Remarrying Chun Yuan

After being imprisoned and released from jail for that incident, Wei Gongming was not discouraged; on the contrary, he was stimulated and became exceptionally energetic.

He had previously thought that by stealing the kite, he could easily get started as he had in his previous life and make great strides. However, after being locked up for a few days, he realized that the key to the unexpected incident was not the kite, but Liu Yuechu.

If she doesn't want to marry him, even if he collects eight hundred paper kites, it won't make a difference.

Why doesn't she want to marry him?

Wei Gongming couldn't understand it.

He really wanted to find an opportunity to ask Liu Yuechu.

But with a snow disaster looming, he can't put all his eggs in one basket with Liu Yuechu; he has to make a fortune off this disaster first.

He returned to the Marquis's mansion to see his mother, Lady Guan, and "divided the mansion in two, sold half of it, sold all the servants who were no longer needed to slave traders, including the concubines left by his father!"

Mrs. Guan was so shocked that she couldn't speak, unable to understand why her son had suddenly gone mad.

"This is a Marquis's residence after all; it can't be without someone in charge. Why not let your cousin Ya Yun stay and help out? Besides, you can't be without someone to serve you."

Lady Guan was used to being a Marquis's wife, so how could she do those rough jobs?

Wei Gongming glanced at his cousin, who was standing in the corner, gazing at him tenderly—the one who had given birth to two sons and a daughter for him in his past life, and who had always vied for the position of Marquis's wife…

"If you want to keep her, then keep her. She's a good cook, and her food suits your taste... In that case, let's just sell all the cooks and servants as well. We don't keep idle people in this house!"

Disregarding its former dignity, the Zhenning Marquis's mansion expelled a large number of people and sold off the back houses and garden, leaving only the front two courtyards.

Tian Yage was managing chores and cooking, and she was so tired that she cried. She didn't understand why she had impulsively come to stay with her cousin, and she really wanted to tell Wei Gongming about her grievances.

But when she went to see Wei Gongming, she found him picking at the gold trim on the plaque in the ancestral hall to pay back the money.

She was so shocked that she held back her tears.

A man who would abandon his ancestors would surely sell her off too! But she had already rejected the arranged marriage, leaving her with no way out but to silently endure it.

……

The city turned white overnight.

The snow fell for six days and six nights without stopping.

The people, who were happily playing in the snow, finally realized that something was wrong. Not only had the price of rice started to rise, but it was also out of stock; even queuing up in long lines, they couldn't buy any!

Uncle Chun rushed to see Liu Yuechu, “…The heavy snow has blocked the roads, and merchants trying to enter the city are stuck outside. The government’s grain stores are closed today and no goods are being sold, causing panic throughout the city.”

Liu Yuechu sighed. She naturally knew how tragic the snow disaster was, after all, she had experienced it in her previous life.

"Master, is our shop about to open?!" Song Liu'er had been feeling incredibly frustrated these past few days.

He was so busy running the shop that he was practically a dog, and he was constantly being bullied by the managers who stayed at the Liu family business.

They mocked him for using the hands that once held paper and paintbrushes to mine coal; they also laughed at him for no longer crafting fine turquoise, cinnabar, and azurite pigments, but instead mixing coarse rice, wheat flour, and bean dregs...

"No rush, as long as we have enough to eat and drink, we're fine." Liu Yuechu said calmly.

Song Liu'er had nowhere to vent her anger. "Our small shop has quite a lot in stock, but it's far less than the big grain stores. If we sell it at the current market price, we can make double the profit. If the snow stops, no one will pay any attention to us, and we might miss a great opportunity."

Although he disliked Liu Yuechu's career change, he was very dedicated to his work.

In his spare time these past few days, he also inquired about the market conditions in the grain and cloth industries. He suddenly understood why the two masters insisted on dividing the family property and were making such a fuss.

When it comes to antiques and calligraphy, the Liu family is second to none.

But within the broader business sector, it's nothing special.

If we don't seize this opportunity to open a shop and make a name for ourselves, when will we ever get another chance?

Liu Yuechu raised an eyebrow, "Selling it after only making a profit? Is Manager Song short of money?"

Song Liu'er: "..." He just wanted to vent his anger.

Liu Yuechu watched the maids clearing snow in the courtyard with leisurely pace. "If a wolf isn't starving, how can it turn into a dog wagging its tail? We don't know how long this snow will last, so let's wait and see."

Her words were so composed, unlike what one would expect from an eighteen-year-old; she seemed far too shrewd.

Song Liu'er was momentarily dazed. The young master's face hadn't changed, so why did he feel so unfamiliar with him?

Liu Yuechu summoned another steward, Yao Wei, and asked him to accompany Uncle Chun to deliver some rice, grain, and charcoal to the families they knew to alleviate their immediate crisis.

No matter how greedy you are for money, you must never forget the word "righteousness".

……

Wei Gongming looked at the palm-thick snow and laughed so hard he almost fell over.

He had been desperately spending his family's money on rice and grain these past few days, hoping for this very day.

Madam Guan had no idea why her son had gone mad. But when she heard that grain prices outside had risen alarmingly, she was both surprised and delighted. "My son is so clever. He can even tell what the celestial signs are like. If we hadn't sent people to store grain in advance, we would have had a huge problem with food and drink!"

"We don't know when this snow will stop. Why don't we sell some of our grain at a higher price? The slaves on the street are very cheap. You can get three for one string of cash." These days, Tian Ya Yun has been doing eight jobs by herself. She is so tired that she feels dizzy. Her delicate hands, which she never used to do, have become rough and calloused.

“In ten days, someone will be selling themselves even without money, what’s the rush?” Wei Gongming told them to wait patiently. “Besides, the snow won’t stop, it will only get heavier.” He wanted to wait for the final opportunity to strike and make a fortune.

Guan nodded immediately. Now she only listened to her son; whatever Wei Gongming said, she did.

Tian Ya-yun couldn't stand it anymore. "Shouldn't we buy two cooks first? I've been busy at the stove all day, and my hairpins smell of cooking oil."

She wasn't from a prominent family, but she was still a girl from a modest background. When had she ever suffered like this?

Wei Gongming didn't even look at her, his tone cold, "Didn't you say you were willing to eat coarse food with me? You can't even stand the food after just a few days?"

Tian Ya Yun: "..." Did you actually believe those sweet words?

But Wei Gongming shut down the conversation with just one sentence.

He walked to the doorway, looking at the snow covering the sky and earth. "Liu Yuechu, so what if you have a little money? Wait until you realize that even money can't buy rice and grain, then let's see if you'll agree to marry me!"