Chapter 37: Do Not Make Trouble

Ten thousand taels for fifty or sixty people meant a price of nearly two hundred taels per person, which was an exceptionally high offer even in Changdu. This deal was a guaranteed profit.

Having secured his own benefits, the smile on Zhou Wenbing’s face deepened, and he became even more sincere when addressing Jia Ping’an.

With the business concluded, Jia Ping’an did not linger, and Zhou Wenbing did not press him to stay.

Originally, he had been quite curious about where Jia Ping’an had found so many mountain ginsengs. However, their relationship was still somewhat distant, and bringing it up now would clearly be too hasty. He decided to build rapport first; once they had more dealings in the future, it wouldn't be too late to probe into the matter.

Soon, as Jia Ping’an emerged from the Zhou family courtyard, Chang Chao rushed over. "Young Master, I have bought everything you asked for."

Chang Chao felt a bit speechless at this moment. He could not understand why the Young Master needed to buy these things. Wine, cooking spices, and porcelain were understandable, but what was the point of buying tea tree seeds?

The environment in Ningguta did not seem suitable for growing tea. As for him, he had run to several shops just to find these seeds, eventually obtaining this small amount from a man who had come from Changdu—it was merely what remained after the man had failed in his attempt to trial-plant them in Ningguta.

"Very good, let's go home." Seeing the bags in Chang Chao’s hands, Jia Ping’an was quite pleased, especially with the tea seeds. He hadn't even been sure if he could buy them here, but it seemed they were available after all; otherwise, given Chang Chao’s personality, he would have mentioned it long ago.

Upon hearing the word "home," Chang Chao was overjoyed.

This was home—a real home.

Jia Ping’an had been away for seven days, and he had been out for seven days as well. He truly missed his sister, Chang E, and wondered if she had gained any weight.

At the Jia residence.

Jia Ping’an’s return brought a massive sense of relief to Yu Luoli, who had been on edge the entire time.

Jia Ping’an had spent eight full days in the mountains. By the fifth day, Yu Luoli had been unable to sit still. She had even contemplated going into the mountains alone, but after looking at her husband still bedridden, her eleven-year-old daughter, and Chang E—who was not much older—she ultimately abandoned the idea.

It wasn't that she didn't want to go; it was simply that she had no confidence she could find him in the mountains. Thus, she could only wait in agony at home.

Just last night, she had not slept a wink, leaving dark circles under her eyes. When Jia Ping’an returned and saw her, he was slightly taken aback.

His feelings toward this woman were complex.

Especially after learning that she had placed a gu-poison on him, his emotions became even more conflicted.

He could feel that Auntie Yu treated him very well, even better than she treated her own daughter, Rongrong. Yet, he could not understand why she would poison him.

A problem is a problem precisely because one does not know the correct answer.

At the very least, until he found the answer, Jia Ping’an could not truly trust Yu Luoli. Because of this, seeing her exhausted from worrying about him, he didn't even know what to say.

"It’s good that you’re back, it’s good that you’re back. You haven't eaten yet, have you?" With Jia Ping’an safely home, the heavy weight on Yu Luoli’s heart was finally lifted, and she followed up with a concerned inquiry.

"I really haven't eaten." Jia Ping’an nodded, speaking the truth.

He had bought some food when he went into the mountains, and with his spatial storage, he didn't have to worry about it spoiling. But where could that food compare to the taste of home? He had truly missed Yu Luoli’s cooking.

"Good, I’ll go make some for you right now." Yu Luoli agreed immediately, her eyes filled with care and tenderness.

"That sounds great." Jia Ping’an did not feign modesty. As he agreed, he took two silver banknotes from his robe and handed them to her. "I was lucky and had a good haul in the mountains. This is a portion of the money from selling the ginseng."

Two hundred taels.

At that time, it was not a small sum, especially for the current Jia family.

"So much? Do you still have any left?" She did not immediately reach for the money, but asked this out of concern.

Jia Ping’an had given her fifty taels before, and that money hadn't even been spent yet. Now, here was another two hundred taels. It couldn't help but give Yu Luoli the illusion that young Master An was even better at making money than his father.

"Don't worry, Auntie Yu, I still have more." Jia Ping’an patted his chest with a smile. He had nearly six thousand taels hidden there, which was enough for him to do many things in Ningguta.

"Very well." Yu Luoli did not stand on ceremony. After all, she managed the household expenses, and without money in hand, she couldn't buy anything.

As Yu Luoli busied herself with cooking and Chang E dutifully went to help, Jia Rongrong ran over, hugged Jia Ping’an’s leg, and looked up with a pitiful expression. "Brother, where did you go? Rongrong missed you so much."

"Brother missed Rongrong, too. How about this? We’ll play together in a little while, okay? Look at you, your face is all dirty, like a little kitten. That’s not pretty at all." Jia Ping’an loved his sister dearly and possessed the most patience for her. As he spoke, he crouched down.

"Where is it not pretty? Where?" Jia Rongrong was already eleven and knew about vanity. Upon hearing that her face was dirty, she became anxious, and her attention was immediately diverted.

"Chang Chao, go help Auntie Yu, and have your sister help Rongrong wash her face again." Jia Ping’an smiled, flicked the tip of Jia Rongrong’s nose, and then stood up to instruct Chang Chao, who was standing behind him.

Soon, Chang E ran out from the kitchen, took Jia Rongrong by the hand, and went to wash her face. Finally finding some peace, Jia Ping’an turned his steps directly toward the bedroom where his father resided.

Jia Fanghao’s illness had long since passed; what remained was a sickness of the heart.

Perhaps the contrast between being an imperial physician and a man in exile was too great; he still hadn't fully adapted.

But time is the best healer. Over the past two days, Jia Fanghao hadn't been lying down the entire time; occasionally, under Yu Luoli’s persuasion, he would get out of bed and walk around.

Yet, he would only walk within the confines of the bedroom and wouldn't even step outside. This was because his spirit was too fragile to face reality.

At this moment, Jia Fanghao was lying in bed. When Jia Ping’an entered, he saw two shoes by the bed placed in a disheveled manner.

Seeing this, and noticing that Jia Fanghao’s breathing was still uneven, Jia Ping’an realized his father had just been walking around and had hurriedly climbed back into bed upon hearing of his return.

This was likely his father’s pride.

In front of others, he could laugh and joke, abandon his image, or even be bossed around and complain of his hardships. But in front of his son, he still felt the need to maintain a stern, humorless facade.

Jia Ping’an, possessing some of the original owner’s memories, recalled scenes of Jia Fanghao teaching him medical texts. It seemed that in his impressions, his father was always stone-faced, casting stern glares whenever he misread or forgot a passage.

This was a form of fatherly love. In this era, the hierarchy between father and son, ruler and subject, was strictly defined; it was nothing like later generations, where many fathers and sons could interact like friends.

Jia Fanghao did not want to show his vulnerable side to Jia Ping’an, and as a son, he did not expose him. Instead, he pulled up a chair by the bed and sat down.

"Father, I’ve returned. I had good luck in the mountains this time and harvested many ginsengs that can be used as medicine. Just this morning, I went to the newly opened Zhou Family Ginseng Firm..."

Jia Ping’an knew his father could hear him, so he recounted the events of the morning in detail, including his visits to the General’s Mansion, the Zheng family compound, and his return to the Zhou Family Ginseng Firm.

Jia Ping’an wasn't telling him this to prove his competence, nor to ask for his father’s advice.

By saying all this, he was making one thing clear: he had grown up, and he didn't need anyone else to guide the things he planned to do next.

Furthermore, he was implicitly stating that he was far more capable and formidable than his father—that his father could no longer teach him anything.

In saying this, Jia Ping’an’s goal was simple: to tell his father that he would persist in his upcoming plans, and as for him... he should not interfere.

Yes, not interfering was the greatest help his father could provide right now.

The ancients valued filial piety far more than people in later generations.

For instance, if a government official’s father passed away, the official had to return home for three years of mourning.

Because of this, many officials would lose their real power and positions by the time they returned. In later generations, this would be unthinkable. Conversely, if an official’s parents passed away and the official stayed at their post, they might even be celebrated as a model of someone who sacrificed their personal life for the nation.

But here, such a concept simply did not exist.

In other words, if Jia Fanghao were to step out now and stop Jia Ping’an from following his own plan, there would be nothing he could do.

There was no other way around it; if everyone stood on Jia Fanghao’s side to criticize him, he would truly be unable to do anything. Jia Ping’an came to see his father and spoke these words to express one thing: his son has grown up, there are things he must do, and he must not attempt to hinder him.

"Father, I will work hard to earn more money, find you eight or ten daughters-in-law, and help the Jia family branch out as soon as possible." After finishing his account, Jia Ping’an added this final remark.