Chapter 37: The Plan Fails
Heng Yi took a few steps forward and handed the brocade case to He Hong.
"Is it really worth this?" Heng Yi said softly.
He pressed his hand to the case and pushed towards He Hong.
"If you can't give me the money, I still won't blame you. Why are you forcing yourself like this?" Heng Yi said again.
"He Hong, don't force yourself too hard."
"Although I'm a little poor, it doesn't matter to me if I have this thousand taels of silver or not. As long as I have the will to earn money, I can come up with other ways."
He had been making trips into the mountains for more than ten years. It was not difficult for him to find some precious herbs. With his strength, he could single-handedly take down a tiger or even a bear.
All these years, he never really had anything to struggle for. He didn't even know what he could accomplish if he did struggle.
He ate when he had food, and starved when he didn't.
Then there came the day Han Qiao smiled at him.
He saw a woman's face for the first time. And so suddenly. He had thoughts that he shouldn't have.
But he never really wanted to earn a ton of money.
But now Han Qiao was divorced, and it seemed that she valued money very much. Suddenly, he was enlightened. He remembered that he still had a sum of money with He Hong in the county capital.
"Brother Heng, I..."
"He Hong, don't forget that your wife is the woman you cherished enough to marry. She's the one you fell in love with. You spent many anxious nights just so that you could be with her every day. You must have known that she would make mistakes, so you shouldn't let her bear the responsibility alone. And I definitely don't blame you."
He Hong was He Hong, and Zhao Huanniang was Zhao Huanniang.
It was just like how he valued Cheng'er so much that he was willing to give him some of his silver.
It was just a few things.
"You're an educated man. You know more than me."
He patted He Hong on the shoulder. "Just give me a thousand taels. It's fine."
"Brother!" He Hong was extremely ashamed.
Heng Yi was quiet and taciturn, but he was actually very open-minded. He understood life, death and money very well.
If he said it was fine, then he meant it.
"Why don't you go to the study."
"Alright."
After entering the study, He Hong began counting out the banknotes. He handed 1000 taels of silver to Heng Yi.
Then he began to calculate that year's increase.
From January to the end of June, business had been very good. Every month they made 200 taels of silver. Apart from the chef, the waiters, and gifts for the officials, there was also their family expenses to take into account. That brought the actual monthly income down to 130 taels. Heng Yi's monthly delivery of mountain goods cost 12 taels of silver, so there were still 708 taels left.
He Hong silently heaved a sigh of relief.
He understood that the remaining few hundred taels of silver didn't belong to him at all.
"Brother Heng, I've decided to buy a house and move out. In the future, I won't have to rely on the restaurant for food and drink."
"So for this year's profits, we'll split it early. Do you think that's possible?"
"Sure."
He Hong counted 350 taels of silver and gave it to Heng Yi.
Heng Yi took the silver and stood up.
"Don't let your imagination run wild. Get some rest. You still have to make peace with your wife. If she's in the wrong, then talk to her nicely. Don't hit her. Remember, she gave birth to Cheng'er for you."
"Okay."
When Heng Yi returned to the guest house, he saw Han Qiao talking to Uncle Yao.
She said that she also wanted to go into the mountains with him and Heng Yi.
Uncle Yao objected, "You won't be able to keep up with us. Those mountains behind Xishan Village–how many fellows do you think head out there every year? Forget about hundred-year-old ginseng, even a few sprouts will soon be dug up and taken. Those hundred-year-old ginsengs must be incredibly deep out in the mountains and forests to survive that long."
Han Qiao thought about it carefully. She decided that Uncle Yao's words made sense.
Indeed, it wouldn't be suitable for her to go into the mountains.
"It'd be better to pluck the withered grass around the village and scavenge for calamus in the stream."
If she really wanted to go deep into the mountains and forests, she would have to tell Heng Yi privately after she moved.
She didn't want to worry her family.
"That mountain ginseng does indeed grow deep in mountains and forests. There are many ferocious beasts out there, too. As long as she makes suitable preparations, if Sister Qiao wants to go, it wouldn't be entirely impossible," Heng Yi said calmly.
Uncle Yao snorted.
This kid.
After returning from the apothecary, he had deliberately said that Han Qiao was three years older than him. He didn't seem to mind this at all, though, because then he started casually calling her Sister Qiao.
Han Qiao's eyes lit up when she heard this, but she quickly rejected him.
"Maybe next time."
"That's fine."
Uncle Yao excused himself and went to the toilet, saying he had a stomach ache.
Han Qiao was about to return to her room to sleep when Heng Yi said, "Sister Qiao, can I trouble you with something?"
"What is it?"
"I want to buy a few feet of fabric. Can I trouble you to make a few sets of clothes for me? I'll pay you."
Han Qiao smiled. The good things just kept coming that night.
"Can't you go out to buy some?"
"The clothes in the ready-made clothing stores are not durable and easily come untangled."
Han Qiao was considering telling him to ask his mother or Mrs. Zhao.
Then she remembered all the incidents she had heard next door.
"Alright, but I won't return the extra cloth. Also, it's going to cost you."
"No worries."
Heng Yi was very straightforward.
Han Qiao had been busy all day and was very tired.
She casually told Heng Yi goodnight, then went back to the guest room to sleep.
Heng Yi returned to his room, laid down on the bed and smiled.
He was in a particularly good mood.
He had never felt like this before.
He woke up in the middle of the night, very anxious. When Sun Yiming wrote the letter of divorce and Han Qiao signed her signature, an indescribable feeling had welled up in his heart.
He knew that after experiencing a failed marriage, Han Qiao would definitely not remarry easily.
Therefore, he wanted to show her that he was worth marrying.
When it came time to marry again, he wanted to be at the top of her list.
After that, he went to sleep.
Someone knocked on the door of the restaurant.
Bai Cha hurriedly went to He Hong. "Manager, someone from your wife's family said that your wife is pregnant. She's been sick lately."
"..."
He Hong fell silent.
After a while, he said, "Bai Cha, go there and tell her that she can have the child if she wants it. If she doesn't want it, then she can do whatever."
Bai Cha was stunned.
He didn't understand at all. What was going on?
Shouldn't a shopkeeper want as many kids as possible?
"Shopkeeper?"
"Go on."
Bai Cha had no choice.
All he could do was rush out make a trip to the Zhao house personally.
At the Zhao house, Zhao Huanniang was leaning against the headboard of the bed, tears falling like rain.
Her eyes were glued to the door.
She knew that He Hong valued children. For the child's sake, he was bound to forgive her.
However, when she saw Bai Cha, her eyes suddenly darkened.
Suddenly, she cried out, "Mother, return the 700 taels to me immediately. Otherwise, I'll hang myself from the beam above the entrance."
"..."
"..."
The Zhao family and Bai Cha were stunned.
After Zhao Huanniang roared, she slowly calmed down.
She knew that the days when she was wrapped in He Hong's love may be gone forever.
And that was in spite of Cheng'er and the new child that was on the way.
The rift between them was large indeed.
Even if they reconciled, it would not be the same as before.
Tears suddenly fell again. She looked at her own mother with hatred. "It's all your fault, it's all your fault."
But she hated herself for being stupid.
The good days were over. Now, she had to give way to her parents' urging.
Mother Zhao was so angry that her heart burned.
How could she have known that this was going to happen?
Who knew that Heng Yi would suddenly come to the county capital and ask for silver?
They all had thought Heng Yi would be a bachelor for the rest of his life. They thought that the silver would all be given to Cheng'er sooner or later, and that he was just bringing some over for him in advance.
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