Chapter 40: Wolf Fang Necklace "General, this necklace...it's a real reward...
The attendant immediately stepped forward, holding a small brocade box in his hand, and respectfully handed it to Liu Yeshu.
Curious, Liu Yeshu gently untied the silk knot on the brocade box. What came into view was a necklace made of wolf teeth.
The wolf fangs were no longer a symbol of bloodthirstiness and brutality. Instead, they were meticulously polished, smooth as jade, emitting a faint white glow. Each fang was connected to a delicate silver thread, strung together into a ring. The largest fang in the center of the necklace, slightly curved, resembled a delicate dagger.
Liu Yeshu's eyes widened, she was so surprised that she could hardly speak. She couldn't help but reach out and touch it gently. The wolf fang was cold and smooth.
"General, this necklace...is this really a reward for me?!"
"It belongs to the leader wolf."
She thanked him repeatedly, her eyes full of smiles. "Thank you, General, for your generous gift! I will definitely make more delicious food for you in the future!"
The attendant stood by, his expression calm, but he was secretly astonished. He had served Qi Yu for many years and knew that the general always had a clear sense of reward and punishment, and would never easily bestow such a private and unique item upon anyone. This wolf-tooth necklace was clearly meticulously crafted, specially commissioned by the city's finest artisans. The significance of this gift was truly puzzling.
The general has always been calm and decisive, and never wastes time and energy trying to please others. Could it be that he has some unusual thoughts about Miss Liu?
The attendant couldn't help but shake his head at this thought. His own idea was absurd. But Miss Liu was just an exiled convict. Even if she was smart and capable, there was no way she could truly catch the general's eye. If the general truly wanted her as a concubine, why would he go so far so far? County Magistrate Tang recently married a convict as a concubine. Wasn't that just as logical?
He secretly glanced at Qi Yu and saw that the general still looked calm, as if this was just an ordinary reward.
Liu Yeshu wanted to put the necklace away, but when she saw Qi Yu's eyes still on her, as if he was not satisfied, she put the necklace on her neck. The delicate wolf fangs hung on her chest, and the cold touch made her heart tremble slightly.
Seeing Qi Yu pick up the bamboo slips again, she thanked him again and left the study quietly.
Back in the backyard, Liu Yeshu busied herself with lunch, making stir-fried lamb with ginger and garlic, noodles in chicken soup, and stir-fried vegetables. The lamb was tender and juicy, the noodles were crisp and smooth, and the vegetables were crisp and vibrant. All three dishes were vibrant and fragrant. The little orange cat, upon seeing Liu Yeshu emerge from the kitchen with food, immediately jumped up and circled around her feet. Liu Yeshu looked down at its two furry, light orange ears, which, seen from behind, resembled gold ingots.
"How about you just call yourself Yuanbao?"
The little orange cat meowed and rubbed its head against Liu Yeshu's legs uncontrollably.
"Yuanbao, Yuanbao, come here." Chun Xing was teasing it with the leftovers from lunch. As soon as she put the bowl down, the orange cat immediately came over and started eating in small mouthfuls.
When they returned to the backyard, they saw Chun Xing still playing with the cat. Liu Yeshu said, "I won't eat lunch. It's ready at home."
The autumn wind blew, and some dry leaves fell in the yard. The sky was light gray, and the coldness had quietly enveloped the area.
"Shu'er, you're back!" Upon hearing the voice, Liu's mother hurried out of the house. Seeing her daughter holding several furs in her hands, a look of doubt appeared on her face.
"Mother, this is the winter coat I made. It's made of scraps of wolf skin. Even though it's just scraps of skin, it's still warm enough to wear in winter."
Mother Liu took the coat and gently stroked the soft fur. Her eyes suddenly reddened, tears welling up unconsciously. She sniffed, her voice choking slightly. "You still remember what happened with the wolf... Mother is truly terrified. Thinking of you almost being trapped by the wolf pack, I can't help but feel terrified. I haven't been able to sleep well these past few days, worried you'd be in danger again..."
Seeing this, Liu Yeshu hurriedly grabbed her mother's hand and comforted her, "Mom, don't worry, those wolves have been dealt with, and they have even made winter clothes for us. Look, how warm it is." She gently patted her mother's hand, trying to reassure her.
Mother Liu wiped her tears, nodded, and tried to force a smile: "Yes, yes...it's very warm."
"Where's Dad? Where's my brother?" Liu Yeshu looked around and asked when he didn't see his father and brother.
"Your father went to the fields early this morning to plow the soil. We need to prepare it for spring planting before winter. Brother Liu went to the mountains to chop firewood. I think he'll be back soon." Mother Liu sighed and continued, "A few days ago, the owner of the noodle shop where you used to run a stall came to our house and brought a lot of things, saying it was to compensate you. I put the millet and chicken in the kitchen cabinet, and a few pieces of cloth are still in the main room."
"Noodle shop? But the Mo family's brother-in-law?"
Mother Liu nodded. "When he saw you weren't home, he asked what he was doing. He hesitated and didn't give a clear answer for a long time. He sat for a while and then left."
Liu Yeshu's eyebrows slightly wrinkled.
"After the Mo family's brother-in-law left, the neighbor's aunt came over and stood at the door, gossiping and telling me a lot of gossip." Every time her daughter came home, Liu's mother liked to chat with her about gossip. "It's said that his wife is a famous 'tiger mom' in the whole area, and she's very jealous."
After hearing this, Liu Yeshu gradually understood something.
"I see……"
It seems that the person who reported her that time was not Mo's brother-in-law, but his wife.
Seeing Liu Yeshu in deep thought, Mother Liu couldn't help but ask, "Shu'er, what's wrong?"
Liu Yeshu came back to his senses, a faint smile appeared on his face, and he said softly: "Nothing, I just figured out something that has been bothering me for a long time."
Just then, brother Liu came back from chopping wood. As soon as he entered the door, he couldn't wait to shout, "Sister, come and see the new plow that Uncle Wang and I made together!"
Liu Yeshu walked over and looked at it carefully. Sure enough, all the points mentioned last time had been changed. The blade of the plow was obviously much sharper, and it seemed that it was specially designed to deal with hard soil when plowing.
"Have you used it when turning the soil recently?" Liu Yeshu asked with a hint of appreciation in her tone.
Liu Di nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling with pride. "Yes, sister! This plow is much easier to use than the previous one. It turns the soil quickly and saves effort! Uncle Wang even praised me for my quick learning and said I could become a good craftsman in the future."
Liu Yeshu smiled and patted his shoulder, her tone full of encouragement: "The most important thing in farming is the tools. Using the right tools will achieve twice the result with half the effort. You've learned so quickly from Uncle Wang. It seems you'll become a good hand in the future!"
After hearing this, Liu Di smiled even more brightly. Every time he was praised, he felt a sense of accomplishment.
As he was speaking, Manager Li unexpectedly arrived. Seeing the courtyard door was half-closed, he strode in without restraint, smiling and greeting, "Is the autumn harvest going well recently?"
Liu Yeshu smiled slightly and said politely: "The whole family tried to do it, and it can be considered as barely finished."
"Miss Liu, you're being modest. I think we've had a bumper harvest this year." Steward Li continued smiling, but then changed the subject: "What a coincidence! I'm here this time because I want to discuss something with your family."
When Liu Di heard this, he immediately put the plow in the corner of the yard, and together with his sister, led Manager Li in to serve tea. Coincidentally, Liu's father also came back from the fields.
Manager Li smiled, picked up the teacup and took a sip, then finally said, "It's like this, someone recently wanted to exchange land with your family."
Upon hearing this, Father Liu frowned slightly and understood a little bit in his heart. It turned out that someone was coveting their family's good harvest and wanted to take over their land.
He asked in a deep voice, "Who wants to change it?"
Steward Li picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then said with a smile, "It's Aunt Tang. As you know, Aunt Tang is a relative of the county magistrate."
To be honest, if he didn't know that Miss Liu was in charge of the general's mansion, he wouldn't have to make this trip in person. He could have just notified the Liu family directly.
I really can't afford to offend anyone...
Liu Yeshu's eyes moved: "How is Aunt Tang's land?"
Manager Li's eyes flickered slightly when he heard this, and he replied, "Don't worry. This land was once acquired through trade with someone else. It's flat and the soil is quite fertile."
Father Liu didn't say anything. He was undecided and looked at Liu Yeshu.
Liu Yeshu thought about it in his heart, then smiled and said, "Manager Li, for your sake, we might as well talk. But if we want to exchange, our condition is that we have to give twice as much land in exchange."
As soon as these words were spoken, Manager Li's expression changed slightly.
"Miss Liu, isn't this a bit too much?"
Liu Yeshu's expression was calm and unwavering. "Manager Li, although our land is not large, the harvest is good, and we really don't want to give it up. If Aunt Tang really wants to exchange it, we can bear the pain and let it go, but we have to show some sincerity, right?"
Father Liu listened from the side. Although he was a little worried about creating a feud with the county magistrate's family, seeing his daughter's firm attitude, he nodded in support: "If you don't want to change it, then forget it."
Seeing Liu Yeshu and Father Liu's resolute attitude, Manager Li's eyes changed slightly, but he still wore a polite smile on his face. He clasped his fists and said, "Since that's the case, I'll go back and talk to Aunt Tang and make sure she shows her sincerity."
Liu Yeshu watched Manager Li leave, but her heart remained calm. She glanced at her father beside her and saw that his brow was furrowed. She said softly, "Dad, we don't have to rush to agree. Even though they are relatives of the county magistrate, we have to stand firm in the land exchange and not be afraid of them."
Upon hearing this, Father Liu's worries were slightly relieved. He nodded and said, "You are right. If we are manipulated at will, hard times are still ahead."
As if remembering the previous incident of forcing him to reveal his identity, Father Liu felt a little awkward when facing Liu Yeshu. He avoided her gaze several times, not knowing how to start. However, Liu Yeshu seemed unaware of it and remained calm, as if nothing had happened.
He secretly decided not to ask any more questions or explore the secrets behind it.
As they were talking, Mother Liu brought out a few bowls of hot soup and handed them to Liu Yeshu and Father Liu, saying with concern, "It's cold, drink some hot soup to warm yourself up first."
Liu Yeshu took the bowl of soup, blew away the hot steam gently, and took a sip.
In the evening, Manager Li hurried over again, looking very happy.
As soon as he entered the door, he said, "I just went back and talked to Aunt Tang. She is willing, but the land has not been turned over yet, so I'm afraid it will take some effort."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yeshu smiled calmly, looking away from Manager Li and towards the darkening sky outside the window. "In that case, let's talk about it after we've turned the land. There's no rush to exchange land, we can discuss it slowly."
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