After his excitement passed, Chen Yu remembered a question he hadn’t asked before: “Does Father know?”

Yun Shuyao: “He knows.”

Chen Yu wasn’t surprised by Concubine Mother’s answer: “When did Father find out? What did he say?”

Yun Shuyao: “He found out later than you.”

As for what he said, “He was also very happy, but there’s no rush now. You know, whether it can stabilize is very important.”

The time period wasn’t long yet—it needed time to verify.

“Are the people on your end trustworthy?”

Chen Yu nodded: “Trustworthy.” Fortunately, Concubine Mother had mentioned it then and he had taken it to heart. Otherwise, if news leaked, there would truly be some trouble.

Yun Shuyao took out a box: “This is the birthday gift I promised you.”

Inside was a booklet of cartoon drawings, very common in later generations. All were drawings Yun Shuyao had made of Brother Yuan, compiled into a册子.

There were no cameras or photos now. If she wanted to keep mementos for easy review later, she could only draw them by hand.

Chen Yu smiled as he accepted it: “Thank you, Concubine Mother.” He looked at it and couldn’t take his eyes away for quite a while. His son had grown again! The plumpness on his body was pleasing to behold.

“Is Grandmother and everyone at home well?”

Yun Shuyao curved her eyebrows: “Before I left, everyone was well. After I left, they should have written you letters. You know better than I do.”

Chen Yu was somewhat helpless: “Concubine Mother, although this place isn’t large, there are still some places worth visiting. Would you like to walk around?” Since Concubine Mother wanted to walk around everywhere, as her son, he would naturally try to accommodate her.

Yun Shuyao nodded: “Tomorrow I’ll have a good look around and also see the people’s livelihood here, see your achievements from these three years.”

As for her liking to walk around everywhere… this was definitely a misunderstanding.

If not for those treasures, she wouldn’t want to be constantly traveling on the road.

Traveling at this time, even for nobles and ministers, was torture. They couldn’t enjoy smooth cement roads or comfortable automobiles. Even though official roads were maintained, they were still difficult to traverse. If the weather was bad and they missed lodging places, they could only make do in the carriage for the night, and who knew what “big fellows” might test at night to see if they could get an extra meal…

Chen Yu was confident: “I’ll be Concubine Mother’s guide.”

Chen Yu wasn’t worried.

The county now, while not completely transformed, was incomparably better than before he arrived. The common people’s days were better by more than just a little bit.

Getting an “excellent” evaluation in his assessment was no problem.

Yun Shuyao smiled: “Good. Where do you want to go next?”

His term was up—he would be going elsewhere.

Speaking of this, Chen Yu still felt somewhat reluctant. In these three years, he had almost never stopped, investing too much here. Leaving after completing his term, the possibility of returning was very small and could be ignored.

“Father will decide.” He had already stated his opinion in letters. Specifically where to go depended on Father weighing options in the capital to see which place was more suitable for him.

Yun Shuyao wasn’t afraid of consuming too much time traveling this trip, also because of this—she would return together with him when he was transferred. Upon receiving the transfer order, generally speaking, the time given for him to travel and hand over duties was quite ample. He could pass by and conveniently return home for a visit.

This transfer—no matter what, he wouldn’t continue to remain in the northwest.

Either near the capital, or in the south.

Yun Shuyao nodded: “This time going to your posting, Wanxin and Brother Yuan can go along together.”

Chen Yu said nothing.

Grandmother had written him a letter. The meaning between the lines was very clear—she didn’t approve of the child going out together. One reason was reluctance, another was the child’s upbringing issue.

He also hesitated. The child was still young, and moreover, the child had begun education. If he brought him along, he wouldn’t have that much time to accompany him. Better to leave him in the capital.

Yun Shuyao: “Not taking the child is fine, but Wanxin must go this time.”

If not for Wanxin having fallen ill before and being worried about Brother Yuan, she should have come long ago.

Even so, she had come for a period before returning to the capital.

Husband and wife being separated too long wasn’t good.

Chen Yu nodded in agreement.

The next day going out, Yun Shuyao could see that Chen Yu’s status here was very high. When they went out together, quite a few people recognized Chen Yu as the county magistrate. One after another, the looks they gave him were mostly filled with reverence. There were also some young maidens gazing at him admiringly.

This was putting it somewhat reservedly. It wasn’t just unmarried young girls who gazed admiringly at her son—even those already married, already mothers, mostly looked at her son with admiration.

Everyone had a love of beauty. When he passed the examination as third-place graduate and paraded through the streets on a tall horse, he was almost buried in flowers and handkerchiefs. Moreover, he wasn’t just good-looking—he also had talent and ability. Combined together, ordinary people couldn’t resist. Yun Shuyao understood.

This was a small county town. Although the area wasn’t small, the population wasn’t too large. The most prosperous place was the county seat, where the population was also concentrated along with the surroundings. Other places could only be called sparsely populated—those barren deserts couldn’t support so many people.

There was pride in Chen Yu’s tone: “Concubine Mother, look at this street. Compared to the capital it’s still nothing, but three years ago this was just an ordinary residential lane. In the entire county, there weren’t many merchant caravans that would pass through, much less stop and transfer goods here.”

Now it had been widened. Some people led camels, some led horse carts. It was bustling—many people. There were many caravans from the Western Regions, quite a few from the interior as well. Some set up stalls on the spot, attracting many customers to view and purchase.

Yun Shuyao nodded. She saw the vitality here.

Soon someone recognized Chen Yu and respectfully came over to bow: “Wuli pays respects to Your Excellency.” He glanced at the woman beside Your Excellency. He hadn’t seen her before, but thinking of what he’d heard people mention, this should be Your Excellency’s birth mother, Madam Yun. He had seen the county magistrate’s wife before—she looked obviously different.

He respectfully bowed: “Greetings, Worthy Lady.”

Yun Shuyao had a fourth-rank imperial mandate. This mandate was even higher than Chen Yu’s rank.

Yun Shuyao nodded and smiled. As soon as this person opened his mouth, it was fluent Mandarin. Communication was no problem—she naturally felt three parts favorable.

Out and about, language was truly a major issue.

Yun Shuyao: “Your Mandarin is very good.” Yet he had the typical appearance of a Western Regions person.

Wuli laughed heartily: “My birth mother is Han Chinese. She taught me. My wife is also Han Chinese.”

Wuli was an experienced traveling merchant who frequently made the journey. Now seeing an opportunity to make money, he naturally didn’t want to miss it: “Worthy Lady has an elegant bearing, far beyond ordinary people. I have some treasures here that would perfectly suit you. I wonder if you would be interested in taking a look?”

If he could sell more goods here, he could have more ready silver to buy local specialties and take them elsewhere to sell at high prices. Coming and going, money would enter his pocket.

Besides geographical reasons, Chen Yu attracted these merchant caravans also because he had truly excavated this county town’s own advantages.

A type of mushroom was produced here. Quantities were small but extremely delicious—a favorite of many nobles. Every time someone came to sell them, they sold out quickly. There were also local medicinal herbs, medicinal wine prepared with local scorpions and venomous snakes, and so on.

Yun Shuyao nodded in agreement. Having come this far, even if he hadn’t proactively suggested it, she would browse anyway. What if she could find heavenly treasures and earthly jewels? Although hopes were slim, Yun Shuyao still held expectations.

What Wuli called treasures were indeed treasures. One wooden box was filled with rubies, the box beside it held sapphires. They were indeed beautiful, but none amazed her.

Additionally, there was a box containing spices more valuable than gold.

Spices—Yun Shuyao didn’t lack them.

“Is there more?”

Wuli immediately knew he’d encountered an expert. These things were good, but couldn’t be called supreme quality.

“Please wait a moment.”

He quickly went into the room and came out with both hands holding a new box: “Worthy Lady, please look.” Opening it revealed two cat’s eye stones, one large and one small.

Cat’s eye stones were extremely precious. What moved Yun Shuyao’s heart wasn’t the cat’s eye stone’s surface layer, but what was inside.

When it opened, the Spiritual Mirror immediately expressed its desire to her: “Good thing! There’s a good thing inside! Want it!”

Yun Shuyao’s eyes curved then and there. She never expected she’d actually find treasure!

“This one, I’ll take it.” Buying this large cat’s eye stone cost her several thousand taels of silver. Yun Shuyao didn’t bargain—the price he offered was already fair.

Buying as soon as she said so—decisive! Wuli smiled so widely he couldn’t close his mouth. He even gave many extras: “These are some fashionable toys from our region, just right for the young master to play with.”

The young master he mentioned referred to Brother Yuan.

The toys he mentioned were colorful rattle drums inlaid with tiny gemstones, animal bones, and so on.

This was absolutely a major customer. Maintaining good relations, perhaps in the future he could make another big profit.

It had to be said, his attitude left both Yun Shuyao and Chen Yu in good moods.

Having come this far, Yun Shuyao didn’t just buy things for herself: “Show me those things you brought out earlier again. Do you have others? Bring them all out.”

Yun Shuyao selected many items for her daughter and granddaughter, also picked some for her daughter-in-law, the Old Madam, and Lin Daiyu.

The quantities were obviously unequal. Her daughter’s side had the most, then her daughter-in-law. The Old Madam and Lin Daiyu were about equal, ranking last.

Obviously showing closeness and distance, she wasn’t trying to be a saint or a perfectly impartial person.

She was just an ordinary person with seven emotions and six desires.

Buying something for the Old Madam and Daiyu to express her sentiments was sufficient.

Seeing this scene, Chen Yu said nothing. This was Concubine Mother’s own silver—how she wanted to spend it was up to her.

Wuli smiled until his face cramped. Just giving a bit extra had sparked this person’s interest. She bought so many things in one big gesture—his trip was already worthwhile!

Worthy of being a wealthy household! Buying these things without blinking an eye!

He’d been in this county town for more than just a day or two, but this was the first time encountering someone so generous.

“Worthy Lady, I also have medicinal herbs and fabrics. Oh right, there’s also miracle medicine from our region—extremely effective.”

Fabrics were fine, medicinal herbs were also acceptable, but this legendary miracle medicine… Yun Shuyao expressed doubt.

Other merchants’ information was a step slower, but now they also caught wind of it. Knowing the county magistrate and his birth mother had arrived, they gathered over one after another.

Seeing the unstoppable smile on Wuli’s face, they knew what they should do.

For this upright magistrate here, they wouldn’t quote high prices either. Compared to other places, these prices had considerable advantage while they themselves wouldn’t lose money.

This could be called a win-win situation, each gaining something.

Yun Shuyao welcomed all comers. If she could find another heavenly treasure or earthly jewel, what was spending money? She would be profiting immensely! She’d only worry about having too few, never too many.

She didn’t lack money—she just feared money couldn’t buy what she wanted.

Chen Yu watched Concubine Mother buy, buy, buy. He basically couldn’t interject. For gifts for female relatives, Concubine Mother selected them herself. Only when buying things for him would she ask his opinion. Then, things he didn’t say he liked but Concubine Mother liked, she would also buy together.

He: “…”

Concubine Mother, since you buy them whether I say I like them or not, why still ask me?

Speaking of spending money like water and whether it hurt, naturally there was still some heartache. Yet Chen Yu also knew this money wasn’t just thrown into water. Buying here was much cheaper than buying back in the capital, and these things could be passed down generation after generation.

Yun Shuyao walked the entire street, gaining a full harvest. Afterward, she went to the countryside and also went to see Chen Yu’s experimental fields.

“If this land were better, the harvest would be even more.”

Chen Yu: “Good farmland here is very scarce. For the whole realm, the total amount of good farmland also isn’t dominant.” This was already enough.

Indeed.

…

Yun Shuyao was so happy here she forgot to return. When Chen Yu received his transfer order, she accompanied him back together. They could travel the same route for a period.

Originally, the plan was for Chen Yu to first return home for a visit and not rush the handover. But now the other party was gravely ill. If he didn’t go earlier, the other party might not be able to hold on. Fortunately, there would be opportunities later. His posting this time was much closer to the capital. By boat, it would take just three or four days to arrive.

So Yun Shuyao and Chen Yu parted ways midway. She returned directly to the capital. If there were no issues, she could have gone along together.

But the mother of the family Daiyu was betrothed to was gravely ill. Before her death, she wanted to see her younger daughter-in-law enter the household. She also didn’t want to delay the two young people—if they didn’t marry first, they would have to observe mourning for three years.

So after some discussion, they decided to advance the wedding rituals and ceremony. Naturally, Yun Shuyao couldn’t leave.

Tang Wanxin had originally said she would go to the posting, but now also couldn’t leave. As sister-in-law, she had to handle her younger sister-in-law’s wedding before she could go to her husband’s side and reunite with him.

When Yun Shuyao returned, what she saw was the Lin household covered with red happiness characters, looking festive and joyous.

She felt somewhat emotional. In the blink of an eye, Daiyu was about to marry out.