Chapter 218 Meng Chun Returns

At the end of March of another year, Wang Bushang, Li Bushang, and seven other merchants arrived in Huaizhou again with a caravan, accompanied by Meng Chun.

For the past three years, Du Min has consistently maintained a distance from wealthy merchants. Whenever he hosts a banquet, other officials are always present, preventing them from cultivating relationships. He accepts donations of money or goods from the merchants, but refuses to accept a single penny of personal gain, and never offers any benefits. However, whether the merchants are patient or overly confident that human greed is irresistible, after three years, they have not been deterred by Du Min's attitude. Every year, several of them make several trips to Huaizhou for goods worth ten thousand strings of cash.

“Young friend Meng, if it weren’t for our annual visits and your parents and elder sister’s inquiries about you, I would have suspected you’d severed ties with them due to some animosity. Three years! You haven’t been back for three years.” Lu Bu Shang sat on the oxcart, pointing to the distant, yellowish-brown dike. “A hundred or two hundred li of dikes have been built, and you’ve only come back once. Are you determined to make a fortune before you’ll return?”

Meng Chun gazed at the seemingly endless dike. Just like in Heqing County, the dike was planted with jujube, peach, and locust trees, their slender branches sprouting new green leaves. Against the backdrop of the lush green wheat fields along the way, the tender green buds were barely visible unless one looked closely. Everything was different from when he left.

Wheat fields and hemp fields meet. The wheat is growing well, and the ramie is being harvested. Farmers walking in the fields are either herding sheep or carrying bundles of ramie. They are either leisurely or anxious. The bitterness in their expressions and the numbness in their eyes are almost invisible.

Seeing that Meng Chun didn't respond, Wang Bu Shang nudged him and naturally took over the conversation: "Young nephew Meng is still young and energetic. He seizes every opportunity to make money. He has been expanding his business like crazy these past few years and has made a lot of progress. His net worth is probably catching up with ours now."

Meng Chun snapped out of his daze, and shook his head with a smile, "Uncle Wang, you think too highly of me. Even if I had another ten years, I still couldn't catch up with your wealth."

"That's enough. Don't be in such a rush to make money. If you earn money but can't spend it, it will just pile up at home and make you feel depressed," Lu Bu advised. He glanced at Meng Chun and asked with a smile, "You're so young, why are you in such a hurry to make money? Do you have any plans?"

Meng Chun had experienced this kind of test more than once. There were too many clever people. He bid farewell to his parents and returned to Jiangnan to do business and make money. He did not squander the money he made, but saved it all up. This naturally aroused suspicion.

“My sister’s mansion is about to be built, which will require a lot of money. My eldest nephew is also thirteen years old and will be able to study at the Imperial Academy next year. I plan to give him a big gift, which will also cost a lot of money.” Meng Chun skillfully used his usual excuse. He smiled and said, “Once I get married, I will settle down and will not plan to travel around anymore. In business, I will only aim to break even. To put it another way, I am eager to earn enough in three to five years to cover my expenses for thirty to fifty years.”

Lu Bu didn't believe him, so he said half-jokingly, "I thought you were going to use money to improve your future, and I was hoping to benefit from your influence and have a chance to change my fate."

Upon hearing this, Wang Bushang and Li Bushang fixed their gazes on Meng Chun.

"Even if such an opportunity existed, it wouldn't be mine..."

Before Meng Chun could finish speaking, Lü Bu burst into laughter. He patted Meng Chun twice and said, "Young friend, that's a lie. You're not even trying to fool people. Your sister is the Lady of Wu Commandery, trusted by Prefect Du. With that connection, what opportunity wouldn't be yours?"

Meng Chun shook his head. "If you don't believe me, I won't say anything more."

"I'm not saying all this to force you to admit anything, but only hoping that, out of consideration for our shared hometown, you'll help us out without hindering your own progress." Lu Bu had spent a considerable amount of money over the years, not only providing a substantial dowry for his daughter but also humbly acknowledging three adoptive fathers. Yet, neither his sons-in-law nor his adoptive fathers could compare to Du Min. He had paved the way for them with money, but it hadn't brought them a renowned reputation or a bright future. Du Min, on the other hand, had a promising future, but they looked down on his money. He had been trying to curry favor for three years, but Du Min remained unyielding. He had no other choice but to plead with Meng Chun.

“As a fellow merchant, you understand us. Without a good background, no matter how much money we earn, it's all for others to earn. You have your sister as your backer, and even if she's your own sister, you still have to repay her. What about us? The backers we find are just mountains of money and silk. The more we feed them, the bigger their appetites become. Now they've become leeches sucking our blood, wishing they could drain us dry.” Wang the cloth merchant said, “Your Uncle Li and I moved our ancestral graves to Beiman Mountain more than ten years ago, which shows how much we hope to change our background.”

Meng Chun sighed. He wasn't even sure if he had a way out, so how could he have the confidence to agree to anything else? Besides, who was Du Min? He didn't dare to make decisions for him.

"You'd be better off relying on Du Min than on me. If you're too embarrassed to say it directly, I can help pass on the message," Meng Chun said.

The other three people on the oxcart were visibly disappointed.

“Alright, please tell Prefect Du that if he needs our help, we are willing to give him everything we have. We just ask that he give us a chance to change our social standing,” Wang Bushang said, trying to sound cheerful.

"I will definitely pass it on," Meng Chun replied.

As the oxcart entered Wenxian County, the people on it fell silent.

The Yellow River embankment in Wen County was completed a month ago, and the 20,000 to 30,000 laborers had already been dismissed. Du Min had also moved back to Hanoi County. Lü Bu and his group arrived at the Wen County post station but did not see the person they wanted to see. They sent a caravan to Wuzhi County to transport hemp thread, while they went to Hanoi County with Meng Chun.

In the evening, five oxcarts stopped outside the mansion with the plaque of the Prefectural Governor's Residence. Meng Chun got out of the car and knocked on the door. The gatekeeper saw his appearance and, after hearing his name, immediately opened the door to greet him warmly: "Is it Uncle Meng who has returned? I will go in and inform him that the eldest son and the youngest son are both at home."

"You know me?" Meng Chun didn't recognize the doorman; he probably hadn't seen him before.

"I know, I know. All the servants in the manor know that the Lady has a younger brother who does business in Jiangnan. Please come in."

Meng Chun stepped inside, but after a few steps he remembered that there were still some guests behind him. He turned to the side and called out, "Uncle Wang, Uncle Li, Uncle Lü, please come in too."

As soon as he finished speaking, several footsteps of varying weights sounded from behind the screen wall, followed by three figures of different heights leaping out.

"Uncle! It really is you back!" Wang Zhou exclaimed with delight. "Why didn't you send word beforehand that you were coming back? I would have come to Luoyang to pick you up."

"Wangzhou?" Meng Chun hugged his eldest nephew tightly. "You've grown so tall! In another two years you'll be taller than me. You've changed so much! Why are you so thin? Have you been eating properly?"

"I'm lean, not skinny. I've been practicing boxing with Master Wu. Feel my muscles; they're quite firm," Wang Zhou boasted to everyone he met.

Meng Chun patted his subordinate's shoulder; it was solid bone, and he couldn't bring himself to say something against his conscience.

"Brother!" Wang Chuan called out, leaning over to stare at Meng Chun, and interrupted impatiently, "Uncle, I'm Wang Chuan, do you know me?"

Meng Chun squatted down, put his arm around his little nephew, and said, "I remember you. When I left Luoyang, you couldn't even walk yet. You're five years old now, you've grown so fast, um... you look more and more like your father."

“Uncle, this is my third uncle’s daughter, Guanxi,” Wangzhou introduced. “Ximei, you should also call this uncle.”

"Uncle," Ximei called out obediently.

Meng Chun had already noticed the little girl. "You look just like your father."

Xi Mei glanced at Zhou.

"Uncle, and all the other uncles and elders, come inside and talk." Wang Zhou looked towards the door. He recognized them and knew they had come for his third uncle. He smiled and said, "My third uncle and mother have been summoned to Luoyang by the female sage, and my father went with them. My third aunt hasn't returned yet, so it's just the three of us at home. I'll send a servant to invite my third aunt back, and also invite Military Advisor Lin to keep us company."

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu and the others said, "Young friend Meng, Prefect Du is not at home, so we will take our leave now."

"Come stay at my house." But Meng Chun didn't know where his house was. "Wang Zhou, are your grandparents still in Hanoi County?"

Wang Zhou nodded.

“Then lead me there, and the three of you will come back with me for dinner tonight.” Meng Chun picked up Wang Chuan.

Wang Chuan was a little embarrassed. He had no recollection of this uncle. He whispered, "Uncle, I'm five years old now and can walk by myself."

“I’ve held Wangzhou when he was five, but I haven’t held Wangchuan when he was five. Why don’t you let your uncle hold you this time?” Meng Chun looked down at Ximei, who shook her head and hid behind Wangzhou.

Meng Chun smiled.

Lu Bu and his entourage had already boarded the oxcart. He called out, "Young friend Meng, we won't disturb your family reunion any longer. We won't stay at your house; we'll spend the night at the inn and return tomorrow."

“Nephew Meng, are you going back to Wu County?” Wang Bushang asked. “If you are going back, we will wait for you for a few more days.”

"I plan to spend more time with my family and go back in two months. You guys go ahead," Meng Chun said.

“Alright, see you again in Wu County,” said Wang Bushang.

As Wang Zhou walked out, he apologized, saying, "Dear uncles, please forgive me for the poor hospitality."

“Young master, you’re too kind. We’ve come unannounced and have troubled you,” Li Bushang replied. “Please give our regards to your third uncle and your mother.”

Wang Zhou summoned his steward and asked him to lead the cloth merchants to a comfortable place to stay.

The two oxcarts left, and Yin Caiwei, accompanied by her servants, came from the other end of the alley. She entered her house and saw Meng Chun and her three children unpacking the gifts from the oxcarts in the front yard.

"Young Master Meng? You're back?" Yin Caiwei asked.

Meng Chun turned around. "Yes, I just arrived today."

“Why didn’t you send a message back? Your sister and brother-in-law are both in Luoyang. If they knew, they would have sent people to guard the ferry long ago, and your two nephews would have gone to Luoyang to pick you up,” Yin Caiwei said.

"I was just worried they'd have to come all this way to pick me up, it's such a hassle." Meng Chun hadn't expected such a coincidence. "When is my sister coming back?"

"I don't know." Yin Caiwei shook her head. "It's getting dark. Let's go inside and have dinner. I'll send someone to invite Uncle Meng and Aunt Pan over."

"No need to trouble yourself, I'll go back and have dinner..."

"Uncle, where are you going back to? Do you know where my grandparents live?" Wangzhou asked.

Meng Chun: ...

Yin Caiwei smiled and said, "Don't be so polite, it's no trouble at all. I'll invite Uncle Meng and Aunt Pan over right away."

“Okay,” Meng Chun agreed.

Yin Caiwei glanced at Ximei. This girl had climbed onto the oxcart with Wangchuan and was sitting among the pile of gifts, unpacking them. She really didn't consider herself an outsider. Yin Caiwei thought for a moment, not wanting to spoil the mood, and left without saying anything.

After Yin Caiwei left, Meng Chun slapped Wang Zhou, saying, "How dare you speak to your uncle like that? How could you embarrass your uncle in public?"

"Who told you to be so polite? We're all family, what's with all the face-saving?" Wang Zhou was doing it on purpose. He could tell that his uncle, whom he hadn't seen for three years, was quite reserved after entering the room, as if he had stepped into someone else's territory and felt uncomfortable.

Meng Chun sighed softly, "You've really grown up."

But it must be said that this trick was extremely effective. Meng Chun vaguely found Meng Qing's shadow in Wang Zhou and immediately felt a sense of familiarity. The estrangement caused by the distance over the past three years receded like the tide.

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Author's Note: One more chapter to come.