Chapter 54
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Jiang Wanning's life rhythm returned to normal, but Lu Shang became really busy.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, all the farmhands came back. In addition to the original forty or fifty people, the remaining thirty or so people from Pingshan Village also came, so there were nearly a hundred people in total.
Fortunately, the house they rented was big enough, and Lu Qi and Hunter Zhan were responsible for the resettlement, and it only took half a day to settle down.
Although the Li family's wood can wait, Master Li also said that it would take at most two months. It was still a bit of a stretch to ride a horse back and forth from Tang Town to Lingnan City in two months.
Besides, Lu Shang couldn't leave immediately, so he had to settle on the three new logistics companies before leaving.
The vegetables in Fengyuan Village are limited, and since they only want the freshest ones, they can only be supplied to Guanhe Tower.
The vegetables for the newly added two families had to be purchased from other places. Fortunately, Lu Shang had conducted an investigation in advance and quickly made an appointment in a nearby village. The price was the same as that in Fengyuan Village.
Fresh fish continues to be sourced from Fengyuan Village, along with some shellfish and shrimp, still following the strategy of small profits but quick turnover.
In addition, there are some chickens, ducks and pork. The ducks for Guanhelou are from Gejia Village, but when the contract was signed with Guanhelou, it was agreed that they would only be supplied to their family.
However, Shuxi Village is the authentic duck-raising village. After those days, Lu Shang asked the owners of two restaurants. As long as the quality of the duck meat can be guaranteed, it doesn't matter where they buy it from.
After the Yang family lost the big order from Guanhelou, they could only sell the ducks in the duck house individually. They were considered lucky if they could sell seven or eight ducks a day. The money they earned was barely enough to feed thousands of ducks, and very little ended up in the hands of the people.
So when Lu Shang brought Ge Haonan to the door, after he explained the cooperation, the Yang family had no intention of bargaining and agreed to sell the duck for 22 wen on the spot. They also helped him talk to other families and got chicken and pork at a low price.
After just two days of running around, the cooperation between the two restaurants was finalized.
There was only one clinic left, but Lu Shang was feeling a bit embarrassed. Just then, Hunter Zhan stepped forward and said, "Boss, if you don't mind, we in Pingshan Village also take care of collecting herbs. The villagers used to rely mainly on hunting for a living, but now that the men in the village have left, the remaining people can only collect herbs in the surrounding mountains and fields."
"Also, as far as I know, there are herbalists in most of the villages under Tang Town. I can ask the village chief to help contact them and buy herbs."
Lu Shang was overjoyed: "Are you serious?"
After receiving a positive response from Hunter Zhan, Lu Shang hurriedly said, "Then you'll have to go back to Pingshan Village. The clinic hasn't specified what medicinal herbs they want, and I don't know what to accept, so we'll accept anything that comes our way."
"Village Chief Cai definitely knows more than me. I'm in a hurry to go to Lingnan, so I'll trouble you first. When I return from Lingnan, I'll go over and negotiate the price with him in person."
"Okay, I'll convey the boss's words!"
Lu Shang was afraid that Village Chief Cai was too old to handle the job, so he sent Cai Qin and Cai Mian over. The two brothers had been working with him, and he felt relieved when he arranged for them to go back to purchase medicinal herbs this time, so he still paid them as long-term workers.
This way they could go home and get paid at the same time, so the two brothers had no objection. They patted their chests and assured him, "Don't worry, boss. We have also collected herbs before. We will pick out those that have spoiled their medicinal properties and you won't have to pay for them!"
"Okay, okay, then I'll leave it all to you!" Lu Shang thanked.
After hastily placing these orders, Lu Shang still had to select people who could go to Lingnan with him.
None of the entire logistics team had ever left Tang Town, so this time they had to rely on maps and asking for directions. So they had to pick people who were skilled and capable, so that if they really encountered bandits blocking the way, they could at least get through.
In addition, traveling back and forth on horseback requires good horsemanship, and traveling to other places requires agility. After screening through so many conditions, there are only a dozen people who are really suitable.
After careful consideration, Lu Shang selected eight people, including Zhan Shunan, and doubled the wages of all the long-term workers who accompanied them on their journey south.
He stayed for two more days, firstly to let the new farmhands get familiar with the process, and secondly to make two trips to Yijiangnan and another restaurant to ensure that the goods they selected satisfied the store owners.
Fortunately, everything went well, and the day of traveling to Lingnan arrived in the blink of an eye.
Lu Shang had been out and about for several days and always returned home late at night. Even though Jiang Wanning was still waiting for him, the two of them could not say a few words. His original intention of comforting her was not realized. It was not until the day he was about to leave that he rubbed his hands in embarrassment.
"How about... Aning, why don't you come with me?" Lu Shang said.
Jiang Wanning was stunned for a long time before she came to her senses and smiled: "No."
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lu Shang spent less and less time at home, and her anxiety became deeper and deeper. But when that anxiety reached a certain point, those pent-up negative emotions were released all at once.
Until today, she has been able to accept Lu Shang's departure calmly.
"Husband, go with peace of mind. I'm at home and will take good care of grandma. It'll only be two months. I'll wait for you to come back."
"Then wait until next time..." Lu Shang felt a surge of guilt for no reason. "I'll go there and come back quickly this time. Once I've figured out the route, I won't be in a hurry next time. Can I take you with me next time?"
Jiang Wanning still shook her head: "My dear husband, have you forgotten that I don't have a pass?"
"Lu..." Lu Shang was a little confused, "Can't I just pass the level by registering as a user?"
Travel permits were required for entry and exit between different prefectures in Dazhao, but in order to facilitate the travel of merchants, business people could pass the checkpoints with their household registration without having to go to the government office to exchange for travel permits.
However, this exception only applies to merchants. Although Jiang Wanning married Lu Shang, her criminal record would not be passed on to her husband's family because of her marriage. There might not be any restrictions on a daily basis, but once it involves traveling or other places where her household registration is needed, her criminal record would become the biggest obstacle. Not only would it delay her trip, but if she encountered an unexpected situation, it was not impossible for her to be caught and taken back to jail.
To change the criminal record to a good one, one must either wait for the royal pardon or clear the charges. There is no other way.
Moreover, since Jiang Wanning was convicted before getting married, that is, Lu Shang changed his status to merchant, if he continued to take the imperial examinations and became an official in the court, it would be impossible for him to marry a criminal daughter, and she would not even be qualified to be a concubine.
Lu Shang didn't have a deep understanding of the twists and turns involved, so he subconsciously wanted to ask.
Jiang Wanning didn't give him a chance to explore. She stuffed the bag she had prepared for two or three days into his pocket and said, "Inside are three sets of clothes, some durable naan, and a hundred taels of silver, wrapped inside the clothes. Please be careful when you change clothes. There are also some handkerchiefs and other things. It's not much, so take it with you."
"Oh, by the way, I also put a bottle of pills at the bottom. I bought them from the clinic. The doctor there said that burning the pills can repel insects. If you get bitten by an insect or snake in the wild, taking one pill can relieve the pain. Then you can go see a doctor right away."
"Other things... I was afraid it would be inconvenient for you to carry, so I didn't prepare too much. If you think you're missing anything, I'll quickly get it for you."
Lu Shang was only traveling by fast horse on this trip, so many things were inconvenient to carry, even silver and silver notes. In order to avoid being targeted by bandits, he had to carry as little as possible.
Jiang Wanning had taken into account everything that needed to be considered, and Lu Shang had nothing to add.
His heart was filled with joy, but his throat felt strangely dry. After a long while, he could only manage one sentence: "...Thank you, Aning."
"We're family, what's there to thank for?" Jiang Wanning said with a smile.
As the agreed time to leave was approaching, Lu Shang could not delay any longer. He finally hugged Jiang Wanning and turned to leave.
But he was worried about leaving only the two female relatives at home. When he arrived at Feng He's door, he asked the doorman and learned that Feng He was still writing furiously in his study. He asked the doorman to pass a message to Feng He, asking him to help look after him.
After arranging these things, he headed straight for the city gate.
Lu's Logistics sent nine people on this trip, and the eldest young master of the Li family also sent a servant who was familiar with the route to show them the way.
The business in Tang Town will be taken over by Lu Qi. If he encounters any problems that cannot be solved, he will go to the Lu family to find Jiang Wanning, and she will make the decision at that time.
At the first quarter of the morning, Lu Shang and his companions mounted their horses and headed straight for Lingnan.
Not only is the journey to Lingnan long, but the company also has to pass through three mountain ranges. These three mountain ranges are the most likely areas for merchants to get into trouble, and some experienced escort agencies have even failed here.
Lu Shang and his companions traveled day and night for more than ten days before reaching the first dangerous part of the mountain.
The servant of the Li family had a lot of experience in this matter and warned in advance: "It will take at least two days to cross this dangerous mountain. You have to spend the night in the mountains. It is still okay during the day, but it is the most dangerous at night."
Hunter Zhan and the others had been observing along the way, and upon hearing this, they added, "This mountain is full of forests, and it's easiest for people to hide in the forests. We just explored the area, and the mountain pass is safe, but we don't know if there will be any problems exiting the mountain."
Lu Shang understood this clearly. To catch a turtle in a jar, one must let the fat sheep in before catching it.
The Li family's servant added, "Bandits aren't very active this season. They only become more numerous in spring and winter. If Mr. Lu really feels it's dangerous, he can take a detour. However, the Li family won't cover the time lost by taking this detour."
"Oh, and there's also the commercial tax for those passing through the city, which is about two hundred taels."
"..." Just this one sentence completely dispelled Lu Shang's idea of taking a detour.
He gritted his teeth and said, "Everyone dismount and rest, and we will enter the mountain early tomorrow morning."
"Yes!" Zhan Shunan responded, then turned and said, "Don't worry, boss. After all, we grew up in the mountains and can handle wolves. We just need to cross the mountains to ensure your safety."
It must be said that the benefits of hiring hunters as long-term workers are fully demonstrated here.
Lu Shang wiped his face and said, "Let's go this way first and see. If it's feasible, we'll take it. If it's really dangerous, forget it. Making money is important, but it's not as important as life. Since I brought you out, I must bring you back safely."
After a night's rest, the team set out again at dawn.
The first half of the journey was safe and sound. Zhan Shunan was even able to lead his men to explore some hiding places of Tibetans. Based on the traces of trees, etc., he could tell that there were few people walking on this half of the road. In other words, there were no bandits.
The servants of the Li family had followed the escort agency before, but this was the first time they had seen someone so proactive, and they were even more surprised.
In the second half of the journey, there were obviously more sparse noises in the forest.
Without waiting for the people in the woods to show up, Zhan Shunan had already bent his bow and shot the arrow with the smoothed arrow, which just brushed past the cheek of the thief in the woods, full of warning.
The world is peaceful now, and the bandits are only after money and are not willing to lose their lives for it. When they saw that there were good players in the team, they immediately gave up the idea of blocking the way, and did not even report to the leader, but just watched them pass.
After emerging from the first dangerous mountain pass, the Li family's servant was filled with admiration: "Young Master truly has a keen eye for talent. He was able to find a formidable team like Lu Logistics. With Boss Lu and all the other heroes here, the Li family's timber supply is secure!"
Lu Shang felt no joy at the compliment. Only he knew how many times his clothes had been soaked with cold sweat in the past two days and one night since he entered the forest.
Hunter Zhan and the others were quite excited, whispering to each other: "This isn't anything special, it's better to go hunting in the mountains..."
Lu Shang smiled bitterly and could only advise: "It's better to be more careful."
"Haha, yes! Don't worry, boss. We're just talking, and we'll definitely be careful."
After passing this first dangerous hurdle, Lu Shang and his companions gained some experience, and the rest of the journey became much smoother.
It would be safest to avoid mountain roads and take official roads or go through the city. Unfortunately, there are twelve cities between Tangzhen and Lingnan Prefecture. Merchants have to pay taxes to enter the city. After going through twelve cities, the commercial taxes alone are over a thousand taels. Let alone making money, it is difficult not to make a loss.
Therefore, merchants would rather take the risk of taking the mountain road and pay taxes only between the first and last two cities.
Hunter Zhan and others often hunt in the mountains and are well aware of the principle of striking first. In the past, when they encountered wild beasts, if it was difficult to escape, they would deter the beasts before they attacked.
Unless the beast is extremely hungry, it will usually leave instead of rushing forward to fight to the death.
This is true for wild animals, and even more so for humans.
After more than twenty days, they finally passed through three dangerous passes, and there were more and more villages and towns behind them.
The Li family servant congratulated him, saying, "There's no danger ahead. The eldest young master said that if Mr. Lu wants to learn about other towns along the way, he can go into the city to visit one or two. The timber transportation route is outside the city, right next to the city gate."
Although Lu Shang was curious about ancient towns, he still remembered what he had promised Jiang Wanning—
Go home early.
He refused the invitation to visit the city and only asked the servant to help point out the route for transporting goods. He took the long-term workers in the logistics team to understand every section of the road thoroughly and never allow any crisis to exist.
On the 28th day, everyone arrived in Lingnan.
It took them a whole month to get here, all because they were looking for trade routes. By the time they were going back, they would be back in about half a month, which was exactly the two-month deadline given by the eldest young master of the Li family.
Lu Shang took charge and ordered everyone to enter Lingnan City, stay there for two days, and then return.
He also gave each of them two taels of silver, so that if they came across anything good in the city, they could buy one or two, just as a small compensation for their families after being away from home for a few days.
He even went to a bank to exchange his notes for cash, and then, with the cash in hand, he approached people on the street and asked, "Excuse me, do you know where I can buy cosmetics and jewelry for women?"
The size of Lingnan Prefecture is far beyond the reach of a small village like Tangzhen. Lingnan is the commercial hub of Dazhao and is well-known for its trade. There are hundreds of silk shops on one street alone.
There are also rouge, powder, jade, jadeite, etc. As long as you have money, there is nothing you can't buy.
The crowd entering the street was like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden. They were so overwhelmed that they didn't even know what to do with their hands and feet.
…
At the same time, the Lu family in Tang Town, thousands of miles away, was no different from usual.
In the first two days after Lu Shang left, Jiang Wanning and Grandma Lu felt unwell.
Grandma Lu always prepared breakfast and dinner for one more person, and set bowls and chopsticks for three people on the table. When Jiang Wanning reminded her, she remembered that Lu Shang had gone on a long trip.
Jiang Wanning was still awake during the day, but her head was dizzy at night. The candle in her room would always burn for half the night. When she woke up with a start beside the bed, she remembered that there was no need to leave the door open tonight, so she hurriedly extinguished the candle.
By the next day, his calm expression had returned.
Grandma Lu has lived in the town for a long time and inevitably misses the village.
But once Lu Shang left, Jiang Wanning was the only one left at home. She had to take care of the school and the letter-writing stall. In the afternoon, there were several children who had to take extra classes. Every once in a while, she had to deliver calligraphy copies to the bookstore. She was really busy.
Even with Grandma Lu helping her prepare three meals a day, she was still visibly tired.
Seeing this, Grandma Lu didn't dare to mention returning to the village. She could only postpone it again and again and wait for Lu Shang to come back.
As we waited, the busy farming season and early autumn passed, and the weather became increasingly colder. In the blink of an eye, it was December and the weather had become completely cold.
It was spring when Jiang Wanning was bought to the Lu family, so naturally she didn't have any winter clothes. Grandma Lu didn't expect that she would live in the town for so long, so she had to buy even her autumn clothes on the spot, let alone winter clothes.
The cheapest set of winter clothes in town cost one or two taels of silver. Grandma Lu took only one look and quickly dragged Jiang Wanning out, whispering in her ear, "This is too expensive... Wanning, just buy your own. I have some at home. When you're not busy, let's go back to Lujia Village and I'll get it..."
Jiang Wanning remembered that many things had happened to the Lu family in the past six months. For example, the fact that Wang was sold as a concubine in the underworld was kept secret from Grandma Lu. Now that Lu had not returned yet, it was even less likely that she would reveal these things to Grandma.
She pretended to be embarrassed: "But grandma, you can see that I really don't have time to go back to the village. The weather is getting colder and colder, and the autumn clothes I wore before are no longer enough to keep me warm. If you stay here any longer, I'm afraid you'll get cold. I'll buy you two clothes first, the cheapest ones. When my husband comes back, we'll go back with you, okay?"
"Then...then I'll pay for it myself. I still have some money, which Shang'er gave me a long time ago."
Lu Shang had given her money a long time ago, but that was to supplement her funeral expenses. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he would not ask her to spend the money again.
Jiang Wanning disagreed and refused to take her home to get the money.
She took Grandma Lu back to the clothing store and really chose the cheapest gray and white winter coat.
The winter coat was a little different in size than Grandma Lu's, so the embroiderer in the shop could make alterations on the spot. Jiang Wanning asked Grandma Lu to wait a moment, and when she went to pay, she added an extra ounce of silver: "Please add some more cotton. My legs and feet are sensitive to cold, and I don't want to spend too much money, so I had to do a little more work on the cotton."
Grandma Lu was completely unaware of her arrangements.
But when she got the altered winter clothes, she could clearly feel that they were much thicker than those on display in the store. Even after leaving the store, Grandma Lu still had doubts: "Did I get the wrong one?"
"No, no, maybe you saw it wrong. These two items are worth four taels of silver. You didn't make a mistake."
"Well, then," Grandma Lu said without giving it much thought, "I've bought winter clothes. Wanning, you should go buy some too. I see you have frostbite on your hands. It must be too cold from getting up early and coming home late. When Shang'er comes back, he'll definitely be heartbroken."
Hearing this, Jiang Wanning couldn't help but curl her fingers, and the movement agitated the wound on the joint, causing a sudden itchy pain.
I got this frostbite while I was in exile last year. It went away when the weather got hotter, but who would have thought that it would recur this winter.
Moreover, there was no stove in the school she went to every day, and she had to often touch the sandbox and use cold water. Her frostbite only became more serious, and even the ointment she used to apply on her hands was no longer effective.
Jiang Wanning didn't hesitate any longer. She took the winter clothes from Grandma Lu's arms and took her to another clothing store.
The family was not short of money now. Not to mention the banknotes used as payment for goods, even the money she earned from selling calligraphy in the bookstore was enough to buy some new clothes.
But as long as Lu Shang didn't come back, Jiang Wanning didn't dare to spend the money lavishly. She would just keep some in her hand as a reserve, at least to give her peace of mind.
When she arrived at another clothing store, Jiang Wanning went straight for the cheapest winter clothes. This store had dark-colored winter clothes, such as black and brown, so she was not afraid of getting them dirty when she wore them.
Grandma Lu wanted to ask her to look at some more novel styles, but Jiang Wanning shook her head and refused. The next moment, she picked out a gray winter coat, paid for it, and bought it.
Grandma Lu was still asking the shop assistant, "How much does that nice-looking piece cost... Four taels of silver! Then, can my Wan Ning wear it? Yes, she can..."
Grandma Lu was taken out of the garment shop, but she couldn't help looking back when she left, and she even remembered the shops around the garment shop clearly in her mind.
The next day, everyone, old and young, changed into winter clothes.
The cuffs of the winter coat that Jiang Wanning bought were a bit long, but she could just tuck her hands into the sleeves. With the two cuffs together, she could keep her hands warm inside and prevent any wind from getting in.
That night, after Jiang Wanning sent Pang Liang and others away, she discovered that Grandma Lu was missing.
She panicked immediately and turned around to go out to look for someone, but she bumped into her on the way out. Grandma Lu was holding a package in her arms, and when she saw her, a smile suddenly broke out on her face.
"Wan Ning, come and try it on. I also bought you a winter coat!"
Jiang Wanning was a little dazed, but Grandma Lu unpacked the package, revealing a jacket and skirt inside. The color was apricot yellow, which was very popular recently. There was also a cape over the jacket and skirt, and the cape was a very authentic red.
"You——" Jiang Wanning was speechless.
Grandma Lu smiled and gestured the clothes on her: "I've been eyeing this coat and skirt since yesterday. Wanning, you are fair-skinned, it will definitely look good on you. I really have good taste--"
Jiang Wanning couldn't bear to let the old lady down, so she wiped the water stains from the corners of her eyes and hurried back to her room to change into a jacket and skirt. She also combed her hair into a bun to match. As soon as she left the room, she heard Grandma Lu exclaim in surprise, "How beautiful!"
Grandma Lu circled around her twice, and the more she looked at her, the happier she became. "I think Wan Ning is no less beautiful than the young ladies in town. You are much prettier than them... You are really beautiful."
The grandfather and grandson were laughing when they heard a knock on the door.
Grandma Lu was afraid that she would dirty her new clothes, so she stopped her and went to check the door. When she opened the door, she saw Feng He coming with his servant.
Since Lu Shang left, Feng He has intentionally reduced the number of times he comes to the Lu family, considering the difference between men and women. However, even though he is not coming, there is always enough food.
Just like now, when he walked in and saw Jiang Wanning, a flash of surprise flashed across his eyes, but he quickly returned to normal. He bowed to Grandma Lu and asked, "How are you these days, old lady?"
"Oh, good, good, why is Master Feng here again?" Grandma Lu was very familiar with Feng He, and quickly asked him to sit down.
After Feng He entered the courtyard, he greeted Jiang Wanning again and handed over the rice paper held by the servant. "Madam, this is my homework for the past few days. Please pass it to Mr. Jiang."
Jiang Wanning responded quietly.
Then Feng He waved his hand, and the servants outside the door came in one after another. There were big stoves, small silver charcoal, and some gloves and knee pads, all of which were used to keep warm in winter. Soon the yard was filled with things.
Feng He said, "I've prepared seven or eight more stoves and have already sent them to the school in the alley. From now on, I'll send servants to watch the fires morning and night to prevent the children from catching a cold."
This situation was not the first time it happened. Jiang Wanning knew that she could not refuse, so she simply gave up.
She thanked him and said, "That gentleman recently wrote two policy essays, which are inferences for next year's college entrance examination. Young Master, take them home and read them carefully. If there is anything you don't understand, you can ask questions as soon as possible."
Feng He's face lit up with joy, and he bowed to Jiang Wanning again: "Thank you for your hard work, Madam, and Sir!"
It was getting late, so Feng He didn't stay at the Lu family for long.
After he left, Jiang Wanning and Grandma Lu put the things in the yard in order again. They divided the gloves and knee pads to ensure that each person had a set in each room. There was also a stove in each room, and the silver charcoal was moved to the kitchen to prevent it from being soaked by rain or snow.
In addition to these cold-proof items, Feng He also sent some winter vegetables and fresh meat, which were hung on the wall, high on the wall, and a bamboo basket was placed outside to prevent wild cats from breaking in at night.
After all this was done, it was completely dark.
Grandma Lu asked, "I saw some large pork ribs in the meat just now. How about I take two out tomorrow and make you some soybean and pork rib soup?"
"It's all fine. Just arrange it as you see fit." Jiang Wanning agreed and sent Grandma Lu back into the house.
In this way, time passed quickly and it was the winter solstice in the blink of an eye.
The school does not have a holiday on the Winter Solstice, but Jiang Wanning had discussed with the neighbors in Wuming Lane in advance that after school on this day, they would gather in the school, and the adults and children would make dumplings together and have a meal together at the end of the year.
The school in the alley has been open for three months, and there is no need to say whether it is good or bad.
Take Aunt Tian’s son for example. Although he is still a little confused about accounting, he can already help Aunt Tian keep accounts.
There is also the daughter of the Xiang family. She is a girl, but her handwriting is the best in the whole school. If she practices for another ten or eight years, she might be able to be as good as the female teacher!
The children and adults who graduated from Jiang Wanning's school were not comparable to those from official families, but compared with their peers, they were already outstanding. After all, it was rare for ordinary people to be able to read, write, and use paper and pen.
Perhaps because of the dumpling feast in the afternoon, the children were distracted during class. When Jiang Wanning wasn't paying attention, they started whispering to each other. She tried to stop them twice but failed, so she simply stopped trying.
She put down the scroll in her hand and asked, "Speaking of the Winter Solstice, does anyone know the origin of the Winter Solstice?"
Next, she talked about the origin of the Winter Solstice and its customs, and the descriptions of the Winter Solstice by countless people from ancient times to the present. She even talked about the activities of some officials and their families on the Winter Solstice, and even the banquets held by the royal family.
The children listened attentively until the startled sound of a wooden clapper rang out in the classroom. Jiang Wanning clapped her hands and said, "That concludes today's class. Tomorrow, please submit an essay about your thoughts on the Winter Solstice, no less than 100 words."
It was only a hundred words, but the children were not afraid at all.
After returning home, they hurriedly ate lunch without even taking a nap. They immediately helped the adults carry flour, vegetables, meat, etc. to the school. They also had to carry rolling pins and other things, in short, all the things needed to make dumplings to the school.
At the appointed time, most of the neighbors in the alley came out and attended the school.
At this time, there is no distinction between men and women, young and old, teachers and students. Everyone finds a place to sit and starts kneading dough, mixing stuffing and rolling out dough. The whole room is full of people busy around the blazing stove.
Jiang Wanning poured some water for Grandma Lu and was about to sit back down to continue making dumplings when she heard someone shout at the door, "Is Madam Lu here? Someone's coming!"
Jiang Wanning looked up and saw that it was Feng He's servant who came to the alley to serve last month.
She had no choice but to stand up again: "Okay, I'll come right away."
She said something to Grandma Lu, washed her hands in the basin at the door, and without waiting to dry them, she hurried out to see who was coming.
However, when she walked back to the door of her house, she didn't see anyone standing outside. Instead, there were two cars, one big and one small, parked at the door. Both doors of the house were open, and the driver was moving things into the house.
Jiang Wanning paused, her heart suddenly beating violently.
"It's right here. Thank you both for helping me move in. I still have to go out to look for someone and will be back later--" Lu Shang shouted as he walked out. As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, his eyes met Jiang Wanning's.
Lu Shang was wearing a light brown coat, riding boots, and a horse whip tied around his waist. His hair was messy and his chin was covered with stubble. He had been running outside for who knows how long, and his body was covered with a layer of dust.
He curled the corners of his mouth and took two steps forward, but suddenly remembered how dirty he was and stopped abruptly.
But at this moment, Jiang Wanning made a move. Her eyes turned red, and she didn't care that there were still outsiders around. She rushed over and threw herself into his arms again: "Lu Shang——"
"Hey, I'm here, Aning." Lu Shang held her tightly in his arms, and her skirt was cold in his hands.
He was thinking he was dirty just now, but once he hugged the person, he couldn't bear to let go.
"You haven't seen me for so long, Aning, do you miss me?" Lu Shang asked with a smile.
But he was destined not to get an answer. He only heard a sudden whine in his arms, followed by sobs that were suppressed with great effort.
Lu Shang's smile could no longer be maintained. He took a deep breath, suddenly picked up Jiang Wanning, and pressed her head on his shoulder, then strode back home.
After returning to the room, he put Jiang Wanning down, bent his knees and half-knelt in front of the bed, looking up at her tear-stained eyes.
Lu Shang felt a surge of bitterness in his heart. He raised his hand and used his thumb to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Looking at her pale lips that were bitten, he suddenly felt an impulse.
"Aning——" Lu Shang couldn't remember how many times he said to himself, "Calm down," before he didn't do anything out of the ordinary.
Once upon a time, he had the audacity to think that Jiang Wanning should be treated as a younger sister who needed to be taken care of. Now, he only wanted to question himself -
Would you share a bed with your sister for six months? Would you yearn for her endlessly? Would you develop inappropriate feelings for her...even wanting to kiss her?
He was just deceiving himself.
Today, he finally dared to face his true thoughts.
To him, Jiang Wanning is his wife, his love, and the one he cannot let go of in this life.
Lu Shang asked softly: "Aning, can I kiss you?"
Jiang Wanning's eyes suddenly widened, as if she couldn't understand what these words meant.
However, before she could come to her senses, Lu Shang had already stood up, grabbed her neck condescendingly, and leaned over to kiss her.
"!" From the beginning to the end, Jiang Wanning's mind was blank, but a familiar chuckle sounded in her ears. Her eyes were still white, and she could only turn her head blankly, but in fact she could not see anything.
Lu Shang laughed at her: "Are you stupid?"
Jiang Wanning nodded.
Lu Shang finally couldn't help laughing, and he stroked the back of her neck carefully, wanting to press this person into his bones.
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Wanning finally came back to her senses. The previous scene gradually emerged in her mind. Although she didn't say anything, her eyes seemed to be alive, with surprise and joy, which was much more lively than her expression.
And her ears, hidden in her black hair, gradually turned red and finally became hot.
Lu Shang sat down next to her and said insincerely, "I think I accidentally scared you, Aning. I'm sorry, but if I do it again... I'm afraid I still can't help it."
He took out Jiang Wanning's hand hidden in her sleeve, but as soon as he touched it, his expression changed.
Jiang Wanning also remembered something and suddenly retracted her hand.
Lu Shang's expression changed, and his voice no longer had the joy it had before: "What's wrong with your hand? Let me see."
"No, nothing..." Jiang Wanning said something else, "Today is the Winter Solstice... Yes, today is the Winter Solstice. We are all making dumplings together in the school. Grandma is here too. Grandma has been missing you for a long time. Let's go to school."
At the end, there was a hint of pleading in her words.
Lu Shang remained unmoved, forcefully grasping her arm and peeling her hand out bit by bit.
When I lowered my eyes, I saw that my slender white hands were covered with black and red chilblains. The chilblains were on the joints, and because they were not treated properly, they had begun to affect the movement of the joints.
He didn't want to be angry, but as soon as he said it, anger inevitably stained his voice: "What's going on?"
Jiang Wanning didn't dare to hide it and said honestly, "It was before. I accidentally caught it on the way to exile last year. I thought I had recovered, but I didn't expect it to come back last month... I applied ointment carefully. Don't worry, my husband, it will be healed soon."
"Today is the Winter Solstice. I've agreed with my neighbors to eat dumplings together. There are so many students here... Can we talk about anything tomorrow?"
"You--" Lu Shang was caught off guard when he ran into her pleading eyes, and all his anger disappeared immediately.
He patted Jiang Wanning's wrist gently and said, "I'll settle the score with you when I get back tonight!"
"Now then..."
"Didn't you say you were going to the school to make dumplings? Why aren't you leaving yet?" Lu Shang said unhappily.
Jiang Wanning smiled and took his hand. "Yes, let's go now! The neighbors haven't seen you for a long time. They asked you where you were going not long ago, and Grandma—"
"My grandma bought me this dress. I thought it was a bit expensive and didn't want it, but she bought it herself and said it would look good on me..."
How could Lu Shang not hear the boasting in her words? He complimented her and said, "It is very beautiful."
As they were talking, the two of them arrived outside the school. Lu Shang's arrival surprised everyone.
Grandma Lu hugged him and cried and laughed, pulling him to her side and insisting on watching him all the time.
Lu Shang took over Jiang Wanning's job and allowed her to sit next to him and do nothing. Whenever Jiang Wanning wanted to do something, he would make some noise to attract her attention and then glance at her hands.
“…” Jiang Wanning had no choice but to sit down obediently and wait for the meal.
Although there were many people eating dumplings, there were even more people making them. Everyone worked together and it only took two hours to finish making all the dumplings. A large iron pot was set up in the alley and the dumplings were cooked in it.
Then all the neighbors gathered together, celebrating the Winter Solstice Festival with laughter and joy.
After everyone had eaten dumplings together, they packed up their things and went home. Lu Shang held Grandma Lu with one hand and held Jiang Wanning's hand with the other. When they got home, Lu Shang told them about his experiences over the past month and the many things he brought back.
When she heard that he had brought back winter clothes from Lingnan, Grandma Lu was very happy: "Winter clothes are great. Wanning only has two sets of winter clothes. I've been saying that she should get more clothes. What a coincidence."
"And the chilblains on her hands! I've told her many times not to touch cold water, but she couldn't keep her eyes peeled and washed her hands with cold water again. I can't control her anymore. Shang'er, you have to talk to her..."
Lu Shang glanced at Jiang Wanning, and as expected, her eyes were full of guilt.
Grandma Lu was tired after a long day and was overjoyed in the afternoon. She felt exhausted soon after returning home and had no energy to look at the things Lu Shang brought back. She said goodbye to the two of them and went back to her room to rest.
The remaining two people discussed it and didn't want to take care of anything, so they went back to the room side by side, leaving only the two lamps on the bedside.
Lu Shang had been running around for many days and had only taken a shower half a month ago. However, he had just realized his feelings for Jiang Wanning and was reluctant to ask her to boil water in the middle of the night. He simply wiped her and then took her to bed.
After many days, the two finally lay together again.
Lu Shang threw away his usual reserve, and took Jiang Wanning into his arms, forehead against forehead, whispering to her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
