Chapter 73

Using cow’s milk for baths can make the skin as fair as snow, smooth, and delicate. Thus, the daughter of the second house of the Tang family has been using cow’s milk for baths all year round. It is said that her skin is indeed as white and delicate as snow.

Wang Yuan’er deeply felt that life was unfair. Her little brother didn’t even have enough to eat, while the young lady of a noble family used milk for bathing. Was this what it meant to be wealthy and powerful?

Cow’s milk was unavailable in Changle Town, and the Tang family’s milk was transported from the capital, as the Tang family’s estate raised such dairy cows.

Is there a way to get some milk from the Tang family?

Wang Yuan’er was very troubled. She knew very little about the Tang family. After all, the Tang family was large and powerful, with an official of the fourth rank, unlike ordinary folks like them.

However, in her previous life, the Tang family didn’t seem to have a good ending either. Now, Second Master Tang was a supporter of the Crown Prince. After the Crown Prince was imprisoned, his status plummeted. In May, when the Crown Prince rebelled, Second Master Tang was implicated. Eventually, when the new Emperor ascended the throne, Second Master Tang was dismissed and returned to Changle Town as a wealthy commoner.

Now, it was already the sixteenth day of the first lunar month. Would the events of the Lantern Festival in her previous life happen again in this life?

If the Crown Prince was imprisoned, the Tang family should keep a low profile.

With this in mind, Wang Yuan’er gave up the idea of asking the Tang family for milk. If there were any implications, it would be disastrous. As for her little brother, he would have to make do with porridge water.

Having figured this out, Wang Yuan’er left the vicinity of the Tang family’s mansion.

A few days passed, and Wang Yuan’er heard the secret news of the Crown Prince’s imprisonment from a restaurant.

As in her previous life, the Crown Prince was found in an inappropriate situation with one of the Emperor’s concubines. To save the royal family’s face, the concubine was executed under the guise of a sudden illness, and the Crown Prince was confined to the Eastern Palace, unable to move without an order.

Such secrets were not supposed to reach the common people, but with some intentional spread, it was rumored that the Crown Prince’s moral conduct was lacking and that he should be deposed in favor of a virtuous person. For a time, those in the court who supported the Crown Prince were panicking, busy cleaning up their traces.

“Eldest sister, do you think the Crown Prince really stole his father’s concubine?” Wang Qing’er asked Wang Yuan’er with a mischievous look.

Wang Yuan’er was startled and quickly covered her mouth, flicking her forehead with her other hand. “How could you learn and spout such things? Be careful, or you’ll end up in jail!”

This girl always wanted to be in the middle of the action and couldn’t stay out of trouble, even daring to speak such secrets.

“Everyone’s talking about it, not just me,” Wang Qing’er said, removing her hand. Seeing her sister’s face darken, she added, “Alright, I won’t say it anymore. I didn’t say it outside.”

“You’d better watch your mouth, or you’ll suffer for it in the future,” Wang Yuan’er said, poking her forehead.

Wang Qing’er pouted and said, “I just saw the second madam of the Tang family hurrying back to the capital, but the concubine was left behind.”

Before the new year, just like in her previous life, Second Master Tang’s concubine had indeed followed him and was left in the old Tang family mansion, causing quite a stir.

With the Crown Prince’s downfall, Second Master Tang’s side must be in chaos. Being in the same camp, the second madam of the Tang family had to return to the capital to help her husband stabilize the situation. As for the concubine, she was left behind under the pretense of needing rest, out of sight and out of mind.

Realizing this, Wang Yuan’er said, “Mind your own business and go wash the diapers. This trouble won’t reach ordinary folks like us. Let’s just live our own lives well.”

Chapter 74

As soon as the new year passed, spring gradually emerged. On the second day of the second lunar month, known as the Dragon Raising its Head Day, the whole of Changle Town became lively. The docks reopened, and the fields needed to be prepared for planting.

The Wang family’s land was rented out to tenant farmers, with the family taking a 40% share of the annual harvest. Now that the family had split, the seven mu of land allotted to the main house needed a decision. Early in the morning, Grandpa Wang called Wang Yuan’er to ask her opinion.

Wang Yuan’er thought carefully and said, “Grandpa, now that my parents are gone and my brother is not even a month old yet, we are all girls and don’t know how to farm. Let’s rent out the land.”

“Your grandma and I thought the same. If you trust Grandpa, I’ll rent it out for you. The 40% share of the harvest can be sold if you can’t consume it all, supplementing the household expenses. As for the shop’s shares, we can settle accounts once every ten days instead of annually to ease any financial difficulties. What do you think?” Grandpa Wang said, smoking his pipe. “Don’t worry, as long as I’m around, you will get your due without any shortfall.”

“Grandpa, we trust you,” Wang Yuan’er quickly replied. “We’ll do as you suggest.” She hadn’t planned to live off the ancestral shares alone. The family division was fair, and she would claim what was due. At least the inheritance could be saved for her little brother, Baolai. For herself, she had ideas to expand income sources, not relying solely on the family assets. She could save up for her siblings’ future marriages.

With the matter settled, Wang Yuan’er left the main room, thinking about the dock reopening and the influx of people. It would be a good time to make and sell marinated eggs and similar items. It was said that the older the marinade, the more valuable it became. The more she used it, the richer the flavor became over time.

“Yuan’er,” Wang Er called out to her.

“Uncle, what’s the matter?” Wang Yuan’er walked over.

“Are you still selling your recipe?”

Wang Yuan’er was surprised that her uncle brought up the old matter again and asked, “Is it still the master of the Tang family who wants it?”

“He is willing to pay eighty taels for the recipe,” Wang Er said, nodding and showing the amount with his fingers.

Wang Yuan’er pursed her lips and replied, “Uncle, I don’t want to sell it.”

Wang Er jumped up, restraining his temper when he saw the white flower on her head, and said, “What are you thinking? How many eggs and dried tofu would you have to sell to make eighty taels? Can you not do the math?”

“Uncle, the master of the Tang family wants my recipe to open a shop, right? If he can open a shop, why can’t I?” Wang Yuan’er shook her head. “If someone else can make money from it, why can’t I?”

“You? Open a shop?” Wang Er scoffed as if hearing the biggest joke. “Do you know how much it costs to open a shop? Do you have that kind of money? With just a few taels of private savings, stop daydreaming!”

“I know what I’m doing. Anyway, I’m not selling the recipe,” Wang Yuan’er turned away but then frowned and turned back. “Uncle, you’ve heard the rumors, right? The Tang family is on the Crown Prince’s side. It’s best not to get too close to them; getting implicated is no joke.”

If it weren’t for the Crown Prince’s downfall, she might have considered collaborating with the Tang family on the marinated egg business. But now, it was best to avoid any entanglements.

“What do you know?” Wang Er waved her off dismissively.

Wang Yuan’er was furious but didn’t bother arguing with him. She had done her part by reminding him.