The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 483 - 481: Beheading Business

Chapter 483: Chapter 481: Beheading Business

The Wang Family all nodded in agreement. In their minds, having enough to eat every day, including meat, was already good fortune. The lives of country folks were cheap; who cared about taking tonics.

"What’s more important than silver is one’s health. Autumn is the best time for nourishment. Our good days have just begun. With good health, we can earn more money and enjoy greater blessings in the future. Besides, our parents are getting older, and the eldest brother has been injured. Their health needs attention. That settles it!" Wang Yongzhu decisively concluded.

Old Granny Zhang always followed her daughter’s lead, and on top of that her daughter was looking out for her and the family with all her heart.

She immediately shifted her position, "Alright! My daughter cares about her parents, so I, this old woman, will happily accept her kindness."

Not just others, even Wang Laozhu himself was touched, having not expected his daughter to still worry about him. For a moment, his eyes softened as he looked at her.

It was only then that Wang Yongzhu opened the second parcel. Inside, a thick stack of silver notes and some Silver Pieces caught everyone’s eyes instantly.

"What’s this?" Wang Yonggui was first stunned, then overjoyed, "Could this be my compensation Silver? So much? The Qian Family is really generous!"

With that, he reached out to grab it.

Only to be slapped away by Wang Yongzhu.

She picked out two Silver Ingots, around two or three taels, and tossed them to Wang Yonggui, "This is your compensation Silver. The rest of this is compensation from the Qian Family to our Wang Family!"

Wang Yonggui was happy just to have Silver in hand, and he knew that the thick stack of silver notes wasn’t meant for him. Grinning, he accepted the Silver Pieces and pocketed them.

The more he thought about it, the more he was set on staying at home. At home, he had good food and drink, his wife to attend to him, and warm days with his children. To get beaten and yet earn a few taels of compensation Silver—who would want to leave for elsewhere?

Not to mention that now, with his status at home risen, he was even less willing to go.

There, in front of everyone, Wang Yongzhu counted the silver notes and Silver Pieces, then said, "This is the Qian Family’s compensation, considered as our family’s income. I’ll take care of it for now. It’s good timing since we’re buying up mountain goods. We’ll contribute silver, not labor, and this can also alleviate some of the famine."

Everyone agreed with Wang Yongzhu’s decision.

After the serious matters were discussed, Wang Laozhu had wanted to ask about the Qian Family, but seeing that Wang Yongzhu didn’t seem inclined to talk, he took his tobacco pipe, sulkily smoked it, and left.

Old Granny Zhang was busy securing the herbs in the cabinet and locking it when Wang Yonggui stubbornly wrestled a couple of ginseng whiskers from her hands before he walked away satisfied.

Once everyone had dispersed, Old Granny Zhang locked the cabinet and then pulled Wang Yongzhu aside to ask eagerly, "Yesterday I saw Song Chongjin, that lad. Why didn’t he come back with you? Didn’t you two go to buy a shop together? Did you succeed?"

Knowing Old Granny Zhang was concerned, Wang Yongzhu hastily replied, "The shop was successfully bought—a dye workshop, two fabric stores, and even a small courtyard were included. They’re all in the county town. Once things at home are going smoothly, I’ll take you to stay in the county town for a few days."

Old Granny Zhang, upon hearing the shop had been successfully bought, let out a sigh of relief; after all, this was her daughter’s entire fortune.

Hearing that not only had the shops been bought but also a small courtyard in the town was included, she grew even more delighted.

She agreed readily, "I’ll be waiting. By then, I’ll also experience a few days of city life."

After a moment of shared happiness between mother and daughter, Old Granny Zhang reminded her, "Don’t mention the shop purchase to the family, and don’t tell anyone! And remind Song Chongjin not to let it slip either. This will be your and his private property in the future. Don’t foolishly blurt it out. Do you hear me?"

Wang Yongzhu nodded, "I understand."

"How much did the shop cost?" Old Granny Zhang at last asked in detail.

As soon as Wang Yongzhu mentioned 1,200 taels, Old Granny Zhang was startled. All her daughter’s belongings amounted to just those two gold ingots, barely over 400 taels.

The rest of the silver?

"The rest was all provided by Song Chongjin? Where did he get so much silver from? It can’t be that he has been involved in some capital crime outside, can it?" At first, Old Granny Zhang was pleased, and then immediately alarmed.

The more she thought about it, the more possible it seemed. Song Chongjin, that young man, was indeed a hunter, possessed considerable strength, and knew marital arts. During the days he spent in the Song Family, life had been very frugal, so how did he suddenly come across so much silver after arranging a marriage with her daughter?

"My daughter, you must persuade Song Chongjin. We cannot take this ill-gotten silver! If he truly has engaged in some disreputable dealings, tell him to stop immediately. Our family does not lack silver. It’s enough that he is healthy, we don’t want him to take the wrong path just for the sake of appearances!" Old Granny Zhang nearly scared herself to tears and clutched Wang Yongzhu’s hand tightly.

Wang Yongzhu was both amused and exasperated, "Mother, what are you thinking? Song Chongjin is not that kind of person!"

"That’s good to hear! That’s a relief! Our Wang Family has been respectable for generations; we can’t tolerate any crooked or wicked ways," Old Granny Zhang sighed with relief.

Wang Yongzhu then consoled Old Granny Zhang for a while.

As the mother and daughter were talking, they heard Song Chongjin’s voice from the courtyard, "Auntie, Yongzhu, I’m back!"

Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu exchanged glances and hurried out.

In the courtyard, Wang Yongfu and Jindou were warmly greeting Song Chongjin, asking about his eyes and whether they had fully recovered.

Song Chongjin readily shared the excuse he had prepared, saying that the mysterious person had relieved the poison temporarily, and in the past few days, he had Wang Yongzhu take him to the county town, where they had purchased the most crucial medicinal ingredient. After boiling it into a medicine and drinking it, he had completely recovered.

Wang Yongfu and the others recalled that a few days earlier, Wang Yongzhu had left home saying she had business in the county town; it turned out she had accompanied Song Chongjin to treat his eyes.

After exchanging pleasantries, seeing that Song Chongjin’s eyes were red with blood vessels, clearly a sign of lack of sleep, Old Granny Zhang promptly sent everyone away and urged him to go back to the room to rest.

Song Chongjin verbally agreed and handed over a package to Old Granny Zhang, "Auntie, this is some pastries Yongzhu and I brought back from the county town. Try them, auntie. If you like them, I will have more brought back next time."

Old Granny Zhang accepted the package with a smiling face, no wonder she was so fond of her daughter and son-in-law-to-be.

Out of her four or five children, it was only her daughter and this son-in-law-to-be who remembered to bring her something to eat when they went out. The gesture was a small thing, but the thoughtfulness meant everything.

Seeing that Song Chongjin seemed to have something to tell her, Wang Yongzhu followed him into the room.

Song Chongjin had nothing else to say. Yesterday, in the presence of Lady Yu, there were words he could not speak. Today, as soon as the matter was settled, he hurried back to come clean with Wang Yongzhu.

He had promised Yongzhu that they would discuss matters together and keep fewer secrets. He had to live up to his word.

Yesterday, Wang Yongzhu had suggested handing Boss Ma and his men over to Lady Yu, which he had stopped. It was his caution.

Lady Yu had seemed quite cooperative, and her reputation in the past was also good.

But after all, no one knows what is in another’s heart. Qian Dahao had been her husband for nearly two decades. What if, after their departure, Lady Yu was persuaded by Qian Dahao to change her mind?

In an instant, Song Chongjin thought of detaining Boss Ma and his party.