Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Meng Die exhaled deeply after seeing the convoy off, putting the matter behind her and resuming her tasks. "You said Wang Zhuangtou managed to purchase a good amount of sugar beet seeds?"

Grandma Fan replied, "It was quite a coincidence. A young sea trader had a large stock of sugar beet seeds, which Wang Zhuangtou happened to acquire exclusively."

Xing Huang joined in. "Thankfully he bought them all; otherwise, those outsiders would have gone crazy trying to get their hands on them."

Grandma Fan smiled, pursing her lips. "Do you think they aren't crazy now? The price of sugar beet seeds is already five times what it used to be."

Xing Huang was utterly stunned.

Nanny Fan continued, "We never expected to find such a variety of seeds, nor did we have the workforce ready for planting. Fortunately, the land was cultivated last year; otherwise, even if Headman Wang and the others were willing to work day and night, they wouldn't have had the land to do so."

Meng Die asked, "Didn't you hire anyone?"

"It's spring now, the perfect time for sowing. Labor is in high demand everywhere. Hiring additional hands is no easy task," Nanny Fan said, then changed the subject. "Headman Wang wants some guidance on this. Sweet beet is a biennial plant. Should we harvest the newly planted batch this year or wait until next year when they flower and produce seeds?"

Xing Huang offered a plate of five-spice sunflower seeds. "Isn't it a biennial? Why would we harvest them this year?"

Nanny Fan: "That seafaring merchant who sold the seeds mentioned that harvesting the sugar beets this year will yield crisp and tender roots with a better taste. If we wait another year, the size may not increase significantly, but the flavor will deteriorate. The only advantage is obtaining the seeds."

"Meng Die, it's best to harvest them this year," she recalled reading somewhere that the first year of sugar beet growth is the prime storage year, with higher sugar content. In the second year, some of the sweetness would be lost. For sugar production, one should use the current year's crop.

Nanny Fan: "When it comes to harvesting, we'll surely lack manpower. Headman Wang wants to ask Madam Second if we should hire people or purchase slaves?"

Meng Die methodically cracked open her sunflower seeds before responding, "Let's buy people. Try to select more women, regardless of their age. Harvesting sugar beets doesn't require immense strength; women can handle it too. When they're not harvesting, they can cultivate mushrooms."

Nanny Fan: "Madam Second plans to cultivate mushrooms on a large scale this year?"

"It wouldn't be on a grand scale, but we should cultivate more varieties. Once he's done with his tasks, ask Xin to find a suitable spot to build the mushroom house," Meng Die said, pausing for a moment. "Come back in a couple of days to retrieve the blueprint for the construction."

Nanny Fan nodded repeatedly.

Meng Die continued, "If you come across families who have sold themselves, consider purchasing them too. There are plenty of unused mountainous areas in the estate that can be utilized. Start clearing the underbrush and plant various fruit trees instead."

"Mrs. Fan," Xue Qing approached, "How are the sheep on the estate doing?"

Nanny Fan replied, "They're doing well. We recently sheared quite a bit of wool, which Head Wang has sent for processing. When it's ready, he'll bring it back. Last year, we had a good number of lambs, and now our flock has grown to about thirty or forty. In the future, we won't need to buy mutton from outside anymore."

Meng Die sounded rather pleased. "Since we have experience now, let's expand our efforts and purchase more families, especially those with many members willing to work. The men can tend to the sheep, while the women cultivate mushrooms."

"Yes," Ama Fan recalled another matter. "Last year, Second Madam asked me to keep an eye on Duke Cheng'en's residence."

Meng Die inquired, "What's the situation over there?"

Ama Fan lowered her voice. "It would be hard for anyone to believe this, but since last year, when Duke Cheng'en's wife took up residence in the Kun Guan of the San Qing Temple, she hasn't come down the mountain. She didn't even return home for the New Year. As for the Duchess, she went back to her natal family around winter last year and hasn't returned to the duke's residence either. However, the Duke's heir has visited his father-in-law's house several times."

Lu Wei chimed in, "Then who is managing their household? Could it be their First Madam?"

Nanny Fan turned to Lu Wei, "This is the most absurd part. Right now, in Duke Cheng'en's residence, it's the concubine who is in charge – she's the mother of Seventh Master."

"Ahh!" The maidservants in the room exclaimed in unison.

Lu Wei looked at Nanny Fan, "Doesn't Duke Cheng'en fear being impeached for putting a concubine in the position of a wife, or for favoring her over his legitimate spouse?"

"Not just that," Nanny Fan dropped another bombshell, "In private, they even refer to that concubine as 'Madam' within the household."

Damn! Meng Die's mind was instantly flooded with these two words. Duke Cheng'en truly dared to do such a thing.

Nanny Fan spread her hands. "Tell me, where in this world would such a thing happen?"

Meng Die commented straightforwardly, "Heaven desires their downfall, thus it drives them to madness."

Nanny Fan and the maids exchanged glances.

Meng Die didn't offer an elaborate explanation. "We still need someone to keep an eye on that side. Report to me immediately if anything happens."

"Ai," Nanny Fan rose, preparing to take her leave.

Xing Huang gently held her back, saying, "Manager Fan isn't home. Aunty, why don't you stay and taste my cooking today?"

Auntie Fan replied, "Oh my, then I'm in for a treat today."

Hulu commented, "Has it been some time since Manager Fan left? Could he have already reached AkSu City?"

Xue Qing glanced at Hulu and said, "How could he possibly be there yet? It's over seven thousand miles from the capital to AkSu City. Even if traveling by foot, it would take at least three months."

"Aah?"

Lu Wei smiled and said, "Actually, it won't take that long. According to the customs of our Great Yi Dynasty, the grain convoys are escorted by cavalry, so they can reach Achsu City in about a month."

Hulu replied, "Sister Lu Wei, Sister Xue Qing, you both know so much."

Xue Qing responded, "It's just from reading books. You two should read more when you have time."

Hulu looked a bit disheartened. "Meihong and I don't know how to read."

Lu Wei offered, "If you want to learn, I'll teach you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Sister Lu Wei."

The room instantly filled with laughter and joy.

Lu Wei was not wrong; Fan Hong had yet to reach Ak-su City. However, despite the hurried journey, he had been quite comfortable.

Before his departure, Meng Die had given him five hundred taels of silver for travel expenses, and he was well aware of her intentions. Along the way, he frequently treated the grain supervisors and soldiers in charge of escorting the supplies to meals, as well as occasionally treating Manager Zheng to private drinks.

With hands that had taken and a mouth that had tasted, both the supervisors and ordinary soldiers developed a favorable impression of Fan Hong. They went out of their way to care for him, and provided meticulous attention to the Marquis Yongyi's convoy. The leaders of other family convoys could not help but feel envious of the special treatment Fan Hong and his party were receiving.

Envy is futile; they lack the means to emulate such lavish spending. Everyone in the capital knows that Marquis Yongyi's second lady is a wealthy woman – they can't compete with her.

The journey from the capital to Aksu City took a full forty days. On this afternoon, they finally arrived at the gates of Aksu.

Even when facing their own city gates, security was stringent. Inspector General Yang personally handled all the necessary documents with the gatekeeper.

The gatekeepers of Aksu were vastly different from those in the capital. The latter held little real power, deferring to the orders of the Nine Gates Inspectorate. In Aksu, however, the gatekeepers wielded genuine authority. They typically hailed from the reconnaissance corps and had eyes as sharp as stars.

Satisfied with the paperwork, the gatekeeper waved his hand. "Inspect the provisions."

Thirty soldiers behind him promptly inspected the wagons filled with provisions, displaying exceptional discipline and efficiency.

"Captain Wu, all is well."

"All clear."

...

A smile finally graced the face of the city gate officer, who was addressed as Captain Wu. "Lord Yang, your efforts are much appreciated. Please proceed."

"By all means, it's my duty," Lord Yang waved his hand dismissively. "Carry on."

The massive convoy finally began to enter the city gate. At this moment, managers from various mansions approached Wu Tou, handing over their passes for him to inspect.

Wu Tou'er was no slouch either; he meticulously inspected every item brought by each household, ensuring their safety before allowing them through.

Fan Hong and Steward Zheng arrived at AkSU City in the afternoon. They were delayed at the city gate for quite some time, and by the time they entered, it was already dark.

For a moment, they stood perplexed on the deserted street, unable to find anyone to inquire from. Where on earth could Second Master be?

Suddenly, two soldiers in uniform appeared before them. One of them lifted his gaze to the large 'Li' character emblazoned on the carriage, a hint of delight flickering across his face. He tugged at his companion and approached, "Is this the convoy of Marquis Yongyi's residence?"

Manager Zheng promptly replied, "Indeed, it is. You are...?"

"I'm Yue He," the man introduced himself, "and this is my brother Bai Shan. We both serve under Captain Li. Today, he has a meeting and mentioned that family members might come with provisions. Hence, he sent us two to welcome you."

The mention of 'Li' sparked recognition in Manager Zheng and Fan Hong's eyes. "We would be grateful if you could guide us."

"Come, come, we're all part of the same family," Yue He and Bai Shan said warmly. Their eyes lingered on the ten carriages, nearly glowing with desire. They knew that, with their captain's nature, the brothers would surely share in the spoils.

Ak-su City was vast and sparsely populated, and as a fourth-rank official, Li Ai's assigned residence was spacious. With few furnishings, it appeared even more expansive, reflecting the region's untamed character.

Manager Zheng and Fan Hong parked the carriage in the courtyard square. They cautiously surveyed their surroundings, then glanced at the darkening sky. Manager Zheng asked, "Brother Yue, at what time does our Second Master usually return?"

Yue He replied, "He'd usually be back by now. But today, with the arrival of the provisions, he's gone to seize and distribute the supplies."

A hint of confusion flickered across Fan Hong's face. If he had heard correctly, the man had mentioned 'seizing' first, hadn't he?

Lowering his voice, Manager Zheng explained to Fan Hong, "Provisions come in various qualities. Military officers often rush to claim the best for their own camps."

Fan Hong appeared deeply enlightened.

"Head's back, Head's back!"

The soldiers drilling in the front courtyard suddenly swarmed towards the entrance, followed by a burst of cheers.

Manager Zheng and Fan Hong turned in unison, their eyes focusing on the entrance. A crowd had gathered there, and both men's gazes landed on the figure at the center, surrounded by others.

The man was clad in a sleek, short outfit that accentuated his slender yet towering physique. With a narrow waist, broad shoulders, and long legs, every move he made exuded strength, clearly demonstrating his explosive power.

Supervisor Zheng swallowed hard. Second Master had left home just turned fifteen, and surely he wasn't as tall as this man. But judging from the soldiers' reaction, this must be his own Second Master, right?

Amidst the cheers, the man said, "I've brought everything back. You can divide it among yourselves." With that, he strode confidently towards Supervisor Zheng.

Due to the darkness, his features were indistinct at first. As the man approached, his face came into clear view before Supervisor Zheng, who stared in shock and blurted out, "Who are you?"

The man burst into laughter. With his smile, a gap opened in the thick beard that covered half of his face, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. "Supervisor Zheng, even you don't recognize me?" His voice was clear and bright, a stark contrast to the rugged beard that concealed half of his face.

...

My apologies, the voice of a teenage boy in the midst of puberty will indeed change once he passes that phase. Manager Zheng's expression grew increasingly rigid as he had initially intended to listen for the voice.

Li Ai brought his face closer to Manager Zheng's eyes: "Can you truly not tell at all?"

With his features magnified before him, Manager Zheng finally recognized a hint of familiarity in the dark complexion - the long eyebrows reaching the temples and the phoenix-like eyes belonged to Second Master himself.

Manager Zheng regained his composure: "Second Master, y-you've changed so much."

Li Ai straightened his posture: "Isn't this part of growing up? What has my mother been feeding me?"

Steward Zheng fell silent for a moment before lifting the lid of the first carriage's large trunk. "Second Master has been away from home for over three years. Lady mentioned that she doesn't know his current clothing or shoe size, so she only prepared cotton cloth and cotton balls. Second Master can have someone make him new clothes."

"Also, dried meat and preserved fruits; the Crown Prince mentioned that there are hardly any fruits here, so Lady specially prepared more. And Second Master's favorite milk powder—Lady sent quite a lot, actually. That was sent by Cousin Grandfather's side."

Li Ai examined each trunk one by one. Whenever he found something tasty, he would wave his hand, and without hesitation, his personal soldiers would pounce on it like hungry wolves, finishing it in an instant.

"Look at your good-for-nothing selves. Hey! Save some for me." Li Ai snatched back a handful of dried meat.

Steward Zheng coughed softly to hide his amusement.

As Li Ai finished grabbing the jerky, he happened to pass by the carriage Meng Die had prepared, where Fan Hong stood guard. Li Ai couldn't help but glance twice. The man was dressed in a silk shirt, clearly a well-respected servant. Why did he seem unfamiliar?

Head Steward Zheng quickly introduced, "Second Master, this is Steward Fan."

Steward? Li Ai raised an eyebrow. Why didn't he recall having a steward named Fan in his household?

"Your humble servant, Fan Hong, pays respects to Second Master," Fan Hong bowed.

"Which branch of the family do you belong to?" Li Ai couldn't resist the temptation of the jerky and threw a piece into his mouth; he hadn't eaten dinner yet tonight.

Fan Hong replied, "In response to Second Master, this lowly one is the chief steward attending to Second Madam."

Li Ai scratched his head. "Which branch's Second Madam?"

...

Fan Hong sought help with an imploring look at Manager Zheng.

Manager Zheng stared silently at Li Ai, who appeared utterly innocent, without a trace of... Li Ai's eyes widened; it seemed that in their household, it was he who was directly addressed as Second Master, didn't it? This was due to his name, Ai, which had a positive connotation but also sounded similar to the word for 'short.' As a child, he had been worried about not growing tall enough, so he had stubbornly forbidden the servants from calling him Young Master Ai.

As the eldest son's son, he was the default second master of the household. Hence, when anyone in the manor referred to the second master, they were talking about him.

Li Ai watched Fan Hong's pupils dilate in shock. Second Lady? Li Ai's mouth gaped wide... Cough, cough, cough! The piece of jerky still in his mouth slipped down his throat, almost choking him to death.

After struggling to swallow the jerky, Li Ai felt as if half his life had been drained away. He weakly leaned against the carriage. "What's going on?"

Manager Zheng replied, "In response to Second Master, after you left, both Lady and the old madam were worried. They went to Three Pure Views Temple to draw a fortune slip for you. By coincidence, they met Real Person Qingxuan. The old madam asked him to calculate your fate with the birthdate of a girl whose destiny is filled with fire. It was said that such a woman would be a match made in heaven for you." Not daring to mention that Madam Hou already had Meng Die's birthdate at that time, Manager Zheng tactfully omitted that detail.

Lifting his leg, Li Ai kicked the backside of the eavesdropping soldier. "No sense at all. Hurry up and get me a cup of water."

The eavesdropping soldier contorted his body to avoid the kick and dashed towards the house, shouting, "Congratulations, Chief, you have a wife now!"

All those who hadn't heard before instantly turned their attention, causing Li Ai's cheeks to flush. He secretly rejoiced that he was dark-skinned and it was nightfall, "What are you looking at? Get back to work."

Li Ai asked the steward, "Which family does she belong to?"

The steward replied, "She is the eldest granddaughter of the Governor of Ganzhou, Elder Lord Meng. His full name is Meng Tingyi, with 'Ting' above and 'Yi' below."

Meng Tingyi? Li Ai's legs weakened, and his right heel accidentally stepped on the carriage wheel. His entire body uncontrollably tumbled towards the ground. Li Ai exerted force in his waist, barely twisting his body a moment before he would have landed face-first, avoiding the embarrassing position and instead kneeling half in front of the carriage.

...

Whistles and encouraging catcalls instantly filled the air around them.

"Boss, you're bowing down the moment you meet her. Be careful, you might end up with bronchitis!"

"Don't talk nonsense. Our boss is undoubtedly a real man. How could he get bronchitis? At most, he's just a henpecked husband."

Li Ai ground his teeth. They must have had too little training these past two days for them to be so lively. He'd definitely double their workload tomorrow. As if nothing had happened, he stood up and brushed off the dust from his legs. "What did each of you bring?"

Fan Hong pinched himself hard to regain his composure before responding, "To Lord Second, Lady instructed Lady Second on how to prepare the provisions, including preserved fruits, jerky, and so on. There are also two boxes of dried fish for a change of taste when consuming too much meat."

The others, witnessing the pile of chests before them, instantly transformed into restrained individuals, refraining from rushing over to snatch them.

Li Ai examined the items and found them all to be practical. He instructed Manager Zheng to have everything delivered to the rear estate, which, in his absence of female family members, had essentially become a storage warehouse.

Having made all the necessary arrangements, Li Ai invited the two to stay for a meal. After the remnants of the feast were cleared away, Manager Zheng was asked to remain behind to speak with Li Ai privately.

When Li Ai was still in the Marquis residence during the discussions of marriage between his elder brother and the eldest daughter of the Meng family, he was well-informed about every detail. He even secretly lamented the misfortune that befell the Meng family. And now?

Li Ai: "What exactly happened?"

Zheng Manager: "Second Master, everything I said outside was true. After Master Qingxuan mentioned the need for a fire element in a woman's destiny, Madam instinctively provided Second Madam's birthdate. Master Qingxuan declared it a match made in heaven. At that time, both Madam and the Old Madam were regretting that even with such a perfect match, they couldn't proceed with the marriage due to the unresolved Meng family case."

"Perhaps it truly was a match destined by the heavens. Right after the Old Madam and Madam descended the mountain, His Majesty reopened his imperial pen to settle the Meng family's case. Only then did our household immediately send a matchmaker to propose."

How coincidental! Li Ai momentarily suspected that Zheng Manager had fabricated the story to deceive him, perhaps because Mother was worried about his discomfort over Meng Die's previous engagement to his elder brother. But he quickly dismissed this notion.

For one, his mother knew he never cared about such superficial matters. Moreover, upon his return to the capital and home, he could easily verify the truth of the matter. There was no need for anyone to deceive him. Thus, it seemed plausible that all these events were merely coincidental: "I understand. You may withdraw now. Take a few days to rest well."

"Hmm," she sighed softly.