Wow, this rough-around-the-edges pregnant wife is something else, she's incredibly ruthless!

The eldest girl carefully took the ointment from Meng Tong, glanced at her mother outside, and then got up to bow to Meng Tong.

The woman quickly pressed down on her slender shoulders and whispered, "Take it carefully, and don't tell Mother that it was given to you by your sister! This is our secret."

"secret."

"Yes, secrets shouldn't be told to others."

After hesitating for a moment, the little girl glanced at the door again, then shrank back and looked at Meng Tong, saying, "Okay, I won't tell. It's a secret."

The three young men and the older woman exchanged a knowing smile; the woman outside had no idea what was happening inside.

She wrapped up all the beef jerky on the table and packed it into a basket from her home for Meng Tong. Blushing, she walked in and said, "Miss, I've wrapped it all for you. It's thirty catties in total, five taels of silver per catty. What do you think..."

Her tone was a mixture of excitement and caution, as if she was afraid that Meng Tong might change his mind.

Fortunately, the woman was straightforward and got up to take out 150 taels from her sleeve, which was actually a storage space.

Meng Tong placed a one-hundred-tael silver note and five ten-tael silver ingots in the woman's hand, then glanced at the beef jerky in the basket and said, "This basket..."

“This is for the young lady. I see you came to buy it alone. It might be difficult to carry so much beef jerky back. It would be easier to carry it in a basket.”

"Oh, by the way, if the girl lives in the city, I can help you send her there."

"No need, no need, I can do it myself."

Meng Tong waved her hand, declining the woman's offer. As she walked towards the door and picked up her basket, she glanced at the three children behind the woman before heading out into the street.

Finding a secluded corner, Meng Tong stored the beef jerky and basket in her spatial storage and began her sweeping spree once again.

After wandering the streets for almost two hours, the woman headed towards the city gate.

She plans to leave the city tonight, stay in the space for one night, then go directly to get the cattle and sheep, and then return to the village.

She had been away for a few days and already missed her children and Lu Chuan.

……

With her slender yet upright figure and a cool, aloof demeanor, Meng Tong's back view is, to be honest, very beautiful.

Most of the snow on the street has been cleared away, and today the sun is shining again, which is a rare treat.

On the wet streets, a carriage was slowly making its way toward the city gate.

Suddenly, the heavy carriage curtain was lifted, letting in a cool breeze. Zhou Yan, who was resting with his eyes closed, looked up and glanced at Zhou Fu.

"Ahem, Your Highness, is that Lady Meng in front of you?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan withdrew his icy aura, then raised his large, well-defined hand and lifted the curtain beside him.

Zhou Yan recognized Meng Tong immediately upon seeing her back.

"Go ask over there."

"Yes."

As the carriage moved forward, Meng Tong heard the sound of horses' hooves getting closer and closer behind her. She was thinking of moving aside, but then she heard a slightly familiar voice.

"Madam Meng."

Stopping in her tracks and looking in the direction of the sound, Meng Tong was still wondering who was calling her when she saw Zhou Fu's slightly smiling face.

The carriage stopped beside the woman, and Zhou Fu got off the carriage shaft and then lifted the curtain.

"Why is Your Highness here?"

The moment Meng Tong saw Zhou Fu, he knew that the person inside must be Zhou Yan.

Sure enough, a man wearing a reddish-brown cloak came out from inside.

However, Meng Tong frowned slightly when she saw his pale face.

I didn't expect him to have lost so much weight in just a few months; his former imposing aura has also diminished considerably.

"haven't seen you for a long time."

"haven't seen you for a long time."

With an official smile, Meng Tong looked up at the man in front of her and said, "Your Highness, please take care of yourself. Why are you out in the middle of winter?"

"Heh, I heard that a batch of grain has arrived in the North, so I thought I'd come and take a look."

"The 50,000 jin of grain that Madam sold earlier has been almost consumed in Fucheng."

Zhou Yan's words conveyed two pieces of information to Meng Tong.

He not only knew that she had sold a large quantity of grain, but also told him that she needed to buy more grain.

With a slight movement in her watery eyes, Meng Tong looked up and smiled, saying, "Your Highness wants to ask if we still have any food, right?"

Unexpectedly, the woman was so straightforward. However, Zhou Yan didn't like beating around the bush either. A smile appeared on his handsome face, and he looked at the woman and said, "This time, Madam, I will buy as many as you have."

"Does Your Highness have that much money?"

I said it jokingly.

Meng Tong glanced at the passersby and whispered, "How about we find a teahouse to talk?"

"……it is good."

It was also his own recklessness that led Zhou Yan to take Meng Tong to the nearest teahouse.

Once inside the room, because Meng Tong was a married woman, Zhou Fu did not leave to protect her reputation, but simply stood beside the man.

Zhou Yan poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to the woman, saying in a low voice, "Please try it, Madam."

"Yes, thank you, Your Highness."

The woman took a sip of her tea, nodded, and then went straight to the point, saying, "I do have another batch of grain, but Your Highness needs to send someone to collect it personally."

"Linyuan Kingdom?"

“No.” The woman shook her head, then said, “Does Your Highness know of Laoshan Town?”

"But what about the other side of Laoshan?"

"Yes, Laoshan Town has now been renamed Wuyou Valley, and my husband and I grow grain here."

"If Your Highness needs it, my husband and I can give you priority in the future."

"Worry-Free Valley".

As he sipped his tea, Zhou Yan's deep, dark eyes narrowed slightly. Strictly speaking, Laoshan Town was his fiefdom.

But then the woman suddenly told him that the place had been renamed Worry-Free Valley, which might mean...

The doubts were immediately resolved, and Zhou Yan looked up at the woman who had openly admitted to ruling the mountain.

She was telling him that this place would be her territory from now on.

If she accepts that, she'll prioritize him when it comes to food and other novelties.

If not...

The atmosphere in the room became somewhat strange for a moment, and Zhou Fu's lowered eyes also glanced at Meng Tong intentionally or unintentionally.

Does she know what she's saying?

Not to mention that Laoshan Town is just an inconspicuous small town, Laoshan Mountain behind it is the largest mountain range in the Great Wei Dynasty.

How could we possibly give it up so easily?

Observing the two's movements closely, Meng Tong suddenly spoke up again, "In addition to the annual grain, I can also give the prince a gift."

"What gift?"

Zhou Yan's expression was not good, and he looked at the woman with a scrutinizing gaze.

The woman didn't care at all; she had her own reasons for being honest.

Zhou Yan's ambitions are already obvious, so it's best for Meng Tong to befriend him, given his powerful connections.

Not only can they openly and legitimately occupy Laoshan Town, but they will also have a powerful backer in the future.

This is the best guarantee for everyone on Dawn Island.