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Daya went to prepare the New Year’s Eve feast, insisting that Lu Qiniang not lift a finger and even urging her to rest on the heated kang.
Thus, the situation became this: Lu Qiniang and Xiao Yan, each occupying one side of the kang, sat facing each other in awkward silence.
Lu Qiniang thought to herself: ‘This is so awkward it makes me want to go outside and plow two acres of land or catch ten pigs.’
Finally, Xiao Yan broke the silence. “Don’t worry about the silver. If you come across any rare or interesting items in the future, you can always sell them to the Third Young Master at the Duke’s residence.”
When it came to making money, Lu Qiniang’s interest was instantly piqued.
“Oh? Is that Third Young Master really such a wastrel?”
“Mhm.”
“You know him?”
“Mhm.” Xiao Yan was tight-lipped about the past, offering no further details.
“You must have some grudge against him, always scheming to swindle him,” Lu Qiniang remarked. “But what exactly counts as ‘rare’? I’ll have to think carefully about this.”
Xiao Yan replied indifferently, “He was born into wealth. Anything he hasn’t seen before will be rare to him.”
Most importantly, Xiao Yan planned to write a letter to that little tyrant.
He couldn’t in good conscience keep leeching off Lu Qiniang.
So, even though he was reluctant, Xiao Yan decided to reach out to the few connections he had left.
Lu Qiniang—a woman of righteous spirit and tender heart—shouldn’t have to keep wallowing in hardship.
“Alright then, next time I find something interesting, I’ll try selling it again. Might as well make money off the rich,” Lu Qiniang leaned against the wall and sighed. “Some people pay twenty taels of silver for a wild boar, while others vanish without a trace, their families left with a paltry fifteen taels of compensation—only to have even that skimmed off by greedy hands.”
“How can human life be so cheap?”
She felt this was wrong.
But what could she do about it?
All she could do was seize every opportunity to make life better for herself and her three daughters.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan also fell silent.
In Lu Qiniang’s eyes, he saw confusion, sorrow, longing…
She was thinking of her husband.
And why wouldn’t she? As a child bride, she had grown up with him—their bond must have been deep.
A pity, then, that death had parted them, leaving no chance for reunion.
Erya returned before long, bursting with excitement. “Mother, I got the medicine! Physician Hu said once you finish this course, you’ll be completely cured—no more relapses!”
“That was quick,” Lu Qiniang said with a smile, reaching out to stroke her wind-chapped cheeks. “Was it terribly cold outside?”
“Freezing! My ears nearly fell off. Next year when we have money, you must get me a pair of ear muffs,” Erya said, never one to forget about looking stylish.
“But today was so lucky! When I got to the pharmacy, it was actually open—turns out someone else urgently needed medicine and forced them to unlock the doors. I just happened to arrive at the right time.”
She handed the medicine to Daya in the kitchen: “Big Sister, you should brew it. I’m afraid I’ll mess up such expensive medicine if I do it.”
This was forty taels of silver!
Originally, it should have been forty-three taels, but Physician Hu went along to negotiate, and only then did the pharmacy reluctantly lower the price a little.
“I actually doubted Physician Hu at first—how could medicine possibly cost so much? I even thought we’d have some silver left to make myself a new coat. Who knew it’d really be this expensive?” Erya puffed up her cheeks in frustration.
Only now was she starting to feel the sting of spending forty taels.
That could’ve bought so many clothes and trinkets!
“Once spring comes, we’ll go up the mountain to dig for herbs and sell them,”
Daya said with a smile, taking the medicine pot from the shelf. “Same as before—three bowls of water boiled down to one? Did Doctor Hu say anything about how to brew it?”
“He said it’s the same as last time. I told him you’d definitely remember.”
“Mm, I remember,” Daya nodded.
“Alright, you handle this. I’m going inside to warm up—this whole day has worn me out.”
Running errands outside? She didn’t mind that.
But household chores? She loathed them. If not for Lu Qiniang keeping her in line, she’d never lift a finger.
Her greatest hope was to marry into wealth someday—that way, she’d have maids to wait on her and never have to sweep floors or wash dishes again.
“Go on, you’ve worked hard today,” Lu Qiniang said.
Daya bore the workload without complaint, never keeping score over who did more or less between her younger sisters.
After Erya entered the room and saw Lu Qiniang getting off the ground, she quickly said, “Mother, didn’t I tell you to take a good rest?”
“Do you think I’m made of paper?” Lu Qiniang retorted irritably. “I need to use the outhouse.”
Only then did Erya drop the subject.
Once Lu Qiniang had left, Xiao Yan suddenly spoke: “Erya.”
Erya froze for a moment before realizing he was addressing her.
Xiao Yan’s voice was deep and resonant, carrying a steady, grounding weight.
“Huh? What is it?” Erya replied.
“Could you do me a favor?”
“Tell me first what it is, then I’ll decide if I can agree,” Erya said, her eyes darting shrewdly.
Why did she have a feeling this might be something good?
“I’ve written a letter. I’d like you to deliver it for me.”
“Who’s the letter for?”
“Third Young Master of the Duke Yun’s residence.”
“Duke Yun’s residence? Isn’t that where Mother sold the wild boar?” Erya said.
“You know their Third Young Master?”
“Yes.” Xiao Yan knew what Erya wanted, “You help me run the trip, and then I will get some clothes and New Year’s goods.”
In the letter, he told Yun Ting that he wanted one tael of silver, some New Year’s goods, and a few sets of clothes for the girl who delivered the letter.
‘there are three girls in the family, and everyone needs to prepare two sets, without any bias.’
Over these days, Xiao Yan had observed Erya’s competitive nature. If things weren’t divided fairly, the New Year would be miserable for everyone.
As for Lu Qiniang—according to Physician Hu, she would slim down eventually. So, Xiao Yan had requested two bolts of fine silk, allowing her to tailor new clothes for herself later.
Xiao Yan’s planning was nothing if not thorough.
“Really?” Erya’s eyes instantly lit up.
Though she had been on her feet nonstop since waking up this morning, the moment she heard about new clothes, she declared she could run another eighteen streets without breaking a sweat.
She wasn’t tired!
“Mm.” Xiao Yan gave a slight nod.
Though he said nothing more, Erya could already sense that calm, commanding air of his—the kind that made it clear he had everything under control.
“Where’s the letter? I’ll go right now!” Erya urged.
“Quick, give it to me before Mother gets back. Once she’s here, she won’t let me go asking people for things.”
Xiao Yan handed her the folded letter he had prepared. “Just tell the gatekeeper you’re there to see the Third Young Master. If he refuses to relay the message, act fierce—say the Third Young Master will hold him accountable if he doesn’t, and they’ll deliver it for you.”
“Got it! Easy enough!” Erya agreed cheerfully, blinking eagerly.
“Do you think the Third Young Master will give me a reward?”
Based on her experience running errands for the masters back at the Zhou family, rewards were practically guaranteed.
And today being New Year’s Eve, the reward ought to be even bigger!
“He will. You can keep it all—I won’t tell your mother,” Xiao Yan said, reading her thoughts perfectly.
She was nothing if not resourceful!
When Lu Qiniang stepped back into the house, she saw Erya darting out in a hurry.
She called after her, “Where are you running off to now? We’re about to eat!”
“Just going to say a quick word to Dujuan—I’ll be right back!” Erya’s voice floated in from the courtyard, bright with excitement.