Chapter 55 Trading
However, she knew that Su Wanyu was helping her. Although the plan sounded bold and even absurd, she was the only one who extended a helping hand in such a desperate situation.
Zheng Chengyan is very ambitious, and once he passes the high school entrance exam, I will probably be the first to bear the brunt of the consequences.
She must seize this only opportunity.
"If Miss says this is a deal, then what does Miss expect Sina to do?" Pei Sina straightened her back and bowed respectfully to Su Wanyu.
Years of humiliation have made her mature and wise, and she knows how to make the most advantageous choice at critical moments.
Su Wanyu responded with a gentle smile, gently placed the teacup in Pei Sina's palm, and said seriously: "I have paved your way to success with millions of gold, and when you are in a high position and power, I hope you can help me to avenge my grievances and regain my freedom... How do you think?"
"Revenge..." Pei Sina repeated in a low voice. People outside might find it difficult to understand. As the only daughter of the Su family, she had enjoyed splendor since childhood and married into a marquis's mansion. Where did the hatred come from?
Su Wanyu saw through her doubts, turned around, picked up a pebble on the table, and said softly: "You are not a fish, how do you know the joy of a fish? You are not a fish, how do you know the pain of a fish?"
Pei Sina waited attentively.
Su Wanyu used her slender fingers to press the stone into the soil. Her tone changed from gentle to cold: "Although my family is wealthy, I am like a fish on a chopping board in the Zheng Mansion. Once they become successful, they will ruthlessly abandon me, or even destroy my entire Su family and plunder everything."
"Tell me, how should I deal with this?" she asked with a wry smile.
Pei Sina was extremely intelligent and could see the deep meaning of the words just by looking at a few words.
Although the Su family is wealthy, facing Zheng Chengyan who is eager to enter the court, with a declining famous family on one side and a weak merchant on the other, the dilemma faced by Su Wanyu is self-evident.
Pei Sina read an unspeakable sorrow from Su Wanyu's bitter smile. Her eyes changed from vigilance to gentleness, revealing a hint of imperceptible sympathy.
The two figures shine in the light, and it is impossible to tell who illuminates whom. Their faces are particularly vivid under the interweaving of light and shadow.
Su Wanyu smiled with a hint of expectation: "I hope that in the future, you can help me when I, a merchant's wife, get into trouble."
Pei Sina raised her cup and drank it all in one gulp. The aroma of tea filled the air. She said cheerfully, "It's great!"
After finishing her tea, Pei Sina held the empty cup in both hands, knelt on the ground, and bowed to Su Wanyu in the most pious manner: "My humble daughter Pei Sina, thank you for your kindness, young lady, this deal..."
"I accepted it." Pei Sina lowered her eyes, her voice steady and resolute: "Since it is a business deal, we must keep our word. No matter if the road ahead is full of thorns or a smooth one, Pei Sina will go all out. This heart and this determination will never change until death."
When Su Wanyu heard this, her smile blossomed, bright and sincere.
She gently took Pei Sina's hand, with a determined light in her eyes: "Okay, from now on, you are the only hope of the Luo family in Lancheng, Luo Wenxuan."
The Luo and Su families had a deep friendship. The Luo family did have an only son, but unfortunately, he died young three months ago.
Su Wanyu had already made careful plans. She planned to let Pei Sina go to the capital to take the imperial examination under the identity of Luo Wenxuan. A few months later, she would enter the examination hall side by side with Zheng Chengyan.
Pei Sina looked solemn and responded seriously: "Yes, Miss."
Su Wanyu's eyes fell gently on the scar on Pei Sina's face. She said regretfully, "On this journey, you will endure many difficulties. From now on, you must abandon your female body and walk the world as a man."
Pei Sina's lips curled up into a bitter smile, but her eyes were indifferent beyond her age: "I don't like the many constraints of being a woman. Being a man may allow me to live more freely."
Su Wanyu was slightly startled when she heard this. After a moment of silence, she gently stroked Pei Sina's cheek and said softly, "Sina, as a woman, you have done nothing wrong. What is wrong is the prejudice and constraints against women in this world. Letting you dress as a man does not mean that I look down on your gender. On the contrary, I admire your tenacity and wisdom. Your male identity is just a coat for you to realize your ambitions."
"Remember, no matter when or where you are, once you take off this coat, you will always be Pei Sina, the pride of the Pei family."
Su Wanyu's hand was like the warm sunshine in winter, causing Pei Sina's heart to surge with an unprecedented warmth.
After the discussion, Su Wanyu did not stay in the villa for long. She quickly arranged people and prepared to deliver the article on water control strategies to Zheng Chengyan in the name of Pei Sina at noon the next day.
Lord Zheng will personally review this "new work", and Zheng Chengyan's fate will undergo a drastic change as a result.
Recently, Jiangzhou has been hit by heavy rains, and floods have ravaged three counties, causing the imperial court to be extremely worried.
Although Lord Zheng appreciates his son's talent, he is deeply disappointed by the incident between Tao Xing and Jiang Yingying. He hopes to use this opportunity to let Zheng Chengyan write a policy paper on flood control to prove himself to the emperor and the regent and restore the family's glory.
The next afternoon, the sun shone through the clouds onto the blue bricks and tiles of the Zheng Mansion. Lord Zheng rarely stayed at home and walked into Zheng Chengyan's study.
The study is quietly located in the southwest corner of the second courtyard. On weekdays, this is where Zheng Chengyan studies poetry and books.
At the same time, Su Wanyu and her personal maid Yun Yi strolled to the pond outside the yard. They gently scattered fish food, attracting a group of red and white koi to compete for the food.
Since the Jiang Yingying incident, the atmosphere in the Zheng residence has become extremely heavy.
The eldest sister-in-law, Wang, was still in charge of the household chores. Although under the old lady's harsh reprimand, she began to use her precious dowry to subsidize the family income and tried to maintain the dignity of the mansion, but this effort seemed a little beyond her ability.
Su Wanyu remained calm and composed as usual, and on the surface she still looked ignorant of the world, but in fact she was observing everything secretly.
I chose this time to feed the fish today, just to witness with my own eyes how the self-proclaimed great talent would fall into this carefully arranged game.
Zheng Chengyan was immersed in sorrow due to Jiang Yingying's death. In just a few days, he became more taciturn, and his words lacked their former sharpness.
In the study, Lord Zheng stroked his graying beard and paced back and forth beside the desk, his eyes full of expectation: "Child, have you made any progress on the flood control strategy for Jiangzhou's heavy rain?"
At this moment, Zheng Chengyan was holding in his hand an article that had just been handed over by a servant, which was said to be written by Pei Sina. He had not yet read it carefully.
Since the arrival of Aunt Guo and the misfortunes of the concubines in his family, his image in the heart of Marquis Zheng has been greatly reduced, so he is eager to regain his father's recognition through this manuscript.
He slowly unfolded the article and quickly glanced at the first few lines. He felt that the writing was acceptable, so he immediately handed the article to Lord Zheng: "Dad, the article is ready, please take a look."