Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter 273: Congratulations and Celebration

Chapter 265: Chapter 273: Congratulations and Celebration

“Very likely,” Han Yu concurred, but not in the joking tone of Su Wenyue. He truly believed it to be probable that, even if it wasn’t a rebellion, they were certainly up to no good; why else would they spend so much effort to build an underground mansion? Constructing a Zhuangzi underground is no small feat compared to above ground, both in terms of manpower and the expense for the rooms, and what’s more, they chose such a remote and hidden location. Just selecting the site revealed considerable deliberation. Yet somehow, his daughter-in-law had discovered the place.

“Husband, what’s wrong with you, staring off into space! What do you think of this Zhuangzi? Are you surprised?” Su Wenyue saw the rare sight of Han Yu lost in thought and spoke up.

“Of course, I was just thinking about where to place Zhai Li and the others, and I need a location to plan some matters as well. This truly is an excellent spot. Not only does it have a natural terrain to avoid prying eyes, but it also has an underground Zhuangzi, which is perfect for growing our power. However, it still needs considerable work and arrangement since it has been neglected for so long.”

As Han Yu said this, another thought crossed his mind as to how this unusual place came to be discovered by his wife. He did not believe that Su Wenyue found out through the Su Family; otherwise, his father-in-law and brother-in-laws would have claimed it long before his daughter-in-law could. Yet Han Yu didn’t ask. He knew his daughter-in-law well enough to realize that even if he did ask, she would likely make up some excuse to fob him off, triggering her to be on guard.

“As long as you like it.” Su Wenyue remembered it by chance. She had heard from Sikong Ling that a merchant had bought a Zhuangzi and later discovered a secret passage in it, leading to an underground mansion filled with treasures. Unfortunately, the merchant didn’t know how to keep a secret, and the news reached one of Sikong Ling’s subordinates. Naturally, those treasures changed hands, and Sikong Ling used the Zhuangzi to accomplish quite a lot.

Having lived once before, Su Wenyue knew the Zhuangzi had not been sold yet. Why let someone else benefit from such a good place? She had no guilty conscience competing with Sikong Ling, even relishing the thrill of it—everyone wants good things.

However, buying the large Zhuangzi, even in its neglected state, wasn’t cheap. For this, she borrowed five thousand taels of silver from her father, who generously gave her twenty thousand taels instead. He said it was the dowry silver prepared by her grandparents, and since she hadn’t understood much back then and feared she might spend it carelessly, her father had kept it for her. Now, knowing she wanted to invest in property, he gave the silver to her.

With those twenty thousand taels, Su Wenyue accomplished quite a bit, stockpiling various medicinal materials, food, and other items that would later be in short supply. Otherwise, relying solely on her initial dowry, she really couldn’t have managed to do much in such a short period.

“Husband, from now on, this Zhuangzi is under your care. I know you have grand ambitions and won’t be satisfied with the status quo. The Zhuangzi would be wasted in my hands, used at most for storing food, but in your hands, it can be put to great use. Besides, I don’t really understand these matters and am too lazy to manage them. A lot of things are left to others to handle, and there’s always the chance for oversights. Actually, when I first bought this Zhuangzi, this was what I had in mind.” Su Wenyue had previously felt it wasn’t necessary, but seeing Han Yu now developing his own forces and followers, she didn’t mind giving him a hand.

Han Yu indeed needed it. Since his wife felt this way, he naturally wouldn’t awkwardly refuse her kind gesture. Having a place like this as a base was actually a pleasant surprise for him, aside from the secrecy and unexpectedness of the matter. Just like encountering Zhai Li and the others, it felt like providence had granted him the best aid. And now, this assistance was prepared for him by his wife. Everything was going smoothly. He just wondered if progress back in the prefecture city was also going so well?

“Okay, since my wife has prepared it for me, I can’t refuse. Besides, having this Zhuangzi now is like timely rain for me. If it wasn’t for you discovering it, where else could I have found such a good place? My wife, you truly are my lucky star. Ever since you’ve been by my side, everything has been going smoothly.” Han Yu spoke these words both to please Su Wenyue and also because he indeed felt this way. Though not superstitious, when some things can’t be explained by reason, he naturally began to change his mind.

Exhausted from the long journey and wandering around for so long, Su Wenyue was greeted by the housekeeper and taken to a room to rest. After all, she had not fully recovered from childbirth. While she was said to have recuperated, her foundation was still weak. It wasn’t noticeable during her regular, minimal activity, but it became apparent now.

Naturally, Han Yu wasn’t going to rest with Su Wenyue. His visit to the Zhuangzi was originally for Zhai Li and the others, so after settling his wife, he went to see them. That day, he had only enough time to take them in, but many other details—how to get along, his rules and bottom lines—needed to be thoroughly discussed.

No one knew what they talked about, but Han Yu spent more than an hour before returning, the relaxed expression on his face indicating a pleasant conversation with Zhai Li and the others.

“How was it? Seeing how happy you look, Zhai Li and the others, hailing from Major Martial Arts Families and carefully cultivated as heirs, must know a lot and can surely be great assistants,” Su Wenyue said with a smile.

“My intelligent wife, exactly! Previously without the right help, I had to do everything myself, which wasn’t just restraining, but most of my time was consumed by the military camp. I had too many limitations and couldn’t look after too many external affairs. But now it’s different; Zhai Li and the others are indeed carefully nurtured heirs from Martial Arts Families, all very capable. If it hadn’t been for the treachery of the ruffians and a series of fortunate events that led me to them, I wouldn’t have been able to recruit such talented individuals.” Han Yu spoke with a smile, the more he understood his wife, the more he realized how much stronger and impressive she was than he had imagined. He also started sharing many external matters with her.

“Congratulations, husband, on acquiring such talent. It truly is a joyful occasion!” Su Wenyue was happy for Han Yu.

When they returned home, it was already night. The first thing Su Wenyue did after returning to the darkness of the outside was to inquire about the condition of their three little guys. Sure enough, without Brother Xing’s leadership, the other two little ones were quite obedient, not crying at all, and had a full eat and sleep routine.

Han Yu looked at the three children but didn’t immediately return to the room. Instead, he headed to the study since he had to head to the stronghold with his men early the next morning.