The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 788 - 750: Changed Your Mind? (Part 2)

"Who else could it be, Master Yun." Xu Jia answered casually.

Ye Rong asked her, "How do you know for sure that Master Yun will go, sister?"

Xu Jia hesitated and then replied, "Isn’t it obvious?"

Ye Rong said, "Wow, sister, you’re always thinking about other men. Shouldn’t you consider my feelings?"

Xu Jia didn’t bother with him, "Stop joking around. Your so-called plan isn’t reliable at all. The clothes are made, so that’s done. As for my appearance, there’s no need for deliberate change. If there are people we know in the convoy, I’ll step forward and say a word, which would allow us to legitimately follow them to the Northern Border, avoiding the constant fear of being recognized. I don’t want to be mistaken for a thief."

"You’re absolutely right." Ye Rong gave her a thumbs-up, "But if the Yun Family sends people to the Northern Border and we don’t know any of them, what do we do?"

Xu Jia was conflicted, "If it really doesn’t work out, I’ll write a letter to Suzhou now, asking Master Yun for a favor."

The Yun Family was ordered by the Crown Prince to deliver medicine to the Northern Border, and they could freely enter and exit the military camp. But Xu Jia and Ye Rong couldn’t do that unless Yun Huai acknowledged that they were also there to deliver medicine.

Ye Rong tapped the table, "You’re sure he’ll agree if you ask? What if he refuses?"

Once again, Xu Jia was at a loss for words.

Ye Rong summed it up, "Therefore, it’s safer to use my plan. If we don’t know anyone in the delivery convoy, we can take the opportunity to knock out a couple of them and disguise ourselves as them. Once we get into the camp, we can figure it out from there. They will pass through Runing Prefecture on their way to the Northern Border; we should wait there first."

...

Xu Jia also didn’t mention the epidemic in the Northern Border to her family. When she was packing, Song Fang came in, saw her, and asked where she was going. Xu Jia calmly said that she wanted to go to the estate for some relaxation.

Song Fang noticed that she indeed seemed troubled and didn’t ask further. She told Xu Jia to inform her if she needed anything and she would arrange it immediately.

After speaking, she asked Xu Jia if she needed a carriage prepared.

"I don’t need a carriage; I’ll ride a horse." Having lived through one life already, Xu Jia was more composed than in her past life. Now, she didn’t blush while lying.

However, the calmer she appeared, the more she seemed mature beyond her years, lacking the liveliness expected of someone her age.

Song Fang looked at her and silently sighed, thinking that perhaps the previous hurt from Tang Yuan had deeply affected the young lady. It was probably good for her to go out and find peace; staying in the army camp all the time might not be beneficial.

After packing up, Xu Jia said goodbye to her mother and Aunt Mei, took advantage of Xu Shu not being home, and rode straight to the South City Gate. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Ye Rong was waiting for her outside the city.

Besides Ye Rong, there was a middle-aged man with broad features, presumably the "imitation master" Ye Rong had mentioned.

Upon seeing Xu Jia, Ye Rong asked, "Your family didn’t notice anything strange, did they?"

Xu Jia nodded, "I told them I was going to the estate, and they were quite reassured."

"That’s good. Let’s hurry without delay, or we’ll miss the Yun Family’s convoy."

Saying this, Ye Rong turned his horse, whipped it, and the horse raised its four hooves and galloped forward. On the way, he introduced the middle-aged man to Xu Jia, saying he was the master helping them imitate the Yun Family uniforms, with the surname Zhu.

Xu Jia, seated on horseback with one hand holding the whip and the other gripping the reins, unable to perform a greeting, nodded to Master Zhu, "Thank you very much, Master."

"I’m not worthy of being called ’Master.’" The middle-aged man took a good look at Xu Jia, "My surname is Zhu, given name Shenghui, ’Shenghui’ as in ’a humble abode shines.’"

Zhu Shenghui?

Ye Rong twitched at the corner of his mouth but quickly returned to normal upon meeting Xu Jia’s gaze.

...

Ye Rong timed it very well. The three of them stayed one night in Runing Prefecture, and the next day, the Yun Family’s convoy entered the city.

Ye Rong specially found a well-positioned teahouse, intending to observe the people in the convoy, understand the situation in order to act. Unexpectedly, upon casting his gaze, he saw Yun Huai.

The medicinal materials heading north were locked in boxes that were specially made by the Yun Family, impervious to cuts and fire, only opened with keys, totaling sixteen.

Yun Huai led at the front, riding on horseback. His was a top-grade black-maned horse with a sleek, dark coat in stark contrast to his cold white robe, with silver-traced cloud patterns on the cuffs and collar indicating the Yun Family identity. He was followed by twenty-some Yun Family disciples divided on both sides, each maintaining utmost vigilance.

The convoy wasn’t long, but its aura was undeniably formidable.

Civilians on the street made way upon the sight.

In the teahouse, Ye Rong took a deep breath, "We’re doomed!"

He never expected Yun Huai to personally head for the Northern Border.

With that person there, how could their little tricks go unnoticed?

Xu Jia also saw Yun Huai, but she was much calmer than Ye Rong. After all, she hadn’t started her disguise yet and didn’t have to worry about being exposed. She was just thinking about how to approach Yun Huai later and then tell him she wanted to go to the Northern Border, asking him to allow her to accompany him.

The most at ease at this table was Zhu Shenghui. Since he came in, he has been eating and drinking as he should, completely unaffected and unconcerned about the Yun Family’s troops passing outside.

Ye Rong sat back down, looking at Zhu Shenghui who was joyfully eating almond cakes. "Hey, how confident are you that we can bluff our way through?"

Zhu Shenghui swallowed the last piece of cake, wiped his hands, and spoke slowly, "Basically, no chance."

Ye Rong was immediately furious, his face filled with anger, "No chance, and you still have the mind to sit here and eat and drink?"

Zhu Shenghui laughed, "Young people, don’t be so impatient. Business may not succeed, but friendship remains. I can’t draw, but I can help you with something."

"What help?"

"In the group that just passed, one of them is my nephew. If you want to do something, feel free to tell me, and I can help you ask if it’s feasible. How about it?"

"A single business deal, we don’t even know each other well, so why would I tell you?" Ye Rong refused and reached out his hand towards him, "Refund!"

Making two sets of clothes cost fifty taels, which haven’t even been used yet. Hiring him for a high-resolution face reproduction also cost fifty taels, but in the end, apart from eating, drinking, and playing along the way, he didn’t help at all. How can money be earned so easily?

Zhu Shenghui was notoriously stingy. Money already in his pocket would never be returned easily. He said nothing and looked at Xu Jia with a smile.

Unexpectedly, Xu Jia said, "You are a Yun Family person."

Zhu Shenghui’s old face stiffened.

Even Ye Rong was startled, "Senior sister, what are you saying?"

Xu Jia sipped her tea calmly, "Earlier, Boss Zhu didn’t look down, yet knew there was someone in that group who was his nephew. Either he’s lying, or he already knew who was passing by. But given Boss Zhu’s abilities, I guess the second possibility is more likely. What do you think, Boss Zhu?"

Zhu Shenghui choked on his tea, coughed until his old face turned red, and waved his hand hurriedly, his voice intermittent, "I don’t understand what, what the girl means."

Xu Jia chuckled lightly, "Boss Zhu has countless tailors and embroideresses under him. Those two sets of clothes could be made in a day for you, so the remaining five days would certainly be spent sending messages. You must first obtain the master’s consent before delivering the goods to Ah Rong. Am I right in my analysis?"

Zhu Shenghui just raised his eyebrows without speaking.

"If the clothing matter can’t prove my guess, then you dared to follow us after replicating the Yun Family uniform, isn’t it getting yourself caught? Boss Zhu, you can account for a single coin, how could you make such a low-level mistake? Unless you came to Runing Prefecture not to help the two of us, but to see your master, right?"

Ye Rong instantly understood, seeing Zhu Shenghui had the intention of leaving, he suddenly reached out and grabbed him, "Good for you, Zhu. I hired you for business, but you tricked me? Speak honestly, who told you to follow us, who is your master?"

One arm was twisted by Ye Rong, but Zhu Shenghui seemed not to feel pain, raising his eyebrows and looking towards Xu Jia, "Hasn’t this girl already figured it out?"

Ye Rong turned his gaze to Xu Jia.

Xu Jia said calmly, "He’s one of Master Yun’s people, let him go."

"No..." Ye Rong was puzzled, "I just asked for help, and happened to run into a Yun Family person? How many secret agents have they planted in the capital, exactly?"

Zhu Shenghui shrugged his arm, continued drinking tea and eating, and responded with a sneer, "The Yun Family’s influence in Jianghu, how would a noble family son like you understand?"

Ye Rong was irritated upon hearing it and accused Zhu Shenghui of looking down on noble family sons.

Then the two of them started arguing back and forth.

Xu Jia had no mind to pay attention, she was now full of embarrassment.

Making clothes, trying to mix into the Yun Family team, all of which Yun Huai had already learned, certainly thinking she won’t give up and tried to scheme again, having failed to seduce him initially.

Covering her flushed and embarrassed face, Xu Jia stood up and left the teahouse first to return to the inn to rest, intending to plan how to go to the Northern Border.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she arrived at the inn’s lobby, she found it full of people dressed in white, all Yun Family disciples. Clearly, the place had been booked.

Luckily, Yun Huai wasn’t present.

Xu Jia secretly breathed a sigh of relief, planning to go upstairs to get her luggage, when the shopkeeper came over with an apologetic expression, "Sorry, guest, our inn has been booked. You and your two friends need to find another place to stay!"

Xu Jia nodded and said, "Okay, I’ll go upstairs to get my things and then leave."

The shopkeeper was grateful to see her being so agreeable, showing a thankful smile.

Xu Jia walked up the wooden stairs. Just as she reached the landing and turned around, her gaze met the person standing at the stairwell.

Xu Jia’s eyes flickered, hurriedly turning her face away, "I-I’m just here to get my things, I’ll leave right away."

Yun Huai’s lips seemed to slightly move, his gaze deepening, "Weren’t you trying to mix into the Yun Family team? What, changed your mind?"

Xu Jia: "..."