Yu Xiaolian finished washing clothes and found that Su Jingyue was still cherishing the candy, looking at it left and right, not willing to eat it.
She put the washed clothes into the wooden basin and said to Su Jingyue, "Wait for me here, I'll take the clothes home and then come back for you, don't run around."
Seeing Su Jingyue nod obediently, Yu Xiaolian then struggled to pick up the wooden basin and headed home. She was not strong, and the wooden basin was already heavy, loaded with wet clothes, it was even heavier.
After hanging the clothes to dry, she said to Yu Changhe, who was weaving baskets in the corner of the wall, "Dad, did you take your medicine? Where's mom?"
"Your mom went to the Zhao Family after hearing Aunt Feng crying again."
"Dad, a child from Lower River Bend came to our village, I want to take him back, I might be late coming home, don't forget to tell mom, you guys can have dinner without me."
"Oh, you should take him back, whose child is it?"
"The Su Family's. Dad, that child is still waiting for me by the river. I'm afraid he'll fall in, so I'll go first."
Yu Changhe loudly instructed, "Be careful and come back early!"
"Got it!"
Yu Xiaolian rushed to the riverbank, and sure enough, Su Jingyue was squatting there obediently waiting for her.
Yu Xiaolian went over and patted his head, "Good boy, wait for me a little longer!"
Yu Xiaolian took out a diary and a black carbon pen and began writing a letter to Su Jingchen.
In the letter, Yu Xiaolian gave Su Jingchen some hints, advising him to protect his family's assets and his brother, to prevent anything before it happens. Of course, she gave the advice in a speculative tone, whether he listens or not is up to him.
Yu Xiaolian tore off the written page, folded it, and stuffed it into Su Jingyue's clothes. Her traditional Chinese characters were written sloppily, and she thought some of them might not be entirely correct, but Su Jingchen should be able to understand, right?
He should be able to, after all, Su Jingchen is described in the book as being extraordinarily wise, practically otherworldly!
Yu Xiaolian escorted Su Jingyue to Lower River Bend Village and, under Su Jingyue's guidance, sent him to the Su Family's door.
The Su Family indeed lived up to their reputation as merchants. The row of large brick and tile houses was impressive, likely one of the best for miles around.
Since coming here, Yu Xiaolian had mostly seen low mud huts or grass houses; this was the first time she'd seen such a tall courtyard house with green bricks and large tiles.
Thinking about it, Yao Shi being able to climb into the master's bed after the mistress passed, she must not be a simple person either.
Yu Xiaolian gave Su Jingyue a few more instructions before letting him go home. Su Jingyue, clutching the candy, kept looking back at Yu Xiaolian every few steps, as if reluctant to part.
Yu Xiaolian waved her hand, telling him to hurry inside, "Don't forget to give that letter to your brother!"
It's crucial to maintain a good relationship with the future Prime Minister.
In ancient times, it was a world of power, and one's life depended on a word from the powerful. Clinging to Su Jingchen, the influential figure, seemed very necessary.
If one day she ended up confronting Jun Mobai, the wise and unparalleled Su Jingchen might be able to mediate for her.
Yu Xiaolian happily went home. Fortunately, Lower River Bend Village wasn't far from theirs, so she quickly returned home.
Upon arriving home, Sun Shi and Yu Changhe were waiting to have dinner with her.
"Wow, wild vegetable dumplings made by mom, my favorite!" Yu Xiaolian said while washing her hands and looking at the dining table, "Oh, and wild vegetable soup, I'm going to eat a lot tonight."
Sun Shi served Yu Xiaolian a bowl of wild vegetable soup, smiling, "You should eat more. The girls in the village your age are all taller than you."
Yu Xiaolian took a big bite of a dumpling, "Delicious, everything mom makes is tasty!"
The dumplings were made from cornmeal and chopped wild vegetables, steamed on a tray. Yu Xiaolian originally didn't like coarse grains and rough rice because they scratched her throat, but living in these ancient times, she had to admit that when you're hungry, everything tastes good.
Yu Xiaolian ate two dumplings in a row and drank several bowls of wild vegetable soup before she was satisfied and put down her bowl and chopsticks.
In fact, the wild vegetable soup had little oil and the unique bitterness of wild vegetables. But to wash the dumplings down, she had to alternate between dry and soup, or else it was quite choking.
She took out a piece of broken silver from her pocket and placed it on the corner of the table, "Mom, this is from the Su Family, they gave me a silver piece to thank me for taking their young master home."
"Oh, you child, how can you accept so much money, gosh, this must be worth two taels of silver, right?"
Yu Changhe wrinkled his face, "Take it back to them tomorrow!"
Yu Xiaolian was speechless, she'd already chosen the smallest piece of silver to take out, so why was Yu Changhe still unsatisfied? In a family so short of money, shouldn't they be happy the daughter brought back a piece of silver?
She should have said she found it!
Sun Shi glanced at Yu Changhe, "This Su Family from Lower River Bend is into business and quite wealthy, I heard. They must have been very anxious about losing their child. Our Xiaolian returned the child to them without expecting anything, but since they were generous with the reward, and we do need the money, I think we should keep it."
"Yes, mom, aren't you saving money to buy dad the Bone Healing Ointment? With this piece of silver, we can save up faster." Yu Xiaolian knew that Sun Shi's word counted, so the money wouldn't need to be 'returned.'
Yu Changhe, hearing the words Bone Healing Ointment, couldn't help but be moved. Once his leg healed, their family's days could be better.
He often dreamt of his leg healing, but every time he woke up, it was with sweat and another wave of disappointment.
Yu Xiaolian patted her stomach, "Mom, I'm full. It's not dark yet; I'll go to the hillside to pick some more herbs, just a little exercise."
Sun Shi glanced outside, it was still quite bright, "Don't go too far, and come back soon."
Yu Xiaolian slung her small basket over her shoulder, the first thing she did was run to the Jiang Family to call out Jiang Lin.
Jiang Lin had waited for Yu Xiaolian all day, and finally saw her. As soon as he met her, he chuckled, claiming credit, saying that yesterday he intentionally provoked the Pan Family's thugs to trouble Zhao Kuo.
"Zhao Kuo was beaten quite badly, but then, the bastard went home and took it out on his wife, it made me furious!"
Yu Xiaolian asked Jiang Lin, "When my dad went to your house yesterday, what did he say? He should be suspicious of Zhao Kuo too, right?"
"Your dad is so obstinate, no matter what my dad and I said, he insisted Zhao Kuo wasn't that kind of person. But I think he has doubts in his heart, he just doesn't want to admit it."
Jiang Lin pointed to Yu Xiaolian's basket, "It's quite late, you're still going to the mountains? It's getting dark soon!"
Yu Xiaolian said, "Aren't you here? What am I afraid of? Let's go, Great Bodyguard Jiang, let's set off for the herbs!"
Yu Xiaolian's words pleased Jiang Lin, who thumped his chest, "The martial arts master, invincible under heaven, Jiang the Hero, at Xiaolian sister's service. I swear to sweep all the herbs in the mountains, leaving no plant unpicked!"
"Hahaha..." Yu Xiaolian laughed happily, "Good brother, I'll split the earnings with you half and half!"