Chapter 41 [V] is a distinguished guest from the capital...
Li Yan glanced at the young man a few times, but before she could speak, Aunt Hua chimed in enthusiastically, "Yan'er, this young man is looking for you. He came to my house by mistake, so I've brought him to you now." After saying this, Aunt Hua gave an ambiguous smile and turned to leave, but Li Yan grabbed her arm.
Her mother-in-law, Aunt Xue, wasn't home at the moment; only five-year-old Yue'er was there. If she brought a man into the house alone, rumors about her would quickly spread throughout the whole street.
To avoid such trouble, Li Yan simply invited Aunt Hua to stay as a guest.
“Auntie, since you’ve come all this way, you’re a guest. Besides, you’ve helped me by bringing the guest in. Why are you leaving? Come in and have a cup of hot tea before you go.”
Aunt Hua smiled and politely declined, saying, "No, I have things to do at home."
Li Yan was quite strong; she pulled Aunt Hua inside with a single grab, and Aunt Hua couldn't leave even if she wanted to.
Finally, Aunt Hua and the young man were invited into the house by Li Yan as guests.
After entering the house, the young man introduced himself, saying, "I've come on behalf of my master to invite my wife to our home."
Aunt Hua had initially thought this young man was someone she'd arranged to meet Yan Niang. She thought he was quite handsome and a good match for Yan Niang. But who would have thought that it wasn't him who came to choose him, but rather…
"Your husband?" Aunt Hua's ambiguous smile vanished instantly, replaced by a serious expression. "How old is your husband?"
Don't be a seventy or eighty-year-old man who dares to dream of marrying a swan.
Although Aunt Hua and Li Yan were not related by blood and had only known each other for a short time, their families lived side by side and got along very well, so their relationship was naturally very good.
Aunt Hua also has a daughter, about the same age as Li Yan. Unfortunately, she didn't think much about marriage and married her off far away to another county. Now, the mother and daughter have to travel a long way to see each other, and they only see each other once or twice a year.
Seeing that Li Yan was diligent and kind-hearted, she saw a bit of her own daughter in her.
Therefore, it's inevitable that he has some genuine feelings for Li Yan.
The young man was taken aback by the question. He had been entrusted by his master to invite Lady Li to visit, so why was he being asked about his age?
"This..." The boy was embarrassed and hesitated, looking at Li Yan beside him, not knowing how to answer for a moment.
Li Yan laughed, "Auntie, you've misunderstood. This must be a request for me to go and cook for the old lady." Then, looking at the boy, she asked, "Did your master attend the county magistrate's banquet yesterday?"
The young man replied, "That's exactly right." He had accompanied his master to the banquet, so he knew the reason. "After eating the dishes prepared by the lady, the master kept reminiscing about them. He thought about it all night, and this morning he made a decision and sent me to invite the lady to come and have a talk."
"So that's who it was..." It turned out to be a greedy old man who had made a fool of himself. Aunt Hua could only laugh awkwardly.
However, this is also a good thing.
Although it wasn't a marriage match, it shows that Yan Niang's business is thriving.
"I'm so sorry, I thought..." After apologizing, Aunt Hua simply said, "You all talk, you all talk, I'll just have some tea."
The young man said, "When will you have time, my lady? I still need to go home to report to my master."
Although it was a good thing, Li Yan did not immediately agree; she was somewhat wary of it.
Actually, if she wanted to visit the old man, she could have gone now. But... firstly, being so eager would make her seem too pushy, and secondly, she should at least find out a little about his background before making a formal visit.
Thinking this way, Li Yan gave a day or two's grace when replying.
"I'm quite busy these past few days, so I'm afraid I won't have time," Li Yan pondered. "How about the day after tomorrow, the ninth day? I'll go around this time then." Then she casually asked the old man where he was staying, "May I ask where your residence is located?"
The young man said, "My master is from Jiangning Prefecture. He came here yesterday to attend the coming-of-age banquet of the daughter of Magistrate Hong." Jiangning Prefecture is not far from Huating County, and the family has their own carriage. They were originally going to return home after the banquet yesterday. However, because they ate the dishes prepared by Madam Li at the banquet, the old man had a craving and decided to stay here for a few more days.
"Now, my servant and I are staying at the Sifang Inn. When you go there the day after tomorrow, just give me the name of my master, Mr. Gao."
Li Yan carefully memorized every word the boy said.
The young man didn't waste any time; after finishing his business, he got up to say goodbye.
Li Yan escorted him to the door, greeted him again, and watched him leave for a while.
Aunt Hua, who hadn't left yet, started talking happily. She praised Li Yan, "Yan's mother, I never expected you to be so successful." Then she looked Li Yan up and down and saw that she had become more and more beautiful than when she first met her. Aunt Hua was also happy for her.
Such a good and kind girl deserves to have everything go smoothly.
After chatting with Aunt Hua for a few more minutes, Li Yan turned and went home. A short while later, Aunt Xue returned with the meat.
Actually, buying meat every day is quite tiring. You have to get up early to go to the market and then push your cart to buy the best pork belly.
Although we've secured the purchasing power and can profit from the price difference by buying more meat, the weather is getting colder, and storms are expected in the coming days. My mother-in-law is getting old, and she can't keep up with all the physical labor she has to do every morning.
Initially, the goal of securing purchasing rights was to save costs and thus earn more money. But now, with a substantial monthly income, there's no need to skimp on those small expenses anymore.
Taking this opportunity, Li Yan also told Aunt Xue about the matter.
Aunt Xue was reluctant: "These days we buy a lot of meat, and the round trip can cost twenty or thirty coins a day. Over a month, that adds up to several coins. I'm not tired, and besides, I'm old and don't need much sleep. I can't fall back asleep after waking up in the morning, so I'm just idling around anyway."
Li Yan had mentioned this to Aunt Xue a month ago, and Aunt Xue gave the same answer.
At the time, Li Yan thought that the weather wasn't too cold yet, and since the old lady was happy with her work, she should let her continue.
But now, the coldest time of the year is fast approaching. If we let her keep working like this, something really might happen.
"Mom, don't worry about these small amounts of money. What do we earn money for? Isn't it so we can live a more comfortable and better life? Now that we have money, why take on these hard jobs?" People earn money to be comfortable. Besides, sometimes trying to save a little money can lead to trouble, and in the end, you might end up spending a lot more.
Therefore, Li Yan's attitude was very firm: "This matter is settled. I will talk to Manager Huang of Yuanbaolou in the next couple of days. I think he will definitely be very willing."
Aunt Xue wanted to say more, but knowing that her daughter-in-law meant well, she simply kept quiet.
.
On the ninth day, Li Yan got ready early in the morning and went to the Sifang Inn as agreed.
Thinking that if the old gentleman was from Jiangning Prefecture, his connections and networks would be there. In the future, having his help with promotion would definitely benefit her business.
Furthermore, those who can afford to attend a banquet at the county magistrate's residence are definitely not ordinary commoners. If we can satisfy his appetite, this trip will be twice as effective with half the effort.
Li Yan had been planning all the way, and when she arrived at the Sifang Inn, she called out "Old Master Gao".
Clearly, this Mr. Gao was a man of some standing. When the innkeeper of Sifang Inn heard that she had come to see him, he immediately greeted her with a smile and asked, "May I ask who you are to the old gentleman, madam?" In the past few days, many people had come to visit the old gentleman, but most of them were young men who looked like scholars who came to ask him for advice.
It was the first time the shopkeeper had seen a young woman looking for someone, so he was naturally curious.
Li Yan felt there was nothing to hide, so she explained frankly, "I am a cook. The old gentleman sent someone to find me the day before yesterday and asked me to come here today."
"I see..." Upon seeing that she was just a cook, the shopkeeper's enthusiasm immediately waned by half.
But he didn't turn her away. He just said, "Please wait a moment, madam. I'll go ask the old man if it's convenient for me to see him right now."
He had just finished speaking and was about to go upstairs to look for someone when Li Yan looked up and saw the young man who had come looking for her that day.
At the same time, the young man naturally saw Li Yan and smiled at her.
"Madam Li." The young man strode down the stairs and arrived in front of Li Yan in just two or three steps. "You've finally arrived. My master has been talking about you these past two days."
Li Yan apologized again, saying, "I've been so busy these past two days, I really couldn't get away." As she spoke, she bowed slightly, "I'm so sorry to have kept the old man waiting."
"No, no, the master said that your cooking skills are worth it, and he will wait as long as it takes." With that, he invited her upstairs, "Please come in, my lady."
Upon seeing that the young lady was indeed a guest of Mr. Gao, the shopkeeper suddenly regretted that he had not been enthusiastic enough towards her earlier.
This Mr. Gao is no ordinary man. He is from Jiangning Prefecture and passed the imperial examination in middle age, after which his official career progressed smoothly. Now that he has reached an advanced age, although he has returned to Jiangning Prefecture, the connections he accumulated in the capital are still there.
In the past few days, many families have wanted to invite him to stay at their homes, but he has refused them all.
In the past two days, the number of students coming and going from the inn has been endless. Some even prefer to stay at the Sifang Inn instead of at home, hoping to be closer to the old man and have the opportunity to ask him questions.
This old gentleman is truly his lucky charm; as long as he continues to live here, his inn's business will be booming.
In the past, the inn's rooms were usually empty in winter. But now, ever since the old gentleman moved in, his inn is full of people every day.
Even more so, some people have to make a reservation in advance if they want to book a room.
For a time, this boosted his business.
This inn was passed down from his great-grandfather to him. He runs it himself, acting as both manager and owner. When business is good, all the profits naturally go into his own pocket.
"Quickly, go upstairs and wait outside Mr. Gao's room to see if he needs anything. Go quickly and be efficient. If we do a good job, everyone will get a bonus for the New Year and have a prosperous year."
Upon hearing this, the waiter immediately ran upstairs with lightning speed.
At this moment, Li Yan had already been invited into Mr. Gao's room by the young man.
Inside the room, there were two young men present. Mr. Gao sat in the middle, with two young men in their twenties standing on either side of him. The three seemed to be exchanging information.
The boy dared not approach and disturb them, but instead pulled Li Yan aside and whispered, "They are all students from the Huating County School. They came here to seek knowledge after learning that my master is in Huating County."
Li Yan nodded seriously and started chatting, "Your husband must be very powerful."
The boy said, "Before my master retired, he worked at the Hanlin Academy."
For a seasoned novel enthusiast, the prestige of the "Hanlin Academy" is naturally well-known.
Li Yan didn't have to wait long; soon, the two students inside came out.
Unexpectedly, she saw Han Yue.
Before, she was far away and only saw his back, so Li Yan didn't recognize him. Now that they were face to face and closer, Li Yan naturally recognized him.
Considering Han Yue's identity, Li Yan was not surprised to see him here.
But Han Yue was taken aback when he saw Li Yan there.
"Second Aunt?" he asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"
Li Yan nodded slightly to him and then said, "Mr. Gao sent someone to call me over."
The young man had already gone in to announce the news, but now he had turned back.
"Madam Li, the master wants to talk to you."
Li Yan then ignored Han Yue and followed the boy to see Mr. Gao.
Han Yue stood frozen in shock at the doorway. It was only when a classmate called out to him that he snapped out of his daze.
“That young lady just now looked very familiar. I heard you call her ‘Second Sister’. Do you know her?” This classmate was the scholar who ate at the night market with Han Yue that night. This classmate was also there when Li Yan and Wei Niangzi were arguing, and happened to have seen her.
This scholar's surname was Gao, and his given name was "Yunhe".
Gao Yunhe also had an excellent memory and quickly remembered who Li Yan was.
"Isn't this the 'Milk Tea Beauty'?" It was a slightly teasing tone. "So, you know the Milk Tea Beauty?" He looked at Han Yue with a mischievous expression.
Having come this far, Han Yue couldn't deny his relationship with Li Yan any longer, so he simply said, "She is my wife's sister."
Gao Yunhe: "What?" He looked shocked. "You...you...you saw her that night, why didn't you say hello?" Then he suddenly realized that if he had gone that night, he might have gotten into unnecessary trouble, so he added, "I was wondering why you seemed a bit off that day." Then he remembered that the "Milk Tea Beauty" was actually his sister-in-law, and couldn't help but laugh. "But your sister-in-law, she is..." He stroked his chin, recalling Li Yan's appearance when he first saw her, "She's becoming more and more deserving of the title 'Milk Tea Beauty'."
The reason I didn't recognize the person immediately was because their appearance had changed.
I didn't notice it when I saw it that day, but seeing it just now, I was quite taken aback.
Han Yue, however, was unwilling to listen to his joking around. He said, "Did you remember everything that Elder Gao said just now? Elder Gao is from the capital, so he must know the trends in the capital and some of the emperor's thoughts. You must write that essay carefully when you get back. Next year will be the autumn examination again, which is held every three years. Brother Gao and I must seize the opportunity."
Han Yue is ambitious and determined to succeed.
But Gao Yunhe is not someone who absolutely has to take the exam.
As the two went downstairs, Gao Yunhe chimed in, "Brother Han, you're putting too much pressure on yourself. You only passed the county-level exam this spring, and you're already planning to take it again next year? Having such ambition is certainly a good thing, but don't put too much pressure on yourself."
However, the title of top scorer in the provincial examination gave Han Yue immense confidence. At the same time, it also brought him pressure.
For some reason, he became determined to pass the exam and make a name for himself again.
That's what I thought in my heart, but what I said aloud was, "Since I've tried, I'll give it my all. Whether it succeeds or not is another matter."
Gao Yunhe immediately perked up: "Brother Han is absolutely right, and I should also do my best. If this doesn't work out, we'll have to wait another three years. Three years after three years, how many three-year periods does one have in a lifetime?" Besides, the younger one is, the better, to pass the imperial examination and embark on an official career.
.
Mr. Gao appeared to be in his sixties. Although his hair was gray, he was in excellent spirits, and his eyes were particularly bright and piercing.
The old man's eyes were already bright, but when he saw Li Yan, they lit up even more.
Mr. Gao once had a colleague from Sichuan and Chongqing who loved spicy and numbing flavors. Over the years, Mr. Gao naturally became influenced by this and developed a love for spicy food as well.
Unfortunately, after retiring and returning to Jiangning Prefecture, he found that the local cuisine was too sweet and he couldn't find a suitable chef.
This trip to Huating County for a banquet turned out to be an unexpected success.
The young lady's other two dishes were also excellent, and the pastries were delicious, but the one that suited his taste the most was the grilled fish.
This was the first time he had ever eaten fish like that.
The fish was fried, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, very delicious. And the broth, I don't know what ingredients were added, but it made my mouth water.
These past few days, all he could think about was the grilled fish she made. Now, seeing her standing in front of him, his mouth was watering.
"The grilled fish that day was excellent, Madam Li. Could you make me another serving?" Of course, since she had been hired as a private chef, she had to be paid. The old man had served as an official for many years, and now his descendants were all successful, so he was not short of money.
So, he took out a silver ingot and handed it to Li Yan: "Here, take this first."
Li Yan had never seen such a large silver ingot before. Even though she had made some money in business these past few months, it was all in loose silver coins or strung-together copper coins.
“This… is too much.” Li Yan waved her hands repeatedly. “Sir, I can’t accept it.”
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Author's note: Please give me some water!
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