Chapter 60
Ajiu came back in the middle of the night. When he learned that Diandian had already sent Ruijie back, he was stunned.
"I didn't expect this wolf to be so intelligent."
"Raised from a young age, they naturally have intelligence." Ye Simei felt relieved knowing he was safe. This time, the kidnappers had taken the child away right under their noses, which had really frightened many people. Even though Ye Simei knew that this group of traffickers only took women, she still felt terrified. "Fortunately, our children are young and can't run away. Otherwise, if I had to look after two of them by myself, something might have happened."
After hearing this, Ajiu was no longer in the mood to joke and remained silent for a long time.
It was the dead of night, and no one except the children was asleep. Ah Jiu recounted the details to Ye Jia. The whole room fell silent when she heard about the old woman telling the traffickers to come and capture beautiful women.
Yu covered her chest and wiped away tears in anger. If the human trafficker was deliberately lured here, then something really weird must have happened!
"What should we do next?"
There were about ten people in the group, and except for the four or five who died, the others had already been tied up by Sun Yushan. However, one person escaped in a hurry, and they couldn't catch up. All the girls Sun Yushan and his men had found in the yard were sent back home at night. It was rumored that there were still many girls hidden in the town. From the old woman's tone, there must be at least a whole house full of them.
"Why bother with her!" Yu gritted her teeth in hatred. "She who pushes the bad things onto others should be dead!"
Ye Jia pondered for a long time before deciding to go to Lai Fu Inn to pass on a message to Zhou Jingchen. One thing is for another; human life is at stake, and some things still need to be done. There's no government office in this place, and there's no one to rely on. As a weak woman, she didn't dare offer to personally rescue the victim; she could only offer to do her bit now that she knew about it.
As for whether the abducted girls can be rescued this time, it all depends on their luck.
This whole thing lasted until almost dawn, and everyone went back to their rooms to rest. Old man Ajiusun didn't say anything about this, as he hadn't slept all night, so naturally he slept during the day. Ye Jia also slept until noon, and when he woke up, Dian Dian had bitten his sleeve.
Even though the traffickers had been busted, Ye Jia still hesitated to go out. However, Diandian kept biting her, so Ye Jia had no choice but to follow her out of the house. When they got to the yard, Diandian kept leaning against the door. Ye Jia hesitated for a moment and opened it. Outside, a half-dead figure lay on the snow. She didn't recognize him, but Diandian looked strange.
Ye Jia didn't recognize this person, so he didn't dare to act rashly. Together with Diandian, he dragged the person into the yard. Unbeknownst to him, Ye Wumei also got up. Rubbing her eyes, she walked over. Not knowing the origins of these people, she didn't dare to act rashly.
"Sister, who is this?" Ye Wumei looked at the unfamiliar face and said, "There are teeth marks on his body. Are they from biting him?"
Ye Jia was stunned and took a glance. It was indeed a tooth mark.
If it was Diandian who bit him, Ye Jia would have to reconsider this person. Diandian was raised by Ye Jia and would never bite anyone randomly. If she bit someone, then this person must be a bad person. Could this be the human trafficker who escaped last night?
"Sister, are you going to kill him?" Ye Wumei mentioned killing, and Ye Jia glanced at her.
What's wrong with the little girl? Why does she keep saying shocking things? "Either send him to Laifu Inn, or get someone to keep an eye on him. Wait for your brother-in-law's men to come and take him away."
Ye Jia went into the house, got a rope, and tied the man up.
Ye Wumei acted quickly and woke up Ajiu, who then went straight to the town to look for someone. Zhou Jingchen's men also arrived quickly, and the person who came was none other than Liu Yuan.
Zhou Jingchen heard that Rui Jie'er had nearly fallen victim to a kidnapper, so he immediately brought Liu Yuan over. This man was none other than 'Boss Shang,' a cunning and difficult man to catch. At this point, Boss Shang had been stabbed in the leg and had lost a lot of blood. He was dazed and was dragged away like a dead dog by the men Liu Yuan had brought with him.
After a night of heavy snow, a sunny day finally arrived.
Ajiu had to go to Luntai again for something. His brothers had harvested a lot of furs in the past few days and were going to send them to Luntai to sell. Because of the recent series of things that had happened one after another, Ajiu planned to take his wife and children with him this time.
"How can this work? We have two children here!" Ye Jia frowned and disapproved, "Ajiu, stop messing around. Your two children are still breastfeeding. Aren't you afraid of something happening on the road?"
Ajiu said confidently: "It will be fine."
Liu Yuan was listening on the side, so he asked Ye Jia if he wanted to go to Luntai together this time.
Ye Jia was stunned: "Is it convenient to go in the snow?"
Liu Yuan smiled casually and said, "Why is it inconvenient? We've killed all the wolves along the way, and we've also busted the human traffickers. There's still a war going on in the north, so maybe it would be safer for my sister-in-law to go to Luntai than to stay at home? It would be best if Aunt Yu could come with us."
It just so happened that Liu Yuan was also escorting a group of people along the way, so to avoid being noticed, a pretext was naturally helpful. A glint flashed in Liu Yuan's eyes, and he immediately smiled, "Besides, we're traveling with a group this time. You're all scared in the town, so why don't I escort you all the way to Luntai to stay for two days? Luntai is pretty busy this time..."
"No, no," Yu was completely exhausted after Rui Jie'er's accident. "I'm just staying here. I'm not going anywhere."
Yu Shi didn't want to go, but Ye Wumei wanted to go and see for herself, and she watched anxiously from the side. Ye Jia saw that Liu Yuan looked strange when she spoke, and wondered if she was using them as a cover.
Noticing Ye Jia's gaze, Liu Yuan smiled innocently.
Fortunately, it didn't snow during the days they were away.
Luntai was far more prosperous than several small towns. Even in this cold winter weather, shops lined the city streets. Tall horses plowed through the snow, and the city roads had been cleanly cleared of accumulated snow. Ye Jia sent someone to inquire about the bath bean workshop. After a quick search, they found it. There were not just one, but three bath bean factories in the city.
Ye Jia was not in a hurry. He had already bought a batch of bath beans, so he could choose carefully.
Liu Yuan sent his men into the city and then disappeared with a group of people. Ye Jia thought, as expected, but he pretended to be ignorant and let the group brought by Ajiu find out the news. After a few rounds of investigation, he chose the most reputable workshop and prepared to visit it immediately.
The owner's name was Su Lun. His workshop was located in the southern suburbs of the city. The quality of his bath beans was highly regarded within the city, and they were said to be very effective in cleaning. Most of the city's residents used his bath beans.
This workshop is a family affair. A family of five is fully engaged in the work, and they've also taken on three or four apprentices to help out. Su Lun learned the art of making bath beans in his youth in the Central Plains, and later refined it by incorporating spices abundant in this border region. Aside from their somewhat unusual smell, their bath beans are said to have a potent, firming, and cleansing effect.
The bath beans produced in this workshop are not only used by people in the city, but also by some big merchants from the Central Plains who come to purchase them.
The person who opened the door was a woman. She was smartly dressed, dark-skinned, with a rather pretty face. She had deep features suggestive of an exotic background, and was quite tall. Standing at the door, she first looked Ye Jia up and down. Since Ye Jia was about her age and a woman, her stern expression softened a bit.
Seeing that there were several strong young men around Ye Jia, but seeing that they were mainly led by Ye Jia, she smiled and said, "Come in quickly."
Although it wasn't snowing, the weather was still very cold, and the wind was so cold that it hurt my face.
Ye Jia entered the house with an air of ice and snow, and saw large vats all over the yard. The girl led Ye Jia and his group into the house. The house was also filled with large vats, and one could tell what was inside by the smell.
The group walked for a distance and finally stopped in a spacious room. The girl led them there and then went to the back. Several men sat inside, the leader a man in his forties or fifties. He was accompanied by several other men who looked like they were from the same family. When Ye Jia walked in, the men stood up. The middle-aged man in the lead glanced at the group and smiled, inviting them to sit down.
While they were waiting outside, someone had already informed them of Ye Jia's purpose. The middle-aged man, Su Lun, didn't beat around the bush and asked Ye Jia directly how many bath beans he wanted.
"Can I take a look at the goods first?" Ye Jia had come to this store first, but that didn't mean she would order from them. If everyone praised something, it must have unique features. But it didn't necessarily mean it would be the best choice based on all factors.
Su Lun didn't hesitate and immediately asked someone around to get some. "I have ten kinds of bath beans. They're divided by fragrance, size, and effect. Some are good for washing your face, hands, and feet, while others are more effective at removing dirt and suitable for washing clothes. Some are of lower quality and much cheaper. The best kind I have here costs one ounce of silver per pound, and it's infused with precious spices. The cheapest is about ten coins per pound."
Ye Jia nodded and waited for Su Lun's son to bring over all the bath bean samples. She then looked at them one by one.
Su Lun asked his son to bring a basin of water and let Ye Jia try it himself.
Ye Jia wasn't fussy. Even the lower-quality bath beans from this workshop were quite effective at cleaning. She took the most valuable bath beans, worth one ounce of silver per pound, and sniffed them. A unique fragrance emanated from them. She used a little on her hands and found them incredibly moisturizing. Only those who had used them could sense this subtle difference.
"this……"
Su Lun was particularly proud of his bath beans and immediately smiled: "Of course I am a good man, so I dare to ask this price."
Ye Jia didn't immediately order the product. The bath beans from this store were indeed good. As the saying goes, shop around; you have to compare before making a choice. Ye Jia inquired about the prices and benefits of various bath beans and promised to come back in three days.
Su Lun also often dealt with merchants, so he was not in a hurry at the moment and just politely sent Ye Jia out.
Over the next two days, Ye Jia visited several bath bean workshops in Luntai. He visited two of the last two. Honestly, they had their own strengths, having been able to run successful workshops. But compared to the first one, they were still far behind. Most importantly, the owners of those two workshops didn't seem like easygoing people, and they were unyielding in their conversation. The last one Ye Jia visited was turned away. The owner of that workshop was said to be returning to the countryside for the winter and wouldn't be back until next year. After comparing them all, he chose the first one.
Ye Jia wasn't one to hold back, so he went to the Su family workshop early three days later. Their purpose for this trip was to secure a long-term, stable supplier. The cooperation they were negotiating was for a minimum of three years, so they naturally had to proceed with caution.
Su Lun was also honest. Since it was a long-term cooperation, he would not argue with Ye Jia over such petty gains.
After discussing it, Ye Jia and Su Lun signed a four-year contract for the supply of bath beans. They found a local squire to act as a witness, and both parties signed and sealed the agreement. The deal was settled. Su Lun's business was prospering for a reason; he was quite generous. Seeing that Ye Jia really liked his precious bath beans, he gave him three pounds of them for his own use.
Ye Jia liked this kind of businessman, so he simply signed a three-year contract with Su Lun.
Before leaving, they ordered another batch of bath beans. They picked up the goods on the spot, and Ye Jia had someone open them and point out the bath beans to explain them to Ajiu. Since Ajiu would be the one bringing the goods the next time, he naturally listened and took notes.
The payment was settled on the spot, and they packed the goods and loaded them into the car. Ye Jia was not in a hurry to return that day, so he arranged for Ajiu and the others to buy a car and deliver the goods to the inn. At this time, he asked two young men to follow.
Liu Yuan was busy for a while and then suddenly appeared again, following Ye Jia as if nothing had happened, as if he had never left.
Several people were walking down the street. Luntai not only had food shops, cloth shops, embroidery workshops, blacksmith shops, rouge and powder shops, jade and calligraphy and painting shops... From beginning to end, there was everything you could imagine. Ye Jia went to the rouge shop. The variety of rouge here was much better than in smaller places, but the colors were limited. Lip balm had a wider variety, but only five colors. It smelled nice, but was also very expensive. A box of lip balm cost four taels of silver, and this price was also for export. Ye Jia knew the ingredients of lip balm. It had to be said that regardless of the dynasty, cosmetics were a highly profitable industry.
What's most surprising is that the busiest business in Luntai isn't these shops, but the prostitute alleys. It's said that these are the biggest dens of illicit sex in Luntai, and the courtesans there are the favorites of the Grand Commander. Every night, they indulge in sensual pleasures, and no one in the entire Beiting Protectorate dares to go in and cause trouble.
The three sisters went to the largest restaurant in Luntai and had a rare good meal. The chef's cooking was decent. But when Ye Wumei heard that the whole table would cost ten taels, she couldn't help but frown after taking two bites. "Sister, why do I feel like this chef's food isn't as good as mine? It's not worth the price at all!"
Fourth sister Ye also nodded honestly. Not only was she not as good as fifth sister, she was even worse than her.
"If our business grows bigger in the future and we open a restaurant, it might be even better than this one." Ye Wumei has now replaced Ye Jia as the head chef of the Zhou family, so she has the confidence to say this.
Liu Yuan did not join in the conversation with the three sisters, but just focused on eating.
The food in the barracks was practically the same as what you'd feed livestock. The grain was so pungent it irritated my throat, and the oil was barely used, leaving it dry and bland. The food was barely enough to fill my stomach, and for someone like Liu Yuan, who valued food so much, it was torture.
Ye Jia hadn't considered opening a restaurant, but it wasn't out of the question. She was definitely planning to expand beyond just the soap shop. She'd expand into other areas. "If you have the ability to thoroughly refine every dish and make everyone crave your cooking, then open one. We already have a food business, so expanding it wouldn't be a problem."
"That's a deal, sister!" Ye Wumei's eyes lit up, "I'll remember what you said."
The sisters were chatting and laughing when a rather unkind remark suddenly came from the table next to them, separated by a screen: "Are young girls so arrogant these days? You've only been cooking for a few years and you dare to boast that you can cook better than a master chef like me?"
The three Ye Jia sisters were stunned, thinking that they were talking about someone else, so they ignored it.
As a result, they ignored him, and the man's words became more and more tactless and continued to be sarcastic.
Ye Jia's smile froze as she peered through the thin screen. Four or five people sat at the table next to the screen. One of them, a stocky, middle-aged man, peered through the screen. It was unclear who was at that table, but they all looked quite elderly. The stocky, middle-aged man stood among them, his expression unsettling.
Ye Wumei and Ye Simei looked at each other and then looked at Ye Jia.
Ye Jia frowned.
Liu Yuan narrowed his eyes, still eating, and couldn't speak until he had finished chewing.
They had spent ten taels of silver on a meal, originally intending to try out the local food; after all, it was their first time in Luntai. Ye Jia had wanted to take them to try some local delicacies. The two sisters were just chatting privately, just to please themselves, but they hadn't expected to cause dissatisfaction.
They were silent, but the man over there kept on pestering them: "Why aren't you talking, little girl? You shouldn't have slandered me for not cooking well just now."
Ye Jia's lips straightened. If it tastes good, it tastes good. If it tastes bad, it tastes bad. And you can't tolerate people saying anything?
Ye Wumei was a little frightened by the aggressive attitude. Ye Simei was even more timid. She put down her chopsticks with a snap and clenched her hands for a long time, not knowing what to do. Ye Jia's face darkened.
She didn't want to cause any trouble, so she decided to pay the bill and leave. A half-grown child came out, looking like an apprentice. The two of them tried to stop him, and Ye Jia couldn't help but sneer, "What's going on? We diners paid to eat, and we think the food is just average, and you can't even say a word? What kind of official is this, acting so overbearingly?"
"Madam, you're joking. I'm not being overbearing. I just want to clarify something."
As he spoke, the man kept glancing at the people sitting at the table behind him. The old men sat there in silence, their expressions unconcerned. "If you diners' comments are pertinent, our cooking skills will improve."
Ye Jia glanced behind him and found that several old men were watching leisurely.
Liu Yuan interrupted, "I see you're not looking for fair advice, but are you just mad at yourself because a customer called you out for your reputation, which is undeserved?"
The middle-aged man's face flushed red and he immediately became angry: "Where did this kid come from to talk nonsense here?"
"I think you should stop arguing. Arguing won't make you look better, and it will only make things worse." Liu Yuan blocked Ye Jia and the other sisters behind him, and stood forward with his arms folded across his chest.
He was tall, towering over the other man when he stood up straight. He also had a knife on his waist and a sinister look on his face, which was very scary.
"Is that little girl really as gifted as you say? Let's see how she performs?" The middle-aged man was furious. He had finally managed to invite a prestigious old gentleman from the Beiting Protectorate to come today. He had prepared a meticulous meal for them and planned to take one of them as his disciple. Without caring about his reputation, he spoke without thinking.
When he said this, both sides were stunned.
Ye Jia's eyes widened, and he pointed at him and then at Ye Wumei: "Master, are you kidding?"
"What? You're so capable of slandering others, but you refuse to do anything when the thought of a competition comes up?" The middle-aged man probably thought his words were strange, and blurted them out without a second thought. Now that his words were thrown to the ground and couldn't be taken back, he naturally stuck his neck out and argued.
Ye Jia didn't know what to say, feeling absurd.
Ye Wumei and Ye Simei were both a little dumbfounded. They hid behind Ye Jia and pulled Ye Jia's sleeves.
Liu Yuan laughed. "If you insist on making a fuss, it's not impossible to compete. How about this? Let these old gentlemen behind you be the judges. If they think you're good, I'll apologize to you on behalf of my brothers and sisters for any offense we may have caused by our gossip. If they think you're no match for the young lady, you can apologize to us and we won't charge for the meal. How do you think?"
The middle-aged man is angry.
"Of course!" The middle-aged man said arrogantly, "I've been working at the stove for more than 30 years. I'm the most famous chef in Luntai, but you, little girl, have to kneel down and kowtow to me and admit your mistake!"
It was indeed a comparison. This was a large restaurant. Downstairs, at the back, there was a large kitchen. There were three or four stoves, each holding two pots. This middle-aged man was the restaurant's master chef, quite famous. After conferring with a few older gentlemen, they went to the kitchen.
Fortunately, the old gentlemen had been busy at the stove for half their lives and were good cooks. They didn't mind staying in the kitchen, so they simply set up a table inside.
Ye Wumei was a little dazed when she stood in front of the chopping board, looking at Ye Jia eagerly.
Ye Jia wasn't afraid. Ye Wumei's talent for cooking was something Ye Jia could taste. Liu Yuan stared at Ye Wumei for a while, then whispered in Ye Jia's ear, "Sister-in-law, why aren't you going?"
Liu Yuan knew that Ye Jia cooked delicious food, especially meat. He was so greedy for the roast chicken that he still missed it to this day.
"No need." Ye Jia glanced at him. She didn't expect Liu Yuan to still be so picky. "Fifth sister does better than me."
Liu Yuan couldn't help but raise his brows.
Ye Jia was too lazy to talk to him, so she said to Ye Wumei, "Diniang, do what you did at home in the past."
Ever since Ye Wumei came to Ye Jia's side, she'd encountered all sorts of new and surprising things. A less timid person would have been terrified long ago. But Ye Wumei, perhaps still a bit bold and daring despite her youth, was incredibly adaptable. As long as her family backed her up, she'd dare to do anything. Ye Jia had already told her so, so she simply steeled herself and picked up the kitchen knife.
They were outsiders, so they had no ingredients, so they naturally used the restaurant's. They cooked the same way, making a meat dish. The chef, whose specialty was lamb, immediately took a fresh leg of lamb and began chopping it up.
Ye Wumei wasn't afraid either. She was used to cooking mutton at the Zhou family. She could cook it spicy, salty, stewed, or stir-fried.
As she minced the meat, Ye Wumei regretted not having a few chilies in her pocket. If she had known she'd be competing for a meal, she would have brought all the ingredients she usually used at home. With that in mind, she cooked the same stew as the chef. Her talent, which usually crushed Ye Jia's, was particularly noticeable now. They both cooked a lamb stew, and both came out of the pot at about the same time. Ye Wumei's lamb stew was simply more fragrant than the chef's.
Fragrant and tender, without any hint of mutton. Almost as soon as the two dishes arrived, the elderly men gave their answers. The cook, still a little skeptical, took a bite himself, his lips turning pale. Needless to say, his plans for today were ruined.
After that, he couldn't bring himself to ask for a disciple. In front of four or five old gentlemen, the cook couldn't deny it either. He immediately apologized to Ye Jia and her sister and even waived the bill.
After being delayed for such a while, Ye Jia lost all interest in eating and prepared to go back directly tomorrow morning.
Liu Yuan grabbed a pair of clean bowls and chopsticks from the back and scooped up a few bites of the stewed lamb made by Ye Wumei. After taking a bite, his frown immediately relaxed. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, he ate happily in the back alone. Several elderly men stared at Ye Wumei for a long time, asking her who she learned this dish from. When Ye Wumei said she didn't learn it from anyone, but learned it from watching her sister cook, their smiles brightened even more.
One of them asked Ye Wumei how old she was and where she was from.
Ye Wumei blinked, looking at Ye Jia and Ye Simei for help. Ye Simei was bewildered, but Ye Jia remained calm. But how could she not see that someone had clearly spotted Ye Wumei's potential and wanted to take her in? She immediately answered for her: "Fourteen years old, from Libei Town, Kashgar County."
"Oh, that place..." When this was mentioned, someone naturally knew about it. "I heard that there have been Turkic ghosts in that area recently."
Ye Jia was stunned.
There's an elderly man here whose son is a military officer under the Grand Commander. They might seem indifferent, but they're aware of every little disturbance. The higher-ups are too lazy to intervene and deliberately turn a blind eye. As long as the problem isn't serious and there aren't many casualties, they generally turn a blind eye.
The old man wasn't being ridiculous when he said this: "Don't even think about going back at this weather. It's fine to stay here. It'll be safe to go back after the war over there is settled... The little girl looks quite talented. Since you don't have a master to teach you, have you ever thought about becoming one?"
When he said the last sentence, his eyes were naturally directed at Ye Wumei.
"Ah..." Ye Wumei blinked and immediately looked at Ye Jia.
Ye Jia frowned. He had heard that a town in the west had suffered, but he didn't expect it to be Libei Town again.
"Old Master, do you want to take me as your apprentice?"
The old man stroked his beard and nodded with a smile: "She cooked the mutton very well. She's not very old, but she handles the knife very well. Very good."
Wu Mei's knife skills were indeed better than Ye Jia's. Ye Jia glanced at the old man, then glanced at Ye Wu Mei. The main thing was that none of them knew who this old man was, and he had been kidnapped before he could even have a meal. Ye Jia glanced at the other old men, who were eating meat next to the pot with small dipping saucers. They were all dressed quite respectably, so it was hard to tell.
After pondering for a moment, Ye Jia turned around and asked Ye Wumei, "What do you think, Wumei?"
"Sister, you have good vision. I will listen to you." Ye Wumei knew that she was not well-informed, so she believed in Ye Jia's judgment.
"Old man, this is the situation. My sister and I just happened to come to Luntai today to do some work and will be returning home soon. It's freezing cold, and there are elderly people and children waiting for us at home. I can't just leave them here forever." Ye Jia thought for a moment and said, "How about this: you leave a token or address. Next spring, I'll ask her to come to Luntai to look for you?"
The old man didn't answer. Instead, he looked at Ye Jia and asked, "She learned it from you. Does that mean you can cook it, too? What dishes can you make?"
"I can't do that. I can only make some snacks, but I can't compare to my sister." Ye Jia immediately waved his hand and said with a smile, "I've been a bit of a glutton since I was little. When I have nothing to do, I like to make some delicious sweet snacks at home. When it comes to craftsmanship and cooking skills, I'm not very good. My sister can make the same dish better than me."
The old man nodded, then pulled out a white jade seal from his waist and handed it to Ye Wumei: "Take it, bring this to me at the Duwei Mansion next spring."
When these words were spoken, not only Ye Jia was shocked, but even Liu Yuan, who was eating mutton at the back, looked over.
The old man smiled, put his hands behind his back, greeted a few old men and left.
Ye Jia was stunned for a long moment, his eyes flicking to the white jade seal in Ye Wumei's hand. Seeing Ye Jia scrutinizing it, Ye Wumei handed the item to him. Ye Jia glanced at it and saw the Chinese character "Yang" in small seal script underneath. Liu Yuan had come closer at some point, and with his sharp eyes, he could clearly see it was a Yang. After a moment's deliberation, his brows furrowed, "Could it be Commander Yang Chenglie?"
"Yang Chenglie?" Ye Jia only knew a few officers stationed there, but he had no idea who was in Luntai. "Who?"
Liu Yuan didn't explain who it was, but glanced at his fifth sister with a meaningful look. He licked the mutton broth from his lips and laughed, "Sister-in-law, your sister is quite lucky. If Ogus is driven out by the Shen family this time, and someone is sent over, it's very likely to be Yang Chenglie. If that old man is from the Yang family, then..."
Ye Jia's breathing suddenly became lighter. She returned the seal to Ye Wumei and said, "Keep it. Go back and get a red string to wear around your neck."
Although Ye Wumei didn't know who Yang Chenglie was, nor what the official title of Duwei was, she could read Ye Jia and Liu Yuan's expressions, and she knew that this item was very important. She nodded and stuffed the seal into her arms. Ye Simei was a little envious, but she couldn't say anything.
Back at the inn, Ajiu and the others had almost packed their bags, and Ajiu had already sold the furs he had.
"We'll set off tomorrow."
The next day, just before dawn, Ajiu was already waiting outside the door. This time, they had bought so many bath beans that they definitely wouldn't fit on the mule cart. Naturally, they needed a car. But it was too far from Luntai to Dongxiang Town, so Ye Jia decided to just buy a car. It just so happened that several of the young men in Ajiu's group could drive, so he asked two of them to do so.
Don't be too anxious, just walk steadily.
There was no snow along the way. They encountered no wild animals, but they did encounter many people fleeing eastward. Seeing that Ye Jia and his group were all strong and robust, these people were afraid and instead walked around them.
The road was difficult to walk on, but it took three days to reach the destination. Liu Yuan saw that they had reached the town, said goodbye to Ye Jia, and left.
It was still early when they came back, and as soon as Ye Jia entered the house, he was held in Yu's arms.
During the few days Ye Jia was away, Yu was frightened again. But this time she was smarter and refused to open the door. No matter whether the person asking for help was real or fake, she pretended not to hear: "Jia Niang, you don't know, but the day after you left, something happened at the garrison! I heard that the garrison captured a big Turkic figure. The Turks are desperate and have revealed their hidden tricks! The group of people at the garrison are catching assassins and bad guys, and the whole town is in chaos. Every household is shut up and no one dares to go out!"
"Has the Turkic big shot been captured?" Ye Jia thought to himself that it had only been a few days and the traitor had been caught.
It shouldn’t be, I guess it’s someone else.
"I don't know. Yun'an isn't here, and neither are you." Yu was truly thankful for the traps Ye Jia had set up in the yard. If it weren't for the traps, she probably wouldn't have been able to sleep at night. There was another battle in Libei Town, and the soldiers stationed there had been driven out. Many people from Libei Town had fled to Dongxiang Town to avoid the disaster, causing widespread panic.
"I'm afraid there's going to be more noise. From now on, let's not keep the gate open unless it's something urgent."
Ajiu and Old Man Sun carried the bath beans into the house. When Ye Jiayi entered, the room returned to its original state except that the bed had become a kang.
"We have vegetables in the cellar at home. I spent a lot of money to stock up on them during the recent commotion." When Ye Jia was away, Yu Shi had to stand up. She hadn't seen Ye Jia for several days, and her heart had been uneasy. She wanted to talk behind Ye Jia's butt, "We've stocked up on meat too. It won't go bad in the cold weather, so we'll have enough to eat. We can eat the radishes and cabbages in our backyard, so we don't have to go out to buy them."
"I can't buy anything even if I want to," Ye Jia said, having changed her clothes. "All the shops on the street are closed, and so is the tile market."
Yu knew this, of course. She had been staying in the town the entire time. "Was the road dangerous? Did you encounter any problems?"
"Everything went fine along the way. If there was any problem, it would have been dealt with long ago." Ye Jia said, "Is nothing wrong with you during your time at home? How about Rui Jie'er? Is she still feeling unwell?"
Yu nodded: "I've seen the doctor and I'm fine now."
After the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law finished their conversation, Ye Simei also came over to call for help. They had just gone to the kitchen to talk for a while, and Ye Simei simply cooked the meal. After a long time of no movement in the house, she came over to call. Seeing Yu Shi smiled at Yu Shi, she opened her mouth and said, "Sister, I just saw that there was a commotion outside the garrison again. Have the soldiers who were deployed returned?"
"Ah?" Ye Jia didn't go out to see, so he really didn't know.
"I guess so," Yu Shi had been watching the garrison all day. Now she understood that having soldiers here was reassuring. Yu Shi sighed softly, "I don't know when Yun An will come back..."
After a few people went out to eat, Ye Jia packed the bath beans he had brought back into the box. There had been a lot of commotion at the base for several days. No one knew what had happened, but it seemed like another group of people had been transferred in from the east.
Later, the Zhou family rarely opened their doors. Yu Shi now kept a close eye on Rui Jie'er, so she rarely left the house unless necessary. Besides grinding bean flour, everyone else stayed inside, warming themselves by the fire and roasting chestnuts.
After those people entered the garrison, the town finally became peaceful.
Zhou Jingchen returned one night in early December. He was carrying a suitcase. He had some injuries on his body, and his clothes were no longer as neat and tidy as they usually were. He had been traveling a lot recently, and in the freezing weather, his face was clearly frostbitten.
Ye Jia was settling accounts on the kang when she felt a gust of cold wind. She looked up and met Zhou Jingchen's sparkling eyes.
She deliberately made a sound of clicking her tongue and said with a smile, "It's over, my face is ruined."
Zhou Jingchen: “…”
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