Let's just drift through life together in this quick transmigration story.

Chapter 854 The Substitute Bride (16)

Big Cat: "Hunter Wang, your skinning skills are really good. You must make a lot of money in a year."

Looking at the big cat's plump appearance, Hunter Wang said impatiently, "It doesn't earn as much as you guys."

Xiong Bufan rarely targeted nearby farmers or hunters when robbing. Big Cat didn't understand why Hunter Wang was so hostile towards him, but he still whispered, "Teach me how to skin animals properly, and I'll give you ten extra copper coins."

"If you're not going to teach me, go find someone else."

Big Cat felt depressed when he heard this. He just wanted to learn a skill and earn more money. Was it that difficult?

Xiong Bufan approached the two of them without them noticing and said, "Teach him, or I won't use you next time."

The big cat was startled, but after hearing Xiong Bufan's words, its face was filled with emotion, "Boss~"

Hearing of Xiong Bufan's reputation, Wang, the hunter, was forced to reluctantly agree after being threatened by Xiong Bufan, "Okay, but you'll have to pay more."

"I'll give you eight extra copper coins, deducted from Big Cat's wages."

Hearing this, Hunter Wang fell silent, but Big Cat was very excited. "Thank you, Boss."

Xiong Bufan ignored Wang the hunter and continued to watch the spectacle from the sidelines, while she had her own plans in mind.

Gou Ding observed the interaction between the three and felt that Xiong Bufan treated Da Mao very differently, because Xiong Bufan had never asked anyone to learn a skill.

The meat was simmering in the big pot, and the big cat was learning tirelessly.

Time flew by and it was almost Chinese New Year. Xiong Bufan didn't want to spend money on buying couplets in the city, so he wrote one himself with a brush: "No worries about food and drink, no fear of the cold, money and wine to keep you carefree." The horizontal scroll read: "Wine and meat to keep you warm."

The crooked characters and the uneven tones of the couplets opened the curtain on the New Year.

Few beggars had ever been to school, so when Xiong Bufan was able to write couplets, they saw him as a reincarnation of the God of Literature.

Gou Ding didn't look at the couplet, afraid that he wouldn't like it and would correct the typos, then check the tones to make the couplet look more normal, instead of a playful rhyme.

During holidays like Chinese New Year, everyone takes a break and enjoys the festival.

Xie Manlou's influence in the court was basically wiped out, and many officials took the opportunity to kick him while he was down, giving him no chance to fight back.

Wang Shilang, who was also the original owner's father, was also demoted. At first, he could still hold a fifth-rank official position, but now he has been demoted to the seventh rank.

His colleagues didn't want to speak when they saw him, for fear of being tainted by his bad luck.

Vice Minister Wang was also very unlucky. When he returned home, he didn't give his wives and concubines a kind look. He felt that if it weren't for his daughter dragging him down, he wouldn't have ended up in such a state.

Lady Wang suspected she had loved the wrong person, because good people reflect on themselves first, rather than complaining everywhere.

After hearing the news that the original owner had burned to death, Cai Ling was depressed. She caught a cold in December and was sick for a long time, and did not get better until the New Year.

That was the child she had secretly raised, who died so quietly, and was even blamed by his own father. No mother would feel good about that.

Wang Hong's salary decreased, and his temper worsened. He spent his wife's dowry at home, and if he didn't behave well, he wouldn't have money to drink.

He could only write letters to his friends, cursing and complaining about his life's frustrations.

After receiving the letter, Madam Wang rolled her eyes dismissively and ignored Wang Hong's pointless whining.

As the days passed, according to Xiong Bufan's memory, she probably couldn't remember the original owner's parents or the mission, and just wanted to live a quiet life.

Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Madam Wang would lead the people of her household to Fahua Temple to offer incense and pray for blessings, and this year was no exception.

The only place on the way from the capital to Fahua Temple is Xiong Bufan's territory, and anyone passing through there has to pay a toll to get through.

Madam Wang had already arranged for money to be prepared, in case anything went wrong.

Sometimes, spending money to avoid trouble is good for both parties.

After entering this world, Xiong Bufan insisted that as long as he could get money, he could throw away his pride. For example, he now deliberately knocks down big trees and arranges for Big Cat and his gang to beg.

Gou Ding had not yet been sent to Nanfeng Tower in the city; he was currently working as an assistant to Da Mao.

With the trees blocking the way, Madam Wang ordered someone to give Big Cat and the others money. Cai Ling also lifted the curtain to take a look. It was the first time she had ever seen someone set up a roadblock to beg, rather than to rob someone.

Cailing's carriage was of a much lower class than Madam Wang's, so few people paid attention to it.

Xiong Bufan stood by the tree, but Cailing didn't see him. She only saw the big cat pretending to be lame and Gou Ding pretending to be blind.

The carriage stopped there, and after Big Cat put the money into the money box, he limped and instructed people to keep pulling the ropes to straighten the trees back up.

Xiong Bufan sat to the side counting money. Although she was very strong, she didn't usually do the work herself.

The fallen trees were moved aside little by little, and the big cat, limping, bowed to Madam Wang and her entourage, watching them leave.

A chilly spring breeze lifted the carriage curtain, and Cailing reached out to cover it, only to see a familiar yet unfamiliar face.

"Stop, stop!"

A sound came from Cailing's carriage, and the coachman obediently stopped the carriage.

The maid, unaware of what was happening, lifted the carriage curtain and asked considerately, "Madam, what's wrong?"

Cailing: "I saw joy, my joy."

"You mean the second young lady? Aunt, you're mistaken. The second young lady is still waiting to be married in the manor."

Although Wang Xile was married off to the Prince's mansion in place of another, she publicly claimed that she was still studying and waiting to be married while waiting in the mansion.

Hearing this, Cai Ling calmed down a bit, but still lifted the carriage curtain to look around, but unfortunately she couldn't see Xiong Bufan again.

Caiyue, the head maidservant of Madam Wang, came over and said unhappily, "Aunt Ling, what happened? Madam said if there's nothing wrong, you should leave quickly so as not to delay the time for offering incense."

Cailing and Caiyue used to be colleagues, but now one has become Wang Hong's concubine, and the other is still Wang's wife's head maid.

"Understood. Please tell Madam that we can continue our journey."

"Ah."

Caiyue swayed back home, and Cailing breathed a sigh of relief. She took out a small bag of silver from her sleeve and handed it to her personal maid, Xiaobingzi, saying, "Go and give this silver to those beggars. They look quite pitiful."

"Yes."

Cailing lifted the curtain, but still couldn't see Xiong Bufan. She was starting to doubt her own judgment, because why did no one else see him, but she did?

Big Cat and his companions wouldn't refuse money offered to them. After saying a few auspicious words, they bowed to the carriage.

Although their actions were bordering on robbery, they still had to observe proper etiquette.

Madam Wang didn't care about Cailing's situation; all she wanted now was to find her daughter, nothing more.