Chapter 315: Making Shoes

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 819: She Is the Village Lord's Sister

Shu Yu chatted with the Xu family for a while before preparing to leave.

She had spent quite a long time at the manor, and Grandma was still waiting for her in the backyard. Moreover, her parents in the county didn't know the good news yet.

Shu Yu said to Wang Changdong, "I need to go to the county to tell my parents this good news. I'll trouble you with the registration matters tonight. I'll come back tomorrow to hand over with Xu Dali."

Wang Changdong was in a good mood and quickly replied, "Yes, yes, your parents don't know about this good news yet. You should hurry back and make them happy. The estate's duties can wait. It won't be too late for you to come when you're free."

Shu Yu then said to him, "I'll bring my grandmother back home. I'll temporarily leave the things given by the Emperor at the estate and bring them to the county together with the mule cart."

The official from the Ministry of Justice had brought not only the imperial edict but also the two hundred taels of gold, as well as jewelry and medicinal herbs.

Although the items didn't seem like much, they couldn't be easily carried away by just Shu Yu and Grandma alone.

Besides, she didn't plan to leave them here in Zhengdao Village, so she might as well bring everything to the county.

Wang Changdong nodded. "Alright, I'll keep an eye on the things for you."

In fact, no one would dare to steal the items given by the Emperor.

Shu Yu went to the backyard to find Grandma, who was chatting with Aunt Fang about her plans after leaving.

They had quite a few belongings at home, even though they had only been here for half a year. There were many household items to take care of.

They would take away what they could and give the rest to people they were on good terms with.

Fang Xiyue had a good relationship with Ah Yu, so Grandma asked her what she lacked and told her to come and take it tomorrow.

At this critical moment, Aunt Fang didn't bother to be polite anymore. She had just agreed on a time with Grandma when Shu Yu arrived.

"Grandma, let's go to the county."

Grandma bid farewell to Aunt Fang, and the two of them headed straight home, feeling relaxed.

There weren't many people gathered outside the estate anymore. After all, it had been quite some time, and everyone wanted to go home for dinner. There was also plenty of work to be done at home.

Shu Yu still had a basket of clothes in her hand as they deliberately took a secluded path with few people.

However, when they arrived at the doorstep, Grandma noticed that the lock on the courtyard gate was missing.

She became nervous all of a sudden. "I locked the courtyard before I left. Could it be that I'm getting old and forgot?"

Grandma turned her head to look at Shu Yu. "Could someone have broken into our house?"

Shu Yu found it amusing. "Impossible. At this critical moment, who dares to steal from our house?"

As if she had thought of something, her eyes lit up. "Could it be... that my parents have arrived?"

Grandma was startled, and they hurriedly pushed open the courtyard gate.

Sure enough, as soon as they entered, they saw the house bustling with activity. San Ya and Da Hu came running towards them. "Grandmother, Second Sister."

"Second Sister, Second Sister, they said you're the village lord now. How amazing!"

San Ya hugged Shu Yu's thigh, her eyes shining.

Zhao Xi explained to her what being a village lord meant, although she didn't fully understand it yet. But as long as she knew that even the magistrate had to be respectful, it was enough.

Shu Yu put the clothes basket on the ground and lifted San Ya up. "Yes, from now on, you're the village lord's sister."

San Ya was stunned. The village lord's sister? Her eyes brightened even more, and her body trembled with excitement. "Then, then I'm amazing too, right?"

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 81: Punishment (Part 1)

Yan Junyu's words made Mo Yan unable to remain calm anymore. She thought she had been very careful, but how could the secret of the Spirit Spring water be discovered so soon?

Initially, she was worried that if the vegetables grew too fast, it would arouse suspicion, so she dared not put too much Spirit Spring water in the irrigation ditch. Even if ordinary people ate vegetables watered with Spirit Spring water, they would only find the vegetables tasty. Even if they consumed them for a long time and expelled impurities from their bodies, the effects wouldn't be very noticeable, and it was almost impossible to be discovered.

However, she was too confident after all. No matter where the problem arose, if the person in front of her hadn't witnessed it with his own eyes, it would have been impossible for him to understand the effects of the Spirit Spring water so thoroughly.

Fortunately, he only thought that the secret technique in her hands was similar to the medicinal potions used for planting flowers and didn't suspect anything about the spatial aspect. This somewhat reassured her.

But since it had already been discovered, it was difficult to guarantee that it wouldn't be discovered by a second, third, or even more people in the future. If this continued, would the secret of the space be exposed? She really couldn't guarantee it.

Even if people couldn't think of her possessing a space, they might suspect that she had unnatural abilities. If she were used by someone with malicious intent, she would definitely be viewed as a monster by the world. Unless from now on, she stopped using everything in the space...

Thinking of this, Mo Yan gradually calmed down. Facing Yan Junyu's calm expression, she stopped pretending and openly admitted, "That's right, I do have a secret technique. As long as you give me a promise, I can give you the potions I've brewed."

With a "snap," the jade bone fan closed, and Yan Junyu looked directly at her, the faint pressure in his starry eyes intimidating.

"What I want is the secret technique!"

Mo Yan wouldn't back down either. Her sharp gaze met his directly, with no room for negotiation in her tone. "I can only give you the potions. Even if I give you the secret technique, you won't be able to brew it. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do!"

In her previous life, when her family sent the Spirit Spring water to research institutions, a dozen or so researchers studied it for a long time, only to find that its components were similar to pure water. It was impossible to replicate it in reality.

Yan Junyu's fox-like eyes stared at Mo Yan fixedly, the smile on his face unchanged. Those who were familiar with him knew that this was his true angry expression.

Mo Yan looked at him calmly, with a rare seriousness and stubbornness on her face.

After a long stare, Yan Junyu compromised and uttered a word:

"Speak!"

Mo Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, resisting the urge to wipe her sweat, and said, "As long as within the jurisdiction of the capital, our family can do anything, but you must ensure the safety of our family."

Hearing this, Yan Junyu smiled ambiguously. "Little girl, you have quite the audacity! Do you think that just by giving a few potions, I will agree to your request?"

Mo Yan returned the smile, her eyes shining brighter than the stars in the dark night. "If it were just a vegetable-growing potion, you naturally wouldn't agree."

Yan Junyu's heart stirred, his eyes containing a hint of approval that even he didn't notice. "Good! As long as you don't conspire against or betray the country, I will ensure the safety of your family!"

As he spoke, he took out a jet-black ink jade from his body and handed it to Mo Yan. "This ink jade serves as proof. If your family encounters any difficulties in the future, take this ink jade to the Wu'an Mansion for help."

Then, he took off a dark green ring from his left pinky finger and said solemnly, "If it's an urgent matter, take this ring to the treasurer at the Huixian Residence. If the treasurer isn't there, go directly to the Baoyue Tower, and someone will help you then."

Mo Yan hadn't come to her senses from the familiar term "Wu'an Mansion" yet. She blankly accepted the dark green ring, feeling the residual warmth on it, which instantly brought her back to her senses. She couldn't help but widen her eyes and ask, "Are you from the Wu'an Mansion?"

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 818: Wang Changdong's Opportunity Arrives

The county magistrate wasted no time in taking action once he made a decision. He handled the succession matters on the spot. The rest was left to Shu Yu, as the Prefect couldn't assist with the registration of the roster.

It was getting late, and after a few more words with Shu Yu, the county magistrate bid farewell and left.

Shu Yu and Wang Changdong accompanied him to the door. Suddenly, the county magistrate stopped, raised his gaze, and scrutinized Wang Changdong from head to toe. He nodded slightly and said, "Come to the Prefectural Office in a few days. I have something to discuss with you."

"Yes, Your Excellency," Wang Changdong hurriedly replied.

Once the county magistrate had left, Wang Changdong stood there with a puzzled expression. "Why does the county magistrate want to see me? Can't it be discussed now?"

Shu Yu turned her head and glanced at him, speaking softly, "When he wants to see you, it must be good news."

"Good news?" Wang Changdong was stunned.

Shu Yu chuckled, "Haven't you always wanted to transfer to the county town? Your opportunity has come."

After saying that, she turned around and returned to the manor.

Wang Changdong stood there, dumbfounded.

What did Miss Lu say? Did she say he could transfer to the county seat? He immediately jumped up with excitement. After regaining his composure, he hurriedly turned and ran back inside. "Miss Lu, uh, no, village chief Lu, did you really mean what you just said? I, I really..."

Shu Yu turned her head and blinked at him. "I just said there's an opportunity."

Wang Changdong suddenly stopped in his tracks. Yes, yes, the matter wasn't confirmed yet. He couldn't go around shouting about it, or he would embarrass himself if something went wrong along the way.

However, since Miss Lu dared to say it, it was almost a sure thing that he would be transferred to the county seat.

Just two more days of patience, and it would become a reality.

Wang Changdong smirked. He knew that he had the chance to reap the benefits by following Miss Lu. He didn't believe that he had obtained this opportunity without Miss Lu's involvement.

Wang Changdong caught up to Shu Yu with three or four strides and laughed, "By the way, I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet. Not only were you acquitted, but you also became a village lord. It's really..."

He couldn't find the right words to describe it, so he simply gave a thumbs-up and said, "It's truly amazing."

Shu Yu couldn't help but smile. "I owe it to your care. You gave me enough time and energy. Without you, I couldn't have produced something like the heating packs, and I wouldn't be where I am today."

"You're being too modest."

The two of them entered the main hall, and the Xu family of three were still standing there.

When they saw Shu Yu return, Xu Dali immediately knelt down with his wife and child.

Shu Yu was startled. "What are you doing? Get up quickly."

Xu Dali stood up, but still respectfully said, "Thank you, village chief, for giving me this opportunity and allowing me to switch to an easier job."

Shu Yu waved her hand. "It's your own merit. If you couldn't read, I wouldn't have been able to recommend you. Live a good life from now on, and it won't be in vain for me to have put in the effort."

"Yes, we will work hard."

Shu Yu looked at Xu Zhensheng, who had a hesitant expression, and raised her eyebrows. "What's the matter?"

"village chief, are you going back to your hometown? Will Da Hu also leave?"

Shu Yu thought about her relatively short acquaintance with Xu Zhensheng and Da Hu, but they had developed a rare camaraderie. It was normal to feel reluctant to part ways.

She nodded. "Yes, Da Hu will also leave. If you can't bear it, you can communicate with him in the future."

With Xu Dali having a new job, it would be no problem to occasionally correspond once their family's circumstances improved.

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 80: Exposed

Inside the octagonal pavilion in the small garden, Mo Yan secretly observed the person sitting across from her. She couldn't help but laugh out loud if it weren't for the inappropriate situation, to release the frustration of being touched on the face.

This person looked extraordinary, quite unusual. Mo Yan was a bit nervous inside, but she didn't dare to show it too blatantly.

How could Yan Junyu, as he was, not notice the real culprit enjoying his misfortune? He held onto his jade bone fan, suppressing his anger. He kept telling himself it was his fault for reaching out first, not the fault of the little girl. He barely maintained his gentlemanly demeanor, refraining from retaliating.

But the resentment was hard to contain. He swiftly opened the fan, trying to cool down his burning anger.

Mo Yan's lips twitched involuntarily as she subconsciously adjusted her collar. There was no shelter in this pavilion, and the wind blowing in from outside was a bit chilly.

Seeing this, Yan Junyu paused, feeling that the fan was particularly annoying. With a "snap," he closed the jade bone fan and threw it on the stone table. He didn't want this irritable girl to think he was crazy!

In the entire small garden, there were only the two of them. At this moment, neither of them spoke. Besides the sound of the gentle breeze, there was complete silence.

Mo Yan saw that he wasn't speaking and didn't intend to prolong the awkwardness. She cleared her throat and took the initiative to ask, "May I ask for the gentleman's name? Did you ask Shopkeeper Xing to come here for something?"

Yan Junyu originally didn't want to respond. He wanted to suppress her arrogance, but tormenting a young girl wasn't something a gentleman should do.

Glancing at Mo Yan with a gloomy expression, he took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and threw it onto the stone table. "Take a look for yourself!"

Mo Yan didn't mind the stranger's attitude. She picked up the paper from the stone table without hesitation. After reading it, she was so angry that she wanted to rush to the Liu Yang Village immediately and beat Mo Yongshou to a pulp.

She finally understood what scheme Mo Yongshou was up to. Although she was furious inside, she maintained a calm demeanor on the surface. "What do you mean by this, sir?"

Surprised by her calmness, Yan Junyu said unexpectedly, "Aren't you angry?"

Mo Yan pretended to be puzzled. "This is a transaction between Mo Yongshou and you. It has nothing to do with me. Why should I be angry?"

Yan Junyu choked up a bit. He stared at Mo Yan's face with his long, fox-like eyes, seeing that her expression didn't seem fake. He smirked devilishly, "Whether you're truly naive or pretending to be, as long as I use this to pressure him to reveal the secret method, do you think you can escape?"

Mo Yan remained calm. "You won't!"

Her firm answer caught Yan Junyu off guard. "I'll let you see whether I can or not!"

His frustrated tone only made Mo Yan secretly relieved. However, she also knew it was unwise to provoke this somewhat immature man further.

"If you wanted to do that, you would have done it long ago, instead of letting Shopkeeper Xing run around for half a month. Moreover, you could have used this evidence to join forces with Mo Yongshou to pressure me. At that time, to ensure the safety of my family, I would have compromised. But you didn't do that. Instead, you informed me. This is enough to prove that you are an honorable man!"

Being praised as an honorable man made Yan Junyu feel a lot better. He gave Mo Yan a look of "you know better," picked up the jade bone fan, and began to play with it.

Mo Yan kept her head down, not letting him see the twitching corner of her mouth. She had thought this person would be difficult to deal with, but now...

Well, there's a type of subordinate for every type of master. Shopkeeper Xing and that Xiao Zhu both seemed a bit eccentric, so it was normal for their master to be a bit eccentric too.

Yan Junyu didn't know he had been categorized as an "eccentric" by Mo Yan. Feeling quite pleased with himself, he asked, "So, are you willing to reveal the secret method now?"

Mo Yan decisively shook her head. "There is no such secret method, as you should be aware."

Yan Junyu's eyes narrowed, but the smile on his face became even more intense. Pointing at the flowers blooming in the flowerbed, he suddenly asked with a mismatched tone:

"Do you know why these flowers, which normally bloom in autumn, can bloom in the cold winter?"

Looking at the flowers swaying gracefully in the cold wind, Mo Yan hesitated and shook her head.

Yan Junyu didn't look at her. With a flick of his finger, he opened the jade bone fan, and it flew out rapidly. Before Mo Yan could react, the fan, carrying a cut-off chrysanthemum, "whooshed" back into Yan Junyu's hand.

Mo Yan was stunned to see this. A fan could be used in such a way?

At this moment, her gaze towards Yan Junyu completely changed. Looking at the neatly cut chrysanthemum, she subconsciously touched her neck. She couldn't help but feel grateful that this man she slapped twice in anger that didn't use the fan to cut her throat.

"Hmph, you dare to hit me and still act brave. You should be thankful that I never hit women!"

Seeing Mo Yan's stunned expression, Yan Junyu mocked her again. Only now did he feel like he had regained a bit of face.

Mo Yan's lips twitched again, and she decided to stay silent.

Punching the cotton, Yan Junyu's slightly improved mood turned sour again. He threw the chrysanthemum to Mo Yan with a fierce expression and explained angrily:

"These flowers can resist the cold winter because they have been irrigated with a certain liquid since the first day the seeds were planted. This liquid not only makes the flowers less susceptible to pests and diseases, but also makes them resistant to the cold. Otherwise, where do you think those noble ladies in the capital get the hundreds of flowers for their winter flower-viewing parties?"

Liquid?

Mo Yan was shocked to hear about such a miraculous liquid in this world. In her previous life, it was difficult to make flowers bloom out of season.

Could it be that because of this liquid, this man was so sure that she possessed some secret method similar to this liquid?

The following words from Yan Junyu made Mo Yan tremble with fear, and she couldn't find any excuses to evade.

"Your vegetables grow better than the seasonal ones, which is already suspicious. Not to mention, their taste is far superior, and after consuming them for a period of time, they can even cleanse the impurities from one's body. If you don't admit it, do you think I won't be able to prove it?"

Seeing Mo Yan's unshakable composure finally falter, Yan Junyu smiled smugly as he played with the jade bone fan, his fox-like eyes gleaming even more dangerously.

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 817: Xu Dali Secured the Position

The Shu family was not far from the Xu family today, and they naturally heard what Wang Changdong had said. Anger and bitterness welled up in their hearts, and they couldn't muster the energy to work.

"Lu Shuyu always thinks about others and never considers us. We have lived with her for so many years, yet she shows us no regard."

The one speaking was the Second Madam, but she dared only mutter a few words.

Shu Feng glanced at her and sneered inwardly. Regard? When she was imprisoned by her grandmother in the sinking pond, everyone just watched without showing any regard. Where was the regard back then?

Anyway, Shu Yu's affairs were no longer their concern. They had all been exiled to this place, and it was important for everyone to focus on taking care of themselves and making a living.

The Shu family felt resentful, but there was nothing they could do. They could only ignore the curious gazes coming from all directions and bury their heads in their work.

Meanwhile, Wang Changdong had already led the Xu family back and explained what had happened at the estate along the way.

The Xu family of three were in shock. Did they hear correctly? Several important figures had come from the capital, and they came to deliver a decree to Miss Lu, appointing her as a village lord and allowing her to return to her original hometown?

Therefore, with one less person responsible for registration at the estate, Miss Lu had recommended him to the county magistrate?

The Xu family exchanged glances, and of course, they were happy for Shu Yu to be able to leave this place.

After the initial joy, they became excited about being able to switch to an easier and more comfortable job.

Xu Dali thought of more possibilities than Shu Yu did. If he could really work at the estate, at the very least, his family could save on his portion of food. Although he didn't receive any wages due to his prisoner status, the daily rations he received were better than what others got.

Moreover, he would have a lot of free time to do his own things. He could seize this opportunity to earn some money and improve their lives. His wife and son wouldn't need to work so hard.

So when Wang Changdong finished speaking and said, "You must write neatly later and not embarrass Lu Shuyu," Xu Dali took a deep breath and nodded busily. "Don't worry, I will write well."

He had confidence in his handwriting, but it had been a long time since he had touched a brush, so he still felt a bit nervous.

Throughout the journey, Xu Dali had been quietly exercising his fingers.

When they arrived at the estate, they could still hear the conversation between the county magistrate and Shu Yu. Seeing them return, Shu Yu stopped and said to the county magistrate, "This is Xu Dali, and beside him are his wife and child."

The county magistrate observed them, and after Xu Dali paid his respects, the county magistrate said, "Village Chief Lu highly recommended you, stating that you are literate, reasonable, and of good character. You are more than capable of being responsible for registration at the estate. Although I trust Village Chief Lu, I still want to see your handwriting. There is ink, paper, and inkstone over there. Give it a try."

"Yes." Xu Dali respectfully agreed and glanced gratefully at Shu Yu. Then, he took a deep breath and walked to the desk.

He didn't need a chair to sit on. After grasping the brush and familiarizing himself for a moment, he began to write a poem.

The county magistrate glanced at it and nodded slightly. "Not bad."

He was quite satisfied with Xu Dali. Although he had lost a hand, according to what miss Lu had said, he worked hard in the wasteland and received a good portion of food.

Since he was capable and the loss of one hand didn't matter, the county magistrate had no objections.

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 79: First Encounter with Arrogance

Early the next morning, Mo Yan arrived at the Eastern Market as usual, only to find that Lin Meng and the others, who usually arrived earlier than her, hadn't shown up yet. She stood in front of the stall waiting for nearly two quarters of an hour before she saw several familiar ox carts slowly approaching with people and vegetables.

She looked carefully but only saw Lin Meng, Xiong Shi, and Zhou Shi sitting on the carts. Mo Yongshou and Mo Yonglu were nowhere to be seen.

After the group got off the carts and placed the dozen or so baskets of vegetables neatly, Mo Yan asked, "Why didn't they come?"

When Lin Meng and the others heard this, they looked at each other and finally Lin Meng spoke up, "When we came over in the morning, we didn't see them. We thought they overslept, so we waited for a while. But after nearly a quarter of an hour passed and they still hadn't arrived, I went to their house to find them. It's just... it's just that Mo Yongshou said they won't be coming here anymore!"

In reality, what Mo Yongshou said was much harsher, but Lin Meng didn't want to say it and affect everyone's mood.

Mo Yan frowned. If these two simply didn't want to work anymore, they wouldn't have refused yesterday's wages. Thinking about their abnormal behavior these past few days, she suddenly had a bad feeling.

Considering everything that had happened in the past few days, Mo Yan thought carefully but couldn't figure out why these two wouldn't take their wages and suddenly quit. In the past, she would have been glad for them to leave, but now things were obviously not right. She suspected that these two might have done something behind their backs.

Seeing more people gathering on the street, Mo Yan waved her hand impatiently, "Forget about them for now, let's focus on doing business!"

Lin Meng and the others nodded and didn't say more. They quickly picked up the scales and started serving customers.

With two fewer people, they suddenly became much busier. Plus, business was better than usual nearing the end of the year, so they increased the amount of vegetables they were selling, and the four of them found it difficult to keep up.

After all the vegetables were sold out, the four of them were exhausted, their backs and foreheads covered in sweat.

Seeing Lin Meng and the others busy packing up the bamboo baskets and other items, Mo Yan quickly told them to take a rest.

They leaned against the stone slab, catching their breath. With about ten days left until New Year's Eve, Mo Yan said to the three of them, "The four of us are too tired. Go back and see if anyone is willing to come and help. The South Market and West Market have been busy these days, so finding three or four people should be possible."

Lin Meng and the others quickly agreed. Everyone in the village knew that the Mo family was generous with wages, so there would surely be many people willing to help. However, they had to choose carefully to avoid people like Mo Yongshou, who offended customers every other day, leaving the young miss busy cleaning up after them.

After resting for a while, they started packing up their things. Just as they were about to leave, a low-profile carriage appeared in front of them. When the door opened, two people got out successively, Shopkeeper Xing and Xiao Zhu.

"Shopkeeper Xing, didn't we agree on something before? There's really no secret method like you said!" Mo Yan smiled and spoke, thinking the other party had come to discuss the secret method again.

Shopkeeper Xing shook his head and said seriously, "I'm here for another matter this time. Miss Mo, please come with me."

Mo Yan was puzzled and couldn't help asking, "What is it? Could you please explain first?"

Shopkeeper Xing knew he couldn't hide anything from her, otherwise, this girl wouldn't come with him. So he said, "This matter will involve the reputation and wealth of the entire Mo family."

Mo Yan felt a bit uneasy upon hearing this. It involved the entire Mo family, so she couldn't refuse Shopkeeper Xing's invitation. She asked Xiong Shi and Zhou Shi to go back first and then got into the carriage with Lin Meng, following Shopkeeper Xing.

The carriage first passed through several bustling streets, but gradually the surroundings became quiet. When the carriage finally stopped, there were no more sounds of people.

Getting off the carriage, Mo Yan saw an ancient courtyard in front of her. Seeing the unfamiliar surroundings, she felt nervous, but she quickly calmed down.

If Shopkeeper Xing really had ill intentions, he wouldn't need to go through such a big detour.

Lin Meng stood closely beside Mo Yan, watching Shopkeeper Xing vigilantly. If anything happened, he would immediately pull the young miss away to escape.

"Don't be nervous, I mean no harm!" Shopkeeper Xing, who had seen all kinds of people, could see through their thoughts. He admired Mo Yan's composure a bit more.

Mo Yan was fine, but Lin Meng felt a bit embarrassed and touched his nose awkwardly, but he still didn't move away from Mo Yan.

Shopkeeper Xing smiled and made a "please" gesture to Mo Yan, leading the way ahead.

After entering the courtyard, Mo Yan didn't pay attention to the surroundings. She only felt the extreme quietness around her. She hadn't seen anyone along the way.

After passing through several inner gates, Mo Yan's legs were sore. Just as she was secretly complaining about the size of the courtyard, Shopkeeper Xing finally stopped in a small garden.

The small garden was not big, planted with evergreen plants all year round. But what surprised Mo Yan was that there were several kinds of flowers blooming in the flower beds, including purple chrysanthemums, red begonias, and pink roses...

Seeing these flowers that usually only bloomed in autumn flourishing in the coldest season, Mo Yan had a sense of time going backwards.

"Surprised?" 

The low, magnetic voice, carrying a lazy breath, flowed like a gentle stream, playfully entering her eardrums.

Mo Yan nodded blankly at first, then suddenly turned around. Before she could see who it was, a warm object was pressed against her face, covering her eyes.

Yu Junyu stared blankly at his hand on her face, blinking his eyes. He just wanted to touch this little girl's hair to see if it was as black and smooth as it looked. But now it had turned into touching her face?

But this face was so smooth, even smoother than the flowers. He wondered if it would be as soft to touch as the flowers!

Thinking of this, Yu Junyu extended his left hand again, pinching Mo Yan's face like kneading dough, "Hmm, just as soft as the flowers!"

"Smack!"

Seeing the handprint on the left side of Yu Junyu's face, Mo Yan's anger flared even more. Another slap quickly followed, landing on his right cheek...

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 816: Lu Guanshi Found You an Easy Job

The County Magistrate was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. "No wonder Lord Qi values you so much. It truly is more comfortable talking with you."

Shu Yu felt embarrassed. She had spoken the truth.

The County Magistrate waved his hand. "Alright, let me ask Wang Changdong about this."

Wang Changdong didn't know that his long-awaited wish was about to come true. The wasteland was a bit far from the estate, and he didn't want to keep the County Magistrate waiting for long. He quickly brought out his donkey and rushed towards the wasteland.

After sweating profusely, he finally saw Xu Dali who was carrying a load in the field.

Wang Changdong got off the donkey, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and waved at him. "Xu Dali, come here for a moment."

The people working in the wasteland turned their heads to look. Xu Dali stumbled when he heard his name, almost falling to the ground. Fortunately, Lin shi, who was quick-eyed, caught him and supported the basket on the ground.

Someone whispered, "What's happening? Why did master Wang personally come to find Xu Dali? It must be related to those important people who came to the estate."

"I remember Xu Dali's father used to work for some noble. Could something have happened, causing him more trouble?"

"Ah, it's a pity. The Xu family has been exiled for so long, and they were about to recover and have a better life."

The discussions nearby naturally reached the ears of Xu Dali and Lin shi.

Lin shi's face turned pale, and her voice trembled slightly as she grabbed Xu Dali's hand. "No, could something really have happened?"

"Don't worry, I'll go and take a look."

However, Wang Changdong couldn't wait any longer. Seeing that Xu Dali hadn't come over yet, he went straight to them on the edge of the field.

"I wondered why you two were dawdling. Hurry up and come with me. The magistrate is still waiting."

Xu Dali took a deep breath, held Lin shi's hand, glanced at the worried Xu Zhensheng standing next to him, and asked Wang Changdong, "Master Wang, did something happen?"

Wang Changdong laughed. "It's good news. Your luck has come."

Xu Dali was stunned and somewhat bewildered. "Good news?"

"Of course. Miss Lu, the estate steward, has found you an easier job. But you have to come back with me and perform well in front of the County Magistrate . Otherwise, the job won't be given to you."

The matter hadn't been finalized, so Wang Changdong couldn't say it outright. He just waved his hand. "Alright, hurry up. Stop dawdling."

Xu Dali hesitated for a moment. He hadn't misheard earlier, right? Master Wang said that Miss Lu found him an easy job?

He exchanged a glance with Lin shi and didn't care about anything else. They quickly stood up and climbed onto the edge of the field.

Wang Changdong looked at Lin shi and Xu Zhensheng, then at the curious onlookers nearby. He hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand. "Bring your wife and child as well. Let's work for half a day today."

Xu Dali thanked him gratefully and quickly helped his wife and child up.

The family of three hurriedly followed Wang Changdong towards the estate.

The other people in the wasteland looked at each other, itching with curiosity.

Some people even looked towards the Shu family at an inappropriate time. After all, Wang Changdong had said that Miss Lu had helped find a good job.

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 78: Who's Being Calculated?

"Master, here's what happened, take a look..."

Inside Huixianju, Shopkeeper Xing recounted the events of Mo Yan refusing to trade the secret method in the morning and Mo Yongshou taking the initiative to come to him, anxiously looking at the ancestor who had been tormenting him these past few days.

"Hmm, quite interesting!" Yan Junyu, with a jade bone fan resting against his smooth and pretty chin, a sly gleam flickering in his narrow eyes like a cunning fox. "But a thousand taels won't suffice. Tomorrow, take ten thousand taels with you, and according to today's approach, make him leave a voucher."

"Ten thousand taels?" Shopkeeper Xing was greatly surprised, not understanding why the ancestor wanted to do this. "Master, this Mo Yongshou clearly wants to deceive us. He's using this to frame his niece. That secret doesn't even exist. Spending ten thousand taels of silver would be a waste. It's not worth it!"

In his opinion, no matter how good that vegetable secret was, it was only used for growing vegetables. Compared to the master's other industries, it was like chicken ribs. Instead of spending so much effort and money on obtaining a secret, it would be better to open another Huixianju!

Yan Junyu didn't explain. He elegantly turned around, smiling at Shopkeeper Xing, a fleeting sharpness flashing in his eyes.

Shopkeeper Xing shuddered. He was all too familiar with this gaze. This was definitely a cunning scheme. He quickly lowered his head, not daring to question any further.

Yujun Yu's smile grew even more pronounced, clearly pleased with his understanding. "Follow my instructions. If you succeed, you won't need to go back to Mang Prefecture for the New Year. If you fail... your eighty-year-old mother won't be staying in the capital either!"

Shopkeeper Xing silently shed a few bitter tears for himself. His face of bitterness looked just like a big girl being forced into prostitution by an old procuress.

Feeling good after bullying his subordinate, Yan Junyu ordered several dishes in a row for Shopkeeper Xing to instruct the kitchen to prepare.

Shopkeeper Xing quietly noted that out of the six dishes, four of them were vegetarian. He couldn't help but wonder if this ancestor, who enjoyed meat so much, actually detested vegetarian dishes. Could it be that the vegetables from the Mo family suited his taste, prompting him to want them?

Yan Junyu was unaware of his subordinate's wild thoughts. He leisurely opened his jade bone fan, fanning a cool breeze, his jet-black hair dancing in the wind, giving off an even more lazy vibe.

If Mo Yan were here, she would definitely disdainfully comment: Pretentious!

Shopkeeper Xing twitched at the corners of his eyes, staring at the fan face. Clearly, this was a young master with a noble demeanor and an aristocratic aura, yet his preferences were not worthy of praise.

On the fan surface were painted two vibrant peonies, with several equally colorful butterflies fluttering around. If it were a woman holding the fan, it would be acceptable, but for a young man, this scene was so beautiful it was hard to look at directly!

---

At the second hour of the day, all the vegetables were sold out. Mo Yan and Lin Meng were packing up to take the carriage back.

Mo Yongshou and Mo Yonglu, the two brothers, didn't rush to get on the carriage like before. "Yan, Meng, we have something to attend to, so we won't be going back with you."

Hearing Mo Yongshou's words, Mo Yan found it strange. These two were always eager to ride back to Liuyang Village with Lin Meng every day, just to save a few coins for the fare.

Meeting Mo Yan's puzzled gaze, Mo Yonglu couldn't help but step back a few steps nervously.

Mo Yongshou felt a tightness in his heart, afraid of being exposed, so he quickly pulled Mo Yonglu along without looking back.

"Young Miss, I feel like something's off with those two!" Xiong Shi watched the two men leave in a hurry, furrowing his brow.

"It was the same yesterday. They left without packing up, and just now, they looked guilty. Could they have caused trouble?" Zhou Shi chimed in with her speculation.

Mo Yan thought about the actions of the two brothers today and soon remembered that Mo Yongshou had been absent-minded in his work recently. She thought it was because of yesterday's incident, but now it seemed not so simple.

But she couldn't determine what it was now, and the two had disappeared without a trace, so she said, "Let's not worry about them for now. Let's keep an eye on them these next few days."

"Okay!"

They nodded and silently decided to keep a closer eye on the two brothers. The four of them temporarily put this matter aside and happily headed back.

---

In the teahouse, Mo Yongshou stared blankly at the stack of silver notes handed to him, trembling hands accepting them. When he saw the hundred-tael note on top, it felt as if his head had been hit by a mountain of silver, making him dizzy.

He counted carefully three times and found there were a total of one hundred notes!

Mo Yongshou couldn't believe it. He felt as if he were in a dream, his mind filled with just three words: I'm rich!

"Little brother, did you count it properly? How much silver is there exactly?" Mo Yonglu couldn't read or see silver notes, but he knew there would be a lot of money this time and couldn't help but bump Mo Yongshou.

Mo Yongshou came to his senses, but instead of answering his question, he looked at the shopkeeper across the tea table, puzzled. "I wonder why Shopkeeper Xing gave so much?"

Why the hell are you asking me? Who do I ask?

Shopkeeper Xing roared inwardly, enduring the pain as best as he could, trying not to look at the thick stack of silver notes. "If I could successfully obtain the secret method, naturally it would be worth this much!"

The implicit meaning was that if he couldn't get it, you'd still give me the money!

Unfortunately, Mo Yongshou was completely blinded by the ten thousand taels of silver and didn't think too much about it. He accepted Shopkeeper Xing's explanation, tucked the ten thousand taels of silver notes into his arms, and felt a lump in his chest. He pressed it a few times before feeling more natural.

Seeing this, Shopkeeper Xing didn't say anything. He simply took out a document from his sleeve and said ironically, "I've already given you the money, but I haven't received the secret method yet. So you need to sign this document. Otherwise, I won't feel at ease!"

Mo Yongshou was a bit unhappy, but he also knew he had to sign it. So he took the document, glanced at it, and saw that it promised to sell the vegetable secret to Huixianju and receive ten thousand taels of silver. 

This matter was conspired between him and Shopkeeper Xing. He believed that Shopkeeper Xing wouldn't betray him, so he wrote his name and pressed a bright red handprint!

With the matter successfully concluded, Mo Yongshou, carrying ten thousand taels of silver notes, walked out of the teahouse with Mo Yonglu in high spirits.

Shopkeeper Xing looked at the document in his hand and smiled sarcastically: I wonder who the mastermind behind this scheme is!

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 77: Crooked Thoughts Arise

"Little brother, what are you up to? It's freezing cold, why are you standing here in the cold wind?" Mo Yonglu blew on his frozen hand and rubbed it vigorously, grumbling discontentedly.

Mo Yongshou, staring at the door of the teahouse, where no one had come out yet, couldn't help but feel anxious. When he heard his useless brother complaining, he couldn't hold back his temper, "Humph, if you don't want to make a fortune, then get lost!"

Make a fortune?

Mo Yonglu's spirits lifted upon hearing this and he didn't mind his brother's rudeness, "Make a fortune? Little brother, tell me more!"

Mo Yongshou waved his hand dismissively, "You'll see in a moment."

Seeing this, Mo Yonglu's curiosity was piqued. He knew his brother was cunning and if he mentioned making a fortune, there must be a way. So he pleaded with him earnestly, wanting to share in the opportunity.

Mo Yongshou teased him for a while, piquing his interest, before leaning in close and whispering mysteriously, "That girl has the secret method for growing greenhouse vegetables in her hands. That old man came to buy the secret method. But that girl doesn't know how to make a fortune even if she has one. Since she won't sell it, why don't we sell it?"

As he finished speaking, a hint of cunning flashed in Mo Yongshou's eyes, revealing his determination to succeed.

"But... where do we get the secret method? Besides, there's no secret method for greenhouse vegetables. Didn't we ask those old men in the fields before?" Mo Yonglu scratched his head, expressing his doubts.

Mo Yongshou sneered inwardly at his foolish brother. Nevertheless, he patiently explained for the sake of their plan, "If there's no secret method, how can the vegetables grow so well and so quickly? Just look at those vegetables. Which one doesn't grow faster than usual? It's already the coldest time of the year, yet those vegetables are still fresh and vibrant. Do you think they could grow like this in winter without a secret?"

Mo Yonglu found his brother's reasoning convincing, but then he hesitated, thinking it unlikely, "If there really was a secret method, wouldn't there be some rumors? Moreover, those vegetables are grown by those old men in the fields. It's impossible that that girl wouldn't share the secret with them. Many people asked before, and some even tried to extract the secret from those old men with money, but they got nothing!"

Mo Yonglu felt frustrated. This was also something he couldn't figure out. Those greenhouses were built right under their noses, and the vegetables were grown right before their eyes. Yet, no one found any secrets. But if there were really no secrets, how could the vegetables grow so well?

"Humph, whether there's a secret or not, those wealthy people believe there is, so there must be! When that girl comes out later, we'll just..." Mo Yongshou leaned in close to Mo Yonglu's ear and whispered his plan.

"But... won't there be any trouble?" Mo Yonglu hesitated, realizing that this might not be as easy as it seemed. If they were exposed, they might end up in legal trouble.

Seeing Mo Yonglu's hesitation, Mo Yongshou imagined the luxurious life he would have after obtaining the money, enjoying fine food, fine wine, and various beautiful women. Mo Yonglu's eyes lit up with greed, finally succumbing to temptation and resolving to follow Mo Yongshou's lead.

In a private room of the teahouse, Mo Yan's conversation with Shopkeeper Xing was not pleasant.

"Shopkeeper Xing, Miss Mo knows that you are very sincere in wanting to obtain the secret of greenhouse vegetables, but no matter how many times she says it, Miss Mo still insists that there is no secret. If you don't believe it, you can send someone to watch the vegetable field day and night, and you'll see that Miss Mo is telling the truth."

Mo Yan felt like crying. She had said it so many times, but Shopkeeper Xing kept insisting that she had the secret. If she didn't know that her diluted Lingquan water couldn't be detected, she would have doubted if her secret had been exposed.

"Miss Mo, this old man believes you, but someone else doesn't!" Shopkeeper Xing felt even more miserable. If it wasn't for his big mouth, tasting the greenhouse vegetables grown by the Mo family and being impressed by their taste, he wouldn't have tried to curry favor with his master and inadvertently caused trouble. Now, he was regretting it to death.

He had sent people to the village of Liuyang before, but they couldn't find anything suspicious. However, someone insisted that there was a secret method, and now he was in a dilemma. Even if he believed there was no secret method, he still had to come up with one to satisfy his master.

"May I ask, Shopkeeper Xing, who are the 'some people' you mentioned?"

Mo Yan grasped onto his words sensitively, feeling a sense of alertness. She wondered if the person who came up with this idea had sensed her secret but wasn't sure yet, so they sent someone to test her?

But she was always careful. How could it be possible? Now, even Mo Yan wasn't sure!

Shopkeeper Xing didn't realize that his words had caused Mo Yan to go through a whirlwind of thoughts. He tried to cover up his slip of the tongue, saying, "No, no! Other teahouses also have their eyes on your vegetables. They are convinced that you have a secret method. I'm just afraid of being preempted by others!"

Mo Yan didn't believe his explanation, but she also knew it was not good to pursue the matter further. So she smiled politely and made a few perfunctory remarks, wanting to end this fruitless conversation as soon as possible.

Everything that needed to be said had been said. Feeling that this wouldn't lead to any results, Shopkeeper Xing also lost interest. He politely escorted Mo Yan out of the private room.

Outside the door, Lin Meng and Xiao Zhu stood on each side.

Xiao Zhu tried to get closer to Lin Meng, hoping to extract useful information from him. But Lin Meng had a bad impression of the two, like two flies buzzing around. How could he be drawn in by a little brat? At first, he responded to Xiao Zhu, but later, he couldn't be bothered to talk.

Xiao Zhu felt frustrated, wishing he could scratch the walls. He stared at the door, eagerly awaiting news from Shopkeeper Xing.

When the people came out of the room, Lin Meng saw Mo Yan come out unharmed and felt relieved.

Mo Yan nodded at him appreciatively, said goodbye to Shopkeeper Xing, and then descended the stairs, leaving the teahouse.

Shopkeeper Xing felt depressed and didn't want to go back to face his ancestor, but he had to report the results. He drank a bellyful of tea and, after calming his mind, led Xiao Zhu out of the teahouse.

But before he could even step out of the doorway, someone rushed up and blocked his way.

"Shopkeeper Xing, this kid has the secret of those vegetables. Are you interested?"

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 76: The Struggling Shopkeeper Xing

Seeing the old and the young in front of her, Mo Yan was speechless as she looked up at the sky.

If she wasn't absolutely certain that she hadn't done anything wrong, being looked at with such an expression of "you bullied me" by them would make her doubt if she had committed some heinous crime!

This feeling is really damn awkward!

"Two of you, I really don't have the secret method of planting vegetables you're talking about. Can you please stop coming to me?" Mo Yan said with a helpless expression, repeating her refusal once again.

Since these two appeared in front of her stall half a month ago, opening their mouths to say they wanted to buy the secret method of planting vegetables from her, what other secret method did she have besides Lingquan? But could she take out Lingquan?

If they were the type to be arrogant and forceful, she definitely wouldn't be so polite. But these two hadn't done anything else except come here every day to ask. The key was that their attitude was exceptionally good, making her feel embarrassed to directly drive them away!

Shopkeeper Xing refused to believe her and politely clasped his hands, "Miss Mo, this old man knows the value of this secret method. As long as you're willing to name your price, this old man will try his best to satisfy you!"

If it wasn't for his old age, he wouldn't mind begging this little girl on his knees. 

Mo Yongshou, who was busy weighing goods for customers, paused when he heard this, his eyes rolling around, looking like he was plotting something.

"Hey hey, hurry up and weigh this, I'm waiting to take it back to serve guests!" a middle-aged woman with decent clothes urged.

"Why rush? Isn't it being weighed?" Mo Yongshou retorted impatiently.

"What's with your attitude? How can you treat customers like this?" The woman became unhappy upon hearing this and loudly scolded him, setting down her basket.

The other customers in line started to make a fuss, all blaming Mo Yongshou.

Mo Yan noticed the commotion and quickly walked over. She immediately recognized the middle-aged woman as a regular customer who often came to buy vegetables. So, she took the woman's vegetable basket and put two handfuls of fresh garlic sprouts in as an apology.

"Madam Cai, please don't mind. My assistant has a bit of a hot temper, but he means no harm. What vegetables would you like to buy? I'll weigh them for you, ensuring you get the right amount. Consider these garlic sprouts as a gift from me."

The middle-aged woman didn't expect Mo Yan to remember her. Seeing her so polite, she suddenly felt respected. The anger she had just felt subsided. She just glared at Mo Yongshou and advised Mo Yan, "This big man of yours is not as knowledgeable as a girl like you. He doesn't even understand that a good temper leads to prosperity. I suggest you dismiss him early to avoid trouble."

Mo Yan smiled and glared at Mo Yongshou, who was about to retort, signaling him to behave himself and quickly serve other customers.

Mo Yongshou closed his mouth unwillingly, but in his heart, he cursed the ancestors of the middle-aged woman eighteen generations back.

Lin Meng, busy collecting money, glanced at Mo Yongshou, who was full of frustration, and disdainfully sneered. Since this guy arrived, he had caused quite a bit of trouble for the young miss. Although it wasn't anything major, it was annoying enough. Fortunately, the young miss had a good temper. If he were him, he would have kicked him out long ago.

Busy with work, Mo Yan forgot about Xing Qiang and Xiao Zhu, who were waiting for results nearby.

Usually, these two would leave after a while, but now, the master only gave them three days. If they couldn't obtain the secret method again, they would have to spend New Year's on the road to Mangzhou, which felt bleak just thinking about it.

"Shopkeeper Xing, I'm sure Miss Mo won't agree. We've tried tempting her for half a month with no success. Let's just be tough this time. Ouch!"

Xiao Zhu covered his sore forehead, tears in his eyes as he complained to Shopkeeper Xing. Couldn't they talk things out? Why resort to violence?

"Tough? If it could be resolved by being tough, would we still be waiting until now?" Shopkeeper Xing glared at Mo Yan's back, feeling resentful. This little girl was not easy to deal with. Even if the secret method was good, was it worth more than gold and silver?

But what was even more difficult to deal with was his ancestor. Not only did he not allow them to use Huixianju to solicit customers under the guise of the Martial Ancestor's mansion, but now he wouldn't even let them obtain the secret method forcefully. But those who could be persuaded didn't fall for this trick at all. He was really in a dilemma.

Rubbing his sparse hair, Shopkeeper Xing felt desolate about his future. If they couldn't handle this matter within three days, and they were really sent to the desolate Mangzhou, he might as well crash into the city gate and die.

"What should we do? I have an eighty-year-old grandmother and a three-year-old brother. I don't want to go to Mangzhou. Waaah~" Xiao Zhu grabbed Shopkeeper Xing's sleeve, crying uncontrollably.

"Shut up! Can't you say something else? You keep repeating the same thing all the time. Aren't you annoyed?" Shopkeeper Xing scolded, his forehead throbbing. He regretted being soft-hearted and taking in such a stupid person. He was being driven crazy by him!

"Urp~ Umm~ Urp~"

Seeing Shopkeeper Xing angry, Xiao Zhu tightly closed his mouth, but then he began to hiccup uncontrollably.

Seeing him make a fool of himself like this, Shopkeeper Xing felt like kicking him a few times, clearly defining the boundaries. How could such a wise person like him associate with such a stupid person?

When Mo Yan finished packing up, Shopkeeper Xing approached again, with an even lower posture than before, "Miss Mo, I won't deceive you. As long as you speak, we can discuss any conditions. This is not the place to talk. Would you like to find a better place to discuss?"

Looking at him, Mo Yan also felt a headache. She felt it would be better to thoroughly explain the situation. So she nodded and asked Lin Meng and the others to go back first.

Lin Meng was not at ease and insisted on following along, and Mo Yan naturally agreed.

Shopkeeper Xing readily agreed, and the four of them walked out of the vegetable market, intending to find a quiet teahouse to have a detailed discussion.

Mo Yongshou stared at the backs of the four leaving, a calculating smile on his lips. Seeing his elder brother Mo Yonglu still helping to pack up honestly, he thought to himself what an idiot, then smiled and patted his shoulder...

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 314: Selling the Shop

Next Chapter ▶▶