Chapter 88: Chu Heng

Eighty miles west of the capital, there lies the Jing Shan Manor.

The Jing Shan Manor, a royal estate, was bestowed upon the Crown Prince Chu Heng due to his frail health and aversion to cold since childhood. Every winter, the Crown Prince would recuperate here, as per the Emperor's benevolent decree. For twenty years, not a single mishap occurred, and this year was no exception.

In the side hall, Yan Junyu, adorned in luxurious purple attire, lounged lazily on a cushioned chair, idly playing with a jade fan. However, his eyes occasionally darted towards the entrance, betraying his restlessness and worry.

Across from him, Xiao Ruiyuan, dressed in black robes, sipped on a cup of Junshan Silver Needle tea with an expressionless face. Seemingly dissatisfied with the lukewarm tea, he took a few sips before furrowing his brows and setting it aside. Suddenly, his ears twitched, and he stood up abruptly, fixing his sharp gaze on the doorway.

Yan Junyu was momentarily startled, then folded the jade fan and stood up as well, also gazing towards the entrance.

Soon after, the sound of rumbling wheels filled the air, and a middle-aged man with a white beard pushed a wheelchair into the room. Beside him was an elderly man in a green robe with flowing white hair, exuding an air of elegance and grace.

Sitting in the wheelchair was Crown Prince Chu Heng, whose entire being radiated a gentle aura despite his pale complexion, indicating his weakened state due to prolonged illness. Yet, his innate nobility remained unaffected by his condition.

Meeting the worried gazes of Yan Junyu and Xiao Ruiyuan, Chu Heng smiled gently, instantly resembling a blossoming plum, breathtaking in its beauty.

"Huaixi, Hanzhang, there's no need to worry. I'm fine," he said in a voice as clear as a mountain spring, soothing their concerns. This simple sentence was akin to celestial music in the ears of Yan and Xiao.

Yan Huaixi, also known as Yan Junyu, was the grandnephew of the Empress Dowager of Da Chu and the distant cousin of Chu Heng. Despite being separated by two generations, their bond was deeper than that of blood brothers, having grown up together in the palace.

Xiao Huizhang, or Xiao Ruiyuan, was closely related to Chu Heng through his mother, who was the Empress Dowager's sister and Chu Heng's biological mother. Both having lost their mothers at a young age, their bond was strengthened by shared sorrow.

As the tension dissipated, Yan Huaixi approached with a playful grin, placing his slender hand on the shoulder of the elderly man. "Old Ghost, are you finally convinced?"

The man referred to as Old Ghost snorted disdainfully. "Convinced or not, what does it matter? This medicinal concoction wasn't brewed by you."

Yan Huaixi remained unperturbed. While he may not have concocted the medicine, he had procured it. However, he credited a certain maid for her role, silently planning to give her due credit. As for the cantankerous old man, he couldn't resist taking a jab.

"Ah, I don't understand the art of medicine, so it's only natural I can't produce it. But for someone who claims to be the best physician in the world, you seem quite helpless. Isn't it laughable?"

"You! Get out of my sight!" The irascible ghost physician glared at the impudent youth, forcefully shaking off his hand from his shoulder.

"Fine, I'll leave. But even if I can't produce medicine, neither can you!" Yan Huaixi rolled his eyes, refraining from further provocation. Who knew if the old ghost would retaliate by slipping something into his medicine?

Seeing the two engage in a verbal spar, Chu Heng couldn't help but chuckle, his eyes filled with amusement. Sensing Yan Huaixi's glare, he quickly lifted a cup of hot tea to his lips, masking his amusement. However, the subtle curve of his lips betrayed his true mood.

Xiao Ruiyuan's lips twitched slightly, concealing his amusement with a serious demeanor. Despite his disdain for the flirtatious youth, he refrained from further provocation. Mocking others was not the behavior of a gentleman, after all.

Nevertheless, the fact that this renowned ladies' man still retained his vigor was truly unbelievable!

The ghost physician, single-minded in his desire to exchange medical knowledge, was oblivious to Yan Huaixi's embarrassment. Believing he had struck a chord, he continued with unsolicited advice.

"Young man, don't shy away from medical treatment. It's best to address hidden ailments early to avoid future complications. I only wish the best for you…"

With each word, Yan Huaixi's irritation reached new heights. He glared daggers at the incessantly chattering physician, contemplating throttling the old man then and there.

Chu Heng watched the impending tragedy unfold before intervening. "Huaixi, this medicinal concoction was procured by you. If possible, I'd like to personally thank the skilled individual responsible. Would that be possible?"

Yan Huaixi dared not argue with his cousin, suppressing his simmering frustration and shaking his head. "I promised not to reveal anything about the person who provided this medicine. I'm sorry, I can't disclose any information."

Disappointed, Chu Heng sighed softly, his expression conveying his inability to help.

Equally disappointed, the ghost physician knew further inquiry would be fruitless and immediately dismissed Yan Huaixi from his thoughts.

With a lingering sense of embarrassment, Yan Huaixi glared at the physician, feeling utterly humiliated.

Xiao Ruiyuan's lips curled into a smirk as he became intrigued by the mysterious figure whom Yan Huaixi was protecting. Uncovering their identity wouldn't be difficult...

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 823: Wang Changdong's Thoughtfulness

Shu Yu couldn't help but laugh at Zhao Xi's desperation to avoid any association with Huifeng Escort Agency. He had reached this point of urgency?

Meng Yunzheng glanced at Zhao Xi and the latter blinked frantically at him.

In the end, Meng Yunzheng nodded. "Yes, I have connections."

Ultimately, he also didn't want to travel with people from Huifeng Escort Agency. It would be inconvenient in many ways.

Shu Yu thought of Meng Yunzheng's identity and nodded. "Yes, Dad, we will be more at ease on the road as a family."

Lu Erbai's expression was complicated. They were a family now?

But since the capable individuals all agreed, Lu Erbai no longer insisted. "Alright, let's go on our own then."

They discussed what items to bring back and decided to follow the same route they came. It was an official road, they were traveling in a spacious carriage, and they were familiar with the way, with relay stations and towns along the road that they had already become acquainted with.

As they were discussing happily, Meng Yunzheng suddenly heard some commotion outside and furrowed his brows. "There's someone outside."

"At this time, shouldn't those people working outside have gone home?" In other words, those people had heard about Shu Yu's situation and were likely coming to their house.

Lu Erbai knew very well what this kind of experience was like. When brother Yao had just received the imperial edict restoring his official position and hadn't left Heichang County yet, the scene was exactly like this.

Countless people came back and forth. They all came up with various excuses to get to know him. During that time, the Yao family was constantly busy and never had a moment of rest.

Lu Erbai had gone to deliver gifts twice and was directly blocked at the door.

Thinking about the scenes their family would face in the coming days, he suddenly felt overwhelmed.

"I'll go out and take a look," Shu Yu said as she stood up.

But when she opened the courtyard gate, she saw two familiar... officers.

"You..."

The two officers had moved two chairs and were sitting on either side of her house gate. When they saw the gate open, they turned their heads and smiled. "Village Chief Lu, the two of us received brother Wang's instructions and specially came here to guard. We don't want anyone to disturb your family reunion."

Shu Yu "..."

What should she say? Wang Changdong was so busy, yet he could still go to such lengths.

"Village Chief Lu, you just need to handle your own affairs. We reckon that your family will be quite busy these two days. With us here, unfamiliar people won't be able to disturb you. If anyone has urgent matters, they can knock on the door."

"Yes, Village Chief Lu, please go inside quickly. If there's anything, just let us know. When it's late and everyone rests, we'll leave."

Shu Yu was momentarily at a loss for words. This was Wang Changdong's goodwill, and she indeed needed it.

So she accepted this kindness and nodded. "Thank you then."

Afterwards, she went inside and brought some food and tea for the two officers.

The two officers expressed their gratitude and asked Shu Yu to close the courtyard gate again.

Wang Changdong's consideration was very thoughtful. If it weren't for these two officers, even if the workers had finished their work, they might not dare to come forward and greet Shu Yu, but they would still surround the entire Lu family.

Even with these two officers present, there were still many people outside poking their heads around, and those further away were discussing animatedly.

Among them were the members of the Shu family.

Next Chapter▶▶

Chapter 320: Actually Doubted My Character


Looking at Luchuan, who obviously reacted a bit slowly, Du Heng didn't bother to argue with him. He pointed at Luchuan's hand that was holding his clothes and said in a delicate manner "Let go first. I was just reminding Chu Heng. What's there to worry about? Am I going to eat Madam?"


He rolled his eyes very ungracefully.


Luchuan thought: If you dare to eat Madam, I'm afraid Young Master Du, your life won't be guaranteed.


Feeling strange about his own thoughts, Luchuan shook his head unable to figure out why he was thinking like this. After contemplating for a long time and failing to understand, he shook his head again and decided not to think about it.


Seeing him starting to daydream again, Du Heng was a bit speechless.


"You go and inform Chu Heng. I'll wait here." Du Heng was quite easygoing.


Luchuan nodded and instructed Zhang Shu to keep an eye on Du Heng.


Du Heng, annoyed muttered behind Luchuan, "What's the matter? Don't you trust my character? I said I would wait here when you go to report. Do you think I would sneak away?"


"Too much, actually doubting my character." Du Heng stomped his foot and complained to Zhang Shu beside him, "You know Luchuan, that wooden head. Tell him that if he questions my character again, I'll be angry."


"Master Du, you have a really good temper." Zhang Shu sincerely remarked.


"You know how to speak." Du Heng was very satisfied with Zhang Shu's compliment.


In the meantime, both Du Heng and Zhang Shu, each in their own way, were immersed in their own thoughts.


On the other side, Luchuan reached the outside of the room, knocked on the door, and without entering, directly explained the situation, "Master, Young Master Du brought some food and wants to invite you."


Chu Heng had just started eating red bean milk skin.


Ye Muyu was using the stove in the room to heat up the meal.


He was quite satisfied with the time spent alone with his wife, excluding their daughter.


Especially the red bean milk skin was indeed to his liking.


Upon hearing that Du Heng had arrived, he wasn't pleased. His brows furrowed instantly.


At this moment, Ye Muyu raised her head and said, "Is he your friend? You don't seem to have many friends but as long as you acknowledge them, they are all people with good character. Why not invite him in? There's still some red bean milk skin left and it will go bad if left for too long."


"Now that you, Rain, say so, then invite Du Heng in." Seeing the sincerity in Ye Muyu's eyes especially those bright pupils that added a touch of liveliness to her entire face, Chu Heng felt a bit more animated.


He always wanted to see something different in her eyes.


Naturally, he wouldn't refute her.


"Yes, Master." Luchuan stepped back.


Not long after, Ye Muyu heard footsteps.


She looked up and saw Du Heng pushing open the door and entering.


A cheerful male voice rang out, "Ah Heng, you didn't even introduce your wife to me. If I hadn't wanted to treat you to braised pork knuckles today, we wouldn't have bumped into each other."


"Is this your wife?"


Ye Muyu looked up and saw Du Heng, who had just entered the room.


Wearing a moon-colored robe with long hair tied up with a jade hairpin, his clean face now had a playful smile. His starry eyes were smiling and his rosy lips were slightly curved, appearing carefree and elegant.


"Hello." Ye Muyu didn't expect Du Heng to be so handsome.


He was clearly older than Xie Yu and there was no trace of childishness in him. But he gave off a clean and free-spirited feeling.

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 319: Young Master Du, You're Really a Good Person


"No need, I can get on by myself." Ye Muyu finally found an opportunity to withdraw her hand. She had just realized that her palm was sweaty after being held firmly by Chu Heng's five fingers.


Chu Heng ignored her words entirely and simply lifted her up into the carriage, carrying her.


Ye Muyu let out a soft exhale.


Lowering her head, she saw Chu Heng's smiling and radiant handsome face. He was usually reserved and cold, and although she wasn't afraid of him, she hadn't seen this side of Chu Heng before.


One had to admit, he looked really good like this.


Ye Muyu was caught in a trance.


Chu Heng's eyes revealed a trace of victorious light but his face remained calm and composed. He asked in a deep and restrained voice. "Are you satisfied with your husband's appearance?"


"Phew... cough, cough." Ye Muyu saw the amusement in his eyes and hurriedly covered up her embarrassment. She quickly retracted her hand, bent down, and entered the carriage.


Following closely, a muffled voice full of anger came from inside "When did you learn to make jokes?"


"Aren't we going to the study? Let's go." Chu Heng, feeling somewhat smug, ignored the look of astonishment in Luchuan's eyes. He boarded the carriage, instructing, "To the study."


"Understood, Master." Luchuan was naturally shocked in his heart. Although he hadn't known Chu Heng for a long time, he knew his temperament. He didn't seem like someone who would smile. Furthermore, he had iron-handed methods. Unexpectedly, he behaved like this in front of Madam?


Luchuan's mind wandered for a long time until the carriage almost collided with a pedestrian. He quickly regained his composure and focused on driving.


Following the carriage was Zhang Shu driving a mule cart.


Upon reaching the academy, Chu Heng with the help of Luchuan, arranged for the carriage to stop at the back door of the academy.


Luchuan and Zhang Shu took eight coins, enough to buy a bowl of noodles. Following orders, they fed the horses and donkeys some fodder before leaving from the back door.


"Wasn't that Chu Heng just now?"


Du Heng passed by the two of them, holding a lunchbox sent by the servants. He recognized Luchuan at a glance. Wasn't he the person beside Chu Heng?


"Are you one of Chu Heng's men?" Du Heng stopped in his tracks, reaching for Luchuan's sleeve.


Luchuan instinctively moved to the side to avoid Du Heng's hand, which missed its target. Du Heng made a surprised sound.


"According to Master Du's words, it was indeed the Master. May I ask if you have any business?" Luchuan immediately changed the subject.


Du Heng didn't dwell on the matter of his agile movements and instead raised the lunchbox in his hand, saying proudly, "Last time during the Dragon Boat Festival, we had a day off. I wanted to have lunch with Chu Heng. I specially ordered braised pork knuckles from Piaoxiang Restaurant."


"But Madam is here. I'm afraid it's not convenient." In the past, Luchuan would not say such words. However, it was evident that Master was very happy to see Madam today and having more outsiders around might be considered a disturbance.


Du Heng's eyes lit up when he heard the word 'Madam.' "Madam is here?"


"You should have said so earlier. I've been wanting to meet Madam."


"It's in the study, right? I'll go now."


Luchuan hesitated for a moment but before he realized it, he reached out and grabbed Du Heng. Du Heng glared at him.


"Master Du, I haven't reported your arrival to the Master yet."

Next Chapter ▶▶

  Chapter 87: The Wealth of the Mo Family

However, the words between Hong Shi and her daughter-in-law couldn't withstand scrutiny, especially after the old farmers who grew vegetables for the Mo family voluntarily came forward to refute them.

"These vegetables were all planted by us with our own hands. If there were any secret methods, wouldn't we know? If it were true, would the master entrust us with the task, fearing we would learn and do it ourselves?"

As this message spread, most villagers believed it. Only a few people, seeing the Mo family making big money from greenhouse vegetables and distancing themselves from those who had sought refuge like them, harbored jealousy and resentment, gossiping about the Mo family's lack of compassion.

These things naturally reached Mo Yan's ears through Lin Meng and others. Mo Yan just smiled indifferently.

However, inadvertently, she recounted how Mo Yongshou and Mo Yonglu had plotted against their family.

Upon hearing this, Lin Meng and the others realized how despicable Mo Yongshou and his brother had been. They became even angrier than Mo Yan herself, cursing Mo Yongshou for his deserved exile and public humiliation. Even their sympathy for Old Mo, who had spat blood, diminished significantly.

When Lin Meng and the others returned to Liuyang Village at noon, they didn't exaggerate, just spread the truth about what Mo Yongshou and Mo Yonglu had done.

For a while, the Mo family endured tremendous public pressure. Almost everyone avoided them, and even the village head of Liuyang Village personally visited the Mo family to sternly warn them not to cause trouble and damage the village's reputation.

Old Mo, at his age, besides the day Mo Yan had embarrassed him, was being reprimanded like this for the first time. He was so angry that he fainted again.

Upon hearing about this, Mo Yan raised her eyebrows, then cut off several pounds of premium pork, bought several old hens and a basket of eggs, and asked Lin Meng to take them to Old Mo to help him recover.

Lin Meng and the others felt even more grateful towards the Mo family. If they had been treated like this by their relatives, they would have cut ties long ago. Out of sight, out of mind.

Mo Yan just smiled. She didn't need these things, but using them to improve the villagers' opinion of her family was still a good move. She wondered if Old Mo could stomach it.

Sure enough, when this pile of goods was delivered to Old Mo's house, the villagers' favor towards the Mo family rose again. Those who had doubted the Mo family felt ashamed.

As days passed, they quickly approached New Year's Eve on the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, after four to five thousand catties of vegetables were sold out, the Mo family ended their vegetable business for the year.

When Mo Yan and the others rode the bullock cart back home, another bullock cart appeared behind them, carrying two already cleaned fat pigs.

When the bullock cart was loaded with two more baskets of eggs, and the five members of the Mo family were about to return to Liuyang Village together, Lin Da and Lin Meng, along with more than ten others, learned that these pork and eggs were New Year's gifts for them, the helpers.

"Young Miss, this won't do! The wages you've given us already exceed what's fair. I can't accept these."

Shocked by the generosity of the young master, Lin Da spoke first, refusing vehemently. Lin Meng and Lin Song also shook their heads.

They had been helping to sell vegetables for more than a month, only earning a couple of taels of silver. The young miss had also generously given them eggs and food to take home to their families from time to time. They were already grateful; they couldn't accept these pork and eggs.

Since they couldn't refuse, Lin Da and the others reluctantly accepted their share, along with twenty eggs each, and took them home. For those who hadn't come, Mo Qingze personally delivered them one by one, receiving a lot of gratitude in return. It made Mo Yan reflect on whether the Mo family's workers were working hard enough.

Mo Yongfu's share wasn't any less. Mo Yan had Lin Meng deliver ten catties of pork, a pig's leg, and twenty eggs to him.

The Mo family's act of giving pork and eggs made many villagers envy the families that received them.

Those who had sought refuge and had no property, and those who had come with a lot of wealth but were allocated to Liuyang Village, were definitely the former. This meant that their first year in Liuyang Village was likely a poor one. Forget about twenty catties of pork; being able to buy five catties of pork would already be considered excellent.

The distribution of pork once again made the Mo family a coveted figure in the eyes of the villagers. Each one of them had set their sights on the Mo family, hoping to be chosen for work when the Mo family built houses and hired workers next spring!

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 686: Someone Trips Qin Ruan in Front of Third Young Master

The arena was once again embroiled in fierce competition, and the audience below roared and cheered loudly.

On the left side of the second-floor VIP box was a room with a slightly inferior view.

Su Jingshu sat by the window and had already noticed Hou Yunjiao's figure.

She had come here today to pass the time and see if there were any new boxers, but she didn't expect to encounter someone she knew.

Miss Su leaned her chin on one hand, gently swaying a wine glass with her other fingertip.

Her eyes were fixed on Third Young Master Hou, unable to move away from the man who appeared as brilliant as the moon on the horizon.

He was surrounded by a soft and clean aura, displaying an aloof and calm demeanor.

Beside Su Jingshu stood Bei Jinzhou, who walked forward and asked in a low voice, "Miss, do you want to go say hello?"

"Why bother? Would it be annoying to others?" Su Jingshu was quite self-aware.

Bei Jinzhou didn't say anything and silently refilled her wine glass.

Hou Yunjiao was unaware of being observed.

He covered his lips and coughed softly.

Gong Yibo frowned and looked over, "Is your health still not good?"

Hou Yunjiao smiled casually, "It's an old problem. I've been recuperating in Xiangxi lately, and I haven't gone out for a long time."

Upon hearing this, Gong Yibo's brow furrowed even deeper, "It just snowed yesterday, and the temperature dropped suddenly. Wasn't there anyone to stop you from going out?"

Thinking about how Qin Ruan pouted her lips, looking like she could hang an oil pot from them, Third Young Master's gaze softened a bit, "My wife tried to stop me."

"It seems like she's useless after all," Gong Yibo said with a hint of disdain, which Hou Yunjiao detected. He couldn't help but show displeasure, "She's good, and she's obedient. She even tried to stop me when I went out today."

Gong Yibo didn't want to argue with him and smiled amiably, bringing the conversation back on track, "Why did you bother coming here if your health is not good? If I had known, I wouldn't have invited you."

Hou Yunjiao lowered his head to adjust his sleeve and spoke frankly, "I'm already here, so there's no need to make a fuss, Brother Yibo."

Calling him "Brother Yibo" made Gong Yibo quite pleased.

He adjusted his posture, let out a light sigh, and said with some difficulty, "Ah... Yunjiao, the Gong family has already been declining for many years, and there are not many elders left. We have been living a peaceful life, free from worldly disputes."

Hou Yunjiao's complexion looked somewhat poor, reflecting his weak health.

He pinched his fingertips and slowly said, "The Gong family has been studying poisons for generations."

Gong Yibo said self-deprecatingly, "But who would have thought that playing with poisons would harm the descendants. The successive generations of the Gong family have died one after another, and the lack of heirs is the best proof."

"Nowadays, the younger generation of the Gong family rarely dabbles in poisons. Fulu Country is the ancestor of poison arts. Let us small fish and shrimps fight with sharks head-on; isn't that seeking death?"

Indeed, the Gong family had been gradually declining, but it still remained stable among the six major families.

Because this family specialized in poisons and had been studying them for generations.

This time, the Hou family sent people to Fulu Country, and in case of any accidents, they invited the Gong family to send people to accompany the Hou family's secret guards to Fulu Country.

Hou Yunjiao looked at Gong Yibo with clear eyes, asking, "Brother Yibo, regardless of the outcome, the Gong family will have to send someone."

He hooked the corner of his lips, and a touch of assurance appeared in his deep eyes.

Gong Yibo, with a relaxed posture, smiled playfully, "Are you that confident?"

Hou Yunjiao calmly said, "The main branch of the Gong family doesn't deal with poisons anymore, but they have cultivated a group of experts in poison arts."

Gong Yibo's eyes flashed with a deep and unpredictable light. He squinted his eyes to conceal the sharpness in them.

He sat up straight, and his distinct facial features underwent a slight change as his voice turned serious, "Yunjiao, they were all carefully cultivated by the Gong family, and they are very valuable."

Hou Yunjiao's lips curved up, and a hint of mockery and disdain flashed briefly, "I only need three people. The Hou family will pay them one billion in commission."

Gong Yibo's eyes unintentionally revealed a glimmer of cunning, and his eyes narrowed to conceal the sharpness. "One billion seems a bit too little?"

Hou Yunjiao's voice was cold, "In US dollars."

"Deal!"

Gong Yibo immediately beamed with joy, and his eyes curved into smiles.

Having confirmed that the Gong family would send someone to accompany the Hou family's secret guards to Fulu Country, Hou Yunjiao felt a slight relief, and his expression relaxed a bit.

The Gong family's poison practitioners were worth more than a billion even if they trained just one.

Then, Gong Yibo changed the subject, "Let them prepare first. But the competition still needs to continue. It's been years since I've seen you here."

Hou Yunjiao looked bewildered, "Has it been that long?"

Gong Yibo picked up the teapot on the table and refilled the tea cup by his hand, "It's been about three or four years. Since you took over the affairs of the Hou family, trying to meet you requires an appointment that goes as far as next year."

Hou Yunjiao laughed and shook his head, "It's not that exaggerated."

The screams and roars resounded from the arena once again.

Both men turned their heads to see that this round had been decided.

The boxer chosen by Gong Yibo had decisively defeated the long-haired man wearing a blue headband.

This round, Hou Yunjiao lost.

There were two rounds left, and the final outcome was about to be revealed.

The door behind them was pushed open.

"Gong Yibo!" A sweet voice sounded.

Gongsun Yibo didn't turn his head, his expression turned cold, and his voice became chilly, "Why are you here?"

"I heard Third Young Master Hou was here and came to apologize to him."

Her sweet voice gradually came closer.

Upon hearing that it was related to him, Hou Yunjiao tugged at the corner of his lips, revealing a hint of mocking contempt, which quickly disappeared.

The person who had arrived was Gong Wei, whom she had discussed Third Young Master with at the Fu family banquet.

Today, she was dressed innocently, looking like she had been carefully dressed up.

Even in such cold weather, she wore a knee-length white dress with a light makeup on her face, appearing pure and lovely.

Gong Wei stood behind Gong Yibo and Third Young Master Hou, standing stiff and nervous.

She occasionally glanced around, her gaze eventually falling on Hou Yunjiao, who was seated to her right.

Gong Yibo didn't show any pleasure despite his selected boxer's victory.

He turned back, and his cold gaze fell on Gong Wei, with a hint of disdain in his smile, "Apologize?"

Gong Wei looked like she had been wronged, and she spoke like a bullied person, "A few days ago at the Fu family banquet, I upset Third Young Madam Hou over a small matter."

 Chapter 86: Dust Settles (Part 2)

After the sesame seeds were fried well, the maltose in the inner pot had also melted.

Mo Yan scooped out the fried salt and wrapped it in oil paper for future use.

After washing the pot clean and drying it, Mo Yan poured the fried corn into the pot, then added a third of the maltose. She began stirring with chopsticks and a spatula until the maltose and fried corn were evenly mixed before starting to shape the candied melon.

Shaping the candied melon wasn't difficult; they just needed to be slightly smaller than fists. Xiner found it interesting to watch and, after washing her hands with hot water, joined in to help shape them. In the end, with five catties of fried corn and ten catties of fried glutinous rice, they made over twenty catties of candied melon using maltose.

Looking at the pile of golden-yellow corn candied melon and the black-and-white glutinous rice candied melon, Xiner suddenly hugged Mo Yan and burst into tears.

"Sis, Xin'er is so happy, really happy! Our family has so many candied melons now, we won't have to envy other families anymore!"

Mo Yan felt a pang in her heart. In previous years, not to mention making so many candied melons to eat, they only had two or three small pieces for the Kitchen God ceremony. After the ceremony, the family could only share them, and they hadn't enjoyed the sweetness enough before the candied melons were gone.

"Don't cry, don't cry. Our family is doing well now, and it will be even better in the future. We'll have plenty of candied melons every year."

Xin'er nodded with tears streaming down her face, looking at her sister and saying from the bottom of her heart, "Sis, our family has become so good, all thanks to you, sis, you're the best sister in the world."

"Silly girl, it's because we all worked together as a family that things turned out well. Sis only did what she had to do!"

Mo Yan touched her head, smiling openly. She felt relieved taking care of her sisters after occupying their sister's body; she would always treat them well.

With the candied melon done, Mo Yan busied herself chopping filling and making dough for dumplings. This was also one of the customs for Little New Year. After wrapping about a hundred plump and fragrant mushroom and pork dumplings, it was time for the Kitchen God ceremony.

Due to the custom of "women not participating in the Kitchen God ceremony," Mo Yan and the other girls went back to their rooms during the ceremony, leaving Mo Qingze with Zhen'er to busy themselves in the kitchen. Only after the firecrackers sounded and the ceremony ended could they come out.

Mo Qingze cooked a pot of dumplings, and the family gathered around the table, with firepots underneath, happily finishing the entire pot of dumplings.

In contrast to the joyful atmosphere in the Mo family, Old Mo's family was shrouded in gloom.

Since returning from the Mo family yesterday, Old Mo had a grim face and barely ate anything all day. Hong Shi sat on the doorstep, cursing at Mo Yan and her family all day long. Niu Shi also cried and did nothing, neglecting even the children, who were so frightened that they cried nonstop, disturbing the peace of the neighborhood.

Wu Shi didn't know what to do. She didn't even prepare candied melon for the Kitchen God ceremony. In the end, after some persuasion, she reluctantly borrowed two from another family who had also sought refuge from the Mo family's village.

On the second day of Little New Year, Old Mo took Mo Yongfu to the yamen. When he learned that he couldn't repay the silver, and his son would be executed, he was so frightened that he almost collapsed, supported by Mo Yongfu.

When they returned home, they began to raise the silver. However, when Mo Hongshi took out all the silver and counted it several times, they were still more than one hundred taels short. Old Mo's throat felt fishy, and he collapsed completely.

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, the day before the yamen was sealed, the magistrate of Jingzhao tried the case of Mo Yongshou and Mo Yonglu swindling money from others. Many villagers from Liuyang Village came specifically to watch the excitement.

However, unexpectedly, in court, Mo Yongshou shouted "unfair" in front of everyone, pushing all the blame onto Mo Yonglu. However, with the prison master and evidence as witnesses, his scheme ultimately failed.

Mo Yonglu, completely desperate towards his brother who wanted to harm him, didn't hesitate to expose every detail of his plan to harm the Mo family.

In the end, after the prison master received the over nine thousand taels of silver returned by Old Mo, and stopped pursuing the missing more than one hundred taels, Mo Yongshou, as the principal offender, was sentenced to thirty heavy canings on the spot and banished to a desert three thousand miles away, to be executed after the unsealing on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month next year.

Mo Yonglu, as an accomplice, was sentenced to thirty heavy canings as well and was imprisoned. After ten days of public humiliation starting from the sixteenth day of the first lunar month next year, he could return home.

After the verdict was announced, Old Mo spat out another mouthful of blood and fainted, while Hong Shi sat on the doorstep of the yamen, cursing Mo Qingze for not saving them. Some villagers approached to inquire, and Niu Shi exaggeratedly blackened the entire Mo family.

People always sympathize with the weak without realizing it. Seeing the situation of Old Mo's family, the villagers of Liuyang Village suddenly had a very subtle view of the Mo family...

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 Chapter 822: Zhao Xi's Objection

Shu Yu decided that she would sincerely thank her master the next time she saw her.

As they were talking, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the Lu family's house.

Shu Yu had originally wanted to invite Wang Changdong inside for a while, but he declined. Since he was soon going to be transferred to the county town, he needed to prepare in advance. Especially according to Shu Yu's suggestion, the county magistrate might ask for his opinion and have him recommend someone suitable to manage the village.

Wang Changdong suddenly felt very busy. So, he didn't want to disturb their joyous family reunion and went back to the estate to work. Even if he was leaving, he still needed to do his final preparations.

After Wang Changdong left, Shu Yu unloaded the boxes from the cart.

When the box was opened, the dazzling golden color of the gold nearly blinded their eyes.

The Lu family members rushed over and their breaths stopped when they saw the row of gold ingots.

"I've never seen so much gold before."

They had never seen 200 taels of gold.

Since Shu Yu returned less than a year ago, they had already broadened their horizons.

"So this is the imperial edict?" Lu Erbai didn't dare to touch the bright yellow silk cloth. He nervously swallowed his saliva.

Shu Yu unfolded the imperial edict for her family to see. Although not everyone recognized the characters on it, they could tell it was something important.

The old lady told her to put away the imperial edict. "After we return to Jiangyuan County, we should set up a separate room to house the imperial edict. It will be our protective talisman. If anyone dares to cause trouble for us, we can show them the imperial edict and scare them away."

The old lady's words made everyone laugh. Shu Yu shook her head. It wasn't necessary to have a separate room for it.

But when they returned to Jiangyuan County, they would have a large three-sectioned house. At that time, they could use one of the rooms as a storage room.

The future days for their family would only get better and better. These gold and silver jewelry and other valuable items could be stored in the storage room.

After everyone finished looking at the rewards in the box, they quickly packed them up and locked them away.

Then, they enthusiastically began bustling around. It wasn't until Zhao Xi returned with the two children that they sat down together to eat and discuss their plans to return.

Lu Erbai suggested hiring a security escort from a reputable escort agency to accompany them on the way back.

When they came, they had a few guards from an escort agency accompanying them. At that time, they had never traveled far from home and were unfamiliar with the southwest.

Now, although they had some experience, Shu Yu's status had changed, and they were carrying so much wealth on the journey.

Although it was unlikely that anyone would dare to target the items bestowed by the Emperor, no one could guarantee that there wouldn't be any reckless river pirates who would take advantage of their weakness.

Moreover, they were familiar with Huifeng Escort Agency, and they might get a discount.

However, when Huifeng Escort Agency was mentioned, Zhao Xi thought of the persistent young escort, Luo Qing, who still hadn't given up.

What if he insisted on accompanying them? Seeing that Da Ya was about to return to her hometown, this was his last and only chance. He would definitely not give up.

It was too troublesome, and Zhao Xi firmly disagreed.

So, he was the first to express his opposition. "I don't think we need an escort agency. Although we know Huifeng Escort Agency, the journey is still so long. Even if it's cheaper, how much cheaper can it be? Uncle Lu, you work hard to earn money, and this kind of safety issue on the road, let's entrust it to, entrust it to Ah Yun. He has connections and there won't be any problems."

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 Chapter 685: The World Is Unpredictable, Anything Is Possible

Hu Yiyuan, who had just sat down on the sofa, was startled by Qin Ruan's words.

Fortunately, Qin Jingcen held his hand tightly, preventing him from losing his composure.

Qin Jingcen looked at Qin Ruan with a smile, "Doesn't my girlfriend resemble a certain celebrity?"

Qin Ruan frowned, pondered for a moment, and then shook her head, "I forgot, but I feel like I've seen her face somewhere."

She rarely paid attention to celebrities in the entertainment industry, and although she had some impressions of the famous actors and actresses, her sister-in-law didn't quite resemble any of them.

Hu Yiyuan nervously said, "Sister..."

He was about to call her "Sister Ruan" but quickly stopped himself.

Qin Jingcen continued, "Ah Yan, this is my sister, Qin Ruan. You can call her Ruan Ruan."

Hu Yiyuan raised his head and smiled shyly, avoiding eye contact with Qin Ruan's cold and compelling eyes.

He whispered, "Ruan Ruan also feels like she has seen me somewhere? Many people have asked me if I resemble some celebrity."

"I see."

Qin Ruan continued to examine his face, feeling a mix of enchanting charm and sunshine in her demeanor, which could captivate countless men.

As she looked more closely, the face seemed familiar, but she couldn't pinpoint where she had seen it before.

Qin Anguo was becoming more satisfied with his eldest future daughter-in-law as he looked at her. He smiled and asked, "Jingcen, now that she's here, when are you planning to get engaged?"

This question shocked Hu Yiyuan, almost making him jump up from the not-yet-warm sofa.

Engagement... Is it really happening on such a big scale?

Qin Jingcen comforted him, patting his hand, and met Qin Anguo's somewhat insistent gaze. He calmly said, "Ah Yan isn't ready yet. We'll talk about the engagement later."

Qin Anguo's face turned serious, and a touch of weariness and sadness appeared on his spirited expression. He said, "You're not getting any younger, so settle down soon. If I'm not around one day, how can I face your mother..."

It was a threat using his deceased mother.

Qin Jingcen gritted his teeth, "At the latest next year, there should be a transition period, right?"

Afraid that he would change his mind, Qin Anguo straightened his posture, "Then next year it is. By then, you better not keep postponing it."

Qin Jingcen nodded calmly, "Understood."

However, Hu Yiyuan couldn't remain calm.

He had never thought about marrying his best friend.

He stood up abruptly, and Qin's family of three looked at him.

His expression was uneasy, lips tightly pressed, and his brows showed traces of worry that seemed unsolvable.

Qin Jingcen's eyes sharpened slightly, and he stood up, holding Hu Yiyuan's hand, and said to Qin Anguo and Qin Ruan, "Ah Yan is not used to being here for the first time. I'll take her to rest in the room."

Qin Anguo waved his hand, "Go ahead..."

He thought that it would be best if the engagement could happen immediately, skipping the engagement process and marrying early.

Qin Jingcen didn't hesitate to lead Hu Yiyuan away, rushing upstairs.

Qin Ruan watched the two men leave and noticed her future sister-in-law's graceful movements and how she seemed to bring the wind along as she walked.

Somehow, she felt a sense of familiarity when she looked at her.

Qin Anguo picked up a glass of juice from the table and brought it to Qin Ruan, asking with a smile, "Ruan Ruan, what do you think of your sister-in-law? Isn't she pretty?"

Qin Ruan took the glass, nodded, and said, "Yes, she's good-looking."

She couldn't deny that Hu Yan was indeed very beautiful, even more outstanding than some of the young stars in the entertainment industry.

Qin Anguo rubbed his chin and said with anticipation, "When you have a child, your elder brother should also get married. By then, I won't only have a grandchild, but also hope to have a great-grandchild."

He glanced down and looked at Qin Ruan's bulging belly.

"Are you due next February?"

"Yes."

Qin Anguo reached out to touch her belly and sighed lightly, "Come out soon, seeing those old folks showing off their grandchildren, I don't feel good inside."

Qin Ruan smiled, feeling content as she sipped the sweet and sour juice, "Dad, don't worry, after the eldest and second brother get married, they will definitely have a bunch of children around you."

Thinking about her two brothers, Qin Anguo couldn't help but be critical, "These two brats are both troublemakers!"

Qin Ruan gently comforted, "Eldest brother's marriage seems to be settled, and the second brother has been well-behaved recently."

Qin Father's face softened, and he revealed a hint of affection, "Your elder brother just pretended to be accommodating earlier, didn't you notice? This little fox is cunning, and I don't know what's on his mind. He seems like he found someone to deceive me."

Qin Ruan didn't see it that way; she had seen her eldest brother and Hu Yan holding hands tightly.

Their words and actions didn't seem out of place.

If there was anything strange, it was the faint demonic aura emanating from Hu Yan, not too strong, but distinctly present.

Qin Ruan consoled, "Dad, this time your eldest son brought his girlfriend back on his own initiative, so he should really like her. You don't need to think too much about it."

Qin Anguo shook his head but didn't say anything.

Sometimes he doubted if his eldest son could really fall in love.

For so many years, he had never seen any girl around him.

Qin Anguo leaned back on the sofa, saying, "Your second brother hasn't been causing trouble recently, but who knows when he'll revert to his old ways."

Qin Ruan spoke soothingly, "Second brother is like this. He hasn't caused any big troubles all these years. He's not like those rich kids who get into trouble with things they shouldn't mess with and end up dragging others down."

"He dares!" Qin Anguo snorted, "This kid can do anything, eating, drinking, playing, but if he dares to learn anything bad, I'll break his legs!"

"That's right, under your strict guidance, the second brother has been very well-behaved."

Qin Ruan tried to praise him with flattering words.

Despite his seemingly disdainful attitude towards his two sons, Qin Anguo was secretly proud of them.

Children from families like theirs were easy to go astray and difficult to correct.

But Qin Jingcen and Qin Mei had been sensible since they were young.

It could be said that they made minor mistakes but never committed major ones, which made Qin Anguo very satisfied.

However, this child was never good at receiving compliments, so Qin Anguo rarely praised them to prevent them from becoming too proud.

...

In a certain underground boxing arena in the capital.

In the private box on the second floor, two men dressed elegantly and exuding an imposing aura sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Behind them stood over a dozen bodyguards, indicating their extremely high status.

Hou Yunjiao hung up the call with Qin Ruan and glanced meaningfully at the man beside him.

This man was about 1.8 meters tall, well-built, with handsome short hair and sharp masculine features, exuding a strong aura.

"Third Young Master, why didn't you bring her along? She clings to you so much," the man said.

Hou Yunjiao placed his phone on the table and turned his head to look at the man next to him—Gong Yibo.

Gong Yibo was the youngest leader of the Gong family, a few years older than Hou Yunjiao.

He was not afraid of Hou Yunjiao, unlike others from the same generation in the major families in the capital.

The two seemed to have an indifferent relationship, but they could be considered good friends who had known each other for a long time.

Seeing Gong Yibo looking over, Hou Yunjiao's lips curved up slightly.

In the dim light of the underground boxing arena, his exquisite and handsome face showed a touch of fondness.

Hou Yunjiao hand was resting on the armrest of the seat, lightly tapping the table as he said in a calm tone, "She's still a little girl, and this kind of occasion isn't suitable for her."

Gong Yibo didn't quite believe him, "Really?"

Among the peers of the major families in the capital, who wasn't afraid of Third Young Master Hou? Only he was unafraid.

They had just made a deal.

They each selected a boxer, and the winner would represent them to settle the outcome.

If Hou Yunjiao won, the Gong family would send people to assist the Hou family's secret guards in going to Fulu Country.

If Gong Yibo won, he had the right to refuse the proposal.

The boxer chosen by Gong Yibo had the upper hand at the moment.

However, at this moment, the audience in the stands downstairs erupted in another deafening roar.

Hou Yunjiao and Gong Yibo looked down.

The man with half-length hair tied with a blue headband stood up.

He began to fight fiercely with the boxer chosen by Gong Yibo.

In this battle, both sides seemed evenly matched.

Gong Yibo looked at the scene without any wrinkles in his brow, saying, "What a pity."

Hou Yunjiao folded his hands on his abdomen, sitting elegantly and lazily.

He seemed indifferent to the outcome of this match, and his cold, emotionless eyes just looked on.

  Chapter 85: Dust Settles (Part 1)

On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, also known as Little New Year.

On this day, the Mo family didn't set up their stall. Instead, they paid all the villagers who helped out for the day's work, taking turns to watch over the vegetable fields to prevent theft or mischief.

After breakfast in the early morning, the family got busy.

Mo Qingze used a cloth strip to tightly bind a small broom to a four to five-meter-long bamboo pole, using it to clean the spider webs and dust from the roof and corners of the walls. Li Zhong followed behind with a broom, sweeping away the dust stuck to the walls.

Mo Yan dismantled several bed sheets, washed them, and hung them out to dry. Li Yan was not idle either, tidying up the bottles and jars in the kitchen, washing them spotlessly clean, while Xiner was responsible for fetching water by the well, lending a helping hand.

The youngest, Zhen'er, had an easy task, tending to the stove and boiling water. Occasionally, he would throw in a few potatoes and sweet potatoes, roasted and peeled to share with his sisters.

After the two families worked together to finish all the cleaning, they had a simple lunch and then began preparing offerings for the Kitchen God ceremony in the evening.

Offerings for the Kitchen God included dates, candied melon, eggs, and liquor. Dates, eggs, and liquor could be placed directly on plates, while making candied melon required some effort.

The candied melon used in the ceremony was made by mixing roasted corn with maltose, resulting in a crispy and sweet delicacy. Mo Yan had eaten candied melon made from glutinous rice, maltose, and sesame seeds in her past life.

After asking a few of the children, none of them had tried this type of candied melon before, so Mo Yan decided to make two kinds, using corn and glutinous rice with sesame seeds, making plenty for them to snack on.

The maltose was bought from the store yesterday, weighing seven to eight catties, enough to make a large batch of candied melon, but due to the low temperature, it had solidified into a solid block.

Mo Yan used the back of a knife to break the basin-sized maltose into small pieces in a ceramic basin, then placed it in a pot of water and had Xin'er melt the maltose over the fire.

The outer pot was also not empty. After heating up, Mo Yan poured over two catties of salt. When the salt changed color, she added half a catty of corn kernels, using a spatula to stir-fry them. Using salt as a base not only prevented the corn from burning, but also made the corn crispier.

When the corn kernels crackled like popping beans and there was no more popping sound, the corn was considered fried well and could be removed from the pot. The fried corn was sieved to remove the salt, preventing it from tasting salty.

After frying ten pots in a row, when all five catties of corn kernels were fried, Mo Yan began frying the glutinous rice.

Compared to corn, glutinous rice grains were smaller and easier to fry, almost ready to eat within ten or so breaths. The fried glutinous rice was whiter and crispier than regular rice. As soon as the first pot was fried, Zhen'er ran in and scooped up a bowl to eat.

"Sis, this is delicious, it tastes even better when mixed with brown sugar!"

Before long, Zhen'er came back with an empty bowl, shouting about how delicious it was.

Upon hearing this, Xin'er couldn't wait to take a bowl, scooping up half a bowl of fried glutinous rice and adding a little sugar to mix in. After taking the first bite, she couldn't bear to put it down.

"Sis, it's really delicious, you should try it too!" Xin'er said, scooping up a spoonful and offering it to her sister.

Mo Yan smiled and took a bite, finding the taste quite good. She asked Zhen'er to take a clean bowl and fill it with a large portion, adding sugar for him to take to Li Yan.

There was no need for help in the kitchen, so Li Yan, who had nothing to do, held a needle and thread in her room, sewing the bed covers Mo Yan had cut a few days ago.

Zhen'er kept coming in and out with bowls, which made Mo Qingze and Li Zhong unable to resist entering the kitchen, smelling the fragrant fried glutinous rice and corn, feeling a bit hungry again, and happily taking bowls to eat.

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