"Chapter 27"
"Luo Shi and the He couple returned to the Fuyan residence just as Yu Ying was about to enter the courtyard."
"Uncle He and Auntie He were stunned to see Yu Ying in such a state."
"Fuyan's eyes widened, and after a moment, his face turned slightly pale, his lips trembling slightly."
Luó Shì's eyes were still covered, as per Yú Yíng's instructions, to be blindfolded for a month. It had been only a little over half a month, so she still had some time before it could be removed, thus she couldn't see Yú Yíng's disheveled state.
It was somewhat quiet, a quietness that made Luó Shì sense something was amiss. She asked, "Hasn't Sixth Lady already returned? Why is everyone so silent?"
Knowing that learning about her situation would only aggravate Luó Shì's eye condition, Yú Yíng didn't want to worry her. Luó Shì, prone to emotional distress and guilt, would recover sooner and be able to take better care of Fú Ān and Fú Níng if she remained unaware of Yú Yíng's circumstances.
Therefore, Yú Yíng shook her head slightly to Uncle Hé, Aunt Hé, and Fú Ān.
Uncle Hé and Aunt Hé understood and said nothing, while Fú Ān bit his lip, his eyes reddening as if in distress.
After another glance at Fú Ān and a shake of her head, Yú Yíng responded to Luó Shì, "It's probably because I fell accidentally and look a bit disheveled, so they were surprised to see me like this."
Aunt Hé looked at Yú Yíng’s face, which, despite being cleaned up, still bore four or five distinct scratches. This was more than just a bit disheveled.
Seeing the medicinal herbs behind her, I wondered what great virtue the Fu family had accrued to have such a good daughter-in-law.
Although there were a few spots on her face, she still felt they were of no consequence.
After all, which of the village women wasn’t plain-faced, with rough and darkened skin?
Besides, this new bride of the Fu family, apart from those faint spots, had beautiful eyes, nose, and lips, and her skin was delicate and fair, becoming more charming upon closer look. How could she be inferior to any other daughter-in-law?
If only our He family had such a daughter-in-law...
Auntie He quickly dismissed these unrealistic thoughts and busied herself with a helpful comment: "How did you fall?"
Yu Ying laughed and said, "I wasn’t watching where I was going, and I accidentally fell, so I came back a bit late."
Mrs. Luo did not doubt her and asked worriedly, "Did you get hurt from the fall?"
Yu Ying replied, "It’s nothing serious, just some dirt on my clothes." Looking towards the He couple, she asked, "Uncle He, Auntie He, what brings you here?"
Mrs. Luo said, "Since you didn’t come back for a while, we thought to have Fu An accompany Uncle He to the usual place where you gather herbs to look for you."
Hearing this, Yu Ying apologized to the He couple: "I’ve always been troubling Uncle and Auntie He, I am truly sorry."
Auntie He said, "Why be so formal? Our families don’t need such courtesies."
Continuing, she looked at the new bride of the Fu family with concern and added meaningfully, "If there’s anything, don’t bear it alone, feel free to seek Auntie He."
Yu Ying understood Auntie He's implication.
It meant if she had hurt herself in the fall and couldn't handle it alone, she should seek her help.
She didn’t fully decline Auntie He’s kindness and responded, "If I face any difficulties, I will definitely speak with Auntie He."
Auntie He nodded, then said to Mrs. Luo, "Since Lady Yu is alright, we will be heading back."
After the He couple left, Yu Ying, leading Fu Ning, turned to head back to the courtyard. But as she turned, she met Fu Wei’s gaze and was momentarily startled.
Fu Wei’s eyes, dark and profound, stared at her, leaving Yu Ying somewhat puzzled about the meaning behind his look.
Yu Ying uneasily withdrew her gaze and turned to Fu An, asking, "Is lunch ready?"
Fu An, who had been silent with reddened eyes, puffed his cheeks and after a moment, reluctantly replied, "It’s been ready for a while, it’s gotten cold."
Yu Ying said, "Then I’ll tidy up and have lunch in a bit."
After speaking, she let go of the little girl's hand, saying, "Auntie will clean up before lunch, you go help your brother carry the bowls inside."
The little girl wanted to follow her but obediently nodded her head.
Yu Ying raised her head and met Fu Wei's gaze again; although no words were exchanged, this time she vaguely understood that he was concerned about her.
She nodded at him and then turned to go back inside. After placing the basket on the ground, she sighed softly, then took the change of clothes hanging inside before going out to fetch the skirt drying on the bamboo pole.
After placing the clothes in the bathing area, she scooped a basin of water to go in, quickly washing off the sweat from her body.
Feeling refreshed, she emerged from the bathing area to find them waiting for her to eat.
Entering the room, Yu Ying met Fu Wei's gaze once more. She glanced at Mrs. Luo, then shook her head at him, opened her mouth, and silently mouthed to him – "We'll talk later."
Fu Wei, with a calm expression, lowered his gaze and stirred the bone marrow porridge in his bowl, showing no appetite.
But knowing the preciousness of food and her hardships, he didn’t waste a single grain of rice.
They ate in silence.
A moment later, Fu An started cleaning up the dishes.
After tidying up, everyone gradually left the house, leaving Fu Wei alone inside.
Fu Wei watched the door, waiting for her to come and find him.
Roughly half a moment later, the curtain was finally lifted.
She appeared, holding a round winnowing basket with several reddish-brown tubers on it, two small ones, and one about half a circle larger than a man’s fist.
Yu Ying smiled and asked him, “Guess what these are?”
Fu Wei was silent for a few moments, not guessing what they were, nor caring much about it; his concern lay elsewhere.
“How did the cuts on your clothes and the injury on your face happen?”
After pondering for a moment, Yu Ying, not wanting to elaborate, replied with the same excuse, “I fell while gathering herbs.”
Fu Wei was silent for a while before speaking slowly, “There’s no dirt in your hair, and not a single scrape on your hands; it wasn’t from a fall.”
Yu Ying was taken aback, thought about it carefully, and realized that it was indeed the case.
Neither Uncle He nor Auntie He had noticed, but he had seen through it.
Seeing she couldn’t deceive him, she told the truth, “I encountered a wild boar in the mountains earlier.”
Hearing her words, Fu Wei’s eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, “Did you go deep into the mountains?”
Yu Ying walked to the table, placed the winnowing basket on it, and shook her head: "It's like the saying goes, if you walk by the river often, you're bound to get your shoes wet."
Fu Wei remained silent, listening to her continue: "But I owe my safety to the crossbow you gave me this morning. Otherwise, I might have been seriously injured or worse. The wild boar's hide was too thick; the first few arrows only grazed its skin. But the last arrow, I think, hit its eye, which is why it didn't pursue me in its pain."
Seeing Fu Wei's expressionless face and his silence, she asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Fu Wei looked at her and slowly said, "I’ve never felt as useless as I do now."
Yu Ying: ...
Why has he become so negative again?
Yu Ying thought for a moment and said, "You have hands and a brain. If it weren’t for your crossbow, how could I be here talking to you now? And how could I have gathered these He Shou Wu roots?"
Fu Wei looked downcast and remained silent.
Yu Ying continued, "Don't always think so negatively. Fu An has had a tough life, taking care of a whole family and you since he was just eight. He never showed such sentimentality."
Hearing her say this, Fu Wei finally showed some reaction, his eyebrows slightly furrowing.
He couldn’t help thinking, in her heart, am I inferior to Fu An?
Indeed, Fu An is always busy helping her, so it's natural to feel inferior, but it still felt somewhat unpleasant.
Fu Wei took a deep breath and asked her, “Are you injured?”
Seeing that he was back to normal, Yu Ying shook her head, “It's nothing, just a scratch on my face while escaping. I'll apply some herbs, and the scar should be gone in five or six days.”
Fu Wei advised, “Wild boars hold grudges. It might track you by your scent next time, so it’s best you don’t go into the mountains for a while.”
Yú Yíng nodded and then said, "I will always have someone accompany me when I go into the mountains."
Hearing this, she still didn't plan to give up going to the mountains. Fú Wēi frowned slightly but said nothing, instead focusing on the plant roots and stems on the table.
"Is this Polygonum multiflorum?" he asked.
The conversation returning to medicinal herbs, a light seemed to ignite in Yú Yíng’s face. Excitedly, she said, "Yes, it's Polygonum multiflorum, and it's quite old, at least ten years. It should sell for a good sum of money, maybe enough to redeem your elder brother's debts, with some left over!"
Fú Wēi glanced at the Polygonum multiflorum on the table and, after a moment of contemplation, said to her, "Although Polygonum multiflorum is valuable, you must understand that it won't fetch a high price in impoverished Yù County."
Yú Yíng was taken aback.
Fú Wēi explained slowly, "Firstly, if you sell it to a medical hall, they will offer a low price. Secondly, pawnshops are not doctors; after their inspections, there's no guarantee they won’t switch your item. Thirdly, apart from them, you can sell to the wealthy, but without connections, they won’t believe you possess such a treasure, nor will they meet with you. Fourthly, you can try selling it in a bustling city, but the journey is long, dangerous, and impractical. Lastly, there are the medicinal merchants."
Hearing his explanation, Yú Yíng felt disheartened. After pondering, she realized his implication, "Even the medicinal merchants won't offer a high price, right?"
Fú Wēi nodded, "It might be enough, but not necessarily sufficient."
Yú Yíng understood: it could be enough to redeem her elder brother and his wife, with some surplus, but not enough for various expenses.
Fú Wēi added, "What I said, those medicinal merchants also know. Even if you approach other merchants, they will drive a hard bargain. Though the price might be slightly higher, it won’t be much. And with more people knowing, it becomes a case of 'no crime in the common man, but a crime in holding a jade' – unsafe."
Yu Ying fell silent.
Indeed, there were so many poor in Jade County, and where there were treasures, there would be covetous eyes.
Not to mention, without the protection of a strong man in the Fu family, plundering was bound to happen.
Thinking this, Yu Ying gazed at the medicinal herbs on the table, silent for a long while.
After a moment, she came to terms with it, saying, "It was unexpected fortune after all. That it could solve our immediate problems is good enough. Whatever remains, though not much, will at least allow us to live in peace."
Fu Wei hadn't expected her to come to terms with it so quickly, and his admiration for her deepened.
He pondered for a moment, then added, "Even so, try to negotiate a higher price with the medicine merchant. Even if the price isn’t ideal, don't sour the relationship. They will continue to come to Lingnan to collect herbs, and in the future, you could have an additional avenue for business."
Yu Ying happily said, "You’re thinking along the same lines as me. If this merchant continues to buy my herbs, I could become a trader. Instead of gathering herbs, I'll buy them."
Fu Wei looked at her joyful expression and said slowly, "If you wish to, you can certainly succeed."
Hearing his words, Yu Ying asked curiously, "How so?"
Fu Wei replied, "You told me yesterday that everything should be tried, as it might just succeed."
He glanced at the He Shou Wu, "See, it worked out."
Yu Ying couldn't help but smile, then picked up the winnowing basket, "That was just a case of a blind cat stumbling upon a dead rat."
After a pause, she added, "Tomorrow, when I take the herbs to town, I’ll bring this along. Also, this is just between you and me. I haven’t even told Fu An or Fu Ning; don’t let it slip."
For some reason, Fu Wei felt a hint of joy upon hearing her words.
He nodded, his voice clear, "It’ll be our secret. I understand."
"Chapter 27"
"Luo Shi and the He couple returned to the Fuyan residence just as Yu Ying was about to enter the courtyard."
"Uncle He and Auntie He were stunned to see Yu Ying in such a state."
"Fuyan's eyes widened, and after a moment, his face turned slightly pale, his lips trembling slightly."
Luó Shì's eyes were still covered, as per Yú Yíng's instructions, to be blindfolded for a month. It had been only a little over half a month, so she still had some time before it could be removed, thus she couldn't see Yú Yíng's disheveled state.
It was somewhat quiet, a quietness that made Luó Shì sense something was amiss. She asked, "Hasn't Sixth Lady already returned? Why is everyone so silent?"
Knowing that learning about her situation would only aggravate Luó Shì's eye condition, Yú Yíng didn't want to worry her. Luó Shì, prone to emotional distress and guilt, would recover sooner and be able to take better care of Fú Ān and Fú Níng if she remained unaware of Yú Yíng's circumstances.
Therefore, Yú Yíng shook her head slightly to Uncle Hé, Aunt Hé, and Fú Ān.
Uncle Hé and Aunt Hé understood and said nothing, while Fú Ān bit his lip, his eyes reddening as if in distress.
After another glance at Fú Ān and a shake of her head, Yú Yíng responded to Luó Shì, "It's probably because I fell accidentally and look a bit disheveled, so they were surprised to see me like this."
Aunt Hé looked at Yú Yíng’s face, which, despite being cleaned up, still bore four or five distinct scratches. This was more than just a bit disheveled.
Seeing the medicinal herbs behind her, I wondered what great virtue the Fu family had accrued to have such a good daughter-in-law.
Although there were a few spots on her face, she still felt they were of no consequence.
After all, which of the village women wasn’t plain-faced, with rough and darkened skin?
Besides, this new bride of the Fu family, apart from those faint spots, had beautiful eyes, nose, and lips, and her skin was delicate and fair, becoming more charming upon closer look. How could she be inferior to any other daughter-in-law?
If only our He family had such a daughter-in-law...
Auntie He quickly dismissed these unrealistic thoughts and busied herself with a helpful comment: "How did you fall?"
Yu Ying laughed and said, "I wasn’t watching where I was going, and I accidentally fell, so I came back a bit late."
Mrs. Luo did not doubt her and asked worriedly, "Did you get hurt from the fall?"
Yu Ying replied, "It’s nothing serious, just some dirt on my clothes." Looking towards the He couple, she asked, "Uncle He, Auntie He, what brings you here?"
Mrs. Luo said, "Since you didn’t come back for a while, we thought to have Fu An accompany Uncle He to the usual place where you gather herbs to look for you."
Hearing this, Yu Ying apologized to the He couple: "I’ve always been troubling Uncle and Auntie He, I am truly sorry."
Auntie He said, "Why be so formal? Our families don’t need such courtesies."
Continuing, she looked at the new bride of the Fu family with concern and added meaningfully, "If there’s anything, don’t bear it alone, feel free to seek Auntie He."
Yu Ying understood Auntie He's implication.
It meant if she had hurt herself in the fall and couldn't handle it alone, she should seek her help.
She didn’t fully decline Auntie He’s kindness and responded, "If I face any difficulties, I will definitely speak with Auntie He."
Auntie He nodded, then said to Mrs. Luo, "Since Lady Yu is alright, we will be heading back."
After the He couple left, Yu Ying, leading Fu Ning, turned to head back to the courtyard. But as she turned, she met Fu Wei’s gaze and was momentarily startled.
Fu Wei’s eyes, dark and profound, stared at her, leaving Yu Ying somewhat puzzled about the meaning behind his look.
Yu Ying uneasily withdrew her gaze and turned to Fu An, asking, "Is lunch ready?"
Fu An, who had been silent with reddened eyes, puffed his cheeks and after a moment, reluctantly replied, "It’s been ready for a while, it’s gotten cold."
Yu Ying said, "Then I’ll tidy up and have lunch in a bit."
After speaking, she let go of the little girl's hand, saying, "Auntie will clean up before lunch, you go help your brother carry the bowls inside."
The little girl wanted to follow her but obediently nodded her head.
Yu Ying raised her head and met Fu Wei's gaze again; although no words were exchanged, this time she vaguely understood that he was concerned about her.
She nodded at him and then turned to go back inside. After placing the basket on the ground, she sighed softly, then took the change of clothes hanging inside before going out to fetch the skirt drying on the bamboo pole.
After placing the clothes in the bathing area, she scooped a basin of water to go in, quickly washing off the sweat from her body.
Feeling refreshed, she emerged from the bathing area to find them waiting for her to eat.
Entering the room, Yu Ying met Fu Wei's gaze once more. She glanced at Mrs. Luo, then shook her head at him, opened her mouth, and silently mouthed to him – "We'll talk later."
Fu Wei, with a calm expression, lowered his gaze and stirred the bone marrow porridge in his bowl, showing no appetite.
But knowing the preciousness of food and her hardships, he didn’t waste a single grain of rice.
They ate in silence.
A moment later, Fu An started cleaning up the dishes.
After tidying up, everyone gradually left the house, leaving Fu Wei alone inside.
Fu Wei watched the door, waiting for her to come and find him.
Roughly half a moment later, the curtain was finally lifted.
She appeared, holding a round winnowing basket with several reddish-brown tubers on it, two small ones, and one about half a circle larger than a man’s fist.
Yu Ying smiled and asked him, “Guess what these are?”
Fu Wei was silent for a few moments, not guessing what they were, nor caring much about it; his concern lay elsewhere.
“How did the cuts on your clothes and the injury on your face happen?”
After pondering for a moment, Yu Ying, not wanting to elaborate, replied with the same excuse, “I fell while gathering herbs.”
Fu Wei was silent for a while before speaking slowly, “There’s no dirt in your hair, and not a single scrape on your hands; it wasn’t from a fall.”
Yu Ying was taken aback, thought about it carefully, and realized that it was indeed the case.
Neither Uncle He nor Auntie He had noticed, but he had seen through it.
Seeing she couldn’t deceive him, she told the truth, “I encountered a wild boar in the mountains earlier.”
Hearing her words, Fu Wei’s eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, “Did you go deep into the mountains?”
Yu Ying walked to the table, placed the winnowing basket on it, and shook her head: "It's like the saying goes, if you walk by the river often, you're bound to get your shoes wet."
Fu Wei remained silent, listening to her continue: "But I owe my safety to the crossbow you gave me this morning. Otherwise, I might have been seriously injured or worse. The wild boar's hide was too thick; the first few arrows only grazed its skin. But the last arrow, I think, hit its eye, which is why it didn't pursue me in its pain."
Seeing Fu Wei's expressionless face and his silence, she asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Fu Wei looked at her and slowly said, "I’ve never felt as useless as I do now."
Yu Ying: ...
Why has he become so negative again?
Yu Ying thought for a moment and said, "You have hands and a brain. If it weren’t for your crossbow, how could I be here talking to you now? And how could I have gathered these He Shou Wu roots?"
Fu Wei looked downcast and remained silent.
Yu Ying continued, "Don't always think so negatively. Fu An has had a tough life, taking care of a whole family and you since he was just eight. He never showed such sentimentality."
Hearing her say this, Fu Wei finally showed some reaction, his eyebrows slightly furrowing.
He couldn’t help thinking, in her heart, am I inferior to Fu An?
Indeed, Fu An is always busy helping her, so it's natural to feel inferior, but it still felt somewhat unpleasant.
Fu Wei took a deep breath and asked her, “Are you injured?”
Seeing that he was back to normal, Yu Ying shook her head, “It's nothing, just a scratch on my face while escaping. I'll apply some herbs, and the scar should be gone in five or six days.”
Fu Wei advised, “Wild boars hold grudges. It might track you by your scent next time, so it’s best you don’t go into the mountains for a while.”
Yú Yíng nodded and then said, "I will always have someone accompany me when I go into the mountains."
Hearing this, she still didn't plan to give up going to the mountains. Fú Wēi frowned slightly but said nothing, instead focusing on the plant roots and stems on the table.
"Is this Polygonum multiflorum?" he asked.
The conversation returning to medicinal herbs, a light seemed to ignite in Yú Yíng’s face. Excitedly, she said, "Yes, it's Polygonum multiflorum, and it's quite old, at least ten years. It should sell for a good sum of money, maybe enough to redeem your elder brother's debts, with some left over!"
Fú Wēi glanced at the Polygonum multiflorum on the table and, after a moment of contemplation, said to her, "Although Polygonum multiflorum is valuable, you must understand that it won't fetch a high price in impoverished Yù County."
Yú Yíng was taken aback.
Fú Wēi explained slowly, "Firstly, if you sell it to a medical hall, they will offer a low price. Secondly, pawnshops are not doctors; after their inspections, there's no guarantee they won’t switch your item. Thirdly, apart from them, you can sell to the wealthy, but without connections, they won’t believe you possess such a treasure, nor will they meet with you. Fourthly, you can try selling it in a bustling city, but the journey is long, dangerous, and impractical. Lastly, there are the medicinal merchants."
Hearing his explanation, Yú Yíng felt disheartened. After pondering, she realized his implication, "Even the medicinal merchants won't offer a high price, right?"
Fú Wēi nodded, "It might be enough, but not necessarily sufficient."
Yú Yíng understood: it could be enough to redeem her elder brother and his wife, with some surplus, but not enough for various expenses.
Fú Wēi added, "What I said, those medicinal merchants also know. Even if you approach other merchants, they will drive a hard bargain. Though the price might be slightly higher, it won’t be much. And with more people knowing, it becomes a case of 'no crime in the common man, but a crime in holding a jade' – unsafe."
Yu Ying fell silent.
Indeed, there were so many poor in Jade County, and where there were treasures, there would be covetous eyes.
Not to mention, without the protection of a strong man in the Fu family, plundering was bound to happen.
Thinking this, Yu Ying gazed at the medicinal herbs on the table, silent for a long while.
After a moment, she came to terms with it, saying, "It was unexpected fortune after all. That it could solve our immediate problems is good enough. Whatever remains, though not much, will at least allow us to live in peace."
Fu Wei hadn't expected her to come to terms with it so quickly, and his admiration for her deepened.
He pondered for a moment, then added, "Even so, try to negotiate a higher price with the medicine merchant. Even if the price isn’t ideal, don't sour the relationship. They will continue to come to Lingnan to collect herbs, and in the future, you could have an additional avenue for business."
Yu Ying happily said, "You’re thinking along the same lines as me. If this merchant continues to buy my herbs, I could become a trader. Instead of gathering herbs, I'll buy them."
Fu Wei looked at her joyful expression and said slowly, "If you wish to, you can certainly succeed."
Hearing his words, Yu Ying asked curiously, "How so?"
Fu Wei replied, "You told me yesterday that everything should be tried, as it might just succeed."
He glanced at the He Shou Wu, "See, it worked out."
Yu Ying couldn't help but smile, then picked up the winnowing basket, "That was just a case of a blind cat stumbling upon a dead rat."
After a pause, she added, "Tomorrow, when I take the herbs to town, I’ll bring this along. Also, this is just between you and me. I haven’t even told Fu An or Fu Ning; don’t let it slip."
For some reason, Fu Wei felt a hint of joy upon hearing her words.
He nodded, his voice clear, "It’ll be our secret. I understand."
