Chapter 99: Someone Is Plotting Against Qiao Mai Again

Didn't the cultivation handbook already say it? Cultivation is important, but a strong soul and mental power are also important.

When the SpaceUpgrade allows planting Spirit Medicine, buy two manuals on this.

The only plan for now is to make money, make money, and keep upgrading the SpaceUpgrade.

The rainy season has arrived; although the shop's business has slowed a bit, it still earns a fair amount of silver each day.

Qiao Mai found online a method to prevent dampness, keeping her goods dry, and also learned a preservation technique so that the vegetables and fruits at home can stay fresh for half a month in summer.

In fact they can't be stored long; her fruit and vegetable stir‑fry batches are made every three days, and she goes out to restock every few days. The snacks at Qiao Ji Snack Puzi are always snapped up by customers, so the displayed goods are always fresh.

She spends each day like a little bee, busy in the SpaceUpgrade planting, harvesting, and selling goods.

In the jurisdiction of Tianhe Town, in a farmhouse in Qingzhu Cun, a group of men, women, elders and youths sit around the courtyard eating.

An elderly man took a sip of wine and said, "I heard those two little brats were adopted; they're doing pretty well now, aren't they?"

"Father, they escaped too quickly; when we looked for them during the day they hid. We had hoped to sell them far away, but the silver never came into our hands—what a pity."

"Then I'm leaving; you go on crying."

"Sister, I've transferred the household registration; this house is still yours."

"That's the girl I recognized as my sister; from now on she's my actual sister, so it's natural for her to live here."

"Zhongyu sends his respects to the old master and the old lady."

During the day the two dare not come out, nor hide in Tianhe Town; if they hadn't run into Qiao Mai, they would still be wandering.

She thought that if she wrote "Qiao Zhai" everyone would know her wealth, so she wrote "Lu Zhai"—this is her house, and she gave it that name, meaning a house auspicious like Ruyi.

"Sis also has selfish motives."

Shopkeeper Lu, with his family, kept moving things into Jixiang Yuan, and many people gathered outside Jixiang Yuan to watch the commotion.

The blue bricks and green tiles everywhere are spotless, making one feel incredibly comfortable.

On the sixth day of the eighth month, Qiao Mai led her family, packed their belongings, and moved to the New Zhai amid firecrackers.

"Ha ha!"

"Mm hm."

Town Mayor Qian, with two guards, carrying items, arrived at Jixiang Yuan; he glanced at the signboard, then curled his lips in a smile.

"Of course; I have such a capable sister, I don't even have time to be proud."

"Yeah, I didn't build it—can I move in?"

"I saw the Qiao family also moving."

"Yo, you even recognized them as kin?"

"Enough talk; on the sixth day of the eighth month, remember to pack, we'll move together. The courtyard you liked, I've had the maid clean it up."

Town Mayor Qian turned around and looked; a crowd of men, women, young and old got off the carriage.

They not only occupied them but also wanted to sell them; Feng'er heard this, grabbed his younger brother and ran away.

"Did this house cost a lot of silver?"

"There are many kind people in the Town, but none came to help me; only you."

If it's low enough, a single leap lets you get over; the house is big, even with Wu Zhui and Sai Xue guarding, sometimes they can't cover it all.

The main gate was crafted by a Yahang artisan, very imposing, but the sign reads Jixiang Yuan instead of Qiao Zhai.

There's a side door on the left of the main gate for everyday traffic; the big gate is opened only for important matters.

In front of the main gate, a one‑mu square paved neatly with blue stone, with a rectangular flowerbed on each side of the two doors, planted with osmanthus trees.

"What I've given you is yours; why are you still being polite to your sister?"

"Find a way to locate them, preferably get them back from the adoptive person's hands."

"Third Lady, did your family build this?"

He didn't recognize the others, but he recognized Wang Zongsheng and the old Mr. Wang.

"Yeah, but I won't tell you how much exactly; anyway it cost a lot of silver, ha ha!"

Ducks, geese, sika deer, horses, and dairy cows have already arrived; now only the furniture is missing, and the Carpenter's Puzi is working through the night to produce them.

Chen Hao got along well with Feng'er and the others; when they left, he saw them off at the door, wanted to go along and help move things, but was pulled back into the courtyard by Mr. Chen.

The old Mr. Wang glanced at Town Mayor Qian, "Hmm, it's Zhongyu, you came too?"

"Father, what do you mean?"

No one knows the deeper meaning here better than he does, but he cannot speak of it, nor wants to.

"I know, but I see that sister is also sincere toward me; I am willing to spend my whole life treating sister well."

He didn't think further, quickly set aside his airs, took a few brisk steps, and bowed to the old Mr. Wang.

For this, he even had a big argument with Mr. Chen.

The New Zhai is nearing completion; the chicks from the chicken coop have been purchased and released inside, and the quail house has also been moved over, with everything in the SpaceUpgrade transferred in.

"To hell with you!"

"Talking sentimental stuff all day makes me cry."

Qiao Mai saw the mayor had approached Lu San‑niang once and slipped a paper into her hand; she guessed it was a silver note, probably for Ruxin's makeup.

Looking at the relationship between these two, the mayor wouldn't come empty‑handed; sure enough!

It turns out this family is the grandfather and second uncle of Feng'er and Yun'er; after their parents were buried, they seized their inheritance.

"Sis only gave you a place to settle; perhaps if I hadn't been there, you could have stood on your own as well."

The entire house, including servants and the purchased livestock, cost a total of 11,126 taels of silver; Yahang rounded off the change, subtracting the deposit and the middle payment, and she paid another 6,600 taels.

Just the three‑meter‑high outer courtyard wall alone cost an extra 2,000 taels, a height that was proposed after Qiao Mai inspected it.

"I have many shops, you only have these two houses and one shop; take them, it was originally agreed as a loan."

The moving day was set for the sixth day of the eighth month; the Wang family and the Qian family both posted notices inviting everyone to warm the house.

On the first day, they held a lively birthday for the Fengyun brothers, and by the second day all the furniture had arrived.

He just entered, and two carriages were parked outside the courtyard gate; the gate‑keeping old woman hurriedly opened the side gate, letting the carriages drive in.

At the end of June, Yuan Jiaqi and his son—four of them—returned home; unexpectedly, Mr. Wang did not come back with them.

"They swindled them out of some money, claiming that his family had abducted our child."

Lu Sanniang's tears fell in a pattering sound; she lightly tapped Qiao Mai with her hand.

Finally, everyone took their places in the New Zhai.

Qiao Mai led people to clean the old residence spotless, and gave the house deed and land deed of that residence to Lu Sanniang.

Shopkeeper Lu, during this period, was busy preparing a dowry for Xin'er, rarely in the shop, and spent the whole day hurrying out to procure winter dates.

Chen Shi stood at the doorway, looking at their backs with lingering resentment; she would never see Yuan Jiaqi again, nor any more bustle.

Lu Sanniang looked at the deed she had slipped into her own hand and twitched her nose.

When asked, they learned that this was a two‑month leave for them, knowing that their house was about to be ready, so they were sent home to help move and also rest for two months.

"Father, please don't worry yet; wait until Dizi has investigated clearly before speaking."

The New Zhai was cleaned and set up in a whirlwind, and they were busy for another month; during that month, Qiao Mai also settled accounts with Yishu.

Unseen, another wave of people began scheming against Qiao Mai in secret.

Seeing those two, he inhaled a gasp of cold air, wondering when the Qiao Family had become linked with the Wang Family?

"Yes, it was a post placed by Qiao Niang."

"Hmm, you should come; you are the town mayor here, and later when Wang Jiaru's Student's family is here, please take good care of them."

"So you are Mr. Yuan Jiaqi?"

"Yes, it's been so long and you only now find out? Your news as town mayor isn't very quick; it's rare that my granddaughter gets along with Qiao Niang, and I crave her cooking, which made me think of teaching her family."

(End of chapter)