Da Qiang chuckled. “We are doing just fine. It has been busy. These past few months I have barely learned a few characters, so I did not write to you. I just told him to pass along a message instead. Everything is good!”
When Lu Liu asked how exactly things were going well, Wang Meng cut in, “My Jiu Ge’er is doing pretty well in the county. He often goes to the shop to play and gets along great with San Miao Fulang. He told me to come see whether you have opened your store yet. Have you?”
Lu Liu answered, “It is open. The interior was just finished. We are waiting for the lucky day on the eighth of the eighth month to officially open. After we eat, I will take you to have a look.”
Da Qiang shoved Wang Meng aside and said to Lu Liu, “My fulang is still raising rabbits, together with his sister-in-law from his natal family. It is the rainy season, and there are a lot of mountain mushrooms to sell, so everyone is busy. There is also a child at home, so he does not have a moment to spare. I told him maybe we should stop raising rabbits for now, but he insists on keeping them. Once the rainy season passes, there will still be a few litters to make money from. That way there is hope all year round. This time he asked me to bring you some rabbit fur. When the weather turns cold, you can make hats or clothes for the two little ones. He originally wanted to sew them himself, but he truly could not find the time. He said you are living a good life in the city and should have some spare time on your hands. If not, you can spend a little silver to hire someone. He does not even know how big the two children have grown.”
Lu Liu listened with a smile and casually teased, “So when are you bringing Brother An to the city to live the good life?”
Da Qiang’s imposing air immediately weakened.
Wang Meng met Li Feng’s eyes and burst out laughing.
Li Feng had already brought his fulang to the prefectural city, so Da Qiang did not dare mention him. Instead, he picked on Wang Meng. “What are you laughing at? Has your fulang already come to the prefectural city?”
Lu Liu chimed in, “Exactly. Da Meng, what are you laughing about? Jiu Ge’er is still in the county. Why are you so happy? The day Brother An comes to the prefectural city, you will know what crying feels like!”
Wang Meng laughed. “What would he come to the prefectural city for? Do you want to play with him?”
Lu Liu did miss him a little and nodded.
Wang Meng’s expression softened. “These next two years are definitely not possible. How much savings do I even have? The prefectural city has no use for me yet. I heard from Da Feng that restaurants here do good business. Jiu Ge’er has excellent skills; he could make a living in the future. But I think that would be too exhausting, turning around the stove every day. Coming here would just mean hardship. I am thinking of saving more silver and opening an herbal medicine shop instead. I already spoke with Physician Hu. He wrote me a letter, and I will go find that medicine wholesaler. He said if I can open a storefront, he will supply the goods. The herbal trade should be profitable, right? How nice it would be to be a shop owner who just counts money.”
He truly cherished Chen Jiu in the very depths of his heart.
At the mention of coming to the prefectural city, he had already planned what he would do afterward.
Li Feng patted his shoulder and told him roughly how much rent a storefront would cost and how much silver he would need to save before he could come try his luck.
Once the trading company was officially operating, they would no longer distribute all the silver in the accounts as dividends. Some working capital would be kept on the books, and only the remainder would be divided.
This year they had taken on a large order and added the herbal medicine business. By the end of the year, they would receive at least several dozen taels, perhaps even up to a hundred taels, in dividends. Wang Meng was hardworking. He gathered mushrooms, collected herbs, hunted, and occasionally made delivery runs. Big money and small money alike, he saved it all. In two years, he truly could come to the prefectural city.
Listening to this, Da Qiang’s heart grew heated. “That is really thinking big. Just the rent alone costs dozens of taels. Hearing it like this, it actually sounds possible.”
Lu Liu turned to him and said, “Brother An’s temperament is perfect for running a shop. He has a pleasant way with words that customers like to hear. He can chat easily, and he is clever and diligent. It just depends on whether you are willing to earn him a storefront.”
Da Qiang had not thought that far ahead. Once the topic began, he was completely overshadowed by Wang Meng.
He could hardly come here to sell honey. After such a long journey, what would it even become by the time it arrived?
Lu Liu did not mean for him to make a decision immediately. Instead, he began talking about life in the prefectural city, telling him to go home and describe it all to Yao An.
In his last letter, he had mentioned the lively market fair and visiting the pleasure houses. It was always hard to explain clearly in writing. This time he spoke and gestured at the same time, telling him to relay everything properly when he returned.
Next month, there would be another big market in the city. If they had time, they could come see it, broaden their horizons, gain some experience. By then the wheat harvest would be finished, this year’s orders mostly completed, and the silver in the accounts available to use. They could even look at the trading company’s storefront.
When people drink, they boast. After painting grand visions of the future, everyone was well fed and well satisfied.
Shun Ge’er came over to help clear the bowls and chopsticks. Li Feng went into the courtyard to draw a few buckets of water and rinsed the dishes in several basins. Before long, everything was tidied up.
Da Qiang praised him. “Da Feng, this is what is good about you. You are hardworking wherever you go.”
Li Feng did not need his praise. After the dishes were put away, they sat in the alley to rest for a while, beside the bamboo bed.
Chen Guizhi carried the two children over for them to see. The babies were growing well, fair and tender. Most babies were chubby, but their features were already clear—round cheeks and big eyes. Their eyes resembled Lu Liu’s, almond-shaped and bright with life.
As they sat together, they chatted about family matters.
Chen Guizhi had lived in the mountain stronghold for more than twenty years. There were people she still worried about, so she asked about this family and that one. She also asked Wang Meng, “Did you visit your father-in-law’s home? How are my elder brother and sister-in-law?”
Wang Meng smiled with a somewhat foolish innocence. “Auntie, do not worry. It has only been a few months. They are all well! Jiu Ge’er gave birth to a child and went to the county. I have made some money too. My brother-in-law is delighted. Everything is good.”
Chen Guizhi was still concerned about Chen Jiu. “Is he truly well in the county, or only pretending?”
Wang Meng believed he was truly well. If a person pretended to be happy for too long, he would surely fall ill.
He saw that Chen Jiu was in good health, busy but orderly every day, always with something to do. After leaving the stronghold and changing environments, without people around constantly criticizing him, his mood was good.
Chen Guizhi nodded. Then she asked about Er Tian.
Wang Meng rubbed his nose, not eager to speak.
Da Qiang answered for him. “Er Tian is no good. Earlier he went up the mountain and was scared out of his wits. Now he does not dare go anymore. Seeing other families prosper by gathering mushrooms and herbs, his own household has been struggling. He also wants to earn money, so he sends his wife up the mountain. That is fine in itself. After all, she is Da Feng’s clanswoman. They go up together and can take her along. But if his wife goes up the mountain, should he not at least watch the child? That little one cannot even walk properly yet, and he left the child alone at home. San Miao’s mother saw Er Tian wandering outside and remembered that his wife had gone up the mountain. She asked him where the child was. He said the child was sleeping at home. Sleeping, my foot. Before she even entered the yard, she heard the baby wailing. In the end it was brought before his elder uncle, who gave him a scolding. There is only this one grown man in that household; they do not dare truly punish him. That child will have a bitter fate.”
Li Feng frowned. Other people might not interfere, but he would.
One day he would return to the stronghold and give Er Tian a proper beating.
Chen Guizhi asked, “How is Wang Dongmei?”
This time Wang Meng answered readily. “She has changed her temperament. Perhaps because she has no one to rely on, she treats the child very well.”
Da Qiang rolled his eyes.
He said Wang Meng was no good. He rushed to say the nice things and did not mention a single bad word.
Chen Guizhi thought for a moment and entrusted them with a task.
“Like this. Keep an eye on her. Find a way to assign her some work, preferably at the drying yard. See whether she usually keeps the child with her and whether she truly treats the child well. Whether by letter or by word of mouth, let me know. I will have Da Feng return and separate the two of them to live apart. If Er Tian does not want to live properly, then let him rot.”
Lu Liu glanced at her.
Mother was truly formidable. She did not show men any indulgence.
Before he left, he had made arrangements too. At that time he had thought that if the couple treated the child poorly, they would place the child with another family to raise.
Er Tian would have to pay rent and deliver grain to them every year. They no longer lacked that bit of grain; selling it would not fetch much silver anyway. It might as well be fed to the child.
Still, Mother was more decisive. Whoever refused to live properly would be kicked out.
Chen Guizhi naturally knew of Lu Liu’s arrangement. She looked at him and said, “A child is better off with his birth mother.”
Lu Liu understood and did not mind.
After playing outside for a while, they went to look at the shop.
Li Feng told the two of them about the rents in the area and also spoke of the prefectural city’s academies.
