Chapter 53: The Troublemaking Crab Shell Yellow Pastry
Li Xiaonan and Wan Jing entered the loosely guarded perimeter of the guards. Wan Jing respectfully curtsied and stood behind Shi Gun.
Gu Yan glanced at Wan Jing, then looked at Li Xiaonan, his gaze moving from Li Xiaonan’s still moving lips to the small cloth bag in her hand.
Li Xiaonan followed Gu Yan’s gaze to the cloth bag, hesitated, then opened it and held it out to Gu Yan, “Fried soybeans, given by Sister A Wu, they smell really good, want to try some?”
Wan Jing glared at Li Xiaonan, almost rushing forward to slap her.
How could this impudent girl be so ill-mannered!
Gu Yan glanced sideways at the bag of soybeans, then at Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan met Gu Yan’s gaze, which slanted down from the corner of his eye, and said sheepishly, “Your family must have plenty of these…”
Gu Yan couldn’t tell if it was a snort or a sigh. He reached out, picked up the bag of fried soybeans, balanced it on his folding fan, and picked up a single soybean with two fingers, putting it in his mouth.
“They smell good, right?” Li Xiaonan’s eyes narrowed into slits as she smiled.
“Too salty.” Gu Yan threw the cloth bag back into Li Xiaonan’s arms and turned to instruct Shi Gun, “Send someone to buy some food that the porters like, buy a lot, and send it to that A Wu. Also, give him ten taels of silver and tell him to treat the porters to a drink after they finish work.”
Shi Gun agreed and quickly selected people to carry out the task.
“How are his brothers doing?” Gu Yan asked out of the blue.
“Replying to Young Lord, they are all seriously injured. Only two are slightly better and came with their couple this morning. One is at the southeast wharf directing, and the other is in the shed over there recording the porters’ work volume.” Wang Gui bowed and replied.
“Mm, hire a good doctor to see them twice a day.” Gu Yan instructed, then turned back to look at Li Xiaonan, who was standing with Wan Jing.
Wan Jing stood straight, not daring to move, her eyes darting to Li Xiaonan, but Li Xiaonan was looking down, diligently picking out the larger soybeans to eat.
Wan Jing couldn’t stand it any longer. She tried to keep her skirt still and extended her foot from under it to kick Li Xiaonan’s foot.
“I told you to go see what A Wu’s wife was calculating, and you’re just watching?” Gu Yan asked Li Xiaonan, who looked bewildered by Wan Jing’s kick.
“She’s calculating the material list.” Li Xiaonan replied.
“How is she calculating it? Is her calculation correct or wrong?” Gu Yan suddenly unfurled his folding fan.
This girl’s foolishness, compared to Lu Xiu’s quick-witted intelligence, was like the difference between the abyss and the highest heavens!
“She’s using an abacus to calculate, you saw it. Her method for calculating the material list is very simple, it’s just the material list divided by the porters’ work volume. Whether it’s right or wrong depends on whether her estimate for the material list is correct. The porters’ work volume shouldn’t be wrong. Look at that boat, the porters are all gone, and the boat is empty. It seems her estimate wasn’t wrong.” Li Xiaonan answered in one breath.
Gu Yan looked at the boat Li Xiaonan was pointing to, glanced sideways at Li Xiaonan, snorted, and said nothing more.
Gu Yan stood watching for a while longer, then turned to walk back.
They got into a carriage near the watchtower, and Gu Yan’s group rode off on horseback, heading somewhere unknown. Two attendants followed the carriage carrying Wan Jing and Li Xiaonan, escorting Li Xiaonan back to Cai Lian Lane.
Li Xiaonan pushed open the courtyard gate, and Li Yin Zhu rushed to her, “You’re back! Are you alright?”
“I’m perfectly fine. What’s wrong with Third Sister?” Li Xiaonan was startled by her Third Sister.
“Just after you left, I went to the backyard to water the vegetables. As soon as I brought up a bucket of water, a shop assistant from the framing shop on Academy Street came to knock on the door, saying you had been taken away. I was so scared, I rushed to that tea house. The shopkeeper of the tea house patted his chest and guaranteed your safety. Sigh, it’s good that you’re back.”
Li Yin Zhu wiped away a cold sweat.
In the span of half a day, she had imagined all the terrible things that could happen.
“I went with that Young Lord to Beixing Wharf to watch the unloading. I didn’t earn any silver today, try this.” Li Xiaonan handed the bag of fried soybeans to Li Yin Zhu.
“These smell so good! I’ve only had them once.” Li Yin Zhu picked up two or three beans with three fingers and put them in her mouth, “They’re really fragrant. Save some for Eldest Sister and Second Sister, and your brother too.”
“If Eldest Sister asks where they came from, what should I say?” Li Xiaonan picked out two beans and chewed them, asking.
“Sigh!” Li Yin Zhu furrowed her brows and weighed the cloth bag, “There’s so much of this. Such good stuff, no matter what, we have to save some for Eldest Sister and Second Sister. Or else…”
“Is the Fourth Mistress of the Li family at home?”
The courtyard gate was pushed open a crack, and a kind-faced old woman peeked in.
“Who?”
Li Xiaonan and Li Yin Zhu were both bewildered. Who was the Fourth Mistress of the Li family?
“Is Miss Xiaonan here?” The old woman immediately changed her address.
“I am.” Li Xiaonan hurried over.
She had three older sisters, so she was indeed the Fourth Mistress of the Li family!
“A Master Shi bought a basket of Crab Shell Yellow pastries at a small shop and asked me to deliver them to Miss Xiaonan.” The old woman’s face lit up with a smile, she pushed the courtyard gate open, and handed over a huge basket over the threshold.
“Thank you very much.” Li Xiaonan took the basket.
“You’re too kind, Miss Xiaonan.” The old woman replied with a smile and closed the courtyard gate.
“Master Shi? The one who delivered the eggs?” Li Yin Zhu hurried forward and took the basket from Li Xiaonan.
The Crab Shell Yellow pastries were fluffy and didn’t weigh much. The huge basket wasn’t very heavy.
“Mm.” Li Xiaonan lifted the snow-white cambric covering the basket and looked at the densely packed, neatly arranged Crab Shell Yellow pastries inside.
With so many Crab Shell Yellow pastries, she definitely couldn’t eat them all. If she had to throw them away, Third Sister would rather throw herself away than throw away this large basket of Crab Shell Yellow pastries!
This time, she wouldn’t be able to hide it from Eldest Sister.
“How much copper coins must that gentleman have at home! So many! Ten large coins each! Let me count, one, two, three…” Li Yin Zhu placed the basket on the table and began counting, pointing her finger in the air.
Li Xiaonan sat on a small bamboo chair, resting her chin on her hand, looking at the Crab Shell Yellow pastries with a worried expression.
How should she explain this to Eldest Sister?
She was afraid her one tael of silver in her sachet wouldn’t be safe.
Li Yin Zhu, her mouth watering, cooked a thin rice porridge, mixed a large handful of green amaranth picked from the backyard with a few drops of sesame oil, then cut a handful of garlic sprouts, chopped them into sections, salted them, and added a few drops of balsamic vinegar. She placed the entire large basket of Crab Shell Yellow pastries directly on the table, waiting for her two sisters to return for a grand meal.
Li Xiaonan’s one tael of silver was indeed not safe, so she had to eat one more Crab Shell Yellow pastry.
After eating, Li Jin Zhu spun seven or eight cotton slivers, stood up, and said to Li Yu Zhu, “I’m going to have a chat with Eldest Uncle. You stay home and watch.”
Li Yu Zhu nodded. After watching Li Jin Zhu leave the courtyard, she lowered her head and continued weaving.
Sigh, her A Nan was extremely clever, but her boldness was also terrifying.
Li Jin Zhu walked two streets and arrived at the entrance of the house that Li Wenliang had recently acquired.
The house Li Wenliang had newly acquired had two courtyards. Apart from the houses being too dilapidated, everything else was excellent. After Li Wenliang bought it, he moved into the doorman’s quarters that same day, overseeing the renovation of the house, searching for shops and suitable businesses, arranging the marriage between the Hong and Li families, and preparing Li Yin Zhu’s dowry. He was busy as a bee.
Today, our community allows one person per household to leave the community for four hours a day. Although only walking is allowed, but!
I went for a walk in the morning!
What’s the point of being put on shelves, I want to go for a walk!
