Chapter 301: Hu Shi's Calculations, Mo's Family's Plea (3)

Mo Yan quickly waved her hand. "I came here specifically to find Brother Xiao Zhu. Do you have a moment?"

Xiao Zhu was momentarily surprised, scratching his head with a smile. "Miss Mo, please wait a moment. Let me go to the kitchen and give some instructions first."

Mo Yan nodded, allowing him to go about his tasks.

After a while, Xiao Zhu came out and led Mo Yan to the backyard, where it was quiet and suitable for conversation.

"Brother Xiao Zhu, as soon as my rice shop opened, the Zhang family came to cause trouble. I want to ask Brother Xiao Zhu to help me find two clever individuals to stage a play." Mo Yan didn't beat around the bush, stating her request directly.

Xiao Zhu, hearing this, exclaimed, "The Zhang family has no shame! The shop has already been sold to you, why would they come to make trouble again?"

Mo Yan smiled helplessly. "Probably because they're unwilling in their hearts. With them causing trouble like this, it's affecting my business."

"Miss Mo, rest assured, as long as it's not murder or arson, I can definitely find the people you need." Xiao Zhu guaranteed, patting his chest.

"Then I thank Brother Xiao Zhu in advance." Mo Yan expressed her gratitude sincerely. The matter with the shop had indeed caused him trouble.

Xiao Zhu stepped back, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratching his head. "Miss Mo, you've come to me, which shows your trust in me. Helping out a bit is nothing to be thankful for!"

Mo Yan didn't insist on being polite with him further. She proceeded to explain in detail what she wanted to do. It wasn't a difficult task; she just wanted to cause trouble for the Zhang family, so they wouldn't have the time to cause any more problems. If this didn't work, she would have to find another way to deal with this family once and for all.

Xiao Zhu thought the matter was straightforward too and chuckled, "Miss Mo, rest assured, within a day, the Zhang family won't have the time to bother you again."

Mo Yan thanked him once more and took out five taels of silver from her purse. "Please use this silver to treat them to tea. When the matter is resolved, there will be another token of gratitude."

This wasn't the first time for such a thing, and it might not be the last. Xiao Zhu readily accepted the silver. As for any further rewards, he wouldn't accept them. For such a small matter, five taels was already more than enough.

With Xiao Zhu's willingness to help, Mo Yan felt half relieved. She then went to the carpenter's shop and instructed them to make another wooden house like the one they had made for Xiao Hua, but this time for Da Bai, to prevent the two troublemakers from causing any more trouble.

Building the wooden house was delicate work and would take two days to complete. After briefing them, she greeted the shopkeeper and returned to the shop.

In the afternoon, they gradually sold five to six hundred catties of grains and over three hundred eggs. By the time it was Shen hour, there weren't many customers left. The three of them filled each wooden barrel and counted the stored grains before locking the door and returning to Liuyang Village with the newly purchased horse and flatbed cart.

With another horse at home, the children were ecstatic. Seeing the old horse covered in scars, Zhen'er even shed a few tears silently, then went to the backyard to pick many green cabbages to feed the old horse and gave it a name: Da Hong Zao.

The livestock shed in the Mo family was spacious, with cows and horses kept together without any partitions. Upon the arrival of Da Hong Zao, Xiao Hei, Xiao Huang, and the others didn't reject it but instead shared their hay and vegetables with it.

In the dead of winter, there was no green grass, so the hay was cut and dried by the children earlier. Most of the green vegetables and radishes in the backyard were eaten by them to prevent excessive weight loss during the winter.

Da Hong Zao looked quite old, and years of hard work had weakened its body. Mo Yan added a lot of water to dilute the Spirit Spring water before giving it to Da Hong Zao, fearing that it couldn't withstand the spiritual energy in the Spirit Spring water and would suffer from diarrhea. 

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  Chapter 127: Spending the Night in the Snow

In the end, Chen Yuan stopped. After all, it wasn't a steep slope, so he eventually came to a halt.

"You're showing off!"

Madam Chen glared at him. Although she looked angry, her actions showed that she was helping him brush off the snow.

Chen Yuan grinned sheepishly. He couldn't help it, as the feeling of flying on the snow was just too exhilarating.

"Mother, do you want to give it a try?"

"Forget it!"

Madam Chen waved her hand hurriedly. Seeing Chen Yuan's expression, she lost interest, finding it somewhat frightening.

Xiao Die was as timid as a butterfly and dared not try either.

Seeing their lack of interest, Chen Xue didn't insist. Everyone was no longer in the mood to play, so they rejoined the group. As soon as they returned, Xu Tian came looking for them.

"Master Chen, just now..."

"It wasn't me, you must have mistaken someone else for me!"

Chen Yuan felt embarrassed at the thought of what had just happened. How could he admit to it? He quickly denied it three times.

Xu Tian was taken aback by the response. He hadn't expected such an answer. However, he thought that Chen Yuan must want to keep a low profile, hence the denial. That must be it.

He changed the subject, "Master Chen, I want to ask about the carriage..."

"You want to know how to turn the carriage into a sled, right!" Chen Xue interrupted.

"Yes!"

Xu Tian nodded. "The ones we made don't seem to work well..."

"Alright, I'll send someone to guide you!"

Xu Tian left with the Chen family's servants to work on turning the carriages into sleds, while Chen Xue returned to her space to continue making cakes.

Unfortunately, there was no milk.

Chen Yuan worked in the fields, Madam Chen went to help, and Chen Xue made cakes with Xiao Die.

Considering the lack of milk, Chen Xue eventually spent ten contribution points to exchange for a bottle of pure milk from the system.

It wasn't a small bottle, but a large one, similar to those of Sprite or orange juice.

"First, separate the egg whites!"

Chen Xue instructed while Xiao Die watched and learned. Since they didn't have an egg beater, they had to take turns beating the egg whites.

"Flour, sugar, milk..."

"Our conditions are limited, so we can only add these ingredients..."

"Right, since we have milk, I'll make you a cup of milk tea!"

...

While Chen Xue was preparing for Xiao Die's birthday, Xu Tian and the others were facing a headache.

The snow was getting heavier, and even though they had converted the carriages into sleds, they still had to spend the night in the wilderness.

Spending the night in the snow was simply unthinkable.

Most people would likely freeze to death overnight.

So, thinking of this, Xu Tian had a headache. He told everyone to light a fire, but where could they find dry branches and leaves in the snow? Moreover, where could they light the fire? If they lit one on the snow, the ground would melt, and the fire would extinguish.

So Xu Tian was very troubled. He felt that he was not suitable to be the team leader at all. He couldn't think of any solutions in this situation.

"What should we do?"

"Where are we going to spend the night tonight?"

"Exactly, it's so cold, we can't possibly sleep on the snow!"

The crowd voiced their dissatisfaction.

"I told you to walk faster during the day, but you were sluggish. Now who's to blame?" Zhao Guang scolded.

Knowing Xu Tian's character and realizing that it would be difficult to change him for a while, coupled with Zhao Guang's active allegiance, Xu Tian suggested that Zhao Guang serve as his deputy.

This way, Xu Tian could play the role of the good cop, while Zhao Guang could play the bad cop.

Sure enough, after hearing Zhao Guang's scolding, the people dared not speak out, as Zhao Guang was not like Xu Tian, a soft-hearted person. If provoked, he would really whip them.

"How far is it to the next post station?"

Xu Tian turned to the others. The person next to him quickly replied, "It may take a few more days."

Xu Tian sighed upon hearing this. Although he knew it himself, asking the others was just a way to confirm the negative answer.

"Can our carriages carry all the supplies after unloading them? Will there be enough space for so many people?"

"It's impossible, Captain. We only have so many carriages, but there are tens of times more prisoners than carriages..."

"Then let the elderly and children get on the carriages. The rest are all grown men, so it's okay for them to squeeze together at night."

"But..."

"There's no 'but'." Xu Tian interrupted, "It's decided."

Xu Tian's firmness stunned his subordinates, forcing them to comply.

Although he had tried his best to take care of everyone, some people were still dissatisfied because they didn't have wives and children; they were alone.

"Why should we sacrifice ourselves? That's your plan, isn't it!" Li Ming, hidden in the crowd, shouted at the bailiffs.

"How many of these people are truly guilty? Why should they get on the carriages, while us innocent ones freeze to death?"

"Yeah, that's right!"

"Slap!"

Zhao Guang swung his whip, walking over with a cold face. "You don't agree?"

Many prisoners became a bit scared.

"What if we don't?"

"Enough!"

Xu Tian finally couldn't bear it and stepped forward angrily, looking at the crowd with a dark expression. "You asked me why just now?"

"Just because I am the captain of the bailiffs, so what I say goes. I say only the elderly and children can ride the carriages, so only they can. Anyone who disagrees, step forward!"

Seeing Xu Tian take out his knife and grip it tightly, looking angry, no one dared to challenge him, not even the reputedly kind Xu Tian.

"No one has anything else to say?" Xu Tian didn't stop and continued to scan the crowd with his eyes. Then, he raised his knife and pointed at Li Ming among the prisoners. "Bring him out for me!"

Several bailiffs rushed over and brought Li Ming out.

"Let go of me, what are you trying to do!"

Li Ming panicked and roared, seeing that the bailiffs were indifferent, he shouted at the other prisoners.

"Quick, help me! I'll tell the truth for you. They are trying to arrest me this time, and next time, it will be your turn!"

However, no one dared to speak out again, and they all bowed their heads as if they hadn't seen anything.

"Slap!"

With a cold face, Xu Tian announced his punishment, then turned and left. "Zhao Guang, it's up to you now. You should know what to do!"

Obviously, Xu Tian still couldn't bring himself to be harsh, so he had to leave it to Zhao Guang to take action.

Naturally, Zhao Guang didn't refuse. The more he did, the more likely he would make Chen Yuan happy, and he might truly win Chen Yuan's favor and be able to serve under him.

Night soon fell, and the temperature dropped rapidly. The people standing in the snow quickly began to shiver.

"Something's wrong, something's happened!"

Just then, someone exclaimed, indicating that something major had happened.

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The servant waiting at the door replied softly, “Early this morning, someone from the village came. The Princess is attending to them.”

Haitang, puzzled, wondered why someone from the village would come so early. Unable to figure it out, she decided not to dwell on it.

She was about to take Suisui's hand and head to the kitchen to see what breakfast was being served when Suisui, quicker on the uptake, gently shook their joined hands and asked, “Sister Haitang, can we go find my brother?”

With her soft, cute voice, Haitang thought: Finding just her brother is no problem at all. Even if she wanted the moon, she’d find a way to get a ladder!

Haitang quickly responded, “Sure, let’s go now.”

The south courtyard was a bit far away. Afraid that Suisui might get tired, Haitang bent down and asked, “Would you like me to carry you? It’s a long way and not easy to walk.”

Suisui, who had walked this path once before and remembered it vaguely, knew she could manage. After a moment's thought, she shook her head, saying, “No need to trouble yourself, Sister Haitang. I can walk by myself!”

Haitang felt a bit regretful but was happy to hold her small hand instead. The soft little hand! 

Suisui’s hands, having once been rough from labor, were now gradually softening. Compared to other children her age, her palms were not yet as soft. Physician Liu had said she still needed some time to heal.

Despite this, Haitang thought the little hand felt wonderful to touch!

Haitang reminded herself: Don't be like a pervert, constantly pinching the little girl’s hand.

Still, she couldn't help but occasionally squeeze Suisui's hand. 

Suisui didn't feel any pain but noticed that Haitang seemed to really like her little hand.

Thinking about this, Suisui moved closer to Haitang, thinking it would make it easier for her to hold hands.

Suisui’s affection made Haitang even more touched, and she became even more affectionate!

The two walked quite a distance, and before they reached the south courtyard, they encountered Feng Xuanrui and his brothers.

Haitang greeted the young masters and then prepared to introduce Suisui.

In addition to the three young masters from yesterday, there were two more today.

Suisui noticed new faces and, though a bit timid, was excited to see her brother. She gently pulled away from Haitang’s hand and ran toward her brother, calling out, “Brother!”

Her soft, slightly muffled voice made people’s hearts melt.

Feng Xuanrui, who had spotted his sister early, quickly moved ahead of his brothers and reached out to her with open arms, smiling broadly, “Sister!”

Feng Xuanbin, seeing his brother’s reaction, didn’t want to be left out and hurried forward. However, he stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud.

Before Suisui could reach her brother, she was distracted by Feng Xuanbin's fall.

Feng Xuanbin's two attendants, frightened, rushed over to help him up, brushing off his clothes and checking for injuries.

Suisui, startled, stood frozen.

Feng Xuanrui walked over and gently hugged Suisui, saying, “Don’t be afraid, silly Seven falls often.”

Hearing this, Suisui became more worried, “...Does Seventh Brother hurt?”

Feng Xuanrui wanted to say it didn’t hurt since he was used to falling. 

However, before he could speak, Feng Xuanbin let out a loud cry, “Wuwu, Sister, it hurts!”

Feng Xuanrui: ?

Was he trying to steal the scene?

Why is there always so much drama?

Feng Xuanrui pulled Suisui’s hand to prevent her from approaching, saying, “Don’t worry, he’s like this. He’s slow and clumsy, so he’s used to it. It doesn’t really hurt; he’s just crying to get attention.”

Suisui understood after a while, grasping that it was similar to the saying: “A crying child gets candy.” 

This was something Lele had taught her, and she remembered it well.

Although Suisui didn’t approach, her face remained worried.

Feng Xuanbin, though faking the cry, was genuinely in tears when he saw his sister’s concern and was stopped by the Sixth Brother. “Wah, Sixth Brother, you’re so mean!”

Feng Xuanbo, standing by, sighed lightly, “If the Sixth Brother is bad, let’s forget about him. But I can’t forget my little Sixth Brother. He’s the only Sixth Brother I have, unlike others…”

As he spoke, the tall and strong young man beside him lightly patted his head.

The young man didn’t look at Feng Xuanbo anymore but walked over to look at Suisui and then at Feng Xuanrui with curiosity. “Sixth Brother, who is this?”

Feng Xuanrui, holding Suisui’s hand and wearing a serious expression, introduced, “Third Brother, this is Suisui, my sister. Isn’t she adorable?”

With a proud tilt of his chin, Feng Xuanrui then introduced Suisui, “Suisui, this is Third Brother, Feng Xuancang.”

Feng Xuancang had returned to the residence when the main hall was already serving meals, so he hadn’t come over then. He knew that Feng Xuanrui had brought a child back with him.

At thirteen, Feng Xuancang was more mature compared to his younger brothers. Thus, he immediately noticed that Suisui was a little girl and that Feng Xuanrui had referred to her as his sister.

Suisui looked quite thin and frail, and though her eyes were bright, she didn’t appear particularly cute overall. However, those bright eyes reflected a clear, clean image.

This was Feng Xuancang’s first impression of Suisui.

While Feng Xuancang was observing Suisui, the little girl was already smiling sweetly at him and said, “Third Brother.”

Suisui knew there were older brothers from the eldest to the seventh.

However, she remembered that the most important and best was her brother!

Other people might be nice, but they couldn’t compare to her brother.

With this thought, Suisui placed her small hand back into Feng Xuanrui’s palm.

Feeling his sister’s closeness, Feng Xuanrui, who had been a bit uneasy, instantly relaxed and looked pleased.

The little girl, calling him Third Brother in such a soft manner, made Feng Xuancang’s ears tingle.

He thought about reaching out to touch her but caught Suisui’s curious gaze first.

Feng Xuancang wondered: Could this sister… be a bit cute?

Not quite sure, he decided to observe a bit longer.

Maintaining decorum, Feng Xuancang gave Suisui a polite nod, “Hello Suisui, I’m Third Brother.”

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 Chapter 1073: She Is a Weak Woman

Shu Yu coldly snorted and kicked the person in front of her, sending him tumbling, then swiftly threw another person over her shoulder.

Turning back, Ying Xi also easily took down two others.

The crowd was dumbfounded. Weren't they supposed to be weak women unable to fight them?

The middle-aged man was taken aback and subconsciously took a few steps back.

The others didn't dare to approach anymore, just maintaining a safe distance and forming a circle around them. As Shu Yu moved forward, the circle moved with her.

With over half of the backyard's walls collapsed, Shu Yu easily walked out with the horse.

Seeing that this was not going as planned, the middle-aged man realized that they were losing control of the situation, and soon Shu Yu would leave.

At this moment, someone yelled, "The constables are coming!"

Shu Yu looked up and saw two constables in their official attire walking towards them. She didn't know if they happened to pass by or someone called them.

Someone in the crowd shouted at Shu Yu, "Miss, didn't you say you'd report this to the authorities? Now is the perfect time; the constables have arrived!"

Shu Yu glanced at the person. Why were these people so eager to watch a spectacle?

But it seemed that she wasn't the only one seeking trouble. Someone else in the crowd shouted loudly, "Constables, someone wants to report an incident here!"

Shu Yu's mouth twitched, and the middle-aged man's expression changed further.

There was no turning back now.

Seeing the constables looking their way, the middle-aged man hurriedly approached them.

Shu Yu keenly observed that he handed a piece of silver to one of the constables, who glanced at him before accepting it.

Ying Xi whispered to Shu Yu, "Miss, the constable might not be on our side now."

"Yes, if things escalate, we should head straight to the magistrate's office and find the Prefect," Shu Yu replied.

Now that she had some status, she shouldn't suffer any injustice in such a minor incident, right?

Just as they were discussing, the two constables approached. They glanced at Shu Yu and then at the white horse beside her, asking, "Are you the one who wants to report this?"

Before Shu Yu could reply, the constable continued, "Wait for a moment. We have something to attend to right now. We'll talk about the situation later. For now, everyone move back a bit and stop blocking the way."

Shu Yu thought the constable would take action immediately, but to her surprise, he asked her to wait a while longer.

The constable waved his hand, instructing everyone to move back, "I knew there were so many people here for a reason. The wall has already collapsed for the most part. Alright, everyone, stop crowding around. Move back further."

As he spoke, two carriages appeared not far down the street.

Someone whispered beside Shu Yu, "Isn't that the Prefect's carriage?"

Shu Yu suddenly realized that the Prefect had business along this street, and these constables were here to clear the way.

Just as she was thinking about it, the carriages passed by them. When the person in the front carriage lifted the curtain to look outside, their eyes met with Shu Yu's.

"Master Wan??" Shu Yu was surprised.

Wasn't this the officer from the Ministry of Justice who delivered the official decree to Lin Zhangfu before?

Shu Yu had a brief encounter with Master Wan when he went to reinstate Yao Tianqin, taking him back with the decree.

It seemed like he was injured or sick at the time and was coincidentally saved by Hou Shi with her medicine.

When Yao Tianqin left Heichang County, Shu Yu saw him off and happened to meet Master Wan.

But isn't he an official in the capital? Why would he be in Shangyang Prefecture? Could he be here for another official errand?

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Chapter 141: Peeking

Just as everyone was cheering, no one noticed the faint smile on Duke Wei's lips.

Ups and downs, the Empress's faction still didn't understand this principle.

The current glory was nothing but a fleeting illusion. True power still rested on his side.

Glancing at the Ninth Prince, both of them exchanged meaningful smiles.

........

After leaning against the window and watching the splendid 'Four Dragons Seizing the Pearl,' Madam Wen's eyes lit up.

"Master, my father is in Shu State. If this year's west side truly flourishes, is it possible for my father to be promoted?"

"Lord Yue is the governor of Shu State. The exam results for this year are not yet determined, but if we truly encounter a year of abundant harvest, with a stroke of His Majesty's pen, a transfer might be possible."

Promotion meant possibly being transferred to the Eastern Capital, where the whole family might reunite.

Thinking of how, due to her poor health, she had not returned to her family's home for seven or eight years, Madam Wen's joy was soon diluted.

Feng Jinxu looked on intently from the side and naturally understood her thoughts, so he comforted her.

"Father-in-law holds an official position and cannot easily enter the capital. However, it's no problem for your mother and your younger siblings. If Madam misses them, I can arrange for them to come to the capital."

"Really? Master, can this really happen?"

"Of course. You will be giving birth in a few months. It's only right for your family to come and take care of you. I'll go to Luzhenshi early to make arrangements. Once I obtain the travel permit, your mother and others can come to the capital."

After listening to Feng Jinxu's words, Madam Wen was happier than if she had eaten some magical pills.

Seeing Madam Wen's face, which had been frowned for many days, finally light up, Feng Jinxu also felt relieved.

He had neglected too much in the past, but he wouldn't anymore.

Feeling Feng Jinxu's determined gaze and warm embrace, Madam Wen wiped away the tears from her eyes. "It's estimated that this child is a daughter. I'm always easy to cry."

"Daughter or not, as thoughtful as you."

Inside Changchun Tower, the two of them were warm and affectionate. On the imperial street, which was crowded with people, they arrived in succession.

After the conclusion of the Four Dragons Seizing the Pearl, the people scattered throughout the Eastern Capital.

Now, with Zhengde Tower as the center and the imperial street to the south, the entire road was filled with various lantern festival vendors.

From large acrobatics circles to small cosmetics stands, every place was crowded with people.

The previously frozen river channel had been filled with hot spring water ahead of time. After melting, the river was full of lotus lanterns, reflecting the smiling faces of the people on both sides of the street.

Feng Jinyao and others were holding ready-made lanterns in their hands. Hers was simple, square-shaped, and unadorned.

Instead, Feng Jinlin's rabbit lantern in his hand made Bai Siruo envy.

"Cousin Er, where did you find such a beautiful rabbit lantern? I didn't see you giving Ah Yao one. Look at what she's holding."

Indeed, compared to Feng Jinlin's rabbit lantern, Feng Jinyao's lantern was not only plain but also a bit rough.

It seemed like it would have been more appropriate for the two of them to switch.

"Hmph, you really have a sharp tongue, little girl. Be careful or you'll get in trouble later," he said, winking at Xiao Mu Qian, which made Bai Siruo want to punch him.

"This lantern was made by Canwen. He's very skillful, and I snatched it as soon as he finished it. There's a difference between men and women, and this lantern has another meaning, so I couldn't give it to Ah Yao."

Hearing this, Bai Siruo and Xu Mingyue were both curious. It's rare for a man to be so skillful.

Feng Jinyao had already heard from Xiuqiu about today's beautiful rabbit lantern and it was indeed lovely.

"Young Master Yin is truly amazing. Not only is he excellent in his studies, but he's also so skillful. Second Cousin, I think you've been outdone."

"Little girl, are you really trying to compete with me during a festival?"

Feng Jinlin hated being compared to others the most, especially by his cousin, who had been arguing with him since they were young. How could he accept losing to her?

Xiao Mu Qian previous impression of Bai Siruo was just that she was his aunt's daughter. Now, seeing her lively and animated demeanor, he found her very appealing.

It was worth coming to Su City for this engagement.

He feared nothing more than a wife who was as beautiful as a wooden doll. Perhaps living in Liangzhou for so long had made him accustomed to a free and easy life. If he married a wife who followed every rule, the idea of living in harmony would become a distant dream.

Seeing Bai Siruo like this, he became more hopeful about the marriage.

Not far away, in a wine shop, Lu Yuanfeng happened to see this scene. The wine in his cup and the woman in his arms instantly lost their appeal.

He closed the window, fearing that Bai Siruo would see him, which displeased the charming woman in his arms.

"Master, it's so lively outside. Why close the window?"

Her soft hands pushed Lu Yuanfeng's shoulder, but he didn't respond. Annoyed, she pushed harder, which angered him. He slapped her to the ground and cursed viciously.

"Get out!"

"Master..."

"I said, get out!"

The charming woman covered her slapped face, crying as she ran out, leaving Lu Yuanfeng alone in the room fuming.

Princess of Changlin was also a pushover. She used to be so arrogant, yet Xiao Mu Qian managed to subdue her.

He thought his obstacle would be removed, but instead, it helped Xiao Mu Qian gain a good reputation.

The thought made him even angrier.

Even though it was just a glimpse, Bai Siruo's cute and charming demeanor made his heart itch like a cat's claw. He didn't want to let go, especially since she came with the Bai family.

Such a prize, how could he miss it?

He lightly reopened the window, his flirtatious eyes fixed on Bai Siruo and the others passing by, his determination grow stronger.

At this moment, the group was happily walking and didn't notice Lu Yuanfeng. Instead, they were scolded by Su Cheng, who had caught up with them.

"Feng Jinlin, you're too irresponsible. You didn't even look after your own cousin and trouble an outsider like me."

Su Cheng had squeezed through the crowd to catch up with them, but Bai Sihan, like an octopus, clung to him. As a girl of the Bai family, he couldn't just lose her, so he vented his anger on Feng Jinlin.

"Brothers are meant to help each other, right? Besides, Uncle Su has been urging you to get married, but you keep fooling around. I'm just helping you out."

Su Cheng was three or four years older than Feng Jinlin. Although martial families were more lenient about the age of marriage, it was clear that Su Cheng didn't want to settle down. While his father was willing, his mother was not, and had introduced him to several girls, but he hadn't agreed to any of them.

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 Chapter 574: Afraid What Uncle Heng Might Do

"What? So soon?" Hu Shi was surprised, then quickly asked, "Madam, what else do we need to prepare? I'll go prepare it now."

"We'll do it together," Ye Muyu tidied up the writing tools, took the six cloth strips, and went into the kitchen, followed closely by Hu Shi.

"Madam, is this jar too small?" Hu Shi asked puzzledly as she saw Ye Muyu taking out the smallest ceramic jar to store the pickled vegetables.

Ye Muyu explained, "These are all for Chu Heng to take on the road. It's not safe for everyone to share a jar of pickled vegetables and we don't know everyone's habits."

"Is Madam worried that someone might poison Master Chu?" Hu Shi asked.

Ye Muyu looked at her in confusion, "Why would you ask that?"

Hu Shi smiled, "I heard about a incident before. There was a scholar going to take the exam but he had diarrhea before the exam. When he entered the exam room, he hadn't even started answering the questions when he soiled his pants, causing great harm to the scholars around him. As a result, the exam scores of that year were invalidated."

"Because many scholars were affected, this incident became a topic of conversation."

"At that time, my family was still working for a small merchant family in the capital and I also heard about it. There's more to the story. After the scholar woke up, he was told that he had taken a laxative."

"Think about it, who would voluntarily take a laxative? It must have been a set-up."

"Afterward, the scholar sued his fellow scholar from the same hometown for poisoning him. Although there was insufficient evidence, everyone knew it was that fellow scholar who did it. This incident was talked about for a long time. It is said that the scholar who was poisoned was very talented. They say if he hadn't been poisoned, he would have passed the exam on the spot."

"After that, did the scholar pass the exam?" Ye Muyu asked curiously.

Hu Shi felt Ye Muyu's focus was a bit strange and smiled, "Madam, I don't know. He probably did pass, right?"

Seeing Ye Muyu's thoughtful expression, Hu Shi hurriedly said, "Madam, the key point is to remind Master Chu not to eat food given by others before the exam, to prevent someone with ill intentions."

"Yes, I'll tell Chu Heng when he comes back."

"Madam is indeed insightful. By separating these pickled vegetables, it won't ruin Master Chu's relationship with his classmates, and Master Chu will be safe too."

"No, these things won't be given away." Ye Muyu said.

"Huh?" Hu Shi didn't understand.

Ye Muyu explained, "I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it, but since there's a precedent, other scholars will definitely prepare their own food. I guess everyone will just assume to eat their own food to ensure safety and avoid harming relationships."

"Do we still need to use small jars?" Hu Shi found the reasoning convincing.

Ye Muyu nodded, "Yes, just use three jars."

Ye Muyu thought to herself: If something unexpected happens while dealing with the Wang family's affairs, Chu Heng can still take a jar of pickled vegetables, rice, and other necessities and leave.

Of course, this was just a precaution.

"Okay." Hu Shi saw that Ye Muyu didn't say much more, so she sensibly didn't ask further.

In addition to preparing pickled vegetables, Ye Muyu also prepared some white wine, gauze, and other items.

At the old house.

Chu Heng's arrival made Zhang feel a little guilty, so she stayed in the house and dared not come out. It was only when she saw Chu Liushi accompanied by Chu Heng enter the main hall that she patted her chest and stood up straight.

Chu Qingxiang sat on the bed making her wedding dress. Seeing Zhang's reaction, she couldn't help but speak up, "Mother, why are you so afraid of Third Uncle?"

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Chapter 573: Setting Off Tomorrow

After Hu Shi finished her work and came in, she saw the scene and quickly took the cloth from Ye Muyu's hand, saying, "Madam, it's my job to do this. How can you do it yourself?"

"It's just some small tasks, it's fine. If I don't do anything, I'm afraid I'll end up being unable to do anything at all." Ye Muyu smiled.

Hu Shi's eyes softened. "Doing things for Madam's sake is what I should do. If I still need Madam to do things, then I'm not qualified."

"Hu Shi, you're really good." Ye Muyu praised sincerely. Having such a servant to take care of her was her good fortune.

Hu Shi smiled faintly. "If Madam says so, I'm satisfied."

"By the way, Madam, I've already arranged the jars of pickled vegetables. Do you need me to hang cloth strips on them and write names on them?" 

"Okay, I'll write them. Let's go to the side room." Ye Muyu nodded, agreeing, and got up to enter the side room.

Hu Shi helped with the grinding. With Ye Muyu's guidance, she finally understood that grinding was not a difficult task.

"Madam, am I grinding fast enough?" Hu Shi couldn't help but ask.

Ye Muyu smiled lightly. "Don't worry, just be bold. If there's any problem, I'll let you know."

Hu Shi was reassured and continued grinding.

Ye Muyu cut six cloth strips and laid them out neatly before taking out a brush and dipping it in ink to write words such as 'pickled radish,' 'pickled green beans,' 'fermented bean paste,' and 'fermented tofu' on them.

"What are you doing?" Chu Heng's voice sounded from the door.

Without looking up, Ye Muyu continued writing on the remaining three cloth strips. "I'm marking the jars so it's easier to recognize them in the future. We don't need to open every jar and let air in which could affect the taste of the pickled vegetables."

"Have you finished your discussion?" Ye Muyu asked.

Chu Heng responded with a "mm-hmm." "I'm going to the old house in a while to leave early. I'll let them know first."

"Do I need to go with you?" Ye Muyu finally looked up.

Chu Heng asked in return, "Do you want to go?"

"I want to prepare your luggage at home. I don't know what else you need for the journey. If you're not well-prepared, I'll worry." Ye Muyu didn't hide her thoughts and spoke truthfully. She felt that she could endure anything at home, but going on a journey required more preparation.

"In that case, you stay at home and prepare my luggage. I'll go to the old house to inform my parents. If I don't come back later, you don't have to prepare my dinner." Chu Heng reached out to touch her head out of habit, looking at her bright eyes with a smile, feeling very reassured by the gentle touch of her face, "If there's anything, call Zhang Shu to the old house to find me."

"Okay, you go ahead. I'll be fine. It's so close anyway." Ye Muyu wrinkled her nose, rubbed her face, and knew her face was turning red without needing to look in the mirror.

Chu Heng brushed her nose with his hand, a doting smile overflowing in his eyes. Without further delay, he took a bag of pastries from the house and went to the old house.

Chu Heng left the courtyard and stood in the yard. Hu Shi, who had just returned to the house, smiled as she saw him, "Madam, why didn't you go to the old house with the master?"

"I need to stay here to pack his luggage. We're leaving for the exam tomorrow, and we don't have much time left." Ye Muyu explained.

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 Chapter 1072: Eyeing Dabai

Shu Yu narrowed her eyes, looking at the stableman in front of her.

She didn't believe him; he was avoiding eye contact while speaking, clearly lying.

However...

Shu Yu looked at the reins in her hand, which indeed had torn marks, as if they had been violently pulled apart.

But Dabai was taken care of by her and Ying Xi personally. They were both meticulous in their care for Dabai. Moreover, since it concerned their safety, they naturally used the best quality reins. They had just inspected them yesterday, and the ropes had no issues; they wouldn't break just by struggling a bit.

Someone had set this up.

Shu Yu glanced at the stableman and then at the middle-aged man and his group in front of her.

They had formed a circle, surrounding her and Ying Xi in the middle.

Shu Yu sneered, "So, what do you want? Compensation?"

The middle-aged man furrowed his brows but shook his head, "No need. The collapsed wall is the inn's responsibility, and we will talk to the innkeeper about compensation."

"So..."

"But our two horses have been with us brothers all the way, and we have a deep bond with them. We feel really sad about their deaths. Most importantly, our horses had the chance to escape, but they were harmed by your white horse. We don't ask for money, just let us handle your white horse."

Shu Yu suddenly realized. They were eyeing her Dabai and saw two vulnerable young women they could take advantage of to swindle them?

She glanced at the innkeeper, who turned his face away, avoiding her gaze.

Shu Yu understood. One person wanted her Dabai, and the other didn't want to pay more compensation, so they struck a deal to scheme against her, right?

It seemed that reasoning with them wouldn't work, and it would only waste time and effort.

If that was the case, then...

"I'll report this to the authorities."

The crowd gasped in surprise.

The innkeeper and the middle-aged man's faces visibly changed.

Shu Yu raised her head and smiled, "I don't admit that my white horse kicked your horses. Now, I suspect that you are trying to extort money from me by deliberately spreading rumors and causing trouble. I also suspect that the innkeeper doesn't want to compensate and is letting the stableman give false testimony to make me a scapegoat. As a weak woman, I can't beat any of you, and I have no assistance while I'm away from home. Reporting this to the authorities is my only option."

Someone in the crowd quickly spoke up, "Miss, reporting this to the authorities isn't a good idea. Dealing with the officials will cost you a fortune. It's better to negotiate with them again."

Shu Yu turned her head and smiled towards the crowd, "No, I'll report it. The officials are there to ensure justice for the people. I believe the authorities will clear my name. We must have faith in the officials and the court."

Others, "..."

The middle-aged man didn't want to involve the authorities. He frowned and said, "There's no need for all that trouble. We just want to handle this white horse."

"That won't do. You say your horses had a deep bond with you, and my Dabai has been with me for over a decade. If I just hand it over to you, am I heartless?" Shu Yu retorted.

Ying Xi silently lowered her head, thinking, Miss, Dabai has only been with you for a few days, not over a decade.

The middle-aged man was also taken aback. The white horse looked barely mature. How could it have been with her for over a decade?

"Enough, give way. I'll go report this to the authorities."

After saying this, Shu Yu led the horse and began to walk outside. The middle-aged man's face turned stern, and he exchanged a glance with the people behind him, giving them a signal.

The people behind them rushed forward, as if they were going to snatch the horse directly.

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