Chapter 246: Chapter 148: Want It? It’s Right Here

After having breakfast with his family, Lu Yuan figured he should still go out and take a look around.

He hadn’t been in Taiping City for almost two months, so he felt he should take a look around. It was best to get a clear idea of how his businesses were doing, as that income was what provided for his entire family’s daily needs.

Knowing his mother-in-law was about to leave, Lu Yuan instructed the servants to pack some things for her to take back to his father-in-law, brother-in-law, and other relatives—including all the various aunts and cousins on her side of the family.

No matter how successful he became, Lu Yuan would always take care of his wife’s family as much as he could.

After all, his wife’s relatives were the ones looking after their brick-and-tile houses in Shige Village.

Su Liyan’s mother was planning to leave after the meal. She still had some luggage to pack, and Su Liyan wanted to pack some things for her to take back as well.

Lu Yuan arranged for a carriage, and the servants loaded it with numerous items.

Su Liyan’s mother would ride back to the village by herself.

Lu Yuan said to Su Liyan’s mother, "Mother, we won’t be going back to Changliu Village with you just yet."

"No, no, that’s not necessary, my dear son-in-law. It’s fine as long as you’re busy," Su Liyan’s mother said. She couldn’t bear the thought of her son-in-law following her back to the village to do manual labor.

It wouldn’t look right for a Seventh Grade county magistrate to be doing farm work. If the villagers saw that, all sorts of rumors would start to spread.

"Mother, there’s no rush to harvest the wheat. I’ll come back in a couple of days to help you," Lu Yuan said.

Su Liyan’s mother wasn’t sure if he was just being polite. Her son-in-law didn’t usually say such things to her.

’But I can’t really wait for my son-in-law to come home and do farm work.’

’It wouldn’t be right to make my son-in-law toil in the fields. Besides, I have my own son. If I need a hand, I should be calling him back to do the work.’

Su Liyan’s mother just played along, "Alright, then. Come to the village in a few days, and I’ll make everyone a delicious meal."

After Su Liyan’s mother left, Lu Yuan prepared to head out and see how Taiping City had changed in the past two months.

Su Liyan wanted to go out with Lu Yuan, but he didn’t let her. She was quite the clingy type when it came to her man.

’My wife has followed me from Taiping City to Yandu, from Yandu to the Imperial Capital, and finally all the way back to Taiping City,’ Lu Yuan thought. ’That whole journey must have been incredibly difficult for her, especially while pregnant.’

’Now that we’re finally back, I should let her get some proper rest.’

’I can’t drag her along with me for everything, can I?’

’Even though Su Liyan is from the Half-demon Race and is incredibly strong and resilient—much tougher than an ordinary person—that doesn’t mean I can be so inconsiderate.’

’If I need Su Liyan around for every little thing, wouldn’t that make me completely dependent on my wife?’

Watching Lu Yuan and Su Liyan’s exchange, Song Meiqin decided to back him up.

At that moment, Song Meiqin linked her arm with Lu Yuan’s and whispered, "Aunt Song will accompany you on your stroll. Let our dear Young Madam get some proper rest. With me keeping an eye on him, what is there to worry about?"

Song Meiqin’s words were meant as a joke, of course. She wasn’t actually worried that Lu Yuan would go out philandering.

Rather, they were meant for Zhao Qiao’Er, who was also present. The subtext was a jab at how Zhao Qiao’Er had snuck into Lu Yuan’s room in the middle of the night.

After all, the one time Song Meiqin wasn’t watching, her "sister" Zhao Qiao’Er had managed to get a sweet treat for herself!

And Song Meiqin hadn’t even had a taste.

Zhao Qiao’Er understood that Song Meiqin was calling her out. Since it was true that she’d been the first to get a taste of the "main course" last night, she didn’t argue, simply standing aside and giggling.

After they left the mansion, Lu Yuan and Song Meiqin first went to the Spirit Stone Mine. The Court had not yet reclaimed it, so for now, it was still a property of the Zhao Mansion.

The miners, both above and below ground, were working with great enthusiasm. The Zhao Mansion paid them very well, after all!

Currently, the Spirit Stone Mine generated an annual income of nearly one hundred thousand taels of silver.

Of course, the income from the ore wasn’t entirely stable. The quality of the ore had been declining in recent years, and with a drop in mining output, the profits had taken a bit of a hit.

The Spirit Stone Mine was a massive source of revenue for the Zhao Mansion. It was the primary income stream that covered the mansion’s daily expenses, maintained good relations with local officials, and paid for the servants’ year-end bonuses.

Thanks to the Spirit Stone Mine, even after covering all expenses, the Zhao Mansion could still clear twenty to thirty thousand taels of silver each year.

The Spirit Stone Mine had made the Zhao Family one of the wealthiest families in Taiping City.

After Lu Yuan moved into the Zhao Mansion, Zhao Qiao’Er had been incredibly generous with him. He was allowed to withdraw silver from the Zhao Mansion’s treasury as he pleased.

Lu Yuan had built his factory in Taiping City on a massive scale. Employing four to five thousand people, the project’s costs—from construction materials to labor, food, and energy—had completely drained the savings the Zhao Family had accumulated over the years.

Now, the Zhao Mansion was heavily reliant on the income from this Spirit Stone Mine.

Song Meiqin had broken free from the Liu Family and now lived in the Zhao Mansion. But she wasn’t simply living off their charity; Song Meiqin was a woman of considerable means.

Her greatest contribution was ensuring the smooth operation of the factory Lu Yuan had built. The factory had started to generate a monthly profit that flowed into the Zhao Family’s treasury.

This way, even if the Spirit Stone Mine was eventually reclaimed by the Court, the Zhao Mansion would have a new source of income and avoid the tragic fate of a family in decline.

Hand in hand, Song Meiqin and Lu Yuan enthusiastically greeted the miners, no longer making any effort to hide their relationship.

Everyone in Taiping City knew: Song Meiqin was Lu Yuan’s woman.

In Taiping City, Lu Yuan was quite famous, and he was also the local County Magistrate.

However, if he were to walk down the street, at least half the townsfolk wouldn’t be able to recognize him.