the Government Office, thend ownership belonged to those who had invested in it, and so did the harvest of this season. And after today¡¯s inspection, the Government Office would start to allocatends. How much each family could be assigned would be made public. Seeing Yunshi and Wei Ruo, the Madams of every family offered their felicitations. This was because the Wei family had recently enjoyed a string of sesses. Wei Mingting had been promoted, Wei Yichen had passed the imperial examination, Wei Ruo had received a reward, and Wei Qingwan was to be married. For a while, they were unparalleled in their glory. To this, Wei Ruo merely responded with a polite smile. The smile on Yunshi¡¯s face was even more radiant than Wei Ruo¡¯s. She felt truly proud and happy from the bottom of her heart. However, Madam Xu did not congratte Wei Ruo like the others. Instead, the look she gave thetter was somewhatplex. Upon reaching the location, everyone saw the expanses of newly cleared fields on which the vibrant, green wheat shoots were brimming with life. Everyone involuntarily wore a joyful expression. ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine that a year ago, this was a rockyndscape where hardly any wild grass could grow!¡± ¡°Exactly. If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t believe that theserge tracts of fertilend were reimed only over thest half year!¡±
¡°I heard from the older generation that this area used to be a ce where nothing could grow! Now look at these lush green wheat shoots, it¡¯s as if they were brought to life by some kind of divine intervention!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Madams continually expressed their admiration. After the tour, Madam Yuan presented thend allocation map to everyone. Theyout of the reimednd was drawn on the map, clearly marking the size and ownership of each plot. The sight of the marked areas on the map filled the Madams with satisfaction because its contents matched exactly with what Madam Yuan had initially agreed upon. Each family¡¯s share was determined based on a fair calction of their individual contributions in terms of money, grain, andbor. Only Yunshi, after seeing the map, had an awkward expression on her face. Chapter 402: 402 Chapter 402: 402 The Wei Family only received a very small portion of thend, amounting to just over two hundred acres in total, and its location is remote. In contrast, arge area of five hundred acres in a more central location was marked under the name of Wei Qingruo. It was hard for Madam Yun to keep a smile on her face. In front of the other wives, Madam Yun felt it wasn¡¯t suitable to make a scene. She looked at Wei Ruo, her eyes filled with immense dissatisfaction. Wei Ruo noticed this, but she didn¡¯t say a word either, even pretending not to see the unusual look Madam Yun was giving her. What Madam Yun failed to notice is that next to Wei Ruo¡¯snd, where her name was marked, there was one thousand acres marked under the name of Xu Heyou. The other wives didn¡¯t seem to mind, the results were matching their expectations. The Xiu Family, which maderge contributions in terms of money and effort, was allocated over three thousand acres. The other average families got over one thousand acres. They traded with their own hard-earned silver, those who received less had also contributed less, so there were noints. Moreover, the ount auditing and resource distribution were done by thedy teachers who were delegated by each family alongside Wei Ruo and Madam Qin, there would have beenints about any unreasonable allocations.
¡°Does anyone have any objections?¡± Madam Yuan asked after everyone had a look. ¡°No objections at all. Madam and Master Yuan have always been fair and just, thisnd distribution is very reasonable.¡± ¡°I also think so, we just need to follow Madam¡¯s arrangement.¡± ¡°We wholeheartedly believe in you, Madam. Your arrangements will certainly not have any problems.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Everyone replied in turn. Madam Yuan continued to say, ¡°Since everyone agrees, we will proceed with these arrangements. For now, the Government Office will continue to manage thesends. After the winter wheat is harvested next year, you can arrange for your people to handle the harvesting.¡± Everyone responded in agreement. After thend distribution discussion ended, the wives took a walk along the newly cultivated vibrant fields with Madam Yuan. During this time, several wives chatted with Wei Ruo about fabrics. The wives who had asked Wei Ruo for assistance in purchasing fabric earlier had already started wearing clothes made from it. They couldn¡¯t help but praise Wei Ruo for the various advantages of the fabric. They even suggested willingness to pay a premium if they could buy more of it. Wei Ruo confided that a new batch of fabric would be produced during the New Year. Not only would it include the previous two colors, but there would also be new ones. All the wives showed immediate interest and wanted Wei Ruo to reserve some for them in advance. The ones who hadn¡¯t reserved them from Wei Ruost time also seemed very eager this time. Seeing therge number of interested parties, Wei Ruo stated that she would let everyone know when the fabric arrives and then they could discuss sales. The wives agreed to this, given the scarcity of the fabric and high demand, they had no choice but to patiently wait. Madam Yun, who had been listening on the side, couldn¡¯t help but look gloomier. By the time they returned from the reimednd, it was alreadyte afternoon. As soon as the carriage arrived at the gate of the General¡¯s Residence, Wei Ruo hopped off and quickly walked towards the backyard.
Madam Yun watched from behind, remaining silent, but her face looked considerably upset. Not too long after Madam Yun returned to Cangyun Garden, Wei Qingwan arrived. Seeing Madam Yun in a bad mood, Wei Qingwan softly asked, ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong? Did something unpleasant happen while you were out with my sister today?¡± Madam Yun told her about thend distribution. After exining, she sighed and said,
¡°At that time, we didn¡¯t have any extra silver so we couldn¡¯t contribute. I have no issue with the Government Office giving the Wei Family lessnd, but she is the Wei Family¡¯s daughter, not yet married, and she¡¯s already nning to umte her private property. She explicitly arranged for her contribution to be written under her own name.¡± The person in charge of thend distribution was the think tank group led by Madam Yuan, which included Wei Ruo. So, the act of allocating Wei Ruo¡¯s contribution under her own name must have been Wei Ruo¡¯s idea. Wei Qingwan gave a sigh, ¡°My sister really shouldn¡¯t have done this. Even if it were written under the Wei Family¡¯s name, when she gets married in the future, mother would have given her that share. This way she is directly splitting with the family, outsiders will not know what to think when they see this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as you said, that¡¯s where I feel wronged from. Such a pity, those who should understand this don¡¯t.¡± Madam Yun sighed. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯ve heard the schr my sister is about to marry is not only from a poor family, but also rather sickly. It seems my sister is nning for her future life out of concern.¡± Wei Qingwanforted. Wei Qingwan¡¯s words only made Madam Yun¡¯s face look even worse: ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking, giving up a good marriage with the Xiu Family for a man like this. What¡¯s even more frustrating is your father said he respects her decision, making me absolutely powerless.¡± ¡°Father probably wants topensate my sister for the many years she wasn¡¯t at home, he wants to satisfy every wish of hers as much as possible.¡± ¡°When she has had her fill of hardships andes running back home crying, she wille to realize how much of a mistake she made in her choice. But by then, it will be toote, no one can bear the hardships that she will have to endure.¡± ¡°Mother, try to persuade my sister again when you get the chance, ask her not to make rash decisions out of anger.¡± Madam Yun waved her hand, ¡°No matter how much I tell her, she only thinks I¡¯m trying to harm her. It¡¯s not worth the effort nor the displeasure, I won¡¯t waste my breath.¡± Soon after, Madam Yun turned to Wei Qingwan and said, ¡°Regarding the ointment, your mother will give you two hundred taels for now, you¡¯ll have to wait for the remaining hundred taels while I figure out a way to get it.¡± ¡°Thank you, mother.¡± Wei Qingwan responded, touched. ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks, if it weren¡¯t for the poor returns from the shop these past two years, I would have given you all three hundred taels in one go. At least your father has been promoted recently and his sry has increased, and we¡¯ve received somend and property as rewards, our household will gradually be more prosperous.¡±
¡°Ah, I understand mother¡¯s difficulties.¡± said Wei Qingwan. ### After Wei Qingwan left Cangyun Garden, she hurried back to her residence. Cuihe had just informed her that Mamasan Li had returned and sessfully brought back the scar healing ointment. As soon as she entered the room, Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t wait to let Cuihe apply the ointment on her. ¡°Quick, Cuihe, apply it on me.¡± Mamasan Li hesitated on the side, debating whether or not to tell Wei Qingwan what she had learned at Tongde Hall. After Cuihe finished applying the medication for Wei Qingwan, while Wei Qingwan was putting her clothes on, she asked Mamasan Li, ¡°Do you have something to tell me, Mamasan?¡± Wei Qingwan had detected Mamasan Li¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Young Miss, about this medicine¡­the people at Tongde Hall told me that forrge wounds, it requires arger dosage. This ointment will onlyst for half a month. However, for you to fully recover, you need to apply it continuously for at least two months.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Oh my! What did you just say? Two months? That means I would need at least another nine boxes, right?¡± Cuihe cried out in surprise. Mamasan Li nodded, ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± That was another nine-hundred taels of silver! Where to get so much money? Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned extremely pale.
She had just managed to get three hundred taels from Wei Mingyong, where could she get another nine hundred from? Even if she still had the two hundred taels given by Madam Yun, there was still a shortfall of seven hundred taels! Chapter 403: 403 Trapped Halfway in Snowy Weather_1 Chapter 403: Trapped Halfway in Snowy Weather_1 Tingsong Garden. Wei Ruo received a silver note worth three hundred taels delivered to her by a man from Tongde Hall. With the substantial amount of silver now in her possession, Wei Ruo was in high spirits. Together with the newly obtained fifteen hundred acres ofnd, Wei Ruo¡¯s mood was more than just good. All that now remained was for Wei Mingting to consent to her marriage with Zhao Xun. Wei Ruo knew that Wei Mingting had recently sent men to investigate the situation in the Zhao family and Zhao Xun¡¯s health. Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t concerned about this, because Zhao Xun¡¯s health had indeed improved significantly. He had risktfully participated in the imperial examination while still unwell, but his survival showed that his health had genuinely improved considerably. Now Wei Ruo had acquired quite a bit of farnd, shops, and silver reserves, and her marital affairs were also making progress. Everything was evolving in the direction Wei Ruo hoped for. ¡°Miss, now we have the money to open new shops and buy new houses,¡± a servantmented.
¡°I want to use this silver to buy some shops in the provincial capital,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already buy some shops through the nanny, miss?¡± Xiumei asked, puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re right, the shops for opening my own businesses have already been purchased. The shops I n to buy now are not for operating myself, but for renting them out to earn rental ie,¡± said Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo had recently received rewards and experienced good harvests on hernd, and her various businesses had also made profits, resulting in an increase in her cash reserves. Wei Ruo liked to use money to make money, so she considered bing andlord. By taking advantage of the provincial capital¡¯s bad economy, she could buy a batch of storefronts at low prices. Once the disaster passed, the value of the shops in the provincial capital would inevitably rise. By that time, whether she decided to resell them or rent them out, she¡¯d make a good profit. ¡°Collecting rent is good; we¡¯ll have silver to take every month!¡± Xiumei said, her face filled with anticipation. ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll have to find a way to make a trip to the provincial capital and handle this matter personally. I can also deal with the affairs of Fengting Vi at the same time,¡± Wei Ruo nned. Wei Ruo had nned things well. By finding an excuse to stay in the provincial capital for a while, she could not only handle business matters efficiently but also have some leisure time. Speaking of it, thest time she went to the provincial capital was with her second brother. She didn¡¯t know where he was or how he was doing, and how the matter that concerned him was progressing. ### The next day, Wei Ruo left home under the pretext of visiting Madam Yuan and working on the reimednd. Although she said she would stay at the Yuan Residence for a short time, she actually headed for the provincial capital. It wasn¡¯t until half a monthter that she returned. Originally, she could have arrived in Taizhou prefecture that night. However, it started snowing heavily and, in just half a day, thick snow had umted on the roads. Snow nketed the city, obstructing all roads leading to the city. The wheels of the carriages got stuck in the snow, unable to continue their journeys. Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage returning was thus forced to stop outside the city. ¡°Miss, what should we do? We can¡¯t move,¡± Xiumei tried to push the carriage out, but failed. ¡°Meimei, let¡¯s not rush to get on the road. The snow is still falling and is bing thicker. Even if we get the carriage out of here, we will still be unable to travel due to the snow ahead,¡± Wei Ruo analysed.
¡°So, what should we do?¡± Xiumei asked anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have everything we need. Even if we have to stay on the roadside for a few days, there won¡¯t be any problems,¡± Wei Ruo reassured her. ¡°Miss, you make sense! I forgot about that in my haste!¡± Xiumei said, her face brightening up with understanding. ¡°First, let¡¯s clear the snow around the carriage, and then construct a tent,¡± Wei Ruo proposed, nning to set up camp on the spot and wait for the snowstorm to pass before making further ns.
¡°OK.¡± Wei Ruo and Xiumei first changed their clothes. In the morning they had been dressed warmly enough in autumn clothes, but now they needed to wrap themselves in thick winter gear. After changing, the two of them began their work, sweeping the umted snow around their carriage. The carriage that Wei Ruo was riding in was newly purchased by herself. Because Wei Ruo had to travel frequently and using the Wei family¡¯s carriage was inconvenient, she found it reasonable to buy her own carriage, especially since everyone in the Wei family knew she could afford it. This was a more spacious carriage than the two that the Wei family had initially owned, and the four walls of the carriage were fitted with instion pads to keep out the cold and wind, making it extremelyfortable. It was also spacious enough for Wei Ruo and Xiumei to spend the night. The two of them first cleared an empty space around the carriage. Xiumei trudged through the snow to a nearby bamboo grove and cut off a bundle of bamboo. Then, Wei Ruo ingeniously brought a piece of cloth, and they used the bamboo and the cloth to set up a simple tent. The tent was a bitrger than the carriage and could not only shield the carriage but also leave a small open space. Next, Wei Ruo brought a brazier and some charcoal, and started a fire on the open space next to the carriage. Although doing so was somewhat wasteful, the heat generated by the brazier could, to a certain extent, prevent the snow from umting on top of the tent. Otherwise, with the heavy snowfall, a thickyer of snow would umte in no time, easily causing the tent to copse under its weight. Beside the brazier, Wei Ruo lit another stove, ced a pot on it and started boiling water.
Since they couldn¡¯t get going for a while, they had to solve their food issue on the spot. Although they had plenty of dry food in the carriage, Wei Ruo preferred hot meals in this icy cold weather. While the water was boiling, Wei Ruo brought some hay for the two horses to eat. While Wei Ruo and Xiumei were busy, a group of people appeared in the distance. Wei Yichen, Xiu Fengyuan, and Lu Yuhong were initially riding horses back to the city from Anzhou Academy, but because the snow was too thick, they were forced to dismount. After walking a bit further, even moving on foot became difficult, as the snow had reached their knees. It was not only arduous but also dangerous to continue on the journey, for both horses and humans, under these conditions. However, staying where they were was also very dangerous. Nobody knew how long this snowstorm wouldst, and while they had silver coins on them, they had no food. If they just stayed there, they would risk freezing or starving to death. Just when they didn¡¯t know what what to do and were both hungry and cold, they saw a tent not far away, and also noticed the fire and smoke billowing from beneath it. They all looked surprised and puzzled. How could there be a tent by the road during such a snowstorm? After a while, someone with sharp eyes recognized the busy figure. ¡°Brother Yichen, doesn¡¯t that appear to be your older sister?¡± Hearing this, both Wei Yichen and Xiu Fengyuan turned their gazes toward the tent and as they ascertained that the figure was indeed Wei Ruo, their expressions changed.
At the same time, Wei Ruo, who was busy with her work, noticed their group in the distance. Upon careful observation, she realized that they were the students from Anzhou Academy. ¡°What are they doing here?¡± Wei Ruo wondered.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Instead of staying safely inside the academy, why were these schrs out here in such a heavy snowstorm? As she pondered, the group started walking towards them. There were six people in all: Wei Yichen, Xiu Fengyuan, Lu Yuhong, Yuan Wangyuan who was from a side branch of the Yuan family, the second son of the Liu family which was arge established family in Taizhou prefecture, Liu Yu, and a student from a poor family named Gao Wentian. When the six men got closer and saw the situation on Wei Ruo¡¯s side, they couldn¡¯t help being increasingly astonished and curious. Chapter 404: 404: Receiving Wei Ruos Help in the Snowstorm_1 Chapter 404: Receiving Wei Ruo¡¯s Help in the Snowstorm_1 Lu Yuhong asked first: ¡°Miss Wei, why are you here?¡± ¡°I was returning from the wilderness, and was caught in the heavy snow. Continuing the journey would have been too dangerous, so I decided to rest here.¡± replied Wei Ruo. Lu Yuhong then inquired: ¡°Do you n on making a camp here?¡± ¡°Yes, the snowstorm is severe, and traveling is unpredictably dangerous. This ce is open, without the risk of avnches, and as long as we make sure to keep warm, staying put and resting should be rtively safe.¡± Wei Ruo analyzed. Indeed, it made sense, and all six of them showed approval. However, that would be predicated on having enough supplies. Just like their current situation¡­ Wei Ruo asked: ¡°Why are you guys here?¡± Yuan Wangyuan, who was next to Lu Yuhong, answered for the group: ¡°We set off down the mountain just as it started to snow in the morning. At that time, we didn¡¯t expect the snowfall to be so heavy. We thought we could hurry down to the stables at the foot of the mountain, retrieve our horses, and swiftly make it back to town. However, by the time we reached the foot of the mountain, the umted snow was already thick, and it would be more dangerous to go back up. So, we decided to ride back to town, but we hadn¡¯t gone far before we were unable to move forward.¡± Yuan Wangyuan¡¯s face showed difficulty as he spoke.
Wei Ruo astutely picked up on the group¡¯s predicament. With such heavy snow, not only were their clothes thin, they only had a few horses and probably didn¡¯t bring much food. So Wei Ruo took the initiative: ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, you can rest in my tent and warm up by the fire.¡± We Ruo¡¯s proactive invitation spared them from the embarrassment of having to ask themselves. ¡°Really?¡± Liu Yu asked, seemingly surprised. ¡°Of course,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Lu Yuhongughed: ¡°What are you saying, Liu Yu? Brother Yichen is here, they¡¯re blood siblings, what are you afraid of with him around?¡± Liu Yu chuckled: ¡°True, Brother Yichen is here, but we have no familial or personal rtionship with Miss Wei. We¡¯re indeed grateful to be epted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a fair point!¡± As Lu Yuhong said this, he unfastened the Jade Pendant from his waist, intending to give it to Wei Ruo as a token of appreciation. Wei Ruo naturally wouldn¡¯t ept it. Wei Yichen stopped Lu Yuhong: ¡°Brother Lu, it¡¯s inappropriate for men and women to exchange personal items.¡± Lu Yuhong was taken aback before realizing that men giving their Jade Pendants to women was indeed a highly improper gesture. So heughed awkwardly: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Wei. I didn¡¯t mean to disrespect you. My mind just wasn¡¯t thinking straight. I just wanted to express my gratitude.¡± Wei Ruo, knowing Lu Yuhong¡¯s blunt nature, wasn¡¯t going to take that to heart. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be formal, Mr. Lu. Find a ce to sit for now, while Meimei and I cook a pot of meat soup. It will help everyone warm up.¡± After exining to the group, Wei Ruo went back to the carriage to get the supplies. Once Wei Ruo was inside the carriage, Yuan Wangyuan turned to the silent Xiu Fengyuan with an amused smirk: ¡°Brother Xiu, if you have something to say, you should just say it. Don¡¯t stifle it.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say,¡± Xiu Fengyuan replied. ¡°Brother Xiu, your mouth can lie, but the way you were looking at Miss Wei cannot.¡±
¡°Brother Yuan, I¡¯ll go find some stones to use as seats. Would you mind settling our horses?¡± Xiu Fengyuan changed the subject, handed his horse¡¯s reins to Yuan Wangyuan, then walked away. Yuan Wangyuan shook his head with a resigned smile, then his gazended on the equally silent Wei Yichen. It was strange. It was understandable that Xiu Fengyuan acted reservedly around Miss Wei, but why was Wei Yichen also silent?
Though they were blood siblings, they didn¡¯t seem close. Wei Yichen¡¯s rtionship with Miss Wei seemed even less familiar than Lu Yuhong¡¯s with her. Soon, Xiu Fengyuan came back with the stones, and the horses were also settled around the tent. After everyone sat down by the fire to warm up, a tantalizing aroma wafted from the hot pot. Lu Yuhong was the first one who couldn¡¯t hold back. As he sniffed the alluring scent of the food, he asked Wei Ruo who had just climbed down from the carriage: ¡°Miss Wei, what are you cooking in this pot? It smells so good.¡± ¡°Lamb soup. It¡¯s cold out, and themb soup can keep us warm.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°It smells amazing! I¡¯m getting really hungry,¡± Lu Yuhong said. ¡°That must be because you¡¯re hungry, Mr. Lu,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Though I am hungry, there is no doubt that yourmb soup smells delicious,¡± Lu Yuhong remarked. Yuan Wangyuan teased from the aside: ¡°Mr. Lu, make sure you don¡¯t sneak a bite.¡± Lu Yuhong retorted irritably: ¡°Rest assured, I will not touch anything before Miss Wei says it¡¯s ready to eat. To try food before it¡¯s ready is to disrespect it.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo chuckled, then passed a cloth bag to Lu Yuhong. ¡°You can warm this up in the fire pot, and then have it with themb soup.¡± Wei Ruo suggested.
Lu Yuhong opened the cloth bag, revealing a pile of pancakes bigger than their faces. Without hesitation, everyone took one. While the group was heating up their pancakes, Xiumei brought out a few coats and nkets for everyone. ¡°These coats are designed for females, but they are new and never worn. If you don¡¯t mind, you can wear them to keep warm,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Everyone took a coat without hesitation or negotiation and wrapped it around themselves. Compared to manners and face-saving, life was undoubtedly more important. With the coats and nkets, as well as the heat from the fire, they all felt much warmer. A whileter, themb soup was ready. Wei Ruo served a bowl for each person, and each bowl had tworge pieces ofmb. Seeing the bowls and chopsticks Wei Ruo had just brought out, Lu Yuhong couldn¡¯t help but exim: ¡°Miss Wei, you have everything in your carriage.¡± ¡°I often travel to the wilderness where supplies are scarce, so I got into the habit of being fully prepared,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Actually, not all of those items were in the carriage. Even arge carriage had limited space, so it was impossible to carry every possible item, especially something as perishable asmb, which would spoil in a few days. ¡°You are truly foresighted, Miss Wei. It¡¯s thanks to you that we can keep warm in this weather,¡± Yuan Wangyuan gauged. Wei Ruo smiled: ¡°Drink while it¡¯s still hot.¡±
Without hesitation, everyone started sipping the steamy soup. They couldn¡¯t tell whether they were just too hungry, or Wei Ruo¡¯smb soup was exceptionally delicious, but an expression of pure satisfaction spread over their faces. ¡°Miss Wei, yourmb soup is simply amazing! It is the best I have ever tasted! And this pancake, it¡¯s even better than other ces!¡± Lu Yuhong eximed in praise. Chapter 405: 405: Strengthening the Shed_1 Chapter 405: Strengthening the Shed_1 Yuan Wangyuan, Liu Yu, and Gao Wentian all chimed in, heaping praise on Wei Ruo¡¯smb soup and bread, dering it the most delicious they¡¯d ever had. Xiu Fengyuan didn¡¯t speak, but his gaze often fell on Wei Ruo, and from the way he ate the bread and soup, it was apparent that he was also very satisfied with the lunch. Wei Yichen too remained silent, his eyes deep, seemingly lost in thought. Ever since their near-death experience, he had be more introspective, and neither Wei Ruo nor his ssmates found this unusual. In the end, Wei Ruo¡¯s pot ofmb soup was eaten up by everyone, not a drop of soup was left. The snow kept falling, the umted snow on the ground around them grew deeper, their shelter, erected by Wei Ruo, was the only exception in this vastnd. After they had eaten their fill, Xiu Fengyuan suggested, ¡°We should gather more bamboo to reinforce this shelter.¡± Xiu Fengyuan was worried that as the snowstorm intensified, the shelter built by Wei Ruo might not hold up. Lu Yuhong was the first to respond, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Yuan Wangyuan, Liu Yu, and Gao Wentian all joined in.
Then, they all cut arge amount of bamboo and used the rope on Wei Ruo¡¯s cart to reinforce the shelter. Seeing them bring back bamboo and clumsily tie the whole bamboos to the shelter she had built, Wei Ruo stepped in to help. ¡°Ruoruo, let us do it,¡± said Wei Yichen. ¡°The way you¡¯re doing this could make the whole shelter unstable. The snowstorm tonight might be much stronger. It will be quite troublesome if the shelter copses, especially for you.¡± Wei Ruo and Xiumei had the cart to shield them from the snowstorm, so even if the shelter copsed, it wouldn¡¯t affect them too much, which was why they had initially built a rtively simple and crude shelter. However, with the addition of Wei Yichen, Xiu Fengyuan, and the others, the situation had changed. With that, Wei Ruo quickly took out a hatchet and split the bamboo, about as thick as a thumb, into several equal parts. She then split off the tough green outeryer from the white fibrous interior. Seeing this, Xiumei stepped in. She skillfully used a portion of the bamboo to construct theteral framework of the shelter, then took the bamboo pieces Wei Ruo had just processed and wove the green outeryers onto the framework. Watching the adept movements and seamless teamwork of the mistress and her maid, Lu Yuhong and the others couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit ashamed. They weren¡¯t nearly as capable as the two youngdies! Lu Yuhong urged, ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you instruct us, and we¡¯ll do the work.¡± Lu Yuhong knew that they could not match Wei Ruo in constructing and reinforcing the shelter, but letting the two youngdies do the work while they stood by, watching, was something they could not ept. ¡°Yes, Miss Wei, please allow us to do the work. We may not understand it fully, but if you instruct us, we¡¯ll definitely carry out the task,¡± Yuan Wangyuan echoed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Ruo stopped working, looked at Lu Yuhong and the others, and, without mincing words, said, ¡°All right then, you do it.¡± Wei Ruo withdrew to the side, and Xiumei halted as well. Wei Ruo gave them a quick instruction, and they quickly grasped the basics. So, she left them to continue reinforcing the shelter while she and Xiumei returned to thefort of the cart. Inside the cart, it was very warm. All the walls and the floor were padded, and several fluffy pillows were ced on the side. It was veryfortable whether sitting or lying down. However, Wei Ruo was serious and preupied at the moment. Xiumei worriedly asked, ¡°Miss, what¡¯s the matter? Is it because of Mr. Xiu¡­¡±
¡°What are you thinking? What does it have to do with him? I¡¯m concerned this heavy snowfall will bring great suffering to the people of Jiangzhe,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Oh, right,st year¡¯s heavy snow inflicted great hardship on the people of Taizhou prefecture! Plus there was also the threat of gue¡­ Considering the current snowfall, I¡¯m afraid it might be worse thanst year¡­¡± At this point, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but express her own worry. Then Xiumei tried tofort herself, saying, ¡°But this year the harvest of grains has been good, so the situation could be a bit better.¡±
A good grain harvest is not only about having enough to eat. If the people have surplus grain, they can buy more cotton-padded jackets and quilts, and they can also repair their houses, thereby reducing the impact of heavy snowfall. ¡°We must prepare for this,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I remember that one warehouse in Younan Vi is full of the coal I¡¯ve been stockpiling.¡± Owing tost year¡¯s conditions, Wei Ruo had made preparations early this year. Although she didn¡¯t know whether it would snow this year or if it would be as cold asst year, it was always right to stockpile more cold weather supplies. Xiumei nodded, ¡°Right, a whole warehouse, untouched. There is also another batch in the storage of Xingshan County.¡± ¡°We should also have a stock of cotton. As soon as we return to the city, you should apany me to check the warehouse where the cotton is stored,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. Xiumei nodded in understanding. Outside the carriage, the six men did not ck off at all. Although they were not very skilled, they worked earnestly. While working, Liu Yu couldn¡¯t help asking Wei Yichen, ¡°Brother Yichen, why is your elder sister so amazing? She¡¯s even adept at this. Watching her chop the bamboo earlier, she was so skilled. It was as if she¡¯d done it many times before.¡± Liu Yu felt a slight pain in his hands after chopping some bamboo. He was not a delicate schr, he regrly trained in horseback riding and archery and had calluses on his hands. However, the way he exerted strength when using the hatchet to chop bamboo differed from his regr training. Wei Yichen fell silent for a long time before responding. ¡°Brother Yichen?¡± Liu Yu called out to him. ¡°My sister once learned some skills from the elders in the countryside for fun when she was recovering from an illness,¡± Wei Yichen replied somberly.
¡°I see, Miss Wei must indeed be a learned and talented woman,¡± Liu Yu praised. Then, Liu Yu couldn¡¯t help but nce at Xiu Fengyuan, ¡°No wonder Mr. Xiu, he¡­¡± Halfway through his sentence, he noticed the atmosphere had changed. Both Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Yichen¡¯s expression had darkened. Liu Yu hurriedly shut up, swallowing the rest of his words. Wei Yichen then said, ¡°We should hurry. It¡¯s gettingte.¡± The others nodded in agreement, and they all dedicated themselves to the work of reinforcing the shelter, no longer engaging in small talk. By dusk, the reinforcement work was almostplete. The top of the shelter, which had used crosswise bamboo and cloth as cover, now had gaps filled in with flexible bamboo strips, enhancing its load-bearing capacity and overall sturdiness. Two of the shelter¡¯s sides were closed off with flexible bamboo strips. On one of the remaining sides was Wei Ruo¡¯s cart, which could block most of the wind and snow, and on the other side were their horses. Given the limited time, it was not easy to seal the top and two sides properly. Since they were still lighting fires inside the shelter, it was not good to have all four sides fully closed off. Given these, what they had achieved was already quitemendable. Chapter 406: 406: Toast and Happy Conversations_1 Chapter 406: Toast and Happy Conversations_1 After getting everything set, they all sat down, wrapped in the cloaks and nkets Wei Ruo had given them, huddled closely together. Just this morning, none of them had imagined this kind of predicament for pampered young men like themselves. Who could have thought that in merely half a day, they would find themselves huddled together in such a disastrous state? Despite this, they were receiving help from Miss Wei of the Wei Family. If not, their situation would have been even worse. ¡°Gurgle~¡± Lu Yuhong¡¯s stomach made a sound. The mutton soup and naan they had had at noon had indeed made them quite full, but after spending the afternoon busy, they had almost digested it. Embarrassed, Lu Yuhong gave a sheepish smile. At this moment, he didn¡¯t have the nerve to approach Wei Ruo to ask for food. They were all traveling, and it was not usual to carry a lot of food on them. Wei Ruo probably didn¡¯t carry much either. It was already hard enough letting them have a full meal at noon; she probably had nothing left for dinner. So, even if they were hungry againter, Mi Yuhong and the others didn¡¯t feel it appropriate to ask for more. At this moment, Wei Ruo emerged from the carriage, carrying three heavy cloth bags in her hand.
Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Wei Ruo came forward and opened the first bag, which contained sweet potatoes. Without washing the mud off, Wei Ruo ced the sweet potatoes in the brazier. Then came the second bag, which contained small taros. The taro Wei Ruo grew on her farm were usuallyrge, but there were also some smaller ones. The taros Wei Ruo now took out were these smaller ones. Simrly, Wei Ruo threw these taros into another brazier. Finally, Wei Ruo opened the third bag, which contained cut pieces of rice cake. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t throw these rice cake pieces directly into the fire. Instead, she skewered them on bamboo sticks and roasted them over the fire. These foods, oncepletely roasted, should be enough to fill them all. Seeing this, the faces of Mi Yuhong and the others couldn¡¯t help but show surprise and delight. They originally thought they would go hungry tonight, but it seems they had underestimated the food reserves in Miss Wei¡¯s carriage! After a short while of roasting, the fragrance of roasted sweet potatoes began to permeate from the brazier. Whether it was just because everyone was hungry or not, the smell was extremely tempting. The smell of roasted rice cakes and taros might not be as strong, but it was equally tantalizing. Once the food was almost roasted, Wei Ruo went back into the carriage to get something. When she returned, she was holding a jar of wine. ¡°Miss Wei, is this¡­?¡± Yuan Wangyuan asked, looking at the jar in Wei Ruo¡¯s arms with a questioning look. ¡°Thyme.¡± Wei Ruo replied, cing the jar in front of them. ¡°Miss Wei, are you inviting us to drink?¡± Yuan Wangyuan asked again. This was not just because Thyme was a rare and expensive wine, but because of their current situation. Having a warm ce was already a luxury, let alone drinking fine wine. ¡°Drinking can keep the body warm in cold weather,¡± Wei Ruo exined.
Tonight, it was unlikely that they would be able to sleep well. The long and cold night was hard to bear. Drinking could not only warm the body but also pass time. It was an excellent idea. At these words, their faces all showed joy. Lu Yuhong was the first to stand up and express his gratitude: ¡°Miss, you are really thoughtful!¡± Yuan Wangyuan said: ¡°Miss Wei, it is so considerate of you.¡±
Liu Yu added: ¡°Miss Wei, you¡¯ve thought of everything.¡± Wei Ruoughed and then instructed them to clean the bowls they had used for mutton soup. The cleaning was simple, just wiping the bowls with some snow from outside. Although this method might not clean the bowls very well, no one cared about such details under these circumstances. Then they all filled their bowls with wine, including Wei Ruo. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s bold move, the group was briefly taken aback, but quickly realized it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Under normal circumstances, they should stick to etiquette and avoid any possible mistrust between men and women. But under current circumstances, when life itself was unclear, they felt it was too old-fashioned to make distinctions between men and women anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll go first and toast to Miss Wei, to express my gratitude for her help today and for preparing such an abundant meal.¡± Yuan Wangyuan was the first to stand up and express his gratitude, then he drank his wine. Wei Ruo responded generously, lifting her bowl and taking a big gulp. On seeing this, Lu Yuhong also stood up to propose a toast to Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss, I¡¯m not good at speeches. In short, I mean the same as Brother Wangyuan. In any case, here is my toast to you.¡± After saying this, Lu Yuhong drank his wine. Wei Ruo readily epted it and drank another big gulp.
FOLLOWing them, Liu Yu and Gao Wentian also proposed toasts to Wei Ruo, expressing their gratitude for her help today. As Wei Ruo cheerfully drank with the men, Wei Yichen remained calm and silent, not intervening. He sat silently, his bowl of wine in hand and taking only a small sip. Wei Ruo¡¯s unrestrained image reflected in Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s eyes. After a while, as if he had figured something out, he suddenly stood up. ¡°Miss, I will also toast you.¡± Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s face had lost its earlier tension, and he looked at Wei Ruo with a relieved smile. As soon as Xiu Fengyuan spoke, everyone turned their surprised gazes to him. He had been silent all day, and everyone guessed that he hadn¡¯tpletely put Wei Ruo behind him yet. Wei Ruo was also a little surprised. She met Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s eyes. Seeing his friendly and cheerful smile, his eyes clear and sincere, Wei Ruo was immediately reassured. She raised her bowl in response. Both of them drank their wine, then Fengyuan said, ¡°Miss, I apologize for my previous abruptness. I hope you haven¡¯t taken it to heart.¡± ¡°Same to you, Mr. Xiu, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Neither of them spoke clearly, but the meaning was clear to everyone present.
Xiu Fengyuan shook his head andughed softly: ¡°Certain things were my wishful thinking and they have nothing to do with you, Miss.¡± At this point, of all the people present, only Wei Yichen hadn¡¯t proposed a toast to Wei Ruo. All others had done so. Afterward, they all continued to drink, happily eating the roasted sweet potatoes, taros, and rice cakes. The clear white wine gave off a strong aroma, and the taste was even more delicious than usual. Even those coarse-looking roasted sweet potatoes, taros, and rice cakes seemed like delicacies, making people immensely savour the food. They were chatting andughing. Despite the freezing weather, this meal had a unique charm. Time seemed to fly by. The sky gradually darkened, the snowstorm did not let up, and the temperature was getting colder. At this moment, a few figures appeared in the white snow in the distance, garnering the attention of Wei Ruo and the others. At the same time, those people also noticed the shed where Wei Ruo and the others were. Seeing the shed, their faces lit up with delight, and they quickened their pace towards it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 407: 407: The Old Mans Plea_1 Chapter 407: The Old Man¡¯s Plea_1 As they got a bit closer, more details became clearer. Wei Ruo could see that in the group were five people, four of them wearing identical clothes, and they surrounded a fifth person in the middle, blocking the wind and clearing the way through the snow for him. The person in the middle was bundled up tightly, making it impossible for Wei Ruo to discern his features. However, Wei Ruo could determine that the four escorts were skilled. The snow was already up to their knee level. Yet, they could efficiently clear the thick umted snow and move forward in an orderly manner. Probably Lu Yuhong and hispanions also noticed this, so they didn¡¯t have the idea of offering help. Soon, these people arrived in front of Wei Ruo¡¯s tent. ¡°All of you, clear out this tent!¡± A man in the front announced brusquely to everyone. No one moved, all of them seated where they were, just watching. Then a man wearing a big fur coat stepped forward from the group. Initially, his face was mostly obscured by the hood of his coat, but as he took it off, everyone could see his true appearance.
He was a man in his fifties, his hair peppered with white. He had a goatee, some wrinkles on his face, and due to the cold, his face was pale, his lips slightly purplish. Setting aside hisplexion, the man had a full forehead, bright eyes, an erect posture, and an extraordinary bearing. The man rebuked his servants, ¡°No rudeness is allowed!¡± Then he turned to the people in the tent, ¡°My apologies for the rudeness of my servant just now. I hope you all can forgive us.¡± He continued, ¡°My surname is Tan. We were passing by, encountered a blizzard, rendered immobile. We only brought some snacks with us, which barely fill our stomachs, so we had the servants protect me while we sought refuge. However, we haven¡¯t seen a soul the entire day. It was only after half a day¡¯s walking that we found you. We took the liberty of requesting some food. If you¡¯re willing to assist, I would be happy to reward you generously.¡± The man was polite and gracious in his demeanor. Xiu Fengyuan and the others didn¡¯t say a word. They were there only because of the kindness of Miss Wei, so whether they should help this man depends on Wei Ruo¡¯s decision. Wei Ruo nced back at Xiumei, who immediately understood her meaning. Xiumei handed over the leftover sweet potatoes and taro to the man. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, you can have these.¡± Before the man had a chance to respond, one of his servants snapped, ¡°How dare you? Our master cannot possibly eat such crude fare!¡± ¡°Nonsense, is there crude or refined food? As long as it can fill your stomach, it is indeed a treasure.¡± The man sternly reprimanded his servant. Next, the man reached out, took a roasted sweet potato, and instructed a servant to give Xiumei some silver. We Ruo interrupted, ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. It¡¯s a fortunate encounter to meet others in this blizzard. If you don¡¯t mind, feel free to eat these roasted sweet potatoes and taro. If it¡¯s not enough, I can roast some more for you.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Thank you, youngdy,¡± the man expressed his gratitude. Afterwards, the man¡¯s servant helped him peel the sweet potato, and he began to partake in the orange flesh inside. Both Lu Yuhong and Xiu Fengyuan narrowed their eyes slightly. From the man¡¯s table manners, they could once again sense that this man was either of rich or noble birth. However, neither of them was able to guess the man¡¯s identity. Despite having spent many years in the Capital City, Lu Yuhong had nevere across this man. Having finished an entire sweet potato, the man couldn¡¯t help butment,¡± Despite its unremarkable appearance, its taste is quite good, sweet, soft, aromatic, and glutinous.¡± Seeing this man being so polite, speaking kindly, and having a gentle smile, Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei to bring him a bowl of wine.
The servant looked worried, ¡°Master, let me take a sip first.¡± It seemed like the servant was worried that there might be something wrong with the wine in the bowl. The man chuckled, ¡°No need to worry. We¡¯re strangers meeting amidst a big snowstorm. It¡¯s already a kindness that they¡¯re sharing their food with us, why would they harbor ill intentions against us?¡± After he finished speaking, the man slowly started to taste the drink.
Then his face suddenly lit up, ¡°Could this be the well-known Thyme wine?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard of Thyme too?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes, someone gave me a small jar of Thyme before. When I tasted it, I thought it was wonderful. However, I heard that it¡¯s very difficult to purchase this wine, as it¡¯s only sold in the Taizhou prefecture. So, on this trip north, I was nning to stop by Taizhou to purchase a few jars.¡± Wei Ruo was surprised that word of her Thyme wine had spread so far that people from other ces even came specifically to seek it out. Xiu Fengyuan exined to the man, ¡°Sir, this Thyme wine is also difficult to purchase even within the Taizhou prefecture. Generally, each person can only buy one jug at a time, and you must make a reservation with the shopkeeper of the Zuixian Residence quite early.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± There was a look of surprise and a little disappointment on the man¡¯s face. Then he looked at the bowl in his hand and asked, ¡°So this is ¡­¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I just got this jar today from my friend and had kept it in my carriage to bring it back to the city, but encountering this snowstorm, I decided to share it with everyone to warm up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re willing to share such precious wine with us.¡± The man remarked in astonishment. ¡°A good knife is best used on a whetstone. The same goes for good wine. In this situation, in this weather, this wine can warm us up and bring us together, it¡¯s the most appropriate time for its use,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Youngdy, your words are truly insightful!¡± The man praised, looking at Wei Ruo with increased interest. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, sir, please join us. Sit down, warm up by the fire, and drink some wine,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. Given the current circumstances, there was nowhere else for the gentleman to go, and asking him to travel back and forth further was an undue hardship.
¡°Thank you, youngdy,¡± the man expressed his gratitude. Then Xiu Fengyuan made some room for him. Before the man sat down, his servant wanted to take off his own clothes to create a cushion for him, but the man stopped him. Once seated, the man joined the group, warming himself by the fire and drinking wine just like everyone else. Wei Ruo then brought out a bag of charcoal, refilled the two stoves, and put some raw sweet potatoes on the fire to roast. When the newly roasted sweet potatoes were done, Xiumei gave them to the man¡¯s servants. The man¡¯s four servants immediately refused, ¡°We dare not. If the youngdy has extra food, please give it to our master.¡± ¡°Just eat it. In Miss Wei¡¯s tent, there are only people who are cold and hungry, there are no masters and servants. If your master gets to eat, so can you. Servants are humans too, they can get hungry and they also need to eat,¡± Xiumei replied. The four of them looked surprised, as if they had not expected to get a share. ¡°Hurry up and take it, I¡¯ll bring some wine for you. But we have run out of bowls so you four will have to share from a jug, is that okay?¡± Xiumei urged. The four men looked even more surprised. After exchanging nces, none made a move. ¡°Well, is it okay?¡± Xiumei asked again.
Chapter 408: 408: Shared Hardships_1 Chapter 408: Shared Hardships_1 ¡°We don¡¯t drink,¡± answered one of them, and the other three nodded in agreement. Seeing the steadfast attitude of the four servants, Xiumei did not press further. She felt a sense of mistrust toward her and her mistress from them¡ªas if they suspected that they would be poisoned. However, as house guards, their caution was understandable, and Xiumei could empathize. The man, looking at this scene, addressed his servants with a benevolent expression, ¡°Such a fine wine should not go to waste. Don¡¯t disappoint this youngdy¡¯s kindness. Today is an exception; I allow you to drink.¡± ¡°But sir, we need to ensure your safety¡­¡± ¡°Just enough to warm your bodies, it will not intoxicate you, not to worry,¡± the man said, and then he issued amand in a more serious tone, ¡®This is my order.¡± The four servants had no choice but to bow and obey. Upon seeing this, Xiumei brought over the jug that still had some wine left and offered it to the four men. The four took turns to sip it twice. By the time night fell, Wei Ruo and Xiumei had returned to the carriage. They covered themselves with nkets andyfortably.
The storm continued outside, but inside the carriage, it felt as warm as home. In contrast, the eleven men outside were in a far graver situation, with only a few thin cloaks and nkets to fend off the cold. Wei Ruo could not provide them with more clothes to keep warm¡ªnot because she did not have enough supplies in her space but because she could not take out too much. She had already taken out a lot, and they didn¡¯t know how long they would be stuck here. Wei Ruo would have to bring out food for every meal during their time here. If she were to bring out a few nkets for them, no matter how spacious the carriage, it would raise suspicions. Wei Ruo and Xiumei slept quitefortably, but when Wei Ruo stepped down from the carriage the next morning, she saw that the snow outside the tent had piled up twice as thick. Their shelter remained sturdy, with the snow piled up on and around it cleared. She then saw the evident fatigue on the faces of Wei Yichen, Xiu Fengyuan, and others. It was clear they had not had a good night¡¯s rest. When Wei Ruo and Xiumei joined the others, they immediately set up the pot from the previous night, poured the remaining water from the leather bag, and added a bag of rice. With more people present, they would probably just have enough rice for one meal. Upon seeing Wei Ruo bringing out the rice, the eyes of those present couldn¡¯t help but gleam. They didn¡¯t know how much food Wei Ruo had in her carriage, but instinctively, they felt there wouldn¡¯t be much. So, every time Wei Ruo brought out new food, it brought great joy to everyone. Lu Yuhong couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Miss, do you still have food in your carriage?¡± ¡°Yes, we have some. I hope it will tide us through this snowstorm,¡± Wei Ruo replied. In actual fact, the food and water Wei Ruo stored in her space would be enough for all of them tost until the New Year, even if consumed regrly. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Lu Yuhong eximed, overjoyed. The faces of the few others also lit up with joy. They had been worrying about their survival as the snowfall had not ceased all night. Wei Ruo¡¯s words, however,forted them somewhat.
Wei Ruo then added some pieces of dried meat and preserved eggs into the pot. The preserved eggs were freshly peeled, chopped in her palm with a dagger, and thrown in. Finally, she added a bit of salt and pepper for seasoning. ¡°Miss, what are these?¡± Lu Yuhong inquired curiously again.
¡°It¡¯s preserved egg and lean meat porridge. However, we don¡¯t have fresh lean meat, so I used some dried meat,¡± Wei Ruo exined. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t have fresh meat; rather, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to keep bringing out fresh meat and vegetables. By contrast, dried meat and preserved eggs, which are easy to store, made more sense. Wei Ruo then crushed the remaining preserved egg, adding some soy sauce to make a simple side dish. Additionally, she brought out some salted vegetables. After the porridge was ready, Wei Ruo served everyone a bowl with some side dishes. Just like during the wine-drinking incident, they were short of four bowls. So, the four guards of Mr. Tan waited until everyone else had finished before washing the bowls and refilling them for their meal. Though it was just a simple meal of preserved egg and lean meat porridge with side dishes, everyone found it particrly delicious. They were unsure if it was due to Wei Ruo and Xiumei¡¯s exceptional cooking skills, or if it was the effect of their current environment, with its scarcity of food and clothes.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After breakfast, Wei Ruo sat in the carriage, watching the sky. The snowfall was less than yesterday, but it was still snowing. The snow was about a meter deep now, and with the temperature being so low, there was no sign of it melting. The bottomyer had even frozen into solid ice. It seemed they still wouldn¡¯t be able to set off today. Since they couldn¡¯t leave, everyone could only continue to stay in the shelter.
Apart from sitting together for warmth by the fire, the men also did what they could: shovelling snow, reinforcing the shelter, and so on. Especially the snow piled on top of the shelter¡ªit had to be cleared in a timely manner. Despite having two brazier for warmth, they couldn¡¯tpete with the cold weather and heavy snowfall outside, causing snow to pile up again. The six men, Wei Yichen, Xiu Fengyuan, and the four servants of old Mr. Tan, would take turns to clear the snow to ensure the safety of the shelter. In their free time, they would gather around the stove, engaging in idle chatter to pass the time. Sometimes they would recite poetry or debate state affairs, but the topic that came up most often was the impact of this snowstorm on Taizhou Prefecture, as well as disaster relief measures that might follow. The snowfall this time was already more than that of the previous year. That snowstorm was already umon in the southern part of Taizhou Prefecture, let alone this one. It was clear that this year¡¯s snowstorm would cause massive damages to Taizhou Prefecture. The number of affected people might far exceed that ofst year. This, in turn, would lead to more problems. The people present began a discussion on this topic, envisioning various methods of disaster relief. Old Mr. Tan listened to the lively discussion, a fond smile on his face. The next morning, the snow finally stopped, but due to the snow¡¯s thickness, they still couldn¡¯t leave. Luckily, the snow did not rise above the shelter, and the safety of those inside was not threatened. Moreover, the snow wall around the shelter, with a height of around one and a half meters, acted like a built wall, keeping out the cold winds to arge extent.
Thus, they didn¡¯t have to keep the two braziers lit for warmth continuously. The charcoal was conserved, only being used when Wei Ruo needed to cook. After having breakfast cooked by Wei Ruo, everyone began to dig a passage out of the snow. First, they dug a narrow passage, just wide enough for one person. After digging about three meters outward, they started to dig a wider road. This was done to keep the snow build-up around the shelter and maintain its warmth. Chapter 409: 409: Catching a Cold _1 Chapter 409: Catching a Cold _1 While the men were shoveling the snow, Wei Ruo and Xiumei, who were left in the shed, were not idle. Because there was a cluster of bamboo forest not far from the path that everyone had dug, Wei Ruo and Xiumei cut some more and brought them back. They expanded the shed with these bamboos and built a bamboo bed on the ground, about a meter wide and two meters long,rge enough for an adult man to lie down. After being covered with a nket, it was certainly morefortable than sitting directly on the icy stones. It was a small ce, only enough to build such a bamboo bed, but at least everyone could take turns to sleep for a while. On the fourth day, they still couldn¡¯t leave this ce, the weather was still very cold, and there was no sign of the snow melting. Fortunately, Wei Ruo was able to cook for them for every meal, so no one was hungry. And the work of shoveling snow and digging the road was still ongoing. Apart from the time for eating and sleeping at night, everyone was working without stopping. It had been four days, they must hurry up. Once the food and charcoal were consumed, their lives could be at risk. Every time Wei Ruo took out food for everyone, they all felt like a huge load had been lifted off their shoulders.
They really didn¡¯t expect that Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage contained so much grain and flour. Although Wei Ruo told them that she always carried lots of grains and cooking utensils because she often traveled to remote farnds where she couldn¡¯t buy food, they were still surprised by the amount of grain she carried. It was a lifesaver! On the fifth day, an unexpected situation urred. Mr. Tan fell ill with a fever. Mr. Tan didn¡¯t tell everyone at first, even his four personal guards were unaware. It wasn¡¯t until dinner time when he stood up to take the bowl Wei Ruo handed him, and he copsed as soon as he stood up. Luckily, his house servant caught him quickly andid him on the bamboo bed. Mr. Tan was already a bit delirious with fever and his four house servants were immediately panicked. ¡°Ada, Aer, you two look after the master, and I will go with Aer to find a doctor and get medicine,¡± Ada gave orders to the other three. ¡°Brother, the roads are blocked by heavy snow, where are you going to find a doctor? Although we have been digging for two days, we should still be quite far from the city gate,¡± Ada asked. ¡°Whether far or near, we have to go. We can¡¯t let anything happen to the master!¡± Ada insisted. The other three had no better idea, so they agreed.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Brother,e back as soon as possible!¡± Ada reminded him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, take care of the master!¡± After that, Ada and Aer were ready to depart. Xiu Fengyuan, Lu Yuhong and others saw all this, but they had no better suggestions at this time. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Wei Ruo called to the two men who were about to leave. ¡°Miss Wei, what¡¯s the matter?¡± The two stopped and looked at her. ¡°Mr. Tan seems to have caught a cold. I have some medicine in my carriage,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Miss Wei has medicine?¡±
The news surprised and delighted everyone. Not only Mr. Tan¡¯s four servants, but also Xiu Fengyuan and Lu Yuhong were taken aback. Isn¡¯t Miss Wei¡¯s carriage a treasure chest? It has everything in it! ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Wei Ruo confirmed, then directed the four, ¡°Let¡¯s move him to my carriage first.¡±
In these few days, the men never entered Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage. Although it was a special period, and many etiquette had been dropped, they still kept some distance from Wei Ruo, after all, men and women should not touch each other. Now Wei Ruo took the initiative to propose moving Mr. Tan to the carriage, his four servants were naturally delighted, because Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage was rtively warmer. ¡°No.¡± Wei Yichen stopped them. Wei Yichen removed the nket he was wearing and covered Mr. Tan with it. ¡°Let Mr. Tan lie on the bamboo bed. If it is still cold, I can give him my clothes,¡± said Wei Yichen with a serious expression and a firm attitude. ¡°Better move him up in the carriage, it¡¯s warmer there,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Men and women are different. Now this carriage is your ce of rest, it¡¯s no longer an ordinary carriage, and men should not enter it casually,¡± Wei Yichen insisted. Wei Yichen had been quiet for the past few days and hadn¡¯t interfered with Wei Ruo¡¯s decision, but now he suddenly changed his attitude. Wei Ruo wanted to say something, but Xiu Fengyuan also agreed with Wei Yichen¡¯s opinion, ¡°I agree with Brother Wei¡¯s opinion. Let Mr. Tan stay on the bamboo bed.¡± With that, Xiu Fengyuan took off his own cloak. Then the other men gave Mr. Tan their own outer garments. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Wei Ruo stopped, ¡°If all of you cover him with it, he won¡¯t be smothered, but he will be crushed.¡± Speaking, Wei Ruo went to the front of the bamboo bed, took the cloak and nket off, and returned several to Wei Yichen and the others, leaving two nkets, one for cushioning and one for covering.
Then Wei Ruo took Mr. Tan¡¯s wrist to take his pulse. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wei Yichen and Ada both spoke up at the same time. ¡°I learned some basics of medical skills from an old man in the countryside. I am taking Mr. Tan¡¯s pulse to see if he really has a cold. If so, we can use the medicine,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, Ada, Aer and the others felt more relieved, proving that Miss Wei wasn¡¯t using the medicine casually. Wei Yichen frowned slightly. It was the first time he knew that his elder sister could take a pulse. After a brief pulse-taking, Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to get the medicine from the carriage, while she began to boil water. For the past two days, the water they had been drinking had been boiled from snow. If it cooled, it would be put in a leather pouch. At the beginning, when Wei Ruo did this, Lu Yuhong and the others tried to stop her. The men cared about the limited charcoal fire and said that they could just stuff the snow in their mouths directly. There was no need to go through the trouble of boiling it. But Wei Ruo insisted, she wanted everyone to drink boiled water. Being unable to get fresh water from her storage space already made Wei Ruo a little regretful, but drinking raw water was definitely not an option. After Xiumei boiled the water, Wei Ruo took a bowl, put the medicine pill into the bowl, and poured boiled water to dissolve the medicine.
A bowl of clear water instantly turned into a bowl of dark brown medicinal soup. Everyone was seeing this method of preparing medicine for the first time, and they couldn¡¯t help but find it novel. ¡°Miss Wei, should the medicine be drunk like this?¡± Ada, who got the medicine, hesitated. ¡°Yes, drink it like that,¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there is no problem with this medicine.¡± After hesitating for a moment, the four servants all chose to trust Wei Ruo after exchanging nces. Aer helped Mr. Tan up while Ada carefully administered the medicine to Mr. Tan. Chapter 410: 410 Rescued_1 Chapter 410: Rescued_1 Despite taking the medicine, Mr. Tan did not wake up or show any signs of the fever subsiding, which made it difficult for Ada and the others to feel reassured quickly. Ada was still somewhat hesitant, unsure about whether to fetch a doctor and get more medicine.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om If Wei Ruo¡¯s medicine was ineffective and they dy consulting a doctor, it could worsen Mr. Tan¡¯s condition! Noticing the hesitation in the group, Xiumei said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, lives are at stake here. Mydy wouldn¡¯t have suggested this course of action if she wasn¡¯t confident.¡± Ada frowned, still unsure, ¡°I know yourdy wouldn¡¯t risk a patient¡¯s life just like that, but¡­¡± but whether the medicine would work remained uncertain. Xiumei added, ¡°If you are not convinced that the medicine mydy made will be able to cure your master, wait for four hours. If your master is not awake after four hours, you can proceed with your n as nned, to go into the city to find a doctor.¡± After some hesitation, Ada finally agreed. Because even if they left now and sessfully reached the city, and found a doctor, it wouldn¡¯t be until tomorrow that they could bring the doctor back. After an anxious wait of an hour and a half, Mr. Tan awoke. To their surprise, upon touching Mr. Tan¡¯s forehead, they found his fever had subsided.
It was truly amazing how quickly his fever had gone! Later, Wei Ruo prepared a bowl of medicine for Mr. Tan and instructed Ada and the others to administer the medicine every six hours. By the next morning, Mr. Tan had mostly recovered and looked refreshed, with no semnce of illness. Knowing he had been cured by Wei Ruo¡¯s medicine, Mr. Tan expressed his gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Miss Wei. I really do not know how to thank you enough.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks. Our meeting here is a form of fate,¡± said Wei Ruo, speaking in a casual tone. She never considered demanding favors or money in return in such a situation. ¡°Miss Wei, you are an extraordinary woman,¡± Mr. Tan acknowledged. ¡°You should rest well. Even though you¡¯re almost fully recovered, you still need time to recuperate,¡± Wei Ruo advised. Once Mr. Tan was out of danger, Ada, Aer, and the others immediately set off to join Xiu Fengyuan and Lu Yuhong in continuing the snow removal. Today marked the sixth day, and they needed to expedite their progress. Every additional day spent here increased the risk. This time Mr. Tan had a cold, and luckily Wei Ruo was there to treat him. The next time somebody fell ill, they might not be as fortunate to have Wei Ruo¡¯s medication avable. After three days of strenuous digging, they had only cleared around one fifth of the distance to the city gate. If the weather didn¡¯t improve and the snow didn¡¯t melt, they would need to keep digging for another twelve days at their current pace¡­ Their spirits were a bit low. These three days had exhausted them and left blisters on their hands. Despite their regr martial arts and archery training, they were struggling. Another twelve days of digging¡­ they might not be able to manage¡­ But nheless, they had to continue digging.
By digging, at least they could take their fate into their own hands. If they stopped, they would be at the mercy of their circumstances. Just when they thought it would take a long time to reach the city gate, a turning point arose. At noon that day, after only a few bites of the dough cakes Wei Ruo had prepared for them, they saw several shadows in the distance against the vast white expanse of snow. The figures were small and far off, but they were unmistakably humans.
And there were many of them, dozens in fact. After observing for a while, they realized that these people were also shoveling snow and digging out paths, just like them! ¡°Those are the townsfolk from the city! They¡¯re digging out towards us!¡± Upon realizing this, Liu Yu shouted, full of joy. Immediately after, Lu Yuhong and Gao Wentian also cheered. On seeing a glimmer of hope, everyone was excited and hastened their movements. Four hourster, the people on both sides united. Seeing dozens of government soldiers and civilians, all equipped with shovels and pickaxes, a wave of warmth surged in everyone¡¯s heart. After their excitement subsided, they immediately turned around and returned to their shelter to deliver this good news to Wei Ruo. It turned out that as soon as the snowstorm hit, Lord Yuan had initiated measures, mobilizing soldiers and civilians to start shoveling snow and clearing paths. Due to Lord Yuan¡¯spetent governance, both themoners and the gentry respected and trusted him, and so they cooperated wholeheartedly. Apart from clearing the snow from their own homesteads, they also volunteered to join the government officials in clearing the snow outside the city gates. This was why the snow removal was progressing so effectively.
After hearing this, Xiumei, her face glowing with excitement, admired, ¡°Lord Yuan is incredibly capable! He managed to arrange for the digging to reach the outskirts of the city so quickly!¡± Wei Ruo agreed. Being able to organize such arge-scale operation in such a short time, and sessfully clearing roads within the city and even outside, demonstrated exceptional management and execution skills. Xiu Fengyuan spoke to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss Wei, the path that the city folk have dug is wide enough for your carriage to pass. However, the section that we dug is rather narrow, barely enough for one person and a horse to pass side by side.¡± ¡°No worries. You can go back first, Xiu. We¡¯ll wait here till the town¡¯s people widen the path up to our location and we can then proceed,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°I disagree. It¡¯s too dangerous to leave both of youdies alone out here,¡± Xiu Fengyuan protested. ¡°Xiumei and I can take care of ourselves. Moreover, with the snow-covered wilderness, not even animals are going out, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. And it shouldn¡¯t be long before the townsfolk widen this remaining stretch of the path,¡± Wei Ruo reassured. ¡°But¡­¡± Xiu Fengyuan still had concerns. ¡°Brother Xiu, you should return first. I¡¯ll stay here to look after my sister,¡± said Yichen. Immediately after, Yichen patted Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s shoulder, signaling with his eyes for him and the others to leave promptly. Xiu Fengyuan instantly understood Yichen¡¯s meaning, realizing that having them stay would not be helpful to Wei Ruo. Hence, Xiu Fengyuan and the others left first. Escorted by his four servants, Mr. Tan simrly headed into the city. Before they departed, Wei Ruo gave them the remaining two pills, as well as the porcin bottle they were kept in.
With that, only Wei Ruo, Xiumei, and Yichen remained in the shelter. Yichen sat quietly in the makeshift bed outside,yered with nkets, keeping vigil. When it came to dinner time, Wei Ruo made a fire and cooked as usual, but this time the portions were smaller as there were only three of them. Wei Ruo made dough cakes with flour and dried meat, frying them in a pan. ¡°Eat,¡± Wei Ruo said, handing Yichen the meat cake. Yichen looked at the meat cake in his hand, not eating immediately. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you like it?¡± asked Wei Ruo. Chapter 411: 411 - The older sister saved me_1 Chapter 411: ¨C The older sister saved me_1 ¡°No, everything you cook is delicious,¡± Wei Yichen answered. They had been trapped for six days, and Wei Ruo and Xiumei had cooked for them each day. The food wasn¡¯t exactly exquisite, but it was all delicious. ¡°So, why do you just watch and not eat?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°No reason.¡± Wei Yichen looked into Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn¡¯t. He lowered his head and began eating his pancake again. Without a response from him, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t press on, but she and Xiumei sat on the other side, eating their meat pancakes with hot water. Wei Yichen watched Wei Ruo from the corner of his eye, the light from the fire illuminating her face and adding a touch of tenderness to his stern expression. Sensing Wei Yichen¡¯s gaze, Wei Ruo looked at him. At that moment, Wei Yichen returned his gaze and his expression reverted to its usual cold demeanor. Wei Ruo and the others didn¡¯t need to wait in the shelter for long. An hour after dinner, the path waspletely cleared. The three set off back to the city.
Throughout the process of shoveling snow, they had discarded the dried grass and bamboo leaves from the weathered bamboo used to make the shelter. Along with the daily foraging for grass in the nearby snow by Wei Ruo and Xiumei, the horses had enough strength to pull the carriage, albeit at a slower pace than usual. By the time Wei Ruo and Wei Yichen returned to the General Residence, it was alreadyte at night. As soon as she got word of their arrival, Madame Yun and Wei Qingwan rushed out anxiously to meet them. Madame Yun had barely eaten or slept for the past several days, worrying about her eldest son, since even before the great snowfall she had received a letter from Wei Yichen stating he would be returning home on the fifth day of the lunar month. Unfortunately, on the fifth day, a heavy snowfall struck and she hadn¡¯t seen her eldest son since. She didn¡¯t know if her eldest son had set off to return to the city. It would have been better if he hadn¡¯t left the academy at all, rather than getting stranded halfway home due to the heavy snowfall. Regrettably, with the postal service disrupted, there was no news about him. When finally received word of her eldest son, Madame Yun wept from sheer relief. ¡°Yichen, are you okay?¡± Madame Yun held Wei Yichen¡¯s hand fervently, examining him up and down at the side entrance. ¡°I¡¯m alright, Mother. You needn¡¯t worry,¡± Wei Yichen responded. ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay! My poor boy, you¡¯ve lost weight over these past few days without knowing what has passed!¡± Madame Yun said, a heartache expression on her face. Then Wei Ruo stepped down from the carriage. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s figure, Madame Yun asked in surprise, ¡°Why have you returned with Yichen?¡± Wei Yichen exined on her behalf, ¡°Ruoruo was on her way back from the wastnd and ran into us, and we ended up being trapped halfway together.¡± Upon hearing this, Madame Yun¡¯s gaze fell back onto Wei Ruo. ¡°I thought you were enjoying your time in the Yuan Residence, not knowing you were also trapped on the way.¡± Wei Yichen defended Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo wasn¡¯t enjoying her time at the Yuan Residence. She had business there in the first ce.¡± Adding on, Wei Yichen said, ¡°We were very fortunate to meet Ruoruo this time, otherwise, my ssmates and I might have lost our lives on the way.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Madame Yun was surprised, then her gaze returned to Wei Ruo. ¡°I and my ssmates were trapped by the snow with no food, warmth, or shelter for six days and nights. Without Ruoruo providing food, clothing, and coal, we would have frozen or starved to death on the road.¡± Upon hearing Wei Yichen¡¯s words, Madame Yun shivered in fear before sighing in relief. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought there¡¯d be such a fortuitous event?¡± Madame Yun remarked, before addressing Wei Ruo, ¡°You saved your eldest brother again, you are truly his lucky star!¡± In that instant, Madame Yun¡¯s dissatisfaction with Wei Ruo vanished, reced with gratitude.
Whether or not she and Wei Ruo had a mother-daughter rtionship, the blessings Wei Ruo brought to their family were undeniable! Wei Qingwan stepped forward. ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve been with Big Brother and his ssmates these past few days. They are all men, and you are the only woman. It must not have been very convenient for you. However, it¡¯s fortunate that you all returned safely.¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Qingwan coldly. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Wei Qingwan lowered her head. ¡°I have no other intention¡­ I just thought because of the difference in gender it must have been very ufortable¡­¡±
Wei Ruo retorted coldly, ¡°From what I see, you don¡¯t mean it¡¯s ufortable, but rather, you¡¯re implying that my reputation would be tarnished because I¡¯ve spent six days with so many men?¡± Wei Qingwan denied these allegations with a wronged expression, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, don¡¯t falsely use me¡­¡± Wei Ruo sneered. ¡°Falsely use you? How am I falsely using you?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s strong presence startled Wei Qingwan, causing her to retreat a step and hide behind Madame Yun. Madame Yun hastily intervened. ¡°Ruoruo, what are you doing? Even though what your sister said may be a bit tough to hear, it is the truth. There are no outsiders here, why can¡¯t she say it as it is?¡± ¡°Mother,¡± Wei Yichen intervened, standing in front of Wei Ruo. ¡°It is indeed possible that the way my younger sister phrased her statement could let others easily have bad intentions. As a family member, instead of caring about whether we were hungry or cold or suffered hardship, her first reaction was to ask about the inconvenience of the past few days. Is this not a problem?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Madame Yun looked at Wei Yichen¡¯s serious and cold face, not knowing how to defend Wei Qingwan. Wei Yichen then questioned Wei Qingwan again, ¡°By asking Big Sister such questions, do you not trust me as your elder brother, or do you not trust one of your elder brother¡¯s ssmates?¡± ¡°Big Brother, you misunderstood. I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Wei Qingwan, who had been questioned, had an unhappy expression, and unconsciously clenched her fists. Wei Yichen continued, ¡°In a life-or-death situation, most people are thinking about how to survive. They don¡¯t have the luxury of contemting filthy scenarios. Am I right, younger sister?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned pale; she lowered her head without refuting, but her face appeared wronged and innocent.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Ruo looked at Wei Yichen, thinking to herself: It feels great to have someone help you mock someone else. Seeing this, Madame Yun quickly intervened. ¡°Alright, alright, the most important thing is that everyone is safe. Ruoruo has been by Yichen¡¯s side all along, so there shouldn¡¯t be any worries.¡±
Upon finishing, she directed servants to help Wei Yichen and Wei Ruo with their things, leading them into the residence afterward. Wei Yichen nced at Wei Qingwan who was still hanging her head, then followed Madame Yun¡¯s intention and stopped bringing up the subject. Wei Ruo also didn¡¯t continue to quarrel with Wei Qingwan. After being on the road for so many days, she was tired and didn¡¯t have the energy to argue with her. She also knew that Wei Qingwan would dare not mention the matter again in front of others for fear of tarnishing her reputation. Since it was alreadyte and Wei Yichen mentioned being very tired, Madame Yun didn¡¯t keep them around for long and directed them to go bathe, change clothes, and rest early. Wei Ruo smoothly returned to Tingsong Garden. After washing up, sheid down in the soft, warm quilt and slept soundly. Chapter 412: 412 High-Priced Sale of Popular Goods_1 Chapter 412: High-Priced Sale of Popr Goods_1 Early the next morning, Wei Ruo got up and had breakfast in her own room before leaving the house. Just as she approached the gate of Tingsong Garden, she encountered Yun Shi, who hade to visit her. ¡°Where are you off to so early in the morning?¡± Yun Shi asked. ¡°I have matters to attend to outside,¡± Wei Ruo responded, herexpression indifferent. ¡°You just got back yesterday and now you¡¯re leaving again. Just how much do you dislike being in this house?¡± Yun Shi questioned.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Mother, after this massive snowfall, this is how it looks in town. Have you considered the conditions in the open fields? There arerge numbers of disaster-stricken people living there. Since I¡¯m charge of this issue, shouldn¡¯t I take the responsibility all the way?¡± Wei Ruo counter-questioned Yun Shi. Choked by Wei Ruo¡¯s response, Yun Shi acknowledged that Wei Ruo was reasonable but also felt that she had lost face. She then said, ¡°With the roads blocked by heavy snow, what can you do? Clearing the snow, repairing houses, and rescuing people from ruins, are these things that a woman like you can do?¡± ¡°Mother, rest assured. There is something I can do. Even if I can¡¯t be helpful, as Madam Yuan and approved by the Seventh Prince to oversee the farming issue, shouldn¡¯t I express my concern for this matter?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. After saying this, Wei Ruo left without waiting for Yun Shi toe up with a response. Watching Wei Ruo¡¯s departing back, Yun Shi fumed, ¡°I must have been out of my mind to think about reconciling with her just because she saved Chen once again!¡±
¡°Madam, don¡¯t get angry. The youngdy might have been anxious to go out,¡± Cuiping consoled. ¡°It¡¯s true that she has work to do, but with this attitude, she¡¯spletely ignoring me. When have I ever been disgruntled about her being busy outside? It¡¯s her arrogant demeanor that upsets me!¡± She hade here intending to have a good talk with her eldest daughter, but as soon as she saw her indifferent and perfunctory demeanor, most of her good mood disappeared. ### Wei Ruo had supplies of cotton quilts, cotton jackets, arge amount of coal, and rice grain. These goods were in high demand in the snowy weather, especially in this unusually early snowstorm that hadn¡¯t been seen in hundreds of years. Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t sold these items in her store in the Government City before, so she nned to go along with Xiumei to the Four Treasure House and arrange the rted matters. As Wei Ruo and Xiumei walked through the streets, due to the joint efforts of the officials and citizens, main thoroughfares in and out of Taizhou prefecture had been cleared. They saw many run-down houses of poor families that copsed under the heavy snow, turning into ruins. The situation in the city was already this bad, let alone in the countryside. Seeing that this year¡¯s circumstances were worse thanst year¡¯s, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°What¡¯s happening these days? It always has strange weather at the end of the year. The ces that don¡¯t usually get a lot of snow, are now getting heavier snowfall year by year!¡± ¡°Every several decades there will be a Little Ice Age. When it arrives, the climate gradually bes colder, harsh weather urs more frequently, and fish catches, as well as grain yields, decrease. I hope the climate changes in these two years are not rted to that. It will get better after these two years,¡± Wei Ruo said. Xiumei nodded and said, ¡°Yeah, I sincerely hope that such bad weather will not ur again, otherwise who knows how many more people will die. This year we have finally grown a bit more grain, so we hope we can have a good year!¡± ¡°Hopefully.¡± When Wei Ruo arrived at Four Treasure House, since her nurses and Uncle Xu had moved to the mansion bestowed by the court, the backyard of Four Treasure House was now empty. Only one room was reserved for Wei Ruo and Xiumei to change clothes and costumes. After Wei Ruo and Xiumei had changed into men¡¯s clothing, they started to get busy. Wei Ruo used this courtyard as her temporary base and summoned her men in Government City. The shopkeeper of Four Treasure House in Government City was now Shopkeeper Jia, who had been the shopkeeper in Xingshan County. After Uncle Xu and the nurses went to the provincial capital to help Wei Ruo manage her properties, Shopkeeper Jia was transferred to Four Treasure House in Government City. There were also two shop assistants, all of whom were trustworthy and hardworking. In addition to the manpower from Four Treasure House, Wei Ruo also called over Chen Aqing and another worker from the neighboring delicatessen.
Two more people were responsible for warehouse management and transportation of goods. At present, there was only this much manpower in the city, adding up to a total of nine people, including Wei Ruo and Xiumei. For therge number of people on the estates, Wei Ruo would have to wait formunication to be restored before contacting them. For the next two days, the Four Treasure House and delicatessen temporarily halted their usual business operations and instead sold coal, cotton goods, and grain.
In the courtyard, everyone stood in front of a round table as Wei Ruo assigned tasks, with some responsible for staying in the shop to sell goods, some responsible for transporting goods from the warehouse, and others arranged for other tasks. After that, Wei Ruo decided on the prices for the sale of goods. The price of coal was raised three times by Wei Ruo. The top-grade coal, which was purchased for one tael of silver a bag, was priced at four taels of silver. Simrly, she also raised the price of cotton goods threefold. Chen Aqing asked Wei Ruo in confusion, ¡°Young Master, you have always been kind and never raise the prices of things that people urgently need. Why is it different this time?¡± Wei Ruo exined, ¡°What I¡¯m selling is top-grade coal. Even if I don¡¯t raise the price, ordinary people wouldn¡¯t buy it. The same applies to these cotton goods. Cotton clothes and quilts made from high-quality cotton and fabric are something ordinary households can¡¯t afford; so regardless of whether I raise the price or not, it won¡¯t affect them. They do need coal and cotton, but it doesn¡¯t mean they need the coal and cotton I sell in my shop.¡± ¡°Oh, so by raising the prices of these goods, you¡¯ll only be earning from the rich!¡± Chen Aqing said, finally understanding. Wei Ruo then pointed to a map on the table and said, ¡°Also, I want to set up a temporary relief site in the eastern area of the city. I have already drawn the rough blueprint. On one side, there will be food distribution for those who have been affected by the natural disaster and can¡¯t eat; on the other side, there will be clinics mainly treating people infected with colds and injuries. The weather has turned severely cold, and it may stay this way for quite some time. With these conditions, many elderly people and people with pre-existing health conditions may feel difort.¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°I need craftsmen, skilled carpenters, masons, and a group of skilled construction workers. I also need lots of wood and y.¡± ¡°Young Master, leave this task to me,¡± Shopkeeper Jia volunteered. ¡°You need to work fast on this task, faster the better,¡± Wei Ruo emphasized. ¡°Rest assured, Young Master. I will find the most suitable and reliable candidates and finish this in the shortest time possible,¡± Shopkeeper Jia promised. ¡°Fine, all of you go andplete the tasks I assigned today.¡±
Once Wei Ruo finished assigning tasks, everyone started to spring into action. As Wei Ruo expected, coal, cotton goods, and grain were in short supply. The people buying coal and cotton goods were all from rich families. On the first day of selling, business was brisk, and all fifty bags of coal transported from the warehouse were snapped up. Chapter 413: 413: Queuing to See Doctor Xu_1 Chapter 413: Queuing to See Doctor Xu_1 The enthusiasm had somewhat diluted in the next two days, but the sales were still quite good. In just three days, half of the coal in one warehouse was sold, as well as one third of the quilts and winter clothes in the other. The triple profit made Wei Ruo earn a significant amount of money. Three dayster, the temporary relief facility that Wei Ruo had envisioned was half built. Because of its simple structure, much of the timber used was readily avable, and the craftsmen hired were skilled, so it took less time to build. The structure of the relief station was simple but sturdy, entirely of wood, housing tworge stoves, with three of the four walls partitioned with wooden boards and the fourth covered with a cloth curtain. Once half of it was built, Wei Ruo immediately had people start using the built-inrge stove to cook porridge and distribute it to the disaster-stricken people¡­ In less than half a day, news of the porridge distribution spread around.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Many people came in admiration, filling the area in front of the shelter. The tworge pots of porridge were all given out in less than half a day, more was cooked at noon, and distributed in the afternoon. At the same time, the other part was also under vigorous construction.
This side was being made into a medical station, so its construction was rtively slow. Although the medical station was not yet built, the news of Xu Heyou¡¯s consultation had already spread. Most people had not seen Xu Heyou, they had only heard of himst year during the epidemic. However, the famous doctors in the city gave high praise to him, and the Government Office had also recognized his name and rewarded him for his achievements in controlling the epidemic, so everyone highly admired this unpublicized Doctor Xu. Knowing that it was him who funded the relief station and provided food and free medical treatment, and that he would personally attend to the patients, the public was filled with anticipation. The news spread within the Government City and also reached Wei Qingwan¡¯s ears. Wei Qingwan was familiar with the name Xu Heyou, because the Scar Removal Ointment she used came from this Doctor Xu. After she had been applying Xu Heyou¡¯s ointment for a while, the scars on her back had significantly lightened. However, the ointment was consumed quite fast, almost half of the second box was gone and when the remaining half was finished, she would have to buy more. But she did not have enough silver, she had tried all conceivable methods, but stillcked the money. When the nurse Li went to Tongde Hall to buy Scar Removal Ointment for the second time, she tried to negotiate with the people of Tongde Hall. But the people at Tongde Hall told her that they were just sales agents, and had no right to change the price. To change the price, it must be agreed upon by Doctor Xu himself. The people at Tongde Hall also said that Doctor Xu was very kind and would voluntarily reduce the price or even give his medicines for free to patients in difficulty. If she could meet Doctor Xu himself, she might be able to persuade him to sell some at a lower price. However, Wei Qingwan never had the chance to meet Doctor Xu himself and did not know where to find him. But unexpectedly this time Xu Heyou himself was going to provide free consultation, and this was a rare opportunity to meet him in person. So, Wei Qingwan had Cuihe go out and find out when the medical station would be finished. After running around to find out, Cuihe brought back good news: the temporary medical station at the relief center would bepleted in a couple of days, and the free clinic would most likely start immediately afterwards.
Weigh Qingwan sank into thought, her face looking very solemn. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Miss?¡± Cuihe asked with concern. ¡°I need to find a way to meet Doctor Xu.¡± ¡°Miss, you are a youngdy of the General Residence, it¡¯s inconvenient for you to go out, let me and my mother do it.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s more sincere if I go myself. In case you guys upset Doctor Xu, it will be difficult for me to see him again.¡± Wei Qingwan refused. ¡°Miss, you are of noble birth, and have been granted marriage by the Emperor. It is not convenient for you to go to the relief station with that crowd.¡± ¡°What noble birth with a scarred back?¡± Wei Qingwan scoffed at herself, ¡°Wei Qingruo is always going out, right? Now she is rushing off to provide disaster relief, why can¡¯t I go where she can?¡± Weigh Qingwan had made up her mind and was prepared to do whatever it took to restore her back to its original state. ### Two dayster, the temporary medical station waspleted, and more people came to the relief station. In the morning, before the medical station officially opened, there was a long line outside the door, even longer than the queue for rice porridge next door. The walls of the temporary medical station were made of wooden nks, and the so-called door was a curtain, with the line of people waiting outside the curtain. Next to the curtain, a burly man was guarding, preventing anyone from breaking the rules. The line was very long, and Wei Qingwan and Cuihe, who arrivedte, were in a position far behind in the queue. The mistress and servant changed into coarse clothes, as the free clinic was mainly for ordinary people, and anyone dressed luxuriously in the queue would attract disdainful nces from those around. Wei Qingwan smelled the odorsing from the poor people in coarse clothes ahead and behind her, and couldn¡¯t help but frown, covering her mouth and nose with her hand. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡±
The man behind began to cough violently. The sound of his cough made Weigh Qingwan feel ufortable all over, and it seemed that the saliva he spat out while coughing was about to spray onto her. Wei Qingwan wanted to run away in disgust. ¡°Miss, please bear with it a little longer, we¡¯ll be there soon. Doctor Xu seems to be very popr, and since it¡¯s a free clinic, there are naturally more people.¡± Cuiheforted in a low voice. ¡°I know.¡± Although Wei Qingwan was very unhappy, she had no choice but to tolerate it. She hade this far and definitely could not give up halfway. In order to see Doctor Xu in person, she had made a lot of determination. After a while, the line started to move, meaning Doctor Xu had arrived. However, the line moved very slowly. An hourter, Wei Qingwan found that she was still quite a distance away from entering the medical station. Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t stand it any longer: ¡°How many people are ahead of us?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go check.¡± Cuihe ran ahead to see, then came back and told Wei Qingwan: ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve checked and there¡¯re still thirteen people.¡± ¡°Why are there still so many people?¡± ¡°Miss, please bear with it a little longer, we¡¯re almost there.¡±
¡°What else can I do but wait?¡± Since she had waited so long, she certainly couldn¡¯t give up now. Otherwise, all the suffering she had gone through would have been in vain. After another half hour, there were only three people left ahead of Wei Qingwan. At this time, a voice came from the relief station: ¡°Doctor Xu is going to take a rest. The next doctor in the free clinic will be Doctor Cheng from Zhengyu Hall!¡± Hearing this, the people in line were stunned. Doctor Cheng from Zhengyu Hall? Was Xu Heyou leaving? But everyone was just slightly puzzled and didn¡¯t have any objections. As long as it was free consultation for them, who cared who the doctor was? Moreover, the reputation of Doctor Cheng from Zhengyu Hall was no worse than that of Doctor Xu. Chapter 414: 414: Caught by Wei Ruo_1 Chapter 414: Caught by Wei Ruo_1 Wei Qingwan felt a sense of urgency. She wanted to meet the elusive Xu Heyou, not Dr. Xu from the Zhenyutang clinic! Wei Qingwan quickly left the crowd and rushed to the clinic entrance. ¡°Miss, be careful not to trip,¡± Cuihe hurriedly followed. ¡°The shift was just changed, Dr. Xu should not be far away!¡± Wei Qingwan was trying to enter, but was stopped by the burly man at the door. ¡°Youngdy, if you want to see a doctor, please join the line,¡± the man said with a serious face. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone, could you please make an exception for me?¡± ¡°No, outsiders are not allowed to enter.¡± ¡°I really need to see Dr. Xu urgently,¡± Wei Qingwan emphasized. ¡°If you want to see Dr. Xu, join the line tomorrow.¡± The man remained unmoved.
Wei Qingwan argued with the man for quite some time, but he still refused to let her in. She could only wait at the entrance. Just then, the curtain lifted, and out came Wei Ruo, dressed as a woman.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The moment Wei Qingwan saw Wei Ruo, she was stunned. What was she doing here? When Wei Ruo saw Wei Qingwan, she was equally surprised, especially seeing her attire¡­ After finishing her charitable consultations as Xu Heyou, Wei Ruo had changed back into women¡¯s clothing in a small room inside the clinic, a room she had set up specifically for quick changes. She did not expect to run into Wei Qingwan as soon as she walked out the door. Wei Qingwan, who was still dressed as a servant from the Wei Household. Unless it was extremely important, Wei Qingwan wouldn¡¯t have dressed up like this and made herself look so disheveled, right? Wei Qingwan snapped back to reality and hurriedly hid her face. But it was toote. Wei Ruo had already clearly seen her appearance and quickly grabbed her as she tried to escape. ¡°Wei Qingwan, what¡¯s with this getup?¡± Wei Ruo asked with interest. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Wei Qingwan tried to break free from Wei Ruo. But she was not as strong as Wei Ruo, and after struggling several times, she was unsessful. Wei Ruo chuckled. ¡°Why, you, a nobledy, are pretending to be a poor person for a charity consultation? Wei Qingwan, you¡¯re really shameful.¡± ¡°Wei Qingruo, shut up. Are you trying to let everyone hear?¡± ¡°Yeah, wouldn¡¯t it be bad if everyone heard? If you¡¯re going to do this, why are you afraid of people finding out?¡± ¡°If you harm my reputation, you will be implicated as well! Why would you want to harm others without benefiting yourself?¡± ¡°Have there been few times when your reputation was damaged? Besides, why should I be concerned about my reputation being damaged?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned the color of a pig¡¯s liver.
Seeing that herdy could not break free, Cuihe panicked and rushed over to push Wei Ruo. But not only did Wei Qingwan bring someone with her, so did Wei Ruo. Xiumei was following her. Xiumei was no pushover, and as soon as she saw Cuihe take action, she immediately stepped forward to pull Cuihe away. Xiumei was able to easily pick Cuihe up with one hand.
Cuihe was so desperate, she wanted to shout, but did not dare to. Due to themotion caused by the four of them, more and more curious gazes were cast their way. Seeing that the situation was about to get worse, Wei Qingwan, flushed with shame and anger, said, ¡°Wei Qingruo, we mind our own business. What I do here today has nothing to do with you. Why are you picking on me?¡± ¡°Really? When you need help, we mind our own business? I remember it wasn¡¯t long ago that you were talking about not letting me off the hook. Am I wrong?¡± Wei Ruo curved her lips, then leisurely enjoyed Wei Qingwan¡¯s frantic state. ¡°Wei Qingruo, what do you want?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes were red with anxiety. Wei Ruo looked leisurely at Wei Qingwan, ¡°How about you tell me why you dressed up like this toe to the clinic today? If your reason is convincing, I might be willing to let you go.¡± ¡°I¡­ I came to help,¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°Help?¡± Wei Ruo raised an eyebrow, not believing her response. ¡°Am I not allowed to care for the people? Am I not allowed to help the victims of disasters? I am also a daughter of the Wei Family, I want to do my part to help the people that father sacrificed his life to protect!¡± ¡°Why would you need to dress like this if you wanted to help disaster victims?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t sister also change into coarse cloth clothes for convenience when she went to clear the field? Why can¡¯t I change clothes to help disaster victims? The people whoe to the clinic for porridge and medical treatment are all poor, is it appropriate for me toe in fine clothes to help?¡± Wei Qingwan counter-questioned. Wei Qingwan got her wits about her at this moment. She had been a bit nervous when she unexpectedly ran into Wei Qingruo just now, which made her forget about the excuse she had prepared before she came.
Then Wei Qingwan turns from passive to active, questioning Wei Ruo, ¡°And what are you doing here? Are you dressed up to show the suffering people how luxurious your life is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin my matters to you,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Qingwan looked perturbed. Wei Qingruo said she didn¡¯t need to exin herself to her, yet she demanded that she exin why she was here! Wei Qingwan was unhappy but could only bear with it. Unlike Wei Qingruo, who doesn¡¯t care about causing a scene or damaging her reputation, she sure did. ¡°I already exined to you. Can you let go of me now?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Wei Ruo let go of her and then elegantly left the clinic with Xiumei. After walking some distance, Xiumei burst outughing. Seeing the second youngdy being at a disadvantage just now was quite satisfying! Xiumei giggled and asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, what do you think the second youngdy is here for?¡± ¡°I guess she¡¯s here for Xu Heyou.¡± ¡°Huh? She was looking for Xu Heyou? Could it be¡­for the Scar Removal Ointment?¡± ¡°Most likely. Didn¡¯t she ask quite a few questions about Xu Heyou from the Tongde Hall people when she sent Maid Li to buy the scar removal ointment for the second time? She¡¯s probably been trying to meet Xu Heyou all along, but she hasn¡¯t had the opportunity, and a charity clinic by Xu Heyou just gave her that opportunity.¡± ¡°But this is a charity clinic for the poor. The second youngdy, how could she¡­¡±
¡°Maybe to her, the scars on her back are stumbling blocks to her future ns of getting favor, something she must get rid of, something of utmost importance to her right now. If that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s a little loss of face to her?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t do that. I¡¯d rather find my own way and make money!¡± Xiumei grumbled. ¡°That¡¯s you, she doesn¡¯t have a way to make money,¡± Wei Ruo said. Xiumei had been living with her since she was little, so she had ingrained in her mind the idea that women can also make money and be independent. But not Wei Qingwan. She would not have such thoughts. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Xiumei nodded, then sighed, ¡°I remembered that the scar removal ointment was often given away by the youngdy in the past. I didn¡¯t expect that this unimportant matter to you, youngdy, would be a big deal to the second youngdy.¡± Chapter 415: 415: Making Wei Qingwan Lose Face_1 Chapter 415: Making Wei Qingwan Lose Face_1 ¡°Let her worry.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Also, it would be better for Miss to earn some more money from Wei Qingwan!¡± Xiumei was very fond of the idea of earning money from Wei Qingwan. ¡°Today, it seems that Madam Yuan and Madam Xu are nearby?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Yes, our Madam is also here. I just saw theming, with Madam Yuan leading others to collect medicinal herbs at the street corner ahead.¡± ¡°Let us go and find them.¡± Wei Ruo said.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Miss, what are you nning to do?¡± Xiumei asked with a curious expression on her face. ¡°Isn¡¯t Wei Qingwan supposed to be helping the disaster-stricken people? Then let¡¯s take thedies to see just how she is helping.¡± Wei Ruo curiously smiled. Xiumei was stunned for a moment, then her face turned to realization: ¡°I wondered why you suddenly let go of Wei Qingwan. I see you had a n all along¡­¡± Thinking of what Wei Ruo was about to do, Xiumeiughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Wei Ruo hinted with a smile, and she and Xiumei directed themselves towards where Madam Yuan and the others were.
### Without Wei Ruo¡¯s interference, the burly gatekeeper still blocked the entrance to the clinic. Wei Qingwan had no way to enter the clinic. ¡°If you won¡¯t let me in, then how did Wei Qingwan get in just now?¡± Wei Qingwan asked the guard. ¡°Miss Wei was brought in by someone she knew, so naturally that allowed her ess.¡± replied the gatekeeper. ¡°Who is this acquaintance?¡± Wei Qingwan asked further. ¡°I cannot tell you. If you wish to know, you may ask Miss Wei yourself.¡± The guard had no intention of dealing with Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face stiffened. She had already done so much for a chance to meet Doctor Xu, yet she was blocked at the door by this crude servant! With no other choice, Wei Qingwan could only choose to continue waiting at the door. A good whileter, apart from the patients who came out after their consultation, Wei Qingwan still couldn¡¯t see anyone elseing out. Wei Qingwan had to ask the guard again: ¡°May I ask, when will Doctor Xu being out?¡± The gatekeeper replied: ¡°I do not know, the doctors usuallye and go through the back door of the clinic, which I cannot see.¡± There¡¯s another exit at the back of this temporary clinic? Wei Qingwan gave an astonished expression. She had used up half a day¡¯s worth of effort, only to find she was futilely busy! ¡°If there¡¯s another exit, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± Cuihe angrily questioned the gatekeeper. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask me.¡± ¡°We have said that we have an urgent matter to see Doctor Xu!¡± Cuihe stomped her foot in anger.
¡°What does wanting to see Doctor Xu have to do with how many doors the clinic has?¡± The gatekeeper retorted. ¡°You!¡± Cuihe was so upset she couldn¡¯t even speak. She then turned to ask Wei Qingwan: ¡°Miss, what should we do now?¡± Wei Qingwan wasn¡¯t sure what to do either.
After such a long time, Doctor Xu must have already left, it was already toote to rush to the back door. ¡°We should head back first.¡± Wei Qingwan decided after a long silence. Cuihe helped Wei Qingwan to leave, they walked a distance, and entered a small alley where a carriage was stationed. Just as the master and the servant were about to get into the carriage, a teasing female voice came from behind: ¡°Isn¡¯t this the second Miss Wei? What¡¯s going on? Why are you dressed like this? Have my eyes deceived me?¡± Xiu Yaojun pretended to be surprised and opened her mouth wide. Hearing the voice, Wei Qingwan trembled, then quickly lowered her head. Xiu Yaojun got closer, came directly to Wei Qingwan¡¯s side, and caught Wei Qingwan who was trying to escape. ¡°It really is you, Wei Qingwan; I thought I was seeing things!¡± Xiu Yaojun held Wei Qingwan¡¯s hand, not letting her get away. Wei Qingwan felt the other Madams¡¯ voices behind her, and she broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Let go! Let me go!¡± Wei Qingwan desperately wanted to break free of Xiu Yaojun¡¯s grip. But Xiu Yaojun, who rarely got such an opportunity, would not let Wei Qingwan go easily. ¡°Don¡¯t rush off, Miss Wei. I¡¯m genuinely curious as to why such an aristocratic and reserveddy like you is dressed in this way?¡± Xiu Yaojun held onto Wei Qingwan without letting go.
At this moment, Madam Yuan, Madam Xu, Madam Liu and other Madams, as well as their daughters had already clearly seen Wei Qingwan¡¯s appearance. Wei Qingwan hung her head lower in shame and anger. Mrs. Yun was disbelieving. She hurried over to Wei Qingwan and asked, ¡°WanWan, what¡¯s going on? Why are you looking like this?¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s voice was full of grievance. ¡°What on earth happened?¡± With so many Madams watching, Mrs. Yun was also anxious. ¡°I¡­I wanted to help the disaster-stricken people.¡± Wei Qingwan had no choice but toe up with the excuse she had used before. Upon hearing this, Xiu Yaojun couldn¡¯t help butugh out: ¡°Ones as you, the future Concubine does not disdain to care about the people. Just that this way of caring for the people is so unique. A noble would-be Concubine, not afraid to dress in coarse clothing. Who knows what kind of help you¡¯re offering.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her teeth and red furiously at Xiu Yaojun. Not only did Xiu Yaojun not shudder, instead, she was very pleased. She loved seeing Wei Qingwan in this teeth-gnashing state. ¡°Yaojun, don¡¯t be frivolous.¡± Madam Xu said seriously. In front of so many madams, Xiu Yaojun didn¡¯t dare to overdo it. As soon as Madam Xu opened her lips, she stopped, running back to Madam Xu¡¯s side.
The inquisitive gaze of the Madams and their daughters still lingered on Wei Qingwan. Feeling the eyes of the Madams on her, Mrs. Yun felt like she had a knife in her back. She didn¡¯t know why her usually well-behaved and sensible daughter would do such an inappropriate thing. Wei Qingwan desperately wanted to escape, the gaze of the people around her was a harsh punishment, she couldn¡¯t bear it for a moment. Madam Yuan said: ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that Miss Wei has the heart to help the disaster victims. It¡¯s just that the area east of the city is full of mixed crowds due to the disaster victims gathering. It¡¯s a bit dangerous for the Second Miss to go out with only one maid. Next time, bring more guards.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Qingwan answered in a low voice with her head lowered. She felt that Madam Yuan¡¯s words seemed to hint at something. Then, Madam Yuan said to everyone: ¡°Let¡¯s continue going to the aid station to have a look.¡± The initial destination of the madams was the aid station. They had prepared medicinal herbs specifically to be supplied to the aid station, so naturally they went to check the actual situation. The madams walked away one after another. Thest to leave was Mrs. Yun, who ordered Wei Qingwan to return home immediately with a gloomy look on her face before she left. Once everyone was gone, Wei Qingwan was overwhelmed with a mix of anger, humiliation, and annoyance. Finally, with red eyes, she left. When Mrs. Yun returned to the mansion after finishing her tasks, she summoned Wei Qingwan for a good talk. In the end, Wei Qingwan returned to Wangmei Garden in tears. ###
In the following half a month, the aid station ran smoothly, providing relief for hundreds or even thousands of people every day. The doctors who treated the patients in the clinic were renowned physicians with excellent medical skills from all over Taizhou prefecture: Doctor Cheng from Zhengyutang, Doctor Cai from Baoshan Hall, Doctor Shen from Baicaotang¡­ These well-known physicians in Taizhou prefecture not only provided free medical consultations to the poor and disaster-stricken people but also gave away medicine for free. Chapter 416: 416 Father Agrees to Your Marriage_1 Chapter 416: Father Agrees to Your Marriage_1 All of this has been orchestrated by a rarely-seen figure, Dr. Xu. This has left a deep impression on the people of Taizhou prefecture, evoking immense curiosity among those who knew little about Xu Heyou. Now, inside the Zuixian Residence, Fan Chengxu was drinking with Wei Yichen, Xiu Fengyuan, and others. Out of the seven present, apart from Fan Chengxu, the other six were students from the Anzhou Academy who were trapped in the snowstorm with Wei Ruo that day. The banquet was in honour of Lu Yuhong, for his uing journey. At the table, the conversation ranged from the recent snow disaster to Xu Heyou, who had helped many of the disaster¡¯s victims by opening a relief station. ¡°Xu Heyou has contributed both money and effort, even managing to have numerous renowned doctors from Taizhou prefecture conduct free consultations in rotation. It¡¯s quite impressive. Many citizens have benefited from his efforts, they all praise him as a kind person,¡± said Liu Yu. ¡°Just the cost of the medicine alone would have been a considerable amount of silver, not to mention providing clothing, nkets, and charcoal for heat for the destitute. All this over the past two weeks must have costed thousands of silver taels,¡± said Yuan Wangyuan. ¡°Moreover, he¡¯s not just wealthy; he¡¯s also a highly skilled physician. I¡¯ve heard that even though his free consultations were done through a partition, he could still diagnose each patient¡¯s illness urately and prescribe effective treatment,¡± added Gao Wentian. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard about his excellent medical skills. He led the efforts tobat the epidemicst year, and cured many difficult illnesses during his free consultations. Some elders in my family with chronic conditions wanted to seek treatment from him as well. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he only does free consultations, they would have already visited him,¡± Yuan Wangyuan continued.
Liu Yu added, ¡°My grandmother also had the idea to consult him. She even sent someone to ask him, but Xu Heyou only ns on treating the poor and the disaster-stricken, so even offering money won¡¯t work.¡± Lu Yuhong chimed in, ¡°His medical skills are indeed extraordinary, even the seventh prince¡­¡± Suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence. He had almost spilled about the prince being rescued by Xu Heyou! The others curiously turned their gaze on Lu Yuhong, who quickly deflected, ¡°I meant to say that even the seventh prince praised Xu Heyou¡¯s medical skills.¡± Xiu Fengyuan summarized, ¡°Being able to provide congee and distribute medicine for several days reveals his substantial wealth; being able to treat people and garner the citizens¡¯ praise speaks volumes of his exceptional medical skills; having so many doctors in Taizhou prefecture provide free consultations under his influence shows his extraordinary rallying power.¡± Hearing the others¡¯pliments, Fan Chengxu said with a smile, ¡°Xu Heyou¡¯s abilities are not limited to just these.¡± ¡°It seems that Mr. Fan knows this Dr. Xu quite well?¡± asked Xiu Fengyuan. The others turned their attention to Fan Chengxu. Fan Chengxu waved his folding fan with a mysterious smile, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to say I know him well. I only know a little more than you. He has a keen sense of business and given the chance and the capital, he won¡¯t be short of money.¡± ¡°Since Mr. Fan praises him so highly, he must be very good at doing business,¡± Xiu Fengyuan said. Being a top merchant in Taizhou prefecture, if Fan Chengxu was making such ims, it must be true. This further heightened everyone¡¯s curiosity about Xu Heyou. ¡°If given a chance, I¡¯d really like to meet him,¡± Liu Yu couldn¡¯t help but remark. The rest of the group agreed, expressing their desire to meet him as well. After rounds of toasting and banter, everyone was slightly tipsy. ¡°I¡¯m truly fortunate to have all of you aspany today!¡± eximed Lu Yuhong. ¡°But I do miss the thyme wine, it¡¯s not the same as the one we had that day.¡± Lu Yuhong looked at Fan Chengxu as he said this, showing a hint of usation. Fan Chengxu smiled and said, ¡°You can¡¯t me me for this. Only two jars of this wine are delivered to my restaurant every day. I¡¯m already going out of my way to save two pots for you.¡± This really had to me Xu Heyou instead!
Liu Yu got up and made a toast to Lu Yuhong, expressing his sadness at parting, ¡°Brother Lu, once you leave for the capital, we don¡¯t know when we will meet again.¡± Lu Yuhong replied, ¡°Why would you say that? When you alle to the capital for the imperial examination, I¡¯ll host you there, then we can meet again, can¡¯t we?¡± Liu Yu quickly waved his hand, ¡°Only Xiu Fengyuan and Wei Yichen are going for the examination, not me.¡± Xiu Fengyuan pped Liu Yu on the shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged Brother Liu. You¡¯ll surely pass the next time in three years!¡±
Liu Yu shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not as learned as you and Brother Yichen, especially you, who passed the provincial examination as the Zhuangyuan (top schr). Your future is limitless.¡± Hearing this, Xiu Fengyuan looked at the silent Wei Yichen and said, ¡°It¡¯s only because Yichen didn¡¯t perform well in the provincial examination. If he had performed normally, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten the Zhuangyuan.¡± In their usual academy days, Wei Yichen always performed better than Xiu Fengyuan. Nobody understood why Xiu Fengyuan was the one who topped the provincial examination while Wei Yichen received a lower rank. ¡°Xiu Fengyuan, you fully deserved the Zhuangyuan. My usual performance was just a matter of luck,¡± Wei Yichen replied. ¡°Alright, alright, you two, no more modesty! You both are the pride of our Anzhou Academy. In the future, the rest of us will need to rely on you two.¡± Liu Yu stood up to toast them. Afterwards, they all drank fine wine, enjoyed delicious food, expressed their best wishes for each other, talked about their dreams, and shared their grand ambitions. They continued until dusk before parting ways. ### After more than twenty days of hard work from everyone in Taizhou prefecture, the damage caused by the snow disaster was almost repaired. The citizens resumed their normal lives. The farmers who had nted winter wheat started working in their fields again, trying to recover from the damage caused by the heavy snow. On the first day of the winter month, Wei Mingting, who had just returned from the military camp, called Wei Ruo to the study as soon as he arrived at the mansion. As soon as Wei Ruo entered, Wei Mingting told her about his decision that he had contemted for a long time¡ªhe agreed to Wei Ruo¡¯s marriage to the schr named Zhao Xun.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I have looked into it, that schr named Zhao Xun is indeed a promising talent, with a family of good reputation. Although he¡¯s a bit frail, I had a physician examine him and there¡¯s no threat to his life. Looking at it from various aspects, he qualifies as a good match. Since you fancy him, I don¡¯t see any reason to object,¡± he said.
¡°Thank you, Father!¡± Although this matrimonial alliance was only a scheme for her to dissociate from the Wei Family, Wei Ruo was genuinely overjoyed to have Wei Mingting¡¯s approval. Then, looking somewhat guilty, Wei Mingting said to Wei Ruo, ¡°I have been a government official for many years, but I have always been honest and upright, and have not umted much wealth. I am unable to give you a substantial dowry.¡± Wei Ruo was touched upon hearing this. ¡°Father, your years of public service are clear for all citizens to see. You don¡¯t have to be upset about not having amassed much wealth. The wealth you have umted is far beyond what money can measure. I don¡¯t care about the size of the dowry,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°.Knowing you understand makes me very happy,¡± said Wei Mingting. Chapter 417: 417: Congratulations to My Sister on Her Engagement_1 Chapter 417: Congrattions to My Sister on Her Engagement_1 Wei Ruo and Wei Mingting had a discussion in the study for about half an hour, after which Wei Mingting returned to the backyard to tell Madam Yun about it. ¡°Did my lord agree?¡± ¡°Does madam has any objections?¡± ¡°The Zhao family¡­ Zhao Xun¡¯s background is too thin. Though he¡¯s already a schr, our family has earned merits¡­ Ruo is the eldest legitimate daughter of our family. Is it inappropriate for her to marry someone of a lower social status?¡±Madam Yun expressed her concerns. ¡°Zhao Xun is a promising young schr. Though we¡¯re from a meritorious family, we¡¯ve been on the decline for some time. The difference in social status is not big. It may also be good for Ruo to marry below her status; her future inws would think twice before mistreating her with our family in mind. Also, Zhao Xun¡¯s parents have both passed away, so Ruo will not have to serve her inws after the marriage.¡± ¡°But Wanwan is promised as the concubine to the Sixth Prince. Ruo is her older sister, and if Ruo marries too far below her social status, it might not look good.¡± ¡°This is not a problem. The marriage arrangements are decided by the royal family. Are you suggesting Ruo should also marry a prince to surpass Wanwan?¡± ¡°That is not what I mean. I think she should at least marry someone from a more prominent family. Moreover, you might not always serve as an official in Taizhou Prefecture, there is a chance you might be promoted to a capital official. If Ruo marries Zhao Xun, I fear we might not have many opportunities to see her again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessary to worry about this now. I may not get a promotion, while Zhao Xun might surpass me. We cannot predict the future, we can only do our best in the present.¡± Wei Mingting said. Seeing that Wei Mingting¡¯s attitude was decisive, Madam Yun dared not to say any more, despite her disagreements.
Wei Mingting then instructed Madam Yun, ¡°Ruo, as the oldest sister, should be married off before Wanwan. It might get a little tight schedule-wise, so be attentive.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Also, about the dowries for our two daughters. We owe Ruo a lot. Since she did not have the fortune to stay under our care for long, we should try to make up for the lost years by preparing more for her dowry.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Madam Yun hesitated. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Does Madam think there¡¯s something wrong with what I just said?¡± ¡°My lord, Ruo has saved a lot of her own money, her dowry doesn¡¯t need to be prepared by us, it should be quite generous already. However, Wanwan will marry into the royal family in the future, we should prepare more for her.¡± ¡°Ruo¡¯s own savings are her own earnings, which have nothing to do with us. We should fulfill our duties as her parents, and can¡¯t shirk our responsibilities just because Ruo¡¯s been capable. As for Wanwan, we should also prepare a generous dowry for her, but it should be slightly less than Ruo¡¯s ording to the tradition.¡± Wei Mingting replied. Seeing that Madam Yun was still hesitant, Wei Mingting added, ¡°Madam, Ruo is our own daughter. She suffered for thirteen years outside. We can only make limitedpensation.¡± ¡°I understand¡­ I will arrange it properly¡­¡± Madam Yun reluctantly agreed. ### When Wei Qingwan found out that her father agreed to Wei Ruo¡¯s marriage to Zhao Xun, she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Miss, in the future, you¡¯ll be a princess, and she¡¯ll be a peasant woman. Your statuses will be as different as chalk and cheese!¡± Cuihe said excitely to Wei Qingwan. No matter whether Wei Qingwan will be favored in the Wang residence or not, she will be a concubine with a royal decree. This would ce her far above Wei Qingruo. Marriage is the most important event in a woman¡¯s life. No matter how much grievance and loss Wei Qingwan suffered at the hands of Wei Ruo before, as long as Ruo gets a bad marriage, Qingwan will be able to get her breath back. Wei Qingwan lifted her head to gaze at her own reflection in the copper mirror. After a while, Wei Qingwan stood up: ¡°Cuihe, let¡¯s go congratte my sister.¡± With that, Wei Qingwan had Cuihe prepare some gifts and then headed to Tingsong Garden. Tingsong Garden.
Inside the room, Wei Ruo was currently managing ounts about the expenditures and sales revenue of the relief station. Although the relief station was not a profit-making project, Wei Ruo still wanted to keep a clear record of every expense. There was a knock on the door. Xiumei walked over to answer it. Seeing that it was Wei Qingwan and Cuihe at the door, Xiumei asked expressionlessly, ¡°What can I do for you, second miss?¡±
¡°I heard that my sister¡¯s marriage has been settled. I especially came to congratte her.¡± ¡°Mydy appreciates your kind thoughts, second miss. Mydy is busy right now, I ask you to please leave.¡± Xiumei responded. Cuihe raised her voice and shouted into the courtyard, ¡°We¡¯ve brought gifts to congratte the eldest miss for finding a good husband.¡± Wei Ruo, who was doing arithmetic inside, heard the noise and stood up to go out. Seeing Wei Qingwan standing at the door, Wei Ruo inwardly rolled her eyes: ¡°Wei Qingwan, you really have a lot of free time, who was it that said we should keep ourselves to ourselves at the relief stationst time?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Wasn¡¯t that thanks to you, sister? I intended to keep to my own business, but you were the one who didn¡¯t want to, right? Last time, you were the one who brought Madam Yuan and others to the relief station, weren¡¯t you? You deliberately humiliated me in front of the other madams and made my mother reproach me.¡± Wei Qingwan said coldly. At the time, she thought she was just unlucky and happened to be caught by others. It was only after some inquiries that she found out that Wei Qingruo had met with Madam Yuan and others before her that day. After some unknown conversation, Madam Yuan proposed to visit the relief station. And then, quite unexpectedly, she and Cuihe were seen by Madam Yuan and others. It was all Wei Qingruo¡¯s scheme, Wei Qingruo was trying to frame her! If Wei Qingruo was so malicious, how could she swallow the insult and remain unresponsive? Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°Now you¡¯re talking about keeping to ourselves, but you didn¡¯t seize the opportunity when I gave it to you.¡±
Wei Qingwan stared at Wei Ruo with a resentful gaze. Wei Ruo found it extremely boring: ¡°Alright, it¡¯s enough for you to perform in front of others. There¡¯s no need for you to sing a solo at my ce, especially when there is no audience.¡± ¡°How can I note when such a big thing as sister¡¯s marriage has happened? I heard that the son of the Zhao family is physically weak. I have especially prepared some tonics to give to sister. After you get married, you need to help your future husband to build up his strength.¡± Wei Ruo nced at the box in Wei Qingwan¡¯s hand: ¡°Really? You, who don¡¯t even have money to buy ointment for your own wounds, what kind of good medicine can youe up with? Don¡¯t put up a false front. I¡¯m annoyed just by looking at it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to worry about the ointment. I have my ways. You should focus on your future life as a peasant woman.¡± ¡°This life of a peasant woman is what I pursued. Of course, I have thought through it. Do you think everyone dreams of entering the deep andrge royal courtyard like you?¡± Chapter 418: 418 Marriage Arrangements_1 Chapter 418: Marriage Arrangements_1 ¡°Since you enjoy the rural and field life, sister, then I wish you afortable life there, with bountiful harvests every year and never needing to worry about clothing and food.¡± ¡°I wish for you to continuouslypete for your life with a group of women in the grand pces,¡± retorted Wei Ruo. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see who will be the first to regret,¡± Wei Qingwan said. Cuihe joined the conversation, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you forget it. In the future, you will be married off to the Capital City, and the young miss here will stay in the Taizhou prefecture. You two may not have the opportunity to meet each other again. If you really meet again, she would need to kneel and pay respect to you!¡± ¡°I forgot about that,¡± Wei Qingwan smiled, ¡°Alright, send the gift to the young miss. We should leave now.¡± ¡°Yes. I will present the gift to the young miss right away.¡± Cuihe tossed the gift box at Wei Ruo¡¯s feet. Then, master and servant turned and left arrogantly. Xiumei quickly picked up the gift from the ground and threw it outside the courtyard. ¡°Take it away, nobody wants your stuff!¡±
Then she mmed the courtyard door shut. After closing the door, Xiumei felt her hands were dirty. As she pped and wiped her hands, she muttered, ¡°Such pests, they say they don¡¯t like us but alwayse running to us!¡± Xiumei continued, ¡°Miss doesn¡¯t want to marry into a noble and rich family at all, she insisted that Miss only wants to marry Young Master Zhao because she can¡¯t marry into a noble family.¡± ¡°Let her think whatever she wants, don¡¯t bother with her anymore. Don¡¯t let her ruin our good mood. Let¡¯s continue checking the ount book. Checking the ount book is exciting!¡± As soon as they started talking about the ount book, a yful smile spread across Wei Ruo¡¯s face, entirely different from the seriousness and coldness she had shown when dealing with Wei Qingwan. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s not the ount book that brings joy to you, it¡¯s the sight of the silver! This time, we made so much money from selling charcoal and cotton clothing. After deducting the cost for charity, there is still a surplus. Isn¡¯t it exciting to see that?¡± ¡°Yes, your Miss here likes a profitable ount book. You¡¯ll help me check itter, right? Four Treasure House, preserved meat shop, grain shop, winery, spice business, tea business¡­ and a pile of ount books to check.¡± ¡°Stop, stop, stop,¡± Xiumei waved her hands hurriedly, ¡°Miss, spare me, please. I can¡¯t check that! Every time I see an ount book, I get a headache and feel dizzy. Let me do something else. I¡¯m good at physical work, even chopping firewood is fine, just don¡¯t let me do the ounts!¡± Wei Ruoughed, reaching out to poke Xiumei¡¯s forehead. ¡°You, after all this time, you are still afraid of ount books. Compared to a ount book, wolves, tigers, and leopards are less scary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m not afraid of wolves, tigers and leopards. As long as I have a handy weapon, I could kill those beasts to make dishes for you, Miss!¡± ¡°Good, good, you don¡¯t need to check the ount book, you go work on the carriage. I n to improve our exclusive carriage again, making it even stronger and more functional, and it should also carry more stuff.¡± The experience of being trapped in the snowst time made Wei Ruo want to upgrade their special carriage. Now that the snow disaster is over and she has time, she ns to take action on this idea. ¡°Alright, no problem. I got this. You give the ideas, Miss, I¡¯ll do the work. I promise you it will be well done!¡± Xiumei patted her chest and assured. ### The next day, the Zhao brothers brought a matchmaker to the General Residence for a formal proposal. The parents of the Zhao brothers had passed away, so Zhao Hai, the eldest brother, took the ce of their Father to propose the marriage. Wei Mingting invited the two brothers into the main hall, intending to discuss the proposal in detail, when Wei Mingyong suddenly walked in. ¡°You guys should leave now. My eldest niece won¡¯t approve of this marriage,¡± Wei Mingyong directly ordered the Zhao brothers to leave.
Upon hearing this, Wei Mingting stood up and asked Wei Mingyong, ¡°What are you doing, elder brother?¡± ¡°Third brother, heed my instruction in this matter. We will make other arrangements for Ruoruo¡¯s wedding.¡± Wei Mingting knitted his brows, ¡°Elder brother, Ruoruo is my daughter and I have the right to decide about her marriage.¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s expression was stern, overwhelming Wei Mingyong, his elder brother, in aura.
Seeing Wei Mingting, who had been battling in the war for many years, show such determination, Wei Mingyong faltered for a moment. But only for a moment, he soon confidently refuted Wei Mingting, ¡°Third brother, this is not my decision, but our parents¡¯.¡± We Mingyong then handed over a letter. Upon receiving the letter, Wei Mingting¡¯s brows furrowed even more. After unfolding it and reading its contents, Wei Mingting¡¯s expression visibly darkened. Wei Mingyong walked over, patted Wei Mingting¡¯s shoulder, and said, ¡°Third brother, our parents¡¯ intention is clear in the letter. They will make other arrangements for the marriage of the eldest daughter of Duke Residence. Don¡¯t bother yourself over this!¡± We Mingting questioned Wei Mingyong in a deep voice, ¡°Did you inform our parents, elder brother?¡± Wei Mingyong admitted frankly, ¡°Indeed, I was the one who told our parents in a letter. When the Zhao brothers visited earlier, I guessed that you might agree to the proposal, and unbelievably, my guess was correct.¡± Wei Mingyong added, ¡°Third brother, you were wrong this time. You decided Ruo¡¯s marriage before informing our parents. It seems like you wanted to take action first and reportter.¡± Wei Mingting looked at Wei Mingyong, unable to counter his statement, because he did indeed intend to make a decision first and report itter. He spected that his parents, residing in Capital City, might not agree with his decision of marrying his daughter to a schr with no background. Thus, he chose not to inform them ahead of time. He nned to notify his parents after the engagement ceremony waspleted. By then, even if they did not like this engagement, they would not object considering the reputation of their daughter. Seeing Wei Mingting falling silent, Wei Mingyong turned around and ordered the Zhao brothers to leave again.
Zhao Hai and Zhao Xun looked awkward. The two nced at each other. Zhao Xun, not willing to give up, again pleaded to Wei Mingting, ¡°Mr. Wei, although I am only a schr now, I will work twice as hard after marrying Wei¡¯s daughter. I will strive to pass the examination and gain fame. Please give me a chance!¡± As Wei Mingting looked at Zhao Xun, who looked sincere and was about to speak, he was interrupted by Wei Mingyong. ¡°Third brother, this is our parents¡¯ decision. The marriages of our children are decided by them. Even if this gentleman from the Zhao family truly has potential, you still need to ask our parents in advance if you want to proceed with this marriage!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Mingyong then impatiently ordered the servants to escort the Zhao brothers out. Under such circumstances, the Zhao brothers had no other choice but to reluctantly leave the General Residence. Wei Mingting asked Wei Mingyong, ¡°Elder brother, why did you do this?¡± Wei Mingyong answered, ¡°Third brother, although Ruo is tough, she is beautiful like a blooming flower under the moonlight. Even if she can¡¯t marry into the Royal Family like Wanwan, she still has the opportunity to find a good match in Capital City.¡± Chapter 419: 419: Taking Two Young Ladies to the Capital City_1 Chapter 419: Taking Two Young Ladies to the Capital City_1 ¡°Born with a fair and pretty face? Does my older brother not know that only concubines would need to rely on their looks to serve? Wealthy families seek virtues when choosing a wife, and adhere to the principle of marrying someone of an equal social status. What importance is there in one¡¯s feature now?¡± ¡°Exactly, so what if she bes a concubine? It is better to be a concubine of the royal family or of a prominent noble family than to be a wife of a farmer. What benefits would there be for our Wei Family if she marries a farmer?¡± Wei Mingyong retorted. ¡°Ridiculous! Absurd! Has our Wei Family fallen so far as to rely on women for our benefits?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it? Younger brother, stop being so stubborn. Look at the Qi Family, didn¡¯t their rise to power begin when Imperial Concubine Qi was favoured, allowing Lord Qi to flourish at court? This is not something to be ashamed of.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°Whatever younger brother says, our parents are the ones now arranging Ruoruo¡¯s marriage. You should start preparing early, and send Ruoruo and Wanwan to the Capital City prepairing for their marriages!¡± Wei Mingyong did not continue arguing with Wei Mingting, knowing that as long as their parents were there, his youngest brother couldn¡¯t do as he pleased. ¡°I will write to our parents to rify the matter,¡± said Wei Mingting who did not wish to discuss further with Wei Mingyong, he turned, his sleeves pping, and strode toward his study. Wei Mingyong confidently called after his departing brother, ¡°Go ahead and write your letter. Let¡¯s see who our parents will listen to in the end!¡± ###
Cangyun Garden. Upon learning that their elders in the Capital City had intervened in their eldest daughter¡¯s marriage, Mrs. Yun murmured,¡±Second uncle is finally doing something decent.¡± ¡°Madam, master may be angry with the way the second elder is acting.¡± ¡°Master has always been very respectful. In matters like this, other people¡¯s opinions hold no weight. However, if it is the will of his father and mother, even if he has objections, he would not dare to defy.¡± Then Mrs. Yun instructed Cuiping and the others, ¡°Remember, when master returns, do not mention this matter.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ### Wangmei Garden. ¡°Is it true?¡± Wei Qingwan asked Cuihe, her expression somewhat grim. ¡°It¡¯s true, the second elder himself said so. And the servants attending in the main hall said that master was furious.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip: ¡°Second uncle is being reckless.¡± ¡°Yes, miss, I don¡¯t know what second elder is thinking. He wrote to our uncle and aunt in the Capital City, and now under their pressure, master has no choice but toply.¡± ¡°Did grandfather and grandmother mention any arrangements they made for Wei Qingruo?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°This servant is not aware.¡± Wei Qingwan had a serious expression on her face. ¡°Miss, do not worry, even if the old master and madam arrange another marriage for the eldest miss, they cannot do better than you!¡± Cuihe affirmed. ¡°I worry there might be moreplications.¡± Who knows if there will be a second change after the first one? ###
Tingsong Garden. ¡°Miss, what should we do?¡± This was the first time Xiumei showed such agitation. Like ants on a hot pot, she kept pacing back and forth in front of Wei Ruo. This caused more anxiety than any other thing before in Xiumei¡¯s heart. Wei Ruo¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t good either, and although she didn¡¯t show it like Xiumei did, she was also very upset.
¡°First, let¡¯s see if there¡¯s anything my father can do,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. If even Wei Mingting is helpless, then there really might be no way to prevent this. ¡°If the master can¡¯t do anything, do we really have to go to the Capital City? Even though you said before that you wanted to extend our business there, that was for business, not to be married off!¡± ¡°When the soldierse, block them; when the waterse, dam them up. Don¡¯t worry, if your young mistress here is truly cornered, I¡¯ll make sure no one in the family has peaceful days!¡± Wei Ruo reassured Xiumei. Xiumei sighed helplessly, ¡°If only you were born into an ordinary family, this Duke Residence would strangle one to death!¡± Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Being born into an ordinary family wouldn¡¯t necessarily be any easier. Not everyone would be as understanding as our nanny and Uncle Xu. If we were to encounter a family with strict regtions and unreasonable people, I would still be restrained everywhere. There¡¯s nothing we can do; we were born into this world.¡± Xiumei couldn¡¯t hold back and said, ¡°I really want to see the world you talk about, a world where girls can live the life they want.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Even in that world, there would be many restrictions on women. It wouldn¡¯t be so easy to do as one pleases. So, instead ofining about the unfairness of the world we are in, we should try our best to live freely and cheerfully under our limited conditions.¡± Xiumei nodded, ¡°Miss, I understand. Don¡¯t worry. No matter where you go, no matter what you do, I will always be with you to protect you!¡± Wei Ruo stretched out her arms and hugged Xiumei, ¡°Meimei is the best.¡± ### After arguing with Wei Mingyong, Wei Mingting immediately wrote a letter and ordered his trusted servant to rush it to the Capital City. However, before he could receive a reply, someone sent by the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence arrived.
It was Jinmama, the old maid from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Jinmama was the trusted maid of the old madam. She had a longer tenure and a higher position in the Duke Residence than Li mama. Even the three brothers, Wei Minghong, Wei Mingyong, and Wei Mingting, had to show her some respect. As soon as Jinmama arrived, she exined to Wei Mingting and Ms. Yun that the old master and the old madam in the Capital City wanted to bring Wei Qingruo and Wei Qingwan to the Capital City to prepare for their marriages. The atmosphere in the main hall was austere. Wei Mingting and Ms. Yun sat on the main seats, and on the left seat sat Wei Mingyong, wearing a triumphant smile. Jinmama stood in the middle of the hall, exining the purpose of her visit to Wei Mingting and Ms. Yun: ¡°Third Master, Third Madam, the Second Miss is to be married to the Sixth Prince in the second half of next year. She will leave the Duke Residence for marriage at that time, and should return to the Duke Residence to prepare for her marriage under the guidance of the maids. The Eldest Miss will go with the Second Miss this time. The intentions of the Old Madam are to arrange the Eldest Miss¡¯s marriage before the Second Miss gets married. Time is running out, so I hope that both Misses can begin the journey as soon as possible.¡± Wei Mingting had respect for Jinmama, but he dismissed her words. ¡°Mama, I have no objections to Wanwan going to the Capital City, but Ruoruo¡¯s marriage has not been finalized yet. Please wait until I havemunicated with my parents before proceeding.¡± ¡°Third Master, the Old Master and the Old Madam anticipated you would hesitate, so they specifically sent this old servant here to bring the two Misses. If the Third Master does not trust, this old servant still has a personal letter from the Old Master.¡± Jinmama offered the letter she had prepared early on. Wei Mingting took the letter, looking at it solemnly. Wei Mingting remained silent for a long time, his expressionless face was a bit intimidating, which made Ms. Yun nervous.
Wei Mingyong stood up and said, ¡°Third Brother, now that Jinmama hasid out everything, you should stop being obstinate. Put your heart in your belly, our parents will find a good marriage for Ruoruo in the Capital City, and it will definitely not be worse than your this Zhao person who is a poor schr!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 420: 420: Reconsidering Plans_1 Chapter 420: Reconsidering ns_1 Wei Mingyong was actually a bit flustered. His younger brother, a seasoned warrior, radiated an intimidating aura when he was silent. Standing upright andposed near Wei Mingting, the maid Jin did not fear. She had watched the third master grow up and did not believe that he wouldsh out at her. Even if the third master did not care for her, he would still respect his father and mother standing behind her. After a while, Wei Mingting stood up from his seat, turned and left the main hall. Wei Mingyong concealed his earlier panic, revealing a satisfied smile. He knew his younger brother hadpromised. No matter how fiery his temperament or how spirited he was, when faced with their parent¡¯s orders, even if he had immense capabilities, there was nothing he could do! Madam Yun frowned tightly, her gaze lingering on the ce where Wei Mingting had exited. Her feelings were a bitplicated, partly worried for her husband and partly relieved for today¡¯s events. After a brief silence in the main hall, maid Jin spoke to Madam Yun, ¡°Madam, before I came here, the old master and the old madam mentioned that the third young master is now a schr, and will participate in the imperial examination next spring. He will apany me to the Capital City to get limated early and prepare.¡±
Madam Yun nodded: ¡°It should be so.¡± Jin continued: ¡°Moreover, the old madam suggests that you seriously consider going to the Capital City as well.¡± ¡°The old madam wants me to return to the Capital City?¡± ¡°Yes. The marriages of your two daughters need you to help arrange. Plus, you and the young masters and youngdies haven¡¯t returned to the Capital City for many years. It¡¯s about time you go back.¡± Madam Yun didn¡¯t respond immediately, instead she pondered: ¡°Please allow me to consider this matter.¡± ¡°Alright, then I will wait for your reply, Madam.¡± ### Two dayster, the General¡¯s Residence began to bustle with activity. As this was the wish of the old master and madam in the Capital City, Madame Yun, despite her reluctance to part with Wei Mingting, had no choice but toply. This meant she would go to the Capital City along with Jin and the rest. Madam Yun dispatched a portion of the servants from the residence, only retaining those who had sworn fidelity. She then started to liquidate her assets in Taizhou Prefecture and Xingshan County, selling off shops and farnd. As luck would have it, the shops weren¡¯t doing well and the yield from the farnd was subparpared to others. It was better to sell them and convert to silver. Subsequently, Madam Yun arranged for more transportation to facilitate their journey to the Capital City. Madam Yun was busy in her room instructing the servants to pack, when Wei Yilin rushed into Cangyun Garden. Running and panting, he called out: ¡°Mother, mother¡­¡±. ¡°Yilin, you¡¯re grown now, you can¡¯t be so reckless,¡± reprimanded Madam Yun. ¡°Mother, I heard from a servant that we¡¯re going to the Capital City. Is it true?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Your eldest brother is going to take the examination, and your two elder sisters are preparing for their weddings. Your mother has to help them with the arrangements. So, you must also go with your mother.¡± ¡°What about father?¡± asked Wei Yilin.
¡°Your father can¡¯t leave easily because of his duties, but don¡¯t worry, he will be transferred to the Capital City sooner orter,¡± replied Madam Yun. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to be separated from father¡­¡± Wei Yilin pouted, visibly unwilling. ¡°Yilin, we can¡¯t help it. Your grandparents are in the Capital City waiting for us, and we can¡¯t not go. What¡¯s more, we haven¡¯t returned to the Duke¡¯s Residence in the Capital City to celebrate the New Year for many years.¡± ¡°But I barely remember them.¡±
¡°Yilin, they¡¯re your grandparents. Whether you remember them or not, you must respect and care for them. Understand?¡± Wei Yilin pouted unhappily but nodded. Following which, Wei Yilin asked: ¡°Then who do grandfather and grandmother n to marry eldest sister to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. We¡¯ll see what your grandparents arrange when we get to the Capital City. They always pay special attention to the eldest legitimate daughter. They¡¯ll definitely choose a suitable family for your eldest sister,¡± replied Madam Yun. ¡°Is eldest sister willing?¡± asked Wei Yilin. ¡°That¡­ we, your father and I, have no control over this. Your eldest sister can¡¯t refuse just because she wants to.¡± ¡°Then eldest sister will not be happy.¡± Wei Yilin sulked. ¡°As the legitimate daughter of the Duke¡¯s Residence, would the matter of marriage be subject to her pleasure or displeasure? Moreover, the marriage arranged by your grandparents must be better than the one your sister chose herself, the young master from the Zhao family.¡± ¡°Mother, that¡¯s not right, it should be what eldest sister thinks is good is good, what eldest sister finds distasteful, should not be good.¡± ¡°Who has been teaching you this, child? Is it your eldest sister?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°No, it has nothing to do with elder sister. This is my own thought.¡± ¡°Alright, stop thinking about these things. You need to go back to your room and pack up as well. Take only the necessary items. You can¡¯t take too much because the transport is limited and we won¡¯t be able to bring too much.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡±
Wei Yilin exited Cangyun Garden, looking dejected. ### Wangmei Garden. Knowing that it was now a sure thing that she and Wei Qingwan would go to the Capital City together, even though she was not pleased, Wei Qingwan had no choice but to ept. Wei Qingwan instructed maid Li and Cuihe to pack their luggage and carry all the gold and silver valuables. ¡°Miss, once we¡¯re in the Duke¡¯s Residence in the Capital City, you won¡¯t need these old things anymore,¡± Cuihe said, packing things while daydreaming about the scenes when they would arrive in the Capital City. ¡°Bring everything first. We can throw away what we can¡¯t use once we reach the Duke¡¯s Residence,¡± Wei Qingwan instructed, her mind wandering to past memories. ¡°Thinking about it, I have not seen my grandparents for a full four years. They used to love me dearly. Now that they know I was not born of the Wei Family, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll be cold towards me.¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. You have been awarded to be the sixth prince¡¯s wife. The old master and madam couldn¡¯t be happier. No matter if you are born to the family or not, you are still ady from the Wei Family. The old couple must like you!¡± Cuihe reassured. Following closely, maid Li added: ¡°What Cuihe said is very true. I just had a conversation with maid Jin this morning. Jin really looks down on Miss Wei Ruo for her crude behavior. She even said that going to the Duke¡¯s Residence in the Capital City, Miss Wei Ruo is bound to be despised.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss her. As long as my grandparents do not despise me, I would be very happy,¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t want to talk about Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I spoke out of turn,¡± Maid Li quickly lowered her head and continued working without saying more. ### With the matter settled, Wei Ruo had to start nning early.
The seniors from the Capital City disrupted her ns, but she could not just sit back and respond passively. Even if she was to be arranged into a marriage in the Capital City, she still needed to have a n for herself. ¡°Miss, are we really going to the Capital City?¡± Xiumei pouted, obviously displeased. ¡°Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. Even if it¡¯s a den of dragons or a pit of tigers, it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t make it through.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid, Miss, then I¡¯m not afraid either. Besides, Second Young Master¡­ I mean, Young Master Wang Jin is in the Capital City! Maybe you¡¯ll get to see him when you get there!¡± Xiumei suddenly found a reason for them to go to the Capital City. ¡°Yes, I was thinking the same thing,¡± answered Wei Ruo. Going to the Capital City might give her a chance to see her second brother again. This was probably one of the few things to rejoice about in this bad news. Chapter 421: 421: Arriving in the Capital City_1 Chapter 421: Arriving in the Capital City_1 Then, Wei Ruo said to Xiumei, ¡°You go to the Zhao Family on my behalf and inform the Zhao brothers that they needn¡¯t worry. The matter of marriage alliance can temporarily be set aside. Also, help me deliver two letters to the Four Treasure House and have someone there send them to the provincial city to my wet nurse and Uncle Xu.¡± Wei Ruo had instructed the Zhao brothers to propose to the Wei Family¡¯s eldest daughter on Xu Heyou¡¯s behalf. The Zhao brothers didn¡¯t fully understand the motive behind this, but out of gratitude to Wei Ruo for saving their lives, they had been diligently managing this affair. Now that the matter had been called off, Wei Ruo wanted to notify the two of them, so they wouldn¡¯t worry. Also, Wei Ruo had some other matters to instruct them on. Moreover, since Brother Xiaoyong would remain in the Anti-Japanese Army, she wouldn¡¯t take her wet nurse and others with her when she went northbound this time. She had left letters to instruct them on the tasks they needed to handle in the following period, arranging for the fields and shops in Taizhou prefecture and Lin¡¯an prefecture. Although poor climatic conditions had led to a reduction in grain production in the Jiangzhe region these two years, Wei Ruo believed that as long as the climate improved, the grain production in this region would definitely be very substantial. Thus, she wanted to purchase farnds, with the farnds in the Jiangzhe region being her first choice. No matter where she went, she would hold onto these farnds here. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go immediately.¡± Xiumei was swift in action. She changed her attire, ran back and forth, delivered the letters, and conveyed Wei Ruo¡¯s intentions. Afterwards, she returned to Tingsong Garden to pack with Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo had quite a lot of belongings. Any valuable items needed to be taken along.
The number of carriages in the residence was limited. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t n to use them since she already had a carriage, which had been reinforced a few days earlier. Wei Ruo nned to purchase another carriage specifically for carrying her luggage. It wasn¡¯t exactly for the carriage to carry loads of luggage. No matter how much luggage there was, Wei Ruo could store them all in her space. But while traveling, she couldn¡¯t endlessly take things out from her space, as that could arouse suspicions. Thus, having an extra carriage could be more convenient. In addition to having enough stuff for the trip, it was also necessary to make sufficient preparations for defense. The journey to the capital city was far, and considering the disorder these past few years, one couldn¡¯t guarantee that some danger wouldn¡¯t be encountered on the way. Even if it wasn¡¯t used this time, there would likely be a time for its use in the future. Being well-prepared was always the right approach. So, Wei Ruo, apanied by Xiumei, made several trips to the streets, hired a few carpenters and cksmiths, and busied herself for a few days. ### Before leaving Taizhou prefecture, there was one thing Wei Qingwan had to do¡ªpurchase Dr. Xu¡¯s Scar Removal Ointment. Not only had the ointment purchased with the three hundred taels from Wei Mingyong and two hundred taels from Madam Yun ran out, but the two boxes of ointment she purchased with another two hundred taels from Wei Mingyong, after she failed to see Dr. Xu a second time, also had barely any left. All seven boxes of ointment were now down to thest half-box. However, the scars on her back had been mostly removed, with only a third of the original traces remaining. Given the long travel to the capital, it would be difficult to purchase the ointment again, so she had to buy enough ointment before departing for the capital city. Fortunately, Madam Yun had recently sold some farnd and shops for a sum of silver. Upon Wei Qingwan¡¯s earnest request, Madam Yun lent three hundred taels of silver to purchase the ointment. Wei Qingwan immediately sent Nurse Li for a trip to Tongde Hall. However, this time Nurse Li returned empty-handed, bearing bad news: the shop had sold out of the Scar Removal Ointment. Weo Qingwan inquired to know when they would restock. However, Nurse Li ryed Tongde Hall¡¯s response¡ªsince the ointment was sold on consignment by Dr. Xu, they couldn¡¯t guarantee when they would have more. It could be in a few days, or there might never be more.
Weo Qingwan immediately paled; she had thought the matter of her scar was resolved, and that as long as she got the money, she could fully recover. She didn¡¯t expect the ointment to sell out! And that Xu Heyou was evasive as ever! Besides his charity medical consultation a while ago, he hardly ever showed up in public. Now where was she to find him?
### On the fifteenth day of the winter month, the Wei Family set out for their journey. Wei Yichen, Wei Mingyong and the other men rode horses, while Madam Yun, Wei Ruo, and the rest of the women travelled in carriages. Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan shared a carriage, and Wei Ruo was in her own. Following behind them were four carriages to carry the luggage, three of which were provided by the residence, and one was Wei Ruo¡¯s own. In addition, there were also maids and guards from the residence apanying them. Only a few personal maids were brought, but they didn¡¯t economize on guards. It was hard to guarantee that the journey would not bring dangers, so having more people for protection was more reassuring. Since they had womenfolk and arge amount of luggage, their journey was rtively slow. It took them more than one month to travel. During this time, the Emperor of the Capital City carried out the enfeoffment ceremony for the sixth prince, Liu Heng, and the seventh prince, Chu Lan. Among them, Liu Heng was conferred as Yudu (the Prince of Abundance), and Chu Lan was conferred as King Jing. At the same time, the ninth prince also attended the enfeoffment ceremony and officially entered the court and government ministries. However, the ninth prince was weak and fragile. It was said that he had to be helped away halfway through the ceremony due to ill health. What surprised people was the Emperor¡¯s attitude towards the ninth prince. After confirming that the ninth prince was indeed the son of thete Empress Xu, the Emperor started to show great concern for him, more than any of his other princes so far. After a long andborious journey, Wei Ruo finally arrived at the Capital City with the Wei Family on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month. The Loyal and Righteous Duke Duke Residence was located at the end of Suzaku Street in Capital City with its grand gate and two majestic stone lions at the entrance.
On the bright red gate, a prominent que hung, the four characters of ¡®Loyal and Righteous Duke Duke Residence¡¯ inscribed on it powerfully. Upon closer observation, Wei Ruo could see traces of weathering on the redcquer of the gate, a corner of the bronze ring on the gate was missing, and the majestic stone lions had some damage. The wall around the house was high. From outside, one could see the grey-green roofs and pavilions inside. The procession moved past the front gate and into the side alley. The front gate was usually kept shut, and the household members typically used the side door for entering and leaving the residence. When entering the gate, Madam Yun reminded Wei Ruo once more to be cautious and not rash in her actions. Among everyone, Wei Ruo was the only one visiting the Loyal and Righteous Duke Duke Residence for the first time. Even the young Wei Yilin had lived in the Duke Residence before. After entering the residence, Wei Ruo was led by a servant to Changchun Garden, then she was taken by two maids to freshen up. Wei Ruo was attended to by a few maids, who cleaned her from top to bottom, then they helped her change into the clothes they had prepared in advance. Looking down, Wei Ruo noted that the clothes were newly made, fitted well, and were made of high-quality silk. It was evident that they had put in great effort.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Immediately after, Wei Ruo was taken to the Shou¡¯an Hall, the residence of the granddy. Navigating past the screen, Wei Ruo entered the inner room, which was already full of people.
Chapter 422: 422 Pledge Yourself to the Old Marquis_1 Chapter 422: Pledge Yourself to the Old Marquis_1 At this time, dusk had descended. The room was lit up by the yellow candlelight. The furniture arrangement around was old, appearing to have existed for many years. Old Grandfather and Old Madam were seated in the two Imperial Tutor chairs directly in front of the entrance. To the left were the first master, Wei Minghong, First Lady Mo; the second master, Wei Mingyong, and Second Lady of the Bai Family. To the right were the newly arrived Third Lady Yun, Wei Yichen, Wei Qingwan, and Wei Yilin. Wei Ruo had seen these people from the Wei Family of the capital city in her former life, so she had a good understanding of them. The old patriarch was handsome but extravagant in his dual youth. He did not excel in literature or martial art repayments, taking over a title and bing an idler for a few years, without achievments. However, he was very monogamous emotionally and never took a concubine after developing a strong bond with the old madam over the years. The old madam came from a family of schrs. She had a gentle personality and really loved her children and grandchildren. However, she always considered the old patriarch¡¯s wishes first. First Lord Wei Minghong was robust and had a round figure. He looked simple-hearted. ording to the memory of her former life, he was both jealous and ambitious. His wife, Lady Mo, looked ordinary, was quiet and rarely spoke. The former master didn¡¯t know much about her. Wei Ruo had observed Second Lord Wei Mingyong personally. He was shrewd and eager for quick sess.
Second Lady Bai was eloquent and adept at socializing. She could turn ck into white with her glib tongue. ¡°Ruoruo,e and meet your grandparents,¡± Yun pulled Wei Ruo towards the old grandfather and old madam. ¡°Greetings to Grandfather and Grandmother,¡± Wei Ruo paid her respects to the elderly couple. Then she greeted the First Lord, First Lady, Second Lord, and Second Lady sitting next to them. ¡°Greetings to Uncle, Aunt, Second Uncle, and Second Aunt.¡± Those who hadn¡¯t met Wei Ruo before scrutinized her carefully. ¡°Good girl, just as your Second Uncle described in the letter, you¡¯re as radiant as a flower and very bright. You must have been tired from the long journey!¡± The old madam said, her face full of smiles and her eyes brimming with kindness. Second Lady Bai chimed in, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth? I always thought my Wanwan was the most radiant child, but it turns out that you, the biological daughter of your mother, are even more lively. It¡¯s just my misfortune that I was unable to bear a daughter!¡± With that, Bai turned to Yun and continued, ¡°You really are blessed, Sister-inw! I am so envious of you!¡± ¡°Where are you going with this, Second Sister-inw? Your three sons are eachpetent in their own right. It¡¯s you who is truly blessed,¡± Yun quickly replied. Baiughed, ¡°That¡¯s iparable to your good fortune, Sister-inw! Not only is your second daughter about to marry a prince as a concubine, but your eldest daughter is also to marry into the Marquis¡¯s Residence. All this wealth and fame would make anyone envious!¡± ¡°What is the Second Sister-inw talking about? A Marchioness?¡± Yun was visibly taken aback. Next, she turned her puzzled gaze toward the old grandfather and old madam. ¡°What your Second Sister-inw said is correct, we have arranged Ruo¡¯s marriage with the Xuanping Marquis Residence,¡± the old patriarch responded. ¡°The Xuanping Marquis Residence? The Marquis¡¯s heir?¡± Yun was confused; if she were marrying the Marquis¡¯s heir, she should be called Crown Princess, not the Marquis¡¯s wife. ¡°Marquis Xuanping,¡± the old patriarch corrected. ¡°Marquis Xuanping?¡± Yun¡¯s surprise was even more evident, ¡°If I am not mistaken, Marquis Xuanping is already nearly sixty years old, isn¡¯t he? And he has already outlived two wives.¡± ¡°Correct, Marquis Xuanping is indeed fifty-six years old this year. Despite being close to sixty, he is still vigorous and healthy with no known illnesses. Although Ruo will be his seeding wife when she gets married, she will be his legitimate wife, the marchioness of the Marquis Residence,¡± the old patriarch answered. Yun¡¯s face stiffened, leaving her momentarily unsure of how to respond to the old patriarch¡¯sment.
Weiruo, on the other hand, didn¡¯t seem too surprised. When she had learned that the elders had arranged betrothal for her, she already had a rough idea. For the reputation of the Duke Residence, even though they were now in a difficult situation, the old patriarch and old madam probably wouldn¡¯t let their legitimate eldest daughter be someone¡¯s concubine. However, to marry into a prominent family as a primary wife was challenging as not many families held the Duke Residence¡¯s daughters in high regard. Wei Qingwan, who was sitting next to her, exhaled a sigh of relief. Initially, she was concerned when the old patriarch mentioned that Wei Ruo was to be a marchioness, but hearing that she was to marry the fifty-six-year-old Marquis Xuanping, she was relieved. Her worry was reced by mockery and sneers directed at Wei Qingruo. Bai Family¡¯sdy followed up, ¡°Sister-inw, this is indeed a great blessing for you and your daughter! Although Marquis Xuanping is older, the Xuanping Marquis family is still flourishing. I don¡¯t know how many families want to marry their daughters into that house. It is a great fortune that they have taken a liking to a daughter from our Wei Family.¡±
¡°But doesn¡¯t the Marquis already have several legitimate sons? Their ages are all above Ruo¡¯s. Isn¡¯t it inappropriate for Ruo to be married to him?¡± Yun cautiously inquired. ¡°What¡¯s the inappropriateness in that? Although there are legitimate sons from previous marriages, any son that Ruo bears after marrying into the family will also be a legitimate son. Furthermore, no matter which legitimate son inherits the family property in the future, Ruo will always be their biological mother,¡± Bai¡¯s voice rang out clearly. Wei Mingyong also chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s exactly the twist of it, Sister-inw. You shouldn¡¯t worry about it. All of Marquis Xuanping¡¯s sons are very capable and will surely bring glory to their ancestors. After marrying into that house, Ruo will definitely live a prosperous life.¡± Yun¡¯s brows were still furrowed. The old grandfather spoke with great sincerity, ¡°Third daughter-inw, I understand your concerns. But as you know, Ruo returned to the duke residency from the countryside recently. Outside our family, we said she is Wanwan¡¯s twin sister, but due to her weak constitution at birth, she was raised discreetly in the countryside to secure her survival, as per the forteller¡¯s advice. Therefore, she received education in the countryside for many years, her character inherently rustic. Thus, the matter of her marriage isn¡¯t that straightforward.¡± After hearing this, Wei Ruo almost thought she was in confusion. What difficulties in marriage? Clearly, Wei Ruo should have been amidst a ceremony¡ªonly to have the ns suddenly changed. ¡°Difficulties¡± indeed, but just with marrying above one¡¯s station. What did Wei Ruo being raised in the countryside have to do with being unable to marry high? Clearly, the Wei family had declined over the years and others looked down upon them, while they were keen to marry their daughters to prominent families. That was the real reason for the problem! Of course, Yun understood this. But facing the old patriarch¡¯s exnation, she dared not express any disagreement even if she found it improper.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Yichen¡¯s face was colder than usual, but he didn¡¯tment on the matter. Wei Yilin pouted, attempted to voice his objections several times, but was always stopped by Wei Qingwan next to him. Wei Qingwan whispered to Wei Yilin, ¡°Yilin, we cannot act as rashly in the capital city as we did in the Taizhou prefecture. Your mother will speak up if there are problems.¡±
Wei Yilin rolled his eyes and replied softly, ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re afraid of my rashness or just can¡¯t stand to see my elder sister¡¯s happiness?¡± Weiruo¡¯s words made Wei Qingwan¡¯s face stiffen, ¡°Yilin, that incident on the way here was an ident. I¡¯ve already exined it to you.¡± Chapter 423: 423: No Pointless Struggle_1 Chapter 423: No Pointless Struggle_1 Because of that incident, Wei Yilin has been giving Wei Qingwan a cold treatment recently. ¡°That incident with eldest brother was an ident, the incident with eldest sister was also an ident. How could every incident be an ident? I may be young, but I¡¯m not an idiot!¡± Wei Yilin pouted his lips, his cheek bulged. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was sullen. Just as she was about to exin further, she noticed the second Madam from the Bai Family sitting across from her, who had obviously noticed their secret conversation. Wei Qingwan immediately fell silent, fearing to say more. Now was not the time to argue with Yilin about that matter. She merely needed to watch and wait for Wei Qingruo to conflict with the elders. Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t believe that Wei Qingruo, who was used to being arrogant in the General Residence, would calmly ept such arrangement from the elders. Old Master Wei looked towards Wei Ruo, saw the calm expression on her face and asked, ¡°Ruoruo, what do you think about this marriage arrangement?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite good.¡± Wei Ruo replied calmly. She agreed to it? Wei Ruo¡¯s answer took Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan aback.
The arrangement made by the old Master and Madam was even somewhat uneptable to Madam Yun! She actually epted it? The old Master also showed an unexpected expression, having prepared himself for a long conversation with this granddaughter. ¡°Are you sure you think it¡¯s quite good?¡± The old Master asked Wei Ruo for confirmation. ¡°Didn¡¯t grandfather just exin the pros and cons of it? What you said makes sense.¡± Wei Ruo replied. At that moment, everyone looked at Wei Ruo with curious eyes. ¡°Ruoruo, are you sure about this?¡± Madam Yun looked at Wei Ruo with concern.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Whether I have thought it over or not, what does it matter? Didn¡¯t Mother say that marriage is decided by the parents¡¯ order and matchmaker¡¯s word? Now that my grandparents are in charge, what else can I object to?¡± Wei Ruo said calmly. It would be strange if she didn¡¯t object. If Marquis Xuanping was already one foot in the grave and he didn¡¯t have an adult heir, she could consider marrying him. But unfortunately, this was not the case. But in order to ruin this marriage and prevent the Wei family from using her as a bargaining chip for their own benefits again, she had to let them let their guard down first. Being in ancient times and in such a strict noble family, it wasn¡¯t wise to confront the head of the family directly without any leverage. Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice on these matters. Seeing Wei Ruo ept everything so calmly, Madam Yun¡¯s brows furrowed even deeper. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face showed suspicion. This wasn¡¯t rted to Wei Qingruo¡¯s usual behavior. What was she nning? Old Master Wei was very pleased and said: ¡°Ruoruo, you truly are clever and sensible, you really are the daughter of the Wei family.¡± Bai Madam enthusiastically grabbed Wei Ruo¡¯s hand and said: ¡°Dear niece, you truly understand things now. Your grandparents have carefully picked this marriage for you. You can rest assured and marry, wealth and honor will be inexhaustible.¡± Wei Ruo looked at her calmly, not responding. Wei Minghongughed and said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, niece, Marquis Xuanping has prepared a generous dowry for you. You¡¯ll surely have an extravagant wedding.¡± Mrs. Mo followed suit and added warmly: ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything else, the family will help you arrange everything appropriately.¡± Wei Ruo gave a slight nod, seeming to have no objections to the arrangement.
Wei Ruo¡±s reaction was unexpected for everybody, yet it was what they all hoped to see. Her willingness to cooperate would save them a lot of trouble. After discussing Wei Ruo¡¯s matter, the old Master and Madam turned their focus to Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen was the only one among the three generations of the Wei family who had be a Schr.
Old Master Wei and the old Madam naturally ced great importance on it. Although having their daughter marry well could bring a certain honor to the family, it was still not the same as having a male member of the family pass the imperial examination and noblely enter the court to be an official. All the assistance a daughter could bring to the family ultimately still relied on the men for support. Facing the inquiries of the elders, Wei Yichen answered them all, his face calm, neither sorrowful nor joyful. Old Master Wei was very satisfied with his demeanor and conversation. Their Wei family¡¯s revival was hopeful! After the old Master finished his questions, the old Madam asked about the trouble they encountered whileing from the city. ¡°Right, I heard from your second uncle that you guys encountered thieves on your way here?¡± The old Madam asked with concern. ¡°Yes.¡± Replied Wei Yichen. ¡°None of you were hurt, right?¡± The old Madam asked again. ¡°Grandmother, you can rest assured, we are all fine. Thanks to Ruoruo¡¯s cleverness, we were able to turn danger into safety.¡± Wei Yichen replied. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. You must have suffered a lot on the road, really hard for you.¡± Old Madam said with concern, ¡°It¡¯s been unrestful outside in recent years, youing back to Capital City is the best, it sets my heart at ease too. I¡¯m just worried about your third uncle who is still fighting wars outside.¡± As she said this, the Madam turned to Mrs. Yun. ¡°Daughter-inw of the third son, when you get a chance, try to persuade your husband to look for an opportunity to transfer back to Capital City.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Madam Yun responded absent-mindedly, still immersed in the marriage arranged for Wei Ruo by the elders. One hourter, because it was gettingte, the old Madam sent everyone off to rest.
Wei Ruo didn¡¯t say a word as she walked out of Shou¡¯an Hall, and as soon as she walked out of the door, Mrs. Yun stopped her. ¡°Ruoruo, tell me the truth, do you really agree with the marriage arranged by your grandparents?¡± Mrs. Yun asked again. Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you were hoping to see?¡± With that, Wei Ruo pulled her hand away from Mrs. Yun. ¡°When did I ever say that I wanted you to marry a man who wanted you as a recement wife? You think I would sell you for honour?¡± ¡°Then let me ask you this, what would it achieve if I said that I don¡¯t want to get married in this room today? Could it change their minds?¡± Wei Ruo asked Mrs. Yun. Mrs. Yun fell silent. Wei Ruo gave a lightugh, ¡°If I were to say that I refuse here, it would only result in a scolding from them. Nothing would change in the end. Why would I do something like that?¡± After saying this, Wei Ruo walked away without looking back. Mrs. Yun watched Wei Ruo walk away with aplex expression. ### At another ce in the Capital City. Under the moonlight, a man sat at a stone table in the courtyard.
With a stern face and cold eyes, just like the moonlight above his head. A tall and proud figure that seemed to say ¡®stay away¡¯. ¡°Master, the youngdy and her party have arrived in the Capital City.¡± Xiaobei approached the man to report. This man was none other than Wei Jinyi, who had faked his death and disappeared for a long time. ¡°Later than expected.¡± ¡°Yes, the news just came in, the youngdy and her group encountered some idents on the road, which dyed their journey for some days.¡± Xiaobei reported. ¡°What kind of idents?¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s cold face changed. Chapter 424: 424: Its No Longer Possible to Keep Her Out_1 Chapter 424: It¡¯s No Longer Possible to Keep Her Out_1 ¡°The young miss and her party were robbed by bandits while passing through Xuzhou Prefecture. Their luggage was looted, and the young master¡¯s life was almost lost. However, everyone was safe in the end, and there were no injuries,¡± Xiaobei replied. ¡°I understand.¡± Upon hearing no one was injured, the killing intent shed in Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes immediately disappeared. Xiaobei hesitated for a moment before proactively asking, ¡°Master, what about the marriage proposal that the Loyal and Righteous Duke Duke Residence arranged for the young miss? In a couple of days, the Xuanping Marquis Residence will officially propose the marriage to the Duke Residence. The Marquis Xuanping is not only old, but he has also lost two wives and is a supporter of the sixth prince. How can they arrange such a marriage for young miss?¡± The depths of Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes were profound. He did not want her to get involved in these affairs, but it seemed to be inevitable now. The Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence has already chosen to stand by the sixth prince. As a daughter of the Duke Residence, even if she got married, she could not escape this rtionship. If the Duke Residence were to overstep in the future, she would still be implicated. ¡°Summon Ke Chongshan and Lin Fang,¡± said Wei Jinyi. ¡°Yes.¡± Not long after Xiaobei left, Ke Chongshan and his wife Lin Fang arrived in the courtyard¡­n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ###
On the other side, Wei Mingyong was pulled back into the room by Bai Family¡¯s Madam, who asked him curiously after the door closed. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you just tell me that our niece is an obstinate, unsophisticated country girl with a bad temper and little knowledge? I was waiting to see the drama between her and the third wife today. Why does it not match what you told me at all?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also puzzled. She gave me a hard time on the way here. She relied on herself for having some silver and plenty of supplies. She showed me her displeasure when we were in danger!¡± Wei Mingyong became upset thinking about what happened on the road. That stinky girl, daring to treat him like that, was not simply an issue of disrespect to her elder. It was a sheer insult to him! ¡°Don¡¯t mention the money anymore. You said before we went to Taizhou prefecture that you would certainly open up the trade channels in the Jiangzhe Region. But in the end? You didn¡¯t earn a penny, and even the silver you brought with you was all lost!¡± Wei Mingyong¡¯s face showed embarrassment. ¡°Indeed, it was my mistake. I did not expect the situation in the Jiangzhe Region to be so terrible, and it would be so hard to do business. But not all my money was lost due to business failure. I gave five hundred taels of silver to Qingwan.¡± ¡°Why would you give her so much silver? That¡¯s five hundred taels of silver! Have you gone mad?¡± ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t gone mad. Wanwan will be a concubine of the sixth prince! Future honor and wealth are immeasurable. If we lend her some silver now, the return she can bring us in the future will be far beyond these five hundred taels.¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re making some sense¡­ But she¡¯s only a concubine, the principal wife is still the daughter of the Qi Family, can shepete with that?¡± ¡°If in a regr household, the concubine naturally couldn¡¯tpete with the principal wife. But this is the royal family. The sixth prince is the person with the highest chance of bing the crown prince. If the concubine is favored, nothing is impossible.¡± Bai¡¯s Madam did not cheer up upon hearing this, but showed a worried expression instead. ¡°Before, it was true that the sixth prince was the one with the highest chance to be the crown prince, but the situation has changed now with the emergence of the ninth prince,¡± Madam Bai said. ¡°Isn¡¯t the ninth prince just a sickly individual? He can¡¯t even walk properly and faints easily. Are you scared that he couldpete for the position of the crown prince?¡± Wei Mingyong questioned dismissively. ¡°The health of the ninth prince is indeed poor, but he truly has the Emperor¡¯s favor. On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, the sixth and seventh princes were granted titles, and the ninth prince nearly fainted. The Emperor left before the ceremony was evenpleted,¡± Bai¡¯s Madam expressed her worries. They were betting on the sixth prince. If anything went wrong, it would be a significant loss for them. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry incessantly. Even if the ninth prince suddenly shows up in sturdy health, he stillcks any foundation. He doesn¡¯t stand a chance in court.¡± ¡°That seems right.¡± ###
Wei Minghong returned home with a troubled heart. ¡°The third brother¡¯s household is really something now. One son became a schr, and two daughters are engaged in high-ranking marriages. If this continues, I¡¯m afraid the person who inherits the title might be the third brother!¡± Unlike his honest demeanor just now, Wei Minghong appeared calcting and unkind at the moment. Madam Mo advised in a low soothing voice, ¡°My Lord, don¡¯t worry too much. The achievements of the third brother¡¯s house is a good thing, proving that the Wei family¡¯s revival is hopeful.¡±
Wei Minghong reprimanded angrily, ¡°What do you know as a woman? The achievements are all from the third room! What does it have to do with us? Didn¡¯t you see the attitude of the old master to the third room today? Do you want me to live at the mercy of their whim?¡± ¡°I meant something else¡­¡± ¡°Humph!¡± Wei Minghong huffed, and then scolded, ¡°All me yourself for being useless and birthing sons who are each more useless than thest!¡± The rebuked Madam Mo dared not buzz, silently bowing her head. Tiring of scolding after a couple of words and seeing Madam Mo not reacting, Wei Minghong felt it pointless and left the room, intending to stay the night at his concubine¡¯s again. ### After leaving the Shou¡¯an Hall, Wei Ruo was led back to the Changchun Garden by Mingzhu, the maid assigned to her by the old Duke. Early the next morning, just after Wei Ruo got up, Mingzhu came. ¡°Young Miss, from now on, I will be your personal maid. My name is Mingzhu. If you have any questions, you can ask me, and if you need something done, you can tell me in advance, to avoid misunderstandings and an awkward scene. The Capital City has a lot more rules than the remote small towns.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for this. I already have a maid that I am ustomed to. I do not wish to change maids,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Young Miss, I was sent by the Old Duke and Madam to specifically teach you the rules of Capital City and help you prepare the dowry. Please do not let the Old Duke and Madam¡¯s expectations down.¡± Mingzhu used the names of the Old Duke and Madam as leverage. She then ordered Xiumei to do work, ¡°The not very valuable items that you all brought back from Taizhou Prefecture do not need to be brought in. There is simply not enough room to put them in the mansion.¡±
Xiumei, of course, would not listen to her. Standing by Wei Ruo¡¯s side, she showed no intention of moving. Wei Ruo asked Mingzhu: ¡°Who told you the object I brought back are worthless?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already heard from the servants who helped Young Miss load the luggage say that Young Miss brought back many old jars. Is the young miss trying to say that those old jars are valuable?¡± ¡°I am the miss, and you are the maid, I am the master, and you are the servant. Whether the item is valuable or not, I have the final say. What right do you have to talk back to me?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Chapter 425: 425 Discussing Terms_1 Chapter 425: Discussing Terms_1 Mingzhu¡¯s expression was filled with contempt: ¡°Miss, you are indeed our mistress, but, having lived in the countryside for years, the wealthiest family that you¡¯ve encountered was the Yuan Family in Taizhou prefecture. There¡¯s still a lot for you to learn and nurture before you can aptly preside over a marquis¡¯s household. Take these old jars that you brought from the countryside, for instance. The third master anddy indulged you, but once you¡¯re in the Duke¡¯s Residence, you¡¯ll have to discard such habits.¡± ¡°Whether or not I make a good lord¡¯s wife is up to me. If you¡¯re unhappy seeing me this way, I can show you what outrageous things a country girl, who lived a rural life for thirteen years, can do at a wedding.¡± Wei Ruo smiled coyly. ¡°What do you mean by that, Miss?¡± Mingzhu was bewildered as she looked at Wei Ruo. ¡°You want me to marry an old man for the sake of the family¡¯s interests yet you constrain me and treat me like a criminal? Even a rabbit bites when cornered. Cross me, and I¡¯ll create havoc for all to see. We¡¯ll see then if the wedding can continue and if the Xuanping Marquis Residence still wants me.¡± Mingzhu widened her eyes, an expression of disbelief etched across her face as she stared at Wei Ruo. ¡°What are you plotting? Do you n to cause amotion during the wedding?¡± Mingzhu seemed to have heard something horrifying. Wei Ruo retorted, ¡°Can¡¯t I? Are you, being in the Duke¡¯s Residence, oblivious to the fact that someone could actually disrupt a wedding? Let me tell you, one year, Widow Li of Mo Jiazha was forced to remarry by her brother. She refused and chopped up a hen right in front of the man proposing. She dered that anyone who dared propose marriage to her again would meet the same fate!¡± ¡°Do you realize that if you wreak havoc at your wedding, it will ruin your life! Forget about marrying, you won¡¯t even have a ce to live!¡± ¡°Of course, I know. But if I ruin myself, it will drag the entire Wei Family down with me. I won¡¯t rest until I see others upset too. I wonder what punishment awaits you, who¡¯s responsible for teaching me the rules? Will you be beaten to death or sold?¡± Wei Ruo said with an unnerving calmness. Mingzhu seemed thoroughly stupefied as she stared nkly at Wei Ruo.
Wei Ruo curled her lips, and slowly said, ¡°Right now, the Wei Family wants me to secure profits for them. If they want my cooperation, they have to y by my rules.¡± Mingzhu red furiously at Wei Ruo. ¡°I will report all these words of yours to the elderly master and the old madam!¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t seem to care at all. ¡°Hmph!¡± Mingzhu snorted, before storming out of the room. Wei Ruo calmly waited in the room for Mingzhu to bring help. Although she had arrived at the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence in Capital City muchter than depicted in the original story, the characters and behavior of the people there remained the same. Just like Mingzhu, she was not acting arrogantly, looking down on others and misbehaving with her mistress. She had ulterior motives. She was trying to show her loyalty to Wei Qingwan and thought of disciplining Wei Ruo on her behalf. Even though it sounds nice that she and Wei Qingwan had both married well, everyone could see the stark difference in their futures. Hers, marrying into the Xuanping Marquis Residence as his legal wife, was by no meansparable to Wei Qingwan¡¯s, who was awarded a marriage by the Emperor to be a concubine in the King Yu Residence. As the Marchioness, she might not be able to hold a firm footing in the Xuanping Marquis Residence. The children of Marquis Xuanping¡¯s two previous wives were infamous for their ruthlessness. When the Marquis passes away, it remains to be seen what life would be like for her, the supposed stepmother. Wei Qingwan, on the other hand, was different. Even as a concubine, she was the concubine of King Yu who had the best chance of bing the crown prince. When he ascends the throne, she would at least be a fourth-rank Imperial Concubine, if not the Imperial Concubine. Furthermore, if she manages to be an honoured mother, she may even have a chance to be further promoted. The importance of those two was evidently distinct. Presumably, Nurse Li, who had returned to the residence, must have been passing some signals to the people below, such as the discord between sisters and that Wei Qingwan would select a few maids to apany her to the King Yu Residence and so on. That was probably what prompted Mingzhu, considering herself clever, to act so quickly. Simrly, Wei Ruo also had an understanding of the elderly master and the old madam¡¯s characters. Therefore, when she said those words to Mingzhu, she had already anticipated the forting countermeasures. Not long after, Nurse Jin came.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Miss, the old madam invites you over.¡± Nurse Jin was with Wei Ruo all the way from Taizhou prefecture and had had plenty of interaction with her. From the start, Nurse Jin¡¯s attitude towards Wei Ruo was rather cold because she was a close friend of Nurse Li.
Her poor treatment of Wei Ruo, to a certain degree, was to take revenge for Nurse Li. But she only dared to give Wei Ruo a cold shoulder asionally; she didn¡¯t dare to go any further and was much more reserved than Nurse Li. ¡°Fine.¡± Wei Ruo agreed without objection, got up, and followed Nurse Jin to Shou¡¯an Hall. Xiumei closely followed Wei Ruo with a somewhat anxious expression. She was afraid that the old madam would punish Wei Ruoter.
The Shou¡¯an Hall was very quiet at this moment. The elderly master was not present, the other children and grandchildren were not there, and only the old madam and her waiting servants were. After Nurse Jin led Wei Ruo inside, the old madam, with a benevolent expression, beckoned Wei Ruo to sit next to her. ¡°Ruoruo,e sit next to me.¡± Wei Ruo walked over without any apprehension and sat down in the spot next to the old madam. The old madam looked at Wei Ruo again carefully, her gaze warm and satisfied, ¡°I heard from Nurse Jin that you told Mingzhu you¡¯d go crazy and cause trouble, ruining the wedding, if you aren¡¯t allowed to live freely. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo confessed frankly. The old madam examined Wei Ruo for a while before letting out a small sigh. ¡°Indeed, it must be difficult for you to learn all those rules. Moreover, judging by your behavior in Taizhou prefecture, you know the bigger picture and don¡¯t really need to learn much etiquette. It¡¯s just that your grandfather doesn¡¯t rest easy, which is why he assigned Mingzhu to guide you.¡± ¡°So, would grandmother agree to my condition and let me live freely andfortably in the residence for the time being?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I¡¯ll try persuading your grandfather. I¡¯ll arrange everything asfortably as possible so that you can get married joyfully.¡± The old madam didn¡¯t dare to promise too much. ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo epted. The old madam smiled and then said to Wei Ruo, ¡°You are an intelligent and fortunate child. Ever since you came to the Wei Family, a session of good things has happened. Your father has always turned bad luck into good fortune and has been continually promoted. Your older brother became a schr, and your father¡¯s letter even mentioned that Yilin, who was always disobedient, has now be obedient, sensible and ambitious.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond, just quietly listening.
The old madam continued, ¡°Also, I received the gifts you sent me earlier. I loved them. You are very thoughtful.¡± Chapter 426: 426 Let Me Live Happily_1 Chapter 426: Let Me Live Happily_1 ¡°Grandmother also gave me quite a few things.¡± ¡°Your grandmother giving you things is normal; you¡¯re still a child of the Wei family, my only granddaughter. Who else should I give these things for girls to if not you? Even back in the days when we didn¡¯t know we¡¯d got things wrong, I gave a good number of things to Wanwan as well, and the most beautiful courtyard in the Wei Residence was reserved for her. You, on the other hand, have to settle for living in Changchun garden now.¡± Changchun Garden was a guest room. It became Wei Ruo¡¯s temporary dwelling since there were no other vacant courtyards in the house. This was why Wei Ruo arrived quiteter than the others at Shou¡¯an Hall the day before because of the long distance she had to cover. ¡°I don¡¯t mind where I reside, but I would hope that you could exempt me from the morning and evening salutations,¡± said Wei Ruo. There were many rules in Duke Residence and ording to the customs, the younger ones had to visit the old Madam in Shou¡¯an Hall first thing in the morning andst thing at night to greet her. Following her understanding of the original plot, Wei Ruo knew what the old master and madam prized the most, hence, she had already figured out what conditions she would negotiate with the old couple when the conflict arose with Mingzhu today. ¡°True, Changchun garden is quite far away, it is a bit tiring for you to make the morning and evening visits every day. Let¡¯s just exempt you from it, just say it¡¯s for saving you some time to prepare for the wedding,¡± the old Madam of the Wei family agreed. ¡°Thank you, grandmother.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s just that we¡¯re already sending you off so soon after getting to know each other, the amount of things I can do for you is quite limited,¡±mented the old Madam of the Wei family.
Speaking of connubial matters, the old Madam of the Wei family took the initiative to discuss the dowry with Wei Ruo: ¡°I need to be frank with you about your dowry.¡± ¡°Please, grandmother.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been back at the Duke Residence for almost two years now, you¡¯ve probably seen most of what goes on. We are far from being as wealthy as we seem, it¡¯s impossible for us to give you and Wanwan a hefty dowry,¡± said the old Madam candidly. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°The court will prepare the dowries for you two following the usual rules. In the past, the Wei family tradition was to give 5,000 taels to legitimate daughters and 2,000 to concubines¡¯ daughters. Given the current state of the residence, we¡¯re only capable of preparing 1,000 taels each. Your grandfather and I will add a bit more too. As for how much your mothers want to add, that will be left up to them and I won¡¯t intrude,¡± she said. ¡°Okay,¡± Wei Ruo agreed fairly readily. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t care much about the dowry. She wouldn¡¯t be bothered even if the Residence decided not to give her anything, because she never intended for the marriage to go ahead in the first ce. ¡°Ruo¡¯Ruo, feel free to tell your grandmother what you need. If it¡¯s within my power, I will certainly fulfill it for you,¡± said the old Madam. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Capital City is very lively during the New Year. There¡¯s a lion dance, street performances, magic shows, and various types of gatherings. I¡¯d like to take a look,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Those activities you¡¯re talking about are usually attended bymon folk, they¡¯re crowded and disorderly, not suitable for you. However, if you¡¯re really interested in the busyness of the Capital City, I could have your brothers apany you for a stroll on the streets, especially since you and Wanwan are looking to purchase dowry items anyway,¡± said the old Madam. Although the old Madam didn¡¯t agree to Wei Ruo¡¯s request to join in the merriments, she consented to let her go for a stroll, as long as someone is apanying her. ¡°Okay.¡± ### The conversation with the old Madam went fairly well. Once it was over, Jin Maomao escorted Wei Ruo back to Changchun Garden. After everyone left, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, the old Madam seems to be very kind to you. No matter what you ask, she always agrees.¡± ¡°What may seem as kindness might not necessarily be genuine. Regardless of how much she values her legitimate granddaughter, we haven¡¯t been together long enough to have any real feelings for each other. It¡¯s already pretty good that she shows superficial care.¡± ¡°Then why is the old Madam so agreeable to everything you say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s likely out of self-interest. ording to their ns, my stay in this family is temporary. After I be the Marchioness of Xuanping, they¡¯re still counting on me to do them favors. It¡¯s not worth it for them to sour the rtionship with me at this point.¡± That was Wei Ruo¡¯s conjecture based on her predecessor¡¯s situation in the Duke Residence.
¡°Oh, I see. And here I was thinking the old Madam is a nice person!¡± muttered Xiumei. ¡°Whether she¡¯s nice or not, as long as she lets me have an easier time during my stay, that¡¯s good enough.¡± ###N?v(el)B\\jnn With the New Year approaching, the Capital City was particrly bustling.
Despite the continuous disasters in other ces over the years, the Capital City still remained vibrant. Apanied by the eldest son of the main house, Wei Yifeng, and the eldest son of the second house, Wei Yipeng, Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan went shopping on the streets for rouge, powder, and some head essories. In the ranking of the Wei household in the Capital City, Wei Yichen was ranked third. Hence, Wei Ruo should refer to him as her third brother. Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng are older than Wei Yichen. Wei Yifeng will be twenty-five after the Spring Festival, and Wei Yipeng will be twenty-two. Wei Yifeng, who is already married but without a child, and Wei Yipeng, who is currently engaged, both are fond of amusements, indulging in games and food, regardless of their marital status. ¡°Where do you twodies want to y? The Capital City is bustling with activity these days, there are so many fun ces!¡± said excited Wei Yipeng to Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan in the carriage. Wei Qingwan reminded him softly, ¡°Second brother, we are here today for serious business.¡± ¡°Ok, ok, ok, don¡¯t rush, Wanwan. We have plenty of time today. We can wander around a bit first!¡± Wei Yipeng hurriedly said. ¡°Yes, Wanwan, we can stroll around first. If you¡¯re not sure, let¡¯s go watch cockfighting. After walking down Suzaku Street and making a left turn, there¡¯s a cockfighting field. It¡¯s really lively and interesting,¡± Wei Yifeng seconded. Wei Qingwan wanted to refuse again, but noticed Wei Yipeng giving her a pleading look. After hesitating for a moment, Wei Qingwan agreed, ¡°Alright, but only for a moment.¡± After Wei Qingwan agreed, Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng drove the carriage to the cockfighting field. Cockfighting is a popr activity among noblemen¡¯s sons. During every cockfightingpetition, the field would be packed.
The venue was often a mixed bag. Upon reaching the entrance of the cockfighting field, they could hear the roaring noise from inside. After the carriage came to a halt, Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng pulled back the curtain, letting Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan descend the carriage. Wei Qingwan wrinkled her brows, clearly reluctant. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Wanwan. Your brothers and I are here, we will protect you. We¡¯re just going to watch from a distance; nothing will happen,¡± said Wei Yipeng. ¡°Yes, Wanwan, the cockfighting field may seem noisy and chaotic, but the people here are noble sons from prestigious families. Your second brother and I have been here a few times and we know this for sure,¡± said Wei Yifeng. Upon both their persistent persuasions, Wei Qingwen finally stepped off the carriage. Then Wei Ruo got off as well and apanied the three into the cockfighting field together. After entering, the noise got even louder, especially during intensepetitions when the cheering was absolutely deafening. Chapter 427: 427 left alone _1 Chapter 427: 427 left alone _1 Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng led Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan upstairs. As they reached the middle of the staircase, a crowd surged down from the second floor, scattering the four siblings. Wei Ruo was pushed aside by the crowd, with Xiumei protecting her carefully, fearing that Wei Ruo would be harmed by these people. Although the cockfighting field was a bit chaotic, it didn¡¯t seem to be hectic enough to justify such a momentary throng. The siblings couldn¡¯t understand why they happened to encounter so many people just as they were about to ascend the staircase. Moreover, these people were incredibly rude in their haste, barrelling down the staircase like a flood. Finally, when the crowd dispersed, Wei Yifeng, Wei Yipeng, and Wei Qingwan had disappeared from sight. ¡°Miss, the young masters are missing. We must hurry and find them,¡± Xiumei urged anxiously.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°No need to search for them.¡± Wei Ruo stated with a calm expression. ¡°We are not going to look for them?¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t let me find them.¡± Wei Ruo spected that Wei Yifeng and the others deliberately orchestrated the escape to lose her.
¡°Huh?¡± Xiumei had yet to grasp the situation. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we need to get out of here,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have time to exin much to Xiumei. This was a ce to leave, not to linger. They had to get out first. Wei Ruo turned away to descend the stairs, but her exit was blocked by a man d in a brocaded robe. The man was not tall, almost the same height as Wei Ruo, and even thinner. Seeming to barely weigh two taels, with his hollowed cheekbones. His eyes were surprisingly wide, only his gaze towards Wei Ruo was explicit and lewd. ¡°Whichdy does this beauty belong to?¡± The man leered as he approached with a smile. Xiumei stepped in front of Wei Ruo, ¡°Sir, could you please step aside? Mydy is leaving.¡± The manughed, then dutifully stepped aside to allow an exit. Xiumei immediately escorted Wei Ruo down the stairs. When Wei Ruo and Xiumei exited the cockfighting field, the Wei Family carriage that had originally been parked at the entrance was now nowhere to be found. This provided further evidence to Wei Ruo¡¯s hypothesis that Wei Yifeng and the others were intentionally trying to shake her off. As Wei Ruo was about to continue on her way, the man from before appeared again, this time with two burly guards trailing behind him. The man approached Wei Ruo with ascivious smile stered on his face. ¡°Littledy, what a coincidence it is to meet again!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no coincidence. You¡¯ve been waiting until we were outside because it was inconvenient to approach me inside with the crowd around.¡± Wei Ruo cidly stated. ¡°Oh, the littledy is quite clever! Which brothel are you from?¡± The man leered with a crudeugh. Xiumei was quick to correct him, ¡°Don¡¯t spout such nonsense, mydy is a proper young miss, not some woman from a Qin tower or Chu pavilion!¡± ¡°Which proper youngdy woulde to a ce like this cockfighting field?¡± The manughed in disbelief, dismissing her exnation. ¡°Enough talk, name your price; I¡¯ve taken a liking to you.¡± ¡°Whether you believe it or not, I¡¯m not a woman you can tease at will. Please step aside.¡± Wei Ruo insisted. ¡°A courtesan dares to put on airs? I¡¯m still not letting you go!¡± The man retorted, evidently excited by this defiance. Seeing that talking to the man was useless, Wei Ruo and Xiumei quickly walked away.
Thedy and her maid turned and entered an alley next to the cockfighting field. Watching them leave, the manmented, ¡°This maiden prefers to choose less crowded ces, seems like she wants to y hard-to-get!¡± He then ordered his two guards to tail them, ¡°Go. Follow them.¡± They walked further down the alleyway where there were fewer people, followed closely by the man and his two guards.
¡°Miss, can I take action?¡± Xiumei inquired. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Ruo responded affirmatively. It wasn¡¯t about whether they should take action now, if they didn¡¯t, the man would. With that, Xiumei stopped, her ears sharply tuned to the footsteps behind her. When the pursuers were less than a meter behind her, Xiumei swiftly turned around, delivering a powerful sweeping side-punch towards one¡¯s waist, followed by a high kick to the groin of another man. Before long, she had taken down two men, who were a head taller than her, and left them unable to get up. Then, with a fearsome gaze, Xiumei confronted the thin man who stood frozen. ¡°I¡­ that is¡­ I¡­¡± the man began stuttering. Wei Ruo stepped forward and asked him, ¡°Who sent you to harass me?¡± ¡°What? Sent? No¡­ no one sent¡­ I just saw you were beautiful and thought you were a girl from the brothel¡­¡± he took a pitiful tone. The man continued, ¡°This¡­ this isn¡¯t my fault. You were alone in the cockfighting field; it¡¯s very normal for me to have misunderstood¡­¡± Seeing the man¡¯s reaction, it was likely he wasn¡¯t lying. He wasn¡¯t sent by anyone. The cockfighting field was filled with all sorts of people; it was rare for ady from a proper family to appear alone in such a ce. Even if Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t met this man, she might have encountered other lecherous men.
The man¡¯s words also indirectly confirmed something else; Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng had ulterior motives when they left her alone in the cockfighting field. ¡°So, now you¡¯re aware that you made a mistake?¡± Xiumei said with a menacing expression. ¡°I know, I know. Young miss, please spare me.¡± The man hurriedly pleaded. ¡°Ignore him, let¡¯s go.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have time to deal with this man any longer. ¡°Okay.¡± Xiumei spared the man. Thedy and her maid continued their journey in the alley. ¡°Miss, where are we going now?¡± Xiumei asked while walking beside Wei Ruo. ¡°Anywhere will do. If Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng want to y a prank on me, let them worry instead,¡± Wei Ruo said. The Wei family currently needed her to marry the Marquis Xuanping as a wife to carry on the family line. If anything happens to her at this time, the Wei family would bear the brunt of the trouble. Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng may have left her at the cockfighting field, but they could only afford to prank her; they wouldn¡¯t dare to put her in any real danger. If she disappeared, the two of them would be in deep trouble. ¡°They conveniently gave me this opportunity. I can stroll around without constraints.¡± Wei Ruo smiled slyly. ¡°Good! Let them know the consequences of messing with our young miss!¡± Xiumei nodded.
After only a few steps, the keen Xiumei sensed they were being followed once again. This time, however, those tailing them seemed far more formidable, clearly on another levelpared to the previous bunch. ¡°Miss, I think there are more powerful people trailing us. I wonder if it¡¯s the same man from before, calling for stronger backup,¡± Xiumei warned. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t refrain fromining, ¡°Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng should know their limits even if they want to prank me. If they really get me into trouble, they¡¯ll suffer too!¡± Just then, their stalkers made a move. Feeling their opponents closing in, Xiumei immediately positioned herself to fight, swiftly throwing a punch when they got close. Her punch, swift as the wind, couldn¡¯tnd a hit on the opponents. All Xiumei saw was a sh of white as they passed by, she couldn¡¯t even make out their faces. ¡°Miss!¡± Xiumei called out in rm towards Wei Ruo. Chapter 428 - 428 Reunion_1 Chapter 428: Reunion_1 But the figure in white had already reached Wei Ruo, and the two stood facing each other. ¡°Xiumei, don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s not a bad person.¡± Wei Ruo looked at the man¡¯s unremarkable face in front of her and her tense heart slowly calmed. Facing the man silently, long time after, it was Wei Ruo who spoke first: ¡°Master Wang, long time no see.¡± ¡°Long time no see.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were fixed on Wei Ruo. ¡°It seems that Master Wang has been doing quite well these days, but it¡¯s a pity his sister thought he was dead, and was quite upset.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The man was silent for a moment and then slowly asked in a low voice, ¡°Did I upset you?¡± ¡°You bet, a seemingly healthy person suddenly disappears, how can one not be upset?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Although she couldn¡¯t see his real expression, Wei Ruo could see his regret and anxiety in his eyes. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh. Listening to the conversation between Ruo and the man, Xiumei felt something was not right, she walked around Wei Ruo, finally recognizing the man¡¯s face in surprise. ¡°Sec¡­ah¡­Master Wang!¡± The face that the man wore belonged to one Wei Ruo knew well, it was Wei Jinyi disguised as ¡°Wang Jin¡±. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, an involuntary smile floated up on her face, and asked: ¡°How did Master Wang know we were here?¡± ¡°I followed you as soon as you left the Duke Residence.¡± Wei Jinyi confessed. ¡°Never thought Master Wang would be doing such sneaky things.¡± Wei Ruo teased. ¡°Um¡­¡± Seeing that Wei Jinyi admitted it so frankly, Wei Ruoughed. Then Wei Ruo told Wei Jinyi: ¡°Second Brother, I n to travel around.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Jinyi apanied Wei Ruo out of the alley, where a carriage was already waiting. The driver was Xiaobei, in disguise. Seeing Wei Ruo and Xiumei, Xiaobei greeted Xiumei warmly with a big smile on his face. Wei Ruo got into the carriage swiftly, followed by Wei Jinyi. Seeing Wei Jinyie into the carriage, Wei Ruo teased him with a smile: ¡°Second Brother, aren¡¯t you avoiding me now? You used to never get in here.¡± Wei Jinyi had changed, after Wei Ruo said this, his face was unreadable, but his ears had turned red, which Wei Ruo spotted. Wei Ruoughed. At Wei Ruo¡¯sughter, Wei Jinyi¡¯s ears visibly reddened. Four eyes met, both pairs of their eyes were very pure and clear. After a while, Wei Ruo asked Wei Jinyi: ¡°How have you been these days, Second Brother?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Wei Jinyi answered, then asked Wei Ruo, ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, but the marriage I was counting on is off, and I came to the Capital (City) earlier than I expected.¡± Wei Ruo said thoughtfully. ¡°That was a suitable marriage for you.¡± Wei Jinyi stated. ¡°Second Brother knew?¡± ¡°Hmm, I knew.¡± ¡°Looks like Second Brother has been paying attention to the situation in Taizhou prefecture.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°So does Second Brother know who I am to marry?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°What does Second Brother think of this engagement?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°Why does Second Brother think marrying into the Marquis¡¯s family is not good, yet you thought marrying the sick and poor schr was suitable?¡± ¡°Ruo loves her freedom, and if that Zhao family¡¯s son catches your eye, he must be able to give you the freedom and rural life you desire. The depth of noble family are as deep as the sea, withplex rtionships mixed in; you definitely will not like it.¡± Weir Ruo leaned against the wall of the carriage, smiling, both gratified and happy. The reasons that Second Brother thought were unsuitable were not the age of her partner or being a stepmother, but about freedom and hassle, which were exactly what she thought. Her Second Brother really did understand her thoughts. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo¡¯sughter and remained silent for a long time. A good whileter, he broke the silence, asking: ¡°Where does Ruo n to go?¡± After a moment of silence, Wei Ruo told Wei Jinyi: ¡°I want to go to Tongde Hall in the capital first.¡± With the help of her mother, Madam Xie, Xie Ying had opened two branches of Tongde Hall, one in Lin¡¯an Prefecture, and the other in the capital. ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed, then looking at Wei Ruo¡¯s dress, he quickly added, ¡°For convenience, Ruo, you should switch into men¡¯s clothes first.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t bring any with me.¡± Wei Ruo also wanted to change into men¡¯s clothes for convenience, but she came out with Wei Yifeng and others, sharing one carriage with Wei Qingwan, which was not exactly convenient for changing outfits. Naturally, she did not bring any men¡¯s clothing or disguise with her. ¡°I have prepared some for you.¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, and couldn¡¯t help asking: ¡°How did Second Brother know that you would meet me today, and how did you know that I just need to disguise?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know. But most of the things Ruo wants to do are not convenient to do with her own identity, so it¡¯s better to be prepared.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. Wei Ruoughed for I don¡¯t know how many times that day: ¡°Second Brother, it would be great if you could always be my second brother.¡± Wei Jinyi, hearing this was slightly taken aback. For a moment he thought Wei Ruo had found out something. Gazing into Wei Ruo¡¯s clear, bright eyes, Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes darkened. Wei Ruo then said: ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you have your own things to do, you can¡¯t be the Second Brother I can see anytime.¡± Wei Jinyi turned his head aside, muttering softly: ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Second Brother doesn¡¯t need to apologize to me, no matter if it¡¯s the Second Brother who likes to sit quietly in the yard, or a second brother with secrets, or the one who had to fake his own death and live with a different identity, they are all my Second Brother.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Um¡­¡± Then there was a silence between the two. Wei Ruo did not ask what Wei Jinyi had been doing during the time from his fake death till now, and didn¡¯t ask why he had to fake his death. Somewhere inside, Wei Ruo could feel that things were amiss. Maybe if she asked, their rtionship could never be the same as before. So she simply did not delve into these things, she only needed to make sure that Second Brother was still the Second Brother who was good to her that¡¯s all. N?v(el)B\\jnn After the carriage traveled for a while, it stopped in front of a mansion. Weir Ruo¡¯s old acquaintances¡ªKe Chongshan and Lin Fang¡ªwere standing at the door of the mansion. ¡°Greetings, Miss.¡± both of them bowed reverently to Wei Ruo. ¡°Brother Ke, Sister-In-Law Ke.¡± Wei Ruo greeted them both. Afterwards, Wei Jinyi asked Lin Fang to take Wei Ruo inside to change. Lin Fang, upon her master¡¯s orders, walked up to Wei Ruo and started to lead her inside. While they were walking side by side she said to Wei Ruo, ¡°The master knew Miss wasing to the capital, so he asked me to get some men¡¯s clothing for you. And ording to the human skin mask I made for youst time, he had me make another one, saying that, if there was a chance to see Miss again, it would be convenient for Miss to use.¡± ¡°Second Brother is considerate.¡± ¡°The Master also said a few days ago that it might not be used, and even said that there might not be a chance to see you, Miss, and unexpectedly it¡¯s handy today.¡± Lin Fang said thoughtfully. Wei Ruoughed and then asked: ¡°Has Second Brother been having a hard time recently?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± After some thought, Lin Fang answered carefully, ¡°Of course, there¡¯s definitely hardship but you don¡¯t have to worry, Miss. The master is in good health.¡± Chapter 429: Seeing Xie Jue Again_1 Chapter 429: Seeing Xie Jue Again_1 Wei Ruo saw that Lin Fang was concerned about her inquiring about Wei Jinyi, so she was particrly cautious in her response, fearing to inadvertently reveal something. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not trying to pry. I¡¯m just worried about my second brother. It seems like this meeting may have been squeezed in amidst his busy schedule, and I have no idea when we will be able to meet next. So, I¡¯d appreciate it if you and Elder Brother Ke could take good care of my second brother.¡± Wei Ruo exined to Lin Fang. ¡°Please don¡¯t say that, Miss. It¡¯s our duty to serve our master.¡± Lin Fang hurriedly replied. ¡°Regardless, thank you for always being by Second Brother¡¯s side.¡± said Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t sure about the exact rtionship between her second brother and these people, but knowing they had been with him ever since his time in Xingshan County, she figured that they probably weren¡¯t serving her brother for mere self-interest. Thus, she felt they deserved her gratitude for their loyalty. Lin Fang was somewhat moved. Thedy did not know about their rtionship with their master, yet she still cared about him and respected them all. At the same time, Lin Fang also began to worry about how thedy, who cared so deeply for their master, would react upon knowing his true identity¡­ So Lin Fang tentatively asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, the Wei family ns to marry you to the Marquis Xuanping, what do you n to do?¡± ¡°Naturally, I won¡¯t go through with the marriage. Changing the Wei family¡¯s mind will be difficult, but making the marriage fall through is not hard. It¡¯d just lead to a loss for both sides.¡± Wei Ruo was clear ¨C a barefoot person doesn¡¯t fear someone wearing shoes. As long as she had the courage to throw away her reputation, she had nothing to fear. Listening to Wei Ruo¡¯s casual tone, Lin Fang couldn¡¯t help but admire her. Even a woman like herself who had been brought up in the world outside the court didn¡¯t have such an easy-going attitude towards marriage. ¡°Miss, given a choice, what kind of person would you like to marry?¡± Lin Fang continued to probe. ¡°Naturally, someone who can give me freedom. He cannot restrict me; whatever I want to do, I should be able to do it.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Is that so? So, the Miss doesn¡¯t necessarily have to marry a peasant?¡± Lin Fang asked, her tone filled with perceptible surprise and delight. ¡°Sister Lin, do you think there¡¯s any freedom to be found in those grand mansions? It can only be a peasant or someone as free-spirited as you all who could possibly provide it.¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°There might be?¡± Lin Fang suggested. Wei Ruoughed and shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s no such man in those grand mansions unless they¡¯re dead.¡± Then Wei Ruo changed the topic, ¡°By the way, Sister Lin, how¡¯s that skincare cream I gave youst time working out?¡± Lin Fang replied with joy, ¡°It¡¯s fantastic. After using it for three months, my skin is significantly smoother and fairer!¡± ¡°Then I will send you some more in the next few days.¡± ¡°How could I ept such a kind gesture!¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with epting it. We women should take good care of our skin.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point if I take good care of myself? My husband is a coarse man. No matter how much I dress up, he can¡¯t tell.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case. Elder Brother Ke might have noticed but just didn¡¯t express it. Or perhaps he loves you so much that no matter what you look like, he thinks you¡¯re the most beautiful. Also, it¡¯s not necessarily for men that we women want to look beautiful. As long as we find ourselves attractive and feelfortable, that¡¯s what¡¯s most important. We don¡¯t need to care about others¡¯ opinions.¡± ¡°Miss, you do have a point.¡± Lin Fang agreed, nodding her head. While they were talking, Lin Fang had finished Wei Ruo¡¯s make-up, revealing Xu Heyou¡¯s face in the mirror instead, with not a trace of Wei Ruo herself left. Then Wei Ruo stepped out of the room to find Wei Jinyi already waiting at the doorway. Wei Ruo said to Wei Jinyi with a mischievous smile, ¡°Second Brother, Elder Sister-inw¡¯s skills are really good. I¡¯m almost tempted to take her away from here.¡± ¡°If Ruo wants to take Lin Fang with you, then do so.¡± Wei Ruo was joking, but Wei Jinyi replied seriously. ¡°No no no, I was just kidding.¡± Wei Ruo quickly cleared up, then added, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s gettingte.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Because she had changed into men¡¯s clothing, Wei Ruo no longer rode in the rickshaw, but chose to ride a horse with Wei Jinyi. Riding a horse allowed her to enjoy the street scenery more than in a rickshaw, experiencing the flourishing sights of the Capital city. The Tongde Hall, which Xie Ying managed in the Capital City, was located on White Tiger Street on the west side of the city, one of the busiest streets. Such a shop on this bustling street must be worth a lot of silver. Upon entering the shop, Wei Ruo asked an employee about the shopkeeper. ¡°Young master, if you want to buy some medicine, you can just talk to me. Our shopkeeper is very busy at the moment.¡± The shop assistant replied with a warm smile. ¡°Then I would like to see your boss.¡± Wei Ruo demanded. ¡°Young master, if our shopkeeper is busy, then our boss is even less likely to be avable. Just tell me what medicine you need. We have all sorts of rare and valuable herbs in our shop. If we don¡¯t have it, other stores probably won¡¯t either.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to buy herbs. I¡¯m here to discuss something with your boss.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°This¡­,¡± the assistant hesitated, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, young master, but our boss doesn¡¯t oftene to the shop.¡± Wei Ruo understood his hesitation and rified, ¡°Send a message to your boss, saying that I¡¯ve been sent by Miss Wei of Taizhou prefecture.¡± ¡°Are you referring to thedy of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pass on the message right away!¡± As soon as they heard of Wei Ruo, the employee¡¯s attitude changed immediately. Wei Ruo smiled, it seems that YingYing often mentioned her to the people at the shop. Not muchter, the employee returned, ¡°Young master, please follow me. Our boss is not around today, but his older brother happens to be here. You can talk to him about your business.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Wei Ruo agreed. The shop assistant led Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi up to the second floor of the pharmacy. In the first room on the left at the top of the stairs, Xie Jue was seated behind a desk, sorting the shop¡¯s ounts and preparing to take them back to Xie Residence for his sister, Xie Ying. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi entered the room together. Upon seeing Xie Jue, Wei Ruo greeted him with a smile, ¡°Greetings, Master Xie.¡± Xie Jue did not recognize Wei Ruo disguised as a man and curiously inquired, ¡°I hear Miss Wei sent you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How should I address you, Master?¡± ¡°My surname is Xu.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Greetings Master Xu. I wonder what important matter Miss Wei sent you here for?¡± Xie Jue asked politely. Chapter 430: 430 Wandering around with Wei Jinyi_1 Chapter 430: Wandering around with Wei Jinyi_1 ¡°Miss Wei would like to ce some salve for sale at Tongde Hall, can that be arranged?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°What convenience or inconvenience is there? After all, Tongde Hall also belongs in part to Miss Wei.¡± Xie Jue said smilingly. ¡°Miss Wei said that she and your sister share the herbal field equally, but this drugstore is your sister¡¯s own and has nothing to do with her. It¡¯s only appropriate to ask Miss Xie¡¯s permission first.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°No, when we first started this pharmacy, my sister said she would share it equally with her. Also, the poprity of this pharmacy is thanks to the insect repellent and e ointment provided by Miss Wei.¡± said Xie Jue. ¡°That¡¯s not it. The profit from selling the ointment has all been given to Miss Wei by Miss Xie. We can say that it¡¯s a mutual benefit, and there¡¯s really no one supporting or depending on anyone else. Miss Wei also said that ¡®clear ounts make good friends¡¯; no matter how good rtionships are, we still need to settle things clearly when it¡¯s time.¡± As she spoke, Wei Ruo took out the ointment she wanted Tongde Hall to help sell this time. ¡°This is a scar removal ointment, which has been sold only at Tongde Hall in Lin¡¯an Prefecture before. This time there are three boxes in total, and the selling price of each box is two thousand taels of silver.¡± Xie Jue smiled: ¡°It¡¯s indeed Miss Wei¡¯s idea.¡± Xie Jue probably knew what Wei Ruo¡¯s scar removal ointment meant. The price got higher and higher towards the end, clearly aimed at draining that person¡¯s money. ¡°In addition, Miss Wei also wants Tongde Hall to help sell some facial cream over time. Miss Wei intends to open her own rouge and powder shop to sell the facial creams in the future, and she now wants to pre-sell them with the help of Tongde Hall¡¯s reputation. May I know if that is possible?¡±
Wei Ruo exined everything to Xie Jue, never intending to take advantage of the Xie siblings. If they agreed, that would be the best. If not, it also doesn¡¯t matter. Wei Ruo would not be upset at all. ¡°Naturally there is no problem, Miss Wei can just sell in Tongde Hall, there¡¯s absolutely no problem.¡± Xie Jue promised immediately without thinking. ¡°I think you should go back and discuss this matter with Miss Xie, after all, it is Miss Wei who wants to take advantage.¡± ¡°Let us not speak of taking advantage. However, if Miss Wei has concerns, let me go back and discuss with my sister and get back to youter.¡± said Xie Jue. ¡°Then, on behalf of Miss Wei, I should express my thanks to Master Xie and Miss Xie.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°There¡¯s no need to stand on ceremony. The friendship between my sister and Miss Wei is very strong, such a small matter does not warrant any thanks.¡± said Xie Jue. ¡°In addition, Miss Wei said that she will deliver a batch of insect repellent ointment and e ointment in a few days.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Good, the first batch is almost sold out. After the New Year, when the weather warms up and mosquitoes increase, the insect repellent ointment will be popr again.¡± remarked Xie Jue. This ointment may not sell well in Taizhou prefecture, but in the Capital City, there were plenty ofdies from official families and rich households who would buy. Then, Xie Jue looked at Wei Ruo, who was in men¡¯s clothing, and asked, ¡°Master Xu, I wonder how Miss Wei has been these past few days?¡± ¡°Master Xie can rest assured, Miss Wei is doing well.¡± ¡°I heard that the Wei Family has engaged her to Marquis Xuanping?¡± Mentioning this matter caused Xie Jue¡¯s expression to darken, revealing deep concern. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And¡­ does Miss Wei¡­ does she agree?¡± It was only after a great deal of hesitation that Xie Jue finally asked. ¡°Master Xie, you do not need to worry. Miss Wei can handle things well on her own.¡± Wei Ruo answered, without rifying whether she was willing or not to Xie Jue. After pondering for a moment, Xie Jue said, ¡°If¡­ Miss Wei needs any assistance from Yingying and me, please do not hesitate to voice out.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Master Xie, I will take my leave now.¡±
¡°Hmm, please convey my message to Miss Wei, my sister would like to invite her for a gathering when there¡¯s an opportunity.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After talking with Xie Jue, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi left Tongde Hall. They started to stroll along White Tiger Street together. The advantage of dressing in men¡¯s clothing was that Wei Ruo could go wherever she wanted without hesitation.
They came to the famous rouge and powder shop on White Tiger Street- the Qixia Pavilion. Before entering the shop, Wei Ruo could feel the liveliness of the ce. There were a continuous stream of peopleing in and out, most werevishly dressed youngdies, some were maids who buy on their behalf. Of course, there were also some men who were buying, perhaps for the beautifuldies at home or for their sisters. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi walked into the shop where the shelves were lined with colorful rouge and powder all decorated in exquisite boxes. Just by looking at them, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t feel anything special. These products needed to be used to evaluate them. As Wei Ruo was considering whether to buy some to try, she heard Wei Jinyi telling the shop assistant nearby, ¡°Package one of each for me.¡± ¡°OK, please wait a moment, sir. I¡¯ll pack them right away.¡± The assistant was very enthusiastic. Even in the Capital City, a visitor who purchased every kind of rouge and powder all at once was considered a high-rolling customer. Wei Ruo turned her head to look at Wei Jinyi and chuckled, ¡°Young Master Wang, this is going to cost a lot of silver~¡± ¡°I know.¡± Wei Ruo thought about it and asked again, ¡°Young Master Wang, are you very rich?¡± ¡°Mother left me some money.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re just squandering it?¡± Wei Ruo said,ughing.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
¡°It¡¯s not squandering if it¡¯s a gift to you.¡± Wei Jinyi replied earnestly. ¡°Brother, keep your voice down. If others hear that you bought so much rouge and powder as a gift for me, a ¡®man¡¯, they might suspect our rtionship.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, no one recognizes us.¡± Wei Jinyi seemed indifferent. ¡°That makes sense. In that case, shall we take advantage of this disguise and visit a brothel?¡± Wei Ruo suggested teasingly. ¡°No.¡± Wei Jinyi declined Wei Ruo¡¯s proposal. ¡°Why not, isn¡¯t it that no one recognizes us?¡± Wei Ruo asked, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s not pleasing to the eye.¡± ¡°Not pleasing to the eye? How so? Brother, exin to me.¡± Wei Ruo showed intense curiosity. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never been.¡± ¡°Brother, you¡¯re lying. If you¡¯ve never been, how would you know it¡¯s not pleasing to the eye? You¡¯ve clearly been, but you just don¡¯t want to tell me.¡± ¡°I really haven¡¯t been.¡± ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t have to be embarrassed. It¡¯s not too embarrassing for a man to visit such a ce.¡± Wei Ruoforted. ¡°I really haven¡¯t been.¡± Wei Jinyi emphasized again.
Seeing Wei Jinyi¡¯s serious expression, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. Brother still couldn¡¯t stand being teased as always! ¡°All right, all right, I believe you haven¡ät been there before. But, brother, do you want to go there with me to see? Broaden our horizons.¡± Wei Ruo suggested again. Chapter 431: 431: The Wei Family Brothers in Desperation_1 Chapter 431: The Wei Family Brothers in Desperation_1 ¡°There¡¯s no need, there¡¯s nothing worth learning there. If you¡¯re really curious, I will let Zhang Yie over and exin it all to you.¡±, said Wei Jinyi. ¡°No need for that, I will go and see myself when I get the chance.¡±, Wei Ruo replied lightly. Seeing that Wei Ruo was still determined to go once she gets the chance, Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes visibly darkened. Wei Ruo could not help but chuckle in her heart; her elder brother was as obstinate as he was adorable when it came to her affairs. Wei Ruo only dared tough briefly for fear that Wei Jinyi would take her seriously, she exined: ¡°I was joking, I¡¯m not nning to go right now, and I wouldn¡¯t go in the future if there¡¯s something important to do.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s good if you don¡¯t really intend to go.¡± At this moment, the shop assistant at Qixia Pavilion finished packing Wei Jinyi¡¯s rouges and powders, about a dozenrge brocade boxes in total. ¡°Dear customer, the total is three hundred and fifty-six silver taels and seventy-four coins. Our shopkeeper has taken off the seventy-four coins for you, so you only need to pay three hundred and fifty-six silver taels. Would you like to take them now or should we deliver them to your residence?¡± ¡°Take them now,¡± Wei Jinyi answered, and then he took out a silver note to give to the waiter. Wei Ruo nced at it and saw that it said five hundred taels.
Good heavens, her elder brother was really wealthy; he casually whipped out a silver note worth five hundred taels. After the shop assistant epted the silver note, he gave Wei Jinyi change, then packed the brocade boxes in cloth bags, and hung them on the horses Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo rode. Aftering out from Qixia Pavilion, Wei Jinyi apanied Wei Ruo to a clothing store. Most of the shops on this big street cater to princes and nobles. Just like the Qixia Pavilion, this Caiyun Room was the same. Hence, the items sold inside were all of the highest quality, and prices were not cheap. However, the best fabric avable in the Caiyun Room was brocade; better fabrics can¡¯t be bought by civilians and are all sent as tribute to the pce, where only the royalty and ministerial households could see. Aside from selling fabric, the clothing store also sold readymade clothes, with the most fashionable styles avable. However, most of the readymade clothes in the shop were for disy. If daughters from wealthy households liked a style, they would have a tailor measure their size at home and tailor the clothes for them. Wei Ruo walked around the shop for a while, she did not n to buy anything, she just wanted to see the styles. Wei Jinyi spoke again: ¡°Pack all of these.¡± ¡°No need for that,¡± Wei Ruo quickly stopped Wei Jinyi, ¡°Elder brother, I still have a lot of fabric at home, I really don¡¯t need any.¡± There were plenty of rouges and powders from the Qixia Pavilion that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t have, so she could study them one by one when she took them back. However, she had fabrics at home, and they were royal fabrics unavable in the stores, no need to buy more. Besides, fabrics are heavy and bulky, much harder to carry than rouges and powders. They only rode horses, which already carried a lot of rouges and powders, fabrics simply couldn¡¯t fit. Her status wasn¡¯t suited for asking the shop assistant to deliver the fabric to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. There was just no need to buy the fabric. Wei Jinyi looked into Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes and finally gave up after seeing that she really didn¡¯t want it. After leaving the clothing store, Wei Ruo was a little hungry: ¡°Could you treat me to a meal, elder brother?¡± ¡°Alright. Where would you like to eat, Ruo?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the most famous restaurant on White Tiger Street,¡± said Wei Ruo.
The most famous restaurant in the Capital City was not essible to ordinary people; it was exclusively for the rich and powerful, and even those from prominent families require an advance reservation to dine. While she couldn¡¯t go to the most famous restaurant in Capital City, Wei Ruo could still go to the most famous one on White Tiger Street. ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Jinyi readily agreed. Then, the two of them were on their way to the Tianyun Pavilion.
### While Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were enjoying their leisurely stroll, Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng were panicking. ¡°What¡¯s going on? She only left for a moment and then vanished, how can that be?¡± Wei Yipeng was so anxious that he was breaking out in sweat. Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng had only intended to give Wei Qingruo a bit of a fright, they had no intention of seriously harming her. The cockfighting arena was full of young rapscallions and lechers; a young woman as attractive as Wei Qingruo appearing alone here would most likely be mistaken as a courtesan from the brothel, ready to sell her beauty, and she might even face others¡¯ lewdness.N?v(el)B\\jnn However, Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng thought that, under the gaze of the crowd, these young rapscallions would, at most, tease her verbally; nothing serious would happen in such a short amount of time. They just needed to calcte the time properly and then go back to retrieve Wei Qingruo in order to prevent anything from going wrong. But who would¡¯ve expected, in just such a short time, they couldn¡¯t find Wei Qingruo when they returned. They searched the entire cockfighting arena, but she was nowhere to be found. The two men were in a panic. ¡°She¡¯s in the Capital City for the first time, unfamiliar with everything; in theory, she couldn¡¯t have gone far.¡± Wei Yifeng had a serious look on his face, full of anxiety as well. ¡°Big Brother, this was your idea to scare Wei Qingruo and vent for Wanwan; now she¡¯s missing, how are we going to exin this to Grandmother when we get back?¡± Wei Yipeng hurriedly tried to shift the me onto Wei Yifeng. ¡°When I proposed the idea, you agreed; now that there¡¯s trouble, don¡¯t shift the me to me. You¡¯re also implicated in this; you won¡¯t be able to avoid it if Grandmother asks about it!¡± Immediately after, Wei Yifeng said: ¡°Now is not the time to shift responsibility, but to think about how to find Wei Qingruo quickly and cover up this issue.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve searched the vicinities, where else can we look?¡± Wei Yipeng waspletely out of ideas. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t know where to look, we still have to search! We must search for her even if we need to dig three feet into the ground of the entire Capital City!¡± Wei Yifeng dered. Wei Qingwan, standing to the side, had not said a word; she only found out about Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng¡¯s n after the crowd had separated them from Wei Qingruo. Initially, when she learned that the two men only intended to scare Wei Qingruo a bit, she felt somewhat disappointed. To her surprise, Wei Qingruo ended up disappearing, which made her feel somewhat fortunate. Disappearing in such a crowded and chaotic ce raises the chances of something bad happening. If something bad were to happen to Wei Qingruo, the Wei Family would likely choose to send her to a nunnery or have hermit suicide in order to protect their reputation. Regardless of the case, there would be no chance for Wei Qingruo to turn things around in her lifetime. Since Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng decided to do this on their own, it had nothing to do with her; she didn¡¯t have to do anything. ### Wei Yifeng and his group searched from morning to afternoon but did not receive any news about Wei Qingruo. The longer the dy, the trickier it became; Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng did not dare to dy any further. Having exhausted all options, the two had no choice but to return to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence with long faces.
Upon entering, they went straight to Shou¡¯an Hall to confess their mistakes to the old Master and Madam. As soon as they entered the door, they both knelt down before the old Master and Madam. ¡°Grandfather, Grandmother, your grandsons have made a mistake!¡± Chapter 432: 432: She Came Back Unscathed_1 Chapter 432: She Came Back Unscathed_1 Wei Qingwan, who came in with the two, also knelt down. The old Master Wei and Madam Wei were watching the three people kneeling in front of them and realised something was wrong. ¡°Where is Ruoruo? Why didn¡¯t shee with you?¡± the old Madam asked anxiously. Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng bowed their heads, feeling guilty and not daring to speak. ¡°I asked you a question. Where is Ruoruo?¡± The old madam¡¯s tone was urgent. ¡°Speak up, what did you two do wrong?!¡± The old Master fiercely pped the case of his hand rest. Wei Yifeng nervously confessed to losing Wei Ruo, ¡°Today¡­the streets were bustling¡­we carelessly lost Ruoruo¡­¡± ¡°Outrageous!¡± The old Master exploded, his face full of anger, ¡°You two grown men, with maids and guards around you, how can you lose a perfectly fine person?¡± The heads of Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng hung even lower. Wei Qingwan knelt silently by the side of the two.
¡°Speak up! Tell me where you were, how could you lose her?¡± The old Master shouted angrily, quite upset with the two. ¡°We¡­we were on the street¡­ It¡¯s almost New Year, and the streets are full of people. Suddenly, a stream of people rushed us that we didn¡¯t expect and scattered us.¡± Wei Yipeng exined. ¡°Scattered while walking on the streets? Didn¡¯t you have guards with you? How could ordinary crowds rush at you?¡± The old Master was not so easily fooled. Even if the number of guards in the Wei family had been reduced to save expenses, there were still four guards apanying Wei Yifeng and the others when they went out. But these four strong, armed guards wouldn¡¯t be scattered by ordinary crowds. Wei Yipeng¡¯s face was full of tension, he certainly could not exin this, because the four guards were deliberately neglecting to protect Wei Qingruo by theirmand. But at this moment, facing the old Master¡¯s inquiry, they certainly couldn¡¯t admit that they were the reason Wei Qingruo had disappeared. Wei Yifeng was more calm than Wei Yipeng, he exined to the elders, ¡°We don¡¯t know why this happened either. The crowd was not like ordinary people, they aggressively moved forward without any regard for us.¡± Hearing Wei Yifeng¡¯s seemingly usible exnation, the old Master began to believe their story a bit. Then Wei Yifeng took the initiative to admit his mistake, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I didn¡¯t react in time. I only had time to protect Wanwan. By the time I realised, Ruoruo had disappeared.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you look for her? Even if scattered, people won¡¯t go too far, how can she not be found?¡± the old Madam anxiously asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know why that happened, as far as I know, Ruoruo should have waited for us in ce. But we couldn¡¯t find her anywhere around, I found it very strange too!¡± Wei Yifeng exined. Wei Yifeng implied that the issue was with Wei Ruo, suggesting that it could be that Wei Ruo herself had wandered off, causing them to lose her. The old Master¡¯s face visibly darkened. The old Madam quickly intervened, ¡°Ruoruo has juste to Capital City and isn¡¯t familiar with the ce. Most likely she got carried away by the crowd to an unfamiliar ce.¡± The old Master sneered and said, ¡°Who knows? What if she took this opportunity to escape? How am I going to answer to Marquis Xuanping Residence?¡± The old Madam quickly reasoned, ¡°She can¡¯t escape. Where can Ruoruo go? She doesn¡¯t even know the way out. She¡¯s alone without money or luggage, she can¡¯t even leave the city.¡± Hearing the old Madam¡¯s words, the old Master¡¯s expression eased a bit. Immediately, the old Master summoned the head of the guards: ¡°Take all the people you can to find her and make sure to bring her back as soon as possible! And not a word of this incident should leak out. If anyone dares to leak it, beat them to death!¡±
Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng heaved a sigh of relief secretly, d that their grandparents believed their story. But they still didn¡¯t dare to let their guard downpletely. If Wei Qingruo was found and she reported them, they would be in deep trouble. So now they actually hoped that the Wei family wouldn¡¯t find Wei Qingruo. Or if they did find her, they hoped she would be already dead and unable to speak. Wei Qingwan kept her head low and was anticipating the events toe.
If she encountered an ident in a ce like a cockfighting field, the things that Wei Qingruo would face would definitely be more serious than what she had faced in Taizhou prefecture. Such things couldn¡¯t be resolved by just facing the family¡¯s punishment. ### Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo had dinner together at the Tianyun Pavilion, then he apanied her for more than an hour until evening, only then Jinyi took Wei Ruo back to the house where she had just changed clothes. After that, Wei Ruo changed back into women¡¯s clothes and took Wei Jinyi¡¯s carriage back to the Wei residence. To avoid being seen by the Wei family with a man, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t get back into the carriage and bid Wei Ruo goodbye there. Before parting, Wei Jinyi asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Is there anything else apart from taking you around that you need my help with?¡± Wei Ruo shook her head, ¡°Nothing else, you just need to take care of yourself. We¡¯ll see each other again when we have the chance.¡± Wei Jinyi was silent for a moment, then replied, ¡°Okay.¡± After waving goodbye to Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo pulled her head back into the carriage and let the curtain down. Wei Jinyi stayed still, waiting until Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage disappeared around the corner. Only then did he use his light skill to follow. Wei Jinyi followed the carriage all the way to the entrance of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. He left only after seeing Wei Ruo and Xiumei enter the gate. As soon as Wei Ruo returned, a servant rushed to Shou¡¯an Hall and reported to the elders. Therefore, before Wei Ruo could enter Changchun Garden, she was taken to Shou¡¯an Hall.
Inside Shou¡¯an Hall, Wei Yifeng, Wei Yipeng, and Wei Qingwan were all present. Seeing Wei Ruo appear unharmed, the three of them were stunned. After recovering, Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng looked panicked. What now? They were in trouble! Wei Qingwan was filled with disappointment.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om How had Wei Qingruo returned safely? Had nothing happened to her even in a chaotic ce like the cockfighting field? Wei Qingruo was just too lucky! The old Master let out a sigh of relief: it was good that she was safe! But his relief soon turned into anger. With a stern face, the old Master questioned Wei Ruo, ¡°Where did you go?¡± The Madam Wei softly calmed the fuming old Master Wei, ¡°Sir, please keep your anger in check for a moment, let¡¯s hear what Ruo has to say first.¡± ¡°Alright, I would like to listen to where she¡¯d been all day!¡± The Master Wei temporarily suppressed his dissatisfaction. Chapter 433: 433 Confrontation, Argument_1 Chapter 433: Confrontation, Argument_1 ¡°Grandfather should first ask me, why I was separated from my elder and second brothers.¡± Wei Ruo finished speaking and turned her gaze to Wei Yifeng and the other two sitting beside him. Wei Yipeng was particrly nervous, seeing Wei Ruo looking at him, he directly lowered his head, not daring to meet Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze. Wei Yifeng¡¯s eyes revealed guilt, but he still faced Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze, his fists clenched tightly, in a state of readiness. Wei Qingwan¡¯s gaze was cold, the issue had nothing to do with her, she wasn¡¯t involved in it, so although she was disappointed that Wei Ruo could return safely, she was not worried that it would affect her. Today¡¯s incident, she only needs to watch the fire from across the river. It would be good if Wei Qingruo could be punished, but if not, it would not matter. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± The old Mr. Wei asked Wei Ruo, his gaze also followed Wei Ruo¡¯s andnded on Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng. ¡°I want to ask my elder and second brothers why they left me in the Cockfighting Field. Did they want to ruin my reputation? Did they not want me to marry Marquis Xuanping? If both of you don¡¯t want me to be a marchioness, just say it. Ruining my reputation could not only jeopardize the marriage with the Xuanping Marquis Residence, but it can also bring no benefits to me and the Wei Family.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s voice was cold, yet steady. Wei Ruo deliberately mentioned her wedding and the reputation of the Wei family. Wei Yifeng quickly denied: ¡°Ruo, what are you talking nonsense about? When did we go to the Cockfighting Field? We were clearly separated by the crowd on the street.¡±
Wei Ruo turned her head towards her grandparents and said: ¡°Grandfather and grandmother, I humbly request to bring the servants from the Cockfighting Field for a questioning. When I entered with my elder and second brothers today, I found that they looked very familiar with the servants. They should have an impression whether we went to the Cockfighting Field today.¡± As Wei Ruo insisted on this, her grandparents grew suspicious of Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng. ¡°You two, exin to me, what exactly happened?!¡± The old Mr. Wei¡¯s voice was chilling. Wei Yipeng couldn¡¯t bear the fright, he knelt down immediately out of guilt, and confessed: ¡°Grandfather, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong!¡± Wei Yifeng was originally thinking of making some excuses. When Wei Yipeng knelt down, he had no choice but to follow suit, admitting his mistakes while offering some exnations: ¡°Grandfather, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I did take my two sisters to the Cockfighting Field. But I just wanted to show them the liveliness of the ce. I didn¡¯t expect to lose Ruo in the sudden crowd.¡± Wei Yifeng only admitted to bringing Wei Ruo to the Cockfighting Field, but insisted that losing her was an ident. ¡°You actually took your two sisters to the Cockfighting Field?¡± The old Mr. Wei was inmed. Wei Yifeng quickly defended: ¡°It was Ruo who wanted to see the excitement, so I thought of the Cockfighting Field, which is a lively ce. I didn¡¯t think too much at that time, and took Ruo and Wanwan.¡± ¡°You bastard! When your sister wants to see something exciting, can¡¯t you go somewhere decent? You led them to the Cockfighting Field? What kind of ce is that? Can your sisters go there? If something happened, could you take responsibility?¡± the old Mr. Wei scolded. ¡°I know I was wrong, grandfather, please calm down.¡± Wei Yifeng apologized. ¡°Grandfather, I won¡¯t dare to do it next time, please don¡¯t be angry anymore, it¡¯s not worth it if you ruin your health!¡± Wei Yipeng added. The old Mr. Wei was both furious and annoyed, but considering that these two were his own grandchildren and he valued lineage, he couldn¡¯t be too harsh on them. So after taking a couple of deep breaths, the old Mr. Wei pointed at the two and said: ¡°I will deal with you twoter!¡± Then he turned his head and questioned again Wei Ruo: ¡°Since you were separated, why didn¡¯t you stay where you were and wait for your brothers? Where did you run off to, that you only return now?¡± ¡°Grandfather, I said earlier that it was my two brothers who left me in ce, it wasn¡¯t me who got lost. I wanted to find my two brothers, but they were nowhere to be found.¡± Wei Ruo emphasized again. The old Mr. Wei knitted his brow and questioned Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng again: ¡°Is what Ruo said true? Did you intentionally desert Ruo?¡± Wei Yifeng denied: ¡°We don¡¯t know. After the crowd separated us, we couldn¡¯t find Ruo anymore. Maybe Ruo didn¡¯t know the way and was inadvertently led away by the crowd, thinking she was still in the original ce.¡± No matter what Wei Ruo said, Wei Yifeng insisted that he only took her to the Cockfighting Field and did not intentionally abandon her.
Wei Ruo chuckled lightly, ¡°ording to my two brothers¡¯ argument, I of my own volition walked away. So I¡¯ll ask them, why would a mere woman like me, without any reason, wish to flee from such awless ce, leaving my brothers and putting myself in danger?¡± ¡°How would I know, maybe you didn¡¯t want to go with us, or maybe because you wanted to run away from marriage¡­¡± Wei Yifeng became agitated, his words bing careless, even resorting to the excuse that Wei Ruo wanted to run away from marriage.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°If I wanted to run away from marriage, then I wouldn¡¯t be here now. If I wanted to run away from marriage, I¡¯d at least have to take my possessions with me. Besides, where could I run to? Without any identity or household registration, I won¡¯t be able to do anything.¡± Wei Ruo analyzed the matter in an unhurried manner.
¡°How would I know what you were thinking¡­¡± Wei Yifeng still refused to admit in any way, then he turned to his grandparents, ¡°Grandfather and grandmother, I really didn¡¯t mean to abandon Ruo. I only just met her two days ago. We¡¯ve had no grudges in the past, and I¡¯ve no reason to harm my sister.¡± Realising at this point, Wei Yipeng continued Wei Yifeng¡¯s reasoning in his defence: ¡°Yes, grandfather, grandmother, I admit I was a bit reckless and careless, but I definitely didn¡¯t mean to harm my sister. She must have misunderstood something!¡± ¡°Enough! No more talk!¡± Old Mr. Wei was fed up, ¡°Everything ends here. Ruo is back safely and everything else is done. With Chinese New Year around the corner, our family should still live harmoniously. Regardless of what happened before, you must get along peacefully and help each other out from now on.¡± The old Mr. Wei waved his hands, not wanting to delve further into the right and wrong of the matter. Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng breathed a sigh of relief. Just when they thought that they had managed to smooth things over, the old Mrs. Wei suddenly spoke: ¡°Old man, I think we still need to make a small punishment to create a greater deterrent.¡± ¡°Madam?¡± The old Mr. Wei looked at the old Mrs. Wei in confusion. Chapter 434: 434: Everyone with Their Own Thoughts_1 Chapter 434: Everyone with Their Own Thoughts_1 ¡°Regardless, I entrusted Ruoruo to Yifeng and Yipeng. If they couldn¡¯t properly look after Ruoruo, they should be held responsible. It doesn¡¯t matter if Ruoruo wandered off world or if she was forced to leave, they carry an inescapable responsibility,¡± Lady Wei analyzed. ¡°This¡­ There is some truth to what Madam has said.¡± ¡°However, considering it was an unintentional mistake by both of them, I would say they should each receive three beatings as a punishment,¡± Lady Wei said. The punishment of three beatings might not sound too harsh, but it was no minor penalty either. Lord Wei looked at Lady Wei and noticed the determination in her eyes. After contemting for a while, he agreed to her proposition. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it ording to my wife¡¯s proposal,¡± he agreed. Upon hearing this, both Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng went pale. ¡°Grandfather, grandmother¡­¡± Before the two of them could beg for mercy, Lady Wei gestured to the guards, ¡°Take them away. Give each of them three beatings. Do not show mercy.¡± The guards, upon receiving their orders from Lady Wei, led Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng away.
After they were gone, Lady Wei turned to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Where did you go, Ruoruo? How did you return home?¡± ¡°After my two older brothers disappeared, I encountered ascivious man,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°What? You encountered ascivious man?¡± Lady Wei¡¯s face turned pale, a look of concern appeared on her face. ¡°Yes, I encountered ascivious man and was nearly tarnished. Fortunately, a passingdy came to my rescue. Not only did she help me escape from the man, but she also took me around the Capital City and saw me home safely.¡± ¡°Oh? Who was thisdy?¡± Lady Wei asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She did not reveal her name or status and only mentioned that we might meet again in the future.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pity. Otherwise, I would have prepared a generous gift and personally visited her to express my gratitude,¡± Lady Wei said, then turned to Wei Ruo with a benevolent expression, ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯ve had quite a fright today. You should go back and get some rest.¡± ¡°Thank you, grandmother. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After Wei Ruo left, Lady Wei said to Wei Qingwan, ¡°Wanwan, you should also go rest.¡± ¡°Yes, grandmother and grandfather, please get some rest too. I¡¯ll make my leave now.¡± Wei Qingwan then also left Shou¡¯an Hall. With the young ones gone, Lord Wei turned to his wife, ¡°Why did you decide to punish Yifeng and Yipeng today?¡± Lord Wei, having agreed to his wife¡¯s decision out of trust, still did not fully understand why she made such a choice. ¡°Who do you think was lying today?¡± ¡°Less significant is who was lying, Ruoruo is about to get married, while Yifeng and Yipeng are the legitimate sons banks who will hold up the Wei Family¡¯s foundation, especially Yifeng as he is the eldest legitimate grandson of our Wei Family. He holds much more importance than Ruoruo.¡± The notion of beating his grandsons troubled Lord Wei. No matter how valuable a legitimate granddaughter might be, she could never surpass the value of a legitimate grandson. ¡°Your words indicate that you might already know who lied,¡± Lady Wei said. Lord Wei gave a light snort, which could be taken as a tacit agreement with his wife¡¯s spection.
¡°My thoughts are simr to yours. The possibility that Yifeng and Yipeng were the ones lying is far greater, based on their suspicious actions of bringing people to the Cockfighting Field.¡± Lady Wei analyzed, then continued, ¡°Moreover, Ruoruo has always been distant from us. Now that you are pushing her away even further, can we still rely on her in the future?¡± ¡°Well . . .¡± ¡°Also, you must not forget that Ruoruo is Yichen¡¯s legitimate sister. Aren¡¯t you afraid of offending him by favoring the children of the main and second bedrooms?¡± ¡°You make a point.¡±
Even though Yichen is one of the legitimate grandsons, his standing in the minds of the elders has always been higher than the others¡¯. ### After the punishment of three beatings, Wei Yipeng was carried back to his room by the servants. Seeing Wei Yipeng¡¯s severe injuries, Bai¡¯s heart ached and she was furious. She could not help but curse Wei Ruo: ¡°That Wei Qingruo is such a terrible omen. As soon as she came home, she had my Peng-er beaten. Even curses are less harmful than she is!¡± ¡°I told you earlier on, Wei Qingruo is a disturbance. It¡¯s unfortunate that we all have to tolerate her now. Even if we haveints about her, we need to put up with them for the time being.¡± Wei Mingyong was not very fond of Wei Ruo. ¡°You call that tolerating her? She¡¯s merely a chess piece. Everyone knows she won¡¯t have many peaceful days after marrying into the Xuanping Marquis Residence. The moment the old marquis passes away, she¡¯ll be devoured.¡± ¡°As long as you know, then why are you still so angry with her?¡± ¡°Initially, she was to get married quietly. But this had to happen to my Peng-er because of her. Of course, I¡¯m mad at her!¡± Bai was filled with anger. ¡°Alright, calm down. It¡¯s better to use your energy taking care of Peng-er. If there was a way to deal with that girl, would I be waiting for you? I would have taken care of her a long time ago,¡± Wei Mingyong said. ¡°Just wait till I get a good opportunity. Once I do, I¡¯ll make sure to take revenge for my Peng-er.¡± ### ¡°Our parents are really bing more and more biased! It¡¯s their daughter from the third room who went missing, and yet they punished my son! How absurd!¡±
Wei Minghong looked at his son who wasying on the bed in pain, and put all the me on the third concubine. ¡°Yifeng really hasn¡¯t done his part well, so it¡¯s reasonable for our parents to punish him. They¡¯re not necessarily biased¡­¡± Mo spoke softly with her head lowered. ¡°Are you still defending the third concubine?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± ¡°What did you mean? Yifeng is your son! He¡¯s being punished, and you¡¯re still defending others?¡± ¡°I just felt that Yifeng really didn¡¯t do well in some aspects. Our parents¡¯ mild punishment is for his own good¡­¡± ¡°Nonsense! What do you mean by mild punishment? It¡¯s just a performance for the third concubine! You¡¯re still so naive as to believe that it¡¯s because our Yifeng did something wrong! Even if he did something wrong, what¡¯s the big deal? Yifeng is the eldest legitimate grandson of our Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Is it worth punishing him for a little girl? What a joke!¡± Wei Minghong became angrier as he spoke. Mo could only lower her head and refrain from speaking anymore. ### In the blink of an eye, it was already the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, and this year there was no thirtieth day, making the twenty-ninth day New Year¡¯s Eve. The entire Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence was busy preparing for the new year¡¯s festivities. In the past, Yun was always extremely busy during this time. But now that she was at the Duke Residence, Lady Wei and her two sisters-inw were hosting the New Year preparations, and she didn¡¯t have to worry about anything. However, she still had other matters to attend to ¨C preparing dowry for the two daughters¡¯ weddings.
As Yun was considering what material to use for her daughters¡¯ wedding gowns, Cui Ping came in to report, ¡°Madam, someone has sent a piece of excellent fabric from outside to make Miss¡¯ wedding gown.¡± ¡°What kind of fabric is it? Who sent it?¡± Yun asked. Chapter 435: 435: Friends Gift_1 Chapter 435: Friend¡¯s Gift_1 ¡°¡±What fabric it is, this servant doesn¡¯t know. However, this one has heard from the servants in Changchun Garden that it looks extremely beautiful. It¡¯s bright red in colour and more vibrant than the usual fabrics. It is embroidered with an exquisiteplete floral pattern using golden threads. This servant can¡¯t distinguish how this fabric is different from others,¡± Cuiping answered. She continued, ¡°This servant doesn¡¯t know who sent it. Apparently, a carriage arrived at the back gate early this morning. They said they were delivering something to the young mistress. The young mistress¡¯s maid went and brought back some stuff.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Hearing this, Madam Yun Brooded awhile: ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look.¡± Madam Yun rose and together with Cuiping, headed towards Changchun Garden. When they reached they found that Bai of her second brother-inw¡¯s family had also arrived. The two met just in time. Madam Baiughed, ¡°I heard someone delivered some precious gifts to Ruoruo. Do you have any idea who sent them?¡± Madam Yun paused, she had only heard Cuiping mention fabric. She didn¡¯t know there were other items. ¡°Ruoruo has many highborn madams and misses who are good friends with her. They might have sent these,¡± Madam Yun responded. ¡°Is that so? I wonder if you could apany me to take a look. I would love to see these precious items.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Madam Yun¡¯s face was pale but she still agreed.
The two arrived at Wei Ruo¡¯s quarters and as soon as they entered, they saw several boxes ced by the door. The vibrant red fabric that Cuiping mentioned was on top of one of the boxes. It shimmered under the light, and theplete floral pattern, embroidered with golden threads, was breathtaking; the flowers seemed to have just blossomed in the early spring garden. In a box next to it, there were different colored fabrics, but they were not made of satin, they appeared to be of usual cotton quality. The other boxes were not opened; Madam Yun and Madam Bai had no idea what they contained. When Wei Ruo saw Madam Yun and Madam Bai entering, she stopped her work. Madam Yun walked over, and asked, ¡°Who sent these gifts?¡± ¡°An old friend from Huzhou Prefecture knew about my uing marriage and sent over some fabric,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°These fabrics¡­look quite extraordinary. Your friend was very thoughtful,¡± Madam Yun responded. While Madam Yun and Wei Ruo were talking, Madam Bai had already begun to touch the items. She first felt the fabric with the goldenplete floral pattern, then with a surprise-filled face she eximed, ¡°Ruoruo, this fabric is very smooth and delicate. Could it be Yunjin? Or could it be Zhijin? No, it¡¯s lighter than Yunjin and smoother and more delicate than Zhijin.¡± Madam Bai had seen many fine fabrics that only the nobles could afford, but she had not seen any that matched the one she was looking at now. ¡°No, the fabric is from a small workshop that isn¡¯t widespread and has not been formally named yet,¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Oh, like that! Can you help buy more for your Aunt? Its quality is not less than the famous Yunjin and Sujin,¡± Madam Bai immediately wished for Wei Ruo¡¯s help to make a purchase. ¡°This fabric is in short supply and is temporarily not for sale,¡± Wei Ruo replied. She was not going to sell this fabric publicly for the moment. After nearly half a year, less than ten sets were produced. Aside from this bright red one, the rest were mostly dyed into rarer colours like purple and indigo. Disappointed, Madam Bai retorted, ¡°Ruoruo, are you deceiving your old Aunt Bai?¡± Wei Ruo responded,¡±Where is thising from? Didn¡¯t Aunt Bai herself say she wanted to buy herself? If she pays in genuine silver, why wouldn¡¯t I help her?¡±
Madam Bai was disappointed and then reached out to touch the fabric on the other side. This fabric was cotton. It didn¡¯t have the brilliance of satin, but felt extraordinarily soft. ¡°What is this fabric? It feels so soft,¡± Madam Bai again inquired. ¡°This is cotton, it¡¯s perfect for underclothes,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Cotton this soft?¡±
In Madam Bai¡¯s impression, cotton used to be hard and dry. Far less soft andfortable than silk. ¡°Better cotton quality produces softer fabrics,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Cotton also differs in quality?¡± ¡°Naturally, the longer the fiber length of good cotton, the better the strength of the spun yarn. Its sliver, lint and node are better than short fibers. The resulting fabric has a good gloss, good dyeing effect, and is soft, skin-friendly, breathable and stic.¡± Madam Bai was astonished to hear Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation. Madam Bai smiled awkwardly,¡±Ruoruo, having lived in the countryside for more than ten years, you seem to know a lot that we don¡¯t.¡± Madam Bai¡¯s gaze returned to the two boxes that hadn¡¯t been opened yet. ¡°What¡¯s inside these two boxes?¡± Wei Ruo grinned, then sent a signal to Xiumei. Xiumei carefully opened the boxes in front of them. The first box contained two jars, which looked much better than the two jars of liquor that Wei had transported by chariot. It was made of fine white porcin. The second box contained rouge and face powder, bottles and jars, all piled up. ¡°Why are there two more jars of liquor?¡± Madam Bai couldn¡¯t help but ask.
¡°These two jars are Thyme.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Thyme?¡± This name was very familiar to Madam Bai¡ªWei Mingyong had mentioned this Thyme after returning from Taizhou prefecture. Wei Mingyong even said he wanted to bring a couple of jars of Thyme back to the Capital City to honor the officials who loved wine, but the wine was expensive and hard to buy, so he didn¡¯t even get one pot. ¡°Ruoruo, where did you get two jars of Thyme from?¡± Madam Yun asked. As someone who had lived in Taizhou prefecture, she had of course heard of Thyme and knew that this white wine was not only expensive, but also hard to buy. ¡°Just like the fabric, it was given by a friend,¡± Wei Ruo gave the same answer. ¡°Who is this generous friend of yours, Ruoruo? They gifted you with several rare and expensive items.¡± Madam Bai asked, envy evident in her tone. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t answer directly, simply stating, ¡°The intention is what counts when friends give gifts.¡± Madam Bai stared at Wei Ruo¡¯s white wine, her eyes fixed on it for a long time. Madam Yun asionally nced at Wei Ruo¡¯s bright red fabric. Wei Ruo noticed the two¡¯s expressions but pretended not to, and continued to busy herself with Xiumei. Madam Bai thought she had made her intentions clear and Wei Ruo should ask on her own, but Wei Ruo remained silent, which made her anxious. She finally couldn¡¯t wait any longer and asked Wei Ruo directly, ¡°Niece Ruoruo, your uncle has been searching for a famous wine to gift to an important person. I heard that this Thyme is very hard toe by. Would you consider selling it to me?¡±
Chapter 436: 436: Ke Fus Last Son_1 Chapter 436: Ke Fu¡¯s Last Son_1 ¡°No.¡± Wei Ruo refused, a response as crisp as a winter morning. The smile meticulously crafted on Madam Bai¡¯s face instantly froze over. Yet, refusing to give up that easily, she continued reasoning with Wei Ruo. ¡°Ruoruo, you really have no use for this wine. Your uncle will use it to forge connections to benefit the Wei family. It doesn¡¯t just serve him. It benefits all of us.¡± ¡°This wine is part of my dowry which represents the honor of the Wei family. In doing so, I too am looking out for the family,¡± Wei Ruo responded. Pretty words are hardly scarce. Any Wei Ruo might wish for, she can easily fabricate. ¡°Ah¡­ Ah¡­ Ruoruo, what you¡¯ve said does make¡­ some sense¡­¡± Madam Bai¡¯s jovially fakeughter revealed her sour mood beneath the surface. Wei Ruo simply smiled in return, unphased by Madam Bai¡¯s barely-hidden displeasure. After a short while, Madam Bai excused herself on the pretext of being busy, hastily taking leave from Changchun Garden. As soon as she left, Madam Yun finally brought up her hidden intent to Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruoruo, you have some fine fabric there. It would be perfect for wedding attire. If I may be so bold, could you acquire another bolt?¡± ¡°You want it for my sister, don¡¯t you?¡± inquired Wei Ruo, cutting straight to the point.
¡°I guess you caught me,¡± Madam Yun sheepishly admitted. ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, this fabric is rare. If you wish to make a wedding gown for my sister, you should look for some other way. Moreover, my sister is marrying into the status of a concubine. Even with the blessings of the royal family, she is, after all, not the chief wife. Is it appropriate for her to be wearing pure red? What do you think, mother?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s harsh words left Madam Yun flustered. ¡°I understand.¡± Consequently, Madam Yun refrained from pressing Wei Ruo for the fabric she desired. After a few reminders, she took her leave. Shortly after both Madam Bai and Madam Yun had left, Xiumei burst outughing. ¡°Miss, Madam and Madam Bai were practically wearing their desires on their foreheads. Imagine if they knew the true extent of your treasures. Their eyes would likely pop out of their sockets!¡± ¡°Even if they do, I will not give what I am not willing to give. Not one bit of it.¡± ¡°Right, let them envy away!¡± ### Upon returning, Madam Bai informed Wei Mingyong of Wei Ruo¡¯s possession of two jars of Thyme. ¡°That girl¡­ She¡¯s so lucky! I tried so hard to get it and here she is with two jars!¡± Wei Mingyong muttered through gritted teeth. ¡°Isn¡¯t it though? That little missy really has some sort of luck. I wonder which generous friend she¡¯s acquainted herself with,¡± Madam Bai retorted indignantly. Wei Mingyong thought long and hard, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to swallow his grudge. ¡°No, we must ask her for those jars. I must gift them to Lord Qi!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already attempted to buy the wine from her, and she refused to sell. Do you think she¡¯ll simply hand it over to you if you asked?¡± Wei Mingyong was immediately reminded of his previous confrontations with Wei Ruo, casting aside the idea.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°That damn girl¡­ Her father thought her marriage into the Xuanping Marquis Residence would bring our family benefits, but with her selfish character, I bet she won¡¯t give a thought to the Wei family!¡± ### Rumors of Wei Ruo¡¯s well-to-do friend and thevished gifts he provided had started to reach the ears of the other inhabitants of the residence.
Wei Mingyong¡¯s Thyme, an item he so craved yet couldn¡¯t obtain, Wei Ruo possessed two jars. Even the fine cloth that Wei Qingwan desired was casually gifted to Wei Ruo by her mysterious friend, a quality that couldn¡¯t be found for purchase elsewhere. Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t make sense of it. Why was Wei Ruoruo always so fortunate, consistently forming rtionships with influential people? How was it that she always obtained that which others couldn¡¯t? Wei Qingwan was unhappy that Wei Ruoruo could make a wedding dress from a fabric finer than her own. But, since Madam Yun had stopped asking, there was nothing she could do. ###
In the evening, everyone gathered for the New Year¡¯s Eve feast. Marking a more celebrative departure from past years, the arrival of the third branch of the family added to the overall gaiety of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence¡¯s New Year¡¯s celebrations. The only regret was that Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t make it home to celebrate the New Year. Rumors were that the coast was again restless, hinting at potential unrest. Following the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth, the Xuanping Marquis Residence sent people to propose marriage to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. The betrothal gifts brought by the people from the marquis¡¯ residence amounted to no less than thirty pnquin-loads, much to the gratification of the duke¡¯s household. This had been the most momentous event for the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence since Wei Qingwan was granted the honor of marrying the sixth prince. The elderly duke was exceptionally delighted, as if he could see the dawn of the Wei family¡¯s revival right before his eyes. After exchanging the horoscopes, the Xuanping Marquis Residence decided on the eighth day of the fifth month as the wedding day. The elderly duke agreed with great joy. Even though the date seemed a bit rushed, since the marquis was taking a second wife, a simplified ceremony would suffice. Preparations could be made in time. During this period, Wei Ruo, behaving as the Wei family had hoped, obediently stayed in the Changchun Garden, diligently preparing for her wedding. She took the preparation of her dowry seriously and even personally selected the seamstresses to make her wedding gown.
This reassured the uneasy Wei family members who were previously worried about Wei Ruo¡¯sck of initiation. Even Wei Qingwan began to believe that Wei Ruo was genuinely content with the arranged marriage and was prepared to be the Madam of Xuanping Marquis Residence. Consequently, for the next half a month, whenever Wei Ruo wished to leave the house to shop, Madam Wei was readily in agreement. Time quickly slipped into February. On the first day, as usual, Wei Ruo went out. However, this time she did not go into the city, she went outside the city to the Long¡¯an Temple to light some incense. After returning, Wei Ruo continued her preparations for the wedding without raising any suspicions. Three nights afterwards, as Wei Ruo was about to retire, a messenger arrived from Shou¡¯an Hall. Mingzhu¡¯s voice came from outside, anxious and urgent: ¡°Miss, the duke and his wife have urgent news and wish for you toe immediately.¡± Wei Ruo slowly rose: ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Miss, there is a pressing matter,¡± the messenger outside urged again. ¡°Mmm.¡± Wei Ruo responded but wasn¡¯t in a rush to dress herself. Only when she was appropriately attired did she open the door.
Stood before her, Mingzhu¡¯s forehead creased into furrows, looking quite flustered. It appeared to be an emergency situation at the Shou¡¯an Hall. Without a word, Wei Ruo followed Mingzhu to the Shou¡¯an Hall. Despite thete hour, the Shou¡¯an Hall was brightly lit. The elderly duke and his wife, who should have been resting, had summoned everyone in the house. Because Wei Ruo¡¯s quarters were located the farthest, she was thest one to arrive. When Wei Ruo stepped through the doorway, everyone¡¯s gaze converged on her as if guided by some unspoken coordination. Herposure remained unperturbed. Calmly, she looked at the elderly duke and his wife. The elderly duke seemed furious and yet dispirited. Through gritted teeth, he said, ¡°Tell me, who exactly have you offended?¡± ¡°Most of my time is spent here in the residence. If I have actually offended someone, odds are it¡¯s someone within these walls,¡± Wei Ruo responded nonchntly. ¡°So why are rumors about you circting outside?¡± The elderly duke¡¯s face was a stormy mix of indignation and bewilderment. ¡°What rumors?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Do you know that everyone outside is gossiping that you¡¯re a curse on your husbands and sons?¡± The elderly duke¡¯s voice rose dramatically, radiating both anger and annoyance. ¡°There¡¯s such hearsay?¡± Wei Ruo asked ndly.
¡°Do you know that because of these rumors the Xuanping Marquis Residence is considering breaking off the engagement?¡± The elderly duke pped the table in rage. Chapter 437: 437 Divorce_1 Chapter 437: Divorce_1 The Old Madam Wei said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, think about it carefully, who might do such a thing to defame you? The rumor is now widespread, if people believe it, and if the marriage with the Xuanping Marquis Residence is called off, I¡¯m afraid it will be difficult for you to marry in the future!¡± Who would want to marry a woman who is rumoured to curse her husband and be barren, and has had a marriage called off? ¡°I really can¡¯t think of anyone. Could it be someone from the residence?¡± Wei Ruo said, looking at Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng. The two of them immediately looked ufortable. ¡°Big sister, don¡¯t talk nonsense, we wouldn¡¯t do such a disgraceful thing!¡± Wei Yifeng quickly denied. ¡°Exactly! We know our limits! Don¡¯t me us for everything!¡± Wei Yipeng chimed in. ¡°Or perhaps it was sister Wanwan.¡± Wei Ruo turned to Wei Qingwan. ¡°Sister¡­you misunderstand me, I wouldn¡¯t harm you. The Wei Family has treated me tremendously well, and I am already very grateful to be able to stay in the family. While we have had some conflicts, they are insignificantpared to the kindness Wei family has shown me, so I wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge against you.¡± Wei Qingwan exined sincerely. ¡°The only people in the Capital City who have had a grudge against me seemed to be these three. Besides them, I can¡¯t think of anyone else who would spread such rumours about me.¡± Replied Wei Ruo. Unable to extract any clues from Wei Ruo, Master Wei¡¯splexion darkened further.
At this point, Wei Minghong asked, ¡°Father, since this matter is merely a rumor and hasn¡¯t been confirmed, the Xuanping Marquis Residence shouldn¡¯t call off the marriage, right?¡± ¡°What do you know? This is not just amon rumor, this statement came from Daoist Qianyuan¡¯s mouth!¡± Master Wei said bitterly. ¡°What? Daoist Qianyuan? The one known for his incredible prediction skills?¡± A look of astonishment crossed Wei Minghong¡¯s face. The rest of the people in the room also showed varying degrees of surprise. Daoist Qianyuan, he is a respected spiritual master! It is rumored that he is halfway to bing immortal. Every prediction he has made has been urate. After digesting this shocking news, Wei Minghong looked at Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Could it really be that Ruoruo¡¯s fate is to be a husband killer and barren?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Have you forgotten that Ruoruo¡¯s birth details were falsified?¡± The Old Madam Wei cut in angrily. At the beginning, there was a mix-up with the children, and Wei Ruo¡¯s birth details were used for Wei Qingwan. Later, the Wei family imed to outsiders that Wei Ruo was Wei Qingwan¡¯s twin sister, who they had purposely hidden and raised in the countryside. So when they had to provide the Xuanping Marquis Residence with the birth details of Wei Ruo, they made up a time which was slightly earlier than Wei Qingwan¡¯s. ¡°Could it be so unlucky that the birth details we made up happen to be of a husband and child killer, which led to such rumors?¡± Wei Minghong guessed. ¡°Your father and I have already thought about that possibility. But considering Ruoruo¡¯s birth details were only given to the Xuanping Marquis Residence when they came ¡®asking for her name,¡¯ even if there¡¯s a problem with her birth details, how could outsiders know?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Of course, it¡¯s someone from the Xuanping Marquis Residence spreading it. It must be the Marquis¡¯ children who are displeased with the marriage. They found out there was a problem with Ruoruo¡¯s birth details and spread it to sabotage the marriage.¡± Wei Mingyong spected. Wei Mingyong¡¯s guess was highly usible. If that¡¯s the case, the chances of salvaging Wei Ruo¡¯s engagement with the Xuanping Marquis Residence were slim. Moreover, with the rumor that she curses her husband and is barren, there¡¯s no way to refute it.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The topic ending here left everyone in the Wei family with a gloomy face, even Wei Mingyong and Bai Family who greatly disliked Wei Ruo showed dark expressions. The reason is straightforward. Losing the marriage with the Xuanping Marquis Residence would be a huge blow to the Wei family. Moreover, Wei Ruo, after her marriage is called off, is very likely to be unable to marry into other well-connected noble families to her family¡¯s advantage.
Wei Qingwan was the exception. She carefully hid her true feelings. Inside, however, she was overjoyed. Wei Qingwan gazed at Wei Ruo¡¯s seemingly calm face, guessing Wei Ruo¡¯s real thoughts at this moment. Was it sadness? Grief? Anger? Or all of it at the same time? During her time in Taizhou prefecture, she was tormented by rumors, experiencing several bouts of despair and nearly unable to find a suitable husband.
And now, the same thing happened to Wei Qingruo. One could not say that it isn¡¯t retribution. After a while, Wei Mingyong suggested, ¡°Perhaps we should tell the Xuanping Marquis Residence that there was a mistake in Ruoruo¡¯s birth details and give them a new one?¡± ¡°Nonsense! It was written in ck and white on a red paper, confirmed several times with the matchmaker, you can¡¯t just nonchntly say there was a mistake? Who would believe that?¡± Master Wei rebutted. Hearing this, Wei Mingyong regretted, ¡°If I had known this, we should have asked a fortune teller when we were making up the birth details, to make sure the time was auspicious!¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote for regrets. What¡¯s the use of saying these things now?¡± Master Wei said while clutching at his chest. After a night of anger, he felt a tightness and pain in his chest. Everyone in the Wei family discussed for a while, but they weren¡¯t able toe up with a useful strategy. For now, they could only hope that the Xuanping Marquis Residence would not believe the rumors and not hastily consider calling off the marriage. After everyone had left, Wei Ruo returned to Changchun Garden. As soon as the door was closed, Wei Ruo and Xiumei simultaneously broke into a smile. ¡°Miss, you are too clever! Everything went exactly as you nned!¡± Xiumei looked at Wei Ruo with a gaze full of admiration. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t in vain that I waited so long.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s n needed to wait for the right time. She had to wait until the people from the Xuanping Marquis Residence asked for her birth details and sent the betrothal gifts. That would be the best time. As per the rules, the man¡¯s family should ask a fortune teller to match the woman¡¯s birth details after receiving them. At this point, if they use the fortune teller to ry the fact that Wei Ruo is a husband and child killer, they can legitimately spread the rumor that is detrimental to Wei Ruo¡¯s marriage.
Moreover, since the Xuanping Marquis Residence has already sent the betrothal gifts, they would be in the wrong to revoke the marriage, which would mean Wei Ruo¡¯s engagement is cancelled, and once her engagement is cancelled, her reputation would be further damaged. Wei Ruo deliberately had the fortune teller say that her fate is to be a ¡°barren husband killer¡±, emphasizing the word ¡°barren¡±. Wei Ruo had the fortune teller say that the term ¡°barren¡± not only meant she couldn¡¯t bear her own children, but that anyone who called her mother would also be considered her children, regardless of whether they were adopted or step, as long as they were her children, she would curse them. In this way, even if the Marquis of Xuanping himself did not believe in fortune-telling, he could not ignore the children left by his previous two wives. Chapter 438: 438: Becoming a Joke_1 Chapter 438: Bing a Joke_1 The next day, early in the morning, the Crown Prince from the Marquis Xuanping Residence paid a visit with his entourage. What the Wei Family feared most was about toe true, the Crown Prince was here to call off the engagement. He argued that Miss Wei from the Wei Family had the fate of a husband-killer and a cause of sterility, which endangered the lives of him and his siblings as well as Marquis Xuanping, and demanded the return of the betrothal gifts, thus seeking to end the engagement. The Crown Prince was adamant in his decision, effectively shutting down all attempts at persuasion by the senior Duke. In the end, the Wei Family had no choice but to acquiesce to the Marquis Xuanping Residence¡¯s request to break off the marriage and return all the betrothal gifts they had received. As a result, Wei Ruo instantly became aughing stock and a hot topic of discussion among the wealthy aristocratic circles in Capital City. Despite her past aplishments in Taizhou Prefecture and the praise she had received from the Emperor, there were no longer any nobles in Capital city willing to marry her. ### At Wei Qingwan¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Miss, finally, the eldest Miss has received hereuppance! ording to this servant girl, it was she who spread the rumors about you back in Taizhou Prefecture. And now, she herself has been ruined by rumors and be a star of cmity who can¡¯t get married!¡±
Cuihe, with a face full of joy, delightedly gossiped about Wei Ruo in front of Wei Qingwan. ¡°What goes aroundes around, the wheel of karma turns, every act is observed by Heaven. She harbored ill intent towards me, so it¡¯s not surprising that she¡¯s receiving retribution now and has no one else to me.¡± Wei Qingwan said calmly. ¡°Yes, Miss, you are correct. In my opinion, she¡¯ll be lucky if she can even marry a poor schr now. When I went to the kitchen to fetch some bird¡¯s nest soup for you, I overheard people saying that the old Duke is nning to find an honest farmer from the manor and arrange for the eldest Miss to marry him as soon as possible.¡± ¡°The intention of my grandparents should be to get her married before me.¡± ¡°Indeed, now that the eldest Miss¡¯s reputation is so poor and time is pressing, they certainly won¡¯t be able to find a good family for her.¡± Cuihe could not help but smirk. A smile also emerged on Wei Qingwan¡¯s face. ### At the main house of the Wei Family. ¡°Useless girl! She just carelessly ruined a good marriage!¡± Wei Minghong cursed. Wei Minghong was both worried about the fate of his daughter from the third branch of the family and frustrated that Wei Ruo had failed to secure the advantageous marriage with the Marquis Xuanping Residence. Mrs. Mo stayed silent by his side. Wei Minghong cursed again, ¡°The key thing is that once the engagement is broken, it¡¯s hard to find another suitable match. Is this useless girl expecting the Wei Family to feed her for the rest of her life?¡± ¡°Well, it won¡¯te to that, I think Ruo is quite clever and she was born beautiful¡ª it¡¯s still possible for her to marry into an ordinary household,¡± Mrs. Mo softly replied. ¡°Marry into an ordinary household? Wouldn¡¯t the Wei Family still have to provide a dowry for her?¡± Wei Minghong snorted. Again, Mrs. Mo fell silent. Continuing, Wei Minghong eximed, ¡°If I had known this would happen, I would have never recognized her as a member of the family. She¡¯spletely useless!¡± ### At the second branch of the Wei Family. ¡°A perfectly good marriage ruined, it¡¯s bad luck!¡± Wei Mingyong grumbled irritably.
Mrs. Bai remained silent. After quite a while, she suddenly said to Wei Mingyong, ¡°My lord, we used to tolerate her because she was useful to us and the elders indulged her. But now that she is useless, do we still need to give her face?¡± Wei Mingyong looked at Mrs. Bai, ¡°Do you have something in mind?¡± ¡°Those two jars of thyme! Have you forgotten about them? Weren¡¯t you nning to take them to send as a gift earlier this year?¡± WeI Mingyong¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°You have reminded me!¡±
¡°Not just that, she also has a lot of valuable items in her room!¡± Mrs. Bai was clearly harboring intentions. Wei Mingyong considered this for a moment and said, ¡°Well, what are we waiting for? Let her bring out her things; this can also be considered as her contribution to the family.¡± ### Changchun Garden. With the matter of calling off the engagement settled, Wei Ruo was in good spirits. She is sitting at her desk, nning her shop for rouge and face powder. While solving problems, she also needed to continue earning money. During the times when she was cooped up in Changchun Garden and unable to venture outside, Wei Ruo did not stay idle. She nned the work here so that she could implement it quickly whenever she had an opportunity to go out. Setting up a shop selling rouge and face powder was not a simple matter, Wei Ruo had the funds, but the real challenge was setting up a workshop to produce rouge and face powder. Mass production was more difficult than her previous small-scale preparations of a few boxes of cosmetic cream. She could handle small quantities personally, but forrge-scale production, a consistent and stable production line was necessary, as well as setting up aplete supply chain to ensure the supply of raw materials and control costs. The first thing Wei Ruo needed was manpower. Zhao Hai and Zhao Xun, brothers from the Zhao Family, had already arrived in the Capital City. Before she left Taizhou Prefecture, Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to inform them that apart from postponing the proposal, they were toe to the Capital City.
The reason she chose the Zhao brothers was because Zhao Xun had also be a schr and was to participate in the next stage of the official examinations in the spring. Arranging for the Zhao brothers toe to the Capital City at this time was undoubtedly killing two birds with one stone, it was convenient for Zhao Hai to take care of his younger brother and it also allowed Zhao Hai to work for her. They had also brought along several vigers from Stone Vige. These were vigers who wanted to venture out and make a living, so Wei Ruo asked Zhao Hai to bring them along. As neers to the capital city, it would have been difficult for the Zhao brothers alone to manage everything. Having more reliable hands would make it easier to set things up. As Wei Ruo was busily working at her desk, Mrs. Bai arrived.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Mrs. Bai appeared with a smile on her face and a spring in her step, arriving in front of Wei Ruo like a gust of wind. Wei Ruo had already covered her ount book and asked in an unruffled manner before Mrs. Bai got near her, ¡°Second aunt, is there something you need?¡± ¡°Ruo, your second aunt knows that you¡¯re upset after all this has happened,¡± Mrs. Bai began tofort her. ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± Upset? No, her mood couldn¡¯t be better right now! Mrs. Bai took Wei Ruo¡¯s right hand and soothed her, ¡°Your second aunt knows you¡¯re heartbroken, but what¡¯s done is done, and you have to move on. Life still has to go on.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, second aunt. I¡¯m taking it pretty well. After all, I still have to get married someday, right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, of course, you¡¯ll get married someday. I believe your grandparents will arrange another good marriage for you,¡± Mrs. Bai replied. Observing Mrs. Bai¡¯s heartfelt manner, Wei Ruo guessed that she must have something else to discuss. ¡°I presume there¡¯s another reason for your visit today, second aunt?¡± Wei Ruo queried.
¡°The most important thing is of course tofort you, Ruo, but there are other matters as well. Ruo, you received two jars of thyme from a friend in Huzhou Prefecture, didn¡¯t you? Back then, you said you wanted to keep those two jars of thyme as part of your dowry, but since the Marquis Xuanping Residence has already called off the engagement¡­¡± Wei Ruo smiled slightly, it seemed that she had indeede for her possessions. ¡°Although the engagement with Marquis Xuanping Residence has been called off, I will still have to marry someone else in the future, right? The Wei Family can¡¯t possibly provide for me for the rest of my life, right, second aunt? ¡± Wei Ruo asked. Chapter 439: 439 Chapter 439: 439 ¡°Well of course, Ruoruo certainly will need to remarry one day, there is no worry that girls from the duke¡¯s residence will remain single. However, she can hardly expect to marry into a prestigious house like Duke¡¯s Residence anymore. Therefore, using this expensive thyme wine for her dowry might seem wasteful,¡± Madam Bai reasoned. ¡°I don¡¯t consider it a waste. If I¡¯m marrying into an ordinary household, I should prepare more valuable things for my dowry as a form of financial security,¡± Wei Ruo calmly replied. The smile on Madam Bai¡¯s face began to falter, her lips twitching slightly. Then, her tone turned serious, ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but times have changed. It¡¯s lucky that the two jars of wine your friend gifted you happen to be useful. You should feel proud to contribute to the Wei family. You should dly hand them over, rather than hesitating and making everyone ufortable.¡± ¡°Aunt, no offense, but if you want the thyme wine, get it with your own abilities. Why should you me me for not giving it to you? Shouldn¡¯t you also be weeping in the imperial pce, ming the emperor for not bestowing a better official position on uncle, condemning the examiners for not allowing your son to be a schr?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°What are you implying? Are you ridiculing your uncle and cousin?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I stating the truth? If you can¡¯t get what you want, you should think about why youck the ability to get it, instead of ming others for not giving it to you.¡± ¡°You impertinent girl, how dare you disrespect me like this? I¡¯m your Aunt! Don¡¯t you have any respect for your elders?¡± ¡°I would rather not have elders who only concern themselves with their own benefits.¡± ¡°Very well, it seems I hold no ce in your heart! Come, let¡¯s go to Shou¡¯an Hall. Let your grandfather and grandmother make judgement!¡±
Saying so, Madam Bai grabbed Wei Ruo¡¯s wrist and tried to drag her away. Wei Ruo then yanked her hand back, looking down at her reddened wrist and coldly ncing at Madam Bai, ¡°No need to be so rough, I can walk.¡± Before leaving, Wei Ruo turned to Xiumei, ¡°Meimei, pack away the thyme wine, lest it gets stolen by rats.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± Madam Bai lost herposure, ¡°Are you calling me a rat?¡± ¡°Rats are the ones who want to steal my wine, aren¡¯t you one?¡± Wei Ruo replied. Madam Bai¡¯s face darkened, ¡°We¡¯ll see how long you can keep up this defiance!¡± The Duke and Duchess were mid-nap within the Shou¡¯an Hall. In the past few days, they had been losing sleep over the rescinded marriage proposal from the Marquis Xuanping Residence. Having just drunk a calming tea, the Duke was finally able to sleep. The Duchess was tending to him. Hearing the uproar from outside, the Duke furrowed his brows and asked a maid what was happening. ¡°It¡¯s the second Madam. She has brought Young Miss here and requested for both the Duke and Duchess to mediate,¡± the maid hurriedly reported. ¡°Mediate? What has Bai started again?¡± the Duchess said displeased. Upon hearing this, the Duke climbed out of bed, ¡°I¡¯d like to see what they¡¯re up to!¡± With that, the Duke put on his outer robe. The Duchess reluctantly followed him out of the chamber. Indeed, Madam Bai and Wei Ruo were standing in the other room. Upon seeing the elders, Madam Bai started toin, recounting how she had asked Wei Ruo for the thyme wine but was refused. In the end, Madam Bai, feigning grief, began to tear up, ¡°Father, mother, my husband has been diligently working and trying every possible way to secure a good future for our family. While his contributions may not be apparent, he undoubtedly has been hardworking. Wanting this wine is not for personal gain, it¡¯s for the good of our family! Yet Ruoruo not only fails to understand, she evenshed out at me, using me of all sorts of things¡­¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn As she spoke, Madam Bai¡¯s eyes reddened as she pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
The Duke strained his face as he listened. He then turned to Wei Ruo, ¡°Is it true, what your aunt has said? Do you have two jars of thyme wine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know why your aunt wants the wine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Then why do you refuse?¡± The Duke¡¯s face darkened with anger. ¡°Why must I give it to her? It¡¯s mine. I have every right not to.¡± ¡°Yours? While living under this roof, everything you eat, wear, and use is provided by this family. Now that there is a rare opening where you can be of use, are you nning to quibble over trifles?¡± The Duke¡¯s anger reached a boiling point. Seeing this, the Duchess quickly intervened, ¡°My lord, control your anger. Ruoruo may not necessarily be unwilling to help.¡± ¡°Then ask her. Ask her if she is willing to bring out those two jars of wine.¡± The Duchess turned to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, tell your grandfather quickly! You are willing to bring out the wine.¡± The Duchess desperately tried to send Wei Ruo signals with her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Wei Ruo stubbornly held her ground. The Duke mmed his hand down on the table, ¡°Did you hear that? Did you hear that?¡± The Duchessforted him, ¡°My lord, calm down. This matter does not warrant such a fuss over two jars of wine. If she doesn¡¯t want to, then let it be.¡± Madam Bai interjected, ¡°Father, mother, this isn¡¯t just about two jars of wine. You might not know how popr this thyme wine is in the Capital City. The patriarch of the Lu family is particrly fond of this wine. His son had brought him a few jars from the Taizhou prefecture, and he is about to drink them dry. Many people have been assigned to find more! Even Minister Qi has publicly praised this wine. He mentioned that it is iparable to ordinary wine.¡± ¡°In our possession, these are merely two ordinary jars of wine. But when offered to others, they can earn us great favor! Considering this, I swallowed my pride and asked Ruoruo for them.¡±
With Madam Bai emphasizing the importance of the situation, the Duke immediately made a decision, ¡°Bring me those two jars of wine!¡± Madam Bai hid a triumphant grin. Just as she had predicted, the Duke and Duchess were acting as expected. If this were years ago, they might have been hesitant, but now that Wei Ruo held no more value, they would not continue to indulge her. Jin, the old maid, led the other maids, including Mingzhu, to retrieve the wine from Changchun Garden. Just as they were leaving, Wei Yichen walked in and stopped them. ¡°Hold on.¡± He then approached his grandparents. ¡°Grandfather, grandmother, Ruoruo¡¯s belongings belong to her. I hope you won¡¯t defy her wishes and take it upon yourselves to im her possessions.¡± Everyone in the room was startled. Wei Ruo also looked at Wei Yichen in surprise¡­ Chapter 440: 440: Older Brothers Protection_1 Chapter 440: Older Brother¡¯s Protection_1 ¡°Yichen, why have youe over? Didn¡¯t I tell you to focus on your studies and not to worry about the affairs of the residence?¡± Seeing Wei Yichen, the elder old master Wei¡¯s face was full of worry and affection. The imperial examinations were approaching, and nothing was more important than Wei Yichen participating in the exam, even Wei Ruo¡¯s matrimonial rejection didn¡¯t deem as important in the elder old master Wei¡¯s eyes. ¡°Grandfather, Ruoruo is my only full-blooded sister, my parents only have this one daughter as well, within reason, I hope no one forces her to do what she dislikes.¡± Wei Yichen was serious with a firm tone ¨C his words were weighty andmanding. Everyone once again looked surprised. ¡°Only sister¡±, he directly excluded Wei Qingwan! He even dared to speak to their grandfather Wei on this matter! Wei Ruo was equally surprised and astonished. Wei Yichen had also spoken up for her before, but that was because he disliked Wei Qingwan, helping her was helping himself.
But this time was different, this matter had nothing to do with Wei Qingwan, yet he chose to stand up for her. ¡°Yichen, it¡¯s just two jars of wine, not a big deal, no one in this home wants to bully your sister.¡± the elder old master Wei said gravely. Even his most favored grandson talking like this made him somewhat displeased. ¡°Grandfather, since it¡¯s just two jars of wine, let¡¯s not risk family harmony over it.¡± Wei Yichen said. Wei Yichen immediately turned to Mrs. Bai and asked, ¡°Aunt Bai, what is the probability that my uncle can meet Sir Qi in person?¡± Mrs. Bai¡¯s face stiffened: ¡°This¡­this might not guarantee meeting Sir Qi in person, but we could send the gifts to his residence.¡± Wei Yichen asked again, ¡°On what premise would we be sending a gift?¡± Mrs. Bai hesitated: ¡°This¡­we haven¡¯t decided yet¡­¡± Wei Yichen continued, ¡°Uncle and Aunt Bai, how sure are you that Sir Qi would like this gift, and even if Sir Qi likes it, how much possibility is there that he will appreciate the Wei family and Uncle more because of it?¡± Mrs. Bai looked anxious and didn¡¯t know how to respond because she too knew the chance of this happening wasn¡¯t high. Wei Yichen turned back to the elder old master Wei and said, ¡°Grandfather, what Aunt Bai is suggesting is a very slim possibility. Even though the Wei family is no longer as glorious as it once was, we still hold our noble title. Until we find ourselves in a desperate situation, there is no need for us to humble and please others in this way. Doing so won¡¯t earn any benefits for the Wei family; instead, it will make us lose face and have others look down on us.¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s remarks stirred a change in the elder old master Wei¡¯s expression, his wrinkled face showing further seriousness. Despite her begrudging reluctance, Mrs. Bai countered Wei Yichen¡¯s arguments, ¡°Although the odds are low, it¡¯s just two jars of wine after all. It¡¯s great if it proves useful, and even if it¡¯s not, the loss isn¡¯t significant, why not give it a shot?¡± Wei Yichen replied, ¡°As far as I know, one jar of Thyme wine on the market is now believed to sell for three hundred taels of silver, and two jars would amount to six hundred taels. Aunt Bai, do you think that this is a small sum of money? Or do you think it¡¯s insignificant because the six hundred taels belong to my sister?¡± ustomed to being eloquent, Mrs. Bai surprisingly found herself at a loss for words under Wei Yichen¡¯s rebuff. It was at this moment that the elder Madam Wei stepped in to mediate, ¡°Enough, enough, it¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s indeed inappropriate to make a fuss over such a trifle. These two jars of wine are Ruoruo¡¯s personal belongings after all, how could we, as parents, unjustly take them away?¡± Having said that, the elder Madam Wei reprimanded Mrs. Bai, ¡°Daughter-inw, it¡¯s very good that you¡¯re considering for the Wei family and want to contribute. But as an aunt, it¡¯s not your ce to impose on your niece. If you genuinely consider for the Wei family, you should figure out your way to manage affairs, it¡¯s better not to rely on the generosity of others.¡± Then the elder Madam Wei said to Wei Yichen, ¡°Yichen, the imperial examination is drawing near, you should focus all your efforts on your studies, don¡¯t bother yourself with other matters, your grandmother is here in the residence, she won¡¯t let anyone bully Ruoruo.¡± The elder Madam Wei¡¯s words thus rified her stance and were also a promise to Wei Yichen.
¡°Thank you, grandmother.¡± Wei Yichen said. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Mrs. Bai, who was still unwilling to back down, attempted to add something. ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s all go back.¡± The elder Madam Wei interrupted Mrs. Bai, ¡°We old ones are feeling a bit tired.¡± Mrs. Bai¡¯s grievances were held back, unable to vent.
¡°Your daughter-inw will take her leave.¡± An unwilling Mrs. Bai retreated. ¡°Your grandson takes his leave.¡± Wei Yichen and Wei Ruo left Shou¡¯an Hall together. Upon reaching the door, Wei Ruo wanted to ask Wei Yichen about why he had helped her. ¡°You¡­¡± Wei Ruo had just spoken when Wei Yichen, hearing her voice but not pausing, walked quickly away. After Wei Ruo and others had left, elder old master Wei said to the elder Madam Wei somewhat unhappily, ¡°Why has even Yichen changed? He even started talking back to us!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°My lord, do not worry. Yichen is very fond of his sister. Ruoruo is his only full-blooded sister, who suffered in the outside, so what¡¯s wrong with him wanting to protect her? You forget, Yichen used to be exceptionally affectionate and protective of Wanwan.¡± the elder Madam Wei tried to soothe. ¡°Nevermind, as long as he does well in the imperial examination, everything else is trivial.¡± the elder old master Wei said. ### Perhaps Wei Yichen¡¯s speech in Shou¡¯an Hall that day had an impact, as in the following few days, Wei Ruo lived somewhatfortably in the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Mrs. Bai didn¡¯t bother Wei Ruo anymore, and Yun and Wei Qingwan were too busy with the wedding preparations to bother Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo, therefore, could focus on her matters. Although she didn¡¯t have the freedom she once had in Taizhou prefecture and rarely had a chance to go out, thanks to Xiumei, who could carry messages outside, her ns proceeded smoothly.
In the room, Xiumei was waiting for Wei Ruo to finish writing the following arrangements, after which she would take Wei Ruo¡¯s letter out of the residence to the Zhao brothers. ¡°Miss, are you nning to let Master Zhao propose again?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Yes. However, let¡¯s postpone it for now. The imperial exam is happening on the ninth day of the next month, we shouldn¡¯t disturb him at this moment. Let him prepare for the exam. His health isn¡¯t good in the first ce, and preparing for the exam takes a lot of effort and concentration. We shouldn¡¯t let other matters distract him at this time.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I wish things could be resolved soon. The Duke Residence is even stuffier than our home in Taizhou. There are too many rules and regtions.¡± Xiumei muttered under her breath. Even though Wei Ruo and Xiumei had been intentionally avoiding interaction with others, they still received fair amounts of scorn at the residence ever since the wedding break off with Marquis Xuanping. Even Wei Ruo¡¯s food, clothing, and other misceneous expenses were significantly reduced. While the mistress and the maid were talking, a servant girl arrived hastily at Wei Ruo¡¯s door. ¡°Miss, hurry and dress up toe to the front hall! The imperial decree has arrived!¡± Chapter 441: 441: The Ninth Princes Granted Marriage_1 Chapter 441: The Ninth Prince¡¯s Granted Marriage_1 A royal decree? ¡°Does everyone in the house have to be present?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°The Imperial Envoy from the pce who hase to announce the imperial edict specifically asked for your presence, Miss.¡± The maid¡¯s tone was urgent, like a burning me, ¡°Miss, please hurry, both the old master and the olddy have already gone!¡± Such a significant event, the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence had not received an imperial edict in many years. Thest edict regarding Wei Qingwan¡¯s marriage had been delivered to the General¡¯s Residence in Taizhou prefecture. It¡¯s been a long time since the other members of the family had personally received an Imperial Envoy from the pce. Therefore, the Wei Family, both old and young, paid great attention to this, causing even the servants of the residence to be tremendously nervous. Hearing that she was specifically invited, Wei Ruo felt a sense of unease, for no apparent reason. After a moment of contemtion, Wei Ruo agreed, ¡°I understand. I¡¯lle right away.¡± Wei Ruo tidied her clothes and makeup, opened the door, and headed to the front hall with her maid who was waiting at the door. In the spacious and bright hall, the old master Wei, the olddy Wei, Wei Minghong, Madam Mo, Wei Mingyong, Bai Family, and Yun Family had all arrived.
Furthermore, everyone was dressed very formally, with grave expressions and serious demeanors. Wei Ruo could even detect clear signs of nervousness on the faces of Wei Minghong, Wei Mingyong, Madam Mo, and Bai family. Wei family elders, having experienced much in their lives, were considerably moreposed. Having seen a lot over the years and having received people from the pce before, Yun Family appeared more rxed than the others. Among the younger generation, only Wei Ruo had arrived. Once Wei Ruo arrived, The Imperial Envoy began reciting the royal decree. The members of the Wei Family knelt in unison, listening to the content of the royal decree with earnest trepidation. Being the one who was singled out, Wei Ruo knelt in the front, listening with a blend of emotions. When she heard the Imperial Envoy mention ¡°bestow marriage to the ninth prince,¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s heart thudded in her chest. Why is this happening? Why would the Emperor, out of the blue, bestow marriage upon a girl of insignificant standing, from the declining household of the Loyal and Righteous Duke, to his most favored ninth prince? Especially considering the rampant rumors about her, even if the Emperor hadn¡¯t heard that she was ¡°a curse to her husband and childless,¡± he must have known about her being repudiated by Marquis Xuanping¡¯s Residence, right? Then why would he match her, a person like herself, with his beloved ninth prince? The Wei Family members who heard the decree were all stunned. Having one daughter bestowed into the marriage with the sixth prince as a concubine was already surprising and delightful enough. But they hadn¡¯t expected another ¨C a daughter who had been repudiated and rumored to be a curse to her husband ¨C to be bestowed in marriage to a prince. And not only that, to the most favored ninth prince as his main wife! ¡°Lady Wei, ept the decree.¡± After reciting the royal decree, the Imperial Envoy urged Wei Ruo to ept it. ¡°Ruoruo, ept the decree quickly.¡± The old master Wei urged from behind Wei Ruo, fearing that Wei Ruo¡¯s sluggish reaction might disrespect the Imperial Envoy. Wei Ruo stood up and epted the royal decree from the Imperial Envoy. The decree itself wasn¡¯t heavy, but Wei Ruo felt an immense weight in her hands.
The old master Wei quickly attended to the Imperial Envoy, who waved his hands with a smile. ¡°Master Wei is blessed. Both of his granddaughters are fortunate. In the future, we hope that Master Wei will be able to support and guide this humble official.¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all. Sir, you must be tired from the journey. The residence has prepared some light refreshments and rice wine, we hope you will honor us with your presence.¡± The old master Wei hastily responded. ¡°You are too kind, Master Wei. There is no need for me to stay for a meal, I need to return to the pce to report to His Majesty.¡±
The Imperial Envoy did not stay for long. After exchanging a few courtesies with old master Wei, he departed with his entourage. The moment the Imperial Envoy left, the old master Wei came to Wei Ruo, and carefully took the royal decree from her to read. After triple-checking and confirming that its content indeed established Wei Ruo as the chief wife of the ninth prince, the old master¡¯s eyes turned red with joy. ¡°A queen is going to be born from our Wei Family! A queen is going to be born from our Wei Family!¡± Although Wei Qingwan was also bestowed in marriage, she was only a concubine. A concubine and a chief wife were ultimately different. Regardless of how favorably worded, a concubine was still a concubine, while a chief wife was the wife. The gap in status was beyondparison.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The olddy Wei was both pleased and worried. She looked at the royal decree and then at Wei Ruo. Her elderly face was filled with anxiety, etching deeper lines into her weary brows. It seemed that she had something to say, but she held back in the presence of everyone. Wei Minghong, a broad smile on his face, beamed like a Maitreya Buddha, ¡°Father, we¡¯re all set now, our Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence is truly about to rise up!¡± Madam Mo echoed, ¡°Yes, one piece of good news after another in our residence.¡± Wei Mingyong quickly congratted Wei Ruo saying, ¡°Congrattions eldest niece, from now on, you¡¯ll be a queen with boundless wealth and glory!¡± Bai Family wore an awkward smile, unsure about what to say to Wei Ruo, ¡°Niece, you are truly blessed. The ninth prince is the most favored prince in the pce right now. Although he is a little frail, there are imperial physicians taking care of him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll live a long life. You marrying the ninth prince is truly very fortunate!¡± Yun Family, simr to the olddy Wei, didn¡¯t know whether to feel more happy or anxious. After hesitating for a while, Yun Family finally asked the old master, ¡°Father, the ninth prince, from what I understand, is rather frail and constantly needs medication. If Ruo marries him¡­ Yun Family didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but everyone knew what she was referring to ¨C this was her fear of Wei Ruo bing a widow.
However, the old master didn¡¯t think the same way: ¡°Daughter-inw of the third son, don¡¯t overthink it. I understand your concerns, but consider this ¨C given Ruo¡¯s current reputation, who else could she marry? Now, this heavenly bestowed fortune is a thousand times, ten thousand times better than a marriage we could arrange for her. Are you still concerned that she might be a widow? Besides, even if she bes the main wife of the ninth prince, even if the ninth prince¡­ she would still be able to lead a worry-free life.¡± Yun Family exined, ¡°But the reputation is also a problem! I am afraid the ninth prince¡¯s body won¡¯t be able to bear the burden, and then everyone will me it on Ruo, affirming her reputation of being a curse to her husband.¡± Old Master Wei didn¡¯t think much of it: ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. Everyone in the capital is aware of the ninth prince¡¯s health condition. If he dies young¡­ If something like that happens, no one is to me! Moreover, the rumors came first, followed by this grant of marriage, and we Wei family have not hidden anything. Even if what you mentioned happens, it has nothing to do with our Wei family.¡± Yun Family couldn¡¯t rebut any longer, herplexion was still not good. She looked worried, and whenever she looked at Wei Ruo, she had an indescribable feeling of unease. It was true that she didn¡¯t get along with her eldest daughter and they didn¡¯t share a mother-daughter bond. But to let her daughter go through the experience of widowhood, that was something she didn¡¯t feelfortable with. There wasn¡¯t much expression left on Wei Ruo¡¯s face, and she didn¡¯t really listen to the conversations around her. All she had in her mind were doubts, and at present, no one in the residence could provide her with an answer. Chapter 442 - 442 Can’t forget about Xu Heyou_1 Chapter 442: Can¡¯t forget about Xu Heyou_1 The news of Wei Ruo¡¯s royal marriage entitlement spread rapidly throughout the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, reaching those grandsons who had not earlier been present to hear the imperial decree. Upon hearing the news, Wei Qingwan, in a daze, shattered the teacup in her hand. Then, she copsed back into her seat. ¡°Wei Qingruo¡­ to be thewful wife of the Ninth Prince¡­¡± Only after a while did Wei Qingwan snap back to reality. She turned to Cuihe, who had brought the news, for confirmation: ¡°Really, the legitimate wife of the Ninth Prince? You didn¡¯t mishear?¡± Cuihe pressed her lips together and shook her head with a mournful expression: ¡°This ve triple-checked, she is indeed the legitimate wife.¡± ¡°Why is Wei Qingruo so lucky?¡± Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t understand. Back when she was in Taizhou prefecture, she was disturbed by rumors and had a bleak future. She, against all odds, received a royal marriage and became the concubine of Prince Yu. But the rumors about her back then were baseless with no concrete evidence. On the other hand, Wei Ruo¡¯s engagement cancetion and the prophecy from Daoist Qianyuan about her killing her husband were substantial. Wei Qingwan was genuinely confounded as to why, under such circumstances, someone would still want to marry Wei Ruo, and this person happened to be the presently favored Ninth Prince! ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry, isn¡¯t the court abuzz that the Ninth Prince is a sickly man who doesn¡¯t have long to live? The eldest miss judgment to marry him is to be a widow, far inferior to yours,¡± Cuiheforted her. ¡°But even if the Ninth Prince is short-lived, she as a widow will still have a worry-free life! She shouldn¡¯t still have such good fortune¡­ she was abandoned by the Xuanping Marquis Residence, how can she still manage to find a better marriage match?¡± Wei Qingwan gritted her teeth. ¡°Miss, calm down, your health is the most important. Now things are still not clear, even if the eldest miss gets truly married, it might not be a good thing. This ve heard that the Ninth Prince is not only sickly but also very odd and ruthless. He straight-up beat a maid to death who did not serve him right.¡± Wei Qingwan remained silent for a long time, unconsciously clenched her fists, and her lips were pressed into a tight line. ### King Jing¡¯s Mansion. Lu Yuhong came to find Chu Lan with a jug of fine wine. Upon pushing the door to Chu Lan¡¯s study and seeing him cleaning a bow and arrow set, Lu Yuhong teased: ¡°You¡¯re actually still so leisurely? The Emperor has already set your marriage, aren¡¯t you the least bit anxious?¡± Chu Lan, wearing a casual indigo suit, stood in front of the bookshelf and leisurely cleaned the bow and arrows without interruption. Facing Lu Yuhong¡¯s tease, he responded calmly: ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush.¡± ¡°Why is there no need to rush? This is a major event in your life, decided so abruptly. I thought it would at least wait until Prince Yu¡¯s wedding.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not in a rush to arrange a marriage for me, rather it¡¯s for Chu Yi,¡± Chu Lan replied calmly. ¡°That Chu Yi indeed needs to quickly arrange a marriage, out of fear that his body can¡¯t hold up. I justment for Miss Wei of the Wei Family a bit, I¡¯m kind of reluctant for her to marry such a man on his deathbed,¡± Lu Yuhong sighed. Unusually, Lu Yuhong revealed a regretful expression over someone else¡¯s marriage. ¡°You seem to have a fondness for Miss Wei?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°Don¡¯t misinterpret. I don¡¯t have those kind of romantic feelings for her. I think of her as a friend. Moreover, she has saved my life,¡± he rified. ¡°Best if not because, even if it were so, she¡¯s already been granted a marriage to Chu Yi. Nobody can change this fact now,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°I¡¯m aware of that.¡± Lu Yuhong ced the wine on the bookcase, then invited Chu Lan to drink with him: ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink, this is a fine wine I stole from my old man.¡± Lu Yuhong noticed that Chu Lan was still staring at the bow and arrow in his hand. ¡°What¡¯s so special about this bow and arrow that you¡¯ve been looking at it for so long?¡± ¡°This bow and arrow have been refined and can fire at a farther range than ordinary ones.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lu Yuhong immediately stood up, full of curiosity, and came to Chu Lan¡¯s side. After examining the bow and arrow for a while, he was not satisfied and took it from Chu Lan¡¯s hand to try it out. As a martial arts fanatic, he was the most familiar with these things. ¡°This bow and arrow seem ordinary, whether it be the bowstring or the bow itself. But I know that a miss is as good as a mile. Even a slight deviation in the length, hardness, or angle of this bow¡¯s arm can lead to a huge impact. The same goes for this bowstring. The material, thickness, and tension can all result in a major difference,¡± Lu Yuhong exined before asking Chu Lan, ¡°Where did you get this bow and arrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s currently in use by the Anti-Japanese Army, an improved technology brought by Xu Zhengyong,¡± Chu Lan replied. ¡°Was the repeating crossbow and thunderbolt bullet also brought by him?¡± Lu Yuhong asked. ¡°It was him.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Goodd, surprisingly capable of acquiring such good things!¡± ¡°Not his capability.¡± ¡°Not his?¡± ¡°He has a cousin named Xu Heyou.¡± ¡°Xu Heyou? Your lifesaver?¡± ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± ¡°This Xu Heyou is really capable. Why didn¡¯t you recruit him under yourmand, give him a government position, and let him show his ambition on the court?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t like it.¡± As they discussed this matter, ayer of frost involuntarily formed between Chu Lan¡¯s brows, as he recalled Xu Heyou¡¯s cold expression when facing him. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand you guys,¡± Lu Yuhong shook his head, ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t care about your rtionship. Do you have more of these bows? Give me one, I want to take it back to try.¡± ¡°No more,¡± Chu Lan took the bow back from Lu Yuhong and put it carefully back on the wall. ¡°Stingy,¡± Lu Yuhong muttered under his breath. Then he proposed to Chu Lan to go out for a stroll, which Chu Lan agreed to. ### Because the imperial decree concerning Wei Ruo¡¯s royal marriage had been issued, her status in the Loyal and Righteous Duke¡¯s Residence greatly improved, even better than before her engagement with the Xuanping Marquis Residence was called off. Today, Wei Ruo wanted to go out, and the old Madam Wei readily agreed without much thought. Wei Ruo further stated that she didn¡¯t want to go out with other brothers and sisters from the mansion. Old Madam Wei hesitated but still agreed, assigning only a nanny and some guards to apany Wei Ruo. The nanny assigned this time was Nanny Zhang, whom Wei Ruo was familiar with, making it easier for Wei Ruo to act. She went to the house that Wei Jinyi had previously taken her to and changed her clothes there. Her second brother had told her before she leftst time that this house was usually vacant. He left all the disguises there for her so she coulde here whenever she needed to. After changing clothes with Xiumei, Wei Ruo then went out pretending to be Xu Heyou. They arrived at Tongde Hall and found the same shopkeeper as before. As Wei Ruo was talking to the shopkeeper, Chu Lan and Lu Yuhong walked in from outside. Lu Yuhong was prattling on to Chu Lan: ¡°You have no idea how stubborn my old man is. His old injury was recurating and causing a lot of pain, but he insisted he was fine and refused to see a doctor.¡± Chu Lan¡¯s attention was no longer on Lu Yuhong, but on the Wei Ruo, dressed as a man, at the counter¡­ Chapter 443 - 443 - Why Do I Have Such Feelings For Him_1 Chapter 443: ¨C Why Do I Have Such Feelings For Him_1 Feeling a burning gaze on her, Wei Ruo turned around. Her eyes met Chu Lan¡¯s handsome face, which had a hint of coldness and pride in it. He wore a dark blue brocade robe, his waist adorned with a white jade belt, his posture erect and dignified, exuding an air of aloofness. As their eyes met, Wei Ruo¡¯s face grew slightly colder. She knew that she might run into acquaintances in Capital City, but she didn¡¯t expect to meet one so soon, and it was Chu Lan, the person she least wanted to see. Capital City is huge, and Chu Lan, a person of esteemed status busy with numerous tasks, is not easy to run into. But just as fate would have it, the one person she least expected to run into on the streets was the person she did. As Wei Ruo was pondering this, Chu Lan started walking towards her. ¡°You¡¯re in the Capital City?¡± Chu Lan asked in a deep voice. ¡°Yes,¡± replied Wei Ruo curtly, quickly turning her head away. Yet Chu Lan¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Wei Ruo. Despite her coldness and avoidance, his happiness was hard to hide. ¡°I wonder if you could afford an opportunity to dine with me as my guest?¡± Chu Lan queried. ¡°I¡¯m an ordinary person. You, on the other hand, are of esteemed status. I fear it might be inappropriate,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°In that case, consider it amand of mine, is that permissible?¡± proposed Chu Lan. Having another chance to meet again was rare, and he didn¡¯t want to miss it again. Noticing Chu Lan¡¯s determined expression, Wei Ruo pondered for a moment, realizing there was no escaping this time, and consequently asked, ¡°Could you wait for me? I have a few things to attend to.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Chu Lan agreed. Wei Ruo went upstairs with the waiter, and Chu Lan did not follow. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that they¡¯ll run away?¡± Lu Yuhong teased Chu Lan. ¡°If they agreed, they won¡¯t run,¡± Chu Lan confidently stated. ¡°Suit yourself, it¡¯s not me who¡¯s eager to see them anyway. If they truly run off, it won¡¯t be me who¡¯ll be upset.¡± Lu Yuhong shrugged indifferently. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be picking up your medicine?¡± Chu Lan retorted. ¡°Oh, right!¡± Lu Yuhong quickly took out the prescription and requested the pharmacy assistant to prepare the medicines. After collecting the medicine, Lu Yuhong nned to keep Chu Lanpany as he waited, but Chu Lan dismissed him, ¡°Your master must be waiting for this medicine. You should deliver it to him first.¡± ¡°Alright, fine.¡± Even someone as obtuse as Lu Yuhong could tell that Chu Lan didn¡¯t want him to stay any longer. It would be better for him to take his leave graciously. After Lu Yuhong left, Wei Ruo and Xiumei descended from the second floor. Chu Lan invited Wei Ruo to Tianyun Pavilion, booked a private room, and ordered a table full of exquisite dishes. Thest time Wei Ruo came here, it was with Wei Jinyi. They had a leisurely chat and had a good time. Now, although she was still at the same ce, the person by her side had changed, and Wei Ruo¡¯s mood was far from the same as well. ¡°I thought there was no chance in this lifetime to see you again. I didn¡¯t expect that you¡¯de to Capital City.¡± Chu Lan said, a broad grin appearing unconsciously on his face, his gaze as soft as ever. These days, he had constantly felt as if something was missing from his life, but he could never quite figure out what it was. It wasn¡¯t until he met Xu Heyou today that he realised it was him who he was missing. Upon seeing Xu Heyou, his mood had inexplicably improved. He didn¡¯t understand why. He was a man, and Xu Heyou too, was a man. Men should not harbor such feelings for each other, but the feelings he felt for Xu Heyou were temperamental and unconventional. ¡°I am a merchant wandering everywhere to make money. As long as I can earn money, I will travel to any ces. Now I am in Capital City. Perhapster I¡¯ll move on to some other ce,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°But we were destined to meet. From Taizhou Prefecture to Capital City, we reunited after miles of separation,¡± Chu Lan said. Wei Ruo muttered to herself: It¡¯s bad luck, pure bad luck! Wei Ruo didn¡¯t speak, and Chu Lan continued, ¡°If you encounter any difficulties in Capital City, you can take the jade pendant I gave you to Wang Residence. The people there will help you.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Ruo agreed perfunctorily. The jade pendant had long been thrown into her storage space. Unless absolutely necessary, she had no intention of using it. Chu Lan poured a drink for Wei Ruo, ¡°Try the white wine of Capital City, see how itpares to Taizhou Prefecture¡¯s Thyme.¡± ¡°I have some business to attend to today, so I¡¯d better not drink. Drinking may lead to missteps,¡± Wei Ruo gently declined. Although she had a good capacity for alcohol, she was reluctant to drink in front of Chu Lan. Getting drunk in front of him could lead to major trouble. Seeing that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to drink, Chu Lan didn¡¯t insist. A smile remained at the corner of his mouth, his mood obviously lightened. ¡°I¡¯m about to get married,¡± announced Chu Lan. ¡°Congrattions, Lord Zhu,¡±. ¡°Does Sir Xu have any views on the matter of marriage?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°No strong views. I believe in parental orders and the matchmaker¡¯s words. It all depends on one¡¯s luck. Sometimes, after all the efforts, we think we¡¯re finally able to control our own destiny, but it still amounts to nothing,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°It seems Sir Xu has been troubled by this?¡± Chu Lan detected a hint of helplessness in Wei Ruo¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m getting married too,¡± Wei Ruo said casually. ¡°Sir Xu is also getting married?¡± Chu Lan¡¯s hand, which was holding the wine ss, abruptly stopped. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m about to marry a person whom I¡¯ve never met before,¡± Wei Ruo responded with a faint bitter smile, quickly recovering herposure. She was somewhat emotional but didn¡¯t want to show too much in front of Chu Lan. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°Nothing, not needed. I was just expressing my thoughts, I don¡¯t have any big issue,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to continue this topic. Chu Lan¡¯s brow knitted, his expression bing sombre. Through Xu Heyou¡¯s eyes, he could see a hint of distress and bitterness. Despite this, Xu Heyou seemed tock trust in him and hid his woes away. He and Xu Heyou were both about to be married. For a man, the act of starting a family is usually a new beginning, and something to be pleased about. However, he didn¡¯t feel any joy at all. Now, upon seeing Xu Heyou, and understanding that he was also on the verge of marriage, the knowledge made his originally calm heart feel heavy. Chu Lan didn¡¯t understand why he felt like this. The feeling was as if¡­ as if the person he loved was in front of him, yet they were each about to marry someone else and go their separate ways. But he was a man, and Xu Heyou was also a man. Why would men have such feelings for one another? Chu Lan fell silent, and Wei Ruo, even less inclined to initiate conversation with Chu Lan, quietly finished her meal. Upon finishing her meal, Wei Ruo said, ¡°I thank Lord Zhu for your hospitality.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± ¡°Lord Zhu, I have other businesses to attend to. Goodbye,¡± Wei Ruo bade Chu Lan farewell. Chu Lan responded, his expressionplex, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Chu Lan escorted Wei Ruo to the entrance of the Tianyun Pavilion. Only after seeing Wei Ruo and Xiumei disappear into the distance did he casually regain his senses. His tall figure was somewhat deste, and on his solemn face, there seemed to be a faintyer of fog. Chapter 444: 444: If You Cant Change It, Keep Pushing Your Career_1 Chapter 444: If You Can¡¯t Change It, Keep Pushing Your Career_1 As she walked quickly away from the Tianyun Pavilion, Wei Ruo was followed by Xiumei. When they had left the vicinity, Xiumei let out a sigh of relief and then asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, why didn¡¯t you ask King Jing about the Ninth Prince?¡± ¡°Asking him probably wouldn¡¯t do any good. Everyone talks about the Ninth Prince being sickly, entric, and cruel ¨C I¡¯ve heard it so many times that my ears have grown callouses,¡± she replied. ¡°But King Jing might know more about the Ninth Prince since he has had closer interactions with him. He might even know why the Emperor wants to arrange your marriage to the Ninth Prince,¡± Xiumei suggested. ¡°The Ninth Prince doesn¡¯t really interact with outsiders. For most of the time after he was brought back and due to his bad health, he stays at his residence. King Jing¡¯s knowledge about him may not surpass mine. Regardless of what the Emperor thinks, I decided it¡¯s not worth poking into this matter with King Jing. It will be more loss than gain if he be suspicious,¡± she replied. In the original story, the Emperor was a deeply thoughtful ruler who, after the death of the Empress, no longer trusted anyone around him, including his many princes. That¡¯s why hasn¡¯t appointed a Crown Prince for so many years. Unfortunately, in the original work, there was no character such as the Ninth Prince, so Wei Ruo is still in the dark about his existence. Wei Ruo patted Xiumei¡¯s arm, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your miss here won¡¯t be easily defeated. Even if I can¡¯t change the fact of my impending marriage now, I won¡¯t indulge in self-pity.¡± ¡°Yes, miss, I know you might stumble but you won¡¯t stay down!¡± Xiumei responded.
Wei Ruoughed, ¡°Let¡¯s go and check on my rouge and face powder shop. Let¡¯s focus on making money instead of worrying about things we can¡¯t figure out for now.¡± She couldn¡¯t change the fact of her arranged marriage for now but she didn¡¯t want to waste time idly, so she continued her business as usual. Even if she could not change the fate of marrying a man she didn¡¯t want to, she would still do what she wanted to do and enjoy her life, earning some silver for herself. Wei Ruo named her uing rouge and powder shop as the ¡®Daiyue Residence¡¯. She chose a rather remote location ¨C not in the bustling central area, but in an inconspicuous corner at the far end of White Tiger Avenue. The front was the shop, and there was arge yard at the back. Wei Ruo spent 5,000 taels of silver purchasing it, which was a significant sum for her at this stage. Wei Ruo liked this location for two reasons: First, although the shop was off the beaten path, it was a mandatory stop on the way to the central part of the White Tiger Avenue. Secondly, the shop had arge yard at the back, which Wei Ruo would use for manufacturing rouge and face powder, and amodating Zhao Hai and his brothers. The six vigers from Stone Vige, including the Zhao brothers, had been busy here for a while now. The products they were making included four types: moisturizing ointment, whitening cream, ¡®Peach Blossom Rouge¡¯, and ¡®Bluebell Perfume¡¯.. The moisturizing ointment was already on sale at Tongde Hall and was selling quite well. When Daiyue Residence opens, the moisturizing ointment could help to attract more customers and establish her brand reputation. Coming to the yard, Wei Ruo noticed that the previously empty yard and houses on the east and west sides had been converted into production areas and warehouses for raw materials storage. Upon seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s arrival, Zhao Hai, who was busy chopping wood, rose to greet her. ¡°Miss!¡± Zhao Hai greeted energetically, his face filled with excitement. ¡°How has your brother been doing recently?¡± Wei Ruo inquired. ¡°Thanks to you, Miss, my brother¡¯s health has been excellent. He¡¯s about to take the imperial examination soon, so I arranged for him to study in peace in the room at the back,¡± Zhao Hai answered. ¡°Good, tell him to concentrate on preparing for the examinations for now. He doesn¡¯t need to worry about anything else,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Thank you, Miss, for your concern! I don¡¯t know how to express my gratitude. If it wasn¡¯t for you, Miss, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to apany my brother to the Capital City, and my brother wouldn¡¯t have such a peaceful ce for his studies,¡± Zhao Hai said with a grateful nce. ¡°I needed your help in the Capital City, so there¡¯s no need for you to feel indebted,¡± she replied. Wei Ruo then asked Zhao Hai about the progress of the workshop, both to understand the current state of affairs and to evaluate if Zhao Hai had managed the work properly.
¡°Miss, those are grinding mortars, used for grinding the materials ¨C Afu takes care of that; those big boilers over there are used for boiling mixed liquids. The iron lid on top is used for collecting the steam that will be perfume ¨C Dazhuang manages that part; and here is where materials are being prepared ¨C it¡¯s a rather meticulous task which is handled by Achang, who has previous experience as he used to be a pharmacist apprentice¡­¡± Zhao was a simple man, but when he introduced the operations inside the workshop, he was clear, methodical and urate. Wei Ruo smiled, ¡°Did you organize all of this?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Zhao Hai scratched his head.
¡°Your brother, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You saw through us, Miss,¡± Zhao Hai shyly admitted. ¡°That¡¯s okay, everyone excels at different things,¡± Wei Ruo said. Although Zhao Hai was not very smart, he was dedicated and hard-working. When Wei Ruo designated him as manager, he was always the first to act and set an example, which earned him the respect of his subordinates. Feeling shy, Zhao Hai lowered his eyes with a smile. After walking around the workshop and confirming that everything was progressing ording to her n, she moved up to the front of the shop to check on the renovation progress. The shop was divided into three areas by Wei Ruo: The first was the customer resting area. Designed like a teahouse, it was cozy and private. Her target customers were the noble families in the Capital City. To sell her high-priced items to them, she first needed to make themfortable. They didn¡¯t want to shop alongside unknown people. Therefore, providing them with a rxed environment where they could enjoy the products was essential.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The next area was the disy section. Although there weren¡¯t many kinds of products in the shop, each one was of high quality. Therefore, an equally refined disy was necessary. The disy shelves were carefully designed, with product samples arranged next to the product¡¯s description, exining its origin and benefits. Thest area was for checking out, consisting of a cashier¡¯s desk and a storage room. There wasn¡¯t much special about that. After leaving Daiyue Residence, Wei Ruo headed to Caiyun Room. She didn¡¯t n to directly open a fabric shop, but intended to first sell her fabrics in Caiyun Room. Today, she was hoping to have a chance to talk with the owner of Caiyun Room. As soon as she stepped in, she heard a familiar voice¡­
Chapter 445: 445: A Light Punishment_1 Chapter 445: A Light Punishment_1 ¡°Wanwan, look at this piece of fabric, itplements your skin tone, making it even more delicate and smooth.¡± Madam Bai enthusiastically spoke to Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan nodded, ¡°I will listen to my second aunt.¡± Madam Bai looked at Wei Qingwan¡¯s obedient and agreeable demeanor, and the smile on her face grew broader. ¡°Let¡¯s choose these several pieces then. We¡¯ll select a couple of them for you to make some dresses, and the rest will be your dowry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do as my second aunt suggests.¡± ¡°Second aunt is just giving you some suggestions. If you have any ideas, you can tell your second aunt, and she will definitely help you,¡± Madam Bai said. ¡°My second aunt has already helped me so much. I don¡¯t know how to thank her,¡±Wei Qingwan replied. ¡°What are you saying? We are all family. Your mother has to take care of both you and your sister¡¯s weddings. She¡¯s a little bit more invested in your sister¡¯s marriage, and it¡¯s inevitable that she may neglect you a bit. If your second aunt doesn¡¯t help you, who will?¡± Madam Baiforted her. When mention turned to Madame Yun, Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit down, because she indeed felt that Yun seemed to care more about Wei Qingruo¡¯s marriage. As expected, her attitude towards her had started to shift, especially after Wei Qingruo was promoted to being the legitimate wife of the ninth prince.
Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression change, Madam Bai quickly corrected herself: ¡°Your aunt said the wrong thing. What she said was off-handed, and it¡¯s not necessarily true that your mother was intentionally neglecting you. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Then Madam Bai said, ¡°Actually in my heart, you are much better than your sister in every way, and you are more like our Wei family¡¯s direct bloodline. I don¡¯t think the swapping at birth was necessarily true. To this point, there¡¯s no conclusive evidence to prove that you two were really switched. We cannot entirely believe the word of the midwife.¡± Hearing what Madam Bai said, Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart was stirred. Yes, it was merely the word of a midwife, why should she be convinced that she was not Wei¡¯s biological daughter? And perhaps Wei Qingruo was He family¡¯s biological child. But by now saying this was useless, no matter who was real and who was fake, their identities wouldn¡¯t change in the outside world. Just when Wei Ruo walked into the Caiyun Room, she happened to overhear the conversation between Bai and Wei Qingwan. Wei Ruo found itical, when had Yun ever favored her? It was just that her marriage was impending, and the pce had sent someone to supervise the preparations for her wedding. Yun had no choice but to focus on preparing her dowry first. Then Wei Ruo heard Bai say to Wei Qingwan, ¡°Wanwan, the fabrics here are nice, but they¡¯re not as good as those your sister received as rewards.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression became slightly stiff, but she still replied, ¡°It¡¯s just my fault for not having good skills like my sister, for not being able to get such rewards. Now I can only buy some ordinary fabrics for my dowry.¡± Madam Bai contemted, ¡°If I were your sister, I would generously share some with you to add to your dowry. In the future, you will both be Queens. It would be a good story for sisters to help each other out.¡± Wei Qingwan smirked, ¡°Not everyone is as enlightened as my second aunt. But regardless of what my sister does, she has her reasons, and I won¡¯t me her.¡± ¡°Oh, you do have a sense of the bigger picture, not like some people¡­¡± Bai didn¡¯t finish her sentence, considering the number of peopleing and going around, she sighed long expressing her helpless regret. Upon hearing this, Xiumei clenched her fists, looking angry. Wei Ruo noticed she was upset, ¡°Are you unhappy?¡± ¡°After hearing their conversation, I don¡¯t know why I want to punch someone!¡± Xiumei raised her fist and said resentfully. Wei Ruo chuckled, ¡°You can¡¯t do that, public fighting in the capital city will get you caught by the authorities. However, we can do something else.¡± As she spoke, Wei Ruo calmly walked up to Bai and Wei Qingwan and touched the teal brocade they had selected. ¡°Young man, my mistress has chosen this fabric,¡± said Cuihe. Wei Ruo was brilliantly disguised, even Chu Lan and the others didn¡¯t recognize her, let alone Cuihe.
Wei Ruo nodded and then discreetly walked away. When Wei Ruo returned to Xiumei, she had a mischievous smile on her face. She then whispered something in Xiumei¡¯s ear. Xiumeiughed out loud, worrying that herughter was too obvious, she quickly covered her mouth with her right hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go and get down to business,¡± said Wei Ruo.
Afterughing, Wei Ruo took Xiumei to find the clerk of the Caiyun Room, exined their purpose, and they were led to a room at the back of the store. When Wei Ruo opened the door, she was surprised at the person sitting in the room. The owner of the Caiyun Room turned out to be a beautiful married woman! She was determined that it was a married woman because she was wearing the hairstyle that was only worn by married women. At the same time, the woman¡¯s skin was fair, she had a beautiful face, her eyes glowed with charm, her lips were red while her teeth were white, and her figure was enchanting. A phrase popped up in Wei Ruo¡¯s mind: A maturedy still has charm. As Wei Ruo examined the beautiful woman, the woman was also examining Wei Ruo. ¡°My clerk said you have fabrics to sell me?¡± The woman asked casually, a distant look in her eyes. She wasn¡¯t really interested in the young gentleman in front of her; she nevercked suppliers in her Cloud Room, but many people wanted to sell fabrics to her. The reason she agreed to meet him was merely because he had the audacity toe directly to negotiate business and even boasted of having fabrics she had never seen before. ¡°Yes, my surname is Xu, I¡¯m a small businessman. May I know how to address you?¡± ¡°Just call me Madam Sun,¡± the woman said. ¡°Madam Sun, I have some fabrics to show you. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d be interested,¡± Wei Ruo said, taking out a handkerchief-sized piece of fabric and handed it to her politely.
Madam Sunzily nced at the fabric in Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. Then, her face changed. She quickly stepped forward, grabbed the fabric and squinted at it closely. ¡°Where did you get this color?¡± Madam Sun was immediately taken by the fabric¡¯s purple color. This color was not easy to procure because the yield was very low and extremely precious, and was usually contributed to the pce. Common stores didn¡¯t sell it. Her shop did not sell it regrly. Even when she asionally got some, she wouldn¡¯t publicly disy it for sale, instead selling it privately to the dignitaries she knew. ¡°Madam Sun, I¡¯m selling this fabric. Can we leave the issue of dyeing aside for a moment?¡± Wei Ruo said. Madam Sun paused, then put her focus back on the fabric itself, caressing it gently with her fingertips. ¡°What kind of fabric is this?¡± Madam Sun asked, her expression serious and doubtful. Her voice was curt, revealing her eagerness to know the answer. Chapter 446: 446 Bargaining Cloth Sales_1 Chapter 446: Bargaining Cloth Sales_1 ¡°Cotton,¡± answered Wei Ruo. ¡°Impossible, cotton cloth can¡¯t be this soft and delicate,¡± said Madam Sun. ¡°Then does Madam Sun think this is made of silk?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°It¡¯s not made from silk. I, Madam Sun, began rearing silkworms at age five, weaving at age seven, and trading silk at age thirteen. Whether it¡¯s spring silkworms or autumn silkworms, whether it¡¯s from Jiangnan or Shu region, I can tell at a nce. I stake my reputation that this material is definitely not made from silk,¡± asserted Madam Sun. Wei Ruo smiled faintly, ¡°So indeed, it¡¯s cotton, made from cotton. But the cotton used is a bit different.¡± ¡°What¡¯s different?¡± Madam Sun couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°The variety of cotton is different, leading to significant differences in the cotton fibers produced. The final textiles produced also vary greatly. This one in my hand is made from high-quality cotton, its texture is no less inferior to that of silk, and it¡¯s soft and skin-friendly, very suitable for making intimate clothing¡± ¡°Where does this kind of cottone from?¡± Madam Sun quickly asked. ¡°Madam Sun, that¡¯s my trade secret I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t disclose that.¡± Of course, she couldn¡¯t tell. This was a new space seed ¡ª long-staple cotton, unlocked when her space upgraded to level seven. Compared to normal cotton, it exhibits better resistance to diseases and pests, longer fibers, and has a better texture.
For a variety of reasons, Wei Ruo had not yet introduced these cotton seeds forrge-scale cultivation outside. However, now that her space had seven plots ofnd, even if she only cultivated in her space, the harvest from one season was a considerable amount of cotton which was enough to fill a warehouse. Before heading to Capital City, Wei Ruo dispatched some cotton to Mo Jiazha in Huzhou Prefecture and hired a few local weavers to spin the cotton into cloth. The first sample along with two jars of thyme was sent to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence before the New Year, and arger quantity of the fabric was still stored in the warehouse at Daiyue Residence. Madam Sun stared at Wei Ruo for a long time, then responded with a charming smile, ¡°Young Master, do you know that my shop, Caiyun Room, is one of the top fabric stores in Capital City? The queue of people wanting to do business with me stretches from White Tiger Street to the west gate of Capital City. If you want to do business with me, you¡¯d better show your sincerity, otherwise, I, Madam Sun, will not keep youpany.¡± Wei Ruo was not flustered, calmly replying, ¡°If Madam Sun is reluctant, I can¡¯t force it. I must have disturbed you.¡± Saying this, Wei Ruo was about to leave.N?v(el)B\\jnn As he reached the door, Madam Sun called out, ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Wei Ruo stopped, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he turned back and asked, ¡°Does Madam Sun have something else to ask?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to know the origin of your cotton,¡± Madam Sunpromised, ¡°But I want to see the whole cloth. You can¡¯t expect me to close the deal just with this handkerchief-sized sample, can you?¡± ¡°Naturally there¡¯s no problem, but transporting the full cloth here will require some cost and time. Before that, I would like to ask how much Madam Sun is willing to offer for my cloth. If the price is right, I will have it shipped here,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Instead of replying immediately, Madam Sun narrowed her eyes, studying Wei Ruo with shrewd eyes. ¡°How much are you thinking per chi, young master?¡± Madam Sun countered after a long silence. ¡°Five hundred wen,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Five hundred wen? Are you referring to a chi or a zhang?¡± Madam Sun asked. ¡°A chi.¡± ¡°Are you spouting nonsense?¡± Madam Sun sneered. Five hundred wen a chi would mean five taels for a zhang, which is twenty-five taels for a roll of cloth! ¡°Why not? Madam Sun, there are more expensive fabrics in your shop,¡± Wei Ruo countered.
¡°Those high-priced fabrics are all high-grade silk and satin, your cotton cloth is noparison,¡± Madam Sun retorted. ¡°However, Madam Sun, there is a rarity factor for my cotton cloth which is not less valuable than silk. Ordinary cotton cloth sells cheaper than silk because it does not share the luster and is not scarce. My cotton cloth, however, possesses both of these qualities, hence I believe the price I have quoted is not unreasonable.¡± ¡°Even so, your cloth is ultimately made from cotton and can¡¯t bepared with silk products. How about this, I¡¯llpromise and offer two hundred wen per chi. This price is already higher than ordinary cotton cloth,¡± Madam Sun suggested. ¡°Five hundred wen,¡± Wei Ruo repeated the price.
¡°I, Madam Sun, am known for offering fair prices. I know better than anyone who buys what cloth and how much it¡¯s worth. No matter how good your cloth is, it cannot be worth more than what I¡¯ve offered.¡± ¡°What if the color factor was included? A in fabric may not fetch this price, but wouldn¡¯t a fabric of a rare color?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Madam Sun paused, narrowing her eyes and reexamining the fabric sample in her hand. Then she said, ¡°This purple color is indeed valuable. If all your fabric is this color, it really can fetch a high price. Is all of your fabric this color?¡± If it really was all purple, then it would definitely be worth more than five hundred wen. Would anyone really use such a precious purple dye for cotton fabric on arge scale? ¡°Not all of them, but one out of twenty rolls is this purple color.¡± ¡°The ordinary colors I¡¯ll take for two hundred wen per chi, and the purple one ¨C five hundred wen.¡± ¡°Sell them mixed, all at the price of five hundred wen per chi,¡± said Wei Ruo. We Ruo knew very well, purple would go for more than five hundred wen per chi, while the other ordinary colors wouldn¡¯t fetch this price. He wanted Madam Sun to take all of them together. Madam Sun had to take a second look at Wei Ruo. Finally, with a charming smile, she said, ¡°You¡¯re quite shrewd, mixing a batch of purple in twenty rolls, but expecting me to take all of them for five hundred wen per bolt.¡± ¡°Madam Sun, you wanted me to stay and negotiate, which indicates that you are really interested in this fabric. And any fabric that interests you surely has a good market. Therefore, I believe Madam Sun can still profit at this price,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Are you very familiar with me, Madam Sun?¡±
¡°No, I don¡¯t know Madam Sun, in fact until today I didn¡¯t even know Caiyun Room¡¯s owner was ady. But I know any owner who can start a shop like Caiyun Room in Capital City is definitely very knowledgeable about the market and very wise.¡± ¡°Are you buttering me up?¡± Madam Sun approached Wei Ruo with a winsome smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± ¡°You are quite clever for your age,¡± Madam Sunplimented. ¡°Madam Sun, you tter me. I am just starting out and have a lot to learn from you,¡± said Wei Ruo. Chapter 447: 447 Got a Strange Disease _1 Chapter 447: Got a Strange Disease _1n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Your words are indeed eloquent,¡± Sun San¡¯niang said with a smile. ¡°I hope that Boss Sun can give me a chance,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°You ask me for an opportunity but refuse to budge on the price.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t take it the wrong way, Boss Sun. The materials were hard toe by, so I simply can¡¯t lower the price,¡± said Wei Ruo. Sighing, Sun San¡¯niang said, ¡°All right, all right. Given the quality of your material, I agree to your price. However, it¡¯s based on the condition that all materials you bringter are of this quality. If any are subpar, I won¡¯t ept them.¡± Knowing well that the materials were not just exceptional but also unique, Sun San¡¯niang felt that the price she paid was justified. Her previous words were just tactics of negotiating and bargaining. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s unwavering stance, Sun San¡¯niang didn¡¯t try to haggle further, fearing that if she did, the deal might fall through. ¡°I will deliver the materials in a few days, Boss Sun. Please inspect them in person,¡± Wei Ruo proposed. ¡°Agreed,¡± Sun San¡¯niang affirmed. By the time Wei Ruo finished speaking with Sun San¡¯niang, Wei Qingwan and Lady Bai had already left Caiyun Room.
Wei Ruo made sure to check the condition of all the employees in the store, and once ensuring that no one was feeling ill, she left. Since it was alreadyte, Wei Ruo and Xiumei went back to the house they came from, changed clothes, and got back into the carriage. ¡°Madam, did the two guards who followed us ask you about my whereabouts?¡± In the carriage, Wei Ruo asked Nanny Zhang. ¡°They asked several times, but I didn¡¯t say anything. I just told them to be patient and that you¡¯d return when your task waspleted,¡± replied Nanny Zhang. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°But miss, they might report this to the Madam when they get back,¡± warned Nanny Zhang. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about that. Let them report it if they want to,¡± replied Wei Ruo calmly. Wei Ruo had no fear of these guards getting suspicious or of having to confront Madam about their report. She didn¡¯t care about her reputation being ruined. On the contrary, it was the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence that worried about her reputation. So, when these guards reported to the Madam, she would likely ask them to keep quiet. At this point, the seniors wouldn¡¯t punish her for anything. At the most, they¡¯d restrict her from going out the next time. It waste when Wei Ruo returned to the mansion. She had her dinner in Changchun Garden. Her meals had improved over the past few days and the dishes sent from the main kitchen were not just fresh, but also abundant. After dinner, Wei Ruo heard that doctors were summoned for Lady Bai and Wei Qingwan. Since their return, they and their maids had developed itchy red rashes all over their bodies for unknown reasons. Lady Bai was seen crying and screaming in difort. She was so itchy that she even tore her clothes off. Wei Qingwan was no better. She was seen weeping a lot and rolling on her bed. Lady Yun was sweating profusely due to the worry and even the Madam was disturbed and went to see them personally. Now, with the doctor yet to arrive, no one in the house knew what was wrong with them and whether they¡¯d contracted some strange disease.
Xiumei chuckled softly behind her hand, ¡°What disease? This is the effect of the medicine the mistress specially prepared!¡± Just then in Caiyun Room, Wei Ruo had applied the medicinal powder to the fabric that Wei Qingwan had chosen. Naturally, when Wei Qingwan and Lady Bai touched the fabric again, they came into contact with the medicinal powder. Anyone whoes into contact with this powder breaks out in itchy rashes. While it¡¯s unbearable, it isn¡¯t life-threatening and usually fades within two to three days. Before leaving Caiyun Room, Wei Ruo made sure none of the employees felt unwell, just in case they touched the fabric again. She did not want any innocent people to suffer.
If anyone identally came into contact with it, Wei Ruo had the antidote. The symptoms would disappear immediately after taking it. Later, Xiumei went out to find out what was happening and discovered that the doctor the Wei family had summoned couldn¡¯t identify the cause of Lady Bai and Wei Qingwan¡¯s condition. Only some general medication for rashes was prescribed for them to take. Lady Bai and Wei Qingwan had a tough night, crying and fussing until dawn. The next day, while there was some relief, the rashes didn¡¯t fade. The medication prescribed by the doctor wasn¡¯t effective. Everybody in the mansion was anxious, especially for Wei Qingwan. They feared her rashes wouldn¡¯t heal, that she may fall deathly ill, or that the rashes would leave scars, making it challenging to exin to Prince Yu. After three days, the rashes on Lady Bai and Wei Qingwan finally cleared without leaving any scars. Only then did the Wei family breathed a sigh of relief. 2 ### Twentieth of February. Xiu Fengyuan visited Wei Yichen. With the civil service examination approaching, Xiu Fengyuan hade to Capital City to take the test. Xiu Fengyuan should have been concentrating on preparing for the examination at his ce at that time but instead, he came to find Wei Yichen. In Wei Yichen¡¯s study, Xiu Fengyuan sat somberly. His handsome face bore a sullen expression, a faint glow of anger in his brow.
¡°Why did you not stop it? Are you just going to allow Ruoruo to be arranged into such a marriage?¡± Xiu Fengyuan questioned Wei Yichen. Before departing for the Capital City, he had heard about the ns of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence to betroth Wei Ruo to the almost sixty-year-old Marquis Xuanping as a surrogate wife. This news had deeply angered and upset him. Upon arriving in Capital City, he learnt that Wei Ruo had been betrothed by an imperial decree to the ninth prince who was nearing death. This news left him feeling bitter and conflicted. Despite thinking it over time and again, he still felt restless. Hence, he decided to meet with Wei Yichen to rify matters. Xiu Fengyuan said with bitterness and regret in his voice, ¡°I chose to abandon and yield, not to see her be a surrogate wife or marry a dying man. She should marry someone better than me, someone who can protect her!¡± Wei Yichen, expressionless, responded, ¡°Brother Xiu, you¡¯re too impulsive. Now is a crucial time for examination preparation. You should not be distracted by these matters.¡± Xiu Fengyuan stared at Wei Yichen in confusion, ¡°I¡¯m an outsider, but Ruoruo is your sister, a person who twice saved your life. Why are you so indifferent towards her?¡± Wei Yichen looked at Xiu Fengyuan with an indifferent expression, ¡°What do you think I could have done, Brother Xiu? Who can change an imperial decree? Even if that weren¡¯t the case, regarding the earlier marriage arrangement with the Marquis Xuanping Residence, we¡¯d have been just as powerless to change anything.¡± Xiu Fengyuan fell silent, ¡°But¡­ how about Ruoruo? She¡­ does she really have to marry and be a widow? How could we bear that?¡± Just the thought of Wei Ruo having to marry someone on the verge of death made him feel as if there was a huge rock pressing against his chest. ¡°If you wish to protect someone, Brother Xiu, you must first make yourself stronger. Otherwise, it¡¯s all empty talk. For the both of us, the best way to protect our family is to perform well in our examinations, be governmental officials and not waste our time on meaningless worries.¡± Xiu Fengyuan stared confusedly at Wei Yichen. ¡°So, you aren¡¯t indifferent towards your elder sister, but rather, you know how to protect her?¡±
Chapter 448: 448: Wei Qingwan has a Dispute with the Yun Family_1 Chapter 448: Wei Qingwan has a Dispute with the Yun Family_1 ¡°Brother Xiu, the status and position Ruoruo would have in the future, whether she would be respected by her husband¡¯s family after getting married, the influence of her father and brothers ys a significant role. As long as the Wei Family is strong and my father and I have a ce in the court, even if she bes a widow, she would still have a peaceful and well-off life in future. Conversely, even if she could marry into a decent family now, it does not guarantee that she would live happily in the future.¡± Xiu Fengyuan was astounded and didn¡¯t know how to respond. Wei Yichen continued, ¡°Brother Xiu, notionally, worldly matters areplicated. To protect the ones you love and to punish the ones you hate, you must acquire corresponding abilities. The imperial examinations only happen once every three years. If you miss it, you would have to wait for another three years. It would be unwise to miss out on such a great opportunity short sightedly.¡± After hearing Wei Yichen¡¯s remarks, Xiu Fengyuan suddenly realized that he may have been too impulsive. ¡°I understand now, Brother Yichen. I did not consider these things thoughtfully, thank you for your guidance.¡± Xiu Fengyuan holds his hands in front as a gesture of respect and expresses his gratitude to Wei Yichen. After that, he took his leave from Duke Residence, returned to his temporary residence in the Capital City, and immersed himself in his studies to prepare for the exam. ### Wei Ruo was going through the ounts in her room as the preparation for theunch of Daiyue Residence was ongoing with much work yet to be done. The cost of raw materials,bor cost, sales strategy; everything needed careful consideration.
¡°Miss, we have received a letter from Tongde Hall.¡± Xiumei walked in and brought news from outside. ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°Thest two batches of medicinal herbs have been sold out, especially the skin-care ointment. It was a hit among thedies of prestigious families and is now high in demand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Besides, the scar removal ointment that you have consigned at Tongde Hall has caught the attention of many but so far, no one has made a purchase.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± As expected. She intentionally kept the price of the ointment exorbitantly high, not with the intention of selling it. ¡°Miss, I heard that Second Miss has been getting close with Second Madamtely. Do you think Second Madam would lend her the money to buy the ointment?¡± Xiumei asked. Second Madam, from the Bai family, came from a merchant family. Her grandfather was once the richest man in the region. Even though her family¡¯s forter declined, and since her father was the second son, he only inherited 20% of her grandfather¡¯s wealth, they were still much wealthier than average families. So, even though the Duke residence was in financial straits, Second Madam Bai was wealthy, thanks to her hefty dowry. Throughout these years, Wei Mingyong suffered numerous business failures and umted significant losses, with Bai secretly covering most of the losses with her own dowry. If Wei Qingwan genuinely wanted to buy the ointment that Wei Ruo had put up for sale at Tongde Hall, she would have to seek help from Bai. ¡°If she can¡¯t borrow the money, then she would have to endure the agony of seeing the ointment in front of her, yet not being able to afford it. This would feel even worse than not having the ointment in the first ce. And if she could sessfully borrow the money and really decides to spend a fortune on the ointment, then I would make a profit of two thousand taels from a single ointment box, even just the thought of it make me ecstatic!¡± In conclusion, regardless of whether Wei Qingwan buys it or not, Wei Ruo is content. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s response, Xiumei nodded repeatedly and then took out a letter from her bosom, ¡°Yes, Miss, this is a letter for you from Miss Xie.¡± Wei Ruo immediately took it and began to read it. ¡°Miss, what did Miss Xie mention?¡± ¡°Yingying has mentioned in the letter that she will be visiting me in a few days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡±
¡°Yes, prepare some delicacies by then.¡± Wei Ruo was also looking forward to reunite with Xie Ying. While Wei Ruo was talking to Xiumei, Cuiping came over with a message from Madam Yun. ¡°Miss, Madam Yun has sent me to summon you.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±
Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know why Madam Yun called her over, but she knew she had to go. Wei Ruo followed Cuiping to Anxin Pavilion, Madam Yun¡¯s residence in the Duke Residence. The room was a bit smaller than Grand Madam¡¯s Shou¡¯an Hall but was still quite spaciouspared to their residence at the Taizhou prefecture. Upon entering the room, Wei Ruo saw Wei Qingwan, who was bowing her head and biting her lower lip, wearing an expression that didn¡¯t seem too pleasant. As soon as Madam Yun saw Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruo, have a look at these, these are the dowries I prepared for you.¡± Two newly made mahoganycquer boxes, about a foot long and half a foot wide, were ced on the table to Madam Yun¡¯s right. Wei Ruo came over to Madam Yun and saw silver ingots, some jewelry, and deeds of house andnd ced inside both boxesN?v(el)B\\jnn The items in both boxes seem to be roughly the same. Madam Yun said, ¡°There isn¡¯t much, but I have tried to give you girls the best I have.¡± Wei Ruo remained silent, unsure whether to ept these items or not. Given her personality, Wei Ruo would rather not ept these items from Madam Yun. But at the same moment, the memories of the original owner surfaced in her mind. The original owner had suffered for more than ten years without receiving any attention or love from Madam Yun, so epting these items seemed somewhat reasonable. It would be better than letting Madam Yun give everything to Wei Qingwan. Just as Wei Ruo was pondering, Wei Qingwan spoke up, ¡°Mother, why won¡¯t you agree when Second Aunt is willing to help me?¡±
¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re being confused. Two thousand taels of silver, is buying a box of ointment worth that much money?¡± Madam Yun earnestly questioned. It appeared that before Wei Ruo arrived, Wei Qingwan and Madam Yun were discussing this topic, and the conversation wasn¡¯t progressing smoothly. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it worth it? If I were to marry into an ordinary family, then it wouldn¡¯t matter. But now, I am to be the consort of Prince Yu. If there is a scar on my back, how am I to gain favor or survive in the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Wei Qingwan asked tearfully. Madam Yun was emotionally torn. After that incident in the family, her husband almost beat Wanwan to death. Leaving her alive was an act of mercy; they didn¡¯t have the luxury to worry whether the punishment would leave a scar or not. But who could have imagined that this scar would be a major issues since Wanwan became the consort of Prince Yu. No doubt the scar is a problem, but then the ointment itself is too expensive! Initially, they were reluctantly purchasing it for hundred taels, and now, for two thousand taels, it was akin to daylight robbery! Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°I am not asking mother to pay for it, since Second Aunt is willing to lend me the money, why are you hesitating?¡± Madam Yun sighed, ¡°Your Second Aunt is willing to lend you the money, but she wants you to sign a promissory note. How are you going to repay her in the future?¡± Wei Qingwan responded, ¡°I will find a way! At worst, I will sell my dowry to repay her!¡± ¡°You do not understand your Second Aunt and her husband; they are driven by personal gains. Borrowing such arge sum of money from her could stir trouble for you!¡± Madam Yun cautioned. ¡°Mother, I have difficulties, Second Aunt is willing to help me, even if she has a merchant¡¯s mind and wants to gain some benefits from me, isn¡¯t better than ignoring my desperate situation?¡± Wei Qingwan questioned. Chapter 449: 449 Yun family made to cry by Wei Qingwan_1 Chapter 449: Yun family made to cry by Wei Qingwan_1 Wei Ruo was standing off to the side, feeling that her position was somewhat inappropriate. But at this moment, Madame Yun was in the throes of a headache, and it was not suitable for Wei Ruo to interrupt, so she simply sat down on a chair nearby. The fact that the Bai family was willing to lend Wei Qingwan silver wasn¡¯t surprising, as lending money to Wei Qingwan was an investment for the Bai family. There would be ample opportunities in the future for repayment. What surprised Wei Ruo was that Wei Qingwan would actually want to borrow the silver to purchase her expensive ointment. That was two-thousand taels of silver! That could purchase two-thousand acres ofnd in Taizhou prefecture! It seemed that Wei Qingwan¡¯s obsession with her back injury was deeper than she had thought, so much so that it could be described as a fixation. This indirectly reflected Wei Qingwan¡¯s fear of falling out of favor after marrying into the King Yu Residence, and her genuine desire topete for attention. Once proiming the supremacy of love, but now only thinking of how to win favor, Wei Ruo found the change amusing, though she didn¡¯t know what caused it. In response to Wei Qingwan¡¯s query, Madame Yun felt an unbearable headache. She didn¡¯t know how to exin the situation to her daughter. ¡°Wanwan, I understand your feelings and your desire to heal the scar on your back, but you need to be rational. Two-thousand taels of silver is excessive. We can consult with other doctors in the Capital City. Perhaps there are other ways to heal your scar,¡± Madame Yun advised.
¡°Mother, I¡¯ve tried many ways and none are better. I¡¯ve made up my mind, whether you agree or not, I¡¯ll proceed on my own,¡± Wei Qingwan said with determination. Looking at Wei Qingwan in disbelief, Madame Yun asked, ¡°Are you defying me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not defying you, Mother. It¡¯s you who refuse to consider my wishes.¡± With tear-rimmed eyes, Wei Qingwan nced resentfully at Wei Ruo, who was quietly observing from nearby. ¡°I know that in your heart, Mother, Ruoruo is your real daughter, and I am just your adopted daughter.¡± Taken aback by the sudden reference, Wei Ruo remained silent, just looking at Wei Qingwan. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Madame Yun¡¯s head throbbed painfully, her vision blurring. ¡°Did I get it wrong, Mother? The preparations for the dowries you gave to Ruoruo and me were different. The deeds to the house andnd you gave sister were far better than those you gave me. Did my mother think I was ignorant? My Second Aunt told me about the value of the properties you own in the Capital City long ago, so I know the difference,¡± Wei Qingwan confronted. ¡°You¡­You¡¯re wrong,¡± Madame Yun¡¯s chest heaved with exertion. ¡°Where did I err, Mother? The dowry you prepared for Ruoruo is indeed more expensive than the one you prepared for me. As your adopted daughter, I don¡¯t resent you for that. I am already grateful for the care you gave me and I didn¡¯t expect to be treated equally as Ruoruo.¡± ¡°But you not only deceived me, telling me that you treat us both equally and prepared the same dowry for us, you also wanted to stop Second Aunt from helping me. I don¡¯t understand why, Mother. Even though I¡¯m not your real daughter, don¡¯t you care about my future at all? Does our mother-daughter rtionship of so many years amount to nothing?¡± ¡°You¡­You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Madame Yun¡¯s vision turned ck, as though cloaked by dark clouds. Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°No matter what you say, Mother, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯ll leave you to rest.¡± Wei Qingwan finished speaking, left without waiting for Madame Yun¡¯s response. This moment was beyond what Madame Yun could bear. ¡°Wanwan¡­How could Wanwan¡­¡± she trailed off in despair. Cuiping stepped forward to offer Madame Yun some water, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. Have some water to calm down.¡± ¡°Why has Wanwan changed like this? Why?¡± Madame Yunmented, her face full of pain.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Madam, don¡¯t be upset. The Second Miss has been quite close to Second Aunttely. Perhaps she was misled, which is why she was disrespectful to you. You shouldn¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Cuiping attempted tofort her. ¡°She¡¯s really foolish! Can she trust her Second Uncle and Second Aunt? They are cunning and ambitious, always scheming to ascend the socialdder! How could they sincerely care for her?¡± Madame Yun was tearful, sounding bitterly disappointed.
She thenmented, ¡°Wanwan used to be so sensible and obedient, always listening to me. Why has she changed so much now? To say that I favor Ruoruo, clearly, I¡­¡±She stopped abruptly after realizing someone else was present. At this time, the silent Wei Ruo stood up. ¡°Mother, I have things to attend to, and won¡¯t disturb you any further. Goodbye,¡± Wei Ruo bid her farewell. Madame Yun was too consumed by her anguish to keep Wei Ruo any longer. She weakly raised her hand, signaling for her to leave.
Only after Wei Ruo left did Madame Yun continue speaking to Cuiping, ¡°I¡¯ve clearly been favoring Wanwan, yet she still resents me so much! She has truly broken my heart!¡± Indeed, there was a difference in the house andnd deeds that Madame Yun prepared for her two daughters, with those for Wei Ruo being more valuable. But the jewelry Madame Yun gave to Wei Qingwan was worth more than Wei Ruo¡¯s. In the end, the dowries she prepared for both were of equal value. For these outward symbols, Madame Yun tried her best to be fair. There was no favoritism. Madame Yun had also prepared a silver note worth five-hundred taels, nning to give it to Wei Qingwan covertly. This led to an even stronger pang of heartache. After leaving Anxin Pavilion, Wei Ruo nned to go to Changchun Garden. ¡°Are you happy today, Sister?¡± Wei Qingwan hadn¡¯t gone far, but waited at the door of Anxin Pavilion for Wei Ruo. ¡°What does it matter whether I¡¯m happy or not?¡± Wei Ruo countered. Wei Qingwan let out a lightugh, ¡°I admit, I lost to you in Wei Residence. Father, Mother, Big Brother, Little Brother, they all prefer you now. You¡¯ve taken everything that once belonged to me. But don¡¯t forget, we still have a long road ahead of us. We are both going to marry into the Royal Family. At that time, who will have the upper hand and who will have thestugh is still uncertain, so Sister, you shouldn¡¯t start celebrating so soon!¡± Wei Ruo curved her lips into a smile, ¡°Let me remind you, only I am going to be a daughter-inw in the Royal Family. You are not. Haven¡¯t you heard that a concubine can¡¯t call herself a wife?¡± Wei Qingwan let out a coldugh, ¡°Fine, if you insist on having thest word, go ahead. I waited here today just to tell you that I, Wei Qingwan, will reim everything you took from me sooner orter.¡±
Wei Ruo answered unhurriedly, ¡°Firstly, we don¡¯t know who is having thest word; secondly, I have never taken anything from you; thirdly, some things were never yours to begin with.¡± Having said that, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t pay any more attention to Wei Qingwan and walked away quickly. Left behind, Wei Qingwan coldly watched Wei Ruo¡¯s departing figure. Chapter 450: 450: Wedding Date_1 Chapter 450: Wedding Date_1 Wei Qingwan ultimately disregarded the advice of Yun and borrowed money from the Bai family. Upon hearing this, Yun was furious and was about to punish Wei Qingwan by making her kneel, but Bai, who had heard the news, rushed to Shou¡¯an Hall to report to the old master and madam. They hurried over to prevent Wei Qingwan from being punished. Given that Wei Qingwan was engaged to be married into King Yu Residence, any mishap at this stage would bring disrepute to the Wei family that they couldn¡¯t bear. Even though the old master Wei found Qingwan¡¯s actions to be a bit inappropriate, he was supportive, hoping that his granddaughter would be favored within King Yu Residence. Eventually, Yun could only let the matter slide. Before long, the silver note worth two thousand taels had made its way into Wei Ruo¡¯s hands. Wei Ruo looked at the silver note in her hand and found the situation rather amusing. When she set an exorbitant price for the ointment, she had merely wanted to make Wei Qingwan envious and miserable. Never had she anticipated actually making this much money, and causing disputes between Yun and Wei Qingwan. Wei Ruo was unsure how to assess the situation. Wei Qingwan seemed to be growing increasingly obstinate, a stark contrast to her portrayal in the original book as weak yet kindhearted, even saintly, character. While Wei Ruo was deep in thought, someone from outside came to invite her to the front yard.
Today was the day Prince Nine sent his betrothal gifts. Wei Ruo had to go and review them. Upon arrival in the front yard, Wei Ruo saw it filled with boxesrge and small, many times more than what had been sent by Marquis Xuanping. A pce attendant presented a list to Wei Ruo. Two hundred taels of gold, ten thousand taels of silver, sixty horses, one gold tea caddy, two silver tea caddies, two silver basins, a thousand bolts of silk, twenty sets of horse armor, twenty jade articles, four jade Ruyi scepters, a precious enamel basin set with dragon and phoenix patterns, as well as multiple renowned calligraphies and paintings. Betrothal gifts for a prince¡¯s consort from the royal family had always followed a certain standard, thus the main consort of Prince Yu, and Prince Jing must have received the same betrothal gifts. However, for the declining Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, this was an unprecedented sight. The spectacle had left everyone ¡ª from old master Wei to the lowly servants ¡ª in awe. Wei Ruo watched the pile of betrothal gifts filled up the room, unfazed. The wedding was set for the eighth day of May, coinciding with the previously agreed upon date with Marquis Xuanping. The date didn¡¯t change, only the groom did. This wedding date seemed a bit early, even earlier than the weddings of the Sixth Prince and the Seventh Prince. However, considering the special physical condition of the Ninth Prince, it might notst long. ording to the news from the pce, the Emperor arranged this marriage to bring good luck, so it was reasonable to put his wedding before the other princes¡¯. The only unreasonable part was choosing her, a woman who was supposedly bad luck for husbands, for the purpose of ¡°bringing good luck¡±. If Prince Nine really had a short life, he would be a decent husband. First, marrying into the royal family means she wouldn¡¯t have the hassle of serving her inws; Second, after his death, he would not be involved in the power struggle for session, and no one would target his widow specifically;n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Third, as the main queen, her status would not be low, and she could enjoy the sry from the court. She couldfortably provide for herself and openly run various industries outside, without harm from anyone. But so far, Wei Ruo still had no idea what kind of person Prince Nine was. Why would someone who never appeared in the original book appear in her life? She always felt that there was more to this. So, she could not easily assume that marrying Prince Nine meant marrying a dying man. But this was the Emperor¡¯s decree, how could she escape it? How could she confront the court?
Not long after Wei Ruo arrived at the front yard, Bai also came. Looking at the room full of good things, Bai¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°So many good things! These silks are probably not avable to ordinary people, are they? Are these jade Ruyi made of blood jade?¡± Bai¡¯s family was wealthy, but she had never seen the things bestowed by the royal family. Now that she saw the betrothal gifts sent to Wei Ruo from the pce, she was a little dazzled. Bai came to Wei Ruo and grinned as eye slits appeared on her face: ¡°Our Ruo Ruo is really lucky.¡±
Wei Ruo gave Bai a nd look and said nothing. Bai¡¯s expression became awkward immediately, her smile frozen. She muttered curses about Wei Ruo in her heart. You cheap devil, Wei Qing Ruo! You haven¡¯t be queen yet! But you¡¯re already looking down on me! Not long after, Mo too arrived and looked at the room full of betrothal gifts, her expression changed as well. But unlike Bai, she did not reveal her feelings so tantly. She walked up to Wei Ruo and congratted her warmly, ¡°Congrattions, Ruo.¡± ¡°Thank you, Aunt Mo,¡± Wei Ruo replied courteously. Bai¡¯s face darkened even more. That cheap devil treated her so coldly but was so courteous to her sister-inw. It was in that she was mocking her! Wei Qingwan arrived only a little after Mo. Looking at the room full of dazzling betrothal gifts, Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes darkened, but she quickly concealed her feelings. Unlike others, she didn¡¯t show any obvious signs of envy. At this moment, Bai noticed Wei Qingwan, she quickly walked towards Wei Qingwan with a weing hand, ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re here. Come and look at your sister¡¯s betrothal gifts! The royal family has a standard for the betrothal gifts for the prince¡¯s consort. Generally, if we know the number of gifts for the main consort, we can guess the number of gifts for the concubine, you should expect about half of these.¡± Bai¡¯s words caused Wei Qingwan¡¯s face, which had just softened, to frost over again. But Bai¡¯s smile didn¡¯t fade: ¡°ording to tradition, since the Sixth Prince is older than the Ninth Prince, the Sixth Prince¡¯s wedding should be first. But the pce scheduled the Ninth Prince¡¯s wedding first, presumably due to concerns about the Ninth Prince¡¯s health condition, right?¡± ¡°However, no matter what, May 8th seems a bit rushed, and now everyone in the residence has to prepare for your sister¡¯s wedding. I guess they won¡¯t be able to take care of yours until your sister¡¯s wedding is over.¡±
Wei Qingwan cast a cold nce at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo chose to ignore Wei Qingwan¡¯s icy gaze. Whether she was dissatisfied or angry, she had to bear it. She had to tolerate it. If she had the ability, she could take it up with whoever set the date. ### March 9th, the first day of the imperial examination. The Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence was ready. Early in the morning, the olddy went to the ancestral hall to burn incense and pray for Wei Yichen¡¯s sess in the examination. The entire Wei family, including Wei Ruo, went to the gate to see off Wei Yichen. Before parting, Yun had a thousand things to say to Wei Yichen. But when the words reached her lips, they were reduced to ¡°Just do your best.¡± Wei Yichen nodded, then nced at Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan, and Wei Yilin, who were standing behind Yun. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t show any obvious emotion on her face. Regarding Wei Yichen¡¯s participation in the imperial examination, she seemed very calm, as if this was a verymon thing and not worth her worry. Chapter 451: 451 I want to buy a gift for my older sister_1 Chapter 451: I want to buy a gift for my older sister_1 Wei Qingwan, who normally stands closest to the Yun family, is standing furthest away today. When Wei Yichen¡¯s gaze sweeps past her, she coldly looks away. Staring at Wei Yichen with a pair of bright, eager eyes, Wei Yilin implores him, ¡°Big Brother, just do your best. Regardless of whether you pass the exam or not, you are always the best in my eyes!¡± Wei Yichen gives a slight nod. Wei Mingyong walks over and encouragingly ps Wei Yichen¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Nephew Yichen! Now, our Wei Family depends on you! From Uncle, good luck! Bring honor to our ancestors!¡± Bai Family¡¯sdy standing beside, smiles and says, ¡°Yes, Yichen, your Aunt knows that you are the most capable one in our family, you will surely pass this examination. By then, you will be the first in our family to pass the civil service examination!¡± Wei Minghong cheerily agrees, ¡°Yes, Yichen, no one in our family has ever be an official through exams. Once you pass, your uncle will be relying on you!¡± His wife, Mrs. Mo, is as always quiet and speaks little. Wei Yichen gives a slight nod, then bids farewell to his grandparents, ¡°Grandfather, Grandmother, I am leaving.¡± ¡°Go, take care of yourself,¡± Wei¡¯s madam nods her head.
¡°Be careful in everything, don¡¯t be nervous,¡± Wei¡¯s grandfather gives his final reminder. Wei Yichen nods slightly, then gets onto the carriage, escorted to the examination hall by the guards from the manor. After Wei Yichen¡¯s departure, Wei Ruo ns to return to her room. We Yilin suddenly runs ahead and grabs Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wei Ruo asks, looking down. ¡°Big sister, let¡¯s go to the street togetherter.¡± Wei Yilin says, sneaking a nce towards Wei Qingwan. ¡°What for?¡± Wei Ruo asks. ¡°I¡¯ve saved some money, I want to buy some things for you, big sister!¡± ¡°Are you nning on buying me make-up?¡± Wei Ruo asks. ¡°Yes! A lot of people at home n to buy make-up for big sister, so I naturally want to do it as well!¡± ¡°Oh? So what are you nning to buy for me?¡± Wei Ruo asks curiously. ¡°I heard that a new rouge and face powder shop opened recently on White Tiger Street. The products they sell are top grade, very popr with thedies and maidens of the Capital City. If other women are using their products, naturally you, big sister, should use their products as well. Come with me, I¡¯ll buy them for you with my silver!¡± Wei Yilin said confidently, his head held high. ¡°You understand this too?¡± ¡°Of course, I know a lot!¡± ¡°Did you learn from maids in the house?¡± ¡°What do they know? I know more than them!¡± Wei Yilin insists, holding Wei Ruo¡¯s hand, ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to worry, juste with me!¡± At this point, Bai Family¡¯sdy, having heard the two¡¯s interaction, walks up and says, ¡°Wanwan and I were just about to leave as well, why don¡¯t we all go together?¡± Before Wei Ruo can say anything, Wei Yilin preempts and declines, ¡°Aunt, I¡¯m going to buy rouge and face powder for my sister, I won¡¯t go with you. Please, make your own way!¡± Having spoken, Wei Yilin quickly takes Wei Ruo away.
¡°Big sister, let¡¯s hurry up and go, don¡¯t let them catch up.¡± Wei Yilin, worried that Bai Family¡¯sdy and Wei Qingwan would catch up, walks hurriedly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo doesn¡¯t resist and lets Wei Yilin lead her away. The two arrive at the back gate and get on a carriage.
This carriage belongs to Wei Ruo, it escorted her all the way from Taizhou prefecture. Having once saved Wei Yilin¡¯s life on the road, Wei Yilin feels extremely familiar when riding it. The guard at the gate asks Wei Ruo some questions, then lets her and Wei Yilin leave. Wei Ruo is still allowed to leave the house as she pleases. As long as she brings the maids and guards sent by the old madam, the guard won¡¯t stop her. It doesn¡¯t take too long to reach Daiyue Residence after leaving the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. The Daiyue Residence is bustling at this moment, with a steady stream of customersing in and going out. Wei Yilin takes a look at the crowd, then frowns, ¡°I knew it would be crowded, but not this crowded!¡±Then Wei Yilin turns to Wei Ruo and says, ¡°Big sister, you don¡¯t know, this shop only recently opened, but because their products were particrly good, a lot of people came.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s newly opened, how do you know their goods are exceptionally good?¡± Wei Ruo asks. ¡°That¡¯s simple, I inquired about it. The facial cream they sell was already being sold in Tongde Hall for a while and selling very well, they were even running out of stock.¡± Wei Yilin raises his face high, impressively introducing Wei Ruo to the shop¡¯s situation. ¡°You, so young, even know about face cream?¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t look down on me, ok? And I¡¯m not that young anymore, I¡¯m nine years old this year! I am not a kid anymore!¡± Wei Yilin corrects seriously. ¡°Yes yes yes, you¡¯re not young anymore.¡± Wei Ruo gives a clearly perfunctory reply. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go in!¡± We Yilin gleefully drags Wei Ruo into Daiyue Residence.
The store is bustling, every seat in the customer area is filled, and the store assistants are enthusiastically introducing their products to the customers. Just as Wei Yilin is about to take Wei Ruo over, they are stopped by a store assistant. ¡°Little master and miss, please wait. Today the store is already full, we can¡¯t receive any more customers. To ensure a good experience for each customer, we are temporarily not receiving customers who are not members of our store.¡± ¡°Members? What are members?¡± Wei Yilin looks nkly at the store assistant. ¡°Membership means customers paying a certain fee to be our store¡¯s valued customer. Then they can enjoy various discounts in our store, such as buying our products with a discount. For instance, if weunch new products, we will notify our members first.¡± The store assistant exined the membership system in detail to Wei Yilin. ¡°Then tell me how much silver it takes to be a member of your store? I want to buy my sister one!¡± ¡°Our memberships are divided into four levels: Supreme, Gold, Silver and Bronze. A Bronze membership has an annual fee of ten taels of silver, a Silver membership is twenty taels, Gold membership is fifty taels and a Supreme membership requires the purchase of a significant amount of goods in our store.¡± ¡°So expensive?¡± Wei Yilin is stunned, eyes wide. The lowest Bronze membership costs ten taels! This is too expensive! This made Wei Yilin feel quite embarrassed, he only had ten taels of silver on him, and this was the money he had been saving. Just as Wei Ruo is about to speak, she hears Bai Family¡¯sdy¡¯s voiceing from behind.
¡°What a coincidence, I didn¡¯t expect Ruoruo and Yilin to being to Daiyue Residence as well. Had we known, we should have left together.¡± Is it really coincidence? When Wei yilin left just now, he said he would bring Wei Ruo to Daiyue Residence to buy rouge and face powder, Bai Family¡¯sdy and Wei Qingwan had heard it. Chapter 452: 452: She is a Supreme Member_1 Chapter 452: She is a Supreme Member_1 No sooner had Wei Ruo and his group just arrived than the other two appeared; it was evident they intended to meet them at the Daiyue Residence. Wei Qingwan followed behind Madam Bai, her face adorned with a smile, and in a tender voice greeted Wei Ruo, ¡°Sister, we meet again.¡± Having spoken, Wei Qingwan¡¯s gazended on Wei Yilin, her eyes revealing a hint of sorrow. Once upon a time, Wei Yilin treated only her this way. Now, however, he tantly favored Wei Qingruo. This made her feel resentful. Mainly for this reason, when her second sister-inw asked her if she wanted to go along earlier, she agreed without hesitation. Wei Yilin pursed his lips, and angrily red at Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t my little brother want to buy his sister a present? What did you buy?¡± Wei Yilin remained silent. Madam Baiughed and asked, ¡°Yilin, did you not bring enough silver? Would you like your second aunt to lend you some?¡± At the mention of borrowing money, Wei Yilin huffed in anger, ¡°I don¡¯t need to borrow money from you! I have my own money!¡±
The fact that Sister Wanwan had to borrow money from his second aunt still distressed his mother! His mother worried that the second aunt might have insidious motives for lending the money! ¡°Yilin, don¡¯t harbor ill feelings towards your second aunt. She sincerely wants to help you and your sister,¡± Madam Bai exined. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you,¡± Wei Yilin murmured in resentment. ¡°Alright, alright, calm down first,¡± Madam Bai said with a smiling face. ¡°Wanwan, I¡¯ve heard that the skin care products of Daiyue Residence are excellent. Your second aunt should buy you and your sister some.¡± ¡°Thank you, second aunt,¡± Wei Qingwan replied. ¡°I don¡¯t need any,¡± Wei Ruo said indifferently. ¡°Indeed, niece Ruo, being rewarded with arge fortune, you probably wouldn¡¯t even spare a thought for my meager silver,¡± Madam Bai said. Then, Madam Bai took out a small bronze que from her bosom to show the shop assistant who just stopped Wei Yilin and Wei Ruo. The que was insignificant, made of brass. It bore the pattern of a hibiscus flower and a number. The number on Madam Bai¡¯s que was fifty-nine. The assistant took the que from Madam Bai andpared it with the registry on the counter. ¡°Madam Wei, one of our esteemed gold members, pleasee inside,¡± the assistant invited Madam Bai. Seeing this, Wei Yilin looked surprised. A small smile hovered at the corner of Madam Bai¡¯s mouth. She became a member thest time she came here with several noblewomen. When these women applied for membership, out of face, she took the plunge and became a member as well. At that time, she was rather reluctant because it cost her fifty taels of silver, making her distressed. She did not understand why a shop that sold rouge and face powder needed to offer all these fanciful things. However, it seemed those noblewomen quite admired this practice, thinking it highlighted their social status. But after thinking it over, she found it useful. At this moment, for instance, she could enjoy watching Wei Qingruo and Wei Yilin envy her. Then, Madam Bai turned to Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Since Ruo doesn¡¯t think highly of her second aunt, then I won¡¯t take Ruo inside.¡± Having said this, Madam Bai lead Wei Qingwan with their heads held high into the waiting area.
Seeing this, Wei Yilin stomped his foot in frustration. ¡°Big Sister, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Wei Yilin apologized to Wei Ruo. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I was the one who wanted to bring you here to buy rouge and face powder. I didn¡¯t expect¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± Wei Yilin said, lowering his head in frustration.
Unruffled, Wei Ruo also took out a simr que from her bosom and handed it to the assistant. It was also made of brass, with only the pattern embossed differed. The pattern on Wei Ruo¡¯s que was a peony flower, and the text on it read ¡®One¡¯. The assistant blinked, then asked, ¡°Is this the eldest daughter of the Wei family?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°Our honored guest, please,e inside. We¡¯ll have a shop assistant exin to you about our products soon. Please wait for a moment,¡± the assistant hastily said. Hearing this, Madam Bai and Wei Qingwan, who had just entered, turned their heads. The two shared the look of surprise and confusion. Madam Bai retraced her steps and asked the assistant in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is she also a member?¡± The assistant exined, ¡°Indeed, she is currently the sole Supreme Member of our store.¡± Hearing the term ¡®Supreme Member¡¯, Madam Bai smiled, though her smile froze instantly. She wondered how much silver it would cost to be a Supreme Member. That day when she went out withdies from other noble families, one of them intended to be a Supreme Member. However, the shop assistant said that to be a Supreme Member, one needed to umte a certain amount of purchases. It could not be obtained by just giving them money. And yet, Wei Qingruo had be a Supreme Member!
Looking at Wei Ruo with a mix of disbelief and sourness, Madam Bai said, ¡°It seems I have underestimated Ruo, to be so magnanimous.¡± She knew that Wei Qingruo had some silver from her previous rewards, but she didn¡¯t expect her to be so generous to spend it on such things! After saying this, Madam Bai turned to Wei Qingwan and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know, Wanwan? To be a member of Daiyue Residence, you have to spend quite a sum of money. My membership cost fifty taels of silver, and I have no idea how much your sister had to pay for hers. But one thing is for certain, she paid more than I did.¡± Wei Qingwan pressed her lips together, her gaze cold. ¡°Second aunt, let¡¯s go. Since sister is also a member, there¡¯s no need for us to waste our time.¡± Then, Wei Qingwan took the initiative to grab Madam Bai¡¯s hand and led her away.N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo watched them as they left with a smile, while Wei Yilin looked at Wei Ruo in disbelief. ¡°Big sister, how do you also have this ¡®membership¡¯ thing from this shop?¡± Wei Yilin asked. ¡°That¡¯s for me to know,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because, our rtionship isn¡¯t that close, is it?¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°What? We have weathered so many storms together!¡± Wei Yilin mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t consider those as shared hardships.¡±
¡°But you agreed to go shopping with me today¡­¡± ¡°I just wanted to get out, and you gave me a good excuse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Wei Yilin let his head hang, feeling more dejected. Wei Ruo ignored him and went to the waiting area. Just as a group of customers left, she was invited to take a seat. Then the assistants enthusiastically introduced her to their products. After sulking for a while, Wei Yilin still chose to stay by Wei Ruo¡¯s side. When there was a lull in the conversation, Wei Yilin asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Are you still mad at me for what happened before?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Chapter 453: 453: Pleasing the Elder Sister_1 Chapter 453: Pleasing the Elder Sister_1 Wei Yilin muttered, ¡°Those events happened so long ago, and I was still young then.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that long ago. If you consider yourself aged at nine, then seven should not be considered young.¡± ¡°No, no, I was just a kid at nine, and I am still young now, so at seven, I was even younger. You, as an adult, should be magnanimous and not squabble with a kid like me!¡± Wei Yilin quickly changed his tune. ¡°Absolutely not, I am famously petty. I remember every slight, from grudges against the elderly to grievances with children, and once I remember, it sticks for a long time.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you hit me and release your anger?¡± Wei Yilin suggested. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Hitting people hurts my hand.¡± ¡°Then use a whip. It won¡¯t hurt your hand when you whip someone.¡± Wei Ruo barely suppressed a chuckle, ¡°Are you truly not afraid of being beaten?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man¡­ no, I should say a boy. I¡¯m not afraid of being hit. Indeed, the more the merrier.¡± ¡°I¡¯m impressed you can make such a statement.¡± Wei Ruo replied.
At this point, a shop assistant brought over an exquisite brocade box. ¡°Miss Wei, this is a gift for our members,¡± the assistant exined. Wei Ruo opened the brocade box and saw an intricately made handkerchief, a small sample vial of perfume, and a packet of incense. Wei Ruo looked at the items in the box for a long time without saying a word, so the shop assistant continued to speak, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Wei, even if you don¡¯t buy anything today, these gifts are for you because you are our store¡¯s esteemed member.¡± ¡°Mm, very good,¡± Wei Ruo closed the brocade box, and then asked the shop assistant about the products for sale in the store. Starting with the skincare cream, Wei Ruo asked the shop assistant to describe each one in turn. The shop assistant began to exin individually, ording to their manual, covering ingredients, craftsmanship, effects, and usage methods from many different perspectives. Wei Ruo nodded, ¡°Then today, give me two of each, packaged into two gift sets.¡± ¡°Alright. Please wait a moment, and I will pack them for you right away.¡± The shop assistant was quick and efficient, and in no time had packaged two sets of gifts ording to Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions. Each gift set contained a skincare cream, whitening cream, Peach Blossom Rouge, and a bottle of Bluebell perfume. ¡°Miss Wei, the skincare cream is one tael of silver per box, the whitening cream is two taels of silver per box, the Peach Blossom Rouge is five hundred coins per box, and the Bluebell perfume is one tael of silver per bottle. A set is four and a half taels of silver, so two sets would total nine taels of silver. Because you are a supreme member, you can enjoy a discount, so you only need to pay six taels of silver plus three hundred coins.¡± Hearing this, Wei Yilin hurriedly took out the ten taels of silver he had prepared, ¡°I¡¯ll pay!¡± The shop assistant did not reach out to take it, instead looking at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo said, ¡°Put it on my ount.¡± ¡°Alright, Miss Wei.¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s hand, which he had extended, had be frozen in ce. Looking at Wei Ruo, he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that I would buy your makeup?¡± ¡°You said that, but I didn¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°How did you not agree? You even asked me what I nned to buy for you. When I said rouge and face powder, you asked me how I knew about these things. You asked me how I knew this store was good, how I knew about skincare cream.¡± ¡°Yes, I asked you, but I didn¡¯t say I wanted you to buy them for me.¡±
¡°You¡¯re ying dirty!¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, then call it ying dirty,¡± Wei Ruo said with a mischievous smile. ¡°How could you¡­¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s face turned sour. Before Wei Yilin could finish his sentence, Wei Ruo had picked up her two gift boxes and left.
The shop assistant escorted Wei Ruo to the door, watching her as she walked away. Wei Yilin chased after Wei Ruo, talking non-stop as he walked, ¡°Let¡¯s buy some more things. I¡¯ll pay!¡± ¡°Or I could help you carry these two boxes!¡± ¡°Let me help you do something else!¡± ¡°Big sister¡­ Don¡¯t go¡­¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Big sister¡­¡± Wei Ruo walking ahead, Wei Yilin chasing behind, his little mouth constantly babbling, wishing he could do everything for Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo got into the carriage and leaned against the soft cushion to rest, while Wei Yilin kept on whispering in her ear, which Wei Ruo simply ignored. Upon returning to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Duke Residence, Wei Ruo returned to her current residence, Changchun Garden. Wei Yilin felt awkward to follow her in and finally had to return to his own ce alone. Later in the day, Mrs. Yun called both Wei Ruo and Wei Yilin over. During the three days of the imperial examination, Wei Yichen would not return home, making Mrs. Yun quite anxious.
Although she knew that her son wouldn¡¯t encounter any issues at the examination hall, she could not help but worry. Furthermore, hearing recent worrying news from the coastal areas and the rumblings from the Jurchen tribe in the north, Mrs. Yun¡¯s concerns naturally shifted to her husband. In the past, whenever such situations arose, Mrs. Yun would have Wei Qingwan apany her. Now, she felt even more disturbed at the sight of Wei Qingwan. Wei Ruo arrived at the Anxin Pavilion and saw Mrs. Yun. She did not take the initiative to speak but merely sat quietly on the side. Taking the tea handed by maid Cuiping, Wei Ruo leisurely sipped it. Mrs. Yun was inquiring about Wei Yilin¡¯s situation at the time, ¡°Are you adjusting to learning with your master in the Capital City?¡± ¡°The master in the Capital City is more talented than the one in Taizhou prefecture, but his temper is a little worse. I prefer the master in Taizhou prefecture.¡± ¡°Do not speak negligently. The master¡¯s strictness is for your own good. Keep studying diligently and don¡¯t harbor dissatisfaction just because he¡¯s strict.¡± ¡°Of course, don¡¯t worry mother. I know what¡¯s good for me. I was only expressing my preference for the master in Taizhou prefecture, but it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not studying diligently under my current master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Mrs. Yun felt reassured and nodded her head. Mrs. Yun¡¯s gaze fell on Wei Ruo who was drinking tea calmly, and initiated a conversation about Wei Ruo¡¯s wedding preparations. ¡°Ruo, how are the preparations going? Is there anything that mother can help with?¡± ¡°Most of the matters are being handled by the old women sent from the pce. I don¡¯t have much to do.¡± Wei Ruo answered with a cold, clear voice, an invisible barrier seemed to stand between her and Mrs. Yun.
Perhaps the people in the pce also felt the tension between Wei Ruo and the prince, so after delivering the betrothal gifts, they had sent women from the pce to help Wei Ruo with the wedding preparations. Thus, the making of Wei Ruo¡¯s wedding gown, phoenix crown, embroidered shoes, mandarin duck pillows, Chinese wedding quilts, and veils and other items were all being rushed by the pce maids. ¡°Good. With so much going on in the house recently, mother has been unable to manage everything. If you have any issues or if there¡¯s anything mother can do for you, please feel free to speak up.¡± Mrs. Yun added. ¡°Mm.¡± Wei Ruo nodded in agreement, but she didn¡¯t take it to heart. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s distant attitude made Mrs. Yun feel rather ufortable. Chapter 454: 454 Wei Yichen High School Association Yuan_1 Chapter 454 Wei Yichen High School Association Yuan_1 She felt like her adopted daughter, once so in tune with her, had now be a stranger, while her own biological daughter was cold and aloof. She felt as though she had failed as a mother. Yun Shi wanted to discuss some things about Wei Ruo¡¯s uing marriage, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak due to Wei Ruo¡¯s frigid and aloof look. Wei Yilin ran to Wei Ruo¡¯s side, eager to continue their earlier conversation. ¡°Big sister, I¡¯ve gathered even more silver. This time, I¡¯m going to buy you even more expensive gifts! Can I pick out jewelry and beautiful fabrics for you?¡± ¡°Where did you get more silver?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Just tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll buy it for you!¡± Wei Yilin nned to sell some of his valuable possessions in secret, although he had no idea how much they were worth. However, he was willing to exchange them all to add to his sister¡¯s dowry. ¡°Ick nothing. My dowry is all prepared,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Whether you need it or not, I want to buy things for you!¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s desire to please Wei Ruo was painfully obvious. He might as well have carved the word ¡°ingratiation¡± on his forehead.
Yun Shi said, ¡°Your brother¡¯s heart is in the right ce. Let him buy you some things.¡± Wei Ruo did not respond but changed the subject. ¡°Has there been any news from Father recently?¡± At Yun Shi¡¯s, the only topic that interested Wei Ruo was news about Wei Mingting. Yun Shi replied, ¡°I just received a letter from your father yesterday. He rarely shares details about his military camp, but this time, he mentioned a few things.¡± Yun Shi continued with concern, ¡°Because of this, I¡¯m especially worried about your father. The Capital City is abuzz with rumors that if this situation with the Japanese Pirates isn¡¯t resolved soon, the Anti-Japanese Army will be held ountable. ¡± Wei Ruo frowned. The Anti-Japanese Army, poorly equipped and short on rations, could only take a defensive stance, constantly on the back foot. It was already a challenge to repel the pirates most of the time. To expect them to defeat thempletely and prevent future invasions was asking too much. ¡°Is the imperial court sending reinforcements?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about it. There¡¯s also been no movement regarding rations. Harvests nationwide have been poor, so they likely want Taizhou prefecture to deal with the issue themselves,¡± Yun Shi said with a troubled look. Wei Ruo fell into deep thought. Even though Taizhou prefecture had a good harvestst year, it would still be difficult for them to be self-sufficient. If the imperial court didn¡¯t send any additional troops or rations, the Anti-Japanese Army might copse even before they¡¯re held ountable. Hearing this, Wei Yilin blurted out, ¡°How can they do that? Our father and his men are fighting so hard. Why aren¡¯t they supplying food?¡± Yun Shi sighed. ¡°On one hand, grain is scarce due to poor harvests in recent years, and the imperial granary isn¡¯t exactly overflowing. On the other hand, the court probably views the threat from the Jurchen Tribe as greater, so they want to allocate more troops and rations to fight them.¡± Wei Ruo understood this. Although the Japanese Pirates were repugnant for their piging and looting, they didn¡¯t threaten the imperial power. The situation was different with the Jurchen Tribe from the north. They could invade the south and take over the Central ins. Hence, the court ced a greater emphasis on the threat from the Jurchen Tribe than on the Japanese Pirates. Wei Yilin, notprehending theplexities, protested indignantly, ¡°Even so, they can¡¯t just abandon our father and his men. Those people in the Capital City live in decadence and luxury, dining on the finest food. Why can¡¯t they spare some for the soldiers who are defending our homnd?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Yilin, you¡¯re still young. Many things areplex. Even if I had time, I couldn¡¯t exin everything to you,¡± Yun Shi said. Wei Yilin nced at Yun Shi, then at Wei Ruo, and muttered, ¡°No matter how young I am, I understand that we can¡¯t let our soldiers down.¡±
Wei Ruo said, ¡°You¡¯re right, but unfortunately, some people just don¡¯t understand.¡± Wei Ruo stayed with Yun Shi for about an hour, showing interest only when the conversation turned to news from Wei Mingting. When Yun Shi brought up other topics, she responded with indifference. Yun Shi felt ufortable, but she didn¡¯t know what to say. Eventually, with nothing left to talk about, she let Wei Ruo go.
After Wei Ruo left, Yun Shi felt a headacheing on and instinctively rubbed her temples. With his lips tightly sealed, Wei Yilin furrowed his little brows, whether he was worrying about Wei Ruo¡¯s refusal to forgive him or the situation of the Anti-Japanese Army was not clear. ### Three dayster, Wei Yichen returned to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence afterpleting his examinations. Yun Shi arranged for him to rest at his residence first before visiting the elders in Shou¡¯an Hall once he had recovered. Afterwards, the old Lord Wei frequently asked about Wei Yichen¡¯s examination performance. Wei Yichen remained vague in his responses, simply stating that he performed as usual. Seeing Wei Yichen¡¯s demeanor, Lord Wei felt a chill in his heart. Still, he prayed that his grandson would at least make it to the Schr level, even if he rankedst. Half a monthter, it was the day of the results announcement. The entire family went out early to wait for the results, except for Wei Ruo who stayed in Changchun Garden, avoiding themotion. In the house, Xiumei was grinding ink whilst Wei Ruo was checking ount books and writing letters. ¡°Miss, do you think the eldest young master will make it to the Schr level?¡± Xiumei asked out of curiosity. ¡°In his case, he should be able to,¡± Wei Ruo said. Knowing the original plot, Wei Yichen was portrayed as a highly learned man. Although his character had changed significantly since he was taken away, his schrly abilities should not have decreased.
¡°What about young master Xu and young master Zhao? Young master Xu should have an even better chance since he was the top candidate in the Jiangzhe region.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him well, but for Zhao Xun, it¡¯s already a great achievement to make it to the Schr level. It¡¯s good enough if he was able toplete the examinations this time around.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t care whether these people would pass the exam or not as her rtionship with them was not significant. Engrossed in their work, they suddenly heard the sounds of firecrackers and drumsing from outside. Xiumei quickly ran out to see what was happening and returned in no time. ¡°Miss, he did it! The eldest young master has be a Schr!¡± ¡°Hmm, as expected.¡± ¡°No, Miss, not just any Schr. The eldest young master has topped the list!¡± ¡°First ce?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes! The people outside are shouting it. I listened carefully. He is indeed the top Schr!¡± Xiumei was somewhat excited. Even though this might not have much to do with her Miss, this was the first time she herself had witnessed such an event, so she couldn¡¯t help being excited. Wei Ruo was somewhat surprised. She had not expected the Wei Yichen of this life to do so well in the exam! She thought he could make it, but she never imagined he would top the list. He hadn¡¯t even ranked first in the county-level examination, yet he managed to top the provincial-level exam.
¡°Miss, it¡¯s very lively outside. Should we go and take a look?¡± Chapter 455: 455: Havent had a chance to congratulate my elder brother_1 Chapter 455: Haven¡¯t had a chance to congratte my elder brother_1 ¡°No, I prefer not to join in on the excitement.¡± Wei Ruo could easily guess what kind of bustling scene awaited outside. At this moment, everyone would undoubtedly be congratting Wei Yichen. She preferred not to attend this celebration. After some thought, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Meimei, go outside and check if Zhao Hai¡¯s brother has passed the examination.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Xiumei epted Wei Ruo¡¯smand and left. She returned with good news an hourter. ¡°Zhao family¡¯s second young master has also passed, but he ced quite low, at the second-tost ce,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°As long as he passed. Given his health condition, it was already not easy for him to participate in the examination smoothly. Making it onto the list is cause for great celebration,¡± Wei Ruo remarked. Zhao Xun¡¯s sess was beyond Wei Ruo¡¯s expectation. That the initially moribund man not only survived but also achieved such aplishment after an initial recovery from a severe illness was umonly rare. ¡°Additionally, Xiu family¡¯s young master also passed, and his position is rtively high. I counted, and he is in twentieth ce,¡± Xiumei added.
¡°Hmm. The final results will have to wait until after the pce examination. Let¡¯s see,¡± Wei Ruo said. After the pce examination, the final rankings would still see some changes¡ª the top threeprising of the top schr, second-ce schr, and third-ce schr are referred to as ¡°sessful candidates¡±; the second rank is referred to as ¡°born a sessful candidate¡± and the third rank is referred to as ¡°also born a sessful candidate¡±. The sessful candidates would immediately be given posts. The second and third ranks would participate in an examination at the Hanlin Academy, where they would study for three years before being given posts. ### Apart from Wei Ruo, there was one other person in the house that had not gone to congratte Wei Yichen in the front courtyard. Wei Qingwan did notck willingness, but rather dared not go. Wei Yichen was the top schr of the imperial exam, and without a doubt, his ranking after the pce examination would not be low either. Even if he was not the top schr, second ce, or third ce, he should be able to rank in the second category, and he was likely to aplish something in the future. However, the brighter Wei Yichen¡¯s prospects appeared, the more anxious Wei Qingwan felt. Sitting at the dressing table, staring at herself in the bronze mirror, her eyes revealed sorrow and destion. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s been so long¡­ perhaps the young master has ceased to be angry,¡± Cuiheforted her. Wei Qingwan¡¯s voice fell, ¡°How do you know he has let it go¡­ I¡¯m afraid he hasn¡¯t¡­ he might even be holding a grudge against me¡­¡± ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t say those discouraging words. After all, you and the young master share more than a decade¡¯s worth of affection. This isn¡¯t something that can be erased so easily.¡± ¡°In the end, he isn¡¯t my biological brother, and won¡¯t be as forgiving towards me as before,¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°Miss, however, outsiders don¡¯t know that Young Master isn¡¯t your biological brother. As long as the young master doesn¡¯t sever ties, he will always be your support. This will smooth a lot of things for you at the King Yu residence,¡± Maid Cuihe gently reminded. A woman¡¯s family¡¯s position and power after marriage were crucial. If she had a powerful family, her inws would naturally respect her more. ¡°How could I not know that? Stop talking about it, I have my own ns.¡± Weary, Wei Qingwan shut Maid Cuihe and the outside mor out of her mind. ###
The first of April. The emperor bestowed the title of King Rui upon the ninth prince, Chu Yi, and granted him a residence on Suzaku Street, which was close to the Imperial City and convenient formuting to and from there. The enfeoffment ceremony was even grander than that of the sixth and seventh princesst year, which once again proved the emperor¡¯s extraordinary affection for Prince Chu Yi. Unfortunately, due to his frail health and short life expectancy asserted by the Imperial Physician, he could not participate in the fight for the throne, nor could he shake the status of the other princes. The emperor¡¯s love for him, no matter how great, was momentary and could notst.
### April 11, pce examination. Wei Yichen was selected as the top schr by the emperor; Xiu Fengyuan ranked in the second category, known as ¡°born a sessful candidate¡±, and Zhao Xun in third, known as ¡°also born a sessful candidate¡±. Although everyone knew that Wei Yichen¡¯s performance would not be far off when he achieved a high score in the examination, and even if he didn¡¯t rank in the first category, he had a high probability of ranking in the second category. The probability of him bing the top schr was also high. But when it was officially announced that Wei Yichen was the new top schr, a wave of excitement surged through the Wei family. The old master was so delighted he nearly fainted. In the days that followed, the Duke residence was bustling with activity. The courtyard was filled with visitors. Even those who had not visited the Loyal and Righteous Duke¡¯s residence in many years all came to express their congrattions. This influence affected everyone in the residence when they went out, too. It was much easier for Wei Mingyong to negotiate business, and the treatment he received was worlds apart from before. Bai¡¯s family received numerous invitations from some influential madams to participate in various banquets and gatherings. A few days ago, because two girls from the Duke residence were going to marry into the royal family, thedies of Bai¡¯s family began to interact with the madams of otherrge families. But at that time, those noble madams still somewhat belittled the Loyal and Righteous Duke¡¯s residence. Now, Bai¡¯s family could finally hold their heads high. With a nephew who was a top schr, Bai¡¯s family felt as though they were standing straighter. Conversely, Mo¡¯s family, who was the wife of the Crown Prince of the Duke residence, and Yun¡¯s family ¨C Wei Yichen¡¯s biological mother, were more low-key at this time.
Mo¡¯s family was serene by nature and always acted low-key. Whether in times of disregard or favoritism, their demeanor remained the same. Yun¡¯s family, on the other hand, were worried that such high-profile actions would invite trouble. They knew that although the Duke residence was on the rise, its foundation was not yet stable and should not becent. ### After half a month, the excitement gradually faded, and Wei Yichen finally found some peace. Wei Yichen had just returned from outside and was crossing the garden when he was called.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Big brother.¡± Hearing the voice, Wei Yichen stopped. Seeing Wei Yichen waiting for her, Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart leapt with joy, and she quickly walked up to him. ¡°Big brother, after you ranked first, I didn¡¯t have a chance to congratte you.¡± As she spoke, Wei Qingwan presented the food box before Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen didn¡¯t reach out, so Wei Qingwan opened the food box and said, ¡°Big brother, this osmanthus cake is made using the osmanthus flowers I picked when you took the provincial examinationst year. You always loved the cakes that I made. I wonder if you would like to taste my baking skills again¡­¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s voice was soft, her head lowered as she finished her sentence, then gently raised it again. Her eyes, full of anticipation and caution, glistened as she gazed at Wei Yichen. In her heart, Wei Qingwan felt uneasy. What she gave to Wei Yichen was not only an osmanthus cake. It was also their beautiful memories from past times. Big brother used to cherish her a lot and enjoyed the cakes she made herself. Every time she brought him an osmanthus cake, he would praise her for it.
He also promised that he would enjoy her handmade osmanthus cake as a reward if he scored high in the exam. The osmanthus honey used in it had to be made from the osmanthus flowers she picked. She had made it as she had promised him. She wondered whether it could evoke his brotherly affection for her. Chapter 456: 456 The Day of the Grand Wedding_1 Chapter 456 The Day of the Grand Wedding_1 Under Wei Qingwan¡¯s anxious gaze, Wei Yichen extended his hand. Seeing his hand grip the handle of the food box, joy welled up in Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart. But the following scene caused Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression to freeze instantaneously. Wei Yichen unceremoniously threw the food box into the pool next to them. With a ¡°plop¡±, the resulting ssh that apanied the food box ¨C and the osmanthus cake within it ¨C sank into the depths of the water. Watching the pool, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned pale when Wei Yichen¡¯s cold voice echoed beside her. ¡°You should be grateful you have the imperial/royal marriage agreement.¡± Having said that, Wei Yichen ignored the surprised Wei Qingwan and quickly Departed. Not too far off, Wei Ruo had witnessed these events unfold. She hadn¡¯t intentionally followed anyone here; she had just happened upon them coincidentally.
When Wei Yichen passed by Wei Ruo, he slowed his pace and cast his gaze downward towards her. Their eyes met, but neither of them spoke a word. After a silent moment, Wei Yichen resumed his departure. Since Wei Yichen¡¯s sess as the top schr, Wei Ruo had never taken the initiative to seek him out or congratte him. This encounter did not see her break that habit either. Once Wei Yichen walked away, Wei Ruo noticed Wei Qingwan staring at her. Qingwan¡¯s gaze was sharp, like a knife aiming to pierce her body.N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Ruo gave a soft smile, before casually walking past Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into the palm of her hand, leaving behind streaks of red lines. ### Time swiftly brought them to May. The Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence was still very busy, as Wei Ruo¡¯s wedding was drawing near. Even Wei Mingting, who should have been busy with wartime matters, was given special permission to return to the capital to give his daughter away in marriage. At this time, Xiu Fengyuan visited the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence once more, where Wei Yichen received him in his study. ¡°Brother Yichen, be honest with me, did you hold back during the provincial examination?¡± Xiu Fengyuan asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t skilled enough at the time.¡± Wei Yichen responded. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve be the top schr, there¡¯s no need to hide anything, right?¡± Xiu Fengyuan didn¡¯t believe Wei Yichen¡¯s exnation. ¡°Brother Xiu, I¡¯m sure that you didn¡¯te here to ask me about that,¡± Wei Yichen diverted the topic. Xiu Fengyuan gave a helplessugh, then said, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t even know why I came here today. It seems like there¡¯s no real reason, yet I felt like I needed toe.¡± As he spoke, Xiu Fengyuan turned to look out of the window, as if surveying something in the distance. ¡°Brother Xiu, some delusions should be let go when it¡¯s time to do so,¡± Wei Yichen said, his face devoid of emotion.
¡°I guess I still can¡¯t hide anything from you. I remember what you told me before the exam. I know I can¡¯t change anything now, but there are some things I simply can¡¯t let go, so I found myself here at your ce.¡± Wei Yichen stood up and took a bottle of liquor from the shelf to hand to Xiu Fengyuan. Upon seeing the bottle of liquor, Xiu Fengyuan paused in surprise, then gave a bitter smile. ¡°You¡¯ve started stocking liquor in your study?¡± ¡°It was prepared for you.¡±
¡°Hm? You anticipated my visit?¡± Wei Yichen didn¡¯t reply, but instead poured liquor into a cup and offered it to Fengyuan. Looking at the cup of liquor, Xiu Fengyuan gave a bitter smile and epted it, draining the cup in one swig. The liquor burnt his throat, amplifying the bitter smile on his face. ¡°Brother Yichen, I¡¯ve been curious about what you went through during that difficult time. I¡¯ve always wanted to ask but feared it might be a sore subject for you.¡± Everyone could sense the change in Wei Yichen after that incident, but as close friends, everyone tacitly agreed not to ask for details. Not until today did Xiu Fengyuan finally bring it up. ¡°Having experienced a brush with death, I realized how much of a pampered life I led previously, and how I oversimplified matters, failing to anticipate the danger. I also realized my limitations and that even if I harbor grudges, I have to hold my peace.¡± Wei Yichen¡¯s face was calm as he spoke. Listening to him, Xiu Fengyuan didn¡¯t feel calm, ¡°You have suffered.¡± ¡°The experience may not be entirely negative, one learns from one¡¯s mistakes.¡± As he spoke, Wei Yichen filled Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s wine ss again: ¡°In life, eight or nine out of ten things will not go as nned; therefore, Fengyuan old pal, you need to let go of what needs letting go.¡± Xiu Fengyuan forced a bitter smile and shook his head, and then emptied his ss once again.
¡°In that case, Brother Yichen, you¡¯ll have to indulge me in a drunken escapade tonight!¡± Xiu Fengyuan proposed. ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Yichen agreed. Xiu Fengyuan then got drunk in Wei Yichen¡¯s study. His steps were unsteady as he left, supported by his two attendants. Before leaving, he left a brocade box for Wei Yichen to deliver to Wei Ruo. It contained the wedding gift he wished to present her. Being a man, it was improper for him to personally give her the gift, so he entrusted Wei Yichen with the task. ### May 8th. The day had finally arrived. The Duke Residence, which was serene for just a few days, came alive again. Rednterns were hung high, horse whips and gongs echoed. The door was filled with guests, the residence packed with noble friends. Within Changchun Garden.
Wei Ruo donned her bridal attire with the help of the nurses sent by the pce. The phoenix crown of pure gold was exquisitely crafted and appeared as a masterpiece; one couldn¡¯t tell it was hastily made. Several big, round pearls were iid on top, thergest one in the center was about the size of a bayberry, which was quite rare. Wei Ruo¡¯s bridal attire was made of Shu Brocade, embroidered with gold threads, and had been hurriedly prepared day and night by eleven sewing women. The phoenix pattern on it was lifelike, as if it could fly off the clothes and soar into the clouds at any moment. The nes, bracelets, and rings she was wearing were all made of gold and top-grade Hetian jade. Each piece was heavy and exquisitely crafted. These were not Wei Ruo¡¯s own jewelry, but gifts from the pce. Wei Ruo had fine jewelry of her own, but as she wasn¡¯t sincerely wishing to get married, she naturally wouldn¡¯t invest time, energy, and money to prepare her wedding trousseau. What she didn¡¯t expect was that the pce had prepared all of these for her with meticulous care. From these details, it was clear that the pce greatly valued her marriage to King Rui. After Wei Ruo finished dressing, Madam Yun came in. Upon entering the room, Madam Yun was momentarily lost for words as she looked at her dazzlingly beautiful daughter, who looked as delicate as a blooming peony. Madam Yun looked at Wei Ruo; her eyes were watery for reasons unknown.
After a long pause, she slowly voiced out, ¡°Ruo, you look very beautiful today.¡± With a calm expression, Wei Ruo turned to the old nurse and asked, ¡°When do we leave?¡± The old nurse standing by, whose name was Jin, looked embarrassed: ¡°Miss, it¡¯s still early. You still have some time, why not have a good talk with Madam?¡± Wei Ruo nced at Madam Yun, before turning her gaze back to her reflection in the mirror. Madam Yun walked up, and took theb from the old nurse¡¯s hand. ¡°Let motherb your hair.¡± Chapter 457: 457 Farewell to Parents_1 Chapter 457 Farewell to Parents_1 Madam Yun¡¯s hand tenderly ran a woodenb through Wei Ruo¡¯s hair, which was not yet tied up in a hair bun. Wei Ruo did not stop her, only quietly watched. Combing, Madam Yun stopped, gazing nkly at Wei Ruo¡¯s reflection in the mirror¡­ After a while, Madam Yun said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Ruoruo, now that you are to be a wife after today, you must be careful in everything. Especially since you are marrying into the Royal Family, every word and action you take must be proper, so as not to give others a chance to find fault with you.¡± ¡°It is rumoured that Prince Rui is not easy to get along with, you should be careful not to be as direct as you are at home. At home, being blunt may result in some discipline, but it will not be so simple under Prince Rui.¡± Madam Yun continued, ¡°It is a blessing that you and Wanwan could marry into the Royal Family. No matter how things were in the past, you should support and help each other in the future. Let go of those unpleasant memories, if you want life to be smoother, you must look forward.¡± Wei Ruo did not respond and remained calm. Seeing no other outsiders around, Madam Yun went on to say more explicitly: ¡°Ruoruo, you are also aware of the state of Prince Rui¡¯s health. If Prince Yu ascends the throne in the future, you may need to rely on Wanwan in some aspects. So, you must think more about your future.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo only shed a light smile and did not argue with Madam Yun. At this time, Xie Ying arrived.
Seeing a visitor, Madam Yun put down herb and paused in her admonishment of Wei Ruo. Just then, Cuiping came to notify Madam Yun to go to the front courtyard. So, Madam Yun left first. ¡°Ruoruo!¡± Xie Ying huffily rushed in, holding a box in her hand. Seeing Xie Ying, a smile came upon Wei Ruo¡¯s face. ¡°Why are you sote? Have you decided not to see me off for my wedding?¡± Wei Ruo teased. ¡°Not at all! I almost missed it because of this.¡± Xie Ying said, looking at the object in her hand. ¡°What have you been mysteriously preparing for me in secret?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing really, I just found some high-quality ginseng. But it took some time to get it here, and it only arrived today. I barely made it in time.¡± Xie Ying grumbled. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Why are you being so polite with me? Given the friendship between us, there¡¯s no need for thanks.¡± Xie Ying said jovially. After giving the gift box to Xiumei, Xie Ying came to Wei Ruo¡¯s side and remarked after looking at Wei Ruo¡¯s makeup, ¡°You are so beautiful! I originally wanted you to be my sister-inw, but it¡¯s a shame that my brother isn¡¯t fortunate enough.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jest,e here, I have some things for you.¡± Wei Ruo opened the drawer to her left and took out a heavy brocade bag and handed it to Xie Ying. Inside the brocade bag were several boxes of a popr whitening cream recently sold at Daiyue Residence. Xie Ying had mentioned it thest time they met, and Wei Ruo remembered, specifically saving some for her. ¡°Why are you giving me gifts on your wedding day?¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because I haven¡¯t had any free time? Today you happened to visit. What does it matter whether it¡¯s my wedding day or not? It¡¯s likely to be even harder for me to see you after I¡¯m married, it¡¯s better to give you these now.¡± Wei Ruo replied. She didn¡¯t know what kind of ce the Rui Royal Residence was. If the rumours were true and Prince Rui was indeed violent, she feared that once she stepped in, she may lose her freedompletely and even lose her current lifestyle.
Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, the smile on Xie Ying¡¯s face faded away, ¡°If you put it that way, I feel like grabbing you now and running away from this marriage!¡± Wei Ruoughed out loud, ¡°Where can we escape to? Under the whole heavens, allnds belong to the king, let alone escape from the Capital City, we wouldn¡¯t even be able to get out the gates of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence.¡± Xie Ying pouted, ¡°Although that¡¯s true, this whole thing just feels oppressive.¡± Wei Ruo smiled, ¡°There¡¯s nothing oppressive about it. If we can¡¯t avoid it, we might as well face it boldly. We can¡¯t keep worrying and fearing, neglecting all other things. That would mean living our lives in vain.¡±
¡°Alright. If you say so, what more can I say? I¡¯ll wish you well. I hope that after your marriage, your life at King Rui Residence will be freer, happier, and more joyful than here at the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence!¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Ruo responded. At this time, Butler Jin said, ¡°Young mistress, it¡¯s almost time. Old servant will help you to the front yard to bid farewell to the master and madam.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Wei Ruo stood up, and with Butler Jin¡¯s assistance, went to the front yard. In the main hall of the front yard, Wei Mingting and Madam Yun sat upright and dignified. Wei Mingting¡¯s expression was strict, his eyes deep, bearing the solemnity and majesty of a soldier, showing no signs of happiness for his daughter¡¯s wedding. Madam Yun looked at her husband¡¯s expression with a slight worry in her heart. She knew that he was extremely dissatisfied with this marriage for their daughter, but let alone that he returned when the wedding was imminent, even if he had been present when the imperial decree was announced, he would not have been able to change anything. On the left side of the main hall were Wei Yichen, Wei Yilin, and Wei Qingwan; their expressions varied. Wei Yichen had a serious expression, his face full of solemnity; Wei Yilin pouted, clearly disying on her face a sense of reluctance; Wei Qingwan lowered her head, repeatedly wringing her hands in front of her. Wei Ruo walked into the main hall with Butler Jin¡¯s assistance. Upon reaching Wei Mingting and Madam Yun, Wei Ruo knelt down under the guidance of Butler Jin to thank them for raising her.
Seeing Wei Ruo kneeling on the ground, Wei Mingting¡¯s callus-filled hands clenched tightly. Then, he rose from his seat, stepped forward, and assisted the kneeling Wei Ruo to stand up. Wei Ruo raised her head and saw that Wei Mingting¡¯s eyes wereplex, as if he had many, many words he wanted to say to her. However, after a while, he only looked at her without uttering a word. Madam Yun also stepped forward, put a prepared bracelet on Wei Ruo¡¯s wrist, and then took Wei Ruo¡¯s right hand, saying, ¡°Ruoruo, remember what your mother told you. Be a good wife to Prince Rui, be a good Queen Rui.¡± Wei Ruo did not respond, then turned to face Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen did not say much, he just said lightly, ¡°Take care.¡± Wei Ruo nodded, then proceeded to Wei Yilin. Wei Yilin sniffled as if she had a sour nose before saying formally, ¡°Sister, I wish you and Prince Rui will be blessed with harmony and happiness, and to have a child soon.¡± Wei Ruo nodded again and then went to Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan had a gracious and amiable smile on her face, ¡°Sister, I also wish you and Prince Rui a harmonious unionsting a hundred years, and that you may grow old together.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Knowing that Prince Rui was in poor health, Wei Qingwan had deliberately chosen such words, as if to remind Wei Ruo of something.
Chapter 458: 458 Chapter 458: 458 Wei Ruo¡¯s reaction was nd, showing no sign of anger, no hint of the sadness or fury that Wei Qingwan had hoped to see. Curling her lips in reply, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Thank you for your blessing. Just a pity that I won¡¯t be able to return such a congrattion when it¡¯s your turn to marry.¡± Wei Qingwan was not the legal wife; the one who would grow old with Yu Wang was his legitimate wife. It would not be her. ¡°Who knows? We can never be certain about what the future holds.¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°I shall say the same to you. The future is uncertain.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°I look forward to watching the happy life you will lead in the future,¡± Wei Qingwan said. Both of them wore smiles on their faces, and their conversation carried undertones of sisterly affection. Yet, every word they uttered was tinged with tension. As the hour drew near, Mrs. Yun took the bridal veil from the tray held by Cuiping and covered Wei Ruo¡¯s head with it. As the veil fell into ce, a sense of loss welled up in Mrs. Yun¡¯s heart: her own daughter was about to belong to another family from then on out. Wei Yilin sniffed¡ªhis nose tingled, and he mumbled another intive, ¡°Big sister¡­¡±
Then, surrounded by the crowd, Wei Ruo was escorted out of the main hall by Xiumei and Madam Zhang, and they passed through the courtyard. Red cloth was spread across the center of the courtyard. The Wei family and guests who hade to congratte them lined both sides. A smile hung on Mrs. Bai¡¯s face, but her eyes held a teasing glint. Mrs. Mo looked indifferent, her eyes filled with a slight touch of sadness. The faces of most of Wei Ruo¡¯s cousins were filled with joy. They had no particr affection for Wei Ruo, but they could nevertheless appreciate the honor she was bringing to the Wei family by marrying into the Wang Residence. Wei Yifeng and Wei Yipeng, who had had disagreements with Wei Ruo, were not in a good mood, though they did put on apletely delighted fa?ade in front of the crowd. Xiu Fengyuan was among the guests. He refrained from drinking that day, and from amidst the crowd, he silently watched Wei Ruo exit the doors. Lu Yuhong was also present, standing beside Xiu Fengyuan. Wei Ruo, after all, had shown him kindness. Although there was nothing he could do about her wedding, he still felt duty-bound to be there to see her off. Xie Jue and Xie Ying wore no smiles, both steadily watching Wei Ruo as they witnessed her walk towards the main gate.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Outside the gate, the wedding procession from the King Rui Residence had already arrived. With her red bridal veil covering her sight of the Wedding Prince, all Wei Ruo could see was the path under her own feet. With the assistance of Madam Zhang and Xiumei, Wei Ruo stepped into the bridal sedan chair. Of the maids apanying her to the wedding, Wei Ruo only brought Xiumei and of the old maids, she chose Madam Zhang. She didn¡¯t ask for any other attendants, but the duke¡¯s residence still arranged for a few, mainly to save face for the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Sitting in the eight-bearer sedan chair, once Wei Ruo felt the chair began moving smoothly, she lifted the veil from her face. Inside the chair, everything was a festive shade of red, with a soft cushion to sit and a small side tableden with dried fruits. Outside, the sound of firecrackers, drums, carriages, and the murmuring crowd wove an incessant buzz. Even though Wei Ruo had seemedpletely calm when she was talking to Xie Ying, she felt a little unsettled. She was about to marry, even to a stranger she had never met. This was a wholly new experience for Wei Ruo.
She had no idea how to get through her wedding night. If imminently due to King Rui¡¯s severe illness, it would be a relief, but if he was still physically well, he might want to consummate their marriage. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t imagine engaging in an intimate act with a man who was aplete stranger to her. She just couldn¡¯t get past this mental barrier. If King Rui really tried something, she¡¯d have to figure a way out. She had already thought of a n¡ªusing a hallucinogen to put King Rui unconscious, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. Wei Ruo¡¯s hallucinogen was colorless and tasteless, and if cleverly administered, most people wouldn¡¯t notice it. Since King Rui himself was ill and had several fainting spells in public, as long as she was careful with the dosing, she should be able to go through their wedding night smoothly.
The drugs would work for the time being, but not forever. If King Rui was stubborn enough to live longer, she would have to devise other ns. An hourter, the wedding procession reached the King Rui Residence. After the sedan chair stopped, Wei Ruo heard footsteps approaching, so she lowered her bridal veil again. The sedan curtain was lifted, and Wei Ruo saw a slender hand reaching out towards her. After hesitating for a moment, Wei Ruo reached out her hand. Then her hand was held by the stranger, the force he exerted was just right¡ªfirm enough to keep her hand from slipping. Having her hand held by a stranger made Wei Ruo feel repulsed. But considering the situation, Wei Ruo knew that she could not act impulsively. If it had been Marquis Xuanping, she might have been able to bluff her way out of this. With King Rui though, it was almost impossible since disgrace to the royal family would never be taken lightly. All Wei Ruo could do was carefully guide her steps, gradually following the man¡¯s pace, step by step into the residence. Perhaps it was due to his poor health, the man¡¯s pace was quite slow. The King Rui Residence was vast. Wei Ruo was uncertain how long they walked before they reached the ce for their wedding ceremony. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t see the surroundings, but she heard many voices; it seemed to be a lively event.
¡°Bowing to heaven and earth¡ª¡± ¡°Bowing to the parents¡ª¡± ¡°Husband and wife bow to each other¡ª¡± Wei Ruo mechanicallypleted the wedding ceremony. Then she saw that hand stretch out before her again. Once again, reluctantly, she ced her hand onto the hand that was broad-palmed yet with slender fingers, feeling it gently grasp her hand. We Ruo followed the man¡¯s steps as they left the ceremonial hall. After exiting the ceremonial hall, their surroundings quieted down, their footsteps clearly audible. She had no idea how far they walked before finally reaching their bedroom. We Ruo was led to the bed and made to sit down. After that, she heard a matchmaker¡¯s voice uttering auspicious words in her ear while others fussed about her. When the bustling was over, everyone else left the room. Eventually, there were only two left in the room: her and King Rui. The candle in the room flickered vibrantly. Wei Ruo lowered her gaze to find a pair of ck boots before her.
The man stood silently in front of her for a quite while, as if lost in thought. We Ruo felt tense, clenching her fist. Inside her sleeve, her hand was tightly gripping the pouch of hallucinogen, ready to be used at any moment. Of course, it would be best not to use it so directly. Otherwise, it would be hard to exin when the man woke up the next day. As long as he wasn¡¯t forcing himself onto her, she nned on putting the drug in the nuptial wine to seamlessly get through the night. As Wei Ruo was contemting these ns, she noticed the man beginning to move. A stick reached down under her veil, propping up the red veil from Wei Ruo¡¯s face and gently lifting it¡­ Chapter 459: 459: King Rui, Its Actually You!_1 Chapter 459: King Rui, It¡¯s Actually You!_1 In the instant the bridal veil was lifted, Wei Ruo¡¯s heart was lifted high as well. At this moment, her uneasiness and anxiety climaxed. Wei Ruo raised her right hand, the one holding the hallucinogen, but in the next second, the man¡¯s hand grabbed her wrist, stopping her. At the same time, Wei Ruo could clearly see the groom¡¯s face. At this moment, Wei Ruo felt as if she had been put under a spell of immobility. This face, she was more than familiar with it. It was her second brother, Wei, Jin, Yi! He was d in a red wedding outfit, unquestionably the man who was marrying her tonight. Her second brother was King Rui, and King Rui was her second brother! Countless thoughts surged into her mind at once, and things she was previously confused about suddenly made sense.
She now understood why the ninth prince, who didn¡¯t appear in the original story, suddenly appeared in her new life. She also understood why her second brother mysteriously moved around from Taizhou Prefecture to Capital City and why he had to fake his own death. All these questions had answers now. The so-called ninth prince was none other than her second brother! Her existence had changed the fate of the Wei Residence and his fate as well! Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo and softly apologised, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know how to respond at the moment. Her feelings wereplex, with various emotions upying her heart. ¡°Ruoruo¡­¡± Seeing Wei Ruo not speaking, Wei Jinyi looked serious, full of worry. After a long silence, Wei Ruo suddenly raised her hand again, swiftly sprinkling the hallucinogen on Wei Jinyi¡¯s face. Wei Jinyi, not knowing whether he didn¡¯t have time to avoid it or deliberately didn¡¯t, was unable to prevent Wei Ruo. The hallucinogennded on Wei Jinyi¡¯s face, and he quickly lost consciousness, falling to the ground. Wei Ruo watched Wei Jinyi, who had fallen to the ground with a peaceful look, motionlessly withplicated feelings. After a while, Wei Ruo walked to the door, calling out to Xiumei who was waiting outside: ¡°Meimei!¡± Xiumei was equally nervous tonight, ready to rush in to rescue Wei Ruo at any time while waiting outside the door. Hearing Wei Ruo calling her, Xiumei hurriedly pushed the door and entered. ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± ¡°Close the door.¡± Wei Ruo said softly. Xiumei quickly closed the door behind her, then followed Wei Ruo into the inner room and saw the man lying on the ground. Xiumei asked Wei Ruo: ¡°Did King Rui try to take advantage of you? Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll take you out of here right now!¡± All Xiumei¡¯s attention was on Wei Ruo; she saw only a man in red clothes fallen on the ground. She didn¡¯t take a close look at the groom¡¯s face.
Xiumei knew about Wei Ruo¡¯s n. Wei Ruo wouldn¡¯t subdue the groom with hallucinogen on her wedding night unless absolutely necessary. However, seeing the groom lying on the floor, Xiumei feared the worst had happened. ¡°We don¡¯t need to run.¡± Wei Ruo sat down on the bed. ¡°We don¡¯t need to run? Then, King Rui¡­¡± ¡°Just take a good look at his face.¡± Wei Ruo said.
Only then did Xiumei lower her head and take a closer look at the groom¡¯s face. She would¡¯ve been better off not looking. Once she saw, she was shocked. ¡°Howe King Rui looks exactly like the second master?¡± ¡°Because he is the second master.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Xiumei opened her mouth wide, puzzled. It took her a while to find her voice, ¡°So the second master is actually King Rui? Then¡­ how did he be the second master of the Wei family?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I didn¡¯t consider this before because I thought the Wei family wouldn¡¯t dare to do so. I never expected the truth to be like this. It seems my father had hidden the legitimate son of the deceased Empress Xu, lying to the world that he was his illegitimate son from an outside woman.¡± Wei Ruo leaned against the carved headboard of the step-up bed, her mood asplex as her expression. Considering the way the Wei family and Yun treated Wei Jinyi, it seemed that others didn¡¯t know about Wei Jinyi¡¯s identity. So, this was probably arranged by Wei Mingting. ¡°The master hid him? Why did the master do so?¡± Xiumei had numerous questions in her head, which was buzzing. ¡°There must be a very important reason for him to want to protect the ninth prince. When the Duke of Xu was convicted, the Emperor¡¯s attitude towards Empress Xu was unclear, and people at court spected that the Emperor might kill Empress Xu. If that were the case, the ninth prince, who was born to Empress Xu, might have been executed as well.¡± Hiding the ninth prince was a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of the family, which was extremely risky for Wei Mingting. It seemed that he had a very special rtionship with the Xu family, which made him willing to take such a huge risk. ¡°So¡­ is it safe now? I heard that the case of Duke Xu has been overturned and that the Emperor is quite nice to King Rui¡­¡± ¡°It seems like that for now. I haven¡¯t heard of the Emperor looking into the matter of the ninth prince being taken away that year.¡± Wei Ruo said. Upon hearing this, Xiumei heaved a huge sigh of relief. Then she looked at Wei Jinyi, who was still unconscious on the ground, and asked, ¡°If King Rui is the second master, that should be good news, right?¡±
¡°I suppose so, at least I¡¯m safe in King Rui¡¯s residence. Those concerns I had before don¡¯t exist anymore.¡± ¡°But¡­ why did you subdue the second master with hallucinogen?¡± Xiumei asked, puzzled. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t know how to face him.¡± Wei Ruo said softly. Before, she truly thought of him as her own brother, even believing they were blood-rted! But now, not only were they not rted by blood, they also became a married couple! How could she ept this in such a short time? She didn¡¯t know how to face him. Then Wei Ruo said to Xiumei, ¡°Let¡¯s help him get onto the daybed over there, so he doesn¡¯t get cold on the floor.¡± ¡°If we want to keep him from getting cold, why put him on the daybed instead of the bed?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Because your youngdy needs to sleep on the bed tonight.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Oh, right!¡± Xiumei nodded. Then she and Wei Ruo together moved Wei Jinyi to the daybed. ¡°Miss, what should we do next?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°You go out first. There are still people from the pce outside, don¡¯t make them suspicious. There should be nothing else tonight. We can deal with the rest slowly.¡± Wei Ruo said.
Xiumei nodded emphatically, ¡°Okay.¡± After Xiumei left, Wei Ruo sat down next to the daybed, her gaze fixed on the sleeping Wei Jinyi. He looked peaceful asleep, the long eyshes covering his closed eyes, and his noble nose bridge, with the tightly closed lips disyed cold determination amidst sexiness. Wei Ruo sat next to him, watching him, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little irritated. ¡°Before, I never questioned what you did, because I trusted you. But you didn¡¯t even tell me in advance that you were going to marry me. Only after I married into this house, performed the wedding rites, did I find out that it was you I was supposed to marry!¡± Chapter 460: 460 Sleepless Night_1 Chapter 460 Sleepless Night_1 ¡°Why did you not ask me about such an important matter in advance? By not asking me, you¡¯ve left me with no option. We¡¯ve known each other for so long and you¡¯ve deceived me on such a crucial matter, I naturally have to be angry with you.¡± ¡°And more importantly, I¡¯ve always regarded you as my own brother. The sibling-love I feel for you far outweighs any rtionships I have with Wei Yichen. I never imagined that not only are you not my blood brother, but you¡¯ve also be my husband. I don¡¯t know why you did this, but I honestly don¡¯t know how to face you now.¡± After Wei Ruo finished speaking, she let out a long sigh as she gazed at the still sleeping face of Wei Jinyi. She then got up and approached the dressing table, removed the attire she was wearing, especially the phoenix crown, which felt as if it weighed ten pounds, causing her neck to hurt. She took off the rest of the adornments. After removing the outermostyer of her wedding dress, Wei Ruo did not continue but got into bed fully clothed. But Wei Ruo could not fall asleep, her mind was swirling with numerous thoughts. Reflecting on it now, before she returned to the Wei Family, Wei Jinyi had always lived an isted and quiet lifestyle. Not only outsiders, but even his family members rarely saw him. Whenever he went out with her, he cross-dressed as Wang Jin. Hence, among the people in the capital city right now, aside from a few members of the Wei family, only the Xie siblings have ever seen the true face of Wei Jinyi.
At this thought, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but sigh. All of this had given early signs, only she hadn¡¯t been able to think along these lines. From the Imperial Concubine¡¯s bed, Wei Jinyi, who had previously been asleep, opened his eyes. He wasn¡¯t actually unconscious, not because Wei Ruo¡¯s hallucinogen didn¡¯t work, but because he held his breath when it was sprinkled on his face. He didn¡¯t fall asleep either, and had been perfectly lucid. A sleepless night passed and as daybreak arrived, the light shone into the room, and Wei Ruo got up from the bed. Wei Ruo opened the wardrobe, it did not surprise her to see her own clothes hanging neatly inside. Wei Ruo took out a water-blue dress from it, returned to the bed to pull up the bed curtain, and changed her clothes inside. After walking behind the screen to the exterior space, Wei Jinyi was still lying on the Imperial Concubine¡¯s bed, his eyes closed. ¡°Stop pretending, the dosage of my drug couldn¡¯t have made you sleep till now.¡± Wei Ruo said, her face stern. Fearing that King Rui¡¯s frail body wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it, Wei Ruo prepared a very low dose of the hallucinogen. A normal person, after inhaling, would pass out for a maximum of three to five hours. And as far as she knew, Wei Jinyi was strong and healthy with high-level martial arts skills, so there was no possibility he could have been unconscious from the drug sincest night. At her words, Wei Jinyi opened his eyes, meeting Wei Ruo¡¯s cool gaze. Their eyes locked, the atmosphere significantly different than before.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Jinyi slowly got up and was about to start a conversation with Wei Ruo: ¡°Ruoruo ¡­¡± ¡°Get dressed, prepare what needs to be prepared, then call the people waiting outside in here.¡± Wei Ruo interrupted him. ¡°Prepare what?¡± asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the potted flowers.¡± Wei Ruo responded. Of course, she knew that verifying a woman¡¯s purity with virginity blood was a ridiculous practice. Not every woman bleeds during their first time. This is rted to a woman¡¯s physiological structure ¨C some people are naturally incapable of bleeding.
Furthermore, as age increases and bodily organs mature, even those who used to bleed may not do so after their first time. Unfortunately, in the world she currently lives in, such an expectation exists. When she went to bedst night, she saw the white silkid on the bed. It must be an item expected to be handed in. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to invite trouble so she naturally needed Wei Jinyi to handle it properly. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Just tell the people sent by the pce that my health was not goodst night.¡± Wei Jinyi stated.
¡°Won¡¯t that harm your reputation?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Alright then, as you wish.¡± Wei Ruo said nonchntly, her expression remaining cold. It seemed she was still holding some resentment towards Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi nodded and went behind the screen to change his clothes. Through the screen, Wei Ruo could see a tall, muscr silhouette. Even though it was just his silhouette, one could tell he was athletic. If it was before, Wei Ruo would have been calm, and even intentionally teased her second brother, praising his good figure. But now, Wei Ruo chose to divert her gaze. Men and women should not touch hands when giving or receiving things. When Wei Jinyi came out from behind the screen again, he was wearing a moon-white outfit. His hair was tied up high, girded with a white jade belt at the waist, and a small jade beast pendant was hanging from it. His overall appearance was simple and modest, like a deity untouched by worldly affairs. Wei Ruo muttered in her heart, he still maintained that aloof and unsullied appearance, but unfortunately, he was a liar, a liar who even fooled her! She wanted to see how he would act frail in front of others.
Wei Jinyi sat down on the soft couch in the outer room, and then told the people waiting outside toe in. The door opened immediately, and a few people entered the room. The one leading them was the old maid sent from the pce. ¡°We greet your Highness. How is your health today?¡± Wei Jinyi lightly raised his hand and waved, ¡°I am not feeling well. Go back first.¡± His movements were gentle, his voice powerless, giving an impression of debility. Wei Ruo pursed her lips, and mumbled in her heart, he really is a good actor! No wonder he was able to deceive her! ¡°Last night, did the Highness¡­¡± the old maid nced at Wei Ruo as she spoke. ¡°I was feeling unwell and retired early.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Hearing this, the old maid hurriedly said, ¡°Then your Highness should rest. Your servant will return to the pce to report.¡± Wei Jinyi nodded. Upon receiving Wei Jinyi¡¯s approval, the old maid left with the others. Once the old maid and the others left, Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression returned to normal. He turned his head to look at Wei Ruo. Before he could speak, Wei Ruo beat him to it: ¡°I am hungry.¡±
Wei Jinyi nodded and then told the people waiting outside to serve breakfast. Immediately, five or six maids brought breakfast into the room, filling up the round table in the room. Maid servants also came forward to attend to Wei Ruo¡¯s cleaning routine. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, just set the basin over there, I¡¯ll do the rest myself.¡± Wei Ruo still wasn¡¯t ustomed to letting others perform these tasks. Even on ordinary days, she didn¡¯t allow Xiu Mei to do these tasks for her. Wei Ruo went to the cleaning station and began to clean herself. After she finished, she applied some skincare balm onto her face. Afterward, she sat at the table and ate breakfast quietly, without giving Wei Jinyi even a nce. After cleaning himself, Wei Jinyi sat silently at the table and joined Wei Ruo for breakfast. All the while, the two didn¡¯tmunicate. The previous atmosphere ofughter and conversation was gone. After breakfast, the servants cleared the table and reced the dishes with tea and snacks. Wei Ruo began to set her demands to Wei Jinyi: ¡°Starting today, this room is mine. You will sleep elsewhere.¡± Chapter 461: 461: I Dont Want to Help You, Butler_1 Chapter 461: I Don¡¯t Want to Help You, Butler_1 ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°When I want to go out, you can¡¯t stop me. Let me cross-dress as a man and go out. You can¡¯t inquire about what I do,¡± Wei Ruo continued. ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed without hesitation. Seeing that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t make any more conditions, he asked, ¡°Any other requests?¡± ¡°Not for the moment.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s mind was still a bit messy, many things she had not thought about carefully, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I think of something.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Jinyi promised, then put a bunch of keys in front of Wei Ruo. ¡°These are the keys to the storeroom.¡± ¡°Keep it yourself. Your money is your money, I don¡¯t want to manage your household affairs for you,¡± Wei Ruo rejected.
Helping him manage his household was like ying the role of his wife, and just the day before yesterday, he had still been her brother in her heart. She couldn¡¯t ept suddenly having to y the role of his wife. She liked money, but only her share of it. What belonged to others, she would not take forcefully. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes, didn¡¯t force her, and took the keys back. After breakfast, Wei Jinyi left for the front yard. Because the Emperor was sympathetic to Wei Jinyi¡¯s poor health, he had pardoned the newlyweds from the etiquette of visiting the royal pce on the second day of marriage, and allowed them to rest in the Wang Residence. Wei Ruo was relieved to know that she didn¡¯t have to go to the pce. There were already so many rules in the grand mansion, and it would be even more oppressive in the pce. She took every opportunity to avoid going there. Not long after Wei Jinyi left, Lin Fang came to pay a visit to Wei Ruo. After entering, Lin Fang knelt down respectfully, ¡°I pay my respects to the miss.¡± ¡°Stand up.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t kneel next time you see me.¡± ¡°This¡­ I understand.¡± Lin Fang hesitated a bit, but still agreed. Then Lin Fang said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, the master has ordered me to listen to your instructions. If there¡¯s anything you need us to do, just order us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help with anything at the moment.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t feel like thinking about her rtionship with Wei Jinyi at the moment, so she didn¡¯t feel like giving orders to Wei Jinyi¡¯s people either. Wei Ruo then got up and said, ¡°I want to take a walk around the Residence now.¡± ¡°May I apany you, Miss?¡± asked Lin Fang. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t reject. Having a familiar person with her was more convenient.
Wei Ruo stood up and walked out of her bedroom. When she entered the Wang Residencest night, her head was covered with a red veil and she couldn¡¯t see anything. Today, as she walked out the door, she finally saw how resplendent the Wang Residence was with its red bricks and green tiles. Her residence was the Songzhu Garden, located right in the middle of the back courtyard of the Wang Residence. It was thergest house in the back yard.
There were three spacious and bright bedrooms,vishly decorated. To the left of the bedrooms was a study, and to the right was another room for the people who attended to her. The side rooms on both sides were temporarily unupied. The courtyard was spacious, with a lot of open space left along the walls. The soil was freshly turned, but nothing had been nted. This seemed to have been specially reserved for Wei Ruo. After leaving Songzhu Garden, Wei Ruo, apanied by Lin Fang, went to the garden of the Wang Residence. In the garden, a variety of flowers vied for beauty, with a pond, rockery, and gazebos. Every three steps revealed a scenery and every five steps a painting. After touring the garden, Wei Ruo went to other ces in the back yard and saw that the other courtyards were all empty, with no one living in them. Only the Songzhu Garden in therge back yard was inhabited. Lin Fang who was on the tour exined, ¡°The master has no other women around him, so naturally the back yard is empty.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯tment and then went to the front yard. The front yard was mainly where Wei Jinyi worked and entertained guests. ording to Lin Fang, the study was the ce where Wei Jinyi spent most of his time.
Today, the servants were cleaning up the room next to the study, which would be used as Wei Jinyi¡¯s bedroom.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om When Wei Ruo passed by the door of the study, she saw Wei Jinyi sitting inside. Their eyes only met for a moment. Wei Ruo then moved her gaze away. She then left quickly and went elsewhere. The several side rooms in the front yard were the residences of Zhang Yi, Ke Chongshan, and others, making it convenient for Wei Jinyi to summon them at any time. After making a round, Wei Ruo had a general understanding of the situation of King Rui Residence. Lin Fang exined to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, now everyone in the Wang Residence is our own people. You can do whatever you want without any reservations.¡± Last night, during the wedding, people from the pce were sent to watch. After those people left this morning, only Wei Jinyi¡¯s trusted subordinates were left in the Wang Residence. Lin Fang continued, ¡°You can arrange any ce in the Wang Residence as you wish. You can change the scenery as you wish, even if it means uprooting all the nts and recing them with vegetables. Everything is up to you, Miss.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Wei Ruo said, and then asked, ¡°If I want to go out cross-dressing as a man, which door should I take?¡± ¡°Miss, you can go from any door. However, the stables are in the northwest corner. The servants can arrange a carriage for you there faster, and when you leave from the door in the northwest corner, you can turn into Suzaku Street after less than ten meters.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand. I¡¯ll take the northwest door from now on. Move the carriage that came with me to my wedding there. I¡¯m ustomed to my own carriage,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°As youmand.¡±
### On the third day of marriage, ording to custom, the groom has to apany the bride back to her maiden home. Under normal circumstances, brides hope that their grooms apany them, which represents the groom¡¯s importance to the bride and her family. In very few cases where there is no apaniment, the bride would not only lose face, but would also be seen as not being favored by her husband. But this was a bit different when it came to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo asked Xiumei to pass a message to Wei Jinyi, ¡°I can go back by myself tomorrow. Let him use his poor health as an excuse not to apany me.¡± After a while, Xiumei came back, ¡°Second Young Master¡­ ah, no, the Prince said he wants to apany you back. He doesn¡¯t want you to lose face.¡± ¡°Lose face? If he goes, it won¡¯t be just a matter of face. I¡¯m afraid some people would be scared to death. Not to mention, I don¡¯t want the people in the Residence to know about this,¡± said Wei Ruo. After a pause, Wei Ruo gave Xiumei another message, ¡°Go and tell him that I insist on this. This bit of face doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± Xiumei nodded and went to the front yard again to deliver the message. When she came back, Xiumei said, ¡°The Prince agreed. He said he would prepare a generous gift for you.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°What kind of generous gift? If he really wants to prepare a gift, just prepare one for my father.¡± ¡°Shall I go and tell the Prince again?¡± Xiumei asked.
¡°If he¡¯s free now, let hime to see me. I¡¯ll tell him myself,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo felt it was a bit troublesome to have Xiumei running back and forth, and it was not easy to exin things this way. It would be better for her to speak directly to Wei Jinyi. ¡°Okay.¡± Xiumei went away, and before long, Wei Jinyi came. Chapter 462: 462: Third Visit in Three Days_1 Chapter 462: Third Visit in Three Days_1 Though they had both been at the Wang Residence over the past two days, they hardly saw each other. Without Wei Ruo¡¯s approval, Wei Jinyi did not dare to visit her casually for fear of upsetting her again. It was rare that Wei Ruo had invited him over today. Wei Jinyi asked, ¡°Ruoruo, however you n to proceed, I will fully support you.¡± ¡°I think there is no need to prepare borate gifts for others. We don¡¯t have a good rtionship with the people at the Duke¡¯s Residence, so we should not offer generous gifts just for the sake of appearances. Face is frivolous, it¡¯s money that¡¯s real. Even if you are not frugal, I don¡¯t want people I dislike to benefit from my rtions,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do as you wish,¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. ¡°However, my father is an exception, we can be more generous with his gift. Not to mention anything else, he did save your life,¡± Wei Ruo added. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prepare some wine that he enjoys and a well-crafted armor set to give him. You can decide on the rest of the gift items,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. Wei Ruo had previously made a suit of armor for Xu Zhengyong. At that time, she had a surplus of materials, so she had made another set for Wei Mingting, but it had been kept in her storage space without ever being given to him.
She thought this would be a good opportunity to give the armor to him, hopefully, it would protect him in battle. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°As for other people, I will give you a listter, just follow that list,¡± Wei Ruo continued. ¡°Okay, whatever you need, just ask Lin Fang and Xiaobei. If it¡¯s in the storeroom, they can directly move it from there, if it¡¯s not in there, they can go out and buy it,¡± said Wei Jinyi. ¡°Also, you don¡¯t need toe in person tomorrow, but I think it would be best to assign a few capable subordinates to me. Not sure if they would be of use, but I need them to back me up, in case something happens, it wouldn¡¯t put me at a disadvantage,¡± Wei Ruo advised. ¡°You can choose anyone from the Residence,¡± Wei Jinyi offered. ¡°Very well,¡± Wei Ruo agreed. After discussing this matter, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t leave immediately, he stared at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo pretended not to notice his gaze: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve said everything I wanted to say, you can go back to your business.¡± This was a tactful way of dismissing him. ¡°Okay,¡± Wei Jinyiplied obediently, then turned around and left at a leisurely pace. ### Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. The Wei Family¡¯s main room. ¡°Wei Qingruo will return home tomorrow morning. You should apany her well and take care of her more,¡± Wei Minghong urged Mrs. Mo. ¡°Alright.¡± Mrs. Mo responded softly. Seeing how Mrs. Mo was speaking softly, Wei Minghong became irritated: ¡°Who are you acting so dull for? If this continues, how can you be my good wife?¡± Mrs. Mo remained silent. Seeing her silence, Wei Minghong became even more upset: ¡°Look at you, you¡¯re just like a corpse! Do you think I have enough misfortune?¡±
¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re frustrated about, Sir. The Residence is full of good things, you should be happy,¡± Mrs. Mo responded gently. ¡°Good things? They all belong to the third family!¡± ¡°If the third family is sessful, we can also benefit,¡± Mrs. Mo pointed out. ¡°Benefits have to be earned! Look at my second brother and sister, they are always dealing with the wives of noblemen, helping my second brother establish connections and gather information; look at you again, always hiding at home, not doing anything to help me. If people unaware, they would think my second brother is the heir apparent, and his wife as the Crown Princess!¡±
Mrs. Mo lowered her head. ¡°What a frustration!¡± Wei Minghong vented, ¡°Marrying you brought nothing but the worst of luck for me, I really don¡¯t understand why my mother insisted on me marrying you!¡± Having said that, Wei Minghong stormed out. It seemed he would not be spending the night in Mrs. Mo¡¯s room tonight. ### Wei Family¡¯s second room. Wei Mingyong and Bai were lying on the bed. ¡°Wei Qingruo will be back tomorrow, should I invite her for a visit?¡± Bai asked Wei Mingyong. ¡°Of course we should, no matter what she is still the Queen. As long as King Rui lives, she is Queen Rui. King Rui doesn¡¯t hold any real power and won¡¯t be the next crown prince, but he is currently favored. If he could speak well of us, getting a small official position for someone in our Wei Family isn¡¯t imusible,¡± ¡°Then you are being one-sided, do you know that Wanwan and Wei Qingruo are enemies? If we want to rely on Wanwan, we can¡¯t get too close to Wei Qingruo, otherwise it could backfire,¡± Bai analyzed. ¡°You have a point. King Rui not only has actual power, but he is also the most likely candidate for bing the heir apparent. The Emperor is getting old, and the throne could change hands at any moment, we must rely more on King Rui.¡± Bai added, ¡°Moreover, I do not get along with Wei Qingruo. She is narrow-minded and holds grudges. If I try to please her, it could backfire. Instead of catering to her, we should concentrate our efforts on Wanwan.¡± ¡°Hmm, your analysis makes much sense. But you¡¯ll have to attend tomorrow¡¯s events either way. It would not be eptable to be absent; just handle it ordingly. I know you have good judgment, my wife. You will know what¡¯s the best approach,¡± Wei Mingyong responded.
¡°Just thinking about kneeling down to her tomorrow puts me in a sour mood,¡± Baiined. ¡°There¡¯s no choice, endure it.¡± ¡°I know, I can clearly differentiate between priorities. Once King Rui dies and King Rui seeds him, she, who does not get along with Wanwan, is destined to have a hard life. At that time, I will see her, and see if she can be still be proud.¡± ### Early the next morning, Wei Ruo set off in a carriage to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, apanied by arge group of people and the prepared gifts. The Wei family was already waiting at the gate as dawn broke. Although King Rui was said to be weak, he was currently the most favored prince, and they need to treat him carefully.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Half an hourter, they saw the King Rui Residence¡¯s convoy approaching the Wei Residence, and the expectant joy appeared on the faces of the eager Wei family. When the carriage stopped at the gate, Old Master Wei and the Madam led everyone to wee their arrival. The curtain of the carriage was drawn back, and Wei Ruo descended from the carriage with Xiumei¡¯s assistance. Everyone watched the carriage, waiting for a long time, but they did not see King Ruiing down from the carriage. Wei Ruo said, ¡°Don¡¯t wait anymore, the Prince didn¡¯te, only I have returned.¡± Hearing this, everyone from the Wei Family revealed surprised expressions.
Then, everyone reacted differently, some were pleased with Wei Ruo¡¯s misfortune, some were sympathetic, and some were distressed. The corners of Wei Qingwan¡¯s mouth curved upward. She had predicted that Wei Qingruo¡¯s situation in King Rui¡¯s Residence wouldn¡¯t be pleasant, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be so unpleasant. King Rui didn¡¯t even apany her for the return visit. Bai was secretlyughing in her heart, it seemed that Wei Qingruo, as Queen Rui, was only a name. Her judgementst night was correct. Chapter 463: 463 Wasting Heavenly Resources_1 Chapter 463 Wasting Heavenly Resources_1 Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze swept over everyone, absorbing their expressions, her face always adorned with a faint smile. It was the old Madame Wei who reacted first, the first one to kneel down and pay respects to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo was the queen now, even their elders had to kneel and pay respects to her. Seeing this, the others also knelt down and performed the ritual of worship. ¡°Long live the queen.¡± ¡°You may all rise.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t make anyone suffer, and after all of them stood up, she entered the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence surrounded by the crowd. The men who were originally assigned to entertain King Rui had nothing to do at this moment, leaving only the women to apany Wei Ruo to the Shou¡¯an Hall. Wei Ruo sat next to the old Madame Wei, next to whom on either side sat Mrs. Yun, Mrs. Mo, Bai family, and Wei Qingwan. Old Madame Wei couldn¡¯t resist holding Wei Ruo¡¯s hand, and said in a doting manner, ¡°Child, you have suffered a lot.¡± King Rui not apanying Wei Ruo on her return was seen as an extremely serious issue by old Madame Wei. It represented that Wei Ruo was not being taken seriously.
Wei Ruo calmly responded, ¡°The prince is unwell. As his wife, I should be understanding.¡± Mrs. Bai immediatelyughed and said, ¡°The queen is truly virtuous. With such consideration for the prince, he must be very fond of you.¡± Mrs. Yun quicklymented, ¡°It¡¯s a known fact that the prince is unwell. At several grand ceremonies, the prince hasn¡¯t been able tost till the end. It is quite normal that he couldn¡¯t apany the queen on her way back.¡± Mrs. Baiughed and said, ¡°Third sister, there¡¯s no need to emphasize that. I didn¡¯t mention any problem with Prince Rui not apanying the queen to return.¡± Mrs. Yun was speechless. Wei Ruo showed no signs of being affected, she smiled and said to old Madame Wei, ¡°Grandmother, can you call brother Yilin for me? I have something to give him.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll have him brought over.¡± Old Madame Wei agreed. Soon, Wei Yilin was brought in. Walking in, he first paid his respects to old Madame Wei, then his gaze fell on Wei Ruo, his small eyes filled with worry. Wei Ruo said, ¡°A few days before my marriage, Yilin got injured while practicing and left a scar on his hand. I have some ointment here, just right for him.¡± Then, Wei Ruo beckoned to Wei Yilin. We Yilin came to Wei Ruo¡¯s side. Wei Yilin was only nine years old and didn¡¯t need to worry too much about propriety. In front of everyone, Wei Ruo took out a box of scar removal ointment. The moment she saw the ointment, the ever-smiling Wei Qingwan¡¯s face became stiff. This was scar removal ointment sold in Tongde Hall, which she had bought at great expense and after a lot of effort! The ointment she had worked so hard to get was now casually held in Wei Qingruo¡¯s hand! Mrs. Bai was also taken aback, Wei Qingwan had borrowed money from her to buy this ointment, so she naturally remembered it well. Mrs. Yun frowned, too, feeling doubtful about how Ruoruo got this ointment. It was very expensive! Mrs. Yun asked, ¡°Ruoruo, could this ointment be from Tongde Hall?¡±
¡°Yes, it is from Tongde Hall. The prince said he was worried that I might get hurt, so he got me a few of these.¡± Wei Ruo answered. A few? Did that mean there was more than one box? From her words, it sounded like Prince Rui really loved her deeply. Could it really be as she said, that King Rui didn¡¯t apany her today simply because he was unwell?
Everyone¡¯s expression varied, and they couldn¡¯t help but specte. Wei Yilin looked at the ointment and frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t need ointment. I¡¯m a man, and it¡¯s cool to keep some scars on my body!¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°Scars left from a battlefield are considered cool, but do you think the scars left from your training are impressive? What would you say when someone asks you how you got them? You identally injured yourself during training? Doesn¡¯t sound cool at all.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Yilin pouted, feeling that there was some truth in her words, and stopped resisting. Moreover, if his big sister was giving him ointment, it seemed like she was showing concern for him! How could he reject her kindness? Sure enough, he still held a ce in his big sister¡¯s heart. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have saved him before, and still remember to care about the scars he acquired from training. Wei Yilin immediately gained confidence, believing that he had a chance to restore the brother-sister rtionship between him and his sister! ¡°Yilin, roll up your sleeves,¡± Wei Ruo said to Wei Yilin. Wei Yilin didn¡¯t resist and obediently rolled up his sleeves, revealing the scars on his arm. That knife scar extended from his elbow to his wrist ¨C a bit long but not deep. The scab had already faded, leaving only a faint red mark. Wei Ruo opened the porcin box of ointment in her hand, and in front of everyone, began to apply it to Wei Yilin¡¯s arm. Wei Ruo scooped arge piece of ointment from the box and generously spread it over Wei Yilin¡¯s arm. Clearly, a small amount of ointment would have been sufficient to cover Wei Yilin¡¯s wound, but Wei Ruo was not satisfied with that and insisted on stacking a thickyer of ointment onto his scar.
She then continued to scoop the remaining ointment from the box, simrly piling it thickly onto Wei Yilin¡¯s scar. A box of ointment that would usually be used up in half a month, Wei Ruo managed to use all in one go. This left Wei Qingwan, who had strained rtions with the Yun family in order to obtain a box of Scar Removal Ointment, pale in the face. Wei Yilin asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Big sister, is this how the ointment is supposed to be applied?¡± Something didn¡¯t feel quite right. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I figured applying more can¡¯t hurt,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Bai Family couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Your Highness, this is not how the ointment is used. Applying it in small amounts over time is more effective. If you use it all at once, it won¡¯t be absorbed properly, let alone that there will be none left for future use.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Upon finishing her words, Wei Ruo took out a handkerchief and cleaned off the excessive, thick ointment from Wei Yilin¡¯s scar all at once. After wiping, Wei Ruo casually handed the handkerchief to Xiumei who was standing by her side. Wei Qingwan¡¯s gaze followed the handkerchief to Xiumei, only to see Xiumei tucking the handkerchief into her sleeve. Then Wei Ruo said to Wei Yilin, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must have done it wrong.¡± Wei Yilin quickly said, ¡°Not at all, not at all, any way you apply it is good!¡±
How it¡¯s applied doesn¡¯t matter, whether it works or not doesn¡¯t matter either, Wei Yilin was just happy! Because he felt that his big sister really loved him! She cared about even the smallest scar on his body! Ah, it seemed that his big sister was just being reserved on the surface, but deep inside she really cared about him! He must work hard to make up for the harm he caused his big sister before, so that she could treat him wholeheartedly well in the future! At this point, Bai Family could no longer contain themselves, ¡°Your Highness, Queen, Qingwan also needs to use this ointment, since you seemed to have extra, could you give some to Qingwan?¡± Chapter 464: 464 Gift Prepared for Everyone_1 Chapter 464 Gift Prepared for Everyone_1 Wei Qingwan looked gratefully towards the Bai Family¡¯s Madam. She wanted to ask, but was constrained by her own dignity. Now that Madam Bai spoke on her behalf, it couldn¡¯t be better. She had spent two thousand taels of silver on that box of scar removal cream and although the traces on her back were faint after its application, they were still noticeable if one looked closely which still bothered her. If she could use two more boxes, perhaps it wouldpletely disappear. Regrettably, she did not have any more silver, and the cream was no longer avable in Tongde Hall. Originally, upon the advice of those around her, she had already let it go. Having faded the scar to this extent, she could more or less ept it.N?v(el)B\\jnn But now, Wei Qingruo was applying the cream on Wei Yilin¡¯s arm, why couldn¡¯t she give it to her if she could waste it in such a way? With a smile on her face, Wei Ruo slowly replied, ¡°Two boxes were allocated for my old wounds and the one Yilin is using today is thest box. Wanwan, you had worked so hard to get those previous boxes and spending so much silver for them, I thought you had enough. After all, you never mentioned this matter to me.¡± Previously, Wei Qingwan had asked Wei Ruo to lend her the silver. But after arriving in the capital city, Wei Qingwan had not told Wei Ruo that she had spent the two thousand taels on the cream. Hearing this, Madam Bai of the Bai Family, who had been ready to argue, was suddenly at a loss for words. She could only respond awkwardly with a smile, ¡°What a pity then.¡±
Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned ghastly; she didn¡¯t believe what Wei Qingruo imed. She had never heard of Wei Qingruo having any old wounds. Wei Qingwan looked to Madam Yun, hoping she could speak up for her. With a frown and clearly hesitant, Madam Yun finally uttered, ¡°If you have any more, would you consider giving one box to your sister? Her back still bears some faint scars, it would be best if it could be removedpletely.¡± Even though Madam Yun still held a grudge against Wei Qingwan, she thought to seize this opportunity to improve the rtionship between her two daughters considering the greater picture. If the two sisters could help each other, it would be beneficial for both of them. Madam Yun figured that once Wanwan agreed to ept Ruo¡¯s favor, their rtionship would improve. Then in the future, if Ruo encountered any difficulties, Wanwan could lend a helping hand. Upon hearing these words, Wei Yilin, who was standing in front of Wei Ruo, furrowed her eyebrows. She had just heard her eldest sister say there was no cream left, why was her mother still asking? Did she not believe her eldest sister? Even if her eldest sister was lying about having any cream left, she had stated her intention of not wanting to give any more away. It was her eldest sister¡¯s possession after all, she had the final say. No one could force her. Wei Ruo shed a smile, ¡°Mother, as I said, I have none left. Surely, you do not want me to ask the Prince again? As you know, he is entric and temperamental. It¡¯s part of my blessing that he treats me so generously and I should appreciate it. If I keep asking, I may annoy him. Or mother, do you think thatpared to the scars on Wanwan¡¯s back, my situation in King Rui¡¯s Residence is of no concern?¡± Madam Yun looked embarrassed, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I thought as much.¡± Looking into Wei Ruo¡¯s clear and bright eyes, Madam Yun had no choice but to hold her tongue even though she had more to say. Wei Qingwan¡¯s lips tightened as she averted her gaze, resentment flickering in her eyes. Wei¡¯s Grand Madam quickly changed the subject, ¡°King Rui¡¯s Consort must have been very busy these past days. There must be lots of rules and affairs to deal with.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, Grandmother. I¡¯ve also prepared some gifts for you,¡± Wei Ruo said. After Wei Ruo finished, Xiumei took out a bracelet from her bosom and passed it to Wei Ruo, who then handed it to the Grand Madam. The bracelet was obviously made from top grade Hetian jade, glowing with a moist luster and boasting a transparent texture. Usually, a bracelet of this quality was not avable for purchase in the market, as most of them were collected by royals. It was extremely valuable and hard toe by.
Then, Xiumei took out two jars from a following servant and ced them in front of the Grand Madam. Wei Ruo said, ¡°These are two jars of loquat syrup, useful for moistening the lungs and removing phlegm. Regr consumption of it can alleviate heat in lungs, settle the stomach and alleviate irritability. I often hear Grandmother coughing casually, taking this loquat syrup would be suitable.¡± Looking at the jade bracelet in her hand and the loquat syrup before her, a smile of joy spread across the face of Wei¡¯s Grand Madam. ¡°Ruo really is considerate, preparing such lovely gifts for her grandmother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only right to do so. The King treats me well and has gifted me many valuable items that I am not able to use all. As Grandmother has been goodness to me, when I receive good things, of course, I would gift them to you,¡± Wei Ruo exined.
When Wei Ruo had gotten married, the Grand Madam had given her a generous dowry. Regardless of the Grand Madam¡¯s motives, the money was of real value. Therefore, Wei Ruo was willing to give Grand Madam some valuable items as gifts in return. Upon hearing this, the Grand Madam was pleased, nevertheless she stated, ¡°Knowing that you care about your grandmother makes me very happy, but your current at King Rui Residence is critical too. You too should be careful. You don¡¯t have to think about your grandmother every time you get something good. You can keep it for yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem at all. The Prince treats me well, and there are fewer personnel in King Rui¡¯s Residence. There are no concubines nor consorts to make me feel upset,¡± Wei Ruo said. When Wei Ruo mentioned ¡°concubines and consorts¡±, everyone subconsciously looked at Wei Qingwan. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, absolutely wonderful,¡± Wei¡¯s Grand Madam said happily. You can see that Wei Ruo still receives favor. Madam Yun breathes a sigh of relief and said, ¡°The Prince¡¯s affection for you is your fortune. You must not be arrogant because of it instead and need to be careful. Especially with the Prince¡¯s poor health, you must take good care of him. Always keep a close eye on the soups and medications.¡± Without a response, Wei Ruo continued, ¡°The Prince knew that Father likes drinking wine, so he specially instructed someone to buy a cart of thyme in Taizhou prefecture for Father.¡± A cart of thyme?! A cart of twelve jars, considering the current market price of thyme at three hundred taels per jar, would be worth thirty-six hundred taels! Thirty-six hundred taels of silver! King Rui truly spares no expense! If it was said that the scar cream and the bracelet slightly showcased King Rui¡¯s attention to Wei Ruo, then this cart of winepletely confirmed this point. Though King Rui did not apany Wei Ruo on her return trip home, he did not skimp on the gifts for the return visit.
It appears that Wei Ruo is indeed favored in King Rui Residence! Perhaps the truth really was as she said it was, due to his health, King Rui did not apany her on the return home. The faces of everyone in the room changed again, especially Wei Qingwan¡¯s, as she clenched her fists tighter. Hearing about the purchase of a cart of thyme, Madam Bai of the Bai Family, who had always had her heart set on the thyme, her eyes lit up. Chapter 465: 465: I Have Some Questions For Father_1 Chapter 465: I Have Some Questions For Father_1 Before Madam Bai could say anything, Wei Ruo added, ¡°Since the wine is originally from Taizhou Prefecture and my father will be returning there in a few days, Prince has ordered someone to deliver the wine directly to the General Residence in Taizhou Prefecture to avoid the hassle of transportation.¡± As soon as Wei Ruo said this, Madam Bai, who had just begun to develop some expectational thoughts, was instantly silenced, gritting her teeth in frustration. Nevertheless, Madam Bai continued, ¡°I have heard that this wine is hard to buy, may I ask where the Prince got this whole cartload from?¡± As she spoke, a sense of bitterness seeped into her eyes. Wei Ruo replied with a smile, ¡°Auntie, the Prince¡¯s position is prestigious and hence unlike ordinary people. Where we had trouble finding, the Prince could easily obtain.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­ it is my own stupidity.¡± Madam Bai responded with a forced smile. Madam Yun said to Wei Ruo, ¡°We greatly appreciate Prince¡¯s generosity. On behalf of our husband here, we thank His Highness.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo further added, ¡°For my elder brother, I have prepared several boxes of stationary from the Four Treasure House. Mother, please remember to deliver them to himter ¨C I know he has been rather busytely, so I didn¡¯t want to disturb him.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s decision to not visit Wei Yichen was partly because Wei Yichen would soon be joining the court, so it would be inconvenient to bother him with his plethora of tasks. But it was also due to her uncertainty on what to say to him, hence the decision not to visit.
¡°We appreciate it, your Highness. Upon hearing this, your elder brother will certainly be very happy.¡± Madam Yun agreed. We Ruo then spoke to the others, ¡°The Prince has also prepared gifts for the elders. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°We sincerely appreciate His Highness.¡± Madam Mo replied. ¡°Of course, we wouldn¡¯t mind. We are honored by the kindness of the Prince and the Queen.¡± Madam Bai added. Madam Bai thought to herself, since the gifts prepared by King Rui for the elderly were all valuable items, the other gifts would no doubt be fantastic as well ¨C she expected to benefit from them. However, what Madam Bai was unaware of was that aside from the valuable gifts already announced by Wei Ruo, the rest were just ordinary ceremonial gifts ¨C such as brown sugar, cloud cakes, apples, andmon teas. The many bags and boxes might look impressive, but they were not worth much money. Madam Yun couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. Just now, Wei Ruo specifically mentioned the gifts prepared for Wei Yilin, Wei Mingting, and Wei Yichen, but she was left out. She had an ufortable, blocked throat feeling but didn¡¯t know how to express it. Afterwards, everyone had lunch together in Shou¡¯an Hall. After lunch, Wei Ruo, apanied by Madam Yun, went to the Anxin Pavilion to see Mr. Wei Mingting. ¡°Father, I pay my respects to you.¡± ¡°You needn¡¯t be overly formal.¡± ¡°Father, there are some questions I wanted to ask.¡± Wei Mingting¡¯s eyes deepened, and after a moment¡¯s sigh, he turned to Madam Yun, ¡°Madam, could you wait outside for a moment? I have some things I need to discuss with Ruoruo alone.¡± Madam Yun couldn¡¯t help but be surprised, not understanding what her husband wanted to say to her daughter that he¡¯d rather not have her present. Although they were a family of three, she felt excluded from her husband and daughter¡¯s conversation. But since she always obeyed her husband¡¯s wishes, she obediently left the room, filled with confusion and mncholy. Once Madam Yun had left the room, Wei Mingting turned around, saying gravely, ¡°I know what you want to ask.¡±
¡°Knew all along whom I was marrying before I took the vow?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Mingting affirmed. ¡°Is that what you thought was best?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I do know he won¡¯t hurt you. This is better than having you marry someone like Marquis Xuanping, so I didn¡¯t challenge him.¡±
Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t deny it. This choice wasn¡¯t entirely bad for her. Wei Ruo asked again, ¡°Father, I have another question.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Why would you take such a risk back then?¡± ¡°His maternal grandfather was my benefactor and a person I respected. I firmly believed that he was wronged. So when they entrusted their child to me, I couldn¡¯t refuse.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± ¡°Thank you for protecting him. He means a lot to me, and I am grateful to you for allowing him to live.¡± Wei Mingting turned to Wei Ruo, his brow furrowed in serious contemtion, ¡°Ruoruo, could it be that you have feelings for him¡­?¡± Wei Ruo shook her head, ¡°I was certainly not aware of it before, and therefore had no such feelings for him. But I am genuinely fond of him. He considers me a sister, a family member, and I feel that he is good to me.¡± Lit by another sigh, Wei Mingting said, ¡°I am not sure then if this would be a good thing for you.¡± ¡°I think it should be,¡± Wei Ruo confirmed. Even though she finds her current rtionship with Wei Jinyi somewhat problematic and is somewhat angry, she could not deny the fact that her situation has been better than she expected.
¡°So be it,¡± Wei Mingting said, looking at Wei Ruo with guilt-filled eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve failed you as a father. I haven¡¯t been able to do anything for you, and even your marriage didn¡¯t turn out as you had wished.¡± Wei Ruo was touched, ¡°Father, there is no need to me yourself. You have given so much for our nation, working hard and sweating, bleeding in your military duties. I understand.¡± Hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, all Wei Mingting could say was, ¡°Despite all this, I feel I have failed you.¡± ¡°Father, do not say such things. Today is a good day ¨C my return, and I have brought some gifts for you.¡± ¡°What did you prepare for me, Ruoruo?¡± Wei Mingting asked. ¡°A cart full of Thyme. I had it sent directly to the General Residence in Taizhou Prefecture,¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°and there is one other thing.¡± As she spoke, Wei Ruo ordered her servant to bring in the armor. The silver armor was stored in arge wooden box. When the armor was first brought in, Wei Mingting was not quite sure what it was. However, when the box was opened revealing the shiny silver armor, Wei Mingting¡¯s expression changed. He moved closer, squatting down to touch the armor. There is one major problem in making armor ¨C hardness and weight cannot be bnced. Generally, if an armor set is made strong, more metal is used, hence making the armor heavy. Heavy armor greatly decreases the agility of the soldiers, drastically reducing theirbat abilities. The armor currently worn by most soldiers, such as the ck Glow, Clear Glow, Double Resistance, Chainmail, and Ma Kai armors, all have this problem.
The armor in front of him was a fish scale armor,posed of small pieces of metal. It looked rather heavy. However, when Wei Mingting picked it up, he was surprised to find it to be much lighter than he had expected. Wei Mingting looked puzzled. He turned to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Why is this armor lighter than I expected?¡± Chapter 466: 466 Yuns Frustration_1 Chapter 466 Yun¡¯s Frustration_1 ¡°Because the armour tes are made rather thin,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Mingting took a closer look, and indeed they were thinner than he had expected. Wei Ruo went on to exin: ¡°Father, rest assured, although these tes are thinner, their hardness is notpromised. They can withstand regr sword attacks.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Wei Mingting asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°In the process of smelting the steel used for this armour,rge quantities of fluorite were employed. During the manufacture, copper was added. After the workpiece was formed, it was ced into a crucible, covered with charcoal, soya bean paste, and loamy powder. The workpiece was then carbon-infused by heating it externally, ensuring stable and even carbon pration, and boosting the carbon potential. As a result, it has good ductility and at the same time a markedly increased strength.¡± ¡°How did Ruoruo gain such knowledge?¡± Wei Mingting couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°The master craftsman who made this armour taught me these techniques. The hardness and ductility of ironware can be adjusted by changing the iron-to-carbon ratio,¡± Ruo answered. ¡°Where does this master craftsman reside? Would he mind if you introduced him to me?¡± Wei Mingting asked hurriedly with an excited expression. ¡°The master lives deep in the mountains and seldom interacts with outsiders. I acquired this armour from him by chance,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Wei Mingting regretfully remarked, ¡°If he could teach this improved technique to the men at the Weapon Camp, it could considerably increase our military strength.¡±
Wei Ruo gave no reply. Wei Mingting continued: ¡°In any case, Ruoruo, thank you for arranging this armour for me. I¡¯m delighted. I will wear it onto the battlefield.¡± ¡°I hope father is safe on the battlefield and secures victory every time,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Thank you son. I will do my best,¡± Wei Mingting replied, looking at Wei Ruo with deep gratitude and satisfaction. ### Not long after conversing with Wei Mingting, Wei Ruo left the residence of the Loyal and Righteous Duke. After Wei Ruo left, the Wei family members examined the gifts he had brought, only to find that the gifts were not of much value. This led the already hopeful Wei family members to feel disappointed. Bai Family was especially annoyed, ¡°What now? What¡¯s so great about raving praises about how much King Rui adores her, when all the return gifts are worthless odds and ends? Isn¡¯t this too insincere?!¡± Mo Family gently retorted, ¡°It is not entirely that. Look at the valuable gifts Queen Rui presented to mother and third brother, as well as the valuable stationery given to Yichen, and the scar removal cream given to Yilin. All of them are of great value.¡± ¡°Who knows? I only got a distant nce at that bracelet, it may not be worth much at all. As for that truckload of thyme, it is even more questionable. They said it was sent to the General¡¯s Residence, who knows whether it was really sent, or if what was actually sent was ordinary wine instead of thyme,¡± Bai Family grumbled. Mo Family had nothing more to add upon hearing Bai Family¡¯sment. Yun Family stood quietly on one side without uttering a word. There was nothing in the return gifts for her. This much was clear enough. It is not that she did not want to prepare gifts, but she did not wish to prepare them for the others in the residence. Yet, in her heart, her standing was as low as Bai Family and the others. This huge gap made Yun Family feel as if she was crushed under a huge rock. Upon returning to Anxin Pavilion, Yun Family saw her husband packing his luggage. ¡°My lord, when will you return to Taizhou prefecture?¡± Yun Family asked.
¡°I¡¯ll leave first thing tomorrow,¡± Wei Mingting replied. He hade to the capital with the Emperor¡¯s special permission to attend his daughter¡¯s wedding. So, once his daughter had returned to her inws¡¯ house after the wedding, he had to head back to the military camp. Upon hearing this, Yun Family couldn¡¯t help but feel lost, sad, and reluctant, but she also knew that her husband had responsibilities and couldn¡¯t afford to becent. Yun Family had more questions to ask Wei Mingting, but hesitated whether to ask them or not.
After standing by for quite some time, she couldn¡¯t help but finally asked, ¡°My lord, what did you discuss with Ruo today?¡± ¡°Ruo only asked me some questions, nothing important,¡± Wei Mingting refrained from giving a direct answer. Upon hearing this, Yun Family felt increasingly suffocated and distressed. ¡°Does my lord not trust me?¡± Yun Family probed further. ¡°You are overthinking,¡± Wei Mingting replied, ¡°You have been busy all day, you must be tired. Rest early.¡± After a long silence, Yun Family reluctantly agreed. She helped Wei Mingting pack his luggage with a heavy and aggrieved heart. ### On the way back to King Rui¡¯s Residence, Wei Ruo leaned against the cushion and gathered his thoughts with his eyes closed. Having cooled down and reflected over the past three days, Wei Ruo almost had his emotions under control. Now, it was time to consider his next moves. He knew early on that it was very difficult for him to stay out of the session battles. The Wei family had Wei Qingwan, who was soon to marry King Yu as his concubine, and Wei Mingyong, who intended to curry favour with King Yu. Even if he really wished to marry an ordinary person, as he had nned, and cut ties with the Wei Family, he would inevitably be implicated should the Wei Family go too far. Against this background, his current situation seemed somewhat more favourable. If King Yu¡¯s affairs affected the Wei Family, his title as King Rui¡¯s consort would protect him. If his elder brother nned to fight for the throne, at least he could do something about it, even if they were to lose in the end, it wouldn¡¯t be that intolerable. As to the matter of Wei Jinyi deceiving him, although Wei Ruo was still slightly angry, he could choose to set this issue aside for the time being and focus on figuring out his next steps instead.
The most pressing matter now was how to save his own life. He did not want to waste all his energy arguing and getting angry with Wei Jinyi, and only realize that he had forgotten about the serious matters when Chu Lan ascended the throne and held a knife to their throats. Wei Ruo remembered that in the original novel, the facts rted to Duke Xu and the Empress were to bring down Chu Heng. The mastermind behind the plot to frame Duke Xu was the Imperial Concubine Qi and her older brother. As Chu Lan revealed the truth of this matter, Imperial Concubine Qi fell out of favour, Qi Yansong was dismissed from his post, arrested, and locked up in Sky Prison, and Chu Heng¡¯s status drastically declined. In this life, his second elder brother had managed to obtain the letters hidden in Duke Xu¡¯s residence, thereby washing away the charges of treason against Duke Xu, but the hidden hands behind this have not yet been revealed. Currently, the positions of Imperial Concubine Qi and Chu Heng have not been shaken. It¡¯s uncertain as to what the second elder brother¡¯s next goal is. Does he want to overthrow Chu Lan and ascend to the throne? If that is indeed his objective, should she lend him a hand? Wei Ruo felt conflicted. He had no interest in seizing the throne, nor was he adept at political games. He had always thought himself to be rather clever, able to remember a lot of things just by reading them once, and capable of learning things after trying once. However, this was limited to the things he was good at. He was genuinely ipetent when it came to the things he wasn¡¯t good at. The only advantage he might have in the session dispute was probably that he had read the original story. But even this might prove unusable, as the butterfly effect has already caused the plot to diverge greatly from the original.
Chapter 467: 467: Accidentally seeing him bathe _1 Chapter 467: identally seeing him bathe _1 From this perspective, she didn¡¯t want to get involved in this turmoil. But on the other hand, there was a necessity for session battle. Firstly, Imperial Concubine Qi, Qi Yansong, and King Yu could be considered the culprits behind the death of Duke Xu and indirectly responsible for the death of the Empress, Xu. Once she told her second brother about this, he had no reason to not seek revenge. Secondly, the original host had been killed by Chu Lan. Even if she did not seek revenge for the tragedy that didn¡¯t happen to the original host, she still had to be vignt against Chu Lan who might threaten her life once again. It seemed that she had to find a time to ask her second brother clearly about his ns. Their destinies were tied up now, and his thoughts would determine the road she would take. ### When Wei Ruo returned to King Rui¡¯s Residence, dinner had already been prepared for her. All the dishes were to her liking. One dish used Sichuan peppercorns, Hops Vine, and mustard, creating the spicy and numbing vor that Wei Ruo loved. It wasn¡¯t as spicy as Wei Ruo desired due to theck of chili pepper, but it was already very good.
Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but think back to the scene when she first met Wei Jinyi, where she had made him try spicy hot pot. It seemed that he remembered her liking for this kind of heavy vor. ¡°Miss, are today¡¯s meals to your taste?¡± Lin Fang, standing behind Wei Ruo, carefully asked. ¡°It¡¯s good, the spicy and numbing rabbit dish, is it directed by Prince?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes, the Prince. But the chefs in the house have never made such a dish before. They tried several times, and the Prince personally tasted each attempt until he was satisfied.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t like spicy food, is he not getting his face red and coughing each time he tastes it?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°This¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Lin Fang was unsure, she had never seen how their master tested the food. ¡°Where is the Prince now?¡± ¡°Prince is in the study room, he hasn¡¯t rested yet. Miss, do you have something to look for the Prince? Or should I invite him over?¡± Lin Fang responded. Wei Ruo thought about it, then shook her head, ¡°No need, I¡¯m a little tired. Let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Lin Fang proposed that Wei Ruo should take a hot spring bath in Lu Hua Pool to rx: ¡°Miss can go soak in the Lu Hua Pool to rejuvenate yourself.¡± ¡°Hot spring? I haven¡¯t seen the Lu Hua Pool you mentioned when I followed youst time walking around the Wang Residence?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°The Lu Hua Pool can be reached by a small path out of the southwest exit of the Wang Residence. It was originally built for a hot spring. The hot spring is the reason for the establishment of Lu Hua Pool. The Wang Residence is then expanded to the hot spring area, with a small garden between them. It is said that soaking in this hot spring might have therapeutical effects. It was because of this hot spring that the Emperor bestowed this residence to the Prince.¡± Lin Fang exined. Wei Ruo contemted for a moment and then decided to go for a soak in the hot spring. Since crossing over, she has not had a chance to soak in a hot spring. After preparing some clean clothes, Wei Ruo headed to Lu Hua Pool. Following Lin Fang¡¯s direction, she exited from the southwest gate, walked along a pathway paved with stones, and saw Lu Hua Pool. This was an outdoor hot spring, muchrger than she had expected.
The surrounding area was densely packed with flowers and trees, cradling the hot spring pool. Bathed in moonlight from above and the yellow glow from thenterns hanging around it, the pool appeared particrly tranquil. The white steam rising from the spring added a mysterious and ethereal aura to the surroundings. Wei Ruo regretted not knowing about this pool sooner, if she did, she would havee for a soak in the previous days.
She ced the clean clothes she brought on arge rock nearby, ready to take off her clothes. As soon as she put down her clothes, she suddenly noticed a figure behind the rock. Wei Ruo jumped in fright. Her first reaction was to take the hallucinogen hidden in her bosom. When she recognized the person, there was a relief yet another sense of nervousness upying her mind. ¡°You¡­aren¡¯t you in the study room?¡± Wei Ruo instinctively hugged her clothes tighter. Wei Jinyi was mostly submerged in the hot spring. The white steam obscured him from chest to shoulders, only showing his neck and above under the light. His handsome, determined face under the moonlight appeared exceedingly charismatic. Finding Wei Ruo gazing at him, Wei Jinyi¡¯s face uncontrobly turned red. He said solemnly, ¡°I came here for a bath about a quarter of an hour ago, didn¡¯t the guard tell you?¡± When Wei Ruo came from the exit, she did see two guards. However, they did not stop her, nor did they mention that Wei Jinyi was inside. This could not be med on the guards. After all, they were not aware of the real situation between their Prince and Princess. The guards would certainly not stop their masters if they wanted to take a bath together. Isn¡¯t that asking for death? Moreover, the Prince had ordered before, the Princess could go wherever she wanted, and no one should stop her.
Naturally, she was allowed to go to Lu Hua Pool. Lin Fang, who told Wei Ruo that Wei Jinyi was in the study room, probably did not expect Wei Jinyi toe to Lu Hua Pool at this time. Wei Ruo grumbled, ¡°Aren¡¯t your guards following yourmand? They didn¡¯t tell me! Also, why didn¡¯t you hide properly, and frighten people from behind the rocks?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you, I was just not fast enough¡­¡± Wei Jinyi felt aggrieved. He certainly didn¡¯t intend to hide behind the rocks to scare people. He hadn¡¯t moved all the while. It was because the light was too dim that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t see him immediately. Although he had seen her, he didn¡¯t know how to speak up. Even harder was to get up and out of the water, as he waspletely naked. ¡°Alright.¡± After thinking about it, Wei Ruo also felt that Wei Jinyi might not have intended to scare her. After the initial nervousness wore off, Wei Ruo started to examine Wei Jinyi attentively. She noticed that Wei Jinyi¡¯s face was red. It looked like he was even more nervous than she was. ¡°RuoRuo¡­¡± Wei Jinyi became more and more ufortable under Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze. He was barely able to meet her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wei Ruo pretended not to understand. ¡°Could you turn around, or would you please leave first?¡± Wei Jinyi asked.
¡°Why should I turn around? Haven¡¯t wepleted the wedding rituals? If you are my husband, why be afraid of me seeing you naked?¡± Wei Ruo nurtured some vindictive feelings. Indeed, if he really wanted her to see his body, she wouldn¡¯t dare to look. Although she had seen many naked bodies when she was treating patients, it¡¯s different in different situations. Now she was speaking deliberately to tease Wei Jinyi. The more embarrassed he was, the less she wanted to leave. He had the audacity to secretly conduct a wedding ceremony with her, but why was hecking the courage to ¡°face each other sincerely¡±? Therefore, instead of leaving, Wei Ruo crossed her arms and leisurely appreciated the scenery next to her. ¡°RuoRuo¡­¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s face turned as red as a cooked crab, whether it was from embarrassment or from the hot spring water, no one could tell. Chapter 468: 468 How Did He Actually Get Up?_1 Chapter 468 How Did He Actually Get Up?_1 ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wei Ruo asked knowingly. ¡°Do you really want to see, Ruoruo?¡± Wei Jinyi countered. ¡°Why not?¡± Wei Ruo raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. Just as Wei Ruo thought Wei Jinyi would be even more flushed with embarrassment, Wei Jinyi slowly stood up from the water. The water flowed from his corbone, streaming down his chest. It slipped past his navel, continuing further down. Wei Ruo abruptly turned her back. ¡°Obscene!¡± Wei Ruo cursed. She had only spoken in jest! Why did he actually emerge from the water! Fortunately, she turned quickly; otherwise, she would have seen everything!
Even though she hadn¡¯t seen the parts she shouldn¡¯t have, the image still lingered in her mind. The more she tried not to think about it, the more persistently the visual invaded her thoughts! Under the guise of a married couple, looking at his body wasn¡¯t the pure, innocent act it once was! ¡°Ruoruo.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s voice rang out behind her, causing Wei Ruo to shiver.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om She felt Wei Jinyi¡¯s presence close behind her, possibly about to press close. ¡°Don¡¯t you daree any closer!¡± Wei Jinyi paused, exining, ¡°I¡¯ve already put on my clothes.¡± Wei Ruo turned around to see Wei Jinyi fully dressed in white robes as pure as snow. ¡°I¡¯m ready now, if you want to bathe¡­¡± Wei Ruo interrupted him before he could finish, ¡°I¡¯m not bathing!¡± With that, Wei Ruo turned and fled. Wei Jinyi watched Wei Ruo leave, then turned to see the clothes she had brought, strewn across the floor. Among them was a peculiarly shaped garment with two half-circles and very little fabric. He wondered what it was used for. The thought of it being Wei Ruo¡¯s undergarments made Wei Jinyi blush uncontrobly. Only after darting out of the bathing pool did Wei Ruo realise she had forgotten her own clothes. It would be awkward to turn back to fetch them now, so she decided to temporarily abandon them. Wei Ruo returned to Songzhu Garden in a huff. Seeing her return so hurriedly, Lin Fang and Xiumei exchanged puzzled nces. Lin Fang asked, ¡°Why did you return so soon, Mistress? Didn¡¯t you want to stay in the water a bit longer?¡±
¡°Your Prince is in the pool right now!¡± ¡°The Prince¡­ he¡¯s there¡­?¡± Lin Fang¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Her master seldom visited that pool. How coincidental it was to encounter him today. Plus, when the youngdy asked her earlier, the Prince had been busy discussing serious matters with Zhang Yi.
Lin Fang looked at Wei Ruo, specting about what might have happened in the bathing pool. Could it be¡­ Concerned, Xiumei asked, ¡°Did anything happen, Mistress? Did the Prince take advantage of you?¡± Xiumei clenched her fists, prepared to confront Wei Jinyi. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about advantage, I guess I took advantage of him,¡± Wei Ruo murmured. Huh? Xiumei and Lin Fang exchanged looks. Is this a good or bad thing? ¡°You can leave now. I need some rest.¡± Wei Ruo did not want to dwell on the incident. Her mind was still filled with the image of Wei Jinyi¡¯s wet and blushing face¡ªpart shy, part innocent, and a little bit sexy. After dismissing Xiumei and Lin Fang, Wei Ruo quickly washed and headed to bed. Under the covers, Wei Ruo sighed in resignation. She had nned to discuss important matters with her second brother on the way to Wang Residence, but instead, she ended up getting another peek at his body.
This time, the feeling was different from before and different from how she felt seeing other people¡¯s bodies. It seemed like she was still getting used to their changed rtionship. If they had just discovered that they were not biological siblings, it wouldn¡¯t have been as big of a deal. She and Brother Xiaoyong weren¡¯t rted by blood either, yet she epted him as her brother in her heart, feeling no difort even if he undressed before her. But with her second brother, they were formally married and seen as a couple in public. Thus, situations of ¡°openness¡± between them still brought her some difort. ### Early the next morning, Wei Ruo prepared to head out. ¡°Meimei, pack up. We¡¯re going out.¡± ¡°Are we leaving today?¡± Xiumei asked surprisingly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, is there an issue?¡± Wei Ruo questioned. ¡°Oh, no, no. It¡¯s just that you just got married not too long ago, wouldn¡¯t it be a bit inappropriate to go out so soon?¡± Counting, today was only their fifth day of being married. ¡°Who cares if it¡¯s our fifth day of being married? This marriage isn¡¯t real anyway. Besides, no one outside will be aware of it. What matters more than earning money? This is the harvest season for winter wheat. Red tea, rouge, and fabrics are selling like hotcakes¡ªI don¡¯t have time to waste.¡± Wei Ruo decided to focus most of her energy on making money.
She may not be able to assist in other matters, but she¡¯s certainly adept at earning and storing money, and grain. Good people and resources cost money. With money and grain, tasks would be easier to handle. Furthermore, food scarcity is a major problem in various ces now. Based on what happened in the original timeline, arge-scale famine is imminent, likely leading to disturbances. During such times, both Chu Lan and Chu Heng will be sent to alleviate the situation. Therefore, Wei Ruo felt there wouldn¡¯t be a downside to making more money and umting grain. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Mistress! I¡¯ll apany you out,¡± Xiumei responded without hesitation, showing her support. Wei Ruo and Xiumei quickly changed into men¡¯s clothing and left openly. They didn¡¯t have to hide and sneak around to change clothes like before¡ªthey simply dressed up in their room and went straight out. On the way, Wei Ruo was nning the opening of other shops in Capital City. She could openly open shops in her own name now, without any worry of being discovered. As the mistress of Wang Residence, it was natural for her to manage properties and businesses. It would not be a problem as long as she did not expose herself as Wei Qingruo. Admittedly, this marriage turned out to have numerous benefits! ¡°Mistress, where should we head first?¡± Xiumei, who was driving, asked from the front. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Caiyun Room first.¡±
¡°Alright.¡± Both Wei Ruo¡¯s fabric mill and Four Treasure House¡¯s paper mill were situated in Huzhou Prefecture. Due to problems with transport costs,bour, and materials, the production capacity was limited. The fabric that was shipped here initially had all been sold out. Sun San Niang had contacted her several times, hoping to purchase a new batch of fabric. Wei Ruo had no more fabric to sell. Production was limited and they would have to wait for a new stock before selling more. Moreover, Wei Ruo intended to halt sales for a while after selling this batch of fabric. Chapter 469: 469: Caught by Chu Lan_1 Chapter 469: Caught by Chu Lan_1 She chose to take the high-quality route with her materials, aiming to whet people¡¯s appetites and apply the principle of hunger marketing to boost future sales. True to her expectations, Sun Sanniang pestered Wei Ruo, insisting that she replenish the goods for her, and even imed that she would raise the purchase price by another 20% if Wei Ruo agreed to exclusively supply Caiyun Room. Naturally, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t agree to this. She could continue to supply Caiyun Room, but not exclusively. Sun Sanniang had no choice but to go along with Wei Ruo¡¯s wishes, as Wei Ruo was the only source of these goods. Before Wei Ruo left, Sun Sanniang gifted her some tea leaves and courteously saw her out to the door. The attitude was notably different from Wei Ruo¡¯s first visit. After departing from Caiyun Room, Wei Ruo then went to Daiyue Residence. At present, there wasn¡¯t much happening at Daiyue Residence, and its operations were rtively stable. The current membership had reached an astonishing 189 people. This number had already exceeded Wei Ruo¡¯s expectations.
There sure were plenty of wealthy elite families in Capital City!N?v(el)B\\jnn These members enabled Wei Ruo to earn a staggering 15,000 taels of silver in just two months! This hefty sum was of great importance to Wei Ruo. With these silver taels, she could continue to purchase new properties and plots ofnd in Capital City. Not only was the problem of setting up a Four Treasure House branch in Capital City solved, but she could also consider expanding to other properties. We Ruo was now making a lot of money but also spending it quickly. Most of her ie came from engaging in businesses with the wealthy, as well as her partnership with Fan Chengxu. Her expenditures were primarily concerned with purchasing properties and farnds. Essentially, apart from the small portion of silver she kept in hand to ensure liquidity, the rest was used to fund her expansion efforts. Afterpleting her tasks, Wei Ruo began inquiring about thend prices in the surrounding areas of Capital City, including Baoding Prefecture, Hejian Prefecture, and Zhending Prefecture. Wei Ruo nned to grow her new variety of cotton. Her new cotton variety not only had the advantage of long fibers but also the nts themselves had excellent resistance to diseases and pests, cold tolerance, and high-yielding characteristics. Such cotton nts were cultivated by generations of scientists from her old world, and her space instantly provided her with these top-tier nts. How could she not take full advantage of it, increase production in the outside world, produce more cotton, and not only improve thefort of clothings but also allow more people to wear cotton clothes? This was crucial in dealing with the possible extreme cold weather in future. Lands near Capital City were out of the question as most of them were designated for fresh vegetable growing for the nobles and dignitaries living in the city. Not only were thesends expensive, but many of them were owned by the royal family and could not be bought or sold. Wei Ruo had to consider more distant areas, looking fornds that were reasonably priced and suitable for development. By the time Wei Ruo had ended her busy day, it was already dark. Only then did Wei Ruo realize that she had been so engrossed in her work that she had lost track of time.
Fortunately, she was now at King Rui Residence, so she didn¡¯t have to worry abouting up with exnations for the household when she returnedte. Wei Ruo and Xiumei got busy getting on the carriage and heading to King Rui¡¯s Residence. Xiumei was in the front driving the carriage, with Wei Ruo sitting inside. At this time, there were very few people on the streets, and the Armed Forces Department had started patrolling.
Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t curfew time yet, otherwise that would¡¯ve posed a problem. The carriage was about a hundred meters from King Rui¡¯s Residence when it reached Suzaku Street. ¡°Halt!¡± A group of government soldiers from the Armed Forces Department stopped Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage. Xiumei quickly halted. ¡°Who goes there? What are you doing here sote at night?¡± An officer in armor stepped forward to question them. Those from the Armed Forces Department were tasked with protecting the capital city. In encountering any suspicious individual, they would typically approach and inquire. Wei Ruo lifted the curtain to reveal her face and said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m a runner for King Rui, took care of some errands for him. Sorry for beingte.¡± As she spoke, Wei Ruo reached into her pocket and produced the identity badge from King Rui¡¯s Residence. She had prepared this kind of thing in advance, though she didn¡¯t realize she would need it so soon. Just as Wei Ruo was about to hand over the badge, a familiar figure approached. To Wei Ruo¡¯s surprise, she swiftly withdrew the badge.
The officer who had been questioning Wei Ruo immediately saluted at the sight of the neer, ¡°I pay my respects, Prince.¡± Chu Lan currently served as themander-in-chief of the Armed Forces Department in Ying Tian Prefecture. He was responsible for chasing down thieves in Capital City, regting streets and canals, and overseeing prison affairs and fire bans. Chu Lan looked at Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m out running errands¡­¡± Wei Ruo began to respond, instinctively turning her face away to avoid Chu Lan¡¯s gaze. ¡°I just heard you working for King Rui?¡± asked Chu Lan. Apparently, he had heard her words after all. We Ruo remained silent. Chu Lan continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t you dislike power and influence?¡± Wei Ruo clenched her fists, knowing it was hard to bluff her way out of this one. She decided to confront Chu Lan head-on, ¡°What about Master Zhu? How did Master Zhu be the Commander-in-chief?¡± Chu Lan was at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°I admit I deceived you, and I apologize. But can you tell me why you, who refuse to associate with the powerful, have be a runner for King Rui?¡± ¡°Prince Rui has shown me kindness, and I¡¯m willing to work for him,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Hearing those words, Chu Lan¡¯s fists tightened unconsciously.
He felt a surge of anger in his chest, but he wasn¡¯t sure why he felt so enraged when he heard Xu Heyou admitting that he was willing to work for King Rui. The officer standing by sensed Chu Lan¡¯s displeasure and dared not even breathe too loudly. He didn¡¯t know the identity of the young man he had stopped tonight, but it seemed that he had some connection with both King Jing and King Rui. ¡°Prince, may I leave now?¡± Wei Ruo asked Chu Lan. ¡°Should I let you go?¡± Chu Lan retorted. ¡°Prince, I don¡¯t seem to have done anything wrong, have I?¡± Chu Lan looked intensely at her, ¡°Whatever Rui Wang gives you, I can give you too.¡± ¡°Prince, I¡¯m just a humble merchant. A person of your stature surely has no shortage of capable people around you. Why insist on me?¡± ¡°You are different,¡± Chu Lan spoke with a fixed gaze, and his tone seemed somewhat pained for some reason. Different, my foot! We Ruo tried to control her urge to retort Chu Lan, considering how to escape the situation. Just then, a group of people came from the direction of King Rui¡¯s Residence. Although they were not very clear in the dark at first, as they got closer, they turned out to be Wei Jinyi. He was dressed in casual attire, with his exquisite face slightly pale.
Xiaobei was supporting him, and he seemed very weak. Upon seeing him, all the government soldiers saluted. ¡°We pay our respects to King Rui.¡± Chu Lan squinted, watching Wei Jinyi closely. Chapter 470: 470 Sit Down and Talk_1 Chapter 470: Chapter 470 Sit Down and Talk_1 ¡°Ninth Brother, you are unwell; you should rest at home. Why are you stepping out now?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°I came to receive my friends.¡± Wei Jinyi said, with a weak and frail voice, akin to a wisp of smoke. Slightly lifting his eyes, he nced at Wei Ruo. As their gazes met, Wei Ruo felt a surge of gratitude. She was most afraid of confronting Chu Lan; she had been fretting over how to tactfully excuse herself. With his arrival, she felt a sense of relief. Chu Lan noted their interaction, his eyes slightly dimming. ¡°I had no idea Ninth Brother held his friends in such high regard.¡± ¡°Xu Qing¡¯s medical skills have saved my life,¡± replied Wei Jinyi. Hearing this, Chu Lan cast another look at Wei Ruo: ¡°Unexpectedly, Mr. Xu seems to have saved both of our lives.¡± Wei Ruo answered, ¡°I am merely a humble physician. It¡¯s coincidental that I was able to save both the princes. Indeed, it¡¯s an honor.¡± Chu Lan asked, ¡°Since both of us owe you our lives, I wonder why Mr. Xu treated us differently?¡±
Wei Ruo was at a loss for words. She wondered whether it was her imagination or had she detected a tinge of jealousy in Chu Lan¡¯s words. Chu Lan, the protagonist of the original story, whose harem fought tirelessly over who held his favor! Was he bing jealous over her, a woman who he¡¯d barely acknowledged in the original plot? It must be a misunderstanding! She was disguised as a man; no matter how much Chu Lan had changed, he wouldn¡¯t have suddenly be interested in men. Wei Jinyi said to Chu Lan, ¡°Seventh Brother, it¡¯s gettingte, and Xu Qing is tired after the day¡¯s journey. I will escort him back home to rest.¡± Chu Lan didn¡¯t immediately agree. He gazed pensively at Wei Ruo. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t wait for Chu Lan¡¯s response and ordered his men to escort Wei Ruo away. Even though Chu Lan was unwilling, he couldn¡¯t stop them unless he wanted to be reported by Wei Jinyi. Wei Ruo kept her head lowered, avoiding eye contact with Chu Lan as she passed him. Chu Lan¡¯s gaze followed her intently. Wei Ruo followed Wei Jinyi into the King Rui Residence. Not until the gate closed did Wei Ruo heave out a breath of relief. Seeing Wei Ruo in such a state, Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression slightly tightened: ¡°Do you fear King Jing?¡± ¡°Somewhat,¡± Wei Ruo admitted. ¡°If such an event happens again when I¡¯m not around, have someone find me,¡± Wei Jinyi instructed. Wei Ruo nodded, looking at Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes. For some reason, she felt that his gaze was unnaturally intense. She instinctively looked away. Then, Wei Ruo recalled her recent encounter with Chu Lan, thinking that it was time to discuss it with Wei Jinyi. Thus, she turned her gaze back to him: ¡°Do you have time now, Second Brother?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Perfect, let¡¯s sit down for a chat. Should we go to Songzhu Garden or your study?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Whatever you prefer.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to Songzhu Garden.¡±
Without further ado, Wei Ruo headed to the back courtyard. Arriving at the Songzhu Garden, they entered a room, and as Xiumei closed the door behind them, leaving only Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi alone.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Please, sit.¡± Wei Ruo invited Wei Jinyi to sit down at a circr rosewood table. As soon as they were settled, Wei Ruo took the initiative and asked, ¡°What are your ns moving forward, Second Brother? Do you have any strategies for the session struggle?¡± ¡°I have no intentions of fighting for the throne,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°You have no intentions of contending for the position of Crown Prince?¡± Wei Ruo asked in surprise. ¡°Yes,¡± confirmed Wei Jinyi. Although his reply was unexpected, it also felt fitting to Wei Ruo- after all, it was in line with the Wei Jinyi she knew. ¡°Why?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Rather than answering, Wei Jinyi just stared intently at Wei Ruo. Why? Because he knew she didn¡¯t approve of it. Wei Ruo persisted, ¡°Let me rephrase. Why did you choose to reim your identity as the Ninth Prince, Chu Yi?¡±
¡°There are two reasons. The first is to vindicate and avenge myte maternal grandfather. This was my mother¡¯s dying wish,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. The reason was quitepelling, and Wei Jinyi was ready to pay any price for it. ¡°And the second?¡± ¡°For personal reasons.¡± Because he wanted to fulfill her wish, to give her an identity that made her feel safe while doing what she wanted to do. As Queen Rui, her status would be esteemed and secure. As long as he showed no inclination for the throne, posed no threat to others, this position would provide her the protection she needed. That¡¯s why he faked his frail health, to convince others that he had no potential for the throne, and, when necessary, he could ¡°die of illness¡±. ¡°What personal reasons?¡± ¡°I need this position to help someone very important to me,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°But what if the only path to revenge is by sitting on the throne, would you im it? ¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Regardless, he was determined to seek revenge. His journey to this point was meant to earn justice for the hundreds of lives from the Xu Residence and the thousands of soldiers who drowned due to disloyalty. ¡°Have you identified any suspects so far?¡± Wei Ruo enquired.
¡°Yes, but we need further verification. Moreover, the suspect¡¯s influence is well established in the court, and uprooting their entirework would take some time,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. Hearing his response, Wei Ruo felt that he was on the right track. She couldn¡¯t discuss too much about this matter, or she would not be able to justify her source. After a moment of silence, Wei Ruo spoke with a solemn expression, ¡°I understand. From now on, you and I will be in the same boat. I will help as much as I can. Please let me know if you require my assistance.¡± ¡°Ruo Ruo?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, you and I are alike. Sometimes we seemingly have choices, but in reality, we don¡¯t have much of a choice. From the moment you decided to avenge your maternal grandfather¡¯s, you had no choice, and neither did I, from the moment I was taken back by the Wei Family.¡± ¡°Even if I hadn¡¯t be Queen Rui, considering the modus operandi of Wei Qingwan and Wei Mingyong, the Wei Family would have eventually been dragged into this. It was just fate that we got involved in this turmoil,¡±mented Wei Ruo. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s calm face, a wave of indescribable emotion stirred within him, tugging at his heartstrings. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have such high expectations of me, and I may not be of much help. But I can assure you that I will perform my duties as Queen Rui and refrain from creating any hindrance for you. Whether you can avenge your maternal grandmother¡¯s familyrgely depends on you.¡± Though she knew who was behind the scenes, the original story mainly focused on the battles within the harem and didn¡¯t provide a detailed ount of how Chu Lan brought Chu Heng down. Thus, the information she had wouldn¡¯t be of much use. After finishing, Wei Ruo noticed that Wei Jinyi was looking at her intensely, his gaze as hot as if it could melt her. Chapter 471: 471 Clear Direction_1 Chapter 471: Chapter 471 Clear Direction_1 Wei Ruo quickly turned her head away and murmured, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m still mad at you. I haven¡¯t forgotten how you deceived me. However, we¡¯re on the same team now, and it¡¯s only through mutual cooperation that we can maximize our interests. You know, I love doing business, and a good business person will consider this thoroughly to make big profits.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Jinyi responded. Wei Ruo: ¡°You understand?¡± Wei Jinyi: ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Well, good.¡± Feeling the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Wei Ruo cleared her throat and continued, ¡°You need to be particrly careful of Chu Lan. He is a capable and shrewd man.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Why are you so afraid of him?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°I saved him by mistake and our encounters were a bit unpleasant.¡± Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t entirely truthful about this with Wei Jinyi because she couldn¡¯t tell him that she still remembered the past life where the original mistress of this body was killed by Chu Lan. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°In any case, he seems to be a tough opponent. You should be especially careful when you confront him. If it¡¯s not necessary, try not to conflict with him. Utilizing him as a force might be better.¡±
¡°I understand,¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. Wei Ruo suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°When you were in Taizhou prefecture, were you the one who attempted to attack King Jing?¡± ¡°No, not me,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Good, we have not made an enemy of Chu Lan then.¡± ¡°It was King Yu,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°He is indeed bold. He hasn¡¯t ascended to the throne yet and he¡¯s alreadymitting fratricide,¡± Wei Ruo had suspected this before, and now her suspicions were confirmed. ¡°Chu Lan¡¯s performance in the Taizhou prefecture was quite good, so he was a bit anxious.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± was all Wei Ruo could reply. The two of them stopped talking, and the room fell into silence, the atmosphere slightly awkward. ¡°Um¡­¡± Both of them start speaking simultaneously and then stop. Wei Ruo turns away, and the room goes silent once more. Wei Ruo broke the silence again, ¡°Is there anything else you want to say, second brother?¡± ¡°No,¡± replied Wei Jinyi. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should go.¡± Wei Ruo stood up, turning her back to Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi stood up too. ¡°You should rest early,¡± he said gently. Wei Ruo could then hear the gradual fading of footsteps behind her, followed by the sound of the door opening and closing. He had left.
Wei Ruo let out a sigh of relief. Wei Ruo then cleared her mind again. Having shared her feelings with her brother, she knew what she needed to do was clear. Her next steps were already as she had expected. Mainly two items:
Firstly: Fulfill her role as Queen Rui and assist her brother in taking his revenge within her capabilities; Secondly: Earn money, grow rice and cotton, and prepare sufficient supplies to deal with any potential extreme weather conditions. We Ruo then called Xiumei in. She brought back a lot of ounting books on this trip, including the ounts of the Daiyue Residence, as well as those sent from Jiangzhe. She had handed over the business in Jiangzhe to Nanny and Uncle Xu to handle. Still, Nanny insisted on transcribing the audited books and having Old Tao, who handled the ovend transport, send them to Capital City for Wei Ruo to review along with the goods needed in the city. The ounts of their previous trade dealings with Fan Chengxu were also among them. So far, there had never been any mistakes in the ounts between them. But, every month, Fan Chengxu would still send someone to deliver the ounts to a ce she designated, as previously agreed. In addition to these, there were records ofnd conditions in other areas. At present, thend prices in Baoding Prefecture, Zhending Prefecture, and Hejian Prefecture didn¡¯t vary much. These areas all belonged to the ins region, unlike Jiangzhe, which had many mountains and littlend. Extensive cultivation could be done here which greatly reducesbor costs. These three ces also belong to the typical continental monsoon climate region with clear four seasons. Whether for cultivating rice, wheat, or her new type of cotton, these ces are very suitable. After studying the map, Wei Ruo finally decided on Hejian Prefecture, which had abundant coal resources. Having made this decision, Wei Ruo needed to arrange for someone to run the errands. Although she could leave the residence freely now, it would be difficult for her to be absent for long periods, especially so soon after her wedding, as she might be summoned to the Pce at any moment.
Deciding on who to assign this task was a problem. Zhao Hai was reliable butcked business acumen. If he teamed up with his brother Zhao Xun it would be ideal. However, now having passed the imperial exams, Zhao Xun couldn¡¯t possibly help her, a merchant, in her dealings. Thinking about this, Wei Ruo fell silent, deep in thought. ¡°Mistress, is there anything bothering you?¡± Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s furrowed brows, Xiumei asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯m worried about who to assign the task of buyingnd. I need someone reliable and a little cunning.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help you with this. If you¡¯re upset with someone, I can beat them up for you. As for personnel matters, you¡¯re better at that, Miss. You¡¯d better figure this out for yourself.¡± Xiumei said helplessly. ¡°Who said you can¡¯t help? You can make some midnight snacks for me to recharge.¡± ¡°No problem, Miss. What would you like me to make for you?¡± ¡°I want grilled meat.¡± ¡°Ok!¡± Xiumei happily ran off to the kitchen to make somete-night snacks for Wei Ruo. In the study of the main courtyard. ¡°Master, Miss and Lady Xiumei are roasting meats in the Songzhu Garden. The aroma is everywhere. I could smell it when I was passing by the garden,¡± Xiaobei said softly.
¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Master, when can we have Miss¡¯s barbecue again?¡± In the past, Miss would always call them whenever she was barbecuing! ¡°Wait till she cools down.¡± ¡°But master, you married Miss for her own good,¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true that I deceived her, and it¡¯s true that I didn¡¯t give her a choice. I feel guilty towards her. She should be angry.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiaobei hung his head. He wasn¡¯t really craving barbecue; he was just worried about his master. He knew that even though the master didn¡¯t say anything, he longed to reconcile with Miss. ### The next morning, Imperial Concubine Qi sent someone to King Rui Residence to invite Wei Ruo into the Pce. ¡°Did they say why?¡± Wei Ruo asked Lin Fang who came to report to her. ¡°They said Imperial Concubine wanted to care for the Queen on behalf of thete Empress, and it was just a normal family chat,¡± Lin Fang replied. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t just believe this easily. Imperial Concubine Qi always dreamed of bing the Empress, but the Emperor was still fond of Empress Xu. Thus, the position of Empress was still vacant. Imperial Concubine Qi naturally bore a grudge against Empress Xu. How could she truly care about King Rui or her, the Queen Rui?
Chapter 472: 472: Want to Know How Wei Qingwan Became a Concubine_1 Chapter 472: Want to Know How Wei Qingwan Became a Concubine_1N?v(el)B\\jnn This was not Wei Ruo being a petty person, but how the original story described it. Even though other plots had changed, this one point should still remain the same. ¡°Miss, the master said he will help you get through this, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Lin Fang said again. ¡°How is he going to help me?¡± ¡°The master is unwell, he needs you to take care of him by his side. Please rest assured, the Emperor will understand.¡± ¡°No, you go and tell your master that he doesn¡¯t have to shield me. I will change my clothes and go into the pce with the pce servants,¡± Wei Ruo said. Upon hearing this, Lin Fang couldn¡¯t help but express surprise. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°The subordinates originally thought that Miss would not want to go because from the beginning, Miss did not want to be Queen Rui,¡± Lin Fang expressed her confusion. ¡°This is something you can¡¯t avoid. It can¡¯t always be like this. Besides, I also want to meet Imperial Concubine Qi and understand her a little bit more, which is beneficial for your master and me.¡±
¡°Miss, you understand the greater good,¡± Lin Fang couldn¡¯t help but express her admiration towards Wei Ruo. ¡°Don¡¯t tter me, I am just trying to survive. Since I am in this position, I must think about how to tread the path ahead, instead of regretting how I got here. I have already told your master yesterday that I will strive to do well as Queen Rui. This is beneficial for both of us,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Miss, what you said is extremely right,¡± Lin Fang gratefully replied. ¡°Alright, you should also get ready,ter you¡¯ll apany me to the pce with Xiumei,¡± Wei Ruo instructed. Since they are going into the pce, having a couple of trustworthy people by her side is essential. Although this trip should not pose any danger, even if Imperial Concubine Qi is displeased with her, she shouldn¡¯t dare to do anything overtly. As long as the Emperor protects King Rui, Wei Ruo as Queen Rui should be safe. Nheless, having two capable people by her side to respond to unexpected situations is never wrong. She has to be prepared for the unanticipated. ¡°Yes, I will prepare right away.¡± Originally, without Wei Ruo¡¯s mention Lin Fang was willing to apany Wei Ruo. Now that Wei Ruo was happy for her to go, this was an even better oue. Wei Ruo changed into more formal attire and Xiumei helped her freshen up once again. Looking in the mirror, Wei Ruo saw her hair tied up in a tall knot, adorned with hairpins, feeling bothered and burdened. Although beautiful, indeed it was ufortable to maneuver. Xiumei and Lin Fang changed into the attire of the top maid in the Wang Residence and apanied Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo rode in the sedan sent by the pce through the west gate. Along the way, high pce walls blocked her view. The solemn grandeur of the surroundings made her feel oppressed. Arriving at the entry of Jingren Pce, Wei Ruo stepped down from the sedan apanied by Xiumei and Lin Fang, entering the pce. In the golden and resplendent main hall, Imperial Concubine Qi was sitting directly opposite the door on the Imperial Concubine¡¯s couch. She was elegant and roguish, like a peony that had bloomed and not yet withered, radiating arrogant magnificence.
As Wei Ruo entered the room, she paid her respects, ¡°Your humble servant pays respect to the Imperial Concubine.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for formalities.¡± Imperial Concubine Qi¡¯s face lit up with a kind smile. ¡°Queen Rui, please sit.¡± ¡°Thank you, Imperial Concubine,¡± Wei Ruo replied as she took her seat. Imperial Concubine Qi looked at Wei Ruo with a full-face smile, merrily stating, ¡°Queen Rui, you truly are an extraordinary woman. When you entered just now, I thought an ethereal fairy from the heavens had descended.¡±
¡°Imperial Concubine, you exaggerate. I have heard that the Imperial Concubine is the number one beauty in the Capital City,¡± Wei Ruo deflected. ¡°That was years ago, now I am old and yellow,¡± Imperial Concubine Qi said. In my view, Imperial Concubine,¡¯s charm has not diminished one bit. You are still the number one beauty in the Imperial City,¡± Wei Ruo sincerelyplimented. Seeing people, speak their words. Seeing ghosts, speak ghost words. Under such circumstances, Wei Ruo had no choice but to fan falsehoods. Anyway, ttering is easy¡ªsaying some untrue sweet words, she had nothing to lose. ¡°Queen Rui, your words are making me blush,¡± Imperial Concubine Qi saidughingly, ¡°Speaking of it, the rtionship between us is peculiar. Soon, your twin sister will marry my Hengheng. You will be sisters and sister-inw at the same time. In the future, the two of you will help and support one another, it will be a story worth telling.¡± Hearing this, Wei Ruo began to understand Imperial Concubine Qi meaning. Imperial Concubine Qi was trying to convince Rui Wang to help Yujing Wang. Rui Wang is physically weak but enjoys the emperor¡¯s favor. If he helps Yujing Wang, it would be a huge help for Yujing Wang too. Wei Ruo lightlyughed and did not give a clear response but took the opportunity to ask a question that had troubled her for a long time: ¡°Your humble servant is dull, I have never understood how my sister and I have such good fortune to simultaneously receive the extensive love of Prince Rui and Prince Yu.¡± The question Wei Ruo really wanted to ask was, why did Qi Gui Fei choose Wei Qingwan to be Yu Wang¡¯s concubine? Qi Gui Fei replied with a smile, ¡°Both of you sisters are blessed. Your ¡®Eight Characters¡¯ normally would not be too good for the average person. Yet ording to the Daoist Qianyuan, it¡¯s excellent for and especiallypatible with King Rui. It perfectly neutralizes the doom in King Rui¡¯s fate and turn his fate around for the better.¡± Weirughed, knowing those words to be false. Her own ¡®Eight Characters¡¯ were false, and her second brother¡¯s ill health and crisis were false too. It was very likely that the second brother used these as a strategy to get her into Rui Wangfu.
Qi Guifei continued, ¡°As for your sister, she is the one with the best ¡®Eight Characters¡¯ among many noble girls. She is a rare one with rich and noble fate and is very well matched with my Hengheng.¡± Weir squinted her eyes slightly, sensing something was off. How did Wei Qingwan¡¯s ¡®Eight Characters¡¯ end up in Qi Guifei¡¯s hands? Did the Wei family provide it or did Qi Zhen give it? If it was Qi Zhen, Wei Ruo would not be too surprised. Qi Zhen is a phnderer. He has feelings for Wei Qingwan but is certainly not exclusive. Wei Ruo knew this. Qi Zhen is good to the women he has had rtionships with, but did not want to take responsibility. So when Wei Qingwan was determined to marry him, he might have deliberately pushed Wei Qingwan away. Moreover, with his smooth and persuasive words, he had the ability to coax Wei Qingwan, who is in love, into thinking that he had no choice but to do this for her good. She just didn¡¯t know which ¡®Eight Characters¡¯ of Wei Qingwan they had given Qi Guifei. Weir responded with a mild smile, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. It is really a blessing for my sister and I.¡± Qi Guifei said, ¡°In the future, you and your sister will both be daughters-inw of the royal family. You should support each other, advance and retreat together, and share honors and disgraces together. How does Queen Rui feel about this?¡± Chapter 473: 473: Returning to Longan Temple_1 Chapter 473: Returning to Long¡¯an Temple_1 Wei Ruo gave a light smile and answered calmly, ¡°Indeed, Qingwan and I are both daughters of the Wei Family. Whether in our home or after getting married, our rtionship remains unchanged.¡± Imperial Concubine Qi was very satisfied with the answer: ¡°As expected of a girl from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, truly mindful of the big picture.¡± Then, Imperial Concubine Qi asked Wei Ruo about another matter: ¡°It is said that Queen Rui had helped Princess Jingmin with disaster relief andnd remation in Taizhou Prefecture. Is this true?¡± ¡°Indeed, that did happen,¡± answered Wei Ruo. ¡°My son has also been deeply concerned about the people affected by the disasters in the past years. If Queen Rui has any ideas, feel free to share with me, and I can pass them on to Hengheng. This would benefit many people,¡± said Imperial Concubine Qi.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Imperial Concubine may not know, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help, but I wasn¡¯t the one leading the efforts in Taizhou. I¡¯m not clear about many things,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°But since Queen Rui was involved in the entire disaster relief process, you must know quite a few things. I assume you also understand something about the methods to improve thend,¡± Imperial Concubine Qi added. Wei Ruo answered with a slight smile, ¡°Based on my knowledge, disaster relief andnd remation strategies should be adapted to the local conditions. Different areas require different methods, and simply copying solutions could lead to the opposite of the desired oue.¡± Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, Imperial Concubine Qi remained silent for quite a while, seemingly contemting whether to believe Wei Ruo¡¯s words. Wei Ruo added, ¡°If the Imperial Concubine wishes, I can tell you what I know. But if the result turns out to be contrary to expectations, I hope the Imperial Concubine will not me me.¡±
Imperial Concubine Qi responded gently: ¡°That¡¯s a pity. I was hoping to help alleviate the Emperor¡¯s worries.¡± No matter if Wei Ruo¡¯s statement was true or not, Imperial Concubine Qi could not openly make things difficult for her. ¡°It¡¯s myck of ability that didn¡¯t meet your expectations,¡± Wei Ruo said, her tone filled with regret and self-me. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Queen Rui. You¡¯ve already been outstanding. I had wanted to marry you to my son if the Emperor had not disallowed it,¡± Imperial Concubine Qi stated. Chu Heng¡¯s official wife had long been decided, and she was to be ady from the Qi Family. Imperial Concubine Qi had always wanted to choose a suitable concubine for Chu Heng. The family background of the concubine couldn¡¯t be too distinguished, so as not to arouse the Emperor¡¯s jealousy, but they should be able to bring some benefits to her son. That¡¯s why Imperial Concubine Qi had initially set her sights on Wei Ruo, because Wei Ruo, with her capabilities, could help her son, but for some reason, the Emperor did not agree. Subsequently, Imperial Concubine Qi chose Wei Qingwan instead. Wei Ruo simply responded to this with a faint smile. Wei Ruo stayed at Imperial Concubine Qi¡¯s residence for about an hour. Imperial Concubine Qi wanted to invite Wei Ruo to stay for dinner, but Wei Ruo politely declined, citing the need to go back and take care of the sick Prince. Hearing that it was for the ailing Prince Rui, Imperial Concubine Qi did not insist further and had someone escort Wei Ruo back to the King Rui Residence. ### On the fifteenth of May, the middle of the month, Wei Ruo went to the Long¡¯an Temple outside the city to offer incense. Wei Ruo had already visited at the beginning of February. Those who were not in the know might think that Wei Ruo was visiting due to the Buddha statues in the temple, but her visit was not for worship. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Wei Ruo presented herself as Xu Heyou as usual. Upon arriving at the Long¡¯an Temple, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t stop, instead, she continued to follow the narrow road leading to the back hill of the temple. The road was quite narrow, just wide enough for Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage to pass. The road was a bit muddy causing the carriage to shake and jolt as they rode along. Thankfully, the journey was not far. After not too long, they arrived at their destination.
The carriage stopped in front of a farmhouse. The farmhouse seemed to have been recently renovated. Unlike the other farmhouses in the area that were surrounded by bamboo fences, this farmhouse had newly constructed mud walls. Yellow mud mixed with stones and strawprised the wall, with broken tiles on top to provide shelter from the rain. The walls were taller than those of the average household, preventing passers-by from seeing inside. Only the rooftops of the houses were slightly visible above the walls. Wei Ruo and Xiumei stepped down from the carriage and approached the door. Xiumei knocked.
The door opened, and they were greeted by a familiar face ¨C Shi Dayou, the elderly mayor of Stone Vige. ¡°Mr. Xu!¡± Shi Dayou, overjoyed and excited, greeted when he saw Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo and Xiumei stepped into the house, and Shi Dayou closed the gate. ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard,¡± said Wei Ruo to Shi Dayou. ¡°It¡¯s not hard, it couldn¡¯t be easier than other ways of making money! I should thank you, Mr. Xu, for giving me this opportunity!¡± insisted Shi Dayou. ¡°For mostmon folks, they are rather unwilling to leave their hometown, let alone you being the vige head,¡± Wei Ruo added. ¡°Indeed, leaving my hometown is quite hard. But I¡¯ve thought it over. In the past two years, the crops haven¡¯t grown well, and we can hardly afford food. If not for your help, Mr. Xu, we wouldn¡¯t even have known how to survivest year.¡± ¡°Instead of sitting at home and bracing for the day we run out of food, it¡¯s better to take a gamble and follow you, Mr. Xu! Although we have to leave our hometown, we can at least have our fill, widen our horizons, and better the lives of the elderly and the young back at our hometown. It is worth it!¡± Shi Dayou shared his thoughts. ¡°Rest assured, you followed me all the way here. I won¡¯t let you down,¡± Wei Ruo promised Shi Dayou. ¡°I trust you, Mr. Xu!¡± Wei Ruo smiled faintly, pleased with Shi Dayou¡¯s answer. It¡¯s umon for Shi Dayou to have such insight, proving that Wei Ruo¡¯s appraisal of him had not been in vain. ¡°Let me have a look at how things are going here,¡± Wei Ruo said, gazing around the courtyard.
The originally t courtyard had been dug down by over a foot. Upon entering the yard, one had to descend a few steps. In the area that had been dug out, a dirt furnace about two meters high had been erected. About a meter away from the furnace was a slightly smaller stove. Between the two stoves was a sealed channel made of mud and stones. The stove on the left was for steelmaking, and the one on the right was for coke production. By cing coal into the right stove, then sealing and burning it,bustible coal gas and coal tar were produced. The coal gas would pass through the sealed channel to the dirt furnace, then be burned again for steel production. The process of iron smelting was already mature in this era, and Wei Ruo¡¯s dirt furnace did not differ much from others¡¯. The only differences were some minor adjustments to the structure and the inclusion of some extra ores during the smelting process, which greatly improved the quality of the steel produced. Moreover, the stove on the right was not found elsewhere. It was the first time Shi Dayou and the others saw such a structure and way of connection. Chapter 474: 474: Grandpa Lu Celebrates his Birthday_1 Chapter 474: Grandpa Lu Celebrates his Birthday_1 Wei Ruo had a furnace of the same design in Mo Jiazha at Huzhou Prefecture, located at the rear of the house where she once lived. Wei Ruo did not use it often, but found it inconvenient when needed andcking. So, she chose a spot in the capital¡¯s outskirts for this purpose. Thest time Wei Ruo made armor for Xu Zhengyong and Wei Mingting, she used steel she had forged at Mo Jiazha. Now all that steel has been used up, and she needed to make more using this new furnace. She hade to Long¡¯an Temple on the first day of the second month to burn incense, primarily to select a location for the construction of this furnace. Now, the furnace was ready for use; old Tao had brought her iron ore and coal, and all that was left was to fire it up. After carefully inspecting both furnaces and confirming that they were both working effectively, Wei Ruo gave a satisfied nod. ¡°Good job, it¡¯s almost indistinguishable from the blueprints, even the small details are perfect.¡± ¡°Master Xu, you¡¯ve made it all so detailed and exined it to us so many times. We wouldn¡¯t dare disappoint you by doing a poor job.¡± said Shi Dayou. Soon after, Shi Dayou asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Master Xu, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite understand. Since we are turning iron ore into iron anyway, why don¡¯t we not just fire up the left st furnace directly? Why is there a need to burn coal first?¡±
¡°Because the coal tar produced after coking coal is of great use to me. It is a good material that cannot be found elsewhere.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°I see, Master Xu, you are knowledgeable! I am quite dull, I hope you don¡¯t mind me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, just ask me if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand.¡± Upon hearing this, Shi Dayou took the opportunity to ask the questions that had been bothering him: ¡°Master, these two furnaces are small, and the speed of firing is not fast. Does it matter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is. We don¡¯t need to pursue speed. What I need is high-quality steel, prioritizing quality first.¡± Wei Ruo said to Shi Dayou. This furnace, like the one in Mo Jiazha, is notrge. The amount of steel and coal tar that can be produced at one time is notrge, but Wei Ruo had never intended to mass produce these items. ¡°Okay, Master Xu, rest assured, we will do everything as you have instructed! We pledge not to cut any corners!¡± Shi Dayou assured her. ¡°After sessful forging, I will have Meimeie and pick them up. I have a use for them.¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°What about the sulfur bought by the master, just leave it here?¡± ¡°Let it be, just make sure it does not get damp. I wille and use it when I need it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After Wei Ruo finished her work and left, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo on the road, ¡°Miss, what are you nning to use this forged steel for?¡± ¡°Make a sword for my second brother.¡± Wei Ruo answered. Sitting in the carriage, leaning against the cushions, flipping through the ount books, she responded to Xiumei¡¯s question from the front of the carriage. ¡°Miss, you still care a lot about Prince.¡± ¡°Who asked him to be in the same boat as me? If he¡¯s doing well, I¡¯m doing well too. If anything were to happen to him, won¡¯t I have to bother rescuing him? Hope that by providing him a good sword for self-defense, he does not find himself in a dangerous situation, thereby protecting myself as well.¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss is right!¡± Xiumei agreed. ###
On the 20th of May, the patriarch of the Lu Family celebrated his 70th birthday. The patriarch had fought numerous battles in his lifetime, holding a high-ranking position.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om In the past, the patriarch and Duke Xu were known as ¡°Lu of the South and Xu of the North¡±. The Xu Family now has no surviving members, while the Lu Family remains in power. Although the old patriarch is without official rank, he is still greatly respected by officials and nobility alike. Therefore, during the patriarch¡¯s birthday, all dignitaries in the capital city came to offer their congrattions, and everyone considered it an honor to be invited by the Lu Family.
The Wei Family was also invited to this event. Not only Wei Mingting and Yun from the third house, but the main house and the second house also received invitations. This made Mrs. Bai overjoyed and she was in a great mood. Receiving an invitation from the Lu Family showed that the status of their Wei Family was now exceptional. Before leaving, Mrs. Bai took great care in her dress, taking out her finest jewelry and dressing herself up magnificently. Wei Mingyong warned her, ¡°Be careful. I do not hold any official position. Among the wives present, you will be of the lowest status. Behave yourself, be cautious and prudent.¡± Hearing this, Mrs. Bai huffed unhappily before saying, ¡°You should be ashamed. It could have been better if you had put in more effort. We would not have had to settle for less.¡± ¡°You should be content. Your family is involved in business. Without marrying me, could you attend such banquets? We can discuss whates next, your day to be glorified wille.¡± Wei Mingyong is confident about the future, believing that his day to shine will not be far off. ¡°Alright, just be careful. Whenever you get the opportunity, bond with those officials. Maybe one day, you¡¯ll wear that official¡¯s hat.¡± Mrs. Bai reminded Wei Mingyong. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m smarter than my gullible big brother. I won¡¯t miss this chance.¡± said Wei Mingyong. Both husband and wife hade up with a n; this was a rare banquet, and they were determined to make a good impression. ### Wei Qingwan sat in front of her dressing table, allowing Cuihe to dress her meticulously.
After changing two hairstyles, she still wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°Miss, how about this hairstyle?¡± Cuihe then styled Wei Qingwan¡¯s hair into a peach heart bun. This hairstyle made her look yful and lively, reflecting the charm of an unmarrieddy more vividly. Wei Qingwan frowned, still not satisfied, ¡°Try another one.¡± Cuihe had no choice but to reconsider her approach to the hairstyle. ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve tried all the currently popr hairstyles. Can you tell me what kind of style you prefer?¡± Cuihe cautiously asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want an ordinary one. It must match the manner of an unmarried woman, should not seem frivolous, but should appear more dignified.¡± said Wei Qingwan. ¡°That¡­..is a bit challenging, but I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got plenty of time. Try more. Today, I might see Prince Yu, and for our first meeting, I must create a good impression.¡± said Wei Qingwan. ¡°I understand.¡± Choosing again, Cuihe created a few more buns for Wei Qingwan. Finally, Wei Qingwan settled on the Hanging Bun style, which while showcasing a young girl¡¯s lively spirit, alsoplemented her delicate and gentle demeanor. As for essories, Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t have many options. She punctuated her look with just a jade hairpin. Finally, Wei Qingwan dressed up in a freshly made gown of this year, with embroidered gold-colored flowers on the goose yellow satin material, a jade sachet hung at her waist.
Wei Qingwan looked at herself in the bronze mirror and was fairly satisfied with her attire. Cuihe praised from the side, ¡°Miss, you are naturally beautiful. You always look stunning with just a bit of dressing up, and today since you¡¯ve dressed carefully, you look even more radiant. Not to mention Prince Yu, even I, as a woman, can¡¯t help but be charmed by you when I see you.¡± Chapter 475: 475: Wei Ruo goes to the feast_1 Chapter 475: Wei Ruo goes to the feast_1 ¡°Enough of all of this, I don¡¯t ask for much, only that Prince Yu does not turn me away. This opportunity was hard-fought for me by Master Qi, I can¡¯t be with him in this life, but at least I can¡¯t lose to Wei Qingruo.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s gaze was firm, she told herself when she chose this path that, if she could not have love, she would strive for power, and make Wei Qingruo pay the price! ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. Even though the eldest miss is now the Queen Rui, with a high status, her glory is only temporary. Everyone knows about the condition of King Rui, who knows how many good days she can actually enjoy. She would never be able to outshine you, Miss. Judging from the way things are today, she might not even be able to attend the Lu family¡¯s banquet, and might have to stay in Wang Residence to take care of Prince Rui.¡± Cuihe said, giggling. Wei Qingwan stood up and walked out of the room, where Bai Family has been waiting for her early on. In the past few days, the Bai Family have been treating her more warmly than her mother, Yun Family, which made her doubt whether Yun Family still had a ce for her in her heart. ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re here. Your Aunt Bai knew that it would take some time for you to get dressed, so she didn¡¯t dare disturb you.¡± Bai Family greeted Wei Qingwan with a broad smile and warmth, sping her hands. ¡°I¡¯ve made Aunt Bai wait.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, our Wanwan is the most important. Even if I had to wait a while longer, I don¡¯t mind!¡± As Bai Family and Wei Qingwan reached the entrance, Yun Family and Mo Family were already waiting there. Seeing Wei Qingwan and Bai Family join hands, Yun Family¡¯s gaze was slightly heavy, but she said nothing.
Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but sneer in her heart at Yun Family¡¯s cold gaze. It seemed true that her own birth daughter, who could be the principal wife, was more important than her adopted daughter whose best future was that of a concubine. Yun Family withdrew her gaze, then she and Mo Family boarded the carriage together. Seeing this, Bai Family, under the pretense that she had something for Wei Qingwan to appraise, pulled Wei Qingwan onto the second carriage. ### Since Master Lu was celebrating his birthday, the King Rui Residence naturally received an invitation. Normally, the couple of King Rui would also go to congratte him. Other Wang Residences were going, so the King Rui Residence had no reason not to go. However, no one held out much hope for King Rui and Wang Residence to attend, because it was well known throughout the Capital City that King Rui was unwell. Wei Ruo nned to attend and she had made exceptionally beautiful arrangements for herself. Not only did she put on an exquisite makeup, she even changed into a set of purple dress. This dress was newly made. It was made of light purple brocade, and a slightly deeper purple silk thread was used to embroider some simple patterns on it. The outeryer covered a gauze with big sleeves, as thin as cicada wings, light as nothing. The color was a bit lighter than the purpleyer underneath, which added a sense ofyering, making the whole dress look fuller and softer. Xiumei couldn¡¯t help butugh: ¡°Miss, are you really going to congratte Master Lu or are you simply advertising your product?¡± The term ¡°advertising¡± was taught by her mistress. She said that wearing products from her own store, showing the benefits to outsiders, was called advertising. Wei Ruo was not a person to rise early without reason, she would not have groomed herself so carefully without an ulterior motive. Look at her today, she is exquisite from head to toe, and even her lipstick is redder than usual. She hadn¡¯t worked this hard to groom herself even on her wedding day. ¡°Exactly, those who can attend Master Lu¡¯s birthday banquet are all the most prestigious people in the Capital City. They have the deepest pockets; if I don¡¯t sell my premium products to them, who else would I sell to?¡± Wei Ruo smiled, crafty and cunning. Xiumei: ¡°Miss is right! Ipletely agree!¡±
Wei Ruo: ¡°I¡¯d like to see you trying to agree with both hands and feet.¡± Xiumei: ¡°Miss, it¡¯s just a metaphor!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo: ¡°But I want to see you do it.¡± Xiumei: ¡°Alright, Miss, you¡¯reparing me to a turtle!¡±
Wei Ruo: ¡°Did I? I don¡¯t recall saying that, you said it yourself, oh!¡± Xiumei: ¡°Miss, you¡¯re bad!¡± After ying andughing for a while, seeing that it was almost time, they set off. Upon exiting the door, Lin Fang, upon seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s dress, could not help but say, ¡°Miss, this outfit is really beautiful. This shade of purple is brighter and more elegant than the usual purple. I have never seen a dye made in this color before, and the craftsman who made it must be truly extraordinary!¡± Upon hearing this, Xiumei suddenly burst intoughter: ¡°Sister Lin, it¡¯s not that the craftsman is good, but that the dyestuff is different.¡± ¡°The dyestuff is different? Isn¡¯t it dyed with purple grass?¡± Lin Fang asked uncertainly. ¡°Themon purple-colored fabric is indeed extracted from the root of the purple grass, but the one Miss is wearing is different, it¡¯s made with murex.¡± Xiumei replied. ¡°Murex? A kind of snail?¡± Lin Fang became more confused. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a type of sea snail. It¡¯s distributed in both the East Sea and the South Sea. If a fisherman catches one, Miss will buy it.¡± Xiumei exined. ¡°But how can a snail be made into a dye?¡± Lin Fang continued to inquire. ¡°Take out the nd of the murex, put it into a bottle filled with cold water to ferment for a few hours, then filter it. Dry the filtered material in the sun and wind for several days, and a purple dye can be obtained. This dye is rarer than the one from purple grass, but the color it produces is brighter and it does not fade over time. It doesn¡¯t just color silk like purple grass does; it only taske one dye to disy a good purple color.¡± Xiumei exined. ¡°Is that so?¡± Lin Fang was astonished. Wei Ruo smiled faintly and said, ¡°What Meimei said is true, but the production method is quite difficult, so I don¡¯t have much of this purple dye obtained from murex. In addition, it can also be extracted from coal. That method hasmon raw materials, but the production procedure is rather harsh.¡±
¡°Coal? Can the ck thing produce purple?¡± Lin Fang voiced her doubt again. ¡°Yes, put the coal into a furnace, iste it from air and burn it at high temperature to get abustible gas and ck coal tar. A variety of colors can be extracted from this tar. However, due to limited conditions, the production process has a high failure rate. But once it is sessful, arge amount of purple dye can be obtained.¡± Wei Ruo answered. Lin Fang was in a daze, ¡°This is really amazing. I have never heard of such things in all my years traveling jianghu.¡± Wei Ruo chuckled, ¡°Experts in different fields have different areas of knowledge. It¡¯s quite normal for Sister Lin not to know.¡± Then the three of them headed towards the entrance to meet Wei Jinyi, who was already waiting there. Chapter 476: 476: Wei Ruos Unusual Behavior_1 Chapter 476: Wei Ruo¡¯s Unusual Behavior_1 Wei Jinyi was also going to the Lu Residence, but not as King Rui. Wei Jinyi changed his appearance and put on a guard¡¯s uniform. Watching Wei Jinyi transformed into the look of Wang Jin, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Your current look is much more pleasing to the eye.¡± It was far better than his normal look, which gave the impression he could copse at any moment. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Wei Ruo smiled and said, ¡°We have some time, why don¡¯t we go for a stroll in the market first?¡± They didn¡¯t need to be there so early. Given their status as King Rui and Queen Rui, showing upter wouldn¡¯t stir any objections. ¡°Wherever you want to go, Ruoruo,¡± Wei Jinyi had no objections. ¡°Good, let¡¯s get going.¡± Wei Ruo nned to check out some stores. She wanted to buy two stores next to Daiyue Residence to set up Capital City¡¯s branches of the Four Treasure House and Xuji Luwei¡¯s branch.
The two stores appealed to the same audience as Daiyue Residence ¨C the high-ranking officials and nobles of the Capital City, so there would be no problem starting them up there. Having the stores together would also make it easier for Wei Ruo to manage. When she wanted to check on the stores, she could inspect them all at once, instead of having to run to different ces. The carriage made its way down White Tiger Street. As it passed a narrow alley, the sound of a family argument, coupled with a child¡¯s crying, could be heard from one of the houses. Themotion was loud and fierce, it seemed like the man of the house was beating his wife, with the wife and child begging for mercy. ¡°Stop,¡± Wei Ruo called for the carriage to halt, then quickly got out. Seeing that Wei Ruo was about to enter the house, Wei Jinyi stepped forward and kicked down the dpidated door. Once inside, they found a woman lying on the ground, shielding her daughter who was about eight or nine years old. A man who was somewhat drunk was holding a broom and hitting the woman with it. Blinded by rage, the man didn¡¯t notice the intrusion and raised his hand to strike again. However, this time he couldn¡¯t bring the broom down on the woman. Wei Jinyi reached out and grabbed the broom, immobilizing the man. The man finally turned to look at Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi snatched the broom and fiercelyshed it against the man¡¯s back. ¡°Ah!¡± The man screamed in pain, the impact knocking out his drunkenness. The man berated Wei Jinyi, ¡°Who are you? How dare youe into my house and beat me? I¡¯ll sue you for trespassing! You¡­ you areing with me to see the magistrate!¡± Wei Ruo took the broom from Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand andshed out mercilessly at the man. ¡°Ah¨CAh¨C¡± The man screamed, desperately trying to defend himself with his hands. In too much pain to stay still, he kept moving and hopping around. Finally, the man was frightened and lost his previous arrogance. ¡°Please, let me go! Ma¡¯am, let me go!¡±
¡°So you know what pain feels like! It wasn¡¯t on your mind when you were hurting others, but it stings when it¡¯s your turn!¡± Wei Ruo said coldly, staring at the man. ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is my wife and daughter! I¡¯m not hitting anyone else! Why does this concern you?¡± the man retorted. ¡°So you remember they are your wife and daughter? What did they do wrong to deserve your violence?¡± ¡°This woman hid money from me, why can¡¯t I hit her? It¡¯s a man¡¯s right to drink and gamble. The women should be at home, prepare good meals, take care of the children and not interfere with men¡¯s business.¡± The man responded without showing a trace of remorse.
3 In response, Wei Ruo stopped talking to the man and once again beat the man with the broom. The man curled up on the ground due to the beating. ¡°Ah¡­I¡¯m dying¡­I¡¯m dying¡­¡± the man wailed, his voice weakening. Wei Jinyi watched quietly from the side, his eyes deep. Wei Ruo seemed different today, more agitated than usual. Wei Jinyi noticed that something was amiss with Wei Ruo, but didn¡¯t intervene. At that moment, the woman crawled up to Wei Ruo and pleaded, ¡°Ma¡¯am, please have mercy! Please spare my husband!¡± Wei Ruo stopped and looked down at the woman, ¡°He drinks, gambles, and hits you, yet you still plead for him?¡± ¡°Although he is not good, he is my husband. My life is over if he¡¯s gone!¡± The woman cried. ¡°Why are you doing this? If you leave him, you can¡¯t live?¡± Wei Ruo questioned. ¡°How could I live without him? I have no family. Leaving him means I have nowhere to go! Ma¡¯am, please, spare him!¡± 3 With tear-streaked face, the woman knelt on the ground. She wanted to clutch Wei Ruo¡¯s skirt, but didn¡¯t dare to.
Wei Ruo stared at the woman for a long time before finally deciding to stop. Wei Ruo put down the broom and went over to the little girl who was crying near a water tank. Wei Ruo crouched down and used a handkerchief to wipe the tears from the girl¡¯s eyes. The girl looked at Wei Ruo fearfully, remaining perfectly still. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± Wei Ruoforted. She rolled up the sleeve of the girl¡¯s faded dress revealing numerous wounds of different depths. It was clear to Wei Ruo that these were signs of frequent domestic violence. 1 ¡°Let me ask you, if I¡¯m willing to take you away, provide you with a ce to stay, a warm meal, and keep you safe, so you won¡¯t be beaten again, would youe with me?¡± The girl looked at Wei Ruo nervously for a while, then finally shook her head. ¡°Why? Are you worried that I¡¯m a bad person?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I¡­I¡­I want to stay with my mom and dad, I won¡¯t go anywhere else,¡± The girl said timidly. ¡°But your dad often hits you, doesn¡¯t he? The wounds on your body were caused by him, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The girl¡¯s voice was small as she slowly lowered her head.
¡°Your dad also likes to gamble, hasn¡¯t he squandered all the family¡¯s money?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Then why would you still want to stay with your parents?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s my dad, it¡¯s my fault when he hits me,¡± the girl answered. ¡°You¡¯re at fault? What did you do wrong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t know. But he¡¯s my dad, I ¡­I should listen to him¡­¡± ¡°Does he treat you well normally?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. Again, the girl remained silent. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you choose to leave him if he doesn¡¯t treat you well?¡± Wei Ruo asked once more.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The girl still shook her head, ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t treat me well, he¡¯s still my father and, without marriage, a girl can¡¯t just leave her parents and live on her own.¡± 3 All her anger drained away, Wei Ruo let go of the girl¡¯s arm and stood up. Wei Ruo walked back to Wei Jinyi and simply said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
With that, she walked out towards the street. Wei Jinyi followed her, as did Xiumei and the others, leaving the house behind. Back in the carriage, Wei Ruo leaned against the soft cushions, eyes closed. Wei Jinyi watched Wei Ruo with a concerned expression. Feeling Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze on her, Wei Ruo slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Are you wondering why I was so angry?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Chapter 477: 477: Do You Believe in Souls, Second Brother?_1 Chapter 477: Do You Believe in Souls, Second Brother?_1 ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi not only looked puzzled, but also seemed somewhat worried. Wei Ruo remained silent for a while, then nced toward the car window on the side, and slowly began, ¡°Do you believe in the existence of souls, second brother?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I hope that they do exist,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°I think they do, because I have memories of my past life,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo, showing no strange expression at such a remark. It seemed he thought it quite normal for such a thing to happen to Wei Ruo. ¡°In my past life, my father was just like that little girl¡¯s father ¨C addicted to alcohol, gambled, and would even beat his wife and children. So when I saw that little girl, it felt like I was looking at my past self,¡± she opened up. Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and he extended his hand, gently resting it on the back of Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. ¡°When I was young and he would beat me, I had no choice but to take it. As I grew older, whenever he would beat me, I would run away. Sometimes I would flee our home, even though there was nowhere else to go. I would rather freeze through the night outside than return to him.¡± ¡°At the same time, I tried hard to learn, hoping to seed and free myself from the darkness that man brought. I was quite lucky. I met my master and learned medical skills from him. It allowed me to earn enough money, to fend off starvation.¡±
¡°Eventually, I could have hidden myself so that my disgusting father would not be able to find me, but I couldn¡¯t abandon my mother. That¡¯s how he found out where I lived. He came over to extort me for money. When I did not give him the money, he beat me. My mother tried to intervene and he ended up beating her to death. That¡¯s when I killed him.¡± Wei Ruo said all this in a calm tone. Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes darkened to an unfathomable depth. ¡°Ruo, how can I help you?¡± Wei Ruo returned her gaze, smiled faintly, and spoke in a light-hearted tone, ¡°No need, I just lost myposure for a moment, I¡¯m fine now. If the girl doesn¡¯t want to leave her father, then I should respect her decision. Some people have no choice, some people just choose not to choose. If she had been willing to follow me, I would have let her study well and I would have passed on my skills, but if she doesn¡¯t want to, then I will not force her.¡± Looking at the caring expression on Wei Jinyi¡¯s face, Wei Ruo smiled, ¡°Actually, when I first returned to the Wei family, I deliberately got close to you. I have to admit that there is a hole in the depth of my heart regarding family rtions, although I never admit it.¡± ¡°Back then, I knew I could not have good rtions with the other members of the Wei family, but I thought you were an outsider. I intended to befriend you to at least have someone to talk to in that cold mansion.¡± ¡°Later, I really considered you as my brother, and I was quite happy to finally have a rtive who is blood-rted to me and gets along well with me. Only, I did not expect to be wrong.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Jinyi felt a sharp pang in his heart. ¡°Ruo¡­ if you still wish, I can still be your brother,¡± Wei Jinyi said. 3 Despite his true feelings, if that is what she wants, he is willing to do so. Wei Ruoughed and shook her head, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. I said a bit too much today, I do not know why. You do not have to take my words to heart, just consider it a story.¡± By now, Wei Ruo¡¯s emotions had already been calmed. Perhaps what happened earlier had stirred some of the memories deep in her heart, which led to losing herposure. Even though so much time has passed, she does not understand why she lost control momentarily. Not only did she act impulsively, but she also said so many things that she shouldn¡¯t have to her second brother.¡± 1 Wei Jinyi¡¯s lips pressed together, his expression serious. How could he consider it just a story?
### The Lu Residence, Capital City. The guests continue to arrive, creating a majestic scene of a bustling crowd and sleeves fluttering like a cloud. After Wei Ruo arrived at the Lu Residence, she was quickly escorted to the back garden.
Today¡¯s weather is excellent, and the matriarch of the Lu family chose to host her female guests in the garden. Tables and chairs were set up, with tea and fruit tters prepared. The sunlight was just right, the temperature pleasant, the breeze caressing their faces, and the surroundings adorned with clusters of flowers. The green trees provided ample shade, the pool was rippling slightly, koi fish frolicked and lotus leaves spread out. We Ruo¡¯s appearance immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The other beautifully dresseddies and young girls mainly wore novel attire or slightly more ostentatious jewelry. However, these outstanding details required careful observation to notice, while Wei Ruo¡¯s brightvender clothing was more striking ¨C a difference easily discerned at first sight. At this moment, people¡¯s attention was not focused on Wei Ruo¡¯s beauty, but rather on her bold shade of purple. The crowd consisted of the rich and noble, and many ownedvish purple attires, yet none were as dazzling as the shade worn by Wei Ruo. Among the crowd, Lady Yun, the Bai family, the Mo family, and Wei Qingwan were also entranced by Wei Ruo, just like everyone else. Wei Qingwan clenched her teeth, looking annoyed. She had put great effort into her appearance, intending to stand out among the crowd, but all of the attention was stolen by Wei Qingwan¡¯s single piece of clothing! 4 When Wei Ruo arrived in the middle of the crowd, apart from the matriarch of the Lu family, who was privileged to not have to salute royal members, everyone else began to pay their respects.
¡°We pay our respects, Queen.¡± Wei Qingwan was the least willing, but had no choice but to offer her respects. Her head bowed, her lips tightly pressed, her face filled with frustration. ¡°Please rise,¡± Wei Ruo said. The crowd thanked her and stood up. Then Wei Ruo was invited to take the seat next to the matriarch¨C a position reserved for her. Despite Wei Ruo¡¯s young age, she indeed has the highest status among the crowd. The matriarch of the Lu Family wore a loving smile, ¡°My queen, I¡¯ve wanted to meet you since early morning. I¡¯m d to see you today!¡± ¡°You wanted to see me, Madam Lu?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes, because of my good-for-nothing grandson, we owe you a debt of gratitude. I have been waiting for a chance to thank you in person, my queen,¡± Madam Lu expressed her gratitude. ¡°Madam Lu, there¡¯s no need for formalities. What I did wasn¡¯t worthy of gratitude, so you needn¡¯t worry.¡± Wei Ruo spoke calmly. ¡°How can you say there isn¡¯t a debt? A life-saving favor is no small matter! Please know that our Lu Family will never forget what you have done!¡± Madam Lu replied decisively. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Madam Lu,¡± Wei Ruo modestly replied.
The brief conversation between Wei Ruo and Madam Lu left the crowd bewildered. How did Queen Ruo end up saving Lu Yuhong, the young master of the Lu Family? 2 When did Wei Ruo have any interaction with Lu Yuhong? Not only were outsiders confused, but the Wei family members were also confused. As Wei Ruo¡¯s mother, Lady Yun had never heard of this before. She knew that her daughter and she didn¡¯t have a close rtionship, but she had no idea that her daughter had done such a thing without uttering a word about it to her! 7 Chapter 478: 478: Dedicated to Promoting Products_1 Chapter 478: Dedicated to Promoting Products_1 Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t understand, why was Wei Qingruo always so lucky? The Lu family was prominent and influential, saving the young master of the Lu family was undoubtedly a huge favor owed to her, which was extremely beneficial for Wei Qingruo. Madam Bai gritted her teeth, cursing inwardly for quite a while. This Wei Qingruo was really good at hiding things! She never even mentioned her life-saving deed for the Lu family! If they had known about this rtionship earlier, perhaps they could have used Lu family¡¯s influence at court to secure a position for their men! However, Lady Lu and Wei Ruo did not exin the specifics, leaving the curious and puzzled crowd to remain so. Old Madam Lu then inquired about the clothes Wei Ruo was wearing: ¡°The Queen looks stunning in her attire today, in all these years, I have never seen such a brightly colored purple dress.¡± Wei Ruo answered with a smile, ¡°Thank you for yourpliment, Madam. I too am quite fond of this dress.¡± ¡°May I inquire where the Queen purchased this attire?¡± The question from old Madam Lu represented the uncertainty of many present. ¡°I bought this dress from a friend of mine. Her husband¡¯s family used to own a dyeing workshop and they possessed a secret dye form unknown to outsiders. However, her husband¡¯s family became wealthy and discontinued the dyeing workshop, only asionally producing a few pieces, hence the scarcity.¡±
Upon hearing of its scarcity, the interest of thedies and young misses present heightened further.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om One woman couldn¡¯t resist asking Wei Ruo, ¡°Your Highness, may I inquire where your friend resides?¡± Wei Ruo answered with a softugh, ¡°Forgive me, but I can¡¯t disclose that. My friend¡¯s husband¡¯s family doesn¡¯t want outsiders to know that they used to be in the dyeing business, or that they have taken up the trade again to support their family.¡± The crowd couldn¡¯t conceal their disappointment upon hearing this. However, Wei Ruo quickly added, ¡°Still, they asionally sell a few pieces. If there is any, I will keep an eye out for you.¡± Old Madam Lu promptly said, ¡°If there is, please do keep one for me.¡± The shade of royal purple was versatile and suitable for anyone. With the right design, the attire would look amazing even on an old woman. Now that Old Madam Lu had made her intentions clear, the others also boldly expressed their desire. Yet, there were some who, due to their status, wanted one but didn¡¯t have the courage to voice their desires. Wei Ruo, amidst her bevy of admirers, was not stingy, instructing Xiumei to bring out the prepared gifts and distribute them among thedies. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I am unable to get your desired garments in such a short time. Please ept these small gifts as a token of my apology.¡± The embroidered bag she presented was light to the touch. There were twenty in total, and aside from the one for Old Madam Lu, the rest were given out randomly. Whoever asked about her purple dress, Wei Ruo gave one. When they initially received these gifts, they didn¡¯t think much of them. In Wei Ruo¡¯s presence, it wouldn¡¯t be convenient to open the bags, so they handed them to their maids to hold. Only Old Lady Lu was smiling and asked Wei Ruo, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s lip balm. Old Madam, open it and see. The color is quite nice, it¡¯s a new product from Daiyue Residence,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Old Madam Lu opened the embroidered bag out of curiosity. Inside was a circr porcin box slightlyrger than a copper coin, which was why it was so light. Opening the porcin box revealed a deep red lip balm. The color looked very red, but they didn¡¯t know how the effect would be after applying it.
However, Daiyue Residence was currently gaining poprity and the products they sold were very useful. They were the new favorite among the nobledies and young misses of the Capital City. Quite a few of those present were members of Daiyue Residence, so they figured this lip balm wouldn¡¯t be inferior. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s exnation, some couldn¡¯t help but open their silk bags to find indeed it was lip balm. However, the lip balm colors were notpletely the same. The colors varied from deep red, to light pink and rosy pink. The logo on the porcin box was none other than the trademark logo of Daiyue Residence.
Those who had bought items from Daiyue Residence knew that all the products had a moon logo ¨C a crescent moon half-hidden behind the clouds. People weren¡¯t aware that Daiyue Residence was releasing a new product, but the logo looked authentic. ¡°Your Highness, I am a member of Daiyue Residence, but I was not aware of this new productunch. How is it that you¡¯ve already received it?¡± The person asking was the Crown Princess of Marquis Xuanping, who was almost betrothed to Wei Ruo as a step-wife. ¡°I have a bit of a rtionship with the proprietress of Daiyue Residence, so I was able to get this lip balm advance. If the Crown Princess doesn¡¯t believe me, you can check it out at Daiyue Residence in a few days.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°There¡¯s such a thing? I¡¯ve heard that thedy boss of Daiyue Residence is very mysterious,¡± the Crown Princess of Marquis Xuanping said. ¡°Does the Crown Princess think I¡¯m lying?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, I was merely curious.¡± hastily answered the Crown Princess of Marquis Xuanping. Old Madam Lu used her fingertips to apply a bit of the lip rouge onto the back of her other hand, leaving a brightly colored smear on it. The texture was smooth and delicate. Old Madam Lu praised, ¡°Whether it¡¯s from Daiyue Residence or not doesn¡¯t matter, this lip rouge is top-notch, even better than some Persian wares we received years ago as tributes.¡± Average people didn¡¯t have ess to Persian tributes. Apart from royal consorts and princesses in the pce, only people with unparalleled status like Old Madam Lu could get their hands on them. Upon hearing Madam Lu¡¯s remark, the crowd immediately perceived Wei Ruo¡¯s gifts as extraordinarily valuable. Old Madam Lu then looked at Wei Ruo¡¯s red lips and asked, ¡°The rouge you¡¯re wearing today, is it the same one?¡±
¡°Indeed, it is.¡± Wei Ruo replied. With Wei Ruo¡¯s confirmation, everyone focused their attention on her lips. Wei Ruo was exquisitely dressed today with glossy and delicate skin, and her lips were plump and attractive. Having seen this, nobody spoke further. Just like what Old Madam Lu stated, it didn¡¯t matter if it was from Daiyue Residence or not. At this moment, those who didn¡¯t obtain Wei Ruo¡¯s small presents felt a tad regretful. Everyone has a desire for beauty, especially world-ss nobledies like them. They did notck silver; ordinary gifts were beneath their notice. What they loved were these rarely seen, top-notch rouge powders which you couldn¡¯t easily buy. Missing out on this opportunity lent an inevitable sense of regret. But thankfully, Queen Rui had imed this was a newmodity to be sold by Daiyue Residence. As long as it was for sale, they could buy it in a few days with their silver. Bai, who was standing at the back of the crowd, was filled with resentment. She sneered and murmured to Wei Qingwan standing by her side, ¡°Your sister is really good at hiding things. She certainly has many nice things but she has never been willing to share with her own family!¡±
Chapter 479: 479: Ruoruo, this child still bears a grudge against me_1 Chapter 479: Ruoruo, this child still bears a grudge against me_1 Wei Qingwan chuckled softly, ¡°My sister has always been like this.¡± Mrs. Bai went on, ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me much, but I feel sorry for you, Wanwan. You consider her a sister, but she¡¯s always on guard against you. If I were her, I would share everything generously with you, because I know your character. If someone treats you well, you always return the favor. If she treats you kindly, you would treat her more than twice or thrice as well.¡± Wei Qingwan responded, ¡°I can¡¯t guess what my sister is thinking. If she doesn¡¯t want to be close to me, there¡¯s not much I can say.¡± Mrs. Bai sighed pretentiously, ¡°What a pity.¡± After the minor interlude, Madam Lu, along with other women, took a stroll through the garden in the Lu Residence, admiring the scenery. For Mrs. Bai and the others, it was their first glimpse of the grandeur of the Lu Family. The garden alone wasrger than two or three houses of other families. Mrs. Bai muttered to herself that although the Wei Family were descendants of a founding hero, they had declined significantly and were no match for the Lu Residence now. Madam Yun seized an opportunity to approach Wei Ruo and asked her, ¡°When did you form a connection with young master Lu?¡± ¡°Mother, you¡¯re not suspecting that there¡¯s anything inappropriate between the young master of the Lu Family and me, are you?¡± Wei Ruo replied with a smirk. ¡°Why would I ever imply such a thing? Since Madam Lu could openly discuss this matter in public, there¡¯s certainly no foul y involved. Are you suggesting that I, as your mother, ampletely ignorant?¡± Madam Yun asked heatedly.
¡°I can¡¯t really say, considering Mother has always distrusted me.¡± Wei Ruo replied lightly. ¡°You¡­¡± Madam Yun was taken aback and speechless for the moment. After a short silence, Madam Yun asked again, ¡°When did you rescue the young master of the Lu Family?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate for me to disclose this to Mother.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Why are you behaving like this?¡± Madam Yun inquired. ¡°Mother, I regard you as my mother out of respect and obligation, but not out of affection. Surely, you understand why I behave this way towards you?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Madam Yun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s cold expression and her eyes devoid of any hint of anger or resentment, she was taken aback. Her gaze was as indifferent as a stranger¡¯s. Madam Yun rooted herself to the spot, but Wei Ruo continued to walk on. Before Wei Ruo got married, she had some reservations. But now that she was Queen Rui, even these reservations were gone. Madam Yun stood there as Wei Ruo slowly walked away. It felt as if Wei Ruo would never return. Seeing this, Mrs. Mo approached her and asked concernedly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, third sister?¡± Madam Yun opened her mouth, but didn¡¯t know what to say. She felt as if her chest was being crushed by a boulder; it was a heavy, suffocating sensation apanied by a dull pain. After a while, Madam Yun came back to her senses. Seeing the crowd around her, she concealed her unpleasant feelings and pretended to continue the garden tour with Mrs. Mo. Madam Yun whispered to Mrs. Mo, ¡°My daughter Ruoruo is still holding a grudge against me.¡± ¡°You two are mother and daughter. If there are some misunderstandings, you should sit down and talk. I believe Ruoruo is capable of appreciating favors. She treats those who treat her well in kind.¡± Mrs. Moforted softly. Madam Yun remained silent, looking ahead only to see Wei Ruo lively engaged in conversation with otherdies. Her radiant smile was endearing.
For some reason, the better she seemed, the more bitter Madam Yun felt. Then, Madam Yun noticed Wei Qingwan, who was walking and chatting with Mrs. Bai. In recent days, Wei Qingwan had grown increasingly close to Mrs. Bai. Despite Madam Yun¡¯s repeated admonition, her words fell on deaf ears as far as Wei Qingwan was concerned. Thinking about this, Madam Yun¡¯s face darkened again.
Later, everyone went to the theater in the residence. People were seated ording to their status and their rtionship with the Lu Family. Wei Ruo naturally sat next to Madam Lu, while the women of the Wei Family were arranged in the secondst row. Seeing Wei Ruo, who was sitting in the front, engaged in a joyful conversation with Madam Lu, Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression turned gloomy. Mrs. Bai noticed Wei Qingwan¡¯s displeasure and whispered into her ear, ¡°Madam Lu is really something. She ces someone like me in the back, which is understandable, but it¡¯s different with you, Wanwan. You¡¯re the side consort of Prince Yu, granted by the Emperor himself. How could Madam Lu disregard you like this? I¡¯m outraged on your behalf.¡± Wei Qingwan was already upset, and hearing this, her expression cooled even further. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me. After all, I¡¯m just a side consort. There¡¯s nothing wrong with this arrangement.¡± Wei Qingwan murmured.N?v(el)B\\jnn Despite saying it didn¡¯t bother her, her expression was visibly upset. Mrs. Bai continued, ¡°As a side consort, you carry higher status than the main wife in an ordinary family. After all, you have the royal jade seal. What¡¯s more, you¡¯re the side consort of Prince Yu! The Lu Family¡¯s conduct is inappropriate in this regard. Where one sits does not matter, but I feel for you, Wanwan. I cannot bear to see you slighted.¡± Wei Qingwan clenched her fists, and then turned to her right and saw Madam Yun, who was calmly watching the stage. Wei Qingwan gave a coldugh in her heart, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss this anymore. Let¡¯s just enjoy the y.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I won¡¯t say another word. As long as you¡¯re not upset, Wanwan,¡± Mrs. Bai hurriedly replied. Sitting in the front row, Wei Ruo was oblivious to the thoughts of Wei family members seated at the back.
Madam Lu passed the list of today¡¯s program to Wei Ruo to select a y. ¡°This troupe was specially arranged by my grandson Hong¡¯er for me, he is a very filial child. He had even found me eight jars of thyme liquor, which was a gift from Queen Rui. Queen mother, you were indeed very thoughtful.¡± Since her grandson had told her not to mention this to anyone, Madam Lu had kept it to herself until now, when she revealed it to Wei Ruo. ¡°Please, don¡¯t mention it, Madam Lu.¡± Wei Ruo replied. At the time of giving the liquor, Wei Ruo had indeed had her own motives. It seemed now that it somewhat achieved the desired effect. Wei Ruo took the program from Madam Lu and scanned the list of ys, finally saying, ¡°I choose ¡®General Mu Guiying Takes Charge.''¡± Hearing this, Madam Lu couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I also like this y very much. Back in the day, I followed my husband to the battlefield for many years. Despite being a woman, I have killed countless enemies on the battlefield. This y reminds me of many such experiences.¡± Immediately after, Madam Lu asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Why do you like this y?¡± Wei Ruo answered, ¡°I admire how a woman can match, if not surpass, the heroics of men. I also envy her ability to fulfill her ambitions without being bound by societal norms. Women are always subjected to too many constraints in this world. It¡¯s hard to express ourselves freely, let alone achieve something significant.¡± Chapter 480: 480 Chapter 480: 480 ¡°The Queen speaks wisely! In my youth, I too defied social norms, which is why I went with my husband and fought in the battlefield. Back then, many voices questioned my choice, but I never cared. I thought to myself, if legendary heroines like Hua Mn could take up her father¡¯s battles, and Mu Guiying could lead armies for her husband, why should I not step on to the battlefield?¡± Madam Lu spoke with deep nostalgia. ¡°Madam, you are a rare heroine. I admire you greatly.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s words were not mere ttery. Her admiration for Madam Lu was genuine. There were very few women in history who had led battles. Among those who survived today, only Madam Lu had the privilege of doing so, and she made remarkable contributions too. Madam Lu answered with a smile, ¡°I am old and useless now. On the contrary, Queen Rui, there are many aspects in which you excel that I admire.¡± ¡°Why would you say that, Madam?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°I heard that you have done a lot for the Princess Jingmin and King Jing at the Taizhou prefecture that have benefited the country and its people,¡± Madam Lu replied. ¡°What I did cannotpare to what you¡¯ve aplished, Madam.¡± ¡°There is nothing topare. Whether we are fighting in the battlefield or working to relieve the people¡¯s suffering, we are doing it for our people. There is no differentiation between what has more or less importance,¡± Madam Lu dered. At Madam Lu¡¯s words, a smile appeared on Wei Ruo¡¯s face, and she felt deeply touched.
### Currently, Prince Chu Heng was in the front yard. By his side was the unrestrained and elegant Qi Zhen. ¡°The second young miss of the Wei Family is right behind us. Should we try to arrange a meeting to see if she truly is as beautiful as I described her to be?¡± Qi Zhen asked lightly. ¡°I am not interested in beauties. For people of our caliber, what type of beauty can¡¯t we possess? She¡¯s just a girl from a fallen Duke¡¯s Family. Even if she has an auspicious birth chart, and my mother insists that choosing her would benefit me, even if you rmended her, I would still not want her to take a position as my concubine,¡± the Prince retorted. ¡°You truly are oblivious to romance,¡± Qi Zhen remarked. ¡°Indeed, I am not interested in romance. I am more interested in meeting old Mr. Lu alone rather than meeting Wei Qingwan,¡± Chu Heng replied. Everyone knew that old Mr. Lu has a profound influence in the military. Although he does not hold the military talisman, his word is as good as the talisman. His support would be very helpful for Chu Heng¡¯s aspiration to the throne. Unfortunately, even though it was old Mr. Lu¡¯s birthday celebration today, he rarely showed himself in the front yard to meet his guests. The task of hosting was left to the other males in the Lu Family. Chu Heng predicted that old Mr. Lu would make a brief appearance to greet the guests, but during that time, with all the guests present, Chu Heng wouldn¡¯t have the chance to speak with him. ¡°Old Mr. Lu is not that easy to meet. He¡¯s sharp enough to know that everyone craves his support now, so he¡¯s avoiding everyone. He won¡¯t make himself avable to you, nor to King Jing,¡± Qi Zhen pointed out. ¡°Lu Yuhong has always had a good rtionship with Chu Lan, who knows if he would be taking advantage of this connection to meet old Mr. Lu in secret?¡± Chu Heng countered. ¡°Everyone in the Capital knows Lu Yuhong¡¯s personality and his actions will never represent old Mr. Lu¡¯s intentions,¡± Qi Zhen replied. As they were speaking, one of Chu Heng¡¯s followers approached and whispered something into Chu Heng¡¯s ear. ¡°Is that so?¡± Chu Heng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. The follower nodded. ¡°Understood, you may leave,¡± Chu Heng dismissed him. After the follower left, Qi Zhen asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Just now in the Lu Family¡¯s backyard, Madam Lu thanked Queen Rui for saving the Lu Family publicly.¡±
¡°Does Queen Rui have such ties with the Lu Family?¡± Qi Zhen inquired curiously. ¡°I knew we should have chosen her older sister. Instead, we chose the useless younger one. I wonder if this supposed theory of ¡®fate and fortune¡¯, is of any use,¡± Chu Heng sighed irritably. Following that, Chu Heng asked Qi Zhen, ¡°When you were close to the second young miss of the Wei Family, did she ever mention her sister to you?¡± ¡°She did mention a few things. She said her older sister was jealous of her because she had always been sick and was sent to the country as a child. Her sister harbored resentment towards her after she returned. She wanted topensate her sister, but her sister did not ept and made life hard for her. As it¡¯s just some disputes between women from the same family, I didn¡¯t take much interest in it. I justforted her from time to time,¡± Qi Zhen replied.
¡°I am not interested in the affairs of the courtyard. I just want to know if she can be useful to King Rui; if she cannot help me, I hope she will not help others and be my obstacle.¡± ¡°She¡¯s married to King Chu Yi, not Chu Lan. You don¡¯t need to worry too much. Even if Chu Yi doesn¡¯t live long, the eldest miss from the Wei Family is, after all, just a woman. Without a family head, she can¡¯t make many waves,¡± Qi Zhen said confidently. Chu Heng snorted lightly, ¡°Pity, if she had be my concubine, and with her ability to help me, I would have cherished her.¡± ### Wei Ruo and Madam Lu were watching a show when a maid approached Madam Lu and whispered something to her. Madam Lu¡¯s expression changed slightly, ¡°This boy, always up to mischief!¡± ¡°What happened, Madam?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°It¡¯s Yuhong. He has started an archery challenge with some of the guests today,¡± Madam Lu replied with a mix of helplessness and indulgence in her voice. Then Madam Lu turned to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Do you have any interest in archery, Queen?¡± Wei Ruo saw the excitement on Madam Lu¡¯s face. She smiled slightly, thinking, this was not asking whether she wanted to watch or not. Clearly, it was Madam Lu herself who wanted to go. Well, Madam Lu was a brilliant woman who, in her time, could hold her own against any man. She probably preferred practicing shooting and martial arts to watching stage performances. Wei Ruo decided to go with the flow and said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand it much, but I am interested in watching.¡±
¡°In that case, please apany me to the front yard,¡± Madam Lu invited. ¡°I am at Madam¡¯s disposal.¡± ¡°Very well, the performance is almost over anyway. Let¡¯s alle with me to the training field to watch the young menpete in archery,¡± Madam Lu suggested. Once Madam Lu had spoken, the otherdies had nothing more to add, they all got up, ready to move. On the training field, Lu Yuhong and a few young masters from noble families of the same age werepeting. Madam Lu, apanied by the otherdies, came to a pavilion next to the training field. From the pavilion, all the windows could be opened on four sides, providing a clear view of the training field. Wei Qingwan was seated in the back as usual, with two rows of people blocking her view of the field. While watching the opera, the stage was elevated and the seats were dispersed. Even those seated in thest row could see clearly. But now, everyone was gathered together. Those sitting at the back could hardly see what was happening up front.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Weiqing Wan felt increasingly ufortable, feeling as if she had been snubbed. On the other hand, Wei Ruo remained next to Madam Lu all this time, upying the prime spot. Chapter 481: 481 Everyones Thoughts_1 Chapter 481: Chapter 481 Everyone¡¯s Thoughts_1 Old Madam Lu looked at the young people on the training ground and nostalgically said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Many generals have emerged from this field. Myte husband used to train our four sons and their disciples here.¡± The Lu family is famed for their loyal warriors, all four sons of the elder Lu couple died in battles, with only the eldest son¡¯s own progeny, Lu Yuhong, surviving. Thus, the old couple did not want Lu Yuhong to join the military again. However, Yuhong yearned to be a respected military general like his grandfather. He has expressed several times his desire to go to the front line. If it hadn¡¯t been for the elder Lu¡¯s hard-nosed objections, Yuhong might have already been on the battlefield. Now, although the old couple¡¯s sons are gone, the disciples they trained are holding important positions in various armies. Therefore, the old couple holds a high status and is not feared by the Emperor. Wei Ruo could sense that when the old madam spoke these words, her thoughts returned to the past. Her remarks, seemingly directed at Wei Ruo, were more of a heartfelt sigh. Thus, Wei Ruo did not respond to the old madam¡¯s words. Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes were on the training ground, where Lu Yuhong was ying happily with several youngds. Their contest involved archery, probably considering that the elder gentleman¡¯s birthday shouldn¡¯t involve violent activities. Causing injury wouldn¡¯t be appropriate. In the crowd, Wei Ruo spotted a few familiar figures, one of them being Xiu Fengyuan. He had be a ranked schr and intended to stay in Capital City, so the Xiu family from Taizhou Prefecture had bought a house there.
Therefore, he had been spending these days in Capital City and hade to attend old Lu¡¯s birthday party at Yuhong¡¯s invitation. Another familiar face was Wei Yichen, who was in conversation with several men older than him. He had joined the Hanlin Academy and be a Hanlin Academy Schr, a position of sixth-rank. He had been very busytely and had onlye today because it was old Lu¡¯s birthday. Then Wei Ruo saw Wei Jinyi, disguised as ¡°Wang Jin¡±, standing with General Han of the Shen Shu Camp. Others merely saw him as one of General Han¡¯s attendants. But Wei Ruo knew that General Han was an old acquaintance of the Xiu¡¯s Residence, and he was Wei Jinyi¡¯s man. Although the Xiu Residence had copsed, it left behind quite a number of loyal followers unknown to outsiders. General Han was one of them, but unlike Zhang Yi and Ke Chongshan who had protected Wei Jinyi in secret, he had chosen to stay in the army. Nearly twenty yearster, he became the Commander of the Shen Shu Camp. Wei Jinyi¡¯s reemergence in front of the Emperor owed a lot to him. Since Wei Ruo married into King Rui¡¯s Residence, Wei Jinyi no longer evaded her, so Wei Ruo was aware of this. Next, unsurprisingly, Wei Ruo saw Chu Lan. He, however, wasn¡¯t participating in the contests, but stood in the hallway, watching the people on the training ground as a spectator. The other two were Qi Zhen and King Yu. The two were engaged in a conversation; Qi Zhen, with a smile on his face, seemed graceful yet greasy. King Yu, serious and slightly contemptuous, seemed disinterested in his surroundings. ### Meanwhile, the people in the training grounds also noticed the pavilion. It was Old Madam Lu apanied by thedies in the family to watch their contest. Chu Lan instantly spotted Wei Ruo among the crowd. Not because Wei Ruo had an outstanding appearance that could be recognized at a nce, but because the color of her dress was especially eye-catching. From such a distance, the faces weren¡¯t clear, nor was the makeup or jewelry noticeable. But an umon color was easily noticeable. He had no significant interest in Wei Qingruo. However, whenever he saw her, he would be reminded of the King Rui Residence, and inevitably, Xu Heyou, who had chosen to serve King Rui. Thinking of Xu Heyou, Chu Lan¡¯s chest involuntarily surged with agitation.
What was wrong with him? Why should he feel so frustrated because of a man? Even if Xu Heyou had saved his life, even if he chose his brother over him, what difference did it make? Chu Lan didn¡¯t understand and, therefore, became increasingly bothered. But Chu Lan only allowed this emotion to surface momentarily before regaining hisposure.
Many others in the training ground, like Chu Lan, noticed the situation at the pavilion. Chu Heng specifically searched the crowd for Wei Qingruo. ¡°Which one is Wei Qingruo?¡± Chu Heng asked his attendant. ¡°Replying to the Prince, it¡¯s the one wearing the purple dress.¡± ¡°The purple dress¡­¡± Chu Heng¡¯s gaze returned to the pavilion. Indeed, he spotted Wei Ruo in a purple dress at once. ¡°This woman is indeed a beauty,¡± Chu Hengmented, then turned to Qi Zhen, ¡°It seems your words are true. If the elder sister is so beautiful, the younger sister will not be far behind.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Qi Zhen, who had been staring at Wei Ruo, suddenlyughed, ¡°It seems women are prone to jealousy.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°ording to the second Miss Wei, the eldest Miss Wei is rather crude, slightly pretty but obsessed with farming, without doubt a peasant. But the one I see today is not only good-looking but also elegant, far better than the second Miss,¡± said Qi Zhen. ¡°Most women are like that. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve always told you not to waste too much time on them,¡± Chu Heng sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can distinguish the essential from the non-essential. The arms of a woman are pleasant, but they are not the ce for a hero,¡± replied Qi Zhen, confidently and elegantly. It wasn¡¯t just other women ¨C Wei Qingwan was no exception to his rule. Subsequently, Qi Zhen¡¯s gaze shifted to the contestantspeting in archery, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to try, my lord?¡±
Chu Heng snorted lightly, ¡°Are you hoping to see me make a fool of myself?¡± ¡°Your Highness, your equestrian archery is excellent. How can you say it will make you look like a fool?¡± ¡°If Ipete, Chu Lan will surely follow suit, and that would be like pping my face.¡± While it was true that Chu Heng¡¯s equestrian archery was not bad, Chu Lan had always been better than him. He had lost to Chu Lan several times during their princehood, which annoyed him greatly. ¡°So what if he does? The Emperor isn¡¯t looking for champions in archery or generals for battles. What the emperor wants most is someone to solve the problem of the deficits in the national treasury and the poor grain harvest throughout thend,¡± pointed Qi Zhen. ¡°Do I need you to remind me?¡± Chu Heng snorted and added, ¡°Instead, why don¡¯t you go andpete with them? It shouldn¡¯t matter whether you win or lose.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go and have some fun with them,¡± said Qi Zhen. Since he didn¡¯t care either way, this gave him an opportunity to meet other people. As Qi Zhen headed towards the contest stage, a middle-aged man under the not-so-distant corridor also got up. Without uttering a word, he silently headed towards the contest stage¡­ Chapter 482: 482: Sudden Accident_1 Chapter 482: Sudden ident_1 On the training ground, Lu Yuhong was solely focused on the archerypetition. ¡°Brother Xiu, it¡¯s your turn,e on!¡± Lu Yuhong called Xiu Fengyuan to step up and shoot. Although Xiu Fengyuan had no desire topete, since Lu Yuhong had invited him, he could not decline and went forward to shoot. Out of ten arrows, nine hit the bullseye, while thest one veered off course. Xiu Fengyuanughed, then returned the bow to Lu Yuhong. Lu Yuhong handed the bow and arrow to Qi Zhen, who had just arrived. Qi Zhen put down his fan, epted the bow and arrow from Lu Yuhong. Just then, a middle-aged man in brown clothing walked up to the contestants¡¯ stage. The man appeared somewhat potbellied, as if something round was tucked in his shirt. The crowd, busy watching the spectacle, paid no attention to the man.
¡°Sir Liang, would you like to try?¡± A guard from the Lu family respectfully asked. The man was a low-rank official assisting the Ministry of Rites responsible for managing the harvest of meat, hides, bones, and feathers from the wild animals, supervising military equipment production, pottery and bronze casting, and other stuff. The man calmly told the guard, ¡°You may step back.¡± The guard found the man¡¯s words a bit strange. With so many guests present, they naturally needed to be at their service and couldn¡¯t take any breaks. Thinking that Sir Liang was just being considerate, the guard didn¡¯t overthink it. Instead, the guard saw Liang lean in towards Qi Zhen. The guard quickly warned, ¡°Sir Liang, please wait until the third young master Qi¡­¡± Before the guard could finish his sentence, he saw Liang holding a fire tinder with its cap gone and glowing red at the top. Realizing something was wrong, the guard shouted out loud. Qi Zhen, who was about to shoot, stopped immediately upon hearing the outcry. He turned around and saw Liang, who had been calm, now bearing a ferocious expression. Sensing danger, Qi Zhen quickly retreated. Qi Zhen¡¯s servants and the Lu Residence¡¯s guards stepped in front to defend him. Although the man didn¡¯t halt, the servants and guards immediately restrained him, but something in his arms began to burn. Suddenly, a loud ¡°bang¡± rang out as the contestants¡¯ tform exploded into fragments. The pavilion where Wei Ruo was located shook with the st. All the noble women present screamed in rm. We Ruo was stunned looking at the center of the training ground. Was that a¡­ thunderbolt bullet? But why would a thunderbolt bullet appear in the Lu family¡¯s residence? Especially during their grand banquet?
We Ruo didn¡¯t have time to ponder on this, her eyes remained fixed on the training ground. When the dust from the explosion eventually settled, there was carnage. Bodiesy dismembered, blood and flesh were sttered all over the ce. Ladies and young girls who had never witnessed such a sight turned pale, some even fainting from shock. The Bai family¡¯s women and Wei Qingwan were all scared witless. Lady Yun fared slightly better.
Madam Lu ordered, ¡°Come, protect all thedies. The rest, follow me!¡± Madam Lu, an experienced woman of the battlefields, showed a level of cool-headedness far beyond that of anymon woman. Wei Ruo quickly regained herposure after the initial shock and with Xiumei followed the olddy down from the pavilion and ran to the center of the field. At the scene, everyone¡¯s face was ashen, even those who had not been affected by the st appeared paralyzed with fear. Though most of these young lords were skilled in horseback archery, they had never experienced real warfare or seen such scenes of horror. Only when Madam Lu arrived with her group, the crowd found some relief. Wei Ruo, who arrived with Madam Lu, quickly began treating the injured above everyone else. Wei Ruo knelt in front of Xiu Fengyuan, administering emergency treatment to stem the bleeding. ¡°Miss Wei¡­¡± Xiu Fengyuan gazed dazedly at Wei Ruo in front of him. It was the closest he had been to her since they had been stranded together during the snowstorm. Had he died? Or why else would he be seeing her? ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, you¡¯ll be okay, you¡¯ve just injured your hand. I¡¯m bandaging it now to stop the bleeding. You will be fine,¡± she reassured him. Wei Ruo quickly ripped a piece from her skirt to use as a bandage for Xiu Fengyuan, all while continuing to reassure him.
It was then that Xiu Fengyuan realized he was injured. Perhaps it was his body¡¯s self-protective mechanism, but he didn¡¯t feel much pain at the moment. He was numb all over, not even aware that his arm was bleeding. Xiu Fengyuan asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Is my arm useless now? I can¡¯t feel it.¡± ¡°No, your wound is not severe, your arm can recover,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Are youforting me?¡± Xiu Fengyuan asked. ¡°No,¡± Wei Ruo firmly replied. Jinyi and Yichen both approached Wei Ruo at the same time. At the time of the ident, they were both far away from the st and hence, unaffected. They almost arrived at the same time, yet Jinyi, now disguised as Wang Jin, was unrecognizable to Yichen. ¡°How is brother Xiu?¡± Yichen asked, his voice trembling slightly at the sight of Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s current state. The gruesome scene was a horrifying sight. Compared to others, Yichen was rtively calm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll be okay,¡± Wei Ruo assured him. Wei Ruo turned and saw seven people lying on the ground. The perpetrator was dead on the spot, his body blown to bits.
The guards of the Lu residence and Qi Zhen¡¯s attendants who helped restrain the man were also dead, their bodies gruesomely mutted. Lu Yuhong was injured too, but he seemed to be entirely there, his expression twisted in pain. We Ruo had chosen toe to Xiu Fengyuan first because, from her experience, Lu Yuhong¡¯s injuries might be lighter.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Qi Zhen was still alive, it appeared that his leg suffered the most damage. His lower leg was gone, while his upper leg was mangled. The other two men, whom Wei Ruo didn¡¯t recognize, were not lightly wounded; one had his face disfigured, the other seemed whole, but that didn¡¯t mean his injury was light. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s actions, Madam Lu asked, ¡°Queen Rui, can you treat them?¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°Madam, please follow my instructions.¡± ¡°Alright, I am at yourmand!¡± Madam Lu agreed without hesitation. At this moment, she chose to trust Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo began directing people. Wei Ruo started by saying to Madam Lu, ¡°Please have everyone refrain from moving the injured. Help them stop the bleeding ording to my method. I also need some herbs, but there¡¯s no time to exin which ones. Please, gather all the herbs you can find in your residence.¡± Chapter 483: 483: Chu Lan Suspects Wei Ruos Identity_1 Chapter 483: Chu Lan Suspects Wei Ruo¡¯s Identity_1 ¡°Alright.¡± The old Lady Lu did not hesitate and immediately followed Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions. Next, Wei Ruo turned to Wei Jinyi and said, ¡°Wang Jin, I need you to help me collect the severed limbs. Don¡¯t let anyone take them or damage them! Once you¡¯ve found them, get some ice from the cer of Lu Residence to keep it cool!¡± In this weather, ordinary households would not have ice. But the Lu Residence was not an ordinary household, and such households would store ice in their cers for their own use. Wei Jinyi promptly carried out the instructions. Chu Lan happened to approach just as Wei Ruo was saving people while directing others to do their tasks. Watching Wei Ruo¡¯s skilled hands, Chu Lan was stunned. The purple figure before his eyes began to ovep with the figure in his heart¡­ Wei Qingruo, Xu Heyou. Xu Heyou, Wei Qingruo¡­ They¡­
Even though they lookedpletely different, at this moment, because of their skilled treatment methods, Chu Lan associated the two together. In a daze, Chu Lan seemed to find many simrities between them. Such as height, shape, and their hands working on the injured right now¡­ All of Wei Ruo¡¯s attention was focused on treating the injured, and she did not notice Chu Lan¡¯s gaze towards her. At this moment, she did not have a shred of extra attention for other things, her every move could determine the life or death of people like Xiu Fengyuan and Lu Yuhong. An hourter, the simple hemostasis work was done, and Wei Ruo also examined the condition of each injured person, providing some stable support to their bodies. Only then did Wei Ruo have the injured carried away. Then, Wei Ruo turned to Wei Jinyi and said, ¡°I need to return home now. Can I ask Master Xu to treat them?¡± Wei Ruo was seeking Wei Jinyi¡¯s opinion. She couldn¡¯t continue treating the patients as Queen Rui, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she could treat them under the guise of Xu Heyou. Wei Ruo could ignore the life and death of other patients, but Xiu Fengyuan and Lu Yuhong knew her, and if she didn¡¯t save them, her heart would not rest. ¡°Of course, I will escort Queen Rui home and bring Master Xu here,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. Wei Ruo rose from the ground. Her previously immacte clothing was now stained with blood, with several pieces torn from the hem, causing the bottom of her skirt to be ragged and irregr.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Because she had been kneeling for a long time, her legs felt somewhat numb. Wei Ruo staggered slightly as she got up. Wei Jinyi immediately reached out to steady her. Wei Ruo was taken aback, then quickly withdrew her hand and leaned on Xiumei instead. Although most of the guests had been sent away by the old Lady Lu, there were still some people left at the scene. Among them was Chu Lan. Wei Ruo left with Xiumei¡¯s assistance, passing Chu Lan on her way out. Wei Ruo felt Chu Lan¡¯s gaze on her the entire time. His tant stares made her feel uneasy.
¡°Queen Rui, do you know a gentleman by the name of Zhu?¡± Chu Lan suddenly asked Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo stopped and calmly asked, ¡°Zhu? I don¡¯t recall. I only know a few men outside my family, and I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone by the name of Zhu. If there is, I might have only seen him from afar.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°King Jing, I have something else to attend to. I won¡¯t keep you for idle chatter. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask my husband on another day.¡±
After speaking, Wei Ruo continued to move forward without showing any sign of vulnerability. It wasn¡¯t until they had left Lu Residence and boarded the coach home that Wei Ruo showed a trace of panic. She had been so focused on saving lives that she forgot about Chu Lan. Chu Lan¡¯s question could be because he had discovered the connection between her and Xu Heyou. But thinking of it now was toote. All she could do was prepare for the worst. After the carriage had travelled some distance, Wei Ruo summoned Wei Jinyi inside. ¡°Wang Jin,e in.¡± Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s voice, Wei Jinyi, who had been riding the horse, used his light body technique to jump directly from the horse onto the coach, and then entered the carriage. ¡°What do you think of today¡¯s events? Was that object a Thunderbolt Bullet?¡± Wei Ruo asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°Yes, I believe so. The person who used the bomb was Yu Hengqing, an associate officer from the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Two of the Thunderbolt Bullets you sent to the Anti-Japanese Army were kept and sent back to Capital City¡¯s Weapon Camp for further research. Yu Hengqing had the opportunity toe into contact with the two Thunderbolt Bullets.¡± ¡°Why would he do such a thing?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. ¡°Qi Zhen is notorious for his licentiousness. He had an affair with Liang Dong¡¯s daughter, but not only did he not marry her, he also ruined her reputation, ultimately leading her tomit suicide. Madam Liang also died from the shock.¡± ¡°Did this not affect Qi Zhen?¡± ¡°Liang Dong tried to sue Qi Zhen, but Qi Zhen is Qi Yansong¡¯s son. Liang Dong couldn¡¯t touch Qi Zhen and was impeached in the process.¡±
¡°Therefore, since Liang Dong lost his wife and daughter and couldn¡¯t touch Qi Zhen, he came up with a n that would kill everyone, including himself?¡± ¡°Given Liang Dong¡¯s capabilities, he should not have been able to hurt Qi Zhen at all. Under normal circumstances, he would have no chance to approach Qi Zhen. Today was the celebration at the Lu family, and guests brought fewer servants with them, allowing him to get closer. However, without the Thunderbolt Bullet, even if he got closer, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to harm Qi Zhen.¡± Wei Ruo sighed deeply, not knowing how toment on this matter. So, she was also an executioner. If it weren¡¯t for her Thunderbolt Bullet, today¡¯s tragedy might not have happened. She might not have killed him directly, but he died because of her. After Wei Ruo returned to King Rui Residence, she quickly changed her appearance, then took her medicine box, and once again departed with Wei Jinyi and Xiumei to the Lu Residence. By the time Wei Ruo arrived at the Lu Residence, the imperial physician had arrived, and Qi Zhen had already been taken away by the Qi family. Wei Ruo came to Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s room. At this moment, the imperial physicians were in Lu Yuhong¡¯s room, while only a general doctor and several maids from the Lu Residence were in Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s room. Wei Yichen was also present. He had not left and was still at Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s side. When Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi, and Xiumei entered, they found Xiu Fengyuan looking pale. ¡°You don¡¯t need to save me. I¡¯m beyond salvation,¡± said Xiu Fengyuan, who knew that he had lost his right hand. He was both schrly and martial, but both depended on his hand.
If he lost his right hand, he would be a cripple. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re beyond salvation? You¡¯re perfectly fine,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°My hand is gone, I¡¯m a cripple from now on.¡± ¡°Your hand is still here. Wang Jin picked it up,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°What¡¯s the use of finding it again? Are you going to bury it somewhere?¡± Xiu Fengyuanughed bitterly. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t engage then, asking instead, ¡°Did the doctor give you anesthesia on your wound just now?¡± Xiu Fengyuan didn¡¯t reply, looking nkly at the ceiling. Chapter 484: 484: Reconnecting A Severed Limb_1 Chapter 484: Reconnecting A Severed Limb_1 Wei Ruo turned to the doctor beside her with a question. This doctor is from the Lu Residence, knowing that Wei Ruo was sent by the King Rui Residence, he didn¡¯t dare to be idle, exining everything in detail. ¡°You have done a great job,¡± Wei Ruo praised. ¡°Well ¡­ I didn¡¯t do much, just cleaned his wound and applied some Powder for Anesthesia,¡± the doctor replied. ¡°That¡¯s the best thing to do,¡± Wei Ruo said. The doctor looked confused, not understanding why Wei Ruo would say this. ¡°Alright, everyone else can leave,¡± Wei Ruo asked all the other people in the room to leave. The doctor hesitated for a moment, but considering Wei Ruo¡¯s status, he decided to leave. Once everyone was gone, Wei Ruo started working. She first opened her acupuncture kit, took out the silver needles, and began applying them to Xiu Fengyuan.
The first two needles were to further alleviate Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s pain. Although Xiu Fengyuan was temporarily unable to feel the pain due to nerve damage, it did not mean he would continue to be numb. ¡°Meimei, take off his upper garment.¡± Due to Wei Ruo¡¯s previous instructions not to randomly move Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s body, Xiu Fengyuan was still wearing the clothes he had on during the explosion. Xiumei efficiently removed Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s tattered and blood-soaked clothing, and reced the bed sheet under him with the one they had brought. Then, Wei Ruo proceeded to further apply acupuncture on Xiu Fengyuan. An hourter, hundreds of needles were densely packed on Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s body, causing him to lose consciousness and fall into aa. Next, she had to perform a limb reattachment surgery on Xiu Fengyuan. Before the operation began, she had to disinfect Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s body. The alcohol made through repeated distition could reach an alcohol content of above seventy percent, sufficient for necessary surgical disinfection. While disinfecting, Wei Ruo had Wei Jinyi stand guard at the door to prevent others from interrupting her operation. Xiumei stayed to assist her. Stitching up the arm was a delicate task, and under the current conditions, stitching the nerves would be extremely difficult. Years earlier, Wei Ruo had produced a small amount of ss in Huzhou Prefecture with quartz sand and limestone, and then ground the ss into convex lenses.N?v(el)B\\jnn Since the magnification of a single convex lens is limited, Wei Ruo stacked two convex lenses inside a tiny tube, making a simple microscope. Wei Ruo had used this microscope twice before, both times to suture wounds while she was in Huzhou Prefecture. She ced this microscope over her right eye. The long tube might look funny, but it greatly assisted Wei Ruo in her work. The suturing thread isn¡¯t regr either, threads made frommb¡¯s small intestine could be easily absorbed by the body, not requiring removal after suturing. The production process wasplicated and time-consuming. Wei Ruo had made only a small amount in Huzhou Prefecture many years ago, so there weren¡¯t many of these threads left with her.
And also the lighting. Xiumei had lit candles at all angles in the room, covered them with the shades, firmly closed the doors and windows, doing her best to ensure adequate lighting without shadows and blind spots. ¡°Miss, should we wait until daylight?¡± Xiumei found that even though they had such preparations, the lighting situation was still not ideal.
¡°We can¡¯t wait. The longer we wait, the lower his chance for recovery,¡± said Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo then brought out Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s arm from her space. When she left the Lu Family, Wei Ruo took the arm away and put it in her space on the ride home. Her space was the best ce for preservation, keeping it outside, even with ice, wasn¡¯t as good as keeping it in her space. Everything was prepared, and the surgery began. ### Next door. Lu Yuhong suffered skin injuries in several ces, and his bones were broken, but thankfully hadn¡¯t lost any limbs. Among the injured, his were the least severe. Half an hour ago, three Imperial Physicians had prescribed medicine for him, both oral and topical. His condition had stabilized, and the pain had eased. ¡°How is it?¡± The elderly Master Lu anxiously asked the Imperial Physicians. ¡°Master Lu, please rest assured, Master Lu Junior¡¯s life is not in danger,¡± responded Xing Jiang, the Dean of the Imperial Institute of Medicine. ¡°You have to assure me! The Lu Family only has this one heir left! If something happens to him, this old man isn¡¯t going to stick around either!¡± Master Lu¡¯s words frightened the Imperial Physicians.
Xing Jiang quickly reassured him, ¡°Please rest assured, Master Lu, Master Lu Junior¡¯s life is not in danger. It¡¯s just that his bones are broken and need to properly recuperate for some time, and there may be some scars left on his body.¡± ¡°It had better be as you say!¡± After saying this, Master Lu briskly walked to the bedside, looked at his grandson lying on the couch with reddened eyes. Madame Lu said to Xing Jiang and the others, ¡°Broken bones and scars are minor matters, as long as he¡¯s alive, that¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Please rest assured, Madam, given Master Lu Junior¡¯s constitution, he should recover after some recuperation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Madam Lu nodded her head, nced at her grandson on the bed, and continued speaking to Xing Jiang and the others, ¡°I¡¯m still bothering you toe with me to see the other injured.¡± Apart from Qi Zhen, who was taken away by the Qi family, the rest of the injured are now in the Lu Residence. The three Imperial Physicians were assigned by the Emperor to treat Lu Yuhong, they were not required to treat other patients, because other injured people did not have the honour to demand the treatment of Imperial Physicians. However, Madam Lu still hoped the Imperial Physicians could treat others. After all, the incident happened at the Lu Residence, and they had an inescapable responsibility. Now that Madam Lu had spoken, the Imperial Physicians couldn¡¯t refuse. Madam Lu apanied the three Imperial Physicians and arrived at Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s room, only to find that the doctor and maids who should originally be in the room were all at the door. ¡°What happened?¡± Madam Lu asked. ¡°It¡¯s the doctor from the King Rui Residence, he asked us to wait outside while he treats Master Xiu inside,¡± the doctor waiting outside exined. ¡°I see,¡± Madam Lu thought about it, then turned to the three Imperial Physicians and said, ¡°In this case, let¡¯s visit the remaining injured first.¡±
There was no objection from the Imperial Physicians. They followed Madam Lu to treat the remaining several injured. By the time all the other patients had been treated, four hours had passed. When everyone returned to the outside of Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s room, the scene remained the same with the doctor and maids still standing at the door. ¡°Has Doctor Xu not finished yet?¡± Madam Lu couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°Replying to Madam, it seems he hasn¡¯t, we haven¡¯t seen hime out yet,¡± the doctor at the door responded. This made Madam Lu hesitate. It was alreadyte, and she wasn¡¯t sure if she should have the Imperial Physicians diagnose Xiu Fengyuan first. At this point, Xing Jiang spoke up: ¡°What kind of treatment method is Dr Xu using that it takes so long?¡± Chapter 485: 485: Questioning Xu Heyous Medical Skills_1 Chapter 485: Questioning Xu Heyou¡¯s Medical Skills_1 No one standing at the door answered. Even Wei Yichen just quietly stood aside, waiting. Xing Jiang shifted his gaze to Wei Jinyi, who was standing guard by the door. ¡°Are you from King Rui¡¯s Residence?¡± Xing Jiang asked. ¡°Yes.¡± answered Wei Jinyi, his expression serious. ¡°Can we go in and take a look?¡± Xing Jiang asked. ¡°No.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Doctor Xu dislikes being interrupted.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Jinyi¡¯s response and attitude left Xing Jiang looking displeased.
Originally, treating others was not within their duties. They had only agreed to help out of respect for the Lu family¡¯s olddy. But this man had the audacity to stop them at the door. ¡°For many years as a physician, I have never seen any treatment procedure for physical injuries take such a long time. Even the art of acupuncture doesn¡¯t take this long. If it were some other internal disease, it would be a different matter. But I have never seen it with physical injuries, and neither have my fellow medical colleagues.¡± Xing Jiang said. After Xing Jiang had finished speaking, the two imperial physicians standing behind him nodded in agreement. The meaning was clear: a treatment method unknown to the doctors of the Imperial Institute of Medicine; was the doctor sent by King Rui¡¯s Residence simply messing around? Xing Jiang then turned to the olddy Lu and said, ¡°Madam, it won¡¯t disturb Doctor Xu if we go in now. It might even be helpful.¡± At the moment, the olddy Lu was somewhat hesitant. The injured person was her grandson¡¯s good friend, and he was injured at the Lu Residence. They had a responsibility towards him. After considering for a moment, with the safety of Xiu Fengyuan in mind, the olddy Lu said to Wei Jinyi, ¡°Young man, please step aside and let the imperial doctors in to examine young master Xiu.¡± Wei Jinyi remained as still as a mountain. ¡°Young man?¡± The olddy Lu called out again. ¡°Without the orders of King Rui and Queen Rui, I will not let anyone interfere with Doctor Xu¡¯s work.¡± Wei Jinyi responded without any change in expression. Xing Jiang and the others didn¡¯t expect Wei Jinyi to disregard even the olddy Lu¡¯s dignity. The faces of the few of them turned somewhat unpleasant, and Xing Jiang said, ¡°Madam, saving people is the priority!¡± After hesitating for a while, the olddy Lu ordered, ¡°Escort away the guard from King Rui¡¯s Residence.¡± Upon receiving the order, the olddy Lu¡¯s personal guard stepped forwards, wanting to ¡®escort¡¯ Wei Jinyi away. Just as a hand was extended towards Wei Jinyi, he grabbed the arm and swung the guard away. Another man saw this and swung his fist towards Wei Jinyi. His fist was stopped right in front of Wei Jinyi¡¯s face and then twisted one hundred and eighty degrees, twisting the man¡¯s arm in the process. The man, in pain, didn¡¯t have a chance to react before receiving a kick to the abdomen, causing him to fall backwards. The olddy Lu looked startled. She knew best about the skills of her personal guards. They were handpicked and trained by her and herte husband, their skills unmatched by average guards.
However, in front of Wei Jinyi, they were unable to withstand a single move. This was the highest level of martial arts she had ever seen in all her years. At this time, the other guards in the courtyard came rushing over, preparing to face off against Wei Jinyi. ¡°Hold on!¡± The olddy Lu called out to stop them.
She did not wish to have a conflict with the people from King Rui¡¯s Residence. She had only wanted the guards to back Wei Jinyi off earlier. But this man was a top-notch expert, and it would not be easy for the people in her residence to get rid of him. If they forced their way, things could getplicated. ¡°Madam,¡± Xing Jiang wanted to say more seeing the olddy had stopped. Just then, the door opened. Xiumei, who was dressed as a male attendant, said to the people outside, ¡°Doctor Xu has finished diagnosing young master Xiu. Madam and the Imperial Medical Officer, pleasee in.¡± Upon hearing this, Xing Jiang was the first to walk into the room. We Jinyi did not stop him this time and followed Xing Jiang into the room. Wei Ruo had already packed away his medical equipment, and was sitting in front of Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s bed, finishing up the bandaging. Xiu Fengyuan had awoken and was looking absentmindedly at his reattached right arm. He could still not feel the presence of his right arm, let alone move it. But seeing that it was there was afort to him. Moreover, Doctor Xu had told him that there was a possibility of restoring his right arm. This ignited a flicker of hope deep within him. After Xing Jiang entered, Wei Ruo stepped aside, allowing him toe forward and take Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s pulse. After taking the pulse, Xing Jiang found no abnormalities. He then turned his head to look at Wei Ruo.
¡°What was Doctor Xu doing in this room for so long?¡± Xing Jiang asked. ¡°Reattaching the arm.¡± Wei Ruo responded. It was then that the olddy Lu, who had just entered, noticed the abnormality on Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s body. ¡°Did you reattach his severed arm?¡± The olddy Lu¡¯s face showed an incredulous expression. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo answered. Xing Jiangughed, ¡°Ignorant youth! You think that sewing the arm back would be useful? This is simply absurd! After you sew it back, the arm will still rot and decay! You better remove it immediately to prevent the spread to other parts of his body!¡± ¡°What the officer said makes sense. If it were just simply sewn together, the arm could not be used again. The blood vessels would not circte and the body would definitely rot. The rot will also affect the area it is connected to.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Do you think that just reattaching the blood vessels, this arm can be used again?¡± Xing Jiang spoke scornfully. Was this ignorant youth thinking they had never tried this before? ¡°Just the blood vessels alone certainly cannot. The tendons must also be sewn together for there to be a chance of recovery.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Sew the tendons together? Are you building castles in the air?¡± ¡°Sir, I understand that what I¡¯m saying is difficult and it¡¯s normal if you don¡¯t believe me. But please give me some time. If Xiu Fengyuan cannot recover, it¡¯s my ipetence.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°But if he develops a fever or faints because of the arm you reattached, would you bear it?¡± Xing Jiang challenged Wei Ruo.
¡°I can¡¯t guarantee 100% that his arm will recover after being reattached, but I can assure you that it will not lead to a more severe condition.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo would naturally disinfect and reduce inmmation regrly, as well as prescribe medicine to Xiu Fengyuan to ensure the normal function of his body. ¡°Absurd. If there¡¯s no certainty, you shouldn¡¯t gamble with a patient¡¯s life!¡± Xing Jiang scolded. At that moment, Xiu Fengyuan spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet.¡± Xing Jiang looked at him, and warned him sternly, ¡°Do you know that if that arm rots, the healthy parts of your body will also rot, and by then, the pain you will suffer will be even greater, and your life may not even be guaranteed!¡± Chapter 486: 486: Chu Lan Blocks Wei Ruo_1 Chapter 486: Chu Lan Blocks Wei Ruo_1 ¡°I¡¯m willing to take the risk.¡± Xiu Fengyuan repeated, ¡°Sir, I appreciate your concern for my health, but even if there¡¯s only a one in a ten thousand chance, I still want to take a bet.¡± ¡°Ignorant!¡± Xing Jiang retorted. Seeing this, Madam Lu spoke up: ¡°Master Xing, since Mr. Xiu has already made his decision, let¡¯s respect it.¡± As Madam Lu spoke, Xing Jiang had to hold back his fury. ¡°Madam,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ve made my stance clear, if this gentleman encounters any incidents, even if you were to plead with me, I won¡¯t lend a hand.¡± Madam Lu nced at Xiu Fengyuan on the bed and seeing his resolute expression, she nodded at Xing Jiang: ¡°I understand.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Xing Jiang snorted and withdrew with the other imperial physicians. Madam Lu turned to Wei Ruo: ¡°Doctor Xu, I request you to do your best. Regardless of whether you can restore Mr. Xiu¡¯s arm, please ensure his life is not endangered.¡± ¡°Madam, rest assured, I will certainly ensure Mr. Xiu¡¯s life is not in danger,¡± Wei Ruo promised confidently. She hadn¡¯t assured the recovery of Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s arm because of limited conditions. If conditions were fulfilled, she was almost a hundred percent sure.
But to ensure no peril to Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s life was a certainty for Wei Ruo. Madam Lu said: ¡°You were sent by Queen Rui; I trust Queen Rui, so I trust you too.¡± ¡°Thank you for your trust, Madam.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me, like you, I also hope Mr. Xiu¡¯s hand recovers. My grandson said, Mr. Xiu is both schrly and martial, losing his right hand might be more painful than losing his life,¡± Madam Lu said. ¡°I will do my utmost,¡± Wei Ruo replied. After giving a few more instructions, Madam Lu left the room. After Madam Lu had left, Wei Yichen came in. ¡°I¡¯m staying back to care for brother Xiu,¡± stated Wei Yichen. Wei Ruo ordered: ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a prescription. This medicine should be taken every six hours. I¡¯ll change his external medicine tomorrow morning. Don¡¯t interrupt internal medication until then. If he develops a fever at night, give him the second prescription I have prescribed, and immediately send someone to the King Rui Residence to fetch me.¡± ¡°I will remember. Thank you, Doctor Xu,¡± answered Wei Yichen. Then Wei Ruo turned to Xiu Fengyuan: ¡°Mr. Xiu, in addition to what I can do for you, your own mindset is also extremely important. Please believe that there¡¯s a chance for your arm to recover and keep a positive state of mind, don¡¯t indulge in self-pity.¡± Xiu Fengyuan replied: ¡°I understand, thank you, Doctor Xu. Please tell Queen Rui thank you on my behalf as well. She¡¯s gone through a lot of trouble for me.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said Wei Ruo. After imparting her instructions to Xiu Fengyuan, Wei Ruo went over to the neighboring room to check on Lu Yuhong. Earlier, Wei Ruo had already taken Lu Yuhong¡¯s pulse to check his injuries and knew they weren¡¯t severe. He would recover with regr treatment. However, to be sure, Wei Ruo nned to go and check again in case the imperial physicians had done something inappropriate. In Lu Yuhong¡¯s room, the elderly Master Lu was keeping vigil at the bedside. The elderly man seemed somewhat helpless and lost. Wei Ruo paid her respects to Master Lu, stating her identity and purpose.
Master Lu slowly nodded, then let Wei Ruo check Lu Yuhong¡¯s pulse. After checking his pulse, Wei Ruo even sniffed the empty bowl that previously contained medicine. There was nothing serious about this prescription, although it was rather conservative, therefore Lu Yuhong¡¯s recovery would be slow. It wasn¡¯t the best solution but had the advantage of reducing pain intensity. Wei Ruo could guess why the Imperial Institute of Medicine had prescribed this medicine. She didn¡¯t say much on the subject but rather stated that Lu Yuhong¡¯s condition was good and he just needs to take his medicines and rest for recovery.
Having done all she could do for the night, Wei Ruo was ready to leave the Lu Residence. Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi, and Xiumei emerged from the Lu Residence, their carriage parked near the southeast gate. Just as Wei Ruo was about to climb into the carriage, a figure suddenly approached. It waste at night, and the moon was high in the sky, casting a weak light. Thentern carried by the attendant revealed the figure¡¯s face. Wei Ruo took a careful look and saw a person she least wanted to see ¨C Chu Lan. ¡°Mr. Xu, we meet again.¡± Chu Lan was dressed just as he had been during the day, but the sharpness in the eyes looking at Wei Ruo had intensified. ¡°I respect you, Prince,¡± Wei Ruo bowed to Chu Lan. ¡°As Queen Rui, you need not show me such respect,¡± Chu Lan cut her off. ¡°I don¡¯t understand Prince, what do you mean?¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°How long are you going to keep this charade?¡± Chu Lan inquired, his gaze fixed on Wei Ruo, as if he wanted to see through her. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about, Prince. How could I, a man, be Queen Rui?¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°You bear a striking resemnce to Queen Rui,¡± Chu Lan stated.
¡°Prince, it¡¯s not umon for people to look simr. I¡¯m a bit short for a man, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can suspect me of being a woman.¡± ¡°If you listen closer, your voice is somewhat simr to Queen Rui¡¯s,¡± Chu Lan added. ¡°I¡¯m still young, my voice is soft, it may sound like a woman¡¯s. It¡¯s possible that you find it simr to a woman¡¯s, and Queen Rui¡¯s simrity is just a coincidence. Her voice among women is not particrly unique,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°The person with you, he¡¯s Wang Jin, the protector of Wei Qingruo. I¡¯ve had interactions with him,¡± Chu Lan continued. ¡°Prince, I¡¯m currently employed at the King Rui residence, so why shouldn¡¯t the protectors apany us?¡± she retorted. ¡°Today¡¯s lifesaving actions, Queen Rui¡¯s medical skills are not inferior, much like yours,¡± Chu Lan continued. ¡°Prince, you¡¯re too amusing. There are many in the world with medical skills. Queen Rui once lived in the countryside and was taught some medical skills by an elder,¡± Wei Ruo said yfully. Wei Ruo refuted each doubt raised by Chu Lan. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a trick in the folk world that can change a person¡¯s face. Would you allow me to touch your face and verify the truth?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a method before. I beg you not to make things difficult for me,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°If you want me to stop, then prove it to me. Are you afraid, or are you guilty?¡± Chu Lan inquired. The more Wei Ruo hesitated, the more convinced Chu Lan became about the rtionship between Xu Heyou and Wei Ruo. His eyes were like those of a hawk, capable of locking onto his prey even in the darkness of night.
With his determination, it seemed that he wouldn¡¯t let go unless Wei Ruo agreed today. Just then, a pair of slender, jade hands drew the curtain of the carriage open, and a woman dressed in gorgeous clothes popped her head out. Chapter 487: 487 Let Her Go _1 Chapter 487: Chapter 487 Let Her Go _1 ¡°Doctor Xu, how did things go today?¡± At the sound of that voice, Chu Lan and Wei Ruo both turned to look at the carriage. The face of the person who poked her head out was unmistakably Wei Qingruo¡¯s. A chill settles in Chu Lan¡¯s gaze. If Xu Heyou is indeed Wei Qingruo, then who is the woman inside the carriage? Wei Ruo stepped up to the carriage and bowed respectfully to the woman inside, ¡°Replying to Queen Rui, treatment for Young Master Xu has beenpleted. At present, Young Master Lu, Young Master Xu, and the others who were affected today are no longer in immediate danger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s gettingte, Lord Xu, return to your residence. There are many matters demanding your attention tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Ruo answered. About to turn around and walk away, Chu Lan blocked Wei Ruo¡¯s path. At the same time, Wei Jinyi stepped forward and stood protectively in front of Wei Ruo.
Gazing at Wei Jinyi, Chu Lan felt a deadly aura emanating from this seemingly ordinary guard. ¡°King Jing, kindly step aside,¡± Wei Jinyi quietlymanded, exerting an air of authority. Chu Lan didn¡¯t move immediately. His gaze fixed on Wei Ruo, equally sharp. Their stare-down was almost electric, as if sparks were flying between them. At this moment, it felt as if the air around them had grown thin. Wei Ruo¡¯s heart pounded. If Chu Lan refused to stand down, a confrontation was inevitable.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Xiumei, also tense, clenched her fists. King Jing was a tough one to deal with. If things escted, she had to ensure her mistress was safe! After a few moments, Chu Lan made a move. He took a step back, making way for Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo. Relief coursed through Wei Ruo. In reality, barely a minute or two had passed. But everyone felt as if it had dragged on for hours. Wei Ruo skillfully mounted her horse right in front of Chu Lan, who made no further attempts to stop her. Wei Ruo then nudged the horse into action, joining the procession as they rode away. Chu Lan remained standing, his gaze following the retreating convoy of King Rui¡¯s Residence far into the distance. Even when they were out of sight, Chu Lan remained rooted to the spot. The recent turn of events wasn¡¯tpletely convincing. He was still suspicious about the identities of Wei Qingruo and Xu Heyou. If Wei Qingruo could use a master of disguise to transform herself into Xu Heyou, they could also conceivably use someone else to impersonate Wei Qingruo and further confuse matters. Even the servant named Wang Jin was under suspicion. But pressing the matter further under these circumstances was pointless. The one called Wang Jin would never let him near Xu Heyou. If he insisted, it would lead to a conflict between King Jing¡¯s and King Rui¡¯s residences.
Moreover, at this point, he wasn¡¯t certain if he wanted Xu Heyou to be Wei Qingruo. If it were indeed so, many things linked to Xu Heyou would make sense, simultaneously providing an exnation for the mysteries that had gued his thoughts for so long. But if it were really so, she was now Queen Rui, and appeared willing to stay by Chu Yi¡¯s side¡­ ###
Once Wei Ruo and her party returned to King Rui¡¯s residence, and the doors closed behind them, Wei Ruo breathed another sigh of relief. Then she turned to Lin Fang and thanked her, ¡°Thank you, Sister Lin.¡± Lin Fang took off the mask on her face, ¡°Young Miss, there¡¯s no need for thanks; these are all Master¡¯s orders. Before heading out a second time today, the Master had specificallymanded us.¡± Upon hearing this, Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi remained silent. Despite his silence, his concern was palpable. Wei Ruo turned back to Lin Fang, ¡°Sister Lin, your mastery in disguise is extraordinary; in such a short time, you managed to create a mask that¡¯s identical to my face.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not exactly identical. When creating a mask, it¡¯s necessary to consider the wearer¡¯s original face. While molding a new face is rtively easier, making it identical to another person¡¯s face is incredibly tricky. Every individual has unique facial features. For instance, it¡¯s impossible for a person with a square face to disguise as someone with an oval face,¡± Lin Fang exined. ¡°Tonight, it was dark, and the visibility is poor. Hence, we could pass the duplicate off as original. During daylight, from a closer distance, the differences between your real face and the mask I created would be noticeable. Not to mention, you and I have different body shapes. Hiding in the carriage, showing only my head, was the only way to fool everyone tonight.¡± ¡°I see. Regardless, Sister Lin, your skills in disguise are phenomenal. Not only did you make a convincing mask, but you also imitated my voice with about 70% or 80% uracy. That is truly impressive,¡± Wei Ruoplimented. Imitating voices was Lin Fang¡¯s another expertise. She could mimic many people¡¯s voices to deceive others. Chu Lan had never given Wei Qingruo much thought, and they had barely interacted, leaving him unable to distinguish between Wei Ruo¡¯s real voice and the one adopted by Lin Fang while disguised as Wei Ruo.
¡°The credit goes to our Master¡¯s foresight and arrangements, which allowed me to be of use,¡± Lin Fang said, cautiously ncing at Wei Jinyi. Being praised by the mistress was irrelevant; what mattered was whether the mistress could truly sense the Master¡¯s care. Wei Jinyi chose not toment on this matter. He advised Wei Ruo, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should rest. There¡¯s still a lot to do tomorrow.¡± With that, he instructed Lin Fang and Xiumei to escort Wei Ruo back to her room for rest. ### Once he left the Lu Family, Xing Jiang went straight to the Qi Family. Imperial Physicians had been dispatched to the Qi Family earlier that night. Qi Zhen¡¯s condition was more critical than the Lu Yuhong¡¯s, so the physicians dared not leave his side. Xing Jiang also hurried to join the other Imperial Physicians in discussing treatment strategies. Qi Zhen¡¯s injuries were significantly more severe than Lu Yuhong¡¯s: extensive external burns and injuries, fractures, internal damage and even the loss of his left leg below the knee. In any ordinary household, he would have been lost. However, being from the Qi Family not only gave ess to Imperial Physicians, but also enabled the use of the finest medicinal herbs. Out of the eight Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Institute of Medicine, seven were dispatched, with three sent to the Lu Family and four to the Qi Family, leaving one behind. When Xing Jiang arrived at the Qi Family home, Qi Zhen¡¯s condition remained critical; his fever hadn¡¯t yet abated.
All seven Imperial Physicians gathered in an anteroom adjoining Qi Zhen¡¯s bedroom, contemting strategies for his treatment. Qi Yansong, Qi Zhen¡¯s father and the current Prime Minister, had a formidable presence and an intimidating gaze. A white-haired man with deep wrinkles starkly etched on his face, he bore testaments to the passage of time. Now in his fifties, he had weathered many storms to rise to his current powerful position. The Imperial Physicians were on tenterhooks, fearing that Qi Yansong may lose his temper. ¡°What is the verdict? Can my son¡¯s life be saved?¡± Qi Yansong¡¯s voice was chilling to the bone. Chapter 488: 488 You are Clueless about your Own Daughters Affairs_1 Chapter 488: Chapter 488 You are Clueless about your Own Daughter¡¯s Affairs_1 The imperial physicians exchanged nces before designating Xing Jiang to respond on their behalf. Xing Jiang reported to Qi Yansong, ¡°Master Qi, the Third Young Master¡¯s condition is veryplex and severe. We need to observe him for another couple of days to confirm whether he can survive this critical stage.¡± ¡°Are you saying my son¡¯s life is still at risk?¡± Qi Yansong felt as if he was surrounded by an icy chill. Xing Jiang flinched, but he could only stand by his previous statement, ¡°That is the current situation.¡± ¡°Bang-¡± Qi Yansong¡¯s hand heavily pped the desk. The sudden outburst frightened the imperial physicians, causing them to duck their heads even lower. ¡°If my son dies, I will make you ipetent doctors bury him! Even if you are imperial physicians, I can still take your lives!¡± If anyone else had uttered such words, the imperial physicians would have disregarded it. As court-appointed officials who directly served the royal family, they held high positions. They were not easily threatened. However, these words came from Master Qi, and they were left with no choice but to believe them.
¡°Master, rest assured, we will definitely ensure the young Master Qi¡¯s survival,¡± Xing Jiang assured him. ¡°It had better be so!¡± Qi Yansong swirled his robe and returned to the inner chamber to watch over his son. After Qi Yansong had left, one of his colleagues quietly asked Xing Jiang, ¡°Master Xing, we can¡¯t guarantee the survival of the Third Young Master Qi! What if¡­¡± Xing Jiang answered, ¡°If the Third Young Master Qi dies, Master Qi will undoubtedly punish us severely. Regardless of whether we can save the Master Qi or not, it is better to reassure him for now so that we at least have a chance to survive.¡± Xing Jiang¡¯s analysis made sense, silencing the others. ### The Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Instead of retiring early as usual, the Wei family gathered in the Shou¡¯an Hall. Madam Yun and Madam Bai recounted the day¡¯s events at the Lu Residence. Wei Qingwan stood in the back, her face pale. The gruesome scene she witnessed today had terrified her. It was the first time in her life she had seen something so brutal. Even more crucially, one of the badly injured was the familiar Master Qi! She and Master Qi were forced to part ways, and although she was ready to be the Concubine of Prince Yu, she still held him in her heart. Seeing her former beloved in such a tragic state, Wei Qingwan was deeply shaken and remained unsettled. She was so preupied that she didn¡¯t hear a word of what the Wei family elders were discussing. After listening to Madam Yun and Madam Bai¡¯s ounts, the Old Madam Wei sighed, ¡°I had not expected such a major incident to ur. The Qi and Lu families are the most influential families in today¡¯s court, with the Qi family excelling in literature and the Lu family in military affairs. They are like the left arm and right arm of the Emperor. If these two families are involved in the same ident, I¡¯m afraid it would significantly impact the entire court.¡± Wei Mingyong asked, ¡°Mother, this Third Master Qi is Master Qi¡¯s only remaining son. If something should happen to him, won¡¯t the Qi family¡­¡± ¡°Do not speak nonsense. Some things are better understood and not spoken. Remember, walls have ears,¡± the Old Madam Wei warned.
Wei Mingyong quickly acknowledged her advice. Wei Minghong asked, ¡°Father, Mother, will this incident cause the Qi and Lu families to be estranged?¡± Old Madam Wei analyzed, ¡°This is hard to say. The incident took ce at the Lu¡¯s, giving the Qi family a reason to me them for theirck of security. However, the cause of the ident was Master Qi¡¯s Third Son, providing the Lu Family with a reason to me the Qi family.¡± ¡°In that case, we need to urge Yichen to return from the Lu¡¯s immediately and not maintain such close ties with them.¡± Wei Mingyong hastily advised.
¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Old Madam Wei berated. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m not talking nonsense. We are looking to improve ties with Master Qi. If he were toe into conflict with the Lu family and we continue to associate with them, Master Qi would be displeased,¡± Wei Mingyong exined. ¡°Yes, Mother. The Second Master is right. Now that Wanwan is set to be the Concubine of Prince Yu, we cannot get hold her back!¡± Bai instantly chimed in. ¡°Have you both decided to ce all your bets on Prince Yu and the Qi family? Not leaving any backup ns?¡± Old Madam Wei asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Mother, isn¡¯t it clear? What other choices are there? Anyone with eyes can see that more than half of the court supports Prince Yu, and the Emperor also likes him a lot. Although King Jing is talented, hecks support. Who else could possibly inherit the throne in the future other than Prince Yu?¡± Wei Mingyong spoke confidently, as if he had already ascertained the oue of this contest for inheritance. Old Master Wei advised, ¡°Although Prince Yu is indeed the most likely prince, we can¡¯t afford to bank everything on him. The Lu family is not someone we should offend. We should wait and see. As for Yichen, staying with the Lu family is to take care of his schoolmate, the young Master Xiu. It has nothing to do with the Lu family¡¯s master, there is nothing to worry about.¡± Now that even the Old Master had spoken, the couple could only keep their silence. Then Old Master Wei asked Madam Yun, ¡°I heard you mention earlier that Ruoruo and the Old Madam Lu jointly treated the victims after the explosion. When did Ruoruo learn medical skills?¡± This question left Madam Yun dumbfounded, and she did not know how to respond. Bai added from the side, ¡°Yes, Little Sister Three, do share with us. When did Ruoruo start studying medicine? And when did she save the young Master Lu¡¯s life? And who is this good friend who could send her thyme and rare, high-ss fabrics?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Madam Yun replied after some thought. ¡°Why don¡¯t you know? Ruoruo is your own daughter, after all!¡± Madam Bai probed.
¡°Ruoruo lived in the Huzhou Prefecture countryside for thirteen years. I am not clear on what she did in those years. When I had someone inquire with the He family about her situation, they only mentioned that Ruoruo¡¯s health was not good and had been sent to the countryside to recuperate,¡± Madam Yun replied quietly with her head bowed down. ¡°It seems that our eldest daughter is very capable. She supposedly went to the countryside to recuperate but acquired some great skills. Most importantly, she never told you, her dear mother, about any of them,¡± Madam Bai mocked. Wei Ruo was not only hiding her medical skills from them. Today at the Lu residence, there were quite a few surprising things about Wei Ruo. Madam Yun knew that Madam Bai was ridiculing her, but she had no way to defend herself since her understanding of Ruoruo was surprisingly minimal. Old Master Wei reproached Madam Yun, ¡°Ruoruo is your own daughter. As her mother, you should know everything about her. Especially the major events that your daughter-inw just mentioned. Why aren¡¯t you aware of these things beforehand?¡± Chapter 489: 489 Is She an Incompetent Mother?_1 Chapter 489: Chapter 489 Is She an Ipetent Mother?_1 Old Master Wei thought that if they had known about these matters earlier, it might have been of some help to the Wei Family. Madam Yun felt uneasy when questioned and whispered, ¡°I neglected my duties.¡± Old Master Wei scolded her, ¡°I thought you were an insightful person, you have disappointed my trust in you!¡± Madam Yun had no choice but to admit her guilt, ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± Madam Bai chuckled in her heart. She had long been disgusted by Madam Yun. She used to be the one scolded by her parents while Madam Yun was praised. Now, it was finally Madam Yun¡¯s turn to be criticized. Seeing this, the Old Madam Wei stepped in to smooth things over. ¡°Enough, enough. We should not me the third daughter-inw anymore. Speaking more about this now is useless. Having some skills can only be a good thing for Ruoruo. It may have been destined. After all, King Rui is seriously ill, and she knows medical skills. They might be a match made in heaven.¡± Then, Old Madam Wei spoke to everyone, ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte. With all the events that happened today, everyone must be tired. Therefore, let¡¯s end here. Everyone should return to their residences for rest, and we will discuss other matters tomorrow.¡± With the Old Madam¡¯s deration, everyone took their leave. Madam Yun left Shou¡¯an Hall with a heavy heart. The old Master¡¯s questioning reyed over and over again in her mind.
DId she really fail in her duties, so much so that she knew so little about her own daughter? Was she ipetent as a mother? Were there many other things that her own daughter was hiding from her? Then, Madam Yun recalled the scene of her daughter treating the wounded today, and she began to think her husband was right to say that their daughter was like him. Lost in her thoughts, Madam Yun unknowingly slowed her steps. Madam Bai and Wei Qingwan caught up with her. Seeing Madam Yun deep in thought, Madam Bai said to her: ¡°Third sister-inw, you should find time to visit Queen Rui and ask her how much she is still hiding from us. The Wei family is her natal family. We ought to support each other. This sort of defensive attitude towards us, what good does it bring to her?¡± Madam Bai¡¯s tone was filled with obvious sarcasm. Madam Yun coldly retorted, ¡°Elder sister-inw is overthinking. Ruoruo only has some skills and a few friends. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s hiding a conspiracy against her own family.¡± Madam Bai replied, ¡°I might not care, but I fear she will start making trouble everywhere, now that she has some abilities. If she treats people indiscriminately with her knowledge of medicine and makes a mistake, it will bring disaster to our Wei family. In the end, we would not get any benefits but be implicated by her.¡± ¡°Rest assured, elder sister-inw, I believe Ruoruo can discern what¡¯s crucial. Besides, if my daughter causes any trouble, it will only affect her father and me, you and second elder brother won¡¯t be implicated.¡± Madam Yun replied, her gaze falling on Wei Qingwan standing beside Madam Bai. ¡°Wanwan,e with me to Anxin Garden.¡± Madam Yun said. Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t move and instead softly replied, ¡°Mother, it¡¯ste. We are both tired. Why not let us rest earlier? I will go to Anxin Garden another day.¡± ¡°Are you reluctant to go?¡± ¡°Mother, I already said I¡¯m tired. I will visit you another day.¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°Fine, fine!¡± Madam Yun smirked derisively and pathetically. Then she quickened her pace and walked away, without looking back. A satisfied smile spread on Madam Bai¡¯s face. She turned to console Wei Qingwan, ¡°Wanwan, let second aunt apany you back to rest. It was such a terrifying incident today, you must have been frightened. Your mother, what¡¯s she thinking, asking you toe with her to chat at this hour.¡±
¡°Right, thank you for your understanding, second aunt.¡± Wei Qingwan gratefully responded and under Bai¡¯s escort, they returned to where they lived. ### The passing of time led the world to June.
The weather had be warmer, but it did not bring the scorching heat of the summer, it was more like a spring day. Such weather is indeed beneficial for those who cannot tolerate summer, yet they feared a severe cold in the winter due to this absence of heat in the summer. Wei Ruo had learned from Wei Jinyi that the Emperor had summoned the Qi and Lu families a few days ago, hoping to ease the tension between them and to prevent the two families from ming each other for the explosion ident. Although Qi Yansong and Old Master Lu did not say anything then, their actions afterwards showed that the Emperor¡¯s meeting had little effect. Xiu Fengyuan had been staying at the Lu Residence and was cared for meticulously by everyone there. The two people who took care of him the most were Wei Yichen and Wei Ruo. Wei Yichen visited him almost every day. Whatever a friend could do, he had done. Another person who was there almost daily was Wei Ruo, who had disguised herself as Xu Heyou. Even though she knew she might encounter Chu Lan again, she couldn¡¯t back down halfway since she had promised to treat Xiu Fengyuan. Luckily, Chu Lan hadn¡¯t shown up these days, so it seemed like he also had more important things to deal with than her. After half a month in bed, Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s condition had significantly improved. The arm that Wei Ruo had re-attached couldn¡¯t be moved, but there were no signs of rot, as Physician Xing had predicted. It looked as if the blood was circting normally between his arm and torso. Lu Yuhong was even able to get up and move around. Despite Old Master Lu¡¯s insistence that he should continue to rest in bed, Lu Yuhong was restless and insisted on moving around.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Finally, old Master Lu allowed him only to walk to the room next door to chat with Xiu Fengyuan.
Thefort and encouragement between the two helped with their recovery. Wei Ruo also gave Lu Yuhong her scar removal cream, so he could start using it when his scabs fell off. The sooner it would be used, the more effective it would be. Lu Yuhong didn¡¯t really care about the scars on his body. He even thought that a real man should have some scars. However, when he remembered that the cream was given by Wei Ruo, he obediently used it so as not to disappoint her. Meanwhile, the situation seemed better for Qi Yu in the Qi Family. He was no longer in critical condition, and his health was gradually improving. But his appearance was quite horrifying because of his severe skin injuries, and he had lost a leg. Qi Yansong felt heartbroken at his son¡¯s state. Sine his son¡¯s life had been saved and he had regained consciousness, Qi Yansong summoned two Imperial Physicians to his study. He ordered them to restore his son¡¯s appearance and to treat his lost leg if possible. ¡°To answer Qi master, we do have a way to remove some scars from Master Qi, recovering his looks to about seventy to eighty percent. As for his leg, we are truly incapable.¡± replied Physician Xing. ¡°Do you really mean incapable, or are you simply ipetent?¡± Qi Yansong questioned. Chapter 490: 490 Recent Arrangements_1 Chapter 490: Chapter 490 Recent Arrangements_1 ¡°Indeed, Qi, there¡¯s nothing else we can do!¡± affirmed Xing Jiang. ¡°Fine, if I hear of any method that can cure my son¡¯s leg, you won¡¯t be able to walk away!¡± Qi Yansong didn¡¯t care for excuses. Ipetence was still a failure in his view. After some thought, Xing Jiang said: ¡°Sir, if anyone casually ims there¡¯s a way to restore Qi¡¯s leg, I implore you not to believe them. We should only believe in actual results.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I met a servant of King Rui¡¯s residence in the Lu family who tried to restore a severed limb using a surgical reconnecting technique. However, we, in the Imperial Institute of Medicine, know that such a method is not possible. Not only does it fail to restore the limb, but it may also lead to the limb rotting and infecting the rest of the body, endangering the patient¡¯s life!¡± ¡°These quack doctors are ustomed to deceiving others. They tout unachievable ims, but the reality is quite different. If you believe their words, it could lead to great disaster.¡± Xing Jiang said this to prevent Qi Yansong from believing rumors and ming him and his educated and experienced colleagues in the Imperial Institute of Medicine for the failure.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to teach me how to handle these matters,¡± said Qi Yansong, disinterested in hearing the lengthy exnation. All he wanted was his son to recover as much as possible. Whoever could help his son, he was willing to reward them generously. He had risen to a powerful position, worked hard for the prosperity of the Qi Family, but if there was no one to inherit his position and wealth, wouldn¡¯t all his effort be futile?
¡°You may leave now,¡± said Qi Yansong. ¡°Continue taking good care of my son. And I will certainly reward you well for your efforts.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± Xing Jiang, along with his colleagues, left the room. ### These days, Wei Ruo visited the Lu Residence to treat Xiu Fengyuan, and spent the rest of her time managing her business and properties. She had Shi Dayou make three trips to the cotton field, while Xiumei made one. After Xiumei¡¯s visit, Wei Ruo decided to buy all thend west of Xiandong Vige in the Hejian Prefecture. The tnd, though of lower quality and unsuitable for rice or wheat cultivation, was perfect for cotton due to its essibility to sunlight and its deep, fertile soil. Of course, before nting, the soil would still need to be tilled and fertilized. Just because cotton was being grown, they couldn¡¯t skip this crucial step. As it waste in the season, Wei Ruo quickly arranged for the soil preparation and fertilization to bepleted before the seeds were sown. For regr cotton, sowing seeds inte May or June was somewhatte, as sowing usually urred in April. However, considering this year¡¯s weather had been cooler than usual, and considering that cotton prefers sunlight and warmth, Wei Ruo believed it was the perfect timing to sow the seeds now, after the period of fluctuating temperatures that could have harmed the seedlings. Given the premium quality of the cotton seeds from her space, Wei Ruo was confident in their ability to grow well, despite thete nting. Simultaneously, she was also busy preparing for the opening of the Four Treasure House branch and the marinated food store in the Capital City. The locations for the stores had been selected, and the renovations were almostplete. As for the supplies, she nned to have Brother Daqiu transport them by water, together with the cloth and ingredients for rouge and powdered makeup. Now, Wei Ruo needed to find a few reliable and smart people to manage the shops. Most of the vigers from Stone Vige were honest and hardworking, perfect forbor work, but not for handling the stores. She had other ns for Shi Dayou. Additionally, she had to deal with the fabric. Recently, Old Tao had sent her a batch of newly woven fabric from Huzhou Prefecture. A portion of which she intended to sell to Madam Sun at the Caiyun Room, leaving the rest in the warehouse for the time being. Wei Ruo did not increase the price for the fabric she sold to Madam Sun, which surprised thetter. Madam Sun had expected Wei Ruo to raise her prices, but Wei Ruo remained consistently fair despite her initial tough stance during their first negotiation. As a result, Madam Sun found herself appreciating Wei Ruo more, even expressing a desire to befriend her. Of the quality fabric promised to several noblewomen, around twenty rolls were now ready to sell, though Wei Ruo only intended to sell ten.
The reason the purple fabric was so valuable and popr was its rarity. If she were to sell too much of it, it would no longer hold its value. While the fabric that Wei Ruo sold to Caiyun Room was all cotton cloth, the purple silk was retained by her to ensure its price stability. Once the supply of purple fabric was sufficient, she nned to start selling other colors. In other news, good news came from the south ¨C her new rice variety had been sessfully nted throughout the Jiangzhe Region. This sess was credited to the local government¡¯s recognition of the high yield of the new variety and Yuan Zhengqin¡¯s sessful promotion of it.
Meanwhile, the cultivation of Wei Ruo¡¯snds continued as perst year¡¯s n, with the only exception being the fields that previously grew taro were now being used to cultivate rice. This was part of Wei Ruo¡¯s n to alternate crops to improve soil fertility and reduce the need for artificial fertilization. As for the newly harvested winter wheat, aside from setting aside some for tax and for rewarding the farmworkers, Wei Ruo did not allow any to be sold. The vast majority were stored in her warehouse, with a part being transported to the Capital City in preparation for a potential famine. ### June 30th. After more than a month of recuperation, Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s arm was able to move. While it wasn¡¯t as flexible as before the ident, he could use it now. Wei Ruo told Xiu Fengyuan that since it was his own arm, as long as he took good care of his recovery, his arm couldpletely return to its state before the injury. However, she still advised against heavy physicalbor. Xiu Fengyuan was overjoyed. As long as he could write, he was satisfied and did not strive to wield a sword as he had in the past. Hey in bed, eyeing Wei Ruo sitting beside it, his eyes full of gratitude. ¡°Doctor Wei, thank you very much. You¡¯re like my second parents!¡± Jokingly, Wei Ruo said, ¡°Mr Xiu, I¡¯m younger than you. I couldn¡¯t have a child your size.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Xiu Fengyuanughed, then said, ¡°Having a divine doctor like you in the pce is wonderful. Prince Rui is saved.¡± ¡°Do you care about Prince Rui?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Actually, I had some resentment towards him.¡± said Xiu Fengyuan.
¡°You resent him?¡± Wei Ruo asked, surprised and confused. Chapter 491: 491 Qi Yansong seeks to meet Xu Heyou_1 Chapter 491: Chapter 491 Qi Yansong seeks to meet Xu Heyou_1 ¡°Yes. Actually, our Xiu family does share some distant kinship rtions with Prince Rui¡¯s maternal family. However, we were quite detached from them, which is why we were not implicated when Duke Xiu was prosecuted back then. My grandparents, though they didn¡¯t speak of it, held Duke Xiu in high regard and considered themselves his loyal followers.¡± Xiu Fengyuan would never have dared to say these words in the past. But now that Duke Xiu¡¯s case has been overturned, it is okay for him to speak about it. ¡°So, even if you may not have a bond with King Rui, you wouldn¡¯t bear a grudge against him, would you?¡± Wei Ruo asked, puzzled. Xiu Fengyuan smiled bitterly, ¡°Doctor Xu, you might not be aware that I was originally betrothed to Miss Wei, but that was disrupted by King Rui.¡± ¡°Your marriage with Queen Rui was disrupted by him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xiu Fengyuany on the bed, gazing at the ceiling, his smile slightly bitter. He slowly added, ¡°At that time, he had not yet formally regained his status as the ninth prince, but many of Duke Xiu¡¯s old followers already knew. I don¡¯t know what he said to my grandfather that made him change his mind and forbid me from continuing the marriage negotiations with Miss Wei.¡± ¡°I was not aware of the reason at that moment. I just knew that I couldn¡¯t disobey the orders of my elders. It was only after Rui¡¯s grand wedding that I realized I had lost out on the chance to marry Queen Rui¡­ I was genuinely in love with her. Had our match been sessful, I would have cherished her as my most valuable treasure, but now¡­how can I not resent him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange, I wonder when King Rui had met Queen Rui to begin nning everything in advance.¡± Wei Ruo was astonished.
So it was her brother who had disrupted her engagement to young master Xiu!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om But why? Had her brother nned to marry her himself all along? After Xiu Fengyuan finished speaking, he noticed that Doctor Xu beside him had been quiet for a long time, so he turned his head. ¡°Doctor Xu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Wei Ruo snapped back to reality, ¡°I just found that a bit surprising.¡± ¡°Did you not know about this before?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Her second brother had never mentioned this to her, so she naturally wouldn¡¯t have thought about it. After a moment¡¯s thought, Xiu Fengyuan hurriedly added, ¡°Doctor Xu, please don¡¯t misunderstand. My affection for Queen Rui was one-sided, it had nothing to do with her. She never revealed any feelings for me and she never even paid any more attention to me than necessary. She is a virtuous and obedient girl.¡± Xiu Fengyuan was worried that what he had just said might lead someone to think ill of Wei Ruo, so he immediately rified. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Even though she had no romantic feelings for the young master of the Xiu Family, she still felt grateful when she heard him defend her reputation. ### Lu Yuhong, who was not seriously injured in the first ce, had recovered considerably after some rest and rehabilitation. He even wanted to pick up his sword and start training again, but his grandfather enforced strict bed rest. As the old saying goes: ¡®Healing a bone injury takes a hundred days.¡¯ Even if it was Lu Yuhong, who had broken ribs, how could he start jumping around after just one month? With no other choice, Lu Yuhong had a carpenter build a wheelchair for him. He would sit in the chair and the servants would push him around the residence to help alleviate his boredom. Lu Yuhong also had a wheelchair made for Xiu Fengyuan, so that he would have somepany. Not content with just strolling around indoors, Lu Yuhong had the guards escort him and Xiu Fengyuan around the city for a change of scenery.
Although Lu¡¯s grandfather reluctantly agreed, he was worried that his grandson might harm himself from boredom. Therefore, he arranged everything and ensured his grandson¡¯s safety before allowing him to go out for a stroll. On this outing, Lu Yuhong and Xiu Fengyuan did not visit crowded ces, but news of their recovery still spread quickly. The news reached Qi Yansong. Upon hearing that Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s arm had recovered, Qi Yansong summoned Xing Jiang and the others to ount for their actions.
Upon learning that Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s arm had recovered, Xing Jiang and the others were dumbfounded. ¡°How is that possible?¡± Xing Jiang¡¯s face was filled with disbelief. ¡°Master Xiu was seen out and about, how do you ask me if it¡¯s possible or not?¡± ¡°Master Qi¡­this¡­there might be a trap.¡± ¡°What kind of trap could there be? Master Xiu is even able to lift a teacup now! You are nothing but a quack doctor!¡± Xing Jiang was so scared that he quickly knelt and apologized to Qi Yansong. ¡°Please calm down, sir. I will definitely find out what happened and exin everything to you!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you! I will send someone to investigate!¡± Qi Yansong was disappointed with them. He wanted them to treat his son, not to investigate. If it were investigation, would he have needed them? After chastising them, Qi Yansong summoned his subordinates to further investigate the matter. Before long, Qi Yansong received the reply. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s said that the doctor who cured Master Xiu¡¯s arm is from King Rui¡¯s Residence¡­¡± ¡°King Rui¡¯s Residence¡­ that¡¯s a difficult ce to deal with.¡± Even Qi Yansong, as arrogant as he was, did not dare to offend the King Rui Residence directly.
After some thought, Qi Yansong decided, ¡°Send an invitation to King Rui¡¯s Residence on my behalf. I will go and extend my greetings personally.¡± ### One hourter. Wei Jinyi looked at the invitation in her hand and ordered someone to pass the invite to Wei Ruo. Soon, the invitation from Qi Yansong reached Wei Ruo¡¯s hands. The Wei family had been trying every possible method to get their invitation into Qi Yansong¡¯s hands, but to no avail. Now, Qi Yansong had sent an invitation to her. ¡°Miss, what is this?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°An invitation from the Prime Minister.¡± ¡°What does the Prime Minister want to do?¡± ¡°He wants to see me, to be more precise, he wants to meet Xu Heyou.¡± ¡°What should we do? Miss, are you going to meet him?¡± Xiumei asked urgently. ¡°This isn¡¯t something I can decide. I need to ask the Prince.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to meet him, but she needed to consider the bigger picture. Qi Yansong was not just anyone. If her refusal could lead to trouble, she would have to meet him for the sake of the King Rui Residence.
So, Wei Ruo took the invitation and went to the front courtyard. As she pushed open the door, she saw Wei Jinyi was sitting at his desk, holding a brush in his right hand. When he lifted his head, his gaze met with Wei Ruo¡¯s. Wei Ruo went up to Wei Jinyi. Holding the invitation, she got straight to the point and asked, ¡°If I don¡¯t want to see him, would it cause any issues for the King Rui Residence?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t hurt me for now, and when he can, he won¡¯t spare me no matter what.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. Wei Ruo: ¡°Really?¡± Wei Jinyi: ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Then I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± Wei Jinyi: ¡°I¡¯ll handle it for you.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Okay.¡± Their conversation was brief and to the point. The problem was resolved with a few short sentences. Then, they both fell silent again. Their eyes met, creating a somewhat awkward atmosphere.
Clearing her throat, Wei Ruo brought up the matter that Xiu Fengyuan had mentioned a few days earlier. ¡°Was the proposal of marriage between Xiu¡¯s family and me disrupted by you?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Chapter 492: Seeking Mercy from Wei Ruo_1 Chapter 492: Seeking Mercy from Wei Ruo_1 ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Jinyi admitted straightforwardly. ¡°Why?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t answer this question so quickly. He looked at Wei Ruo, his eyes hiding something. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something inconvenient to say?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Nothing, I just felt at the time that the son of the Xiu Family was not suitable for you,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Second Brother shouldn¡¯t always make decisions for me unterally,¡± Wei Ruo expressed her dissatisfaction with the matter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Wei Jinyi apologized. ¡°Second Brother, you respect me in every other matter and always ask for my wishes. Why do you often fail to discuss with me when ites to my marriage?¡± Wei Ruo wondered. ¡°It¡¯s my mistake,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Because he had his ulterior motives, but after hearing her inner thoughtsst time, he couldn¡¯t express them anymore. She expected him to be her brother, so he would be a good one for her. Everything else, he would keep in his heart. Wei Ruo did not dwell on the matter too much. After all, except for making decisions about her marriage without consulting her, Wei Jinyi always put her first in everything else. Since she entered the Wang Residence, no matter what she wanted to do, he had unconditionally supported her and gave her free reign. Wei Jinyi asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Does Ruoruo like that Xiu gentleman?¡± ¡°Why do you ask, Second Brother?¡± ¡°You asked me about the broken engagement with Xiu gentleman today. Do you fancy him?¡± It¡¯s no surprise to Wei Jinyi that he suspected this. For more than a month, Wei Ruo had been running around for Xiu Fengyuan, taking matters into her own hands¡­ Wei Ruo paused, didn¡¯t exin immediately, but counter-asked, ¡°If I fancy him, what would you do, Second Brother? I am now your wife.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s fist clenched, and then he said, ¡°I will try to free you, and you can remarry.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t expect this would be Wei Jinyi¡¯s answer.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The remaining bit of dissatisfaction in Wei Ruo¡¯s heart disappeared, and then she exined, ¡°He and I are just friends. When I was in Taizhou prefecture during the heavy snow, I was trapped midway with him and several disciples from the Anzhou Academy. Although we didn¡¯t know each other well, we had shared hardships. I couldn¡¯t bear to see him lose his arm at such a young age, and once I started treating him, naturally, I had to finish the job, there¡¯s no such thing as giving up halfway.¡± Wei Jinyi was taken aback for a moment, then replied, ¡°I understand.¡± Then, Wei Ruo called in Zhang Yi and asked him to deliver the reply to the Qi Residence. ### Qi Residence. The countenance of Qi Yansong, who received Wei Jinyi¡¯s reply, was not good. He had considered that King Rui would reject him, but he didn¡¯t anticipate such disrespect from King Rui. And he couldn¡¯t take action against King Rui at the moment. ¡°Sir, the Queen Rui is from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, and the people there have been wanting to meet you!¡± The attendant reminded him. ¡°Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence¡­¡± Qi Yansong mused, ¡°Recently, there has been quite a bit ofmotion from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, suggesting a revival.¡± ¡°Yes, sir, Queen Rui¡¯s younger sister is the concubine chosen for King Yu by the Imperial Concubine.¡± ¡°King Rui is sickly, indeed not worth provoking indiscriminately. However, we can try to win over Queen Rui. Send a letter to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence on my behalf, I want to meet with the Wei family,¡± Qi Yansongmanded. The attendant obeyed, and immediately set off to deliver the letter to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. ### Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. The servant of the Qi Residence came with a verbal message that Lord Qi wanted to see them. Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong were extremely excited. The two of them instantly beganpeting about who should go to meet Qi Yansong. The debate resulted in a dispute. Wei Minghong said, ¡°I am the heir, naturally, Lord Qi wants to meet me. How could it be your turn, a meremoner?¡± Wei Mingyong retorted, ¡°Without my tireless efforts and arrangements, how would Lord Qi want to meet with our family? Naturally, I should be the one to go!¡± The brothers argued incessantly before finally taking the matter to the Shou¡¯an Hall, asking Old Lord and Old Madam to make a decision. ¡°Enough, stop arguing, you two can both go,¡± Old Madam Wei decided. ¡°Going together is good. The eldest son is our heir, representing our family¡¯s face, he should naturally go. The second son has merits in this matter and has good ideas when dealing with matters. You two going together wouldplement each other, less likely to make mistakes,¡± Old Lord Wei said. Once the elders had spoken, Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong ceased their arguing. They then got dressed and went to meet Qi Yansong together at the Qi Residence. However, they returned in just a short hour. Bai eagerly asked Wei Mingyong about the situation. Wei Mingyong asked her not to hurry and told her he would report the situation with his older brother to their parents first. ¡°Father, mother, Lord Qi has asked us to do him a favor,¡± Wei Minghong reported to Old Lord and Old Madam Wei. ¡°What is it?¡± Old Lord Wei asked eagerly. ¡°There¡¯s a Divine Doctor in King Rui¡¯s Residence. Lord Qi wants to ask the Divine Doctor to treat Qi¡¯s son¡¯s injuries. But King Rui is ill and doesn¡¯t often receive guests. Even Lord Qi can¡¯t see King Rui. So he hopes that we can speak with Queen Rui,¡± Wei Minghong replied. ¡°So that¡¯s it, it¡¯s not a difficult matter. Thest time Queen Rui returned to the residence, I could see that King Rui was very fond of her. She should be able to handle this little matter,¡± Old Lord Wei said. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a trivial matter. Lord Qi finally has a use for us. This is our family¡¯s opportunity!¡± Wei Mingyong said excitedly. Yun, who was also present, felt ufortable seeing Wei Mingyong¡¯s eager attitude. But after thinking carefully, there wasn¡¯t a big problem with the matter. If Ruoruo could really help Lord Qi, allowing the Qi family to owe her a favor, then it would certainly be a good thing for both her and the Wei family. So the Wei family reached a consensus on whether or not to persuade Wei Ruo to help the Qi family. The remaining question was who should go see Wei Ruo. Yun was Wei Ruo¡¯s birth mother, so it was inevitable that she would be the one to ask for Wei Ruo¡¯s help. But Old Lord Wei was worried that it was not secure enough for Yun to go alone, so he thought of choosing one more person from Bai and Mo to apany her. Bai volunteered herself, ¡°Father, let your daughter-inw go. I am sure I can persuade Queen Rui!¡± Mo maintained herposure, sitting quietly in her seat. Wei Minghong was anxious, signalling to Mo with his eyes. Mo then slowly stood up and approached the center, saying softly, ¡°I am also willing to apany third sister-inw.¡± Old Lord Wei looked at the two of them, undecided for a while, and then said, ¡°Just let the three of you go, which would also highlight our emphasis on this matter.¡± Mo, Bai and Yun all agreed. Bai looked ted, seemingly full of confidence. Mo, as usual, was indifferent, showing no major reaction. Yun looked worried, as she felt uncertain about the matter. Chapter 493: Spilling Tea on a Shrew_1 Chapter 493: Spilling Tea on a Shrew_1 ¡°Miss, the Loyal and Righteous Duke has sent an invitation card. Your mother and two aunts intend to visit you tomorrow.¡± A servant in the residence handed the invitation card to Wei Ruo. Since Wei Ruo didn¡¯t like to be called queen, in the backcourt of Wang Residence, the servants always call her ¡°Miss¡± when there is no outsider around. Wei Ruo took the invitation card, nced at it twice, snorted withughter, and threw it away. ¡°Miss, why are theying to see you at this time?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡± They are noting to see me, they would not visit the pce without a reason.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Although the invitation card was filled with a mother¡¯s love for her daughter and her family¡¯s concern for her as a married woman, Wei Ruo was not moved at all. ¡°Then miss, let¡¯s not see them!¡± Xiumei suggested. ¡°I actually want to see them. They areing to see me at this time and three of them areing together, they must have something in mind. I want to see what they are up to, knowing the enemy and knowing myself, I¡¯ll deal with it,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo gave the invitation card to the servant who had delivered the message and asked her to reply to the Wei family who had sent the card. The next day, Mrs. Mo, Mrs. Bai, and Mrs. Yun, dressed in luxurious clothes, all arrived at the King Rui Residence together in a carriage. They were led to the garden in the backcourt of Wang Residence by the servants. In the pavilion beside the waterside pavilion, Wei Ruo was sitting elegantly at the table. Noble golden embroidered dress, her hair half-tied and half-loose, looking a bit delicate, a bitzy. The table was set with teaware, and the white steam was lingering above the stove beside it. Mrs. Mo, Mrs. Bai, Mrs. Yun were brought into the pavilion. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± The three women stood in front of the table. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t even lift her head, and only replied to them, ¡°Sit.¡± There were three chairs opposite of Wei Ruo. Mrs. Mo seemed a bit ufortable and found a seat to sit down. Without sitting down immediately, Mrs. Bai turned to Wei Ruo with a smile and said, ¡°Your Highness, you shine even brighter every time I see you!¡± Wei Ruo chuckled, ced the purple y pot she had just brewed tea in, aside. Raising her head, she smiled inscrutably and said, ¡°Aunt number two, there¡¯s no need for insincere ttery. Speak frankly if you have any purpose in visiting me today!¡± Mrs. Bai immediately replied, ¡°Your Highness, you misunderstood. As your rtives, it¡¯s our duty to visit and care for you since you married into Wang Residence.¡± Wei Ruo kept smiling, ¡°Really? So today, Aunt number two better not ask me for anything, or I¡¯ll think you were lying to me just now.¡± The smile on Mrs. Bai¡¯s face became stiff immediately. ¡°This¡­great niece¡­¡± ¡°Respect must be kept, Aunt number two should still address me as ¡®Your Highness¡¯.¡± Wei Ruo interrupted Mrs. Bai. Mrs. Bai¡¯s expression worsened. Within just a few minutes of their arrival, her face had changed from a blooming smile to a frown. Despite this, Wei Ruo still maintained her calm and indifferent demeanor. ¡°Sit down,¡± Wei Ruo said to Mrs. Bai and Mrs. Yun again. With an unsatisfied expression, Mrs. Bai thought about how she had asked for Wei Ruo¡¯s help today, so she obediently sat down. Mrs. Yun also took her seat and then kept staring at Wei Ruo. Every movement of her daughter as she made tea was elegant and dignified, standing tall and in good posture. ¡°Ruoruo, have you been well all these days in Wang Residence?¡± Mrs. Yun asked in a soft voice. ¡°Fine food and clothes, everything I need is provided, no one restricts me, very free. I¡¯m much better off than before I left my maiden home,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± Mrs. Yun slowly closed her eyes. Then there was a period of silence. Wei Ruo continued to make tea at a leisurely pace and ced the tea that she had already brewed in front of the three of them. Mrs. Mo was calm by nature, she was even quieter now. When Wei Ruo put the tea in front of her, she just uttered a soft ¡°thanks¡±. Mrs. Mo and Mrs. Yun were both silent. Mrs. Bai was anxious. As expected, these two people are useless, she had to do everything herself! Mrs. Bai donned a smile again, ¡°Your Highness, I heard that there is a divine doctor in Wang Residence, is that true?¡± ¡°What does it have to do with you whether it is true or not?¡± Wei Ruo asked in return, raising her eyebrows. ¡°Your Highness, what you said¡­¡± Mrs. Bai couldn¡¯t even smile anymore, her face was full of difficulty, but she was still trying. ¡°Today, my two aunts and mother have onlye to visit and care for me, haven¡¯t they? So it seems unrted to care about who is in Wang Residence, right?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s session of questions left Mrs. Bai unable to reply. All she could do was awkwardly respond, ¡°Your Highness, while it is true that we came to visit you, we also indeed have some matters where we would need Your Highness¡¯s assistance.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t respond immediately, but sat with a light smile on her face, seemingly enjoying Mrs. Bai¡¯s distress. ¡°Your Highness, I am sure you have heard that Mr. Qi is injured. Mr. Qi is actively seeking renowned doctors to treat him. If there is indeed a divine doctor in Wang Residence, you could let him treat Mr. Qi, he would be grateful to Wang Residence.¡± Mrs. Bai continued. Wei Ruoughed out loud. Mrs. Bai felt embarrassed and asked, ¡°Your Highness, what are youughing at?¡± ¡°Why should prestigious Wang Residence need Qi Yansong¡¯s gratitude?¡± ¡°Your Highness, you need to see the situation clearly and not be immersed in the glory that the title of queen brings.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Mrs. Bai thought to herself, how important do you think you are as a queen? In recent years, because of the emperor¡¯s constant remembrance of thete empress, he handed over a lot of government affairs to the cab to deal with. Consequently, Mr. Qi, as the leading minister of the cab, held a lot of power. A prince with no real power and who might die young, may not be more significant than the Prime Minister. ¡°What? From Aunt number two¡¯s words, it seems you don¡¯t regard me as a queen anymore? What¡¯s your status that you dare to talk like this?¡± Wei Ruo asked Mrs. Bai back. ¡°Your Highness, please calm down. I didn¡¯t mean that¡­¡± Mrs. Bai hurriedly exined. ¡°If not, then what did you mean?¡± ¡°Your Highness, what I¡¯m saying is for your own good, considering the prince¡¯s condition¡­¡± Mrs. Bai¡¯s words trailed off, but her meaning was clear. Wei Ruo had heard simr remarks more than once. They all think that King Rui is bound to die sooner orter, and the kingdom will fall into the hands of King Yu and the Qi Family. They wanted her to take advantage of her usefulness and curry favor with the Qi Family as soon as possible. Wei Ruo sneered, then picked up the cup of tea on the table and sshed it on Mrs. Bai¡¯s face. Mrs. Bai was still thinking about how to persuade, when a bowl of tea suddenly sshed on her face. Tea leaves were stuck to her hair and face, and the water made it difficult for her to open her eyes. After wiping her face, Mrs. Bai stared at Wei Ruo in disbelief: ¡°You¡­What did you¡­¡± Chapter 494: 494: I refuse to help_1 Chapter 494: I refuse to help_1 Mo and Yun Shis, standing by the side, were also taken aback when Wei Ruo surprisingly made a direct move. They were dumbfounded to see Bai Shi drenched in water. Wei Ruo casually ced the tea cup back onto the table, then held up her sleeve to continue steeping the tea. ¡°If Second Aunt continues to speak nonsense, whates next to her face will not just be cooled down tea.¡± ¡°I¡­ I am doing this for your own good, how can you¡­ not appreciate kindness!¡± Bai Shi was livid. ¡°You are asking me for a favor and also iming to be thinking for my good? I already knew that Second Aunt was shameless, but I did not know that it was to this extent.¡± Wei Ruo calmly responded. Today, she was no longer the Miss from the Wei Family that not yet marrying out, and this was not the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence anymore. She was now free to speak out about those things that she used to be restrained due to respect for elders and hierarchy. Bai Shi¡¯s face turned red and white after listening to what Wei Ruo had to say. Seeing the situation deteriorating, Yun Shi quickly interjected, ¡°Queen, don¡¯t take it to heart. Your Second Aunt is just tactless with her words.¡±
This statement made Bai Shi feel even more upset, ¡°Third Sister, how could you¡­¡± Mo Shi held onto Bai Shi, whispering, ¡°Second Sister, be careful. With your status, receiving criticism from the Queen is an honor. Besides, we are here today to ask Queen for a favor.¡± Bai Shi was feeling very ufortable. However, Mo Shi¡¯s words brought her back to senses. She swallowed her raging anger, bowing her head and biting her lips, while cursing Wei Ruo silently. This ungrateful wretch! When this girl suffers in the future, she will definitely have a good show to watch! Yun Shi continued to persuade Wei Ruo: ¡°Your Royal Highness, the King Rui Residence doesn¡¯t necessarily owe the Qi Family a favor, but if the divine doctor of the King¡¯s residence really can help, it would be good for the King¡¯s residence. It could also help solve a troublesome matter for the Emperor.¡± ¡°But, I don¡¯t want to do so.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s reply was straightforward. She didn¡¯t give any other reason, except that she didn¡¯t want to. Yun Shi continued, ¡°Your Royal Highness, think of it as helping your family.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to help.¡± Wei Ruo dered. ¡°Your family is your maiden home. If your family gains influence, it will benefit you as well.¡± Yun Shi exined. ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Yun Shi was surprised that her daughter was so cold that there seemed to be no ce for them in her heart. ¡°Your Royal Highness should consider her future carefully.¡± Yun Shi tried to persuade her again. She really wanted to tell her daughter that she was on the same side as Bai Shi because she was genuinely thinking about her daughter¡¯s best interests. In the past, she strongly opposed Wei Mingyong and Bai Shi¡¯s idea of courting the Qi Family. If it were the past, she would have definitely disagreed with their actions. But now, she was repeating these words to her daughter just because she had be the Queen of King Rui! ¡°Don¡¯t you all think that I will be miserable in the future? Then why shouldn¡¯t I enjoy the present moment and be happy for the time being?¡± Wei Ruo countered. Yun Shi was speechless, unable to find words to respond to Wei Ruo¡¯s questions.
Yun Shi, Bai Shi, and Mo Shi all quieted down. Wei Ruo said, ¡°It seems that none of you are in the mood to continue drinking my tea. If that is the case, you may all leave.¡± ¡°Someone, send the guests out.¡± Wei Ruo then called for her maids to escort the three of them out.
Bai Shi¡¯s eyes were filled with unwillingness. It seemed that she wanted to say something more to Wei Ruo, but the servants of the King¡¯s residence didn¡¯t give her the opportunity. Apanied by the maids from the King¡¯s residence, she, along with Mo Shi and Yun Shi, were escorted out. After the three of them left, Wei Ruo leisurely took a sip of her tea. Xiumei, who was standing behind Wei Ruo, asked, ¡°Miss, that thieving Qi is still not giving up, tantly getting the Wei Family to act as mediators.¡± ¡°Even if he manages to get the Emperor himself to mediate, it will be in vain. I don¡¯t want to heal Qi Zhen, even if I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t. More than a month has passed, only an immortal could possibly reattach his leg.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Right, there was a chance if they had asked Miss to help back then.¡± Xiumei nodded in agreement. Wei Ruo put down her tea cup and sighed lightly, ¡°Now, Xu Heyou is annoying more and more people. It looks like I have to find a way to make him disappear.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xiumei¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. What did Miss just say? Make Xu Heyou disappear? Wei Ruo exined, ¡°Given my current status, I no longer have to worry about people finding out that I¡¯m doing business. All these properties could be transferred under my name, and my male identity was just for convenience. If Xu Heyou¡¯s face is lost, I can always change to another.¡± ¡°Oh, I see! Xu Heyou isn¡¯t real, and he could conveniently die!¡± Xiumei finally understood Wei Ruo¡¯s intention, ¡°But Miss, how will you make ¡®him¡¯ disappear?¡± ¡°When I leave the house ande back, I can simply say that I was killed by thieves on the way. Speaking of which, I¡¯ve been thinking of visiting Hejian Prefecture for a while, it¡¯s a good chance toy low.¡± Xiumei asked, ¡°Miss, are you nning on going out yourself?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I want to, but I still need to check with Second Brother.¡±
Xiumei: ¡°I¡¯m sure the Prince will agree to Miss¡¯s request.¡± Wei Ruo asked, ¡°How do you know that?¡± Xiumei answered, ¡°Because the Prince always does whatever Miss asks him to do. He will always help Miss in achieving whatever she wants!¡± Wei Ruo jestingly criticised her, ¡°Oh, so quickly you¡¯ve been bought over by him? Howe you were still outraged earlier and now want to avenge me and beat him?¡± Xiumei hurriedly denied, ¡°No, no! I didn¡¯t flip sides! My loyalty has always been with you, Miss! I only sided with him because I saw him being nice to you, Miss. If he is ever not nice to you, I will surely secretly scold him!¡± Wei Ruoughed: ¡°Why do you dare only to scold him secretly? Why don¡¯t you do it openly?¡± Xiumei pouted, ¡°Because I can¡¯t beat the Prince. Only Miss can dare to scold the Prince openly, I can¡¯t.¡± Then Xiumei continued, ¡°Miss, if the Prince agrees to let you go, you have to bring two more guards with you. Otherwise, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you have faith in yourself?¡± Xiumei responded, ¡°Not really, it¡¯s just been too chaotic outside recently. Didn¡¯t we run into bandits on our way to the Capital City? Hence, you must bring along a few more people when you go out this time.¡± Wei Ruo joked, ¡°Ok, Ok, I get it. Every time ites to this, you change into a managing old woman.¡± Xiumei replied, ¡°Of course! Miss, your safetyes first!¡± Wei Ruo smiled and said, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll go to the front yard to find my second brother and give him the sword meanwhile.¡±
After finishing her words, Wei Ruo stood up and headed to the front yard to find Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi wasn¡¯t in his study this time, but in his bedroom. Per Wei Jinyi¡¯smand, nobody would prevent Wei Ruo from going anywhere in the Vander residence. When Wei Ruo entered the bedroom, Wei Jinyi was changing his clothes. Through the screen, Wei Ruo once again caught a glimpse of his silhouette. Chapter 495: 495: Ill Go with You_1 Chapter 495: I¡¯ll Go with You_1 Wei Ruo quickly turned her back. ¡°Really, you should at least have your subordinates block me when you are changing clothes and bathing!¡± Wei Ruo said irritably. Wei Jinyi emerged from behind the screen after changing his clothes. Seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s back turned to him, he said, ¡°I understand, I will instruct them in future.¡± He paused, then asked, ¡°Why are you here to see me?¡± Wei Ruo then turned back to him, handing over the Treasury Sword in her hand to Wei Jinyi, who was dressed in white cloud gauze pajamas. She said, ¡°This is for you.¡± Wei Jinyi looked at the sword in Wei Ruo¡¯s hand, the reddish-brown scabbard and handle seemed unadorned without much decoration. Wei Jinyi took the sword and drew it out. The de was silver-white, it shone brightly, and was razor-sharp. Wei Jinyi, who had been using swords for more than a decade, immediately recognized this as an extraordinary sword.
¡°Ruo, where did you get this sword?¡± Wei Jinyi inquired. ¡°I had it forged. The de is made of special steel that is sharper than ordinary iron swords. The scabbard and handle are made of wood because I didn¡¯t want to add unnecessary weight to the sword.¡± Hearing this, Wei Jinyi tightened his grip on the sword. This was a sword specially made for him by Ruo. Then Wei Ruo said to Wei Jinyi, ¡°I want to go to Hejian Prefecture. First, I need to look into some business affairs and secondly, I want to let Xu Heyouy low for a while and find an opportunity to ¡®kill¡¯ him off.¡± Wei Jinyi thought for a moment and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°You will apany me?¡± ¡°If you are away from home for too long, it will raise suspicions if anyone from the pcees looking for you.¡± And as a queen, Wei Ruo also cannot stay away for too long without Wei Jinyi¡¯s presence. ¡°But can the frail and sickly King Rui go for a long journey?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a famous temple in Hejian Prefecture, just say that you are apanying me to pray for blessings.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay? Won¡¯t this be troublesome? And won¡¯t it dy your work in Capital City?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it won¡¯t cause any dy.¡± Listening to Wei Jinyi¡¯s words, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but feel moved. Even though her request was unreasonable given her current status and situation, he chose to support her decision without hesitation. ### Mrs. Bai left King Rui Residence with a disgruntled face. All the way, she med Mrs. Yun and Mrs. Mo. She criticized Mrs. Yun for not being able to help and derided Mrs. Mo for being silent. She gave both of them a good dose of sarcasm.
Mrs. Mo said nothing throughout. She was used to this and knew that Mrs. Bai was upset that things didn¡¯t go as nned, so she let her vent. Mrs. Yun also did not retaliate. She seemed engrossed in some thoughts and didn¡¯t bother arguing with Mrs. Bai. Upon returning to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, the three of them reported the day¡¯s events to the two elders and to the anxiously waiting Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong. Hearing of Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude, Wei Mingyong angrily said, ¡°This is outrageous! She can¡¯t even help with such a trivial matter. Being a queen has made her forget her roots; she haspletely forgotten that she came from our Duke household!¡±
Mrs. Bai continued her annoyance, ¡°I pleaded with her earnestly, but not only did she refuse to listen to me, she sshed tea on my face! Look at us, is this the proper behavior of ady from a noble house?¡± Mrs. Yun, already ufortable in her heart, beseeched, ¡°We are the ones initiating the request here. As soon as you arrived, you offended her. Naturally, she was not amenable afterwards. Now you want to use her unfairly? How can you reverse the roles so easily?¡± Mrs. Yun also knew that without Mrs. Bai¡¯s intervention, her daughter might not have agreed, but she couldn¡¯t bear to hear thetter criticizing her daughter at this moment. Mrs. Bai retorted, ¡°Now my younger sister-inw is pointing out my faults. You are the biological mother of the queen, but you both act like strangers, unable to even have a normal conversation.¡± At this, Mrs. Yun¡¯s heart tightened. Mrs. Bai hit her where it hurt. Her rtionship with her daughter was indeed unfriendly, and her daughter treated her as a stranger. That feeling was like a fine needle poking her heart, causing asional sharp pains. Mrs. Bai continued, ¡°Moreover, if it weren¡¯t for your silence along with Mrs. Mo, why would I have to take the fall? If the queen doesn¡¯t want to help, you can¡¯t me me alone. She has always been like this. If anyone is to be med, it¡¯s you for not raising her well!¡± Mrs. Bai, who was always quick-witted, overpowered Mrs. Yun.N?v(el)B\\jnn The matriarch of the Wei family interrupted Mrs. Bai¡¯sint and said, ¡°Enough, stop fighting. We are all family and should work for the benefit of our house. Only when a family is harmonious, everything will be prosperous.¡± ¡°Mother, this is not about harmony or dispute. My brother and I have already made a promise to Mr. Qi. If we can¡¯t deliver, we can¡¯t face him!¡± Wei Mingyong looked anxious, and the thought of an enraged Mr. Qi made him extremely worried. Upon hearing this, the matriarch frowned.
Wei¡¯s grandfather was fuming, ¡°This ungrateful girl! We didn¡¯t treat her badly, yet she is so heartless!¡± The matriarch reasoned, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. This issue is not entirely the eldest girl¡¯s fault.¡± Wei¡¯s grandfather firmly said, ¡°How can I not be angry? This is not a trivial matter, how can we let her do as she pleases?¡± ¡°Yun¡¯s wife and she are not very close, and we didn¡¯t treat her any particrly well before her marriage, so her attitude now isn¡¯t baseless. Moreover, she is now Queen Rui, what can you do by getting angry with her? It¡¯s better to think about how to beg her to concede.¡± The matriarch¡¯s words calmed Wei¡¯s grandfather considerably. ¡°Your words make sense. Getting angry with her won¡¯t solve the problem. We have to plead with her.¡± After thinking for a while, Wei¡¯s grandfather addressed Mrs. Yun, who was standing in front of him, ¡°Yun¡¯s wife, you will have to deal with this matter as it originated with you.¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± Mrs. Yun showed a difficult expression. ¡°This matter concerns the entire Duke residence, even if it¡¯s hard for you, you must do it! Whether you apologize, admit your mistake or beg, as long as you can manage it.¡± Wei¡¯s grandfather gave Mrs. Yun a definitive order. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Yun had no choice but to agree. But she also made a request, ¡°Today, Mrs. Bai angered Queen Rui. If we wish her to forgive us, she must go and apologize.¡± ¡°Sister-inw, Rui seems to get angry every time she sees me. I think it¡¯s better if I don¡¯t provoke her anymore.¡± Mrs. Bai didn¡¯t want to see Wei Ruo again for fear of being humiliated anew without the possibility of retaliation, so she tried to find an excuse. ¡°Won¡¯t it be fine if Mrs. Bai doesn¡¯t rant randomly as she did this time? As long as Mrs. Bai sincerely apologizes and expresses her penitence, even if she can¡¯t secure Queen Rui¡¯s forgiveness, at least she won¡¯t add fuel to the fire. Unless Mrs. Bai even can¡¯t do such a simple thing.¡± Mrs. Yun retorted.
Chapter 496: 496: Came Up Empty_1 Chapter 496: Came Up Empty_1 The old master of the Wei family agreed, ¡°The words of third wife makes sense. Second wife, this time, you should not provoke Queen Rui again, even if she spills tea on you a few more times, considering the difference in status between you, you should bear it.¡± Bai¡¯s face grew unhappy, and she looked towards Wei Mingyong. This time, even Wei Mingyong did not choose to help her: ¡°Madam, this matter concerns our Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, I hope you could bear with it.¡± Bai had no other choice but to promise in a low voice, ¡°Your daughter-inw understands.¡± So the next day, the two visited the King Rui Residence again. Since they did not send a greeting in advance this time, they were stopped by the servants at the gate. After saying a lot of pleasant things to the guards, the guards finally paid attention to the two. The guard exined, ¡°The prince and the queen have gone out and are not at home.¡± This left Yun and Baipletely dumbfounded. ¡°Gone out? Isn¡¯t the prince very ill? How could he go out?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you saying? Who said our prince was seriously ill?¡±
¡°Yes, yes, we misspoke. We meant that the prince might get tired if he goes out. We are a little worried about the prince.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? Dr. Xu went with him. With Dr. Xu there, there won¡¯t be any problems for the prince.¡± Now, even the divine doctor Xu, whom they were banking on, had left. This left absolutely no chance for them. Both Yun and Bai looked unhappy. Yun knew that if they did not aplish their task today, her father-inw and mother-inw would inevitably be displeased. Bai gritted her teeth. She had made up her mind to bow down and submit to Wei Qingruo, but this girl had run away! How were they supposed to exin this to the Qi master? Didn¡¯t they lose this hard-won opportunity to get close to the Qi family? Maybe they even offended the Qi master! This was like losing a wife and an army! Thinking about the cooked duck flying away, Bai was suffocating from anger.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Bai, who had nowhere to vent her anger, had to vent it on Yun, who was with her. ¡± If you, Third sister-inw, had been aware of this when we visited for the first time, we wouldn¡¯t have had to make this second trip and be turned away at the door.¡± Yun was not going to suffer this humiliation in silence, she retorted, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you made Queen Rui angry right at the start, would we have had to make this second trip today?¡± Bai scoffed, ¡°Say whatever you want. Anyway, I think you¡¯re just a mother in name. Even your own daughter doesn¡¯t want to see you. No matter what, my sons are extremely filial and obedient to me. If I had a daughter and if she became Queen Rui, not to mention such a small matter as inviting a divine doctor, we could even get half of the royal residence!¡± Yun was once again hit by Bai in her sore spot and didn¡¯t know how to counterattack. She could only board the carriage with a livid face. Bai snorted coldly, then got into the carriage. ### Wei Qingwan was waiting at home for news from Yun and Bai. Every once in a while, she asked Cuihe to inquire. Finally, on the third asion, Cuihe brought back news: ¡°Miss, Madam and Second Madam have returned. They are currently apologizing to the old master and the old madam in Shou¡¯an Hall. They failed to enter the Rui King Residence, let alone persuade Queen Rui.¡±
¡°They failed to enter King Rui¡¯s Residence? Did Wei Qingruo refuse to let them in?¡± ¡°ording to the servant who went with them, King Rui and his wife had gone to Tongshan Temple in Hejian Prefecture to pray for blessings, so they were not at home,¡± Cuihe answered. ¡°King Rui¡¯s health is so poor, yet he traveled so far?¡± ¡°This ve doesn¡¯t know. This ve also thinks it¡¯s a reckless act for King Rui, who is so sick, to run so far. However, it¡¯s heard that the divine doctor named Xu also went with them.¡±
Speaking of the Divine Doctor surnamed Xu, Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression changed again. Because she now suspects that this Xu Divine Doctor is none other than Dr. Xu whom she met in Taizhou prefecture ¨C the one who could make scar removal cream! She had three reasons: Firstly, although the surname Xu is not umon, Divine Doctors are rare. Two divine doctors with the same surname, Xu, inferred a high possibility of them being the same person. Secondly, the Zhengde Hall had branches in Lin¡¯an Prefecture and Capital City, both of which coborated with Dr. Xu and sold scar removal cream. Thirdly, she once saw Wei Qingruo in Dr. Xu¡¯s clinic during his public services. The guard mentioned that Wei Qingruo was brought in by a friend, and now Wei Qingruo and Dr. Xu coexist in King Rui¡¯s Residence. If¡­if these two Dr. Xu were indeed the same person, then Wei Qingruo might have known Dr. Xu a long time ago¡­ With this thought, Wei Qingwan clenched her fists tightly. Wei Qingruo knew about her painstaking efforts to find scar removal cream, she knew everything! Cuihe had no idea about Wei Qingwan¡¯s thoughts. She saw Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turning pale, and cautiously asked, ¡°Miss, are you hoping for Queen Rui¡¯s assistance, or do you prefer her not to help?¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t even know how to answer this question. Whether it be from the standpoint of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence or her past feelings, she should hope for Wei Qingruo¡¯s help. On the other hand, she didn¡¯t want to see people of the Wei family relying on and elevating Wei Qingruo so much. ¡°You talk too much,¡± said Wei Qingwan.
These thoughts she would never discuss with a maid. ¡°Maid know her mistake.¡± Cuihe quickly shut her mouth. ### The news of King Rui and Queen Rui¡¯s departure soon reached Qi Yansong¡¯s ears. ¡°What about the Divine Doctor?¡± Qi Yansong asked. ¡°He is also going.¡± ¡°Hmm, outrageous! This Chu Yi is actually choosing to go and offer incense at this moment! It¡¯s hard not to think that he¡¯s doing it on purpose!¡± Qi Yansong said coldly. ¡°Sir, what should we do now?¡± ¡°Let those useless doctors in the Imperial Institute of Medicine continue the treatment. Let¡¯s deal with Chu Yi¡¯s matterter.¡± While Qi Yansong was furious with Chu Yi¡¯s actions, he also knew the importance of urgency. Now that his son¡¯s life was saved, he wasn¡¯t in as much of a hurry as before. Considering the big picture, Qi was more cautious about King Jing Chu Lan rather than the ill Chu Yi. ###
Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi rode in the same carriage, they were initially siblings only in name, it was not convenient for them to share the carriage openly. But now they are husband and wife in name, they had to be together in certain situations. The carriage they rode in was the one brought by Wei Ruo as her dowry, which she and Xiumei had carefully refurbished. The carriage wasfortable and spacious, even had a small cab which could serve as a small table and could also store Wei Ruo¡¯s food. Even during times when the road was smooth, they could have tea on it. Wei Jinyi sat on the side, watching Wei Ruo nibble on dried meat while flipping through ledgers. Her rxed, happy expression was like a bird that had just flown out of a cage. The corners of Wei Jinyi¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl upwards. Wei Ruo noticed Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze, she stopped and asked, ¡°Do you want some?¡± Chapter 497: 497 Living Together_1 Chapter 497: Chapter 497 Living Together_1 Wei Jinyi gave a nod. He wasn¡¯t a snacker, but herown were different. Especially seeing the way she savored them, he could imagine the treats were incredibly tasty. Wei Ruo generously handed Wei Jinyi the bag in front of her. Wei Jinyi took a piece of dried meat from the bag and put it in his mouth. The meat was tough, with just a slight salty vor and natural meaty taste. There was no foul smell or gamey vor. Though simple, the taste didn¡¯t disappoint, just like all the other dishes she once prepared. Perhaps reminiscent of the past, Wei Jinyi¡¯s smile deepened and his eyes seemed to shine like stars. Wei Ruo noticed Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression and thought to herself: Was he really so excited over mere snacks? Back in Xingshan County, Taizhou prefecture, he got to enjoy many more dishes that she poured her heart into. At first, he even disliked her food because it was too spicy! Seeing Wei Jinyi enjoying her homemade food so much now, Wei Ruo felt a tiny sense of pride. Noticing the carriage had already reached the smooth state road where it wouldn¡¯t sway, Wei Ruo took out her tea-making supplies, a miniature charcoal stove, and a matching teapot.
She also took out two leather water bags, one filled with water and the other with milk. Then took out the tea caddy, inside of which contained new leaves of ck tea from this year. Wei Ruo made milk tea for both Wei Jinyi and herself. ¡°Hmm, try it.¡± Wei Ruo handed Wei Jinyi¡¯s cup over. Wei Jinyi took it and took a sip. Watching him, Wei Ruo thought he was alwaysposed and graceful when tasting tea and food. Now that he was a prince, his demeanor appeared even more fitting. ¡°Is it good?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s good. There¡¯s more if you want.¡± Wei Ruo said whileughing. ¡°OK.¡± Wei Jinyi gazed at his tea cup, thinking to himself that this is more than enough. Seeing herugh while they got along harmoniously under the guise of siblings was satisfying. The carriage traveled slowly, taking half a day to exit the Capital City. Another hourter, they finally arrived at the next small county. The whole group stayed at an inn in the county. The carriage stopped at the entrance of the inn. As Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi stepped off the carriage, pce attendants stepped forward to assist them. Along with their guards from Wang Residence, the Emperor assigned a small imperial guard and several pce attendants to apany Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi on this trip. The person overseeing these attendants was Eunuch Gao. He was one of the Emperor¡¯s personnel and was there to take care of Wei Jinyi. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi had anticipated the presence of the Emperor¡¯s men, but they hadn¡¯t expected Eunuch Gao to be one of them. This eunuch wasn¡¯t easily fooled. With him there, the surface couple, Wei Ruo, and Wei Jinyi, had many restrictions in their actions.
For instance, the pretense of Wei Jinyi¡¯s illness had to continue, and both of them had to share one carriage. They also had to stay in the same room at the inn. In fact, Wei Ruo suspected this Eunuch was there to supervise the two of them, ced by the order of the Emperor himself. When this eunuch first paid his respects at Wang Residence, the words he chose revealed the Emperor¡¯s wish to secure an heir. Surrounded by their entourage, Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo entered the inn.
Even though it was the inn of a county town, it was on the main route to the capital, so the inn was quiterge, with bright and spacious rooms and an abundance of service staff. As a prince, Wei Jinyi naturally got the best guest room. Due to the presence of Eunuch Gao, Wei Ruo found it inappropriate to stay in another room. Therefore, the two of them ended up sharing a room. In the room, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi locked eyes. ¡°What should we do tonight?¡± Wei Ruo asked Wei Jinyi.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°You sleep here. After it gets dark, I¡¯ll go out the window.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. ¡°Where will you sleep after you go out?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± ¡°Will you find another guesthouse? This is an inn, they don¡¯t let anyone stay. Or are you nning to sleep in the stable?¡± Wei Jinyi fell silent. He originally intended to sleep on the rooftop. He didn¡¯t want to be too far from her while they were away from home. ¡°You sleep in here. I¡¯ll arrange a cotton nket on the floor for you and bring you a nket. Make do with it.¡±
Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t heartless enough to kick Wei Jinyi out to find a ce to sleep. Besides, the room was quiterge, divided into inner and outer spaces. She could sleep in the inner space and the outer space was separated by a screen. Furthermore, adding the curtains on the bed provided some privacy. A night under such conditions shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Under Wei Ruo¡¯s instruction, Wei Jinyi arranged his bedding on the floor. There came a knock at the door. Since Wei Jinyi was pretending to be ill, it naturally fell to Wei Ruo to answer the door. Eunuch Gao stood outside the door with a face full of smiles, saying to Wei Ruo, ¡°Does the Queen need anything else?¡± ¡°No, we have everything we need.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. If you need anything, feel free to ask us.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Then Eunuch Gao motioned to a small eunuch behind him who was holding a tray, on which sat a soup pot. ¡°Queen, I asked someone to brew some nourishing soup for you. Drink it before bed. This is a secret recipe from the pce. The Queen and the otherdies love it. It¡¯s very effective for nourishment and beauty enhancement.¡± ¡°Thank you, Eunuch Gao,¡± Wei Ruo replied, taking the tray from the outstretched hand of the small eunuch. Eunuch Gao reminded her, ¡°Queen, this is for women. Don¡¯t let the prince drink it.¡± ¡°I understand, thank you, Eunuch Gao.¡±
Weir Ruo responded before closing her door. Wei Ruo ced the nourishing soup on the table inside her room. After opening it and smelling it, she used a spoon to taste a bit. She then chuckled and said, ¡°No wonder he made sure that you should not touch it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a nourishing soup, very nourishing. You can¡¯t consume anything rich due to your weak state,¡± Wei Ruo teased. Wei Jinyi sensed Wei Ruo was not telling him the whole story. He watched her, expecting her to continue. Heeding Wei Jinyi¡¯s unspoken request, Wei Ruoughed and added, ¡°It seems that Eunuch Gao is attempting to y matchmaker in hopes of securing an heir for you, the weak prince. That¡¯s why he specifically prepared such a rich soup.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Jinyi understood. Weij Jinyi¡¯s fragile health meant that Eunuch Gao dared not randomly provide him with food. But with orders from the Emperor to secure an heir for Jinyi, Eunuch Gao had no option but to target Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble,¡± Wei Jinyi said apologetically. His pretending to be ill had led to the current predicament. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. I am not bothered at all.¡± Hearing him say she was troubled sounded off as if they had done something. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it¡­¡±
Wei Jinyi¡¯s face reddened. He also realized that there was something amiss with his words. Chapter 498: 498 Sleepless Night_1 Chapter 498: Chapter 498 Sleepless Night_1 ¡°You should drink the hot soup, it¡¯s indeed strengthening, made of many good ingredients. Don¡¯t let Eunuch Gao see that I didn¡¯t drink it, he might think that I purposely rejected you.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s mouth twitched into a smile, her tone half-joking, half-serious. After finishing her words, Wei Ruo turned around and entered the inner chamber behind the screen. Wei Jinyi lowered his head to look at the nourishing soup on the table¡­ A momentter, Wei Jinyi poured the medicinal soup in the pot into a flower pot beside him. He dared not drink this soup as Wei Ruo suggested. If this soup is truly a tonifying potion for that purpose, after drinking it, the arising lustful feelings could lead him to overstep boundaries with her, something he would regret for a lifetime. He had confidence in his self-control, not fearing a bowl of tonic soup. But when confronted with Ruoruo, he didn¡¯t have that much confidence, as an inner demon already lurked within his heart. Throughout the night, Wei Ruoy on her bed, her eyes sparkling, no sleep in sight. Knowing that Wei Jinyi was in the same room with her, Wei Ruo felt an unexpected bout of insomnia.
Amidst the summer season, the shrilling of cicadas and chirping of crickets outside became especially clear. Wei Ruo¡¯s thoughts drifted far away with these sounds¡­ I wonder if second brother drank that bowl of soup, or did he dispose of it surreptitiously. When Wei Ruo told Wei Jinyi to drink that soup, she wasn¡¯t lying, he could indeed drink that soup. After consuming that nourishing soup, although it makes you feel hot and bothered, it only makes you feel soft and weak, without any aggressiveness.N?v(el)B\\jnn If a robust person like second brother consumes it, its effects would be just like that of an aphrodisiac, making one¡¯s spirit artificially lively in certain aspects. Probably, Eunuch Gao also feared harming Wei Jinyi, so he chose this conservative method. If she was transformed into a hungry tiger, and Wei Jinyi¡¯s body couldn¡¯t stand it, that would be a big problem. So even though Eunuch Gao had a mission, he also had to prioritize Wei Jinyi¡¯s physical safety. Even if he took some measures, they are quite mild. Moreover, Eunuch Gao didn¡¯t dare to be too explicit. If he really slipped in an aphrodisiac, they would definitely confront him the next day and Eunuch Gao wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. Wei Ruo also believed that Wei Jinyi probably wouldn¡¯t enter the inner chamber. She didn¡¯t know what Wei Jinyi was like towards others, but towards her, he would only blush and escape, not offend intentionally, let alone attempt anything with her when the night is still and everyone is asleep. In fact, she was safe with him guarding outside than if she slept alone, she could sleep peacefully. So Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know why she was awake. Unconsciously, scenes of interactions with Wei Jinyi floated into her mind. In her memory, his eyes, dark as ck gemstones, were always deep and unfathomable, watching her. Especially after meeting again in the Capital City, his gaze towards her was always elusive, as if hiding a multitude of stories. On the other side of a screen, Wei Jinyi also couldn¡¯t fall asleep. His hearing was exceptionally sharp, he could clearly hear Wei Ruo¡¯s breathing. From her breath, he could discern that she hadn¡¯t fallen asleep. Why hadn¡¯t she fallen asleep?
Is something troubling her? Is it because he was here? Even though he couldn¡¯t see her, merely sensing her in the same space and hearing her breathing and slight movements on the bed, Wei Jinyi could feel his heart beating in an unusual measure. He clearly disposed the bowl of tonic soup, yet why did his breath grow heavy as if he had consumed the soup?
Wei Jinyi closed his eyes and started to meditate, murmuring martial arts mantra in his heart. In this way, from dusk till dawn, both of them couldn¡¯t sleep. Eunuch Gao and his men were waiting at the door early the next morning. As soon as they were summoned, they entered and brought washing supplies for them to freshen up. Due to a sleepless night, Wei Ruo had dark circles under her eyes and looked extremely tired. Eunuch Gao couldn¡¯t help but smilecently upon seeing this. It seemed that the tonic soup had some effect, distressing the queen. The prince seems normal too. That would be the best oue. He just hoped to leave an heir for the prince without harming him. The next afternoon, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi entered Hejian Prefecture¡¯s territory. They didn¡¯t arrive at Tongshan Temple until the third day. The temple¡¯s abbot, upon hearing of King Rui and his consort¡¯s visit for worship, led his monks to wait at the temple gate. Thereafter, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi settled down in the temple¡¯s Zen room. Considering King Rui¡¯s health, Eunuch Gao arranged for them to rest first. Once they had rested, they could visit each hall to burn incense and worship. In the days that followed, Monks of the temple would perform several blessing ceremonies for Wei Jinyi ¨C The Diamond Sutra, The K?itigarbha Sutra, Amitabha Sutra, The Sutra of the Original Vows of K?itigarbha Bodhisattva, etc. After settling down, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi started to remain indoor.
Most of the time, they stayed inside the room and only their personal attendants and maids were allowed to attend to them. Since Wei Jinyi was under the weather, not many had doubts about their behavior. Down by the foot of the hill, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi mounted the horses prepared in advance. Both of them had disguised themselves, traveling under the identities of Xu Heyou and Wang Jin. It was likely to be Wei Ruo¡¯sst time using the identity of Xu Heyou. On return, she nned on disappearing this identity. Hereafter, even when she disguised herself, she would have Lin Fang make another human-skin mask for her. The two of them galloped onwards in the open field. The breeze of summer caressed Wei Ruo¡¯s face, filling her with joy. She couldn¡¯t ride horses before. Even after learning, she didn¡¯t have an opportunity to ride freely like this. Today, she had this rare opportunity and she could enjoy it to her heart¡¯s content. Wei Jinyi stayed close to Wei Ruo, knowing that she was not a skillful rider. Therefore, he kept close with her and maintained a rtively close distance. If she encountered any idents, he could protect her immediately. After riding for a while, the two slowed down. Wei Ruo was slightly panting, her cheeks blushing. She turned her head to look at Wei Jinyi, who was riding next to her: ¡°Second Brother, do you think we might have a chance of living this carefree and leisurely life once you have fulfilled your wish?¡±
Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t answer immediately. He didn¡¯t want to make promises lightly without being absolutely sure, he didn¡¯t want her to experience the feeling of being hopeful and then disappointed. Wei Ruo also sensed Wei Jinyi¡¯s hesitation. Both of them were caught in the situation and unless the problem was solved, they shouldn¡¯t be too optimistic. Wei Ruo smiled and said, ¡°Second brother, you and I are in the same boat now. Even if something bad happens, at least we will have each other¡¯spany on the road toherworld, which is better than walking alone and deste. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Wei Jinyi looked surprised, then a warm and gentle light shed in his eyes. ¡°Ruoruo is right.¡± They exchangedughter, once again whipped their horses, and sped up. Chapter 499: 499: I Can Help Brother 2 Find Beauties_1 Chapter 499: I Can Help Brother 2 Find Beauties_1 In the following days, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi jointly surveyed the cotton field that Wei Ruo had purchased, and arranged all the nting and management work for the field. During this period, they both worked in the fields several times. Whenever Wei Ruo had the need to work in the fields, she would do it herself. The sessful harvest of crops she nted herself could increase her Experience Points, so she would always take the opportunity to do it herself when chances arose. Wei Jinyi not only didn¡¯t say much about Wei Ruo¡¯s behavior, which was unlike that of a typicaldy of a noble family, he even joined in with her antics. Wei Jinyi once again put on coarse clothes, picked up a hoe, and dressed as amon farmer. However, hisplexion and appearance were still far from that of a farmer. It was obvious that he didn¡¯t often work in the fields. Only the calluses on the palms of his hands seemed somewhat true to form. After a busy spell, Wei Ruo turned her head and saw Wei Jinyi with mud on his face. His appearance was a bitical, which made her couldn¡¯t help butugh. Wei Jinyi saw herughing at him and knew that it was probably because he looked funny, but he didn¡¯t care about losing his dignity. ¡°Second Brother, I never realized before that you have such a potential to be aborer. You¡¯re better at wielding a hoe than Zhao Ergou,¡± Wei Ruomented. ¡°Who is Zhao Ergou?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°He is a young man from Mo Jiazha. He used to fight with Brother Xiaoyong often and always ended up with a swollen, bruised face.¡±
¡°Why did they fight?¡± ¡°Initially, it was because Zhao Ergou and Xiao Pang, the chubbier boy at the entrance of the vige, said bad things about me. Brother Xiaoyong stood up for me. Later, because Zhao Ergou was unwilling to admit defeat, he kept challenging Brother Xiaoyong to a standalone fight.¡± ¡°Sounds interesting.¡± ¡°Yeah, and then there¡¯s Meimei. She would bicker with Brother Xiaoyong whenever they meet. They are quite a pair of jokers.¡± At this point, Wei Ruo suddenly put down the hoe in her hand and remembered something. ¡°Second Brother, I feel it¡¯s time for me to arrange a marriage proposal for Meimei.¡± ¡°Who do you want to propose to her?¡± ¡°Who else but Brother Xiaoyong? I know Brother Xiaoyong likes her, but it seems Meimei doesn¡¯t know.¡± Wei Ruo said. There are things that spectators saw more clearly. By seeing Xiumei and Xu Zhengyong¡¯s banter, Wei Ruo had some clues.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo paused for a moment and then added, ¡°But it also depends on Meimei¡¯s own opinions. If she is unwilling, then let it be. Women do not have to get married. As long as they are happy, they can also be happy without getting married. It¡¯s just because the person in question is Brother Xiaoyong, I think it¡¯s worth giving it a try. I wouldn¡¯t make arrangements for other people.¡± Wei Ruo was afraid that if Xiumei does have feelings for Xu Zhengyong, but due to Xiumei¡¯s intention to take care of and apany her, it would interfere with the romance between Xiumei and Xu Zhengyong. ¡°So you were willing to go out and marry someone who is about to die rather than marry Xu Zhengyong?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. Wei Jinyi had known a long time ago that if Wei Ruo wanted to leave Wei Family, marrying Xu Zhengyong would have been a good choice, especially since Xu Zhengyong already held an official position at the time. ¡°Certainly, I couldn¡¯t let Brother Xiaoyong be unable to marry a wife. Even if he has no romantic feelings for Meimei, it¡¯s not eptable.¡± Wei Ruo admitted. She was engaged in a mock marriage. If she upied the position of Xu Zhengyong¡¯s wife, it would prevent Xu Zhengyong from getting married and having children in the future. Then Wei Ruo said to Wei Jinyi, ¡°But it was not me who held you back this time, you chose it yourself!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°However, if you really want to have descendants, you can. I can help you find a beautiful woman. But I¡¯m afraid this beauty has to be a concubine or a mistress,¡± Wei Ruo added. The reason Wei Ruo had this idea was because she had been continually approached by Gao Gonggong who expected her to leave a heir for the ill King Rui.
¡°Stop talking nonsense,¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression became serious. ¡°How can it be nonsense? I know men generally have such thoughts. It¡¯s not a bad idea, after all, you are the only descendant of your maternal family.¡± Wei Ruo herself had no particr thoughts about descendants, but she also knew that descendants and family were very important in the mind of men in this world. Even Second Brother might not be an exception.
And they didn¡¯t know how long they would have to y this fake husband and wife scenario. In case he really had this need, as his nominal wife, she should help him arrange it. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We should go back,¡± Wei Jinyi suddenly changed the subject. Wei Ruoughed and saw that her second brother was somewhat shy on this topic, so she didn¡¯t continue. Ah, second brother is also quite dull. Heard that princes in the pce were taught about this kind of stuff by pce attendants from the age of fifteen or sixteen. In the original book, the male lead Chu Lan was an exception. Although he had many women in his backyard, he had never had an intimate rtionship with any of them. After Wei Qingwan entered his backyard, he only doted on her alone. The reason for this was that when Chu Lan was thirteen, a pce maid who tried to ¡°jump over the dragon¡¯s gate¡± drugged him and climbed into his bed, which caused an ident. He was hurt and almost became unable to have children, so he was always cautious about women and sex. She didn¡¯t know why her second brother was like this. Someday, she would have to find a chance to ask Lin Fang about it. ### In addition to matters rted to the cotton field, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi also visited a nearby coal mine together. Private mining was permitted under the current government, but a high mining tax would be levied, taking one part in ten. However, even though the government permitted it, it was still difficult for ordinary people to obtain the rights to open mines and kilns. They must have the permission of the Government Office and have good connections up and down. Fortunately, Wei Ruo was not an ordinary person now. The identities of King Rui and Queen Rui were extremely useful at this time.
With the help of Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo was able to easily reach an agreement with the local government office and purchase a nearby coal mine. This made Wei Ruo very happy and she once again enjoyed the benefits of being Queen Rui. The uses of coal are very wide-ranging. Apart from heating, it also has a very important role in smelting. And because the cold winter wasing, coal was going to be in short supply. Although the charcoal made from coal was not as good as the charcoal made from burning wood for heating, it was certainly better than freezing. On the way back, Wei Jinyi¡¯s mood lightened when he saw Wei Ruo delighted with the acquisition of the coal mine by the King Rui Residence. If he could really be an idle prince and let her live the carefree life she wanted, that would also be a good choice. And he was willing to stay by her side in this awkward manner until the day she found a better option. ¡°Second Brother, thank you,¡± Wei Ruo suddenly turned her head and said to Wei Jinyi, who was lost in thought while looking at her. Chapter 500 - 500 Four People Eating Barbecue Together_1 Chapter 500: Chapter 500 Four People Eating Barbecue Together_1 ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me, I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°How can you say you did nothing, second brother? You¡¯ve been doing quite a lot for me. Not only was acquiring the coal mines with your help but you¡¯ve also silently supported me in doing many things other women couldn¡¯t do. And whenever there is trouble, you always try your best to shield me from it.¡± Wei Ruo detailed the things Wei Jinyi had done for her. Wei Jinyi silently gazed at Wei Ruo¡¯s face, lit up with a bright smile, without responding. Looking at Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo continued: ¡°There aren¡¯t many people in this world who indulge me as you do. There¡¯s my nursemaid, Meimei, and now, you.¡± ¡°Yes, we are all your family,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Hearing these words, the corners of Wei Ruo¡¯s mouth lifted into an uncontroble smile. Family, what a beautiful word. Even though the nursemaid, Meimei, and her second brother were not rted to her by blood, they all gave her warmth that surpassed family bonds. She was content. ### Afterward, Wei Ruo, apanied by Wei Jinyi, purchased an estate in Hejian Prefecture, near the cotton fields she had recently bought. Since the estate was located in the suburbs, its price was not steep, especially whenpared to shops in Capital City. With 1600 taels of silver, she purchased the estate, which covered more than twenty acres ofnd. This included arge bamboo grove behind the estate¡ªeverything was now Wei Ruo¡¯s property. She particrly liked the two massive storage houses within the estate, where she could store the cotton she would collect in the future. She could also store goods transported from Jiangnan here and conveniently transport them to the Capital City as needed. She also nned to make use of therge bamboo grove behind the estate. Bamboo is very versatile, not only providing shoots all year round but also serving as material for making various bamboo products. Besides, as long as it was properly protected, many useful herbs such as ginseng and Trillium could be nted within the bamboo grove, which thrives in shady areas. On the night they purchased the property, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t rush back to Tongshan Temple, and Wei Jinyi stayed with her. There were people on the mountain who could look after things. As long as Eunuch Gao was kept in the dark, there wouldn¡¯t be any issues if they were absent for a night or two. In therge courtyard of the estate, Wei Ruo and Xiumei set up a grill. Xiaobei helped with starting the fire and adding charcoal. Wei Jinyi had had someone gather lots of fresh ingredients. After being prepared, they were skewered onto newly cleaved bamboo sticks. The familiarity of this scene made her heart flutter. Although the courtyard they were in was muchrger than the Wei family¡¯s and more tranquil. Before long, the scent of roasted meat wafted through the courtyard, stimting everyone¡¯s appetites. Wei Ruo sprinkled each skewer with her secret barbecue seasoning. Xiaobei was thoroughly enjoying the grilled meat skewers, saying, ¡°Miss, your cooking is exceptional. Initially, I wasn¡¯t used to it, but now, I find all other food mundane after tasting yours.¡± Xiumei replied,¡±Your words make it sound as if our Miss only cooks using condiments. Haven¡¯t we also cooked in dishes?¡± Xiaobei hurriedly exined, ¡°I misspoke. Both the dishes Miss and you cook are delicious! I was ignorant and mistook a pearl for fish eyes in the past.¡± Xiumei was amused by Xiaobei¡¯s frantic apology, ¡°I see you¡¯re willing to go all out just for a few bites of Miss¡¯s cooking. You¡¯ve even referred to yourself as a wild pig!¡± Compared to Miss and Xiumei, I really am a wild pig, coarse and unrefined!¡± Xiaobei said with a silly grin. ¡°You should stop addressing me as Meimei. That¡¯s what our Miss calls me,¡± Xiumei corrected him. Initially, he had respectfully addressed her as ¡°Lady Xiumei.¡± Recently though, he had taken to copying Miss by calling her ¡°Meimei,¡± which sounded rather odd to her! ¡°I apologize, Lady Xiumei.¡± Realizing that Xiumei was taken aback, Xiaobei hastily corrected himself. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t allow you to call me that; it¡¯s just that we aren¡¯t close enough for that.¡± Xiumei added an exnation. ¡°I understand, Lady Xiumei. I wasn¡¯t considerate enough.¡± Xiaobei scratched his head sheepishly, looking as bashful as a young maiden. While they ate and chatted, Wei Ruo, when the conversation had reached its peak, mentioned what she had discussed with Wei Jinyi a few days prior. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of arranging a marriage for Meimei.¡± Once they heard this, both Xiumei and Xiaobei choked on their food. ¡°What happened to you two?¡± asked Wei Ruo. She had no idea why they both choked simultaneously. ¡°Miss¡­ Miss, what are you talking about? Marriage? Didn¡¯t you agree that I would stay unmarried? You can¡¯t drag me down because you were forced into marriage!¡± Xiumei gasped, looking shocked. Xiaobei looked at Wei Ruo and Xiumei with wide eyes, appearing like he wanted to say something, but held back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if you do not wish to marry, I will not force you to. I just want to introduce someone to you. If you like him, great, if not, we will forget about it. I wouldn¡¯t want you to miss out on potential happiness because of me.¡± Wei Ruo reassured. N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°No! I would not consider marriage. I want to stay with Miss for the rest of my life.¡± Xiumei dered vehemently, and then hastily added, ¡°Besides, Miss, you haven¡¯t really married yet, have you? How can I get married when you¡¯re not married?¡± As she spoke, Xiumei nced at Wei Jinyi, ¡°Your marriage with the prince, it doesn¡¯t really count as a marriage. In the future, when the prince takes another wife, you can get married as well!¡± At Xiumei¡¯s words, Xiaobei looked anxiously at Wei Jinyi. The moonlight and the light from thentern hanging nearby illuminated his face, revealing his usual aloof countenance. Yet his eyes betrayed a hint of the emotions he kept hidden deep within him. Xiumei momentarily paused, realizing that the atmosphere was somewhat odd, especially with Xiaobei. He seemed rather strange. Did she say something wrong? Surely, she hadn¡¯t. It was clear that the prince and Miss were not really married. Wei Ruo handed Xiumei a skewer of meat, ¡°Meimei, eat.¡± Xiumei nodded with a slightly vacant expression, then took the skewer and began to eat. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Rest assured, Meimei, I won¡¯t let you marry if you do not want to. I will allow you to stay with me and be a lifelong wealthyndlord¡¯s wife. I just thought of introducing you to someone. If you¡¯re not even willing to meet him, then consider it as if I¡¯ve never mentioned it.¡± Xiumei finally rxed, ¡°With Miss saying that, I¡¯m relieved. I¡¯m determined to apany Miss for a lifetime and be a wealthyndy. How could I casually marry someone?¡± Wei Ruo sighed internally, unsure whether hersting influence on Xiumei¡ªthat as a woman, she must rely on herself, not on a man¡ªwas a good or bad thing. Chapter 501 - 501 Encounter on the Return Journey_1 Chapter 501: Chapter 501 Encounter on the Return Journey_1 They chatted while eating; half an hour passed by, Xiumei brought out a jar of wine. ¡°Almost forgot about this! A new brew of sweet rice wine from these past few days. Dearestdy, when you and the prince went down the mountain, I with nothing to do stayed on the mountain top, made some of this. As it¡¯s warm these past few days, it¡¯s ripe and fragrant after two or three days,e and taste.¡± Xiumei purposefully put the wine in a jar for the convenience of bringing it down the mountain. ¡°No need.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not having any.¡± Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo both simultaneously voiced their refusals. Drinking spells trouble! Both have made fools of themselves because of alcohol; they dare not drink again. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°What¡¯s wrong, mydy? Is your body not feeling well? You usually have sweet rice wine during summers.¡± Xiumei asked. She could understand why the prince would refuse, but why would herdy refuse, too? ¡°I am already full today.¡± Wei Ruo excused herself. Normally she would drink it. The sweet rice wine has a low alcohol level and is sweet. Even if you finish the jar, you wouldn¡¯t get drunk, unless you drink like her second brother does. However, she mysteriously felt a bit apprehensive in the presence of her second brother. She couldn¡¯t afford taking risks. She didn¡¯t mind making a fool of herself in front of Meimei, but in front of her second brother¡­ For some unknown reason, Wei Ruo was somewhat anxious about making a spectacle of herself in her drunken state in front of him, even though she had made a fool of herself in his presence before. ¡°Oh, okay, then I¡­ .¡± After ncing at Wei Jinyi, Xiumei promptly decided to give her sweet rice wine to Xiaobei. As for the prince, because of his low alcohol tolerance, a cup of sweet rice wine could knock him out, so she should not give him any. It is quite a hassle whenever he gets drunk. Xiaobei happily epted the sweet rice wine Xiumei handed him, ¡°Thank you, Lady Xiumei.¡± As Xiaobei and Xiumei delightedly sipped on their sweet rice wine, Wei Ruo took the opportunity to drink tea with Wei Jinyi. After they were well-fed and quenched, each of them retired to their rooms for rest and ablutions. In the dead of night, Wei Ruo woke up, took out Xiumei¡¯s jar of sweet rice wine. Since only Xiaobei and Xiumei had been drinking, there was plenty left in the jar. She dared not drink in front of her second brother. Yet, when left alone, she could not resist rxing a bit, especially with just some harmless sweet rice wine. Wei Ruo opened the window by her bed, sat in front of it and clearly saw the bright moon outside the window. Shadows of trees wavered, insects chirped. The beauty of the night was undeniable, and the nighttime wind in the mountains was cool and refreshing, bringing a sense offort and pleasure to one¡¯s mind and body. Wei Ruo poured herself a bowl and leisurely savoured it, looking very satisfied. Away in the distance, leaning against a tree trunk on the wall, Wei Jinyi stared in the direction where Wei Ruo was. He simply watched her without interrupting or letting Wei Ruo discover his presence. ### Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi stayed in Hejian Prefecture for more than half a month, not only did they finish all the things as nned but also took some time out for sightseeing and enjoying the nature. Before leaving, Wei Ruo handed over all the necessary matters rted to the estate and the nearby cotton fields to Shi Dayou to handle. He is already the vige chief of Stone Vige, good at farming and managing vigers, with experience in management. He is also clear about the basic knowledge of farming; he can solve some minor problems on his own. So, Wei Ruo felt he would be more suited as a manager on the estate rather than working in a shop.¡± Most of the vigers from Stone Vige who had followed them were working in the factory, leaving behind only a couple of them by Shi Dayou¡¯s side to work, so Dayou would have to hire long-term and short-term workers for farming tasks. Wei Ruo instructed Shi Dayou to give priority to those who were homeless. Over the years, the grain production in various ces had not been good, resulting in many disced people. It¡¯s not that these people work harder, so Wei Ruo is willing to employ them. There are diligent and honest people everywhere, as well as those who loaf on the job and try to evade their duties. Wei Ruo just hoped to amodate as many disced people as possible, helping more people who were starving and freezing. After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s arrangement, Shi Dayou fully agreed and was filled with enthusiasm. Being a farmer himself, he was well aware of what ordinary people who have lost theirnd and homes and couldn¡¯t find enough food, would turn into. When he didn¡¯t have the ability, he never had such thoughts. Now that Master Xu had given him an opportunity, he felt happy and honored. As for the coal mine, Wei Ruo let Wei Jinyi arrange the people to manage it. Because the coal mine was not her private property, it was purchased in the name of King Rui Residence, the purchase cost was shared half by Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi. At the time of purchase, Wei Ruo has stated that she would split the ounts fifty-fifty with Wei Jinyi, so she simply let Wei Jinyi arrange the manpower. Wei Jinyi agreed, took this matter very seriously and entrusted it to Zhang Yi to handle. Zhang Yi certainly dared not be negligent, promised Wei Ruo he would do his best to manage the mines. Wei Ruo gave Zhang Yi some additional instructions, she wanted Zhang Yi to pay special attention to the safety of the miners, the safety measures needed to be put in ce, not to exploit thebor of workers, to provide adequate rest time each day, to give appropriate wages and to provide plenty of food. Zhang Yi epted all conditions one by one, also remembered them by heart. ### On the 25th of July, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi embarked on their journey back to Capital City. Again, in the rtively barren area between Hejian Prefecture and Capital City border, Wei Ruo imed that she needed to fetch the freshest spring water for Wei Jinyi to brew medicine, causing the convoy to change course. Then suddenly in the woods, they were not surprisingly ambushed. A group of masked men in ck had been hiding in the area, and when the convoy passed by, theyunched an attack, prompting a fight with the guards of the Wang Residence and the Imperial Guards. The Wang Residence guards and the Imperial Guards sent by the Emperor were elite soldiers, but these attackers were equally skilled, and both sides were evenly matched. Outside the carriage, the sound of swords and sabers shing was heart-stopping; Inside the carriage, Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo were leisurely drinking in a rxed and carefree manner. After a fierce fight, the attacking thieves fled in disarray. Immediately following this, High Steward came to the carriage to inquire about Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo¡¯s wellbeing. ¡°Prince, Queen, the thieves have been repelled. Were you startled?¡± ¡°No harm done.¡± Wei Jinyi replied in a slow and low voice. ¡°As long as the prince is not frightened, this attack will be truthfully reported to the emperor by us, and the matter will be thoroughly investigated!¡± the High Steward said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi responded, then asked, ¡°Did any of you get injured?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The High Steward hesitated and then said, ¡°The others are fine, but as for Doctor Xu¡­ He is no more¡­¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s voice was cold. He was supposed to be ying a man with a death sentence who was disheartened, so when hearing the news of someone¡¯s death, he should not react too strongly. We Jinyi then said, ¡°As it¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s prepare the convoy to continue on our journey.¡± ¡°Yes, we will follow your orders.¡± The High Steward received the orders, retreated and promptly arranged for everyone to move on. After the High Steward retreated, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi shared a look. Everything was understood without being spoken. Chapter 502: Divine Doctor Xu is Dead_1 Chapter 502: Divine Doctor Xu is Dead_1 By the time Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi returned to the Capital City, it was already the end of July. Xiu Fengyuan had almost fully recovered from his injuries, except his reattached arm, which still required a long period of rehabilitation before it could move freely. The rest of his body had essentially fully recovered. After the scabs had fallen off of Lu Yuhong¡¯s wounds, they began to apply the Scar Removal Cream that Wei Ruo had given them, making the scars on their bodies very shallow. The original shallow scars were nowpletely invisible, and the deeper scars had significantly faded. Given time, they too would leave no trace, just like the other wounds. Qi Zhen had also awakened, but his recovery was not at allparable to Xiu Fengyuan and Lu Yuhong¡¯s. Not only was his leg broken and he couldn¡¯t walk, but therge areas of burn wounds on his body were still horrific. The post-healing skin was pitted and twisted, like old tree roots coiled around his body. Qi Zhen, who was always confident of his appearance, could not stand the way he looked now. He not only confined himself in his room but also broke everything in the house. Qi Yansong was helpless about this. The main culprit, Liang Dong was dead, and his family had all died before him. Qi Yansong wanted to avenge his son but couldn¡¯t find anyone. However, if it was just this, it would be manageable. But Fengyuan and Yuhong, who were injured along with his son, had already recovered remarkably. This was uneptable to Qi Zhen and Qi Yansong. So, when he learned that King Rui and his wife were returning to the Capital City today, he sent someone to wait at the city gate early in the morning. As soon as the people from King Rui Residence returned, he would enter the pce to request an imperial decree, asking the emperor to order Divine Doctor Xiu toe to his pce to heal his son, Zhen. ¡°Master, Master¡­¡± The butler Qi Yansong had sent out hurriedly ran over. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you that you¡¯re in such a hurry?¡± ¡°King Rui and Queen Rui are back!¡± ¡°Prepare the pnquin, I am going to enter the pce.¡± Qi Yansong rose from his Taishi Chair, preparing to leave. ¡°Master! That Divine Doctor Xiu is gone!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°What do you mean, gone?¡± ¡°That is¡­ he is¡­ dead¡­¡± the Butler answered tremblingly. Qi Yansong sat down heavily and after a while asked, ¡°What happened?! How could Dr. Xiu be gone out of the blue?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, while King Rui and Queen Rui were on their journey back to the Capital, they ran into an ambush. Dr. Xiu was killed!¡± ¡°An ambush? That¡¯s King Rui and Queen Rui! They are the most cherished by the current emperor! Who would be so bold to plot against them?!¡± ¡°This¡­ this is beyond me.¡± ¡°So were King Rui and Queen Rui hurt?¡± ¡°No, both of them were unscathed.¡± ¡°Neither King Rui nor Queen Rui was injured, but it was the apanying doctor who got killed?¡± ¡°Yes¡­Yes¡­¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Qi Yansong let out a sarcasticugh, he did not believe that it was just a sheer coincidence. Then Qi Yansong ordered, ¡°Go and investigate thoroughly whether King Jing made any moves recently.¡± ¡°Master, you suspect that King Jing attacked King Rui?¡± ¡°Who else in this Capital City other than him, Chu Lan, would be so calcting and hope for my son Zhen¡¯s recovery to be hopeless? Thest time he was attacked in Taizhou Prefecture, it was Zhen who led the attack. Moreover, Zhen¡¯s critical condition is a major blow to my Qi family, and damaging the Qi family is damaging King Yu¡¯s power. How could Chu Lan miss such an opportunity?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand, I will immediately take people to investigate this matter!¡± ### In the residence of Loyal and Righteous Duke, Shou¡¯an Hall. ¡°Father, Mother, this is injustice!¡± Wei Minghong knelt before his parents, pleading his case. Wei Minghong was aggrieved, angry, and resentful. He was stripped of his official position today for dereliction of duty. But Wei Minghong knew that it must be because the Divine Doctor Xiu had died, and the task that Qi master wanted them to finish could not bepleted. As a result, Qi master held them ountable. Because Wei Minghong¡¯s emotions were so high, his plump body rose and fell. He continued toin, ¡°I promised Master Qi it was my brother Wei, and the person who offended Master Qi was my brother¡¯s family, but this disaster ends up befalling me!¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Mingyong jumped out of his chair and said, ¡°Big brother, how did you me this on me? You were there when we met Qi master. When we vowed to Qi master, you agreed faster than me!¡± Wei Minghong retorted, ¡°Originally, it was you who assured me confidently that the matter would definitely be aplished. I believed you, so I went to Qi Residence with you. You also told me that Wanwan will be the concubine of Prince Yu in the future. Our Wei family has also sided with Prince Yu. Master Qi would view us differently.¡± Wei Mingyong said, ¡°It was supposed to be done. Who knew that Wei Qingruo was so unsympathetic and wouldn¡¯t help with such a trivial matter. How could you me me for this?¡± The two argued fiercely and looked like they were about to start fighting. ¡°Don¡¯t pass the buck. The thing has happened, it¡¯s no longer important whose fault it is.¡± The old Madam Wei interrupted her sons¡¯ quarrel. The old and severe Duke Wei said frustratedly, ¡°You two good-for-nothings, you have achieved nothing despite your ages. I warn you, you can mess around all you want, but don¡¯t harm your younger brother and your nephew¡¯s prospects!¡± Both Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong were unconvinced, their faces colored with discontent. Wei Mingyong defended himself, ¡°Father, you can¡¯t me us for this. It¡¯s all due to the third brother¡¯s family!¡± As he spoke, Wei Mingyong¡¯s gaze fell on Yunshi. Today in Shou¡¯an Hall, only Yunshi from the third family came. Therefore, Wei Mingyong ounted all the dissatisfaction with Wei Qingruo to Yunshi. Yunshi did not rebut at the moment. She knew that both of her elder brothers were angry now, and anything she said would not be epted by them. The old Madam Wei admonished, ¡°At this point, you should stop thinking about this and go back to rest well.¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Wei Minghong still looked unwilling. Was he really going to resign himself to this fate? Although his position as Assistant Officer at the Ministry of Works was a low-ranking position, it was nheless a government position. There was a big difference between having this official hat and not having one! ¡°So what can you do now? Argue with Master Qi? Or do you want to argue with Queen Rui?¡± the old Madam Wei retorted. Her words left Wei Minghong speechless. Of course, he also didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Since you can¡¯t do anything, you might as well go back and think about how to deal with the things that will happen in the future. Given your third brother and Yichen¡¯s current situation, you might have the chance to enter the court as officials in the future.¡± The old Madam Wei continued. Hearing these words, Wei Minghong¡¯s emotions calmed down slightly. The old Madam Wei then arranged for the servants to escort Wei Minghong and his wife, as well as Wei Mingyong and his wife back to their quarters, leaving only Yunshi behind. ¡°Mother, is there anything else you want to tell me?¡± Yunshi asked cautiously. Chapter 503: Wei Qingwans Reaction _1 Chapter 503: Wei Qingwan¡¯s Reaction _1 ¡°My third daughter-inw, given the current situation, let¡¯s forego asking Queen Rui for help. However, you should still endeavor to mend your rtionship with her in the future. You¡¯re very blessed; even though there was a mix-up with your daughters, both are still yours. Don¡¯t miss out on this great opportunity!¡± The old Madam Wei said emphatically. Madam Yun froze for a moment, then responded: ¡°I understand.¡± Old Madam Wei continued: ¡°Your son Tingting is at war, unable to properly take care of his household duties. You are the one who has to step up. With Yichen having be the top schr, both your daughters set to be queens, and even the youngest Yilin behaving sensibly and maturely, you should treasure these blessings. You¡¯re more fortunate than anyone else, even your sisters-inw, especially the second one. Do you understand?¡± Old Madam Wei knew Madam Yun had been recently at loggerheads with the Bai family. She was advising her to look at the bigger picture, and not focus exclusively on the Bai family. Madam Yun stared at Old Madam Wei, her eyes filled with surprise. She hadn¡¯t realised her mother knew everything. Then Madam Yun said: ¡°I will heed mother¡¯s advice.¡± ¡°If you understand, that¡¯s best. You may go now.¡± Old Madam Wei didn¡¯t say much more, seeing that Madam Yun had understood her meaning, she allowed her to leave. After the younger generation had left, Old Master Wei expressed his anger to Old Madam Wei: ¡°Aren¡¯t you upset at all?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get upset. Anger won¡¯t help. Just as I told our eldest son, can you really pick a fight with Minister Qi or Queen Rui? Even though Queen Rui is our granddaughter, from the moment she married into King Rui Residence, she became someone we must kneel to and greet.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we treat her well too! She disregarded all our kindness. How can I not be angry?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t our kindness alsoe with strings attached? To be honest, didn¡¯t we believe that our own flesh and blood daughter was better than whatever we found outside?¡± Old Madam Wei responded. ¡°You sure take it easy!¡± Old Master Wei was still upset. ¡°Old man, how is worrying going to help us? Think about it, now that the third house is doing so well and we are livingfortably, as long as we can maintain our nobility, the first and second house can¡¯t have it too hard.¡± Old Madam Wei advised. ¡°Forget it, I can¡¯t argue with you. The more we talk, the more I seem to be the unreasonable one!¡± Old Master Wei, unable to argue with Old Madam Wei, waved his hand dismissively, and headed towards the inner room. ### Wei Qingwan was waiting in her room for Cuihe to bring her news. Only a few elders participated in the family meeting in Shou¡¯an Hall, neither Wei Qingwan nor her cousins attended. Wei Qingwan wanted to know what the older generation had decided, so she sent Cuihe to Shou¡¯an Hall to gather information. Shortly, Cuihe returned. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s confirmed, Doctor Xu is gone. The old master and his wife have given up on seeking help from Queen Rui. Most likely, the old master was sacked due to this incident, and he is furious with Queen Rui.¡± Hearing Cuihe¡¯s report, Wei Qingwan felt conflicted.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Doctor Xu¡­ is really dead¡­¡± Wei Qingwan said, seeming somewhat absent. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. Even though Doctor Xu is not around, there are other divine doctors in the world. When you be the side consort of King Yu, you can find a better divine doctor for treatment. Furthermore, the scars on your back are hardly visible now, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Cuihe didn¡¯t think it was a big deal. Wei Qingwan said in a low voice, ¡°My fate is such. If there is anyone to me, it would be myself for not being prepared earlier. By the time I reacted, Wei Qingruo had caught me off guard. Only now do I realize she had beenughing at me secretly all along. Who knows how many times sheughed behind my back over the years? She must have thought I was a fool.¡± Wei Qingwan turned to look at her reflection in the mirror, her face revealed her weariness. ¡°Queen Rui is really hateful! She doesn¡¯t just treat you this way, Miss, she treats everyone in the family the same. In my opinion, everyone else in the family hates her too, yet for some reason, the old madam keeps speaking up for her!¡± Cuihe quickly chimed in, echoing Wei Qingwan¡¯s sentiments. Wei Qingwan gave a self-deprecatingugh, then said, ¡°I wonder how Mr. Qi is doing now.¡± She was still concerned about Qi Zhen. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry about Mr. Qi. There are imperial physicians by his side, he¡¯ll recover.¡± Cuihe reassured her. ¡°Without Doctor Xu, he can¡¯t continue the limb reattachment procedure like the Xiu¡¯s son. I can¡¯t imagine how he will cope now that he¡¯s lost his leg, knowing how proud he is.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Cuihe didn¡¯t know how tofort her in this situation. ¡°Qi Zhen was so kind to me, I should help him. If Doctor Xu were alive, for Qi¡¯s sake, I would have been willing to apologize to Wei Qingruo, but now it¡¯s toote.¡± Wei Qingwan murmured. ¡°Easy for you to say, Miss. In my opinion, it¡¯s good that you didn¡¯t go. If you had, who knows how Queen Rui would have treated you!¡± ¡°Yes, she would definitely not let me off easily. But if it were for Qi Zhen, I wouldn¡¯t mind suffering a little,¡± said Wei Qingwan in a soft voice. After a pause, Wei Qingwan continued: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. What I think doesn¡¯t matter now; I can¡¯t change anything. Instead of fussing about it, I should think about what I need to do in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Miss. Your wedding day is near, you should focus more on preparations.¡± Right after that, Wei Qingwan looked at the fruit basket on the table and said, ¡°Can you help me take these peaches to my second aunt?¡± The peaches were shipped from Jiangnan. There weren¡¯t many, the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence received only one basket. Most of them ended up in Shou¡¯an Hall for the old Madam Wei. Wei Qingwan received two peaches as a soon-to-be consort of King Yu. Now, Wei Qingwan, foregoing the peaches herself, told Cuihe to give them all to Madam Bai to win her favor. ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you going to give any to madam?¡± ¡°Who cares about my two measly peaches right now? Her own son is the top schr and her own daughter is the primary wife of King Rui; she has more than enough good things.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ### King Rui Residence, Songzhu Garden. After returning to the residence, Wei Ruo was sitting in her room, having Lin Fang make her a new human skin mask. Even though she could openly buy properties under her identity as Wei Qingruo now, she still preferred not to openly unt her status as Queen Rui when going out. ¡°Miss, it was right of you to abandon the identity of Doctor Xu. With your body maturing, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for you to dress as a man,¡± Lin Fang said as she was applying materials to Wei Ruo¡¯s face to make the human skin mask. She looked at the mirror that reflected Wei Ruo and continued. Chapter 504: 504 Doctor Xus Legacy_1 Chapter 504: Chapter 504 Doctor Xu¡¯s Legacy_1 Fifteen-year-old Wei Ruo¡¯s body had matured, even the bandages she used to hide her curves were no longer effective as her womanly figure was bing pronounced. ¡°Indeed, you are right, so I need a new female identity this time, a woman of average appearance will do.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Understood.¡± As Lin Fang was creating Wei Ruo¡¯s new human skin mask, she reported to Wei Ruo about the events that recently happened in the court. Wei Jinyi had instructed them to let Wei Ruo know about any matters outside, and they were to tell her everything in detail. ¡°By the way, Miss, during the morning court session yesterday, an Imperial Physician from Lord Qi¡¯s camp publicly used King Jing of plotting to assassinate King Rui, leading to a heated argument in the court.¡± ¡°What did the Emperor say?¡± Asked Wei Ruo. ¡°The Emperor ordered the Inspection Institute to thoroughly investigate this matter.¡± Lin Fang replied. ¡°I see.¡± Wei Ruo was not worried about this issue, since her second brother had done it, he must have thought about how to handle the aftermath. It was unlikely they would be caught staging the assassination themselves.
Lin Fang continued, ¡°The heir of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Duke Residence, your granduncle, has been dismissed for dereliction of duty.¡± ¡°I am not surprised.¡± Xu Heyou¡¯s death marked the end of the Wei Family¡¯s potential to assist Qi Yansong. It was only expected for Qi Yansong to punish the Wei family since they failed to help him. Wei Yichen and Wei Mingting were untouchable, one was the new Top Schr, and the other was a war hero who had won multiple battles. Qi Yansong would not be foolish enough to harm them openly. Wei Minghong only held a minor and unimportant official function. If someone wanted to dismiss him, they could easily find an excuse and do so without much effort. Wei Minghong and some members of the Wei family likely resented her by now. Wei Ruo asked Lin Fang: ¡°Have there been any news from the southeast coastithese days?¡± She had limited ways to get real-time updates about the border conflict, and she had to rely on her own people to deliver the news. Nheless, by the time the news reached her it would already be about half a month old. Her second brother and his people had more timely information than her. She wondered how her father and Brother Xiaoyong were doing. ¡°Guard Commander Wei once again sessfully defended against the Japanese Pirates. It is said that Wei had set up defenses in advance, caught the enemy off guard, meaning the Anti-Japanese Army did not suffer any loss. Wei also was not injured.¡± ¡°Did you hear anything about a man called Xu Zhengyong in the army?¡± ¡°Master Xu is safe. The lord knew that Master Xu is your elder brother, so he specifically asked the messenger to inquire about him.¡± Lin Fang exined. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± After some thought, Lin Fang continued, ¡°In his recent report to the Emperor, Wei expressed his intention to counterattack Japan¡­ However, he was opposed by a group of officials led by Lord Qi.¡± Lin Fang answered. Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, and she asked, ¡°What did the Emperor say?¡± ¡°The Emperor did not provide a response for now, but I heard from the lord that the likelihood of the Emperor¡¯s disapproval is quite high.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± Said Wei Ruo. The original Emperor did not send troops to attack Japan until his death.
It was not that the Emperor didn¡¯t have the ambition to wage war, but there were too many problems both internally and externally, making the threat of the Japanese pirates a less pressing issuepared to the others. Even when Chu Lanter seeded the throne, he still couldn¡¯t send troops to counterattack Japan because there were many problems in the empire during that time. Wei Ruo murmured: ¡°If the Emperor agrees to send troops to Japan, I do have some strategies that might be of help¡­¡± ¡°Does Miss wish tounch an attack on Japan?¡± Lin Fang asked.
¡°Yes, we can¡¯t let them bully us forever, yet we¡¯re only able to defend passively. I worry the situation will continue if we do nothing.¡± Wei Ruo answered, pausing before adding another sentence, ¡°Of course, we must also consider all aspects and only counter-attack when we have everything ready. We cannot gamble with the lives of our soldiers.¡± ¡°Miss is correct.¡± During their conversation, Lin Fangpleted the new human skin mask as per Wei Ruo¡¯s request. Looking at herself in the mirror, Wei Ruo was quite satisfied. However, this was merely to facilitate her outings. She should keep this identity low-profile. After removing the finished human skin mask, she stored it in a special box. After washing her face, Wei Ruo went to the front yard to speak with Wei Jinyi. She had some issues she wanted to discuss with him. ### In the following days, a rumor circted that, despite the death of Lady Xu, she left a significant amount of her possessions. These possessions were primarily medicinal creams that included hemostatic medicine, scar-removal cream, and medicine to treatmon colds. This news attracted the attention of many aristocratic families. The reason being that recently, Doctor Xu¡¯s fame was at its peak, and the effects of his creams were said to be extraordinary. In addition, given Lady Xu¡¯s death, these creams had be limited-edition items, and those who desired the creams in the future would not be able to obtain them. The Lu and Qi families showed the most interest in this.
The reason? Both of their sons needed Doctor Xu¡¯s cream. Lu Yuhong¡¯s scar-removal cream from Doctor Xu had run out, and there were still traces of scars that needed to bepletely cleared, which would require several more boxes. Although the Qi family had never used Doctor Xu¡¯s cream before, judging from how Lu Yuhong and Xiu Fengyuan looked now, it was clear how effective the cream was. The Imperial Physicians led by Xing Jiang had also used many creams on Qi Zhen, but the effects were not satisfactory. Therefore, the Qi family was determined to obtain Doctor Xu¡¯s leftover creams.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The Lu and Qi families both sent messages to the King Rui Residence. They received the same response: there were too many people who wanted the items from the King Rui Residence and the prince could not make a decision easily. In the name of fairness, King Rui Residence decided to publicly auction Lady Xu¡¯s possessions. So, the King Rui Residence posted a public announcement, stating that an auction would be held in front of the mansion on the first day of August. Therefore, three dayster, Suzaku Street in front of the King Rui Residence was packed with people. Not only did the Lu and Qi families send people, but other major families also sent people to watch the spectacle. There were also people who considered participating in the auction, given how renowned the divine doctor was, if there were useful items and the price was right, it would be a good idea to buy some to keep. Chu Lan sent his confidant to join, but whether he would make a move was unknown to others. The Wei family also sent people, not just because of Wei Qingwan, but also wanting to see what would happen when the Lu and Qi families sent people. Who knew what would take ce? In the crowd, a newly masked Wei Ruo, Xiumei, and Lin Fang, all disguised, stood together watching the spectacle. The three of them were indistinguishable from the crowd, appearing like an average-looking youngdy of amoner¡¯s family apanied by her two equally nondescript maidens.
Chapter 505: 505: Earned another Fortune_1 Chapter 505: Earned another Fortune_1 ¡°Miss, there really are a lot of people!¡± Xiumei observed the crowd excitedly. The people who came were either well-dressed sons and daughters of esteemed families, or house managers representing their masters. These people hadpletely blocked Suzaku Street. ¡°When a person is alive, they have as many belongings as they desire, thus they don¡¯t hold any value. When they¡¯re dead, what¡¯s left are the few worldly possessions they leave behind, which naturally be rarities. More people are naturally drawn to bid on these items,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss, your idea is really great!¡± Xiumei admired Wei Ruo as always. ¡°Also, having King Rui Residence as our backing helps a lot,¡± Wei Ruo added. If it weren¡¯t for the support of King Rui Residence, the Qi Family and Lu Family would likely both be applying pressure, and they wouldn¡¯t be allowed to auction off Xu Heyou¡¯s possessions. Butler Yun Zixiu from Wang Residence is presiding over the auction ceremony. The auction items included: ten boxes of Scar Removal Cream, eight bottles of Hemostatic Medicine, three bottles of Wind-cold Medicine, twelve pieces of Tiger Balm, and twenty Pain-relieving Patches. The auction was conducted with each type of item sold separately, with the highest bidder taking all. The first item to be auctioned off was the ten boxes of Scar Removal Cream.
Everyone had thought it would be a lively bidding war. However, as soon as it began, the representative from the Qi Family offered an astonishing bid of five thousand taels of silver. This caused the other families who were just there to participate in the auction to lose interest. No matter how good Divine Doctor Xu¡¯s medicine was, it was just for minor ailments, not life-saving ones. Who would spend such an enormous amount of money just for some scar-healing cream? Additionally, no one wanted to unnecessarily provoke the Qi family. Only the Lu family didn¡¯t back down and started topete with the Qi Family. After ten-or-so rounds of bidding, the price quickly escted to over ten thousand taels. The crowd watching was stunned. They didn¡¯t expect thepetition today to be so intense. Anyone with a keen eye could see that today¡¯s fight wasn¡¯t just about the medicine, but a grudge match between the two families. Both the Qi Family and the Lu Family had ongoing grudges against each other since the explosion incident. It was clear to see that, despite the Emperor¡¯s mediation in the past, the two families still despised each other. After several more rounds of bidding, the Qi Family finally won the ten boxes of Scar Removal Cream with a winning bid of sixteen thousand taels of silver. This worked out to be one thousand and six hundred taels per box. This was just the first item, and it had already reached such a high price. There are still several more items to be auctioned. Today¡¯s auction might the King Rui Residence tens of thousands of taels of silver! Wei Mingyong was stunned upon hearing this. Was it really that easy to earn money? A few boxes of scar cream sold for such an enormous amount of silver? That¡¯s an amount that manymon families wouldn¡¯t earn in several generations! Looking at it this way, it wasn¡¯t so foolish for Wanwan to spend two thousand taels on a box of Scar Removal Cream. Previously, he and his wife hadughed at Wanwan behind her back, saying that she must have been out of her mind to borrow two thousand taels to buy a box of Scar Removal Cream. It seems that there really are a lot of fools who care about their appearance in this world! In the crowd, Wei Ruo was quite satisfied with the oue. ¡°Capital City is indeed a great ce,¡± Wei Ruo said. If this was in Huzhou Prefecture, where she used to live, this kind of spectacle wouldn¡¯t be possible, and the prices wouldn¡¯t be so high either. Lin Fang nudged Xiumei with her elbow and asked, ¡°Has the youngdy always been so skilled at making money?¡±
¡°Yes, the youngdy has always known how to earn money,¡± Xiumei proudly replied. Lin Fang couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°The youngdy and the master are really incredible. They have utilized this opportunity to the fullest extent.¡± At first, it seemed that arranging for Xu Heyou¡¯s death was merely to free the youngdy of his clutches. However, the master and youngdy exploited this opportunity far beyond that, achieving additional objectives. The master used this opportunity to sow discord between the Qi Family and King Jing, whilst the youngdy used Xu Heyou¡¯s death to turn a huge profit! There¡¯s no denying their genius!
The auction continued. The remaining Hemostatic Medicine, Wind-cold Medicine, Tiger Balm, and Pain-relieving Patches were all purchased by the Lu Family and Qi Family. None of the other families won any of the items. It wasn¡¯t that the other people didn¡¯t want to buy, but they didn¡¯t have the capacity topete with the Lu Family and Qi Family. Even those who had the money were unwilling to offend these two families over these items. After the auction, Wei Ruo returned to the back courtyard of Wang Residence. Lin Fang handed the silver notes from the auction to Wei Ruo. ¡°Young Miss, a total of fifty-three thousand six hundred taels of silver,¡± she reported. Wei Ruo took the silver notes, satisfied, ¡°As expected of the Lu Family and the Qi Family, they really are wealthy.¡± For Wei Ruo, the cost of the medicines was not high, but they sold at extravagant prices. She had made a killing! ¡°Young Miss, with your medicine being so valuable, you don¡¯t need to go through so much effort to buy so many fields andnds. Just sell more medicine and you¡¯ll have everything,¡± Lin Fang remarked. ¡°No. First of all, I can¡¯t sell too much of the medicine. Rarity makes it valuable. If I sell too much, its price will drop. Do you know why today¡¯s medicine could be sold at such a high price? Inrge part, it¡¯s because everyone thought that, with the death of Xu Heyou, these were the only remaining medicines in the world. Additionally, the rivalry between the Lu Family and the Qi Family also resulted in the abnormal high prices today.¡± ¡°Secondly, farming is not just about making money. If there is a food shortage and people have no grain to eat, what good would it do to have a bunch of silver? Silver can¡¯t fill your stomach, only grain can.¡± Wei Ruo exined to Lin Fang. Lin Fang thought carefully about Wei Ruo¡¯s words, then said, ¡°I was being shallow.¡± ¡°Enough about that. I happened to have my eye on a few pieces ofnd near Capital City, along with several shops on White Tiger Street. They are pricey, so I hesitated to buy them before. Now, I just happen to have the money for them. You two apany me on this trip.¡±
¡°Yes, Miss,¡± responded Xiumei and Lin Fang in unison. ### On the 8th day of the 8th month, Prince Yu had his grand wedding. Compared with the grandeur of Wei Ruo¡¯s wedding, today¡¯s Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence was a lot quieter. It¡¯s not that the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence didn¡¯t want to hold a grand ceremony for Wei Qingwan, but rather, they couldn¡¯t. If they were to arrange Wei Qingwan¡¯s wedding with the same standards as Wei Ruo¡¯s, it would be seen as provoking, not only the Qi Family but the Royal Family as well. The standard for a concubine¡¯s wedding should never surpass that of the principal wife.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Furthermore, in Wei Ruo¡¯s wedding, the Emperor had granted permission for Wei Mingting to return and preside over the ceremony. But for Wei Qingwan¡¯s wedding, this privilege was not provided. The dowry from the Old Madam Wei for Wei Qingwan was the same as promised to her legitimate daughters, without exceeding that of Wei Ruo, the eldest legitimate daughter. Madam Yun also prepared the dowry for Wei Qingwan as originally promised, nothing more. Madam Bai, on the other hand, was quite attentive. She added tworge boxes of dowry for Wei Qingwan, containing jewelry, silk, and porcin. It was clear she had spent quite a lot of silver. Wei Yichen didn¡¯t provide Wei Qingwan with any additional dowry. He didn¡¯t even say a word of advice to her. As for Wei Qingwan¡¯s wedding, he had been indifferent from beginning to end.
Wei Yilin paid even less attention to Wei Qingwan. When it came time to send her off, he stood aside with the other elders, silently watching her boarding the bridal sedan chair. Chapter 506 - 506 Wei Qingwan’s Wedding Night_1 Chapter 506: Chapter 506 Wei Qingwan¡¯s Wedding Night_1 Wei Qingwan¡¯s wedding dress and dowry were far inferior to Wei Ruo¡¯s. The person who came to wee the bride was not King Chu Heng himself, but the steward of King Yu Residence. Despite her resentment, Wei Qingwan had no choice but to ept. As Wei Qingwan¡¯s older sister, Wei Ruo should have returned home to attend the wedding, but she excused herself, iming that King Rui was unwell and needed her care. Her excuse was usible, leaving others speechless. Even though the Wei Family and Wei Qingwan were upset, they had no power over Wei Ruo. Of course, rumours about a strained rtionship between the sisters also circted. After all, Wei Ruo had attended the birthday of the Lu family¡¯s elder but was mysteriously absent from her own sister¡¯s wedding, even if King Rui was unwell, he did not necessarily require constant care. Wei Ruo was not affected by such spections. She had no desire to pretend she was close to Wei Qingwan. She did not want to waste her time visiting the Wei Family. Recently opened were the branches of the Four Treasure House and a preserved meat shop in the Capital City, and she had newly acquired properties and farnd to manage. On top of all this, she had to oversee the harvest of rice. She had no intention to spend her time fawning over her family. Xiu Fengyuan and Lu Yuhong, being good friends with Wei Yichen, attended the celebratory event of the Wei Family. Given recent events, they naturally became the focus of attention. Both of them were in good condition, able to walk on their own, with no visible injuries. Even Xiu Fengyuan¡¯s arm injury was barely noticeable beneath his clothes, as long as he didn¡¯t reveal it himself, nobody would be able to tell. Contrastingly, Qi Zhen did not attend the wedding at King Yu¡¯s Residence. As the bride¡¯s brother, he should have been there, reinforcing the external spection that the third son of the Qi Family was in a grave condition. It was clear that Qi Zhen, Xiu Fengyuan, and Lu Yuhong had all suffered injuries at the same time. Even though the severity of their injuries varied, there was a vast disparity in their current conditions. This naturally led people to once again marvel at the skill of the Divine Doctor from King Rui¡¯s Residence. What a pity, the doctor¡¯s prodigious skill was short-lived as he had already passed away. ### Wei Qingwan was carried into King Yu¡¯s Residence in a bridal sedan chair. While the queen, Qi Shijing, entered through the main gate, she entered through a side door. After leaving the sedan chair, Wei Qingwan was supported by her maid, Cuihe, and led to her residence, Cuiting Pavilion, by a maid of the Wang Residence. Most of the people in King Yu¡¯s Residence were visiting the queen, making Cuiting Pavilionparatively deserted. At night, Wei Qingwan sat on the edge of her bed. The asional crackling sounds of the candle filled the room with silence, where Wei Qingwan could hear her own breathing and the sound of servants moving outside her room. Her apanying maid, Li Momo, and Cuihe were waiting in the room. Most likely, King Yu would not be visiting the concubine¡¯s chambers tonight, but Wei Qingwan held out a sliver of hope for an audience with him. As time ticked past, King Yu did not appear in Cuiting Pavilion as she had hoped. By midnight, without any sight of King Yu, Li Momo and Cuihe helped Wei Qingwan undress and prepare for sleep. As she undressed from her meticulously prepared wedding attire, Wei Qingwan¡¯s mood visibly darkened. King Yu had not set eyes on her in that wedding dress. Noticing Wei Qingwan¡¯s gloomy mood, Cuiheforted her, ¡°Miss, you must get some sleep. There¡¯s a reason the Prince couldn¡¯te tonight, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s disappointment was palpable, yet she could sympathize. After all, she was just a concubine and had entered the residence on the same day as Queen Qi Shijing, the principal wife, she had always been mentally prepared for this. However, she had, after all, married into the Wang Residence, and she was sure her life would progressively improve. Wei Qingwan, brimming with regret yet filled with anticipation for better days, drifted off to sleep. In the days that followed, Wei Qingwan lived her days in anticipation, yearning for King Yu to visit her chambers. Yet, she was met with disappointment time and again. King Yu hadn¡¯t once visited her chambers, he always stayed in the Queen¡¯s room. Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart was filled with smothered grievances ¨C but there was nothing she could do. She couldn¡¯t even see the face of King Yu, what could she do about her dissatisfaction? August fourteen, the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Qi Shijing paid a visit to the Cuiting Pavilion. Wei Qingwan stepped outside to wee her. Wei Qingwan lifted her gaze to see Qi Shijing, beautifully elegant with her eyebrows like painted strokes, skin as white as lotus root, adorned in a wide-sleeved long dress with golden threads. Her makeup was extravagant and stately, but underneath all that was a face that held an air of youth and innocence. Qi Shijing was not much older, only just turned fifteen this year, not much older than Wei Qingwan, yet her overall demeanor made here across as extremely mature and seasoned. Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart involuntarily sank, a hefty sense of worry seeping into her being. ¡°I pay my respects to older sister Queen,¡± Wei Qingwan bowed down, head drooping, acting subdued and respectful. Qi Shijing remained quiet, sizing up Wei Qingwan. After a little while, she said, ¡°Lift your head.¡± Per hermand, Wei Qingwan raised her head. ¡°As expected, you truly are a beauty. My brother was not mistaken in his praise,¡±mented Qi Shijing. Upon hearing her words, Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t dare to respond. ¡°Sit. Don¡¯t just stand there. We¡¯ll be sisters in the future, there¡¯s no need to be so formal,¡± Qi Shijing kindly said with a subtle smile on her lips. Wei Qingwan paused; Qi Shijing¡¯s behavior towards her was far better than she had anticipated. Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s hesitancy, Qi Shijing smiled gently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Prince is nobility of the highest order. There won¡¯t just be me, or even just you and me in his life. I don¡¯t need to bear you any animosity, and neither do you need to be so stiff around me.¡± ¡°The Prince is busy with many things every day. As the women in the Prince¡¯s backyard, we should get along and manage the backyard together, sparing the Prince from unnecessary worries.¡± Qi Shijing didn¡¯t use formal Royal title while addressing Wei Qingwan, instead, she employed the informal ¡°I¡±, creating an amicable atmosphere. Her candid words made her seem especially approachable. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan¡¯s earlier anxieties dissipated. All these days, she had been worried Qi Shijing would bear her ill will or even try to trip her up. As she still wasn¡¯t favored by the Prince, life in the Wang Residence would undoubtedly be difficult. ¡°Thank you, older sister Queen. I will keep a low profile and not cause any trouble for the prince and elder sister Queen,¡± Wei Qingwan spoke quickly. ¡°That¡¯s good then. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand or need in the Wang Residence, let someone ry it to me and I¡¯ll have it arranged.¡± ¡°Everything is wonderful here at the Wang Residence, it is truly my good fortune to be here,¡± Wei Qingwan expressed her gratitude. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Qi Shijing smiled approvingly and continued, ¡°By the way, you and your sister, Queen Rui, must share a close bond, don¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 507: Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet_1 Chapter 507: Mid-Autumn Pce Banquet_1 Wei Qingwan hesitated, then replied after a moment of thought, ¡°Due to many years of separation, I wouldn¡¯t say we¡¯re exceptionally close.¡± Her intentionally vague response was meant to gauge Qi Shijing¡¯s stance, so that she could decide how she should describe her rtionship with Wei Qingruo. Qi Shijing said, ¡°You and your sister should spend more time together, being sisters and sisters-inw at the same time is quite a rare rtionship.¡± ¡°Your servant understands,¡± Wei Qingwan replied. Once Wei Qingwan understood Qi Shijing¡¯s attitude, she dared not let Qi Shijing know about her real rtionship with Wei Ruo. ¡°By the way, do you know about Doctor Xu, thete divine doctor of the King Rui Residence?¡± ¡°Your servant doesn¡¯t know much, he was an acquaintance that my sister knew from before,¡± Wei Qingwan answered. Wei Qingwan wasn¡¯t able to confirm before, but when the King Rui Residence auctioned off the Scar Removal Cream, she was certain that the Divine Doctor Xu of Capital City and the Divine Doctor Xu of Taizhou prefecture were the same person. From this, it could be inferred that Wei Qingwan must have been acquainted with Doctor Xu. ¡°Oh? He was an old friend of your sister¡¯s?¡± Qi Shijing revealed a surprised expression. ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°Why does your tone sound unsure?¡± ¡°Because my sister lived in the countryside for a while due to health reasons and became acquainted with some unusual folk. She never spoke to us about it, so we are not very clear. The only reason I suspect this is because I have seen her with Doctor Xu on a few asions,¡± Wei Qingwan responded. Wei Qingwan deliberately obscured the rtionship between Wei Ruo and Doctor Xu. ¡°I see,¡± Qi Shijing expressed understanding, then quickly added with regret, ¡°It¡¯s a pity Doctor Xu has passed away. Otherwise, it would have been great if he could treat my brother.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why my sister did not agree at the time. If I had known earlier, I would have definitely gone to the King Rui Residence to beg her to treat your brother,¡± Wei Qingwan said hurriedly. Wei Qingwan was worried that Qi Shijing might me her for the King Rui Residence not allowing Doctor Xu to treat Qi Zhen. ¡°No matter, I have learned a little about this matter. At that time, King Rui was unwell, and Doctor Xu needed to take care of him. Additionally, due to the hot weather in the Capital City, King Rui went to the Tongshan Temple in Hejian Prefecture to escape the heat and pray for blessings, which is why he missed the opportunity,¡± Looking at Qi Shijing¡¯s gentle and understanding demeanor, Wei Qingwan felt somewhat inferior. After that, Qi Shijing talked with Wei Qingwan for an hour, enthusiastically inquiring about every aspect of her life, which made Wei Qingwan feel a little overwhelmed. The frustration that she hadn¡¯t been able to see the Princest few days waspletely swept away. Leaving the Cuiting Pavilion, Qi Shijing sneered and said to the person next to her, ¡°I thought Wei Qingwan was some sort of a remarkable person. As it turns out, she¡¯s nothing special. She may have a pretty face, but that¡¯s all she has. She¡¯s just a toy serving men with her looks.¡± ¡°Your Highness, why were you so attentive to her just now? Addressing her as a sister, a person of her origin is not worthy to be addressed as sisters with you,¡± Qi Shijing¡¯s personal maid, Tingxue, asked. ¡°Although she is insignificant, her connections could potentially help the Prince get closer to King Rui.¡± ¡°But back then, the King Rui Residence didn¡¯t let Doctor Xu treat the Third Prince¡­¡± ¡°Enduring minor grievances prevents major conflicts. The me for my third brother can be addressed in the future. The most important thing now is not to have a falling out with the King Rui Residence. If we lose sight of the big picture because of such a thing, it would be a case of losing more than we gain,¡± ¡°But King Rui is terminally ill, why does your Highness bother to build good rtionships with him?¡± ¡°Although King Rui himself doesn¡¯t pose much of a threat, he is in the Emperor¡¯s favor and might be able to put in a good word for our Prince. Furthermore, there are still some people in the imperial court who honor thete Duke Xu, and therefore King Rui does have some influence. Now that our Qi Family has definitely fallen out with the Lu Family, it is very possible that the Lu Family will lean towards King Jing¡¯s side. We must try to draw as many people as possible to our side. Not only me, but even my aunt is trying to maintain good rtions with the people in the King Rui Residence,¡± ¡°I see, I was foolish.¡± ¡°So we should treat Wei Concubine well these days. Whatever she needs, let someone attend to it.¡± ¡°Your servant understands.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°In a while, bring the first-ss maids from the backyard to me. I¡¯ll pick a few with good looks to elevate them to concubines and thus supplement the Prince¡¯s harem.¡± ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re going to add more people to the Prince¡¯s harem?¡± ¡°Why not? I am the queen, no matter how many women in the harem, they are just concubines and servants, none of them can surpass me. My focus should not be only onpeting for favor in the harem. Even my cousin wouldn¡¯t want me to be so. But remember, everyone who¡¯s favored must drink the child-avoidance soup. The eldest son can onlye from my womb, and no one else¡¯s.¡± Qi Shijing was born into the Qi family, where from a young age she was taught not only how to be a good housewife, but also how to be a future queen or even empress. She had also witnessed a lot of how her mother managed the women in their backyard. Hence, she knew exactly how to handle the women in the harem from a young age. ¡°Your servant obeys.¡± ### Fifteenth of August, Mid-Autumn Festival. The Emperor held a banquet in the pce, where all the imperial rtives and important ministers of the court attended with their families. This time, Wei Ruo was unable to avoid it. Wei Ruo dressed up and apanied Wei Jinyi on the pnquin heading to the pce. Because of Wei Jinyi¡¯s condition, the Emperor took special care of him. So, unlike the other princes who had to arrive early for the banquet, only close to the start of the banquet did he and Wei Ruo take their seats. In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, there was a huge crowd. The center of the square was covered with a five-meter-wide red carpet, with exquisite dancers in flowing dresses performing on it. Court musicians were ying music on the side. The beautiful music flowed from their fingertips, apanying the dancers. On both sides of the carpet were tables made of huanghuali wood, each covered with gold-rimmed Yunjin brocade tablecloths, and adorned with gold tes, silver bowls, jade green liquor pots and colorful porcin tes filled with delicacies. The Emperor sat in the main seat, with Qi Imperial Concubine on his right and Hui Concubine on his left. King Rui, King Jing, King Yu and several other princes sat below. The seat allocated to Wei Jinyi was the one closest to the main seat, and Wei Ruo sat beside him. This was the first time that Wei Ruo had seen the Emperor. He was in his fifties, with graying hair and visible wrinkles. His face showed signs of fatigue, and he did not seem very spirited. ording to the original story, the Emperor did not have much longer to live, and after his death, Chu Lan would ascend the throne. ording to Wei Ruo¡¯s judgement at the moment, the Emperor¡¯s current state matches the original setting. Unlike everyone else drinking wine, Wei Jinyi had tea in front of him. Wei Ruo could pretend to attend to Wei Jinyi, so she did not have to interact too much with others. Sitting opposite Wei Ruo was King Jing, Chu Lan himself. When Wei Ruo casually looked over, she happened to catch Chu Lan looking at her with an inscrutable gaze¡­ Chapter 508: 508: What Chu Lan Seeks_1 Chapter 508: What Chu Lan Seeks_1 With that, Wei Ruo quickly looked away again. Wei Jinyi keenly noticed this. He slowly raised his head, meeting Chu Lan¡¯s unabashed examining gaze. In public, Wei Jinyi still maintained a sickly fa?ade with his pale face and cloudy, dim eyes. Compared to him, Chu Lan¡¯s gaze was sharp, confident, and full of insight. Just as their gazes met, Wei Ruo subtly leaned towards Wei Jinyi, gently resting against his side. Then she picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks and moved it towards Wei Jinyi¡¯s lips. Such an act would be inappropriate for others as it could seem improper in public. However, Wei Jinyi¡¯s circumstances were special, and Wei Ruo¡¯s actions appeared more like she was taking care of him, providing him support. Wei Jinyi¡¯s body stiffened noticeably, and he turned to look at Wei Ruo who was leaning against him. Wei Ruo, nestled against Wei Jinyi, failed to notice his difort. She wondered why Chu Lan was looking at her that way. Regardless, she decided it¡¯s best to stay by Jinyi¡¯s side and continue performing her role as Queen Rui in public without revealing any weaknesses. ¡°Second brother,¡± Wei Ruo gently reminded him.
If he won¡¯t open his mouth to eat, her hand holding the chopsticks would be sore. Her voice brought Wei Jinyi out of his thoughts, and he opened his mouth, taking in the piece of fish. As he chewed on the fish, Wei Jinyi realized that the chopsticks were Wei Ruo¡¯s and that she had already used them earlier. Upon realizing this, he felt his chest grow even hotter. He could clearly hear his heart beating faster than usual, his cheeks warming unusually. But he remained motionless. Initially, Wei Ruo had been focusing on picking up food for Wei Jinyi, but a casual nce upwards revealed the blush on Wei Jinyi¡¯s ears and neck. ¡°Second brother, are you feeling warm?¡± Wei Ruo asked softly. ¡°Yes, a bit,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, King Jing is watching us. Every time I see him, I can¡¯t help but worry, although I¡¯m not sure what he has noticed. I think it¡¯s best to be careful, so I came closer to you, and fed you, which suits your frail health. It also makes us appear more loving. But being this close is a bit warm. Can you bear with it?¡± Wei Ruo exined to Wei Jinyi. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± His warmth wasn¡¯t entirely because someone was leaning against him¡­ To outsiders, the interactions between Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi resembled the affectionate behavior of a newlywed couple. The Emperor, seated on the throne, caught sight of their intimate movements and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a pleased smile. The Imperial Concubine Qi noticed the Emperor¡¯s gaze. Following his gaze, she saw the newlywed Queen and King Rui, then cheerfully said to the Emperor, ¡°Your Majesty has chosen an excellent wife for Prince Rui. It seems that His Highness is very fond of her.¡± The Emperor replied, ¡°Yiyi¡¯s health has improved somewhat these days. It seems Daoist Qianyuan was right. This woman indeed brings prosperity to Yiyi.¡± ¡°Your Majesty is wise. Prince Rui is a blessed man. With Queen Rui, whose destinyplements his beside him, he will surely live a long life,¡± Imperial Concubine Qi concurred with the Emperor. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so,¡± said the Emperor. Chu Lan looked at Wei Ruo, who was huddled close to King Rui, his gaze shifted subtly. He picked up his wine ss and leisurely took a sip. Although his expression was inscrutable, he did not reveal any emotions.
After savoring his wine, Chu Lan put down his ss and called over an attendant, murmuring a few words to him. Afterwards, the attendant carefully avoided the dancing courtesans in the center of the square and made a wide circle to reach Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi. ¡°Prince Rui, this is a gift from my lord. I hope you would like it and ept it,¡± he said. At his words, Wei Ruo¡¯s grip on Wei Jinyi¡¯s arm tightened.
Wei Jinyi gently patted Wei Ruo¡¯s arm with his left hand and replied nonchntly to Chu Lan¡¯s attendant, ¡°Put it down.¡± Chu Lan¡¯s attendant ced the brocade box on the table in front of Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi. Even though the gift was purportedly for Prince Rui, both Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo could guess that it was likely meant for Wei Ruo. However, it was inappropriate to say it was for Queen Rui in such a public setting. Wei Jinyi then extended his left hand, and his slender, distinct knuckles slowly opened the brocade box, revealing a human skin mask inside. Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo nced at each other, they more or less guessed what Chu Lan was trying to convey. It seemed that Chu Lan had found someone in the martial arts world who could make human skin masks, and he had specially had one made. This was his way of telling Wei Ruo that he knew that she had been wearing a human skin mask all along, that the Divine Doctor Xu Heyou was Queen Rui! Wei Ruo lifted her head to look at Chu Lan on the other side of the square, and he was also looking at her at this moment.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om His gaze bore into her, carrying a strong sense of aggression and pration, as if he wanted to see right through her. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know what Chu Lan ultimately wanted to do. Even if he now believed that Queen Rui Wei Qingruo and Divine Doctor Xu Heyou were the same person, so what? Did he want to threaten her with this, or did he want to gain something from her? Even though she had concealed her true identity, she believed that neither Xu Heyou nor Wei Qingruo had ever wronged him, Chu Lan. She actually wanted to do something that would wrong him, yet she never had such an opportunity! Wei Ruo turned her head to the waiting attendant of Chu Lan, ¡°Neither the prince nor I can utilize this. Please take it back for your lord. Also, could you convey a message to your lord on my behalf? I am guiltless, and I¡¯m not sure what he is seeking from me.¡±
The attendant agreed and then took the brocade box along the same path back to Chu Lan. He ryed Wei Ruo¡¯s message to Chu Lan. After hearing the attendant¡¯s report, Chu Lan¡¯s eyes slightly dimmed. She was without guilt. Indeed, she had no guilt. Chu Lan again lifted his cup of wine to his lips. The strong liquor slid down his throat, its burning heat spreading from his mouth to his chest. As for what he was seeking ¡­ all he sought was an answer. As to what he would do after getting that answer, even he didn¡¯t know. Since Chu Lan sent no one else over, Wei Ruo dropped the matter. Seated to the left of Wei Ruo and her party were King Jing and his queen. Wei Qingwan also attended, sitting behind King Jing and Qi Shijing. Though she couldn¡¯t sit with King Jing, she at least was able to attend the royal banquet with him. Wei Qingwan cherished this opportunity, despite the fact that up until now, King Jing had not spoken to her. Neveretheless, she was still grateful to Qi Shijing for granting her this opportunity. King Jing originally had no ns to bring her, but thanks to Qi Shijing¡¯s insistence, she was able to attend. Being nearby, Qi Shijing took a few steps with her wine goblet, approaching Wei Ruo and voluntarily initiated a conversation, ¡°Ninth Sister, I¡¯ll toast to you. Now that I and your dear sister Wei Qingwan have be sisters, you and I are family.¡± Seeing the two of them getting along, Wei Qingwan became nervous and hurriedly followed suit.
Wei Ruo nced at Wei Qingwan, then raised her cup of tea to reciprocate Qi Shijing¡¯s toast, ¡°I¡¯ll use tea instead of wine, I hope you won¡¯t mind, Queen Jing.¡± Chapter 509: 509: King Rui Presents a Gift_1 Chapter 509: King Rui Presents a Gift_1 ¡°No, it¡¯s right for the Ninth Sister-inw to abstain from drinking while taking care of her husband. As an elder sister-inw, I of course can understand and empathize.¡± The gentle and generous Qi Shijing answered with a smile on her face. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Your Royal Highness of the King Rui. However, the double rtion that you mentioned may not be entirely urate.¡± Wei Ruo said. Hearing these words, Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart tightened. Not waiting for Qi Shijing to ask, she pre-empted Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Sister, let me drink a toast to you.¡± Wei Ruo did not respond to Wei Qingwan, but continued to speak to Qi Shijing, ¡°Your Royal Highness, regarding your elder brother¡¯s condition, Divine Doctor Xu once told me, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to treat your brother, but that the opportunity for treatment had been missed. Even hecks the ability to turn the situation around.¡± Upon hearing this, Qi Shijing was surprised, ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. No wonder my father has never med the Ninth Brother and his wife, thinking that Divine Doctor Xu was too busy with other matters to pay attention.¡± After speaking, Qi Shijing nced at Wei Qingwan once again. Noticing Wei Qingwan¡¯s embarrassment due to being ignored by Wei Ruo, she detected something amiss. Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart was thumping wildly at this moment. Holding a wine ss in her hand, she was unsure whether to withdraw it or not. Wei Ruo still ignored Wei Qingwan, continuing to speak to Qi Shijing, ¡°Actually, Divine Doctor Xu originally wanted to treat the Third Master Qi. It¡¯s a pity that someone obstructed him from treating him properly on that day. It was the Xiu Family¡¯s son, Xiu Fengyuan. Even when Divine Doctor Xu tried to re-attach his severed arm, he was also obstructed, and med for using his rustic martial arts to harm people.¡± ¡°Who obstructed the Divine Doctor¡¯s treatment?¡± Qi Shijing asked. ¡°The official from the Imperial Institute of Medicine, Mister Xing.¡± Wei Ruo replied.
¡°Was such a thing happened?¡± Qi Shijing was taken aback. ¡°Many people at the scene saw it that day, including the imperial physicians who went to treat Young Master Lu.¡± Wei Ruo answered. Hearing these words, a hint of coldness shed in Qi Shijing¡¯s eyes. But soon, her expression was again one of elegant and gentle smiles.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Then, she sighed with a sense of helplessness, ¡°My Third Brother is just unfortunate. It¡¯s not anyone¡¯s particr fault. Now that he is safe and sound it¡¯s already a blessing in disguise.¡± Wei Ruo narrowed her eyes, unable to determine whether Qi Shijing was actually magnanimous or deeply calctive. No matter what Qi Shijing¡¯s intentions were, neither King Rui nor the Qi family would genuinely treat her second brother well, as they were the ones who had caused the death of the Xiu family. When King Rui ascends the throne, he would inevitably root out her second brother. After chatting casually for a while, Qi Shijing excused herself and left. Wei Qingwan cautiously followed Qi Shijing back to her own seat. Due to her nervousness, Wei Qingwan hadn¡¯t paid any attention to the appearance of Wei Jinyi who was sitting not far away. After taking her seat, Qi Shijing turned to her and said, ¡°It seems that your rtionship with your elder sister is not very good.¡± Wei Qingwan lowered her head slightly and exined carefully, ¡°There¡¯s been a misunderstanding between my sister and me. She is still angry at me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal for sisters to have some conflicts. But remember that blood is thicker than water. It¡¯s best to resolve conflicts sooner rather thanter.¡± ¡°Yes, when I find the opportunity, I will discuss this with my sister.¡± Wei Qingwan hurriedly agreed. ¡°I¡¯m not rushing you, I just want to say that you are all daughters-inw of the royal family, not ordinary people. It¡¯s best not to let conflicts arise.¡± Qi Shijing gently advised. ¡°I understand.¡± Wei Qingwan quickly assured. In the far end section away from the main seats, Elder Master and Madam Wei sat at their seats. In the past few years, the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence did not have the privilege to attend such pce feasts. Their presence here this year exemplified the significant change in the Wei Family¡¯s standing within the court. Elder Master and Madam Wei, who were advanced in years, were seated quietly without initiating any conversation with others. Elder Master Wei appeared a bit constrained, as it had been many years since hest attended such an event. When people took the initiative to propose a toast to him, he was somewhat taken aback.
Soon Elder Master Wei discovered that more than one or two people took the initiative to toast him, which once again made him realize the true change in their family¡¯s status within the court. During a moment of respite, Elder Master Wei looked towards the main seats and found his two granddaughters sitting at the positions closest to the Emperor¡¯s throne. He was well aware that these two granddaughters were part of the reason he was sitting here today. However, he had no chance to talk to them today.
The banquet reached its climax, the music stopped, and the dancers also withdrew. Several ministers took turns standing up and saying blessings to the Emperor, and the princes did the same. The blessings they spoke were more or less the same¡ªfirst, they wished for the dynasty to flourishes for hundreds of years; second, they wished for the Emperor¡¯s longevity to match the heavens; third, they wished for the people to have plentiful food and clothing. All the princes and the Emperor¡¯s sons had expressed their blessings, and in the end, only King Rui was left. King Rui was in poor health, and it was normal for him not to stand up and speak at this moment without anyone questioning it. However, at this time, Wei Jinyi slowly stood up with the support of Wei Ruo. So all the attention was focused on him. This time Wei Qingwan also turned to look with the crowd, and her face turned pale with shock. ¡°Father Emperor, your son has something to offer.¡± Wei Jinyi slowly said, his voice was not loud, but those close by could hear clearly. ¡°Oh? What does Yiyi want to give me?¡± The Emperor¡¯s face held curiosity and delight. Wei Jinyi turned his head and signaled to someone beside him. After a while, someone from below was carrying something along the red carpet towards the Emperor¡¯s seat. The object seemed heavy and required four people to push it.
There was a red cloth covering the top, unclear, only the two wheels below could be clearly seen. Behind them, two people carried arge box. The ministers all craned their necks, curious to see what good thing King Rui was presenting to the Emperor. ¡°Yiyi, what have you prepared for me?¡± The Emperor asked, his tone affectionate. Before Wei Jinyi could speak, he wavered, luckily Wei Ruo was beside him for support or he might have fallen. The Emperor promptly said, ¡°I allow you to sit down and answer me.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father Emperor.¡± Wei Jinyi replied, then slowly sat back down with Wei Ruo¡¯s support. Then Wei Jinyi gently raised his right hand, signalling his people to lift the red cloth and open the box. When they saw the contents of the box, the ministers were horrified. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a Thunderbolt Bullet!¡± Someone gasped, which made the other people far away who couldn¡¯t see the contents of the box panic. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that they were at the Mid-Autumn banquet hosted by the Emperor, some people would have already fled. It must be remembered that thest time Assistant Minister Liang Dong of Yu Heng¡¯s Clean Official Department used a Thunderbolt Bullet, it severely injured the sons of the Qi and Lu families, and killed several people, including some skilled martial artists.
If a whole box of Thunderbolt Bullets exploded now, could anyone on this square survive? The Emperor did not seem nervous, he asked Wei Jinyi, ¡°Yiyi, are these Thunderbolt Bullets?¡± Chapter 510: 510: The Dragon is Greatly Pleased_1 Chapter 510: The Dragon is Greatly Pleased_1 ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Wei Jinyi gave a definite answer. Upon hearing this, the ministers became even more nervous, their eyes staring straight at the full chest of Thunderbolt Bullets. The Emperor continued to inquire, ¡°Where did you get this from? As far as I know, the Yu Heng Administration of Honesty has not yet been able to figure out how to produce these Thunderbolt Bullets.¡± ¡°It was my Queen who found the production method. She produced some using this method and presented them to you, Father.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Upon hearing this, the Emperor and the ministers all turned their attention to Wei Ruo. Everyone¡¯s eyes were filled with astonishment and disbelief. The surprise in Chu Heng¡¯s eyes, who was closer to them, was the most evident. On the contrary, Chu Lan, sitting across from Wei Ruo, was calmer than the others. Because if his guess was correct, and Queen Rui and Xu Heyou were the same person, he wouldn¡¯t find it surprising that Queen Rui could do these things. ¡°This was found by Queen Rui?¡± the Emperor asked Wei Ruo.
¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo stood up to answer. ¡°You obtained the production method, not the ready-made Thunderbolt Bullets?¡± the Emperor confirmed with Wei Ruo. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°How did you find it?¡± ¡°I learned about the Thunderbolt Bullets from my father. After the explosion at the Lu Residence, I collected some debris and derived the production method from it. With some luck and the blessing of the heavens, I managed to figure out how to make them.¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Ruo¡¯s words stunned everyone. Everyone was shocked. Who knew that Queen Rui could do this? The Yu Heng Administration of Honesty, despite all its efforts, failed to aplish this, yet it was aplished by a housewife? Chu Heng stared intently at Wei Ruo, his eyes full of surprise and regret. Chu Lan¡¯s gaze on Wei Ruo became even more profound. It took the Emperor quite a while to continue questioning Wei Ruo, ¡°Now, what is the matter with these copper things you brought?¡± ¡°This is a heavy front-loading smoothbore cannon. It can be loaded with Thunderbolt Bullets to improve their range. It can shoot several times farther than when thrown by hand.¡± Wei Ruo exined. Everyone was once again astonished. How could such a thing exist? Wei Ruo understood why they were so surprised. In this world, copper cannons had yet to appear. Compared to the rudimentary firearms they used before, copper cannons represented a leap in technology. The Emperor continued to question Wei Ruo, ¡°Where did you get this?¡± ¡°I made it based on the drawings left by my master,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Your master?¡± ¡°Yes, I was raised in the mountains when I was young. At the age of seven, I met a master craftsman and, with the consent of my parents, I apprenticed to him. At that young age, however, I only learned the basics. It wasn¡¯t until I grew up that I was able to partially understand the drawings my master left behind.¡± Wei Ruo replied.
Wei Ruo emphasized that she was young when she became an apprentice, which wouldn¡¯t be considered too oundish. As for her early experiences, as long as they were not too outrageous, she was free to fabricate them. The Wei family would have no choice but to go along with her lies unless they wanted the world to know that Wei Qingwan was not their biological daughter. It wasmon knowledge that Wei Ruo lived in the countryside when she was young. Everyone had a clear understanding of her past when they learned she would be Queen Rui. The ministers, including the Emperor, all appeared incredulous at Wei Ruo¡¯s words.
After hearing Wei Ruo¡¯splete exnation, the Emperor dered, ¡°If this object is indeed as powerful as you say, I will reward you handsomely!¡± ¡°I dare not ask for rewards. All the Prince and I desired was to contribute for the welfare of the people. If we can defeat the Japanese Pirates with this, we will be satisfied.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Good, good!¡± The Emperor was overjoyed, repeating ¡°good¡± twice, ¡°Prince Rui and Queen Rui have truly shown their dedication! This is the best gift I have received all year!¡± While everyone else merely offered words of congrattions, Prince Rui actually presented a significant gift that could help the Emperor resolve a pressing problem. How could the Emperor not be pleased? Then the Emperor raised his cup, ¡°May heaven bless our Great Cause!¡± The ministers quickly stood up, raising their cups in agreement, ¡°May heaven bless the Great Cause!¡± When Chu Lan raised his cup, his gaze fell on Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo felt his intense gaze, choosing to ignore it. No matter what attitude Chu Lan had towards her, it did not affect what she needed to do. Chu Heng, who was sitting next to him, also changed his previous attitude, looking at Wei Ruo a few times. He had no interest in women, so he never cared whether Wei Ruo was a stunning beauty or not, but today, Queen Rui offered him a big surprise. His admiration for Queen Rui had surpassed his admiration for women.
After the climax of the gift presentation by King Rui and his wife, the following performances seemed tasteless. By the time the feast ended, everyone was still curious and surprised about the gift presented by King Rui and his wife. The Emperor left the scene with Imperial Concubine Qi and Imperial Concubine Hui, and the rest of the people also got up and left. Wei Qingwan, who remained at her seat, was pale as if under a spell. The King and Queen had left, but she was still sitting there motionless, stunned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Qi Shijing noticed something was wrong with Wei Qingwan, she reached out and touched Wei Qingwan¡¯s arm. Wei Qingwan was suddenly startled, her eyes full of fear, until she realized that the person in front of her was Qi Shijing, she snapped back to reality. ¡°I¡­ your servant¡­¡± Wei Qingwan panicked, forgetting how to respond. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Were you scared by your sister¡¯s affairs?¡± Qi Shijing asked with concern. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not¡­¡± Wei Qingwan hadn¡¯t quite understood the matter of the Thunderbolt Bullet, her mind and eyes had been stunned by King Rui¡¯s appearance. King Rui looked so much like Wei Jinyi!
But Wei Jinyi was the illegitimate son of the Wei family, and he was dead! Perhaps the lights on the square were not bright and because of the distance, she had seen it wrong? Or there are just some people who look alike, and this King Rui just looks somewhat like Wei Jinyi? ¡°Whatever it is, we¡¯ll talk about it when we get back to the Wang Residence.¡± Qi Shijing said to Wei Qingwan. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Qingwan was still somewhat dazed. The elderly Master and Madam Wei, because they were far away, did not see the appearance of King Rui like Wei Qingwan did. The elderly couple, assisted by their maids, stood up and nned to return to their residence but were surrounded by people. People enthusiastically congratted them. ¡°The Duke is so fortunate!¡± ¡°Queen Rui even has this extraordinary ability, it¡¯s truly the fortune of our Great Cause!¡± ¡°The Duke is far-seeing!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Duke, in the future we look forward to your guidance¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡±
The elderly Master and Madam Wei could only respond with shallow smiles to each of them, showing joy on their faces, but inevitably feeling some unease in their hearts. Because they only found out about their granddaughter¡¯s actions today. Returning to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, the already exhausted elders, instead of washing and going to bed under the care of their servants, summoned their sons and daughters-inw to the Shou¡¯an Hall. Chapter 511: 511 Questioning Mrs. Yun by the Whole Family_1 Chapter 511: Chapter 511 Questioning Mrs. Yun by the Whole Family_1 Besides the younger generation, Old Master Wei also specifically ordered for brothers Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin to be called over. Today¡¯s pce banquet invited not only imperial rtives and nobility, but also officials of fifth-rank and above. Presently, Wei Yichen is merely a sixth-rank historian at the Hanlin Academy, and thus did not attend. Therefore, Wei Yichen was unaware of the events that had transpired at today¡¯s pce banquet. Soon, everyone gathered in the Shou¡¯an Hall. The impatient Wei Mingyong approached the two elders and asked, ¡°Father, mother, what¡¯s happened?¡± Old Master Wei had a serious look on his face that made everyone worried. ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily bad news, today King Rui and Queen Rui were praised by the Emperor,¡± Old Master Wei said. ¡°Then why do both of you have such somber faces? You scared me to death,¡± Bai couldn¡¯t help but say. She patted her chest, clearly heaving a sigh of relief. Old Master Wei ignored Bai and turned to Madame Yun, ¡°Madame Yun, tell me, when did Ruoruo be a disciple of Master Craftsman, and when did she learn these skills?¡±
Madame Yun was perplexed upon hearing this: ¡°What Master Craftsman?¡± ¡°Do you know what King Rui and Queen Rui presented to the Emperor today? They offered Thunderbolt Bullets! And a massive bronze weapon capable ofunching them! All these items were created by Ruoruo!¡± ¡°How is that possible? How would Ruoruo know about these things? I¡¯ve never heard her mention them, nor have I ever seen her touch these things¡­¡± Madame Yun quickly denied. ¡°Is it possible that today, Ruoruo and King Rui were lying to the Emperor?¡± Old Master Wei retorted. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± ¡°Then do tell, as her mother, how is it possible that you are not aware of your own daughter¡¯s tutorship? Even though she had been living in a different household due to a mistake, shouldn¡¯t you have rified upon her return? Moreover, you¡¯ve lived together for two years now, haven¡¯t youmunicated during this time?¡± Old Master Wei once again questioned Madame Yun.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°This¡­¡± Madame Yun was muddled. Old Madame Wei couldn¡¯t defend Madame Yun either. ¡°Madame Yun, Ruoruo¡¯s abilities demonstrated this time are beyond our expectations. The devices she created have the potential to resolve the urgent issues of the court! Didn¡¯t you really know about such an important matter before?¡± Madame Yun was dizzy, standing there, dazed. Bai urged Madame Yun, ¡°Madame Yun, do tell us why you never mentioned your niece¡¯s many talents. We could have utilized her talents earlier. It would have been a great achievement for the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence if we were the ones who presented the Thunderbolt Bullet.¡± Bai wasn¡¯t just taunting Madame Yun for the sake of watching the drama, she genuinely regretted it. Wei Minghong couldn¡¯t help but speak: ¡°Exactly, Madame Yun. Ruoruo is your biological daughter, how is it possible that you don¡¯t know about her talents? Or did you deliberately hide it from us?¡± Wei Minghong always had doubts about the second and third branches of the family. He always felt that they were plotting something behind his back to take his position. Now, not only is his niece not helping him, even his brother¡¯s wife is not behaving properly. How could he not suspect? Madame Yun was getting anxious from all the questions. She not only had no idea how to answer their questions, but her heart was also fluctuating due to today¡¯s events. How much more is her daughter hiding from her? Just as Madame Yun was at a loss about what to say, Wei Yichen stepped in for her. ¡°Grandfather, grandmother, uncles, aunts, my elder sister¡¯s situation was indeed unexpected. Our previous oversight in not thoroughly understanding my elder sister¡¯s past was a negligence on our part, but there¡¯s no use in affixing me now,¡±
Wei Yichen¡¯s words held great weight. After hearing him, everyone stopped ming Madame Yun temporarily. Old Master Wei sighed, ¡°We¡¯re not ming your mother, it¡¯s just that what your aunt Bai said is right. If we had known about such a big matter earlier¡­¡± Wei Yichen said, ¡°Grandfather, everything has its pros and cons. It¡¯s not necessarily a good thing for the Wei family to take the lead in some matters. From the Wei family¡¯s perspective, this isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. My elder sister is ultimately a maiden from our family. If she and King Rui Residence could achieve credit, it would also bring honor to the Wei family.¡± Old Master Wei said in a deep voice, ¡°You make a fair point.¡±
Immediately afterwards, Old Master Wei turned to Madame Yun: ¡°Madame Yun, there are some things that you¡¯d better discuss with Queen Rui to prepare us for what lies ahead. When Queen Rui mentioned that she had been a student of the Master Craftsman in front of the Emperor and the officials today, I broke out in a cold sweat. I was afraid she would slip up and give others a handle.¡± Madame Yun was somewhat distracted. ¡°Did you hear that, Madame Yun?¡± It wasn¡¯t until Old Master Wei called her again that Madame Yun came to her senses and answered. ¡°I understand,¡± Madame Yun replied softly. Since it was toote and they really couldn¡¯t get any information out of her, Old Madame Wei let everyone go and decided to discuss any remaining matters tomorrow. Departing from Shou¡¯an Hall, Wei Yilin carefully supported the visibly distracted Madame Yun. ¡°Mother, are you feeling better?¡± Wei Yilin asked, concerned. ¡°Your sister has¡­ hidden so many things from me¡­¡± said Madame Yun. Wei Yilin didn¡¯t know how to console Madame Yun. He had slowly be more mature now and could understand things that he previously could not. For instance, he now felt that his behavior towards his elder sister, when she first returned two years ago, was absolutely terrible. No matter how distressed he was about Sister Wanwan, he shouldn¡¯t have vented his resentment on Sister Wanwan because Wanwan had been wronged even more than her sister. Unfortunately, time could not be turned back. Wei Yichen said to Madame Yun, ¡°Mother, you should go back to your room to rest early. It¡¯s impossible to rify the matters of my elder sister¡¯s past in a hurry.¡±
Madame Yun slowly nodded, and then returned to Anxin Pavilion with Wei Yilin¡¯spany. ### Inside the King Yu Residence. Upon returning to the residence, Chu Heng and Qi Shijing called Wei Qingwan to them. Chu Heng and Qi Shijing were seated in the primary seats. Wei Qingwan stood before the two, feeling somewhat nervous. She lowered her head, timidly greeting them. ¡°The queen and I hereby greet the prince and the princess.¡± Her appearance was incredibly delicate, themp light reflecting on her face, highlighting the softness of herplexion. Her voice was melodious, gentle and sweet. However, Chu Heng, the Prince Yu in front of her, had no mood to appreciate Wei Qingwan¡¯s beauty. ¡°You and Queen Rui are twin sisters, and logically, your bond should be more profound than most. Can you tell me about your sister¡¯s matters?¡± Chu Heng kept it simple, getting straight to the point. Chapter 512: 512 Wei Qingwans heart is in a mess_1 Chapter 512: Chapter 512 Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart is in a mess_1 Wei Qingwan¡¯s mind began to race quickly. She could see the level of concern King Yu had for matters concerning Wei Qingruo. If she could provide useful information, it would surely be a good opportunity to achieve some merits in their eyes. Yet, like everyone else, she wasn¡¯t clear about Wei Qingruo¡¯s past experiences. If she fabricated stories and said the wrong thing, it might backfire. After some thought, Wei Qingwan decided it would be safer to choose a cautious response, one that wouldn¡¯t lead to mistakes. Thus, Wei Qingwan stated, ¡°When my sister was young, she was sickly. My parents followed the advice of a fortune teller and sent her to the countryside to recover. During that period, she learnt from the local farmers about cultivation and also studied under a master craftsman for a while.¡± Wei Qingwan dared not deny what Wei Ruo had publicly spoken. She had to passively choose to help Wei Ruo keep up the lie. Because once the lie about Wei Ruo¡¯s rural life was exposed, her own identity may also be revealed. ¡°I¡¯ve already heard about these. Tell me something I don¡¯t know. For example, that cannon she mentioned. Is it really as formidable as she said, capable of repelling the Japanese Pirates?¡± Chu Heng asked. ¡°Since my sister mentioned it today, it should be true.¡± Wei Qingwan replied. Taking into ount Wei Qingruo wouldn¡¯t dare deceive the emperor, Wei Qingwan deduced that since Wei Qingruo dared present such a thing at the mid-autumn pce banquet, it must be real. ¡°Did she ever tell you beforehand about her ability to manufacture the Thunderbolt Bullet and the copper device that improves its throwing distance?¡± Chu Heng inquired again.
¡°My sister rarely returned home after she got married, and I¡¯m not very clear about her recent activities.¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°Then do you know where to find your sister¡¯s master?¡± Chu Heng asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ I¡¯ve never met the master.¡± Wei Qingwan answered nervously, her head bowed. ¡°Do you know why your sister offered this device to the Emperor? Was she trying to use it to gain something for King Rui?¡± ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Wei Qingwan once again dered her ignorance. ¡°What do you know then?¡± Chu Heng was dissatisfied, and his expression turned stern. Wei Qingwan was frightened, looking absolutely panic-stricken. Qi Shijing observed Wei Qingwan¡¯s reaction and timely intervened, persuading Chu Heng, ¡°Prince, stay calm. How could a normal person expect that a nobledy from Duke Residence would study skills that are usually only learnt by men, and obtaining this opportunity was because Queen Rui spent many years in the countryside. The matter was certainly not widely disclosed, in order to maintain her being dignified in society. It is not surprising that our little sister knows nothing.¡± Listening to Qi Shijing¡¯s persuasion, Chu Heng¡¯s expression slightly improved. It wasn¡¯t so much that he found Qi Shijing¡¯s words reasonable, but herments made him aware of his loss ofposure. He then asked Wei Qingwan: ¡°What about you? Your sister once apprenticed herself to a skilled master, have you learnt anything simr?¡± ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t.¡± Wei Qingwan answered softly, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°What else have you learnt then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read women¡¯s textbooks, observed women¡¯smandments, and also learnt embroidery, needlework, bookkeeping, tea making, and incense burning¡­¡± Wei Qingwan listed this things she had learnt. The more Chu Heng heard, the more disappointed he became. All the things Wei Qingwan could do were things that any ordinarydy from a grand family should know. While knowing these things was good, he found them useless. Noticing the disappointment in Chu Heng¡¯s eyes, Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart clenched. She didn¡¯t understand why things had turned out this way. Suddenly, what she learned seemed useless, whilst the obscure skills Qingruo had picked up in the countryside were sought after by the prince.
¡°Alright, you may leave.¡± Chu Heng waved her away impatiently. With a face full of grievance, Wei Qingwan looked at Qi Shijing with tearful eyes. Qi Shijingforted her with her gaze: ¡°It¡¯ste already, you should go back to your Cuiting Pavilion and rest.¡±
Qi Shijing gestured for a servant to escort Wei Qingwan out. After Wei Qingwan was taken away, Qi Shijing continued talking to Chu Heng: ¡°Cousin, do not worry. Judging by the situation today, it may not necessarily be a bad thing for us.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Chu Heng asked. ¡°The object offered by King Rui could be beneficial to the court and to our border defense. Thisnd will eventually be yours, so the object will also be used for you in the future.¡± Qi Shijing responded. ¡°It is too early to say that thisnd will belong to me. The ones currently standing in my way are King Jing, Chu Lan and King Rui, Chu Yi.¡± ¡°Indeed, we must be cautious with King Jing. But King Rui is weak and unlikely to live long. You don¡¯t need to worry too much about him.¡± ¡°Although King Rui is weak, the Emperor favours him. Now he has even got a capable wife. How can I not worry? What if he is just pretending to be sick? Wouldn¡¯t that give him the chance to catch me off guard? After all, Chu Yi is the grandson of thete Duke Xu, and the Duke Xu Residence and the Empress Xu were¡­¡± ¡°We have repeatedly confirmed that King Rui will not live long. Cousin, you even sent someone to spy on King Rui¡¯s residence during the night, several times. We obtained a clear answer that he indeed won¡¯t live long. And there¡¯s no reason for him to fake his illness. If he does not build his strength and influence in the court now, even if the Emperor decides to pass the throne to him in the future, he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold onto it. By pretending to be sick, he is cutting off his own retreat. Even if he is not sick, he is the same as being sick.¡± Qi Shijing analyzed. Chu Heng thought for a moment and seemed to find her analysis quite reasonable. Chu Heng: ¡°You do make some valid points. I was just a bit too anxious a moment ago.¡± Qi Shijing: ¡°Themotion from King Jing¡¯s side recently has been rtivelyrge, and the Emperor has repeatedly rewarded King Jing. Coupled with the troubling trivial matters at hand, today an unexpected incident urred. It¡¯s normal for cousin to be a bit anxious and perplexed.¡± Chu Heng: ¡°Chu Lan alone is already enough to give me a headache. I really don¡¯t want King Rui to add to the troubles.¡± Qi Shijing: ¡°We can first make use of King Rui, draw him to our side to jointly deal with King Jing. Once everything is settled, we can eliminate him and his lineage from Duke Xu Residence, forever ending any future threat.¡±
Chu Heng: ¡°Shijing does seem to have a point.¡± Qi Shijing: ¡°Cousin¡¯s worry is also my concern.¡± Chu Heng looked at Qi Shijing and said softly, ¡°My cousin understands me, having such a wife, what more could a husband ask for.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Qi Shijing lowered her eyelids, her long eyshes covering her eyes, revealing a shy expression. Then Chu Heng stretched out his hand to pull Qi Shijing into his arms, tenderly kissing her. The servants around, seeing the scene, wisely withdrew. In the room, shadows swayed, and soft moans mixed with heavy breathing sounds. Meanwhile, Wei Qingwan, apanied by Cuihe, returned alone to the Cuiting Pavilion. Once inside, Wei Qingwan sat down on a chair, her gaze fixed, fists clenched tight. Chapter 513: 513: She must have seen it wrong_1 Chapter 513: She must have seen it wrong_1 ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Cuihe asked with concern. ¡°I don¡¯t know, too many things have happened today¡­¡± At this moment, Wei Qingwan was in a chaotic state of mind. Originally, to apany Prince Yu and the Queen to attend the Mid-Autumn Pce banquet was a great opportunity for her, as she finally had the chance to meet with Prince Yu. But reality did not meet her expectations, Prince Yu showed no reaction to seeing her. The only reason he spoke to her was to discuss matters rting to Wei Qingruo. This made her feel a deep sense of crisis. If she could not win his favor, she did not know what her future status in this imperial residence would be like. The prince seemed to care a lot about Wei Qingruo¡¯s affairs, and the queen also seemed to hope that she could get along better with Wei Qingruo. But how could she swallow her pride and form a good rtionship with Wei Qingruo? She had assumed the position of Prince Yu¡¯s Concubine in order to trample Wei Qingruo underfoot! What should she do? How could she develop deep associations with Wei Qingruo without being suppressed by Qingruo?
Another thing that bothered her was the appearance of King Rui. Although the light during the pce feast was not as bright as in the daytime, it was not too dark either. When King Rui spoke, her distance from King Rui was not too far. Were the chances of seeing him wrongly high under such circumstances?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Qingwan was somewhat annoyed. If she had known earlier, she would have looked closer at Kingdom Rui¡¯s appearance when she went with Queen Yu to toast Wei Qingruo. At that time, their distance would have been even closer, she would have been able to see clearly. ¡°Miss, Miss, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Seeing Wei Qingwan in a daze, Cuihe asked worriedly. ¡°Cuihe, when Second Brother¡¯s body was brought back, did you get a clear look at it?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°This ¡­ the servant wouldn¡¯t dare. I heard from others that Second Young Master was gruesomely mutted by thieves. Combined with the time it took to deliver his body, it had begun to decay. The sight was extremely frightening,¡± Cuihe replied. After finishing, Cuihe asked Wei Qingwan, ¡°Miss, why are you asking this? Discussing the dead out of nowhere is frightening.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t know how to discuss the matter. She must have seen wrongly. One was a Concubine¡¯s son of the Wei family, and the other was a legitimate prince. They hadpletely different identities, how could they be linked together? Moreover, King Rui was ill, and his life would not be much longer. Wei Jinyi was healthy and unharmed, he would not have died so young unless he had encountered an ident. In the depth of night, Wei Qingwan, assisted by Cuihe, washed and dressed. With her heart filled with confusion, worry, and unwillingness, shey on her bed, staring at the moonlight shining through the window into her room, unable to fall asleep for a long time. ### King Rui¡¯s Residence. Upon returning to the residence, Wei Ruo immediately bathed and changed clothes, then threw herself onto the bed. ¡°I¡¯m so exhausted,¡± Wei Ruo said, feeling weary all over. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve never seen you this tired even when you do a full day¡¯s farm work,¡± Xiumei teased Wei Ruo,ughing. ¡°They¡¯re not the same. Farm work tires the body; attending this kind of event, tires the heart! I¡¯m someone who¡¯s not good at being insincere and dealing with them. There are so many rules in the pce. It¡¯s my first time navigating such a situation; wouldn¡¯t it be a big loss if I did something wrong, or said something wrong, and lose my head over it? My head is very valuable!¡± Wei Ruo had asked many questions before attending the pce banquet and had been mentally prepared. Still, it was her first time, and she felt she did well without making any mistakes, and calmly answering the Emperor¡¯s questions. Some nervousness and mental fatigue were inevitable. Not everyone could master this kind of asion the first time.
Anyway, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t. She knew she was limited in handling these matters. ¡°But Miss, you were the one who decided to present this item. Even though it would be very tiring, you still volunteered to do it,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°Yeah, who asked your Miss to want to see the Anti-Japanese Army win? And I don¡¯t want to give the credit to others. My second brother said that if this works out, we can exchange it for many rewards. That¡¯s real silver! It might even be gold!¡± Wei Ruo said helplessly. Xiumei agreed and nodded, ¡°We certainly can¡¯t give the credit to others.¡±
While massaging Wei Ruo¡¯s shoulders, Xiumei continued, ¡°Miss, let me massage your shoulders to ease your fatigue. Later, I¡¯ll light the soothing incense you mixed to help you rest.¡± ¡°Only Meimei cherishes me.¡± Wei Ruo smiled brightly. ¡°If not for me, who would? Miss, you say you¡¯re tired, but there¡¯s not a single thing you want to do that you would give up,¡± Xiumei exploded in exasperation. ¡°I have no choice. There are things that are ufortable if your Miss does not do them,¡± Wei Ruo said, eyes half-closed, visibly enjoying Xiumei¡¯s massage. Xiumeiughed and carried on her massage, ¡°I heard Sister Lin Fang saying that the Prince had other arrangements for the Thunderbolt Bullet and the Mighty Cannon?¡± ¡°After seeing the Heavy Front-Loaded Rifled Cannon I presented tomorrow, the Emperor will probably ask about the production of my brother¡¯s. My second brother should have his ns,¡± Wei Ruo answered. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know the details. Her second brother¡¯s words were always interrupted. Her mind is for her own stuff, the struggles of the court, she couldn¡¯t understand. So it¡¯s better to save her brain. Their tasks have always been clearly divided. She would tell her second brother about the matter she wanted to sort out. If he agreed, they would simply proceed. Otherwise, she would give up temporarily. As for how to use it afterward, it was her second brother¡¯s business. She was just in charge of earning the money. Take the ¡°Death of Xu Heyou¡± as an example: she simply stated her demands ¨C Xu Heyou needed to die. Originally, she intended for Xu Heyou to fall off a cliff or sumb to idental poisoning. But it was her second brother who arranged the assassination and then set the Qi family and Prince Jing to suspect each other. This time, it was the same. After rxing for a while, Wei Ruo fell asleep peacefully, inhaling the soothing incense she mixed up. She didn¡¯t know that it was a sleepless night for many people tonight.
### King Jing¡¯s residence. Chu Lan¡¯s trusted adviser, Xue Shaoyuan, stood in front of him. Dressed in a neat ck fish-patterned robe, his face was cold and stern, a prominent scar on his face. ¡°My lord, your servant has investigated. Xu Heyou is indeed real. His household registration information can be found in Taizhou prefecture. He is the cousin of deputymander Xu Zhengyong of the Anti-Japanese Army. Xu Zhengyong¡¯s mother was Queen Rui¡¯s nursemaid, and Queen Rui lived with her nursemaid¡¯s family in Huzhou prefecture. She has a close rtionship with the Xu family,¡± Xue Shaoyuan reported. After Xu Heyou¡¯s death, Chu Lan ordered Xue Shaoyuan to investigate Xu Heyou¡¯s identity. If Xu Heyou were Wei Qingruo in disguise, then he should not have corresponding household registration information. Chapter 514: 514: Another Reward_1 Chapter 514: Another Reward_1 Because the Capital City was a long distance from Jiangzhe, the round trip took some time. Xue Shaoyuan only returned with news today. However, the results were different from what Chu Lan had expected. ¡°There really is a person named Xu Heyou?¡± Chu Lan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Yes, I truly found the household registration information of this person. But his parents are already deceased, and in his early years he wandered around with a barefoot doctor, so much of his information is unreliable.¡± Xue Shaoyuan answered. Chu Lan fell into contemtion. Had he really got it wrong? Were Wei Qingruo and Xu Heyou really not the same person? Were they just connected and that was it? With this thought, a faint pain began to spread in his heart. ¡°Prince, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Xue Shaoyuan asked with concern, wanting to move closer. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Chu Lan waved his hand. Chu Lan continued speaking to Xue Shaoyuan: ¡°Today, the new firearms presented by the couple of King Rui will definitely have a tremendous influence on the court, keep an eye on the movement of Yu Wang in the next few days.¡±
¡°I understand.¡± After Xue Shaoyuan took his leave, Chu Lan rose and took a can of winter melon tea from a shelf behind him. Chu Lan didn¡¯t pour the tea. He was just lost in thought while staring at the can. Xu Heyou¡­ have you really died? Ever since that day, he¡¯d always believed that Wei Qingruo and Xu Heyou were the same person. Therefore, when he heard that Xu Heyou was dead, he was untouched. He firmly believed that it was simply a method of cheating death that Wei Qingruo hade up with. But now, Xue Shaoyuan has confirmed that Xu Heyou indeed existed. Chu Lan¡¯s hand, which was holding the can, gradually tightened¡­ ### The next day, the Emperor couldn¡¯t wait to have the cannon and Thunderbolt Bullet demonstrated to him. He was greatly surprised by the demonstration and cried out twice in the spot, ¡°Heaven bless our cause!¡± That afternoon, the Emperor sent someone to King Rui¡¯s Residence to inquire about Wei Jinyi¡¯s mass production. The Emperor intended since this asset had been presented by the Rui Prince¡¯s Residence, they understood it the most and should therefore be put in charge. Wei Jinyi responded that his health was not good, and he did not have the energy to oversee the mass production. He hoped the Emperor would choose one of the Princes to take on this responsibility and the Rui Prince¡¯s Residence would provide full support. The Emperor sympathized with Wei Jinyi and, at the same time, epted Wei Jinyi¡¯s suggestion and decided to choose one of the Princes. Among them, Yu Wang and King Jing were the most likely candidates. Regardless of who was eventually chosen, Rui Wang was appointed as the main organizer of the Works Department which was a sixth-rank position. The role was not a mere ceremonial one. The role of the Works Department was to inspect, appraise, and manage the expenditure of rivers and waterways, sea dikes, river defenses, canals, water conservancy, bridges, road engineering, and the construction of provincial warships, ferries, and other ships, as well as checking and writing off the sries of river defense officers and soldiers. Everyone understood that this role was assigned to Rui Wang, but Rui Wang would most likely require Queen Rui¡¯s expertise. At the same time, the rewards from the pce were delivered to the Rui Prince¡¯s Residence much as Wei Jinyi had described. Seeing the rewards, Wei Ruo felt that the efforts she put in during the Mid-Autumn Festival were worth it.
¡°Miss, there¡¯s so much gold!¡± Xiumei was very excited. Like Wei Ruo, Xiumei¡¯s first sight was the gold. ¡°The reward list says a thousand tales of gold!¡± A thousand tales of just gold, not even counting the value of other rewards.
The silk, tea, porcin, and jewelry in it were all priceless items that ordinary households, even if they had money, could not buy. ¡°Miss, we earn money so much easier now than we used to!¡± Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but exim. ¡°Indeed.¡± Recalling when she first started her business, making money was extremely difficult for Wei Ruo. At first, she sold medicinal materials from the mountains, then homemade soy sauce, fruit wine, and condiments. Since there were limited avenues for selling, she could typically only sell to neighboring farming households, without making much profit. In the beginning, only Wei Ruo, Xiumei, and the wet nurse worked in the yard to produce their goods. Due to limited production, they couldn¡¯t earn much even working all day. It took a long time for Wei Ruo to save enough money to buy a ox cart, which would facilitate their transportation of goods for sale in the town. However, being strangers to the town, they were not even clear about the rules of selling goods and were harassed by the town¡¯s bullies. Later they opened a small paper mill and started their first Four Treasures House. This entire process took Wei Ruo seven full years. But now, both the speed of making money and opening stores had be incredibly quick for Wei Ruo. It was not only because Wei Ruo hadpleted the most difficult part of umting the original capital, but also because her identity and the people she met had changed. After receiving these rewards, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hesitate to convert the silver she loved into the assets she loved even more.
It was already August and the weather was soon to cool down. The bulk of goods she needed to purchase required capital. Now, she would invest all the money she had. When the cotton harvest came, in addition to the batch of long-staple cotton she grew herself, she also nned to purchase a batch of ordinary cotton. Although its quality was not as good as the long-staple cotton, she shouldn¡¯t be picky at this time. Due to capital costs, Wei Ruo did not n to stockrge amounts of goods in the Capital City. Filling the tworge warehouses she bought in Hejian Prefecture would be enough. But now that she had this gift, Wei Ruo had changed her mind. Wei Ruo decided to utilize the empty courtyard in the back of the Wang Residence, stocking whatever she could and nting whatever she could. Her second brother had said that she was in charge of the courtyard behind the Wang Residence. So, she assumed that if she used the houses in the backyard as warehouses and the courtyard for nting vegetables and raise chickens, he wouldn¡¯t mind? ### August 20th. Early in the morning, while Wei Ruo was washing up, Xiumei came to report: ¡°Miss, people from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence are here.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s reaction was indifferent. ¡°Miss, could they be here to hold you ountable?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°So what if they are? What can they do to me?¡± Wei Ruo said with an unworried expression. If those people from Wei Family had any skills, they wouldn¡¯t have been treated the way they were in the original story; reliant on draining Wei Qingwan¡¯s blood to survive.
Xiumei nodded firmly. ¡°Let theme and see me. Likest time, arrange for them to meet me in the back garden.¡± Wei Ruo said.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t change her clothes. She wore her casual house clothes and went to the back garden. When she arrived, the people from the Wei Family were already there. This time, it was Yun and Bai. ¡°The civilian wife pays her respects to the Queen.¡± Yun and Bai paid their respects to Wei Ruo. ¡°No need to be so formal.¡± Wei Ruo skirted around the two of them and rxed in a rocking chair that was already set up in the gazebo. ¡°What brought you two here today?¡± Wei Ruo asked,zily rocking in her chair, appearingpletely at ease. Yun stared at Wei Ruo, her expressionplex, ¡°Ruoruo, what¡¯s the deal with the Grandmaster of Heavenly Craftsmanship? Your mother has never heard you mention it before.¡± Chapter 515: 515 Yun Familys Apology_1 Chapter 515: Chapter 515 Yun Family¡¯s Apology_1 ¡°You never asked me, did you?¡± Wei Ruo retorted, her demeanor still as distant and indifferent as always. ¡°How could your mother have guessed that you would have such an extraordinary encounter in the countryside of Huzhou Prefecture if you did not bring it up yourself?¡± said Mrs. Yun. Madam Bai was quick to speak in Mrs. Yun¡¯s defense, ¡°That¡¯s right, Queen Mother, your mother worried about the hardships you underwent in the countryside of Huzhou Prefecture. She was so distressed, she didn¡¯t dare bring up your heart-wrenching past. If she happened to upset you for no reason, what on earth would we do then?¡± When Wei Ruo saw Bai speaking on behalf of Yun, she was not surprised. Despite Bai¡¯s private rivalry with Yun, she understood who to prioritize and sides with the interests of the Wei Family when necessary. ¡°Indeed, I did not proactively share with you, but so what?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. These words pained Mrs. Yun, and a pallor reced her usual countenance. Mrs. Bai hurriedly, constion in her voice,mented, ¡°Indeed, it goes without saying that during the Mid-Autumn Festival, your grandparents were taken aback by this whole affair. They were unsure of how to respond to the inquiries of others. Their point being, if you still have things you¡¯re hiding from us, it would be best to warn us in advance so we can prepare, rather than panickingter.¡± ¡°I am not at liberty to discuss my affairs with you,¡± Wei Ruo stated. With Wei Ruo¡¯s cold demeanor, Mrs. Yun and Mrs. Bai¡¯s posture stiffened even further, yet they had no choice but to endure it. Mrs. Yun remained silent while Madam Bai forced a smile. ¡°If Queen Rui doesn¡¯t wish to talk, let¡¯s leave it at that. We can always talk about itter when she is in a better mood.¡±
Subsequently, Bai asked, ¡°Queen Rui, it has been said that the Emperor ns to appoint one of the princes as the Minister of Public Works to oversee all matters of the Ministry of Works¡­ is there any truth to this?¡± ¡°I am not aware of the affairs of the court,¡± Wei Ruo replied. At these words, Bai and Yun¡¯s unsaid words were choked back, strangled by Wei Ruo¡¯s dismissive response. After Wei Ruo¡¯s deration, she began to scrutinize Yun and Bai. Yun appearedplex, as if she had something to say but couldn¡¯t find the words. Bai¡¯s eyes were filled with anxiety, her brow furrowed. Then she elbowed Mrs. Yun.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om At first, Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t react to Bai¡¯s initial nudge, but when Bai gave her another, she finally spoke, ¡°Ruoruo, there were some things I did wrong in the past¡­ I hope you can forgive me.¡± Mrs. Yun apologized to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo, who had been swaying back and forth, suddenly stopped, lifted her gaze to Mrs. Yun, a hint of a smile pulling at her lips as she casually asked, ¡°What favor do you wish to ask of me?¡± Such a sudden apology must have a reason behind it. With her lips pressed together, Mrs. Yun pondered over her response. Admittedly her visit today was on behalf of her family¡¯s request for her daughter¡¯s assistance. However, she also had other reasons¡­ Over time, with Wanwan¡¯s various actions, she has begun to suspect that she may have truly misunderstood her biological daughter. Her Wanwan is not as pure and kind-hearted as she initially believed. Mrs. Yun was reluctant to admit her error. Even managing to muster an apology today was no easy feat, hence her response following her contemtion, ¡°Why can¡¯t Ruoruo think on the brighter side? Why must she view her mother so negatively?¡± Wei Ruo chuckled lightly, ¡°You¡¯ve always been the type to only ask for favors when necessary. Surely on a day like today, you¡¯vee to ask something of me, haven¡¯t you? Since you¡¯ve set the groundwork, why don¡¯t you just clearly state your intentions?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing of the sort, absolutely nothing of that sort,¡± Mrs. Bai urgently supported Yun, ¡°Queen Mother, you mustn¡¯t overthink. Today, we came only to reminisce with you about the past and apologize to you for some past misdoings. After all, you are mother and daughter of the same blood, even if there are disagreements, family ties remain.¡±
¡°Oh? Really?¡± Wei Ruo challenged, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Of course!¡± Mrs. Bai affirmed. Immediately afterwards, she signaled to her maid to present several gift boxes. ¡°These are gifts for the Queen Mother, specially procured from Huzhou Prefecture. Specially made silk clothes, dried bamboo shoots, smoked bean tea, and potato noodles.¡±
Wei Ruo simply smiled, offering no praise or protest. ¡°Well, we should be off for today,¡± Mrs. Bai continued, ¡°We will take our leave.¡± With that, Mrs. Bai and Mrs. Yun took their leave of Wei Ruo. After their departure from the Wang Residence, Xiumei inspected the gifts from the Wei Family. As dered, they were indeed special products from Huzhou Prefecture. ¡°Why are they being so kind this time? They didn¡¯t ask for anything and even gave gifts to you,¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Not that they don¡¯t have demands, they just don¡¯t dare state them outright. Considering the conversation thus far, to voice their request outright now would expose their true intentions for visiting today,¡± Wei Ruo reasoned. ¡°So, what will you do?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Just pretend to be oblivious. If they don¡¯t rify, I¡¯ll continue to act confused. Once they rify their demands, then I can make up some reasons to dodge them,¡± Wei Ruo responded without having to give it much thought. Xiumei heavily nodded in agreement. ### Kin Yu Residence. Cuiting Pavilion. ¡°Sister, you haven¡¯t paid a visit to Queen Rui in a while. These few days, the prince has received a tribute of pearls from Nanyang. Could you please help me deliver them to the King Rui Residence as a gift to Queen Rui?¡±
Qi Shijing held out an entire box of pearls, lightly smiling as she presented her request to Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan eyed the pearls, each one round and full, and her expression grew stiff. Each pearl could be considered a valuable, precious piece of jewelry which greatly underyed the fact that they were all securely boxed together. What made Wei Qingwan more disconcerted was that Qi Shijing intended to gift this entire box of pearls to Wei Qingruo. Seeing Wei Qingwan hesitate to reply, Qi Shijing asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, little sister Wanwan?¡± ¡°N-nothing¡­ I¡¯m just thinking of the previous disagreement I had with sister Ruoruo, and I¡¯m afraid she might still be holding a grudge, which makes me a little worried.¡± ¡°The two of you are sisters, born of the same mother. Even if there are disputes, if you sincerely apologize, everything will be alright, won¡¯t it?¡± Qi Shijing asked, her smile never wavering. ¡°Yes¡­ yes.¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip. She understood what Qi Shijing was implying. This was her way of telling Wei Qingwan to humble herself, apologize to Wei Qingruo, and seek her forgiveness. ¡°Little sister Wanwan, you must be aware of how crucial it is for Prince Yu to secure the position overseeing the construction of battle-ships right now. Even if he isn¡¯t personally stationed there, it is still imperative that it be someone who serves Prince Yu¡¯s interests, otherwise it may be detrimental to Prince Yu.¡± Qi Shijing expounded upon her idea. ¡°I understand.¡± Wei Qingwan replied. She was aware of the ongoing situation. ¡°Then, sister, you must also have heard that this matter originated from King Rui and Queen Rui, so both their opinions are very important. If they speak up, the Emperor is sure to heed their advice,¡± Qi Shijing gently prompted.
Chapter 516: 516: Wei Qingwan Seeks Help_1 Chapter 516: Wei Qingwan Seeks Help_1 ¡°Yes, I understand¡­¡± Wei Qingwan replied. ¡°I believe you do, little sister. You are a smart woman, and also the prince¡¯s confidante. I know you will do your utmost for him,¡± Qi Shijing said with a satisfied look on her face. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll have to trouble you with this task today.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Qingwan had no choice but to agree. Qi Shijing had made her intentions this clear. If she were to refuse, she would not only be letting Qi Shijing down, but also risking the prince¡¯s disappointment in her. She could not let that happen. So, Wei Qingwan epted the task. After Qi Shijing left, Wei Qingwan asked Cuihe to help her freshen up.
¡°Make my face look paler, and use old clothes.¡± Wei Qingwan instructed. ¡°Mistress, what are you doing? This will surely give Queen Rui a chance to ridicule you!¡± Cuihe objected. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Wei Qingruo enjoy making fun of me the most? Well then, let her have her way.¡± Wei Qingwan replied. ¡°Mistress, you¡¯re being too hard on yourself.¡± Cuihe said sadly. ¡°What else can I do? The queen has already made it clear. This is not just about me, or about her; it could affect the prince¡¯s grand ns and should not be taken lightly. If by satisfying Wei Qingruo¡¯s wish to humiliate me, we can help the prince seed, then a sacrifice on my part is nothing.¡± Wei Qingwan looked at her reflection in the mirror, her decision already made. ¡°Mistress, I am sure the prince will be moved when he learns of the great sacrifice you have made for him,¡± Cuihe hurriedly said. ¡°I hope so.¡± Wei Qingwan of course hoped that her actions would earn her the prince¡¯s favour. She had been married for some time, but still, she had not been blessed with the prince¡¯s affections. If things continued this way, her situation would be very dire¡­ Because of this, the current matter was extremely important to her, so much so that she was willing to endure humiliation from Wei Qingruo in exchange for progress. ### King Rui Residence. Songzhu Garden. ¡°Miss, someone from King Yu Residence is here. It¡¯s your younger sister. She requests an audience,¡± Lin Fang reported to Wei Ruo, who was sitting in the garden roasting sweet potatoes and pheasant. ¡°Let her in.¡± Wei Ruo was not surprised at all that Wei Qingwan woulde. King Yu had sent a note to her second brother, who declined a visit due to poor health. If King Yu still wished to see them, he would surely send Wei Qingwan. She was just unsure whether they had discovered the truth about her rtionship with Wei Qingwan.
If they had, they wouldn¡¯t have made this blunder, would they? Today, she had some free time. Making the most of the lovely autumn sun, she and Meimei were enjoying some goodies in the backyard. It was a good opportunity to get a sense of what charade Wei Qingwan nned to y. Shortly after, Wei Qingwan arrived at Songzhu Garden, guided by a servant from King Rui Residence. The moment she stepped in, she saw fruits and vegetables scattered all over the courtyard, and crawling nts that she did not recognize covered the garden walls.
Having walked a distance into the courtyard, Wei Qingwan saw Wei Ruo sitting on a rattan chair, with a newly brewed pot of green tea on the simr rattan table in front of her, next to newly baked sweet potatoes and taro. She seemed to be in a rxed state. Wei Qingwan approached Wei Ruo, paid her respects and said, ¡°Greetings to her majesty, the Queen.¡± Wei Ruo eyed Wei Qingwan¡¯s outfit of the day. ¡°What¡¯s this? Your appearance makes it seem like life has been tough for you in the King Yu Residence?¡± Wei Ruo said, casting a mocking nce. Wei Qingwan bowed her head, looking aggrieved, wanting to speak but stopping herself. Cuihe, who apanied Wei Qingwan, helped her to answer, ¡°Your majesty, Queen Rui, may not know but our mistress has been having a hard time at the King Yu Residence. The Prince does not like our mistress because she doesn¡¯t have a powerful family to back her up, therefore, she has been neglected¡­¡± Wei Ruo raised an eyebrow, looking amazed, so this was a poor-little-me act? ¡°So, why are you here? Your weak family background has resulted in yourck of favor. Take that matter up with your family, not me.¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Sister¡­¡± ¡°Stop right there, it¡¯s fine to pretend when others are around, but now that it¡¯s just us, you don¡¯t need to act so lovingly calling me sister.¡± Wei Ruo interrupted. ¡°Sister, I was wrong in the past. I made many mistakes and said many hurtful words. I hope you can forgive me,¡±.¡± Wei Qingwan knelt down in front of Wei Ruo with a thud, her eyes full of tears, as she apologized to Wei Ruo word by word. Wei Ruo examined her, thenmented, ¡°I must admit, your apology is definitely more genuine than the previous one.¡±
After saying this, Wei Ruo leisurely started sipping her tea. Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°Sister, it was me who wronged you in the past. I¡¯vee to ask you today shamelessly, hoping that you can help me for old times¡¯ sake, as we are both daughters of the Wei Family.¡± ¡°Help you with what?¡± Wei Ruo asked, her tone indifferent. ¡°Sister, regarding the Shenwu Cannon matter, if you could put in a good word for King Yu in front of the Emperor, he will never forget the kindness of King Rui,¡± said Wei Qingwan. The Shenwu Cannon was a nickname given by the court to the heavy front-loaded rifled cannon that was made for Wei Ruo. ¡°What¡¯s the use of him remembering that?¡± Wei Ruo continued questioning. ¡°About this¡­¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t know how to answer. Seeing her difficulty, Wei Ruo helped to carry on for her: ¡°Are you trying to say, if King Yu remembers the kindness of King Rui, he will treat the King Rui Residence well once he ascends to the throne in the future? Even if King Rui passes away, leaving me as the widow Queen Rui behind, you are willing to take care of me?¡± Wei Qingwan stiffened her face, paused for a moment, and exined, ¡°That¡¯s not what it means, I was just saying that King Yu will be grateful to King Rui, I had no other intentions, and I would not dare to curse King Rui.¡± ¡°Then why does my King Rui Residence need King Yu to remember us?¡± Wei Ruo asked back. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Wei Qingwan was baffled by Wei Ruo¡¯s question. Noticing that things were not going well, Cuihe quickly put forward the box of pearls Qi Shijing had given her in front of Wei Ruo. ¡°Her Majesty, the Queen of King Rui, this is a gift from our Queen of King Yu to you, we hope you will like it.¡±
Wei Ruo lifted her eyes slightly, Xiumei stepped forward to receive the box. Xiumei opened the box, Wei Ruo just nced at it indifferently, her face unchanging. It was just pearls. She was not a stranger to them. She had received manyrge, plump, and round pearls as rewards. ¡°Thank Queen Yu for me,¡± Wei Ruo answered at a leisurely pace. ¡°We hope that Queen Rui would put in a few good words for our King Yu,¡± Cuihe said.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I can¡¯t promise that,¡± Wei Ruo answered. Such a direct refusal left Wei Qingwan pale as a sheet. She felt deeply humiliated, yet she had to swallow her sadness, and once again pleaded, ¡°Sister, what would it take for you to help?¡± Chapter 517: 517: Its Just a Play Youre Putting On_1 Chapter 517: It¡¯s Just a y You¡¯re Putting On_1 ¡°Wei Qingwan, you don¡¯t need me to remind you of the past grievances between us. Given our rtionship, why would I want to help you?¡± Wei Ruo asked in return. ¡°In the past, I was wrong. I overestimated my abilities and opposed you, my sister. I hope you can forgive me.¡± Wei Qingwan apologized again. ¡°I¡¯ve heard your apologies, but I still have no intention of helping you.¡± Wei Ruo replied, her expression indifferent. In that instant, Wei Qingwan¡¯s emotional defenses copsed. No matter how much psychological preparation she had made beforeing, she could not calmly face Wei Ruo¡¯s humiliation. ¡°Sister, what more do you want me to do for you to forgive me?¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lip, her eyes red and her voice trembling as she asked Wei Ruo. ¡°What you want to do is your business, and my choice not to forgive you is mine.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°I¡¯m already kneeling here, apologizing to you, trampling on my pride. What else can¡¯t you let go of?¡±. ¡°So? Apologizing guarantees forgiveness?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Wei Qingwan stared at Wei Ruo.
Wei Ruo continued, ¡°If you¡¯re sincerely apologizing, then prepare for me not to forgive you. An apology is your way of expressing regret and admitting errors, and part of that is the possibility of the other party not epting the apology. You think that just because you apologized, I should forgive you and help you. That¡¯s not an apology, that¡¯s just a performance to achieve your goal.¡± Wei Ruo mercilessly tore through Wei Qingwan¡¯s pretense. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned pale, and then flushed again; it was quite amusing. Had it been the past, she would have already retaliated against Wei Ruo. But today, she held back, only giving Wei Ruo a resentful stare. Looking at those eyes full of resentment, Wei Ruo knew that her judgment was correct. The drama had yed out long enough, and nothing unexpected happened. So Wei Ruo got up, gestured with her hand: ¡°Send the Madam away.¡± Wei Qingwan was stunned. When she heard Wei Ruo instructing her to leave, she was shocked. ¡°Sister!¡± Wei Qingwan called out to Wei Ruo, ¡°Sister, listen to me! Helping me also helps you. King Rui won¡¯t live long, and you¡¯ll need someone to rely on! I can help you, so can King Yu¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t hear Wei Ruo¡¯s response to the rest of her words. Lin Fang and another maid ¡°escorted¡± Wei Qingwan out of the Songzhu Garden. ### Since King Rui and his wife presented the godly cannon and the thunderbolt bullet, the Emperor began to consider selecting one of his sons to be responsible for the mass production of these weapons. This caused a dispute between King Yu¡¯s faction and King Jing¡¯s faction at court. The two sides stuck to their guns, arguing incessantly in the early court sessions for several days. Both King Yu and King Jing wanted to take on this task of overseeing the production of the cannons and thunderbolt bullets. For them, this was not only a great opportunity to distinguish themselves but also a chance to take control of the Ministry of Works. Furthermore, whoever could master the manufacturing process of these powerful weapons would have more initiative. However, the Emperor did not make a decision for a long time, leaving everyone scratching their heads. Thus, along with the disputes in court, both King Jing and King Yu sent theirpliments to King Rui¡¯s Residence. Wei Jinyi responded as usual, that his health was poor and it would be inconvenient for him to meet guests.
He continued to keep his distance from the fray, allowing King Jing¡¯s and King Yu¡¯s people to fight their battles. Within days, a case of bribery rting to Wen Chong, the Grand Academician of the Cab, came to light. The whistleblower was a concubine in Wen¡¯s household. She sought to sue Madame Wen in the Government Office for attempted murder, as she, being a legitimate concubine, could not be mistreated or killed arbitrarily.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om This was supposed to be just a minor matter rted to rivalry within a household. However, the investigation ended up exposing a bribery case. This Grand Academician, Wen, was a trusted advisor of Qi Yansong, and a supporter of King Yu. His bribery case implicated King Yu.
During a morning session of the court, the Emperor chastised King Yu and instructed the Inspection Institute to thoroughly investigate the matter, demanding clear answers. The timing of this incident naturally raised suspicions of foul y behind the scenes, and King Jing seemed the most likely perpetrator. Indeed, the person behind this was Chu Lan. Chu Lan had made ns years ago. Although the situation appeared to heavily favor King Yu, Chu Lan, as the eventual winner who ascends to the throne ording to the original text, must have had his own strategies in ce for a long time. However, deploying these strategies was contingent on the evolution of the situation. It seemed thispetition had coerced Chu Lan into making some moves to cement his position. Although taken by surprise, King Yu¡¯s faction did not admit defeat. They retaliated against Chu Lan by revealing that the son of the Left Assistant Minister of Revenue drunkenly created a disturbance and injured people. Although this was insufficient to tarnish Chu Lan directly, there was an opportunity to render him one general less. In addition, new evidence rted to the assault on King Rui had emerged. The Left Imperial Censor of the Inspection Institute reported to the Emperor that the weapons used by the assassins who attacked King Rui were forged in the most renowned foundry in the eastern city. This foundry did not privately sell weapons tomon citizens but only supplied a few families with private soldiers ¨C and among them was the Qi Family. The findings of this investigation once again brought Qi Yansong and King Yu under suspicion. As a result, the Emperor, who had been extremely trusting of Qi Yansong,pletely changed his attitude, retracted many of the privileges he had given to Qi Yansong, and began to personally handle many of the affairs he had previously delegated to Qi. While knowing he had never arranged such a ploy, Qi Yansong suspected Chu Lan was pinning this on him to suppress both him and King Yu¡¯s faction.
Henceforth, the rtionship between King Yu¡¯s faction and King Jing¡¯s faction became fiercely antagonistic. After about a month of this, the Emperor, wearied by the disputes, handed the task of overseeing the production of the godly cannons and thunderbolt bullets to the rtively lesser-known King Qin without waiting for the investigations to conclude. King Qin, the third son, older than King Yu and King Jing, had been limping since his childhood. His mother was a pce maid, and he was indeed less than remarkable in all aspects. He had been mediocre during his studies in the Imperial Academy, which was why he rarely attracted attention. This time, he suddenlynded a significant assignment, reaping a huge benefit. Conversely, King Yu and King Jing both ended up worse for wear. Wei Ruo learned about all these events from Wei Jinyi and Lin Fang. All these events made for an interesting tale. ¡°They¡¯re all cunning foxes indeed.¡± Wei Ruomented, holding her chin. Then, she looked at Wei Jinyi in front of her and added, ¡°So are you.¡± Wei Jinyi rarely found himself in Wei Ruo¡¯s room, which was, of course, because Wei Ruo had sent someone to invite him over. Unable to refute Wei Ruo¡¯s im of him being a sly fox, Wei Jinyi just silently watched Wei Ruo. Chapter 518: 518: Dont Look at Me Like That, Second Brother_1 Chapter 518: Don¡¯t Look at Me Like That, Second Brother_1 He knew that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t only invite him over to hear about the changing dynamics in the court today. ¡°Brother, I recently shipped quite a few things to the Capital City,¡± said Wei Ruo, her eyes gleaming with cunning. She grinned, revealing a yful smile. Recently, her rice and flour from the Jiangzhe region had had a bountiful harvest. As the rice and flour she had harvested in the past two years were still in storage, she arranged for arge quantity of this year¡¯s fresh produce to be shipped north. She¡¯d filled the tworge warehouses in her recently-purchased estates in Hejian Prefecture entirely. The warehouse she¡¯d opened in the city with the money the Qi and Lu families paid for her medicine was also full. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Jinyi responded, waiting for Wei Ruo to continue. ¡°I want to store some supplies in the backyard of the Wang Residence,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯ve said before that you¡¯re in charge of the backyard of the Wang Residence. Do whatever you like,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°And also, I¡¯m thinking about setting up a poultry farm outside of the Capital City¡­¡± Wei Ruo continued. ¡°You make the decision,¡± Wei Jinyi offered no opinion. ¡°But, I need your help with this¡­¡± Wei Ruo said.
If she simply wanted to start a poultry farm, she could do it on her own without involving Wei Jinyi, as she had both the manpower and resources. ¡°The Government Office has strict control over the areas around the Capital City. It¡¯s fine for farmers to raise chickens and ducks, but they won¡¯t agree to my starting arge-scale poultry farm. And I also need to buy arge piece ofnd from the vige,¡± Wei Ruo exined, then pleadingly looked at Wei Jinyi. In this sort of situation, Wei Ruo had to make use of Wei Jinyi and openly operate in the name of the King Rui Residence. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do it,¡± Wei Jinyi agreed without further inquiry. ¡°When will you be free?¡± Wei Ruo quickly asked. ¡°I¡¯m free right now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s depart immediately, then.¡± Privy to this, Wei Ruo stood up and pulled Wei Jinyi towards the door. It was only when they stepped outside that Wei Ruo realised she¡¯d been holding Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand. She turned to look back at him, giving an awkward smile and slowly released her grip. She silently berated herself: Wei Ruo, Wei Ruo, what in the world are you doing? Even in the modern world, where she hailed from, she knew better than to casually take a man¡¯s hand! How could she unconsciously take his hand now? Even if she still considered him as her brother, there should be some boundaries! Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know what hade over her, acting so recklessly in front of Wei Jinyi. She¡¯d never acted this way around Xu Zhengyong! Weij Jinyi felt a tinge of disappointment as he looked at his hand that Wei Ruo had released. But he also knew, even if Ruoruo held his hand, it was only because she subconsciously considered him as her brother. There was no ulterior motive. ¡°We should change our clothes before going out,¡± Wei Jinyi initiated the conversation to ease the awkwardness. ¡°Right, in my rush, I almost forgot about that. Go change. I will do the same. We¡¯ll meet at the west gate.¡± Wei Ruo quickly said. ¡°Hmm.¡±
Both of them then parted ways to change their clothes. This time, Wei Ruo went out in her role as the Queen Rui, but she still chose a rtively casual outfit. Wei Jinyi, on the other hand, had to apply some makeup to maintain his feigned sickly appearance. After dressing up, the duo rode a carriage to the outskirts of the city. On the way, Wei Ruo exined her reasons for wanting to open chicken and duck farms to Wei Jinyi.
Her delicatessen shop needed a stable source of goods. Back in Taizhou prefecture, she sourced her chicken and duck meat from nearby viges. This not only saved her the trouble of running a poultry farm herself but also provided ie for the vigers ¨C a win-win situation. However, since she moved to the Capital City, the situation had changed somewhat. First, her sales volume had increased. Formon folk, eating chicken and duck was rather a luxury. But in the Capital City, the nobility consumed chicken, duck, or fish in every meal. Some families, finding the food at the delicatessen to their taste, had arranged for daily deliveries to their homes. At present, Wei Ruo had received delivery orders from more than a dozen such families. Additionally, the daily sales at the shop had increased significantly. Second, the supply is bing unstable. The citizens near the Capital City were different from those outside Taizhou prefecture. Many people wanted to buy the chickens and ducks they reared ¨C the pce, various royal residences, those of influential officials, and the city¡¯s major restaurants. Moreover, due to poor harvests in the past two years, fewer households were raising chickens and ducks. As a result, Wei Ruo¡¯s delicatessen wasn¡¯t able to secure a stable supply of chickens and ducks, and the purchasing cost had also increased. In this situation, Wei Ruo decided to open chicken and duck farms herself to ensure a stable supply and reduce costs. Wei Ruo then exined her ns in detail to Wei Jinyi.
She intended to buy two plots ofnd, one for chicken rearing and the other for duck rearing. For the chickennd, Wei Ruo had her eyes on a small hill and arge t plot ofnd at the foot of the hill. Once the entire hill and opennd was fenced off, it would serve as the breeding base. During the day, the chickens would be released onto the hill, allowing them to feed on insects, grass, and seeds. In addition to insects, they would need to provide other food such as rice bran for the chickens and ducks daily. Many people in Wei Ruo¡¯s manor needed to eat rice daily. This consumption generated a lot of rice bran, which was used aspost and pig feed back in Taizhou prefecture. Nowadays in the Capital City, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t let anybody keep pigs in her manor. So, all the rice bran produced could be used to feed chickens and ducks. As for the duck farm, Wei Ruo had her eyes on a piece ofnd next to a rice field. She intended to lease thend together with the rice field. During the day, the ducks could be driven into the rice fields, allowing them to peck at insects and weeds, which not only increased the ducks¡¯ activity but helped the rice grow better. But like the chickens, the ducks would also require additional feed; feeding off insects in the rice field would not be sufficient. However, Wei Ruo believed she could keep these costs under control. An important aspect was that raising chickens and ducks would stabilise the production of chicken and duck eggs, an excellent source of high-quality protein for people. After Wei Ruo finished exining the reasons andyout of her n to Wei Jinyi, she suddenly turned her head to see him looking at her with adoring eyes, so tender it seemed like he could melt. Yes ¡ª it was a look of adoration.
¡°Brother, don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because when you look at me like that, I always get this illusion¡­¡± ¡°What illusion?¡± Wei Jinyi furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­it¡¯s just¡­¡± Wei Ruo tried to find the right words, ¡°Just don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± His gaze made her heart beat faster. It was strange. So, as per Wei Ruo¡¯s request, Wei Jinyi turned his head away. Wei Ruo looked at him and felt a bit too forward, so she said, ¡°I don¡¯t mean any hatred. It¡¯s just when you look at me like that, my heart beats faster.¡± Wei Jinyi was taken aback, and he instantly turned to look at Wei Ruo once again¡­n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 519: 519: Chu Lan comes searching _1 Chapter 519: Chu Lanes searching _1 At this time, Wei Ruo had already turned her head away and was looking out through the carriage window. Wei Jinyi stared at Wei Ruo¡¯s profile, his heart pounding and unable to calm down for a long time. Once they were outside the city, Wei Ruo supported Wei Jinyi while getting off the carriage. In the past, Wei Ruo thought Wei Jinyi¡¯s pretending to be sick was too cunning, but now she realized that it wasn¡¯t easy for him to appear frail before others given his nature. However, his pretending to be sick was worth it as it protected them from many unnecessary troubles and facilitated their ns. For the act to be convincing, Wei Ruo always needed to support Wei Jinyi in public. And Wei Jinyi cooperated by resting his hand on Wei Ruo¡¯s. With their palms touching, they could clearly feel each other¡¯s warmth. Both felt this intimacy was somewhat peculiar, yet neither expressed it. Just as Wei Ruo was helping Wei Jinyi off the carriage, Xiumei ran over to say: ¡°Miss, the task ispleted. The vige head just said that we can get as muchnd as we want.¡±
¡°So soon?¡± Wei Ruo was somewhat surprised. Xiumei nodded vigorously: ¡°When Prince¡¯s convoy was about a mile from the vige, someone came to alert us. After the vige head found out that it was people from the King Rui Residence, he immediately agreed, saying that he would personally handle the paperwork at the county office, and promised to have it done today.¡± ¡°A good trick indeed. If we knew that earlier, we wouldn¡¯t have bothered dragging Brother here.¡± Wei Ruo said cheerfully. Wei Ruo nced at Wei Jinyi she was supporting. Wei Jinyi responded: ¡°No, I also benefited from this trip.¡± ¡°Helping me establish a chicken farm is beneficial for you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Since they were alone with no outsiders around, Wei Jinyi exined to Wei Ruo, ¡°I should let others see this unserious demeanour of ours.¡± After thinking a bit, Wei Ruoughed: ¡°There¡¯s some truth to what you said. You¡¯ll have to apany me for a while today then. As a reward, Meimei and I will make you roasted chicken with my secret sauceter.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± A smile appeared on Wei Jinyi¡¯s face, his gaze gentle and misty. For some unknown reason, Wei Ruo felt a strange sensation in her heart again and hastily averted her eyes. There was a pond not far away, and Wei Ruo had people set up a grill next to it to fulfill her promise of roasting chicken for Wei Jinyi. The chicken came from a local farmer, one second it was squawking and hopping around, the next it was quickly ughtered, de-feathered, and prepared for grilling. Soon the chicken was set on the grill, with Wei Ruo brushing on her secret sauce. Meanwhile, Xiumei went to catch fish in the pond. The pond originally belonged to the vige, but it would soon belong to Wei Ruo. Wei Jinyi, on the other hand, was lounging on a rattan chair, leisurely watching Wei Ruo. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to help, but the ce was open and visible from afar. Even if outsiders couldn¡¯t get close or hear their conversation, if they saw the reportedly sickly Prince Rui vigorously assisting his queen from afar, it would likely cause a stir amongst the city¡¯s aristocrats. Soon, the smell of roasted chicken filled the air. Wei Ruo, having grilled a chicken, ced it in a dish and handed it to Xiaobei, ¡°Xiaobei, serve your master some chicken.¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Xiaobei, after receiving the roast chicken, approached Wei Jinyi. ¡°Master, I¡¯ll serve you.¡± Xiaobei was a bit embarrassed. Although he had been serving his master since he was young, feeding him was something he had never done. His master had never liked others supervising his meals.
If he were to feed his master, he was unsure if his master would be ufortable. ¡°You just tear off the meat and ce it on the side.¡± As expected, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t want anyone feeding him. ¡°Alright!¡± Xiaobei immediatelyplied, relieved that he didn¡¯t have to feed his master. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Brother, your life has be soplicated, you have to be so cautious even when eating chicken outside.¡± Wei Jinyi remained silent, these minor matters were trivial to him. At present, these minor inconveniences were worthwhile as long as they allowed her to happily do what she liked. After preparing the chicken for Wei Jinyi, Xiaobei quickly ran to the pondside to help Xiumei. ¡°Lady Xiumei, let me help you catch fish.¡± ¡°No need, I can do it on my own.¡± Xiumei said. ¡°Two people can catch faster.¡± Xiaobei volunteered, not minding Xiumei¡¯s objections, and directly jumped into the water. ¡°Ssh¡ª¡ª¡± The fish that Xiumei had aimed for got scared off. Xiaobei looked embarrassed: ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ sorry ¡­¡±
Xiumei helplessly said: ¡°You wait for me on the shore. Once I¡¯ve caught the fish, you can help me descale, gut, and clean them.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Xiaobei dared not disagree anymore, fearing that he would create more trouble for Xiumei. In a short while, Xiumei had caught two big fish and along with Xiaobei, one fish each, they began to clean them. Once the fish were clean, they washed them with wine and brought them to Wei Ruo to grill. As Wei Ruo and others were enjoying themselves, they saw a group of people approaching from a distance. By their attire, it was clear they were from the royal family;mon families did not maintain this level of pomp. Wei Ruo nced at Wei Jinyi, who quietly said, ¡°Sorry, Ruoruo. Seems like I won¡¯t be able to apany you properly today. Our conspicuous outing drew the attention of certain individuals who are here to chide us.¡± Wei Ruo had brought Wei Jinyi to the outskirts using the identity of King Rui, so it was naturally quite obvious. Hearing Wei Jinyi¡¯s words, Wei Ruo roughly guessed that the arrival must be either King Jing or King Yu. However, since the matter of supervising the creation of the mighty cannon and thunderbolt bullet had already concluded, even if the two had further intentions, they could do nothing about it. Shortly, the procession arrived at the wastnd where Wei Ruo and others were resting. Wei Ruo saw Chu Lan riding out from the procession. He was dressed in ck, with bright eyes and an elegant presencebined with assertiveness typical of a military general.
With a graceful move, he dismounted. Coming up to Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi, he cast his gaze down at them. Wei Jinyi was still lying leisurely on the rattan chair while Wei Ruo sat on a bamboo chair, fully engaged in roasting her chicken. In a superior tone, Chu Lan said, ¡°Ninth Brother seems to be in much better health today, able to evene outside city for leisure activities.¡± ¡°The queen takes good care of me.¡± Wei Jinyi repliednguidly. Hearing this, Chu Lan¡¯s gaze fell on Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo noticed the intensity of Chu Lan¡¯s gaze but didn¡¯t look up, instead continuing to focus on her roasting chicken. She was no longer afraid of Chu Lan with her Brother around. She only needed to do her own things; her Brother would take care of the rest. Pulling his gaze back, Chu Lan turned to Wei Jinyi and said, ¡°I have brought a generous gift for Ninth Brother.¡± Wei Jinyi just looked at him indifferently, not saying a word. Then Chu Lan brought forth a person, ¡°Ninth Brother, do you recognize this person?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 520: 520 Mutual Calculation_1 Chapter 520: Chapter 520 Mutual Calction_1 Wei Jinyi did not turn his head to look at the person detained by Chu Lan¡¯s men, his face nd and eyes void of any spirit. Chu Lan continued, ¡°If the ninth prince himself does not recognise, we can bring an old attendant from Marquis Xu¡¯s residence to see.¡± Only then did Wei Jinyi lift his eyes slowly to gaze at the neer, thereafter raising his right hand as a signal to his assistant. he silent Xiaobei stepped forward, bowing to Chu Lan. ¡°Your Highness, Prince Jing, my lord is unwell, and is easily fatigued. If you have anything to discuss with my lord, you may tell me first. I will remember it and tell my lord in detail when he is feeling better.¡± Chu Lan then turned his gaze toward Wei Ruo. ¡°Or perhaps your queen can discuss the matter with me in the prince¡¯s stead.¡± Wei Ruo, singled out by Chu Lan, didn¡¯t even lift her head, pretending not to hear. Xiaobei chuckled at Chu Lan¡¯s proposal, ¡°Your Highness Prince Jing, you must be kidding. Such a situation would not be proper; I believe you wouldn¡¯t behave so inappropriately.¡± Chu Lan slowly averted his gaze, exining the neer¡¯s identity. ¡°This man is Sheng Tong, an old subordinate of Marquis Xu. He should have died in battle, but has survived to this day. Does King Rui not want to know his reasons for surviving, changing his name and identity, and living such a carefree life?¡± Hearing this, Wei Jinyi did not show any surprise, continuing to lie down listlessly.
This is the demeanor of a dying man. WeI Ruo, who was busy roasting a chicken at the side, was also not surprised. She had known for a long time that Chu Lan would obtain evidence of the Qi family¡¯s crime of grooming Marquis Xu. She just didn¡¯t know what that evidence was. It now appeared that this man named Sheng Tong was likely the pawn that Chu Lan bought to deal a critical blow to King Yu and the Qi family. But this time, instead of bringing the man directly to the emperor, Chu Lan was trying to hand him over to Wei Jinyi, so that Wei Jinyi would do the work for him. ¡°Ah, is that so!¡± Xiaobei feigned surprise, then hastily said, ¡°Your Highness Prince Jing, this is a serious matter! You should quickly take the man to the Inspection Institute and let the relevant authorities get to the bottom of the matter!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I think it would be more appropriate to leave this matter in the hands of the ninth brother, as he might have framed Marquis Xu,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Absolutely not! Your Highness Prince Jing, this action is absolutely not advisable! My lord is frail. His physician said he must avoid having anxiety. Furthermore, my lord is not proficient at investigation matters like this. We will have to find someone who specializes in it!¡± Xiaobei quickly refused. As Xiaobei spoke, he looked back at Wei Jinyi on his chair worriedly. Wei Jinyi obviously heard their conversation. He appeared weary, giving the impression that he truly needed rest. Upon seeing Xiaobei¡¯s frantic performance, Wei Ruo sighed quietly. Apparently, not only was her lord good at acting, but his subordinates were quite skilled as well. As for this performance, Wei Ruo would have to give him ny-nine out of a hundred. A point more would make him prideful. Chu Lan along with Xiaobei looked towards Wei Jinyi, a faint frown on his forehead. Xiaobei again said: ¡°Your Highness, Prince Jing, it¡¯s gettingte. The weather cools rapidly as autumn draws in. My lord is vulnerable to the cold! I have to escort my lord back to the carriage soon. If there is a dy that affects my lord¡¯s health, I can¡¯t bear the responsibility!¡± Chu Lan gave Wei Ruo another nce, a flicker of an unusual glint in his eye. After a while, ¡°All right,¡± Chu Lan agreed. He turned and smoothly mounted his horse, leading his people away. After he left, Wei Ruo came over to Wei Jinyi¡¯s side. She sat down and leaned in close. ¡°Does Chu Lan want to use you?¡± Wei Ruo asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°It seems so,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. WeI Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi¡¯s cid face and continued, ¡°Second Brother, when you saw that man Chu Lan brought just now, aren¡¯t you pissed off? He could be the person who caused the death of your maternal grandfather.¡±
¡°The person just now is not the real Sheng Tong,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Second Brother¡¯s meaning is that the person was an imposter?¡± ¡°If it was the real Sheng Tong, he would be an important eye-witness. Chu Lan would not carry him around. He would hide him and reveal him in public at the proper asion, delivering a fatal blow to King Yu and the Qi family, rather than revealing his cards ahead of time. Even if he wanted to use me, he would choose a more secretive moment, unseen by King Yu and the Qi family. Therefore, since he chose to meet me in broad daylight while I was away from the city, this man is not the real Sheng Tong.¡± Wei Jinyi analyzed the suspicious actions of Chu Lan today, which led him to infer that the man Chu Lan brought was an imposter.
¡°Second Brother¡¯s analysis makes sense.¡± This truly was strange! Wei Jinyi continued, ¡°His visit to me today is not solely for the purpose of using me to deal with King Yu and the Qi family. He reveals himself publicly, taking this opportunity to run here and there. His intention will definitely be picked up by King Yu and the Qi family. If the Qi family starts to believe that Chu Lan has captured Sheng Tong, they will definitely make a move.¡± ¡°So Chu Lan¡¯s n is to trick King Yu and the Qi Family?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Very likely,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. So today¡¯s visit by Chu Lan could be said to be double-sided; if he could persuade Wei Jinyi to take action, that would be good. But even if not, he could still achieve his purpose. As long as the news reached the ears of King Yu and Qi Yansong, they would certainly act hastily, to prevent Chu Lan from bringing Sheng Tong before the emperor. Once King Yu and the Qi family made their move, it would provide opportunities for Chu Lan. ¡°Both of them are as cunning as foxes,¡± Wei Ruo sighed. Chu Lan was, and her second brother was too! Chu Lan¡¯s actions against the Qi family had advanced earlier than in the original story. This was highly likely due to her second brother¡¯s various provocations. Pausing for a moment, Wei Ruo inquired, ¡°So does Second Brother believe that this Sheng Tong truly was the one who betrayed Marquis Xu, leading to Marquis Xu¡¯s unjust death? Was the Qi family indeed the mastermind behind this?¡± ¡°I had no prior knowledge of this Sheng Tong matter. After hearing what Chu Lan has said, concluded that he is highly likely the person who fabricated false evidence against my maternal grandfather. As for who was behind it, the person I suspect is indeed the Qi family, because the Qi family was the biggest beneficiary from the incident,¡± responded Wei Jinyi. ¡°Indeed,¡± Wei Ruo nodded.
She asked her second brother in hopes of reminding him that the mastermind at the bottom was indeed the Qi family. This was a point Chu Lan got right. Now that she heard her second brother¡¯s suspicion was also directed at the Qi family, then she would no longer intervene. WeI Ruo¡¯s mood for sightseeing disappeared due to Chu Lan¡¯s arrival. After finishing the roasted chicken and fish, Wei Ruo had everyone pack up and they headed back to King Rui Residence. On the way back, they traveled slowly with Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi in the carriage, enjoying the scenery and eating, they had arrived back at the King Rui Residence by dusk. The moment she stepped off the carriage, an urgent matter suddenly came to Wei Ruo¡¯s mind. ¡°Second Brother.¡± WeI Ruo grabbed Wei Jinyi¡¯s arm as he was walking towards the inner courtyard. Chapter 521: 521: Taking care of the Emperors health_1 Chapter 521: Taking care of the Emperor¡¯s health_1 Wei Jinyi abruptly stopped and turned to look at the hand holding his arm. ¡°Second brother, is there any way for me to enter the pce to take care of the Emperor¡¯s health?¡± Wei Ruo asked abruptly. ¡°To take care of the Emperor¡¯s health?¡± ¡°Yes, to nurse his health. I think the Emperor¡¯s health has not been very good these past years. If Chu Lan exposes the truth from back in the day in theing days, I¡¯m afraid he will be shocked!¡± Wei Ruo revealed her concerns. The Emperor was their shield. As long as the Emperor was in good health, their lives in King Rui Residence would be worry-free. Wei Ruo knew that the Emperor¡¯s health was currently severelypromised. It was impossible to expect aplete recovery and a long life, but she might be able to dy it for a few years, doing her best to prevent any idents when he was facing the impending massive shock. Wei Ruo wanted to take care of the Emperor¡¯s health, but she needed an appropriate identity. Xu Heyou had already died, so naturally, Wei Ruo could not enter the pce as Xu Heyou to treat the Emperor. Moreover, wanting to take the Emperor¡¯s pulse and prescribe medicine was not an easy matter. It would be impossible for a person with unclear identity and unknown origins to do so, even if this person were brought by King Rui, there would be no exceptions. Forget about fabricating a new identity, even if she were to use one from before with Xu Heyou¡¯s identity, it would be thoroughly investigated.
Wei Jinyi understood Wei Ruo¡¯s concerns. After thinking for a moment, he said: ¡°If you enter the pce to treat the Emperor, you will inevitably have to put up with some hardships.¡± Wei Jinyi knew that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t like the pce, with itsplex rules and oppressive atmosphere which she resisted. ¡°Even if I¡¯m troubled, it¡¯s worth it if it allows us to live peaceful lives.¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo was still clear about what was important and urgent ¨C she would never avoid any hardships she should endure. Wei Jinyi frowned, seeing Wei Ruo¡¯s determined look, he understood her intentions. After a pause, Wei Jinyi continued to ask Wei Ruo: ¡°Are you willing to treat him as yourself?¡± Wei Ruo hesitated for a while, then answered: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you will apany me into the pce tomorrow.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo agreed. After finishing speaking, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t move. Wei Ruo paused for a moment, then lowered her head and found that she was still holding Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand. Wei Ruo let go quickly, then awkwardly said goodbye to Wei Jinyi: ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll go first¡­¡± As soon as Wei Ruo finished speaking, she turned around quickly, afraid that Wei Jinyi would call her back. Wei Ruo, what¡¯s wrong with you? You didn¡¯t used to be so tactless! Although she asionally joked around to make her second brother blush, that was just for fun!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om What¡¯s going on now? She was acting like a lustful person, always touching others, just like a female pervert! ### Late at night. The Qi Family. Qi Yansong¡¯s study.
Qi Yansong sat in his Huanghuali Imperial Tutor Chair. In front of him, a line of people knelt down, each of them trembling with fear. News of Chu Lan seeking King Rui outside the city during the day had reached Qi Yansong¡¯s ears. ¡°Has Sheng Tong really been found by Chu Lan?¡± Qi Yansong¡¯s voice was like a bell, his face like frost. ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡±
The people kneeling on the ground did not dare to lift their heads. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking for this man for years, and you still have no news.¡± ¡°We¡¯re at fault, sir. Sheng Tong is too cunning. He probably saw early on that we would kill him to keep him quiet. He has no traces for these years¡­¡± ¡°You said he has no traces, so you can¡¯t find him. So how did Chu Lan find him?¡± Qi Yansong¡¯s voice did not change, but the gaze looking at several people was full of killing intent. ¡°We are ipetent, we should die!¡± The several people quickly admitted their mistake. ¡°I¡¯m giving you onest chance to atone for your mistakes. I don¡¯t want Sheng Tong to see the Emperor alive. I don¡¯t care how you do it, I just want Sheng Tong to shut up forever.¡± Qi Yansong said. ¡°Yes, we will carry out the order!¡± After the people left, Qi Yansong got up and entered the study, picked up his pen to write a confidential letter, sealed it with wax, and called in his confidant. ¡°Send this to King Yu Residence now.¡± The confidant took the letter and hurried out. ### King Rui and his wife¡¯s action of starting a chicken and duck farm outside the city didn¡¯t escape the notice of the Emperor and the various high officials and dignitaries of the royal family.
It was previously rumored that Queen Rui enjoyed farming. Therefore, this action coincided with the previous rumor. It seemed that she had been conservative when she was in her boudoir, for fear that a bad reputation would affect her future marriage. Now that she was married and a Queen, she let loose, not caring about how others judged her. It was said that King Rui also cherished her and liked her character, joining her in her mischief. Moreover, King Rui was in poor health and had no interest in court affairs. It seemed that this couple was quitepatible. In the Imperial Study, the Emperorughed after hearing about this: ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. As long as he is happy, what else can I ask for? Finding such a Queen really is apt, it seems that Daoist Qianyuan was right! This girl from the Wei family really does match well with my grandson!¡± Eunuch Gao echoed: ¡°Yes, Queen Rui is a special woman. If she were to marry into amon household, it would be somewhat inappropriate. But marrying our King Rui is perfectly fitting. As a member of the royal family, she personally cultivates thend. She is a role model for women and an example for the people.¡± ¡°Yes, nowadays, there are many ces where crops are insufficient. Queen Rui leads by example, initiates farming, and raises chickens, which is indeed a good example. The recent reports from Jiangzhe Prefecture state that this autumn¡¯s harvest in Jiangzhe Road will be plentiful, and Queen Rui has also made significant contributions. She is indeed suited to be my Royal Daughter-inw and even a role model for all the women in the world!¡± the Emperor evaluated. After saying this, the Emperor¡¯s eyes shed with a hint of regret, as if he had thought of something. ¡°This year¡¯s harvest in Jiangzhe was bountiful, bringing a lot of grains to the national treasury. The Emperor doesn¡¯t need to worry too much about food.¡± Eunuch Gao quickly changed the subject. ¡°It¡¯s only Jiangzhe that¡¯s doing well. Other ces are constantly sending me reports of insufficient harvests! Look at these memos requesting disaster relief funds, they¡¯re piling up like mountains! I still don¡¯t know who to assign to manage these matters!¡± When he thought about the disaster situation, the Emperor¡¯s mood was not very good. Eunuch Gao quickly came forward tofort him and served the Emperor some ginseng tea.
¡°Emperor, have a sip of ginseng tea and take a rest. You¡¯ve been reviewing these memorials all afternoon.¡± The Emperor sighed: ¡°I used to hand over part of the memorials to the Cab for review and didn¡¯t need my approval earlier, which really saved a lot of energy. Now that I¡¯ve taken them back again, it besborious.¡± ¡°Emperor, your health is important. If you feel tired, find another person to help you.¡± Eunuch Gao said this, and the Emperor stared at him sharply. Eunuch Gao immediately felt fear: ¡°Emperor¡­.¡± The Emperor sighed: ¡°Are you urging me to establish a Crown Prince?¡± Eunuch Gao hastily replied: ¡°This servant dares not. What this servant means is that if the people in the Cab are not trustworthy, the Emperor can find another person to help with reviewing the memorials.¡± Chapter 522: 522: Does Queen Rui also Understand Medical Skills?_1 Chapter 522: Does Queen Rui also Understand Medical Skills?_1 The Emperor shook his head: ¡°I indeed should appoint a Crown Prince¡­ I owe it to the Empress and Yiyi¡­ it¡¯s unfortunate that Yiyi¡¯s health¡­ I must find someone who would treat him well even after my demise¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t think like that. You are strong and healthy, and you will certainly live a long life.¡± Eunuch Gao hurriedlyforted. ¡°I¡¯ve heard this so often that I¡¯m tired of it. I do not fear death, I just can¡¯t let go of some things at this moment.¡± The Emperor knew his own body, which had copsed over these years. Now, he only seemed tough on the outside, fooling others but not fooling himself. Then the Emperor looked into the distance, and mumbled in a trance: ¡°If there is something I fear, it is seeing her after death. I don¡¯t know how I can apologize to her.¡± Eunuch Gao hurriedly consoled: ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t me yourself. You were also deceived in the matter of the Xiu family back then. Now that the truth is out, surely the Empress will forgive you in the afterlife¡­¡± The Emperor gave a bitter smile: ¡°She had such a strong character, how could she easily forgive me? She will me me for not finding out the truth at the beginning, for not protecting her father and brothers. She definitely doesn¡¯t want to see me again¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Her Highness the Empress always had a tough exterior but a soft heart. Remember how she used to kick you out of the room, yet secretly asked me to bring you a cloak. Even if she ignored you, she would secretly have the Imperial Kitchen prepare medicinal meals for you!¡± Eunuch Gao¡¯s words plunged the Emperor into memories, and he began to speak of the past.
¡°In my youth, women were nothing more than objects to bnce the court situation to me, they bore children to stabilize the court. When she first entered the harem, she was so defiant, even unwilling to let me stay, I didn¡¯t want to deal with her either, I didn¡¯t want to be bothered with her.¡± Listening to the Emperor talk, Eunuch Gao quietly started to listen. This was not the first time the Emperor shared these past experiences with him. Each time something triggered these memories, the Emperor would inevitably mention them. It had been this way for neen years. The Emperor went from being at odds with the Empress at first, to gradually falling for her, and then to singrly loving her alone. Outsiders thought that the Emperor¡¯s preference for the Empress was to reassure the Xiu family on the border, but they didn¡¯t know that the Emperor really fell in love amidst constant confrontations with her. In that year, the Emperor had truly fallen for her. Then that incident happened. Even though there was solid evidence of the treasonous plot of the Xiu family, the Emperor still did not want to depose the Empress. He only thought to send the Empress to Jing¡¯an Temple to recover, waiting to bring her back after the storm subsided. Who would have thought, the Empress did not survive for him to take her back, and even the child she gave birth to died prematurely. Since then, the Emperor had not favored any other women in the pce, and no queens or concubines have been pregnant since Queen Xiu left. At this point, everyone finally believed that the Emperor was truly in love with Queen Xiu. How deep this love was, no one could tell. ¡°Enough, let¡¯s stop here for today.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om His thoughts returning, the Emperor no longer had the intention to continue working. The Emperor moved the pile of paperwork to one side and stood up. Eunuch Gao hurried forward to assist. Just at this moment, the junior eunuch sneakily came to report: ¡°Your Majesty, Prince Rui and Queen Rui have arrived at the Pce.¡± ¡°Why are they here?¡± The Emperor stopped, paused, then went back to his seat, ¡°Let theme to the Imperial Study.¡± Then the Emperor had Eunuch Gao bring over a chair and ce it at the side of his desk. Eunuch Gao full of smiles, seeing the Emperor¡¯spletely different attitude towards Prince Ruipared to his other sons. The Prince hadn¡¯t even arrived yet, and the Emperor had already had a chair prepared. Other people would never receive such treatment. To be granted a seat would already be a great honor!
After a while, Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo arrived at the Imperial Study together. ¡°No need for formalities.¡± The Emperor spoke before Wei Jinyi could performed the ceremonial rites. He looked at Wei Jinyi with a warm gaze, extending his good attitude to Wei Ruo as well.
¡°Sit¡± the Emperor said next. Wei Ruo assisted Wei Jinyi and helped him sit in the spot that was already prepared. Wei Ruo herself stood at the left behind Wei Jinyi. Once Wei Jinyi was settled, the Emperor observed Wei Jinyi closely, then spoke with some relief: ¡°Yiyi, you look well today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s thanks to the Queen¡¯s attentive care.¡±, Wei Jinyi replied. The Emperor looked up at Wei Ruo and praised: ¡°Queen Rui is considerate indeed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s part of my duty.¡± Wei Ruo answered. The Emperor then asked Wei Jinyi: ¡°Yiyi, why did you want to see me today? If it is not an urgent matter, you could have simply sent a message, there is no need for you toe personally.¡± Wei Jinyi replied: ¡°I have a concern and I¡¯ve asked the Queen to apany me to present it to you¡­¡± With that, Wei Jinyi turned to look at Wei Ruo at his side. The Emperor also followed Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze to look at Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wei Ruo responded: ¡°I made a tonic for the Prince earlier. It helps strengthen qi and enrich the blood, strengthening the constitution; the Prince found it effective. The Prince, thinking of you, wished to present this medicine to you, Father Emperor.¡± The Emperor looked at Wei Ruo, his face kind: ¡°Queen Rui, you also know some medical skills?¡±
Wei Ruo replied: ¡°I only know a little. This prescription was left by Doctor Xu. I only know that it works well for those with symptoms of physical debility.¡± The Emperor said: ¡°I didn¡¯t know before that Queen Rui has such a skill. I was already amazed by your craftsmanship. Moreover, the incident of you discovering a new rice species in Jiangzhe for the benefit of the people, really, you never cease to amaze me.¡± Because Wei Ruo had already given the Emperor quite a few surprises, this time when she said she only knew a bit about medical skills, the Emperor couldn¡¯t help but praise her again and again. ¡°I am terrified¡­ It¡¯s my good fortune to be able to alleviate Your Majesty¡¯s worries.¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so humble. If you were a man, I would definitely have you enter the court to serve as an official, enabling you to do great things and benefit the people.¡± the Emperor said. ¡°I am terrified¡­ how could I dare.¡± Wei Ruo lowered her head. Wei Jinyi returned to the topic at hand: ¡°I respectfully request you, Father Emperor, to allow Queen Rui to take your pulse to assure that you can take the prescription left by Divine Doctor Xu.¡± The Emperor did not immediately give a response, but instead looked at Wei Ruo. After some contemtion, he said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make an exception and let Queen Rui diagnose me.¡± Upon hearing this, the shrewd Eunuch Gao went to fetch a pulse pillow, and had the Emperor rest his wrist on it. Wei Ruo tiptoed to the Emperor, bent down, and carefully extended her hand to feel the Emperor¡¯s pulse. Chapter 523: 523: Keep It Quiet_1 Chapter 523: Keep It Quiet_1 Weakness in both the heart and spleen, excessive mental strain over the years leading to a deficiency across the five key organs¡­ Wei Ruo stayed silent for a while, and the Emperor didn¡¯t interrupt, only watching her with a kindly, approving gaze. After a moment, Wei Ruo withdrew her hand. Then bowing slightly, she exined to the Emperor, ¡°Your Highness may benefit from this tonic I rmend.¡± ¡°Do you realize the extent of testing and validation the medicines that I take must go through?¡± The Emperor asked Wei Ruo knowingly. ¡°Your humble servant is unaware. However, I can guarantee that this medicine will only serve to benefit you, without any harm.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s words were firm, her tone unwavering. Meanwhile, High Minister Gao still frowned, looking greatly worried. ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s try your medicine,¡± agreed the Emperor.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Hearing this, Wei Ruo pulled out a bottle of medicine she had prepared earlier from her bosom, presenting it with both hands, ¡°Your humble servant has made the medicine into pill form, ready for consumption. They should be taken with warm water, thrice a day, one at a time.¡±
High Minister Gao urgently interjected, ¡°Queen Rui, this is not appropriate! Wouldn¡¯t it be better to provide the form for this medicine and pass it to the Imperial Institute of Medicine for research? They can personally prepare and test the medicine and only administer it to the Emperor after they confirm it¡¯s safe.¡± High Minister Gao had wanted to express his reservations for a while, but when he heard Wei Ruo offering the already prepared medicine directly to the Emperor, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. There¡¯s a procedure to go through for giving medicine to the Emperor. Who could bear the responsibility if something goes wrong? The Emperor raised his hand to stop High Minister Gao¡¯s protests, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I trust Queen Rui.¡± ¡°But, Emperor¡­¡± Gao¡¯s face was full of concern. This wasn¡¯t proper! And besides, this could be too risky! ¡°Bring Queen Rui¡¯s medicine here.¡± The Emperor didn¡¯t give High Minister Gao any further room to block his decision and gave hismand. High Minister Gao reluctantly carried out the order, taking the potion from Wei Ruo¡¯s hand but still wearing a look of worry and unease. The Emperor examined the bottle, then added, ¡°Furthermore, Queen, don¡¯t mention this matter of the medicine to anyone. I do not want anyone to know that I am taking medication, especially that it ising from King Rui Residence. Do you understand?¡± Wei Ruo was slightly confused. She didn¡¯t understand why the Emperor had no objections when she offered him the medicine, yet he specifically instructed her not to let outsiders know about it. Of course, Wei Ruo personally wished to keep this event quiet too. The Emperor¡¯s words were in line with her intentions. ¡°Your humble servant obeys,¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°Today, Yiyi is in good spirits. Please join me for dinner.¡± The Emperor then spoke to Wei Jinyi. ¡°Your humble servant obeys.¡± Following dinner, the Emperor spoke a great deal about Wei Jinyi¡¯s daily life. There were moments when Wei Ruo felt that it wasn¡¯t the Emperor questioning, but a regr father showing interest in his long-absent son¡¯s life. And from time to time, Wei Ruo felt the Emperor¡¯s gaze wander past Wei Jinyi, as if looking at someone else that the Emperor had been yearning for a long time. After dinner, seeing that the evening was growing dark, the Emperor granted Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo permission to leave. After they left, the Emperor asked High Minister Gao to pour him some warm water. He took out a medicine pill from the porcin bottle and consumed it with the water, just as Wei Ruo had instructed. Afterwards, he securely kept the bottle and just before dismissing the High Minister, he advised, ¡°The matter of King Rui and his wife bringing medicine today must be kept confidential.¡±
¡°Your servant understands.¡± High Minister Gao responded. He paused, then tentatively voiced the doubts in his heart, ¡°But Emperor, why go to such lengths? What if this medicine¡­.¡± ¡°If the medicine is poisonous, then so be it.¡± The Emperor muttered. High Minister Gao was taken aback, staring at the Emperor in disbelief. ¡°You may leave now.¡± The Emperor allowed Gao no time to express his astonishment.
¡°Yes.¡± High Minister Gao had no choice but to withdraw. ### Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi exited the pce in their pnquin. Only when they heard Lin Fang¡¯s voice from outside the pnquin, ¡°Prince, Queen, we are now outside,¡± did Wei Ruo finally breathe easy. She then turned to Wei Jinyi and asked, ¡°Why did the Emperor specifically instruct me not to divulge this to anyone outside today? I don¡¯t want to talk about it, but why does he feel the same way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I don¡¯t understand him that well.¡± Wei Jinyi couldn¡¯t provide her with a definite answer. ¡°The saying ¡®the Emperor¡¯s heart is unpredictable¡¯ is indeed true.¡± Wei Ruo eximed, ¡°When I was facing him today, my palms were sweating with nervousness.¡± ¡°Ruo, you did well, there was no sign of panic.¡± ¡°Of course I was nervous, he is the Emperor after all! He has the power to behead me in an instant. If I really anger him and he decrees my beheading, what can I do? Wasn¡¯t it necessary for me to be nervous and cautious?¡± Wei Ruo responded using a somewhat yful tone. Seeing this, Wei Jinyi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Second Brother, what are youughing at?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Looking away sheepishly, Wei Jinyi responded in a low voice, ¡°Despite being nervous, you insist on tending to the Emperor. Sometimes, Ruo, you are both brave and afraid.¡± ¡°No, ultimately I just value my life. Whether I¡¯m afraid or persist in examining the Emperor, it¡¯s all for the sake of preserving my own existence.¡± Wei Jinyi responded, ¡°I will protect you.¡±
The volume of his voice wasn¡¯t high, but the conviction in his tone brought an inexplicable sense of calm. ¡°Ok.¡± Wei Ruo simply replied. Wei Jinyi then turned to Wei Ruo and asked a question, ¡°How did you manage to prepare the medicine in advance today?¡± Wei Ruo possessed excellent medical skills, but she did not have the power of foresight. The exnation she gave in front of the Emperor was not quite convincing enough for Wei Jinyi. ¡°During my previous meeting with the Emperor, I surmised his illness by observing hisplexion, eye color, as well as his subtle movements. However, I wasn¡¯tpletely sure since I hadn¡¯t taken his pulse. So, I took a gamble and prepared several types of tonics that I felt could be useful for him. I carried them all in my possession and presented the most suitable one after confirming the diagnosis through his pulse.¡± While saying this, Wei Ruo pulled five more bottles from her sleeve. Including the one given to the Emperor, that made six in total. Actually, Wei Ruo was withholding a bit. Her prediction about the Emperor¡¯s illness was not only grounded in their encounter at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet but also from certain descriptions in the original text. But even so, Wei Ruo could only deduce a rough estimate, hence the need for extensive preparation. ¡°What if none of these six types had been suitable?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Then I would have had to admit it was unsuitable. But I would have suggested that the medicine prescribed by Doctor Xu might be useful.¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Ruo is very clever.¡± Wei Jinyi chuckled. ¡°It takes one to know one!¡± Wei Ruo leaned back into the cushion, her voice now carrying a hint of lethargy.
¡°It¡¯s still a distance to our residence, take a rest first,¡± suggested Wei Jinyi. ¡°Ok,¡± Wei Ruo responded as she closed her eyes to rest. She seemed rxed and at ease beside Wei Jinyi. Watching her, curled up asfortably as a kitten on the cushion, Wei Jinyi felt a wave of satisfaction wash over him. Chapter 524: 524: Return to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence_1 Chapter 524: Return to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence_1 The day after delivering the medicine to the Emperor, Wei Ruo began to arrange for the servants of the Wang Residence to revamp the backyard. After all, she couldn¡¯t be much help in political struggles, so she stayed busy with what she needed to do, handling whatever came her way. ¡°nt radishes in Mingxiang Pavilion, nt Swiss chard there, and rapeseed on that side. These veggies are frost-resistant ¨C perfect for winter consumption if we nt them now.¡± ¡°Clear Liufang Pavilion for raising chickens.¡± ¡°Use that room on the far west side for storing coal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lin Fang returned from an errand to find Wei Ruo had turned the backyard of the Wang Residence upside down. ¡°Miss, what are you doing?¡± asked Lin Fang, puzzled. Wei Ruo exined, ¡°These rooms were just lying vacant anyway. It¡¯s great to store stuff in there. And the things I store won¡¯t spoil in a short period, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already had the valuable furniture packed away. The main rooms are untouched.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t explicitly mention that she was storing up grain because she anticipated a widespread disaster this year.
The court hadn¡¯t publicized the situation yet, and she didn¡¯t dare to be the one to break the news.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I see. How Miss handles things is up to her,¡± Lin Fang agreed, nodding. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°As for nting vegetables, I only changed a few remote courtyards on the side. The courtyards didn¡¯t have any nts before. The buildings there are old as well, so why not use these ces for nting vegetables? It¡¯s just three courtyards, I kept the rest for your Master, Prince Wang.¡± After all, it was the Wang Residence. Wei Ruo was still mindful of keeping up appearances ¨C turning the entire residence¡¯s courtyards into vegetable gardens seemed excessive. Still, the residence was vast with many empty courtyards. As only a few people were now living in the backyard, it was fine to repurpose a few out-of-the-way courtyards. Firstly, it satisfied Wei Ruo¡¯s yearning for gardening. Secondly, in case of extreme weather when fresh vegetable supply ran short, having a vegetable garden in the residence could provide for everyone. ¡°As long as Miss is happy, you can even change all of the backyards.¡± Her happiness was priceless. If it pleased Miss to turn the entire backyard into vegetable gardens, then it was alright. ¡°Oh, also, clear out the warm pavilion for me. I want to cultivate mushrooms.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Lin Fang was slightly startled. The idea of growing mushrooms took him by surprise, but then he agreed, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll handle this right away.¡± ¡°Besides, I had someone buy a cart of sheep manure. Later, could you help me transport it to those courtyards in the far west?¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°Sure.¡± Lin Fang agreed. Over the next two days, Wei Ruo was kept on her toes, handling both the poultry farm outside the city and the revamp in the backyard. But the oue was rewarding. Seeing the piled-up supplies and the cultivatednds, Wei Ruo was overjoyed. All these actions of King Rui Residence were far from discreet, whether it concerned the poultry farm outside the city or the supplies transported into the residence, which Wei Ruo did boldly. And thus, it earned people¡¯s attention. However, most people merely chuckled and moved on. Compared to the intense rivalry between Prince Yu and King Jing, the activities of the Rui Residence seemed more like child¡¯s y, barely worth discussing. ### October 8.
Wei Ruo refreshed herself a bit, ready to visit the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Today was Grandfather Wei¡¯s 70th birthday. The invitation had been sent to her half a month earlier from the Duke Residence. For Grandfather Wei¡¯s 70th birthday, the Residence was not nning a grand celebration, but a simple family dinner.
Specially, they delivered notes to both Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan, asking them, together with their husbands, to attend. However, Grandfather Wei added that he would be delighted if both sons-inw could attend, but if not, it would be perfectly understandable and they should not worry about it too much. Perhaps Grandfather Wei knew deep down that the chances of his sons-inw attending were quite low. King Rui was severely sick and hardly left home. He didn¡¯t even show up for the three obligatory visits, let alone on ordinary days? As for Wei Qingwan, she was only a concubine. It wasn¡¯t proper for Prince Yu, a brother-inw, toe. Add the fact that Prince Yu had been incredibly busytely, he wouldn¡¯t bother himself with such a trivial event as Grandfather Wei¡¯s birthday. ### Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. The people in the Residence had heard about the recent activities of King Rui and his wife. It seemed absurd that royal couple had turned to building poultry farms and hoardingrge quantities of grains, fruits, and vegetables in the Residence. It seemed like neither of them had any interest in political matters. Certainly, anyone with the potential to be the Crown Prince would not waste their effort on such things. Whoever aspired to be the emperor wouldn¡¯t care about a small poultry farm. Only those who knew they could not ascend to the imperial position would squabble over a piece ofnd or a store. Yet these activities of King Rui and his wife seemed totally reasonable considering King Rui¡¯s poor health and his uncertain lifespan. After all, it wouldn¡¯t hurt for them to grow some crops and raise some poultry to live a leisurely life.
Their behavior can be seen as knowing their ce and maintaining happiness in it. From the moment they woke up, Grandfather Wei and Madam Wei summoned their two sons, three daughters-inw, and all their grandchildren to remind them: ¡°The current political situation is tense, and the struggle between Prince Yu and King Jing is heating up. Given this trend, King Jing will be defeated soon. As I celebrate my birthday today, I want to remind you to be careful in your conduct outside. Don¡¯t provoke any trouble at this critical moment.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± they all replied at once. Grandfather Wei nodded with satisfaction and continued. ¡°Today, both the wife of King Rui and the concubine of Prince Yu areing. We cannot count on King Rui now, our only hope is Prince Yu. Therefore, treat Prince Yu¡¯s concubine properly. Don¡¯t neglect her due to her status as a concubine.¡± ¡°Father, you can rest assured. We would never mishandle such a thing. We have always been close to Wanwan!¡± Bai Family quickly voiced their stance. ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry, we know what to do.¡± Wei Mingyong added. Wei Mingyong seemed unusually jolly these days. He felt his backbone was straighter than ever before. Because Wei Mingyong had recently obtained a position, although it was a low-ranking job, it was an official role nheless. Moreover, he owed this position to Qi Yansong. During a casual conversation, Qi Yansong had mentioned that Wei Family¡¯s second master was a promising talent. The lower officials got his hint and arranged this minor job for Wei Mingyong. For Wei Mingyong, this carried extraordinary significance. It was a sign of favor from Master Qi! Bright future was ahead of him!
Chapter 525: 525: Birthday Celebration_1 Chapter 525: Birthday Celebration_1 On the other hand, Wei Minghong remained silent on the side. Now he has be a bystander! Although his face still bore a smile, Wei Minghong¡¯s gaze was even gloomier than before. Madam Yun, however, couldn¡¯t bring herself to smile. Although both of them were her daughters, her rtionship with them wasn¡¯t good at all. The sight of their faces made her heart sink. How should she treat her two daughters? ### The carriages from King Rui Residence and King Yu Residence almost arrived at the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence at the same time. When the queens returned to the residence, the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence opened its main gate and lined up to wee them. All the members of the Wei Family, except for the old duke and the old madam, were waiting at the gate. They stood straight, focusing on Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan as they stepped down from the carriage.
Upon seeing the two, the expressions on the faces of the Wei Family members varied. When the Bai Family, Wei Yifeng, Wei Yipeng, and the others saw Wei Qingwan, their faces were filled with love and joy, but they disyed disgust and resentment when they saw Wei Ruo. The expressions on Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin were different from them. Especially Wei Yilin, he couldn¡¯t hide his emotions at all. The anticipation on his face was clearly directed at Wei Ruo, while his gaze towards Wei Qingwan was indifferent. Madam Yun looked at her two daughters, both of whom were dressed gorgeously and held prestigious statuses, but this didn¡¯t bring her anyfort at all; instead, she felt lost. When Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan reached the front of the stairs, everyone came forward to pay their respects. After Wei Ruo said they could dispense with the formalities, the Wei family weed the two into the residence. Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan walked at the front with the Wei Family members following behind. Technically Wei Ruo held a higher rank than Wei Qingwan, so Wei Qingwan should have consciously taken a few steps back. But she seemed to do it on purpose, choosing to walk side by side with Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t pay attention to Wei Qingwan walking beside her and just kept striding forward. ¡°Sister, you seem to have a lot of free timetely.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s voice rang out, cold and full of mockery. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just as idle? Has King Yu favored you?¡± Wei Ruo counter-questioned. Wei Ruo was not very informed about Wei Qingwan¡¯s situation in the King Yu Residence and did not make any special effort to inquire. However, she knew that King Yu was currently upied in his power struggle with King Jing, especially after King Jing had nabbed Sheng Tong; King Yu and the Qi Family were probably so worried that they couldn¡¯t even eat, how could he find the mood to care about the women in the inner quarters? Therefore, Wei Ruo deduced that Wei Qingwan must be feeling neglected in the King Yu Residence. Hit to her sore spot by Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned a tad pale, her teeth clenched and she maintained her haughty demeanor fitting for King Yu¡¯s concubine: ¡°Sister, rest assured, King Yu is in the prime of his life, unlike King Rui who is frail. Even as a concubine, I¡¯m sure to receive more favors than you.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t speak so certainly. My prince may be frail, but the favors he can bestow upon me may not be less you know.¡± Wei Ruo responded with a teasing smile, her tone smacking of insinuations. Upon hearing these words, Lin Fang and Xiumei, who apanied Wei Ruo, almost couldn¡¯t suppress their expressions. The young miss really dares to say it! It would be great if this were true! The master might really want it to be true!
Thereafter, Wei Ruo ignored Wei Qingwan and entered the main hall after passing through the corridor. The old duke and the old madam were seated high up in the hall. Old man Wei showed a gratified smile when he saw his two granddaughters, and immediately requested them to be seated. Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan, one to the left and one to the right, sat in the positions closest to the head seat.
Following Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan, the younger members of the Wei family entered in single file, taking their ces on both sides of the hall ording to seniority.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Then, the people of Wei family began to offer longevity blessings to the old man one after another, presenting longevity gifts while conveying their blessings. The order of blessings started with the eldest, beginning with the couple Wei Minghong from the eldest branch of the family, then to the generation of sons, and finally, the grandchildren. It continued until all the grandchildren were done, and then it was time for Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan. Wei Ruo prepared some porcin and tea for old man Wei, all of which were tribute items that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t have ess to. Whether the tea tasted good was another matter; what mattered was that they were tribute items, which pleased old man Wei. Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t really prepared anything special. Given that the old couple had given her many gifts and prepared her dowry before, she felt it necessary to prepare a longevity gift and just picked out some things she didn¡¯t need from the rewards she had received. The gifts were of course valuable, but they hardly required any thought. Wei Qingwan watched Wei Ruo present her gifts, and her hand tightened in her sleeve, then she cautiously stepped forward to present the longevity cake she had made herself. Upon seeing this, the expressions of the Wei family members were slightly surprised. However, they quickly gathered their thoughts. Old man Weiughed and said, ¡°Queen Yu has really put in a lot of effort, this longevity cake must have taken a lot of thought.¡± The olddy of the Wei family also agreed, ¡°Indeed, a product of the queen¡¯s own hands is worth thousands of gold pieces.¡± Straight after, Old man Wei spoke a few words with his people and then asked his three daughters-inw to take the women to the backyard.
The olddy of the Wei family was already in her advanced years and couldn¡¯t participate at such a time, so she let her personal maid assist her back to Shou¡¯an Hall. Upon entering the backyard, Wei Ruo found that the other female rtives were all gathered around Wei Qingwan, asking about her life at King Yu Residence. These women included thedies of Bai Family, Wei Yifeng¡¯s wife, Wei Yipeng¡¯s newlywed wife, several youngdies from the Wei family n, and Wei Minghong¡¯s two concubines. It seemed that Wei Minghong, realizing that his wife Mrs. Mo wasn¡¯t articte and always held him back, had specifically dispatched his two eloquent concubines to apany them. It appeared that he was truly desperate now, unashamedly bringing his concubines to the gathering andpletely disregarding Mrs. Mo¡¯s dignity. Mrs. Yun simply walked indifferently on one side, with no one particrly close to her. There was a stark contrast between the treatment of Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan. It seemed the strict instruction of old man Wei was not only useful, but it even created a disparity in favor of Wei Qingwan. Their attitude towards Wei Qingwan, the concubine, was much warmer than towards Wei Ruo, the official wife. On the contrary, Mrs. Mo came to Wei Ruo¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°Queen Rui, you don¡¯t need to care about them. They¡¯re all confused, failing to recognize the hierarchy.¡± Wei Ruo looked at Mrs. Mo¡¯s calm face and smiled lightly, ¡°I don¡¯t care about these things.¡± She could understand why all these people were so keen on Wei Qingwan today. It wasn¡¯t solely because Wei Qingwan was a concubine in King Yu¡¯s residence; they didn¡¯t really need to give her a cold shoulder for that. But since she didn¡¯t get along well with Wei Qingwan, if they wanted to please Wei Qingwan, they naturally had to show some indifference towards Wei Ruo, which could clearly convey their goodwill to Wei Qingwan. Mrs. Mo nodded slightly, then her eyebrows furrowed as if she still had something to say to Wei Ruo.
Wei Ruo, sensing her unusual behavior, intentionally quickened her steps, putting some distance between her and Wei Qingwan and the others behind her. ¡°You can speak now, they won¡¯t hear you.¡± Wei Ruo said. Mrs. Mo was taken aback, surprise shing in her eyes, then she whispered, ¡°Queen Rui, be careful with Bai Family today.¡± Chapter 526: 526: Returning Your Underhanded Tricks Intact_1 Chapter 526: Returning Your Underhanded Tricks Intact_1 Said Mo, then quickly lowered her head. It sounded as if today, Mrs. Bai was nning on doing something divisive? Wei Ruo narrowed her eyes and the corner of her mouth lifted in a slight curve. She was somewhat eager to see just how audacious Mrs. Bai would be, and what tricks she would try on her. Coming into the garden of the Duke Residence, there were two round tables set with dried longan, apricot, tea cakes, and dried sweet potatoes. After Wei Ruo sat at one table, Wei Qingwan chose the other. After the two of them were seated, the otherdies chose their seats as well. Wei Qingwan¡¯s table was full, while Wei Ruo¡¯s was starkly empty. Only she sat there, with no one else daring to join. Seeing this situation, Mrs. Mo and Mrs. Yun came and sat next to Wei Ruo. As both of these women were generally quiet, Wei Ruo¡¯s table was silent. This made for a stark contrast to the buzz of conversation at Wei Qingwan¡¯s table. The servants served everyone jasmine tea. As the tea was brought before Wei Ruo, Mrs. Bai¡¯s gaze followed.
Wei Ruo keenly noticed Mrs. Bai¡¯s stare at her and remembered Mrs. Mo¡¯s early warning, she looked down at her teacup. Wei Ruo lifted the teacup to her lips, but did not immediately drink. She first slowly smelled it, then tasted the tea with the tip of her tongue. There was a very faint medicinal taste in the tea, disguised by the fragrance of jasmine. However, Wei Ruo with her experience in tasting andpounding countless medicines, was able to identify it sharply. Immediately followed by a smirk from Wei Ruo. I see. So, that was it ¨C an old and cheap trick. With this stuff, the moment it touches her tongue she would know what was going on. Even without Mrs. Mo¡¯s warning, this n would not have worked on her. Once she figured out what was going on, Wei Ruo put the teacup back down. Then Wei Ruo gestured and summoned Lin Fang to her side. When Lin Fang bent her ear towards her, Wei Ruo whispered a few words, and Lin Fang nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Lin Fang confidently replied. ¡°Thank you, you¡¯ve been very helpful,¡± said Wei Ruo. After receiving Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, Lin Fang retreated. Wei Ruo continued to sit in her position, leisurely enjoying the scenery around her. Realising that Wei Ruo did not drink the tea, Mrs. Bai across the table was somewhat anxious. Mrs. Bai nced at Wei Qingwan anxiously. She just told Wei Qingwan that she would teach Wei Ruo a lesson, but the plot was not yet unfolding. She was worried that Wei Qingwan would question her n. So Mrs. Bai leaned into Wei Qingwan and said softly in her ear, ¡°Please be patient, Your Highness. The good y will start soon.¡± Wei Qingwan smiled faintly and responded, ¡°Aunt, you need not do this for me. If your actions were to invoke elder sister¡¯s revenge, I would feel guilty. I do not wish to see this happen. I already know your kindness towards me. There¡¯s no need for you to do such things for me.¡±
But Mrs. Bai exined: ¡°My queen, don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m doing this smoothly. Once Wei Ruo falls for it, she will be embarrassed to mention it and is unlikely to retaliate. We are all family here, no one will spread word of this outside. Furthermore, I¡¯ve found a scapegoat.¡± Wei Qingwan replied softly, ¡°Aunt, I¡¯ll never forget your kindness.¡± Mrs. Baiughed and said, ¡°What are you talking about? We are family. Although you haven¡¯t spent much time at Capital City after growing up, I¡¯ve watched you since you were a child. As I don¡¯t have any daughters of my own, I treat you like my own.¡± She nned this with two goals. Firstly, she wants to win over Wei Qingwan¡¯s trust and make her leanpletely towards her side. Secondly, she wants to take revenge on Wei Ruo for previous humiliations. You could say it¡¯s like killing two birds with one stone.
Wei Qingwan was moved by Mrs. Bai¡¯s words and actions. She never expected Mrs. Bai would go this far for her. This was something her foster mother would never do. As Mrs. Bai was talking to Wei Qingwan, she kept an eye on Wei Ruo to see if the poison had taken effect. After a while of waiting, Wei Ruo was still sitting quietly, not tasting the tea or the cakes. After a moment of silent thought, Mrs. Bai finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and approached Wei Ruo. ¡°Queen Rui, I would like to offer you this drink as a toast,¡± Mrs. Bai said. ¡°Oh? Why is my aunt honoring me with a toast?¡± Wei Ruo asked, her lips curling slightly into a smile, her gaze bright and sharp. ¡°Queen Rui, you are not only noble in your position but also very industrious. You have a lot of work to do both at home and in the court, one could say it¡¯s a million tasks a day. Your visit is a great honor for all of us in the Wei Family,¡± Mrs. Bai quickly replied. Wei Ruo smiled faintly, ¡°My aunt makes valid points.¡± After she spoke, Wei Ruo picked up her teacup and drank it all down in one gulp. Seeing Wei Ruo drink the tea, Mrs. Bai was ted. ¡°If your majesty needs anything else, please let me know. I¡¯ll return to my seat first.¡± Wei Ruo smiled faintly, ¡°You may.¡± Returning to Wei Qingwan¡¯s side, Mrs. Bai shared enthusiastically, ¡°Now, Your Highness, just wait and enjoy the show!¡±
¡°Sure.¡± Wei Qingwan responded, picked up her tea and took a sip. Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s tea running low, a maid hurriedly came forward with a teapot to refill it. Everyone else continued to enjoy the garden, sipping tea and chatting.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om asionally, the other women woulde forward to make ttering toasts to Wei Qingwan with tea, to which she would always respond with polite grace, endearing herself to everyone in attendance. After a while, Mrs. Bai began frequently ncing at Wei Ruo, wondering why the poison hadn¡¯t taken effect yet. But at the same moment, Wei Qingwan, who was beside her, suddenly looked unwell and said, ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why do I feel so ufortable¡­¡± Mrs. Bai looked up and saw that Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was flushed with a thinyer of sweat on her forehead. Mrs. Bai was shocked, ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Qingwan was also puzzled, ¡°I feel hot and weak, and there¡¯s a¡­ an indescribable feeling.¡± Wei Qingwan didn¡¯t know how to describe the feeling, only that the difort made her blush. Mrs. Bai panicked, ¡°How could it be? This isn¡¯t what I gave to Wei¡­¡± Mrs. Bai looked towards Wei Ruo, only to find her sitting leisurely in her seat, showing no signs of difort at all. She didn¡¯t know what had happened, but from what she could see, the poison she meant for Wei Ruo had been drunk by Wei Qingwan!
Mrs. Bai was extremely anxious and didn¡¯t know what to do. Seeing Wei Qingwan bing unwell, the others came forward in a flurry of concern. Mrs. Yun quickly rose and walked over, ¡°Do you feel unwell? Help the Queen to Yifang Pavilion to rest, and call for the doctor.¡± Yifang Pavilion was the nearest chamber to them. ¡°No!¡± Mrs. Bai quickly intervened. Chapter 527: 527: Harm others, end up harming oneself_1 Chapter 527: Harm others, end up harming oneself_1 ¡°Why not?¡± Madam Yun gazed at the Bai family¡¯s Madam, puzzled. ¡°There¡­ The ce has a leak. It needs tidying up. Let¡¯s take the concubine to her former residence before her departure,¡± the Bai family¡¯s Madam exined. ¡°I had people clean up the Yifang Pavilion just this morning. There is no leak. The beddings inside are newlyid, all prepared for your rest today,¡± Madam Yun replied. ¡°No! It simply can¡¯t be done!¡± The Bai Family¡¯s Madam firmly refused. ¡°Why not?¡± Suspicion crept into Madam Yun¡¯s eyes. The Bai Family¡¯s Madam¡¯s behavior seemed rather odd today, as if she were hiding something. The Bai family¡¯s Madam turned red, unable toe up with an exnation. Wei Ruo walked over leisurely, ¡°The concubine of King Yu is already in this state, a little leak won¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s swiftly take her over and bring in the doctor. As for the others, let them stay here. You are not doctors and can¡¯t be of any help. The concubine of King Yu is slightly feverish and can barely breathe. Having too many people around might exacerbate her condition.¡± Following Wei Ruo¡¯smand, without waiting for the Bai family¡¯s Madam to speak, with a stern nce, she turned to the Wei family¡¯s maid and ordered, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you going to hurry?¡± Madam Yun echoed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Queen Rui said?¡± The maids quickly followed the instructions.
No matter how the Bai family¡¯s Madam fussed or protested in the garden, the person with the highest status and authority was still Wei Ruo, followed by Madam Yun. She was the wife of a fifth-rank general of the martial virtue. The Bai family¡¯s Madam held no official title, not even a Madam. All servants were clear about who they should listen to. The Bai Family¡¯s Madam watched helplessly as the maids aided Wei Qingwan to Yifang Pavilion, sweat streaming down her forehead. Meanwhile, Wei Ruo had every reaction of hers under her gaze. After some contemtion, Bai¡¯s Madam urgently set off for Yifang Pavilion. Initially thrown into a panic by unexpected changes, she recovered her senses and rushed to prevent what she had nned from happening. It was then that Wei Ruo halted her, ¡°The concubine of King Yu is unwell. It would be best to inform King Yu Residence about the situation. Aunt, would you mind sending someone?¡± ¡°I have things to do. Find someone else!¡± Eximing fretfully, the Bai family¡¯s Madam left for Yifang Pavilion to shoo away the people she had arranged. Otherwise, a disaster would befall! Xiumei stepped forward blocking Bai¡¯s path, ¡°Second Madam, our Queen is speaking to you.¡± Desperation written across her face, the Bai family¡¯s Madam said, ¡°The Concubine of King Yu is already in this state. I must go see her. Don¡¯t stop me. Isn¡¯t Queen Rui concerned about the Concubine of King Yu?¡± ¡°I think neither of us can help her at this point. Moreover, I suspect the concubine¡¯s ailment today has something to do with my Aunt,¡± Wei Ruo responded. ¡°What could be my part in it? Am I capable of harming her?¡± A sense of guilt shed across the Bai family¡¯s Madam¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is that so?¡± Wei Ruo raised her eyebrows. Wei Ruo was in no hurry. As long as she did not let her go, the Bai family¡¯s Madam would find it impossible to escape. While the Bai family¡¯s Madam wanted to flee by force, Xiumei¡¯s presence deterred her, leaving no chance to triumph over sheer strength. Madam Yun also noted the unusual behavior of the Bai family¡¯s Madam, ¡°What exactly have you done to Wanwan?¡± ¡°I did nothing. Only worrying about Wanwan¡¯s condition! As her mother, are you not worried about her condition? Don¡¯t you want to go and personally check up on her?¡± said the Bai family¡¯s Madam, quickly denying the allegations. Her words caused Madam Yun to waver, turning to Wei Ruo she said, ¡°Regardless of anything else, let¡¯s go and see Wanwan. Her health is the most important thing.¡±
Madam Yun, although recently annoyed with Wei Qingwan, genuinely cared about her when something went wrong. ¡°No rush. Haven¡¯t we already moved her over to rest? Not to mention, we¡¯ve already sent for the doctor. We can¡¯t help much since we neither know how to feel the pulse nor how to cure her,¡± Wei Ruo spoke calmly. Frustrated and desperate, the Bai family¡¯s Madam snapped at Wei Ruo, ¡°You may not care about the concubine of King Yu, but why are you stopping us from doing so? What kind of heartless sister are you?¡± ¡°Rest assured, I will bring in the best doctor from the Capital City to diagnose her illness,¡± Wei Ruo reassured.
The Bai family¡¯s Madam was losing her mind. During the argument with Wei Ruo, nobody knew what had transpired in Yifang Pavilion. Rather than letting her through, Wei Ruofortably sat back down, leisurely sipping her tea. Returning from her brief departure, Lin Fang noted the disorder and helped Wei Ruo control the Bai family¡¯s Madam and her entourage, making it impossible for them to escape. The Bai family¡¯s Madam had an extreme fit of anxiety, screaming, ¡°Let me go! If I don¡¯t get there soon, there will be trouble!¡± The Bai family¡¯s Madam¡¯s words confirmed Madam Yun¡¯s suspicions, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®there will be trouble¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­ If you don¡¯t want the concubine of King Yu to get into trouble, go over there immediately!¡± The Bai family¡¯s Madam was terrified. ¡°Better exin yourself now!¡± Madam Yun shouted in anger. ¡°She¡­ she was drugged. There¡¯s a man in Yifang Pavilion. If we don¡¯t go now, her chastity will be in danger!¡± With no choice left, the Bai family¡¯s Madam revealed the truth. Stunned by this, Madam Yun immediately rushed towards Yifang Pavilion. Taking advantage of the situation, the fearful Bai family¡¯s Madam pushed Xiumei away and sprinted after Madam Yun. This time, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t stop her attendants from intercepting, instead, she rose from her chair and followed Madam Yun and the Bai family¡¯s Madam. Everyone entered the Yifang Pavilion and made their way straight to the main room. The Bai family¡¯s Madam practically ran to the room.
She forcefully opened the door, rushed in, and shoved aside the man who was about to vite Wei Qingwan, saving her from assault. Wei Qingwan, who had copsed on the couch, had flushed cheeks, and the belt of her robe had been undone and thrown aside. Her outer robe had been partially taken off. The man, who had been shoved away, looked at the Bai family¡¯s Madam in confusion, seemingly puzzled by the turn of events. Following closely behind, Wei Ruo and Madam Yun walked in to witness the appalling scene. At that moment, Madam Yun visibly paled. Fearfully, the Bai family¡¯s Madam grabbed the clothes from the floor and tried to cover Wei Qingwan. However, by that time, everyone who had entered the room, including Wei Ruo herself, had already seen everything. Even if she wasn¡¯t fully undressed, even if things hadn¡¯t gone that far, the mere scenario was enough to ruin Wei Qingwan¡¯s reputation. Madam Yun recovered from her initial shock and immediatelymanded, ¡°Seal the courtyard! Anyone who has been in or out of Yifang Pavilion today must stay here. No one is to leave without my permission!¡± Following that, Madam Yun ordered Cuiping, ¡°Whether they signed a life or death contract, none can be let go!¡± ¡°As youmand,¡± Aware of the gravity, Cuiping apanied by two guards, barricaded the entrance of Yifang Pavilion.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Stand in the doorway, Wei Ruo surveyed the chaotic scene and slowly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it time for Aunt to exin?¡±
Chapter 528: 528 Chapter 528: 528 ¡°What is Queen Rui talking about? I don¡¯t understand, and I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to exin.¡± Bai Family¡¯s Madame Bai couldn¡¯t bear to meet Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze, her heart filled with guilt. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°It seems like you knew that the medicine was given to King Yu¡¯s concubine. Was it you who administered it? You¡¯ve harmed King Yu¡¯s Concubine, what is your intention?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Madame Bai was so intimidated by Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze that her heart palpitated, ¡°No¡­ It wasn¡¯t me¡­ How could I harm King Yu¡¯s Concubine?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, then how did you know King Yu¡¯s Concubine had been given medicine? And how did you know about the man inside the Yifang Pavilion, that something would happen if he arrivedte?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Bai Family¡¯s Madame Bai was left speechless by Wei Ruo¡¯s questioning. Madame Yun quickly stepped forward, seized Madame Bai by her clothes, and demanded, ¡°Why did you harm my Wanwan? What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I did not! I did not want to harm King Yu¡¯s Concubine! I originally intended to¡­¡± Madame Bai looked at Wei Ruo, almost blurting out the truth. ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding! Misunderstanding! The medicine was meant for me!¡± Madame Bai changed her statement immediately. ¡°For your own use?¡± ¡°My¡­ My marital joy with my husband is a private matter and should not be discussed in public!¡± Madame Bai, in order to save herself, couldn¡¯t care less about her dignity.
Better to lose face than to lose her life. ¡°How did the medicine end up in Wanwan¡¯s hands then?¡± Madame Yun questioned. ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s because King Yu¡¯s concubine wanted to use it¡­ to use it on her and King Yu¡­ You as a mother should know, the concubine is in a difficult position in the King Yu Residence and needs to find ways to win King Yu¡¯s favor. How could I have known that an ident like this would happen out of the blue?¡± Mrs. Bai¡¯s mind was working quickly, before Madame Yun could ask again, she thought of an almost perfect exnation. ¡°You¡­you¡­you guys are so confused!¡± Madame Yun released her hold on Madame Bai¡¯s clothes. A sigh of relief escaped Madame Bai¡¯s heart. Just then, Wei Ruo spoke again: ¡°I don¡¯t believe that Aunt Bai is telling the truth. If that really were the case, how would you exin the man in the Yifang Pavilion? Was it a coincidence that King Yu¡¯s concubine identally drank the aphrodisiac, just like the appearance of the man there was a coincidence?¡± ¡°This man was brought in to trim the nts in the Yifang Pavilion. If you do not believe, Queen Rui, you can ask the butler. He knows about these arrangements,¡± Madame Bai immediately retorted. Having thought about this beforehand, Madame Bai had already prepared her excuse. The man kneeling on the floor also quickly admitted, ¡°Indeed, I am a gardener! I heard someone sighing in pain in the room. I thought there was danger, so I rushed in. Mydies, I have no ill intentions and I never dared to covet the nobledy¡¯s beauty, I just wanted to save her!¡± The man had been bought off early on, and even though the target in the Yifang Pavilion had changed, his excuse had been thought out well in advance. If Wei Ruo were the onepromised today, she wouldn¡¯t dare to publicize it, and others wouldn¡¯t delve deeper, thus allowing the situation to be easily muffled up. Wei Ruoughed: ¡°I see. So this is the ruse Aunt Bai had arranged for me.¡± ¡°What is Queen Rui talking about? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Madame Bai replied, her heart filled with apprehension. ¡°Aren¡¯t you wondering why it was Wei Qingwan lying there instead of me?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Madame Bai was immediately shocked, her eyes wide open. ¡°The cup of jasmine tea you intended for me was identally drunk by Wei Qingwan.¡± Wei Ruo stated. Lin Fang was not just skilled in disguise, her hands were also extremely quick, she easily switched the tea in front of Wei Ruo when no one was looking. Then, she went to a corner in the garden where nobody was around, changed into Wei Family¡¯s maid¡¯s clothing, blended into the crowd, and when the maid who was pouring tea for Wei Qingwan was not paying attention, she poured Wei Ruo¡¯s tea into the teapot.
¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± Madame Bai turned her head away, no longer daring to look into Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes. ¡°You can deny it, but I will get to the bottom of this.¡± Wei Ruo turned and ordered: ¡°Madame Bai of the Wei family attempted to harm King Yu¡¯s concubine and had ulterior motives. Take her to the government office for questioning!¡± What? To the government office?
The color drained from Madame Bai¡¯s face.N?v(el)B\\jnn Immediately, Lin Fang and Xiumei stepped forward to apprehend her. Xiumei held Madame Bai while Lin Fang helped Wei Qingwan up from the couch. Wei Qingwan was still dazed and allowed Lin Fang to guide her outside. ¡°Stop!¡± Madame Yunmanded in a loud voice. She strode over to Wei Ruo: ¡°We can¡¯t report this to the officials. If we do, your sister¡¯s reputation will be ruined! Not only can we not report this incident, we cannot mention it to anyone outside!¡± ¡°Without reporting the incident, we can¡¯t find out the truth.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ruining your sister¡¯s future by causing such amotion! Even if you don¡¯t get along with her, you can¡¯t harm her like this! You¡¯re going to be the death of her!¡± ¡°Aunt Bai didn¡¯t tell the truth, and I want the truth.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Madame Yun replied, her gaze tense, her expression upromising. Both mother and daughter stood firm, neither willing to back down, making the surrounding servants unable to breathe in the tense atmosphere. Just then, the Old Lady Wei, who had been notified, hurried over with the assistance of her maid. The two guards at the courtyard gate immediately swung the gate open.
As Old Lady Wei entered, she saw servants kneeling all around the courtyard. Madame Yun and Wei Ruo were ring at each other, unyielding, at the main house entrance. Old Lady Wei strode to the room¡¯s entrance, noticing Wei Qingwan inside, unconscious on the couch, her face as red as rouge, and Madame Bai pale as a sheet. ¡°What happened?¡± Old Lady Wei asked anxiously. Both Madame Yun and Wei Ruo remained silent, so the apanying maid Cuiping had no choice but to report the events faithfully. ¡°Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!¡± Old Lady Wei was furious. Old Lady Wei scolded Madame Bai, ¡°Your rambunctious behavior at home is one thing, but this involves Queen Rui and King Yu¡¯s Concubine and you still dare to act recklessly? You fool!¡± Madame Bai shivered in fear, and quickly interjected, ¡°Mother, I was wronged, I was just trying to help the Concubine!¡± Wei Ruo turned to Old Lady Wei and said, ¡°Grandmother, there are suspicions about the incident today. I suspect that Aunt Bai wanted to drug me and arranged a man here to ruin my reputation. I want to take her to the Government Office to let them investigate clearly.¡± ¡°Please calm down, Queen Rui! There is indeed suspicion in this matter, but if this gets out of hand, not only will Madame Bai and King Yu¡¯s Concubine get hurt, but also the entire Wei Family¡¯s reputation! Grandmother promises you that I will have this thoroughly investigated. If Madame Bai really intended to harm anyone, I won¡¯t let her off!¡± Old Lady Wei tried to mediate. ¡°What if I insist on doing so? Can you stop me, Grandmother?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. In the courtyard, the maids who had apanied Wei Ruo stood ready to move at hermand. All of them weren¡¯t ordinary maids, but highly skilled individuals. They weren¡¯t afraid of the maids and guards from ordinary wealthy households.
Chapter 529: 529: Making a Big Deal Out of It_1 Chapter 529: Making a Big Deal Out of It_1 After Wei Ruo got married, she always brought a lot of people with her when she returned to the Wei Family. This was both meant to show power and provide protection if anything went wrong. This time, the people she brought indeed proved to be useful. The old Madam Wei looked at the entourage and sighed, ¡°Can¡¯t Queen Rui show a little leniency for the sake of this old woman?¡± Wei Ruo looked at the old madam and felt moved. She knew what the old madam was worried about, but there were some things she had to do that day. She had already nned to take this opportunity to distance herself from Wei Qingwan and the others from the second household, so creating a fuss this time could serve as a good chance. The old Madam Wei continued, ¡°Today is the day of your grandfather¡¯s 70th birthday. He really cares about the family¡¯s reputation. If this matter gets out, it will have a big impact on him, considering his delicate health condition. You should leave this matter to me to deal with. If it is proven that the Bai Family woman is indeed causing trouble without good reason, I will let your uncle divorce her.¡± Wei Ruo was about to make it clear that she wouldn¡¯t go easy, but suddenly there was a noise from outside. ¡°Old madam, Third young master is here!¡± The guard standing at the entrance yelled into the room, unsure if he should open the door for the third young master. ¡°Yichen? Why has this boye?¡± The old Madam Wei expressed both surprise and doubt. She didn¡¯t even have time to consider whether to let Wei Yichen in. The door that was originally closed had been forcefully opened from outside.
Wei Yichen broke through the door and entered, followed by a group of guards. Seeing him walk briskly towards the room, the old Madam Wei asked, ¡°Yichen, why have youe?¡± ¡°Grandmother, I heard that someone was being mischievous in the backyard today. So, I am here to catch her,¡± Wei Yichen respectfully replied, sping his hands in a fist. But his face was stern, and his eyes were cold as ice. The old Madam Wei, Lady Yun, and Lady Bai were all taken aback. Even Wei Ruo was surprised. How did Wei Yichene here? After the incident, Lady Yun immediately sealed off the news. How did the menfolk who were in the front courtyard drinking and chatting know what was happening in the backyard? The old Madam Wei inquired further, ¡°Arrest someone? Who are you arresting? Where are you taking them to?¡± Wei Yichen answered, ¡°Arrest Bai, who was causing harm to others by using drugs in the backyard, and take her to the Government Office for fair treatment.¡± ¡°What?¡± the old Madam Wei, Lady Yun, and Bai were once again shocked. Wei Yichen was asking for exactly the same thing as Wei Ruo! Lady Yun scolded loudly, ¡°Yichen, why are you causing trouble too? Reporting this to the officers will ruin the face of our Wei Family. Besides that, your sister will no longer have the courage to stay at King Yu¡¯s residence. Are you trying to destroy the Wei Family?¡± It was expected that Wei Ruo, always rebellious, would act without considering the consequences, but how could Wei Yichen have such intentions now? ¡°People should not do things they wouldn¡¯t want others to know. Reputations aren¡¯t built by covering up but earned through abilities,¡± Wei Yichen answered emotionlessly. He then ordered the guards to arrest everyone in the yard. ¡°Stop! Everyone, stop!¡± the old Madam Wei scolded. However, the men brought by Wei Yichen didn¡¯t obey the old madam¡¯s orders. ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t even listen to me?¡± the old Madam Wei was both anxious and angry. ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t be hard on them. They are the men sent from the Taizhou prefecture Wei Family to follow us all the way to the north. They are my father¡¯s subordinates and now only listen to my father and me,¡± Wei Yichen answered.
Finished speaking, Wei Yichen didn¡¯t argue with the old Madam Wei and Lady Yun anymore. He looked on coldly as the people he brought were dragging Bai and Wei Qingwan away. ¡°Mother, mother, save me!¡± Bai was terrified and she could only beg the old madam for help.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Qingwan was still unconscious, being manipted in a daze. The old Madam Wei ordered the other servants in the yard, ¡°Come on, stop them!¡±
The other guards in the Duke Residence obeyed her orders, shing with the guards brought by Wei Yichen. ¡°What should we do, miss?¡± Xiumei asked Wei Ruo. After some thought, Wei Ruo responded, ¡°We don¡¯t need to take action. Wei Yichen already has the situation under control, our actions won¡¯t change anything.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Xiumei and Lin Fang followed the order. As expected, the average servants following the orders of the old Madam Wei were no match for the people brought by Wei Yichen. There was a difference between the regr guards of the house and those who had undergone professional training and been on the battlefield. Soon, the regr servants of the house were subdued by Wei Yichen¡¯s men. Along with Bai¡¯s shrill screams, both she and Wei Qingwan were taken out of Yifang Pavilion, while old Madam Wei and Lady Yun were barred inside Yifang Pavilion. ¡°Yichen! You are going to ruin the Wei family!¡± Lady Yun rushed towards Wei Yichen, clutching onto his arms. ¡°Mother, procrastinating in making a decision inevitably leads to chaos. Some things must be done to see a glimmer of hope,¡± Wei Yichen said solemnly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. I only know that what you¡¯re doing will hurt everyone in the Wei family. Wanwan will be pushed into an abyss of misery! You and Wanwan grew up together. Even if you had a grudge, even if you no longer have affection for her as a sibling, you can¡¯t be so ruthless as to push her into hell!¡± Lady Yun was weeping as she said this. However, Wei Yichen remained unshaken. He looked at Lady Yun, tears streaming down her cheeks, and insisted on his decision, ¡°Mother, please rx; some things are unavoidable.¡± ¡°Yichen, you¡­¡± Lady Yun looked at Wei Yichen in a daze, feeling dizzy and breathless.
Cuiping rushed forward to support her. The old Madam Wei looked at Wei Yichen¡¯s determined face, feeling a moment of trance. A long whileter, she sighed deeply, ¡°Yichen, what you seek is great indeed.¡± Wei Yichen looked at the old woman, his cold eyes softening slightly. He knew the old madam probably had guessed his intentions. Wei Yichen said, ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m sorry. There are some things I have to do. Today was rming for you. After I settle this matter, I will go to Shou¡¯an Hall to ept my punishment.¡± Old Madam Wei sighed and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m old. It is indeed a good thing that the Wei Family could have a person like you in your generation.¡± After saying that, old Madam Wei had the maid help her leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go, help me leave. I¡¯m tired. I can¡¯t manage too many affairs in the house anymore.¡± Old Madam Wei walked heavily, leaving Yifang Pavilion step by step. Wei Yichen then ordered someone to send Lady Yun away, ¡°Cuiping, bring mother back to Anxin Pavilion.¡± Cuiping obeyed. Lady Yun was exhausted, her eyes red, and before being led away she was still pleading for Wei Qingwan, ¡°Yichen, you shouldn¡¯t do this! You will ruin Wanwan! Please show mercy.¡±
Wei Yichen remained expressionless, cold and determined, not even sparing an extra look at Lady Yun. After Lady Yun was taken away, the only ones left in Yifang Pavilion were Wei Ruo and Wei Yichen. Wei Ruo walked to Wei Yichen and asked the question that had been bothering her, ¡°Did you n everything today?¡± Chapter 530: 530: It was his plot_1 Chapter 530: It was his plot_1 Wei Ruo just recounted the events of the day, confirming that there were problems. Wei Yichen arrived too soon, and why did the always low-key Mo Family know about the Bai Family¡¯s conspiracy in advance? The Bai Family and the Mo Family have always had a bad rtionship. How would she tell Mo Family about such ndestinn deeds she¡¯s nning to do? Wei Ruo thought of a possibility, that is, this whole situation was set up by Wei Yichen today. Even the matter of Bai Family wanting to drug her, it might be him who gave some hint to the Bai Family through some means, which triggered their thoughts. Wei Ruo also suspected that Wei Yichen deliberately arranged for Mo Family to remind her, toplete thest ring of the n. In other words, she was nothing more than a pawn in his chess game today. Wei Yichen did not reply. Without refuting, it means acknowledging. On his cold face, there wasn¡¯t a trace of warmth. His dark eyes were terrifyingly deep, like an unfathomable abyss.
¡°What goal are you trying to achieve with this?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°The people from the second residence are getting too close to King Yu and the Qi Family.¡± Wei Yichen answered in a calm tone, devoid of any emotional fluctuations. Wei Ruo was greatly shocked. Had Wei Yichen predicted that King Yu and the Qi Family could get into trouble? So he took the initiative, took advantage of the chaos in the backyard to iste the third residence from the other two residences? Wei Ruo guessed that King Yu and the Qi family were in trouble because she knew some of the plots of the original story, but how did Wei Yichen know? Does clearing the rtionship with the second residence at this critical time mean that he has already ced his bet on King Jing Chu Lan? While Wei Ruo was pondering, Wei Yichen said to her: ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about today¡¯s matter, this dispute has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°Are you sure it has nothing to do with me? I have entered the game and am an important piece on your chessboard.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Sorry.¡± Wei Yichen did not offer more exnation. After scrutinizing Wei Yichen for a while, Wei Ruo said: ¡°I understand, I will not concern myself with this matter any further.¡± Hence, Wei Ruo, along with Xiumei and Lin Fang, left. As Wei Ruo was about to leave, Wei Yichen suddenly spoke again: ¡°Even if King Rui dies, as long as the Wei Family does not fall, you can still be the carefree Queen Rui.¡± Wei Ruo, upon hearing his voice, stopped walking, turned her head to look at Wei Yichen who was still standing under the porch. Their eyes met, and aplex emotion unconsciously welled up in Wei Ruo¡¯s heart. After a moment, Wei Ruo gathered her thoughts, turned and left, leaving Yifang Pavilion. Wei Yichen looked at the courtyard gate for a long time before finally withdrawing his gaze. ###
When Wei Ruo returned to King Rui Residence, she did not go back to the backyard but directly went to the study in front to find Wei Jinyi. Seeing Wei Ruo seemed to have something on her mind, Wei Jinyi asked her to sit down by the desk and asked: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Ruo then informed Wei Jinyi of the events that happened at the Wei Family today. In the end, Wei Ruo asked him: ¡°Actually, this matter isn¡¯t really harmful to me. Someone did what I wanted to do for me. It¡¯s just that I have some feelings, a kind of indescribable feeling.¡±
Wei Jinyi asked: ¡°Do you feel that the current eldest brother is different from the past, acting coldly and thinking deeply?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s good or not. Speaking for myself, it should be a good thing. And today, he had Mo family inform me in advance¡­¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t be clear, was it that Wei Yichen informed her in advance so she could be on guard, in order to retaliate against Wei Qingwan while breaking away from the second residence, or was it because he was considerate of her, or both? ¡°I also think it¡¯s a good thing. With his nning, our father can be worry-free. You know my father, he is only good at leading troops and fighting. He ispletely ipetent at nning. He is charging and fighting in the front lines, but if the Wei Family makes mischief behind his back, it will not only spoil his umted achievements, but may even push him into the abyss.¡± Wei Jinyi analyzed. Wei Ruo nodded, then asked: ¡°Second brother, do you think elder brother simply wants to avoid getting too close to King Yu and the Qi Family, or has he already sided with King Jing Chu Lan?¡± ¡°From his recent performance, he hasn¡¯t been getting close to any of the forces, and he has been devoted to his usual job in the Hanlin Academy. But we cannot rule out that these may just be appearances.¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Ruo asked Wei Jinyi: ¡°Second brother, are you worried that he will be a variable?¡± Wei Jinyi admitted: ¡°It¡¯s not true to say that I¡¯m not worried at all, but there¡¯s no need to be overly concerned about this matter. What¡¯s going to happen will happen eventually. If we really have to go against him, it¡¯s something that can¡¯t be helped.¡± Wei Ruo nodded, she was thinking the same way. After saying what she wanted to say, Wei Ruo saw that Wei Jinyi was still busy, so she nned to leave. When she got up, she saw the tea that Wei Jinyi had left on the table. She touched the teacup, it was already cold. ¡°Let me pour you another pot.¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°It¡¯s cold now, don¡¯t always drink cold beverages.¡± It¡¯s already October, and the weather has be cooler and cooler each day. Especially in these years, the temperature has dropped faster and the coldness is more severe.
¡°Alright.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. ¡°In a while, have someone measure your measurements. I¡¯ll have the tailor make a few winter clothes for you. The first batch of cotton from Hejian Prefecture came yesterday and it¡¯s pretty good. There¡¯s also a lot of fabric from Huzhou Prefecture, I saved a few pieces especially for you. It should be just right for you to make clothes out of it.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed again, looking at Wei Ruo with even softer eyes. When Wei Ruo finished speaking, she found that Wei Jinyi was looking at her with a strange look.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Second brother, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Second brother looked at her this way, making her feel a bit embarrassed¡­ ¡°Just now Ruo¡­ looked like¡­¡± Wei Jinyi said softly. ¡°Looked like what?¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t hear thest few words clearly. ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s gettingte, Ruo should go back and rest early.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go first then.¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t ask any further and left the room. ### Early the next morning, Lin Fang came to the backyard to report to Wei Ruo. Yesterday Wei Yichen sent Bai to the government office, using her of harming the concubine of King Yu because of jealousy to the third residence, and attempting to ruin the reputation of King Yu¡¯s concubine by giving her drugs.
As it concerns King Yu Residence and Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, the official of Shuntian Prefecture ordered a thorough investigation of this matter. Bai confessed all her faults when she was terrified during the trial, including her initial intention to harm Queen Rui but identally harmed King Yu¡¯s concubine instead. As a result, Bai was arrested for custody, and thereafter, the Wei Family was in a mess. It was said that when Wei Yichen returned to the Wei Family, the whole family was in an uproar. The old master of Wei Family scolded Wei Yichen for being disrespectful to his elders, acting recklessly, disregarding the interests and reputation of the family, and Wei Mingyong directly punched Wei Yichen. The other brothers in the family also criticized Wei Yichen, especially Bai¡¯s several sons, who grabbed Wei Yichen and demanded him to bring their mother back from the government office. Chapter 531: 531: After the Matter Gets Out of Hand_1 Chapter 531: After the Matter Gets Out of Hand_1 But Wei Yichen not only didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit guilty, he made a shocking request that unsettled the whole Wei Family: to split the family. Wei¡¯s elderly grandfather and grandmother were still alive. In general, brothers would not split the family while the elder generation is still living. This move was met with me from every member of the Wei Family. However, Wei Yichen remained unmoved, insisting on splitting the family with the excuse that Wei¡¯s second family had harmed his younger sister. Unexpectedly, the elderly grandmother of the Wei Family actually agreed to Wei Yichen¡¯s outrageous request. At the moment, there is not yet a conclusion about whether the family will be split. It has been known since yesterday that there has been no peace in the Wei Family. After listening to Lin Fang¡¯s words, Wei Ruo sighed lightly. She was not surprised. After finding out yesterday that Wei Yichen had orchestrated the whole thing, she had already guessed that this would be the next development. What Wei Yichen wanted to do was not only difficult but could even affect his official career. However, his determination was stronger than anyone else¡¯s. He was determined to sever ties with the first and second families.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Young Miss, do you think the eldest young master will seed?¡± Xiumei couldn¡¯t resist asking out of curiosity. ¡°He¡¯se this far. Even if the family fails to separate in the end, at the very least, outsiders know that the third family of the Wei Family does not get along with the second family. No matter what the second family does or who they be friends with, it cannot represent the third family¡¯s intentions. Therefore, he has achieved most of his aims.¡± Wei Ruo said.
Xiumei nodded, ¡°So, the eldest young master is very smart and can be ruthless when necessary. This is very different from what I saw of him before!¡± Wei Ruo then asked Lin Fang: ¡°What about Wei Qingwan?¡± ¡°She was taken back to the King Yu Residence by the queen, and there hasn¡¯t been any news about her since. It seems that King Yu¡¯s Residence has no ns to deal with her.¡± Lin Fang said. ¡°That makes sense. With King Yu not being able to oversee the back of the house and the queen being thoughtful and slick, quietly bringing Wei Qingwan back is the best choice.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Does Miss Wei think that the King Yu Residence will force Wei Qingwan tomit suicide as an apology in order to preserve their reputation?¡± Lin Fang asked. ¡°I really can¡¯t guess that. I haven¡¯t had much contact with King Yu and I only met the concubine of King Yu once at the Mid-Autumn Pce banquet.¡± Wei Ruo said. Setting aside her personal grudges with Wei Qingwan, Wei Ruo certainly did not want the victim to apologize with suicide based on the incident where she almost lost her virginity. Wei Ruo cannot ept this custom where victims prove their innocence bymitting suicide. If people are already dead, how can they prove their innocence? What use is the honor of the family if there are no people left? ### Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Anxin Pavilion. After Madam Yun was sent back, she fell ill. A doctor was called and said she was suffering from an overstrained heart due to anger. She ran a fever all night and was out of her senses. It wasn¡¯t until the next morning when the fever broke that she woke up a bit. Hearing the results of the interrogation, Madam Yun almost fainted again as a wave of darkness overcame her. ¡°That damned Bai Chunxiao! Why did she have to harm my two daughters so?¡± Madam Yun never hated Bai like she did at this moment. In the past, Bai looked down on her, spoke ill of her behind her back, yed some small tricks on her, and she could bear all of these. Even when she secretly borrowed money for Wei Qingwan, she tolerated it. But this time, Bai must have been crazy to have done such an outrageous thing! After calming down a bit, Yun asked Cuiping, ¡°Where is Bai now?¡±
Cuiping replied, ¡°She received five beatings and has been brought back. She is now recuperating in her residence.¡± ¡°Why only five beatings?¡± ¡°The King Yu Residence did not investigate this matter thoroughly, and the eldest young master didn¡¯t mention pursuing responsibility afterwards too. The government office just let it slide.¡± Cuiping replied cautiously. After pondering for a long while, Yun said, ¡°Cuiping, help me up.¡±
¡°Madam, where are you nning to go?¡± Cuiping asked. ¡°I want to go to Yichen and ask him what¡¯s going on.¡± Yun said. ¡°Madam, the eldest young master is not in the residence today. He had a quarrel with his grandfather in the Shou¡¯an Hall earlier and then went out.¡± Madam Yun wanted to find Wei Yichen, but Wei Yichen was not in the residence. ¡°He¡¯s deliberately avoiding our inquiries.¡± Yun guessed, feeling rather frustrated. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t get angry. The eldest young master must have his reasons for doing these things. He must be doing it all for our master and you.¡± Cuiping said. ¡°Even so, he shouldn¡¯t hurt Wei Qingwan! I won¡¯t mind if he wants to be Bai¡¯s enemy, and I support him in promoting the split of the Wei Family, but he can¡¯t push Wei Qingwan towards self-destruction! How can she live after this? Even if King Yu¡¯s Residence does not handle this, her future in the residence will be incredibly tough! What if she bes desperate because of this and hangs herself in¡­ in¡­ what are we going to do?¡± Yun expressed, both furious and worried. ¡°Madam, despite how she treated you, are you still worrying about her?¡± Cuiping felt unfair for Yun. ¡°She is my daughter, whom I raised with my own hands. I watched her growing up little by little. From the first time she called me mom to her first steps, it¡¯s impossible to erase these feelings from the past so many years.¡± Madam Yun sighed heavily, then closed her eyes, her expression full of sorrow and reluctance. After her emotions had calmed down a bit, Yun instructed Cuiping to go out and gather more information, and had someone send a letter to the King Yu Residence, urging Wei Qingwan not to have suicidal thoughts. ### King Yu Residence.
Cuiting Pavilion. Wei Qingwan had already regained consciousness, lying on the bed and looking nkly at the bed curtain. Just now, Cuihe recounted all the events from yesterday. Not only did she mistakenly take the aphrodisiac intended for Wei Qingruo, but she was also caught red-handed by the Wei family. What was even more unbearable was that Wei Yichen chose to report this matter to the authorities! The incident, which almost ruined her virginity, became publicly known! ¡°Why? Why? How can he be so ruthless!¡± Wei Qingwan started pping the bed board frantically with both hands. She felt hatred, intense hatred! Even though things had gone wrong, as long as the Wei family kept their mouths shut, she wouldn¡¯t have had to face this sort of humiliation. But Wei Yichen, he chose the way that would hurt her the most! As though he wanted the whole world to know! ¡°Miss, take heart! Even though the matter has been exposed, everyone knows that you didn¡¯t do anything with that servant. The incident was stopped in time!¡± ¡°So what? People won¡¯t believe that! They will only think that I¡¯m ruined! Even if I¡¯m not, they will still ridicule me in their hearts!¡± Wei Qingwan said, trembling all over. ¡°Miss¡­¡±
¡°Why? Why? I couldn¡¯t defeat Wei Qingruo in the Duke Residence. Now that I¡¯m in King Yu¡¯s Residence, I still haven¡¯t done anything, yet I was ruined by Wei Qingruo again! I hate her, I hate her!¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t get angry. If you harm your body out of anger, wouldn¡¯t you be letting that vile Wei Qingruo win?¡± Chapter 532: 532 Major Changes in the Situation_1 Chapter 532: Chapter 532 Major Changes in the Situation_1 ¡°I won¡¯t let her have her way! She must want me tomit suicide to apologize on behalf of the entire Wei family and the King Yu Residence! I absolutely won¡¯t do that!¡± Wei Qingwan gritted her teeth, her eyes bloodshot. ¡°That¡¯s right, miss, we can¡¯t let her have her way. Even if we must risk our lives, we can¡¯t just let this go!¡± Cuihe encouraged. ¡°Cuihe¡­¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be sad, my mother and I will always stay by your side, we will find a way to help you!¡± Wei Qingwan slowly lifted her head, looking at Cuihe beside her, ¡°Cuihe, I¡¯m useless, I¡¯ve involved you and your mother, forcing you to endure cold indifference and contempt in the back yard of the Wang residence.¡± The more difficult her circumstances became, the more Wei Qingwan cherished the people who still stood by her side. Madam Li and Cuihe were truly the people who had stayed with her longest and showed the most loyalty. ¡°What are you saying, miss? Serving you has been my life¡¯s duty since the moment I understood the world. If I¡¯m not on your side, whose side can I be on?¡± replied Cuihe hurriedly. Wei Qingwan was touched, ¡°Perhaps I won¡¯t receive any more favor.¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t lose heart, did you forget that Young Master Qi promised to help you?¡± ¡°In my current condition, how could he still help me? Besides, he is still recovering. He can¡¯t have the energy to assist me.¡±
Wei Qingwan no longer held hope for others. Only her hatred for Wei Qingruo gave her the strength to keep going. Wei Qingwan gritted her teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if there is no one left to help me, even if I no longer have the chance to be favored, I will never give up. I will find a way to make Wei Qingruo wish she were dead!¡± Even if I die, I will take Wei Qingruo down with me! As long as she stayed as King Yu¡¯s concubine, she still held hope! Waiting for King Rui to die and for King Yu to ascend to the throne, only then could she step on Wei Qingruo. That day wille eventually! ### Several dayster, news came from the Wei family, Wei Mingyong¡¯s eldest son, Wei Yipeng, second son of the Wei family, had hit Wei Yichen. Wei Yipeng initiated the attack, but Wei Yichen did not retaliate. Wei Yichen holds an official title in the court. This fight almostnded Wei Yipeng in prison. However, this time Wei Yichen forgave Wei Yipeng on the condition that Wei Mingyong agrees to split the family. The specific details of the whole process remain unknown to outsiders, but the result is that the elders of the Wei family have formally agreed to split the family. However, since the Wei family is a noble house, the split didn¡¯t happen immediately. Moreover, Wei Mingting was still fighting the Japanese, so the official family separation had to wait until he returned, at least until next year. However, the news that the second and third households of the Wei family were ipatible had bemon knowledge, indicating an intense and hostile rtionship. This became a topic of discussion in Capital City, and people said that the Wei family had lost a great deal of face. ### On the twentieth day of October, the weather had turned quite cold, so as soon as it grew dark, people returned to their homes. But tonight, the usually silent streets were unexpectedly noisy. Despite being in the Wang Residence, Wei Ruo could hear the sounds of marching troops outside, the clopping of horse hooves, and the advancing soldiers d in armor.
The King Rui Residence was close to the Imperial Pce, and there were usually soldiers patrolling outside, but there had never been as big a deployment as today¡¯s. The noise continued until the middle of the night before it ceased.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om When Wei Ruo got up early the next morning, she put on a coat and came out of the inner chamber. ¡°Lin Fang.¡± Wei Ruo called for Lin Fang outside the door.
Lin Fang came into the room, ¡°Miss, why have you gotten out of bed so early? It¡¯s cold now, you should take care of your health.¡± ¡°What happenedst night?¡± Wei Ruo wanted to know the situation ofst night. ¡°In response to the miss¡¯s question,st night the soldiers of the Armed Forces Department surrounded the Qi family¡¯s residence and have handed Qi Yansong over to the Inspection Institute.¡± Lin Fang answered. ¡°Was it all nned by King Jing?¡± ¡°Yes, King Jing had set up a trap for Master Qi, that fake Sheng Tong. Master Qi really sent someone to assassinate him, but he was caught by King Jing, confronted before the Emperor, and finally the Duke Xu¡¯s case was exposed.¡± ¡°I heard that the Emperor was furious, he thundered in anger and immediately ordered to confiscate all the possessions of the Qi family. It happened in the middle of the night and startled everybody in Capital City.¡± Lin Fang reported to Wei Ruo. ¡°So the bigmotionst night was about confiscating the Qi family¡¯s possessions?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. ¡°Not just that, but also a few other families closely rted to the Qi family. The servants of the Qi Residence resisted, and a fight broke out with the men of the Armed Forces Department. However, King Jing was a step ahead, having already prepared his soldiers. After a standoff of over an hour, the Qi family¡¯s men were defeated, some were killed and others captured.¡± ¡°This King Jing really hid his cards well. Even the people from the Armed Forces Department moved ording to his orders, yet he remained covert.¡± Lin Fang couldn¡¯t help but exim in amazement. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t surprised by Chu Lan¡¯s victory or his early arrangements. Wei Ruo thought for a while, then asked, ¡°What is the situation with Imperial Concubine Qi and King Yu?¡±
¡°When the incident ured, King Yu was still an infant. He might be neglected by the Emperor, but would probably not be severely punished. As for Imperial Concubine Qi, we¡¯ll have to wait for the results of the interrogation. For now, she has been confined to Jingren Pce by the Emperor.¡± Lin Fang replied. After hearing Lin Fang¡¯s words, Wei Ruo fell into contemtion. If the original story proceeded as nned, after Chu Lan exposed this incident, Imperial Concubine Qi would be demoted, King Yu would be neglected, the political situation would change, and Chu Lan would be the most popr candidate for the Crown Prince. After this storm, the Emperor¡¯s health would decline, and gradually, he would transfer official duties to Chu Lan to handle. By the time of the Emperor¡¯s demise, Chu Lan would haveplete control over the political situation, and his ascension to the throne would be a natural progression. After thinking, Wei Ruo turned around and walked back into her room. ¡°Miss, what are you going to do?¡± Lin Fang asked with concern. ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m going to change my clothes and get ready for breakfast.¡± Wei Ruo answered. In matters such as this, she chose to trust her second brother. She could only do what was within her ability, and leave the rest to her second brother. She had her own worries and tasks to attend to. Winter had already begun, and there was some final work on the farm to be done, as well as preparations for next year. Now that she owned morend and, consequently, had more ounts to manage, it was a good thing that her subordinates werepetent. She only had to grasp the general direction. Of course, she couldn¡¯t let down her guard because morend meant more people to feed. She had to be responsible for those who worked for her.
### The Qi family had fallen. To most people in Capital City, it was an unexpected event. For a time, the city was panic-stricken. Those in the court who had originally supported King Yu were bing agitated. The Wei family was inplete chaos, Wei Mingyong, who had previously been jubnt, was now in a panic. He hurriedly went to find the Wei family elders, worrying that the matter would affect him. Everyone in Shou¡¯an Hall held a long discussion, but since they didn¡¯t have a clear understanding of the court affairs, they couldn¡¯t reach a conclusion. They had to wait for Wei Yichen to return from the Hanlin Academy and then enquire about the details. Chapter 533: 533 Reactions from Different Families_1 Chapter 533: Chapter 533 Reactions from Different Families_1 King Yu Residence.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Cuiting Pavilion. Wei Qingwan, who had just started to cheer up a bit these past few days, was left speechless by the sudden news. The Qi Family¡­ was raided? What? The influential Qi Family fell from grace just like that? ¡°Where¡¯s the Prince? What happened to him?¡± a concerned Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°This servant isn¡¯t sure either. But people say the Prince is still in the residence, he hasn¡¯t gone anywhere¡­ There are lots of soldiers from the Armed Forces Department outside. No one seems to be able to leave the ce¡­¡± Cuihe replied, her information limited. ¡°Then¡­ what about Master Qi the Third? Where is he?¡± Wei Qingwan continued questioning. ¡°This servant doesn¡¯t know either, but he¡¯s probably been arrested too. I heard everyone in the Qi Family is in prison.¡± Wei Qingwan slumped into the chair, unsure of what to do.
She¡¯d regained hope only a few days ago, feeling that as long as she remained near King Yu, there was still hope. But today, reality pped her hard! If the Qi Family really did fall, wouldn¡¯t that signify that King Yu would lose his chance of bing the Crown Prince? ¡°No, that can¡¯t be! Absolutely not!¡± Wei Qingwan hastily shook her head, refusing to ept this reality. ### Lu Family. Old Master Lu met with Lu Yuhong, who was practicing martial arts in the training room after recovering, and ryed the news about the Qi Family¡¯s predicament. Lu Yuhong had been recuperating at home most of the time due to his injuries. Even when he did go out, he was apanied by Lu Family guards, hence he hadn¡¯t been in contact with King Jing Chu Lan and was unaware of what was happening. ¡°Grandfather, you know I have never involved myself in court politics. I¡¯m friends with Chu Lan because he¡¯s Chu Lan. I may help him with insignificant matters, but I don¡¯t participate in the Crown Prince struggle,¡± Lu Yuhong stated. ¡°That was the situation previously, and I too had no intention of getting involved. But times are changing which is why I wanted to exin things to you. You should brace yourself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference? Grandfather, have you chosen a candidate for Crown Prince you want to support?¡± Lu Yuhong asked. ¡°You owe Queen Rui two lives,¡± Old Master Lu said. ¡°I¡¯m aware of that, grandfather. I will repay her. If in the future she needs help, I am ready to risk my life for her!¡± ¡°How will you go through fire and water for her? This favor is not simply yours to repay, but also our Lu Family¡¯s responsibility,¡± said Old Master Lu gravely. ¡°But Grandfather, as I understand, you did not want to interfere in court politics, and King Rui¡¯s health really doesn¡¯t allow him to participate in the Crown Prince struggle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying I want to meddle in court politics, but if a dispute really breaks out, our Lu Family must do everything we can to protect King Rui¡¯s Residence. Do you understand?¡± Old Master Lu rified. ¡°I get it,¡± said Lu Yuhong, nodding. ¡°So¡­ if King Jing wants to act against King Rui, do you understand which side we need to stand on?¡± Old Master Lu asked. ¡°Grandfather, Chu Lan won¡¯t act against King Rui. He doesn¡¯t hold a grudge against him!¡±
¡°Oh, you! Can¡¯t you be a bit more mindful! Is this a question of whether there¡¯s a grudge or not? King Rui is the son of Empress Xu and the only legitimate prince. His health may currently be poor, but what if his health improves? Chu Lan is a prince aiming for the throne. His heart must be tough, or else he can¡¯t sit on that throne!¡± ¡°But, Grandfather¡­ I still believe Chu Lan wouldn¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Let me put it this way: what if Chu Lan decides to act?¡± ¡°Then¡­ then I shall protect King Rui¡¯s Residence. I will repay my debt of gratitude,¡± concluded Lu Yuhong.
¡°As long as you understand that. Men of our Lu Family must know our priorities; prioritizing the family, state, and citizens, then morality, and conducting ourselves honourably. Our own livesest. Understood?¡± Old Master Lu instructed. ¡°Your grandson understands!¡± ### For the next few days, soldiers d in armor could be seen shuttling through the streets. Several families closely associated with the Qi family were arrested. The Wei Family waited several days for Wei Yichen to return, but there was no sight of him. They didn¡¯t know whether he was intentionally avoiding the Wei Family or if he was detained by court issues- he had been staying out for several days and hadn¡¯t returned home. Instead, the news that was brought home was that Wei Yichen had been promoted to be the Imperial Schr of the Hanlin Academy. After the Emperor fired Qi Yansong and the original inner court members, there was an urgent need for fresh blood to fill the gaps. As usual, the inner court members were selected from the Hanlin Academy. Consequently, a group of former officials in the Academy were promoted to Grand Schrs of Hanlin Academy and entered the inner court. ordingly, some of the officials in Hanlin Academy were also promoted. Wei Yichen was among them, being the one who got promoted the fastest. The Imperial Schr of Hanlin Academy was a sixth-rank position. Prior to this, Wei Yichen held the role of Xiu Zheng, a subordinate sixth-rank position. In just half a year, Wei Yichen had risen a step, this could not be described as anything other than lucky. Apart from catching the situation where Qi Yansong was punished, Wei Yichen¡¯s own ability was a significant factor.
It was said that Wei Yichen had performed well in his duties over the past half a year, not forming cliques for personal gain, and had thus won the Emperor¡¯s approval. After hearing the news from a servant, the expressions on Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong were simply awful. Old Madam Wei looked at her eldest son Wei Minghong and second son Wei Mingyong, both with ashen expressions, and said, ¡°It seems that Yichen didn¡¯t make any mistakes with his actions. Breaking off rtions with you two has preserved the Third Branch. The only one making contributions to the Wei Family now is someone from the third branch.¡± Hearing Old Madam Wei¡¯s words, everyone realized for the first time her agreement to Wei Yichen¡¯s unreasonable demands was rooted in these considerations. ¡°Mother, if Yichen knew in advance that the Qi Family would run into trouble, why didn¡¯t he tell us earlier? Why did he use such a roundabout way? This is clearly him only looking out for himself, ignoring our life and death!¡± Wei Mingyongined. ¡°Yes, Mother, you can¡¯t be so partial. The Third Branch is safe, but what about us in the First and Second Branch?¡± Wei Minghong added. Although Wei Minghong didn¡¯t get along with Wei Mingyong, on this issue, their viewpoints were aligned. ¡°Madam, did you know about this all along?¡± Old Master Wei looked at his wife beside him, surprised. ¡°I had only guessed Yichen¡¯s n, but wasn¡¯tpletely sure. Yichen is an intelligent child, who always handles his affairs calmly. At that time, I felt that there must be a reason behind his actions that wasn¡¯t just impulse, that¡¯s why I had this thought,¡± Madam Wei exined. ¡°I see. No wonder you agreed back then,¡± Old Master Wei finally understood. At the time, he had used his wife, but now it seemed that she had a foresight far beyond his own. ¡°But Mother, what can we do now?¡± Wei Mingyong asked urgently. ¡°Yes, Mother, you can¡¯t be so partial. The Third Branch is safe, what about us in the First and Second Branch?¡± echoed Wei Minghong.
Chapter 534: 534 King Rui Residences Generous Donation_1 Chapter 534: Chapter 534 King Rui Residence¡¯s Generous Donation_1 Madam Wei sighed, then turned to her two sons, ¡°Don¡¯t go ming others. You chose this path, and you can¡¯tin about the consequences.¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong were indignant, but didn¡¯t dare to argue with their mother. ¡°What you need to consider now is what you¡¯re going to do next, not who to me,¡± Madam Wei said. ¡°Pointing fingers doesn¡¯t help the situation.¡± The brothers remained silent. After a while, Wei Mingyong reluctantly spoke, ¡°I came to father and mother for advice because I don¡¯t know what to do. Being such a minor yer, the Emperor¡¯s investigation shouldn¡¯t reach me, right?¡± Wei Minghong added, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already been dismissed. Other than being the Heir Apparent to the Duke, I have no other official position.¡± Madam Wei said, ¡°How can I possibly know? If troublees, you can¡¯t escape it. All you can do now is wait. If you survive unscathed, good; if not, there¡¯s nothing you can do.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s faces turned pale. Even Old Master Wei felt a knot in his stomach.
But it seemed that, apart from Madam Wei¡¯s words, they really couldn¡¯t do anything else. ### Time quickly passed and November arrived. The weather was extraordinarily cold, and everyone huddled indoors after a snowfall, not daring to step out. The wind outside was like a knife on the face. The matter involving the Qi family and Duke Xu was still unresolved, and another more impactful event once again hit the Empire. Widespread natural disasters urred this winter. Prior to this, reports had been sent to the Emperor, but the news hadn¡¯t reached the general public. Now that the news had spread, the Capital was in fear and confusion. As for the noble families, they were not greatly affected. They all had their ownnd and property. Even if the harvest was poor, they had enough to eat. Themon people, however, were deeply affected and worried. Recently, the city¡¯s grain shops were forced to close because they had no stock left. Thest of their goods were bought forcibly. This was the Capital, and the evacuation had already reached the outskirts, making the severity of the disaster evident. Under these circumstances, most of the nobles in the Capital looked out for their own interests. After all, they didn¡¯t know how long the disaster wouldst. But at this time, King Rui¡¯s Residence did something unexpected. As word of the disaster just started to spread around the Capital, the Residence sent people to put up big tents outside the East City Gate. They set up ces to distribute porridge to provide relief to the victims. Soon, news spread and victims from the surrounding areas congregated outside the city gates to queue for porridge. King Rui¡¯s residence was extremely generous. Every person who came to receive aid got a bowl of thick porridge and a cooked sweet potato. If they were children, they could even get a boiled egg. The only requirement was that the food had to be eaten nearby and could not be taken away.
If there were injured or elderly people who needed help, the people from King Rui¡¯s Residence would not only provide food but also medical treatment for free. At first, everyone thought that King Rui¡¯s Residence would only distribute porridge for a few days. But to everyone¡¯s surprise, the porridge distribution continued day and night for a full week. Everyone realized that all the grains that King Rui¡¯s Residence had previously imported were being used for this purpose. This made them wonder if King Rui¡¯s Residence had received advance news of the disaster, or if it was just a stroke of luck.
No matter the reason, the action exerted a lot of pressure on other noble families. Some wanted to earn a good reputation, but were limited by their grain reserves. While others had reserves, they could not transport them into the Capital at this time. So they could only watch King Rui¡¯s Residence win the love of the people. The matter even reached the court and the Emperor praised them repeatedly. Outside the East City Gate. Wei Ruo was working alongside the people from the Residence at the porridge station. Being able to participate in charity work was one of the few opportunities for Wei Ruo to step out from behind the curtain. Naturally, she seized the moment to get some fresh air. Alongside Wei Ruo were Wei Jinyi, Xiumei, and siblings Xie Jue and Xie Ying. Xie Ying, like Wei Ruo, had changed intofortable attire ¨C an apron and headscarf and was diligently carrying out chores at the porridge station. At this moment, she was sitting on a small stool with Wei Ruo, cleaning the dirt off sweet potatoes by the stove. ¡°Who would have thought? We gave out porridge together in Xingshan County in Taizhou Prefecture, and now we¡¯re doing it again in the Capital!¡± Xie Ying couldn¡¯t help butment. ¡°Yes, many things have changed over the past two years. But some things, like you, haven¡¯t.¡± said Wei Ruo. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®nothing has changed¡¯? I¡¯m now the owner of the biggest pharmacy in the Capital!¡± Xie Ying said proudly.
¡°Yes, yes, my big boss!¡± Wei Ruoughed, genuinely admiring Xie Ying. Indeed, Xie Ying¡¯s mother, Madam Xie, and her brother Xie Jue helped a lot in setting up the pharmacy. But to grow it to its current scale in just two short years also spoke volumes about Xie Ying¡¯s talent. Wei Ruo had never thought that her casual suggestion would enable Xie Ying to build such a sessful business. ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me. I know that you own several shops in the Capital, too. Your business is even bigger than mine.¡± Xie Ying said.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I envy you,¡± sighed Xie Ying. ¡°Even after getting married, you can still do whatever you want.¡± ¡°What happened to you? Are you getting married?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Chapter 535: 535: Two Heretics_1 Chapter 535: Chapter 535: Two Heretics_1 At Xie Ying¡¯s age, it is alreadyte to discuss marriage proposals. Only because the Xie Family spoils her has she been unmarried to this day. ¡°Right! My grandparents and my parents told me that I can choose whoever I like, whether he is a high-ranking official or a lowly peddler, as long as I love him. They have no objections, as long as the man treats me like my father treats my mother, with fondness and respect, and he remains monogamous.¡± Even though Madam Xie is very affectionate toward her daughter, she can¡¯t keep her by her side forever. ¡°That¡¯s quite nice, just choose someone you like,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I want to be like you, choose someone who is short-lived, preferably who would die immediately after I marry him. Then I could live freely and honorably by myself,¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°No, no, no,¡± Wei Ruo hurriedly responded. ¡°Don¡¯t learn this from me. If Madam Xie and the Xie Family¡¯s sons knew, they would being at me with a knife!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that, I think that the prince of your household is very nice. So what if he is weak. We don¡¯t expect him to help us with anything physically demanding anyway.¡± Wei Ruo was really about to be defeated by Xie Ying. As a soul from the modern world, it was normal for her to act out of line. But how on earth did Yingying, a person brought up in an ancient society, develop such a rebellious mindset? Wei Ruo said, ¡°Yingying, I feel that I might really be chopped up by members of your family!¡±
¡°Of course not, my family thinks highly of you. Even my grandfather praised you for being a heroic female.¡± ¡°When did I be a heroic female?¡± ¡°You contributed the mighty cannon! I heard about the recent frequent victories on the coastal frontlines, your father has once again achieved extraordinary military merits,¡± Xie Ying added. Speaking of things along the coastline, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°This is also thanks to Lord Yuan and Madam Yuan, who ensured the supply of food for the Anti-Japanese Army. Otherwise, with the current situation, morale would¡¯ve broken even before the war began.¡± This year, famine ravaged many areas. Yet Jiangzhe, which experienced poor harvests the previous two years, saw an unexpected surge, not only avoiding famine, but also enjoying a wave of bumper harvest. Not only did the farmers have abundant food, but they also paid quite a fair amount of tax. The civil treasury of each prefecture in Jiangzhe was filling up, ensuring the supply of military provisions for the Anti-Japanese Army. This allowed the soldiers on the frontier to fight without post-war concerns. Xie Ying muttered, ¡°Isn¡¯t your contribution also involved in this? Lord Yuan specifically mentioned your merits in the memorial submitted to the court. My grandfather told me about it when he returned.¡± ¡°Did your grandfather tell you anything else? About the relief efforts,¡± Wei Ruo asked Xie Ying for information. ¡°My grandfather said that the relief work was quite troublesome. There are many affected areas, but the state treasury is not ample. To provide relief, the contributions from Jiangzhe and Guangdong are not enough. My grandfather said that the Emperor wants to borrow grain from the Tan Family, a prominent family in the northwest,¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°The Tan Family, a prominent family in the northwest?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve always been in Jiangzhe, you might not have heard about the Tan Family. They are a locally influential family with a history of several hundreds of years. They have be so deeply rooted that they never fell. This family became prosperous even before the establishment of the dynasty. They contributed funds, efforts, and manpower when the dynasty was founded.¡± ¡°They are not only a big farming family but also have people in business. They have produced schrs, officials, and nowadays, some of them are serving in court. They represent every aspect ofmerce and simpler forms ofbor like farming. It is said that their familypound is like a city, even spending all day walking around it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Rumor has it that one-third of the farnd in the northwest belongs to them. This is a very powerful family, which even the Emperor himself gives some face to.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo felt a bit envious.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Although Wei Ruo now owns many farms and properties and operates many shops, she does note close to such arge family in terms of scale. ¡°So, this Tan Family is the goal I should strive for,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°That might be a bit challenging, you don¡¯t even want to have children. If you want to expand and strengthen your family, you need to have more children who can carry on the lineage, like branches spreading out from a tree. Even one child would be enough, let your child have more children,¡± Xie Ying couldn¡¯t help but throw a bucket of cold water on Wei Ruo¡¯s ambition. ¡°No problem, I can adopt more orphans in the future,¡± Wei Ruo was quite open-minded.
¡°Well, that might work. It¡¯s much faster than having your own. Nowadays, there are a lot of people selling their children, and a lot of orphans who lose their parents at birth. It¡¯s really pitiful,¡± Xie Ying said. While saying this, Xie Ying raised her head and looked at the long line in front of the porridge distribution shed. She said solemnly, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why people in the capital are still fighting for the position of Crown Prince. The country is in its current state, shouldn¡¯t they be channeling their energy towards helping the people? If there are no people, there is no country. If the people are unable to survive, what¡¯s the point of having that position?¡± Wei Ruo followed Xie Ying¡¯s gaze and murmured, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. The people probably don¡¯t care which prince bes emperor, but rather how they can survive.¡±
Xie Jue, who was a little distance from the two, asionally caught a snippet of their conversation and was repeatedly shocked. His sister and Queen Rui surely are rebellious, each of their thoughts is incredibly unexpected to him. But that¡¯s exactly where their uniqueness lies, his sister and Queen Rui are indeed extraordinary people. Xie Jue smirked indulgently, and then turned to look at a tall and calm man standing next to him. This was the guard who hade with Queen Rui. Although he doesn¡¯t stand out much, his every movement exudes nobility, unlike a typical guard. He found it quite discordant to see him sitting by the stove, stoking the fire. After a morning¡¯s worth of work, some other people from the Wang Residence came to take over. Wei Ruo, Xie Ying, Maid Xiumei, Wei Jinyi, and Xie Jue then went to have lunch elsewhere. Everyone returned to the city, entering the Dawn Moon Teahouse by the city wall and reserved a private room. These days, the teahouse had few customers, with only the few of them dining each day. Wei Jinyi simply reserved the entire teahouse, not allowing outside customers in, thus ensuring a calm dining environment for Wei Ruo. When Wei Ruo took her seat, Wei Jinyi would naturally move the seat for her. After Wei Ruo sat down, Wei Jinyi poured her some tea. When Wei Ruo wanted to wipe her sweat, Wei Jinyi passed her his handkerchief. Xie Jue, who observed all these actions, looked slightly unhappy.
This guard¡¯s behavior toward Queen Rui was a bit too intimate¡­ A few days ago, Xie Jue noticed Wei Jinyi¡¯s actions. As a guard, it was a bit odd for him to do these things, as these kinds of intimate services are usually carried out by maids. And Maid Xiumei, Queen Rui¡¯s personal maid, was also present. Xie Jue hesitated, and after giving it some thought, decided not to say what was on his mind. Chapter 536: 536: Their Subtle Changes_1 Chapter 536: Chapter 536: Their Subtle Changes_1 As Wei Ruo ate, her mind was preupied with the calctions of provisions supply and daily expenditure. The current continuous twelve-hour grain porridge distribution was a significant expense, but it wasn¡¯t an immediate problem for her. She had enough food stockpiled, with eight warehouses in her personal space alone filled with a decent amount of grains. These warehouses were all full before the disaster struck. This was even after she had upgraded her warehouse not long ago, which added an additional one. Without this additional space, her stock would have been long overfilled. In recent times, she had quietly transferred some of her stockpile to the Wang Residence, otherwise, her warehouses would have been overloaded. However, as the disaster had no end in sight, if the court could not effectively carry out relief efforts, their porridge distribution at the city gate would only provide minimal help and wouldn¡¯t bring any significant assistance to the people. Wei Ruo was so deep in thought that she didn¡¯t realize she was tilting her soup spoon, spilling scalding soup onto the back of her hand. Scalded, Wei Ruo instinctively cried out and looked down at her hand. Wei Jinyi quickly wiped away the hot soup on Wei Ruo¡¯s hand with a napkin and led her outside. In the courtyard of the Dawn Moon Teahouse echoed the sound of a spring; Wei Jinyi plunged Wei Ruo¡¯s hand into the pond.
It was cold weather now, and the pond water was icy, but for some reason Wei Ruo felt a burning sensation somewhere in her body. She looked up, at Wei Jinyi, who was holding her hand in the water behind her. His expression was very serious as he stared intently at her hand, soaking in the water. Being so close, she could almost feel the heat emanating from him. After regaining her senses, Wei Ruo said to Wei Jinyi: ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s not serious. I¡¯ll just apply some burn ointmentter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t always think about other things while eating. Whatever¡¯s on your mind can wait. The disaster-stricken people do need help, but it¡¯s not all on you.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°How do you know I was thinking about disaster relief?¡± ¡°What else could be so serious that you would contemte it even while eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worrying too much, just that if we have extra resources, we should help innocent people as much as possible.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°That¡¯s why you need to take care of yourself first. I don¡¯t want you getting hurt over these things.¡± Wei Jinyi emphasized. To him, themon people weren¡¯t that important. What he cared about was her. ¡°Yes, I understand. Just now was just a small ident, it doesn¡¯t count as getting hurt.¡± ¡°No matter how small, it is not eptable.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression was serious. Looking into Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes, Wei Ruo could sense the concern and nervousness hidden under the sternness.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo felt a subtle sensation in her heart. Xie Jue and Xie Ying, who had rushed out, looked at the two by the pool and simultaneously showed expressions of concern. After a while, Wei Ruo went back to the box. As she walked down the corridor, Xie Ying suddenly reached out her hand and pulled her aside. With a serious and slightly angry expression, Xie Ying said, ¡°Ruo Ruo, you shouldn¡¯t be like this!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Wei Ruo asked.
¡°Although King Rui is weak, he treats you well. You can¡¯t treat him like this!¡± ¡°I¡­ him?¡± Wei Ruo still didn¡¯t understand what Xie Ying meant. Stomping her foot in frustration, Xie Ying said, ¡°Ruo Ruo, you and that guard! You can¡¯t be like this!¡±
Wei Ruo was taken aback for a moment, then quickly realised what Xie Ying was referring to. Did Yingying think that she was cuckolding King Rui? Yingying didn¡¯t know that King Rui and the guard Wang Jin were the same person, which caused the misunderstanding. But Xie Ying¡¯s words did remind Wei Ruo. Reflecting on her actions with Wei Jinyi, had there been any overly intimate behaviors? She was shocked once she started to ponder it. Even viewing her behavior with Wei Jinyi from a modern perspective, it did seem somewhat intimate. Such behavior could be excused if they were siblings, but now that she knew he was not her brother, such actions appeared indeed inappropriate. But why¡­ why was this? She didn¡¯t consider herself a casual person, so why did she keep crossing lines with her second brother? ¡°Ruo Ruo, are you even listening to me? This is serious!¡± Xie Ying¡¯s voice echoed again, pulling Wei Ruo back from her thoughts. ¡°No, Yingying, it¡¯s not what you think. I haven¡¯t done anything to betray King Rui.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Then what is it?¡± Xie Ying asked. ¡°This is a long story, but trust me, Yingying, everything I¡¯m doing right now, including what¡¯s happening between me and Wang Jin, King Rui knows all about it.¡± Wei Ruo assured Xie Ying seriously.
¡°King Rui knows? Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Wei Ruo answered affirmatively. ¡°Does that mean¡­ your rtionship with Wang Jin is approved by King Rui? You¡¯re trying to¡­¡± ¡°Stop, stop. Don¡¯t say another word.¡± Wei Ruo was scared of what Xie Ying might say next. ¡°I just can¡¯t think of any other reason that would allow King Rui to let you have such intimate behavior with a guard.¡± Xie Ying said. ¡°While I can¡¯t explicitly tell you the specific reasons right now, but trust me, even if my rtionship with King Rui is somewhat different from the typical husband and wife, I wouldn¡¯t act improperly with another man behind his back.¡± The intimate moments happened in front of him, with him. Xie Ying studied Wei Ruo, and after a pause she said, ¡°Okay, I believe you. If you say so, then it must be true.¡± Xie Ying chose to believe Wei Ruo and then returned to the box room with her. Inside the room, Xie Jue watched Wei Ruo with a strange look as she walked in. Like Xie Ying, he seemed to be worried about Wei Ruo and Wang Jin¡¯s rtionship. But it was not appropriate for him to confront Wei Ruo about it, so he could only look at his sister Xie Ying, his eyes full of worry. After finishing lunch, Xie Jue and Xie Ying left first.
Before leaving, Xie Ying made arrangements with Wei Ruo to meet again at the East City Gate the next day. After the two left, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t leave immediately. The two originally intended to stay for a while for tea and deal with some matters, but Wei Ruo¡¯s attention kept being drawn by Wei Jinyi. Wei Ruo had been living in the King Rui Residence for some time now, but she hadn¡¯t spent many days in Wei Jinyi¡¯spany. Because of the disaster relief efforts in recent days, the two had spent more time together. Practically the entire day was spent with each other, which made Wei Ruo feel a strange ambivalence. It was fine the first few days, but the little actions after today¡¯s burn touched a nerve in Wei Ruo¡¯s heart, making her realize that after this period of interaction, her emotional state had subtly changed without her noticing. Chapter 537: 537: Certain Thoughts About Him_1 Chapter 537: Chapter 537: Certain Thoughts About Him_1 With the presence of Xie Jue and Xie Ying, things seemed to be somewhat normal. But now, they are gone, and Xiumei and Lin Fang have also stepped out, leaving only the two of them. Suddenly, everything feels different. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Jinyi asked, noticing Wei Ruo¡¯s distraction. In truth, she had been unable to focus on her work from the beginning of their separation. Thus, once Ruo had spaced out, he immediately noticed. He wanted to know what upied her mind, causing her to lose focus. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Wei Ruo quickly denied. She didn¡¯t want to admit that there was a moment when she had certain desires for her second brother. Wei Ruo spected that it must be due to the age of this body. When a person reaches a certain age, various hormones begin to increase and it¡¯s effectively the so-called hormonal outburst. She supposed it was due to the influence of these hormones that her heartbeat changed when she saw her second brother. Who could me her when her second brother was so handsome? Everyone loves beauty, it¡¯s normal to be little moved by a handsome man when you see him often.
So, Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t too concerned about it. It would pass after some time. Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze was a little intense, having the faint feeling that Wei Ruo was keeping something from him. ¡°Ruoruo, if something is bothering you, you can share it with me,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing bothering me.¡± She naturally couldn¡¯t tell Wei Jinyi that in a few moments she had been craving his attractiveness. If her serious second brother found out, he¡¯d be mortified. She could already imagine him telling her to stop fooling around with a mixture of embarrassment and seriousness. Wei Jinyi stared at Wei Ruo, deciding not to ask further. His intuition was telling him that Ruoruo was hiding something from him. But she wasn¡¯t willing to open up to him and he was worried that by pushing she would only get upset. Wei Ruo thought for a moment, then decided to bring up something else: ¡°Second Brother, I n to take in another batch of refugees in our Hejian Prefecture manor. Next year, I intend to expand the scope of cotton cultivation, we will need morebor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your decision, Ruoruo.¡± ¡°You also have a stake in the coal mines and cotton fields in Hejian Prefecture, I need to discuss this with you,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I trust your choices, you¡¯re more skilful in this area than me,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Ruo felt a warmth spreading in her heart from the unconditional trust he had in her. Wei Ruo went on: ¡°Several Madams approached me in the past few days, they want to contribute financially and physically to aid the victims outside the city and maintain stability within the Capital City. I epted.¡± These people were quite smart. If they were to buy food and aid people as Wei Ruo did, it would be bothborious and thankless, considering Wei Ruo¡¯s reputation. To do as Wei Ruo did was a big challenge for them, given their resources weren¡¯t as abundant as Wei Ruo¡¯s, who had prepared in advance. It¡¯s better to pitch in with Wei Ruo. They could earn a good reputation without too much effort, they just needed to contribute marily.
Weiruo naturally was thrilled. What she could get from these people was not just money, there were other problems that these people could also solve. In the end, she was ying a role in integrating these resources heading towards a win-win situation. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi supported all of Wei Ruo¡¯s decisions unconditionally. He knew she must have a n behind her decisions.
¡°I also n to establish a charitable foundation organized by the Madams and Misses of the families within the Capital City.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Charitable Foundation?¡± Wei Jinyi asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It means that everyonees together to contribute. The rich give money, the strong help out, jointly aiding themon folk in need. Thedies gain reputation and themon folk profit,¡± Wei Ruo answered. ¡°Ruoruo alwayses up with intriguing ideas,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°I¡¯m just using an already sessful idea,¡± Wei Ruo added. Though the times and environment are different, some people¡¯s ideas and needs remain the same. After they finished discussing her affairs, Wei Ruo asked about Wei Jinyi¡¯s situation in the court. ¡°I heard that recently all the ministers in court have turned to Chu Lan? Has the Fan Family totally be Chu Lan¡¯s supporter now?¡± The Fan Family was the most influential family in the court, only next to Lu and Qi families. They used to support King Yu. She didn¡¯t usually ask Wei Jinyi such things. Even though they lived together in King Rui Residence, she didn¡¯t go out of her way to ask him. Today they were sharing the same room, and she seized the quiet moment to bring up the court gossip to fill the silence and distract herself from her own thoughts. ¡°It does seem to be that way,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°From your perspective, has King Yupletely lost the qualification topete for the crown prince?¡± Wei Ruo asked again.
¡°It appears that way currently.¡± ¡°Then, Brother¡­¡± ¡°Ruoruo, you can ask whatever you want, you don¡¯t need to hesitate.¡± Wei Ruo thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Do you still n to take revenge on King Yu?¡± Now that the Qi family has been subjected to punishment and Qi Yansong along with everyone involved in the Xu case have been imprisoned, she wasn¡¯t sure if her second brother could let go. ¡°Chu Heng was just a baby at that time, he didn¡¯t have a hand in what happened back then. I can refrain from taking revenge against him, but there¡¯s still a person in the pce who needs to pay,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. Imperial Concubine Qi had been demoted now. For Wei Jinyi, this was not enough, it didn¡¯t console the innocent deaths of the Xu family. Wei Jinyi then said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ruoruo. I can protect you while seeking justice.¡± Before he proposed her to be Queen Rui, he had thought about how he¡¯d conduct himself. He would help her do what she wanted and wouldn¡¯t let her worry about being caught up in the strife. ¡°I believe in you, Second Brother,¡± Wei Ruo said confidently. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know why she trusted him so strongly, but when she looked into his eyes, she had aforting feeling. ¡°Ruoruo¡­¡± Wei Jinyi stared at Wei Ruo, feeling her trust in him. Suddenly, Wei Ruo felt the intensity of Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze.
She quickly averted her eyes. ¡°Um¡­this tea has cooled off, I¡¯ll have Meimei re-steep it.¡± Weiruo stood up and walked out. As she walked, she thought to herself: The heating in the room was overpowering, making her sweat a bit. Wei Jinyi watched the closing door after Wei Ruo left. He couldn¡¯t help but worry; Ruoruo was a little unusual today. It seemed she was hiding something from him, or perhaps his actions today had unsettled her because her abnormal behavior had started after she had burnt herself. He could suppress his feelings for her, but couldn¡¯t suppress the instinctive concern his body showed for her. Next time, he would be more careful¡­ Chapter 538: 538 Various Thoughts_1 Chapter 538: Chapter 538 Various Thoughts_1 On the city wall. Chu Heng looked with icy eyes towards the location of King Rui Residence¡¯s porridge stall. He was finally released from several days of confinement. The price was that his uncle, Qi Yansong, confessed to all his crimes and cleared his mother of any involvement in the matter. Despite this, the status of his mother had been relegated from Imperial Concubine to Consort. As for him, he seemed to suffer no direct punishment; he was, however, perfectly aware he had lost the opportunity to vie for the heir apparent. Because his Emperor Father would worry, if he ascended the throne, he would seek revenge against the Xiu Family and harm King Rui, the product of his father¡¯s union with Empress Xiu. How ridiculous, truly ridiculous. He plotted all this time, step by step but a past event has thoroughly estranged him from the throne. The despicable Chu Lan took this opportunity to win the people¡¯s hearts and court the court officials.
Even the Fan Family, who always stood with him, began to lean towards Chu Lan. It could be said that he had lost most of his winning odds. These recent days, all the court officers had been praising the good deeds of King Rui Residence, so he decided to personally see the situation for himself. ¡°Wei Qingruo is indeed an excellent wife, it¡¯s rather regrettable that she is wasted on a weakling like Chu Yi.¡± Chu Heng murmured under his breath. Standing by his side, Qi Shijing was extremely bothered by Chu Heng¡¯s words, yet she didn¡¯t dare to say anything. She knew that the mishap of the Qi Family changed her status from supporting her cousin to being a burden. Recently, her cousin¡¯s attitude towards her was far from what it used to be, he even stopped spending his nights in her room. Chu Heng turned to her and said, ¡°Shijing, as the Queen of this king, I hope you can be of some use. I brought you out today to let you see what¡¯s happening in the broader world, time waits for no one, you and I both can¡¯t afford to wallow in the grief of the Qi Family¡¯s misfortune anymore.¡± ¡°Rest assured, cousin, I will.¡± Qi Shijing responded confidently. Qi Shijing knew that she could only respond this way now. With her father being locked in jail, she couldn¡¯t afford to lose herst value of use. Qi Shijing¡¯s gaze fell on the distant porridge stall. She was also interested in learning from Wei Qingruo, but presently she did not meet several essential conditions. Money was not the problem for her; although the Qi Family was confiscated, the Emperor, considering her youth and her position as Queen of King Yu Residence, did not dispose of her, so her dowry naturally was preserved. But the situation now was that the Qi Family had been confiscated, she had no one else she could use except those within the Wang Residence; even with money, she could not secure arge amount of grain and fodder in a short period. It required resources and ability to connect all transportation channels, which she did not currently possess. What¡¯s more, with the example of Wei Qingruo, if she did the same, no matter the oue, she would be used of imitating. But that was not the end of her predicaments. She had heard that Queen Rui was currently organizing an association called the Qunfang Association with some other nobledies in Capital City to help the victims of disasters. The participants were all females of the aristocracy. Many of her former intimates were involved, leaving her outpletely. Her family, the Qi Family¡¯s involvement as the culprits who framed Duke Xiu, made her someone with deep-seated animosity against the King Rui Residence, naturally, Queen Rui would not involve her and would also iste her. So, although she readily agreed verbally, Qi Shijing was not certain what she could really do under the current situation.
Unless¡­ she can help the Imperial Court to borrow grain from the Tan Family in the northwest. The Qi Family did have some connection with the Tan Family; she also had some dealings with Miss Tan Xiaoxiao from the Tan Family. But she didn¡¯t know if this friendship could work in front of such a significant matter like borrowing grain. ### King Jing Residence.
¡°This is the recent activity of King Yu Residence.¡± Xue Shaoyuan finished reporting on the activities of King Yu Residence to Chu Lan. Chu Heng had been quite busy recently but judging from current developments, his efforts had not produced desired results. Several families that were formerly closely connected with the Qi Family now kept their distance from Chu Heng, especially the Lu Family who kept courteous refusal to receiving guests. After all his efforts, he was still unable to reverse the tide. Chu Lan listened with a calm expression to these reports, his chiselled face showed no emotion, as if everything was within his expectations. Then Xue Shaoyuan continued to report about the Tan Family. ¡°Our men that we sent to Xi¡¯an Prefecture to negotiate with the Tan Family were unsessful. The Tan Family said they didn¡¯t have any surplus grain.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have spare grain, they are simply not willing.¡± Based on Chu Lan¡¯s understanding, it would be impossible for the Tan Family not to have any reserve grain. But if the Tan Family were unwilling to lend grain to the Imperial Court, the Imperial Court could not force them. Chu Lan said, ¡°Send someone else to try again.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What about King Rui Residence?¡± Chu Lan then asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
¡°Queen Rui has been serving porridge to help out the people for ten days continuously, day and night. Aside from that, no other proper movement has been seen from King Rui Residence.¡± ¡°Have you found out how much grain and fodder Queen Rui has on hand?¡± Chu Lan asked. ¡°I¡¯m ipetent, I have not found out yet, only managed to discover that over recent six months, Queen Rui has transported a total of thirty thousand tael(3.5t) of rice, thirty thousand tael(3.5t) of sweet potato, ten thousand tael(1.2t) of coal, and arge amount of cotton to King Rui Residence.¡± People in Capital City thought that Queen Rui was foolish at that time, but looking at it now, she not only was not foolish, but she was also very insightful. Chu Lan paused, and then asked again, ¡°Have you found any news about that man named Wang Jin?¡± ¡°I have not found any news rted to this person, nor found any travel documents¡­¡± ¡°So I can understand that this man¡¯s identity might be fake, right?¡± Chu Lan said. He had seen Wang Jin in Taizhou Prefecture before, and now this man appeared in Capital City again. If this person really existed, he must have travel documents when he passed from ce to ce. At present, since there were no travel documents, it indirectly supported the possibility that this man might not exist. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Xue Shaoyuan answered. Chu Lan was silent for a moment, and then he let Xue Shaoyuan retreat. ### Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence.
After being punished, Bai Family¡¯s Lady Bai had been bedridden for quite a while. Now she was able to get out of bed. Sitting at the desk in her bedroom, she was flipping through the ounts and beating the abacus with one hand. The more she calcted, the angrier she got. The more she looked, the more she had a headache. In the end, she vented her anger on the abacus by forcefully banging on it a few times. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you smashing the abacus?¡± Wei Mingyong saw Bai Family¡¯s Lady Bai¡¯s impatient action the moment he entered the room. ¡°What else could I be doing? The revenues of our shops this year are exceptionally poor. The grain output on the farm is also severely low, it won¡¯t even cover our family¡¯s expenses!¡± Bai Family¡¯s Lady Bai was extremely irritated. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the revenue bad in thest two years too? But we still managed to get by. Why are you so worried?¡± Wei Mingyong said, unconcerned. ¡°Is it the same? The revenue was bad in the previous few years, but the household expenses were managed collectively and the deficit was covered by my parents. Due to the actions of that ungrateful Third Room this year, the expenses of each room are their own responsibility.¡± Chapter 539: 539 King Jings Wedding_1 Chapter 539: Chapter 539 King Jing¡¯s Wedding_1 Every time someone from the third family was mentioned, she was filled with anger. ¡°Will this¡­ have a big impact?¡± Wei Mingyong couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°I¡¯m even worried about managing this year¡¯s and next year¡¯s expenses, what do you think?¡± ¡°Is it that serious? What shall we do? I was thinking of getting you to take out some silver to do some charity work alongside Queen Rui, to help recover our reputation! You have no idea, the people in the city are full of praise for Queen Rui!¡± Wei Mingyong said. ¡°That¡¯s Wei Qingruo! She holds a grudge like no other! With how things turned outst time, would she still want to have anything to do with me?¡± ¡°But we¡¯re all family! In any case, she didn¡¯t suffer any harm from that incident, it was the Concubine of King Jing who ended up unlucky, right?¡± ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you go and tell that to Wei Qingruo, what good does telling me do? Can she even listen to us?¡± ¡°Ah, had I known that she was this powerful, we really shouldn¡¯t have gotten on her bad side!¡± Wei Mingyong couldn¡¯t help but regret it. When he first met Wei Qingruo, he was prejudiced against her, thinking that a girl who had been raised in the countryside would undoubtedly be crude and shallow-minded. But who would have expected that this girl was far more capable than he ever imagined, surprising people one after another and bing a prominent figure in the Capital City.
¡°Now you know! If you had gotten along better with Wei Qingruo earlier, it wouldn¡¯t havee down to me having to cozy up to her and getting nowhere! Now we have achieved nothing despite all our efforts!¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk, you¡¯ve done a lot worse than me, I simply made a few remarks, you literally tried to poison her, making it public knowledge, causing a rift between us and the third family, costing me my position and making me aughingstock!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t me it all on me, I asked for your advice before I did it, and back then you were praising me for my brilliant idea!¡± ¡°How was I to know that you are such a fool that you would expose yourself? I thought that, whether you seeded or not, you would at least be able to make a clean getaway.¡± Wei Mingyong exined. ¡°And you? What have you aplished? You went out of your way to curry favor with Qi Yansong, and now in a few days, Qi Yansong is bound to be executed!¡± Madam Bai was extremely upset. She had gone to great lengths to curry favor with Wei Qingwan, even resorting to such despicable methods, all for the sake of pleasing Wei Qingwan. But now, Wei Qingwan turned out to be useless. After some thought, it seemed that it would have been more beneficial to have gotten along with Wei Qingruo. Even though King Rui has no hope of bing the emperor in the future, the life of Queen Rui is certainly better than that of the neglected, and potentially worsening situation of the Concubine of King Jing! Wei Mingyong and Madam Bai argued back and forth for a long time without reaching a conclusion. In the end, they could only watch envy as the third family prospered, while they gained nothing. ### Anxin Pavilion. Madam Yun leant against the couch, with Cuiping massaging her head from behind. The ie from her store and estate was not good this year. Fortunately, her husband and son both received a good sry and had rewards, so she didn¡¯t need to worry about financial problems. The only thing that made her sad was that she had sent a note to King Rui¡¯s Residence yesterday, hoping to see Ruoruo, but was refused due to Queen Rui being busy. ¡°Madam, are you still worried about thedy refusing to see you?¡± Cuiping asked. ¡°As for Ruoruo, I really don¡¯t know what to do.¡± Madam Yun sighed. ¡°Thedy might really be busy. I have heard that she has aplished quite a bit recently, and many people are begging to see her.¡± Cuiping said. Cuiping¡¯s words didn¡¯t bring muchfort.
Because even if there were many things to be busy with, and many people to see, Madam Yun was her biological mother, and she should be the highest priority. ¡°That child has been passionate about saving people since she was in Xingshan County, and she¡¯s good at it, which has proven very useful in these chaotic times. But she is indeed a bit too stubborn.¡± Madam Yun said reflectively. ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t you wait a bit longer, and seek her out once she¡¯s less busy.¡± Cuiping suggested. Madam Yun nodded slightly: ¡°Well, wait a bit longer.¡±
Madam Yun motioned with her hand: ¡°Have someone send an invitation to King Rui¡¯s residence again.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Understood.¡± ### 10th of November. The great wedding of King Jing. Recently, so many things have happened that everyone almost forgot that King Jing had also decided to get married this year. The wife he intended to marry was Zuo Lingyue, the highly-educated daughter of Imperial Academician Zuo Yuanzhou. She was a well-known talented woman in the capital, graceful, virtuous, and talented. Although the Emperor¡¯s intention was not to hold a big celebration, in reality, the people attending the wedding of Chu Lan were more numerous than those who had attended Chu Heng¡¯s half a year ago. With the current clear political climate, the Qi Family was overthrown, Chu Heng lost ny percent of his chances of winning, and the person most likely to ascend the throne was Chu Lan. How could they miss the future Emperor¡¯s wedding? Of course, King Rui¡¯s Residence had received the invitation, but Wei Ruo sent someone to give gifts and congrattions in her stead, citing her busy schedule. No one disputed this, as everyone knew how busy Wei Ruo was. At the same time, everyone was more certain that King Rui¡¯s Residence only focused on their own affairs. They were not close to either King Jing or King Jing and did not participate in the power struggles within the court.
In the evening. The red candles flickered within King Jing¡¯s Residence. Chu Lan, dressed in wedding attire, entered the bridal chamber. Looking at the bride sitting in front of the bed in her wedding dress, Chu Lan didn¡¯t know why his heartcked joy. He had always been indifferent to his own wedding. He knew that when it came to marriage, his position left him no choice. He had thought it wouldn¡¯t matter who he married, but now, a certain figure kept appearing in his mind. He knew that she hadn¡¯te to his residence today, which was within his expectations. He could even guess what she was doing these days. But why was it that on his wedding night, he longed to see her so much? Xu Heyou, Wei Qingruo¡­ Wei Qingruo, Xu Heyou¡­ These two people were already mixed up in his heart, even if there was no clear evidence to prove it at the moment. But the more he understood Wei Qingruo, the more certain he was that they were the same person.
She would unhesitatingly save the innocent victims of the disaster, just like Xu Heyou had unhesitatingly saved him when his face was ruined and his identity unknown¡­ Why hadn¡¯t he noticed this earlier? In his memory, the Wei Qingruo he saw was always looking down, never daring to look directly at him. He thought she was timid and shy. But as he thought about it now, it turned out that she was intentionally avoiding him. She was never a person who was easily intimidated. If he had discovered this earlier, would he have had the chance to marry her before King Rui? Chapter 540: 540: Chu Lans Confession_1 Chapter 540: Chapter 540: Chu Lan¡¯s Confession_1 It should be possible. Now, the entire court is under his control. What difficulty would there be for him to marry someone? But¡­ after all, that¡¯s just an assumption, there are no foregone conclusions in this world. Chu Lan looked at the bride before him, a scene of him lifting the bridal veil shed in his mind. The face underneath it was unmistakably that of Wei Qingruo. She shed a smile at him, merging with the face of Xu Heyou who was talking andughing merrily with him at that moment. Her eyes were still bright, shining with a light as if they could talk. On the red bed, Zuo Lingyue sat, her face concealed under the red veil, only hearing footsteps. She nervously awaited for King Jing to lift her veil. After waiting for a while, she did not hear the veil being lifted. On the contrary, that sound grew more and more distant until she heard the sound of the door opening again.
Chu Lan had left the room. When he exited the room, he told the guard by the door that he had important matters to attend to and would stay in the study for the night. ### At night, Wei Ruo was returning to the King Rui Residence from the East City Gate. The weather these past few days had been incredibly cold. After seeking the court¡¯s approval, she used her own money and resources to build a camp outside the city gate. Due to the rush of time, she had been very busy these days. Additionally, the ces she needed to go were not very essible by carriage, so Wei Ruo had been riding a horse instead. It was cold at night, and Wei Ruo was wearing a big cloak. The cor was lined with pure white fox fur, and she wore a fur hat sewn by her wet nurse on her head, making her look all fluffy. Wei Jinyi remained by her side, dressed as Wang Jin, with Xiumei and Lin Fang also apanying them. ¡°Queen Rui, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± The guard at the city gate greeted Wei Ruo when they entered. Wei Ruo responded with a small nod. Not long after they entered the city gate, a group of people appeared, surrounding them from all sides. Next, a man stepped out from the darkness. Clothed in a ck brocade robe embroidered with gold fish patterns and draped in a thick cloak; The inside of the cloak was ck, while the outside was embroidered with the same gold patterns on a dark blue background. When she saw the man¡¯s face, Wei Ruo looked puzzled. Chu Lan? Why was he here? This was supposed to be his wedding night; why wasn¡¯t he consummating his marriage but here instead? It was already past curfew, and aside from the asional patrols from the Armed Forces Department, there was no one else on the street. Furthermore, all of the patrols were Chu Lan¡¯s men.
¡°May I invite you for a cup of tea?¡± Chu Lan asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Prince Jing, are you drunk? I am Queen Rui, your sister-inw. You want to have tea with me at this ungodly hour? Regardless of how you look at it, this is not appropriate. Not to mention, it¡¯s your wedding night, you should go back to your queen.¡± Wei Ruo replied coldly. ¡°Or would you prefer that we take matters into our own hands?¡± Chu Lan said. Chu Lan had brought several dozens of men with him, while Wei Ruo only had three in herpany.
If a battle were to break out, there would be no advantage for Wei Ruo¡¯s side. ¡°Prince Jing, do you realize what you¡¯re doing?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Even though he hadn¡¯t ascended to the throne yet, how could he so brazen? Had he gone mad? ¡°You can treat it as if I¡¯m drunk,¡± Chu Lan said, ¡°I just want to invite you for a cup of tea. I promise that as long as you obey me, I won¡¯t harm you, and no one else will know about what happens tonight.¡± Wei Ruo nced at Wei Jinyi, whose hand was already on the hilt of his sword. She could feel his murderous intent. She didn¡¯t know how skilled her elder brother was and whether he would be able to handle these dozens of experts from the Armed Forces Department on his own. But she didn¡¯t want him to act rashly. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll have tea with you. But only in the pavilion over there.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Good.¡± Chu Lan agreed. Then, Wei Ruo whispered to Wei Jinyi beside her: ¡°Let¡¯s see what he¡¯s up to first.¡± Wei Jinyi frowned, saying nothing. Wei Ruo sensed that her brother was even more eager to act but chose to restrain himself because of her request. When they reached the pavilion, Wei Ruo dismounted from her horse.
Chu Lan entered the pavilion first, waiting for her. The winter nights were cold, and the stone table and bench in the pavilion were as cold as ice. One of Chu Lan¡¯s men stepped forward toy a woollen nket on the bench. After casting it a nce, Wei Ruo sat on it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After Chu Lan took the seat opposite her, his subordinates managed to procure a heater and teaware. Then, they hung severalnterns around the pavilion, illuminating the pavilion brightly. ¡°Prince Jing, don¡¯t bother with all these formalities, just get straight to the point.¡± said Wei Ruo. With no haste, Chu Lan started to brew the tea, saying, ¡°This is winter melon tea, you should try it.¡± Chu Lan ced a cup of brewed winter melon tea in front of Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t look at the winter melon tea in front of her, nor did she reach out to take it. ¡°Prince Jing, what do you really want to talk about?¡± Wei Ruo asked coldly. Chu Lan did not immediately respond; instead, he picked up his own cup and drank it all in one gulp. Only after he had finished drinking did he say to Wei Ruo: ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry. Since you¡¯ve agreed to apany me for this cup of tea, let¡¯s finish it first.¡±
Wei Ruo was already doing her best by sitting here to talk; she was in no mood for tea. ¡°Prince Jing, be rational. Given our positions, we shouldn¡¯t even be seen together, much less sitting here! Whenever we see each other, we should avoid one another if possible!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to remind me, I am painfully aware of this fact. I just want to confirm something.¡± said Chu Lan. ¡°Confirm what? Are you still suspecting that I am Doctor Xu?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°It¡¯s strange; even though I have not found any concrete evidence, in my heart, you and Xu Heyou are the same person. Especially after observing what you¡¯ve done in the Capital City recently, I have be even more convinced of this,¡± said Chu Lan. ¡°Prince Jing, there are some things that can¡¯t be decided by feelings alone, facts must be taken into ount.¡± ¡°I was indeed like that before, but for some reason this time, I want to follow my heart.¡± ¡°But what significance does this have for you, Prince Jing? If you¡¯re able to confirm my identity as Doctor Xu, then what? As far as I know, neither I nor Doctor Xu have done anything to offend you, right?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°That¡¯s right, neither of you has done anything to offend me. In fact, both of you have been beneficial to me.¡± ¡°Then why are you acting like this?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Why?¡± Chu Lan echoed, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I know that I need to find the answer from you.¡± Having said this, Chu Lan looked up at Wei Ruo. Feeling the burning gaze, Wei Ruo also looked up, only to be surprised to find Chu Lan¡¯s eyes filled with mncholy and sadness.
Staring at Wei Ruo, Chu Lan continued, ¡°Wei Qingruo, you tell me, if it had been me who had asked the Emperor for permission to marry you, what would you have done?¡± ¡°Prince Jing, you must be drunk!¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Wei Qingruo, I certainly am drunk. That¡¯s why on my wedding night, I can¡¯t help but think about you. Even wishing that it was you who had be my queen.¡± Chapter 541: 541 I found the answer I was looking for_1 Chapter 541: Chapter 541 I found the answer I was looking for_1 Wei Ruo was stunned. Chu Lan, he¡­ Chu Lan continued to speak to Wei Ruo: ¡°What I truly want to confirm today is not your identity, but what you truly mean to me, whether I¡­¡± Wei Ruo interrupted Chu Lan, abruptly standing up, ¡°I need to leave!¡± She didn¡¯t want to hear the rest of what he had to say. Chu Lan immediately followed up, wrapping his hands around Wei Ruo¡¯s shoulders. Almost instantly, a hand reached out from the side, pulling Wei Ruo back while kicking Chu Lan away. It was Wei Jinyi. Eventually, he took action when Chu Lan tried to touch Wei Ruo. Chu Lan staggered, managing to regain bnce only after backing up a few steps. He raised his head, looking at the instigator ¨C Wang Jin, a man with martial arts skills beyond any ordinary man¡¯s imagination.
At the same time, guards around the pavilion all drew their swords, flooding into the pavilion. Xiumei and Lin Fang immediately fought back against Chu Lan¡¯s guards who had entered the pavilion. Weiruo was protected in the middle by both of them, her fists clenched as she watched the waves of enemies pouring in. Chu Lan advanced once more, crossing des with Wei Jinyi. Weijinyi moved swiftly, his sword in hand like a dragon emerging from the water, ever-changing and unpredictable. His every strike was as if conjuring a world of life through Tai Chi, shifting as the stars did. Chu Lan was indeed no match for Wei Jinyi¡¯s skills. Struggling to fend off Wei Jinyi¡¯s attacks, especially as thetter¡¯s moves increasingly hinted at a deadly intent, Chu Lan was pressured into a continuous retreat. However, Wei Ruo¡¯s side did not have the numerical advantage, it was impossible for Xiumei and Lin Fang to fight off more than thirty people and protect Wei Ruo from harm at the same time. Wei Ruo knew that in a little while, Xiumei, Lin Fang and herself would be captured. Therefore, she didn¡¯t dare dy any longer. From her arms, she took out a handful of small ck pills, lit them with a toasting stick and threw them to the ground. When the ck pills hit the ground, they exploded and emitted a thick white smoke, instantly filling the entire pavilion. The men around the pavilion who belonged to Chu Lan didn¡¯t know what to do. They couldn¡¯t see the situation within the pavilion, and they dared not act rashly for fear of hurting their prince who was still inside. ¡°Everyone stop, this smoke is poisonous. Your prince has already inhaled it, and he won¡¯t survive without my antidote!¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s voice echoed from within the white smoke. The men outside stopped and began to cover their noses and mouths. After a while, the smoke gradually cleared, revealing the situation inside the pavilion. Wei Jinyi¡¯s de was pointed at Chu Lan, the edge of the sword pressed against Chu Lan¡¯s neck. Upon noticing this, Chu Lan¡¯s men dared not move rashly. Wei Ruo pulled out a pill from her bosom and handed it to Lin Fang: ¡°Give this to King Jing.¡± Lin Fang did as instructed and fed the pill Wei Ruo gave him to Chu Lan.
Facing the pill that Wei Ruo forced him to take, Chu Lan didn¡¯t offer much resistance, swallowing it down. Then Chu Lan looked at Wei Ruo with a gaze that seemed to see through her, saying: ¡°Actually, the smoke you created just now was merely a smokescreen and not poisonous. The pill you just gave me is the actual poison.¡± Her scheme exposed, Wei Ruo¡¯s heart tightened.N?v(el)B\\jnn What shocked her was that Chu Lan knowingly swallowed the actual poison.
Being seen through while failing to understand the other party¡¯s situation made her feel extremely unease. However, Wei Ruo maintained herposure on the surface: ¡°Prince Jing, you¡¯ve taken the poison and I¡¯m the only one with the antidote. Please let us leave and send someone to King Rui Residence in three days to get the antidote.¡± Chu Lan looked at Wei Ruo andughed. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Wei Ruo did not like the way Chu Lan was looking at her. ¡°I found the answer I was looking for,¡± Chu Lan said. Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t interested in the answer Chu Lan was looking for: ¡°Prince Jing, are you so keen on finding this so-called answer that you don¡¯t care about your life?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t kill me. If I die here, none of you can escape. King Rui Residence will fall into a difficult situation, causing turmoil in the court. This isn¡¯t the scenario you want to see,¡± Chu Lan spoke confidently. Wei Ruo fell silent, she knew Chu Lan¡¯s words were indeed the truth; this was why she didn¡¯t want her brother to take action from the start. Chu Lan continued: ¡°You may leave, I promised I won¡¯t harm you.¡± ¡°It better be,¡± Wei Ruo sneered cynically. Wei Ruo then turned to Wei Jinyi: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Wei Jinyi hesitated for a moment, then sheathed his sword. They then mounted their horses and departed.
¡°Prince! Allow me to pursue them!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t chase after them, I promised her I wouldn¡¯t harm her. I keep my words.¡± ¡°But, Prince, they¡¯ve poisoned you!¡± ¡°Three days from now, I will go to King Rui Residence to get the antidote,¡± Chu Lan said. ### Wei Ruo and herpanions galloped back to King Rui Residence. After entering, Lin Fang said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, we actually had many men hidden nearby. If a real fight broke out, King Jing might not necessarily be our opponent.¡± ¡°But that would reveal that King Rui Residence is not as useless and unambitious as we¡¯ve been pretending to be,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°But ¡­ with King Jing in his current state, I am worried ¡­¡± ¡°I understand your concern,¡± Wei Ruo replied before asking, ¡°Where is my brother?¡± As soon as she got off her horse, she turned around and didn¡¯t see her brother anywhere. Usually, when they got back to the residence, her brother would always remind her of one or two things, like getting rest early or taking care of her health. His absence today was somewhat unusual. ¡°He¡­He probably went back to his study,¡± Lin Fang was unsure.
¡°I¡¯ll go find him.¡± After saying this, Wei Ruo headed towards the front yard. On her way, Wei Ruo¡¯s mind was full of thoughts. What Chu Lan told her today was something she had never expected. To her, he was more like a nightmare. Since the original Ruo had died at his hands, each time she thought of him, her body would instinctively fill with fear. Back in Taizhou prefecture, had she known it was him, even if she couldn¡¯t kill him, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have saved him. So today, hearing Chu Lan say such things to her, her heart was filled more with fear. She was afraid of being entangled with him again. Lost in thought, Wei Ruo arrived at Wei Jinyi¡¯s study. Wei Ruo knocked on the door: ¡°Brother, it¡¯s me. Are you resting?¡± Wei Ruo waited for a moment. She heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door, which was then opened. Their eyes met. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, who had just put off his disguise and reverted to his true self, and asked: ¡°Can Ie in?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡±
Wei Jinyi turned and walked back in, Wei Ruo followed suit, closing the door behind her. Both of them came to the small round table in the room and sat down, facing each other. ¡°Second brother, today¡¯s events have taken me by surprise. Although I don¡¯t want my personal matters to interfere with your ns, I know they may unavoidably cause some trouble and inconvenience for you,¡± she said. Chapter 542 - 542 We are Siblings_1 Chapter 542: Chapter 542 We are Siblings_1 ¡°No.¡± Wei Jinyi refuted Wei Ruo¡¯s words. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t disrupt my ns nor trouble me.¡± ¡°But the things that Chu Lan is doing now¡­¡± Mentioning what just happened, Wei Ruo¡¯s brow involuntarily furrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he would do such a thing. I¡¯m concerned about what irrational actions he will take against the King Rui Residence.¡± ¡°This is not your fault, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. ¡°Second brother, you don¡¯t have to console me. I know that this matter, to some extent, will impact you and might even ruin your original n.¡± Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo. In his view, today¡¯s matter might have some impact, but it would not disrupt his n because his n existed for her¡­ If she hadn¡¯t barged into his courtyard, barged into his life that year, he wouldn¡¯t have be the King Rui of today. ¡°Second brother?¡± Seeing Wei Jinyi seem a little dazed, Wei Ruo called out to him. ¡°Block soldiers with generals, divert water with earth, there are solutions to everything. If I dared to confront Chu Lan today, then I¡¯m fully prepared. His behavior is within my expectation. To reach this point, I took into ount fighting him head-on. You don¡¯t need to me yourself for the possibility of ruining my original n. Even without you, there would likely be a sharp conflict between Chu Lan and me,¡± Wei Jinyi said. That¡¯s right, if she hadn¡¯t tried to stop him, the second brother was prepared to take action from the start. He wasn¡¯t reckless; since he dared to take action, he must have thought of a way out. Weiruo¡¯s hanging heart rxed. Before visiting the second brother, she was worried. She did not want to cause unnecessary trouble for him. But the second brother didn¡¯t me her at all, instead, heforted her. ¡°Second brother, why are you so good to me?¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help asking. Because¡­ something on the tip of Wei Jinyi¡¯s tongue was about to slip out. But he recalled the words Wei Ruo said that day, what she expected was a familial affection. ¡°Because we are siblings,¡± Wei Jinyi responded. ¡°Yes, you are my second brother.¡± Wei Ruo smiled. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi responded, and then said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Go back and rest early.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo stood up. Wei Jinyi saw Wei Ruo to the door. Having stepped out the door, Wei Ruo looked back at Wei Jinyi. A casual nce made Wei Ruo¡¯s heart beat faster. The second brother, dressed in a white robe with long ck hair spread out behind him, looked unexpectedly attractive. Realizing that she was letting her imagination run wild again, Wei Ruo quickly averted her gaze. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, second brother. You should also rest early,¡± Wei Ruo said hastily, and then strode away. Wei Jinyi watched as Wei Ruo left, until her figurepletely disappeared. Only then did he return to his room and close the door. Siblings¡­ Second brother¡­ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om He couldn¡¯tpletely ept this identity, and there were moments when impulses arose. After returning to the residence just now, he did not talk much to Ruoruo and returned to his room. All because of Chu Lan¡¯s words to Ruoruo that had stirred up some waves in his heart. Sometimes, he didn¡¯t know how long he could keep the beast in his heart trapped. Perhaps one day, it would break free¡­ ### Three dayster, Chu Lan visited the King Rui Residence as agreed, and Wei Ruo gave Chu Lan the antidote ording to the n. Wei Ruo did not show up in person; Lin Fang transferred the medicine to Chu Lan on her behalf. Chu Lan seemed to have anticipated such an arrangement; he asked Lin Fang to convey to Wei Ruo that he drank too much that day and behaved improperly, hoping she wouldn¡¯t take it to heart. When Lin Fang ryed Chu Lan¡¯s exact words to Wei Ruo, she was using a mortar and pestle to grind medicine. ¡°Did he really say that?¡± ¡°Yes, King Jing said he hopes you can forgive his rudeness and not to take his previous words to heart.¡± ¡°Ha, as if I want to keep him in my heart!¡± Wei Ruo grumbled angrily. ¡°Miss, you seem to be quite angry?¡± ¡°Am I not supposed to be angry? I don¡¯t know if he really drank too much or if his brain was filled with nonsense. In any case, his actions were outrageous. He should remember that I was his benefactor, not his nemesis! I think he strictly wanted to harm me!¡± ¡°Miss, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you so angry with someone,¡± Lin Fang said. ¡°That just shows how detestable King Jing is!¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t get too upset; it¡¯s not worth it to ruin your health because of him.¡± Moreover, the master would feel heartbroken. Although the master had never said it, they, who had followed the master for many years, could tell. ¡°I won¡¯t brood over it. I¡¯ll channel all my anger toward Chu Lan into my work!¡± Wei Ruo continued to grind the stuff in her hand while talking. The pounding of the pestle was filled with force, as if what she was grinding was Chu Lan¡¯s heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney. Seeing the mortar in Wei Ruo¡¯s hands, Lin Fang asked, ¡°Miss, what are you grinding?¡± ¡°Poison.¡± Having had that experience, Wei Ruo felt that she needed to carry more poison on her. Wei Ruo exined, ¡°I don¡¯t have much talent when ites to martial arts, and it¡¯s toote to start now. All I can do is put more effort into the field I¡¯m good at, make it useful when necessary.¡± Recalling that Wei Ruo was probably making poison due to the incident from two days ago, Lin Fangforted her: ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. With the master there, he won¡¯t let anyone bully you, not even if it¡¯s Prince Jing.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t always rely on the second brother. It naturally makes me happy to have someone willing to protect and help me, but I can¡¯tpletely depend on that to live. I must firstly be myself, then I¡¯m your master¡¯s sister,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Miss, your mindset is really different from many otherdies from noble families,¡± Lin Fang said. ¡°Stop ttering me. There¡¯s a pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall stewing on the stove. Help me take it to the second brotherter. Let him eat more to nourish himself. He¡¯s been busytely¡ªbecause of Chu Lan¡¯s actions, he surely won¡¯t stop apanying me outdoors in the daytime. He¡¯s left all his own affairs to deal with at night. I¡¯ve heard that he¡¯s been upte several nights in a row.¡± ¡°You found out, Miss?¡± The master had not allowed them to mention it. ¡°How dare you hide it from me.¡± ¡°Miss, please forgive me, the master didn¡¯t permit it, how could I dare to say it?¡± Lin Fang exined. ¡°Fine. I know that because of Chu Lan¡¯s actions, it¡¯s even more impossible for him to stop apanying me now. So I¡¯ll make more delicious food for him. There¡¯s Buddha Jumps Over the Wall today, ginseng chicken soup tomorrow, and turtle soup with dang gui the day after tomorrow. Starting from tomorrow, I¡¯ll travel in a carriage, so he can rest during the daytime,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll deliver the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall to the master right now!¡± The master would definitely be happy to know that it¡¯s specially stewed by the Miss! Chapter 543: Wei Family Becomes New Nobility in Capital City_1 Chapter 543: Chapter 543: Wei Family Bes New Nobility in Capital City_1 On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, a victory report arrived from Jiangzhe. The Anti-Japanese Army of Taizhou Prefecture, led by Wei Mingting, fought a splendid counterattack. This battle was more hard-fought and exhrating than any previous one, with the warships newly constructed under the supervision of King Qin ying a vital role in the campaign. Wei Mingting¡¯s Anti-Japanese Army, aboard these new warships, sank more than half of the Japanese Pirates¡¯ ships, directly driving them into panicked flight without letting theme ashore. Due to the limited time, only three warships were constructed, each barely fitted with four divine warrior cannons. Even so, they demonstrated great effectiveness. Given more time, the Ministry of Works can achieve even better results. At that time, it wouldn¡¯t be out of question to force the Japanese Pirates straight back to their homnd, or even chase them down and strike them in Japan. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The news of this great victory like a beam of dawn dispersed the lingering fog-nketed atop the Daye Empire. The Emperor was extremely delighted; the entire court celebrated. With great pleasure, the Emperor issued a decree to reward Wei Mingting and other military personnel who contributed to the victory. Among them, Wei Mingting was promoted to Deputy General, holding the title of General Guangwei. Xu Zhengyong held his current position, but his title escted to be General Zhaowu. Additionally, both of them received amply generous rewards. The Emperor also granted permission for certain soldiers from the Anti-Japanese Army to return home for a visit. Wei Mingting and Xu Zhengyong both received this privilege, with Wei Mingting allowed to return home for the New Year while Xu Zhengyong must wait until after the New Year. This recent promotion had Wei Mingting dubbed as the fastest rising military general in recent years, threatening the past momentum of General Lu and Xu Guogong. Wei Yichen and Wei Ruo both recently became popr figures in the Capital City. For a moment, the Wei Family attained unparalleled momentum, instantly bing the new elite of the Capital City. Compared to that, the downfall of the Qi Family made a negligible impact on the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, because it had connections with the eldest and second branches of the Wei Family, while the one receiving imperial favor was the third branch of the Wei Family. People who the Wei family had sought audience with, but could not meet, were now, in turn, submitting their visiting cards to the Old Master Wei. Marquis Xuanping residence, which previously had a canceled engagement with Wei Ruo, also sent gifts and congratted, clearly trying to get on the good side of the Wei family. The favoritism towards the Wei Family reminded the King Yu, Chu Heng, of his interest in Wei Qingwan. On the very night the Emperor issued a decree promoting Wei Mingting, King Yu stayed over at Cuiting Pavilion for the first time, showing his favor towards Wei Qingwan. Wei Qingwan could not believe that she would once again be a favored consort of King Yu. Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart was sweet as honey. Regardless of whether King Yu still had a chance of bing the Crown Prince, he was at least a Prince. Being favored by a Prince, she could at least live a decent life, as envied by everyone, like the current consort of Prince Huai. Wei Qingwan, with a beaming face, let Cuihe help her dress and put on makeup. Qi Shijing entered without notice. Upon seeing this, Wei Qingwan stood up to pay her respect, ¡°Little sister pays respect to elder sister, the Queen.¡± ¡°Little sister, you must have been tired from receiving the royal favorst night, drink this bowl of soup as a tonic,¡± Qi Shijing said to Wei Qingwan with a smile. Wei Qingwan looked dubiously at Qi Shijing and then at the ck bowl of medicine held by the maid beside her, she frowned and said, ¡°Thanks elder sister, the Queen, leave the medicine here, I will drink itter.¡± ¡°That may not be appropriate, the medicine should be taken while it¡¯s hot for the best effect,¡± Qi Shijing said. ¡°Elder sister, is this really a tonic?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°Little sister, just consider it as a tonic and drink it,¡± Qi Shijing replied. ¡°Elder sister, I want the truth.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll just speak straight with you.¡± Qi Shijing responded, ¡°This is not a tonic, but chatine soup.¡± Hearing this, Wei Qingwan¡¯s expression turned cold, and she rejected firmly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot drink this medicine, sister.¡± ¡°What do you mean by this, little sister? Have you forgotten the rules of the King¡¯s residence? While I have not yet had a child, no one else in the residence is allowed to be pregnant.¡± This was the first time Qi Shijing had referred to herself as ¡°the pce¡± when speaking to Wei Qingwan. However, Wei Qingwan stood her ground: ¡°Sister, I apologize. I know you¡¯ll be angry with me, but I really wish to have children for the prince.¡± Qi Shijing¡¯s gaze instantly turned icy. ¡°Wei Qingwan, I¡¯ve treated you kindly from the moment you entered the King¡¯s residence, and this is how you repay me?¡± ¡°Sister, I dare not¡­ I still hold you in high regard, but the matter of children is ultimately up to the prince. If the prince orders me to drink this chatine soup, then I would have nothing more to say.¡± Wei Qingwan replied. Seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s demeanor, Qi Shijingughed, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to have such a scheming mind; I underestimated you.¡± ¡°I dare not.¡± Wei Qingwan lowered her head, appearing obedient. ¡°You will drink this chatine soup today, no matter what!¡± Saying this, Qi Shijing ordered Tingsnow to seize Wei Qingwan and force-feed her the medicine. Wei Qingwan resisted with all her strength, and Cuihe rushed forward to assist. However, Qi Shijing had brought more people, and they quickly subdued Wei Qingwan and Cuihe. Just as Qi Shijing was about to force-feed Wei Qingwan the medicine, Chu Heng arrived upon hearing themotion. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± Chu Heng¡¯s face was filled with anger. ¡°Cousin, ording to the rules of the King¡¯s residence, Wei Qingwan, who served as a concubinest night, should drink chatine soup today.¡± Qi Shijing replied. Chu Heng looked at Wei Qingwan, her eyes were red, she was teary as if about to cry, looking exceptionally pitiful. Her gaze towards Chu Heng was filled with injustice. Chu Heng spoke up, ¡°The residence¡¯s rule is that concubines are not allowed to be pregnant before you; however, Wanwan is a concubine; her status is different, this rule does not apply to her.¡± Qi Shijing was stunned for a moment. Finally, under Chu Heng¡¯s stern gaze, she saw the predicament she was in clearly. Yes, the Qi Family has fallen, she can no longer offer support to her cousin. On the other hand, Wei Qingwan was in the opposite situation; the Wei Family was on the rise, and her father and brothers were the new nobility at court. As Qi Shijing processed this, she saw Chu Heng take Wei Qingwan into his arms, gently calming her down. Qi Shijing watched them walk into the inner chamber, her face pale as a sheet. Qi Shijing had no choice but to leave with her people from Cuiting Pavilion. Later, Chu Heng arranged for a few more maids for Wei Qingwan, for her tomand as she pleased. Suddenly, the positions of Wei Qingwan and Qi Shijing in the King Yu Residencepletely changed. The King¡¯s residence¡¯s opportunistic servants began to ingratiate themselves with Wei Qingwan and cold-shouldered Qi Shijing instead. This abrupt change made Wei Qingwan fully aware; she had always thought about relying on herself to climb up, but in reality, women also need the help of their natal family to hold their ground in the residence. ¡°Cuihe, prepare some gifts, let¡¯s go back to the Wei Family.¡± Wei Qingwan decided. ¡°Miss, when are you going? Should this servant go early to notify the Duke Residence?¡± ¡°No need, it¡¯s not that much trouble to return to my family.¡± Wei Qingwan urged Cuihe and Nurse Li to prepare the gifts properly right after she finished speaking. And then promptly set out for the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Chapter 544 - 544 Daughter realizes her mistake_1 Chapter 544: Chapter 544 Daughter realizes her mistake_1 Upon hearing the unexpected visit of King Yu¡¯s concubine, Madam Yun was taken aback. Afterst time¡¯s incident, King Yu¡¯s concubine cut off any connection with them. She was surprised why the concubine suddenly wished to visit the old duke and madam now. ¡°Where is she now?¡± Madam Yun asked. ¡°She¡¯s at Shou¡¯an Hall, currently chatting with the old madam.¡± Cuiping replied. Madam Yun frowned. Cuiping continued, ¡°She also sent a message just now, saying she¡¯lle to visit Madam soon.¡± ¡°Tell her I¡¯m a bit tired today and it¡¯s inconvenient to see her.¡± Madam Yun said. ¡°As you wish.¡± After that, Madam Yun went back to the inner room. About an hourter, Wei Qingwan arrived outside Anxin Pavilion. Cuiping informed Madam Yun that she was resting. Wei Qingwan said, ¡°Please tell Madam, I will wait outside. Once she¡¯s had enough rest, I¡¯ll pay my respects.¡± She knew Madam Yun¡¯s schedule well; Madam was not going to rest at this lunch hour. ¡°Your Highness, it is freezing cold outside. Considering your invaluable status, it would be better if you wait in your former room, where a stove is already lit.¡± Cuiping suggested. ¡°No need to worry, I¡¯ll wait for my mother here,¡± Wei Qingwan insisted. Left with no choice, Cuiping went back and ryed Wei Qingwan¡¯s words to Madame Yun. After hearing this, Madam Yun didn¡¯t say anything but closed her eyes pretending to rest. After she attended to her for a while, Madam Yun opened her eyes again. ¡°You go outside and check.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cuiping went to the courtyard gate and saw that Wei Qingwan was indeed still there. So, Cuiping went back and reported to Madam Yun. Madam Yun frowned, ¡°Is she trying to force me to see her with this tactic?¡± ¡°Do you wish for me to let the youngdye in?¡± Cuiping asked. ¡°No.¡± After some thought, Madame Yun said, ¡°If she wants to stand, let her continue standing.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After waiting another hour, Madame Yun asked Cuiping to check outside again. To her surprise, Wei Qingwan was still standing at the gate. ¡°Just let her in,¡± Madam Yun conceded. ¡°Yes.¡± Following the instruction, Cuiping invited Wei Qingwan inside. The moment Wei Qingwan entered and saw Madam Yun, she knelt down. ¡°Mother,I¡¯m sorry for my mistake.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for such a formal apology, you are the King¡¯s concubine, a member of the royal family. I can¡¯t ept your reverence, it might shorten my life!¡± Madam Yun said cold-heartedly. ¡°Mother, I know you¡¯re angry at me. You¡¯re upset because I¡¯ve be close to my aunt and because I didn¡¯t listen to you¡­¡± ¡°The King¡¯s concubine is very independent now. You decide whom to stay close to. It¡¯s not necessary to exin it to me. I am not your biological mother anyway.¡± Madam Yun said. ¡°Mother, though you¡¯re not my biological mother, you¡¯ve been kinder to me than a real mother! How could I forget your kindness? This time, it¡¯s my mistake. The scars on my back confused me. I solely focused on how not to be despised by the prince after entering King Yu Residence, and lost sight of who was really kind to me and who was pretending.¡± As she spoke, tears welled up in Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes and trickled down her fair cheeks. Madam Yun twitched slightly, and her stern expression softened a bit. Wei Qingwan continued, ¡°Mother, do you remember when I identally broke my brother¡¯s brush as a child? You held me and said that making mistakes was not scary, but owning up to them was.¡± ¡°This time, I made a mistake. I¡¯m not asking for your forgiveness, but I couldn¡¯t feel at ease if I didn¡¯t apologize to you.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s words reminded Madam Yun of the past, carrying an image of her 5-year-old daughter, weeping profusely for mistakenly breaking her brother¡¯s brush. Sheforted her and made her apologize to her brother. However, just as she was about to say sorry, she got so nervous she immediately began to cry. Madam Yun¡¯s gaze upon Wei Qingwan, who was kneeling in front of her, stirred up a profound pang of mncholy in her heart. The question was, how important was the fact of being biologically rted? Over a decade of maternal love, could it be erased by simply saying, ¡®we are not biologically rted¡¯? Gazing into Wei QIngwan¡¯s tear-brimmed eyes, Madam Yun couldn¡¯t hold back her feelings anymore. ¡°You need to correct your mistake, just saying it is not enough.¡± With these words from Madam Yun, a weight was lifted from Wei Qingwan¡¯s heart. ¡°Mother!¡± Wei Qingwan stood up and rushed into Madam Yun¡¯s arms. Tears welled up in Madam Yun¡¯s eyes. ### After returning from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, Wei Qingwan fell ill due to a cold. Cuihe attended her andined, ¡°Look at you, Miss. You insisted on standing outside Madam¡¯s courtyard. Now you¡¯re sick.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, this illness is worth it.¡± Weak and pale, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face still expressed satisfaction and relief. ¡°Why is that?¡± Cuihe asked. ¡°Although my elder brother hates me and wants to harm me, as long as my mother acknowledges me, I am the daughter of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. I have a father who is known for his war heroics and an elder brother who is a top schr. Life will not be hard for me here in the backyard of King Yu¡¯s residence.¡± Wei Qingwan had figured this out over the past few days. Appearance and scars are not the keys to winning favour; the key lies in her maternal family. Therefore, she was really wrong before, she didn¡¯t figure out what she should hold on to tightly. ¡°But Miss, you shouldn¡¯t ruin your health. Now, being sick, you can¡¯t enjoy any favour. It took you a lot of effort to¡­¡± Cuihe said. ¡°I had to show my sincerity to make mother soften her heart. However, you¡¯re right, falling ill right now isn¡¯t exactly timely.¡± Wei Qingwan also appeared a little worried. At this moment, the prince¡¯s attendant came. ¡°Concubine, his highness got to know that you were sick. He specifically sent some supplements and told you to take care of yourself.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan felt a burst of warmth in her heart. ¡°I understand. Convey my thanks to the Prince.¡± Wei Qingwan was joyful in her heart; it seemed her worries were unnecessary. ### The end of the year was soon upon them. Due to disasters urring everywhere, the Emperor cancelled the annual banquet. All the families in the Capital City, dared not to hostrge banquets either, and everyone kept things simple. That year, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi spent New Year¡¯s Eve together in a small courtyard in the Prince¡¯s mansion. It wasn¡¯t lively, but it was definitely cozy. They nestled in a room with a stove, warmed a pot of wine and a pot of tea. Wei Ruo personally cooked a table of side dishes, they sat on the warm Kang bed by the window, chatting and eating. From time to time, they admired the snowyndscape outside the window. Although they managed to steal half a day of leisure, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t neglect the disaster relief work at all. After New Year¡¯s Day, she nned to send people to transport grain to the manor in Hejian Prefecture. However, Wei Ruo found such a day very fulfilling, as there was no need to worry about unnecessary matters. After a while, Wei Ruo changed her position, propped her chin with one hand, and was looking at Wei Jinyi, who was sitting in front of her, with an unwavering gaze and a smile around her lips. Feeling Wei Ruo staring at him, Wei Jinyi showed a momentary strangeness, then calmly asked, ¡°What are you looking at, Ruoruo?¡± Chapter 545: Snowball Fight_1 Chapter 545: Chapter 545: Snowball Fight_1 ¡°To see the beautiful scenery,¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°The beautiful scenery is outside the window.¡± ¡°The one inside is more beautiful,¡± Wei Ruo answered while gazing at Wei Jinyi. A blush rose on Wei Jinyi¡¯s cheeks. ¡°A touch of pink clouds in the treetops, what a splendid view,¡± said Wei Ruo with a smile. N?v(el)B\\jnn Wei Jinyi turned her head to the side, ¡°Stop joking, Ruoruo.¡± Wei Ruo chuckled secretly. Second Brother was as shy as ever! Then Wei Ruo came up with a sudden idea, ¡°Second Brother, let¡¯s have a snowball fight?¡± Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo, his expression seemingly confirming whether her proposal was serious. ¡°You must not use your martial arts skills, I¡¯m sure I can¡¯t beat you then!¡± dered Wei Ruo. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s also call Meimei, Xiaobei, along with Sister Lin Fang and Brother Ke, perfect for a three on three,¡± suggested Wei Ruo. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wei Ruo got up from the warm kang, put on thick cotton shoes, and a cloak. Wei Jinyi also got down from the bed and followed behind Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo called the others over at the doorway and after telling them of her intention to have a snowball fight. Xiumei and Xiaobei didn¡¯t hesitate to agree, their faces showing anticipation. Lin Fang hesitated a bit, while Ke Chongshan anxiously looked at Wei Jinyi, then at Wei Ruo. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? you two?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Mydy, my wife¡­she¡¯s pregnant. Therefore, she cannot join the fun I¡¯m afraid. Please excuse us,¡± Ke Chongshan said. ¡°Pregnant? That¡¯s great news!¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s face brightened, and she immediately took Lin Fang¡¯s pulse. Lin Fang looked down shyly. ¡°Indeed, she¡¯s expecting, already more than three months along. Lin Fang, why didn¡¯t you tell us sooner? The first three months are critical, and yet you¡¯ve been running around with me,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I just found out recently. I feel fine despite being pregnant. Besides, you¡¯ve been so busytely, I couldn¡¯t possibly leave you at a time like this. It¡¯s just Chongshan being overprotective where he doesn¡¯t want me to do anything,¡± Lin Fang said shyly. ¡°You should have told us, it¡¯s a big happy event for our house. Starting today, please rest and take care of yourself, stop running around with me. Stay here in the mansion, and I¡¯ll give you some pregnancy tonics to strengthen yourself,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Thank you very much, mydy.¡± ¡°Let Sister Lin Fang be the referee today, and Zhang Yi can fill in for her,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°Your orders are ourmand,¡± Lin Fang and Zhang Yi replied. In the courtyard, the umted snow reached Wei Ruo¡¯s knees. Aside from a pathway cleared in the middle, the untouched snow on both sides was spotless and smooth. Wei Ruo ran into the snow, scooped up a handful of snow and threw it at Wei Jinyi. The first snowball hit Wei Jinyi right on the forehead, causing snow to fall all over him, even getting caught in his hair and cor. Wei Ruoughed, thinking that Second Brother was always so immacte, even when fighting, she had never seen him dirty. The hit Wei Jinyi, however, looked gentle. He calmly picked up some snow from a tree branch, made a snowball, and threw it back. The snowball brushed past Wei Ruo and hit the wall behind her. Wei Ruo took the opportunity to retaliate, throwing snowballs with both hands at Wei Jinyi. Some hit Wei Jinyi, while others hit the bare trunk of a tree behind him. The exploded snowball and umted snow on the trunk fell onto Wei Jinyi. Meanwhile, Xiumei, Xiaobei, Ke Chongshan, and Zhang Yi, not daring to throw at Wei Ruo or Wei Jinyi, simply had fun amongst themselves. After ying in the snow for half a day, everyone had some degree of snow on them. Though a little dishevelled, everyone¡¯s faces were adorned with bright smiles. Wei Ruo had run until she was quite warm. Her cheeks were flushed with red, which paired with her current cheerful smile, left Wei Jinyi somewhat entranced. However, Wei Jinyi noticed that Wei Ruo had broken into a sweat, and so he said, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day, everyone should go and rest.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo also felt that it was about time and so she ended the game. Afterwards, Wei Ruo approached Wei Jinyi and smiling cheekily said, ¡°Big Brother, you were obviously going easy on me just now!¡± Wei Jinyi turned his head away, avoiding Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes that were sparkling withughter. ¡°Big Brother, I told you not to use your martial arts, but look at you,pletely evading me like a contour drawing master!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t control my strength carefully, I was afraid of hurting you,¡± Wei Jinyi exined, still looking elsewhere. ¡°To the point where you werepletely off-target? You ended up hitting Brother Ke and Brother Zhang several times!¡± Wei Ruo deted his excuse. Speaking of his uracy, barely a few snowballs hit Wei Ruo throughout the game, but Ke Chongshan and Zhang Yi, who were standing far away, were hit countless times, right in the middle of the forehead to boot. He said he was afraid of injuring her identally due to not being able to control his strength, but the snowballs that hit Ke Chongshan and Zhang Yi were just the right strength. ¡°It¡¯s cold out here. Your clothes are a bit damp. Go inside and warm yourself by the fire,¡± said Wei Jinyi. ¡°Brother, your attempts at changing the subject are reallyme.¡± ¡°Just listen.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo ran back into the house with a smile, taking off her cloak. The sleeves, shoes, trouser legs, and hem of her dress were all slightly damp and needed to be changed. And since she had sweated a bit from running, she also changed her underclothes. After changing her clothes and resting, Wei Ruoy in bed for a while and then felt her throat burning, with her body feeling somewhat feverish. Wei Ruo got up and poured herself a cup of hot tea. She knew she might have caught a cold. Her health had always been good, rarely getting sick, but she also could notpletely avoid such things. Just as she was about to write a prescription for herself, Xiumei walked into the room. ¡°Miss, what are you doing?¡± Xiumei came over and took one look at Wei Ruo, immediately noticing something was wrong. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Nothing serious. I just caught a bit of a cold. I¡¯ll be fine after taking a few doses of medicine.¡± ¡°Ah? Miss, you¡¯re sick!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic. It¡¯s just a minor illness. Who hasn¡¯t had a cold? It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°But Miss, you have hardly been ill since you were a child!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss. Even the healthiest people get sick sometimes. Besides, getting a minor illness once in a while is not a bad thing.¡± ¡°Okay then, miss, you must tell the truth, there really isn¡¯t anything wrong with you!¡± ¡°Would you believe me if I swear it? Oh, my dear Meimei, my throat hurts so much. Please don¡¯t make me exin anymore.¡± Wei Ruo said, acting coy. ¡°Okay, okay, Miss, you should go lie under the covers. You are sick now, you shouldn¡¯t be walking around. I¡¯ll get you anything you need.¡± Xiumei walked over and offered Wei Ruo her arm for support. ¡°Okay, can you bring me the medicine for my cold?¡± Wei Ruo made her way back to the bed. Her head was somewhat painful. She was indeed better off lying down. In a daze, Wei Ruo heard the conversation between Xiumei and Wei Jinyi. Chapter 546: 546: Take Care of Her One Night_1 Chapter 546: Chapter 546: Take Care of Her One Night_1 ¡°Both of these are medicines for wind-coldmon colds. The one on the left is more effective, but after taking it, you will sleep for a few hours. The one on the right is slightly less effective, but it won¡¯t make you sleepy. Which one should I choose for the youngdy?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Choose the one that¡¯s more effective.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°We should use the one that¡¯s more effective then. ¡± Xiumei turned around and headed out of the room to prepare the medicine, while Wei Jinyi sat down by Wei Ruo¡¯s bedside. Wei Ruo opened her eyes, looking at Wei Jinyi in his white clothes, his face as handsome as jade: ¡°Second Brother, you are so good-looking.¡± ¡°Why are you talking nonsense when you¡¯re sick?¡± said Wei Jinyi. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, second brother. It¡¯s when people are sick and confused that they speak nonsense. Who talks nonsense when they¡¯re clear-headed?¡± said Wei Ruo. That actually makes sense. We Ruo then asked: ¡°Second Brother, how did youe over?¡± ¡°Xiumei urgently needed someone to prepare hot water¡±, answered Wei Jinyi.
Then everyone in Wei Ruo¡¯s courtyard knew and Wei Jinyi also found out. ¡°She was overreacting a bit. It¡¯s just amon cold, after taking the medicine and sleeping, I¡¯ll be all right,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Speak less, your throat is hurting,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Ruo nodded her agreement, and Xiumei returned after a short while. Because they were using the medicine Wei Ruo had prepared in advance, it could be administered right after being prepared. In just a short amount of time, Xiumei brought over the prepared medicine. ¡°Let me feed her.¡± Wei Jinyi took the medicine from Xiumei¡¯s hand. Wei Ruo propped herself up: ¡°I can drink it myself. I just have a little cold, I¡¯m not so weak that I need someone to feed me medicine.¡± Nodding casually, she didn¡¯t speak further. Soon Xiumei returned. Just as Wei Ruo propped herself up, Xiumei stuffed several pillows to her back: ¡°Miss, lean therefortably, rest well when you¡¯re sick. That¡¯s what you always told me, so this time it¡¯s your turn to behave!¡± Xiumei used to be weaker than Wei Ruo. She used to get sick often before practicing martial arts, and had experienced several injuries after practicing. Every time she was sick or injured, she had toply with Wei Ruo¡¯s demands to rest well in bed. Now the situation has reversed, it¡¯s Wei Ruo¡¯s turn to be pressed down by Xiumei and demanded to rest well. Wei Ruo felt helpless, she had no choice but to acqueisce to Xiumei¡¯s arrangement. She obediently leaned on her bed, allowing Wei Jinyi to feed her the medication. Wei Jinyi was gentle in his actions, with the spoon in front of her, Wei Ruo obediently drank down the medicine.N?v(el)B\\jnn After drinking a couple of sips, she suddenlyughed. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°Even though being fed medicine seems a bit melodramatic, it still feels nice to have someone taking care of you.¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Jinyi paused, and then replied in a serious tone: ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯ve always been cared for by everyone.¡±
¡°Second Brother, do you remember when I told you about my memories from my past life?¡± Then she dreamt she had a fever and her mother was beaten ordingly, she was struggling to prevent her father, but her hands couldn¡¯t reach out, she could only watch her poor and pitiful mother being beaten by feather dusters. Perhaps because she felt somewhat weak, or because she was touched by the moment, she brought up her past life once again to Wei Jinyi. ¡°Mhm.¡±
¡°I remember that in my past life, I got sick once. I was about seven years old, also with a fever, a very high temperature. My mother wanted to take me to the doctor, but my father disagreed. He believed that a child would naturally get better from a fever and there was no need to waste money on it. His money was to be saved up for a chance to win more.¡± Wei Jinyi listened attentively, not interrupting Wei Ruo. ¡°But my mother thought if I continued to have a fever, I would die, so she unusually stood up against my father. As a result, my father hit her again. I was delirious from the fever at that time, and when I saw my mother being beaten, I wanted to stop it, but I was too weak then. As soon I went over I was pushed to the ground by my father, and then, I couldn¡¯t get up.¡± ¡°In the end, my mother had a fractured rib, and I didn¡¯t go to the hospital either. I passed out on the floor all night. But I proved to be resilient that I got better the next day and didn¡¯t suffer any brain damage from the fever.¡± Wei Jinyi frowned, even though Wei Ruo¡¯s tone was calm when she narrated her story as if it were about someone else¡¯s, he could almost feel the helplessness of the young girl at that time. ¡°It¡¯s already in the past.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Mhm.¡± Wei Ruo smiled, but her lips were a bit pale, making her smile look somewhat weak. ¡°First, finish your medicine.¡± Wei Jinyi continued feeding Wei Ruo her medicine. Wei Ruo obediently drank all the medicine in the bowl. After drinking her medicine, Wei Ruo quickly became drowsy. In a dazed state, she soon fell asleep. After falling asleep, she had a lengthy dream. Initially, it was about her getting a fever and her mother being beaten. Despite her efforts to stop her father, her hands could not reach him, so she could only watch helplessly as the duster fell mercilessly on the pitiful woman.
Then, the scene changed and she found herself in a cold, hungry environment. The cold wind blew around her, her stomach protesting from hunger, with no one in sight; it felt as if she was the only person left in the world. She held onto her only nket tightly, trying to wrap herself up as best she could. This action seemed to work, her body slowly started to warm up. Next, she dreamt of a table full of food before her ¡ª fish, meat. Starving, she bit into a pig¡¯s trotter, the meat was tender and delicious. This was probably the tastiest pig¡¯s trotter she had ever tasted. Finally, she went to sleep contentedly next to a warm firece. When she woke up, she found herself in her own bed with Wei Jinyi sitting by her side. As soon as she opened her eyes, Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand reached out to touch her forehead. Wei Ruo touched her own body too. The fever was gone. Wei Jinyi got up to bring over a bowl of rice balls. After feeding Wei Ruo a couple of rice balls, he proceeded to feed her the medicine. Wei Ruo wanted to protest that she was already well and didn¡¯t need to drink any more medicine, but she remembered that she wasn¡¯t this generous when she was responsible for feeding someone else medicine, so she swallowed back her words. After drinking a couple of sips, Wei Ruo suddenly noticed arge red rash on Wei Jinyi¡¯s neck.
¡°Second brother, what happened to your neck? Why do you have a rash?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± Wei Ruo tried to get a closer look at Wei Jinyi¡¯s neck. Wei Jinyi stepped back, pulled at his clothes to cover the red spot. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I identally scraped it, it¡¯s not a rash,¡± Wei Jinyi exined. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like a scrape from its color and condition, let me take a look, don¡¯t let it get infected.¡± Wei Ruo seriously replied. ¡°Really, it¡¯s okay. I know how it happened, you don¡¯t have to worry, it will heal soon.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. Wei Ruo looked suspiciously at Wei Jinyi, feeling that there was something off about her second brother. Even if it was a scrape, why couldn¡¯t she take a look at it? If she could just get a little closer, take a better look, she would know what caused it. Was her second brother feeling shy? Chapter 547: 547: Made New Clothes for Second Brother_1 Chapter 547: Chapter 547: Made New Clothes for Second Brother_1 Just a neck, not any area deemed private or embarrassing. She had just merely nced, withoutying a finger on him. Was her second brother being overly shy? Just at this moment, Xiumei walked in. Wei Jinyi handed her the bowl of medicine before making his exit. Xiumei stared perplexedly at Wei Jinyi¡¯s retreating figure, muttering to herself, ¡°What happened with the prince? Wasn¡¯t he still arguing about who should feed the medicine to miss yesterday? He was eager to keep watch over her through the night, but why would he leave now when she was finally awake? Could it be because staying awake all night made him tired?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about him, just give me the medicine. I can drink it myself.¡± Wei Ruo felt like she¡¯s bursting with vitality. If someone was still feeding her at this point, it would indeed seem overtly dramatic. Xiumei did not insist on feeding Wei Ruo this time, and handed her the bowl. Having finished her medicine, Wei Ruo sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to spend my Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve in such a daze, without even managing to stay awake to meet the new year. Second brother did stay awake, although he wound up keeping vigil over me along with the new year.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good omen, it means all your troubles have been left in the past year, and from now on, everything is going to be prosperously smooth and peaceful,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°Meimei, I like your sweet words!¡± ¡°Miss, you are the sweet one, you always cheer me up!¡±
¡°Meimei, could you cook me some pig¡¯s feet this afternoon?¡± ¡°Pig¡¯s feet?¡± ¡°Yes, pig¡¯s feet, I just suddenly got a craving for it.¡± ¡°But Miss, you just recovered from a serious illness, shouldn¡¯t you eat something lighter?¡± ¡°Exactly because I was ill, I need to replenish protein.¡± ¡°Then I will stew the pig¡¯s feet for you.¡± Xiumeipromised. ¡°I want it to be braised, cooked with soybeans till it is soft and tender, and melts in your mouth.¡± ¡°It looks like you have really recovered, Miss. Your appetite is so good.¡± Xiumei said helplessly. ¡°I knew Meimei is the best!¡± Wei Ruo and Xiumei chatted andughed for a while, quickly forgetting about the episode that had just taken ce. Wei Ruo was preparing to get out of bed, while Xiumei brought over some new clothes. At the sight of the new clothes, Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes went soft. These clothes were lovingly hand-sewn by her wet nurse, and had been brought over sometime before the New Year. ¡°We¡¯re not in the poor, penniless times anymore, yet she is still personally sewing clothes for me.¡± Wei Ruo gently touched the clothes, the soft fabric felt just like her kind wet nurse. At the beginning, Wei Ruo was so young, she could hardly walk steadily or speak convincingly, much less earn money in a reliable way. She could only asionally earn some money by chance. However, the He family¡¯s servants held back the monthly allowance they were supposed to give to Wei Ruo, so she couldn¡¯t afford to buy new clothes during the New Year¨Cher new clothes from those years were all sewn by her wet nurse. Later, as Wei Ruo grew up, her wet nurse and others began to believe in what Wei Ruo said, and thus started to earn money following Wei Ruo¡¯s advice, gradually making their lives prosperous. But her wet nurse never broke the habit.
Even now, when Wei Ruo is a queen and her wet nurse was a general¡¯s wife, and helping Wei Ruo manage her businesses, her wet nurse still insisted on sewing new clothes for her for the New Year. ¡°It¡¯s a pity we can¡¯t spend the New Year together this year, and Brother Xiaoyong can only return after the New Year. Even when he returns, he will go to his own residence in Taizhou prefecture, which is thousands miles away from the capital.¡± Xiumei said with a hint of sadness.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Nowadays, although they all lead good lives, it¡¯s a pity that everyone is scattered far and wide, they can¡¯t gather like the good old times. ¡°Meimei don¡¯t be sad, I believe it won¡¯t be long before we can gather together again,¡± Wei Ruoforted.
¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, once the problems with the Japanese pirates are sessfully resolved, Brother Xiaoyong and most of the soldiers will be able to return home frequently.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I hope that dayes soon!¡± Xiumei said full of expectation. Wei Ruo looked down at the new clothes again, ¡°By the way, I also have new clothes for the second brother for the New Year. I was supposed to give them to him when we stayed awake on New Year¡¯s Eve, but then I got sick andpletely forgot about it.¡± Wei Ruo had these clothes specially made for Wei Jinyi before the New Year, she even took his measurements from Xiaobei. Wei Ruo selected the fabric herself, choosing the best one produced by her own workshop, but she didn¡¯t know how to make clothes herself. As for sewing, Wei Ruo had no knowledge or experience whatsoever. Whether or not she had any talent for it, she wouldn¡¯t know. As for martial arts, she¡¯d tried before and knew that was out of her depth. As for sewing, she¡¯d never had the chance to try it before, neither in her previous life nor now, as her wet nurse had never made her learn it. ¡°Shall I bring it over to the prince now?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°No. Let me do it myself.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Miss, you need as much rest as possible right now. Besides, it¡¯s very cold outside. You¡¯ve just recovered from an illness, and I¡¯m worried that you might catch a cold again. It will be better if you stay indoors.¡± ¡°Oh, my Meimei, how long do you expect me to sleep? I remember when I went to bed yesterday, it wasn¡¯t even dark yet, but now the sun haspletely risen. If I keep lying around, I¡¯m going to be sick.¡± Wei Ruo winked at Xiumei, disying an affectionate gesture. ¡°But miss, you didn¡¯t used to say that. You said before, being sick is as much an entitlement as a responsibility. If you¡¯re sick, you must rest. If you don¡¯t want to rest, then you should get healthy.¡± Xiumei repeated the words Wei Ruo had said before, mimicking her speech.
¡°Meimei, that was what I said to Brother Xiaoyong, right?¡± Maybe it was when Xiaoyong had sprained his ankle during martial arts practice. ¡°Yes, you told Brother Xiaoyong. I was there, I remember it very well.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll stay in bed,¡± Wei Ruo conceded. Oh, her Meimei usually acts cute and obedient, listening to her everymand, but when ites to Wei Ruo¡¯s health, she suddenly turns into a strict, no-nonsense caretaker. What a sweet problem to have. At noon, Xiumei cooked a huge feast, which naturally included the pig¡¯s feet braised with soybeans that Wei Ruo had specifically asked for. There were also many other dishes with poultry and fish. Apart from that, there were also a few fresh vegetables: Chinese cabbage, oilseed rape, radishes. These were all grown in Wei Ruo¡¯s courtyard and freshly picked before cooking. Lately, the prices of vegetables and meat had risen sharply. These fresh vegetables were hard to find even if one had the money. The pce was not in short supply though, fresh fruit and vegetables would first be supplied to the imperial pce, and then to the few royal pces in the city, with King Rui¡¯s pce having the highest priority among them. But the vegetables delivered were not as fresh as those freshly picked at home. Then, Wei Ruo invited Wei Jinyi over. Typically, the two did not dine together, but it was the New Year, and customary propriety had to be upheld. When Wei Jinyi arrived, he had already donned the new clothes Wei Ruo had sent over.
A gray overcoat with arge fur cor that enveloped his entire neck, making him look very warm. After he came in and removed his overcoat, it was revealed that he was wearing a thick satin robe, embroidered with gold brocade, which was a shade darker than the overcoat. It turned out that he had added a small fur cor to the inside of his robe. Even after taking off his overcoat, his red neck was still perfectly concealed. Wei Ruo gave him a good look before saying with a smile, ¡°Looks like our second brother looks good in everything he wears.¡± Chapter 548: Visiting Mother’s Home for New Year’s_1 Chapter 548: Chapter 548: Visiting Mother¡¯s Home for New Year¡¯s_1 ¡°The clothes Ruoruo prepared look good,¡± answered Wei Jinyi. ¡°No, no, no, Second Brother just looks good,¡± Wei Ruo insisted. ¡°Ruoruo, please stop ttering me.¡± Wei Jinyi did not look directly at Wei Ruo when he replied, his voice very soft. Wei Ruo could not help but cover her mouth and chuckle; she had embarrassed her second brother byplimenting him. Teasing her second brother was something she never got tired of, and it was bing increasingly addictive. Then the two sat down for lunch together. After lunch, Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo discussed some recent events in the Capital City. The main topics were the disasters in various areas, the chaos caused by the Japanese pirates along the southeast coast, and the movements of the Jurchen Tribe in the northeast. Wei Ruo suddenly thought of something, ¡°Second Brother, with worsening disasters this year, there¡¯s the possibility of peasant uprisings and the emergence of rampant gangs of thieves.¡± Wei Ruo remembered such an episode urred in the original story, where Chu Lan,den with silver, went to provide disaster relief and encountered a gang of thieves. These people werebeled bandits by the court, but they saw themselves as forced rebels due to their difficult circumstances. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om In the original work, he traveled with Wei Qingwan. They went through a life-and-death crisis together, which deepened their emotional bond. Such a plot involving the two of them couldn¡¯t happen in this life, but the natural disaster couldn¡¯t be avoided, and the existence of these bands of thieves was certain. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know if this would have any effect on the court¡¯s decisions, but she felt she should tell Wei Jinyi about it. After hearing this, Wei Jinyi pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Ruoruo¡¯s spection is very likely to happen, and I will prepare for it in advance.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Ruo nodded. Wei Jinyi continued, ¡°I also have something to tell you. Before I came here, Zhang Yi brought back some news. Xu Zhengyong is going to be transferred to the northeast.¡± ¡°Brother Xiaoyong is going to be transferred?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Standing on the side, Xiumei quickly looked at Wei Jinyi with rapt attention. ¡°Yes, there are movements among the Jurchen Tribe in the Northeast, and we need to send more troops there in case of any contingencies. Xu Zhengyong volunteered to go there himself.¡± ¡°Brother Xiaoyong volunteered?¡± Wei Ruo showed a somewhat puzzled expression. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the information I received. I¡¯m not sure of the specific reasons,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°When will he take up his new post?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush, he¡¯lle to the Capital City before his assignment,¡± said Wei Jinyi. Xiumei¡¯s eyes shone, and she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°When will he being?¡± After asking, Xiumei realized she had overstepped and quickly covered her mouth, apologizing, ¡°The servant deserves to die for interrupting the conversation between the Prince and the Miss.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, you¡¯re not Ruoruo¡¯s servant, and naturally, you¡¯re not mine either, so you don¡¯t need to be so formal,¡± Wei Jinyi told Xiumei. Then Wei Jinyi answered Xiumei¡¯s previous question: ¡°He should arrive in the Capital City before the Lantern Festival.¡± ¡°So, that means we can celebrate the Lantern Festival with Brother Xiaoyong!¡± Xiumei said with great joy. Wei Ruo could not help but reveal a joyful expression, and she couldn¡¯t help but look forward to the Lantern Festival. ### The New Year at the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence was also particrly lively because Wei Mingting had returned home. The old Lord Wei and Madam Wei were especially happy. Their usually quiet younger son was now the backbone of the Wei Family, which brought greatfort to the old couple. While they were rejoicing, they couldn¡¯t help but worry, as they saw the third branch of the family being so cheerful, Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyongughed, but there was a hint of forcedughter in their joy. Now that the old couple is here, everyone still celebrates the New Year together, and they can also enjoy the prosperity of the third branch of the family. But when the old couple is gone, judging from the way the third branch is acting now, they might not even have a sip of meat soupter. In the past, when Wei Mingting was not home, they sought out Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen always found various ways to evade them. Even if they managed to see him, he would leave after exchanging a few words, or he would shift the topic. In short, he did not give them any chance to discuss serious matters. Now, Wei Mingting was home, so the two men sought out Wei Mingting together. Wei Mingting¡¯s response was even simpler: I¡¯m not home most of the time, all matters in the house are up to Yichen. Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong talked to him for a long time. At one moment they would tell him that he¡¯s the head of the family and that all decisions should be his, not always relying on the younger generation. The next moment, they would say that Wei Yichen is inexperienced and his actions are impolite. But Wei Mingting was resolute, no matter what his two older brothers said, he would respond in the same way each time, caught in a deadlock with a belly-full of words, Wei Minghong and Wei Mingyong were helpless. The second branch of the Wei family. Bai Family was calcting ounts in the house, growing angrier the more she calcted. ¡°You think of a solution, now that the third branch no longer contributes money to themon pot and the parents are managing their own money. If we¡¯re responsible for our own profits and losses, the money is definitely not enough!¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t it enough? Didn¡¯t we get some shops? And there¡¯s your dowry, so many shops and estates! Even if the yield is not as good as in previous years, our days should still be manageable, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know the prices of grain and vegetables in the Capital City have surged?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Wei Mingyong actually wasn¡¯t very clear about this, albeit he heard a rumor or two. After careful consideration, Wei Mingyong said, ¡°The Side Consort of Duke Yu ising back to the mansion tomorrow, why don¡¯t you ask her to return that thousand taels?¡± ¡°Are you mad?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? Anyway, your rtionship with her ispletely broken after thest incident. Without the support of Qi Family anymore, Duke Yu has no chance of bing Crown Prince. Initially, Wei Qingwan gave you a promissory note in ck and white. Repaying a debt is a matter of course, even if she is a queen, we are in the right.¡± ¡°Your words seem to make some sense¡­¡± ### On the second day of the New Year, ording to tradition, daughters who got married in the previous year are supposed to return to their parents¡¯ home with their husbands to pay a New Year¡¯s visit. Last year, both of the Wei Family¡¯s daughters got married making the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence prepare early to wee the return of Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan. Wei Ruo came on her own, Wei Jinyi did not apany her, but she brought a lot of attendants. Wei Qingwan, on the other hand, entered the gate of the Wei Family under thepany of Duke Yu, Chu Heng. This was unexpected but within reason. Naturally, Wei Ruo, as the main wife, should be apanied by her husband to her parents¡¯ house for New Year¡¯s greetings, but King Rui was unwell. Wei Qingwan was merely a concubine and Duke Yu had another main wife who entered the door with her in the same year. This New Year¡¯s Day, Duke Yu shouldn¡¯t be apanying her. However, Qi Family has fallen, and Duke Yu¡¯s main wife has lost her family too. Everyone from the Wei Family weed Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan, and Duke Yu, Chu Heng into the mansion. After the three of them entered the mansion, Wei Mingting, Madam Yun, and Wei Yichen first paid their respects to Wei Ruo ording to their ranks. Everyone then took their seats in the hall. Wei Mingting and Madam Yun sat on the high tform facing the main entrance, Wei Ruo was seated on the left side, Wei Yichen on the right, and to his right sat Duke Yu, Chu Heng, and Wei Qingwan in that order. A servant served everyone tea and pastries. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Mingting. After such a long time, Wei Mingting¡¯s skin seemed to be darker, probably due to the sea breeze. Chapter 549: They’re All My Shops_1 Chapter 549: Chapter 549: They¡¯re All My Shops_1 However, his mental state seemed very good, with an expression as stern as usual. Only when his gaze swept over Wei Ruo, a subtle smile and gentleness appeared on his face. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chu Heng ordered the New Year¡¯s gifts to be presented. Upon viewing the gift list, Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun both looked surprised. Wei Mingting and Mrs. Yun nced at each other, their eyes reflecting their astonishment. The gift from King Yu seemed a bit extravagantly priced for a New Year¡¯s gift. Moreover, their daughter was a concubine, which made this gesture somewhat improper. After pondering for a moment, Mrs. Yun thanked King Yu, ¡°Your Highness is too kind. Her face beamed with joy. Although it was unexpected, it was undoubtedly a good thing. The fact that King Yu apanied Wanwan home today and prepared such generous gifts for them sufficiently proved that Wanwan was living a good life in the King¡¯s Residence. After what happenedst time, she was worried multiple times that Wanwan would be neglected, she even feared that she wouldmit suicide to preserve her reputation. Now it seemed that her worries were uncalled for. ¡°It¡¯s only right. Your Excellency and your wife have raised such an outstanding daughter, it is my good fortune,¡± Chu Heng responded. ¡°Our daughter is fortunate to be able to serve His Highness,¡± Mrs. Yun responded. Wei Qingwan blushed and lowered her head, her gaze towards Chu Heng now filled with tenderness. Eventually, Wei Qingwan lifted her head and looked at Wei Ruo, who was seated across from her, ¡°I suppose the gift my sister prepared must be even more magnificent than ours. We¡¯re just setting the precedent.¡± With that single sentence, Wei Ruo was drawn into the conversation, even though she had been leisurely sipping her tea with no intention of getting involved. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Qingwan with a smile, not responding immediately. Wei Qingwan sweetly continued, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t keep us in suspense. What magnificent gift have you prepared? Enlighten me.¡± She still remembered that during their grandfather¡¯s birthday, Wei Qingwan¡¯s gift was more clever than generous as she wasn¡¯t favored in the Wang Residence and didn¡¯t have much silver to spare. For items like calligraphy, jade, and porcin, which their grandfather liked, Wei Qingwan could only afford the most ordinary. Hence, she chose to demonstrate her sincerity instead, only to be overshadowed by the gift Wei Ruo casually gave. Wei Qingwan was indeed upset at the time, but given her circumstances, she had no means to retaliate. Now, times have changed. Wei Qingwan¡¯s status was different. With King Yu personally apanying her home for the New Year and preparing extravagant gifts, Wei Qingwan felt that she could seize this opportunity to even the score, and perhaps even make Wei Ruo look bad in the process. Wei Ruo gave a slight smile. She hadn¡¯t originally nned on presenting her New Year¡¯s gifts at this time, but since Wei Qingwan had brought it up, she had no choice but to present them now. Wei Ruo gave Xiumei a meaningful look. Xiumei immediately turned around and left the room. Following that, Wei Ruo turned to Wei Mingting and said, ¡°I have prepared some small gifts for Father, I hope you won¡¯t find them unworthy.¡± ¡°The gift represents the intention, no matter what it is. As long as it¡¯s from Ruoruo, I won¡¯t find it lowly,¡± Wei Mingting responded. Shortly after, Xiumei directed the servants to carry in several boxes and ce them in the center of the hall. The items were all stored in in wooden boxes, with no red cloth or decorations, simple and straightforward. Xiumei ordered the servants to open all the boxes, revealing ten jars of thyme, arge box of stationery, and several boxes of fabric. Chu Heng nced at the center of the hall and recognized that these items were all poprmodities in the capitalst year, some of which were limited-edition and required queuing to purchase. Chu Heng himself wasn¡¯t particrly interested in these things, but due to their poprity among some people in the capital, he couldn¡¯t help but learn about them. For instance, Old Master Lu was especially fond of thyme, so Chu Heng had specially sent some to him as a gift. As for the fabrics, they seemed to be exclusively sold in the Caiyun Room. Previously, Shijing had purchased some to make clothes, even making a few sets for him, and had mentioned that this fabric might not be sold for long, as it might be selected as a tribute, and then ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to afford it. ¡°Ruoruo is very thoughtful,¡± Wei Mingting looked at Wei Ruo, his face reflecting a more affectionate smile. ¡°Ruoruo has spent a lot on these gifts,¡± Mrs. Yun added. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I didn¡¯t spend much money,¡± Wei Ruo replied. With the current downturn in the market, some of her luxury goods, which were targeted at the aristocracy, were also not selling well. Offering them as gifts was an effective way to clear her inventory. Hearing this, Chu Heng couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°My sister is indeed magnanimous, ording to my understanding, these items are not cheap.¡± ¡°Really? They are all from my own shop. I didn¡¯t spend much money.¡± Wei Ruo responded. From her own shop? What did she mean? Everyone present, Wei Mingting, Mrs. Yun, Wei Yichen, Chu Heng, and Wei Qingwan all expressed their confusion to varying degrees. ¡°Why does my sister speak such words? To my knowledge, this thymees from a small workshop, the stationery from the Four Treasure House, and the fabric is exclusively sold in the Caiyun Room.¡± Chu Heng said. ¡°It seems His Highness is quite knowledgeable about these items.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°I am not a stubborn person. Since these items have been popr in the capital for a while, I havee to know of them.¡± Chu Heng answered. ¡°Baili Wine Shop and Four Treasure House are actually my shops, so naturally, I didn¡¯t have to spend much money.¡± Wei Ruo answered. What? The Baili Wine Shop and Four Treasure House were owned by Wei Qingruo? She? A married woman? Usually, a woman¡¯s property eitheres as a dowry from her parents or as a gift from her husband or family. The Wei family certainly hadn¡¯t given Wei Ruo any such shops, so where did Wei Ruo get these two profitable businesses from? ¡°Ruoruo, stop joking, how can the Baili Wine Shop and the Four Treasure House be your shops?¡± Mrs. Yun couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°I ought to apologize for keeping this a secret from you. I understand that it¡¯s not proper for a youngdy to be involved in such mundane affairs. It would tarnish the reputation of the Wei family if people knew, so these shops have been operating under the name of a friend. Now I don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore. His Highness also isn¡¯t concerned about my reputation, so I took them back into my hands,¡± Wei Ruo exined in a calm tone. In the world Wei Ruo was currently in, the higher your status and power, the less you had to adhere to those tedious rules. Especially when she wasn¡¯t concerned about her reputation, things became much easier. Hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, everyone in the room was silent for a long time. The impact of Wei Ruo¡¯s nonchnt words was immense. The shops she was talking about were no ordinary businesses, especially the Baili Wine Shop and Four Treasure House which had had dealings with almost everyone present. N?v(el)B\\jnn Mrs. Yun¡¯s expression became ratherplicated. At first, she was shocked, then disbelief appeared, followed by anguish. Meanwhile, Chu Heng went from surprise to thoughtfulness, his gaze fixed on Wei Ruo and not moving away for a long time. Wei Qingwan bit her lip, hiding her clenched hand in her sleeve. Her nails were digging into her flesh. Chapter 550: She Stole the Limelight Again_1 Chapter 550: Chapter 550: She Stole the Limelight Again_1 Wei Yichen had profound eyes, as he watched Wei Ruo, but his deep thoughts made it hard for anyone to discern his feelings simply from his expression. Compared to him, Wei Mingting¡¯s reaction was somewhat indifferent. Surprise flickered on his face, but it quickly faded, seemingly implying that while unexpected, the news wasn¡¯t shocking to him. After a while, Chu Heng broke the silence and said to Wei Ruo, ¡°Nine Sister, you have impressive insight. What you¡¯re doing is beyond the scope of ordinary business. It¡¯s indeed a field of study in its own right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing really. All my life, my parents have not been strict with me, so I tended to be a bitx in my conduct and made random decisions. I went against the traditional expectations of ady from a noble family and instead ended up learning a number of unconventional things. I didn¡¯t dare mention them in the past for fear of ridicule, but now that my lord doesn¡¯t mind, I don¡¯t mind either and don¡¯t feel the need to hide it.¡± Turning her attention to Wei Mingting and Yun-shi (Mrs. Yun), Wei Ruo said, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t me me.¡± Just as Yun-shi was going to ask why Wei Ruo had been hiding this from them, Wei Ruo¡¯s words had preemptively avoided the question, so Yun-shi seemed ill-at-ease to ask again. Wei Mingting said, ¡°There is nothing to me you for. As your father, I wasn¡¯t able to help you much. Your sess is all your hard work, and I am proud of you.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chu Heng quickly added, ¡°If Queen Rui were a man, she would surely prove to be an asset.¡± As she listened to Yangbo praising Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan¡¯s face darkened to an extreme. Why, after steering the conversation, was Wei Qingruo still the center of attention? Even Prince Rui himself was showering her with praises! Wei Qingruo, though being ady from a noble family, strayed from women¡¯s virtues and took up business, something seen as too vulgar for people of noble birth. So, why is she still being praised by everyone? Is it because of the current unrest in the country? Because of the crop shortage across many regions? Does that mean the age-old women¡¯s codes and etiquette can be ignored? Unaware of Wei Qingwan¡¯s displeasure beside her, Chu Heng continued, impressed by the fact that Wei Ruo was the mastermind behind these two businesses. ¡°So, who is Nine Sister¡¯s mentor? I¡¯m quite intrigued and want to meet him.¡± Chu Heng¡¯s interest in Wei Ruo¡¯s mentor wasn¡¯t a new development. Ever since Wei Ruo gifted him a cannon, Chu Heng had been intrigued by her mysterious mentor. Chu Heng believed Wei Ruo¡¯s sess was greatly attributed to her mentor. ¡°My mentor enjoys traveling, so it¡¯s been several years since Ist saw him, and I currently do not know his whereabouts.¡± Wei Ruo answered. Her medical mentor wasn¡¯t in this world. Even if Chu Heng wanted to meet him, he would only be able to do so if he could travel through time and space like her after his death As for her other mentors, they were merely teachers and textbooks from various stages of her life, for whom Chu Heng would need to undertake the same method. Chu Heng showed a hint of disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s a real pity. Nine Sister¡¯s mentor must be a true genius of our era. It¡¯s a shame that I won¡¯t be able to meet him. Had I known him earlier, I would¡¯ve certainly entrusted him with vital tasks.¡± Wei Ruo just smiled. No matter how much Chu Heng expressed his eagerness to know more, his wish would remain unfulfilled. Chu Heng sighed, ¡°It¡¯s astounding how the relief efforts haven¡¯t ceased till now, and the number of food reserves at King Rui¡¯s Residence is truly impressive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence that I had some in store.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Did Nine Sister hear something in advance, which is why she was prepared?¡± ¡°It was just good luck. Prince Rui should have heard how much I enjoy farming. I always wanted to grow vegetables and rear chickens in the residence. I was a bit shy at the beginning, but when I realized the Prince shared my hobbies, I became less hesitant.¡± Chu Heng smiled and said, ¡°As of now, due to consecutive years of erratic weather leading to poor harvest, what Nine Sister can do is exactly what our kingdom needs.¡± During peaceful times, Wei Ruo¡¯s actions would be deemed inappropriate for ady of a noble family. But during such extraordinary times, they instead earn her praises. ¡°All I¡¯ve been doing is messing about. I¡¯m just fortunate that my Prince understands and supports me,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Wei Qingwan smiled and said, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re really lucky. The Prince always sides with you.¡± ¡°Yep, I indeed consider myself lucky to be married to my Prince. Although his health is poor, he has told me that he will fully dedicate himself to me and me alone.¡± Wei Ruo replied with a smile. Wei Qingwan¡¯s smile became a bit forced. After a while, the servants served some cakes. Yun-shi gently exined, ¡°These are meat-filled dumplings, which aremon in the south. Nowadays, people in the Capital City mostly prefer bean paste filling. As two Princesses who have spent many years in the south, I thought you might miss the taste. Hence, I had these made as a snack for you.¡± Wei Qingwan took a bowl and scooped a dumpling. But before she could take a bite, she suddenly started gagging. Yun-shi quickly stood up and asked a servant to check on her. Ever since the incident the Bai family caused, the Wei family has been particrly careful about food matters. Wei Qingwan¡¯s sudden sickness truly scared Yun-shi, fearing that something was wrong. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s quite alright.¡± Wei Qingwan waved her hands, ¡°It has nothing to do with the food you prepared, Mother. I¡¯ve been feeling unwell for a couple of days.¡± At first, Yun-shi heaved a sigh of relief, but then suddenly her eyes brightened and she hurriedly asked, ¡°Has the Queen sent for the doctor?¡± Wei Qingwan lowered her head shyly and quietly replied, ¡°Yes, but the doctor at the residence said it was too early to tell.¡± Hearing this, Chu Heng eximed joyously, ¡°Is Wanwan pregnant? Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± Wei Qingwan exined, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet, so I didn¡¯t want to raise false hopes.¡± ¡°Regardless, you should¡¯ve told me about any difort.¡± Chu Heng said with concern. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal; I just can¡¯t eat much and I feel nauseous at the smell of meat. Apart from that, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Wei Qingwan exined. Yun-shi quickly said, ¡°I will tell the kitchen to prepare some light food, and also make a nourishing soup for you. Try to eat a little. Don¡¯t neglect eating and harm your body.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Qingwan dutifully agreed. Chu Heng beamed and said, ¡°My mother-inw is absolutely right. You must take good care of your health, whether you are pregnant or not. You have to eat.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Wei Qingwan lowered her head even further in shyness. Then, when no one was watching her, Wei Qingwan subtly lifted her head and looked at Wei Ruo. Her eyes were full of challenging intent as if she were asking Wei Ruo, ¡®So what if you¡¯re rich? So what if you own businesses? Can you get pregnant? Can you provide King Rui with an heir?¡¯ Chapter 551: Extreme Joy Turns to Sorrow_1 Chapter 551: Chapter 551: Extreme Joy Turns to Sorrow_1 However, Wei Ruo was not at all affected by Wei Qingwan. The matter of pregnancy was not of importance to Wei Ruo. She watched the whole scene with an amused expression as Wei Qingwan was surrounded by people. She neither needed to vie for favor by bearing a child, nor did she need to use childbirth to prove her worth. In the world she lived in, women often gained status through their children. But in Wei Ruo¡¯s opinion, a child should only be born when both the parents are ready and want to have them. To give birth or not is neither to be med nor to be proud of. Once it was known that Wei Qingwan might be pregnant, and it was the first child of King Yu, Wei Qingwan immediately became the focus of everyone¡¯s attention and protection. Wei Qingwan¡¯s face was full of happiness, she enjoyed the caring attention from everyone at that moment. Just then, a servant from Wei Residence reported that someone from Huiren Shop had brought a note of debt, it was a note for a thousand taels borrowed by King Yu¡¯s Concubine. Upon hearing this, Wei Mingting and Chu Heng looked at Wei Qingwan in surprise. Wei Qingwan, who was immersed in happiness just now, suddenly turned pale. A note for a thousand taels! Wei Qingwan certainly remembered that she had signed one! Yun family frowned and turned away, this had always been a painful matter for her, she could still vividly recall the scene of her daughter disobeying her. We Ruo raised her eyebrows in surprise, she knew about the note, but the note was given to the Bai Family. Wei Ruo was curious about how the note had ended up at Huiren Shop? Having been running a shop in Capital City for some time now, she had heard of Huiren Shop. Sun Sanniang had advised her not to provoke Huiren Shop easily, because the patron behind Huiren Shop was Jinn Residence. There was a substantial difference between the person demanding the debt being Bai Family and Huiren Shop. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Qingwan again, her face had turned from shy to pale, she wondered if this could be considered happiness followed by sorrow. Wei Mingting was silent for a while before he asked the servant to give him the note. He took it and looked at it carefully, Wei Qingwan¡¯s name was written on it in ck, along with her fingerprint. Wei Qingwan¡¯s reaction also indicated that this was true. When he looked at his wife¡¯s reaction, he realized that she must have known about this note for a long time. Wei Mingting asked the servant who had reported the news, ¡°Did the person who delivered this note say anything?¡± The crucial debt note was simply handed over. If the Wei Family tore up the note now, they could simply deny that this incident had ever happened, and it would be useless for the other party to lodge aint with the authorities. ¡°They didn¡¯t say anything, they just asked me to deliver the note to the master.¡± the servant answered. Huiren Shop did not ask for money, they simply returned the note. We Mingting¡¯s hand clenched the note tighter. We Mingting turned to look at Wei Qingwan, if she had not been married, he could have questioned her properly at the moment. However, now that she has married, it was not his position to discipline her. Moreover, her status as the Concubine of King Yu also did not permit him to do so. We Mingting said coldly: ¡°The incident happened before your marriage, I am at fault as your father, I will pay back this thousand taels of silver.¡± The other party did not ask the Wei family for money, but Wei Mingting could not simply pretend as if nothing had happened, and deny the debt. Wei Qingwan was extremely nervous, she neither dared to look at Wei Mingting¡¯s eyes nor knew what to do with her hands. Quickly, Chu Heng said to Wei Mingting: ¡°Father-inw, Wanwan is now a member of my residence, the thousand taels should naturally be paid by my residence. It is inappropriate to trouble you.¡± A thousand taels of silver was not a big deal for King Yu Residence. Chu Heng was naturally willing to pay this amount in exchange for the goodwill of Wei Family. Wei Mingting said: ¡°It is my negligence for not disciplining her properly that has led to these bad habits in my daughter. This is my responsibility, there is no need to trouble Your Highness, King Yu.¡± At this point, the always silent Wei Yichen spoke up: ¡°Father, you need not me yourself for this. Mother had repeatedly discouraged this behaviour at that time, it was my younger sister who insisted on doing so. My sister has always been headstrong. Even if you were there at that time, you might not have been able to stop her.¡± Wei Yichen seemed to be consoling Wei Mingting, but he subtly revealed their family¡¯s attitude towards Wei Qingwan and her behaviour before her marriage. Wei Qingwan wouldn¡¯t have failed to understand this. After hearing his words, she felt a chill rise from the bottom of her feet, her stomach churned again, and she vomited. This time, however, everyone just stared and did not immediately express concern. Wei Qingwan looked nervously at Chu Heng. There was no change in his expression, he remained as gentle as ever. Wei Yichen then stood up, saluted Chu Heng, and said: ¡°Your Highness, what happened today is a mistake made by our family. This debt was incurred by my sister before her marriage, even though I wouldn¡¯t want to admit that the person who made such a foolhardy move is a daughter of the Wei Family and my sister, it is still our responsibility and should be paid off by our family.¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Yichen on her right, pondering his words. His words seemed to be an apology to Chu Heng, but they subtly conveyed discord in his rtionship with Wei Qingwan. It was hard for Wei Ruo not to suspect it was deliberate. ¡°Brother-inw, there is no need to be so polite, we are all family. Wei family¡¯s business is also my business, especially when it¡¯s about Wanwan,¡± Chu Heng responded. After exchanging pleasantries, Wei Mingting, regardless of what Chu Heng said, directed someone to get a silver note. He directly handed the note to the person from Huiren shop. ### On the way from the main hall to Anxin Garden, Wei Ruo found an opportunity to speak privately with Wei Yichen. She came forward and asked Wei Yichen: ¡°Was this debt note arranged by you today?¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo felt that what happened today didn¡¯t seem like something that Bai family coulde up with. She had given the note to Huiren Shop, asking them to recover the money. Huiren Shop was shrewd. They would not directly ask for money and offend both the Wei Family and King Yu Residence. Instead, they politely returned the note. Given Wei Mingting¡¯s personality, he would not simply ept the note and avoid paying the debt. As a result, the Bai Family not only received the money but also avoided the trouble of iming the money themselves, killing two birds with one stone. Wei Yichen answered with an indifferent expression: ¡°I just provided the Bai family with a method to reim their money. They had no way to directly recover the money, so they chose to sell the note to an external merchant for eight hundred taels of silver. The shop makes a profit by reiming a thousand taels, thus earning the difference of two hundred taels.¡± ¡°I presume that Huiren Shop epted this business on Big Brother¡¯s face?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Huiren shop is a business, they can make a profit of two hundred taels by simply running an errand, they wouldn¡¯t refuse such a deal.¡± Wei Yichen didn¡¯t directly respond. ¡°It seems that Second Brother has still not forgiven Wei Qingwan.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Why should I forgive someone who almost got me killed?¡± Wei Yichen retorted. Chapter 552 - 552 Shut Your Dog’s Mouth _1 Chapter 552: Chapter 552 Shut Your Dog¡¯s Mouth _1 Following this, Wei Yichen¡¯s eyes, filled with a deep, chilly, and indecipherable gaze,nded on Wei Ruo, ¡°Now you know, I am a person who holds a grudge.¡± ¡°I should be careful not to offend you in the future,¡± said Wei Ruo, half joking and half serious. Afterward, Wei Ruo nced around and saw that Prince Yu was heading towards Wei Yichen, so she quickened her pace and distance herself from Wei Yichen. When Wei Ruo had moved some distance away, Wei Yichen murmured: ¡°You¡¯re different.¡± Chu Heng walked up to Wei Yichen and smilingly asked, ¡°What were you and the ninth sister talking about just now?¡± ¡°Nothing important, Queen Rui was just inquiring about the health of my grandparents.¡± Watching Wei Ruo¡¯s receding figure, Chu Heng said: ¡°The ninth sister truly is amazing, versatile, and a rare talent. It¡¯s a pity that she is a woman.¡± ¡°Queen Rui is quite good as she is now,¡± replied Wei Yichen. ¡°True, it¡¯s just a pity that the ninth brother¡¯s health is quite weak. Otherwise, the ninth brother and sister could have formed an admirable couple, just like the current Prince Huai and his Queen.¡± Wei Yichen didn¡¯t respond, the look on his face was deep and meaningful. Upon reaching the entrance of the Anxin Garden, Wei Ruo was still thinking about what had just happened. Wei Ruo felt that from the way Wei Yichen secretly took revenge on Wei Qingwan, it was clear that he was now very astute. With his current ability, there should be no problem with him maintaining his position in the officialdom. Then Wei Ruo entered Anxin Garden. Still in the yard, Wei Ruo could hear Wei Qingwan¡¯s sobbing from inside the house. There was also Madame Yun¡¯s voiceforting her: ¡°Stop crying, you are pregnant, and this is a crucial time. Crying and affecting the baby would be a real loss.¡± ¡°Today, big brother clearly wants to sever ties with me with his words.¡± ¡°Yichen¡¯s words may not necessarily mean what you think. Today, he happened to encounter this situation and had to say a few words to appease Prince Yu.¡± Madame Yunforted. ¡°But¡­ Big brother usually speaks very carefully. If he cares about me in his heart, he would definitely not speak like this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overthink things. Yichen is honest and straightforward, and doesn¡¯t have many schemes.¡± replied Madame Yun. ¡°But today, what big brother said falls into the prince¡¯s ears. Who knows what the prince will think of me. Mother, what should I do?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Madame Yun also didn¡¯t know how tofort her. Just as this was being discussed, Wei Ruo entered, and the two people in the room immediately stopped talking. ¡°Ruo Ruo, you¡¯re here.¡± Madame Yun got up, walked towards Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo had a naturally unresponsive demeanor and sat down on Taishi Chair on the side. Then, she waved to Madame Yun and Wei Qingwan, ¡°You continue, pretend I¡¯m not here.¡± Wei Ruo had nowhere else to go. Wei Mingting was currently speaking with Prince Yu Chu Heng, and she had to wait a while to find him. Wei Qingwan¡¯s tears were still in her eyes, not knowing whether to fall or to suppress them. ¡°Ruo Ruo¡­¡± Madame Yun seemed a bit embarrassed, and then deliberately changed the topic, ¡°Ruo Ruo, look, Wan Wan here has good news even though she entered the pceter than you. When will there be good news on your side?¡± ¡°My prince is weak, we can¡¯t rush this.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s poor health really was a universal excuse, it could be used anytime. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Madame Yun thought for a while, then said, ¡°I heard that Tongde Hall in the Capital City is selling a medicine that is specially for men¡¯s deficiency. They say it has good effects with no side effects, maybe King Rui can use it¡­¡± ¡°Does mother want me to bear a child for King Rui that much?¡± Wei Ruo interrupted. ¡°Ah,¡± sighed Madame Yun, ¡°Ruo Ruo, I have your best interests at heart. King Rui¡¯s health is poor, and we don¡¯t know how long he can live. Once he¡¯s gone, you won¡¯t be able to livefortably. But if you can give birth to his children, you will have someone to rely on in the future.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll seeter.¡± Wei Ruo smiled and didn¡¯t argue, because she felt the significance of arguing wasn¡¯t very great. It would be hard for her to convince Madame Yun to ept her ideas. What¡¯s more, the reality of her rtionship with King Rui is far from what Madame Yun imagines. Wei Qingwan looked up at Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Sister, since Four Treasure House and Baili Wine Shop are owned by you, why didn¡¯t you tell the truth back then? At first, mother went through a lot of trouble to make big brother get the qualification to be a disciple of the Tibetanyman, but sister, you kept silent without revealing a word.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s question also drew Madame Yun¡¯s thoughts back to this matter. She wanted to ask Wei Ruo earlier, but she didn¡¯t ask directly because Prince Yu was present. Madame Yun asked, ¡°Yes, why haven¡¯t you mentioned this before? You just watched me worry about your big brother¡¯s affairs?¡± ¡°Has mother ever trusted me before?¡± Wei Ruo counter-questioned. Madame Yun was stunned. ¡°Did you stand by my side when Wei Qingwan ndered me?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. Madame Yun was speechless. ¡°Mother has always been opposed to what I did before. If I had let Mother know that I was doing business outside, wouldn¡¯t my mother have called me to scold me and ask me to stop everything?¡± Wei Ruo asked again. Madame Yun was left without words at Wei Ruo¡¯s questioning. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Correct, if she had known in Taizhou prefecture that her daughter was opening shops and doing business covertly, she would definitely have opposed it. Those were things done by lowly merchants, how could her daughter, ady from Duke¡¯s Residence, do such things? If this was spread out, wouldn¡¯t it damage her reputation? It would not only affect her own marriage but also Wanwan¡¯s marriage. In other words, her eldest daughter¡¯s current status and situation, as well as the current world situation, had helped a lot. Otherwise, Ruo Ruo would definitely receive criticism for her actions. Seeing that Madame Yun had no response, Wei Qingwan said, ¡°Sister, how can you conclude without trying? Besides, there are no parents who don¡¯t love their children. Even if mother had made wrong judgments in the past, sister should not hold grudges forever.¡± ¡°Shut your dog mouth, just you talk too much!¡± Wei Ruo retorted directly. Wei Qingwan was startled by Wei Ruo¡¯s words, then here eyes turned red. The tears that had just been suppressed once again fell from her eyes. ¡°Cry, cry, cry, do you have any other strategies besides using tears to hide your guilt and ipetence? You have changed from the second youngdy of the Wei family to a concubine of Prince Yu, and this behavior of yours hasn¡¯t changed at all!¡± Wei Ruo questioned. ¡°Ruo Ruo, don¡¯t scare Wan Wan like this, she¡¯s pregnant right now and can¡¯t cry.¡± Madame Yun hurriedly interjected. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t even care about her own health, should I worry about her?¡± Wei Ruo retorted without concern for their feelings. ¡°You¡­you¡¯re bing more and more¡­¡± Unreasonable! Madame Yun only dared to say half of it, and the remaining words were swallowed back. Chapter 553 - 553 You also have a share in Tongde Hall_1 Chapter 553: Chapter 553 You also have a share in Tongde Hall_1 ¡°If you don¡¯t like hearing it, then don¡¯t listen. When I came in, I told you I could be ignored, and it was you who insisted on involving me in your conversation,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude was downright arrogant and overbearing. However, in the current situation, not only could Wei Qingwan do nothing about her, but Madam Yun had no choice but to bear with it as well. She was Queen Rui, her status higher than anyone else present. Furthermore, her wisdom was being praised by the Emperor himself. Now, not to mention Wei Qingwan, who was a concubine in the King Yu¡¯s Residence, even King Yu himself was inferior to her. Wei Qingwan¡¯s tears flowed more intensely now, but she dared not sob out loud. She covered her mouth, her appearance making others more sympathetic. Madam Yun was also at a loss for what to do. Just then, Cuiping came back, followed by a female doctor from Tongde Hall. There were many doctors in Capital City, but not so many women doctors with most of them being held in various residences and the royal pce. The most renowned female doctor in the capital was from Tongde Hall, a unique one. Seeing this, Wei Qingwan quickly turned her head away, stealthily wiping her tears. Madam Yun also quickly changed her expression. With others present, she needed to maintain the dignity expected of the Third Lady of the Wei Family. ¡°Madam, I have brought Dr. Mo,¡± Cuiping said. ¡°Dr. Mo pays her respects to Lady Wei,¡± said a woman in her thirties. She wore a simple cyan long gown and carried a medicine box. Her hair was styled in a typical woman¡¯s bun. While her features were not beautiful, they were definitely not unpleasant, giving off afortable vibe. ¡°Sorry to trouble Dr. Mo. She has been unwell recently, could you take her pulse?¡± Madam Yun asked. She had specially asked Cuiping to invite Dr. Mo over to have a look at Wanwan. It was said that Dr. Mo had excellent methods for treating women¡¯s ailments, more effective than typical doctors. Mo Qinyue, about to head towards Wei Qingwan¡¯s position, suddenly saw Wei Ruo seated off to one side and a look of joy appeared on her face. ¡°Are you also here?¡± She asked Wei Ruo. Before Wei Ruo could answer, Madam Yun asked, ¡°Dr. Mo knows Queen Rui?¡± ¡°Queen Rui?¡± Mo Qinyue turned her head towards Wei Ruo, her expression filled with surprise. ¡°Are you Queen Rui?¡± Wei Ruo lightly nodded her head. Mo Qinyue hurriedly voiced her apologies. ¡°I am guilty for not recognizing your identity earlier. For any disrespect that has been given, I beg your forgiveness!¡± ¡°What guilt do you have? You did nothing to offend me earlier, so what forgiveness are you asking for?¡± Wei Ruo answered. By virtue of Wei Ruo and Xie Ying establishing the women¡¯s clinic, which catered to women of all social sses, Dr. Mo had always respected Wei Ruo. To help women feel more at ease when seeking treatment, Wei Ruo and Xie Ying sought out women who had knowledge of medical skills, and Mo Qinyue was one of those they found. Mo Qinyue¡¯s father was a doctor, and she gained medical knowledge from him since childhood. When they found Mo Qinyue, she was facing the possibility of homelessness. While her husband was bedridden due to serious injuries, her brother-inw was seizing their house with her parents-inw¡¯s support. Wei Ruo helped Mo Qinyue out of her predicament and invited her to join the female clinic at Tongde Hall. Wei Ruo advised and helped Mo Qinyue in her medical practice further, even providing medical treatment ns for her husband. However, before that day, Mo Qinyue only knew about Wei Ruo¡¯s medical skills and was unaware of Wei Ruo¡¯s true identity. Weiruo and Mo Qinyue¡¯s conversation left Madam Yun and Wei Qingwan confused. ¡°How did Dr. Mo get to know Queen Rui?¡± Yun inquired. Dr. Mo didn¡¯t immediately answer. After seeing Wei Ruo give a slight nod, she responded to Madam Yun¡¯s question. ¡°As a woman, practicing medicine is difficult. My current situation is thanks to the grace of Queen Rui and the owner of Tongde Hall,¡± Dr. Mo replied. Upon hearing this, Madam Yun couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is Queen Rui acquainted with the owner of Tongde Hall?¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t you know? Doctor Xu is associated with Tongde Hall, so wouldn¡¯t it be normal for me to have connections with it as well?¡± Wei Ruo answered casually. What¡¯s normal about that? Nothing is normal about it! At that moment, Wei Qingwan had already mentally cursed Wei Ruo from head to toe. Where did Wei Ruo get all these identities from? Firstly, it was revealed that Baili Wine Shop and Four Treasure House had connections with Wei Ruo, now a new connection to Tongde Hall has emerged out of the blue! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om When did she manage to set all this up? Obviously, she was either living in the country or with the Wei family before this. How on earth did she extend her reach so far? Wei Ruo continued to speak to Mo Qinyue. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter about me. You do your thing.¡± ¡°Yes¡±. Mo Qinyue went to Wei Qingwan and said, ¡°Please put your hand on the pulse cushion, Madam. I am going to take your pulse.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to see me! I believe you are only a doctor in name!¡± Wei Qingwan refused to cooperate. Mo Qinyue¡¯s outstretched hand froze in mid-air. ¡°Wanwan¡­ Dr. Mo is here, let her take a look¡­¡± Madam Yun urged. ¡°Mother, the doctors from King Yu¡¯s Residence have already seen me, and I don¡¯t need any outsiders,¡± replied Wei Qingwan. ¡°This Dr. Mo is different. She is excellent in her medical practice, maybe she could figure something out¡­¡± Madam Yun said. She wished to hear a more urate diagnosis to put her mind at ease. ¡°I won¡¯t trust someone who discards her duty as woman, neglecting her paralytic husband at home to unt about outside,¡± Wei Qingwan said. ¡°This¡­ ¡± Madam Yun looked somewhat embarrassed. However, Mo Qinyue seemed unaffected and gracefully stood up. ¡°Since Madam is unwilling to let me treat her, I will take my leave now.¡± With that, Mo Qinyue bowed to Madam Yun and Wei Ruo, turned around, and walked out. ¡°Dr. Mo¡­¡± Madam Yun started to say, attempting to stop her. However, seeing Wei Qingwan¡¯s resolute stance, she swallowed her words. The moment Dr. Mo left, Wei Qingwan sat down and began to sob quietly. ¡°Sister Ruoruo does really have great people skills. She¡¯s connected with so many people and even has a share in Tongde Hall. No wonder she was having so much fun behind my back. Every single time, you stood by and watched my embarrassment. It¡¯s sad to think that I have always regarded Sister Ruoruo as my own sister, but it seems in Sister Ruoruo¡¯s heart I have never had a ce.¡± Wei Ruo snorted: ¡°You are indeed very sick. Your amnesia and delusions are quite serious. If not, how could you forget so quickly all the times you schemed against me? When no one else was around, didn¡¯t you provoke me more than once? Oh, ying innocent in front of others? Not only did you pull off your schemes, but also let others fight your battles.¡± ¡°When did I ever provoke you? You are unjustly using me!¡± Wei Qingwan bit her lower lip, her eyes bright red, giving her an innocent look. Chapter 554: 554: Scared Now?_1 Chapter 554: Chapter 554: Scared Now?_1 ¡°You dare to say you didn¡¯t maliciously harm me, you didn¡¯t provoke me?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°The incident where I harmed you was a misunderstanding. I have already exined before, it was either me being deceived by a crafty servant, or the situation was too chaotic, and I was confused. It was not intentional. As for provoking you, there¡¯s really nothing to discuss. Perhaps, when I was aggrieved, I couldn¡¯t help but say something against you, but it was only because I was in a bad mood.¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°Have you forgotten? No worries, I will help you recall, for instance¡­ the incident where you intentionally fabricated a fake birth date to usurp the role of the concubine.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°You ¡­ what are you talking about?¡± Wei Qingwan looked utterly taken aback. ¡°Did you think I didn¡¯t know how you got this position as Concubine? You created a narrative of ady destined for greatness to gain the favor of Imperial Concubine Qi, you¡¯re clever indeed!¡± Wei Ruo revealed. ¡°How did you know?¡± Wei Qingwan blurted out. Originally, the idea was thought up by Qi¡¯s son, who said that Imperial Concubine Qi would not publicly reveal her criteria for selecting concubines, so no outsiders would know about it. All Qi¡¯s son needed to do was to bribe the fortune teller hired by Imperial Concubine Qi and im that the fake birth date forged by the Wei Family indicated that Wei Qingwan is a woman destined for greatness and will bring prosperity to her husband. At that time, she was in a difficult situation, faced with marriage troubles, and an uncertain future ¨C seeing that Qi¡¯s son said he could not marry her. She had no choice but to trust Qi¡¯s son and fight for a glimmer of hope for her future. After so much time had passed since the incident, she had also sessfully be Concubine of Prince Yu. She nearly forgot about the whole affair, but Wei Qingruo had unexpectedly brought it up today.
¡°Naturally, it was the previous Imperial Concubine Qi who told me.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°You¡­ you knew all along?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I knew not long after we got married.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t I expose you, right?¡± Why? Of course, because she knew that she would have to deal with Chu Heng sooner orter, so it was just right for Wei Qingwan to marry him. Moreover, in the original script, Wei Qingwan was supposed to marry Chu Lan. Now that she¡¯s married Chu Heng, it¡¯s a total subversion of the original plot, which she was d to see. If Wei Qingwan hadn¡¯t been constantly testing her patience like she was today, constantly provoking and disgusting her, Wei Ruo might have continued to wait. But now she has changed her mind, she has decided to tell Chu Heng sooner. Wei Ruo smirked and said, ¡°I used to ignore your antics because I did not want to bother with you. But now that you¡¯re trying to act innocent and pitiful in front of me over and over again, don¡¯t me me for not being nice.¡± Wei Qingwan was in a stupor, the words Wei Ruo spoke exploded like a bomb in her mind, causing her brain to buzz. Mrs. Yun also reacted after being stunned for a while: ¡°Ruo, you and Wan¡¯s birthdates have already been confirmed, and it¡¯s been so long since the incident happened. It didn¡¯t affect you either, why are you bringing it up now?¡± Wei Ruo sneered, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it already? She¡¯s the one who insists on stirring things up.¡± Mrs. Yun worriedly said: ¡°But if this gets out, it could be deemed as deceiving the Emperor!¡± ¡°Her position as a concubine was gained through deception. She was well aware of her real birth date and knowingly reported the fake one to Imperial Concubine Qi through Qi Zhen, concocting a story and pretending to be a woman chosen by destiny. If this constituted lying to the Emperor, then she was already guilty from the moment she had Qi Zhen falsely report that she was destined to bring prosperity to her husband,¡± Wei Ruo said. Mrs. Yun frowned, aware that there was nothing wrong with Wei Ruo¡¯s analysis. If she had known earlier that Wanwan was going to attain the position of a concubine for herself in this manner, she would have undoubtedly stopped her. But now, things have already turned out this way. It is meaningless for her to me Wei Qingwan for her actions now. As a mother, she could not stand by and watch her daughter, whom she raised with her own hands, fall into an irredeemable predicament due to the crime of lying to the Emperor, right?
Even if she wasn¡¯t convicted for lying to the Emperor, if Prince Yu found out about her daughter¡¯s deception, Wei Qingwan might fall out of favor because of it. This was not something Mrs. Yun wanted to witness. Mrs. Yun pleaded anxiously, ¡°Ruo, please have pity on Wanwan, she¡¯s pregnant. Don¡¯t make a big fuss about this.¡± ¡°Make a fuss? So, she knows making a fuss isn¡¯t good, huh? You see what she was doing just now? She kept ming me for finding fault with her, using me, Wei Qingruo, of treating her badly, ying innocent and pitiful. Is she really innocent and pitiful? She has repeatedly lied and deceived; her fabricating the birth date was intentional. She had schemed a lot for her future and now she pretends to be a spotlessly innocent flower making me nauseous.¡± As Wei Ruo said this, she coldly nced at Wei Qingwan, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t go about causing amotion, I wouldn¡¯t bother with you. But now you have gotten what you wanted, and I am satisfying you.¡±
Wei Ruo was truly annoyed by the trouble Wei Qingwan had been causing. Initially, they were not meeting frequently; out of sight, out of mind. However, Wei Qingwan took advantage of every opportunity she got to meet with Wei Ruo and made a spectacle of herself, purposely trying to attract Wei Ruo¡¯s attention. Wei Qingwan stumbled to the front of Wei Ruo, knelt down and pleaded, ¡°Sis¡­ Ah, no, Queen Rui, I beg you, don¡¯t tell the prince ¡­ I know I was wrong, I dare not annoy you anymore.¡± ¡°Now you know how to beg for mercy? Now you remember what kind of person you are? It¡¯s toote.¡± Wei Ruo stood up and walked towards the door. Wei Qingwan quickly pounced forward, grabbing hold of Wei Ruo¡¯s leg. Seeing this, Mrs. Yun was greatly startled, ¡°Be careful Ruo, Wanwan is still pregnant!¡± Wei Ruo looked down at Wei Qingwan and sneered, ¡°You¡¯re not trying to have a miscarriage and me it on me, are you?¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s lips were tightly pressed together; she had exactly that intention. ¡°Guess what would happen if I genuinely made you miscarry? What would happen to me? What would happen to you? My prince will take care of me; as for you?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s words startled Wei Qingwan. Presently, Wei Ruo was greatly favored. Not only was King Rui protecting her, but the Emperor also appreciated her, and she had already resolved the Duke Xu¡¯s case. The Emperor has been feeling guilty towards King Rui and had intended to punish Prince Yu on multiple asions to appease King Rui and thete Empress Xu. Whereas she had to go through great hardships to gain the affection of Prince Yu. If she were to lose the child because of this and lose his affection, then it would be aplete loss!
Wei Qingwan immediately released her grip on Wei Ruo¡¯s leg upon realizing this. The moment Wei Qingwan let go, Wei Ruo walked straight out the door. ¡°Mother ¡­ mother¡­¡± Wei Qingwan turned back to Mrs. Yun and sobbed loudly, ¡°Mother, save me!¡± After a moment of shock, Mrs. Yun quickly hurried after Wei Ruo. Normally dignified, she was now running unceremoniously for Wei Qingwan¡¯s sake.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om She stood in front of Wei Ruo, with red-rimmed eyes and a sorrowful voice, ¡°You¡¯ll be the death of her! For my sake, Ruo can you let this go just this once?¡± ¡°On what grounds do you make this appeal to me?¡± Wei Ruo countered. Chapter 555: 555: Fathers Understanding_1 Chapter 555: Chapter 555: Father¡¯s Understanding_1 ¡°Ruoruo, you¡­¡± Mrs. Yun stopped midsentence. Wei Ruo sneered, ¡°I had already directly questioned you earlier, did you ever once believe me? You never did; you only believe in what you think and what Wei Qingwan told you. Even just now, you were still focused on protecting Wei Qingwan.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that your mother only cares about protecting Wanwan¡­ it¡¯s that you are morepetent, can handle things on your own and don¡¯t need your mother¡¯s protection, Wanwan is different¡­¡± Mrs. Yun defended. ¡°There¡¯s no difference, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t need it, but rather, you¡¯ve never thought to protect me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, it¡¯s just that there wasn¡¯t an opportunity, your mother also wants good things for you.¡± Mrs. Yun tried to exin. Wei Ruo interrogated Mrs. Yun, ¡°Alright then, let me ask you, when you all fabricated my birthdate to give me a fake destiny, which led to a bad reputation that almost resulted in me staying single forever. When I was facing society¡¯s usations, did you ever think to step in and set things right?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Mrs. Yun was lost for words. Mrs. Yun never expected that after such a long time, Qingruo would bring up old grievances. Back then, she hadn¡¯t shown the slightest dissatisfaction, nor had she ever raised any objections to her. ¡°But now, you already found the husband of your dreams.¡± Mrs. Yun said.
¡°Yes, I did indeed find the husband of my dreams now, but what if I hadn¡¯t? Have you ever thought about the predicament I¡¯d be in?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. Indeed, the erroneous birthdate was deliberately devised by Wei Ruo, intending to stay unmarried was also her intention. But in Mrs. Yun¡¯s understanding, a woman is supposed to marry into a good family, bear children and she had always adhered to this principle. Given this, facing the possibility that Wei Ruo might remain unmarried for life, she never considered revealing Wei Ruo¡¯s origins and letting people know Wei Ruo¡¯s actual birthdate. ¡°That¡­ that was a desperate measure¡­ What if someone found out, what would happen to Wanwan?¡± Mrs. Yun tried to justify herself. Looking at the cold face of Wei Ruo, Mrs. Yun continued, ¡°Ruoruo, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t care about your reputation. At that time, Wanwan had already received the decree to be the prince¡¯s concubine, if we spoke up then, we would be deceiving the emperor!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t keep bringing up the crime of deceiving the emperor. If you¡¯re truly afraid of that, Wei Qingwan¡¯s origin is the biggest deception against the emperor in the Wei Family! Ultimately, you still favor Wei Qingwan first and never intended to do anything for me, not simply because there was no opportunity as you imed earlier.¡± Wei Ruo said coldly. Mrs. Yun was speechless again. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°So stop telling me to save you face. Aside from having given me life, you¡¯ve shown no other kindness. If you expect me to make concessions for you, to consider your feelings, I will tell you, it¡¯s not going to happen.¡± After speaking so definitively, Wei Ruo gave Xiumei a nce, and Xiumei immediately took Mrs. Yun away. ¡°Ruoruo!¡± Mrs. Yun tried unsessfully to stop Wei Ruo again. But Wei Ruo didn¡¯t give her another chance. ¡°Ruoruo! Ruoruo! ¡­.¡± Mrs. Yun kept calling out to Wei Ruo who was walking away, but Wei Ruo acted as if she didn¡¯t hear her. Wei Qingwan, weakened by the stress, slumped against the door frame as she watched Wei Ruo walk away. How did things turn out this way? Earlier¡­ it was only out of a moment of jealousy that she had made a fewments in front of Wei Qingruo. Who would¡¯ve thought it would escte into this? Wei Qingwan was filled with regret. If she had known that Wei Qingruo would react this way, she¡¯d have held her tongue, no matter how upset she was feeling! After leaving the room, Wei Ruo went straight to Wei Mingting¡¯s study, where Chu Heng and Wei Yichen were at the moment. Upon seeing Wei Ruo enter, the three men in the room all turned to look at her.
Without any small talk, as soon as Wei Ruo entered, she disclosed that Wei Qingwan had fabricated her birth details. ¡°Prince, my sister had falsified her birth details. I had just urged her to confess this to you, but she was unwilling, saying that she was afraid you¡¯d be angry. I don¡¯t think your highness is such a petty person. And after all, this birth details issue isn¡¯t a big deal, it was just a mistake, and no harm was done. Yet keeping it a secret seems deceiving to me. Therefore, as her older sister, I took the initiative to tell you. Given your current good rtionship, I presume this wouldn¡¯t cause any anger.¡± After listening to Wei Ruo¡¯s words, Chu Heng did not react for a while, his eyes clearly dimmed. After a long time, he put on his usual smile again: ¡°I understand now, thank you for letting me know, ninth sister.¡±
¡°You¡¯re wee. After all, it¡¯s not a big deal. If it was confessed proactively, it would have been over. But if you found outter, it would seem like a fault of the Wei family.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Chu Heng said with a slight smile.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°It seems you were discussing things earlier. I¡¯ll wait outside until you¡¯re finished. I have something to talk about with father.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°We¡¯re already finished. I should go and see Wanwan now. I won¡¯t intrude on your conversation, ninth sister and father-inw.¡± Chu Heng bid farewell to Wei Mingting and then left the study. Wei Yichen also tactfully left. As he walked past Wei Ruo, he whispered, ¡°It seems you¡¯re also the same.¡± Anyone could tell what was happening from the things Wei Ruo just said to Chu Heng. Her words not only told Chu Heng that Wei Qingwan had lied to her, but also gave Chu Heng a message¨Cthat her rtionship with Wei Qingwan was not good! Had Wei Ruo considered Wei Qingwan even a little, as her sister, she wouldn¡¯t havee to expose her. In this way, her actions had the same effect as what Wei Yichen had done earlier. After Wei Yichen left, Wei Ruo looked at Wei Mingting. She didn¡¯t know what kind of reaction Wei Mingting would have to her actions today. Wei Mingting sighed slightly, ¡°You did very well in the disaster relief.¡± Unexpectedly, Wei Mingting didn¡¯t mention the incident from just now.
¡°Father, don¡¯t you think what I did just now was too much? It could harm Wei Qingwan.¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°She must have upset you earlier, didn¡¯t she?¡± Wei Mingting questioned. Wei Ruo was surprised, taken aback by Wei Mingting¡¯s inference. ¡°How did you know?¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°How could I not know? This isn¡¯t something you just found out about today. You didn¡¯t mention it in the hall earlier and now you¡¯re talking about it. There must have been something that happened when I wasn¡¯t around. I¡¯ve seen her upset you before. You¡¯re usually not the type to stir up trouble, so you must have had your reasons for acting as you did. I see no need for further questions.¡± When Mrs. Yun tried to persuade her earlier, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t waver. Now, hearing Wei Mingting say these words, she felt a touch of wavering. ¡°If it were up to you, would you want me to live in peace with Wei Qingwan?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Chapter 556: Don’t Believe in Fate_1 Chapter 556: Chapter 556: Don¡¯t Believe in Fate_1 ¡°Coexistence is mutual, not something to demand from just one person. How can we me you for acting ordingly when she¡¯s the one who started it all? As a father, I certainly hope for harmony in our family, but if the problems run too deep, striving to maintain a superficial appearance of unity is pointless.¡± Immediately after, Wei Mingting spoke earnestly to Wei Ruo, ¡°You¡¯re my daughter, and it¡¯s my duty as your father to shelter you from harm. Clearly, I¡¯ve been unfit for that role as I haven¡¯t been able to fulfill my duty. Now that someone wants to harm you, you¡¯re protecting yourself. Should I me you for that? Is there any sense to that?¡± A blow struck Wei Ruo¡¯s heart. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Afterwards, she turned her head away, unable to meet Wei Mingting¡¯s eyes. After a moment, Wei Qingruo handed a letter to Wei Mingting: ¡°Father, you can take this letter to the address written on it, where you may find something useful.¡± Looking at the envelope in front of him, Wei Mingting said, ¡°Ruo, you¡¯ve gone to such great lengths for me.¡± ¡°Not just for you, Father, but for themon people, and for myself. I can only make a profit if the country is thriving and the people are at peace. If there is civil unrest, I can¡¯t live a good life.¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Good. For themon people. For the country. For the family.¡± Wei Mingting let out a heartyugh. ¡°I should take my leave now, Father.¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Ruo had wanted to ask Wei Mingting about some military matters, but now she was in a hurry to leave. As Wei Ruo was about to go, Wei Mingting stopped her. ¡°We haven¡¯t had a moment to ourselves in a long time. Why don¡¯t you sit down and have a drink with me, let¡¯s talk.¡± Wei Ruo hesitated for a moment, then nodded in assent. Wei Mingting then called a servant to warm a pot of wine, and asked the kitchen to prepare some snacks. The father and daughter thus began their heart-to-heart in his study. Wei Mingting voluntarily told Wei Ruo about the army, starting from their recent victory, moving onto the newly built warships, and ending with the entire Jiangzhe region¡¯s grain and food support for their Anti-Japanese Army. Wei Mingting wasn¡¯t a talkative person. In Wei Ruo¡¯s memory, he had never spoken so much even to his wife or his eldest son, Wei Yichen. But for some reason, he talked so much with her today. Wei Ruo found it all fascinating, especially when he talked about the Anti-Japanese Army¡¯s grand victory against the Japanese Pirates; she listened attentively, intensely engaged. The father¨Cdaughter pair chatted until dinnertime, which was when Wei Ruo finally took her leave. She was supposed to return home after dinner, but considering everything that happened today, Wei Ruo thought it best not to stay for dinner. When Wei Ruo exited Wei Mingting¡¯s study, Chu Heng had already left with Wei Qingwan. Chu Heng seemed unfazed when he left, as if today¡¯s events hadn¡¯t affected him much. After leaving the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, Wei Ruo got into the carriage heading towards to the King Rui Residence. In the carriage, Xiumei asked, ¡°Miss, do you think that the second young mistress is truly destined to bring cmity to her parents? Does her destiny have something to do with what¡¯s happening to Prince Yu now?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not true. Her destiny isn¡¯t that bleak. There was something fishy about the He Family¡¯s fortune-telling to begin with.¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Qingwan was the heroine in the original novel and naturally had a destiny of a nobledy. How could she possibly be someone destined to cause her parents¡¯ deaths? In fact, the fortune of her being a cmity to her parents¡ªdetermined by the He Family¡¯s fortune-teller¡ªwas a hurdle set up for the protagonist Wei Qingwan in the original novel. This was part of the plot that urredter in Chu Lan¡¯s backyard. His official wife, Zuo Lingyue, specifically sent people to investigate it, using it as a weapon to attack Wei Qingwan. After Chu Lan verified it, there was a hidden truth to the matter. The star chart used by the He Family¡¯s fortune-teller did not signify that she would be a cmity to her parents; instead, it signified that she was a prophesied phoenix maiden. It had been deliberately tampered with by individuals who were not keen on the prosperity of the He Family. In other words, Wei Qingwan was actually a prophesied noble maiden, and she indeed imed that position in the original novel. Regrettably, in this life, both Wei Qingwan and the Wei family mistakenly believed that her actual star chart had issues, and so she let Qi Zhen forge her star chart. ¡°So, didn¡¯t the second youngdy shoot herself in the foot?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s just a matter of whether her husband is willing to investigate it thoroughly for her now.¡± Wei Ruo stated. ¡°Today, Prince Yu didn¡¯t seem too upset. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t angry about it.¡± Xiumei said. ¡°That man is deep and well-hidden, not one to wear his heart on his sleeve. Even if he were upset, he wouldn¡¯t have shown it openly in the Duke¡¯s Residence.¡± The original novel described Chu Heng in this way. After a pause, Wei Ruo added: ¡°Actually, my fortune isn¡¯t that great; it¡¯s just average. But I don¡¯t believe in fate. I believe in making my own destiny.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss, you¡¯re right. Regardless of what our fortunes are, we ultimately need to strive for our own well-being.¡± Xiumei agreed. ### On the way back to King Yu Residence, inside the carriage, Wei Qingwan was treading on eggshells; she didn¡¯t dare breathe too heavily. Chu Heng¡¯s face was devoid of the smile he had shown at the Wei family¡¯s residence, his expression was cold and icy. Wei Qingwan saw this side of Chu Heng for the first time, and she trembled uncontrobly from the nervousness. Wei Qingwan maintained this nervous state of mind until they reached King Yu Residence. Upon arrival, Chu Heng hopped out of the carriage and went on his own, leaving behind a bewildered Wei Qingwan. Cuihe helped Wei Qingwan into Cuiting Pavilion. Once they were alone, Wei Qingwan burst into tears. Just as Nanny Li and Cuihe were trying to soothe her, Qi Shijing arrived. ¡°The queen is here,¡± Upon hearing the voice, Wei Qingwan was so nervous that she momentarily forgot to cry. After a pause, with the assistance of Cuihe and Nanny Li, Wei Qingwan went to the door to greet her. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Wei Qingwan cautiously called out. ¡°No need, it seems that Consort Wei is on cloud nine these days. It won¡¯t be long before you take my ce as queen. I hope you¡¯ll spare me when the timees.¡± said Qi Shijing. ¡°Sister, you are joking. I am terrified.¡± Wei Qingwan hastily replied. ¡°I heard you¡¯re pregnant?¡± asked Qi Shijing. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet. It¡¯s just a rumor.¡± Wei Qingwan responded nervously. ¡°I hope that it¡¯s not just a rumor.¡± said Qi Shijing. ¡°Sister..¡± Wei Qingwan looked at Qi Shijing feeling clueless. However, Qi Shijing simply smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. The baby inside you is the prince¡¯s child. Would I harm him? I don¡¯t have the courage for that. I even hope you give birth to the child safely.¡± ¡°This child is not only the prince¡¯s first child but also the Emperor¡¯s first grandchild, who will be born into luxury. The prince is currently out of favor, if he wants to regain the Emperor¡¯s affection, having the first grandson of the Emperor might be a good strategy.¡± Wei Qingwan stared nkly at Qi Shijing, who smiled and said, ¡°Take good care of yourself. Whether or not you have a chance for wealth and power depends on whether or not the child in your belly will cooperate.¡± Chapter 557: Wei Qingwan is betrayed by Li Mamma and Cuihe_1 Chapter 557: Chapter 557: Wei Qingwan is betrayed by Li Mamma and Cuihe_1 Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t tell whether Qi Shijing¡¯s words were genuine or fake in that moment. ¡°Your maid obeys Queen¡¯s sister¡¯s teachings.¡± Wei Qingwan bowed her head, carefully responding. Looking at Wei Qingwan¡¯s cautious demeanor, Qi Shijing couldn¡¯t helpughing, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? After a trip back to your maiden home, you be overly cautious. Where did the arrogance from a few days ago go?¡± ¡°Your maid was frightened. I didn¡¯t intend to anger you before, I was only trying to fend for myself, I hope Queen sister won¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Wei Qingwan exined. ¡°Fight for yourself? Hm, indeed you did.¡± Qi Shijingughed as she said. There were traces of mockery in her brows, it was unclear whether she wasughing at Wei Qingwan or herself. Wei Qingwan hurriedly dered her standpoint, ¡°Sister, you are the Queen, the child I carry also belongs to you, he will call you mother in the future.¡± ¡°Who knows what the future holds.¡± Qi Shijingughed, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s leave it here for today, you¡¯d better take care of yourself.¡± Then Qi Shijing instructed all the servants caring for Wei Qingwan, ¡°You all must be careful and prudent. If anything untoward happens to the concubine¡¯s belly, none of you will escape.¡± ¡°Your servant understands.¡± Having finished instructing, Qi Shijing left. It took Wei Qingwan a while to regain her senses. Although she still wasn¡¯t sure whether Qi Shijing truly wished for her to safely deliver the child, her words were indeed a wake-up call. She could be carrying the Prince¡¯s child in her belly, and if it¡¯s a boy, he would be the first Imperial Grandson. She needed to be doubly careful and cannot be heartbroken anymore. ¡°Nanny, have the kitchen prepare the dinner for me, I want to eat.¡± Wei Qingwan ordered. ¡°Miss, have you figured it out?¡± Nanny Li hurriedly asked. ¡°Yes, as long as it¡¯s a boy in my belly, even if I can¡¯t help King Yu regain the Emperor¡¯s favor, it can at least secure my position in King Yu Residence.¡± Wei Qingwan replied. ¡°What Miss said is absolutely right! It should be like this!¡± Nanny Li agreed with a face full of delight. ¡°Nanny, thank you and Cuihe for always staying by my side, you both have treated me so well.¡± Wei Qingwan expressed her feelings. The only ones who stayed by her, in the end, were them. ¡°Miss, you shouldn¡¯t say that. You grew up in my presence. If I don¡¯t stand by you, who would I stand by? You were hurt and upset and it pained my heart even more than yours!¡± Nanny Li retorted. ¡°Yes, Miss, you should rest well. The days toe are still long!¡± Cuihe advised. ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Qingwan nodded. ¡°As such, this old woman will go to the kitchen now.¡± Nanny Li happily left to prepare dinner for Wei Qingwan. ¡°Cuihe, go to the Prince and find out what he has been doing since he returned to the mansion today.¡± Wei Qingwan gave anothermand. ¡°Yes, this servant will be on my way.¡± Cuihe immediately left. Watching their departing figures, Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but touch her t belly, hoping that it would foster a healthy young prince. Wei Qingwan carefully contemted her current situation, she could not trust Qi Shijing, and the people whom Prince had assigned to her still needed to be observed. The only ones whom she could trust and use were Nanny Li and Cuihe. On the Wei Family¡¯s side, only her mother was still considering her welfare, Wei Yichen and Wei Qingruo only wanted to harm her. Wei Yilin was also no longer on her side, her father had not fostered any affection for her since the implementation of family discipline. So, she had fewer and fewer resources to rely on from the entire Wei Family. After the events of the day, the Prince¡¯s treatment of her would probably not be the same as before. But this didn¡¯t matter, even if Wei Yichen and Wei Qingruo were distant from her, she could still maintain a superficial rtionship with the Wei Family. As long as this rtionship existed, the Prince would still exhibit a semnce of respect towards her. Moreover, her status as a concubine was bestowed by the Emperor himself, the Prince wouldn¡¯t easily cast her aside. Upon this thought, Wei Qingwan was significantly relieved. She hadn¡¯t utterly lost. She needed to pull herself together, there was still a chance to make Wei Qingruo and Wei Yichen pay for their actions today! Not long after, Nurse Li fetched from the kitchen avish dinner. The people in the Wang Residence knew nothing yet about the day¡¯s events at the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, hence, everyone was still respectfully treating Wei Qingwan as before. However, Cuihe was noticeably absent. Wei Qingwan was quite puzzled, thus, she asked Nurse Li to check on the situation. A good whileter, Nurse Li finally returned. Nurse Li reported to Wei Qingwan: ¡°Young Miss, there is nothing to worry about. Cuihe is fine, she just tripped and fell on her way back and was sent by a passing servant to rest in her room, which is why she couldn¡¯t report back to you immediately.¡± ¡°Is she alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, she just scraped her knee. But she might be unable to serve by your side for the time being.¡± ¡°I see.¡± With that, Wei Qingwan immediately rxed, ¡°It¡¯s not an issue if she can¡¯t serve, just let Cuihe rest properly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nurse Li replied, ¡°You should also rest early, your health is of utmost importance now.¡± ¡°Mmm, Nurse Li, you can be assured.¡± After meeting with Nurse Li, Wei Qingwan retired early. Wei Qingwan was startled awake after a considerable amount of time had passed. There were people in Cuiting Pavilion making quite amotion, as if they were moving things about. Wei Qingwan propped up her upper body and ced a soft pillow behind her. Nurse Li wasn¡¯t there at that moment; hence Wei Qingwan called for Huihui, another maid Chu Heng had assigned her, to inquire what was happening outside. ¡°This¡­ ¡± Huihui stuttered. ¡°What is it that you can¡¯t tell me?¡± Wei Qingwan sternly asked. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Replying to Your Highness, Miss Cuihe has returned.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t shee back earlier and is resting in her room because she got hurt?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°No¡­ no, Miss Cuihe just returned.¡± ¡°What happened? Are you implying Nurse Li deceived me?¡± Wei Qingwan queried, perplexed. Upon a second thought, she added, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Nurse Li wouldn¡¯t deceive me, and she has no reason to. Why would you fabricate lies to deceive me?¡± ¡°No, no, Your Highness, please forgive me. I didn¡¯t deceive Your Highness, Miss Cuihe really just came back.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did shee back sote? And what was themotion outside?¡± Wei Qingwan continued to inquire. ¡°Miss Cuihe came back with the butler, saying that the Prince promoted Miss Cuihe to a higher rank and is moving to another courtyard.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Wei Qingwan abruptly sat up, ¡°Repeat that, what happened to Cuihe?¡± ¡°Your Highness, please calm down, I dare not speak recklessly, it was the Butler who just said it.¡± Huihui immediately knelt down. ¡°Where is Nurse Li?! Where is Nurse Li? Bring Nurse Li to me!¡± Wei Qingwanmanded in rage. Chapter 558: 558: Abandoned by All_1 Chapter 558: Chapter 558: Abandoned by All_1 Huihui hurriedly went out to summon Matron Li. Matron Li happened to be outside, but it took her a considerable time to slowly saunter into Wei Qingwan¡¯s room. Matron Li walked in, her face beaming with joy, quickening her usual pace. ¡°Matron Li, what¡¯s going on outside? Why did Huihui just tell me that Cuihe has been elevated to the status of ady?¡± Wei Qingwan inquired sternly. ¡°Responding to Madam, it is indeed true. Just now, Butler Wang personally announced it and even sent people to help Lady Cuihe move her belongings,¡± Matron Li answered, smiling radiantly. With anger, Wei Qingwan picked up a bowl from beside her bed and threw it at Matron Li¡¯s feet. Matron Li managed to dodge just in time, saving her feet from being struck by the shattered pieces. ¡°What Lady Cuihe? She is my maid! I just sent her to figure out the Prince¡¯s intentions, so how did she end up in his bed?!¡± Wei Qingwan cursed angrily. ¡°Madam, Cuihe is young and beautiful, so if the Prince fancies her, can she really reject him? All the young women in this backyard belong to the Prince. Who among them could refuse his advances? Unless they¡¯ve grown tired of living!¡± Matron Li answered. ¡°Don¡¯t twist the facts! If she didn¡¯t seduce him, I refuse to believe the Prince would have chosen her!¡± ¡°Madam, you shouldn¡¯t get so upset. Lady Cuihe is not the only privilegeddy in the King Yu Residence. The addition of one moredy makes no difference¡ªnobody can take away your favor with the Prince.¡±
¡°Others may, but she cannot!¡± Wei Qingwan retorted. ¡°Madam, not everyone is destined to be a servant or a master all their life. Our Cuihe is fortunate to be ady. You should be happy for her,¡± Matron Li replied, a wide smile stretching across her face. She never expected such good fortune toe so suddenly. Her daughter was only sent to gather information about the Prince, and ended up catching his eye. Initially, she had thought her daughter would be punished, but instead, the Prince showed her favor. This was indeed a great joy! ¡°Are you stillughing? Who gave you such audacity? How dare a mere maid assume the role of a noble woman!¡± Wei Qingwan, furious, tossed her pillow, nket, and everything within her reach onto the floor. But Matron Li remained calm, ¡°Madam, your words are unjust. Cuihe was a first-ss maid by your side. If she has won the Prince¡¯s favor, it¡¯s natural for her to be elevated to the status of ady. Some discerning mistresses would even willingly offer their top maids to their lords. Now that Cuihe has been chosen by the Prince, it¡¯s her good fortune. As her mother, I am naturally happy for her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite bold! You want me to willingly offer her as a concubine?¡± ¡°Whether Madam likes it or not, what I said is the truth.¡± ¡°How dare she? How dare you? After all the trust I have given you, how could you betray me? You¡¯re worse than beasts!¡± Wei Qingwan continued to curse angrily. On hearing this, Matron Li didn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s not the old servant questioning you, but how have you treated us, who have faithfully served you? I heard that the young mistress provided her maid Xiumei withnd and a house, treating her just like a master, with top quality silk clothes. What about you, Madam? Let alone providingnd and houses, even regr rewards that other masters gave, you have never given us.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Wei Qingwan turned pale as if struck by lightning, staring in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m saying, Madam, you¡¯re stingy. My poor daughter, who has served you since a young age, doesn¡¯t even have a decent piece of jewelry. If she were serving other masters, she would, at the very least, have one or two decent pieces by now,¡± Matron Li continued calmly. ¡°When you were on the outs in the Wang Residence, it was fine. But when you regained the Prince¡¯s favor and he rewarded you generously, I never saw you share anything with my daughter or me. Verbally, you imed gratitude for ourpanionship, but in reality, you¡¯ve never shown us any real favors¡ªyou only cared about yourself.¡± ¡°Moreover, ever since the young mistress returned to the Wei Family, youin every other day, shedding tears every few days. My daughter and I had to take turns tofort you, only then would you stop. If it weren¡¯t for the hope that you would marry into a good family and thus secure a good future for my daughter Cuihe, who would willingly spend their days apanying you?¡± Wei Qingwan stood still, too shocked to utter a single word. Seeing her silent, Matron Li continued, ¡°If Madam has no further orders, this old servant will take her leave. The Queen has reassigned me to serve Lady Cuihe. From today onwards, I won¡¯t be serving you, Madam.¡± Having finished speaking, Matron Li turned and left. Once Matron Li had disappeared behind the screen, Wei Qingwan once again flung everything within reach onto the floor.
¡°Bastard! Cheap woman! Despicable! Shameless creature!¡­¡± Wei Qingwan continued to swear. The servants outside the door were terrified and dared not make a sound. Wei Qingwan¡¯s tiradested for quite some time, but no one responded. None of the maids dared to converse with Wei Qingwan at such a time. As Wei Qingwan continued to curse, she began to sob again. All of a sudden, she remembered the child that might be growing inside her. She tried to stop the tears, but they kept flowing.
### Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Anxin Pavilion. It waste in the day, and some time had passed since Wei Qingruo and Wei Qingwan had departed. Madam Yun sat on the imperial couch in a daze, herplexion pale and her eyes devoid of light, appearing extremely weak. She had not touched the meal that Cuiping had brought. ¡°Madam, Master has some military affairs to deal with tonight and has to report to the pce early tomorrow, so he will be resting in the study. He asks you to rest early,¡± Cuiping said. Lost in thought, Madame Yun did not hear Cuiping¡¯s words. Cuiping repeated her words. Only then did Madame Yun respond, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Madam, are you still thinking about what happened during the day?¡± Cuiping asked in concern. ¡°Cuiping, do you think I made a mistake?¡± Madam Yun murmured softly. ¡°Madam, which matter are you referring to?¡± Cuiping wasn¡¯t sure which situation Madam Yun was referencing.
¡°With regards to the matters concerning Ruo¡¯er and Wanwan, did I really make a mistake?¡± Madam Yun inquired. Cuiping hesitated, her expression troubled. After a moment, she said, ¡°Madam, if you want me to be honest, I am afraid you will not be pleased.¡± Upon hearing this, Madam Yun responded, ¡°Just say it. I¡¯ve already had such a terrible day, there¡¯s nothing more that could upset me.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Then, I will speak,¡± Cuiping cautiously said, ¡°Madam, it is natural for you to have deeper affection for the second young mistress, but it is true that you were biased in handling the matters between the two young mistresses.¡± Upon hearing this, Madam Yun sighed deeply, her expression forlorn. She murmured to herself, ¡°She threw such a tantrum earlier today, it made me really think. Maybe Wanwan has always been deceiving me. Maybe I made a mistake in trusting her..¡± Chapter 559: 559: Xu Zhengyong and his family arrive in the Capital City_1 Chapter 559: Chapter 559: Xu Zhengyong and his family arrive in the Capital City_1 Cuiping dared not join in the conversation randomly. After a while, Madam Yun muttered to herself again, ¡°It seems Ruoruo never really saw me as her mother in her heart¡­¡± ¡°Madam, no rush, there are still many days toe,¡± Cuiping remarked authoritatively. ¡°That child¡­ I carried her for ten months¡­ How could shepletely deny me as her mother¡­¡± Madam Yun whispered weakly. Seeing her wounded in spirit, Cuiping dared not to coax her further. She instructed the servants to clear the food and brought in a nutritious ginseng soup. After persuading Madam Yun to drink, she helped her to lie down on the bed. The next morning, Madam Yun received a letter from Wei Qingwan. The first half of the letter exined how she had tricked her way into the position of concubine to Prince Yu, while thetter part described how Mamma Li and Cuihe had betrayed her the previous night. After reading the letter, Madam Yun sighed, ¡°Send a response to the concubine of Prince Yu, she should let it go and move on. It is not umon for a maid to be a concubine, there is no need to be overly upset.¡± Madam Yun did not consider this a major issue, it would indeed be unpleasant, but it had already happened and it was unnecessary to hold a grudge over it. Moreover, Madam Yun was in no mood to worry about Wei Qingwan¡¯s affairs at the moment. She had just learned about the lengths Wei Qingwan went to secure the position of concubine. Her mood had yet to calm down.
### On the twelfth of the first lunar month, Xu Zhengyong¡¯s family arrived in the capital city, slightly ahead of schedule. Wei Ruo, who was staying at the Qiao Manor had been waiting for their arrival at their temporary residence. ¡°Nurse!¡± The moment she saw her nanny, Wei Ruo ran to hug her. The nanny held Wei Ruo tightly and couldn¡¯t help but weep tears of joy. Xu Zhengyong stood by, scratched his nose, and waited quietly. Xiumei¡¯s gaze fell on Xu Zhengyong, she was surprised to find that he had grown so much taller! Not only had he grown taller, he had be more robust and his physique seemed much broader than before. His skin was also darker than before and his entire temperament seemed different.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Xiumei felt a strange emotion welling up in her heart, her eyes fixated on Xu Zhengyong, unable to move away. Xu Zhengyong also noticed Xiumei, a simple smile spread across his face as he stood there grinning goofily. He approached Xiumei, looked down at her ¡ª who was now much shorter than him, and cheerily greeted, ¡°Meimei, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Xiumei¡¯s face suddenly flushed, she turned away and muttered, ¡°What have you been eatingtely? You¡¯ve grown really big.¡± Xu Zhengyongughed foolishly, ¡°Really? My parents also say I¡¯ve grown a lot, but I don¡¯t feel much different.¡± When Wei Ruo and the nanny separated, Xiumei dashed over to Wei Ruo, tugged at her sleeve, and urged her to look at Xu Zhengyong. Wei Ruo also noticed how much more robust and taller Xu Zhengyong had be. However, it was understandable. Uncle Xu was already a big man, and Xu Zhengyong naturally took after him. It madeplete sense for Xu Zhengyong to grow to such a size. Besides, he was at the age where he would be growing quickly anyway. Spending all day in the military camp, he had obviously be more muscr than other people of his age. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong, you really have the demeanor of a general now.¡± Wei Ruomented with augh.
¡°Daughter, don¡¯t tter him too much, or he will be proud.¡± the nurse warned. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s rare for Ruo to praise me, why won¡¯t you let her? I haven¡¯t had enough of it!¡± Xu Zhengyong protested. Wei Ruo hurriedly added, ¡°Nurse, Brother Xiaoyong really is very impressive. He should be praised.¡± Xu Zhengyong grinned, ¡°Mom, you see, Ruo says I¡¯m impressive too!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t let this get to your head!¡± the nurse cautioned. ¡°I understand, don¡¯t worry.¡± Xu Zhengyong reassured her, then turned to Wei Ruo and asked, ¡°Ruo, how have you been living recently?¡± ¡°All is written in the letter, I¡¯m doing well!¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°That might not be the case. You are the type to keep things to yourself. If something happened, you wouldn¡¯t tell me in the letter, so I had to ask you in person to confirm.¡± Xu Zhengyong dered earnestly. ¡°I¡¯m very well, really, absolutely certain, more real than gold!¡± Wei Ruo assured him. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xu Zhengyong rxed and asked, ¡°Is Prince Wang really as good as you say? He hasn¡¯t bullied you?¡± God knows how much he wanted to rush into the Capital City when he learned that Wei Ruo was to marry a sick and dying prince. Fortunately, he was in the military camp and by the time he got the news, it was toote, Wei Ruo had already been married. Immediately after, he received Wei Ruo¡¯s letter. Knowing that Wei Ruo was doing well in the residence of King Rui, Xu Zhengyong was finally reassured and stayed in the military camp. ¡°Really really.¡± Wei Ruo said with augh, ¡°When you meet him, you will know how true my words are.¡± Due to the inconvenience of correspondence, Wei Ruo did not reveal Wei Jinyi¡¯s real identity in her letter. She only mentioned that the prince treated her well and allowed her to do anything. ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Zhengyong said ¡°If he dares to bully you, you tell me and I will confront him with a sword!¡± Wei Ruo burst outughing at this.
¡°It will be useless to prod with a sword, you wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Xiumei muttered under her breath. ¡°Meimei, what are you whispering about?¡± Xu Zhengyong¡¯s gaze shifted to Xiumei once again. ¡°Nothing.¡± Xiumei quickly looked away, avoiding eye contact with Xu Zhengyong. Realizing something was off this time, Xu Zhengyong approached her, ¡°Meimei, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you avoiding me?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s avoiding you? I¡­I just don¡¯t want to talk to you!¡± Xiumei exined. ¡°Why don¡¯t want to talk to me? We just met, and I didn¡¯t offend you.¡± Xu Zhengyong was confused. Before today¡¯s meeting, he thought a lot and decided not to provoke Xiumei or argue with her. He felt he performed quite well, why was she still unhappy? ¡°I didn¡¯t say you offended me.¡± Xiumei pouted. Wei Ruo nced helplessly at the two of them, she then yed the peacemaker, ¡°Can you two give me a break today, just one day of truce, ok?¡± ¡°Of course, no problem.¡± Xu Zhengyong agreed wholeheartedly. Xiumei¡¯s expression seemed a bit forced: ¡°Um, I will not fight with him.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to argue with Xiaoyong, but for some reason, the sight of him now gave her an odd feeling that caused her to be inexplicably irritated.
Then, Wei Ruo suggested that Xu Zhengyong and the others take a break first, after their long journey and they must¡¯ve been tired. In the meantime, Wei Ruo and Xiumei personally went to the kitchen to cook a feast with fine wine for everyone. They all sat down to enjoy the meal together. Although the temporary residence was not luxurious, it was considered a mansionpared to where they used to live. Here, there was no distinction between men and women, and no hierarchy. They ate and drank, chatted andughed, asionally told jokes and enjoyed theughter. After the meal, Wei Ruo announced a surprising decision to everyone: she was going to acknowledge Xu Zhushan and their nanny as her foster parents. Chapter 560: 560: Acknowledger the Wet Nurse as Foster Mother_1 Chapter 560: Chapter 560: Acknowledger the Wet Nurse as Foster Mother_1 Upon hearing this, the three members of the Xu Family had expressions of amazement on their faces. ¡°Ruoruo, what did you just say? Are you going to recognize my mother as your godmother? So, from now on, you will be my god-sister?¡± Xu Zhengyong eximed excitedly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m nning on doing that. We will pick a day, and I will bring gifts to your doorstep to formally acknowledge you as my godparents.¡± She had been thinking about this for a long time, but the circumstances had not been ripe before. Now, with her second brother¡¯s help, she had nothing to worry about. And the status of her wet nurse, due to Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s aplishments, had changed. Since everything was in ce, it was time to schedule the important matter she had been longing for. ¡°This can¡¯t be done! Absolutely not!¡± her Wet Nurse eximed in a hurry. ¡°Exactly, this isn¡¯t right. Miss, you are so noble, it won¡¯t work with us.¡± Xu Zhushan also quickly intervened, gesturing with his hands. Xu Zhengyong, however, held a different view: ¡°I think it¡¯s great! Father, Mother, you bing Ruoruo¡¯s godparents would be wonderful. Then, I can openly and honourably be Ruoruo¡¯s brother!¡±
¡°No, we are too humble to be the godparents of Miss.¡± The Wet Nurse kept refusing, waving her hand. Wei Ruo held the Wet Nurse¡¯s hand and expressed her heartfelt feelings: ¡°Nanny, first, in my heart, your status has never been humble. We¡¯re family, not master and servant. Secondly, your current status is not low. Brother Xiaoyong has been made a Military General. You are the legitimate mother of a General, and there is no shortage of prestige. You have absolutely no need for any concerns.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother! When I first joined the army, my goal was to hope for our family to have a reputable status. Although I wasn¡¯t able to achieve my initial goal of helping Ruoruo leave the Wei Family, I can at least let Ruoruo rightfully call you Mother now without any constraints.¡± Xu Zhengyong stated. ¡°It won¡¯t work, it¡¯s not eptable!¡± the Wet Nurse reiterated, shaking her head. ¡°Wet Nurse!¡± Wei Ruo said seriously, ¡°I really want a mother, but my rtionship with my birth mother is not good and is unlikely to get better. Throughout my life, you have always been there for me. To me, you are not my birth mother, but you are more than that. So, can you fulfill my wish and be my mother?¡± The Wet Nurse was startled, her eyes reddening. Then she got up, covered her face, and walked into the house. Xu Zhushan followed her into the house. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t follow. She knew the Wet Nurse was happy. After a while, Xu Zhushan apanied the Wet Nurse back to the dining table. She nodded slightly, letting Wei Ruo know that she agreed. Wei Ruo was delighted, ¡°Great! After the ceremony, we will officially be mother and daughter.¡± Xu Zhengyong asked Wei Ruo a question: ¡°Ruoruo, although I am very happy that you want to be my god-sister, shouldn¡¯t we first ask the Prince? What if he disagrees?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. He already knows about it and he agrees.¡± Wei Ruo replied confidently with a smile on her face. ¡°That¡¯s good. He seems to be a decent man.¡± Xu Zhengyongmented. Then Xu Zhengyong added: ¡°I will immediately find a fortune teller to select an auspicious date!¡± Upon hearing that, the Wet Nurse hurriedly replied: ¡°No need for that, we don¡¯t have to be that formal.¡± Xu Zhengyong said, ¡°Mother, we have to be formal. It would be best if everyone in the Capital City knows. This is the moment when Ruoruo acknowledges you as a godmother, how can we be casual?¡± Wei Ruo stated, ¡°That¡¯s right, Nurse. It should be more formal. Tomorrow, we will go and ask Daoist Qianyuan to give the Wet Nurse a formal name, and then select a good day. In a couple of days, on the Lantern Festival, I will hold a banquet, and I will officially announce it there.¡±
The Wet Nurse was born into an impoverished family and because she was a female child, she did not even have a proper name. Without any idents, after her death, only Xu He would be engraved on her tombstone. But her life had taken unexpected turns. Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s words, the Wet Nurse¡¯s eyes reddened again.
¡°Miss, I am genuinely thrilled, really.¡± The Wet Nurse said tremblingly. Wei Ruo¡¯s face was also full of smiles: ¡°I am very happy too.¡± ### Although Wei Ruo would officially announce the matter only on the day of the Lantern Festival, she had already spread the news beforehand. People outside did not know about Wei Ruo and the He Family, therefore they were unaware of Wei Ruo¡¯s rtionship with Xu Zhengyong¡¯s mother. Everyone only knew that Lady Xu was the mother of Xu Zhengyong, the new Deputy Guard Commander and the sixth-rank Martial General of the Anti-Japanese Army in Taizhou. Queen Rui and her family had also lived in Taizhou prefecture, and the rtionship between Xu Zhengyong and Wei Mingting was close in the Anti-Japanese Army. It seemed that the two families acknowledged each other because of their good rtions, acknowledging them as godparents. Even though this was somewhat surprising, it did make sense and there wasn¡¯t any inconsistency. The news quickly reached the Residence of the Loyal and Righteous Duke. Upon hearing the news, Cloud¡¯s face turned extremely grave. ¡°She was only her wet nurse before, I heard she was of humble birth and evencked a proper name. How can she honorably acknowledge her as a godmother?¡± Cloud was so angry that she couldn¡¯t hold it together. Just at this moment, someone from Shou¡¯an Hall came to invite her, and Cloud walked towards Shou¡¯an Hall with Cuiping. The Duchess Wei was also calling for Cloud because of Wei Ruo¡¯s intention to acknowledge a godmother.
¡°Have you heard about Queen Rui acknowledging Lady Xu as her godmother?¡± As soon as Cloud entered, Duchess Wei asked.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Daughter-inw just heard about it.¡± Cloud said, looking very upset. ¡°Oh, I thought you knew about it in advance.¡± Duchess Wei sighed. Cloud¡¯splexion worsened and she hung her head in sadness. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Duchess Wei asked again. ¡°My daughter-inw naturally disapproves. Lady Xu from Xu family is of humble birth, originally Ruoruo¡¯s wet nurse. Today, her son¡¯s identity has slightly changed due to his achievements in the military. I personally, think they are not suitable for our family.¡± Cloud replied. This wasn¡¯t just about being suitable or not, it¡¯s about her not so close daughter calling someone else her mother, how could Cloud take that in stride? ¡°I also think this matter is a bit inappropriate, but it came from King Rui Residence. With Ruoruo¡¯s current status, I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t stop it.¡± Duchess Wei said. ¡°Daughter-inw¡­¡± Cloud understood this, but it made her more upset. ¡°Looking at your face, you seem very unhappy, aren¡¯t you?¡± Although Duchess Wei was old, her eyes were still sharp. Cloud did not answer, which was a kind of acquiescence. ¡°You should have treated her better when she wasn¡¯t married. Now look, not only is the rtionship unclear, she is also about to call someone else mother.¡± Duchess Wei sighed.
¡°Mother, I can¡¯t be med for this¡­¡± ¡°If not you, who can be med? A few days ago, when the third son came to see me, I chatted with him about the rtionship between you and your daughter. When I mentioned the discord between you and your daughter, he didn¡¯t say much, but I could feel that he was disappointed in you.¡± Upon hearing this, Cloud suddenly looked up, and her eyes were full of hurt, ¡°Did he really say that?¡± Chapter 561: 561: Lantern Festival Feast at King Rui Residence_1 Chapter 561: Chapter 561: Lantern Festival Feast at King Rui Residence_1 ¡°He didn¡¯t say it outright, it was just something this olddy perceived herself,¡± said Lady Wei, ¡°Anyway, I just asked out of curiosity, if you didn¡¯t know about this matter, then forget it, it¡¯s not appropriate for us to intervene too much. Fortunately, the Xu Family is a proper family and this isn¡¯t too disgraceful.¡± Madam Yun stood still, not knowing how to respond. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s one more thing,¡± Lady Wei signaled to the maid by her side, who handed an invitation to Madam Yun. Madam Yun received the invitation in a daze. ¡°This is an invitation to the Lantern Festival banquet at King Rui¡¯s Residence. I know you didn¡¯t receive one, and this olddy had the nerve to procure one for you. I did this not for any other reason, but for the dignity of the Wei Family. This banquet is hosted by Queen Rui, and most of the nobledies and misses in the Capital City are due to attend. The Wei Family is Queen Rui¡¯s maternal home. If no one goes, it might give rise to idle gossip,¡± said Lady Wei. Despite everything, Lady Wei still cared about appearances and did not want the Wei Family to be aughingstock. Madam Yun looked at the invitation to King Rui¡¯s Lantern Festival banquet, which was handed to her, and her heart was in turmoil. Madam Wei reminded, ¡°On the day of the Lantern Festival, you don¡¯t need to force any closeness with Ruoruo. If she doesn¡¯t interact with you much, don¡¯t take it to heart. You need to be rational and avoid any conflict with Queen Rui. We cannot lose face in front of all the high-rankingdies in the Capital City.¡± Madam Wei gave her the warning ahead of time, reminding Madam Yun to behave appropriately. ¡°I¡­I understand¡­¡± Madam Yun¡¯s voice was very low, and she seemed entirely drained of energy.
Lady Wei looked at Madam Yun, who was pale and lifeless, and said, ¡°You may go.¡± Madam Yun whispered, ¡°I will take my leave,¡± and then left Shou¡¯an Hall in a daze. Back in Anxin Pavilion, Madam Yun stared at the Lantern Festival invitation from the King Rui Residence in her hand, plunged into deep thought. She recalled what Lady Wei had said earlier and the idea that her husband might indeed be disappointed in her. Gradually, a sense of unfairness welled up in her heart, and she couldn¡¯t help but start to cry. ### The fifteenth day of the lunar new year, the Lantern Festival. While everyone in the Capital City dared not celebrate too grandly, King Rui¡¯s Residence did the opposite and held a grand Lantern Festival banquet. The reason why they didn¡¯t worry about the Emperor¡¯s disapproval was that Wei Ruo invited all the members of the Qunfang Association to the banquet under the name of the chairwoman of the association.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The Qunfang Association have been engaged in relief efforts during this period. Wei Ruo set up the Qunfang Association, bringing together thedies and misses from different families. Those with money donated money, those with surplus grain contributed grain, and those with manpower, contributed manpower. Theybined their resources for charitable activities. The families that Wei Ruo brought into the fold were all happy to participate and took pride in it. Wei Ruo would publicize their names along with hers, so no matter what charitable deeds they did, all the participants would be announced, making everyone aware of their contributions. No matter if they donated money or grain, they could gain a good reputation. Having a good reputation doesn¡¯t only benefit themselves, but also their husbands and families. The process is much more convenient than doing it themselves and doesn¡¯t seem as deliberate. Someone else makes the arrangements and does the publicity for them, why shouldn¡¯t they be happy with it? Even the Emperor praised this deed, mentioning it during the morning court session, and called it kind-hearted, responsible, and insightful. Therefore, most of the famous and nobledies in the capital partook in it and joined the Qunfang Association. The irony was that Madam Yun, who was Wei Ruo¡¯s mother, and Wei Qingwan, Wei Ruo¡¯s younger sister, were not among them. It remains unknown whether the two will appear at Queen Rui¡¯s banquet today, and there were some private spections about this matter. The banquet hall was set up in the backyard of King Rui¡¯s Residence. The time of the banquet was during the day. Other than hanging somenterns as decoration, there were no other ornaments. Compared to banquets in other ces, this one seemed rtively simple and austere.
Early in the morning, Wei Ruo was already in the hall ready to greet the arriving guests. Wei Ruo dressed casually today without any intention topete with the otherdies and misses in terms of mour. She also didn¡¯t n on personally doing any sales promotion today. Because she had other ns for today. Soon, guests started to arrive one after another.
The guests all wore smiles on their faces, and as soon as they entered, they warmly greeted Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo responded with a smile. About an hourter, Xie Ying arrived. She was wearing a pink jacket and light-heartedly walked up to Wei Ruo, whispering, ¡°Only because you¡¯re hosting this banquet I bothered toe. If it were someone else, I wouldn¡¯t have. Look at all these people, what a hassle.¡± ¡°If you want something, you have to give something!¡± Wei Ruo answered Xie Ying softly. ¡°True,¡± Xie Yingughed, and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll find a ce to hide for a bit until the show starts.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Wei Ruopletely understood Xie Ying¡¯s feelings. She would feel the same in her situation. A whileter, Wei Qingwan arrived, apanied by Qi Shijing. Wei Ruo was not surprised at all. Qi Shijing was a member of her Qunfang Association, so she was supposed toe. Besides, King Yu¡¯s Residence had been trying to find a presence recently. For a situation like today, King Yu¡¯s Residence would never miss an opportunity to meddle. As for Qi Shijing, bringing Wei Qingwan with her waspletely understandable since they were sisters in the eyes of society. Wei Ruo looked over at the two. Qi Shijing was dressed in a deep red robe with a silver flower embroidery, covered with a cloak of the same color, radiating dignity and grace. Wei Qingwan behind her was dressed in light yellow, which was quite in, and a thick cloak thatpletely covered her.
With her head bowed, she followed behind Qi Shijing, almost like a docile wife. What surprised Wei Ruo slightly was that the maid beside Wei Qingwan was not the familiar Cuihe. Qi Shijing walked up to Wei Ruo with a smile and greeted her, ¡°My sister, you must¡¯ve had a hard time today.¡± ¡°No trouble at all. As you can see, everything was done casually, hardly any trouble. The food prepared today is also quite ordinary. We hope you wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± said Ruo. ¡°Of course not, people are suffering right now, and even being able to have a full meal is a blessing. We can hardly be choosy,¡± replied Qi Shijing. Wei Ruo had heard this kind of talk plenty of times. No matter how extravagant they were in their homes, they always disyed sympathy for the people in public to avoid suspicion. ¡°It¡¯s a blessing for the people that Queen Yu can think this way,¡± replied Wei Ruo. Qi Shijing then pulled Wei Qingwan forward and said to Wei Ruo, ¡°The doctor from our residence took Qingwan¡¯s pulse yesterday. She is pregnant.¡± ¡°Congrattions,¡± Wei Ruo replied. Her tone was polite, she seemed happy, but her heart was calm. ¡°Yes, this is the first child for the Prince, and it¡¯s a joyous asion for our residence,¡± Qi Shijing said. ¡°Considering she¡¯s not far into her pregnancy, why didn¡¯t she stay at home on such a cold day?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan shivered.
Chapter 562: 562: The House is Full of Guests_1 Chapter 562: Chapter 562: The House is Full of Guests_1 She didn¡¯t want toe, she was afraid it could harm her pregnancy. The first three months were the most prone toplications, and given the current cold weather, and the crowded and chaotic banquet, all she wanted was to stay in Cuiting Pavilion and not go anywhere. But the Prince insisted she apany the Queen. Her heart sank like it was plunged into the depths of the sea. She couldn¡¯t understand why the Prince was not concerned about her and the child in her womb. Even though he had be distant with her due to the deception, the child she carried was his first. Why didn¡¯t he care at all? Wei Qingwan was in extreme reluctance, but she dared not defy the Prince¡¯s orders. So she arrived today, not only having to constantly be careful with her own body but also potentially facing harm from Qi Shijing and the threat from Wei Qingruo. Qi Shijing responded with a smile, ¡°Our dear Wanwan knew that today was Queen Rui¡¯s first banquet, so she made it a point to show her support.¡± Wei Qingwan nodded lightly, a movement so minuscule that had Wei Ruo not been staring at her at that moment, it would almost be unnoticeable. Wei Ruo, of course, knew that wasn¡¯t the case, but she chose not to expose the lie, she only smiled and said, ¡°In that case, every guest is wee. Please take a seat.¡± ¡°In that case, I will not bother my ninth brother and sister.¡± Qi Shijing said with a smile, then headed towards the crowd.
Wei Qingwan cautiously followed behind, looking rather timid. Soon after, people from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence arrived. The invitation to the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence was requested by the old Madam Wei through someone, so Wei Ruo knew they woulde. Madam Yun and Madam Mo came together, naturally, Madam Bai did note. After the incidentst time, the second and third households werepletely estranged. Under any circumstances, the third household would not involve the second. Madam Yun hadpletely fallen out with Madam Bai, and they were residing under one roof merely because the two elders were still alive. However, her rtionship with Madam Mo had grown closer. Dressed in an orange brocade robe, Madam Yun looked dignified, while Madam Mo chose a rather mundane grey dress of ordinary material. When the two arrived in front of Wei Ruo, Madam Yun¡¯s expression was somewhat stiff, and a look of sadness emerged in her eyes when she looked at Wei Ruo. However, it was Madam Mo who greeted Wei Ruo, ¡°Is the Queen well these days?¡± ¡°Everything is fine. Is Auntie well?¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°We¡¯re all well, everything at home is fine, your Highness need not worry.¡± Madam Mo responded. ¡°Good to hear. There are many guests today, please pardon any inadequacies, Auntie.¡± ¡°Not at all, your Highness should be busy with your guests. If we need anything, we will ask the attendants.¡± After speaking, Madam Mo nced at the downcast Madam Yun, who was only watching Wei Ruo and remained silent. ¡°Third sister, let¡¯s go sit somewhere else.¡± Madam Mo suggested. Madam Yun stayed silent, gave Wei Ruo a nce, and expressionless followed Madam Mo into the crowd. Madam Mo purposely led Madam Yun to a corner. After sitting down, Madam Yun raised her head to look at Wei Ruo again.
Madam Mo gently patted on Madam Yun¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t forget mother¡¯s reminder. If there¡¯s anything troubling you, keep it to yourself for now, and talk to her when you get the chance.¡± Before Madam Mo came, Old Madam Wei had also spoken to her, urging her to keep an eye on Madam Yun and consider the bigger picture. Madam Yun drew back her gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what¡¯s important.¡± Madam Yun replied.
Madam Mo didn¡¯t say anything else. After a while, a servant came to report. Queen Jing had arrived. Wei Ruo squinted her eyes, then continued to greet her guests with a polite smile. Queen Jing wore a pink dress embroidered with plum blossoms, her hair was simply tied up with not much decoration, dressing modestly elegant. True to her name, she was petite and full of spirit, especially her eyes were very lively, giving an impression of a lively and sweet girl next door. But she was the major antagonist who fought with Wei Qingwan throughout more than two hundred chapters in the original book. Compared to her cannon fodder character that died in a few chapters, Queen Jing was much more formidable. Therefore, Wei Ruo knew she was not as na?ve as she appeared. ¡°Ninth sister.¡± Zuo Lingyue greeted with a warm smile on her face. ¡°Queen Rui,¡± replied Wei Ruo. ¡°You¡¯ve gone through hard times these days.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I should do.¡± ¡°There are many people today, so I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± ¡°Alright, Queen Rui, please do as you wish.¡± After a brief exchange, Wei Ruo smilingly watched as Queen Jing took her seat.
### Inside the Songzhu Garden. Xiumei was not with Wei Ruo as usual, but apanying the wet nurse on her side. The banquet was set in the Wang Residence today, so Xiumei didn¡¯t have to worry about Wei Ruo¡¯s reassurance as before. However, the wet nurse, attending such an event for the first time, looked somewhat apprehensive. ¡°Meimei, is it really okay for me to dress like this?¡± The wet nurse was quite unustomed to her outfit for the day. Even though they had earned a lot of silver, and her son had already established a remarkable military record and had a rank and position, she had never dressed so formally before. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong, absolutely nothing!¡± ¡°I, a crude person, wearing these silk fabrics, indeed looks a bit out of character.¡± ¡°Mother Xu, trust me, you look lovely in this outfit!¡± Xiumeiforted her. The wet nurse was made bashful by Xiumei¡¯s words. ¡°Have you two finished dressing yet?¡± Xu Zhengyong¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient, we¡¯ll be ready soon.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not impatient, I¡¯m just asking. Take as long as you need,¡± Xu Zhengyong hurriedly replied. He dared not be impatient. Speaking, Xu Zhengyong paced back and forth in the corridor.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Suddenly, he spotted a man in greening over. Xu Zhengyong¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly. The man looked ordinary, but his body was slim and his bearing extraordinary. Seeing the man step by step towards the room, Xu Zhengyong felt something was not right and stepped forward to block his path. ¡°Who are you? This is the residence of Queen Rui, how can you enter casually?¡± Xu Zhengyong knew that Songzhu Garden was Wei Ruo¡¯s residence, where men would note and go normally. The guards were all patrolling outside, and wouldn¡¯t easily enter without special circumstances. Even male attendants would only enter upon the master¡¯s summons. But he was an exception, having gained special permission from the prince. ¡°I am¡­¡±
Just as Wei Jinyi was about to exin, Xu Zhengyong spotted the sword he wore at his waist. Without a word, Xu Zhengyong threw a punch at Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi sidestepped to dodge. Xu Zhengyong then threw dozens of punches at him, all of which Wei Jinyi easily dodged. Facing Xu Zhengyong¡¯s punches, as fierce as a tiger springs out of its cage, Wei Jinyi kept his hands behind his back, only defending without making any moves. Xu Zhengyong was surprised to find that the man before him had amazingly high martial arts skills. He had used 90% of his strength, but hadn¡¯t been able to touch even a hair of his opponent! This only made Xu Zhengyong even more convinced that there was a problem with this man. ¡°With such high martial arts skills, and daring to carry a sword into my sister¡¯s residence, who sent you?¡± Chapter 563: 563: A wet nurse is like a mother, but the real mother gets neglected_1 Chapter 563: Chapter 563: A wet nurse is like a mother, but the real mother gets neglected_1 Just then, Xiumei, who had heard themotion, rushed out from the house. She hurriedly stopped Xu Zhengyong, ¡°Stop hitting him, he¡¯s not an outsider, he is¡­ he is¡­¡± Xiumei looked at Wei Jinyi, at a loss for words on how to introduce his identity. Under Xu Zhengyong¡¯s staring eyes, Wei Jinyi took off the human skin mask covering his face. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ aren¡¯t you¡­¡± Xu Zhengyong eximed in surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t die.¡± said Wei Jinyi. ¡°You didn¡¯t die?¡± Xu Zhengyong¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But¡­how could that be¡­I remember that time¡­ you obviously¡­¡± ¡°That was arranged by me on purpose,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Why on earth would you fake your death? Don¡¯t you realise that it would break Ruoruo¡¯s heart?¡± Xu Zhengyong admonished.
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you here in King Rui¡¯s residence now?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked again. Xiumei quickly exined, ¡°The second young master is King Rui himself.¡± ¡°What did you say? He is King Rui?¡± Xu Zhengyong felt as if his head was about to explode. ¡°The second young master of the Wei family is King Rui, and Ruoruo has be Queen Rui by marrying her second brother?¡± Xu Zhengyong muttered to himself, trying to make sense of the rtionships, then he suddenly eximed in shock, ¡°What, Ruoruo has married her second brother?! That¡¯s inappropriately messed up, right? How can a brother marry his own sister?¡± ¡°Brother Xiaoyong!¡± Xiumei despaired at hisck of understanding, ¡°Are you being silly? He¡¯s King Rui now, how could he be Missy¡¯s blood brother?¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Xu Zhengyong nodded, ¡°But wait, how did he be the second young master of the Wei family?¡± Xiumei, seeing his confusion, borated on Wei Jinyi¡¯s background. Only then did Xu Zhengyong fully understand. After some pondering, he came to terms with it. ¡°Who would have thought that Lord Wei would be so audacious?¡± Xu Zhengyong eximed, ¡°However, it¡¯s indeed something he would do. He values loyalty and is willing to brave all dangers for the sake of his benefactors.¡± Straight away, Xu Zhengyong approached Wei Jinyi. The two were now roughly the same height. Xu Zhengyong was a bit more broad and muscr though. After carefully looking at Wei Jinyi for a while, Xu Zhengyong asked: ¡°You have great martial arts skills. When can you give me some pointers?¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll teach you when there¡¯s an opportunity,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°Really?¡± Excitement shone in Xu Zhengyong¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fantastic! Do you have any free time today?¡± Xu Zhengyong asked. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong! How could there be any spare time today? His Highness is dressed up like this to facilitate his movementster! Besides, you also have things to attend to!¡±
¡°Oh, right!¡± A bit embarrassed, Xu Zhengyong conceded. In his excitement, he had nearly forgotten about his duties. Xiumei quickly added, ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s almost time. I need to take Madam Xu to the side hall.¡± ### All the guests had arrived in the main hall.
Wei Ruo stood and addressed the crowd, ¡°Before we start, I have a personal matter I would like to announce on this asion.¡± Everyone turned to Wei Ruo, their minds filled with curiosity as to what her announcement could be. Wei Ruo did not immediately dere it, but whispered something to a maid standing nearby. The maid then went into the rear hall. After a short while, Xiumei appeared, guiding a wet nurse into the hall, and everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to them. Wei Ruo personally walked over and led the wet nurse into the center of the hall. Being in the presence of so many nobledies, the wet nurse was quite nervous. Wei Ruo held her hand tightly to reassure her. Upon seeing the woman apanying Wei Ruo, Yun felt a pang of unease, a sense of foreboding filled her heart.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om What does Ruoruo intend to do by bringing this woman before everyone? Could it be¡­? Yun watched as Wei Ruo held Madam Xu¡¯s hand. The mother who had not given her a proper nce since she had entered was now being treated with such respect and protection! Under Yun¡¯s anxiety and the curious gazes from everyone else, Wei Ruo announced, ¡°I intend to recognize thedy standing in front of everyone, Madam Xu, the mother of Martial General Xu Zhengyong, as my adoptive mother.¡± The group of people who heard this news for the first time revealed a look of surprise. For those who had already heard rumors of this, their reactions were rtively muted. However, they were somewhat baffled why the esteemed Queen was choosing to acknowledge such a woman as her adoptive mother, given the disparity in their social status. Yun¡¯s face sank. Her dread had been realized!
Originally, she thought there might be room for discussion on this matter. Yet, Wei Ruo announced it publicly, leaving no opportunity for negotiation! What a ruthless move by her! Wei Qingwan hadn¡¯t heard beforehand that Wei Ruo would adopt Madam Xu as her adoptive mother. Hearing the news, she was surprised. She subtly lifted her bowed head and gazed at Wei Ruo in confusion. She couldn¡¯t understand why Wei Ruo would stage such a spectacle. If Wei Ruo had selected a woman of high status to be her adoptive mother, it could be seen as a strategy to amass power. Xu Zhengyong was but a sixth-rank martial officer, a brute. With the current ongoing war, this military ranking held some importance. Otherwise, the status of a sixth-rank martial officer was nothingpared to a seventh-rank magistrate. What could be the motive for the regal Queen to recognize such a person as her adoptive mother? Wei Ruo exined her reasons to everyone, ¡°When I was in Jiangzhe, I encountered a dangerous situation. Fortunately, Madam Xu stepped in and saved me. Her great kindness I will never forget, and I swore to repay her act of kindness if I ever had an opportunity.¡± ¡°Now I am the queen but have not forgotten the kindness shown to me. After discussing it with His Highness, we agreed that I will soon officially acknowledge Madam Xu as my adoptive mother. In the future, I wish to serve her as an adoptive daughter until her old age, to repay the grace of her life-saving kindness.¡± Besides omitting the fact that Madam Xu was her wet nurse, all other aspects of Wei Ruo¡¯s speech were genuine. The wet nurse indeed saved her life. Although she had been transported into this body with memories from a different life, when she initially arrived, she was helpless, incapable of movement or speech, and utterly dependent as a newborn. If it wasn¡¯t for the wet nurse¡¯s careful care during her infancy, her wisdom and knowledge would have made no difference.
In the severe winter, if not for the wet nurse protecting her in her bosom, she would have been frozen to death. If this was not a life-saving grace, then what was? The wet nurse looked at Wei Ruo, her eyes welling up with emotion. At the same time, Yun felt a heaviness in her chest, as if arge stone was pressing on her, making it hard to breathe. Qi Shijing was among the first to react and offered her congrattions, ¡°Congrattions, Ninth Sister!¡± Zuo Lingyue followed suit, ¡°This is truly a joyous asion. Congrattions, Ninth Sister. From now on, you have an extra mother.¡± The rest also offered their congrattions: ¡°Congrattions, Queen Rui.¡± ¡°Congrattions, Madam Xu.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Amid the sounds of everyone¡¯s congrattions, Wei Ruo lightly lifted her skirt, and knelt before the wet nurse in front of everyone¡­ Chapter 564: 564 Yun Family Greatly Stimulated_1 Chapter 564: Chapter 564 Yun Family Greatly Stimted_1 This act of kneeling stunned the wet nurse. She was about to bend down to help Wei Ruo up when she was stopped by Xiumei standing next to her. Xiumei had early on known that Wei Ruo would kneel today and also knew that the wet nurse would definitely not dare to ept this act of kneeling. Therefore, she had been standing by her side from the beginning, and promptly stopped the wet nurse. Subsequently, under the gaze of all present, Wei Ruo bowed to the wet nurse. Wei Ruo had been wanting to do this for a long time, but she knew that if she did it earlier, it wouldn¡¯t be justified and the wet nurse would be unable to ept it. It was only until now, when the wet nurse became her adoptive mother, that she could honestly ept this act of bowing and kneeling from her. Seeing this scene, the onlookers did not know how toment. They only felt that Queen Rui showed more regard for Mrs. Xu from the Xu Family than they had imagined. Otherwise, she would not conspicuously kneel and bow to her in front of so many people. As the distinguished Queen Rui, ording to etiquette, she did not even need to bow and kneel in front of Mr. and Mrs. Wei of the Wei Family, let alone ept the courtesy they gave her. It was equivalent to openly announcing to everyone in the Capital City that she, Queen Rui, treated Mrs. Xu from the Xu Family like her own mother. MDan Yun suddenly stood up, and Mo quickly reached out to grab her.
¡°Third little sister, calm down,¡± Mo reminded in a low voice. ¡°How can she¡­¡± ¡°Third Sister, we¡¯ll discuss this when we get back,¡± Mo reminded again. Lady Yun tightly pursed her lips, and her hand restrained by Mo clenched the tablecloth, bunching it up into a ball. Not knowing what to say at this moment, Mo could only repeatedly remind Dan Yun that all the high-rankingdies of the Capital City were present. It took quite some time before Dan Yun finally sat back down. Although she did not act impulsively anymore, her face still looked extremely ugly. Just then, some people came to congratte her. ¡°Congrattions, Mrs. Wei! You have an additional rtive now.¡± ¡°The son of Mrs. Xu is subordinate to Mr. Wei. Your two families can now be considered doubly rted.¡± ¡°¡­¡± With a dark expression, Dan Yun couldn¡¯t say a word. Luckily, Mo helped by responding to everyone one by one, and then exined to everyone, ¡°My little third sister caught a cold yesterday, so she is feeling a bit unwell today.¡± ¡°Mrs. Wei really loves her daughter. Despite feeling unwell, she still came to attend the banquet hosted by her daughter.¡± ¡°Mrs. Wei, you must take care of your health.¡± Everyone spoke their words of concern to Dan Yun and then dispersed. Wei Qingwan personally looked in the direction where Dan Yun was. Seeing her with an ugly expression, Wei Qingwan felt relieved. She did not understand what Wei Qingruo was trying to achieve. Instead of pleasing her biological mother who had a brighter future, she wanted to get on good terms with a lowly-born wet nurse, even making such a move as kneeling regardless of her status. Given Wei Qingruo¡¯s calctions, she should not have made such a stupid move, fearing that she might have other ns after making this move.
Bing aware that the wet nurse wasn¡¯tfortable in such situations, Wei Ruo let Xiumei apany the wet nurse down soon after the public announcement was over. Wei Ruo knew that after today¡¯s act, no one would be able to stop her from acknowledging the wet nurse as her adoptive mother. Regardless of whether the ceremony was sessful or not, in everyone¡¯s eyes, the wet nurse was already her adoptive mother. This move directly cut off any thoughts of objection from the Wei Family. At the same time, it fulfilled one of Wei Ruo¡¯s own wishes.
Then Wei Ruo got ready to officially start the activities for today. Naturally, the first thing was to have a meal. Good wine and good food were served, including Thyme wine and marinated snacks from Mr. Xu¡¯s shop, as well as various kinds of chicken and duck meat. The chicken was made into soup and the duck was made into roast duck. There were also mushrooms, rape, mustard, radish. Although these were just ordinary vegetables, they were all fresh and very delicious, winning unanimous praise from everyone present. After the meal, Wei Ruo led everyone to the theater tower. The theater tower was already present in the royal residence, but Wei Ruo had never used it before as she didn¡¯t like to listen to operas. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t bring everyone here today to listen to opera either; she had other intentions. Everyone took their seats ording to their status. Wei Ruo, Zuo Lingyue, Qi Shijing, and Wei Qingwan, ording to their status, sat in the middle of the first row, while Dan Yun and Mo, due to their varying degrees of closeness to Wei Ruo, sat in the corner of the first row. At this moment, Dan Yun¡¯s face was still extremely ugly and she was led by Mo throughout the process. Once everyone was seated, Wei Ruo had several red wooden boxes lifted onto the stage. Afterwards, Wei Ruo got up, turned around, and exined her intention to the crowd behind her, ¡°Honorabledies and misses, I believe you all know that despite our best efforts to set up several relief sites around the Capital City,pared to the current severe famine situation, it is a drop in the ocean. Moreover, we haven¡¯t even touched the areas severely hit by the famine.¡± ¡°Therefore, I intend to gather another round of supplies and send them directly to Shandong, the area hardest hit by the disaster. For this reason, I have prepared some items for auction, and all proceeds will be used for this relief effort.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel burdened, if anyone sees something they like, bid and buy it. Regardless of the price, high or low, it is everyone¡¯s contribution to this relief effort, and I am very grateful for your generous contributions. If nothing catches your eye, it¡¯s enough to juste and join in the fun today, and I am grateful for your participation.¡±
Wei Ruo exined to everyone. Hearing what she said, everyone¡¯s hearts that were hanging initially, now were put at ease. They originally thought Queen Rui would directly ask them for money, but apparently, she only wanted them to buy items. That¡¯s good, as it doesn¡¯t force them to definitely spend money. Even if they paid money, they would be buying things and would not be at a loss. Afterwards, Wei Ruo ordered the first item to be auctioned: Daiyue Residence¡¯s beauty set: Peach Blossom Rouge, skin cream, whitening cream, Bluebell perfume, and green brow pencil. Starting bid: One Dou of rice. Upon hearing this, everyone showed a surprised look. Those in attendance, whether more or less, knew the selling price of Daiyue Residence¡¯s items, all of which were not cheap. Although the price of food is currently soaring, the price of this mere one Dou of rice definitely cannot buy a whole set of products from Daiyue Residence. Some of these items are even good-quality goods that can only be reserved by high-level members. ¡°Younger sister, why use rice instead of silver taels?¡± Zuo Lingyue asked. ¡°Yes, younger sister, isn¡¯t silver taels more convenient?¡± Qi Shijing also asked. At this point, Wei Qingwan did not dare to speak, but used the same doubtful look to watch Wei Ruo.
¡°I host this auction not for everyone¡¯s silver taels, but for food for disaster relief. Everyone gives me silver taels, and I¡¯m not well ced to find a ce to exchange for food. The victims can¡¯t fill their stomachs with silver taels, so all I want is grain,¡± exined Wei Ruo.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo knew that many of the women present were from great families. Either they themselves or their families had many fields and estate in other ces. There may be grain stocked from previous years in these fields and estates or grain that was bought and hoarded from elsewhere. In any case, they have plenty of grain. To directly buy this grain with silver might not be possible, if she can get them to provide some grain by using this method, wouldn¡¯t that be great? Chapter 565: 565: Its a Foregone Conclusion_1 Chapter 565: Chapter 565: It¡¯s a Foregone Conclusion_1 ¡°Indeed.¡± Zuo Lingyue said, ¡°Nh younger sister is really charitable. As the chairman of the Qunfang Association, you truly deserve everyone¡¯s trust.¡± ¡°Yes, Nh sister has so many ideas, and she has such a tactful heart that I¡¯m rather envious.¡± Qi Shijing added. Wei Ruo chuckled: ¡°The second sisters-inw are too kind.¡± Wei Qingwan, standing aside, sneered internally. She was not convinced that Wei Qingruo had stirred up so much trouble for the sole purpose of aiding the disaster-stricken. She was just doing this to build a good reputation by working with the disaster relief projects!N?v(el)B\\jnn She had been too naive in the past at Taizhou prefecture, so she had failed to see that Wei Qingruo was a far-sighted schemer. Her ambition was vast and she had beenying out ns for herself step by step since then. Unfortunately, she discovered this toote and didn¡¯t n early enough for herself, which had led to her current passive situation. Following this, Wei Ruo nodded towards Zhang Yi who was presiding over the stage, signaling him to officiallymence. The auction started with a base price of one Dou of grain, increasing by at least one Dou at each bid, the highest bidder wins.
The items on auction were mostly from the shops Wei Ruo herself operated. The offerings included a variety of products, from the rouge and face powder of the Daiyue Residence, to the fabric of the Caiyun Room, the thyme of Baili Wine Shop, and the stationery from the Four Treasure House. All these items had been struggling with salestely, as their production had surpassed sales, Wei Ruo thus decided to put them up for the charity auction. The auction proceeded smoothly, and the final price of most items exceeded their storefront prices. Because when people bid for these items, they considered the grain they were paying as a charitable contribution to disaster relief, which inevitably raised the bidding threshold. Additionally, in today¡¯s asion, there was a certainpetitive psychology among the crowd. Wei Ruo had also agreed with Xie Ying in advance that if the price was too low, Xie Ying would bid, helping raise the price, to ensure that the minimum finished price of the item wouldn¡¯t look too bad. Following the auction, Wei Ruo received a ledger and promises of grain donations from various nobledies. With the end of the day¡¯s work and the departure of the crowd, Wei Ruo concluded her activities for the day. Wei Ruo stretchedzily, nning to return to the Songzhu Garden for a rest. Suddenly, the figure of Mrs. Yun blocked her way. Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t surprised, but she was tired that day and wasn¡¯t really in the mood to continue arguing with Mrs. Yun. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about whatever it is another time,¡± Wei Ruo said to Mrs. Yun. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mrs. Yun felt hurt. She certainly didn¡¯t have this attitude towards the lowly wet nurse earlier! ¡°I know what you want to say, but I can only tell you that things are already set whether you like it or not.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Is this your revenge against me? Because you feel I favor Wanwan, that you bring this kind of woman to humiliate me?¡± Mrs. Yun questioned Wei Ruo. After enduring her emotions for half a day, they boiled over as she faced Wei Ruo¡¯s cold expression, gushing out like a flood. ¡°I don¡¯t have the intention to purposely seek revenge on you. Everything I did today is out of gratitude and love for my foster mother, it has nothing to do with you. Whether or not you exist, or how you and Wei Qingwan get along, none of it affects my actions today.¡± Wei Ruo replied.
¡°You¡­you¡­¡± Mrs. Yun, greatly angered, had her chest heaving with her finger pointed at Wei Ruo. Seeing this, Mo¡¯s quickly supported Mrs. Yun and advised, ¡°Third younger sister, let¡¯s go back first. Queen Rui has been busy all day and must be tired. Let¡¯s talk about whatever it is another day, alright?¡± Mrs. Yun didn¡¯t want to listen but kept questioning Wei Ruo, ¡°You were born of my ten months of pregnancy! How can you treat me this way?¡±
¡°Indeed, my life was saved by my foster mother and that¡¯s a fact. Not only did she save my life, she has also brought me up for more than a decade. Compared to that, which is heavier and which is lighter?¡± Wei Ruo asked Mrs. Yun, her face expressionless. Mrs. Yun stared back with wide eyes, unable to respond. Subsequently, Wei Ruo said, ¡°What can you do by stopping me here now? Want to prevent me from acknowledging my foster mother? You know that it¡¯s impossible now. The nobledies of the entire Capital City already have witnessed me paying respects to my foster mother. Even without a formal acknowledgement ceremony, they have all epted her as my foster mother. What can your anger and unwillingness change? Even if you make a scene at the King Rui Residence for a whole day, all the things you don¡¯t want to happen have already be fact.¡± Mrs. Yun was taken aback, not knowing what she could do now or what she wanted. Yet she was unwilling to just leave like that, her heart filling up with anger and resentment. Taking advantage of Mrs. Yun¡¯s distraction, Wei Ruo slipped away. By the time Mrs. Yun came to her senses, Wei Ruo was nowhere to be found. Wei Ruo returned to Songzhu Garden, Xu Zhengyong had apanied the wet nurse to rest, and only Wei Jinyi was left. He stood in the courtyard, dressed in moon-white brocade and a thick ck cloak with fur trimming. Wei Ruo stopped in her tracks, looking into the courtyard with an inexplicable feeling of loneliness surrounding him. He was always a cold person, and he was like that when she first met him in the Wei Family. Even now, despite changing his identity, time passing, and his reluctant involvement in pce power struggles for certain matters, he still gave her the same feeling. Wei Ruo approached him, and by the time she reached Wei Jinyi, a smile appeared on her somewhat tired face, ¡°Second brother.¡±
¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi responded, then asked, ¡°Tired?¡± ¡°Not too bad. But the results are impressive, it¡¯s very heartening.¡± Wei Ruo confessed sincerely to Wei Jinyi as she spoke, ¡°Second brother, thank you.¡± ¡°Why this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Because arge part of me being able to be so unrestrained now is due to the support you¡¯ve given me.¡± Wei Ruo admitted candidly. Although she always insisted on relying on herself and not others, the fact was that her freedom to do many outrageous things now wasrgely thanks to Wei Jinyi¡¯s help and support. Without the status he bestowed upon her, how could she have such a carefree life as she did now? Her desire to publicly recognize her wet nurse as her foster mother would certainly not have gone as smoothly either. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t respond, but there was a subtle warmth in his eyes as he looked at Wei Ruo. Xiumei walked in while Wei Ruo was talking to Wei Jinyi. ¡°Miss, Queen Jing has sent you a gift as a token of her appreciation for everything you¡¯ve done for the disaster victims.¡± Xiumei presented an embroidered box. Wei Ruo looked at the box suspiciously, and after hesitating for a while, she took it. Upon opening the box, she found an exquisite set of gold jewelry.
Included were a gold hairpin, gold ne, gold bracelet, gold ring, a total of four pieces. The whole set of jewelry utilized enamel crafting, with detailed three-dimensional floral designs using golden threads and colorful enamel. The pieces were lustrously colored, elegant but vibrant, stunningly gorgeous, delicately shimmering. Upon seeing the items, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°This set of gold jewelry is beautiful! Queen Jing is incredibly generous!¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t speak, but instead reached out to touch each piece one by one, stoppingstly on the bracelet. Chapter 566: 566: Petition to the Emperor_1 Chapter 566: Chapter 566: Petition to the Emperor_1 Wei Ruo slowly sighed and then, in front of Wei Jinyi and Xiumei, activated the mechanism on her bracelet and poured out the powder hidden inside. The brown powder was evident when poured onto the ck velvet lining of the wooden box used to hold gold jewellery. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s going on? What is this powder?¡± Xiumei asked in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s a poison intended to harm me. It will not show any effect in the short term, but over time, it will drain my vitality and create difficulties in child bearing. Even a gust of wind could cause me to toppack over. However, this would take at least six or seven years to manifest, making it hard for anyone to notice.¡± Wei Ruo exhaled. This was a plot point from the original novel, something she had only seen when watching pce intrigue dramas. The poison was originally intended for Wei Qingwan by Zuo Lingyue. But now with changes in the plot, Wei Qingwan hadn¡¯t be Chu Lan¡¯s partner, she was no longer a rival. Instead, Wei Ruo herself was caught up in it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zuo Lingyue wasn¡¯t very smart, in the original work, she failed to harm Wei Qingwan and ended up suffering the consequences herself. Even if she didn¡¯t know about this plot from the original work and did not discover the existence of these drugs in time, they wouldn¡¯t have affected her. Not to mention it was hidden in the bracelet. If it had been directly force-fed to her, there would be no effect. Once she discovered the symptoms, prescribing a few doses of medicine for herself would restore her health back. ¡°Why would Queen Jing want to harm you?¡± Xiumei asked, confused.
¡°Although I don¡¯t want to think in this direction, I feel that it likely has something to do with that scoundrel Chu Lan.¡± Wei Ruo spoke. On Zuo Lingyue¡¯s wedding night, Chu Lan came to find her, who could tolerate this? The problem was, if Zuo Lingyue med this incident on her, it would be very unfair. She didn¡¯t want to see Chu Lan at all. She couldn¡¯t avoid him quickly enough! ¡°It¡¯s outrageous! It was inly King Jing¡¯s fault, but instead she targeted you instead of arguing with him,¡± Xiumei said angrily. Then, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Miss, should we expose her?¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t immediately give an answer, but instead asked Xiumei, ¡°Did you see Queen Jing give you this box personally?¡± Xiumei shook her head: ¡°It was given to me by a maid next to Queen Jing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. She has made a backup n. If this matter is discovered, she can me it on the maid to clear her own name,¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Jinyi reached out and took the box from Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. ¡°Second Brother?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go file aint to the court.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She has to pay the price for trying to harm you.¡± ¡°But Second Brother, we don¡¯t have definite evidence that she is the mastermind behind this, and she is Queen Jing, wouldn¡¯t it backfire if you use her?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I had some ns which were supposed to be implementedter, they can be advanced now,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Ruo stared at Wei Jinyi, seeing a hint of anger on his face. It seemed he was angry. He rarely showed his feelings, and Wei Ruo hardly ever saw obvious emotional changes on his face.
Seeing such an expression in his eyes seemed to indicate that he was obviously angry. Was it because someone was trying to harm her? It seemed so. Second Brother really takes good care of her!
¡°Then I¡¯ll go change and apany Second Brother into the pce,¡± Wei Ruo said to Wei Jinyi. She was the victim of this incident, so it made sense for her to apany him. ¡°There¡¯s no need, you just stay at home,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to go?¡± ¡°This type of asion is not suitable for you, and you must also be tired. Rest well,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Jinyi was very considerate. He was aware that Wei Ruo didn¡¯t like going into the pce. The pce rules required her to be very alert, so it was best to avoid such asions as much as possible. Wei Ruo felt warm in her heart and epted Wei Jinyi¡¯s goodwill without insisting further. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll wait for Second Brother toe home,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Mhm.¡± Wei Ruo sent Wei Jinyi off. She was not very clear about what he was about to do, but she trusted him. Wei Ruo was organizing her ount books in her room and waiting for Wei Jinyi toe back. In thete evening, Xiumei brought news. Wei Jinyi was back. He was currently discussing things with his subordinates in the study room. He had asked Xiaobei to report the situation to Wei Ruo first.
Xiaobei told everything to Xiumei. Xiumei reported to Wei Ruo, ¡°The prince has returned. Consort Hui and Consort Qi have both been put under house arrest. King Jing and his wife, as well as Prince Yu and his wife, have all been called into the pce and haven¡¯te out yet.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Wasn¡¯t it just to deal with Zuo Lingyue? How did Consort Hui, Consort Qi, and Prince Yu all get involved?¡± Wei Ruo asked in surprise. ¡°The prince revealed the news about the attempted poisoning that had taken ce years ago, when Empress Xu was poisoned and weakened. He said his frail health was due to his mother having been poisoned while she was pregnant with him. Personnel within the pce were not allowing him peace,¡± Xiumei ryed the news brought by Xiaobei. Wei Ruo squinted her eyes. Was there such a thing? She didn¡¯t remember such a plot in the original story. And Second Brother¡¯s health condition was very good; him being sick was a pretense. Xiumei continued to recount the information she got from Xiaobei, ¡°This isn¡¯t true, but the prince had arranged it in advance. He said that he was still a target of poisoning, just like how his mother was. ¡°The Emperor was furious and summoned Consort Qi, who was his first suspect. She unexpectedly confessed to poisoning Empress Xu and implicated Consort Hui, saying they had conspired together.¡± Wei Ruo furrowed her brow, ¡°Consort Qi actually confessed and implicated Consort Hui?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what Xiaobei told me,¡± Xiumei exined. ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­¡± Wei Ruo murmured. Just as Wei Ruo was puzzled, the voice of Wei Jinyi came from outside the door, asking if she was free for him to enter. ¡°Of course.¡±
As she responded, Wei Ruo walked towards the door. Opening the door, Wei Ruo saw Wei Jinyi standing outside. There was no sign of fatigue on his face, still gentle and refined. It was somewhat cold outside, and there was a little frost on his fur cor. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°It¡¯s sote, why did youe here without rest after the meeting?¡± ¡°I was afraid you would be anxious waiting.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you already send Xiaobei to ry the news to me?¡± ¡°I was worried he might not exin everything clearly.¡± ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Wei Ruoughed, her eyes softened. Although she had been busy all day and was feeling tired, seeing Wei Jinyi made her feel less exhausted. Wei Ruo weed Wei Jinyi into her room, poured him some hot tea and asked Xiumei to prepare somete-night snacks from the kitchen. Chapter 567: 567: I Want to Take You Away from the Capital City_1 Chapter 567: Chapter 567: I Want to Take You Away from the Capital City_1 Once seated, Wei Jinyi proceeded to exin theprehensive details of the matter to Wei Ruo. Apparently, Wei Jinyi had arranged this from the start. He had nted insiders in the pce long ago. Taking advantage of Imperial Concubine Qi¡¯s fallen favor, he approached her and divulged some information: King Rui¡¯s current frail health might be a result of a condition he was born with; the Empress at that time, while in Jing¡¯an Temple, could have been poisoned, which eventually led toborplications that cost her her life. Otherwise, given the Empress¡¯s robust health ¨C known for being a warrior¡¯s daughter ¨C it was unlikely she¡¯d die fromplications during childbirth. Also, he made Imperial Concubine Qi realize that with the fall of the Qi Family, King Yu would lose his position as a candidate for the crown prince. Given the Emperor¡¯s current state of ill health and limited time, the future seemed ominous. In not so distant future, Chu Lan could ascend the throne as the new Emperor, leaving no way out for her and King Yu. This realization was what led to Imperial Concubine Qi¡¯s reaction when summoned and interrogated by the Emperor. Imperial Concubine Qi intended to shift the me onto Queen Jing, to cause her to lose favor too, subsequently attacking King Jing. However, directly using Queen Jing was rather challenging, particrly now that she was not in the Emperor¡¯s favor. So, she chose to admit it first and frame Queen Jing as a co-conspirator, thereby making her own confession seem more credible. There are no permanent enemies in the royal court. Although she and Queen Jing were not on good terms over the years, both had been neglected concubines during the time of the Emperor¡¯s exclusive favor for the Empress.
The idea of them working together under such circumstances was not imusible. Imperial Concubine Qi had connections and resources, while Queen Jing was one of the few concubines trusted by the Empress back in the day, with the opportunity to get close and possibly poison her.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Therefore, her line of reasoning was usible. Understanding that her actions could lead her to execution, Imperial Concubine Qi still chose to proceed with this risky move. She probably realized that even if she vehemently denied her involvement, the Emperor might not believe her. Considering her son was already at a disadvantage, if they didn¡¯t act, they would meet a dead end. Inflicting mutual destruction was a better alternative to aplete defeat! There might even be a glimmer of hope for her son! However, the reality was that the Empress didn¡¯t die due to poisoning during childbirth. Instead, it was the massive blow from a family scandal that left her exhausted during delivery. The entire matter was a trap set by Wei Jinyi for Imperial Concubine Qi, which he hadid since his first appearance before the Emperor. His initial weak demeanor was designed to make it easier for others to believe the cause of the Empress¡¯s death was indeed a result of poisoning, thereby ounting for Wei Jinyi¡¯s inherited weaknesses. After Wei Jinyi¡¯s exnation, Wei Ruo took some time to digest the scheme. Wei Ruo had always known that Wei Jinyi would find a way to deal with Imperial Concubine Qi in the pce, but she had no idea what method he would employ. Now knowing his strategy, she was somewhat taken aback, to say the least. This was a method she had not thought of before. Moreover, this method would not only lead to Imperial Concubine Qi¡¯s doom but also endangered Queen Jing and Chu Lan. Wei Ruo then inquired, ¡°What was the situation in the pce when you left, Brother?¡± Wei Ruo spected that, considering the Emperor¡¯s affection for the Empress, the situation must be far from settled. She supposed the early return of her brother was due to the Emperor¡¯s consideration for his health; it must still be chaotic within the pce. ¡°When I left, the Emperor had already sent people to search Queen Jing¡¯s sleeping chambers. Imperial Concubine Qi had been caned ten times and was still under interrogation in the Imperial Study. Queen Jing herself had been caned thrice, and she too was held up in the Imperial Study.¡± Wei Jinyi reported. It seems that Wei Jinyi¡¯s n was a sess. With a sigh of amazement, Wei Ruomented: ¡°With such a move, brother, you have brought down Queen Jing, Imperial Concubine Qi, King Jing, and King Yu all together. Their power is now significantly reduced, clearing the way for you, and bing the crown prince doesn¡¯t seem too far off now.¡± Wei Jinyi stared at Wei Ruo, looking grave.
After a moment of thought, he said: ¡°If you¡¯re willing, Ruo, we can leave the Capital City together and go somece far from this strife.¡± Wei Ruo was stunned: ¡°You want to take me away from the Capital City?¡± She was quite surprised. Even though her second brother had dered that he had no desire to fight for the position of crown prince, she always felt that the current royal situation was pushing him in that direction. Especially after the conflict between Chu Lan and them, she had a vague feeling that they had no way of retreating anymore. And now, her second brother was suggesting leaving Capital City!
¡°Yes.¡± Wei Jinyi confirmed. ¡°But what about the things here ¡­¡± ¡°Once Imperial Concubine Qi and Qi Yansong are dead, my maternal family¡¯s vengeance will be settled. There¡¯s no need for me to remain in the Capital City any longer,¡± dered Wei Jinyi. ¡°What about King Jing¡¯s side ¡­¡± ¡°Before departing from the Capital City, I¡¯ll try my best to erode King Jing¡¯s power in the court, ensuring that even if he ascends the throne he won¡¯t have the power to oppose us. That¡¯s one of the main reasons why I wish to involve Queen Jing in this case.¡± Truly, Wei Jinyi had always taken consideration Chu Lan into ount in his ns. While the fuse was lit by Queen Jing, the ns involving Queen Jing were devised long ago, not on the spur of the moment. After returning from her initial surprise, Wei Ruo gazed at Wei Jinyi, her eyes gleaming with surprise, joy, and even admiration. ¡°That sounds good, really good. The empire is now in a period of turmoil, and being in that position brings endless worries. Let others worry about it!¡± Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but begin to indulge in daydreams about life after leaving the Capital City. Indeed, following the second brother will always ensure a full stomach! Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but praise Wei Jinyi: ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re really incredible! I find myself increasingly grat¡­grateful towards you.¡± It was close to another verbal slip-up.
¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo, the brightness in her eyes reflected the anticipation of leaving the Capital City. That seemed promising. ¡°Say, second brother, I¡¯ve found that you appear gentle as amb, but you¡¯re actually as cunning as a fox, a thousand-year-old fox at that. It seems that back then, I unknowingly unleashed a monster,¡± Wei Ruo propped her chin with one hand, half-jokingly and half-seriously, theughing spirit shining in her eyes. Wei Jinyi turned his head away upon hearing this. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pinch Wei Jinyi¡¯s cheek. ¡°What ¡­ are you doing ¡­¡± ¡°I wanted to see if you were still wearing a human mask because your appearance in front of me hardly matches your cunning scheming,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°There is no fake human skin left, stop touching,¡± Wei Jinyi said with seriousness, although a hint of bashfulness reflected on his serious face. A closer look prompted Wei Ruo to smile and ask, ¡°Second brother, are you blushing?¡± Her second brother blushes so easily ¨C simply being alluded to as a cunning fox or a spirit monster is enough to make him blush. She really can¡¯t understand it ¨C as cunning and scheming as he is when dealing with those in the pce, why is he always so shy and reticent in front of her? Could he be putting on an act?
Chapter 568: 568: Improper Thoughts About Second Brother_1 Chapter 568: Chapter 568: Improper Thoughts About Second Brother_1 ¡°No,¡± Wei Jinyi denied. Following that, Wei Jinyi stood up. As it was already gettingte, Wei Jinyi did not linger long. After advising Wei Ruo to rest early, he departed. After Wei Jinyi left, Wei Ruo went to bed after washing up. However, after lying in bed, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Her mind was filled with the content of her recent conversation with Wei Jinyi. Her longing to leave the Capital City was mingled with gratitude towards Wei Jinyi. She looked forward to leaving the Capital City. Once she left, with her current status and property, she could do many things she couldn¡¯t do before and live more freely than she does now. However, she had no ns for how she would regard her rtionship with her second brother after leaving the Capital City. Recently, she had been having some ¡°inappropriate thoughts¡± about her second brother, which troubled her.
She knew that her second brother cherished her, and as his sister, she should not have thoughts about him other than familial love.N?v(el)B\\jnn But whenever she was alone with her second brother, she would have emotions and thoughts that exceeded sibling boundaries. She couldn¡¯t be med for having such thoughts. After all, her second brother¡¯s face was so irresistible, and he was so gentle and considerate towards her. Coupled with hering of age, she couldn¡¯t help but feel restless the more she saw him, right? Ah, when would her adolescent feelings finally cease? She did not want to disrupt the bnce that existed between them! What if her second brother found out and started avoiding her, what would she do then? Her second brother treated her so well, and yet she had improper thoughts about him. Was that even human behavior? No, it¡¯s not right, Wei Ruo, you can¡¯t act like this! Wei Ruo covered her face with her nket and whimpered a few times. Then she uncovered herself and encouraged herself, ¡°Wei Ruo, you need to pull yourself together. Appreciate your second brother and stop thinking about these nonsensical things. This is not your style!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t think any more, or you¡¯ll have dark circles under your eyes when you wake up tomorrow!¡± ¡°Regardless, knowing that I have a chance to leave the Capital City is something worth celebrating!¡± After talking to herself for a while, Wei Ruo sessfully managed to calm herself down and slowly fell asleep. ### The next morning, Wei Ruo heard good news from the pce as soon as she woke up. The Emperor had ordered the execution of Concubine Qi, banished Empress Hui to the Cold Pce, and imprisoned Queen Jing, Zuo Lingyue, in the Sky Prison. There were no specific instructions for Chu Lan, but the Emperor had summoned King Qin, who was in charge of supervising the shipbuilding in Taizhou Prefecture, back to the capital. This move seemed to hint at reusing King Qin and also indicated that the incident had had some impact on Chu Lan.
Things were developing in the direction she and her second brother had hoped for. Wei Ruo was in high spirits. Early in the morning, she personally went to the field of the Wang Residence to pick vegetables, mushrooms, and even caught a fat old hen. Then she ran to the kitchen and cooked a delicious meal. Around noon, she brought it to Wei Jinyi¡¯s study. After Ke Chongshan and Zhang Yi finished reporting to Wei Jinyi, they both smiled at each other.
Zhang Yi joked, ¡°Master, we won¡¯t disturb your lunch. We¡¯ve smelled the delicious food prepared by the young mistress. It smells really good!¡± Ke Chongshanughed heartily, ¡°My wife has a good appetitetely, so I will go back and have lunch with her!¡± After the two left Wei Jinyi¡¯s study, Wei Ruo came in with two food baskets. Wei Jinyi stepped forward to help, ¡°Why did you bring so much stuff by yourself?¡± ¡°How is this a lot? There are only six dishes, they don¡¯t weigh much,¡± Wei Ruo was toozy to ask for help with two food boxes. As she spoke, Wei Ruoid out the dishes she had brought in the food boxes on the table. Sticky rice chicken, stir-fried pork liver, chicken bone stir-fry with vegetable stems, pan-fried tofu, thousandyer buns, and spicy rabbit head. All were homemade dishes, nothing unusual, but everything prepared by Wei Ruo was perfect in taste and appearance. There was also a cotton bag containing three leather sks, which Wei Ruo also ced on the table. As she saw Wei Ruo pouring something out of one of the leather sks, Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. Wei Ruo chuckled, ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t worry. What¡¯s inside is a health tonic I mixed myself, not alcohol. I stored it in this leather sk for fear of spilling. If you don¡¯t believe me, smell it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Indeed, it was not alcohol.
So, Wei Jinyi picked up the cup and took a sip. Although it was medicine, it didn¡¯t taste bad. On closer taste, there was a sweet vor. It seemed that licorice or something simr had been added to it. ¡°As winter turns to spring, it¡¯s good to replenish the body and prepare for the work of the new year,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Next, Wei Ruo picked up another cup and poured from the second leather sk for Wei Jinyi. ¡°It¡¯s fresh ground barley and red bean milk, drink it while it¡¯s hot,¡± Wei Ruo introduced. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s really sweet and fragrant,¡± Wei Jinyi affirmed. The previous tonic was just ptable, but this barley and red bean milk was truly delicious. ¡°Right? I think it¡¯s good too, it¡¯s warming, nourishing, and filling.¡± As for what was in the other leather sk, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t tell Wei Jinyi, and didn¡¯t pour any for him either. She just poured a cup for herself. ¡°Ruo, why did you specifically look for me today?¡± Wei Jinyi asked Wei Ruo. ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood and also, I wanted to express my gratitude to you,¡± Wei Ruo confessed. ¡°Ruo, you don¡¯t need to be so formal with me.¡± ¡°If you are good to me, I should show my gratitude. If I only kept my feelings to myself, how would you know?¡± Wei Ruo said.
Then, with a serious expression, Wei Ruo said to Wei Jinyi, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know how to express my gratitude to you. Sometimes just seeing you makes me feel secure, you not only protect me when I¡¯m in danger but also consider things from my perspective. This feeling is really warm and makes me very grateful.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s bright eyes, full of sincerity, were staring at Wei Jinyi. Though those unspeakable thoughts could not be voiced, sincere words of gratitude have to be said. Even if she couldn¡¯t do anything for her second brother, at least she can let him know that she appreciated his kindness and recognized his goodness. Wei Ruo¡¯s words made Wei Jinyi rigid, and he turned his face away in confusion. With Wei Jinyi only showing his profile, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t see his expression, but she did notice a blush creeping up from his cheek to his ear. ¡°Second Brother, turn to me.¡± Wei Ruo leaned closer, wanting a better look at Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression and gauge his reaction. Feeling Wei Ruo close in, Wei Jinyi hurriedly turned his face back. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Perhaps it was because the stove in the room was on high, Wei Jinyi felt a bit hot. He picked up the cup on the table and drank up all the tea. He drank too quickly. When he realized the tea tasted different, it was already toote.
¡°Second Brother, that was alcohol. It¡¯s my medicinal liquor¡­¡± Chapter 569: 569: The True Feelings of a Drunken Second Brother_1 Chapter 569: Chapter 569: The True Feelings of a Drunken Second Brother_1 After considering my elder brother¡¯s tolerance for alcohol, what would happen if he downed a ss of strong white liquor?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Ruo looked at Wei Junyi, curiously wondering. Something didn¡¯t feel right¡­ ¡°Big brother, are you okay?¡± Wei Ruo asked with concern. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t respond right away. He already appeared somewhat dazed. ¡°Big brother?¡± Wei Ruo called out again. ¡°Ruoruo¡­¡± Wei Jinyi nced at Wei Ruo, his gaze and the tone of his voice when he called her name were all rather vacuous. As expected, he was drunk¡­ Although she had witnessed it once before, Wei Ruo was still taken aback by Wei Jinyi¡¯s drunken behavior. He was far from his usual self!
Wei Ruo massaged her forehead, vowing never to let his enemies discover this weakness! Despite his formidable martial arts skills, he couldn¡¯t handle even a single drink! Wei Ruo nced at the ss on the table again. She had inadvertently ced it between them, and it was indeed too close to Wei Jinyi¡¯s ss. But she didn¡¯t mean for that to happen. Beforeing here, she had nned on persuading him to drink, but it was merely for fun, and she never expected him to actually do so. This was how she had pictured it: ¡°Big brother, have a drink. Try the thyme liquor that I made. You haven¡¯t tasted it yet.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, I don¡¯t drink.¡± ¡°Just smell it, it smells good.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± ¡°Just indulge a bit, maybe liquor won¡¯t get you drunk. And even if it does, it¡¯s not a big deal, with your martial arts you¡¯ll just be a little cuter.¡± ¡°Ruoruo¡­¡± After such persuasion, she would finish with, ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you.¡± And now, ironically, before she could tease him, he was already drunk. Wei Ruo sighed in dismay. Then, she arose to help Wei Jinyi back to his bedroom to rest. However, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯tply with Wei Ruo. As soon as she attempted to support him by his arm, Wei Jinyi unexpectedly held onto her shoulder. ¡°Ruoruo.¡± Thankfully, he still recognized her.
If big brother became incoherent and didn¡¯t recognize her, then she would have been regarded as an enemy, and that would have been more than she could handle, even with multiple lives. Just as Wei Ruo silently breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, she heard Wei Jinyi say to her, ¡°You¡¯re really beautiful.¡± Wei Jinyi hadplimented Wei Ruo before, but his tone this time was different. When Wei Jinyiplimented Wei Ruo in the past, he was always serious and subdued. Now, with his dazed attitude, hispliment made Wei Ruo a bit embarrassed.
¡°Big brother, you¡¯re drunk. I¡¯ll help you to bed to rest, okay?¡± Wei Ruo cajoled. If Wei Jinyi did not cooperate, she alone would not be able to drag him to the bed. She could only try to persuade him. ¡°You worked hard on the dishes, and they shouldn¡¯t go to waste.¡± Wei Jinyi stubbornly stated. Wei Ruo looked at the untouched food on the table and thought this made sense. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s have dinner first.¡± That¡¯s good. Eating something might even help him recover from the alcohol. Wei Ruo let Wei Jinyi sit back down and handed the chopsticks back to him. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t move. Instead, he kept staring at her. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be eating? Why wasn¡¯t he moving now? ¡°Big brother, what are you looking at?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Looking at you.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Why are you watching me?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°It makes me happy.¡±
What does that mean? Is she happier when with him? ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m happier when I¡¯m with you?¡± Wei Ruo inquired. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t answer, instead he abruptly took hold of Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. In surprise, Wei Ruo saw him pull her hand to his chest. He wants her to touch his chest? Wei Ruo stared at Wei Jinyi, bewildered, not sure whether to pull her hand away. In the room, due to their light clothing, Wei Ruo could feel the beat of Wei Jinyi¡¯s heart through his chest. Thump by thump, it beats firmly and rhythmically. Wei Ruo raised her head to meet Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t say anything, only holding Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. His gaze had an unclear look that is not usually there, but his expression was surprisingly focused and serious. Her figure was reflected in his starlike eyes. Wei Ruo paused, feeling a pang in her heart.
It wasn¡¯t pain, but some other indescribable feeling. Wei Ruo felt dazed for a while before she finally came back to her senses.¡± ¡°Second Brother, let¡¯s eat. The food will turn cold if we dy any longer.¡± Wei Ruo gently slid her hand out of Wei Jinyi¡¯s, then picked up her chopsticks and ced lots of vegetables in his bowl. Wei Jinyi looked at the food in his bowl and began to eat earnestly. Wei Ruo breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, despite being drunk and behaving a bit differently, he was still reasonable and maintained his manners. After finishing their meal, Wei Ruo once again suggested to help Wei Jinyi to the room next door to rest. Wei Jinyi remained unmoved and just continued to stare at Wei Ruo. Was it just her imagination, or was there a hint of warmth in Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze? ¡°Second Brother?¡± Wei Ruo called out to Wei Jinyi again. ¡°If you like me being your second brother, then I¡¯ll continue being your second brother,¡± Wei Jinyi suddenly uttered. Wei Ruo thought to herself: A drunk man really does think differently. ¡°Okay, okay, I know. You¡¯ve always been good to me, Second Brother. But you¡¯re kind of drunk right now. Shall we rest now?¡± Wei Ruo responded.
¡°Sure.¡± Wei Jinyi agreed. So Wei Ruo led Wei Jinyi toward the room next door. This time, Wei Jinyiplied. With Wei Ruo¡¯s guidance, he followed her obediently. However, once they reached the doorway, Wei Jinyi refused to go inside. ¡°What¡¯s wrong again, Second Brother?¡± asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Are youing in?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°I¡¯ll take you inside and then leave,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Don¡¯t go in. It¡¯s dangerous,¡± mention Wei Jinyi. ¡°Dangerous? How could it be dangerous?¡± Wei Ruo was puzzled. Why would her second brother¡¯s room be dangerous? ¡°I¡¯m dangerous,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°How are you dangerous, Second Brother? If you were dangerous, I would¡¯ve been in trouble long ago. If you wanted to hurt me, it¡¯d be as easy as pie for you!¡± Wei Ruoughed. ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡± ¡°How is it not the same? You¡¯re keeping monsters in your room?¡± Wei Ruo teased. ¡°There¡¯s no monster in the room, but there¡¯s one in my heart,¡± Wei Jinyi said with utter seriousness. If it weren¡¯t for his murky gaze, Wei Ruo would¡¯ve taken him seriously. However, Wei Ruo knew he was drunk and his words made no sense. ¡°Alright, alright. Second Brother raised a cute lil¡¯ monster in his heart, very adorable,¡± Wei Ruo yed along with Wei Jinyi¡¯s words, using a soothing tone as if she wereforting a child. Then Wei Ruo pulled Wei Jinyi into the room. Just as they stepped through the doorway, Wei Ruo was suddenly spun around. In the next instant, she found her back against the door, and before her was her second brother¡­ Chapter 570: 570: Blacked Out Again_1 Chapter 570: Chapter 570: cked Out Again_1 Wei Ruo is looking up, staring at Wei Jinyi in surprise. At this moment, his body is very close to her, so close that Wei Ruo seems to feel the warmth radiating from him, making her involuntarily nervous. ¡°Second brother?¡± Wei Ruo called out softly. Wei Jinyi doesn¡¯t say anything, but his face is getting closer and closer, closer and closer¡­ His face, his lips, his breath¡­ ### On the bed, Wei Jinyi wakes up from his drunken stupor with a slight headache. Opening his eyes, he sees Xiaobei standing anxiously by the bedside. ¡°Master, you¡¯re awake?¡± As soon as Xiaobei notices Wei Jinyi opening his eyes, he breathes a sigh of relief. Wei Jinyi looks at Xiaobei, trying hard to recall the events before he got drunk.
However, he only remembers mistakenly drinking the medicinal wine and Ruoruo telling him about it and asking if he¡¯s okay. He¡¯spletely unable to remember anything that happened afterward. ¡°Where is the youngdy?¡± Wei Jinyi asks. ¡°The youngdy is in the backyard,¡± Xiaobei replies, then hesitates before adding, ¡°Master, did you¡­ did you¡­¡± ¡°What did I do to her?¡± Wei Jinyi quickly asks, a rare look of panic appearing on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know, all I saw was the youngdy running out of your room in a fluster,¡± Xiaobei says. From his room¡­ Wei Jinyi¡¯s heart tightens. Did he¡­ Seeing Wei Jinyi¡¯s distressed expression, Xiaobei cautiously asks, ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± Wei Jinyi doesn¡¯t respond, his countenance remains grave. Xiaobei is anxious, but he doesn¡¯t dare ask any more questions. ### Songzhu Garden. Wei Ruo has been back in her room for a while. Xiumei rushes in from the outside, bypasses the screen and enters the inner chamber. She sees Wei Ruo sitting on the edge of the bed in a daze and her heart immediately skips a beat. ¡°Miss, did the Prince do anything awful to you?¡± She had heard that Wei Ruo had hurriedly left Wei Jinyi¡¯s room, and even her blouse buttons were not properly fastened! Wei Ruo does not respond and Xiumei immediately bes furious: ¡°He did, that bastard! I¡¯ll go and find him to settle the score!¡± ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t go!¡± Wei Ruo quickly stops Xiumei.
¡°Miss, he bullied you, I must avenge you!¡± Xiumei deres indignantly. ¡°You can¡¯t beat him anyway, how are you going to avenge me?¡± ¡°Whether I can beat him or not, I must fight back! Bullies can¡¯t be tolerated!¡± ¡°No, no, he didn¡¯t bully me.¡± Wei Ruo hastily exins.
¡°Really? Why did you run out of the Prince¡¯s room in such a hurry¡­¡± ¡°He identally drank my medicinal wine, and I just sent him back to his room to rest.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°But Miss, you¡­¡± Xiumei nce at Wei Ruo¡¯s chest. The buttons are now fastened. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t think too much into it.¡± Wei Ruo responds. Xiumei scrutinizes Wei Ruo and asks worriedly, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re not trying to endure and bear heavy burdens, are you?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s enduring and bearing heavy burdens? There¡¯s nothing to it! You shouldn¡¯t be imagining things. Nothing happened.¡± Wei Ruo says, and then pushes Xiumei to the door, ¡°Alright, alright, believe me, if I say nothing happened, then nothing happened. Go and do your own work. I¡¯m going to take a nap!¡± ¡°Miss, well¡­¡± Even before Xiumei finishes her words, the door is closed by Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo leans against the door, her hand subconsciously touches her forehead¡­ It seems to still carry the lingering warmth of her second brother¡¯s lips¡­ Just now, her second brother kissed her forehead. Only her forehead.
So, to say that her second brother bullied her is a bit of a false usation. He treats her like a true sister, his kiss is just a loving peck. On the contrary, it was her who, in the moment he got closer, didn¡¯t push him away, but closed her eyes instead! After realizing he was only kissing her forehead, she surprisingly felt a twinge of regret and disappointment! As for her blouse¡­ that was her own doing when she hurriedly left. It had nothing to do with her second brother. How could she exin such an embarrassing thing to Xiumei! It¡¯s not like she could say that her second brother didn¡¯t do anything to her, that he treated her very well and gently. It¡¯s just her own fanciful thoughts, and she almost turned the tables on her second brother! Wei Ruo sighs to herself, she knows her current situation is not quite normal. The hormonal upheaval of puberty in this body is a bit over her expected range, which makes her irritable. Not good, she cannot allow these matters to distract her anymore. Wei Ruo shakes her head, casting all these misceneous thoughts from her mind. Then she walks to the desk, opens the ount books, and focuses her attention on important matters. Spring hase, and there are a heap of matters to arrange, she has plenty to keep her busy. She doesn¡¯t have time to think about these trivial matters!
Also, that fox, Fan Chengxu, actually said he ising to Capital City. After Xu Heyou ¡°passed away¡±, Wei Ruo inherited his shops and business as Xu Heyou¡¯s rtive and continued carrying on a correspondence with Fan Chengxu. Knowing early on that he was a cunning fox and not easy to deal with, Wei Ruo thought as long as she kept corresponding with him, she could stall for some time. However, this man must have gotten the wrong end of the stick. Despite being a man who originally had no intention of returning to Capital City and being involved in court politics, he suddenly wrote to say he was returning to the city. She can¡¯t stop him from returning, but the problem is how she¡¯s going to face him and discuss matters. However, thinking about it further, he probably won¡¯te to see her that quickly. With the significant changes in the court, the Fan Family must also be implicated. Fan Chengxu¡¯s entrance into the city will surely be dyed by this affair. ### Knowing she can¡¯t help with matters at hand, Xiumei heads to the kitchen to make some snacks for Wei Ruo. Delicious food could always lift up her mistress¡¯s mood! On her way, Xiumei runs into Xiaobei who also happens to be heading for the kitchen. Upon seeing Xiaobei, Xiumei snorts. Xiaobei quicklyes up beside Xiumei, and they walk together on their way to the kitchen. Xiaobei initiates a conversation: ¡°Lady Xiumei, how is the youngdy doing now?¡±
¡°Did your master bully mydy?¡± Xiumei counter-questions. ¡°What did the youngdy say? Did my master bully her?¡± Xiaobei hastily asks. Xiaobei is here on a mission, purposely ¡°running into¡± Xiumei. He wants to inquire about Wei Ruo¡¯s condition through Xiumei, then report back to his master. ¡°Why don¡¯t you know? Aren¡¯t you always serving your master?¡± Xiumei huffy turns a cold shoulder to Xiaobei. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. But Lady Xiumei, my master would never bully the youngdy. You¡¯ve seen how he treats her usually.¡± ¡°He usually wouldn¡¯t, but when he¡¯s drunk, it¡¯s a different story. Your master turns into a different person once he gets drunk.¡± Xiaobei is at a loss for a rebuttal and can only apologize: ¡°Lady Xiumei, please don¡¯t be angry. If my master did anything disrespectful to the youngdy while drunk, I hope you could put in some good words for him in front of the youngdy. He definitely didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡± Chapter 571: 571 Ridiculous that you miss your sister-in-law_1 Chapter 571: Chapter 571 Ridiculous that you miss your sister-inw_1 Unlike the indifference of King Rui Residence towards the recent event, the entirety of Capital City was deeply shaken. Lady Qi had died, even faster than Qi Yansong. Qi Yansong had been imprisoned in the Sky Prison and was executed only after a trial. But Lady Qi had taken her own life with a three-foot-long silk scarf as soon as the dawn broke. With her death, the Queen lost her chance for self-defense. No matter how much she insisted on her innocence in causing harm to Empress Xu, the Emperor chose not to believe her, demoting her and confining her to her quarters. There was even spection that the Emperor¡¯s decision not to banish her to the Cold Pce outright was likely out of consideration for Chu Lan. The Emperor had just reprimanded the Qi Family the previous year and stability in the royal court had only just been re-established, making it difficult to act against King Jing at this time. Despite being the Emperor, he often found his options limited and could not always do as he pleased. It had been difficult enough to dispose of the Qi Familyst year. So this time, he only punished Lady Qi, showing leniency towards the Queen.
The incident had caused turmoil in the previously clear and stable royal court. People across Capital City were bing restless once again. It wasmonly believed that the downfall of the Qi family had secured King Jing¡¯s position as Crown Prince, but it now seemed that matters were far from settled. Since Lady Qi and the Queen had both harmed Empress Xu, King Jing and King Yu were the same to the Emperor. Neither one could be said to have his favor. While there were signs of King Qin being favored by the Emperor, his talent was rtively inferior, making it difficult to surpass King Yu and King Jing. ### Sky Prison. The surroundings were dark and cold, especially on this winter day. The cold made one shiver involuntarily. Zuo Lingyue was crouched in a corner. Footsteps approached, and a tall figure appeared outside the cell. Through the cold iron prison door, Zuo Lingyue recognized the visitor. She somehow found the strength she wascking and rushed to the door. Gazing at the man she had been yearning for so long, Zuo Lingyue trembled, unable to utter the words she wanted to say.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chu Lan looked coldly at Zuo Lingyue, who had lost her usually refined and graceful bearing, leaving only wretchedness and paleness. Chu Lan asked, ¡°Why did you do this? You have no grudge against Queen Rui, and your interactions are limited. You have met only a few times¡±. ¡°True, we¡¯ve just seen each other a couple of times from afar. The only time we had a conversation was during the Lantern Festival,¡± Zuo Lingyue admitted. ¡°So why? What made you harbor such malicious intentions against her?¡± ¡°How dare you ask me why? Don¡¯t you know why? Ask yourself, where were you on our wedding night?¡± Zuo Lingyue sneered bitterly, tears in her eyes and a smile sadder than crying on her lips. Chu Lan frowned, ¡°You know?¡± ¡°I wish I hadn¡¯t found out! But I did! On our wedding night, my husband abandoned me to see his brother¡¯s wife! What a joke!¡±
Zuo Lingyue spoke, her tone filled with mockery. She was ridiculing Chu Lan, but she was also mocking herself. Chu Lan¡¯s frown deepened. Zuo Lingyue continued, ¡°If it had been only on our wedding night, I may have epted it. But I remain untouched to this day! Can anyone believe that I¡¯m still a virgin after being married for so long? My husband never once spent a night in my room!¡±
¡°You refuse to touch me, not because you are sick, but because your heart is filled with another woman. You¡¯re willing to stay chaste for a woman you can¡¯t possibly have! I would rather you be impotent than you giving all your love to someone else!¡± Her eyes were full of resentment and anger. All because she loved Chu Lan. She had fallen in love with him a long time ago. Even before she was appointed as the Queen Jing, her heart and eyes were filled with him. She was so ted to be his wife. She had been looking forward to their wedding with such anticipation. But because her expectations were so high, her eventual disappointment was more painful. Zuo Lingyue questioned Chu Lan, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t you find yourself ridiculous? Night after night in your study, longing for your sister-inw, do you believe yourself to be preserving your chastity for her?¡± Chu Lan didn¡¯t respond directly to Zuo Lingyue¡¯s question, instead, he said, ¡°You should never have done this. Your resentment stemming from me, you should hate me, not her.¡± ¡°But the person I love is you! What I want is your love, not your life!¡± She loved him. That was the root of it all.
Since she couldn¡¯t sever this root, she could only cut off his affection for the other woman! Facing Zuo Lingyue¡¯s sudden confession, Chen Lan furrowed his eyebrows and said solemnly, ¡°You should not have done this.¡± ¡°What should or shouldn¡¯t be done? To you, I am nothing but a trivial person. Yet, aren¡¯t you the same to Queen Rui? You can¡¯t possibly think you are of any importance to her? She would rather choose a dying man over you!¡± Zuo Lingyue yelled at Chu Lan. Chu Lan did not retort. Perhaps he did know that what Zuo Lingyue said was the truth. To Wei Qingruo, he was nothing but an inconsequential character. She had saved him once, but she had also saved countlessmon folk. Herpassion was not only for him, it was for anyone she encountered, even a random refugee on the road. Chu Lan did not stay any longer, he turned and left. ¡°Chu Lan, you won¡¯t have it your way! What I can¡¯t have, you also won¡¯t have! You will also suffer a miserable ending like me!¡± Zuo Lingyue cried out at Chu Lan¡¯s retreating figure. Chu Lan¡¯s footsteps halted for a moment. Zuo Lingyue thought he was about to say something to her, but he didn¡¯t. He resumed walking, his footsteps getting lighter and lighter until hepletely disappeared from her view. Zuo Lingyue slumped feebly to the ground, staring nkly at the dark and empty prison cell. ### Inside King Yu Residence. Upon hearing the news from the pce, Wei Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but feel ted. Lady Qi¡¯s death gave a glimmer of hope to King Yu.
Moreover, with the death of Lady Qi, King Yu, while unable to openly express his grief due to the etiquette, would have to mourn in private to prevent others from using him of callousness. At least for the next half a year, there would be no chance for him to favor any other woman. This was well timed since she was currently pregnant and unable to serve the King. Moreover, it also meant that in the near future no one else in the King Yu Residence would be pregnant. However, Wei Qingwan dared only to harbor this joy in her heart without revealing the slightest hint of it. Previously, she could trust two confidants, but now she could trust no one but herself. All she needed to do now was to take care of herself and safely give birth to the child in her womb. Having finished the bird¡¯s nest soup brought by her maid, Wei Qingwan was about to return to her bed for a rest. The maid outside announced, ¡°My Lady, Lady Cuihe is here.¡± Chapter 572: Advising the Concubine Not to Provoke Queen Rui_1 Chapter 572: Chapter 572: Advising the Concubine Not to Provoke Queen Rui_1 ¡°What is she here for? I don¡¯t want to see her!¡± Wei Qingwan expressed extreme disgust. ¡°Lady Cuihe imed to be visiting under the orders of the Queen,¡± it was exined. ¡°How could she possibly have good intentions and visit me, if not to get some fun out of my plight now that she has nothing better to do? I won¡¯t see her.¡± Wei Qingwan insisted she wouldn¡¯t see her, but Cuihe appeared in front of her before she could finish speaking. Cuihe now had on a different outfit, her hair adorned with a few additional pearls and hairpins, and the rouge and powder on her face were more brightly coloured than before. She twirled her waist as she entered from the door, her face radiating a radiant smile. She looked like a courtesan. ¡°Your servant pays her respects to the Concubine,¡± Cuihe bowed, each of her movements brimming with seductive charm. Wei Qingwan retorted with disdain: ¡°Showing your true lowborn colors. Even if you get promoted tody, you still have an indecent manner about you. People who don¡¯t know better might think you are from a brothel.¡± Cuihe paid no mind to this: ¡°Concubine, please do not get angry. Your servant is but just ady. I am inherently lowborn, here to serve with my looks. Even if you wish for me to present myself as elegant, I simply cannot.¡± ¡°At least you¡¯re self-aware,¡± Wei Qingwan sneered. ¡°Isn¡¯t it noble to have self-awareness? As I know my own status, I do things befitting that status. It¡¯s certainly better than those who carry the base blood of a merchant but insist on pretending to be a noble young miss, acting noble and unapproachable.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Wei Qingwan asked. ¡°Don¡¯t get angry, Concubine. I was just making ament about a merchant¡¯s family, and you, Concubine, do note from such, correct?¡± Cuiheughed. Wei Qingwan stared nkly at Cuihe¡¯s eyes full ofughter, which made her rage rise. Cuihe continued: ¡°Don¡¯t get upset, Concubine. There are some things I wouldn¡¯t just blurt out as it would do me no good. However, if someone pushes me to a corner one day, or if I find myself in danger, who knows what could happen.¡± Wei Qingwan¡¯s face turned frighteningly pale. Then Cuihe continued: ¡°How I envy you, Concubine. Coming from a reputed family and not a merchant¡¯s household, you have the privilege to give birth to the Prince¡¯s eldest son. If it were someone of lesser birth like myself, the Prince would never permit it. The Prince¡¯s previous concubines were never so lucky. Whenever they went to his bedchamber, they had to ingest a chatine soup. I have heard that even if an ident happened and they fell pregnant, the Prince would dispose of the child.¡± ¡°Enough! You stop right there!¡± Wei Qingwan interrupted Cuihe. Her hands clenched tightly into fists. ¡°So, when Ie to visit you in the future, Concubine, will you allow me to do so?¡± ¡°What do you really want?¡± Wei Qingwan demanded. ¡°Nothing much. I am merely visiting on Queen¡¯s orders. Seeing that the Concubine and your unborn child are both safe and sound puts my mind at ease. I also hope that the Concubine will be able to look out for me, to some degree,¡± Cuihe exined. ¡°You are calcted, wanting the Queen as your support and me as your shield.¡± Wei Qingwan retorted coldly. ¡°Please calm down, Concubine. Your servant is of lowly status and knows her position well. I can only hope to secure a foothold in the Wang Residence; I am not attempting to gain anything more,¡± Cuihe exined. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯ve made idle chat, it¡¯s time for your servant to discuss important matters with the Concubine. I presume you¡¯ve heard of the recent happenings in the pce. With Queen Qi¡¯s passing, the Prince is understandably grieving. The Queen particrly sent me to remind the Concubine not to fan the mes and upset him,¡± Cuihe exined. ¡°She must be dissatisfied and deliberately hoping to ruin my peace!¡± Wei Qingwan countered. ¡°Nonsense. The Queen is merely concerned about the concubine. We are all the Prince¡¯s women. We should unite to serve the Prince well, rejoicing in his happiness and sharing in his worries.¡± ¡°You certainly have a way with words! It is no wasted effort that your parents sent you to study with me since childhood!¡± ¡°I only learned a bit, nothingpared to the educated concubine.¡± ¡°Have you finished talking?¡± ¡°There is one more thing. The Queen asked me to remind the concubine, no matter how jealous you are of your sister, Queen Rui, you should keep these feelings hidden away. Do not do anything rash like Queen Jing. The King Yu Residence doesn¡¯t want to offend the King Rui Residence, so please take this into ount.¡± Lady Cuihe added, ¡°The Queen also instructed me to tell the concubine, even if King Rui is not around, with Queen Rui¡¯s capabilities, she still has significant influence in the Capital City. She is not someone you can afford to provoke.¡± Lady Cuihe¡¯s remarks ignited Wei Qingwan¡¯s rage, and her words about Wei Ruo were like a sharp knife plunging directly into her chest, into her heart. She hated Wei Ruo the most, especially when her life was unsatisfactory while Wei Ruo lived prosperously! Lady Cuihe then nced at the empty bowl in front of Wei Qingwan and said, ¡°The concubine seems to be in good health, and the baby is very stable, even after frequent episodes of anger, the child is unharmed. With this, I can go back to report to the Queen.¡± Having finished speaking, Lady Cuihe walked away with a twist of her hips. Wei Qingwan was trembling with anger. Why does everyone humble her? Why can¡¯t these people stand her happiness! Whenever there¡¯s a little joy, someone intentionally causes trouble to upset her! She was so angry, so very angry! ### The Capital City spent the month of January in a tense and oppressive atmosphere. Shortly after January, the Emperor issued a decree, granting the Jiliao Region as the fief to King Rui, and ordered the King and Queen Rui to go there after the New Year. This decree came suddenly, and everyone in the court was surprised. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om If the Emperor¡¯s decree was for other Princes, everyone would not be surprised, but the grant was for King Rui, which left people rather confused. First of all, the Emperor¡¯s favor for King Rui was well known to all, and King Rui was in poor health. Everyone thought the Emperor would keep King Rui in the Capital City. Secondly, even if King Rui was to go to his fief, the Emperor should choose a fertile ce for him. The Jiliao Region was cold and hard, and close to the northern Jurchen Tribe. In recent years, the various Jurchen factions had been seething, and conflicts may break out at any moment. This region was evidently not a good fief! Opinions varied regarding King Rui¡¯s uing journey to the Jiliao Region. Some spected that King Rui had lost favor, while others spected that the Emperor was trying to keep King Rui safe. No matter what conjecture people in the Capital City had, the royal decree was already issued, and King Rui and Queen Rui would soon leave for the Jiliao Region. In King Rui¡¯s Residence, a dazed Wei Ruo got the news. ¡°Miss, could it be that our Prince has lost favor?¡± Xiumei anxiously questioned. Chapter 573: Can Leave the Capital City Now_1 Chapter 573: Chapter 573: Can Leave the Capital City Now_1 ¡°No, no, it isn¡¯t.¡± Wei Ruo shook her head. This must be her second brother¡¯s promise to take her away from Capital City! He has kept his promise! Wei Ruo was surprised and taken aback because she didn¡¯t expect things to move so quickly! Wei Ruo exined to Xiumei, ¡°My second brother once mentioned that he would take me away from Capital City, and I think this is his arrangement. I didn¡¯t tell you before because things were not certain.¡± ¡°Really? We can leave Capital City? That would be wonderful!¡± Xiumei eximed in excitement, paused in thought, then asked, ¡°Miss, where is the Jiliao Region?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the northeast of Daye, and also where Brother Xiaoyong will be transferred.¡± ¡°What? So we will be together with Brother Xiaoyong?¡± Xiumei¡¯s eyes brightened even more. Since Xu Zhengyong was to leave Capital City the next day, Xiumei was feeling a bit down. Yet now they would reunite very soon! ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Wei Ruo nodded. Perhaps this was also specifically arranged by my second brother? While Wei Ruo was thinking, Wei Jinyi came over. Wei Ruo turned her head to see Wei Jinyi standing at the gate of the courtyard. Draped in a dark blue cloak with a ck fur cor, he stood in the doorway, his bright eyes gazing at her softly. ¡°Second brother.¡± Wei Ruo took the initiative to walk towards Wei Jinyi, ¡°Was this imperial decree your arrangement?¡± Wei Jinyi slightly nodded. A smile spread across Wei Ruo¡¯s face, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t always have to thank me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to say besides thank you.¡± Wei Ruo said. Wei Jinyi remained silent. Wei Ruo then asked, ¡°Was it also your deliberate arrangement for us to go to the Jiliao Region?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Jinyi replied, ¡°It¡¯s a bitterly cold ce. Are you afraid?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind the harsh conditions, I¡¯m only afraid of not being able to use my capabilities.¡± ¡°Due to its harsh and barren conditions, the Jiliao Region has few entrenched noble families, and the local powers have no involvement in the court intrigue.¡± Wei Jinyi exined. ¡°You¡¯re right, second brother.¡± ¡°The condition of your adoptive mother¡¯s family is one of the considerations as well.¡± Wei Jinyi added. ¡°Thank you, second brother.¡± She knew that her second brother had taken this into consideration. Wei Ruopletely agreed with Wei Jinyi¡¯s views. Given the choice of picking a ce on the Geomancy Map of Daye, she would probably choose the same location too. Apart from the reasons mentioned by her second brother, there is another factor that she deemed important: the Jiliao Region was a treasurend for her. Despite its cold winters, it was a valuable piece of ck soilnd! Wei Ruo then asked Wei Jinyi, ¡°Have you almost finished dealing with everything now, second brother?¡± Although asking this question felt somewhat redundant, as her second brother had already been making the preparations to leave, Wei Ruo still wanted to know about the progress. She was afraid that Wei Jinyi had chosen to leave early because of her. ¡°Yes. The vengeance for my maternal grandparents¡¯ family has been avenged, the court situation is rtively stable, and the remaining affairs can be dealt with even if I¡¯m not in Capital City.¡± Wei Jinyi answered. After pausing, Wei Jinyi added: ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, I am not leaving the Capital City in a rush, everything is properly settled. I will not overlookter issues due to an early departure.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, at this moment, her joy and gratitude couldn¡¯t be expressed clearly through words. She felt very lucky in this life. Although her parents in this life weren¡¯t the best, at least she had gained many things that she didn¡¯t have in her previous life. ### After having lunch, Wei Ruo started to pack her belongings and prepare for her departure from the Capital City. The Emperor did not specify when they had to set off, but considering it was already February, Wei Ruo wanted to leave as soon as possible. This way, they could still make it in time for spring nting. Her houses, shops, factories, coal mines, poultry farms, and so forth had to be arranged. The valuable items were all put into her spatial storage; items that were generally valuable and not fragile were all packed; materials such as grains, coal, cotton, were partially stored into her spatial storage and others loaded onto the carriages. Partly because there was a limit to her spatial storage¡¯s capacity, and also because putting too many items into it might arouse suspicion. She did not wish to be regarded as a demon. Currently, the level of her spatial storage was seven, with a total of sevenpartments. At present, six of thesepartments in this spatial storage were full: one stored Wei Ruo¡¯s money and expensive jewelry, one stored rice, one stored wheat, one stored sweet potatoes, cotton and coal, one stored fresh meats, vegetables and fruits, and another stored misceneous items. The first five were filled to the brim, the sixth one still had some space left, and the seventh one was empty. Wei Ruo packed some of her luggage into the sixthpartment. The vegetables she had nted in the courtyard before the New Year were harvested. Those that couldn¡¯t be harvested were left behind. Since there were still a few people left in the King Rui Residence, Wei Ruo did not need to worry about the things left here being unattended. While Wei Ruo and Xiumei were busy, a servant came to report that Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin had arrived. ¡°Miss, would you like to see them? If you do not wish, we can turn them away.¡± The servant who came to make the report asked for Wei Ruo¡¯s opinion. Wei Ruo thought for a moment, ¡°Let them wait in the reception room in the front court.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo tidied herself up a bit before heading to the front hall. Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin were seated on the left side of the hall; the servants had already served hot tea and pastries. Seeing Wei Ruo enter, both men stood up. ¡°Please, sit. We have fewer formalities in the King Rui Residence.¡± After saying this, Wei Ruo sat down in her position. Wei Yichen and Wei Yilin didn¡¯t sit down immediately, instead, they looked at Wei Ruo, seeming to have something they wanted to say. ¡°Big sister! Are you really going to that bitterly cold ce in Jiliao?¡± Wei Yilin asked with a worried face. ¡°Yes, I will be setting off this month.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Then¡­after going there, will we not have a chance to see each other again?¡± Wei Yilin asked looking up at Wei Ruo, his eyes were slightly red. ¡°Possibly.¡± Wei Ruo was not quite sure. Without a summon, the princes who were assigned to outer territories rarely had a chance to return to Capital City. After Wei Ruo finished speaking, Wei Yilin suddenly stepped forward, grabbing Wei Ruo¡¯s sleeve. Wei Ruo looked at him in surprise. Wei Yilin pursed his lips as if he had a lot to say to Wei Ruo, but he could not articte a word. Wei Ruo asked with a smile: ¡°Are you feeling sad and upset? What? Can¡¯t bear to part with me?¡± ¡°Why¡­ Why are you like this?¡± Wei Yilin sounded upset, shifting his feet ufortably. Wei Ruo expected him to vehemently deny it. But to her surprise, he gritted his teeth, red at her and admitted: ¡°You are my biological sister, why would it be strange that I don¡¯t want to part with you?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 574: 574 Big Sister, Can You Forgive Me? _1 Chapter 574: Chapter 574 Big Sister, Can You Forgive Me? _1 Wei Ruo looked at Wei Yilin again. Feeling Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze, Wei Yilin averted his eyes, looking somewhat embarrassed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you cared about me so much now.¡± Wei Ruo, with a slight smile at the corners of her mouth, said it in a teasing tone. ¡°What are you saying? When did I ever not care about you?¡± ¡°When? Do you need me to remind you?¡± ¡°Could you not hold grudges about such old things!¡± Wei Yilin knew that Wei Ruo was bringing up his past hostility towards her again. ¡°Unable to help it. Who told me to have such a good memory?¡± ¡°Really! Remember the good times!¡± Wei Yilin eximed huffily, ¡°You¡¯re going so far away, try not to bring along your grudges. Bring something good instead.¡± ¡°Your words make sense.¡± Wei Ruo agreed. Then, Wei Ruo raised her head to look at Wei Yichen who had been silent at one side.
Since he hade along, he must have something to tell her. Their eyes met, but Wei Ruo could not read anything from his deep gaze. Wei Yichen said, ¡°Take care.¡± No long admonition, no excessively caring words, just two in words. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Ruo responded. Then, both of thempsed into silence, with the hall quiet around them. At that moment, Zhang Yi approached. ¡°Queen Mother, the Prince would like to chat with Mr. Wei in private. Is it convenient?¡± Wei Ruo narrowed her eyes. Big Brother wants to reveal his identity to Wei Yichen now. While unsure why Brother chose this moment to reveal himself.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo said, ¡°I have nothing to do here, please follow him to speak with the Prince.¡± Zhang Yi walked up to Wei Yichen, ¡°Please follow me, Young Sir.¡± Without asking any questions, Wei Yichen followed Zhang Yi out. After Wei Yichen left, Wei Yilin pondered for a moment and took out arge cloth bag that he had brought with him and reached out to give it to Wei Ruo. ¡°For you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t take it, instead, she puzzledly looked at the big cloth bag. It seems heavy, as if many items are inside. ¡°Take it when I give it to you!¡± Wei Yilin said impatiently. Wei Ruo took it and opened it to take a look. She was taken aback.
Inside there were silver coins, copper coins, silver notes, and a gem-encrusted dagger, just like the one she had given him before. There were both whole and broken pieces of silver. ¡°Did you take all your assets out?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°These are the savings that I umted over the years. They¡¯re useless to me in the Capital. You are going to that cold ce called Jiliao, where money is needed, so I¡¯ll give them to you.¡± Wei Yilin put on an air of being a grown-up.
¡°I ept your kind thoughts, but you don¡¯t need to give me money. There is no shortage of money in the Wang Residence.¡± Wei Ruo put the cash bag back into Wei Yilin¡¯s arms. Weilin tossed the bag back to Ruo, ¡°You notcking money is your thing; me wanting to give you money is mine. You are going so far away, I can¡¯t help too much, I should at least do something else, right?¡± Wei Ruo nced at the bag in her hand and then at Wei Yilin andughed. ¡°Why are youughing!¡± Wei Yilin asked, looking peeved. ¡°Wei Yilin, in fact, I was really not fond of you before. You were an annoying little brat, with no skills, and quite bothersome. Your mind did not seem to work too well. Initially, I sent you to martial arts training just to give you something to do, so you would not stay with Wei Qingwan all day and be up to no good, and also not bother me when you were idle.¡± Hearing these words, Wei Yilin was about to explode. Wei Ruo continued, ¡°But I did not expect to gain unexpected benefits. After hanging out with your master and your brothers, you have greatly changed, not only bing physically stronger but also much more obedient. You¡¯ve changed so much that I can¡¯t help but look at you with admiration.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Wei Yilin hummed, ¡°I admit that I was not likable before, but was it not simply a case of a child being clueless? Now that I have grown up and be more sensible, isn¡¯t that very normal?¡± Saying this, Wei Yilin looked up at Wei Ruo, ¡°Can¡¯t you forgive my childish misdeeds?¡± There was a hint of grievance in his pouting face, and a desire for forgiveness in his eyes. Wei Ruo stepped forward and ruffled Wei Yilin¡¯s hair with her hand. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you to my backyard to choose something.¡± Wei Ruo told Wei Yilin, then turned and walked out the door. ¡°Hey, wait, you didn¡¯t say if you¡¯ve forgiven me! Hey¡­¡± Wei Yilin stomped his foot, then quickly followed Wei Ruo.
Wei Ruo led Wei Yilin to Songzhu Garden. ¡°Is it okay to enter your private quarters now that I am grown-up?¡± Wei Yilin stood at the entrance of the courtyard and asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. There aren¡¯t as many rules at the King Rui Residence,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°King Rui is quite easy-going.¡± Wei Yilin muttered after he followed Wei Ruo into the courtyard. A lot of items were piled in the courtyard as they were packing up. Some of them were weapons. These iron items were forged from the steel smelted by the workshop next to the temple outside the city. In addition to the sword that was given to Wei Jinyi, more items were forgedter on. Spears, swords, halberds, axes, tridents, hooks, pitchforks ¡ª Wei Ruo had tried all the weapons she could possibly try. ¡°Take anything you like from these,¡± Wei Ruo pointed at the pile of weapons. Wei Yilin looked at these items and his eyes lit up. He ran over to the pile of weapons excitedly, squatted down, and started touching each one. After a long while, he picked up one, tried it out, and then swapped it for another one. After fussing around for a while, Wei Yilin excitedly asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Big Sister, where did you get so many good weapons from? I have never seen so many good weapons at my dad¡¯s ce! Even my masters and brothers don¡¯t have these!¡±
¡°I know magic. I magicked them out.¡± Wei Yilin¡¯s mouth twitched twice, ¡°Big Sister, could you not joke with me?¡± ¡°If you want a serious answer, I have a workshop that makes high-end weapons. The production capacity is low but the quality is high. The armor that my father wears was made in my workshop, as well as his most recent sword.¡± ¡°Really? Big Sister, you are amazing!¡± ¡°Stop ttering me and start choosing your weapons.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you right now.¡± After getting a confirmation from Wei Ruo, Wei Yilin squatted down again and started to choose his weapons. Finally, he was left with three items, two knives, and a spear, all of which he liked very much. He couldn¡¯t decide which one to take from these three items. ¡°Stop choosing, just take all three. I never said you could only take one item. Didn¡¯t I say you could take whatever you can carry?¡± ¡°Since you are giving me all three weapons, does it mean you have forgiven me?¡±
Chapter 575: 575: I Want to Join the Military_1 Chapter 575: Chapter 575: I Want to Join the Military_1 Wei Yilin persistently wanted to hear Wei Ruo say that she forgave him. ¡°Do you want it or not? If you don¡¯t want it, I won¡¯t offer it to you again,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I want it!¡± Wei Yilin hurriedly replied. Wei Yilin hugged all three weapons to his chest. Wei Ruo smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you find it heavy to carry all three at once? They¡¯re yours, no one can take them from you. You should let your servant carry them.¡± ¡°Is this it? I train regrly and have carried much heavier things! If I can¡¯t even carry these, how am I going to join the army and fight enemies?¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re nning to join the army?¡± Wei Ruo picked up on Wei Yilin¡¯s implication. At this, Wei Yilin¡¯s gaze darted away nervously. ¡°Seems like you are, did you mention it to your mother?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°What do you mean my mother? She¡¯s our mother!¡± Wei Yilin corrected.
¡°Either way is fine,¡± Wei Ruo didn¡¯t argue over the wording. ¡°Did you mention it to her?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I mentioned it once, got a scolding, and haven¡¯t dared to bring it up again,¡± Wei Yilin answered somewhat embarrassingly. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re still keen on joining the army,¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°A man should defend his home and country! I am my father¡¯s son, what else should I do if not go to battle? I¡¯m not like my older brother who knows how to study!¡± Wei Yilin said, with a serious and determined look on his still youthful face that conveyed a resolve beyond his years. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know what to say. She hadn¡¯t tried to stop Brother Xiaoyong from joining the army, so she couldn¡¯t really object to Wei Yilin doing the same. Wei Yilin asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Big sister, what about you? Do you approve of me joining the army?¡± Wei Ruo said, ¡°The battlefield isn¡¯t like your training at school. It¡¯s a ce filled with bloodshed and killing, it¡¯s extremely cruel. If your physical and mental states are ready, and you¡¯re clear about joining the army, then there¡¯s nothing I would do to stop you.¡± Wei Yilin nodded heavily, ¡°I¡¯ll think it through. To prevent you all from thinking I¡¯m just being impulsive, I¡¯ll ask father to take me to the military camp the next time he¡¯s back! After I¡¯ve seen an actual camp and battlefield, if I still want to sign up, you all should have nothing to say about it!¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°But I bet mom¡¯s yet to agree, she told me she¡¯s scared enough just knowing father is there. She doesn¡¯t want to worry about me too,¡± Wei Yilin murmured with a bowed head. Wei Ruo remained silent on this matter. Ultimately, it would be up to Wei Yilin tomunicate and negotiate. ¡°Come with me,¡± Wei Ruo told Wei Yilin. ¡°Leave the weapons behind for now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Wei Yilin was confused as he looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m going to take your measurements,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Are you going to make a suit for me?¡± Wei Yilin asked, ¡°No need, I have plenty of clothes. Mother had two new suits made for me at the New Year. I have more than enough, and I¡¯m in a growing phase now, I¡¯ll be as tall as my father and brother soon, so I won¡¯t fit into the clothes that fit me now.¡± Wei Yilin was very confident about his future growth. Despite the fact that he was already eleven years old, he was still quite small. ¡°It¡¯s not a regr suit, but close fitting armor. You said you want to go to the battlefield, right? Do you want it or not? If not, I¡¯ll stop measuring.¡±
¡°I want it, I want it!¡± Wei Yilin quickly agreed, afraid that Wei Ruo might change her mind if he hesitated. After taking two steps, Wei Yilin stopped again, ¡°Have a servant take my measurements.¡± Wei Ruo turned to look at Wei Yilin¡¯s slightly embarrassed expression, thinking that it was reasonable. After all, he was already eleven, even if this is ancient times, or even if it was the present day, a boy of eleven should have some modesty. Thus, Wei Ruo called a servant over and took Wei Yilin to the next room to take his measurements.
Before long, the measurements were taken. Wei Yilin came back and asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Big sister, what will the armor look like?¡± ¡°You agreed to it without knowing what it looks like?¡± Wei Ruoughed. ¡°I trust anything big sister makes,¡± Wei Yilin confidently replied. ¡°You know the good stuff!¡± Wei Ruoughed, ¡°It¡¯s made of extremely fine wire, which can withstand any weapon, it is a bit heavy, but it can save your life when it counts.¡± ¡°Wire? That stuff is hard, can it be made into clothing?¡± Wei Yilin questioned. ¡°As long as it¡¯s fine enough, it can. Of course, this demands a lot from the wire¡¯s toughness. If it¡¯s too brittle, it can¡¯t be woven, and if it¡¯s too soft, itcks protective capability. It needs a bnce,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Can the hardness and softness of iron change?¡± Wei Yilin asked, hearing about such methods for the first time. ¡°Of course it can. You can add carbon and other metallic elements to the iron to adjust its properties. Differentbinations can create different types of steel,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°That¡¯splicated,¡± Wei Yilin found it hard to grasp. ¡°Big sister, did you learn all this from the Master Craftsman?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Big sister, you are really amazing. You know so much.¡± ¡°The more skills, the better,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Exactly! So, I¡¯ve learned boxing, knife techniques, spear techniques, and whip techniques. The more skills, the better!¡±
Then Wei Yilin asked Wei Ruo, ¡°Big sister, do you want to see? I can show you right now!¡± Just in time, the new weapons that Wei Ruo had given him were handy. Wei Yilin could practice as well. ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± Wei Ruo moved a chair to sit on the side, warming her hands over a brazier and watching Wei Yilin practice his weapon techniques. Although Wei Ruo herself didn¡¯t have martial arts skills, there were plenty of skilled martial artists around her. So, she could roughly gauge someone¡¯s skill level. Wei Yilin certainly looked the part as he practiced with the weapons. Given his current trajectory, he could achieve something in the military in future. Wei Yilin practiced for an hour. Wei Yilin was energetic, practicing for an hour without gasping for air. It wasn¡¯t until Xiumei came to report to Wei Ruo that Wei Yichen and Wei Jinyi had finished their conversation and were waiting in the main hall. ¡°Alright, your big brother is waiting for you now, let¡¯s go.¡± Wei Ruo handed Wei Yilin a dry towel to wipe his sweat and asked him to rest in the room for a while to dry off before going outside. Just before leaving, Wei Yilin was still fretting over his armor, ¡°Big sister, when will my armor be ready?¡± ¡°It will take some time. It¡¯s not a quick process to make this kind of armor.¡± ¡°What if there¡¯s not enough time?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if I¡¯m not in Capital City, someone will bring it to your house.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good,¡± Wei Yilin sighed in relief, then he seemed to remember something, ¡°Big sister, you should also make a set of this wonderful armor for father!¡± ¡°He already has one,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Huh? When did that happen?¡± Chapter 576: 576 Departure_1 Chapter 576: Chapter 576 Departure_1 ¡°When I went to offer my New Year greetings, I left an address and a message for father to pick up his gifts, which include not only an armor but also some weapons,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Sister, you actually gave father all these presents! Why didn¡¯t you bring them directly to father¡¯s residence but asked him to retrieve them?¡± Wei Yilin asked, puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s better if fewer people know about certain things,¡± Wei Ruo responded, patting Wei Yilin¡¯s head. ¡°When you see our eldest brotherter, say less, especially about my matters.¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like our eldest brother?¡± ¡°Why do you have so many questions? Haven¡¯t we just reconciled recently?¡± ¡°But we are blood siblings! As our eldest brother said, blood ties are embedded in our bones, they are innate!¡± Wei Ruo shook her head, thinking that Wei Yichen must have been deeply hurt by Wei Qingwan, that¡¯s why he was now seeking sce in their blood ties. Wei Ruo returned to the front hall with Wei Yilin. Wei Yichen was already waiting for them in the hall. Wei Ruo consciously scrutinized Wei Yichen¡¯s expression as he should have met their second brother by now, hence he should already have known about their matters.
However, Wei Yichen¡¯s expression seemed perfectly normal, making it impossible for anyone to pry any information from him. Hence, Wei Ruo decided to drop the subject. ¡°Queen Rui, it¡¯s gettingte, my brother and I will not intrude any longer,¡± Wei Yichen bid Wei Ruo farewell. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t retain them and ordered their departure. ¡°Sister, I wille and see you off when you leave!¡± Wei Yilin shouted to Wei Ruo as he reached the door. Once Wei Ruo left for Jiliao, it was uncertain when they would meet again. Unluckily, they might not see each other again in this lifetime. With this thought, Wei Yilin felt upset and his eyes reddened. Wei Ruo waved at him. Wei Yilin waved back, showing reluctance as he departed from the King Residence. After the brothers left, Wei Ruo went to Wei Jinyi¡¯s study room. As if expecting Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi had already prepared tea. Wei Ruoughed, ¡°The understanding between second brother and me seems to deepen.¡± Wei Jinyi exined, ¡°I invited Wei Yichen to meet. You must be here to know about our conversation.¡± Wei Ruo admitted, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m curious about what you talked about and his reactions after seeing you.¡± In actuality, Wei Ruo had no doubts about Wei Jinyi¡¯s decision. Her curiosity was purely out of interest. ¡°His reaction wasn¡¯t big. Even though he was surprised to see me, he came to his senses quickly. He said he had foreseen that I was not dead, but he did not expect that I am the same person as King Rui,¡± said Wei Jinyi. Wei Jinyi also told Wei Ruo, ¡°He asked me whether I have ambitions for the throne. Upon learning that I don¡¯t, he urged me to take good care of you.¡± After hearing this, Wei Ruo was a little touched. Wei Ruo then asked Wei Jinyi, ¡°Now that he knows about your identity, what are his ns?¡±
¡°He said that he¡¯ll pretend to be unaware.¡± However, it was hard to discern his attitude from his response. Wei Ruo pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°Does second brother think he can be trusted?¡± ¡°He now ces the family¡¯s interest as priority. My matter involves our father, so whether he wishes to or not, he won¡¯t stand against me. As for his stance in this battle for the throne, I did not inquire,¡± Wei Jinyi replied.
¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Having finished discussing Wei Yichen¡¯s matter, Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, hesitated for a moment, and asked, ¡°Would second brother like to have dinner togetherter?¡± Wei Ruo seemed a bit embarrassed, but she chose to ask anyway. Previously, apart from special asions, they had their meals separately. But in order to express her gratitude to Wei Jinyi through actions, Wei Ruo nned to invite Wei Jinyi for all their meals during this period, given if he was willing. Wei Jinyi did not answer immediately, and Wei Ruo quickly added, ¡°Of course, if second brother prefers to dine alone, then forget I ever mentioned it.¡± ¡°I would be d to apany you,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Then¡­ then let¡¯s eat togetherter.¡± After saying this, Wei Ruo quickly turned and left Wei Jinyi¡¯s study. Outside the room, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but tease herself silently. Wei Ruo, what are you being embarrassed about? Isn¡¯t it just inviting second brother for meals? What¡¯s there to fuss about? Haven¡¯t you eaten together in the past? You must not behave this way next time!
### Over the next ten or so days, Wei Ruo was busy packing and arranging personal and business affairs. During this period, she received visits from many people, including her brothers from the Wei family, and other members of the Qunfang Association. Naturally, this included Qi Shijing and Wei Qingwan who came on behalf of the King Yu Residence and brought gifts for Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo saw them, but she only made a polite small talk with Qi Shijing, and did not talk to Wei Qingwan at all. Wei Qingwan behaved like a submissive wife, keeping her head down and seldom speaking. She checked her belly nervously from time to time, seemingly worried about the child she was carrying. After a short conversation, Wei Ruo sesigned citing health issues and bid them farewell. ### On the first day of February. The King Rui Residence was fully prepared, ready to set off. Before departing, Wei Jinyi apanied Wei Ruo to meet the Emperor in the pce. Wei Ruo gave the Emperor a big box of medicine for his future consumption. She sincerely hoped that the Emperor could live for a few more years. The longer he lived, the longer she and her second brother could livefortably.
The Emperor also privately bestowed some rewards on Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo. When they were parting, Wei Ruo noticed that the Emperor¡¯s eyes turned red. He stared at Wei Jinyi, his gaze filled with reluctance. Even though he was reluctant, the Emperor chose to send Wei Jinyi to his fief. He must have thought that this was a good way to protect Wei Jinyi.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After leaving the pce, Wei Ruo¡¯s party officially set off. A team of hundreds, 16 carriages, dozens of horses, started their majestic journey from the King Rui Residence to the east city gate. At the East City Gate, on top of the city wall, stood two tall silhouettes braving the cold wind. One person wore a ck outfit, and the other a purple one. The man on the left in ck was Chu Lan, and the man on the right in purple was Lu Yuhong. Lu Yuhong did note with Chu Lan. He was there to bid farewell to Wei Ruo. He happened to meet Chu Lan at the city gate and joined him. As Wei Ruo saved Lu Yuhong¡¯s life, he felt it his responsibility to see her off on her departure, whether out of affection or politeness. However, as a man from a different family, Lu Yuhong knew he should not meet Wei Ruo in order to avoid gossip. Therefore, he had previously sent gifts to the King Rui Residence in the name of his grandmother, and today he was standing at the city gate to bid her farewell from afar. ¡°Do you really have feelings for Queen Rui?¡± Lu Yuhong asked the person next to him, Chu Lan. Only their family knew the inside story of the poisoning attempt against Queen Rui by Queen Jing.
Chapter 577: 577: The Yun Family Tearfully Says Goodbye to Wei Ruo_1 Chapter 577: Chapter 577: The Yun Family Tearfully Says Goodbye to Wei Ruo_1 The King Jing, who is coveted by all the women in the Capital City, has developed feelings for his own sister-inw, Queen Rui. Who could believe such a rumor if it got out? If it hadn¡¯t been his grandfather who informed him of this, he wouldn¡¯t dare believe that Chu Lan could behave so outrageously! ¡°Since you¡¯ve already heard, why ask again?¡± Chu Lan essentially admitted to it with his response. ¡°You¡¯re so confused!¡± Lu Yuhong characterized. Chu Lan did not rebut this. ¡°Do you think that she and Doctor Xu are the same person?¡± Lu Yuhong asked again. ¡°They are indeed the same person.¡± Chu Lan asserted. ¡°What if they are not? The one you¡¯ve fallen for is Xu Heyou, not Queen Rui! Have you considered the possibility that you might be mistaken¡­¡± ¡°There are no ¡®what ifs.''¡± Chu Lan interrupted Lu Yuhong¡¯s words.
¡°These are not the words you would usually say, you shouldn¡¯t be so irrational!¡± ¡°If I weren¡¯t rational, I wouldn¡¯t be standing here talking to you right now.¡± Chu Lan expressed. If he was irrational, he would have plenty more things to do at this moment. If he was irrational, Wei Qingruo wouldn¡¯t be able to leave the Capital City today. ¡°You¡¯d better be more sensible! You should understand that because of this matter, the Emperor has be dissatisfied with you, has started favoring King Qin, and King Yu has begun to be reused,¡± Lu Yuhong reminded him. Gazing at Chu Lan¡¯s stern face, Lu Yuhong softened his tone, advising, ¡°You are still the most likely Prince to inherit the throne. You shouldn¡¯t let this petty romance ruin your promising future.¡± Chu Lan retorted coldly, ¡°Is that so? If it weren¡¯t for King Rui¡¯s poor health, wouldn¡¯t he have already been appointed as Crown Prince?¡± Then Chu Lan asked Lu Yuhong, ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed that there¡¯s been this invisible power behind the scenes pushing everything along, gradually reducing the influence of me and King Yu?¡± Lu Yuhong paused, then said, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who took care of King Yu yourself? You also sent the Qi Family away, where is this invisible power?¡± ¡°Yes, I made the actual moves, but all this was not part of my original n. I feel like I¡¯ve been pushed to carry out these ns before my wings were fully grown. Looking back, it feels like I have been someone¡¯s executioner.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think that this person behind the scenes is King Rui, do you?¡± Lu Yuhong asked with a look of surprise. After a pause, Lu Yuhong refuted, ¡°If it were King Rui pulling the strings behind all of this, wouldn¡¯t he have stopped disguising by now? He should take advantage of this time to recover, then naturally ascend to the throne. Why would he willingly head off to endure the harsh conditions of a distantnd?¡± Chu Lan didn¡¯t respond. His eyes were deep, seemingly bottomless. As Lu Yuhong and Chu Lan were talking, King Rui¡¯s convoy arrived at the city gate. There were particrly many people showing up to send Wei Ruo off today. Both sides of the road inside and outside the city gate were filled with people. These were people who had been helped by Wei Ruo: those who could not afford medical treatment and had received free soups and medicines at Wei Ruo¡¯s relief station; those who could not eat and had received food from Wei Ruo¡¯s relief station; and those who had no clothes and had received cotton-padded jackets and quilts from the relief station. All of these people benefited, even survived, because of Wei Ruo¡¯s help, so they came to send her off when they heard she was leaving the capital. The cold weather did not dampen their enthusiasm. Wei Ruo looked out of the carriage window and saw the crowd standing on both sides of the road. A warm sensation flowed through her heart.
King Rui¡¯s convoy stopped at the city gate, waiting for the city guards to confirm the paperwork and let them go. When they saw Wei Ruo¡¯s carriage stop, the crowd gathered around. Seeing the scene, Wei Ruo got off the carriage. Upon seeing Wei Ruo, the crowd knelt down in unison.
Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know what to do when she saw the crowd kneeling on the ground. ¡°Thank you, Queen, for saving our lives.¡± ¡°We will repay your kindness in our next lives, Queen.¡± ¡°May Queen Rui¡¯s journey be safe!¡± ¡°Long live Queen Rui!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The people kneeling on the ground thanked and blessed Wei Ruo. ¡°Thank you all,¡± Wei Ruo said moved, ¡°It¡¯s freezing out here, go back home soon, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Wei Ruo urged the people to leave, but they remained kneeling on the spot. Realizing that they were here to see her off, Wei Ruo decided to go back to the carriage. As soon as the city guards let them pass, she would leave, and these people could go home sooner. Just as Wei Ruo set foot on the step to the carriage, a sudden flurry of hoofbeats and shouts interrupted her. ¡°Wait! Queen, please wait a moment!¡± Wei Ruo looked back to see a carriage rushing over.
She recognized the coachman and the guards around the carriage as from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence. Wei Ruo then removed her foot from the step. Since the road was blocked by King Rui¡¯s convoy, the carriage that came afterwards couldn¡¯t move forward. As a result, the carriage from the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence stopped behind King Rui¡¯s convoy. A woman got off the carriage, it was Wei Ruo¡¯s mother, Madame Yun. With Cuiping¡¯s help, Madame Yun rushed towards Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo stood still, watching as Madame Yun swiftly approached her. Madame Yun seemed in such a hurry that she was unsteady, nearly stumbling twice over her own skirt. Normally elegant and dignified, Madame Yun ignored her soiled skirt and continued on without slowing down. Finally arriving in front of Wei Ruo, Madame Yun was stopped by King Rui¡¯s guards. ¡°Ruo¡¯er!¡± Madame Yun called out to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes were calm and serene. Wei Ruo made a slight gesture and the guards moved aside, allowing Madame Yun to approach. Standing in front of Wei Ruo, Madame Yun couldn¡¯t help but have moist eyes.
¡°Mother, what brings you here?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Madame Yun moved her lips and finally managed to ask, ¡°When will you return after leaving?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Wei Ruo replied. She was only telling the truth, no one could predict such a thing. There was a possibility that she might never return.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om There was also a possibility that she might return very soon. Of course, she hoped not toe back at all. Hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s answer, Madame Yun¡¯s eyes became even redder, and silent tears streamed down her face. Staring at Wei Ruo, there was a mix of reluctance and sorrow in her eyes. ¡°Take care on your journey¡­ Here is some money for your expenses, keep it on you.¡± Madame Yun took a brocade box from Cuiping and offered it to Wei Ruo. Cuiping further exined, ¡°Miss, these are the dowries that Madame personally kept with her.¡± In other words, these things were given to Wei Ruo by Madame Yun personally, not by the Wei Family, nor the elders, nor Wei Mingting.
Wei Ruo nced at the brocade box with a calm expression and did not reach out to take it. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Mother. But I don¡¯t need this. You keep it yourself.¡± Madame Yun¡¯s hand trembled as she said, ¡°This farewell could mean that we may never see each other again in this lifetime. This is a token of my feelings for you, and perhaps also thest thing I can do for you.¡± Chapter 578: 578: Decisive Break_1 Chapter 578: Chapter 578: Decisive Break_1 ¡°There¡¯s really no need, you don¡¯t have to do anything for me,¡± Wei Ruo declined. Madam Yun¡¯s hand stiffened. Wei Ruo¡¯s refusal was more decisive than she had imagined. ¡°Ruoruo!¡± Madam Yun¡¯s face was stained with tears. ¡°Mother, please go back,¡± Wei Ruo said impassively. As she spoke, Wei Ruo nced at Cuiping who was standing nearby. ¡°Take madam back.¡± After saying this, Wei Ruo turned away. Even on possibly theirst meeting, she had nothing to say to Madam Yun. ¡°Ruoruo! Ruoruo! Ruoruo¡­¡± Watching Wei Ruo turn and leave, Madam Yun repeatedly called her name.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Wei Ruo didn¡¯t look back, she just climbed back into the carriage. ¡°Ruoruo!¡± Madam Yun tried to follow, but was stopped by Xiumei. Cuiping, standing next to her, also held her back: ¡°Madam¡­¡± ¡°Ruoruo!¡± Madam Yun continued to call out to Wei Ruo, ignoring Cuiping and Xiumei¡¯s attempts to stop her. Wei Ruo heard Madam Yun calling her but didn¡¯t turn back. Wei Ruo returned to the carriage, disying a cool expression. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t understand why Madam Yun was so affected by their parting, perhaps she realized that this might be thest time she¡¯d see her birth daughter? She saw Madam Yun¡¯s tears. For some reason, seeing those tears and her sad demeanor, she didn¡¯t feel anything. Even the original consciousness remaining in this body felt no ripple. There was neither joy nor sorrow, it was simply indifferent. Compared to Madam Yun, Wei Ruo was actually more filled with joy at leaving the Capital City and anticipation for her uing life. Wei Ruo turned to look at Wei Jinyi, beside her. To maintain King Rui¡¯s frail appearance and the loving facade between him and his wife, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi share the same carriage as they left the capital. Wei Jinyi wouldn¡¯t be free to move about until they reached the Jiliao Region. Until then, he would avoid showing his face as much as possible. At this moment, Wei Jinyi was also looking at Wei Ruo. Their eyes met, and Wei Ruo read concern in his eyes. Wei Ruo gave him a slight smile, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. Neither the Capital City nor the Wei Family holds anything I can¡¯t bear to part with. On the contrary, my foster family has already moved to Jiliao, and I can be with them once I get there. I¡¯m looking forward to that.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± From Wei Ruo¡¯s hopeful eyes, Wei Jinyi could tell that she truly felt this way. Then, Wei Ruo leaned back onto the carriage¡¯s cushion.
Madam Yun¡¯s voice could still be heard intermittently outside. However, this didn¡¯t affect Wei Ruo¡¯s mood at all. Soon, the King Rui¡¯s caravan was on its way again, Madam Yun¡¯s voice, as well as the voices of those who came to see them off grew fainter and fainter until unheard. Madam Yun stood in the same spot, her gaze following King Rui¡¯s caravan until it disappeared through the city gates. ¡°Madam, let¡¯s go back,¡± Cuiping coaxed.
Madam Yun didn¡¯t move. ¡°Madam¡­¡± Only after few persuasions from Cuiping did Madam Yun slowly turn around and begin to retrace her steps, her expression impassive. ### Atop the city walls, Chu Lan and Lu Yuhong watched as King Rui¡¯s caravan left the city. Lu Yuhong had been worried that Chu Lan would cause trouble during this period. Fortunately, nothing happened until King Rui¡¯s caravan had disappeared into the distance, looking like a line of ants from the city walls. Only then did Lu Yuhong let out a sigh of relief and turned back to Chu Lan, ¡°King Rui and his entourage have officially left. You can rest easy now, King Rui is not what you think, what you are thinking is just by utter chance, he doesn¡¯t have the power to contend for the throne.¡± Chu Lan didn¡¯t say anything; his face remained grim. He didn¡¯t know whether this oue was good or bad for him. If King Rui was faking his illness, then he might have had a reason to attack him, and King Rui would not simply leave the Imperial City for the Jiliao Region. He woulde back someday. If King Rui was indeed unwell, then he really would go to the Jiliao Region, and even if he became a widower, he wouldn¡¯t return to the capital. Lu Yuhong continued to gaze at the sight beyond the city walls, continuing, ¡°She¡¯s a good person, who has saved my life. I hope that her journey is safe and smooth, calm and without any health or natural disasters.¡± Then Lu Yuhong turned to Chu Lan, ¡°Whether she is Doctor Xu or not, she is kind to you too. Just bless her together with me, and stop thinking about other things.¡±
Chu Lan didn¡¯t respond. He just turned away and left. Lu Yuhong followed him, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, shall we go for a drink?¡± Previously due to his injuries, and to avoid implicating the Lu Family in the power struggle, Lu Yuhong had deliberately kept his distance from Chu Lan after returning to the capital. Now, the change in the situation lessened his concerns. Chu Lan didn¡¯t refuse. After they descended the city wall, he went with Lu Yuhong to a nearby tavern. ### After leaving the city, Wei Ruo leaned out of the carriage, looking at the world outside. She had seen this vastnd when she came, but her mood was different now. Then Wei Ruo turned back to look at Wei Jinyi inside the carriage. He was leaning against the soft cushion, his eyes closed, looking peaceful. He was very gentle, at least towards her, his sister. He had protected her in the Capital City up until now, and had helped her fulfill her wish. Now, it was her turn to protect him! Jiliao, his fiefdom, was currently suffering from harsh conditions,ck of food, and clothing. After they arrived, she would do her best to turn it into a ce of abundance, where he, as the prince, could live a life of leisure! She would make him the happiest and most worry-free prince! Wei Jinyi suddenly opened his eyes, meeting Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze.
Wei Ruo smiled at him. ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± Wei Jinyi asked, his voice gentle. ¡°I was thinking about what we will nt in the spring. The climate and conditions there must be different from Jiangzhe and the surroundings of the Capital City. We¡¯ll have to wait until we get there to know exactly how. So, I can only make a rough analysis and prediction.¡± Seeing Wei Ruo talk with anticipation about the future, a smile also appeared on Wei Jinyi¡¯s lips. ¡°I have already sent people there in advance. If they push hard, they can get there more than half a month before us. This way, they can survey the condition of thend and the weather, the agricultural situation, and of course also buynd from the people and assist those in need,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Brother, have you already arranged all this?¡± Wei Ruo looked unbelievingly at Wei Jinyi. ¡°Mmm. But the main part still needs you to arrange. I merely sent people in advance to avoid us arriving toote and forcing you to rush the spring nting,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t even know how tomend you properly!¡± What she thought of but was unable to do, her brother did it for her. What she thought of but didn¡¯t have time to do, her brother also did it for her. The feeling of surprise was really indescribable. Wei Jinyi smiled faintly, memorizing the radiant smile on Wei Ruo¡¯s face. To him, this smile was more precious than anything, even surpassing that position within the Imperial City.
Chapter 579: 579 - What Kind of Woman Would the Second Brother Like?_1 Chapter 579: Chapter 579 ¨C What Kind of Woman Would the Second Brother Like?_1 The journey from Capital City to Jiliao was arduous, especially when Wei Ruo and the others carried a good deal of baggage. Consequently, they traveled slower than the early groups from the Xu family and those dispatched by Wei Jinyi. Passing by areas where disaster victims huddled together, Wei Ruo would distribute some food to them. She could not give too much, as they were still on the road and could not part with an excess of rations. Wei Ruo had more in her possession, but they could not be taken out casually without raising suspicion. Ten dayster, while passing by the outskirts of Xinghuai Town, Wei Ruo halted the team to distribute food to a group of women and children huddled under arge tree by the roadside. Each one of them bowed in gratitude to Wei Ruo as they received their ration. As Wei Ruo was about to return to the carriage, one of the women fell to her knees in front of her. Wei Ruo observed that the woman, though d in the garb of a disaster victim and besmirched with dirt and disheveled hair, had a beautiful face. If properly cleaned and groomed, she would be quite a beauty. ¡°Thank you, Madam, for saving our lives! I am willing to serve you tirelessly in return for this life-saving grace!¡± the woman cried. ¡°I have no need for more maids.¡± Wei Ruo was not one to let strange peoplee close to her. All this time, only Xiumei had been with her, followedter by Lin Fang, and no one else at the moment.
¡°Madam, I can do anything! Please give me a chance to express my gratitude!¡± the woman begged. ¡°No need.¡± Wei Ruo declined and returned to the carriage. The team moved on, with the woman trailing behind from noon to nightfall, until her strength gave out and she copsed by the roadside. Wei Ruo remained unmoved. It was at this time that she observed Wei Jinyi call Xiaobei over to the carriage, have a few words with him, and watch him depart. Suspicious, she could not help asking, ¡°Brother, could you be feeling a touch ofpassion for a damsel in distress?¡± ¡°I told Xiaobei to deal with her,¡± Wei Jinyi answered. ¡°Hurt her? That woman?¡± Wei Ruo asked, surprised. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t her insistent followingspite my refus sign of deep gratitude?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Her motives are not rooted in gratitude; she has other intentions. If she were truly grateful, she would have taken your feelings into consideration when you refused her. She would have understood the need to retreat. The first priority of expressing gratitude should be to consider the preferences of the benefactor. Her obstinacy has nothing to do with trying to please you. She merely saw the splendor of our caravan and our generous actions, hoping to secure a better future for herself.¡± Wei Jinyi exined. Wei Ruo felt an unexpected surge of joy. She had had the same feeling, which was why she had remained indifferent when the woman had insisted on following. However, she hid her reaction and feigned ignorance, ¡°Even so, was there a need to hit her? Even ants know the art of survival. Isn¡¯t it understandable that she¡¯d go to such lengths to find a way out for herself?¡± ¡°Upon our first meeting, her face wasyered with dirt, masking her true face. Butter when she came to kneel down in front of you, she had wiped off the dirt, revealing her true visage. During the time you were distributing steamed bread, she had many opportunities to approach you but did not; she instead waited till you reached the carriage before doing so. It¡¯s hard not to suspect that she was actually targeting me, not you.¡± Wei Jinyi analyzed. When the woman had knelt before Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi had seen through the gap in the carriage door that when she looked up, her gaze had momentarilynded on the inside of the carriage. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°What an act, brother!¡± she eximed. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I thought men weren¡¯t capable of discerning women¡¯s ploys. I didn¡¯t expect you to be the exception!¡± ¡°¡­¡±
¡°Your wife will be truly blessed one day, brother. With those discerning eyes of yours, none of the cunning women in your household would ever be able to deceive you. You won¡¯t even need a main wife to maintain order,¡± Wei Ruo mockingly said. ¡°I already have¡­¡± A wife. ¡°What are you saying, brother? I couldn¡¯t hear you. You¡¯re too soft,¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Wei Jinyi replied.
Looking at Wei Jinyi¡¯s rather stern face, Wei Ruo found herself drawn into contemtion. Wei Ruo knew that leaving Capital City, free from distractions, would present a new issue ¨C the false spousal rtionship between them. Both she and her brother were of age. Although she had no ns of marrying, it didn¡¯t mean her brother shared her sentiments. If her brother wished to find a woman and lead a normal marital life, she could not possibly interfere. Therefore, Wei Ruo tentatively asked, ¡°Brother, what kind of woman do you like? An erudite and deeply poetic woman? Or one full of bravado, equal to men?¡± ¡°Neither,¡± Wei Jinyi stated. ¡°You don¡¯t want a woman akin to you, both schrly and skillful in martial arts, do you?¡± That would be quite a challenge. Instead of answering Wei Ruo¡¯s question directly, Wei Jinyi asked, ¡°Why do you ask, Ruoruo?¡± ¡°Well¡­ just a sister¡¯s concern for her brother,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Ruoruo, there¡¯s no need for concern. I have no interest in love or marriage,¡± Wei Jinyi dered. No interest in love or marriage? Wei Ruo narrowed her eyes and then reached out to Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand.
Wei Jinyi hastily withdrew his hand. ¡°Ruoruo, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Brother, I¡¯m taking your pulse,¡± Wei Ruo exined. Given his prime age, Wei Ruo worried that his physical health might have issues if he had no interest in the opposite sex. Wei Jinyi¡¯s brows furrowed, and after a moment¡¯s pause, he extended his hand. If he were to resist her attempt to read his pulse, it would only serve to heighten her concerns.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo dly took Wei Jinyi¡¯s wrist. His pulse was strong and steady ¨C if anything, he was exceptionally healthy. Wei Ruo was relieved. If hisck of interest was merely a personal choice, then she had no ce to interfere. After all, matters of the heart were personal preferences. Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo and returned the question, ¡°What about you, Ruoruo? What kind of man do you want to marry?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really entertain thoughts of marriage either. As you know, brother, I used to think about marrying a dying man just to avoid the hassles of serving a husband and his family,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°So what kind of man does Ruoruo like?¡± Wei Jinyi pursued. Held in his deep gaze was an unsettling restlessness beneath his seeminglyposed face.
¡°Before, I thought I wouldn¡¯t fall for any man. But recently, I¡¯ve discovered that if there existed such a man, I would be no different from other women ¨C a victim of fleshly desires,¡± Wei Ruo admitted. ¡°What kind of man?¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s hard to describe.¡± She couldn¡¯t borate, for the man she was thinking about was none other than the man in front of her ¨C her second brother. If she confessed, considering his wisdom, he would definitely find out. Discovering that the sister he had always loved and cherished harboured such feelings towards him might give him a shock. If this revtion were to distance him from her, she would be devastated. Chapter 580: 580 Arriving at Jiliao_1 Chapter 580: Chapter 580 Arriving at Jiliao_1 Therefore, she decided to keep this secret hidden within her heart for the time being, so as to maintain the close and natural rtionship with her second brother. Wei Jinyi could tell that the ¡°such man¡± Wei Ruo referred to was specific. Has she met him? What kind of man is he? Thinking of this, Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand underneath her sleeve tightened involuntarily. Then the two of them looked in different directions, each with their own thoughts. What wasmon was that neither continued the topic, nor chose to break the paper-thin barrier.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ### March 6th. Despite the somewhat chilly weather, the sunshine was bright, much like Wei Ruo¡¯s mood.
Wei Ruo and her party finally reached their residence in Jiliao. Wei Ruo jumped down from the horse carriage, followed by Wei Jinyi who immediately draped a cloak over Wei Ruo¡¯s shoulders. ¡°The weather here is not the same as in the Capital City. Don¡¯t get cold.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wei Ruo tightened her clothes and then looked up at the gate. The entire gate looked old, only the que was newly changed, with the three big characters ¡°King Rui Residence¡± written on it. This was their new home. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi entered the gate. This government residence was smaller than their residence in the Capital City, and it was much more rundown, looking somewhat neglected. But even so, it was still the most luxurious building in the surrounding area. Observing the journey they had taken, thend was vast with sparse poption, the people were poor, the houses were simple, and even the government office looked rundown. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t mind at all. In fact, she was looking forward to it. A portion of the rooms had been cleaned by an advance party, and Wei Ruo and the others could move in directly. Because the house was notrge, there were only two spacious and bright courtyards in the backyard, and the rest were rtively small. Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi had one each, just like their homes in Xingshan County¡¯s Wei Family, the houses were linked. Xiumei had just moved adder in, and Wei Ruo leaned it against the fence and looked over to the other side. Wei Jinyi, who was quick to perceive, lifted his head and saw Wei Ruo¡¯s beaming face. A smile also formed on Wei Jinyi¡¯s face as he gazed tenderly at Wei Ruo. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Wei Jinyi asked.
¡°Checking if your courtyard is suitable for growing bamboo.¡± Because in Xingshan County, Wei Jinyi¡¯s bamboo garden was filled with bamboo nts. ¡°There¡¯s space in the courtyard to nt them, but I¡¯m not sure if bamboo will survive in Jiliao?¡± ¡°I want to give it a try and see if my talent for growing any nts can work on bamboo.¡±
¡°Okay, as you wish.¡± ¡°Second Brother, should my courtyard be called Tingsong Garden or Songzhu Garden?¡± Wei Ruo asked. Wei Jinyi paused, not quite understanding the purpose of Wei Ruo¡¯s question. ¡°I think both are nice.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°I think Songzhu Garden sounds better.¡± ¡°Okay, as you wish.¡± ¡°Second brother, will we still eat together in the future?¡± Wei Ruo continued to ask. During theirst days in the Capital City and on the journey here, they had always been dining together. ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you give another answer, Second Brother? If you always leave things up to me, who knows what I might do,¡± Wei Ruo said in a mix of jest and seriousness. ¡°If Ruoruo agrees, I would like to dine with her,¡± Wei Jinyi replied. He was willing to do so. He was just afraid that she would disagree, or feel burdened, or be disturbed. ¡°Great!¡± Upon receiving a satisfactory answer, Wei Ruo finally came down from the wall.
### Upon settling in, Wei Ruo immediately began to get busy with matters rting to spring nting. Everything has its season, and time waits for no one. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t want to miss this year¡¯s best nting season. Although Jiliao was Wei Jinyi¡¯s fiefdom, he did not have administrative jurisdiction over it. Most of the people andnd were still governed by the local government office. However, as the prince of the fiefdom, arge amount ofnd was allocated to him. This was thend that she nned to arrange for now. This round of spring nting would be dedicated to nting potatoes, the new seed that she just unlocked with the upgrade of her space! Wei Ruo had been waiting for potatoes for quite a while. This crop is very high-yielding. In her previous world, it fed countless people and led to a poption boom. She thought that since sweet potatoes could be unlocked, so could potatoes. Indeed, they really came¡ªand at the right time! It was like someone sending a pillow when you are sleepy. She decided to experiment with this ck soil! Not that this ce was not suitable for growing rice. As a matter of fact, rice could be grown in Jiliao. Not only could it be grown, if the variety tolerated cold and frost, the quality of the rice grown on thisnd was very high. However, at present, the conditions for growing rice were not met, and there was an urgent need for food. Compared to rice, the potato growth cycle is shorter!
The potatoes from Wei Ruo¡¯s space were early maturing varieties. From sprouting to harvest, they needed only sixty days. Like this, they could nt at least three seasons before winter came! Wei Ruo nned not only to nt potatoes on thend under the King Rui Residence but also to encourage the local people to nt potatoes with her. For this, Wei Ruo needed to prepare. To change the grain type is a big deal. Thend resources are limited, and if the crop fails mid-growth, it can¡¯t be easily changed. This affects a family¡¯s livelihood. So, to convince them in a short time, Wei Ruo had toe up with reasons they could believe. The first thing Wei Ruo nned to do was to distribute grain! Apart from the portion of grain that was transported by their party this time, there would be nearly a hundred more carts of grainingter. This was stored earlier by Wei Ruo in the warehouses of King Rui Residence and near the Capital City. Because the carts were heavy and needed to be very careful with bandits along the way, it would take more time than Wei Ruo¡¯s main party. Even if they left earlier, they would arrive a few dayster. Wei Ruo nned to keep some of the grain for this year¡¯s food for the residence staff and distribute all the rest ording to the poption count to the local residents. Anyway, she has been using excess grain for relief aid. Although the people of Jiliao are not disced and have not be disaster victims, judging from what she saw on the journey here, they are not far from bing refugees. She was going to use this grain for relief aid anyway, so why not use it to help the people of her own territory? Besides, this move could also earn some reputation for the Residence that would help her in her future work. Therefore, Wei Ruo called Zhang Yi, Ke Chongshan, Yu Zixiu and others over, circled a ce on the map, and told them her decision to distribute food to the people in this area.
This decision of Wei Ruo¡¯s surprised and perplexed Zhang Yi, Ke Chongshan, Yu Zixiu and others. They felt that Wei Ruo¡¯s move was too risky. Although it¡¯s good to help people, leaving only enough food for theing year was somewhat risky. Chapter 581: 581 Reunion with Godmother_1 Chapter 581: Chapter 581 Reunion with Godmother_1 The Jiliao region is a bitterly cold area; this year¡¯s harvest is difficult to guarantee, and there might be another poor grain yield this year. Though the royal court annually provides a sry to the King Rui Residence, the current state of the court is already well known. With ongoing wars and natural disasters, the national treasury has be empty. Even though the Emperor cherishes King Rui, he is now away from the capital. Whether or not the sry will be received on schedule and in full is now uncertain, given the Emperor¡¯s distance. Yun Zixiu, the butler of the Wang Residence, found Wei Ruo¡¯s decision very inappropriate. He hurriedly exined his concerns to her, hoping Wei Ruo would reconsider and proceed with caution. Wei Ruo calmly responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you starve.¡± Wei Ruo was brimming with confidence. This was not misguided confidence. She presently had eight plots ofnd in her possession. If all were nted on time, there would be no problem in providing for everyone in the Wang Residence. Not to mention her warehouse was still eighty percent full. Even without further production, just consuming the food stored in this warehouse would be enough to feed everyone in the Wang Residence for three to five years. When Wei Ruo insisted, Yun Zixiu and others had toply. Not only was Wei Ruo their superior to whom they had to obey, the grain itself was brought in by Wei Ruo. How it was to be handled was up to her. On the third day after the arrival of the King Rui Residence, the locals were astonished by the sudden good fortune.
This wasn¡¯t the arrival of a prince; it was like the arrival of a living saint! The Jiliao region had been without a prince for a long time, and people were unsure what it would be like to have a prince governing thend. When they had first heard about the arrival of a prince, they were worried. They feared that the prince would increase taxes, adding another burden to their already struggling lives. But who would have expected such a scenario? The King Rui Residence distributed grain directly to each household. At first, when the news spread, people didn¡¯t believe it. It wasn¡¯t until their turn came, watching the giant sack of wheat, that they truly believed the King Rui Residence had indeed distributed grain to them!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om This was refined grain that they had not seen for several years! It felt like they were in a dream! Next, Wei Ruo announced that the Wang Residence was promoting the cultivation of potatoes and sweet potatoes. Seeds could be taken for free, and only a third of the harvest needed to be returned. If the yield was less than three times the seed quantity, there was no need to return anything. Most of the locals were illiterate, cloudy about these rules and couldn¡¯t calcte whether it was profitable or not. But since Wei Ruo had distributed grain upon her arrival, therge bag of grain was more valuable than these seeds. Moreover, the King Rui Residence had publicized the fact that potatoes grew quickly, had a high yield, and could feed the whole family once grown. Therefore, people enthusiastically joined the ranks of potato growers. After all, they didn¡¯t have a better choice. Nothing grew well here, and with the poor climate of the past two years, they could barely eat, even depredating wild grasses. Hence, taking new seeds and trying out new crops didn¡¯t feel like a loss.
As the old saying goes, ¡®the barefooted are not afraid of those wearing shoes.¡¯ When one reaches a certain level of poverty, there¡¯s nothing left to fear. After the ntation began, Wei Ruo worked from morning till night almost every day, advocating in the fields. The Jiliao region had one advantage: itsnd was vast and sparsely popted with a t terrain, so almost every family had a considerable amount ofnd. People were unable to get enough to eat previously because of the cold climate and frozen soil that made it hard to grow crops. Even those crops that did survive yielded low production.
In reality, thisnd was not barren; the climatic conditions were just not suitable for prior crops. With suitable crops to nt, the farming work was not troublesome but was even more time and effort-savingpared to when Wei Ruo was in Jiangzhe. However, the distance Wei Ruo had to walk each day was tens of times the distance she used to walk in the Huzhou Prefecture countryside. In the beginning, Wei Jinyi apanied Wei Ruo in the guise of Wang Jin. As they gradually became familiar with the surroundings, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t apany her every time. When not with Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi would stay in the residence to handle affairs from the Capital City. He constantly kept in touch with the Capital City and monitored the movements of the political situation in the Capital City. Although he had no ambitions for inheritance, he also needed to ensure the safety of himself and Wei Ruo. He couldn¡¯t forfeit his defensive capabilities, so he needed to ensure the political situation was within his control and urately know about movements of potential threats. ### On March 15, Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu arrived at the Wang Residence to reunite with Wei Ruo. Xu Zhengyong¡¯s military base was located further north at the border. His residence was in a small town by the border, where Xu¡¯s parents should have been residing. Now that Wei Ruo was there, they naturally came to reunite with her. The only regret was that Xu Zhengyong had already entered the militarypound and could not travel freely, so he didn¡¯te along this time. Upon seeing Wei Ruo in her current state, Aunt Xu was overjoyed and teary-eyed. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m so happy! Things are really going great now!¡±
¡°Auntie, why haven¡¯t you changed your habit yet? You can¡¯t call me ¡®miss¡¯ anymore,¡± Wei Ruo corrected. Aunt Xu embarrassingly replied, ¡°It¡¯s a habit. I can¡¯t change it all at once.¡± ¡°Try calling me once,¡± Wei Ruo suggested. ¡°This¡­¡± Aunt Xu opened her mouth, but couldn¡¯t find the words for quite some time. ¡°You can call me the same way as Second Brother, Ruoruo,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Ru¡­Ruo¡­ruo¡­¡± Aunt Xu said, awkwardly pronouncing Wei Ruo¡¯s name. ¡°Yes!¡± Wei Ruo responded enthusiastically and cheerfully hugged Aunt Xu. Aunt Xu stiffened for a moment before reaching out to hug Wei Ruo back. The delicate little girl had not only grown up, she had also finally broken free from those restraints and started living her own life. After a brief reunion, Wei Ruo discussed the uing ns with Aunt Xu. We Ruo currently had no ns of establishing a business in the Jiliao area; all her ns revolved around how to increase production to feed the people living on thisnd. nting potatoes didn¡¯t require any sophisticated skills; the main task was coordination and nning.
As long as they could peacefully spend these sixty days and wee the first harvest, future matters should be easier to handle. After discussing official matters, Aunt Xu brought up an issue with Wei Ruo. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Aunt Xu began, but was red at by Wei Ruo, causing her to correct herself, ¡°Ruoruo, there¡¯s something I would like to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Mother, please speak,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Xiaoyong is no longer young, and he should start his own family. He¡¯s currently in the military which might dy his potential marriage. However, if he doesn¡¯t marry soon, I won¡¯t be able to face our ancestors!¡± Chapter 582: 582: Xiaobeis Confession_1 Chapter 582: Chapter 582: Xiaobei¡¯s Confession_1 Madam Xu was, in many respects, a very traditional person. She had little expectation for Wei Ruo, but for her own son, she hoped he could start a family and carry on the family line in a timely manner. ¡°Indeed, he¡¯s not young anymore, but this matter depends on Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s thoughts. If he doesn¡¯t want to get married, we can¡¯t force him,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Well, this problem is manageable. A while ago, I asked him once, and he said he wanted to get married,¡± Madam Xu replied. Hearing this, the expression on Xiumei at the side changed a bit, as if she was somewhat surprised. ¡°Oh? Brother Xiaoyong wants to get married? Alright, this makes things easier then,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Yes. So I was thinking of perhaps finding him a match, see if there is ady willing. As long as she doesn¡¯t mind Xiaoyong¡¯s condition, and is willing to be with him, I will certainly treat her well and make sure she isn¡¯t wronged.¡± ¡°This can be easily taken care of. I¡¯ll send someone to find the local matchmakerter, ask her for some portraits of eligible bachelorettes suitable for his age. We can filter them first before presenting them to Brother Xiaoyong. Furthermore, when I find the time, I¡¯ll find the local Madam Vige Head to have a chat with. They should know well about the local women.¡± Hearing this, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t we rushing this a bit?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re just helping Brother Xiaoyong look at this stage, not settling it right now. Whether he wants to get married ultimately depends on if we find someone he likes,¡± Wei Ruo exined. ¡°Alright,¡± Xiumei acknowledged, then lowered her head, looking somewhat weighted down.
### Wei Ruo was serious about this matter and promptly arranged for Yun Zixiu to get in touch with the local matchmakers. By nightfall, the portraits had been delivered to Wei Ruo. Xu Zhengyong was currently a sixth-rank general, a significant official in the locality. As such, he virtually had his pick from the localdies, and the portraits delivered to Wei Ruo were of the most outstanding women around. As Wei Ruo went through them one by one, Xiumei remained silent at her side. Wei Ruo, paying no mind to it, asked Xiumei for her opinion. ¡°Meimei, what do you think of Miss Liu?¡± Xiumei nced at the portrait, which showed a dignified and beautiful youngdy from a noble family. Xiumei grumbled, ¡°Such a beautifuldy, he, the brute, is getting a bargain!¡± ¡°Brother Xiaoyong might be a bit brutish, but he would certainly be a good husband. It wouldn¡¯t matter if his wife is softer and weaker, she wouldn¡¯t be wronged,¡± Wei Ruo assured. Xiumei just pursed her lips. Wei Ruo, upon seeing Xiumei in displeasure, asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it that you¡¯re not satisfied with Miss Liu? No problem, there are still manydies from different families here. We¡¯ll first shortlist some, thenter let Brother Xiaoyong choose for himself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. Just feeling a bit upset, but can¡¯t exactly say why,¡± Xiumei replied. ¡°My good Meimei, you mustn¡¯t have gotten a bug. Let me check, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯vee down with something because you¡¯re not used to the water and soil of Jiliao.¡± Wei Ruo immediately went to take Xiumei¡¯s pulse. After a while, Wei Ruo said: ¡°Good, good. My Meimei is all fine.¡± Xiumei said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the kitchen first and fix some food.¡± Then she quickly turned and left. Wei Ruo watched Xiumei rush away, stroked her chin, and fell into thought. ###
When Xiumei left the room, she headed towards the kitchen with her head down, and identally ran into Xiaobeiing in from the back yard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Xiumei quickly apologised. ¡°No, no, are you hurt, Lady Xiumei?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good then. Where are you heading, Lady Xiumei?¡± Xiaobei asked her with concern. ¡°Going to prepare some food,¡± Xiumei replied, seeming quite absentminded. Xiaobei, sensing that something was off with Xiumei, asked, ¡°Is there something bothering you, Lady Xiumei?¡± ¡°Not exactly any troubles.¡± Xiumei answered, paused for a moment, then asked Xiaobei, ¡°Xiaobei, you¡¯re not young anymore either, have you ever thought of finding a woman and settling down?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xiaobei was taken aback by Xiumei¡¯s question. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°This matter¡­ this matter¡­ The master did mention it to me¡­ but¡­ but¡­¡± Stammering and stuttering, Xiaobei struggled toplete his sentence. ¡°But what?¡± Xiumei curiously asked. Xiaobei scratched his head embarrassingly, ¡°But I want to find an ideal woman¡­¡± While speaking, Xiaobei looked at Xiumei with fiery eyes. Xiumei puckered her lips, ¡°It seems that when men reach a certain age, they all want to settle down. It is rare, after all, to find someone like Miss who thinks differently.¡± Xiaobei cautiously asked, ¡°Why did you suddenly bring this up, Lady Xiumei? Is Miss going to discuss a marriage alliance for you?¡±
There was worry in his eyes and tension in his voice. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Nothing really,¡± Xiumei cut off the conversation, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re going to see the Prince, right? I won¡¯t hold you back from your duties.¡± After bidding Xiaobei goodbye, Xiumei quickly walked towards the kitchen. Xiaobei stood rooted to the spot, looking lost as he watched Xiumei¡¯s receding figure. In truth¡­ he wasn¡¯t that busy¡­ Come to think of it, Miss Xiumei is already seventeen, and since Miss is so fond of her, perhaps she would arrange her marriage sooner rather thanter. As he thought of this, Xiaobei furrowed his brow, and a long-hidden thought in his heart began to sprout¡­ ### On March 25th. Wei Ruo had chosen several suitable candidates over thest few days and was currently discussing them with Madam Xu in the study. Xiumei, serving tea snacks, entered and overheard their conversation. Her face slightly changed, she put down the items and left hastily.
Outside, she ran into Xiaobei. ¡°Xiu¡­Lady Xiumei¡­¡± Xiaobei called out to Xiumei. Xiumei stopped and turned around to look at Xiaobei. Xiaobei seemed to have something on his mind, and he was even holding a brocade box in his hands. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you have any troubles?¡± Xiumei asked with concern. ¡°Xiu¡­Lady Xiumei¡­ I have something¡­ something to tell you¡­¡± Xiaobei was somewhat nervous, even stuttering in his speech. ¡°Xiaobei, don¡¯t be nervous, just tell me directly what it is. If there¡¯s anything I can help you with, I will definitely help!¡± Xiumei quickly gave her reassurance. Xiaobei calmed himself down and slowly walked up to Xiumei, then handed the brocade box to Xiumei. ¡°Lady Xiumei, this is all my worldly possessions!¡± Xiumei froze: ¡°Xiaobei, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Lady Xiumei, I know this is abrupt, but I can¡¯t think of a better way. I¡¯ve thought of asking the master for help, but I¡¯m worried that it would add pressure onto you.¡± ¡°I thought about it and could onlye up with such a crude n. Inside is my umtion over the years, including house deeds,nd deeds, and silver notes. If Lady Xiumei, you are willing to¡­marry¡­me, from now on¡­ I¡­will treat you well¡­I¡¯ll do whatever you say!¡±
Chapter 583: 583: Then Marry Me_1 Chapter 583: Chapter 583: Then Marry Me_1 Xiaobei finished speaking all at once and then lowered his head, nervously afraid to look at Xiumei, holding the brocade box high in his hands. Xiumei froze, her mind buzzing. It took a moment for her to understand. Xiaobei had just proposed to her! Good heavens! Xiaobei had asked for her hand in marriage! Xiumei had never thought about it before, not knowing when Xiaobei started to have feelings for her. Xiumei intended to reject Xiaobei by saying she didn¡¯t n to get married, but as the words came to her lips, an image of the imposing Xu Zhengyong suddenly shed in her mind¡­ He was in full armor, carrying an aura of grandeur, his face smudged with dirt, looking weary and travel-worn. Just as she was thinking, the figure in her mind transformed into the one in front of her¡ªXu Zhengyong went from her mind to reality, looking straight at her and Xiaobei¡­ Xu Zhengyong, having a day off, rushed to King Rui Residence to reunite with Wei Ruo and others.
He was travel-worn, having ridden half a day alone on his horse. As soon as he dismounted, he rushed towards the backyard, only to stumble upon Xiumei and Xiaobei, who were conversing in the corner of the long corridor. Xiumei, looking at Xiaobei then at Xu Zhengyong, didn¡¯t know how to respond and abruptly turned and ran away. ¡°Lady Xiumei¡­¡± Xiaobei was unsure whether he should chase her. Just as he was hesitating, Xu Zhengyong darted off after her like a gust of wind. Xiumei ran out of King Rui Residence, heading to the outskirts. She ran past two streets and reached the outskirts¡ªa vast field, with diligent farmers working on the frozen ground. Running along the field, Xiumei was finally caught up by Xu Zhengyong. ¡°Meimei!¡± Using his lightness skill, Xu Zhengyong soared to reach Xiumei. ¡°Meimei, stop running! Why are you running?¡± Xiumei looked at the tall figure standing before her, unable at the moment to exin why she was running. ¡°Meimei, what¡¯s wrong?¡±, Xu Zhengyong asked with concern. ¡°Why are you chasing me? Our Miss has arranged for you to meet with several eligible youngdies!¡±, Xiumei muttered. ¡°Ruo Ruo arranging for me to meet with youngdies has nothing to do with me chasing you.¡± Said Xu Zhengyong, ¡°I can¡¯t just abandon my childhood sweetheart because I¡¯m getting married, can I?¡± ¡°You¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Hearing Xu Zhengyong¡¯s words, Xiumei felt a surge of anger for no apparent reason. But when she pointed at Xu Zhengyong, she didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t argue with you. You can go do whatever you want, just leave me alone!¡± Xiumei grumbled. ¡°How could I ignore you? You ran out of the house for a few miles, acting so strange. Of course, I need to find out what¡¯s going on!¡±
Xu Zhengyong continued to ask, ¡°Did that guy upset you? Just say the word, and I¡¯ll go back and give him a lesson.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Xiumei quickly stopped Xu Zhengyong. ¡°Then why did you run away when you saw me?¡± Xu Zhengyong pressed.
¡°Can¡¯t I avoid seeing you?¡± ¡°No, you can argue with me over who¡¯s older or younger, but you can¡¯t run away when you see me.¡± Xu Zhengyong sternly proimed, disying an unexpected domineering manner. Having been in the military for some days, there was quite a change in him. He sounded more forceful than before when he spoke. ¡°Why do you care about me so much? You¡¯re about to get married, and you¡¯re still bothering me. What¡¯s that about? Although we spent our childhood together, we¡¯ve grown up now. We¡¯re of marrying age. It¡¯s not appropriate for us to meet privately like this anymore!¡± ¡°Then agree to marry me. That way, I won¡¯t have to meet other women or avoid you.¡± Xu Zhengyong immediately proposed a solution. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about! Who wants to marry you? And who said they would marry you just to continue seeing you?¡± Xiumei was on the brink of anger. ¡°Who said I just want to marry you to continue seeing you? When my mother asked about my marriage, I naturally thought of you. I even specifically asked Ruoruo about it. But you didn¡¯t want to, so I didn¡¯t force you!¡± Xiumei stood stunned for a moment, suddenly recalling that her mistress had indeed mentioned matchmaking for her during their earlier stay at the Hejian Prefecture manor. She had sternly refused. ¡°How¡­ how can you be so casual, looking for someone else when I don¡¯t agree! Is it that as long as a woman agrees, you¡¯re good to go?¡± Xiumei protested. ¡°Who said I would agree to marry any woman? It was just a dying tactic. They can find me whoever they want, but none of them will be to my liking. I am just doing this to give my mother peace of mind, so she doesn¡¯t worry about me not getting married!¡± Xu Zhengyong dered loudly. Having spent much time in the military, he was used to talking in a loud tone. He looked serious and rough when he was stern, yet his words were a sincere confession of his feelings. Xiumei¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°You don¡¯t really want to meet those women?¡±
¡°Why would I bother looking at those delicate and weak women? If I¡¯m getting married, I¡¯ll marry you! No one else! If you won¡¯t marry me, then I won¡¯t marry at all!¡± Now, Xiumei waspletely dumbfounded. Within a day, she had been proposed to by two men, leaving herpletely dazed. ¡°Um, I¡­ I should go back. The miss will be worried if she can¡¯t find me.¡± Xiumei slipped away from Zhengyong and walked back with quick steps. Her mind was in chaos at the moment, and she had no idea what to do. Walking right behind Xiumei, Zhengyong didn¡¯t dare to provoke her again. They maintained a three-step distance as they headed back to King Rui Residence ¨C one in front, one following. On seeing Xiumei walk into the room, looking distracted, Wei Ruo immediately came forward to inquire. ¡°My dear Meimei, what happened to you?¡± Wei Ruo pulled Xiumei over to her and provided a stool for her to sit down. ¡°Come, tell me, what happened?¡± Wei Ruo held Xiumei¡¯s hand, ready to listen patiently. ¡°Miss, Xiaoyong said he wants to marry me. What¡¯s going on? How can Xiaoyong want to marry me? We¡­ we always quarrel!¡± Xiumei looked baffled. Wei Ruo responded, ¡°Xiaoyong did indeed wish to marry you. He mentioned it to me before, rather seriously. However, as you hadn¡¯t considered it, he respected your decision and never brought it up again.¡±
¡°So, Miss, you knew about it beforehand?¡± ¡°Yes, he discussed it with me.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you find it strange, Miss? Whenever we see each other, we start arguing, like mortal enemies from a past life! How could he suddenly change, wanting to marry me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand either. But judging from what I know about Xiaoyong, he may like to joke around and make snide remarks, but he is not one to fool around when ites to serious matters. Since he said it to you as such, he must genuinely want to marry you. He wouldn¡¯t jest about that.¡± Chapter 584 - 584 Long-term Plan_1 Chapter 584: Chapter 584 Long-term n_1 ¡°But¡­but¡­¡± Xiumei hesitated to say, ¡°Our identities don¡¯t match. He is a general now, and I am just a humble maid. How could I possibly marry him? He should be with a nobledy, not me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever say you are just a humble maid. I have never seen you like that. I bet Brother Xiaoyong and my foster parents wouldn¡¯t think so either.¡± Wei Ruo said. After careful reflection, Xiumei seemed to have made up her mind. She looked up at Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Miss, I will not marry until you are formally married. So, be it Brother Xiaoyong or Xiaobei, I won¡¯t consider them.¡± ¡°Xiumei, your life is your own. It shouldn¡¯t be tied to me unreasonably.¡± Wei Ruo said seriously. ¡°No, from the day I started serving you, my life became closely tied with yours. If you live, I live; if you are happy, I¡¯m happy. Everything I have now, you gave me. So, my decision to marry will also depend on you. Have you ever heard of a maid marrying before her mistress?¡± ¡°But your mistress, me, is already married. I had the full traditional wedding ceremony.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t count. The prince is your brother, not your husband.¡± ¡°Xiumei!¡± ¡°Miss, you once said that I could decide my own marriage. Now, I have made up my mind.¡± Xiumei said. ¡°When did you be so articte?¡± ¡°I learnt it from you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Wei Ruo was left speechless. She thought to herself, if Brother Xiaoyong knew that Xiumei was not considering getting married because of her, would he me her? ### In the afternoon, as nned, Wei Ruo sent the selected portraits to Xu Zhengyong. He looked through them perfunctorily then imed he didn¡¯t like any of them. He asked Wei Ruo to choose again as he prefers a lively yet dignified woman. When Wei Ruo heard this, she thought, why doesn¡¯t he just say he wants Xiumei! Nevertheless, Wei Ruo asked for more portraits of women from the matchmaker. When it was time for dinner, Xiumei prepared a feast. Wei Ruo had the table moved to the courtyard and she invited Wei Jinyi and Xiaobei from next door. Along with the Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu who had been helping Wei Ruo at the King Rui Residence, there were seven of them. Without the constraints of hierarchy or gender differences, everyone sat together and enjoyed a lively meal. Xiumei¡¯s cooking received unanimous praise, considered a culinary delight. After dinner, Xu Zhengyong set off again. He only had one day of rest and was due to appear in the camp early the following day. Wei Ruo bid Xu Zhengyong farewell at the entrance, reminding him to be careful. As instructed by Wei Ruo, Xiumei handed some packed items to Xu Zhengyong. Xu Zhengyong epted the package, ¡°Thank you Xiumei, I will cherish the things you gave.¡± ¡°These are from the miss, not me!¡± Xiumei hurriedly denied any involvement. ¡°It¡¯s the same.¡± ¡°Not the same! Miss cares about you, I don¡¯t!¡± Xiumei retorted angrily. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t admit it, I know you care about me.¡± Xu Zhengyong was certain. ¡°You are shameless.¡± Xiumei made a disgusted face. Xu Zhengyong justughed. Wei Ruo watched on, thinking no matter what, these two haven¡¯t changed their old habits of arguing. ¡°You should go, it¡¯s gettingte, the journey is long. If you don¡¯t leave now, you won¡¯t reach the camp by dawn.¡± Xiumei urged. ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Zhengyong packed his things, turned around, and mounted his horse. Once Xu Zhengyong had left, Xiumei said, looking a bit sad, ¡°With just one day¡¯s rest, more than half of it spent traveling, it¡¯s so tiring. Miss, you should tell him not to rush back next time.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t make this decision for him. He¡¯s been running around like this, he might not be eager to see me, his sister.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t use that to tease me again.¡± Xiumei stomped her foot. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± The two of them, chatting andughing, returned to Songzhu Garden. Wei Ruo had no idea that when she would meet Xu Zhengyong again, the circumstances would bepletely different. ### In the following days, Wei Ruo was as busy as usual with cultivating potatoes. Thend owned by the King Rui Residence in Jiliao was not insignificant, and it would take a considerablebor force to fully nt it. In addition to the people Wei Ruo brought herself, she also needed to hire a considerable number of people. For this, she coborated with the local government office to hire and resettle the refugees around Jiliao City. Wei Ruo had resources and farming expertise, while Wei Jinyi had power, status and manpower. With all the conditions avable, things progressed smoothly. In her free time, Wei Ruo also drew a city nning blueprint. Jiliao City,pared to the Capital City or even Xingshan County City, was nothing to speak of. Apart from the respectable buildings of the King Rui Residence and the government office, there were only a few decent houses. The shops on the streets were pitifully few: a tailor shop, a cksmith, and a tofu shop, only these three. The so-called city didn¡¯t even have a decent city wall. Once you stepped out of the King Rui Residence, you¡¯d cross two streets, and then it was open fields and wilderness. Wei Ruo not only wanted to build a city, but also wanted to replicate what she had done before and usebor in exchange for relief. She would give food as rewards, hiring the surplusbor force to build the city, which provided them with a source of ie. After the houses were built, they would belong to her. When Jiliao City develops in the future, she could rent out these buildings for ie. Of course, this was a long-term n. In the short-term, it was unrealistic to develop into a bustling city. The people needed to be clothed and fed first, poption growth would follow, and then trade could develop, resulting in a city. Allmercial activity was based on an abundance of productivity. When people could not get enough to eat, and what they produced was not even enough for themselves, there could naturally be no trade. But she was not eager to see immediate returns. She was willing to make this long-term investment. Road construction was Wei Ruo¡¯s first priority in this n. She drew several north-south and east-west avenues on the blueprint. Of these, the routes running horizontally and vertically in front of the King Rui Residence were the top priority because these roads would facilitate the transport of materials for Wei Ruo and other citizens in the future. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ### Time flew by and it was already the lunar month of April and the weather had warmed up significantly. On the fifth day of April, Wei Ruo was preparing to go out as usual when she saw Xiumei rushing towards her. ¡°Miss, Miss¡­¡± Xiumei¡¯s face was pale, and she looked extremely flustered. Chapter 585 - 585 - Second Brother Has Already Gone to Save Someone_1 Chapter 585: Chapter 585 ¨C Second Brother Has Already Gone to Save Someone_1 ¡°What happened, tell me slowly.¡± It was the first time Wei Ruo had seen Xiumei in such a state of panic. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong¡­ Brother Xiaoyong is in trouble¡­¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Wei Ruo asked anxiously. ¡°He was¡­ captured by the enemy¡­¡± Xiumei¡¯s face was pale, and she waspletely flustered, ¡°Miss, what should we do? What should we do?¡± Wei Ruo stood in ce, her face also instantly draining of color. They knew the day Xiaoyong joined the army that there might be such a day, but when the day really came, Wei Ruo was as scared and anxious as Xiumei. Wei Ruo tried hard to calm herself down. Being captured didn¡¯t necessarily mean death, especially since Xiaoyong was a military officer, he would be seen as valuable by the enemy. Regardless of whether he was alive now, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, they had to act quickly and find a way to rescue him. But how to rescue a captive from the enemy¡¯s hands, Wei Ruo had no idea. This was beyond her capability. After thinking, Wei Ruo walked quickly towards the door. Arriving at Yingzhu Yuan, Wei Ruo knocked on the door. But no one answered, so Wei Ruo pushed the door and went in. ¡°Second brother, second brother¡­¡± Wei Ruo hastily walked towards Wei Jinyi¡¯s bedroom. But there was no one in the room, she didn¡¯t know where Wei Jinyi had gone. Just then, Lin Fang, heavily pregnant, came in from outside. ¡°Miss, the master went out.¡± ¡°Why are you here? You¡¯re about to give birth, you should stop moving around.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lin Fang exined to Wei Ruo, ¡°The master told me to take care of you before he left.¡± ¡°Where did second brother go?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°The master went to rescue someone.¡± Lin Fang said. ¡°Second brother¡­ is he going to rescue Brother Xiaoyong?¡± Wei Ruo asked. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Lin Fang nodded, ¡°The master received the news this morning, he set off not long after getting the news.¡± Wei Ruo was stunned. Second brother had set off directly to rescue him? But Brother Xiaoyong was captured and taken to the Jurchen Tribe, how could he rescue him? ¡°How is he going to rescue him? Even if he took all the guards from the residence, there would only be about a hundred people, how can they contend with the tens of thousands of Jurchen troops?¡± ¡°The master said to reassure you, he will bring back Xiaoyong safely for you, you just wait patiently for news in the residence.¡± Lin Fang said. Wei Ruo shook her head: ¡°He deliberately did not let me know and sneaked away. He must know that this matter is very risky.¡± Hearing this, Lin Fang did not know how to respond, because she knew that what Wei Ruo was saying was the truth, the master¡¯s journey was extremely dangerous. Wei Ruo thought for a moment and then decided, ¡°I¡¯m going to the border.¡± ¡°Miss, no, the master said to wait for his news in the residence.¡± Lin Fang hurriedly tried to dissuade. ¡°He¡¯s going to rescue for me, how can I wait in the residence? At the very least, I must wait at the border.¡± Wei Ruo insisted. She wouldn¡¯t be a nuisance, but she at least wanted to be in a ce closer to them. She was a doctor, and if anything happened, she could lend a hand! ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t go.¡± Yun Zixiu also walked in, standing in front of Wei Ruo. ¡°Are you going to stop me?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Even if the Miss is angry, I have to stop you. This is the master¡¯smand, I have to obey.¡± Wei Ruo stepped forward, pulling out the sword from the guard who came with Yun Zixiu. Wei Ruo pointed the sword at Yun Zixiu¡¯s throat. Yun Zixiu did not flinch: ¡°Even if the Miss kills me, I will not let you leave the residence.¡± The sword was just a few millimeters away from Yun Zixiu¡¯s throat, but he didn¡¯t move, not even blinking. Wei Ruo twisted her wrist and ced the sword against her own neck. ¡°What if I threaten you with my own life?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Miss!¡± Yun Zixiu and Lin Fang nervously tried toe forward. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Wei Ruomanded, ¡°Take me, otherwise I¡¯ll hurt myself.¡± Yun Zixiu quickly said, ¡°Miss, please put down the sword first. A sword has no eyes, don¡¯t hurt yourself! If you get hurt, we won¡¯t be able to exin it to the master when hees back.¡± ¡°You arrange for a carriage now and take me to the border.¡± Wei Ruo demanded. Yun Zixiu said, ¡°I can take Miss there, but Miss, you have to promise me first, you won¡¯t cross the border, just wait in the town.¡± ¡°Even if I cross the border, I can¡¯t do anything. If I¡¯m in danger again, I¡¯ll only slow down my second brother. I won¡¯t do that. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t slow down my second brother. I won¡¯t run around the border, I just want to be in a somewhat closer ce. I am a doctor, and if he needs me when he gets injured, I hope to be there on time.¡± said Wei Ruo. Yun Zixiupromised: ¡°Ok, I understand. I will arrange it now and gather the remaining guards in the residence to escort you.¡± Wei Ruo, who had received the promise, sheathed her sword, and Yun Zixiu went to make the arrangements. Lin Fang nced down at her belly and med herself, ¡°Damn, I¡¯m pregnant at this time, or I could help a little bit too!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister Lin, you don¡¯t need to me yourself. But isn¡¯t it me, didn¡¯t Brother Ke go with my second brother when he left? Brother Ke should be with you at this time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s his duty. The master didn¡¯t want to take him. He insisted on going. Even if he didn¡¯t go, I would have asked him to. We are sworn to follow the master. We must never fall behind at this time.¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo was deeply moved, and then said, ¡°You rest at home and take good care of the baby, don¡¯t let this matter affect you and the child.¡± After exining to Lin Fang, Wei Ruo returned to her room to prepare things. An hourter, Yun Zixiu prepared everything and set off for the border. All the way, Wei Ruo was extremely disturbed. Ever since her transmigration, it was her first time experiencing this. Whether it was Brother Xiaoyong or Second Brother, any slight mishap to either of them would bring consequences that she can¡¯t bear. The border town where Ji Liao intersects with the Jurchen tribe is called Ji Town. This ce was even more deste than where King Rui¡¯s Residence is located. There were no decentmercial streets in the town or any inns. The only ce for Wei Ruo to stay was the post station. Inparison to other post stations, this one was also rudimentary. Wei Ruo and her group stayed here that night, To move around more conveniently, Wei Ruo had specially dressed in men¡¯s clothing. After checking in, Wei Ruo called in the station master to ask about the situation. The station master was a man in his fifties with gray hair and not very robust. He told Wei Ruo that early this morning they had seen a group from King Rui¡¯s Residence. It was the guard team from the King Rui¡¯s Residence, and King Rui himself was not present. Wei Ruo had expected this. Wei Jinyi would note here as King Rui himself. He must have disguised himself as Wang Jin to act. Wei Ruo also asked the station master, ¡°Can you cross the border these days?¡± Chapter 586: 586: Met Them_1 Chapter 586: Chapter 586: Met Them_1 ¡°Young sir, I advise you not to leave the fort. Our rtions with the Jurchen Tribe have worsened in recent years, especiallytely. Yesterday, I noticed our stationed soldiers pacing the streets. Judging from my experience, something is off. A skirmish might break out anytime soon.¡± The postmaster does not know Wei Ruo¡¯s identity. But if she, being under the protection of King Rui Residence¡¯s guards, is either affluent or noble, and any incident urring at his post station would certainly be beyond his ability to bear the responsibility. ¡°Has there been any news from the stationed military recently?¡± Wei Ruo asked further. She wanted to know if the news of Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s capture had leaked. ¡°No significant news as such, but I heard¡­¡± The postmaster stopped midway. ¡°What did you hear?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a mere postmaster and I dare not specte about military affairs,¡± the postmaster curtly replied. Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo looked at Yun Zixiu. She saw Yun Zixiu approach the postmaster, showing him a token. ¡°Uh¡­This¡­¡± ¡°You need not worry. We are not on anyone¡¯s side, you just need to tell me honestly about any rumors you heard.¡±
Having deliberated for a while, the postmaster truthfully ryed the information he had received, ¡°My two nephews serve in the military, so I hear a few things. Apparently, our local Guard Commander is not very satisfied with the newly arrived Deputy Guard Commander, leading to a few disputes. I also heard that our Lord Guard Commander belittles the young upstart Deputy as ipetent.¡± Following this, the postmaster said, ¡°Although that¡¯s all I heard, it isn¡¯t of significance. Surely a disagreement is not a big deal, right?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± Wei Ruo said. A disagreement alone indeed is not a big deal, but if someone purposely sabotages their colleagues due to disagreements, that indeed bes a grave matter. On her journey here, Wei Ruo contemted about the circumstances that led to Xu Zhengyong being taken prisoner as she had heard no major conflicts between the two armies. No battles were fought, so how could there be prisoners? Now, upon hearing the postmaster¡¯s gossip, Wei Ruo felt that something was amiss. Perhaps the Guard Commander intentionally assigned Brother Xiaoyong a solo mission, misleading him with erroneous orders that led him into the enemy¡¯s camp and subsequently being captured. Yet, this was merely Wei Ruo¡¯s spection at the moment. Even if it could be confirmed, it wouldn¡¯t be of great help in rescuing Xu Zhengyong. An investigation into this matter would have to wait until both her brother and Xiaoyong returned safely. Wei Ruo asked the postmaster about a few more things concerning Ji Town, and then allowed him to leave. By now, it waste, and the pitch-ck darkness outside hindered any possible actions. Yun Zixiu had food brought for Wei Ruo and Xiumei, but neither of them was in the mood to eat. Even though they hadn¡¯t eaten properly all the way here, and despite their exhaustion, their hearts were extremely heavy and didn¡¯t dare take a moment¡¯s rest. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t know how tofort Xiumei, as she was equally unable to ease her own worries. This is war, bloody and brutal. Death may ur at any time, either to others or to those dear to them. An individual¡¯s strength seemed pitifully insignificant in face of war. The only thing she could do was pray for the safe return of those she loved.
### The next morning, Wei Ruo left her room early. In fact, she hadn¡¯t slept at all during the night. Wei Ruo walked into the station¡¯s yard and looked up at the sky.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
The sky was grey, heavily pressing onto the earth. There was a heavy feeling that choked her. Seeing Wei Ruo, Yun Zixiu asked, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s still early. Why don¡¯t you rest a little longer?¡± Wei Ruo shook her head. Then, Wei Ruo instructed Yun Zixiu, ¡°You send a few people to inquire about their whereabouts.¡± ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. As soon as we arrived at the station yesterday, I had someone look for them. Plus, I left signals, if anyone from the Wang Residence sees them, they wille to us. Ji Town is not big, I believe we should make contact soon,¡± Yun Zixiu replied. ¡°I hope it¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°Miss, please be assured. Our master is trustworthy. When he sets out to do something, there is nothing he can¡¯t achieve.¡± ¡°No matter how capable he is, he¡¯s only human. And being human means he¡¯s not infallible. I hope he is invincible, and yet I can¡¯t help worrying that he might be in danger.¡± Looking at Wei Ruo, Yun Zixiu suddenly realized that maybe his master¡¯s feelings weren¡¯t one-sided. Perhaps Wei Ruo¡¯s affection for her brother wasn¡¯t just of a sibling¡¯s love. While Wei Ruo was speaking with Yun Zixiu, he saw one of the men sent by Yun Zixiu to look for Wei Jinyi return. Along with him, was Zhang Yi. Zhang Yi was with Wei Jinyi during his mission. Finding Zhang Yi meant they had found Wei Jinyi. ¡°Young Miss!¡± Zhang Yi rushed in anxiously, ¡°Young Miss, I can¡¯t manage formalities right now, pleasee see the master immediately!¡±
Zhang Yi was extremely worried, to the point of disregarding all propriety, wanting to take Wei Ruo away as quickly as possible. ¡°Alright! Lead the way!¡± Without uttering another word, Wei Ruo directly ordered someone to bring the horses. Yun Zixiu also promptly arranged for everyone to be on their way to protect Wei Ruo. Under the guidance of Zhang Yi, Wei Ruo and her party made a beeline for a farmhouse on the outskirts of Ji Town. Throughout the journey, Wei Ruo didn¡¯t ask a single question. At this moment, she didn¡¯t want to think about anything; she only wanted to meet Wei Jinyi as soon as possible. The house wasmon in Ji Town ¨C a single courtyard with three rooms. The house and the surrounding walls were made of a mixture of yellow y and stones. Arriving at the entrance of the courtyard, Wei Ruo dismounted, but due to her unfamiliarity with it, stumbled and nearly fell down. Fortunately, Xiumei had the presence of mind to brace her in time. Having steadied herself, Wei Ruo, without wasting a moment, headed straight into the courtyard. The courtyard was full of Wei Jinyi¡¯s men, all standing solemnly. ¡°Young Miss, the master is in the room on the right!¡± Zhang Yi told Wei Ruo. Thus, Wei Ruo headed straight into the room. Upon entering, she took a right turn into the bedroom. Xiumei, who had entered the room following Wei Ruo, abruptly spotted Xu Zhengyong sitting in the corner of the room. Since the room was rather small, cotton quilts wereid on the floor for the injured to rest. Xu Zhengyong was one of them.
She quickly ran to him. ¡°Brother Xiaoyong!¡± Xiumei excitedly hugged Xu Zhengyong. The anxiety brewing within her for a few days finally subsided, a feeling that words can hardly express. Suddenly being hugged, Xu Zhengyong was startled. After a while, he remembered there were people in the room and it wasn¡¯t a time for tender affections. So, he gently pushed Xiumei away, ¡°Meimei, I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t mean to make you worry.¡± Xiumei, too, regained herposure after the initial excitement. Realizing what she had just done, Xiumei was slightly taken aback and hurriedly withdrew her hands. Once calm, Xiumei closely observed Xu Zhengyong¡¯s condition. Seeing scratches all over him, and his once shiny armor dotted with damages and stains, she couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Are you seriously hurt? Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, these are just surface wounds. It¡¯s Wei Jinyi ¡­ he¡­¡± Chapter 587: 587: Why are you so stupid?_1 Chapter 587: Chapter 587: Why are you so stupid?_1 As Wei Jinyi was mentioned, Xu Zhengyong¡¯s brows furrowed, his tone was heavy, and he radiated profound regret. ¡°What happened to the Prince?¡± Xiumei promptly inquired. ¡°In order to save me¡­¡± Xu Zhengyong spoke with a heavy voice, ¡°I truly did not expect, that he would choose to infiltrate the enemy camp alone at night to rescue me!¡± ¡°What did you say? The Prince¡­He ventured alone into the enemy camp to save you? Even if the Prince¡¯s martial arts skills are unparalleled, he cannot withstand an onught of thousands!¡± Xiumei eximed in shock. ¡°They informed me that the Prince made this decision after much consideration. He wanted to rescue me as swiftly as possible. It is not as if there were no other methods, but procrastinating would reduce my chances of survival¡­¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s martial arts skills were extraordinary, and his agility was also remarkable. His surreptitious infiltration of the enemy camp raised the least suspicion. If he had led a group, they would have been discovered before even entering the camp. Hence, he chose this method, highly risky, but with the highest chances of sess. Upon hearing this, Xiumei was greatly shocked. The Prince had risked his life for Brother Xiaoyong!
¡°The Prince must have done this for Miss. He knows that Miss cares about you, and if something were to happen to you, Miss would definitely be heartbroken. He did not want Miss to be sad¡­¡± Xu Zhengyong med himself, saying: ¡°It¡¯s all my fault that I fell into the enemy¡¯s trap. And now, I have got him involved¡­ If anything happens to him, I can¡¯t bear to live!¡± ¡°The Prince will be okay. As long as Miss is there, he will definitely be okay!¡± Xiumei quickly asserted. Xiumei said these words as much as a reassurance to Xu Zhengyong as a prayer of her own. ### In the inner room, Wei Ruo gazed at the unconscious Wei Jinyi on the bed, tears streaming from her eyes. However, Wei Ruo quickly wiped away the tears from her cheeks. Now is not the time to cry. She must pull herself together right now! Her brother now needed her medical skills, not her tears! Wei Ruo first briefly examined Wei Jinyi¡¯s injuries then picked up a pen and paper from the table and wrote a prescription. As she was writing, Wei Ruo instructed Ke Chongshan and other guards standing by Wei Jinyi¡¯s side: ¡°Take my prescription and prepare the medicinal herbs. Once gathered, prepare them ording to my instructions. Also, get hot water, clean towels, and bandages ready, then guard the door and apart from Xiumei, don¡¯t let anyone else disturb me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They promptly obeyed and left the room. After they brought in everything Wei Ruo needed, Wei Ruo brought out her personal acupuncture kit. First, she applied needles at crucial points on Wei Jinyi¡¯s head, then removed his outer garment, exposing his chest and applied a needle at the center of his chest. She first stabilized his heart pulse, then proceeded with the subsequent treatments. He had many wounds, both from des and arrows, as well as some blunt force injuries caused by unidentifiable weapons. Without a second thought, one could tell he had been through a brutal fight. These wounds had been hastily treated to stop the bleeding, and on the wounds was the hemostatic medicine that Wei Ruo had provided. However, as some of the wounds were deep, merely applying the hemostatic medicine wasn¡¯t enough.
Wei Ruo had to reopen each wound, clean it, disinfect, sew, and apply medication. This was a time-consuming andborious process. Even with Wei Ruo¡¯s adeptness, it still took over an hour to finish everything. By the time Wei Ruo had finished her tasks, Xiumei walked in with the prepared medicinal broth. Zhang Yi and others worked tremendously well. Despite being in such a barren frontier zone, they managed to find all the herbs listed in Wei Ruo¡¯s prescription in record speed and promptly prepared the needed medicinal broth.
Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei to feed the medicinal broth to Wei Jinyi, while she continued to administer acupuncture treatment. Wei Ruo had to stay fully focused while performing acupuncture, hence except for Xiumei who she trusted entirely, everyone else¡¯s presence would somewhat affect her. Xiumei, on the other hand, cautiously spooned the medicinal broth into Wei Jinyi¡¯s lips. As unconscious individuals have a weak swallowing reflex, the feeding process couldn¡¯t be rushed. About an hourter, Wei Ruo finallypleted her treatment, and around the same time, Xiumei finished feeding the medicine. ¡°Miss, the Prince will recover, won¡¯t he?¡± Xiumei asked worriedly. ¡°As long as I¡¯m here, his life won¡¯t be in danger,¡± Wei Ruo assured confidently. As she spoke, Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze fell on Wei Jinyi¡¯s leg, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, but she decided not to share her concerns. Compared to life, everything else was trivial.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Meimei, please leave for a while, I want to be alone with my brother,¡± Wei Ruo told Xiumei. ¡°Okay.¡± Having taken two steps towards the door, Xiumei looked back at Wei Ruo and said, ¡°Miss, anytime you need me, don¡¯t hesitate to call me. I will be right by the door.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After Xiumei left, Wei Ruo sat at the edge of the bed, reached out her hand, and gently caressed Wei Jinyi¡¯s cheek. This face, usually aloof yet unexpectedly gentle, nowcked color.
¡°Why would you do something so foolish? I would be heartbroken if something happened to Brother Xiaoyong, but wouldn¡¯t I be heartbroken if something happened to you too? Why are you so good to me? Just because I saved you once in Xingshan County? How many times have you repaid my one act of kindness?¡± ¡°You truly are a fool! A big fool!¡± The tears she held back earlier, now flowed freely. Her heart ached terribly, as each of his injuries seemed to have been inflicted on her own heart. ¡°You must get better, promise me, you must get better.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me, and there are so many things I haven¡¯t gotten a chance to do for you yet, you can¡¯t leave me just like that.¡± ¡°Brother, there are so many things I haven¡¯t had the chance to tell you. Can you please give me a chance to say them?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ### Weu Ruo stayed rooted by Wei Jinyi¡¯s bed, from dawn till dusk. In between, Xiumei brought her a meal once which Wei Ruo made an effort to eat. Latter, Zhang Yi, and others who wanted to take over her vigil were all refused by Wei Ruo. She was a doctor. Only with her unswerving attentiveness, at this moment, constantly observing Wei Jinyi¡¯s condition, could his safety be fully ensured.
In the middle of the night, Wei Ruo changed Wei Jinyi¡¯s dressings, fed the medicine, and gave him water twice. Then, she stayed vignt until dawn. April mornings are neither too early nor toote. A rooster from the nearby farmhouse crowed twice, indicating it was time to extinguish the indoor candles. The morning light seeping through the draughty window illuminated the room. Weu Jinyi slowly opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Weu Ruo, looking at him. Weu Jinyi wanted to speak, but he found that his throat was as if clogged with mud, unable to produce any sound. ¡°Don¡¯t rush to speak. It¡¯s normal that you can¡¯t make any noise, you¡¯ve been feverish for a long time,¡± Weu Ruo said to Wei Jinyi. Gazing at the now conscious Wei Jinyi, Weu Ruo¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, and she smiled. Chapter 588 - 588 Prince Woke Up_1 Chapter 588: Chapter 588 Prince Woke Up_1 Wei Jinyi quickly extended his hand, wanting to wipe away Wei Ruo¡¯s tears, but found that he couldn¡¯t even lift his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t move, you have many wounds. I¡¯ve just managed to stop the bleeding and stitch you up. It will be a problem if you start bleeding again,¡± Wei Ruo hastily said. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ cry¡­¡± Wei Jinyi managed to articte. ¡°I¡¯m not crying, I¡¯m happy,¡± Wei Ruo responded as tears continued to stream down her face, but she truly was overjoyed. Wei Ruo gently held the hand that Wei Jinyi had tried to raise. Wei Ruo quietly watched him, allowing her own tears to flow. Wei Jinyi also observed Wei Ruo¡¯s bright eyes that were glistening with tears. At this moment, there must have been so many things they wanted to say to each other, but it seemed as if they didn¡¯t need to say too much. They stared at each other for a while until Xiumei entered and interrupted them. Seeing that Wei Jinyi had awakened, Xiumei was also extremely delighted. ¡°The Prince is awake? That¡¯s great! That¡¯s great! I¡¯ll go tell everyone!¡± Immediately after, she ran out of the room to share the news with everyone. As soon as everyone heard the news, their previously suspended hearts finally dropped. The gloom dissipated, reced by joy that shone on everyone. Afterward, Wei Ruo had Xiumei cook a specially made rice porridge with bok choy and shrimp, which was cooked until it was especially thin and soft, making it easier for Wei Jinyi to swallow. Wei Ruo sat by the bed and fed Wei Jinyi herself. We Jinyi had difficulty swallowing, so Wei Ruo fed him very slowly. After finishing the porridge, Wei Ruo then fed Wei Jinyi the soup that had been boiled in advance. Then, Wei Ruo pulled back the covers on the bed and began to undress Wei Jinyi. ¡°You¡­¡± Wei Jinyi wanted to ask Wei Ruo what she was doing. Even though he couldn¡¯t articte his question, Wei Ruo already guessed what he wanted to ask. ¡°I¡¯m changing your bandages and giving you an injection,¡± Wei Ruo exined to Wei Jinyi. Seeing his naked body exposed in front of Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi visibly became shy and embarrassed. Even though his face was pale due tock of energy, Wei Ruo could still notice his embarrassment from his avoidance of her gaze. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t stop her actions due to Wei Jinyi¡¯s shyness, because no one else could do this ¨C she was the only one, especially for the injections. However, this time, Wei Ruo did not take the opportunity to flirt with Wei Jinyi. The wounds on his body felt as if they weighed heavy on her heart. She only wished to heal his body as soon as possible, and didn¡¯t have any other thoughts, let alone the desire to tease him. While unconscious, Wei Jinyi was unaware of what Wei Ruo was doing to him. Now that he was awake, even though he couldn¡¯t move his body, his eyes could clearly see¡­ Wei Jinyi slowly turned his head away, diverting his gaze to the inner side of the bed, viewing away from Wei Ruo¡¯s actions. Even if he wasn¡¯t watching, he could still feel every movement that Wei Ruo made¡­ After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn had passed, Wei Ruo redressed Wei Jinyi, buttoned his clothes, and covered him with the nket again. Then Wei Ruo said to Wei Jinyi, ¡°Brother, when you¡¯re better, there are some things that I want to discuss.¡± Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo in confusion, but Wei Ruo did not borate any further. Then Wei Ruo got up and went to the door to instruct Zhang Yi to send a message to someone. She should have done so earlier, but these past few days she had been preupied with Wei Jinyi¡¯s injuries and had forgotten. Wei Ruo instructed Zhang Yi to be quick, as not a moment should be wasted. Although Zhang Yi didn¡¯t understand the purpose of Wei Ruo¡¯s instructions, he did as he was told. ### In the evening, Wei Ruo was apanying Wei Jinyi in the room. The golden sunset outside the window was as beautiful as a painting. Wei Ruo was sitting at the window grinding herbs. Wei Jinyi was lying on the bed, staring in the direction of Wei Ruo, seemingly entranced. We Ruo saw him looking and the corner of her mouth lifted in a smile. Wei Jinyi¡¯s gentle eyes also reflected a hint of amusement. No matter what exists on their path ahead or what has transpired in the past, at this moment, in this humble adobe room, as the two of them are together, they feel an unprecedented sense of fulfillment. Suddenly, the door opened, and Xiumei rushed in, breaking the tranquility. ¡°Miss, there are many people outside, surrounding the courtyard!¡± Xiumei had a look of panic as she reported to Wei Ruo. ¡°What kind of people are they? Are they soldiers in armor?¡± Wei Ruo questioned. ¡°Yes!¡± Wei Ruo frowned, ncing at Wei Jinyi lying on the bed. ¡°Second brother, wait a moment. I¡¯ll go deal with this and be right back.¡± After speaking, Wei Ruo left the room. Upon reaching the entrance, Wei Ruo instructed Xiumei and the guard, Ke Chongshan, at the door, ¡°Xiumei, stay by Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s side and don¡¯t let him go out; Brother Ke, keep watch over the Prince and don¡¯t let him move no matter what happens.¡± After crossing the courtyard to the gate, Wei Ruo saw a group of armored men on horseback. This was the look of the Guard Army! A chill spread over Wei Ruo¡¯s heart. When Wei Ruo came out, Yun Zixiu was confronting these men. ¡°Gentlemen, I am a merchant from Shanxi passing through. Please, I ask for your convenience.¡± He was posing as a merchant, attempting to y dumb. ¡°Bullshit! You guys are not merchants. Although you have the crafty appearance of a merchant, you¡¯re not dressed as merchants should be!¡± The other party was not swayed, bellowing oppressively, ¡°If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll step aside and let us search. We suspect that you¡¯re hiding a traitor from the Jurchen Tribe.¡± Yun Zixiu frowned intensively. He wasn¡¯t clear about the intention of these intruders, and since the Prince was severely injured, he certainly could not possibly let these people in. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om However, if there were to be a direct conflict, given their numbers against the current state of their side, it would be hard to handle. At this moment, Wei Ruo, who was dressed in men¡¯s clothing, walked up to Yun Zixiu. She bowed her fist at the Guard Army, ¡°What brings Guard Commander Tian Yuande here?¡± Yun Zixiu looked unexpectedly at Wei Ruo. In front of him were only a few ordinary soldiers, and he didn¡¯t see the Guard Commander¡¯s figure. Yet, Wei Ruo addressed them as if he were present. Wei Ruo looked calm and confident. In a short while, a middle-aged man d in heavier armor than the others rode to the front of the troop. This man was Guard Commander Tian Yuande of the Jiliao frontier defense army. Tian Yuande looked down on Wei Ruo from his high position, ¡°Who are you, that you know I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°Guardmander should know that we are from the King Rui Residence,¡± Wei Ruo said without hiding, revealing their identities directly. She also knew that the other party had knowledge of their identities. ¡°That¡¯s right, I know you are from the King Rui Residence,¡± Tian Yuande admitted. ¡°In that case, what is the purpose of this move?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to apprehend a traitorous spy who coborated with the enemy. I know that you people from the King Rui Residence are hiding him,¡± Tian Yuande said. Chapter 589: Delaying Tactics_1 Chapter 589: Chapter 589: Dying Tactics_1 ¡°Lord Tian, are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken? Here is the residence of King Rui, filled with its people, none of whom are traitors.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°I haven¡¯t been mistaken, the turncoat spy Xu Zhengyong is right here as we speak.¡± ¡°Xu Zhengyong is a Sixth-rank Zhouwu General. How could he be a traitor? Even if he was, such judgment should be made by the governor.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°It would seem you¡¯re inclined to harbor a criminal then?¡± ¡°Lord Tian, why do you pretend not to understand my words? The judgment of treachery is for the governor to decide, why do you insist on using force here?¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°No, it¡¯s my perception that you¡¯re trying to protect a criminal. If you refuse to cooperate, you leave me no choice but to take you down by force.¡± Saying this, Tian Yuande was about tomand his men to take action. Yun Zixiu and the people behind him, inside the courtyard, were suddenly put on high alert. The enemy had the numerical advantage, and they only had a few dozen people here. Plus, with the Prince heavily injured, their chances of winning a confrontation were quite low! ¡°Hold on.¡± Wei Ruomanded, ¡°Lord Tian, all you want is to cover up your ill-treatment of Xu Zhengyong. This issue is not a big deal. Why involve us, the people of King Rui¡¯s estate in this?¡± Tian Yuande squinted his eyes, looking at Wei Ruo again more closely. Taking this opportunity, Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Lord Tian, you deliberately assigned Xu Zhengyong, along with a small team, on a patrol in the enemy territory, to be captured. Am I right? The reason is simple enough: Xu Zhengyong disagrees with you on many issues, and you are afraid he might take your position.¡± Unruffled by Wei Ruo¡¯s urate conjecture, Tian Yuande started to p slowly. ¡°Interesting, it seems the sickly prince does have some capable subordinates. Pity that you got one thing wrong. Even if you die here in Ji Town, I can easily find a thousand reasons to exin it to King Rui¡¯s Residence and Capital City. The bordends are always restless with enemy spies, roaming bandits, rampaging refugees; any one of those unpredictable factors could im your lives.¡± Wei Ruo continued, ¡°I understand that Lord Tian has a well-thought-out strategy, but it works under the assumption that the people present represent unimportant roles in King Rui¡¯s Residence. If someone important from our side is present, the excuses you mentioned will not hold water. Prince Rui will certainly petition for a thorough investigation, and the Emperor, who favors the prince, will absolutely see this matter through.¡± ¡°Ha, such foolish dreams!¡± Tian Yuande chuckled, ¡°Talking about King Rui being favored? If he was favored, why would he be demoted to Jiliao? Seems like all those rumors about King Rui¡¯s favoritism are merely hearsay!¡± ¡°King Rui¡¯s demotion to Jiliao has more to do with his illness thancking favor.¡± Wei Ruo repliedposedly. ¡°I don¡¯t believe such stories; I see the reality of things. King Rui is clearly not favored! Even if he was, no matter how much favor he garners, what can a dying man do? Once in Jiliao, he is stuck; things are not as easy as they were in Capital City.¡± Wei Ruo shot back, ¡°What if Lord Tian¡¯s judgment is wrong? Why gamble on this? It is a trivial matter involving Xu Zhengyong, whom I can assure you, is no threat. But if it ends up turning King Rui¡¯s Residence into an enemy-even if they may not be in favor-the situation will be much more troublesome.¡± Even though Tian Yuande maintained a defiant appearance, doubts started to creep inside his mind. He indeed did not want to escte the situation further. Originally, all he wanted was some excuse to get rid of dissenters. He initially thought that Xu Zhengyong, once captured by the Jurchen tribe, would be as good as dead. Without evidence, his death would¡¯ve been conveniently forgotten. Now, Xu Zhengyong was alive and back within Daye Border; this could turn into a significant issue for Tian Yuande. Using force in Ji Town against the many people of King Rui¡¯s Residence would multiply the risk for him a hundredfold, let alone a thousandfold. Wei Ruo further suggested, ¡°I wonder if Lord Tian is aware of the close rtionship between Queen Rui and the Lu Family from Capital City. Even if King Rui¡¯s Residence is not favored, I suppose Lord Tian would still prefer to steer clear of angering the Lu family?¡± Tian Yuande responded sarcastically, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°I am trying to negotiate with Lord Tian.¡± Tian Yuande said, ¡°It¡¯s simple to negotiate. First, hand over Xu Zhengyong, and then we can slowly discuss other matters.¡± Wei Ruo responded, ¡°Lord Tian, you should know that Xu Zhengyong is our queen¡¯s sworn brother. It would be quite inconvenient for us to hand him over to you.¡± Tian Yuande looked at Wei Ruo, his eyes radiating with a bone-chilling cold, ¡°So after all this, you still refuse to hand Xu Zhengyong over to me, and yet you expect to negotiate with me? You mustn¡¯t believe that I¡¯m genuinely scared of what you were saying, right? If so, you¡¯re incredibly naive. If all of you here die today, no one will know about it. Whether it¡¯s about King Rui or the Lu Family, they won¡¯t even get wind of it.¡± Wei Ruo answered, ¡°Lord Tian, please don¡¯t rush. Perhaps there¡¯s another solution that doesn¡¯t involve us handing over Xu Zhengyong, and would even save you from surrounding us. It may also help alleviate your worries.¡± Tian Yuande replied, ¡°Fine, let me hear it. What solution do you propose?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin in a few words. Why not sit down and enjoy a cup of tea while we discuss it?¡± Wei Ruo suggested. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Are you trying to set me up?¡± Tian Yuande, being a cautious man, was not quick to trust. ¡°Of course not. If it would make you feel better, I can order the table and chairs to be brought over here.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°No need for such trouble. Just spit it out.¡± Tian Yuande had little patience. ¡°Then, why not sample some fine wine that we brought from Capital City?¡± Wei Ruo proposed again. ¡°Enough with your nonsense. Tell me your solution!¡± Tian Yuande suddenly drew his sword, pointing it at Wei Ruo. Looking up at the armed and ready Tian Yuande, Wei Ruo quickly corrected himself, ¡°Lord Tian, don¡¯t get anxious, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to drink.¡± Tian Yuande growled, ¡°After all this babbling, what exactly do you want to say? I don¡¯t have the patience to listen to your nonsense! You have until the time it takes to burn an incense stick to clearly exin your solution. If you cannot convince me in this time, I will ughter everyone in this courtyard!¡± Nevertheless, Wei Ruo remained calm, ¡°Well, Lord Tian, you¡¯ve alreadye so far; it¡¯s not like you can¡¯t spare the time, can you? I am simply analyzing the pros and cons for your consideration. Once the battle starts, it¡¯s hard to stop halfway. Our King Rui¡¯s Residence also does not want to make an enemy so soon after arriving in Jiliao, and I presume Lord Tian also wouldn¡¯t want an unnecessary obstacle in his career.¡± ¡°Enough! You talk too much! I thought you were smart, but it seems that you¡¯re nothing special. It seems I have to get rough.¡± ¡°Really, there¡¯s no room for negotiation?¡± Chapter 590: 590: Prepared in Advance_1 Chapter 590: Chapter 590: Prepared in Advance_1 ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, if you want to negotiate, hand over Xu Zhengyong first!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an option. Aside from Xu Zhengyong, we have other matters we can discuss.¡± ¡°Damn it, you¡¯re wasting my time!¡± Tian Yuande finally lost his patience and ordered his subordinates toy siege to the small farmhouse in front of them. Yun Zixiu quickly moved to protect Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss, this man won¡¯t listen to you. Please go back inside the house. We can handle this.¡± ¡°No, my n has already seeded; I¡¯ve bought enough time.¡± Wei Ruo was not panicked. Yun Zixiu looked at Wei Ruo puzzlingly, not understanding what she meant by ¡®my n has seeded¡¯ and ¡®I¡¯ve bought enough time.¡¯ While he was still confused, a rush of horses¡¯ hooves caught everyone¡¯s attention. The noise was loud and clear, indicating that the arriving group wasrge. Tian Yuande looked curiously towards his back, only to see an army much more impressive than his own approaching. Shocked, Tian Yuande hurriedly sent someone to investigate.
However, before his men could reach the others, the army had already arrived. Upon seeing their gs, Tian Yuande paled. He quickly dismounted and kneeled in front of the approaching army in a gesture of surrender. ¡°Commander Tian Yuande pays his respects to the Governor!¡± In the Iron Cavalry, a man in his fifties with a gray beard was standing. ¡°Tian Yuande, what are you doing here? What were you intending by leaving your post?¡± ¡°In response to the Governor, I came here to arrest a Jurchen spy who sneaked into our lines!¡± Tian Yuande quickly answered. ¡°Those are King Rui¡¯s people, why are you surrounding them if you¡¯re chasing a spy?¡± Faced with the Governor Lun Wei¡¯s question, Tian Yuande was dumbfounded, incapable of forming any answers and he looked around nervously. The arrival of the Jiliao Governor also surprised Yun Zixiu and the others. Why would the Jiliao Governor be here? Yun Zixiu¡¯s puzzled gaze fell on Wei Ruo and asked: ¡°Miss, did you call for the Jiliao Governor?¡± Before Wei Ruo could even respond, Zhang Yi, who returned with the Governor, came to Wei Ruo¡¯s side to give his report. ¡°Miss, I returnedte.¡± ¡°The timing was perfect, notte.¡± Wei Ruo had previously estimated the round-trip time to the Governor¡¯s mansion and thought that the group should have arrived soon. To buy time, she had deliberately made her conversation drag on. She was indeed chatting nonsense with Tian Yuande, but her original purpose was not to persuade him. Yun Zixiu couldn¡¯t help but ask Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss, how did you predict that Tian Yuande woulde knocking?¡± ¡°I had inferred the reason for Xu Zhengyong¡¯s capture before, and this was confirmed when I met him. He was indeed caught in a trapid by Tian Yuande during his patrol mission with a small squad.¡± ¡°So, once Tian Yuande found out Xu Zhengyong had escaped, he would try to locate him and silence him immediately. Otherwise, if the matter gets out, he would be the one in trouble.¡± ¡°His best opportunity to silence Xu Zhengyong is here in Ji Town. As soon as Xu Zhengyong leaves Ji Town and his sphere of influence, it will not be as convenient for him to act.¡±
¡°Therefore, I was confident that he would take the risk and try to act within these few days. I sent Zhang Yi to inform the Jiliao Governor in advance. Regardless of whether Tian Yuande would find us at this time or not, it was necessary to report this to the governor.¡± Wei Ruo heard before that the Jiliao governor was a patriotic and upright person, so she decided to try this approach. Even if the rumors were false and her assessment of the governor was wrong, having hime over would not make things worse. It would be equally difficult for them to battle Tian Yuande¡¯s forces or the troops brought by the governor. However, to her poison, there is no difference between one thousand or ten thousand enemies.
So, if the gamble is right, they could avoid trouble; if wrong, things will not worsen more. Upon hearing Wei Ruo¡¯s exntation, Yun Zixiu couldn¡¯t help but admire her. He had thought that she would not anticipate these points due to her concern over the prince¡¯s injury; he was surprised that she did think on points they hadn¡¯t considered. Zhang Yi couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Luckily, if the Jiliao Governor hadn¡¯t promptly apanied me or if we were dyed along the way, things would have been bad.¡± ¡°There wouldn¡¯t have been any serious consequences. I didn¡¯t just dy to wait for you guys, I was also waiting for an opportunity to use poison.¡± Wei Ruo said. She was grateful to Chu Lan for the experience. Because of the previous incident with Chu Lan, Wei Ruo started to develop ways to swiftly deal with military forces. She did not want to be defenseless again when faced with Chu Lan leading the army to surround her. Her method was to mix poison into gunpowder. When a small thunderbolt bullet is ignited, the resulting smoke will be far from ordinary. The amount of explosive she carried was enough to deal with the people brought by Tian Yuande. However, since she had sent Zhang Yi to invite the Jiliao Governor, it would be best to wait for the governor to solve this issue. The poison was thest resort. As Wei Ruo spoke, she was holding several tiny, ck, ball-shaped items in her hand. It seemed she had nned to act long before. Yun Zixiu and Zhang Yi looked at Wei Ruo, both disying expressions of astonishment and admiration. Among them, not everyone initially agreed with Wei Ruo. Yun Zixiu was one of them. He believed their master¡¯s decision to give up the throne for Wei Ruo was unwise, and even thought their master had given too much for her.
But out of respect for their master, they had to obey Wei Ruo and protect her. But now, his view on Wei Ruopletely changed. For the first time, he genuinely admired and respected Wei Ruo. ###n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wei Ruo returned to her room. On the bed, Wei Jinyi watched Wei Ruo walking towards him and quietly asked, ¡°How did it go?¡± He could speak now, his throat wasn¡¯t as dry and rough as before, but his voice was still hoarse. ¡°The Jiliao Governor took Tian Yuande away and said he will be tried under militaryw. He also said that once Brother Xiaoyong recovers, he should report back to his troop. We should be safe for now.¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°Second Brother always takes care of me, I only get a few chances to take care of him.¡± Wei Ruo responded. Wei Ruo sat down beside Wei Jinyi¡¯s bed: ¡°Second Brother, I am not a weak woman, there are many things I¡¯m capable of managing.¡± Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo, with something flickering in his beautiful, starry eyes. Chapter 591: 591 Wei Ruos Confession_1 Chapter 591: Chapter 591 Wei Ruo¡¯s Confession_1 Wei Ruo continued, ¡°Second Brother, we¡¯ll walk the future path together.¡± Together. This simple phrase held countless implications. Wei Jinyi was unclear about which interpretation Wei Ruo meant. Perhaps she hoped that next time he decided to take on such ventures, he would inform her earlier and take her along.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Or perhaps she hoped that he would acknowledge and trust her abilities, and leave some matters for her to deal with at the right times. Or maybe¡­ it held some other meaning. However, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t ask. There were answers to some questions that did not necessarily need to be known. Once asked, there was no taking them back. ### After living in the small courtyard for three days, Wei Jinyi¡¯s condition stabilized. Everyone began their journey back to the King Rui Residence in Jiliao. To amodate Wei Jinyi¡¯s health, the group traveled incredibly slowly, taking half a month to return to the King Rui Residence.
Many of the wounds on Wei Jinyi¡¯s body were healing. Although there were no more severeplications, he temporarily lost sensation in his legs, unable to walk. Wei Ruo did not tell Wei Jinyi whether he would be able to walk again. She only told him that injuries involving muscles and bones would take longer to heal. Xu Zhushan carved a wheelchair for Wei Jinyi out of wood. He knew that simply a wheelchair would not fully repay the debt, but it was the only thing he could do at present. Every morning, Wei Ruo woulde into Wei Jinyi¡¯s room to change his medication, have breakfast with him, drink some medicine, and then push him to the courtyard to bask in the sun. Then, they would both handle official work in the room, sitting on either side of the desk. Only after they had eaten lunch together, would Wei Ruo briefly step out. She would go into the fields to inspect and personally tend to the fields. In the evenings, besides helping Wei Jinyi change his medicine, Wei Ruo would also massage his legs to ensure the muscles would not atrophy from inactivity. At these times, Wei Jinyi would always furrow his brows. He refused Wei Ruo more than once, even requesting Xiaobei to rece her, only to be turned down by Wei Ruo each time. ¡°My method is more professional. They can¡¯tpare to me. I can¡¯t trust such an important task to those who are not professional.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s reasons were justified, leaving Wei Jinyi with no room to reject her. Even when Wei Jinyi summoned others, they would be dismissed by Wei Ruo. Without Wei Ruo¡¯s approval, even Wei Jinyi¡¯s orders were not enough for Xiaobei and the others to take action. Therefore, the task of massaging Wei Jinyi¡¯s legs still fell on Wei Ruo personally. Today was their third day back, and the third day Wei Ruo massaged Wei Jinyi. In the room, a dim candlelight made everything visible. Wei Ruo sat on a low stool, preparing to begin. Wei Jinyi sat in his wheelchair, seriously watching Wei Ruo.
When Wei Ruo¡¯s hand once again reached for the belt around Wei Jinyi¡¯s waist, he held her hand. ¡°Ruoruo, you can¡¯t do such things anymore,¡± Wei Jinyi said solemnly. ¡°Why not?¡± Wei Ruo countered. ¡°If you want to remarry in the future, you shouldn¡¯t have such intimate interactions with me.¡± Wei Jinyi dered.
¡°When did I ever say I wanted to remarry?¡± ¡°Even if you haven¡¯t thought about the future, such behavior is inappropriate at present.¡± Wei Jinyi said, restrained and forbearing. ¡°How is it inappropriate?¡± Wei Ruo asked, pulling her hand away. She then continued to untie his waistband. Wei Jinyi closed his eyes, full of pain: ¡°Only husbands and wives should have such intimacy.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we a couple?¡± Wei Ruo responded calmly. ¡°Ruoruo¡­ you know very well that we¡¯re not¡­¡± ¡°Maybe not to you, but we are to me.¡± Wei Ruo continued her actions, apparently unaware that her words were shocking. Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°Ruoruo, what did you just say?¡± Wei Ruo finally put down her work and looked up, meeting Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, Second Brother, on the day you woke up, that I had something to tell you once you were better?¡±
Wei Jinyi continued to stare at Wei Ruo, puzzled. ¡°Second Brother, I¡¯ve developed feelings for you beyond those of siblings,¡± Wei Ruo confessed. Wei Ruo said this with a bitter smile. Seeing Wei Jinyi¡¯s stunned expression, she knew he was too shocked to respond. Wei Ruo continued: ¡°I know you¡¯re shocked. I also think it¡¯s a bit inappropriate. But I¡¯ve really had some umon thoughts about you.¡± ¡°Originally, I didn¡¯t n to tell you. I didn¡¯t want to ruin our rtionship. But this time, your injury made me feel like I should tell you.¡± ¡°One reason is so that I won¡¯t have any regrets. Life is so fragile, who knows when we could be parted forever? Just like this time, you almost didn¡¯te back. If I hadn¡¯t spoken now, there might never be another chance.¡± ¡°Secondly, I think you have the right to know the true feelings of the person who you¡¯ve risked your life to protect. Then you will know if I am worth your protection.¡± ¡°So¡­ you don¡¯t need to worry about whether my actions are inappropriate or how they might affect my future prospects. I had no intention of marrying again. And now that I¡¯ve fallen for you, there¡¯s really no possibility of any talks about marriage.¡± After so many experiences, Wei Ruo also learned to ept the feelings she had developed for Wei Jinyi in her heart. If she wanted it, then it was desire. If it was love, then it was love. She could no longer find hormones, hormones secretion, and adolescent impulses as excuses, so she might as well ept that she was in love. Considering how her Second Brother treated her, her feelings were a natural response, right? After Wei Ruo finished all her words, seeing Wei Jinyi¡¯s dazed expression, she decided not to disturb him. She stood up and walked out, leaving her brother alone to contemte.
Wei Ruo, standing outside the door, gazed at the bright moon in the sky and let out a long sigh. She probably knew her words would bring a big shock to her Second Brother and their rtionship. No matter what consequences it brought, she wouldn¡¯t regret it. She made this decision while waiting for him to wake up. ### She stayed awake the entire night. Early the next day, after getting up, Wei Ruo went to Bamboo Courtyard. Seeing Xiaobei, Wei Ruo asked, ¡°Has your master risen yet?¡± ¡°Master asked to be woken up early.¡± Xiaobei answered. ¡°What is he doing now?¡± ¡°Master has been sitting alone in the study room for four hours now. I really don¡¯t know what happened to him.¡± Xiaobei replied worriedly. Chapter 592: Running Each Others Way_1 Chapter 592: Chapter 592: Running Each Other¡¯s Way_1 Wei Jinyi¡¯s situation today was unusual, a state he had never been in before. So Xiaobei asked Wei Ruo: ¡°Miss, there¡¯s nothing seriously wrong with our master, right? His leg can recover, can¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, it can recover.¡±Wei Ruo gave a certain response. Although full recovery would require a bit more time, the answer to whether he could recover was unquestionably affirmative. ¡°Really?¡± Xiaobei asked expectantly. ¡°When have I ever lied about these things?¡± asked Wei Ruo. Xiaobei shook her head: ¡°Miss, your medical skills are excellent, and you never lie.¡± ¡°So you can put your mind at ease.¡± ¡°But why does our master¡­¡± Xiaobei was more worried.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wei Ruo said: ¡°No need to worry, I know what¡¯s going on with him, you go about your business, and I will go find him.¡± ¡°Okay, Miss, you should also take care of yourself. These days you¡¯ve been so busy with the master¡¯s issues and the spring nting, don¡¯t wear yourself out.¡± After talking to Xiaobei, Wei Ruo went to Wei Jinyi¡¯s study. After knocking on the door, Wei Ruo entered. Wei Jinyi sat in his wheelchair by the window, with the morning sun falling on his knees and the floor in front of him through the window. He was dressed in a pale moon-white outfit. The weather was not so cold in May, but an extrayer was still needed in the morning, so he wore a pig-blood-red nket over his body. His profile was striking, lines cutting exquisitely through softened features. Even now, sitting in his wheelchair, his demeanor remained unabated. Wei Jinyi¡¯s gaze had been locked onto the outdoors, until Wei Ruo entered, then he shifted his attention to her. Wei Ruo walked up to him: ¡°I didn¡¯t massage youst night, today I¡¯ll make up for it. You can¡¯t skip the massage a single day, or it may affect your recoveryter on.¡± Yesterday, she had left knowing that Wei Jinyi would be in confusion after hearing her confession, so she had given him a night to digest everything. Now that he had probably processed it all, it was time to resume business as usual. Just as Wei Ruo reached out to him, her hand was abruptly caught by Wei Jinyi. Vast palm, clear slender fingers, firmly grasping her hand. ¡°After what you said to mest night, can you still continue to massage my leg as if nothing happened?¡± Wei Jinyi gazed at Wei Ruo, his eyes harboring a trace of puzzlement and worry but still gentle. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Ruo admitted frankly. ¡°My illicit desire for you is one thing, and mymitment to heal you is another. These two matters don¡¯t interfere with each other. They may have some impact on our feelings, but they don¡¯t affect our rtionship, right? Even though I have illicit thoughts about you, I would never neglect your illness. And brother, you would not fail to see me for this, would you?¡± Wei Ruo was confident about this. She knew her brother and she knew herself. So, having said that, there would be no impact on her subsequent interaction with her brother. She would continue to do what she needed to do for him. ¡°Ruo, even if I can no longer stand and walk in the future, I will not me anyone for it. No one needs to feel guilty towards me. These are all my choices ¡ª whether it¡¯sing to Jiliao or rescuing Xu Zhengyong ¡ª they were all my decisions. It¡¯s not anyone¡¯s fault and no one needs to be responsible for it.¡± Wei Jinyi said seriously. Wei Ruo was stunned, then turned to look at Wei Jinyi again. Seeing the pain and me in his eyes, she finally figured out what he was saying. ¡°You think the words I said to you yesterday were because you¡¯re injured and can¡¯t walk, and I feel indebted to you, so I want topensate you in other ways?¡± Wei Jinyi frowned but didn¡¯t deny it. It seemed like he agreed with her interpretation! Wei Ruo took a deep breath and said, ¡°First, both the wounds on your body and your leg, I can fully heal. If I had started treating you from the beginning, in the end, not even a scar would have been left. Your leg, as long as you strictly follow my treatment n, in the end, it will certainly be fully restored. So there is no problem with feeling indebted.¡± ¡°Second, I wouldn¡¯t force myself to love someone just because I feel guilty. These are two separate issues; I can distinguish between them. Moreover, if I¡¯m not truly in love with you, but am obligated to be your legitimate wife simply out of guilt, I can¡¯t even tell if this ispensation for you or revenge against you. I wouldn¡¯t be happy if I forced myself, and you wouldn¡¯t be happy being forced either. Why would I do something so foolish that doesn¡¯t make anyone happy?¡± After finishing her words, Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi and said, ¡°Brother, you sat by the window for such a long time. Did you only think about whether my words were because of guilt?¡± Wei Jinyi turned his head away. ¡°It seems I was right.¡± With that, Wei Ruo sighed. Then she continued, ¡°You¡¯re usually so smart; how could you be so foolish on this matter?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s you.¡± After a long silence, Wei Jinyi replied. Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t turn his head back; his gaze stayed outside the window, at a very distant ce. ¡°Huh? Because it¡¯s me?¡± Wei Ruo looked puzzled. ¡°Because it¡¯s you. You¡¯re special.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Yes, when I was contemting whether to speak or not, I also pondered for a long time. Because it¡¯s you, because I don¡¯t want to disrupt the harmonious interaction between us after such a long time. There were always more concerns and considerations.¡± Wei Jinyi kept looking out of the window, his deep voice continued to say: ¡°The more you anticipate an answer, the less likely you are to easily believe that this answer is true.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Wei Ruo nodded in agreement, about to squat down to resume the massage. Suddenly, she paused and abruptly looked up at Wei Jinyi again. It seemed like his words just then meant¡­ Was he expecting her to say those words to him? Was that what it meant? Or had she misunderstood? Weir Ruo was in a daze. While she was pondering, Wei Jinyi turned his head toward her. His eyes seriously stared at Wei Ruo, casting a deep, dark gaze like the night sky, as if attempting to pull Wei Ruo into its depth. ¡°I knew about my adopted status from the beginning.¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°So?¡± Wei Ruo hadn¡¯t understood what Wei Jinyi was trying to express. ¡°From the beginning, I knew that you were not my biological sister.¡± Wei Jinyi further rified. ¡°Right.¡± Wei Ruo still couldn¡¯t grasp Wei Jinyi¡¯s implication. Or urately speaking, it wasn¡¯t that shepletely couldn¡¯t understand ¡ª a part of her did understand it. It¡¯s just that she was instinctively evading the answer. It seemed that just as Wei Jinyi had said, the more you anticipate an answer, the less likely you are to easily believe that this answer is true. Chapter 593: 593: Even Second Brother Feels that way about Her ..._1 Chapter 593: Chapter 593: Even Second Brother Feels that way about Her ¡­_1 ¡°Ruoruo, when a woman enters a man¡¯s life and his gaze frequently rests on her, when he incessantly considers her in every action he takes, what do you think his feelings towards her would be?¡± asked Wei Jinyi. ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m not a man. How could I possibly understand what a man thinks?¡± muttered Wei Ruo. ¡°Ruoruo, I have never been generous. I¡¯ve never felt pity or made sacrifices for people who have nothing to do with me. Well, at least not before I met you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unfair¡­¡± Wei Ruo turned away, avoiding the burning gaze of Wei Jinyi. All she wanted was to reveal her thoughts to her brother and see him react¨Cto witness him feel awkward, shy, and troubled, to hear him lecture her, and eventually to watch him get used to it¡­ She had not considered there could be another way of resolving things. Her heart was beating fervently at that moment, and she could feel the warmth spreading through her body, her cheeks, her mind. ¡°I have nothing more to say.¡± Wei Ruo abruptly turned around, leaving Wei Jinyi¡¯s study with her flushed cheeks. Upon reaching the door, Wei Ruo subconsciously ced her hand on her chest.
Her heart was pounding intensely there. Could it be that her brother also¡­ Wei Ruo felt her face burning again. It had never been this way, not even when she was preparing to express her feelings to him. ### Wei Ruo left, only returning at lunchtime. After arranging the dishes, Xiumei wheeled Wei Jinyi over to the dining table. Wei Ruo took a nce at Wei Jinyi and then lowered her blushing face. Xiumei noticed Wei Ruo¡¯s odd behavior and worriedly asked, ¡°Miss, are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Wei Ruo quickly responded, then instinctively nced towards Wei Jinyi again. Hastily retracting her gaze, she shifted the conversation: ¡°Meimei, how is Brother Xiaoyong doing?¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing well! He didn¡¯t get injured badly to begin with, just smeared a couple of whippings during the initial interrogation. Those are mere superficial wounds and he¡¯s recovered well. He¡¯s just been feeling a bit down thesest couple of days, so he went out to turn tiles,¡± exined Xiumei. ¡°Turn tiles? I thought the Governor ordered him to return to the camp once he¡¯s recovered?¡± Wei Ruomented, somewhat irritated. ¡°He kept saying he wanted to do more for the Prince to lighten his own guilt. So he¡¯s been flipping all the tiles on the rooftops of the Wang Residence, weeding the gardens, repainting the garden pavilions, even joining the road repair crew outside and mending roads for half the day¡­¡± Xiumei listed all the misceneous tasks Xu Zhengyong had done in the past couple of days. ¡°There are people assigned to do these tasks. If I provide the food, why is he insisting on doing them? Quickly go and tell him to stop messing around,¡± Wei Ruo said, clearly irritated. ¡°No use, he doesn¡¯t listen to me,¡± Xiumei pouted, refusing to go find Xu Zhengyong again. ¡°Then let¡­¡± Wei Ruo turned to look at Wei Jinyi. ¡°Let hime see me. I will talk to him.¡± With one look, Wei Jinyi understood Wei Ruo¡¯s intentions.
The solution to Xu Zhengyong¡¯s problem lies with Wei Jinyi. It would be most effective if Wei Jinyi were to address it himself. Upon hearing this, Xiumei immediately agreed to, ¡°I¡¯ll go call him right away!¡± Wei Ruo added, ¡°Just tell him I invited him for lunch.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±
After Xiumei left, only Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi remained in the room. Wei Ruo instinctively nced in Wei Jinyi¡¯s direction, and to her surprise, Wei Jinyi was also looking at her.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Quickly averting her gaze, Wei Ruo pretended to be nonchnt and looked elsewhere. Before long, Xu Zhengyong arrived. Upon entering, he immediately bowed to Wei Jinyi, ¡°Greetings to the Prince¡­¡± As soon as his knee touched the ground, Wei Jinyi stopped him, ¡°Stand up, let¡¯s eat.¡± Xu Zhengyong hesitated. ¡°This is amand.¡± Wei Jinyi added. Upon hearing this, Xu Zhengyong immediately got up and took a seat next to him. Looking at Xu Zhengyong like this, Wei Ruo felt somewhat helpless. In the past, he wouldn¡¯t behave like this. Even when he met Wei Jinyi and knew he was the prince, he was quite casual about it. It was most likely the guilt in his heart that was making him act like this now. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the meal, it was prepared by Ruoruo,¡± said Wei Jinyi. ¡°The dishes prepared by Ruoruo and Meimei are the tastiest,¡± Xu Zhengyong praised, then picked up his chopsticks, ready to start eating. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and stopped.
Then, Xu Zhengyong stole a nce at Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo. ¡°You are Ruoruo¡¯s older brother, there is no need to be so formal,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Xu Zhengyong thought for a moment, then continued with his meal. After the four of them finished their lunch together, Xu Zhengyong got up to take his leave. ¡°Hold on.¡± Wei Jinyi stopped Xu Zhengyong. ¡°Does the Prince have any othermands?¡± ¡°What have you been busy with these days?¡± Wei Jinyi inquired. ¡°Nothing much, just some misceneous matters,¡± Xu Zhengyong didn¡¯t dare to go into details. ¡°You hold the rank of a sixth-rank general, misceneous matters should not be your concern,¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Whether it¡¯s my duty or not isn¡¯t important, as long as I¡¯m capable of doing it,¡± Xu Zhengyong responded. ¡°When are you nning to return to the camp?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. ¡°I¡¯m not nning to return for now.¡± ¡°You have military orders to abide by, how can you simply choose not to return?¡±
¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll resign from my military duties.¡± ¡°You mustn¡¯t do anything rash.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being rash! A man should repay his debts of gratitude in this lifetime, talking about repaying in the next life is just nonsense!¡± ¡°Whom do you owe this debt of gratitude to?¡± ¡°To you, my Prince.¡± ¡°So, if I tell you to do something, you will do it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I wish for peace in our country, are you willing to be a general by my side?¡± Wei Jinyi said. ¡°Ah?¡± Xu Zhengyong looked at Wei Jinyi with a surprised expression. ¡°As the Prince of the Jiliaond, I hope for peace and prosperity for the people of Jiliao. The northern pass is the key to ensuring peace, are you willing to guard this pass for me, General Xu?¡± ¡°Of course, I am willing!¡± ¡°In that case, please go to guard the pass once your injuries have healed. That would be the best way for you to repay your debt of gratitude,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Xu Zhengyong was stunned for a moment, then suddenly shook his head and replied decisively: ¡°Understood! My Prince, I have been so foolish! I now know what I should do!¡±
¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get ready and head back to the camp this afternoon!¡± ¡°Go on.¡± Xu Zhengyong was a man of action. After bidding farewell to Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo, he hurriedly left. Watching his resolute figure disappear into the distance, Xiumei couldn¡¯t help but reveal a look of loss. Then she turned to look at Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi and quietly said, ¡°Miss, Prince, I¡¯m going to pack Brother Xiaoyong¡¯s luggage.¡± ¡°Hmm, go ahead.¡± With Wei Ruo¡¯s approval, Xiumei also left. And then, only Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi were left in the room. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, only to find that he was also looking at her¡­ Chapter 594: Don’t Push Yourself_1 Chapter 594: Chapter 594: Don¡¯t Push Yourself_1 His gaze remained tender, only it seemed hotter than usual. Now that they have confessed their feelings to each other, it stands to reason that their rtionship should change somewhat, considering they are already married by name¡­ However, as for how to further their rtionship, Wei Ruocked ideas. After their eyes locked for a while, Wei Ruo remembered something. ¡°Second Brother, we have yet to proceed with the massage today¡­¡± Wei Ruo said quietly. ¡°Hmm.¡± Wei Jinyi responded. His demeanor was straightforward,pletely devoid of the restraint of days past. While he was at ease, Wei Ruo inwardly felt like backing away. After hesitation, Wei Ruo suggested, ¡°Maybe I should bring Xiaobei here.¡± ¡°Ruoruo, you once said that only you are skilled at the technique. If someone else does it, it will be a great loss, not conducive to my recovery.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The words Wei Ruo originally used to refute Wei Jinyi were returned intact by him. After internallyining for a while, Wei Ruo walked up to Wei Jinyi. Proceeding once again to undo his waistband. ¡°Ruoruo.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s voice echoed above Wei Ruo¡¯s head. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to undo my band to massage my legs; the pants I¡¯m wearing underneath my clothes are not restrained by the waistband.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± She had undone his belt for two days already! ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°You could have mentioned it regardless.¡± Weiruo pouted. ¡°I thought you did it on purpose.¡± ¡°Who¡­who would purposely do such a thing¡­¡± Having mentioned this, Wei Ruo remembered her intentional flirtation with Wei Jinyi and realized it did sound like something she might do. She blushed furiously at the thought. Wei Ruo thought to herself, she must not waver, otherwise it would seem like she was guilty. Obviously, the massage was a legitimate treatment for him, and she was genuinely doing it for his benefit, just as she had treated other patients without any ulterior motives. Wei Ruo squatted down, lifting the hem of Wei Jinyi¡¯s robes, and then pulled down his trousers, revealing his legs. She then covered his legs with a nket, leaving only enough space for her hands and guarding against him catching a cold. Wei Ruo took a deep breath and slowly extended her hand. However, in that instant, Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand once again grabbed Wei Ruo¡¯s. ¡°Second Brother?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± Wei Jinyi said seriously. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°We should do what you feel is right, letting things unfold naturally. Don¡¯t feelpelled to ept a new identity because we¡¯veid our feelings bare,¡± said Wei Jinyi. Finding her thoughts seen through by Wei Jinyi, Wei Ruo let out a soft sigh. ¡°Second Brother, do you think there is any difference between us now?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s different. From now on, I can regard you as my wife, harbor improper thoughts of you, and let go of the beast within my heart,¡± Wei Jinyi said. As he spoke, Wei Jinyi¡¯s expression and tone were restrained, and only he knew that his feelings were far from as calm as he appeared. He desired a longsting love, not a transient one. He could not let his enjoyment ruin the way they had been together and certainly did not want to scare her off. Immediately after that, Wei Jinyi added: ¡°But I think the rtionship that makes you happy andfortable is the most appropriate. So, I don¡¯t want you to be flustered and at a loss due to worries about our future. Some things have changed, but some have not.¡± After contemting for a while, Wei Ruo said, ¡°So the beast you referred to earlier in your heart is this one?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Jinyi acknowledged. His expression remained cool and detached, as he spoke words that were anything but abstinent. ¡°No wonder you said I should not enter your room.¡± Wei Ruo pursed her lips and pondered for a moment, ¡°I see. I won¡¯t talk to you about it now, I have things to take care of today. I¡¯ll continue the massage for you tomorrow.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s face was filled with a brilliant smile. After this conversation, she was no longer as nervous and ufortable as she had been at first. Before leaving, Wei Ruo gave Wei Jinyi a radiant smile: ¡°I¡¯ll cook a big goose for you tonight!¡± Wei Jinyi smirked, watching Wei Ruo leave with affectionate eyes. ### In a few days, it was Duanwu Festival. This was the first major holiday Wei Ruo and his group experienced aftering to Jiliao. The whole residence was filled with joy. Apart from the arrival of the Duanwu Festival, the bumper harvest of potatoes was another reason for the celebration. The potatoes nted on the King Rui Residence¡¯s ownnd, the one Wei Ruo had nted first, were already showing returns ¨C digging up arge mound of soil revealedrge, plump potatoes. This oue was undoubtedly the most gratifying. It meant that the potato farming, which Wei Ruo had put so much effort into and spent so much food to promote, would get its return soon. As long as this batch of potatoes was sessfully harvested, everyone would spontaneously follow Wei Ruo¡¯s steps without her having to say anything. In the study, Wei Ruo was instructing Xiumei. ¡°Have the farmers who nted with me be patient. They ntedter, so they¡¯ll have to wait a few more days. They can¡¯t be eager to gain time and end up losing more.¡± ¡°All right, Miss, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m going to have our people ry your message.¡± ¡°The north irrigation ditch should be managed by the King Rui Residence. We get to say how to allocate the water. Don¡¯t let the people along the way randomly divert the water and cause unnecessary disputes.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand, I won¡¯t let them mess around.¡± Once she had finished delivering the instructions, Wei Ruo asked about the arrangements for today¡¯s Duanwu banquet. ¡°Are all the dishes for the lunch ready? Everyone¡¯s been working hard recently, so let¡¯s have a good meal today.¡± ¡°Miss, you can rest assured that the lunch is properly arranged. There are eight meat dishes and eight vegetable dishes, as well as four cold dishes. I¡¯ve arranged it ording to the standards of the Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve dinner.¡± Then Xiumei asked, ¡°Miss, do you want to drink some wine for today¡¯s Duanwu Festival? Butler Yu has just sent us some realgar wine.¡± ¡°No, we won¡¯t drink. I have a lot to do in these few days and drinking might interfere with them. It¡¯s just the few of us; let¡¯s have a simple meal together.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Oh right, in his letter, Brother Xiaoyong asked about you, he¡¯s very concerned whether you are doing well,¡± Wei Ruo said. Xu Zhengyong did note this Duanwu Festival because Tian Yuande had been dismissed, and now Xu Zhengyong was acting as themander of the guard, so he wouldn¡¯t have any free time for a while. But he still sent a letter to Wei Ruo,forting everyone, especially concerned about Wei Jinyi¡¯s physical condition. And then there was Xiumei; he inquired about her well-being in great detail. Other than that, Xu Zhengyong had mentioned some things about the Jurchen in his letter. The princess of the tribe that had captured him was cing a bounty for the person who had snuck into their camp that night. Chapter 596: Daydreaming_1 Chapter 596: Chapter 596: Daydreaming_1 Wei Ruo had an awkward expression on her face, catching a glimpse of Xiumei and others staring at her and Wei Jinyi curiously, she quickly wheeled Wei Jinyi away. Xiumei, Xiaobei, Zhang Yi, and Yun Zixiu all exchanged nces, remaining in their original positions. ¡°Er¡­ Xiaobei, Elder Brother Zhang, Butler Yun, am I imagining things? I feel like the rtionship between mydy and the prince seems a bit¡­ different¡­¡± Xiumei expressed her confusion and curiosity. Xiaobei nodded firmly, ¡°I feel the same way too. I think the master and our youngdy seem to be getting along better than before!¡± Zhang Yi then said, ¡°I overheard them discussing having children earlier. They want to have their own children, right?¡± Zhang Yi turned towards Yun Zixiu, ¡°Old Yun, you were closer so you might have heard better, was that their intention?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t specte on this matter, but it¡¯s natural for a husband and wife, such as the Prince and our youngdy, to want to have children.¡± Yun Zixiu maintained his usual serious demeanor. ¡°Why are you always so serious? Today is supposed to be a joyful asion. Can¡¯t you drop your pretentious attitude for once?¡± Zhang Yi couldn¡¯t help but murmur. ¡°I¡¯m exactly as you see me. If you¡¯re not satisfied, find someone else.¡± With that, Yun Zixiu left. Zhang Yi, unable to argue with Yun Zixiu, could only stare at his retreating figure and yell, ¡°With that attitude of yours, you¡¯ll never get married like Brother Ke! You should be prepared to die alone!¡± Not receiving a response from Yun Zixiu, Zhang Yi turned to Xiaobei and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you agree with me, Xiaobei? Someone like Old Yun will never find a wife.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand this stuff¡­¡± Xiaobei said, keeping his eyes on Xiumei. Xiumei did not notice his gaze. All she could think about was the conversation between Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi earlier. ### After sending Wei Jinyi back to Yingzhu Court, Wei Ruo returned to her room. Closing the door behind her and sitting on her bed, Wei Ruo¡¯s mind kept reying Wei Jinyi¡¯s earlier words. She was wondering, how did she agree to it? But¡­ having a child with him¡­ a chubby and fair baby, possibly resembling both him and her. This¡­ wasn¡¯t something she couldn¡¯t ept. If¡­ if they were to have a child, they¡¯d have to¡­ consummate their marriage¡­ At the thought of consummating, Wei Ruo¡¯s face flushed uncontrobly. Immediately following, she pictured Wei Jinyi¡¯s body in her mind. She had seen Wei Jinyi¡¯s body several times before, especially this time, due to his injury. She had seen almost 95% of his body, only leaving one area unseen. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om While treating his wounds, Wei Ruo never had any improper thoughts. However, now that she was reminiscing about it, she felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t help but remember the sensation of her hand caressing his chest. Although Wei Jinyi seemed frail in daily life, he had a well-toned body because of his martial arts training. His muscr lines were distinct, obviously a result of regr exercise. Thinking about this made Wei Ruo feel a heat rush through her body. Lost in her thoughts, Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but knock her head. Wei Ruo, Wei Ruo, what are you thinking about in broad daylight? How did you end up thinking about consummating your marriage and having a baby with him! It must be because I didn¡¯t have a good sleep! I need to sleep right now! Wei Ruo hurriedly got back into bed, covering herself with a nket and took a nap. When she woke up it was already afternoon, she called Zhang Yi and instructed him to carry out the adoption of the orphans. The Jiliao region had always been a bleak ce, but during the recent famine, it was slightly better off than other harshly affected regions, attracting a number of refugees. Among these refugees were some young children who were helpless and starving. Within a few days, Zhang Yi and the others had found eight children, both boys and girls, ranging in age from one to eight years old. They brought these children to Wei Ruo. The children stood in two rows, timidly looking at Wei Ruo seated in the hall. Seeing the little girl who could barely stand, Wei Ruo was surprised. It was unexpected for a girl this young to have survived the journey. Upon further inquiry about the girl, Wei Ruo learned that she¡¯s the sister of the eldest boy and he had protected her all the way here. Wei Ruo took a closer look at the boy and specifically asked for his name. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°My name is Doggie.¡± The boy spoke with sharp and alert eyes, his guard never dropping around Wei Ruo. ¡°You¡¯re amazing,¡± Wei Ruo praised. Doggie merely pursed his lips and remained silent, his eyes radiating an adult-like sense of steadiness and alertness. ¡°From now on, you will be the big brother to these other children. You all need to get along well,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Will you really provide us with food and shelter?¡± Doggie asked in return. ¡°Do I have any reason to deceive you? Is there something valuable enough on any of you that¡¯s worth lying for?¡± Wei Ruo asked with a smile on her face. After a moment of silence, Doggie replied, ¡°As long as you provide food for my sister and I, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± ¡°For now, I want you all to grow up healthily and happily, learn to read and write. In the future, I may have more expectations from you. Like bing good people, defending our borders, putting others before yourselves when you are well-off. However, that¡¯s for the future,¡± Wei Ruo said. Doggie stared at Wei Ruo, seemingly contemting the authenticity of her words. Wei Ruo gave a light smile and then told the other children, ¡°From now on, you all will live here. I¡¯ll arrange for people to cook for you, take care of your daily needs, and in a while, I¡¯ll find teachers to teach you how to read and write.¡± Although these children were young, most of them were mature for their age. They were looking at Wei Ruo with expressions of shock and confusion. Wei Ruo could sense their disbelief from their expressions. She didn¡¯t find it surprising. After facing hardship and barely surviving, it would be hard for anyone to believe that someone woulde forward and offer them a better life. Wei Ruo knew that whether or not they believed her, they would ept the arrangement as she was providing them with food and shelter. They couldn¡¯t afford to turn down such treatment. After a brief conversation, Wei Ruo had the children taken to a residence next to the Wang Residence. Wei Ruo had bought this property and had gotten it refurbished. It was a ce specifically designated for housing the orphans in the future. Chapter 597 - 597 Heart Moving, Body Moving_1 Chapter 597: Chapter 597 Heart Moving, Body Moving_1 After settling the first batch of refugee orphans, Wei Ruo busied herself again with potato farming. The potatoes harvested from the previous batch as well as the rents returned by the vigers could be used as seeds for the next nting. In this way, practically no potatoes were left in Wei Ruo¡¯s hands. The storehouse remained spotless and clean. In addition to the big daily consumption of food due to the adoption of children and the hiring of workers to repair the road, the food they brought over had almost been exhausted. Yun Zixiu worried that the remaining food would not be enough for them to starve before the autumn harvest. Although the King Rui Residence had a lot of silver, in the current state of affairs, it was difficult to buy grains from the nearby Capital City or the southern regions. The road was fraught with dangers, either being looted by refugees or bandits. Even if it was sessfully sent over, it would not arrive for a month. When Yun Zixiu was worried, Lady Xiumei brought back eight carts of rice and wheat to King Rui Residence. Yun Zixiu was astounded when he was called out to receive the grains. ¡°Lady Xiumei, where did all this graine from?¡± Yun Zixiu couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°It was transported from mydy¡¯s estate in the south, and I picked it up.¡± Xiumei answered. Actually, it was from Wei Ruo¡¯s space, but in order not to arouse others¡¯intuitions, the two discussed the method. Xiumei drove out an empty cart, iming that she was picking up grain transported from the south. In fact, she just turned around in the mountain gully, let Wei Ruo fill the cart with grain and then drove it out. ¡°Now it¡¯s inconvenient to buy things from the south, and there are many dangers along the way. The fabric I recently bought from the south hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Which route did your grain take to arrive so smoothly?¡± ¡°Mydy has her unique channels for doing business.¡± Xiumei recited her premeditated lines. Yun Zixiu couldn¡¯t help but marvel inwardly, how influential are these channels that they can surpass the official family? Although curious, he decided not to ask more. He then directed the men below to store the eight carts of grain brought by Xiumei in the warehouse. Xiumei then told Yun Zixiu: ¡°In a few days, several carts of sweet potatoes will be sent over. And in theing month, a batch of goods will be delivered every seven or eight days. So I will have to trouble Master Yun to empty the warehouse.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yun Zixiu agreed, marvelling in his mind. It seems that he was overthinking. The young Lady, after all, has her ways. ### June 5th. After dinner, Wei Ruo, as usual, gave Wei Jinyi a leg massage, just as she¡¯d been doing for the past two months. After that time when Wei Jinyi enlightened her, Wei Ruo¡¯s attitude towards Wei Jinyi returned to normal. She could face her desire for Wei Jinyi and help him with the massage without distraction. After two months of recuperation, Wei Jinyi¡¯s body had more or less recovered. Just as Wei Ruo said, his wounds were healing excellently, and even the scars were very light. Only his legs hadn¡¯t started to walk due to the injury to his muscles and bones, which weren¡¯t to be rushed, otherwise causing secondary damage would make subsequent recovery more troublesome. During this period, daily massage could not stop to ensure that the muscles won¡¯t severely atrophy before Wei Jinyi walks again. One time, two times. Wei Ruo is kneading Wei Jinyi¡¯s legs. Suddenly, Wei Ruo¡¯s hand touched something sharply, and her eyes immediately widened. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then she lifts her head and looks at Wei Jinyi. His face was still cold and indifferent, with no desire, as if he were a monk who had renounced everything in the world. But the fact was not so. ¡°Brother, why¡­¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s eyebrows slightly contracted, apologizing: ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Brother, why¡­¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes were wide, and her expression was somewhat bewildered. Wei Jinyi pulled over the nket to cover himself tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a natural reaction. Emotions turn into physical desire, it¡¯s amon urrence.¡± ¡°Brother, you never acted like this in the past two months? Were you suppressing it?¡± Wei Ruo still looked stunned, only half of her brain seems to be working. ¡°RouRou, do not ask any more.¡± Wei Jinyi replied sternly, only the blush on his cheeks revealed his panic. Wei Ruo didn¡¯t dare to ask any more, using the excuse of having to check if the medicine had been brewed properly, she left. As soon as she stepped out, Wei Ruo was still puzzled, wondering why such a serious man could have such an indecent moment? How could he be like that! But on second thoughts, it seemed reasonable. The two of them were, after all, husband and wife who had gone through the wedding ceremony. Therefore, it was entirely reasonable for Brother to have such thoughts about her. Then it suddenly urred to her what Brother had said about being willing to have a child with her, and her face turned beet red. The thought of having a child with her brother¡­ this¡­ this was even embarrassing to think about. Wei Ruo returned to her room, cheeks flushed. Just in time, Zhang Yi brought a letter from Xu Zhengyong. The first half of the letter, like before, detailed his own situation and inquired about Wei Ruo and Xiumei¡¯s conditions. Thetter half of the letter mentioned that they have recently discovered a person from the Jurchen Tribe disguising as a civilian and sneaking into Jiliao. He suspected that the person might be targeting Wei Jinyi and advised Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi to be particrly careful. Wei Ruo read the letter and furrowed her brows slightly. Brother is still not fully recovered; there must not be further problems. Wei Ruo was contemting the content of the letter when Xiumei hurried in: ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a woman outside iming to be a Princess from the Jurchen tribe. She wants to see you.¡± ¡°She imed to be a princess from the Jurchen Tribe?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what she said.¡± Xiumei said, ¡°Miss, could this be a fraud? Even if the princess from the Jurchen tribe hase to Jiliao, wouldn¡¯t she be confessing her identity so openly? Wouldn¡¯t she be afraid of being arrested?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, because not all of the Jurchen tribes are ambitious. Even if there are ambitious ones, they are currently just rumors and have not really started a war with the Empire. Therefore, to date, the Empire has not closed its pass and there are still merchants traveling between the Jurchen and the Empire. Even if there really is a princess from the Jurchen tribeing over, the Empire on this side would not really move her for the sake of peace.¡± Wei Ruo analyzed. At present, the Empire is gued by internal and external troubles, and naturally wouldn¡¯t bother to stir up trouble. Wei Ruo then added, ¡°Moreover, Brother Zhengyong¡¯s letter just now happened to mention this, and the two events matched.¡± ¡°Even if she really is a princess from the Jurchen tribe, could she harbor ulterior motives?¡± Xiumei asked. Wei Ruo pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go meet them at the door.¡± Wei Ruo called several good hands to apany her, then went to the main entrance. At the entrance, there was a group of people standing, and a woman in civilian clothes was leading them. She was young, with a pretty look. Although dressed as a civilian, the demeanor she exhibited did not match her dress. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 598: 598: Princess of the Jurchen_1 Chapter 598: Chapter 598: Princess of the Jurchen_1 Behind the woman were a dozen or so experienced-looking followers, giving the impression of martial artists with remarkable skills. As Wei Ruo was examining her, the woman was also scrutinizing Wei Ruo. Her gaze was straightforward and explicit,den with intense curiosity and scrutiny. ¡°So you are Queen Rui? I don¡¯t see anything particrly special about you!¡± The woman puckered her lips inment. ¡°What were you expecting me to be, especially different?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I¡¯ve encountered some surprising sights around here and heard numerous stories about you. They say you¡¯ve managed topletely revitalize this area in just three months. That made me believe you to be an extraordinary individual.¡± The woman exined. ¡°And then?¡± Wei Ruo asked with interest as she looked at the woman. ¡°So¡­ Do you n to just shout at each other at the gate? Are you not going to invite me in for a sit-down?¡± The woman¡¯s smile overflowed with confidence and was tinged with a touch of mischief. ¡°Your identity is still unclear and potentially dangerous. Weing you inside might bring me a lot of trouble. Why would I want to do something so troublesome for no reward? You may say whatever you wish out here.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°You have a point,¡± the woman mused, ¡°currently, I am the one seeking help from you, so it is indeed necessary for me to rify my intentions first, to assure you that I mean no harm.¡±
Listening to the woman speak, Wei Ruo found that she seemed quite different than what she had initially thought. The woman began her introduction, ¡°My name is Zhe Ta, and I¡¯m the daughter of the chief of the Yehe Tribe.¡± The woman continued, ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve heard from the merchants who trade between our territories that an impressive person has arrived in Jiliao. This person introduced farming to the local people, specifically a crop with a high yield. This has ensured food for everyone, rejuvenated the locality, taken in refugees, and adopted orphans.¡± ¡°I was quite curious so I came to see for myself. Once I arrived, I found that the situation far exceeds what I had imagined. I have snuck into Jiliao in the past disguised as a merchant and back then, the situation was a lot worse.¡± ¡°In just three months, you¡¯ve brought about such substantial changes. If I were to give you three years, I couldn¡¯t even imagine what you might aplish. That¡¯s why I wanted to meet you.¡± Zhe Ta expressed to Wei Ruo the reason she wanted to see her. Weir Ruo was somewhat surprised. When she came out to meet this woman, she thought this woman came to bring trouble. ¡°You wanted to meet, and then?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°I wanted to learn from you and hope that you could supply some potato seeds for me to take back and distribute to my tribe for cultivation. If this crop can really bring such a significant yield, it could solve our tribe¡¯s food shortage issues.¡± Weir Ruo had a changed perception towards this princess of the Jurchen, but she kept a cool face, asking: ¡°Why would I assist an enemy that¡¯s eyeing our Great Empire with covetous intent? Fatten you up only for you to turn around and attack our Great Empire. How would you exin that?¡± ¡°The Jurchen consists of many tribes, not all of them harbor aggressive intentions towards your Great Empire. At least, the Yehe Tribe under my father¡¯s leadership does not. Rather than invading yournd, I¡¯d prefer our tribe to be clothed and fed well.¡± After hearing Zhe Ta¡¯s exnation, Wei Ruo contemted for a while, and thenughed. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Zhe Ta asked. ¡°I¡¯mughing at your naivety.¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°You think I¡¯m naive? What about you? Aren¡¯t you doing the same thing? Why can you, but I can¡¯t?¡± Zhe Ta countered. She raised her head high, her gaze filled with confidence and determination. After locking eyes with her for a moment, Wei Ruo smiled and continued: ¡°I don¡¯t just give away my things to anyone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee to state your conditions.¡± Zhe Ta said. ¡°I have many demands,¡± Wei Ruo replied.
¡°Then, state them all!¡± ¡°You seem quite determined.¡± ¡°Of course, otherwise, why would Ie here in person?¡± ¡°Then my first demand is: you have to cultivate potatoes on my farm.¡± Wei Ruo said.
¡°You want me to nt potatoes?¡± Zhe Ta appeared surprised. A follower by her side protested angrily, ¡°She is our princess, how can you give her such tasks?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t wish to. You may leave. You may be a princess of the Jurchen Tribe, but I am also Queen of the Great Empire. Your status does not grant you any advantages here.¡± Having said that, Wei Ruo was about to turn around and head back. ¡°Wait, I ept your demand,¡± Zhe Ta yelled out. ¡°Let me be clear, I need you to do the nting yourself. You have to work in the fields personally and do everything yourself. Your guards are not allowed to do it for you.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Ruo turned to Zhang Yi, ¡°Guard Zhang, please take Princess Zhe Ta to the southern farm.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Zhang Yi led the group away. Xiumei watched them go with vignce. Once they were gone, Xiumei shared her worries, ¡°Miss, they initially came for the potato seeds. What if they steal them while they¡¯re farming?¡± ¡°Let them steal. I never intended to hold onto the seeds forever. They would have been made avable to them sooner orter.¡± Wei Ruo replied.
Weir Ruo never hoarded any seeds. All the seeds produced in her space were eventually released unconditionally to the public, and the potatoes were not going to be an exception. ¡°Miss, are you nning to give our seeds to the Jurchen people? They are the ones who captured Brother Xiaoyong and hurt the Prince.¡± Xiumei didn¡¯t hold a good impression of the Jurchen people. ¡°The Yehe tribe was not the one who captured Xiaoyongst time and there are manymoners among the Jurchen people. Just like there are officers andmoners in the Great Empire, there are Jurchenmoners, and they are the same as ourmoners.¡± ¡°Miss, your attitude towards the Jurchen seems different from your attitude towards the Japanese Pirates?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed. The Jurchen were living on thatnd all along. Any friction at the border can be seen as the natural result of two neighboring countries. But the Japanese Pirates came from far away to loot our resources and harm our people.¡± Wei Ruo exined. She paused briefly and added, ¡°If Zhe Ta proves to be as she says,ing here for the welfare of her people, I¡¯d be happy to share the potato seeds with her. In fact, I would give her all the seeds of my high-yield crops.¡± Weir Ruo continued, ¡°However, I cannot be sure whether she¡¯s telling me the truth, so I deliberately made that harsh demand. It¡¯s not only a test of her sincerity but also her ability.¡± Xiumei nodded, ¡°I see, I understand now.¡±@@novelbin@@ Chapter 601: Inquiring About a Warrior_1 Chapter 601: Chapter 601: Inquiring About a Warrior_1 Afterward, the two of them chatted over tea, with Xiumei bringing in ate-night snack at some point. Wei Ruo and Zhe Ta hit it off as their conversation progressed, finding surprisinglymon ground on many topics. ¡°If I had known you were this kind of person earlier, I would have told you everything upfront,¡± Zhe Ta eximed ruefully, with a sense of regret for not meeting sooner. ¡°Well, that probably wouldn¡¯t have worked either. No matter how sweet your words were at the beginning, I wouldn¡¯t have trusted you easily,¡± Wei Ruo replied with a chuckle. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Zhe Ta agreed, ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t have easily trusted a foreign princess who just showed up either, especially considering the recent minor conflict between your people and the Jurchen Tribe.¡± Speaking of this, a thought suddenly sparked in Zhe Ta¡¯s mind: ¡°By the way, do you know who the brave individual was who single-handedly marched into the Jurchen camp to rescue a Guard General, and where they are now?¡± ¡°This incident apparently urred within the Jiagu Tribe. How are you, a princess of the Yehe Tribe, so aware of this?¡± Wei Ruo inquired, a sharp glint in her eyes. ¡°If I told you that I was in the Jiagu Tribe that day, would you suspect our Yehe Tribe?¡± Zhe Ta asked teasingly. ¡°Possibly. After all, the Jiagu Tribe has been the source of the most troubles for our Great Empire.¡± Wei Ruo remarked. ¡°You¡¯re right. You may not know, but the leader of the Jiagu Tribe is my aunt. I was there visiting her. But you can rest assured that, despite our tribes being rted by marriage, my father and uncle do not get along. My visit to the Jiagu Tribe was solely to see my aunt.¡± Zhe Ta exined. ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve heard about intertribal marriages among the Jurchens.¡± ¡°Marriage is our way of binding to each other, but when disagreements happen, they happen,¡± Zhe Ta stated teasingly, then nudged, ¡°So, should you answer my question now? Tell me about the mysterious hero.¡± ¡°You are very interested in that person?¡± Wei Ruo asked. ¡°Of course! He is the bravest and most formidable warrior I¡¯ve ever seen! His bravery and loyalty have shown through his willingness to march alone into enemy territory to save arade. His intelligence showed when he entered the enemy camp under the cloak of night, evading the patrolling soldiers. Lastly, he escaped all on his own, leaving hundreds of Jiagu Tribe warriors helpless against him, showing his outstanding martial arts skills, which I dare say, surpasses even the strongest of our Jurchen warriors.¡± As she spoke, Zhe Ta¡¯s eyes lit up, and her face reflected pure admiration. ¡°He is indeed extraordinary.¡± Wei Ruo agreed, then turned to Zhe Ta, ¡°What happened after you met him?¡± ¡°I asked him to be my consort.¡± Zhe Ta stated. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a bit impulsive? Just because you saw him off in the distance once?¡± ¡°Since I was eight years old, I¡¯ve dreamt of marrying the most formidable warrior among our Jurchens! And this man surpasses any warrior I¡¯ve known, hence I wish to marry him! There¡¯s nothing hasty about this!¡± Zhe Ta insisted. ¡°But he already has a wife.¡± Wei Ruo pointed out. ¡°He¡¯s married?¡± Zhe Ta furrowed her eyebrows, ¡°But I suppose it makes sense. A man like him must have a lot ofdies wanting to marry him.¡± Taking a moment to contemte, Zhe Ta again asked: ¡°How are his rtions with his wife?¡± ¡°He loves his wife very much, and she reciprocates his feelings.¡± Zhe Ta sighed, ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to look for someone else. I hope there¡¯s another warrior who can match him.¡± Following this, Zhe Ta turned to Wei Ruo, ¡°Do you know of any other formidable warriors? I doubt we Jurchens have any who could match him. Perhaps your Great Empire does?¡± In response, Wei Ruo said, ¡°In the Great Empire, we have countless talents, and no shortage of warriors. But I can¡¯t be certain as to what kind of warrior would catch your eye. If you have a chance, you could take your time to search.¡± Zhe Ta responded, ¡°I will do so when I get a chance. For now, I want to quickly bring back this thing you call ¡®potatoes¡¯ and nt them while it¡¯s still the right season. Come October, the ground will be frozen and nothing can be nted.¡± Then, Zhe Ta added, ¡°Thend of our Jurchen Tribe has very limited time for nting throughout the year, so our agriculture has always been underdeveloped, and food is scarce. That¡¯s why some tribes have considered moving to central China. If we could grow enough crops on our ownnd, why would we need to sh with the Great Empire?¡± Wei Ruo responded, ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell. The Jurchens have ambitious tribes that may have other motives, it¡¯s not just theck of food.¡± Zhe Ta grumbled, ¡°I believe Jurchen is the best ce, I have no desire for your Great Empire, nor do I want more people.¡± Wei Ruo simply smiled. Looking at Wei Ruo, Zhe Ta asked, ¡°I heard that your husband is a sickly man in a wheelchair? Is that true?¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°You¡¯re rather blunt.¡± Zhe Ta: ¡°I¡¯ve always been this forthright, I don¡¯t appreciate beating around the bush.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°It¡¯s true, he is confined to a wheelchair.¡± Zhe Ta: ¡°What a pity. I think a woman like you deserves a more formidable warrior.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°He is my hero.¡± Zhe Ta: ¡°Oh? So he¡¯s quite formidable in your eyes?¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Yes, he¡¯s formidable, kind to me, and meeting him is my fortune.¡± Zhe Ta: ¡°That¡¯s good. Then I¡¯ll take back what I just said. Everyone has their definition of a hero, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they have to be like the one I saw that day ¨C a master who can single-handedly defeat hundreds. Of course, if it were up to me, I certainly prefer that one.¡± Wei Ruo: ¡°Well, I wish you to find your hero soon.¡± ### After another three days, Zhe Ta was ready to bid farewell to Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo bid her farewell cheerfully, sending her off with a cartload of potatoes and a bag of cotton seeds. Zhe Ta and her guards then left with the cart. As time passed, it was already July, and the temperatures soared under the scorching sun. @@novelbin@@ Wei Jinyi was finally able to try walking on his own. At first, he was somewhat unsteady and had to use a cane for support. However, within just two days, he was able to walk independently. Wei Ruo couldn¡¯t help but marvel, ¡°Brother, as a warrior, your recovery speed is truly remarkable. I originally thought the rehabilitation would take at least two months, but you¡¯ve done it in just two days. The cane made by Uncle Xu has only been used for two days.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of Ruoruo¡¯s extraordinary medical skills.¡± Wei Jinyi replied. ¡°While it¡¯s true that my medical skills are exceptional, I am confident that at least 90% of your rapid recovery isn¡¯t due to my skills.¡± Wei Ruo asserted. Slowly making his way over to Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi asked, ¡°Would you apany me on a walk outside?¡± Wei Ruo nodded in agreement. Upon receiving her confirmation, Wei Jinyi gently took hold of Wei Ruo¡¯s hand. Wei Ruo lowered her gaze to look at their entwined hands, feeling a faint warmth radiating from their joined palms. Chapter 603: Suitable for Relocation_1 Chapter 603: Chapter 603: Suitable for Relocation_1 At that time, Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t understand Wei Ruo¡¯s implication, thinking that leaving it up to her would be the best course of action. Now that Wei Ruo mentioned the matter about the name of the courtyard again, Wei Jinyi finally grasped what she meant. After a moment¡¯s silence, Wei Jinyi said, ¡°Tomorrow is a good day, suitable for moving. What do you think, Ruoruo?¡± ¡°I also think that tomorrow will be a good day,¡± Wei Ruo answered with a smile. ### Word spread quickly about Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi holding hands as they toured Jiliao City. The subordinates of Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi started discussing privately: ¡°Does this mean that our lord anddy are going to be together?¡± ¡°I guess so, they held hands all day! Everyone saw it, so many people witnessed it, there can be no misunderstanding!¡± ¡°But our lord¡¯s leg has just healed. The reason they held hands might be because thedy was afraid he would stumble.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°I don¡¯t agree with that theory. If he wasn¡¯t fully recovered, she should be helping him, not holding hands. Moreover, they climbed a mountain. If he needed support just to walk, how could they do that?¡± ¡°Exactly, if it was just the usual rtionship, they wouldn¡¯t do this. This makes them look more like a couple!¡± ¡°Should we change how we address thedy? Instead ofdy, should we start calling her Queen?¡± ¡°Calling her Madam works too. We don¡¯t refer to our lord as Prince, so it seems more appropriate to call thedy Madam.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s Queen or Madam, we should definitely stop calling herdy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xiaobei happened to pass by and saw them whispering. ¡°What are you chirping about?¡± Seeing Xiaobei, everyone hurriedly pulled him over. ¡°Lu Bei, you serve the lord closely and you are more informed than us. Can you tell us what exactly is the situation between the lord and thedy now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure as well. The lord didn¡¯t tell me anything. But I have noticed that the lord and thedy have been quite intimatetely,¡± Xiaobei replied. ¡°Then¡­ have the lord and thedy been sleeping in the same room recently?¡± Everyone¡¯s faces were filled with curiosity and gossip. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I haven¡¯t noticed any such thing,¡± Xiaobei replied. He hadn¡¯t seen it, but if the two of them intended to hide it, he wouldn¡¯t know either. ¡°Lu Bei, why don¡¯t you find a chance to ask? We¡¯re not sure whether we should change how we address thedy. If the lord and thedy have already¡­ you know, it would be disrespectful to keep calling herdy.¡± ¡°Yeah, you should ask. It wouldn¡¯t be good if we keep calling her ¡®miss¡¯ due to ignorance, and upset them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± While everyone pushed Xiaobei to ask, Xiaobei pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try asking the lord if I get a chance.¡± ¡°Yes, go and ask.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Xiaobei shook his head helplessly and continued to the back courtyard. Passing by the entrance of Songzhu Garden, he happened to see Lady Xiumeiing out. ¡°Lady Xiumei!¡± Xiaobei quickly called out to Xiumei. Xiumei stopped, turned around to see Xiaobei, her eyes involuntarily showing a hint of evasion. Ever since Xiaobei said those words to her that day, she had been avoiding him intentionally or unintentionally. Even when they did run into each other, Xiumei tried her best not to be alone with him. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Xiumei lowered her head, not daring to look directly into Xiaobei¡¯s eyes. A bitter expression shed across Xiaobei¡¯s face, but he still continued asking, ¡°I would like to ask you about the rtionship between my lord and thedy. I heard that they have been quite intimate recently and they seem to be¡­ heading in a good direction¡­¡± ¡°What good direction? Aren¡¯t your lord and ourdy always close?¡± Xiumei inquired. ¡°They have always been close, but the past closeness was like that of siblings¡­ The closeness now seems to be different¡­¡± Xiaobei also seemed unsure of how to phrase it. He was afraid that they might have misinterpreted the situation. ¡°Different, how is it different?¡± Xiumei asked. ¡°Yesterday, my lord and thedy went out to tour Jiliao City together,¡± Xiaobei said. ¡°What¡¯s strange about that? His lordship¡¯s body is finallypletely healed, he can walk now. Isn¡¯t it natural that ourdy would apany him?¡± ¡°They went out holding hands, their fingers intertwined¡­¡± Xiaobei looked at Xiumei cautiously. Upon hearing this, Xiumei was stunned for a moment, blinking her eyes in surprise. After a while, Xiumei who had recovered said to Xiaobei, ¡°It would be great if it really is as we think.¡± ¡°Indeed, we all hope so. Just now, guard Zhang and the others asked me to find out whether we should change the way we address her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. For the matter of address, let¡¯s not rush. We can change it when the lord and thedy say so. They are both understanding people and won¡¯t me us for such trivial matters,¡± Xiumei said. ¡°I understand,¡± Xiaobei echoed. Then he looked at Xiumei and started again, ¡°By the way, Miss Xiu¡­ Xiaomei¡­ I want to¡­¡± He seemed hesitant. Seeing this, Xiumei quickly made an excuse, ¡°I have to go prepare some desserts for thedy. I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Xiaobei wanted to stop her but didn¡¯t know what to say, so he could only watch Xiumei leave. ### The very next morning, Wei Jinyi¡¯s belongings were moved into Wei Ruo¡¯s residence. With this action, the people who had been guessing the day before suddenly had a clear answer. Their lord anddy are really together now! From now on, they¡¯ll have to call Lady Wei as Queen! In Wei Ruo¡¯s room in Songzhu Garden. The cupboard that originally only held Wei Ruo¡¯s clothes was now partially filled with Wei Jinyi¡¯s garments. Wei Jinyi¡¯s daily necessities were also added to the washstand. Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi¡¯s belongings in her room and felt a strange sensation. Was this the feeling of really being husband and wife? It didn¡¯t seem that bad. After Xiumei finished arranging thest piece of Wei Jinyi¡¯s belongings, she grinned at Wei Ruo, saying, ¡°Miss, would you need me to serve you outside today?¡± ¡°When have I ever needed you to serve?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been such time, maybe only when Miss fell illst time that I served once. But it¡¯s better to rify in advance, in case Miss needs me to serve you to bathe and change tonight.¡± Xiumei¡¯s mouth held a cheerful smile. ¡°What exactly do you want, to serve or not to serve?¡± Wei Ruo snorted. ¡°If Miss needs it, I¡¯m always avable. But if I must say, I do kind of want to serve Miss in bathing tonight,¡± Xiumei teased yfully. ¡°Alright, you naughty Meimei, are you making fun of me?¡± Wei Ruo raised her fist, pretending to hit Xiumei. Chapter 605 - 605 I Will Teach You_1 Chapter 605: Chapter 605 I Will Teach You_1 Wei Ruo¡¯s cheeks flushed, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. Her hands, unsure of where to rest, shifted from his lower back to his waist before quickly retracting, only to return to his chest after a slight movement. Wei Ruo fumbled around until finally, when her handnded on his chest again, Wei Jinyi caught it. ¡°Sweetheart, stop moving.¡± ¡°Second brother?¡± ¡°Sleep.¡± His deep voice sounded from above her, soothing Wei Ruo softly. Wei Ruo was a bit confused but did not persist in questioning. After an indeterminable amount of time, slumber overtook her, and Wei Ruo peacefully fell asleep in his warm embrace. Just like that, they shared a bed peacefully without incident for the night. In the following days, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi continued to share a bed, but there was no further progress in their rtionship. Every night, Wei Jinyi would hold Wei Ruo, and they would kiss when the tension was too much to bear, but their intimacy would halt there. Even if his body was burning with desire, he would choose to stop. Wei Ruo was clueless about the reason. From her perspective, as both a wife and a doctor, she was sure nothing was physically wrong with him. ### In August, Wei Ruo received a letter sent by Xie Ying via traders from the Capital City. Due tomunication difficulties, the letter she received was actually sent a month ago. In the letter, Xie Ying shared some news of recent happenings in the Capital City, especially those concerning Wei Ruo. Wei Qingwan¡¯s baby was born prematurely, but luckily, both mother and child survived. However, Wei Qingwan lost quite a bit of blood during the birth. While she survived, the doctor said it would be extremely difficult for her to have more children. The good news was that the baby was a boy, the eldest son of King Yu and the emperor¡¯s first grandson. The emperor was so overjoyed that he personally bestowed a name on him. The king, pleased with the birth of his son, began treating her better again, and she regained her status. Wei Yichen, on the other hand, had experienced a stroke of luck. Recently, because of a report he submitted, he received the emperor¡¯s favor and was dispatched to Shandong to quell a rebellion. Being assigned such a duty so soon after joining the Hanlin Academy was indeed a first.@@novelbin@@ Wei Yilin formally enlisted in the army, and no one knew how he had managed to convince Yun Shi to let him go. However, he did not join his father in the Anti-Japanese Army, but instead, he started his military career in the Armed Forces Department of the Capital City, beginning as a gatekeeper. In addition to the events concerning the Wei Family, Xie Ying also shared with Wei Ruo a brief summary of the current situation in the capital. Currently, the court was divided into three factions¡ªKing Yu, King Jing, and King Qin. King Yu and King Jing had both suffered considerable losses from previous power struggles and had lost the emperor¡¯s trust, resulting in their significant decline in status. King Qin, however, was recently promoted. The emperor intended to make heavy use of him, and he did not disappoint. Although he was not as talented as King Yu or King Jing, he was diligent and reliable, making him a suitable candidate for the royal title. The emperor seemed to be testing the three of them, assigning each a task. King Yu was in charge of disaster relief in Shandong, King Jing was responsible for quelling the peasant uprisings in the disaster-stricken areas, and King Qin was put in charge of the anti-Japanese efforts in the southeast coast. Through Xie Ying¡¯s descriptions, Wei Ruo indirectly found out that the emperor was still in good health. This news was encouraging to Wei Ruo. ording to the original story, the emperor should have passed away by this time. The fact that he was alive exceeded the original storyline. As long as the emperor lived, she and Wei Jinyi had backing, giving them more time to solidify their status. Besides talking about others, Xie Ying also shared her own news¡ªshe was preparing to get married. This came as expected, yet surprisingly. Considering her age, it was time for Xie Ying to be married, but Wei Ruo did not expect her to decide on it so swiftly. Wei Ruo also knew the man Xie Ying had chosen to marry, Fan Chengxu, who had recently returned to the Capital City. Concerning family status, the two families matched well. As for their characters, Wei Ruo found it hard to associate the two of them together. They did share amon interest, though. They both loved making money and doing business. Wei Ruo then replied to Xie Ying¡¯s letter, sharing her recent experiences in Jiliao and the changes in her rtionship with Wei Jinyi. She concluded with wishing Xie Ying well on her uing marriage. ### Inte August, the second batch of potatoes was ready to be harvested. Therge quantity of potatoes harvested had an even greater impact than Wei Ruo had anticipated. Many people participated in nting this time, so the effects of this harvest were far-reaching. To get another crop before the freezing weather, Wei Ruo quickly organized another nting session. As a result, Wei Ruo was incredibly busy for a while, workingte into the night for more than ten days straight. Wei Jinyi would wait for her every evening until she was done with her work, calmly apanying her whatever the hour, sometimes even bringing her midnight meals. They would then retire to bed together and fall asleep in each other¡¯s arms. But that was the extent of their physical interaction, nothing else happened. Thus, their rtionship maintained this innocent yet intimate bnce. Until one day, when Wei Ruo was visiting Lin Fang and her child, she asked about Wei Jinyi¡¯s sexual experience. Noble children often received instruction from the household matron about sexual matters when they came of age. Although the Wei family was not, strictly speaking, a flourishing one, it was patrician, so these preparations should have been made. Lin Fang and the others had been with Wei Jinyi since he was a child and should know about such arrangements. However, Lin Fang told Wei Ruo that no such arrangements had been made for Wei Jinyi. This was because of Wei Jinyi¡¯s peculiar status within the Wei family, Yun Shi intentionally overlooked him, and thus no arrangements were made for such matters. Others around him also didn¡¯t dare to make arrangements without approval. Wei Jinyi was calm and cold by nature and rarely interacted with others. Aside from some old acquaintances from his past life and his subordinates, he had scarcely any close friends, let alone lovers. Wei Ruo surmised from this that perhaps¡­ her second brother had no knowledge about sexual matters? It seemed possible and was the most logical exnation. That night, as usual, after they retired, Wei Ruo did not extinguish themp and arrange to sleep as she usually did. Wei Ruo took the initiative to straddle Wei Jinyi. ¡°Ruoruo, what are you doing?¡± Wei Jinyi asked. He furrowed his brows, seemingly puzzled. ¡°Second brother, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Wei Ruo reassured him. Saying that, she initiated a kiss with Wei Jinyi. After the kiss, Wei Ruo began to unbutton Wei Jinyi¡¯s clothes. Wei Jinyi watched her actions, the fire in his eyes bing more and more intense. Chapter 606 - 606 Real Husband and Wife_1 Chapter 606: Chapter 606 Real Husband and Wife_1 Wei Ruo leaned over again, and realizing what she was about to do, Wei Jinyi abruptly closed his eyes. Wei Ruo felt Wei Jinyi¡¯s body stiffen and reassured him, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it will be over soon.¡± No sooner had Wei Ruo spoken than the room started to spin; Wei Jinyi suddenly rotated her in a 180-degree turn. She, who was previously on top, was now at the bottom. ¡°Second brother?¡± Before Wei Ruo could finish speaking, his lips sealed hers¡­ And then¡­ Wave after wave of heat engulfed her, drowning her time and time again in his passion. Wei Ruo had never imagined that this person, usually so aloof and nd, could also show such a wild and passionate side. Her words of ¡°it will be over soon¡± not only failed to hold true, they signaled the start of a sleepless night. ### In the early morning, Wei Ruo opened her eyes lethargically, looking at the sunlight shining through the window, and realizing she had overslept. As she should have, because the night before¡­ Thinking aboutst night, Wei Ruo turned her head and looked beside her. Wei Jinyi was looking at her. His face was still cold and indifferent, yet the memories ofst night were so vivid. It made Wei Ruo a little confused about which version of the second brother was the real one. Wei Ruo¡¯s gaze moved downwards, beneath the duvet¡­ Thinking that they were still not dressed yet, embarrassingly, Wei Ruo quickly turned her head to the other side. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Wei Jinyi¡¯s apology reached her ears. ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± Wei Ruo asked softly without looking back, staring only at the discarded clothes on the floor. They were evidence of their wild indulgence the night before. ¡°I made you ufortable,¡± Wei Jinyi said. Hearing these words, Wei Ruo turned her head back and looked at Wei Jinyi, seeing his furrowed brows and suddenly understood something. ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± she murmured, ¡°it was¡­ it was good¡­¡± Wei Jinyi looked at Wei Ruo without speaking, as if he was trying to gauge the sincerity of her words. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think; you¡¯re worrying too much,¡± Wei Ruo added. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± asked Wei Jinyi, his face filled with concern. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t,¡± Wei Ruo responded, quickly changing the subject. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; we should get up now.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Wei Jinyi rose first. Wei Ruoy on the bed, watching him dress. Looking at his body, memories ofst night kept flooding Wei Ruo¡¯s mind. Soon, she felt her body growing hot. After a while, Wei Jinyi, having dressed, approached the door. He spoke briefly with someone outside, then Xiumei and the others came in. They brought in hot water, and Xiumei began helping Wei Ruo bathe and change clothes. Recalling how Xiumei had teased her before, Wei Ruo was too embarrassed to say a word. It wasn¡¯t until she had put on fresh clothes, and breakfast wasid out in front of her, that Wei Ruo dared to look up at Xiumei. Xiumei wore a smile on her face, but it wasn¡¯t one of ridicule. She was genuinely happy for Wei Ruo. Theirdy and their prince, after being married for so long, had finally be a proper husband and wife. ### The winter of the twenty-fifth year in Renwu era. The first winter of King Rui and Queen Rui in their own fiefdom. Jiliao reported good news, a crop known as the potato was thriving well, leading to a bountiful harvest. Themon people had a good year. In the spring of the twenty-sixth year of the Renwu era, Queen Rui was pregnant. In the same year¡¯s winter, Queen Rui gave birth to a son. The news was reported to the court, and the Emperor was delighted. He sent many gifts to the King Rui Residence in Jiliao City. That year, the crisis with the Jurchen Tribe was resolved, and trade increased significantly. The Jurchen Tribe¡¯s Yehe Department proposed a marriage alliance, and the Emperor arranged for Lu Yuhong, the legitimate son of the Lu Family, to marry the princess. Spring of the twenty-seventh year of Renwu. The threat of the Japanese Pirates along the southeast coast was essentially eliminated. Due to the improvements in warships, the Anti-Japanese Army, which used to only defend on shore, changed to confront the enemy at sea. Their powerful force gradually caused the Japanese Pirates to lose their intentions of invading again. Wei Mingting was promoted to the Third Rank General of Dingyuan. That same winter, Wei Yichen joined the cab, bing the youngest member in the history of the great enterprise. Spring of the twenty-eighth year of Renwu. Thanks to the widespread eptance of refugees and the significant increase in newborns, the registered poption of the Jiliao Region doubled. The fifth day of May, in the twenty-eighth year of Renwu. The Dragon Boat Festival. Jiliao City. The King Rui Residence. Day had just broken, and Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi had not yet woken up. The twoy nestled together in bed, just as they did during the time after their wedding night three years ago. ¡°Mother, I want Mother.¡± A soft, babyish voice resounded outside the room. The little one who could hardly talk clearly was crying for his mother. ¡°Let him in,¡± Wei Ruo spoke towards the doorway.@@novelbin@@ And then, the door opened and a small bundle stumbled in. Once at the bedside, he began trying to hoist himself up the foot of the bed with both hands. However, the height of the bed seemed too challenging for the barely one-and-a-half-year-old. Seeing his impatience, Wei Ruo prodded Wei Jinyi with her hand, ¡°Second brother.¡± Wei Jinyi understood. He reached out an arm and hoisted the small bundle onto the bed. As soon as he got onto the bed, the little one scurried over to Wei Ruo who was on the inner side. ¡°Mother, Mother.¡± While crawling over, he called out to Wei Ruo in his babyish voice. ¡°Alright, alright. Mommy¡¯s here. Why did youe and find me so early in the morning?¡± Wei Ruo asked with a smile. ¡°Cluck cluck chicken, cluck cluck chicken, egg.¡± ¡°Did the cluck cluck chickeny an egg? Should I have Aunt Xiumei steam it for you to eatter?¡± ¡°No! No eat! Want chick!¡± ¡°Okay, then we won¡¯t eat it. We¡¯ll let the mother chicken hatch her baby chicks.¡± ¡°Chick! Chick baby!¡± The little bundle called out excitedly. Then he began to babble, ¡°Cluck cluck chicken, make lots of babies, I take! Ahuang doesn¡¯t like, brother Yu wants¡­¡± Ahuang is a dog raised in the orphanage, and Brother Yu is the son of Ke Chongshan and Lin Fang. It seemed as though he was trying to tell Wei Ruo about his adventures. However,ckingnguage skills, Wei Ruo could only make out key words. He chattered on Wei Ruo¡¯s chest for a good while, seeming to have endless things to tell her. About a quarter of an hourter, he was picked up by Wei Jinyi, and Xiumei was called. ¡°Take him out.¡± After Wei Jinyi threw the small bundle back to Xiumei, he had her take him out again. ¡°Second brother, Yange is our son.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°But you always chase him off our bed.¡± It¡¯s not that Wei Jinyi didn¡¯t like Yange, but whenever Yange upied too much of Wei Ruo¡¯s time, he would have him escorted out. ¡°We should get up.¡± Wei Jinyi said. Wei Jinyi then went to fetch Wei Ruo¡¯s clothes, helping her dress. Wei Ruo had never let anyone help her dress before. But now, having be a wife and a mother, she found herself dressing under Wei Jinyi¡¯s assistance every day. The two had just dressed when Zhang Yi¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Master, urgent news from the Capital City.¡± For the first time in three years, Zhang Yi was in such a hurry that he came directly to Wei Jinyi¡¯s bedroom to find him. Chapter 608: Confrontation, Probe_1 Chapter 608: Confrontation, Probe_1 Over the past two years, rumors about Wei Ruo''s superior medical skills had reached the Capital City after he personally cured Prince Rui and thus prevented his untimely death. Not only that, Prince Rui''s wife had given birth to a child. Wei Ruo did not immediately reply but watched Fan Chengxu with a scrutinizing gaze. Continuing to fan himself, Fan Chengxu said, "Queen Rui, the empire is teetering and faced with internal and external threats. Not us aristocracy, but themon people, are suffering the most." "Now, the governor of Jiangzhe, Mr. Yuan, who presented the Emperor with new strains of rice and wheat along with a crop called sweet potato, also handed in a paper about agricultural techniques to educate the people. Yet, why is it that only Jiangzhe, where Yuan resides, and your Jiliao region have seen an increase in grain yields and enhanced living conditions for the people, while other regions are still gued by famine and rampant banditry?" Wei Ruo frowned, but before she could say anything, Fan Chengxu answered his own question: "It''s because of the internal strife guing the court. Everyone''s energy has been spent on internal disputes, and the Emperor''s decrees hardly reach the local levels." Continuing, Fan Chengxu said, "When Yingying and I first arrived in Jiliao, we were surprised to see prosperity everywhere: renovated houses, broad and bright roads, and most importantly, the joyful smiles and vibrant energy on people''s faces." "I know you contributed to this, but I also believe your abilities can only help a small group of people. Doing business and running a country are two different things. The one who has truly enabled the people of Jiliao to live like this must be someone else." Without undermining Wei Ruo''s abilities, Fan Chengxu shared his spection, understanding that her strengths do not lie in governing people. Speaking up for Wei Ruo, Xie Ying said, "Don''t be so sure. Who says Ruoruo isn''t capable? She''s very capable!" Teasing her, Fan Chengxu asked, "Are you, Queen Rui?" Wei Ruo neither confirmed nor denied. What Fan Chengxu said was right. The person with that kind of ability is not her, but her second brother. She only has a variety of high-yield crop seeds provided by her own space and the corresponding nting techniques. However, she doesn''t know how to govern a country, how to implement policies effectively, or how to manage the people. These require a tremendous amount of expertise, which lie outside of her proficiencies. She can sessfully run a small household or a business, but governance is another matter. Therefore, when the cultivation of potatoes expanded, she turned to her second brother for help. It was then that her second brother started intervening in the administration of Jiliao, turned the local officials into his own tools, and created the current situation. But Wei Ruo was still not ready to reveal the truth to Fan Chengxu. Although they have been in touch for several years and he has been a good business partner, that doesn''t mean Wei Ruo can fully trust him. Whether it''s the Fan family or Fan Chengxu himself, they''re both unpredictable. Wei Ruo asked Fan Chengxu, "What kind of answer do you want from me?" Fan Chengxu replied, "Queen Rui, if King Jing had ascended the throne three years ago, maybe he could have been a good Emperor. But now, three yearster, he won''t be. Despite our mediocre rtionship, I''ve clearly seen his changes over the past two years. The mere act of regicide shows me he has indeed changed. I don''t know whether it''s the result of the Daxing Emperor''s suppression or some other event, but he''s much more addicted to power and brutally coldhearted." Wei Ruo agreed with part of Fan Chengxu''s assessment. In the original work, Chu Lan was apetent Emperor with a strong will, but now... Wei Ruo was not sure. However, judging from his actions over the past three years, he has indeed diverged from his original character. He is no longer the gifted strategist he once was; he is exhausted from political infighting. He didn''t properly handle the Daxing Emperor''s assignment to suppress the peasant uprising and used it as a tform for his power struggle. Yet, was it up to her to specte whether Chu Lan would be a good Emperor after his ascension? She thought that, in her unique position, she was not qualified to do that. Therefore, Wei Ruo replied, "Maybe he walked a bloody and cruel path on his way to the throne, but once he ascends, he might genuinely be a good Emperor." Chuckling, Fan Chengxu said, "King Jing now controls the Capital City by military force, holding in his hands both the Imperial Army and the Armed Forces Department. It''s not because he''s won people''s hearts. We both know this, and so does he. Thus, before bing a good Emperor, he''s more likely to eliminate dissidents, conduct a major purge, consolidate imperial power, and ensure his throne is secure. Queen Rui, do you know how long this willst, how many people will die in the process, how many years of suffering themon people will have to endure, and whether you can escape this ordeal?" Wei Ruo asked, "If he''s not a good Emperor, then what? Is there anyone else who can rece him? King Yu? Or maybe King Qin?" "After witnessing the current state of Jiliao, I have a third answer. What do you think, Queen Rui?" Smiling, Fan Chengxu''s eyes shone with the same cunning intelligence as always. Replying, Wei Ruo said, "I didn''t know that Boss Fan, who''s always avoided politics and only cared about making money, had such a heart for the world." "Only when the world is peaceful can money be made, business be done, and my ambitions be fulfilled. Queen Rui, haven''t you continued to do business with me since you took over Doctor Xu''s business? You should know how tough doing business has been these years. On the other hand, you and Prince Rui''s work in Jiliao shows your concern for the world," Fan Chengxu replied. "I just want to live a good life. When I can, I help others out, but that doesn''t mean I have grand ambitions," Wei Ruo replied. "Then how do you exin the orphanages and relief centers in Jiliao?" Fan Chengxu pressed. "Those actions are just to improve my own life. I want a better life, but if themon people are starving and there''s no basic agriculture or industry to underpin it, there''s no foundation for trade, and I couldn''t possibly live well. This isn''t about caring for the world; it''s about my own interests from start to finish," Wei Ruo retorted. Seeing this, Fan Chengxuughed even harder, "So you really are him, Mr. Xu." Before today, Fan Chengxu''s contact with "Queen Rui" had only been through letters, so he could not fully confirm the rtionship between Wei Ruo and Xu Heyou, whom he knew. After today''s direct confrontation, he got a clear answer.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 610: A Last Look at Jiliao City_1 Chapter 610: A Last Look at Jiliao City_1 "Just as I was worrying, I met Fan Chengxu. I had only seen him from a distance once before, and heard about him from others. Despite being from the Fan family, he was unorthodox, preferring independence and indifference to power and wealth. Coincidentally, he was no longer young, and was being set up for a marriage by the Fan family." "I thought perhaps we could give it a try together, so I secretly had my maid deliver him a message, arranged a private meeting with him, shared my thoughts, revealed my identity as the concealed owner of Tongde Hall, and as expected he showed interest in me. He agreed to my proposal and we got married." Wei Ruoughed, "I was quite surprised when I received your letter about this, but looking at it now, you two seem quite suitable for each other. For example, you took such a risk toe to Jiliao to see me, and he even apanied you. He treats you well." "Indeed, he treats me well. I didn''t make a mistake in that gamble. In the three years after our marriage, I have been living contentedly. He took me to many ces and I experienced many new things that my father and brothers never exposed me to before." Seeing the light that sprang up in Xie Ying''s eyes and the joy that spread across her face as she spoke, Wei Ruo couldn''t help but feel happy for her. "I''m d to hear that you got what you wanted in the matter of your marriage." "I did get what I wanted, but..." Xie Ying pursed her lips, swallowing the words that had reached her lips, then continued, "Ruo Ruo, why don''t you take me to see the sights? I find Jiliao to be very interesting, it''s not at all as I had imagined." "Sure," Wei Ruo responded eagerly. It also happened to be thest time she would see this small city, which she had put her heart and soul into building. Wei Ruo knew very well that once she went to Capital City, regardless of sess or failure, she might never get the chance to return. "So we''ll go change into men''s clothes," Xie Ying said. "There''s no need. We can just go out like this." "Really? I was thinking about going to the tavern on your side of town." "Jiliao City doesn''t have many noble families, it''s mostlymon people. The women ofmon families often show their faces for a living. I haven''t been a woman who stays obediently at home since the beginning, so there are few limitations on youngdies in Jiliao City, except for the red light district, there probably aren''t any ces we can''t go." "That''s great! I like this kind of ce with few rules. In Capital City, there''s a lot of hubbub when you go out. Busy taverns and tea houses have to be avoided, or else you have to book the whole ce, which is a big hassle." "Let''s go then." Wei Ruo led Xie Ying out the door. There''s a boulevard running east-to-west outside the main entrance of the King Rui Residence, and a north-to-south boulevard on either side. The east-to-west boulevard is especially broad, wide enough for two four-horse carriages to run side by side. At the same time, this street is the busiestmercial street in Jiliao City, with all kinds of shops lining it. Among them were Wei Ruo''s own shops: branches of the Four Treasure House, Daiyue Residence, street food vendors, and grain shops were all present. Jiliao City had no curfew, and even after dusk, there were still shops open for business. And now, it was noon, the busiest time of all. However, it was slightly quieter than usual, because during the nation''s period of mourning, feasts and amenities were forbidden as a show of respect. Fortunately, the Daxing Emperor had issued a decree earlier, stipting what should be done after his death, demanding simplicity. All farming and trading activities should be business as usual during this period of mourning so as not to impact the normal lives of themon people or further burden the already suffering poption. Xie Ying was left goggling at the variety of shops: "On the way here, I wanted to browse these shops, but we were in such a hurry to see you, I had to miss it." Wei Ruo smiled, feeling warmed by Xie Ying''s actions. "What''s for sale over there? It smells fantastic!" Xie Ying asked, pointing to a shop in front of them. "That''s fried potatoes." Wei Ruo said. "Fried potatoes? Are they good?" @@novelbin@@ "Most of the shops that can open on this street probably won''t taste bad." "Then I''ll give it a try." Xie Ying ran happily to the shop selling the fried potatoes. In the frying pan, a bunch of golden balls of simr size were sizzling. "How much for this, sir?" Xie Ying asked. "Five coins a portion." "I''ll take one." As Xie Ying reached for her portion of fried potatoes to pay, the shopkeeper refused. "You''re a guest of the Queen, we can''t take your money. Please help yourself." The shopkeeper said with a warm smile. Xie Ying turned to look at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo had been standing there the whole time. The shopkeeper recognized her, but was not nervous. He simply continued to run his shop. Xie Ying was confused for a moment, but eventually left the five coins on the counter. Then, holding the bag of fried potatoes, she walked away, pulling Wei Ruo with her. "Ruo Ruo, they recognize you, but they didn''t bow to you. It seems they''re used to seeing you out on the street." Xie Ying voiced her confusion. "Yes, I told them they shouldn''t bow. Because I oftene to this street, if they bowed to me every time they saw me, it would be very inconvenient, and it would also cause me trouble." Wei Ruo exined. "I see." Xie Ying nodded in understanding. Then she used the bamboo stick that was in the oil-paper bag to spear a hot fried potato ball and put it into her mouth. After taking a couple bites, Xie Ying''s eyes lit up. "It smells so good! The outside is crispy and the inside is soft, sweet, and salty. It tastes really good!" She couldn''t help but exim. Then Xie Ying said to Wei Ruo, "Ruo Ruo, this food feels like it has a bit of your touch, these abundant seasonings, it''s very much like something you would make." "Very perceptive." "What do you mean? Is it really your creation?" "I taught him." "Is it your shop?" "No." "Then why did you teach him?" "There are many dishes I can make, but if I were to sell them all myself, how could I manage? If I teach him, he acquires a new skill, Jiliao City gains another restaurant, what''s not to like? When I myself want to eat, I can simply go outside, I don''t need to prepare it myself, why wouldn''t I do it?" Wei Ruo had taught not only this shopkeeper, but several other food shops on this street were established with her inspiration. "You make a good point!" Xie Ying couldn''t help but agree. After speaking, she couldn''t resist taking big bites of the fried potatoes again. After eating one, Xie Ying''s attention was attracted by another shop in front of her. She pulled Wei Ruo over again. "Sir, I''ll have one of those too." "Alright, please wait a moment." The shopkeeperplied and got to work. Xie Ying asked, "What is this?" "This is grilled cold noodles." "Cold noodles? Where''s the noodle part?" "This t sheet is the noodle." "I see." Xie Ying got another portion of grilled cold noodles and started eating with relish. For the rest of the afternoon, Xie Ying was like a curious, yful child, bustling around the streets of Jiliao City. While marveling at the distinctive features of Jiliao City, she began tasting all sorts of local delicacies. Chapter 614: No Mercy_1 Chapter 614: Chapter 614: No Mercy_1 Wei Qingwan quickly stepped forward, knelt on the ground, and respectfully said, ¡°I think she should be beaten to death.¡± Imperial Concubine Hui chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t have the power to do that now. The Daxing Emperor¡¯s coffin is still in the Qianqing Hall. How dare I, as the Imperial Concubine, take the life of Queen Rui? Why not do this instead; you p Queen Rui on my behalf.¡± ¡°Your servant obeys yourmand!¡± With a cheerful expression on her face, Wei Qingwan got up off the ground and stood before Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo saw a smile and excitement on Wei Qingwan¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t me me, sister. You were disrespectful to the Imperial Concubine. This is what you deserve. I really have no other option.¡± Wei Qingwan said. Wei Ruo curled her lips in response. Wei Qingwan raised her arm high and brought it down towards Wei Ruo¡¯s face. However, the anticipated sound of a p did not ring out, as Wei Ruo calmly grabbed Wei Qingwan¡¯s arm.
¡°It appears that you¡¯ve grown weaker after three years apart. Even with ten times your current strength and speed, you couldn¡¯tnd a blow on me.¡± Wei Ruo mocked. ¡°You dare to resist? This is the will of the Imperial Concubine! You are defying the Imperial Concubine!¡± Wei Qingwan scolded. ¡°Are you blind? Am I only being disobedient now? I¡¯ve been disrespectful to her from the moment I stepped in here, and you still want to use her to suppress me. Are you foolish?¡± Wei Ruo retorted. ¡°Wei Qingruo!¡± Wei Qingwan blushed with humiliation at Wei Ruo¡¯s disparaging words. Wei Ruo then nced at Imperial Concubine Hui on the throne and added, ¡°She is slightly afraid of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence at the moment and doesn¡¯t dare act against me directly, so she¡¯s using you to do her dirty work. In this way, the Duke Residence can¡¯t me her. I am amazed at how you blindly obey her orders.¡± Wei Ruo¡¯s straightforward words once again shocked everyone around. Wei Qingwan blushed even more with embarrassment at her retort. She didn¡¯t understand why even when Wei Qingruo was on the brink of death, she still remained so arrogant and annoying! Imperial Concubine Huiughed coldly again, ¡°In the past, I thought you were just different from other well-bred youngdies, but I hadn¡¯t expected that you would be fearless to the point of ignorance. Truly surprising. However, do you really think I fear the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence that much?¡± ¡°Do you think that I am merely speaking out because the Duke Residence is my backup?¡± Wei Ruo countered. ¡°Then who else is it that gave you such courage to be so presumptuous in front of me!¡± Wei Ruo stated, ¡°Both you and King Jing regard King Rui¡¯s Residence as a great threat that must be eliminated. If I were to submit to you and humble myself, all I could hope for is a temporary reprieve. Your intention to kill me would remain unchanged. No matter how respectful or disrespectful I am today, it won¡¯t change your decision about how to deal with me in the future, so why should I bother to grovel before you?¡± Currently, the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence could indeed make both Chu Lan and the Imperial Concubine hesitate. Therefore, they would not immediately take drastic actions against Wei Ruo, but it was only a matter of time. Once Chu Lan consolidated his power, he would not allow such an unstable factor to continue to exist. Such defiant words uttered by Wei Ruo shocked all the other women present, rendering their faces pale. How could Queen Rui be so bold! Is she really tired of living? Watching Wei Ruo relentlessly provoke Imperial Concubine Hui, Wei Qingwanughed inwardly. This is exactly the arrogance that sickens people! Wei Qingruo loves being like this! But now she chose the wrong person! With King Jing¡¯s ascension to the throne, Imperial Concubine Hui has be the Empress Dowager, the most honorable person in the royal harem, someone Wei Qingruo can¡¯t afford to offend! Imperial Concubine Hui looked coldly at Wei Ruo, contemptuously saying, ¡°Queen Rui, for a moment, I wasn¡¯t sure whether to call you smart or foolish. Do you truly think there¡¯s no difference between your two choices? You¡¯re wrong, your demeanor can affect your current situation. If you submit, I can let you live in peace for a few more days, otherwise¡­¡± As Imperial Concubine Hui raised her hand, two eunuchs stepped forward. Just as Imperial Concubine Hui was about to order punishment for Wei Ruo, an old servant, Qin, rushed in and whispered something into the Imperial Concubine¡¯s ear. Whatever she said must have been impactful, for Imperial Concubine Hui¡¯s expression changed when she looked back at Wei Ruo. The look in her eyes was slightly different than before, but the disgust remained the same.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Have Queen Rui escorted to the side hall,¡± Imperial Concubine Hui changed her mind. Although no direct punishment was imposed on Wei Ruo, everyone felt that her actions were undoubtedly suicidal and that whatever was to follow would certainly be bad. Watching Wei Ruo being taken away, Wei Qingwan felt a sh of pleasure in her eyes, mixed with regret that she wouldn¡¯t be able to witness Wei Qingruo¡¯s torment in person. Upon returning to the line, Qi Shijing, standing next to Wei Qingwan, whispered to her, ¡°It¡¯s true; you¡¯re not as smart as your sister. Even when things have reached this point, you¡¯re still thinking about how to beat her. That¡¯s just incredibly foolish.¡± Insulted by Qi Shijing andpared unfavorably to Wei Ruo, Wei Qingwan gritted her teeth, ¡°Enough, I¡¯ve had enough of you in these three years. Now that we¡¯re all heading for death, stop preaching to me!¡± Qi Shijingughed lightly and disdainfully looked away. ### Wei Ruo was taken to the side hall. As she entered, Xiumei and Lin Fang, who had followed her, were stopped by the guards at the door. Then, the door to Wei Ruo¡¯s hall was closed behind her. The doors and windows of the side hall were closed tight, casting the room in dim light. Wei Ruo looked around the hall calmly, guessing what was waiting for her. Chu Lan emerged from the shadows, gradually stepping into the light as he moved. He was dressed in white mourning clothes, given that it was a period of national mourning. His face was as sharp-featured as it had been three years ago, his eyebrows were arched and his eyes were like stars. However, his expression was more burdened, deeper, darker. He stopped when he was three steps away from Wei Ruo, saying, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± It was a simple introductory line, like a greeting between long-separated friends. Wei Ruo looked quietly at Chu Lan. After scrutinizing Wei Ruo, Chu Lan said, ¡°Three years have passed, and you seem no different.¡± He continued, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about your adventures. It seems that Ji Liao suits you well.¡± ¡°However, it seems King Jing has be more ruthless and cold-blooded than he was three years ago,¡± Wei Ruo replied. ¡°Ruthless, cold-blooded¡­¡± Chu Lan repeated these descriptions Wei Ruo had of him, thenughed, ¡°It¡¯s the first time I heard about how I am viewed from other people. You really don¡¯t spare me any face.¡± ¡°At this point, do I still need to care about keeping face for King Jing?¡± Wei Ruo retorted, looking up to meet Chu Lan¡¯s eyes. Seeing Wei Ruo, Chu Lan suddenly chuckled, ¡°When I first met you, you kept your head down and didn¡¯t dare to look at me.¡± Chapter 615: I Will Give You a New Identity_1 Chapter 615: Chapter 615: I Will Give You a New Identity_1 Following his memories, Chu Lan said, ¡°The first time we met was on the wastnd outside Xingshan County City, right? You were experimenting there with improving salt-alkalinend to grow rice. Was that the time? I don¡¯t remember clearly. I don¡¯t even really remember what you looked like then, because you were so timid and weak.¡± Wei Ruo showed no expression.@@novelbin@@ Chu Lan continued, ¡°Iter learned that it was your act. It seemed you were avoiding me, even despising me, without any reason, right from the start.¡± ¡°So what? How does this matter?¡± Asked Wei Ruo. ¡°Indeed, to you it may hold no significance. But for me, it¡¯s not something I can easily forget. What I don¡¯t understand is, you saved me with the identity of Xu Heyou. You treated me well at first, but when you found out my identity, you began to distance me, avoid me as if I was a ferocious beast. It seemed that it wasn¡¯t me you despised, but my identity,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°So what if that¡¯s the case? Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. I just don¡¯t like the seventh prince and don¡¯t want any close rtionship with you. I have never harmed you, even done good for you.¡± At this point, Wei Ruo no longer hid his identity as Xu Heyou. ¡°What you said is correct, it was my obsession,¡± Chu Lan admitted. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths to bring me here just to discuss these old issues,¡± Wei Ruo said.
¡°I have prepared a house for you outside the capital city,¡± Chu Lan said. Wei Ruoughed, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be nning to confine me, as one would a concubine?¡± Wei Ruo¡¯sugh was radiant, but also harsh to the eye. ¡°If you wish, after the storm settles, I can take you into the pce and give you a new identity and a fresh start,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°Chu Lan, Chu Lan, you really are sick. Murdering your own father to seize the throne, and now trying to take your own brother¡¯s wife,¡± Wei Ruo mocked. ¡°As a son and a brother, I am indeed cruel and unrighteous. But what of it? Haven¡¯t there been emperors like this in the past who were still seen as wise rulers? Themon people and the historians only remember the merits and not such trifles,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°I won¡¯t deny your im. Perhaps you do have the capability to be the second Emperor Taizong. But I don¡¯t want to be the next Daji or any woman of the Yang Family. What I want is to live my own life, to be with the one I love. If I cannot, then it¡¯s all or nothing!¡± Wei Ruo resolutely dered. ¡°Perhaps there was a chance if you had stayed in Jiliao in defiance of the imperial edict. But, you chose toe back, to observe mourning. Once you stepped into the capital city, there was no turning back. What good is it to heal your ailing prince? It¡¯s already toote, he no longer has a chance to turn the tide.¡± ¡°Then I will die with him, but I will never let myself be imprisoned by you,¡± Wei Ruo dered, her gaze resolute and unshaken by fear. ¡°What if I threaten you with the lives of him and your son? If you listen to me, I can let them live. If not, I will let them die horribly in front of you,¡± Chu Lan said. ¡°No, I¡¯d rather have our whole family die together than live in such agony. You think I would choose to live in misery for them, bing something at your mercy? You¡¯re wrong. I won¡¯t, and I believe my husband wouldn¡¯t want me to choose that,¡± Wei Ruo said firmly. Then Wei Ruo told Chu Lan, ¡°Before returning to the capital, I prepared poison for the three of us, just in case, to avoid giving you the satisfaction of seeing us half-dead. You know how good my medical skills are, so naturally, my poison is incurable. I want to die, you can¡¯t stop me.¡± Wei Ruo looked up at him withposed serenity, her gaze towards Chu Lan even held a hint of disdain. Someone who does not even fear their own death or that of their loved ones has nothing to be afraid of. ¡°Wei Qingruo, you really are cruel; cruel to yourself, even crueler to me.¡± Chu Lan spat bitterly. He strode forward and reached out to grab Wei Ruo¡¯s chin. Just then, a voice came from outside the door: ¡°Your Majesty, General Lu has led the ministers to the pce. They are kneeling in front of Qianqing Hall, saying they have important matters to discuss with Your Majesty.¡± It was unusual for General Lu to be involved in pce affairs, so what did he intend? Chu Lan¡¯s brow furrowed, then he looked back at Wei Ruo. Wei Ruo¡¯s eyes were as defiant as ever. He took back his hand and said, ¡°I hope you will think things over carefully before we meet again.¡± After saying this, Chu Lan left, leaving Wei Ruo alone in the side hall. Shortly afterward, there was some movement outside the door, followed by the sound of someone falling. The door was opened again. ¡°Madam, are you alright?¡± Xiumei and Lin Fang asked in unison. They had indeed been captured by Chu Lan¡¯s skilled guards when Wei Ruo went into the side hall. But after Chu Lan left, they were rescued by the secret guards inside the pce. These secret guards were not Wei Jinyi¡¯s men. No one could arrange secret guards under the emperor¡¯s nose within the pce; these guards were indeed under the Daxing Emperor. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Wei Ruo said. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Quickly. I still need to confirm something. I hope I¡¯m not toote.¡± ### The Qianqing Hall. The Daxing Emperor¡¯s mortuary tablet was ced here, and the entire hall and its surroundings were in. Incense and candles burned at the front of the hall. In front of the hall, a group of court officials led by General Lu had been waiting for a long time. The Head of Internal Affairs, Wei Yichen, and the Minister of Finance, Fan Shuyi, were among them. King Qin and King Jing were also in the line. King Jing had already run out of choices. Instead of waiting for Chu Lan to make a move against him, it was better to see if there was any possibility for a turn of events. When Chu Lan arrived, everyone paid their respects. However, none of them called him ¡®Emperor¡¯. Ever since Chu Lan assumed the throne following the mourning period, the court officials had changed their address to ¡®Emperor¡¯. Nevertheless, at this moment, they all changed their form of address. ¡°What is the meaning of this, General Lu?¡± Chu Lan asked. Just as Chu Lan finished asking, Wei Jinyi stepped forward from the crowd and stood at the front of the ministers. He stood straight, his steps steady, no longer bearing the previous appearance of frailty. It turned out that the rumors were true. The King Rui had truly been healed by Queen Rui. Her great medical skills were renowned. He should have surmised this when he guessed that she was Xu Heyou. Chu Lanughed: ¡°What is this, younger brother? You¡¯ve just returned and already you¡¯re banding together with the ministers for this performance? It seems you haveints against your own elder brother?¡± General Lu was the first to speak, ¡°Prince Jing, due to the sudden death of Emperor Daxing, in the absence of an imperial edict, we nominated you as the new monarch because a country cannot be without a ruler for even one day. But now there has been a change, and there is a surviving edict from Emperor Daxing.¡± Hearing this, Chu Lan¡¯s gaze darkened. He then looked at Wei Jinyi and asked in a calm voice, ¡°You have an edict from Emperor Daxing in your hand?¡± Wei Jinyi slowly raised his hand, and in his hand was an imperial edict. Chu Lan scoffed: ¡°So you mean to say that my younger brother has brought back the imperial edict from our father, the Emperor? To my understanding, King Rui has been away from the capital for three years and has not returned once during that time. How could he have an imperial edict?¡± Chapter 616: The Big Finale (1): Confrontation at the Spirits Front_1 Chapter 616: Chapter 616: The Big Finale (1): Confrontation at the Spirit¡¯s Front_1 ¡°It was given to me by my father the Emperor before I left Beijing three years ago.¡± Wei Jinyi stated.@@novelbin@@ Before Wei Jinyi left Beijing three years ago, he had confessed his fake illness to the Daxing Emperor along with his ns and intentions. After learning of this, the Daxing Emperor did not chastise him, but instead gave him this edict. Wei Jinyi, back then, did not harbor intentions of ascending to the throne, and yet the Daxing Emperor still entrusted him with this edict. The Daxing Emperor said, if he didn¡¯t want to use it, no one would ever know of its existence as long as he didn¡¯t show it. If he needed it in the future, the edict would legitimize his im. When Wei Jinyi first received the edict, he felt nothing much of it. Now, in retrospect, he understood the Daxing Emperor¡¯s deep thoughtfulness and concern. Perhaps the Daxing Emperor had long foreseen that he might not meet a peaceful end, and that there would be a prince who would seize the throne and make life difficult for King Rui. Upon hearing this, a shocked look shed across King Yu¡¯s eyes.
He evidently couldn¡¯tprehend why the Daxing Emperor would have given the edict so early to King Rui. Did the Emperor foresee Chu Yi¡¯s recovery three years ago? Or did he consider Chu Yi as the optimal sessor, even though he expected Chu Yi to have a short life? King Qin¡¯s face was serene, as though he had expected this all along. This remained unchanged even though he had been the most favored prince in the past two years. After listening to Wei Jinyi¡¯s answer, Chu Lan fell silent for a moment. Then a smirk graced his lips as he lifted his hand, signaling the eunuch to bring forward a chair. He subtly and leisurely sat down, watching Wei Jinyi and the court officials withposure. Chu Lan spoke casually, ¡°Edicts can be falsified. Who knows whether King Rui could have fabricated the edict to usurp the throne?¡± Lord Lu replied, ¡°The Prime Minister and I, along with the Imperial Historian Lord Zhang, and the Imperial Tutor Zhang have examined it. The handwriting on the edict does align with thete emperor¡¯s, and the seal is also fine.¡± Chu Lan rebutted, ¡°All of you can¡¯t be trusted either¡ªwho knows if my ninth brother has bribed you to help him usurp the throne?¡± Lord Lu responded, ¡°If King Jing does not trust the three of us, we can invite others to examine whether this edict was truly written by the Daxing Emperor!¡± Chu Lan retorted, ¡°Is that so difficult? It¡¯s just that the forgery is more sophisticated, and thus unreliable.¡± Regardless of anything else, Chu Lan was adamant that the edict in Wei Jinyi¡¯s hand was fake, and no one could argue otherwise. Then Chu Lan addressed the officials behind Wei Jinyi, ¡°This edict was brought back from outside by King Rui. Do we have any precedent since the founding of our dynasty where the Emperor gives the edict of session to the prince to keep outside the pce? How can such an edict be credible? Even if it were true, it is such an irregrity that it could be deemed worthless.¡± Chu Lan¡¯s statement stirred the crowd. Indeed, it was hard to ascertain the authenticity of an edict of session brought back from outside the pce. It could not be readily epted. Still, some officials voiced their support, ready to stand with Wei Jinyi who had the Daxing Emperor¡¯s edict legitimizing his session. Among those were Xiu Fengyuan and Zhao Xun, who were familiar with Wei Ruo. Although their current positions in the court were not high, they remained the most resolute amidst the unpredictable situation. Just as everyone was swayed by Chu Lan¡¯s words, Wei Jinyi spoke again: ¡°What if this decree mounted behind the que in the Qianqing Pce is credible?¡± Upon Wei Jinyi¡¯s utterance, everyone simultaneously looked up at the que inscribed with ¡°Justice and Brightness¡±. Chu Lan¡¯s expression hardened, a visible chill seeping into his gaze. Wei Jinyi spoke, ¡°The Daxing Emperor left two copies of his will. The other one is ced behind this que. Someone can now be sent to retrieve it. The content matches the one I hold.¡± As long as the edict was read aloud amongst them all, Chu Lan would have no case. Immediately, Lord Lu asked, ¡°King Jing, may we now retrieve the que?¡± Chu Lan did not respond right away but chuckled in a low voice, ¡°So, I overlooked this after all.¡± Lord Lu turned to Chu Lan, his eyebrows knitting in confusion, ¡°King Jing?¡± Chu Lan dropped hisughter, his mocking gaze set on Wei Jinyi, ¡°Ninth brother, I have to admit, I have underestimated you and the Emperor¡¯s affection for you.¡± He then addressed the gathered court officials, ¡°Even if this edict is true, I have still been the acting Emperor for half a month. Do you really think we should entrust the court to King Rui, who has never participated in politics, simply based on this suddenly appearing edict?¡± All the officials fell silent, expressing varying reactions¡ªsome appeared to support Chu Lan, while others sided with Wei Jinyi. However, at this point, the majority among them chose to wait and watch, not daring to express their position rashly. Their silence indicated that even if Wei Jinyi held thete Emperor¡¯s edict, he would not win the backing of most of the court officials. Only people like General Lu, Xiu Fengyuan, and Zhao Xun dered their firm stance in favor of Wei Jinyi as the legitimate sessor to the throne. Wei Jinyi then spoke up, ¡°What if Chu Lan is the one who harmed our father?¡± These words stunned the gathered officials into speechlessness. What? The Daxing Emperor was killed by King Jing? The officials were too astonished to speak, leaving the Qianqing Pce in total silence. King Yu was the first to react, rushing forward to point an using finger at Chu Lan, ¡°You dare plot against our father! How dare you stoop so low as tomit such an atrocious act?!¡± Chu Lan appeared unruffled, ¡°My ninth brother, you really have pulled out all the stops for this position, even fabricating such a monstrous crime. You said I plotted against our father. Do you have proof? Our father is lying in his coffin right behind me. You im he was assassinated. Are there any signs of injury on his body?¡± If there were any suspicious marks on the Daxing Emperor¡¯s body, they should have been discovered and he would not have been prepared for his burial in such a peaceful manner. All eyes immediately turned to Wei Jinyi. Lord Lu asked Wei Jinyi, ¡°Does King Rui have any evidence to support his previous statement?¡± Wei Jinyi did not respond immediately. Seeing his silence, Chu Lanughed, ¡°It seems that these are simply my ninth brother¡¯s guesses. To publicly make such serious usations based solely on your own suspicions reveals quite a bit of desperation.¡± Under Chu Lan¡¯s scrutiny, the court officials fell silent again. ¡°I have proof.¡± Suddenly, a clear female voice cut through the silence in the hall. Everyone turned to look and saw Wei Ruo dressed in mourning clothes walking in from the rear of the hall. Seeing Wei Ruo appear, a flicker of surprise passed through Chu Lan¡¯s eyes. Wei Ruo walked up to the crowd, stood in front of the altar, pointed to the Daxing Emperor¡¯s coffin behind her, and said, ¡°The Emperor¡¯s body is the best evidence. He was poisoned to death. Although it doesn¡¯t show on the surface, his internal organs suffered severe damage. It¡¯s obvious at a nce.¡± Looking at Wei Ruo, Chu Lan¡¯s expression changed from surprise to a sneer, ¡°Queen Rui never fails to surprise. Dare you attempt to desecrate the Daxing Emperor¡¯s body? Furthermore, suppose his internal organs are damaged, so what? His body, long gued with chronic illness, has been on long-term medication. It is not unusual to find abnormalities in his organs.¡± Chapter 617: The Grand Finale (2): Solid Evidence_1 Chapter 617: Chapter 617: The Grand Finale (2): Solid Evidence_1 Facing Chu Lan¡¯s questioning, Wei Ruo wasn¡¯t flustered and slowly began exining, ¡°I can prove that thete Daxing Emperor¡¯s death was unusual without damaging his body. The poison that the Daxing Emperor was exposed to was the perfume of Drunken Love. This poison is a mixture of two non-toxic substances. One is Wind Ring Fragrance, which you mixed in with the ambergris tribute from Fujian, and the other is Extinct Frost Shadow, which you¡¯ve mixed into the tribute tea leaves.¡± ¡°As both of them are non-toxic individually, they were not discovered by the testers for the Emperor. But if we investigate a little, we can ascertain whether King Jing intervened in transporting these two items to the Daxing Emperor.¡± ¡°The person poisoned by the Drunken Love perfume ordinarily would not show any symptoms, but if their bodyes in contact with Daisy Flower juice, it will turn ck. An ordinary person¡¯s body would not react this way, thus we can verify whether the Daxing Emperor was poisoned without hurting his imperial body.¡± In front of the entire court, Wei Ruo proposed her solution. The reason she knew all of this was because she had investigated all the suspicious items rted to the Emperor before rushing over. These suspicious items had been investigated and collected by Wei Yichen before their return to the Capital City, waiting for Wei Ruo, a person with outstanding medical skills, to investigate them. Wei Yichen knew that since this poison could evade the investigation by the pce professionals, Chu Lan must have administered the poison very stealthily. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if ordinary people failed to detect such concealed poison, but Wei Ruo might have a chance to discover it. As expected, after investigating, Wei Ruo identified the problem.
Almost immediately upon identifying the Wind Ring Fragrance, Wei Ruo confirmed the real cause of the Daxing Emperor¡¯s death. At this moment, Wei Yichen also stepped forward, submitting a list of the daily items used by the Emperor. The source of each item on the list was clearly marked. There was also an investigation into the background of the incense and tea leaves used by the Emperor, detailing Chu Lan¡¯s involvement andplete with the signatures of relevant personnel. Such a detailed ount left no room for Chu Lan¡¯s defense. The onemanding Wei Yichen to do all this was Wei Jinyi. Before arriving in the Capital City, Wei Jinyi inferred from the information transmitted from the Capital City that Chu Lan had most likely poisoned the Emperor and therefore focused on this aspect for his investigation. And Wei Yichen did not disappoint, conducting thorough investigations over these few days and acquiring evidence enough to charge Chu Lan. Wei Yichen said, ¡°Your Highness King Jing, the signatures of those involved in this matter are present here. If you still deny it, we can also bring them to the main hall for a confrontation.¡±@@novelbin@@ The hall was silent. All eyes fell on Chu Lan, waiting for his exnation. Chu Lan¡¯s eyes were firmly locked on Wei Ruo. He had sensed from the moment Wei Ruo appeared in the hall that things were not that simple. She managed to escape from Kunning Pce, which means she had their people inside the pce. And just now, she stated precisely the poison that the Daxing Emperor had been exposed to. This showed that the preparations made by the King Rui and his wife were more extensive than he had anticipated. Chu Lan¡¯s gaze at Wei Ruo wasplicated. The method of poisoning that he had discovered through consulting renowned doctors and researching ancient books had been easily seen through by her. Of course, she was Xu Heyou, the one who pulled him back from Ghost Gate while he was on the brink of death. So herpetence should not be surprising to him. But this time, her exceptional medical skills were used to destroy him instead of saving him. Facing Chu Lan¡¯s gaze, Wei Ruo fearlessly met his eyes. After a while, Chu Lan withdrew his gaze from Wei Ruo. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Chu Lan slowly voiced these two words. Old Master Lu hastily asked Chu Lan, ¡°What do you mean by this, Your Highness King Jing? Are Queen Rui¡¯s words true? Was the Daxing Emperor¡¯s death rted to you?¡± ¡°At this point, it seems I can no longer deny it. I didn¡¯t intend for things to end up like this, but it¡¯s out of my control now, isn¡¯t it? Ninth younger brother.¡± Chu Lan¡¯s gaze fell on Wei Jinyi, sharp as a knife¡¯s edge. In the past, he had never looked at him this way. King Rui, Chu Yi ¨C always sick, weak, and delicate as if his life would expire any minute. He had once suspected him of faking his illness, but he could not find a reason for him to do so. He was a legitimate child, beloved by theirte father. If he wanted topete for the throne, it would be best for him to make courtiers think he was deserving early on. Moreover, heter asked to rule over his fiefdom, distancing himself from the power center. This made people feel that he had no intention ofpeting for the session. Wei Jinyi said, ¡°He was my father. He treated me with kindness and love. Morally and personally, I must make the person who killed him pay the corresponding price.¡± Chu Lan said, ¡°Since ancient times, those who havemitted regicide and patricide aren¡¯t only me. Others who have done this have also left their names in history. It¡¯s simply a matter of winners and losers. History is written by the victors.¡± The courtiers turned pale at Chu Lan¡¯s words. He basically admitted tomitting regicide and patricide himself! Chu Heng stepped forward and loudly berated Chu Lan, ¡°You¡¯re utterly heartless and ruthless! Even our father you¡­, you¡¯re not human! You¡¯re worse than a beast!¡± Chu Lan looked at Chu Heng and said, ¡°Of all the people here today, the person least qualified to use me is you Chu Heng. If you had the opportunity, you would have acted sooner than me.¡± Chu Heng retorted angrily, ¡°Stop talking nonsense! I would never do such a despicable deed!¡± Then Chu Heng turned to the courtiers and said, ¡°We must not let Chu Lan, this treacherous minister, be the crown prince. Otherwise, Daye Country will be ruined and people will suffer immeasurably. The end of the country is not far off! Those of us who know the truth about his regicide will also find it hard to survive!¡± The courtiers watched him but did not move. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to act at this moment, but rather that they didn¡¯t dare to. Chu Lan, the treacherous minister, was indeed a regicide and patricide ¨C this was undeniable and an act against human nature. However, all the soldiers in the Capital City were under his control. What could they use to oppose Chu Lan? Chu Lan did not pay attention to the hopping Chu Heng. His eyes were still on Wei Jinyi. ¡°Ninth younger brother, since I have already ascended to this position, I won¡¯t easily give it up. Neither the edict nor the support of General Lu can change this.¡± As he finished speaking, Chu Lan pped his hands. Immediately, countless Imperial Army soldiers in armor and armed with weapons filed in one by one, sealing off Qianqing Pce. The courtiers showed expressions of shock and panic. Soon after, themander of the Imperial Army, Han, passed through the crowd and came to Chu Lan¡¯s side, crossing his hands and bowing in salute. In the court, many of the civil and military officials were weak and incapable of any martial arts. Even those with great martial arts skill could hardly confront such arge number of well-trained Imperial Army soldiers, especially with no weapons at their disposal. For a moment, they were like fish on a chopping board. All it would take would be an order from Chu Lan, and they would be killed on the spot, staining Qianqing Pce with their blood. Chapter 618: The Grand Finale (3) - Turning the Tide_1 Chapter 618: Chapter 618: The Grand Finale (3) ¨C Turning the Tide_1 In such a situation, several officials began to regreting here with Old Master Lu today.@@novelbin@@ Some were filled with righteous indignation, harshly criticizing Chu Lan. Some were quietly observing the changes. Some even dered their loyalty to Wei Jinyi on the spot. At this moment, human nature was vividly disyed in all its facets. Chu Lan then addressed the officials in the hall, ¡°The Daxing Emperor has long neglected state affairs, and the corruption of his ruling inws has be serious. Themon people are living in hardship. Although it was ruthless of me to kill him, it was also a necessary evil in order to save themon people from suffering. If you all understand my intentions and are willing to continue to pledge loyalty to me, to seek blessings for themon people and life for the citizens, I can forgive your transgressions today, and everything will remain as it was, as though nothing happened.¡± After Chu Lan spoke these words, more officials knelt down, kowtowing to Chu Lan as a sign of their loyalty. However, quite a few officials still stood in ce without moving. Among them were those who chose to support Wei Jinyi and those who chose to wait and see. Old Master Lu scolded Chu Lan, ¡°Indeed, the Daxing Emperor neglected state affairs in the previous years, which allowed the Qi Family to dominate the court. But in recent years, everyone has witnessed his diligence and love for his people. On the contrary, you have killed countless innocent people in thest two years in your bid for power. If you truly meant to plead for themon people, you shouldn¡¯t have acted at this time! You are clearly acting for your personal desires, don¡¯t paint it with such grand statements!¡±
¡°Old General Lu, you are getting old and should learn when to keep quiet. Don¡¯t say more when you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Chu Lan replied. ¡°I¡¯m old and have nothing to fear. I¡¯ve spent my whole life in the military, so I¡¯m not afraid of death. If you want to kill me today, feel free to do so, but if you want me to shut up, you¡¯re going to have to kill me first,¡± retorted Old Master Lu. ¡°Old Master Lu, rest assured, after today, you will die of a sudden illness. Your former students and acquaintances will mourn for you,¡± said Chu Lan. ¡°Then do it!¡± Old Master Lu raised his head, his eyes filled with contempt for Chu Lan. Even with a knife to his throat, he would never bow to those he despised. Chu Heng snapped, ¡°Chu Lan, you are plotting to usurp the throne, and you even want to force us into submission with force. You traitor, you won¡¯t seed!¡± ¡°What do you mean by a traitor? It has always been ¡®the winner bes king and the loser bes a bandit.¡¯ After today, nobody will know what happened here. The history books will simply record that Kings Rui and Jing intended to rebel but failed.¡± Chu Lan said calmly. ¡°You¡­you¡¯re mad! You won¡¯t die a good death!¡± Chu Heng eximed in fury. Chu Lan ignored Chu Heng and Old General Lu, turning his gaze towards Wei Ruo, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have got involved. At least between us, we could have kept some dignity.¡± Wei Ruo replied, ¡°King Jing, there was never any dignity between us. We had minimal contact from the start, you¡¯ve been imagining too much. Moreover, your opponent today isn¡¯t me, it¡¯s my husband and¡­ our father.¡± ¡°Imagining too much? Hahaha, you¡¯re right, it¡¯s all my wishful thinking,¡± Chu Lanughed mockingly. ¡°Chu Lan, you haven¡¯t won yet.¡± Wei Ruo asserted. As Wei Ruo finished speaking, Han Jin, who had originally stood beside Chu Lan, suddenly switched sides and walked towards Wei Jinyi. ¡°Prince Rui, be careful!¡± Old Master Lu swiftly stepped in front of Wei Jinyi. The next moment, Han Jin knelt towards Wei Jinyi and said, ¡°Your servant greets Prince Rui.¡± Everyone was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Even Old Master Lu didn¡¯t expect this development. Chu Lan and Chu Heng were even more startled. They had never heard of any previous interactions between Han Jin and Prince Rui. When did they conspire together? Wei Ruo knew. She had previously seen Wei Jinyi, disguised as Wang Jin, meet with Han Jin privately, and had heard Wei Jinyi say that Han Jin was an old friend of his. Wei Jinyi, addressing the kowtowing Han Jin said, ¡°Uncle, there¡¯s no need for such formalities. Please stand and speak.¡± What? Uncle? Han Jin is Prince Rui¡¯s uncle? How is that possible? All of the people rted to the Xu household died back then, how could Han Jin be Wei Jinyi¡¯s uncle? Chu Lan looked at Han Jin coldly, ¡°Who are you really?¡± ¡°The youngest son of the Xu family, Xu Zhengyuan,¡± answered Han Jin. Old Master Lu looked at Han Jin in disbelief, ¡°In all these years you¡¯ve served¡­ the Daxing Emperor always held you in high regard and trusted you. And even when the case of the Xu family was overturned, you never revealed your true identity¡­¡± Han Jin exined, ¡°The Daxing Emperor knew my identity from the beginning. He intentionally spared my life, showing mercy because I was young, wanting to soothe my older sister. But she eventually died in childbirth due to lingering grief caused by the deaths of our father and brothers. At the time, I didn¡¯t fully trust the Daxing Emperor, so I secretly arranged for the Prince to be sent away without his knowledge.¡± At that time, Wei Jinyi was just an infant, and the remaining members of the Xu family were like scattered sand without a leader. Although Han Jin was only twelve years old at the time, he was mature enough. With him around, the remaining members of the Xu family could unite andy low to protect Wei Jinyi and n for future vindication. Many questions that the crowd had previously not understood were now clear. So it turns out that the Xu Family had been keeping such a card, no wonder Wei Jinyi was able to return sessfully after so many years, and no wonder the Emperor had so easily confirmed Wei Jinyi¡¯s identity. So that¡¯s how it was! If the leader of the Imperial Army is Prince Rui¡¯s uncle, then isn¡¯t it¡­? The situation changed immediately. The spears that were originally pointed at Wei Jinyi and his people were now pointed at Chu Lan. The Imperial Army turned traitor, and now only a few dozen of Chu Lan¡¯s confidants were left by his side. Chu Lan remained silent for a long time, and after a while, he actually started chuckling. ¡°No wonder, no wonder he appointed Han Jin as the leader of the Imperial Army three years ago!¡± This ¡°he¡± was none other than the Daxing Emperor lying behind him, who had stopped breathing. It was his n, and the path he paved for Prince Rui. No wonder Wei Ruo said earlier that Chu Lan¡¯s opponents today would be Prince Rui and thete Daxing Emperor. Although the Emperor was dead, his arrangements before his death had far-reaching impacts. What a gesture of deep love and long-term nning! ¡°It seems that today¡¯s matter won¡¯t end easily. Where are the generals of the Armed Forces Department?¡± Apanied by Chu Lan¡¯smand, a signal re rose into the sky from outside the hall. Shortly afterwards, men from the Central City Armed Forces Department rushed towards Qianqing Hall and surrounded the Imperial Army. Both sides were on the brink of conflict. From the square outside came the sound of intense fighting. More men from the Armed Forces Department were pouring in, engaging inbat with the Imperial Army. Chu Lan said, ¡°Fortunately, I never trusted Han Jin that much. His betrayal came too easily, so I had arranged for part of the Central City¡¯s troops to be on standby in the pce.¡± Chapter 622: The Grand Finale (7): A Lifetime Together_1 Chapter 622: Chapter 622: The Grand Finale (7): A Lifetime Together_1 Upon bing emperor, Wei Jinyi became busier than ever before. As Empress, Wei Ruo was naturally tasked with managing the affairs of the imperial harem. Luckily, the pce was not heavily popted, Wei Jinyi had not taken in any concubines, and the previous emperor did not leave behind any imperial concubines. With minimal staff, there was little to preupy her time. Though managing the daily routines and staff of the pce was a moreplicated task, Wei Ruo was skilled in handling these affairs. The principles were the same whether within or outside the pce, and the methods were universally applicable. In addition, Wei Ruo was also involved in relief efforts for various disaster-stricken areas and spring nting initiatives. At times, she would also participate in government decision making, discussing rted matters with other officials from behind a curtain. Gaining from the sessful example set in Jiliao, no one raised any objections towards Wei Ruo¡¯s political involvement. In some respects, it could be said that Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi governed together as emperor and empress. The responsibilities they shouldered now were slightly moreplicated than they had been in Jiliao, but with the experience they had gained there, they now handled these tasks with ease. Besides this, in her spare time, Wei Ruo could not break her old habits. Even in the Royal Garden, she allocated a plot ofnd to grow some fruits and vegetables. asionally, she would go out for a stroll, disguising herself to visit Qiao Manor, thus avoiding living under constant restrictions.
Wei Ruo had also had a heart-to-heart conversation with Wei Jinyi. She had told him that if he ever fell out of love with her, to let her leave. She did not lust over her title as empress, nor would his change of heart lead her to be trapped in resentment. She continued to live in the pce because the man she loved was there. She would not obstruct him from falling in love with other women, and neither would she prevent him from filling his harem with three thousand beauties. If he truly were to fall out of love, her attempts to stop him would be futile. What she desired was love that was voluntary and free, not a confining matrimonial rtionship. Wei Jinyi promised her; he made no excessive pledges, simply stating that time would prove everything. Wei Ruo considered herself fortunate. Along her journey, she had been lucky enough to meet many kind-hearted people who had protected her and nurtured her, sharing in her joys and sorrows. Even in power struggles, she had hardly worried about anything. Though asionally, there were individuals such as Wei Qingwan who made her feel uneasy, they did not cause her significant harm. Now, as the empress, she should be worrying about the affairs of the pce and the fight for power and favor, but none of these issues arose. As empress, her role was stress-free and effortless. Other people would worry about the trivial matters on her behalf, and she was free to follow her interests and indulge in her skills. Her brother and her husband, who doubled as the emperor, had kept their promise to her. Even in his imperial role, he still treated her as before, and even his form of address towards her did not change. In private times with no outsiders present, he still referred to her affectionately as ¡®Second Brother¡¯. She was satisfied with how everything was presently. She didn¡¯t know what the future would bring, but those were problems for the future. She would cross that bridge when she got there. ### The next year, the era name was changed to Xingning. In the first year of Xingning, the climate remained unfavorable. However, due to the blessings on the empire, many new high-yield crop varieties were discovered and promoted, allowing people¡¯s harvests to gradually meet their needs. The situation in the disaster-stricken areas improved, and the number of bandits also decreased gradually. Meanwhile, the conflict between the empire and the Jurchen Tribe eased. The emperor summoned Martial General Xu Zhengyong back to the capital for reassignment. While awaiting his assignment in the capital, General Xu married Xiumei, a high-ranking maiden from Empress Wei Ruo¡¯s entourage. The emperor and empress presided over their wedding ceremony. The empress provided a bridal procession for ten miles as a dowry, making the wedding a grand event. The celebration was not inferior to any other noblewoman¡¯s wedding in the capital. The following month, Lu Bei, the emperor¡¯s top guard, resigned and left the capital to travel. In the second year of Xingning, the empress was pregnant. The emperor was overjoyed and issued a nationwide amnesty. That same year, the Minister of Rites, Lord Cui, proposed to the emperor to take in more concubines, but his proposal was turned down by the emperor, citing concerns about the country as the reason. Many among the court greatly respected the empress for her contributions to the nation. As the emperor had no concerns about an heir, they supported the emperor¡¯s decision to refrain from taking more concubines. In the third year of Xingning, the empress gave birth to a second son, named Chu Zhen. That same year, after years of infertility, King Qin and Queen Qin had their first child, reportedly due to the empress¡¯s assistance in improving their health. In the same year, Fan Chengxu and Xie Ying also had their first child. The couple established an orphanage outside the capital, taking in homeless children from various locations. They provided shelter and taught these children how to read and write. In the fourth year of Xingning, due to the joint efforts of the emperor and empress, agriculture witnessed the first major revival in several years. Grain output returned to the level of the tenth year of Renwu, and the national treasury was replenished. In the sixth year of Xingning, the empress gave birth to a third son, named Chu Wei. From then on, no one in the court brought up the issue of the emperor taking more concubines. The empress having several sons ensured peace in the pce. With a stable court and peaceful public, what reason was there to repeat the previous emperor¡¯s mistake of having many sons fighting for the throne, resulting in internal damage to the empire? In the seventh year of Xingning, Wei Mingting, the Marquis of Nan¡¯an, was appointed as a grand general. However, hergely remained on the battlefield all year round to guard the frontiers and protect the country. He seldom returned to the capital. In the ninth year of Xingning, the empress gave birth to a daughter, named Chu Yue. That year was another bumper harvest year. With agriculture as the foundation, other trades also thrived. The overall economic level of the empire returned to its peak period. In the twelfth year of Xingning, Wei Yichen became the head of the cab¡ªan influential position in the court. The residence of the Marquis of Nanning enjoyed great prosperity. In the sixteenth year of Xingning, the empire reached unprecedented prosperity. The taxes collected that year reached a record high, and smaller neighboring countries all came to offer tribute. In the eighteenth year of Xingning, the emperor fell seriously ill. The crown prince served as the regent, and the emperor passed away that same winter. Crown Prince Chu Yan then ascended to the throne. The following spring, the empress dowager fell ill due to the bereavement of the emperor. She never recovered and passed away half a monthter. She was buried with the emperor in the imperial tomb. Wei Mingting, the Marquis of Nan¡¯an, returned to the capital to mourn. After the empress dowager¡¯s funeral, he asked the emperor for permission to retire and took his family to Taizhou Prefecture. His eldest son, Wei Yichen, and his wife and children continued to stay in the capital. His second son, Wei Yilin, took his wife and children to Taizhou Prefecture with his father. There, he served as the Guard Commander of the Taizhou Prefecture guard. ### Three monthster. Jiliao City. The former residence of King Rui. The original que was removed, reced by one reading ¡°Residence of Prince of Blessing.¡± The emperor¡¯s second son, Chu Zhen, was granted the title of the Prince of Blessing, with Jiliao as his fiefdom. Inside the residence which was supposed to be upied by the newly appointed Prince of Blessing, were two individuals who appeared to be around forty years old.@@novelbin@@ Although time had aged the woman somewhat, she had lost the na?vet¨¦ of teenage girls, gaining the attractiveness unique to mature women. Her face was ruddy, and she was still radiant. It was almost impossible to tell that she was nearly forty years old. The man, with a face as handsome as jade and an upright posture, moved with an agility that suggested his profound internal strength. In quiet moments, he was as refined as a schr. At dusk, the woman personally prepared several homely dishes. The couple enjoyed a simple dinner under the bamboo in Songzhu Garden. After dinner, they rested in the courtyard. The woman nestled in the man¡¯s arms, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun. ¡°Second Brother.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Thank you for being with me throughout my life.¡± ¡°I should thank you foring into my life.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s thank each other.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± (THE END) ¡ª The End ¡ª WRITE A REVIEW The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!