Chapter 256 This man is Boss Cao
At the end of the Shen hour (3-5 PM), the merchant ships began their return journey.
Cheng Wanwan didn't go back empty-handed. Zhao Ergou and Zhao Dawang told her that Nanyang porcelain was cheap, so she had the two boys buy a cartload of porcelain to take back to Hekou County.
Cloth is cheap in Nanyang but porcelain is cheap in Hekou County and Ping'an County. Porcelain is relatively more expensive, so it's not worth making a special trip there. You can make a small profit by bringing some back with you.
There were many people boarding the ship, and they had to queue to have their passes checked and pay the fare.
When paying the fare, Cheng Wanwan booked two rooms directly. She would have one room by herself, while Zhao Ergou and Zhao Dawang would share the other. They planned to get a good night's sleep on the boat and arrive at their destination the next morning.
Just as the three of them pushed the cart onto the deck, a sudden commotion arose behind them.
The crowd suddenly started talking.
"Boss Cao has boarded the ship!"
"This boat belongs to the Cao family of Hekou County. The Cao family is incredibly wealthy!"
"Brother Cao is so fat! He must have eaten so much good food. I'm so envious!"
Cheng Wanwan turned around and saw a group of servants surrounding a fat man as he boarded the boat. This man was the one she had met at the inn.
The Cao family of Hekou Town, this boat belongs to the Cao family, so isn't this person Cao Yingying's biological father, Cao Defu?
This world is too small; how could I run into something like this?
Zhao Ergou also guessed the fat man's identity and said in a low voice, "No wonder he hasn't returned to Hekou County yet. It turns out he's been held up by this batch of silk gauze."
Cheng Wanwan shook her head.
Yingying wrote and sent the letter more than half a month ago. After receiving her daughter's letter for help, she should go home in time no matter what happens.
A trip home would only take a day and a night, not a long journey. She couldn't understand why her own father could disregard his daughter's life and death...
If she had known, she shouldn't have come up with that idea; she should have let him lose everything.
"Handle this box carefully! It's a gift for the young lady!" a foreman gruffly instructed the workers carrying the goods. "It's full of precious jade pieces; you can't afford to pay for any damage! This box contains clothes for the young lady, so handle it gently!"
Cheng Wanwan looked over and saw a row of more than a dozen large boxes, which seemed to be gifts that Cao Defu had brought back for his family.
The eldest daughter of the Cao family is Cao Yingying. Judging from this, Cao Defu must also love this eldest daughter.
What exactly went wrong?
Could it be... that I didn't receive the letter at all?
Cheng Wanwan paused, then gave Zhao Ergou a look.
Zhao Ergou understood immediately and waved his hand, "Uncle, what a coincidence! We bumped into each other on the boat. Are you heading back to Hekou County?"
Cao Defu's mind was full of Luo Sha. When he heard Zhao Ergou's voice and saw Cheng Wanwan, he felt as if he had grasped a lifeline.
Although he now has a general direction, he is still a rough and uncultured man. He is at a loss as to what color of silk gauze should be paired with what kind of poem. Now that he has met someone, he must sort this matter out.
"Isn't this a coincidence? It shows we're truly destined to meet." Cao Defu laughed heartily. "Old Sun, arrange for them to have a superior room on the third floor. These are my honored guests; we can't neglect them."
Manager Sun nodded in agreement.
Cao Defu continued, "Let me introduce myself first. My surname is Cao, I am from Hekou County, and I am the owner of Cao's Trading Company. Everyone calls me Boss Cao."
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "My husband's surname is Zhao. Brother Cao can just call me Sister-in-law Zhao. This is my son Zhao Jingcheng, and this is my nephew Zhao Dawang."
"Master, I'm a little tired," a flamboyant woman beside Cao Defu said softly, resting her temples on her hands. "Shall we go and rest first..."
Cao Defu waved his hand: "Go by yourself if you want to."
As he spoke, he looked at Cheng Wanwan with great enthusiasm, "Sister Zhao, those two lines of poetry you casually recited this morning have captivated me. Why don't we sit down and have some tea, and then chat slowly?"
Cheng Wanwan also wanted to ask about the letter, so she agreed.
The woman beside Cao Defu is surnamed Meng. She was a concubine who had just entered the household three months ago and was very favored. Cao Defu would take her with him when he went on business trips, which shows how much she was favored.
Whenever Meng showed her gentle demeanor, Cao Defu would be completely subdued and do whatever she asked.
But now, Cao Defu is actually chatting and laughing with a middle-aged woman right in front of her.
Meng was so angry that her mouth twisted, and she leaned against Cao Defu: "Master, I am really not feeling well, let's go and rest."
Cao Defu was very impatient: "Old Sun, help Aunt Meng to rest."
Meng: "..."
She took a deep breath and leaned against Cao Defu, saying coquettishly, "Sir, I suddenly feel less uncomfortable. I'll go have tea with you."
Cheng Wanwan could hardly bear to look at the scene.
Meng looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, while Cao Defu was in his thirties. One was young and beautiful, and the other was chubby and old. They didn't seem to be a good match at all.
She pretended not to see it and went to the deck first, with Zhao Ergou and Zhao Dawang quickly following behind.
Zhao Dawang muttered to himself, "Third Aunt said that city people who have money will take concubines. This woman must be Uncle Cao's concubine."
Zhao Ergou said calmly, "When you're out and about, don't talk nonsense, or you'll get into trouble."
Zhao Dawang quickly shut his mouth: "I'll remember."
The group of five sat down at the table and chairs on the deck, where someone served tea, as well as snacks and fruits.
The air is filled with the aroma of tea, the river flows in the distance, mountains rise and fall, and the sky is blue with white clouds. The vastness and openness are breathtaking and refreshing.
Cheng Wanwan took a sip of tea and asked casually, "Boss Cao has been away from Hekou County for more than a month. Has he been communicating with his family?"
Cao Defu nodded: "Why is Sister Zhao asking this?"
"Since you've been communicating with them, you must know about the major events that have recently occurred in Hekou County," Cheng Wanwan sighed. "The eldest daughter of the Cao family is truly pitiful..."
Cao Defu was suddenly stunned: "Yingying... what happened?"
Cheng Wanwan also looked stunned: "What, Boss Cao doesn't know? Then I'd better not say anything more."
She got up as if to leave.
"Wait a minute!" Cao Defu stood up. "What exactly happened in Hekou County, and what does it have to do with Miss Cao? Please explain clearly, Sister Zhao."
“I thought Madam Cao would write to inform Boss Cao. Even if Madam Cao didn’t write, Miss Cao should have written to ask for help,” Cheng Wanwan said. “Boss Cao, if you haven’t received a letter, you should think about whether there’s a problem with the people around you.”
Cao Defu suddenly turned his head and saw that his concubine, who had just been so gentle, was now looking away.
He grabbed Meng's shoulder: "I gave you all my letters, did you deliberately hide them?!"
"I...I didn't!" Madam Meng's face turned pale with fright. "My lord, I am your woman, how could I hide your letters? It is this strange woman who is talking about the Cao family for no reason. What does the Cao family have to do with her? She is of unknown origin. How can you trust outsiders and suspect me? I am so wronged!"
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "There should be quite a few people on this ship who boarded and left Hekou County three days ago. If you don't believe me, you can ask them if they know what happened to Miss Cao."
Cao Defu looked up: "Old Sun, go and find out!"
Manager Sun nodded in agreement and hurriedly went to the bottom floor to inquire about the situation.
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