Chapter 982: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 982: Autumn Harvest and Seeking a Physician (3)
When Yang Bao heard this, he smiled and said, “Good, as long as the date is set. I’ll inform the villagers right away so they can plan accordingly.”
“Mm, thank you for the trouble, Uncle Yang,” Mo Yan said with a smile.
Yang Bao quickly waved his hand and said it was no trouble at all. Then, after hesitating for a moment, he asked with some curiosity, “Yan girl, this set of houses you’re building seems even larger than your own compound. What are they for?”
The Mo family was a rather unique presence in Liuyang Village and the nearby villages. Any small movement from them would draw plenty of attention and gossip. Now that the Mo family had suddenly hired so many people to build such a large structure without saying what it was for, speculation among the villagers only increased.
Some said it was for a medicinal workshop—after all, hadn’t they seen that large area of flourishing medicinal fields behind the mountain? Others believed it was a residential estate to be sold to wealthy city dwellers. One of the more outrageous theories claimed the Mo family had discovered a piece of prime feng shui land and were building a grand new residence there to bring prosperity and fortune to the family…
Living in the village herself, Mo Yan had heard these rumors. Since none of them were malicious, she didn’t bother to clarify. Now that Yang Bao brought it up again, she didn’t want to reveal the purpose before construction was even finished, lest it stir up even more gossip. So she simply said, “Uncle Yang, there’s certainly an important use for these houses. As for what they’re for, you’ll know when the time comes.”
Hearing this, Yang Bao didn’t press further, but his curiosity only deepened. He even started to think that if the Mo family had really found a spot with excellent feng shui and was planning to build a new residence there, he might build his own house nearby to share in their good fortune.
Last year, his family had earned a fair amount of silver from growing vegetables in greenhouses. He had planned to tear down the old house and build a new one. But the plot was too small—even with a new house, it wouldn’t be big enough for everyone, especially since his grandson would be of marrying age in a few years. He wanted a larger house so the whole family could live together.
To that end, he had even hired a feng shui master to pick a site, and the master had pointed straight to the Mo residence, saying it was the best spot in the entire village. He suggested building nearby.
However, all the empty land around the Mo house had already been bought by the Mo family. Though tempted, Yang Bao also knew the Mo family had chosen the secluded spot not only for its good feng shui but also for the peace and quiet. He didn’t feel right about asking them to sell a piece of land to him.
For now, his house plans were on hold. It worked out anyway, since his two sons wanted to start small businesses, so he gave them a portion of the money they’d earned to invest, hoping they’d earn more. Later, they could pick a good site and build a large residence.
Mo Yan didn’t know about any of Yang Bao’s thoughts. After the two chatted for a bit more, Yang Bao took his leave.
On the sixth day of the eighth lunar month, the day chosen to break ground, Mo Yan solemnly set up an altar and offered prayers to the gods. Then, at the chosen foundation site, she dug the first shovel of earth.
Afterward, the gathered villagers who had also paid their respects scattered to various foundation sites and eagerly began digging with shovels and pickaxes.
Mo Yan walked around to inspect each site briefly, then returned home. Just as she sat down to rest, someone came to the door. It was none other than one of the two maidservants who had previously accompanied Cui Qingrou to the Mo residence to take Cui Ping’an home.
“…County Princess, my young lady truly has no other choice and had to ask you to come to the estate. For the sake of Seventh Young Master’s acquaintance with you, please, we beg you to help him.”
After hearing the maidservant’s tearful account, Mo Yan learned that shortly after returning home, Cui Ping’an had suddenly fallen severely ill. He’d had an intermittent high fever for six days and nights now and had not regained consciousness.
During this time, the Cui family had summoned every reputable physician in the capital to examine him, but none could find a solution. The Cui Matriarch even used her own name card to request an imperial physician from the palace. But even that physician failed to identify the illness, and despite prescribing several strong medicines, none had brought down Cui Ping’an’s fever.
(End of Chapter)
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