Chapter 129:
After going in, she found the usual corn, wheat, millet, soybeans, gourd seeds, small millet, rice grain.
She looked at so many but didn’t buy anything, because she found there were no seeds here that she wanted to buy.
She wasn’t clear yet on exactly what seeds to buy, but in any case, not one of these, at least a rare species.
Another thing, if she bought these, it would be hard to explain to Zhou Shi where the silver came from.
Better not to buy for now.
Coming out, it was nearly noon, the sun beating down on people, so she thought of finding a place to rest her feet.
Not far away was a teahouse.
It was lively inside.
Cheers erupted from time to time.
“Gourd Teahouse?”
It seemed quite interesting, so she took Miaomiao in to rest her feet.
Entering the hall, “Customer, welcome to Gourd Teahouse! This way please!”
The waiter greeted them to a table by the window and had them sit down.
“What would you like to drink?”
“Puer tea! And a plate of dim sum.”
“Right away, customer, please wait a moment!”
“Good!”
A burst of cheers rang out.
It turned out the liveliness was because everyone was listening to the storyteller narrate a tale.
The center of the hall was packed with people sitting around listening to the book.
It was about the war between Si Kingdom and Feng Lan Kingdom that year.
“.It is said that General Hua of Si Kingdom campaigned south and north, loyal and brave, establishing countless great merits.”
“General Hua and his madam were childhood sweethearts with deep feelings, once promising each other a lifetime together with only one partner, but the madam fell gravely ill after giving birth to a daughter and passed away.”
“General Hua, heavy on sentiment and righteousness, fell ill and could not recover, losing all will to live, but gazing at the infant in swaddling clothes reignited his hope to go on living.”
“From then on, General’s Mansion no longer had a general’s madam, only this one daughter raised like a precious treasure.”
“However, General Hua needed to defend the home and country away from home year-round, so the daughter was temporarily entrusted to his mother and second brother to raise. General Hua’s mother brought second brother’s family to live in General’s Mansion.”
“The mother felt, how could General’s Mansion lack a female master to manage it? The granddaughter couldn’t lack a mother to care for and teach her, and most importantly, how could a grand General’s Mansion have no male descendant to carry on the line?”
“After second son’s family egged it on, they secretly took in the distant cousin of second wife as a concubine for General Hua..”
“With this woman came much filthiness, could she wholeheartedly care for the general’s daughter? She did plenty of deceitful compliance, pretending to adore the daughter on the surface, but actually teaching her a reckless temperament, knowing nothing of what women should learn.”
“General Hua’s daughter was naive in her youth, only hearing she had a mother too, and grew especially close to this second wife.”
“When General Hua returned to the mansion and saw the rice cooked, that the woman was deeply loved and trusted by his mother, and his own daughter kept calling her second mother and was especially close to her, seeing the woman had no ill intentions, was kind and gentle with soft words, managing the mansion in perfect order.”
“This woman was second brother’s wife’s cousin, thinking how he was away year-round and his daughter needed companionship and a mother’s love, so he let it be.”
“But second son’s family was not so simple, especially the sister Hua Yan, raised in General’s Mansion since childhood, arrogant and proud, accomplished in zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, with outstanding appearance, called ‘Si Kingdom’s number one beauty, talented and beautiful’.”
“Outside, she often posed as the young lady of General’s Mansion, competing with the general’s daughter in everything. Her limelight even overshadowed the eldest son’s daughter.”
“The general’s daughter instead remained obscure, even rumors spread that General Hua’s daughter was a brute, with rude behavior and manners, wielding knives and spears, often turning General’s Mansion into a mess, whoever married her would surely be beaten badly in the future!”
“Therefore, few noble families came to propose marriage, while Hua Yan, whose father was a commoner, had suitors breaking down the door.”
“Finally one day, after Hua Yan schemed to steal the husband her father had chosen for her, General Hua’s daughter saw through human nature, thoroughly heartbroken, her temperament changed greatly, she voluntarily canceled the engagement, to avoid hurting her father, she left home far away from family and boudoir disputes among women, boldly pursuing her dream.”
“She bid farewell to her family, changed her name and disguised as a man, ignoring worldly affairs, focusing on studying martial arts, donning male clothes and leaving, from then on passersby did not recognize her true female appearance.”
“.This Miss Hua disguised as a man under the name Hua Can entered Jue Lun Kingdom’s famous martial sect Meteorite Pavilion to practice martial arts! Later, she hit it off at first sight with Feng Qingcheng from Feng Lan Kingdom who came to apprentice, becoming sworn brothers, practicing together. It was also a carefree time.”
Jue Lun Kingdom was a distant island nation southeast of Dongli Kingdom.
This nation focused on practicing martial arts, not participating in any country’s wars, not invading, but since everyone practiced martial arts, no other country dared covet it.
Many other countries would send their people to practice martial arts there, and Meteorite Pavilion would accept disciples based on talent.
Regardless of origin, no discrimination, so Jue Lun Kingdom held high status in the hearts of people from those countries.
“Hua Can was originally pure, cheerful, and lively, coming here to practice martial arts with a bunch of big men, free of twists and turns, spending a very beautiful time with Feng Qingcheng.”
“The two often studied techniques together, progressing mutually, sharing bunk and tent, in leisure going up the mountain to pick orchids, catch fish and grill them to eat, pick wild fruit to eat, cough, visit brothels, sometimes go down the mountain to eliminate evil and promote good, having great fun.”
“Even as senior brother, he was confidant to this junior brother, Feng Qingcheng was full of admiration for his obsession with martial arts, perseverance and even character, often lost in gazing at those eyes without impurities, having no interest in any other woman!”
“But alas, believing the other was a man, he always felt it was his own affliction, constantly numbing and evading reality.”
“.However, the peaceful days didn’t last a year, war broke out at the border, unrest at home, amid internal and external troubles came the bad news that General Hua died in battle!”
“.Hua Can returned to the country, resumed her female identity, from then on no more Hua Can in the world, only one more female hero general in history, the only first-rank titled marquess woman.”
“Not long after, Feng Lan Kingdom’s war grew urgent, Feng Qingcheng also returned to Feng Lan Kingdom, when they met again they were already mortal enemies, and it was also Feng Qingcheng’s first time seeing her in female attire.”
“After several great battles thereafter, Feng Qingcheng became the current ruthless, merciless, famously cold-blooded God of War of Feng Lan Kingdom who kills without blinking!”
The storyteller picked up the tea bowl and took a big gulp of tea!
“Continue, Mr. Liu.”
“Quick, quick! Go on! How did Si Kingdom and Dongli Kingdom fight?”
“Yeah, how did General Hua die?”
“To hear the details, please listen to the next installment!”
“Aw!”
Luo Zhi’er was momentarily drawn in, listening intently, but why did her eyes feel sour and astringent when Hua Can was mentioned?
Hua. Can?
A pair of familiar eyes flashed by, the person in her mind resembling the one she met on the mountain that day taking bear gallbladder.
Impossible.
She shook her head, took a sip of tea, holding back the stuffiness in her heart!
What did he Feng Qingcheng have to do with her Li Xi’er?
Truly, listening to others’ stories and souring her own eyes.
Second floor private room, a stunningly beautiful man in cloud satin brocade robes, phoenix eyes slightly narrowed.
Hearing the storyteller’s emotional part, he clutched his chest, face pale, unable to hide his noble aura and elegance, eyes deep as if recalling something, annoyed about something.
After the storyteller finished, a graceful singing girl in red attire came on stage, sat properly, and began plaintively playing and singing Pipa Language.
Luo Zhi’er took a sip of tea, narrowed her eyes, fingers tapping the table once twice following the rhythm.
Her head swayed up and down slightly with the rhythm, listening unhurriedly.
At this time, a seventeen-or-eighteen-year-old man came down from upstairs, black hair casually tied up, silver long robe, handsome features, holding a folded fan, unable to hide his noble air.
Because this master and servant pair, especially that master, had exceptional temperament, drawing everyone’s attention.
But the man’s gaze fell on that super-sized bodied woman by the window, leisurely leaning against the window with eyes closed asleep!
It was her?
“Mother, why does this tune tug at my heart!”
“It’s like. a woman crying and murmuring.”
Miaomiao didn’t stop her little mouth, eating the small dim sum, eyes still with sparkling little teardrops.
Luo Zhi’er heard the young maid’s crisp voice, opened her eyes,
“Yo, not bad, so young and you can hear the melancholic resentment.”
“Mother just knows how to tease Miaomiao!”
Miaomiao pouted coquettishly.
This girl, acting spoiled, made Luo Zhi’er’s heart soft as a ball of cotton.
“Oh dear, the cake fell, can’t waste it!” Picked up the crumbs on the table and fed them into her mouth.
“Silver is hard to earn! Save where you can!”
Miaomiao imitated her movements, picking up crumbs and feeding them into her mouth.
“If Miaomiao wants to know why, then grow up quick, come listen then, and you’ll understand.”
“Oh.”
Seeming to understand but not quite. “Good girl!”
“Oh dear, little pitiful, how come you’re crying from listening? Come, mother wipe it for you.”
Miaomiao stood up and went over, hugging her into her arms, unable to see where the little one went.
Luo Zhi’er used her sleeve to wipe for her.
“Mother, you’re so good!”
Little Miaomiao’s eyes curved like crescent moons, Luo Zhi’er’s heart melted.
Mother and daughter, big and small replicas, together enjoying the tune, nodding in the same pose.
“Luo Niangzi, such fine spirits!”
Just now with eyes closed, round face, thought she was asleep!
Luo Zhi’er looked up, above her head a chiseled-faced man looking at her with a half-smile.
Startled, “Master Ye? How is it you?”
Ye Beiyao’s eyes still had a bit of lingering warmth just now, but his face suddenly turned purple, eyes changed too.
Luo Zhi’er also realized something was off, immediately changed her words,
“Hehe, Master Ye, you’re here for tea and music too?”
Truly enemies meet on a narrow road.
Just now delivering goods, Master Ye wasn’t there, she dealt directly with Shopkeeper Zhu.
Luo Zhi’er quickly stood up, with standard ritual to greet him, “Unaware Master Ye was here, failed to welcome from afar, this little woman truly guilty..”
Ye Beiyao’s harsh gaze fixed on her, tone also very harsh:
“Luo Niangzi, heard you’re busy all day like a dragon unseen head or tail, your man still in jail, yet today you have such leisure to drink tea and enjoy music?”
The man somewhat misunderstood her as heartless, lazy and hating work.
Luo Zhi’er hurriedly said,
“No, today I specially came to deliver goods to the restaurant, sun fierce outside, Miaomiao walked a bit tired, specially brought her in to sit.”
Hurriedly explained.
Where was she a dragon unseen head or tail, she never was late on deliveries.
Could it be that day Master Yao came and she said she’d go catch loaches later, and he misunderstood?
This person was truly baffling, moody, perhaps had some mental affliction?
Speaking of, growing up in an unhealthy family environment easily breeds such paranoid little problems.
Ye Beiyao glanced at Miaomiao, then reluctantly believed her, nodded slightly,
“I see!”
After Ye Beiyao spoke, he was about to leave.
He actually had no real interest in knowing, seeing her so leisurely just inexplicably irritated him, asked casually.
Luo Zhi’er stunned, what was this?
Since so eager to leave, why come over to greet?
But she knew her place, with his status coming to greet her.
That meant he thought highly of her!
“Master Ye, may this little woman invite you for a cup of tea?”
A tigerish robust voice rang from behind.
The man paused and turned, looking at her puzzled, “Hm?”
Drink tea?
Strange, she was so stingy, yet inviting him for tea?
“Hehe! Hard to run into you, I just want to treat you to tea!”
Scratched her ear root.
“Alright!”
Ye Beiyao reluctantly flicked his robe hem and sat down.
To see what medicine was sold in this fat gourd of hers.
Luo Zhi’er called out, “Waiter, quick, a pot of top Biluochun!”
“Right away!”
Ye Beiyao disdainfully stared at her for a while. Biluochun unexpectedly?
Suddenly a wicked amusement rose, mouth venomous:
“Speaking of, Luo Niangzi with your build, at this hour shouldn’t you rest at the restaurant?”
“Resting at the teahouse? Looks like you’re dieting for weight loss too, why still not slim at all?”
“In this young master’s view, better not diet, waste of effort, even if you lose it’ll still be this model.”
Luo Zhi’er inwardly trembled with anger a few times.
So what if fat, did she eat your family’s rice? Or drink your family’s water, why say her.
Deep breath, suppressed the rage, smiled kindly at him.
“What are you saying, Master Ye!”
“Speak, what do you want from this young master?”
“Hehe! Master Ye jests!”
“Is that so? Really nothing to ask? Then this young master is off!”
“.No, there is, there is!”
The man glanced at her, corners of mouth upturned, just knew it expression!
Under the eaves one had to bow, began, “Master Ye, you. do. know people from Jiangnan Hong Futai, right?”
She didn’t ask if he knew?
But used do you know?
Brain turns pretty fast!
“How? Any instructions?”
The man said indifferently.
Emitting a steady majesty not fitting his age!
“Master Ye, I know last time I got out all thanks to you, troubling you again, really no choice, no connections!”
Luo Zhi’er knew, by government procedures, it should follow normal process, she actually should be detained many days like Li Sanmao, Li Daqiang them, conclude the case, then judge.
But she got out safe and sound, not only them pulling strings with yamen, how could yamen easily relent?
This involved Jiangnan Hong Futai, so she guessed likely Hong Futai side relented, letting out an unimportant person like her.
Why were they willing to relent?
Surely Ye Beiyao mediated, no one else, thus she was certain Ye Beiyao knew people from Hong Futai.
“Hm, go on.”
Looks fat and squat, but brain works well!
“That, can you let me meet people from Hong Futai?”
Ye Beiyao’s eyes flashed, looking at her half-smiling, pondered a moment, “Why should I do that?”
Luo Zhi’er deep breathed, “Because I can save your Yumian Tower from fire and water!”
“Hehe, with those few recipes of yours?”
The man sneered!
Luo Zhi’er lowered her voice, to a volume only they could hear,
“Those few recipes of mine indeed not good enough, but I have not just a few recipes, at least dozens or hundreds, even developing new products, and every dish is delicious!”
The man silent, looking at her.
Inwardly surging waves, hundreds? How much more did she have he didn’t know?
Wasn’t she just a gluttonous rural fat woman?
“So? Consider it?”
