Wolf-Raised Cub with a Space: Surviving the Disaster Years

Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Chen Ye Is Back?

"Miss, you’re a pleasure to do business with. My brother and I were just discussing it—my relative has another five hundred pounds of wood in total. It’s also wet, though. Do you think... you’d want to take that off our hands too?"

The middle-aged man finished counting the silver notes, gleefully rubbing his hands together.

Muchun frowned and chided, "Don’t be so greedy!"

Shen Ningning raised a small hand to stop her and looked at the two brothers.

"I can take it, but I’ll pay you the rest of the silver after I receive all the wood."

"Great, great! No problem. We can even go with you to the government office and sign an official contract."

Shen Ningning nodded, her little face serious. "A contract will be signed, but you’ll have to wait a bit."

With that, she told Muchun to make arrangements: find a dozen or so Protectors from the Prime Minister’s Mansion to follow the two brothers and haul the wood.

Muchun looked troubled. "Commandery Princess... once the wood is here, where are we going to put it?"

Shen Ningning tapped her chin with a small hand, thinking hard.

’Of course, I’m going to put it in the Immortal Realm, but I can’t let anyone see me do it.’

Just then, the man spoke up again. "There’s an abandoned granary in the West Alley. We tried to negotiate a deal to store our wood there before, but the owner wouldn’t agree."

"Their price was too high—five hundred taels just to rent it for a year. The location is too remote, so we passed on it. If you think it might work, Miss, you could go and ask."

Shen Ningning nodded decisively. "Alright. In a bit, you can take me to see that granary."

’I’ll find a place to store the wood first, then I can move it into the Immortal Realm bit by bit.’

The little one had it all figured out in her mind.

Seeing that Shen Ningning had made up her mind, Muchun shook her head with a sigh of resignation.

She turned and entered the mansion to get twenty Protectors from the housekeeper.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Shen Ningning spotted someone peering out from the bend of a nearby alley.

When she turned to look, she saw a man with a messy stubble, dressed almost like a beggar.

But!

Shen Ningning recognized that familiar face at once. It was Chen Ye!

’Didn’t he leave the Capital City?’

Chen Ye seemed to have come specifically looking for Shen Ningning. He beckoned to her anxiously.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, Shen Ningning said to the two men, "Wait here. Don’t wander off."

With that, she walked over to the corner.

Xie Yuanjiu couldn’t see what Shen Ningning was doing, which only made her more suspicious.

Over there, the little girl pulled Chen Ye into a dead-end alley.

"Brother Chen, why are you back? Aren’t you afraid of being caught?"

Having not seen him for a month, it was clear Chen Ye had been sleeping rough. The look in his eyes was even darker and more somber.

"Miss, General Xie is a capable man. His soldiers have blockaded all the waterways outside the Capital City and have every gate under tight control."

"I made it as far as Chongzhou, but before I could leave the city, I discovered they had sealed the gates and were checking everyone’s Identity Jade Scroll one by one. Now, the five-hundred-li radius outside the Capital City is locked down like an iron fortress—easy to enter, but difficult to leave. I knew I’d be caught if I tried to go any further, so I came back."

"But when I returned, I went near Xiangyun Village, only to hear that my mother had fallen ill after being caught in an autumn rain. I wanted to visit her, but the area around Xiangyun Village is crawling with government soldiers lying in ambush."

"Miss, can you please help me? I just want to see my mother one more time. As soon as I know she’s okay, I’ll go."

Shen Ningning’s brow furrowed in distress.

It was true that Granny Chen was sick. Worrying about her son had already taken a great toll on her.

This illness had nearly taken half her life.

Fortunately, Shen Ningning had provided medicinal herbs and sent some Spiritual Spring Water a few days ago. Grandma Qin had also been checking in on Granny Chen from time to time, so she was doing much better now.

She scratched her cheek with a small hand. "Brother Chen, even if I could take you to her, it can’t be right now."

Chen Ye said quickly, "Even a couple of days from now would be fine. I just want to see my mother with my own eyes. I’m begging you, Miss, please make it happen."

Seeing that he was about to kneel, Shen Ningning quickly helped him up.

"Alright, I’ll figure something out. Try not to be so anxious."

Chen Ye’s weather-beaten eyes turned red. "I have no way to repay your kindness, Miss. If I ever get the chance, I’ll work like a dog to repay you."

Shen Ningning tilted her little head. "Brother Chen, do you have a place to stay right now?"

Chen Ye shook his head. "The city guard is even more strict. I can only find a place to hide for the time being."

Shen Ningning bit her lower lip. After a moment of internal debate, she said, "I’m planning on renting a granary."

"If it works out, you can hide there for a while. Once things are safer, I’ll take you to see Granny Chen."

Chen Ye was overjoyed at her words and thanked her profusely.

Shen Ningning told him to wait in the alley and follow their carriage in a little while.

Then, the little girl had the two wood-sellers lead the way. With Muchun and twenty Protectors from the Prime Minister’s Mansion in tow, she headed straight for the granary.

Hearing the sound of them leaving, Xie Yuanjiu quickly stepped out.

She saw Shen Ningning’s carriage kicking up dust as it departed. Just as she was about to step forward to see which way the little girl had gone...

...a figure in black suddenly darted out of the alley, chasing after the carriage.

Xie Yuanjiu jumped in fright and quickly ducked back behind the gates of the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Once she was sure they were far away, she emerged, her expression full of suspicion.

"What is Shen Ningning doing buying so much wood for two thousand taels? And who was that man just now?" she muttered to herself.

She called over her maid and ordered her to send someone to secretly tail Shen Ningning.

"Report every single detail to me." She suspected Shen Ningning was about to get into huge trouble!

’And that will be my chance.’

Shen Ningning went to the abandoned granary and took a look around.

There were six granaries in total, enclosed within a courtyard. The property was vast, its area comparable to a large residence with multiple courtyards.

The owner, a man with a family of four, lived in a small courtyard on the property.

When they learned Shen Ningning was there to buy the granary, they looked her up and down. Seeing her expensive clothes, the owner immediately said, "One price: three thousand taels. Non-negotiable!"

Shen Ningning pursed her pink lips, putting on a serious, businesslike expression.

"These granaries are huge, and they have no fewer than a hundred holes."

"The eaves are falling apart. This place isn’t just abandoned, it’s a complete ruin."

"It would cost me a fortune in silver just to repair a place like this, and you’re asking for three thousand taels? Hmph, forget it!" She turned to leave.

"Hey! Miss! Please wait, don’t go!" the owner cried, chasing after her. "Then... how about two thousand taels?"

"Five hundred taels. Not a penny more. If you don’t agree, the deal is off," Shen Ningning said, her gaze firm.

The owner froze, then gritted his teeth. "Five hundred taels it is. But in that case, I can’t leave these things for you, Miss."

He pointed at the harrows used for plowing inside the granary.

Shen Ningning nodded. As it happened, she didn’t need those things anyway.

The little girl gave Muchun a look.

Muchun immediately stepped forward and, with an authoritative air, handed over a silver note for 200 taels.

"You have three days to move out and clear everything away. We’ll leave two men behind to watch."

"On the day you leave, the owner will bring the land deed and accompany me to the government office to finalize the transfer."

The owner said quickly, "We don’t need three days, we can move out today. I’ll go with you now to transfer the land deed. When we get back and you give us the rest of the silver, we’ll leave."

Muchun looked at Shen Ningning. When the little girl nodded, Muchun called for two Protectors to go with her.

Meanwhile, Wanchun returned to the Prime Minister’s Mansion to fetch more silver.

Shen Ningning directed the Protectors to go with the two wood-sellers and start moving the timber.

After a flurry of activity, by evening, the granaries, now filled with wood, belonged to the little girl.

Soaking wet wood was crammed into all six warehouses until they were full.

Shen Ningning settled Chen Ye into a small room behind the granaries. She left him some fresh water, food, and dry biscuits—enough to last him for a while.

But over the next two days, she couldn’t find a good opportunity to take Chen Ye back to the village.

However, on this day, just as she was leaving the National Academy, she saw a trusted aide in brown robes walking toward her, looking travel-worn.

"This humble servant greets the Commandery Princess. By order of His Highness the Crown Prince, I have brought you this letter."

As he spoke, he presented the letter with both hands.

Shen Ningning blinked her round, dark eyes as she looked. Tucked into the ocher-colored envelope was a blooming, pink peach blossom.