Transmigrated as a Cannon Fodder Wife A in Ancient Times - Chapter 86

Chapter 86

At the same time, Wei Lan and her group, who were still traveling, had covered half of their journey. Those days, everyone was exhausted from rushing, but they had no choice. They needed to reach Zhuozhou’s territory quickly to ensure safety.

Wei Lan was holding Lu Zijin in the carriage, catching up on sleep. The carriage jolted slightly, but it was still better than sitting upright the whole time.

Wei Lan’s hands were restless. During those days of travel, she could only tease her wife a little. They hadn’t been intimate for half a month.

Lu Zijin naturally felt her little Qianyuan taking advantage of her. She leaned into Wei Lan’s arms, reached out, and pinched Wei Lan’s cheek. “What are you doing?”

Wei Lan kissed Lu Zijin’s forehead and acted coy. “I miss you.”

Lu Zijin leaned in and bit Wei Lan’s lip. “You, once the incense runs out, you’ll behave.”

Wei Lan whimpered and hugged Lu Zijin tighter. She just missed her wife.

Lu Zijin reached out, rubbed Wei Lan’s face, kissed her lips softly, and coaxed her. “When we reach the Northern Border, I’ll make it up to you.”

“Really?” Wei Lan’s eyes lit up at this.

Lu Zijin nodded with a chuckle. “Of course it’s true, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle it then.”

“How could I not handle it? I’m so fierce,” Wei Lan said, acting coy while arguing. Lu Zijin couldn’t see where her little Qianyuan’s fierceness was.

The carriage traveled a bit longer and stopped. It was already noon. The group halted by the roadside, and everyone started a fire to cook.

Wei Lan and Lu Zijin jumped off the carriage to stretch their legs. The maids had already set up the pot and started cooking, though everything was kept simple on the road.

The maids used a wooden frame to hang the iron pot in the middle and lit a fire.

Once the fire was going, they poured oil into the pot, added a small piece of Wei Lan’s homemade hotpot seasoning, and stir-fried it. Then they added water, dried noodles, wild vegetables, and dried mushrooms. A fragrant pot of hotpot noodles was ready. With that broth, even a shoe sole would taste good.

Soon, the meal was ready. Wei Lan eagerly took a bowl and filled it with noodles and vegetables for Lu Zijin. “Madam, I’ll serve you extra. Eat more.”

Lu Zijin watched her little dog with a smile in her eyes. “Good, that’s enough. I can’t eat more than that.”

Wei Lan stopped when Lu Zijin said so and handed her the small bowl.

Compared to Lu Zijin’s small bowl, Wei Lan’s large bowl was five times bigger. She scooped all the remaining food from the pot into her bowl and sat beside Lu Zijin, eating heartily.

As for the leftover hotpot broth, the maids used it to cook for themselves and the accompanying guards. For convenience, they made noodle lump soup. Thanks to the tasty broth, everyone ate with great relish, even with just noodle lumps.

Though Lu Zijin’s bowl was small, she ate slowly. By the time she finished, Wei Lan had eaten her large bowl even faster.

Wei Lan stood up, patting her stomach and stretching. Seeing Lu Zijin look at her, Wei Lan grinned. “I’m so full.”

Lu Zijin shook her head with a chuckle. Her little dog was too adorable.

After lunch, they rested for half an hour. Everyone went to the nearby river to wash the pots and bowls and refill their water supply. Then they hitched the carriage and continued their journey.

After eating, Wei Lan and Lu Zijin returned to the carriage to lie down. Even though the space inside was large, it still felt a bit stifling. But they had no choice. They needed to reach the Northern Border quickly, so they traveled until dark before stopping to rest.

Meanwhile, in Panyang City, the steward Huang Ming and Qing Zhi began selling off the Lu family’s cloth shops, taverns, and grain stores.

Once the news spread, it caused a huge stir in Panyang City. Everyone speculated about what was happening with the Lu Mansion, wondering why they were selling even the stable, profitable shops like the cloth and grain stores.

“Hey, what’s going on with the Lu Mansion? It feels like they don’t plan to stay in Panyang City anymore,” someone said.

“I heard they’ve climbed up to some high connections in the Capital and are heading there for a better life,” another replied.

“They’re so rich. I heard they’re even selling the fields outside the city. They really don’t plan to stay,” a third person added.

At the same time, in the City Lord’s Mansion, Lu Feng’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected the Lu Mansion to sell all their businesses. The matter had been the talk of the city for days.

“This Lu Zijin is really something. She and Wei Lan left first, leaving their people to handle these businesses. They’re treating everyone like fools,” Lu Feng said angrily.

“City Lord, calm down. Even if these businesses are sold, the buyers will still pay taxes in the city. You don’t need to worry,” an official under him advised.

Lu Feng took another sip of tea in frustration. “I know that. I’m angry because the Lu Mansion people are so bold. They didn’t even report such a big matter to me. They clearly don’t take me seriously!”

“They probably really have high connections in the Capital. Otherwise, they wouldn’t dare do this. City Lord, you should hold back for now. If they truly have powerful backers, we can’t afford to offend them,” the official suggested.

“So we just let the Lu Mansion people walk all over us?” Lu Feng felt humiliated and spoke angrily.

“I heard the Lu Mansion’s ancestral home isn’t for sale. That means Lu Zijin and her group will have to come back eventually. There will be a chance to settle the score,” the official said.

Lu Feng sighed heavily and held back. After all, he was just a city lord. If the Lu Mansion really had powerful backers, he indeed couldn’t afford to cross them.

At the Chen Mansion, Su Er was discussing the matter with Chen Zhou. Chen Zhou frowned and said, “What kind of backing did Lu Zijin find to sell even their fields?”

“It’s unclear, but the word on the street is buzzing. They say the Lu Mansion has sold all their fields, taverns, and grain shops. Only a few cloth shops are left. Young Master, should we buy some?” Su Er asked cautiously.

“Of course we should buy. The other businesses don’t matter, but if we can get the cloth shops, next year’s imperial merchant title might fall to us,” Chen Zhou replied.

Thinking quickly, Chen Zhou said, “Su Er, have someone prepare the carriage. I’m going to the Lu Mansion now.”

“Yes,” Su Er replied and immediately arranged it.

Soon, Chen Zhou arrived at the Lu Mansion’s gate by carriage. The servants at the gate announced his arrival, and Chen Zhou was invited inside. Once inside, he noticed the Lu Mansion had far fewer people, and even the fallen leaves in the courtyard hadn’t been swept.

Chen Zhou went straight to the main hall, where the steward and Qing Zhi were waiting. Seeing Chen Zhou, both bowed.

“Cousin Young Master, please sit. Someone, serve tea,” Qing Zhi said, directing the maids to bring tea. In recent days, they had sold most of the Lu Mansion’s businesses. Once the cloth shops were sold, they could head north to join Lu Zijin.

Chen Zhou sat down, looked at them, and spoke. “I’ll be direct. I heard you’re selling the cloth shops? I want to know the specific price.”

“Oh, it’s like this. We still have four cloth shops unsold. Each comes with a large courtyard, weaving tools, and dyeing equipment. We sell them together. If you only want the shop, we won’t sell,” Huang Ming said with a smile to Chen Zhou.

“Hmm, as you said, including the courtyard and the weaving and dyeing tools, how much silver in total?” Chen Zhou asked.

Huang Ming thought for a moment before saying, “These cloth shops are large-scale, two stories high, with spacious courtyards and warehouses. So, each shop’s price is at least sixty thousand taels of silver. Four shops together make two hundred forty thousand taels. Is Cousin Young Master interested in buying?”

“Sixty thousand taels!” Chen Zhou stood up. Though the Lu family’s cloth shops were in good locations, he didn’t think they were worth that much.

Huang Ming smiled and continued, “Cousin Young Master, don’t forget this year’s imperial merchant title went to our Lu Mansion. The workers in these shops are experienced veterans. If you buy these shops, you’re guaranteed to win the imperial merchant title next year.”

Chen Zhou actually had the same idea. He wanted to form a monopoly, but two hundred forty thousand taels was too much for him. He had just bought the Lu family’s bookshop recently, so at most, he could afford two shops now.

“Two hundred forty thousand taels is no small sum. Since Zijin and I are relatives, can the price be lowered?” Chen Zhou asked.

Huang Ming smiled warmly. “Sorry, Cousin Young Master. This price was set by our young lady before she left. It’s already the lowest. We’re just servants and can’t make that decision.”

Before leaving, Lu Zijin had arranged everything, instructing Huang Ming and Qing Zhi to act unhurried and not let anyone lower the price.

Since the Lu family’s shops were doing well, they had mostly sold at Lu Zijin’s desired prices. Now, only the cloth shops remained, so Huang Ming and Qing Zhi were in no rush. They had half a month left, and if needed, they could travel later.

Chen Zhou gritted his teeth and thought for a moment before saying, “Then I’ll take the two best-located cloth shops.”

“That’s only natural. First come, first served. As long as confounded

System: you pay the silver, you can choose first. We’ll sort by the order of payment,” Huang Ming said with another smile to Chen Zhou, implying Chen Zhou should pay first and then pick.

Chen Zhou’s teeth ground together. Truly, the Lu Mansion’s servants were just like Wei Lan. “Su Er, go to the accounting room and withdraw one hundred twenty thousand taels of silver,” he said.

“Right away, Young Master,” Su Er replied and immediately ran out.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Su Er returned with the silver notes. “Young Master, here are the silver notes you asked for,” he said.

Chen Zhou took the silver notes and handed them to Huang Ming. “Now can we go change the names on the deeds?” he asked.

“Of course, Cousin Young Master, please,” the steward said. He passed the silver notes to Qing Zhi, who counted them to confirm they were correct. Only then did the steward take the deeds and go with Chen Zhou to change the names.

Because Chen Zhou bought two of the shops, others in Panyang City who were interested and had been watching rushed in, fearing the remaining two cloth shops would sell out.

In the end, Huang Ming and Qing Zhi took only half a month to sell all the shops and fields. The cloth shops sold for a total of two hundred forty thousand taels of silver, the three taverns in the city sold for one hundred eighty thousand taels, the five grain shops and their remaining stock sold for two hundred fifty thousand taels, and the fields sold for two hundred thousand taels. Altogether, they made eight hundred seventy thousand taels of silver.

The remaining silver in the mansion was used by Huang Ming and Qing Zhi to pay off the maids and servants. Those who refused to leave the Lu Mansion were taken by Huang Ming to head north and join Lu Zijin and her group.

—

Meanwhile, Fan Chuan had promised to take Shen Lingwei out to explore. In the afternoon, she had horses prepared. Since their situation was safe, riding in a carriage would feel stifling, so Fan Chuan decided to take Shen Lingwei horseback riding.

After finishing her work in the study, she went straight to the bedroom. Shen Lingwei had gotten up from the soft couch and was reading a book.

Fan Chuan walked in and smiled at her. “Let’s go. I’ve arranged everything,” she said.

“Okay,” Shen Lingwei said, ready to leave.

Fan Chuan shook her head with a smile and had a maid bring a pair of new white riding boots. “We’ll ride horses later. Long boots are more convenient,” she said.

“But I don’t know how to ride a horse,” Shen Lingwei said, pausing for a moment.

Fan Chuan smiled at her. “No worries, I’ll ride with you,” she said.

Shen Lingwei wondered if it was appropriate, but then thought she had never ridden a horse growing up. A carriage ride would be boring, so she didn’t say more, took the boots, and put them on.

Fan Chuan found two cloaks in the wardrobe, put one on herself, and handed the other to Shen Lingwei. “It might be windy and sandy outside. Wear this,” she said.

“Hmm,” Shen Lingwei said, taking the cloak and putting it on. The two then left the bedroom.

Fan Chuan led Shen Lingwei to the Marshal’s Mansion’s main gate, where ten personal guards, dressed in casual clothes, were waiting.

Fan Chuan brought Shen Lingwei to her tall, chestnut-colored horse. Shen Lingwei hesitated, as the horse was quite large, making it hard for her to mount alone.

Fan Chuan turned to her. “Hold the saddle with both hands, step on the stirrup with your left foot first. I’ll help you up. Lightning is well-behaved and won’t move. Don’t be afraid,” she said.

Shen Lingwei was curious about riding. She looked at Fan Chuan and said, “Hmm.”

Following Fan Chuan’s instructions, Shen Lingwei grabbed the saddle with both hands and stepped on the stirrup with her left foot.

Fan Chuan held Shen Lingwei’s waist and lifted her onto the saddle.

“Now take your foot off the stirrup. I need to get on,” Fan Chuan said, smiling up at Shen Lingwei.

“Okay,” Shen Lingwei said, complying. Her ear tips turned red. Riding a horse with a Qianyuan in public was something she had never done so boldly.

Fan Chuan stepped on the stirrup and swiftly mounted the horse. She held the reins with one hand and adjusted Shen Lingwei’s position with the other around her waist. “Is this comfortable?” she asked.

Fan Chuan held Shen Lingwei’s waist with one hand and the reins with the other. Shen Lingwei was slightly shorter, so from Fan Chuan’s view, she could clearly see Shen Lingwei’s red ear tips.

Shen Lingwei gripped the iron bar in front of the saddle, her ears red, and nodded. Fan Chuan was probably just making sure she sat securely, not taking advantage of her.

Seeing Shen Lingwei nod, Fan Chuan’s lips curved slightly. Her waist was so slender that one arm could wrap around it entirely if she held tighter.

But to avoid startling Shen Lingwei, Fan Chuan didn’t do so. Instead, she said softly, “We’re about to start. If you feel uncomfortable, tell me right away.”

“Hmm,” Shen Lingwei replied softly.

Fan Chuan then urged the horse forward. Worried Shen Lingwei might not adjust to a fast pace, she deliberately slowed Lightning’s steps, heading toward the city gate checkpoint.

Shen Lingwei sat on the horse, watching the street scenery with great interest. But the hand on her abdomen felt warm, and thinking about it made her blush unconsciously.

Fan Chuan started riding slowly. As Shen Lingwei got used to it, she sped up. About half an hour later, they reached the Northern Border’s checkpoint.

Fan Chuan often came to inspect, so the city guards recognized her instantly. But today, their marshal wasn’t in armor and had a lady on the horse with her.

The guard approached stiffly and saluted. “Marshal,” he said.

“Hmm, I’m just taking my madam for a casual visit. Go about your duties. Oh, and have someone bring a camel,” Fan Chuan said, thinking Shen Lingwei had likely never ridden one.

“Right away, Marshal. Please wait a moment,” the guard said and went to arrange it.

Soon, a soldier brought a camel. Fan Chuan said softly to Shen Lingwei, “I’ll take you to ride the camel later. Let’s get off the horse first. The market is just outside.”

“Hmm,” Shen Lingwei said, looking curiously at the camel nearby. She had only seen such animals in picture books and hadn’t expected to see one in person.

Fan Chuan dismounted and reached out to catch Shen Lingwei.

Lightning was tall, and Shen Lingwei felt nervous sitting up there alone. She pulled her right leg over but didn’t dare jump. The next moment, Fan Chuan steadily caught her in a horizontal hold.

Shen Lingwei’s cheeks flushed red instantly. They were outside, so how could Fan Chuan just hold her like this?

But it was only a brief hold. Fan Chuan, mindful of her shyness, quickly set her down.

She handed the horse to the guards, leaving five to watch the horses and the other five to follow her and Shen Lingwei on foot. One guard led the camel.

After leaving the checkpoint, about five hundred meters away, people had turned the area into a market. Many sold goods there—Huns traded animal hides for cotton cloth and tea, while others sold mountain delicacies. The market was full of variety.

The market was lively. Fan Chuan kept a hand on Shen Lingwei’s waist, carefully protecting her from being bumped.

Shen Lingwei was fascinated by the market, especially the Huns’ animal hides and foods.

Fan Chuan bought some dairy products, but their strong flavor was something Shen Lingwei wasn’t used to.

They strolled through every stall, and Shen Lingwei still felt reluctant to leave.

Fan Chuan smiled at her. “The weather’s not so hot now. Come, I’ll take you to ride the camel,” she said.

“Okay,” Shen Lingwei said, looking at the camel behind them. A guard brought it over.

Fan Chuan skillfully made the camel kneel and helped Shen Lingwei onto it. “Be careful, hold on tight,” she said.

“Hmm,” Shen Lingwei said. Sitting on the camel felt different from riding a horse. Though slower, it was steadier.

Shen Lingwei looked into the distance, where the endless desert stretched under the setting sun, glowing like a golden ocean.

Sitting atop the camel, Shen Lingwei breathed deeply, as if all her past unhappiness had been left behind.

“This place is beautiful. If only there were no wars,” Shen Lingwei said, sitting on the camel, occasionally touching its hump, intrigued.

“Yes, when there’s no war, this place is quite beautiful,” Fan Chuan said, holding the camel’s reins and walking toward a small sand dune. “I’ll take you up there to see an even better view.”

Soon, they reached the dune, with the five guards waiting below, not daring to disturb them.

Shen Lingwei looked at the endless sea of sand, eager to explore. “I want to walk down there too,” she said.

“Okay, hold steady,” Fan Chuan said, making the camel kneel again and helping Shen Lingwei down.

The camel lazily knelt on the sand to rest. Shen Lingwei finally stood on the sand, feeling the grains shift under the wind, a novel sensation.

“Is it all sand here?” she asked.

“Pretty much. An hour’s walk north, there’s a patch of greenery with a lake for water,” Fan Chuan said, pointing ahead with a smile.

Shen Lingwei gazed at the distant scenery, feeling the soft sand underfoot. She and Fan Chuan walked side by side on the dune, leaving footprints that the wind soon covered with sand.

As the sun set, they sat on the sand, watching the sun sink behind the dunes.

“It’s so beautiful,” Shen Lingwei said, staring ahead, unwilling to miss a moment. It was her first time watching a sunset in the desert.

Fan Chuan shifted her gaze from the distance to Shen Lingwei. “Very beautiful,” she said.

Noticing Fan Chuan’s gaze, Shen Lingwei’s cheeks warmed. She glanced at Fan Chuan, meeting her fiery eyes, and couldn’t look away.

Fan Chuan gave her a gentle smile, then quickly leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

She pulled back quickly, but Shen Lingwei’s face turned red. She hurriedly checked around, relieved to see the guards were below, leaving just the two of them. She felt a bit more at ease.

Still, Shen Lingwei shyly covered her face, avoiding Fan Chuan’s gaze. They were outside, and Fan Chuan was too bold.

Seeing her shyness, Fan Chuan gently held her and said softly, “Don’t be afraid. There’s no one else. Want to keep watching the sunset? If you don’t look up, the sun will be gone.”

Hearing this, Shen Lingwei looked up at the sunset, her cheeks still flushed.

Soon, the sky darkened, and the sun disappeared. Fan Chuan had brought torches, so they weren’t worried about getting back, especially since they hadn’t gone far.

She held Shen Lingwei and asked, “Want to see the moon before we go?”

Shen Lingwei thought for a moment and said, “Yes.”

Fan Chuan’s military duties were heavy, so bringing her out was rare. They might get busy later, and it could be a while before they could come again.

“Okay, let’s watch the moon for a bit before heading back,” Fan Chuan said. From their spot, they could see the torches at the checkpoint’s gatehouse, so they wouldn’t lose their way.

The moon rose soon after. Shen Lingwei quietly watched the moon rise over the desert, feeling especially happy. But the desert wind grew strong at night, and she felt a bit cold.

Noticing this, Fan Chuan removed her own cloak and wrapped it around Shen Lingwei, then hugged her from behind as they watched the moon.

In the dim light, Shen Lingwei’s face reddened. She said softly, “What are you doing?”

“Nothing, just holding my madam to watch the moon. It’s a bit cold, so holding you keeps you warm,” Fan Chuan said, her chest pressed against Shen Lingwei’s back. Her words brushed Shen Lingwei’s ear, making her shiver.

But being held by Fan Chuan warmed her body, and she indeed felt less cold.

It seemed that since she and Fan Chuan had opened up to each other, Fan Chuan’s attitude had grown more intimate. Now she was holding her like this and had even kissed her. Just thinking about it made Shen Lingwei blush.