Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 577: Interrogation

"Then let Father go and talk to a few uncles about this matter, but only tell them. Others don't need to know, and I will arrange a guard for each family." Chu Heng suggested.

"That works. We can use the excuse that in order to ensure your smooth examination, the entire clan must abide by the ban, refrain from causing trouble outside, endure everything, and just wait until the examination is over." Chu Zhiwen felt that this reason best demonstrated their son's importance! After saying that, he felt a sense of pride.

Chu Heng twitched his lips slightly, "Father, that's too much..."

"You're right. How about half a month then?" Chu Zhiwen suggested after some thought.

Chu Heng: "...What's the difference?"

"What I mean is, if you say it like this, won't you worry about me not passing?" He had never been one to boast, much less to force others.

Chu Zhiwen hesitated, "Well..."

"But now there's no better excuse. We'll use your name but it's for the sake of blessings. We'll pray for your success in the examination." Chu Zhiwen decided, seeing that Chu Heng seemed like he was about to say something else, Chu Zhiwen quickly added, "This is for the sake of publicly ensuring the safety of the clan. Once the matter with the Wang family is resolved, the clan will understand. Hopefully, someone from the Xie family will intervene and the Wang family can request that Miss Wang from their family no longer hold this against us." Chu Zhiwen sighed.

"Then let's inform the clan members now. After all your journey to the capital for the examination is a very important matter." this matter was originally supposed to be told to the entire clan but Chu Zhiwen didn't expect the time to be advanced.

"Please invite the uncles to our house for dinner." Chu Heng said.

Chu Zhiwen nodded "I understand, you can rest assured."

Seeing the two about to go about their business, Chu Qingxiang didn't expect Chu Heng to not say a word to her from start to finish. Now, it seemed that he had no intention of speaking to her at all.

She felt a little suffocated in her heart. She wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. However, when Chu Heng walked to the door, she suddenly stood up and called out, "Third Uncle."

Chu Heng stopped in his tracks and looked back at her, "What is it?"

Chu Qingxiang had so much to say in her heart, but in an instant, she couldn't say a word. She had never regretted her choice, but now seeing Chu Heng ignore her completely, she felt utterly embarrassed and couldn't help but retort, "Third Uncle, don't you have anything to say to me?"

"No." Chu Heng replied calmly.

Chu Qingxiang was provoked by his attitude, and the words in her heart couldn't help but spill out, "Do you also think it's my fault that I brought trouble to the family?"

"Now that you know, why ask?"

"Why? I just followed my parents arrangements and married Song Lu." Chu Qingxiang said unwillingly.

Chu Heng's lips lightly parted, "Are you suggesting that I ask your parents to change your marriage and incidentally solve the matter with the Wang family?"

Chu Qingxiang choked up, her eyes slightly red. She couldn't speak, her fingers curling slightly in her palms, the pain making her even more unwilling, "Originally, Miss Wang from the Song family had stopped caring about this matter. It was because of what you did today that she retaliated against the Chu family!"

"Whatever consequences arise from my actions, I will bear them. I hope you can face your mistakes as well. Of course, you can shift the blame to others if it makes you feel better. You can do that. However, after that, your affairs will have nothing to do with me." Chu Heng said calmly.

Chu Qingxiang couldn't hold back her tears anymore, grabbing the clothes in front of her and questioning, "Third Uncle, why are you unfair to me while treating other juniors kindly.

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 1076: Handling the Situation

With perfect timing and conditions, how could the middle-aged man let such an opportunity slip away? Before anyone else rushed over, he didn't even care about his own horse buried under the rubble and directly approached the stableman.

The stableman was trying to calm the frightened horses when the middle-aged man handed him a handful of copper coins.

Taking advantage of the situation, the stablehand decided to fabricate a false testimony when Shu Yu arrived.

The innkeeper was also in a state of panic. The innkeeper major oversight led to such a disaster, and he knew he was at fault. The unstable condition of the courtyard wall had been delayed, and this resulted in a huge loss that he would have to bear.

The middle-aged man proposed that if the innkeeper cooperated and helped him acquire the white horse, the innkeeper would only be responsible for the medical expenses of the injured horse. As for the horse that died, the innkeeper wouldn't need to compensate for it.

Naturally, the innkeeper was relieved. The most significant loss was averted, and he wouldn't have to bleed too much.

The plan was quickly agreed upon. By the time Shu Yu arrived, their attention was already focused on her.

Little did they know that Shu Yu was not an easy target as they thought. Not to mention getting the white horse, they might end up being punished themselves.

Upon hearing the details, the attendant and constables accompanying Prefect magistrate Yang wore displeased expressions. They had schemed against someone who was not easy to deceive—the Village Lord herself.

Seeing Shu Yu's expression, they knew she wouldn't accept such a loss silently.

The attendant wanted to ask Shu Yu for her opinion on how to handle the matter satisfactorily.

However, Shu Yu was in a hurry and had no time to waste on this matter. She left the decision to the attendant to handle it properly according to the rules.

The case was handed over to the constables while Shu Yu asked the veterinarian to check Dabai for any injuries.

After a careful examination, the veterinarian smiled and shook his head, "Rest assured, Village Lord. Dabai is in excellent spirits and has no major issues."

Compared to the other horses in the stable, Dabai's performance was outstanding.

Shu Yu patted Dabai's head and felt slightly relieved.

As for the outcome, it was decided that the innkeeper would be responsible for all the compensations. Someone would inform the inn's owner about this incident, but he had yet to arrive. The innkeeper's responsibility was significant, and he would likely bear the losses.

As for the middle-aged man and his group, as well as the stableman, who had framed and falsely accused the Village Lord, they would also face punishment.

According to the laws of the Da su Dynasty, they would receive twenty lashes, be imprisoned for half a month, have their possessions confiscated, and compensate the victim in silver.

Shu Yu had no objections to this decision. She knew that the middle-aged man and his group were not locals; they seemed to be traders.

Their delay had resulted in significant losses.

However, she had to continue her journey, so she declined the attendant's invitation to rest at the Prefect's office. After receiving the compensation, she set off with Yingxi.

The attendant and constables escorted her to the city gate before returning.

Concerned about Dabai's condition, Shu Yu started off slowly, but once she confirmed that there were no issues, she increased their pace.

Three days later, they arrived in Huajiang Prefecture, where they planned to take a boat, so they headed straight to the Huajiang Port.

After inquiring, Ying Xi found out they were a step late. The boat that could accommodate horses and carriages had left an hour ago.

The next boat would depart the following noon.

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Chapter 304: Hu Shi's Calculations, Mo's Family's Plea (6)

"Hmph, keep trying to deceive me. I don't believe a word!" Just as she was about to continue hitting him, cries suddenly came from inside the house. Yao Taohua kicked Zhang Ming fiercely and hurried back into the house to comfort the child.

Zhang Ming touched his bruised arm and swollen ear, his face contorting in pain, and he became even more determined to bring Li Xiu back.

With the couple quarreling behind closed doors, such a big commotion could be heard by the neighbors, let alone with someone deliberately listening outside.

At the Huixian Residence, Xiao Zhu sent away the friend who came to deliver the message, then quickly went to Mo's Rice Shop before dinner time to inform Mo Yan of the news.

Mo Yan thanked him profusely upon hearing the news. This friend of Xiao Zhu's was indeed talented, having caused a conflict in the Zhang family within just one day. Knowing that Hu Shi had sprained her foot and couldn't get out of bed pleased her even more.

It was unlikely that the family would come knocking on their door again for a short time. If they persisted, she would have to take drastic measures to ensure that the Zhang family couldn't stay in the capital.

Returning home in the evening, Mo Yan fed some Spirit Spring water to Da Hong Zao and also brought out some vegetables and radishes from the space for it to eat.

Perhaps due to a day of good rest, Da Hong Zao seemed more energetic. But after drinking the Spirit Spring water, it started having diarrhea again.

Li Zhong brought a bunch of grass over to feed Xiao Hei and, seeing Da Hong Zao's condition, he wondered, "Xiao Hei and Xiao Huang had diarrhea as soon as they arrived at our house. Now Da Hong Zao is starting to have it again. It's really strange."

Mo Yan stuck out her tongue and chuckled, "Maybe they're not used to eating so well at our house, and their stomachs can't handle it. Isn't it even better for Xiao Hei and Xiao Huang to have diarrhea? Now when they go out, everyone says they're 'good horses'. Xiao Huang is also growing well. That calf will be able to plow the fields next spring, haha!"

Li Zhong affectionately patted Xiao Hei and the three cows, feeling very happy.

Mo Yan was also pleased to see them. These five livestock were important labor force in their household. Especially the three yellow cows, with over a hundred mu of land, they would have to rely on them for farming in the future, which would be quite hard work.

Thinking of the uncultivated slope, Mo Yan said to Li Zhong, "Grandpa Li, I won't go to the shop tomorrow. I'll find some helpers as soon as possible. Those fields haven't been cultivated yet, so I need to keep an eye on them. Please take care of the shop for me."

Li Zhong smiled, "Miss Yan, rest assured, I'll take good care of the shop. You just focus on opening up the new land."

After dinner, they tallied up the accounts, and the income for the third day was similar to the previous one. After deducting the expenses for processing the grains, they earned a total of sixty-five taels.

Of course, in Mo Yan's view, the pure income was sixty-five taels, but Li Zhong had to subtract the "capital" used to purchase the rice. Even so, they still made fifteen taels of silver in three days.

According to him, this was already quite profitable. One must know that in his former master's best rice shop, they could only earn a hundred or so taels of silver in a month. It was already very good for the new rice shop to make this much.

The next day, Mo Yan didn't go to the rice shop and planned to hire some helpers. She already had some candidates in mind. One of them was Mo's eldest grandson, the original owner's cousin, Tie Tou.

Tie Tou was a bit simple-minded and not very clever, and because of this, despite being the eldest grandson in the family, he wasn't favored by Old Mo and Hong Shi.

He was seventeen years old this year, the age when he should be looking for a wife, but because of the notorious reputation of the Old Mo family and their lack of money, he couldn't even see the shadow of a prospective wife.

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 130: A Grand Display of Skills

Well, Chen Xue was a Hakka in her past life, so she knew many Hakka dishes, but with her cooking skills, she probably couldn't replicate them.

Also, with limited ingredients, she could only make simple dishes.

Birthday banquet.

Longevity noodles were a must.

And of course, fish and shrimp.

But because all the fish and shrimp were put into the lake, Chen Yuan could only use a fishing net to catch them.

As for the fish, Chen Xue planned to make sweet and sour fish.

After cleaning and gutting the fish, she scored the body, added scallions, ginger, garlic, salt, and cooking wine, and marinated it for a while.

Then she took out the carp and deep-fried it in oil.

When it turned golden brown, she removed it and started making the sauce.

She didn't have any tomato sauce, which Chen Xue didn't like anyway, so she didn't exchange it. But for some other ingredients she couldn't buy, Chen Xue remembered to exchange them from the system.

One spoon of soy sauce, two spoons of starch, three spoons of sugar, and four spoons of vinegar.

Then she fried the ginger and garlic in the pan for a while before adding the prepared sauce.

Finally, she poured the sauce over the fried carp.

A simple plate of sweet and sour fish was done.

Chen Xue's cooking skills were lacking, mainly in controlling the amount of salt and the heat.

She didn't know when it was cooked or not, or how long to stir-fry for the best taste.

So, it was Xiao Die who reminded her on the side.

Although Chen Xue ordered her to rest, she was still worried. She ran over to watch Chen Xue and occasionally lent a hand.

Chen Xue just let her.

After making the first dish, Chen Xue was confident and decided to make braised prawns in oil.

Although it was called braised prawns, they were actually river prawns, not sea prawns, because they were not near the sea here, so all the prawns caught in the lake were river prawns.

However, they were still delicious after being fried in oil.

So, it should be called oil-blasted river prawns.

The method was similar, not very complicated.

First, remove the whiskers and feet with scissors, clean the prawns, and pat them dry. Then prepare the seasonings, such as scallions, ginger, and garlic, and heat the oil in a wok.

Once the oil was hot, fry the prawns in the pan. After frying one side, flip them over.

When they were cooked through, they could be taken out, drained of oil, and then the ginger, garlic, and chili were fried in the pan.

After the seasonings were fried, add in soy sauce, a little cooking wine, and then pour the sauce over the fried prawns, and finally sprinkle with chopped green onions.

"So fragrant!"

"When did Xiao Xue become so good at cooking?"

Chen Yuan was attracted by the fragrance and was somewhat surprised. After all, he knew that Chen Xue had never been in the kitchen before.

"I'm so smart. How could I not learn after watching Xiao Die for so many days?" Chen Xue boasted, not afraid of being seen as not the original person.

"What are you looking at? Get the dishes to the table!" Madam Chen glared at Chen Yuan obviously dissatisfied with him standing around doing nothing.

Chen Yuan didn't dare to argue back and could only pick up the plates and leave.

"Wife, let me do it!"

Xiao Die hurried over, wanting to help Madam Chen with the dishes, but was refused. "No need, Xiao Die. As Xiao Xue said, you're the birthday star today, so rest well."

"These days, you've been cooking, washing dishes, and doing laundry. You must be tired. Take this opportunity to rest."

Chen Xue also chimed in, "If Xiao Die has nothing to do, watch me cook. Otherwise, if I make a mistake, the dish will be ruined."

"Yes, Miss!"

Since it was a birthday banquet, a feast was naturally needed. Since the space had a preservation function, there was no need to worry about the food spoiling if there was too much left over.

So, Chen Xue planned to continue cooking.

The third dish was braised pig trotters with kelp, which was different from the other dishes as it was not clear soup but spicy and delicious.

However, although they had pig trotters, there was no kelp, so Chen Xue had to exchange it from the system. It was worth it, as a little contribution points could get her more than a pound of kelp.

First, wash the kelp, cut it into pieces, and sun-dry it. Then wash the pig trotters and prepare the seasonings.

First, blanch the pig trotters, then drain them, heat the oil in the wok, and braise the pig trotters.

Then add ginger, star anise, cinnamon, dried chili, and other seasonings.

After frying them together with the kelp until fragrant, add water and braise for half an hour until the pig trotters are tender and fully flavored.

Actually, there were other steps, but Chen Xue forgot them.

But... as long as it was edible.

Three meat dishes naturally required a vegetable dish.

The vegetable dish was the simplest, and Chen Xue was best at it.

Then, Chen Xue made a soup, carrot and corn soup.

Finally, it came to the most important and last dish.

That was, longevity noodles.

Fortunately, the longevity noodles exchanged from the system were already made, so she didn't need to knead them manually, just boil them directly.

Longevity noodles couldn't be forgotten.

Chen Xue fried two sunny-side-up eggs for Xiao Die and carved "Happy Birthday" with carrots.

However, after Chen Xue finished fussing, she realized that there was cake, noodles, so many dishes, what should they eat?

After discussing it, they decided to have a big meal for lunch and celebrate the birthday in the evening.

Since she made the longevity noodles in front of Xiao Die, the surprise was already known, so waiting a bit longer wouldn't make a difference.

"Xiao Xue's cooking skills are really good," Chen Yuan praised, "Indeed, Xiao Xue!"

Madam Chen also praised, "That's right, Xiao Xue is much better than me."

"The dishes made by the young lady are delicious!" Xiao Die also praised.

"Don't, don't, don't!"

Chen Xue was somewhat helpless, "Today is Xiao Die's birthday. Shouldn't we praise her? Why are you all praising me instead?"

"Here, Xiao Die, eat more meat to grow taller!" Madam Chen picked up a prawn and put it in Xiao Die's bowl.

Chen Xue directly picked up Xiao Die's bowl and piled it with several prawns, pieces of pig trotters, and kelp, filling it to the brim and even overflowing a few centimeters.

"Miss, it's too much, too much..."

Xiaodie was stunned and quickly stopped, oh my god, how could

 she eat so much!

When Chen Xue put the bowl in front of her, the food almost touched her nose.

Xiao Die was somewhat helpless, but deeply moved. Actually, when she decided to follow Miss into exile, she was prepared to suffer.

Who knew she hadn't suffered at all. On the contrary, she was even happier than when she was in the mansion, especially since Miss had changed completely and treated her better.

Men die for the sake of the one they love, and women accommodate for the one they love.

This was Xiao Die's current mood.

This meal lasted for a few hours.

Before they could digest it all, it was already evening. Chen Xue dragged Xiao Die to the room and brought out the longevity noodles and birthday cake.

Although she felt uncomfortable from being so full, Biao Die's heart was filled with warmth and moved. Tears flowed down like pearls.

Next Chapter▶▶

As Qi Wangfei hesitated over whether to visit her family to discuss things, the tailor from the Jinxiufang came over to take measurements.

Aunt Qiu invited the tailor in and carefully measured Suisui.

After the measurements, the tailor nodded to his assistant, signaling that he had everything he needed.

The assistant understood immediately, performed a bow to Qi Wangfei, and then took out a stack of fabric samples.

These samples were of the latest patterns and materials from Jinxiufang. The princess needed to review them and select which ones to use. Once decided, the tailor could start working on them.

Of course, custom orders were also possible, though they would take more time.

Autumn and winter clothes could wait, but Suisui needed spring and summer outfits soon.

Qi Wangfei wasn’t satisfied with the ready-made clothes brought back by Physician Liu and others from outside.

So, it was better to have them replaced sooner rather than later.

Qi Wangfei didn’t make an immediate decision on the fabrics presented by the assistant.

She held Suisui close and carefully explained to her what each pattern and fabric was.

Knowing these clothes were for a child, the assistant had brought very bright colors—either watercolors, light blues, or moonlit shades.

The embroidery mostly featured flowers, grasses, and birds, with a playful, child-friendly design.

Qi Wangfei thought they were all quite nice. If it weren’t for the heavy colors of the materials bestowed by the palace, she would have considered using them from her private collection, letting Suisui choose from them.

This line of thought led Qi Wangfei to consider the past rewards she hadn’t personally selected. They were chosen by the Empress Dowager for their suitability or their preciousness.

In the future, she might request the Empress Dowager to set aside more bright colors.

Compared to others, her husband had a slight advantage.

The prince was the Empress Dowager’s own child.

Thus, in matters of rewards, the Empress Dowager was also inclined to favor the Qi family.

Thinking of the Empress Dowager, Qi Wangfei remembered that she had been ill recently and had refused visitors. She wondered how she was now.

If she had recovered, Xiao Liu should return soon, and it would be appropriate to go to the palace to report on Suisui’s well-being.

Suisui had never seen such bright colors before. Held in her mother’s arms, she looked at the patterns, marveling at how lovely they were.

She thought all the patterns were beautiful, and she wanted them all!

At that moment, Suisui felt she was a very greedy child.

She didn’t want others to think she was insatiable.

So, she needed to make a choice.

Sui Sui struggled to decide, as she didn’t have much of an aesthetic sense, simply preferring brighter colors.

Luckily, Qi Wangfei helped with the selection, and the Feng brothers also joined in with their suggestions.

After everyone’s effort, a good number of colors were chosen.

This was certainly more than what Qi Wangfei had initially instructed Aunt Qiu to pick.

However, Suisui didn’t have any suitable clothes yet.

This was a process of starting from scratch, so having a few more options wasn’t a problem.

Although everyone in the royal residence had specific standards for their clothing and accessories, Sui Sui didn’t have any previously, so she could make do with more.

Thinking of this, Qi Wangfei felt justified.

After choosing the patterns, it was already late.

Seeing the children still gathered around, Qi Wangfei furrowed her brows and asked, “Aren’t you going to class?”

As soon as she spoke, the children froze.

The older Feng Xuancang immediately performed a proper bow and signaled he would leave right away.

If they didn’t go now, they might be late and make the tutor angry!

Feng Xuanbin had already made a habit of skipping classes, so he hesitated, clearly unwilling to go.

Feng Xuanrui had been out for over a month and was still in play mode.

Classes?

He didn’t want to go!

His grades weren’t good either.

As for his earlier grand promises to study hard and tutor his younger sister?

What did Feng Xuanrui’s words yesterday have to do with Feng Xuanrui today?

If he were a diligent student, he’d have achieved much already!

With two children reluctant to go, the other scholars of the residence were also reluctant.

Seeing this, Qi Wangfei felt both exasperated and amused. “Hurry up and go, don’t keep the tutor waiting.”

Feng Xuanrui knew he couldn’t avoid class.

However, he still wasn’t ready to give up. He asked quietly, “Mother, won’t Suisui be joining us?”

After asking, he felt confident since Suisui didn’t know how to read yet. “She should stay in class.”

As for the notion that girls shouldn’t attend school?

If Feng Xuanrui had heard that, he’d likely have a strong reaction.

Not knowing how to read and write would make managing affairs difficult in the future, wouldn’t it?

Hearing that Suisui didn’t know how to read, the older brothers looked at her with sympathy.

In that moment, they even started planning how to schedule and tutor their younger sister.

Suisui definitely needed to learn to read and write.

It was unthinkable for a girl from the royal residence to be illiterate.

However, Suisui had just returned, and Qi Wangfei wasn’t ready to let her go out just yet.

Thinking of this, Qi Wangfei waved her hand. “Suisui will go when she’s well enough. It’s not urgent. As for you, hurry up and go. If you’re late and get scolded by the tutor, don’t come crying to me.”

The Feng brothers left for class, looking back three times.

Suisui envied her brothers who were going to school.

To be able to read and write, what a wonderful thing!

Suisui also wanted that.

But she knew that being too greedy would get her nothing.

So, not attending school was fine.

Many people in the village didn’t know how to read, yet they lived well.

Besides, she had Lele.

Suisui quickly comforted herself, her lips curving into a gentle smile, revealing two shallow dimples.

When she was thin before, her face didn’t have enough flesh to show dimples.

Now, with a bit more flesh, the faint traces of dimples were visible.

Qi Wangfei saw this and couldn’t help but gently poke Suisui. “My Sui Sui is truly beautiful!”

Bright eyes, lively demeanor, and those faint dimples.

Which girl could compare to her own?

Qi Wangfei had unconsciously put on her motherly filter.

Regarding Suisui’s envy of her brothers going to school, Qi Wangfei gently explained, “Suisui, there’s no rush. We’ll get you ready and then you can join your brothers in school.”

While speaking, Qi Wangfei lightly pinched the little girl’s slender arm. “Classes aren’t just about academics, but also physical education. If your body isn’t in good shape, you won’t keep up.”

Suisui seemed to understand but didn’t quite get it.

But her mother was so gentle and soft.

She liked her mother and liked how her mother spoke.

So, whatever her mother said was fine.

Just like her brothers!

Next Chapter▶▶

Next Chapter▶▶

Chapter 303: Hu Shi's Calculations, Mo's Family's Plea (5)

On the third day, business in the shop was similar to the previous two days, with items like eggs and miscellaneous grains selling better than before.

Whether it was due to Li Zhong scaring them off or for some other reason, the Zhang family didn't cause any more trouble. However, knowing their temperament, Mo Yan didn't let her guard down.

At this moment, under Mo Yan's scheme, the Zhang family was putting on quite a show!

"You, Zhang Ming, are too greedy. You're already married but still looking at other women. If you dare bring that woman back, I'll take Bao'er and leave immediately. Let you spend your days with a hen that doesn't lay eggs!"

Yao Taohua gritted her teeth, her long nails digging into Zhang Ming's arm fiercely.

Zhang Ming shrank back, grimacing in pain, "My wife, you've misunderstood. That woman has already been divorced by me. How could I bring her back? Someone must be trying to sow discord between us. Don't be deceived!"

"Bullshit!" Seeing him still lying, Yao Taohua pinched harder. "I've already asked around. You went to look for her the day before yesterday and yesterday. Your mother even rolled on the ground and made a scene. Do you think everyone is blind?!"

Thinking that this useless man actually wanted to bring back that woman, Yao Taohua wished she could strangle him. If that woman really came back, wouldn't she become the concubine? Even if she looked down on this man, she would never allow anyone to compete with her.

"Ah—wife, please, please let go, it hurts so much!" Zhang Ming screamed in agony, clearly in extreme pain.

Yao Taohua said fiercely, "Hurt? You know what pain is? If you don't tell me the truth, I'll strangle you!"

As she finished speaking, Zhang Ming screamed again, mixed with incessant pleas for mercy.

In the bedroom, Hu Shi, who was lying with a sprained foot, listened to her son's continuous screams, feeling heartbroken and hating Yao Taohua's brutality. But with her foot unable to touch the ground, she had no way to rescue her suffering son.

Yao Taohua was aggressive by nature, and having given birth to Zhang Ming's only son, she was extremely arrogant. When Zhang Fugui was around, he could suppress her, but now that he was in prison, filial piety couldn't restrain her.

"This is calamity, such calamity!" Hu Shi pounded the bed, tears streaming down her face. "I shouldn't have agreed to the divorce! I shouldn't have agreed!"

At this moment, she regretted allowing Yao Taohua into their home. She should have let her give birth to the child, then give her some money and send her away, entrusting the child to the capable and dependable Li Xiu. Li Xiu was much easier to control than Yao Taohua. With a child, how could she escape her control?

Right, the child! Hu Shi's eyes lit up. Li Xiu couldn't bear children, and Li Zhong, that old man, wouldn't let her spend the rest of her life alone. If she drove away Yao Taohua and entrusted the child to Li Xiu, that old man would be grateful. Would he still object? In the end, wouldn't the shop return to their Zhang family's hands?

Thinking of this, Hu Shi's mind became active, her eyes rolling around, listening to Yao Taohua's arrogant scolding with disgust. She felt no guilt about driving Yao Taohua away and separating her from her son.

Yao Taohua, who was still fighting with Zhang Ming in the yard, was unaware of Hu Shi's sinister intentions. She grabbed Zhang Ming's ear and scolded, "If you dare to go look for that woman again, I'll ruin you, and you won't even be able to be a man!"

"W-wife, I really, really didn't..." Zhang Ming trembled in pain, regretting even more deeply for marrying such a shrew. His Xiu'er was so gentle and obedient, why did he divorce her!

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 129: Gratitude

Not long after Chen Xue left, she returned, and the people excitedly bowed and kowtowed to her.

There was no other way. If it weren't for Chen Xue's divine art, their legs would likely be ruined. If their legs were ruined, it would be as if they had no hope.

Therefore, Chen Xue saved their lives.

Not only that, they also felt grateful that Chen Xue had taught them this divine art. Even if they were alone in the future, they could still use it. This was what excited them the most.

This was truly divine art!

Countless people yearned for it, even the emperor of the court.

However, Chen Xue easily shared it with them, and they were not ungrateful people.

"If you have nowhere to stay at night, you can dig a snow cave."

Chen Xue instructed her subordinates while demonstrating, "Choose a location with thick snow layers, or it might collapse easily..."

"If possible, reinforce it with branches nearby and spread them on the ground as mats..."

Chen Xue didn't know much, but she had watched survival shows before and had some knowledge. Although limited, it ensured that these people could have a stable place to sleep at night.

With Chen Xue demonstrating divine art, the people naturally didn't oppose her instructions but rather looked forward to them even more.

Soon, the Chen family servants dug a snow cave, and someone curiously couldn't help but enter.

"Wow, it's so warm in here!"

The person couldn't help but exclaim, and others became curious when they heard it. "Is it true? Don't deceive us!"

"Why would I deceive you? Come in and try it for yourselves!"

The person immediately left the snow cave, and others entered, all exclaiming in surprise, "It's true! It's much warmer than outside."

"Alright, don't collapse it!"

Seeing their reaction, Chen Xue interrupted, "You can dig your own snow cave."

Seeing Chen Xue speaking, they naturally didn't dare to argue again and went to dig their own snow caves.

"Don't get too close, keep some distance, or you might collapse other people's snow caves."

Seeing them crowded together again, Chen Xue couldn't help but remind them.

Then, she kindly instructed her subordinates to guide them, fearing that many unlucky people would be buried in the snow tonight if not.

After arranging everything, Chen Xue left and continued to make her birthday cake.

When the prisoners saw Chen Xue leaving, they all bowed and respectfully saw her off, feeling deeply grateful to her.

Whether it was teaching them divine art or teaching them to dig snow caves, it was like saving their lives.

If you counted the previous incidents where the Chen family saved them from the bandits, Chen Xue had already saved them several times.

They were not all heartless and ungrateful. Their jealousy before was just because of their envy.

But now, knowing that Chen Xue was a disciple of the Kunshan Immortal, the gap between her identity and theirs was like the difference between heaven and earth.

If the gap between two people was not too big, then the other person might feel jealous.

But if the gap between two people was as vast as that between heaven and earth, and the other person could only look up, then jealousy would not exist. Instead, there would be more admiration and awe.

That's how it was now.

Chen Xue was a disciple of an immortal, and her identity destined the gap between them for their entire lives. Plus, Chen Xue taught them divine art and how to dig snow caves, so they felt more grateful than jealous now.

"Tomorrow is Xiao Die's birthday. Let's make it grand!"

Chen Xue rolled up her sleeves. "Tomorrow, I will showcase my skills and let you taste what real delicacies are like."

"Oh?" Madam Chen was surprised. "Then I must taste Xiao Xue's cooking properly!"

Beside her, Xiao Die was pleasantly surprised, "Miss, I... it's not necessary to make it so grand. I'm just a servant girl, and now..."

"No!" Chen Xue interrupted her, pulling her into her arms. "We are good sisters and one family."

"Besides, birthdays are not trivial matters. Everyone only has one each year."

Xiao Die was only sixteen years old, younger than herself, and had not even reached adulthood in her previous life.

So Chen Xue had always treated her like a younger sister.

Xiao Die was deeply moved, tears rolling down like pearls, vowing to repay Miss and the master and mistress well in this life.

"System, exchange a birthday gift package for me!"

Chen Xue had already noticed that as long as she had enough contribution points, she could exchange for anything. She had seen this so-called birthday gift package these days.

The so-called gift package was actually some birthday supplies, such as birthday candles, balloons, birthday hats, and even longevity noodles, as well as gift boxes for wrapping gifts.

Chen Xue pushed Xiao Die away and pulled her parents into the room. "Dad, mom, this is a gift box. Let's use it to wrap the gifts we give to Xiao Die."

Seeing this exquisite gift box, Madam Chen's eyes lit up. "Okay, I will think carefully about what gifts to give."

"How about helping me think too?" Chen Yuan had a headache. "I haven't given gifts much, especially to other women..."

"Think for yourself!" Madam Chen glared at him. "Xiao Die has contributed so much to our family. How can we treat her so casually?"

"I..."

Chen Yuan pursed his lips. Wasn't this afraid that you would be jealous? Besides, he really hadn't given gifts to other women before, so he didn't know what to give.

However, thinking of Xiao Die being almost the same age as his daughter and recalling the gifts he had given to his daughter before, Chen Yuan had an idea.

"We are now exiled. Where can we find gifts..."

"Isn't your fortune there? Go find it yourself!" Madam Chen glared at him, pointing to the warehouse not far away from the bamboo house.

The Chen family's savings were all there, and it was easy to find some gifts for Xiao Die from those savings.

After discussing it, they left the house and began to prepare for the next day.

The next day, the exiled team continued to move forward.

Thanks to Chen Xue's instructions on snow caves, no one died from the cold. Everyone was energetic and obviously slept well.

However, the surrounding snow was vast and monotonous, and the monotonous colors made everyone's mood also become monotonous.

"When will we get through this winter!"

Cold, hungry, tired.

Various emotions enveloped them, making them regret their past mistakes.

But regrets were useless now.

The team instantly fell silent, and everyone seemed to be immersed in a quiet mood, while Chen Xue's family was in a joyous atmosphere.

"Xiao Die, today is your birthday, so you don't need to work. Leave everything to us!"

"Miss, how can that be?"

"What did you call me?"

"Miss!"

"You actually know I'm Miss, so should you listen to me!"

"Yes!"

"Then I order you to take a good rest!"

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Concubine Su was taken aback by Feng Xuanrui's sudden outburst, her face turning a few shades paler. When she heard that Qi Wangfei had stopped Sixth Young Master, Lady Su forced a smile and said, “I understand that Sixth Young Master is shy. I won’t bring it up again.”

Feng Xuanrui felt his fists clenching again but, respecting his mother’s command, he restrained himself.

Seeing her son’s aggrieved expression, Qi Wangfei felt a mix of helplessness and annoyance. Such matters were hers to handle, and it was her responsibility to manage them. Allowing the children to take action was not appropriate and would only serve as a source of ridicule for the Qi family.

After Concubine Su’s comment, Princess Qi glanced at her and said in a calm voice, “After being in the mansion for so long, you still don’t understand the importance of speaking cautiously. It seems your aunt’s teachings have not been effective. I will ask Aunt Chi to visit your courtyard later to give you some proper guidance.”

Upon hearing this, Concubine Su’s face, which had not yet fully recovered, turned even whiter. She swayed on her feet, nearly losing her balance. She opened her mouth, seemingly to say something, but no words came out. Instead, Qi Wangfei continued, “Furthermore, you are to copy the mansion’s rules and the Heart Sutra ten times a day to clear the impurities from your mind!”

With that, Concubine Su collapsed to the ground. Relying on her recent favor, she stubbornly raised her voice, “You can’t do this to me! I am the Lord’s woman!”

As soon as Concubine Su said this, the other concubines’ expressions changed. They were genuinely worried that Concubine Su’s foolishness might drag them down as well.

Qi Wangfei remained calm, her face showing no anger. She responded coolly, “What should be done then? Should I sell you off directly?”

Before Concubine Su could reply, Qi Wangfei added, “You are merely a concubine of the Lord.”

This response was in direct reply to Concubine Su’s claim of being “the Lord’s person.” Some things, though harsh, were still the truth. In the mansion, concubines were considered servants, not people.

Lady Su, not particularly sharp-witted, was slow to grasp the implications, but in that moment, she understood what Qi Wangfei meant. Her face turned as white as paper, and she trembled uncontrollably.

Qi Wangfei, having made her point, signaled Aunt Qiu to take Concubine Su away. The other concubines, seeing the situation, hurriedly left, each trying to minimize their presence and avoid being associated with Concubine Su.

Once they had walked a distance, the concubines glanced back anxiously. When they saw that Qi Wangfei and her entourage were no longer visible, they finally relaxed and headed back to their own quarters.

After handling the matter, Qi Wangfei finally allowed everyone to enter the dining hall. She gently took Suishui’s hand and comforted her, “Concubine Su spoke out of turn. I have dealt with her. Are you upset?”

Suisui didn’t feel upset at all since she didn’t understand what was happening. Moreover, with Qi Wangfei comforting her, Suisui only felt warmth and happiness.

She nodded vigorously, “I will listen to Mother!”

Seeing Suisui like this, Qi Wangfei sighed silently, though her brow remained furrowed. She was troubled by the news from the estate that morning.

Usually, the estate would only send vegetables and meat and seldom reported on livestock births. However, today, the steward had come early to report on the exceptional birthing results from the previous day.

Typically, a cow would give birth to one calf, occasionally two, but three calves at once was extremely rare. Yet, yesterday, the cows had produced three healthy and lively calves each. Additionally, two ewes had each given birth to seven healthy lambs. 

Even more astonishing, two sows had produced a total of forty-six piglets! Qi Wangfei felt her scalp tingle at the thought. Although the sows were mature and capable of bearing such large litters, twenty piglets per sow seemed excessive.

Moreover, the steward mentioned that the sows had given birth early, yet all the piglets were healthy and without any weak or sickly ones.

Upon hearing this, Qi Wangfei’s first thought was of Suisui. Suisui had previously avoided a fatal landslide for the Prince Qing’s party due to her illness. Could this remarkable prosperity be due to Suisui’s luck?

If so, would it somehow harm her? Qi Wangfei felt that their family was already sufficiently prosperous and did not need Suisui to sacrifice herself for further fortune.

However, the little girl might not understand such matters. Qi Wangfei worried about attracting unwanted attention to Suisui.

After some thought, Qi Wangfei decided to attribute the good fortune to Sixth Young Master’s safe return and treat it as a blessing from the heavens, which would make the estate celebrate the prosperity.

Although assigning the good fortune to Feng Xuanrui made Qi Wangfei feel somewhat awkward, protecting Suisui was more important.

She thought that if her young son’s status could suppress any negative effects, it might be worth it.

This concern kept Qi Wangfei distracted throughout breakfast. Only when she was with Suisui, watching the little girl happily eating, did she find some solace.

She considered discussing the matter with someone but realized the Prince was occupied elsewhere with matchmaking.

Furthermore, could the Prince be relied upon?

Qi Wangfei continued to ponder while she ate a lavish breakfast, which included various kinds of porridge, such as sweet green bean porridge, yam and goji porridge, and longan and jujube porridge. The variety was likely due to the numerous children in the household, leading to sweeter porridge.

Suisui drank yam and goji porridge, which was said to be good for her stomach and overall health.

In addition to porridge, there were various noodles and side dishes. Suisui was overwhelmed by the abundance.

After the meal, the mouthwash was fragrant tea. Suisui, after rinsing, couldn’t help but smile at the pleasant taste in her mouth, her expression both adorable and slightly bittersweet.

Seeing this, Qi Wangfei thought again: Perhaps it was time to visit her family and consult her brother. 

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Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 1075: Attracted Yesterday

Shu Yu was lost in thought when the Prefect magistrate's attendant called her, "Lu Xiangjun? Miss Lu Xiangjun?"

Shu Yu snapped back to reality and heard the attendant say, "If Lu Xiangjun needs anything, just let me know. I'm here to assist."

"Oh, right, there is something I almost forgot," Shu Yu smiled and turned around, glancing at the pale-faced innkeeper and the middle-aged man and his group who were now hesitant to escape. She spoke slowly, "I mentioned earlier that I wanted to report this matter to the authorities. Coincidentally, two constables arrived and asked me to wait for a moment. I wonder if I can proceed with the report now?"

Master Wan's callout made everyone present realize that this young lady was not an easy target. She was the Village Lord, and even the Prefect magistrate spoke to her politely.

Not to mention the innkeeper and the middle-aged man who had plotted against her, even the two constables who had previously taken the silver pieces were now looking uneasy.

They quickly returned the silver to the middle-aged man and approached Shu Yu, bowing and saying, "Indeed, Lu Xiangjun mentioned reporting this to the authorities."

The attendant nodded, "In that case, why don't we discuss the matter inside the inn?"

"Alright."

Shu Yu took the lead and walked inside. After a few steps, she stopped and pointed at the middle-aged man who was trying to slip away, "Don't leave yet. Let the authorities handle the case fairly and determine who is at fault."

The middle-aged man forced a smile, "Ha, Lu Xiangjun, this is all a misunderstanding."

The innkeeper hurriedly added, " Lu Xiangjun, please rest assured. Your white horse was frightened, and we will certainly compensate you."

Shu Yu looked at them with amusement, "What's this? Are you offering compensation now? Weren't you just trying to make me compensate you?"

Both men fell silent.

On the other hand, the attendant squinted his eyes and raised his hand, "Enough standing around. Let's continue the conversation inside."

Shu Yu was the first to enter the inn, with the middle-aged man and his group followed by two constables standing behind them. They had no choice but to comply.

In the courtyard, a veterinarian was attending to the injured mule and horse.

Since the veterinarian was already there, Shu Yu took the opportunity to inquire about the cause of the horse's death and whether there were any signs of being kicked.

After a careful examination, the veterinarian confirmed that there were no signs of being kicked.

In fact, the situation was not that complicated. The collapse of the wall was sudden, and the middle-aged man's plan to extort Shu Yu was impromptu and poorly thought out, filled with loopholes.

Soon, under the questioning of the constables, the truth became apparent.

The previous day, Shu Yu arrived early to seek shelter from the rain, and Dabai had already taken shelter in the stable.

The middle-aged man and his group only arrived in the evening. At first sight, they were captivated by Dabai, who was full of vitality and had glossy fur. Who wouldn't be envious?

Initially, the middle-aged man didn't plan to take ownership of the horse. He was merely curious and inquired about it.

During the conversation, he learned that the owner of the white horse was a young girl accompanied by only one maid. According to the innkeeper, she didn't seem like a local, possibly a runaway or something similar.

In any case, after they arrived at the inn, they never left their room and even had their meals delivered by the inn's staff. They seemed a bit reclusive.

At that time, the middle-aged man was considering whether he could negotiate with Shu Yu to buy the white horse.

Unexpectedly, an accident occurred in the morning when the wall collapsed. The middle-aged man was the first to rush over and saw the scene in the stable.

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