Mo Sang – CH 266

Chapter 266. Arriving from Afar

Master Qiao, holding Aunt Wu’s hand, inquired in detail about the value of those pills, calculating how many could be sold in a year. Having a rough idea, she went back and meticulously recounted the calculations with Blind Mi, feeling both pleased and wistful.

“Now that you think about it, it makes sense. These pills from our mountain are indeed valuable. When our sect members go down the mountain, the first thing they do is take plenty of pills in case they fall ill on the road or encounter sick people. Why did we not think of this as a way to make money?”

“Because none of us are money-grubbers. We are not merchants,” Blind Mi said, huddled in his armchair, looking dejected.

“That’s true, sigh. And what about cotton? Can it really make money?” Master Qiao looked at Blind Mi.

She had asked Aunt Wu about the cotton. Aunt Wu said that cotton was new, and cotton cloth was even newer, something never seen before. It was hard to say what it would be like.

“If she says it will work, it is highly likely it will.”

Blind Mi was extremely frustrated about the cotton. She’d mentioned it several times; how could he have forgotten? And that woman surnamed Meng had not said a word about it!

“When I came back just now, Qiming told me the Boss wanted us to make that infertility-inhibiting stuff, saying it is a good thing, a way to make a lot of money.” Master Qiao took a deep breath when she mentioned “a lot of money”; she added, “The Boss said a lot of money, so it is definitely going to be substantial.”

“I think we should do that stuff too. It is not about the money; it is about saving lives.

Let’s not even talk about the brothels. Countless people have died trying to prevent pregnancy or trying to have abortions—all horribly. And many more have been killed on the spot with those brutal methods used to stop fertility!

As for poor families, with one baby after another, women cannot work like men. How many children die on the spot, are drowned, or are thrown into baby towers because they cannot be raised?

At the time, we could not bring ourselves to do it, and later, even more died of cold, hunger, and disease. It was not that the parents were heartless; they simply had no other choice. Alas!” Blind Mi sighed deeply.

“The Boss is saying it is for big money.” Master Qiao glanced at Blind Mi, who looked indignant. She felt he was taking his anger out on her.

“The wives of wealthy families do not want to keep having babies. With this thing, there will be fewer concubines and maids.” Blind Mi shrank back, chuckling dryly. “This is not a big deal, but Senior Sister Zhao always thinks of the world as if she could plan for five hundred years in advance. She needs to change that.”

“I cannot argue with her. You go talk to her,” Master Qiao replied directly.

Blind Mi snorted but did not reply.

………………………………

Outside Jianle City, a group of a dozen or so carriages, carrying forty or fifty people, travel worn from the south.

On the lead carriage, three curtains were rolled up high.

Shi Acai held her daughter, Ale, who was not yet a year old, in her arms, looking around with a sense of awe.

Shi Acai’s four-year-old son, Ayan, leaned on the carriage railing, pointing excitedly with his chubby fingers, shouting, “Third Uncle, Third Uncle, that one, Fourth Uncle, that one!”

“We’ve only reached the Sanshi-Li Pavilion!” Shi Acai and her two younger brothers, riding alongside her, exclaimed.

“The place we rested at the day before yesterday was quite lively!” Ayan’s fourth uncle, Yang Zhining, only fifteen or sixteen years old, looked around with about the same excitement as Ayan. “Ayan, you like that sugar figurine? Fourth Uncle will buy it for you! Two!”

“Uncle Zhou said that when he came last time, the city was bustling, but outside the city gates it was desolate,” said Yang Zhian, the third son, with a smile.

“That was forty or fifty years ago, when I was about Fourth Master’s age.

Now look at it, the grandeur of this prosperous era has begun. Look how lively it is!” said Uncle Zhou, riding ahead on horseback, turning back and smiling.

“Fourth Uncle! Fourth Uncle! Thirsty! Thirsty!” Ayan’s eyes lit up as he saw the ice cream stall by the roadside and shouted.

Shi Acai’s youngest daughter, Ale, was awakened by her brother’s shout. Hearing the word “thirsty,” she also became excited.

She also loved ice cream.

The carriage stopped for a moment. Ayan leaned on the railing, pointing with his chubby finger. “Lots of peaches, lots of ice cream, lots of everything!”

The carriage continued forward. The closer they got to Jianle City, the heavier and more uneasy Shi Acai’s heart became.

Her journey would determine the fate and trajectory of the Yang clan, and even the entire Jiuxi Shidong region, for the next one or two hundred years.

Before leaving Longbiao City, they discussed many things, but no conclusion was reached. Who could foresee the future?

The Emperor of Great Qi was unknown before his ascension to the throne. Less than a year into his reign, war broke out between the North and the South. Everyone said he was a brilliant and ambitious ruler, both wise and ruthless. An overly powerful Emperor was suffocating.

Before she came, her mother and Ah Li instructed her, perhaps only to advise her to act according to circumstances.

Before the world was unified, facing the Southern Liang, the Jiuxi Shidong region could not act as they pleased. They had to plan and weigh their options, advancing and retreating back and forth, doing their utmost, unable to act as they pleased. Now, the world was about to be unified.

When the empire was unified, it would have been far better for the court to have numerous smaller villages like the Jiuxi Shidong than to have them all under one rule, as things were now.

Mother said that if things were like that, the Jiuxi Shidong would have reverted to what they were a hundred years ago, filled with constant fighting, with layers of old and new grudges between the villages forming deep-seated, abyssal feuds once again.

Shi Acai grew increasingly melancholic as she thought about it.

Seeing Shi Acai lost in thought, the maid A-Zuo reached out and hugged Ale.

Ayan, holding his ice cream in one hand, quickly moved over and presented the bowl to Ale. “Sister, eat.”

“Sister can only lick it; she does not have teeth yet,” A-Zuo said, using a small silver spoon to dip a little ice cream into the bowl for Ale to eat.

The caravan proceeded at a leisurely pace, passing the Sanshi-Li Pavilion.

Ahead of the caravan, from the direction of Jianle City, a string of about ten horses galloped towards them.

“Alert!” The head guard at the front immediately raised his hand and ordered in a low voice.

On the lead horse, a girl in red stood up in the stirrups.

“It’s Big Sister!”

The head guard, with his sharp eyes, recognized her the moment she stood up and immediately signaled the guards to make way.

Yang Nanxing rushed past the cart, forcefully reined in her horse, turned around, and chased after it again.

“Sister-in-law!” Yang Nanxing jumped onto the cart, stepping on the stirrups.

“Big Sister! Can you be a little steadier?!”

Yang Nanxing’s horse veered to the side, bumping into Fourth Master Yang Zhining’s horse. Yang Zhining bent down to grab the reins of Yang Nanxing’s horse while calling out.

“You are here too! If you cannot speak properly, then do not speak! Or I will beat you up!” Yang Nanxing said, throwing the whip in her hand at Yang Zhining. “Third Brother’s here too! Third Brother’s grown taller!”

“Let me hug Ale! I missed Ale so much! Ayan, come here too! Auntie missed you so much!”

“No, no, I will not let go! Candy! Candy!” Ayan desperately protected his sugar figurine.

“You bought a sugar figurine too.” Yang Nanxing casually took a bite out of Ayan’s sugar figurine. “Mmm, pretty good.”

“No, no!” Ayan cried out.

“Eat it quickly, or Auntie will eat it all,” A-You quickly reminded Ayan.

Ayan, who was about to burst into tears, immediately stopped crying and opened his mouth wide to bite the sugar figurine.

His aunt would take advantage of his crying to eat all his things—that was her usual routine.

Shi Acai leaned back against the car railing, smiling as she watched the lively scene unfold.

“What are you doing here?” Watching Yang Nanxing finish feeding and getting ready, Shi Acai asked with a smile.

“As soon as I received your message, Ah Jiang came with me,” Yang Nanxing said, pointing to Ye Ningjiang on horseback.

Ye Ningjiang bowed to Shi Acai in response to Yang Nanxing’s gesture.

“We came quickly, ten days ago. You came from the south, and there are only four or five roads from the south. Ah Jiang sent men to each road, all guarding the Sanshi-Li Pavilion. I just received news that it looked like the Third Brother, so I rushed over.”

“Sister-in-law has lost weight, a lot of weight. How is Mother? Where is my Eldest Brother? And my Second Brother and sister-in-law? How is everything at home?” Yang Nanxing asked a string of questions.

“Lower the curtains on both sides,” Shi Acai instructed before answering Yang Nanxing’s question.

A-Zuo and A-You, who had been serving in the carriage, were both extremely trusted confidants. A-Zuo quickly carried Yan’er to the next carriage, while A-You lowered the curtain, carried Ale’er, and also went to the next carriage.

“After you left, Master Ye went to Longbiao City,” Shi Acai said softly, watching A-Zuo and A-You get out of the carriage, remaining silent for a moment before looking at Yang Nanxing.

“It was my entrustment.

Just after leaving Longbiao City, I told Ah Jiang that I wanted to go back. You are all in Longbiao City; if you are all gone, what’s the point of me living alone?

Ah Jiang said that his father knew a very powerful person who might be able to persuade Great-grandmother.

Ah Jiang said that his father was able to leave the monastic life and was now completely different from before, all because of this person’s persuasion. Ah Jiang said that in terms of stubbornness, his father and great-grandmother were equally matched. He said that if this person could persuade his father, he could definitely persuade his great-grandmother.

Later, I gave Ah Jiang the jade butterfly that we each had.

Ah Jiang returned a few days after he left, saying he had found that person and given her the jade butterfly. His father and that person told him to go home and wait.

I do not know what happened after that. About two months later, someone came to Anqing Prefecture looking for Ah Jiang and returned the jade butterfly, saying it was useless,” Yang Nanxing said softly, her eyes lowered.

“Does Master Ye know about the jade butterfly?” Shi Acai glanced at Yang Nanxing.

“No, Ah Jiang did not tell him. I tested him once, and he really did not know.” Yang Nanxing looked at Shi Acai.

“Grandma was murdered, and Father could not catch his breath. Mother was there at the time, but she could not save him,” Shi Acai said, her eyes lowered.

“Mother, are you alright?” Yang Nanxing’s throat tightened slightly.

“Mother is doing well. She handled everything afterward. Thank goodness for her.” Shi Acai patted Yang Nanxing on the shoulder.

“You came here this time?” Yang Nanxing looked at Shi Acai.

“After Grandmother and Father died, your Eldest Brother recalled the army stationed in Changsha overnight. I heard that the next day, General Wu abandoned Changsha and retreated towards Hangzhou.

Before I set off here, your Second Brother went to Sichuan to request an audience with General Wen. Your Eldest Brother personally led troops to follow behind, preparing to assist General Wen.

This was also Mother’s intention, and my father and brother strongly agreed.

Mother said that the world has been in turmoil for one or two hundred years. What is divided will eventually unite. The unification of the world by the Great Qi is the inevitable trend and the will of Heaven. We cannot risk the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Jiuxi Shidong to defy Heaven.

Besides, for over a hundred years, we have never belonged to Southern Liang, never been subjects of Liang. We are not a military family,” Shi Acai said softly.

“Once we enter the city, will you go directly to the palace to request an audience? Does the Emperor know you are coming?” Yang Nanxing hummed in agreement and asked.

“I do not know. I plan to go to Shunfeng Post Station first to see if they can inform him.” Shi Acai looked at Yang Nanxing, her words carrying a strong sense of negotiation.

“Have you met that person? That Boss?” Yang Nanxing asked.

“No!” Shi Acai shook her head.

“I have not met her either. Ah Jiang has. He said that the leader, at first glance, is completely unremarkable, but after a few words, you realize she is extremely perceptive.

Where are you staying? The Ye family has a house in Jianle City, but since your trip is not private, it is not appropriate for you to stay there. The post station?” Yang Nanxing’s tone lightened slightly.

“Let’s find an inn, one close to Shunfeng Express. I heard the Shunfeng Express in Jianle City is extremely close to the Imperial City,” Shi Acai said with a slight smile.

“That’s the main branch. I’ve been there twice. The storefront is as small as the flagpole. The back of the shop faces the southeast corner tower of the Imperial City, separated from the city by a moat. Next to it is the Court of Judicial Review prison, and on the other side is a boot shop.

I heard that before Shunfeng Express opened, everyone said that the boot shop had bad feng shui. The owner wanted to sell it for years, but could not.

Now it is amazing. It has become a landmark in Jianle City.

Anyone coming to Jianle City must visit Shunfeng General Store and then buy a pair of boots from the boot shop next door. Tell them the boots they sell are called Dengyun Boots, for good fortune.

That boot shop used to be called Liu’s Boot Shop, but now it is called Dengyun Old Store.

Oh, right, I bought a pair for each of you, even Ale!” Yang Nanxing waved his hand generously.

“Ah Jiang has been with you the whole time, even though he’s so busy.” Shi Acai looked at Ye Ningjiang, who was talking to Yang Zhian and Yang Zhining on horseback beside her.

“Yes, it was Master Ye’s order. He said it is a big deal here. We are all unfamiliar with Jianle City. The Ye family has been doing business here for years, and many of their students hold official positions. He said if anything happens, we should go to these people; it is very different from Ah Jiang going directly to them.

Master Ye said Ah Jiang should stay with us until things are settled here. The Ye family business is handled by Master Ye.” Yang Nanxing glanced sideways at Ye Ningjiang and smiled.

“Does Master Ye know about Grandma’s accident?” Shi Acai asked softly.

“It seems he does not. When he received the news of the death, Master Ye cried very hard. Later, he went to the temple to perform a religious ceremony and personally attended for seven days.” Yang Nanxing sighed.

“It’s all in the past. Since you came here because of this family matter, will you accompany me to the Shunfeng headquarters later?” Shi Acai smiled.

“Going today? By the time we get into the city and settle in, it will be evening.”

“Yes, we have to go once we get into the city. We have to be careful in everything we do on this trip. Before we came, Mother and your Eldest Brother repeatedly told me: this trip is to pay homage to the Emperor, and no amount of respect is too much.” Shi Acai took a deep breath.

“Speaking of which, Master Ye gave Axing a stern look and scolded Axing, Alian, and me together, saying that our Yang family acts like emperors in Longbiao City, but we need to change this attitude outside of Longbiao City.

Before we came, Master Ye gave me these instructions again and again, and even had Ah Jiang keep an eye on me.

Actually, I am being very careful.” Yang Nanxing stuck out his tongue.

“Mother said Father was extremely reluctant to unify the world because if there were only one Emperor, our Yang family would either have to restrain our tempers and obey the ways of subjects or be slaughtered,” Shi Acai sighed.

“How could Father possibly restrain his temper?” Yang Nanxing retorted, then sighed. “Father is gone just like that; it is for the best, otherwise, alas.”

“Let’s not talk about this anymore, and we will not mention it again.

Once we enter the city, we will go to the Shunfeng headquarters. You’ve been there twice, so with you leading the way, we will not need to ask for directions.” Shi Acai raised her voice.

“Even if you have not been, you do not need to ask. You will know once you enter the city gates. Throughout Jianle City, no matter where you are, if you look up, you are guaranteed to see that Shunfeng banner—it’s incredibly eye-catching!” Yang Nanxing said, laughing.