Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 448 - 448 449 Let Everyone Happy_1

Chapter 448: Chapter 449 Let Everyone ‘Happy’_1 Chapter 448: Chapter 449 Let Everyone ‘Happy’_1 But why would someone like her be so eager to take on a “burden” to care for personally? The Chen Parents, those honest folks, might believe it, but Qiao Muniang did not, it was too fake!

Sure enough, within a few days, the servant returned with news.

“How is Chen Yuhua doing at the Chen family?” asked Muniang.

The servant replied respectfully, “Not so well. Wang Yufang hardly takes care of her at all, Miss Chen has to prop herself up just to go to the latrine.”

Muniang’s brow furrowed, just as she expected.

The servant suddenly lowered his voice, “However, I did discover something quite shocking.”

“What is it?”

“The Chen family’s eldest son isn’t sick at all.”

Muniang exclaimed in surprise, “Are you serious?!”

“Without a doubt! I’ve been watching near the Chen family and saw with my own eyes that he’s fetching water and chopping wood in the courtyard — chores that should have been Wang Yufang’s responsibility. He’s doing all of them. They said he was on his deathbed, but he looked lively and energetic to me! However, the Chen family doesn’t seem to know; every time the Chen Parents come back, he quickly lies back down in bed.”

Muniang was livid, recalling how, not so long ago, Yuhua had been so worried about her brother’s relapse that she almost fell ill with worry. It was only through Muniang’s constant counsel that Yuhua managed to cope. And to think, Chen Dashu had been faking it all along!

It all became clear in Muniang’s mind, remembering how the Chen Parents and Wang Yufang came asking for money for their eldest son’s treatment. Surely it was one of Wang Yufang’s schemes, and all that money must have ended up in her hands.

Muniang slammed her palm on the table, utterly at a loss for words — she had never seen such a shameless woman!

“Since she has no intention of caring for Chen Yuhua, why bother bringing her back home?” Muniang had a hunch there must be a trick to it.

“I’m not quite sure myself, but yesterday, I followed Wang Yufang after she sneaked out. Turns out she went to Lord Zhang’s residence in the east of the city, but the place is well guarded and I couldn’t get in, so I have no idea what she was up to there.”

Muniang’s eyes turned cold, Wang Yufang really had some nerve, managing to establish connections with such prominent families.

“Never mind that, you go back and keep watching the Chen family. I’ll check out Lord Zhang’s place myself.”

“Yes.”

That night, two figures flew onto the roof of the Zhang family’s large courtyard, silently. The man held the woman tightly in his arms, tiptoeing across the roof until they reached the eaves above Lord Zhang’s room and stopped.

This was Muniang’s first time standing at such a high place and she was genuinely scared, clutching Yu Ze’s neck tightly: “Why is this roof so steep, are we going to fall down?”

Yu Ze raised his eyebrows, amused that his normally fearless wife was afraid of heights. It looked like he would have to bring her up to the rooftops more often, given how rare it was for her to cling to him like this — her arms around him felt like clamps, which he didn’t dare to shake off. Yu Ze almost laughed at the thought.

He tightened his arms around Muniang’s waist, smiling, “Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, we won’t fall anywhere.”

That gave Muniang some peace of mind.

“Why did you insist on coming with me earlier? Especially if you’re afraid?”

Muniang glared at him, “Who’s afraid?!”

Yu Ze loosened his grip slightly, and Muniang scrambled to hold onto him, almost crying out.

“Not afraid?”

Muniang pinched him irritably, “I am afraid!”

Yu Ze carried Muniang up onto the roof eaves, lifted a tile, and the scene inside became clear.

“I should have known that whenever you ask for my help, it’s never for anything good. Now you’ve even dragged me into this shady business,” Yu Ze laughed.

Muniang huffed, “You seem pretty willing to me.”

“How could I disobey my wife’s orders?”

As they were speaking, they began to hear noises from below, and Muniang quickly pricked up her ears to listen.

“Three days from now, Mrs. Jiu will be entering the door. Is everything ready for her arrival?”

“Rest assured, my lord, the courtyard has already been tidied, and all the maids are in place, just waiting for the new madam to arrive!”

“Hmm, not bad,” Lord Zhang, thinking of Chen Yuhua’s pure, celestial-like face, lit up with anticipation.

“But, my lord, which family’s daughter is she, after all?”

Lord Zhang let out a sly laugh, “You’ll naturally find out when the time comes. There’s no need for you to ask more if it’s none of your business!”

“This humble one dares not ask too much, but even for taking a concubine, a betrothal gift should be sent, right? Shouldn’t this servant go to deliver it?”

Lord Zhang waved his hand dismissively, “No need, I’ve already given everything personally.”

Thinking about how Wang Yufang had the audacity to demand three hundred taels of silver from him, Lord Zhang felt the pain, but then, thinking of such a celestial-like maiden, he reckoned the three hundred taels were worth it!

Although these words seemed ordinary, to Muniang, they were like a bombshell. A new madam entering in three days? Could it be Chen Yuhua?! Suddenly, Muniang remembered how Lord Zhang had once come to Mei Garden asking for Chen Yuhua, proposing that even if he couldn’t buy her, he’d pay a large sum just for one night with her. At the time, without a second thought, she had him thrown out.

Since there were many who came with such requests every day, Muniang didn’t pay much attention. After hearing about Wang Yufang’s visit to Lord Zhang’s mansion, she hadn’t thought much of it, probably overestimating Wang Yufang’s character. Listening to the current situation, it seemed that Wang Yufang never intended to marry Chen Yuhua off, but to sell her! Otherwise, why would the betrothal gift not be formally presented but instead secretly paid in money?

It appeared that Wang Yufang’s visit during the day was to collect the silver!

Muniang, indignant, said, “I’ve never seen such a shameless person; Chen Yuhua has actually been sold off by her!”

Yu Ze also frowned, “She’s got some nerve, isn’t she afraid that the Chen family will come after her when they find out?”

Muniang clenched her teeth, “Afraid? She’s obviously relying on the Chen family being easy to bully. Didn’t you hear Lord Zhang say the new madam can’t be disclosed just like that? Clearly, he plans to present a fait accompli, and by then, even if the Chen family is furious, they’ll have to swallow their anger! They will have no choice but to ‘marry’ Chen Yuhua to the Zhang family.”

Muniang even suspected that Wang Yufang had plans to flee, as she would definitely not share that silver with the Chen family. Three hundred taels of silver was enough for her to live comfortably!

“So do you plan on telling the Chen family?” Yu Ze asked, though the question was unnecessary— he knew Muniang too well. If she was that “kind-hearted,” it would be a wonder.

Muniang’s lips curled into a cunning smile, “Telling the Chen family would only cause a ruckus, and besides, Lord Zhang has already paid the money. By then, Wang Yufang will surely use Lord Zhang to pressure the Chen family into handing over Chen Yuhua. It’d be better to pick a simpler and hassle-free method that keeps ‘everyone’ happy.”