Sure enough, Zhang went to talk about other matters.


Ye Muyu walked to the side of Chu Heng, crouched down and gently fanned the fire with the fan at hand making the flames bigger.


"You go to the main hall and talk to Uncle's family for a while. I'll watch over here."


"Okay, call me if you need anything." Chu Heng nodded. Although he didn't want his wife to suffer, it was more convenient to handle family matters at home.


Chu Heng wasn't the type to lose sight of the bigger picture over minor matters and Ye Muyu understood. Seeing that she didn't show any signs of displeasure, she understood his intentions. Chu Heng then left with peace of mind.


Once Chu Heng left, Zhang grinned at Ye Muyu teasingly"Third Sister-in-law, is Third Brother always this gentle? Truly, they say heroes have a hard time with beautiful women and it seems the same for Third Brother."


"Sister-in-law, your words are getting more refined. Have you started learning to read recently? Should I join in?" Wang asked hesitantly. She was willing to spend money on her children but reluctant to spend it on herself and Chu Cai. Chu Cai had a similar personality to hers, two honest people who, despite having savings, lived very frugally.


And yet, they seemed to enjoy it.


Thinking about studying, Zhang remembered Song Lu, her son-in-law. She had informed him before leaving but she forgot to remind him about the child trafficking matter. She wasn't sure if her husband would remember it.


She felt a bit uneasy for a moment.


Wiping her hands on her apron, she said to Wang "Second Sister-in-law, we're short on soy sauce at home. I'll go get some."


"Sure, go ahead." Wang didn't even lift her head.


Zhang hurriedly left the kitchen, went to the main hall, said a few words, and then left.


Ye Muyu quickly finished brewing the calming soup and called Chu Jin to drink it.


The dishes in the kitchen were all prepared and it would be appropriate to start cooking in half an hour.


Ye Muyu and Wang then entered the main hall to listen to the conversation between Uncle's family.


At this point, only family members were present and the men and women didn't sit separately but on different sides.


By now, Chu Liushi had finished talking with his brother Liu Cheng and was discussing Liu Jiao's matters with his sister-in-law Luo Shi.


When Ye Muyu entered, she sat on a nearby stool and Chu Ziluo having had enough playtime also came in and snuggled up to Ye Muyu.


Regarding Liu Jiao's marriage, Luo Shi seemed hesitant.


Seeing her expression, Chu Liushi knew there might be some inside information. She remembered receiving a letter from the family some days ago, saying that Liu Jiao had a marriage proposal from someone in the city, which should be a good match.


However, while she was worried about her family, she wouldn't let her daughter suffer. If there were difficulties, Luo Shi, as the mother wouldn't just stand by and watch her daughter suffer.


Luo Shi wanted to ask for help from Chu Liushi, especially since she saw how well her eldest sister-in-law's life had improved after marriage.


However, she wanted the other party to bring up the topic first. Otherwise, when she returned home, her mother might get angry with her.


Both were waiting for the other to speak.


Unable to bear the silence, it was Liu Jiao who spoke up first.


Seeing her aunt talk in circles without getting to the point, she couldn't help but interrupt "Aunt, please help me with my marriage. I will be obedient to you in the future."


Seeing her niece's straightforward nature, Chu Liushi wasn't surprised at all.


Just as he was about to speak, Liu Jiao's mother, Luo Shi, patted Liu Jiao's shoulder and somewhat nervously looked at Chu Liushi, awkwardly interjecting, "Second Sister-in-law, Jiao'er is becoming more willful. Please don't take it to heart."


Seeing her exhibiting a somewhat patriarchal attitude, Chu Liushi furrowed her brows slightly.

"In the county, with this child trafficking incident, they might close the city gates early. I plan to go back sooner and we still have time to go to the county to see the excitement in a couple of days. But the safety of the children is the priority." Ye Muyu advised.


She was afraid she wouldn't have the energy to take care of her family.


When Ye Pozi heard about the soft fragrant cake, she suddenly realized, "So it's this! But daughter, your words are not right. You said that the soft fragrant cake is expensive and indeed delicious. Where can you leave something cheap and unoccupied? We paid an entrance fee to enter the city gate today."


"I'll wait to pick up the soft fragrant cake before going back. Han Shi you take the two children back first with the people from the village. Don't wander around, in case of any trouble. When you get home, wake up your father for lunch. Don't just keep sleeping, starving your body." Ye Pozi arranged for Han Shi in a few sentences.


"Oh, and the one pound of meat Lan gave you, don't marinate it, just cook it directly. It's been several days and your mouth has become bland." Grandma Ye said.


Han Shi looked at her in surprise "Mother, one pound of meat can be sold to others for over twenty wen, it's a pity to eat it..."


"I don't need to eat, my health is good."


Ye Muyu looked at Han Shi, who reacted strongly to eating meat but had no reaction to Ye Pozi's arrangements. Her mouth twitched rare.


Ye Pozi glared at her "What nonsense are you talking about? It's not just for you to eat. Don't the children eat? Doesn't your father eat? Isn't your younger brother's wife pregnant? Now it's not like we can't save money. If you're worried about not saving silver, go home and help me make pickles. I guarantee you'll earn copper coins every day."


"Also, the gifts Lan gave you, take them all back. After returning to the village don't wander around."


"Mother, I understand..." Han Shi was still somewhat reluctant, as if eating a pound of meat was too extravagant.


But Ye Pozi always kept her word, and she probably wouldn't change her mind.


She felt helpless but still left.


Watching Han Shi carrying gifts, the two children holding pastries, first going to greet Chu Liushi and Chu Zhiwen, the two elders, and then being sent to the city gate by Grandma Ye, riding back with the villagers' ox carts.


Ye Muyu nodded, watching her family leave. The various items brought back from the original owner's house by the family were all sold and they were dressed in tattered clothes. The reason was probably mostly related to Han Shi.


Han Shi, with her personality, obviously didn't like to spend money, and even... could endure wearing shabby clothes. If she was afraid of poverty, she was more likely to blame herself.


Ye Muyu's temperament was completely different from hers. If the two lived together, there might be conflicts.


In any case, it seemed that Han Shi listened to Ye Pozi's words very well indicating that she was a common type of woman in the village, obeying her father at home and her husband after marriage and relying on her son after her husband's death.


Ye Hai was too young to rely on, so she subconsciously leaned on Ye Pozi.


One thing counters another. She only needed to rely on Ye Pozi and the days in her family would not be difficult.


Having figured this out, Ye Muyu turned and entered the kitchen.


Seeing that Chu Heng had already brewed the calming soup almost ready, Zhang and Wang had prepared the meals but hadn't cooked them yet.


Seeing her coming in, Zhang couldn't help but ask "Third Sister-in-law, nothing happened in the county, right?"


"The county magistrate won't let the county become chaotic. Sister-in-law, don't overthink it." Ye Muyu knew that Zhang was just asking casually, so she casually answered.

She smiled "Why are we getting playful? Weren't we discussing serious matters?"


"I asked Luchuan to investigate Tang Rou, perhaps this matter is related to her."


"In any case, Little Jin was almost kidnapped. We need to investigate and make sure or you won't feel at ease." Chu Heng said.


Ye Muyu agreed to the investigation but had reservations about Tang Rou. She felt Tang Rou was too persistent and not someone who easily gives up. Still, checking wouldn't hurt.


She glanced at him and reminded, "Don't let Little Jin hear this. Otherwise, he might think you don't care about him. You're his father, if you don't find out, can you be at ease?"


"Fair enough." Chu Heng responded. Seeing Ye Muyu's somewhat speechless expression, he felt a sudden surge of jealousy thinking about the position of the two children in her heart. But the child needed protection, as he was their father.


Chu Heng, with two lifetimes of experience, showed a momentary display of childishness. As for what he truly thought, only he knew. He added, "Rest assured, everything will be fine."


"You go and rest. I'll make a calming tea for Jin" Chu Heng said. He turned towards the kitche and Ye Muyu accustomed to him performing such 'feminine' tasks, didn't express any extra emotions.


On the other hand, Ye Pozi and Han Shi, who observed Chu Heng enter the kitchen and take out a ceramic jar to brew calming tea, found it somewhat surprising.


Ye Pozi mumbled, "Daughter, the son-in-law is an educated man. How can he handle such coarse work? Don't we have servants at home? Doesn't he usually avoid doing such tasks? Did he really step into the kitchen?"


Han Shi, with a worried expression, added, "Second Sister, you shouldn't be willful. A woman should adhere to the three obediences and four virtues for her husband. Look at me, I have no such blessings..."


As she spoke, her eyes turned red.


Unexpectedly, however, Ye Pozi and Ye Mengjie, weren't surprised at all.


Ye Muyu was a bit puzzled.


She then witnessed her sister-in-law recovering quickly, becoming lively again and even energetically scolding her son, Ye Hai, for being too mischievous.


Ye Muyu thought, "So, this is indirect resentment?"


"Daughter, impressive! Mother always said that the son-in-law is good. Look at other people's daughters. Where can you find such a good life and husband? When it comes down to it, your husband is better than most. I'm blessed." Ye Pozi praised in amazement. Her daughter's lack of surprise indicated that Chu Heng wasn't putting on a show for her.


Seeing the temperaments of her mother's family, Ye Muyu decided not to explain. Chu Heng was indeed a highly capable person with a knack for handling life. She had observed this in the county, where he had practically managed everything without relying on servants.


Although she felt Chu Heng's actions were too skillful, considering his experience in the county, she dismissed the thought. Nevertheless, she found it odd and somewhat impressive that her husband could handle such things with ease.


"Mother, when are you planning to go back?" Ye Muyu asked.


Ye Pozi replied, "Didn't the county magistrate say there are benefits after the competition? It's a loss to leave now."


"That's just Soft Fragrant Cakes. I've already sent them to you before. They're not something special. If you really want to eat them, wait a couple of days and I'll make and send them to you."

"Those people's skills were exceptional, not like ordinary kidnappers. Moreover, after I incapacitated them, I found a money pouch on the leader. There were two pieces of silver inside along with a few copper coins. The other kidnappers had almost no silver on them."


"Intentionally taking the silver into my hands, I heard one of the kidnappers nearby groaning, saying that the silver hadn't warmed up yet. I think there must be others involved in this matter and the attack on Young Master might have been deliberate."


"Besides, I believe there are other kidnappers wandering around." Lu Chuan shared his speculation.


Chu Heng thought about the previous incident in the village where thieves targeted his family. He had even made portraits afterward but couldn't find the culprits, as if they had vanished in an instant. Of course, this wasn't surprising, considering criminals tend to hide in remote areas.


If, in his past life, after entering officialdom, he offended many people and fell victim to schemes, he wouldn't find it strange. But now, in both his past and present lives, he hadn't offended anyone.


Was it a coincidence? No, it probably wasn't.


Unlike Ye Muyu, Chu Heng never believed in coincidences. Everything happened for a reason. He just hadn't uncovered the motives due to his current limitations.


The only connection seemed to be the Tang family.


"Did you inquire with the woman from the Li family, the village head's wife, last time? It might be related to today's events." Chu Heng asked.


Lu Chuan replied, "I asked last time. I heard it was someone from her family inquiring about Miss Ziluo's situation, wanting to propose marriage to her on behalf of their nephew."


"I also inquired at the Tang family. Tang Wangshi's curses Tang Rou every day, Tang Xueren doesn't care, and the other two sons, the younger one is clueless, and the older one freely spends silver in the county."


"Master, should I go and find Tang Rou?" Luchuan wasn't foolish. Sensing that Chu Heng might suspect Tang Rou, he clarified that the previous investigation had shown no connection between her and the events, merely the misguided fantasies of village women trying to climb up the social ladder by associating with the Chu family.


But now, the situation had changed. The young master had almost been kidnapped, and Chu Heng's expression indicated he wouldn't let the matter rest.


"Go and investigate. The person should still be in the county." Chu Heng nodded.


He gave Luchuan some silver and added, "Have someone keep an eye on the county yamen. Those kidnappers might be a breakthrough point."


"Yes, Master." Lu Chuan accepted the silver, left and closed the door behind him.


Ye Muyu had just walked over and observed Chu Heng giving silver to Luchuan. Concerned, she asked, "Did you send Luchuan to buy something?"


"No." Chu Heng turned around, reaching out to grab Ye Muyu's hand.


Ye Muyu was slightly surprised, not used to it. She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, and Chu Heng's gaze darkened. However, this time he didn't let go.


Feeling the softness and warmth in his palm, he found it striking his heart, warmth spreading throughout his body.


Chu Heng had a firm conviction, he didn't want to let go, even if she might not like him right now. He would become the man she liked.


Chu Heng lowered his head, gently hooking Ye Muyu's palm with his finger. Seeing her hesitate to retract her hand, he tightened his grip, not hurting her but preventing her from escaping.


Ye Muyu's fingers twitched several times but couldn't escape the childish action of this man.

Luchuan seemed to have a storyteller's aura.


Ye Muyu asked Luchuan, "Have those kidnappers been reported to the authorities?"


"They have. I defeated the kidnappers and the nearby villagers who witnessed the incident indignantly brought the culprits to the county yamen."


"We saw them enter the yamen before we came back." Luchuan respectfully replied. At this moment he couldn't help but feel grateful, if not for him the young master might have been really kidnapped.


Seeing the skills of those kidnappers, things wouldn't have been so simple.


"They deserve it, they should be reported to the authorities." said Chu Liushi. Hearing that the kidnappers had been reported, she also breathed a sigh of relief.


After this incident, Zhang and Wang were worried about their maternal families children, and even cooking became a hurried affair.


Luo also expressed concern for his maternal family and suggested going out to inquire.


Liu Cheng stopped her and said he would go.


Chu Liushi and Chu Zhiwen didn't object, so they agreed.


The women in the family anxiously waited inside, while the men outside informed their respective families.


In fact, ever since Luchuan and the others encountered the kidnappers, news of kidnappings had already started spreading in the county.


By now, the news had spread throughout the streets.


Just as the county magistrate had been warned by Chu Heng about the possibility of kidnappers, a bailiff came to inform him that the kidnappers had been caught.


Magistrate Xu's face instantly became unpleasant.


He hurriedly asked "Has it caused any trouble?"


"Replying to Your Excellency, no but those kidnappers were apprehended by the people nearby and I'm afraid the news will spread throughout the county in less than a quarter of an hour." the bailiff reported truthfully.


Magistrate Xu breathed a sigh of relief; as long as there was no trouble, it wasn't a major issue.


Apparently, Magistrate Xu's expectations were too optimistic.


"Since Your Excellency has matters to attend to, the distribution of the Soft Fragrant Cakes behind will be handled by the servants of the Xie family. We wouldn't want to distract Your Excellency." Xie Yu said at the right moment, not wanting this kidnapping incident to ruin his well-planned promotion of the Soft Fragrant Cakes.


Magistrate Xu understood Xie Yu's intentions. Since he had given him face from the beginning, he naturally wouldn't ruin his plans because of this incident. "Then, I'll trouble Young Master Xie. The yamen is short of manpower. After this incident, I'll have to arrange more people to maintain order in the county and handle this kidnapping case."


"This competition site is not enough but Young Master Xie's favor is accepted."


"You're too kind, Your Excellency." Xie Yu wasn't arrogant, he didn't want Magistrate Xu to ruin his plans because of this incident.


Magistrate Xu arranged many constables to patrol the streets.


Meanwhile, Xie Yu arranged guards to watch over the competition site, preventing any disturbances that might tarnish the reputation of the Soft Fragrant Cakes. Chu Heng, after making sure there was nothing for him to deal with, left.


On the way, news about the kidnapping incident had spread extensively.


People were no longer willing to let go of their young children, holding them close and many even began considering going home.


As Chu Heng arrived at his residence, he learned that the incident was related to his own child.


His face instantly darkened.


Luchuan saw him return and quickly approached. "Master, I've made some discoveries."


"What discoveries?" Chu Heng asked.

"By the way, where's my son-in-law?" Ye Pozi looked outside, but she couldn't see Chu Heng. The main hall was lively, but as the Chu family was entertaining guests from the maternal uncle's family, Ye Pozi didn't want to disturb their reunion.


"He should be coming back soon." Ye Muyu replied.


Chu Heng had separated from the group on the way back to meet the county magistrate and Xie Yu.


As soon as Ye Muyu finished speaking, she heard lively voices from outside. She keenly recognized Chu Jin's voice "Dad, Mom..."


"Is that Xiao Jin coming back?" Ye Pozi also heard it and walked outside.


Ye Muyu followed closely.


In the courtyard, the group led by Luchuan had just returned. He was still carrying Chu Jin, and Chu Jin's clothes were disheveled as if he had been in a fight.


Next to him was Zhang Shu, whose clothes were also wrinkled.


Chu Xing was pulling a cart and following them.


"What happened to all of you?" In the main hall, Chu Liushi and Chu Zhiwen also heard the commotion from outside. They called Chu Jin and the others inside.


Chu Jin had already come down, quickly ran to Ye Muyu, and hugged her, looking up at her. There was a mixture of fear and excitement in his eyes.


Ye Muyu wiped the dust off his face with a handkerchief.


The group entered the main hall.


"Father, Mother, Uncle, Aunt." Chu Jin greeted everyone in order.


Immediately followed by Chu Xing calling them.


Chu Zhiwen nodded and asked Chu Xing "Did something happen?"


Chu Xing patted his chest, still somewhat scared, and said, "Third Uncle, it's like this. We encountered kidnappers."


"Those kidnappers almost took Xiao Jin away."


"Fortunately, Luchuan has some skills and he managed to knock those strong men down."


"You don't know, those strong men, once they grab Xiao Jin, they run."


"Zhang Shu couldn't even grab Xiao Jin's clothes."


"These kidnappers are too bold!" Chu Xing frowned and cursed.


Chu Liushi was startled, "Kidnappers are so bold? Aren't they afraid of being caught by the authorities?"


"Fortunately, we came back early."


"I don't know if other clansmen have encountered any trouble." After Chu Liushi said this everyone became worried.


Chu Zhiwen looked at Chu Lin and Chu Cai, "Eldest and Second, go and inform the other clansmen and remind your father-in-law's family. If they encounter such audacious kidnappers, they can only watch their children be taken away."


Chu Zhiwen clearly understood that not everyone had the skills of Luchuan.


"Yes, Dad." The two answered and left, reminding their own children not to go out before leaving.


Chu Lin and Chu Cai left, and the courtyard door was locked from the inside to prevent children from being lured outside. Chu Jin's description of the scene when he was almost abducted was somewhat frightening.


"Xiao Jin, are you okay?" Chu Liushi asked with concern. Hearing that the kidnapper used a drug to try to stupefy him, Chu Jin cleverly held his breath and struggled, even biting the man's wrist.


Chu Liushi was somewhat scared, "Xiao Jin did the right thing. Those bad people deserve to be torn apart."


"Nana, I'm not afraid, and I'm fine. Mom said that if something happens to me, she will worry. So I bit. Whoever dares to harm me, I will bite them to death." Chu Jin showed a fierce expression and snorted.


However, he still held onto Ye Muyu's hand, unwilling to let go.


Ye Muyu saw the seriousness in his eyes and felt a chill toward the kidnapper.


Since the child had forgotten about it and hadn't really been kidnapped, after talking to the adults, he ran to the courtyard and danced with his other cousins, showing no fear.

"Sister-in-law, don't worry. Fragrant Tower won't ruin its reputation. While others' pickled vegetables mature every two or three days and are sold at a lower price, around twenty wen per jar, ours can be sold for a hundred wen per jar. The prices are inherently different."


"Mother, you also know that the pickled vegetables we make are more delicious. Fragrant Tower belongs to the Xie family and they always value their promises. They won't change things arbitrarily."


"Talking about pickled vegetables, there aren't many Chinese cabbages left now. Pickled vegetables can be stored for a long time. Fragrant Tower is the largest restaurant in the county, consuming more quickly. In the future, they will need even more."


"However, if you're worried about not being able to sell them, let's sell them all to Fragrant Tower and let them handle the storage themselves." Ye Muyu changed her mind, as she thought of something. Xie's family had more than one Fragrant Tower.


Other shops in the county would also need pickled vegetables.


As for why the other party didn't mention it, they probably knew about her family's situation. They might have thought the quantity wasn't much and with the cooperation with the Soft Fragrance Cake Shop, Xie Yu's attitude would influence the attitude of those below him toward them.


In this way, just a hot dish wouldn't attract the attention of the Xie family. Of course, the restaurant manager would want to sell more, but unfortunately, they dared not offend the distinguished guests of the main family. They could only continue to sell pickled vegetable fish in limited quantities.


As for Han Shi's obvious groundless worries, Ye Muyu didn't think she had the ability to change that. When the pickled vegetable business could continue steadily, she didn't need to promise anything. Han Shi naturally wouldn't think about such things.


Ye Muyu's speculation was unknown to Ye Pozi. However, during this period she had earned quite a bit of money all because of her daughter's reasons, so any hesitation in her heart had been dispelled.


"Mother, this pickled vegetable recipe, don't tell anyone else. It's agreed with Fragrant Tower. If it leaks out, and Fragrant Tower's interests are damaged, they won't buy pickled vegetables from us again." Ye Muyu had to warn her.


Originally, this pickled vegetable business was a way for her to increase the income of her maternal and in-law families.


Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.


She kindly reminded them. If they could continue to hold this business, it would naturally be good. However, if they couldn't and were eliminated from the market, it would still be better than being foolish and telling others the recipe, quickly destroying the profitable business method.


The former was letting things take their course.


The latter was deliberately making mistakes.


Han Shi's eyes flickered and she glanced at Ye Muyu nervously. Looking at her attire, she felt some envy and then looked at her own coarse clothes, her face filled with sorrow.


Ye Muyu saw her reaction but didn't say anything. Han Shi had such a personality and instead of arguing with her, it was better to face it calmly.


"By the way, mother have you made fermented bean paste at home? You can make a bit more. The last time we sent it to the Xie family, the master of the Xie family seemed to like it. If you make more, you can also sell it like pickled vegetables." 


This fermented bean paste was what Ye Pozi usually made to eat with pickled vegetables.


In her view, it wasn't anything precious. Hearing Ye Muyu say it could make money, she felt as if she had been hit in the head by a pie: "Really? I thought you were the only one who liked to eat this. Other families make it too, so it shouldn't be worth much, right?"


Ye Pozi said hesitantly.


"It's delicious." Two words from Ye Muyu dispelled Ye Pozi's self-doubt.


She chuckled proudly "It makes sense. Your cooking skills are the best and you like it. Others will surely like it too."


"Well, I'll make more when I go back. I'll also plant more fava beans and red peppers this year."

"I estimate that in the areas around Nanchang County only the remote mountain villages like yours wouldn't know about this."


"Oh, and that kudzu root, it's also a dish."


Inside the house, the family members were chatting happily.


Zhang and Wang went to the kitchen to prepare the meal.


Ye Muyu and Ye Pozi sat in the side room.


Chu Ziluo, Ye Mengjie, and Ye Hai, the three children sat on the bed enjoying the pastries.


The pastries were a gift from Xie Yu, the third young master of the Xie family.


In addition to the pastries, there were various kinds of rice dumplings, all as gifts.


Chu Heng had brought the gifts during the second round of the competition and the Xie family's response had arrived even earlier.


Ye Muyu was a bit surprised when she received it. After all, their relationship with Xie Yu was just an ordinary business partnership. In terms of etiquette for big families, ordinary relationships usually didn't involve sending gifts.


Of course, it all depended on the mood of the host.


Obviously, Xie Yu was in a good mood and the gifts he sent to the Chu family were quite generous.


Apart from two expensive-looking pieces of silk, there were various pastries, even different kinds of soft and fragrant cakes.


Tea, wine, dumplings, and more were all of the finest quality.


Altogether, the value must have been over ten taels.


At least, even for Ye Muyu, it was a substantial gift.


"My dear, sister-in-law." Ye Muyu called out to them and asked, "Why didn't my little brother come?"


"This is a big happy event. Your younger sister-in-law is pregnant," Ye Pozi smiled so happily that her mouth couldn't close. Because of the poor conditions in Ye Zhaoming's family, he married late and now at the age of eighteen, after being married for a year, he married a girl from the Su family who was even poorer. The girl who married into the Ye family was thin and bony before she arrived. After a year of care, she barely had the physique to get pregnant.


Ye Pozi didn't want to risk losing both mother and child, so she had to wait.


"Pregnant?" Ye Muyu was surprised but also felt that it was only natural. She smiled and said, "That's great. Little Zhaoming will have descendants too."


"Mother, sister-in-law, have some tea." Ye Muyu poured tea for the two of them.


Han Shi held the teacup and remained silent as if she hadn't heard Ye Muyu and Ye Pozi talking. She seemed like an invisible person.


Seeing that her character was becoming more introverted and less talkative, Ye Muyu didn't force her.


She continued to chat with Ye Pozi.


Ye Pozi talked about Su Shi's pregnancy, "By the way, Lan'er, what do you think about sending our pickled vegetables directly to the Fragrant Tower in the county?"


"I also don't want to trouble the servants of your family to bring it over by carriage all the time. I don't know when they will arrive, and sometimes when your people arrive, I haven't even seen them in the fields."


"But we don't have a donkey cart at home. How do you plan to take the pickled vegetables to the county?" Ye Muyu purely thought that carrying them over would be too tiring for Ye Pozi, so she usually let Zhang Shu drive the donkey cart and go to collect pickled vegetables from two households regularly.


"I'll take the village's ox cart." Ye Pozi said eagerly.


Ye Muyu felt that her emotions were off and took a sip of tea before asking calmly, "Mother, what do you want to do? Why can't you tell me?"


"Second sister, this has nothing to do with you. It's me. I just think it's too troublesome, second sister. Sister-in-law also has a lot of strength and I heard that people in the county have started selling pickled vegetables, and it's selling well."


"If we don't send our pickled vegetables earlier, when we receive others, ours will be left unsold." Han Shi anxiously said, her eyes full of worry and concern, revealing her character of groundless worries.

"Did Lan'er send you to find me?" Ye Pozi felt safe only when she was with her daughter.


How could Chu Heng not understand her thoughts? However, now that his wife wanted to protect her natal family and was not as ruthless as before, he naturally supported her.


"Yes, Muyu is in front. Come with us to the house in the county." Chu Heng affirmed, not bothering to ask Ye Pozi.


Ye Pozi also agreed. She walked past Chu Heng, saw Ye Muyu waiting not far away and nodded "Alright, let's go."


She then held her grandson Ye Hai's hand and followed Chu Heng.


On the way, they encountered Han Shi and Ye Mengjie returning.


The four families walked towards the house in the county together.


Chu Heng went to see the county magistrate and reminded him. As for what the county magistrate would do, it was his business.


The people from the Chu family quickly returned to the courtyard.


Upon entering, they saw Chu Lin entertaining Liushi family's younger brother Liu Cheng, younger sister-in-law Luo Shi, and the young girl who participated in the competition, Liu Jiao. They were all sitting in the main hall.


Chu Lin had brought the family members of his in-laws to the courtyard because the Liu family was the first to compete.


When Chu Liushi entered, she saw Liu Cheng and joyfully went forward, "Second brother, it's really you. Hurry, sit down. Let's talk properly, the two siblings."


"Sister, alright, this time coming to the county, father asked me to bring some mountain products for you. They are mushrooms picked in the mountains, some wild pears, and tea leaves grown in our village. They're not anything good." Liu Cheng felt a bit embarrassed. Since he was born, he had lived a good life for a while. However, after the family's fortune declined and they returned to their hometown, it was all because he failed to achieve anything remarkable. Otherwise, they wouldn't have wasted the family's property in vain.


But the Liu family had a good mentality. Failure in their careers was not something they could control.


They were still living well in the deep mountains, thanks to Chu Liushi's occasional financial support.


From Chu Heng passing the provincial exam to now, it had been six years. During this time, the sons had all grown up.


However, because of Chu Liushi's help, the Liu family felt guilty about this daughter-in-law who had married into their family. They would never visit empty-handed.


Chu Liushi held Luo Shi's hand and sat down "Did you and your elder brother go to the mountains again?"


"Sister, we're used to going to the mountains. It's not dangerous. By the way, many people in the village have found medicinal herbs in the mountains and we've found some too."


Chu Zhiwen also walked over.


Hearing this, he said, "Speaking of which, your big mountain village is also divided into households. This time, we found some medicinal herbs in our village. You should go back and look for them too."


At the same time, he said to the eldest son of the main family, "Ah Sheng, go and draw pictures of ginseng, wild fan flowers and other medicinal herbs. Let your uncle take them back to identify."


"Yes, Grandpa." Chu Sheng agreed and went to his room.


Liu Cheng then shouted for his brother-in-law. Chu Zhiwen nodded.


"These wild fan flowers sound familiar." Liu Cheng hadn't seen Chu's family members for a long time, and combined with their remote location in the deep mountains, they rarely had contact with the outside world. Discovering medicinal herbs this time was an accident.


Hearing this, Chu Liushi guessed it but she wanted to confirm it "Second brother, did you sell ginseng, wild fan flowers, and Huang Jing?"


Liu Cheng shook his head when he heard this "No, we sold some medicinal herbs for treating wind-cold."


"I haven't heard of these three kinds."


"In that case, you're in luck. Our village also sold some medicinal herbs and it's precisely these three kinds. The prices were not bad either."