Chapter 38 Young Master Fang

Chapter 38: The Young Master of the Fang Family

"I'm from the morning food shop on West Street, here to deliver some fried dough to the residence." Meng Wan's heart stirred, guessing that the wealthy young man before him was the young master Fang Yun had mentioned, also Lord Fang's direct grandson.

"Oh, oh, so you're the one who makes the fried dough? He's been called to work in the front courtyard. Just hand the stuff over to me."

Seeing Meng Wan wasn't moving, the young master had a bright idea, pulled out an intricately embroidered pouch, and fished out two silver ingots from it. "Do you need me to pay? Is this enough?"

Meng Wan was just worried he couldn't carry it. He said with a wry smile, "Young master, it doesn't cost that much. Let Fang Yun settle up with me another day. But aren't there any servants around you? I'm afraid you can't lift it."

The young master put the silver ingots back into his pouch, pinching it with his fingers. "They're all busy. I snuck out here to mess around."

Meng Wan suggested, "How about you call someone over? Or I could help carry it inside?"

The young master's eyes lit up. "Come in, come in. I've heard Fang Yun talk about you. He said you..."

Meng Wan grabbed the two baskets and followed him, asking curiously, "What did he say about me?"

"He said you're handsome." The absolute best-looking, no one else in Quanshui Town comes close.

The young master was naive, not foolish. He knew that saying more would be a bit strange.

Ah, forget it! Meng Wan waved his hand. "Being good-looking isn't always as useful as having money sometimes."

"Huh?" The young master didn't understand. Your face is yours for life; of course, being pretty and good-looking is best. Storybooks say money is the most vulgar thing in the world, dirty and low.

Meng Wan had no idea what he was thinking; otherwise... well, otherwise he'd have nothing to say to this young master who knew nothing of worldly hardships.

Following the clueless young master inside, Meng Wan couldn't help but say, "If there's no one around, don't let people in so easily. What if some bad guy tricks you?"

The young master said seriously, "I can tell good people from bad on my own. I know you're not a bad person anyway."

Looking a bit annoyed by what Meng Wan said, the young master clutched his pouch and trotted off ahead, no longer speaking to him.

Meng Wan followed, smiling bitterly. The baskets were filled with food and weren't heavy. They went in through the side gate, passed a short hallway, and came to a small garden. In the corner was a row of rooms facing the back, probably for the servants.

Further ahead was a larger courtyard, where some servants were sweeping. The young master raised his voice a little. "Someone, take him to the kitchen."

Two maids ran over and approached Meng Wan. Meng Wan thought, oh no. Fang Yun wasn't around, and he'd gone to all this trouble to make connections, not just for trade. If they sent him to the kitchen, who knows what would happen?

"Young master, hold on a second."

The young master pouted and turned back. "What is it!"

Meng Wan lifted the linen cloth off the baskets to show him. "I've made some new food. Why don't you try it? I guarantee Quanshui Town has never seen anything like it."

The young master, curious, couldn't help but stare. "Huh? What's this? A rope?"

He picked up a small mahua and looked it over. "This is food?"

Meng Wan enthusiastically recommended, "This is called mahua. The big ones are soft, the small ones are crunchy. Try it, young master. My shop hasn't started selling it to the public yet."

The young master popped the small mahua into his mouth. It was dry, fragrant, and crunchy. "Delicious."

A maid nearby, told to take the baskets, came over. The young master said, "Don't take it to the kitchen yet. Put it in my room."

"Rong'er, what goodies are you eating now?"

A middle-aged man came through the round archway at the south end of the yard, followed by several servants. He was around forty, with a beard and a rough-looking face.

"Dad, are you done working?" The young master ran over and grabbed his arm.

The middle-aged man looked at him fondly. "All done. The steward and the servants will take care of the rest."

Father and son chatted happily. Behind the middle-aged man, Fang Yun gave Meng Wan a wink.

"This guy doesn't seem to be from our place?" The middle-aged man suddenly pointed at Meng Wan and said.

The young master said, "He's from the morning food shop on West Street, here to deliver food."

Meng Wan, with both hands full of baskets, couldn't bow. Since he wasn't a servant of the Fang family, he didn't need to kneel or kowtow. So he just bent forward a little and said respectfully, "Master Fang."

"Oh, I've heard of you. You're the one who makes the fried dough. Pretty talented. My son loves to eat it." Master Fang casually praised. The town was small, and there were only so many kinds of food. The Fang family, though wealthy and powerful, was just a local landlord in the town, a bit more knowledgeable than ordinary townsfolk, but that was it. So a new food was still a big deal.

Too bad that even as a landlord's son, he was still above Meng Wan, not someone Meng Wan could underestimate at this point.

Meng Wan said respectfully, "Your household often buys from my shop. Today, we made two new dishes at home, so I specially brought them for the young master to try."

Master Fang raised a bushy eyebrow. "Oh, then set them up in the house. I'll borrow my son's luck and try these new dishes too."

He and the young master entered the house. Meng Wan hesitated about whether to follow. Fang Yun secretly took his hand and followed behind, whispering to him, "Go in. This is a great chance to make an impression on the master."

Meng Wan hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. For now, he only wanted to earn some honest money steadily. Song Tingzhou would eventually pursue an official career. Though it was still far off, it was better to keep his social connections simple.

With his low status, he needed to be cautious in everything. Just making money was enough; he shouldn't get too entangled with the Fang family.

Steeling his resolve, Meng Wan freed his hand from Fang Yun's and whispered back, "I won't go in. I have work to do at home. If Master Fang likes today's food, he can place an order with my shop. It's not sold individually on regular days. I also saved a packet of small mahua for you. Keep it as a snack."

Meng Wan pulled out a packet of small mahua wrapped in oil paper from his bosom, handed it to Fang Yun, and left the way he came, ignoring Fang Yun's puzzled look.

Fang Yun tucked the mahua into his pocket and entered the main hall. The Fang father and son were sitting on the soft couch in the outer room, talking.

"Dad, who is this honored guest coming tomorrow? We've been preparing for so long." The young master sat cross-legged on the couch, chin in hand, asking.

Master Fang looked at his younger son with fondness. "Someone from the county town. They say it's the county magistrate's illegitimate son."

The servants picked up the food from the baskets and arranged it on plates. The young master grabbed a small mahua and nibbled on it. "What's he coming to Quanshui Town for?"

Master Fang had heard from his own father. "It's about the dam construction. The county magistrate sent his son to oversee the work."

"Oh." The young master, still half-understanding, continued gnawing on the mahua.

Seeing him enjoy it so much, Master Fang also ate a couple and tried the other items. "Not bad. This big one and this..."

Fang Yun stepped forward. He had heard Meng Wan explain. "Master, the big one is a large mahua, and the filled one is a fried cake."

Master Fang said approvingly, "Good, good. Put a plate of each and send them to the master. Tomorrow, have that ugly little guy bring some more."

"Dad! How can you say that about him?" The young master was displeased.

Master Fang felt he was right. "He's covered in freckles, so he's ugly. Not like my son, who's as lovely as jade and snow."

Fang Yun had words stuck in his throat, nearly choking himself.

That evening, he wasn't on duty in the young master's room, so he returned to the servants' quarters. He was alone there, so he took out the oil paper packet he'd been keeping in his pocket and crawled under the covers to eat the small mahua. This stuff wasn't afraid of the cold; the colder, the crunchier.

Usually, the young master was good to the servants, sharing any new treats with them. But this was different. Since being sold to the Fang family by his parents as a child, no one had ever thought of him like this, saving him a snack meant only for the young master.

Fang Yun crunched on two pieces to satisfy his craving, then stopped. He rewrapped the mahua and placed it beside his pillow, covering it with a handkerchief.

The newly introduced fried dough cakes at the shop sold very well, and they were still a limited batch. Meng Wan fried two trays a day, and most buyers were servants from the town's wealthy families.

By mid-February, he'd saved nearly twenty taels in his cash box. If he was leaving in March, he needed to start getting ready.

He didn't dare tell Chang Jinhua first, so he talked it over with Song Tingzhou.

"Next month, when you go to Changping Prefecture, I'll go with you." He dropped a bombshell on Song Tingzhou with no lead-in.

Song Tingzhou shot it down without thinking. "No. The prefectural city ain't like the county seat; it takes at least ten days by cart. How can you handle the bumpy ride? Besides..."

His ears turned red. "Besides, we're not yet married. Traveling together like this ain't good for your reputation."

Meng Wan thought, *What's ten days? I was sold from Lin'an Prefecture to a tiny mountain village in Changping, walking for three or four months. There's nothing I haven't seen.*

As for the reputation thing, he'd already figured it out. "We can just bring Aunt Song along."

Song Tingzhou gave him a helpless look. "Do you really have to go?"

Meng Wan's eyes went soft, and his voice turned pleading. "Cousin, please, just take me with you." Once Song Tingzhou was on board, things were pretty much set. Chang Jinhua was soft-hearted and easy to talk around.

Song Tingzhou felt a shiver run through him, no tougher than his mom's willpower. After two rounds, he caved. "Then... let's talk to Mom first."

Good, one down.

Meng Wan breezed out like the wind and used the same trick to sweet-talk Chang Jinhua.

"Auntie, please say yes."

"Cousin going alone—he's got to handle business and study for exams. If we go, at least we can help with his food, clothes, and place to stay."

"Auntie~"

"Mom!"

"Shut up, you!" Chang Jinhua fumed, worn down by his nagging.

"If Da Lang says yes, then go."

All set!

Meng Wan was in a great mood. The next day, when Fang Yun came to find him, he still had a smile on his face.

"What's got you so cheerful?" Fang Yun asked curiously.

Meng Wan packed him some food and handed him a fried cake on the fly. "I'm heading to the prefectural city with my cousin next month."

"Wow!" Fang Yun was honestly jealous. He was stuck in the Fang mansion every day; even going out to buy stuff felt like a break. The farthest he'd ever gone was with the young master to the country estate. He'd never even left Quanshui Town.

"I might be going to the county seat too." Fang Yun held the warm fried cake, sounding unsure.

Meng Wan blinked in surprise. "What for?"

Fang Yun looked around. No one was close by, and Chang Jinhua had taken a basin and bowls to wash by the well, leaving Meng Wan alone watching the shop.

"This ain't settled yet. You can't tell anyone."

Meng Wan said flatly, "Then I don't wanna hear it."

Fang Yun choked on his words, glaring at Meng Wan.

Meng Wan gave a light chuckle. "Go on, then. I promise I won't tell a soul."

Only then did Fang Yun drop his voice. "My master wants to marry the young master into the county magistrate's family."

Meng Wan guessed, "To the magistrate's second son?"

"How did you know? Did someone else leak it?" Fang Yun was shocked.

"That Second Master is notorious in our town. I haven't heard of any other son of the magistrate dealing with the Fang family." Meng Wan showed no surprise.

The magistrate's second son was overseeing the dam construction and staying at the Fang residence, hosted by Lord Fang. But he never once went to the dam site; instead, he spent his time in town causing trouble, womanizing, gambling, and doing nothing good.

Meng Wan had never met Lord Fang, but First Master Fang seemed to genuinely love his son. How could he let him marry such a wastrel?

"You're so smart."

Fang Yun frowned worriedly. "It was my master who proposed it. If First Master hadn't stopped it, the matchmaker from the county would have already arrived."

So the magistrate's side was also interested. That made it hard to refuse—they were officialdom, after all.

But if Meng Wan were First Master Fang, he wouldn't want his son marrying that scoundrel either. Even Sister Cui had told Meng Wan that this Second Master from the county frequented brothels and didn't even spare her, a woman past her prime. He was a true lecher, and she warned Meng Wan to cover his pockmarks well and never go out alone.

"What can be done?" Meng Wan felt sorry for that innocent, lively young master.

"I don't know yet. First Master defied the master and was punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall for three days." Fang Yun's tone was uneasy.

Meng Wan pondered. "Since the magistrate hasn't sent the matchmaker yet, there might still be a chance to turn things around."

Fang Yun's eyes lit up. "What's the way?"

Meng Wan handed the basket of food to Fang Yun. "I don't know any solution. I didn't hear anything today, but there's an interesting story from my hometown. Want to hear it?"

Fang Yun didn't understand his words but nodded vaguely.

Meng Wan leaned against the table and began slowly. "In my hometown, there was a Secretariat Director, over fifty years old, whose first wife suddenly died. He was practically all-powerful locally. Just seven days after her death, he announced he wanted to marry again, specifically seeking a young girl of sixteen or seventeen. He then targeted a family with no background. That family doted on their daughter and naturally refused to marry her to such an old man. Even if the Secretariat Director had money and power, they weren't so poor as to sell their daughter."

Meng Wan sighed and continued. "Offending the Secretariat Director meant they couldn't survive in the area, but marrying off their daughter was out of the question. So they came up with a desperate measure."

Fang Yun listened intently. "What measure?"

"Faking death."

Fang Yun gasped. "Fake... death?"

If they pretended she was sick, wouldn't the county doctors be better than the town's? It would be easily exposed. The Fang family might have wealth and land, but they were still commoners. Since ancient times, how could commoners contend with officials? How could they win?

If the magistrate found out he'd been deceived, he could wipe out the Fang family with a wave of his hand.

If they hastily betrothed her to another family, the magistrate's second son wouldn't let it go. He might even resort to kidnapping, making things even uglier.

The only option was for her to die. Once dead, she could be secretly married off to another county, or even farther to another prefecture for safety.

The Fang family had lived in Quanshui Town for generations. They couldn't relocate for the sake of one young master, and Lord Fang wouldn't use such methods for fear of angering the magistrate. Only a father who truly loved his son would take such a gamble.