Chapter 55
The two went to Wa City together, and Ye Jia pulled Zhou Jingchen straight to the place where they bought livestock.
The livestock vendor had not only mules and donkeys, but also horses. But on second thought, it made sense. To crossbreed a mule, wouldn't a horse and a donkey be necessary? The vendor kept the animals in a simple shed, tied them up with ropes, and provided them with fodder. Ye Jia looked from the top to the bottom of the shed, but it was hard to tell whether the animals were good or bad.
Zhou Jingchen followed behind her and was also watching, his eyes falling on the livestock casually.
Ye Jia had no idea what he was looking at, but after listening to the vendor's explanation, he finally understood. Even mules come in different types. One is the horse mule. The result of a male donkey and a female horse mating is a horse mule. They are tall and horse-like, good at running, capable of carrying heavy loads, strong, and docile. Another type is the donkey mule. The result of a male horse and a female donkey mating is a donkey mule. They are shaped like donkeys, but while they can't run like horses, they have great endurance and a long lifespan.
"It depends on which one you want. Generally speaking, a horse mule is more capable than a donkey mule, whether it's carrying loads or running. But in terms of lifespan, a horse mule's service life is about fifteen years, while a donkey mule's can reach twenty-one or twenty-two years." The vendor glanced at Zhou Jingchen, who was wearing a military uniform, and gave a very detailed introduction.
"If it's plowing, a horse mule can plow five acres, while a donkey mule can only plow about three acres."
Ye Jia frowned and thought for a long time before asking, "How much is the price?"
"As for the price, horse mules are naturally more expensive than donkey mules." The vendor said this. Although there was no adulteration in the conversation, it was biased. Horse mules were more expensive, so naturally, he hoped Ye Jia would buy a horse mule.
In reality, the Zhou family didn't have much land that needed a mule for plowing; Ye Jia simply bought a mule for the convenience of transporting goods. Honestly, a horse mule was more suitable than a donkey mule. Frowning in thought for a moment, Ye Jia roughly inquired about the price. A donkey mule cost about six taels, while a horse mule cost eight. A better-quality one would cost around ten taels.
Ye Jia didn't really understand. She couldn't tell what the vendors were talking about, just like an amateur. So she tugged at Zhou Jingchen's sleeve.
Zhou Jingchen curled his eyes and pointed at the mule's waist and hooves, instructing Ye Jia: "If you want to choose, you have to look at the hooves first. There's a saying that narrow-hoofed mules are better than narrow-hoofed horses. Narrow-hoofed mules can walk well and have great endurance. Then look at the neck. Mules with long necks are strong and have great endurance. Finally, look at the waist and abdomen. Although long waists and thin legs look good, they are not practical and are not as strong as those with thick and strong limbs. Finally, look at the teeth. It's the same as choosing a horse. You can't tell the mule's age from its appearance. Open its mouth and take a look at its teeth. Only healthy teeth are good."
Ye Jia listened, half understanding. The vendor beside him had a grim expression. The large mule he had pulled over earlier stamped its hooves twice before being dragged back to the stable in a sullen manner.
It seemed that he had not expected that there was someone in this place who knew so much about horses, so he put aside all the little thoughts he had.
Finally, Ye Jia picked a mule that was about two years old. Because it was indeed of good quality, Ye Jia readily gave it ten taels of silver. Seeing her happy expression, Zhou Jingchen couldn't help but reach out and ruffle Ye Jia's hair. She glared at him before he retracted his hand: "The carriage needs to be customized, but do you want me to go?"
It is not difficult to customize a carriage. Just find a carpenter and tell him the size of the carriage you need, and you can get it in a few days.
"No need," Ye Jia understood this. She waved at Zhou Jingchen while holding her new mule. He seemed like someone who was to be thrown away after being used. "Do you have anything else to do? I'm fine now. If you don't have anything else, then hurry back to the base!"
Zhou Jingchen was choked by her attitude of chasing people away.
After a pause, he said in a rather awkward tone, "Okay, I have some guests to attend to. You go back to the shop first."
Just as the two were about to part ways at the entrance to Tile Market, Ye Jia ran into a trafficker dragging a group of people toward the market. They were shackled in chains, and the heavy chains rattled with their movements. Ye Jia quickly turned her head away, but a child rushed over and grabbed her arm. It wasn't exactly a child, just a teenager of about eleven or twelve.
Ye Jia was genuinely startled. Zhou Jingchen quickly grabbed the boy's hand, his expression immediately turning cold: "Let go!"
The young boy was startled by Zhou Jingchen's cold aura. His hands loosened suddenly, but the next moment, he fell to his knees in front of Ye Jia with a plop. The trafficker in front couldn't pull the chain, so he came around with a whip. The boy cried and shouted, "Kind sister, please save me! I was kidnapped. If you save me, my family will definitely thank you when they find out!"
Ye Jia was a little confused and didn't react at the time of being caught. But after a pause, she immediately hid behind Zhou Jingchen.
There were people on the street, and this boy didn't catch anyone else, so why did he catch her? Ye Jia wasn't a real teenager who didn't know anything. This felt like a trap set on the street in her past life. Ye Jia subconsciously became alert.
The young man continued to plead desperately. The trafficker in front heard the commotion and rushed over. He ripped a thumb-thick whip from his waist and swung it down fiercely. The whip pierced the air, and blood immediately oozed from the young man's back. A scream erupted from his throat, and people strolling around the tile market immediately gathered around, pointing and watching the excitement.
Ye Jia felt something was amiss. The young man, while being beaten, revealed his name and hometown. He also bluntly stated, "I'm from Dong'an Prefecture, Huizhou. My family runs a rice paper business! Please save me! My father will definitely reward you handsomely!"
From the moment he spoke, something felt off. He spoke so clearly and carefully, as if he'd just been kidnapped. Ye Jia might have been a bit too kind, but she wasn't clueless. Normally, a kidnapped person wouldn't have a good life. Two or three days would have taught him how treacherous people are. If not dumb, then at least he'd be cautious. How could someone beg for help so indiscriminately on the street?
Not to mention how far this place is from Huizhou, in ancient times there were no high-speed trains or airplanes, so it would have taken at least three or four months to get there on foot. Given the distance and time, if this young man really came from Anqing Prefecture in Huizhou, it would be impossible for him to be so stupid and naive after being in the hands of human traffickers for so long.
As he was thinking about it, the whip came swinging towards him, and his skin and flesh were torn apart again.
Ye Jia's eyelids twitched. Although he didn't quite trust the boy's words, seeing how badly he was beaten did move his heart. Ye Jia stopped the trafficker from beating him: "Stop! How much would this child be worth if we sold it?"
When the human trafficker heard what Ye Jia said, he immediately stopped.
Wrinkles immediately appeared on his dark red face. The trafficker rubbed his hands and said, "If Madam wants it, you have to pay at least this amount. This child will be a strong laborer after two or three years of eating and can do any kind of work. The price is naturally not cheap..."
As he spoke, he gestured to Ye Jia with his hand, indicating ten taels.
Ye Jia's brows rose, but he didn't say anything. Seeing Ye Jia's apparent remorse, the chained men all followed suit, kneeling down and begging for help. They fabricated all sorts of identities, including claiming to be the lost daughter of a high-ranking official in Beijing.
But after a moment of hesitation, they were surrounded.
A group of people were crying and wailing, saying all sorts of outrageous things. One person even compared Ye Jia to a bodhisattva, as if Ye Jia wasn't worthy of the title of bodhisattva if he didn't pay to save them. Before Ye Jia even mentioned buying anything, they were blocked and unable to leave. Each one reached out, trying to pull Ye Jia away. Zhou Jingchen silently drew the sword from his waist.
There was a flash of the knife, and the people who were crying and shouting suddenly quieted down.
"Everyone step back." Zhou Jingchen slowly moved his wrist and made a light knife move.
The sharp gleam of the blade was more intimidating than anything else. Those kneeling on their knees scrambled to their feet and quickly retreated three or four steps, fearing the massive blade would strike them. He glanced coldly at the trafficker, then glanced at the young man, whose uniform made his presence clear. "I advise you not to have any evil intentions. In this area, if you provoke the wrong person, you'll end up in big trouble."
The trafficker's face suddenly turned embarrassed, and he swung his whip in the air, and everyone lowered their heads obediently.
The young man, weeping profusely, was still kneeling on the ground, his tattered clothes stained with crimson blood. He was afraid of the knife in Zhou Jingchen's hand and didn't dare rush over to grab Ye Jia's arm. But the pleading in his eyes was unmistakable.
In the end, Ye Jia bought the boy.
It wasn't out of kindness, nor was it because someone was pestering her and she couldn't leave. Zhou Jingchen had secretly tugged at her sleeve. Although she didn't know why he did this, Ye Jia somehow understood his hidden intentions. It had to be said that after dragging the young boy and a mule out, Ye Jia's face was so stinky it could have choked on stinky tofu. Zhou Jingchen, however, kept his lips curled up, as if he was very happy.
However, she didn't ask what Zhou Jingchen meant by this action at this moment. She simply returned to the shop and told her fifth sister to ask Old Man Sun to go to the carpenter's shop and order two styles of carriages. Then she took the mule and the child back to Zhou's house.
Back at the Zhou residence, Yu happened to be grinding bath beans in the yard. Hearing the noise, she rushed to the door and saw the mule first. Even if Yu hadn't been so delighted to see a priceless Ferghana horse before, this time, the mule practically made her jump for joy. Yu was truly delighted. It had only been a short time, less than a year, and their family had gone from being unable to afford food to now being able to afford a mule!
"Jia Niang, come in quickly."
Yu walked around the mule twice before noticing that there was a half-grown child beside Ye Jia. "Which one is this?"
"I just bought it at the tile market." Ye Jia went inside to pour a bowl of water. After finishing it, he put the bowl down and walked out, saying, "I just bought it. Mom, ask him what his name is and what he can do. If you have time, take him to do something."
It is not easy for Ye Jia to keep this little boy around.
Ye Jia didn't need to say anything; Yu had already begun questioning. Yu might not be as deft as Ye Jia, the fourth sister, or the fifth sister in other matters, but when it came to disciplining servants, no one in the Zhou family, with the exception of Zhou Jingchen, was better. It didn't take long for Yu to reveal the truth. The young man's surname was Lin, and his given name was Zeyu. He was indeed from Anqing Prefecture, Huizhou, but his family wasn't in business. He was simply employed as a village head for a family of officials.
Ye Jia knew that a village head was a family of officials or large merchants and landlords in ancient times. They would not have to take care of the farm themselves, but would let trusted servants manage the farm. This Lin Zeyu was the son of a village head in the family of a high-ranking official named She.
"A high-ranking official in Huizhou named She?" She didn't react much when other Yu surnames were mentioned, but this one caught her attention. "Is it the She family of the governor?"
Lin Zeyu didn't expect Yu Shi to know and was stunned for a moment: "Replying to Madam, it was Governor She."
Yu's brow furrowed, then her lips curled up after she caught Ye Jia's eye. Without asking any further questions, she let him pack up and move into the empty room on the west side. Lin Zeyu was literate, having served as a servant to the master's son in his youth. Later, something happened at home that offended the master, and the entire family was sold off, and naturally, he was also sold so far away.
The story about the Xuan paper business he'd mentioned earlier wasn't a lie; his family did indeed have a small workshop. It was a secret workshop his father had opened when he was the village head, secretly embezzling money from his master's family. He'd learned the Xuan paper-making method from his master's large shop, and the money he earned was barely enough to make ends meet.
Of course, Lin Zeyu wouldn't tell the Zhou family about these inner affairs. He followed orders obediently, but he could sense that the old lady in his new home was somewhat repulsive towards him. Although he didn't know why, he honestly stayed away from Yu's presence. He would come out to work when necessary, and hide in his room when not. Fortunately, this family wasn't harsh and didn't give him much trouble.
Ye Jia didn't know what kind of entanglement Yu had with this Governor She, but he was very knowledgeable and tactful, so he didn't ask any further questions.
After sending the man home, she went back to the shop.
When she returned to the shop, it was peak business season and Ye Wumei couldn't handle it alone. She went over to help and found that only half of the pig's head was left, but the two large pots of pig intestines were already sold out.
Fifth Sister was truly delighted today. Firstly, business was booming, and the money was flowing in, making her happy. Secondly, her sister had publicly reassured her, telling her not to worry about being married off. Ye Fifth Sister hummed a delighted tune as she wiped the chopping board. Ye Jia glanced at her helplessly several times, and she couldn't help but smile. Things were selling especially well today; they were sold out before 3 p.m.
After selling everything, he closed the shop because he had to go back to make tomorrow's meal. Old Man Sun had already bought the pig's head and pork belly, and also bought a few buckets of pig intestines and brought them back.
Just as they were about to close the shop, a few more regular customers arrived. Seeing Old Man Sun already starting to close the shop, they immediately felt regretful: "Why are you here so early today? I wanted to come earlier, but I got held up by some trivial matters. Are you all sold out already?"
Ye Jia smiled: "It's sold out. I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow to eat it."
A few people were puzzled by the lack of pork. Not many people in town enjoyed it. It usually sold out after 3 p.m., so why was it so popular today? Later, they learned that the shop owner's husband, a stationed military officer, had come to visit. Many people, either to curry favor or to help out, came to the shop to help with the business. As a result, the small amount of pork was sold out.
"The boss lady has a husband?" The men saw that Ye Jia was good-looking and had never seen a man around her, so they all thought she was a widow. Who knew there was really a man? "Is he really an officer stationed here?"
"Isn't it? He's so handsome!" said someone who was present at the time. "Standing next to the boss lady, they look like two angels!"
The man, who had some thoughts in his mind, smacked his lips, muttered a few words but didn't dare to say anything.
Ye Jia was unaware of these events. When she returned to the Zhou residence with her belongings, Zhou Jingchen was there with a few others. Ye Jia knew those people well: Liu Yuan and Sun Yushan, who had been to the Zhou residence before. There was also Zabatu, a large man from a foreign tribe who had come to the house for drinks when they lived in Wangjiazhuang, Libei Town. They sat at a wooden table in the courtyard, their faces solemn.
Ye Jia had made the wooden table and stools, specially finding and polishing the wood and following the original shape of the wooden stakes. Although they looked rough, they actually had a certain primitive beauty.
At this time, several grown men were sitting together, with several plates of cooked meat and drinks on the table.
Ye Jia glanced over in surprise, but didn't bother to interrupt. He asked Old Man Sun to carry the things he needed for tomorrow to the open space in front of the kitchen, get a few large basins, and bring a few buckets of water to wash them.
After discussing for a long time, it was natural that they would have dinner at the Zhou family in the evening.
Ye Jia thought it was a good thing there were food and wine at home, otherwise she'd have to go to the tile market. She put the washed pig intestines into the pot to brine, and used the other stove for cooking. The stove was something Ye Jia had recently remodeled, having wanted to use. She was used to it by now, with two large pots and a few hanging pots hidden next to them for boiling water. Not only did they have enough pots for cooking, but now even hot water was much more convenient.
The weather was gradually getting cooler, and it got colder very quickly after October. Now was the perfect time to enjoy a mutton hotpot. Ye Jia was too lazy to cook more dishes today, and since those people wanted to drink, she thought she might as well just make a hotpot.
Ye Wumei was busy cleaning the vegetable leaves, washing them while keeping an eye on the pot: "Sister, is there something wrong at the base?"
"Huh?" Ye Jia was stunned for a moment, just about to make a bowl of chicken noodle soup for Ye Simei. She had been in confinement for almost a month, and it was time for her to get up and walk around. After a month of good food and drink, Ye Simei had become a little plumper. "What's wrong?"
Ye Wumei shook her head and brought a plate of washed cabbage into the kitchen: "My brother-in-law and his group look so ugly."
Ye Jia blinked and glanced over. As expected, their expressions were not very good. She thought that Zhou Jingchen could handle anything, so she just cooked some noodles and served a big bowl. Before she could speak, Ye Wumei hesitated for a moment and said, "Sister, have you heard? I heard that four or five young girls have gone missing in Wudao Village recently. People in the town say that those kidnappers are back."
"Is there a missing girl from Wudao Village?" Ye Jia had been busy establishing a relationship with the Cheng family in Libei Town and asking around for information about the head of the Cheng family. He hadn't noticed the rumors. "When did this happen?"
"There have always been kidnappers around this town. Every year, a few girls and children get lost in every village," Ye Wumei said, accustomed to it. "But this year, it seems like there are more. Four or five have been lost in Wudao Village, and several more in Sanhe Village down the road. From all the villages combined, there are probably 20 to 30 people. Most of them are girls, little girls, but there are boys too, but not many."
As Ye Wumei was speaking, she mentioned, "I still have to tell Auntie to keep an eye on Ruijie."
Ye Jia felt something was amiss, but there were indeed many kidnappers in border areas like this in ancient times. The village had many children, and if one wasn't kept under surveillance, it could easily be lost. Furthermore, the human trade was legal in ancient times, and people could be brought to pawnshops or markets for money.
"I understand." Ye Jia nodded and handed the noodles to Ye Simei.
Ajiu went out again without saying a word.
Before leaving, Ajiu stuffed ten taels of silver into Ye Jia's pocket. His family lived in the Zhou family's house, and although Ye Jia didn't ask for money, their family ate and drank with the Zhou family's money. No matter how thick-skinned Ajiu was, he couldn't bear to eat and drink for free. In addition, he had previously taken Ye Jia's commission, so he felt even more embarrassed to eat and drink for free. In order to let the Zhou family give his wife more good food, the ten taels of silver were placed in Ye Jia's hands.
Ye Jia didn't argue with him and accepted the money he gave her. Brothers should settle accounts clearly. Only after receiving the money can the other party feel at ease. She ultimately didn't take the ten taels of silver and gave it to Yu Shi. Later, during the daytime, Yu Shi would make soup for Ye Simei.
The twins had grown considerably. Their redness faded after a month, leaving them as white and tender as dough balls. The difference was only apparent when the children opened their eyes: one had emerald green eyes, like Ajiu, while the other had black pupils. Both were incredibly beautiful, the kind that would make anyone feel heartbroken. Even Ye Jia, who didn't particularly like children, would come over and hold them daily.
Fourth Sister Ye ate her noodle soup and was no longer so afraid of Ye Jia. Living together, she could tell that Ye Jia was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Although she was still hesitant, she finally dared to speak: "Sister, I will be able to start working next month. If there is anything around the house that you can't handle, just call me."
"Don't worry, you haven't fully recovered yet." Ye Jia didn't want her, a woman in confinement, to work. "Besides, you have two children to take care of. After you're out of confinement, I won't have the time to cook for you. You'll have to do it yourself. The children are so young, I don't even have enough time to wash their diapers during the day. Don't worry about working for me."
Ye Simei blushed when Ye Jia said that.
"Okay, just rest peacefully. If you really need anything, ask Ajiu to help me." Ye Jia pinched the child's cheek, told her to put the bowl aside after finishing her noodles, and asked Fifth Sister to come and get it later. After saying that, she turned and left.
Ye Jia picked all the chilies from the two acres of land in the backyard. He dried the ones that didn't, and made chili sauce from the undried ones. In short, he prepared a variety of chili condiments. It was also convenient to use now. He fried chili powder with peanuts, cumin, salt, sesame seeds, and other ingredients to make a dipping sauce. Since he didn't have butter, Ye Jia used mutton fat and added spices to the bottom of the wok.
Ye Jia and Fifth Sister were in the kitchen, one busy chopping vegetables and meat, the other frying the soup base. They used chicken broth, and after giving Fourth Sister a bowl of noodles, there was still plenty left. It was perfect for now.
It's true that desperate situations can truly bring out one's potential. Ye Jia never imagined that one day he'd be able to craft a hot pot soup base based on his memories. While the taste wasn't as good as the one he'd had at the restaurant in his previous life, it was still pretty good. At least it wasn't bad. He just used chopsticks to dip the cut meat and vegetables into the soup, then scooped them out and dipped them in the sauce. It was incredibly fragrant.
Ye Jia prepared two pots, using the small stove Yu had previously used to boil medicine for Zhou Jingchen. He lit two lumps of charcoal, added some salad, and placed the pots in the center. The lettuce was placed on a rack nearby.
Zhou Jingchen, Liu Yuan, and the others were all a bit bewildered by this scene. They had eaten a lot of fresh food, but this kind of lettuce was the first time they had seen it served on the table.
The spicy flavor, carried by the cool evening breeze, was fragrant and stimulating. It bubbled up from the scalding pot, making the brows of the bitter and resentful men relax. Ye Jia was afraid they wouldn't be able to eat it, so she used the serving chopsticks to give them a few slices of mutton. After counting about fifteen times, she scooped it all up and placed it directly on the dipping saucer in front of Zhou Jingchen: "Husband, try it first."
Zhou Jingchen's eyes met Liu Yuan's jealous gaze, but he silently looked away. He picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of meat in his mouth. He chewed slowly for a few times, and his expression relaxed.
Liu Yuan was visibly jealous, but Ye Jia was Zhou Jingchen's legitimate wife, so naturally, she wasn't someone you could flirt with casually. He swallowed the teasing that was about to come out of his mouth and said, "Sister-in-law, hurry up and get busy. We can eat on our own here."
"Well, eat the meat first, and then put the vegetables in after the meat." Ye Jia nodded. "Put the fish fillets in last, otherwise it will smell fishy."
After several people said they understood, Ye Jia returned to the house and sat down to eat with Yu and the others.
The first time she ate hot pot, it was a novelty. Yu had eaten so much of Ye Jia's cooking that she no longer considered just a small snack good. She found this hot pot delicious after just one bite. Lately, the family has been adding chili peppers to the dishes, and they've become accustomed to the flavor. Yu took a few bites and really enjoyed it. She couldn't help but sigh, "If our business gets bigger, can we sell this?"
"Of course we can sell it, but we don't have anyone here who can afford to eat it regularly." The people trapped in this area still have a hard time, and too few can afford good food. "If we want to do it in the future, we'll have to go to the Central Plains."
Ye Wumei ate while listening. She didn't really understand much, but she always kept Ye Jia's words in mind.
After a delicious meal in the evening, Ye Wumei took the dishes in to wash. She also checked to see if the braised meat in the pot was ready. After she was done and everything was taken out and left to dry, Old Man Sun came to help boil water.
Zhou Jingchen sent the guests away and just as he entered the house, Yu called him, "Yun'an, come here for a moment."
Yu's expression was unusually grim, and Zhou Jingchen was stunned for a moment. However, he could roughly guess what was going on, so he sighed and followed Yu to the open space in the backyard. As the two of them stood still, Yu glanced at Ye Jia's location. After making sure Ye Jia couldn't hear her, she spoke, "I heard from Jia Niang that you asked her to buy that boy?"
"Yes," Zhou Jingchen squeezed Ye Jia's hand. He didn't expect that Jia Niang understood him so well. "We met in Wa City."
As soon as he finished speaking, he was slapped by Yu.
Yu slapped him on the arm, and her usually cheerful face tightened. She lowered her voice and questioned him unhappily, "You said you'd given up on Gu Mingxi. If you had, why did you bring the She family's servant back? Zhou Yun'an, can you wake up? You don't even know how to coax the wife your mother married you into the family, but you're focusing on others instead!"
This Governor She was no other than Gu Mingxi's maternal grandfather.
Because of the marriage between the two families, Yu had frequent interactions with the Gu family, so she naturally knew more details. Gu Mingxi had always been close to his maternal grandparents, and his wet nurse since childhood was a servant of the She family.
"Come to think of it, Gu Mingxi's wet nurse's husband's family name is Lin."
At this moment, Yu hated her own good memory. Three years had passed, yet she still remembered such trivial details. "Yun'an, tell me honestly what you really think. If you really like Gu Mingxi that much, I think you should stop wasting Jianiang's time. Move out of Jianiang's house as soon as possible. When you succeed, you can marry Gu Mingxi, and I will adopt Jianiang as my goddaughter. As for your marriage to Jianiang, we can discuss it separately. After all, you didn't come back for the wedding ceremony..."
"Mother!" Zhou Jingchen's expression was calm at first, but after hearing the last part, his mouth suddenly twisted into a line. "What nonsense are you talking about!"
"What nonsense am I talking about? I'm talking human language!"
Yu was really angry, so angry that she didn't dare to talk to Ye Jia for the whole day, "Don't forget, the reason why our family can have such a life now is because of Jia Niang's hard work and worry. The reason you can do your things peacefully and steadily is because Jia Niang is supporting you behind the scenes!"
"I know everything you said."
Zhou Jingchen hadn't expected that a boy named Lin could actually make his mother think of so many things: "This matter has nothing to do with the daughter of the Gu family. I asked Jia Niang to buy that boy not because I was worried about anyone, but because of something else."
"What could possibly be going on here?" Yu refused to believe it. She repeated the same excuse three times, and it would become a lie. "Most unfaithful people are scholars!"
Zhou Jingchen: “…”
It was really unfair, so unfair that he didn't know what to say.
Seeing him remain silent, Yu grew even angrier. She recalled the time when Prince Jing's mansion was in trouble, and how the Gu family had been desperate to disassociate themselves. The Gu family's daughter hadn't shown up, but instead had their wet nurse, Lin, arrive with a token of support to break off the engagement, as if to shake off a burden. Yu had lived a life of honor and respect, never before had she endured such an insult. Although she later understood the Gu family's actions, even understanding was understandable, and the thought still irritated her.
"Just explain it to me right now. We have other rooms, so you don't have to lie on the floor all by yourself." Yu knew in her heart that her son and daughter-in-law slept in separate beds. Although they slept in the same room, it was actually more innocent than anything else. "This is a good way to make it clear so that Jia Niang's reputation won't be affected. Jia Niang has a good personality, is smart and capable, and she's not alone even if she leaves you..."
Yu spoke hastily, expecting Zhou Jingchen to go along with it. But her usually aloof son's face darkened, his eyes frightening like knives, as he sternly declared, "I won't move."
"It would be great if you moved away... What? You don't want to move?" Yu almost choked to death.
"Mother, please don't get involved in this." Zhou Jingchen pinched his brows and said vaguely, "My relationship with Jia Niang is not what you see. Jia Niang is my wife, and it is only natural for me to sleep in the same room with her."
This time it was Yu's turn to be choked. She stared at her son with her eyes wide open, not knowing what to say for a long time.
"It's true that the boy surnamed Lin has a close relationship with the Gu family. He will be of great use in the future." Zhou Jingchen was reluctant to talk about the Gu family's messy affairs. After all, those things had not happened yet. "Let's keep him at home as a servant for now."
After saying this, he thought for a moment and added, "There's been some unrest in the town lately, so mother is taking good care of the three children at home."
Yu was confused. She wanted to understand but didn't quite understand.
Only then did she feel uncomfortable. Raising a son with such a deep mind, it was truly frustrating not to be able to figure out what he was thinking. She had originally wanted to take the opportunity to poke him in the face, asking him to pay more attention to Ye Jia's affairs, but now he had been led astray by his few words: "What happened in town? What does it have to do with the child? No, I almost got fooled by you. Zhou Yun'an, what do you mean by monopolizing Jia Niang without explaining yourself clearly?"
"How can you ask me to monopolize Jia Niang?" Zhou Jingchen's eyes flashed, "She has always been mine."
Yu: “…”
"If there's nothing else, Mom, I want to go back to the house."
Yu was stunned by his sudden words. It felt like a lump in her throat, strangely uncomfortable. She took a few deep breaths to swallow the frustration, then waved her hands in disdain, "Go away, go away! Hurry up! I'm so annoyed just seeing you!"
Zhou Jingchen turned around and went back to the house. Ye Jia had already washed up and was applying ointment in the house.
Because of the mistake she made last time, she learned her lesson when applying the ointment. She locked the door and waited until she was done before opening it. Zhou Jingchen pushed the door twice but it didn't open, so he called out to Ye Jia from outside. Ye Jia quickly finished applying the ointment, slipped on her shoes, and got out of bed to open the door for him.
A faint scent of pear blossoms easily reminded Zhou Jingchen of other things. However, he walked into the house with a serious attitude and retrieved his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from the cabinet. He sat at the table, writing silently until the wick crackled, then he rubbed his neck and put down his pen. Ye Jia was still awake, sitting on the bed counting silver.
He raised his head when he heard the noise.
Their eyes met, and Ye Jia asked about what happened that afternoon: "What happened? You guys look a little strange?"
Zhou Jingchen usually talked to Ye Jia about some things, not in depth, but at least gave her some reminders. He paused for a moment and then told her about the Shen family's visit to the town.
Ye Jia knew the Shen family well; the previous captain of the North Camp was surnamed Shen. Living close by, the Zhou family had also gotten wind of these events. Previously, they'd been locked in a fierce feud with Niu Buqun of the West Camp over bandit suppression. The last one was killed, and the other had his salary fined and investigated. The new lieutenant seemed to have a problem with the Shens, too, and the garrison had been abuzz lately.
"The Shen family came here for Shen Hai?"
"Yeah." Zhou Jingchen held his sleeve with one hand and wrote with the other. "It's rare for the Shen family to have a military heir, so naturally we have to protect him."
Ye Jia stroked the silver twice and frowned. "I was wondering why there was such a big commotion recently. Did Shen Hai do something that the higher-ups found out? Or are the Shen family trying to intimidate Ugus on behalf of Shen Hai?"
Jia Niang is always smart. Many things do not need to be explained in detail, she understands them immediately.
Zhou Jingchen didn't say anything, and Ye Jia curled her lips.
"It's not a difficult matter. It's just that what Shen Hai has done over the years has given Ugus a handle. The Shen family can't sit idly by while Ugus kills Shen Hai's family, so they naturally have to take action."
"How should we proceed? Are the things Shen Hai did not actually happen? Or are they looking for someone to take the blame?" This was all Ye Jia could think of. If the evidence was incriminating, then the only option was to find someone to blame. This kind of thing happened all the time in modern times: when something went wrong, someone below them would confess to the crime, and someone above them would admit to negligence, and they would be excused from the blame.
The punishment is light, just a few years' salary deduction or a few years' refusal to allow for promotion.
Zhou Jingchen snorted coldly, staring at the flickering light on the table with a somewhat cold expression. It's no wonder that Jia Niang's wild guesses had accurately predicted the Shen family's actions. Seeing his unhappy expression, Ye Jia bit her lower lip and finally spoke: "Could it be... that they're taking the blame for you?"
Zhou Jingchen glanced at her.
Ye Jia thought he had guessed correctly: "Then you won't fight back?! Even if your position is low and your words are not taken seriously, you still have to fight back."
Zhou Jingchen was amused by her. He smiled for a long time before saying calmly, "Of course, I have to fight back. Is Jia Niang worried about me?"
"Isn't that nonsense?" Ye Jia rolled her eyes at him and raised her chin. "If anything happens to you, I'll become a widow. I'm so pretty and young, I can't stay with you. After I become a widow, I'll have to choose a new husband. If I'm unlucky enough to choose someone with a lot of trouble, how much trouble will that be?"
Zhou Jingchen's smile froze for a moment, and he stared at Ye Jia with a gleam in his eyes.
After a moment, he nodded: "Then I have to live well and try not to make you a widow, and don't think about marrying someone else."
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