Because it wasn’t a market day, there weren’t too many people buying meat, so Butcher Zhang was cutting meat for Lian Manman while chatting with her.

"I don’t know why, but these last couple of days there have been more people passing through the town. Judging by their accents, they’re not from around here..."

Before long, another nosy person came over to join the conversation.

"Old Zhang, you might not know this, but these people, they’re all from the Prefecture City, and some even from the Capital City. Didn’t you see there were also official-looking people among them?"

"People from the Prefecture City, Capital City, what are they doing coming up here?" Lian Manman asked.

"Don’t act like you’re the only one in the know." Butcher Zhang rolled his eyes at the person who had joined in, "You know Aunt Li Er from the back street, right? She often comes here to buy meat. She has a nephew working at the County Yamen, and she told me..."

Butcher Zhang paused there, looking around as if the information he was about to reveal was important, cautious not to let irrelevant people hear it.

"Aunt Li Er said that these people are all heading towards Xiao Shen Tun, and it’s regarding something to do with the Shen Family."

No wonder there were noticeably more people on the road coming in. What matter could the Shen Family possibly have, other than Empress Shen just passing away?

"What exactly are they here for?" Lian Manman asked again.

"Now, that is..." Butcher Zhang didn’t say directly, and it was unclear whether he genuinely didn’t know or was just playing coy.

"Old Zhang, what nonsense are you spouting now?" Someone came over laughing heartily.

Lian Manman turned around and saw that the person was Wu Yugui.

"Third Uncle Wu." Lian Manman and Xiao Qi both greeted Wu Yugui with a smile.

Wu Yugui also smiled when he saw the two of them.

"Manman and Xiao Qi, you’re here to buy meat?"

"Yes, Third Uncle Wu. We’re making dumplings at home tonight. If you have time, come have a drink with my dad. These last two days he’s been bringing up Third Uncle Wu."

Lian Manman’s words made the smile on Wu Yugui’s face grow even wider.

"Give my regards to your dad and mom. I can’t make it today, I still have some business to attend to later. Another day, I’ll bring two pounds of good liquor and have a proper drink with your dad," Wu Yugui said.

"Here comes the real know-it-all. Miss, weren’t you asking what these people were here for? If Old Wu doesn’t know, then no one in this town does," Butcher Zhang said with a grin.

"Yes, Third Uncle Wu, what are all these people doing here?" Lian Manman asked Wu Yugui with a smile.

"There are even more people coming in the next few days!" Wu Yugui said.

From the tone of Wu Yugui’s voice, it seemed he really did know something.

"What’s going on, Old Wu, spill it. Everyone’s been talking these last couple of days," both Butcher Zhang and the nosy person urged Wu Yugui to explain.

"Old Zhang, did you set aside those two pig kidneys for me like I asked?" Wu Yugui didn’t answer but asked Butcher Zhang instead.

"Do I even need to say it? Could I forget something you entrusted to me?" Butcher Zhang put down his knife and pulled out a greasy paper package stained with blood from beneath the chopping board, tossing it onto the counter. "Come on, tell us what’s going on."

"... Empress Shen of the Shen Family passed away, and The Emperor has issued a decree granting a large sum of money to the Shen Family, to build a temple for the Empress in Xiao Shen Tun, right on the mountain there. These people arriving these last few days, they’re here to scope out the place," Wu Yugui finally shared the news.

Lian Manman inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief. Empress Shen had died and still received such treatment, which meant that the Shen Family’s favor and honor had not faded. She had clearly watched too many palace dramas and was worried for the people of the past. Shen Liu and Fatty Shen would continue to enjoy wealth and glory.

"The mountain in Xiao Shen Tun?" Lian Manman thought to herself, "Isn’t that the mountain right in front of our village, Nanshan?"

"Yes, that’s the one you call Danan Mountain," Wu Yugui said.

Wasn’t that where she had once saved Shen Liu? What a coincidence.

After chatting for a bit longer, Butcher Zhang had finished cutting up the pork filling, and he also chopped two hocks for Lian Manman. After paying, Lian Manman said goodbye to Wu Yugui and left the butcher’s shop.

"Danan Mountain is getting a temple, things are going to get lively around here," Lian Manman said to Xiao Qi as they walked away.

Lian Manman anticipated that their place would get busy, but she had underestimated just how busy it would become. Wu Yugui’s information probably had some truth to it, but it was only one-tenth of the real story. At this time, of course, Lian Manman didn’t know these things; it wasn’t until later that she learned the full details from the people of the Shen Family involved in the matter.