Divorced woman with child travels through time

"Yes!" With a crisp reply, Madam Zheng came out carrying the tea in a neat and refreshing manner.

"Greetings, Madam Militia!" She smiled and bowed to Chen Wenfang.

"Oh, no need for formalities." Chen Wenfang stood up and gestured for him to sit down. "Since you're here too, you two should listen in as we discuss our future cooperation. Come, sit down and let's talk."

"Okay, okay!" The blacksmith and his wife quickly sat down as she said, even though Madam Chen hadn't paid them yet.

"Look, this jar is very well made. I'll definitely order more. But the question is, how much can you pay me each month? You can discuss it. I'll pay the deposit and the money I owe you together." Chen Wenfang took a sip of tea, but then realized it was made with tea powder and didn't taste good, so she put it down.

"This!" The Zheng blacksmith and his wife exchanged a glance. The wife spoke up, "Madam, you don't understand. It's not that we're unwilling to reply to you immediately. My family and I are all blacksmiths, as are my brother and father. We need some time to discuss it and see if they're willing to come. But don't worry, we're definitely willing to do it. All our current staff are doing this, and we can guarantee to deliver at least ten to you a month." This jar doesn't require much material; it's mainly labor-intensive, earning a hard-earned living.

“That works!” Chen Wenfang readily agreed. “I’ll pay you your original wages first, plus a deposit for ten jars. The first two are two taels each, plus five taels for the sample, which is nine taels in total. That’s ten taels of silver. The total price for these ten jars is twenty taels. I’ll pay half, which is ten taels. So I’ll give you twenty taels first. If you can make more later, sell them to me as well. You pay as soon as you deliver the goods. This ten taels will remain as a deposit. Is that alright?”

"Yes, yes, thank you, Madam!" Before Zheng the blacksmith could speak, Madam Zheng said with a smile.

"Alright!" Chen Wenfang took out two silver ingots from her sleeve. Knowing that she was going to meet someone today, she had specially brought three with her. She didn't expect that she would only need two. She didn't need the loose silver, so she didn't need to take them out.

"Here you go!" Chen Wenfang placed it directly into Zheng Niangzi's hand.

"Oh my!" Madam Zheng's eyes were glued to the shiny silver ingot. She thanked Chen Wenfang and obediently accepted the ingot, overjoyed.

Chen Wenfang thought to herself, if she weren't here, Madam Zheng would probably have put her in her mouth and taken a bite.

Zheng the blacksmith smiled as he watched his wife's delighted expression, feeling as sweet as if he had drunk honey. He also bowed respectfully to thank Chen Wenfang, who accepted the thanks with a smile.

"Alright, then you all do your job well. If you have any problems, come to my residence to find me. I'll be leaving now."

Chen Wenfang smiled and told Caiyun to take the jar, preparing to leave.

"Yes, madam, take care!" Mrs. Zheng, the blacksmith's wife, smiled and got up to see them off.

Just as Chen Wenfang reached the door, she heard a "whoosh" sound!

Before she could react, "Watch out!" Caiyun had already pushed her away. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, another arrow came flying in.

By the time Caiyun saw the arrow, it was too late. Seeing the arrow heading straight for Chen Wenfang's chest, Caiyun thought to herself, "It's over, I can't complete my mission."

The crowd on the street gasped in surprise. Two men dressed in black were perched on the roof of the shop across the street, shooting arrows at them.

As Zheng the blacksmith was watching them leave, at the critical moment, he saw what was happening, grabbed a wood-chopping knife from the nearby shelf, and threw it, hitting the arrowhead directly. Chen Wenfang was forced back and fell at the shop entrance.

Caiyun's mind raced. She glanced outside and saw that the menacing arrows were still aimed at them. The two assassins, having missed their target, were still not leaving; they were determined to kill.

She quickly helped Chen Wenfang up and led her back into the store.

Madam Zheng hurriedly stepped forward, "I'll lead you away, through the back, there's a small door there!" This is a god of wealth, who would be so blind as to kill someone in broad daylight? Are they crazy?!

"Okay!" Without saying a word of nonsense, she followed Madam Zheng.

This area is full of shops, and behind the shops are alleys, which are all residential areas with very few people. Madam Zheng opened the back door and was just about to take a look.

Caiyun then heard a "whoosh!" as the wind rushed in with a murderous aura.

"Oh no!" She reacted quickly, pulling Zheng Niangzi back from peeking out and closing the door behind her.

"Bang bang!" Two more arrows struck the wooden door.

Chen Wenfang, panting heavily, asked from behind, "What? There are people here too?"

"It seems so." Caiyun, in her busy schedule, didn't forget to put the jar into the cloth bag.

Madam Zheng clutched her chest, terrified. "What do we do now?"

"If you shout from inside the shop, will people on the street be able to hear you?" Chen Wenfang suggested.

"It should be possible. Our shop is right on the street. If you stand close enough, I can hear you haggling right at the door." Madam Zheng, having recovered from her reverie, started gossiping again.

“Let’s go, let’s go closer to the door and shout. Everyone here knows me. Let’s find someone to rescue us.” Chen Wenfang leaned against the wall and walked out.

“Okay!” Caiyun supported her hand, and Madam Zheng followed. The group then went to the front.

"Why are you back again?" Zheng the blacksmith held up an iron pot in front of him, trying to close the door, but he didn't seem to succeed, because there were already several feathered arrows stuck in the shop.

“There are people guarding the back; we can’t get out!” Madam Zheng replied very quickly.

Zheng the blacksmith was dumbfounded. "What should we do then?"

"Madam has a solution!" Madam Zheng winked.

After moving to a corner to ensure she wouldn't be hit by an arrow, Chen Wenfang shouted at the top of her lungs, "Help! Help! I am Madam Chen, the wife of the militia leader! Save me and you'll be richly rewarded! Cough cough..."

Chen Wenfang had never shouted so loudly before, and she choked on her own.

Madam Zheng, a woman accustomed to shouting, also yelled loudly upon seeing this. "Wang Tuanlian's wife is inside! The assassins outside have killed someone! Everyone, hurry and call for help! There will be a great reward when Wang Tuanlian arrives..."

Caiyun's daughter pretended to be thoughtful, opened her mouth, but couldn't bring herself to say it.

Chen Wenfang patted her on the shoulder to calm herself down, indicating that she was alright.

The pedestrians on the street had already dispersed, but the vendors in the shops hadn't left; they were hiding behind counters or doors, peering out.

An elderly fruit vendor paused for a moment upon hearing the shout, then listened carefully. He used a nearby shelf to block the view, slipped into a small alley, and quietly ran away.

Inside Chen's Grocery Store, Lou Tai was calming the customers when he heard shouts from nearby. He said, "Everyone, be quiet and listen to what they're shouting about."

Everyone fell silent.

"Oh no! Madam Chen is in danger!" A female worker who was squatting down to sell goods suddenly jumped up.

"Huh? Where?"

"Blacksmith shop! Quick, grab your tools!"

"Hurry everyone, let's go save Madam!" the female worker shouted, grabbing a shovel beside her. "Madam gave us jobs and the opportunity to earn money; we can't let anything happen to her!"

"Let's go! Everyone, follow me!"

"Let's go! Everyone go!" The employees were in a chaotic rush, preparing to fight.