Chapter 208

Having lived two lives and endured an unpleasant marriage in her previous one, Wang Yuan’er was not naive about matters between men and women. However, she had never stumbled upon someone else’s private moment like this—especially in broad daylight, behind a stack of straw. Were these two being overly bold?

“Come on, hurry up! Why insist on doing it here? What if someone comes…” the woman’s lazy voice pulled Wang Yuan’er back to reality.

“Isn’t it more thrilling here? Hmm… hmm…” the man panted heavily.

Their audacious and blush-inducing words spilled out like a string of beads, making it impossible to listen any further.

Wang Yuan’er’s face turned as red as a cooked shrimp, and the hand covering her mouth felt like a burning furnace. She blinked her eyes and tried to pry Cui Yuan’s hand away.

Cui Yuan lowered his head and, seeing her blinking, quickly withdrew his hand. His palm brushed against her soft lips, making his hand feel even hotter, and his ears turned redder than when he overheard the couple’s intimate moment.

Wang Yuan’er didn’t notice his reaction. Instead, she found the man’s voice somewhat familiar. Just as she was about to peek and see who it was, Cui Yuan suddenly grabbed her hand again and pulled her behind another stack of straw.

Wang Yuan’er looked up at him with confusion, but he gestured toward the path they had come from.

Someone was coming!

Sure enough, a few half-grown children walked over carrying small buckets, chatting loudly.

The commotion caused by the mischievous kids was enough to startle the couple engaged in their secret rendezvous. Before long, a woman with disheveled hair dashed out and quickly walked away. Moments later, a man emerged, tidying his clothes as he walked opposite the woman.

“It’s him!” Wang Yuan’er exclaimed softly, surprised as she recognized the man’s face.

“You know him?” Cui Yuan glanced over.

Blushing, Wang Yuan’er nodded and said, “He’s the nephew of my second aunt’s sister-in-law.”

No wonder the voice had sounded familiar—it turned out to be Zhou Shunxing. The Zhou family hadn’t been in town for long, and yet he had already gotten involved with someone?

That woman must be the infamous Madam He, right?

Speaking of Madam He, she was known to be a fiery character. Her husband, He Dalang, was a peddler who stood only four chun tall ( 133.33 cm) and spent his days carrying goods through the streets. It was said that He Dalang had brought Madam He back from a rural village. Though he claimed to have married her, the truth was that she had been restless and gained a bad reputation in her village, which led her to elope with He Dalang.

Who would have known? Rivers and mountains may change, but one’s nature is hard to alter. After marrying He Dalang, Madam He showed her true nature not long after pretending to behave—entangling herself ambiguously with multiple men and stirring up disgraceful fighting scandals.

In Changle Town, no one doesn’t know about Madam He’s scandals. They say she reeks of seductive charm, so strong that the scent carries down the long ten-mile street. It’s also said that He Dalang wears one green hat after another (a Chinese idiom implying being cuckolded) but can’t take it off because no one else would marry him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought this woman back. At least she bore him a son, although no one can be certain he’s truly of the He family line.

Zhou Shunxing somehow became involved with Madam He. If his family finds out, both sides are such fierce characters, that the drama would surely be something worth watching!

Wang Yuan’er suddenly found herself harboring a malicious sense of glee.

Cui Yuan read the expression on her face like an open book and raised an eyebrow, saying, “You seem to be enjoying this as if you’re watching a show.” Her schadenfreude, her mischief—it was oddly charming.

Caught red-handed!

Wang Yuan’er cleared her throat awkwardly, feeling a little uneasy, and decided to change the subject. She turned to admire the surrounding scenery and casually said, “The weather is quite nice today!”

Cui Yuan burst into hearty laughter, his voice filling the air, dissipating the embarrassment of having stumbled upon someone else’s scandal.

It was, after all, a private matter, and both individuals tacitly agreed not to bring it up. Wang Yuan’er, however, seemed to harbor a sense of secret delight at sharing a private secret with him.

“Right, earlier you asked me what the connection between our family and the Tang family is?”

As they walked back, Wang Yuan’er suddenly remembered to ask.

Cui Yuan halted his steps, recalling Li Xian’s recent investigation results. His lips tightened.

Seeing the grave expression on his face, Wang Yuan’er’s heart skipped a beat. “Is there something wrong?” she cautiously asked.

After some thought, Cui Yuan finally responded, “Although there is no concrete evidence yet, back when your second uncle encountered that matter, there were faint traces of the Tang family’s involvement. They cleaned up quickly but left behind some clues that pointed towards the elder master of the Tang family.”

Wang Yuan’er widened her eyes, her face pale, and stammered, “W-What does this mean?”

“The matter is over. Your second uncle has been extricated from it, so it no longer concerns him. Ultimately, it’s just one phrase—when gods fight, mortals suffer.” Cui Yuan spoke cryptically.

“When gods fight, mortals suffer.” He spoke in veiled terms, but Wang Yuan’er managed to decipher the underlying meaning.

Wang Er was just an ordinary farmer—a powerless, propertyless man—not someone worth targeting. For Cui Yuan to speak like this, there could be only one implication: Xiang Zhuang waved his sword with intentions directed at Pei Gong (an idiom implying ulterior motives behind one’s actions).

No matter the reason, the Tang family treated Second Uncle as the sword for their attack.

“That… that Zhang Dapeng and the others’ deaths…” Wang Yuan’er thought of the other two.

“Silencing witnesses,” Cui Yuan said flatly, “only the dead won’t speak.”

The Tang family was this ruthless!

Wang Yuan’er broke out in cold sweat and instinctively grabbed his sleeve. “What about my Second Uncle? Could he…”

“Your Second Uncle was merely a sword. He should be thankful that he only interacted with what he believed to be the ‘middleman’; otherwise, he might have…”

Wang Yuan’er turned deathly pale.

Cui Yuan’s meaning was clear: Wang Er was on the periphery. If the roles were reversed, and he had been the one dealing with the Tang family directly, he would likely have met a fatal end as well.

She stumbled slightly. Cui Yuan steadied her and, seeing her pale face, said, “Don’t worry. Since your Second Uncle is still alive and well, the Tang family doesn’t see him as a threat. He truly knows nothing.”

“But earlier, you mentioned being involved?” Wang Yuan’er was uneasy.

“The reason I brought this up,” Cui Yuan said, “was to warn you that it’s best not to get entangled with the Tang family. If you can avoid involvement, do so. If not, then it’s best to keep your distance. As long as there’s sufficient evidence, the Tang family’s actions will surely reach the Heavenly Court for judgment.” Cui Yuan reminded her, “This matter involves the state’s affairs, and I can’t say much more. Even if I did, you might not understand. In any case, severing ties with the Tang family would undoubtedly be the best option.”

The Tang family orchestrated this matter—regardless of their motives—but daring to exploit the common people and harm the nation’s interests will certainly not end well for them. It all depends on how much evidence is eventually gathered. At worst, they could face dismissal and accountability, and at worst, several clans could be implicated.

Wang Yuan’er’s face turned completely ashen, and she stammered, “My cousin became a concubine of the Tang family, and my Second Uncle and the others invested in the Tang family’s merchant ships. This…”

“Sometimes, certain sacrifices must be made. You can’t drag the whole family into ruin. As for your cousin, if things really reach that point, she could flee far away. It’s not impossible,” Cui Yuan said softly. “At the very least, she might end up as a government servant.”

In these times, while runaway concubines would certainly be punished if caught, it was not unheard of for servants or concubines to take valuables and escape if a prominent family encountered disaster.

Cui Yuan expressed the worst-case scenario: “This is the worst-case scenario, and it depends on whether the crimes committed by the Tang family reach the emperor’s bottom line. The Tang family’s survival can already be considered sheer luck. After all, they were once part of the Crown Prince’s faction and only survived by being opportunistic. Otherwise, what glory would there be left to speak of?”

Li Xian was no saint either. With someone scheming to trap him, how could he endure? The Tang family, lurking like a wolf, watching intently—how could he sleep peacefully under such circumstances? He would certainly eliminate dissidents.

Wang Yuan’er’s head was buzzing, and her mind was in chaos. Her second sister was already engaged, and someone had also inquired about her third sister. The workshop’s business was thriving, and with merchant ships operating externally, she had been hoping for smooth days ahead. Suddenly hearing such an astonishing secret, her heart felt clogged, weighed down with discomfort.

“So, are you saying the Tang family has no good days left?” Wang Yuan’er managed to squeeze out the question with difficulty. Seeing him nod, she couldn’t help but give a bitter smile. No wonder when she last saw Old Madam Tang, she looked as if she’d aged several years—it must be because she had already sensed this matter?

“One could say the Tang family’s time is nearly up,” Cui Yuan said in a low voice. “I’m telling you this to remind you not to get too close to their family and avoid getting implicated in the future. But remember, what I’m saying today is for your ears only. Do you understand?”

It was only in this setting that he would speak to Wang Yuan’er about the Tang family. If the news were to leak, it could alert them. Yet, he couldn’t just stand by and watch the Wang family get entangled in this mess—especially the main branch of the Wang family. The reason for his concern? Perhaps it was because they’d crossed paths, or maybe it was simply that he couldn’t bear the thought. Even Cui Yuan himself was somewhat uncertain.

Wang Yuan’er naturally understood what he meant—it was a warning to keep her silence!

“You’ve helped my family time and again, and I truly don’t know how to thank you,” Wang Yuan’er said, looking at him with gratitude in her eyes.

“It’s just a reminder,” Cui Yuan waved his hand.

His advice, however, was meant to save their entire family. Yet, how was she to persuade her Second Uncle and the others?

Wang Yuan’er furrowed her brows deeply.

“Don’t panic. Gradually distance yourselves. As for the merchant ship, wealth is external—if it’s lost, it’s lost,” Cui Yuan reassured her as he noticed her troubled expression.

The merchant ship—yes, maybe she could start with that?

Wang Yuan’er’s eyes lit up. She could leverage the merchant ship issue and stir up a conflict, leading to a complete fallout. But such a move required an opportunity—what kind of opportunity?

“Ah, regarding the shops—there’s already news. Two shops, both in decent locations. The spaces aren’t large, and they’re in the capital. Prices aren’t high, with rent around five or six hundred taels a year. If you’re interested in opening a shop, have Chen Shu help you secure them,” Cui Yuan added.

Wang Yuan’er was thrilled—news so soon?

If possible, why not secure both shops? Using this, she could persuade her Second Uncle to withdraw his investment from the merchant ship, reclaim half the silver, and use it to open a shop.

Having made up her mind, Wang Yuan’er hurriedly prepared to discuss matters with Grandpa Wang and the others.