Chapter 171 Doing Business

Chapter 171: Doing Business

By April, the fields in Heshan were already lush and green. Widespread sugarcane planting also put Meng Wan's mind at ease, resolving a major concern, not in vain given how long he'd planned for it.

When sugarcane spreads across Heshan this autumn, the common folk will basically lift themselves out of poverty. They won't be comparable to the Jiangnan region, but at least they can fill their stomachs, save up some silver, and have spare money to buy cloth and meat. That would be very good.

Meng Wan let out a long sigh, part wistful, part expectant, his brows and eyes showing the relieved look of someone who's been through it all.

His gaze fell on Song Tingzhou, who was writing a memorial at the desk. The candle flame in the corner was perfectly still, its soft halo spreading over him. His own heart seemed to be wrapped in that gentle haze, peaceful and at ease.

He never thought he would truly reach this point—not for money, not for fame, after painstakingly planning for nearly a year. Perhaps some calculations were mixed in, but overall it was good, and the outcome was unexpectedly satisfying to Meng Wan.

Song Tingzhou finished the last stroke, gently placed his brush on the rest, and looked up at him, his voice carrying a coaxing smile: "Why the sigh?"

"I don't need to worry about the sugarcane anymore. I'm gonna spend some time with Mother and A Yan." Meng Wan walked over, intending to sit on the chair opposite him, but was pulled over instead, ending up straddling Song Tingzhou's lap.

He thought to himself: Good thing I'm wearing underpants.

Song Tingzhou's slender, well-defined hand pressed against Meng Wan's lower back, drawing him closer, and let out a soft, contented sigh: "My dear husband has worked hard."

His body felt dry and warm, like northern pine. Meng Wan leaned against his shoulder, half-closing his eyes in comfort: "Not hard. Instead, it feels very meaningful. I think I somewhat understand the responsibility you officials bear."

At this, Song Tingzhou's eyes grew even softer: "Wan'er is someone with great vision and a heart that holds mountains and rivers."

Meng Wan's lips curled up: "Wow, Lord Song sure knows how to talk now, laying on the praise in whole sets."

"Heh." Song Tingzhou chuckled lightly, "Learned from you. You're the one whose every word is a gem."

They held each other, joking around, the atmosphere warm and loving. After a while, Meng Wan brought up serious matters again: "If the reputation of the Heshan Sugar Mill spreads smoothly in the future, and the price is cheaper than in Jiangnan, there will surely be no shortage of far-sighted merchants like Third Master Zhu coming here." Merchants were looked down on, but who could deny their unique insight and sharp minds?

Song Tingzhou remarked with emotion: "Once trade opens up in Heshan County and merchants interact with each other, since Heshan is far away, merchants will definitely not come empty-handed. They'll bring grain and local specialties from other places to sell in Heshan. In this way, with mutual trade, this county will truly come alive."

When he said that, Meng Wan pulled his thoughts back from the distant horizon: "You're right. I've got free time now. In a few days I ought to set up some shops. For one thing, just opening an inn alone would see a steady flow of customers and rake in money every day."

Song Tingzhou couldn't help laughing: "Then from now on I'll have to depend on you, husband."

Meng Wan's eyes curved as he stared at Song Tingzhou's handsome face, his hands playfully glued to his firm, toned waist, like a scoundrel teasing an upright man: "Sure, sure..."

Song Tingzhou raised an eyebrow and directly stood up with him in his arms: "It seems my husband is satisfied?"

What the hell?

Something popped into Meng Wan's head at those words. He wrapped his arms tighter around his neck, burrowed his head in, and burst into laughter.

Song Tingzhou asked helplessly, "What's wrong now?"

Meng Wan snorted twice, then bit the earlobe close at hand. The man holding him stopped asking anything. The bed curtains were quickly thrown open, and the two tumbled into the bed.

...

Recently, Song Tingzhou had started preparing to inspect water conservancy again. By the time Meng Wan got up the next day, he was already out of the house. After eating, Meng Wan went to Chang Jinhua's room to play with A Yan. The child could now sit up, but being lazy, he would snuggle against his grandmother after a short while.

"Mother, how about I take you out for a stroll today?"

Before Chang Jinhua could answer, A Yan suddenly straightened up and reached out for Meng Wan to hold him. Chang Jinhua fumed: "Oh, you little ingrate! Grandma plays with you and eats with you every day, and as soon as your father shows up, you don't want Grandma anymore?"

Little A Yan didn't understand his grandmother's words. His big, watery eyes were all focused on his father.

When he was obedient, Meng Wan doted on him like a precious gem. Seeing his son wanting to be held, Meng Wan immediately stepped forward to take him. A Yan babbled "ah ba ah ba" in baby talk that no one understood, drool soon flowing down his chin, threatening to drip.

Meng Wan quickly used the bib around his neck to lightly wipe his rosy little mouth and kissed his cheek: "A Yan, Grandma is angry. What should we do?"

A Yan's eyes were round: "Ah wuwuwu ah!"

"Let's take Grandma out and buy her some nice things!" Meng Wan pretended to have a conversation with him.

Chang Jinhua found it amusing: "Since you have free time, just rest at home. A Yan and I aren't cooped up here every day. The Wei family's daughter-in-law from the back courtyard often brings her daughter to play with A Yan. I've also taken him to her place a few times."

Meng Wan had been quite busy this past year, and he and Song Tingzhou were rarely at home, so he wasn't familiar with the neighbors. Their house faced the county office to the south, the Miao family to the right, and an empty street to the left. Only behind them, across an alley, were two other households—one surnamed Wei and one surnamed Huang.

Huang was a common surname; there were many Huangs in Heshan. This family had nothing to do with the county office's Inspector Huang—just a coincidence of the same surname.

"Staying home is boring. Taking you out for a stroll would be nice." Meng Wan said cheerfully to Chang Jinhua.

Chang Jinhua changed her clothes. A Yan, having drunk goat's milk, was plump and fair, quite heavy to hold. A child isn't an object; when carrying one, you focus on making him comfortable, not on your own convenience.

Meng Wan had no intention of carrying chubby A Yan the whole way. Chu Ci had gone to help at the Miao family's shop, so Meng Wan called Xue Sheng to go with them.

After handing A Yan off to Xue Sheng, Meng Wan felt much lighter. Ignoring his son's longing gaze, he walked beside Chang Jinhua and chatted: "Huang Ye went to see his mother again?"

Chang Jinhua laughed as she teased her grandson, not looking back: "Yes, he took the transport firm's carriage again. That child is filial. He bought six feet of coarse cloth to make clothes and shoes for his mother. During the day, he didn't dare work on it, afraid of pricking A Yan. He only sewed in his own room at night. I advised him twice, but he didn't listen."

Besides clothes, when Huang Ye went near where his mother was serving her labor sentence, he would also buy meat, food, and the like to bring her. Back then, Jin Gu had risked her life for him, and the xiaoge she gave birth to did not let down her devotion.

A parent's love is deep, planning for the future and protecting completely.

This was an emotion Meng Wan had never experienced before he had A Yan.

"Wan Geer, look at the little porcelain dolls on that stall—aren't they adorable?" As they walked along the street, Chang Jinhua spotted a stall selling porcelain wares, mostly delicate little trinkets that would catch a child's eye.

She took A Yan from Xue Sheng's arms, planning to hold him and let him choose.

Meng Wan stepped forward alone and picked up the porcelain doll Chang Jinhua had mentioned, examining it closely. The doll had smooth edges and bright, well-fired colors—a good piece.

"Stall owner, how much is this doll?" he asked the vendor.

The stall owner, hearing Meng Wan ask the price and seeing he was a new face, quoted a high price: "Good eye, husband! I spent ten days firing this porcelain doll—labor-intensive and costly. If you're sincere, you can take it for five hundred wen."

Chang Jinhua came over with A Yan and overheard: "What thing costs five hundred wen?"

She wasn't like Meng Wan, who ran around and occasionally showed his face in the county town. So although the vendor didn't recognize Meng Wan, he recognized Chang Jinhua, the county magistrate's mother.

"Oh dear, it's the Elder Lady Chang! Then this husband is?" The vendor caught on and asked tentatively: "Are you Meng Fulang?" Everyone knew the owner of the sugar mill outside the city.

Meng Wan smiled: "So what if I am? Are you afraid I won't pay you?"

"You jest. If you like it, just take it for the young master to play with. Don't mention money." The vendor inwardly regretted and hurriedly tried to make amends.

Chang Jinhua saw through the trick. She put on a stern face: "It's not the first time I've come here to buy things. You say that every time, as if I've shortchanged you? Forget it, we don't want it. Wan Geer, let's go ahead."

Meng Wan hadn't seen her so lively in a long time. He obediently followed her, a smile in his eyes, as if transported back to the first time she took him to the market in Sanquan Village. Back then, he had just arrived in the village, all paths unknown, his heart full of anxiety.

Chang Jinhua had been his guide into this world. She normally liked to scold him with a straight face, but after spending time with her, he learned she was cold on the outside but warm inside, easily soft-hearted—a good person, and an even better mother.

At another stall, they bought A Yan a porcelain doll. Though not as pretty as the first one, it was sturdier and could be cleaned and placed on A Yan's bed for him to roll around with.

At this time of year, wild vegetables were abundant in the mountains. Song Tingzhou had never imposed any entry tax on the common folk, so many farmers dug wild vegetables in the mountains to sell.

"Let's buy some spring bamboo shoots. I'll pickle them for you," Chang Jinhua said as she scanned the roadside stalls, comparing which were selling the tenderest ones.

"Okay, thank you, Mother." Meng Wan followed behind her, watching her skillfully pick bamboo shoots.

Chang Jinhua turned to look at him. Seeing him in a thin green-blue robe, holding A Yan and following obediently behind her, she said, "Still being so polite with your mother?"

After buying the bamboo shoots, Chang Jinhua had Xue Sheng carry them, then picked out a bundle of fresh amaranth. "This amaranth is really fresh now. Let's make steamed buns for lunch. I wonder if there's still good meat at the butcher's stall this late."

Meng Wan suggested, "If there's no meat, we can use eggs and amaranth as filling. We still have plenty of eggs we brought from Hongshan Village."

"That's true. Luckily, you and Da Lang aren't picky eaters and enjoy everything. I just wonder if Xiao Ci will like it." As Chang Jinhua spoke, her hands emptied as Xue Sheng took the vegetables from her.

With many people in the household, often whatever Meng Wan and the others ate, Xue Sheng and his group ate too. Just making buns wouldn't be enough; they needed to prepare some other dishes as well. Chang Jinhua bought two more seasonal greens, then headed towards the meat stall.

They arrived late. The fatty meat at the stall had already been picked over, leaving only lean ribs with a thin layer of meat and many large bones that hadn't been cleaned well.

The butcher at the stall recognized Chang Jinhua. "Oh, Old Madam Chang, you're late today. I've almost sold out."

Chang Jinhua had expected as much. "No matter. Tie up the remaining two slabs of ribs, and give me four of the big bones, plus one heart and one lung."

The butcher efficiently tied the meat and bones with hemp rope, while sneaking a few glances at the handsome Meng Wan. He probably guessed his identity, but didn't ask anything. He handed the items to Xue Sheng with a few polite words.

They carried the vegetables and meat home. Meng Wan hadn't cooked for a long time. Chang Jinhua started the dough and went inside to check on A Yan, while Meng Wan prepared the vegetables and meat.

He boiled the bones in plain water for Snow Wolf, chopped the ribs into small pieces, using half for sweet and sour ribs and half to stew with fresh bamboo shoots.

The weather was getting hot, and Mount He was humid and sweltering. Two hot dishes were enough. He boiled the remaining pig heart and lungs, then dressed them with wild vegetables in a cold salad. It was a pity Meng Wan hadn't discovered chili peppers yet; otherwise, a spoonful of chili oil would have made it heavenly.

He mixed a full basin, filling four plates. The boiled bones were also cooling down.

"Snow Wolf!" Meng Wan called out.

Snow Wolf ran joyfully from Chu Ci's courtyard, panting with its tongue lolling out. Apart from both being white, Meng Wan really couldn't see any resemblance between it and the majestic mountain demon of the past.

He poured the bones into its large eating basin. Ignoring its silly eating posture, Meng Wan then fried a plate of peanuts and mixed them with blanched spinach in another basin.

By the time the filling for the buns was chopped, Chang Jinhua's dough had risen well. The main hall was cool, so Xue Sheng moved the kneading board and steaming trays to the large octagonal table in the hall. They spread a thick mat on the floor for A Yan to lie and play on.

The newly bought clay doll didn't seem to please him. A Yan still preferred when Xue Sheng teased him with the jade gourd.

"Mother, are you bored at home?" Meng Wan rolled out dumpling wrappers for Chang Jinhua to wrap the buns.

Chang Jinhua skillfully pinched pleats on the buns. "Bored? A Yan's eating, drinking, and dirty mess keep me busy enough!"

Although Huang Ye usually helped her take care of A Yan, Chang Jinhua doted on him so much she wished she could keep him in her room forever.

Meng Wan said casually, "But A Yan will grow up eventually. What will you do then?"

Chang Jinhua paused in her movements and sighed, "By then, your mother will be old..."

Meng Wan disagreed. "Mother, you're not old yet. Look at my teacher—she's quite old, but she still lives a full and interesting life. A few days ago, she wrote from Yangzhou saying she raised a few ducklings, but didn't even have a cage for them. They sneaked into the house every day and pooped on her new painting. She was so angry she threw the painting away."

Chang Jinhua couldn't help laughing. "A person like your teacher actually went back to the countryside to cook and raise livestock?" After all, Mr. Xiang's first impression was one of cool elegance.

"Ah, she's human too. She's very free-spirited and always thinks about how to enjoy herself."

Xiang Yun was considered a pioneering figure in the awakening of women in the Yu Kingdom. As her disciple, Meng Wan truly admired and appreciated her from the bottom of her heart.

"In a couple of days, I'm going to buy a few shops in the county seat—to rent out or start some business. If there's something you'd like to do, Mother, you can give it a try. You used to worry about Father's official career, and now your heart is tied to A Yan. You should try something for yourself for once. Even if it doesn't work out, you still have me and your husband." Meng Wan urged Chang Jinhua earnestly.