Chapter 1364: Xiao Shi Poisoned

Xiao Shi never expected that the Second Prince was still alive, and she was even more surprised by the audacity of the Xiao family and the Third Prince to hide him in their residence.

She went to see the family head, pretending not to know anything, and asked why her maids and servants were taken away.

However, the family head, who used to treat her kindly as the only daughter of the Xiao family, now looked dark and forbade her from asking questions or leaving the Xiao family.

He warned her that if she dared to do anything reckless, not only her servants but even her parents' lives would be in danger.

Xiao Shi was frightened. After returning, she couldn't stop thinking that the family head was risking the lives of the entire Xiao family.

What was even worse was that Xiao Shi suspected she had been poisoned.

She suddenly became thin and couldn't eat or sleep properly. However, it wasn't that she had no appetite, but every mealtime, she felt nauseous.

She knew her father wasn't sick; how could he reach the point of disliking tea and food? But her nausea was abnormal.

It wasn't just her; her father's complexion was also very off.

Xiao Shi suspected that the family head wanted to eliminate their entire family as a precaution.

However, she had no way to resist. She was being watched, her trusted people were taken away, and her parents were being held as hostages. Even if Xiao Shi knew the family head was harming them, she couldn't find a way out.

Her relatives were all part of the Xiao family, and they wouldn't help her.

Her friends who came to visit the Xiao family were all turned away.

The only person who came to take her back was her mother-in-law, but Xiao Shi knew that her mother-in-law didn't like her, and she couldn't trust her either.

At that moment, Xiao Shi desperately hoped for Xiang Weinan to come back. He was the only person she could believe in and rely on.

Perhaps her prayers were heard, and Xiang Weinan did return.

Xiao Shi was ecstatic. She knew that her relationship with her husband wasn't good, but she understood his character well, knowing that he was intelligent and cautious.

Even... she knew he might already be one of the Emperor's people.

After going to Jiangyuan County, Xiao Shi didn't return empty-handed.

When the new Emperor ascended the throne, she noticed her husband's visible excitement. He was the son-in-law of the Xiao family, yet he didn't worry about being purged by the new Emperor.

Although it felt unbelievable, Xiao Shi believed in her intuition. Even her husband's trip to Jiangyuan County might have been deliberate.

Sure enough, after Xiang Weinan returned to the capital, he came to the Xiao family.

The day before, Xiao Shi used the limited tools at her disposal to write a message on a handkerchief.

After Xiang Weinan understood the cause and effect of the situation, he reported it to the Emperor.

After discussing the matter, they all agreed that it was not the right time to startle the snake. The Emperor intended to use this opportunity to eliminate the Third Prince as well.

However, Xiao Shi needed to be saved.

She was poisoned and couldn't stay in the Xiao family for long, or her life would be in danger.

The Emperor didn't care much about Xiao Shi. Sacrificing the Xiao family for the greater cause wasn't a difficult decision for him. But he did care about Xiang Weinan; he was one of his trusted men. To save his wife, the Emperor wouldn't be so heartless as to advise him to give up.

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But how to save Xiao Shi was a problem.

However, the letter ended here, and Shu Yu didn't know how they managed to save Xiao Shi.

She didn't pay much attention; these things were not supposed to be her concern.

She even couldn't understand why Qi Lie told her all this.

 Chapter 1363: Gifting a Hairpin

The writing on the handkerchief was messy and brief.

Xiao Shi could only use powder and bloodstains to write, indicating that she had limited time and resources to convey the message.

After receiving the handkerchief, Xiang Weinan's expression turned serious. He knew he needed to meet Xiao Shi again.

He never expected that after returning from the Emperor's meeting and learning about the possibility of the Second Prince being alive, he would immediately learn of the Second Prince's whereabouts from Xiao Shi.

This matter was of great significance, and it was evident that Xiao Shi had no freedom of her own. Even her parents were being held hostage to control her.

Fortunately, Xiang Weinan was Xiao Shi's son-in-law, so it was entirely normal for him to visit his father-in-law and wife.

Thus, after a few days, Xiang Weinan bought many tonics and went to Xiao's house again.

In front of the monitoring maids, he calmly told Xiao Shi to stay at her family's house and take good care of her father.

Everyone knew that Xiang Weinan and Xiao Shi's marriage was forced by the latter. His current attitude towards Xiao Shi wasn't surprising.

It was also fortunate that the Xiao family didn't know his true allegiance; they believed that marrying Xiao Shi to him would help gain favor. Unfortunately, before they had a chance to do so, the late Emperor passed away, and the new Emperor ascended the throne.

As a result, the Xiang family wasn't aligned with the Third Prince's faction and was marginalized.

The new Emperor, however, valued Xiang Weinan's family ties, so through the efforts of the Xiang family, he was brought back to the capital. Although his official position was low and he held a leisurely post, it was still better than being a county magistrate in a small county.

The Xiao family and the Third Prince thought that the new Emperor did this deliberately to show the officials in the court that he was magnanimous and nostalgic.

Because the Xiao family didn't know Xiang Weinan's stance, they didn't strictly stop his interactions with Xiao Shi.

Xiang Weinan didn't stay at the Xiao family's house for long and soon left.

Before he left, he gave Xiao Shi a jade hairpin to console her.

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After Xiang Weinan left, the maids took the hairpin and examined it. Finding nothing wrong with the hairpin, they returned it to Xiao Shi.

However, when Xiao Shi went to the restroom, she took off the hairpin and dismantled it, removing the pearl from it. Then, she hollowed out the hairpin.

Inside the hollow hairpin, she filled it with powdered material of the same texture. With a slight poke, the powder could be released.

The once solid hairpin now became hollow. Afterward, Xiao Shi hid the charcoal pencil Xiang Weinan gave her inside the hairpin.

With this charcoal pencil, Xiao Shi could easily write anything she wanted.

At present, apart from having her own space when going to the restroom, she was under constant surveillance at all other times.

Even when going to the restroom, those two people waited outside and urged her from time to time.

However, with the charcoal pencil, Xiao Shi's actions became smoother.

When Xiang Weinan received Xiao Shi's letter during his next visit, he finally understood the cause and effect of the situation.

After returning to the capital from Jiangyuan County, Xiao Shi visited her parents the next day.

During this visit, she unexpectedly saw the figure of the Second Prince, who should have drowned and died.

The figure only flashed by, and it was just a back view. Xiao Shi wasn't entirely sure and doubted herself, thinking she might have seen wrong, so she didn't think much of it.

Who would have thought that the Xiao family would quickly replace her trusted maid Gu Mama and loyal servant He Wen with new ones and forbid her from returning to the Xiang family.

This action confirmed Xiao Shi's suspicions.

 Chapter 1362: The Recent Situation of the Xiao Family

The incident in Dong'an Prefecture was just a small case. The bigger grudge was exposed when the Third Prince revealed the affair between Gong Qiu and the Imperial Concubine.

It was the Third Prince who brought this matter to the late Emperor's attention, leading to the beheading of Gong Qiu, the concubine's death, and the exposure of the Second Prince not being of royal blood.

The current situation of the Second Prince was undoubtedly influenced by the Third Prince.

These two had a deep-seated enmity. However, now the Third Prince was unexpectedly sheltering the Second Prince??

Shu Yu looked at the letter and couldn't help but sigh. It was truly a world where interests prevailed, where even the greatest hatred could be temporarily set aside to achieve a common goal.

It was easy to understand. When the Third Prince was so close to the throne and suddenly preempted by the current Emperor, who also regarded him as a major threat, he couldn't do anything and naturally felt unwilling.

He also knew that the Second Prince wasn't the late Emperor's biological son and could never ascend to the throne. Since they had a common goal, cooperation was not out of the question.

But in Shu Yu's opinion, this was simply courting death.

Why would the Second Prince cooperate with the Third Prince to confront the current Emperor if there weren't substantial benefits involved?

Shu Yu shook her head and continued reading the letter.

The letter mentioned that it was an unexpected discovery about the whereabouts of the Second Prince, and it was related to Xiang Weinan.

Earlier, when Qi Lie came, he mentioned that Xiang Weinan's wife, Xiao Shi, had returned to the capital first. As a result, she was left at her parents' home, supposedly caring for her sick father. Even when Xiang Weinan's mother went to bring her back, she couldn't do so.

Recently, Xiang Weinan finally returned to the capital, and his first task was to go to Xiao's house.

On one hand, he went to visit his "sick" father-in-law, and on the other hand, he wanted to take his wife back and inquire about the situation at Xiao's house.

Xiao's family had no reason to stop him, but what puzzled Xiang Weinan was that when he saw Xiao Shi, he noticed that she had dramatically lost weight.

It had only been two or three months since they last met, and Xiao Shi's change was too significant.

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Xiao Shi explained that she was worried about her father's illness and couldn't eat well or sleep, causing her to become like this.

However, Xiang Weinan, a keen observer, felt something was amiss.

The most obvious thing was the maids and servants around Xiao Shi, all of whom were new faces.

The familiar Gu Mama and Shui Xin were gone, and the two maids present stared at Xiao Shi like they were monitoring her.

When Xiang Weinan proposed talking privately with Xiao Shi as husband and wife, the two maids didn't agree.

No, it wasn't that they didn't agree, but rather Xiao Shi didn't agree.

Before, Xiao Shi had been eager to be alone with Xiang Weinan, so this unusual response and attitude puzzled him.

Xiang Weinan had many doubts but couldn't ask anything.

Before he left Xiao's house, Xiao Shi hugged him, and in that brief moment, she discreetly slipped a handkerchief into his hands.

Xiang Weinan realized that something was seriously wrong, but he didn't say anything at the time and quietly kept the handkerchief. After returning home, he opened the handkerchief and found that the message on it wasn't written with ink but with several types of powder, possibly even bloodstains.

Xiang Weinan's eyes widened in shock. Xiao Shi wanted to write a letter to him, but she couldn't use ink and brushes, indicating that she couldn't access those things.

Or, she could access them, but someone was watching her, and she couldn't use them.

After reading the content of the letter, Xiang Weinan's expression changed drastically.

Xiao Shi asked him to save her and her parents because she unintentionally saw the Second Prince's figure at Xiao's house...

 Chapter 1361 - Qi Lie's Letter

The children from their family were originally meant to stay at Grandma's place for a few days. During the day, everything was fine, but at night, each of them started missing their mothers. Even with their father by their side, it wasn't easy to console them.

Cui Hua's son was still alright. He was six years old this year, and being a boy, he was more sensible. He stayed with his father without much trouble. Moreover, Er Niu also studied and wrote with him together.

Lu Sixing's son, Quan Quan, was still young. He missed his mother at night, but with his father and elder sister around, it wasn't too much of a problem. Xiao Zhen took good care of him, playing with him during the day and putting him to sleep at night.

However, Lu Sanzhu's family was a bit difficult. Da Bao didn't mind much, but Bao Ya couldn't sleep without Liang Shi. Especially when Lu Sanzhu wasn't very reliable and didn't wash his clothes, he would let Bao Ya wear dirty clothes from the day before.

Bao Ya, who had already developed a sense of beauty, felt even more longing for her mother when she looked at her dirty appearance.

So, the little girl decided to wash her clothes herself. At first, she scooped too much water and when she put the clothes in the basin, the water overflowed. After some thought, she scooped the water back into the bucket.

This scene was seen by Da Bao, who recalled that sometimes when he was too thirsty, he would scoop water from the basin and drink directly from it. His face turned black.

But this was his younger sister; she should be doted on, so he went to find Lu Sanzhu and asked him to fetch water again.

The whole household was in chaos every day due to various incidents. Lu Sanzhu instantly felt worn out from taking care of the two children. He found it too difficult and without saying a word, sent Bao Ya to the estate.

Fortunately, there were Xiao Ya and Zao Zao in the village. With enough help, they didn't worry about taking care of the children.

Just two days after setting up the stalls outside the village, Shu Yu also received a letter from Meng Yunzheng.

As expected, he was still at the top of the list, officially becoming a prestigious top-scoring scholar.

Shu Yu felt that she should prepare a gift to congratulate him.

Just as she was thinking about what gift to prepare, Qi Lie's letter arrived as well.

After two months, his letter finally came.

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She didn't know what the result would be, so when she opened the letter, she was somewhat nervous.

As soon as she unfolded it and read the first line, she was stunned.

In the capital... something must have happened.

The Second Prince, he was indeed alive. Not only that, during the search process, they unexpectedly learned that the Second Prince was hiding in the mansion of the Third Prince's maternal family.

At first, neither the Emperor nor Qi Lie and the others ever thought that these two would have any connection.

Back then, even when the late Emperor was still alive, these two fought each other openly and in secret for many years, stabbing each other in the back numerous times.

Not to mention anything else, just about Dong'an Prefecture. Although the new Emperor was the mastermind behind the scenes, the Third Prince did a lot of things on the surface and successfully brought down the influence of the Second Prince, ultimately leading to the destruction of the Shu family.

Thinking back, the Black Market in Jiangyuan County gradually prepared to withdraw after that incident.

Since the Shu family was exiled, the two subsequent auctions were smaller and smaller in scale until they stopped altogether.

At the time, she didn't think much about it, but now it seemed that there were traces to follow.

As a result, the Black Market even publicly claimed that it was because of the consequences caused by the beautiful and clear mirror that Shu Yu took responsibility for, and she felt like spitting blood at the thought.

 Chapter 1360: Lu Sixing Sets Up a Stall

Lu Sixing said, "The sunflower field is different from peach blossom forest. It's far from the county, and they want to eat something warm, either they bring their own pots and pans to cook, or they buy from nearby farms."

"But either way, it's not a good choice for them. Cooking is troublesome, and they may not be used to the food from the farms. If there's a stall selling wontons, dumplings, noodles, or something similar, it would be a good place for them."

Shu Yu pondered for a moment, rubbing her chin, "This idea is not bad, but can you handle it alone?"

"No, I plan to call Big Sister-in-law, Third Sister-in-law, and Cui Hua to help."

Since she didn't call Li Shi last time when selling sunflower seeds, she had been complained to for quite a while. This time, she would set up the stall outside the sunflower field, and now that Li Shi was helping with the children, she spent half a month living in the village. If she didn't call her, it wouldn't be appropriate.

Anyway, it was just a temporary stall. In the short term, they could all cooperate to make money together, which was also good.

Shu Yu didn't mind whom she cooperated with. Despite Li Shi's unpleasant personality, she was still hardworking. At least she worked faster than Liang Shi.

"Alright, you can set up a stall nearby. It's close to the estate, so you can put everything into the house when you close the stall in the evening. There are plenty of rooms in the estate. If it's inconvenient for you to go back and forth, you can stay there overnight."

That's why Lu Sixing came to talk to Shu Yu in advance because she had this concern.

She found it feasible, so she became even more confident.

"By the way, can I sell instant noodles?"

Shu Yu's eyes lit up, "Of course, that's what I was thinking too."

Lu Sixing acted quickly and the next day, she borrowed two carts from Shu Yu and took a group of people with luggage and kitchenware to the estate.

Li Shi was already in the estate. When she heard that she could make money by setting up a stall, she agreed.

In just half a day, the stall was set up—wontons, dumplings, instant noodles, melon seeds, preserved fruits, and even several kinds of tea.

After a few days of fermentation, more and more people came to admire the sunflowers. Not only scholars but also many young masters and young ladies came as if admiring sunflowers had become a trend. Those who hadn't been there felt like they hadn't seen the world.

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As a result, in addition to Lu Sixing's group, many other stalls were set up around the sunflower field, selling various small items or some tea and snacks.

In a few days, Lu Sixing and her group's stall became popular.

First, it was because of the instant noodles. They were quick to cook and unique, and the patrol guards who had been patrolling the sunflower field had introduced them to the visitors, leading to the most sales.

Some even finished eating at the stall and bought some to take home.

Therefore, instant noodles were in high demand.

Second, their stall was the largest, selling the most variety, and Lu Sixing, inspired by Shu Yu, paid great attention to hygiene when making food. They wore uniform coveralls, with sleeves and headgear, and they covered their mouths.

Seeing this, the scholars and young masters and ladies felt reassured.

Third, it was because of Shu Yu. Everyone knew that several of them were the aunt and in-laws of Lu Xiangjun, and when they heard that instant noodles were made by Lu Xiangjun, the celebrity effect attracted even more customers.

In just a few days, the stall earned a lot of money.

If it weren't for the limited space of the stall, they wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand.

 Chapter 1359: Sunflower Field Sets Fire

The scholars from Jiangyuan County participated in the provincial examination in Dong'an Prefecture, so the county didn't have the same lively atmosphere as during the county examination.

Before the provincial examination began, Shu Rui wanted to witness the scene, so he, Er Niu, and Da Bao were taken to the prefectural city by Zhao Xi.

If it weren't for Zhao Xi taking them, given the current situation in the prefectural city, they probably wouldn't even find a place to stay.

Shu Yu's only concern regarding the provincial examination was about Meng Yunzheng.

After sending the letter about the pearl, Meng Yunzheng did reply, acknowledging that he received it, but didn't say much else.

Shu Yu continued to be busy with the workshop, but what she didn't expect was that while she didn't promote instant noodles among the scholars, her sunflower field unexpectedly became famous among them.

Most of the candidates for the provincial examination arrived in the prefectural city about ten days in advance. If they arrived late, they wouldn't even find a place to stay.

When they set off, the sunflowers had only grown taller, and the flowers hadn't bloomed yet, so the candidates didn't pay much attention to them.

Besides, they were in a hurry to take the exam and didn't have the time to appreciate the scenery along the way.

However, after staying in the prefectural city for about ten days and taking the examination, they continued to wait for the results. In total, they spent over a month, and on their return journey, they coincided with the blooming of the sunflowers.

Shu Yu's sunflower field was located on the road between Jiangyuan County and the prefectural city. Furthermore, travelers from another county to the prefectural city would also pass by here.

Therefore, the returning candidates didn't have much trouble coming to visit the sunflower field. A few of them rode in a carriage and soon arrived at the destination.

Some even found that when they stood on the hill where the black market was located and looked down, the scenery was even more breathtaking.

They could enjoy the scenery while climbing the mountain. It was truly a good place to visit.

This development caught Shu Yu off guard.

She was stunned for a moment and then immediately mobilized personnel. Although these scholars were educated and cared about their image, some unscrupulous people might still sneak into the field to pick flowers or cause damage.

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Coincidentally, besides the instant noodle workshop, the other two workshops in Luji Workshop were not too busy at the moment. So, Shu Yu pulled some workers over to patrol and guard the sunflower field.

In the meantime, she took the opportunity to promote instant noodles.

It seemed like a perfect plan.

However, just two days later, an even better idea came to her doorstep.

It was from Lu SiXing. She wanted to set up a stall near the sunflower field to sell food.

Last time, when sunflower seeds were first launched, she bought them wholesale from Shu Yu and sold them at peach blossom forest, making a few taels of silver, which left Lu SiXing with a sweet taste of success.

However, peach blossom forest was inside the county, where she couldn't sell food with flavors or served hot. But outside peach blossom forest, there were stalls and shops everywhere.

There were indeed many visitors, but the competition was fierce.

Moreover, people visiting peach blossom forest could still make it home for lunch.

 Chapter 1358: Ruan Dalai Couldn't Help But Laugh

The sunflowers were planted, and Shu Yu's instant noodle workshop was also built and ready to start. They began preparing ingredients while hiring new employees.

This time, everyone knew that Luji Workshop offered good benefits and high wages, so even more people came compared to the last hiring session.

Shu Yu looked at the crowded crowd and started to feel a headache.

Her requirements were always clear, and there were quite a few restrictions, which could filter out a large number of people. However, even so, there were still many people who refused to give up and wanted to try.

Especially among the new applicants were people from Ruan Family Village. They believed that if Shu Yu could hire Ruan Dalai, she could also hire them.

Moreover, Ruan Dalai was now in charge, which boosted their confidence even more.

Ruan Dalai himself couldn't help but laugh when he saw the villagers from Ruan Family Village forming a line, smiling, and walking towards him.

They actually wanted Ruan Dalai to hire all of them.

Ruan Dalai immediately called the workshop assistants and drove all these people away.

Shu Yu only learned about this incident later and didn't witness the farce.

But Ruan Dalai had already thought it through, so she felt reassured.

Although the number of employees at the instant noodle workshop increased slightly, it wasn't too much. This time, in addition to the oil pressing workshop and the sunflower seeds workshop, they hired about a hundred more workers.

The oil pressing and sunflower seeds workshops mostly employed male workers, while the instant noodle workshop had more female workers.

Interestingly, among the new workers, there was Da Qiang's older brother, Da Zhuang.

Da Zhuang had been doing odd jobs in the Dong'an Prefecture, but a while back, Da Qiang contacted him and asked him to come back and try to join the construction team at Lu Erbai's place. Unfortunately, at that time, Da Zhuang was too busy with work and couldn't come back.

Now that Luji Workshop was hiring again, Da Qiang specially took care of their parents and personally went to the city to call Da Zhuang back for an interview at the workshop, and he got the job.

After the hiring was completed, the production of instant noodles began.

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Now that the sunflower seeds and sunflower oil didn't need to worry about sales, Shu Yu's focus was on selling instant noodles.

The first thing she thought of was scholars and escort agencies. Meng Yunzheng was right; instant noodles were a good choice during the imperial examinations.

As for merchants traveling on the road, they would likely enjoy instant noodles as well.

Shu Yu didn't know many merchants, but she was familiar with teacher Wen.

However, teacher Wen was now teaching children who were just beginning to learn, and they hadn't participated in the examinations yet.

There used to be someone she knew, Tang Wenqian, but he went to the capital.

After some consideration, Shu Yu realized that the provincial examinations were about to begin. The scholars had been preparing for a long time and were cautious about eating unfamiliar food before the exams to avoid getting an upset stomach.

So, she temporarily suspended her plan to promote instant noodles among scholars.

In the midst of their busy days, the provincial examinations began.

 Chapter 1356: Xiao Songle Gives the treasured beads

However, the letter written by Shu Yu to Meng Yunzheng was different from the one written to Qi Lie.

The letter sent to Qi Lie had a special channel, but there was none for Meng Yunzheng. If the letter were to be intercepted midway and its contents revealed, it would be disastrous.

Therefore, Shu Yu treated this letter as a family letter, asking about Meng Yunzheng's well-being, and subtly mentioned the bead in Xiao Songle hand, the same one they had seen while painting two years ago.

The painting they did two years ago could only have been during their visit to the black market.

Meng Yunzheng could easily understand that if the bead was related to the black market, he would inevitably think of Prince Gong Qiu. Shu Yu didn't need to say more; he would understand the rest.

After sending both letters, Shu Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

However, in the evening, she still went to Xiao Songle's room.

During this time, Meng Pei and Meng Yunzheng were not at home. Although there were servants in the Meng family, they were still concerned and decided to have the child stay with them, as it was originally his room in the Lu family.

When Shu Yu arrived, she saw the nanny, Niu Shi, helping Xiao Songle finish his bath and get dressed.

When Niu Shi saw Shu Yu, she was slightly surprised, but both she and Xiao Songle were used to her presence.

"Mama, I want to talk to Xiao Songle," Shu Yu said.

Niu Shi understood and quickly stood up, saying, "Second Miss, please have a seat. I was just about to wash up."

Once Niu Shi left, Xiao Songle immediately came over, grabbing the corner of Shu Yu's clothes and looking up at her with expectant eyes.

Shu Yu couldn't help but smile and lifted him back onto the bed, tucking him in.

"Auntie?" Xiao Songle tilted his head, looking puzzled.

Shu Yu smiled and took the bag she had placed on the bedside table, passing it to him with a soft voice, "Little Le, can Auntie ask you for a favor?"

The little boy paused, and then his eyes lit up. He eagerly nodded, indicating he could help; he had grown older and could do things now.

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Shu Yu couldn't help but smile at his bright eyes. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Auntie wants to borrow that bead from you. The pattern on it is very beautiful, and Auntie wants to study it. But it might take some time, so I..."

Before she finished speaking, Xiao Songle suddenly made a move she didn't expect. He reached into the bag and took out the bead without hesitation, then handed it to her without saying a word.

Shu Yu was momentarily stunned by his action. "Little Le?"

"Auntie, here you go," Xiao Songle said.

Shu Yu paused and slowly took the bead from him, asking softly, "Are you really giving this to Auntie?"

She had seen how much he treasured this bead.

She was prepared for rejection, and she couldn't force it from him. She had even considered an alternative plan.

But unexpectedly, he willingly gave it to her.

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Songle who still couldn't articulate fluently, managed to express himself, "Today, the bead fell out, and Uncle... um, I was very nervous. I put the bead in Auntie's hand, so it won't fall off next time."

Shu Yu understood. Although he was a child, he had a good sense of its importance. He must have guessed that it wouldn't be safe to keep the bead with him, especially when she came to him late at night to ask for it.

Chapter 1357: Raising the White Flag

Shu Yu couldn't help but touch Xiao Songle's head and smiled, saying, "Don't worry, the bead will be safe with Auntie. When you grow up and can take care of this bead, Auntie will give it back to you, alright?"

She was afraid that today's incident might happen again. Fortunately, Yuan Shanchuan saw it this time, but what about next time?

Xiao Songle was still young now, but when he grew up and understood everything, Shu Yu and Meng Yunzheng would explain his identity and the origin of the bead to him. Then, it would be up to him to decide how to handle the bead.

Xiao Songle pursed his lips and looked at the bead reluctantly for a moment before nodding firmly.

In the past, he had always held onto this bead because it was something his father had left behind, and it was very important to him.

Being a little child all alone, having this bead with him made him feel like his parents were accompanying him, and he didn't feel so alone. He used to look at this bead every night before going to sleep.

But now, things were different. He had his beloved Auntie and Uncle, Quan Quan and Zhao Cai, and many other people who treated him well.

He hadn't looked at the bead before going to sleep for a long time.

He believed that Auntie wouldn't harm him, and she must have an important reason for wanting the bead.

Xiao Songle raised his head and hugged Shu Yu tightly, saying, "Auntie, I'll entrust the bead to you."

He looked as if he was carefully handing over a precious item, which made Shu Yu chuckle.

"Okay."

She carefully put away the bead, feeling relieved.

Now, it seemed that the restoration of the Black Market Manor would have to be postponed.

But they weren't in a hurry in the first place.

With this matter settled, Shu Yu returned to her busy schedule.

The workshop didn't have much to do now, as there were two managers in charge. So, Da Niu returned to the village and sold sunflower seeds to the villagers. After that, he started teaching them how to plant sunflowers.

Many people in the village thought these people were fools. Why would they grow flowers instead of planting crops? At least they were experienced in planting crops. Sunflowers were a new and unfamiliar thing. What would they do if something went wrong in the future?

Especially when Da Qiang, who had put all his land on sunflower cultivation, seemed crazy.

Some households were frightened by these comments and started to have second thoughts.

However, since they had already bought the seeds and signed the contract, even if they wanted to back out, the others wouldn't agree.

Luckily, they didn't plant a large area, and especially after seeing Da Qiang's resolute determination, they finally settled down and began to work seriously.

Da Niu was in Shishi Village, so Zhou Qiao was naturally there too.

She didn't like living with Li Shi, but Li Shi was good to her granddaughter. Just for this reason, Zhou Qiao felt that there was nothing to argue about. She was already better off than most people in the village, especially with servants to take care of her.

 Chapter 1355: Shu Yu Sends Two Letters

Shu Yu's family had a total of three carriages and mules, and when combined with Meng's family and Zhao Xi's, they almost surrounded the entire Lu family's house.

Today, Da Niu's family, Cui Hua's family, Lan Hua, Er Niu, and others did not return to the county.

Therefore, the carriages were spacious, and when it was time to leave, Shu Yu saw her three younger sisters squeezed into their narrow carriage, finding it difficult, so she let them come to her carriage to sit.

The three little girls were extremely happy. Although they were a bit restrained, Shu Yu's carriage was indeed very comfortable.

Zhuer Village, where the Zhou family was located, was situated between the county and Shishi Village. Shu Yu had originally planned to drop them off at their home and leave.

However, Zhou's father felt that since the in-laws had come all the way, they should at least have some tea before leaving; otherwise, it would be impolite.

So Shu Yu's carriage stopped at Zhuer Village. The others had already left, leaving only Shu Yu, Grandma Lu, and Ying Xi, who was acting as the coachman, in the carriage.

This was Shu Yu's first time visiting the Zhou family. According to Da Niu, the Zhou family used to live quite well. Even though they didn't get much during the family split due to not having a son, they managed to live a good life through their unity.

But a few years ago, Zhou Qiao's mother fell ill and passed away, and most of their savings were spent on her treatment. Their life became difficult again.

Fortunately, they managed to recover in the past few years, but their house was still the old one, not very big and somewhat dilapidated.

Shu Yu took the tea handed over by Zhou Qiao's second sister and said thank you.

Zhou Qiao's second sister quickly waved her hand, looking very embarrassed, and blushed as she went to the kitchen.

Shu Yu thought to herself, "...I'm only one year older than Zhou Qiao's second sister, but it seems like she treats me like a younger generation treats their elders."

Suddenly feeling a bit old.

Shu Yu didn't delay at the Zhou's house for too long. After drinking some tea out of politeness, she was ready to leave.

Zhou Qiao's father didn't stop them this time and just watched them leave.

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....

As soon as Shu Yu left, the neighboring women who were peeking around immediately came over to inquire.

Zhou Qiao's father wasn't good with words and excused himself, saying he was feeling dizzy from drinking too much, then went back to his room to rest.

So the others approached Zhou Qiao's second couple. Despite appearing envious and jealous in front of Zhou Qiao's father's family, they secretly taunted and cursed them from time to time, but when facing outsiders, Zhou Qiao's second Aunt would smile and say, "Oh, the Lu family might not have a grand ceremony, but their food and drinks are top-notch. Otherwise, why would my husband and big brother drink so much? They're just too happy. Seeing that Qiaoqiao is doing well, we can rest assured... I'm not lying, did you not see just now? That person is Lord Lu Xiangjun, if she didn't value our Qiaoqiao, why would she personally send us back?"

Zhou Qiao's second Aunt knew that she had to cling to Lu Xiangjun, as it would bring them benefits. After all, if people knew that the Lu family treated Zhou Qiao well, they would also benefit from the association.

Sure enough, when the others heard what Zhou Qiao's second Aunt said, they all showed envious looks.

By this time, Shu Yu had already returned to the county with the old lady.

Once she got home, she immediately wrote a letter to Qi Lie. She explained her suspicions and the situation with the bead, then sent it through the channel he provided.

Besides Qi Lie, she also wrote a letter to Meng Yunzheng. Although he was about to participate in the government exam, Shu Yu was worried that if something happened in the capital, it might affect those below. So she wanted to let Meng Yunzheng know, in case he was caught off guard.

 Chapter 1354: Signing the Agreement

"Of course, if you're tight on money, you can borrow for now. Once the sunflowers are grown, you can deduct the seed money from the payment."

After Shu Yu finished speaking, the villagers began to whisper to each other.

In the end, three families decided to borrow, while the rest chose to pay upfront.

Shu Yu wasn't surprised and quickly asked them about the area they wanted to plant.

For those who were planting sunflowers for the first time, about half of them were only planting one or two mu of land. Shu Yu didn't mind, as she would purchase the sunflowers based on weight and quality.

Among the remaining half, the smallest area was three mu, like what Liang's wife wanted to plant.

The largest area was planned by the young man named Da Qiang, as mentioned earlier. He had ten mu of land and intended to plant sunflowers on all of it, leaving only six fen for growing vegetables.

Shu Yu was a bit surprised and looked at Da Qiang, asking, "Are you sure?"

Da Qiang nodded, "I'm sure."

The soil on his family's land was not good at all. In the past, their fertile land had been forcibly exchanged by a wealthy landlord due to its advantageous location.

As a result, starting from his grandfather's generation, they could only cultivate inferior land, and life became worse with each passing day.

By the time of his generation, although his family had more land, the harvests weren't good, leading him and his elder brother to remain unmarried even in their twenties.

His elder brother had gone to the prefectural city to find work, and he also wanted to leave, but he couldn't because there were elderly parents and a twelve-year-old sister at home, and he couldn't leave them.

As a result, he couldn't even go to the workshops for employment. However, he felt suffocated staying on these ten mu's of land.

He was the first one to think about planting sunflowers, and since he wasn't familiar with the Lu family, he asked his neighbor, Liang's wife, for information. After all, uncle Liang had been working with Lu Erbai for some time.

As a result, Liang's wife was also convinced, and the news spread from one person to another. Currently, twelve households were planning to plant sunflowers.

Shu Yu was very pleased; she had a strong impression of Da Qiang.

"If everyone is okay with it, I will start writing the agreement. When Da Niu brings the seeds, you can ask him if you have any questions. However, he will only stay in Shishi Village initially and will return to his village afterward. If you have any questions later, you can ask my uncle."

"Alright," Da Qiang was the first to nod.

Shu Yu asked Ying Xi to bring the writing tools from the carriage and began writing the agreement in front of everyone.

She wrote down all the details and then filled in the area each person wanted to plant.

Finally, they pressed their handprints.

Shu Yu collected the agreements and saw that it was getting late, so she stood up and said, "Alright, everything is done. When you go back, prepare the land first. I hope everyone will have a good harvest."

After signing the agreements, the villagers were a little nervous and excited. When they left Lu's house, they were somewhat bewildered and didn't know if their decision today was right or wrong.

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However, after they planted the sunflowers and received twice the money they would have earned from growing crops, they began to feel fortunate about their decision.

As time went on, more and more people started planting sunflowers. Gradually, not only Shishi Village but also the neighboring villages were filled with shimmering golden colors as sunflowers became a local specialty of Jiangyuan County.

Shu Yu took the signed agreements back to Lu Dasong's house. By this time, everyone had rested enough, and they were discussing their plan to return.

Even Grandma Lu seemed much more energetic. However, Zhou Qiao's father wasn't good with alcohol and was still a bit groggy after taking a nap.

It seemed that he couldn't drive the carriage, but Zhou Qiao's second uncle didn't know how to drive.

In the end, the Zhou family decided to leave with Shu Yu's group since they had to pass through their village on the way back to the county.

Chapter 1353: Settling Scores with Close Brothers

The villagers arrived quickly, knowing that Shu Yu and Da Niu would both be at Lu's house today, so they had been waiting at home early in the morning.

Lu Dasong's house was crowded and noisy, not suitable for discussing matters.

Shu Yu decided to hold the meeting at her own house. Although the house in the village was no longer occupied, Lu Dasong took care of it, so it hadn't fallen into disrepair.

Moreover, when they came over this morning, Ruan Shi had already tidied up the inside and outside of the house, so everything was neat and clean.

Ying Xi brought two teapots from Lu Dasong's house and just poured water into the cups when people started arriving at the door one after another.

Most of them were men, with three women among them.

Surprisingly, one of them turned out to be Liang Wangsheng's wife.

Ever since Liang Wangsheng started working with Lu Erbai on repairing jobs, the family's life had gradually improved.

Lu Erbai and Liang Wangsheng were indeed a perfect match, and they worked together efficiently, making tasks much easier.

As a result, Liang Wangsheng earned more money. Originally, Liang's family was in dire straits due to the debts from Li Dashan, their son-in-law, who gambled recklessly. Now, someone even wanted to propose to Liang's daughter.

However, Liang's daughter had just given birth to a child and had experienced the incident where Li Dashan took the money and eloped with someone else. She was not particularly interested in getting married again.

Currently, Liang Wangsheng was working outside, while his wife and daughter were living a peaceful life at home, taking care of their grandson.

In Shu Yu's memory, didn't Liang's family sell most of their land? Li Dashan owed a lot of gambling debts, and creditors were going after Liang's family to collect. They used the land to fill the holes caused by his debts.

Because they knew each other, Liang Wangsheng's wife came forward first to say hello.

Seeing that others seemed a bit reserved, Shu Yu decided to talk to Liang Wangsheng's wife first to understand the situation.

Liang Wangsheng's wife smiled, "Yes, we originally sold all our land. But recently, we bought three mu of land. At first, we wanted to grow crops, but when we heard that Da Qiang and the others wanted to grow sunflowers, I discussed it with my husband and decided to try growing sunflowers too."

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The main reason was that she had inquired with Lu Dasong, and sunflowers weren't that complicated to grow, nor did they require excellent soil conditions.

Currently, it was only her and her daughter at home, plus they had to take care of their grandson. They didn't have much time to spare. When they bought those three mu of land, it wasn't fertile, and the soil quality wasn't great. Growing crops might yield limited results, so they thought of trying sunflowers.

After hearing this, Shu Yu nodded, "Since you and your husband have discussed it, then give it a try. But let me make it clear: if the harvest is not good, I won't buy it."

She deliberately raised her voice a bit at the last sentence, wanting others to hear it too.

Liang Wangsheng's wife hurriedly assured her, "Second Miss, please rest assured. We understand. If the harvest is bad, we won't sell it to you either."

The others quickly echoed, "That's right, we won't force a sale. We can sign an agreement on this."

Seeing their attitude, Shu Yu knew they had considered everything.

"Alright, since all of you uncles are interested in growing sunflowers, I'll write up an agreement. Find someone who can read and write to review it, and we'll write down the required price. Each household will sign it, and after that, I'll have Da Niu sell the seeds to you."

Yes, sell. Clear agreements between close brothers, and she would make sure to explain everything clearly. If they were okay with it, then they could proceed.

However, she would also provide some convenience.

 Chapter 1352: Persuading to Drink

At the end, only second Uncle Zhou was still shouting there.

Da Niu rejected him a few times, but second Uncle Zhou didn't back down. Getting a bit annoyed, Da Niu pretended not to hear his words, laughed it off, and walked past him directly.

The noise over there was quite loud, and Shu Yu subconsciously looked over, frowning slightly.

Second Uncle Zhou was unhappy that Da Niu didn't take him seriously. He was about to chase after him when he turned around and saw Shu Yu giving him a displeased look. He immediately withdrew his hand.

When he realized what happened, he felt a bit embarrassed. Why should he be afraid of that girl? Today was the celebration day of his in-laws. Could she dare to make trouble for him on such a day?

Thinking this way, second uncle Zhou still didn't dare to stop Da Niu. Instead, he turned and pulled Zhou Qiao's father, saying, "Big brother, are you feeling particularly happy today? If you're happy, have a few more drinks. This wine is from the son-in-law's family, and it's a rare good wine that shouldn't be wasted."

That was true. Second uncle Zhou was enticed by the fragrance of the wine and couldn't resist having two cups right at the beginning.

He inquired about the wine and found out that it was not cheap; it was specially purchased by Big Bull from the famous auspicious liquor store in the county. Anyway, it wasn't his money, so he just enjoyed it.

"Yes, I am happy today," Zhou's father said and also had a cup. He was genuinely happy.

His daughter had married a good husband, and he had worried that his daughter a bit dizzy from drinking.

Second Uncle Zhou was unhappy and wanted him to keep drinking. Seeing this, Lu Sanzhu couldn't bear it any longer. It was just drinking, right? He would handle it.

So Lu Sanzhu made second Uncle Zhou drink until he couldn't get up, feeling proud. His alcohol tolerance was definitely top-notch.

The banquet ended, and Zhou Qiao's father and second uncle Zhou couldn't walk properly, so they had to be sent to their rooms to rest.

Zhou's mother was furious because she still had some business to attend to, but everyone was lying around like mud.

Zhou Qiao's three younger sisters, on the other hand, were very happy and chatted with Zhou Qiao for quite a while.

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Grandma Lu also had a few cups, and Shu Yu escorted her back to her room to rest.

It was still early, and since they couldn't leave temporarily, Shu Yu planned to talk to the villagers about growing sunflowers.

Originally, she wanted to stay overnight and discuss it tomorrow.

Now that she knew about Zhu Zi's situation from Yuan Shanchuan, she couldn't wait. She just wanted to hurry back to the county and write a letter to inform Qi Lie about the matter.

If the Second Prince was truly alive, they would have to rely on Qi Lie and his group to find him. Shu Yu didn't have the influence or manpower for that.

Shu Yu moved the discussion with the villagers to today, which left Fan Zhongzheng stunned for a while.

He had also drunk quite a bit at noon, and when he heard that Shu Yu wanted to meet with the villagers now, he was dazed for a while before he came back to his senses.

He didn't want to go and get them. He just wanted to sleep after drinking so much.

However, Fan Zhongzheng still had to consider Shu Yu's identity, so even though he felt uneasy, he still sent his son to get the villagers.

 Chapter 1351: Forgetting the Pearl Incident

  Shu Yu came back to her senses and took a deep breath, forcing a smile, "It's nothing, just thinking about some unpleasant things."

  "Related to the pearl?" Yuan Shanchuan, now having a broader perspective as someone who eats from the government, easily thought of more complicated matters.

  Shu Yu nodded, "Yes, somewhat. Fourth Uncle, thanks for telling me about this. I've also felt that the pearl looked familiar, but couldn't remember where I had seen it. Now, at least, I have some clues and feel relieved."

  "I was afraid it might get us involved with the black market and cause trouble."

  Indeed, if things were as she had imagined, it would be a serious problem.

  Shu Yu fell silent for a moment and then looked serious when she lifted her head, "Fourth Uncle, regarding the pearl incident, do not mention it to anyone in the future. You're right; getting involved with the black market is not a good thing. From now on, you must completely forget about the pearl."

  Yuan Shanchuan opened his mouth, intending to ask if she encountered any trouble and needed his help. But then he realized that with her current status and the people she knew, if she faced serious issues, those people would be more suitable to help her, and he might actually become a burden.

  Thinking of this, Yuan Shanchuan nodded, "Alright, I'll follow your lead."

  "Let's go back and continue the feast."

  They both walked back, and when they arrived in the backyard, Shu Yu subconsciously looked at Xiao Songle.

  The little guy was sitting next to Quan Quan, as if they were in a competition to see who could eat faster. Lu Sixing was on the side stopping them, and on the other side sat the woman that Meng Yunzheng had hired to take care of Xiao Songle.

  The child had become much more cheerful now. Compared to last year, he seemed like a completely different person.

  "Ah Yu?" Grandma's voice rang in her ears.

  Shu Yu turned her head and smiled as she sat beside her.

  Grandma Lu noticed that something seemed off about her expression and asked with concern, "Did you talk about something with your Fourth Uncle? You look like you have something on your mind."

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  "It's nothing. Just some business-related thoughts." She quickly changed the topic, "Grandma, how many dishes have been served?"

  Seeing that Shu Yu didn't want to talk about it, Grandma Lu didn't press further, "Three dishes have been served. Here, I've already put two of them in your bowl. Eat quickly."

  "Grandma Lu, you're the best."

  For now, Shu Yu put aside those thoughts and focused on eating.

  The Full Moon Banquet was particularly lively. During the meal, Da Niu went to toast several tables.

  He only touched his lips with a small wine cup, not drinking much.

  Soon, this annoyed the others, and they insisted that he change to a larger cup.

  Especially second uncle Zhou, who had probably had two drinks already and was a bit tipsy. He demanded that Da Niu show some respect for him as an uncle and insisted that Da Niu drink three cups in a row.

  Da Niu didn't want to reek of alcohol when holding his daughter, as the little girl was quite sensitive to smells. If she smelled something unpleasant, she would cry.

  So, Da Niu made an excuse that he had to deal with matters at the workshop later, so he couldn't drink much.

  The Lu family members were more understanding; apart from Lu Sanzhu, the others were not good drinkers, and they were easy to talk to. The younger generation, including Lai Jinhai, who was slightly older than Da Niu, wouldn't force him to drink.

  As for Lu Sanzhu, he was afraid of Shu Yu. When he heard Da Niu mention that he had some business to deal with later, he immediately calmed down.

  Lai Jinhai always listened to Cui Hua, so naturally, he wouldn't make things difficult for his brother-in-law.

 Chapter 1350: Did He Really Die?

Wait a minute.

Shu Yu's face suddenly changed.

Xiao Songle's bead was left behind at the scene when the Song family was exterminated. It was the murderer's possession.

And they had no doubt that the murderer was from Gong Qiu.

Now, the steward of the black market also had the same bead necklace. There must be a significant connection between the steward and the murderer.

If the murderer was from Gong Qiu, could it be that the black market was also related to Gong Qiu??? Shu Yu was shocked by her own conjecture. If the black market was indeed connected to Gong Qiu, it might explain why manager Guo, the steward, was unwilling to sell the black market to Meng Yunzheng.

Earlier, she and Meng Yunzheng couldn't figure out the grudges between the black market and him. Now, it didn't seem strange anymore.

But Gong Qiu was dead. He was beheaded last year. However, the black market was still operating, and someone was clearly giving orders. Even when they closed down the black market in Jiangyuan County, it was done orderly.

Gong Qiu's identity was verified before his execution. The Fifth Prince was a cautious person and would not let him escape by faking his death.

Wait a minute... Gong Qiu's identity was verified, but there was one person who was not verified—the Second Prince.

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The Second Prince was Gong Qiu's son. The late Emperor hated him to the core and would never spare him.

But that was something only the late Emperor knew in his heart; he would not publicly announce that he was cuckolded.

Therefore, the late Emperor would not directly execute his "son" even though he hated him in his heart. The court officials would not agree either.

Moreover, the Second Prince had rebellious intentions, but he hadn't taken any action yet.

Throughout history, even for those princes who took action, their final fate was not necessarily execution.

So the late Emperor simply demoted the Second Prince to a commoner and imprisoned him in a secluded courtyard.

Of course, whether it was Shu Yu or Meng Yunzheng, they both knew that the late Emperor would not let this trouble linger. He was just waiting for an opportunity, and he was definitely aiming to let the Second Prince die before him.

So, at the end of last year, just about ten days before the late Emperor's death, an accident occurred in the secluded courtyard.

It was said that the Second Prince was feeling depressed and paddled a bamboo raft in the courtyard's lake.

Unexpectedly, he fell into the water and drowned.

However, the servants in the courtyard did not discover his body until several days later. After all, the Second Prince, as a demoted commoner, only ate one meal a day, and the servants did not dare to serve him wholeheartedly.

Moreover, the Second Prince became extremely irritable after his demotion and often abused the servants. Over time, the servants were unwilling to approach him. They would only leave food outside his room and leave if they couldn't remember him.

As a result, they sent him meals several times before realizing that he had not taken them inside. They found his body in the lake afterward.

By then, the Second Prince's body was already swollen from soaking in the water.

After being informed, the late Emperor merely had the Dali Temple and the Forbidden Army confirm the situation, and then he dealt with the servants in the courtyard and hastily buried the Second Prince.

The world said that the Second Prince was dead.

But what if it wasn't him who died?

Shu Yu had never thought about it in this direction before. She believed that the Second Prince's death must have been done by the late Emperor, and nothing accidental would happen.

But if the black market was really related to him and Gong Qiu, could there be something suspicious about the Second Prince's death?

"Ah Yu, Ah Yu? What are you thinking about?" Yuan Shanchuan noticed that she had been silent for a long time, and her expression was extremely bad. He couldn't help but worry.

 Chapter 1349: Where Have I Seen This

The tables were set in the backyard since the house had just been renovated, and the backyard was still plain without vegetables being planted yet.

The backyard was spacious enough to accommodate several tables.

Shu Yu sat at the main table with Grandma Lu . At this moment, Xiao Zao Zao was already back in Zhou Qiao's arms, curiously looking around.

Shu Yu took a glance and saw that the dishes were served, so she helped Grandma Lu with some food.

"That's enough, sit down and eat. You don't need to take care of me," Grandma Lu said, pulling her back and smiling happily as she looked at the whole family enjoying the reunion.

Shu Yu sat back down and just lowered her head to take a sip of soup when she suddenly felt a gaze fixed on her.

She turned slightly and lifted her head, meeting the eyes of her Fourth Uncle, Yuan Shanchuan.

Shu Yu was taken aback, looking puzzledly at her Fourth Uncle.

Yuan Shanchuan pursed his lips and gestured to her. Shu Yu understood and said to the old lady, "Auntie, I suddenly remembered something I need to discuss with my Fourth Uncle. Let me go over there for a moment so I won't forget later."

"Go ahead."

Shu Yu got up, and Yuan Shanchuan also quickly communicated with Lu Sixing before walking to the front yard with Shu Yu.

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....

There weren't many people in the front yard at this time. Apart from those helping with serving dishes, most of the others were dining in the backyard.

Walking to a corner, Shu Yu asked, "What does Fourth Uncle want to talk to me about?"

Yuan Shanchuan said in a low voice, "Ah Yu, do you know that Le Le has a bead in his hand?"

Shu Yu paused and suddenly raised her head, "Why did Fourth Uncle suddenly mention that bead?"

Of course, she knew. When she first saw Xiao Songle, she felt that the bead in the child's hand looked somewhat familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere, but she couldn't recall where.

She didn't expect Yuan Shanchuan to bring it up. Could it be...

"Did you see it somewhere else too, Fourth Uncle?"

"Yes." Yuan Shanchuan nodded.

Shu Yu was startled. Somewhere else? In the black market?

"Fourth Uncle, have you seen it in the black market?"

Yuan Shanchuan frowned slightly, "Yes."

Shu Yu was stunned. In the black market?

"Did you remember where in the black market?"

"The black market's steward wanted to get my painting. We had a conflict, and at that time, on his wrist, I saw a bead necklace with the same beads as the one in Xiao Songle's hand. He seemed to treasure it a lot."

After seeing the bead, Yuan Shanchuan thought it over and decided to talk to Shu Yu about it first.

That steward was not a good person, and the black market was not a good place to go. The relationships inside were complex, and the forces behind it were strong.

Yuan Shanchuan was worried that Xiao Songle might not know where he found the bead or who gave it to him, which might cause trouble later.

If they speculated a bit more conspiratorially, Yuan Shanchuan was even more worried that someone might target Shu Yu and then target Xiao Songle.

Especially since Xiao Songle cherished the bead so much, Yuan Shanchuan was even more concerned.

At this moment, Shu Yu felt like she had been struck by lightning. She had never thought of it before her Fourth Uncle brought it up.

Now that she suddenly recalled it, she did see the bead in the hand of that steward in the black market. That was why she felt somewhat familiar with the bead.

Back then, she and that steward also had some interactions, but it was merely a brief encounter. Afterward, the steward was punished for failing to complete a task, and then he was replaced by Guo, the steward who was there now.

Since then, Shu Yu had only seen Guo, not that steward. Compared to Yuan Shanchuan, who had a conflict with that steward, Shu Yu had only had a casual encounter with him, so she naturally couldn't remember him clearly.