Chapter 1496: Northwest (2)
Chapter 1496: Chapter 1496: Northwest (2)
"Xiong Da, the aunts are here. Were you just lighting the fire tree? Why did you stop? Hurry and call everyone out, light it for an hour so the aunts can see it!" Mrs. Kuang’s loud voice carried into the courtyard, and Gu Jinli and the others heard it.
Xiong Da Dao: "Aunt Niu, we weren’t lighting the fire tree here."
"Phooey, do you think we’re blind? We clearly saw it, and you dare to lie?!" Mrs. Kuang waved her hand and said, "Hurry up and call out the people lighting the fire tree. Once we’re done watching, we have to go back and continue making dry food."
Aunt Han also said, "Yes, Xiong Da, you servants can’t give us attitude when your Company Commander and Madam treat us so well."
Xiong Da Dao replied, "Aunt Han, when have we ever given you attitude? It’s just that..."
"Tangyuan is here, everyone come eat sesame tangyuan!" Aunt Xiong knew that this group of old women would definitely come looking for trouble after seeing the fireworks, so to appease them and not disturb Master and Madam, she brought out tangyuan made in the big kitchen.
"Oh, you even made tangyuan. That must have cost a lot of glutinous rice and sugar." Rather than watching the fire tree, Mrs. Kuang and her group were more eager to eat and rushed over, lifting the basket lid, taking out the iron pot, and began scooping tangyuan.
"Qiaozi’s wife, are you at a gravesite? Why pile the tangyuan so high? Ten tangyuan in a bowl is enough!" Mrs. Kuang scolded Qiaozi’s wife who was scrambling for tangyuan.
"Madam, I have so many people at home, how can ten tangyuan be enough to share? I scoop a bowl full, with dozens in it, and when I get home, we can share them." Qiaozi’s wife explained as she grabbed another bowl to scoop a large bowl of tangyuan water, which was sweetened with sugar.
"Move aside everyone, don’t bump into me and knock over the tangyuan, or I’ll have it out with you!" Aunt Han, being fierce, was holding a large bowl of tangyuan. She bumped someone beside her out of the way with her hip, turned her body, squeezed out, and asked the bewildered Xiong Da: "Young Master Xiong, where are the girls Ye, Qing Hui, Qing Pu, and Xiao Ji Erqing from your camp? Aunt rarely comes by, have them come see me."
Rarely comes by? You come here whether there’s something going on or not.
Xiong Da Dao: "Aunt Han, I’m just a young master, managing chores in the outer courtyard, I can’t go into the inner courtyard, and I’m not familiar with Miss Xiao Ji and the others."
Nanny Tao is strict with rules, and Master is even stricter. There’s no unnecessary mingling between male and female servants, especially at night.
Aunt Han wasn’t pleased and said, "Then which room do they live in? Tell Aunt, I’ll find them myself."
Gu Jinli, hearing the commotion outside, pulled Qin San Lang back and overheard Aunt Han’s words at the courtyard gate, feeling a bit annoyed: "Does Aunt Han think my maids are her future daughters-in-law? She even wants to go inside and pick?"
Qin San Lang said, "Don’t worry, Xiong Da is quite capable, he can handle Aunt Han."
Indeed, Xiong Da first acted politely but then turned assertive. When words failed with Aunt Han, he swiftly snatched the bowl of tangyuan from her hand and said, "This bowl belongs to us. If Aunt Han wants tangyuan, go home and bring a bowl."
Aunt Han was stunned: "Young Master Xiong, what do you mean by this? You can’t spare a wooden bowl for Aunt? Besides, if Aunt makes another trip, it’ll be a waste of time, and Xiao Ji and the others would be asleep by then."
Xiong Da: "Wooden bowls also cost money. How about this: Aunt gives me ten copper coins, and you can take the bowl."
"Ten copper coins!" Aunt Han’s face twisted upon hearing this. But she was smart, realizing Xiong Da was doing it on purpose. After some thought, she found spending ten copper coins to see Xiao Ji and wasting a bowl of tangyuan wasn’t worth it. She snatched the tangyuan bowl back and said, "Aunt will leave now and come see Xiao Ji tomorrow."
Gu Jinli was a bit exasperated hearing this: "She’s coming back tomorrow? I heard she’s been visiting our maids a lot lately, proposing a match with all of them... Well, Jingzi is indeed getting on in years."
Xiao Ji and Erqing were fine, but Ye Jingzi’s age was indeed advancing.
And Ye Dakou as well; getting older and yet unmarried.
She added: "Tomorrow I’ll call Jingzi over and ask about her plans, then have Uncle Mu Tong ask Ye Dakou if he fancies any girl, so we can propose a match for him later."
Qin San Lang: "Their marriages are rather complicated."
Ye Dakou and Ye Jingzi both possessed medical skills, and such talent was hard to cultivate. According to Qin San Lang, he planned not to let them marry.
The servants under the Imperial Family, nobles, and prominent families in the Capital also rarely married, and even if they did, they typically married their own household servants, not wasting the talent they had painstakingly trained by marrying them off.
"Let’s head back. Things are hectic now; these matters can wait until we reach the Northwest." Qin San Lang noticed the ground was a bit damp, so he scooped up Gu Jinli in his arms and carried her back to their room.
Reflecting on Qin San Lang’s words, Gu Jinli remarked: "You’re right, things really are chaotic now. Let’s wait until we reach the Northwest and get settled before addressing their marriages."
However, she still planned to speak to Ye Jingzi and the others first. If they had someone in mind, they could say so, and once settled, arrangements could begin.
Qin San Lang nodded, taking off her boots, removing her hat, and then stripping off her beast skin cloak, placing her into the bed: "You don’t need to fret over these matters. Let Nanny Tao handle it; she’s experienced and knows how to arrange marriages for the servants."
The servants Elder Wu gifted to Xiao Yu were exceptionally useful, saving Xiao Yu decades of training to achieve such skilled help.
"Alright." Gu Jinli, speaking, wrapped herself in the blanket, sitting on the bed and tugging at his sleeve: "I’m too well-rested, what do I do if I’m not sleepy?"
Qin San Lang paused, looked back at her, his body pressing down with a smile: "Not sleepy, huh? Then let’s..."
"I’m sleepy!" Gu Jinli, shocked, quickly wrapped herself tightly in the blanket and rolled to the edge of the bed: "Don’t disturb me, I’m going to sleep."
Qin San Lang chuckled, hugging her through the blanket and kissing her earlobe: "What are you afraid of? I told you, I won’t touch you tonight."
Gu Jinli blushed from his words, scooting further into the corner of the bed: "What are you saying, I don’t understand... Sleeping now, good night."
Qin San Lang laughed at this, stopping his teasing, and went to the bathroom to take a bath. He returned, continued to modify the northwest map, and once finished, slipped into bed, holding her and falling into a peaceful sleep.
On the second, everyone woke early to make various dry food and organize different herbs.
Gu Jinli was also busy, leading everyone in preparing antiseptic medicine, poison, antidotes, and medicines for flu-removal and antipyretic purposes.
Uncle Mu Tong and his group helped for half the day, then left in the afternoon, continuing ahead to scout the path for them.
Everyone worked tirelessly all day, and after dinner, continued for four hours before finally going to sleep.
On the third day, while it was still dark, the soldiers began banging gongs and calling people.
Clang, clang, clang!
"Wake up, wake up, prepare to break camp and set off!"