Pampered By All In Different Planes

Chapter 155: Chapter 155: The Wife-Seeking Husband Is Busy, While the Star of Fortune Calmly Farms, Ending the Lineage Crisis 15

Su Zhiruan touched her stomach and smiled, shaking her head, “No, Auntie, it’s fine as it is now.”

With this money, she could start a business. In the last world, she had learned so many skills in business management, and using wealth to generate more wealth would be even more motivating.

“Village chief, I have something to tell you.” Su Zhiruan looked straight at the village chief.

The village chief, although somewhat puzzled, still came over, “Ruanruan, what’s the matter?”

“Now that the Crown Prince has been taken back, I need the village chief’s help to inquire about the wishes of the entire Su Family Village,” Su Zhiruan knew the village chief was a smart man. She didn’t beat around the bush and continued, “The Crown Prince was seriously injured while staying in our village for recovery. This news will spread as soon as he is on his way back to the capital. If the person who injured the Crown Prince can do so to him, if they come to our village seeking answers or to take lethal action, then the lives of over a hundred of our villagers are at stake.”

Seeing the village chief’s expression grow increasingly solemn, Su Zhiruan continued, “Moreover, the Crown Prince is rumored to be decisive and suspicious by nature. Once he ascends the throne and recalls the unsavory past, the best way to prevent all this is to make the entire village disappear.”

“But none of this has anything to do with us. You were the one who brought him here.” The village chief looked at Su Zhiruan. Since she was the one who brought the man back, no matter what was said, the disaster should not fall on their heads. Su Zhiruan fully understood the skepticism of the village chief at this moment.

She stood with her hands behind her back, “Village chief, you are mistaken.”

“Indeed, I was the one who saved the Crown Prince, that’s true. But even without me, someone else could have found the secret path on the mountain behind and saved him. Furthermore, if no one had saved the Crown Prince and his enemies found him and dealt a fatal blow, tossing his corpse to our Su Family Village, if there was an investigation, the entire Su Family Village would face extermination!” After she finished speaking, she saw the village chief’s expression soften. She was right.

No matter who saved the Crown Prince, the situation would have reached this point.

Su Zhiruan understood the principle of following a slap with a sweet date. She softened her voice and continued, “Village chief, I will distribute all these silks to the thirty families of the Su Family Village. Please relay this message for me, and tell them that those who are prepared to leave with me by tonight, regardless of gender or age, I will find the most suitable occupations for everyone to have work, to earn money, and to become wealthy.”

“Okay!” The village chief, seeing the gleam in Su Zhiruan’s eyes, gritted his teeth and believed her, “I’ll go pass on the message.”

Su Zhiruan nodded and, seeing that the village chief had people distributing silk, she said nothing and pushed open the gate to walk in.

In the original plot, it was precisely because Erya saved Fu Huaichu that the entire Su Family Village suffered an unwarranted calamity. Now that she was here and had saved Fu Huaichu, she naturally could not stand idly by.

She touched her stomach, where there was already a small life present. It was still too early; her belly was flat and not showing at all, even less than a month along, but she was already looking forward to it.

*

By this time, Fu Huaichu had already arrived at the County Magistrate Residence. After taking a bath, he changed into the Crown Prince’s regular attire, a black wide-sleeved robe with silver thread embroidery of patterns of mountains and misty rain along its hem. His hair was tied up, and he was once again wearing the Coiling Dragon Jade Pendant around his waist.

The county magistrate was hosting such an important figure in his residence for the first time and was even somewhat at a loss, needing the subordinates of Fu Huaichu to reassure him there was no need to be nervous.

“Your Highness, I have been remiss in my hospitality. Please forgive me,” the county magistrate bowed deeply with his entire family in respect, “If there is anything you need, please instruct me.”

“You have done well, you may leave,” said Fu Huaichu, sitting in the main hall and gesturing for them to rise with a wave of his hand.

The county magistrate sighed in relief, then left with his entire family.

After they all had left, Fu Huaichu spoke to the air, “An Ying.”

At that moment, a figure dressed in black descended from the rafters. This person was none other than the Hidden Guard who had come to find Fu Huaichu on the previous two occasions. He saluted, “Your subordinate is here.”

“The mastermind behind the assassins who tried to kill me, what is their whereabouts?” Fu Huaichu asked while carelessly looking past him, his gaze landing on the flowers outside the door, “Where is that person?”

“Your Highness, we have not found them. These people are too cunning, hiding in places one would never expect,” An Ying’s voice was somewhat hoarse. “When we first learned that you were being pursued, the emperor sent the best experts to deal with those desperate killers, but the person behind the scenes has not been found.”

Fu Huaichu furrowed his brows, “Let’s take our time figuring it out once we’re back in the capital.”

“Yes.” An Ying answered with utmost respect. It seemed as if something suddenly occurred to him, and his clear, piercing gaze fell on Fu Huaichu, “Your Highness, why… didn’t you take Miss Su with you? Didn’t you say that you wanted to offer her the position of concubine?”

Upon hearing this, Fu Huaichu’s expression worsened slightly as he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“She was unwilling,” his voice was very low, giving the illusion of being so close, “No need… It’s because she was unwilling. She didn’t want to become a concubine, and perhaps, she also didn’t want to see me.”

An Ying had not expected that a casual question would lead to such a revelation.

After secretly noticing the slight look of dejection in Fu Huaichu’s eyes, An Ying felt it was time to leave. Disturbing his master’s thoughts at a time like this was not the act of a competent subordinate.

“After we return to the capital, I will bring her back,” Fu Huaichu finally decided.

*

On Su Zhiruan’s side.

The village head acted swiftly.

Initially, the villagers were furious, believing that all the crises had been brought upon them by Su Zhiruan.

But later on, after the village head had delivered Su Zhiruan’s silk to each household, their resentment greatly subsided. With her explanation relayed, anger turned into worry.

“Although Ruanruan has grown up, in my eyes, she is still a child. Following her might be too risky,” an older man with worry lines etched on his forehead spoke, “Moreover, we have tended these fields for generations. Should we really take such a risk?”

“If we don’t take the risk, we will soon be hunted down,” the village head replied soothingly, then he recalled Su Zhiruan’s words, “Following Ruanruan, she said there would also be gold.”

The allure of gold was overwhelmingly tempting to everyone.

As the rolls of silk diminished, the village head returned the remaining ones to Su Zhiruan.

“Village head, how did the promotion go today?” Su Zhiruan, holding several rolls of silk, asked with some curiosity.

The village head nodded, “Most people in Su Family Village have accepted our proposal. We set out tonight!”

“Good.”

When night had just fallen and Su Zhiruan saw that all the people from Su Family Village had gathered at her place, she was quite surprised.

Even Erya and others who usually didn’t get along with the original owner awkwardly showed up at the very corner of Su Zhiruan’s small courtyard.

“My fellow villagers, I thank you all,” Su Zhiruan bowed, and after standing upright she added, “I, Su Zhiruan, promise that everyone present will have work to do, money to earn. I will arrange everything for everyone. Men and women, young and old, will each have their responsibilities.”

Right after she finished speaking, flames enveloped the village, starting from one end and spreading rapidly.

The fire devoured everything, leaving behind only charred ruins.

By then, Su Zhiruan had already led the people away.

And after that, Su Family Village was no more.