The State of Yue is vast, with thirteen provinces.
Unlike the remote and impoverished Jing Province, Lan Province, located in the southern territory, is an absolutely prosperous region. Don't be fooled by its small area, ranking only eighth; in terms of prosperity, it is second only to Xin Province, which ranks first.
Because it is located in the south, with fertile land, numerous rivers and waterways within its jurisdiction, and favorable weather, it is very suitable for planting rice crops, making it the State of Yue's premier grain-producing province.
Jiayuan City is the largest city under Lan Province's jurisdiction, located in central Lan Province at the confluence of several major rivers and main roads. It takes advantage of its geographical position to develop into a veritable transportation hub city. Countless merchants pass through it every year, greatly boosting local trade and commerce, which is why it was able to surpass the provincial capital and become the largest city in Lan Province.
The developed water and land transportation gave rise to countless side businesses, and dockworkers are one of them, and the most important component, numbering over ten thousand. With so many people pouring into one industry, the level of competition is imaginable; conflicts occur almost every moment, and it is common for people to be injured or die in the process.
Sure enough, just as noon arrived, the sun was scorching, and the workers were lazily resting when a boat carrying special guests suddenly arrived at the dock. Their attire and appearance clearly indicated they belonged to the wealthy class, and thus, a fight broke out again.
"Is this Jiayuan City?"
At the bow of the boat, Han Li looked at the endless city walls in the distance and the dense crowd on the dock, and immediately felt a surge of emotion. Compared to here, Jing Province was truly too poor; it was nothing but mountains, and the cultivated land was not only small but also very barren. It was truly a world of difference.
After disembarking, Mo Juren looked at the workers ahead, who were split into two groups fighting, and couldn't help but curl his lips. He said nothing, just stood there quietly, watching the two sides go back and forth at his leisure.
As an old hand who has been in Jianghu and a native of Lan Province, he could understand some things with just a glance. The reason these two factions were fighting was not for the opportunity to earn that meager hard-earned money by carrying bags for guests. Instead, they regarded him as a fat sheep and intended to monopolize the business.
Finally, the battle ended with one side's victory. The leader of the victorious group was a middle-aged man, who now approached with a smiling face and respectfully asked:
"We apologize for keeping the esteemed guest waiting. We will move your belongings immediately. Where would you like them delivered?"
Mo Juren hadn't originally brought many things back this time, but after dealing with Superior Jin Guang, he had made a fortune, all in gold, silver, and jewels, filling several large boxes, which was why he had no choice but to bring them all back.
These dockworkers were all old hands. With a glance at the boat's waterline, they knew there were many things inside, so they didn't beat around the bush and went straight to asking.
"Mo Mansion," Mo Juren smiled faintly, revealing a row of white, gleaming teeth, like the mouth of a giant beast, flashing with a sharp, cold light.
"Mo... Mo Mansion." The leader was startled, then his heart pounded, and he asked somewhat uncertainly,
"May I ask if the Mo Mansion the esteemed guest refers to is the headquarters of the Surprise Dragon Association...?"
"What do you think?" Mo Juren was noncommittal.
Upon hearing this response, the leader's face immediately turned pale, and he secretly cursed his bad luck. People from the Surprise Dragon Association would never need these dockworkers; they had fought for half a day for nothing.
"Esteemed guest, please forgive me. I was ignorant and offended you." Knowing that he couldn't do business, the leader no longer wasted time and intended to take his leave, but then he suddenly heard the other party call out to him,
"I have a letter here that needs to be delivered to Mo Mansion. Find someone to help lead the way for you, and you will be well compensated."
"This... alright, I'll find someone to take you there right away." The leader hesitated for only a moment before agreeing. Small money is still money; getting it means earning, which is better than doing nothing and just watching.
Soon, a somewhat scrawny child, who looked quite young, stepped forward.
Mo Juren said nothing; there were many such children who started working early among the lower classes, so it was not uncommon. He turned and gave instructions to Han Li, who nodded and then followed the child into the city.
The dock once again became bustling, with workers busy, others resting, each going about their business.
Mo Juren stood by the river, his expression calm, his eyes seemingly observing everything around him, but his heart was churning with thoughts.
He was about to return to the Mo family, which also meant he would meet the original owner's wife and daughter one by one. For some reason, a hint of awkwardness arose in his heart.
Although he had integrated the original owner's memory fragments, they were only the most important memories; the useless trivialities experienced from childhood to adulthood had not been retained.
Therefore, his feelings for this wife and daughter were very complex, both familiar and strange. At times, he would miss them intensely, while at other times, he felt very indifferent.
He felt that it should be the original owner's obsession at play. As for how to eliminate these obsessions, he currently had no method. Perhaps spending some time together would resolve them naturally.
As he pondered, time slowly passed.
The people from Mo Mansion arrived earlier than he expected. Soon, a team of people emerged from the city gate and rushed towards the dock.
Mo Juren looked up, and the person leading them was all too familiar: it was his fourth wife, Yan, accompanied by a young girl with a beautiful appearance and lively demeanor, who should be his daughter, Mo Caihuan.
Finally, they arrived at the dock, and the atmosphere suddenly became a bit strange. Yan stopped, gazing at the face she had longed for day and night, and suddenly felt a bit hesitant, her beautiful eyes couldn't help but turn red.
Seeing this, Mo Juren couldn't help but sigh, then he actively opened his arms.
"Husband!" Yan finally couldn't hold back, crying out softly and throwing herself into his embrace like a swallow returning to its nest. At that moment, she only felt that her husband's embrace was so warm and secure, and her years of hard perseverance had finally paid off.
Mo Juren gently patted her back to comfort her. Even if there were a thousand words, now was not the time to say them.
Yan also seemed to have recovered her senses, knowing she had lost her composure, especially in front of so many outsiders. She reluctantly left her husband's embrace, and a blush couldn't help but appear on her jade-like cheeks.
After nearly ten years apart, Yan's charm remained undiminished, still captivating, but Caihuan had grown from a child into a young woman; he almost didn't recognize her.
"Daddy..." At this moment, Mo Caihuan no longer had any trace of her mischievousness; she quietly called out like a quail, utterly well-behaved.
"Good child, you've grown up too. Daddy almost didn't recognize you." Mo Juren reached out and gently touched her forehead, saying with a smile,
"By the way, why are only the two of you here? Where are your other aunts?"
"They are all at home..." Mo Caihuan was about to answer, but Yan directly raised her hand to interrupt her, then whispered in his ear:
"Husband, you don't know, there have been some changes at home. My sisters couldn't leave, so only Caihuan and I brought some people over."