Chapter 55 Face Off

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 Chapter 404: Amusement

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 Chapter 403: No Explanation from Start to Finish

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 Chapter 898: Regrets of Shopkeeper Qiu

Shu Yu had also brought a gift for Doctor Xu, originally intending to give it to him the next day.

She got off the carriage at the entrance of Liufang Lane and sent the Ding family's coachman back. Then she leisurely walked towards home.

However, as she turned around and took a few steps, someone suddenly darted out in front of her.

Shu Yu reflexively took several steps back and looked closely, only to recognize the person in front of her. "Shopkeeper Qiu?"

She furrowed her brows. "What are you doing here? Do you have something to say to me?"

Shopkeeper Qiu forced a smile and said, "Lady Lu, oh no, I mean, now I should address you as Village Lord Lu. You, um, Lady Lu, why didn't you explain earlier? I misunderstood."

Shu Yu found it amusing. "Why do I have to explain myself to you?"

Shopkeeper Qiu's expression stiffened slightly. He had been waiting in Liufang Lane for quite a while. He couldn't find anyone at the shop earlier since it was closed, so he had to come to the clothing workshop in Liufang Lane.

However, it was clear that Ah Xiang and her mother had already heard about his dissolution of the contract with Yiren Pavilion. As soon as they saw him, they immediately closed the door.

The other neighbors in Liufang Lane mentioned that the Lu family had already gone out in the morning, but no one knew where they had gone.

Shopkeeper Qiu could only continue waiting here until now, when he finally saw someone.

Remembering what his boss had said before leaving, Shopkeeper Qiu forced a smile, adopting a humble posture. "Village Lord Lu, I was ignorant before. If you're willing to reconsider our collaboration, perhaps we can discuss it further. Of course, the purchase price would naturally be lower than before, as the fault lies with us."

Before Shopkeeper Qiu could finish speaking, Shu Yu shook her head and said, "No need. Since we've dissolved the contract, we have no further business with each other. The most important thing in business is integrity. If we say we're not cooperating, then we're not cooperating. I won't change my mind just because you offer a lower price."

Shopkeeper Qiu's smile almost couldn't be maintained. "Village Lord Lu, please reconsider. I can offer you a lower purchase price. Our shop is, after all, the largest fabric store in Jiangyuan County, and our fabrics are of the highest quality."

"No need to consider. No cooperation. I don't want to be lacking in integrity. Goodbye."

Shu Yu didn't want to waste any more time with him and walked past him to leave.

Shopkeeper Qiu instinctively reached out to stop her, but Shu Yu dodged him. "What's the matter, Shopkeeper Qiu? Are you planning to get physical?"

"No, no, I wouldn't dare."

He awkwardly withdrew his hand, and only then did Shu Yu stride towards Liufang Lane.

Naturally, Shopkeeper Qiu couldn't give up so easily, but Shu Yu ignored him. Even when he tried to approach her again to stop her, suddenly, someone appeared in front of him.

Shopkeeper Qiu was taken aback, and Shu Yu also paused for a moment before turning her head and realizing that it was Zhao Xi.

With a smirk, Zhao Xi said to her, "You go on ahead. I'll handle things here."

Shu Yu didn't care anymore and went home.

There were only Grandma Lu and a few children at home. The others were all at the clothing workshop.

Shu Yu went to retrieve the gift box but found that two were missing. After a quick count, she had a rough idea. "Did Sister go to visit Miss Wei?"

The old nodded. "The clothing workshop is overcrowded, and there's not enough space. Since your sister came back, she naturally wants to visit her."

Wei Lan was the girl who, like Da Ya, was deceived into a fake marriage.

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  Chapter 148: Causing Trouble (1)

"You're saying this bunch of seedlings is mine? Who saw it? Who saw it!"

Mo Yongxi shrugged indifferently, showing no signs of guilt as if she hadn't been caught red-handed doing something wrong. She even wanted to pull out the seedlings in her hand, showing an extremely arrogant attitude.

Cai Shi stepped forward, firmly holding onto her arm, refusing to let her go, "If it wasn't you, then who else? I saw you pulling out and breaking the seedlings with my own eyes. Do you still want to deny it? Come with me now to find the master of the house. You damaged these seedlings, and you have to compensate!"

"Humph, busybodies like you should mind your own business. These seedlings belong to my cousin's family. So what if I break a few for fun? Let go of me, you old woman!"

Mo Yongxi was feeling guilty after all. Knowing that she couldn't take advantage of the situation, she just wanted to leave as soon as possible and let her parents handle it.

"Humph, still have the nerve to say the master of the house is your cousin? Is there a cousin like you who would harm their own family? I don't want to waste time arguing with you. Come with me now," Cai Shi said impatiently, not wanting to waste time arguing with her, and forcefully dragged her down the mountain.

At this moment, people who were returning home for dinner one after another also arrived. Seeing the two people arguing, they hurried over to ask about the situation.

Cai Shi angrily explained the situation. It turned out that everyone had gone home for dinner just now, leaving her behind to watch over the seedlings to prevent theft. Unexpectedly, as soon as she left for a moment, she returned to see Mo Yongxi pulling out and breaking the seedlings that had just been planted.

If she hadn't come back in time, who knew how many more seedlings would have been destroyed by her!

Everyone was furious after hearing this, criticizing Mo Yongxi for being wicked.

Feeling overwhelmed, Mo Yongxi sat on the ground, mimicking Hong Shi's tantrum, "Fine, all of you gang up on me. Oh my god, I was just passing by from down the mountain, and now you're dragging me up here and accusing me of destroying seedlings. What kind of logic is this? I want to go back! I want to find the village head to reason with him. Sob..."

Everyone was shocked to hear her twisted words. Even though she had been caught red-handed doing something wrong, she still tried to deny it. How thick-skinned could she be!

Cai Shi was even more furious. If the master of the house believed her words, wouldn't she become the prime suspect? No, she couldn't let this wicked person leave no matter what!

Thinking of this, Cai Shi quickly said to several other women, "Let's take her to the master's house and let him handle it."

The other women nodded and began pulling Mo Yongxi down the mountain.

"I don't want to go! Let go of me, you bitches, sluts! Let go of me—"

Mo Yongxi was truly panicked this time, crying and shouting like a slaughtered pig, every word and sentence full of vulgar curses.

Everyone was dumbfounded by her behavior. Those who had seen Mo Yongxi's true colors became even more disgusted with her, while those who were not familiar with her thought, "This girl's mouth is so foul, and her behavior is so bad. She must be a troublemaker. I can't let my children marry someone like her in the future."

"What's going on?"

Just then, a clear voice rang out, contrasting sharply with Mo Yongxi's ear-piercing curses.

Seeing Mo Yan, everyone quickly explained the situation, and seeing Mo Yan's only frowning slightly, they couldn't figure out her attitude for a while.

Seeing Mo Yongxi's face covered in snot and tears, Mo Yan didn't bother to talk to her. She politely said to the woman closest to her, "Could you please go to my second grandfather's house and invite my second grandfather over? Also, tell my father."

The woman hurriedly ran down the mountain.

Both in appearance and family background, Mo Yan outshone Mo Yongxi by a long shot. Moreover, Mo Yan had manners. When she met villagers from Liuyang Village on the way, she would greet them politely. In contrast, Mo Yongxi appeared even more vulgar and uncouth.

▶▶The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor

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 Chapter 897: Farewell to Ding Yuehua

Shu Yu carried the gift box and walked towards the Fan Family. There weren't many pedestrians on this road, and since she would be living here in the future, she strolled leisurely, taking in the surroundings.

When she arrived at the entrance of the Fan Family, Shu Yu looked up and assessed the surroundings. Mmm, it wasn't as grand as her own mansion.

She was about to approach with the invitation when a carriage drove out from a side gate and stopped at the main entrance. Just then, Ding Yuehua hurriedly came out as if she was about to board the carriage and leave.

Shu Yu was taken aback and was about to call out to her when Ding Yuehua also happened to see her. She quickly got off the footstool and excitedly ran over.

"Ah Yu!"

"Where are you going?"

Ding Yuehua didn't have time to answer her; she just grabbed Shu Yu's arm and looked her up and down. "It's been so long, and you haven't changed at all. When did you come back? You're amazing, becoming a village lord without making a sound. When I heard about it, I couldn't believe it. I was actually planning to look for you today, but when I arrived at the entrance of your shop, I was immediately pushed out. Quickly tell me what happened. The announcement mentioned something about a heat pack..."

"Wait, wait, you have so many questions, how can I answer them all? Besides, we can't talk about it here at the main entrance, can we?"

Ding Yuehua slapped her forehead. "Yes, yes, look at me, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's go inside first and take our time..."

She was about to turn around while still holding Shu Yu's arm when she suddenly remembered that she was supposed to go out. She apologized, "Ah Yu, I'm sorry, I received news that my mother bumped her head. I have to go back to the Ding Family and check on her."

"She bumped her head? Is it serious?"

Ding Yuehua shook her head. "The servant who came to report said it's not a big deal, but I'm still worried and want to go check on her."

"That's only natural. You should go back quickly. We can talk about it another day." Shu Yu spoke and raised her hand to hand over the gift box. "By the way, this is a specialty item I brought back from the southwest. Please accept it."

Ding Yuehua had the servant behind her accept the gift box and then frowned as she looked at Shu Yu. "You're already a village lord. You should have a servant with you. It's not fitting for a village lord to personally carry such heavy things. People will be astonished if they hear about it."

This was the second person reminding her to buy a servant. Shu Yu helplessly said, "I was planning to buy one. I just returned not long ago, and there have been a lot of things going on, so it got delayed. Fortunately, now that I have a place to stay, I'll go to the medical clinic tomorrow morning to find someone."

"Tomorrow? Then I'll accompany you. It'll give us a chance to talk. I have so many things I want to ask you. Tell me where you're currently staying so I can pick you up early tomorrow morning."

Shu Yu thought that Ding Yuehua was more familiar with Jiangyuan County, so it would be good to have her accompany her. She didn't refuse and left her address before bidding farewell. "Alright, it's settled then. You need to go back and see your mother first. Please go."

Ding Yuehua felt somewhat guilty. She knew that Shu Yu had walked here, so she let her get on the carriage. Once she returned to her mother's house, she would have the coachman take Shu Yu back to Liufang Lane.

The two bid farewell at the entrance of the Ding Family, and Shu Yu headed home.

Originally, she thought that after meeting Ding Yuehua, it would probably be evening, so she hadn't made any further plans. However, it was still early, so she decided to visit Doctor Xu at the medical clinic.

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  Chapter 147: Planting Fruit Seedlings (2)

Animals have better self-healing abilities than humans. The doctor instructed Mo Yan to apply the medicine twice a day. As long as Xiao Hua didn't move around and open its wounds, it would be fully healed in about ten days to half a month.

Mo Yan finally felt relieved after hearing this. She thanked the doctor, paid the silver, and then left the medical hall with Xiao Hua. They entered the space together in a secluded place.

To maximize the effectiveness of the medicine, Mo Yan took a pair of scissors and, under Xiao Hua's complaining gaze, "snip snip," she trimmed its fur cleanly, revealing its pink flesh. However, when she covered its body with the greenish ointment, someone shamelessly laughed!

Because... it looked really ugly!

Perhaps feeling offended by Mo Yan's disdainful gaze, Xiao Hua gave her a resentful look and buried its head in its tail, the only place with fur. It was truly embarrassed.

The other one couldn't escape the scissors in Mo Yan's hands either. Unlike Xiao Hua, it wasn't as vain. Although it felt that being trimmed was undignified, it didn't mind if it helped its wounds heal faster.

Back home, Mo Yan quickly ate dinner. After Xin'er fell asleep, she stayed in the space, doing chores while watching over the two guys and changing their medicine. Only two hours had passed outside, but inside the space, half a month had gone by. Both guys had recovered well, and under the influence of the spirit spring water, their fur was also growing back quickly.

The next day, after breakfast, Li Zhong was about to leave for Liuyang Village when he suddenly remembered the fruit seedlings in the yard. He slapped his head and said to Mo Yan, "Yan'er, I forgot to tell you yesterday. The tree pits in the barren mountain have been dug, and the mud has been poured in. When do you plan to plant the fruit seedlings?"

"So soon?" Mo Yan was delighted. "Then let's plant them today. I'll call for a cart to transport the seedlings."

Saying this, she rushed out excitedly. Ha ha, her orchard was finally going to be established!

When the cart arrived, everyone worked together to load the fruit seedlings onto it. These seedlings, nourished by the spiritual spring water, had sprouted many tender leaves, unlike before. Even though this season wasn't the most suitable for planting fruit trees, these seedlings would all survive.

Based on the texture of the leaves and trunks, Mo Yan roughly figured out how many types of fruit trees there were. In addition to grape, mangosteen, and orange saplings, there were also apple, pomelo, kiwi, and more than ten other varieties. Some of these seedlings were not suitable for growing in the north, but who made her have spirit spring water?

A few days ago, Mo Yan had picked two seedlings of each type and planted them in the space. They were growing well, showing a different appearance every day, but it would still take some time before they bore fruit.

Since the space couldn't be shown to others, even if the fruit grew, only she could secretly eat them. Where was the pleasure of sitting together with her family and tasting various fruits?

However, it would take two years for these seedlings to bear fruit after being planted. Although the spiritual spring water could accelerate the process, it would draw too much attention if the fruits ripened too quickly. After all, despite years of cultivation by the Agricultural department, they hadn't produced a single fruit.

When the seedlings arrived at Liuyang Village, Li Zhong got off the cart and went to the village to call the people who had helped with the land clearing before to come and plant the trees.

It didn't take long for more than fifty people to come over from their homes, carrying shovels, hoes, and buckets. The tree pits had already been dug, and the bottom filled with mud. Now they just needed to place the seedlings in and fill them with soil.

Although this process wasn't difficult, Li Zhong repeatedly reminded them to slightly lift the seedlings after planting and filling them with soil. Otherwise, if the roots were buried too deep, it would affect the growth of the seedlings.

With Li Zhong overseeing, Mo Yan felt reassured. She watched for a while and then walked into the mountains along a small path, releasing the two guys who were almost going crazy inside the space.

As soon as they came out, Xiao Hua ran around like a wild horse released from its reins. When it finally had enough, it started rubbing against Mo Yan's leg affectionately, displaying an extremely fawning behavior that Mo Yan couldn't bear to look at.

The other one disappeared as soon as it came out of the space. Just when Mo Yan thought it had gone back, it returned carrying several wild rabbits and dropped them in front of Mo Yan.

"Do you have to keep count like this?" Mo Yan felt helpless as she met its clear gaze.

In her heart, although this guy wasn't as good as Xiao Hua, it wasn't much worse. However, it always acted like it didn't want to owe her anything, making it difficult to get close to it!

However, Mo Yan misunderstood this time. After she said this, this guy suddenly stepped forward, patting away Xiao Hua, which was clinging to her thigh. Then, it approached and rubbed her hand with its large wolf head, emitting a very gentle "woowoowoo" sound, although it was not very proficient.

Mo Yan's heart softened for a moment. After a moment of astonishment, she lifted her hand, which was being rubbed, and touched its wolf ear. This time, it didn't dodge like last time but shook its ear and playfully rubbed her palm with the coarse fur on the tip of its ear.

"Hehe..." Mo Yan couldn't help but laugh. She gently squatted down, aligning her gaze with its eyes. "Since you approve of me, I'll also treat you as a companion. Now, let me give you a name!"

Saying this, regardless of whether it understood or accepted it, she directly decided on a name based on its gray-white fur: Da Bai!

After sending Da Bai away, Mo Yan brought Xiao Hua to the barren mountain. However, before she even entered, she heard a fierce quarrel...

▶▶The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor

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 Chapter 896: Everyone's Arrangements

"Yuehua?" Shu Yu took the invitation and asked, "She went to Ningshui Street too?"

"Yes, she probably saw the announcement and knew you were back, so she came to the shop to find you. But the shop was too crowded, and I didn't know which house you rented, so I couldn't tell her. She saw that we were busy and gave us an invitation. She said that if you have time, you can visit her at her house."

It wouldn't be appropriate for her to come to Liufang Lane and ask Axiang. The place was already crowded with people, and if she asked, it would probably be even more crowded.

Shu Yu nodded as she listened and opened the invitation to take a look.

When she saw the two characters "Fan Family," she was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted.

That's right, Ding Yuehua got married at the end of last year, around the same time as Da Niu. She now lived in her husband's family.

The Fan Family... it wasn't too far from her.

Shu Yu put away the invitation and said, "Alright, I'll go to the Fan Family later."

She had planned to visit her acquaintances when she returned from the southwest. She had a good relationship with Ding Yuehua, and even after hearing about her exile, Ding Yuehua had never distanced herself.

Da Niu even said that when she heard rumors about Shu Yu, Ding Yuehua stood up for her and specifically went to Yiren Pavilion to buy clothes, leading by example to show her trust.

She even asked Da Niu for Shu Yu's address in the southwest so she could send her letters and things.

But Da Niu didn't say anything.

Such a friend was rare, and Shu Yu had planned to visit her after seeing the house. She had even placed the gifts she brought back from the southwest in the mule cart in advance.

After Da Niu finished speaking, he was dragged away by Da Bao to see the house.

The whole family had thoroughly explored the inside and outside of the property but still felt unsatisfied. Finally, they reluctantly prepared to leave.

After they stepped out, Shu Yu said to everyone, "I'm going to visit a friend. I won't be going back with you."

Lu Erbai had a good understanding of the house's structure, and his enthusiasm was ignited. He wanted to get started as soon as possible, so he said, "I'm the same. I'll go find Brother Zheng later and ask if he has time to discuss the repairs."

Da Niu also said, "Then I'll go outside the city to look for a farm in the afternoon. The sooner I find one, the sooner I can plant sunflowers."

When he finished speaking, Shu Yu turned her head to look at Lu Sanzhu.

Lu Sanzhu hadn't reacted yet, contemplating whether he should go back to sleep or boast a bit when he felt a scorching gaze on him.

He suddenly shivered and hurriedly said, "Should I also go and look for a farm?"

Only then did Shu Yu say to them, "Alright, you can drive one of the mule carts."

For the people in the county town, Shu Yu being appointed as a village lord was like a heavy bombshell that had just dropped. But for the Lu family, they had had enough rest and were ready to carry out their tasks in an orderly manner.

After Lu Erbai, Da Niu, and Lu Sanzhu left, Ruan Shi and Da Ya planned to return to Liufang Lane's tailor shop to make clothes.

The ready-made garments in the shop had been sold out, so they had to replenish the stock quickly. It so happened that they had many ideas in their minds after returning from the capital city a few days ago.

Lu Sixing and Zhou Qiao also went to help, while Liang Shi didn't want to work but also didn't want to go home alone, so she had to help take care of the children.

Da Hu planned to visit teacher Wen the next day, so he said, "I'll go back and find Brother Meng to see what preparations need to be made."

Da Bao quickly said, "I'll accompany you." Otherwise, he would have to go back to the private school for class.

Everyone had their arrangements, so they went their separate ways.

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 Chapter 895: Miss Ding's Invitation

As Shu Yu walked out from behind him and took a look, she couldn't help but reveal a delighted expression.

The backyard was even bigger than she had imagined. No wonder the former county magistrate had been eager to acquire it.

San Ya pointed not far ahead and shouted, "Second sister, look, there's a two-story building over there."

The backyard had rockeries and pavilions, and there was even a pond with a small wooden bridge and a pavilion in the middle.

If lotus flowers were planted in the pond, it would be incredibly beautiful in the summer.

Several children had already run up to the pavilion, leaning on the benches and looking at the pond. Da Hu suggested, "Second sister, we can raise a few fish here later."

Shu Yu thought it was feasible and was about to nod when he continued, "This way, we won't have to buy fish from the market when we want to eat them. I can catch a couple myself."

Shu Yu... I thought you were talking about decorative carp.

She shook her head and laughed, then continued walking forward. There was a raised platform ahead, and she climbed up the stone steps. There were a few rooms that could serve as a girl's chamber.

Next to it was a small bamboo forest, but the bamboo had been cut down. Otherwise, it would have been cool in the summer.

Continuing on, they arrived at a two-story loft. It was exquisitely built and, at the very least, in much better condition than the dilapidated front yard. The materials used were also of higher quality.

Shu Yu came down from the loft and strolled around the spacious backyard.

She couldn't help but marvel in her heart. This house was called a three-entry courtyard, but with this backyard, it was no different from a five-entry courtyard.

Compared to the front yard, the backyard was even bigger.

Shu Yu was very satisfied with this property, and the other members of the Lu family were also amazed. Who would have thought that after the pleasant surprise of opening the main gate, there would be another pleasant surprise when opening the back gate?

Everyone didn't want to leave as they wandered around the backyard, especially Lu Sanzhu, who wished he could just settle down here.

The children ran around in the backyard, enjoying the rare spacious area where they could frolic and play.

Until a familiar exclamation came from outside, "This backyard is so beautiful."

Everyone turned their heads and saw that it was Da Niu and Zhou Qiao who had arrived.

"Why are you here?"

"Ah Yu, the news of your appointment as a village lord has been announced. Today, many people came to the shop and bought all the clothes. Since there were no more items in the shop, they started asking about you, so we had to close early and come out."

Da Niu was also helpless. "We went to Liufang Lane and heard from Auntie Axiang that you came to see the house, so we came over here."

When they arrived, the main gate wasn't closed and had a small gap.

After knocking on the door for a long time with no response, Da Niu pushed it open and came in directly.

They had already seen the front yard and were shocked once before.

Shu Yu was surprised. "All the clothes were sold out?"

Da Niu nodded. "There are still some inventory in the tailor shop. Should we bring them to the store?"

Shu Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Even if we bring them now, they'll sell out quickly. They came to buy because of today's buzz. If it's not suitable later, they might even be dissatisfied, which would harm our shop's reputation. It's better to close for a couple of days and reopen after the situation has calmed down."

Da Niu also thought the same. It was a good opportunity for him to go out and search for a farm during these two days.

After discussing the situation at the shop, Da Niu took out an invitation. "This is from Miss Ding. She asked me to give it to you."

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 Chapter 894: I Intend to Buy Servants

Quan Quan was still young, but seeing his older siblings running off, he tiptoed and tried to follow, tugging at Lu Sixing hand. His whole body leaned forward, "Mother, mother, quickly..."

Lu Sixing helplessly picked him up. Yuan Shanchuan hadn't come today.

Lu Sanzhu could take a few days off in a row, but he couldn't afford to take another day off just to see the house. After sending his wife and children to Lu Sanzhu's house in the morning, he went on duty.

Shu Yu didn't join in the excitement. She started by looking at the entrance and slowly examined each room one by one.

After passing the screen wall, there was a detached house. Although the house wasn't very large, there were still about ten rooms, which could be lived in after a bit of cleaning.

If that was the case, she could start thinking about buying servants now.

With more manpower, when her father repaired the house, they would probably need several workers. Having servants would also solve the problem of meals.

After inspecting the detached house, they moved on to the corridor.

The corridor was quite wide but a bit run-down. With no one taking care of it for a long time, the wood had been damaged by insects in several places.

"It seems like this area needs to be demolished and rebuilt." Walking slowly beside Shu Yu was Lu Erbai, a carpenter. After they finished inspecting the house, he would need to start preparing for the repairs, so he naturally had to observe carefully.

Shu Yu nodded, and the two continued on to the main hall.

The main hall was empty. They would need to buy some tables, chairs, coffee tables, and flowers to make it look good.

The side rooms and ear rooms on the left and right were still fine, but after discussing with Lu Erbai, they decided to replace the windows and doors. Fortunately, the original wooden materials used were not very valuable, or else Shu Yu would have felt reluctant.

As they continued their conversation, they headed towards the back rooms.

Lu Sanzhu and the others were all gathered at the back rooms. When Shu Yu arrived, someone immediately ran over with a grin. "Ah Yu, there are so many rooms here."

"It's true."

"Just look at you, your mother, and your second brother. The three of you together still can't fill up this place. The house is big, but with few people, it feels empty. I think..."

Shu Yu interrupted him with a smile, "It's not too few. I plan to buy a couple of servants. It'll be lively then."

Lu Sanzhu widened his eyes. "Servants? You plan to buy servants?"

The others turned their heads to look at Shu Yu after hearing the conversation. Shu Yu nodded, "Of course, with such a big house, who's going to clean it if we don't have servants? Third Uncle, do you want to come and help us clean?"

"I... Well, I still have to work."

Shu Yu rolled her eyes. Then why did you say anything?

Lu Sanzhu was quite surprised. "Ah Yu, do you still have money? You have to repair this big house, buy a farm, and now you want to buy servants. Later, you'll have to pay their salaries and feed so many people. Your 200 taels of gold won't be enough."

Shu Yu chuckled. "You don't need to worry about that."

The old lady also gave Lu Sanzhu a stern look. "Do you have to worry about whether she has money or not?"

Lu Sanzhu understood. It meant that she had money.

Tsk tsk, Ah Yu's family was truly formidable. Even in exile in the southwest, she didn't forget to make money. Moreover, this money might not be a small sum.

His mind turned, and buying servants would be a good idea. In the future, he could experience what it was like to be a lord.

While Lu Sanzhu was thinking, he opened the gate that led to the backyard.

As soon as it opened, he took a cold breath. "This... Isn't this too big?"

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Chapter 893: Going to See the Big House

With all the clothes in the clothing shop sold out, Da Niu had no choice but to close the shop early. Before the customers could react, he and his wife quietly slipped out through the back door.

Once they were outside Ningshui Street, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Just yesterday, Ah Yu said that the clothes in the shop and the inventory could support us for a while. Who would have thought that they would sell out in just half an hour?" Zhou Qiao nodded with lingering fear. It was the first time she had experienced such a scene.

The customers didn't even bother trying on the clothes. They just grabbed them and paid without even discussing the price. If Da Niu hadn't learned to read and do basic calculations recently, they would have likely made mistakes in the transactions.

Zhou Qiao asked, "Where are we going now?"

"Let's go find Ah Yu," Da Niu replied.

He still had an invitation card in his hand, which Ding Yuehua had given him to pass on to Shu Yu.

When they arrived at Liufang Lane, they didn't know which house the old lady and the others had rented, so they could only go and ask Ah Xiang.

However, Ah Xiang told them, "They left early in the morning to see the big house."

Da Niu slapped his forehead. "Right, I almost forgot. Third Uncle mentioned that he wanted to see the three-courtyard house. Let's go and have a look."

Shu Yu had told him the address of the big house, and Da Niu remembered it.

They changed direction and headed straight for Fenghuai Street.

Fenghuai Street was considered an upscale area. The houses here were much larger than those in Liufang Lane, with at least two courtyards and most having three courtyards.

The house that Shu Yu was rewarded with was located in the middle of Fenghuai Street. There were some shops nearby, but they were all exquisite restaurants and private establishments that catered to well-off individuals.

The second branch of the Lu family was up early, and the door was knocked on by Lu Sanzhu.

Lu Sanzhu was particularly excited, as if he was visiting his own home. He urged Shu Yu and the others to hurry up and set off.

Two carts were parked on Fenghuai Street, and Shu Yu opened the door with the key.

According to Xiang Weinan, the house had been unoccupied for a long time. Many people had their eyes on the property, but the former county magistrate had blocked their attempts, wanting it for himself. Who knew that before he had the chance to take over the house, Shu Yu had an accident.

Xiang Weinan wasn't interested in the house anyway. As a lone individual, he was content living in the backyard of the county government office. His time in Jiangyuan County was just a formality, and once the Fifth Prince ascended the throne, he would rise higher and return to the capital.

Therefore, he had no plans to establish any industry here, and the house had remained vacant.

Unexpectedly, it had ended up in Shu Yu's hands.

As they pushed open the courtyard gate, Lu Sanzhu was the first to run inside, followed by the children. They exclaimed in awe at the spacious view before them.

"It's so big!"

Shu Yu was also pleasantly surprised. She had thought that the house would be in a state of disrepair after being unoccupied for so long.

But now it seemed that Xiang Weinan had thoughtfully sent someone to clean and tidy up the place in advance. Aside from some dust, the ground was clean, without any weeds, and the eaves were free of spiderwebs. It looked refreshing.

Lu Sanzhu had already rushed further inside, followed by Da Hu, Da Bao, San Ya, and Xiao Zhen, with Bao Ya being led by their hands. 

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 Chapter 892: You're Confused

"You're confused!" The middle-aged man suddenly stood up, pointed at him, and exclaimed, "Do you know what you're doing? Do you know who she is? And yet, you terminated the contract with her, and worse, you terminated it on the grounds that we violated the terms."

Manager Qiu was startled, not understanding why the master suddenly got so angry.

The master didn't usually interfere with the small businesses in the shop. Usually, it was Manager Qiu who made the decisions. In the past, this would have been a trivial matter, and the master wouldn't have cared.

The middle-aged man paced back and forth, feeling an indescribable frustration. He kicked the attendant standing nearby in the foot.

The attendant fell to his knees with a thud. "Master..."

The middle-aged man continued to glare at them with an unfriendly expression. Then he turned to Manager Qiu and said, "Go to the clothing shop immediately. Find Lu, apologize to her, compensate her if necessary, and reestablish the cooperative contract with a better attitude."

Manager Qiu was shocked, his face filled with disbelief. "Master, what... what happened?"

"What happened?" The middle-aged man sneered. "Lu Shu Yu has become a village lord. She returned triumphant after accomplishing great deeds. The bulletin board at the city gate is filled with announcements. If you're still unclear, go and see it for yourself! Go and see!"

Manager Qiu's mouth hung open in shock as he unconsciously murmured, "Village lord..."

How could this happen?

The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes. "Manager Qiu, this mess was caused by you. If you don't resolve it properly, you won't need to continue being the manager anymore."

After saying that, he flung his sleeve and left the cloth shop with his attendants.

He had been so happy and fortunate when he arrived, but now he was furious and felt like spitting blood.

He wasn't afraid of this newly-appointed village lord. His industry extended beyond this cloth shop, and he had the connections to make it the largest cloth shop in Jiangyuan County.

But what used to be a good business partnership had been offended and severed by Manager Qiu. Who knew if this would sow future trouble?

"Manager Qiu is becoming more confused as he grows older. If this matter can't be salvaged, he doesn't need to stay here anymore."

Manager Qiu stood still for a while, and the attendant climbed up from the ground and quietly asked, "Manager, is what the master said true?"

How would Manager Qiu know?

With a tense expression, he ran out of the shop without a word, heading straight for the city gate.

He managed to squeeze into the crowd and read the announcement. Any remaining trace of hope vanished.

It really was... her.

Thinking of the last words the master had left before departing, Manager Qiu's face turned pale. He hurriedly ran towards Ningshui Street.

However, he was still a step too late. He realized he wasn't the only one who recognized Shu Yu's identity from the announcement. People who knew the news had already rushed to Yiren Pavilion.

They didn't know where Shu Yu currently resided, but her shop was well known.

So early in the morning, just as Da Niu had opened the shop, a crowd of customers flooded in.

In just half an hour, the shop's clothes and inventory were completely sold out, leaving nothing behind.

When Manager Qiu arrived, the shop was packed inside and out, and he couldn't even squeeze in.

By the time he managed to push his way to the front, Da Niu had already closed the shop's door.

Manager Qiu stood at the door, dazed. He murmured, "It's over."

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 Chapter 891: Shu Yu's Publicized Identity

Early the next morning, just as the sky began to brighten, the gates of the county yamen opened, and two solemn-looking officials emerged.

One of them was Hu Li. The two officials went to the bulletin board not far from the city gate and posted a notice.

After posting it, they left, coinciding with the arrival of those entering the city who gathered around to read the notice.

"What does it say? Can someone read it out loud?"

"I'll take a look. Let me see." A scholarly-looking man stepped forward and read the notice from beginning to end. Then his eyes widened, he exclaimed in surprise, "We have a village lord in our county!"

"What? A village lord?"

The man quickly read the news again, and he seemed somewhat excited. "Miss Lu... Shu Yu... Appointed as village lord. Goodness, this is incredible. Our Jiangyuan County will be recorded in history."

Although the person in question was a woman, this matter brought great benefits to the people, and it would surely be recorded in the historical books.

The onlookers exchanged surprised glances.

Village lord? Who is this girl? How come we've never heard of her before?

As more and more people gathered, rumors began to spread. Gradually, some people recognized who she was.

In the crowd, a middle-aged man with a slightly protruding belly pondered for a moment and quietly asked his attendant, "Is this Lu Shu Yu, the owner of the clothing shop in Ningshui Street?"

"Yes, sir."

The middle-aged man's eyes brightened. "Let's go back to the shop."

The two of them squeezed out of the crowd and walked quickly toward their own shop.

It was still early, and the shop had just opened. There were no customers yet. The middle-aged man walked in, and the attendant behind the counter looked up and respectfully greeted, "Master."

"Mm, where's Manager Qiu?"

"The manager is checking the inventory in the back. I'll go call him."

The attendant went to the backyard, and after a while, he returned with Manager Qiu.

The middle-aged man sat on a chair and looked around his spacious cloth shop with a smile. He asked Manager Qiu, "Old Qiu, if I remember correctly, you told me before that our shop had business dealings with a clothing shop in Ningshui Street called Yiren Pavilion. The owner of that shop is a girl named Lu, right?"

Manager Qiu was stunned, not understanding why the master suddenly asked about Lu Shu Yu.

Could something have happened to that girl?

He nodded and said, "Yes, that clothing shop did have a partnership with us before. But yesterday, we terminated the contract, so there shouldn't be any further business dealings."

The middle-aged man's smiling expression suddenly froze. "What did you say? The contract was terminated?"

"Yes." Manager Qiu explained, "That shop used to cater to the wealthy families in the city, so they used high-quality materials. However, their business declined, and the wealthy customers rarely bought from them anymore. As a result, they started using lower-grade materials, and the quantity decreased. A couple of days ago, our shop was too busy, and all our delivery carts were out. I asked the shopkeeper from Yiren Pavilion to wait for a moment, but unexpectedly, they became dissatisfied. Miss Lu, the owner, came over and accused us of violating the contract and demanded termination."

As he spoke, he sighed, not noticing the increasingly gloomy expression on the middle-aged man's face. He continued with a regretful tone, "It seems their business couldn't survive, so they found an excuse to terminate the contract with us. I..."

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