叭哒漫画

Upon leaving the marinated food shop, Wei Ruo and Xiumei headed to the backyard of the Four Treasure House. The two establishments were close, so Wei Ruo had deliberately created a passageway at the back of both shops. This allowed her to move about more conveniently and aided the wet-nurse and Uncle Xu in looking after the places.

After changing inside their room, Wei Ruo and Xiumei set off for Caili Manor.

On the way, Xiumei asked Wei Ruo, “Miss, why are you so generous to Young Master Lu?”

Xiumei had accompanied Wei Ruo for many years and was very familiar with her mistress’s attitude towards financial matters. Wei Ruo would only lavish her wealth under two circumstances: for the right people or for the right causes.

“I may not be able to avoid certain troubles. Young Master Lu is the reserve I keep for myself. I don’t need anything from him now, but I can’t rule out the possibility of needing him in the future,” Wei Ruo replied.

That trouble was referring to Chu Lan. Whether it was Wei Ruo in disguise as Xu Heyou or Wei Qingruo, there was a chance Chu Lan would become tangled in her life – a prospect that filled her with profound dread and disgust carved into her very bones.

Lu Yuhong was one of the few people Chu Lan trusted and Wei Ruo deemed it worthwhile to invest in him.

“Then, when you asked Young Master Lu to intervene on behalf of Mr. Xiu earlier, do you think he will heed the advice?” asked Xiumei.

“That won’t be easy. Even if Mr. Xiu himself is persuaded, this matter of marriage is not solely up to him. The main decision lies with the elders of both families. My request to Lu Yuhong is just a pretext, so he’ll let his guard down against me. If I need something, I can comfortably put forward my request because I have already done him favors. If I ask for nothing, he might feel compelled to reject me,” Wei Ruo explained.

Lu Yuhong was not a meticulous person and was ill-suited for such tasks. Her words on this matter were merely a ploy to ensure Lu Yuhong expressed a position to Xiu Fengyuan. As to how effective this would be, Wei Ruo was not hopeful.

Of course, such a message did have some usefulness, at least it communicated her stance to Xiu Fengyuan.

“I see,” said Xiumei, finally grasping Wei Ruo’s intentions.

Xiumei, let’s pick up the pace. Let’s get our business at Caili Farm done while it’s still early. Then we can pick up Nanny Zhang. We shouldn’t leave her there too late,” Wei Ruo instructed.

When she had left the house today, she had taken Nanny Zhang with her. That was Mrs. Yun’s request.

However, Mrs. Yun did not know that Nanny Zhang was now loyal to Wei Ruo. After she left the Military Prefecture, Wei Ruo left Nanny Zhang in a courtyard to wait for her return.

“Okay!” Xiumei whipped the horse pulling the cart, quickening their pace.

Upon arriving at Caili Farm, they met with the burly manager, Zhao Hai. Seeing his distressed expression, Wei Ruo asked, “What’s wrong? Did the new rice seedlings not grow well?”

Zhao Hai quickly waved his hands, “No, no. The new seedlings are doing very well.”

“Then why the long face, as if I wronged you all with my decision to change the seedlings?” queried Wei Ruo.

No, it’s not that, it’s… it’s…” Zhao Hai stammered, struggling to voice out his concerns.

“Is it because the tenant farmers here are finding it hard to survive?” Wei Ruo finished his sentence for him.

Zhao Hai paused, then nodded vigorously, “Yes, the harvest was poor last year, food supplies are tight. The fields are now filled with seedlings, but everyone has run out of food at home. To buy food right now is exceedingly expensive and unaffordable. People can only forage for wild vegetables and peel tree roots, but it’s not enough…”

This predicament was not unique to the tenant farmers at Caili Farm, but was rather a reality faced by the entire Taizhou prefecture.

Aside from the families who had just harvested wheat and had full granaries, those who were relying on the rice from last year’s autumn harvest were now mostly out of food.

Food shortages naturally pushed up the prices in all major grain stores, making life even harder for the common people.

As the scene outside the Four Treasure House and the marinated foods shop popped into Xiumei’s mind, she couldn’t help but sigh at the stark contrast between the feasting nobles and the starving commoners.

While commoners here couldn’t afford a meal, the rich and powerful were fighting to purchase expensive liquor, showcasing a world that is, at once, disjointed yet intermingled.

“Let’s go, show me around these homes,” Wei Ruo said to Zhao Hai.

Zhao Hai didn’t quite understand what the young mistress intended to do, but he nonchalantly nodded his head and led Wei Ruo onto the farmstead.

Wei Ruo had anticipated the conditions on the farm before her visit, knowing what she would be confronted with. Yet, despite her preparedness, seeing it in person still provoked a wave of sorrow in her.

Most of the individuals left behind in the tenant farmers’ homes were children and the elderly. However, they were all busy, some weaving sandals, others crafting baskets, and some doing household chores.

At this time, the adults were usually out working in the fields or taking their chances hunting in the nearby mountains, hoping to bring back game they could exchange for several days’ worth of food.

Those who saw Wei Ruo as she passed by looked at her with hollow eyes – the same lost gaze she had seen in the homeless people on the streets.

Most of them made no attempt to acknowledge her, instead choosing to cautiously stay out of her path. Even those who greeted her did so timidly, their voices trembling with fear.

To them, in this time of failed harvests, Wei Ruo, the landlord, could be the death of them.

Already hard-pressed for food, if the landlord were to demand rent from them, they would be driven down a path towards certain starvation.

Zhao Hai followed Wei Ruo silently, looking deeply troubled.

“You don’t seem very willing to accompany me on this inspection?” Wei Ruo stopped in her tracks and turned to ask Zhao Hai.

“No, no, it’s just that I…” Zhao Hai wanted to deny it but couldn’t think of any convincing excuses. He remained stiff, dare not meet Wei Ruo’s gaze.

Are you preoccupied with the idea of going hunting in the mountains?” Wei Ruo queried.

How did you know?” Zhao Hai asked, his eyes widened in surprise.

Due to the food shortage, Zhao Hai planned to take some of the stronger young men from the farm to go hunting in the mountains. Game was scarce in the nearer parts of the wilderness, so they planned to venture deeper into the mountains.

The journey was fraught with danger, and unfamiliar with the terrain, they could potentially never return. Most people dared not undertake such a risk, but it also meant a higher chance for game.

If they were able to catch wild boars or rabbits, they could exchange them for food in the city. They heard that sweet potatoes were cheaper so they hoped to exchange for more of that.

‘It’s not difficult to guess. You’re not the only one who has thought of this. Didn’t the Government Office put up a notice a few days ago? There were cases of youths who had ventured deep into the mountains for hunting and never returned,” Wei Ruo knew of this already.

Zhao Hai sighed upon hearing this, saying, “But there is no other option. Everyone is starving. We can’t just sit back and wait to die.”

Immediately after saying this, Zhao Hai realised his mistake.. How could he say such things to their young landlord?