Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Diligent
Chapter 244: Diligent
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
An hour later, Ji Zhao saw the six guards.
Not only were the six people sent by Qin Minghong strong, but each of them was also skilled in martial arts.
Ji Zhao said gratefully from the bottom of her heart, “It’s been hard on you brothers to guard the Shen family’s courtyard during this period of time. However, I have a presumptuous request. I hope you can help me.”
‘Third Madam, if you have something to say, just say it. We will naturally do our best.’
“I hope you can help me build a secret passage. Starting from the Earth Temple, the end point is the kitchen of the Shen family’s courtyard.” Ji Zhao immediately took out a blueprint from her sleeve and explained in detail, “I’ve already planned the route of the secret passage. As long as you dig the secret passage according to the direction on this blueprint, I believe you will be able to finish this secret passage very quickly.”
“It’s not difficult to dig a secret passage, but does Third Madam have any requirements for time? If it’s just the six of us, I’m afraid it will take some time.’
‘Don’t worry, you’ll be able to dig through the secret passage before the second day of the second month” Ji Zhao said confidently. ‘Perhaps a mysterious ‘friend’ will come to help.”
The six of them looked at each other and nodded in the end.
The matter of the secret passage was put on the agenda, and Ji Zhao felt much more at ease.
‘Ah Yao, let’s go home!”
Shen Yao nodded slightly. Even though he was full of questions, he did not ask.
After all, he knew Ah Tao well. If it was something that could be said, she would definitely say it.
In the following days, Ji Zhao did another thing.
That was to persuade Eldest Brother and Eldest sister-in-law to return to the city and open the pastry shop as soon as possible.
‘Originally, I wanted to open for business after the eighth day of the Lunar New Year,” Eldest Brother Shen said with a smile. “Then, I dragged it to the fifteenth… But after beeing busy for an entire year, it wasn’t easy for me to rest, but I actually don’t want to move anymore!”
“I think you’re too lazy!” Zhao Lanhua poked his head and pinched his ear. She said angrily, “Didn’t you say that you wanted to open a second branch? You need to be diligent!”
’11t hurts, it hurts, it hurts!” Eldest Brother Shen hurriedly begged for mercy. ‘Mother, don’t twist my ear! In front of my brothers and sisters, at least give me some face!”
Only then did Zhao Lanhua let go of her hand angrily. ‘Don’t I know you? Once you’re free, you’ll be lazy. You and your wife can pack your luggage tonight and go back to the county tomorrow!”
‘This shop, even if it doesn’t open for a day, it will lose money! Besides, don’t you have to send the carriage you rented back?” Zhao Lanhua calculated the accounts one by one. ‘Tm still waiting for you to earn money to be filial to me!
You want to sit at home and eat empty? No way!”
‘Eldest Daughter-in-law, accompany Eldest Brother back to the pastry shop first. Come back when the weather is warmer.” Zhao Lanhua’s gaze landed on Eldest Sister-in-law Shen’s bulging abdomen. She could not help but feel a little worried, but when she thought of what Ah Tao had said earlier, she suppressed her worry.
‘Okay,” Eldest Sister-in-law Shen replied obediently.
‘Second Brother.” Zhao Lanhua looked at Shen Zhang and said, “In two days, bring your wife and Xiao Zhuang to stay at your father-in-law’s house for two days!”
“1n the past few years, Peace Village hasn’t been peaceful at all. It’s all mountainous over there. The villagers aren’t having a good time, but your father-in-law is tough. He managed to support the entire family by himself. Previously, when your wife gave birth to Xiao Zhuang, your father-in-law even got someone to send a silver locket over,” Zhao Lanhua said very seriously. ‘Tomorrow, let your elder brother send you there first. Then, you can stay there for a few more days. As for this gift, Mother has already prepared it for you.”
‘One hanging of cured meat, two big carps, three pastries, four good cloths, and five taels of silver.”
‘Mother?” Second Sister-in-law Shen was so touched that she did not know what to say. “Mother, you’re really too kind… Boohoo…”
Second Sister-in-law Shen suddenly rushed to Zhao Lanhua, hugged her arm, and cried.
‘Silly child.” Zhao Lanhua wiped her tears with a loving gaze and comforted her gently. ‘Tm sorry for letting you marry my second son back then… I know very well!”
‘Mother, I’m not aggrieved.” Second Sister-in-law Shen quickly shook her head and said firmly, “I’m very happy to be able to marry Second Brother.” Ji Zhao blinked curiously and carefully tugged at Shen Yao’s sleeve.
The two of them quietly left the central room.
At this moment, it suddenly started drizzling in the dark sky.
A light drizzle trickled down the green eaves and landed on the steps, making a dripping sound.
‘They say that spring rain is as expensive as oil!” Ji Zhao said happily. “I believe that in a few days, there will definitely be a lot of spring bamboo shoots on the mountain.”
“1’11 go dig with Ah Tao.’
‘Okay.” Ji Zhao suddenly looked up and smiled brightly at him.
Shen Yao smiled in return. Then, he put his arm around her shoulders and looked at the rain in front of them.
‘Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law, they…?” Ji Zhao looked up at the man beside him and blinked curiously.
‘Second Sister-in-law’s surname is Jiang, and she was originally from Peace
Village. Second Sister-in-law’s father is a very famous carpenter, so Second Sister-in-law’s family background is considered very well-off,” Shen Yao explained with a smile. ‘Second Sister-in-law had an engagement since she was young, but later on, Second Sister-in-law realized that the person her fiancé liked was her eldest sister, Jiang Ruixue.”
‘After that, Second Brother accidentally saved Second Sister-in-law who was bitten by a snake and had a physical relationship with her, so the engagement on Second Sister-in-law was automatically annulled. Second Brother married Second Sister-in-law,” Shen Yao said concisely. “It’s just that Second Sister-in-law’s father has never been very satisfied with Second Brother. Even when Second Sister-in-law got married, he didn’t hold a wedding in the village..
‘Did the eldest sister of the Jiang family get together with Second Sister-in-law’s ex-fiancé?’
‘No.” Shen Yao shook his head. “The eldest sister of the Jiang family got pregnant out of wedlock and had a miscarriage. She… became a nun.’ Who would have thought that the story would end up like this?
Ji Zhao could not help but sigh.
“For the past two years, Second Sister-in -law’s gifts that she asked people to bring over every year have been returned by Uncle Jiang,” Shen Yao said softly. ‘Ah Tao, although Second Sister-in-law looks like she’s laughing and joking on the surface, she must be feeling terrible in her heart.”
“I understand.” Ji Zhao nodded. “But now, I think Mother’s suggestion just now was really too good-‘
Later, Second Sister-in-law Shen knocked on Ji Zhao’s door.
Looking at the silver pieces on the table, Ji Zhao was at a loss.
‘Second Sister-in-law?”
‘Ah Tao, don’t misunderstand-” Second Sister-in-law Shen said with a smile, ‘Actually, I want to ask you for a favor, so you must accept these three taels of silver!’