Chapter 213

Cui Yuan, of course, refused to accept the money offered by the Wang family. Helping them was never about the silver. If he took it, it would change the whole purpose of his assistance. As for why he helped the Wang family, even he couldn’t explain it clearly. Not even when Li Xian questioned him would he have an answer.

“I heard the Wang family has a suitable-aged girl. Could it be that you’ve taken a fancy to her?” Li Xian teased.

The incident involving the Wang family causing a scene at the Tang family’s estate had spread widely and in great detail. Li Xian couldn’t possibly not know about it, especially since Cui Yuan had given him a heads-up beforehand. After all, he held the evidence of the Tang family’s crimes, so whether the Wang family caused a commotion or not didn’t concern him much.

Cui Yuan shot him an annoyed glare.

Li Xian burst into laughter and added, “The Wang family is just a humble household, unworthy of matching the prestigious Cui family that has lasted for centuries. But taking her as a concubine wouldn’t be impossible.”

The Cui family was a renowned aristocratic lineage, and Cui Yuan, regardless of whether he was a legitimate son or not, was still a noble gentleman. Compared to a humble family, the difference was significant. Not to mention, Cui Yuan had earned the emperor’s favor and was clearly on the path to becoming a trusted minister. Many noble maidens would jump at the chance to marry him.

Thus, it was impossible for him to take a farm girl from a humble background as a legitimate wife. However, as a concubine—it wouldn’t matter much.

“That’s getting increasingly ridiculous,” Cui Yuan rolled his eyes. Yet, in his mind, Wang Yuan’er’s delicate and charming face suddenly appeared.

To take her as a concubine? Considering that her sister had once become one herself, Cui Yuan figured she probably hated the idea. There was no way she would stoop to such a position willingly. Not only that but even if he requested it, she might still refuse. Cui Yuan was certain that the girl had dreams of finding a hardworking, honest young man of equal status with whom she could live a harmonious and fulfilling life.

The more Cui Yuan thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. A knot formed in his chest, and he decided to drop the topic. Turning to Li Xian, he asked, “What’s the situation with the Tang family?”

With a cold smile, Li Xian straightened up and said, “After all that commotion, the Tang family has lost both face and reputation. Old Madam Tang had a stroke and can’t even speak properly now.”

He continued, “Second Master Tang is overwhelmed. First, he had to clean up his nephew’s mess, and now he’s busy trying to cover up his own scandals!”

“Hmm?” Cui Yuan raised an eyebrow.

“In the 23rd year of Jianhe, Second Master Tang was the prefect of Chongzhou. That year, Chongzhou suffered a drought, followed by locust infestations, leaving the region with no harvest. The court allocated one million silver taels for disaster relief, of which Second Master Tang embezzled eighty thousand and his father-in-law one hundred and twenty thousand.” Li Xian sneered, “These two—father and son-in-law—pocketed two hundred thousand while accepting additional bribes from others. Of the relief funds meant for tens of thousands of disaster victims, less than five hundred thousand actually reached them. They even dared to pull off such vile deeds.”

“Then it seems the Tang family is truly doomed,” Cui Yuan remarked, tapping the table. “Years ago, the He family faced total extermination for embezzling only ten thousand gold. Whether the Tang family escapes this disaster will depend entirely on their luck.”

Embezzling ten thousand gold led to the He family’s ruin. The Tang family, with far worse crimes, should face similar justice—fairness demands it.

However, Cui Yuan didn’t particularly care either way. To him, the Tang family was nothing more than a petty troublemaker, and whether they lived or died was irrelevant.

“Your evaluation period ends this year, doesn’t it? When you return to the capital, will you join the Ministry of Works?” Cui Yuan asked.

Li Xian, who had accomplished much in managing river channels, was likely to be appointed to the Ministry of Works.

“I’ll follow His Majesty’s orders. But honestly, I’ve grown fond of living in this town—far from the scheming and plotting of the imperial court. Life is peaceful here. Returning to the capital means wearing a mask every day,” Li Xian said as he leaned back in his chair, glancing at Cui Yuan. “I didn’t expect you to join the Maritime Trade Office, but since the emperor is pushing new policies and you’re a trusted minister, you’re well-suited for the role.”

“As you said, the town is more peaceful. Though the capital is prosperous, the constant plotting and deceit is exhausting,” Cui Yuan replied, his eyelids lowered. Avoiding all that scheming seemed desirable.

“Your elder brother…” Li Xian patted Cui Yuan’s shoulder, “With the opening of the Maritime Trade Office and foreign trade established, their medical practices far surpass ours. Perhaps you’ll find foreign doctors for him.”

Cui Yuan pressed his lips tightly together, thinking of his elder brother. Whatever crossed his mind made him grimly silent.

Unwilling to delve into the topic further, Cui Yuan stood to take his leave.

Li Xian escorted him out with a light sigh. Whether noble gentlemen or humble commoners, everyone had their own troubles.

Meanwhile, Wang Yuan’er heard about Old Madam Tang’s stroke. Though mildly surprised, she didn’t dwell on it.

An elderly person suffering repeated blows to their pride and emotions would inevitably face health issues like a stroke. If the Tang family completely collapsed in the future, it wouldn’t be surprising if it ultimately caused her death.

At the Wang household.

Wang Yuan’er was called to the main hall for a discussion about the 250 silver taels recovered from withdrawing their investment in the Tang family’s merchant ship business.

“Although the silver is less than what we initially invested, it’s still better than having our lives hanging by a thread. Second son doesn’t have a job, and Fuquan is idle all day. The family can’t continue like this—after all, even mountains will run out of resources eventually. We need to generate income. I was thinking about reopening the carpenter’s shop. Yuan’er, you always have good ideas—do you think it’s feasible?” Grandpa Wang asked, looking at her. He was determined to revive the carpenter’s shop to uphold their family legacy, but after all they had been through, he wanted to hear Wang Yuan’er’s thoughts.

Having already considered this during the decision to withdraw their investment, Wang Yuan’er replied, “Grandpa, with the Maritime Trade Office about to open and the court sending merchant ships overseas, if all goes well, those ships will return soon. I’ve heard that the imported goods are fascinating and novel, things we don’t have here. I was thinking about opening a shop in the capital to sell those foreign goods. What do you think about that idea?”

“Would people even buy those foreign goods?” Grandma Wang frowned.

“Who doesn’t like novel things? I think there’s potential in this trade,” Wang Yuan’er said confidently before turning to Wang Er and asking, “Second Uncle, what do you think?”

“I think Yuan’er’s idea is viable. Father, our previous carpenter’s shop only made a few dozen taels in profit annually. It’s already been sold off, and there’s another carpenter’s shop in town—opening a new one wouldn’t bring in much. It’s better to start a shop selling unique, fresh goods,” Wang Er agreed with her suggestion. Pausing, he added, “But if we do open one, it shouldn’t be in the capital. Let’s find a location here in town instead.”

Wang Yuan’er was momentarily stunned. Given its abundance of wealthy patrons, the capital offered much greater opportunities—how much could one gain in Changle Town?

Noticing Wang Yuan’er’s hesitation, Wang Er said, “Our Wang family as a whole—your branch aside—consists of just a few girls and a young child barely old enough to walk. For us, it’s only Fuquan and me while your grandfather and grandmother are getting on in years. A family always needs men to take responsibility at home. The capital may be good, but it’s far from home. If anything urgent happens, we won’t be able to respond quickly or leave easily. While not as prosperous as the capital, Changle Town has seen an increasing number of merchants and visitors recently. It might not be impossible to make a living here. Earning less is fine; the key is that we can still care for the family.”

Wang Yuan’er suddenly understood.

Grandma and Grandpa Wang exchanged a look of relief. After everything that had happened, Wang Er had finally matured—something they considered a blessing.

“Your second uncle makes a valid point. As the saying goes, ‘When parents are alive, children should not stray far.’ Our family needs a pillar of support. We can’t always rely on you, a young girl, to handle everything. In the future, when it comes to arranging marriages for you girls, your second uncle and others will need to step forward to take charge,” Old Wang said with a steady tone. Then he added, “Since that’s settled, we won’t reopen the carpenter’s shop. If you believe the foreign goods business can succeed, we’ll rent a storefront here in town to start the venture.”

Wang Er, noticing Wang Yuan’er’s silence, assumed she still had concerns. Softening his tone, he said, “Yuan’er, it’s true that I’ve failed to support you and acted irresponsibly in the past—that was my mistake. Spending those days in prison made me reflect deeply. I understand now that it was my lack of progress and greed that led to my downfall. Don’t worry—after everything that’s happened, if I haven’t learned my lesson, I’d be unworthy of calling myself a man. Even if you don’t trust me, know this: with your father gone, I am now the maternal uncle for you and your siblings. I promise to protect all of you.”

A heartfelt shift seems to be taking place in the family. It looks like they’re coming together, with lessons learned and a newfound determination to face the future.

“After a close call with death, you still haven’t come to your senses and turned over a new leaf? Poor Yuan’er, she’s had to handle so much for you,” Grandpa Wang scolded his son, glaring at him.

Wang Er chuckled sheepishly and lowered his head.

Seeing this scene, Wang Yuan’er felt an unexplainable pang in her chest, her nose slightly tingling.

It’s often in moments of crisis that one realizes the value of family. If only the Wang family had more capable and responsible men, why would she, a young woman, have to run around taking care of everything and offering solutions?

That’s why, she thought, having sons was so important. When she married someday, she’d make sure to have ten or eight of them in quick succession. That way, even if one were lost, several others could still lend a hand. Even after her death, she wouldn’t have to worry about having no one to burn incense and make offerings in her honor.

She suddenly smiled and said, “Second Uncle, it’s good that you’ve figured things out. Relying on others is never as dependable as relying on yourself. Let’s work hard and earn ourselves a better life.”

“Exactly!” Grandpa Wang stroked his beard, his face breaking into a wide smile. It was one of the most sincere and content smiles he had shown in a long while.

“And your wife,” Grandpa Wang’s wife suddenly said. “That Madam Zhang—over the past two years, she’s become increasingly unreasonable. These past few days while she’s been away, we managed to sever ties with the Tang family smoothly. Once she comes back, she’s bound to stir up chaos. Second son, what’s your plan?”

Wang Yuan’er glanced over.

After such a major incident, the whole town was buzzing with gossip. When Madam Zhang returned, she would surely hear about it and, judging by her temperament, would undoubtedly create an uproar.

Wang Er’s expression hardened, and he replied seriously, “I’ll pick one or two points to explain to her. If she insists on causing trouble, I’ll divorce her.”

“A virtuous wife brings fewer troubles for her husband. You need to make plans for yourself. Don’t let a woman lead you by the nose,” Grandpa Wang said pointedly.

Clearly, neither Grandpa or Grandma Wang was pleased with Madam Zhang’s behavior.

Wang Yuan’er remained silent, feeling no sense of schadenfreude. She didn’t expect Madam Zhang to improve her ways. She only hoped that her second uncle would establish authority and keep her in check—not necessarily benefiting the family but at least avoiding dragging them down.

Taking Grandpa Wang’s advice to heart, Wang Er repeatedly nodded his agreement. Resolving to act decisively, he decided that if Madam Zhang truly caused an irreparable mess, he would write a divorce letter.