Chapter 134 – Tang Mingrui

Chapter 134 - Tang Mingrui

He Zhiran still did not dodge.

After all, she had already gone through the wedding ceremony with Mo Jiuya here. They were legally and rightfully husband and wife.

Moreover, they had just confessed their feelings to each other. If anything were to happen now, it would be within reason.

Slipping into Mo Jiuya's embrace, he was overjoyed and tightened his hold on her arm.

He gently patted her back.

"It's still early. Rest a little longer. I'll make up for our perfect wedding night, but we'll wait until the right time."

Hearing this, He Zhiran felt reassured.

Due to the surprise of the space, He Zhiran hadn't slept much throughout the night and was indeed feeling drowsy now.

Closing her eyes, she basked in the comforting embrace and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Despite having only slept for a short while, this awakening was distinct from previous ones. She still found herself nestled in Mo Jiuya's embrace.

Mo Jiuya's voice was somewhat hoarse: "Awake?"

"Hmm," He Zhiran acknowledged, preparing to sit up.

Unexpectedly, Mo Jiuya suddenly held her tightly and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, He Zhiran gently pushed him away, about to say something when she heard Eighth Elder Brother's wife's voice outside.

"Ninth Sister-in-law, your medicine is incredibly effective. This morning, Eighth Elder Brother felt much lighter on his feet."

Hearing the approaching footsteps, He Zhiran, as if caught red-handed, hastily detached herself from Mo Jiuya's arms.

She quickly tidied herself up before lifting the tent flap.

In truth, it was her own sense of guilt for having done something intimate that made her fear being seen.

Eighth Elder Brother's wife was well-versed in etiquette, standing at a respectful distance of about five meters away from the tent.

Spotting He Zhiran emerging, Eighth Sister remained standing where she was.

"Ninth Sister-in-law, I don't know how to express my gratitude enough."

He Zhiran smiled. "Eighth Sister, we're family, no need for such formalities."

Seeing He Zhiran approach, Eighth Sister took a few steps forward to link arms with her.

"Since Ninth Sister-in-law insists, I won't be too polite."

As they spoke, the other sisters-in-law had finished preparing breakfast and called everyone to eat.

Mo Jiuya proactively tidied up the tent and joined them for the meal.

Just as he put down his chopsticks, Peng Wang arrived.

First, he inquired about Mo Chuhan's health, then looked at their mule-drawn carriage with some difficulty.

"Brother Mo, Sister-in-law, in two days, we'll be passing through the salt lake region.

There's no bridge across the salt lake; one can only cross by boat. I'm afraid your carriage won't make it.

After all, it was bought with hard-earned silver; it would be a pity to lose it. When you pass through the town today, you should sell it at the livestock market yourselves."

If this had been before last night, He Zhiran would have certainly followed Peng Wang's advice and sold the carriage.

However, she now possessed such a vast farm space that she could simply store the carriage inside.

Since this secret was known only to her and Mo Jiuya, she readily agreed with Peng Wang.

"Brother Peng, don't worry. We'll dispose of the carriage today."

Peng Wang had come solely to remind them of this matter, and once his purpose was achieved, he began preparations to resume their journey.

To give them the chance to deal with the carriage, the group had traveled an extra half-hour that day, entering the town to rest.

The next morning, He Zhiran and Mo Jiuya set out together with the carriage.

On the surface, they were going to sell it, but in reality, they planned to store it in their secret space.

He Zhiran also took the opportunity to purchase some health supplements for Mo Chuhan from the Taobao Mall, as well as some seasonal fruits for the family to enjoy.

Upon returning to the inn, Peng Wang and the others were already fully prepared, eagerly awaiting their return to depart for the Salt Lake.

According to Peng Wang's plan, the main group would reach a town near the Salt Lake by nightfall.

This place was entirely different from others.

The Salt Lake was vast, spanning across three prefectures and serving as the most bustling waterway and transportation hub in the Great Shun Dynasty. As its name suggests, it was also the primary source of edible salt in the dynasty.

Consequently, a considerable number of merchants traveled through this area.

Given the prosperity here, one would have expected Peng Wang to accommodate them in an inn. Surprisingly, he led them into a small forest instead.

The officials seemed accustomed to this, promptly directing everyone to find spots to rest.

He Zhiran was greatly perplexed by this and decided to inquire one of the nearby officers.

"Sir, I noticed quite a few inns during our journey. Why are we staying here?"

The officer sighed.

"You're not aware since it's your first time here. The Salt Lake area is bustling, and inns are always fully booked, which drives the prices up significantly. A room that would cost 100 coins elsewhere might set you back at least two taels of silver here."

To He Zhiran, this was no surprise, much like the disparity between prices in big cities and small towns in her previous life.

Though she had plenty of silver in her space, there was no need to flaunt it here.

Thus, she accepted Peng Wang's arrangement without complaint.

Assuming the officer would return to his duties after explaining, she was surprised when he continued speaking.

"When we were here last, we heard that most of the inns and restaurants were owned by a merchant family named Tang.

But then, for some reason, the Tang family offended someone they shouldn't have, and overnight, their inns and restaurants changed hands. The head of the Tang family fell gravely ill and passed away shortly after."

Under the new ownership, the Tang family's businesses were gradually monopolized, with prices escalating to a point where common folk could no longer afford to stay at the inns.

He Zhiran listened to the official's tale as mere hearsay, for these matters concerned others and not herself.

As everyone finished their dinner and prepared to rest, a faint cry for help echoed from within the woods.

Mo Jiuya was the first to grow alert.

Despite Mo Chuhan still recovering from his weakness, he was equally vigilant.

The brothers faced the direction of the sound, poised for action.

Liang Hao and the others remained concealed, ready to spring into action at the slightest command from the brothers.

He Zhiran hurried to stand beside them, straining her ears to discern the distant commotion.

Soon, the cries for help grew louder, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps.

By the moonlight, they could discern several dark figures moving ahead.

The person in the lead was evidently struggling with exhaustion, stumbling along unsteadily.

Behind him, a figure brandished a large blade, shouting loudly,

"Tang Mingrui, if you want to live, surrender the Tang family's trading manual obediently. Otherwise, this day next year will mark your death anniversary."

"You scoundrels of the Salt Gang, even if I were to die, I would never hand the manual over to you!"

Upon hearing the name Tang Mingrui, He Zhiran and Mo Jiuya exchanged a knowing glance.

This name was not unfamiliar to them.

In their search for the true motive behind Nan Qi's attempt on Mo Jiuya's life, they had thoroughly studied the historical records of that period.

They had vivid memories of some of the prominent figures from those times.

According to the annals, after Fei Nanyu established the Great Xing Dynasty, it was a businessman named Tang Mingrui who provided the most financial support for the nation's development.