Chapter 205: Ah Wan Has Gave Birth
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Ten days passed, and it was getting closer and closer to Yu Shaoqing’s birthday. The Yu family’s construction site had also built a foundation and a brick wall. Ever since Yu Wan beat them up, there were no more disputes on the construction site. Everything was carried out methodically.
Yu Wan personally took care of the workshop every day, so it was busy but not messy. The reclamation of the back mountain was originally supervised by Shuanzi. But it was changed to Yu Shaoqing as Shuanzi could not suppress that group of bandits. He was teased a few times and fell until his face was swollen. Yu Shaoqing went up the mountain and beat them up, and the bandits immediately became obedient.
On this day, Little Bruiser and Madam Jiang didn’t stay in bed for once. The family of four sat in the central room for breakfast.
Yu Shaoqing cooked sweet potato porridge, steamed cornbread, steamed a bowl of egg custard for each of the siblings, and brewed a bowl of brown sugar ginger tea for Madam Jiang.
Yu Wan looked at the sweet brown sugar water and thought to herself, No wonder Mom hasn’t been staying in bed recently. It’s because she can’t do embarrassing things when her period comes.!!
Well, she actually wanted a sister.
“Ah Wan, it’s almost the end of the month,” Yu Shaoqing said meaningfully as he glanced at his shoes.
Yu Wan was busy eating the egg custard and did not notice her father’s gaze, but her father seemed to be implying something.
Yu Wan remembered and wiped her mouth. “Don’t worry, Daddy. I remember!” Wasn’t it just to give those guys the antidote?
Actually, there was no antidote. Master Bao was just bluffing. What they were poisoned with was not the Seven-Day Intestinal Breakage Powder, but a short-term poison made from a small amount of aconite. Even if they didn’t take the antidote, they would recover after vomiting and diarrhea for a day or two.
Of course, in order to make those guys obedient, Grandpa Bao still pretended to make a few bottles of pills.
Yu Wan nodded. “I’ll give it to you at the end of the month.”
Yu Shaoqing was so excited that he almost floated.
Little Bruiser felt a headache coming on when he saw how happy his father was. Wasn’t it just a red dress? Why was he so happy? He really felt sad for his mother. His mother must not know that her man had such a strange habit.
Therefore, women had to keep their eyes open before they got married because they would never know how many sides the man they married had.
Little Bruiser sighed helplessly and continued to eat his egg custard. After all, this man’s egg custard was quite good.
“Dad.” After dinner, Yu Wan told Yu Shaoqing about the mountain. “Dad, what do you think of that mountain?”
Lotus Flower Village was surrounded by mountains on three sides. Yu Wan chose to open up the mountains in the east, while she usually went to pick wild leeks and dig bamboo shoots in the south.
Yu Shaoqing had also followed his family to farm before he joined the army. To be honest, he did not think that the soil on that mountain was very fertile. The soil below did not look bad on the lower side, but the higher he went, the more barren the soil was. However, he could not dampen his daughter’s spirits, so he said, “Ah Wan, what are you planning to plant after we open the land?”
“I want to plant fruit trees, grapes, and tea leaves. It’s best to open another medicinal field,” Yu Wan said longingly.
Don’t you think that the soil is very barren… Yu Shaoqing took a deep breath. He was a good father who doted on his daughter.
“Dad, what do you think?” Yu Wan asked with a smile.
Yu Shaoqing said, “…Good, quite good.”
In any case, it was not their land. When the time came, there would not be much left after giving out to the villagers. Moreover, without fields, it was better than nothing to have a barren mountain.
Yu Wan struck while the iron was hot and said, “Since Dad says so, let’s buy that mountain!”
Yu Shaoqing almost choked. What did his daughter say? Buy the mountain? That dilapidated mountain?
Yu Shaoqing cleared his throat and said seriously, “Shouldn’t we discuss such a big matter with your uncle first?”
Yu Wan said, “I’ve already asked Uncle. Uncle said he’ll listen to Dad!”
Big Brother had been an old farmer for half his life. How could he not see that the mountain could only produce crops after at least three to five years of improvement? He was hoping that he would be a bad person in front of Ah Wan.
Big Brother was too scheming!
Yu Shaoqing clenched his fists. “Ah Wan, that land…”
“Yes, Dad.”
“… Buy it!” Yu Shaoqing smiled.
“What? You want to buy a mountain?” When the village headman heard Yu Wan’s words, his jaw almost dropped.
Yu Wan nodded seriously. “Yes, you didn’t hear wrongly. I want to buy a mountain.”
“Just… the mountain we excavated?” The village headman looked strangely at Yu Shaoqing and Uncle, who had come with Yu Wan and were standing behind her. “Your family agreed?”
The two of them had indescribable expressions.
Yu Wan smiled and said, “My uncle and father especially agree!”
The two of them covered their eyes.
The village headman retracted his gaze in shock and looked awkwardly at Yu Wan in front of him. He thought to himself, “This is not how you dote on your daughter. The soil on that mountain is so bad. Are you blind?”
There were many mountains around Lotus Flower Village, but this was the only one that met the conditions to open up the land. This was still on account that their village’s fertile fields had been destroyed. Otherwise, how could there be a mountain for them to open up?
Of course, they had only explored the side that was close to the village. The other side had not been touched yet. They did not know if the soil would be better.
“If you buy the mountain, where will the villagers farm?” The village headman asked.
“Just plant it on the mountain,” Yu Wan said.
The village headman was stunned. “Then won’t they become tenant farmers?”
The villagers of Lotus Flower Village were all farmers. Although they had to bear the responsibility of harsh taxes and military service, the land was theirs, unlike the tenant farmers who worked for others.
Yu Wan held her chin and said, “But the magistrate prefecture didn’t say that they would give the land on the mountain to the villagers. They only said that they would carve out as many acres as they lost. Not a single cent more, not a single cent less.”
That was true. At the end of the day, the only things that were really remembered were the fertile fields that were destroyed during the earthquake. They only had the right to use the barren mountain and did not have any ownership. Therefore, it really did not matter who held the barren mountain.
“Then the farmland rent…” The village headman hesitated.
Yu Wan said, “It won’t be higher than the magistrate prefecture. Don’t worry.”
At this point, there was nothing for the village headman to disagree with. No matter what, it was the villagers who wanted to earn money, and Ah Wan was the one who suffered.
“Sigh.” This prodigal woman.
The village headman boarded the ox cart to go to the magistrate prefecture to settle the procedures. Yu Shaoqing and Uncle returned to the residence with heartache.
Uncle took out the recipe and Yu Shaoqing picked up the hoe.
Little Bruiser asked suspiciously, “Uncle, Dad, where are you going?”
The two of them said in unison, “To earn money!”
… .
The village headman moved quickly and returned two hours later. He didn’t have time to catch his breath and went straight to Yu Wan’s house. “Ah Wan, I found out that that mountain… can be sold!”
Yu Wan poured a bowl of cold tea for him. “How much money?”
The village headman picked up the tea bowl with one hand and gestured with the other.
Yu Wan raised her eyebrows. “Fifty taels?”
The village headman choked on a mouthful of tea. “Why do you think the officials are so kind? Five hundred taels! Not a single cent less!”
“This is too expensive!” It was not Yu Wan’s first day in Lotus Flower Village. She had asked around about the land prices in the surrounding villages. Such a desolate mountain was at most a hundred taels.
“How about not buying it?” The village headman also felt that it was expensive.
“I want to buy it,” Yu Wan said.
The village headman was puzzled. “Why do you have to buy a mountain?”
“I just want to buy it,” Yu Wan said.
“You…” The village headman gasped. “You’re burning your money!”
A desolate mountain had the value of a desolate mountain. According to Yu Wan’s original budget, as long as the price did not exceed a hundred taels, she would not lose out. However, now that it had exceeded by four hundred taels, to be honest, the risk and returns were not proportional. However, for some reason, Yu Wan still had the urge to buy it.
Could it be that I really want to be a landlady? Yu Wan took a deep breath and said to the village headman, “I’ll think of a way to get the money. I’ll have to trouble you to help me connect with the magistrate prefecture.”
“Sigh, why don’t you listen…” The village headman complained.
Yu Wan took her bag and went to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
The news of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion cooking for the palace was widely spread by Master Qin. Now, it was full of customers and business was unbelievably good.
Master Qin had just personally sent off a table of guests when he looked up and saw Yu Wan jump down from a carriage. His eyes lit up and he went up to her. “Aiya, what brings our second-in-charge here?”
Yu Wan said, “You’re from Jiangzuo. Don’t talk in the Capital accent. It sounds awkward.”
Master Qin curled his lips.
Yu Wan carried the bag into the hall. The waiters and customers had doubled than last time, so it was obvious that business was good.
Yu Wan thought of something and said, “I passed by Tianxiang Restaurant just now. Its business is much colder than before.”
Master Qin patted his chest and said, “Of course! The guests have all come to our place! After eating our dishes, they no longer wanted to eat theirs!”
These words were only half right. The taste of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion was good, but the Tianxiang Restaurant was not bad either. The reason why the current situation was formed was firstly because the Drunken Immortal Pavilion had launched a dish that was not available in the entire Capital, and secondly, the reputation of the Tianxiang Restaurant was too bad.
However, even so, the Tianxiang Restaurant had no intention of curbing its trend. After their new eighth restaurant closed down, it reopened. Not only that, but they were also planning to open its ninth restaurant in the northern part of the city.
Yu Wan really could not understand Xu Shao’s brain.
Master Qin led Yu Wan to the second floor and pushed open an exquisite wooden door. “This is the room specially prepared for you.”
“I have a room?” Yu Wan was surprised.
Master Qin smiled. “Of course! You’re the owner of our Drunken Immortal Pavilion! How can you not have your own room!”
Was he flattering her again? He had clearly entered the palace and realized that she was more valuable.
Yu Wan glanced at him.
Master Qin was defeated. “Alright, I can’t neglect the number one chef in the world.”
Yu Wan was very satisfied with the room. It was spacious and bright. There were no overly complicated decorations. It was elegant and quiet. Everything was just right.
“That’s how you came? Where’s my bamboo shoots?” Master Qin sized up Yu Wan from behind.
Yu Wan placed the bag on the table. “The bamboo shoots will be ready at the end of the month. I came to look for you today to show you something.”
“What?” Master Qin raised his eyebrows.
Yu Wan opened the bag and handed him a scroll.
Master Qin vaguely felt that this scroll looked familiar. He took it in his hand strangely, untied the ribbon, and opened it. He was instantly dumbfounded. “‘The Number One Chef In The World’? Isn’t this His Majesty’s calligraphy?”
“Do you want it?” Yu Wan asked.
Of course, he wanted it! Even in his dreams, he wanted it! This was the Emperor’s calligraphy. If he took it back, he could make all the officials pay their respects, okay?
Master Qin swallowed his saliva and resisted the urge to put the scroll into his bag. “This, this can’t be given away casually, right…”
Yu Wan said, “Who said anything about giving it away? I’m selling it to you.”
Master Qin: “???”
If she couldn’t give it to him, couldn’t she sell it? Master Qin really wanted to dig open this girl’s head and see what it looked like.
Master Qin said seriously, “I’m afraid it won’t be good if His Majesty finds out…”
Yu Wan: “Five hundred taels.”
Master Qin: “Deal!”
Fifteen minutes later, Yu Wan left the Drunken Immortal Pavilion with five white banknotes.
Actually, with her relationship with Master Qin, she could borrow five hundred taels without having to sell the Emperor’s calligraphy. However, firstly, she didn’t like to owe people money. Secondly, could she eat or drink the Emperor’s calligraphy? They were all rough people, and the younger children were also naughty. If they accidentally broke it, they would have to bear the crime of great disrespect. It was better to sell it. Out of sight, out of mind.
Yu Wan got into the hired carriage.
The coachman said, “Miss Yu, are we going back to the village?”
Yu Wan often rented this carriage and was familiar with the coachman.
Yu Wan thought for a while and said, “I’m not going back to the village yet. I’m going to the Xiao Manor.”
Since she had already entered the Capital, how could she not go and see the three children? However, she had left in a hurry today and did not bring the snacks that her uncle had made. Yu Wan asked the coachman to park the carriage in front of a snack shop and asked for a box of osmanthus cake, a box of cloud cake, and three sticks of candied hawthorn.
“How much?” Yu Wan asked.
“Sixty-four copper coins,” the lady boss said.
The things in the city were expensive. Yu Wan took out her purse and was about to take out the money when a beggar suddenly ran over and snatched Yu Wan’s purse!
Yu Wan’s eyes turned cold. He was really courting death by snatching money from her!
“Keep it for me. I’ll be back soon.” After Yu Wan instructed, she quickly chased after the little beggar.
… .
In a quiet alley, Zhao Heng walked hurriedly with a few bags of newly caught medicine. After secretly moving out of Lotus Flower Village, he cut off all ties with the past and stayed in an old house in the Capital.
Although this house was dilapidated, it was not far from where he was currently studying. It was very convenient for him to take care of Mrs. Zhao.
Today, he went to the pharmacy to get the medicine and was in a hurry to go back and make it for Mrs. Zhao to drink. Unexpectedly, two tall men suddenly walked over and blocked his path.
He went left, so did they.
He went right, so did they.
This meant that they were targeting him.
Zhao Heng was only a weak scholar who was powerless. He could not defeat them. He suppressed the fear in his heart and asked the two of them, “May I ask what’s the matter?”
One of the burly men said, “My master wants to see you.”
Zhao Heng asked in confusion, “Your master is…”
The two of them did not answer. They put a sack on his head and brought him away.
When the sack was removed, Zhao Heng was already pressed onto a chair. In front of him was a screen of mountains and rivers. On both sides of the screen were the two burly men who had just captured him.
Zhao Heng was so frightened that his legs went weak.
Behind the screen, Xu Shao’s trusted aide said angrily, “You’re Zhao Heng?”
Zhao Heng’s heart skipped a beat. “…Yes, I’m Zhao Heng. May I ask who you are…”
“You don’t have to know who I am. I invited you here today because I have a few questions for you. As long as you answer me honestly, I promise not to make things difficult for you.”
“What do you want to ask?” Zhao Heng asked.
“Bring the portrait to him.”
A burly man walked behind the screen, took a portrait from Xu Shao’s trusted aide, and unfolded it in front of Zhao Heng.
It was a portrait of a woman. The woman in the portrait was dressed in plain clothes and had an ugly appearance. There were large red spots on her face and she had a pregnant belly that was about to give birth.
Zhao Heng felt nauseous just by looking at it. How could a man be with such an ugly woman?
“Do you recognize her?” Xu Shao’s trusted aide asked.
Zhao Heng thought to himself, How can I know such an ugly woman? I’ve never even seen her before!
“No, I don’t recognize her,” Zhao Heng said.
“Don’t lie. I have plenty of ways to make you tell the truth.” After Xu Shao’s trusted aide finished speaking, the two burly men immediately pulled out the daggers at their waists.
Zhao Heng trembled in fear and said fearfully, “I’m telling the truth! I’ve never seen the person in the portrait!”
“Take a closer look!” Xu Shao’s trusted aide said.
Zhao Heng felt nauseous just by looking at such an ugly woman. He held back the churning in his stomach and looked carefully. This time, he really saw something. Those eyes, to be precise, those innocent eyes, made him feel a trace of familiarity, but he still could not remember where he had seen them before.
Zhao Heng shook his head. “I’m not lying to you. I’ve really never seen this person before.”
Xu Shao’s trusted aide frowned. Could it be that they had caught the wrong person again? They had already caught two scholars called Zhao Heng near the Capital. One was in his thirties, and his children were already fifteen or sixteen. The other was only eighteen, but he had never been engaged to any woman.
Wait, engagement? An idea flashed across the confidant’s mind. He said indifferently, “Have you been engaged to someone?”
Zhao Heng was shocked and did not understand why the other party was asking this, but he still answered honestly, “Yes, but it was annulled.”
“Why was it annulled?”
Zhao Heng braced himself and said, “She’s immoral and seduced men.”
“How old is she?”
Why did he keep asking about that woman? Zhao Heng suppressed his impatience and replied, “Seventeen. She’s eighteen this year.”
The age matched!
Xu Shao’s trusted aide carefully asked for information about the woman and realized that she had gone missing three years ago. After that, she returned to the village with a sum of money. Silver? Wasn’t that the windfall from selling Yan Jiuchao’s jade pendant?
Xu Shao’s trusted aide excitedly got someone to bring a pen and paper and ordered Zhao Heng to draw the other party’s face.
Zhao Heng has good grades and draws well. Soon, he painted Yu Wan’s appearance. However, when he was finishing Yu Wan’s drawing, he stopped.
“Why aren’t you drawing anymore?” Xu Shao’s trusted aide asked in a deep voice.
Zhao Heng’s eyes flashed and he broke out in cold sweat. “My hand is numb… It’ll be fine soon.”
Zhao Heng glanced at the innocent woman in the portrait, lowered his eyes, and drew a pair of cold eyes.
The other party kept his word and did not make things difficult for him. After obtaining the portrait, he asked the burly man to put on a sack for him and brought him away.
The moment he left, he vaguely heard the conversation behind him.
“Look at this gaze. It doesn’t look like it at all. Are they the same person?”
Zhao Heng was thrown back into the original alley. The medicine bag he had dropped on the ground had been trampled by the passers-by, so he could only go and get another batch of medicine for Mrs. Zhao.
He stood up in a sorry state and walked towards the pharmacy. However, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.
“Speak! Are you still going to snatch it!”
“Boohoo… We won’t snatch anymore… We won’t snatch anymore… Heroine, please spare our lives… We won’t dare to do it again…”
Zhao Heng followed the sound and saw Yu Wan, who was swinging a stick and beating up seven or eight thieves in a dirty alley.
Zhao Heng felt a sense of unfamiliarity. This was not the Ah Wan he remembered. The one in the portrait was. Even if she had changed her appearance, those eyes… those eyes that had revealed shyness and innocence countless times in front of him, could not be forgotten.
After Yu Wan was done lecturing them, she took back her purse and snatched the money from them.
The little thieves trembled and cried.
Yu Wan was still in a hurry to see the three little lads. She couldn’t be bothered to argue with them. “Get lost!”
The little thieves rolled away in panic!
Yu Wan weighed the money bag in her hand. Including the ten taels she had snatched, she had five hundred and ten taels.
“Who exactly are you?”
A man’s voice came from behind. Yu Wan turned around. “Zhao Heng?”
Zhao Heng muttered, “You’re not Ah Wan. Who are you? What did you do to Ah Wan?”
Yu Wan said coldly, “You’re crazy! Open your eyes and see clearly. I’m Yu Wan!”
“You look like her, but…” Zhao Heng looked into Yu Wan’s eyes. “You’re not her. She’ll never look at me like that.”
Yu Wan’s expression did not change as she said, “After you broke off my engagement and forced me to jump into the river to commit suicide, what kind of gaze do you expect me to look at you with? Adoration? Unwavering feelings? Continue to be loyal to you?”
Zhao Heng’s gaze landed on her flat stomach and he said with difficulty, “Ah Wan is innocent. I wronged her… Ah Wan didn’t enter the brothel… You were the one who entered the brothel, and you were also the one who secretly got pregnant with another man…”
Yu Wan slapped him. “Not only did you accuse me of entering a brothel, you even accused me of giving birth! Zhao Heng! You’re a man!”
Zhao Heng was beaten to the ground. He turned around and looked coldly at Yu Wan. “You said I wronged you. Alright, do you dare to do a physical examination with me?!”