Chapter 207

Life proceeded smoothly. The new crops had been planted and were growing excellently. The construction of the Maritime Trade Office was in full swing, and merchants traveling to and from Changle Town became increasingly frequent.

In April, during Qingming Festival, Wang Yuan’er led her siblings to their parents’ grave to pay their respects. She chattered about the events of the past half-year and informed the spirits of Chun’er’s engagement, which made Wang Chun’er blush deeply in embarrassment.

After Qingming, life continued with its usual ups and downs. Wang Yuan’er collaborated with the master craftsmen at the fermented tofu workshop to create a new variety—”Southern Fermented Tofu.” Compared to regular fermented tofu, this type enhanced the flavor of certain dishes even more. However, as its taste differed from the traditional table-side fermented tofu, its market leaned primarily toward restaurants and eateries.

Business at the workshop operated in an orderly fashion, and Wang Yuan’er kept a close eye on the merchant ship’s movements. If all went smoothly, the ship was expected to return in June.

Once the merchant ship returned, and if the shop location was settled, she could open the new shop and develop a fresh way to generate income.

The more Wang Yuan’er thought about it, the more optimistic she became about the future. Her heart was filled with joy, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly, revealing her good mood.

“From far away, you look like you’ve struck gold and can’t stop smiling. What’s the good news?” A teasing voice suddenly sounded nearby.

Startled, Wang Yuan’er jumped.

“You are always scaring people.” Upon seeing who had arrived, Wang Yuan’er glared in mock blame; her tone tinged with a coquettishness that she herself hadn’t realized.

Cui Yuan raised his eyebrow with a gentle laugh, pretending to be innocent as he said, “I waved to you from afar, and you didn’t even see me. What were you thinking about?”

Wang Yuan’er rolled her eyes and said, “My eyes aren’t functioning well.”

Cui Yuan was stunned, then laughed heartily, saying, “Do you have any free time? Accompany me for a walk?”

Wang Yuan’er hesitated for a moment, then bent her knees slightly and said, “I shall obediently follow your orders, Sir.”

The two walked side by side, only a person’s width apart, chatting softly as they strolled, drawing astonished gazes from the townsfolk.

“Madam Zheng, isn’t that Lord Cui from the new office? How is he so close to that Wang family’s girl?” Madam Liu from the tailor shop, who happened to be buying goods at the general store, saw them passing by and was greatly surprised.

Madam Zheng came out to take a look and was equally amazed in her heart but smiled as she said, “You’re familiar with the personality of the eldest daughter of the Wang family. She rarely argues with anyone and can strike up conversations with anyone. She’s quite cheerful.”

“That’s true.” Madam Liu nodded in agreement, watching the two figures walk away. Suddenly, she remarked, “I wonder if Lord Cui is already married. Looking at them like this, they actually seem quite well-matched.”

“This… can’t be, right? In wealthy households, the rules are strict. How could the Wang family ever match up?” Madam Zheng hesitated and said.

“I’m just saying,” Madam Liu chuckled.

“Oh my, what are you two hostesses gossiping about that’s making you so cheerful?” Madam Xie, from Zhou Shunxing’s family, walked up carrying a baby on her back. Following their gaze, she frowned, “Isn’t that Wang Yuan’er over there?”

“You have sharp eyes, spotting that from such a distance,” Madam Liu praised with a laugh.

“Her appearance—I’d recognize her even if she turned to ash! How could I not? Oh, and who’s that next to her? Could it be that, like her younger sister, she’s trying to cozy up and climb the social ladder again?” Madam Xie said sharply, noticing that the man walking beside Wang Yuan’er was dressed in fine clothing, clearly not an ordinary townsman.

Madam Zheng and Madam Liu exchanged glances and laughed, “We can’t really tell from here. Anyway, what did you come to buy?”

“Oh, I came to get some mung beans. My little one has a rash on her face, so I need to boil some mung bean water to help clear the heat toxins. I originally asked her father to come, but he disappeared early in the morning. That lazy man—he’s getting better at slacking off,” Madam Xie said while adjusting the baby she was carrying on her back.

Madam Zheng and Madam Liu looked over, and sure enough, the little one’s face was covered in red rashes.

“You’d better keep an eye on him. Could it be that some woman has enticed him away?” Madam Liu said, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Madam Xie glared and said boldly, “If he dares, I’ll make sure he can never have children again.”

“Then you’d have to live as a widow,” Madam Zheng joked, handing her a bag of mung beans with a smile.

Madam Xie laughed and said, “He can’t even satisfy me at home; how would he be able to feed someone else? Men only think about wild food outside when they’re not full at home.”

Listen to her—married women really say the wildest things! If it were an unmarried girl, she’d die of embarrassment already.

…

Cui Yuan and Wang Yuan’er walked to the drying yard. Since the new rice was just recently planted and still had a long way to grow before harvest, the yard was currently empty, with only a few pointed stacks of straw piled up not far away.

“I heard from my second aunt that the court has also sent merchant ships to the seas. Is that true?” Wang Yuan’er remembered her aunt’s words and turned to ask the man beside her.

“Since His Majesty aims to reform governance, naturally, actions must follow. If the Maritime Trade Office is to be established, the court must lead by example and dispatch ships to the sea,” Cui Yuan replied with a faint smile.

Wang Yuan’er nodded and said, “That’s good. With the navy clearing the way, things will go more smoothly.”

“You seem to know quite a bit,” Cui Yuan said, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her.

Wang Yuan’er’s face turned red, and she said, “I just heard it from others.”

Cui Yuan laughed heartily and said, “While having the navy clear the way is helpful, the sea is inherently risky. Whether the ships return smoothly can only be known once they come back. After all, there are factors like weather and pirates.”

“Pirates really exist?” Wang Yuan’er widened her eyes, looking rather worried.

“The world is vast and full of wonders; nothing is impossible. Even though the world appears peaceful now, there are still occasional skirmishes at the borders, and in some remote mountain areas, there are bandits and thieves. As for the martial arts world, disputes over sects and factions are even more common,” Cui Yuan said with a slight smile. “So, the existence of pirates is not surprising. However, compared to pirates, I am more concerned about the weather. When faced with natural disasters, humans appear small and helpless.”

Wang Yuan’er listened, her lips pursed. What he said, she knew all too well. In her previous life, although she had not personally experienced the flash floods in Changle Town, she had heard from others about the danger and terror they involved.

Will it be the same in this lifetime? Wang Yuan’er secretly pinched her fingers and calculated. If her timing was correct, then there were still four years left until the flash flood disaster—set to happen in the fifth year of Jingping?

Thinking of the scene of overwhelming floodwaters, Wang Yuan’er shivered.

“Are you cold?” Cui Yuan noticed her reaction and asked.

Wang Yuan’er shook her head and, after a moment of thought, said, “When you mention natural disasters, it reminds me of the flash flood in Changle Town a hundred years ago. I wonder if such an event might happen again someday. If it does, what should we do?”

Cui Yuan was taken aback. This was the second time she had earnestly mentioned this flash flood, and she clearly showed worry and fear—as though certain it would happen again!

“Life is unpredictable. Do your best, trust in fate, and accept what comes,” he said after a long pause.

Wang Yuan’er looked at him. His face was calm, prompting her to smile and say, “You’re right. Perhaps I’m being overly anxious.”

“Having a sense of crisis is good, but don’t let it weigh you down and trap you. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on everything else.”

Wang Yuan’er was somewhat surprised, pursing her lips as she carefully pondered his words. They seemed to make sense. Perhaps she was trapped by her past life’s memories and experiences.

Cui Yuan walked a few steps forward and, noticing she hadn’t followed, called out, “Come here!”

Wang Yuan’er responded with an “Oh,” and the two continued discussing the topic of the Maritime Trade Office.

“Whenever new policies are implemented, there are always some officials who oppose them, especially the stubborn ones. Take the Maritime Trade Office, for example—two officials shed blood on their foreheads in front of the Taihe Hall of the imperial palace,” Cui Yuan said with his hands behind his back. “Opening the Maritime Trade Office and promoting maritime commerce certainly has its drawbacks, but it is imperative. Foreign countries possess many things that our nation lacks, including advanced medical techniques.”

“Listening to you, I really want to go and see it for myself,” Wang Yuan’er said with a hint of longing.

Cui Yuan stopped walking and looked at her with deep meaning in his eyes. “If there’s a chance, I’ll take you there.”

Wang Yuan’er was startled and looked into his eyes, feeling as though they were like an ancient spring—deep and mysterious, as if they could draw her in. Her breath caught, and her heart began to race. Her cheeks flushed, and she coughed twice before quickly walking ahead.

Cui Yuan chuckled and followed her.

“I heard your family has deep ties with the Tang family?” Cui Yuan suddenly thought of something and asked.

Wang Yuan’er’s heart skipped a beat, and she hesitated to speak. “My cousin, the daughter of my second uncle, became a concubine to the third young master of the Tang family.”

Cui Yuan frowned.

“The Tang family also invested in a merchant ship, and my second uncle and aunt took a share in it. This could be considered quite a deep involvement, right?” Wang Yuan’er said with a bitter smile.

Cui Yuan’s frown deepened, and just as he was about to speak, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Wang Yuan’er didn’t notice and continued walking forward, her mind still dwelling on the tangled relationship between her second uncle’s family and the Tang family. Could that be called a tangled relationship?

Out of the blue, Cui Yuan grabbed her hand, startling her into a scream. However, before she could make a sound, Cui Yuan covered her mouth and pulled her behind a stack of straw to hide.

What was he doing? Wang Yuan’er was stunned by his series of actions and reached out to pry his hand away. Before she could pull his hand down, she heard some playful banter and teasing voices nearby.

“You’re so annoying! You either don’t come for days or show up early in the morning to mess with me. Hey, take it easy!” a woman’s coquettish voice said.

“That wife of mine keeps a close watch, but I think about you every day. My dear, I miss you so much. Come on, give me a massage…” a man’s voice replied.

Then came the sound of rustling, mixed with moans that expressed pain and pleasure.

Wang Yuan’er’s mind exploded, her face burning as if it were on fire, turning a deep purple-red like a pig’s liver. In her previous life, she had experienced relationships and heard plenty of bawdy jokes from women. How could she not understand what was happening behind them?

They… they had stumbled upon someone else’s private moment!