Chapter 445 Are you leaving?

"Thank you, ma'am!"

After everyone thanked them, they filed out of the main hall. Shen Xiangwan took out a stack of indentures from his sleeve pocket and handed them to Zhao Yuping: "Mom, I'll trouble you to distribute them to them later. I have something to ask Uncle Zhao, and I should go to the county government office later."

"Okay, you go ahead and do your thing. Leave the housework to me."

Taking the indentures, Zhao Yuping said gently but with a hint of distress that they would be leaving in a few days and all matters had to be dealt with within these few days. She probably had more to do than they imagined.

"Um."

Nodding, Shen Xiangwan turned around and said, "Send someone to call Cheng Yusheng over. I have something to tell him."

Ever since she decided not to open the workshop, Cheng Yusheng has focused on the trade of snowflake salt and colored glass. Currently, they no longer export snowflake salt, but sell it at low prices to the people in the conquered states. Only colored glass is still being sold to the countries in the Western Regions. The military expenses of the Wei family army are basically supported by it. However, their focus will be shifted to the imperial city in the future, and Cheng Yusheng has to be prepared.

"yes."

Yuan Xiu bowed and retreated. Shen Xiangwan turned around and looked at the children playing together, with a hint of warmth in her eyes: "Mother, Master, Master's Wife, please take care of the children first."

"I'm taking care of my own grandson. Why would I ask if it's troublesome or not?"

Zhao Yuping glared at her in pretended annoyance, and her eyes couldn't help but look at Xiao Yanqing and Xiao Yanyu who were surrounded by the cubs. In her opinion, the two grandchildren were very well-behaved and didn't need them to worry about anything at all. Hadn't they seen that they had been playing by themselves for so long without crying or making a fuss?

"Then I'll go out first."

Shen Xiangwan gave a rogue smile, and finally looked at the children before leaving with Yuan Yue and Yuan Ying.

"This kid... I don't know what's going on in the East Territory. When will Cheng Yi come back?"

Watching her figure disappear from sight, Zhao Yuping sighed helplessly. Logically, these things should be handled by Cheng Yi as a man, but now everything falls on Wanwan.

"Don't worry, Chengyi will be back soon."

Reaching out and patting the back of her hand, Yun Mengyi gestured for her to rest assured. They were more or less aware of the Wei army's combat effectiveness. Even the fierce and warlike Western Hu people had been driven back deep into the grasslands, let alone the Qiang Kingdom. If nothing unexpected happened, Cheng Yi would be back soon after they returned.

Almost all the people in Chenzhou knew that the Wei family led the Wei family army to fight, and they supported them from the bottom of their hearts. The fact that the future emperor and empress of this country once lived in Yong'an Village also spread. Many people outside envied them for being able to live in the same village with the Wei family. However, the villagers were proud on the outside but bitter in their hearts. Only they themselves knew how weak their relationship with the Wei family was.

"Knock!"

"Uncle Zhao, are you home? I'm Shen Xiangwan."

Outside the Zhao residence, Shen Xiangwan knocked on the door. She and Yuan Yueyuanying had previously gone to the pork processing workshop, but there was no one there. She couldn't help but feel a little strange. Every household raised pigs now, so they shouldn't be unable to receive live pigs for slaughter. Why did the workshop seem closed? Could something have happened?

"Hey, I'm here, I'm here."

A familiar response soon rang out from inside the house. Not long after, the tightly closed door was opened from the inside. When Aunt Wang saw them, she was startled, then exclaimed with surprise, "It's really Wanwan! Come on, come in and sit down. When did you come back?"

"I came back yesterday."

Seeing that she was still as enthusiastic and cheerful as before, Shen Xiangwan's smile became more sincere, and she followed Yuan Yue and Yuan Ying in.

“Wanwan?!”

Zhao Dashan, who came out from the backyard, exclaimed and hurriedly came forward. He really didn't expect to see her again. People outside said that they might have already fought to the imperial city and might not come back. Even if they came back, their identities would be different and it would be impossible for them to associate with these peasants. But not only did she come back, she also came to them in person, and her attitude was exactly the same as before, without any change.

"Uncle Zhao."

Shen Xiangwan nodded obediently and followed them into the main hall, not treating herself as an outsider at all.

"Are you all okay? Are you having any trouble?"

Several people sat down in the main hall. Aunt Wang asked worriedly as she handed her tea. In the past year, she had asked Zhao Yuping and others about their news. Every time they said that everything was going well. She didn't want to ask too directly how smooth it was. Every time someone talked about them, she couldn't help but worry, afraid that they would encounter some difficult enemies.

"No, Aunt Wang, we have already taken the imperial city."

Knowing that she was genuinely worried, Shen Xiangwan briefly explained the current situation to them: "When my husband returns, we will legitimately become the new empress. This time I'm back to pick up my mother and child."

In the entire Yong'an Village, the only people she trusted were Zhao Dashan and his wife. She did not hide anything from them. However, they were farmers after all, and knowing too much might not be a good thing. She just gave them a brief explanation and did not explain it in depth.

"Are you leaving?"

Before she could even feel happy for them, she suddenly heard they were leaving. Aunt Wang felt a bit upset. After more than three years of contact, she had really treated her as a junior and maintained friendly relations with Zhao Yuping and Yun Mengyi. After leaving this time, they would never come back, right? They would never see each other again.

"Um."

Meeting their gaze and nodding, Shen Xiangwan asked calmly, “Why don’t I see Brother Xin and the others?”

It’s not that she doesn’t want to continue talking, but Shen Xiangwan can see that they need to slow down. Only when they calm down can their next conversation proceed smoothly.

"Ah? The eldest son went to the county town with his wife to sell sausages and bacon. The second and third sons went to the mountains to cut cypress branches. Some of the children went to school, while others went to their grandparents' homes."

Pulling herself away from the thought of their impending departure, Aunt Wang hurriedly replied.

"Yeah?"

For some reason, Shen Xiangwan always felt something was odd. As if she had thought of something, she suddenly turned to Zhao Dashan and said, "By the way, Uncle Zhao, I went to the workshop to look for you just now, but there was no one there. Did something happen?"

"this···"

Hearing this, Zhao Dashan inevitably hesitated. If you looked closely, you could easily see a hint of anger lurking in his eyes. After a long pause, he sighed deeply, "Where is the workshop still? The recipe for making sausages and bacon has been leaked. Now many people can make it, and they sell it cheaper than us. We can't sell the sausages and bacon we make. A few months ago, we sold all the sausages and bacon in the warehouse to Chen Dangjia and his men at a low price, and then the workshop was disbanded. Now we just make a little at home and sell it outside, but the money we earn is not even enough to make ends meet. If we had enough food, I'm afraid we would have been living off our savings."

It wasn't until the Wei family's workshop closed that they realized raising so many pigs was incredibly tiring. Just collecting grass for the pigs was exhausting enough. They'd previously fed them scraps from the Wei family's workshop, mixing in a little pig grass and their pigs would grow quickly and healthily. With the scraps gone, how could they dare raise so many pigs? At most, they could only manage a dozen or so. While this was much better than their previous life of poverty, it was impossible to make a fortune from raising pigs.

Compared with other villagers, they also have a workshop. Even if they don't raise pigs, they can still live well with the workshop. Unexpectedly... Thinking about the fact that the recipe was leaked, he felt even more resentful and disappointed with the villagers.

[End of this chapter]

Today is the end of the fourth update. Thank you all for your support. Mua! ! !