At the end of Shenshi, the merchant ship returned.
Cheng Wanwan did not go back empty-handed. Zhao Ergou and Zhao Dawang told her that Nanyang porcelain was cheap, so she asked the two boys to buy a truckload of porcelain and take it back to Hekou County.
Nanyang Bugui porcelain is cheap, while cloth in Ping'an County, Hekou County is cheap, and porcelain is relatively more expensive. If you don't have to make a special trip, you can make a small profit by taking it back.
There are many people boarding the boat, and you need to queue up to check the pass and pay the boat fee.
When paying the boat fee, Cheng Wanwan directly booked two rooms, one for her alone, and one for Zhao Ergou and Zhao Dawang. They had a good sleep on the boat and arrived together tomorrow morning.
The three of them had just pushed the cart onto the deck when suddenly, there was a commotion behind them.
The crowd suddenly started talking.
"Boss Cao is on board!"
"This boat belongs to the Cao family in Hekou County. The Cao family is very rich!"
"Boss Cao is so fat. He has eaten so much good food. He is so enviable!"
Cheng Wanwan turned around and saw a group of servants surrounding a fat man getting on the boat. This man was actually the one he met in the inn.
The boat belongs to the Cao family in Hekou Town. So isn't this man Cao Yingying's biological father, Cao Defu?
This world is too small to encounter anything like this.
Zhao Ergou also guessed the identity of the fat man and lowered his voice: "No wonder he hasn't returned to Hekou County for a long time. It turns out that he was stuck by this batch of Luosha."
Cheng Wanwan shook his head.
Yingying wrote and sent the letter more than half a month ago. After receiving her daughter's letter asking for help, she should go home in time no matter what happened.
A trip home only takes a day and a night, not a long journey. She doesn't understand why a biological father can ignore his daughter's life and death...
If she had known earlier, she shouldn't have come up with that idea and let him die.
"Move this box carefully! This is a gift for the eldest lady!" A steward said in a rough voice to several workers moving the goods, "It is full of precious jades. If it gets damaged, you can't afford to pay for it!" This box is for the eldest lady to bring back, please be gentle!"
Cheng Wanwan looked over and saw a dozen large boxes and cages, all of which seemed to be gifts brought back by Cao Defu to his family.
The eldest daughter of the Cao family is Cao Yingying. Judging from this, Cao Defu must also love this eldest daughter in his heart.
What went wrong?
Did...didn't you receive the letter at all?
Cheng Wanwan's steps were steady and he gave Zhao Ergou a look.
Zhao Ergou understood it and raised his hand and waved: "Uncle, what a coincidence, we can meet each other on the boat. Are you going back to Hekou County?"
Cao Defu's mind was filled with Luo Sha. When he heard Zhao Ergou's voice, he raised his eyes and saw Cheng Wanwan again, as if he had grasped a life-saving straw.
Although he now has a general direction, he is just a fool. He is at a loss as to what color of yarn should go with what kind of poem. Now that he meets someone, he must figure this out.
"Isn't this a coincidence? It shows that we are really destined." Cao Defu laughed, "Old Sun, arrange a room on the third floor for them. They are my distinguished guests and cannot be neglected."
Manager Sun nodded in agreement.
Cao Defu continued, "I will introduce myself first. My surname is Cao. I am from Hekou County. I am the owner of Caoji Trading Company. Everyone calls me Boss Cao."
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said: "My husband's family name is Zhao. Mr. Cao can just call me Sister-in-law Zhao. This is my son Zhao Jingcheng, and this is my nephew Zhao Dawang."
"Master, I'm a little tired." A gorgeous woman next to Cao Defu held her temples and said softly, "Let's go rest first..."
Cao Defu waved his hand: "If you want to go, you can go by yourself."
As he spoke, he looked at Cheng Wanwan eagerly, "Sister-in-law Zhao, the two poems you recited casually this morning fascinated me. Why don't we sit down and drink tea and talk slowly."
Cheng Wanwan happened to want to ask about the letter, so she agreed.
The woman next to Cao Defu was named Meng. She was a concubine who had just entered the house three months ago. She was very favored. Cao Defu took her with him when he went on business trips, which shows how favored he was.
Whenever Meng showed her delicate appearance, Cao Defu would be treated obediently and do whatever he was told.
But now, Cao Defu was chatting and laughing with an old lady in front of her.
Meng's mouth was so angry that she leaned against Cao Defu: "Master, I'm really feeling uncomfortable. Let's go and rest."
Cao Defu was very impatient: "Old Sun, help Aunt Meng to rest."
Meng: "..."
She took a deep breath and leaned against Cao Defu to act coquettishly: "Master, I suddenly don't feel so uncomfortable anymore. I'll go drink tea with you."
Cheng Wanwan couldn't bear to look at this scene.
Meng looks about seventeen or eighteen years old, and Cao Defu is in his thirties. One is young and beautiful, and the other is chubby and older. They don't match each other no matter how you look at them.
She pretended not to see it and went to the deck first. Zhao Ergou and Zhao Dawang quickly followed.
Zhao Dawang muttered: "Third Aunt said that people in the city will marry concubines when they are rich. This woman must be Uncle Cao's concubine."
Zhao Ergou said in a low voice: "Don't talk nonsense when you are out. Be careful that trouble comes from your mouth."
Zhao Dawang quickly shut up: "I remember."
A group of five people sat down at the tables and chairs on the deck. Someone specially served tea and snacks.
In front of you is the fragrance of tea, in the distance are the surging rivers, undulating mountains, and above are the blue sky and white clouds. It is far and wide, making you feel relaxed and happy.
Cheng Wanwan took a sip of tea and asked casually: "Boss Cao has been away from Hekou County for more than a month. Will he communicate with his family?"
Cao Defu nodded: "Why does Sister-in-law Zhao ask this?"
"Since we are communicating, we must also know about the recent major events in Hekou County." Cheng Wanwan sighed, "The eldest lady of the Cao family is really pitiful..."
Cao Defu was suddenly stunned: "Yingying...what happened?"
Cheng Wanwan also looked stunned: "Why, Boss Cao doesn't know, so I'll stop talking."
She stood up to leave.
"Wait a minute!" Cao Defu stood up, "What happened in Hekou County and what it has to do with the eldest lady of the Cao family, please tell Sister-in-law Zhao clearly."
"I thought Mrs. Cao would write to tell Boss Cao. Even if Mrs. Cao didn't write, Miss Cao should write a letter asking for help." Cheng Wanwan said, "Boss Cao, if you didn't receive the letter, you should think about it. Is there something wrong with the people around you?"
Cao Defu turned his head sharply and saw that his concubine, who had been so delicate just now, looked evasive at this time.
He grabbed Meng's shoulders: "I give all my letters to you, did you hide them on purpose?"
"I, I didn't!" Meng's face turned pale with fright, "Master, I am your woman, how could I hide your letter? But this inexplicable woman, inexplicably, said something about the Cao family. The Cao family has something to do with her. What's the relationship? Her origin is unknown, how can I trust outsiders and doubt my body... I am so unjustly accused!"
Cheng Wanwan smiled: "There should be many people on this ship who boarded the ship and left Hekou County three days ago. If Boss Cao doesn't believe me, you can ask them to see if they know what happened to the eldest daughter of the Cao family. thing."
Cao Defu raised his head: "Old Sun, go and find out!"
Manager Sun nodded in agreement and hurried to the bottom floor to inquire about the situation.
