Yuan Yunzhong was someone who greatly disliked noise in his presence.
However, at this moment, as Shao Qing rattled on about Song Jiyun, he did not scold Shao Qing.
Shao Qing felt that their master usually seemed indifferent towards Miss Song, but in reality, he was quite concerned about her.
Frowning and with worry clouding his features, he said to Yuan Yunzhong, "Master, Wan Xiaoquan wants Miss Song to deliver the goods ten days early. Do you think Miss Song might not be able to meet the deadline because of this?"
Song Jiyun never fought battles she wasn’t sure of winning.
Since she had agreed, she definitely had a solution.
But this thought had just flickered through Yuan Yunzhong’s mind when he suddenly recalled the scene during the night at Zhao Family Village, when the bright moonlight had shone on the window lattice of the humble room and her snow-like knuckles faintly turned blue.
He hesitated for a moment.
Shao Qing, with a "heh heh" chuckled and approached, eagerly saying, "Master, why don’t we keep an eye on Wan Xiaoquan for Miss Song?"
Yuan Yunzhong looked at him and sneered, "Don’t you have anything better to do?"
Shao Qing had grown up by his side and knew he wasn’t really angry by his demeanor.
Privately snickering, he quickly said, "Then we won’t interfere."
A corner of Yuan Yunzhong’s eye faintly glanced at him.
Shao Qing was startled and immediately spoke seriously, "Then I will send someone to watch Wan Xiaoquan."
Yuan Yunzhong felt a pain in his chest and did not want to engage in idle chatter, so he simply changed the subject and brought up a matter of business, "I asked you to investigate that Zhao Family Village, did you find out anything?"
Zhao Family Village was exactly the village where Yuan Yunzhong and Song Jiyun had gotten lost.
Shao Qing promptly said, "I’ve found out. Zhao Family Village is a name the people themselves coined. Originally, it was called Hong Family Mountain, and the residents are mostly people who fled the famine from Zaozhuang in Shandong years ago. Initially, these people worked in various kiln factories as kiln workers, but since they had no skills, their wages were low.
"Later, a person named Zhao Ji mastered the porcelain-making craft and gathered his fellow villagers to start a wild kiln there. The porcelain they produced was mainly sold in the Shandong area. The business was quite good."
Yuan Yunzhong mused, "So you are saying, they are not only unregistered residents but also occupying private property?"
Shao Qing spoke seriously, "I sent someone to inquire, and it turned out that the mountains and forests for dozens of miles around belong to the ancestral lands of the Hong family of Liang County. The Hong family, being extensive and significant, had only assigned one clan member to manage these forests. Zhao Ji partnered with this clan member, which is why the people of Zhao Family Village could nest in the Hong family’s mountains for so many years without issues."
Yuan Yunzhong asked, "What is the situation with the Hong family?"
Shao Qing replied, "Old Grand Master Hong only had one son, but unfortunately, this son died young, leaving behind two young masters. The elder, Hong Xi, and the younger, Hong Zhao, were sent to study in Suzhou Prefecture at a young age and hardly return once every three or five years. Isn’t that an opportunity for others to exploit?"
Yuan Yunzhong pondered, "Is this Hong family the same one that lives at the end of the street where Miss Song resides?"
Shao Qing nodded and said, "Although the Hong’s people do not often stay in Liang County, they own half of the land there. They own the biggest pawnshop, the largest grain and oil shop, and the largest general store in Liang County... It seems that except for porcelain, their family is involved in every kind of business."
Yuan Yunzhong was somewhat surprised and said, "It seems that this Zhao Family Village, which runs the wild kiln, is no simple matter! Jingde Town’s most profitable business is porcelain. The Hong family engages in every kind of business except for porcelain. Yet, oddly enough, that wild kiln is located in a mountain hollow under their name. To call this a coincidence would be too exact."
He instructed Shao Qing, "Check out the character and connections of that clan member who manages the forest for the Hong family."
Shao Qing had always admired Yuan Yunzhong and revered his words as if they were a code of conduct.
He eagerly responded, "I will send someone to check right now. In just three or five days, I’ll have completely investigated the Hong family. I refuse to believe that wild kiln doesn’t have any connection to their family at all! Perhaps the pursuit you and Miss Song faced was orchestrated by someone from the Hong family behind the scenes!"
*
By afternoon, when Yuan Yunzhong and Song Jiyun left the kiln factory together, he stood beside the mule cart and couldn’t help but repeatedly steal glances at Miss Song.
Song Jiyun was talking with Luo Zixing and others when she had to turn her head due to the gaze that occasionally fell on her, giving Shao Qing a puzzled look.
Shao Qing hurriedly showed her a harmless smile.
Just then, Song Jiyun had finished saying what she needed to say, said her farewells to Luo Zixing and a few others, and walked over. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
Shao Qing eagerly ran over to help Song Jiyun into the carriage.
But he was glared at by Zheng Quan.
In his haste, Shao Qing changed his approach and said, "Miss Song, what are you holding in your hands? Let me carry it for you."
Song Jiyun was holding something not too big and not too small, resembling a wine jar.
"No need!" Song Jiyun handed the item over to Zheng Quan and smiled, "I brought back some glaze materials from the kiln factory."
Shao Qing found an excuse to leave and said "Oh," watching Zheng Quan helping Song Jiyun onto the mule cart. He then dashed back to the mule cart where Yuan Yunzhong was sitting, muttering, "Why bring so much glaze material back?"
Yuan Yunzhong, who was lifting the cart curtain, paused.
In another carriage, Zheng Quan was also asking, "Why are you bringing so much glaze material back?"
Song Jiyun did not answer but asked, "Do you know which grocery store in Suzhou and Hangzhou has the most complete goods?"
"What do you want to buy?" Zheng Quan, holding the reins steadily, replied, "The grocery stores over there generally have a complete range. But each has its specialties. For instance, those from Fujian and Guangdong have many quirky and exotic items. From the north, you can usually get good furs."
Since the age of ten, Song Jiyun had rarely gone out shopping and hadn’t realized how bustling Suzhou and Hangzhou were.
It seemed she should take the opportunity to visit Suzhou and Hangzhou.
She said, "I want to buy some compasses."
She was referring to compasses.
Not to mention using them, even knowing about them was rare.
Zheng Quan thought for a moment and said, "I really have to ask around about this."
He then suggested, "The Hong Family’s grocery store often travels to Suzhou and Hangzhou. Instead of sending someone to buy, it’s better to invite the store manager from the Hong Family’s grocery store to come over and help bring some back."
Song Jiyun was pleased and said, "I’ll invite him over when I get back."
Zheng Quan agreed.
Upon returning home, however, she saw that Song Sanliang’s family was at the doorway, bidding a lingering farewell to Madam Zeng.
Song Jiyun’s face fell.
Neither early nor late, they chose to leave right when she returned!
She said to Zheng Quan, "Don’t stop the cart, just go by."
She hadn’t received any prior notice. How could she have known that their family would be leaving Liang County at this time?
Zheng Quan whipped the reins, and the mule cart sped past the entrance of Song Sanliang’s home.
Madam Li, grinding her teeth in frustration and with tears in her eyes, asked Madam Zeng again, "Mother-in-law, are you really not going back to the countryside with us?"
Before Madam Zeng could respond, Song Sanliang, who was leaning in the mule cart, said, "What nonsense are you talking? In the countryside, there isn’t even a proper doctor. Once we settle down, we’ll bring mother over to stay for a while."
"I know you are filial!" Madam Zeng coldly watched as Song Jiyun’s mule cart passed by, resentfully saying, "I can’t leave! If I leave and you return to the city one day, you would have nowhere to stay."
Madam Li embraced her mother-in-law and wept loudly.
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