Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

Chapter 166 She's a Pheasant, Not a Phoenix

Half a month later, Yanqing brought back five martial arts masters. They were all in their thirties or forties, and had old injuries that made them unable to continue their long-distance escort duties.

However, they desperately needed to earn money to support their families. So, they quickly reached an agreement, and with Wu Jian's recommendation and guarantee of his character, they agreed to become guards to protect their home.

Yu Wanran tested their martial arts skills and found them to be passable, capable of handling ordinary thieves and bandits.

So the five were shown the Chengya Inkstone Shop. Based on their own wishes, three stayed in Decheng, and the other two went to Huangshan County. From then on, when Zhong Yeliu went out to audit accounts, he could freely choose who accompanied him.

As for wages, they will be paid two taels of silver per month for the time being, with an additional allowance for long-distance travel.

Although their income is much lower than when they were escorting goods, they usually do this kind of home security work to retire, so there is no risk involved.

For example, Yanqing, who had two taels of silver, was so idle that she spent her days slacking off and sleeping in her workshop.

However, as the business expands and things get busier, the risks for subordinates also increase significantly. And Ye Liu will have an even harder time.

Yu Wanran waved her hand, directly instructing her three most trusted confidants: Ye Liu's monthly salary increased to ten taels, and Wangyou Yanbai's to five taels. She couldn't let the three of them be paid the same as the guards!

Shunzi, Qiucui, Meixue, and others who were among the first to arrive also saw their prices rise.

With Zhong Yeliu and Shunzi by her side, Yu Wanran stayed in Huangshan County for nearly two months. Besides working overtime in the workshop to produce colored inkstones, she also invited Xue Heyu and a few others to dinner in her spare time.

Xue Heyu felt quite sorry for a while when he learned that she had rejected Si Yuankai's marriage proposal.

But everyone has their own ambitions, and Yu Wanran isn't his daughter, so as an outsider, he couldn't say anything.

However, Xue Heyu's luck was good, and someone arranged for him to marry the daughter of a clerk who was wasting her youth due to mourning.

Xue and Yu were initially unwilling. They felt they were too old, more than ten years older than the girl, and would be holding her back.

But after being forced to meet her, he found the girl to be quiet, refined, and well-mannered, and couldn't help but develop feelings of admiration for her.

The other party didn't mind his age, and he didn't mind that she was an "old maid," so they could find comfort in each other.

I'm worried that my adopted children might have some thoughts about this, so I'd appreciate it if Yu Wanran could help me comfort them privately.

Song Lianghan was very open-minded.

Their adoptive father took in the two orphaned siblings and sponsored their continued education; this was a lifeline, making him their benefactor. Let alone the fact that younger generations have no right to pry into the private affairs of their elders, as a benefactor, he should certainly not interfere in their lives.

With that thought in mind, Xue Heyu felt relieved. They chose an auspicious day to happily welcome their second spring.

In addition to the official congratulatory gift, Yu Wanran also included a large red envelope containing five hundred taels of silver. Normally, there weren't many opportunities to give gifts. Xue Heyu was an incorruptible official and refused to accept gifts even from friends.

Even so, Xue and Yu later confronted her, berating her for giving too much. They threatened to prosecute her for attempting to bribe officials if their relationship weren't so close!

Yu Wanran was both amused and exasperated.

I wonder if Xue Heyu can still maintain this original aspiration after serving as an official for several years?

However, after giving out the gifts, she had less than two thousand taels of cash left. If she couldn't make money from the inkstones and spices, she would be in a bit of a predicament.

After all, with the workshop open and so many servants employed, the monthly expenses were quite high. A thousand taels seemed like a lot, but it wouldn't last two years.

Yu Wanran found an opportunity to visit the new county magistrate's wife. She was the gentle and quiet type, preferring to read alone and disliking worldly affairs.

She really liked the colored inkstone Yu Wanran had given her, but had no interest in jewelry or anything like that. She initially assumed Yu Wanran was just a merchant's daughter who had coincidentally saved her husband. Since they didn't have much in common, she figured she could just be polite and courteous.

However, upon talking with her, she was astonished to discover that Yu Wanran was exceptionally talented and had a wealth of knowledge.

The two chatted amiably. Yu Wanran could tell that this new lady was not the scheming type, but rather kind, which put her at ease about the future situation of Song Lianghan and his sister.

Two months later, Chengya Inkstone Workshop successfully fired a batch of inkstones in various colors, totaling two thousand finished products and more than three hundred substandard products were packaged and boxed.

Yu Wanran decided to keep 100 finished products and more than 300 defective products for retail in her shop in Huangshan County, and transport the rest to Beijing.

This time she had plenty of manpower and didn't need to entrust her with escorting goods; Wangyou Yanqing and the other two were enough. Hiring two more mule carts would suffice for the journey.

Let the Lin family grandfather and grandson continue to take care of the workshop. They don't need to rush to produce inkstones anymore. They should make the most of this free time to develop technology and refine the inkstones to produce more varieties and patterns.

As for the workers temporarily hired to rush the production of inkstones, they can be dismissed first, and new workers can be hired when the next rush production is needed.

After making all the arrangements, Yu Wanran, along with Ye Liu and the others, escorted the Chengni inkstone, picked up two weaned puppies, and bid farewell to Decheng.

Before heading to Beijing, we'll make a detour to Huangshan County to rest and recuperate.

As soon as they arrived at the door, Xiao Xiang came out to greet them with everyone. Like a swallow returning to its nest, she rushed into Yu Wanran's arms.

In her mind, her third aunt's status had long surpassed that of her parents. Children are as clear-headed as mirrors; they can see at a glance who treats them well and who doesn't, without much guile.

In addition, Qiu Cui, Xiao Juan and others would often tell her: Your aunt hopes that you will study hard and learn at least one skill so that you can marry into a good family in the future, so that you will not have to suffer and will not be easily bullied.

Her grandparents and parents told her that she had to work hard and not be lazy, otherwise she would be disliked by her husband's family after marriage and would be beaten endlessly! If her husband's family kicked her out, they would not want her again, as they would be ashamed!

The younger uncle smiled, his expression intriguing. He simply patted her head and told her: "Listen to your third aunt! Your third aunt would never harm you!"

Xiao Xiang felt that the two weeks she spent with her third aunt were the happiest time of her life.

What saddened her the only thing was that after Wu Mama touched and looked at her hands, she told her with a regretful expression that she was not suitable to learn embroidery.

Her hands, rough like those of an adult peasant woman, often frayed the edges of the pretty little dress her third aunt had bought for her. Initially, she wasn't used to Xiao Juan's close care, but later, fearing she would damage her fine clothes again, she reluctantly agreed to let Xiao Juan help her.

With her third aunt, she felt like the center of attention. Back at the manor, her grandmother and mother would immediately make her change out of her clothes and jewelry and put on old clothes to do chores.

Aunt Zhong, Aunt Qiu Cui, and others tried everything they could to restore the softness to her rough hands, but to no avail; she had endless chores to do as soon as she got home…

Nestled in her third aunt's fragrant and soft embrace, Yu Xiaoxiang's eyes welled up with tears, unsure whether she was happy or sad.

She had a feeling of unease, that she would disappoint her third aunt's expectations of her in the future.

Her mother said that she was a pheasant who could never become a phoenix.

She really might just be a drab, ugly pheasant...

Yu Wanran looked travel-worn and exhausted. However, noticing her niece's unusual behavior, she immediately picked up the somewhat gloomy little girl. As she walked inside, she smiled and kissed the child's droopy eyes.

"What's wrong with our Xiao Xiang? She doesn't seem happy. Did someone bully her? Is she having a bad time here?"

Qiu Cui, Xiao Juan, and the others immediately tensed up, staring anxiously at Yu Xiaoxiang. Honestly! They had truly treated this child like a little princess!

He was so happy to hear that his third aunt was coming back, so why did he suddenly become depressed?