Chapter 9: Filial Piety

  After finishing the official business, Lu Hong changed the subject.

  "I heard Zhang Yi say that you have some feelings for the little maid in Ye's family?"

  "It's not because I'm shy or anything, it's just that I see they're pitiful, so I'll just help them out."

  Lu Hong waved his hand and said, "In front of me, you don't have to be polite. The daughter of the Ye family is not bad-looking, just a bit thin and weak. Take good care of her, and she might recover. However, I must remind you that this family has a somewhat suspicious background."

  "They are a family of three, mother and two children, they can't even eat enough food, what kind of strange background do they have?" Gaoyuan asked curiously.

  "Hmm, they're not locals from Fufeng." Lu Hong thought for a moment, "It's been over ten years since I came to Fufeng, and every year there are always some outsiders moving in. I didn't pay attention to this matter originally, but since they live next door to you, I noticed a few things. One time, I accidentally discovered that the whole family of three can read and write, which is quite strange."

  "What's so strange about it?" Gaoyuan couldn't figure it out.

  "You're really muddled, reading books is a costly thing, and after they came to Fufeng County, they never invited a teacher, so there's only one possibility, that this Ye Shi daughter can read herself. In these times, men who can read are rare, let alone a woman who can recognize characters and understand literature, it's really strange. So I investigated, but couldn't find any information about this family's background, it's as if they fell from the sky."

  "Maybe they came from a very far place, so Uncle couldn't find out."

  "Maybe you're right, but that Ye Shi's daughter looks ordinary at first glance, just like any other woman. However, occasionally she reveals something that makes my heart skip a beat - it's extraordinary and far-reaching. To be honest, I've seen many noblewomen before, but the demeanor that Ye Shi's daughter occasionally displays is probably something even our own Governor's wife can't match. Moreover, Ye Jing'er's every move, every word, and every action seems unusual. In the first year of Zhao Ping, many things happened, and many wealthy families were ruined overnight. I suspect they might be connected to those events back then - this isn't a trivial matter. If you really have feelings for that little girl, we must consider this aspect carefully."

  "What exactly happened in the first year of Zhao Ping?" Gao Yuan asked.

  "Don't ask about this anymore, in short, the things that happened back then are not something that we small characters can ask or talk about. If this family is really related to what happened back then, I advise you not to provoke them, otherwise you'll bring trouble upon yourself, and when the time comes, don't say it was me, even the county guard won't be able to protect you." Lu Hong said seriously.

  "It's been a long time and I'm not easily startled." "I understand, Uncle," I said. "But it's already been almost ten years since then. People and things have changed, and it's not necessarily going to bring disaster or calamity."

  Lu Hong looked up and down at Gao Yuan, "It seems that you have really taken a liking to this girl. Just knowing is enough."

  "Thank you, Uncle, for your concern. I have another request to make of you, and I hope you will agree."

  "Go on, what is it?"

  "Uncle, Zhang Yi has been following me for so long, I'm also used to it. My family is indeed still short of one person to take care of the house, please uncle give Zhang Yi to me."

  "What's it to me? A servant, you want something, just take it."

  "It's not just Zhang alone. I want another one!" Gaoyuan said with a flushed face. "She is the rough maid from the mansion, named Cui'er."

  "You're referring to Zhang Yi's good relationship, right?" Lu Hong smiled and said, "Alright, let's do a good deed from start to finish, I'll give it to you all at once."

  "That's great, Uncle! I'll send the ransom money for both of us to your mansion later."

  "What are you talking about? They're just two slaves, worth how much money? I'll have Lu Bin hand over their contracts to you later. From today on, they're yours."

  "Thanks, Uncle!" Another task was accomplished, and Gaoyuan was overjoyed. Zhang Yibai handled things practically, and now Gaoyuan couldn't bear to part with him.

  When Gao Yuan bid farewell to the Lu Mansion and came out, there were already two more people behind him. Zhang Yi and Xiāo Cuì'er were both slaves who had sold themselves, and they didn't have much to carry with them either. Each of them carried a small package, and from today on, they would be considered Gao Yuan's people. The two of them were overjoyed, and Gao Yuan looked at Cui'er, indeed as Zhang Yi had said, she had large breasts and buttocks, and was well-nourished.

  Holding back her smile, she returned home and instructed Zhang Yi and Cui Er to clean up a room in the wing.

  "You two are already in good terms, so there's no need for many formalities. This house will be your home from now on. Let's choose a auspicious day and set up a table at home, that'll be considered as your wedding ceremony. From then on, you two will follow me, Zhang will get 2 taels of silver per month, Cui will get 1 tael of silver per month. Hmm, I don't have much money now, but when I do in the future, I'll increase your wages, okay?"

  Zhang Yi and Cui Er both kowtowed to the ground, "Thank you, young master. From now on, we will definitely serve young master with all our hearts."

  "Alright, alright, that's it. Don't move, you're like a cicada, following me won't let you down!" Gaoyuan waved his hand and said, "Cui'er, put things away first, Zhang Yi, come with me."

  Zhang Yixi followed Gao Yuan out the door with a smile, thinking to himself that even though the Gao family was small, he was now a manager of one of the departments, and although the Lu family was large, he was only a lowly servant, but in the future when he met with the Lu family's head manager again, he wouldn't have to be as afraid of offending him as before.

  "Zhang Yi, find me a few bricklayers for tomorrow."

  "Does the young master want to renovate the house? Alright, I'll come and take care of it tomorrow."

  "What's the point of fixing up a house? I'm going to make a still, today at Uncle Lu's place I had a drink of so-called good wine, it was really hard to swallow, I'll make some real wine myself, by the way, don't sell last year's old grain, I want to use it to brew wine." Gaoyuan said nonchalantly.

  But Zhang was taken aback at once and shook his head repeatedly, saying, "Young master, you can't make wine this way."

  "Why can't it be?" Gaoyuan was somewhat puzzled.

  "Young master, you seem to have forgotten that brewing is not something everyone can do. In our Fufeng, only the Wu family of the county magistrate is allowed to brew wine. Anyone else who dares to do this will be caught."

  "Is that so?" Gao Yuan was taken aback, it turned out to be a monopoly. However, he still said nonchalantly: "It's nothing, I'm not doing business, just brewing for myself and giving some to Uncle as a gesture of filial piety. I see Uncle loves drinking, but the so-called good wine Wu County Magistrate sent to Uncle is not even palatable. It's just a little bit of filial piety, can't be that Wu Sir would come to my house to arrest me? He'd have to dare to do that! I'm not competing with him for business, can't he even give Uncle this bit of face?"

  "It was originally brewed for myself to drink, but Master scared me half to death!" Zhang patted his chest, "Master doesn't know, in the past there were also people who competed with the Wu family for business, and ended up suffering a terrible fate. Now the entire Fu Feng is dominated by the Wu family's wine business."

  "Alright, I'll find someone tomorrow. After I've settled this matter, I'll go take up my post. That place will probably also be a heap of troublesome affairs. As a soldier, one eats and receives pay, but if there's no food or pay, it won't be easy to manage." Gao Yuan thought about this and became worried and anxious.

  "Don't be afraid, young master. The whole Fu Feng knows that Lord Lu is your uncle. Those soldiers wouldn't dare not give you face, or they'd be asking for trouble." Zhang Yi didn't think much of it.

  "You don't understand." Gaoyuan waved his hand. "I need to think of a way for this matter, the key is still money, with money things will be easier. Forget it, let's not think about this for now, Zhang Yi, you go rest first, hurry up and find a bricklayer, tomorrow we still have to make the wine yeast, thinking of brewing wine, this yeast is crucial."

  "How did the young master know about this? I know about wine brewing, and to make good wine, the key is the yeast, but only the most direct descendants of the Wu family understand how to brew yeast, how does the young master also know?" Zhang asked strangely.

  He smiled mysteriously and said, "Young master, I was born with this knowledge, understand?"