The Lucky Heiress

“Master!”

“Greetings, master!”

“Master, this is some fresh pickled vegetables we’ve just made. Take some home with you.”

“Master, these winter bamboo shoots were dug up by us this morning. Take them home and give them a try…”

“Master, I have a wild rabbit here, please accept it!”

II II

The people at the manor greeted Wei Ruo with great enthusiasm, each of them presenting gifts that represented their heartfelt thoughts.

Recently, there wasn’t much farming work to do at the manor, so Wei Ruo let them busy themselves with their own matters.

Some were making straw sandals, some were pickling farm vegetables, and some were risking going to the nearby mountains to hunt.

Although the gain wasn’t much, they all didn’t want to stay idle.

And the things they had, they didn’t dare to consume themselves, choosing instead to save them as gifts for Wei Ruo.

Following that, Wei Ruo paid a visit to the workshop. It was operating smoothly with raw materials delivered daily to the manor and finished products shipped out.

Apart from soy sauce, which had a long production process, nothing else had been sold yet.

There were now more than twenty large pots piled up outside the soy sauce workshop.

Wei Ruo checked each of the pots, ensuring that the fermentation progress and state of the soybeans met her expectations.

The longer the production cycle, the higher the risk of problems, so Wei Ruo had to regularly control it.

Afterwards, Wei Ruo found Manager Yu alone and discussed with him the location selection for the distillery.

Previously, Wei Ruo had not planned to have Manager Yu in charge of the distillery, instead expecting Xu Zhushan to take on some extra work and make a few more trips.

But now, Wei Ruo had changed her mind. She planned to focus on cultivating Manager Yu to handle all matters of the manor and its surroundings in the future.

“All right, I’ll select a few people tomorrow to go to the location you’ve chosen to start building the distillery.” Manager Yu answered.

“First, you bring some people to prepare the ground there. There are quite a few stones and weeds. As for building, wait until I draw up the blueprint.” Wei Ruo said.

“Yes, I will follow the master’s instructions.” Manager Yu replied.

After discussing business with Manager Yu, Wei Ruo asked about Zhu Zongyu: “Has there been any recent unusual behavior from Master Zhu?”

Even though Zhu Zongyu’s previous explanation did not appear suspicious, following the principle of caution, Wei Ruo still had Manager Yu keep a watchful eye on him, just in case.

“Nothing unusual. He only managed to get out of bed the day before yesterday. The weather outside is cold, so he just stays in his room. When he is bored, he reads a few books I gave him. Aside from that, he follows your instructions for medication and meals for recovery.”

Wei Ruo nodded, “Keep observing. If anything seems off, send someone to notify me immediately.”

“Yes, master.” Manager Yu replied.

After speaking with Manager Yu, Wei Ruo went to see Zhu Zongyu.

He had been staying in the little house to the east and hadn’t ventured out.

The room was warm with a charcoal fire burning.

Upon seeing Wei Ruo enter, Zhu Zongyu rose “Master Xu.”

“I came to see how you are doing.” Wei Ruo said.

“I am grateful for your concern, master. If it weren’t for you, I would have already departed for the netherworld. I will remember your kindness in this life.” Zhu Zongyu promised Wei Ruo.

“I can only hope that I didn’t save the wrong person. I hope you are a good person, or at least an ordinary person, and not a villain.” Wei Ruo said.

“Rest assured, Master Xu. I dare not claim to be virtuous, but I am not a criminal.” Zhu Zongyu promised Wei Ruo.

Wei Ruo didn’t immediately respond to this.

Then, Wei Ruo stepped forward, unwrapped the bandages on Zhu Zongyu’s face.

Under the bandages, the scars on his face were still visible. While it was not as bloody and terrifying as when they first met, it was impossible to discern what his original appearance was.

After carefully examining his injuries, Wei Ruo sat down at a table nearby to write a new prescription.

“Master Xu, is there a chance for my face to recover?” Zhu Zongyu asked.

Although he had not looked in a mirror in these few days, he was well aware that his face was severely injured to the point of being unrecognizable.

“Your face suffered from contusions, abrasions, punctures and lacerations. Although the area is large, fortunately, the wounds are not too deep. Therefore, there is a chance for recovery.” Wei Ruo said.

“Can Master Xu help me recover?” Zhu Zongyu asked.

“Master Zhu, do you know that drug resources have become scarce in the Jiangzhe region these past two years due to the war, making it hard to purchase many medicinal ingredients?”

Instead of directly answering Zhu Zongyu’s question, Wei Ruo asked him a question.

“I’m aware.” Zhu Zongyu answered.

“The medicine I use to heal your face wounds does not risk your life and can currently be found by me. But to restore your appearance to its original state, the costs will be far greater than just healing the wounds, three times, five times, even ten times, a hundred times.” Wei Ruo explained.

“Master Xu, rest assured, money is not a problem. My family, being in business, might not have other things, but we definitely have enough silver coins. As long as Master Xu has a way, I am willing to pay any price.” Zhu Zongyu assured confidently.

Wei Ruo looked at him without speaking right away.

He said his family had money, but he didn’t have any on him now. And even if Wei Ruo wanted to help him in advance, some expensive herbs couldn’t be bought with just money.

It seemed Zhu Zongyu guessed Wei Ruo’s concerns. He then said, “Master Xu, I have an old friend in Taizhou prefecture, the owner of the Zuixian Residence, whose last name is Fan. We had some dealings when I was in business, and we developed some friendship. If I write a letter to him, it’s quite likely he would be willing to lend me money to help me out of my bind. However, it means you have to send someone to deliver the letter.”

“You’re talking about Fan Chengxu, the owner of the Zuixian Residence?” Wei Ruo asked.

“Yes.” Zhu Zongyu nodded.

Of course, Wei Ruo knew Fan Chengxu and knew that although he was in business, he actually came from a distinguished family, and his identity could not be underestimated.

If Zhu Zongyu knew Fan Chengxu and was on such good terms that Fan would be willing to lend him money, it considerably raised Zhu Zongyu’s credibility. At the very least, it could prove to some extent that he wasn’t a petty thief.

“Alright, I’ll have someone take the letter,” Wei Ruo said.

Wei Ruo then let Zhu Zongyu sit down at the table and write the letter with his less injured right hand.

Most of the cuts on Zhu Zongyu’s body were concentrated on his chest and back. It seemed clear that his attackers had aimed to kill.

Right in front of Wei Ruo, Zhu Zongyu wrote his letter to Fan Chengxu.

The contents of the letter were nothing out of ordinary, explaining his current situation and requesting Fan Chengxu’s assistance by lending him some silver coins.

The address for Fan Chengxu at the beginning of the letter was Brother Qingyuan, likely Fan Chengxu’s courtesy name.

It was signed off at the end as, “Your friend, Zongyu.”

Wei Ruo then handed the letter to Manager Yu, instructing him to have someone deliver it to the Zuixian Residence.

Communicating with the Zuixian Residence was already routine as the manor had been doing business with them, so delivering a letter posed no problem..