Chapter 502 - 190: Salt Transport Judge 2
Chapter 502: Chapter 190: Salt Transport Judge 2
After Mrs. Zhao left, Chen Wanqing returned to her room, prepared her ink and brush, and wrote a letter to her mother.
The solution she came up with was to hand this whole affair over to her mother.
Her mother only disliked making incense. When it came to socializing, she actually quite enjoyed it.
She would continue to manage the business for now, and once her mother arrived, she would hand all these matters over to her.
Then she could give her mother a share of the profits, providing her with an income sufficient to establish herself in the Prefecture. Meanwhile, she herself would be freed up to concentrate on the things she truly enjoyed. ’It would truly kill two birds with one stone.’
Perhaps the heavens themselves were helping her. Chen Wanqing hadn’t even had time to mail the letter she’d just written when CuiYa came rushing in again. "Madam, wonderful news, wonderful news! Your parents, the Master and Madam, have arrived at our gate!"
"What? CuiYa, what did you just say?"
CuiYa was a maidservant who had been purchased back in Qingshui County.
At the time, Chen Wanqing had been in desperate need of help, so she’d taken everyone she could, not even rejecting those with missing limbs or other ailments.
CuiYa and her younger brother, CuiYe, had relied on each other for survival. She had been suffering from a high fever that wouldn’t break and was close to death. Her brother had already caught the eye of a wealthy family and was about to be bought to serve as an Attendant Student. It was a very promising future, yet CuiYe adamantly refused to go, terrified that his sister would be thrown into a mass grave the moment he left.
The furious trafficker had viciously cursed the pair, saying they were fated to a life of poverty.
But their wait ended when Chen Wanqing arrived. Moved by the depth of their sibling bond, she purchased them both and even sent CuiYa to an apothecary to see a doctor.
After CuiYa recovered, the two siblings were filled with immense gratitude toward Chen Wanqing.
Now that the siblings were in the Prefecture with her, Chen Wanqing kept CuiYa by her side to serve her, while CuiYe worked as a messenger boy, spending his days running back and forth between the front and rear courtyards.
Just now, CuiYe had delivered the message to CuiYa, who had then frantically relayed it to her.
Once Chen Wanqing confirmed that she hadn’t misheard—that it was truly her mother and father who had arrived—she scrambled to her feet and rushed outside, her shoes barely on.
Mrs. Zhao and Xiang’er also came out of the courtyard.
"I heard your parents have arrived. Is it true?"
"I’m not sure myself. The last letter from my parents was back in the first month. The bandit situation wasn’t resolved then, and they never mentioned coming to the Prefecture."
"It must be your parents. CuiYa and CuiYe know them; they wouldn’t have gotten the message wrong."
The three of them hurried outside.
By the time they reached the front courtyard, Chen Song, Xu Suying, and Yao’an were just stepping through the gate.
"Father, Mother, Yao’an! It’s really you!"
Overcome with emotion, Chen Wanqing rushed forward and threw her arms around her mother, tears streaming down her face before she could even speak.
"Honestly, you all... Why didn’t you send a letter saying you were coming to the Prefecture? I could have arranged for someone to pick you up."
Chen Song laughed heartily and exchanged greetings with Mrs. Zhao before turning to his daughter. "I’ve traveled to the Prefecture so many times I know the roads like the back of my hand. Why would I need you to pick me up? Besides, you have all your business to manage here and are too busy to get away. You’re a young woman, too. If you came out to meet us, I’d just end up worrying about your safety."
Xu Suying, however, just patted her daughter all over, looking her up and down.
Perhaps all mothers are this way. Xu Suying hugged her daughter tightly, murmuring, "You’ve lost weight, and you look so worn out. You haven’t been resting well, have you? Oh, my dear child, your mother has missed you to death."
Yao’an bounced at her side. "Big Sis, look at me too! You haven’t seen me in so long, don’t you miss me?"
Chen Wanqing pulled away from her mother’s embrace and turned to wipe the tears from her face. She gave Yao’an a hug and said, "You’ve gotten taller and stronger. You look more and more like Father every day."
Yao’an laughed. "Look closer, Big Sis! Is there anything else different about me?"
Chen Wanqing studied him carefully, and under his expectant gaze, she hit the nail on the head. "Your front teeth grew back in."
When Chen Wanqing had left Qingshui County, Yao’an had just lost both of his front teeth.
The little fellow was at that self-conscious age, and the lisp from his missing teeth made him so ashamed that he barely spoke.
Looking at him now, although not all of his baby teeth had been replaced, his front ones were back, sound and whole, and his lisp was mostly gone.
As soon as Chen Wanqing said this, everyone present burst into laughter.
Yao’an flushed with embarrassment, but he still gave a little cough like a miniature adult. "You’re very observant, Big Sis. At least all my thoughts of you day and night weren’t for nothing."
This sent the whole family into another round of laughter.
Chen Song and Xu Suying were exhausted from traveling for days on end, so Chen Wanqing led them to their accommodations to get settled.
Since their arrival was so sudden, the courtyard prepared for them hadn’t been properly cleaned yet, so Chen Wanqing had them stay in De’an’s courtyard for the time being.
"That courtyard isn’t small; the main house alone has three rooms, making it about the same size as our old home in the Zhao Village. Father, Mother, please stay here for a couple of days. I’ll have the maids and servants clean up another courtyard, and you can move in there once it’s ready."