Chapter 163

Chapter 163

In mid-October, Wang's Vegetable Shop reopened its doors.

Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan had harvested the ripe vegetables from their experimental fields the previous night, marking the start of their annual winter vegetable sales.

Knowing the shop was opening today, Lin Sui rose exceptionally early. Dressed and ready, she headed to the front courtyard to await the loading of the cart.

Soon, Er Shun drove the cart to the backyard, and everyone pitched in, busily loading baskets of vegetables onto it.

Uncle Chen stood nearby, holding an oil lamp for illumination. Ever since he strained his back in the spring, Wang Ying had forbidden him from doing any heavy labor. Unable to remain idle, the old man busied himself with various chores around the estate. Though nominally master and servant, Chen Qingyan and Wang Ying had long regarded him as a respected elder of their own family.

Once the cart was loaded, Er Shun said, "I'll head out of the city first and return to the shop later."

Wang Ying patted the cart, "Take it slow on the road."

"Alright, don't worry."

While Er Shun was transporting the goods, Wang Ying went back inside to prepare herself. She washed, changed clothes, neatly tied her hair back, and adorned it with a simple hairpin.

Yuanbao was still asleep. The child was a heavy sleeper; if not woken, he'd likely sleep until 7 a.m.

Wang Ying asked the maid to watch the child in the room, while she and her husband went to the side hall for breakfast.

Aunt Chen had aged somewhat in recent years, and managing the shopping and cooking alone occasionally became overwhelming. Er Shun's wife had begun helping out.

Wang Ying didn't let her work for free, paying her two hundred *wen* a month, which provided her with some extra spending money.

After breakfast, Wang Ying and Lin Sui headed to the shop. Chen Qingyan was due to go to the prefectural academy later, as the dean had specially invited him to explain the provincial examination questions to students who hadn't participated.

Chen Qingyan was quite renowned at the prefectural academy now. After all, he had ranked third nationwide and had studied at the Jizhou Prefectural Academy. Many students there looked up to him as a role model.

Chen Qingsong, however, felt considerable pressure. In his younger years, he hadn't cared much, but ever since his elder and second brothers passed the imperial examinations, he was constantly compared to them whenever he was mentioned at the academy.

His two brothers' achievements cast such a brilliant glow that Chen Qingsong appeared increasingly ordinary by comparison. He had no choice but to study relentlessly, fearing that a poor performance would bring shame upon himself.

*

When Wang Ying arrived at the shop, the two neighboring shops had just opened as well. The usually taciturn shopkeeper of the sesame oil shop proactively approached her to chat.

"Are you planning to start selling vegetables again?"

"Yes, the cold weather means ice isn't selling well. Conveniently, the vegetables from the estate are ready, so we're bringing them to sell."

"Your family truly has a remarkable business. What you sell in winter and summer is irreplaceable by others."

Wang Ying smiled, giving a vague response. This person had always looked down on them before, so the sudden warmth felt rather unaccustomed.

Tian Ju brought a ladder to take down the old sign and replace it with the vegetable shop's sign.

Ma Zhandong reassembled the previously dismantled counters, ready to display the vegetables once they arrived.

After tidying up the shop, they waited until 7 a.m., but Er Shun still hadn't returned.

Last year, whenever Uncle Chen transported vegetables, everything went smoothly, and he was never stopped. Surely, the first cart of vegetables this year wouldn't be held up?

Wang Ying grew anxious. "Xiao Ma, Xiao Tian, go check the city gate and see what's happening."

The two didn't dare delay and immediately ran off.

Ma Qianzi and Tian Ju hurried to the East City Gate, circled around, but didn't see Er Shun. Could he have encountered trouble outside the city?

"Do you have any money on you?"

Tian Ju rummaged in his robe. "Only fifty *wen*."

"That's enough." Ma Qianzi also had fifty *wen* on him. Together, they had exactly one *diao* of cash. He took the money and walked over to the gate clerk at the city gate, discreetly handing it over.

"What's the matter?" The official accepted the money and looked at him suspiciously.

"May I ask, sir, if you saw a cart entering the city this morning? It was a reddish-brown cart loaded with fresh vegetables."

The official's expression shifted upon hearing this. "Those are your goods?"

Ma Zhandong immediately realized that Er Shun must have gotten into trouble. "They're our boss's vegetables, meant for today's opening."

"Well, that's unfortunate." The official lowered his voice. "When the cart entered this morning, it happened to run into the city patrol guards. They impounded the cart of vegetables."

Tian Ju grew anxious. "Why did they confiscate our vegetables?"

"There's no reasoning with them. The leader of that patrol squad is Vice-Prefect Zhao's wife's younger brother. You'll just have to write it off as bad luck."

Tian Ju wanted to say more, but Ma Qianzi held him back. "Thank you, sir." This matter was beyond their ability to handle—they needed to hurry back and inform their boss!

The two rushed back to the shop without delay and relayed everything they had learned to Wang Ying.

Lin Sui said, "Even if they took the vegetables, why did they also detain the carriage and Er Shun?"

Wang Ying's face darkened. She had already guessed the reason—they must have coveted the vegetables and wanted to force Er Shun to reveal their source...

This was something she couldn't resolve on her own. The only option now was to seek help from the Marquis! Wang Ying took Lin Sui's hand and said, "Sui'er, I need to ask a favor of you."

"What are you saying, sister-in-law? You saved my life—there's nothing you can't ask directly!"

"Hurry to the Marquis' estate and explain the situation to the Marquis. Beg him for help."

"I'll go right away!"

Ma Zhandong said, "Then I'll go back and hitch the carriage. If the Marquis isn't home, I can take the young master directly to the military camp."

"Good, hurry!"

Vice-Prefect Zhao held a sixth-rank official position, equivalent to a vice-mayor in later times. If they were to confront him directly, even though her husband was now a provincial graduate, they wouldn't have the slightest advantage.

A quarter of an hour later, Ma Zhandong drove the family's other carriage, picking up Lin Sui and heading toward the Marquis' estate.

*

Meanwhile, Er Shun had been taken by the patrol guards to a nearby guard post. Not only had they confiscated the carriage, but they had also brought him along.

The leader of the patrol squad was named Xue Wang, who was indeed Vice-Prefect Zhao's wife's younger brother. He also had a notorious nickname, Xue the Bully, and relied on his brother-in-law's influence to throw his weight around in the city. There was nothing he set his eyes on that he couldn't obtain by force.

He had heard about the fresh vegetables last year, but there were rumors that the shopkeeper was Deputy Prefect Wang's nephew, so he hadn't made a move then.

Later, after a few incidents, he learned that the family had no connection to Deputy Prefect Wang at all, and Xue Wang began to entertain scheming thoughts again.

While on patrol today, he happened to run into Chen Er Shun driving the cart into the city. He immediately confiscated both the goods and the person, aiming to force out the source of the fresh vegetables—he wanted a piece of the action too.

Chen Er Shun was confused as he was brought in, tied up, and locked in a room.

He had never been particularly brave to begin with, and this scare almost made him wet himself. He kept kneeling and begging for mercy. "Our master is a provincial graduate. Please let me go. You can keep the vegetables—think of them as a tribute to you."

Xue Wang spat and laughed. "A provincial graduate, huh? I'm shaking in my boots."

Chen Er Shun didn't dare say another word and crouched in the corner, praying silently that his master would surely come to rescue him...

After being locked up for half an hour, Xue Wang entered with two men. As soon as they came inside, they started beating him without a word.

They were soldiers, and Chen Er Shun was no match for their blows. A few punches left his nose and mouth bleeding, his vision seeing stars. He knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy.

Xue Wang grabbed him by the hair and yanked him up. "Where did the vegetables on the cart come from?"

"I... I don't know."

"Pah! Still playing tough, huh? Keep hitting him!"

The men swung their fists, knocking him to the ground, then began kicking him until he curled up, pleading for mercy with his arms over his head.

"That's enough. Take it easy. If you kill him, how will we find out where the vegetables came from?"

"Heh heh, old habits die hard."

Xue Wang stepped on Er Shun's head. "Still not talking? If you don't speak up, you'll lose your life."

Er Shun let out fearful, gurgling sounds, but even then, he didn't reveal that the vegetables came from his master. He only said, "The vegetables... were delivered from a post station outside the city..."

"Nonsense! Last year, I followed your family's cart. The driver was an old man—every time, he'd just drive out and back. You think you can fool me?!"

Tears and snot streamed down Er Shun's face in agony. "I... really don't know... Please spare me..."

Xue Wang frowned. Was this guy truly ignorant or just stubborn? Most people would've given in under such beating and intimidation, yet he was still holding out.

Hesitating out of fear of the master's status, Xue Wang didn't dare kill him outright, lest his brother-in-law scold him again. He ordered Chen Er Shun locked up again, planning to throw him out if he still refused to talk the next day and find another way.

*

Meanwhile, Wang Ying was frantic with worry. Finally, two hours later, the Marquis came galloping up with Lin Sui.

"Marquis, please help..."

Li Mu said, "No need to explain. Lin Sui has already told me everything on the way. I'll go demand they release your man first."

"Thank you, Marquis!"

Li Mu helped Lin Sui down with one hand, then spurred his horse and sped toward the east side of the city. Wang Ying and Lin Sui watched his disappearing figure, their eyes filled with anxiety.

"Why did it take so long to return?"

Lin Sui said, "Ma Zhandong first took me to the Marquis's residence, but the Marquis wasn't there. We went straight to the military camp, but when we arrived, the Marquis had just left for training. It was a Centurion we knew who helped fetch him back."

The back-and-forth had wasted a lot of time. After meeting, Lin Sui briefly explained the situation to Li Mu, who without a word saddled his horse and brought him back to the city.

"I wonder how Er Shun is doing. I hope nothing bad has happened to him."

Lin Sui squeezed Wang Ying's hand reassuringly. "It's alright. Everything will be fine."

Li Mu knew Xue Wang and was aware of his unruly nature. He had previously trained him in the military camp, but Xue Wang couldn't handle the hardship and pulled strings to transfer to the city guard station, where he was now in charge of daily patrols.

When Li Mu arrived at the guard station, the soldiers at the entrance stopped him. "Restricted area. No entry."

Li Mu lashed one of them with his whip. "Are you blind? You don't recognize this Marquis?!"

Taking a closer look, the two men were startled by the blue birthmark on Li Mu's face and quickly moved aside hastily. "Forgive us, Marquis. We failed to recognize someone of your stature..."

Li Mu had no patience for small talk and headed straight for the main hall of the guard station. Xue Wang was rolling dice with a few underlings and was stunned to see Li Mu. Why would this troublemaker have free time to come here today?

He forced a smile and stood up. "Ah, Marquis! You should've sent word ahead—I would've come out to welcome you."

Li Mu cut off his pleasantries. "Release the cart, horse, and man from Wang's Vegetable Shop that you seized this morning."

Xue Wang played dumb. "What are you talking about, Marquis? I don't understand."

Li Mu had no interest in arguing and turned to search the rooms.

Xue Wang hurried over to stop him. "I am, after all, the captain of the guard of this guard station. It's not very appropriate for you to search my premises without a word, Marquis."

Li Mu's eyes flashed with killing intent. "Do you think this Marquis can't handle you, or do you think your brother-in-law can protect you?"