lcionline Chapter 425 Help and Praise
Chapter 425 Help and Praise
Chapter 425
Chun Xing knew her young lady's way of doing things. After thinking about it carefully, they felt uneasy if they left her alone in the inn, so she just nodded.
Luo Shuiyao quickly finished a bowl of side dishes and a bowl of porridge. After washing up, she changed into smarter clothes and went downstairs. She happened to see the guards negotiating with the yamen runners at the door.
The guards saw her coming down and hurried over to greet her. Luo Shuiyao asked, "What happened?"
The guard said succinctly, "County Magistrate Qin sent someone to deliver something to you. They've already arrived at the door, and I was just about to inform you."
The guard had just met the yamen runner. They'd barely exchanged a few words, and before they could even ask what the item was, they spotted Luo Shuiyao. He immediately reported and stepped aside. Luo Shuiyao nodded slightly at the runner. She was also quite curious about what Magistrate Qin was going to give her.
The yamen runner bowed and said, "Hello, Miss Luo. I am the head of the Baihua County Yamen. Today, I was ordered by my county magistrate to bring you some rice. I've also found a few people to help you cook the rice porridge. They're outside right now. I wonder if you could go out and take a look?"
As he spoke, the yamen runner who claimed to be the yamen head turned sideways and gestured for her to go out and check.
Luo Shuiyao followed the yamen runner outside and saw two oxcarts parked there. One was piled high with rice bags, seemingly more than double the number from yesterday. Several women gathered around the other, including Miss He and the woman from the rice shop, along with someone familiar—the woman who had cried out in grief over her flower fields earlier, perhaps called Auntie Wang. As for the other two women, she had never seen them before.
Wang Cuihua was huddled together with a few other women, whispering to each other. When she looked up and saw Luo Shuiyao coming out, she immediately greeted her warmly, "Miss, you're here! The county magistrate sent a few of us here to help you today."
She introduced them one by one familiarly, "This is Miss He, and this is Aunt Zhang from the rice shop, her husband's surname is Zhang. The other two are my sisters-in-law and my brother's wife, and they are all happy to lend a hand. Don't worry, miss, just tell me what you want, I promise to do it for you!" After saying that, she patted her strong chest.
Luo Shuiyao had initially been quite displeased with Wang Cuihua for her unbridled language yesterday, but now, seeing her so readily approachable, she felt her earlier calculations had been a bit petty. For a moment, she didn't know how to respond, so she simply stood there and stared at her.
Fortunately, Wang Cuihua was careless and didn't notice that Luo Shuiyao's attitude was different from before. She was about to say something else when she was interrupted by Aunt Zhang.
Aunt Zhang clapped her hands on Wang Cuihua's shoulder. "Wang Cuihua, you're so good! You're really capable! Miss Luo cooked porridge with us yesterday. We're already very familiar with each other. Do we really need you to introduce us?"
Aunt Zhang is used to doing rough work and is very strong.
Caught off guard, Wang Cuihua staggered after being slapped by her. She grimaced as she touched her hurt shoulder, "Look at you, still so rude! I was just worried that you wouldn't know each other and something might go wrong!"
Aunt Zhang rolled her eyes. "You keep nagging all day long. I wonder if your husband is annoyed by you!"
Wang Cuihua was unhappy when she heard this and immediately retorted: "Why are you so mean? You can't stand me and my man getting along well, right? Let me tell you, my man loves me very much!"
The two were not young and had been married for many years. They were usually quite bold in their words. Hearing them talk like this, not to mention the young girls, even the guards and yamen runners felt a little uncomfortable after hearing such unscrupulous words, and their cheeks flushed slightly.
Aunt Zhang noticed that her words were becoming increasingly outrageous. If it were any other day, it would be fine, but today, in front of so many young people, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed and quickly interrupted, "Alright, alright! You don't know how to control your mouth. If you keep letting your temper go on like this, you'll suffer someday!"
Wang Cuihua wasn't someone who didn't plan things out; she had a method for everything she did, but her mouth wasn't one to be controlled, and words came out of her mouth without her having to think them through. With her warm and forthright nature, she should have been a skilled matchmaker, but she hadn't managed to secure a single marriage. Instead, it became a persistent obsession, and the more she tried to make it happen, the more she got into trouble because of her careless mouth.
Hearing Aunt Zhang's reminder, she showed no sign of annoyance. She slapped her thigh and yelled, "Oh my, look at my mouth!" Then she stretched out her broad palm and gently slapped it on her mouth. Then she hurriedly bowed to Luo Shuiyao and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, young lady. I have a bad mouth, but I don't mean any harm. Please don't take it to heart!"
Before she came, she had been thinking about how to behave well in front of Luo Shuiyao and leave a good impression on her. But now she had forgotten it for a moment. Thinking of her rashness just now, she felt terrified. She was afraid that Luo Shuiyao would mind her outspokenness and that this matchmaking would be ruined again.
Luo Shuiyao could see that Aunt Wang was straightforward and straightforward, without any ulterior motives. Although she was a bit rash, she didn't seem to have bad intentions. Besides, she wasn't the type to hold grudges over trivial matters. She gently waved her hand and said, "It's nothing. I don't take it to heart. Auntie, don't mind it."
Wang Cuihua looked at her expression carefully and saw that she was indeed not unhappy, so she felt relieved.
She stepped forward, a little more reserved than before, but still speaking warmly and familiarly, "Young lady, you don't know yet, do you? We were sent by the county magistrate. He was worried that you, a young lady from a wealthy family, would be hurt by rough work like making porridge, so he summoned us early this morning and asked us to follow you. Young lady, just give your orders, and I'll leave the rest to you. I'm not exaggerating, but your cooking skills are impeccable!"
Aunt Wang spoke with a hint of pride. She wasn't boasting, but someone like her, who had been cooking all her life, might not be as skilled as the chefs of the rich families at preparing exotic dishes, but she was a master at making porridge, a simple household chore.
Of course, she didn't forget her purpose. Her words were full of pride, and she was praising County Magistrate Qin to Luo Shuiyao.
Luo Shuiyao heard it all. Although she already knew that Magistrate Qin was a thoroughgoing individual, she was still surprised. Magistrate Qin was already very busy with official duties, not only handling numerous matters but also personally leading the people in digging canals and building roads. He was definitely a busy man. And yesterday, only Xiao He and the woman from the rice shop helped with the porridge, which was indeed quite strenuous. Magistrate Qin must have noticed all this. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that he came to help in person, but she never expected him to care about even such a small matter, and to send someone so early.
Such a thoughtful and attentive person, not only the people of Baihua County, but even she herself, had a much better impression of County Magistrate Qin. She had intended to go out immediately to buy rice and grain, but she was even more worried because she didn't know anyone in Baihua County well, and she was wondering how to find someone to help. To her surprise, County Magistrate Qin had already sent someone to properly resolve the matter, which truly relieved her worries.