The entire family said in unison, “We’re people with a mine!”
The village headman was speechless.
The workshop’s business naturally had to continue, but could he let them show off for a while?
Aunt still did not know what had happened on the mountain. She had only heard from Shuanzi that someone had fallen off the cliff. She did not know if he had been saved after so long. With her third brother’s personality, he would not go down the cliff to save someone, right? At this thought, Aunt could not sit still.
Aunt paced around the central room. The little fat fellows obediently sat on the small stool, their little heads chasing after her.
Finally, the conversation of the father and daughter could be heard outside the door. Aunt could not wait to walk out. When she saw that the three of them were safe and sound, she heaved a long sigh of relief. “Why are you back so late? Did you save that person?”
Yu Wan said, “He was saved. He had a few stitches. He’s fine.”
Aunt’s expression softened slightly as she reached out to take the first aid kit from her son.
“No need.” Yu Feng placed the box in Little Zhenzhen’s room.
Little Zhenzhen had her own room, but she didn’t sleep by herself. Madam Jiang and the little fat fellows were all resting here for the afternoon. After Yu Wan got married, it didn’t seem appropriate for her to enter her brother’s room at will, so she treated this place as her second infirmary.
The three of them were dirty from mining. Aunt glared at Yu Shaoqing and her son. “It’s fine if you two are dirty, but look at what you’ve done to Ah Wan!”
The two of them rubbed their noses resentfully. They had already said that she was not allowed to dig anymore. But they could not stop her!
Aunt went to the backyard to fetch water. “Come and wash your faces!”
After the three of them finished washing their faces, Uncle and Madam Jiang brought out the food that was heated in the pot and the family sat around the table to eat.
Yu Feng talked about the mineral vein.
The few of them were all villagers and had never seen how the Emperor rewarded others. They only felt that it was already a great favor for the Emperor to be able to settle the injustice and be conferred the title of marquis. He even obtained a few barren mountains for free. To be honest, the Yu family was quite grateful. The Yu family had already thought of how to cut wood and farm in the barren mountains, but what did her son say? Mine?!
“What… what mine?” Aunt did not understand.
Yu Feng said, “Iron ore can smelt iron. The pots and shovels we use are all made of iron, and so are the weapons in the military camp.”
Aunt didn’t know anything about a mine, but she knew about iron. That thing was very expensive. “Is-is it quite valuable?”
Valuable? Yu Feng smiled rarely. “Mother, that’s a few gold mountains. You and Third Aunt can count gold in your dreams in the future!”
“Aiyo…” Aunt’s legs went limp and she fell off the table.
After dinner, Yu Wan went to Dali’s room.
Dali had five stitches on his brow bone. The weather was hot, and Yu Wan was worried that there would be inflammation, so she brewed a bowl of anti-inflammatory Chinese medicine for him.
Dali lay on the bed with the ore he had found on the hill in his arms—Yu Wan had given it to him.
“Dali.” Yu Wan pushed open the ajar door.
Dali sat up, forgetting that he was still injured. He gasped in pain. Even so, he did not let go of the ore in his arms.
“Drink the medicine first,” Yu Wan said.
Dali looked at Yu Wan strangely. He did not have a good impression of Yu Wan before. The reason why he stayed here was none other than because he was worried that the poison would act up. However, Yu Wan had personally treated him today. This kind of small injury was nothing. As bandits, it was normal for them to lick blood from the wound. With one stab, their flesh would be dug out. No one would care about this kind of injury, except for her.
“You don’t want to drink?” Yu Wan asked.
Dali came back to his senses and took the bowl of medicine from Yu Wan’s hand. It was so bitter that he stuck out his tongue. He didn’t want to drink anymore!
“Drink it!” Yu Wan said coldly.
So fierce…
Dali drank the medicine with a stifled heart.
Yu Wan opened a paper bag and gave him a candied plum.
Dali had never eaten candied plums before, but his life was in the hands of others. He had to accept it even if it was poison. Dali braced himself and ate the candied plum, but it was so sweet that he glared with his single eye.
It seemed like he liked it. Yu Wan smiled and said without changing her expression, “You contributed to the discovery of the ore. What I gave you just now was a permanent antidote. The poison in your body has been cleared. You don’t have to stay here to work anymore. I’ll give you a sum of money and let you go far away.”
Dali was stunned.
Yu Wan continued, “Of course, you can stay if you want. You were the one who discovered the ore. I plan to name this mine after you.”
Dali was dumbfounded. “D-Dali Mine?”
Why did this name sound so comical coming from his mouth? Yu Wan couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, it’s Dali Mine.”
